                                       he : , : :.;<,r ;:- .I.

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A  REFORMED  SEMI-MONTHLY  MAGAZ1N.E



IN THIS ISSUE


       Meditation:
         Christ Capturing His Captors
                                  s

       Editorial:
  :      Why Not Confess With Tbe Mouth?

       Feature:
         What For? (A Question Of Antithesis)

       All Around Us:
         Uniou of Presbyterians
         Rock Music
         1 Dr. Arntzen Resigns


                                                         Volume XL VII/Number 12/March 15, I9 71


266                                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



                            CONTENTS:                                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER
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   Christ Capturing His Captors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266             Editor-in-Chief: Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
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   Why Not Confess With The Mouth? . . . . . . . . . .268                    Kortering, Rev. George C. Lubbers, Rev. Marinus Schipper. Rev.  Gise J.
                                                                             Van  Baren, Rev. Herman Veldman, Rev. Bernard Woudenberg

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Meditation

                                   Christ Capturing His Captors
                                                                Rev. M. Schipper

            "As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. "
                                                                                                                          John  18:6.

   Amazing scene!                                                            be alone with His God. There He crawled in the dust,
   In Gethsemane it took place, the garden where Jesus and became as a worm and no man. There He had
and His disciples had retired after the paschal lamb had poured out His soul which had become exceeding sor-
been .eaten, and the last Passover kept. After Judas had rowful even unto death. There He had prayed earnestly
been dismissed, and the Supper of the New Testament that the cup of suffering might pass from Him - that if
instituted, the Lord came here; not so much to be the Father could devise another way to save His people
alone with His disciples before the deciding hour, as to than the bitter way of the cross, this was His desire;


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                               267



but also that desire He was willing to subject unto the      The intended Captive captures His captors!
will of His God. And when it became plain to Him that        Awful power!
the Father had no other way whereby He could re-             But how shall we understand their conduct?
deem His people, that the only way was the way of the        That the enemy would be astounded at the fearless-
cross, that He must pass under the outpouring of the ness Jesus displayed before a numerically and physi-
vials of holy, eternal, divine wrath, - then it was that cally greater host, we can easily comprehend. That
He was ready to walk that way.                             they would momentarily pause in their contemplated
  Arousing His sleeping disciples, who could not endeavor to capture Him, and stand in amazement at
watch with Him one hour and pray, because of the the boldness wherewith He came forth to meet them,
weariness of the rapidly turning events, and, more im- is not difficult to perceive. For they had come, so we
portantly, because the Man of Sorrows and acquainted may believe, to capture a "dangerous malefactor" who
with grief might suffer alone in the midst of the gar- would either flee at the first sound of the footsteps of
den, where He sweat as it were drops of blood and the approaching posse, or who would use every avail-
experienced no moral or spiritual support that men able weapon to avoid capture. This is what they ex-
might give and He might crave, - then said He unto pected; and therefore, they had come fully armed and
them, "Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that with a great multitude. But instead of fleeing, or in-
doth betray me."                                           stead of using physical power to avoid capture, He
  Then it was that the captors came for to take Him!       confronted them with the simple question: "Whom
  Evil men they were, inspired by the prince of dark- seek ye?" This would, indeed, naturally cause conster-
ness, and led by an erstwhile disciple whose heart nation, and psychologically might cause them to halt
Satan filled!                                              and even to step backward. But it would not cause
  Judas, after he had been dismissed by the Lord from them, and especially the soldiers, to fall away back-
the table of Passover, with the words, "What thou ward and to lie prostrate on the ground. You cannot
doest, do quickly," went swiftly in the darkness of the explain their conduct from a merely natural and
night to the leaders of the Jews, with whom he had psychological point of view. For consider that they
already agreed for thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus were a great multitude, with hardened soldiers who
into their hands, bringing them the message that their were thoroughly armed at the head, led there by .Judas
diabolical plan was known to the Lord, and urging whose heart Satan filled, and who was now determined
them with haste to carry it out. Rushing into their to betray the Lord. Is it conceivable, do you think,
presence, he urges them to act quickly and with force that such a host-would fall to the ground helpless, and
to capture and dispose of Him.                             that out of mere natural fear or psychological wonder-
  Indeed, it had not been the plan or desire of the ment? We think not. There must be another and a
enemy to dispose of Jesus publicly on the feast days, much better explanation.
lest they stir up the people. What they planned to do,       Is it not significant that John is the only one of the
they had thought to do secretly. But now it appeared gospel narrators who speaks of this scene? And remem-
that their plans had to be changed. Regardless of the bering that it is he, in distinction from the rest, who
consequences, they sense that they must act now. And would emphasize in his gospel the divinity of Christ,
because they knew Jesus' power, for they had wit- would it not appear therefore also here that he would
nessed it in the wonders He had performed, and most have us see Jesus as the Son of God? From this we
likely they had been forewarned by Judas that it might conclude that on this occasion the Lord allowed His
be necessary to come with force, they appealed to the divine power to proceed from Him, riding as it were on
.captain of the temple guard for a band of soldiers, on the words He spoke, "Whom seek ye?" that caused the
the pretext that they were about to capture a danger- multitude, all of them, including Judas, to fall back-
ous malefactor. Therefore with a great multitude, ward to the ground. In one word, He allowed for a
armed with swords and clubs, with lanterns and moment His divinity to shine through the veil of His
torches, and led by Judas, they approach unto the gate flesh, the holiness and righteousness of which causes
of the garden.                                             wickedness to recoil in the dust.
  Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should           Here it must become perfectly evident that no one
come upon Him, went forth to meet them.                    could take Him, unless He gave Himself willingly into
  He addresses them with the' question: "Whom seek their hands.
ye?"                                                         Something of this divine power He displayed on
  Significantly then we read in the text: "As soon other occasions when the enemy sought to destroy
then as He had said unto them, I am he, they went Him. In Nazareth they brought Him-out of the city
backward, and fell to the ground."                         intent on pushing Him off a cliff; but He passed
  Indeed, an amazing scene!                                through their midst and escaped, for His hour was not
  The would-be captors lie fallen upon the ground!         yet come. Later when He was in Jerusalem and they
They appear as dead men, utterly helpless!                 were determined to stone Him, He departed from them


268                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



into Peraea, for His hour was not yet come.                 must not be. The hour had truly come. The mob is
  But now it was the hour!                                  here in the service of God to capture Him and bring
  And in this hour we see that, though He had the Him to the frightful but at the same time glorious
power to slay all His enemies and lay them prostrate at cross, where He would be raised up in order to draw all
His feet, though He could have called down legions of men unto Himself.
angels to deliver Him out of the enemies' hands,              It was this instruction which they learned that
though even the disciples would fight in His defense, if caused the disciples to forsake Him and flee. Not be-
necessary unto death,  - He would not strike terror cause of any personal fear they might have had at the
into the hearts of His captors while He had the power sight of the rabble, but because they now understood
to capture them; but He gave Himself voluntarily into that the Lord would give Himself willingly into their
their hands. Before that hoyr which the Father had set hands that moved them to flee and forsake Him. This
in His counsel had come, no man could take Him.' But was indeed the offense concerning which the Lord had
when that hour arrives,  .He will, according to the previously forewarned earlier that night, "All ye shall
Father's will, give Himself voluntarily unto death.         be offended because of me this night: for it is written,
  But there is more!                                        I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scat-
  Not only must the captors learn that they cannot tered abroad."
take Him until He gives Himself into their hands; but         Yes, with the power to capture His captors, He must
this evidence of His power, and His resignation to the nevertheless be ready in this hour to lay down His life
will of the enemies must also speak to His disciples, for His sheep.
and to us. They, and especially Peter, had made up            While what He did when He cast the multitude .to
their minds to defend Him. They had come into the ground was prophetic of what must also come to pass
garden with their swords. And Peter had been the first when He would be exalted' at God's right hand, when
to show that he meant to use it. He had cut off the ear every knee must bow, acknowledging that He is the
of the servant of the high priest, and was thoroughly Lord, He must nevertheless in this hour forego the use
rebuked of the Lord for his conduct. They that use the of that power to deliver Himself from their hands, lest
sword shall perish with. the sword, the Lord had said. He should become disobedient to His heavenly calling.
But more significantly he and the disciples had to learn      "Wherefore God has also highly exalted Him" can
that the Lord needed not their defense. He could on only be realized after He had first "humbled Himself,
His Word call down a multitude of angels if He felt and became obedient unto death, even the death of the
that was necessary. And what greater proof did they cross."
need of His infinite power when they, too, saw the            The mighty Lord will attain to the highest pinnacle
ungodly host lying prostrate at Jesus' feet? Indeed, He of His lordship, only after He has through the way of
did not need their  .protection. The two Greek words perfect obedience experienced what it means to be-
which Jesus spoke, and constituting only seven letters, come the servant of all.
was all He needed to cast the enemy to the ground and         Most blessed Saviour!
hold them there until as on other occasions He would          Glorious King and Deliverer of His people!
pass through their midst and thus escape. But so it


Editoria 1

                  Why Not Confess With The Mouth?
                                               BVOJ: H. C. Hoeksema

  We had always intended to comment at an oppor- instead of silently "speaking in their hearts" while the
tune time on an item which appeared in News of OUY minister recites it.
Churches, now several months ago. But sometimes op-           As we see it, there is no reason why other congrega-
portune times do not come: one has to make them.            tions should not initiate this change; and there are, in
  The announcement referred to concerned a change fact, reasons why they could and should initiate it.
in the Order of Worship by the Loveland Consistory            Let me explain my viewpoint.
and Congregation  - a change which we deem to be              First of all, we are not interested in change for the
highly commendable and worthy of imitation by our sake of change, especially not when it concerns liturgi-
other congregations. In the worship service of Love- cal practice. This is in the air nowadays; and there is a
land the entire congregation recites the Apostles' Creed large measure of superficial, if not downright bad, in-


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                               269



novation in some churches - it would seem, merely for merely mumbles rather indistinctly. But it can be done
the sake of innovation, and perhaps partly to satisfy an successfully. I would suggest that with a little good
unholy clamor for removing the old landmarks. For leadership on the part of the minister and a little co-
this we do not care, and we warn against it. That sort operative effort on the part of the congregation success
of change is as addictive as dope; and the more you get can be achieved. The minister must lead with a clear
of it the more you want. Besides, it is not governed by voice. He must speak loudly enough to be heard and to
sound principles of public worship. Yet, I sometimes lead, but not so loudly as to drown out the members
think that in our fear  of  bad  change we tend to be of the congregation. And he must recite at an even,
afraid of  all  change, the good included. And if there unhurried pace. As far as the congregation is con-
are good and sound reasons for change, both principal cerned, my first suggestion is that they should recite
and practical reasons, there surely is no reason to be the Creed standing. Not only is this respectful, but it is
afraid of change.                                            also good from a practical point of view. Just as one
  In the second place, it ought to be noted that as to can sing better when he stands up and is psychologi-
its  idea  the reciting of the Apostles' Creed is one of cally inclined to be more alert and "perky" in his sing-
those elements in our worship in which the minister ing, so he can also speak better. It has been my obser-
leads, but in which the congregation also participates. vation in churches where the Creed is recited by the
It is not intended to be an element of the worship in congregation that when they were seated, they were
which the minister speaks and the congregation listens. more inclined to mumble through it; and when they
Rather, when the minister gives expression to this Con- were standing, they were more inclined to recite it
fession, the congregation is supposed to do so  with clearly and attentively. And it would certainly not be
him This is the reason why some of our ministers will difficult to follow this practice: following the order of
introduce the Creed with an expression like, "Let us worship in use in most of our churches, the congrega-
make confession of our faith, speaking in our hearts," tion would merely have to remain standing after the
or, "Let each one say in his heart. . . ."                   first song. My second suggestion is that the congrega-
  In the third place, however, the proper idea of con- tion must cooperatively follow the lead of the minis-
fession is exactly that of speaking with the mouth, not ter, and not act as a group of individuals trying to
merely speaking in our hearts. To confess is "to say the outdo either the minister or one another. And my
same thing with someone else." Moreover, this is a third suggestion is a very simple one, but basic: when
Biblical idea. We confess with our mouths that which you make confession with your mouth, do so as one
we believe with our hearts. Thus you find it literally, who believes with the heart!
for example, in Romans 10:9, 10: "That if thou shalt           I suppose some objections could be raised. There are
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt be- always some who are against change, probably for the
lieve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the sake of being "against." This does not mean anything.
dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart  mari Others might object that reciting of the Creed would
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth con- become an empty habit. But that is a danger now also
fession is made unto salvation." This is the current idea - perhaps more so when the congregation takes no
of confessing in Scripture.                                  active part. Public worship must, of course, never be
  Moreover, this is even the idea of the Apostles' empty habit, but always a matter of the heart. Others
Creed as it is found in our Form for the Administra- might object that this is a difficult thing to accomplish
tion of the Lord's Supper. There we read in the Prayer: in our larger congregations. But this, of course, is a
"Strengthen us also by this Holy Supper in the catholic matter of judgment. Personally, I do not think any of
undoubted Christian faith, whereof we make confes- our congregations is prohibitively large. At least, I
sion with our mouths and hearts, saying. . .  ." It al- would not be afraid to try it in any of our churches -
ways has struck me as a bit incongruous when as given, of course, consistorial approval and also the op-
minister I have had to administer the sacrament ac- portunity to instruct the congregation.
cording to this Form, that at this point in the prayer         Think about it.
this fine statement is followed by silence on the part of      Personally, I think Loveland furnished a good
the congregation. In fact, I have sometimes wondered example. And my answer to the question above this
what a stranger would think - or even do - if he came editorial is: "Yes, indeed; why not?"
from a congregation which was accustomed to reciting                                 ***
the Creed. He might be embarrassed to discover that            While I am on the subject of public worship, let me
only he and the minister were reciting the confession. broach another aspect of it.
  In the fourth place, it is certainly possible, practi-       I wish that some consistories would take the initia-
cally speaking, for the congregation to take part orally tive in restoring the Votum ("Our help is in the name
in this element of worship. I have witnessed this fre- of Jehovah, Who made heaven and earth.") to its pro-
quently in other churches. True, it is not equally suc- per place in the service.
cessful everywhere. Sometimes the congregation                 That proper place is the  beginning  of the service.


