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A  REFORMED  SEMI-MONTHLY  MAGAZINE


IN THIS ISSUE
 _
            Meditation  .-  .-          -
                 .,Easter Evening In The Upper Room

            Feature
                 The Seminary Building-A Progr&s Report

            Editorials
                 Key ,73's Myth of
                 "Cooperatively but Separately" Exploded

                 Developments in the Gereformeerde Kerken
                        I
            Iti His Fear
                 Mission Motives


      -.                                     Volume XLIX, Number 14, April 1.5, 19 73


314                                                      THE STANDARD BEARER



                           CONTENTS                                                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER
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   Easter Evening In The Upper Room . , . . . . . . . .3 14                 Editor-in-Chief:   Prof.  Homer   C  Hoeksema
                                                                            Department   Editotx  Rev.  Robert  0. Decker. Mr. Donald Doezema. Rev.
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                                                                            Kuiper.   R e v .   G e o r g e   C .   L u b b e r s ,   R e v .   Mannus   Schlpper.   R e v .   G~se  J.
   The Seminary Building - A Progress Report . . .3 17                      V a n   Baren.   R e v .   H e r m a n   Veldman.   R e v .   B e r n a r d   Woudenberg
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News From Jamaica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .321       Church  New  Ediror:                          M r .   D o n a l d   D o e z e m a
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                                                                                                                         G r a n d   R a p i d s ,   Mich.  49506
In His Fear -                                                              Editorial  Policy:  Every  editor is solely responsible for the contents of his
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   Mission Motives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323    q u e s t i o n s   f o r   t h e   Q u e s t i o n - B o x   D e p a r t m e n t   a r e   w e l c o m e .   C o n t r i b u t i o n 5
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  Key 73's Myth of "Cooperatively but                                                                       Mr.  l-4.   Van&r  Wal. Bus.  Mw.
                                                                                                           P.d.   Eiox  6 0 6 4
       Separately" Exploded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .329                                         G r a n d   Raoids.   Michiaan   4 9 5 0 6
                                                                           Business Agent  for Austral&ia:.                                        Mr.  Wm. van  Ril
  Developments in the Gereformeerde Kerken . . .330                                                                                                5 9   K e n t   L o d g e   A v e .
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Meditation

                         Easter Evening in The .Upper Room
                                                              Rev. M. Schipper
              "And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them,
            Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted,  and supposed that they had seen
             a spin't. And he said unto them, "Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your
             hearts? Behold, my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit
             hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them
             his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto
             them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of an
             honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. And he said unto them, These are the
             words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled,
             which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning
             me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. "
                                                                                                                                                     Luke 24: 36-4.5

  It was the evening of the resurrection day!                                    Very early in the morning of that day certain
  And what a day that was, which was now fast                              women of the disciple group had gone to the cemetery
coming to its close!                                                       of Joseph to finish the work they had begun before the


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  315



Sabbath drew on. And to their amazement, they                silently wondered as he broke the bread before their
discovered an open tomb, while to them appeared a very eyes.
messenger from heaven to declare unto them the first           And Peter, one of the favored triumvirate, so
gospel of the resurrection. Shortly after, the risen Lord    privileged to be so near to the Lord, and who had been
Himself had appeared. to them as, in obedience to the        sought out by the living Christ to assure him that, in
command of the angel, they were returning to the city        spite .of his renegade action, he was still in the heart
to bring the disciples word.                                 and mind of his Saviour. What testimony he could
  Sometime in the morning of that day the glorified          bring to such a meeting!
and raised Redeemer had appeared also to the woman             Yea, such evidence, such undeniable testimony,
of Magdala, out of: whom the Lord had cast seven             none could deny!
devils, as she sat weeping at the tomb. Shortly                Rather, they all believed, and rejoiced to believe
thereafter He had appeared also to Peter, whose heart        that the Lord was risen from the dead!
was still heavy with grief because he had only recently        However, their conception of the resurrection was
so bitterly denied Him. In the late afternoon of that        obviously earthly. Perhaps much the same as their
blessed day, the risen Lord communed with two very           understanding of the return of Lazarus, which they all
excited travelers who were on their way to Emmaus,           had witnessed. Such a resurrection as they conceived
one of whom was Cleopas by name. To them He had              of would bring Jesus back to them and their former
expounded in all the scriptures; and with them He ate        fellowship with him, so they undoubtedly thought.
bread, after He had blessed it. And when their eyes          But the more they talked about it, the more they
were opened so that they knew Him, they returned             became confused.
with haste to bring the disciples word that they had           If the Lord had risen, why did He not come back to
seen the Lord.                                               them? Why was it that He would appear for a moment,
   On the evening of that day, when they found the           and then vanish out of their sight? All was so different
disciples meeting in the upper room behind locked            from what it'used to be!
doors because of fear of the Jews, they were greeted           Such were the reasonings in their hearts . . .
with voices crying out in unison, "The Lord is risen           When suddenly the Lord appeared to them in the
indeed, and hath appeared unto Simon."                       presence of them all, and while the doors were locked,
   And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the and saith unto them, "Peace be unto you!"
midst of them.                                                 0, that unmistakable voice! They had heard it so
  What follows in the text describes in detail how the       often.
resurrection-day came to its close.                            And surely, this was His beloved form! There can be
  Indeed, a day that filled the hearts of the followers      no doubt about it. They had heard and seen Him too
of the Lord with wonder and amazement!                       often in those three and a half years to be mistaken
  Easter evening, in the upper room!                         now.
  A strange meeting!                                           It is the Lord, - but strange and ghostlike was His
  The strangeness due, no doubt, to the peculiar             appearance, so they thought!
conception residing in the hearts and minds of the             And how shall you and I explain it, beloved reader?
disciples, concerning the resurrection.                        There he stood, while the doors were locked. No
  0, surely, they believed that the Lord was risen           audible sign did He give of His approach. Had He been
from the dead. The facts were all too evident. All of        there all the time? Or, did He corn... through the door,
the facts they were now rehearsing: each one in turn         while it was locked?
giving utterance to the things he or she had seen and          As soon as you ask such questions, you realize how
heard.                                                       vain it is to ask them. All attempts to explain by
  There was the opened grave, and the vision of              applying the laws of our present world to the world of
angels, with their impressive message, "He is not here,      glory, must needs come to naught.
but is risen; Why seek ye the living among the dead?           It is the resurrection!
Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in              Not a return from the grave, but a going on! Not a
Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into       mortal body, but that of immortality! Not a body like
the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third     unto sinful flesh, but a body incorruptible! Not a
day rise again."                                             natural body, but that which is spiritual and heavenly!
  There was also the marvel of the place where the           You can see it, only when He Who is raised is pleased
Lord lay. The linen grave clothes lying in their original    to appear!
position, undisturbed; and the napkin which had been           If yours is the same as the conception of the
about His head, lying in its proper place.                   disciples, it is small wonder that there should be effects
  There `was the testimony of all those who had seen         similar to their experience.
him, that heard him speak, that listened with burning          They were terrified and affrighted!
hearts as he  1 expounded in all the scriptures, that          They thought they had seen a ghost!
            :  /


316                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



  When even locked doors could not keep Him out,               with the gospel of victory!
you can well understand how they were terrified. As to           Theirs must be a lasting lesson!
His being a ghost, this thought must have taken hold on          And He said unto them, "These are the words which
them more and more as the accounts came in that He             I spake unto you, while I was yet with you,"  -
appeared, and as suddenly vanished from their sight.           implying that He was no longer with them, but wholly
And now as He stood before them, their confusion               other.
knows no end; so that as John records it, for the                But He reminds them of His former conversation,
second time He said unto them: "Peace be unto you!" and how His death and resurrection were the
  A glorious revelation!                                       fulfillment of all that Moses, and the prophets, and the
  Not long does the risen Lord allow them to continue          book of psalms had spoken of Him. Their words He
with their imaginations. Immediately He must destroy           had made the very program of redemption He had
their fantasy. Quietly He sought to calm their                 followed and worked out. This explains how
confusion, and to set at rest the reasonings of their          everything that transpired around His life and
hearts.                                                        ministry, His apprehension and trial, His sufferings and
   "Why are ye troubled?                                       death, and now,  His glorious resurrection,  - all
   "And why do thoughts arise in your hearts?                  constituted the very scheme of redemption so
   "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself:          plentifully revealed in the scriptures.
handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and              These things, in which He had so diligently
bones, as ye see me have!"                                     instructed them, they had never really understood.
  Let them come so near to Him that they can touch             Consequently, a crucified and raised Redeemer did not
Him. This should dispel the thought that He is a ghost.        harmonize with their conception. According to their
Let them take a good look at His hands and His feet,           way of thinking, there was no room for the cross, and
that they are the same as those they all had seen riven        surely no room for the resurrection.
on the cross. Such evidence is too good to be true.              Now, once more, but now with all the evidence
Consequently, we read: "And while they yet believed            before them, of His death and resurrection, let them
not for joy, and wondered,  "  - the raised Redeemer           see how the Christ of the resurrection is the
will do still greater things for them. He will reveal          fulfillment, not only of all the scriptures, but of all the
Himself to them in such wise that every doubt will             purpose of God.
have to be abandoned, and every fantasy erased from              That this must be a lasting lesson, is obvious from
their minds.                                                   the text.
  He asks them for something to eat.                             "Then opened he their understanding, that they
  When they give Him a piece of broiled fish and an            might understand the scriptures."
honeycomb, He took it, and did eat before them.                  Literally, we read, "he opened thoroughly the
  Shall they presently be His witnesses, they must             mind." Thus they could join together in the mind the
testify of the reality!                                        scriptures and the reality of what they saw.
  The Lord is risen indeed!                                      And so it is always . . . !
  He is the light of the resurrection breaking through           When the risen Lord opens your understanding, so
the darkness. He is the life of the resurrection breaking      that the scriptures speak, then the resurrection is more
through the power of death. He is the Immortal                 than a wonder!
appearing for a moment in the midst of that which is             It is the gospel of our salvation!
subject to death.                                                It is the hope of our glory!
  He arose, but did not return. He is not on this side           And the Jesus of the cross, is the One Who was
of the grave, but on the other side, in heavenly               delivered for our transgressions; and Who was raised
perfection of glory!                                           for our justification!
  Such is the revelation these witnesses must presently          Hallelujah!
attest to, when He shall send them into all the world



                                            Principle of Education, No. 2

  God, Who created and sustains all things and governs         covenant-relationship unto Him in Christ Jesus their
them according to His sovereign counsel; Who is Triune         Lord, that they might walk in all good works which He
and, as such, lives an eternal covenant-life of. friendship    ordained for them and in all their life in the world
in infinite perfection; from eternity chose and in time        should be to the praise of His glory, children of light in,
forms a people unto Himself, to stand in                       the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.


