    voLuME  XXXVIII                                                                                                    N
                                                M                                                                        UMBER 15
                                                     AY 1, 1962 - GHA&  RAPIDS,  khxmm


                                                                          It is often presented, even in song, that the salvation of
                                                                       Noah and his family was by the ark.

                                                                          It is not.

                                                                          The above text is rather clear on that point. They were
     SAVED BY CHRIST;S  RESURRECTION :                                 saved by.the  water of the flood.

           "The like figure whereunto even bajhmm  d&.&o                  Ask yourselves from what Noah was saved, and the an-
                now save us (not the putt&J  away bf the filth of      sweris easy: they were saved from the godless world which
                the body, but the answer of a good cowcscience         was out to destroy them. Remember in this connection the
                toward God) by the resum@ion  of Jesus ChGst."
                                                                       history of Enoch.  There was a bold confessor. Read Jude,
                                                       I Peter 3 21
                                                                       verses 14 and 15. They were after him too, but the Lord
   The like figure ?                                                   took him !

   What figure ?                   "                                      Yes, water spelled salvation for the Church for it smoth-

   Answer: The salvation of eight souls by water.                      ered the enemy, and the church was on the way upward to

                                                                       heaven.
   Yes, and those eight souls constituted the entire pre-

diluvian Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.                                 And the same thing happened in another phase of the

                                                                       history of God's' church on earth. And again it was the water
   That church had existed in the midst of a terrible host of
                                                                       that saved the church. The godless world was after God's
enemies. If you consider the long lifespan of the people then
                                                                       people, fleeing from Egypt. But the waters of the Red
living, you can easily surmise that there were many millions
                                                                       Sea spelled salvation for the church while the flower of
of people living at the time the Lord appeared unto Noah
                                                                       Egypt went down to a watery death.
with`the mandate to build an ark. It was the year 1656 after

creation that the flood came.                                                                   8 * * *

   And all those millions of people surrounded the one fam-

ily of Noah.                                                              And here is the sacrament of baptism of the New Testa-

   And all of them were reprobate wicked. And all of them              ment !

hated Noah and his family. And all of them were intent on                 Again : water !
his death and destruction. There must have been many more
                                                                          Think here of the full sign : immersion, the bath of regen-
of the sons and daughters of God in the period prior to the
                                                                       eration.
flood, but they were all persecuted and killed. Now there

was just one family left: eight souls.                                    Think here also of the thing that is signified, whenever a

                                                                       child is baptized, and you will see how we are going down
   But they were saved. And they were saved by water.
                                                                       into the water of baptism with all our natural filth, sin, guilt
   First, all their enemies were destroyed by the flood ; and,         and death, and appear on the other side perfectly cleansed,
second, they rode safely on the turbulent waters of the flood.         justified, and on the way to the eternal Canaan.

   And that flood, that destruction, and that salvation by                Baptism, however, is still only a sign: it is nothing in
water was a figure.                                                    itself. Even if you were baptized. a .thousand  times, it does

   And the like figure now saves you, my brother !                     not by itself warrant anything spiritual. Nothing happens

                                                                       when .the  water is sprinkled on your face.
   By the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
                            * * * *                                       All outward, external works are condemned and do not

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


save. Let me say it again : baptism as such is not worth any-            Let us look at the various translations.

thing. Baptism as such is representative of all dead orthodoxy           In German we read Bmd,  and that means band, tie.
and dead formalism.
                                                                         In French we read L'engagewzevzt,  which means an en-
       Read the text.                                                 gagement.

       The text says: "even baptism doth also now save us"`!             In English we read WWZW~.
Yes, but read on: "not the putting away of the filth of the
                                                                          In Dutch it is wm*g, which means question.
flesh" !

       If you submerge in a water bath you get rid of the filth of       In Latin: staipulatio,  which is a covenant, engagement,
the body, and that is all! And in baptism it is a sign and a          agreement.

seal, and that is all.                                                   In the Revised version of the Bible we read intervogafion.

       But if you wish to know what baptism signices,  then              And in Greek eperootsevm,  used only once in the New

listen : "the answer of a good conscience toward God'-!               Testament, and that is in this passage. The New Testament

                                                                      lexicon translates here : an ivztmzse  de&e, a Longing for some-
       What is a conscience ?
                                                                      thing.
       The conscience is as it expresses in the word: knowledge
                                                                          It seems to me that the latter is the right translation, and
with someone else. And that Someone else is God !               .
                                                                      therefore the Holland translation is the more correct. Al-
       Every man, be he good or evil has a conscience.                though I can understand also that in some of the above trans-

       And every man, whether he is good or bad has this knowl-       lations we read of a answer. The action of the conscience

edge with God concerning his being, thought, speech and con-          viewed from the grace in the heart would allow the transla-

duct. The voice of the conscience is as it were a judgment            tion of the word: answer.

over all our works.        God says in your conscience: that             However, the general idea is clear.
thought is good or that thought is evil.
                                                                         The good conscience longs for God. That is the operation
       There are only a very few people who have no conscience.       of the saving grace in the regenerated heart. of God's child.
They are those whose conscience is seared shut: the con-
                                                                         To get the idea plainly, please, read the first two verses
science does not speak anymore and it judges no more. You
                                                                      of Psalm 42.      "As the hart panteth after the water brooks,
have to live very close to the truth, the church of Christ, in
                                                                      so panteth my soul after Thee, 0 God. My soul thirsteth for
order to have a seared-shut conscience.
                                                                      God, for the living God : when shall I come and appear before
       Now the voice of that conscience is fed by the Bible. The      God?' There you have your question of a good conscience.
Bible gives it its contents.
                                                                         When you are regenerated and converted, there is an
       And a bad conscience is a conscience that speaks indeed,       action in your good conscience which fo,rever will long for
but you say : I do not agree ! `You begin to excuse yourselves,       God. And that longing is always answered, and the final
even against the voice of your conscience.                            answer is when the angels come and carry you to heaven.

       And a good conscience is a conscience which speaks and

judges aright,  and agrees with the voice of God that speaks                                     9    :c * *
within you. And a good conscience is very willing to be led
                                                                          Now then, what has this to do with the resurrection of
and fed and directed by the Word of God.
                                                                      Jesus Christ ?
       And so you get knowledge with God of your God, and of
                                                                         We are saved by the water of baptism, that is, not the
yourself with all your sin and guilt, and damnworthiness.
                                                                      washing away of the filth of the body, but that strong long-
And when your conscience, fed by the Word, and applied by
                                                                      ing of the good conscience toward Jehovah.
the Spirit of Christ, is convinced of all those horrors, you

fall down, and cry for mercy.                                            Let us go back to that first figure Peter alluded to :

                                                                      Noah and the pre-diluvian world, when the flood was coming.
       And then you also obtain knowledge with God of your

Redeemer, and of your Redemption.                                        Can you imagine how Noah and his family felt?

                                                                         They must have longed for the God of their salvation.

                            * * Q *                                   They must have yearned for His presence and delivery from
                                                                      that awfully godless world around about them.

       But what is the meaning of the answer of a good con-              And God heard that yearning question.

science ?                                                                He sent water, and plenty of it. And that water both

       It seems that the translators of the Bible have had a          destroyed their enemies, and saved them. They were saved

difficult time with this word.                                        by the swelling waves of the flood.


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                                                                                            339



   Now notice : that terrible flood depicted the death of Jesus

Christ, even as the returning waters of the Red Sea meant                                   THE  STANDARD  BEARER
the death of your Redeemer. And so, whenever a baby is                   Semi-monthly, except monthly during June, July and August
                                                                          Published by the REFOR~MED  F
baptized in your churches, you hear of that terrible flood and                                                                                   REE PUIUWI.NG ASSOCIATION
                                                                         P. 0. Box  881, Madison Square Station, Grand Rapids 7: Mich.
Noah, as well as of Pharaoh and the Red Sea.                                                         Editor- REV. H~WMAN  HOFXSEMA
   Can you imagine how God's own longed for the safety                   Communications relative to contents should be addressed to
                                                                                          Rev. H. Hoeksema, 
of Canaan, after the nightmare of Egypt's cruel bondage ?                                                                                  1139 Franklin St., S. E.,
                                                                                                                   Grand Rapids 7, Mich.
Again that question, that longing for God.                              Announcements and Obituaries must be mailed to the address
                                                                        below and will be published at a fee of $2.00 for each notice.
   And now the reality.
                                                                         All matters relative to subscriptions should be addressed to Mr.
   We, the Church of Jesus Christ, are saved also. We are                                 James Dykstra, 1326 W. Butler Ave., S. E.
                                                                                                              Grand Rapids 7, Michigan
on the way- to the heavenly Canaan. And we stumble along
                                                                         RENEwh:  Unless a dei?nite  request for discontinuance is re-
on the way of eternal life with that perpetual question in our           ceived it is assumed that the subscriber wishes the subscription
hearts : 0 God, we long for Thee in a land that is dry, with-                to continue without the formality of a renewal order.
out                                                                                                  Subscription price: $5.00 per year
   water.
                                                                              Second Class postage paid at Grand Rapids, Michigan
   And the water of Jesus' death brings us safely home.

   That water of Jesus' death into which we are baptized
                                                                                                                        C O N T E N T S
could not hold Him.                                                                       -
                                                                     MEDITATION 
   You celebrate that on your Easter day.                                     Saved By Christ's Resurrection . . . . . . .._.__..  . . . ._. ._.. 337
                                                                                        Rev. G. Vos
   He arose! He arose unto Life Everlasting.
                                                                     EDITOU-
   And that resurrected life of Jesus works in all the chil-                  How Should the Schismatics                                            Return? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340

dren of God.                                                                             Rev. H. Hoeksema

   And it prompts your good conscience to do as He did.              A CLOUD OF WITNESSES-
                                                                              Miriam and Moses' Wife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
   Don't you remember how He QUESTIONED God in                                          Rev. B. Woudenberg

the midst of the everlasting floods of water? My God, My             FROM HOLY WRIT -
God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ?                                              Exposition of I Timothy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344

   That questioning goes on and on in the weary ages of the                             Rev. G. Lubbers

history of the Church.                                               INHXFEAR-
                                                                              Under Grace in a Lawless World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .._........................ 346
   And Easter is your answer of God. You are saved.                                     Rev. J. A. Heys

   Hallelujah !                                                      CONTENDING FOR THE FAZTH-
                                                            G.V.              The Church and the Sacraments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .._.._........................  348
                                                                                        Rev. H. Veldman

                                                                     THE VOICE OF OUR FATHERS -
                                                                              The Belgic Confession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..__ __._........  . . . . . . . . . . . . .._.......  350
                          IN MEMORIAM                                                    Rev. H. C. Hoeksema


   The Men's Society and Ladies' Aid Society of the Protestant       DECENCY AND ORDER-
                                                                              The Hymn Matttir (Continued) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .._ 352
Reformed Church of Doon  expresses sympathy to its members Mr.                           Rev. G. Vanden  Berg
and Mrs. Ehner Van Den Top in the recent death of their father,
                                                                     ALLARouNDus-
                MR. CORNELIUS BLOEMENDAAL                                     "Shared Time School Plan"... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
                                                                              Membership In American Churches.. . . . .._ ._.... . . . . . .._ 355
   May God's grace comfort them with His Holy Spirit.                         Southern Presbyterians                                  and the NCC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
                                                                              Relics of the Cross. _..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
                       Men's Society, Peter Van Den Top, Sec'y.                         Rev. H. Hanko
                       Ladies' Aid, Mrs. Henry Blankespoor, Sec'y

                                                                     CONTRIB~ONS  -
                                                                              Contribution from Mrs. Ted Huizeuga  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
                                                                              Elect or Reprobate?. ___ _. ____ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .._ 356
                                                                                         Mr. Albert Bleyenburg
         The Lord, Who turns away the plea                                    Contribution from Mr. Dewey Engelsma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
                                                                              "The Hymn Question" _____....  . . . . . . . . . . ..358
         Of those who love iniquity,                                                     Mrs. D. Jonker
             Has answered my request;                                         Report of the Western Ladies' League Meeting . . . . . . ..359
                                                                                         Mrs. Bert Brands, Reporter
         He has not turned away my prayer,

         His grace and love He makes me share ;                      NEWS FROM OUR CH~RCHES................................................................~~~
                                                                                         Mr. J. M. Faber
             His Name be ever blest.


