                                         he

                                  tandard

                                                -earer


     A   R E F O R M E D   S E M I - M O N T H L Y   M A G A Z I N E



     IN THIS ISSUE


            Meditation:
               Finding A Lost Life

             Editorials:
               Remember Galileo!
               Some Questions to C.A.F.

             The Purpose of Christian Education
               (see: The Strength of Youth)

             The Waldensian Movement
               (see: Studies in Depth)

~                                                     Volume XL V / Number 18 / July I, 1969


410                                                       THE STANDARD BEARER


                            CONTENTS                                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER
                                                                                 Semi-monthly, except monthly during June, July and August.

                                                                                  Published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association, Inc.
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   Finding A Lost Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .410       Editor-in-Chief: Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
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                                                                            Kortering, Rev. George C. Lubbers, Rev. Marinus  Schipper,  Rev. Gisa J.
   Remember Galileo! . . . . . . . . . _ . . . . . . . . . . . .412         Van  Baren, Rev. Herman Veldman, Rev. Bernard Woudenberg
   Some Questions to C.A.F. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .415            Editorial Office:  Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
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Meditation

                                         FINDING A LOST LIFE
                                                              Rev. M. Schippev

             "He that fmdeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall jind it. "
                                                                                                                Matthew lo:39


   Strange indeed, and profound is the Word of the lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life  ,for my sake
Lord in our text!                                                           and the gospel's, the same shall save it." Mark 8:35.
   By no means an isolated saying of the Lord!                              Luke tells us: "For whosoever will save his life shall
   All the gospels record similar passages. We read again lose it : but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the
in Matthew's gospel the following: "For whosoever same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged if he
will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose gain the whole world, and lose himself or be cast
his life for my sake shall find it." Matt.  16:25. Mark away." Luke  9:24, 25. And again, "Whosoever shall
puts it this way: "For whosoever will save his life shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall


                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER                                                    411


lose his life shall preserve it." Luke  17:33. John's Holland agrees: "Die zijne ziel vindt, zal dezelve
gospel records: "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and verliezen, en die zijne ziel zal verloren hebben om
he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto        mijnent wil, zal dezelve vinden."
life eternal." John 12:25.                                         The term "soul" refers to the seat of one's physical,
   Apparent it is therefore that the Lord spoke these           psychical life - the life that one lives in the physical
words on more than one occasion; emphasizing the                body  - the life one lives in this present world. Not
fact of their importance and practical significance.            without reason, therefore, the translators have termed
   How drastic and final is this Word of the Lord in all        it "life." So that, as one commentator correctly puts
these passages, as well as in our text!                         it, "the point lies in the reference of the finding and
   He that findeth his life shall lose it!                      losing not being the same in the first as in the second
   He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it!           half of the verse." He continues by translating the text
   In the context of our passage the Lord had just              thus: "Whoever will have found his soul (by a saving of
chosen His disciples and commissioned them. He his life in this world through denying me in those times
would send them out as sheep among wolves, and in               when life is endangered) will lose it (namely, through
their going they are to seek the lost sheep of the house        the eternal death at the second coming). And whoever
of Israel, and to preach that the kingdom of heaven is          will have lost his soul (through the loss of his life in
at hand. No provision were they to make for the way,            this world in persecution, through an act of self
but they were to live of the gospel. If they were               sacrifice) will  find it (at the resurrection to eternal
received, they were to abide; if not, they were to shake        life)."
the dust of their feet; believing that it would be more            With the above explanation we agree. The finding in
tolerable in the judgment for Sodom and Gomorrha the first half of the text denotes the saving of the soul
than for that city. Wise as serpents and harmless as            when to all appearances it is hopelessly endangered by
doves  they were to be, and understanding well that             temporal death; while in the second half it denotes the
they would be hated of all men for Christ's sake.               saving  .of the soul after it has actually succumbed to
Delivered they would be to the councils, where they             death. The former is a finding that issues in eternal
would be scourged and given over to death. They were            death; the latter, one that conducts to eternal life.
not to fear them which kill only the body but are not              And make no mistake by concluding that the Lord
able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able        is here speaking only of martyrs. No doubt they have
to destroy both soul and body in hell. They were to             the preeminence in losing their lives. Has it not been
confess Christ before men, while they clung to His              correctly said: The history of the Christian Church has
promise that He would confess them before His Father            been written with a pen of blood? Is not the history of
in heaven; knowing also that they who deny Him shall            the church of Christ replete with examples of those
also be denied. And the reason why they were not to             who because of their relation to Christ were required
expect peace and prosperity in the fulfillment of their         to be burned as torches to light the arenas of
commission is to be found in the fact that their Lord           pleasure-mad demons, who allowed their bodies to be
had not come to send peace on earth but a sword  -              cast into the teeth of ferocious beasts, or who suffered
the sword that brings division in the most intimate             the members of their bodies to be pulled apart on the
relationships of life, so that a man's foes are they of his     racks? Is it' not so that of the immediate disciple group
own household. Never were they to love father or                only one was allowed to pass away on a bed of peace,
mother, son or daughter, more than Christ. To neglect           though he was an exile?
this mandate would make them unworthy of Him.                     Yet the losing of one's life has a broader significance
They were to take up the cross and follow after Him.            than mere martyrdom. The term refers also to the
   And so, he that findeth his life shall lose it: and he       daily act of self-negation. It is therefore not only the
that loseth his life for Christ's sake shall find it!           martyr on whose bleeding brow the crown of life is
   The  p,ositive truth in the text concerns: Finding a         gently placed, whose temples have first been tom by a
lost life!                                                      crown of thorns; but there is a daily dying, which
   But what does this mean?                                     perhaps is as hard or harder than the brief and bloody
   To what does the Lord refer when He says first of            passage of martyrdom through which some enter into
all, "He that fmdeth his life shall lose it?" And then, rest. For the true losing of life is the slaying of self,
what does He mean when He says, "and he that loseth             and that has to be done day by day, and not once for
his life for my sake shall find it?"                            all, in some .supreme act of surrender at the end, or in
   To get at the meaning, it is important, fast of all, we      some initial act of submission and yielding at the
believe, to notice what the Lord says in the original           beginning of the Christian life.
text. If we may be allowed to translate literally it              We must not forget that by natural disposition we
would be something like this: "The one having found             are all inclined to make our selves to be our own
his soul shall lose it : and the one having lost his soul on    centres, the objects of our trust; and if we do so, we
account of me shall find it." With this translation .the        are dead while we live. But the death which brings life


412                                           THE STANDARD BEARER


is when, day by day, we "crucify the old man with his to lose it; and I have power to take it up again. And
affections and lusts." And crucifixion is no sudden only after I have so conducted Myself, may you, Peter,
death; it is a slow and painful one. One does not, follow me, and lose your life."
therefore, naturally choose to lose his life. Rather, he             And so it must always be!
seeks to preserve it and all the material resources at his           This is also the sense of what John writes (I John
disposal he would use to find his life in this world, in 3 : 16) "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he
which, like the fool, he imagines he shall live forever. laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our
  How tragic is the end of such an one! He that finds lives for the brethren." That is always the order! "On
his life, in this sense, shall lose it! With nothing more, account of Me" must refer, therefore, to what Christ
such a soul ends in eternal death.                                 has first done.
   On the other hand, the one having lost his soul shall             Then, in the second place, it can and does mean
find it!                                                           also, in service to Him! He is Master - I am His slave.
  That is, the one having lost his soul for Jesus' sake!           Obeying Him I love not my life unto death.
  On account of Me!                                                  Such losers become finders!
  This must mean, first of all, on account of what                   Beautiful promise!
Christ Jesus has done for that soul! Understand it well              He shall find it!
- there is no soul that will lose itself on account .of              Or, as John expresses it in the parallel passage
Christ that was not first operated upon by Christ. We quoted above: "shall keep it unto eternal life."
have nothing to give to or for Christ that we did not Striking is the immediate context of this reference,
first receive from Him.                                            where we read (John 12 :24) "Except a corn of wheat
  You remember it was Simon Peter, with all the fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it
emphasis on "Simon," who said: "I will lay down my die, it bringeth forth much fruit." One kernel dropped
life (soul) for thy sake." To whom Jesus replied: "Wilt in the furrow and dying there brings forth a field of
thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I waving grain. Christ evidently is speaking here of His
say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast own death, a death that would eventually bring forth a
denied me thrice." The error and sin of Peter was not veritable harvest of living, glorified souls. And this
only that he rashly believed he could do something for grace He passes on to all His servants whom He makes
Jesus, even give his life for Him; but-his great mistake willing to lose their souls in this life, in order that they
was that he failed to see that he could not lay down his may repossess their souls unto eternal life.
life for Christ until Christ had first laid down His life            This life we experience now in principle and in a
for Peter. What brought Peter to repentance and bitter relative sense, in the measure we lose our life for
tears after he had denied His Lord as was predicted,               Christ's sake in this present evil world. That is, when
was not only the fact that he sensed his awful sin of we put the knife to the throat of our sinful nature and
denial, but the look of the Saviour as He passed from mortify the deeds of the body so that they are slain
the judgment hall of Annas to the ecclesiastical hall.of completely, then we live. And when we lay down our
justice  (?) before Caiaphas, which look penetrated to lives, we actually lose nothing, but we find the life that
the very heart of Peter with the implied words: "Peter,            shall never end, which is the experience of everlasting
you must understand well that you cannot lay down fellowship with the God of our salvation in Christ
your life for Me until I first lay down My life for you. I Jesus.
go now to do exactly that. For in a moment I shall be                For  this is indeed eternal life: "That they might
condemned to death not only by the church, but also know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
by the world. I have power, Peter, to lay down my life, thou hast sent."~                           .'
                                                              -




                                      Remember Galileo!

 In the on-going debate about Scripture and its                    itself; and it is an obvious attempt to present in
authority no little stir has been created by a brochure popular style and for the general reading public the
(in the  series Kampen Exercise  Books) from the pen               so-called new theology concerning the authority and
of Dr. H. M. Kuitert under the title "Understandest inspiration of Scripture which is current in the
Thou What Thou Readest?" This brochure is supposed                 Netherlands and which finds its leading representatives
to be about the interpretation of the Bible, according             in men like Dr. G. C. Berkouwer (to whom Kuitert
to its sub-title. In fact, however, it is about the Bible          dedicates this brochure in thankfulness for his "inimi-


