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A  REFORMED  SEMI-MONTHLY  MAGAZINE


IA/  T H I S   I S S U E                                                     .-,    I




           Meditation:
                Safe In God's Crucible

          E d i t o r i a l :   ._
                Ye Are My Witnesses

          Love, Only Love
                (see: The Strength of Youth)

           All Around Us:
                Congress on Evangelism
                Sek Education in the Schools


50                                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



                              C O N T E N T S :                                                         THE STANDARD BEARER
                                                                                     Semi-monthly, except monthly during June, July and August.

Meditation  -                                                                        Published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association, Inc.
                                                                                            Second Class Postage Paid at Grand Rapids, Mich.
      Safe In God's Crucible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SO        Editor-in-Chief:  Prof. H. C. Hoeksema

                                                                               Pepartment  Editors:  Mr. John M.  Faber,Rev.  Cornelius Hanko,Prof.
Editorial  -                                                                   Herman Hanko, Rev. Robert C. Harbach, Rev. John A. Heys, Rev. Jay
      Ye Are My Witnesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53        Kortering,  Rev..George  C. Lubbers, Rev. Marinus Schipper, Rev.  Gisa J.
                                                                               Van  Baren, Rev. Herman Veldman, Rev. Bernard Woudenberg

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Meditation

                                     Safe In God's Crucible
                                                                  Rev. M. Schipper

                   "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, 0 Jacob, and he that formed thee, 0
               Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
                   When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they
               shall not over flow thee: when thou walkest through fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither
               shall the flame kindle upon thee. "
                                                                                                                           Isiah 43:1, 2

      Fear not!                                                                times with these same words - Fear not! Certainly then
      At least twelve times in this prophecy alone we read there must be a reality that can cause such fear to
this blessed refrain  - Fear not! And the Lord Jesus come upon the children of God. There would be no
addresses His disciples in the gospels at least thirteen need for such an address if there were no objective


                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 51


reality that could cause the hearts of the people of cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Was it
God to tremble with fright.                                   perhaps because they by faith could lay hold on the
  It is the reality we think fitting to call  - God's words of our text that they were so fearless and able to
crucible! A crucible in the most literal sense is a vessel succumb to the edict of the king? We like to believe
in which ore or metal is melted over a fire of intense this is exactly what they did. But many others there
heat. Here we use the term figuratively as referring to were who passed through the figurative fire and water.
those experiences in life in which God leads His They lamented because of their sins which had brought
children through ways of severe trial and testing; where them into God's crucible. They mourned the sad estate
He tries them, as the Scriptures love to use the and condition of Jerusalem and their home land. When
expression, as silver or gold is tried in the fire.           the citizens of Babylon mockingly required of them a
  There is indeed the reality of fire and water, powers song, and that they should play skillfully upon their
which in themselves have the capability of destroying.        instruments of music, they exclaimed: How can we sing
They are powers quite naturally to be feared. Who is and play so long as we are in a strange land. There,
not afraid of the awesome power of water who is indeed, they hanged their harps upon the willows, for
acquainted with the sea? Who does not tremble in fear their spirits were low, and their hearts heavy with grief.
who has been touched by the flame? Just as really in            This was God's crucible of water and fire for them!
the figurative sense there is the reality of trial and It was the time of Jacob-Israel's trial and testing, the
testing which God in His providence and according to time of suffering and persecution!
His all-wise counsel causes to come across our pathway          And to them Jehovah says: Fear not!
of life. The sufferings of this present time are a reality      Mind you, it is quite easy to rejoice in the words:
for the children of God as well as for the world.             Fear not! when the water is only ankle deep, and the
Because he is a child of God does not mean that smell of fire has not even touched your clothes. When
somehow he is immune to suffering in body and mind. everything is rosy, it is comparatively easy to sing:
Also he is required to lie down upon a bed of With God we shall leap over the wall, and when ten
affliction, sometimes with bodies that are racked with thousand rise up against us we will not be afraid. But it
pain, so that he despairs even of life itself. He is not is quite different when the water mark already reaches
immune to the ravages of disease that slowly but surely your lips, and the flame licks at your naked flesh. To
tear away at his vitals and bring him to his grave. He,       experience the latter is to be in God's crucible!
too, suffers the loss of dear ones. His sons also go to         When thou passest. through the water - when thou
the wars, and return often maimed or lying in a box. walkest through the fire  - this cannot refer to a
He, too, sits through long and anxious moments when remote possibility, but only to an objective reality.
his dear ones pass under the knife of the surgeon. And          Then: Fear not!
who has not experienced the dull pain clutching at his          Jacob-Israel!
heart while he sits through long and weary hours in the         How beautifully these names describe those whom
funeral home?                                                 God places in His crucible! Both are ascribed to the
  But there is more - very much more!                         God-fearing children of Judah, now in captivity. And
  And it is particularly this which the Lord had both clearly indicate why it is that particularly this
in mind when He says: Fear not!                               people is not to fear.
  Jacob-Israel knows of a suffering, of a trial of which        Jacob  - that is, heel-holder, wrestler. Even while
the world knows nothing. A suffering which is inflicted still in the womb, he clung to his brother Esau's heel,
upon the people of God, just because they are the as if to trip him and pull him back into the womb, in
people of, God, and with the world being God's order that he might be born first and inherit the
instrument to inflict that suffering.                         birthright. Unwittingly.. to be sure,  neve.rtheless pro-
  Jacob-Israel, according to the prophet Isaiah, is now phetically indicating that his whole life would be spent
or is about to be brought to Babylon. Also the prophet in striving for the things of God's covenant.
Jeremiah had forewarned them that this would happen             Israel  - that is, perseverer, contender of God. The
because of their sin; but he also told them that if they real commentary on this name as well as the first is to
would not fight their captors and go along  peacably, be found in  Hosea 12: 3-5, "He took his brother by
no harm would come to them there, and after seventy the heel in the womb, and by his strength, he had
years they would return to their own land. And we power with God: Yea, he had power over the angel,
know how many of these captives, those who were and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto
carnal minded, got along well in Babylon. So pros- him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with
perous were they that many did not even desire to us. Even the Lord God of hosts: the Lord is his
return to their own land when the time of their memorial." The historical reference is to that incident
captivity expired. But there were others who, passed when Jacob, the heel-holder, wrestler, at the Jabbok
through the fire even in the most literal sense of the wrestled all night with the angel of God and would not
word. Think of the three friends of Daniel, who were let him go until he was blessed. And this was done in


      52                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER
.


      prayer, that is, with weeping and supplication. There Not, you understand, by the name of our natural birth,
      he obtained the name Israel. And here the full name -                for that would be: Son of Adam; but by their new
      Jacob-Israel  - refers to those spiritual descendants name, and according to their true spiritual essence.
      who like Jacob contend for the things of God's And, therefore, to that people He declares: Thou art
      covenant, and through perseverance attain!                           mine!
            In Babylon Jacob-Israel wrestles with the powers of               He made us for Himself!
      darkness as they threaten the children of God, as they                  We are entirely His property! We are not our own,
      pass through the water and fire of God's crucible. but belong unto Him with body and soul, for time and
      Imposing powers these are, and against them God's eternity. This Creator, Redeemer-God has a claim on
     people are expected to contend. Babylon and the us. And shall He not be able to care for His possession?
      world are intent on destroying them from the face of Can anyone or anything ever separate us from His love,
      the earth. And if Jacob-Israel should look at this power or snatch us out of His hands? 0, you know the answer
      of destriction as it so often envelops them in the his- to these questions, don't you, child of God? The
      tory and development of God's covenant in the world,                 apostle Paul puts the words in your mouth and we say
      there would indeed be cause for muzh fear. But Jacob- it together: "For I am persuaded, that neither death,
      Israel must be reminded that the crucible is not Baby- nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor
      lon's to provide. It is God's crucible in which He is things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor
      trying His people and Babylon is only the fire and depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate
      water through which He ordains they shall pass.                      us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
            Fear not! For I will be with thee!                             Lord."
            Saith the Lord!                                                   What assurance He gives!
            None other is He than Jehovah, the God of the                     I will be with thee - the waters shall not overflow
      everlasting covenant, the unchangeable,  covenant- thee!
      making and covenant-keeping God!                                        Thou shalt not be burned - the flame shall not feed
            Who created thee, 0 Jacob!                                     on thee!
            Who formed thee, 0 Israel!                                        Hear, the  W&d of the Lord, 0 Jacob-Israel! When
            0, indeed, He is the Creator of all things, Who Jehovah, thy God, puts you in  His- crucible, it is not
      commands you not to fear. He made the heavens and that you  ,may be consumed, but through that very
      the earth and all they contain, and He upholds them all water and fire He purges from you all the dross, all the
      by the Word of His power.                                            sin, guilt,. and corruption, that, like the gold in the
            It is that same Creator Who has created and formed refiner's fire, you may come out cure and holy in His
      thee, 0 Jacob-Israel! This He did according to His sight.
      sovereign and elective love. This He did by sending His                 And remember,  tdo, the fire and water are not
      Only Begotten Son into the world, to redeem His accidental, a happen-stance that befalls us unbeknown
      Jacob-Israel. And unto that Son Who suffered in their to Him. For the fire  tind water also are His  - His
      stead and for their trangressions, Whom God raised purging instruments wherewith He operates  upon us.
      from the dead, and brought Him to His own right He has redeemed us and called by our name, h                                    ?-
                                                                                                                                  orde,
      hand, He gave to Him His Spirit without measure so that we might  b&come                                                             -
                                                                                                         and forever remain: Jacob.  I
      that He could work in that people with His grace and Israel. And remember, too, that Satan, the world, and1'1
      Spirit to form them into children of light. He made us all the powers of sin and death have no claim on us . I
      His own covenant friend-servants, who, as to their part What He redeemed and made into His precious
     in His covenant, could love and serve Him. So by His possession, shall come to stand eternally before  Him,
      grace Jacob-Israel becomes a new creation in Christ. It. without spot and without wrinkle, in the assembly ol
      is this Creator-God Who has through His Son redeemed the elect in life eternal.
      Jacob-Israel, and Who called this people by their name.                 And we shall shew forth His praise!





                 Speaking beautiful words of peace, the sinner makes war. Boasting of righteousness, the natural man hates the
                 righteotisness of God. Claiming to labor for a better world, the enemy of God destroys it.


