                                 -'     he

                                       tandard

                          r
                                              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


I N   T H I S   I S S U E   ~


          Meditation:

             The Object of the Christian's Hope

    -~
          Edit Lials:

             Parochiaid and Control
             A Faulty Understanding of Dogmatics?

          All Around Us:

             Underground Churches
              Noah's Ark Found?

          A Missionary Movement

             (see: Studies in Depth)

                                                Volume XL VIJ/Number  I/October 1, I969


2                                                        THE STANDARD BEARER


                           CONTENTS:                                                               THE STANDARD BEARER
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Meditation  -                                                                   Published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association, Inc.
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     The Object of the Christian's Hope . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Editor-in-Chief: Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
                                                                          Department Editors:  Mr. John M.  Faber,Rev..  Cornelius Hanko,Prof.
Editorials -                                                               Herman Hanko, Rev. Robert C. Harbach, Rev. John A. Heys, Rev. Jay
     Our Schools and Government Subsidy (9) . . . . . . .5                 Kortering, Rev. George C. Lubbers, Rev. Marinus Schipper, Rev.  Gise J.
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Meditation

                          The Object of the Christian's Hope
                                                             Rev. M. Schipper

                 "To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in
             heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be
             revealed in the last time. "                                                                            I Peter 1:4, 5

     Not only are we begotten again into a living hope, as which fadeth not away!
we called it to your attention in our last Meditation;                        Begotten again into an inheritance!
but we are begotten again also into an incorruptible                          An inheritance in Scripture as  well. as in our text
and undef"lled inheritance.                                               carries within it especially two ideas. First of all, it is
     The object of the Christian's hope is therefore an gratuitous! This means, negatively speaking, that it
inheritance which is  incorruntible,  and undefiled, and cannot be merited. Generally this is true of any


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                      3



inheritance. Though sometimes a testator of a will in the children are by nature defiled. But not so is our
case of an earthly inheritance may recognize some past inheritance. It is undefilable!
favor on the part of the heir, generally speaking an in-        Not fadeable! This is almost the same as incor-
heritance is freely given. In Scripture this is always the ruptible, but with this difference: whereas that which
case. The heirs merit absolutely nothing. The inheri- is incorruptible cannot be corrupted from without,
tance is simply given out of mere grace, and by the sov- that which is not  fadeable cannot be corrupted from
ereign free choice of the God Who prepares and gives it. within. And what a contrast this is to that which we
In the second place, an inheritance implies (and that is now possess. Not only can it be destroyed by
certainly the case here) that it is exceedingly precious, corrupting influences from without, but it is  .also of
and therefore most desirable.                                 such a nature that it has no enduring substance from
  Indeed, the inheritance of which the apostle speaks within. It is like the beautiful rose bush laden with
is most gratuitous and very precious!                         flowers and growing in your yard. Today you see it
  It is important here to consider exactly the relation       covered with beautiful and fragrant roses. Tomorrow it
of this inheritance to the hope of which the apostle          may pass under the rain storm that causes all the petals
spoke in the preceding verse. And we should keep in           to fall. But if no rain storm attacks it from without,
mind that the relation is such that the inheritance is        you have only to wait long enough and the flowers of
the hope - only in anticipation. We have shown before         themselves wither and die. It has not enough inner
that the living hope into which we are begotten again is      power to continue. Our inheritance, on the other hand,
absolute, and very real, not only as an activity, but also    is of an enduring substance. It cannot fade away!
as to content. However, if we have that which we hope           The positive implications of all these negatives is
for, hope is no longer necessary. Hope knows its              that the inheritance is everlasting. It transcends all that
object, but it does not yet attain unto it. It has            which is temporal. And the reason for this must be
therefore its object only in  .a.nticipation.  But the        found in the fact that this inheritance has its center in
inheritance is hope realized! We are not only begotten        the incarnated Son of God Who died and rose again.
again into a living hope, but we are also begotten again      Through the resurrection of Christ, that is, through the
into an inheritance. The living hope stretches into the       power of that resurrection we are born again, and
inheritance; not simply " unto" or "towards," so t.hat        possess therefore immortality and eternal life. And
it is a question whether it reaches. Nor, of course,          through the power of that resurrection the eternal
"`in," because that isn't so yet. We are still in this        inheritance stands. Christ Himself is the life principle
world. But "into," that is, to within the inheritance         of that incorruptible, undefilable, and unfadeable
does the hope stretch.                                        inheritance. And because the whole creation together
  What then is that inheritance into which we are             with the church will ultimately be united in Christ, and
begotten again and into which the hope stretches?             Christ with His resurrection life will pervade all things
  In answer, we ought to notice, first of all, how the        in heaven and on earth, therefore that inheritance must
text describes it. Strikingly the apostle describes it        be everlasting.
using three negatives: not corruptible, undefiled, and          But again we ask: What then is that inheritance?
that fadeth not away. The idea of these three negatives         We ought to notice that the text speaks of salvation
is, of course, to compare our inheritance with our            ready to be revealed in the last time. Undoubtedly,
present estate. All that is here in the world of our          therefore, our inheritance consists in our  final and
experience is corruptible, defilable,, and fades away.        perfect salvation. Now we have only the beginning of
And, though .all three descriptions seem to emphasize         it, having been begotten again into a living hope by the
the same thing, there is nevertheless a fine distinction      power of Christ's resurrection. But when that hope will
to be observed between them.                                  be stretched out into its object, we shall behold the
  Not corruptible! This looks at the inheritance as           perfection of our glorious salvation. In this  final and
being unaffected by anything outside of it. In contrast       glorious salvation all creation shall take part. For there
to this, all that we may possess in this world is affected    shall be a new heavens and a new earth wherein
by corrupting influences and powers that will even-           righteousness shall dwell. In the very center of this
tually destroy it. Not so the inheritance of which the        glorious and perfect creation shall be the God of our
text speaks. There will be no moth or rust, no germ or        salvation as He shall appear in the face of Christ Jesus.
pestilence to destroy it. It is incorruptible!                We shall see God as He has purposed to reveal Himself
  Not defilable! This looks at the inheritance in the         in His Son, our Mediator and Saviour; and we shall
moral and ethical sense of the word as being beyond           abide in His presence forever. We shall abide in His
any moral defilement. How different this is from our          glory and fellowship, and never go out. We shall be like
present state. Every step we take is characterized by         Him when we shah see Him as He is. That undoubtedly
moral defilement. Our first father was created  unde-         is the inheritance which is now the object of the
fded, while he was also defilable. And he became              Christian's hope!
defiled by the immoral suasion of the devil. And all his        That object is absolutely sure!


4                                                     THE STANDPrRD BEARER



     It is sure, first of all, because it is reserved in heaven! the statue is hidden under a veil; but when the veil is
This means, in the first place, that it is there. It is there removed, the thing hidden is suddenly revealed. Reve-
centrally in Christ `Who is gone into heaven to prepare lation differs from manifestation, another term often
for us a place. And from Christ it will be revealed in used in the Scripture, in  .that the latter is the more
the last time. It means, secondly, that it is not yet active term. For example, the sun manifests itself when
universal in the cosmological sense of the word. It it pierces the dark clouds, and you see it in its brilliant
must yet be revealed, and will be in the last time. That rays shining upon the earth. Revelation, on the other
it is reserved means, in the third place, that it is safely hand, is the more passive term, and informs us that
kept. The powers of evil, corruption, and darkness something is done in respect to the thing  .that is
cannot reach it. It is impossible for the powers of revealed. In the case of our text it is our inheritance;
destruction to ever touch that inheritance. It is safely which is now hidden, but which is to be revealed, that
kept in heaven!                                                       is, unveiled.
     Moreover, that inheritance is doubly sure! Not only                 Our inheritance, our final and glorious salvation is
is it reserved, safely kept in heaven; but the apostle ready to be unveiled! And what an unveiling that
also informs us that we also are kept. Literally he tells will be! The thought stirs in us eager anticipation.
us that we are garrisoned, that is, hidden safely as in a That which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor
fortress. That in which we are garrisoned is the power has it ever entered into the heart of man to conceive,
of God. God, you understand, is omnipotent, that is, is  .that which God has laid away for those who
all powerful. All power is. His. There can be no love Him. In one word, no words are to be found
dualism, that is another who has power to withstand that can begin to describe it.
Him. Even the devil has no power, or it is given him of                  In the last time!
God. And that power of God in which we are kept and                      Time here must be understood not from the point
which leads us into our inheritance is operating of view of its being the succession of moments, though
through faith. Believers, therefore, do not ride as it it is undoubtedly true there is such succession at. the
were asleep on a Pullman train to their inheritance, to end of which shall be the last moment of time as we
be. awakened then by the angels when they arrive in know it. Yet time, according to the text, must not be
heaven. Not so does this power of God keep us. God viewed as we watch it develop on our time pieces.
wants us to know and to be fully aware of our                         Rather, time must be conceived of here as the
salvation and the way to that  final and glorious opportune occasion. The very last event that will occur
salvation. Therefore the power of God operates in in time.
them through faith, which is the power as it is the gift                 To that last occasion in history all other occasions
of God's grace. Never is it a condition which you must                work!
fulfill; but it is that power of God that works in our                   The entire eternal counsel of God has as its central
hearts enabling us to cling in hope to that God of our and final objective the revelation of this inheritance.
salvation Who will never let us go. Thus God preserves And all history is but the unraveling of this plan and
not only our inheritance, but also us; and we persevere               counsel of God. The very last event that fills up this
until we attain our glorious inheritance.                             purpose of God is the fmal and glorious salvation of
     Which is ready to be revealed in the last time!                  His people, when they shall be u'mted with Him in an
     That it is ready to be revealed means that it is inseverable bond and abide with Him in His glory.
already prepared, and this makes it objectively real,                    Then time, as we know it, shall cease! Then the
and this idea is in harmony with the rest of the text                 counsel of God shall be finished. Then with all of
which emphasizes that the inheritance is reserved in                  God's redeemed creation we shall enter into and abide
heaven.                                                               in our glorious inheritance.
     That it is to be revealed means that at the present                 That will be glory for me!
time it is hidden from our view. It is behind the curtain                So it will be glory for you, too, my born-again
of the heavenly, as it were. This revelation may be reader!
compared to the unveiling of a statue. One moment                        With me let us say - Amen, and amen!



           The. Christ of the social gospel is a Christ who calls men to believe in a universal Fatherhood of God and to
           establish the brotherhood of man in the world. We must build Christian character. We must establish the
           kingdom of God on earth. Jesus teaches us how good men really are, and what a potential for good men have,
           and how men can work themselves into the favor and love of God. All this modern trash which flatters the pride
           of sinful men has nothing to do with the Christ of the Scriptures.