                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER                                              413



table book, `De Heilige  Schrift II' "!!  !), Dr. Kuitert, stands still and that the sun revolves, has not under-
and others.                                                stood what he reads.'
  One of the favorite devices of those who attack the         "Although it stands there," says Dr. Kuitert, but the
literal interpretation of those parts of Scripture which amusing thing is that Kuitert himself never tumbled to
plainly demand a literal understanding is to refer to the it that what he asserts one should literally read there
history of the controversy between the scientist does  not  stand there. The fact of the matter is that
Galileo and the Roman Catholic Church in the 17th Joshua does not say of the earth that it stands still,
century. Here is supposed to be an instance where the does not turn upon its axis, or something similar. If
church unjustly condemned a man on the basis of a Galileo in his time had only contended that the earth
literal interpretation of Scripture and later came to turned upon its axis - leaving the rest as it is.- then
understand that  this literal interpretation was unten- the exegetes could not have attacked him with Joshua
able.                                                      10 : 12, 13, even with the best intentions in the world.
  Dr. Kuitert in his insistence that the writers of          Yet that would not have helped him very much. For
Scripture were time-bound, that is, limited in their the simple reason that the (Roman Catholic) "inter-
views to the historical horizons of their own times (so preters" of the beginning of the 17th century, who
that, for example, they could erroneously think and busied themselves with Galileo's "heresy," were all cut
write as though the.earth  were flat and four-cornered, from exactly the same wood as Dr. Kuitert today. And
etc.), also refers to the Galileo-question.                it was no different with Galileo.
  Although one would think that some of these                By "time-boundness" of interpreters Dr. Kuitert
theologians would tire of threshing this old straw, would understand, not wrongly, that these live in a
especially since this argument has been repeatedly and definite age, with a definite state of scientific develop-
effectively answered, they nevertheless continue to ment. Whatever is known of the universe and the
bring it up, Why, I do not know, except for the fact course of the heavenly bodies or whatever is thought
that it has been effectively used to deceive the simple about these things, whatever is discovered in every
sometimes.                                                 sphere of natural science and is accepted as established,
  In one of the Dutch papers,  "Tot  Vrijlzeid furthermore whatever  - upon whatever ground that
Geroepen, " G. Goossens has written a series of articles may be - is conceived and generally accepted as the
in which he criticizes Kuitert's views as presented in truth,  - all of this together constitutes the  "world-
the above-mentioned brochure. These articles have image" of a certain period. Not all contemporaries
appeared under the title "Adamlessness in Kuitert." In have that same world-image. One finds it in the sphere
the second article (March, 1969) he very neatly of science, and from that height some of it trickles
answers Dr. Kuitert's argument from the  Galileo- down  - all according to the ability of individuals to
controversy. In fact, he turns Dr. Kuitert's argument grasp it - to the.masses. In our time men speak (as we
against himself.                                           are also assured by Prof. Van de Flier-t in his brochure,
  Because the Galileo-matter has been repeatedly "Fundamentalism and the basis of the geological
brought up, also in our own country, and because Mr. sciences") of "our world-image," which  - compared
Goossens treats this matter rather thoroughly and with that of earlier generations  - "has attained to
effectively, I am presenting a translation of a large tremendous dimensions, in time as well as in space."
section of one of his articles. All that follows in this Well then, no one need dispute this. In another century
editorial is a quotation and translation of the  above- - should the world still exist then - every scholar will
mentioned article.                                         be able to say that again, - perhaps after he is basically
                       *  8 *  8 *                         done with the "world-image" of the present generation
                                                           for good and all. Who will say?
Time-bound In. terpreters                                    What Dr. Kuitert now wishes to do by recalling the
  That the  interpreters  of the Scriptures are also Galileo-question is to support the popular fable that
strongly "time-bound" is illustrated by Dr. Kuitert by the earlier exegetes (i.e., those of the beginning of the
means of the .well-known  narrative of Joshua 10 ("Sun,    17th century) viewed the Bible as a book from which
stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the you could also learn astronomy, geology, biology, etc.
valley of Ajalon.") and the Galileo-question.              etc. To that end they read the Bible literally. However,
  "There was a time when this text was used to refute. there is no truth to this.
the assertions of Copernicus and Galileo. Here they          If only those "interpreters" of the Inquisition had
surely found it clearly stated in Scripture that not the read literally! Then they would have readily compre-
earth revolved about the sun, as Copernicus and Galileo hended that Joshua employed exactly the same word-
claimed, but the sun about the earth," we read.            usage as they themselves and also as we still do today.
  A little further, on p. 26: "Although it stands there, We speak too, do we not, of the sun which goes every
today we say: `Anyone who would contend that day from the east to the west? If on a summer day one
Joshua 10: 12, 13 would inform us that the earth should notice that in the evening at 10 o'clock the .sun


414                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



stih stood just as far above the horizon as at 7 o'clock, by. the overwhelming majority of the men of science
he would cry out entirely correctly: "The sun is (who often were at the same time church authorities).
standing still!" We also speak (even today) of the           Actually they stood, without their knowing it, on
tropics, or solstices, between' which the sun goes and the same standpoint as Galileo. They also swore by a
returns, (keerkringen, waartussen de zon heen en weer certain science. In this instance, that of Ptolemy.
keert).  Dr. Kuitert observes correctly that Joshua 10: Armed with those scientific spectacles, they read the
12, 13 would tell us something entirely different than Scriptures. They did not permit Galileo to put other
that which the interpreters in the days of Galileo read spectacles on them.
in it; but when he then continues "that the narrator         They did not get it from Scripture that the sun
avails himself of the knowledge which he has of the turned about the earth. No, they had long ago gotten
sun and moon," this last assertion is, of course, that from science, namely, from the Ahnagest of
nonsense. Just as well as it would be nonsense if Ptolemy. And then they thought to find it also in the
someone who heard Dr. Kuitert assert at the Bible.
Zandvoort beach that the sun set beautifully in the sea      Naturally, the fat was in the fire when in 1632 he
and the moon rose above the dunes in stately grandeur wrote his "Dialogue" about the two chief  world-
to the heavens, would assure us that Dr. Kuitert avails images, that of Ptolemy and that of Copernicus. In
himself of the knowledge of the sun and moon which that work he let three persons argue about the pro and
he has. Fortunately the Bible does not concern itself at con of both world-images. The one was a confirmed
all with "world-images." It speaks common human follower of Copernicus, the other a fanatical .opponent,
language.                                                  well-versed in the teaching of Aristotle. In the-book
                                                           this one is pictured as a half-baked simpleton. The
Hewn From The Same Wood                                    third plays the part of an impartial auditor, a kind of
  How is it now with those "interpreters" of 16 16, moderator  - to use a modem word. It caught the
and especially with those of 1633, with whom Galileo attention, however, that Galileo put the arguments
had trouble?                                               which the Pope and his prelates used in their opposi-
  They certainly did not swear by the Bible, saying tion to the world-image of Copernicus in the mouth of
that it stands thus and so when read literally and that that half-baked simpleton.
this is now the "world-image" of the "Biblical writer"       As is well-known, in 1633 Galileo was compelled to
and therefore also ours, and that whatever is not in repudiate his teachings, which he did only out of
harmony with it is heresy, etc., etc.                      self-preservation, with the words: "I declare that I
  No, they swore by the science of Aristotle, who believe, and always shall believe, what the Church
knew nothing of a Bible. Thomas Aquinas had been a acknowledges and teaches as Truth."
genial coordinator, who had very neatly fitted together      All that can be deduced from the history of Galileo
the doctrine of Aristotle and the doctrine of the and his conflict with the ecclesiastical authorities is
church. Well now, entirely in harmony with the this, that those "interpreters" as well as Galileo and his
teaching of Aristotle the learned astronomer Ptolemy supporters both swore by science. Actually the differ-
(also a heathen, as far as is known), who lived about ence concerned only the question  which  science one
130 A.D., projected a world-image on the basis of his had to adhere to, which world-image one had to have
own observations and reckonings in which the earth in order to be able to read and understand the
stood in the center of the universe. The earth stood still, Scriptures well This, then, is precisely the same
and the sun and the planets moved at enormous speeds question at issue today with Dr. Kuitert,  cum sociis,
around this center. All that was known about astron- and with many other scholars - also non-theologians.
omy until the days of Ptolemy he had compiled in a Again  they swear by science. This time, however, by
book, named the "Almagest." Far into the 17th century the teaching of evolution. Therefore we said:  hewn
this scientific work was regarded by many men of from the same wood.
science and by church authorities as the end of all          Because Dr. Kuitert has a "world-image" which is
contradiction.                                             closely connected with what he has learned from the
  Had Galileo but remained quiet and confined evolutionists in the sphere of the natural sciences and
himself to his own scientific sphere, continuing to likewise in the sphere of the spiritual sciences and
build on the teaching of Copernicus that the earth accepts as irrefutable truth, he has gone about reading
turns about the sun and also has its own revolution and understanding the Scriptures differen tZy.
about its axis, etc., he would not have encountered          His opinion, that Adam and Eve did not exist and
much difficulty. But he found it necessary to make it that there was no paradise, no serpent, and no fall, no
clearly known that the traditional interpretation of finely formed human beings six or eight thousand
Scripture erred on some points. For it was scientifi- years ago,  - this he did not get from the Scriptures.
cally certain that. . .etc., etc. Against this the No, the evolutionists taught him this. What was taught
ecclesiastical authorities then took up arms, supported him about fossils and earth-strata has become for him


                                             THE STANDARD BEARER                                                415


decisive proof for the untenableness of that which the and anxiety are exactly the theologians like Dr. Kuitert
writer of Genesis relates to him as "having really        and his fellows. For as soon as their evolutionistic
happened."                                                world-image is toppled by newer results of scientific
  Prof. Van de Fliert has remarked in his previously      development - and those results are already among us
cited brochure that the "fundamentalist," who wants - nothing remains of their entire theology, which is
to see the trustworthiness of Scripture scientifically    directed toward a "better reading and understanding"
proven, must live in fear and anxiety for the results of of the Scriptures.
an ever-developing science because this development         That anxiety and fear then reveals itself in them also
might indeed also be able to disprove that trustworthi- in a haughty self-withdrawal into an evolutionistic
ness.                                                     ivory tower,  - inaccessible to scientific results other
  This, however, is a completely erroneous presentation than those which appear to be a confirmation of
of matters. For those who should have to live in fear evolutionism.


                              Some Questions to C.A.F.
   "C.A.F." stands for "Christian Action Foundation," clear that he did not have in mind cooperation in the
a rather new organization which claims to be dedicated ecclesiastical sphere, but in other, non-ecclesiastical
to Christian communal action in the areas of  educa- spheres. My reply, - and I think these were my literal
tion, scholarship, labor, politics, amusement, words,  - was: "We are  wilhng  to cooperate in any
communications, etc., an organization which was Reformed movement; but the trouble is that every
formed in Sioux Center, Iowa, but which has member- time we think there is a movement or an organization
ship throughout the country. Those of our readers who in which we might be able to cooperate, it isn't long
have access to "Torch and Trumpet" magazine will before we run `smack-dab' into the common grace
know that there has been a kind of marriage between theory, which makes it impossible for us to  cooper-
the two organizations, at least in so far as "Torch and ate."
Trumpet" has lent itself to being a propaganda outlet       This, it appears to me, is the case with C.A.F.
to C.A.F., with the result that in recent issues there      I ask, therefore, in the first place, whether or not it
have been several articles devoted to the purposes and is true that common grace is an operating-principle of
aims of said Christian Action Foundation.                 C.A.F., even though, perhaps, it is not specifically
   It is not my intention at this time to offer a enunciated in the official principles or constitution of
thorough-going critique of this Christian Action Foun- the C.A.F. I ask this question because on more than
dation. Perhaps at a later date the Standard Bearer will one occasion I have observed that spokesmen of C.A.F.
do so. Nevertheless, I have some questions which in a in their writings in "Torch and Trumpet" have made
way go to the heart of the issue of the validity or lack references to common grace at rather key .iunctures  in
of validity of this organization, questions which surely their writings.
would be of fundamental importance to any Protestant        In the second place, I ask the question, - one which
Reformed person who would ever consider having a has been asked many times previously, but never
part in the Christian Action Foundation, and questions satisfactorily answered: what grace do the reprobate
which probably will not, but nevertheless ought  to,~ wicked receive.7 I would like an answer to that
give pause to the spokesmen of C.A.F.                     question in the light of Scripture and the confessions,
   In part, these questions are occasioned by a question not a philosophical answer.
with which I was confronted some time ago. The              In the third place, I have this question: what
question was: why cannot you Protestant Reformed becomes of the antithesis, which must needs lie at the
people cooperate with the rest of the Reformed basis of any Christian communal action, if common
community? At first, thinking that the question had to grace is a fact and must serve as anoperating  principle
do with ecclesiastical cooperation; I replied that our in Christian communal action such as that proposed by
Protestant Reformed Churches have always been will- C.A.F.? If God's grace, favor, is upon the wicked as
ing to discuss the matters which have caused and still well as upon the righteous, where is the fundamental
do cause separation between us and the Christian cleavage and where the possibility of confrontation of
Reformed Churches, but that the Christian Reformed "an apostate world, under the grip of a false  world-
Churches at every occasion when we expressed read- and-life view and moving in the wrong direction" (Rev.
mess for such discussion have stedfastly refused it. B.J.  Haan in "Torch and Trumpet," May, 1969, p.  2)?
That, of course, is a matter of record. And my              These are old, familiar questions. But they are
questioner (who is one of the spokesmen of C.A.F.) fundamental ones. And  in the interest of a clear
conceded the truth of this. However, he then made it understanding of the C.A.F. movement, as well as in


416                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



the interest of a clear understanding of the reasons for this, I would like to see any spokesman of C.A.F. give
any cooperation or non-cooperation on the part of some clear and straight-forward answers to these
Protestant Reformed people in a movement such as questions.


