                     ._





A Reformed           BEARER
Semi-Monthly
Magazine



                                                       __.__..
                                                 iii  _   .- ..--.- -       :
                                                                          .--.   -.---:~..:  -_.-.-
                                                                                            __.. ..-   .-_.__._...    --..           .%


                           I                     I                  The unbelief concerning Genesis
                           i                     1
                                                 I                l-41 that is 8  s"nark  of  %heolc~gical
                           !                     1I
                                                 I
                           I                                      modernism  i,s  imw  cn/idespread   i n
                           I                     I                chwches,   seimiriaries~ and  colleges  t
                                                 (
                                                 I                that  have 8  mafme  far  wangelical
                                                 /
                           /                                      amd  `Reformed  orthsdoxy                                    If  ahe
                                                 II               theolacJans   +nd  professors  ds not
                            ,                    ,
                           I                                      themselves teach- the mythical  na-
                           ;                                      ture of the  wents in the opening
                           1,                                     tzhapters  of  the Bible, they are  tc+
                           i
                                                                  eranf of  the teaching  - and  the.
                           1                     ,
                                 -  -.  -_._-                     teachers.
                                                 1




                                                                       See "Pulling the Plug on the Flood" - p. 509

Vol. 71, No. 21      I                                                                                                         .:         I
September 15,1995


CONTENTS:                                                                                                      September   15,  1995

