    VOLUME A-VII                          SEPTEMBER 15, 1961 - GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN                                      NUMBER  21

                                                                       He called, and His servants came: the hated enemy, the

           M E D I T A T I O N                                      arch-enemy of Israel: Babylon, wicked, foul, proud Babylon.

                                                                       And the heritage of Jehovah was led to a strange land.

                                                                       The daughter of Zion finds herself in Babylon, between
            JEHOVAH'S  FAITWFP$%NESS                                the two rivers.                                                  ?

              "But Eon mith, The Lo?-d hatI%  fomaken  me,             And there come the haters of God with unholy glee in
           and WY Lo+-d hatlz  joygotten  me. Ca.n  a wowLap        their hearts : they are going to have a good time with these
           folrget  1u~  sucking child, that she should not Imve    aliens and their strange customs : Come, sing us one of the
            comflassio~n  0% the son of her+. womb? YeaA,  they     songs of Zion !
           may forget, yet wiU I not joyget  thee. Behold,, T
           lmve gravepz  thee ,l.tpon  the pahs of My hands;           But no, we cannot sing the Lord's song in a strange
            thy walls aye  cont~inzully  before Me."                land ! Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, ere I
                                               - Isa. 49 :14-16     sing in this God-forsaken land of the sons of the devil.

   Zion was wrapped in darkness in the prophetic vision of             And with tears in th& hearts, they look toward Judah

Isaiah.                                                             and Jerusalem, so far away!

   And small wonder it was. She had more than deserved                 But they see no deliverance.

to be wrapped in this mantle of darkness.                              How could they expect deliverance, after such great
                                                                                            I rl
    Scan the context, and shudder.                                  apostasy.

    The measure of iniquity was more than full. The nation             Upon their own unfaithfulness they can expect nothing
that was named for Jehovah had provoked Him to His Face,            but the just reward of their deeds.

in that they whored  after other gods, after the gods of tha           Oh, it was sad in Babylon!
nations that surrouilded  them.

    And doing that, they  had turned their backs upon the                                      8 8 * +

Fountain of Israel. These two things always go together.
                                                                       But wonder of wonders, in that night of agony resounds
    And then the prophets had come with their heavenly in-          the prophecy of God: Comfort ye, comfort ye My people,
junction: Where are the fruits of My vineyard, saith the            saith your God!
Lord of Hosts? These prophe'ts  had spoken, wept, pleaded,
                                                                       Notwithstanding their grievous sins, they hear the
but all in vain.
                                                                    golden speech of God : "Sing, 0 heavens; and be joyful,
    Worse than that, this perverse nation had mocked their          0 earth ; and break forth into singing, 0 mountains : for the
prophets, derided their testimony, persecuted their persons         Lord hath comforted His people, and will have mercy upon
and had killed some of them. We have heard the bitte:-              His afflicted."
weeping of Jeremiah and Micah.
                                                                       It is the shaft of brilliant light of prophecy that shines
    Oh yes, this Israel had forsaken their God, the God who         in the darkness in Mesopotamia.
alone was able to deliver . . .
                                                                       Lift up your heads, 0. Zion, and rejoice ye daughters of
    And what followed ?                   r                         Jerusalem: your God cometh;  and His arm shall rule for

    Well, what would you expect? You cannot have success            Him. He is going to lead                like a flock ; He shall gather
                                                                                                    you 
when you turn your back to the Lord. You must needs be              the lambs in His arm, and carry  them in His bosom, and

plagued all the day  long.                                          shall gently lead those that are with young!

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


   So, wipe away those tears ; anoint your head with the               Oh yes, mothers do have pity on their sons!

glad oil of rejoicing: your Shepherd cometh  to lead you               It is the sweetest picture in this sorry earth.
back to Jerusalem!
                                                                      And God bids His people to look upon that picture.
   But no, Zion still weeps.     She turns a deaf ear to the

miraculous speech of God, the unexpected, the baffling speech                                * + 4: *

of unspeakable love. God's mercy on us? Oh no, how can

that be?                                                              But yet, it is possible that a mother be found who would

   Besides, look at the objective facts: we are in Babylon,        cast off her son, and utterly forsake him in his misery. It is
far from the holy land, far from the city of God and our           not likely, it is not probable, but it is possible.

glorious House where our fathers served Him !                       And so God says: If they would forget, yet will I not

   How, 0 prophet, can you speak of comfort, of mercy              forget thee !

when the facts testify of our forsakenness. Oh no, but God            Oh, dear reader, write those words on the posts of your

has forgotten all about us, and He has forsaken us! Those          doors; let them be for frontlets between your eyes; teach

are the sober facts.                                               them to your doubting heart; inculcate them to the genera-

   And they continue to weep in Babylon.                           tions following: those words are sweeter than honey and the
                                                                   honey comb. I spoke earlier of the Tzdracle  of the love of God.
                           * * *     4:
                                                                      You see, the love of God and the faithfulness of that God
    How utterly foolish of Zion to act this way !                  are unchangeable.

    They have forgotten one thing: God changeth never !                But why?
God is faithful froin everlasting to everlasting, and with Him
                                                                      And then is this the answer: God's love is not subject to
is no change, nor variableness, nor turning.
                                                                   change because of reasons outside of Him.
    Jeremiah testified of just that. He came to the weeping
                                                                       Ponder that statement.
children of Zion and said: The Lord Jehovah hath appeired

to me of old, and I have listened to His speech. This is               He takes reasons within Himself to love us. His good-

what He said unto me: I have loved thee with an everlasting        pleasure, which is as old as God is, is the fountain of His

love : therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee !           love toward us. And so it is not subject to change, even as

    But it was foolish to continue to weep in the face of          our love and mercy.

such comfort.                                                          Today I lie on my knees before the object of my love,

    First, because it made their night still darker.               and say: Thou art my life, my joy, my all! But tomorrow
                                                                   something happens, anything happens : there are a thousand
    Second, because they robbed themselves of the only com-        possibilities; and I arise to detest the erstwhile object of all
fort in such straits.
                                                                   my adoration.

    Third, because it was contrary to reality, the reality of          But not so God.
the love of God.
                                                                       No, not even the sin of Zion can change the love of God.
       No, for Zion there was no cause to lament; no, not
in the face of such wondrous prophecy.                                 And how Zion had sinned. She knows it; she is full
                                                                   of remorse, and cannot hope that God will ever forget.
    And therefore the Lord enjoins the people of His elective
iove to look about them: they have but to look and they                But in the face of all that sin, the Lord saith: tell her
will see shadows, symbols of His own fond love.                    that her iniquity is pardoned!

    What generation is without its mother and babe?                    (We live anno Domini  1961, and I may add now: God
                                                            You
find  them in the lowest hovel and in the most glorious            will bear all our shame and sin, our curse and hell ; till all
palaces.                                                           is gone! till heaven is earned on His cross !)

       Did you ever see a mother that would turn from her              What comfort !

darling babe ? _                                                       What unspeakable consolation !

       Is there a mother that would not have mercy on her son?
                                                                                             * * * *
    Ah, if the whole world would say of that son: Lynch

him! Destroy this dastardly wicked boy from off the face               God has an image of His deioved  Zion in the palms of
of the world! Then, if this culprit can escape the avenging        His hands.
mob, and sneak to the hovel of his mother, she .will meet him
                                                                       So have we.
with outstretched arms, and fold him to her breast, and say:

My son, oh, my son!                                                    Oh those pictures, those images of those we love!


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   R E A R E R                                                                                                                           483


                                                                       -
    But here is the difference: God has your photograph

before you yourself appeared in history.                                             THE STANDARD  BEAHPH

                                                                       Scmtimonthly;  `ekcept monthly dun'ng  June, July and August
    Before the world was made, He had your image in His                 Published by the RXFOIUUED  FREE PRONG  ASSOCLATION
palms, in His heart of hearts.                                         P. 0. Box  881, Madison Square  Station,  Grand  Rapids 7. Mich.

    And you may rest assured that the image which God                                     Editor  - SEV.  H&MAN  HOEKSEMA

has with Him from eternity is beautiful. You are so beauti-            Communications  relative  to contents  shunId be addresbrtl  trj
                                                                                   Rev.  H. Hoeksema,  1139  r'ranklin  St., S. E.,
ful in that image that God delights to look at you.                                                Grand  Hapids  7, Mich.

    No, not as you appear now in history, for then your                All matters relative  to subscriptions  should be addressed  to Mr.
                                                                                   James  Dykstra,  1326  W. Butler  Ave., S. E.
image is so ugly that you yourself turn away from it, and'                                      Grand  Rapids 7, Michigan

cry: 0 my God, who shall deliver me out of the body of this            Announcements  and  Obituaries  must  be mailed  to the  above
                                                                       address  and  will be published at a fee of $2.00 for each  notice.
death ! ?

                                                                       RENEWAL: Unless  a definite  request  for discontinuance  is re-
    As we appear in history we are very ugly indeed.                   ceived it is assumed  that the  subscriber  wishes  the subscription
                                                                            to continue  without  the formality of a renewal order.
    Be patient !                                                                           Subscription  price: $5.00 per  year

    God is at work. He labors throughout all the ages to                    Second Class postage  paid at Grand  Rapids,  Michigan

make you in history as you are in His palms. Looking at                                                                                                                                              .I

the image of you in His heart, He fashions and fashions

again. We call it sanctification.
                                                                                                       CONTENTS
    And He will continue to fashion you, in body and soul,

                                                                 1,
until you shall be just as lovely as He imagined you in His      IVlELUTATION-
                                                                            Jehovah's Faithfulness . . . . . . . __.  _. . . . . . .&I
twn heart before the earth sank on her foundation.
                                                                                  Rev.  G. Vos

    Be still, my heart!
                                                                 EDITORZALS  -
    God thinketh on thee!                                                   The Lord Does Not Command His Blessing  There!..........484

                                                                                  Rev.  H. C. Hoeksema
    And that's enough !

    Amen.                                                        ODR  DOCTRINE-
                                                                            The Book of Revelation'.  . . . . . . . . . . . . .._. . ._ . . . . . . . .__...  ,486
                                                         G.V.                     Rev.  H. Hoeksema


                                                                 A CLOUD OF WITNESSES-
                             -       -                                      Rephidim . , . . . . . . . . .488

                                                                                  Rev.  B. Woudenberg


                        Announcement                             FROM HOLY WRIT -

                                                                            Exposition of I Timothy.. . _. . . . . . . . . . . . .49cP
    Classis  East of the Protestant Reformed Churches will                        Rev.  G. Lubbers

meet, the Lord willing, on Wednesday, October 4, 1961
                                                                 IN HIS FEAR -
at the Southwest Protestant Reformed Church, located at                     God's Royal Priesthood                (9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4992

the corner of Porter and n/Ieyer  Streets in Wyoming, Mich.                       Rev.  J. A. Heys

Delegates from the various churches of Classis  East wi!l        CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH-
please take notice.                                                         The Church  and  the  Sacraments  _._...............__..........................                                                  494
                                                                                                                             -
                             Rev. M. Schipper,  Stated Clerk                       Rev.  H. Veldman


                                                                 THE  VOICE OF OUR FATHERS-
                                                                            The Belgic Confession.  . . . . . ___..  . . . . ._............  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
                             --                                                    Rev.  H. C. Hoeksema


                                                                 ALLARouNDus-
                                                                            Not  All Ecumenically Minded  .___.............___............................  498
                    Notice  for Clcrssis West
                                                                            Decisions      On Infallibility.  .._ . . . . ._ _..___.  ..___  __._  __. . . . . _________  498

    Classis  West of the Protestant Reformed Churches will                  Growth In The Roman Catholic Church  ___. . . . . ._. __......  .._. 495
                                                                                  Rev.  H. Hanko
meet, the Lord willing, in Doon, Iowa, on Wednesday, Sep-

tember 20, 1961. All matters for this classical agendum must     NEWS FROM OUR &~JRCHES _........____...__............................................                                                       so@
                                                                                  Mr.  J. M. Faber
be in the hands of the Stated Clerk not later than thirty

days before the meeting of Classis.                              INDEX  To VOLUME X~II.......................................,...........,...........                                                       50L
                                                                                   Rev.  G. Vanden Berg
                             Rev. H. Veldman, Stated Clerk                                                                                                                                           --.-

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


                                                                          the so-called common grace controversy which has made

               E D I I- 0 R II A *L S                                     very interesting and stimulating, but also very painful his-
                                                                          tory. Woven into this history are unpleasant memories which

                                                                          ought not now be needlessly drawn out of oblivion. The

                                                                          efforts initiated by our Protestant Reformed brethren in

                                                                          1957 toward reconciliation have been so blessed of the Lord
  In the September 1 issue of the Christian Reformed                      that this has now been accomplishe&"
Bunner,  Editor Vander ,Ploeg  makes bold to apply the beau-

tiful words of Psalm 133 to the union between the schis-

matic De Wolf group and the Christian Reformed Church.                      Now there are many statements In this editorial which
He states concerning it: ". . . and, we do not doubt, it is               could well be the subject of comment and correction. But
pleasing also to our Lord in heaven." And then he goes on                 the most serious aspect of the entire article is that
to tell his readers that in this connection there come to mind            which led to the caption of this reply, "The Lord Does Not
the fami-iar  words of Psalm 133 :                                        Command His Blessing There !" Indeed, if it can be said

            "How good and pleasant is the sight                           that this "reunion" is a good and pleasant sight,-good and

             When brethren make it their delight                          pleasant in the sight of the Holy One, Who is too pure of

             To dwell in blest accord."                                   eyes to behold iniquity; if it can be said that this "reunion"

   He then adduces some supposed reasons why this is a                    is an instance,-in the sight of our Lord in heaven,- of
good and pleasant sight. They are, briefly, as follows:                   brethren who make it their delight to dwell in blest accord ;
                                                                          if it can be said that God Himself has now graciously
   1. "This reunion of brethren who have so much in com-                  healed a breach of 37 years duration ; if it can be said that
mon is a good and pleasant sight because of the wholesome                 reconciliation in the Scriptural sense of the word and upon
effect it may be expected to have upon the children and                   the basis of Scripture and our Reformed confessions has
young people of the church."                                              been sought and has been accomplished ; then it may also

   2. It is "A good and pleasant sight . . . also because this            be added, "The Lord commands His blessing there."

reunion places us in a better position over against a Christ-               But what if all the above cannot be said ?
less world to whom in the past we have unfortunately given
cause to rejoice."                                                          Then it follows just as surely: "The Lord does ptod com-
                                                                          mand His blessing there."
   3. "Yes, a good and pleasant sight . . . because we believe
this to be a manifestation and exercise of true ecumenicity in              And the premise expressed in Editor Vander Ploeg's
keeping with the will of our Lord." And in this connection                first quotation from Psalm 133 is not true. What has hap-
the words of Christ's sacerdotal prayer, from John 17, are                pened between the two synods,- the Synod of the Chris-
quoted : "that they may all be one ; even as thou, Father,                tian Reformed Church and the would-be synod of the schis-
art in me, and I in thee, that they also mtiy  be one in us.:'            matics,- is surely not a good and pleasant sight in the
                                                                          eyes of the Lord of heaven. It can never carry away the
   And Editor Vander Ploeg concludes by applying to this                  divine approval and benediction. For God is holy and just
"good and pleasant sight"          the concluding words of that           and true. He cannot be mocked!
same versification  of Psalm i33 :
                                                                            Here are the reasons, and `they cannot be gainsaid.
            "The Lord commands his blessing there,
             And they that walk in love shall share                         1. A triple breach in the fortress of the Reformed truth
             In life that never ends.:'                                   was struck by the Synod of the-Christian Reformed Church
                                                                          in 1924, not by a common grace controversy, but by the
   In the meantime,- almost it would seem with some pangs                 official adoption of the Three Points of Common Grace.
of conscience,-T1Le  Bn.nnef*  cannot forget that in this whole           These still stand in all their binding force. This the Banwer
sham transaction the parties concerned are conveniently for-              will not deny, I am sure. For though the schismatics es-
getting (or, willfully overlooking) a shameful chapter in                 plicitly requested that the binding force of the Three Points
Christian Reformed Church history which is certainly written              be removed, the Christian Reformed Church rejected this
too in God's book of remembrance. For this same editorial                 request. These Three Points are false doctrine. Even our
states :                                                                  schismatic brethren formerly maintained this; and some of
   "The sharp rift that has divided               dates back to 1924 ;
                                           us                             them continued even up to their last synod to attack the
ever since, for 37 years, there has been ti painful breach                Three Points and to aver that they could never accept them.
which God `has now graciously healed, at least for ourselves              At any rate, the Three Points can never stand the light of
and for many of those with whom we had a parting of the                   Scripture and the confessions. And false doctrine is not
ways at that time.                                                        good and pleasant in the sight of God. He is terribly dis-

        "It is neither necessary nor wise at this time to review          pleased with it, and with any union on the basis of it.


