                                         he
I
                             /f`TY 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:
            Found By A Strange People

            Editorial:
               Pluralistic or Antithetical?

            All Around Us:
               Ecumenicity in Reverse
               Full Speed Ahead
               Unholy Demands
               Theological Ignorance

             Jamaica Visited (see: Mission Committee Report)
                                                    Volume XL V / Number 19 / August I,1969


434                                                        THE STANDARD BEARER



                            CONTENTS                                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER
                                                                                  Semi-monthly, except monthly during June, July and August.
Meditation -                                                                       Published by the Reformed  Free.Publishing Association, Inc.
   Found By A Strange People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .434                          Second Class Postage Paid at Grand Rapids, Mich.
                                                                             Editor-in-Chief: Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
Editorial -                                                                  Department Editors:  Mr. John M.  Faber.Rev.  Cornelius Hanko,Prof.
   Pluralistic or Antithetical? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .436         Herman Hanko, Rev. Robert C. Harbach, Rev. John A.  Heys, Rev. Jay
                                                                             Kortering, Rev. George C. Lubbers, Rev. Marinus Schipper, Rev.  Gise J.
Report on Synod -                                                            Van  Baren, Rev. Herman Veldman, Rev. Bernard Woudenberg
   Our Synod of 1969 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .439          Editorial Office:  Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
                                                                                                1842 Plymouth Terrace, SE.
All Around Us -                                                                                Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506
   Ecumenicity in Reverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 1          Church News Editor:       Mr. John M. Faber
                                                                                                       1123 Cooper Ave.,  SE.
   Full Speed Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .442                                 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49507
   Unholy Demands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .442         Editorial Policy:  Every editor is solely responsible for the contents of his
   Theological Ignorance . . . . . . . . . . . i . . . . . . . .442          own articles. Contributions of general interest from our readers and
                                                                             questions for the Question-Box Department are welcome. Contributions
From Holy Writ -                                                             will be limited to approximately 300 words and must be neatly written
   The Book of Hebrews, 9:1-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .443                or typewritten. Copy deadlines are the first and the fifteenth of the
                                                                             month. All communications relative to the contents should be sent to
                                                                             the editorial office.
A Cloud of Witnesses -
   The Battle Joined Against Absalom . . . . . . . . . . .445                Business Office:  The Standard Bearer,
                                                                                                Mr. H. Vander Wai, Bus. Mgr.
                                                                                                P.O. Box 6064
Contending for the Faith -                                                                      Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506
   The Doctrine of Sin (Protestant Doctrine) . . . . .447                    Subscription Policy:  Subscription  price,$7.00  per year. Unless a definite
                                                                             request for discontinuance is received, it is assumed that the subscriber
The Lord Gave the Word -                                                     wishes the subscription to continue without the formality of a renewal
   The History of Missions, 15~0-1600  A.D. . . . . .449                     order and he will be billed for renewal. If you have a change of address,
                                                                             please notify the Business Office as early as possible in order to aviod
                                                                             the inconvenience of delayed delivery. Include your Zip Code.
From the Mission Committee -
   Jamaica Visited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . .452    Advertising Policy:  The  Standard Bearer  does not accept commercial
                                                                             advertising of any kind. Announcements of church and school events,
                                                                             anniversaries, obituaries, and sympathy resolutions will be placed for a
Pages from the Past -                                                        $3.00 fee. These should be sent to the Business Office and should be
   Believers and Their Seed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .454         accompanied by the $3.00 fee. Deadline for announcements is the 5th
                                                                             or the 20th of the month, previous to publication on the 15th or the 1st
BookReview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..45 5      respectively.
                                                                             Bound Volumes:  The Business Office will accept standingordersfor bound
Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -456     copies of the current volume; such orders are filled as soon as possible
                                                                             after completion of a volume. A limited number of past volumes may be
                                                                             obtained through the Business Office.




Meditation

                                   Found By A Strange People
                                                               Rev. M. Schipper

                 `1 am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I
             said,`Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. "
                                                                                                                            Isaiah 65 : 1.


   Jehovah, the God of the everlasting covenant, behold from the habitation of thy holiness .and thy
speaks!                                                                      glory: Where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding
   In answer to the prayer of the remnant whom the of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they
prophet envisioned as being in Babylonian captivity!                         restrained? Doubtless thou art our father, though
   The spiritual remnant, bemoaned the sad condition Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us
of God's people. There seems to .be no hope for them.. not: Thou, 0 Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy
Listen to them pray: "Look down from heaven, and name is from everlasting : . . " And again, "But we are


                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER                                            435



all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses.are text He speaks of Himself as the God of our salvation
as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our in Jesus Christ. This is evident from two sources. In the
iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And first place, the context makes this clear. It is Jehovah,
there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth the God of Israel, and therefore the covenant God
up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid speaking. His words are an answer to the prayer of the
thy face from us, and has consumed us, because of our remnant of His people for the restoration of that
iniquities. But now, 0 Lord, thou art our father: we covenant. He therefore speaks of Himself as the
are the clay, and thou art our potter, and we all are the merciful and forgiving God, Who through the way of
work of thy hand . . . Wilt thou refrain thyself for atonement will reconcile His people to Himself. But, in
these things, 0 Lord? Wilt thou hold thy peace, and the second place, this is also evident from Romans 10.
afflict us very sore?" (Isaiah 63 : 15ff; 64:6ff).          There the apostle had been writing throughout of the
  To be sure, God will never forget His covenant. rejection of Israel as a nation and the salvation of the
Indeed, His mercy is eternal. He will never forget His Gentiles. And the apostle, even quoting from our
Zion.                                                       passage in Isaiah, reminds his kinsmen according to the
  But this restoration, this remembrance of His people flesh of Israel's rejection and the reception of the
will assume a different form than the petitioners could. Gentiles into the covenant of God. But notice also the
ever expect. For, while they are concerned over a text itself, how it makes this clear. God is speaking,
nation whom Jehovah has rejected; God will be found and He says: "Behold me, behold me, unto a nation
by those who asked not for Him, who sought Him not. that was not called by my name." And in the verse
Of this the apostle Paul also speaks (Romans  lo),          that follows our text: "I have spread out my hands all
referring exactly to our text and to its prophetic the day unto a rebellious people, etc." It is true that
fulfillment.                                                these words are directed to carnal Israel. But this does
  Found by a strange people!                                not alter the fact that they show how and in what light
  Wonderful answer!                                         God reveals Himself and how the Gentiles found Him.
  God is found!                                             He manifested Himself as the God of salvation, who is
  That, in itself, is a great wonder! God, the Invisible gracious, merciful, and abundantly ready to pardon.
One, Who dwelleth in an unapproachable light; Who is And as such they that sought Him not, found Him.
Spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and truth;           The meaning is clear. Even as a father who teaches
Who is eternal, infinite, and who cannot be compre- his child to walk, watches that child with outstretched
hended in a definition - that He should be found, that arms, ready to catch it when it should fall; so God, in
indeed is a great wonder!                                   all His graciousness, pictures Himself as ready to
  But the wonder is even greater than that! For it receive and to forgive whosoever flees to Him for
must be plain that the text cannot mean that God is redemption. The outstretched arms symbolize the
found merely in a general sense, as for example, He is fulness of God's revelation to us in the Lord Jesus
found as the God of creation. So that even the Gentiles Christ. Thus that revelation had been given to Israel of
knew that He is and in a general sense Who He is. The old, in His Word, through the prophets, and in signs,
text is not trying to tell us that in the old dispensation wonders, and the shadows of temple, sacrifices, etc.
the Gentiles did not know of God at all; but that now Thus that revelation had been perfected in Christ; Who
in the new dispensation they also know that and who is Jehovah-salvation, in His incarnation, in His death
He is. For in this sense, God had always manifested and resurrection, and proclaimed in the new dispensa-
Himself. He manifested Himself even to the extent of tion through the gospel. The gospel is the revelation of
His power and divinity. He did so in the works of His God as the God of our salvation coming to us with
hands. He did so also in the dispensation of His wrath outstretched arms, and ready to receive, and not cast
upon all the ungodly. Always He showed Himself as out, whoever comes to Him.
the God Who must be served and thanked. But this is           That God of salvation is found!
something quite different from the finding of our text.       This means much more than that we attain unto a
In the old dispensation the Gentiles never found Him mere intellectual knowledge of Him. Though this
in the sense of our text. To find God is a boon. It is intellectual knowledge is necessary and one which may
something greatly desirable. It is a blessing.              be increased through a constant and a faithful study of
  He is found as the God of salvation!                      His revelation; yet one with mere intellectual knowl-
  In this sense He is not revealed in creation, apart edge may reject Him. This mere intellectual knowledge
from Jesus Christ. The things He made indeed reveal without more can only increase the judgment that
His glory, and no one beholding the things He made must come upon one who rejects Him. They that have
can deny that He is. But the language that proceeds known the way and refused to walk therein shall be
from that creation after the fall is one of wrath. It has beaten with many stripes.
in it no hope for the sinner. And there is in it nothing      To find Him as the God of our salvation is a spiritual
that could induce that sinner to seek God. But in our experience!


436                                           THE STANDARD BEARER


  It is the experience of the soul that has come to a to Him and His outstretched arms, but carnal Israel
true spiritual knowledge of his sin and misery. It is the was stiff-necked and rejected Him. Witness how this
experience of the soul that longs for and has found climaxed in the cross.
peace and rest. It is the experience in which God is           But never is the promise of none effect. Always God
become manifest in all the beauty of His grace in the saves His people, and the remnant pleads for His
face of Christ. It is the experience of the soul that has mercy. Thus God saved His people even in the old
heard and therefore responds to the efficacious call of dispensation. And this word of God is fulfilled
God in Christ whereby he is become a new creation, according to the text also in the Gentiles. The contrast,
which call God is also pleased to have uttered through therefore, in the text, is not between election and
the preaching of the gospel.                                 reprobation, though this is certainly involved; but the
  And by whom is He found?                                   contrast is between Israel and the Gentiles.
  Not by Israel as a nation, as some aver. It is exactly       The Gentiles, as "unto a nation that was not called
the observation of the apostle in his epistle to the by my name," unto them God said: "Behold me,
Romans that with many of them God was highly behold me," and He was sought of them that asked not
displeased and had therefore rejected them. Is it not for Him, and found of them that sought Him not.
his lament that so many of his kinsmen according to            Through the gospel!
the flesh have fallen out and are lost? A fact which           In that way they found Him!
gave the apostle no little concern. His people had             Through the gospel which always declares: "Ask,
received so much; for to them were given many things. and it shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall find.
"Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, Knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
and the glory, and the covenants and the giving of the         But how shall the dead sinner ask, and seek, and
law, and the service of God, and the promises, etc." find?
And he asked the question: Did God's word fail                 The God of our salvation manifests Himself to him.
somewhere? God forbid. Let God be true, and every That: "Behold me, behold me," is a life-giving word
man a liar. God's Word did not fail. For they are not that makes the dead sinner alive, and at the same time
all Israel which are of Israel. And he goes on to say reveals to that now living sinner the saving God as He is
"Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are pleased to reveal Himself in Jesus Christ, the Saviour.
they all children: but in Isaac shall thy seed be called:      But there is more!
that is, they .which are the children of the flesh, these      "`Behold me, behold me," is also the efficacious
are not the children of God: but the children of the calling. Mere gospel preaching is not enough. This is
promise are counted for the seed." So that God made evident in the nation Israel which had the preaching of
distinction that of all the children of Abraham the gospel in all its fulness. Only when that powerful,
according to the flesh only Isaac is called. And of the saving, and calling Word: "Behold me" strikes into the
children of Isaac and Rebecca only Jacob is chosen. heart of the sinner, does that sinner who cannot and
And the apostle calls attention to the prophecy of does not seek Him, find Him.
Hosea: "I will call them my people, which were not             When that God of our salvation stands before you in
my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. the Person of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, and
And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it calls to you: "Behold me, behold me," you will come
was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall to Him and find in Him all of your salvation - whether
they be called the children of the living God." And in you be Jew or Gentile.
chapter ten, the apostle elaborately referring to our          And thus God's Word fails not! His house shall be
text, explains that that strange people who found God filled! And all the glory will be His!
is the Gentiles. 0, indeed, also in Israel there was a         Amen, and Amen!
remnant, according to the election of grace, that fled


Editorial

             Our Schools and Government Subsidy (7)
                                             Pluralistic or Antithetical?