Meditation  - Rev. Richard G. Moore
        Considering the Contradiction of our Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..m.m....... 507
Editorial - Prof. David J. Engelsma                                                                                                                                               ISSN 0362-4692
        Pulling the Plug on the Flood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*...............~....... 509                                                    Semi-monthly, except monthly during June, July, and August.
All Around Us - Prof. Robert D. Decker. . . . . . . . . ..O..........*................*~.......                                                                       512         Published bythe Reformed Free Publishing Association, Inc.,
In His Fear - Rev. Arie denHertog                                                                                                                                                 4648 lvanrest Ave., Grendvllle, MI 49418. Second Class
                                                                                                                                                                                  Postage Paid at Grandvllle, Michigan.
        A Special Sermon for the Young Women of the Church (2) . . . . . . . 513
Search the Scriptures - Rev. Car/J. Haak                                                                                                                                          P&maater:  Send addreee changes tothe Standard Bearer,
                                                                                                                                                                                  P.O. Box 603, Grandville. MI 484666666.
        The Healing of the Nobleman's Son . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..m....... 515                                                    EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Decency and Order  - Rev. Ron Cammenga                                                                                                                                            Editor: Prof. David J. Engelsma
        Subscription of Off Icebearers .,,................~.........~................~....... 517                                                                                 6eomtmy:  Prof. Robert D. Decker
                                                                                                                                                                                  Managing Ediin Mr. Don Doezema
News From Our Churches - Mr. Benjamin Wigger ,,,,.,,.,.......,.,,,,,~,,,.,,. 520
Index to Volume 71 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ..~....... 521    DEPARTMENT EDtTORS
                                                                                                                                                                                  Rev. Wilbur Erulnema, Rev. Ronald Cammenga, Prof. Robert
                                                                                                                                                                                  Decker, Rw.ArfedenHartog,  Rev. RurJ&lDykstra.  RevSany
                                                                                                                                                                                  Gritters, Rw. Carl Ha&, Rav. Jaeon Kortering, Rev. Cornelius
                                                                                                                                                                                  Hanko, Prof. Herman Hanko, Rav. John Hays, Rev. Dale
                                                                                                                                                                                  Kuiper, Mr. James Lantlng. Mrs. Mary8ath Lubbers, Rev.
                                                                                                                                                                                  Jaikishln Mahtanl, Rev. Thomas Mlersma. Rev. Charle8
                                                                                                                                                                                  Terpatra, Rev. GbeVanBaren,  Rev. RonaldVanCvedoop,  Mr.
        The subject of the editorial in this issue raises the distressing issue of the                                                                                            Benjamin Wlgger. Rev. Semard Woudenberg.
need for a sound Reformed college in North America. This would be a                                                                                                               EDtTDRfAL  OFFfCE          CHURCH NEWS EDITOR
college that in every department honored the holy Scriptures as the very                                                                                                          The Standard Bearer        Mr. Ben Wlgger
                                                                                                                                                                                  4646 hmnrwt                8597 413th Ave.
Word of God by the wonder of inspiration. It would sincerely and solidly                                                                                                          Grandvflle, MI 46418       Hudsonville, MI 49426
base itself on the Reformed confessions. It would vigorously repudiate the                                                                                                        BUSINESS OFFfCE-           NEW ZEALAND  OFFICE
                                                                                                                                                                                  The Standard Beamr         The Standard Bearer
critical attack on the Bible, particularly the attack on the historicity of Gene-                                                                                                 Don Dwzema                 o/o B. VanHerk
                                                                                                                                                                                  PD. Box 803                86 Fraser St.
sis l-11, and roundly damn the view of Scripture as a fallible human book                                                                                                         Qrandville. MI             Wainulomata. New Zealand
whence this attack springs.                                                                                                                                                                                  NORTHERN iRELAND OFFICE
                                                                                                                                                                                                             o/o Mr. Jonathan McAuley
         The author of the book denying the Genesis flood and thereby criticiz-                                                                                                            (616) 526-1778    164 Church Rd., Glenwherry
                                                                                                                                                                                  FAX:  (616) 621.2623       Sallymena, Co. Antdm ET42  6EL
ing Scripture is a teacher in a leading Reformed college. He teaches these                                                                                                                                   Northern Ireland
                                                                                                                                                                                  EOtlORlAL POLICY
grievous errors to many Reformed young people, including the Protestant                                                                                                           Every editor b solely msponslble for the ccntenta of his own