                                           T H E   STAND,ARD   B E A R E R                                                 485


  2. The terrible injustices perpetrated by the Christian         Reformed polity, schism is a censurable sin ; and those who

Reformed Church in 1924-`26  have not been rectified. That        raise discord, sects, or mutiny in church or state are barred
ministers of whom the Synod of Kalamazoo itself was im-           from `the Lord's table and excluded from the kingdom of

pelled to testify that they were fundamentally Reformed           heaven as long as they continue in such sin. Can all this,

were deposed and cast out (there was not merely a parting         then, be characterized as good and pleasant in the sight of

of the ways, as the Banner suggests), that consistories were      God ? And can it carry away the divine blessing?
deposed, that whole congregations were deprived of their            In the light of the above, it will be evident that the rea-
place of worship because they maintained the truth,- and          sons suggested by the Banner do not bear the stamp of

all this in a manner contrary to the spirit and the letter of     truth.

Reformed church polity,- these all are injustices which

cry still to Jehovah Sabaoth. They have not been rectified.

There has been no reconciliation. But both parties to this            Perhaps it is too much to hope for. But we Protes-

sham healing of the rift have conveniently ignoi-ed  the past.    tant Reformed will continue to testify to the Christian Re-

Our schismatic brethren have wilfully made themselves CO-         formed Church nevertheless.

responsible now for these iniquities. And the Christian Re-         If the Christian Reformed Church will ever show a willing-
formed brethren may speak of raking over a past they are          ness to forsake the error of common grace ; if the Christian
eager to leave behind and may attempt to relegate that            Reformed Church will ever consent (not to rake over the
past to oblivion. But these matters are still "unpleasant         past) to review its actions of 1924-1926 forthrightly and
memories"    even to them. And the sight of them is not           honestly, and will confess its wrongs and undo them in
good and pleasant, but unpleasant in the eyes of the Holy         as far as that is possible; if the Christian Reformed Church
One of Israel. He cannot, for His own name's sake, ignore         will ever face up to the bitter fruits it has harvested and
the crooked that has not been made straight. And He do&           still is harvesting from its synthesizing common grace doc-
not command His blessing there!                                   trine,-fruits  which some of the very leaders who formulat-

  3. The union that has been effected is not a union of the       ed the Three Points are now decrying ; then there is hope

Christian Reformed and the Protestant Reformed Churches.          for true reconciliation.

Our schismatic brethren know that they were not Protestant          The Synod of the Protestant Reformed Churches has
Reformed. For they forsook their own Act of Agreement,            officially proposed this more than once, and even as recently
and with it what they once said were "their most sacred           as 1957, 1958, and 1959. But the Christian Reformed
convictions,"    when they embraced the Christian Reformed        Church will not even discuss this. And as long as there is
error of ,common  grace. And Editor Vander Ploeg, I am            no discussion, there can be no reconciliation.
sure, also knows that those who united with his denomin-
                                                                    But surely, genuine reconciliation,- even though it in-
ation were no longer representative of the Protestant Re-
                                                                  volves a painful rehearsal of painful history,-is good and
formed Churches. He. knows very well that the De Wolf
                                                                  pleasant in the eyes of God.
group capitulated doctrinally and embraced the Christian

Reformed position not in 1961 but in 1953. And he knows             And then only is it possible for brethren to dwell to-

very well that the Protestant Reformed Churches are cori-         gether in blest accord.

tinuing their same vigorously Reformed course, as repre-            And . . . "The Lord commands His blessing there," . . _
sented in our churches. This `whole transaction, if presented     not elsewhere.
as a union involving the Protestant Reformed Churches, is                                                              H.C.H.
pure sham. And the God Who demands truth in the inward

parts is not pleased with sham. It is not good and pleasant                   Notice  of Agsnual  Board Meeting
in His sight. And He will not bless it.

                                                                      The Annual membership meeting of the Reformed Free
4. Regardless of the respective doctrinal positions of the        Publishing Association will be held Thursday evening, Sept.
Christian Reformed Church and the Protestant Reformed             28,  at 8:OO  o'clock in the Southwest Protestant Nrtforrned
Churches, and regardless of the peculiar views of Reformed        Church. The Speaker, Rev. C. Hanko, will speak on the
church polity maintained respectively by each, the De Wall        topic, "A New Generation."      New Board members will be
group was a schismatic group. In fact, by Christian Re-           elected from the following nomitiees  :
formed standards of church government, this is, if anything,
                                                                      James Lanning, Harry Zwak,  R. Bos, Dave Meulenbzrg,
more emphatically true of the De Wolf group. They are
                                                                  John Kalsbeek,  Clarence Kuiper,  Gerrit Pipe, Peter Cnossen.
ecclesiastical revolutionaries.    They would not submit, even

temporarily, .to the discipline and government which they             The Board of the R.F.P.A. invites all our Protestant

had solemnly vowed to honor. This too the Christian Re-           Reformed men to join with us in this work of witnessing

formed Church ignored,- something that should be below            for the truth and urges all members to attend this importanl:

all proper ecclesiastical dignity. But according to our           meeting.

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


                                                                       city.  In Revelation 4:3 God Himself is described under the

                                                                       `symbolism of a jasper. And then we have in verses 12 to

                                                                       14 a description, first of all, of the wall of the city. In

                                                                       these verses the general structure of the wall about the city

                 THE BOOK  OF REVELATION                               is described as follows. In the first place, it is great and

                             PART TWO                                  high. Cf. also on vs. 17. Secondly, that wall has twelve

                                                                       gates, indicative of the number of the citizens within that
                           CHAPTER XXIII                               enter through these gates. Twelve is the number of elec-
                          The New Jerusalewz
                                                                       tion, especially when it is multiplied by ten. And hence,
                          Revelation 21 :9-27
                                                                       this number refers to the fulness `of the people of God, of

        Jn detail Scripture tells us very little about the rest. We    the old as well as of the new dispensation. In the third place,

may ask : how shall this new state be ? We know a few                  we are told that at the gates there are twelve angels. This

things of that new and perfect state which shall be charac-            certainly cannot mean that these angels serve as guards,

terized by God's dwelling with men. Certainly, we know                 to watch over the city against possible enemies and possible

that sin and suffering shall be no more. All will be hoiy and          attacks by the enemies. For there will be no one in the new

righteous and filled with the gldry and knowledge of God.              creation and in the New Jerusalem that will hate and at-

We also know the temporal and all that is connected with               tack the people of God any more. We must rather under-

it :     and that temporal shall be no more. All that is of the        stand that these twelve angels are indicative of the fact that

present time shall be changed. But for the rest, our ex-               they served the ingathering of the citizens of this New Jeru-

perience will be like the espression made by the Queen of              salem. Then, in the fourth place, on the gates are the names

Sheba after she had visited Solomon: "The half was not                 of the twelve tribes of the people of Israel, indicative of the

told me." In the text we have before us a little more in               identity of those that are within. All Israel. from Jews and

detail is expressed of that new state of things. We read               Gentiles, constitutes the glorious church of God and the

in vss. 9 and 10: "And there came unto me one of the                   glorious, holy Jerusalem. In the new creation there are not

seven angels which had the seven vials . . ." John is to be            two peoples-; there is only one people, and that people is the

shown the glory of the New Jerusalem. And it seems that                church. Cf., for this, also Chapter 7. In the fifth place, the

it is very appropriate that one of the vial-angels, that had           gates are equally distributed in the four sides of the wall,

been instrumental in the final destruction of Babylon, serves          which constitutes, therefore, a perfect square: three on each

as the mediating angel for this purpose. "Come hither," so             side. Sixthly, the wall, according to the text, has twelve

the angel speaks to John, "I will shew thee the bride, the             foundations,    evidently to be conceived as standing next

Lamb's wife."        The New Jerusalem that is described in the        to one another, one under each gate. And on these

rest bf the text is here called the bride, the wife of th?             foundations are the names of the twelve apostles, indicating

Lamb, which is, as we know, the church. The church and                 that the foundations are laid through the instrumentality of

the New Jerusalem are one. We are here warned at once                  the apostles, of which Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone.

that the description of the city that follows is by no means           Cf. also Eph. 2 :20. There we read : "And are built upon the

to be interpreted as referring to a literal city, but is the           foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himselE

glorified church as a social community, centered ili Christ            being the chief corner stone." And then in verses 21 atid  22

Jesus our Lord. Then we read: "And he carried me away                  we read: "In whom all the building fitly framed together

in the spirit . . ."     The mountain to which John is carried         groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also

away is great and high, in order to afford John a proper               are builded  together for an habitation of God through the

view  of this colossal city that is shown him, "the holy Jeru-         Spirit." We may note, as I have already expressed, that

salem descending out of heaven from God" (cf.~.vs. 2).                 throughout this description the number twelve prevails, which

        From verse 11 on we have a general description of this         is the multiplication of three and four, three being the num-

New Jerusalem. In vs. 11 we read : "Having the glory of                ber of the Trinity and four being the number of the creature.

God," that is, the very glory of God, which is the radiation           Hence, we say that the number twelve is the number of elec-

of His infinite virtues and perfections, such as eternity,             tion.

omnipresence, knowledge, grace, righteousness, holiness, etc.,             Then in verses 15 to 17 we find the measurements of the

is reflected in the New Jerusalem. God's glory is revealed             city. The- interpreting angel measures the city, as John

in the perfected church.        "And her light was like a stone        looks on, with a golden reed. Golden is the reed, in harmony

most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystai."            with the glory of the city. And the measurements as they

Evidently these words describe the appearance of the glory             are given here are as follows. First of ,all, we may note that

of God in the city as John perceives it in the vision. Cf.             the city is a perfect cube in form, symbol of the strict uni-

also Rev. 4:3. The glory of God is the light of the city.              versality of this city : it embraces heaven and earth, and it em-

And the light is like the brilliancy of the -jasper ; very bright      braces all the nations of the earth. Further, it is a symbol of

and very clear and very transparent is the brilliancy of the           the heavenly perfection of the house of God. Cf. alsq the most


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                     457


holy place in the temple of the old dispensation. Further, we        the description must be interpreted accordingly. In the first

find that the city is twelve thousand furlongs each way, whi+        place, Ithere'& hq, temple in that New Jerusalem. The temple

signifies that it is an immense city. It is colossal in size. For    is the house o$ -God, the dwellingplace of God & fellowship

note that a furlong is six hundred feet. Hence, twelve thou-         with His people. This is always the idea of the temple. In

sand furlongs is approximately fifteen hundred miles. The            the old, earthly Jerusalem there was a special temple, distinct

church as it is finally perfected is a multitude which no man        from the rest of the city. Although Jerusalem as a whole

can number. Further, we find that according to the number            was the city of God, the Lord nevertheless did not dwell in

the city is complete. This is symbolized by the number ten.          the entire city, but in a special house, and particularly in

We also find that it is the church of God's elect, as already ex-    the holy of holies,  which was behind the veil. But the New

pressed. God Himself determines the size of the city. The            Jerusalem has no such special house of God. The reason is

wall of the city is one hundred forty-four cubits high, ap-          given in the text: "For the Lord God Almighty and the

proximately two hundred twenty feet, "according to the               Lamb are the temple of it."       This is the reason for the ab-

measure of a man, that is, of the angel." Notice here that           sence of a special temple in the holy Jerusalem. There is

the wall is comparatively low, which means that the city             no need, there is no occasion for a special temple: for God

needs no protection. The wall merely serves to circumscribe          Himself is the temple of His people in Christ. The meaning

the number of citizens within, twelve times twelve.                  of this is very evident.     That God and the Lamb are the

                                                                     temple signifies that God through the Lamb is the temple of
    Further, we may notice that the city is described as being
                                                                     the New Jerusalem. Through the Lamb God dwells with His
very beautiful and glorious. The entire description that
follows, with its symbolism of gold and precious stones,             people. Further, that God through Christ is the temple of
simply serves to picture the beauty and the glory and the            the whole city signifies that the glorified church now per-
preciousness of the bride of the Lamb. We dare not allegor-          fectly dwells with God. Constantly and everywhere they
ize each detail: that would be in conflict with the entire           know Him as He reveals Himself to them and as He walks
context. We may briefly note, therefore, that the wall is of         with them.    They see God evermore and everywhere, and
jasper. Again I refer you to chapter 4, verse 3 in this con-         dwell in His blessed fellowship. Further, we read: "And the
nection. And jasper here, as well as in Revelation 4 :3,             city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in
represents the glory of God. The city itself is pure, trans-         it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the
parent gold, symbolizing the purity, the beauty, the glory,          light thereof."    This does not mean that in the new creation
and the preciousness of its inhabitants. The different founda-       there will be neither sun nor moon. For the reference in
tions were. each a precious stone. There is again the jasper         this connection is not to the new creation, but to the church.
(cf. 4:3 j. There is the sapphire, which is a beautiful dark         Nor does the text say that there will be no sun and moon,
blue stone. There is the chalcedony, probably an agate (the          but that the glorified church will have no need of it. And the
description is unknown). There is an emerald, which is a             reason is given in the second part of this verse: "for the
beautiful green,. There is the sardonyx, a brilliant flesh color.    glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light there-
There is the sardius (again, cf. Rev. 4:3). There is the             of." God through the Lamb directly enlightens His church,
chrysolite,  a stone of a golden, yellow luster. There is the        so that they may behold the glory of His virtues in Christ
beryl, like the greenness of the sea when the sun shin&              immediately. Here, in the earthly creation, there is only a
upon it. There is the topaz, which is a transparent, yellow          reflection of His glory through the light of sun and moon-
color. There is the chrysoprasus, a pale, golden color. There        There they shall see Him face to face, and know Him as
iS the jacinth, a violet color. There is the amethyst, which         they are known, and that through the Lamb, our Lord Jesus
iS a purple color. Anal then we read that the gates were             Christ.
each a huge pearl, pure and lustrous. And the street of the              In verses 24 to 27 we have a description of the citizens.
city was of pure gold, like transparent glass. We might ask          and their activity: "And the nations of them which are saved
the question whether there was only one street in the city,          shall walk in the light of it." The city, first of all, is strictly
or whether the term street is representative of all the streets;     cosmopolitan. Its citizens are gathered of all nations. Not
but this is not necessary.                                           only so, but they appear here as nations even though al1
                              The whole, we may say in con-
clusion of this particular description, is reflecting the mani-      national separation shall no doubt be removed. And these
fbld glory of God.                                                   nations walk ii1 the light of the city, that is, in the revelation
                                                                     of the glory of God through Christ. By their walk is meant
   Then we come to verses 22 and 23. Here we still have a            their life and conversation, all their activity, and that too, in
further description of the glory of the New Jerusalem. "And          relation to God. In eternal glory there will be constant life
I saw no, temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and              and constant activity, and that too, all in the service of God.
the Lamb ar,e the temple of it." It is very important that           For all the activity is in the light of the city, that is, all their
we constantly bear in mind that what is described here as            walk and conversation is controlled and motivated by the per-
a huge and giorious city is actually the glorified church, the       fect knowledge of and'fellowship with God through the L2m$.
bride of the Lamb, in the new creation. All the details of                                                                        H.K


4 8 8                                              T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R


                                                                                    In this the children of Israel revealed an evil that is often

                                                                                $pical  of sin. The people were rebelling against God. They

                                                                                were  dissatisfied with the way in which the Lord was lead-

                                                                                ing them. In their hearts they were thinking that they could

                                Bephiidim                                       have found a better route. It would have been better to take

                                                                                a shorter way with an abundant supply of food and water,
             ii4o~eovw~  bretlzmn.,  I zuorrId  not that ye should be
                                                                                they thought. The road upon which they traveled now was
           ignoqpant,,  lzozv that all o'uu)' fa.thcr.s . . . a% all d&k the
                                                                                foolish and ill advised. But at the same time they lacked the
           sa,me spihtua~l drink: for thy drank of that spiritual
                                                                                honesty to acknowledge that they were questioning the wis-
           Rock that followed them: and that Rock zuas  Christ.
                                                                                dom of God. Instead they would lay the blame at the feet
                                                  I Corinthians lO:l, 4
                                                                                of another mere man. The fact that Moses did nothing more

         Daily  Israel arose from its sleep to gaze upon the bread              than to follow the cloud of Jehovah, they would ignore. The

from he&en which in the morning light covered the floor  of                     fact that he led them as he did by direct instruction from

the desert. It was a beautiful sight, glistening all white under                Gcd, they would forget.       They would speak to Moses as

the rising sun. They  gathered of it until they had plenty to                   though he were the responsible party. In that way the

eat. They ate of it until they were satisfied. The taste of                     wickedness of their rebellion did not appear quite so evident.

it was sweet, giving the people much joy. It reminded them                      This Moses pointed out when he answered, "Why chide ye

again and again of the great and all-comprehensive power of                     witt me ? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord ?"