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                                5



Editorials

              Our Schools and Government Subsidy (9)
                                         PAROCHIAID AND CONTROL

                                                Pro$ H. C. Hoeksema

  There are two very closely related aspects of are those who "see red" when questions like these are
government subsidy to non-public schools (and partic- asked or even suggested. And it always strikes me that
ularly to our Christian, covenantal schools) which we. this very fact could be a give-away. But it also strikes
must still consider. One aspect is that of any possible me as very strange that in this "affluent society," even
government control which might be involved; the taking into account the pressures of inflation and the
other aspect, inseparably connected, is that of the wage-price squeeze, and even taking into account the
principles of education on which the theory of fact that there are those who find it really difficult to
government subsidy is based and to which it gives meet the costs of covenantal education, - that in such
expression and to which it will inevitably lead those an age as this the clamor for parochiaid should arise. I
schools which accept any proffered subsidy.                could perhaps understand it if in the depths of the
  While these two aspects may be distinguished, they depression, when our parents had to scratch and scrape
are nevertheless very closely related. And the relation- to get together $2 per week for school money for an
ship is this, that government control will enable the entire family, there would have been difficulty in
government to enforce `its ideas of education upon meeting school expenses, with the result that people
those schools to which it provides subsidy.                began to look in the direction of government for aid.
  The theory is the well-known one: he who holds the But today? By and large, there is today no  financial
purse-strings calls the tune.                              reason why any cause of the kingdom, our schools
  The question is, in the first place, whether this included, should have to beg and lead a hand-to-mouth
theory is applicable to the situation at hand. That is, existence. If only the conviction and the will is there!
will government subsidy lead inevitably, or even most Hence, I say, even apart from the question asked in the
probably, to government's having a share and insisting preceding paragraph, we all do well to pay attention to
upon a share in "calling the tune?" And, in the second the morals involved in seeking and accepting govem-
place, if the answer to the first question is affirmative, ment subsidy.
the question then is whether such governmental               And my second introductory remark is this, that we
"calling the tune" is wrong and not to be allowed.         must examine the right or wrong of any government
  Before proceeding to answer these questions, I must control not from the point of view of any particular
make a couple of additional introductory remarks. The political philosophy, but from the point of view of
first is this, that even if the answer to the first of the Christian principle. Specifically, the question is: is it
above questions should be negative, this would not, in right or wrong for covenant parents to allow any other
my opinion, justify parochiaid. Not only are there person or body to control, either wholly or in part, the
other reasons for this, some of which I have already schooling of their God-given covenant children? If it is
presented; but there also are other very serious wrong, principally wrong, then no amount of utili-
questions concerning the very idea of government tarian reasoning can justify it. Principle must
subsidy. For example, just how much has the modem rule.
trend toward socialism governed the thinking of the          And now we turn to the questions.
advocates of parochiaid? Just how much has "welfare-
state" philosophy and the desire for a hand-out Does Government Subsidy Involve Government Con-
motivated the drive for parochiaid? Or to phrase the trol?
question from a spiritual, ethical point of view, just       It would appear that the answer to this question for
what part does simple covetousness play in this drama? anyone who considers government subsidy in its
What part does a lack of conviction, deep-seated various concrete forms, and not merely in the abstract,
conviction, conviction for which we are willing to must be an unqualified Yes. Seldom, if ever, does any
sacrifice if necessary, with respect to covenantal branch of government appropriate funds for any
education play in this clamor for subsidy? What part project whatsoever without at the same time exercising
does  faith  play in this?  s How much of Christian control over the manner and time and purposes for
contentment  is there in it? How much of a Christian which the money is to be spent. It does not authorize
sense of values is there in it? I am well aware that there the spending of funds without some kind of strings


6                                              THE STANDARD BEARER



at,tached.  This is true of city government. It is true of vision; some have bowed to the restrictions (and it is
public school districts. It is true of state government,       still a question how far these restrictions extend), and
also in so far as it turns any state funds over to other       others have attempted to get out from under the
arms of government, whether to the cities, to the restrictions by paying back the federal funds. But the
counties, or to the school districts. It is just about fact remains that federal funds involve federal control
axiomatic with respect to the federal government, so           and restrictions.
that there are even political battles fought about               The same is true of state subsidy.
preserving "states' rights" while at the same time               It is significant to get the thinking of public school
accepting federal funds for various projects. And, supporters and anti-parochiaid forces on this score. For
indeed, this is reasonable from the government's point         even though these forces might not succeed im-
of view; it may be expected, and even demanded, that mediately to get all the  restrmtions which they want,
when a government authorizes the expenditure of its you can depend on it that they will work until they
money, that same government which holds the purse- succeed in getting what they want. Remember, too,
strings has the right to say something about how and that the public school forces are in the majority. Here
for what the money is spent. It may also be expected is a sample of their thinking in my state of Michigan.
that the granting and withholding of such funds is             State Senator Gilbert Bursley was a member of the
made dependent upon compliance or non-compliance Joint Legislative Committee on Aid to Non-Public
with the restrictions imposed, so that there is a' built-in    Schools which drew up the report referred to in earlier
enforcement device in such grants. It may also be articles.  Aheady early this year he was reported by
expected that the government which grants the funds Associated Press to have said, ". . .acceptance of public
makes provision for investigation as to whether or not         funds by nonpublic schools would ultimately lead to
the restrictions are observed. And it may even be loss of control over their schools by nonpublic
expected that the law will provide penalties in case of authorities." Recently he was reported to have listed
disobedience to the restrictions imposed. And, as I            "three standards which now apply to public schools
indicated, it is rather well recognized that the federal which he feels should be extended to private and
government has in all these respects become like a religious units." According to the Grand Rapids Press
giant octopus, reaching into almost every phase of life        of Sept. 9, 1969, these standards were:
in today's society.
     But we are concerned especially with education.                    -Require nonpublic schools to accomplish con-
     Speaking generally, we all know that the federal              solidation and reorganization. "It would be totally
government is at this very time using the granting and             wrong," Bursley said, "to require the small inefficient
withholding of federal funds in an attempt to enforce              public school districts to reorganize and then to
desegregation of schools in various states. We all know,           subsidize small, parochial schools without requiring
too, that in the various states, when financial grants are         the same compliance with reorganization guidelines."
                                                                   (Can you imagine what would happen to our little
made to local or county school districts, the state                Prot. Ref. schools under a restriction like this? HCH)
exercises rather strict control upon the manner in
which such money is spent, so that local public schools                -Require nonpublic schools to submit full
must live up to various state requirements in order to             financial and budget reports to the State Department
obtain state funds. This is true in Michigan, and I                of Education and Appropriation Committees of the
would guess that it is true in other states as well.               legislature.
     But speaking specifically of government subsidy to
non-public schools, I have yet to see either a law or a                 -Provide  that teachers of secular subjects in
significant proposal for government subsidy (federal or            nonpublic schools be employes of the intermediate
state) to a private institution of learning which does             school district, a public agency, and not the employes
not involve some degree of government control.                     of a religious body. (In other words, the intermediate
     As far as federal funds (grants and loans) to private         school district would control our teachers. HCH)
colleges are concerned, there are definite restrictions,         This is a sample of the thinking of a foe of
for example, in the 1963 Higher Educational Facilities parochiaid; and there are many such foes, who, if they
Act. This bill provides for federal loans and grants to finally must grant parochiaid, will do their utmost to
colleges for facilities such as library, science, physical write in such restrictions.
education, and classroom buildings. And the law                  Here is a sample of a proposal for parochiaid from a
provides that such facilities (including equipment and Dr. Leroy Augenstein, member of the State Board of
materials) may not "be used for sectarian instruction Education  in  Michigan.  The Grand Rapids Press  re-
or religious worship, or primarily in connection with ported that he proposes that each school-age child
any part of the program of a school or department of would be given a voucher for sufficient funds to insure
divinity." And there have been religious-oriented col- him an adequate education, with the voucher being
leges which have come into conflict with this  pro- redeemable at schools that:


                                                       THE STANDARD BEARER                                                          7



             -Provide for proper certification of all teachers      session of the state legislature) had similar language in
    and curriculum.                                                 i t .
             -Select faculty on a nondiscriminatory basis.            There are other proposals brought up and men-
             -Make religious training optional and remove all       tioned in the news occasionally. But every proposal of
    religious symbols from the classroom.                           note which is considered to have any chance of serious
             -Accept all students regardless of their race and      legislative consideration has restrictions written into it.
    religion.                                                       Generally, the restrictions take two forms: 1) a
  Talk about controls! True, this is not a legislative restriction in the very nature of the subsidy, based
proposal, much less a law, as yet. But it is a significant upon a secular-religious distinction in education. 2)
sample of the thinking of an official in an influential various restrictions designed to enforce the restriction
position.                                                           under "1".
  ,The proposal of the Joint Legislative Committee                    And it is not difficult to see: 1) That any school
(which was actually under consideration in the Michi- would be virtually tied hand and foot by these laws. 2)
gan Legislature last spring) had the following controls That there would be great pressure on a school board
written into it, p. 27:                                             and teaching staff to make its curriculum and instruc-
             6. No Intermediate Board of Education would            tion measure up to "the secular educational legislative
     purchase any educational services in courses of in-            purposes." 3) That once subsidy is accepted by a
     struction in religion.                                         school, the fear of having to get along without subsidy
             7. In order to assure that the state was receiving     would have the effect of inducing a school to accept
     appropriate services for state aid, the State Board of         even more restrictions and certainly would have the
     Education should annually test pupil achievement in            effect of making a school very reluctant to do anything
     courses of instruction purchased in order to determine
     the secuiizr                                                   which might entail loss of subsidy. Subsidy is like
                      effect and whether the secular educational
    legislative purposes  are being achieved.                       dope. Once you accept it and become addicted to it, it
             8. The State Board should require audits (similar      is extremely difficult and painful to break the habit.
    to those required of public school districts) of the            This is history's lesson.
     financial and child accounting records of the non-               But the question remains: is such control good or
    public schools as they pertained to the purchase of             bad, right or wrong?
     services.                                                        To this question we shall address ourselves next
  House Bill 2424 (the parochiaid bill before the last time.


                  Topsy-Turvy Joy from "Down Under" (3)
                                       A FAULTY  UNDERSTANDlNG  OF  D-OGMATICS?

                                                         Pro5  H. C. Hoeksema

  In connection with Dr. K. Runia's thoughts on "The                  First of all, let me call attention to Dr. Runia's
Joy of Systematic Theology" ("The Banner," June 20, reference to the alleged systematic theology of the
1969, pp. 18, 19), I cannot escape the impression that apostle Paul. Writes he:
underlying all that he writes is a faulty understanding                      Perhaps the best example of this kind of sys-
of the very nature and task of dogmatics. It is true that               tematic theology one fmds in the epistles of the
Dr. Runia writes only very briefly, - far too briefly, in               apostle Paul. It may be objected that Paul was not a
my opinion, for such an important subject. It is also                    systematic theologian but one of the organs of
true that he betrays somewhat of a tendency to                          revelation; that in his epistles we do not have a sample
vacillate and to hesitate, even to the point of contra-                 of systematic theology but part of God's revelation to
diction at times; and this makes it somewhat difficult                  his church. We fully grant this. No later theologian,
                                                                        not even an Augustine or a Luther or a Calvin, was on
to grasp his precise meaning and understanding of                       a par with Paul. In Paul's epistles we have to do with
dogmatics. It is also true that he fails utterly to give                the Word of God. But is it nevertheless not true that
any definition of what he calls systematic theology.                    Paul, in his special apostolic way, was dealing with
But both from what he writes and from what he fails                     profound dogmatical questions, and may we not, from
to write his ideas of the nature and task of dogmatics                  this angle, speak of his "theology" or even "sys-
are rendered severely suspect. At best Runia is ex-                     tematic theology" ?
tremely vague and ambiguous, and at worst his                         Now it is true that Runia tries to maintain a
suggestions hint at a denial of the true character of distinction between systematic theology and revela-
Reformed dogmatics.                                                 tion. It is also true that later he writes that "It is