270                                              THE STANDARD BEARER


And I mean the very beginning.                                  1) After the minister and consistory have taken their
   Especially in congregations which have introdvced  a places, the organist would stop playing.
doxology at the beginning of the service, the Votum 2) Then the minister would stand and declare the
has been deprived of its place. I suppose this happened Votum (incidentally, without the address, "Beloved in
rather naturally. If there is an opening doxology, it is the Lord Jesus' Ch&d."  The latter belongs properly
but natural that the organist moves from the prelude with the Salutation, not with the Votum).
tQ  the  Cue  for  the  doxolo~,  at  which  cue  the  cows- 3)  Then  the  organist  would   give  the  cue,  and  the  con-
gation stands. The result is, however, that the organist gregation would stand and sing the doxology.
(who is not an officebearer) in effect begins the serv- 4) Then the minister would pronounce the Salutation,
ice. This in itself is not correct. But my main point is or opening blessing: "Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ,
that the Votum, both as to, its idea and its content, is Grace, mercy,  and  peace,=  etc.
supposed to mark the beginning of the service. To
change this would, of course, take "a little getting used 5) Thereupon the first selection from the Psalter
                                                               would be annoullced
to." But it would be proper; and it would add to the
dignity and solemnity of the service. The procedure               Think about this too.
would then be as follows:


Question Box

                As To The Meaning Of Colossians 1:24
                                                  Prof H. C. Hoeksema

Question                                                        meritorious sufferings by his own suffering in the flesh,
Dear Prof. Hoeksema:                                            but does so for others, i.e., Christ's body, the church,
  Colossia&  1:24 (Douay Version) is one of the some of whom are in Purgatory.
proof-texts used by the Roman Catholic Church for its             But my questioner has problems with the King
teaching that indulgences may be transferred to the James rendering and its meaning. The KJV renders the
members of the church in Purgatory. I have no trouble text as follows: "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for
rejecting this false teaching; but I do have a bit of you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions
trouble understanding Col.  1:24, even in the King of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the
James Version. My perplexity increases when I read in           church." And my questioner's "perplexity" is in-
Rev. H. Hoeksema's  Exposition  of  the Heidelberg creased by the comment of the Rev. H. Hoeksema in
Catechism, Lord's Day 16, chapter 2, page 253: "And connection with Lord's Day 16.
for this-cause they are called to suffer with.Christ, and         Now I think that the basic problem here concerns
so fulfill the measure of His suffering." Will you please our understanding of what is meant in a context like
explain the text, and the concept of fulfilling the meas- this by the sufferings of Christ. And then I call atten-
ure of the suffering of Christ?                                 tion to the fact that Scripture looks at the sufferings of
                                   Thank you,                   our Lord Jesus Christ from a two-fold point of view.
                                         N.                     The first is that of Christ's atoning suffering. That is
Rep&                                                            His suffering of the wrath of God in our place and on
  First of all, let us get the text before us. The Roman account of our sins. From this point of view, Christ's
Catholic Confraternity Version of 1941 (a revision of suffering is unique and perfect. No one else can suffer
the Challoner-Rheims, or Douay, Version) renders it as or need suffer in that atoning sense. Nor is there any-
follows: "I rejoice now in the sufferings I bear for your thing lacking in it; but it is perfect and complete in
sake; and what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ I every respect. Nothing need be added to `it: He has
till up in my flesh for his body, which is the Church." fully atoned for all our sins. The second aspect of that
It is readily understandable that the text as here pre- suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ is that of His suffer-
sented is used as proof for the idea of the transfer of ing at the hands of wicked and ungodly men on ac-
indulgences to the members of the church in Purga- count of His being of the light, of cod, on account of
tory. The sufferings, then, are understood as meritori- His representing the name and honor and righteousness
ous sufferings; the presupposition is that there must be of God in the midst of darkness. Of that aspect of
something added to the meritorious sufferings of Christ's suffering He Himself speaks more than once
Christ; and the apostle, then, supplies those additional during His earthly sojourn; and of that aspect of His


                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER                                              271



suffering the apostles speak also. It is from this latter ultimately he has no place to stand any more. He is
point of view that it is also possible to speak of sharing pressed upon from every side, and pushed out of the
in that suffering and of filling up the measure of that world. In the literal and ultimate sense, this oppression
suffering. It is this aspect of that suffering that is on means death. This oppression even unto death the
the foreground in Philippians 1:29, for example: "It is Lord Himself suffered as the head of the body. And
given you in the behalf of Christ . . . to suffer for his the same oppression the apostle endured. Again and
sake." And the expressed wish of the apostle, "That I again the evil world pressed upon him, so that there
may know him . . . and the fellowship of his sufferings, was no room for him to stand. And finally he too was
being made conformable unto his death." (Phil. 3 : 10) literally pushed out of his place in the world. Further,
refers to the same thing.                                  the text speaks of "that which is left" in the sense of
  But let me give you the complete explanation which "what is still lacking" of these tribulations. The idea is,
the Rev. H. Hoeksema gives in his mimeographed com- therefore, that the suffering of Christ is not yet full, or
mentary on Colossians. I will quote his comments and complete, that there is still something lacking, or want-
at the same time edit out the Greek references, which ing, of this suffering; and that the apostle by his own
would only perplex you more. (Some day, inci- suffering and oppressions fills up that which is still
dentally, I hope that this entire commentary can be lacking, and does so in the sufferings in his own fIesh.
edited, popularized, and published. It is too valuable to This requires further explanation, It is evident that a
have only the limited use which it has in its present very close relation is here expressed between the suf-
form.) Here are the pertinent comments:                    fering of Christ and that of the apostle  - in general,
   "The apostle in this verse speaks about himself as between the suffering of Christ and that of believers.
the apostle that is called to preach the gospel to the We may note in this connection:           `.    '
Gentiles. He assures us here that he rejoices in the 1) That the reference here is not and cannot be to the
suffering which he endures in behalf of the church and mediatorial or vicarious sufferings of Christ. In this the
for the sake of the gospel. The reason for this rejoicing believers have not and cannot have any part in the
is no doubt to be found in what the apostle had writ- sense that they must fulfill it. It is all by itself perfect
ten in vss. 15-22  about the Christ as the glorious head and complete. But the reference is to the sufferings of
of the church and about all the blessings of salvation Christ as He endured them on the part of the world.
which the church has in Him and receives from Him. The world hated Him and caused Him to suffer be-
Considering this glory of Christ and His riches for the cause He revealed the Father; because in the midst of
church, the apostle is able to rejoice in his suffering for the world that was in darkness and hated the light He
Christ's sake and for the sake of the church.              witnessed of the light, that world stood in enmity over
  "Let us note, first of all, how the apostle in this against Him and filled Him with reproach and shame.
verse describes his sufferings. He puts the word for
`sufferings' in the plural. By this he denotes, of course, 2) That this same suffering also comes upon the be-
the different forms of suffering to which he was sub- lievers because by His Spirit Christ dwells in them.
jected as the apostle to the Gentiles because of his Through them Christ comes to manifestation in their
preaching of the gospel. But the plural denotes not testimony and in their entire walk. Hence, they too
only that his sufferings were various and manifold, but stand for the cause of the Son of God in the midst of
also that they were numerous. He endured many suf- the world. And that world dwells in darkness. Literally
ferings for Christ's sake.                                 the world hates and oppresses always the Christ, even
  "This suffering the apostle describes as `in behalf of in the believers.
and for the spiritual benefit of you, the Colossians. It 3) Although Christ is personally in heaven and far ex-
was, of course, not only in behalf of the Colossians alted above the very possibility of suffering, yet He is
that the apostle suffered in the world, but in behalf of standing in a close, most intimate relation to the
the whole church, in behalf of the whole cause of the church, which is His body, and still suffers in and
Son of God. For he suffered as the apostle to the through them.
Gentiles, and for the cause of the gospel of Christ.          "Now the question is: what is the meaning of the
Moreover, the apostle further defines this suffering in expression `what is still lacking' in connection with the
the words, `and fill up that which is behind of the verb `to fill up' (`to fill up in turn')? In this connection
afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, it signifies `to fill in that which is still lacking, or want-
which is the church.' Through his sufferings he fulfills, ing, of a full measure.' The question therefore is: what
or fills up, the sufferings, or tribulations, of Christ in is the full measure to be filled? Does the apostle here
his flesh, and that, too,, in behalf of His body, which is think of the full measure of his own suffering, which
the church.                                                he will presently fill completely by his death? This is
  "The term used here and rendered `afflictions' the interpretation of some, including Meyer. But it is
means `oppressions' or `tribulations.' It denotes that certainly not the meaning of the text. The text refers,
one's place in the world becomes very narrow, so that first of all, not to the suffering of the apostle, but to


272                                           THE STANDARD BEARER


the afflictions of Christ. If this had been the meaning by the tribulations of the body of Christ from the time
of the apostle, he would have expressed himself much of Abel even to the time of the last martyr on earth.
more directly by saying, for instance, `I fulfill my suf- This measure also the apostle is filling up:
fering, or oppression, for the sake of Christ.' But the         "This suffering the apostle endures in his flesh, that
text speaks of `tribulations of Christ,' evidently presup- is, in his natural body. It is only through and in that
posing that there is a full measure of sufferings and flesh that the apostle is connected with the world. And
oppressions of Christ which is determined by the coun- that hostile world can touch him and inflict its tribula-
sel of God from all eternity. This measure is principally tion upon him only in that flesh. In his inner man he
and centrally filled by the sufferings of Christ Himself can still rejoice in his suffering because he realizes it is
during His sojoum in the world. But there are still for the sake of the church."
remnants of this suffering left. And these are filled up


Feature

                 What For? (A Question Of Antithesis)
                                                 Rev. G. Van Buren

