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




IN THIS ISSUE


     Meditation:              '
        Desiring A Better Country

     Editorial:

        Evaluation of ACT's Translation

     For Children Only!

        (see: Come Ye Apart...)

     News of Church Assemblies
        (see: All Around Us)




                                                 Volume XL VI/ Number 20 /September 1,197O


458                                                       THE STANDARD BEARER


                           CONTENTS                                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER
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                                                                                   Published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association, Inc.
Meditation                                                                               Second Class Postage Paid at Grand Rapids, Mich.
   Desiring A Better Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .458            Editor-in-Chief: Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
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                                                                             Herman Hanko, Rev. Robert C. Harbach,  pev. John A. Heys, Rev. Jay
Editorials -                                                                 Kortering, Rev. George C. Lubbers, Rev. Marinus  Schipper,.Rev.  Gise J.
   Editor's Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 1    Van  Baren, Rev. Herman  Veldman. Rev.  Bernard Woudenberg
   Evaluation of ACT's Translation . . . . . . . . . . . .46 1               Editorial Office:  Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
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Meditation

                                       Desiring A Better Country
                                                               Rev. M. Schipper

             "`But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to
            be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. "
                                                                                                                      Hebrews  11:16.

  "But now they . . . "                                                      with the immediately preceding context. In other
  The writer of this epistle is still speaking of those                      words, the writer to the Hebrews is not contrasting
heroes of faith mentioned in the preceding context,                          what took place in the old dispensation with what is
particularly Abraham and Sarah, who had  demon-                              true now; but he is referring to the faith and hope of
strated a faith all the saints of God ought to emulate.                      the saints of whom he had been speaking. In the
And the words "but now" indicate that the words of                           immediately preceding verse he had written: "If they
our text are not in a temporal, but a logical connection                     had been mindful of that country from whence they


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   459


came out, they might have had. opportunity to have           Always in the epistle to the Hebrews the Word of
returned." That is, if these patriarchs had wanted to God by comparison speaks of the  .better: a better
return to the place where they came from (i.e., their hope, a better covenant, better promises, better sacri-
earthly fatherland), they could have done so. But now, fices, a better and enduring substance, a better resur-
as things really were, they didn't desire this, but they rection; and according to our text, a better country.
desired and sought after a better country, an heavenly.      Always the reality is better than the type, the
  The patriarchs, those heroes of faith, sojourned in a heavenly better than the earthly. Therefore also while
strange country, and while they did so, they looked for the elect strangers wandered in the typical land, they
a better.                                                  could not be satisfied until they had attained to the
  Of Abraham we read in verse 10, that he looked for better. And the reason, no doubt, was that the typical
a city which hath foundations, whose builder and always pointed away from itself to the reality. 0, in-
maker is God.                                              deed, the typical was beautiful, a land that flowed with
  We read in the verses 13 and 14 of these heroes of milk and honey. But it was so imperfect. God was
faith that all died in faith, not having received the there, but always behind curtains where none could
promises, but having seen them afar off, and were per- approach to Him but the priest and that only with
suaded of them, and embraced them, confessing that blood. God's covenant was realized there in the genera-
they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. And the tions of the believers, but always in a reprobate shell
writer to the Hebrews notes in this connection that and not without sin. Life could be lived.,there, but not
they who say and who do such things show plainly without  d.eath and its attending miseries. And pecu-
that they seek a country; a country of their own.          liarly this is precisely what the Lord was always
  In our text we read, that they desire a better coun- teaching His saints as they roamed amid the types and
try, that is, an heavenly.                                 shadows. Actually He was always saying to them: You
  A heavenly fatherland!                                   must look for something better, far better. You must
  No one understands better than the emigrant, one look for the highest manifestation of My covenant of
who migrates from the land of his birth to another friendship as it will be realized when you shall see Me
land, a strange land, what is implied in the term face to face, when you shall dwell in My house of
"fatherland." Coming to another country which to many mansions, when you shall experience the highest
him is strange, with strange customs, with its entirely possible manifestation of My grace, the pleasures that
different manner of living, he is a stranger in it. And are to be found at My right hand where you shall know
even though he is purposed to remain in it and not even as you are known, and dwell with Me forever-
return whence he came, his old fatherland, the land of more.
his nativity, of the language and customs of his youth,      To this better country the heroes of faith looked in
pulls at the heart-strings. Fatherland has the love of his hope! They had to see, as the Lord also taught them,
heart. There he felt at home in the fullest sense of the that the type, beautiful as it may have appeared, as a
word. There he lived with his own people, and spoke shadow would pass away. It was so temporary. It
the language which was familiar to him.                    would soon be overrun by enemies and destroyed. In it
  However, the `fatherland which the saints seek after the Israel of- God was never really safe, and soon it
is not the land or a return to the land of their natural would be taken away, from them and given to the in-
birth. But it is the land of their second birth. It is the vaders. But the heavenly fatherland was of endurable
heavenly fatherland, for they have been born again and substance: because God Who is the center of it all is
from above. They seek a better country, that is, an the everlasting God. There in the very center of it
heavenly.                                                  dwells the Triune God in the face of Christ Jesus, in
  0, assuredly the heavenly fatherland is a country!       the light of His eternal covenant.
  It is not an abstraction, merely a fanciful idea that      Nothing is conceivably greater and more glorious
has no reality!                                            than that! In the new heaven and new earth where
  Heaven is a real place, and much higher than all the righteousness shall dwell  - that is the better country
lands of the world. Of that country Canaan, to which which the saints desire.
Abraham was called, ,was but a type, and a very faint        Because of that desire, they are willing for a while to
picture. To this earthly Canaan Abraham and Sarah be strangers and pilgrims in the earth. Because of that
went, and there they lived with Isaac and Jacob in desire, they are also willing to lose all which they have
tents, and moved about in it as strangers. All that invested in the temporary. They are  wihing  to be
Abraham owned in it was the cemetery of Machpelah marked as strangers by the world round about them,
which he bought of the sons of Heth for four hundred even  ,willing to bear the reproach of that world that
shekels of silver. Never was it his intention to make the continually mocks them for being so stupid as not to
land a permanent abode. For he had a desire for a seek the things below. 0, when they speak of their
better country, that is, an heavenly.                      hope of something better, the world may deceptively
  A better country!                                        agree that they too are always looking for something


I    460                                              THE STANDARD BEARER


     better. The world realizes that what it has is filled with tive way, must certainly encourage us to continue con-
     many ills. Therefore the world is always seeking for im- stant in our hope. Positively, this implies that God is
     provement. It desires to eradicate all its ills, and make the greatly delighted in those who live out of this other-
     world a better place to live in. But it has no use for a worldly principle, and set their affection on the things
     world in the center of which God dwells. The hope of above.
     the world ends in death. The elect stranger is not de-             Because God is not ashamed to be called their God,
     ceived with the philosophy of something better of and because He positively finds delight in them, they
     which the world prates.                                          also shall never be ashamed.
            We should not make the mistake, however, to con-            For He hath prepared for them a city!
     clude that the elect strangers seek and are searching for          The .figures of the city and that of the fatherland are
     an undiscovered land, and possibly at last will discover not essentially different. Both refer essentially to the
     that the land of their hope does .not exist. Nor should          blessed estate and glorious inheritance God has pre-
     they in the expression of their hope ever leave the pared and promised to His saints. The difference be-
     impression with others that that possibility exists. Nay, tween the two is only one of viewpoint. The city
     they seek not in that unsatisfactory and disturbing makes the idea of fatherland more concrete. The city is
     sense. But they seek in the sense of projecting them- a well-planned, well-established entity containing all
     selves and their desire onward to the blessings God that which is requisite for well-rounded life and fellow-
     already prepared for them, and their faith grasps the ship. It stands in direct contrast to the tent in which
     promise, and their thoughts expatiate into the future,           the elect strangers are now required to dwell. The tent
     which is as sure to them as the present, because God is fragile, while the city is substantial. The tent is tem-
     has made it so. Thank God they have not to seek their porary, while the city is permanent. Not forever shall
     native soil as wanderers who may perchance fail in               the child of God live in a temporary, moveable, and
     their quest, and die at last homeless. The better coun- fragile dwelling; but his future home is permanently
     try is brought to them and certified to them by divine established. "We are come," says the writer to the
     promise, and sealed to them by divine power, and Hebrews in another place, "unto mount Sion, and unto
     made possible for them by divine mercy. In this hope the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem."
     they are saved. And all other longings are subjected to Paul, in Galatians 4, says: "But Jerusalem which is
     it.                                                              above is free, which is the mother of us all." And John
            Because this hope, this constant longing, this fervent    on Patmos was privileged to see "that great city, the
     desire is in them, God is not ashamed to be called their         holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God."
     God.                                                               That city God has prepared for them!
            Not ashamed of them is their God because He recog-          He prepared it in His counsel when He planned it;
     nizes in them the working and the power of His own               and in that counsel it was prepared from before the
     grace which He has-given to them. 0, how ashamed of foundation of the world. Therefore Abel,  Enoch,
     them He must be when they do not always live out of              Noah, and Abraham looked for a city which had foun-
     this hope, and reveal this desire! And what saint is he          dations, because it was there to the eye of their faith,
     who can boast that his desire is constantly fixed on the and into that city they did enter when their earthly
     better country? Does not Scripture itself reveal how             pilgrimage was over.
     that men like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had their                  He prepared it also in and through Christ, through
     moments when hope was dim and desire was weak?                   His perfect obedience and righteousness. And in His
     And is there anyone of us who moves about in our                 day that city shall be revealed in all of its glory. At
     affluent society today, who dares to boast that all his          God's right hand exalted, He has received power to
     hope and all of his desire is stayed on the city which           fulfill His promise to us that He will prepare a place for
     has foundations? But when we observe these weak-                 us in it. And when we are prepared by His grace and
     nesses and failures, neither can we boast that God is            Spirit for that place, we also shall enter into that city,
     not ashamed to be called our God. The text, therefore,           and the house with many mansions.
     means to teach that God is not ashamed to be called                Keep your eye of faith, and your desire of hope
     our God when His grace in us comes to manifestation,             fixed, therefore, on that city in the midst of the father-
     when it reveals itself in this fervent longing for our           land of God, pilgrim, and you shall never be ashamed,
     heavenly fatherland. That the text speaks in this nega-          world without end, .Amen!



                     Reserve September 24 for the Annual R.F.P.A. Meeting at Southwest Prot. Ref. Church


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 461


Editorials

                                          EDITOR'S NOTES

  Publication News. The first volume of the projected Wednesday evening, September 9, at the Hope Protes-
3-volume reprint of the Rev. Herman Hoeksema's The tant Reformed Church. Why this unusual change? The
Triple Knowledge, An Exposition  of  the Heidelberg answer is that this will also be the previously promised
Catechism,  will be published in early fall. As of this Seminary Night, held under the auspices of our Theo-
writing, the last details of preparation are being cared logical School Committee. An interesting program, in
for before this volume goes to press; and thereafter it which faculty and student body will take part, is being
should be ready within two months. This first volume prepared for the evening; and as many of our people as
will include the first three volumes of the original live near enough are invited and urged to attend and
IO-volume set (several of which are now out of print), thus to "live along" with our seminary a bit. Mean-
and-it will be attractively and serviceably published at while as we begin a new term of instruction and study,
an extremely reasonable price. Plans are to complete we commend our seminary to the prayers of our
the reprinting of the entire set within a year. Watch for churches. Mark this important date on your calendar
further announcements of this next RFPA publication! of events!
                           ***                                                         * * *
   Copy for some of our departments did not come in
this month; this accounts for a larger than usual quota        We call the special attention of our men to the an-
of "Believers and Their Seed," (which we also, by the nouncement of the annual meeting of the R.F.P.A.
way, plan to publish in book form when it is com- which appears elsewhere in this issue. Only too often
pleted in the near future). We have received several this meeting is poorly attended, due partly to the fact
questions for our Question Box; and we hope to begin that it gets crowded out by other events when the fall
answering them in the September 15 issue. To those season of activities begins. We urge you, one and all, to
who have sent in questions: patience, please!                keep this date, Sept. 24, open for this meeting. If you
                           ***                               are not a member of the R.F.P.A., join! The R.F.P.A.
  Seminary Convocation will be held, D.V., at 8 p.m., and the Standard Bearer need your active support!