Reformed young people who take the science courses.                                                                                                                               artklee.  Contributlonsotgenerdinterestfromourmadsrsand
                                                                                                                                                                                  qua&one for The Reader A&e department are welcome.
        I am doubtful that there is a single Reformed college in the U.S. or                                                                                                      Contrlbutknr will be limited to approximately 300 words and
Canada that does not permit this denial of the historicity of Genesis l-11.                                                                                                       mustbeneatfywrittenwtlpewrltten,andmustbeslgned. Copy
                                                                                                                                                                                  deadlinea are the fret and  fmeenth  of the month. All
Would even one Reformed college speak out, clearly, sharply, unambigu-                                                                                                            communkations  relative to the contents should be sent to the
ously, and uncompromisingly repudiating Young's denial of the flood and                                                                                                           edltorfal office.
Howard Van Till's denial of creation? Can even one Reformed college                                                                                                               REPRINT POLICY
declare that such criticism of Scripture is not permitted there? We will                                                                                                          Penniuktl*hwebygranted~orthereprkrtingofertic~slnour
                                                                                                                                                                                  maoazkMbivothsr~~,~a)thatwchreprinted
publish such a declaration.                                                                                                                                                       artidea am mpmduoed In fuff: b) that proper ffiknowiedgment
         I fear it does not exist.                                                                                                                                                is msde; o) that a copy of the periodical In whkh wch reprint
                                                                                                                                                                                  appear8 b cent to our editodal dffce.
         Such is the extent of the apostasy of the last days.                                                                                                                     SUSSCRIPTfON POUCY
         To establish a college today is daunting.                                                                                                                                sUbscriptkn   p&e: 512.00  p8r  year In the U.S.,  Sl5.06
        When a group of us looked into this some years ago, we gave the idea                                                                                                      drewhem. Unbea  a definite requent for dlecontinuance Is
                                                                                                                                                                                  received,  lt  ir  assumed  that the  rubacriber  wishes   the
up, because it seemed an impossibility.                                                                                                                                           subeuiptiontocontinw,mdhewillbebilledformnawal.  tfyou
         The alternative - the present reality - is that our young people are                                                                                                     haveac~eofnddress,plessenot~~BudnessOtficew
                                                                                                                                                                                  early  a8  podble  in order to  woid  the  lnconvenlerwe of
educated either by the God-denying, evolutionistic, secular colleges or by                                                                                                        Interrupted delivery. lndude  your Zip or Postal Code.
nominally Christian schools that criticize Scripture and thus subtly destroy                                                                                                      AfwEmwNQwLtcY
the foundations of the faith.                                                                                                                                                     The StrndudSeamrdoea  not scwpt commercial advertising
        When Dr. John DeVries  told his physical science class the story of the                                                                                                   of nny kind. Announwmente of church and school events,
                                                                                                                                                                                  8nnivemarba.  obitunrie8, and sympathy resolutlons will be
Iowa preacher who called into his study the young person going away to                                                                                                            ptacedforaSlO.Wfee.  ThewehcukfbeeenttotheheBuslness
Calvin College, so that he could pray with the youth that he not lose his                                                                                                         Cffkeandsha~kfbeacoompaniedbytfwS1O.OOfee.  Deadline
                                                                                                                                                                                  for Mnouncement8  is at least one month pdor to puMica5cn
faith at Calvin, I laughed with the rest of the class.                                                                                                                            date.
         I have repented of that laughter. I wronged the Iowa preacher.                                                                                                           SOUND VOLUMES
         I now pray, privately and publicly, that Protestant Reformed young                                                                                                       The Surlrmw Offim will  acwpt standing orders for bmmd
                                                                                                                                                            .                     oopfwofthewrrentvotume.  SuchordemamRlledaeeoonaa
people not be destroyed in the Reformed colleges.                                                                                                                                 powit&  after compfetion of a ~tume year.
         This is distressing.
                                                                                                                                                                 - D J E          t6mm mloroftlm,  66mm mlcrofflm  and 165mm mluo%he, and
                                                                                                                                                                                  artk& copba are avatlabte through Unfvemlty Mkrofilms
                                                                                                                                                                                  Intem8tknnl.
506IStandard  Bearer/September 15,1!395