  (Note: The following is an abbreviated and revised,        corned, and applauded.
form of an address delivered on February 18, 197 1 in          Only one very serious question has greatly troubled
the First Christian Reformed Church at Kalamazoo, me in connection with the Groppi affair and other
Michigan under the auspices of the  Association  of similarly disgraceful incidents: what have you been do-
Christian Reformed Laymen.)                                  ing about it? You have rightly deplored what happened
  I am, perhaps, known to most of you only as the - but what have you done about it?
writer of the "Father Groppi reports"  - reports               My present subject is closely related to that Groppi
printed originally in the Standard Bearer, and later re- affair  - in fact, I believe it touches upon the root of
printed in the porch and Trumpet and the Bulletin of the problem: it is a question of the antithesis. My
the ACRL. It was in response to those reports that I theme I have borrowed from an editorial of Dr. Lester
also received this invitation to speak.                      De Koster in the Banner of January 15, 1971. In this
  I would like to state concerning my presence at the        editorial, Dr. De Koster insists that one must be posi-
Groppi lecture that I attended merely out of curiosity tive  - what is one to be for? And I would agree; the
- and not in order to give any sort of report. Later, Christian must be positive. At the same time, the edito-
when I did write the report, it was with a certain           rial (which also refers to Groppi's appearance at
amount of hesitation  - for it could only be an un- Calvin) slights, minimizes, and deprecates the negative.
favorable one concerning an activity in a college be- And very wrongly so.
longing to a denomination other than my own. Yet I             Therefore it is well for us to remember that the
was convinced that what happened the evening that            question, "What for?" must necessarily involve the an-
Father Groppi appeared on the stage at Calvin was of: tithesis - both a "for" and an "against."
concern not only to me, but to many others of Re-, The An tithesis
formed persuasion.                                             The word antithesis is composed of two parts: anti
  Very frankly, I was amazed and surprised at the: and thesis. The thesis is the positive part. It is the fact
response to the reports. I have had conversations with; or reality. But opposed to the thesis, is the anti-. Anti- is
many members of the Christian Reformed Church who' either that which is  against  the thesis, or that which
expressed complete agreement with my criticisms on seeks to be instead of the thesis. These two ideas can
Groppi's appearance. Some wrote letters to declare be combined. That which is opposed to the thesis, is
their approval of the articles. One of these letters came    that which is against it in order to displace it.
from a Christian Reformed consistory in Grand                  The word antithesis is not found in Scripture. The
Rapids.                                                      idea, however, is plainly taught there. The Scriptural
  All, of this has been for me a matter of gratitude and     thesis is God and His holiness. Throughout, this is the
thankfulness. Such response indicates to me that there       emphasis in the Bible. The idea is summarized in
are yet many in the Christian Reformed Church who            I John  1:5,  ". . . God is light, and in Him is no dark-
are deeply committed to the Word of God. These are,          ness at all." Against this Thesis, and seeking to displace
therefore, and rightly, greatly offended when that           it, is the darkness of the devil and all wicked ones. We
which is contrary to God's Word is introduced,  wel-         read in John 3: 19,20,  "And this is the condemnation,


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                            273



that light is come into the world, and men loved dark- their children (no matter what evil deeds they may
ness rather than light, because their deeds were do). Needless to say, this attitude is not only harmful
evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, to those possessing it, but it is also spiritually detri-
neither  cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be mental to the very organizations or persons that are so
reproved."                                                  upheld!
  It is this antithesis which can be trdced throughout        The child of God, therefore, must be properly  for
Scripture. One finds at le.ast some preview of it in para- God and His Word, Who is Jesus Christ - or, as Dr. De
dise, where God placed before Adam two trees: the Koster stated in his editorial, pro Rege (for the King).
tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He is for God and His truth as God has revealed Him-
To the former Adam must respond positively; to the self infallibly in His Word. The Christian will not com-
latter, negatively.                                         promise with that Word. Whatever that Word declares
  From the time of Adam's fall into sin, the antithesis concerning God and His Son Jesus Christ is authorita-
has been seen here on our earth. God spake, addressing tive. The child of God will maintain that.
the serpent, in Genesis 3: 15, "And I will put enmity         I might add, the Christian will be for the King as He
between thee and the woman, and between thy seed has been historically confessed by the Church in its
and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt creeds. He does not join the multitudes who would do
bruise his heel." Always that enmity is revealed - and away with all those creeds of the past (multitudes who
suggests the fact of antithesis. The enmity of Genesis claim that the creeds are outdated, ancient, unsuitable
3: 15 reached its climax on the cross of Christ. There for our times, etc.). He believes that the creeds express
the serpent and his seed sought to crush the seed of the precisely what Scripture sets forth concerning the
woman. All of his venom was poured out upon the Son King. The child of God is FOR.
of God in our flesh. In opposing Him, Satan desired to        Therefore, he must also be against. Whatever is op-
displace Him. But precisely there, Christ had the vic- posed to that King, whether in the evil world or in the
tory over Satan and his seed; over sin and death. There church itself, he will oppose. He must oppose it. When
the Thesis, the Light, triumphed.                           one is properly for the King, he can not avoid being
  Yet there remains the distinction between light and against all that which opposes his King. Does not Scrip-
darkness. Children of God, who are still in this sinful ture itself serve as a guide in this? Are not eight of the
world, face a world of darkness. They can not be one ten commandments negative (Thou shalt not . . . )? Do
with that world; they may not join hands with it; they not the prophets and the apostles often address the
may not idolize it. For does not II Corinthians 6 teach, church in a negative way? Psalm 97: 10 summarizes it:
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: "Ye that love the Lord, hate evil. " As long as members
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighte- of the body of Christ live on this earth, they must be
ousness? And what communion light with darkness? And negative  - but always negative on the basis of what
what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part they believe positively.
hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agree- An Absolute Antithesis
ment hath the temple of God with idols?" Surely, that         There was a statement printed in the Bulletin of the
antithesis clearly remains even unto our very own day. ACRL of January 1971 which declared, "The anti-
The Antithesis Displayed                                    thesis is absolute, or it is not an anti-thesis." With that
                                                            statement I fully agree. However, the denial of the
  The faithful child of God, who believes necessarily absolute antithesis is the root of many of the devia-
in the truth of antithesis, is first and centrally  for tions evident in the church today. As soon as the ab-
something. He carefully avoids two terrible errors. On solute antithesis is denied, the way has been opened to
the one hand, he is cautious lest he should be only have fellowship with unrighteousness and to be yoked
against.  Some people are that way. No matter what with unbelievers (contrary to the instruction of II Cor.
arises, they are against it. The congregation may decide 6). The three professors (Greydanus, Marsden, Mouw)
to install green carpeting in the sanctuary - but these who sat with Father Groppi on the stage in the Fine
are both against the color green and against carpeting. Arts Center at Calvin College are a case in point. In
They strenuously oppose it  - though  they know not their second letter in which they attempt to explain
why. These are simply against whatever they confront. their part in the Groppi affair 
They have no basis, no positive basis, for their opposi-                                        (Standard Bearer, Vol.
                                                            47, No. 4), they state:
tion; therefore they can not either be taken seriously.            As perhaps we should have recognized the first
One surely can not be only against. On the other hand,          time we wrote to you, the real difference between us
there are some who consider it a virtue to be only and          is the question of common grace. This became clear
always  for.  These are often  for  the church (whether         from your reply to our letter. You see the antithesis
she be right or wrong); for the school (no matter what          between the regenerate and the unregenerate as so
may be taught there; no matter who may speak there;             absolute that you preclude giving any hearing to any
no matter what may be done there); these may be for             of their views. Thus you state that "hearing both sides


274                                                     THESTANDARD BEARER



       of a question" is a "very basic error." Consistent with    do-es it logically follow that I am  for  "hermetically
       your view of absolute antithesis you readily equate        sealing" my children against every reference to poison:
       Groppi, agnostics, and similar speakers with "the          whether in books, magazines, or over television? Of
       devil and his followers," and twice you condemn us         course, not. If I am opposed to adultery, does it logi-
       even for praying for such men and for asking God's         cally follow that I must "hermetically seal" members
       blessing on them. Clearly you are judging such men to
       be beyond the help of God's grace  - that is that they     of the church from every reference to sex or to in-
       are already irrevocably followers of the devil so that     struction concerning sex? Of course, not. Then why
       there is no good in them and that we can safely judge      does opposition to Groppi's appearance imply a being
       them to be beyond hope.                                    for hermetically sealing the college against every refer-
          We, of course, do not share your view that the          ence to Groppi? De Koster obviously would make the
       antithesis is so absolute. We believe that God by his      antithesis to appear utterly absurb - in order to allow
       grace allows the unregenerate to continue to live and      for the "Groppi's, or rock music, or whatever is alive in
       to do and say some relatively good things, -including      the mind of the day" (I presume he means the "Bonnie
       works of "civic righteousness,"  even, though these        and Clyde" type movies) within the college. In fact, he
       may be inconsistent with their ultimate God-denying        even suggests what appears to be a good reason why all
       presuppositions. Hence we feel that it is proper to        this sort of thing is essential. He states:
       converse seriously with those who may be unregener-
       ate (as well as to read and study their works  iri the            Ask yourself: how would I go about producing
       light of God's Word) and we do not expect that                 graduates who will not wilt under the harsh winds of
       everything they say will be absolutely wrong.                  modernity the moment they leave the campus? How
  Now I                                                               would I give our fine young people the trust and
               pointed out  to  them in my answer  to  their          freedom essential to responsible development? How
letter,  that they  dd not fairly nor accurately present              would I deal creatively with the mistakes all human
my position in these paragraphs. But they do make                     beings make?
plain that they themselves do not want an "absolute
antithesis," at least not so absolute that one can not              So De Koster would bring the "Groppi's, or rock
"converse seriously" with the unregenerate. I am not music, or whatever is alive in the mind of the day. . . "
certain what they mean by "conversing seriously," but into the college in order to produce "graduates who
I presume that the Groppi affair would be an instance will not wilt under the harsh winds of modernity the
of such conversation. I would suggest that their action moment they leave the campus?" It seems to me that
was a denial of the antithesis and a violation of11 Cor. such procedure would not prepare graduates to  face
6: 14-17.                                                         such harsh winds, but would prepare them to join with
  Though Dr. De Koster in his editorial of January 15 these evil winds. One does not need a Christian school
does not mention "antithesis," and therefore does not or college for this purpose. A secular school can ac-
either openly deny the existence of "antithesis," he complish this purpose as well - and far more cheaply
nevertheless makes the antithesis to appear utterly for the student and his parents. Yet this is the ultimate
absurd. He insists one must be "for," arid concedes the' result of denying an absolute antithesis.
possibility that occasionally one must be "against,"                When I speak of an absolute antithesis, I want you
but in a concrete instance he tries to show that those to understand clearly what I have in mind. I do not
who were "against" Groppi were somehow imbeciles - want any to create a misunderstanding on this score.
illogically and irrationally condemning his presence at An "absolute antithesis" is not identical or even similar
Calvin. He writes:                                                to a "hermetical sealing" from the world. Practical ex-
                                                                  perience shows that this is truly impossible. Even were
          All right., then, some among us deplored the ap-        one to retire to a Pacific island, he could still not be
       pearance of Groppi, and let that be known. Now let's       "hermetically sealed" from the world. The fact is, one
       go on from there: what, in such matters, are we  for?      would take the world right with him in his own flesh.
          Can we be  for  an educational institution hermeti-
       cally sealed against the views of Groppi and the like?     Jesus Himself, while on earth, prayed not that we be
       Then we must be  for  shutting off radio, television,      taken from the world - but that we be kept from the-
       newspapers and magazines, and books from the col-          evil (John 15:19; 17:14-16).
       lege campuses. In  no other way can the Groppi's, or         It is also to be understood that an absolute anti-
       rock music, or whatever is alive in the mind of the        thesis does not mean that there are not any things
       day, be shut out from the schools to which we com-         produced in the world and by wicked men which the
       mit our children. And this, in fact, we know to be         Christian can use. Wicked men may be bakers of good
       impossible. But what, then, having been opposed to         bread which I can eat to the glory of God. Wicked men
       Groppi, is one to be for?                                  may manufacture good cars whiCh I can use to God's
  Now such a formulation, I contend, is really un- glory. Wicked men may compose music, following
worthy of a man of Dr. L. De Koster's stature and God's laws of harmony, which I can use to  God's-
ability. It is not even logical - and certainly not Scrip- glory. The wicked often (for they are not imbeciles or
tural. If I were opposed to feeding my children poison, fools) recognize that when certain laws which God es-