340                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                                                         -_


                                                                           In reply to the protest of First Church in the Gritters case

                                                                        Southeast Church comments on the action of First Church

                                                                        regarding the Vander Vennen matter :

                                                                           "Here First Church does not tell Mr. Vander Vennen to

          How Should the Schismatics  Return?                           come to them for reinstatement, although in this case he
                                                                        would have been so willing.
       We still have to present the report of the committee that
                                                                           "Here First Church does not tell Mrs. Vander Vennen to
was appointed at the February sessions of Classis  East in TB
                                                                        come to them for confession or reinstatement or both.
the cases of Mr. and Mrs. H. Vander Vennen, Mr. D. Fliet-
                                                                           "Here First Church says: we CANNOT issue a certif-
stra and Mrs. P. Van den Engel.
                                                                        icate of membership.
       Again I present this report of the committee in abbrevi-
                                                                           "Here First Church says so on the ground of their dis-
ated form.
                                                                        missal of these people.
    First of all, the committee presents the reason for its being
appointed in order to report to the April session of Classis               "Here First Church simply . . . recommends that we
East. The reason is that in its answer to the protest of First          receive the brother and sister, for the simple-reason that they
Church, Southeast consistory accuses the consistory of                  could not do so."
"measuring with two measures." This "measuring with two                    Southeast compares this with the Gritters case. In the
measures" consists, according to the consistory of Southeast            latter case First Church maintains that "the only way in
Church, in this that "the position First Church assumed in              which Southeast can properly receive these families is by way
these similar cases is the very position which Southeast now            of proper testimonial from the consistory of First Church."
maintains in the Gritters case, but which First Church now              First Church maintains "that the only proper way of proce-
claims is Scripturally and church politally wrong for South-            dure is that these families first confess their sins to us, and
east to maintain." This is, according to Southeast, "measur-            be reinstated in the congregation from which they separated
ing with two measures."        It is for this reason that the com-      themselves, in order then, if they so desire, to be transferred
mittee was appointed to study the matter and to report to               to the Southeast Church with proper attestation."
the April session of Classis  East.                                        Moreover, Southeast Church comments on the position of
       The committee in its report, first of all, treats the case of    First Church as follows : "Now they say : `The only way in

Mr. and Mrs. H. Vander Vennen. It gives a brief outline of              which Southeast can properly receive these families is by way

the case as follows :                                                   of proper testimonial from the consistory of First Church.'
    a. Mr. and Mrs. Vander Vennen were members of First                 `Now Southeast Church is plainly violating Art. 61 for doing
Church before the schism' of 1953. They were then unmar-                what First Church recommended in the Vander Vennen case
ried.                                                                   and for denying the jurisdiction which they themselves as-

    b. Following the schism Mrs. Vander Vennen went with                sured us they did not have.' `Now  Southeast- is violating Art.

her parents to the schismatic DeWolf  group. Mr. Vander                 84 and lording it over First Church for acting according to

Vennen continued to meet at the legal First Church.                     their own communication to us.' `Now Southeast is guilty of
       c. They were married in Sept. 1953 and both attended             all manner of sins for saying the same thing they said: you

Fourth Church.                                                          cannot issue a certificate of membership'."

       d. First Church, after Classis  East declared them to be            Thus Southeast concludes, "Talk about measuring with

the legal consistory and congregation, sent a communication             two measures."

to their members prior to the schism which was to be signed                Next, the committee tries to interpret the phrase "measur-

and returned to the consistory by a certain date. Those that            ing with two measures."    It can conceive of two possible in-

failed to do this were dismissed as members of the congrega-            terpretations : 1. That Southeast means to show the incon-

tion.                                                                   sistency of First Church in these matters. And if this is all

       e. Mr. Vander Vennen failed to do this. Hence he was             they mean, the committee can agree. The facts presented

dismissed. M?s. Vander Vennen's name was erased from the                in the cases only too plainly reveal this. 2. That Southeast

rolls at the same time.                                                 means to imply that First Church acted from evil motives.

    f. The Vander Vennens asked that their membership                   "This interpretation the committee rejects as untenable. No

papers be transferred to Fourth Church.                                 grounds can be produced for it. We, therefore, discard it."

    g. First Church decided as follows :                                   The committee then attempts to explain how First Church

    "1. That in view of the dismissal of Mr. and Mrs. Vander            acted so inconsistently. The two cases, that of the Vander

Vennen from membership in October 1953, they could not                  Vennens and that of the Gritters are quite different. We

issue certificates of transfer in their behalf.                         must consider the time element. Mr. Vander Vennen never

       "2. To advise Fourth Church to receive the brother and           supported the schism. He continued attending the services in

sister into their membership and communion."                            First Church till the time of his marriage. After that he

       h. Fourth Church acted favorably on this advice.                 attended Fourth Church. The fact that he asked for his


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             341


papers to Fourth Church shows that he considered himself as        fails to mention the names of the above mentioned parties, "the

still a member there. As to Mrs. Vander Vennen, she re-            committee too is subject to the above reasoning." The protest

turned from the schismatics  a few months after leaving our        of First Church accuses the Gritters families of serious sin

churches with her parents. She wished to make confession           and the two other parties, although their names appear on

of faith at Fourth Church. She, too, requested a transfer of       the same bulletin, are not even mentioned.

her membership papers to Fourth Church. "From all indica-              The commi.ttee sees a glaring inconsistency in this action

tions, therefore, neither he nor she were in any way of an         of First Church. The actions of First Church become the

adverse attitude to our churches and their position in `53."       occasion of questions and difficulties. The committee says

    The case of the Gritter family was entirely different. They    "that such inconsistencies are far from becoming to one of
openly supported the cause of De Wolf to the very end. They        our consistories . . . we could well wish for the occasion to
continued to do this for eight years. They revealed no repent-     say with respect to the actions of First Church, `Consistency,
ance.    "Certainly no one can deny that the two cases are         thou art a jewel'."
very dissimilar from these aspects."                                   Then'follows the advice of the committee which we quote
    This, however, does not give First Church the right to         literally :
act as they did. They did not act according to ecclesiastical          "In light of the above report we advise Classis  :
and Scriptural principles. The committee believes that First           "1. To declare that in view of the contrary actions taken

Church seriously erred in the Vander Vennen case. This             in the Vander Vennen and Gritters cases, First Church re-

brother and sister took no active part in the schism nor were      vealed itself as guilty of glaring inconsistencies.
they opposed to the stand of our churches in regard to the             "2. To declare that its unecclesiastical treatment of the
De Wolf case. They evidently believed that they were still         Vander Vennen's request for transfer of membership con-
members of First Church for they asked for transfer papers         stitutes an injustice against the Vander Vennens.
to Southeast Church. Instead of refusing this request First            "3. To declare that First Church violated Art. 61 of
Church should have sought contact with them with a view to         the Church Order when it advised Fourth Church to receive
possible reinstatement as members of our churches. The com-        the Vander Vennens without the proper testimonial re doc-
mittee, therefore, is of the opinion that First Church com-        trine and walk.
mitted an injustice in the Vander Vennen case.                         "4. To declare that Fourth (Southeast) Church violated
    Besides, First Church violated Art. 61 of the Church           Art. 61 of the Church Order when it received into its mem-

Order by recommendin,
                          v Southeast Church to receive the        bership the Vander Vennens without the proper testimonial
Vander Vennens without proper testimonial. All our con-            re doctrine and walk.
sistories, First Church included are bound to limit themselves         "Re D. Flietstra and Mrs. P. Vanden  Engel.
to this rule in receiving members. In this respect, First              "In the light of the above report we advise Classis to
Church erred.                                                      declare that First Church revealed itself as guilty of incon-
    Next, the committee in its report considers the cases of       sistency of action in failing even to mention the names of
D. Flietstra and Mrs. Vanden'Engel.                                Flietstra and Mrs. Vanden  Engel  in its protest re the Gritter
    Southeast Church argues as follows :                           families."
                                                                                                +    * * *
    "a. Mr. Flietstra and Mrs. Vanden  Engel,  as well as the

Gritters families, were former members of First Church but             Thus far the report.
went along with De Wolf in the schism of `53.                          It was, except a few amendments which I do not have in
    "b. Both parties, as well as the Gritters families, were       my possession, adopted by the classis.
dismissed in `53.                                                      But now I have a rather serious remark. It is this, that
    "c. Both parties, as well as the Gritters families, were       the advice of the committee is a "glaring" violation of the
guilty of the sins of schism, etc.                                 Church Order. And the classis,  by adopting this advice, is
    "d. Both parties were named on the same bulletin with          now equally guilty. This is especially true of the cases con-
the Gritters families as being accepted as members of South-       cerning D. Flietstra and Mrs. Vanden  Engel,  although the
east.                                                              Vander Vennen case cannot be excluded.

    "e. How is it possible that on the ground of the bulletin          I am sorry that I did not mention this at the meeting of

announcement First Church protests the acceptance of the           classis.  I could have done this for I had advisory vote and,

Gritters families and fails to say anything concerning D.          therefore I should have done this. I had it in mind, and I

Flietstra and Mrs. Vanden  Engel  ? The implication seems          even talked about it with a brother in recess.

to be, is this still more evidence of `measuring with two              My objection is that the cases of Flietstra and Mrs. Van

measures'."                                                        den Engel  were not before the consistory of First Church in

   The committee agrees with this reasoning. In as far as          any shape or manner nor was the case of the Vander Vennens

Southeast Church asks the question why First Church strong-        in the form of a protest by Southeast.

ly protests. against the acceptance of the Gritters family and                            (Contiinued  on page 359)


342                                        T H E :.S T.A N D A R D `B E A R E R


                                                                    people of many different nationalities who like the Israelites

11 A CLOUD OF W.l..TNESS>ES  11 had been oppressed by the tyrannical Egyptians. Many, if
                                                                    not most of them were opportunists who thought that in fol-

                                                                    lowing the Israelites they could greatly improve their own

                                                                    status in life. Being purely carnal in their goals, they were
                 Miriam and Moses' Wife                             an endless cause of trouble to God's people. Nonetheless,

                                                                    there were also others, people who had come to see and believe
            And Miviavn  and Aaron spalze  against MOSKS  be:
                                                                    in the greatness and wonder of Israel's God. To them nothing
          cause of the Et&pian  zvouxan  z&outz  he had  map&d:
                                                                    was more important than to live in as close a contact as pos-
          for he had utza&ed  an Ethiopian Woman.
                                                                    sible to the people that belonged to that God. They were
                                                 Numbers 12 :l
                                                                    themselves children of God at heart, and their presence was

                                                                    a blessing and source of strength to the children of Israel.
       It is a very brief insight which the Scriptures give into
                                                                    Surely it was to this group that the Ethiopian woman be-
Moses' personal life when they write, "He had married an
                                                                    longed.
Ethiopian woman" ; but the implications of it are of con-

siderable interest.                                                     In this marriage Moses found for himself a helpmeet  and

                                                                    companion such as he had never had in Zipporah. The Ethi-
       We know that Moses was first married in Midian,  some
                                                                    opian woman possessed an understanding and appreciation
time after fleeing from Pharaoh, to Zipporah, Jethro's daugh-
                                                                    of the distinctive position and calling of Israel that was far
ter. Although we perhaps have no reason to doubt that she
                                                                    greater than that of many actual Israelites. With her Moses
like her father worshipped the true .God, it appears that in
                                                                    could speak freely of the many problems and burdens that
all respects the marriage was not completely successful. It
                                                                    rested upon his heart, and she would understand. Her pres-
evidently was impossible for her to understand why the na-
                                                                    ence was for Moses a constant source of encouragement and
tion of Israel should be considered the peculiar people of
                                                                    strength. It meant, however, that Moses no longer felt the
God in distinction from all others. Because of this she was
                                                                    need for the companionship of Aaron and Miriam as he had
not able to uphold and strengthen her husband in his work,
                                                                    before. Soon he was making many decisions by himself with
but in fact often opposed him. When he was called by God
                                                                    which formerly he would have consulted them. This was
to return to Egypt and his people, she went along only
                                                                    hardly to their liking. They had come to assume it to be their
hesitantly. When God met them on the way with the demand
                                                                    prerogative to advise Moses in the affairs of the nations.
that their children should be circumcised, she agreed to do it
                                                                    Now they felt that their rightful position had been usurped
only after God threatened her husband with death ; and even
                                                                    by another. Soon especially Miriam began to assume a
then she could not refrain from giving utterance to bitter
                                                                    very invidious attitude toward Moses' wife. With the back-
complaints. With this it became evident to Moses that, if
                                                                    ing of Aaron she voiced her complaint.
Zipporah went along with him to Egypt, she would be more

of a hindrance to him in his work than an aid. As a matter             It almost seemed, however, that Miriam had a point that

of discretion Moses returned her with the children to the care      was valid, at least enough so for her to convince herself that

of her father to wait for him until the deliverance from            the cause which she upheld was really righteous. This Ethi-

E,Tpt had been completed.                                           opian woman was not after all a descendant of Abraham, in

   It was after the deliverance from Egypt as Israel ,was ap-       fact, she was not even of Shem, she was of the family of Gush,
proaching Mt. Sinai, we are told, that Jethro came to bring         the son of Ham. But it had been Abraham's children alone that
Zipporah and the children back to Moses. Beyond that we             had been separated as the people of God, and had been com-
read nothing more of her. She made no significant contribu-         manded to keep themselves separate and distinct. Already
tion to her husband's work as leader to the children of Israel.     Abraham had commanded that his son should never marry a
Zipporah never came to understand the deep spiritual nature         woman of the Canaanitish race. Could it possibly be right
of her husband's work and was never one with whom he could          then for Moses to marry a woman of a foreign race? Was
                                                                    he not guilty of ignoring the commandment of God and of
consult or share his problems. For this he looked to his
brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam, who were well able            corrupting Abraham's seed ?

to strengthen and encourage him because both were blessed              But in this there was one thing which Miriam forgot.
with a special measure of the Spirit of God, Miriam as a            The separation of God's chosen people was essentially a
prophetess and Aaron as God's High Priest elect. This con-          spiritual distinction and not racial. It was true that in a
tinued until Zipporah died, perhaps during the encampment           typical sense God had separated Abraham's descendants as a
at Sinai. It was soon after Israel had resumed its journey          peculiar nation ; but this typical distinction was, subject to
that Moses married again, this time to an Ethiopian woman.          and for the service of a much more important spiritual dis-

   We have noted in the past that there was a mixed multi-          tinction, for the service of those who were truly the children

tude of people that followed Israel out of Egypt. These were        of God in their hearts. Thus those who continued in wicked-


                                         THESTAND~~YRDDBARER                                                                 343


ness  among them were commanded to be cut off from the                 No doubt the situation had quickly become more serious

nation even if they were descendants of Abraham after the          than Aaron or Miriam had anticipated. Soon they found

flesh, while allowance was made that those of the Gentiles         themselves standing at the door of God's tabernacle  with the

who believed in God could easily be taken in. This was well        cloud of God's holy presence hovering before their faces. It

understood throughout the greater part of the Old Dispensa-        was a fearful sight to behold, and then the voice of God began

tion. Already Abraham had been commanded to circumcise             to speak. "Hear now my words : If there be a prophet among

his servants regardless of their racial background. When the       you, I the LORD will .m&e myself known unto him in a

Passover was instituted allowance was made for the strangkr        vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant

also to partake of it if he believed and was circumcised. In       Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him

later years Rahab and Ruth were taken readily into the nation:     will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark

because it had become perfectly evident that they believed in      speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold:

God. And undoubtedly there were many others. It was not            wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servani

until many years later when the hypocritical pride of the          Moses ?" No, God did not deny that He had given His Spirit

Pharisees gained power that it became a very hard `and dif-        to Miriam and Aaron, and had revealed through them His

ficult thing for a believing Gentile to be united with their       Word and Will. But at no time did that give `them the right

nation.    But Miriam anticipated their prejudices, not for        to presume to be equal to Moses. Moses had been appointed

spiritual reasons as she liked to think, but to excuse a per-      to'.be God's typical deliverer and mediator in Israel and had

sonal jealousy that had arisen in her own soul.                    been provided by God with most intimate communion. In

   Moreover, MYriam  was not one to stop with just a bitter        speaking against Moses, their attack was upon God.

attack upon Moses' marriage. She knew that Moses, having              It was then that a most fearful thing happened. The

taken the Ethiopian woman to wife, was not apt to put her          cloud of God's presence withdrew away from the tabernacle

away ; and because of that woman she and Aaron had lost a          and without the camp. The anger, of the Lord was kindled.

position of great influence in Israel. Miriam wanted that          Aaron and Miriam had corrupted not just themselves, but,

restored. Soon her bitterness had led her on to a more             also the nation to which, they belonged. God would not dwell

serious attack. It was her claim that after all Moses did not      with Israel as long as such corruption remained in the camp.

even have the right to assume the leadership of Israel alone.      When Aaron turned to look at Miriam, he saw the reason

She was a prophetess in Israel, and Aaron was the High             even more clearly : `Miriam had become leprous, white as

Priest. Did not that give them a right to have a part in           snow. The law had clearly stipulated. Leprosy was a sign of

the important decisions concerning the nation? When Moses          moral corruption. Those afflicted ivith  it must be driven out

failed to consult them, was he not doing wrong? Rallying           of the camp.