The Strength of Youth,

                           The Purpose of Christian Education
                                                (Guest Article)

                                               Mr. Jon Huisken

  I have been invited here tonight to speak about Catechism, has but one chief purpose: "to know God
education, about school, a topic which, I am sure, is and enjoy him forever." We must know God, we must
very dear to your hearts. I say this of course with know Him in the spiritual sense of the word. We must
tongue in cheek. From my experience with many of believe that He is, that He is Creator, that He is
you, I know that if you are going to complain about Redeemer, and in thus believing, we must acknowledge
something, one of those "somethings" will inevitably that God is sovereign over all areas of life. We must
be school. I do believe, however, that in spite of your know about Him, Who He is, what He does. We must
grumblings  and  complainings there are here tonight seek out his ways and his works. God alone gives
many people who are concerned about their education, meaning to things. Life without God is futile and
concerned enough to seek guidance and direction with meaningless. So, too, in education. Also here we must
respect to it. This ought to be the case. You should not seek to know God, we must -seek His wisdom.
shun the guidance of your parents, ministers, and Education, too, without God is meaningless and
teachers but rather should want it and seek it. You pointless.
should also want to be educated. You ought to want to        As soon as we talk about God, however, we are
know. There is perhaps among us today a move in the talking about the infinite, incomprehensible One, the
opposite direction, a move toward anti-intellectualism. One "whose ways are past finding out." Man of
A move precipitated, I believe, not only from the himself cannot know Him, not even intellectually or
bottom up from the student but also from the top intuitionally. If we are going to talk about God, we
down. We fear learning, especially higher education, must immediately speak of revelation. God tells us
because we have seen what it can do to unfounded Who He is, and what He has done. He has done this in
people. We ignore learning because it cannot give social two ways, through His Word and through His creation.
or financial status. Learning, however, ought to have a      It was man, then, who was placed in this creation
high value among us and, as we hope to point out, not and instructed to know about God. In Genesis 1:28 we
because it is necessarily so practical and pragmatic but read that Adam, and thus all men through him, was
basically because God has commanded us to know. If instructed not only to replenish and multiply but also
there is one thought that I wish to leave with you to subdue the earth. He was king. He had to use his
tonight it is this: education, Christian education, your intellect and reason to govern the creation and, above
Pro  testan  t Reformed Christian education  is serious all, he had to view the creation as mighty work of the a
business. It ought not be taken lightly nor  matter-of- Creator. He had to bow before the mighty speech of
factly, neither should it be feared. Rather, shown in its God, he had to acknowledge God in all things and use
proper perspective, your education ought to be con- all things to worship his Father-Creator. Man today is
sidered by you to be one of the most loved and prized given the very same command: "subdue the earth," use
possessions that you will ever acquire.                    all things for God's sake, use all things to worship your
  It will be my purpose tonight, then, to show you Father-Creator. Know God, know him with all your
just exactly why this is so. Why is it so important that faculties, seek his fellowship and his knowledge in all
we go to school, and not just to any school, and not areas of life. This, then, is the purpose of all of man's
just to any Christian school which happens to be life. Where, then, does education fit in?
convenient, but why is it so important that you attend       If we review for a moment the relationship between
a Protestant Reformed Christian school? What's your the church, the home, and the school, we must be
purpose there? What is the purpose of the school?          willing to recognize from the outset that it is the
  It must be seen from the outset that the purpose of church which has been given the responsibility of
education can be no different from the purpose of working with this revelation, especially now the
anything else. Man, according to Calvin's  Genevan revelation through the Word. It is the duty of the


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 417


preacher to explain and interpret what God savs to us. education, for he clearly sees that without faith,
It is the church which lays the foundations, the without regenerating grace there will be no meaning
spiritual principles which must guide our lives, This whatsoever to what we do. Without grace we cannot
was certainly true in the Old Testament: the prophet see God at all. School without the foundation of the
always spake, "Thus saith the Lord." The Lord told Word and the church is utter nonsense. Education, too,
the prophet how He would have his people behave. begins and ends with God. Listen to the words of Job
The same is true today. The minister must also say, in this regard: "Where is wisdom?" ask Job. It cannot
"Thus saith the Lord." This is indeed how the Lord be bought, it does not lie in riches nor material goods.
would have you behave. This is His will, His command- The world does not have it. Only God knows "And
ment to you. The church sets the standards, standards unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is
dictated by the Word of God. The individual believer, wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding."
however, if he is a responsible Christian, takes these (Job 28:28) St. Augustine had this very clearly in mind
principles and applies them to his life and, of course, when he wrote  credo ut  intelligan,  I believe in order
to the revelation which surrounds him in creation. He that I may understand. Faith, faith in the Word of God
must be able to see in the light of the Word that precedes all of the activities of reason. Reason never
creation also speaks loudly of God as Creator and searches unattended and in isolation. Only in the light
Redeemer. I say, now, that he must be able to do this. of the Word of God and only from its perspective can
It is precisely here that the Christian school has arisen. we obtain any meaning at all from the creation of God.
The situation in the home is such that the parents are Faith seeking understanding, this is the purpose of the
not able to adequately apply these principles, they school, this is the only valid reason for its existence.
simply do not have the time and some do not have the        The school and church, then, must be pictured as
ability. The school, then, is set up to enable the parent being intimately related, the one is the foundation for
to fulfill this responsibility. The school is designed to the other.  This is why I stated earlier that it is so
perform this very task: the application of scriptural important  where  you go to school. The principles of
principles to life, and especially to the revelation in the church are necessarily reflected in the teaching of
creation. Broadly conceived we might state the pur- the school. We must .not segregate education from the
pose of the school as follows: It is the purpose of the rest of life; rather we must view it as being. a very
school to elucidate the revelation of God in the necessary part of life. Education, your life at school,
creation, to give that creation meaning, to interpret must not be used as an excuse for experimentation
that creation, to see to it that the student also with far-out ideas. The same church which gives the
understands that God is "out there." Do not forget, people of God principles for their lives also gives the
however, our original purpose, our chief and only guiding principles for our schools. There are not two
purpose. We do not go to school to see how many facts sets of principles, one set distinctly Protestant Re-
we can accumulate, neither do we go to school simply formed and the other set some vague general
to gain skills which will be requirements for an principles. Our view of all of life and of all that that
occupation. I am not trying to minimize this aspect of life contains is determined by the Word of God and
education, for it certainly is a necessary part of that Word as it is preached to you on Sunday.
education. The point I wish to make, however, is that       In addition, however, to this purpose of the school
these are only means, only tools, which enable us to      we must also see that it is not only the purpose of the
reach a specific end. We learn to read and write and school to provide the student with principles with
spell and compute for one ultimate and primary which he himself can attack the creation but the
reason, so that we may be better equipped to serve school must also enable the student to make proper
God, so that we may be better equipped to delve into value judgements about the subject. material which is
the mysteries `which  His revelation contains. The presented to him.
purpose of school, then, is not to prepare one for his      As we stated before, God reveals Himself through
life's occupation nor is it to see how high we can score His Word and His creation. Man, then, when he is
on a National Merit test; it goes much deeper than placed in the creation, comes face to face with this
that. We go to school to gain understanding, to gain revelation of God. And, seeing God, he cannot help
wisdom, to learn how to properly apply those spiritual responding. It lies in the very nature of the case. Man
principles to all areas of learning, to gain the proper works with. creation, he digs in it, he dissects it, he
perspective from which to view that wondrous creation analyzes it with his telescopes and microscopes, he
which we face every day.                                  builds, he constructs; he writes, he paints, in a word he
  We must emphasize, however, that man, you as produces a culture. It is these cultural productions
student and I as teacher, cannot do this without help. which are the subject material of your curriculum. The
This takes grace, this takes faith. Only the man of faith important  thing that we have to see in this respect is
will attempt to do this in education today and only the that we have to learn how to properly handle this
student who has faith will subject himself to such an culture. We must be able to evaluate it, analyze it, and


418                                             THE STANDARD BEARER


by. all means criticize it. We must ask ourselves what from his darkness into light. He works, he dissects, but
does that culture say and why does it say what it does. not for self but in praise and worship of his Creator.
Never must we fall into the idea that somehow this The unregenerate, however, is left in his sin. He, too,
culture is neutral, that the Christian can take it or leave works, but he is working to erect bis Babels and
it, or, at best, all he has to do is to somehow Babylons and New Deals and Great Societies. He labors
miraculously transform it. Never must'we accept it at for  himself, he attempts to subserve all things for his
face value., We have to make judgments, value judg- own glory and benefit.
ments, spiritual-ethical judgments, judgments as to              Such is the distinction in all spheres of life, none
whether it is good or bad.                                     excepted. Two types of men, similar in all respects
  That this is the case lies in the very nature of culture except the redeeming grace of God. The one is
itself. Culture cannot be neutral, but it is necessarily spiritual, the other carnal. The one has meaning in life,
colored by the particular viewpoint of its progenitor.         the other is hopelessly caught up in a vicious circle
Let us now take a close look at this culture to                trying to make things relevant.
determine just why this is so.                                  . I think you can see now what I meant when I said
  The term culture is derived from the Latin word that culture cannot be neutral. All of life, all of culture
which literally means to till or to cultivate. It was first    and every cultural product either speaks for God or
used to denote exactly that, the cultivation and tilling against Him. It is the purpose of the school to show
of the soil. The first culture was agriculture. Through- you just exactly that fundamefital truth. The antithesis
out the process of history, however, many other is absolute, either-or, for or against.
"cultures" have been developed and the term has now              The school, then, must equip you to meet and
come to include all of the activity of man as he               evaluate that culture, to aid you in making critical
belabors the earth in his attempt to advance himself judgments with respect to it. I do not care whom you
and the universe. It shows man as fulfilling the               read, Plato, Hemingway, Shakespeare, Barth, or Tillich,
command of God in Genesis  1:28, as fulfilling the             all of them must be read and studied from this point of
command to subdue the earth.                                   view. All of them are going to say something about
  It must be noted further that man is not laboring God and His creation, all of them are either going `to
with a chaotic heap out of which he is trying to create        serve Him or blaspheme Him. Afains we remind you of
form and order. In doing culture, man is busy with             Augustine. Faith seeking understanding, that is the key
God's creation. Man is working with a cosmos, an               to your education.
ordered universe. Man is not a creator but merely a              We must understand further tonight that this a very
discoverer. As man works, then, he comes into contact urgent calling and duty which is given to you. This is
with the revelation of God.                                    something that you must learn when you are young,
  Adam, of course, in bis perfect state saw this very          especially now in our own situation. This is something
clearly. Created in true knowledge, righteousness, and which you must learn before you are out of high
holiness, as the friend-servant of God, Adam perfectly school, for this is where, for most of you, your
obeyed God's commandment. He subdued all things to Protest&t Reformed education stops. Now is the time
himself but with the purpose of using all these things to prepare yourself. Christ's parable in Matthew 24 is
in the service and praise of his Creator.                      very applicable here. There are two types of servants,
  Adam fell, however, and with the fall sin-comes into         there are .those who are always making excuses, those
the world, and, with sin, comes the antithesis. The who are always procrastinating, those who are saying,
creation was changed; man was changed. Sin had an "Give me time, let me mature,. death and the end of
effect upon culture. The creation is cursed; man is the world are years and years away." Do not be fooled,
darkened. God's speech is lost to him; being spiritually says Jesus, blessed is he whom the. Lord fmdeth busy
blind, he cannot see God. But man, though fallen and working, busy preparing himself for His coming, busy
darkened, still remains man, he does not become beast in subduing all things in His service.
or devil. He is still a rational-moral being. Sin, rather,       Necessary it certainly is that you work today, right
changes man's spiritual-ethical nature. His light be- now. Do not deceive yourselves. It does not take a
comes darkness, obedience becomes disobedience, genius to determine what the world and the devil are
truth becomes the lie. He is no longer an office-bearer up to. Friederich  Nietzche spoke prophetically one
of God but a servant of sin. Sin posits the antithesis, hundred years ago when he wrote:
the antithesis between it and grace. After the fall, we              Have you not heard of that madman who lit a
have two types of men, the elect and the reprobate,                lantern in the bright morning hours, ran to the
the believer and the unbeliever. Two types of men,                 market place, and cried incessantly, "I seek God! I
both, however, still engaged in producing a culture but            seek God!" As many of those who do not believe in
now with an entirely different purpose. By grace, and              God were standing around just then, he provoked
by grace alone, the regenerate can again obey the                  muchlaughter. . . .
command to "subdue the earth." He has been called                    "Whither is God?" he cried. "I shall tell you. We