                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   53


Editorial

                                     Ye Are My Witnesses
                                                     ProJ: H.C. Hoeksema

                                       [The substance of an address at the annual meeting
                                           of the Reformed Free Publishing Association]

Beloved Brethren:                                                 God is the Mighty One. You can trust in Him: for He
  I do not intend to deliver a sermon tonight, though can surely deliver and save. There is none that can
my remarks will be closely connected with the passage deliver out of His hand; and there is none that can
of Scripture which our chairman read, Isaiah 43: l-l 3, prevent His work. Of this ye are witnesses. Fear not,
particularly vss. 8-13 : "Bring forth the blind people then!
that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the             In the second place, He is Jehovah, the I AM. This is
nations be gathered together, and let the people be strongly emphasized in the passage: "I, I, am
assembled: who among them can declare this, and Jehovah." And the deepest meaning of the name
shew us former things? let them bring forth their Jehovah is that God is the I AM. He is the God Who
witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear,          alone is. All else exists, becomes, is borne and upheld,
and say, It is truth. Ye are my witnesses, saith the is dependent. But God is the I AM, the Self-sufficient
Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye One. And as such He is the eternally unchangeable
may know and believe me, and understand that I am                 God. All else is changeable and changing. But our God
he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall is the changeless and unchangeable One. And
there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and besides therefore, He is the absolutely Faithful One and
me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, Dependable One. He is the covenant God, Who
and I have  shewed,  when there was no strange god keepeth covenant and mercy, the God Who is faithful
among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the to Himself, faithful to His own perfections, faithful to
Lord, that I am God. Yea, before the day was I am he; His counsel, faithful to His promise, faithful to His
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I              Word, faithful to His people! And therefore, once
will work, and who shall let it?"                                 again: you can trust in Him and depend upon Him. No
  Nor do I intend merely to deliver a speech just                  witness who ever does so and who bears witness of
because it is the custom to have a speech at this annual Him shall ever have to be ashamed of his witness. Fear
meeting, nor even generally to try to "inspire" you. not!
But it is my purpose to stir you up, if possible, - to               In the third place, our God, of Whom we are
stir you to action. And I am not discouraged in this               witnesses, is the Savior. A Savior is one who saves, who
purpose, but rather strengthened by the very fact that             delivers. And salvation means that we are rescued out
we have tonight, if I am not mistaken, hit a new low in            of the greatest evil, the hopeless misery of sin and
attendance for an annual meeting. And I want to do                 death, and that we are made partakers of the highest
this on the basis of the emphasis in the passage from
Isaiah 43, speaking on the subject, "Ye Are My                     good, eternal life, the bliss of God's covenant
                                                                  friendship. A Savior is one who accomplishes this. Mind
Witnesses."                                                        you, a Savior is not only able to do this, or willing to
                     Witnesses of Whom?                            do this. He does it! And this is our God. As such He
  The entire significance of our being witnesses, also has revealed Himself to us in the face of Jesus: Jehovah
as a Reformed Free Publishing Association, is wrapped              salvation! And this has the strong emphasis in the
up in this question and its answer.                                passage from Isaah and in its context. He is the God
  And the answer is that we are witnesses of God, the Who will be with His people when they pass through
Mighty One, Jehovah, the Savior, Who is God                       the fire and the water. He is the God Who gave men for
absolutely alone. Let me briefly call your attention to            them, and peoples for their life. He is the God Who will
each of these aspects.                                             surely bring them to Jerusalem, to the eternal
  God is the Mighty One. A God must be strong. A                  inheritance, Who will speak to the whole world, to the
weak God is an absurdity. For He Who is God is the                 ends of the earth, "Give up; keep not back; bring my
Sovereign, Who rules over all. He must, therefore, be sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the
mighty, the Almighty, the Omnipotent One. And in earth!"
this passage which speaks of our position and calling as             Moreover, He is God absolutely alone! This also is
witnesses, the emphasis is on this truth, first of all. Our strongly emphasized in the passage from Isaiah. Before


54                                               THE STANDARD BEARER


Him there was no god formed, neither shall there be this and to live in the consciousness of it. Moreover,
after Him; that is, eternally He alone is God. Beside the decision and outcome of this trial centers on this
Him there is no Savior: all your salvation is only in and question: who is able to prophesy, to declare
of Him! And this is, of course, in the nature of the something before it comes to pass, but in such a way
case. If God is not God alone, then He is no God. This that it also indeed comes to pass? In the language of
concerns His very divinity. If there are also other gods Isaiah 46 : 10: which God is able to say, "My counsel
- whether they be the idols of ancient times or the shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure?" Which God
idols of the modern day - if there are also other gods, is able to declare the end from the beginning, and from
other powers next to Him, those who also possess ancient times things that are not yet done? He who is
might and wisdom in themselves, then the whole able to do this is God indeed and God alone! This,
matter of God's cause becomes dubious, hazardous, therefore, is the issue. And this issue is to be
uncertain.                                                       determined on the basis of past performance, on the
      Of Him, therefore, we are witnesses: Him, the basis of past words and works. The witnesses are called
Mighty God, the I AM, the Savior, the only Lord God! upon to demonstrate from the past that their God has
                        Witnesses - Who?                         ever declared anything beforehand which has also
                                                                 come to pass. The adherents of the idols must do this;
      "Ye are my witnesses," saith Jehovah.                      or, if they cannot do this and cannot justify themselves
      The setting is that of a trial, a case at law. It is an    and their gods, they must keep silence; they must hear
on-going trial, a trial whose scene is repeated again and the witnesses of Jehovah, and say, "It is truth." And
again in history. And in that trial there is  a. the latter, of course, is the case.
confrontation between two parties, the witnesses of                 But God's people testify for Him, testify of His
Jehovah and the witnesses of the idols, who are no               words and works in the past. They are His witnesses
gods.                                                            that He alone is God. Of this all the history of the old
      The one party is described as "the blind people who        dispensation testifies. God is the God Who has declared
have eyes and the deaf who have ears." These are                 and Who has saved. God is the God Who has shewed,
God's people, His witnesses. And they are described              when there was no strange god among them. God is the
thus not without great reason. This description is a             God Who is before the day was. God is the God from
realistic one, one which accurately pictures God's Whose hand none can deliver. God is the God Whose
people as they have often appeared and do often work none can prevent. And how much richer and
appear in the course of history, and one which only              more glorious is this revelation in the new
too often is an accurate picture of us. God's people             dispensation, now that all the promises of God have
have eyes to see and ears to hear, that is, to perceive          been centrally fulfilled in and through our Lord Jesus
and to apprehend spiritual things, to perceive and               Christ !
apprehend that He is the Mighty One, Jehovah, the                   Hence, the outcome of this "trial" and the content
only Savior. But they are often blind and deaf for the           of the testimony of God's witnesses is surely always
testimonies of the greatness of the Lord. Because of centrally this: God alone is God! He is the Mighty
the weakness of the flesh, they become dim of sight              One! He is the Sovereign! He is the I AM! He is the
and hard of hearing. And when they have no eye for               God Who works irresistibly, the God Whose work
the greatness of Jehovah and no ear for His wonderful            stands, so that no power can prevent it or withstand it.
saving power, then, of course, they also become dumb             He is the Savior of His people! There is none who can
and they fail to bear testimony of Him and for Him,              save as He!
though they are of God's party in the midst of the                  It is against this background that we-must consider
world. And then, of course, they must be called and              for a moment the question: what is a. witness?
stirred up and reminded of their calling: "Bring forth              In the first place, a witness is one who sees and hears
the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have            and who therefore has personal knowledge of
ears. . ."                                                       anything,  - in this instance, of the truth that God
      The other party is that of the adherents of the idols.     is God.
They are here described as "all the nations." that is,              Such is our highly privileged position. It is ours
the Gentiles at that time in distinction from Israel.            because, as Isaiah puts it, God has chosen us and called
They are those who follow one or another of the idols.           us to be His servants. And He has done this in order
They are those who deny that God is God alone, who               that we should know and believe and understand that
deny that He is the I AM, who deny that He is the                He is God. In other words, He has revealed Himself to
Savior.                                                          us; He has caused us to know and believe and
      And the case at issue in this trial is this: it must       understand that He is God. This is the work of His
become plain who is God. Or, better stated: it must              grace. The knowledge of God has become for us a
become plain that Jehovah is God alone. And God's                personal thing, a matter of the living, spiritual knowl-
people must be made to know this and to acknowledge              edge of experience. We know first-hand, know by


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                    55


seeing and hearing, know by experience, through His no R.F.P.A., there simply would not be The Standard
mighty work of salvation which He has wrought for us Beaver.
and in us, that He is God, the Mighty One, the I AM,          And thus we have arrived at the point I wish to drive
the Savior, and that there is none beside. Him. Such is home and apply concretely for a few moments: You,
our position as Reformed, as Protestant Reformed the members of the R.F.P.A., are God's witnesses, to
believers. And this is the sole reason why we are bear testimony by means of the printed page that
believers, that we may be His witnesses, that we may Jehovah, the God of our salvation, is God alone. That
show forth the praise of Him Who has called us out of has always been and still is the sole reason for
darkness into His marvelous light.                          existence of the R.F.P.A. If that is not your character,
  And that brings us to the second aspect of a witness, then you have no right of existence. If it is, then you
namely, that he attests to and, bears testimony ofthat have a high calling, and one to which you must, for
which he has seen and heard and of which he has God's sake, be obedient.
personal knowledge. A dumb witness is a contradiction         In this light let us evaluate and examine ourselves
in terms. A witness not only knows, but he testifies, and our witness.
speaks, makes known, establishes that of which he has         Let us ask the question whether we are, and to what
personal knowledge. Such is also our proper position extent we are, blind people who have eyes and deaf
and calling as witnesses of God. In this on-going trial, who have ears, and therefore whether we have allowed,
in distinction from and over against all who adhere to and to what extent we have allowed, our testimony to
their idols, it is our high calling to speak out and to become silenced. That this happens, you know, is very
bear testimony of that which we have seen and heard, easily the case, on account of our sinful flesh. We can
that which we know by personal knowledge: Jehovah, become accustomed to the most wonderful things. We
the Mighty God of our salvation, the only Savior, is can begin to take them for granted. And then we
God alone!                                                  become complacent, self-satisfied, unenthusiastic, con-
  "Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, that I am tent to let things be as they are, content just to keep
God! "                                                      going (which means inevitably to run down!)
                    Witnesses - How?                          And if I may answer this question for you, for a
  You might say that The Standard Bearer is such a moment, my answer is in the affirmative. This is true
witness. This is true from the point of view of the fact    of us all in a measure, also as far as the R.F.P.A. is
that  our- magazine has always contained that testi- concerned. Attendance at these meetings is one sign of
mony. This has always been its character. The keynote this. Even when I allow for the fact that there was a
of all the testimony which  The Standard Bearer  has conflict of dates and of other meetings, I must come to
always borne has, from its very beginning to the this conclusion. And when I scan my audience, I must
present day, been the testimony that God is God point to another fact, namely, that there are mostly
alone!                                                      older men present, and very few younger men. This is
  Behind that testimony of The Standard Beaver there not to discredit our older men; on the contrary, it is to
are, of course, the writers, the editorial staff. The their credit. Besides, I love our older men; they are
testimony carried by our magazine has been  their veterans in the cause and in the labor. But it is not a
testimony, the production of their pens. Behind that healthy sign that our younger men do not take as
staff, in turn, is the Board of the R.F. P.A. They have active a part as they should! Steps must be taken to get
been responsible for seeing to it that the witness of the them here and to, get them to add the enthusiasm and
editorial staff was published and spread abroad. With- vigor of their younger years to this labor.
out their labors there would be no Standard Beaver.           There is another fact to which I must call your
And it is important, too, that they always understand attention. That is the fact that the chief business of the
their work as being something much more than the R.F.P.A. and its Board has gradually become.merely to
mere hum-drum, mechanical labor of getting a mag- keep  The Standard Beaver  in existence, to keep it
azine published. That can soon become tiring, become running, to keep it solvent. My point is not that the
a thankless task, - especially when it is all volunteer latter is not necessary, but that is not enough! And my
work. But the moment they and we see that work in point is, too, that as this is our chief business and as we
its proper perspective, i.e., as the work of WIT- concentrate on it more and more, it also becomes more
NESSES, then it is no more a hum-drum labor and difficult as times goes on. We tend to become negative
thankless task, but a high calling and a divine privilege! and pessimistic and struggling in our whole outlook,
  But behind all of these  - the magazine, the staff, rather than positive and zealous and vigorous.
the board  - is you, the Reformed Free Publishing             A third fact to which I call your attention is the fact
Association. Ultimately it is this organization who are that we tend to become introverted, inward-looking.
the witnesses, through the agency of the Board and the For one thing, we become content merely to direct our
Staff, and through the instrument of our magazine. witnesses to ourselves in the main. We are satisfied to
This is obvious from the simple fact that if there were have our readership and our membership among our