                                               Pros H. C. Hoeksema

Brief Re-in tvoduc tion                                      "parochiaid" and offering a critical analysis of the
  For some time we have been studying this subject of issues involved. Meanwhile this matter has been up be-


                                              THE STANDARD  BEAFkR                                                      437


fore various state legislatures which were called upon its own religious principles, each maintaining its own
either by some government official or by various pres- ideas and views of how its children should be educated
sure groups to enact legislation granting a measure of in harmony with said religious principles, each entitled
state subsidy to non-public schools. In the State of to establish and maintain schools which embody its
Michigan (and, if my memory serves me correctly, also ideas of education, and each having an equal right to
in Illinois) parochiaid has been laid to rest for the time    government funds for its schools. But this is not the
being. The issue is by no means dead, however. Not system in our country. As far as the official status of
only are the advocates of government subsidy contin- education in this country is concerned, we have a
uing to insist that in the near future the state(s) must monolithic system, that is, one kind of education, that
provide such subsidy or face the prospect of many of the public, or state-controlled educational system.
parochial schools closing and unloading their pupils on And because of the prohibition against the establish-
an already overloaded public school system; but the ment of religion by the government, this  state-
wheels of government itself seem to be turning slowly controlled educational system is supposed to be
in the direction of state subsidy. In Michigan there is a non-religious, or religiously neutral (something which
commission to study and propose educational reform, is, of course, impossible, as we shall have occasion to
for example; and one of the items to be studied is that note later). This one, state-controlled system of educa-
of. parochiaid. Generally speaking, the chief factor tion is the going system in our country. It is set up by
which prevented enactment of parochiaid legislation law and according to constitution in the various states.
thus far has been a reluctance to raise state budgets There is only one loophole with respect to this system,
and taxes in the face of already tight budgets and rising - a loophole which makes the system somewhat
taxes. There does not seem to have been a great deal of dualistic, but by no means pluralistic. That loophole is
principle involved in the failure to provide a measure this, that citizens in our country  vnay educate their
of financial help to non-public schools from state children in  private  schools, whether they be church
coffers. The lack of favorable action has been pragmat- schools or society-controlled schools. Education is
ically motivated.                                             compulsory. And public education is compulsory for
   What the outcome will be cannot be predicted with all who do not voluntarily choose to educate their
certainty. One thing is certain: the issue will be before children in private schools.
the legislatures again. And while certain strong forces in       This is the extent of freedom of education in our
the ranks of public schools have been given time, country. Dr.  Vanden Berg may complain that this is
through this delay, to work against parochiaid and to not liberty because it is liberty at a price. Mr.
rally their forces, nevertheless many are predicting that Oosterman may try to say that it is a question whether
eventually some form of government subsidy is going our society wishes to have a monolithic system of
to become law in more than one state.                         education, akin to the established church of bygone
   A discussion of this subject, therefore, has not centuries. The fact of the matter is that this is the
become outdated. On the contrary, this same legisla- system that is established by law. It is constitutional. It
tive delay enables us to continue and complete our is not a question whether we have a monolithic system;
study and to become prepared in case parochiaid we have one, with the single exception that private
becomes a reality and in case we are faced by a choice education is also permitted. Nor does the government
of accepting or refusing such subsidy as might be require anyone to "forfeit his rights to the educational
proffered.                                                    tax dollar." Everyone has the right to send his children
   In the June issue we began a study of a popular to the public school, as far as the government is
argument in favor of parochiaid, an argument based on concerned; if he nevertheless chooses not to do so, it is
the claim that we live in a pluralistic society with a his obligation to provide private education. This was
pluralistic educational system. We quoted at length the situation when our forefathers came to this
from the writings of three proponents  0f.thi.s argu- country and began to establish Christian schools;
ment, and promised an analysis of this position, `recognizing this situation, and for principle's sake
concluding with the suggestion that the reader ask the being unwilling to let the state educate their children,
question: where are the lines of light versus darkness they chose the alternative which was by law open to
drawn in these statements? This phase of our discus- them, namely, private education in schools in harmony
sion we now continue.                                         with their principles. And they did so at great financial
                                                              sacrifice, too! For them it was a matter of principle,
Not Pluralis tic                                              not of dollars and cents.
  First of all, it should be noted that even from a             This, in fact, has been the system in our country
formal and legal point of view we do not have what especially since about 1835. In "Course of Study for
may properly be called a pluralistic system of educa- Christian Schools," pp. 375, ff., Mark Fakkema
tion in our country. The idea of pluralism is that there describes the development of this system as follows:
is a plurality of groups within our society, each having            There are two events that have profoundly influ-


438                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER


       enced our country. The  fust concerns a radical                  from Germany to America, education lost its
       change in the government that overruled our several              religious character. How was this brougbt about?
       States; the second concerns a radical change within              (1) Whereas in Prussia the federal or central govem-
       the government of each State. The first momentous                ment had charge of .education, in the United States
       event consists of the establishment of a new, central-           educational control - for constitutional reasons -
       ized government over all states. This implied the                passed by our Federal government and lodged itself
       rejection of England's rule over us. This event                  in the governments of the several states.
       occurred in 1776 when our country declared its                   (2) When our several State legislatures took over the
       independence. The second momentous event was the                 task of educating the .youth they - also for constitu-
       establishment of centralized educational control as a            tional reasons  - had to divest education of its
       "distinct branch of (State) government." This                    religious ingredient.
       implied the rejection of the principle of local                While I may not agree with every formulation in the
       educational control. The movement toward State              above quotations, nevertheless I think Fakkema
       control in education had its beginnings in the              furnishes a  rather accurate description of the historical
       convention that framed the Michigan State Constitu-         development and character of the American educa-
       tion in 1835.                                               tional system. Officially we have a monolithic
          The first event (1776) is celebrated each year as a
       national holiday. The second event (1835) - which I         educational system; and that established governmental
       believe has wrought the greater radical change in our       system of education is saddled with the constitutional
       country - is practically unknown and is never as            prohibition against establishment of religion. The only
       much as mentioned in the ordinary school histories.         loophole is  that those who do not like the state schools
       Whereas before 1835 education in the main enjoyed           are free to establish their own schools with their own
       the freedom which it had inherited from the com-            funds.
       mon law of England, after this date American                  Accepting the proponents of parochiaid, for. the
       education increasingly conformed its educational            moment, on their own basis, what is the conclusion?  If
       policy to a State controlled educational system             we grant for the moment that we live in a pluralistic
       imported from Prussia.                                      society, what follows as far as education is concerned?
  Fakkema then describes the consequences of this                    In the first place, the proponents of pluralism
change in the following language:                                  should not try to get government funds in spite of the
          As soon as the State took over the educational           fact that this country has a monolithic school system.
       reins, the State (public) schools, in transmitting the      Nor should they try to take a back-handed slap at the
       heritage of the past to the rising generation, gave free    monolithic system along financial avenues. No, even on
       passage to that which was secular and regarded that         their own basis they should try to change the system
       which was religious contraband. The inevitable result       itselfi  This would, of course, be extremely difficult;
       was that the life. for which these schools prepared         and any success in such an attempt would be highly
       increasingly became secular, that is Bible-less, God-
       less, Christ-less, Atheistic, immoral, lawless, corrupt.    improbable.  l3ut even on the basis of the pluralistic
       How significant the deflection of educational control       view of society and of government's relation to it, this
       from private to political hands!                            would at least be honest and straight-forward.
          We of course realize that many and varied immedi-          In the second place, it would appear to follow on
       ate factors have contributed to bring about our             the basis of a pluralistic view, and on the basis that the
       present moral corruption, social chaos, and economic        government has any business whatsoever in education,
       bewilderment; but whatever the immediate contrib-           that the proponents of pluralism should not merely
       uting causes may be, the ultimate cause is departure        insist that all the different segments of society receive
       from. God and His Word. When God and the teaching           money on an equal basis with the public schools, but
       of His Word are intentionally and systematically            that the government itself should be charged with the
       ruled out of preparation for life, then such life's         responsibility of operating a totally pluralistic system.
       preparation may well assume the lion's share of the
       Godlessness and Bible ignorance of ensuing genera-          Not only should they insist on strict equality as far as
       tions. To secularize instruction and to deny                money is concerned. Money, or subsidy, is after all
       responsibility for the secular character of the             only one factor in so-called equality of education.
       instructed is education disowning itself.                   Granting that pluralism is right, and granting that it is
  Next the question concerning the reason  for this the business of government to educate, the logical
"secularization" of schools under State control of consequence is that the government should be called
education is faced; and Mr. Fakkema answers as upon to  operate  a pluralistic system. If, for example,
follows:                                                           there are a thousand different religious segments in our
         What makes secularization inevitable in our State-        society, each with its own ideas of education, then the
       controlled system is the fundamental law of the land        government should set up a thousand different schools
       which deprives religion from Statecontrolled institu-       for each of these segments. This is absurd, you say?
       tions. It is important to note that in transplanting the    Impossible? I agree. But putting this aside, surely the
       Prussian educational system (which was religious)           very least that the proponents of pluralism can


                                             THE  STANDARD,BEARER                                              439


advocate is 100% equality as far as the financing of are concerned. It might be a question for a .government
education is concerned. They must not ask for partial which is supposed to be devoted to the principle of the
support, for some  help,  or for so-called "greater non-establishment of religion. This might be a question
equity." They should insist  - again, taking them on when we think in terms of and glorify so-called
their own basis, with which I do not at all agree - on freedom of religion and freedom of worship (which, by
total payment for private schools by the government, the way, is not true freedom at all, but a certain
on an equal footing with the public schools. To my toleration of all religions, both true and false). I do not
knowledge, no advocate of parochiaid has to date write these things because I do not appreciate the fact
publicly endorsed such an idea. It is too preposterous. that in this country we have the opportunity to
Practically it would  .mean the certain defeat of worship God and to educate our children according to
parochiaid. But it is a logical consequence of the the true religion, that is, according to the Word of God-
pluralistic position. And some public school opponents (not according to our "conscience"). I certainly do
of parochiaid have already seemed to sense this, have appreciate this. But I write thus because I am afraid
feared it, and have (from their point of view) rightly that gradually we become accustomed to a certain
sensed that here is a dire threat to the public school wrong way of thinking about these matters. We begin
system.                                                      to equate Christianity and democracy. We begin to
  In the third place, the alternative to the above glorify so-called religious freedom or tolerance as
(again, on the basis of pluralism) would be that the something highly Christian. We begin to think of a
government pull out of education completely. Then all country and a government which claims to be
education would be private. Then no taxes would be religiously neutral or only generally religious as some-
collected for educational purposes, nor any money what of a Christian country and government. We begin
handed out by the government for education. Perhaps to think of "equality in educational opportunity" for
the only function of government would be to insist "all races, religions, and social classes" as some kind of
that all children receive an education. But it would Christian principle. We begin to think of every kind of
then be up to each segment of society to establish and education. as being at least somewhat good. After a
maintain its own kind of school. Obviously this is also while even Christian school opponents of parochiaid,
an impossibility; the clock cannot be turned back, and who supposedly stand for the antithesis, can wish the
to attempt to do so would lead to chaos. But again, public schools God's blessing. And before we realize it,
this would be the logical consequence of pluralism.          we think of all different kinds of education (our own
  All of this, however, does not get at the root of the covenantal schools included) as somehow standing on
problem,                                                     an equal footing, all somehow fighting for the same
  Negatively speaking, that root of the problem goal of education, and all striving to get and entitled to
is that our society is not basically pluralistic. When a "fair share" out of the governmental "pork barrel."
anyone characterizes our society as pluralistic, he is         What has happened when we begin to think this
looking at what is only an accidental characteristic of way?
society, not at an essential characteristic. The question      We have somehow lost our bearings' in a very
is not whether our society is made up of Buddhist, fundamental sense. And we are in danger of losing,
Moslem, Jewish, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, sooner or later, all that we have ever stood for as far as
Lutheran, Methodist, Reformed, Baptist, Presbyterian, education is concerned.
Atheist,. and hundreds of other "segments." This might         Until next time, think it over. What is wrong with
be a question as far as "Americanism" and democracy so-called pluralism?