                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER                                              419


     have killed him - you and I. All of us are his             liberated from the hands of an angry God. This is the
     murderers. But how have we done this? How were we          spirit today. Can you read it? Can you answer it? It is
     able to drink up the sea? who gave us the sponge to        this philosophy and this type of thinking which is
     wipe away the entire horizon? What did we do when          thrown at you from all  sides today. Get rid of
     we unchained this earth from its sun? Whither is it        traditional Reformed theology, put the church on the
     moving now? Away from all suns? Are we not
     plunging continually? Do we not hear anything yet          street, sepulchres indeed are these stodgy Reformed
     of the noise of the gravediggers who are burying           churches. God is just a concept, a big woozy idea,
     God? Do we not smell anything yet of God's                 action's the thing. Can you cope with this in educa-
     decomposition? Gods too decompose. God is dead             tion, especially now those of you who hope to
     . . . . Is not the greatness of this deed too great for    continue your education? Are you prepared to fight it?
    us? Must not we ourselves become gods simply to                In conclusion, let me impress upon you the fact that
     seem worthy of it? There has never been a greater          you have placed upon you a tremendous responsibility.
     deed; and whoever will be born after us - for the          If you are going to make those critical judgments           -
     sake of this deed he will be part of a higher history      which are required of you, it means that you are going
    than all history hitherto."                                 to have to be firmly fixed in your faith, you are going
       It has been related further that on that same day        to have to know what the Word of God says and how
     the madman entered divers churches and there sang          to apply it. You don't go to school forever, you know.
    his requiem  aetemam deo. Led out and called to
     account, he is said to have replied each time, "What       Put on the armor of God while you have this
     are these churches now if they are not the tombs and       opportunity, prepare yourself for the battle. You, too,
    sepulchres of God?"                                         are called to fight. Learn  while  you have the oppor-
This is what the world is about today, they are burying tunity. Alexander Pope was right when he penned the
God. That old-fashioned concept of a God who is the words:
sovereign ruler of all things has bitten the dust. The               A little learning is a dangerous thing,
                                                                     Drink deep or taste not the Pierian spring
church has moved outdoors. Nietzche was absolutely
right and Nietzche shouts a loud "Amen! Good wbrk! `Yes, blessed indeed is that servant whom the Lord shall
The deeper the grave the better." Man has become of find busy preparing himself for His coming.
age, he no longer needs the benevolent, protecting                                J. Huisken
hand of God. Gone forever are the days of the                                     Delivered at the Young People's
church-centered, Christ-centered society. Man has been                            Spring Banquet on May 1, 1969


Studies in Depth

                             THE WALDENSIAN MOVEMENT, II
                                                     Rev. Robt. C. Harbach

Its Doctrine and Persecutions                                   especially throughout the English nation, where there
  A very comprehensive study of the Waldensian then arrived letters upon letters, just like Job's
Churches and its history from primitive times is to be messengers, one at the heels of another, with the sad
had in the very worthwhile book, The History of the and doleful tidings of most strange and unheard of
Churches  of  the Valley of Piedmont,  by Samuel cruelties, for which I almost dare to challenge the best
Morland, London,  .1658, containing "a faithful ac- furnished historians, as well ancient as modem, to find
count of the doctrine, life and persecutions of the me their parallels. Some of their women were ravished
ancient inhabitants, together with a most naked and and afterward staked down to the ground through
punctual relation of the late bloody massacre, 1655, their (genitals); others strangely forced, and their
and. . . following transactions to . . . 1658." (Franklin bellies rammed up with stones and rubbish: the brains
Printing Co., 414 B St., Fort Smith, Arkansas, 1955, and breasts of others sodden and eaten by their
$10.00).                                                        murderers, as if the design of those bloody cannibals
  What the author means on the title page by the and barbarous  anthropophagi  had been not only to
words "naked and punctual" he makes abundantly extirpate those poor creatures out of this world, but
clear in his introduction. "There are now more than also . . . to hinder them from having a being in the
nineteen months past since the voice of the blood of world to come." The author then asks, "If two
the poor Protestants in the Valley of Piedmont was she-bears out of the wood were commanded to tear in
heard in  all the corners of the Christian world, pieces forty and two little children for abusing the old


420                                            THE STANDARD BEARER


prophet barely by the term of bald pate . . . what shall those that have  been~ and shall be saved have been
be the end of these murderers of riper years, who took elected of God before the foundation of the world" (p.
so much pleasure and delight in torturing so many 40). "It is impossible that those that are appointed to
poor, impotent and aged persons by fire and sword?" salvation, should not -be saved. Whosoever upholds free
(p. a-l) This immediately throws light on the meaning will denieth absolute Predestination and the grace of
and appropriateness of the text printed on the title God." 4. "We were baptized being little children
page, "When he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under             in remembrance of that great benefit given to us
the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word by Jesus Christ, when He died for our redemption and
of God, and for the testimony which they held. And washed us with his precious blood" (p. 41). "Children
they cried with a loud voice, saying, `How long, 0 are to be baptized unto salvation, and to be conse-
Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge crated to Christ, according to His Word, Mt. 19 :13-l 5"
our blood on them that dwell on the earth?' " (Rev.           (p. 53). "Baptism (is) a testimony of our adoption and
6:9). The book comes well documented, based as it is of our being cleansed from our sins" (p. 67). 5. "We
on authentic ancient historical manuscripts `"written request the Reformed Churches to hold and acknowl-
many hundreds of years before Calvin and Luther" edge us, as true members of theirs, being ready to sign
(some of them), the true originals of which in their with our own blood, if God calleth us to it, the
proper languages may be seen in the public library of Confession of Faith by them made and published,
the famous University of Cambridge.                           which we acknowledge every way agreeing with the
  The author informs us that the production of this doctrine taught and registered by the holy apostles,
work, of 709 pages, was a torture of a kind for himself. and therefore truly apostolical, promising to live and
"My spirit has oft waxed cold within me, and my heart die in it" (p. 42). 6. "Where Christ is absent, and .His
even failed me, yea, my very hand has trembled as with Word rejected, there can be neither a true Church, nor
a fit of palsy in the writing thereof." The perusal of it,    people pleasing to God" (1535 A.D.). (p. 50). "All
in some places will have a similar effect, he assures.        men ought to join with that Church and continue in
"Sure I am, whosoever shall read . . . the treacherous the communion thereof' (p. 67). 7. "God so loved the
strategems and horrid cruelties therein contained, must world, that is to say, those whom He has chosen out of
have a heart of adamant and bowels of brass, should the world" (p. 65). "The Church is the company of the
they not be touched with a fellow-feeling of their faithful . . . having been elected before the foundation
brethren's misery." (p. a-3) To read every part of this of the world." "All the elect are upheld and preserved
book and even to carefully examine its horrifying by the power of God. . . they all persevere in the Faith
illustrations (in old wood-cut style) will take, if not a unto the end" (p. 67). "God saves from that corrup-
heart of adamant, at least bowels of brass or an iron tion and condemnation those whom He has chosen
stomach. After a little of this reading, one may from the foundation of the world, not for any
understand the author's opinion that "the ancient disposition, faith or holiness that He foresaw in them,
heretics, Mohammetans and pagans, had they now but of His mere mercy in Jesus Christ His Son, passing
lived, would have been very much ashamed to have by all the rest according to the irreprehensible reason
seen themselves so outstripped by the bloody butchers of His free will and justice" (64). "By the holy catholic
of these our days, in the invention of so strange and Church is meant all the elect of God, from the
unheard of cruelties!" (p. c-7)                               beginning of the world to the end, by the grace of God
  Besides Luther, Melancthon, Bucer and many others through the merit of Christ, gathered together by the
regarding them as brethren, Beza called the Waldenses Holy Spirit and foreordained to eternal life, the
"the very seed of the primitive and purer Christian number and names of whom are known to Him alone
Church" and "those. . . so upheld. . . by the admira- who has elected them; and in this Church remains none
ble providence of God, that neither . . . . that Bishop of who is reprobate" (p. 79). 8. "We do agree in sound
Rome, falsely so called, nor those horrible persecu- doctrine with all the Reformed Churches of France,
tions . . . were ever able to prevail upon them, as to        Great Britain, the Low Countries, Germany, Switzer-
make them bend or yield a voluntary subjection to the land, Bohemia, Poland, Hungary, et al" (p. 69).
Roman tyranny and idolatry." (a-6) The book contains "Therefore we humbly entreat all the Evangelical
church-historical, doctrinal, confessional, catechetical Protestant Churches to look upon us as true members
and sertnonic material in abundance. A few Waldensian of the mystical body of Christ, suffering for His name's
statements of faith follow.                                   sake, notwithstanding our poverty and lowness; and to
  1. "Christ . . . died for the salvation of all those that continue unto us the help of their prayers to God" (p.
believe." This is from an ancient confession of faith 70).
bearing the date, 1120, A.D. (p. 33). 2. "We believe            Referring to the persecutions of the Waldenses we
that there is one holy Church, which is the congrega- read that "they found (when it was too late) how far
tion of all the elect and faithful ones from the the [Roman] Catholics keep faith with those that they
beginning of the world to the end" (p. 37). 3. "All call heretics; for having used all possible artifices to


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                           421



draw the rest within their reach, they presently  clapt inhuman persecutors to perpetrate their monstrous
to their nets, and dividing the prey, put all to fire and crimes was the promise of plenary indulgences, absolu-
sword, . . . and that in the most barbarous manner they tion of sins, to all who would go and serve in this war
could possibly devise . . . those horrid and unheard of of massacre and extinction. Many originals of these
cruelties" (328). Not many will want to read through official papal papers, found on the dead bodies of
all these unbelievable (yet we believe it all!) accounts soldiers of the popish army or in possession of
of the obscene barbarities that the Protestants of prisoners of war, are on record in the library of
Piedmont of all ages and sex suffered. But some Cambridge University.
reading ought to be done in this book. A brief sample        The Church has never demanded "reparations," and
of the more refined accounts follows. A Bartholomeo never will, for all the sufferings, bloodshed, death and
Frasche of Penile is mentioned. He was taken by the cruelties worse than death endured by the Christian
soldiers who slashed and sliced his legs, then thrust a martyrs. That matter shall be handled in a much
poisoned knife through his heels, after which they different way. The Lord, the righteous Judge will most
dragged him to prison, where he soon died .  a .           certainly repay that false persecuting harlot of Babylon
Magdalena La Peine, a woman of about thirty-five, with an even greater variety of punishment, both in
pursued by these enemies and knowing what measure this world and in that to come. Shall not God avenge
she would receive from them, cast herself over a very (deal justice to) His elect that cry day and night unto
formidable precipice, rather than to fall into the hands Him?  I  tell you,  saith the Lord,  that He will avenge
of such butchers (362) . . . Jacopo Roffeno refusing to them speedily. He shall dash them in pieces like a
say "Jesus Maria" (shades of Theosophy!) was most potter's vessel. When He maketh inquisition for blood
cruelly beaten with sticks and clubs, shot several times He will surely remember them. Upon the wicked He
in the body and then his head cleaved in two               shall rain snares, fire and brimstone and a horrible
(368). . . .                                               tempest.
  What encouraged the vile imaginations of these


Contending  for  the Faith
                                THE  .DOCTRlNE OF SIN
                                    THE THIRD PERIOD - 730-1517 A.D.
                                      PROTESTANT DOCTRINE OF SIN
                                    ACCORDING TO THE CONFESSIONS

                                                Rev. H. Veldman


   Schaff, setting forth the creeds of the Evangelical                   THE LUTHERAN CREEDS
Protestant Churches in his Creeds of Christendom,            In the Augsburg Confession, A.D. 1530, Art. II is
distinguishes between the creeds of the Evangelical devoted to the doctrine of original sin. It reads as
Lutheran Church and the creeds of the Evangelical follows:
Reformed Churches. I assume that he makes this                    Also they teach that, after Adam's fall, all men
distinction because the Lutherans broke away from the          begotten after the common course of nature are
rest of the Protestant Churches because they could not         born with sin; that is, without the fear of God,
endorse the Protestant conception of the Lord's                without trust in Him, and with fleshly appetite; and
Supper. It may be considered a sad and tragic thing            that this disease, or original fault, is truly sin,
that this break occurred because of Luther's insistence        condemning and bringing eternal death now also
on his view of the Lord's Supper, that the                     upon all that are not born again by baptism and the
                                                               Holy Spirit.
communicants receive Christ through the mouth. We                 They condemn the Pelagians, and others, who
assume that it is because of this break between the            deny this original fault to be sin in deed; and who, so
Lutherans and the rest of the Protestant Churches that         as to lessen the glory of the merits and benefits of
Schaff distinguishes, as he does, between the                  Christ, argue that a man may, by the strength of his
Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Evangelical                own reason, be justified before God.
Reformed Churches. We first quote from the Lutheran          In this article, the Lutherans condemn the pelagian
creeds in connection with their conception of the conception of sin, and declare that all men are born
doctrine of sin.                                           with sin, and that this spiritual disease is sin indeed.