 Considerin the Contradicti
                                            0four L rd.
                                                                            ,,                                                    I
    "For consider him  that endured         and ours is Christ, who was contra-        prophesied when holding the child
such confradicfion of sinners against       dicted above all. If we shall be con-      Jesus, "Behold, the child is set for a
himselj  lesf ye be wearied and faint in    tradicted for His sake, as we by           fall and rising again of many in Is-
your minds. "                               grace walk as His body, then it is         rael, and for a sign that shall be spo-
                         Hebrews 12:3       well that we consider Him, in order        ken against" (Luke 2:34). Now dur-
                                            that we may be encouraged and              ing His whole life on earth these
    By God's grace, as we walk in           know that we are so contradicted           words were fulfilled in and against
faith, we face the opposition of Sa-        because we belong to Christ, and to        our Lord. And so it still is today as
tan and the powers of darkness.             know that even as our Head en-             the child of God is contradicted, spo-
Also the world of unbelief (the co-         dured to enter into glory in victory,      ken against. It is Christ that is op-
workers of the devil) tempts us and         so by His grace we also shall en-          posed by sinners and is the object of
tries to destroy our faith. Besides         dure.                                      their contradiction, even as they
this, we carry with us the old man              The text teaches us that the con-      bring their attack against His body,
which constantly assails us as we           tradiction of the sinners was against      the body of believers.
would walk down life's pathway as           Himself. The contradiction that                Considering the contradiction of
the children of God. The holy writ-         Jesus endured was not directed             Jesus we see that, as He walked in
er in Hebrews 12:3 takes note of the        against only a particular doctrine or      our midst and preached the Word
fact that we can grow weary or faint        aspect of His walk, but against Him-       of His Father, they contradicted His
in the walk of faith, as we come un-        self, that is, against His person. It      teaching. There was never anyone
der the continual attack of Satan and       was directed against His whole ap-         who had his word more consistent-
his co-workers, and he would lead           pearance, all that He was. Already         ly contradicted than the Christ.
us to look to Christ the author and         in the old dispensation in Israel there    When He preached the gospel to the
finisher of our faith. Lest then we         were many who would not be led             poor and deliverance to the captives,
should grow weary and faint in our          by the law of the Lord, and who            the recovering of sight to the blind
minds in this battle of faith, he           turned against the prophets that           and the healing of the broken heart,
would have us consider Christ our           spoke in the name of Christ as it          fulfilling prophecy, they said, "Phy-
Head. In this text he says, "For con-       was the Spirit of Christ which was         sician heal thyself." When He said,
sider him that endured such contra-         in them that did testify (I Pet. 1:ll).    "I am the bread of life," they said,
diction of sinners against himself,         The prophet is therefore led to say,       "This is a hard saying, who can hear
lest ye be wearied and faint in your        in Isaiah 30:9-11,  "That this is a re-    it?" When He was teaching in Jeru-
minds."                                     bellious people, lying children, chil-     salem, and they were unable to over-
    Let us consider Jesus, who goes         dren that will not hear the law of         come His word, that is, they could
before us and who endured the con-          the Lord: Which say to the seers,          not demonstrate any fault in it, they
tradiction of sinners Himself. We           See not; and to the prophets, Proph-       said, He is from Galilee: "Search
have also the cloud of witnesses that       esy not unto us right things, speak        and look: for out of Galilee ariseth
the writer has just mentioned in the        unto us smooth things, prophesy de-        no prophet" (John 7~52).  This con-
former chapter, who likewise suf-           ceits: Get you out of the way, turn        tinued when our Lord rebuked the
fered contradiction. At their head          aside out of the path, cause the Holy      sinners. They would not hear, but
                                            One of Israel to cease from before         accused Him of being a Samaritan,
                                            us." And as the sinners contradict-        and having a devil (John 8:48). And
                                            ed the prophets of Christ, so would        as He replied to the unbelieving Jews
                                            the sinners contradict Christ as He        that He is one with the Father, they
Rev. Moore is pastor of the Protestant      came into our flesh. Thus Simeon           called Him a blasphemer and plot-
Reformed Church  of  Hull, Iowa.