                           Evaluation of ACT's Translation
                                                 Prof H.C. Hoeksema

  Continuing our evaluation of ACT, we call attention ACT: This is the one I meant when I said, `A man who
to a few more points at which, in our opinion, it does             comes after me has surpassed me because he was
not offer any improvement over the King James                      before me.'
Version. In some instances its translations are not accu-
rate; in some they are inconsistent; in some ACT fol-          Here is a rather minor change, perhaps. But the fact
lows rather radical tendencies in textual criticism; and remains that in the original we do not read, "This is
in some instances, there appears to be no weighty rea- the one I meant when I said. . . ." The KJV presents an
son for any change of language, nor any need of clarifi-     accurate and literal translation;,ACT does not, but even
cation. Admittedly, some of the changes which ACT of- in a minor expression such as this it inserts its own
fers are not of great importance; and yet, in the light of commentary by the words, "This is the one I meant
the fact that ACT purports to give a more accurate ren- when . . ." Besides, it is at least doubtful whether ACT
dering, even some of these less important changes ought offers any improvement and help by substituting "has
to be examined, in order that we may determine if surpassed me" for "is preferred before me."
ACT truly offers improvement.                                  In John  3:6 we find another instance where the
  First of all, we call attention to John 1:30. We pre-      translation is not accurate. Here is the passage:
sent both translations:                                      KJV: That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
KJV: This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man              which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
      which is preferred before me: for he was before ACT: Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth
      me.                                                          to spirit.


462                                            THE STANDARD BEARER


  Here again, if the question is one  of accuracy  of I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me
translation, the producers of ACT will have to grant,         into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth
on the basis of Greek, that the KJV is accurate, while        down before me." In general, my preference is to in-
ACT is not. Nor is there anything difficult to under-         clude in the text that which our King James Version
stand about the language of the KJV here. Hence,              includes in all so-called doubtful passages, and to leave
there does not appear to be reason for change of any          such matters for commentaries. Call it the mind of
kind.                                                         safety if you will, but personally I would much rather
  A third example is John  3:36, where we  find the           include too much in a Bible version than too little.
following well-known words:                                     The second instance which involves the text itself is
KJV: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting the entire passage of John 7: 53 to John 8: 11. This in-
         life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not    cludes the entire narrative of the woman taken in adul-
         see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.       tery. ACT includes this passage, but inserts before the
ACT: Whoever puts his faith in the Son has eternal            passage a disturbing note which can serve no useful
                                                              purpose and which can only serve to raise doubts ,m the
         life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see
         that life, for God's wrath remains on him.           mind of the reader not only about this particular pas-
                                                              sage but also about the whole matter of the trust-
  There are three changes made by ACT in this verse:          worthiness of our Bible. Here is the note which is
1) ACT unnecessarily uses the words "puts his faith inserted: "The consensus of textual scholarship is that
in." Why not simply "believes in," especially in the John 7:53-8: 11 is not a part of Scripture. It appears in
light of the fact that ACT itself is not consistent, but some manuscripts here or after John  7:36 or. after
elsewhere renders the very same expression in                 Luke  21:38. It may, however, report a true incident
John 6:40 by "believes in"? 2) ACT offers the highly          in the life of Jesus." Now it seems to me that if ACT
questionable translation "rejects," a strong and posi-        states that this is the consensus of textual scholarship,
tive word for a term which in the Greek is negative and       and if ACT puts any confidence in such textual schol-
can very well be rendered by "believeth not" or by            arship, then it should also have the courage of its con-
"disobeyeth." 3) ACT inserts the word "that" in the           victions and simply leave the passage out; and in that
last part of the verse, an insertion which is neither         case I would prefer that the passage be left out without
accurate nor necessary. The word "that" does not oc-          even a footnote. Why raise doubts in the mind of the
cur in the original. It might even leave the impression       ordinary Bible reader, especially doubts which he can-
that while he who does not believe shall not see that         not possibly resolve by personal study? For my own
life, he could see some other life, while the meaning of part, however, I would certainly leave the passage in, as
the text is that he shall not see any life whatsoever.        the KJV does; and I would leave it in without a fo'ot-
  Next, we call attention to two instances where the          note. Evidently when all is said and done, according to
inclusion or omission of parts of the text is involved.       ACT's note, it must be granted that this passage "may
The first is the much debated passage about the man at report a true incident in the life of Jesus." It is per-
the pool of Bethesda in John 5. ACT omits the last            fectly safe, therefore, to include the passage, while it is
part of verse 3 and all of verse 4, which are found in        risky to exclude it. And it is both risky and confusing
the KJV. We will quote the KJV, vss. 2-5, and bracket         to the ordinary Bible reader to insert a note of this
the parts which ACT omits: "Now there is at Jeru- kind.
salem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in            Next we return to a few matters of translation in
the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In           John 6. A very important question of accuracy arises
these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind,       in connection with verse 39:
halt, withered, [waiting for the moving of the water.         KJV: And this is the Father's will which.hath sent me,
For an angel went down at a certain season into the                 that of all which he hath given me I should lose
pool, and troubled the water: Whosoever then first                  `nothing, but should raise it up again at the last
after the troubling of the water stepped in was made                day.
whole of whatsoever disease he  .had.] And a certain          ACT: And this is the will of him who sent me, that I
man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight              shall lose none of all that he has given me, but
years." Now admittedly, there is a goodly amount of                 raise them up at the last day.
manuscript evidence in support of omitting these
words or part of these words. But it should be remem-           Perhaps the KJV does not succeed completely in
bered, in the first place, that manuscript evidence is not    bringing out the fact that the original uses the singular
the only evidence to be considered here. Secondly,            throughout this verse. But ACT fails here on two
there is by no means unanimity of opinion on this             counts: 1) It changes the emphasis of the original by
point among scholars. Thirdly, the exclusion of these         changing the position of the words "all which he hath
words presents a difficulty when it comes to the expla-       given me." And, 2) it obviously changes. the singular
nation of vs. 7: "The impotent man answered him, Sir,         to the plural. I will not enter into the difference of


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                                463


meaning that is at stake here. I merely point out that when we read concerning the sheep in vs. 16: ". . . and
ACT has no right to speak of accuracy of translation they shall listen to my voice." The same is true of verse
here, on the basis of the original.                           27, where the KJV reads: "My sheep hear my voice,
  Also in John 6:45-b ACT, in our opinion, does not and I know them, and they follow me." In the second
offer any improvement when it translates, "Everyone place, ACT is neither accurate nor consistent in verse
who listens to the Father and learns from him comes 25 when it translates: "Jesus answered, `I did tell you,
to me," instead of the.KJV, "Every man therefore that but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's
hath heard, and hath learned .of the Father,  cometh name speak for me. ' " The words which I have itali-
unto me." Even apart from the question of tense ("lis- cized are rendered in the KJV: "bear witness of me."
tens" or "hath heard"), ACT's use of the word And ACT itself renders the very same word elsewhere
"listens" instead of "heard" presents a different idea, by "testify," which is an accurate rendering. Why not
and not the correct one.                                      be consistent? In verse 26 two changes are made. The
  In John 6:60 there is also an unjustifiable change as first concerns the translation. In the KJV we read:
far as literal accuracy is concerned.                         "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as
KJV: Many therefore of his disciples, when they had I said unto you." ACT substitutes the word "flock"
      heard this said, This is an hard saying; who can for the word "sheep," a change which is completely
      hear it?                                                unwarranted in the original, as well as altogether un-
ACT: On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is necessary. In the same verse, secondly, ACT eliminates
       a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"                   the words "as I said unto you," words for which there
  Here it is a simple fact of the Greek that the word is rather good manuscript evidence.
"accept" does not occur, but the word "hear." IACT is           In John 12:27 ACT arbitrarily substitutes the word
not accurate.                                                 "heart" for  ~"soul" in Jesus' statement: "Now is my
  Again, an inaccuracy which can only involve a de- soul troubled." This is a change which is in no wise
                                                              founded on the original, and a change which radically
liberate and misguided attempt to clarify is involved in changes the meaning of the text. There is a great dif-
verse 65 of John 6:                                           ference between trouble of soul and trouble of heart.
KJV: And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no Scripture speaks of both, but does not mean the same
      man can come unto me, except it were given thing by these two expressions.
      unto him of my Father.                                    In John  13:31, 32 there is another example of a
ACT: He went on to say, "This is why I told you that change which is both useless and inaccurate. Compare
      no one can come to me unless the Father- has the following renderings, of which the KJV is the accu-
      enabled him."                                           rate one:
  It is a simple fact of the Greek text that it does not KJV: Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said,
say, "unless the Father has enabled him," but very                  "Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is
definitely, "except it were given unto him of my                    glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God
Father." A change of this kind on the part of ACT is in             shall also glorify him in himself, and shall
the nature of a commentary rather than a translation;               straightway glorify him.
and I submit that it.is not even an accurate commen- ACT: When he was gone, Jesus said, "Glory comes
tary. When. the text speaks of coming to Jesus as a                 now to the Son of Man, and glory comes to God
matter of being given of the Father, this says much                 in him. If God is glorified in him, then God will
more than that it is only a matter of enablement.                   glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him
  In John  7:39, where ACT had a good opportunity                   at once.
to prove that it was intent on accuracy, it falls into the      In John 20:3-g, where we find the narrative of Peter
same mistake as the KJV, .but adds to the mistake by and John at the tomb of Jesus, ACT spoils the narra-
failing to italicize the word "given." This verse reads as tive when, in verses 5 and 6, it speaks of "the strips of
follows (KJV): "But this spake he of the Spirit, which linen" instead of "the linen clothes." This rendering of
they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy ACT leaves the impression that the linen grave clothes
Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not which had been wound about Jesus' body by Joseph
yet glorified." It is accurate in this instance to translate and Nicodemus had. been unwound by Jesus at the
simply: "for the Spirit was not yet." But ACT, like the time of His resurrection and left lying as so many strips
KJV, adds the commentary of the word "given."                 of linen on the floor of the sepulchre. But a careful
  Turning to John 10, we find several instances where study of the narrative will reveal that this was exactly
ACT does not offer real improvement.                          not the case, but that it was the very fact that those
  In the first place, there are again some instances linen clothes were lying in the tomb just as they had
where ACT substitutes the word "listen" for the word been wrapped about Jesus' body which drew the won-
"hear." To say the least, this change is not helpful. To dering and believing attention of the disciples. Again,
this reader it does not convey an accurate connotation the KJV is to be preferred.


464                                           THE STANDARD BEARER


  Finally, in John 20: 16 we find another blatant is that in this sample ACT does not measure up to the
change of the original text in ACT when it translates:      standard of accuracy which is required in a good Bible
"She turned toward him and cried out, `Rabboni!' translation. Not only has the King James Version stood
(which is Aramaic for teacher)." Now the text simply        the test of time and won a large place in the hearts of
does not say, "which is Aramaic for teacher." It does the people of God; but also, in spite of many criticisms
not mention "Aramaic" at all. The KJV is again cor-         aimed at it, it furnishes a translation which is amaz-
rect when it renders, "which is to say, Master." While ingly accurate and sound. Our vote continues to be for
this, again, may be considered a minor point, it is         the King James Version. If you like to study and com-
nevertheless a taking of unwarranted liberties with the     pare versions, get ACT when it is completed; and get
text of Scripture and does not reveal a proper respect some of the other versions for your library shelf. But
for the language of Scripture and for accuracy of use them with discretion even for study purposes. And
translation.                                                for daily Bible reading, for society use, for school use,
  Our conclusion, therefore, - even apart from all our and for use in public worship, stick to the King James
other objections to this and all the new translations - Version.