422                                                     THESTANDARD BEARER



  The Lutherans also express themselves on the                                goodness,. capacity, aptitude, ability, industry, or the
subject of original sin in the Formula of Concord, A.D.                       powers by which in spiritual things he has strength to
1576. Art. I treats this subject of original sin, from an                     undertake, effect., or coeffect somewhat of good.
affirmative and negative point of view. In the                              In Art. II of the Formula of Concord, the Lutherans
affirmative section of this article, after maintaining treat the subject of Free Will. This, too, is very
that we must distinguish between the nature of the interesting. In this article the Lutherans placed
sinner and his sin, maintaining the distinction that the themselves before this question: whether by his own
nature of man, also after the fall, is and remains God's proper powers, before he has been regenerated by the
creature, this creed states the following:                          ,    Spirit of God, man can apply and prepare himself unto
          III. But, on the other hand, we believe, teach, and            the grace of God, and whether he can receive and
       confess that. Original Sin is no trivial corruption, but          apprehend the divine grace (which is offered
       is so profound a corruption of human nature as to                 [presented] to him through the Holy Ghost in the
       leave nothing sound, nothing uncorrupt in the body                word and sacraments divinely instituted), or not. In
       or soul of man, or in his mental or bodily powers. As             answer to this question Art. II, in its affirmative
       reads the hymn of the Church: "Through Adam's fall                section, declares the following:
       is all corrupt, Nature and essence human." How great                     I. Concerning this matter, the following is our
       this evil is, is in truth not to be set forth in words,                faith, doctrine, and confession, to wit: that the
       nor can it be explored by the subtlety of human                        understanding and reason of man in spiritual things
       reason, but can only be discerned by means of the                      are wholly blind and can understand nothing by their
       revealed word of God. And we indeed affirm that no                     proper powers. As it is written (1 Cor. 2: 14): "The
       one is able to dissever this corruption of the nature                  natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of
       from the nature itself, except God alone, which will                   God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can
       fully come to pass by means of death  in the                           he know them, because he is examined concerning
       resurrection unto blessedness. For then that very                      spirit.ual things."
       same nature of ours, which we now bear about, will                       II. We believe, teach, and confess, moreover, that
       rise again free from Original Sin, and wholly severed                  the yet unregenerate will of man is not only averse
       and disjoined from the same, and will enjoy eternal                    from God, but. has become even hostile to God, so
       felicity. For thus it is written (Job. 19: 26): "I shall               that it only wishes and desires those things, and is
       be compassed again with my skin,and in my flesh                        delighted with them, which are evil and opposite to
       sha I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and                       the divine will. For it is written (Gen. 8: 21): "For
       mine eyes shall behold, and not another."                              the imagination and thought of man's heart are prone
  However, it is especially in the negative section of                       to evil from his youth." Also (Rom. 8: 7): "The
this article on Original Sin that this Formula of                             carnal mind is  enmity against God: for it is not
Concord expresses itself very strongly on the awfulness                       subject to the law, neither indeed can be."
of sin, and we quote:                                                           Therefore we believe that by how much it is
         II. Also, that depraved concupiscences are not sin,                 impossible that a dead body should vivify itself and
       but certain  concreate conditions and essential                       restore corporal life to itself, even so impossible is it
       properties of the nature, or that those defects and                   that man, who by reason of sin is spiritually dead,
       that huge evil just set forth by us is not sin on whose                should have any faculty of recalling himself into
       account man, if not grafted into Christ, is a child of                 spiritual life; as it is written (Eph. 2: 5): "Even when
       wrath.                                                                we were dead in sins, He bath quickened us together
         III. We also reject the Pelagian heresy, in which it                with Christ." (2 Cor. 3: 5): "Not that we are
       is asserted that the nature of man after the fall is                   sufficient of ourselves to think any thing good" as of
       incorrupt, and that, moreover, in spiritual things it                  ourselves; but that we are sufficient is itself of God."
       has remained wholly good and pure in its nature                     In Art. III the Formula of Concord addresses itself
       powers.                                                           to the subject of the conversion of man and that the
         IV. Also, that Original Sin is an external, trivial,            Holy Spirit effects this conversion by the means of
       and almost insignificant birthmark, or a certain stain
       dashed upon the man, under the which, nevertheless,               preaching and the hearing of the Word of God. This
       nature bath retained her powers unimpaired even in                article reads as follows:
       spiritual things.                                                        Nevertheless the Holy Spirit effects the conversion
         V. Also, that Original Sin is only an external                      of man not without means, but is wont to use for
       impediment of sound spiritual powers, and is not a                    effecting it preaching and the hearing of the Word of
       despoliation and defect thereof, even as, when a                      God, as it is written (Rom. 1: 16): "The gospel is a
       magnet is smeared with garlic-juice, its natural power                power of God unto salvation to every one that
       of drawing iron is not taken away, but is only                        believeth." And (Rom. 10: 17): "Faith cometh by
       impeded; or as a stain can be easily wiped off from                   hearing of the Word of God." And without question
       the face, or paint from a wall. '                                     it is the tiiu of the Lord that. His Word should be
         VI. Also, that man's nature and essence are not                     heard, and that our ears should not be stopped when
       utterly corrupt, but that there is something of good                  it is preached (Psalm 95 : 8). With this Word is present
       still remaining in man, even in spiritual things, to wit,             the Holy Spirit,  W&o opens the hearts of  men,.in


                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER                                                      423


    order that, as Lydia did (Acts 16:  14), they may             be otherwise; and that man does all things  by
    diligently attend, and thus may be converted by the           constraint, even those things which he transacts in
    sole grace of the Holy Spirit, Whose work, and Whose          outward matters, and that he is compelled to the
    work alone, the conversion of man is. For if the grace        committing of evil works and crimes, such as
    of the Holy Spirit is absent, our willing and running,        unlawful lusts, acts, rapine, murders, thefts, and the
    our planting, sowing, and watering, are wholly in vain        like.
    (Rom. 9: 16; 1 Cor. 3: 7); if, that is, He do not give           II. We repudiate, also, that gross error of the
    the increase, as Christ says (John 15: 5): "Without           Pelagians, who have not hesitated to assert that man
    Me ye can do nothing." And, indeed, in these few              by his own powers, without the grace of the Holy
    words Christ denies to free-will all power whatever,          Spirit, has ability to convert himself to God, to
    and ascribes all to Divine grace, "that no one may            believe the gospel, to obey the Divine law from his
    have whereof he may glory before God (1 Cor. 1: 29;           heart, and in this way to merit of himself the  _
    2 Cor. 12: 5; Jer. 9: 23).                                    remission of sins and eternal life.
  Of interest is also what this Formula of Concord has'              III. Besides these errors, we reject also the false
to say in the negative section of this article on free            dogma of the Semi-Pelagains, who teach that man by
will. How strong and forceful is the language here:               his own powers can commence his conversion, but
      We repudiate, therefore, and condemn all the                can not fully accomplish it without the grace of the
    errors which we will now recount, as not agreeing             Holy Spirit.
    with the rule of the Divine word:                           The Lord willing, we will continue with this
      I. First, the insane dogma of the Stoic                 quotation in our following article. But already in the
    philosophers, as      also the madness of the             articles quoted, it is plain that the Formula of Concord
    Manichaeans, who taught that all things which come        condemns and rejects the Pelagian and Semi-Pelagian
    to pass take place by necessity, and can not possibly     conceptions of original sin.


A Cloud of Witnesses
           ABSALOM'S HOUR OF GLORY
                                                    Rev. B. Woudenberg

              And Absalom, and all the people the men o.f Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel
           with him.                                                                         I!I Samuel 16:i5

  At last Absalom was obtaining that which was the and participants in it. In a moment, whatever feelings
dream of his life he was entering Jerusalem with all of of sympathy had remained for the,old king were swept
the glory and honor of a king. To his vain nature, there away, and with joy they welcomed his treacherous son
was nothing more that a person could ever desire. It in his place.
was his most glorious hour.                                     With Absalom by this time there was gathered a
  With Absalom came all of the grandest show that rather large force. of fighting men. His journey from
could be gathered together. He had always had a flair Hebron to Jerusalem had witnessed a phenomenal
for such things, from the fifty runners he had used for growth in his strength. People from all parts of the
many years to announce his approach, to the elaborate country came to take part in his revolution. Some of
tomb which he had built to house his body in the end. them were people whom Absalom had in one way or
Everything was designed to bring attention to himself another befriended, some of them were adventurers
and distinguish him among the people. It was so looking for the excitement of the moment, some were
completely different than anything his father had ever opportunists who saw in the sudden rise of Absalom an
done. For David, all such pomposity was nothing but a opportunity to share in some of his new-found glory,
waste of time and the last thing he desired. He never some were deserters from David's army, and some of
had seen any reason to try to draw special attention to them were simply those who through the years. had
himself since all of his blessedness was not in himself come to hate David, if for no other-reason, because he
but a gift of grace proceeding from God. And it was had always so firmly insisted upon the exclusive service
this very fact that made Absalom's efforts so much of Jehovah within their land and they didn't like it.
more effective. Never before had the people seen such And when all were gathered together, it formed a most
pomp ad  Absalom was bringing into their city. They impressive number. It tended to feed itself and bring
liked it. Somehow just to see Absalom with all of his even greater support and growth in the excitement of
show of glory made them to feel identified with it the moment.