Aaron to the cause, she stood up with him to express her              Suddenly Aaron reatized  the magnitude of the sin in

thoughts.    "Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses ?          which they had engaged. Miriam had led the way, but he

hath he not spoken also by us ?"                                   had consented to follow. Now he saw the results clearly

   We read at this point in Scripture, "Now the man Moses          demonstrated before his eyes ; and Mii-iam  felt it on her own

was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face          body. Turning to Moses, Aaron pleaded in her behalf, "Alas,

of the earth."    The  purpose is to give us a feeling of the      my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, tiherein we

reaction of Moses to this attack. Through his intimate com-        have done foolishly,  and wherein ,we have sinned. Let her

munion with God, Mos& had become very bold in opposing             not be as one dead, of tihom`the  flesh is half consumed when

that which was evil and in upholding that which, was good ;        he cometh  out of his mother's womb."

but at the same time he had become ever more conscious of             Now the true excellence,of  Mo$es'  office came into clear

his own personal limitations and sin. He was very conscious        relief. He was Israel's'typical mediator, and it was he that

of his own inability to lead the children of Israel by himself,    prayed for the sister that had rebelled against him, "Heal her

and it was far from him to deprecate in any way the gifts of       now, 0 God,.1 beseech thee."

others. Now that a personal attack had been made against              To this `prayer God listened, and Miriam waS healed, but

his ability and right to lead the nation by himself, and coming    not ,without qualifications. The Lord said to Moses, "If her

from those whom he loved so dearly and whose gifts he              father had but spit in her `face, should she not .be  ashamed

appreciated so much, it was more than he could do to:answer.       s&en days ? Let her be shut out from the camp seven days,

Had it been an attack  directly against God, coming even from      and after that let her be received in again."

Miriam and Aaron, he would have denounced it. But being            For seven days l%iriam  sat alone without the camp con-

directed so personally against him, he was silent.                 templating the shame  which she had brought upon herself.

   But the Lord in heaven also heard Miriali and Aaron's           And .for  se&n days Israel remained, without continuing its

accusation, and He did not hesitate to give answer., l&came        journey, to contemplate the seriousness of rebellion against
directly to Moses and Aa;on and Miriam and said;  "Come            the +ervant  who was appointed by God.

out' ye three unto the tab&nacle  of .the cotigregation."            (.       ,                                            B.W.

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


                                                                            he save himself and those who hear him. Unless he preaches

     11  F R O M   H O L Y   W R I T   11 this he is not a good minister, but he is a false prophet. How-
                                                                            ever, there is more to be preached. A good minister must

                                                                            needs also preach the godly walk of the Christian, and must

                                                                            press forward himself unto such a walk. This means that a
                      Exposition of I Timothy                               good minister will need to walk in thankfulness, that is, he

                            (I Timothy 4 5-10)                              will so need to walk that God is glorified U.S Savior in all of
I
                                                                            his life and conduct. God must not merely be glorified as

                                     b.                                     the Creator of all things, and the Sustainer and Ruler of all

                                                                            things. He must be glorified as the Savior-God in Christ
         We now turn to I Timothy 4:6-10 once more. In a                    Jesus. That is a walk of godliness !
     former article from our hand on this subject we called at-

     tention to the fact that in this section Paul writes Timothy              Such a walk implies, of course, that one walks in conver-
     concerning three matters. (1) A good minister. (2) Of a                sion, that is, in the putting off of the old man and in the

     minister who is to esercise himself unto godliness. (3) Of             putting on of the new man in Christ Jesus. And the putting
     the hcentive  of the promised reward.                                  on of the "new man" is true joy in God through Christ and
                                                                            a delight in God to more and more live unto Him as our God
         We finished the matter of what Paul calls a good min-
                                                                            and Savior. However, the putting off of the "old man" is that
     ister and were in the midst of our discussion concerning the
                                                                            we have true sorrow in our hearts that we have sinned against
     meaning of exercising ourselves unto godliness. `We were
                                                                            God, and a resolution to flee from the same with all our power
     not yet quite finished in our discussion of the latter. Permit
                                                                            in the Holy Spirit.
     us, therefore, to pursue our discussion of the latter, to wit,

     what it means to exercise one's self unto godliness.                      This requires great exercise of faith unto godliness.

         The term "godliness" is a very unique term here in this               On the part of the minister, as a believer amongst the

     letter of Paul to Timothy. It seems to be the very term that           believers, it means that he must fight daily against the Devil,

     distinguishes the teaching and ethics of Paul from all Juda-           the world and his own flesh. Daily he must fight against all

     izers and all philosophic moralists. They all teach a code of          the lusts that war against the soul. There is no let-up. But

     conduct; however, they do not teach "godliness.`"                      he must also war with the Word as the sword of the Spirit

                                                                            against all ungodliness in the church and flock of God, the
         It seems to me that the concept godliness must be dis-
                                                                            living. And that requires that one is and remain in spiritual
     tinguished both as to a doctrine, the work of God for and in
                                                                            condition as a warrior of God, a minister of the Word.
     us unto salvation, and as to the ethics, the "new obedience"

     which is ours because of this work of <God, our Savior, in                Hence, the admonition to exercise self unto godliness.

     Christ Jesus.                                                             For such "godliness" has a great gain. It is "profitable"

         As to the former this doctrine is epitomized in the pithy          unto all things. Godliness always shows a balance on the
     song, "Great is the Mystery of godliness ; God is manifested           credit side of the ledger of our Christian life. It always shows
     in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached        that we have advanced in glorifying God our Savior. There
     among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in           is no end or limit to such advancement.

     glory." I Tim. 3 :16. The truth is (it is a faithful saying)              And the word is so faithful, and is so worthy of all ac-

     that Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. Un-            ceptation. None need to doubt this word of the value of god-
     less we believe that Jesus is the Christ-we are antichrist.            liness. Ah, if it were mere legalism the value would simply
     For antichrist, and the spirit of antichrist is to deny both           be self-inflation of the Devil. And the same would be the

     the Father and the Son. And the teaching of godliness is all           case with worldly; philosophical moralism. But "godliness"

     that is taught in Holy Writ concerning God in Christ, the              always leads to contentment with God, and to the love of the

     doctrine of the Trinity, Creation, Providence, the Fall, Elec-         brother. It is not merely a matter of the mind, the intellect,

     tive grace and Sovereign reprobation, Christ's birth, being            but is truly a matter of the will, of the heart. It says: herein

     conceived in the virgin Mary, by the Holy Ghost; His atone-            is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent

     ment through His sacrifice, His ascension on high, the out-            His Son a propitiation for our sins ! It says : if God so

     pouring of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost, the raising to life            loved us, how ought we not to love the brother.

     through regeneration, calling, faith, justification, sanctification       Unto this we are to exercise ourselves !
     and glorification of the saints. This must all be preached ; it
     all belongs to the doctrine of godliness. Salvation is wholly             It leads to that virtue of lowlimindedness which Pharisa-
                                                                            ism nor moralism knows in its terminology and ethics.
     of the Lord.

                                                                               Such is the sure Word of God.
         Now certainly a good minister must exercise himself unto

     the preaching of this doctrine of godliness. Only thus will               And for Paul it is a Beacon Light in the darkness of all


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   j3EARER                                                       345


his labors and striving (battling). It cheers him in the battle.    living God He dwells on high and fulfils all His good-

It is his only hope of reward: the reward of the living God         pleasure.

to the godly. For Paul says that only because he ?uzs  1toped          There is some doubt about the meaning of the term in
upon the living God, does he press forward. Let none begin          Greek translated "especially." The Holland translates "voor-
this battle, let none enter into the ministry of the Word,          namelijk." The term in Greek is f`malista." Thayer gives the
without such hope upon God. For hope is the joyful assurance        meaning as follows: "Adv. especially, chief@,  wl,ost of all,
concerning what is not seen. And, 0, the minister of the            above all  i' He cites the following passages in which the term
Word must labor so much in hope. So often he sows in tears.         is found: Acts 20 :38;  25 :26;  Gal. 6 :lO; Phil. 4 :22  ; I Tim.
And only when a man places his trust solely and resolutely          5:8, 17; I Tim. 4:13;  Titus 1 :lO; Philem.  16; II Peter 2:lO.
upon the living God will he survive ! Only then will he finally
                                                                       In the light of our insistence that the term "Savior" refers
say: I have kept the faith, I have run the race, and hence-
                                                                    to God as saving from sin, it might appear that Paul here says
forth there is laid away for me the crown of life.         .
                                                                    in effect: God will save all people, but especially those who

   And that Timothy too must do. He must place his hope             believe. Thus Paul would then teach here a "common love

and trust upon God. In Him he must be firmly anchored in            for all" and a "particular love" for those who believe.

hope within the holy place. For this God is not an idol. He             It is our conviction that the term here very readily sug-
is truly God. He is the Ziz&g  God. I Tim. 3 :15. That He           gests the sense of to spea,k more especially: tr'zosc  wlzo be-
is the living God means that we too must live before the face       lieve. All men are then saved, that is "all kinds of men," but
of the living God. God lives in his church in living stones,        when saved they are known more particularly as the be2ievev.s.
a kingly people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. And as a
                                                                    For the Son of Man is raised up, even as Moses lifted up the
living temple of the living God we place our trust and hope
                                                                    serpent, that whosoever believefh  in him should not perish
in him.                                                             but have everlasting life.

   Paul employs the perfect tense here in. these verses : I             And with a view to these elect and their salvation Paul
have hoped. Paul had hoped all along z&p  till the present          endures all things looking for the promised reward of life and

moment. And it had not been in vain. For his trust is thus          glory.                 `4
placed upon the living God. God will not allow his proz12:i3`e
                                                                        For Paul was sent into the world to preach the Gospel, a
to go unfulfilled. The promise to those who exercise them-
                                                                    teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
selves unto godliness stands.' It is like the rock of Gibraltar.

It is the faithfulness of God. For the Lord is our Rock, our            Timothy and every good minister must emulate the ex-

strong ground of confidence.                                        ample of Paul.

                                                                                                                                 G.L.
   And, 0, that confidence in God rests upon the fact that the

Lord is "the Savior of all men, namely, those who believe."


   We have noticed in an earlier writing on I Timothy 2 :3

that God is oztr  Savior. We noticed that this not simply                        Yea, all the earth shall worship Thee,

means that God in His providence rules over all things and                         And unto Thee shall sing;

provides all things in Creation as the Creator-God. We saw                       To Thy great Name shall songs of joy

that it emphatically refers to God Who saves His people from                       With loud hosannas ring.

their sins in Jesus ; Jehovah is salvation. There is no doubt

about that. And, further, we would point out that there is no
                                                                                 0 come, behold the works of God,
reason why in this passage under consideration the term
                                                                                   His mighty doings see;
"savior," as applied to God, would not mean : the Savior who
                                                                                 In dealing with the sons of men
saves from sin. It definitely must refer to God as He saves
                                                                                   Most wonderful is He.
from the guilt and from the corruption of sin.


   We also noticed that the term "all men" cannot possibly                       He led in safety through the flood
be equated with "every man." These two are by no means
                                                                                   The people of His choice,
the same. Besides, it should be pointed out again the term
                                                                                 He turned the sea to solid ground ;
"all men" must be explained in the light of the context. In
                                                                                   In Him let us rejoice.
both this letter (I Tim. 2) and Titus 2 the term "all men"

refers to all kinds of men : rich and poor, bond and free, male

and female, kings, rulers, all in authority, as well are sub-                    He rules forever by His might,

jects. Now the "living" God is not a national idol, the god                        His eyes the nations try ;

of one nation. He scattered man over the face of the earth,                      Let not the proud rebellious ones

                                                                                   Exalt themselves on high.
SO that in Abraham all nations might be blessed. And as the


346                                         T H E   STAND.ARD   B E A R E R
             -


                                                                     citizens of the kingdom of heaven? What does a king do.?

                                                                     He rules. He makes laws and precepts. And he rules his

                                                                     people according to these laws.

                                                                        Again in Psalm 111 :lO we read, "The fear of the Lord is

            Under Grace in a Lawless World                           the beginning of wisdom : a good understanding have all they
                                                                     that do His commandments: His praise endureth forever.,'

       "Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by    Shall we simply cast this aside because it is written in the

love serve one another." Galatians 5 :13b.                           Old Testament? No, no, look !, "His praise endureth for-

                                                                     evey."  And it is not simply the man in the Old Testament
       Why does Paul say ,that  to the churches in Galatia ?    I
                                                                     times who has a good understanding and the beginning of

       The answer is not hard to find: The flesh in the church       wisdom when he keeps God's commandments. That is just

always does exactly that. It takes hold of the Word of God           as true in the New Testament times. Go as far as you will in

when it can use it as a excuse for a sinful walk. And it will        the New Testament Scripture, and you may find in its very

reject it when it exposes evil and in no uncertain terms con-        last chapter, the 14th verse these words, "Blessed are they

d e m n s   i t .                                                    that do His commandments, that they may have the right to

       "As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke  of mali-    the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the
ciousness, but as servants of God." I Peter 2 :16.                   city." Or, if you prefer not to listen to the Old Testament
                                                                     prophets and saints in regard to this matter, listen to Him
       Why should a statement like that be written by Peter?         Whom these Old Testament saints and prophets represented.