Israel's God. To those who were spiritual in Israel, the                           Well might the people have stopped at this. It was a

truth which tile  manna brought was even richer. Eating ,I                      grievous error to become guilty of tempting the Lord their

it to nourish their bodies, they were reminded every time                       God. They made themselves worthy of being destroyed even

again that in God also they must find the nourishment for                       as the Egyptians were. But the angry minds of the Israelites

their souls.        His grace had to uphold their spiritual life.               were much too heated to stop at this. It made them even

They were being told "that man doth not live by bread only,                     more angry to think that in the present situation they should

but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the                       be accused of sin. With accusing voices and threatening

Lord doth man live" (Deut. 8 :3). In the dim outline of                         gestures, they answered Moses, "Wherefore is this that thou

Old Testament shadow, they saw the promise of the living                        hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill          and our children
                                                                                                                           us 

bread which was yet to come from heaven so that if any                          and our cattle with thirst?'

man would eat of it, he would live forever. To those who                           Gradually Moses was learning how deep the roots of sin

had eyes to see, the mamma  of the wilderness testified of the                  were still implanted in the nation of Israel. He could lead

promise of the gospel.                                                          them in the way that the Lord had ordained, but he could not

         But there were others. They saw in the manna nothing                   make them willing to follow. He could admonish them for their

more than a form of food that was pleasant to the taste and                     rebellion, but he could not make them repent. He could speak

satisfying to the body. For a time they too marveled at the                     to them the truth, but he could not give them ears that

daily replenishment of this wonderful food, but before long                     would hear and hearts that would believe. Rather it was

they began to take it completely for granted. They became                       becoming ever more evident that many were offended by the

tired of the constant repetition of manna. They ate of it                       Word of God. They wanted nothing more than the things

only because there was nothing different, but the pleasure of                   of this earth. When these things were supplied, they were

eating was departed. There was a rift in the camp of Israel,                    satisfied and would even put on the appearance of thank-

and constantly it was growing deeper.                                           fulness. But when the Word of God came to them without

    Every day they were being led deepe;  into the wilderness                   the material things they wanted, it made them angry and

by the cloud of Jehovah, and dnce  more the difficulty that                     rebellious. They would not place their trust in God alone,

preceded their arrival at Marah  began to reappear. Their                       and the very suggestion that they should do so was offensive.

water bags were becoming empty, and they found no spring-s                      Each time the murmuring of the people was becoming more

or fountains upon the way to refill them. Again the tension                     violent. They were even beginning to threaten his life. Over-

of fear and disappointment began' to build. What good was                       whelmed with a feeling of helplessness, he cried unto the

their daily supply of manna without water to drink? Care-                       Lord in prayer, "What shall I do unto this people ? they

fully what water they had was meted out ; but no one received                   be almost ready to stone me."

enough to quite satisfy. Every mile along which they were                          With God he found a calm but firm answer. Obediently

led appeared to be drier than the one before. Why did they                      Moses set himself to obey.

have to travel such a dismal route ? They needed fresh sup-                        First Moses gathered together the elders of the people.

plies of water if they were to live. Why was it not supplied?                   They were the leaders of the nation. Many of them were the

More and more bitter their thoughts became until at last in                     most outspoken in the repeated murmurings of the wilder-

anger they turned again to Moses. "Give us water that we                        ness journey.    Now they stood before Moses and there was

nlay  drink," they angrily demanded.                                            tension in the' air. Antagonism was dividing the nation


                                         T H E   STANDAR.D   B E A R E R                                                              489


which before had been so closely united. They looked upon              rock typifying His immovableness. There was the rod which

each other as enemies.                                                 before their eyes had brought down judgments on countless

                                                                       wicked before. What was their end to be? Would fire and
   With firm authority Moses began to lead the men out oi
                                                                       brimstone be called down from on high repeating the judg-
the camp toward the wilderness. Within the minds and
                                                                       ment of Sodom ? Would the rock fall upon them and grind
hearts of the elders a feeling of uneasiness began to stir.
                                                                       them to powder? Would they be cast into hell ?
They had defied the living God, and the bearing of Moses

told them that the time of reckoning was drawing near. The                Through the stillness of the desert air sounded the

uncertainty of sin began to trouble them within. But a few             weight of a heavy stroke. Moses had brought down the rod

weeks before at Marah  the Word of God had come to them                once and again on the rock. Punishment was being meted

saying, "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the           out, but not on them, on the rock, on the rock where the

Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight,            cloud of Jehovah stood, on the rock where the Angel of

and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his                Jehovah was. The punishment of their sins was being laid

statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I         on the Angel of God.

have brought upon the Egyptians : for I am the Lord that                  And that was not all. As the astonished people watched,
healeth thee."    Now, as they walked behind Moses, their              there burst forth from the foot of the rock a stream of water,
memories echoed these words again and again. In their                  clear, cool, and pure. It brought refreshment to their dry
murmuring and rebellion, they had refused to keep the com-             and thirsty lips. It was the proof that God could and would
mandments of Jehovah and His statutes ; they had rejectecl             provide the needs of Israel.
the voice of the Lord, and what would their end now be?
                                                                          It was a beautiful scene to behold as the people gathered
Looking ahead they saw in the hand of Moses that rod
                                                                  to drink of the waters that poured mysteriously forth from
which had come to symbolize his God-appointed office. This
                                                                  the rock. But there was also a tinge of sadness, for the divi-
was the rod that had brought the plagues and diseases of the
                                                                       sion in the camp had become more deep.
Egyptians upon them. It was that rod, indeed, which had

opened up the Red Sea for Israel's deliverance ; but that same            There were those who drank of the water and found

rod had closed the sea again to the destruction of the wicked.    nothing more in it than refreshment for their burning lips.

It was a rod of judgment. Now., they had made themselves               When they left the waters they would forget them. They

guilty. Would it turn upon them ?                                 would be ready to murmur again.

   On into the wilderness they went until they saw before                 But there were also the others who drank the water wit!1

them a great rock cl% of towering granite. In its shadow          a sense of spiritual reverence. They could not forget the way

they stood, and how small it made them feel. In pride they        in which it was brought forth. They remembered how un-

h"ad thought themselves great, but the feeling melted before      worthy they were. They remembered that they had sinned.

the elevated rock that God had made. They had thought             They remembered that they had been worthy of judgment.

themselves strong, but before the vast, immovableness of the      They remembered that their judgment had been laid upon

granite cliffs the feeling could not endure. In number they       the Angel of Jehovah that stood on the rock, and then the

were many, but here they seemed as nothing. And then lifting      waters came forth. It was as though they heard already the

up their eyes, they saw the cloud. It stdod before them &         voice of the prophet many ages away saying, "But he was

the rock. It was the cloud of Jehovah radiating with purity       wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our

and righteousness from above, and it was as though the rock       iniquities : the chastisement of our peace was upon him ; and<

and the cloud were merged into one. The holy brilliance of        with his stripes we are healed." As they stooped to drink

the cloud seemed to. cover the face of the rock ; and the vast    of the waters, the glorious refreshment of the waters of life

immovableness of the rock belonged also to the cloud. The         poured in to quicken their souls. Through faith they drank

people stood small and insignificant in the presence of Jeho-     of the spiritual Rock which was Christ.

vah God.                                                                                                                       B.W.

   There was fear in their hearts when they turned again

to look at Moses. And then they trembled, for he had lifted
up above his head the rod given him by Jehovah. They had                         The sacrifice of praise I bring
sinned. Now they had to admit it. What right did they have                         While to the Lord I pray,
to question the way of the Lord ? What right did they have                       And with His people will I meet,
to doubt that He was able and willing to fulfill His promises                      My thankful vows to pay.                           !

and supply their every need  ? What right did they have to

murmur and complain when things did not go as they                               Within His house, the house of prayer,          : 1

wanted ? And yet they had done it over and over again. Now                         My soul shall bless the Lord,                 .

the time of judgment had come. There was the cloud glim-                         And praises to His holy Name

mering with the holy glory of God. There was the cliff of         D                Let all His saints accord.


4 9 0                                          T H E   `S:TAtifiAAD   B E A R E R



                                                                       logical purpose of God, even with kings and all who are in

           F R O M   H O L Y   W R I T                                 authority, as they are included in all men which is the
                                                                       groztna! for the injunction that they too be the objects of OUT

                                                                       prayers.    Certainly when kings are truly pious God's people

                                                                       lead quiet and peaceful lives, undisturbed by violence and
                     Exposition  of I Timothy
                                                                       persecution in the world!

                          (I Timothy 2:1-7)                               Let it not be overlooked that God is here denominated

                                                                       "God, our Savior."      This is an indication that we have here
                                   C.
                                                                       to deal with God not simply as the Creator of the world as

         Twice we have now called attention to the exhortation         such, apart from the cross, resurrection of Christ, and the

of Paul given to Timothy here in the text in I Tim. 2 :l-7.            final restoration of all things in the Parousia of Christ. Thi+

                                                                       is not a certain saviorhood of the creature ; a certain providen-
         In the first instalment we called attention to the meaning
                                                                       tial care over the creature in general which would then form
and implication of the term "all men" as this is modified. in
                                                                       the substrate for God's dealing in Christ. The doctrine of
the phrase "for kings and for all who are in authority." It
                                                                       the providence of God is not an article of faith common to
was and is our settled conviction that the meaning of "all
                                                                       believer and to unbeliever. It is no Articulus  mixtus ! When
men" as here employed by the Holy Ghost through Paul
                                                                       we believe in "God the Father almighty, maker of heaven
must not be distilled into "every man" in the sense in which
                                                                       and earth" we believe in God the Father as his sons of adop-
the Arminians speak of this, to wit, "that Jesus Christ, the
                                                                       tion for Christ's sake, who are foreordained from before the
Savior of the world, died for all men and for every man,
                                                                       foundation of the world unto such sonship,  confession and
so that he has obtained for them all, by his death on the
                                                                       grayers.    See Lord's Day 10, Questions 27, 28. And in that
cross, redemption and the forgiveness of sins . . ." (Point
                                                                       very peculiar and unique sense of the term Paul here speaks
II of the "Five Articles of the Remonstrants."). It is and
                                                                       of God, the Saviour.
was equally our conviction and contention that the text does
not afford proof for a certain attitude of grace or favor of              That such is the m'eaning  of the term in Scripture is
God to mankind in general, or to all to whom the Gospel is             abundantly proven by many texts, which beyond a shadow of
preached. This in opposition to the Common Grace en-                   a doubt refer to God as the Saviour in Christ, as He saves
thusiasts, the Synods of the Christian Reformed Church, past           His people f7pom  their sins.    We refer to the Song of Mary
and present.                                                           as found in Luke 1 :47:  "And my spirit hath rejoiced in God
                                                                       my Saviour."    It is very evident from this song of Mary that
         In our second instalment we indicated what we believed
                                                                       she here refers to Jehovah God, the God of Abraham, Isaac
to be the teaching of Scripture in general conderning  the
                                                                       and Jacob ; it is of the covenant God, as merciful to his peo$e
meaning of prayer, the chief part of thankfulness, so that in
                                                                       of whom she sings, and not simply of a preserver of creation,
justice God is acknowledged to be who He is and what He is
                                                                       preserving the substrate to maintain and execute the common
in the history of the gathering of the church, all men ; ancl
                                                                       mandate to man that he be fruitful and replenish the earth,!
also how in truth He ought to be confessed and acknowledged
                                                                       God, the Saviour, is definitely the God Who through the
to be God the Saviour of "all men." This we do when we
                                                                       blood saves His pepple  from sin, and the whole creation for
pray. And, those who have read this second instalment, will
                                                                       their sakes. Rom. 8 :21. That such is the case is clear from
remember that we also called attention to Paul's enumeration
                                                                       what we read in Jude 24, 25 : "Now unto him that is. able
of certain forms of prayer, which terms indicate, when taken
                                                                       to keep you from falling, and to preserve you faultless before
together, the full-orbed prayer of the church. They also show
                                                                       the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise
the urgency indicated in this exhortation to prayer for all
                                                                       God, O`UY Saruioztr.,  be glory and majesty, dominion and power,
men. Not one class of men, aged and young, rich or poor,
                                                                       both now and forever, Amen." Also here "Savior" is in the
slave or master, man or woman, king or subject, may be
                                                                       Christological, soteriological and' truly eschatological s&se ;
omitted from our prayers for their salvation, namely, their
                                                                       all things wwited  in- Christ Jesus !
coming to the knowledge of the truth.

                                                                          This is corroborated by the current usage of the term
         We now stand before another question which is indicated
                                                                       here in the epistle to Timothy. Do we not read in I -Tim.
in the text. I refer to what Paul indicates as being the basis
                                                                       1 :l that Paul is an apostle of Jesus Christ by the command-
for this prayer for "all men." We do well to consider this
                                                                       ment of God 02~7'  Sazpio,~~,  and the Lord Jesus Christ which is
element in the text too and try to show its relation to the
                                                                       our hope ? And do we not read again of God as Saviour in
exhortation that prayers be made for all men.
                                                                       I Tim. 4 :lO of the "living God, who is the Sa.zrio-zw of all
         What was this solid and only basis for such prayers ?         men, specially of those who believe" ? And is this same God

         It is : the zeriZE  of God that "all men be saved and come    not called Saviour in Titus 3 :4-6 where we read : "But after

to the knowledge of the truth." God wills eve&  to bring               that the kindness and love of God 0`161~1'  Saruiowr toward man

certain kings to the knowledge of the truth. It is the soterio-        appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done,


                                           T H E   ST:ANDARD   B E A R E R                                                          491


but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of            partition was broken down, and that one new man is created,

regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed          that peace is proclaimed to those who are far and to those

abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that              w h o   a'&  hear.

being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs accord-            This Son of God in the-  flesh has come in His own time.
ing to the hope of eternal life."                                    He died at the proper time in history. He reconciled all

   We believe that our interpretation of "God our Saviour"           things again unto God through His blood on the cross, and
stands confirmed from Scripture itself.                              He has the preeminence in all things.

                                                                         He also called Paul unto the proclamation of the gospel.
   Since the will of God is, in this great plan of salvation,
                                                                     And Paul preaches the Gospel everywhere. He must teach
that all men be saved, the entire human race, that is, the
elect out of every tongue and tribe and people and nation,           the-  Gentiles in faith and verity. As an ordained preacher
it is also the will of God that prayers be made for "all men."       Paul preaches and teaches. He is an apostle of Christ by the
For for all of these elect was the blood of Christ shed, a testi-    command of God the Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ. And
mony in God's own time.                                              in this unity of the word of the one God Paul is busy.

                                                                         Wherefore let every one know that prayers are within
   It is further emphatically stated that there is but one
                                                                     the framework of the economy of salvation in Christ as
God and one Mediator of God.
                                                                     wrought -by  the Savior God in Him. And prayers are in
   This is very meaningful for the exhortation that prayers          agreement with the calling of Paul to be an apostle and a
be made for all. It is exactly the truth that there is but'          teacher of the Gentiles in verity and truth.
one God and Saviour, and one Mediator of God and men
                                                                         Here one prays that God's kingdom come, namely, "so
which is the basis for the unity of the church, and for the
                                                                     govern us by Thy Word and Spirit, that we submit ourselves
fact that all men, all kinds of men, elect to everlasting -life,
                                                                     to Thee always more and more ; preserve and increase Thy
be brought before the face of this one God in prayer.
                                                                     church ; destroy the works of the devil, every power that
   Heathendom is necessarily polytheistic, that is, it must          exalteth itself against Thee, and all wicked devices formed

have more than one God. Having fallen away from the one              against Thy Word, until the fulness of Thy Kingdom come,

true God they serve the creature, and they have as many gods         wherein Thou shalt be all in all." Lord's Day 48, Question
as there are individual creatures. Heathendom cannot come            123 of the Heidelberg Catechism.
to unity. It is only when the entire cosmos is brought back
                                                                         When thus the prayer of all saints is prayed, all is well.
again to God through the blood of the Mediator Jesus Christ,
that again there can be a service of one God. That unity is              Small wonder that Paul  says: I exhort therefore, that,
in the many members which are constituted one body in                first of all, supplications, prayers, `intercessions, and giving of
Christ.                                                              thanks be made for all men!