                                                                                          September 15,1951Sfandard  Bear&507


          ted to put Him to death (John 10).         diets,  stands opposed to Jesus' word        the sinner refuses to bow before the
          Jesus said that the Son of man must        and deeds, but ultimately the sinner         testimony of the Name of our Lord.
          be lifted up, that is, taken from this     contradicts Jesus Christ Himself, as              Finally, such  contradiction  must
          earth (signifying by what death he         our text points out. The reason is           end in violence. They brought our
          should suffer), and the sinners an-        that all of Jesus' teaching and all of       Lord to the cross and crucified Him.
          swered, "We have heard out of the          His works are concentrated in Jesus          Sinners would have, and do have,
          law that the Christ abideth for ever,      Himself. They were but means of              nothing to do with Christ. Through-
          and how sayest thou, The Son of            Christ's self-revelation as the Son of       out the new dispensation the ene-
          man must be lifted up?" (John 1234).       God, who is ever with the Father,            mies of Christ have not ceased to
          They took a part of the Word, took         and thus the revelation of God Him-          assail Him and the revelation of God
          a passage out of context, to contra-       self unto man. In all that Jesus spoke       through Him. He is yet contradict-
          dict the word of Christ. They re-          and did He became revealed as the            ed on every hand; Again and again
          fused to hear what the whole of the        Christ who was sent into the midst           false teachers have arisen in the
          Word said. They contradicted the           of this world, sent as the anointed          church, and, as Peter says, they are
          word of our Lord. And so it contin-        of the Father, sent as the promised          "denying the Lord that bought
          ues even today.                            Messiah who would redeem                           them" (II Pet. 2:l). As the at-
                 This contradiction was not di-      God's chosen people and who                          tack is brought to the truth
          rected only at a small part of His         would establish the king-                  One        in the church, it is a denial
     ~    teaching, but in actual fact it was a      dom of God forever. He,           stands either        of Christ. Also today, He
          contradiction of all His teaching.         in all that He did and said,     for or against,        still is the sign that is spo-
          And so it is always. It is popular         revealed that salvation is       not a doctrine         ken against. And those
          today to say, "0, we just have a dif-      by grace alone, has its              or truth,          that would hold to the
I         ference of opinion." But the Word          source in God and has its           but really          gospel of Christ and live
          of the Scripture or the Word of            end in God. To God be-           for or against        according to the word of
          Christ is not a matter of opinion!         longs all the praise.               the Lord.          Christ bear that contradic-
          Rather, it is a question of whether            The opposition of sin-                            tion of sinners. One stands
          we will hear the Word of God or            ners against Jesus' word and                        either for or against, not a
          no!                                        deeds was therefore basically                     doctrine or truth, but the Lord.
                 Jesus was also contradicted of      this, it was an opposition to His be-        So the sinner stands against Jesus
          sinners with regard to His works or        ing the Christ. The sinner does not          and against all that is of Him.
          deeds. We may take note that this          want Him! The sinners do not want                 But lest we lift ourselves up in
          also the Scripture well documents          such a King over them.  0, when              pride and point our fingers at oth-
          in order that we may be instructed         He dwelt on this earth they wanted           ers, we must understand that by na-
          thereby. Well known examples we            a king, but one who could serve all          ture we too are sinners that contra-
          can repeat. Jesus healed on the Sab-       of their earthly needs and pleasure.         dict Christ. We also by nature
          bath, and the sinners said He was in       They would not have a king who               would not bow before God and con-
          transgression of the law. When Jesus       spoke of another country, and who            fess our sin and confess that we are
          sought to save that which was lost         is a heavenly one. They would not            in absolute need of the Christ. We
          and brought the gospel to the lost,        have a King that must suffer the re-         by our sin really also crucify Him.
          they said He was a companion of            proach of man and die on the cross           This is the condemnation of sinners!
          publicans and sinners. When in dis-        because of the sin of the people             This is our condemnation as we
          tinction to the Baptist, who was ac-       whom He would deliver. To desire             stand apart from grace, all that we
          cused by them, Jesus came eating           such a King meant that they would            desire with regard to God and His
          and drinking, they called Him a glut-      have to deny themselves all glory            Christ is in opposition to Him. We
          ton and winebibber. When He cast           and praise, and would require of             have contradicted Christ in thought,
          out the devils, they said it was be-       them to confess their sin and to look        word, and deed. This we must con-
          cause He had partnership with              only to the lowly Christ for salva-          fess! And if we do not confess that
          Beelzebub, the prince of the devils.       tion. This Jesus they hated with all         we are those who have contradicted
          And when He performed the great-           of their heart. They would not be            Christ, we are condemned already,
          est of miracles, apart from the cross,     bound by the Word He brought, by             as the Scripture says in John 3. But
          and raised Lazarus from the dead,          the Word of God. All their opposi-           if by the grace of God we see our
          they said he was a danger to Israel,       tion to His doctrine and deeds was           own sin of contradiction, then the
          and plotted to kill Him. So Jesus          thus aimed at Jesus Himself. They            blood of Him whom we have con-
          was not only on occasion contradict-       would not bow before God. And                tradicted is our salvation.
          ed but the sinners opposed all of His      they meant in all of their attacks to             The child of God confesses his
          mighty works.                              remove His very name from the                own sin in this, because Christ has
                 But the sinner not only contra-     earth. So it is always, also .today  as      suffered such contradiction and en-

          508lStandard  Bearer /September 15,1995


dured. He walked in obedience over               blessed obedience of sons.                    has suffered Himself to endure con-
against our disobedience, even to the                 Now, as by His grace we so               tradiction even to death, so surely
death of the cross, and He endured.              walk, indeed we shall also suffer             shall He sustain those that are con-
He satisfied God's judgment against              contradiction. And in the battle we           tradicted for His sake. By His en-
the elect sinner, and He ascended in             might grow weary. But, consider-              during contradiction, we are assured
glory to send forth His Spirit into              ing the Lord, who is our Head, we             that no one can take our victory
our hearts, that we may begin to flee            may take courage. For surely as He            away.  U
contradiction and walk in the