In His Fear

                          Dangerous Retirement
                                                Rev. John A. Heys

   The children are back in school again.                     However, Scripture is clear and emphatic about the
   At least for most of the children it is a case of being demand that the child be trained and brought up in the
back in school. In some instances it will be a going to fear and nurture of the Lord. God's Word clearly and
school for the first time. And what an ordeal that is for emphatically insists that spiritual training and instruc-
both mother and child! The mother, if it is her first or tion in spiritual matters be given to the child. Deuter-
last child to enter school, will find herself in her onomy 6 :6 and 7 declare, "And these words which I
thoughts going to school where the child is in first command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And
grade or kindergarten. The child in school finds himself thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and
going home in his thoughts to mother. And it takes a shalt talk of them when thou  sittest  in thine house,
while before both are adjusted to this new experience. and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou
For these, who are just beginning their formal educa- liest down, and when thou risest up." Psalm 48 : 1 l-l 4
tion in school, there is stretched out a long road of tells us to walk about Zion to see her strength and
eight, twelve, sixteen or more school-term miles.          beauty that we may tell it to the generations following.
   For many children it is a return to school. Yea, for Many other passages there also are which demand such
most of those in school it is a going back to that long instruction. And believing parents, heeding this com-
road after getting off a few months for the summer mand of the State, establish and maintain Christian
vacation rest alongside the road.                          schools and hire believing teachers so that their chil-
  Many children there are who, in order to continue dren may have that kind of instruction while they are
their schooling, have departed from home to be in a taught the things of their natural life, and may have
distant city, state or even country for specialized train- the things of their natural life taught in the light of
ing, or for instruction in an institution that will teach these spiritual truths. It is also for this reason that the
them according to the doctrines of their churches.         church arranges for the instruction of the child in the
  That these children are in school in our land is most knowledge of Scripture and in the doctrines of the
likely due, to the fact that the State requires it up to a church.
certain age. It is not because Scripture demands it.          Your children, therefore, are in a Christian school or
Nowhere does Scripture tell the parent that he must college, are they not? And you send them, do you not,
send his child to an institution that will give him the to their classes which the church provides for them,
formal education in the things of his natural life which whether now you call it catechism or Bible class or the
the State requires. Sending our children to a school is like. That is where they belong. To that they have a
being obedient to the Word of God only in the sense right; and it is a privilege that is theirs as children of
that this Word demands of us that we be obedient to the covenant. If you do not send them to a Christian
the laws of the State.                                     school, and it is possible for you to send them, because


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   465


there is such a school in the area, do not ask the ques-       earth for support of this theory of men. Teachers in
tion, after they leave the faith and turn their backs Christian (?) schools dig into the Word of God to help
upon the church and the truth, "Where did we fail the unbelievers, who have not this Word, make a good
them?"                                                         case for their atheistic ideas. In former years the Chris-
   But the observation which we wish to make at this           tian schools were erected and maintained because be-
time is that it is not enough simply to enroll your lieving parents were convinced that there was night and
children in such a school and to send them to the              day difference between the kingdom of darkness and
classes provided by the church. This is necessary. Par-        the kingdom of light and that God's people indeed
ents who do so are to be commended for their action were a peculiar people. And the teachers in the school
and interest in God's covenant. But having hired, we of the world shook their heads at this "narrow-minded,
must not now assume the position of being  retired.            silly" people! But now some Christian (?) schools go
The parent who cannot send his child to a Christian            out of their way to show how much they are like the
school knows that he cannot retire when he has no              schools of the world, how much good there is in the
believing teacher he can hire for his children. He has a       world, and how much of it we ought to seek. There
full-time job. He has no help and instead must con- was a time when Christian schools had a world and life
stantly be fighting the forces of darkness. The State view that pointed in the direction of Christ and His
demands such a schooling. That parent finds the lie            kingdom. That is why they were called  Christian
being taught as well as the philosophies of men that           schools, is it not? But today many teach a worldly life
ridicule the truth. The child is between two forces.           view that directs the child towards the kingdom of the
This is no time to retire from the important work of Antichrist. In days gone by the Christian schools
teaching according to the truth of God's Word. But the taught the pupils to put on the whole armor of God in
parent who does send his child to a Christian school,          recognition of the fact that there is a powerful spiritual
and to those classes provided by the church for spiri-         enemy that would like to destroy us. In many Chris-
tual instruction, must not think that he can retire and        tian (?) schools today the pupils are taught to seek the
leave it all to those Christian school teachers. God's         friendship of that enemy, who is presented not as an
command comes to the parents and not to the teach- enemy but an inherently good man who can be won by
ers. These are the children of those parents, and noth- kindness and needs not regeneration and the Spirit of
ing in the world can ever change that and transfer the Christ. The cross in many Christian  (?) schools has
responsibility from the parent's shoulder to those of been replaced with money, the Spirit with the scien-
the teacher. Indeed, that teacher will have to answer tist's laboratory. And the children are taught to go out
before God for what he has taught. But that parent             with these and make this a better world in which to
will have to give answer for what he allowed others to         live. The cross and the Spirit have. failed. Money and
teach his child. The large sum of money spent as tui-          science must be worshipped and religiously be sought
tion does not buy the parent freedom from his respon-          as the solution to man's problems. Sin is only a mis-
sibility for the training of his child. That parent take and due to ignorance. Love is thinking of man and
brought forth this child, and it is his child as long as he    forgetting God and His Christ. Loving man is looking
and that child lives.                                          out for his material good and not being so "cruel" as
  That parent better be sure that he knows  what  is to tell him that he is a sinner and needs that cross and
being taught his child. It is not enough simply to know that Spirit. Tell him that God loves him no matter how
that  his child is being taught. We like to get our vile and evil he may be, but be not so void of love that
money's worth, and therefore we want to be sure that you tell Him, "The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight:
the teachers whom we hire are doing their work. We do          Thou hatest all workers of iniquity," Psalm 5:5; "God
not wish to spend hundreds of dollars only to find at judgeth the righteous and God is angry with the
the end of the year that our children learned little or        wicked every day," Psalm 7: 11; "Let no man deceive
nothing because the teachers resorted to many of their you with vain words: for because of these things (filth-
own pet projects and neglected the basic elements of iness, fornication, covetousness, idolatry etc.) cometh
"reading, writing and `rithmetic." More important is it the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience,"
to be sure that our children are being taught the truth        Ephesians 5:6. It would be cruel and a lack of love to
and all things in the light of that truth.                     say such harsh things to him.
  This is so necessary today because the Christian               You had better, therefore, be sure that you know
schools are often so similar to the schools of the world. what is being taught to your child. You had better find
There was a time when evolution was taught in the out how strongly it is advocated that Jerusalem and
schools of the world and denied and condemned in the           Athens, the Church and the World, should get married
Christian School. Now it is taught in the schools of the and live a peaceful life, the life of the world! Jesus said
unbelievers as a theory of man, and in the Christian (?) that He did not come to bring peace but a sword.
schools as the testimony of God in His Word!! ! The Where is this enmity of Genesis 3 : 15 between seed and
teacher in the schools of the unbelievers digs into the        seed to be seen in our Christian school system today?


466                                          THE STANDARD BEARER


0, indeed you can see a fight on the basketball court, school it is to which you send .your children, and re-
on the baseball diamond and football field. Then you gardless of what minister it is to whom you send them
can hear the cry from the school of the world: Beat for instruction in the doctrines of the church. You
Christian! And from the side of the Christian school parents are responsible for what he teaches them, for
comes the militant cry: "Fight! Fight! Fight!" But what you allow him to teach them. And these have
where do you see anything like a battle of faith? Where their flesh as well as you do. Be sure your children are
.do you see any need for a Christian School? You will taught the truth and nothing but the truth.
read in the papers: "Christian Beats Catholic," "State         Your diligence in this will reveal how serious you are
and Christian Meet Friday in Crucial Battle." Indeed, about doctrinal differences and purity; how sharp an
they meet on Friday, and for a couple of hours on antithesis you see between the church and the world,
Friday and only about worldly, material, carnal mat- between the truth and the lie; how spiritually sensitive
ters, that they may fight about them. Where is the you are; how much value you attach to the things
unceasing battle of faith? Where is the distinctiveness? spiritual; how eager you are to see your children serve
Where is the antithesis?                                     God rather than serve mammon; yea, how much you
  Well, where is the distinctiveness in the home? Hire love God.
and then retire is the slogan so often. Hire a teacher.        If you love God, your love for your children will be
Wash our hands of the whole business of training our a true love that declares that you want your children
children; and then retire for the enjoyment of the to live in His fear.
flesh. But this is dangerous regardless of what Christian


All Around Us

                            Synod of the Christian Reformed Church
                                       Decisions of the R.C.A.
                            The Presbyterian Church US (Southern)
                                         Mclntire Under Fire

                                                    ProJ: H. Hanko

SYNOD OF THE CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH                       raised against him. He was on nomination with Rev.
  We include in our article for this issue a brief report Ralph Heynen, pastor at Pine Rest. Dr. D. Hoitinga
on some of the decisions of the Christian Reformed was appointed to the lectureship in ethics at the Semi-
Church which will be of general interest to our readers. nary even though he is a pacifist.
We include this report without much comment, for it            - The relationships between the Christian Reformed
is not our purpose here to evaluate these decisions, but Church and the Gereformeerde Kerken came under re-
to acquaint our readers with important decisions of a view. It was decided to postpone any decision on this
denomination in which we are interested.                     question till a study committee appointed last year can
  - Appointments to the college and Seminary were report. Nevertheless, a letter of warning and admoni-
important business. The appointment of Dr. Willis De tion is to be sent to the Gereformeerde Kerken.
Boer to the department of Bible was postponed be-              - Some organizational changes in the Synod are in
cause of statements which he has made which indicate the making. The Synod decided to appoint a commit-
views similar to Dr. Kuitert in the Netherlands.             tee which will contact the delegates to the 197 1 Synod
  Dr. Wilson was appointed to the college even though and appoint them to committees of pre-advice so that
he holds evolutionistic views.                               they will be able to prepare for their work prior to
  The appointment of Dr. Johannes Verkuyl for a coming to Synod. This decision was made after long
two-month period to the department of Missions in the debate, and it is to be re-examined by next year's
Seminary was rejected because of unacceptable politi- Synod. The objections were particularly that such
cal views.                                                   arrangements are contrary to Reformed Church Plolity
  Dr. Mel Hugen  was appointed to the seminary in the which holds that no Synod is a continuing body.
field of pastoral  counselling  though objections were         - The question of the new liturgical forms was also