424                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



  In spite of all who joined him, however, there was in the vanity of his soul could not be expected to see
one from whom Absalom gained more satisfaction through this ambiguity of Hushai. To him the very
than from any other: tha.t was Ahithophel, the former thought that even Hushai would leave his father David
adviser to his father David. Here was a man renowned to join the company of the son was all too flattering to
as being one of the very wisest men in all of the let pass. Here was the ultimate proof that he was the
kingdom. His father had always used him in solving the person of great  excellancy which he had always
most difficult problems that came to him. And now thought himself to be. The last thing he wished to do
this man had joined himself to Absalom from the very was to undermine it by being overly suspicious. With
start. It, more than anything else, proved to the all of the joy of a self-satisfied ego, he welcomed
satisfaction of Absalom that his plans from the very Hushai into the circle of his most intimate associates.
beginning were wise and well conceived. And yet this          It was not long before Hushai discovered, undoubt-
was soon to change.                                         edly to his greatest shock, just exactly how far
  It was when Absalom stepped in to take over the Absalom and those surrounding him had gone in
royal palace that there came to him a surprise far rejecting the principles upon which the kingdom of
beyond his greatest imagining. There before him stood Israel was. founded. It came about almost immediately
Hushai the other adviser of his father David. This he after Absalom had taken over the royal palace. At that
could hardly believe. It was not that Hushai was time he called his counselors together and turning to
actually so much wiser than Ahithophel. It was just Ahithophel as the senior member of the group, he said,
that he was different. Ahithophel was known to be a "Give counsel  among you what we should do." The
cold and calculating man. He could take an issue and whole approach was presumptuous and arrogant, so far
pick it apart piece by piece without any emotional different from David's customary command, "I pray
involvement in it. This was maybe his big virtue, he thee, bring me hither the ephod" by which he made
could be so very objective. But Hushai was different. consultation first always with God. But Absalom's
He too was an extremely wise man; but with him there confidence did not rest on any such faith. He was
was none of that cold distance that held the feelings of confident that they with their human wisdom would
life so far away. He was warm and kind and under- be able to solve any problem that might arise, and his
standing with all of the sincerity which always every word reflected this.
characterized David the `king. For this reason he and         The shocking part did not come in this, however,
David had become the closest of friends with a deep but in the advice that Ahithophel tendered him. His
bond of understanding and love between them. Even advice was this, "Go in unto thy father's concubines,
now as Hushai stood there before his very eyes, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel
Absalom could not really believe that by Hushai all of shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then
this was forgotten. And still Hushai spoke, and the shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong." It
words which he said were these, "God save the king, was not that the action itself was so very unusual. This
God save the king."                                         was what any heathen king would have done in that
  In a way it almost hurt Absalom for a moment to day. It was the way they had of showing their
see even this closest friend of David's to prove contempt for a king which they had defeated by
unfaithful in the end. In his amazement he blurted out, debasing his wives publicly and thereby demonstrating
"Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou his inability to defend even his own family. But that
not with thy friend?"                                       this should be done in Israel, and that by a son taking
  To Hushai himself, however, these words were even over the throne of his own father, was all too
more cutting. Just for a moment even to be thought of incomprehensible. It was an affront, not just to David
as a traitor to his dear master and friend was  almost the fleeing king, it was an affront to every man in
more than he could bear. And yet it had to be borne Israel who was left with any sense of decency and of
for. the moment, and he was not one to lose his love for the law; but even more than this it was an
bearings at a time like this. Quickly he answered with open' affront to the God of Israel upon whom the
words purposely ambiguous but designed. to soothe whole strength of the nation rested. To think that
whatever suspicion Absalom might have. He said, Ahithophel who had stood with him for so many years
"Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all in the presence of David where the precepts of the law
the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him were always of first consideration should now present
will I abide. And again, whom should I serve? should such a plan ,with perfectly sincere intent and without
not I serve in the presence of his- son? as I have served any sign of shame, and to think that David's own son
in the father's presence, so will I be in thy presence." should receive it with equal equanimity was altogether
With Hushai there was no real question as to who was too much.
the properly appointed king of Israel and, therefore, to      But that was not the end of the matter either. With
whom his service would be directed whether he stood cold and calloused deliberateness, they actually went
in the presence of the father or the son; but Absalom ahead to do what Ahithophel suggested. It was a public


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   425


notice with proof which could not be questioned thdt mighty  .men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a
Absalom held no love for his father and no fear of God bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father
in his heart.                                                is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
  Thus it was that when once again Absalom returned Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other
to his counsel chambers there was no question left in place: and it tiill come to pass, when some of them be
the mind of Hushai as to the desperateness of the overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it, will
situation. The very survival of the nation in the fear of say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow
the Lord was at stake. Well had been David's wish for Absalom. And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as
him, "If thou return to the city . . . then mayest thou the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel
for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel."                    knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they
  The question at stake at this point was what to do which be with him are valiant men. Therefore I counsel
about pursuing David, and Ahithophel's advice was that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from
with its usual discretion. He said to Absalom, "Let me Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea
now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own
and pursue after David this night: and I will come person. So shall we come upon him in some place
upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as
make him afraid: and all the people that are with him the dew falleth on the ground: and. of him and of all
shall flee; and I will smite the king only: and I will the men that are with him there shall not be left so
bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom much as one. Moreover, if he be gotten into a city,
thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will
be in peace." It was good advice and Absalom and all draw it into the river, until there be not one small
those with him felt it: and yet Absalom did not feel stone found there." It was advice far less practical
completely at ease with it. For one thing, it meant that than that of Ahithophel; but ii allowed for the nature
while Absalom remained in Jerusalem Ahithophel of Absalom far more. Not only did it protect his thirst
would be going out to gain the final stroke of victory for glory by allowing opportunity for him to go with
with all of its glory. `The only alternative would be for and gain the credit for that final battle, but it also
him to go on to the battle also; and he was not quite appealed to the basic cowardice of Absalom's nature
ready for that either. He was enjoying himself much by promising him the possibility of a force so great
too much amid the newfound glory of Jerusalem. Thus that David could offer no resistance. Quickly Absalom
he commanded that Hushai should be brought to him agreed and decided that Hushai's advice was best.
to see what he would think of the plan.                        It was Ahithophel alone that saw what this really
  Once Hushai had come and the proposition of meant. Without the advantage of a sudden sweeping
Abithophel was explained to him, he understood the victory, all of their plans were vain. But it was useless
danger that it threatened. Above all, it was necessary for him to protest. Everyone would only think that he
that it should be prevented. But the Spirit of God was was trying to defend and promote his own name.
with him and so he spoke. "The counsel that Instead, he went home and hanged himself. There was
Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time. For nothing more that he could do.
thou knowest thy father, and his men, that they be


From our Theological School Committee...
                               SEMINARY NEWS
                                                   Mr. J. M. Faber

  The doors of our Seminary have closed! Closed for year: time to prepare the `69-`70 curriculum, this year
the summer, that is! Closed for an all too brief respite with more assurance than a year ago when they were
from hard work on the part of the students, a vacation beginning a new set-up where pre-sem students were to
from studies but not from work. The students will be enrolled! But now they have had a year's experi-
utilize this time to their utmost to earn money to carry ence, and a joyous year it has been. The faculty and
them through the coming school year. Some will work students agree that "it was good for us to have been
at landscaping, some a construction; but work will be here."
their lot. Closed are the doors to the professors to give      The Theological School Committee is also very
them a bit of respite from their day to day teaching in pleased with the results of that trial year. Predictions
order to provide time to make preparations for next were fulfilled, promises were realized, expectations


426                                          THE STANDARD BEARER


were outdone! Good, sound Biblical instruction  .was Seminarian  Miersma!
faithfully given and assiduously received. Our students      After the practice-preaching session a short recess
are one year closer to the pulpit! The Committee           was in order. Then, at 10 o'clock, we visited the class
assigned committees of two - a minister and an elder of Church History conducted by Prof. Hanko. The
- to pay.periodical visits to the school. Would you like class was finishing their study of the second period of
to hear about the visit made April 22?                     Medieval Church History, covering such subjects as the
   On that day the first scheduled class was "Practice sacerdotal system, the apostolic succession, the church
Preaching." A class in which our lone seminarian was institute; and the students' thinking was in this class
to try his skill in preaching a sermon. Mr. Miersma was directed to the contemplation of the Eucharist. It was
assigned this practice session only one month after the learned that the R.C. priesthood makes a non-bloody
first one. At 8  o'cloCk the fledgeling mounted the repetition of the sacrifice of CXrist, a sacrifice made by
pulpit, opened the service with prayer and. read the the priest for the people, as he stands between God
Scripture portion for the day, and announced his text.     and His people. In this study the idea of "transubstan-
His congregation consisted of two professors, two tiation" was examined; the claim of the ubiquity
visitors, and the other six students. This was not the (omnipresence) of Christ was questioned; and the
ordinary congregation an ordained minister faces; this matter of the doctrine of purgatory (for whose
was one made up of critics! Two of the students had sufferers many sacrifices were made) was under scru-
been assigned to criticize the preacher's delivery. This tiny. The discussion led to the subject of penance and
they did, criticizing his pronunciation, his enunciation, the resulting fallacy of the dispensing of indulgences
the pitch of his voice and its range, his vocabulary, his by the ordained priesthood. It was pointed out that
gestures, his eye-contact with the audience, etc. Two penance consisted of four parts: contrition  - sorrow
other students offered their critique of the sermon and of soul over sin; attrition - sorrow over sin out of fear
its proposition and outhe. The minister-visitor, Rev. of punishment ; satisfaction  - made by prayers,
Schipper, was also given opportunity to offer his money, and good works; absolution - by the word of
criticism, which centered around the introduction of the priest. This teaching developed into the claim that
the sermon.                                                certain persons could earn in excess of their own debt,
  If this were not enough, the student-preacher's which could be deposited in the Bank of Heaven. This
sermon was then opened to the official criticism of bank account in its further development became an
Prof. Hanko and of Prof. Hoeksema. Of course, you account of infinite value. This class lasted for an hour,
understand that such criticism (though it might at so you can see that we have only touched upon some
times sound destructive) is designed to be constructive. of the highlights of the discussion.
There is as much room for commendation as for                At 11 o'clock the class of Church Polity was called
condemnatory remarks. In this case the seminarian had to order; and Prof. Hanko instructed his charges in the
taped all the criticism on his portable recorder in order study of Articles 69 and 70 of our Church Order, the
to replay it in his study as often as he liked, to receive two articles probably most ignored in the way of strict
the most profit from his critics. In that way he could observance. Article  69  lists the songs which  shall be
write down the thoughts worth emphasizing and thus sung, mentioning the Songs of Mary, Simeon, and
be able to edit, correct, elide, and rebuild his sermon Zechariah (which may be found in our Psalters), the
according to the suggestions given. To a mere layman, Ten Commandments and the Twelve Articles of Faith
who has never made a  s&non,  this criticism seemed and the morning and evening hymns (of which none of
somewhat severe; but' we understand from the minis- this generation knows the whereabouts). Article  70
ters present (who also suffered under like critique) that speaks of the  propiety of having the marriage state
this proves to be the best means to build good confirmed  in the presence of God's church, attended
preachers. In their chosen vocation the best is none too to by the consistory. Class discussion on this subject
good; for it involves the preaching of the Gospel of became quite lively and somewhat informal, even
Jesus Christ, and the very best vehicle for this purpose drawing upon the experiences of the  committee-
must be sought!                                            delegate, Rev. Schipper, who was considered to be an
  We were singularly impressed with the fact that authority because of his many years of service.
pre-seminary students (who are also, by the way,             The Theological School Committee is truly grateful
receiving part of the seminary training simultaneously to the consistory of First Church for the two basement
with their pre-sem instruction) were allowed to criti- rooms provided for our school. With the enrollment of
cize a seminarian! This privilege is of great advantage pre-seminary students, more rooms are desirable; but
to them in that it gives them an acute awareness of the these will have to wait the erection of a seminary
pitfalls they will have to try to avoid in their building. The 1968 Synod mandated the Committee to
sermonizing. It is safe to say that if Rev. R. Miersma in report to the `69 Synod with plans that may happily
the future should preach on the text of Isaiah 43 : 21, be realized before 1974, when we hope, D.V., to
it will .be a revised sermon that had been delivered by celebrate our 50th anniversary. A special Seminary


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 427


Building Fund has been started with two separate gifts       And now we shall also go on vacation: no more
- one from an individual and one from a society.          reports untiLnext  fall!