   Pulling the Plug on the Flood

     What his colleague Howard Van                 The  flood account  uses hyperbolic             When  so many scientists  of such
Till did to the revelation of creation             language  to  describe   an  event  that      a  diverse  array  of  worldviews  are
in Genesis 1 and 2 by his book, The                devastated  or  disrupted  Mesopo-            able to achieve a virtual consensus
Fourth Day, Calvin College profes-                 tamian civilization  - that is to say,        regarding a given  body of evidence,
sor of geology Davis A. Young has                  the whole world of the Semites  (p.           we had better pay attention.  When
now done to the revelation of the                  312).                                         for  the  past  two  centuries  thou-
flood in Genesis 6-9. In the new                                                                 sands of geologists  from around the
                                                                                                 world,  including  numerous  Bible-
book,  The Biblical Flood: A Case                     The Reformed professor of ge-              believing   Christians,   insist   from  a
Study  of the Church's Response to               ology pulls the plug on the Genesis             lifetime of experience in looking  at
Extrabiblical Evidence (Eerdmans,                flood. What is left is a puddle.                fossiliferous  rocks that those  rocks
2995), Young denies that there ever                                                              are extremely old and had nothing
was a universal flood that destroyed                          Sola Skentia                       to  do  with  a  global   deluge,  then
all humans and animals that were                                                                 the church must listen (p. 310).
outside Noah's ark                                    The reason for the rejection of              Reformed   theology  has  also
                                                 Scripture's teaching of a universal             stressed  the  value  and  importance
  In  addition to the wealth of geo-             flood is the alleged testimony of sci-          of God's general revelation of him-
  logical  evidence  opposing the pos-           ence. This is the "extrabiblical evi-           self through his creation (p. xi).
  sibility of a global  deluge,  a variety       dence" of the book's title. Young
  of  biogeographical   evidence  also           advances his rejection of the flood               The  scientific evidence that
  counts  conclusively  against  such an         of Genesis by means of a thorough             Young appeals to is largely geologi-
  event....  There is no evidence  what-         study of scientists' increasingly vo-         cal. The rocks do not prove a uni-
  soever  to  indicate  that  human  or          cal insistence that a universal flood         versal flood. On the contrary, they
  animal   populations  were  ever dis-          never occurred, indeed, is an impos-          conclusively oppose the possibility
  rupted  by  a  catastrophic  global                                                          of a global deluge (see Young's sum-
  flood   at  any  point  in  the  past.  In-    sibility, and of theologians' corre-          mary of this "extrabiblical evidence"
  deed, all the evidence  indicates con-         sponding surrender of the church's            on pp. 309-312).
  tinuous  occupation by these popu-             faith concerning the flood of Gene-
  lations  of  points   around  the  globe       sis 6-9.                                          Science is the authority over the
  into the exceedingly  distant  past (p.            The justification for allowing sci-       faith of the church: "sola scienfia!"
  311).                                          ence to set aside Scripture (Young
                                                 prefers to speak of science's forcing                  Attack on Scripture
    The reference of Scripture in                the church to "re-interpret" Scrip-
Genesis 6-9 is merely to a local flood-          ture) is that science is God's general           , Scripture must give way.
ing in the Tigris and Euphrates Riv-             revelation, General revelation is the             The book is an attack on Scrip-
er valleys.                                      authority   by  which  holy  Scripture        ture - its clarity, its reliability, its
                                                 must be judged.                               authority, and, thus, its inspiration