8                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



obvious, of course, that in our systematic theology we to the confessions, which are replete with ccontology.f'
cannot simply imitate Paul," and calls attention to the But he also renders himself suspect of being a devotee
fact that "In our systematic theology we are dealing of the method of so-called Biblical  theologyi He
with all these matters in a scientific way, which completely ignores the fact that the dogmatician does
necessarily means that the element of abstraction and not labor individualistically; does not ignore the work
objectivity enters into the discussion." However, it of the Spirit in the church of the past, but labors both
seems rather obvious that Runia contradicts himself at as organically connected with the church throughout
this point. For although he seems to recognize a the ages and as a member of a particular church in the
difference between Paul's epistles and systematic present,  and. that therefore the dogmatician in the
theology, he nevertheless states in question form that nature of the case works with dogma, with the dogmas
it is proper to speak of Paul's theology and even of his      of the church catholic as well as with the dogmas of his
systematic theology. Not only so, but while, on the own denomination.
one hand, he states that we cannot simply imitate Paul          In the third place, I am not impressed favorably by
in our systematic theology, on the other hand, he calls Runia's reference to theology being "existential,"
Paul's alleged systematic theology "the best example          especially not when he attempts to draw a contrast
of this kind of systematic theology," that is, the kind between this and "abstract" analysis. This contrast he
of systematic theology which Dr. Runia favors. To             draws repeatedly in his attempted demonstration of
say the least, this is strange and contradictory reason- Paul's alleged systematic. theology in the epistle to the
ing. Paul was not a systematic theologian and did not Romans. And my unfavorable impression is fortified
write systematic theology, but it is nevertheless proper when I read the following about Romans 9-l 1: YWhen
to speak of his systematic theology? Paul's alleged in the next three chapters the apostle deals with the
systematic theology is perhaps the best example of mystery of election, he again avoids all abstract
this kind of systematic theology, and yet we must not reasoning about an eternal decree and the ontological
simply imitate that alleged best example? This, to me, problem of divine sovereignty and human responsi-
is double talk, sheer nonsense. I repeat: it cannot bility, but he discusses it as a reality in the history of
but lead to a topsy-turvy joy.                                Israel and in the life of God's people." Does Runia
     The simple fact is that the Bible (whether in Paul's want merely a historical election (and reprobation,
epistles or any other part) is not a systematic theology, which he does not mention)? What is that "mystery of
is not a book of doctrine, is not a compilation of election" which Paul allegedly discusses as a reality in
doctrines in systematic form and expressed in dog- the history of Israel? Is it eternal? Is it a degree of
matic terms. It is the record of the historical revelation God? Is it sovereign? Must, or must not, systematic
of, God to His people. It is revelation woven into the theology give answers to these questions? This is the
texture of the earthly and historical development of more important with respect to' Dr. Runia's under-
God's church in the world. And it is precisely the task standing of dogmatics because of the clear sympathy
of dogmatics and the dogmatician not simply to repeat which he evinces elsewhere for the arguments of those
and imitate Scripture,- nor to look for a systematics in Reformed theologians in the Netherlands who attack
Scripture, but to present the truth as it is in the the Canons of Dordrecht and especially the doctrine of
Scripture systematically, to compare the system of reprobation.
dogma critically with Scripture, demonstrate its                On the other hand, if all that Runia means to
harmony with the Word of God, and by means of a               emphasize is that dogmatics is related to faith, that the
study of Scripture to enrich and bring the dogma of dogmatician can properly labor only in faith, that in
the church to a fuller development.                           his theologizing he deals with those dogmas in which
     In the second place, I call attention to the total lack he fmds the purest expression of his own faith, and
of all mention of the confessions of the church and the that dogmatics. seeks to give objective expression and
total lack of all reference to the dogmas of the church enrichment  to the content of the Christian faith (that
catholic and the dogmas of Runia's own denomination, which it is necessary for a Christian to believe), then he
i.e., the dogmas of the Reformed churches. I cannot could have said this in a much more explicit and
help thinking that this is no accidental omission. unambiguous manner. And then I would agree. But I
Whether it is connected with the fact that Runia would also emphasize that the believers' minds can
speaks of systematic theology rather than of dog- only appropriate the truth of Scripture in the way of
matics, I know not. But I am tremendously suspicious logical contemplation, and that if theology (of the
when in connection with the joy of systematic                 dogmatician and of the church) does not present the
theology and a discussion of the proper method and truth of the Scriptures in' objective and systematic
purpose of theology there is absolutely no reference to form, the individual believer and the church stand to
dogmas and to the confessions. For not only would lose their moorings completely and to drift into the
Runia have been guarded against his attack on so-called dangerous waters of a contentless faith.
`"onto.1ogica.l" theology if he had referred'only casually      I  .am indeed sorry that Dr. Runia does not make


                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER                                                           9



positively clear what he understands to be the meaning criticize this definition for a starter: "Dogmatics is that
and the task of dogmatics. Does he lean in the theological discipline in which the dogmatician, in
direction of the biblical-theological method?  Has he organic connection with the church  in the past as well
been influenced by Dr. Berkouwer's kerugma-faith as  in the present, purposes to elicit from the Scriptures
correlativity? Is there a tinge of  Barthian existentialism the true knowledgk of God, to set forth the same in
and dialecticism in his ideas? Who can tell?                    systematic  form, and, after comparison of the existing
   But, in conclusion, I would like to see Dr. Runia            dogmas with Scripture, to bring the knowledge of God
begin at the beginning  if he wants to criticize the to a higher state of development." Personally, I find
Refomed  Dogmatics  of Herman Hoeksema. Let him joy,  - the joy of faith,  - in that kind of dogmatics.


All Around Us

                                     Underground Churches
                       A Blow To Religious Broadcasting -
                                         Noah's Ark Found?
                                                        Pro$  H. Hanko

UNDERGROUND CHURCHES                                                but substitute their own forms which they feel are
                                                                    more natural for various parts of the service.
  In the  Grand Rapids Press  of Saturday, August 16,                       Portions of the Bible other than Exodus or
an article appeared on the church page written by Carl              Deuteronomy are read for the commandments and the
Strikwerda which reported on the establishment of                   folk song "Kum-ba-yah" is sung as the prayer of
"underground churches" in the area. The article reads               illumination.
as follows:                                                                 Communal prayers, open discussion of the ser-
         The underground church movement is alive `in               mon and the "passing of the peace" between members
    Grand Rapids.                                                   are other new attempts to give meaning to worship.
         In the last decade, the idea of small groups                       Most services are in the form of a dialogue
    meeting to worship God in their own way, outside the           between "the people" and the "leader". The leader
    traditional church structure, has been a growing force.         can be any member, group of members or the speaker
         The unstructured religious gatherings in Grand             for that service. Seminary students, ministers and
    Rapids are few in number, and, as in other cities,              college professors have given the message.
    avoid publicity. But there are two active underground                   Key to the services is informality with members'
    groups in Grand Rapids which welcome openess.                  attire running from sandals and levi's to other casual
         Both groups were founded primarily by Calvin              wear. All sit on the floor during the programs.
    College students who were dissatisfied with the                         "What we're trying to do," said a 21-year-old
    Knollcrest campus worship services. The students felt           college student, "is to make worship part of our
    the services were too formal and  +upersonal to be              everyday life. If worship is divorced from reality,
    meaningful.                                                    people can go back  into life without having been
          One group began organizing their own services            affected."
    during the school year, emphasizing informality and                     Twice the services have included "love feasts"
    participation by all the worshipers. Meetings were held        where members eat and drink together to emphasize
    in various places until two months ago when members            the unity they share in Christ. Nothing formal about
    got permission to use facilities at the Grand Rapids           food either, with cookies and coffee one example.
    Youth Ministry, 129 E. Fulton St.                                       A college professor who has led the group
         Regular services are held there each Sunday at 3           explained that the love feast is not designed to take
    p.m., with additional meetings sometimes held during            the place of communion, but to co-exist with the
    the week.                                                       sacrament.
         The second undergrbund church movement got                         The other underground church movement is even
    underway about the same time, fast meeting at a local          less formal iu the sense of religious service. Members
    Christian Reformed Church and now at members'                  meet together to sing, talk over parts of the Bible and
    homes. At the Youth Ministry, liturgies of the services        pray.
    are written by the young people themselves. Often                       Sometimes they break up into small groups to
    they use the order of worship of the formal church             discuss individual problems. The emphasis is on


IO                                                       THE STANDARD BEARER



       making real what the young people have found in the            it is commanded to worship God as He has com-
        Bible.                                                        manded- in His Word. This requires a certain amount of
                "I feel that any praise or work of God is             @iritual- discipline.  It  requires the discipline of grace. It
       worship. To me, this meeting is just as meaningful as          requires the discipline of humility. The people of God
       the regular service I attend," a  19-year-old female           are required to come with fear into God's presence and
       member said.                                                   submit in humility to God's holy Word. The "infor-
                The songs that are sung are varied, ranging from      mality" of these underground services gives evidence of
       hymns used in traditional services to religious folk
       songs. Accompaniment is with a guitar and tarnborine.          a  refusal to submit to such discipline. The young
                One high school boy who attends the services          people are influenced by the general rebellious spirit
        says he likes the freedom it offers.                          which characterizes our age and particularly many
                  "If we want to include poetry or use a different    youth in this generation. But their rebellion is against
       version of something in the service, we can. And we            God and against His Ward. It  can come to no good.
        don't have to put on special clothes or attitudes to            One wonders what happens to the church institute
       worship."                                                      in such worship services. Where is the ambassador of
                Originally, both underground groups were              Christ commissioned to preach in the name of Christ,
       mostly Christian Reformed college students, but                sent by Christ to bring an authoritative Word of the
        gradually persons of other denominations have joined.         gospel? Where are elders who are called to rule in
        Today, members include students from all area col-            reflection of Christ's kingly office? There cannot
       leges and local high schools. But the groups welcome
        anybody  - including older persons.                           possibly be any exercise of the keys of the kingdom in
                Surprisingly, many of the underground church          such meetings. Nor apparently are there intended to be
       members are not drop-outs from their original                  when everyone is welcome. Christ's high priestly office
        churches. As one Calvin coed said, "`I still get              is forsaken and there is no display of the mercies of
        something meaningful from the regular services."              Christ which He shows to His people. The whole
                All members, however, regardless of their present     church institute is destroyed and informal gatherings
       affiliations, would like to see changes in the tradi-          are substituted.
       tional church.                                                   But the church institute is the mother of believers.
                The changes they seek are not in doctrine or          Without such an institute the believers cannot exist in
        form but in relevancy. The young people want the              the world. They are born from this holy mother,
        church to have meaning in everyday life.                      nourished at her breasts, brought up under her
                They are not just criticizing the formal church,
        either. They are trying to initiate change in a mature        discipline, cared for by her tender regard for their
        manner.                                                       spiritual well-being and prepared by her earnest in-
                Some of the members have begun meeting on             struction for the difficulties of a life of faithfulness.
       week nights with local ministers. They discuss their             The fault lies not in the church  - although if the
       type of services and ask the ministers to consider             church to which these people belong is not faithful to
       changes in the church.                                         her God-given calling, the church must answer to God
                Thus, in some ways, these young people are not        for the disillusionment of the youth of the covenant.
       yet "underground". They have not, for the most part,           The fault lies with rebellious young people who will
       given up on the church. As one high school girl said,          not submit to the discipline of Christ. His yoke they
        "We won't turn off to the church, even if it turns us         refuse to take upon them. His burden is intolerable,
       off."                                                          even though Christ assures His people that His yoke is
      If these groups of young people were meeting easy and His burden is light.
together to discuss the Word of God and  pray, this
would be a commendable thing.  But this is not the A BLOW TO RELIGIOUS BROADCASTING
purpose. These young people are disillusioned with the                  Some time back the Federal Communications Com-
Church and are using their meetings as substitutes for mission wrote what it called its "Fairness  Hoctrine."
the regular worship services in their congregations.                  This doctrine, among other things, requires all broad-
      There may be reason for their disillusionment. There casters to give free time to any person or group which
are plenty of churches even in Reformed communions has been attacked on the air. The purpose of this free
where the Word of God is rarely preached in purity time is to give those who are attacked opportunity to
and where the preaching has degenerated so badly that answer.
the Word of God is replaced by the words of men. But                    Especially right-wing conservatives were alarmed
this does not seem to be the chief motivation behind over this doctrine. It seemed (and may have been) to
the formation of these underground groups. They are be especially directed against such programs as Carl
not apparently seeking the pure preaching of the Word, McIntire's  "Twentieth Century Reformation Hour,"
They are rebelling against "traditional forms of wor- Billy Hargis's "Christian Crusade," and H. L. Hunt's
ship."                                                                "Life Line." They believed not only that the ruling of
      When the church of Christ gathers to worship God, the FCC was a direct attack on the part of liberals to