56                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



own Protestant Reformed people. This is fine! This is calibre of sight and hearing. The Lord  our God has
necessary! Surely, the witness of our Standard Beaver given us a blessed heritage of the truth, as He has given
ought to be in every Protestant Reformed home (and to no other communion of believers. In the light of
there is something wrong with the home where it is that fact, we ought to be the most zealous and the
missing. Surely, that witness must be diligently read and most vocal witnesses on the face of the earth! Let us
studied. This is essential! It is essential especially for never forget it!
up-coming generations. For if they are not solidly            Given the above principal solution, I propose the
instructed and well-founded in the truth, the witness following practical measures.
will surely die out! But my point is that this is not         In the first place, steps must be taken to rejuvenate
sufficient! Nor was only this the purpose of  The this organization. I have in mind, first of all, that we
Standard Bearer  from its inception. A witness must must do this as far as size is concerned. All of our men
speak out! He must speak not only to his fellow in this area should have a part in this work. They
witnesses, but also before all those who in any way should all be members, active members. And this
deny that Jehovah is the only God and the only annual meeting should be a high-keyed, exciting,
Savior! And on this score, we fall short! The readership enthusiastic gathering. To my mind, this involves,
of our magazine includes only a small minority of secondly, that we take action to get the membership
readers beyond the pale of our churches. This is simply involved both in the spirit and in the activities of the
a fact. And I am not ieferring now to the mere lack of association. From a certain point of view, I can
subscribers outside our churches. I am referring to the understand that our membership can become so
lack of readers. And I do not lay the lack of readers to inactive that they do not even attend the meetings.
those readers, but to  OUY own  failure  to reach them They never hear much about the R.F.P.A. or have
with our witness, our own failure to speak out, our anything to do with it except when they are notified
own very meager attempts to gain readership outside of this annual meeting, a meeting at which they have
our churches.                                              very little to do. It is almost axiomatic that if you
      A fourth fact, closely connected, is the large want an active organization and enthusiastic partici-
measure of inactivity on the part of the R.F.P.A. pation, you must give the membership something to
membership. Once per year we pay our membership do! This ought to be done, and our Board must give
dues, sometimes we attend the annual meeting. At our attention to this.
annual meetings we listen to and approve the annual           In the second place, we must take systematic and
reports, vote for three new board members, and listen well-planned action to get our witness out, - I mean
to a speech. That's all. In other words, our membership beyond the reaches of our own churches and people.
is largely inactive. They are not even so much as called This is of the utmost importance today because of the
upon to approve a proposed budget, much less given an critical situation in the churches today, and because
opportunity to have a part in any other activities of our  Standard  Bearer   is about the only clear and
the association.                                           unequivocal witness on the scene. Think about that
      In parentheses, let me remark that there are many latter fact! What a privilege! What a calling!
items on the positive side of the ledger which might          I do not mean by this chiefly that we must get more
also be mentioned; and I surely do not wish to leave subscribers. That would be fine. But I think that will
the impression that there is nothing good about our take care of itself, once we take steps to get our
R.F.P.A. Far be it from me! If that were the case, I witness spread abroad. My point now, however, is that
would not even see any hope in speaking about these WE must get our witness out. We are the witnesses, and
things tonight. But I have purposely laid the stress on it is our calling and responsibility to witness, not to sit
the above items in the hope that when we see these and wait. And I believe that in recent years we have
indications that all is not as it could be and should be, not paid enough attention to this. I know that various
we will also take steps to do something about it.          objections have been raised on this score, - objections
      And therefore I want to conclude with a few that it is useless and that it is fruitless, etc., etc. I don't
suggestions for improvement.                               "buy" those objections, for more than one reason.
      The principal solution, of course, is a spiritual one. Objections like that don't show much faith, for one
We must open our eyes and our ears, fight against the thing. But neither are they realistic: for there are vast
blindness and the deafness which so easily comes upon segments even of the Reformed community which we
us. This is essential. If we become blind and deaf, then have not even tried to reach with our witness on any
our witness is silenced also. And to the extent that we consistent or extensive or systematic basis. It is simply
become dull of hearing and dim in vision, to that a fact that especially in the last couple of decades we
extent we become silent witnesses. Hence, this is have not done a great deal of this kind of work. Let us
fundamental. And the more that we have a keen begin anew! This must be planned. It must be done
spiritual vision and hearing, the more vocal will be our systematically. Perhaps we can only, because of limited
witness. Let us fight, therefore, to maintain a high means, begin this on a small scale. But begin we


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                               57



MUST! For example, let us (instead of allowing these there is money for many things nowadays. Well, the
copies to gather dust in storage) use the over-run or the witness. of the R.F.P.A. needs it too, needs it more
mailing margin of each issue for this purpose. Let us than many other things. Positively, I would suggest
mail these out on a systematic basis, accompanied by that a step in the right direction would be to have a
an appropriate cover-letter. This takes only a little proposed budget as well as a financial report. And in
work and a small lay-out of money for postage and that proposed budget there should be an item devoted
envelopes. Who knows what it will accomplish? And if to the spreading abroad of our witness. And the
funds permit, let us print more copies and mail them R.F.P.A. should pledge itself to meet that proposed
out. But, please, let us begin!                           budget.
  In  the third place, we must in this connection take      I am proposing that steps in the direction of
steps to get The Standard Beaver on a better financial financial stability be taken, not, mind you, because we
footing and a  more even keel.  Our people have aim to be a profit-making organization. But, for one
supported the cause royally; and I am confident they thing, our Board must not always be preoccupied with
will continue to do so, and will do even more if the financial matters and struggling to "make ends meet."
need is made known. But the fact remains that we They must have the funds and the time and the energy
operate at present on a hand-to-mouth basis, just to devote to spreading abroad, as far and wide as
barely remaining solvent, and constantly fighting infla- possible, our Reformed testimony.
tion as far as publishing costs are concerned, - even       In all these things our Board must furnish leader-
though, I dare say, our magazine is published more ship. I hope that our Board will devote much time and
economically (for its size) than most. The fact remains, effort during the coming year to these matters. I hope
too, that our subscription-rate of $7.00 meets only they will come to the society with some  forward-
half of our expenses, the rest being met by gifts and looking, positive proposals. They need not even wait
collections.                                              until the next annual meeting. Let them call a special
  But the fact is, too, that it takes funds to get our mass meeting of our men; yes, and of our women too!
witness out to others. Perhaps gradually there will be In all these matters our membership must also become
an increase of subscribers. This will help. But it would involved. And in all these matters the staff must lend
require 2500 to 3000 subscribers to make  The Stan- real support, and in the meantime do their utmost to
dard  Bearer  financially self-sustaining. And it is ob- make and to keep our  Standard  Beaver  a faithful
vious that this is not the first solution. Nevertheless, witness.
this is one area which must be emphasized: more             All this must be done not out any carnal motivation,
subscribers!                                              but only out of the motivation of the knowledge and
  Nor do I profess to have all the solutions. Neg- confidence that we are His witnesses.
atively, I do not believe there is a lack of money          "Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah."
nowadays  - in spite of the inflationary trend. For         Are you?


All Around Us

                                      Congress  on  Evangelism
                                   Sex  Education   in  the  Schools

                                                 Profi H. Hanko

CONGRESS ONE VANGELISM                                    social gospel or social involvement which becomes a
  Evangelicals in this country have always insisted substitute for preaching.
they are conservative in distinction from liberal on        It seems as if all this is about to change. The
questions of theology and the preaching of the gospel. occasion was the Congress on Evangelism which met
They have not wanted to be called "fundamentalist" September 8-13 in Minneapolis. It was a large gathering
because this term, in their opinion, implied lack of glittering with all the shining lights of the evangelical
scholarship in defense of the faith and radical resist- cause. It was also an broadly ecumenical gathering.
ance to any kind of change. But they have marked There were some forty-five hundred delegates repre-
sharply their differences from liberalism by their senting ninety-three denominations. There were,
insistence on preaching the gospel as the only way "to according to  Newsweek,  present at the meetings
save souls" and by their avowed distrust of any kind of Mennonites, Nazarenes, Salvation Army Officers, five


58                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



kinds of Baptists, four kinds of Lutherans, Wesleyan there was no evaluation.  Newsweek  expressed mild
Methodists, Free Methodists, United Methodists, two surprise that the Congress should become so socially
distinct Churches of God, various Assemblies of God minded.
and a host of Churches of Christ. There were also             While one cannot give a detailed report of the
representatives from Presbyterian and Reformed proceedings and a detailed evaluation of what took
Churches including some seventy-five members of the place without having been there, it seems nonetheless
Christian Reformed Church. Billy Graham was there. that evangelicals forfeited their claim to hold fast to
So was Oswald Hofman (Lutheran radio minister), the gospel against the attacks of liberal social theology.
Leighton Ford (evangelist and brother-in-law of The very fact that the Congress could not only permit a
Graham), Tom Skinner, Pat Boone and representatives liberal such as Rev. Abernathy to. address the assembly
from the world of sports: Bobby Richardson and Bill but give him a standing ovation besides indicates that
Glass.                                                      he struck a chord of deep response in the hearts of
      The theme of the Congress was: "Much is given; many who were present. The evangelicals in this
Much is required." This was expressive of the purpose country took a sharp turn in Minneapolis. And this
of the Congress which, in the words of Billy Graham, sharp turn is away from the gospel and in the direction
was called together to stimulate a spiritual revival in of liberal social emphasis.
the country and bring about a reorientation in the            But this is not very surprising. One characteristic of
church. All this meant, as soon became apparent in the "evangelicalism" in this country is its open and
speeches, that the evangelicals had to become more unabashed Arminianism. It has always been thoroughly
involved in the social problems of the day if they were Arminian in theology and in the preaching. This has
to have any influence and bring about any kind of not improved over the years. And Arminianism is
spiritual revival. Particularly, this was interpreted to always the kernel of modernism. The man who walks
mean that evangelicals had to get involved in the racial the Arminian path walks a road to modernism. The
issues which are tearing this country apart and bring Congress on Evangelism was startling proof of this.
the gospel to the ghettos where live the downtrodden
and oppressed. Nor were the estranged youth to be SEX EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOLS
ignored - the hippies and campus rebels, the revolu-          One of the more spectacular controversies raging in
tionaries and social outcasts. And the only way to the country today is the controversy concerning the
reach all these was said to be by way of adapting the teaching of sex in the public schools. There is scarcely
gospel to a language which speaks directly to the social a religious or secular newspaper or magazine which one
ills of the times.                                          can pick up which does not have something to say
      There were evidences of this increasing social about the subject. Radio speakers are addressing
emphasis in some of the happenings. At one point in themselves to the problem and books are being written
the meetings a group of hippies tried to force their way    about it. All kinds of organizations are being formed,
into the meeting. They were summarily ousted; but some in support of the thing; some violently opposed
later they received an apology from the Congress and to it. Those who support such programs point to the
were given an invitation to attend the sessions  -          obvious fact that kids are getting sex education
something which apparently did not interest them a anyway and some of it is pretty bad. They argue that
great deal.                                                 parents and churches have failed to provide the needed
      In the opinion of many the high point came with education and that the schools must do what the
the address of Rev. Ralph Abernathy, successor to homes and churches have failed to do. They are very
Martin Luther King Jr., and head of the Southern pious in their assertions that children ought to be given
Christian Leadership Conference. Tossing aside his right views of sex instead of ideas picked up on the
prepared speech he spoke of the long history of street comers and in the school rest rooms. Those who
suffering of the blacks in this country and hit hard at     oppose the whole business insist that sex education is
the Church which, in his opinion, had failed in her immoral, pornographic, subversive, a not very subtle
calling. He asked the Congress to advocate admission plot to destroy the whole system of moral values on
of Red China into the United Nations, support which this country was built, and probably
withdrawal of U. S. troops from Viet Nam and full           communist-inspired besides.
support for his own efforts to lead the Negroes to            It is possible that some will say that this whole
equal rights. His speech was received with what News-       controversy is of little or no concern to us since it
week described as "a standing, stomping ovation."           involves what takes place in the public schools where
      Christianity Today spoke glowingly of the Congress our children do not go. There is some truth to this, of
and expressed the fervent hope that the meeting would course. We could dismiss any discussion of the subject
awaken evangelicals to their calling and be the spark to with the remark: "Let the dead bury their dead." But
set afire the nation in the cause of Christ. While The      there are nagging reasons why a brief discussion at least
aanner  presented a detailed report of the Congress, might be in order. One of these reasons is that it could