   And so the basis for the unity of the prayers of all saints           This is a chief point of God's agendum of salvation.

for the entire Christ, for every class of men is not in a com-           It is good and acceptable before  Him.

mon, imaginary brotherhood of man, but it is in the unity                It is the sweet incense of the prayers according to His
which is ours in the one new man in Christ wherein is                will.
neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female, but                                                                         G.L.
where all are one in Christ by faith.

   And it is for this reason that this one God and one

Mediator is made the basis for the exhortation unto prayers

for all men.                                                                       0 come, behold the works of God,

   There cannot be any other basis.                                                  His mighty doings see ;

                                                                                   In dealing with the sons of men
   It should be borne in mind that the one God here is mo&
                                                                                     Most wonderful is He.
emphatically the Sa.tior God. He is the God and Fntlwr  af

our Lord Jesus Christ. And there is only one such Savior.
                                                                                  He led in safety through the flood
He is such a Savior in the Mediator Jesus Christ. For the
                                                                                     The people of His choice,
Mediator is the Mediator not between (metaxoo) God and
                                                                                   He turned the sea to solid ground ;
men, but He is the Mediator of God and man. He is the
                                                                                     In Him let us rejoice.
Mediator of God, very God of God in our hmnan  nature,

and therefore He is also our Mediator. He is real and
                                                                                   He rules forever by His might,
righteous man and also in one person  truly God.
                                                                                     His eyes the nations try ;

   It is in the incarnated Son, the Word of God which dwelt                        Let not the proud rebellious ones
amongst us, Who suffered and died that the middle-wall of                            Exalt themselves on high.                     ,


4 9 2                                      T H E   STANDAtiD   B E A R E R



                                                                        We remind you once again of what we wrote last time

               I N   H I S   F E A R                                that the little boy in Israel whose lineage was of the tribe
                                                                    of Levi had his work all cut out for him. He was by an act

                                                                    of God set aside or, if you will, dedicated and consecrated

                                                                    to God. Webster tells us, to dedicate is "to devote to the
                   God's  Royal  Priesthood
                                                                    service or worship of a- divine being, or to sacred uses ; to
                                (9                                  set apart to a definite use or service." And of consecrate he

        Not Aaron but Adam was God's first priest here upon         says, "To make or declare sacred or holy; to set apart or

this earth. His temple had no thick veil between Holy of            devote to the service or worship of God." The whole tribe

Holies  and Holy Place. His temple had no walls nor even            of Levi was set aside in that sense and had a special and

an altar of burnt offering or of incense. No blood was shed         separate work to perform. From infancy the male chil-

in that temple; and no sin was confessed. Because as yet            dren were set aside for that work. We may say from birth

no sin was committed, there was no sin confessed. And               this was the work to which they were assigned. Now all

there was no need or call for an altar for bloody sacrifices.       this was by God's appointment and decree. But the signifi-

Or let us speak more accurately, there was no sacrifice.            cance behind it all is that so we are to live, and so our

        As we pointed out last time, the word sacrifice means a     calling in life is that we with all our possessions must Se
slaughter, and that indeed always then is a bloody sacrifice.       dedicated and consecrated unto God. 7 he practical signifi-
And therefore it is incorrect even to speak that way of a           cance of this truth we will explore sotnewhat later, but now
bloody sacrifice. All sacrifices were bloody. When God              we simply wish to state the fact and point out that Adam
clothed Adam and Eve with skins to cover their nakedness            already in Paradise was such a priest. He himself was
and to teach them that only through the shed blood of Christ        devoted, consecrated and dedicated consciously and willingly
was there covering for their guilt, He certainly shed the           unto God with all the earthly creation over which he was
blood of that beast. How can you possibly take the skin off         also king.    He was God's first royal priest. He saw nothing
an animal without shedding its blood ? Not only do you              but he saw it for God's sake. He touched nothing but to
kill it, but you kill it in a bloody way. And so we say that        use it in service of God. He listened to the sweet music
before man fell in Paradise, God's priest did not sacrifice to      produced by God's creation in order himself to sing God's
Him. He did bring offerings unto God, but sacrifices were a         praises.

foreign idea in that day.                                              We may put it this way: All of that earthly creation was
        And not only did God's priest bring offerings to God in     brought by Adam daily unto God as an offering of praise
that righteous world before the fall, he spent his whole day        and thanksgiving. Or, if you will, God had close contact
in that temple ; and he spent his whole day in offering up          with that whole earthly creation through the hand, the
gifts unto God. It was not a spasmodic offering up nor an           mind, and the heart of Adam. The little bird in the tree,
offering at specifically set times but a day-long activity every    that cannot know God and cannot consciously and willingly
day ; even as so it shall again be when God's royal priest-         sing His praises, did have its trilling song brought before
hood stands in the new Paradise. Already that thick veil            the face of God through the mind, heart and tongue of
in Jerusalem's temple has been rent in two. Already sepa-           Adam when Adam in his soul, upon hearing this creature's
ration between Holy of Holies and the Holy Place has been           song, said, 0 God, how great Thou art! God caused all the
erased. Already bloody offerings have been abolished, and           animals to pass before Adam while he still served in that
it has become sin to offer them up for forgiveness unto God.        osiginal priestly ofdice  ; and Adam saw God in every crea-
And the High Priest Who shed His blood on Calvary's altar           ture; and in the names which he gave to these animals he
is also the King exalted over all Gods creation. But then           once again said in his soul, 0 God, Who is a God like unto
also Adam as God's royal priest spent his whole day in his          Thee ! How great Thou art ! He saw the beauty of color,
priestly work of offering up gifts unto God.                        of shape and texture. He tasted the sweetness and delicious-

        We might call your attention for a moment to the fact       ness of the fruit of the garden. He saw the creatures large

that the name priest means minister, agent, one who stands          and small, the anitnate and inanimate creatures of God's

by to serve another. And Adam surely was God's minister             world ; and he kept on saying in his soul, This is God's

and agent. He was king over that whole earthly creation, but        world. How may I best serve Him therewith? How shall

he was also priest over that whole earthly creation. Over           all these through me return to Him in the glorification of

it all he was God's minister. He ruled it all in God's name.        His name? He was God's minister over that creation. He

And then he served as God's king. But when he served                was His agent, one who stood on this earth in order to

God over that same creation as God's priest he offered it           serve the God in heaven. He was, as it were, the human,

        to God as one who has dedicated and consecrated it all      rational-moral funnel through which that whole creation
up  

to God's service. In fact the priest was one who was him-           returned back to the God Who had made it, in conscious,

self dedicated and consecrated unto God's service.                  willing praise and service.


                                             T H E   ST.ANDARD   B E A R E R                                                                     493
                                                                                                                    ^ .._.

_^ :,And.  even -&&-has  its refjection  still after the Fall and in    ings and even in his prayers and benedictions. By .his. owl1
the Old Testament-temple. For all Israel came                           life of dedication and consecration to service in God's house
                                                   to God through
the priest. Today since our High Priest, our ONLY Hi&                   he also taught-by example our calling to be &isters  of God,
Priest, Christ Jesus, has offered His bloody sacrifice on               agents through whom His whole crestion  returns' in service
Calvary for our sins and blotted them all                               and praise to His glory.            0, indeed, the priest also taught
                                                   out, has been
seated at God's right hand evermore to plead our cause,                 God's people.

we need no priest through whom we can approach God.                         But we. may also point out that he needed that instruc-

And the Roman Catholic Church certainly ignores and                     tion of the prophet. The prophet must come to this priest

sets aside this glorious truth that "Christ was once offered            with his sacrifice. He can come to God only through that

to bear the sins of many," Hebrews 9328.  Through Him it                priest, but the priest depends upon the truth and instruction

is that we do approach God. Only in Him as our only High                that God gave through the prophet. What could Aaron have

Priest do we have the right even to utter one prayer to God;            done as high priest without that knowledge of his service
But today we need no earthly priest, even as we need no                 that God gave through Moses ? And the priests were mere

lamb to sacrifice. And it is as much an act of unbelief to              men, sinful men, given to all kinds of weaknesses. Did not

maintain an earthly priesthood for the forgiveness of our               God through Samuel even rebuke Eli and his wicked sons ?

sins as it is to continue the ritual of offering up a lamb to           And in the days after Israel returned from the captivity of

God for this forgiveness. It is as much a sin of ignoring the           Babylon, did we not find priests who committed all manner

atonement of Calvary to maintain a priesthood that must                 of evil and set a wicked example before the Church ? Truly

still sacrifice Christ anew as it is to say that the blood of           the heart cannot be dedicated to God unless the mind is filled

bulls and goats today is necessary for the forgiveness of our           with the truth concerning Him. And we likewise can be

sins.    But in the days of types and shadows, before this              God's royal priesthood only in the way and in the measure

merciful high priest came, Jesus Christ the Righteous, man              that we know Him, as His prophets.

could approach God only through the priest in the temple.                   It works the other way also. The man who is dedicated
    Remember the time when Samuel commanded King Saul                   .to God, loves Him with all his heart, that man surely will
- and he was the king, if you please, the ruler of the people           seek Him and resort repeatedly to His truth to know more
with power invested in him by God Himself-to wait                       and more of Him.                One cannot be priest without being
until he, Samuel, should come to sacrifice before they went             prophet. And one cannot be prophet without being priest.
to battle with the Philistines? Now Satnuel was of the tribe            This also in part is the reason why Peter speaks of the
of Levi, the tribe that God had set aside for this work of              royal priesthood.            And though it seems as though he has
sacrificing and presenting the offerings of the people. All             overlooked the prophetic office, the fact in the case is that it
Israel was dependent upon that priesthood. Still more, this             is implied and expressed in the calling to show forth God's
is so evident in the fact also that this priesthood remained            praises.    But even as the greatest of the three - faith, hope
until the very cross of Christ. A prophet there was not al-             and love -is love, so the priesthood, with its dedication; in
ways in Israel. From the days of Malachi to John the Bap-               love to God, is the chiefest of the three phases of the one

tist there was no prophet in Israel. It was a period yf                 office. For though our heads may be full of knowledge of
silence, and God spoke through no one to His Church.                    God and we can prophesy as wicked Baalim  did, but we do
From the captivity of the Kingdom of Judah-a  much                      not love that God, we are still prophets, priests and kings
longer period of time - Israel likewise had no king upon                of the devil.
the throne. Heathen nations ruled over Israel instead of the                                                                              J.A.H.
house of David. Yet through all this tilne there was a priest

in Israel.

    In a sense-because as we pointed out before, it is one

office with three phases, and each one of us is all three:
                                                                                                        IN MEMORIAM
prophet, priest and king-the priest in this period when

there was neither king nor prophet still represented the                    The Eunice Society  of First  Protestant  Reformed Church  wishes
other offices-God does not withdraw His grace, though                   to express  its sincere  sympathy  to our  fellow  member, Mrs.  Donald
He may withdraw some of the material evidence of it -                   Pastoor  and  family in the  loss of her  husband,
and the priest i"Lght  Israel and 4,a  over her spiritual life.                                      MR.  DONALD  PASTOOR

    There is a difference, of course. The prophet taught by                 May our Cod comfort the  bereaved family and sustain them  in
word of mouth and by means of the written and spoken
                                                                        their  sorrow.
Word of God. The priest taught by example. The prophet
                                                                            Psalm 116:15: "Precious  in the sight  of the  Lord .is the death  of
taught of the coming of Christ and forgiveness of sins in               His saints."
Him. The priest held Him up before the eyes of the people                                                         Mrs.  D. Jonker,  President
in his daily sacrificing, in the lambs and bullocks, in his wash-                         "b..  -                 Mrs. G. Spruyt,  Secretary


 4 9 4                                           THE  ST,ANDARD   B                E    A    R    E    R
                                                             _. _      I.` .
                                                                      . .

                                                                                They can be, and they are. But they are warned that
 II Contending For The Faith II their interpretation of what they read will be wrong unless
                                                                       it be in harmony with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

                                                                       The Catholic Church is the one safe guide as to what Scrip-

               The  Church  and the Sacraments                         t u r e   m e a n s .

                                                                                We do well to distinguish between the Protestant doc-
              THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION                              trine concerning the common faith of the Church and the

                    V I E W S   O N   T H E   C H U R C H              Roman Catholic doctrine of tradition. Some of the Roman

                                                                       Catholic theologians would have us believe that what they
           INFLUENCE OF THE MAIN PRINCIPLES                            mean by tradition is nothing else than belief on the authority
                     OF THE REFORMATION                                of common consent.                   "Common Consent" means that what

                                                                       all believe, consent to be true must be true. If all the people
                                (continued)
                                                                       of God believe the same thing concerning a certain doctrine,

          In our preceding articles we ahnost  concluded our quo-      then that particular doctrine must be true. However, the

 tations from the book of "Radio Replies" by the Rev. Dr.              Protestant doctrine concerning the common faith of the

 Leslie Rumble in which Dr. Rumble sets forth the Roman                Church is surely different from the Roman Catholic doctrine

 Catholic position on "Tradition." We will now quote the               of tradition. This difference is ably and clearly set forth by
 two remaining articles which we wish to quote.                        Hodge, in his Systematic Theology, Vol. I, pages 115-116,

                                                                       and we quote :
          527. Do you imagine that the Catholic Church only has

 arrived at a true understanding of the Gospels-?
                                                                       B. Points of Diffesence  Between the Ronzish  Doctrine and
          That is not a correct presentation of the Catholic posi-                  that of P,rotestants  on Common Consent.
 tion. There is no question of the Catholic Church "arriv-

 ing at" a true understanding of the Gospels. Before a line                     The points of difference between the Protestant doctrine

 of them was written, Christ had established His Church,               concerning the common faith of the Church and the Roman

 taught her His essential doctrines, sent the Spirit of Truth          Catholic doctrine of tradition are: -

 upon her at Pentecost, and commissioned her to go and to                       First. When Protestants speak of common consent of
 teach all nations orally and with authority, just as He had           Christians, they understand by Christians the true people of
 taught orally and with authority. Later on, under the in-             God. Romanists on the other hand, mean the company of
 spiration of the same Holy Spirit, the Books of the New               those who profess the true faith, and who are subject to the
Testament were written. Now, as one and the same Holy,                 Pope of Rome. There is the greatest possible difference be-
 Spirit could not contradict Himself, it is certain that nothing       tween the authority due to the common faith of truly regen-
 in the Gospels will contradict the official teachings of the          erated, holy men, the temples of the Holy Ghost, and that
 Catholic Church. If independent people arrive at an inter-            due to what a society of nominal Christians profess to be-
 pretation of the Bible which conflicts with the official teach-       lieve, the great majority of whom may be worldly, immoral,
 ing of the Catholic Church, then they are mistaken, and               and irreligious.
 have arrived at a wrong meaning.
                                                                                Secondly. The common consent for which Protestants
          In connection with the above paragraph of Dr. Rumble         plead concerns only essential doctrines; that is, doctrines
 we wish to make a few observations. It is, of course, true            which enter into the very nature of Christianity as a religion,
 that the Holy Spirit cannot contradict Himself. It is also true       and which are necessary to its subjective existence in the
 that the Gospels were written by the inspiration of the Holy          heart, or which if they do not enter essentially into the
 Spirit. It is true, in the third place, that the apostles. were       religious experience of beiievers, are so connected with vital
 inspired when they functioned officially, in all their writing        doctrines as not to admit of separation from them. Roman-
 and preaching.        And it must also be maintained that the         ists, on the contrary, plead the authority of tradition for all
 Church of God has the promise of the Lord that He will                kinds of doctrines and precepts, for rites and ceremonies, and
 lead it. infallibly, into all the truth. But this is surely not       ecclesiastical institutions, which have nothing to do with the
 the same as maintaining that all traditions are the product           life of the Church, and are entirely outside of the sphere of
 of this infallible Spirit, inasmuch as the Fathers wrote many         the promised guidance of the Spirit. Our Lord, in promising
 things which cannot be harmonized with Holy Writ. And                 the Spirit to guide His people into the knowledge of truths
 neither is this the same as maintaining that this power ?f            necessary to their salvation, did not promise to preserve them
 Divine inspiration has been bestowed upon the Church as               from error in subordinate matters, or to give them super-
 in one individual, the pope.                                          natural knowledge of the organization of the Church, the

          528. Why can't Catholics be trusted to read the Bible        number of the sacraments, or the power of bishops. The two

 for themselves?            i ,-                                       theories, therefore, differ not only as to the class of persons
                               .