                                                       THE STANDARD BEARER                                                317



        Feature

                       The Seminary Building--A Progress Report

                      /Editor's Note: The following article was ready for publication a couple months ago, but
                      was held up due to a legal snarl in connection with the site-acquisition. The latter, we are
                      informed, has now been cleared up; and the green light was given for publication. With two
                      exceptions, the information is substantially correct. The exceptions are: 1) The target date
                      for ground-breaking necessarily has had to be postponed. 2) The treasurer, Mr. Teitsma,
                      informs me that the drive has now brought in a total (in round numbers) of $92,000.00, of
                      which $55,000.00  is cash on hand. The big question now will be that of the detailed cost
                      estimates and what inflation may have done to them.1


          Friday evening, January 19, 1973, the Theological          After much thought and work, the architect proposed
        School Committee approved the proposed plans of the          the plan portrayed which meets the requirements of
        "Blue Ribbon" Committee for the new seminary                 size we suggested and (hopefully) the requirements of
        building, and instructed that committee to proceed `cost. He cleverly suggested various methods to cut
        with preparing of blueprints and obtaining cost              costs without sacrificing quality  - yet meet the fire
        estimates. I hardly exaggerate when I state that our         marshall's requirements.
        committee and the "Blue Ribbon" Committee were                     We could point out several things concerning the
        highly enthusiastic concerning the proposed plans.           proposed plans. First, the plan is designed for the site.
          But I had better back up a bit in the recounting of        .This explains its particular shape. It is not simply
        events. The last report identified the proposed site for     rectangular, but its  sha@e is to fit the contours of the
        the seminary building as west of Ivanrest, S.W., just        knoll on which it is erected.
        south of the Grandville city limits. The committee                 Secondly, the classrooms and the all-purpose room
        purchased ten acres of land there for $13,500. They          face north. The windows run the entire width of the
        were compelled to purchase this amount of land in            north wall. This design was for several reasons: so that
        order to obtain the beautiful knoll they desired, and        there would be -no difficulty with sunlight shining into
        the necessary roadway leading to this knoll. The price,     these rooms, to take full. advantage of the very lovely
        however, is higher than that laid down as guideline by view to the north of the school, as well as to give a
        our last Synod ("approximately $10,000). The. sense of spaciousness to the relatively small classrooms.
        committee, therefore, expects soon to dispose of about       : Thirdly, we believe the number of rooms and their
        two acres of this in order to stay near Synod's              approximate size-are in ,harinony with Synod's decision
        guideline.                                                  -last summer. It is true .that one could get by with less
                                                                     rooms and smaller ones: (We could also, as families,
        Building Plans                                              live -in: a one or two room house.) However, we believe,
          The next important action of the "Blue Ribbon"             that, considering the needs of our seminary and the
        Committee was to hire an architect to prepare plans          time of affluence.in which we .live, the proposed plan is
        for building. The services of such an architect are          neither unreasonable nor excessive. We propose three
        required in order to obtain a building permit not only,      classrooms (none of which,& overly large). We propose
        but also to prepare plans for a building which would be     ,a library which will be the ,focal-point of the building,
        both functional yet adapted to fit the proposed site.       ,with adequate space for,@resent  and future books, and
          The "Blue Ribbon" Committee gave him his                  a place for students to study. We propose an
     instructions: a building to cost no more than                  all-&pose room' for practice-preaching, for our other
        $100,000, yet contain the rooms and approximate             school meetings, and perhaps (though incidentally) an
        square foot area approved `by Synod in 1972. The            ade.quate meeting place ,for Synod (or Classis) when it
        architect  was; frankly, skeptical that this would be       convenes in Grand Rapids.. The faculty office provides
        possible. After all, that meant that the building would     a' place for quiet study and meditation for the
        cost only slightly more per square foot than a house of .professors, and for conferences. The office provides
        similar size - yet conform with the many regulations `.place for typist, `for keeping of records, for reception
        which the fire marshal1 of the state of Michigan must       of visitors, etc. The workroom gives the necessary space
        enforce for all school buildings. Most schools do cost      for mimeographing and `assembling of notes, for
        about twice our proposed amount per square foot. .preparing  the  Theological  ,Joumal,  and such sort of
I                                                                                                  .
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318                                             THE STANDARD BEARER



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                                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                                                                        319





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activities. The kitchen is, perhaps, a luxury; but it                               would. admit a very warm and natural light into the
makes possible a fuller use -of the all-purpose room.                               library (which has no windows to the outside) and
Lunch can be served; dinners prepared (for Synod,                                   into the all-purpose room. These will break the ceiling
Classis,  e t c . ) .                                                               line within the rooms and provide a sense of
 As far as construction is concerned, the building will                             spaciousne.ss,  and height as well as supplying light. This
be one story erected on cement slab. The structure will                             sort of lighting can not be duplicated by artificial lights
be woo d-frame with brick. facing (this will save                                   nor even by ordinary skylights. These will increase
considerable expense over cement block and steel                                    heating costs, but not significantly so.. We think, after
construction). The wood-frame structure and the fact                                all factors are considered, that this will be an unusual
that there are no interior halls make necessary in each                             yet useful part of the building.
room the exits directly to the outside. The interior will                                A third-feature (about which the committee still has
be carpeted with exception of the kitchen, entrance,                                reservations) is the "open classroom" concept. You
restroom, and metianical  areas.                                                    notice on the prop~osed plans that the classrooms have
  There are a few unique (and perhaps controversial)                                no interior doors - in fact, one-half of one wall facing
features to the building. There is first the fact that the                          the library is simply not there. The rooms remain open
library is the focal-point of the building, and is, in                              directly into the library. The architect insists that this
effect, the "hall-way" to all the other rooms. In this                              has been successfully used in many of the newer school
way the architect utilized in the best possible way the                             buildings. The purpose is to give a sense of unity or
available space. He suggests that the traffic through                               oneness throughout the building. Besides, it enhances
this library is minimal and not distracting (especially                             the appearance of each classroom in that it adds a
because the area is to be carpeted), and that the library                           feeling of spaciousness to what are actually. small
will assume its proper place'  of' importance and                                   rooms. The architect insists that it really works. The
centrality in this sort of building.                                                carpeting and arrangement of stacks of  ,books will
  A   s e c o n d   f e a t u r e   a r e   t h e   "c l e r e s t o r i e s "      prevent sound from one classroom from distracting
(pronounced: clear stories). These are what appear to                               either those' in another classroom or in the library. (We
be the  `Csecond story" in the line drawing. These are                              are intending to check the Rockford, Michigan Junior
nothing more than windows toward the  north.which                                   High School where`this concept is used.) The idea, we
will admit light directly into the library and all-purpose                          think, is striking  - provided it' will work out in
room from above. From the top of these "second                                      practice.                                                                                  _     ,I.
story" windows, there is a roof which slopes down to'                                   Perhaps the above is enough for you to think about
the main roof. Perhaps this feature could be considered                             now. Your questions are likely not all"answered.`If  you
a luxury. Our committee did have questions about this                               have some concerning which you would'want answers,
part of the plan. There was not  ,only the question of                              we would be happy to try  t,o provide these. At any
cost, but also the question of appearance  ,from the                                rate,, you now do see why we on both the Theological
outside, of the building. The `architect, however,                                  School Committee and; on the "Blue -Ribbon"
convincingly argued for retaining these. He insisted                                Committee are very enthused. We think that'this truly
that they were an intregal part of the whole -design of                             represents a building both functional and beautiful
the building. These, in a sense, could be considered                                which can, as it were; `serve as  a`.focal-point for our
symbolic. They suggest the reaching forth to light ("In                             whole denomination; a building of which we may
Thy Light shall we see light."). But also these windows                             properly be proud. We hope you consider it such too.


320                                          THE STANDARD BEARER


The cost of building                                        program, as we feel the Reformed witness will be more
  The total cost of building is a thing which               truly taught and honored by your faculty and
constantly confronts the committee. Synod of 1972           students.  " Isn't that something! We sincerely give
did approve (as I recall) a total cost of approximately     thanks to all those who have so faithfully and
$105,000; this was in harmony with the proposals of         generously contributed.
the Theological School Committee for a building of            We would, however, so much like to report to our
approximately $100,000, and land for $5,000. The            next Synod that the full amount of the drive has been
committee desires to remain within those guidelines.        raised, that the amount we need for our building has
The trouble is, several factors would indicate that         been contributed or pledged. We would urge those who
conceivably the cost will be higher. First, the new         have not yet -pledged or contributed, to do so as soon
property cost $13,500 (vs. the $5,000 for the               as possible. We do wish that each member of the
Cambridge St. property). Secondly, we must add a well       denomination will have a real part in helping to make
and septic system besides a longer drive and larger         this seminary building possible. A few personal
parking lot (the lot on Cambridge, upon which our           suggestions might be in order. Not all can contribute a
original figures were based, was an improved lot with       cash gift of $150.00. But perhaps one could put aside
sewer and water). Thirdly, inflationary costs have been     10 cents a day (only the cost of a newspaper) for four
higher in the building trade than in other areas  -         years - and pledge that sum. Or one could pledge to
consequently, a building erected in 1973 will cost          send $2.00 per month for five years (thus, likely, this
considerably more than a similar one erected in 1972        would be no financial burden at all). Young people
(and likely a delay in building till beyond 1973 would      ought to consider doing their share too. After all, this
add 3 to 5 percent or more per year in costs). The          building will be used for the benefit of the church of
"Blue Ribbon" Committee has sought to keep costs            tomorrow, for the church of your generation. Please,
down as much as possible. These presently plan to           however,. inform our treasurer as soon as possible of
serve as their own contractors to save expense. They        your pledge that this may be included in the total we
have been considering other ways also of cutting costs.     report to the next Synod.
  The question, however, still remains: will we be able       There may be many, also, who would consider
to keep below the guidelines which Synod set? The           adding to their present pledges or gifts in order that
committee might well have to face the difficult             the goal may be met.
decision: can we proceed with building? If it is              One other suggestion might be made. Some of our
necessary to go above the $105,000 Synod suggested,         societies or individuals might" wish to assume
how much above this figure can the committee go -           responsibility for raising the money and contributing
yet conscientiously believe that they are carrying out      toward the purchase of certain items in the building.
the intent and desire of our Synod? If we begin             We do not intend to identify the donors of special gifts
building, it would conceivably be soon - as soon as the     to the new building or commemorate the gift by means
weather warms and the ground can be broken. Pray for        of plaques. However, some might want the satisfaction
the committee also in this decision it must make, that      of knowing specifically for what their contribution
it may be pleasing to our God for the benefit of the        went. We have sufficient furnishings for approximately
churches.                                                   two classrooms. We need, yet, a desk, tables and chairs
                                                            for another classroom; table for the workroom; folding
Financial report                                            tables and chairs for the all-purpose room; chairs and
  One cause for great gratitude to the committee is         tables for the faculty lounge; and desk for the office;
the evidence of generous financial support which has        file cabinets; a good electric typewriter; a copy machine;
been given by the members of the denomination. Our          perhaps a piano; or one might be willing to assume the
last report showed cash and pledges of $84,638.27. As       cost of the landscaping or of the long drive and parking
of December 3 l., 1972, our treasurer reports a cash and    lot; we need, too, some bookcases, tables and chairs
pledge total of  $88,611.97 (a gain of about $4,000).       for the library. These are some of the possibilities...
Not only have our own people shown great generosity         At any rate, when contributing or investigating con-
in supporting this project, but individuals outside of      cerning assuming responsibility for the costs of some
our denomination have also contributed. We read at          aspect of this building or its furniture, write to our
our last committee meeting the following letter from a      treasurer: Mr. R. Teitsma, 1659 Shangrai-La Dr., S.E.,
member of another denomination (quoted in part):            Grand Rapids, Michigan, 495 08.
"Enclosed you will  find a check for $100.00. Please          Again: thank you for your hearty support, We
apply this sum to your new Seminary building fund.          expect to keep you informed concerning further
We read of your building program through the Standard       progress on this project. Perhaps the next report can
Bearer that we enjoyreading very much . . . We have         begin: "We have begun building!"
become disillusioned with . . . seminary, and would                          for the Theological School Comm&tee,
rather contribute to your new Seminary building                                Rev. G. Van Baren