                                             THE STANDARD BEARER                                                59


be conceivable that our schools will also some time in we enter the arena of the sex education controversy. It
`the not too distant future have to face the question. is better to raise our voices against the perverted and
This might be through decisions of school boards or immoral culture in which we live.
school socities; or it might also come through some          But, of course, this is not the whole story. The
kind of requirement which the government makes trouble is that we live in this culture. And there is
mandatory for our schools to retain their accredita- apparently not much that can be done about changing
tion. Another reason why a discussion is in order is the a sex-blinded generation of adulters and fornicators.
very real possibility that we could loose the battle for The result is that we and our children are `bombarded
the minds of our children through default. Maybe day and night with the perversions of this modem
silence becomes irresponsible in this miserably  sex- Sodom. What then must be done? Shall we close
saturated age. Maybe also in this respect the people of our eyes to it and make believe our children do not
God have got to speak out.                                read the movie ads in the daily press  - not to,
  At any rate, there are a few things about this mention the Ann Landers columns? Shall we live;
controversy which need to be said.                        in the blind faith that our children do not  hear;
   In ths first place, it is a question worth asking of dirty stories? do not come into contact with the
those who so vigorously defend the need for sex foul-mouthed people of our times? Shall we cross ou;
education in the schools how in the wide world they fingers and hope for the best? Or shall we be satisfied
anticipate teaching any kind of a wholesome and holy that tie have fulfilled our obligations with some
attitude towards sex which is according to the princi- innocuous stories about "the birds and the bees"?
ples of God's law when they have already banned any This, of course, will never do. It is a vexing thing that
mention of religion from the classroom. If the pre- the devil forces us into the position where we have to
vailing religion in the public school system is atheism deal openly and forcibly with such sacred and holy
and evolutionism, it goes without saying that the sex things. But silence pleases our adversary. And by
education given will be very wrong. There cannot be silence we may lose the battle.
any two ways about all this. And the proponents              So our children have got to be told what God's
would be more honest if they would forget any pious Word says about all this evil. And they have got to be
platitudes about teaching wholesome attitudes about told what is holy and righteous in the sight  6f God.
sex.                                                      And they have got to be told in such a way that they
  In the second place, the whole emphasis on sex are emphatically left with the impression that sex is,
education itself seems to me to be utterly wrong. Is after all, but a small part of life - a significant part no
there really a need for sex education at all  - of any doubt; but a small part nonetheless. And they have to
kind? I am not saying, and do not want to be learn that even this small part is a part which must be
interpreted as saying, that children should be told sanctified by the grace of God. This is no easy task.
nothing about sex. This is not only impossible, but is       Now then, is this the business of the schools? of our
an abdication of covenantal responsibility. But when schools? I emphatically insist that it is not. There may'
we speak of "sex education" we are talking about be a great deal of truth in the assertion that parents are
formal courses in all such matters as male and female very neglectful in teaching their children about these.
physiology, embryology, gynecology, birth control, things. But this does not alter the fact that the/
veneral disease, dating practices, ethics, not to mention responsibility belongs to the parents and to them
sex deviation and eroticism.                              alone.                                                      I
  We are, it seems to me, by engaging in the                There are reasons for this.
controversy, conceding a very important argument            The most important reason is that we erect schools
that ought not be conceded. And that argument is in order to provide instruction for our children which
that people of God who are to live as glorifying God we cannot give them. This means two things. It means
also within the marriage state must be experts in the on the one hand, that we admit without shame, that
whole field of normal as well as abnormal sex. This I we are (for various reasons) unable to give our children
deny. Is it not just possible that the whole controversy the education they need to be men of God in the midst
arises in the first place because of the fact that sex in of life and in their own particular station and calling.
our present day culture has been so idolized and We elect schools and hire teachers to take care of this
emphasized that it appears sometimes as if the most matter for us. But, on the other hand, we may not
important things people do are related to matters (and the word "not" ought to be underscored a few
sexual? This is horribly and profoundly wrong. And if times) hand over to our teachers any of the work of
indeed, as I suspect, it is true that the controversy is instruction which we are able to do ourselves. There is
only a part of the unholy emphasis on sex and a rather altogether too much of this  nowdays. Parents are the
natural result of such emphasis, we had better get at only ones responsible before God for covenant instruc-
the root of the problem if we intend to right any tion. They must assume this responsibility. They must
wrongs. We had better not engage in any arm-flailing as assume it willingly and cheerfully and not easily push


60                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



off on teachers tasks which they ought to be doing where such instruction in such holy matters can be
themselves. "Sex education" is most decidedly one of given naturally and "matter-of-factly" and where it
these things.                                                need not be a forced education in the abnormal
      But there are other reasons. The home is the proper circumstances of the classroom where the third period
place for such instructions because only parents can is set aside to discuss this particular aspect of sex
gear the instruction which children need in this area of education on  Weidnesday  morning. It is this very
life to the mental, emotional, physical and social abnormal classroom situation which is precisely con-
development of the child. They know when the child is ducive to leaving the impression with the child that
ready to be taught certain things; the teachers do not. the world is after all right: sex education is of towering
The home is the only proper place for this because importance and sexual matters are more important
parents are suited to teach  their  children and are than anything else. It is in the home that the children
miserably unsuited to teach somebody else's children. can be taken aside and talked to individually if the
They can teach their children within the context of the need arises and where a mixed class in an open forum
home where the family is all together, where babies are does not become the platform for such discussions.
born and enter into the life of the family, where sons         Maybe our parents have to assume more forcibly
and daughters, brothers and sisters date, where family this  aspect of iheir calling. But by all means let it be
love prevails, where the Scriptures are read and studied,    done in the home.


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

      In our preceding article we called attention to the that every promise is an attestation of the Divine love
breadth and scope of the doctrine of Common Grace to us. But it is beyond all controversy, that no man is
as set forth by John Calvin  in his Institutes of the loved by God but in Christ; he is the `beloved Son,' in
Christian Religion. In this article we will call attention whom the love of the Father perpetually rests, and
to the fact that Calvin's doctrine of a common grace, then from him diffuses itself to us; as Paul says, that
although broad in its content, is nevertheless also very we are `accepted in the beloved.' " Perhaps one may
limited. We realize that we are now calling attention to object that Calvin here is speaking of the saving love of
the writings of Calvin and that the question is more God in Christ. Even so, let it then be understood that,
important as to what appears in our reformed con- according to the Reformer, this love of God is
fessions. Nevertheless, it must certainly be of interest exclusively particular. Secondly, the grace of God
to call attention to what the Genevan  Reformer has to which delivers us from the curse and wrath of God is
say on this subject.                                         wholly particular, as we read in III, 22, 7: "Judas,
      And then we would immediately declare that there therefore, in his unfaithful exercise of the apostleship,
is a tremendous difference between Calvin's doctrine might be worse than a devil; but of those whom Christ
of Common Grace and this doctrine as set forth in our has once united to his body, he will never suffer one to
present day.                                                 perish; for in securing their salvation, he will perform
      It can hardly be denied that Calvin, by God's grace what he has promised, by exerting the power of God,
is the man who maintained the Special Grace of God who is greater than all." And we read emphatically in
which is bestowed exclusively upon the Church of III, 22, 1 (Calvin, in this chapter, is speaking of God's
God. In support of this we quote the following. First, gratuitous election, over against  those~ who would
we read of Calvin that there is no love of God except maintain that the Lord, foreseeing what would be the
in Christ Jesus. We read in III, 2,32: "Therefore, when respective merits of every individual, makes a  cones-
the Lord by His promises invites a man not only to ponding distinction between different persons,
receive, but also to meditate on the effects of His adopting as His children such as He foreknows will be
goodness, He at the same time gives him a declaration deserving of his grace, and condemning and rejecting
of his love. Whence we must return to this principle, those whose dispositions He sees will be inclined to


                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER                                                                                     61


wickedness and impiety) :                                       the Confession that, apart from the saving grace of God
                                                                shown only to those that are elect unto eternal life,
       For the truth of God on this point is too certain to     there is also a certain favor or grace of God which He
    be shaken, too clear to be overthrown by the                shows to His creatures in general. This is evident from
    authority of men (Calvin here is speaking of the truth      the Scriptural passages quoted and from the Canons of
    of God's sovereign election, H.V.). Others, neither         Dordrecht, II, 5 and III, IV, 8 and 9, which deal with
    acquainted with the Scripture, nor deserving of any
    attention, oppose the sound doctrine with extreme           the  general offer of the Gospel, while it also appears
    presumption and intolerable effrontery. God's sover-        from the citations made from Reformed writers of the
    eign election and grace, and preterition of others          most flourishing period of Reformed Theology that
    they make the subject of formal accusation against          our Reformed writers from the past favored this view."
    Him. But if this is the known fact, what will they              POINT II: "Relative to the second point, which is
    gain by quarreling with God? We teach nothing but           concerned with the restraint of sin in the life of the
    what experience has proved, that God has always             individual man and in the community, the Synod
    been at liberty to bestow His grace on whom He              declares that there is such a restraint of sin according
    chooses. I will not inquire how the posterity of            to Scripture and the Confession. This is evident from
    Abraham excelled other nations, unless it was by that       the citations from Scripture, and from the Netherland
    favour, the cause of which can only be found in God.        Confession, Arts. 13 and 36, which teach that God by
    Let them answer why they are men, and not oxen or           the general operations of His Spirit, without renewing
    asses: when it was in God's power to create them
    dogs, He formed them after His own image. Will they         the heart of man, restrains the unimpeded breaking out
    allow the brute animals to expostulate with God             of sin, by which human life in society remains possible;
    respecting their condition, as though the distinction       while it is also evident from the quotations from
    were unjust?                                                Reformed writers of the most flourishing period of
                                                                Reformed theology, that from ancient times our
  And then Calvin proceeds to quote from the Reformed Fathers were of the same opinion."
Scripture in support of the truth of God's absolute                 POINT III: "Relative to the third point, which is
sovereignty. Of interest is also what we read in III, 22, concerned with the question of civil righteousness as
8, where Calvin quotes Augustine:                               performed by the unregenerate, synod declares that
       But, it will be said, Ambrose, Origen, and Jerome        according to Scripture and the Confessions the unre-
     believed that God dispenses His grace  .among men,         generate, though incapable of doing any saving good,
     according to His foreknowledge of the good use             can do civil good. This is evident from the quotations
     which every individual will make of it. Augustine also     from Scripture and from the Canons of Dordrecht, III,
     was once of the same sentiment; but when he has            IV, 4, and from the Netherland Confession, Art. 36,
     made a greater proficiency in scriptural  kno/wledge,
     he not only retracted, but powerfully confuted it.         which teach that God without renewing the heart so
     And after his retraction, rebuking the Pelagians for       influences man that he is able to perform civil good;
     persisting in their error, he says, "Who but must          while it also appears from the citations from Reformed
     wonder that this most ingenious sense should escape        writers of the most flourishing period of Reformed
     the apostle? For after proposing what was calculated       T h e o l o g y ,   t h a t   o u r   R e f o r m e d   F a t h e r s   f r o m   a n c i e n t
     to excite astonishment respecting those children yet       times were of the same opinion."
   unborn, he stated to himself, by way of objection,               Common Grace, as expressed in the First Point,
     the following question: What, then, is there  umight-      teaches that God, in the preaching of the gospel, shows
     eousness  with God? It was the place for him to answer,    a certain favour or grace to all who come under the
     that God foresaw the merits of each of them; yet he        preaching of the gospel. Over against this stands the
     says nothing of this, but resorts to the decrees and       clear teaching of Calvin, that the gospel is a  savour  of
     mercy of God."                                             death unto death, and that the reason why the
  And then Augustine continues in this reference to unbeliever does not believe lies in this, that the arm of
Augustine by Calvin, in the same vein. Indeed, that the Lord is not extended to him, Concerning this,
God is sovereign is certainly taught throughout the Calvin writes in Calvin's Calvinism, page 96:
writings of Calvin. This can never be denied.                              But the apostle carries the matter much deeper and
  We would now call attention, briefly, to the present                 higher than this, both as to man and as to God,
doctrine of Common Grace, as set forth in the Three                    showing that there is that "foolishness" and "ignor-
Points, and which doctrine is emphatically rejected by                 ance" in man that he cannot understand the things of
Calvin. It might be well, in this connection, to quote                 the Spirit, and that the wisdom and counsel of God
these Three Points :                                                   decreed the whole. For (saith the apostle), "Who hath
                                                                       known the mind of the Lord, and who hath been His
  POINT I: "Relative to the first point which con-                     counsellor?" No one (argues he) can know the secrets
cerns the favorable attitude of God towards humanity                   of God, but by His Spirit only. Whence he fully
in general and not only towards the elect, synod                       concludes, that those alone are the scholars of God
declares it to be established according to Scripture and               who are gifted, not with the spirit of this world, but