       Again the answer is obvious: According to our flesh we        Christ says in Matthew 5 :19,  "Whosoever therefore shall

do clothe ourselves with maliciousness under the guise of            break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men

Christian liberty.     These are not far-fetched, hardly-to-be-      so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but

expected practices in the Church. They are the motions of the        whosoever shall do them and teach them, the same shall be

flesh. They are the work of that flesh which is not yet at           called great in the kingdom of heaven." So, in the kingdom

liberty but still under the dominion of sin.                         of heaven there IS regard for that law; there are command-

                                                                     ments and laws and man shall be called great or small in that
       And we ought to be careful when we then begin, accord-
                                                                     kingdom in accordance with his keeping and teaching or his
ing to that flesh, to quote other passages of Holy Writ to
                                                                     not keeping and teaching of the laws of that kingdom. Or
distort the truth of our Christian liberty and apply these
                                                                     listen to Him once again in Matthew 19:17,  "And He said
other passages to but a part of the texts quoted above.
                                                                     unto him, Why callest thou me good ? there is none good but
       Indeed, Paul writes also to the church at Rome, "For sin      One, that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the
shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the           commandments."     Not under the law but under grace 7 Cer-
law but under grace." Romans 6 :14. But let us also note the         tainly, but it must be conceded that in some respects man is
other two statements in @lZ. The word liberty  appears in            still under law. Again, turn to Peter's second epistle, chapter
both Galatians 5 :13 and in I Peter 2 :16. And Romans 6 :14          3 :l and 2 and read, "This second epistle, beloved, I now

says that we are not under the law. However, let us also keep        write unto you: in both which I stir up your pure minds by

before our minds the truth that in the very same connection          way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words

Paul and Peter say, "But by love serve one another," and             which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the

"but as servants of God." Now a servant is under rules and           commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Saviour."

regulations, is he not? And this same Paul writes to that            There seems to be quite some agreement between the holy

same church at Rome, `.`Know ye not, brethren (for I speak           prophets and the apostles in their teaching about the com-

to them that know the law), how that the law hath dominion           mandments of God, does there not?

over a man as long as he liveth ?" To be sure, we are not out-          If we want to live outside of God's law, we do not want
laws. We live in a lawless world. We live in a world in              to live in the New Jerusalem. The walls of that kingdom are
which men live (or shall we state it more correctly ? exist)         His law. It is an Holy City, and its walls keep out all that
outside of the law. In that sense they are outlaws. But the          which violates and hates God's law. If heaven is nothing but
child of God is not an outlaw. He is a law-abiding citizen of        a place where we escape the wages and curse of sin, and it is
his land ; and he is one who lives under the laws of the king-       a place where we can do as we please, where God's law is
dom of heaven.                                                       banished, then even Satan himself would like to be there.

   What ? Will there be no law in the New Jerusalem ? Is it          No ungodly man would be disinterested in it. What makes

even to be conceived of that there can be a kingdom without          that kingdom of heaven or that kingdom of God so obnoxious

rules and regulations ? Is a kingdom not exactly a realm             to the unregenerated is not that it is a safe haven from death

wherein people are united by one law? And is it not true             and everlasting punishment but exactly that it is a holy

that the members of the body of Christ, His Church, are also         realm wherein we love God, serve Him with all we see and

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


possess, and wherein we will serve Him, walking in the way          were under the condemnation of the law, under the judg-

of His commandments.                                                ment of that law as those guilty of everlasting torment in

                                                                    hell. And yet, in a certain sense they were not under the law.
   Do not forget that all the sin and grief and death in this
                                                                    They were not living under it, were not heeding it; and in-
world came exactly through the lie that we are not in any
                                                                    deed the flesh cannot be subject to that law and place itself
sense under the law. We were deceived once by Satan in
                                                                    under it. When we sin we lift ourselves above that law and
Paradise into believing that we could get above that law,
                                                                    Claim to be out from underneath it.
could be outlaws and then really have life, could be a law
unto ourselves, decide for ourselves what is good and what             Not so the man that is under grace.

is evil. Let us not go back to that lie. If we are under grace,        He sings with the psalmist, "0, how love I Thy law. It

we will not want to walk in that lie and use our Christian          is my meditation all the day." Psalm 119:97. He has been
liberty as a cloke  for trying to maintain ourselves in the lie.    restored to the joy of keeping God's law that was Adam's
Grace never has that fruit in our lives. Sin does. The flesh        before he fell. Adam never complained about that law before
talks that way and reacts that way to the truth of being            his fall. It was no heavy yoke upon his neck. And he had no
under grace. But the man under grace rejects the lie of             desire to be a law unto himself. He was God's friend-servant.
Satan that we can be like God and ignore His ethical will,          But then he was God's savant.  But the moment that he
His holy law.                                                       broke that law, the moment that he was deceived into hating

                                                                    that law and into striving to get from under it, he came under
   And remember too, the first promise that God gave to
                                                                    the condemnation of that law. That moment the law pounced
His Church was exactly that He would in His grace cause
                                                                    down upon him and said, Cursed art thou, for thou hast not
her to walk in the way of His commandments and save her
                                                                    continued to do the things written therein. Now, as he is by
from the life of an outlaw. God taught'man justification, the
                                                                    nature, the law holds him down in guilt and condemnation.
forgiveness of hip sins .and that he was clothed with the
                                                                    Now it presses him ever deeper into hell ; and he simply can-
righteousness of Christ, when He killed a lamb, shed its
                                                                    not get from underneath the curse that this law presses down
blood before Adam's eyes and then clothed him and Eve
                                                                    upon him. He is under the law; and that means that he is
with the skin thereof. But the first gospel promise was that
                                                                    under the wrath of God as expressed in that very law: "For
of sanctification, of hatred of sin and love of God, of being
                                                                    I the Lord Thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity
once again able to keep that law and of complete victory over
                                                                    of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth
all lawlessness. Genesis 3-:15, the mother promise, is a prom-
                                                                    generations of them that hate Me." "For the Lord will not
ise of enmity against all lawlessness, against the whole rebel-
                                                                    hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain."
lious kingdom of Satan, and of victory to stand fully delivered

from all idolatry, image worship, taking of God's name in              When we come under grace we are no longer under that

vain', desecration of the Sabbath, rebellion, murder, adulterp,     curse and condemnation of the law, but we are still obliged

deceit, theft and covetousness. But delivered to do what?           to keep that law and shall never attain to a position where

Nothing? No, a thousand times no; but to keep God's com-            God's will is made subservient to ours. Always we will be

mandments. In His fear to walk in love toward God and               under Him and His holy law. Let us consider this further

toward the neighbor for God's sake. God, according to               next time.

Hebrews lo:16  in fulfillment of this gospel promise writes                                                                J.A.H.

His law in our hearts and in our minds. Surely then, we will

have to say that in a certain sense we are still under that law.

We are still under the obligation to keep that law.


   It will not be an outward compulsion that presses down
                                                                                  Thus will I bless Thee while I live,
upon us as a heavy yoke that threatens to stifle the life that
                                                                                  And with uplifted hands will give
is in us. It will be an inner force of love to walk in all
                                                                                    Praise to Thy holy Name ;
obedience before God. But we are not freed from the calling
                                                                                  When by Thy bounty well supplied,
to keep that law. We are no longer pnder  the CZIKS~  of the
                                                                                  Then shall my soul be satisfied,
law. The law can no more condem!  us. "There is therefore                           My mouth shall praise proclaim.
no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who

walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:l.

But read on. Paul says in verse 7, "Because the carnal mind                       My lips shall in Thy praise delight

is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of                        When on my bed I rest at night

God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the                            And meditate on Thee ;

flesh cannot please God."    So, in the Old Testament times                       Because Thy hand assistance brings,

there was also the situation that men were not under the                          Beneath the shadow of Thy wings

Jaw.  They were under the obligation to keep that law and                           My heart shall joyful be.


348                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEARER


                                                                       evil campaign. The campaign is as violent today as ever it
II Contending For The Faith                                            was. Officially Christ is banished from commercial, civil, and
                                                                  II national life. We see today a wrong nationalism, coupled
                                                                       with a wrong internationalism, which will have none of one

                                                                       thing only - of God revealed in Christ as absolute over all

                                                                       rulers and nations. The unchristian idealism controlling na-
              The Church and the Sacraments                       0    tional and international relations on a purely worldly, mater-

            THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION                                ialistic, and selfish basis is a re-crucifixion of Christ and of

                                                                       His cause ; and it constitutes a manifestation of the "Woman

                 VIEWS  ON THE CHURCH                                  and the Beast" in our own days. (Although we, too, agree that

                                                                       this "Scarlet Woman" does not strictly represent Papal Rome,

                  T H E   P R O T E S T A N T   V I E W                we do well to bear in mind, however, that the Romish Church

                                                                       through the papacy ruled over the kings of the earth, that

                                                                       she indeed spoke words of blasphemy, and made kings and
       It is evident that Rome's conception of the holiness of the     nations drunk with the wine of her spiritual fornications,  and
church is, first of all, to be understood as referring to a litur-     that she persecuted the church and the saints of Christ Jesus,
gical, ceremonial holiness, consisting in this that the church,        and her hands are red with the blood of the saints. - H.V.)
as institute, possesses the proper form of worship and the
                                                                               393. Why do some people presume that the Scarlet
proper use of the sacraments, through which the Lord works
                                                                       Woman means the Papacy ?
holiness in the believers as through these powerful means and
instruments of Divine grace. And, in the second place, Rome                    Because they are very  ignorant of the Catholic Church,
refers to personal holiness, although we must remember that            hate it without understanding it, and are enabled by their
this holiness does not necessarily have to be the possession of        peculiar mentality to believe whatever they would like to be
all or of most within the church, but is always found in some          true without further ado.

and then in varying degree. We now continue with our                           394. The Catholic religion, if holy and true, should pro-
quotations from the Radio Replies of Fathers Rumble and                duce almost invariably a peculiarly excellent type of individ-

Carty.                                                                 ual.

       392. What is meant in Scripture by "The Scarlet                         You commence with an idea tihich is only a half-truth.
Woman" ?                                                               The Catholic religion is able to produce excellent types. If a

       St. John says, in Rev. XVII, that he saw "a woman sitting       man seriously wants to be good, the Catholic Church will

on a scarlet colored beast full of names of blasphemy." This           enable him to be good as no other power on earth (again

"woman" has been popularly called "The Scarlet Woman."                 Rome's Arminianism  and free-willism - H.V.) . But there

Many fantastic explanations have been given as to'her  real            cannot be any guarantee that she will invariably produce ex-

character.     Some people have said that the Scarlet Woman            cellent individuals, because that makes no allowance for the

represents pagan Rome in the days when the Emperors per-               variation in the dispositions of men. Men are not inanimate

secuted the early Christians.       But that certainly is not com-     objects to be sanctified against their will. So Christ compared

pletely true for the "woman and the beast" are described as            His religion to seed which falls, some upon good ground,

outlasting pagan Rome.         Others, under the influence of reli-    some upon shallow soil, and some upon stone. The seed is

gious prejudice, have said that the Scarlet Woman represents           always equally good ; but its fruit is dependent upon the

Papal Rome. But that is certainly quite untrue. For Papal              quality of soil which receives it. (Indeed, this is exactly true.

Rome has ever labored to forward the cause of Christ, whilst           Only good soil can produce good fruit. But, this good soil,

the "woman and the beast" are opposed to Christ and the cause          of course, refers to a man as he has been regenerated by the

of Christ. There is no absolute certainty as to the Scarlet            Holy Spirit of God and of Christ. It is not man's free will

Woman's full significance. Most probably, as the Church is             that determines the good fruit, but the operation of the Holy

the "Bride of Christ," so the woman represents the "Bride              Spirit of God. - H.V.)

of Satan."      I speak of course in the mystical sense. The
                                                                               395. Is not Protestantism as well able to give the spiritual
"Woman," therefore stands for the "Anti-Christian Spirit."
                                                                       outlook as Catholicism ?
The "Beast" upon which the "Woman" is seated, and which

she guides and controls, is the material force of this world.                  That cannot be admitted. It is undeniable that Protestant-

The "Woman and the Beast," therefore, signify an antichris-            ism as such cannot preserve Christian truth intact, and dare

tian idealism employing the material forces of this world              not insist upon the fullness of Christian moral teaching. As

against the cause of Christ, and against all that is holy and          a result of the Protestant Reformation we find articles of

spiritual and good. And always through history, in every               faith denied; fasting and other forms of mortification not

age, and right to the end, we shall have manifestations of their       taught; the sense of sin diminishing (notice, please, in which


                                          T    H    E         STANIDARD.  .BEA,RER                                                  349


respect the Protestant Reformation has denied articles of            a Christian as a man of God, or as a man of Divine grace. -

faith. All these things simply refer to Romish customs im-           H.V.) A good Catholic, therefore, is one who fulfills his

posed upon the people without any endorsement in the Scrip-          duties in all three cases. He loyally accepts and lives up to

tures. And, as far as the allegation is concerned that "the          the religioh  Gdd has revealed, gladly professing the Catholic

sense of sin is diminished," this is simply untrue, as is very       Faith, regularly fulfilling the duties of prayer, sacramental

evident from Luther's struggle to attain unto the conscious-         life and worship prescribed by the Catholic Church, and obey-

ness of the forgiveness of his sin. - H.V.) ; the evangelical        ing the commandments of God and the laws of his religion in

counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience inspiring mon-          all things. In addition to this, he fulfills his duties to himself,

astic life ignored ; a clergy unable to rise to the ideals of        controlling his lower passions, avoiding vice and cultivating

celibacy, and as unable to give sound spiritual advice as the        personal virtue according to the dictates of reason and of

laity are unwilling to receive it; nationalism displacing the        conscience. As regards his fellow men, he regulates his rela-

universal outlook of Christianity ; materialism supplanting          tions towards them by the master virtues of justice and char-

supernaturalism ; whilst more and more philanthropy and              ity in all things. A man who fulfills all these duties is a really

humanitarianism tend to displace that Christian charity which        good Catholic. If he does not do so, then insofar as he

is in the order of grace, and supposes a pure and disinterested      professes the Catholic Faith he is a Catholic. But his goodness

love of God rather than merely of our fellow men. (Of course,        or badness as a Catholic must be measured by the degree in

we must also bear in mind that these Radio Replies are               which he succeeds or fails in; living up to the ideals I have

opposing, not real and true Protestantism, but Modernism,            given.

which is nothing else than a false caricature of Protestant-            398. How is the Roman Church superior to other
ism. - H.V.)                                                         Churches in the help it gives towards holiness of life ?