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                             275


tablished are followed, there is outward success. These or teaches. Such are ready to applaud even the im-
wicked men sin even when they follow outwardly cer- moral suggestions of wicked men.
tain of God's laws for their own advantage - for what-        But you must know what you are  for.  One knows
ever is not of faith is sin (Rom.  14:23). The child of this by hearing the pure preaching of the Word of God.
God can surely make use of such things, which in He knows this by studying diligently the Word of God.
themselves are not inherently corrupt, in the service of One must know and be able to quote Scripture to
God's Name. (Obviously, the "new morality" pre- show what are the positive truths concerning God and
sented by Groppi at Calvin  is inherently corrupt and His work. And one must instruct his children in these
ought not to be applauded or termed "one of the best same truths. Our children are going to face greater
sermons" one has heard.)                                    evils, greater apostasy, than we have had to face. They
  I would suggest that Jesus presents the absolute anti- must be. thoroughly equipped to stand fast. Together
thesis in Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two mas- with a knowledge of God's Word must also go a knowl-
ters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; edge of the creeds of the church. These creeds are not
or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. out-dated, though they are over 400 years old. The old
Ye cannot -serve God and mammon." You will notice errors which they condemn continue to arise in our
in this text that Jesus does not present a "both-and" own day - though the error comes under new guises.
situation. One can not serve God  alzd  mammon. Nor One must, then, not simply be for denominations, for
does Jesus present an "either-or" situation. One can buildings, for schools - but rather always for the truth
not serve God OY mammon; he can not serve God, but of God's holy Word. One who is for the truth, can not
ignore mammon. Rather. Jesus insists that when one be moved from it by the devil himself.
loves the one, he must hate the other; when one holds . . . therefore we are also AGAINST
to the one, he must despise the other. This is the idea       Because you are for the truth, you must unhesita-
of an absolute antithesis. One who truly loves God and tingly condemn the wrong. Attempts have often been
His Word necessarily hates all evil doers and all of their made to silence proper criticism or make such criticism
corrupt deeds. He can not properly love God  - and almost impossible. Dr. L. De,Koster evidently also tries
embrace a Groppi who espouses theories obviously to scare the critic into silence when he writes in his
contrary to God's law. We read in Proverbs 8: 13, "The editorial:
fear of the Lord is to hate evil."                                   I am not much  impressed,  I must say, by those
  It follows too that. one who hates God's law may              who point out, as  examples  for us, that Amos and
not be allowed even within the household of faith. It is        Jeremiah and Isaiah prophetically denounced the sins
not a question of keeping out television or magazines.          of Israel, as did Moses, and St. Paul, and indeed our
It is rather a question of keeping out those who would          Lord `Himself. I say I am not much impressed by the
desire to teach me or my children what I know is                excuse for pelting the Church with verbal brickbats.
opposed to God's law. This is the idea of II John 10,           In the  fast place, none of us belongs to that select,
11, "If there come any unto you, and bring not this             and closed, company of divinely and infallibly in-
doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid          spired spokesmen. Our task, in the second place, is to
him Godspeed: for he that biddeth him God-speed is              strive mightily that the biblical denunciations do not
partaker of his evil deeds. "                                   rightfully fall upon us, rather than self-anointing our-
                                                                selves prophets to denounce our brethren.
Yes, we are FOR . _ .                                         Now it is indeed true that no one is entitled to set
  Some suggest that one cannot, in practice, live anti- himself up as an infallible prophet along side of Amos,
thetically - so why even try? It `would appear almost Jeremiah, and the others, and present his own word as
impossible, in this modern world, to have any distinc- an infallible statement of condemnation upon others.
tions anymore. There can be no real separation from But one not only may, but m&t, use the very words of
the world's corruptions. Rather, one must of necessity Amos and the others to condemn the evils which exist
join the world in every sphere: in their labor organiza- in our day within world and church. It is not a ques-
tions; in their movies; in their lodge membership; in tion of throwing "verbal brickbats," but one must con-
their Sunday desecration.' But such a situation presents demn what God's Word condemns - thus must base-
a sad commentary on the state of affairs  .within the his condemnation on Holy Scripture itself. De Koster
church!.                                                    adds:
  Others .are not in a position to live antithetically -             Only the Church appoints those entitled to criti-
simply because they are spiritual ignoramuses. Con-             cize. it; they usurp this right who willfully take it
cerning this situation, Paul writes in Ephesians 4: 14,        upon themselves, and in consequence only sow dis-
"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to              cord and division!
and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,       Where De Koster obtains this proposition, I do not
by the sleight of men, and cunning craftinessbhereby        know. Does the Church only appoint those entitled to
they lie in wait to deceive." People in this position will criticize it? I would agree that the ministers of God's
quickly follow any leader - no matter what he believes Word are called only through the Church. Their task is,


276                                          THE STANDARD BEARER



to proclaim the pure Word of God without compro- strongly condemned the church in Thyatira for allow-
mise. In proclaiming that Word, they are duty-bound ing in their midst those who, under the color of Chris-
to condemn the error too. But surely they are not the tianity, "enjoyed the depths of Satan, as they speak"
only ones entitled to criticize. Nor is such a privilege - Rev. 2:24)
entrusted only to elders. God's people, the laity, are       You must be opposed to all such corruption. This is
not only  entitled,  but  obligated,  to criticize properly not the time to "sit on your hands." This is not either
when the need arises. Fact is, Scripture strongly con- the time to "wring your hands" in despair and discour-
demns the laity when they fail in their duties in this agement - but do nothing. It is your duty and calling
regard. In Hosea 4:6 the prophet deplores, "My people to point out sin wherever it might exist. You do that
are destroyed for lack of knowledge." And, perhaps by showing from Scripture and our confessions why a
more strongly yet, Jeremia)l says (5:31), "The proph- thing is sin. You do that by following the orderly way
ets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their of removing the sin  - even though you might some-
means; and my people lov,e to have it so . . " Would times feel that such a process is hopeless. Do not be of
you want that condemning Word of God directed those who, through their action (or lack of it) show
against you?                                              that they "love to have it so." Corruption must be
  As those properly founded on the positive truths of removed for your sakes, for the sakes of your children,
God's Word, you must criticize everything opposed to for the sake of those who commit sin, and above all,
that Word. We are approaching the end of time. The for the sake of the glory of our God.
signs about us indicate this clearly. This means there       Let us together remember well the warning Christ
will be more and more attempts also to present to you gives to the church of Ephesus in Rev. 2: 5, "Remem-
the "poison" of the lie. Perhaps this will be presented ber, therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and
under the guise of preparing students to face the repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto
"harsh winds of modernity the moment they leave the thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of
campus." Perhaps these poisons will be presented un- his place, except thou repent. "
der the guise of enjoying "film arts." (But Jesus


All Around Us

                                       Union of Prebyterians
                                               Rock Music
                                        Dr. Arntzen Resigns

                                                 ProJ: H. Hanko

UNION OF PRESBYTERIANS
  Several years ago the Southern Presbyterian Church presently existing denominations; but there is, ap-
rejected merger proposals prepared by a joint commit- parently, full participation in meetings, programs, staff
tee for union with the Presbyterian Church USA. services, and various "ministries" of both presbyteries.
There were many in the more conservative Southern This situation was allowed'to continue without repri-
Presbyterian Church, however, which were never satis- mand from the General Assemblies. It is not, therefore,
fied with this and which continued to press for full surprising that the question of merger is up once again.
organic union with their northern counterpart. A new         This year the Assemblies will be asked to send the
joint committee was formed, working on new merger new draft for merger to their members for study and
proposals which are to be presented to both General comment. After the joint committee has had an op-
Assemblies this year. In a way, this was forced upon portunity to study any comments which have been
the Church because, although the Assembly of the made and to consider any changes, the plan for union
southern Church had rejected merger several years ago, will be submitted by the 1972 Assembly to the presby-
several  presbyteries (classes) of the southern Church teries for formal vote. If sufficient presbyteries ap-
went ahead with merger with presbyteries of the prove the plan, the union will be consummated at joint
northern Church in spite of what the Assembly             1973 Assemblies.
had decided. I do not know what the present status           What is interesting about the present plan is the fact
of these merged presbyteries is in relation to the that some changes were incorporated into the plan at


                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER                                              277


  the request of conservative elements in the southern       The Presbyterian Journal (from which also we gleaned
  Church particularly who do not want to go along with       the material found in the above report) told of what
such a merger.                                               happened when this merger of presbyteries was at-
     One such element has been called "the election not      tempted in Missouri. Apparently a presbytery of the
  to enter" section. After the required number of pres- northern Church made overtures on two different oc-
  byteries have voted for merger sometime in January of casions to the southern Presbytery of Southeast Mis-
  1973, congregations having objections to union will souri to enter into a merger with them. Both times the
  have an opportunity to "elect not to enter" if they do     southern Presbytery rejected these overtures. The
  so before the next Assembly meeting in May of 1973.        northern presbytery was unhappy with this refusal and
  This vote will exclude them from the merger to be so invited individual congregations within the southern
  effected at the Assembly meeting.                          presbytery to join with them in spite of what their
    Individual ministers will have the same opportunity      presbytery decided to do. The resolution read, in part:
  if they have their decision recorded during the same       "Therefore the Presbytery of Southeast Missouri of the
  period.                                                    United Presbyterian Church USA extends an invitation
    There is also a "conscience section" in the draft        to any organization, particular church, or group of
  proposal which advises presbyteries that they can vote     particular churches . . . to participate in meetings, pro-
  for merger even though they disagree with some sec- grams, staff services or other undertakings of thispres-
  tions of the union plan.                                   bytery where it is mutually desired and appropriate."
    With such a proposal, it is quite necessary also to        This is a strange situation, and we find it difficult to
  have some understanding concerning division of prop-       understand how legally this is possible. But the ways of
  erty. On the synodical and presbyterial level the plan     merger are sometimes strange nowdays.
  proposes that assets be divided in such a way that "a
  proportional interest in such property not greater than    ROCK MUSIC
  the proportion the membership of such congregations          Recently I have been reading articles and some
~ bears to the total membership" be given to those who books on the subject of rock music. This subject is of
  refrain from merger.                                       particular significance because it is the standard type
    This will, however, only be true of those who record     of music which is found in the world today and be-
  their refusal to merger in the allotted time.              cause there are many of our young people who are
    Two new questions are also to be asked of those rather devoted listeners to this stuff.
i who are to be ordained. One questjon concerning the          There has always been a dividing line between the
  Bible reads: "Do you accept the Scriptures of the Old      music of the world and the music of the Church which
  and New Testaments, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to        the saints of God have recognized. Throughout the
  be, as the Word of God, the unique and authoritative ages, beginning with the musical contributions of
  guide to faith and life?" The other, which has to do       Jubal, the Cliurch has drawn the sharp line of the anti-
  with doctrine, reads: "Do you accept the confession of thesis between that music which is particularly suitable
  the Presbyterian Church (USA) as setting forth the         for the Church to use in praise to God and that music
  teachings of the Christian faith as they are revealed in which has become, in the hands of a wicked world, a
  the Scriptures and will you be instructed by them in vehicle of sin. On the Church's side of the line have
  matters of doctrine and be led by them as you lead the stood the Psalms and other songs of Scripture and the
  people of God?" The reference is to the well-known music which the Church herself has written for the use
  Confession of 1967 which reflected so sharply the lib- of the saints. On the other side of the line has stood
  eral thinking in the northern Church.                      such music of modern times as jazz, blues, country,
    It is quite obvious, therefore, that the proposed western and folk music. On the side of the Church
  merger is one which favors the liberals in both have stood the great classics in the field of music which
  Churches and which commits the new Church to a have come down through the years. On the other side
  doctrinal path whidh is far removed from Scripture. The have stood those hymns even which have contained in
  conservatives hope that this will finally bring about a them heresy and which the Church has specifically re-
  `realignment of membership so that the liberals of both pudiated as being harmful for the saints in their confes-
  denominations form one new church while the con- sion in the world.
  servatives of both denominations form another.               But there seems to be something exceptionally evil
                              ****                           and devilish about rock music. For some reason it
    We mentioned above that various presbyteries of seems to stand in a class by itself. Although it belongs
  both northern and southern Presbyterians have already to that music which the world has invented, it never-
  merged, especially in border states. This is somewhat theless stands, even among types of worldly music, as
  strange and we do not understand how this is possible something exceptionally wicked. There is a smell of
  and in what relation these newly formed presbyteries wickedness about it which is far greater than anything
  stand to the existing denominations. A recent issue of the world has, up to this point, produced. It stands, I