Iiz His Fear

                              WISDOM THAT EXCELS
                                                    (Concluded)

                                                Rev. John A. Heys

  The believer, rather than the unbeliever, has true came into being and where it is going, because they
wisdom and understanding.                                 have meditated in the writings and spoutings of
  He has this true wisdom and understanding because unbelievers, is hard to understand.
he meditates in God's testimonies. It does make a           You understand, of course, that it is not simply a
difference what your textbook is and what the source matter of choosing between taking the Word of God or
of your wisdom and understanding is. It does make a the word of man. It is not a matter of going to
difference who your teacher is. And when in  Psalm righteous Adam, to whom God gave true knowledge
119 :99 the psalmist says, "I have more understanding and holiness, and asking him to explain to us this vast
than my teachers: for Thy testimonies are my creation, our calling in the midst of it and where all
meditation," he tells us that, although certain men these things lead. It is instead rejecting the Word of
taught him certain facts about this earth and that God to listen to Satan's graduates. You could approach.
which it contains, he has another teacher Who causes righteous Adam and get the same instruction that God
him to understand correctly all that which man has would give, for God would then give it through Adam.
taught him. His teacher is no one less than God You would not be elevating man's word to be on the
Himself. That' is what it means that God's testimonies plane with God's. You would be seeking God's Word as
are his meditation. God's testimonies testify of God, He revealed it to man. You would be getting a
but they are also that which God testifies of Himself photostatic copy of what is in the Word, exactly alike
and of all His works among and upon mankind.              in every detail.
  It does make a difference, then, whether you are          But what we get now, when we seek any wisdom
willing to receive the Scriptures as the infallible Word and understanding apart from the Word of God, is to
of Gbd that they are, or whether you want to lift some seek the philosophy of Satan. All men are under the
works of man to the level of that Word of God power of his lie; and they all approach all matters of
(because you have not this wisdom that excels) and life and of their existence under the power of that lie.
then choose from both that which appeals to your Paul writes to the Church at Rome in chapter  8:7,
flesh. To have wisdom that excels, you must have a "Because the carnal mind (that is, the mind of our
textbook that excels. We may note that the psalmist flesh, the mind which we have by our natural birth, the
speaks of having one text book, and that he ascribes all only mind that the unregenerated have) is enmity
his true understanding to that which he has been against God: for it is not subject to the law  0% God,
taught out of that holy textbook. And, as we pointed neither indeed can be." With that kind of a mind the
out, he has an understanding which his teachers cannot unbeliever approaches all that which he sees on this
have, because they have discarded, disregard or despise earth. With hatred against God he scans the heavens
this Word of God.                                         and plans to plant his foot on the moon. With that
  What folly this, that in the sphere of the church, kind of a mind he studies our diseases and physical
where men have for years and centuries had and still afflictions. Refusing to refer to God's testimonies and
have the infallible record of the Word of God, that to consider that matter of SIN, he spouts forth that
men will exchange it for the word of the creature of which appeals to the flesh of man and gives him false
dust who depends so completely upon this God Who hopes. Refusing to seek the Creator's version of the
gave us  His Word! That the professing Atheist, who work of creation and asking the creature for a
says that there is no God, will look for the best description and analysis of the Creator, he comes up
teachers among men, is to be understood. But that in with a lot of monkey business, and is willing to flatter
the church-world there are those who will with the lips (?) himself into thinking that he has such ancestry.
acknowledge that there is a God and that this is His        Shall these teach our children? Shall we even allow
Word, and then will dare to take the haughty position them in our Christian schools? Shall we let these
that they have more understanding of how this world "teachers," who have been taught and have accepted


428                                           THE STANDARD BEARER


the word of those who deny The Word, shall we let folly. But to stand in awe of Jehovah  - Whose very
those who, in this, evidence their enmity against God name is awe-inspiring  - is to have wisdom and
in their own flesh, have an opportunity to corrupt the understanding. In Psalm 111: 11 the psalmist declares,
minds of our children? Or shall we insist that all those "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a
who teach our children get their wisdom and good understanding have all they that do His
understanding from God's testimonies? Is it an act of commandments: His praise endureth for ever." Now
love to God to let His enemies teach the children of keeping His commandments, or doing them, exactly
God, His covenant seed? We hear so much about love, requires that we know Him as fully as He has revealed
love, love  - and not simply from the hippies and Himself to us. You cannot serve the man whose mind
yippies  - but it must be love to God first of all and and will you do not know. You cannot keep the
basically. We may not hesitate to hurt the feelings and commandments of a God Who has not revealed His will
to criticize men, when they perform acts of hatred to you. And doing God's commandments means a
against God, in order to walk in love towards God whole lot more than simply to know what they say. It
ourselves. And in that same love to God we must want is quite possible to keep the external aspect of a
to protect His children from His and their enemies. command of God and still perform an act of hatred. It is
School boards, if they have any understanding of their possible to be a whited sepulchre, a Pharisee that is
calling and responsibilities and of the love of God, flawless as far as the eye of man can see and yet be
should get to work after meditating themselves in that rebuked by Christ as an evil doer. And it is exactly
Word of God. The matter is serious, and the hour is because we need to meditate more fully in God's
late!                                                       testimonies that we are at a loss at times as to what we
  `The first principle, then, of all wisdom is that ought to do, what is right and what is wrong, whether
Jehovah is God. And the next principle follows at we are to approve of or reject a proposed action.
once: His Word is truth and reveals the truth                 The answer we will always find in God's testimonies.
concerning Him. All the teaching of the unbelievers in These will show us either that this denies that He is
one way or another, to one degree or another denies God and is an act of not doing His commandments, or
that Jehovah is God and denies the truth of His Word. these will reveal to us that by this action He, Whose
All the teachings of the unbelievers ascribe that which praise endureth for ever, is glorified. That is why the
is the Creator's to the creature. They do not all do this instruction of our children must be based upon these
in the same way and in regard to the same virtues of testimonies and must be given by one who has
God. They may even agree that He created the world, meditated in these testimonies.
but they will so present that creation and the act of         And meditating in God's testimonies is not giving
creating that world that Jehovah no longer is the them a- quick and superficial glance. Nor is it
sovereign God that He is and Christ is no more the first approaching the Word with our own preconceived
born of every creature.                                     ideas. Certainly it is not searching them to see whether
   God's testimonies are the Holy Scriptures wherein we can  find some  .proof and basis for what the
He testifies of Himself. They are the testimonies that unbeliever has already with his God-hating mind
He gives. But they are also the testimonies that He postulated as the right understanding of the facts at
gives of Himself. Let us refer back again to the second hand.
article of the Netherlands Confession. Its very heading       We miss some of the force of this statement of the
is, "By what means God is made known unto us." And psalmist in our translation. The word "meditation"
as far as that Word is concerned, it declares, comes from a verb that means "to bow down, to
"Secondly, He makes Himself more clearly and fully prostrate." That is what it means to meditate in God's
known to us by His holy and divine Word, that is to testimonies. We come ready to listen and not to tell
say, as far as is necessary for us to know in this life, to God what He ought to be saying. It means, therefore,
His glory and our salvation." By that Word we learn to that we do not come with an idea and an explanation
know God.. The "elegant" book of creation makes it that came from a man whose mind is enmity against
very plain that there is a God, and no man is without God, to see whether God's testimonies have to be
an excuse in that respect. His power and divinity are to    explained in the light of what man has deduced. It
be seen in every creature. And in Scripture we learn to means the very opposite, that we reserve all acceptance
.know this God in as far as in this life we need to know    of what men say until we first listen to what God's
Him, and in as far as He has made it possible for us to testimonies declare.
know Him. God's testimonies, therefore, are both that         Woe unto us, if we bow down before those under
which He speaks and to which He gives testimony, but Satan's lie. Blessed we are, if we have that fear of the
they are also that which testifies of God.                  Lord that causes us to bow before the All-wise God,
   The fear of the Lord, which is the beginning. of the Creator of all Who alone can cause us to
wisdom, requires a knowledge of Hirn.as He is. It must understand all things as they are and were made by
not be the fear of an idol, an imaginary god. That is       Him. We simply do not have true wisdom, if we are not


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  429



wise enough to bow before God in His Word. And we You need not give answer to man for that. But before
perform an act of exceeding folly when we elevate God you do give answer by what you do. One with
man's word and explanations above God's testimonies. understanding that the unbeliever does not and cannot
   Do you have that wisdom that excels? Do you have rejects the philosophies that originate in man's
meditate in God's testimonies and provide for your mind and turns to the All-wise and living God and
children to be  .taught by those who bow before His cherishes His Word as his guide and instructor in
Word? The psalmist can say, "I have . . . ." Can you?         understanding and wisdom.


                                    B O O K R E V I E W S
                                                   ProJ: H. Hanko

BEHOLD HE COMETH, by Herman Hoeksema; Re-                       I was privileged to receive my seminary instruction
formed  Free  Pub;lishing  Association, 1969; 726 pp.,        under Rev. Hoeksema. Although a large section of the
$9.95.                                                        classroom notes on Eschatology (now published in
  In his book, "The Progress of Dogma", James Orr             "Reformed Dogmatics") was devoted to a general
takes the position that the Church from Pentecost to          survey of the teaching of the book of Revelation, Rev.
the present develops the truth of the Word of God             Hoeksema would often turn to this important book in
along the lines of the six loci of Dogmatics. That is, the    other connections. It became, in the classroom, in-
early Church concentrated her attention upon Theol-           creasingly apparent that, whether one agreed or not
ogy and Christology; some centuries later, the loci of with every aspect of interpretation, the explanation
Anthropology and Soteriology were the main concern            offered by Rev. Hoeksema was one which almost alone
of the Church; around the time of the Reformation             made some sense out of this difficult book. It was an
Ecclesiology was developed; it remains for the Church         explanation which took into account the book as a
of today, living in the end of the ages, to deal with the     whole. It was an organic explanation which did not
doctrine of the last things: Eschatology. While there         treat every part of the book in isolation from every
can be some criticism made of this conception, the            other part. It rather was an explanation, which caught
truth is that the dominant theme of today's theological       the theme of the book and developed carefully this
inquiry is the doctrine of the last things. And if this is    one theme throughout. In subsequent years I have had
true, the book "Behold He Cometh" will have to be             at least two opportunities, in connection with society
considered a major contribution to this discussion.           discussions, to pay rather careful attention to the
  "Behold He Cometh" is a commentary on the book              book. The opinion I had formed in school that Rev.
of Revelation. Yet, while we use the word "`Commen-           Hoeksema's interpretation was basically sound and was
tary", it must be mentioned that the book is not a            one among a host `-of expositors which made sense and
commentary in the usual sense of the-word. It is a            which was faithful to the whole of Scripture increased.
series of essays on various sections of Revelation rather     This faithfulness to Scripture is especially apparent in
than a verse-by-verse exposition of the prophecies of the author's careful explanation of the symbolism of
the seer of Patmos. For this reason,  `it has all the         Revelation. The explanation of the symbolism is
characteristics of a scholarly commentary in that it is       always an explanation which is itself based upon God's
expository, exegetical and a thorough explanation of Word.
the entire book. But it is also of immense value to             The book has been called an "amellennial" interpre-
people who will want to read a book for other                 tation of Revelation. This is intended to distinguish the
purposes than a detailed study of one particular              author's position from pre-millennialism and post-
section of Scripture. There is to be found  in it no          millennialism. Yet the author-himself did not particu-
technical language, no long discussion of textual larly care for the designation  ~"amillennial." While it
problems, no Greek interspersed throughout the book.          was useful to distinguish between his view and deviat-
It is a book written for those who -earnestly desire to       ing positions, it is, after all, a negative term which
gain an understanding of the prophecies of "the things        means simply "non-millennial". This is not adequate to
which shall be hereafter." It is a book written for those     define the author's position. The positive truth empha-
who take seriously their calling to live in the constant      sized throughout the book is that Jesus Christ is the
expectation of the Lord's return. It is a book which          fumess of the revelation of God as the God Who
possesses a wealth of instruction, a mine of inspira-         sovereignly saves His people. This beautiful truth
tional and devotional reading and a fountain of which formed the heart of the author's theology is
encouragement to walk faithfully in the midst of the          discussed in Revelation from the unique viewpoint of
world.                                                        the  final revelation of that sovereign salvation in the