    396. What regulated conduct of Catholics is the least that          I have already explained that to some extent under No.
visible fellowship of the Church requires ?                          390. But in addition to the ideals and standards of the

    By "visible fellowship" I presume you mean public ad-            Catholic Church by which a man knows clearly how to serve

herence to the Catholic Church on the part of the person con-        God, the worship of the Catholic Church is more helpful than

cerned, and acknowledgment by the Catholic Church that he            any other Church can offer. The Sacrifice of the Mass,

belongs to her foid. For that, the least required is that the        offered in supreme adoration to God, lifts men's souls to Him

person who professes to be a Catholic has not been excom-            as nothing else can do. The Sacraments, too - and all seven

municated officially by the Church. The. Church, of course,          -have an immense influence on souls, Baptism conferring

insists that all Catholics are obliged to regulate their conduct     the spiritual life ; Confirmation strehgthening  it ; Confession

in accordance with the ten commandments and the precepts             destroying later sins which come between the soul and God:

of the Church. Insofar as they do not, they sin ; and if they,       Holy Communion bringing Christ to each as the very Guest

sin publicly in serious degrees, they are forbidden the recep-       of the soul ; Extreme Unction preparing the soul for its meet-

tion of the Sacraments until they sincerely repent and resolve       ing with God. The Sacrament of Matrimony is specially

to do their best to observe the laws of God once more. But           ordained to sanctify the duties of the state of marriage, whilst

whatever their sins, and even though interiorly they are not         Holy Orders gives a priesthood which has meant an incalcu-

in God's love and friendship, they still retain external mem-        labI; stream of blessings to the faithful. In addition to those

bership of the Church, or, as you call it, "visible fellowship."     helps, the innumerable practices of piety, prayer, self-denial

They are sinners, but they are still Catholics; and the Cath-        and abnegation inspired by the Catholic religion result in a

olic Church, instead of abandoning them, simply pleads with          greater spirituality and sanctification of men. Finally the

them to abandon their sins. Conscious that part of her duty          discipline of the Catholic Church, based on obedience to the

is to be a kind of hospital in a spiritually sick world, she         Will of God, has resulted in that general sense of order in

does not throw the patients out of the window on the score           the Church which is essential to spiritual progress. In neces-

that they are in grave need of spiritual care. So long as a          sarily brief replies I cannot do more than just touch upon

Catholic continues to profess his faith, and has not so directly     the subject; but at least I have said enough to stimulate

defied the authority of the Church as to merit excommunica-          your own further thoughts.

tion, he is fulfilling at least the minimum required for con-                                                                     H.V.

tinued visible fellowship, and will be publicly acknowledged

by the Catholic Church as one of hers.


    397. What are some of the qualifications of a good Cath-

olic ?                                                                           With our own eyes we have beheld

                                                                                    What oft our fathers told before,
    A good Catholic is essentially a man of duty. Now we
can classify our duties as being towards God, towards. our-                      That God Who in His Zion dwells

selves, and towards our fellow men.    (I would rather classify                     Will keep her safely evermore.


350                                       T    H    E         STANDARD  BEARER


                                                                   the work of God Himself, the Author of Holy Scripture.

          The Voice of Our Fathers                                 But when we ask this question in the sense that we inquire
                                                                   as to who was instrumental in that fixing of the canon, it is

                                                                   very plain that the answer is : the church. I call attention to

                                                                   this because there are those who strongly deprecate this idea
                   The Belgic Confkssion                           as being Romish, and who even like to insist that the Bible

                     ARTICLE IV (continued)                        is before the church, not the church before the Bible. But
       Thus far in our study of the formation of the Old Testa-    this is altogether incorrect, both principally and historically.
ment canon we have seen, in the first place, that the Old          After all, while we by all means confess that the canon is of
Testament has the sanction of Christ Himself and of His            divine origin, we nevertheless must face the question realis-
apostles, so that it is impossible to believe in Christ and not    tically: how was that divinely determined and planned canon
to believe the Scriptures, that is, the Old Testament, which       of Holy Scripture brought into being and recognized in time,
Be believed. In the second place, we have seen that it can         historically? God did not simply drop a complete Old Testa-
also be determined which books were included in that Old           ment out of the skies. Nor did the Lord make an explicit
Testament canon. We cited one historical witness in this           declaration by direct revelation, by an angel, or by a vision
connection ; and more could be mentioned.                          or a dream, as to which books were canonical and which
       We may now ask some further questions as to the history     not. No, already in the old dispensation the Lord operated
of the formation of the Old Testament canon. First of all,         through His church in such a way that His church acknowl-
there is the question: z&en  was the Old Testament canon           edged and declared which books were the inspired books of
fixed ? And, secondly, by zolz,o~,~  was the canon fixed ?         Scripture. And when we take this fact concerning the Old
                                                                   Testament canon into consideration, along with the fact that
       As to the first question, no exact date can be set. The
                                                                   Christ Himself sealed the authenticity of the Old Testament
prophet Malachi closes the Old Testament canon. This was
                                                                   Scriptures, then we need not be surprised when the same
approximately four hundred years before Christ. Broadly
                                                                   thing takes place in the new dispensation with respect to the
speaking, therefore, we may say that the Old Testament
                                                                   New Testament canon. It is usually in connection with the
canon was fixed sometime between the year 400 B.C. and the
                                                                   canon of the New Testament that the objection is raised that
birth of Christ. Historical evidence, however, permits us to
                                                                   we must not appeal to the stand and the decisions of the
narrow this down to the period between 400 B.C. and 100
                                                                   church in connection with the fixing of the canon. But there
B.C. And recent discoveries, it is claimed, point more and
                                                                   is no fundamental difference in that respect between the old
more to a date as early as 200 B.C. The exact date and the
                                                                   and the new dispensations. There is a difference in another
exact manner, however, are unknown. Nor are they im-
                                                                   respect. After the Old Testament canon was fixed, Christ
portant. The fact itself is the important element. And that
                                                                   Himself and His apostles authenticated it ; but when the New
fact is clear. By the time of Christ and the apostles the
                                                                   Testament canon was fixed, the Scriptures were finished, and
Old Testament canon had long been closed and fixed- so
                                                                   direct revelation was at an end. Christ was no more on earth,
long that the authentic Old Testament was generally known
                                                                   and no apostles were on earth to say explicitly that those New
and distributed and acknowledged not only in Palestine, but
                                                                   Testament books were indeed the only canonical books. This
wherever the Jews were found in the Roman world. This is
                                                                   does not change the fact, however, that both in the old and
indeed a remarkable fact. It points us very clearly to the
                                                                   in the new dispensation the church was the agency through
truth that the formation and the fixing of the canon took
                                                                   whom the completed canon came to be acknowledged as closed,
place under the very special guidance and control of God
                                                                   and that therefore a legitimate appeal may be made to this
Himself, in such a way and at such a time as He willed it.
                                                                   action of the church. And again, while unbelief will never
Perhaps we may also find a negative significance in the fact
                                                                   acknowledge this, he who would be one in faith with the
that we have no precise knowledge of the time and the man-
                                                                   church of all ages will have to be one with the faith of the
ner in which this took place. At least our present lack of
                                                                   church concerning the canon of Scripture.
such precise information is rather noteworthy. And it is at
least worthy of consideration when Prof. G. C. Aalders  writes        We turn now to the history of the New Testament canon.

in his "Bijbelsch Handboek, O.T.," p. 339: "It is, we would           This page of history is much briefer.

almost say, as though God wanted to guard us against fasten-          In the first place, it did not take centuries for the books
ing ourselves upon a certain human factor."                        of the New Testament to be written, as it did with those of

   As to the second question, that is, by whom was the canon       the Old Testament. All the books of the New ,Testament

of the Old Testament fixed, there is but one possible answer :     were written within the space of approximately fifty years-

the church-in this case, the church of the old dispensation.       in round numbers, between the years A.D. 50 to 100. This is

We must say more about this presently, when we view the            rather significant. For it means not only that the writing of

fixing of the canon from a principal point of view. And cer-       the various books, as well as the preservation of the various

tainly, we must understand that the fixing of the canon is         individual books until the time of the closing and fixing of


                                          .T H E. .S ,T.A-5J  D A:R .D ,Bt`E.A  R E R                                             351.


 the canon, took place in a relatively short period ; but it also     have in the book of Acts. Finally;lthe  apostle John.retieived

 means that the actual fixing of the complete New Testament           his visions of the things, that must shortly come t,o pass, and

 canon was a process that involved only a couple generations.         the book of Revelation' was written. But all these books

 With the Old Testament this was different. Moses, for ex-            existed at first as individual writings. It was not l&g,  how-

 ample, was recognized as canonical long centuries before             ever, before these writings  began to spread from one con-

 Malachi. But with the New Testament the situation was thus,         gregation to the other. They were copied, and in process of

 that within the span of a couple, or, at most, a few genera-        time they were spread throughout the church. Gradually and

 tions, a stand was taken by the church with respect to the          spontaneously the church in general came to the awareness

 canonicity of all twenty-seven books.                               that these books had a testimony in themselves, belonged to-

    In the second place, while the time-span was much                gether, and together belonged with the books of the Old

shorter, the opposite was true geographically. The books of          Testament as the one grand testimony of the Word of God.

the New Testament were written in widely scattered places ;              We shall not go into detail concerning all the history of

 and they were written, initially, for various and widely scat-      the fixing of the New Testament canon. We may briefly call

tered congregations. The church was scattered throughout             attention to the following:

the civilized world of that time, whereas in the old dispensa-           1) Already in the very first period of church history after

tion it was limited to one people, and, largely, to one coun-        the apostles, the so-called period of the Apostolic Fathers,

try. And the various books of the New Testament had to be            dating from A.D. 70 to A.D. 120,  there is clear evidence that

spread throughout the church ; and as they were spread,              most of the New Testament writings were known and used

they had to be collected into one book and acknowledged as           by the church as profitable, and some of them are expressly

authoritative. Besides, these books had to be reproduced and         referred to already as "Scripture."

spread and preserved frequently under very adverse circum-               2) By the end of the period of the Greek Apologists (A.D.

stances of adversity and tribulation. From this point of view,       120 to A.D. 170) the combined evidence from the eastern and

the fixing of the New Testament canon, as well as its pres-          western sectors of the church furnishes abundant proof that

ervation and collection, is indeed wonderful.                        all of our present New Testament, with the exception of II

    In the third place, the twenty-seven books that now con-         Peter, was already accepted. During this period there are
stitute our New Testament came into existence gradually and          heretics who refer to various New Testament books as
as so many individual books at first. The apostles were called       "Scripture," a fact which shows not that heretics determined
chiefly to preach, rather than to write. And the contents of         which books were canonical, but rather that the orthodox
their preaching centered around the great facts of the min-          church already recognized various New Testament writing.4
istry and work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is          as "Scripture" - writings to whose authority the `heretics
very evident, for example, from the book of Acts. The                would appeal for support in the knowledge that the church
apostles were sent out with the gospel of the death and resur-       recognized the authority of those books.

rection of the Christ and with the preaching of repentance and          3) Finally all our present New Testament books gained

forgiveness in His name. To this calling they were equipped,         universal recognition. There is a writing of Athanasius, for

and to it they were faithful. They had received the Holy             example, which dates from A.D. 367, in which. our present

Ghost as apostles ; and they had authority to forgive and            canonical books of the New Testament are mentioned by

retain sin, and to open and shut the kingdom of heaven. They         name. By the end of the fourth century two Councils ex-

were, moreover, clothed with special powers and gifts as             pressed themselves as to which books might be read in the

apostles. And they were infallibly guided in their teaching          church as canonical. The Council of Hippo Regius in A.D.

and preaching. They had the promise that the Spirit would            393 expressed itself on the canon. And while the proceed-

lead them into all the truth, and that He would bring to             ings of this council are lost, they are cited by the Cduncil  of

their remembrance the things that the Lord taught them.              Carthage, A.D. 397. And the list of New Testament books

Thus, first of all, in.the preaching of the apostles the gospel      cited by these councils as canonical is precisely the same as

narrative took form. And in connection with that preaching           that of Athanasius. The significance of the work of these

it presently also received written form, and that too, from          councils is clear. They did not canonize the New Testament,

various viewpoints and in connection with various addresses          but they merely confessed and expressed officially what had

and upon various occasions. When the various congregations           for a long time lived in the consciousness of the believing

came into being, as the church spread out from Jerusalem,            church.

the occasion also arose for the writing of the various epistles.        If we remember that the Old Testament canon had long

This occasion lay in the peculiar problems and strifes and           been closed, and that through the above process the New

heresies which each congregation had. As the things which            Testament canon was fixed, then the result is the closed and

Jesus began both to do and to teach during His earthly so-           complete canon of the Bible as we still have it today, with its

journ were continued by Him through the apostles after His           sixty-six canonical books.

exaltation, Luke was moved to write the record which we                                                                      H.C.H.