                                                                                                  September 15,1995/Standard  Beared


by God the Holy Spirit. Scripture           a horde of mainly unregenerated sci-                 Of course, the ungodly scientist
teaches the wonder in history of a          entists?                                     suppresses the truth of the flood.
flood of water that covered the en-             Young claims to be urging, not           The biblical flood condemns the un-
tire world of that time, destroying         a rejection of Genesis 6-9 but a "re-        godly scientist and warns him of the
all men and animals except the eight        interpretation" of the passage.                      coming judgment of universal
souls and the animals that were in          The claim is false. Denial of a                        fire.
the ark. At this point, every reader        flood that covered all the                               Even as regards the believ-
                                                                                 Believers
ought to re-read Genesis 6-9.               earth of that time in favor of                            ers, general revelation does
                                                                                      know
    Davis Young resists the Word            a local overflow of some riv-             and              not control Scripture. The
of God, not only in Genesis 6-9 but         er or other - replacing the                                godly do not interpret
                                                                                 understand
also in the New Testament. For the          deluge with a puddle - is              general             Scripture in the light and
New Testament affirms the flood as          not re-interpretation of             revelation            according to the standard
a universal deluge, thus underscor-         Genesis  7:19, 20 but flat           only in the                of general revelation.
ing the  historic@  of Genesis 6-9.         contradiction of it. Denial            light  of                Much less do they inter-
Upon this awesome historical event,         of a flood that destroyed all          and in                   pret Scripture in the light
the New Testament bases significant         humans and animals except            accordance            of a general revelation that
doctrine.                                   those in the ark, in favor of                              is completely divorced
                                                                                      with
    In Matthew 24:37-39,  our Lord          a local catastrophe that de-         Scripture.          from the truth of Scripture.
Himself accepts Genesis' account of         stroyed only those in the im-                           Rather, they interpret Scrip-
the flood as historical. He explains        mediate area, is not re-interpre-                      ture in the fight and accord-
it as a type of the destruction of all      tation of Genesis  7:21-23 but flat                 ing to the standard of Scripture.
the wicked at the end.                      contradiction of it.                         Every passage of Scripture is inter-
    In I Peter 3:19-21,  the apostle as-                                                 preted according to the "rule of
serts a real Noah, a real ark, and a                    General Revelation               faith." Believers know and under-
real flood by which only eight souls                                                     stand general revelation only in the
were saved in the ark. This histori-            Even as regards the plea for re-         light of and in accordance with
cal flood was a "figure" of the wash-       interpretation, Young errs. First, he        Scripture.
ing of baptism.                             is mistaken when he identifies hu-                   Davis Young may not interpret
    In II Peter  2:5 and  3:5, 6, the       man analysis of rocks and other              Genesis 6-9 in accordance with the
apostle clearly teaches that the            physical phenomena with God's gen-           prevailing opinions of unbelieving
Noahic flood destroyed the entire           eral revelation. To put it bluntly,          scientists, or even in the light of gen-
old world (the "world that then             Davis Young's reading of the rock            eral revelation. But he must explain
was"). God saved only Noah and              strata is not general revelation.            his rocks, as well as all the other
his house (see also Heb.  11:7). II             Second, genuine general revela-          data, in the light of and in accor-
Peter 3:5, 6 brings up this historical,     tion - God's making Himself                  dance with the teaching of Genesis
universal flood as the refutation of        known in His creation - is not an            6-9.
the scoffers who challenge the reali-       authority over Scripture, or even an
ty of Christ's coming and as the type       authority on a par with Scripture.                   The Issue: Is Genesis l-11
of the destruction of the present           The ungodly, it must be remem-                                    Historical?
world with all its ungodly inhabit-         bered, including the ungodly scien-
ants in the Day of Christ.                  tist, always holds under in                          The book is an attack on the his-
                                            unrighteousness, and can only hold           toricity  of Genesis l-11. What the
    Un-Reformed Interpretation              under in unrighteousness, the truth          Spirit breathed forth in Genesis 6-9
             of the Bible                   that God makes known to him in               never actually happened. It never
                                            creation (Rom. 1:1&X). Seeing cre-           actually happened as described in the
    The book is an attack upon the          ation, he writes learned books in de-        passage. There never was the Noah
right, Reformed interpretation of the       fense of evolution. Knowing the cat-         of Genesis 6-9. There never was the
Bible. Scripture no longer interprets       aclysm of the universal flood, he ar-        ark of the chapter. There never was
Scripture. Scripture is now inter-          gues strenuously that all things con-        the wonder of the entering into the
preted by science. This is not a whit       tinue as they were from the begin-           ark of the animals "two and two . . .
less serious than the rejection out-        ning of creation (II Pet. 3:4-6). Un-        as God had commanded Noah"
right of the Bible's clarity, reliabili-    godly scientists are as unreliable in        (Gen.  7~9). There never was the
ty, and authority, that is, its inspira-    their witness against the Bible's tes-       heart-shrinking judgment, but also
tion. What good is it to profess            timony to a universal flood as the           the heart-warming deliverance, of
Scripture's inspiration when its            men of Romans 1:lBff. are unreliable         the purging water, when "all the
meaning is determined, not by itself        in their witness against the existence       fountains of the great deep (were)
but by alien authorities, in this case      and nature of the true God.                  broken up,- and the windows of