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  321


                                     News Frbm Jamaica

                                                   Rev. G. Lubbers


   At long last a bit of news from Jamaica in the              as elders as a certain award. It would be an emblem of
Standard  Bearer! Perhaps that is what is said by many         having come to "higher grace."
of-the readers when this little dispatch comes to their          As time went on, Rev. Elliott more and more
mail-box. There is more than one reason why news is            changed in his preaching. He no longer preached the
slow in forthcoming. In the first place, "news" has to         Pentecostal-Holiness-Arminian teaching of the "second
be made, and that takes time. Then, too, not everything        benefit," the so-called "subsequent" grace which must
that might be considered news should be published in a         be attained by much spiritual effort, fasting, praying,
magazine which travels as far as does the  Standard            with the singing of the choruses, its rhythmic beat and
Bearer. All things may be permissible, but all things do       the dances. Fact is, that he preached against all this as
not edify. Furthermore, one must be a bit detached             being sinful "superstitiousness." And this lasted until
from the news to write objectively. When certain               the people of Hope Hill could take it no more. What
situations and attempts at solutions are very real and         really triggered things was that Rev. Elliott refused to
recent yet, one is liable not to see things in perspective.    baptize the children of girls of the congregation, who
   However, we do feel that we can now write a bit of          left home, church, and sought work elsewhere and
news about Jamaica which not only satisfies mere               then came home with their illegitimate children to be
curiosity, but which also will give some indication of         baptized either by themselves or by their mothers,
the depth and breadth of our work here from a                  godfathers, and godmothers. Rev. Elliott insisted that
reformatory point of view. We will write about what            the young mothers confess their sins of adultery and
happened at a church situated at Hope Hill, which              unfaithfulness. This brought the mothers,
church is about four miles up the mountain from                grandmothers, and others into rebellion. It was a
White House, near the sea on the southern part of the          special thorn in the flesh of the church-mother! She
island.                                                        allegedly condoned such sins of the young girls in the
  What we write concerning this church may serve as a          congregation  - she who was a woman, who had
"Case Study" which is rather symptomatic of the                received (sic) a vision to gather a church there, a
entire life of the churches on the island. One robin           woman to whom the Lord had given two elders. And
does not make a summer, it is true. Yet, we are here           these elders agreed with the church-mother. One of the
dealing with a certain basic pattern, which happens            elders had a grand-daughter who was involved. Small
over and over, in greater or lesser degree.                    wonder that Rev. Elliott's star went down in total
  Hope Hill was a church which was with the group of           eclipse very fast and permanently in Hope Hill.
churches here on the island known as "The Protestant             Rev. Elliott was informed one Saturday by elder
Reformed Churches in Jamaica" from the very                    Reid, before he came off the bus, that he was not
beginning. When Rev. C. Hanko visited the island with          welcome in Hope Hill any more; that Lord's Supper
elder Meulenberg, and when he spoke in Islington, also         would not be served by him, and that Hope Hill was
Hope Hill trekked across the island by mini-bus to hear        leaving the body." Rev. Elliott was informed that Rev.
him preach on "My sheep hear my voice . .  ." Of               Lubbers would be informed by Hope Hill about this,
course, this was a good sermon, good enough for Rev.           their decision. This letter never arrived; but
Elliott to say, "There is only one truth, this is it." And     undersigned sent a note to them, telling them that a
the people of Hope Hill said, "If minister say it is           committee would come and meet with them on
good, it is good for us." And that was the beginning of        September 19 at 11  :OO A.M.; that the entire
our contact with the people of Hope Hill. Rev. Elliot          congregation should be present. We informed Hope
was "minister" there for nine or ten years. However,           Hill that the Revs. Frame and Ruddock, elders J. Reid
he was not installed in office there. He was there only        and A.A. Wright would be the Committee. We also
by agreement to "minister" to their needs, which came          wrote, "Rev. Elliott will be there, but not as a member
down to a visit once in four to six weeks to baptize           of the committee." And I also wrote, "I hope to'be
and to "give Supper." In reality Rev. Elliott was not as       accompanied by Rev. Cornelius Hanko from the
much a preacher there as were the two elders, W. Reid          United States, who will be spending three Sundays
and  McGennis  These were on the pulpit "preaching"            here on the island, visiting all the churches."
every Sunday when Elliott was not there. Fact is, that           On the specified date we met at Hope Hill. We
prior to our contacting Hope Hill, these two men had           trekked a mile across mountain trails, hills and deep
been promised to be made ministers if they served well         ravines from our parked car. Certain allegations against


322                                                      THE STANDARD BEARER



Rev. Elliott were heard, aired, and judged of. None of               had a vision concerning this church. She had had these
these grievances was of any consequence; they were                   faithful elders with her, and now she desired them to
mere petty bickerings ! However, there was one                       be ministers. These would receive her permission. Here
testimony which was very telling. It was a little speech             was the "power behind the throne." It is a vicious
by elder  McGennS, which the following three points                  power which makes it impossible to have true office-
will sum up neatly:                                                  bearers worthy of fhe name.
   1. That in his opinion Rev. Elliott had preached the                What was done by Hope Hill? These decisions were
good Word of God while in their midst. That he must                  sent to them; and they held a meeting, and the
say.                                                                 following letters tell what was done.
  2. That nevertheless he did not desire Rev. Elliott
any more.                                                                                                        Hope Hill District
                                                                                                                 White House P.O.
  3. That he and elder Reid both desired to become                                                               Oct. 11,1972
ministers in the church at Hope Hill, to baptize, and                    Dear Rev. ,Lubbers,
give Lord's Supper. He felt that he was qualified,                          Greetings to you in the precious Name of Jesus
whereas he had arrived now at "higher grace." And this                   Christ, hoping when this letter reaches your loving
was according to what Rev. Elliott had promised them                     hand it may find you in the best of health.
many years ago.                                                             Dear Sir, from we receive your letter me of myself
  In fairness to Rev. Elliott, it must be said that upon                 agree with the five points. But few of the brethren
                                                                         don't agree. But I don't decide to leave this body, the
being questioned, he admitted such a promise could                       Protestant Reformed Church and would like to find
have been made, but only before there were  Protest&t                    out if elder Reid and Elder McGennis  will not stay in
Reformed Churches in Jamaica. At any rate, such was                      the church if you, Rev. Lubbers, wilI come and with
the issue in Hope Hill. And this was the break with the                  who you desire, and brother Williams (a student G-L.)
Protestant Reformed  ) Churches in Jamaica in essence.                   to come to the church. I should really (be) glad. And
It was opposition to change, and it was rebellion which                  I am faithfully, Ethel Taylor.
is as the sin of witch-craft. The threefold earmarks of                 Such was the reaction, independent reaction of Mrs.
the church were not desired; they were rejected.                     Taylor. However, elder Reid wrote for the group as
  This ought to be clear from the "five points" which                follows:
the Committee adopted with the advice of Rev. Hanko                                                           Hope HiII District
and the undersigned. Here follow the points:                                                                  White House P.O.
           1. That since the Hope Hill Congregation professes                                                 September 28,1972
                                                                         Dear Rev. Lubbers,
        to be in agreement with the truth as maintained in                  Complement of the Season. I hoping all is well
        the Protestant Reformed Churches and as taught by                with you both. Your letter I have received and also
        the Rev. Elliott, we urge them to continue faithfully            your gift. Dear sir, the good Lord bless you for it.
        and stedfastly in our feIlowsbip.                                   We have also read your points, and meet (met)
           2. That due to the strained relationship between              together concerning it. Dear Sir, we have also (are
        Rev. Elliott and the Hope Hill congregation, in which            also) satisfied with a part. But coming down to the
        he never was installed as a minister, we advise that             end all the Breatbren dissgree (disagree). So I am
        Rev. Elliott agree to discontinue b.is labors here.              sorry that we could not agree witb. everything.
           3. That the Hope Hill congregation agrees to have                                               I am your same, faithfully,
        Rev. Lubbers come here as often as possible to                                                     William Reid.
        establish  them in the doctrine and walk in Christ             It is quite obvious that this letter is typically
        according to the Scriptures and as  taught in  the
        Protestant Reformed Churches in Jamaica.                     Jamaican, which is never exactly forthright and to the
           4. We advise the two elders to labor faithfully as        point. However, the last two points of the five of the
        rubng elders over the flock of Jesus Christ, but that        Committee were unacceptable. Upon questioning them
        they cannot be teaching elders or ministers in the           in a letter concerning what had actually been decided
        churches.                                                    we received the following missive from elder Reid.
           5. And,  finally, we advise Ethel Taylor  that
        Scripture knows nothing about a church-mother as                                                      Hope NiU District
        special office in the church. Let her labor faithfully in                                            White House P.O.
        the office of believer along with  all  the others  !                                                November 14, 1972
                                                                         Dear Rev. Lubbers,
        according to humibty of faith and trust in God.                     Complement of the session arrd hoping all is well
                                       Committee:                        with you. Please, sir, your letter I have received and
                                       A.A. Wright                       was carefully read it, hearing all what you say, sir.
                                        J. Reid                          Please, sir, I should answer you both before now but I
                                        J.E. Frame                       was waiting and  the Brethren to decide before I
                                        S.E. Ruddock                     answer you.
   This advice was read to the congregation, and then                       So we are finally decided to leave the body of the
Mrs. Taylor rose to assert that it was "she" who had                     reformed body.