                     e        e


                                             THE STANDARD BEARER                                                467


before this Synod. Presented to the Synod were new graphic spread of the denomination.
forms for public confession of faith, and for ordination      - The question of graduate studies at Calvin College
and installation of officebearers. These were returned came up. This became a  difficult~problem because of
to the committee. The new forms for both infant and the efforts already in progress to establish a Christian
adult baptism were not yet ready  - in part because University in Toronto, Canada by the A.A.C.S. Synod
many objections have been brought against them.             decided to begin such a graduate program with finan-
  - The difficult and bitter controversy between the cial support for the first ten years.
Lawndale Church in Chicago and the Timothy School             - In the light of the fact that various member
Board also came to Synod. The parents in Lawndale, churches of the R.E.S. permit women officebearers in
mostly black, wish to send their children to the the Church, the Synod decided to restudy the matter.
Timothy Christian School. The School Board has re-
fused to accept them chiefly on the grounds that DECISIONS OF THE REFORMED CHURCH IN
Cicero (where Timothy School is located) is all white AMERICA
and that many threats have been made against the              A few of the more important decisions taken by the
school if black children were accepted. The Synod Synod of the R.C.A. include:
faced the problem of the support of  Classis Chicago          - One of the most difficult of the problems faced
North which had supported Timothy's school board. by the Synod was the problem of the merger of part of
The Synod decided that Classis had to change its ways the denomination with part of another. The Particular
and bring its policy in line with the statement on race Synod of New Jersey formed a united Synod with a
adopted by the Synods of 1968 & 1969 which favored Particular Synod of the United Presbyterian Church.
integration. If Classis failed to do this, they were to be This took place last May.
held in contempt of Synod. What this means was not            Four members of that Synod lodged a complaint
made clear. The Synod of 1971 will have to judge on with the General Synod that such a merger was in
the matter. In the meantime it is hoped the problem violation of the rules. The matter was referred to the
will be solved or will go away.                             Judicial Committee of the R.C.A. Synod. The Judicial
  - La Grave Ave. Christian Reformed Church had Committee concluded that the plan constituted no vio-
come to Synod with an overture concerning the char- lation of rules and advised that Synod dismiss the com-
acter of church services, asking whether the traditional plaint.
form of church services which emphasizes the preach-          By a rather close vote this advice was rejected by the
ing of the Word was necessary. Synod answered that General Synod. But, when a motion was made to de-
Arts. 5 l-55 (of the Revised Church Order of the Chris- clare the merger null and void. this also failed. Appar-
tian Reformed Church) required a sermon to be ently Synod did not know what to do about the busi-
preached at every service.                                  ness. Finally a motion was passed as innocuous as it
  - The liturgical committee was instructed to con- was meaningless: the New Jersey Synod was instructed
sider the question of a more flexible liturgy and the to enter into conversation with its churches and classes
introduction of more modern hymns into the worship and further refine its plan for a united Synod. Then it
service such as songs which Negroes sing. This was in was to report back to next year's Synod for approval.
the light of the fact that the Church is incorporating        The United Presbyterian Church, in its General
into her fellowship more people from other races.           Assembly meeting, gave approval to the merger.
  - The question of a Reformed Seminary in Nigeria            - In answer to an overture which asked for the
once again came up - as it has for more than a decade. Synod to take steps for complete union between the
The Tiv Church in Nigeria wants a Reformed Semi- R.C.A. and the United Presbyterian Church, the Synod
nary; Synod has hesitated because of its commitment voted to take no action.
to an interdenominational Seminary in Nigeria. This           - In answer to an overture calling for Synod to
year the Tiv Church informed Synod that they in- become full members of the Consultation on Church
tended to go ahead with their own Seminary and asked Union (COCU) Synod decided again to take no action,
for two teachers and  $75,000.00. Synod dodged the but to send a copy of COCU's plan for union to all the
issue by promising a, 4-year certificate course, some- churches.
thing the Tiv Church did not request.                         - A committee was appointed to begin work on the
  - The question of membership in lodges came up drawing up of a new and relevant Confession of Faith
from  Classis Lake Erie. Synod decided that member- for the Church.
ship in lodges is incompatible with membership in the         - Youth radicals were also given their say at the
Church. But Synod appointed a committee to review Synod. The Synod refused to accept the draft cards of
the grounds for this decision.                              those who wanted Synod to act as a repository for
  - A committee was also appointed to study ways in them. But it did decide to direct its General Program
which the calling of ministers could be improved in the Council: "in the light of the needs of young men who
light of the growth of the Church and the wide  geo- find themselves in good conscience unable to partici-


,468                                          THE STANDARD BEARER


pate in the war or in selective service, to maintain and tion was permissible in many instances. Some of these
deepen denominational fellowship with these young instances are when there is medical evidence of a physi-
men and their families."                                    cal or mental deformity in the unborn child, when
                                                            conception is the result of rape or incest, when the
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH US (SOUTHERN)                       physical or mental well-being of either the mother or
   A few decisions of the General Assembly of the the child was threatened, or when socio-economic con-
Presbyterian Church US are also of interest to our ditions of the family warranted abortion.
readers.                                                      Even a swift survey of this nature gives clear indica-
   - The Assembly voted to continue merger talks tions of the general trend of the church-world today.
with the United Presbyterian Church; and the Commit- And the picture is not pleasant.
tee was instructed to have an outline of a plan of union
ready by next year.                                         MCINTIRE UNDER FIRE
   - It was decided to expand the union talks to in-          Dr. Carl McIntire has run into trouble with the Fed-
clude the Reformed Presbyterian Church, the Cumber-         eral Communications Commission. The Seminary
land Presbyterian Churches, the Reformed Church in which he heads, Faith Theological Seminary, owns sta-
America (which recently rejected a plan of union with tion WXUR - AM - FM in Media, Pa. This station is
the Southern Presbyterians) and the Hungarian Re- the keystone of McIntire's radio network over which
formed Church in America.                                   he broadcasts daily. The FCC has recently refused to
   - There was much talk at this Synod of setting up a renew the licenses for this station which means that it
"provisional Synod" to serve as a "holding body" for will have to be operated by others. Its reasons were
congregations and presbyteries that do not favor many that the stations had "departed in a substantial manner
union proposals. Really these provisional Synods rec-       from the programming proposals the licensee had
ognize that many present union proposals are going to made, and that the licensee had failed to ascertain the
result in some kind of split in the Southern Presbyte- community's needs and interests or to demonstrate
rian Church. A resolution to set up such a Synod to that it had met those needs and interests."
receive congregations who desire to become a part of          The strange part of it is that the FCC had appointed
the new church being formed by COCU was defeated. an Examiner to examine the station. He did his work
Another proposal to set up such a Synod for Churches over a period of nine months and reported that no
who do not want to go along with present mergers violations of FCC rules were apparent. Yet the FCC
with the United Presbyterian Church was referred to overturned this report and unanimously ruled not to
the Permanent Judicial Committee -and will be consid- renew the license.
ered again next year.                                         McIntire, who says that he will appeal the ruling all
   - Inasmuch as many believed that women were not the way to -the Supreme Court, has found in this the
given a large enough voice in church affairs, it was attack of the liberals who detest his type of broad-
decided to set as a guideline the proportion of  one-       casting and are determined to get him off the air. They
third women on all boards and agencies.                     are particularly enraged by his religious fundamental-
   - Young people are also to be given a larger voice in ism, his strong anti-communism and his political
church matters. One youth delegate, in addition to reg- conservatism.
ular commissioners, would be sent to the General              While we do not agree with McIntire's religion and
Assembly each year. This youth delegate must be over politics in many important and basic respects, we share
sixteen years old and under twenty-five.                    in McIntire's alarm over the ruling now being appealed.
   - A hotly debated plan of restructuring the synods There is no question about it that this is a real warning
and presbyteries was not decided upon this year. Ac- to all religious broadcasters that, if their programs do
tion was postponed till next year.                          not meet with current views as to what is good for the
   - Debate also arose over  Colloquy  magazine, a American *public to hear, they stand in real danger of
paper published by the United Church of Christ, the having their programs blacklisted. This  .can be done
Presbyterian Church US and the United Presbyterian easily by the pressure which the FCC is able to exert
Church USA. Objections had been brought against the against stations carrying these programs. The day is
magazine that included charges of blasphemy, immo- perhaps not too far distant when the air waves will be
rality, obscenity and pornography. The Assembly closed to the preaching of the truth of the gospel.
voted to continue to support the magazine.                    We do not know what is being broadcast over sta-
   - The Assembly issued a call for the withdrawal of tion WXUR. We do know that McIntire must be given
American troops from Southeast Asia.                        the right to broadcast if freedom of speech is to be
   - It liberalized a stand on abortion, ruling that abor- preserved.

                            Reserve September 9 for Seminary Night at Hope P.R. Church


                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER                                              469


                               Come Ye  Apart.,. And Rest A While
                       (For Children Only. Or, for parents who are accompanied by their  children.)

                                                      Rev. C. Hanko

        So you are going to school soon?                      in the days of your youth."
   Is this for the first time? For some of you it must           God also gave you another gift. Do you know what
be.  You  have been waiting for this for a long time,         that is? You can store away what you learn, and get it
haven't you? Maybe you are the oldest in the family.          out to  use  it later.  Your brain is like an automatic
Then it really will be new for you. Maybe you have            filing cabinet with all kinds of drawers in it. As you
older brothers and sisters, who told you what fun it. is      learn it neatly files things away, this here, that there.
to go to school. Do you? Anyway, now it is time to go.        And when you need it, the file pushes it out for you.
And you can hardly wait, can you? Are you a wee bit           Click, click, and there it is - even years later. You can
scared? Wonder whether you'll have a nice teacher that        tell others, you can write it down, or use it in whatever
smiles at you? Do you think you will like her? And            you are doing.
then. there will be all those other children. Do you             Isn't that wonderful, though? Only God can make
know some of them? Well, you soon will.                       an intricate instrument like that. But that is why it is
   For some of you this is old stuff. You know what           so important for you to learn while you are young.
school is like, its fun, its hard work, and all that. But     Now! And you must store your storehouse full of good
you are going into a new grade. Will you have harder          things, things worth remembering, things you will need
work than last year? When I went into the third or            later.
fourth grade (sort of forget which), the very first day,         Study hard, won't you. And be sure to keep out the
the very first word that the teacher wrote on the board       bad things, the trash that messes up your mind. I am
for spelling was "Ge-ra-ni-urn." That floored me. I           thinking of such things as lies about God and His crea-
thought, if that is the first word already, what will the     tion. But I am also thinking about the bad things that
last one be? I'll never make it. But it seems I did after     are shown on television, or that you read in bad books.
all.                                                          Pigs and rats thrive on garbage, you know. And they
   Or maybe you are now in junior high. No, in high           grow up to be big pigs and poisonous rats. But our
school already? Even then, back to school it is. Now          bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Don't defile that
for another year of new experiences; all a part of grow- temple, will you? Don't clutter up any part of it.
ing up.                                                          You are going to a Christian School.
   You are going to school.                   7                 You know why your parents send you to a Christian
   And you are going to school to  learn.  Maybe you          School. Your Dad or Mom must have told you more
will learn to read or write. Maybe you are far past that.     than once that when you were a wee babe, just a few
You will learn arithmetic, grammar, geography, sci-           days old, they brought you to church. Something very
ence, and the like. Or maybe you are looking forward          special happened that day.  You  were  baptized.  Your
to subjects like algebra, geometry, physics, and all that.    father and mother will never forget that big, red-letter
   God gives to children special gifts. One of these is       day for them and for you. Even in judgment day they
the gift of  memorizing,  Maybe that seems hard at            will remember it. Dad and Mom stood before the
times; you say the same thing over and over, or read          whole church, and there before God they promised "to
the same thing again and again, and it just won't soak        bring you up to the aforesaid doctrine to the utmost of
in. You throw the book down in disgust. But most of           their power." Yes, there are some big words in that last
the time, when. there is not a ball game or so on your        sentence, but you heard your minister say them many
mind, it is really quite easy. You see something, hear        times, especially when a baby was baptized. This
something, or read something, and it sticks in your means that your parents made a vow, a promise before
mind, stowed away up there. (My mother used to say            God and His church, to teach you all things as they
that the bad things stayed put much better than the           really are. They promised to teach you about God Who
good things. Do you suppose that she was right?) We           in six days made the heaven and the earth, Who now
older folks cannot do that nearly as well as you can.         cares for them by His Almighty power, Who rules over
Very old people cannot do that at all. They do not            them, so that nothing happens except by His will.
remember anything that happened recently. They for-           They promised to teach you about Jesus, Whom God
get it just like that. The only things they remember -        sent to save His people from their sins. And they prom-
and that may seem hard to believe, but it's true - are        ised to show you that when we sin - and we do every
the things that they learned  when they were very             day, you know  - we must ask God to forgive them
young,  as  you are  now.  That  they never forget. No        and take away our sinfulness. They even promised to
wonder that the Bible says: "Remember your Creator            show you how you can live all your life serving God.