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


                                                                    as the standard, but outside of Palestine, there were few

11 DKENCY  and ORDER /I who could understand it.
                                                              JI
I`                                                                      "Paul wrote to the Greek-speaking Ephesians and Colos-
                                                                    sians in Greek. He assumed that they had this LXX ver-

                    THEHYMNMATTER                                   sion at hand, for he quotes frequently from it, and makes
                                                                    many references to it without taking the trouble to state

                           (Continued)                              his source. He assumed that his readers would recognize

                                                                    the words he used. In particular, without mentioning his

       Obviously the texts of Ephesians 5 :lS, 19 and Colossians    quotations from other books, there are at least twelve quota-

3 :16  cannot be used as a Scriptural basis for the introduction    tions from, and direct references to, the Book of Psalms in

of hymns in the worship of the church. One reason for this          Ephesians ; at least three in Colossians. How do we know

is that the term "hymn" in these passages does not have the         this ? By the words he used. For instance, in Ephesians 4 :26,

same meaning as is commonly given to that word today.               his Greek for `Be ye angry, and sin not' is found word for

Rev. F. Frazer stresses the point that a correct understanding      word in the LXX version of Psalm 4:4, a comparatively un-

of these passages necessitates "that the words in them be           usual, but very striking, rendering of the Hebrew.

taken in the sense obviously intended by the writer." What              "Now when we examine the LXX, still used by the Greek

this meaning is he attempts to show in the following article.       Orthodox Church, we find these three words, `psalms,'

We quote:                                                           `hymns,' `songs.'     We find them, generally, in place of three

       "Controversies within the church have produced, for W, a     Hebrew words, W&WLOI~  (a psalm), t'hilhh (a praise), &ir
sharp differentiation between `Psalms' and `Hymns,' `Psalms'        (a song) without any hard and fast distinctions being ob-
being the accepted name for the God-inspired songs of praise        served.

collected in one book of Scripture, while `Hymns' has become            "The Greek `psalm,' while it usually stands for `migmor,'

the common designation of human compositions for singing in         also stands for `shir' and for `t'hillah.' Indeed, the Hebrew

worship. But, so far as the records show, no such difference        title for the whole book is `T'hillim' (Praises), but the Greek

was attached to these words  in the original apostolic church,      title is `Psalms.'

and this for the simple reason that, at that time, there  were          "The Greek `hymn' is used for `t'hillah' and also for `shir.'
no uninspired songs used, or to be used, in the worship of          `Psalm' and `hymn' are both Greek words which we have
the true God. Repeated assumptions and assertions to the            taken bodily into our language. Yet `hymn' is nowhere used
contrary have never been substantiated.                             in our English version of the Old Testament, although it is

       "The Christian church had but recently emerged from the      used in the LXX at least sixteen times, and the verb `hymneo'

confines of the Jewish Synagogue, where only the Scripture          (meaning `to sing hymns') at least thirteen times ; in every

Psalms were used in the praise service. No others were              instance obviously meaning the songs given of God, synon-

available for the praise service of the church. Note that           ymous with `psalms' and `sing psalms.' The plural `hymns'

Paul does not tell his readers to ~~lze Psalms, Hymns or            is frequently used to designate these songs in general, with-

Songs, but to sirzg  them to God, and talk of them to men,          out discriminating. For example, at the end of Psalm 72 we

thus taking it for granted that these things were already at        read, `The hymns of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.'

hand ; things, indeed, which he regarded as of the greatest         In Psalm 100:4  we find `Enter . . . into his courts with

importance for Christians. And, while special gifts of the          hymns.' The Hebrew reading of I Chron. 16% is identical

Spirit were promised to meet the needs of the church (e.g.,         with that of Psalm 105 :2 ; but the LXX translates the first,

Eph. 4':7-16),  none were promised for the making of songs          `Sing to him, sing hymns to him'; the second, `Sing to him,

of praise to God, nor for `singing the gospel' to men.              sing psalms to him.' In II Chron. 29:30 we read that the

                                                                    Levites were commanded `to sing hymns to the Lord in the
       "We know well that the preaching, teaching, and writing
                                                                    words of David and Asaph, the prophet i and they sang hymns
of Paul, preserved for us, is based on the Old Testament
                                                                    with gladness.'
Scriptures; his constant appeal is to their very words.

                                                                        "Many individual Psalms have headings of their own.
       "In the providence of God, these Scriptures, originally
                                                                    Some are marked `Psalm'; some `Song.' Some have both
written in Hebrew, were translated into Greek befoie  the
                                                                    titles, `A Psalm, a Song' ; `A Psalm of a Song'; `A Song of
coming of Christ. This Greek version, called the Septuagint
                                                                    a Psalm.'    Psalm 65 has both `Psalm' and `Song' in its title,
(often denoted by the abbreviation `LXX') was available
                                                                    and its first line is, `To thee, 0 God in Zion, a hymn is be-
wherever there were Greek-speaking Jews, and they were in
                                                                    fitting.' The heading of Psalm 76 reads, `For the Precentor  in
all the important centers of the Mediterranean world. It was
                                                                    hymns, a Psalm of Asaph, a Song with reference to the As-
the only version available in the days of Christ and the
                                                                    syrian.'
apostles. Christ put the stamp of His approval on it by

quoting from it. The original Hebrew, of course, remained               "The Greek word for `song' (ode), occurs, for the most


                                                   THE.STANDARD.~~~~RER                                                                     353


     part, in place of `shir,'  but also for `mizmor.' In Psalm 137 :3       "Only  the 150' Psalms of David . . . ." The apostles com-

     we read, `There those who took us captive demanded of us                manded the church to sing them. Nowhere did they even

     words of songs ; And those who carried us away (demanded                suggest substitutions, additions, etc. Remember how Israel

     of         a hymn, saying, Sing for us from the Song of Zion.           of old was dissatisfied with the bread the Lord provided for
        US) 
     How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land ?' Here               them in the wilderness ? They said, "Our soul loatheth this

     the `songs of Zion' meant, to a Hebrew, `the song of the Lord,'         light bread."    Remember how God was wroth with them?

     i.e., `the song of Jehovah' as written in the book of Psalms.           These things were written for our learning and example. We

     But note that either a `song' or a `hymn' was to be selected at         must not be wiser than God or think that we can improve

     random from these Psalms.                                               upon the songs He has provided. We must learn to under-

                                                                             stand and appreciate the profound spiritual values of the songs
            "These examples, a few among many, are sufficient to
                                                                             of praise He has given to us. If we persist in our clamor
     show that each of the three words in question was applied to
     the 150 Psalms. They were applied to the 150 Psalms in-                 for "meat" and thereby reject the "bread of song" He has
     dividually, without discriminating between them. Yet, as                provided, He will give us the "meat" we crave to our own
     anyone can see, these three words, `psalms, hymns, songs' are           detriment. History unmistakably attests to this.
     distinctly, etymologically different. Such free interchange of             Rev. Frazer concludes his article commenting on the word
     different names for the same thing is permissible only if it            "spiritual"    in connection with "spiritual songs." He first
     does not affect the writer's meaning and the reader's under-            points out various usages of this term in Scripture. Then he
     standing. Therefore, such usage in the Hebrew and Greek                 writes : "Excluding one doubtful case and the two verses now
     Scriptures is conclusive proof that there was, at the time of           before us, there are fifteen places in which he uses this word
     writing, no doubt in anyone's mind as to the exact reference            as indicating, not merely the spiritual nature of the thing (as
     of these words.                                                         distinct from the physical or carnal), but, clearly and em-
                                                                             phatically, that it exists 2:n dy+aa&c  connection with  the Igory
            "That they were applied to the 150 Psalms only follows           S/&it of God as aztthor  or so,uyce, therefore as derived from,
     from the fact that no others are mentioned in the entire rec-           or given by, the Spirit." Then the author concludes : "There-
     ord as having been used in the temple, synagogue or apostolic           fore; the `songs' here specified are `spiritual,' not because
     church worship of God. If there were any others, what be-               they express spiritual thoughts and aspirations, but because
     came of them ? Where is any proof that others existed, or               they are inspired and given by the Holy Spirit. It goes with-
     were so used ?                                                          out saying that the same defining word is to be understood

            "But, what is the use of so many names for the same              with `psahns'  and with `hymns,' for `songs' includes them

     thing ? Why pile up words ? Well, it usually takes more than            both.

     one word even to begin to define a thing of su&  dimensions                "Thus all mere human compositions are extiluded."

     and importance as the praise of the infinite, eternal and                  The question of hymnolo,T  for our churches is not to bc

     gracious God. Why is the law of God so often described by               determined by majority preference. Because one over half

     a group of three terms, such as `testimonies, statutes and              may desire a thing does not make that thing desirable or

     judgments' (Deut. 4 :45) ? Why are prayers called `suppfica-            right. Neither may this question be resolved on a proud basis

     tions, intercessions, thanksgivings' `(I Tim. 2 :l) ? `Psalms,          that since other churches have gone wrong with this thing,

     hymns, songs' reveal the different aspects which our praise             we will introduce it to show that it can be done right. The

     to God should have, according to the mind of His Spirit."               determining voice in the matter is that of GOD Himself -SO

                                                                             that we may move onward as churches, singing His praise,
            To sing ze,itlz  and as the apostolic church is to maintain a
                                                                             with His favor. Let us be sure of this and then we ask:
     distinctiveness we cannot afford to lose! God has given to
                                                                                1) Has the original overture, with its grounds, shown
     His church the beautiful doctrines of His Word. Upon these,
                                                                             that God directs His church in this way or that this innova-
     the doctrines of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus
                                                                             tion is the product of human wants ?
     the corner-stone, the church is built. To these doctrines we
     are dedicated in confession and preaching and therein we are               2) Has anything been brought forth from the Word to
     identified with the Apostolic Church, distinct from others who          show that the Lord or His apostles, even indirectly, suggests
                                                                             that the church should be engaged in the work of adding to
     corrupt the Word of God. Now God has likewise given to
                                                                             the songs of praise provided in Scripture?
     His church a beautiful "Book of Songs." He did not give

     one "Book of Songs" to His Old Dispensation church and                     3) Wb.y did not the Holy Spirit inspire a man or men to

     then tell His New Dispensation Church to go and make their              write a bundle of New Testament songs as He did in provid-

     own songs on the basis of His Word to them but He gave                  ing the church with the Psalms ?

     one Book of Songs to His church of all ages. The prophets                  4) What is lacking in the book of songs containing pray-

     and saints of old sang them. The apostles and church of their           ers, confessions, praise, supplications, thanksgivings, ascrip-

     day sang them. The Reformers sang them and the fathers                  tions of all the Divine virtues as well as descriptions of His

     of the Reformation put into the articles of the Church Order :          marvelous works ?                                        G.v.d.B.





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354                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
          . -

                                                                           The plan is still mostly in the discussion stage, but it is

       A L L   A R O U N D   U S                                       being tried out on a limited scale in various places. The
                                                                       Roman Catholic Church has not given its official blessing to

                                                                       the plan, but has stated that there is nothing to stop local

                                                                       Church and School officials from going ahead with the plan
"SHARED TlME SCHOOL PLAN"
                                                                       in their localities if they desire.
     The problem of federal aid to education remains a vexing
                                                                           It is impossible to predict whether this plan will receive
problem to school officials and politicians, as well as .to Church
                                                                       broad acceptance and actually be introduced into the present
leaders. There are those, predominantly Roman Catholics,
                                                                       school system. There are all kinds of practical problems that
who insist on their proper share of federal funds for their
                                                                       arise such as the meshing of schedules, the huge influx of
parochial and private schools. There are others, pleading the
                                                                       students into the public schools, etc., but the promoters of this
principle of separation of Church and State, who insist that
                                                                       plan say that these practical problems can all be worked out
tax funds should be used only for public schools.
                                                                       with patience and willingness.
     In connection with this problem the problem of religion

in public schools has also been a persistent headache. May                 As ingenious as the plan may appear, it surely is based

religion be taught ? If not, are not our public schools athe-          upon a premise which flatly contradicts the very foundation

istic ? If religion may be taught, how much religion ? And,            of our own Christian School movement. It would spell the

what -religion ?                                                       destruction of our schools as surely as any government take

     A novel solution to these problems is being seriously con-        over.

sidered by Church leaders, educational leaders and politicians             On the one hand, it is a fundamental principle of the edu-
in Washington. The solution is called the "Shared Time                 cation of God's covenant children that the truth of the Word
School Plan."        Basically the plan is that private schools and    of God must be the integrating principle of evwy subject
public schools  share the time of students. Private schools            taught. The plan presupposes that there are certain subjects
who wish td retain the right to educate their children accord-         that must be taught from a religious viewpoint, others that
ing to the principles of their own religious convictions would         need not be. The justification of this is supposed to be found
teach the children those subjects which have religious implica-        in the text in Scripture, "Render unto, Caesar the things that
tions. Public schools would teach these same children sub-             are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."  This is
jects which did not need any religious interpretation. Among           obviously wrong. The truth of God is one. Every subject
the former subjects would presumably be included Religion,             worthy of study in the school is part of the revelation of the
Bible, Social Studies, perhaps Literature and History. Among           truth of God. This is not only true of Bible and of History ;
the latter `subjects proponents of this plan include Physical          it is equally true of Science and Mathematics.
Education,, Home Economics, Manual Training, Arithmetic,
                                                                           The question might arise whether this is also true of such
all branches of Science. The student would then receive in-
                                                                       subjects as Physical Education, Home Economics and Manual
struction in the former subjects in a private school suppzrted
                                                                       Training. Apart now from the question whether these sub-
by his parents, while he would go to a public school to receive
                                                                       jects properly belong on the curriculum (and it is a debatable
his training and education in the latter subjects.
                                                                       question), if they are included they also must be taught from
     The advantages of such a plan are supposed to be many:
                                                                       the viewpoint of the truth of God's Word and from the prin-
!      1) It would give private school students access to federal
                                                                       ciple that the child of God must be prepared to serve his
funds allocated for education while the principle of the separa-
                                                                       God in the midst of the world. To follow this plan would be
tion between Church and State would be maintained.
                                                                       to feed our children a huge dose of false religion or atheism
     2) It would relieve private schools from making extensive         every day of the week.
outlays of money for such expensive equipment as gymna-

siums, shops for manual training, science: laboratories, etc.              On the other hand, one factor in the establishment of our

     3) It would partially solve the problem `of teacher short-        own schools, while not the most important, is-that our chil-
ages inasmuch as teachers in the neutral subjects would be             dren must not be placed in an environment where there is no
used for greater numbers of students.                                  fear of God. Our children must learn tq live in the world.
                                                                       But they must not learn to live in the world by associating
     4) Supposedly, it would return the responsibility for
                                                                       with the children of the world, finding. their friends and life
educating children back to the parents to whom this respon-
                                                                       partners among these children, learning the habits which per-
sibility belongs.
                                                                       sist through life from the children of unbelievers.
     5) Some parents who want to provide their children with                                                                           _'

private education and yet fear that such education withdraws              We must have our own schools. Our children must be

their children from the "realities of life" would have their           taught completely in these schools. The sacrifices which this

problem solved by sending theti  into the "realities of life"          entails are entirely worth the calling to `train our children in

in a public school.                                                    the way they should go.


                                         .T,H E S T A N D A R D ,B E:A.R,E  R                                                    355


MEMBERSHIP IN AMERICAN CHURCHES                                    to withdraw. It remains,  a .question"  whether  the' more con-

                                                                   servative element in the church has the strength to overcome
    The 30th issue of the Ye&ook  of Awwican  Chwches  fol
                                                                   the v&-y  liberal element that seems to have gained the upper
1962 has just been published. It is edited by Benson Y.
                                                                   hand in this troubled denomination.
Landis and published by the Office of Publication and Distri-

bution, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the          RELICS 6F THE CROSS
USA, 745 Riverside Drive, New York 27, New York. It can
                                                                       The Roman Catholic Church has claimed for many cen-
be obtained from this address for $5.95. It contains informa-
                                                                   turies to possess many relics of the original cross of Christ
tion on 260 religious bodies in the United States, mostly
                                                                   which relics they preserve with the greatest care and cherish
statistical. It however also, distinguishes the various groups
                                                                   in many churches and cathedrals and monasteries around the
within broader ecclesiastical groups such as the different Ad-
                                                                   world. Skeptics have often claimed that there was enough
ventist bodies, the branches of Presbyterianism,  the various
                                                                   wood among all the relics to make a good sized battleship.
kinds of Lutheran Churches, etc.
                                                                   Pious Catholics rather favored the view that the true cross of
    There are some interesting trends in American Church
                                                                   Christ has multiplied itself in the manner of the loaves and
life quoted from this book in a recent issue of The Banner.
                                                                   fishes.
    Estimated population of the United' States: 1950 -
151,132,OOO;  1960 - 180,004,OOO.                                      According to an article in Oztr Szhnday TJisitor  a French
   Church membership as percentage of the population : 1950        scholar of the last century was supposed to have madk a study
- 57 percent; 1960 - 63.6 percent.                                 of this question by examining all the relics and determining
    Total number of members in all Church bodies : 1950 -          their collective size and wcjght. He published his findings in
t-36,830,490  ; 1960 - 114,449,217.                                a book which also contained  the history of this cross.