                                                        THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  323


      Please, sir, the good lord bless you all what good           teaching of works, the leaven of Phariseeism, which has
    you have done to us all. And now Hope HilI is now              never had any power toward true holiness, but only
    quite (has quit) the body.                                     unto self-righteousness. This holiness-teaching knows
       So please see you need not to come again, or to
    sent (send) anyone. Thank you. Well, I remain the              nothing concerning the true conversion which is the
    your game brother in Christ, -                                 putting off of the old man and the putting on of the
                                      Willam A. Reid               new man. Such are enemies of the Cross of Christ!
  This was the fruit of all the labors of Rev. Elliott, of            At the present time we have now been having some
emissaries, and of the undersigned. It was the                     outdoor services on Sunday Morning near Hope Hill in
particular fruit of the Committee and the advice of Peterville. Here student Williams lives. The first time
Rev. C. Hanko. It was a Jamaican "no" of unbelief to               there we preached to some thirty-five people on
the positive preaching and an attempt at reformation               Genesis 1. Six people, were present from the Hope Hill
in their midst. It was a rejection of the office-bearers Church. Perhaps there is a remnant here who believe.
of Christ who would have the "key-power" in the                    We shall see. We know that our guiding-star is, "As
preaching, and the exercise of the keys of the Kingdom             many as were ordained unto eternal life believed."
in very deed. But it was not labor in vain in the Lord,               All churches are not as here. But there are others
for we are always victorious. Hope Hill has returned to            who walked in this same pattern: Cambridge,
the mire of the superficial and false holiness of the              Shrewsbury. We may have more to say about
Pentecostal-Holiness-Arminian which prates about                   Shrewsbury another time. May this essay have served
holiness but does not will to hear the poor-sinner                 as a "Case Study" of the negative fruit of our
Gospel of justification of the ungodly. It is the                  preaching and presence on the island.



In His Fear

                                          Mission Motives

                                                          Rev. D. H. Kuiper

  In the last two verses of the Gospel according to                only with the command as such, she will know what
Matthew, we read, "Go ye, therefore, and teach all                 she  must do all right, but she will not understand the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and             proper motivation or feel much excitement for this
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to                great work.
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you;                   Among the many passages which add to our
and, lo, I am with you  alway, even unto the end of                understanding of proper missionary work there are
the world. Amen." This Word of God, often called the               especially two which supply these other vital factors.
Great Commission or the Missionary Mandate, is clear               On the basis of these passages a few points ought to be
in as far as it goes. It is a command; it is a command             made as our congregations and denomination awake to
which carries all the authority of God in Christ; it is a          face their calling in respect. to missions. The first
command which must be obeyed. There is no                          passage is Matt.  9:36:
explaining away of these words or circumventing them.                     But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved
The church of Jesus Christ must busy herself, until the                with compassion on them, because they fainted, and
second coming, with the extension of the Kingdom of                    were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd.
God outside her institutional walls. And yet these                    Why did Jesus, according to the opening verses of
words of Jesus in Matthew 28 do not say it all, do not             Matthew 10, call His disciples unto Him and give them
present the whole picture. Although they tell us wlzat             power to preach and to heal? The answer is, "He saw
we must do, they inform us generally of the contents               the multitudes that they fainted and were scattered
of the message, they encourage us with the promise of              abroad, as sheep having no shepherd." Briefly, the
Christ's presence, yet these words do not get into the             situation in Israel was that the work of gathering the
important questions of why and  how.  The Great                    church had about come to a standstill. Due especially
Commission presents us with a bare and formal                      to the sect of the Pharisees, the Gospel had been
command. I suggest that if a church concern herself                changed into the bad news of righteousness by works.


324                                          THE STANDARD BEARER


The great number of blind and deaf, halt and maim            the number of faint is large! They are being confused
(specially created at this time, I believe) was a picture    by equally confused shepherds, blind leaders of the
of the sorry condition and low spiritual level of the        blind, and in some cases  h&eZings! They have doubts
church. When Jesus came, teaching in the. synagogues         because they hear so many uncertain sounds they know
and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing         not what or whom to trust. It certainly is accurate to
every sickness and every disease among the people, you       say that in our day the picture is one of scattered,
have the King of the church applying the remedy to           unshepherdized sheep. False doctrines lead to a false
that awful condition. This fact was not missed by the        gospel which is no gospel. Corrupt seminaries produce
Pharisees, who saw Christ's work as the destruction of       false teachers who subvert the. truth and make
their position and power; hence, they assigned Him to        merchandise of the church. "Who is not with Christ is
the family of devils.                                        against him; and he that gathereth not with him
  Jesus saw that the multitudes "fainted," a word that       scattereth abroad." (Matt. 12:30)
means to be in a sorry plight, to be vexed in soul, to be      The vital question for us is: how do we react to this
troubled and annoyed. The Lord saw that they were            situation? That is really quite a test of under-shepherd
not being comforted and fed. The burden of guilt due         of Christ and office-bearers in His church. It is not
to sin was not lifted, but rather was made heavier by        right simply to say, "I told you so. We told you long
false gospels. They were in the midst of famine, the         ago this is where it would all lead! It is not enough, nor
terrible famine of the Word of God. Secondly, He             does it serve any useful purpose, to deal with the
observed that. they were being scattered as sheep            problem purely on the intellectual level, so that all
without a shepherd. Those whose task it was to feed          kinds of arguments are marshalled to overwhelm the
and care for the sheep were not doing so. The result         faint objections of the faint. Jesus could have done
was that the sheep were not gathered together into           that, but He did not. There is something wrong if our
green pastures, but they were driven apart. They fled        reaction is not one of loving concern and pity for the
from the heavy yokes that were being placed on them,         sheep who are vexed in their souls and are in a sorry
especially the yoke of the law. They ran here and there      plight. "How dwelleth the love of God in a man, if he
looking for pasture, looking for water. What a tender see his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels
description of the flock, and what a terrible                of compassion from him ?" If John speaks these words
condemnation of the shepherds who were scattering            concerning temporal things, how much truer of things
and mistreating that precious flock!                         spiritual! I know, often times these scattered sheep can
  Thirdly, we may observe the reaction of Christ to          try the patience of Job. Personally, I have found in
this situation which He saw and understood perfectly.        myself impatience for these sheep who demonstrate a
Oh, there is a sense in which the sheep should have          clear understanding of the truth, but will not extricate
known better. They had the Old Testament scriptures.         themselves from a hopeless situation nor deprive those
There is a sense in which they shared the blame for the      who scatter of an audience. But as we will later see, the
miserable situation extant in Israel. Yet the Great point is not whether they are worthy or unworthy; the
Shepherd has  compassion  for His sheep. He did not point is:  are they in trouble?  Do they suffer and do
upbraid them for their foolishness and their sin. He did     they weep? Then the faithful servants of Jesus Christ
not cast into their teeth the obvious error of their also weep, they are moved in their bowels of
ways. He was moved with compassion, which is                 compassion, and they set themselves to applying the
another way of saying that Jesus felt pity for them,         remedy which is the truth of the Word of God and its
pity in His heart and soul so that He wept over them.        preaching!
And that tender affection and pity caused Jesus to             This brings us to the second passage from which we
concern Himself with a remedy: He longed to deliver ought to be instructed, Matt. 10:8b:
them, to build up the faint, to gather the scattered.               ". . . Freely ye have received, freely give."
And hence He sends out the twelve.                             Jesus, after observing that the harvest is plenteous
  We find a close parallel between the days of Christ's and the labourers few, called the twelve unto Him,
ministry and the present time. Although I do not mean gave them power over unclean spirits and diseases, and
to suggest that there are not great needs and problems sent them away with the command to preach that the
within our own churches, I ask you now to look kingdom of heaven is at hand and to heal, cleanse, raise
outside our denomination upon the general church up, and cast out. The compassion of our Lord was
scene. During the past few years especially we have all excited into action by the suffering of His people. And
become aware of many, many children of God who are as He sends out the twelve, He seeks to have them
faint, vexed in their souls, and troubled spiritually, partake-of this same excitement, to have the same pure
Who has not come into contact with many who are not motive. He reminds them that they personally had
being fed in their souls, who do not hear the pure milk "freely received." Now this word freely is the key. It
of the Word week by week, who fear for the welfare of means without cause, undeservedly. It is significant
their children and children's children? I am sure that that the same adverb is used by Paul in such contexts


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                325

            .
as, "Being justified freely by his grace through the Christ freely, and freely means of grace!
redemption that is in Christ Jesus;" and "He that           The last question that we ought to face is: What are
spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us we going to do with this rich heritage? Shall we direct
all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all all our attention, energies, and abilities inward? Or is it
things?" In other words, the disciples had received the clear that we must freely give? To the extent that we
power of the Spirit to preach the Word and to add understand the free reception of these things, to that
mighty signs to that Word; they had received the Truth measure we will also want to give. To the extent that
as it is in Christ in distinction from others who knew we ourselves are thrilled and moved by the Reformed
not Christ or  w-ere deceived concerning Christ . . . Gospel of the Scriptures, to that measure we will desire
why? Not because they were more worthy, not to share it with other children of God that they might
because they were more faithful; but it was freely, and also understand and believe it. Calvinists ought to be
freely means of grace!                                    the best missionaries in the world! Our calling surely is
  Because that was the manner in which they had to give freely. That means that we are alert to every
received such tremendous gifts, they were to dispense possible opportunity to preach outside our own
of them in the same manner and with a like attitude. worship services. That means we give freely of our
They might never forget their own unworthiness, to be ministers when the occasion demands that they travel
saved and to be instruments of preaching, as they go elsewhere to help those who are faint. That means that
out unto others. They would find no one less deserving we give our wealth, locally and denominationally, for
than they wherever they might go. It is, then, the the cause of missions. That means that at our own
thrill of their own salvation and the wonder of free churches, we demonstrate warmth and compassion
grace that must propel them unto obedience to this towards visitors, so that we do not forever have to face
great commission.                                         the charge (real or imaginary) of being cold and
  I don't know of a church that has a more goodly unresponsive.
heritage than the Protestant Reformed Churches in           Fellow pastors and elders, I am struck by the fact
America! Truly the lines have fallen unto us in .pleasant that the faint, scattered sheep need precisely what we
places! When it comes to those things which really have been given. Whether they are ready to admit that
count, we do not lack one thing. Shall we list some of or not, we have the answer to their souls' need. Let us
these things we have in mind? At this late date in apply ourselves, as much as it is in us, to the glorious
history, we still have the Bible, and we all hold to the work of gathering the scattered sheep of Christ! Are
orthodox position concerning inspiration and you blessed in your church at home? "It is more
infallibility. We have the pure preaching of the Word of blessed to give than to receive!"
God. That's everything! Week after week in everyone
of our churches, we and our children come under the         Allow me three practical points in closing:
powerful proclamation of the Word which alone can 1) As we have occasion to go out and preach to others,
save! We have beautiful, solid complete confessions; we it is not enough to be right. We must also be very wise.
stand in the rich Reformed tradition; we have a Church Rectitude must be tempered with wisdom. There is a
Order that provides for decency and order. God has time to speak, and there is a time to be silent. And this
given us a seminary with faithful professors concerning can be done without compromise or deceit. Wisdom, .-
whom we need not doubt  one thing!  And we have a according to James, is the practical application of
goodly number of young men whom the Lord is knowledge to a given situation and towards a certain
molding into preachers and missionaries. We have goal. The wisdom that is from above is "first pure,
catechetical instruction for our youth, societies for the then peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of
study of the Bible and communion of saints, parental mercy and good fruits." In times past, we have made
schools where the educational demands of the covenant practical errors that ought not be repeated.
can be, and are, met.
  The point is, all this vast treasure has been handed 2) As we take up this great work, we must not be
to us on a silver platter. Freely we have received. Why pessimistic, negative, or doubtful. And the reason why
have we been preserved in the way of Truth all these we must  not is that we  need  not. To approach a
years? Why do we have such an amazing degree of mission field with the idea of failure, or at best, of
unity in our churches, the lack of which is being only being used for witnessing unto hardening, will
bemoaned in many others? Why do we have a seminary certainly have a deadening effect on all concerned. We
that we can support without reservation?  I  don't have the happy assurance that Christ is with us even to
know. But I can suggest some negative reasons. Not the end! He will use us! We do not labor in vain in the
because we have shown ourselves to be worthy of these Lord.
blessings. Not because we have always been
appreciative of them. Not because we are more 3) There is a need in our seminary curriculum for a
spiritual or better in any way. It has been given us in required course in missions. In this course, the


326                                          THE STANDARD BEARER



principles, history, and practice of true missionary        *The contents of this article was originally presented
work ought to be developed and taught. There is as the opening devotions for  Classis West, March 7,
evidence that all of us will be engaged in this work to     1973, in South Holland, Illinois. It is printed by
some'extent in the future.                                  request.