Report on Synod

                               OUR SYNOD OF 1969
                                                 Rev. D. Engelsma

  The Synod of the Protestant Reformed Churches preside over its deliberations, which lasted until  mid-
convened on June 4 in South Holland, Illinois. Rev. J. afternoon on Tuesday, June 10.
A. Heys, president of last year's Synod, led the               The  consistory' of  Oak Lawn overtured Synod to
preSynodical  worship service on Tuesday evening. He reject the Social Security program recently enacted by
preached on Colossians 3 : 16a: "Let the word of Christ our government for ministers. Oak Lawn felt "that this
dwell in you richly." Synod elected Rev. C. Hanko to program infringes upon a right and duty of the


  440                                        THE STANDARD BEARER


  church," and appealed to Article 1 of the Constitution Synod heard a report on the work being done in Pella,
  of the Emeritus Committee: "The Protestant Re- Iowa, where various ministers have been working
  formed Churches wish to conform themselves to the steadily from January of this year. The Mission
  stipulations of the original article 13 of the Church of Committee was granted approval to continue the work
  Dordt which reads as follows: `Ministers who by reason in Pella at its discretion, at the request of the Pella
  of age, sickness, or otherwise, are rendered incapable consistory. The men sent to Jamaica gave full reports
  of performing the duties of their office, shall neverthe- to this Synod, Rev. J. A. Heys and Elder T. Feenstra,
  less retain the honor. and title of a minister, and the who worked in Jamaica in 1968, and Rev. G. C.
  church which they have served shall provide honorably Lubbers and Elder H. Meulenberg, who returned from
  for them in their need . . . ' " Classis West decided not Jamaica shortly before this Synod convened. We may
  to approve the overture on the ground that the law on expect these ministers to summarize their reports in
  Social Security for ministers leaves no exemptions for the Standard Bearer. The ambassadors were unanimous
  our ministers. After consulting a lawyer through an ad in judging that God gives us work to do in Jamaica.
  hoc committee, Synod decided "that payment or Rev. Heys, at the time of this writing, has the call to be
  non-payment of self-employment tax and acceptance missionary in Jamaica. Concerning the call to Jamaica,
  or non-acceptance of social security benefits is an Synod determined that "the tenure of the call to serve
  individual, not an ecclesiastical, matter." With regard as missionary to Jamaica be a minimum of two years:
  to a question by Oak Lawn whether the churches still after this time the missionary can request termination
  intend to provide for the needs of a minister who of his services and be declared eligible for call within
  might reject Social Security and with regard to Classis our churches." Synod established a "Study Fund"
  West's overture that Synod review the denominational which can eventually be used in preparing young
  emeritation program, Synod decided "that the princi- Jamaican men for the ministry. If in the future there
  ple and the requirements of Article 13 of the Church are Jamaican young men who desire to prepare for the
  Order (together with the regulations of the Constitu- ministry but who are financially unable to obtain the
  tion of the Emeritus Committee) are an ecclesiastical required education, this fund may serve to assist them.
  matter and are not as such affected by Social Security This "Study Fund" is recommended to the various Sun-
 regulations. It remains the duty of the  church(es) to day Schools, societies and other organizations within
  determine the need of any retiring minister and to our churches that want to contribute money to our
  provide honorably for him in his need."                  work in Jamaica. Synod also requests that each church
    From both the Theological School Committee and again take four collections during the coming year for
the Rector of the Seminary, Synod received reports the church building needs of the Jamaica churches. In
 that spoke of God's blessing upon our Seminary. There addition, the diaconate of Hudsonville is responsible
  are now seven young men in the Theological School, for collecting money to help the poor of Jamaica.
  one seminarian and six pre-seminarians. Synod decided      Throughout the year, the ministers in Michigan and
 to eliminate tuition, because of the financial burden of many elders do a large amount of work on behalf of
 the students. It also increased the amount of aid which our churches, especially, in the Theological School
 a student may receive. Taking note of the workload of Committee and the Mission Committee. All of this
 the professors, Synod authorized funds to provide work they must perform in addition to the work
 assistance for them in their clerical duties of typing within their own churches. We owe them a large debt
 and stenciling.                                           of appreciation.
    Synod spent much time deliberating the various           Synod was forced to raise the synodical assessments
 aspects of the mission. calling of our churches. In for 1970 from $133.50 to $150.50 per family per
 accordance with Synod's mandate in 1967 and 1968, year. This was due mostly to the increase in requested
 the Foreign Mission Committee presented a report that subsidy from the "Needy Churches." In 1969, $48.00
  dealt mainly with the possibility of work with those per family per year was needed to fill the subsidy
  "who in their generations have not belonged to the requests of these churches; in 1970, the requests for
 covenant." Because the delegates did not have time to subsidy require $62.50 per family per year. In view of
 study this report, Synod delayed treatment of this the steady increase in subsidy requests, Synod adopted
 report until 1970. The radio broadcasting will continue some guidelines and advice for the churches asking
 the same as last year. We will broadcast the "Reformed subsidy. This advice includes: 1) A Church asking
 Witness Hour" over stations in Oskaloosa, Iowa; subsidy should itself raise a minimum of $8.00 per
 Kalamazoo, Michigan; Yankton, South Dakota; family per week. 2) Subsidy from the churches
 Lansing, Illinois; and Loveland, Colorado at a cost of through Synod is not to be asked or given in order to
 about $9,000. The Mission Committee in conjunction assist our members in their calling of educating their
 with the Radio Committee of First Church plans to children in our own schools, even indirectly. 3) Any
 make a survey of all the stations by means of a "letter help a church may need to provide for the needs of the
 month" in order to "determine listening strength." poor should not be obtained through subsidy, but


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                441


through benevolent collections. A copy of these behalf of our churches for their work in the past.
guidelines, in full, will be sent to all subsidized          Those who are interested in more than these brief
churches.                                                 sketches of some of Synod's work should buy the
  Rev. Dale H. Kuiper was re-elected Stated Clerk of "Acts" from the clerks of the consistories, when in a
Synod, and Mr. Charles Pastoor was re-elected Synod- short while the "Acts" are printed.
ical Treasurer. Synod thanked both of these men, on


All Around Us

                         Ecumenicity in Reverse
                                 Full Speed Ahead
                                  Unholy Demands
                           Theological Ignorance
                                                 ProJ: H. Hanko

ECUMENICITY IN RE VERSE                                   new committee of eighteen be appointed to draw up a
  At the last General Synod of the Reformed Church plan for the orderly dissolution of the Church. The
in America the deep-seated split between liberals and committee for reconciliation is given a year to do its
conservatives was recognized and dealt with in a way work.
which deals a serious blow to ecumenicity in that            Thus the Church faces the imminent prospect of
denomination. The issues dividing the two elements in dissolution; and it is just possible that, within a few
the Church are deep and of long standing. For many years, the RCA will exist no longer.
years there have been major disagreements on ques-           The votes on the various merger plans currently
tions of doctrine and Church Polity. But the facing the Church show the extent of the split between
immediate cause of the trouble in the RCA was over liberals and conservatives. The merger proposal with
the questions of church union. There was first of all the Southern Presbyterians was defeated by a vote of
the union proposals which the RCA had considered for 23 classes in favor to 22 opposed. (Two-thirds approval
merger with the Presbyterian Church U. S. (Southern). was needed for passage.) The vote to join COCU (with
These proposals had failed by a very narrow margin. full participation) was defeated on the General
Especially the churches in the East were incensed over Assembly by a vote of 130 to 103.
this defeat of their hopes. Then, at the Synod,             It is difficult to tell at this time what will be the
proposals came before the body asking for complete result of this new idea to attempt reconciliation and to
participation in COCU - the super-church of over 25 face honestly the prospect of dissolution if reconciha-
million `members. Currently the Reformed Church tion fails. It is possible that the whole idea behind the
sends observers only. The Eastern Churches especially plan to dissolve the denomination was put forward in a
wanted full participation. When the vote came at the fit of pique and that its purpose is to scare the
General Synod, full participation in the COCU talks conservatives with the  spectre of the loss of a
failed by a narrow margin leaving the liberals com- denomination in the hopes that the conservatives will
pletely exasperated. This was sufficient reason for the lose their grip on the Church. It is obvious that the
liberals to conclude that the conservatives still ruled in liberals (particularly in the East) do not care a great
the Church and that the RCA was about to drop deal if the denomination ceases to exist. They are
completely by the wayside in the ecumenical move- above all interested in joining other denominations.
ment.                                                     But, at least, there is an honest effort being made to
  The result of all this was the adoption of a "plan of recognize the differences which exist in the Church
understanding." The essential features of this plan are, and to do something about them rather than paper
first, that a special committee of eighteen work for a them over or hope that by ignoring them they will go
year to attempt some form of reconciliation between away. It is a plan worth consideration by other
the liberal and conservative wings in the Church. denominations which are torn by internal struggles
Secondly, if these efforts towards reconciliation fail, a between liberals and conservatives. It could  con-


 442                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



 ceivably result in a realignment of denominations in tions" for the suppression of and the injustice to the
 which conservatives band together while liberals go black race. by the Churches throughout the years.
 their own strange ways in search of that which is no Recently this figure has been raised considerably into
 gospel.                                                    the billions.
                                                              Forman and his followers have been disrupting
 FULL SPEED AHEAD                                           church worship services to read their manifesto from
    The Presbyterian Church U.S. (Southern), the bride pulpits and have presented their demands to various
 left standing at the altar in the PCUS-RCA talks, broader assemblies with the threat that they would use
 resolved not to let the defeat of the merger talks with violence against the churches if their demands are not
 the Reformed Church stop her in her ecumenical met.
 search. In that denomination the liberals are firmly in      The Churches have consistently involved themselves
 control. At the General Assembly Meeting held earlier in the racial problems of the day in an attempt to find
 this summer in Mobile, Alabama this denomination a social solution to a problem which can only be solved
 took various decisions which moved the. Church within the preaching of the gospel and the salvation of
 rapidly in the direction of a super church.                the Church. These Churches have forgotten their
    Most important was a decision to form a committee calling to preach the gospel and have entangled
 with the United Presbyterian Church to settle their themselves in social matters. Now their chickens are
 historic differences and proceed with plans to merge. coming home  to  roost and they are faced with
 This is what many liberals have long wanted; and the preposterous demands to contribute money to aid the
 defeat of the RCA merger paved the way. Already militant blacks in their efforts towards overthrowing
 various presbyteries and particular synods have been the existing social and political order. The manifesto is
 moving swiftly towards union without the consent of a plea for revolution.
 the General Assembly.                                        The liberal churches have little choice but to
    The General Assembly also reaffirmed its decision to comply. And this is what they have been doing.
 participate in the COCU talks over the strenuous Hundreds of thousands of dollars have already been
 objections of conservatives.                               promised to various black agencies. Churches contrib-
    The chief protest of conservatives in the PCUS uting include the National Council of Churches, the
 Church has' always been against the social emphasis New England Conference of the United Methodist
 which the denomination is making. But no conserva- Church, The United Methodist Conference of Western
 tive agitation could stem the tide at this year's General Pennsylvania, the American Baptist Convention, and
 Assembly. The assembly, among other things, adopted others.
 resolutions favoring selective conscientious objection       The Churches will now be forced into a position
 to the draft, urging the country to restraint in the where they support and finance the efforts of militant
 nuclear arms race, questioning the wisdom of the blacks to plunge this country into revolution and
 anti-ballistic missile system, and approving a memorial anarchy.
 service for Martin Luther King Jr.
    In the area of doctrine the Church faced once again THEOLOGICAL IGNORANCE
 the question of evolution. At four previous assemblies,      In a recent issue of  Christianity Today,  Joseph
 since 1886, the Church had maintained that evolution Martin Hopkins, associate professor in the Department
 was incompatible with the truth of Scripture. This of Bible and Philosophy at Westminster College, tells
 year's assembly decided that the Genesis account of of a Bible test which he gave to a group of 100
 creation and the theory of evolution were not con- freshmen to discover their knowledge of the Scrip-
 tradictory.                                                tures. The students given the test were all (with two
    A committee was also appointed to study the causes exceptions) from homes with Church connections. In
 of unrest in the Church; which, translated, means: how fact, the majority were Presbyterians. Taking into
 best can the conservatives be placated and silenced, if account that these were college freshmen and that the
 at all?                                                    students were from Church homes, the results are
    This is another denomination which could profit- incredible. A brief run-down appears at the end of the
 ably face the question of whether dissolution would article which we reproduce. The figures indicate the
 be more honest and better for the Church as a whole.       number able to answer the questions.
                                                                  1. Name the second book of the Bible.            75
                                                                  2. Name the last book in the Bible.              60
_ UNHOLY DEMANDS                                                  3. Name the author of many of the Psalms.        39
   The Churches of America have been put on the spot.             4. Name the author of thirteen N. T. letters.    55
 James Forman, the head of a militant group of blacks,            5. Name the book which tells the history
 has recently drawn up a "manifesto" in which he                    of the early church (its spread from
 demands of the Churches  $500,000,000  in "repara-                 Jerusalem to Rome).                            18