                                             THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 11



silence their programs, but that eventually this ruling found. This time however, the ark is supposed to be
would mean the end of all religious broadcasting.          lying beneath a glacier at the bottom of a lake on
  The matter was carried to the United States Mount Ararat. Some wood has supposedly been found
Supreme Court. The court, in an unanimous decision, which came from the ark. Once again an expedition is
upheld the Fairness Doctrine. It argued that indeed the being formed to investigate the report. The expedition
doctrine might create some problems for some sta- plans to leave next summer.
tions, but that it did more to encourage free speech         We do not know whether God has preserved the ark
than hinder it.                                            all these years or whether it has, by this time, been
  The fact of the matter is however, that many destroyed. We are inclined to think the latter. There
stations are refusing to carry religious broadcasting and are almost no "relics" from Bible history available - in
especially broadcasting of the extreme right wing spite of so many claims of the Roman Catholic
because they are afraid to carry controversial broad- Church. It is a very striking thing that God saw fit to
casts which will require rebuttals from< those attacked. destroy them all. In fact there is not even any certainty
The time, the cost, the threat of lawsuits is not worth among students of Scripture and of the geography of
it all in the eyes of many stations.                       the Holy Land where many ancient sites are actually
                                                           located. No one knows with certainty where the
                                                           "cattle stall" of Bethlehem is located, where Calvary is
NOAH'S ARK FOUND?                                          to be fixed and where many other places mentioned in
  Several years ago there were reports that a Russian      Scripture are to be found.
aviator had located the well-preserved remains of            One thing is certain. The ark will make no difference
Noah's ark on the shore of some lake in the mountains for faith. Those who believe in Scripture do not need
of Ararat. The news made quite a sensation at the time     the ark to verify or strengthen their faith. Those who
and expeditions were formed to investigate. The report do not believe in Scripture - in the whole story of the
proved false and the excitement soon died down.            flood - are not going to change their minds even if the
  Now there are new reports that the ark has been ark is found.


From Holy Writ
                               The Book of Hebrews
                                               Rev. G. A. Lubbers

CHRIST ENTERED ONCE INTO THE HOL Y PLACE which is pitched by the Lord. Thus we might notice in
BYHISOWNBLOOD(Hebrews9:11-12)                              earlier essays in this series. There is nothing in this
                                                           tabernacle which has in it what might be called "made
  Yes, the time of reformation has come. In the by hand." It did not belong to our present heaven and
fulness of times God sent His son into the world, made earth. It was above and beyond the world of our taste,
of a woman and made under the law. (Gal. 4:4) Christ touch and handling. It reached down on earth as did
came near. He visited His people to save them from the pillar of cloud in the desert, came into this world,
their sins. And he came as a great high priest, He is not tabernacled in our midst, yet in such a way that it was
a mere high priest under the shadows and types, but he really not part of this earthly. It was the tabernacle of
is the high priest of "good things to come." Such is his God with man - Immanuel, God-with-us!
unique distinction from all the high priests which came      If the heaven of heavens could not contain God,
before him. Ever the promises mercies toward which how much less would a mere earthly temple do so.
the types and shadows pointed had been in the Yet, he who dwells in the light which is such that no
offing; however, now these "good things to come" one can approach unto it, came and dwelt in out midst
will be made a reality!                                    in the flesh. He came into our midst, assumed our flesh
  All the high priests of the Old Testament shadows and blood, and this became a living temple and
came and performed their work by means of a sacrifice in our midst. This flesh of Christ is evidently
tabernacle. It was a tabernacle of this  creatiion.  And the "better tabernacle." How we must conceive of this
the performance of the instituted worship could only better tabernacle in a local sense is difficult to say. The
be a parabolic performance. But not so Christ! He book of Hebrews does not give us any such temple
comes in a different tabernacle. He comes in the real here. It only describes for us the Mosaic tabernacle as a
and true tabernacle, which is heavenly. This is one "pattern" of the heavenly, but this description does


12                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



not. warrant us to try to conceive of the heavenly glorious reality through Jesus Christ. (John 1: 17) And
counterpart in a local sense. The "shadows" needed in this tabernacle the waters of the wells of salvation
such a building made with hands; however, the flow from its sides into the four comers of the earth;
heavenly, which is called the "body," is the real here the waters flow from the throne of God and of
tabernacle which is centrally for us in Christ's blood.    the Lamb. (Ezekiel 47: 1-8; Rev. 22: l-3)
Thus Christ is for us the way and the truth and the          In this greater and more perfect tabernacle Christ
light. No man can come unto the Father except came with blood. It was shed blood! A victim died for
through Him. (John  14:6) He is the great "I Am," the sins of the people. However, this time we have a
Jesus, Jehovah-God, as he dwells with his people by better day of atonement which is not conducted
His Word and Spirit in their hearts. And thus it officially by Aaron's unprofitable priesthood, but it is
becomes "I in them and thou in Me, that we may be one in which we have a great high priest, Jesus, the Son
perfect in one." The hour  cometh, says Jesus, when .of God, Who shed His own blood. He gave himself for
the true worshippers shall worship God in spirit and in us! The great sacrifice of atonement was shed on the
truth, and then it. shall not be on any particular earthly Cross of Calvary. And this Cross was "outside of the
mountain, nor in any particular earthly temple. It gate" of the city. Where that Cross stood no tabernacle
seems to me that this is the only way we can represent of this creation was seen. What was there was that the
the temple "not of this creation."                         God of Israel extended a cup to His Son in the flesh,
      Let us not overlook the fact that when the "blood and said "drink it." God laid his hand upon this
of the covenant" was sprinkled by Moses as the sacrificial Lamb. It was the Lamb which God had
law-giver, he did not sprinkle it in any temple made by prepared for Himself. Here we see truly  "Jehovah-
hands, a temple of this creation. The entire scene is Jired," in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. Thus
like unto all the Theophonies of God, such as are all the former ages had waited for this redemption.
spoken of by Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation. (Isaiah Now their eyes were made to see the salvation of the
6: l-4; Ezekiel 1:4 f.f.; Revelation 4: 1 f.f.) For notice Lord. For Christ, the anointed of the Father, came
that according to Exodus  24:9-l 1 the tabernacle of near through the greater and better tabernacle through
God was with man through the blood of the Mediator His own blood!
and sacrifice in such a way that Israel "saw God." Here
was a tabernacle not made with hands in visionary THE GREATER  CLEAAWNG  EFFICACY OF THE
form.' Do we not read "Then went up Moses, and BLOOD OF CHRIST (Hebrews 9:13,14)
Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of         There was a certain ceremonial, cleansing power in
Israel. And they saw the God of Israel: and there was the blood of goats and bullocks on the great day of
under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire atonement. It was  an instituted ordinance of Jehovah
stone, and as it were the body of heaven in its God, who dwelt between the cherubim. However, it
clearness. . ." Here we have the revelation of God in a had only power of a fleshly cleansing. It consisted in
form which is not made with hands. Here we see that washings, meats and drinks, in carnal ordinances.
the way unto God. is the covenant of blood. Only (Hebrews 9: 10) The entire system of the Old Testa-
because of the blood of the covenant can we have the ment sacrifices was faulty. It perfected nothing.
glorious reality of grace and mercy which is put in the Wherefore the writer speaks not only of the imper-
following words "And upon the nobles of the children fection of the blood of the day of atonement, the
of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God and blood of goats and bullocks, but he also speaks of the
did eat and drink." (Exodus 24: 11) Forsooth this was blood of the red heifer, whose askes represented the
more of a picture of the real and heavenly than any power which would remove the greatest of impurities.
house made with hands.                                     The water: in which the ashes of the red heifer were
      Perhaps in the light of the foregoing we can see mixed was called the "water of expiation." Even the
clearly that Christ, who is God in the flesh, did not very best of the sacrifices and ceremonies fell short of
come through any earthly temple, nor with the'blood their mark!! The only cleansing was that of the flesh,
of goats and bullocks. He is the Lord of glory Himself. of the outward man!
Does he not say: he that hath seen me hath seen the          Now the writer does not merely make a comparison
Father? (John 14:9) He is God manifested in the flesh. between the Old Testament cleansings and the New
And this flesh is the "better tabernacle." It is a better Testament cleansing by the blood of Christ. He shows
tabernacle because in this tabernacle God truly comes the "much more" of the latter. If the former was
to dwell with His people. It is "more perfect," since indeed a cleansing of the flesh, the latter was much
it is the far better vehicle for the realization of God's more  a cleansing of the conscience! What is this
dwelling with man, by the removal of sin. Here God conscience which must be cleansed? Our conscience is
can so dwell with Israel, His church, that he does not our knowing together with God on His divine tribunal
"lay his hand" upon them to destroy them! The law as he judges our deeds, whether they be good or evil.
was given through Moses, but grace and truth became a Unless .a man's conscience is cleansed he has a defiled


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   13



conscience  - defiled by the'guilt of sin, so that we         THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT
cannot stand before God, not draw nigh to him with (Hebrews  9:15,161
boldness. Rather a defiled conscience would try to              If the sins and transgressions under the Old Cove-
hide from God,  and. says: Hills fall upon us, and            nant were not removed as pertaining to the conscience,
mountains cover us from the eye of Him that sitteth but only as pertaining to a fleshly cleansing, then the
upon the throne! A man can give nothing to ransom             sins in the first covenant were never removed. All the
his own soul, nor to quiet his guilty conscience. It has      sins of all the people in the Old Testament dispensa-
no power to cleanse from "dead works." Unless the             tion needed to be removed. And this all waited for the
conscience is cleansed one can never go beyond dead           better blood, Christ's own blood which he shed at
works. One can go to the temple, bring  alms, return          Golgotha. They must all be paid for. Redemption from
what one has stolen, but he cannot, in real and living all these sins must take place. This all awaited the
service, serve the Lord. He is dead, and his works are        coming of Christ through the greater and more perfect
arid  .remain "dead works." They are the flesh which          tabernacle.
profits nothing. It is the "spirit" which giveth life. Man      AS LONG AS THESE SINS ARE AN UNPAID
must be cleansed to stand before the living God before        ACCOUNT, they constitute a handwriting against
whom- all things are naked and opened! And, unless            Israel This handwriting must be nailed to the accursed
one has his conscience cleansed, it is a terrible thing to    tree. Only when this takes place can Israel, the church,
fall into the hands of the living God.                        receive the eternal inheritance. But this eternal inher-
  It was the living God who came to Moses, Nadab,             itance is not for all. It is only for those who are "the
Aaron and Abihu on the ascent of Sinai. To see the            called." There is even the remnant according to
"`God of Israel" and live, that is the end of a cleansed      election of grace, who are powerfully called out of
conscience. And that takes place by the blood of darkness into God's marvelous light. These are a class
Christ far more surely and efficaciously than does the        in distinction from others. They were called up to the
mere cleansing of the flesh by the blood of goats and         present moment. Once called always called. The calling
bullocks. The latter was merely parabolic in nature,          of God is without repentance. And for such called
while the former means that the kingdom of God has            there must be a receiving in their hearts-through the
come upon us.                                                 actual forgiveness of sins  - the eternal inheritance.