From Holy Writ


                                 Doers of the Word and
                                       Not Hearers Dnly

                                               Rev. Robert D. Decker

          [Editor's Note: The following is the conclusion  of  Rev. Decker's exposition of James
          1:22-25. Space did not permit publication  of  the entire article. The exposition  of  James
          1:26 and 27 which also appears in this issue is Rev. Decker's j?nal contribution to this
          department for this volume-year. So we say farewell and thanks to him for the time being;
          and in the May 1 issue we welcome back to this department the Rev. George Lubbers, who
          will continue his exposition of Hebrews 11.1

  This is the doer in distinction from the one who          when I get older", or, "it isn't all that serious . . . one
merely hears the Word. The question is: do we do the        cannot be that strict or that narrow-minded . . . God is
Word? Can we? How thankful we ought to be for the           a God of love Who always forgives . . . it doesn't
gospel: "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that matter what church you go to . . . we're all going to
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works,     the same place anyway . . . God has his people in many
least any man should boast. For we are his                  churches . . ." Hearing the Word he doesn't care, but
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,       deceives himself. It's that kind of self-delusion that
which God hath before ordained that we should walk lands a person in hell.
in them." (Eph. 2:8-10). It's exactly because that is         But the doer of the Word  - "this man shall be
the gospel that James comes with the exhortation,           blessed in his deed." In his doing of the work of the
"But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only           Word he shall be happy. Genuinely happy now, he
. . . " God uses means to lead us in the good works shall be. He has the joy of forgiveness and the hope of
which He has before ordained, that we should walk in everlasting life. No matter what his life's circumstances
them. And the means is the word preached. Keep on may be, he is happy, because this man knows that all
becoming doers of the Word, more and more let that          things work together for good to them that love God,
Word be evident in all your living. The child of God who are the called according to his purpose.
hears, and he does that in the way of daily conversion.       And he shall be happy in that great day when Jesus
  He is blessed in his deed! This man, the doer, and        returns in glory. Then he shall sin no more; his tears
most emphatically not the one who only hears, is            shall be wiped away, and he will be with his God.
blessed. The hearer deceives himself, James says. That
word "deceive" means "to deceive by false reasoning."         This cannot fail! Christ has come and fulfilled the
What this mere hearer does is circumvent the Word. He Law of liberty. Our sins are forgiven, our death is
"goes around" the Word by all kinds of false conquered, and our victory is sure.
reasonings.-This is the way he talks: "I go to church, I      Are you ready for the judgment day? The hearer
pay -the budget and make my contributions, I send my who refuses to do the Word will hear, in spite of all his
children to the Christian school." "No," he says, "my saying "Lord, Lord," "Depart from me ye worker of
life is far from perfect . . . but after all even the holiest iniquity, I never knew you," The doer will hear from
of God's saints have only a small beginning . . . no one that same righteous Judge; "Enter thou into the joy of
is perfect." Or, he says, "I'm young . . .  I?ve got to thy Lord; well done, good and faithful servant."
have my fun . . . there's  plentv of  ,time for religion      What willyou hear?


                                             THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  327


                           Pure and Undefiled Religion

                                              Rev. Robert D. Decker

Chapter I :26, 27, Pure and Undefiled Religion               essence of religion is to "love everyone" and hurt no
   These verses contain the theme of the Epistle of one. Sin is defined in terms of harming one's fellow
James. Having willed it God caused us to be born with man and not in terms of the Law of God. Anything
the Word of truth in order that we should be a kind of and everything goes under that  - adultery, abortion,  '
first fruits of His creation (verse 18). In order that this homosexuality - all these are good, providing there's
conscious birth may come to expression we are love and no one is harmed. And, one's particular set of
admonished to embrace the implanted Word as it beliefs makes no difference; whether one be a Buddist
comes. to us through the preaching. For that reason we or a Moslem, an atheist or believer in God or at least a
must not speak out in wrath against the Word because supreme Being; whether one be Roman Catholic or
the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of Protestant, Calvinist or Arminian - is insignificant. If
God. Rather we must lay aside all filthiness and the essence is there: service of "love" to mankind, one
superfluity of naughtiness (super-abundance of malice) is religious, and here lies the salvation of the world.
and receive the Word with meekness, because it alone           It's in these terms that the task of the church is
is powerful to save our souls (verses 19-21). And, defined. The Church is "called to serve" the world.
embracing the Word with meekness means we are not Whether this be put in terms of Arminian
mere hearers of the Word but doers of it. Those who fundamentalism - "reaching all mankind for Christ" -
merely hear the Word deceive themselves, while he or in terms of the modernist social gospel makes no
who is a doer of the law of liberty, "this man shall be essential difference. The task of the church in either
blessed in his deed." (verses 22-25). The sum of all this    case is to serve mankind.
is found in the verses we consider in this article. James      We ought to understand and be willing to say that
instructs us concerning "pure and undefiled religion." this is a denial of the truth of the Scriptures. It turns
This religion is characterized by "bridling the tongue, the truth around into the lie. The Church is not called
visiting the fatherless and widows, and keeping oneself to serve the world but called to serve her Lord. The
unspotted from the world."                                   church must keep itself unspotted from the world.
  Now the thought is complete. Living thus before And, that world in spite of itself must under the power
God and the Father we endure the divers temptations and providential direction of God serve the church.
with joy, pray in faith for the wisdom of God, rejoice         What then is religion according to the Bible? The
in our exaltation, and look forward to the crown of term used in the text refers in the narrower sense to
life which the Lord has promised to them that love formal worship of God; prayer, preaching, singing, etc.
Him. In the succeeding chapters James will develop In the wider sense religion refers to serving God in all
this theme in detail. Visiting the fatherless and widows of life. But in either sense religion is the service of
is the subject of Chapter 2; bridling the tongue is God. The Dutch translation, Godsdienst, captures the
treated in Chapter 3, and the last two chapters have exact meaning. That religion or service of God must be
much to say about keeping ourselves unspotted from "pure" i.e. holy, consecrated service of God; and,
the world.                                                   "undefiled" i.e. free from the pollutions of sin. Still
  The question is; what is the pure and undefiled more, James speaks of pure and undefiled religion
religion? Liberals and modernists of every stripe are "before God even the Father." Religion is the service
generally quite fond of these verses. The old, 19th which meets with the approval of God. It measures up
century liberals denied the divinity of Jesus Christ, the to the standard of the Law of Liberty.
power of the cross, and wanted no "blood theology."            The antithesis of this pure and undefiled religion is
They taught that God is the father of all men and that "vain religion." James writes, "if any man among you
all men are brothers. Salvation consists in following the seem to be religious." There are two possible meanings
example or pattern of the life of Jesus, the good man        of this word "seem." It can mean that this man
of Galilee. The children of these liberals, generally appears to be religious to others  - in this sense the
known as "neo-orthodox," teach essentially the same. man is a hypocrite. Or, it can mean that the man
Everyone is saved. The only difference between "thinks himself to be religious.  " Luther translates,
believer and unbeliever is that the latter does not know "imagines himself to be religious." In the light of the
that he is saved. The Kingdom of God, so it is said, will fact that the text says this man "deceiveth himself"
come by the action of the church. The church's task is this latter meaning is correct. This man imagines
to serve humanity. Religion is service to humanity. himself to be in the service of God. He is very pious in
Visit the fatherless and widows - that is religion. The his own estimation. He has a knowledge  of. the


328                                           THE STAN 0lARD BEARER


teachings of the Bible, he attends the worship services      are ONE. When one member of the body suffers, all
of the church, "goes through the motions" of serving the members suffer with him. Pure and undefiled
God. He thinks himself to be a genuine servant of God. religion before God even the Father is this: to visit one
But, as a matter of fact, he does not "bridle his another for the purpose of caring for one another in
tongue." To bridle the tongue is to hold it in check, to our common affliction. That's exactly what God did
control it. This is what in fact the man does not do.        for us! God did not leave us in our misery. He visited
   This, understand is a grievous sin! The idea is not us in the Person of His only begotten Son, our Lord
that this man just talks too much. In the light of the Jesus Christ. His law of liberty for the redeemed in
immediate context which speaks of that "superfluity Christ is that we visit the fatherless and widows in their
of naughtiness - malice" and in the light of chapter 3       affliction  - which is to say that we must love one
of the Epistle where the same figure is used, we another. The Scriptures abound with this thought.
conclude that the sin of an unbridled tongue is the sin      Read prayerfully such passages as; Galatians 5 & 6 or 1
of evil-speaking against one's fellow saints. This is the John 3 & 4. Holy and undefiled religion is that we visit
picture. The man claims to be religious and imagines one another; edify one another, help the needy,
himself to be such and more than likely even appears         comfort the sorrowing, encourage the downcast,
to be such. He is no adulterer or drunkard; he's faithful admonish the wayward. Then we are serving God and
in his church attendance, but his tongue runs like a we are following Jesus, who came "not  to- be
wild horse. The man's mouth is full of backbiting and ministered unto but to minister" and who
slander; he spreads evil gossip and rumor, he is a           demonstrated what He meant by getting on His knees
vicious evil speaker.                                        and washing the disciples' feet (John 13). Thank God!
   This man's religion is vain! It serves no good He did more than demonstrate. Christ went to the
purpose. It is not the service which is to the glory of cross and atoned for our sins in order that we might be
God. His religion is a pretense. And so, too, he deceives    made free to serve God by serving one another. The
his own heart. In imagining himself to be religious he       new commandment, the law of God fulfilled in Christ
beguiles his own heart. His heart is not "born again         is, "That ye love one another."
with the word of truth." There is no love of God in his        Secondly, pure and undefiled service of God is
heart, and the proof is found in that there is only the      characterized by "keeping ourselves unspotted from
evil fruit of an unbridled tongue. Thinking himself to the world!" This is the part the liberals ignore. This
be religious he only fools himself. He will open his eyes    too, however, belongs most emphatically to pure and
in hell.                                                     undefiled religion. By the grace of God in Christ Jesus
   Pure religion and undefiled is characterized by "visit- we have been separated from the world of unbelief and
ing the fatherless and widows in their affliction." James    sin. We have been transformed into the image of
does not mean by this that our visiting must be confined Christ. While we are in the world on our pilgrimage to
to orphans and widows. The Holy Spirit makes use of a        glory we must keep ourselves unspotted. Keep yourself
comma n figure of speech in which the part is                unspotted! Attend to that very carefully. We are not to
mentioned for the whole. Orphans and widows in their be soiled with the filth of this fallen, hell-bound world
affliction are dependent upon others for their means of in which we live!
support because they have lost husbands and fathers.           This is pure and undefiled religion. Jesus said it:
These must be visited. That visiting is not merely a         "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
social call, a chat over a cup of coffee. To visit means mind, soul, and strength; this is the first and great
that one comes to care for them by providing for their       commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou
need. As such, these fatherless and widows are a             shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two
graphic picture of all the saints of God. What the text      commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
is saying, then, is that we must come to the aid of one (Matt. 22.37-40).
another. As members of the body of Jesus Christ we