  278                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER



   suppose, even in relation to other types of -worldly which is important for  ro.ck music. Without it, rock
   music in the same position as Satan worship stands to music would not amount to much more than most
   liberal and modern apostasy in the Church. It is part of music which comes from the world  - and which is
   all that is evil, and yet it is evil in an especially terrible     certainly bad enough. You understand that this is
   way. It comes from the sinful heart of man, and yet it speaking about the music itself. There are songs which,
  is a particularly horrible manifestation of that sinful I suppose, may have good music but of which *we say:
- heart.                                                              The words are bad. The words are wicked. They do not
     I have long felt this. From time to time I have heard            tell the truth. We may not sing the song because the
  rock music played. It is plain, it seems to me, that words of the song are evil. This, too, is true of rock
  there is the smell of hell about it. Anyone who has any music; and we shall have something more to say about
  sensitivity to music ought to be able to know this. It this presently. But this is not the point now. Now the
   does something to a person which is not good. It point is that the music itself is evil. If rock music is
   comes at one with a force and with a power which is                played without any words at all, it is still evil. There is,
  frightening because of its evil. Maybe a person, like it is assumed here, music which is, in its own right
  myself, who knows very little.about music cannot pre- sinful and wicked. Whatever words may be added to
   cisely define what is the trouble; but it is there, hover-         the music, no matter how correct even and Scripturally
  ing in the air, trembling through the whole soul, an evil true such words may be, the song is still of hell because
  that destroys.                                                      the music itself is evil.
     In reading material on rock music: some of which                   And when those who know because they have been
  was written by men who themselves once composed it intimately associated with rock music at some time in
  or played it or sang it, I became convinced that this               their life are asked why rock music as music is evil,
  was true. These men know. They have lived as close to               their answer usually comes down to this matter of
  rock music as it is possible to live: for they themselves rhythm.
  have made it and performed it. And they write that it                 In the book referred to above the following para-
  is evil in a way in which no other music is evil.                   graph is found:
     One author writes:                                                      In his book, "Rock and Roll, the Devil's Diver-
            What is actually different about rock music?                  sion," converted rock band leader Bob Larson says,
         Wasn't the popular music our parents and grand-                  "Some argue that there is no such thing as an evil
         parents listened to as teenagers about the same?                 rhythm. I must differ with them . . .  ." He is saying
         First of  all, rock music is a specific classification of        that there are rhythmic patterns that be the very
         music. It can be distinguished from other types of               peculiarity of the arrangement of the accents and pul-
         popular music . . . . Some of the earmarks of rock are           sations will naturally produce wrong responses in
         its characteristic rhythmic patterns, chord progres-             thought and action.
         sions, melodic and harmonic movements, and form in             The  ~point is then that music can be, as music, of
         general. Rock had its beginning in the  50's,  combin-       such a kind that it does evil things to people. It de-
         ing the styles of other types of pop music before it.        stroys them. It makes instruments of Satan of them. It
         The primary original element that it offered was its         opens the doors of their souls `to every manner of sin.
         rythms. Rock remained relatively mild in its style           Rock music is of this kind. It does it in a unique way.
         until the early 60's when social unrest seemed to find         We must quit this article at this point. If the Lord
         in it an avenue of expression. Since that time, rock         wills, we shall return to this subject in the next issue of
         music has followed its early direction with greater          the Standard Bearer.
         momentum. Rhythms, harmonies and words con-
         sidered extreme at one time have become outdated in          DR. ARNTZEN RESIGNS
         a few short years. That pattern has repeated itself            We learned recently, from an article written by Dr.
         over and over. Today, very little is considered too          Praamsma in  The  Calvinist  Contact,  that the rather
         wild or too questionable to release to the general pub-      well-known Dr. Arntzen from the 
         lic. An age of permissiveness has fostered a style of                                                     Gereformeerde
         music quite unlike any before it. Performers of rock         Kerken in the Netherlands has laid down his office of
         music need not be well-trained or even well-groomed.         the ministry of the Gospel. He was for 19 years minis-
         There are no conditions for making it big. A new             ter in the Church of `s-Gravendeel and for 26 years
         group with little more than a few guitars and micro-         minister in the  Gereformeerde Kerken.  He was recently
         phones and a repertoire of two songs can be an over-         in this country and in Canada, where he spoke of the
         night success. The age of the antihero has caused the        troubles in the Netherlands Churches and told of the
         affections of the average teenager to be directed not        work of the "verontrusten" or "Concerned Ones."
         toward the handsome, and the talented, but to the              His reasons for resigning from office were not
         nonconformist. This is what is different about rock          trouble in his own congregation; rather he speaks of
         music. ("Music? Does It Make A Difference?", by              his congregation as being faithful. Rather his reasons
         Bob Parks.)                                                  for resigning -from office have to do with the latitude
     It seems that it is particularly this matter of rhythm in teaching which is now increasingly a reality in his


                                                  ~THE  STANDARD BEARER                                                          279



~ denomination. This has to do with the decisions which conservatives in the Church. They have despaired of
 the last Synod of Sneek made in the well-known doing anything constructive in saving the Church from
 "Kuitert Case.". While Kuitert denies fundamental the road of apostasy and have been so overcome by
 truths of Scripture, the Synod passed the whole matter their pessimism that they have concluded that further
 over with only a slight reprimand. And Dr. Kuitert was struggle is useless.
 permitted to continue his instruction. In fact,                 But Dr. Praamsma, correctly, compares Dr. Arntzen
 Praamsma, in this article tells us that a minister of the with Elijah who sat under the juniper tree in southern
 Hervormde Kerk (the State Church) has said that there Juda and prayed for the release of death. "It is enough;
 is more latitude in teaching in the  Gereformeerde now, 0 Lord, take away my life; for I am not better
 Kerken  than  in  the  Hervormde Kerk.  It is this which than my fathers." But God told Elijah that there were
 has saddened Dr. Arntzen and was the determining seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal.
 factor in his decision to resign from the ministry.           It was this that showed Elijah that his work could not
   We are unhappy with Dr. Arntzen's decision. He has,         possibly be done. From this also Dr. Arntzen ought to
 by laying down his office, stepped out of the battle take courage.
 and said, in effect, that he will fight no longer for the       And there is always the way of church reformation,
 truth. This is especially difficult to understand when, a way which others have followed even when their
 by his own admission, his congregation was faithful.          following was small and insignificant. It was the way
 What will they now do?                                        the forefathers of Arntzen himself have walked. It is
   And yet it is understandable in a way. A spirit of the only way to walk in faithfulness to the gospel.
 pessimism and discouragement has seized upon the


 Cmte;nding for -the Fait.h
                     The Doctrine of Atonement
                                               THE REFORMATION  PERIOD

                                                       Rev. H. Veldman

   In our preceding article, beginning our treatment of               II. We believe, teach, and confess, moreover, that
 the history of the dogma of the atonement as set forth            the yet unregenerate will of man is not only averse
 by the Reformation, we called attention to what the               from God, but has become even hostile to God, so
 Lutheran Formula of Concord sets forth with respect               that it only wishes and desires those things, and is
-to the doctrine of predestination. And we concluded               delighted with them, which are evil and opposite to
 with the remark that, the Lord willing, we would call             the divine will. For it is written (Gen.  8:21):  "For the
 attention in our following article to certain glaring in-         imagination and thought of man's heart are prone to
                                                                   evil from his youth." Also (Rom.  8:7): "The carnal
 consistencies in this Formula of Concord. We must re-             mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to
 member that the formulation of the doctrine of                    the law, neither indeed can be."
 predestination in this Formula of Concord was under                  Therefore we believe that by how much it is im-
 the influence of the teachings of Melanchthon, Luther's           possible that a dead body should vivify itself and re-
 co-worker in the Reformation and a man who certainly              store corporal  life to itself, even so impossible is it
 was not. as pure as Martin Luther.                                that man, who by  reasonof sin is  spiritually dead,
   In Art. II, concerning the free will of man, the                should have any faculty of recalling himself into spir-
 Formula of Concord states the following, and we real-             itual life; as it is written (Eph.  2~5):  "Even when we
 ize that these declarations are influenced by the posi-           were dead in sins, He hath quickened us together with
 tion of Luther:                                                   Christ." (2 Cor.  3:5): "Not that we are sufficient of
                                                                   ourselves to think any thing good as of ourselves; but
         I. Concerning this matter, the following is our           that we are sufficient is itself of God."
     faith, doctrine, and confession, to wit: that the                III. Nevertheless the Holy Spirit effects the conver-
     understanding and reason of man in spiritual things           sion of man not without means, but is wont to use
     are wholly blind and can understand nothing  by their         for effecting it preaching and the hearing of the Word
     proper powers. As it is written (1 Cor.  2:14): "The          of God, as it is written (Rom. 1:16): "The gospel is a
     natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit           power of  God. unto salvation to every one that  be-
     of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither            heveth." And (Rom.  10:17): "Faith  cometh  by
     can he know them, because he is examined concern-             hearing of the Word of God." And without question
     ing spiritual things."                                        it is the will of the Lord that His Word should be


280                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER



       heard, and that our ears should not be stopped when         ters 16 and 17.
       it is preached  (Psa.  95:8). With this Word is present       Notice how this element of satisfaction appears in
       the Holy Spirit, Who opens the hearts of men, in            the very first paragraph on Chapter I:
       order than, as Lydia did (Acts 16:  14)  they may dili-                But here we ought diligently to examine how He
       gently attend, and thus may be converted by the sole            has procured salvation for us; that we may not only
       grace and power of the Holy Spirit, Whose work, and             know Him to be the author of it, but, embracing
       Whose work alone, the conversion of man is. For if              these things which are sufficient for the establishment
       the grace of the Holy Spirit is absent, our willing and         of our faith, may reject every thing capable of draw-
       running, our planting, sowing, and watering, are                ing us aside to the right hand or to the left. For since
       wholly in vain (Rom. 9:16;  I Cor. 3:7); if, that is, He        no man can descend into himself and seriously con-
       does not give the increase, as Christ says (John 15:5):         sider his own character, without perceiving that God
       "Without Me ye can do nothing." And, indeed, in                 is angry with him and hostile to him, and conse-
       these few words Christ denies to free-will all power            quently he must  find himself under a necessity of
       whatever, and ascribes all to Divine grace, "that no            anxiously seeking some way to appease Him, which
       one may have whereof he may glory before God"                   can never be done without a satisfaction,  - this is a
       (1 Cor. 1:29; 2 Cor. 12:5; Jer. 9:23).                          case in which the strongest assurance is required. For
  These articles on the Formula of Concord on the                      sinners, till they be delivered from guilt, are always
free will of man are sound. They undoubtedly reflect                   subject to the wrath and malediction of God, Who,
the thinking and writings of Martin Luther as that re-                 being a righteous Judge, never suffers His law to be
former wrote on this subject in his "Bondage of the                    violated with impunity, but stands prepared to avenge
                                                                       it.
Will." This, however, is not in harmony with what we                 In this paragraph the Genevan  reformer clearly em-
read in Art. XI of the Formula of Concord, which                   phasizes the element of satisfaction. He speaks here of
article sets forth what it considers to be the truth of            God's anger and hostility to the sinner, that the sinner
the eternal predestination and election of God. These              must find some way to appease the Lord, and that this
articles on Divine predestination we quoted in our pre-            can never be done without a satisfaction. He also
ceding article. We can-never maintain the offer of salva- writes that sinners, until they are delivered from guilt,
tion to all men on the one hand and the truth of the               are always subject to the wrath and malediction of
utter corruption and death of the sinner on the other God, and that the Lord, being a righteous Judge, never
hand. An offer of salvation can be well-meaning and                suffers His law to be violated with impunity, but al-
serious only when the sinner to whom the offer is ways stands prepared to avenge that law. Calvin, there-
presented is able to accept it. This lies in the nature of fore, clearly emphasizes that sin is guilt and that the
the case. Sovereign predestination and particular atone- Lord can never be appeased without satisfaction.
ment can be maintained only as long as one maintains                 Before Calvin treats the subject of the atonement he
the utter and absolute depravity of the sinner. To say             first asks the question how it must be harmonized that
that the sinner is hopelessly and helplessly depraved God can love us while He is our enemy. He writes:
means that he can do nothing unto his own salvation.                          Before we proceed any further, let us examine, by
This means that the Lord must always take the initia-                  the way, how it could be consistent, that God, Who
tive. But to teach that the Lord must always take the                  prevents us (comes before us  - H. V.) with His
initiative, take the first step, surely means that He                  mercy, should be our enemy, till He was reconciled to
takes that first step in whom He pleases, never waits                  us by Christ . . . . The Spirit speaks in the Scriptures
upon any action of the sinner; should He do the latter,               merely in this manner  - That God was an enemy to
                                                                       men, till by the death of Christ they were restored to
then no sinner could possibly be saved.                                His favour; that they were under the curse till their
  We now call attention to this doctrine of the atone-                 iniquity was expiated by His sacrifice; that they were
ment as set forth in the writings of John Calvin. There                separated from God, till they were restored to union
are no articles in the Lutheran Augsburg Confession or                with Him by the body of Christ . . . For if it were not
the Formula of Concord which deal specifically with                   clearly expressed, that we are obnoxious to the wrath
the atonement of Christ. So, we now turn to John                      and vengeance of God, and to eternal death, we
Calvin. In these quotations from Calvin's Institutes of                should not so fully discover how miserable we must
the Christian Religion, the emphasis is not laid upon                 be without the Divine mercy, nor should we so highly
the particular character of the sufferings and death of                estimate the blessing of deliverance . . . But if, on the
Christ. This was obviously not an issue of controversy.                contrary, he be told, what the Scripture teaches,
The particular character of the-atonement of Christ is                 "that he was alienated from God by sin, an heir of
not treated until in connection with the Arminian con-                wrath, obnoxious to the punishment of eternal death,
troversy and the Synod of Dordt of 16 18-l 6 19. But it is             excluded from all hope of salvation, a total stranger
                                                                      to the Divine blessing, a slave to Satan, a captive un-
worthy of note how Calvin stresses the character of the                der the yoke of sin, in a word, condemned to, and
sufferings and death of Christ, laying all emphasis upon              already involved in, a horrible destruction; that in this
the element of vicarious atonement. Calvin discusses                   situation, Christ interposed as an intercessor; that He
the death of Christ in Book II of his Institutes, Chap-               has taken upon Himself and suffered the punishment