                                                      THE STANDARD BEARER                                                       443


      6. Name one of the sons of Jacob.                       23         Joseph, Jeremiah, Samuel, Herod, and "Seul" were
      7. Name one of the kings of Israel or Judah.            56         crowned kings of Israel or Judah. And the ranks of
      8. Name one of the Old Testament prophets.              54         the Old Testament prophets were swelled by  the
      9. Quote one of the Ten Commandments.                   38         addition of John, Matthew, John the Baptist, Paul,
     10. Name a missionary companion of the                              and Mohammed!
     Apostle Paul.                                            16           Asked to state the first commandment, one
     11. Quote one of the Beatitudes.                         24         student wrote, "Be faithful to your wife." Another
     12. Name the brother of Mary and Martha,                            offered, "Thou shalt not believe in false kings."
        whom Jesus raised from the dead.                      35         Samuel,  John, Bartholomew, and "Steven" were
     13. Name the Fourth Gospel.                              52         named as missionary companions of the Apostle
     14. Quote the Golden Rule.                               78         Paul. Nominated for the brother of Mary and Martha
  We quote Dr. Martin on some of the answers                             were James, Mark, Zacharias, Levi, and "Magdeline."
received:                                                                And credited with the authorship of the Fourth
       Two New Testament books and "New Testament"                       Gospel were Luke, St. Paul, and Peter.
     were given as the second book in the Bible. No fewer              The author quotes the prophet  Hosea who warns:
     than six Old Testament books and "Old Testament"               "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."  And
     were guessed to be the last book in the Bible. The             this is indeed true. If these elementary questions,
     author of many of the Psalms was identified as John,           known by most second graders, are not known by
     Paul, Saul, Luke, Peter, Jesus, and "shepards." One            many college freshmen, it is not strange that the
     student attributed thirteen New Testament letters to           Church of today goes in the foolish roads of apostasy.
     David. The thirteen wrong guesses for the book that            At the root of all the trouble lies ignorance of God's
     relates the history of the early Church included Eli,
     "Genisus," "Isiah," and Moses! Added to the list of            Word. May  God grant that our covenant homes,
     Jacob's twelve sons were Simon, Isaac, David,                  schools and Churches remain faithful and untiring in
     Abraham, Esau, "Jobe," "Able," "Cane," and "Izia."             their calling to teach our children the Word of God.


From Holy Writ

                                         The Book of Hebrews
                                                       Rev. George Lubbers

INTR OD UCTOR Y OBSER VA TIONS: Hebrews 9 : l-l 0 is pitched by the Lord and not by man. He is at the
                                                                    right hand of God. God hath made Him both Lord and
  The chief subject in the Chapters  7:l to  lo:19                  Christ - the LORD of glory. (Hebrews 7: 1 f.f.)
should not be lost from view. There is a danger that                  But Christ is also the author of a better covenant.
one becomes so involved in the details of the book that This better covenant is not like the covenant which
he fails to keep in mind the line of thought. For this              God made at Sinai through Moses. That covenant was
reason it ought to be kept in mind that the main                    written upon tables of stone, and not upon the fleshy
question here in this entire section is: the kind of High tables of the heart. It was a covenant which was
Priest that we have.                                                impotent to make alive and to make the corrupt and
  Let it then be remembered that our  High  Priest is unwilling sinner willing with a new obedience. And
Jesus, the Christ, the eternal Son of God in the flesh.             therefore this is a covenant with which God Himself
  He is greater than Aaron, even as Melchizedek was finds fault in Jeremiah  31:31-34. And he will now
greater than Abraham, as is evident from the Scrip- make a better covenant. He will write His law upon the
tures. He is not a priest according to a carnal heart and will forgive our sins and will remember them
commandment, but he is a priest according to the no more. And we will know God even as we are knotin
power of an endless life. With His coming there was a               in heavenly perfection of the Canaan above forever.
change in the priesthood and thus also  there is of                   Now the writer in Chapter 9 will make a careful
necessity a change in the law governing the priest. comparison between the Old Testament tabernacle and
Wherefore Christ is out of Judah and not out of the the New Testament realization of the true tabernacle,
tribe of Levi as was Aaron and his priesthood. For the and will show their respective place in our salvation;
law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a He will show how greatly superior the New Testament
better hope did. Thus the promise is made sure unto all is over the Old Testament. For the Old Testament
the heirs.                                                          tabernacle is, with its priesthood and sacrifices, merely
  This Christ is a minister in the true tabernacle which a  figure, a  parable  of the real. It is in the New


444                                         THE STANDARD BEARER


Testament that eternal redemption is obtained for us words of God, the book of creation. Here all revelation
by Christ.                                                 is  indirect.  Presently, in the future glories it shall be
                                                           face to face. (I Cor. 13 : 12) It is my belief that this is
THE OLD TESTAMENT TABERNACLE  (Hebrews the implication, too, of what we read in Revelation
9: 1-5)                                                    21:22, where we read "And I saw no temple therein:
  In these verses the writer is speaking of the "first for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the
covenant (which) had ordinances of divine services, temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun,
and its sanctuary, a (sanctuary) of this world." neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of
Particularly he will speak here of the "tabernacle" of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
this first covenant. This tabernacle is really a "tent." It And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in
was made of curtains. It was not a building which was the light of it. . . . "
established upon strong foundations. It was not a fixed      It is a tabernacle, then, which is of this world, and
abode. As it was fashioned by Moses the Tabernacle the present constitution of all things! It is a cosmical
was adapted for Israel's journey in the wilderness sanctuary! Yet, it is notwithstanding a sanctuary. That
enroute to Canaan. Besides, the Old Testament taber- it is a sanctuary means that here the LORD reveals his
nacle was constructed of materials which were the "glory," the  Shikinah  of the presence of the God of
free-will offerings of the people. The people were not Israel. Here the Lord of hosts will dwell with his
taxed or assessed for these matters. Thus we read in people between the Cherubim of the mercy-seat. Thus
Exodus 25: 1 f.f. "And the LORD spake unto Moses we read in Exodus 25:22 "And there I will meet with
saying, speak unto the children of Israel that they may thee, and I will commune with thee from above the
bring me an (heave) offering: of every man that giveth mercy-seat, from between the  cherubims which are
it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering above the ark of the testimony, of all things which I
. . . . And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may will give thee in commandment unto the children of
dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, Israel." Yes, here Jehovah of glory, the LORD of hosts
after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of will dwell. Hence, this place is called the tabernacle of
all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it." Jehovah. In Joshua 22 : 19 we read "Notwithstanding,
  It was to be a "sanctuary," a "place set apart." It is if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass
a place which the LORD set apart from all the rest of over into the land of the possession of the LORD,
the "cosmos" for himself to reveal His glory and grace wherein the LORD'S tabernacle dwelleth, and take
in the midst of His people. Such a place could not be possession among us. . . . " It is the LORD'S tabernacle,
bought and purchased with money. It must be the gift His dwelling in the land, the land of Immanuel which
of love; it must itself be the fruit of grace in the hearts makes all the difference. Here the glory of grace and
of God's people, as they are constituted by the LORD: mercy, and covenant fellowship is revealed. Here the
Most Holy to the Lord!                                     LORD gives the testimony concerning His Son under
  The writer to the Hebrews calls this tabernacle a the shadows and types. Wherefore it is called the
"worldly sanctuary." To the ears of some this might tabernacle of witness, testimony. It is the infallible
seem to indicate that this temple was something evil: it testimony of God to all his own that he will meet with
was worldly. However, it ought to be understood that them and will commune with them. And for this same
the term  worldly  is here free from all anabaptistic reason this tabernacle is also called the "tent of
flavor. The term in the Greek is "kosmikon," that is, it meeting." It is the tent where the congregation, the
is cosmic. It belongs to this cosmos and does not have flock of God enters into God's courts with thanks-
in its ingredients anything of the world to come. It is a giving and praise. Here they taste the sovereign love
little bit of sanctuary set apart in this great present and mercy, and so experience that the LORD is good!
heaven and earth, which shall once be renewed. It is (Exodus 27 : 2 1).
the habitation of God in this present world, more            Now this Old Testament tabernacle has ordinances
particularly, in the Old Testament dispensation. In the of ministry and worship. This temple was "thus
New Testament dispensation there is no longer a prepared" says the text in Hebrews 9:6, and in such a
tabernacle. The temple, which was built as the continu- prepared tabernacle the priests were called to minister.
ation of the tabernacle by David, was destroyed in the Now what were these "ordinances." These were the
year 70 by the Romans. It has now long since been God-ordained ceremonies of the tabernacle. Nothing
abrogated and removed from the earth. In this and in was left to human choice and caprice. And these
the future ages to come there shall be "no temple ordinances were really ordinances of the throne of
there." But here we have and need a tabernacle. We grace! They not only were pronounced from the
need a medium of revelation here where we see in part throne, but they were also in accordance with the
and know in part. The manner of revelation is here throne of grace and the very pattern of the temple. All
such that it is through the "cosmos." And this things in this temple and its ordinances declared: God
"cosmos" belongs to the things which are so many is a spirit and they who worship Him ought to worship


                                                THE STANDARD  BEARER                                             445



   Him in Spirit and in truth. God is the invisible God.       It ought to be understood that the Old Testament
   When God spoke to Israel on the mount and gave the        temple and its ministry were parabolic in nature. The
   temple ordinances, even Moses did not see a-likeness of term "parable" is used in the Greek text where the
   God! Hence, we are not to make any graven images of KJV writes "figure." (Hebrews  9:9) The German
   Him. (John 4: 23, 24; Deut.  4:23, 24) The ordinances translates the Greek  "paraboleen   "  by the term
   of the first covenant were maintained by the LORD.        "Gleichnis," while the Holland translation is
And these were thus the rules, as given by God  "afbeelding." We will need to take a hard look at the
   Himself, for the true worship of God.                     term parable in this connection and try to ascertain the
     That the writer throughout this letter speaks of the meaning of the author in its usage. We believe that the
   "tabernacle" and not of the temple  "naos,  "  nor of term "parable" is very noteworthy. Parable and figure
   temple,      the grand architectural masterpiece of do have much in common, but they do not look at the
   Solomon, has its reason. The intent of the writer is not same matter from the identical viewpoint. A figure
   to follow the historical manifestation of the temple in may refer to a digit in the number system, a symbol. It
   the Old Testament history, but rather to show the may also refer to the "figure" of a person, the external
   original tabernacle of Exodus to demonstrate the form in which the qualities and attributes of a person
   architectural lines as these run into the heavenly and come to stand before our senses. Then too it may
   better tabernacle. He would, furthermore, not merely mean: pattern or design. In the case in question as
   call our attention to the inner part of the Solomonic translated in the KJV it would refer to the visible
   temple in distinction from the outer court, but would pattern of the O.T. invisible presence of God, as He
   rather show us the divine design of the entire taber- dwells in mercy with His people. On the other hand
   nacle in its three parts:  outer court, holy place  and "parable" is a simile, an account taken from real life.
   Holy  of  holies!   Only thus will we be able to catch a The things of the kingdom come to pass in parables.
   glimpse of the implication of the truth that the Old (Mark 4: 11) They are a part of this cosmic existence.
   Testament tabernacle was a "figure" for the time The earthly is a picture of the heavenly. Were this not
   present. For the entire symbolism of the entire true then there could be no earthly temple and
   tabernacle is here of the essence in this passage of tabernacle which was a picture of the true tabernacle.
   Hebrews. It forms the warp and woof of the writer's But now, in the ministry of the tabernacle, we see
   argument.                                                parabolic symbolism, ministry!