62                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER



       with His own heavenly Spirit, that they may know                  source. and cause. What shall we say then? Were these
       the things that are freely given them of God (1 Cor.              chosen because  they had sanctified  themselves  and
       2:12).                                                            rendered themselves meet or worthy to be chosen?
      And on pages 97-98 of the same book Calvin writes                  The apostle asserts most expressly that this sanctifi-
that the gospel is a savour of death unto death because                  cation was the work of the Spirit of God. And as the
the arm of the Lord is not revealed to them:                             nature of faith is the same, and equally the gift of
         From this state of things flows the conclusion (and             God and the work of His Spirit, it incontrovertibly
       this  we hold fast) that the Gospel, which is, in its             follows that those who are illuminated unto faith are
       essential nature, "a savour of life unto life, and ought          thus illuminated and gifted with faith,  that their
       to be so to all that hear it, becomes "a savour of                election of God may be  manifested  and ratified by
       death unto death in them that perish," who thus                   these its very effects.
       remain in their darkness and unbelief  because  "the            This is Reformed language. It is Scriptural, and
       arm of the Lord" is not revealed to them. If, then,          Calvinistic. Notice that Calvin writes at the beginning
       amidst so universal a corruption and depravity of our        of this quotation, "and this we hold fast." To this
       nature some few do believe the Gospel, to ascribe the        presentation of the truth, therefore, the  Genevan
       faith of such to their own goodness would be                 Reformed held fast. And we should also notice how
       perfectly impious. No! Let thanks, on the contrary,
       be given to  God  continually (according to the              logical Calvin is in his reasoning, speaking of that which
       admonition of the apostle), "because He hath from the        "follows incontrovertibly." If, in the present day, our
       beginning  chosen  such believers unto salvation,            churches are often accused of being logical in our
       through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the       reasoning, Calvin does not hesitate to speak of that
       truth," in which words the apostle traces faith and          which "follows incontrovertibly." The Lord willing,
       sanctification to the eternal election of God as its         we will continue with this in our following article.




                                  Come Ye Apart... And Rest A While

                                                            Rev. C.  Hanko

      No one need remind us that we are living in travel and give faster speed to the millions of auto-
significant times, the like of which this world has never mobiles, each intent on going somewhere and in a big
known.                                                              hurry.
      We are experiencing upheavals, change, revolution of             We have cities with sky-scrapers of dazzling height,
every sort.                                                         huge factories belching steam and smoke, beautiful
      We see changes everywhere; we experience upheavals homes, large recreation areas, thousands of bright
in every sphere of life, in governments, industry, lights to make the night as bright as day.
commerce, society, and church. We witness revolutions                  We have machines to run machines to simplify man's
in every nation, among young and old alike, in the life. The greatest effort oftenrequired is but to press a
ghetto. and on the campus of the university, terrifying button that controls the machine that does man's work
in their proportions and in their number.                           for him. We have every conceivable convenience in the
      Life will never return to what we once called normal. home and in the shop. We even insist on taking these
The changes we see today will have their lasting effect, conveniences along with us when we want to "rough
introducing a new age and an entirely new way of life.              it" for a few days in the great outdoors. And we also
      God has given man over to the desires of his heart, have power driven toys for our children.
so that every vestige of outward restraint is rapidly                  We are able to span the seas in ships, to travel under
being withdrawn.                                                    water, and to cut ourselves a path through the ice
      And as far as man himself is concerned, the dream fields of the north to speed up navigation. We carry
of the ages is being realized. Gen. 3:5.                            hundreds of passengers in planes through the air from
      Man claims to have become as God.                             one end of the earth to the other in a mere matter of
      Mere man today boasts of undreamed power hours.
approaching omnipotence.                                               We have even put men on the moon.
      We have earth movers that grind and groan as they               Man has pencilled out the word impossible. We now
cut through mountains and level out valleys, removing say, if we can go to the moon we can do anything.
every obsticle  from man's path. We have long ribbons                 We are well-nigh almighty.
of highways reaching from coast to coast to improve                    And we have also become all but omniscient.


                                                   THE  STANDA,RD  BEARER                                                     63


  Science has made great advances in these last years. power of electricity and has been able to harness it for
We may not quite know where we are going, at times many useful purposes.
we even realize that this is a dead-end road, but we are              We now have computers that work faster and more
making progress just the same.                                      accurately than the human brain.
  We have discovered the hidden powers in creation,                   We send our voices across the whole expanse of the
atomic energy and other powers that grip the heart earth, and even to the moon. We not only send
with fear. These can be harnessed to good use, but astronauts to the moon, but we watch them as they
they can also destroy every living creature on the earth walk on the moon's surface.
in a very short time. We still are testing these powers,              We have television that can be seen by millions at
mostly underground, in order to determine just how the same time. We have satellites in the sky watching
much power is available to us and how we can use it. the enemy and outsmarting them in their maneuvers.
  We have measured the speed of sound, the speed of Soon no one will escape the searching eye of man's
light, and even the distance of the heavenly bodies uncanny devices. The future world power will know
with uncanny accuracy. We search out the bowels of every move we make and every word we speak.
the earth. We probe into the hidden depths of the sea.                Man has the world at his fingertips. It is as if he
We reach out beyond the moon to the planets.                       were present everywhere at any given moment.
  We have made wonderful advances in the fields of                    Does not all this make man sovereign of the
medicine and surgery. We have practically eliminated universe?
many infectious diseases. We cure many ailments. We                   Is he not self-sufficient? Why should he not boast:
are working on the transplant of human organs to "0 man, how great thou art?"
extend man's life as long as possible. We already have                And does he not have good reason, far better than
extended man's life span a bit, often even adding to Nebuchadnezzar had, to make himself an image
the misery of those whose life hangs on a thread. extolling his greatness, sixty cubits high and six cubits
Although we worry about population explosion and wide. (see Daniel 3: 1; Rev.  13:14, 15; and note the
practice birth control openly, we nevertheless try to number 6).
create life in a test tube, and, if it were possible, we              "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into
would overcome the power of death completely.                      heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:
  We have our own means to determine the age of the                        I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will
earth and the moon. We have come to our own be like the Most High." Isaiah 15: 13, 14.
scientific conclusions about the origin of the human                  A shorter work week with more pay; less work and
race. Both are quite different from the account that more time for pleasure seems to be the goal almost
God gives us in the Scriptures, but we prefer to let within man's reach.
"science" dictate to Scripture.                                       War must still be eliminated from the earth, wealth
  We have our own opinions on man's psychological must be shared to banish poverty.
make-up, based on our findings as to man's origin from                We are rich and enriched and have need of nothing,
the lower animal. We do venture to cure man's especially no need of God, nor of His Christ, nor of His
psychological and mental problems on the psycholo- Word, nor of a life beyond.
gist's couch.                                                         But He who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord
  Yes, we have made great advances in learning.                    holds them in derision. Psalm 2.
  But God is not in all our thoughts.                                 He has His own name for all this: The Abomination
  For man has all but become omniscient.                           of Desolation. Matthew 24: 1.         .
  We even cherish the dream of omnipresence.                          Or if you will: The Man of Sin, The son of
  God once asked Job: Canst thou send lightnings, Perdition. II Thes.  2:3  ,4.
that they may go, and say unto thee, "here we are?"                   Or: The Beast. Revelation 13.
Job only blushed in helpless silence. But the modem                   And his number is 666.
man boasts: "Yes, we can." He has discovered the




        Many indeed are the modern Jesuses, all of whom are characterized by this, that in order to come to them the
        sinner does not have to renounce the pride of his sinful heart.


64                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



Our Seminary

                             A Visit To The School
                                                   John M. Faber

      The Opening Exercises of our Seminary was an            school calendar marking the dates of term papers and
exciting time for the two professors, the six students        semester exams.
and the two Theological School Committeemen. Ex-                Rev. Schipper and Rev. Lubbers were the School
citing it was, for it marked the first day of a busy year,    Committee representatives, and Rev. Schipper was
but also solemn, in that it was the introduction to a         asked to make some observations. He, too, spoke of
school year of ardent studies - all of which would lead       the Word of God as a light upon the path of the
to that day when those young men would be declared            warriors of God's battles, showing from past history
eligible for call to be some congregation's minister!         the strength of those who stood in the battle firmly
      Before starting time all hands were gathered about a rooted in the lighted pathway of the Word of God,
new projector that had been set up for inspection. This advising the students to be valiant in following those
device enables the instructor to present a prepared examples, making this their central effort and aim.
sketch and notes upon an overhead screen visible to When that Opening Day session drew to a close it
the whole class. It will save much classroom time, and        might well have been said (as the old saw has it), "a job
is considered to be of inestimable value to professors well begun is a job well done."
and students alike.                                             But there is only one Opening Day in the school
      Prof. Hoeksema led in opening devotions, reading calendar and all the succeeding days march on in their
from Psalm 119, and choosing the 105th verse for his relentless way. We paid a visit to our school on Friday
meditation, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a morning, Sept. 19, to observe one of those ordinary,
light unto my path." The speaker developed his talk in-the-harness kind of work days. That morning we
from the total darkness in which man finds himself to         elected to visit the class of Prof. Hanko for a very
the glorious light in which redeemed man can bask - cogent reason: his were of that sort that might be
the light of God's Word. He noted that the Psalmist intelligible to a layman. Prof. Hoeksema's schedule
spoke of a personal feeling, not of a cold dogmatical called for classes in Latin and Hebrew reading - hardly
fact. The professor called attention to the meaning of the kind we would enjoy, nor which we could relay to
"The Word of God" in its objective and its subjective you!
sense: that it speaks of God - God speaking concern-            The first class of the day, Exegesis, was called to
ing Himself; that it speaks of the God of Salvation, order and Prof. Hanko led in opening devotions. Rod
hence: the Covenant God; That the Word was given by Miersma, Jim Slopsema and Ron Van Overloop com-
revelation and recorded by inspiration; that it (the prised the student body for this class. The professor
sixty-six books) is one whole Word of God.                    called upon Mr. Miersma to read Eph.  6:4 in the
      The exegete further distinguished that Word to be a original (Greek), to translate it into English and give
Word of promise (the Word for our salvation), and the the interpretation thereof. Then Mr. Slopsema was
Word of precept, (the will of God for our walk). That asked to recite his work of this assignment, and
the Word is a light upon our path was explained to thereupon the professor offered his comments on the
mean a light to reveal the stumbling blocks which we text and on the interpretations given by the neophytes
must avoid, and as a lamp which shows (or explains) in exegesis.
the way so that the child of God who walks in that              The instructor's observations ran along these lines:
light can clearly perceive that "all things work together The long sentence (verses 1 to 7) and particularly verse
for good to those who love Him."                              4, pointed to the subject as God and His Attributes,
      The professor applied the text to his students in a and in which our deep depravity is the background
very practical way: the Bible is a lamp for those who upon which the glorious light of His Mercy and Love
know it; it must become a part of their mind, and they are imposed. The "mercy" and "love" were said to be
must spiritually appropriate its essence. So in a short nearly synonomous, but that "mercy" is an anthro-
sermon (and we gave only a small part of it) the veteran pomorphic term describing a feeling of intense pity for
preacher propounded that text for the spiritual benefit His people who are enmeshed in sin and cannot save
of his hearers, and at the same time gave the students a themselves, nor can even will to do so. But this
splendid example of proper exegesis which will be the "mercy" is not human, but Divine, in that it is also a
most important tool of the profession. Both of the pro- power to save. The richness of that mercy is revealed in
fessors then gave out their assignments; displaying the its power to lift us from the depth of our helplessness