                                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER                                                             281



                   which by the righteous judgment of God impended              be our enemy while He loves us eternally. God loves us,
                   over all sinners; that by His blood He has expiated          only in Christ. This explains why we can never experi-
                   those crimes which render them odious to God; that           ence this love of God outside of Christ, must experi-
                   by this expiation God the Father has been satisfied          ence His wrath while we walk in sin. But notice how
          I        and duly atoned; that by this intercessor His wrath          Calvin emphasizes the idea of atonement, of expiation,
                   has been appeased; that this is the foundation of
                   peace between God and men; that this is the bond of          that God must be fully atoned. This Calvin also empha-
                   His benevolence towards them; will he not be the             sizes in the following (paragraph III, Chapter 16, Book
                   more affected by these things in proportion to the           II) :
                   more correct and lively representation of the depth of                  Therefore, to remove all occasion of enmity, and
                   calamity from which he has been delivered? In short,                  to reconcile us completely to Himself, He abolishes
                   since it is impossible for the life which is presented by             all our guilt, by the expiation exhibited in the death
                   the mercy of God, to be embraced by our hearts with                   of Christ, that we, who before were polluted and im-
                   sufficient ardour, or received with becoming grati-                   pure, may appear righteous and holy in His sight. The
                   tude, unless we have been previously terrified and                    love of God the Father therefore precedes our recon-
                   distressed with the fear of the Divine wrath, and the                 ciliation in Christ; or rather it is because He first
                   horror of eternal death, we are instructed by the sa-                 loves, that He afterwards reconciles us to Himself. . .
                   cred doctrine, that irrespective of Christ we may con-                And therefore, if we would assure ourselves that God
                   template God as in some measure incensed against us,                  is pacified and propitious to us, we must fix our eyes
                   and His hand armed for our destruction, and that we                   and hearts on Christ alone, since it is by Him only
                   may embrace His benevolence and paternal love only                    that we really obtain the non-imputation of sins, the
                   in Christ.                                                            imputation of which is connected with the Divine
     I           We can understand how it can be true that God can                       wrath.


               In His Fear

                                                    Are You Listening?
I                                                                      Rev. John A. Heys

                 Saturday, a severe earthquake struck in Italy with and the oxygen they need for life. They must,
               the loss of at least eighteen lives, and with at least two therefore, return to such a globe.
               hundred seventy injured. In a matter of six seconds the             And tomorrow morning in the early hours we will
               work of centuries was destroyed, when gems of witness a total eclipse of the moon, for the earth will
               antiquity and pieces of art were destroyed with the be in just exactly that position in relation to the sun
               museums that contained them. Who was it that said, and moon that it will cut off completely the light of
               "Man proposes, but God disposes." And that in but six the sun from the moon's surface. It will be directly in a
               seconds!                                                         line between both sun and moon.
                 Today, while these lines are being written - and it is            The reports of the earthquake were hardly aired
               the Tuesday after that Saturday - reports are coming before the theory was presented that this unique
               in of the earthquake that struck across the wide ocean position of the earth in relation to sun and moon
               and on this side of the globe in our own country, more caused our globe to be pulled by the gravitational
specifically in the Los Angeles area of California. At forces of these two bodies into a shape somewhat like
               the last count thirty-three were killed, and millions of a football; and this caused the fault line, that runs
, dollars of damage was done to the freeway systems, through California from as far north as San Francisco
while untold millions of dollars of property damage past Los Angeles and into Mexico, to shift and cause
`also resulted. And even while the reports are being the quake. Tomorrow we will hear men tell us that a
               updated, the top story of  the'day is forced to share quake here had been expected, and in fact had been
               time with them and shorten the programs the news predicted for many years.
               media have prepared for the day. Strikingly enough,                 Well, you heard these reports and these explana-
               three men are at the moment rushing at unbelievable tions. And you heard all this a month ago, since of
speeds back towards this globe that suffered this necessity these lines must be prepared that far in ad-
               devastation. They had circled the moon, and two of vance of the date that they appear in your mail box.
them had walked upon its surface. But this is their                                We say that you  heard  these reports and
               home. Here only can they live without all that explanations.
               equipment that artificially produces for them the food              But were you listening?


 282                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



    And are you a month later still listening? Are you death or bodily injury? Or is it the fear of the Lord,
 listening to what God says? You heard man's reports which in the midst of terrors gives us peace of heart
 and explanations. You have by now heard his reassur- and mind?
 ing words that he expects some day not only to be able         The fear of the Lord will cause us to listen to what
 to predict where the next earthquake will come, but God is saying. Let us bear in mind that God is speaking
 also the date. But are you listening to what God says in in these events because God is working in them. He has
 all this, that is, to what He says in that and other something to say to us because He is doing something
 earthquakes, but also in the spoutings of unbelief of for us, even in these works of devastation. And we are
 so-called scientists? You cannot help hearing what men not at the moment particularly concerned with the
 have to say about these matters. Nor do we condemn matter - which is surely true and not to be denied -
 hearing it as being out of rather than in His fear. But in that God speaks judgment in such shakings of our earth.
 His fear are you listening to God? There is a big differ- This one of today did occur very near our modern -
 ence, which we ought to see.                                 and by our, we mean our American  - Sodom and
    You see, there is something spectacular about a Gomorrah. For Hollywood escaped the fiercest blows
 moon eclipse, especially when it is total. But it strikes of this act of judgment of the living God. We must
 no fear of fright in us, for we know it to be the result listen to Him concerning judgment when we hear of
 of a harmless movement of the sun, moon and earth in these works of His hands. But at the moment we
 their God-ordained circuits. No terror grips our hearts, would stress another matter. And if we listen, we will
 then, when we witness such an eclipse. Moments of hear that which will bring comfort and encouragement,
 deep anxiety bordering on strong fear do accompany a peace and joy. We will hear good news, the gospel, in
 blast-off of a rocket for a journey to the moon, espe- the midst of all this tragic news.
 cially when such difficulty in docking is encountered          Did you ever notice that although you hear the
 as this last time; and also when the section separated to    clock tick, you do not listen until it suddenly stops?
 land on the moon approaches its surface; and again at Have you never read your newspaper while hearing
 the critical moment of blasting off again to rejoin and soft, soothing music from radio or stereo? You are
 dock with the command module. With bated breath hearing but not actually listening. And any school
 the splash-down is followed; and all along the line teacher knows very well that children hear the assign-
 there is room for fear for the wellbeing of the men ment but are not listening. Therefore hands are raised
 who undertook this dangerous voyage into space.              to ask for a repetition of that assignment. Yes, we have
   But what fear grips the hearts of men when the heard for years of earthquakes in diverse places. In
 earth begins to heave and buckle! What fear at this connection with the one this morning reports have
 very moment for thousands that the dam which holds been given out that about nine thousand of them occur
 millions of tons of water above them might crack open each year. And we have also heard, or even read our-
 and wash down their valley to destroy their homes and selves, that Jesus said that earthquakes in diverse, that
 themselves! Can you blame them if in fear they flee to is, different, places would be a sign of the beginning of
. a safer place? When the solid earth begins to move up sorrows and of His return. But were we listening? Are
 and down and buildings begin to topple, cracks appear we paying attention to what God is saying?
before one's feet, huge slabs of concrete are lifted up         For one thing Scripture teaches us that the whole
 and bridges are thrown down, there is justifiable fear.      creation groaneth and travaileth in pain, waiting with
 Many who are afraid to fly and cannot be gotten on a earnest expectation for the manifestation of the Son of
 plane, because they feel safe only on the ground, be- God, Romans 8: 19-22. In the earthquake, if we live by
 come greatly disillusioned when that ground gives way faith, we can hear that creation groaning. If we listen
 and throws them around, and hurls objects at and to what God says therein, we will hear that groan and
 upon them. Some, the saying goes, "Like to fly with much more. For that creation groaneth in hope. And
 one foot on the ground." Yes, but when an earthquake there is hope for that creation, for it shall be delivered
 strikes, even with two feet on the ground there is no from bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of
 assurance of safety. It comes without warning; and one the sons of God.
 never knows just where it will open up the earth,  or.         That latter element we must hear and will hear if we
 cause the ground to rise. Like the lightning which listen to God in His Word and works. The day of the
 strikes without warning and the place thereof cannot glorious liberty of the sons of God is coming. A new
 be predicted, so it is with the earthquake. It may strike    heaven and a new earth shall soon appear. And the old
 right there where your two feet are resting upon that earth, but also the present heaven, must first pass
 earth.                                                       away. In Revelation 2 1: l-3 John sees this new heaven
   But the question is, whether the fear of the Lord and this new earth, and that the first heaven and the
 causes us to listen to Him speak when He shakes the first earth are completely passed away by earthquakes,
 earth upon which He has placed us. Fear there is going and heavenquakes. Haggai 2:6
 to be. But is it merely the fear of terror, of sudden.         The process of the passing away of the old has be-


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 283



 gun. Each earthquake is another word of God that He heaven and heavenly bliss, but that it is the coming of
 is keeping His word of promise to us. Yes, in all that His Son from out of heaven down to this earth to
 pain and death, in all that devastation and destruction conquer by His suffering and obedience, spoiling prin-
 God is speaking to the heirs of salvation, and to the cipalities and powers, triumphing over them (Col.
 meek who shall inherit the earth, that the new heavens 3: 15), that brings us peace and joy and life everlasting.
 and the new earth are a step closer, and that He has He tells us that it is His Son's ascent into heaven to the
 not forsaken or forgotten us in the midst of all the Father's right hand to have dominion over  .land and
 rapid development of sin, and in the perilous times sea, and His return without heat shield and parachute,
, which are upon us and will increase in their intensity. recovery vessels, helicopters, frog men, and all these
 He is calling loudly, more loudly even than the roar of earthly things of the earth that must pass away to
 the earthquake as such, and of the falling buildings and make room for the new earth, but by His own al-
 cries of the injured: "My beloved Son, in Whom I am mighty power as OUY King, that will bring us peace and
 well pleased, is coming soon!"                               salvation.
   There is the point of our question which forms the           And He says, in the person of His Son, "Behold, I
 title for these lines! Are you listening for Christ to come quickly, and My reward is with Me."
 come? You are going to hear of more earthquakes, and           While rea.ding these lines, hopefully you have been
 of more wars and rumors of wars. You are going to listening to Him. You have fixed your attention on
 hear of more exploits of man and more verification of these things. But as you lay this magazine aside, do not
 Daniel's words that knowledge shall increase, (also of forget that glorious truth. Continue to hear it in your
 the heavenly bodies in outer space) and that men shall soul. And when more tragedies such as these come - as
 run to and fro (even to go to these heavenly bodies). they surely will  - listen more carefully to hear the
 But are you in all this listening for Christ's return? Do good news in this bad news. The news media can only
 we simply hear, and then go on and forget? Do we bring you bad news, and they surely do. But listen to
 simply hear what men have said about these works of what God says in that bad news. For He speaks the
 God (which they `do not at all attribute to Him), or do good news of the gospel. He assures us that our adop-
~we hear what God says in them?                               tion, which will be perfected in the redemption of our
   He certainly tells us that here we have no continuing bodies, will soon be consummated.
 city. He tells us that all of man's works will be de-          Listen to what God says. For His people it will al-
 stroyed, and that in a moment! He tells us that it is not ways be good news. For it will always be: "The day of
, man's achievements of reaching heavenly bodies to your redemption draweth nigh."
 walk on them that is going to bring us the kingdom of


From Holy Writ



                                                   Rev. G. Lubbers

 THE BELIEVERS ASSURED OF THEIR FINAL                         Well, then let them heed the words both of Isaiah and
 SAL VA TION THROUGH SUFFERINGS  Hebrews                      Habakkuk!
 10:39                                                           Now the writer believes the best concerning the
   Yes, the believers had need of patience in their           Hebrew Christians; Writes he, "Now we are not of
 sufferings for Christ's sake. For here is the patience of those who shrink back unto perdition, but of those
 the saints; here the believers are made a spectacle          who believe to the obtaining of the salvation of the
 before God and angels. And in the midst of it all, theirs    soul." In so writing there is not a vain boast in man.
 is the victory; they are more than conquerors. For this      Here is a boast in the sure work of God. Said Jesus: "My
 is the victory that overcometh the world, even our           Father is greater than all, and no one can pluck them
 faith, (I John  5:4b). The writer to the Hebrews had         (my sheep) out of the hand of my Father!" Such is the
 warned the readers of the dire consequences of falling       basic confidence. The good work which God has begun
 back; it is a falling into perdition and destruction in      in the saints He will finish even unto the day of Jesus
 hell. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the    Christ! If we were left to ourselves, even for a moment,
 living God, (Heb. 10:3 1). And the word of prophecy is       we would surely fall back. But we are kept in the
 very clear. The Hebrew Christians hold the Old               power of God, through faith, unto the salvation which
 Testament to be the Word of God, to be canonical. .is ready to be revealed in the last day, (I Peter  1:5).