470                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER


So that when you pick out your life's calling, you do parents at home, your minister in the catechism, and
that with the prayer in your heart: "Lord, what  wilt your teacher in school all teach you the same thing.
Thou have me do?" Because the one thing worth while Then you don't get mixed up. And then you grow up
in life is that we serve God to His glory. (Look up                 to be men and women of God, who know the Lord as
Ephesians 2: 10 and have Dad or Mom explain that to                 He taught us in His Word.
you. O.K.?)                                                           And now off to school.
  Likely you are going to our own school.                              But do not forget to pray before you go. I mean,
  If not, your parents are working hard to get our own pray every morning. No, not just along with your
school in the place where you live. Do you know why?                father and mother, and along with your teacher. But
  One reason is that they do not want you to go to a pray your own prayer that God may help you. And
public school. A public school is not OUY school.at all. learn to pray while you are working. Little children
Your parents promised to teach you, and not leave                   need God's help as much as we grown folks do. Ask
that to the government, which does not even teach you Him to help you with your school work, but also ask
about God.                                                          Him to teach you to love and serve Him every day. Ask
  But there is another reason why we have our own Him to make you afraid of saying bad words, afraid of
schools. And that is because we do not want to mix                  doing wrong. Ask Him what He wants you to be when
you up.                                                             you grow up. Because you are growing up so very fast,
  When you go to another Christian School that and soon you will be Daddies and Mamas. That will
teaches you wrong things, you get all mixed up. That is happen before you know it. And then you must teach
what a little girl told me not long ago, "I get all mixed your children. . . . Isn't it wonderful that God works
up, because you tell me one thing, and my teacher tells that way?
me something different." So it is important that your


Cantending for the Faith

                                    The Doctrine of Atonement
                                                   FIRST PERIOD  - 80-254 A.D.

                                                            Rev. H. Veldman

  Continuing with the history of the doctrine of the                    Second Century the Church  &I Rome is an
atonement as set forth during the early years of the                    inconsiderable, though prominent, member of the
Church in the New Dispensation, in the years, 80-254,                   great confederation of Christian Churches which has
we would now call attention to Tertullian Concerning                    its chief seats in Alexandria and Antioch, and of
this Church Father, we read in Vol. III of the                          which the entire Literature is Greek. It is an African
Ante-Nicene Fathers  the following, and we would                        presbyter who takes from Latin Christendom  the_
quote:                                                                  reproach of theological and literary barrenness and
          (A.D. 145-220)  When our Lord repulsed the                    begins the great work in which, upon his foundations,
       woman of Canaan  (Matt.  15:22)  with apparent                   Cyprian and Augustine built up, with incomparable
       harshness, he applied to her people the epithet: dogs,           genius, that Carthaginian School of Christian thought
       with which the children of Israel had thought it piety           by which Latin Theology was dominated for
       to reproach them. When He accepted her faith and                 centuries. It is important to note (1.) that
       caused it to be recorded for our learning, He did                providentially not one of these  ihustrious  doctors
       something more: He reversed the curse of the                     died in Communion with the Roman See, pure
       Canaanite and showed that the Church was designed                though it was and venerable at that time; and (2.)
       "for all people," Catholic alike for all time and for all       that to the works of Augustine the Reformation in
       sorts and conditions of men.                                     Germany and Continental Europe, was largely due;
          Thus the North-African Church was loved before it            while (3.)  the  specialties  of the Anglican Reformation
       was born: the Good Shepherd was gently leading                  were, in like proportion, due to the writings of
       those "that were with young." Here was the charter               Tertullian  and Cyprian. The hinges of great and
       of those Christians to be a Church, who were then               controlling destinies for Western Europe and our own
       Canaanites in the land of their father Ham. It is               America are to be found in the period we are now
       remarkable indeed that among these pilgrims and                  approaching.
       strangers to the West the first elements of Latin                  The merest school-boy knows much of the history
       Christianity come into view. Even at the close of the           of Carthage, and how the North Africans became


                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER                                                        471


    Roman citizens. How they became Christians is not               her shearers is dumb, so was He not to open His
    so clear. A melancholy destiny has enveloped                    mouth," that He so profoundly wished to accomplish
    Carthage from the outset, and its glory and greatness           the symbol of His own redeeming blood? He might
    as a Christian See were transient indeed. It blazed out         also have been betrayed by any stranger, did I not
    all at once in Tertullian, after about a century of             find that even here too He fulfilled a Psalm: "He who
    missionary  labours had been exerted upon its                   did eat bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against
    creation: and having given a Minucius Felix, an                 Me." And without a price might He have been
    Arnobius and a Lactantius to adorn the earliest                 betrayed. For what need of a traitor was there in the
    period of Western Ecclesiastical learning, in addition          case of one who offered Himself to the people
    to its nobler luminaries, it rapidly declined. At the           openly, and might quite as easily have been captured
    beginning of the Third Century, at a council presided           by force as taken by treachery? This might no doubt
    over by Agrippinus, Bishop of Carthage, there were              have been well enough for another Christ, but would
    present not less than seventy bishops of the Province.          not have been suitable in One who was accomplishing
    A period of cruel persecutions followed, and the                prophecies. For it was written, "The righteous one
    African Church received a baptism of blood.                     did they sell for silver." The very amount and the
      Tertullian was born a heathen, and seems to have              destination of the money, which on Judas' remorse
    been educated at Rome, where he probably practiced              was recalled  from its first purpose of a fee,  and
    as a jurisconsult. We may, perhaps, adopt most of the           appropriated to the purchase of a potter's field, as
    ideas of Allix, as conjecturally probable, and assign           narrated in the Gospel of Matthew, were clearly
    his birth to A.D. 145. He became a Christian about              foretold by Jeremiah: "And they took the thirty
    185, and a presbyter .about  190. The period of his             pieces of silver, the price of Him who was valued, and
    strict orthodoxy very nearly expires with the century.          gave them for the potter's field."
    He lived to an extreme old age, and some suppose              In the rest of this quotation Tertullian opposes the
    even till A.D. 240. More probably we must adopt the         teachings of a certain Marcion. Marcion distinguished
    date preferred by recent writers, A.D. 220.                 between Christianity of the New Dispensation and
  The reader will notice, from the above quotation,
that "the period of Tertullian's orthodoxy                      Judaism of the Old Dispensation. He did not believe
                                                    very nearly that there is only one supreme God Who rules over all,
expires with the century." The writer of the above the evil as well as the good; and, as far as the Lord
words states that it seems to be the fashion to treat of Jesus Christ is concerned, it was his contention that
Tertullian as a Montanist and only incidentally to Christ merely appeared and that He did not really take
celebrate his services to the Catholic (not to be
confused with Roman Catholic) Orthodoxy of Western upon himself the flesh and blood of men. Tertullian
                                                                calls attention to the words of Christ in the upper
Christendom; but he wishes to reverse this and room: "This is my body." He maintains that the bread
emphasize Tertullian's services and contributions to in Christ's hand was a figure of His own body, but that
the Catholic Orthodoxy of Western Christendom. Be there could not have been a figure unless there were
this as it may, he is recognized as a contributor to the first a veritable body. According to Tertullian, an
defense of the gospel, and it is in these writings that we empty thing, or phantom, is incapable of a figure.
are interested.                                                   Then, in a paragraph following upon the quotation
  We have already called attention to the fact that above, Tertullian continues to show that the sufferings
Reinhold  Seeberg remarks that these early Church and death of Christ are the fulfillment of prophecy:
Fathers certainly emphasized that the sufferings and                   "Woe," says He, "to that man by whom the Son of
death of Christ were the fulfillment of prophecy. This              man is betrayed!" Now it is certain that in this woe
also applies to the writings of Tertullian. In his writing          must be understood the imprecation and threat of an
against  Marcion,  Tertullian writes (Vol. III of the               angry and incensed Master, unless Judas was to escape
Ante-Nicene  Fathers,  in connection with the steps of              with impunity after so vast a sin. If he were meant to
the passion of the Saviour as predetermined in                      escape with impunity, the "woe" was an idle word; if
prophecy):                                                          not, he was of course to be punished by Him against
      In like manner does He also know the very time it             whom he had committed the sin of treachery. Now, if
    behoved Him to suffer, since the law prefigures His             He knowingly permitted the man, whom He deliber-
    passion. Accordingly, of all the festal days of the             ately elected to be one of  His  companions, to
    Jews He chose the Passover. In this Moses had                   plunge into so great a crime, you must no longer use
    declared that there was a sacred mystery (sacrament             an argument against the Creator in Adam's case,
    - H.V.): "It is the Lord's passover." How earnestly,            which may now recoil on your own God: either that
    therefore, does He manifest the bent of His soul:               he was ignorant, and had no foresight to hinder the
    "With desire have I desired to eat this  passover               future sinner; or that he was unable to hinder him,
    with you before I suffer." What a destroyer of the              even if he was ignorant; or else that he was unwilling,
    law was this, who actually longed to keep its                   even if he had the foreknowledge and the ability; and
    Passover! Could it be that He was so fond of Jewish             so deserved the stigma of maliciousness, in having
    lamb? But was it not because He had to be "led like a           permitted the man of his own choice to perish in his
    lamb to the slaughter; and because, as a sheep before           Sin.


472                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER


  This, and what immediately follows, incidentally, is                     have to suffer. For he sa<d, "If I tell you, ye will not
an interesting passage. Tertullian would maintain in                       believe." And refusing to believe, they would have
this quotation the truth that the Lord `is God. He,                        continued to insist on his death. And would he not
evidently, wants no part of that conception that would                     even more probably still have had to suffer, if he had
present Christ as either being ignorant of Judas' design                   announced himself as sent by the rival god, and as
or of being unable to hinder the son of perdition in his                   being, therefore, the enemy of the Creator? It was
                                                                           not, then, in order that He might suffer, that He at
foul deed of betraying the Christ. And this church                         that critical moment refrained from proclaiming
father also applies this truth to the case of Adam. But                    Himself the other Chist,  but because they wanted to
now we continue with this quotation:                                       extort a confession from His mouth, which they did
         I advise you therefore (willingly) to acknowledge                 not mean to believe even if He had given it to them,
       the Creator in that god of yours (Tertullian is writing             whereas it was their bounded duty. to have
       this against Marcion), rather than against your will to             acknowledged Him in consequence of  His works,
       be assimilating your excellent god to Him. For in the               which were fulfilling their Scriptures. . . . But yet for
       case of Peter, too, he gives you proof that he is a                 all this, He with a solemn gesture says, "Hereafter
       jealous God, when He destined the apostle, after his                shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the
       presumptuous protestations of zeal, to a flat denial of             power of God." For it was on the authority of the
       him, rather than prevent his fall. The Christ of the                prophecy of Daniel that He intimated to them that
       prophets was destined, moreover, to be betrayed with       .        He was "the Son of man," and of David's Psalm,
       a kiss, for He was the Son indeed of Him who was                    that He would "sit at the right hand of God."
       "honoured with the lips" by the people. When led                  It is evident from this passage also that Tertullian
       before the council, He is asked whether He is the               viewed the passion of Christ as the fulfillment of
       Christ. Of what Christ could the Jews have inquired
       but their own? why, therefore, did He not, even at              prophecy. However, this church father also has
       that moment, declare to them the rival (Christ)? You            something to say about the nature of our Lord's
       reply, In order that He might be able to suffer. In             atonement on Calvary, although it is true that clarity
       other words,  that this most excellent god  might               of thought with respect to the cross is not fully
       plunge men into crime, whom he was still keeping in             developed until later.
       ignorance. But even if he had told them, he would yet


From Holy  Writ

                         Explanation sf I John 2: 1-3 (cont.)
                                                           Rev. G. Lubbers