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                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                          329



Editoria  Is


                      Key 73's Myth of "Cooperatively
                                but Separately"Exploded

                                               ProJ:  H.  C. Hoeksema

The protagonists of Key `73 (The Christian Re- very beginning it was programmed to self-destruct.
formed brand is "Evangelism Thrust") have repeatedly         I am referring to the report  in  the  Grand Rapids
claimed that the evangelism efforts of this move- Press of March 24 concerning "a simulated replay, with
ment are inter-denominational and cooperative and its own local specialties, of Christ's triumphal entry
simultaneous, but separate. It has been claimed from into Jerusalem on the original Palm Sunday." The
the start that every denomination participating in article is accompanied by a picture of the Roman
this alleged continent-wide evangelism campaign would Catholic Father John Kenny and the Christian
be free "to do its own thing." That is, as I understand Reformed Rev. Donald Griffioen smiling at one
it, Roman Catholics would evangelize with a Roman another across a Key 73 Poster which announces this
Cathol.& evangel, Baptists with a Baptist evangel, "Palm Sunday Parade of Joy and Affnrnation.`T
Methodists with a Methodist evangel, Lutherans with a        Here is the description given by the article:
Lutheran evangel, Presbyterians with a Presbyterian              "The purpose of this parade is to call all Christians
evangel, and Christian Reformed with a Christian               in the area to rise up in visible testiniony to Christ's
                                                               resurrection and our resurrection to new life in him,"
Reformed evangel.                                              said Rev. Donald Griffioen of the Key `73 County
  Now I must confess that I never quite understood             Coordinating Committee.
how this was possible, that is, how everyone could do             "The parade will intend to affirm that Jesus Christ
the same thing and yet everyone "do his own thing."            is the way to true life, and the way we call all persons
This, after all, has always been the problem of the            to follow in 1973."
ecumenical movement: one has to choose between                    All persons who accept and believe that purpose,
doing his own thing or doing the other man's                   Rev. Griffioen says, are invited to join in the
(church's) thing. And it was only when churches were           interdenominational march.
persuaded to forget about their differences that they Then, after some details about a parade permit, we
were able to succeed in any kind of ecumenical read this:
movement.                                                         Christians will gather, symbolically enough, at
  And I must confess, too, that I never quite believed         churches in four comers, or directions, of the city to
this line of propaganda. Frankly, I considered it a piece      begin the march.
of deceit. And I believe that it has been used to                 Christians in the northwest will gather at the St.
persuade unsuspecting souls to cooperate with Key 73           Mary's and St. James Roman Catholic Churches; in
                                                               the northeast at Bethlehem and Immanuel Lutheran
and Evangelism Thrust. The very fact that the separate         Churches; in the southeast at Central Reformed and
name, Evangelism Thrust, was used tended to leave              First United Methodist Churches; and, in the
the impression on some who had misgivings that, after          southwest, at St. Andrew's Roman Catholic, LaGrave
all, this would be a separate Christian Reformed               Christian Reformed and Westminster Presbyterian
activity. As I said, I never quite believed this line. I       Churches.
considered it a nice, but unworkable, theory designed        And here is the climax of the story:
to justify and to cover up what was actually going to             Marchers in the parade are encouraged to design
be done.                                                       and carry posters, banners and. palm branches, Rev.
  But it is always possible that one can be proved             Griffioen said. (Perhaps they ought also to shout,
wrong, and that his suspicions are proved to be                "Hosanna to the Son of David?"HCm
                                                                  The parade will culminate with a massive worship
unfounded.                                                     service for all the marchers at Calder Plaza at 3:30
  Hence, heretofore I attacked and criticized the              p.m.
theory only.                                                      Special music, group hymnsinging and three
  Now, however, the theory has proved to be a myth.            spetial  speakers - Most Rev. Joseph Breitenbeck,
  And the myth has exploded! I suspect that from the           bishop of the Grand Rapids Diocese; Mayor Lyman S.


330                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER



       Parks, pastor of the First  AME Church; and Dr.           nothing but an abominable idolatry! Repent! Return
       Lester DeKoster, editor of the Christian Reformed         to the Christ of the Scriptures, and forsake your
       Church publication The Banner - will be featured at       idolatry!"
       the worship service.                                         That just would not be "cricket" in this game of
          Fr. John Kenny, director of the Catholic
       Information Center, is chairman. of events for the        evangelistic ecumenism, of course.
       Calder worship service.                                      I will pass by the fact that this whole notion evinces
          "This is a tremendous and unique opportunity for       no understanding of the significance of Christ's royal
       Christians in Grand Rapids," said Rev. Griffioen.         entry. I will pass by the fact, too, that after all banners
       "Not only will it tell the entire city the purpose of     and posters and palm branches and a Jesus parade
       Key `73, but it will give Christians a chance to stand    mean nothing for evangelism or for a testimony of
       up and be counted, en masse, for their conviction to      one's Christian convictions.
       Christ."                                                     I, would remind the reader that nineteen hundred
   There you have it!                                            years ago the hosannas of the multitude gave way to
   No semblance of cooperative separation and of the mob's cries of "Crucify him!" in a matter of days.
"doing your own thing" left!                                     And I propose that the hosannas of this "simulated
   All can join in one worship service!                          replay" of Christ's royal entry can only be at the
   The local Roman Catholic bishop, the  AME expense of the true gospel of the Scriptures and of our
minister-mayor, and the Christian Reformed Editor of Reformed confessions. In fact, this whole thing comes
The Banner  can join on the same platform at this perilously close to crucifying the Son of God afresh
alleged worship service.                                         and putting Him to an open shame!
   Cbuld  you imagine what would happen to this cozy               And let no one claim any longer that Key'73 and
ecumenism if Editor  DeKoster, who loves to quote Reformed evangelism are in any sense compatible, nor
Calvin for his own purposes, would take with him a that there is even `the possibility or the  intention  to
few choice quotes from the famous reformer have a kind of separate cooperation or cooperative
concerning Roman Catholicism and concerning the separatism in this whole project.
pope? Or could you imagine him turning to Bishop                   That is plainly a myth.
Breitenbeck midway through his speech, and saying to                Let Reformed people wake up and cry out against
him and to the Roman Catholics in his audience, in the all this hypocritical corruption of our Reformed faith!
words of the Heidelberg Catechism: "Your mass is                   It is abominable in the sight of God!


            Developments in the Gereformeerde Kerken

                                                       Pro5  H.C. Hoeksema


The Concerned Organize As A Modality                             separation. The purpose is to maintain a distinct and
  The Concerned f Veron  trusten)  in the Netherlands,           confessional identity within the denomination.
formerly functioning as societies in the organism of the           The  .alleged justification for this movement is that
Gereformeerde Kerken  under two names  (Truth and                the Concerned are simply. recognizing a situation which
Unity `and Scripture and Testimony) have taken what              already exists in the GKN, namely, that there +re two
is undoubtedly a momentous step  - a step `which,                kinds of people, two kinds of ministers, two kinds of
according to some, can only lead to schism. They have            churches: those which are minded to be faithful to the
decided to organize formally as a modality, that is, as a        confessions and those. which depart from and which
confessionally definable wing, within the                        tolerate departure from the confessions. In other
Gereformeerde Kerken. They are, therefore, following             words, their claim  i3  that the  Gereforrneerde Kerken
somewhat the pattern of the conservatives in                     have in effect become. a modalities church, They are
Netherlands Reformed Church (Hervormde Kerkl, who merely establishing a formal organization through
for  many years already have maintained their own which they will maintain and preserve their identity as
organized wing within the denomination. And                      the confessional wing.
although some have castigated this move of the                     All of this was really in the making, I believe, for
Concerned as being an act of schism and as inevitably some time; but it came to a head as a result of the.fact
leading  tti separation, the avowed purpose of this that the last General Synod failed to exercise any
organization is precisely to remain in the denomination doctrinal discipline, but in effect gave men like Dr.
rather than to engage in reformation through Kuitert the green light to propagate their views within


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                                331


the GKN without harrassment.                                  again, this time in the area of eschatology. Speaking of
   This modality purposes to establish itself and to the coming of Christ, Kuitert is reported to have said:
accomplish its work in a kind of orderly way. In places "It may very well be that presently we shall suddenly
where there is only a liberal minister and consistory, discover that Jesus is already with us." The question
they want to establish emergency congregations will be raised then, according to Kuitert, "Will the real
(nood-gemeerrten)  and their own catechism instruction Jesus stand up?" And then, according to Kuitert, it
and alternate youth-work. And they purpose, too, to will appear that He is already here. Against this Runia
have their own school and university. But they intend, objected, it is true. And he suggested that it was
according to reports, not simply to strike out on their contrary to the latest  synodical declaration, and that
own, ignoring the consistories, but rather to approach he could very well understand how some had difficulty
the consistories and to try to establish their separate attaching any weight to the decisions of synod. But did
work, apparently, with the consent of'the latter. They he castigate this as being contrary to the confessions as
are also enlisting the help of conservative ministers and he castigated the action of the Concerned as being
seeking financial support.                                    contrary to the Church Order? Did he immediately call
                                                              for the calling church to convene an early synod? Not
Runia Measures With Two Measures                              at all. The upshot of the exchange between Runia and
  Over against this move of the Concerned, Prof. Dr. Kuitert was a cozy exchange of letters in the vein of
Klaas Runia, professor at Kampen and also editor of "Beste Klaas" and "Beste Harry."
Centraal Weekblad,  is severely critical and
condemnatory. He takes the Concerned to task in an              Small wonder, then, that representatives of the
article entitled, "Do The                                     Concerned reacted sharply - almost bitterly - against
                              Gereformeerde  Kerken Stand Runia in their paper, "Truth and Unity."
Before A New Schism?" Runia takes the position that
this action of the Concerned is a violation of the Evaluation
Church Order - which, we believe, it is. And he warns
that this can only lead to separation  - which the              It remains to be seen what the outcome of all this
Concerned avowedly do not want and are trying to will be. If there are many in the GKN who are of
avoid. And he proposes that the calling church should Runia's mind, this may indeed lead to a separation -.
convene and early General Synod to deal with this but only if the same GKN who can be so sinfully
matter, that the Concerned should be made to appear tolerant of the liberals will be intolerant over against
at that Synod, and that they should present their the Concerned and refuse to allow them to be
problems there in order to have them ironed out.              organized as a modality. Such intolerance would, of
  This is rather ironic, in the light of the fact that the course, be nothing new in history.
Concerned, individually and as a group, have already            Meanwhile, we sympathize greatly with the
presented many, many protests to the General Synod Concerned. We sympathize with them over against the
in the past, all to no avail. There is surely no reason to    hypocritical attack by Runia. We will refrain from
have any expectation of fair treatment, let alone just saying, "I told you so," though we warned the
and sound judgment, from the General Synod of the Concerned not to have great expectations from the
GKN any longer.                                               doctor who came from "down under." We can even
  But what is worse, this reaction of Runia is rather sympathize with their efforts to organize as a
hypocritical. For the simple fact is that he is not nearly modality. In the situation in the GKN there is much at
as concerned about the confession as he now ap- stake for the Concerned. They want sound preaching
pears to be about the Church Order. He went along and sound preachers. They want to hear the gospel.
with the majority at the Synod of Dordrecht, even at They want sound catechetical training for their.
one time calling the position "evangelical." He has children. They do not want their covenant youth
objected ever so softly and weakly to the doctrinal under the influence of the horizontalism that has
liberalism. He excuses the departures from the become rampant in the GKN. Who, I say, cannot
confession by one of those newly invented platitudes, sympathize with, all this? Who does not feel sorry for
"a more dynamic binding to the confessions" in those who live in places where  there{ is only liberal
distinction from "a more literal binding to the preaching and liberal catechizing?
confessions. `!                                                 Nevertheless, we do not agree with the Concerned;'
  Even very recently, while he criticized Kuitert and we see no ecclesiastical salvation for them in this
editorially, he did so in a very cozy `manner. Dr.            direction. We believe the proper way and the honest
Kuitert, you know, goes boldly forward with his way is that of reformation through separation. And if
denials of the Reformed faith; he evidently feels the GKN will not tolerate their modality, perhaps this
himself strong after the last Synod. And why not? He separation will nevertheless be forced upon them. This,
is in the clear! But evidently, in a T-V interview we believe, could only be for their benefit  - painful
Kuitert came- through with one of his bombshells              and deplorable though separation may be.