Studies. i.n Depth

                        A Missionary Movement
                                               Rev. Robt. C. Hai-bach

   WORLD VISION International is an interdenomi- statement often seems drowned out in the din, clash
national missionary service agency organized to help and clatter of "some battle."
meet emergency needs in crisis areas through existing           The organization maintains a film library revealing
evangelical agencies. Its deepest concern is for the great missionary labors in the Orient and conditions in China
masses of people who have never heard the Gospel. (before the bamboo curtain), Japan, Hong Kong, India,
Along the way of its many Red-Cross-style activities it Indonesia (Java) and Korea. These films might be
sponsors evangelistic crusades, Bible study, Bible reviewed and evaluated by anyone desiring to make a
memory courses and distribution of Scripture portions. study of contemporary missionary work. It is, admit-
Doctrinally,  World Vision's  statement of faith includes tedly, greatly necessary that we have an up-to-date
belief in the infallible inspiration of Scripture, the picture of the foreign mission field.
Trinity, the deity of Christ, the virgin birth of the           There is also what is called a "Viet kit" ministry.
Lord, His sinlessness, miracles, vicarious atonement, Church groups and individuals make up school kits,
resurrection, ascension, session and return; regenera- ,hygiene kits and sewing kits for refugees fled. from the
tion by the Holy Spirit, the resurrection of men, either terrors of war with absolutely nothing but the rags
to a resurrection of life or a resurrection of damnation, clinging to their bodies. The dire necessity for such an
and the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus item as a hygiene kit; for example, is evident in the
Christ. This is all well and good, as far as it goes, which fact that soap, towel, comb and other personal
certainly. is not as far as the great Reformation truth cleanliness articles cost a full days wages, which, of
drawn from Scripture. But the feeble cry of this course, thousands of destitute refugees do not have


14                                           THE STANDARD BEARER


and cannot earn. Hundreds of thousands of,these kits supported, institutions and countries in which they
are distributed each with a Gospel  .of John  -in Viet- operate; Each agency is cross-referenced to Goddard's
namese. To anywhere meet the need, a million more Encyclopedia of Modern Christian Mission  and the
must be distributed. Information on how to provide, World Christian Handbook. The directory is advertised
assemble and where to send these kits is furnished on as "a must for anyone seeking a factual and authorita-
request.                                                    tive service of information about and for missions"-an
      There are  WorZd  Vision  orphanages and children's important reference for professors of missions, stu-
homes with 24,000 orphans and destitute children in dents of missions and seminary libraries.
19 countries. These children are educated, trained in         Publications include World Vision Scope, a 16-page
the Bible, in nursing and in sanitation to prevent magazine free on request, and World Vision Magazine,
epidemics. There is the sponsorship of medical clinics, a  48-page magazine with a subscription price of
hospitals, leper asylums, and the sending of tons of $4.00 per year. This magazine reports on a great deal
medicine, vitamins, dental and hospital equipment. In of social welfare activity interspersed with modem,
connection with the mention of vitamins, it is pointed activist sociological jargon. Interesting is a remark to
out that there is a desperate need for huge supplies of the effect that "pietistic and puritanical" Christianity
them because of hundreds of thousands of children, (whatever that may mean!  - Fundamentalism, per-
who, where any food is available, are on a largely haps?) is rejected and is said to be especially
starch diet, lacking proteins and vitamins, so that there repugnant to young people. (W. V. Mag., Apr. `69, p. 5)
is much of the widespread baby disease, kwashiorkor, Another statement suggests need for "in-depth, pro-
which causes intense listnessness due to huge vitamin longed interaction with the Bible, theology and the
deficiencies. These philanthropic efforts are used as a principles of sociology and culture" (ibid.). With no
means of putting the Scripture into the hands of further elucidation offered, such words sound like a
Orientals.                                                  facade for some proud superficiality. Then you read of
      The organization also has a data processing and dialog in the field of comparative religion, agrarian
communication center the nerve center of which is an reform, ecumenism and church union, foreign aid,
IBM 360 computer, model 30 (four tapes, 16k friendship in foreign relations and the recognition of
memory). By this means data will be on file recording "planned parenthood" (the current euphemism for
the work of the church around the entire world.             "birth control") as a necessary indicator of logic and
Gathered from the denominations, missions, individ- conscience. Suggested means for obtaining overseas
uals and in-depth studies by World Vision's Missions slots for Christian witnessing are such organizations as
Advanced Research and Communication Center the U.S. State Department, Radio Free Europe, CARE,
(MARC) there will be kept a complete record of Inc., and the Ford Foundation. Under this haystack of
people, who they are, what they are attempting to do the "Great Society" could there be somewhere the
and the methods they are using in missionary en- needle of the pure Gospel? This issue of the magazine
deavor; a record of organizations, who they are, their closes with the call "for eagles, not ostriches" in the
purpose, how they execute it and results obtained; a poetic exhortation:
record as to peoples, anthropological, sociological,            Are you sheltered, curled up by the wcrlcl's warm fire?
ecological and religious data as it bears on the task of          Then your soul is in danger.
the church -. a program "covering the world people by             Out to the mire, out to the mire!
people will be undertaken." This computerized                     Your ease is the ease of the cattle.
research will also provide analysis of methods of               Out to some field, out to some battle!
evangelism and church nurture which are effective, But, strange as it may seem, the greatest battle,  the
ineffective and contra-evangelistic. Information is battle, and not merely "some battle" has always been
supplied on request relative to analysis of missions "at home" preserving the purity of the doctrine of the
research and on the use of the computer systems Gospel and the purity of the true church. The battle
approach for missions. For sale is a directory of North for purity of doctrine and purity of the church has not
American Protestant ministries overseas. It lists denom- been fought for nor maintained mainly on the mission
inational      sending    boards,    non-denominational     field but where lie the church centers and their
missionary sending societies, boards and committees of institutions. When the church and the seminary
missionary educational and college associations, fund- become weak and compromising with respect to stand
raising and fund-transmitting agencies, missionary on the doctrine of the Gospel, semi-Pelagian and liberal
associations agencies and members thereof, and theo- missionaries appear on the field.
logical seminaries reporting professors of missions.          World vision characterized the early New Testament
Over 400 mission agencies are compiled. These church as is evident in its divine mandate, "Therefore
agencies are described by name, address, officers, go ye, disciple all the nations, baptizing them in the
publications, income and expenditures, number of name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
missionary personnel overseas, number of nationals Spirit, teaching them to keep all things whatsoever I


                                           THE STANDARD BEARER                                                         15



commanded you," and "Go ye into all the world and standing for, maintenance of and stedfast continuance
preach the Gospel to every creature." That infant in that whole body of truth which the Spirit of God
church, as with our own churches, had no Christ&i through $he ages has given the churches in the Three
college with paradisaical campus, no modern-equipped Forms of Unity, the Reformed Confessions. Nor does
radio station, no teletype machines, no batteries of it hinder the proclamation of what "is the perspicuous,
tape recorders, no full-color, completely outfitted TV simple and ingenuous declaration of the orthodox
studio, no acres and acres of publication houses and doctrine" as "regulated by the Scripture, according to
printing plants with giant four-color, web-fed presses the analogy of faith" and as setting forth "the genuine
and binding machines, no Bible correspondence course sense of the holy Scriptures" (Canons of Dort). Size
staff, no electronic computer data processing center, and access to modem implementation have no monop-
with terminal controls systems department. Yet it oly on world vision. Be inspired and encouraged to the
spread the good seed of the Word of God throughout action of the sowing of the seed and the leaving of the
almost all of the Roman Empire, and soon after results to God by one tiny, insignificant Protestant
Pentecost came to be about five thousand men in Reformed congregation nestled in Uncle Sam's hip
number (to say nothing of women and children). This pocket (Lynden, Washington) from whence is spread
in no wise discourages the tiny, unnoticed denomi- the Word of God all over the land, around the world
nation of nineteen churches, with four vacancies and and in the islands of the seas. And so far, it has no IBM
but little over three thousand members. For through- system 360 model 50. We agree with a great man who
out all its history it has been busy declaring and said, "When a bush is nothing but a bush, it is soon
publishing the promise of the Gospel "to all nations consumed when it is set on fire; but when it is a bush
and to all persons promiscuously and without distinc- that bums on and is not consumed, we may know that
tion, to whom God out of His good pleasure sends the God is there. So it is with a church that is flaming with
Gospel." Smallness does not prevent sowing the good holy zeal." As churches we are predestinated to seed
seed of the kingdom to the other side of the globe. Nor the world!
does it prevent, in days of apostasy, the faithful


The Lord Gave The Word

                     Early Missions in America
                                                Rev. C. Hanko

  It is far from my intention to write an extensive they were not hesitant to brand the protestant
account of all the mission endeavors performed churches as apostate, finding new evidence that they
throughout the world, particularly in the past few were the false church in the very fact that they did not
centuries. Volumes have been written on only phases carry out Christ's Great Commission. The Roman
of this work, and therefore it would be useless to controversialist Robert Bellarmine wrote as follows:
attempt to summarize it. Moreover, our chief concern             C. 12. The effectiveness of its teaching. Heretics
is mission endeavor as it served as a background in our     are never said to have. converted either pagans or
own lives, chiefly to see what God has accomplished,        Jews to the faith, but only to have perverted
often in spite of the errors and weaknesses of sinful       Christians. But in this one century the Catholics have
men.                                                        converted many thousands of heathens in the new
  As has already become evident to us, a radical            world. Every year a certain number of Jews are
change had come about both in Europe and in England         converted and baptized at Rome by Catholics who
through the rapid spread of the Reformation. The            adhere in loyalty to the Bishop of Rome; and there
Roman Catholic Church no longer had control of              are also some Turks who are converted by the
religous and political affairs in the world, but had to     Catholics both at Rome and elsewhere. The Lu-
reckon with the protestant churches. These protestant       therans compare themselves to the apostles and the
                                                            evangelists; yet though they have among them a very
churches have often been accused of failing to fulfill      large number of Jews, and in Poland and Hungary
their calling in going out into all the world to preach     have the Turks as their near neighbors, they have
the Gospel to all nations. The Roman Catholics, as          hardly converted even as much as a handful. (R.
might be expected, continued to spread their error far      Bellanninus, Controversia, Book IV, quoted in "A
and wide, especially reaching out to newly discovered       History of Christian Missions," by Stephen Neill,
areas to make a first claim upon the natives there. And     page 22 1.)