JESUS, THE RIGHTEOUS ONE, OUR ADVOCATE saith your God. We have a new and living way, since
WITH THE FATHER (I John 2:2)                                           we have such an high priest who has passed into the
  The apostle John writes a very comforting word                       holy place through the veil of His own flesh. In this
here. He writes concerning the  "paraclete" which we                   advocate we have an anchor of the soul, sure and stead-
have with the Father. And of him he says that we                       fast within the veil of the holy place, whither the fore-
"have him." This is our great ever-present glorious                    runner of our faith has entered now to intercede for
possession which none can take from us. He has                         us. (Hebrews 6: 19;  7:23)
entered for us into the most holy place, having passed                   He ever lives to pray for us!
through the heavens. There he is in our behalf. Fact is                  The reason why he is called "Paraclete" is evidently
that this is an indication that we are dealing here with               to express the comfort and assurance for the struggling
Jesus as our resurrected and ascended LORD. Of this                    saint. The term itself means someone summoned for
matter Paul writes too in Romans  8:33,34: "Who shall help. In secular Greek from the 4th Century B.C. the
bring any charge against the elect of God? God it is                   sense is of a "person called to help, summoned to give
who justifies; who shall condemn? Christ Jesus is the                  assistance." This gives the meaning of "helper in
one who died; yea rather who is risen, who is at the                   court." Scholars such as Behm write that in Classic
right  hand of God,  who  also intercedes  for  US.  " Thus Greek "even when there is no reference to a represent-
we have the sum of the entire matter stated in this                    ative in court, the idea is still more or less clearly legal
triumphant, jubilant song of the redeemed. Truly, the                  . . . but the use of  Paracleetos   for representative is to
gospel concerning the Christ as our "advocate" is most                 be understood in the light of legal assistance in court,
comforting to us. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,                    pleading of another's case" (Vol. V, page 801,  ATheo-


                                             THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  473


logical Dictionary of The New Testament). The same antichrist. Thus we read in I John 2:22: "Who is a liar
writer further delineates concerning the New Testa- but he that denieth that Jeszls is the Christ? He is anti-
ment usage of the term as follows: "I John 2: 1, where      christ that denieth the Father and the Son." Again we
Jesus Christ is called the Parakleetos  of sinning Chris- read in I John  4:15: "Whosoever shall confess that
tians before the Father, the meaning is obviously "ad- Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him and he in
vocate," and the image of a trial before God's court God." And, once more, we read in I John 5: 1 and 5 re-
determines the meaning." (page 803)                         spectively, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ
  Now this is very basic and Comforting for the child is born of God. . . ." "Who is he that overcometh the
of God, who has sinned and who is filled with a deep world, but he that believeth that  Jesus  is the Son of
sense of guilt, and who has a broken and contrite God?"
heart. When we thus stand before the tribunal of the          In all these passages the meaning and import of the
righteous judge of heaven and earth, we have an advo- NAME Jesus, as the only Name under heaven in which
cate with the Father! We need not fear for the Judge is we must be saved is brought clearly and forcibly to the
our "heavenly Father" and the advocate is Jesus Christ foreground. He is Jehovah-save. He is the LORD our
the righteous One! The judge is faithful and just, who righteousness, JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU! (Jeremiah
does not require payment twice for the same sins. And 9: 23, 24; I Corinthians 1: 26-3 1) He is God with us. He
the Advocate never loses his case because he pleads and is the Mystery that is great. God is manifested in the
intercedes upon the basis of his own righteousness flesh - taken up in glory. (I Timothy 3 : 16)
which he fulfilled for us on the Cross! Here is one           This Jesus, this Son of God, our righteousness be-
court in which the guilty enter and in which they leave fore God, is our Advocate! If any one of the little
pardoned, innocent free in their deepest conscience ones, the dear children, sin, we, the children of God,
and heart.                                                  have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the
  The name of our Advocate with the Father is righteous one!
JESUS!
  He saves His people from their sins. He is JEHOVAH-       JESUS, THE PROPITIATION (I John 2:2)
Saves, or Jehovah is SALVATION. In Him God Al-                That Jesus is our Advocate with the Father we have
mighty descends upon us and causes the very heavens seen. However, to understand the depth of this his
to bow low to earth in condescending love. Mercy and being our "advocate" (Paracleetos)  we must also notice
truth kiss each other in Him. From His fulness have we that he is the "propitiation." The term is very signifi-
all received, grace for grace. He saves His people from cant for our salvation and is indeed important to be
the guilt of sin, so that, "although their conscience understood correctly. The late Dr. A. Kuyper Sr., in
accuses them that they have kept none of God's com- his book entitled Dat De Genade Pavticulier  Is, (That
mandments, yea, that they have transgressed them all,       Grace is Particular) reflects on this. Battling the propo-
yet, that God deals with them as though they had nents of general grace, ("algemeene genade") he takes
never sinned, yea, as though they had kept all of God's issue with those who insist that Christ Jesus is the
commandments, since they receive this benefit with a propitiation of the sins of all and every man, head for
believing heart." However, he also saves His people head, and insists that the term here in the Greek text is
from the corruption and pollution of sin, sanctifies not the means of reconciliation but is the propitiation
them by His grace and Spirit, so that His blood itself.
cleanses them from all unrighteousness..He is a faithful      Writes Dr. Kuyper (and we translate): "Even if the
and merciful high priest in things pertaining to God.       words were to be interpreted (sins of the whole world)
Indeed, He is Jesus, who saves His people from their as referring to every man, then strictly logically and
sins. Either we seek all our salvation in Him; He is a exactly according to the rules of the Greek language,
complete and mighty Savior or He is not Savior at all.      the terms "concerning  (peril  the sins of the whole
  This Jesus is the Christ, the anointed Son, the Mes- world" would be the Holy Spirit's language to express
siah set upon the hill of Zion over all things. He is the Christ is the sum-total (inbegrip)   of all reconciliation
appointed one of God to be the Savior-Advocate. No and propitiation, not only as concerning our sins, but
one taketh this honor to himself. Aaron in his priest- also concerning the sins of all men. This would mean
hood had to be appointed by God Himself. Thus also it nothing more than "A different reconciliation than
`is with this High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. which is in Christ is inconceivable even to the unbeliev-
Furthermore, He is also qualified by the Lord. The ing world.' "
Spirit of the Lord God is upon Him, to proclaim glad          And the writer further states: "And in the foregoing
tidings to the poor, and to set the prisoners free, to we have already touched upon a third, and by no
clothe the naked, and heal the broken-hearted!              means lesser, mistake of those who vehemently insist
  This is very important to confess, to wit, that Jesus is on teaching general grace in Christ, to wit, they
the Christ. This is tantamount to saying: Jesus is the who conceive of the term `propitiation' (verzoening)  as
Son of God. He that denies that Jesus is the Christ is if we read the `sacrificial offering' (zoenofferl,  or if


     474                                           THE STANDARD BEARER


     you will that the same terms were employed here as we         cannot find such reconciliation except in Christ Jesus.
     read in Romans 3:25, where Paul writes `Whom God For Christ and reconciliation are one!"
     hath set forth to be the place of propitiation                  On page 3 17, Vol. III  (Theological Dictionary of
_    (hilastevion) for our sins through faith in his blood.' The New Testament)  we quote from  Biichsel who
     Meanwhile that is not at all the case here. In  Ro-           agrees with Dr. Kuyper's interpretation that the term
     mans  3:25 Paul employs a term which refers to the here in I John 2:2 is "HiZasmos"   as meaning "the ac-
     means of recon&liation, and where Christ is presented tion in which God is propitiated and expiated. It is the
     as the one who brings about the reconciliation. But ransom price, it is what appeases." And this term is
     here, even as in I John 4: 10, we find a wholly different     only used by John in the Bible. Perhaps this is  over-
     word, which does not refer to the means by which the against the teachings of the  Gnostics who taught an-
     reconciliation is realized, but which indicates the act,      other way of salvation. Jesus is this propitiation. There is
     the essence, the sum-total of the reconciliation and          none other besides Him. For He sacrificed Himself
     expiation itself."                                            through the eternal Spirit. (Hebrews 9: 14) This cuts
       And once more we let Dr. Kuyper speak, where he             off all "common grace" too of the universalist who
     writes: "Naturally we do not herewith deny at all that teaches that Christ made salvation in God's intent pos-
     Jesus truly .and really became the offering for our sins sible for all!
     in his blood, which represents all the sins of all the          This agrees with the context also. For the apostle is
     elect before the face of God, but we would only assert,       writing here to "the little children." We have an advo-
     that in this passage something more encompassing is cate with the Father. Jesus came to save His people
     taught, to wit, the `silencing of the wrath of God            from their sins. He is not the Savior of every man head
     against sin' in its entire and full compass, as it touches for head. This is clearly not the teaching here at all, as
     the sphere of life, and this expiation as rooted in the should be evident to all Bible students who are honest
     whole Messianic-personality of the Christ. He is the and do not pervert the Scriptures to their own destruc-
     only author of this reconciliation. It is all in Him." tion. If any of you sin, little children, we have an
     And further, "The apostle, states nothing more than advocate with the Father, and He is the propitiation
     what we may paraphrase as follows: There are be- for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of
     lievers and unbelievers. Both have sin which lies under the whole world.
     God's wrath. This wrath can only be silenced by means           Does that sound contradictory? We shall explain this
     of reconciliation. And he who now will seek reconcilia-       in the next essay.
     tion, be it then for the sins of believers or unbelievers,


     Pages frqm the Past
                                   Believers; and Their Seed
                                 THE REPROBATE IN THE SPHERE OF THE COVENANT
                                                 (continuation of Chapter X)

                                                   Rev. Herman Hoeksema

       To begin with the last question, it may be observed which stand in no living connection with the vine
     that there certainly can be no doubt whether there is whatsoever. No, the distinction is between branches
     indeed a certain influence of God's covenant upon the which do bear fruit and other branches which do not
     children of the kingdom who are cast out. All Scrip- bear fruit. Also those non-fruitbearing branches are in
     ture reveals this very clearly. Already in the figure of the vine. The Lord Jesus states it as follows: "Every
     the vine and the branches, used by the Lord Himself branch in me that beareth not fruit . .  ." There is,
     (John  15), there is the idea that also the branches therefore, a certain being in God's covenant in Christ
     which are cast out, which are cut out, nevertheless without bringing forth fruits of faith and conversion.
     stood in a certain connection with the vine and also There is indeed an influence of the vine upon those
     drew their life-sap out of that vine. Plainly, the distinc- unfruitful branches. So also there is an influence of
     tion between the branches which abide in the vine and God's covenant upon those who are in it without ever
     those other branches which are cut out is not the same coming to repentance. This is also clear from the previ-
     as the difference between. living and dead branches. ously cited figure of the vineyard, described by Isaiah.
     The branches which are cut out are not dead branches, Everything that could be done has been to that  vine-