332                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



Contending for the Faith


       The Doctrine of Atonement (Reformation Period)

                                                  Rev. H. Veldman

  Discussing the seventh and final article of the             that they ignore the sufferings and death of Christ in
Rejection of Errors of Head II of the Canons, dealing         the counsel of God, and therefore present matters as
with the atonement of Christ, we were calling                 though God loved the elect apart from these sufferings
attention in our preceding article with the                   and death. That this is the position of the Arminians is
governmental theory of the cross as set forth by the          obvious from their reasoning. How would they
Remonstrants. And we noted, among other things, that          otherwise come to the conclusion that the death of
this theory is a corruption and perversion of the justice     Christ is unnecessary? This position of the
and righteousness of God. It implies the error that           Remonstrant is, of course, completely in error. Now it
God executed an innocent man upon the cross of is certainly true that God loved His elect from before
Calvary. And this could never be a display of the             the foundations of the world and that He destined
righteousness of the living God. This, moreover, would        them for everlasting life. It is also true that they stand
imply that God would save sinners without the                 before Him in His counsel, not as children of wrath,
satisfaction of His righteousness. How could such a           but as His beloved children. The Word of God teaches
theory possibly induce a sinner to acknowledge his sin        us that He has engraved them in the palms of His
when the living God Himself is not interested in the          hands. And they surely stand before Him as engraved
maintaining of His own justice and righteousness?             in the palms of His hands as His eternally beloved
  We also noted that the reasoning of the Arminian,           children. But this,. we understand, also as far as the
teaching that Christ need not die and did not die for         counsel of God is concerned, is not to be understood
His elect inasmuch as God loved them before the               as apart from Christ and His mediatorial work and
foundations of the world and that therefore there is no       suffering upon the cross. God has known His own from
wrath of God upon them which must be removed, is              eternity in Christ. It is for this reason that He could
utterly fallacious. However, we wish to point out at          and did love them from eternity. But it is also true
this time that the Arminian is very rationally inclined       that, in time, we are conceived and born dead in sin
here. Now it is true that he accuses the man of               and in trespasses, as out of the first Adam, and that
Reformed persuasion of being rationalistic. He accuses        we, therefore, are by nature children of wrath. What
the Reformed man of not bowing before the Word of             God, now, has seen'and  sees eternally in His counsel in
God, of not listening to the Scriptures, of being             its  fulness  is executed in time step by step. In His
motivated and prompted by his reason. I am sure that          eternal counsel, therefore, God sees our sins and guilt.
we are all acquainted with this accusation of the             But it is also true that God knows us eternally as
Remonstrants. The Arminians declare that we have              covered by the blood of Christ, and that we therefore
pre-conceived notions of the counsel and the grace of         stand eternally before Him as His holy and beloved
God, and that we conclude, rationalistically, that there      children, not only as in Christ. This counsel the Lord
cannot be a grace or love of God for all mankind. Now         now fulfills in time. And therefore it is true that Christ
it is surely true that we are rational in our                 dies in time for our sins, so that we are justified
interpretation of the Word of God. The truth of the           through His blood. This the Arminian ignores. And
Scriptures is surely reasonable. It is not contrary to        therefore he does not see the necessity `of Christ's
reason. The child of God is a rational being. But this        suffering and death in time. This also verifies the truth
does not mean that we are controlled by reason,               that the Arminians' rejection of the particular
believe in things only because we understand them. In         atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ is rooted in his
our reasoning, we are surely controlled by the Word of        denial of the Scriptural truth of particular and
God. And we believe most emphatically that the                sovereign predestination.
Scriptures are never in conflict with themselves. We do         Finally, this seventh article calls attention to how
not believe in contradictions. But now we should note         the Arminians contradict the Scriptures. The fathers
that .it is exactly the Arminian who is rationalistic,        here do not reason, but they simply present the Word
controlled by his reason.                                     of God over against the Remonstrants. Let us notice
  This reasoning of the Remonstrant is utterly                the Scriptures which the fathers quote here in the
fallacious. It is, of course, the fallacy of the Arminians    seventh article. Of course, many more passages could


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                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                          333


be quoted from the Word of God. But these passages Particular Atonement, that the Lamb of God suffered
will suffice. The first passage is Gal. 2:20, the last part:    and died only for His sheep, the elect given Him by the
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not Father from before the foundations of the world, is
I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live taught throughout the Divine Scriptures and clearly set
in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who         forth in all Protestant Confessions, yet today it is
loved me, and gave Himself for me." Notice, please, almost universally denied. How little this truth of the
that the apostle Paul here speaks of the love of the Son particular character of the sufferings and death of our
of God as revealed in His giving of Himself in the death        Lord Jesus Christ is understood and proclaimed today!
of the cross. So, the love of God and the death of This is also true of the Christian Reformed Church. To
Christ upon the cross are inseparably connected. In be sure, there are also other truths being denied and
Rom.  8:33, 34 we read: "Who shall lay anything to rejected today in our Reformed church world. We now
the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.           refer to such truths as the plenary inspiration of the
Who is he that condemeth? It is Christ that died, yea Holy Scriptures, the historicity of the Word of God,
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right           particularly Gen. l-3, the miracles of Holy Writ, yea,
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, His return
us." In this beautiful Word of God the apostle upon the clouds of heaven and the heavenly nature and
connects God's justification of His people with the character of His kingdom. But, the departures from
mediatorial work of our Lord Jesus  Christ, as He these fundamental truths of the Word of God in our
suffered and died for us, is risen from the dead and Reformed church world surely had their beginning,
even now intercedes,for us at the right hand of God. historically, in the teaching of "Common Grace," and
The Arminian would separate God's love of His people, in our country, in the adoption of the Three Points in
but the apostle Paul connects the two. In John 10, the 1924. In 1924, as far as we know, nobody denied the
chapter in which the Saviour speaks of Himself as the particular character of the death of Christ. In those
Good Shepherd of His people, we read in verse 15 : "As Three Points, as in Point I, the teaching is proclaimed
the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: that the Lord is gracious to all who hear the preaching
and I lay down My life for the sheep." This thought is of the gospel, and this means that God offers salvation
stated more than once in this chapter. How wrong it is to all who hear the gospel and would save them. But
for the Arminian to deny the necessity of the this must lead to a denial of the particular character of
sufferings and death of Christ! Would the Father send the cross. To teach that salvation is offered to all must
His only begotten Son into the world and into the imply that there is salvation for all men. And this must
death of the cross if this death were not necessary? imply a "general atonement," inasmuch as there is no
And in John 15: 12 and 13 we read: "This is My salvation without the cross of Calvary. This explains
commandment, That ye love one another, as I have the "Dekker case" in the Christian Reformed Church.
loved you. Greater love hath no mati than this, that a 0, it is true that, officially, that church professes to
man lay down his life for his friends." We repeat: believe in the Three Forms of Unity, and therefore the
many more passages could be quoted from the truth of "Particular Atonement" is, officially, their
Scriptures, but these are surely sufficient to show that doctrine. But Prof. Harold Dekker is very outspokenly
the Word of God lays all emphasis upon the Scriptural in favor of the Arminian view of the cross. There is
truth of the redemption of God's people through the nothing vague about his teaching. He was not ousted
blood of Christ, and that the eternal love of God for from the seminary, was not even criticized or
His people is inseparably connected with the sufferings admonished. He was allowed to remain. What happens
and death of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.                    when heresy is condoned and tolerated in the church?
   This concludes our article on the history of the Do these heretics repent? Do the "wolves" within the
doctrine of the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. sheepfold become sheep? Indeed not! That church will
There cannot be any doubt with respect to the depart more and more from the testimony of the Word
meaning of this truth as set forth in the Divine of God. Wolves never become sheep. And when heresy
Scriptures. And neither can there be any doubt as to is allowed and tolerated within the church of God,
the position of the Church of God as it has confessed then that church is exposed to all its malicious
this truth throughout the ages. This position is clear. influence, and ultimately that sheepfold will be
According to the Word of God and according to the completely dominated by the forces of evil and the lie.
Creeds of Christendom, Christ died only for the klect. How urgent is the admonition of Holy Writ to hold
The Lamb of God suffered and died vicariously, only fast unto that which we have. We close by quoting once
for those whom the Father gave Him from before the more Art. VIII of the Head II of our Canons:
foundations of the world. "Universal Atonement" is a
contradiction in terms, is denied by the Word of God                  For this was the sovereign counsel, and most
and the Confessions.                                                gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the
   However, although it is true that the truth of                   quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious


334                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER


       death of His Son should extend to all the elect, for          should confer upon them faith, which together with
       bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying              all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, He
       faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:         purchased for them by His death; should purge them
       that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the           from all sin, both original and actual, whether
       blood of the cross, whereby He confirmed the new              committed before or after believing; and having
       covenant, should effectually redeem out of every              faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at
       people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and           last bring them free from every spot and blemish to
       those only, who were from eternity chosen to                  the enjoyment of glory in His own presence forever.
       salvation, and given to Him by the Father; that He