284                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



And, therefore, the writer can speak with certainty of is spoken of a  saving  faith by which we do not fall
these believers. It is not a mere wish which he here         back but press forward till the victory is won!
utters; it is a statement of fact.                             Concerning this faith two things are stated in which
  The writer speaks here of "we." This is emphatic in the secret of faith, in opposition to all other forms of
the Greek text.  (Heem&  -  Esmen)  And the writer certainty, is clearly set forth. There are basically two
includes himself. He is certain of the faithfulness which ways of living: by faith and by sight! We can take our
God has promised, both for himself and for his               starting point either in God or in the creature. True
fellow-believers. What they are they became and shall        faith is directed to God; true saving faith is directed to
continue to be by the grace of God. Hence, they shall        God's promises as revealed by His authoritative Word.
not fall away unto perdition. On the contrary, they Faith asks nothing more and nothing other or less. The
shall go forth from strength to strength until they writer in the Hebrews places emphatically the verb "is"
appear before God in Zion. They shall possess their (estin) on the foreground. Although we do not have a
souls in patience, as those who were not appointed formal definition here of faith, a dogmatic definition,
unto wrath but unto obtaining salvation by our Lord we do have here a disclosure of faith as it is operative
Jesus Christ. For salvation is all of grace from             in the hearts of all the believers. We are given a spirit-
beginning to end. Christ is the Alpha and the Omega of ual ex-ray picture of faith as it is in the hearts of the
this good work in us; and, therefore, He will finish it.     faithful. We see the Christian as he moves and lives in
Such is the secret of salvation, and more particularly this battle-arena, as he goes forth conquering and to
the secret of faith. For by grace we are saved, through conquer. And when one asks after the secret of this
faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, victory, this super-human display of strength and pa-
(Eph. 2:8-10).                                               tience, then the answer is: faith!
                                                               First of all, then, we notice that faith is called the
THE MYSTERY OF FAITH ANALYZED  (Hebrews "substance of things hoped for." Now the things
11:l)                                                        hoped for are the same things which are not seen. That
  We agree with Calvin and other exegetes of reputa- much is clear from the text. And this is clearly the
tion that it is wrong to begin in Hebrews 11: 1 as if it     teaching, too, of Paul in Romans 8: 18-25. There we
were a brand new subject. Fact is, that the division of learn that all the sufferings for  C.hrist's sake are not
the chapter here is rather misleading, because it sug- worthy to be compared unto the glory which will be
gests that we are here dealing with a matter, which revealed in us. But this glory we do not yet see. Yes, all
heretofore had not been discussed by the writer. We of creation groans in hope to share in this glory of the
know that the original manuscripts had no chapters and adoption of sons. However, we only see this in hope.
no verses; and, therefore, we will view this passage as a We are saved in hope. And the salvation which shall be
continuation of the fact that the Hebrew Christians are ours in that day is things which are not seen. For what
in need of patience in the battle, and that their victory    a man seeth, why doth he hope for it. But now we
is  faith. And in view of this the writer here analyzes await it with patience. Thus is the clearly enunciated
this mystery of faith!                                       teaching of Paul in Romans 8. Basically that is what we
  What we have here is an analysis of  saving  faith, have here in the text. The things hoped for are the
justifying faith, and not of a general faith, faith as this things not now seen by the believer. He lives in faith
is purported to be found even in the endeavors of sin- and not by sight.
ful and unbelieving men in the world. But this is the          However, there is some difficulty connected with
faith by which the just shall live! (Hab.  2:4; Rom.         determining the exact meaning of the term in the
1: 17; Gal. 3: 11 and Hebrews 10:38) Of this there can       Greek, which here is translated in the KJV by "sub-
be no doubt. And only sophistry of man can distill out       stance." In Hebrews 3: 14 the term is translated "con-
of this text a "general faith" of mankind, even though       fidence," while in Hebrews  1:3 it is translated "per-
it be true that unbelieving men have a certain  conti-       son." This is the Greek term `hypostasis.  " In the great
dence concerning the future. However, this confidence Greek Creeds the three Persons in the Trinity are called.
of the ungodly is qualitatively different from the "con- three "Hypostases," and the Person of the Son incar-
fidence" of the children of God, who are saved by nated is also called  .h.is "Hypostasis." However, the
grace. For this confidence of the saints is a leaning Bible is no dogmatics! And the terms will need to be
upon the everlasting arms of God, which they know interpreted in the light of the immediate context, and
are underneath. Their faith rests upon the rock-bottom in such a way that the shade of meaning in the term as
truth expressed by Moses, "Happy art thou, 0 Israel; used in a given text comes to its own. Beza renders
who is like unto thee, 0 people saved by the LORD, "substance" by "subsistence" and "evidence" by "dem-
the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy onstration." Stuart speaks of "confidence" and "`con-
excellency! and thy enemies shall be found liars unto vincing evidence." The Latin has "Substantia" and
thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places," "demonstratio." Now of the things hoped for and not
(Deut.  33:29). And, therefore, we conclude that here seen, "faith" is a real solid ground, subjectively. It is


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   285



 the point of departure in all the battle. The Dutch admired and emulated for his great achievements and
 translates it `baste grand, " solid ground. And the Ger- qualities. And in the dramatic works he was the chief
 man translates, "Fest zuvorsich  t, " the certain prospect. character, the central figure in a period or event. In the
 It is quite evident that the "solid ground" here is the Greek hero it is the glorification of man, to demon-
 ground on which the believer starts in the entire life's strate what a mere human mortal can  do: The world
 course: faith, as the solid confidence that the things has its heroes. Strikingly the Bible does not know the
hoped for are real, true, all that they purport to be. term "hero," nor the concept. All these great men of
They have substance, and will not evaporate as the faith were weak men, poor sinners. It was not they who
mirage in the desert. Faith is more than mere subjec- were great; it was the secret, the mystery of faith! It
tive confidence; it is the body itself. That is the mystery was the secret that faith as a mustard seed is so great
 of this faith as it reveals itself in the midst of the that when one has it he says to this mountain: be cast
 display of patience.                                         unto the sea, and it comes to pass when the cause of
   However, faith is also the "evidence" of .things not God demands it. It is faith which sings: "Behold, God
 seen, the things hoped for. When you see this faith in is my salvation.; I will trust and not be afraid: for the
action you see the evidence of the age to come. There Lord, Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is
is a magnitude to this faith and its evidence which only become by salvation!" (Isaiah  12:2) Here is not a
the ages to come will justify. Then the approved char- "hero" of faith, but here are humble saints who drink
acter of this faith, its evidence of things not seen, will water by faith from the wells of salvation.
be found to be unto praise, honor, and glory of God,            We should be very careful about the term "heroes of
even in the day of Jesus Christ. Such is the mystery of faith," for such are qualitatively different from the
faith which is great! And we may not equate this faith world's great!
with the general faith of the heroic deeds of natural           When we, therefore, turn our attention to the exam-
man, the world's great men of courage and ples of faith as it is manifested as substance of things
achievement.                                                  hoped for, and as evidence of things not seen, we will
   The great men who are here presented to us as living not rivet our attention upon the "hero" but upon the
demonstrations of this faith, and as incentive for the living God, who energizes this faith in the hearts of man
saints who press on in the battle, are all taken from the of like passions as we are, in the sure confidence that
midst of the saints. They are really not "heroes" of He who made these Old Testament saints strong, is
faith in the strict sense of the term. The whole concept equally able and willing to make us strong in the con-
of the Greek  "Heeros" must here be ruled out once flict, so that our boasting may not be in man's strength
and for all. He was a mythological or legendary figure, but in the faithfulness and mercies of our Covenant
often of divine descent, endowed with great strength God!
and ability; or he was an illustrious warrior, a man


Studies in Election
                                     Its Well-Spring
                   Its Confessional Expression
                                               Rev. Robert C. Harbach

ELECTION: Its Well-Spring (concluded)                         ther seen that there simply is no real or valid preaching
   We have seen how God views man in His eternal              of the gospel unless preached on the background, on
purpose of election, namely, first of all as the man,         the basis and in the light of the truth of election. When
Christ Jesus, and then as man in Christ. In God's view        it is really perceived that Christ is "the Lamb slain
of election, Christ is seen first as the Head of the          from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8), then it
church, and then as the Savior of the body. We have is surely understood that the gospel and election are
`also seen in the great Proverbs VIII passage that there      inseparable. One cannot preach  the  gospel without
Christ is, in the eternal decree, especially viewed as the    principally preaching election; and with election dis-
ordained Savior of the body, as the Word incarnate in         covered, the gospel is revealed as never before.
living connection "with the sons of men," and so also           Then let it also be preached that the names of the
in necessary connection with the cross, wherein alone elect "are written in the Lamb's Book of Life" (Rev.
the sons of men are viewed with delight. We have fur- 21:27), that they are "written among the living in