                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER                                                           65



 and give us a salvation far in excess of Adam's the Apostle; of the  ,pronouncements  of the Fathers
 rectitude - in fact, give us a heaven "which eye hath which were considered "The Authority of Tradition";
 not seen nor hath risen in the heart of man." When of the Pope's authority surpassing that of the  Scrip-
 discussing the concept, "love," in the text, references tures; of the Church's denial of the Office or Believer;
 quite naturally drifted to the love of Abraham for his and the laity were unable and were denied the right to
 only son, Isaac, and, inevitably, to the three-fold interpret Scripture. These all Luther slowly discarded
 question of our risen Lord directed to Peter at the when he came to the realization that the Scriptures
 beach-breakfast of bread and fish. When professor and were perspicuous, not obscure, and that they were
 students were investigating the shades of Greek gram- written clearly and understandably, for the laity to
 mar involved in the text, words like cognative accusa- grasp. The professor also found a direct providential
 tive, double accusative, relative pronoun, participle and act of God recorded in history whereby the Pope was
 finite verb rolled off their tongues as though they, at prevented from taking Luther's life, and therefore giv-
 least, knew of which they were speaking.                        ing freedom for Luther's teaching to flourish.
    The second class bell (imaginary, like the equator)             The next class, Logic, followed at 11: 15 with Wayne
 rang at 9 o'clock and Marvin Kamps and Mark Bekkering and Mark Hoeksema sitting at the  profes-
 Hoeksema answered the roll call (imaginary, like the sor's feet, This class discussion was also a bit (!) over
 bell). This was a class in Psychology. It took but a few this reporter's head as it dealt with considering the
 minutes for this reporter to realize that this subject concept of the word, "man." Mention was made of
 was carried out in a language almost as foreign as in the connotation - which was said to describe the elements
 classes of Latin and Hebrew in the next room. Terms or features of a thing or idea; and, denotation - which
 like "id" and "ego," "ego catharsis" in comparison to refers to the individuality of the object under scrutiny;
 "object catharsis" and "anti-catharsis" were bandied and, that when one broadens the connotation of a
 about quite effortlessly; and the glib talk of a process word one narrows the denotation. In class discussion
 whereby a surplus energy of the id is siphoned off unto of the question, "how do we form concepts'?" the
 the ego only engulfed us in denser fog of confusion. instructor pointed to the contemplation of the great
 We came to the happy solution that if one is to derive gifts we have from our Creator when He made us in His
 any profit from a recitation in a class of Psychology Image: the powers of abstraction, conception and
 one had better study the text book before coming to sensation. The last named power was more fully
 class. One thing became very evident: the reason for a discussed, and as an example: to know what an apple is
 course in Modern Psychology is extremely necessary one must no only "see" (its shape and color) but also
 for a would-be minister if he is to counsel young "feel" (its hardness), "hear" its crispness (when biting
 people who are bombarded from every side with it), "smell " "its aroma and `"taste" its flavor. And, as
                       ._     _.     ^-
1 half-truths and outright lies of Satan, our arch-enemy.        in all his classes, the professor gave thanks to God for
 It is this modern psychology which is so prevalent in his gifts - in this instance, the gift of our five senses
 the educational and in the judiciary systems of today:           whereby we may learn God's creation and be enabled
 man is not sinful  - but sick! We learned that                  to "subdue" it for our use and to His glory. After a
 Freudianism is so deceptive in that it uses terms which closing prayer of thanksgiving to God Who so gra-
 are near to the truth, but is not the Truth of Scripture. ciously gave us this Scripture-orientated instruction,
 In all his instruction the professor profusely referred to the school was dismissed for the day. Don't you wish
 Scripture passages as basis for true psychology. By this you could have been there?
 infallible method he refuted the teaching of The New               Our only criticism was not of the Staff, nor of the
 Morality (a natural result of Freudianism) which claims student body, but of the ventilation of the school-
 that there are no absolutes, no "true" or "false"; only         room. The only ingress of fresh air is the lone window
 "good" and "bad" according to the mores of the near the ceiling. Though all our students are legally
 society of which we are a part.                                 free from the Armed Forces Draft they surely are
    A short recess, providing a coffee break, lasted from subject to the north-wind-draft which drops down
 10 to 10: 15 and then the class of Modern Church their necks as they sit at their tables. The visitor that
 History was called to order, with Wayne Bekkering,               day was observed to have had his coat collar turned up
 Marve Kamps, Rod Miersma, Jim Slopesema and Ron for his protection. The most welcome news the staff
 Van Overloop  ready to recite and take notes. The day's and students could possibly hear would be that a
 lesson dealt with Luther's conception of the Authority suitable Seminary building (re-modeled house) or a
 of Scripture and the authority the Pope wielded. From new school (fit for their needs) would be supplied
 boyhood on Luther had learned the Roman Catholic soon. Are you listening Theological School Committee,
 claim of "Apostolic Succession" and the resulting Synodical delegates and constituency?
 claim that the popes were "vehicles of revelation" like

      What could be more flattering to the sinner's pride than a Christ who is entirely in his power to accept or to reject?


66                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



The Strength of Youth
                                     LOVE, ONLY LOVE
                                                  Rev. J. Korteving

      Covenant youth should consider it a challenge to try known book, The Secular City, in which he criticizes
to understand the reasonings that lie behind modern the institute of the church for her failure to get
day behavior. I'm confident that responsible young involved in society and proposes specifically how
people, who love the Lord and desire to be students of situation ethics can benefit society. A year later, 1966,
His Word, view life seriously. If we take a superficial Joseph Fletcher of the Episcopal Theological School at
attitude, we will quite naturally be stirred emotionally Cambridge, wrote his book,  Situation Ethics.  In this
by rock music, by the bold "realism" of the cinema, or work he reasons out the basic idea involved in the
by the sincerity of the draft dodger, Yet, if we pause ethics of this new movement.
a moment to analyze the reasoning and motivation              Situation ethics is the illegimate child conceived by
that lies behind them, we will conclude that they are the immoral union of pseudo Christianity and Exis-
not only wrong but satan's attempt to destroy us.           tential philosophy. For many years she lay in the
      At a time in our lives when emotions tend to womb of the church, but now the "church" has given
dominate our conduct, we must, "try the spirits birth to this rebellious offspring. The faithful Church
whether they be of God," I John 4: 1.                       denies any association with her and labels her properly
      To help you in this venture, I would like to take a as a harlot, who prostitutes herself and all who follow
behind the scene survey. Come with me and let's try to her in the ways of hell. The apostate church praises
find out why so many people today no longer regard her, and calls her sinful life virtuous.
sin as sin, but glorify it as good and worthy. How is it      Since Fletcher's book,  Situation Ethics,  is repre-
that men in the church no longer condemn this, but sentative of the rationale of the ethical system, we will
advocate it for young people. How can so many young lean heavily on his material in presenting this view-
people who call themselves Christians, have the point.
"luxury" to sin without feeling guilty.                       The closest thing that one can find of a definition of
      The answer lies in their acceptance of situation situation ethics is on page 158, "Christian ethics or
ethics.                                                     moral theology is not a scheme of living according to a
      In the year 1963, Bishop John A.T. Robinson wrote code, but a continuous effort to relate love to a world
a book, Honest to God. Decades prior to the publica- of relativities through a casuistry obedient to love; its
tion of this book, leaders in the Christian church were constant task is to work out the strategy and tactics of
corrupting the truths of the Word of God. They denied love, for Christ's sake."
the infallibility of the Scriptures. They rejected the        To make this explicit, Fletcher develops six prop-
cardinal doctrines of Scripture, e.g. the trinity, the ositions. For the sake of brevity, we will quote them
virgin birth of Christ, the divine atonement, etc. What and offer a few comments. Criticism will await a future
they did however, was use traditional Christian termi- article.
nology, only they poured a different meaning into it.         The first proposition is quoted on page 57, "Only
They continued to speak of the trinity, but they did one thing is intrinsically good, namely, love: nothing
not mean three Persons in the one Godhead; they else at all. He reasons this way, "Hence it follows that
spoke of three manifestations of the one God. Soon in Christian situation ethics, nothing is worth anything
they reduced God to an abstract power and denied His in and of itself. It gains or acquires its value only
personality. This process continued and soon the because it happens to help persons (thus being good)
doctrines of Scripture, maintained by the historic or to hurt persons (thus being bad)," p. 59. There are
Christian Church, were distorted. Bishop Robinson no  things,  deeds that are per se good or bad. They
came forth and said this was not honest. So, he become either, through helping or hurting the neigh-
published his book and stripped away the pretension bor. The idea that love is intrinsically good, according
and openly developed.his wrong ideas of God, Christ, to Fletcher, rests in God Himself, "Only in the divine
the universe, and morals. Robinson openly and will- being, only in God, is love substantive. With men it is a
ingly became an honest heretic.                             formal principle, a predicate. Only with God is it a
      Amidst the furor that followed, these heresies, that property. This is because God is love. Men, who are
so long lay cuddled in the depraved breast of these finite, only do love. . . .And in the Bible the image of
church leaders, were developed. Harvey Cox of God, man's model, is not reason, but love. `God is not
Harvard University came forth in 1965 with his well reason but love, and he employs reason as the


                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 67


instrument of his love,' " page 63. This leads him to "We have a moral obligation to obey civil law, for
write, "If a lie is told unlovingly it is wrong, evil; if it is order's sake; and we have a moral obligation to be
told in love it is good, right," p. 65. It is eye opening situational (even disobeying the law) for love's sake.
that Bishop Pike is not radical enough for Fletcher . . . Law and freedom from law can be duties, but love
because Pike, "ends with the opinion that a justifiable is the basic principle," p. 10 1.
violation of a sound principle (e.g. homicide is wrong)          The fourth proposition is, "Love wills the neighbor's
is never good however "right" situationally!" Fletcher good whether we like him or not," p. 103. At this
maintains that such a violation is also good.                  point Fletcher makes a few comments of his idea of
  This is evident in the second proposition, "The love, "Agape's desire is to satisfy the neighbor's need,
ruling norm of Christian decision is love: nothing else," not one's own, but the main thing about it is that
page 69. In explaining this point, Fletcher reveals his agape's love precedes all desire, of any kind. It is not
attitude toward the law of God. "But here lies the             at all an emotional norm or motive. It is volitional,
issue. Is the summary (of Christ, Matt. 22:37-39) to be conative." Fletcher does not take into consideration
taken as a compendium or as a distillation: Legalists the content of the love of God and its relationship to
take it as a compendium, as a collection and conflation us, nor does he do justice to the relationship between
of many laws, obedience to all of them being implicit the Old and New Testaments. He limits the scope of
in their coming together as a summary. Situationists, love to our own rational ideas of it. This allows him to
however, take it to mean a distillation, i.e. that the offer this evil counsel, "A young unmarried couple
essential spirit and ethos of many laws has been might decide, if they make their decisions Christianly,
distilled or liberated, extracted, filtered out, with the to have intercouse (e.g. by getting pregnant to force a
legal husks, or rubbish, thrown away as dross," p. 7 1, selfish parent to relent his overbearing resistance to
Love is supreme over law, for, "We follow law, if at all, their marriage). But as Christians they would
for love's sake; we do not follow love for law's sake." never merely say, "It's all right if we like each other!"
Quoting Gal. 5: 14, "But the whole law is fulfilled in Loving concern can make it all right, but mere liking
one word, love thy neighbor as thyself," he insists that cannot," p. 104. Since Christ teaches us in Matt.
the law of the Old Testament is past and impossible to         5:4348 that we love our enemies, Fletcher concludes,
be observed today. Besides, our "real motives can hide         "What more, that is to say, do you accomplish with
effectively behind rules as behind free contextual philic  love than anybody else? Friendship, romance,
choices. Law is a common camouflage, and makes a self-realization - all these loves are reciprocal. Agape is
much better disguise. It is harder to hide  double-            not. It seeks that good of anybody, everybody,"
dealing when you have no protective cover of law.              p. 107. (Note philos and agape are Greek terms for
Being legally right may mean nothing at all morally, as love, and indicate a different quality of the love
any acquaintance with money lenders and technical expressed.)
virgins will show," p. 85.                                       His fifth proposition, "Only the end justifies the
  His third proposition is, "Love and justice are the means; nothing else," p. 120. In explaining this point,
same, for justice is love distributed, nothing else," he does not say any end justifies the means, rather the
p. 86. He explains this as follows, "How are we to love only end that is of concern for the Christian namely,
justice, how are we to be just about love, how are love        love. "What else could make a thing lawful, according
and justice related? If to love is to seek the neighbor's to the only law left in the New Testament, i.e. Jesus'
welfare, and justice is being fair as between neighbors,       Summary? The answer is clear. Nothing. Nothing
then how do we put these two things together in our makes a thing good except agapeic expedience; nothing
acts, in the situation? The answer is that in the              can justify an act except a loving purpose," p. 125. In
Christian ethic the twain become one. Even if we judging each situation, there are four basic questions to
define justice as giving to others what is their due, we be raised in every case. We must ask what is the end or
must redefine it Christianly. For what is it that is due to    purpose, what are the means to acquire the end, what
our neighbors? It is love that is due - only love (Owe is the motive in doing so, and finally what are the
no man anything, except to love). Love is justice, consequences. In each instance the guide line of love
justice is love," p. 88. Employing the metaphor of must prevail. If it does, no matter what the deed may
ballistics, he distinguishes our love of the neighbor be, it will be justifiable.
from that of a rifle bullet (one neighbor) to that of a          Fletcher's sixth proposition is, "Love's decisions are
shotgun blast (many neighbors). The justice of love has made situationally, not prescriptively," p. 134. Ac-
to be determined by the greatest number of neighbors cording to Fletcher, rules, laws, codes are childish
receiving benefit. "Qn a vast scale of `agapeic (Greek attempts to make life simple. He taunts, "They cannot'
for love) calculus' President Truman made his decision trust themselves too much to the freedom of grace;
about the A-bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki." This they prefer the comfortableness of law." The tragedy
idea of love and justice being one, forms the backbone is that a so-called love without its roots in the love of
for a defense of civil disobedience as practiced today, God revealed in Jesus Christ, expresses itself in sin