   Average number of members per Church: 1950 - 304;                   The cross was supposed to have been discovered in 326

1960 - 359.                                                        by St. Helena. Most of the cross remained in Jerusalem from

   Protestant membership : 1950- 51,079,578  or 33.5 per-          the time of the crucifixion, but one piece was sent to Em-

cent of the total population; 1960-  63,668$35  or 35.4 per-       peror Constantine and another to the city of Constantinople.

cent of the total population.                                      Chosroes, king of Persia, burnt Jerusalem in 614 and con-

   Roman Catholic membership : 1950 - 25,634,878  or 18.9          fiscated the cross carrying it to Cresphantes on the Tigris

percent of the total population ; 1960--  42,104,900  or 23.6      River. It was recovered there in 628 and carried back to

percent of the total population.                                   Jerusalem by Emperor Heraclius who walked at the head of

                                                                   a procession bare footed and in clothes of penance. Infidels
SOUTHERN PRESBYTERlANS  AND THE NCC                                burned the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in which the cross

   The Southern Presbyterian Church, in its general as-            was kept in 636, but the cross itself was rescued. It was at

sembly to be held next month in Winston-Salem, North               this time divided into nineteen pieces and distributed through-

Carolina will have to treat at least three overtures requesting    out the then known world for reasons of safety. Three pieces

that the denomination withdraw from the National Council           were sent to Constantinople, two to Cyprus, one to Crete,

of Churches. As reported in The Bmmer  a motion to with-           three to Antioch, one to Edessa, one to Alexandria, one to

draw from the NCC was tabled last year by a vote of 250 to         Ascalon, one to Damascus, two to Georgia and four pieces

248. The grounds for the overtures are, in part, that the          were kept in Jerusalem. Since then these pieces have been

NCC proposes teachings and policies foreign to the faith and       cut up into many fragments of very minute size and dis-

confession of the Church, and that the Church resents the          tributed  throughout the Church. Estimating the size of the

fact that the NCC claims to speak for the 40 million mem-          cross and the type of wood used, the learned author concluded

bers of this organization which includes Southern Presby-          that there was about one-third of the cross still missing. The

terians. The Council has answered this charge with a state-        wonder of the cross was not that so many relics existed, bllt

ment that says in part: "Contrary to widely held beliefs, fhe      rather that so many are unknown or lost.

council does not speak for the nearly 40 million chm-chgoers           While this reverence for the cross displays the super-

represented in 33 member denominations, but it serves them         stition upon which much of Roman Catholic worship is

in the fields of Christian education, foreign and home mis-        founded and the idolatry which forms a part of its life, it still

sions, overseas relief, evangelism, and in matters affecting       remains an unproved assumption that the Romish Church is in

spiritual, moral and social conditions under which the church      possession of even the smallest sliver of wood from the cross.

and its Christian believers must carry on."                        And even if this could be proved, the hope and comfort of the

   It is hard to imagine the claim of the council that they can    cross is not at .a11  in its wood, but is rather in the obedient

make pronouncements without speaking for their member-             Servant of Jehovah Who died on the cross for the sins of His

ship. This seems to be a contradiction. However, it would          people. This glorious truth is obscured by the evil supersti-

be a further evidence of the strength of the Southern Pres-        tion of the Roman Catholic Church.

byterian Church if they should succeed in passing this motion                                                            H. Hanko


356                                             T H E   STANDAR-D   B E A R E R


                        CALL TO SYNOD                                   are not assemblies of the church, nor are they directly under
                                                                        the church, but under the parents.
       According to the decision of the last Synod, the Con-
                                                                           3. Moreover, there are many examples of women teach-
sistory of the First Protestant Reformed Church of Grand
                                                                        ing and of helping the apostles. For this I may refer to
Rapids, Michigan, notifies the churches that the 1962 Synod
                                                                        Rom. 16.
of the Protestant Reformed Churches will convene on Wed-

nesday, June 6, D.V., at 9 :00 A.M. in the above mentioned                 4. Finally, I would call attention to the fact that, espe-

church.                                                                 cially as long as the children are small, it is usually the

                                                                        mother that teaches the children and keeps them under dis-
       The pre-synodical service will be held on Tuesday eve-
                                                                        cipline. This she does, not without, but under the authority
ning, June 5, at 8 :00 P. M. at First Church. The Rev. M.
                                                                        of the husband. And if she is a widow she is certainly called
Schipper,  president of the previous Synod, will preach at this
                                                                        to do this all alone.
service.
                                                                                                                                  H.H.
       Synodical  delegates are requested to gather with the Con-

sistory before the service.

       Those requesting lodging are to contact Mr. P. Decker,                               Elect or Reprobate?
                                                                        Dear Editor :
108 Mayfield  Ave., N. E., Grand Rapids, Michigan.
                                                                           In one of your controversial books which bears the name
                                 Consistory of the First Protestant
                                                                        God's Goodness Always Pa&c&w-,  and under the sub-title,
                                 R e f o r m e d   C h u r c h
                                                                        "The Long-suffering of God," you refute the argument of
                                      Rev. C. Hanko, President          your opponent who imagines to find support in the parable of
                                      P. Decker, Secretary              the unmerciful servant of Matt. 18:23-35 for his theory of

                                                                        the general longsuff ering of God ; by presenting the unmerci-

                                                                        ful servant as a wicked person who was surrendered to eternal

                                                                        torture. Now you write on page 248 paragraph 2, the last

                                                                        sentence as follows : "But this interpretation of the parable

                                                                        cannot be maintained for a moment." And again in paragraph
                                 Randolph, Wis., April 11, 1962         3 : "For let us not overlook the fact that the longsuffering or

Dear Rev. Hoeksema :                                                    mercy which the lord of the parable shows his servant con-

       God's Word teaches us that women must keep silence in            sisted in this that he remitted all his debt." Again on page

the churches, I Cor. 14:34,  and that the women must not                249, paragraph 7: "But also the presentation that the un-

teach, nor usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence,          merciful servant in the parable is an ungodly man, a person

I Tim. 2:12. We also believe that national and state affairs            without grace, . . . cannot be maintained; forthis, if we apply

must be ruled and governed by men only. In the light of this            the presentation of the parable, leads to the conclusion that

how would you explain that women teach in our own church                God first forgives the sins of the non-elect, but after repents

school, seeing that church and school are so closely related?           and imputes them unto the same reprobates. And this is im-

Sometimes a woman is principal. And how about women                     possible." Now you further state that the main element in

teaching Sunday school classes ?                                        the parable is the fact that the lord forgave his servant his

                                   Yours in Christ,                     debt. Now to pass by this element (as your opponent does)
                                                                        of the remission of all the debt by the lord to his servant,
                                             Mrs. Ted Huizenga
                                                                        "the whole parable loses its significance," par. 3. And in
       P. S.    You may answer in The Standard Bearer.                  par. 3 you write : "But for this reason the servant of the par-

                                                                        able certainly must represent some one else than a reprobate
ANSWER :                                                                wicked, that is consigned to eternal desolation. We merely
       This is a very good question and it is worthy of a more          read that `his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the
elaborate answer than I can give in the present issue of T&             tormentors till he should pay all that was due to him.' Matt.
Sta.ndard  Bcam~. But I have so many contributions already              18:34. If we read the context . . . it will become clear to us,
that I must needs be brief. I would answer as follows :                 that the servant in the parable is a child of God, who for a
       1.    First of all, I would say that the text in I Tim. 2 :12    time lives in a relation of unwillingness to reconcile and to
must be interpreted in the light of I Cor. 14:34. In the latter         forgive his brother, and who is delivered to the tormentors
passage we read : "Let the women keep silence in the church-            for a time, by which is meant as long as he refuses to rec-
es: for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but they are            oncile and forgive he himself will not taste the forgiving grace

commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law." The            of God," par. 4, pp. 248, 249.

women, therefore, may not speak in the churches, i.e., in the              Now 17 years later, in volume ten of the "Heidelberg

public assemblies.                                                      Catechism,"      "The Perfect Prayer," treating the limiting

       2. But the Christian School and also the Sunday School           clause of the fifth petition of the "Lord's Prayer," you also


                                                  T H E   STAN~DA`RD   B E A R E R                                                   357


     refer to the same parable. But here you give the very op-              1) After the February Classis  I had hoped that an earnest

     posite version of the servant in the parable. Here you present      effort on the part of our ministers would be made to contact

     him not as a child of God, who as long as he refuses to rec-        Rev. Veldman and to personally strive to convince him of the

     oncile to his brother, will not taste the forgiving grace of        untenable position of Southeast Church. I fear that this was

     God ; but as an unbeliever and reprobate, who is finally cast       not done, and if not, I say we erred. The editorials on this

     into hell. For you write under the subtitle, "A Serious             matter and especially the remarks do not encourage brotherly

     Limiting Clause," p. 169, par. 1, as follows, "We must em-          discussions.

     phasize, therefore, from the outset, as will become very               2) I do not believe that it was necessary at this early

     evident in the rest of our explanation of this parable, that the    time to hang our wash on the line for all to see, whether

     unmerciful servant was never sorry for his sins, that he            clean or dirty. After the whole issue is settled and the last

     never tasted the grace of his lord, that he was not                 appeals, if any, have been answered, then the facts should be

     a believer, but evidently an unbeliever and reprobate."             published, and then too -only the issues.

     And again at the bottom of p. 171 and p. 172 : "Thus, the un-          3) The remarks in your editorials and in Prof. H. C.
     merciful servant is a picture, not of one that first tasted the     Hoeksema's articles, in my estimation, do cast Southeast con-
     grace of God and believed and then fell away, which is im-          sistory and pastor in a bad light as does the Rev. Veldman
     possible, but of the reprobate unbeliever, that indeed heard        complain. We would not want to make public our own per-
     the proclamation of the mercy of God in the preaching of the        sonal shortcomings and so we should deal with the brother.
     gospel, but never tasted God's mercy for Himself. And the           Even though it is true that Southeast consistory and pastor
     final result is that when the last day of reckoning comes, he       placed themselves in a bad light, nevertheless, I say, why tell
     is held responsible for his debt, expected to pay all that he       it abroad ?
     owes. He is delivered to the tormentors, since he has noth-            In the second place, I am distressed by the repeated re-
     ing to pay, this means forever. He is cast into hell."              marks I hear, that neither you, Rev. Hoeksema, nor Rev.
         Now I don't believe that the Chr. Ref. Church has suc-          Veldman visit each other to discuss the issues at stake. Is it
     ceeded in converting you to their fancy double-track theolo,gy.     so that among brethren we cannot seek out one another, and
     But I surmise that at the time you were treating this limiting      in love, strive to come to mutual and scriptural agreement?
     clause of the fifth petition you were not aware of the first        If not, I am afraid of the future of our churches. And our.
     mentioned explanation, otherwise I am sure you would have           churches have a cause worth every personal effort and sacri-
     made mention of it. But as yet, I am not ready to say that the      fice because our churches have the cause of Christ. Rev.
     servant in the parable is a reprobate unbeliever, for if we         Veldman and his consistory and congregation are our broth-
     consult the context we find Jesus spoke this parable to His         ers and sisters in Christ. They deserve and need and desire
     disciples, to His elect people. Matt. 18 :35.                       all our love and patience and prayer. We must leave nothing
         Now Rev. Hoeksema I believe you can do us all as                undone to show them the error of their present position. If
     readers of The Standard Btxwer  a great service by answering        it please the Lord to turn Southeast Consistory from their
     the following question: What caused you to make such a              present stand, how. wonderful that would be. We will not say
     radical change ?                                                    that I have won and you have lost, but that the-  spirit of

                    Yours in the cause of the truth,                     Christ has prevailed.

                                            Albert Bleyenburg                Finally, now that the whole issue has been placed in The

                                            Grand Rapids, Michigan       Stasdqrd Bearer, I want to see Rev. Veldman have all the

     R E P L Y :                                                         space he desires, to present his arguments on his stand of
                                                                         which he is so convinced. I hope Rev. Veldman does not
         In seventeen years one gets older and wiser.
                                                                         attack anyone's person. It is our prayer that by the grace
         If in your diligent search for discrepancies in my writings     of God our present troubles will be resolved on a high plane
     you find some more, I would like to have them.                      of spirituality. When all is said and done, may we be able
                                                                 H.H.    to say before God and His Church that we have not arrived

                                                                         there by default.

     Editor of The Standard Bswer :                                                                   Your brother in Christ,

         I was a delegate to the January Classis, 1962, and to the                                               Dewey Engelsma

     reconvened session in February. I was in agreement with the
                                                                            Remarks in the above contribution:
     decision of Classis, and I still am. At present, I am troubled
     because of the editorials in Tke Standard BeaTreP  concerning           1. The Classis, in discussing the different protests in this
     this matter.                                                        case did not go in executive session. It, therefore, was a
         In the first place, I was surprised to see that it was being    public matter and, therefore, I had a perfect right to publish
     published. And I am not at all pleased for the following            it in The Stamdard  Bewm.

     reasons :                                                               2. Moreover, I did not only have a perfect right to pub-





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


lish it, but it certainly is a matter that concerns all our                           The Firstborn So% fo earth did come,
churches and not only Classis  East.                                                  H2.s life in death to gizre;

       3. Because it is not a private, but a public matter, I can-                    Tlze  only t,rue, Begotten One,

not and may not discuss it privately with the Rev. R. Veld-                           Tha.t we with H&l*  shomld  live.

man.                                                                               5. And yet the plaza  is mot comhplete;
       4. Of course, the Rev. Veldman has the perfect right to                        There's mu~-e  to still be plied,
explain and to defend his view of the matter in our magazine.                         The jut, with holiness replete,
                                                                 H.H.                 Mmst  yet be glori@d.