16                                              THE STANDARD BEARER



      Yet it is hardly true that the protestants were became "teacher" or pastor of Roxbury in  .Massachu-
entirely lax in fulfilling the great commission of Christ. setts. Immediately he proceeded to learn the language
Anyone who knows a little about the history of the of the Pequot tribe of the Iroquois, so that he could
reformatory churches realizes the bitter struggle they preach to the Indians in Newton, Massachusetts with-
had to become firmly established, and that over against out the aid of an interpreter. Realizing that it was
bitter opposition. They not only had to contend with virtually impossible for the converted Indian to live a
the violent hatred of the Roman Catholics, which Christian life in his own community, Eliot began
branded them as heretics worthy only of death, but "Praying Towns," or communities where these con-
they also had the foe within the gate. As might be verts could live together. It is said that by 167 1 he had
expicted, the devil was doing his utmost to destroy gathered about 3,600 Christian Indians into sixteen
this new and undaunted witness of the truth of the settlements, and had begun to ofdain Indian preachers,
Scriptures. Besides, there was a carnal element also in which reached a total of twenty four by the time that
the protestant churches, as is always the case, and he died. The most outstanding work of John Eliot was
these began to undermine the very foundations of the translation of the Bible into the Mohican language.
truth. There were the Arminiafis,, the Pietists, and the The New Testament was published in 166 1, and the
Anabaptists, all of various &jr& co'n_tending  vehemently Old Testament in 1663. He also published some other
against the faith once delivered to the saints.                 writings.
      But in spite of all  th?i;-it certainly  can&t be said      Eliot did gain support for his work from a group in
that the protestant churches failed entirely to witness England called the "Society for the Propagation of the
of the truth and to spread the Gospel to the ends of Gospel among the Indians," organized in 1649. This
the earth. In previous articles we have already made society sent out three hundred and fifty missionaries
reference to the efforts of the Netherlands and to America and the. West Indies. This may have been
England in spreading the Gospel throughout their the beginning of mission labors in Jamaica. The society
colonies. In this article I shall limit myself to  the adopted the following resolutions:
spread of the Gospel to America soon after its                         1. That the design of propagating the Gospel in
discovery. As imperfect as these efforts were, God did              foreign parts does chiefly and principally  relate to
bring the Gospel into this continent through them:                  the conversion of heathen and infidels, and therefore
      The charter that was granted to Sir Humphrey                  that branch of it ought to be prosecuted preferably
Gilbert in 1583 spoke of the compassion of God "for                 to all others.
poor infidels, it seeming probably that God hath                       2. That, in consequence thereof, immediate care
reserved these Gentiles to be introduced into Christian             be taken to send itinerant missionaries to preach the
civility by the English nation." One already recognizes              Gospel among the six nations of the Indians according
in this statement the common error of confusing                     to the primary intentions of the late King William of
"civilization" with "Christianity" as if the two were               glorious memory.
synonymous.                                                       I refer to this primarily to show that there is a shift
      The charter of the Virginia Company (1606) pro- toward mission endeavor carried out by a "society"
vided that the Gospel should be preached in the instead of by the instituted church. This is a serious
colonies, but also among the savages. The intent was to error, entirely contrary  `to the principle laid down in
establish the Church of England in this new world. The. Acts 13, yet this error has grown in tremendous
clergy were instructed to use the Book of Common proportions throughout the years.
Prayer, penalties were placed upon the failure to                 One thing that impresses us is the fact that tpis work
attend church, the parishioners were obligated to pay among the American Indians has seemingly had no
the clergyman 1,500 pounds of tobacco and sixteen lasting fruit. One reason for this is evidently the great
barrels of corn.                                                difference between the red race and the white race,
      Also Charles I in granting a charter to the colony of which likely has always been a barrier between them.
Massachusetts included the statement that the colony A more serious reason was the strong antipathy that
must "win and invite the natives of the country to the grew between the Indian and the invading white man,
true knowledge of the only true God and Savior of even to the extent that the Indians were all but
mankind and the Christian faith."                               exterminated by the wars between them. But the
      Evidently the colonists accomplished very little in question also arises whether it is not possible that God
attemPting  to do mission work among the Indians. Yet has something to say to us in this respect. God did
a serious attempt was made by the Presbyterian John undoubtedly save individuals, possibly families in the
Eliot (1604-90). He is commonly referred to as the red race and does so today, according to His promise
"apostle to the Indians," and was evidently the first that He would gather His church out of every nation,
missionary on the American continent. He was born in tribe and people upon the face of the earth. But it also
Widford, Hertfordshire, England. He was educated at appears that God had no intention of gathering His
Cambridge. He went to Boston in 163 1. A year later he people in the line of continued generations among the


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  17



red race in America. At least there is very little had considerable influence among the early colonies.
evidence of a continued line of generations of the He was born in East Windsor, Connecticut, of English
covenant among them.                                        Puritan ancestry. He was the only son in a family of
  One can hardly speak of the religious life of eleven children. In his early years he was chiefly
the early American without referring to the pil- instructed at home, beginning the study of Latin at the
grim fathers, Puritans and Quakers.         There were age of six, and having a good knowledge of Latin,
those who came to America not merely for adventure, Greek and Hebrew before he entered Yale College at
nor.for "political freedom, " nor for economic advance- the age of thirteen. He was ordained to the ministry in
ment, but mainly to gain religious freedom. In England      1727 as a colleague of his grandfather, the Rev.
arose a group that opposed the dead formalism and the Solomon Stoddard, in the pastorate of the Congrega-
laxity of the Anglican Church. Ever since 1546 they tional Church at Northampton, Massachusetts. After
were referred to as Puritans because of their precise, the death of his father two years later, he continued
strict and severe way of life. They suffered persecu- alone in the pastorate of the church. He is often
tion, except during the reign of Cromwell,  1653-58,        referred to as a staunch Calvinist and at times branded
for more than a century. Some of them to escape as a "fire and brimstone preacher," particularly  be
persecution fled to Holland. When emigration to the cause of his well-known sermon, "Sinners in the Hands
new world was started these Puritans sought refuge of an Angry God." Later he became president of Yale
from persecution by going to America. It is said that of College. He wrote a book, published in 1847, entitled:
the 149 on board the Mayflower there were 35                "A Humble Attempt to Promote Explicit Agreement
separatists from the Leyden congregation of the and Visible Union Among God's People, in Extra-
Netherlands. From various reports we glean that from ordinary Prayer for Revival of Religion, and the
time to time other battle weary Puritans sought refuge Advancement of Christ's Kingdom on Earth, Pursuant
here, until the number had grown to some 20,000.           to Scripture Promises, and Prophecies concerning the
Roger Williams; the founder of the State of Rhode Last Time." If nothing else this title expresses a very
Island, studied Indian dialects and is said to have common view of that day, which also motivated many
labored among the Indians, even baptizing some of preachers, namely, that the end of the ages was not far
them. For a time he was a Baptist, insisting on the away.
baptism of adults; referred to commonly as the                The early colonies did give .evidence  of the church
founder of the Baptist Church in America. Later he among them. But that certainly does not mean that all
withdrew from the Baptist sect and maintained his the founders of our country were men of deep
own position, particularly over against the Quakers.       religious conviction and strong, pious fervor. Quite the
  David Brainerd (171847) is also mentioned as an opposite is true, since there were also atheists and
American missionary among the Indians. He was born agnostics among them. The spirit of the French
in  Haddam, Connecticut, and labored among the revolution was as evident as religious conviction. Yet
natives in Massachusetts. He died in the home of God did bring His church into this new world, as will
Jonathan Edwards.                                          be evident also from the discussion we hope to carry
  That brings up the name of a well-known figure who on in the next issue.


In His Fear
                                   Bu? By Every Word
                                                    (Concluded)

                                                Rev. John A. Heys

             "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word thatproceedeth out of the mouth
          of God. "Matthew 4:4.

  In the last two contributions to this department we contrary to the words of the law which proceeded
used this answer of Jesus to the devil to expose the evil from the mouth of God. And going corrtrary to God's
of membership in a worldly  labour organization. Such law is opposing Him. Those who do this can only
membership, we saw, d e m a n d s   o f   u s   t h a t   w e   g oexpect the awful opposition of the living God. And


18                                              THE STANDARD BEARER



who can survive, when He comes up against us in His from God's mouth. For in Christ we have kept every
holy wrath?                                                single one of those words, and kept them fully. We live
      It is worthy of  -our attention at this time to note by the obedience of Christ. What a sweet word from
that in His answer to the devil Jesus speaks of "every" God's mouth whereby we may taste and see that God is
word that comes forth from the mouth of God. And good! What good news this is that shows us that our
thanks be unto God, there is another word from His sinful attempts to live by bread alone are all forgiven
mouth besides the word of His law. There is the word and blotted out of God's book. Now we can under-
of grace as well as the word of the law. There is the stand the words of the psalmist, "The judgments of the
gospel as it is in Jesus Christ, the Word become flesh. Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be
`There is the word of life in the midst of all of our      desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold;
death.                                                     sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." Psalm
      If, therefore, we have fallen into sin, unequally    19:9, 10.
yoked ourselves with unbelievers, vowed to go con-           It is well to remember, however, that this word of
trary to God's law with them, and have been convicted grace, this gospel as it is in Jesus Christ contains words
by the word of the law of our evil, there is forgiveness that say unequivocally, "God judgeth the righteous,
and life for us. Whether our guilt now is that of and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn
belonging to the camp of God's enemies as they are not He will whet His sword; He hath bent His bow, and
found in the worldly  labour unions, or whether we made it ready." Psalm 7: 11, 12. It also says, "He that
have in some other way opposed God in the word of covereth his sins shall not prosper; but  whoso   con-
His law, there is a word of peace and comfort for the fesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Proverbs
penitent sinner who turns from his evil way.               28 : 13. That word of grace is not for every man. God
      The law still stands. Words that have proceeded does not speak a general, universal, broad word of
from God's mouth are never revoked. We are not under grace to all those who have violated the word of His
the condemnation of the law but under grace.               law. John the baptist who prepared the way before
Nevertheless we are still under the obligation of the Christ did not in God's name speak words of cheer and
law inescapably and everlastingly. Consider that Jesus, comfort to all the sinners even in Israel. To that which
Who taught us that we shall live by  every  word that was considered to be the elite in Israel he thundered,
proceedeth from the mouth of God, also taught us that "0 generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee
the whole law is summed up in one word, namely, that from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits
we love God and the neighbour for His sake. If that is of repentance." Matthew  3:7, 8. The word of the
the inner principle of the law - and it is - then every gospel declares that the sins of those who hate them
word of that law still stands for us today, because the and flee from them have been blotted out by the blood
word that proceeded from God's mouth in the writings of the cross.
of the apostles still continues to admonish us to love       Let us not be so foolish, while we continue to walk
God and to love one another. God's word is never in our sins, to point to Lot who had unequally yoked
destroyed, recalled or nullified. Jesus can say "every" himself and become one with the Sodomites. It is
word in the sense of every word that ever came from perfectly true that the angel took hold of him and
Him from the moment of creation. The Perfect brought him to safety when he lingered. Read Genesis
Legislator makes laws that the Righteous Judge will 19: 16 carefully. Take note of the fact that the angel
recognize to the letter and punish according to every also took hold of the hand of Lot's wife and upon the
infraction of that law. The Medes and the Persians hands of the two daughters. Lot had his flesh
boasted of laws that were not altered. And yet Daniel wherewith to contend, but we have the word of God
came out of the lion's den and the rule was changed. for it that he vexed his righteous soul. His wife had no
But God's laws are never foolish, never outdated, never righteous soul and did not vex such a soul. She was
lacking in relevancy but are as new every day as God is heart, soul and mind in with all that vile generation in
"new." For He is the same yesterday, today and these wicked cities. There was no repentance, no grief
forever.                                                   about all the evil around her or in her. The angel not
      How marvellous, then, that He saw fit to speak a only let go her hand after bringing her out of the city
word of grace also to the fallen human race. And not for Lot's sake, but he also let her trail behind and.be
one, you understand, that somehow now does recall consumed, for He had never taken hold of her heart.
that law, ignore it or take words away from it, but one Had He done so, she would have had a righteous soul
that presents to us the Lamb of God Who taketh away and would have vexed it, as Lot did.
the sin of the world. A word it is that shows a people       Not all who walk in sin will be snatched out of that
chosen eternally in Christ, and a Christ Who suffers all sin. Walking in sin we can have no assurance of
their endless agony and brings to God a full measure of escaping the awful wrath of God. You simply cannot
those works of love demanded by the word of the law, find a single verse in the Bible, nor even a part of a
so that now we do live by those words that proceed text, that gives assurance to the man who continues in