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                   4 9 5


who are guided by the Spirit, but also as to the class of          taught in the Word by implication. and in principle,- having

subjects in relation to which that guidance is promised.           been developed from those rudimentary principles of the

                                                                   Word. bjr the Church. Rome realizes, of course, .that  it cannot
   Thirdly. A still more important difference is, that the                                                               _.-
                                                                   provide Scriptural support, in thk literal .%r!&~  %rall `its
common faith of the Church for which Protestants contend,
                                                                   teachings and practices. And so that Church contends tha:
is faith in doctrines plainly revealed in Scripture. It does
                                                                   many doctrines are in the Scriptures only in their rudiments,
not extend beyond those doctrines. It owes its whole author-
                                                                   and that the Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,
ity to the fact that it is a common understanding of the writ-
                                                                   has come to understand all that these rudiments contain and
ten Word, attained and preserved under that teaching of the
                                                                   imply. Thus the Lord's Supper has been expanded into the
Spirit, which secures to believers a competent knowledge of
                                                                   doctrine of transubstantiation and the sacrifice of the mass;
the plan of salvation therein revealed: On the other hand,
                                                                   the anointing of the sick, whereof we read in the epistle of
tradition is with the Romanists entirely independent of the
                                                                   James, has been developed into the sacrament of extreme
Scriptures. They plead for a common consent in doctrines
                                                                   unction ; the rules of discipline have been expanded into the
not contained in the Word of God, or which cannot be
                                                                   sacrament of penance, of satisfactions, of indulgences, of
proved therefrom.
                                                                   purgatory, and masses and prayers for the dead. And the
    Fourthly. Protestants do not regard "common consent"           prominence of Peter, who often assumed the leadership
either as an informant or as a ground of faith. With them          among the apostles, has been developed into the Romish
the written Word is the only source of knowledge of what           doctrine of the supremacy of the Pope.. The Old Testament,
God has reveaied for our salvation, and His testimony therein      then, contains the germ of all the doctrines unfolded in the
is the only ground of our faith. Whereas, with Romanists,          nTew Testament; and so the New Testament contains the
tradition is not only an informant of what is to be believe4       germs of all the doctrines unfolded, under the guidance of the
but the witness on whose testimony faith is to be yielded. It      Spirit, in the theology of the mediaeval Church. '
is one thing to say that the fact that all the true people of         The real question between Rome and Protestantism is
God, under the guidance of the Spirit, believe that certain        whether apart from the revelation contained in the Bible,
doctrines are taught in Scripture, is an unanswerable argu-        there is another supplementary and explanatory revelation
ment that they are really taught therein, and quite another        which has been handed down outside of the Scriptures, by
thing to say that because an external society, composed of all     tradition. The question is not whether the Spirit of God
sorts of men, to whom no promise of divine guidance has            leads true believers into the knowledge of the truth. Neither
been given, agree in holding certain doctrines, therefore we       is it the question whether true Christians agree in all essen-
are bound to receive those doctrines as part of the revelation     tial matters as to truth. But the fundamental question is
of God." - end of quote from Hodge.                                whether there are doctrines, institutions, and ordinances,
    We must not, of course, confuse the Roman Catholic doc-        having no warrant in the Scriptures, which we as Christians
trine of tradition with the Protestant doctrine of develop-        are bound to receive and obey on the authority of what is
ment.    That there has been development in the Church's           called common consent. This we most emphatically deny.
knowledge of the truth none would care to deny. All the               First, the Romish doctrine of tradition and belief in
facts, truths, doctrines and principles are in the Bible. They     doctrines not taught in the written Word of God is impos-
are there as fully and as clearly at one time as at another, at    sible. It is, of course, conceded that Christ and His Apostles
the beginning of history as well as now. The Scriptures never      said and did much that is not recorded in the Scriptures.
taught anything differently at one time than another ; what        The apostle John himself informs us to this effect in his last
is true today always was true. The same applies, for               chapter of the gospel of John. It is also granted that, if we
example, to the facts of nature. These facts of nature arz         had a certain knowledge of all that Christ said, that would
now what they have been from the beginning. However, they          surely be just as authoritative as the written Word of God.
are known today far better than they were known a thousand         This, .we understand, none would care to deny. But, the fact
years ago.    This also appIies  to the Word of God. What is       is that we have no record of those sayings. The Roman
true today always was true, although it must be granted that,      Catholic traditions are simply based on man's memory,
in the light of the Old and New Dispensations, we do have          what people remembered of those sayings. And the limita-
a clearer knowledge, revelation and setting forth of the truths    tions of our nature, as well as its corruption because of sin,
of the Word of God.                                                make this tradition impossible. Are we going to regard the

    Neither do we go along with Rome when that Church              product of a man's memory as authoritative as the inspired

holds that many doctrines are in the Scriptures only in their      Word of God? Can we afford to take such chances ? Are

rudiments, and that under the constant guidance and tuitio:l       we going to permit the memory of a fallible man to tell us

of the Spirit the Church comes to understand all that these        `what  is truth, in .the  sure and unadulterated sense of the

rudiments contain, and expand them in all their fulness.           word? Would not the weaknesses of the flesh be inclined to

Hence, many doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, al-            corrupt that truth ?
.though  not literally set forth in the Divine Scriptures, are                                                                  H.V.


4 9 6                                        T H,E  -S TA N'D'A'.R  D-`-B E.A.R  E-R


                                                                       vss. 3-7. Psalm 29 extols the might of Jehovah throughout,
II The Voice of Our Fathers                                            making mention of the accomplishments of "the voice of
                                                                 II    Jehovah." For, "The voice of the Lord is powerful ; the

                                                                       voice of the Lord is full of majesty." Ps. 29:4. Psalm 33
                     The B e l g i c   Confession                      speaks of His wonderful power as follows: "By the word of

                        ARTICLE I (continued)                          the Lord were the heavens made ; and all the host of them
         The same reference to the attribute of God's omnip-           by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the

otence is found in the New Testament in the divine name.               sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in store-

In II Corinthians 6 :lS it is combined with the name Lord,             houses. Let all the earth fear the Lord : let all the inhabitants

as follows : "And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be           of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was

my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." And in I              done ; he commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord bringeth

Timothy 6:15  God is called "the only Potentate."                      the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices

         Secondly, we may ask : what is the testimony of Scripture     of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth

as to the meaning of this divine perfection?                           for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations." VSS.
         And then we may observe, in the first place, that Scrip-      6-11. And so the Psalms abound with references to God's

ture currently speaks of God's omnipotence in concrete terms'          wonderful works as so many evidences of His mighty power.

and in connection with the concrete revelation of God's power          To Abraham, when Sarah laughed at the impossibility of

in the works of His hands. In other words, the Bible teaches           her giving .birth  to a son in her old age, the Lord says:

         that we must not think m.erely  in the abstract of God's      "Is any thing too hard for the Lord ? At the time appointed
us 
omnipotence as an unlimited power, according to which God              I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and

is able to do anything at all. Even when Scripture speaks of           Sarah shall have a son." Genesis 18 :9-15. And at the an-

God's power as unlimited and irresistible, it does so in con-          nunciation, after Gabriel has made known to Mary the coming

nection with a certain concrete situation. We may mention              wonder of the virgin-birth as well as the pregnancy of her

a few passages of Holy Writ by way of illustration. In                 aged cousin Elizabeth, he says: "For with God nothing shall

Isaiah 40:26 the host of heaven is cited as a proof of God's           be impossible." Luke 1 :37.

power : "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath                    In the second place, in close connection with the above,

created these things, that bringeth out their host by number :         we may observe that Scripture always presents this divine

he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might.            power and energy as a f,t&:qrr.e  power. God is the God of

for that he is strong in power; not one faileth." And again,           the wonder! His power is exactly characterized by the fact

in vs. 28 of the same chapter: ". . . . the Creator of the ends        that it accomplishes that which it is impossible for the

of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary." God's power to          creature to accomplish. It is a power that is absolutely free

accomplish His will is frequently presented in Scripture as one        and sovereign, a power that is not and cannot be limited by

of the marks whereby He is distinct from any idol of man's             any power outside of Himself. It is a causal and creative

making.        Thus we read in Jeremiah lO:lO-13:  "But the            power.    Any of the passages cited above also serve as Scrip-

Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting         tural proof for this.

king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations              I In the third place, we do well to remember that God has

shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say          revealed His infinite power most clearly and wonderfully in

unto. them, The gods that have not made the heavens and                His great work of salvation. He is the Almighty Creator

the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from             of all things. But still more, He is the Lord of life and of

under those heavens. He hath made the earth by his -power,             death, the God that quickens the dead. To this wonderful

he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath                  revelation of God's power in Jesus Christ our Lord the

stretched out the heavens by his discretion.            When he        apostle Paul makes reference in Ephesians 1 :17-21:  "That

.uttereth  his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the            the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may

heavens, and he causeth  the vapours to ascend from the                give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the

ends of the earth ; he maketh lightnings with rain, and                knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being

bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures." The same                enlightened ; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling,

thought is-set forth in Psalm 11.5. The complete impotence             and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the

of the idols of the heathen is set forth after the omnipotence         saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to

of our God is affirmed: `<But our God is in the heavens : he           usward  who believe, according to the working of his mighty

hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver           power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him

and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but               from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the

they speak not i eyes have they, but they see not : They have          heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and

ears, but they hear not : noses have they, but they smell not :        might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not

They have hands, -but they handle not: feet have they,                 only in this world, but also in that which is to come."

but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat."           !Y. ' In the fourth place, we ought not to abstract the omnip-


                                               , : 1                      `~           .a





                                           T H E   S..TAN.DARQ  ::J3EA$,Eli                                                          497


otence of God and merely conceive of it as an infinite power,       God's mind and His will. If we conceive of God's knowledge

according to which God can do anything at all. God cannot           and His wisdom as being purely intellectual, not ethical, not

lie. He cannot deny Himself. He cannot do that which is             only do we do violence to the truth of God's simplicity, but we

foolish or wicked. And therefore, bearing in mind the truth         also make it impossible properly to conceive of these perfec-

of the divine simplicity and of the unity of all God's virtue<      tions of God. God's knowledge and wisdom are not abstract

in Himself, we must rather define God's omnipotence                 intellectual attributes, but ethical perfections as well. God's is a
                                                              as
that divine perfection according to which God is able to            holy knowledge, and His is a holy wisdom. It is for this reason

accomplish whatsoever He pleases.                                   that also in the rational, moral creature, according to Scrip-

    Very briefly stated, the practical significance of God's        ture, the ethical aspect of knowledge and wisdom is always

almighty power for the believer lies in the fact that he may        emphasized. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wis-

be assured that nothing can separate him from the love of           dom ; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."

God in Christ Jesus our Lord, and that therefore nothing                Concerning the divine wisdom we read in that class&

can prevent his salvation. Cf. Remans  8 135-39.                    chapter of Proverbs 8, where "wisdom cries" (vs. 1) : "The

7. God is Pwjectly Wise.                                            Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his

    When we discuss the mention of God's wisdom in this             works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the be-

article of our Confe.&o Bclgicu,  we may remark, first of all,      ginning, or ever the earth was . . . . When he prepared the

that here again it becomes evident that this statement is not       heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face

and is not meant to be exhaustive. For in an exhaustive men-        of the depth: When he established the clouds above: wheu

tion of the divine perfections one would certainly include the      he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to

knowledge, or omniscience, of God. Rather must we assume            the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his com-

at this point that the knowledge of God is presupposed in           mandment : when he appointed the foundations of the earth :

the virtue of divine wisdom. The divine wisdom without the          Then I was by him, as one brought                with him: and I was
                                                                                                              up 
divine omniscience is impossible. We may therefore briefly          daily his delight, rejoicing always before him." Proverbs

refer to God's knowledge in this connection: for Scripture          S :22-30. In Romans 16 :27  God is called "the only wise God."

makes frequent reference to it. "The Lord is a God of               The same expression is found in I Timothy 1 :17. In Psalm

knowledge, and by him actions are weighed." I Sam. 2 :3.            104  :24  we read : "0 Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in

"He that teacheth  knowledge, shall he not know? The Lord           wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy

knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity." Psalm           riches."     But again, as with God's power, it is especially in

94:10,  11. Isaiah pos.es  the question, "With whom took he         the wonder-work of salvation that God's wisdom is revealed.,

counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the              The wisdom of the world is made foolish by God through

path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed              Christ crucified.        "For after that in the wisdom of God the

to him the way of understanding?" Isa. 40:14. In Hebrews            world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the

4:13  we read: "But all things are naked and opened unto            foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the

the eyes of him with whom we have to do." And thus there            Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But

are many passages of Scripture which .speak  of God's mind,         we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock,

His understanding, His thoughts, and His counsel. We must           and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are

remember that God's knowledge, like all His perfections, is         called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of -God, and

uniquely divine. It too is characterized by absolute freedom        the wisdom of God." I Cor. 1 :20-24.  We are of God in

and sovereignty, eternity and immutability. God's knowledge         Christ Jesus, "who of God is made unto us wisdom, and

does not have its source outside of God, but in Himself. It         righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." I Cor.

is not derived, but original. It is not caused, but causative.      1 :30. And, contemplating God's sovereign work of salvation,

It is not dependent upon its object, but its object is dependent    the apostle exclaims: "0  the depth of the riches both of the

upon it. Briefly, we may describe that knowledge as the             wisdom and knowledge of God !"

divine perfection according to which God fathoms with in-               God's wisdom is that divine virtue according to which

finitely perfect consciousness Himself and all His works, both      God lives His own divine life as the Triune God with perfect

those within and those outside of the divine Being.                 adaptation to His infinite blessedness as the Holy One, and

   In the second place, we may observe that our creed makes         according to which He is able to attain the highest possible

no distinction between the attributes of God's intellect and        glorification of His own name through the adaptation of all

the attributes of God's will. This distinction is sometimes         things to that purpose of His Self-glorification, and to adapt

made; and it is not without some justification, that is, as a       all things to one another with a view to that purpose.

method of classification. Then to God's intellect belong such          And again, the significance of this divine virtue from the

attributes as knowledge and wisdom, while to God's will             practical, spiritual point of view of faith may be briefly

would belong attributes such as righteousness, holiness, grace,     stated.     "And we know that all things work together for

mercy, etc. As we noted, this clistinction  is not made here.       good to them that love God, to them who are the tailed

And it is well to remember that we must not separate between        according to his purpose." Romans 8 128.                     H.C H.