286                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



Jerusalem" (Isa. 4:3), as, in fact, "in Thy Book all My though rescuing individual pieces of flotsam and
members were written" (Ps. 139: 16). The Book of jetsam. Christ gathers not a loose aggregate of milling
Life, containing the register of all the elect, reveals not hordes like the swarming mass of humanity at an inter-
only the accurate, but also the saving knowledge God national airport. He gathers a church, the body of the
has of all who are His, and also proves that eternal redeemed and glorified saints in union with Him as
election is of particular persons, for  names  are there Head. The peculiar character of the church is denoted
definitely recorded. The Book also teaches the abso- in its being chosen. It is an elect church. It is then no
lute safety and security of the elect, for their names second-guess work, no emergency measure, no substi-
shall never be blotted- out of it. It is called the Lamb's tute for a second-best, failed original. It is the original!
Book of Life because His name is at the head of the The church is chosen. It is chosen in before it is chosen
register (Heb. 10:7, Gk.). So His name is at the head of out.  It is, as to God's great end in view, chosen in
the New Testament (Matt. 1: 1). It is the Book of Life Christ, before the foundation of the world; then, as to
because He is the Life, the Prince of Life, Christ our the means taken to realize that end, it is chosen out of
Life, and because election is unto eternal life. Believe the whole human race. This means that the church is
with a true faith that the Lamb of God was sacrificed seen in its historical setting, in the fallen mass of hu-
for you, to take away your sins, and you have the manity, corrupt, polluted, helpless in its spiritual im-
evidence and assurance that your name is written in potency and degradation, no better than the rest of
that Book!                                                   depraved mankind, indeed, not as "good" as the  ma-l
                                                             jority of humanity, but chosen, not for any good in it
3. Its Confessional Expression                               (God adjudges, "there is none good, no, not one"), but
  This aspect of the truth of election has to do with for the glory of His own sovereign grace. So that the
its witness. If there is any one truth the church, church was not chosen fov anything man did or could
throughout the ages, has always testified, it is that of do, but to every saving good, as summed up in "chosen,
election. The witnessing church has left in the world an to everlasting life." The church being chosen to eternal
indelible and irrepressible testimony in its confessions. life, shall it not, then,  have  eternal life? Shall it not
That is wliy this  ttith is plainly, yet beautifully, de- also agree in true faith? It shall! For it subsists upon
clared in all the Calvinistic, Presbyteridn and Reformed the faith of God's elect! Shall the Son of God fail in
statements of faith. For example, the whole Heidelberg His own wonder-work of grace? Never! Jesus never
Catechism presupposes it. There the entire glory of the fails! Not one member of His blood-bought, chosen
gospel is exemplified as experienced by the full-grown, race shall fail to be gathered into, continue in and
mature, perfect, redeemed man in Christ, with all forever remain a living member thereof!
things subservient to his salvation. In this most beauti-      The next point in the Reformed Confessions on the
ful biblical instructor, Christ and His people are viewed subject is at Article XVI, On Eternal Election, in the
through the telescope of the divine decrees, in their Belgic Confession, which reads,
historical connection through the ages in the midst of             We believe that all the posterity of Adam being
the world. For "the Son of God from the beginning to             thus fallen into perdition and r-uin, by the sin of our
the end of the world, gathers, defends and preserves to          first parents, God then did manifest himself such as
himself by His Spirit and Word, out of the whole                 He is, that is to say, merciful and just: merciful, since
human race, a church chosen to everlasting life,                 He delivers and preserves from this perdition all,
agreeing in true faith; and that I am and forever shall          whom He, in His eternal and unchangeable counsel,
remain, a living member thereof' (HC, Q. 54).                    of mere goodness, hath elected in Christ Jesus our
  According to that statement, the Son of God is first,          Lord, without any respect to their works: just,  in
                                                                 leaving others in the fall and perdition wherein they
not man, not the lost, not the redeemed, nor the                 have involved themselves.
church. He is before all things, all things being created      Admittedly, there is much that disappoints us in this
by Him and for Him, especially the church. Next noted article. It is not only shorter than any article ought to
is His own peculiar work: He gathers a church. Under- be of such grand and lofty theme, but it is somewhat
score the exact language: it is not that He proposes to out of place, logically belonging, not in the loci of
gather a church, hence desires to do so, making many Anthropology, but in that of Theology and in connec-
efforts, some fruitless, to that end. No, the statement tion with the counsel'of God. Also the article is not as
being so severely biblical as it is, the Son of God is seen accurately titled as it might be, for it is not limited to
actually gathering a church, and continuing to gather it sovereign election, epitomizing, as it does, the whole
from the beginning to the end of the world. This work doctrine of predestination, with its two, positive and
                                                             negative, parts, election and reprobation. Further, it
He does invincibly, for He effectually defends His only very sketchily outlines the dbctrine of predestina-
church. He successfully completes it to the end, with- tion; nothing more.
out interruption or hindrance, for He preserves His            Still, the disappointments in this connection are not
church. The Son of God now actually gathers a people, as serious and regrettable as in the case of the Eight-
a church. This He does, not merely saving sinners, as eenth article of the (Reformed Episcopal) Thirty-five


                                               THE  STANDAR.D  BEARER                                                287



Articles of Religion. There, election, predestination          ticle XVI. While it is extremely brief, that lack is more
and free will are not only not treated under theology than made up' m'the Canons of Dordt, where predesti-
proper, nor even under anthropology, but rather in nation is treated at length in eighteen consecutive ar-
connection with soteriology. Further, unlike the Belgic ticles. Yet this article does contain the essentials of the
Confession article, the Reformed Episcopal article is in       doctrine of predestination, with the basic elements of
its title misleading, for it does not, actually, treat of election and reprobation. Weakness there is, to a de-
Election, Predestination or Free Will; no, not even in         gree, evident in this article, as shown, above; but that
sketchy outline. There merely appears the statement weakness lies not in the fact that the truth is herein
that "this church (Reformed Episcopal  - RCH . . .             viewed in its historical setting. The fact that, with
simply affirms these doctrines as the Word of God sets humankind fallen into the pit of perdition, God de-
them forth, and submits them to the judgment of its            livers and preserves from this perdition all whom He
members, as taught by the Holy Spirit. . .  ." But no          has elected in Christ, is no weakness. Nor is this
explanation is offered as to just how the Word of God          infralapsarianism. It is not infralapsarian to state that
does set forth these doctrines. Then to leave such a           after the fall, and from the fall, God delivers and pre-
great essential of the faith "to the individual judgment Serves His chosen ones. The article fits in well enough
of the church's members" for its reception, interpreta-        with the supralapsarian scheme. So often this article `is
tion and expression is hardly satisfactory, showing            said to be Infra-.  But that God delivers from perdition
theological incompetence. Such a statement is inher-           all He has elected in Christ, certainly implies an elec-
ently unworthy of a theological, confessional declara-         tion made in the first place with Christ in view, and
tion. Its phraseology is really non-confessional, even         not first with sin and the fall in view; with viewing
anti-doctrinal. Where witness to the highest of Re- Christ first as the Head of the church, then as the
formed truth is expected, none is given. The mere men-         Savior of the body. Although the article is not
tion of the doctrinal peaks of the Christian Faith, and        infralapsarian, neither does it press the switch on the
the leaving of them to the individual judgment of supralapsarian floodlight. It does not enter upon the
members in the church, is not only the height of rank          Infra-Supra question. But it definitely does not state
individualism, but is certainly, and sadly, no confes-         that God chose out of the fallen human race. The ar-
sion, or witness to the truth.                                 ticle is not weakened with infralapsarianism.
  But these hollow sounds are not echoed in our Ar-                            (To be con timed, D. V.)

                        NOTICE!!!                                               ANNOUNCEMENT
  The Northwest Iowa Protestant Reformed Christian               The Protestant Reformed Federation of Christian
School is in need of a qualified teacher. to teach Grades      Schools is sponsoring a "Seminar-Workshop", Friday,
1 thru 4. If interested, contact Mr. Henry Hoekstra,           February 26,  9:004:00 p.m., at the Hope Protestant
(Sec'y.) R.R. No. 1, Hull, Iowa, 51239.                        Reformed Christian School. The theme for the day will
                                                               be "Literature Studies in the Christian School." All
                        NOTICE!                                interested teachers, college students, board members,
                                                               and parents are invited to attend the sessions of this
  An Office Bearers conference will be held, the Lord          worshop. For more specific information you may con-
willing, Tuesday evening, April 6, in the Hudsonville          tact the principals of the Adams, Hope, and South
Prot. Ref. Church. All present and former office               Holland Protestant Reformed Christian Schools.
bearers are welcome.                       P. Knott, Sec'y.
                                                                                ANNOUNCEMENT!!
                     ATTENTION!                                  Classis East of the Protestant Reformed Churches
  All Standing Synodical Committees are reminded               will meet in regular session on Wednesday, April 7,
that their reports for the Synodical Agenda must be            1971 at the Hudsonville Prot. Ref. Church. Material to
sent to the undersigned on or before the April 15 dead-
line. Supplemental reports may be submitted later, but         be treated at this meeting must be in the hands of the
material for the Agenda must be submitted by April             Stated Clerk at least ten days prior to the convening of
15.           Rev. D. H. Kuiper Stated Clerk of Synod          the session.
                                                                                               J. Huisken, Stated Clerk
                   1314 Main Street Pella, Iowa, 50219


                                  News From Our Churches                                              .
   Rev. Van  Baren has declined the call extended to             Our Kalamazoo congregation has taken upon itself
him from Southwest Church, and Rev.  Schipper has to print 1000 copies of the booklet, "The Three Forms
declined that from Grand Rapids Hope Church.                   of Unity." According to its Sunday bulletin,  .only


     THE STANDARD  BEARER
            P.O. Box 6064                                                                        SECOND CLASS
     Grand Rapids, Midhigan 49506                                                               POSTAGE PAID AT
Y                                                                                            GRAND RAPIDS, MOCH.

2 8 8                                            THE STANDARD BEARER


     about 200 copies remain - the rest having been "sold         After Rev. Van  Baren's fme lecture, the chairman
     and/or distributed." The little booklet has gone in stated that, though hardly the customary thing in our
     largest quantities to Jamaica, but copies have also circles, "I would like to hear an `Amen' from this. au-
     ended up in New Jersey ("next greatest distribution"), dience." The result was rather meager, of course, but
     Pe'nnsylvania, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio: that's hardly surprising from an audience made up of.
     Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Illinois, Colo- people who, under such circumstances, are typically
     rado, the Dakotas, and to London.                          reserved and hesitant to give that sort of vocal response
                             *****                              to the words of a speaker. But the attempt itself was
       That booklet, incidentally, is only one of many an indication of deep appreciation for what Rev. Van
     booklets, pamphlets, books, brochures, and periodicals Baren had to say. According to the chairman, "God
     that have long been available from various organiza- has been speaking to us through the voice of his
     tions in the Protestant Reformed Churches - available servant."
     that is, to anyone who happened to know what to ask                                *****
     for and who to ask. The Reformed Free Publishing             In looking back over some old school news, we dis-
     Association has recently printed a little yellow folder covered some material that should, perhaps, have
     which lists and describes much of the literature avail- found its way into this column several months ago. It's
     able from our churches. Perhaps you've already seen it. from the Northwest Iowa Protestant Reformed Chris-
     It includes such items as the "Beacon Lights," Sunday tian School, from the pen of the administrator, Mr.
     School papers and pamphlets, catechism materials, and John Kalsbeek. You perhaps recall that the teachers of
     books by Rev. ,Ioeksema. The R. F. P. A. is also acting Doon, Edgerton, and Loveland met in convention last,
     as central distributors-for this literature. Thanks to this November. The remarks of Mr. Kalsbeek concerning
     little folder, much more effective use will certainly be that convention give some insight into the state of
     put to wh?it it describes as our "veritable gold mine of Protestant Reformed Education in our western schools
     worthwhile and instructive reading." Mr. H. Vander - "small but . . . ."
     Wal, R. F. P. A. business manager, who has done much         "A small group - orily six teachers plus three mini-
     to prepare the catalog, reports that results are already sters - quietly met together Friday and Saturday, No-
     impressive.                                                vember 6 and 7, in Edgerton, Minnesota.
                             *****                                "An insignificant gathering of no account in the
       If you have already read the insides of this issue of eyes of the world. Had the world known or paid any
     the  Standard Bearer,  you know that Rev. Van  Baren attention it would have mocked and ridiculed. Scorn-
     was asked by the Association of Christian Reformed fully they would have derided such a ridiculous
     Laymen to present a lecture in Kalamazoo. The bulle- gathering.
     tin of our Holland church had the following interesting      "However, it is. not numbers that count, for our
     informaction concerning that speech: "One of the strik- Lord says that where two or three are gathered in my
     ing aspects of this lecture, which dealt with the anti- name there will I be. God was present at this meeting.
     thesis, is' the fact that it was delivered in the very     We met in accordance with His good pleasure. Small -
     church where the three points of `Common Grace' yes - but significant in the eyes of Almighty God.
     were drawn up and adopted in 1924 and which led to           "The central issue through out the meetings dealt
     the separation of our churches because we refused to with covenant instruction. . . . Together, in the unity
     accept these three points and rejected them upon the       of one faith and one doctrine, we enjoyed the wonder-
     basis of Scripture and the Confessions. This First Chris- ful sensation of covenant fellowship.
     tian Reformed Church is the one in Kalamazoo, Michi-         "All returned to their work  renew.ed  in body and
     gan, where the 1924 Synod met."                            spirit, thankful that we could meet together as Protes-
       The audience at this particular meeting was rather tant Reformed Teachers."
     small, but apparently appreciative. The chairman, in         From the Loveland "Ledger," we notice that the
     l-+ opening remarks, mentioned that the A. C. R. L.        students  .were not at all unhappy about that teachers'
     had come into being because "disturbing voices are convention, either. Miss Beverly Hoekstra, the princi-
     heard in our churches." He drew attention to, among pal, usually includes some contributions of the stu-
     other things, doubts concerning the historicity of Gen. dents in the "Ledger." A seventh grader wrote, "We
     1, and the growing attraction of the social gospel for enjoyed the nice vacation we received when the teach-
     some of the leaders. He stressed also the "educational ers went to the teachers' convention." And then, as if
     function of the organization," pointing out that they as an afterthought, "We also hope that the teachers
     were not  `an ecclesiastical power and that their only enjoyed it."
     intention was to defend from error.                                               Mitte nun tium               D.D.