                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER                                                         19



his sin that all is well, and that he has nothing about that proceedeth from the mouth of God. And  He. is
which to worry. You may be walking in sin today and also the man -who later in verse 136 cries, "Rivers of
in the day of your death enter into the blessedness of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not
the kingdom of Christ. You may be an enemy of the Thy law." For such is the word of the gospel. Such can
cause of Christ and be yoked with other enemies of and do  find comfort concerning their own sins. And
Christ, as was the apostle Paul, and still enjoy all the the reason is very plain.
love of God in the new Jerusalem. However, then God                 By nature we are part of this wicked world. Our
some time in your life is going to turn you away from only concern is for bread for this life. God's word in
that evil way, as He did with the apostle Paul. But the any form we loathe and despise with our whole being.
point we make is that as long as you are unequally But when, lo and behold!, we suddenly or gradually
yoked in an agreement to walk in sin with the find that we begin to have the experiences of the
unbelievers, you have absolutely nothing to point to psalmist, we know that God has done something
that will assure you that you are going to escape the wonderful within us. We become aware of a new life.
wrath of God which He will surely heap upon those And that makes us confident that Christ, on the basis
with whom you are yoked!                                         of His cross, has already blessed us with the essence of
  You .may, instead, recall the example of Elimelech, salvation. We know then that all the benefits of.
His plans, you will remember, were to come back to salvation are ours and that our sins, which we hate, are
Israel. It was to be only a temporary joining with the certainly forgiven us. By the gift of that different
unbelievers (and this was in a land of which God said outlook upon our sins we know that God loves us. And
that the Moabites might never enter into the congrega- knowing that God loves us, we know that the entire
tion, according to Deuteronomy 23  :3) to be termi- word of the gospel has been written and spoken for us.
nated after obtaining the bread by which he sought to We know that all the good news in that word of grace
live. But he never got back into the promised land. will be fulfilled in us.
And his sons make even closer affiliation with the                  By every word that proceeds from God's mouth we
unbelievers by marrying their daughters. Even though shall be blessed. Men may, and men will, deny us bread
God was pleased to give a rebirth to Ruth, there is so that we cannot live anymore in the physical sense.
nothing in the whole incident to give assurance or But the word of the gospel still contains for us
promise to us that he will do the same thing in our promises of endless blessings in a realm where no men
case. Instead we have that testimony of God's word, can ever take any joy away from us. It is all in that
"If he turn not, He will whet His sword; He hath bent word of the gospel. Recall again the other verse which
His bow, and made it ready." Let us not try to hide we used as a basis for these lines, II Corinthians
behind transparent glass. We cannot hide from God 6: 14-l 8. Paul gives us that word of the gospel in
even in the depth of the earth with tons of rock over connection with the words of the law, when, having
us. How shall we hide behind such a transparent admonished us not to be unequally yoked together
substance as a distorted presentation of the Word of with unbelievers, he adds God's promise, "And I will
God?                                                             receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye
  The word of the gospel is for those who love the shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord God."
word of the law. Does not the psalmist in  Psalm                    If He receives us, what difference does it make if the
119: 18 exactly pray, "Open thou my eyes, that I may world rejects us? If He receives us, how can it harm us,
behold wondrous things out of Thy law." Here you if the world takes all away from us? If He receives us,
have a man who in verse 63 declares, "I am a we really live, while the bread-eaters who killed us,
companion of all them that fear Thee, and of them starved us to death or made life hard and miserable for
that keep Thy precepts. " He has no room in his life for us, are in the everlasting death of hell. If He receives
being unequally yoked with those that do not fear God us, we are received into the everlasting blessedness of
and. that go on record to break His precepts in order to that word of the gospel.
get a little bread, and who refuse to live by every word



        The call of the gospel is to believe in the Christ of the Scriptures, who leaves us nothing but the utterly humil-
        iating confession that we are sinners, .damnable and corrupt in ourselves, sinners who must be and only can be
        saved by pure and sovereign grace.


20                                          THE STANDARD BEARER



Contending for the Faith

                                 THE DOCTRINE OF SIN
                                       THE THIRD PERIOD-730-1517 A.D.
                                       PROTESTANT DOCTRINE OF SIN
                                           ACCORDING TO CALVIN

                                                Rev. H. Veldman

      Calling attention to the doctrine of a common grace must be regarded as gifts bestowed upon the entire
as set forth in the writings of John Calvin, we human race in God's general favour and love.
concluded our previous article by noting that Calvin        Calvin's common grace, as bestowed upon mankind,
does not only speak of a common grace which is falls into two parts. First, he speaks of a common grace
shown to the entire creation, without any distinction,    in distinction from a special grace. In II, 2, 17 he
but he also speaks of a common grace of God to speaks of a special goodness of God, which exists in
mankind in distinction from the creation, and also this distinction from the general goodness of God. And this
grace must be viewed only as relating to the realm of also applies to God's favour and mercy, in relation to
nature. In this connection, according to Calvin, we mankind in the sphere of the natural. And we add that
must view all things, which serve unto the sustaining of it is striking that, when Calvin speaks of a common
our present life, as signs of God's goodness to grace among the heathens, or among mankind in
mankind, as Divine blessings which are gifts of God's general, he does not describe this grace in distinction
grace. In I, 16, 5 we read: "In the law and in the from the grace which God's people receive, but in
prophets he frequently declares, that whenever he distinction from the special grace which is shown to
moistens the earth with dew or with rain, he affords a mankind. When the doctrine of a common grace is set
testimony of his favour." Several times the thought is forth today, then the special grace, in distinction from
expressed that God, in His favour, preserves and feeds common grace, is the grace of God as limited to the
all mankind, as is evident from III, 10, 3, where we people of God. According to Calvin, however, all
read that God's beneficence is the source of whatever mankind receives God's special  grace.  The  common
we may enjoy in the earthly sphere, such as clothing, grace which the Lord bestows upon all mankind
etc.                                                      consists in this, that the Lord, in general, imparts rich
      Calvin, however, does not merely speak of God's gifts to men. Whereas, according to II, 2, 17, God's
goodness to all of natural life that is viewed as proof of special grace consists in this that the Lord imparts to
a common grace; but to this must be added that all the some richer gifts than to others. This is clearly set
excellent virtues of men are ascribed to the goodness forth in this quotation, and we quote: "Let us
and mercy of God. This is evident from II, 2, 17. conclude, therefore, that it is evident in all mankind,
Calvin had written that the mind was a peculiar that reason is a peculiar property of our nature, which
property of our nature, However, there are those who distinguishes us from the brute animals, as sense
become insane. He ascribes it to the goodness and constitutes the difference between them and things
mercy of God that we do not become insane or inanimate. For whereas some are born fools and idiots,
foolish. Moreover, that others are gifted with eminent that defect obscures not the general goodness of God.
gifts of the mind is  a  proof of God's goodness and Such a spectacle should rather teach us that what we
beneficence, and this in connection with His mercy.       retain ought justly to be ascribed to his indulgence;
      God's common grace, or mercy and favour (the last because, had it not been for his mercy to us, our
two words are used by Calvin), consists in this that defection would have been followed by the total
God imparts to them gifts in this natural life (in fact, destruction of our nature. But whereas some excel in
life itself must be viewed as proof of God's favour), penetration, others possess superior judgment, and
such gifts of the mind which men receive from God in others have a greater aptitude to learn this or that art,
distinction from the mute creature. Now it cannot be in this variety God displays his goodness to us, that no
denied that, when Calvin writes about these matters, one may arrogate to himself as his own what proceeds
he very often does not mean anything else than the merely from the Divine liberality. For whence is it that
gifts which come from God and are bestowed, un- one is more excellent than another, unless it be to
merited, upon men. However, it cannot be denied, in exalt in our common nature the special goodness of
the light of the fact that life itself must be viewed as God, which in the preterition of many, proclaims that
proof of God's love and mercy for all, also these gifts it is under an obligation to none?"


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                    21



  Calvin, however, does not speak only of a common midst of the world. Calvin appears to teach, first, that
grace in relation to creation in the sphere of the the election of Israel, as people, in its entirety, was a
natural, but he also speaks of a certain common grace manifestation of God's grace to all, secondly that this
in the spiritual sphere. First of all, however, in grace was bestowed upon Israel, not from the view-
connection with this, we wish to observe the following. point of the election unto salvation, but as the
We have been unable to detect in Calvin's Institutes historical people of God, and, finally, that this grace
and in Calvin's Calvinism any trace of a common grace for them consisted in this, that they, because of the
which proceeds upon wicked men, enabling them to do gracious love of God, received gifts of God, inasmuch
any good before Him; this grace is strange to the as they were received into that external covenant.
reformer. And neither have we been unable to detect,             In connection with this we can also understand the
especially in the light of Calvin's Calvinism, the following in Calvin's writings: (1) First, the apostolic
teaching that the preaching of the gospel is a general office was a manifestation of God's favour, but that it
grace of God to the wicked world; he declares the nevertheless did not contain the hope of eternal
opposite but too sharply and plainly.                          salvation - III, 22, 7. (2) Secondly, Calvin speaks of a
  The first item that draws our attention in Calvin's general and special faith, and he undoubtedly refers to
doctrine of Common Grace in the sphere of the hope and other gifts, which they possess in the
spiritual is in relation to the regard for external virtue.    external covenant in the general sense of the word. -
We read in II, 3, 3 : "For in all ages there have been III. 11, 12. (3) Finally, external faith, which the
some persons, who, from the mere dictates of nature, reprobates possess, because they are in that external
have devoted their whole lives to the pursuit of covenant, is a manifestation of God's favour and
virtue. . . . These examples, then, seem to teach us mercy. This faith is common, not because it has
that we should not consider human nature to be essentially anything in common with true faith, but
totally corrupted; since, from its instinctive bias, some because it, in the light of the outward emotions, is so
men have not only been eminent for noble actions, but similar to it externally.
have uniformly conducted themselves in a most virtu-             Concluding our first point, which deals with the
ous manner through the whole course of their lives.            broad content of Calvin's doctrine of a common grace,
But here we ought to remember, that amidst this                we would note the following. We have attempted to
corruption of nature there is room for Divine grace,           present Calvin's doctrine of a common grace as briefly
not to purify it, but internally to restrain its opera-        as possible. Of course, one could conceivably read a
tions. . . . In His elect, the Lord heals these maladies by certain common grace in so many expressions of
a method which we shall hereafter describe. In others,         Calvin. This method, however, would not be just,
he restrains them, only to prevent their ebullitions so        inasmuch as the writer at times speaks of gifts of
far as he sees to be necessary for the preservation of graces, not meaning anything else than that these gifts
the universe. Hence some by shame, and some by fear are bestowed upon us as unmerited. But, we have
of the laws, are prevented from running into many called attention to the following. First, God, the
kinds of pollutions, though they cannot in any great           Creator of heaven and earth, shows a certain mercy to
degree dissemble their impurity; others, because they          the entire creature, including the animal. However, this
think that a virtuous course of life is advantageous,          common grace, also conceded by the advocates of
entertain some languid desires after it, others go             Common Grace today, is nothing else than a merciful
further, and display more than common excellence,              providence, and the beast, as well as man, shares in this
that by their majesty they may confine the vulgar to           common grace. Secondly, there is a common grace
their duty. Thus God by his providence restrains the           which is bestowed upon mankind, which consists of
perverseness of our nature from breaking out into              many gifts in the sphere of nature, and this grace is
external acts, but does not purify it within." It appears      divided into two kinds, a common and a special grace.
from these quotations that there is a certain operation        And, in the third place, there is also a sort of covenant
of God's grace, not to the people of the Lord but to           grace which the wicked receive in the sphere of the
others. We have here the doctrine of grace in connec-          covenant. Besides, in this sphere of the covenant, there
tion with the restraint by God of the outward deeds of is a common and a special faith, hope, etc. Now it is
the wicked. In this same paragraph from which these            striking that Calvin, with respect to all spheres of life,
quotations are taken, the reformer very vividly de- identifies the grace of God with outward gifts, in both
scribes the terrible wickedness of the sinner. And in          spheres of life, the natural and the spiritual. In this
other writings of the reformer the same thoughts are           must be sought the explanation of this doctrine of the
expressed.                                                     reformer. Calvin identifies the grace of God with the
  Another item which attracts our attention is a sort things; or, he views God's grace in the things. Life,
of covenantal grace, which they receive who, although bread, temporary faith are to him in themselves good
estranged from the work of Christ, nevertheless belong and must therefore be identified with a certain mercy
to the covenant externally, as it manifests itself in the      of God. And whereas all these things, according to


22                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER



Calvin, are. of God, and man receives them as un- should always be of interest. It is very vitally related to
merited, he views this participation in all kinds of gifts the present position and defections in the Christian
a participation by all men in God's favour, mercy,                  Reformed Church today. And it should be of interest
goodness, grace, etc. And this common grace, identi- to know the position of the great  Genevan Reformer,
fied by Calvin with the things, (therefore Calvin says also in connection with his doctrine of sm. In our
that God'shows a temporal mercy), reaches out to the following article, the Lord willing, we will call atten-
entire universe, to mankind in the sphere of the tion to this doctrine of a common grace, as set forth
natural, and to all those who, being externally in the by Calvin, as it is very limited in its scope, and we
covenant, taste the gifts of that covenant by the Spirit.           purpose to compare it with the doctrine of Common
These things are certainly of interest also to US in our Grace and of the Three Points of the present day.
present day. The doctrine of a common grace is and



                                          B O O K R E V I E W S
                                                            ProJ: H Han ko

HOL Y BOOK AND HOL Y TRADITION, edited by F. chapters especially were interesting and instructive
F. Bruce and E. G. Rupp; W. B. Eerdmans Publishing although little in the way of solutions to the problem
Company, 1968; 244 pp., `$5.95.                                     appears.