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   475


yard. But under all that labor wild grapes are brought         few times. The text therefore teaches us nothing else
forth. This same idea is probably pictured most                than the influence which proceeds from this living in
strongly in Hebrews 6:4-8: "For it is impossible for the sphere of that covenant of God upon those who
those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the remain ungodly. It is true that we may undoubtedly
heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy             add here that this strong language is not applicable in
Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the           all its force to  all the reprobate in the sphere of the
powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to       covenant. It even requires a certain class of ungodly
renew them again unto repentance;-seeing they crucify          children of the kingdom to stand as high as those who
to themselves the Son. of God afresh, and put him to           are here described without being partakers of grace.
an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the Not all attain to this status. They are perhaps to be
rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs         sought among those who stand foremost in the church.
meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing But this, after all, concerns only a question of degree.
from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is          In principle this may undoubtedly be said of all the
rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be ungodly in the sphere of God's covenant. Of all of
burned."                                                       them it may be said that in that sphere they receive
  This last passage of Holy Writ casts considerable            something whereby they are distinguished from those
light upon the question under consideration.                   who stand entirely outside, that by their being in that
  In the first place, it is plain that the text here speaks    covenant - be it then, that this is only in the outward
of children of the kingdom in the outward sense of the         sense of the word - they are spiritually influenced. But
word, of the ungodly in God's covenant, who never the question remains yet: what is it, really, that they
actually come to repentance. As might be expected,             receive?
this passage is often quoted by those who hold to the            In answer to this question we wish to remark, first
possibility of a falling away of the saints. Superficially     of all, that -also in that covenant as they belongto it in
considered, one might be inclined to draw this conclu- an outward sense they receive y10 grace. In some circles
sion from the text. After all, Scripture here describes they like to speak of a general covenant grace,a certain
men who were once enlightened, who have tasted of grace of which all covenant members, -all those: who are
the heavenly gift, and who were made partakers of the baptized, become partakers. According to this view,
Holy Ghost, who have tasted the good Word of God, taught for many years at Calvin College and Seminary
and the powers of the world to come. It speaks of men          by Prof. W. Heyns - the view on which we, reflected
who so much resemble true children of God that it is           earlier in this treatise  - all those who are baptized
well-nigh impossible to distinguish them from the lat- receive a certain subjective grace by which they are put
ter. But the doctrine of a falling away of the saints lies in a position to accept or to reject God's covenant. Of
wholly in the line of Arminianism and militates so fla- course, this is pure and Simple Pelagianism applied to
grantly against the whole of Holy Scripture that we the area of God's covenantin the world. This presenta-
may immediately rule out the very possibility that the tion is very dangerous, but it has nevertheless found
text would teach such a falling away. Those whom wide acceptance in the Christian Reformed Churches.
God has predestinated unto salvation will also surely According to it, the covenant is merely a promise to
be glorified. The unchangeable love of God, the blood all. Those who are baptized must consent to that cove-
of Christ, the intercession of our great High Priest in nant, they must accept that promise, if they are to be
the heavens, the powerful preservation of the grace of truly members of God's covenant.  .And God bestows
God  -  all. these are the sure guarantee that nothing upon every covenant member sufficient grace either to
shall be able to separate them from the love of God accept or to reject that promise. Others do not go so
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Regeneration  .and far, but speak nevertheless of a certain general cove-
conversion and the entire. work of God in His elect is nant grace in the same sense in which some also speak
begun by God, and `He will never forsake that which of a general, well-meant offer of salvation in the
His hand has once begun. This is absolutely sure. And preaching of the gospel. That they are baptized, that
if this is established, then it follows that in this passage they bear the sign and seal of the covenant on their
we are dealing with men who `live very close to the forehead  - the sign and seal in which the Lord God
stream of grace, so close that they understand and signifies and seals the benefits of the covenant, - that
taste something - or sometimes even much - of it, but they may enjoy a covenant upbringing and may be
always with a natural understanding and an impenitent under the good Word of God from earliest childhood,
heart.                                                         that, some of them may' even sit at the table of the
  Now this can only take place and does only -take covenant, in a word that with the church they may
place in the sphere of God's covenant as it is revealed enjoy all the .means of grace - this, then, is grace for
in the world. What is here stated could not be said of all who live and grow up under the covenant. And in
men of the world who perhaps come into contact all. this they may see the grace of God, God's  well-
with the gospel of Jesus Christ only once or possibly a meant offer of His`covenant.


476                                          THE STANDARD BEARER


  Now let it be remarked, in the first place, over case remains entirely without. Then it may very well
against this view that also in the seals of the covenant be that someone is enlightened by the good Word of
there is nothing common. There is neither in baptism God according to his natural understanding, even to
nor in holy communion a general offer of grace. It is        such an extent that in a powerful manner he can speak
simply not true that God in holy baptism promises and of the mysteries of God's kingdom, while he neverthe-
seals something to all who are baptized. No more than less in the deepest sense of the word stands at enmity
this is the case with His Word, with the gospel of salva- against it all, It may be, then, that he even obtains a
tion, no more is it true with respect to the seals of certain taste of the things of God's covenant. They
God?, covenant. In holy baptism the Lord God, in final taste the good Word of God. They acknowledge that it
analysis, seals something to no one else than to those is good. They taste something of the powers of the
who believe. For it is the righteousness which  is of world to come. They can even see in a certain sense the
faith  which is sealed and confirmed both in baptism         beauty of heaven, and speak of it. They cannot even
and in the Lord's supper. The Lord does not lie - not entirely escape the vibrations of the Holy Spirit as
even when the reprobate and ungodly receive the seal these operate and reveal themselves in the church. But
of the covenant! When the Lord affixes His seal upon with all this, they remain but natural men. Their own
this truth that He reckons faith for righteousness, then heart does not only remain outside all these things, but
it is surely plain that such a  seal  is  pavticadar in  its even stands spiritually at enmity against them.
content and that no unbeliever can ever appeal to it.          And now, the consequence of all this is that such
  But, in the second place, such a presentation is ex- ungodly men become hardened to the most hopeless
actly rejected and refuted by the passage in Hebrews 6.      degree, and either already in this life or in the day of
For the holy writer exactly demonstrates by the ex- judgment become revealed in all the dreadfulness of
ample which he uses that such an ungodly man, though their wickedness. Far and away the majority of them
he may receive much, receives precisely no grace and fall away already in this life. Sooner or later, under the
no blessing from God. He cites the example of "the influence of various circumstances, they are compelled
earth which drinketh in the rain which  cometh oft to reveal how they really have an inner loathing of the
upon it." Now if in that earth the good seed lies hid-       truth of God and of His covenant. And it is precisely
den, and if under the influence of that rain that earth from among these that first the apostate church and
brings forth good fruits, then in that rain that earth       presently the power of the Antichrist is b&n. And so
receives blessing from God. But also, if there lie hidden the reprobate shell in the sphere of God's covenant
in that earth the seeds of thorns and thistles, and those never receives anything else than cursing and wrath. In
seeds of thorns and thistles sprout forth through that nature the chaff, under the influence of rain and sun-
gentle rain, then in that very same rain that earth re- shine, grows up luxuriantly, along with the grain. But
ceives the curse and becomes ripe for rejection and it nevertheless never becomes anything else but chaff.
destruction. By means of that rain, then, it exactly         In the field the grain and the weeds both sprout forth
comes to manifestation what the real character of that under the same influences; but those weeds never be-
earth is and what kind of seed lies hidden in it. Now        come grain. In the vine, in a certain sense of the word,
the Scripture brings this in connection with those who       the fruitful branches stand under the same influence as
indeed live under the covenant but who nevertheless the unfruitful branches. In fact, the latter  can fre-
are and remain ungodly. The rain falls in the sphere of quently manifest themselves much more luxuriantly
that -covenant many times. They do not dwell in the than the former. But the unfruitful branches neverthe-
desert, where all remains dry and barren. No, the rain less only become ripe to.be burned. And it is no dif-
of baptism and of the Lord's supper, of instruction and      ferent in the sphere of God's covenant. Israel dwells
preaching, of the operations of the Spirit in the            alone. Also ungodly Israel on earth dwells alone. It
church, of the powers of the world to come - that rain       becomes, under the influence of God's covenant, much
falls, plentifully or less abundantly, in the sphere of      more ungodly than the heathen round about Israel.
God's covenant on earth. And if, now, there is hidden Israel shall even dwell alone yet in hell. For the chil-
in any heart the grace of God, the seed of regeneration,     dren of the kingdom who are cast out shall certainly be
then through the means of that gentle rain that good beaten with double stripes, precisely because they de-
seed sprouts forth and reveals itself presently in the spised and trampled upon that which they once tasted.
good fruits of repentance and sorrow, in knowledge of          At the same time, here also lies the answer to the
sin, in faith and conversion, in the knowledge of the        question: what is God's purpose with all of this? In
Savior, in the fruits of sanctification and of the battle    the first place, we answer that it is exactly God's pur-
for God's covenant in the midst of the world. In that        pose as far as such ungodly members of the covenant
instance everything is grace and blessing. But when          themselves are concerned, that sin shall come to com-
there is hidden in a heart the evil seed of ungodliness,     plete manifestation as sin. God must be justified when
and nothing more, then also that comes to manifesta-         presently He judges. The first root-sin of Adam in Para-
tion exactly through that same rain. The heart in that       dise must bear its fruits to the full. The man of sin


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  477


must come fully to revelation. Now this takes place reason for this. In the first place, the entire covenant is
not in the world of the heathen where men do not live frequently considered as nothing else than a way of
in the sphere of God's covenant. This does not even          salvation; and then, of course, the great advantage of
take place fully when in that world of the heathen the       that covenant people lies in the fact that also their
gospel is preached and some receive it while others          children are  .saved. If the subject of the covenant
reject it. But this takes place indeed in the sphere of comes under discussion, many think not so much of a
God's covenant. It is also, then, in that sphere that the    relation between God and His people as of a relation
power of the Antichrist is born. There sin comes to its between believers and their seed. And if the question
most dreadful manifestation as sin. If Esau had not of being saved is then presented as the chief idea of the
once possessed the right of the firstborn, he would covenant, it follows that the question of the salvation
never have become the fornicator; and he would never of infants automatically is placed on the foreground.
have been able to reveal himself in his Esau's nature.       In the second place, this is a question which cuts very
But now this is different. He becomes Esau to the full,      deeply into our natural life. For it is a fact that there
the ungodly man, who prefers a mess of pottage above         are very many who are taken away by death in their
the glory of God's covenant. And God is justified when childhood. Dr. Abraham Kuyper, Sr., writes about this
He judges Esau. And thus it is with all the ungodly. as follows (E Vote Dovdraceno,  III, pp. 6, 7; we trans-
Presently they shall be punished with everlasting pun- late): "Of every generation that is born at least half die
ishment in body and soul in the unspeakable anguish before they have developed to a full and clear con-
of hell. The equity of this judgment of God in propor- sciousness. Before his twentieth year one is seldom
tion to the wickedness of sin must be seen, in order full-grown. Our civil law first grants the right of self-
that God may appear to be justified when He judges.          determination to one  yho has reached the age of 23
Therefore the terrible character of sin must also be- years. Now statistics show that of every 100 persons
come revealed to the full. And this comes to manifesta- buried in our land in 1886,  7%% were dead at birth,
tion in the sphere of God's covenant, where the un- 28% in their first year,  121/2% from their first to their
godly count the blood of the New Testament an un- fifth year, 4% from their fifth to their fourteenth year,
holy thing.                                                  and almost 2% in their fifteenth to twentieth years.
  In the second place, it is exactly through this divine From the ages of 1 to 20 years, therefore, approxi-
arrangement that the antithesis comes to manifestation mately 56% of those who died. And even. if one as-
and the battle for the cause of God's covenant in the sumes that children from their seventh or eighth year
world is fought. The believers do not have their fiercest on know some difference between good and evil, then
battle with those who are outside, but with those who the number of those who die between the ages of 1
in the external sense of the word are within. These are and 7 years old is still approximately 45 out of 100.
always inspired in principle, and presently manifestly, He who is a serious Christian, therefore, must not say
with the spirit of the Antichrist. It is through them that the question of children who die in infancy is an
that the church on earth suffers and battles and incidental one. That it certainly is not. Already when
wrestles for the sake of God's covenant. The spiritual we limit the question to those who attain an age of 7
seed is persecuted and harassed by the carnal seed. or 8 years old, this question concerns almost half of
The latter kills the prophets and nails the Lord of glory those born; and if one goes a bit farther, it concerns a
to the accursed tree and causes the blood of the ser- generous half." Now the latter conclusion of Dr.
vants of God to flow upon the earth. But in all this it      Kuyper is certainly not entirely true. For the basis of
nevertheless serves to make God's elect people ripe, the statistics given by Dr. Kuyper above was not the
through suffering and battle, for the final glory. For number of those born in 1886, but. the number of
that people has the victory, through their King, Who is those who died. And it may be assumed that in all
given to them by Israel's God, and according to His likelihood the latter figure was considerably smaller
eternal good pleasure.                                       than the former. One cannot assume, therefore, that if
                                                             he divides the number of deaths on a percentage basis
                          Chapter XI                         according to their various age-groups, that this per-
        Covenant Children Who Die In Infancy                 centage remains the same when he figures on the basis
                                                             of the number of births. The latter percentage would
  The last question which we wish to discuss in con- be considerably smaller. But that does not take away
nection with our subject is that concerning the salva- the fact that the great majority of those who die are
tion of children of believers who die in infancy.            children - if, at least, one reckons childhood up to the
  Among believers there is a great measure of interest twentieth year. The subject under discussion, there-
shown in this question. When the question of the salva- fore, is one of vital concern. Add to this the fact that
tion of little children who die in infancy is broached, here one of the tenderest relationships of natural life is
often the thoughts of the heart come to manifestation involved - for the bond between a parent and his dead
and the emotions are stirred. There is, of course, good infant is a very tender one  - then it is quite  under-