68                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



under the pretense of love. Such a love is not really a fruits of this ethics bear testimony before God.
love, it is the license to disobey God. The end of such Throughout this book, the author, justifies murder,
love, the means of expressing it, the motive, and the abortion, adultery, fornication, stealing, lying, and all
consequences are determined by man, not God. When the rest.
this prevails, man slumps into the cesspools of deprav-       All this supposedly in the name of love.
ity, thinking he is standing upon the mountain of faith.      Be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a
      The Lord willing, we will criticize this position in man soweth, that shall he also reap.
our next article. If nothing else speaks to us, let the


In His Fear

                                   Sowing The Seed
                                                    (Con timed)

                                                 Rev. John A. Heys

      Thus far we gave you part of the report of the program, which now fell through till the next year.
emissaries to Jamaica of 1968. In that report the days      And so the Lord provided us with a suitable place for
from June 25 through July 7 were treated and now we         the rest of our stay on the island. On Wednesday, July
continue from there as the labours shift to the western     16, we had a service at Johnsontown and Thursday one
end of the island, some 100 miles away from Islington.      at Waterworks. Both services were enjoyable. The
We kept in contact with Rev. Elliott and his churches, morning of Thursday was spent again in an act of
however, as will soon become plain. But it emphasizes mercy. We got Rev. and Mrs. Ruddock from Porters
a statement which we made on several instances of Mt. to bring them to the eye doctor for an examina-
reporting to different groups. If the Lord would give us    tion. We gave them bus fare to get back home, but the
the men, we could use three teams, one in the Lucea         bus was too late in the morning for them to keep their
area; one in the Westmoreland area and St. Elizabeth appointment with Dr. Margetson. On Friday we
district, and one in the east around Islington, Port        investigated customs at the Montego  B&y airport,
Maria, Fellowship Hall, and by all means Mahoe. The where the customs offices were located. They advised
report now continues.                                       us not to go to Kingston for the clothing when it
      Rather than weary you with too much detail, but to comes but to contact the railway company and to have
show you that we had a rather full schedule, let us list    them take care of the details and to ship it to Montegc
the work of the weeks in broader steps. Monday we           Bay by rail from Kingston. They also informed us thal
returned to Lucea to the place that we had arranged         we were working without a permit, and instructed UI
for on our first visit there. We got our first mail that    to apply for such next time.
day since leaving home. We had left June 24, and now          We were in Lucea Sunday and witnessed a Sunday
it was July 8. While we were eating our somewhat School class led by an elder. Rev. Heys preached on
impromptu evening meal, for the electricity went off Lord's Day  XXIa in the morning to a very attentive
while preparing the meal and while things were only audience. It seems as though this congregation is able
half cooked, Rev. Frame came with a telegram from to grasp the deeper truths more quickly than some ol
Grand Rapids. The clothing would arrive at Kingston the other congregations. After going down hill  fol
somewhere between July 11 and 16. So we decided to lunch and up again we began our informal afternoon
move back to Montego Bay the next day if we could           meetings. We got on top of the hill just before a very
find a place. We had expected the shipment to arrive heavy downpour of rain fell. Because of the noise or
much later, and it did; but we had no way of knowing the tin roof, we were not able to hear each other speak
that at the time. We were told in the telegram to wait until after the rain stopped. We then played the Hope
for the papers; and these we expected to receive Herald's tape (Their contribution to the work con-
shortly after July 16. We did get a place in Montego sisting of instructions in regard to learning to sing the
Bay, the same place as that of last year under a Psalter numbers), having played the Mission Com-
different arrangement. We had tried to go there from the mittee greetings already on June 26. We then discussed
start but were told, before we left home, that they Psalm 23 with the brethren and sisters. We were
would not be able to have us because they planned to        happily surprised that morning to find that most of the
add a second story to the building and would close up Reading congregation, where we had been the Sunday
the entire villa. But they were delayed in their building. morning before, had travelled all the way to Lucea to


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 69



 be at the services. They said that they again enjoyed Kingston beginning August 18  - the day we had
 the discussion on Psalm 23. The evening sermon by our farewell service at Lucea. He had gotten Rev. Heys'
 Rev. Heys was based on Proverbs 28: 13 and was well name off a pamphlet of the S. Holland Church
 received.                                                   Publication Committee, which sends regularly 25
   Having received another $1,500 from the  Hudson- copies of each pamphlet to the three ministers in
 ville diaconate we travelled to Lucea Monday to Jamaica to distribute. Rev. Heys' daughter forwarded
 deposit it in the bank. Rev. Heys had the task that this letter to him just in time for our trip to Kingston.
 week of getting a Standard Bearer article in the mail, Because of his interest in us, we decided to visit him.
 and the one, "Blest with Hunger" was written. The We did not find him home but told his wife that we
 mid-week services were at Mt. Lebanon - high on the would stop in the next morning on the way home. We
 mountain again  - and Shrewsbury. The sermon at then looked at manifest after manifest of the shipping
 Shrewsbury on John 1: 12 received an enthusiastic companies trying to locate the clothing. A broker
 response from Rev. Frame and much reaction from the offered his services, and we took his name and address
 audience. Wednesday we had gone to see Mr. Graham, in case we would need him. He advised us to go back
 a retired judge, about the legal aspect of the church home, since we could do nothing until we got those
 buildings. He agreed to help us, and we already sent papers. On Wednesday we did visit Rev. Brown who
 you his advice. Friday again was an errand of mercy. seemed very sincere and desirous of affiliating with us.
 The examination revealed that Mrs. Ruddock needed We promised to send him some literature so that he
 an operation on her eye - `and in six months on the might know more of us and of our doctrinal stand. The
 other one  - to preserve her sight. We got them and service at Santa Cruz was held with a quiet but
 brought them to the hospital, waited till after the attentive audience while Proverbs  28:13 was treated
 operation was over and then drove them back home. for the sermon text. Thursday's service was at Grange
 They do thinks differently in Jamaica; and she was Hill. This is one of Rev. Elliott's congregations but is
 eager to be back home with her children. We also gave served by Rev. Williams. The congregation listened
 them money for the medicine to be applied to the eye.       attentively to an exposition of Revelation 22: 12. Very
 The operation cost $25 and was paid for out of a sum good contact with the people was established early in
 that Rev. Heys received from a member of First the sermon and kept throughout. Last year we had a
 Church in Grand Rapids to spend `on the poor. The very enjoyable service here, and again this year. Friday
 medicine expenses came out of the collections from we went to see Rev. Ruddock upon receiving a letter
 the Poor Fund. Hearing nothing, and now it was July 20 about a woman in his congregation at Mt. Lebanon
 already, about -that shipment of clothing, and  receiv- who needed an operation. We gave him money to take
 ingno papers yet we went to the railway company, and her to the doctor in Savanah Lamar for an examina-
 they suggested that we go to Kingston to inquire tion.
 there. We planned to go on Monday.                            Sunday, July 28 we will never forget.' We. left
   Sunday we spent with Rev. Ruddock at Fort "home" at  6:45 A.M. to be at Hope Hill for a river
 William. The morning sermon was well received, but baptism at 8 A.M. of 8 young women and one young
1 the evening sermon was not. The audience was simply man. We then had to climb by foot, and at times it
 worn out - as we surely were - of Sunday School in seemed almost like on all fours, for 20-30 minutes up a
 the morning and a service and then a long drawn out steep grade and winding trail where the church was
 Sunday School in the afternoon before the evening located. Sunday School was first and the sermon did
 service, without anything to eat or drink since noon.       not begin till well after. 12 noon. We got down to our
 The hard seats did not make it easier. We were almost car about 2: 15 and -quickly ate our packed lunch and
 too weary to drive the hour and fifteen minutes home.       then left for Belmont. Here we discussed Psalm 23
   Because of our weariness the night before - which finding it simple-enough for them. We have a recording
 the heat of the next day did not remove - we decided        of this group discussion. Some very enthusiastic
 not to go to Kingston that day. And since it is an responses were obtained in the evening service. And we
 all-day drive up and an all-day drive back, and since we    arrived home about  9:30 P.M. after a tremendously
 had to be in Santa Cruz for a service Wednesday busy and eventful day.
 evening, and Santa Cruz is on the way  "oack from             Tuesday we went to Cave Mt. for an evening service.
 Kingston, we planned to go Tuesday and make it all in Here as well as at Hope Hill we were disappointed in
 one' trip. As it was Rev. Elliott came over Monday the reception of the sermon. Rev. Heys preached at
 morning and Rev. Frame Monday afternoon to see us.          Hope Hill in connection with that river baptism on
 We were glad that we did not miss them and -make            Lord's Day XXIa, but the people were so weary of all
 their trips in vain. On Tuesday we did leave for the walking to and from the baptism and the lengthy
 Kingston and with an added reason. A certain Rev.           service from 7 A.M. till almost 2 P.M. that they could
 Brown of Kingston, Saint Andrews, had written Rev.          not listen, and we were very weary ourselves. At Cave
 Heys inviting him to a conference to be held in Mt. it was, perhaps, the text, which for them was too


70                                          THE STANDARD BEARER



doctrinal. It was II Corinthians  5:21, "For He hath Rev. Elliott met us at the bottom of the hill and
made Him to be sin for us Who knew no sin, that we warned us not to try to climb it. The people
might be made the righteousness of God in Him." themselves likewise were not able to come to church.
These children need milk and are not ready for solid Earlier in the week, it was Tuesday, the papers of the
meat with few exceptions. We all were somewhat blue shipment of clothing came in the mail. The shipment
about the events of Sunday through Tuesday evening, had arrived on the Jamaica Provider at Kingston the
wondering what went wrong. But Thursday evening we         27th of July, which was 11 days after that date of July
were again greatly encouraged by the response at           16. So Friday we went to the Railway Company and
Galloway. The text was more on their level. It was the arranged to have it brought to  Montego   Bay.  A few
miracle of Jesus stilling the stormy sea. The text was days later we paid the broker's fee, the  wharfage fee
Matthew  14:22-33, and we have a recording of the and the over-time  per&y  which  begins  sh&ly  after
sermon on tape. The service scheduled for Wednesday unloading.  This is unavoidable,  unless one  I.&s in
evening was called off due to the heavy afternoon rain.    Kingston and gets the papers on time.