                                                                                      W1aa.t  shall zue of these things declare?

                                                                                      .What  shall we, childrem, say?
                    "The Hymn Question"                                               We? who in glory crozevyts shall zvear?

Dear Rev. Hoeksema  :                                                                 We'll praise H&m day by day!

       The reading of a hymn this morning prompts me to write               After reading it, I wondered how any one could possibly
this article. The hymn was written by my late husband, and               object to singing these words.
is based on Remans  8 :29-31a  : "For whom he did foreknow,                 I have followed and studied the articles on the "Hymn
he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his             Question"      in our Standard Bearer with great interest. I
Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.                 found that some of those who do not favor hymns in our
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called : and             churches seem to think that those who do favor them want
whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justi-               to do away with the Psalms. God forbid that this should be
fied, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these            true. The Psalms have been our guide and comfort through all
things ?"                                                                life's journey, and they will continue to be so. Many hymns,
       Here follows the hymn, to be sung to the tune of Psalter          based on Scripture, have likewise been a source of comfort
No. 303.                                                                 and joy to us.

              B E F O R E   T H E   L O R D   I N   G L O R Y               What possible objection can there be to singing hymns

                                                                         that are based on Scripture ? Some of the hymns quote
         1. Eternally before His face                                    Scripture literally, while others express basic truths contained
             God all .Hds own ddd see;                                   therein. This cannot be said of all the numbers in our Psal-
             Predestined in His sovereign grace,                         ter. Think of No. 4, a versificationof  Psalm 2 : "While yet
             His image  they would be.                                   in mercy He is near, Delay not, lest His anger rise." And
             Confornaed to that of His dear Son,                         there are other wrong versifications.  We may and do sing
             Most wonderfdy  ma,de,                                      these numbers in our services. But may we not sing, "Oh
             An image that reflects the One                              love of God, how strong and true," and the following stanzas ?
             On Father's face displayed.                                 (Psalter Hymnal No. 341). This hymn, together with many

         2. Among  the brethren, gathered ones,                          others are sung in our homes, at our programs and hymn

             Standing before the Lord,                                   sings.     The question arises, "If we can sing these hymns in

             Tlae  Son, the F,hstbom  thus becomes,                      our `homes, and other gatherings, to the glory of God, why

             Ordained by mighty Word.                                    must they be excluded from our divine worship, where our

             Before He eartKs foundations made,                          voices unite in praise to our God ?"

             Long `foge we ever knew,                                        Some of the articles on the "Hymn Question" left the im-

             Our  Sovmvign  God these plans had laid,                    pression that those who favor hymns want to sail in Arminian

             To make us children i&e.                                    waters. They want to elevate man. Nothing is farther from

                                                                         the truth. Emphasis has aIways  been laid on the fact that we
         3. And wlzo$m  He dgd predestinate,                             must have only those hymns that exalt God, and make man
             Tlzemt He has aLo called                                    very small.                                                         a
             Fromz  darkness, in His ldght to wait,
                                                                            Another objection raised against hymn singing in our
             Before His face emthlled.                                   churches is that this will cause the church to depart from
             But how should we, who darkness were,                       the truth. It should be plain to everyone that this reasoning
             By natwe  born in sin,                                      is absurd. The singing of hymns which are based on Scrip-
             Before the light of God appear,                             ture cannot possibly cause a church to deteriorate. Was hymn
             We who are vile with&?
                                                                         singing in our churches the cause of departure from the truth

         4. `T-is wonderful, beyond com@mre,                             by those who left us in `53? We know better. We have ex-

             T1aa.t  mlatclzless  love of God!                           perienced that those who prior to `53 no longer desired sound

             He justifies  the ones who were                             doctrine did not want sound hymns either; but they clamored

             Tlae  call-ed,  through the blood.                          for Arminian hymns.


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                359


    Surely we must all agree that there can be nothing prin-      not setting our hearts upon the things below, but following

cipally wrong in singing Scriptural hymns in our churches.        the principles found in the early Christian church.

             Yours for the welfare of our churches,                   An offering was taken for The Standard Bearer  after
                                                                  which Rev. G. Van Baren interestingly answered the ques-
                                            Mrs. D. Jonker
                                                                  tions "Should women cover their heads in church ?" I Cor.

                                                                  11 :5, "What is baptism for the dead?" I Cor. 15 :29,  and

                                                                  "In time of difficulty may we pray for what we humanly

                                                                  desire ?"
    REPORT OF THE WESTERN LADIES! LEAGUE MEETING
                                                                     As their special number, four ladies from Edgerton  took
    Our spring meeting was held on the afternoon of Friday,       part in a round table discussion. Our retiring president
April 13 at Doon.    An organ prelude was played by Mrs.          thanked all those who took part in the afternoon's activities.
Tim Kooima. Mrs. Wm. Kooiker,  our president, then led US         Psalter number 369 was sung and Rev. Woudenberg led in
in singing two psalter numbers, including our theme song,         a prayer of thanksgiving.       After the program we enjoyed a
number 298. She then read from Scripture a portion of Acts        social hour and lunch served by Hull, our host society.
4 and led us in prayer. After a word. of welcome to those                                           Mrs. Bert Brands, Reporter
present, the previous minutes and treasurer's report were

given. Election of new officers was held with the following

results: Mrs. J. Kortering,  president, Mrs. Art Verhey,                                   EDITORIALS
secretary and Mrs. Tim Kooima, Vice-all.                                             (Continued from page 341)

    Rev. B. Wotidenberg  was introduced as our speaker with          It is to my ,mind  a very fundamental principle of the

the theme, "Communism in the Christian Church" as his             Church Order that no major assembly (Classis  or Synod)

topic. Scriptural reference was Acts 4:32. Communism is a         shall decide on matters that could have been finished in the

political philosophy which sets forth the idea that no one        minor assembly, in this case the consistory of First Church.

has any right to a greater reward for his labor than anyone       The article of the Church Order to which I have reference

else. It was set forth approximately 100 years ago by Karl        reads as follows (Art. 30) :

Marx and was occasioned by the unfair practices of that day          "In these assemblies ecclesiastical matters only shall be

to take from the poor and give to the rich. Marx himself          transacted and that in an ecclesiastical manner. In major

tasted of extreme poverty in his life and decided to draw up      assemblies only such matters shall be dealt with as could not

a plan whereby everyone would receive equal rewards in            be finished in minor assemblies, or such as pertain to the

life -have all things in common. He decided this should           major assembly in common."

be done through a dictatorship using force. It would destroy         The Consistory of First Church never dealt with the cases

all who opposed the cause and would take all possessions          of Flietstra and Mrs. Vanden  Engel.  Should they have dealt

under state control to be used and distributed as the state       with them ? Perhaps. But do not forget that the consistory

saw fit.                                                          of Fourth Church mentioned only the Gritters family and

    Many have tried to compare this system of philosophy          made no mention of the others. Besides, if the case of the

with the practices of the early church in Jerusalem which         Gritters family had been settled, the other two cases would

developed very soon after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit       have been decided too in the nature of the case. As to the

on Pentecost when for a short period thousands were being         Vander Vennen case, it is true that this had been decided by

added daily to the church. Being filled with new zeal, this       the consistory of First Church, and, perhaps, in the wrong

new church was united with love and one faith. There in           way. But the fact is that there was not any form of protest

Jerusalem for a short time the mutual love of Christianity        concerning the Vander Vennen case before the consistory of

demonstrated itself bountifully as all earthly needs were         First Church. Tn fact, Fourth Church could not protest be-

shared in common.                                                 cause, in that case, they would condemn their own actions.

   Although this might strike. us as' being similar to the        Nor was there any protest in this case before classis. And

ideal goal of communism, it is really in absolute opposition.     even the matter of "inconsistency" and of "measuring with

Communism is an atheistic philosophy which recognizes             two measures" was never before the consistory of First

nothing but the material world and is built upon the sinful       Church.

lust of man for carnal riches. In contrast the early church,         Hence, if the classis, on the advice of the committee, had

recognizing God, shared its material goods in rejection of        decided anything at all in these cases, it would have to have

earthly wealth and carnal riches. It actually rejected the sin    been something like this:

that communism exploits and lived out of the love of God.            "On the basis of Art. 30 of the Church Order, and on the

    In our day Russia is an open advocate of Communism,           basis of the fact that these matters were never before the

but it may also be found in our country in the form of labor      Consistory of First Church, we have no jurisdiction in the

unions, graduated taxes and subsidies. This philosophy is         matter and would refer it to the consistory of First Church."

growing in the world and we must recognize and oppose it,                                                                    H.H.


                                                                               acted and questions reg?rding  the lecture were answered by

        Nl?YSFROMQUR.C~URCHES  I the speaker. Rev. H. Hanko, of Hope Church, led in closing
                                                                               prayer.
                "All the 
I/                       saints  .salu@ `thee. t . ." l?~ft.  4;Zi!l'  -F.'
                                                                                  The Western League of Ladies' Societies met in Doon

                                                                               Tuesday afternoon, April 13, with the. Rev. B. Woudenberg,
           Se@ news from our Churches direct to Mr. j. M. Faber,.
                 `1123 Cooper, S. E., Grand Rapids 7, Mich.                    of Edgerton, speaking on, "Christian Communism in Acts."

                                                   April 20, 1962 I -             The Eastern League met in Southwest Church Thursday

       Randolph's Consistory announces the following trio frbm                 evening, April 19. The speaker.was Rev. C. Hanko, of First

which they will choose one to call to be their minister :' ReTis;:             Church, who spoke on "The New Heavens and Earth."

R. 6. Harbach, G. Van Baren,  G. Vanden  Berg.'                                   On April 10 Doon's Men's Society was host to their
      A news item from the Program Comm. of the Reformed                       Ladies' Society in their annual get-together. April 16 Edger-
Witness Hour : The Lord willing, Sunday, May 27, with the                      ton's men met in cdmbined  meeting with their Ladies' Society,
usual introduction - "Dear Radio Audience" -the Rev. 8.                        and in both cases the adult members of the congregations
Hoeksema will preach the last of his current radio messages.                   were invited by them to share this evening of fellowship.
Since the first week of December the pastor of First Church                       The April 10th Office Bearers' Conference was held in
has been heard on the broadcasts of our "Protestant Re-                        Hudsonville Church with the Rev. H. Hoeksema as speaker.
formed" Witness Hour. Highlighting the past twenty-six                         His topic was, "The Origin and History of Family Visitation
weeks of Rev. Hoeksema's  radio ministry was the; airing of                    and How Can It Be Most Faithfully Conducted." The l&n's
the 1,OOOth  broadcast of our distinctively  Reformed Radio                    share of the speech was concerned with the faithful exercise
Program. During this month we hope to send out four radio                      of that official work of our consistories, and was a source of
programs, the sermon titles of which are : May. 6 - "The
                                                                               welcome instruction for the Elders present which we may
Resurrection Body," May 13 - "The Spiritual Body," May
                                                                               expect to find reflected in their visits in the future.
20 - "The Image of the Heavenly," and the final Sunday of
the month - "Victory Over Death." The Committee takes                             We note that bur Missionary, Rev. G. Lubbers, has suc-
this opportunity to thank Rev. Hoeksema for his efforts and                    ceeded in obtaining a lecture hall in Olivet, S. Dak., in the
wonderful cooperation enabling the committee to send these                     Tripp-Menno  area. His March 27th lecture was on, "The
messages over the airwaves, and the Lord willing, hopes to                     Raging of Satan in History," and April 10th topic was, "The
record the "dominee" again next December. Our readers can                      Infallible Earmark of the Last Hour." The last two editions
obtain copies of the radio sermons by writing to The Re-                       of "The Reformed Witness" were written by Rev. Lubbers,
formed Witness Hour, P.O. Box 8, Grand Rapids 1, Mich.                         the one giving full particulars regarding our churches and
       The Annual Spring meeting of the League of Men's So-                    our Missionary, and the other a brochure on "Christ The
cieties was held in First Church -Monday  evening, April 16.                   Prophet."

Special music was furnished by the -4dams  St. School Band                        The Men's societies of Edgerton, Hull and Doon met in

which rendered four selections. Rev. G. Lanting of Holland                     combined meeting in the school at Edgerton  March 25. Bible

led in opening devotions and presided. The speaker for the                     discussion was from Romans 11 :lff. -4nother  combined meet-

evening was the Rev. J. A. Heys, of South Holland, Ill. His                    ing, this time in Oak Lawn, was that of the two Ladies'

topic was, "The Healing of Babel's Mortal Wound." The                          Societies of South Holland and Oak Lawn. Rev. Heys was

speaker asserted that the purpose of the Anti-Christian king-                  the speaker at the occasion.

dom, from Nimrod and the Tower of Babel to the ,final  mani-                      The April 8th Beacon Lights Hymnsing  was held in First
festation of the Man of Sin is to maintain itself in the lie,                  Church with Mr. Edw. Ophoff as director. A vocal duet by
and to escape the Curse without the Cross. The mortal wound                    Mr. and Mrs. C. Jonker and a cornet solo by Mr. Don
at Babel, he said, was the confusion of speech, which included                 Knoper  provided special mttsic  fpr the enthusiastic audience
their minds, desires, ideolo,T,  philosophy and entire psycho-                 which sang appropriate Psalter numbers and Easter hymns.
logical make-up.     The speaker described the healing of that
                                                                                  Hope School's Mothers' Club is sponsoring a Spring Con-
wound as it will occur under the reign of The Son of Perdi-
                                                                               cert, featuring the Prot. Ref. Men's Chorus, to be held in
tion when men's minds will be molded to that of thk Anti-
                                                                               Hudsonville Church, May 6, after the evening service.
Christ, and his ideology will be shared by his subjects. The
Divine purpose, accordin g to Rev. Heys, is that the tree of                      Hope's bulletin furnished the following quote from Mat-
sin must bear all its fruits in the development .of Adam's sin.                thew Henry : "This is Christian patience: I was dumb. I
Further, that God will display His Justice, Holiness and                       opened not my mouth, not because it was to no purpose to
Righteousness to the sinful world ; and His Grace $0 His                       complain, but because Thou didst it, and therefore I had no
Church will be revealed when He gathers them out of that                       reason to complain."

world ripe for destruction. After recess business was trans-                    . . . . see you in church.                                J.M.F.