4 9 s                                                 THE,STANDARD   B E A R E R


                                                                                         with respect  to the Scriptural  principles of church  fellowship. . .
                                                                                         have brought us to an impasse  . . . therefore,  be it resolved  that
         A       L      L            ARQUND US/                                          we now suspend  fellowship  with the  Lutheran  Church  -Mis-
                                                                                         sodri  Synod  on the  basis  of Romans  16:17-B ("Now  I beseech
                                                                                         you, brethren,  mark  them which  cause  divisions  and offences
                                                                                         contrary  to the  doctrine  which ye have  learned;  and  avoid them.
NOT ALL ECUMENICALLY MINDED                                                              For they  that are  such  serve  not our  Lord Jesus  Christ,  but their
                                                                                         own belly;  and by good  words  and fair speeches  deceive the
         In this age in which ecumenicism seems to be the con-                           hearts  of the  simple.") with the  hope and prayer  to God that the
trolling desire of most church bodies it is rather startling to                          Lutheran  Church-Missouri  Synod will hear  in this  resolution
                                                                                         an evangelical summons  to "come  to herself"  (Luke  15:17) and
come upon news in which denominations sever relationships                                to return  to the side  of the  sister  from whom she has estranged
which have bound them together for many years. Yet this                                  herself.

has recently been the case among a part of the Lutheran                                  Another resolution was passed in which the delegates
Church in America.                                                                  made a point of emphasizing that they were not "passing
         There is in this country what is called the Lutheran Syn-                  judgment on the personal faith of any individual member of

odical Conference of North America composed of four dif-                            the Lutheran Church -Missouri Synod," but that they were
ferent Lutheran bodies. These churches were united in much                          instead addressing themselves to the denomination as a

the same way as "Sister Churches" are united in Reformed                            corporate body.
circles. They held joint worship services and cooperated in                              Still another motion left the way open for the fellowship
joint projects such as mission work, charities and ministry                         that was broken off to be restored.
of the Word on college and university campuses. The four
                                                                                         Under  conditions  which do not imply a denial of our  previous
churches which made up this Lutheran Synodical  Conference                               testimony  we stand  ready  to resume  discussions  with  the
of North America were the 14,000-member  Synod of Evan-                                  Lutheran  Church  - Missouri  Synod with the  aim of re-establish2,
                                                                                         ing unity  of doctrine  and  practice and  of restoring  fellowship
gelical Churches (Slovak), the 9,OOOmember  Evangelical                             I    relations,  these  discussions  to be conducted  outside  the frame-
Lutheran Synod (Norwegian), the Lutheran Church-Mis-                                     work  of fellowship.
souri Synod, and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod                                It is somewhat surprising to read of a denomination that
with 352,563 members. The Missouri and Wisconsin Synods                             still has sufficient interest in maintaining the truth to sever
of the Lutheran Churches, directly involved in this matter,                         relationships with other churches when this truth is threat-
have long been known for being the most conservative among                          ened ; and by doing so to buck the strong winds of ecumeni-
Lutherans in this country.                                                          cism. It is also refreshing.
         At the last biennial meeting of the Wisconsin Synod a                           This same Synod of the Wisconsin Lutheran Churches a

resolution was adopted to sever all relationships with the                          few years ago ordered the deposition of a certain minister
Missouri Synod. The basic issue seemed to be a statement                            who denied the teachings of the church. If my memory
that had been prepared by the Missouri Synod's theological                          serves me properly, this was in connection with the divinity
faculty in which the infallibility and authority of Scripture                       of Christ. Although they were roundly condemned by the
was attacked. However, in general, the liberal tendencies                           ecclesiastical press and other church bodies, they nevertheless
of the Missouri Synod were severely criticized and given as                         proceeded with their deposition and maintained their convic-
reasons for breaking the ties. Dr. John W. Behnken, pres-                           tions. This cannot always be said even of Reformed Churches.
ident of the Missouri Synod, was present. He tried to per-                          It seems as if there is considerable spiritual strength left in
suade the delegates of Wisconsin not to sever the ties that                         these churches.

bound them together for 90 years. He said, "If there are
                                                                                    DECISIONS ON INFALLIBILBiY
errors in our midst, then remain with us and help correct
                                                                                         Since the controversy over the infallibility of Scripture
these errors." He insisted that the differences between the
                                                                                    has been raging for some time in the Christian Reformed
two Synods were not differences of doctrine, but of applica-
                                                                                    Church, and since our people were vitally interested in this
tion of Scripture. The statement prepared by the theological
                                                                                    controversy and its outcome, it might be of interest to quote
faculties of the various seminaries, he said, was not a deci-
                                                                                    the decisions of the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church
sion of the churches as a whole, but was merely a study
                                                                                    with regard to this matter.           The controversy began when
document submitted to the denomination's clergy for exami-
                                                                                    certain articles appeared in the paper of the Christian Re-
nation. It was therefore still subject to correction. His plea
                                                                                    formed Seminary Strowtata  in which a student questioned
went unheeded.
                                                                                    the historical stand of the churches in the matter of infallibil-
         The resolution adopted by the Wisconsin Synod read in
                                                                                    ity and inspiration. The president of the Seminary, Dr. John
part :
                                                                                    1-I. Kromminga, was also drawn into the controversy through
           Whereas  the  Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran  Synod  has
         lodged  many  admonitions  and protests  with  the Lutheran  Church        the means of a protest by Dr. Wyngaarden who objected to
         -Missouri Synod  during  the past  29 years  to win her  from the          certain statements Dr. Kromminga had made with respect
         path  that leads  to liberalism  in doctrine  and practic-;  . . . and,    to the questionable infallibility of "peripheral" matters in
         whereas,  our  admonitions  have largely  gone  unheeded and issues
         have  remained  unresolved;  and . . whereas  the Commission  on           Scripture. In 1959 the matter was referred to a Study Com-
         Doctrinal Matters  has faithfully carried  out-its  directions  to con-    mittee which gave a lengthy report to the Synod of 1961.
         tinue  discussions  but now regretfully  reports  that dBerences


                                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                    4 9 9


After much discussion and several changes the decisions in                        Scripture." This would seem to indicate that Synod wanted

their final form read as follows (Quoted from 7%  Towh                            to maintain the truth of vevbnl  inspiration. But from other
and Trumpet)  :                                                                   parts -qf the decision, this was evidently not Synod's inten-

        A. That Synod  declare,  as the  study  committee  indicates  in          tion. Although Dr. Kromminga himself said that his use
     the fulfillment  of its mandate,  that both Scripture  and the  Creeds       of the word `,`periphery"  was not intended as a limitation of
     establish  an essential  relationship  between inspiration  and in-
     fallibility, in which tbe  infallibility of Scripture  is inferred  from     the extent of inspiration, nevertheless Synod agrees with the
     inspiration,  and inspiration  secures  the  infallibility of all Scrip-     study committee wken they say, "There are in Scripture in-
     ture.
        Note:  Although a due  appreciation  of this  fact requires  a            cidental and circumstantial data which have no independent
     complete study  of the  entire  report,  the following  quotations           revelational significande,  but are dependept  for their revela-
     may illustrate  the  above:
        1. "Initially we may  say that infallibility as an inference  drawn       tional significance -upon the relationship' they sustain to the
     from inspiration  is to be ascribed  to Scripture  only  in accord           central intent and purpose of a given passage." The ques-
     with  the extent,  nature,  and purpose of inspiration.
        2. "Divine  inspiration  establishes  Scripture  as an infallible         tion still remains, Are these peripheral matters infallibly in-
     rule  and sufficient  canon  for all of Christian  faith  and life           spired ? or are they not? Does Synod still mean to say that
     by securing  it against  falsification,  error,  and deceit.                 Scripture is only inspired as to its main purpose ? This al-
        3. "An  examination  of the Church's  interpretation  of the
     Belgic Confession  as well as of the principles  which it has                most seems to be the meaning of the statement above and gf
     enunciated  forces  us to the conclusion that the approach  of the           another quotation from the committee report: "Initially we
     Church  to the  trustworthiness  of the Scripture  is . . . to give
     testimony  to the faith  of the  Church,  on the basis of the demands        may say that infallibility as an inference drawn from inspira-
     of Scriptine,  to its own  authority  and trustworthiness."                  tion is to be ascribed to Scripture only in accord with the
        B. That Synod  commend this  study  committee  report  to the
     church.  Grounds:  1) This  report  will serve  to remove misunder-          extent, nature, and purpose of inspiration."
     standings  that have  arisen;  2) This  report  is a framework  for              The main question is yet, "Does Synod believe, in verbal
     further  study  of the  relationship  between inspiration  and in-
     fallibility.                                                                 inspiration ?' If it does, it should have said so. If it does
        C. That Synod  declare  that Dr.  M. Wyngaarden's charge                  not, then the battle for the truth of Scripture will yet be lost.
     ("that  President  Kromminga  makes an unwarranted  distinction
     between  this  so-called periphery  and that which does  not be-             Either all of Scripture, word for word, is inspired by God .)r
     long to this  periphery" and that  this  view is inconsonant  with           none of it is. If there are peripheral matters in Scripture
     the  creeds)  is unsubstantiated.  Grounds:
        1. Dr.  Kromminga  has  removed an ambiguity  in the presenta-            that are not inspired directly by God, who is to determine
     tion  of his view by stating  that  his use of the word "peripherv"          what these peripheral matters are? Obviously, no one can, for
     was in no way intended  as a limitation  of the  extent  or the
     degree  of the infallibility of Scripture.                                   each may have his own idea as to what is peripheral and
        2. The Studv  Committee  in its report  indicates  that it is pos-        what is not. There is no standard by which to judge.
     sible  to make  such a distinction  wh&h is not inconsonant  with
     the  creeds  ". . . there  are in the Scriptures  incidental  and circum-       It seems as if the opponents of infallible and verbal in-
     stantial  data which have  no independent revelational  signifi-             spiration still have room in this decision to propagate their
     cance,  but are  dependent  for their  revelational  significance  upon      views. And no doubt they will utilize their opportunities.
     the  relationship  they  sustain to the  central  intent  and purpose  of
     a given  passage.  When  viewed in this  light,  the  term  `periph-
     ery'  must  be judged not inconsonant  with  the creedal  teachings
     on infallibility."    Dr.  Kromminga  assured  the  Committee  that          GROWTH IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC  CHURCH
     the  above statement  reflects  his view.                                       The Roman Catholic Church has shown remarkable
       D. That  Synod  declare  that "the specific  charge  that President
     Kromminga  committed  himself in his policy  as President  to a              growth in the last few years.          Some figures recently released
     `drastic  reinterpretation'  of Articles  III and VII  of the  Belgic        may be of interest.
     Confession  is unsubstantiated."
        Synod  affirms the faith  of the  Church  in the infallibility of            In a brief article in OW Smday Visitor the figures show
     Scrinture  and urges  upon the Church  the  approach  of humble              that the Netherlands now has more Roman Catholics than
    fai& in the  Word of God.
        Svnod  decided to continue  Dr.  T. H. Kromminga  as President            Protestants :
    of the  Seminary  for one  year.       1                                            The Hague,  The Netherlands  - (NC)  - Catholics  outnumber
    Although the decision is somewhat of a victory for the                            Protestants  in the  Netherlands  for the  first  time  since  the
                                                                                      Reformation,  according to preliminary  figures  released  he&
:historical position on infallibility, there is some reason to                           F'inal  census  results  are  not  yet  available,  but the preliminary
conclude that it is not as clear and incisive as it could have                        totals show:
                                                                                        - Catholics  mmber  4,900,OOO or 40.5 per cent  of a total  pop-
been. There seemed to be a desire on the part of the Syno$                            ulation  of 12 million.
to re-affirm the churdh's historical stand on the matter; but                            -Protestants  number  4,500,OOO or 37.5 per  cent  of the POPU-
                                                                                                                                                          _ -
                                                                                      lation.
this desire seems to be mixed with a fear of offending those                             - There are  2,100,0130  persons  without  religious  affiliation  and
.who originally compromised the doctrine. The lack of clarity                         493,000  in the  "other"  category.
                                                                                        At the time  of the  Reformation,  according to estimates,  about
is particularly evident in the fact that Synod never specifically                     two-thirds  of the  Dutch people became  Protestants.  A century
.defined  the e.dmt of infallibility. There is some inconsistency                     ago  Protestants  still  had an absolute  majority  of the  population
                                                                                      (54.5  per cent)  and Catholics  accounted for 38.1 per cent  of
in the decision on this point. On the one hand, the Committee                         the  people.
said, as quoted by Synod, *"Divine  inspiration establishes                             At the time  of the  last census.  1947.  Catholics  were 38.5
                                                                                      per  cent  of the  population and Protest&s  40.8 per cent,  com-
`Scripture as an infallib'le  rule and sufficient canon for all of                    pared  with  36.4 per cent  for Catholics  and 44.9 per cent  for
Christian faith and life by securing it against falsification,                        Protestants  in the  1930  census.

error, and deceit."        This was used as support for Synod's                      &-owth  in the United States of the Roman Catholic

expression that "inspiration secures the infallibility of nil                     Church & the highest of any church body with the exception


500                                              T   H ' E    S T`A N-D  A R D B E A~.R  E-R


of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The Romish  Church                  wife is resting and receiving treatments in Pine Rest HOS-
showed an increase of 3% while the Lutheran Church showed                  pital.  Rev. Vos joyfully announced that her first treatment

an increase of 3.2%. U.S. Roman Catholic membership in-                    already gave her some relief from her nervousness and

creased in the past year by 1,233,598  to bring the total of               depression. And as the Reverend always does with all the

Roman Catholics in this country to 42,104,900.                 H. Hanko    sick and shut-ins, he publishes the mail address of the ill

                                                                           person that he may be remembered by the congregation by

                                                                           cards and letters.

       N.EWS  FROM OUR CtiURCHES                                                   August 20 the worship services of First Church were

                "All the saints  salute thee                               conducted by Rev. G. Lubbers, who also officiated in the ad-
                                            . . . ." PHIL.  421            ministration of Infant Baptism-the infant being our Mis-

                                                                           sionary's first grandchild, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom
                                                      Sept. 5, 1961        Newhof, Jr.

       The annual Family Visitation has begun in many of our                       B~~JZetin quote (Oak Lawn's) : "Sins are like circles

churches. May we ail experience the answer to our prayer as                formed in the water when a stone is thrown into it: each

expressed in Hope's bulletin, "May God grant his blessing                  produces another. When anger was in Cain's breast, murder

upon this work this year that our congregation may be                      was not far off." E. Kook.

strengthened."
                                                                                   The congregation of Oak Lawn welcomed Mr. and Mrs.

       Hope, Adams St., and Edgerton  scl~ools re-opened their             H. Kuiper into their fellowship recently. They and their four

doors, and Oak Lawn-South Holland opened its doors for                     children came to them from Ft. Collins, Colorado. Mr.

the first time Sept. 5. What a privilege we have that we may               Kuiper, son of Rev. H. H. Kuiper, is to take up his duties

instruct our children in harmony with that which they                      of Administrator of their new school, and to teach grades

receive in our homes and churches ! We hereby quote (again                 G-9.

from Hope's bulletin j , "As the new year begins, and through-                     As fountains need a water source, and as a fire needs fuel,
out the year, let us not fail to remember the needs of our                 so this bimonthly News Column needs material-gleaned
school (s j , of our school board (s j , and of our teachers before        from reports of society secretaries and from bulletins mailed
the throne of grace that our covenant seed may be instructed               in by faithful ministers and/or consistory clerks. Is a word
in the truth we love," as a reminder to all of our membership.             to the wise sufficient?

       First Church's Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Society held their annual                   The singing members of the South Holland-Oak Lawn
outing at North Shore in Grand Haven, Aug. 23 ; and the Sr.                churches, under the name,                  "South-Lawn Choral Society,"
Mr. and Mrs. Society held theirs at Gun Lake, Aug. 30. The                 have resumed their weekly rehearsal meetings, the first one
announcements of both stressed a special invitation to pro-                this season at South Holland.
spective members to join in the festivities.
                                                                                   From Hull's bulletin we lift the following : The Refornied
       Among those societies that recess for the summer, we                Action Society collected a total of $76.98 from the 4th of July
note that Hudsonville's Mr. and Mrs. Society and the Young                 iliter-church  picnic. We a so
                                                                                                                 1      received the following letter
People's Society began their activities the first week in Sep-             which may interest you: "Thanks for the copy of The Rc-
tember,                                                                    forutzed  U'itness,, subject, `God, Servant Or Sovereign.' In no

       Rev. Harbach prefaced Lynden's August 27th bulletin                 sense is God a servant. In all senses He is sovereign. I was

with this paragraph, "Let us speak to the Lord before the                  taught  this eternal truth when I was four years and four

service. Hear the Lord speak to us &z  the service. Let us                 months old. Now I am more than 80 years old, and have

speak to each other a$te+  the service."                                   never reversed this conviction. This conviction is full of

                                                                           sweetness, the only refuge for mortal man, the only peace
       Have  your  heard that the 19Gl  Young People's Conven-
                                                                           and joy for us now. To know God in this role is peace, health
tion was atr unqualified success ? It must be that the Rockies
                                                                           and happiness." F.S.F.
proved to be more than attractive, for a returned native

IMichigander  (young lady) was heard to say, "I'd like to                          Bulletin quote (Oak Lawn's j : "The reason why so many

live there."    Probably the scenic falls, Estes Park Tramway,             poor souls have so little heat of joy in their hearts, is that

horseback riding, and, above all, the hospitality of our Love-             they have so little light of Gospel knowledge in their minds.

land-Denver people all contributed to those sentiments. Sure-              The further a soul stands frolti  the light of truth, the further

ly, the beauties of nature served as an appropriate backdrop               he must needs be from the heat of comfort." Gurnall.

for the Convention theme, "The Beauty Of Holiness" viewed                          In these days of world crfses, remember: "The fear of
as God's Perfection, as The Church's Distinction, and as                   man bhngeth  a. snare;  but whosp putteth  his test in the
Youth's Adornment.                                                         Lwd  shall be safe." Prov. 29 125.

       Hudsonville's Manse is strangely empty while the pastor's                   . . . . see you in church.                                 J.M.F.


                                                                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   BjEARER                                                                                                                                              501



              INDEX  TO  VOLUME  XXXVII                                                                                                                   S U B J E C T                                                                        A u t h o r    Pclge       N O .