   A  Clolld of Witnesses

                            The Battle Joined Against Absalom
                                                  Rev. B. Woudenberg

                  And David numbered the people that were with him, and. . .
                  So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of
                Ephraim.
                                                                                        II Samuel 18.-l, 6

     Surely no one was more surprised than Hushai to battlefield. And besides Absalom was at heart a
   find Absalom choosing to follow his advice. It was a coward. To be sure, his forces were large; but if they
   foolish thing. After all, Absalom had all of the could be made even larger still, would it not lend even
   advantage for the moment; but as long as David lived, that much more personal safety? When he heard
   his position could never be secure. Now David was exactly that advice from a man as wise as Hushai was
   fleeing with his forces scattered and weak. Nothing known to be, it gratified him. He would wait. Behind
   would have been easier than to follow  ,and pounce it, of course, was finally the power of God turning the
  upon him in his weakness to administer the final, wisdom of the mighty to folly.
   destroying blow. But Absalom was enjoying himself.          Still Hushai was not sure. He was afraid that at any
   For the first time he was really being honored and moment Absalom might see the folly of his decision
  recognized as he had always wanted to be. All of the and set out in pursuit of David. Thus, as soon as he
   pomp of the court and the royal respects he received could he made his way to the tabernacle to speak to
   were to his greatest liking. It seemed a shame that he Zadok and Abiathar the priests. They were the ones
   should have to leave them for the ardors of the with whom David had made arrangements so that he


446                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



could be notified of anything which came up and by fording the river Jordan so that by the morning light
which he might be affected. To them belonged two they were all safely on the other side.
sons, capable and loyal young men, who could be sent       Absalom,     however,      had no    intentions of
to carry a message to David. Thus Hushai explained to re-examining his position once it was taken. He
them exactly what had happened in their consultations enjoyed the glory of the royal court and was
with Absalom and he instructed them, "Now therefore determined to enjoy it as long as he could before going
send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this on to other danger and hardship. Moreover, he saw all
night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass kinds of desirable things in working toward building an
 over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people even greater army before he went on to battle with his
that are with him."                                      father. All through the land he sent out the call for
   As it was, both Zadok and Abiathar had realized men to come and join his forces. It was not a hard
that they would be more quickly suspected of trying thing at this point to gather as many men as he could
to help David than anyone else. In fact, their sons, ever want. To all appearances Absalom"s position was
Jonathan and Ahimaaz were already staying outside of .now quite secure, and there were any number of men
the walls of Jerusalem lest they should be seen leaving who were willing to join the crowd and get in on the
the tabernacle and followed or even prevented from glory of the final victory. Soon vast crowds were
leaving the city., The message of Hushai was sent out to coming to form a huge army in support of Absalom.
them by means of a servant so that they could leave They were not experienced and they were not
secretly and without notice.                             courageous; but the impressiveness of numbers was
   Even these precautions, however, were not enough. surely supplied by them.
Although the message of Hushai came to them in good        For David the time which he gained by Absalom's
order, no sooner did they step forth to make their way delay was exactly what he needed. It gave to him an
to David but a young lad saw them, recognized them opportunity to find a position of defence, and it gave
and suspected what they were about. Immediately he to him the opportunity to gather his forces together.
went to the palace and warned Absalom of what he The position of defense which he found was a walled
had seen. The result was that before the two young city on the east side of the Jordan by the name of
men had gone a great distance they became conscious Mahanaim. In it David took up his position, and soon
of the fact that there was a company of Absalom's it became apparent that his position was not as grave as
soldiers following them in the distance.                for a time it had seemed to be. To be sure, a great
   Nevertheless, the ingenuity of these two young men many of the people had followed the fickle wiles and
was up to the problem. They were well known through joined themselves to Absalom; but there were also a
the area, and they in turn knew what people could be good many who were faithful of heart and not so
relied upon to maintain loyalty to David. Quickly they ready to forsake such an excellent king and ruler as
found the home of such a man in the area of Bahurim David had been. These, once they had heard of David's
and entered into his gate. There in the court of the plight and position, hurried to give him their aid.
house they found a well with a woman standing beside       Strangely, it was some of the heathen that came
it. Explaining as briefly as they could the danger that first, such as Rabbah the Ammonite, along with others,
pursued them, they let themselves down into the well to give assistance to David with provisions of all kinds,
and instructed the woman to cover it over completely beds, basins, earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour,
with drying corn.                                       parched corn, etc. The people that were with David
   It was not long before the servants of Absalom came were weary and hungry and thirsty, and this was
in also at the gate, looking for the young men. To their exactly what they needed.
enquiries the woman simply answered, "They be gone         This was not all, however; soon there were many,.
over the brook of water." The men were suspicious many Israelites who loved their king and came to join
and did take time to search the house completely; but themselves with him. Above all there were many of his
they found no indication of Jonathan and Ahimaaz so soldiers who had fought with him and for him for so
that they quickly left again. From there on they many years. They constituted a hardened fighting
searched the whole area but discovered nothing and force far superior in quality to anything that Absalom
soon returned to Jerusalem.                             could muster. Above all, there began to develop
   It was still before nightfall. that same day that they around David and his people an atmosphere of joyful
were able to leave their hiding place and go cm to the dedication to the cause which they loved. It was an
camp of David. The warning they brought him was atmosphere built upon their faith in the power of God
this, "Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus to help and to keep them in every need. It grew day
hath Ahithophel counselled against you." It was a hard upon day into a feeling of optimism and absolute
thing for a man as old and wearied as David was; but confidence. Moreover, to them was given the
he could see immediately the wisdom of what was said. opportunity now of choosing the field of battle and
The result was that they spent the whole night in they chose wisely.


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                         447


   Tlie place where the forces of David set up their foolish not to keep David's life protected as carefully
defenses was in a place called the wood of Ephraim. It as possible. Thus with united voice the people
was not a solidly wooded area which would have made answered David, "Thou shalt not go forth: for if we
all fighting impossible. Rather, it was an area of forest flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us
groves interspersed with open fields. These open areas die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten
were large enough for David's forces of experienced thousand of us; therefore now it is better that- thou
men to be able to function effectively; but they were succour us out of the city."
small enough that Absalom's large and unwieldy'                Not to be forgotten here is the very last part of the
company could gain no advantage whatsoever. In fact, petition of the people. They realized that David did
their very size became for them a liability, because not have to go with them unto the field of battle to
they could not maneuver properly.                            succour or assist them. He could do so from the safety
   In addition to this, David remained as always the of the city in the same way that Moses assisted the
careful tactician. Realizing the nature of the territory,    people from, the top of the  hiIl at Rephidim. By
he took his already comparatively  small force and standing as their intercessor in prayer, he would be of
broke it down into three companies still smaller. Each as much assistance to them or even more than he ever
one of these companies he made into an independent           could on the field of battle.
fighting force able to manuvere on its own without             Perhaps the true excellency of David is brought out
regard to the other. Over each one of these forces, he       by his willingness to listen even to the desires of the
in turn placed a captain of proven capability and            common people when they reflected love and true
faithfulness,  Jsab, Abishai, and Httai the Gittite.         wisdom. He deferred immediately to their request and
Finally, he determined to go cmce more himself to lead promised to wait and pray for them in the city even
his men in battle. Calling all of his forces together he though he would have preferred to join them in battle.
made the announcement, I will surely go forth with             When at last the time came when Absalom could
you myself also."                                            delay no longer but had to come out to meet David's
  It was, however, at this latter point, that the people forces in final confrontation, the battle was not long
themselves intervened. As admirable as David's courage once it was joined. Absalom's huge force of
was even yet here in his old age, they simply could not      inexperienced and self-seeking men simply could not
allow him to follow this intention. This battle that was manipulate among the woods-of Ephraim. In fact, so
coming up centered too much about the life of David many of them were forced aside into wooded areas
alone to allow him to be exposed to any unnecessary that we are told that the wood.devoured more of them
danger. After all, it was solely David's life that than did the sword. Meanwhile, David's men, with the
Absalom was concerned with. He realized, as did every small maneuverable forces were everywhere inflicting
one else, that as long as David his father was living his    harm wherever they went. In a very short space of time
own claims to the throne of Israel were not genuinely        Absalom and his men were scattered and fleeing in
established. When he finally came to battle his single       every direction. In carnal ambition and folly they had
aim would be to slay David, and it was therefore             driven themselves to destruction.


Contending for the Faith
                 q
                                  THE DOCTRINE OF SIN                                                                P
                                     THE THIRD PERIOD -- 730-1.517  A.D
                                       PROTESTANT DOCTRlNE OF SIN
                                      ACCORDING TO THE CONFESSIONS

                                                 Rev. H. Veldman


  At the conclusion of our preceding article we were second article on free will.
quoting from the article on free will as expressed in the          IV. Also the teaching that, although unregenerate
Lutheran Confession of the Formula of Concord. We                man, in respect of free-will, is indeed, antecedently
were quoting from the negative section of this article,          to his regeneration, too infirm to make a beginning
and called attention to the strong language employed             of his own conversion, and by his own powers to
in this Lutheran creed. In this article we wish to quote         convert himself to God, and obey the law of God
two more articles from this negative section of this             with all his heart; yet if the Holy Spirit, by the