Pages from the Past
                              Believers and Their Seed
                                             Rev. Herman Hoeksema

                                            CHAPTER  VI (CONTINUED)
                            THE HISTORICAL REALIZATION OF THE COVENANT

      We state this once more because we are indeed of life, then he stood in Paradise as God's prophet. With
the conviction that. here is one of the most  funda- all his knowledge he was servant. And as that knowing
mental principles of a Scriptural and Reformed servant, he had the calling to know his God rightly in
presentation, and because a thoroughly unscriptural all the works of His hands and then to speak of Him
and un-Reformed view has already for a long time and His virtues, to magnify Him, and to stand and to
found acceptance among our people. The so-called fight for His honor. If you view that friend-servant
covenant of works is then a kind of agreement between relationship from the viewpoint of the life of his will
God and Adam, an agreement which really was and his desires, then Adam was God's priest. For also
concluded in an altogether mechanical manner. That with all the life of his heart and will he was servant of
agreement consists, then,  - according to many a God. And as such he had the calling to will and to love
catechism book,  - in a condition, a promise, and a the Lord his God and to consecrate himself, with all
threat. The condition, then, is obedience, consisting things, to God. And, finally, if you consider that same
especially in this, that Adam might not eat of the tree servanthood from the viewpoint of Adam's power in
of the knowledge of good and evil. The promise is relation to the creation in the midst of which he was
supposed to have been that Adam would be able to           placed, then he was king under God. Also as king he
merit eternal life in case he obeyed. And the threat was servant. And it was his calling in the first Paradise
consisted in this, that he would surely die. in case he to reign over all the works of God's hand in the name
transgressed God's commandment. Over against this of the Lord and under Him and according to His
mechanical conception of God's covenant, we propose ordinances. As such Adam's place in God's covenant
that the covenant consists essentially in a relation of required absolute and unconditional obedience. If he
friendship, that God  the. Lord had placed Adam in became disobedient, then he thereby broke God's
Paradise in that relation to Himself already through his covenant, as far as he was concerned; then he forfeited
very creation after the image of God, and that in that God's favor and he lost life; then he must surely die.
relation he possessed life and was blessed. Of course, To this must be added that Adam must be all this and
Adam would be able to keep life in the way of must live in this position in an antithetical manner.
obedience: for only in that way could he enjoy the The choice  for  his God must stand thus before his
favor of God. He was the servant of the Lord; Servant consciousness, that at the same time he chose against
of God he was with his entire existence and with all Satan; he must serve God with rejection of all that was
things. Hence, he was God's prophet, God's priest, not according to the will of God. For this reason the
God's king. If you consider his friend-servant relation- tree of the knowledge of good and evil was there. For
ship from the viewpoint of his intellectual faculty and this  .reason also the temptation through the serpent


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   71



took place. Adam stood as the friend-servant of God in explains by teaching us that all have sinned through
Paradise the First for the antithesis, and as of the party the one man, and that through the disobedience of
of God he lived the life of the covenant antithetically.     that one man guilt has come upon all men unto
  Now Adam stood in that covenant of God with and condemnation. And all this is only true if both in the
for and at the head of his seed, the human race. The judicial and the organic sense of the word the human
human race does not consist of a mass of individuals, race is included and comprehended in the first man
wherein each one stands and falls his own master. Thus Adam. Hence, Adam stands in God's covenant with
it is, as far as we can infer, in the angel-world. There is and for and at the head of his seed, the entire race of
indeed also in the world of the angels order and rank men.                                         (To i?e Corztinued)
and affinity, but not in the same manner as is true
among mankind. God did not create the angels in one;                     B O O K   R E V I E W
but He did thus create the human race. God created
the human race in Adam, presently forms the woman                               Prof H. Hanko
out of that one man, and then allows the whole human CAPTIVE TO THE WORD, by A. Skevington Wood;
race to come forth, not through creation, but through Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969; 192 pp.,
organic development out of that one human pair. The $4.50.
entire race of men, therefore, is literally in that first      The title of this book was taken from Martin
pair of human beings and comes forth organically out Luther's words spoken before the Diet of Worms: "I
of them. Adam, therefore, also stands in the first am bound by the Scriptures . . . and my conscience is
Paradise as the bearer of the human nature. He is that captive to the Word of God." The book is not intended
as the root of the entire organism of our race. All that to be a history of the Lutheran Reformation. Nor is it
shall ever blossom forth on the tree of our race and a biography of Martin Luther. It is rather a detailed
that shall come to manifestation in the life of the race discussion of the influence of the Scriptures upon
is present in him as in a seed, and comes forth from Martin Luther personally, upon the Reformation
him as from the root. It was indeed all present in him; which God wrought through him, and a discussion of
but in Adam personally all this could never develop Luther's own profound reliance upon the Scriptures
and manifest itself. Only then, when out of him the and views of the Scriptures.
human nature would unfold and reveal itself and be             The book is divided into two main sections. The
borne by thousands and millions of human individuals, first section is mainly historical and deals with the
would it develop itself in all its riches of gifts and importance of Scripture in the early years of Luther's
powers. And in connection with all this, the first Adam life. The second section is divided into two sub-parts:
stands in God's covenant also as the head of our race in the first speaks of Luther as commentator; preacher,
the judicial sense of the word. He represents our race translator and reformer. The second deals with
before the face of God. There is in our race not only Luther's views on the authority, the revelation, the
an organic unity and affinity, but also a judicial inspiration, the unity, the interpretation and the
solidarity, which finds its bond in the first man as he Christ-centredness of Scripture.
stands at the head of all before God. All this is              The book is very well written, is filled with
evidently the truth as it is revealed to us in Scripture extremely valuable information, is scholarly and com-
and as it is confessed by the Reformed fathers, and is prehensive and is highly recommended to our readers
also the testimony of history and experience. As far as as an especially worth-while addition to their libraries.
the latter is concerned, history and experience teach One excellent accomplishment of the book (although
that not one man, either presently living or ever having it seems unintended> is the vivid portrayal of the
lived, is good and without sin. This is simply an magnitude of Luther's break with Rome. This was
undeniable fact. To want to explain this fact from a refreshing in these days when evil ecumenicity seeks by
once-given bad example, as the Pelagians would have it, every means to minimize the difference between Rome
is not only altogether too superficial, but it is also not and Protestantism.
in harmony with the experience of all ages. It is simply
not true that human nature improves itself through a
better example or in the midst of a more favorable                             IN MEMORIAM
environment. In fact, the contrary is true. No, the            Early in the morning of October 9, 1969, at the age
nature itself has become corrupt, and that, too, in the of 63 years, it pleased our Lord to take unto Himself,
one man who was the bearer of the entire human after a long illness, our beloved sister and aunt
nature. Only this explains the universality of sin and                      MISS ANN FLIKKEMA
corruption. But what is more, thus the Scriptures              "And we know. that all things work together for
instruct us. For we are conceived and born in sin and good to them that love God, to them who are the
iniquity, and the imagination of the man's heart is          called according to His purpose." Romans 8 :28.
wicked from his youth up. And all this Holy Writ                            Sisters, Brothers, Nieces and Nephews.


72                                                             THE STANDARD BEARER



                                         News From Our Churches

                     REPORT OF CLASSIS  EAST                                          Our brethren and sisters in Jamaica will be happy to learn
                             October  1,1969                                       that the  consistory  of Southwest Church has granted Rev.
                            At Hope Church.                                        Lubbers permission to labor among them for a few months.
                                                                                   They, no doubt, will welcome their good friend back with open
      The Rev. R.C. Harbach, who presided over the July meeting                    arms and grateful hearts,, showing their usual eagerness to learn
of  Classis,  led in the opening devotions. After the Credentials of more of the truths of Scripture as they have been set forth in
the various delegates were accepted, he pronounced the  Classis                    the Reformed Confessions. Let us remember this faithful
properly constituted, and turned the hammer over to Rev. J.A.                      servant of the Lord in our prayers as he ministers to  His people
Heys, who then addressed the  Classis  with a few chosen words                     in a strange land.  ". . . . . the isles shall wait upon me, and in
and presided over the rest of the session.                                         mine arm shall they trust. " Isaiah 5 1: 5
      All of the churches were represented by two delegates each,
Three of the delegates attended the  Classis  for the, first time,                                                  ***
and were therefore required to sign the Formula Of Subscrip-
tion.                                                                                 The Men's League scheduled it's Fall meeting for Oct. 13 in
      Much of the work of  Classis  was routine: the reading and                   Holland  Mich. Rev. J.A. Heys was the speaker; his topic, "The
approval of minutes, and reports of the Stated Clerk and                           Church and the Space Program". During the course of the
Classical Committee, the asking and answering of the Questions                     speech the men were increasingly appreciative of the fact that
of Article 41 of  tlie Church Order, and the decision re the time                  the Church has a Faith Program instead of a space program.
and place of the next meeting.
      Classis also received a request from  Classis West and of                                                     ***
Southwest Church to help  fil their vacant pulpits. The latter
church was in need of supply because Rev. Lubbers is planning
to serve once more for several months in Jamaica,  -`at the                           Rev. Schipper, of our Southeast Church, enjoyed a "day-off'
request of the Mission Committee.                                                  Sunday, Oct. 5 through the gracious offer of Prof. Hoeksema to
      Classis adopted the following schedule:                                      conduct the two services of the day. This  was  prompted by
                                                                                   concern for his pastor "in the midst of a very heavy schedule"
SOUTHWEST: Nov.  9-Professor  Nov.  16-Schipper  Nov.                              in which he was involved.
23-Harbach  Nov.  30-Van   Baren Dec.  7Professor Dec.  14Heys
D e c .   21Professor   D e c .   28-Harbach   J a n .   4-Kortering  J a n .                                       ***
11-Heys. HULL: Oct.  12-19-26-Van   Baren  Dec.  21-28-Jan.
4-Veldman PELLA: Nov. 30  - Dec.  7-14Kortering.  SOUTH                               From Loveland's school principal we learn that one-third of
HOLLAND: Oct.  12-Veldman  Oct.  26Schipper  Nov. 9 Heys                           the student body are from three families from two churches
N o v .   3 0 - H e y s   D e c .   14Schipper   D e c .   21-Harbach   J a n .    outside of our denomination. In the school paper, "The
1lSchipper  Jan. 25Harbach.                                                        Loveland Ledger" Miss Hoekstra informs her readers that she
      Classis also treated Committee Reports of two committees                     has some students who ask for more assignments; others who
appointed in the July  Classis  which took up most of the time of                  voluntarily work ahead; and some, who have considered
this session, which ended after 5 o'clock in the afternoon.                        themselves to be behind in their work, who conscientiously
      The Church Visitors also tendered their report, which gave                   volunteer some of their play-time to catch up! This would seem
clear evidence that the Lord is blessing our churches in this area                 to be the modern anti-establishmentarianism in reverse!
of our denomination.
      Classis decided to meet next time, the first Wednesday of
January, in Southeast Church.
      Rev. G. Van  Baren and Rev. M. Schipper were chosen to                          The P.R. High School Circle invited the Rev. Schipper to
serve on the Classical Committee along with Rev. G. Lubbers                        speak at their meeting of Sept. 22. The High School Choir,
whose term had not yet expired.                                                    under the direction of Mr. Petersen, led the membership into
      Classis  enjoyed its stay in Hope, and especially the fme                    the praise of God by singing a few choice selections from their
catering service of the Martha's of Hope Church.                                   repertoire of sacred music.
      Rev. G. Lubbers was asked to offer the concluding prayer of
thanksgiving.                                                                                                       ***
                                                         M. Schipper, SC.             The Adams St. School Mother's Club- meeting of Oct. 2
                                                                                   featured Seminarian Rodney Miersma as speaker; his theme:
                                    ***                                            "And thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children".  &z&
                                                                                   6:7. Mr. Miersma is also engaged in pre-ministerial "interning"
      Rev. R. Decker, of  Doon, Iowa, has accepted the call                        as he teaches some catechism classes for First Church.
extended him by our church in South Holland, Ill; and,  Doon
has already named a trio from which they will choose one to fti                    . . . see you in church
Rev. Decker's place: the Revs. D. Kuiper, D. Engelsma and H.
Veldman .                                                                                                                                      J.M.F.