                                                                                                                                                Ilebrews  11339, 40                     .................................................... G.V.               73                 4
                                                           TEXT INDEX                                                                          James 2:2'5                 .................................................................. G.V.             433          19
                                                                                                                                                I Peter  5:2-4                .............................................................. G.V.              193                 9
                  S U B J E C T                                                                        A u t h o r    P a g e      N o .       I John 2:12-14b                    .......................................................... G.L.                    9             1
                                                                                                                                               I John  2:15-17                  ............................................................ G.L.               35                 2
      Genesis  3:15                ................................................................ G.V.               313          14
                                                                                                                                               I John  2:18-21                  ............................................................ G.L.               60               3
       Genesis  15:13, 14                      ...................................................... B.W.              33              2
                                                                                                                                               I John  2:18-21                  ............................................................ G.L.               82               4
      Genesis  49:29-33                    ........................................................ B.W.                     7           1
                                                                                                                                               I John  2:18-21                  ............................................................ G.L.              106               5
      Genesis  50:25-26                    ........................................................ B.W.                     7           1
                                                                                                                                               I John 2:18-21                   ............................................................ G.L.              131               6
       Exodus  18             ................................................................ B.W.                     33           2
                                                                                                                                               R&elation            16:10-21             .................................................. H.H.                     6             1
      Exodus  2:1-3                 .............................................................. B.W.                 58              :j
                                                                                                                                               Revelation           17:1-6           ...................................................... H.H.                31              2
      Exodus  2:ll            ................................................................ B.W.                     80            4
                                                                                                                                               Revelation           17:1-6           ...................................................... H.H.                54               3
      Exodus  2:11-14                    .......................................................... B.W.              104             .5
                                                                                                                                               Revelation          17:7-14 ..................................................... H.H.                           57               3
      Exodus  3:l           .................................................................. B.W.                    129            6
                                                                                                                                               Revelation          17:7-14 ...................................................... H.H.                          78              4
      Exodus       3:14,           15      ........................................................ B.W.              177             8
                                                                                                                                               Revelation         17:7-14 ...................................................... H.H.                          102               5
      Exodus  3:23                 .............................................................. B.W.                154            '7
                                                                                                                                               Revelation         17:7-14 ..................................................... H.H.                          126               6
      Exodus       4:4, 7, lo ...................................................... B.W.                             154            7
                                                                                                                                               Revelation         17:15-18 ................................................... H.H.                           127               6
      Exodus       4:19,  2 0             ........................................................ B.W.               202            9
                                                                                                                                               Revelation          17:15-18            ........................................ . .......... H.H.             150               7
      Exodus       42.9            .............................................................. B.W.                225           LO
                                                                                                                                               Revelation           18         ...........................................................      H.H.          152            7
      Exodus       5~2      ............................................... . .................. B.W.                 225          19
                                                                                                                                               Revelation           18         ...........................................................      II.H.         175               8
      Exodus       6:1-5           .............................................................. B.W.                248          11
                                                                                                                                               Revelation           18         ................................................. i.. ....... II.H.            200            9
      Exodus       7:1-3           .............................................................. B.W.                273          12
                                                                                                                                               Revelation          19:1-5            ...................................................... H.H.              222          13
      Exodus       9:13-16               .......................................................... B.W.              298          13
                                                                                                                                               Revelation          1931-5            ..................................................... H.H.               246          11
      Exodus         lO:l,  2             ........................................................ B.W.               345          1.5
                                                                                                                                               Revelation          19:6-10             ................................................... H.H.               271          12
      Exodus       12313           .............................................................. B.W.                368          16
                                                                                                                                               Revelation          19:11-21            ................................................... H.H.               272          13
      Exodus       12:29-32               ........................................................ B.W.               391          17
                                                                                                                                               Revelation         19:11-21 .................................................... H.H.                          294          13
      Exodus       14:15, 16                   ...................................................... B.W.            417          1s
                                                                                                                                               Revelation         19:11-21 ..................................................                   H.H.          318          14
      Exodus       153        ................................................................ B.W.                   444          L9
                                                                                                                                              Revelation 20:1-10 ..................................................... H.H.                                   318          14
      Exodus       16:13,           14         ...................................................... B.W.            466         ~ 20
                                                                                                                                              Revelation          20:1-10 ...................................................... H.H.                         342          15
      Psalm  31:19            ................................................................ G.V.                    9 7           5
                                                                                                                                              Revelation          20:1-10 ...................................................... H.H.                         366
      Psalm  37:5                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          16
                          .................................................................... G.V.                   145            7
                                                                                                                                              Revelation          20:1-10 ...................................................... H.H.                         390
      Psalm 116:6-8 ..............................................................                                                                                                                                                                                         17
                                                                                                       G.V.            49            .3
                                                                                                                                              Revelation          20:1-10 ...... .._...._..__._...  ____: ........................ H.H.                       414
      Psalm 119:54                  ..............................................................                                                                                                                                                                         18
                                                                                                       G.V.           169            s
                                                                                                                                              Revelation          20:11-15 ................................................... H.H.                           414
      Isaiah  49:14-16                   ..........................................................                                                                                                                                                                        18
                                                                                                       G.V.           481          21
                                                                                                                                              Revelation          21:1-4            ..................................................... H.H.                415          18
      Habakkuk  2:4b ................................. . .......................... C.H.                               25            2
                                                                                                                                              Revelation         21:1-4 ........................................................ H.H.                         442
      Matthew  1:18-25                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    19
                                           ...... .._............................................... G.L.             156            7
                                                                                                                                              Revelation         21:5-8 ........................................................ H.H.                         464
      Matthew  18:15-20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   20
                                               ...................................................... G.L.            179            8
                                                                                                                                              Revelation         2X:9-27            ..................................................... H.H.                465         20
      Matthew        18:15-20                  ...................................................... G.L.            204           9
                                                                                                                                              Revelation          21:9-27             .................................................... H.H.               486
      Matthew        27:50-54                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             2l.
                                               .................. . ................................... G.V.          265          12
      &la,rk 16:6 .. .._._.......................... ................................... G.V.                         289          13
                                                                                                                                                                                              SUB  J&T INDEX
      Luke     1:77-79             .............................................................. G.V.                121           6
      Luke  4~42-44                .............................................................. G.V.                   1           1                                                                   -A-
     Luke       17:34-37 ............................................................ G.V.                            457          20         About Being  Protestant  Reformed                                                                                              _)
                                                                                                                                                                                                               ....... . ................... H.H.             124
     Luke 22:41-44                   ............................................................ G.V.                241          11         About  Being  Protestant  Reformed ........................... H.H.                                             148           Y
     Luke  23:42            .................................................................. G.V.                   385          17         Adam Question                     ......................................................... H.H.                167           7
     Luke 23:46             ............................. . .................................... G.V.                 265          1.2        Adam Question                     ........................................................       H.H.           172           8
     Acts  2:2-4,  11 .............................................................. G.V.                             361          16         Adam       Question               ........................................................       H.H.           196           .g
     Acts  7:22, 23 .............................................................. B.W.                                80           3         Adam       Question               ........................................................       H.H.           220         10
     Acts  7:23-25                 .............................................................. B.W.                104                     Adult Baptism                   ..... .............................................      G.V.d.B.               333         14
      Romans  14:17, 18 ........................................................ G.V.                                 337          1;         Agony of Jesus,  The                        ..........................................           G.V.           241         11
     11 Thessalonians                 2: 16-17 ............................................ G.V.                      409          1s         Aid To Schools,  More  About ................................ H.H.                                              335         14
     I Timothy l:l, 2 ........................................................ G.L.                                   227          10         American         Clergy and Basic Truths                             ........... . ..........    H.H.+           71           3
     I Timothy 1:3-11                     ........................................................ G.L.               250          11         Arminius,  James  - Comment  On                                  ......................... H.H.                  69           3
     I Timothy 1:3-11                     ........................................................ G.L.               275          12         As To Being  Protestant  Reformed .......................                                        H.H.             4           1
     I Timothy 1:3-11                     ........................................................ G.L.               300          13         As To Being Protestant  Reformed ........................ H.H.                                                   28           2
     I Timothy 1:12-17                         ...................................................... G.L.            324          14
     I Timothy 1:12-17                         ...................................................... G.L.            347          15
                                                                                                                                                                                                        -B-
     I Timothy 1:12-17                         ...................................................... G.L.            370          16
     I Timothy            1:18,           19      .................................................. G.L.             393         17          Baker,  Rev.  Henry  - Open Letter  To ................                                          H.H.           196           9
     I Timothy 1:18,                     19     .................................................... G.L.             419         1s          Baptism,        Adult            ..................................................      G.V.d.B.               355         15
     I Timothy 2:1-7 .......................................................... G.L.                                  446         19          Baptismal        Records             .............. ..: .............................. G.V.d.B.                 356         15
I Timothy                 2:1-7           ....................................................... G.L.                468         20          Baptismal  Records                               .................................... G.V.d.B.                              16
1
 I Timothy 2:1-7 .......................................................... G.L.                                      490         21          Baptism  Of Adopted  Children                             ........................ G.V.d.B.                     235         10
     Hebrews  8:10-12                     ....................................................... G.V.                217 10                  Baptism,  Presentation  For ................................ G.V.d.B.                                           308         13
     Hebrews          11:24-26                 .................................................... B.W.               80          4          Baptism,  Subjects  Of .........................................                         G.V.d.B.               212          9
     Hebrews        11:31            ........................................................... G.V.                 433 19                  Baptism,  Subjects  Of ..:..: ..: ..................................                     G.V.d.B.                           11

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



          S U B J E C T                                                             A u t h o r    P a g e   N o .                S U B J E C T                                                                       A u t h o r    P a g e   N o .

Baptism,  Subjects  Of ............................................ G.V.d.B. 283 12                                   Church  And Sacraments                         ............................................ H.V.               160 `7
Baptism,  Sundry  Matters  On .............................. G.V.d.B.:  : < ,332                              14      .Church       And Sacraments                   .......................................... ..H.V.               183 8
Belgic Confession,              Introduction          ........................... H.C.H.           210 9              Church       And Sacraments                    ........................................... .H.V.               208 9
Belgic Confession,              Introduction          ........................... .H.C.H.          233 10             Church  And Sacraments                         ............................................ H.V.               231 10
Belgic Confession,  Introduction                      ............................ H.C.H.          256 11             Church        And Sacraments                   ........................................... .H.V.               254        11.
Belgic Confession,  Introduction                      ............................ H.C.H.          281 12             Church        And Sacraments                   ........................................... .H.V.               279        12
Belgic Confession,  Article 1                     ................................ H.C.H.          306 13             Church And Sacraments                          ........................................... .H.V.               304 13
Belgic Confession,  Article  1                    ................................ H.C.H.          330 14             Church        And Sacraments                   ........................................... .H.V.               328 14
Belgic Confession,  Article 1                     ................................ H.C.H.          353 15             Church        And Sacraments                   .......................................... ..H.V.               351 15
Belgic Confession,  Article 1                     ................................ H.C.H.          376 16             Church And Sacraments                          ........................................... .H.V.               374 16
Belgic Confession,  Article 1                     ................................ H.C.H.          450 19             Church        And Sacraments                   ........................................... .H.V.               397 17
Belgic Confession,  Article 1                     ................................ H.C.H.          474 20             Church  And Sacraments                         ............................................ H.V.               423 18
Belgic Confession,  Article  I                     ................................ H.C.H.         496        21      Church        And Sacraments                   ............................................ H.V.               448 19
Bethlehem,  Miracle of ............................................... R.V.                        108 5              Church        And Sacraments                   ........................................... H.V.                472 20
Bible,. The New English                   ........................................... .H.H.        214 9              Church and Sacraments                           ............................................ H.V.              494  21
Blue  Laws         .................................................................... H.H.       478 20             Church And Social  Functions                           .................................... H.H.               262 11
Books,  As To:                                                                                                        Church  In East  Germany                         .......................................... H.H.               311 13
       A Guide To Teachings  Of Early  Church                                                                         Church  Membership                      In The United                States       ............ H.H.              92 4
              Fathers by R. Williams .............................. H.H.                           198 9              Church  Order:
       Barth  by A. Polman .......................................... H.H.                         366 10                   Article  51 ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                                17 1
       Calvin's            Commentaries         ........... ........................... H.H.         30         2           Article  51 ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                                43         2
       Divine Election by G. C. Berkhouwer                               ............ H.H.           31         2           Article  52 ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                                44 2
       Dying  And Then by B. Telder ........................ H.H.                                    29         2           Article  53 ....................................................... G.V.d.B.                               90 4
       Herman  Bavinck  Als  Dogmaticus                                                                                     Articles         53, 54 .............................................. G.V.d.B.                            68 3
              by R. Bremmer                   ........................................ H.H.        365        16            Article  55 ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                              114 5
       In The Midst  Of Life by W. Sikken ................ H.H.                                    270        I.2           Article 55 ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                               139 6
       Millennial Studies  by G. Murray                          .................... H.H.           30         2           Article 55                ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                164 7
       Midden In Het Leven by W. S&ken                                 .............. H.H.         270 12                   Article  56               ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                188 8
       Sterven En Dan by B. Telder ........................ ..H.H.                                   29 2                * Article  57 ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                               308 13
       Studies  In The  Sermon  On The Mount                                                                                Article 58                ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                332 li
              by D. Martyn                ............................................ H.H.        198 9                    Article 59 ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                               333 14
       The Apocalypse  Today  by T. Torrance                               .......... H.H.         270 12                   Article 60 ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                               356        1.5
       The Church's  Witness To The World                                                                                   Article  60               ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                378 16

              by P. Y. De Jona
                                            .......................................H.H.            174 8                    Article  61 ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                              401 17
       The Old Testament  View  of Revelation                                                                               Article 61                ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                427 18
              by G. Thompson ........................................ H.H.                         174 8                    Article 62 ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                               476 20
       The Stranger  Of Galilee  by R. White ............ H.H.                                     174 8                    Article 71 ............................................................ H.H.                             364 16
       The Theology  of Karl  Barth                                                                                         Article  72 ............................................................ H.H.                            364 16

              by G. Berkhouwer                  ...................................... H.H.        174 8                    Article 73 ............................................................ H.H.                             364 16
       The Way  Of Salvation  by G. Girod ................ H.H.                                    270         ?2           Article         74 .......................................................... ..H.H.                     364 16
Broadcasting,              Religious     ............................................ ..H.H.         20 1                   Article         75 ............................................................ H.H.                     364 16
                                                                                                                            Article         76 .............................. . ......................... :...H.H.                   388        1'7

                                                -c-                                                                         Article 77 ............................................................ H.H.                             388 1'7

                                                                                                                            Article  79 ............................................................ H.H.                            389 17
Calling of the  Gospel ................................................ B.W.                       322 14             Coming of the King...................................................G.V.                                      457 20
Calvin  And Common Grace                        ........................ :........: .... H.H.      244 11             Commit Thy Way  Unto The Lord .......................... G.V.                                                  145 7
Calvin And Common Grace                         ..................................... H.H.         268 12
                                                                                                                      Common Grace,                     Caivin And .................................. ..H.H.                         244 11
Calvin  And Common Grace                        ...................................... H.H.        292        13      Common Grace,  Calvin And ................................... H.H.                                             268        12
Canons  of Dordrecht,  V - B, Article 8 ................ H.C.H.                                      15 1             Common Grace,  Calvin  And ................ . .................. H.H.                                          292 13
Canons  of Dordrecht, V - B, Article  9 .............. ..H.C.H.                                      41 2             Confessing  The Reformed  Religion .................... G.V.d.B.                                               427 18
Canons      of Do&e&t,  V - Conclusion ................ H.C.H.                                       136        3
                                                                                                                      Convention  Circuit,  On The                              .................................. H.H.              454 19
Canons      of Dordrecht,               V - Conclusion ............... .H.C.H.                       88 4             Counterfeits           Of The             Kingdom           ................................ G.V.              337        15
Caricatures  of Reformed Truth                          ............................. H.H.         455 19             Correspondence,                  Synod and  Government
Censorship,          Literary       .......................................... ..G.V.d.B.          164 7
                                                                                                                            Officials              ............................................................ H.C.H.               437  19
Censure       of Books           .............................................. ..G.V.d.B.         139 G              Covenant  Child On  His Own ............. :: ..:. ... . ............. H.H.                                     238 10
Children Of Our  Age .............................................. J.A.H.                           84 4             Covenant,  The More Glorious                                ................................ G.V.              217 10
Children Of Our  Age .............................................. J.A.H.                         133 6
Children       Of Our  Age ............................................. J.A.H.                    158 7
                                                                                                                                                                               -D-
Children       Of Our Age .............................................. J.A.H.                    181 8
Christian  Schools,  Support  of .................................. H.H.                           190 8              Daane, Dr. - Oh! Oh! ............................ . ................. H.H.                                     270 12
Christ  Mission  To Preach  The Kingdom ................ G.V.                                          1 1            Dayspring From On High ......................................... G.V.                                          121 6
Church      And Sacraments                 .......................................... ..H.V.         13 1             Deposed, Not Separated                         ........................... . ...............     H.H.          365 16
Church      And Sacraments                 .......................................... ..H.V.         39 2             Dictator       Church             ......................................................... .H.H.              478        20
Church      And Sacraments                 ............................................ H.V.         86 4             Discipline, Importance                      of Christian            ........................ H.H.              340 15
Church  And Sacraments                     ............................................ H.V.       110 5              Discipline, Importance                      of Christian            ...................... ..H.H.              364 16
Church      And Sacraments                 ........................................... .H.V.        135 6             Discipline, Importance                      of Christian            ... . ................... H.H.             388 17


                                                                                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                                                                                              503

              S U B J E C T                                                                                     A u t h o r        P a g e   N o .                S U B J E C T   .                                                                          A u t h o r      P a g e   N o .