448                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER


        preaching of the word, shall have made a beginning,        Zwinglian family, is the work of Henry Bullinger
        and offered his grace in the word to man, that then        (1504-.1575),  the pupil, friend, and successor of
        man, by his own proper and natural powers, can, as it      Zwingli, to whom he stands related as Beza does to
        were, give some assistance and co-operation, though        Calvin. The first Helvetic Confession had been drawn
        it be but slight, infirm, and languid, towards his         up in 1536, and it owes its origin partly to the renewed
        conversion, and can apply and prepare himself unto
        grace, apprehend it, embrace it, and believe the           efforts to bring about a union between the Lutherans
        gospel.                                                    and the Swiss, and partly to the papal promise of
   Notice, please that the Lutherans, in this article, convening a General Council. Bullinger was chosen
reject the proposition that man can give any assistance Zwingli's successor as chief pastor at Zurich, Dec. 9,
towards his conversion, be it ever so slight, infirm, or           153 1, shortly after the catastrophe at Cappel (the
languid. And, finally, in VIII we read the follbwing:              death of Zwingli in battle), in the darkest period of the
          Also, when such statements as these are used             Swiss Reformation. He was one of the principal
        without explanation, that the will of man, before          authors of the First Helvetic Confession, and the sole
        conversion, iu conversion itself, and after conversion,    author of the Second. In the intervening thirty years
        is set against the Holy Ghost, and that the Holy           (between the First and Second Confession) Calvin had
        Ghost is given to those who of set purpose and             developed his amazing energy, while Romanism had
        obstinately resist him. For God in conversion of           formulated its dogmas in the Council of Trent. Of
        unwilling men makes willing men, and dwells in the         Bullinger it is stated that he raised the desponding
        willing, as Augustine is wont to speak.                    spirits, preserved and completed the work of his
          But as concerns certain dicta, both of the Fathers       predecessor, and exerted, by his example and writings,
        and of certain modern doctors,such as the following:       a commanding influence throughout the Reformed
        God  draws, but draws a. willing man, and man's will
        in conversion is not idle, but effects somewhat - we       Church inferior only to that of Calvin. He was in
        judge that these are not agreeable to t@e form of          friendly correspondence with Calvin,  Bucer,
        sound words. For these dicta are advanced for the          Melanchthon, Laski, Beza, Cranmer, Hooper, Lady
        confirming of the false opinion of the powers of the       Jane Grey, and the leading Protestant divines and
        human will iu the conversion of man, contrary to the       dignitaries of England.
        doctrine which attributes that work to Divine grace          From this Second Helvetic Confession we wish to
        alone. And therefore we judge that we ought to             quote parts of Chapters VIII and IX, its chapters on sin
        abstain from expressions of such sort in treating of       and free will. We first quote from Chapter VIII, of
        the conversion of man to God.                              Man's Fall; Sin, and the Cause of Sin.
          But, on the other hand, it is rightly taught that the
        Lord in conversion, through the drawing (that is, the            Man was from the beginning created of God after
        movement and operation) of the Holy Spirit, of                 the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness,
        resisting and unwilling makes willing men, and that            good and upright; but by the instigation of the
        after conversion, in the daily exercises of penitence          serpent and his own fault, falliug from the goodness
        the will of man is not idle, but cooperates  also with         and uprightness, he became subject to sin, death, and
        all the works of the Holy Spirit which He effects              divers calamities; and such a one as he became by his
        through us.                                                    fall, such- are all his offspring, even subject to sin,
   It is true that this Lutheran Confession speaks at the              death, and sundry calamities.
conclusion of this last quotation of man as he                           And we take sin to be that natural corruption of
                                                                       man, derived or spread from our fust parents unto us
co-operates with all the works of the Holy Spirit. But,                all, through which we, being drowned in evil con-
in all fairness, we should note that this Confession here              cupiscence, and clean turned away from God, but
is speaking of the regenerated child of God after his                  prone to all evil, full of all wickedness, distrust, con-
conversion, that it is the Holy Spirit Who makes of                    tempt, and hatred of God, can do no good of
unwilling men willing men, and that, although this                     ourselves - no, not so much as think any (Matt.
converted men does co-operate with all the works of                    12:34,35).
the Holy Spirit, it is the Holy Spirit Who works and                     And, what is more, even as we do grow in years, so
effects through him. May we understand this expres-                    by wicked thoughts, words, and deeds, committed
sion in the same sense as when the apostle Paul writes                 against the law of God, we bring forth corrupt fruits,
to the Philippians that it is the Lord Who works in us                 worthy of an evil tree; in which respect we, through
both to will and to do of His good pleasure? In this                   our own desert, being subject to the wrath of God,
                                                                       are in danger of just punishment; so that we had all
Formula of Concord the Lutherans surely condemn                        been cast away from God, had not Christ, the
the natural man and maifltain the doctrine of original                 Deliverer, brougbt us back again. . . .
sin.                                                                     We therefore acknowledge that original sin is in all
                                                                       men; we acknowledge that all other sins which spring
  THE CREEDS OF THE REFORMED CHURCHES                                  therefrom are both called and are indeed sins, by
          THE SECOND HEL VETIC CONFESSION                              what name so-ever they may be termed, whether
   This Swiss confession, the last and the best of the                 mortal or venial, or also that which is called sin


                                                      THE STANDARD BEARER                                                                     449



    against the Holy Spirit, which is never forgiven.                            otherwise good to God in His secret counsel . . . .
      We also confess that sins are not equal (John 5 : 16,                        Now, it is evident that the mind or understanding
    17), although they spring from the same fountain of                          is the guide of the will; and, seeing the guide is blind,
    corruption and unbelief, but that some are more                              it is easy to be seen how far the will can reach.
    grievous than others (Mark 3:28, 29); even as the                            Therefore man, not as yet regenerate, has no free-will
    Lord has said, "It shall be easier for Sodom" than for                       to good, no strength to perform that which is good.
    the city that despises the word of the Gospel (Matt.                         The Lord says in the Gospel, "Verily, verily, I say
    10:15).  We therefore condemn all those that. have                           unto you, whosoever cornmitteth sin is the servant of
    taught things contrary to these; but especially                              sin (John 8:34)." And Paul the Apostle says, "The
    Pelagius, and all the Pelagians, together with the                           carnal mind is  enmity against God; for it is not
    Jovinianists, who, with the Stoics, count all sins                           subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be
    equal. We in this matter agree fully with St.                                (Rom. 8 :7)."
    Augustine, who produced and maintained his sayings                    That Bullinger believed that the Lord, in His mercy
    out of the Holy Scriptures.                                        bestowed good gifts upon men in general (which,
In the rest of this article Bullinger reveals his                      incidentally, also Calvin taught in his Institutes), is
infralapsarian  tendences, and we do not consider it                   plain from what follows in this article in man's `free
necessary to quote it. We have quoted sufficiently to                  will :
indicate his belief in original sin and also in its                                Furthermore, there is some understanding of
complete power over the natural man.                                             earthly things remaining in man after his fall. For
  Chapter IX of the Second Helvetic Confession                                   God has of mercy left him wit, though much
discusses the doctrine of free will, and of man's power                          differing from that which was in him before his fall.
and ability. From this chapter we quote the following:                           God commands us to garnish our wit, and  there-
      Secondly, we are to consider what man was after                            withal he g&s gifts and also the increase thereof.
    his fall. His understanding, indeed, was not taken                           And it is a clear case that we can profit very little in
    away from him, neither was he deprived of his will,                          all arts without the blessing of God. The Scripture,
    and altogether changed into a stone or stock.                                no doubt, refers all arts to God; yea, and the Gentiles
    Nevertheless, these things are so altered in man that                        also ascribe the beginning of arts to the gods, as the
    they are not able to do that now which they could                            authors thereof.
    do before his fall. For his understanding is darkened,                In the rest of this article, Bullinger asks and answers
    and his will, which before was free, is now become a               the question whether the regenerate have free-will, and
    servile will; for it serveth sin, not nilling, but willing         how far they have it. We may have opportunity in
    - for it is called a will, and not a nill. Therefore, as           subsequent articles to call attention to Calvin's teach-
    touching evil or sin, man does evil, not compelled                 ing of a common grace in connection with the good
    either by God or the devil, but of his own accord;                 gifts. which the Lord bestows upon men in general. But
    and in this respect he has a most free will. But                   it is plain from this chapter of the Second Helvetic
    whereas we see that oftentimes the most evil deeds
    and counsels of man are hindered by God, that they                 Confession that the Swiss Reformers certainly believed
    can not attain their end, this does not take from man              in the utter corruption of the natural man. According
    liberty in evil, but God by His power does prevent                 to his Confession, man has no free will to good, no
    that which man  othenvise purposed freely: as                      strength to perform that which is good. And, inciden-
    Joseph's brethren did freely purpose to slay Joseph;               tally, this is also the teaching of John Calvin.
    but they were not able to do it, because it seemed


The Lord Gave The Word

                                     The History of Missions
                                                                  1500-1600

                                                            Rev. C.Hanko

  1492. This date is familiar to every one of us, even Good Hope and reached the west coast of India at
including our children. This was the year that Calicut. The age of exploration had come and new
Christopher Columbus touched on the island of San lands were being discovered on the far ends of the
Salvador in the Bahamas, and gave these islands globe. New expeditions were undertaken by  adven-
mistakenly the name they have held ever since, the turous. sailors who were lured by the attraction of the
West Indies. In 1494 he is said to have landed in unknown.
Jamaica. In 1497 Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape of                        Almost all the Portugese expeditions carried with


450                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



them a number of priests. It is evident that the Xavier went to India in 1542, not as an ordinary
explorers and those who supported them had at least missionary, but as a man who had been entrusted with
two things in mind. First, the rulers were interested in great authority. The king of Portugal had made Xavier
commerce, new trade routes, and foreign imports that his representative in India to speak and act on his
might fill their coffers. Second, the Roman Catholic authority. And also the pope had furnished him with
Church was eager to gain supremacy over the whole extensive authority in the name of the Catholic
earth, especially over these newly discovered countries Church. He stopped in Goa, a thriving but wicked city.
and islands, and at the same time to crush the Moslem Europeans had come there before him; men who had
influence. There seems to have been a legend at that left their wives at home, intermingled with the women
time that somewhere a `Christian people would be and then left them with their children and with a
found, and contact was sought with these people. It smattering of nominal Christianity. Xavier spent
has been suggested that this legend took rise in the fact months to bring about a reform, but he soon gave up
that the queen of Sheba had visited Solomon and had to seek a broader field throughout South India. Many
taken her newly found faith back with her to her own tribes in India had been invaded by the Moslems and
country. Whether this is true or not cannot be now sought the protection of the Portuguese, so that
ascertained.                                             there were wholesale baptisms, at one occasion 10,000
  Portugal and Spain both became very active in at a time. Xavier made an effort to translate the Lord's
navigation, even in rivalry for supremacy on the seas Prayer, the Apostolic Creed and the Ten Command-
and in foreign lands. In May of 1493 Pope Alexander ments, and taught the people to recite these. From
VI recognized the exclusive rights of Spain  ,to trade India he went to Japan to try to gain a foothold for
with lands that had been or might be discovered west Catholicism there. To gain success he even adopted the
of the Atlantic, giving them the injunction, "to bring customs of the country, so that the people may have
to Christian faith the peoples who inhabit these islands thought that they were being taught another form of
and the mainland . . . and to send to said islands and to Buddhism. He also wanted to reach into China, but
the mainland wise, upright, god-fearing, and virtuous never succeeded.
men who will be capable of instructing the indigenous      In this connection it can be mentioned that at a
peoples in good morals and in the Catholic faith." (The later date the Roman Catholics came up from Mexico
History of Christian Missions, by Stephen Neill, page into southern California, establishing missions along
141). The pope entrusted to Portugal everything east the way. There are still a chain of missions extending
of the Atlantic, or more specifically, everything east of from San Diego to north of San Fransisco, a distance
the Azores. And to Portugal was given the same of 650 miles. These are mainly a tourist attraction, but
injunction that Spain had received. The pope was out give evidence of the fact that these missions were
to rule the world. One thing the pope did not realize at established, about a day's journey apart, measured
the time was that ultimately the two would meet and either by foot or by horseback, and most of them but
their rights would be brought in question. Nor did the a few miles from the coast. These were founded from
pope figure  .with the protestants from England, the 1769 to 1823 with the purpose of converting the
Netherlands, France and Denmark, who also would try Indians and exerting their influence in the United
to establish trade with these newly discovered islands States. In these missions may be found evidences of
and countries.                                           former cemeteries, wineries, paintings, and even candle
  I have no intention of entering into detail on the and soap factories. The walls of these buildings were of
mission endeavors of the Roman Catholics, particularly adobe with roofs of brush sealed with mud. Later tiles
because of their entirely wrong motive. And our chief replaced the impractical mud roofs. The fathers of
concern, after all, is in the mission work that was these missions used the Indians often to their own
accomplished after the Reformation by those who had advantage, but did teach them such occupations as
broken with the Roman Catholic Church to maintain agriculture and stock raising.
the truth and principles of the Scriptures, and more       But we are actually much more interested in the
specifically with those of Calvinistic persuasion.       mission endeavors of the Protestants, since they are the
  But it is almost impossible completely to ignore the children of the Reformation. And then it must be
efforts of the pope. These efforts were greatly stimula- granted at once that also these endeavors left much to.
ted by the founding of the Jesuit Order. In 1534 be desired. Both the Dutch and the English were
Ignatius Loyola had gathered in Paris a small group of interested in foreign trade, particularly with these
six friends who were neither secular priests nor newly discovered countries and islands. And they also
religious, but who bound themselves with vows to be wanted to carry out mission work, but this was
obedient to the church, utterly subject to the pope, considered to be the calling of the Magistrate. Evi-
and devoted. to the cause of bringing the heretics back dently they still had the wrong conception of the
within the fold of the church, and winning pagans for relationship between the church and the State. The
the Catholic religion. A companion of Ignatius, Francis calling of the church and the calling of the State were