430                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



second coming of Christ. This essential meaning of a.mere addition to a library. It is, above all, meant to
Revelation the author has captured in his book. It is be read and studied. Whether one agrees or not with
stressed throughout. When Christ comes again, He fully every part of it, with every interpretation of every
reveals Jehovah God Who saves His people through passage, it is a book which will instill in one a love for
unmerited grace. For this reason the book is necessary Scripture. It  wiIl encourage the people of God to
reading for anyone who wishes to understand the full faithfulness in the midst of the world. It will inspire
scope of the author's theology and the wide range of those who find here no abiding city but who seek that
his theological reflection.                                   city which is above.
   But above all the book is expository. The material in
the book is based upon sermons which the author MORE NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES, By C. H.
preached in his congregation. These sermons revealed Dodd; Wm. B. Eerdmans  Publ. Co., 1968; 157 pp.,
the author's unusual exegetical ability and his gifts as a    $4.50.
preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not                This volume contains a series of essays in which the
surprising therefore, that the author's ability as a methods of form-criticism are applied to various
preacher should make its imprint upon the book.               aspects of the gospels. The basic assumption through-
Throughout there is a devotion to Scripture as the out the book is that the gospel narratives are based
Word of God, a faithfulness to the inspired record, a upon a common oral tradition present in the early
deep sense of the need of God's people, a sound               church. The book is an attempt to identify this
application, of the truth of Scripture to the times, a        common oral tradition and make some conclusions as
burning zeal to encourage the people of God to look to its content. In the whole book there is no place for
withuplifted heads for the coming of their Redeemer.          the doctrine of infallible inspiration.
  The problems of the day, so closely related to the            One essay deals with the Beatitudes; another with
signs of the Lord's coming, are analyzed carefully and        the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem; three
weighed constantly in the light of these beautiful deal with the unique tradition which supposedly lies
prophecies. For anyone who is a student of the times,         behind the Fourth Gospel; two deal with the relation
the book is essential. It will be of invaluable aid to        between the sayings of Jesus and the catechetical
God's people to help them understand the times in             teaching of the early church; one treats all the passages
which they are called to live and to interpret the events     in Scripture which pertain to the appearances of Christ
of the present in the light of the universal rule of after His resurrection.
Christ Who does all things in order that the full               The book is not written for those who are un-
purpose of God may be realized and the everlasting            acquainted with the Greek language and with the
kingdom of Christ established at the end of the age.          principles of textual criticism. Its value lies in the fact
  The book is not pre-millennial. Yet,  pre- that it gives the viewsof a "conservative" higher critic.
millennialists will do well to read it carefully and s,tudy It shows the labyrinthine argumentation of which
it closely. If they are sincere in their determination to higher critics are capable in. their efforts to treat
understand the Scriptures, this book will be an Scripture as only another literary document, rather
occasion for much thought and searching the Scrip- than as the inspired Word of God. It is a clear
tures to see whether these things be so - whether they demonstration of how much of the argumentation of
ultimately agree or not.                                      these higher critics is based upon conjecture, sup-
  The strong tendencies of our day are in the direction position, hypothesis, and sheer guesswork.
of postmillennialism. The dangers of this view are
many and far-reaching. The book ably defends the CONTEND WITH HORSES, by Grace Irwin; Wm. B.
proposition that the saints must not look for the Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968; 284 pp. $4.95.
kingdom of Christ realized here upon earth, but must            This novel by Grace Irwin is the third in a trilogy.
set their hopes upon a kingdom above. The dangers of The other two are "Least of all Saints" and "Andrew
post-millennialism are exposed, and it is shown that Conington." I have not read the first two books in this
post-millennial views will inevitably leave the Church trilogy and cannot compare this book with its prede-
ill-prepared to face the persecution which must surely cessors. But the book is an attempt to be a Christian
come before Christ comes again.                               novel and is, from this point of view, impressive. The
  The book is beautifully printed in a type-face easy book picks up the thread of the story of Andrew
to read. The chapters are divided by paragraph Conington, minister of the gospel, who has sacrificed
headings. The cover matches the volume of the his immense popularity as a preacher to remain faithful
author's "Reformed Dogmatics". The jacket is beauti- to his convictions, who has lost his wife and must
fully done. The book is a worth-while addition to the weigh carefully the possible effects of another marriage
libraries of covenant homes and of ministers and on his congregation and his family, who must struggle
teachers.                                                     with the problem of a son who seems on the verge of
  Yet it must never be and surely is not intended to be       giving up his Church and family in a struggle with


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                431


unbelief, who, in short, is constantly confronted with the higher critics on their own grounds and with their
difficult problems which place him before the alterna- own methods. Prof. Harrison himself rejects the
tives of violating his own conscience or risking the liberalism of higher criticism. But he does so by
displeasure of various elements in his congregation.          appealing to their own methods, adopting their own
   While I cannot agree with the theology of the book lines of argumentation and debating with them on
(or of Andrew Conington himself), the book is a their own grounds. Ultimately, this is to lose the
successful attempt to write good Christian literature. battle. To let the enemy pick the battlefield and to
On these grounds it is recommended to those who fight the enemy under their conditions is dangerous
enjoy reading novels as being far superior to a great business to say the least. The author does not take a
deal of sentimental slop which often goes under the firm stand on the truth of inspiration.
name of Christian literature.                                   From this follows another criticism. There is too
                                                              much emphasis in the book on the humanity of Christ
A SHORT LIFE OF CHRIST, by Everett F. Harrison; without proper regard for his divinity  `- although the
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968; 288 pp.,            author  firmly believes in the divinity of Christ. One
$5.95.                                                        example will suffice. On p. 62 the author describes
  Everett F. Harrison, professor of New Testament at Jesus as being faced with the choice of involving
Fuller Theological Seminary, is generally considered a Himself in the politics of the day, but after carefully
conservative evangelical. His study of the life of Christ considering it, Jesus decided against it.
reveals that this is true. The book is not really intended      If read carefully, the book is recommended as giving
to be a book devoted to the history of the gospel fresh insights into the ministry of Christ.
narratives with emphasis on the historical aspects; it is
more intended to be a brief interpretation of various
aspects of the life and ministry of Christ: e.g., all the                     IMPORTANT NOTICE!
miracles are treated in one chapter. There is a chapter         Because of continued publication cost and the
on Jesus as Teacher; a chapter on the Call and Training expense involved in the binding and mailing of the
of the Twelve; and a separate chapter is devoted to           books, the recipients of the Bound Volumes of THE
various aspects of the suffering, death and resurrection STANDARD BEARER are hereby notified that the
of Christ.                                                    cost per volume will be $7.00. This price represents
  The emphasis on interpretation makes this book a only a portion of the actual cost per book and is in line
valuable one. Some of the interpretations which Prof.         with the yearly subscription price. A limited number
Harrison offers are original and unique. Some of them         of past volumes can be obtained through the Business
are very peculiar  - as, e.g., the explanation of the         Office at $7.00 per volume.
voice from heaven at the time of Jesus' transfiguration                                      The Board of the R.F.P.A.
as being chiefly a rebuke to Peter for his suggestion to
build three tabernacles. (Cf. p. 159.)                                            INMEMORIAM
  The chief criticism I have of the book is the
characteristic of the author to answer the criticisms of      On the afternoon of April 24, 1969, it pleased our
                                                              Lord to take unto Himself, after a short illness, our
                                                              beloved wife, mother, grandmother and  great-
              RESOLUTION OF SYMPATHY                          grandmother
The Ladies' Aid of the Hudsonville Protestant Re-                      MRS. FLORENCE HOEKSTRAA.
formed Church hereby expresses its sympathy to one Thanks be to God, Who giveth us the victory through
of our members, Mrs. Ruth Lubbers, in the passing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
her mother,                                                          Mr. Peter M. Hoekstra
          MRS. MILDRED VAN DEN BELDT                                 Mr. and Mrs. Martin Hoekstra
"And we know that all things work together for good                  Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Brummel
to them that love God, to them that are the called                   Mr. and Mrs. George Hoekstra
according to His purpose".                   Romans 8 : 28           Mr. and Mrs. Donald Hoekstra
                         Rev. H. Veldman, Pres.                      Mr. and Mrs. Ted Hoekstra
                         Freda Zwak, Sec'y.                          Mr. and Mrs. Bert Van Maanen
                                                                     Mr. and Mrs. Ray Brunsting
  The Hope Protestant Reformed Christian School at                   Mr. and Mrs. John Hoekstra
Grand Rapids will need teachers for Kindergarten and                 Mr. and Mrs. Pete Hoekstra
the First Grade for the 1969-70 school year.                         Rev. and Mrs. Alvin Mulder
  If you can consider one of these positions kindly                  Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hoekstra
contact the school.                                                      65 Grandchildren
                              Clare Kuiper, Sec'y.                           1 Great Grandchild


432                                            THE STANDARD BEARER


                                 News From Our  Churches

                                            June 15,1969      First Church, with Prof. H.C. Hoeksema giving the
                                                              Commencement Address.
  Our church at Pella, Iowa, has had the services of                                      * * * *
Rev. D. Kuiper for six weeks, and he was followed by            From Randolph we learn that three of their four
Rev. D. Engelsma for his six-week stint. These men are Servicemen are stationed in Viet Nam; that four of
kept busy, preaching, teaching and lecturing. Rev. their young folk plan to attend the Convention in
Kuiper's lectures were on, "Holding to the Truth," Redlands; that their Young People's Society closed the
and, "The Nearness of the End". Rev. Kuiper spoke Season's activities with a Memorial Day Outing to
highly of the lively interest of the children and young which the young people of Oak Lawn were invited.
people in the catechism classes. The little flock in Pella Randolph also plans to host the September meeting of
now numbers twenty-six souls.                                 Classis West and the Office-Bearer's Conference which
                            * *  *  *                         precedes it.
       Synod, 1969, is history. The business was conducted                                *  * *  1
with dispatch under the capable leadership of Rev. C.           At a May 26 Congregational Meeting the members
Hanko, who presided over this session of Synod. First of our Hull church adopted the proposal of their
Church of Grand Rapids has been named the calling Building Committee to remodel the front entrance of
church for 1970.                                              the church.
                            * * * *                                                       * *  *  *
  The Hope School Graduation Exercises  were  held              The latest "Reformed Witness" pamphlet by our
June 4 in their church. Rev. Engelsma, of Loveland, Western Churches was written by Rev. Engelsma, and
was the Commencement speaker.                                 was entitled, "Lawlessness." Over 600 copies of this
                            *  *  *  *                        issue were mailed in the Loveland area alone! Love-
       Sunday, June 8, in a between-Synodical-sessions- land's Prot. Ref. Chr. School is making its presence felt
tradeabout, Rev. Van  Baren preached in Randolph, in the neighborhood. Next year's  fast grade will
Wise., and his own pulpit was supplied by Rev. C. number four, three of which are not members of
Hanko, former minister of First Church, and Rev. R. Loveland's church! The prospect of enlarging their
Decker, son of the church.                                    school is greatly enhanced by the interest shown in
                            *  *  *  *                        Christian education by "outsiders" who are impressed
       Rev. Engelsma declined the call he had from Hull, with the quality of the education given in their school.
Iowa; and Pella was disappointed with Rev. Lanting's                                      * *  4  *
decision to remain in Edgerton, Minn.                           The consistory of First Church, of Grand Rapids,
                            *  *  *  *                        has decided to limit the celebration of the Lord's
       The Commencement program of Doon's  school was Supper to the morning service only. This involved
held in the auditorium of Hull's church. Rev. Decker some family `planning of making provisions for caring
addressed the graduates in a speech entitled, "Jehovah for little infants, and some rearranging of nursery
our Light."                                                   scheduling, which seems to have been implemented
                            *  * * *                          quite adequately on the first attempt Sunday, June 15,
       Not many of us get to read Lynden's bulletins, so when the decision was put into effect.
we would like to share with you an item of interest                                       +  *  * *
found in the June 1 issue: "After repeated invitations,         The news of Rev.  Vanden Berg's recuperation is
our pastor is presently making plans to visit various quite encouraging. The large body cast has been
Primitive Baptist Churches in Tennessee and Alabama removed and a smaller one applied, and he can now
which have corresponded most regularly to our Study walk with the aid of crutches. Sunday, June 8, he was
Program. He plans to fly there and stay from the 20th able to attend both services among the worshippers;
to the 30th of June, during which time he will speak in and he offered to preach for one service the next
a number of churches and visit with many Christian Sunday. It is reported that he is in good spirits,
friends in those areas."                                      profoundly grateful for having experienced the tender
                            * *  * *                          mercies of his Lord while confined in a state of
       Doon's  June first bulletin announced that they had immobility.
received into their membership two confessing mem-                                        ****
bers and four baptized members of another family.
                            * *  * *                          . . . see you in church,
       Adams St. School Graduation Exercises were held in                                                    J.M.F.