478                                            THE STANDARD BEARER


 standable that at the grave of a little one, of a darling their funeral sermons comfort the parents by giving
 taken away by the Lord, the question arises in the them to understand that all covenant children who die
 heart of the parents whether that little one whose tiny in infancy are saved. They even tend to stretch more
 body is laid away in  the grave at that same moment and more the, age-limit of those who die in childhood;
rejoices in glory before the throne of God and of the and it even occurs that in such funeral sermons com-
 Lamb. It is also readily to be understood that as often fort is extended on this saine basis when the dead have
 as this question comes under discussion, much interest reached the age of 14 to 18 years old and, besides,
 is shown in it, especially by the many parents who have not seldom given reason to fear by a life in and
themselves have had to bring their children to the according to the world that they actually went lost.
 grave.                                                         The difference is on the surface. The fathers do not
   Thus it is also to be explained, perhaps, that an express an objective item of faith and confession in the
 article concerning this question was included in the article quoted above. They only said,  ". . . godly
 Canons of Dordrecht (I, A, 17). Especially when, in parents must not doubt. . .  ." But many, especially if
 corinection with this, we take into consideration the they proceed from the idea of a pre-supposed regenera-
 fact that the Arminians delighted in depicting the pre- tion as the basis for infant baptism, express it as a
 sentation of our Reformed fathers as monstrous, and matter of faith: all baptized children who die in in-
 berated them that they took pleasure in the idea of a fancy are saved.
 hell full of innocent little children, it is understandable      Meanwhile, we would remark, in the first place, that
 that the Synod of 16 18-' 19 undertook to make of this even if one declares *hat all covenant children who die
 matter a point of confession. We read there: "Since we in infancy are saved, he still does not have anything
 are to judge of the will of God from his Word, which definite whatsoever. For the question remains: who are
 testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by to be counted as belonging to such children who die in
 nature, but in virtue of the covenant of grace, in `which infancy? There will be wide divergence of opinion
 they, together with the parents, are comprehended, about this question. The matter is rather elastic. As we
 godly parents have no reason to doubt of the election have already remarked, there are at the one extreme
 and salvation of their children, whom it pleaseth God to those who  would extend the life-span of those who
 call out of this life in their infancy."                       must be classified as children who die in infancy to the
   This article leaves much to be desired as far as clar- age of 20. Others w'til condemn this as being extreme;
 ity and sharpness of definition are concerned; and it they would rather put this age-limit back to the four-
 cannot be denied that in the form in which the matter teenth year. But even thus the problem is not solved.
 is here cast it really cannot be considered an item for a He who observes children will have to concede that the
 confession. In a confession the church expresses what difference between those who fear the Lord and those
 it believes concerning the truth of God revealed in.the who will have nothing of God's covenant frequently is
 Scriptures. And it can hardly be said that the church noticeable  alre.ady long before their fourteenth year.
 here does that. If the Synod of 16  18-` 19 had really There are, indeed,  children about whom, judging by
 wanted to express a definite view concerning the $aIva- their entire life's manifestation over against the things
 tion of children who die in infancy, then there of God's covenant in the church, in the catechism
 would have had to be something entirely different in cl&s, on the street, or in their homes, one fears the
 this article of the Canons of Dordrecht. Then it would worst long before they have reached the age of four-
 have had to say very ,definitely: "We believe that since teen. And, on the other hand, there are children who
 we are to judge of the will of God from his Word, at that same age have already long revealed that it is
 which testifies that the children of believers are holy, their -desire to fear the Lord and to walk in the ways of
 not .by nature, but in virtue of the covenant of grace, His covenant. Even if you would want to fix the age-
 in which they, together with their parents, are compre- limit in ybur confession as extending not farther than
 hended, that all children of believers whom God takes the tenth y.ear, you would still not by any means gain
 away in their infancy are saved according to their elec- agreement on the part of all believers. For one who has
 tion." Then the church would at least have expressed stood at the death-bed of children who have not even
 something definite, something about, the meaning of reached. the age of ten it is perfectly clear that the
 which there would have to be no doubt. But this the grace of God in Christ can come to manifestation very
 article does not do. There are indeed very many who wonderfully- on such death-beds of little children. A
 understand the niatter thus. There are not a few who dying child of six or eight years old canspeak of his
 do not hesitate to say that every baptized child who, is confidence that he is going to Jesus, can exhort those
 taken away by the Lord in infancy is saved. Parents who stand about that .death-bed not to w.eep over him,
 who bring their young children to the grave often say and can presently depart this life singing, while at
 without .hesitation that they~ were, covenant children, other death-beds any such manifestation is totally ab-
 and that for that reason those children are certainly sent. And although the latter certainly cannot be re-
 saved. And many preachers follow this example and in garded as  .proof that such little ones therefore went


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                        479
                                         _


lost, nevertheless many wiIl point you to the fact that Holy Scripture, then it is this, that not all is Israel that
the ear-marks of grace can come to manifestation very is called Israel. Not all the children who are born of
early in life. We have even more than once met people believing parents are therefore also elect and saved.
who maintained that their children already at the age There are reprobate; there are even  - to judge from
of two years old gave very plain indications of respect the history of Israel - very many reprobate in God's
and reverence for the things of God's covenant, while covenant in this outward sense of the word. From their
others manifested the very opposite attitude already at being in God's covenant by reason of birth from be-
that same age. Probably you will remark that this is lieving parents the salvation of infants does not simply
going to the opposite extreme.  But this does not follow as a necessary conclusion.
change the fact that from all these divergent opinions                          (to be continued)
it is sufficiently evident that you express very little if
you affirm that all children of the covenant who die in
infancy are also saved. And it is indeed  csrtdn that                                NOTICE
you would not be able to confess this concerning all            Classis East of the Protestant Reformed Churches
the children of the 45% mentioned by Dr. Kuyper.              will meet, D.V., on Wednesday, October 7, 1970, at
  From this point of view it certainly would not have         9:00 A.M. in the Southeast Protestant Reformed
been any great loss if Article 17 of Canons, I-A, had Church. Consistories will reckon with this in the ap-
never been included.                                          pointment of their delegates.
  But, in the second place, it ought to be plain that it                                       ,-      Rev. M. Schipper,  S.C.
will not do to say: a child is baptized and comprehended
in the covenant, and therefore it is saved if it dies in                            NOTICE!!
infancy. The question is not now whether children can           All ministers and clerks of our congregations please
be regenerated already in early childhood, and there- note this change of address. Please send all orders for
fore can inherit salvation if they die before they arrive catechism books to:
at years of discretion. That this is true, surely, no one                         Mr. Seymour Beiboer
will doubt. But the question is rather whether on the                             2193 Clyde Park Ave., S.W.
ground of their being in the covenant in the historical                           Wyoming, Mich. 49509
sense of the word it may be said of.aZZ baptized chil-
dren who .are taken away in infancy that they are                                    NOTICE
saved. The latter is not possible. It would indeed be           Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches
possible if it could also be maintained that all children will meet in Hull, Iowa on September 2, 1970, at 8:30
born in the covenant are also really regenerated and A.M.
saved. But it has exactly become clear to us that this is.                                              Rev. David Engelsma,
not true. If there is anything which is clearly taught in                                            Stated Clerk Classis West



                                              ANNUAb MEETING

                                                      of the
                                                R.F.P.A.
                    DATE:                SEPTEMBER 24,8 P.M.
                    PLACE:               SOUTHWEST PROTESTANT REFORMED CHURCH
                    SPEAKER:             REV. JOHN A. HEYS



                                              NEW MEMBERS WELCOME!


 THE STANDARD BEARER
        P.O. Box 6064                                                                         SECOND CLASS
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506 :                                                                POSTAGE PAID AT
                                                                                            GRAND RAPIDS, MUCH.




480                                           THE STANDARD B.iZARER


                                  News From Our Churches

   A sure sign that summer is about over is that this the children and Sunday School of Jamaica. On August
 column will have to be written  twice  a month again 16, he planned to do the same at Southeast Church,
from now on. Certainly was nice while it lasted.              after its morning service.
   By the time this appears in print, the 1970 Young            The visit of Rev. Elliott constituted, perhaps, the
People's Convention will be a thing of the past. But at feature attraction at that program at Southeast. But it
 the time of its writing, we have only a couple of ad- wasn't the only part of the program. Besides a few
vance notices. Take this one, for example: "Celeryland numbers by the Sunday School, there was also a per-
 Convention: Where? Hudsonville. When? August formance by what Southeast calls its Summer Choir.
 19-24. Participants.7 All Protestant Reformed Young This choir originated just this summer, and, according
People!`? Their theme is "Strangers in a Strange Land," to reports, is enjoyed immensely by those who partici-
 from I Chron. 29: 15; and the speakers  - Rev. D. pate. Every Sunday, immediately after the 5:00 eve-
Engelsma, Prof. H. Hanko, and Rev. B. Woudenberg.             ning service, interested members of the congregation
   A couple of our ministers have received calls from get together for an hour of singing. They sang under
 their old congregations. Rev. G. Van Baren, presently the direction of Mr. C. Westra and, later, his daughter
 pastor at First Church of Grand Rapids, has received Beth, a college music major.
 the call from Randolph, which congregation he served           Incidentally, that meeting of the Sunday School at
 from 1962 to 1965. The call from Hull, Iowa, has gone Southeast Church will be the last held in the+ summer.
 to Rev. J. Kortering who served that congregation dur- They were a little better than half way through their
ing the first six years of his  ministry. Rev. C. Hanko first season of summer Sunday School on a trial basis.
has received the call from the congregation of South- It took about that long to determine that absenteeism.
 west, which will be left without a pastor after Rev. was a problem to such an extent that it would be in
 Lubbers leaves for Jamaica.                                  the interest of wisdom to make an immediate change
   Rev. Lubbers, our Missionary to Jamaica, "will be back to winter Sunday School.
 installed into that office," according to the bulletin of      It  .seems that the seminary students have spent a
 the calling church, "Wednesday evening, Sept. 2, D.V. rather profitable summer  - at least, if we may judge
 Rev.  Schipper will preach the sermon and Rev. Van from this quote from the bulletin of Randolph: "The
 Baren will read the Form for Installation. Sunday, consistory received the following letter from student
 Sept. 6, Rev. Lubbers will conduct both services in our R. Van Overloop: I would like to thank you for the
 church, and a short program will follow the service in privilege given to me to preach in your church for six
 which we will bid him God-speed. Rev. Van Baren will weeks. I believe that it was of great assistance to me in
 address the new Missionary in the name of the calling my training for the ministry. . . . May the Lord bless
 church and of our denomination."                             you spiritually and soon give you a pastor of your
                                                              own. if it is His will."
   Rev. C. J. Elliott of Islington, Jamaica, finally  ar-       We notice that the Reformed Witness Hour has dis-
rived in our country on Monday, July 20, after several continued Stations WNAX in Yankton, North Dakota,
 delays because of red tape involved in obtaining a pass- and KLOV-FM in Loveland, Colorado. And on July 19
port. He stayed, during his visit to the United States, at it began to broadcast from KBBI-FM in Lamirada, Cali-
 the home of Rev. and Mrs. Lubbers. According to bul- fornia, which covers the territory around  Redlands,
letins of our churches in the Grand Rapids area, Rev. Bellflower, and Los Angeles.
Elliott is making the rounds. On July 26 he attended            Again, there's an excess of news, thanks to those
 the evening service at First Church, after which service churches who so faithfully send bulletins. On occasion,
he spoke a few words of greeting from the Protestant even, a minister has sent a "news sheet" of his own.
 Reformed Churches in Jamaica, and of appreciation That that's appreciated by the news-editor goes with-
 for the work which we have done for the churches out saying. But it's also of great value for all the
 there. On August 23 he was to do the same after the Standard Bearer  readers, many of whom, no doubt,
 morning service in Holland. On August 2 he met with find this their only source of information concerning
 the Sunday School and the congregation of  Hudson- what's -happening in the distant churches. So, to all
ville Church, after the morning service. He spoke about senders of news - thanks!                          D.R.D.