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  451



not clearly defined. Besides, circumstances also played preaching of the gospel threatened in any way to
a role in this venture, which, however, does not interfere with their business, the missionaries were
condone the wrong. The Dutch East Indies Company prohibited from preaching. The remark is well made:
was founded in 1602. It received authority from the "The Company was more interested in spices than in
homeland to exercise administrative powers over all the spread of the Gospel."
foreign territory east of the Cape of Good Hope. It was          There are even evidences of corruptions perpetrated
authorized to "wage war, draw up contracts, support by the East Indies Company. It is said that in 1607 a
troops, appoint officers, etc." They had practically full contract was drawn up with the Sultan of Temate in
authority over all the colonies in Indonesia and regard to the trade in nutmeg. This Moslem ruler
Ceylon. And the Danish and English Companies had a insisted that if any of his people turned Christian they
like authority over all of their colonies. But this author-    should be turned over to him. Since apostasy from the
ity also applied to religious matters and mission work. Moslem religion was penalized with the death sentence,
   The ministers who accompanied the sailors on these this meant that the Hollanders agreed to surrender a
trips were servants of their own government whose man to death for adopting the Christian faith. Since
first responsibility was the spiritual care of their own the Portuguese Roman Catholics had insisted on the
countrymen. But they were also expected to work right to propagate their religion among the people, the
among the natives, receiving a cash bonus for every             ultan was only too ready to draw up a contract with
baptism that was given. It is not surprising that in time the East Indies Company and thus drive out the
many thousands were baptized, but their sincerity is undesired Roman Catholics. The churches of the
more than questionable.                                        fatherland, hearing of these atrocities, decided in
  It was not as if the church entirely ignored all this.       1614: "`The brethren, regarding this as a terrible
Hugo Grotius (1583-1645) wrote an outline of the contract, causing great shame and disadvantage to the
Christian faith for the use of the Dutch sailors Christian religion, decide that these contracts must be
travelling to the Far East. A seminary was set up in broken." (Geschiedenis Van De  Zending,  Ds. H. A.
Leyden for the purpose of training missionaries for the Wiersinga). Although the Company consented to
field. There were twelve men  why  were instructed follow this demand, two years later they did  almost
especially in languages and the religions of the the same thing elsewhere by agreeing that it was just as
colonies. Yet this seminary had but a brief existence; wrong for a Moslem to turn to Christianity as it was
in fact, it lasted only about ten years. The cost was one for a Christian to become a Moslem.
objection, but the Company also raised objection                 In 1648 the "Edict Japan" was drawn up, in which
because the trained ministers refused to be bound by the ship crew was advised not to give evidence among
their wishes.                                                  the Japanese of their religion. They were prohibited
  In the credentials given along with the ministers by from using the Bible, or their  Psalm Book, from
the various classes and consistories the mandate was keeping the Sabbath, and from praying at their meals.
given to care for the spiritual needs of the Christians in     In spite of all this the Company did run into difficulty
foreign lands, and also to "instruct the peoples that are      with the rulers of Japan. On their business house and
there sitting in darkness in the true Christian religion." many of their homes they had inscribed: Anno Christi
Voetius especially pleaded for mission labors carried          1640. This reference to Christ brought the wrath of
out by the church rather than by the government. In            the king upon them, and they were forced to break
his mission views concerning "planting of churches" he down their houses from the newest down to the oldest.
wrote that the calling of the church is to do mission            In the West Indies and in West Africa similar
work, while the magistrate should only support these           incidents are recorded.
causes. Voetius tried, be it in vain, to free the church         Yet in spite of all this an effort was put forth to
from the Company. Since these efforts failed, the              translate the Bible, the Heidelberg Catechism and the
mission labors in the true sense of the word languished.       versification of the Psalms into various languages. The
Often the natives considered the Company to be Company supplied Christian instruction where possible
interested in their own profits, rather than in the            to the natives as well as to their own children. Large
welfare of  the, others. And that can well be under-           congregations were established in various places.
stood. For if the Company considered the gains too               But when the Company dissolved, the mission labors
small in a certain area, or if the profits dropped off,        came to a standstill. Many western customs were
they would leave without any further consideration.            forced upon the people, so that many natives were
And this made it impossible for the church to continue referred to as "dutch-dressed Christian." Since the
labors there. For example, one of the islands had              churches in the Netherlands were but poorly informed
produced a goodly supply of sandalwood, but when of the work that was carried out, very little interest
the supply fell off the Company left and both the              was shown in trying to improve conditions or carry on
natives and the missionaries were given over to their          the work. Much of this work never was fiily
lot. What was even worse was the fact that if the              established.and soon faded out.


452                                          THE STANDARD BEARER


From Our Mission Committee

                                   Jamaica Visited
                                                Rev. J. Kortering


  An air of expectancy prevails when the members of no monetary return for dollars invested. This is not to
the Mission Committee receive notice in the mail that a say there is no return for dollars invested, there is, but
meeting is called for the purpose of receiving a report it isn't money. The return is spiritual; it is an example
of emissaries who have returned from the field. of the kind of spiritual life we need as-the Church of
Elements of eagerness blend with anticipation as the Christ here in America. We have much to learn from
`hour draws near.                                         our Jamaican brethren and sisters. The communion of
  We have now sent six brethren at different times to saints isn't a one-way street. We have much to give to
perform personal labors of teaching, preaching, and the Jamaicans, but they also have much to give to us.
other forms of assistance. These are the Reverends C. They possess some of the most beautiful spiritual
Hanko, J. Heys, G. Lubbers, and the brethren H. graces which shine forth in the midst of the simplicity
Zwak, T. Feenstra, and H. Meulenberg. These labors of their life. By virtue of their poverty, they are
have extended over the past 6 years and have become polished in the grace of contentment. We have our
more regular and directed more precisely to the affluency which tempts us to become proud and
individual needs of the brethren and sisters on the boastful. God has brought us into contact with our
island. We have concentrated on helping 3 ministers of Jamaican brethren for the purpose of making us sit up
the Protestant Reformed Churches of Jamaica come to and evaluate our life and to test us whether we really
a deeper understanding of the Word of God as care about fellow Christians at all. The advancement of
expressed in the  ,Five Points of Calvinism. Worship the work in Jamaica involves our true spiritual joy in
services and study groups have been conducted to sharing the gospel with others even to the point of
edify the members of their churches. We have begun to confirming our confession of faith with our works of
provide Bibles and Psalters for use in their worship love and mercy.
services, the fruits of which can be heard in their         The glory of this advancement is not man's, not the
reciting of Scripture and the Reformed Confessions as Prot. Ref. Churches of America, but it is God's alone;
well as their singing of the Psalms. Opportunity has for He gathers His entire Church from all nations under
presented itself in many ways to bestow upon them heaven. It is this desire to advance that produces the
the mercies of Christ in the form of clothing, care of pangs of expectancy as our,brethren who labored there
the sick, and financial assistance to their poor and return to report to us.
needy. We have begun to face the complicated task of        As in the past, this expectation has given birth to
organization, whereby they will be able to be properly renewed joy in that the Lord is blessing the labors in
incorporated with the government and therefore in a Jamaica.
position to be helped with their church buildings.          At our meeting of May 28, we received the report of
  As churches, we desire to see this work advance. The Rev. Lubbers and Mr. H. Meulenberg which contained
impetus of this desire is not the increase there may.be details of the work they had just performed in
in the membership of our churches, for our mission Jamaica. Their visit extended from April 8 to May 27.
work in Jamaica will not produce such an increase. The During that time Rev. Lubbers preached to 14 differ-
churches on the island are indigenous churches, they ent congregations, some of them for 3 services, some
have their own local congregations, their own  minis- for one. When a person reads the report of the work
t ers, their own ecclesiastical- relationship among completed, it becomes obvious that the only word that
themselves. Rather, our labor as churches is to assist properly describes the time spent is labor. The climate
them in maintaining their own identity as those who is more conducive to lolling in the sun than for
with us love the truths of the Word. of God and desire traveling more than 2000 grueling miles and preaching
to proclaim them unto their children'and to all whom up to 4 times a week, besides leading discussion groups
God in His good pleasure will bring under that Word. etc. Yet, under the blessing of God, much work was
  The desire to advance- is also connected with the finished in a brief span of time. The report indicates
material circumstances of the people with whom we that approximately 700 - 800 people heard the Word
work. Some of these poor people are suffering in their of God preached to them. One of these occasions was a
poverty; and our goal is not to make them rich, it is funeral at Lucea. Intermingled with the songs of joy
rather to alleviate their suffering. Our contact with and hope, they meditated on the Word of promise
Jamaica will never broaden our financial base, there is found in I Cor. 15:36. At Lucea a concerted effort was


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                           453


put forth to teach the congregation a bit more in depth congregations for their consideration. Hopefully, this
the meaning of the Five  Pdints of Calvinism. At the detail tiay soon be worked out and the local congrega-
mid-week meeting a black-board was put to use along tions be duly constituted and recognized by the
with the time-tried question-answer approach and the government.
congregation responded well to the truth presented.         It was also learned that the entire island is plotted
  As in the past, the presence of these laborers on the out into sections and lots. Individuals in the congrega-
island made it expedient to consider and distribute tions who own property upon which the church
monies collected for the poor. Indications are that building is erected are signing these off on a quit-claim
there are general needs of those who are not able to basis or as an outright grant to the congregation. As
work, but also individual needs for medical attention soon as these details are worked out, we will be in a
and the like. Approximately $100.00, 40 pounds, was position to assist them financially in the improvement
distributed to each diaconate of the churches to be and erection of church buildings.
used for those who have need in their congregation. We      In view of the expenses connected with the legal
may well bear this in mind when collections are taken procedures and the inevitable expenses connected with
for the poor in Jamaica. The money is distributed as church buildings, Synod decided to request the
fast as it is collected under the direction of the deacons churches to take 4 collections again this year for the
of our Hudsonville congregation.                          purpose of church building needs. As of April 7, 1969
  Since our churches, through the calling church, First there was a balance of $6,93  1.66 in this fund.
Church of Grand Rapids, extended a call to Rev. J.          The recommendation to begin a "Study Fund" for
Heys to become missionary to Jamaica, housing for a Jamaican young men who aspire to the ministry and
missionary received top priority. According to the need financial assistance in order to attain this goal was
report, houses that may, be considered for use by a approved by the Synod. The Mission Committee would
missionary are scarce. Yet, after two weeks, the like to make this special suggestion to our churches for
Jamaica Real Estate and Furniture Company directed consideration. Synod did not decide to request the
our emissaries to an ideal house, located in Montego taking of collections for this purpose, rather it decided
Bay. This house would be available for a two-year to suggest this need to our people to be considered by
period, since its owners plan on coming to the United societies, schools, Sunday schools, and interested
States for that length of time. A down-payment was individuals. Since the Jamaican churches are indige-
placed on this property and with Synod's final nous, our goal is to provide as much training as we can
approval, effort is now being put forth to lease this for the ministers now serving and to provide training
house for 1 year, subject to renewal for another year. for future ministers who can become the leaders of the
The rental price is about $115.00 per month un- church of tomorrow. The training of future ministers is
furnished. This yearly amount does not exceed by as fundamental to the Jamaican churches as it is to our
much the amount we now spend on housing our own churches. High school education, as well as
emissaries for approximately 2 month in motels and college, costs money. In order to make advances in this
apartments. If the leasing of this house is completed,    area, we must begin now to build up a fund for this
we will have a residence for a missionary who would purpose. The  Synodical Treasurer, Mr. C. Pastoor,
accept the call, or we will have a place for a minister 2136 Osceola Drive S.E., Grand Rapids, Mich. 49506
who will labor there on a temporary basis. Furnishings will handle this fund. All money sent for this "Study
for the house can be bought on the island, since they Fund" should be so designated in order to avoid
are constructed for that climate and could be resold confusion.
later to the Jamaica Furniture Company for approxi-         We commend the needs of the Jamaican churches to
mately one half the purchase price.                       the prayers of all God's people. In correspondence sent
  Progress has also been made on the incorporation of to the Mission Committee and addressed to Synod,
the churches. Two things depend largely on incorpora- they express the need for the prayers of each one of
tion. The first is the securing of property by the us. We must not fail in this. It is important that we
congregations, and the second is that once this is discuss this work in our homes with our children, so
realized the ministers can get official recognition by that they and we with them can pray meaningfully for
the government and with this recognition our relation- the work of the gospel being accomplished there. We
ship to these churches will be enhanced. If the must remember these brethren and sisters in our
churches on the island are properly constituted, work congregational prayers. The Mission Committee needs
permits can readily be gotten and the importation of the sustaining hands of each one of us as we join
clothing duty-free will be available to us.               together before the throne of grace to seek guidance
  Our emissaries conferred with Attorney Graham in and wisdom from God. Whoever it is that will labor on
regards to incorporation. Proposed Articles of Incor- the island in the future needs the prayers and interests
poration were drawn up and submitted to the attorney of each one of us.
for comments. These were in turn presented to the           We would like to quote the final paragraph of the


454                                         THE STANDARD BEARER


report: "In closing we may remark that it was our Feenstra, and Meulenberg. We trust that they who will
constant and joyful experience to  find that in the labor in Jamaica in the future will find that this
preaching and teaching we are building on the founda- confidence has not been harmed or hindered by our
tion laid by others. This is true to a large degree. We labors here. These have been arduous yet blessed weeks
found this to be true in our contact with the ministers of labor, and we look to the Lord of the harvest for his
who have been instructed by the Revs. Heys and blessing upon our labors, and pray with the servant of
Hanko. There was a certain confidence and love which the Lord, Moses, "And let the beauty of the Lord be
we might experience, which is the fruit of the Holy upon us; and establish thou the work of our hands
Spirit, and which was wrought through the Spirit by upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it,"
the work of the former emissaries Hanko, Heys, Zwak, Ps. 90:17.