Disintegration,  Fast . . ..__.._..._._.____...............................  H.H.                                                   76         4      Life, You Save  _._________._.____._........,.....,.....................                            J.A.H.              229 10

Disintegration,                Fast . . . . . . . . . . ..____.._................  . . . . . .._._____  H.H.                       100 5              Lord Does Not  Command His Blessing

Doezema, Rev.  L. -Answer  To _.______........____...........  J.K.                                                                287 12                   There,  The _.__.___..............................................                           H.C.H.               484 21

 Dollhouse, Dancing  And Fun  on Pentecost  ___.__._...  H.H.                                                                       52         3      Lord's Supper,                   Administration                 Of      _. .._ __ ___ ___ _. .G.V.d.B.                  476 20

Dying  Christ,  The .._.,...,..,..,..,......,..,..............,,........., G.V.                                                    265        12      Lord's Supper,  Should  Our  Adolescents Be

                                                                                                                                                             Encouraged To Partake Of ._. ___ ___ ___ ___ .H.C.H.                                                             112 5

                                                                  -E-                                                                                 Lord's Supper,  Should  Our  Adolescents  Be
                                                                                                                                                            Encouraged To Partake  Of .,..___.____................  H.C.H.                                                    137 6
Ecumenical Councils,                        News From . . . . . . . . . . ..____.......  H.H.                                      353        16      Lord's Supper,  Should  Our  Adolescents  Be
Ecumenical Leader,                       Views            Of A . H.H.                                                              310        13            Encouraged To Partake  Of . ..____._.________..........  H.C.H.                                                   162 7
Ecumenically Minded, Not All ___.._______________.,..,..,..                                                   H.H.                 498       21       Lord's Supper,  Should  Our  Adolescents Be
Ecumenicism, Recent Movements  Toward  ,...__.,...__  H.H.                                                                         166         7            Encouraged To Partake  Of . . . . .._._____.............  H.C.H.                                                  185 8
Educational Processes,  Evaluation  of Modern . . . ..R.C.H.                                                                       395        17      Lord's Supper,  Partaking  Of                                 . . . . . .._.____.............  G.V.d.B.                 452        19
Educational Processes,  Evaluation  of Modern .,._  R.C.H.                                                                         425        18      Lord's Table, Admission                          To . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G.V.d.B.    401        I.7
Enmity  Between'  Seed  And Seed  ,,..,..,,__.._.__.___________  G.V.                                                              313       14

Evolutionism,  More Tendencies Toward  .._ ____  __ __ .H.H.                                                                       142         6

Evolution Of Man . . . .._.._._________..................................                                      .H.H.               404        17                                                                   -M-

                                                                                                                                                      Manna        ........................................................................                   B.W.            466        20
                                                                 -F-                                                                                  McClure, A.D. - Reply To Brother                                          .................... H.C.H.                   118 5

Faith,  Love And Controversy                                  ................................... H.H.                             116 "              Meeting of a Classis West ..................................... H.H.                                                     45 2
Final       Letter        ..........................................................                       H.C.H.                  461 2;             Miracles,        Importance                Of      ......................................... H.H.                       382 16
Formula  Of Subscription                              .................................... G.V.d.B.                                 90         4      Missionary  Labor In Africa ....................................... H.H.                                                 19 1
Freedom Of Bigotry                         ............................................... J.A.H.                                   11         1      Missionary          Notes            ....................................................... .G.L.                       21 1
Freedom Of Bigotry                         ................................................ J.A.H.                                  37         3      Missionary          Notes            ...................................................... ..G.L.                      199         !3
Freedom Of Bigotry                         ............................................... J.A.H.                                   62         3      Missionary          Notes            ...................................................... ..G.L.                      239        10
                                                                                                                                                      Mission       Order              .................................................... ..G.V.d.B.                         17 1
                                                                 -G-                                                                                  Mission       Order              ...................................................... G.V.d.B.                         43         2
                                                                                                                                                      Missions       Restricted               ................................................... H.H.                         47 2
God's Charge  . .._..._..__.___...,,..............................,..........                                  G.V.                193 9              Morals,  Double  Standard  Of                                ................................. H.H.                     403 17
God's People `Made To Serve  With  Rigor  .._..._..  B.W.                                                                           33         2      Mormons  In Navajo  Lands                               ..................................... H.H.                      263 11
Golden Lampstand                       . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R.C.H.     64         3      Moses       .........................................................................                  B.W.              58         3

                                                                                                                                                      Moses  And "I Am" ............................................... ,..`B.W.                                              177 8

                                                                -H-                                                                                   Moses'      Calling ........................................................... B.W.                                    154 7
                                                                                                                                                      Moses In Midian ....................................................... B.W.                                            129 6
Hymn Question,  Contribution  On                                             .......................... R.R.                        22        -1      Moses  Rejected By  His Brethren                                    ........................... B.W.                    104 5
Hymn Question  Before                          Our Synod                    .......................... H.H.                        412 IS             Moses'  Rejection  Of Egypt ..................................... B.W.                                                   80 4
Hymn  Question  Before                         Our  Synod                   ......................... H.H.                         436       19       Moses'  Return  To Egypt ......................................... B.W.                                                 202 9
Heresies,         Combatting ........................................ ..G.V.d.B.                                                   114 (?             Moses'  Song            ...............................................................                B.W.             444 19


                                                                 -I-
                      - _                                                                                                                                                                                          -N-
Infallibility, Decisions                      On         .__ .___..  ___ ._.....  . . . . . . . ..H.H.                             498 21             Netherlands,            Comments                 From The                 ....................... H.H.                  285 12

                                                                                                                                                      News  Briefs            ...............................................................                H.H.             263 11
                                                                 -J-                                                                                  News  From Our  Churches                             ...................................... J.&&F,.                      24 1
Jehovah's         Faithfulness                ................................................ G.V.                                                   News  From Cur Churches                              ..................................... J.M.F.
                                                                                                                                   481       21                                                                                                                                48         g
Jehovah's          Great          Goodness               ........................................ G.V.                              97         5      News  From Our  Churches                             ..................................... J.M.F.                        72 3
Jehovah's         Power And Pharaoh                                ............................... B.W.                            298       1:3      News From Our Churches                               ...................................... J.M.F.                       96 4
Judgment           and  Deliverance                     ....................................... B.W.                               391       17       News From Our Churches                               ..................................... J.M.F.                       120 5
Judgment  In Egypt, Beginning  Of                                             ........................ B.W.                        273       18       News  From  Our  Churches                            ....................................           J.M.F.              144 6
Just Shall Live By Faith                              .......................................... C.H.                              25          2      News From Our Churches                              ..................................... J. M.F.                       168 7
                                                                                                                                                      News  From  Our  Churches                            ....................................           J.M.F.              192 8

                                                                                                                                                      News  From Our  Churches                             ....................................           J.M.F.              216 9
                                                                -K-
                                                                                                                                                      News From Our Churches                               ..................................... J.M.F.                       240 10

Kidnapping Defended  . ..__.........................................                                          H.H.                 46          2      News From Our Churches                               ..................................... J.M.F.                       264 11

Korean Church, News From . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H.H.                              215 9              News From Our Churches                               ...................................... J.M.F.  _                   288       12
                                                                                                                                                      News  From  Our  Churches                            ...................................... J.M.F.                      312 13

                                                                                                                                                      News  From  Our  Churches                            ..................................... J.M.F.                       336 14
                                                                 -L-
                                                                                                                                                      News  From Our  Churches                             ....................................           J.M.F.              359       l-5
Ladies' League, Report  of Eastern ........................... A.R.                                                                119 5              News  From  Our  Churches                            ....................................           J.M.F.              384 16
Ladies' League, Report  of Eastern ........................ R.H.B.                                                                 406 17             News  From  Our  Churches                            ..................................... J.M.F.                       408 17
,Ladies' League, Report  of Western                                           ....................... H.H.                         141 6              News  From  Our  Churches                            ....................................           J.M.F.              432       18
Ladies' League, Report  of Western                                           ...................... E.V.T.                         407. 17            News  From Our  Churches                             ..................................... J.M.F.                       456       19
Led  Through The Sea ................................................ B.W.                                                         417 18             News From Our Churches                               ...................................... J.M.F.                      480       20
Letter  From Canada                          ............................................ A.D.M.                                   94 4               News From Our Churches                               ..................................... J.M.F.                       500 21
Librar;,        A Memorial                   .............................................. ..H.H.                                 142 6              Nothing       Accomplished                    .............................................. H.H.                       142 G


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            S U B J E C T                                                                     Author Page No.                                            S U B J E C T                                                                A u t h o r    P a g e   N o .


                                                        -     o      -                                                                                                                                -T-

Office Bearer's  Subscription  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .._...............  G.V.d.B.                                   68     3        Translation,  A New .____.  __. ___._.  ._. .__ ..______________  ___ .H.H.                                117 5
                                                                                                                                          Trans.-World                    Radio     .._ ___ ___ ___ _.. .._ _______  .__ ___ ___ _._ ___ .H.H.       383 16

                                                         -P-

                                                                                                                                                                                                      -U-
Pastor,  Hull Welcomes  New ..I .__...__.......,............,,.....  J.H.                                                 94     4

Pentecost          .______  ___.  _. . . . . . _. ____  _.. . . . . ..G.V.                                           361 16                    Union,  Matters  Concerning -The  . . . . . . . . . .._..._..__..........  H.H.                       334        14
Political Pronouncements                         __ ___.  __. ___.  _, . . .H.H.                                          93     4

Politics,  Church  And Danish  Women  ,,.................... V.G.                                                         47     2                                                                    -w-
Predestination,  An Evangelical View _..__..___._..______....  H.H.                                                  403 17

Predestination,  Presbyterian  Laymen On  ..______..._....  H.H.                                                     316        14             Whether  of our  Weather . . . . . ..__________.......................  J.A.H.                        2oej 9

Preparing          The Passover                __ __ __ __ _.. . . . . . . .B.W.                                     368        I6             Word  of `God  in Egypt __.........,...._.._........................  B.W.                            225 10

Preparing  To Go To Canaan .................................... B.W.                                                       7 1
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Index  by G. Vanden Berg
Presbyterian            Realignment              ........................................ ..H.H.                     35s  15
Preservation            Of The Simple                  ...................................    ..G.V.                      49 3                                                                   "
Priesthood,           God's Royal ...... .._.______._....................                .... J.A.H.                 252 11
Priesthood,           God's Royal .......................................... J.A.H.                                  277  13
                                                                                                                                                                                               IN MEMORIAM
Priesthood,           God's Royal ...........................................                 J.A.H.                 302 13
Priesthood,          God's Royal ................ .......................... J.A.H.                                  326        14                  On the morning  of August 25, 1961,  it behooved  our  Heavenly
Priesthood,  God's Royal .......................................... J.A.H.                                      '    349 p      15             Father  to take  unto  Himself our  dear  Father,  Grandfather,  and
Priesthood,           God's Royal .......................................... J.A.H.                                  372        16             Great-Grandfather,
Priesthood,          God's Royal .......................................... J.A.H.                                   470        20                                                       MR. EDWARD  BYLSMA
Priesthood,           God's Royal .......................................... J.A.H.                                  492        21             at the  age  of 86 years.
Problem,  A Knotty                     ................................................ H.C.H.                       118         52
Project,      A New ......................... .: ............................. H.C.H.                                140         6                  We are  truly  grateful  that he was spared  to us for so many
Promise  Deferred ............................................... ;< ....... G.V.                                         73     4             years.  May the  God of all consolation  comfort  our hearts  in these
                                                                                                                                               days of sorrow  and  direct  our  eyes  to the  glorious  resurrection.

                                                         -Q-                                                                                                                                               Mr.  and Mrs. George Spruyt
Quotes  From The Banner .......................................... H.H.                                              357 15                                                                                Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Bartelds
                                                                                                                                                                                                           Mr. and  Mrs.  Adrian  GriiIioen

                                                                                                                                                                                                           Mr. and Mrs. Ralph  H. Meyer.
                                                         -R-
                                                                                                                                                                                                           Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gerard  E. B&ma
Reformation,                 Scotland Celebrates              Its ........................ H.H.                      116         .5                                                                        Mr.  and Mrs. George  De Vries
Reformed Church  In France,  The ............................ H.H.                                                        71 3.                                                                            22 Grandchildren
Religious         Issue In Puerto                 Rico .............................. ..H.H.                         143 B                                                                                 21 Great-Grandchildren
Religious  Life In Great  Britain ................................ H.H.                                              357 15

Remember Me                     ............................................................ G.V.                    385 17                                                                    IN MEMORIAM
Rephidim             .................................................................... B.W.                       488        21
Reply, To Brother  Rooda ...................................... H.C.H.                                                    22         1              The Eunice Society  of. the  First  Protestant  Reformed  Church  of
Resurrection,                Glad Tidings of Jesus' ...................... G.V.                                      289        13             Grand  Rapids,  Michigan, wishes  to express  its sincere  sympathy  to
Revelation  of Jehovah,  The ...................................... B.W.                                             248        11             three  of its members,  Mrs. George  Spruyt,  Mrs.  Ralph  Meyer,  and
Revival,        Possibilities           Of     ........................................... H.H.                      215         9             Mrs. George De Vries,  in the  loss  of their  father,

Roman Catholic Church,                           Growth            In The .............. H.H.                        499        21                                                       MR. EDWARD  BYLSMA
Roman Catholic  Description of Reformation ......... H.H.                                                            479        2!,                   I Peter  1:3-4: "Blessed be the  God and Father  of our  Lord Jesus
Roman  Catholic Influence  In Government                                          ........... H.H.                        19     1             Christ, which  according to His abundant  mercy bath begotten  us
Romish  President  And `Our  Christian  School ....... H.H.                                                               52     3             again  unto  a lively hope  by the  resurrection  of Jesus  Christ  .from

                                                       -s-                                                                                     the  dead.  To an inheritance  incorruptible,  and undehled,  and  that
                                                                                                                                               fade&  not away,  reserved  in heaven for you."
Sabbath  And Military  Training                              ............................ H.C.H.                     437                                                                                Mrs. D. Jonker,  President  -
Sacraments             (See      Church  And Sacraments)                          ........... H.V.                                                                                                      Mrs. D. Pastoor,  Vice Secretary
Sacraments             ............................................................ G.V.d.B.                         188         8
Sad End            ....................................................................            H.H.              400        20
                                                                                                                                                                                               IN MEMORIAM
Saint, Once Not Always A ....................................... H.H.                                                382        16

Schism And Schismatic                         ............................................. H.H.                     ~340'      l-5                 The' Consistory  of the  First Protestant  Reformed Church  of
Schools,        Federal          Aid To          ......................................... H.H.                      237        10             Grand  Rapids,  Miclaigan,  expresses  its sincere  s-ympathy  to Deacons
Schools,        A Plea For Christian Day ................ ......... H.H.                                             286        12             G. Bylsma  and G. De Vries  and Elder R. Meyer in the recent  death
Segregation            In South Africa ................................... H.H.                                      190         8             of their  father  and  father-in-law,
Signs  In Egypt, Further                       ............................................ B.W.                     345        15
Singing        Pilgrim,           The      .............................................                                                                                                 MR. EDWARD  BYLSMA
                                                                                                   G.V.              169         3

South  Holland Law Case Concluded .................... H.C.H.                                                        379        16                    May  our  Heavenly  Father  comfort them  with  his abiding grace

Sovereignly  Free  Gift Of Faith,  The ........................ C.H.                                                 399        17             and  the.blessed  assurance  that there  remaineth  a rest for the  people

Supplication  For Consolation                           .................................... G.V.                    409        15             of God.
Synod,  An Important                       ................................................ H.H.                          92     4                                                                                  Rev.  C. Hanko,  President  ,_

 Synod  of 1961                 ........................................................... :.H.H.                    429       18                                                                                  P. Decker,  Secretary