Qu es tion Box


                  About Trances and Visions, Acts 22: 17

                                                     Prof H.  C Hoeksema



Question                                                        came even to me." Notice that in this report Peter uses
  From a Grand Rapids reader I received the following           both terms: "in a trance I saw a vision."
question: "What is the difference between a `trance'
and a `vision?' This question arose in connection with a          Elsewhere in the New Testament the same word that
discussion of Acts 22: 17. Is it possible for you to give       is rendered in the above passages by "trance" is
us an  idea or two in the  Standard Bearer  in a short          rendered by "amazement" or "astonishment." The
article?"                                                       Greek word is that from which our English word
                                                                ecstasy comes. The idea is that of "a throwing of the
Reply                                                           mind out of its normal state." The Dutch vertrekking
  The passage referred to is from Paul's defense before         van  zinnen, "departure of the senses," comes close to
                                                                the idea, `though it could, of course, be wrongly
the, Jews. In vss. 17 and 18 we read: "And it came to           understood.
pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even
while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; And              To sum it all up, I would say the following:
saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee                   1. A "trance" and a "vision" refer essentially to the
quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy         same thing, that is, to a revelation from God and to the
testimony concerning me." I quoted verse 18 also                means of that revelation. This is, of course, the
because it points out that in this "trance" the apostle         important thing to remember. When anyone was in a
"saw" the Lord Jesus, that is, he had a vision. There           trance and saw a vision, he knew - and God took care
are two:more passages in the Book of Acts where this            that he knew - that God had revealed His will to that
same term occurs. In Acts 10:9, ff. we read: "On the            person. Trances and visions do not refer to a sleeping
morrow,  as they went on  their  journey, and drew nigh         state, but to a waking state. The person involved is
unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to               awake and is conscious. In the case of a dream the
pray about  .the sixth hour: And he became very                 revelation comes to a person in his sleep.
hungry,, and would have eaten: but while they made
ready,. he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened,             2. The term "trance" (ecstasy) refers to the state of
and a certain vessel descending unto him . . ."Again, mind of the person involved. He is not in his ordinary
notice that Peter fell into a  trance  and then  saw  a         state of mind, perceiving and discerning ordinary,
vision.  In Acts  ll:5 Peter is reporting about his             earthly things. But his mind has been thrown out of its
experiences to the church at Jerusalem, as follows: "I normal state. He is in a spiritual ecstasy. Or, as John
was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw puts it, he is "in the Spirit."
a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great        3. The term "vision" refers to what happens to such
sheet, .let down  from..heaven by four comers; and it a person in such a state of ecstasy, and it refers,to what


                                                                           I     ?d
                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER  "                        '                     335
                                                                                           ,.


     he sees. He sees a vision. That is, God gives him to see individual's mental and physical condition. This seems
     - often in terms of symbolism  - heavenly, spiritual to be the case with Peter in Joppa, at least. It was time
     realities. It must be stressed that such a person to eat; preparations for eating were being made; and
     objectively sees  something  - even though another Peter became "very hungry." In this case, it seems that
     person in the same place at the same time, but not "in the Spirit gave Peter the vision of the animals upon the
     the Spirit," would not see anything unusual. Peter saw background of his hunger. Perhaps there is an element
     the vessel from heaven with the clean and unclean of this also in Paul's vision in Acts 22; but I will leave
     animals. Paul  saw  and  heard  the Lord Jesus sending the discussion of this possibility to my questioner and
     him to the Gentiles. John on Patmos saw and heard the        to other "prophets."
     things recorded in Revelation.                                 At any rate, now my questioner has received an
        4. There is reason to believe that at least in some "idea or two."
     instances the "trance" was connected with the                  If I have missed the point of the question, call again!

                                                Principle of Education, No. 3
       From a fallen and wholly depraved human race, and. His sovereign grace in Christ into a people of Himself,
     in the midst of a world that lieth in darkness, a that they might be His friends, and, living in every
     crooked and perverse generation, God saves His elect, sphere of life from the principle of regeneration thru
     establishing His covenant with them and their children faith, they should show forth His praises and walk as
     in the line of continued generations, forming them by children of light in the world.


                            NOTICE!!!                                                  RESOLUTION OF SYMPA THY
       The Loveland Protestant Reformed Christian School             The Men's Society of the Hudsonville Protestant
     of Loveland, Colorado, is in need of a teacher to teach      Reformed Church expresses its sincere sympathy to
     Grades  l-4 for the 1973-74 school term. Any of our          Gerrit Holstege and Arnold  Haveman in the loss of
     Pro  testant Reformed teachers who are interested their brother and brother-in-law
     should address inquiries to:
          Clyde L. Campbell                                                             MR. ANDREW HOLSTEGE.
          (Sec'y. of the Board)
          1021 East 57th Street                                      "For we know that if our earthly house of this
          Loveland, 63010. 80537                                  tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of. God,
                                                                  an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
                        CORRECTION!!!                             (II Cor. 5: 1).
       In the February 15th issue of THE STANDARD
     BEARER the 50th Wedding Anniversary of MR. and                     Mr. Hib Kuiper, Pres.
     MRS. BERT BRANDS, of Edgerton, Minn., was                          Mr. G. Van Overloop, Vice All.
     announced. Inadvertantly the names of Gerrit and
     Arthur Brands were. omitted.
        Sorry this happened! Please accept our apology, and
     our congratulations on this blessed event of your
     golden anniversary.                                                               RESOL UTION OF S YMPA THY
          The Business Manager.
                                                                     The Mary-Martha Society of the Kalamazoo
                                NOTICE!                           Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan,
        Secretaries of  Synodical standing committees and         expresses heartfelt sympathy to'Mr. George Moerman
     special committees, as well as clerks of the Classes, are    and his family in the death of his wife, and their
     reminded that all reports to be included in the 1973         mother and grandmother,
     Agenda must be sent to undersigned on or before April
     15. If necessary, supplemental reports may be                                       EVELYN P. MOERMAN.
     submitted later, but this material will not appear in the
     Agenda.                                                         Our hope and prayer is that in all the sufferings of
          Stated Clerk of Synod                                   this life they may know that "God shall hide them in
          .Rev. D. H. Kuiper                                      the secret of His presence." (Psalm 3 1:20).
           13 14 Main Street                                            Rev, R. C. Harbach, Pres.
          Pella, Iowa 50219
~                                                                       Mrs. Charles J. Bult, Sec'y.


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                                                           Ln._?...---




                                         -,
  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
         P.O. Box 6064                                      ._                    .'
 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506    cI_.---.--
                                                                                               I                           I
336                                            THE STANDARD BEARER

                                 News From Our Churches
       750 Jefferson Ave.                                     attended the examination of the then pastor-elect R.
       Loveland, Colo. 80537                                  Van Overloop  by Classis East and concurred in Classis
       March 13, 1973                                         East's decision to approve the examination and to
                  Report of Classis West                      advise the consistory of Hope to proceed with his
                                                              ordination.
  Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches
met in South Holland, Illinois on March 7, 1973. Ten               In executive session, Classis considered the request
ministers and twelve elders attended the  Classis as of a consistory for advice regarding the discipline of an
delegates. Rev. W. Bekkering of the Randolph, impenitent member. After getting information about
Wisconsin congregation and Rev. M.  Kamps of the the case from the delegates of the consistory involved,
Redlands, California congregation were delegated to Classis decided to advise the consistory to proceed
Classis for the first time, as were elder delegates Albert with the 2nd step of censure.
Buiter, Egbert Gritters, John Hoksbergen, and Dick                 The consistory of Pella asked Classis to consider the
                                                              request of a young man from Philadelphia,
Rolffs. Rev. G. Lanting presided over the meeting.
Classis finished its work in one day.                         Pennsylvania that a Protestant Reformed minister be
  Rev. Dale Kuiper, president of the previous Classis, sent to preach'in that city. Classis gave the young man,
opened the meeting with a brief exposition of Matthew Dale Cox, the floor, and he informed the  Classis
9:35-10: 15. He spoke on motives for missionary work.         concerning himself and concerning several families in
  Both the Reading Sermon Committee and the Taped Philadelphia who desire Protestant Reformed
Sermon Committee reported that requests for their preaching.  Classis sent this request to the Mission
sermons have fallen off, because almost all of the Committee with the recommendation that a minister
vacancies in Classis West have been filled. The Taped be sent to Philadelphia quickly.
Sermon Committee informed the churches that they                   Our church of Randolph asked for permission to
"have started recording our catechism sermons and request collections in all churches, to help them in
regular sermons on separate tapes so that we can fill building a new church edifice.  Classis granted
requests for either type of sermon." Only the Ebenezer Randolph  permissi,on  to ask for collections in the
Church of Forbes, North Dakota is vacant. Classis gave churches of Classis West and sent Randolph's request
Forbes classical appointments according to the to Synod for approval regarding collections in the
following schedule: March 18  - Moore; April 8  - churches of  Classis East. Randolph is to be
Kortering; April 29 - Engelsma; May 13 - Miersma; commended for undertaking this project, and this
May 27  - Lanting; June 3  - Bekkering. Forbes has cause is recommended to the churches.
asked the Seminary for student supply during the                   Seven churches requested subsidy: Edgerton,
summer months.                                                Forbes, Isabel, Loveland, Lynden, Pella, and
  The Church Visitors reported to  Classis on their Randolph.
annual visit of the churches in Classis West. According            Classis elected delegates to the 1973 Synod. The
to their report, the Visitors found "the spiritual minister delegates are: R. Decker, D. Engelsma, J.
condition in the churches to. be good. The calling of Kortering, and B. Woudenberg. The alternates are: W.
the churches regarding the preaching of the Word, the Bekkering, D. Kuiper, G. Lanting, and R. Moore. The
administration of  the  sacraments, and the exercise of elder delegates are: J. Blankespoor (Doon), E. Gritters
Christian discipline is being faithfully realized through (Hull), H. Huisken (Edgerton), and D. Poortinga
the labors of the office-bearers. This also bears the (South Holland). The alternates are: E. Bruinsma
fruit of the congregations' being suitably cared for and (Loveland), E.  Hauck (Forbes), B. Menninga (Pella),
growing normally in the knowledge and grace of our and D. Rolffs (Pella). Rev. G. Lanting was chosen to
Lord Jesus Christ. No serious problems confront any the Classical Committee; Rev. J. Kortering was chosen
churches at present. Peace, unity, and love appear to a  primus  delegate ad examina; Rev. R. Decker was
prevail." The Church Visitors also found that the chosen a secundus delegate ad examina; Rev. J.
churches are active in the work of church extension Kortering and Rev. G. Lanting were chosen as Chruch
and that they are on guard `against the apostasy of our Visitors.
time. They concluded that "we can confidently express              Classis West wili hold its Fall'meeting on September
that the King of the Church, our Lord Jesus Christ 5, 1973 in Loveland, Colorado, the Lord willing.
dwells in the churches through His Spirit and Word."                      Rev. David Engelsma, Stated Clerk
  The delegates ad examina reported that they had                         Classis West