      This book contains a series of papers delivered at the
International Colloquium held in the Faculty of THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE TO A CHANGING
Theology at the University of Manchester.                           WORLD, International Refowned Bulletin, 1968; 113
      The purpose of the conference is described on p. 2 1: pp., $1.00 (paper).
             This conference aims among other things .at              This is the October, 1968 issue of the International
        clarifying the relation of scripture and tradition in       Refomzed Bulletin,  the official organ of the Inter-
        the non-Christian religions. There are good reasons
        for entering upon this research. Most religions possess     national Association for Reformed Faith and Action.
       holy books. In some religions these books function as        The book contains the conference papers of the RES
        a canon. On the other hand, tradition plays an              Baarn Missions Conference held in 1968. The authors
        important part in many religions. There are even            of these papers are John Galbraith from the Orthodox
        religions, primarily those of illiterate peoples, which     Presbyterian Church, Shigero Yoshioka from the Re-
        are totally based on tradition. Therefore an inquiry        formed Seminary in Japan, P.E.S. Smith from the
        into the function and relation of scripture and             Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa, D. C. Mulder
       tradition in the non-Christian religions is quite            from the Free University in Amsterdam, J. W. Deenick
        relevant.                                                   from the Reformed Church in Australia, John M. L.
      A listing of the chapter headings will give the best Young from Covenant College in Tennessee, Robert
idea of the contents of the book: "The Holy Book, the Reeker from Calvin Seminary, Hugo Du Plesis from
Holy Tradition and the Holy Ikon", "Religious Tradi- South Africa and Paul Schrotenboer who is General
tion and Sacred Books in Ancient Egypt", Holy Book Secretary of the Reformed Ecumenical Synod.
and Holy Tradition in Iran: The Problem of the                        The conference papers were intended to deal with
Sassanid Avesta", "Oral Torah and Written the problems which are faced by the Church in her
Records", "Scripture and Tradition in the New calling in the 20th Century to fulfill the mandate of
Testament", "The Ancient Church and Rabbinical Christ to preach the gospel in all nations. As is quite
Tradition", "Scripture, Tradition and Sacrament in the naturally the case with a variety of authors, the quality
Middle Ages and in Luther", Scripture and Tradition in of the papers differs considerably. Yet, on the whole,
M o d em British Church Relations", "Present-day the papers were interesting and well-done. Many of the
Frontiers in the Discussion about Tradition", "Scrip- practical problems faced in the sending churches and
ture and Tradition in Catholic Thought".                            on the mission field were discussed. The threats of
      Since the book is a scholarly discussion of the false religions and false ecumenicity were faced and
relation between tradition and various holy writings, it solutions to these problems were discussed.
is difficult reading. Of interest to me were the chapters             A major disappointment to this reviewer was the
which deal specifically with the whole question of the fact that no attempt was made to put the whole
relation between the Bible and tradition  - an issue mission calling of the church in Refomzed perspective.
which is receiving renewed study in our day. These The conference, was intended of course to face


                                             THE STANDARD BEARER                                                      23



practical problems. This is evident from the title. But a is determined to deny the blacks their rights.
distinctively  Reformed  emphasis and a Reformed              While such organizational power is passed off in the
approach to missions should have been evident.  -It book as `-being Christian, there is no attempt whatso-
seldom was.                                                 ever to put the entire racial problem in the perspective
  The book is required reading however for all those of Scripture and reach solutions on Scriptural ground.
who in any way engage in the mission calling of the
church.
                                                                         WEDDlNG  ANNIVERSAR Y
THE PROPHETS OF ISRAEL, by H, L.  Ellison; Wm.              Inasmuch as our parents
B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969; 176 pp.,                           REV. AND MRS. C. HANK0
$4.50.                                                      celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary on Sep-
                                                            tember 19, we their family, desire to acknowledge
  The author of this book is the son of a Hebrew before God our deep gratitude for the many blessings
Christian missionary and was himself missionary to the we have received through them throughout the years.
Jews in `Poland and Rumania. His profound acquaint- That our God has blessed us with covenant parents
ance with the Jewish people and with the Hebrew who have shown us "the fear of the Lord" continues
language is evident in this volume.                         to be reason for thanksgiving. May our Father keep
  The book treats the prophets who were sent by God them beneath the shadow of His everlasting wings in
to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It begins with the the remainder of their earthly sojourn.
nameless prophet who was sent to curse the altar in
Bethel and ends with the treatment of the prophecy of                                    Prof. and Mrs. Herman Hanko
Hosea. Special emphasis is placed upon the prophecies
of Amos and  Hosea;  almost a complete translation of                                    Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hanko
these books appears in the text.                                                         Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bos
  The author engages in a great deal of textual                                          Alyce
criticism which makes the book somewhat difficult                                        and 17 grandchildren
reading for those not acquainted with the Hebrew
language. But the author gives much valuable back-                       WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
ground material to the prophets and their work and          On September 20, 1969, MR., AND MRS. JOHN
emphasizes especially the spiritual and moral decline of    ZANDSTRA celebrated their 25th wedding anniver-
the Northern kingdom which finally brought the              sary. We thank God for them and our Christian home
judgments of God upon the nation.                           and training, and it is our prayer that they, with us,
  The commentary on the text is not intended to be          may continually be blest.
exhaustive and the book will hardly serve as a
commentary. But as an aid to understanding the                                             Children and grandchildren
prophets it is very helpful. The author has many fresh
insights and new ideas which he propounds. These                        RESOLUTION OF SYMPATHY
ideas have to be weighed carefully. The reader will not        The Consistory of the Pella Protestant Reformed
be inclined to accept them all. Recommended to those        Church expresses its sincere sympathy to Deacon
who are making a study of the prophets.                     Jacob S. De Vries and family in the passing of his
                                                            Mother. May the rich promises of Spiritual blessedness
BLACK SELF-DETERMINATION, by Arthur M.                      found in the Word of God give Christian hope and
Brazier, edited by Roberta G. and Robert F. De Haan;        comfort.
Wm.. B: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1.969; 148 pp.,                                              C. Vander Molen, Pres.
$4.95.                                                                                            C. C. Van Soelen, Clerk
  The author of this book is the negro pastor of the
Apostolic Church in Chicago and served as president of         To all who love the Reformed Truth, notice is
The Woodlawn Organization, an organization the story hereby given of a lecture to be held on Friday Oct. 24,
of which is told in this book.                              at 8:00 p.m. at 1st. Protestant Reformed Church in
  The Woodlawn Organization was formed in one of Grand Rapids. Prof. H.C. Hoeksema will speak on:The
the negro ghettos of Chicago with the express purpose       Word of God and The Reformation. Please Circle this
of organizing black power. The book is a militant           date, Oct. 24, on your calendar. Let us not be too
book. Its thesis is that only through organization of busy to hear the Word of God..
black power will the blacks achieve any kind of                                             Prot. Ref. Lecture Comm.
equality in a country where the white power structure                                             Otto Kamminga, Sec'y.


24                                           THE STANDARD BEARER


                                 News From Our Churches

                                     September 14, 1969         The "Newsletter" from the Northwest Iowa School
                                                              in  Doon came to our desk and featured a cover page
      From a trio which included -Revs. R. Decker, D. adorned with the artistry of Mr. John Kalsbeek, the
Engelsma, and R. Harbach, our South Holland, Illinois new Principal, showing chicory and black-eyed susans.
congregation has extended a call to Rev. R. Decker to Concerning these, Mr. Kalsbeek wrote. "As the chicory
become their pastor.                                          and  blac,k-eyed susans and others display their vivid
                        ******                                colors and beauty to our eyes they reveal the glory of
      In answer to the call of Southwest ChurchDiaconate      God. So also our children are called upon to use and
for used clothing for the Jamaican needy, Rev. Moore's develop their talents given them by their Creator, God.
people utilized the opportunity to send a very large  For th'1s reason they go to-school; school then becomes
carton of clothing to the Grand Rapids church by a to them an actual, real, living experience in which the
Michigan visitor at Classis West.
                        ******                              _ wonders of God are studied, discussed and enjoyed."
      In an Aug. 10 bulletin of Southwest Church we Besides Mr. Kalsbeek, who teaches grades 5 through 8,
found an excerpt from a letter from Rev. Frame, of Mrs. Walter Fair will teach grades 1 through 4. Mrs.
Jamaica. It was an account of an "accident" which Fair came from South  ,Dakota where she taught for
befell him as he was riding with Deacon Elliott on his eleven years, and Mr. Kalsbeek's last assignment was a
Honda. A tire blew out and they were thrown from the four-year position in South Holland.
motorcycle and suffered bruised hands and knees and                                 Q *  *  *.*  *
torn trousers. Rev. Frame was on the way to  Shrew-             In one of the summer bulletins of Lynden there
bury to preach there so he had to finish the trip by appeared an excerpt from a letter from a lady in
rented car (cost-$12.50). These gallant ministers in the Oxnard,  Calif., "We look forward to your tapes each
Prot. Ref. Churches of Jamaica are working under week. We are a little disappointed in not getting your
severe handicaps, most of which cost  pounds-and- study class lessons during the summer, but we now
pence which are wanting. But their faith in "the Lord have the book, "Behold He Cometh", so I know there
Who will do which is good for His people" never will be plenty of reading and listening available during
wavers.                                                      the summer." So you see that not everyone takes  a.
                                                             vacation from Bible study in the summer!
Hope's Consistory has scheduled this year's cate-
chism classes for Saturday morning and Thursday                                     ******
evening. The explanation: "The Consistory made these           Apropos  of the above: a July 20 bulletin of  Doon
changes in meeting time to eliminate conflict with evidenced that their young people's Society was in
school activities by setting one evening for this session!                          ******
instruction; and the change from Monday afternoon to            May we share with you a paragraph from First
Saturday morning will allow the students to be in Church's bulletin under the heading, Family Visita-
better condition than at the conclusion of a school tion: "Once more that season of the year has come
day." This change also- necessitated a shift of  con- when we conduct our  annual family visitation. The
sistory meetings to Wednesday evenings.
                        ******                               purpose of these visits is that families of the congrega-
      Hudsonville's Young People Society has been named tion may be spiritually encouraged and strengthened.
to host the 1970 Y.P. Convention. From Disneyland to To that end, give yourselves readily to the inspection
Celeryland; but for pure natural beauty the latter will of the elders. Be instructed and comforted by them.
not suffer in comparison to the former. No mountains, Thus we may, as a congregation, be knit together in
no ocean, but a study in contrast  - rows of bright bonds of love and fellowship. . . ."
green in fields of jet-black!
                        ***sQ**                                 Now that the summer is past, catechism classes have
      Adams St. School opened its doors with a new been called and society meetings are scheduled regu-
Principal, and according to him, "with a staff that is larly, we can again partake of the inexhaustible
genuinely interested in instructing children not only in resources of the Word of God. But shall we? Have we
the  various subjects  of the curriculum, but also, and resolved to miss no catechism class, and to faithfully
especially, in the way that they should go." This is attend each society meeting, health permitting? Shall
undoubtedly true of all our Prot. Ref. Chr. School we, ey1 masse, join Joshua in his public resolution, "As
teachers; one wonders if we, the members of our for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord"?
various school societies, are  awarely thankful for the
devoted teachers of our children.                               . . . . .see you in church                     J.M.F.