Pages From The Past

                              Believers and their ,Seed
                                   Chapter V The Meaning of the Covenant
                                                  (continued)

                                            Rev. Herman Hoeksema

  The essence of the covenant, therefore, is not to be certain stipulations, we read literally nothing in the
sought in a promise, and that, too, a promise in the history of Paradise. God indeed establishes His cove-
sense of a certain general offer to the children of nant with Adam; and the Lord delineates the place
believers, as Prof. Heyns would have it. Neither is it to which Adam assumes in relation to Himself and in
be sought in the idea that the covenant is a certain relation to creation; but Adam stands in God's
way, or manner, of salvation by which God would covenant without any condition laid down beforehand.
make us partakers of everlasting glory, as many others. Nor is it true that in the first chapters of Holy Writ we
describe the covenant, thereby actually denying that read of any promise constituting the essence of the
God's covenant is eternal. Nor does it consist in a covenant,  - a promise dependent upon Adam's con-
certain agreement between two parties according to sent or acceptance. Indeed, God threatens death,
which mutual stipulations and conditions must be met;    should Adam violate His covenant; and indeed, this
as it is also often presented; for the covenant is God's, implies by way of contrast that Adam had life and that
and He bestows upon His friends all that is necessary only in God's covenant of friendship could he enjoy
for the life and the battle of the covenant. But the life. But one certainly does not  find a promise
essence of the covenant is to be sought in this living that Adam could  merit eternal life  in the way
relation of friendship whereby God the Lord is the of obedience. We must and do call your attention to
sovereign friend of His people, and they are the Lord's some of these things intentionally. Many of these ideas
friend-servants, partaking of His fellowship, by grace are so deeply rooted in the thinking of our people that
possessing and manifesting His life and fighting the they simply consider them as the Reformed and
battle of His cause in the midst of the world. The Scriptural presentation without giving them a thought,
realization of that covenant as it shall presently be though they are to be found neither in Scripture nor in
revealed in everlasting glory constitutes the history of the confessions. The Covenant of Works is then
salvation; the struggle in the cause of that covenant is commonly presented as a certain agreement between
the battle of the ages.                                  God and Adam (and in Adam with the human race),
If we keep this fundamental idea of God's covenant according to which Adam could  .merit, in  the way of
in mind, we also understand the Scriptures. In "the obedience,  eternal life,  and according to which he
beginning," the dawn of creation, lies also the begin- would die in case of disobedience.
ning of the realization of God's covenant. For man is       But now Adam does not merit eternal life. He
immediately placed in Paradise as the covenant friend- becomes disobedient and dies, and we die in him. And
servant of the Lord. That is his position. That now what Adam did not merit, that Christ obtains for
determines the relation in which he stands to the Lord us through His perfect obedience. Such, in general, is
his God, on the one hand, and to the entire earthly the view which is always and again inculcated and
creation, on the other hand. Of an agreement, ac- which without a second thought is imbibed in the
cording to which God and Adam mutually posit catechism class and in theological schools. If one puts


                                             THE STANDARD BEARER                                                      455


these things differently, then many are of the opinion             B O O K   R E V I E W
that he is departing from the truth and ought to be
branded a heretic. Nevertheless, it is not true that this                           Pr0.f H. Hanko
presentation in this form is found in the Scriptures.
Nor is there anything attractive about it; nor does it
open one's eyes for the glorious work of God with AMOS AMONG THE PROPHETS, by  J,  K. Howard;
respect to His covenant. It really always makes us Baker Book House, 1968 (Reptin t); 119 pp., $2.95.
stand nostalgically with our noses against the fence of
Paradise, with the futile wish in our souls that Adam          This book is a brief but excellent commentary on
had not fallen! For after all, if it be true that Adam the prophecy of Amos. The book, first published in
also was able to earn that which Christ now bestows on England in 1967, now appears in this country. It
us, if only he had remained standing, then it remains contains a valuable introduction in which the author
eternally tragic that the first Paradise is no longer there discusses the whole idea of prophecy in the Old
and that we did not receive eternal life through the Dispensation as well as the particular historical setting
obedience of the first man. If only he had remained of the prophecy of Amos. The commentary is too brief
standing, then the entire present history of struggle to be of detailed help in preparation for sermon
and suffering could have been prevented, and then all making; but it is valuable to give a bird's-eye view of
men would have entered eternal life through him; but the book and will be of aid for general understanding
now there is not only the fearful history of struggle of the prophecy and for society preparation. The
and sorrow and misery, with the cross of Christ at the author stresses the relevance of the prophecy for the
center, but also the fact that at end of history's course times in which we live and ought to encourage those
thousands and millions sink away into an eternal night who read the book to make a study of this prophet.
of misery and hellish suffering. Then it may be true that The book is part of Baker's "Ministers' Handbook
the Lord ultimately has the victory, but the fact Series".
remains that the devil succeeded through his tempta-
tion in striking a tremendous breach in the works of
God. And thus we arrive at the point of actually
criticizing the counsel of the Lord Jehovah, Who
certainly conceived and willed all these things from           Classis West of The Protestant Reformed Churches
before the foundation of the world.                          will meet in Randolph, Wisconsin on September 3,
                                                             1969, at 9:00 A.M., the Lord willing. Delegates in need
                    (to be continued)                        of lodging should notify the clerk of the Randolph
                                                             consistory.
                                                                              Rev. David Engelsma, Stated Clerk
               RESOLUTION OF SYMPATHY                                         Classis West
  The Consistory and Congregation of the First
Protestant Reformed Church at Pella, Iowa extend               The Hope Protestant Reformed Christian School at
their Christian sympathy to Mr. and Mrs. Loren De            Grand Rapids will need teachers for Kindergarten and
Zwarte ahd family in the loss of their daughter              the First Grade for the 1969-70 school year.
                            LeAnn                              If you can consider one of these positions kindly
May the God of all grace comfort them with His Word          contact the school.
and Spirit.                                                                                           Clare Kuiper, Sec'y.
                        Mr. C. Vander Molen, Pres.
                        Mr. C. C. Van Soelen, Clerk                                   NOTICE!!

               RESOLUTION OF SYMPATHY                           Because of continued publication cost and the
   The Consistory of the Hull Protestant Reformed expense involved in the binding of the books, the
Church extends sympathy to its fellow officebearer, recipients of the Bound Volumes of THE STANDARD
Deacon Henry Hoksbergen, in the death of his sister BEARER are hereby notified that the cost per volume
                  MRS. DEWEY KOELE                           will be $7.00. This price represents only a portion of
   May our Heavenly Father comfort him in the the actual cost per book, and is in line with the yearly
knowledge that He doeth all things well and for the subscription price. A limited number of past volumes
welfare of His children.                                     can be obtained through the Business Office at $7.00
                                                             per volume.
                     George Hoekstra, Vice-Pres.
                     Bert Van Maanen, Clerk.                                           THE BOARD OF THE R.F.P.A.


456                                             THE STANDARD BEARER



                                News From Our Churches
                     Report of Classis East
                         July 2, 1969                          out by our Covenant Christian High School tht
                                                               following is an excerpt from the Principal's Report.
                     Our Southwest Church                      "The year was busy and fraught with problems  -
   Rev. H. Veldman presided over the opening problems, for the most part, of a minor sort. Truly,
devotions.                                                     when one considers the problems besetting the public
  Classis was fully represented by two delegates from high schools and, to a lesser degree, the other Christian
each Consistory. Prof. H. Hanko was also present at High Schools, we have had a quiet year indeed. Our
this meeting and was given an advisory vote.                   young people are far from perfect (as are their
  Normally this meeting of  Classis in July is a brief teachers) and partake, sometimes very obviously, of
session with very little to do. This was not the case this Adam's fall. Of this there can be no doubt. Yet, and
time, however. There were two matters which were here lies the difference, the miracle of Grace can also
given to two committees of advice which will report to be seen in our young people if only we look for it. The
the next Classis.                                              beginnings of true righteousness are to be found, and
  A decision of the last Synod relative to subsidized these beginnings offer no small consolation to the
churches was directed to the  Classis by the Stated Christian teacher! ! !"
Clerk of Synod, and fned for information. The Stated                                    ***
Clerk of  Classis had prepared copies of this decision
and they were handed to the delegates of each                    You must remember when Church Picnics always
Consistory. A finance committee and one to thank the featured  at least  one speech by the pastor in times
ladies for their catering was appointed by the chairman past! This excellent practice is still in vogue in
Rev. R. C. Harbach: Finance Committee: J. Flikkema Edgerton, Minn., as evidenced at their July 4 picnic
and J. M. Faber. R. Lubbers was appointed to thank where Rev. Lanting spoke on, "The New Morality, a
the ladies.                                                    Sign of the Times."
  One Consistory answered an appeal brought against                                     *  * *
it and this matter was given into the hands of a
committee for study and advice. Committee: Revs. M.               The manse at Doon, Iowa welcomed a new resident
S&ripper, H. Veldman, and Elder R. Lubbers.                    in June - a baby boy born to Rev. and Mrs. Decker,
  This same Consistory also asked advice on the Timothy Robert, by name.
increase of censure of one of its members. Another                                      *  *  *
Consistory, whose discipline of one of its members was
appealed, brought answer to this appeal, and this
matter. was put into the hands of a study committee.              Our Mission Board, through a sub-committee, has
Committee: Revs. G. Lubbers, J. A. Heys, and Elder decided to build a fund for the education of young
M. Haveman.                                                    men in Jamaica to become ministers in their churches.
  Both Study Committees  will report to the next The initial contribution to this "Study Fund" was
meeting of Classis.                                            raised at a church picnic at Holland,  Mich., to the
  Southwest Consistory had arranged for noon dinner amount of $73.24.
at the Sweden House for all the delegates.                                              * * *
  Classis decided to meet next time the first Wednes-
day in October in Hope Church.                                   Meetings of our young people prior to their Con-
  Questions of Article 41 of the Church Order were vention included an Outing to Grand Haven's North
asked and answered satisfactorily.                             Shore Park July 11, and a Mass Meeting at Hudsonville
  Elder R. Lubbers closed this meeting of Classis with July 19.
prayer.                                   M. Schipper, S.C.                             ***
                            *  *  *
  Our church at Pella, Iowa, has extended a call to              Our Holland Church has installed a loud speaker in
Loveland's pastor, Rev, Engelsma; and Redland's their society room for those who cannot meet with the
pastor, Rev. C. Hanko is considering a call to become congregation in the auditorium. The unique feature of
South Holland's minister.                                      this installation is that if one leaves the door ajar the
                             *  4  *                           listener can see the pulpit  - a sort-of closed-circuit
                                                               television!
  News from a high school the likes of which you will
not have found in the public press: In a news letter put .  .  . see you in church                               J.M.F.