SlOIStandard  Bearer/September 15,1995


heaven were opened" (Gen. 7%).                   God.                                           rating the Bible's testimony to the
There could never have been, there-                      Faith believes the account of the      flood. It is another thing to make
fore, the offering of sacrifices by the          universal flood only because it is re-         this evidence even a part of faith's
non-existent Noah, or the giving of              vealed as truth in the inspired Scrip-         foundation, or to use this evidence
the cosmic covenant with its rain-               tures. Just as extrabiblical evidence          as proof to convince the doubters.
bow-sign by God (Gen. 8:20-9:17).                does not dissuade faith, so also                   From the science department of
    The passage is a myth.                       extrabiblical scientific evidence in fu-       Calvin College have come, in quick
                                                 zmr of the universal flood' is no part of      succession, two violent assaults
          Attack on Faith                        the foundation of faith. Nor does              upon the foundation of the Chris-
                                                 faith try to prove the universal flood         tian faith in Genesis l-11. Howard
    The book is an attack on faith.              to others on the ground of alleged             Van Till demolished the historic@
As the Heidelberg Catechism states               evidence in the rocks. `In this con-           of the creation-account. Now Davis
in Q. 21, true faith holds for truth             nection, Young makes a legitimate              Young has undermined the historic-
all that God has revealed to us in               criticism of some defenders of the             ity of the account of the flood. Still
His Word. It holds for truth all that            literal understanding of the biblical          to come are an attack on the origin
God has revealed in His Word be-                 flood:                                         of the nations in the account of Ba-
cause it is revealed in His Word.                                                               bel in Genesis 11 and, finally, the
God's Word is self-authenticating to                     Significantly, the literalist flood    rejection of the historicity of the ac-
faith. Therefore, faith cannot be                  geology school has not rejected              count of the fall in Genesis 3.
moved to doubt or deny anything                    extrabiblical data. Indeed, the lit-             We expect these sequels.
that God has revealed in His Word                  eralists  have depended more heavi-
by any evidence, argument, ridicule,               ly on extrabiblical physical substan-                    A Deadly Silence
or pressure from any quarter what-                 tiation of biblical statements than
                                                   have other Christians (pp. 244,245).
ever.                                                    One might expect that those who            It will be instructive to pay care-
    Young does not understand                      endorse a strict &era&tic  interpre-         ful attention to the reviews that The
faith. He piles up his scientific                            tation of the flood narrative      Biblical Flood  receives in the maga-
proofs and authorities                                          . . . would be inclined sim-    zines and journals of reputedly con-
against the biblical revela-              Just as                 ply to reject the rele-       servative Reformed and Presbyteri-
tion of a universal flood            extvabiblical                (Vance  of extrabiblical      an churches and seminaries. Like-
and, apparently sincere-                evidence                    data, given the fact        wise, it will be instructive to take
ly, asks, "When will                    does not                     that such data seem
                                                                      clearly and over-         note of the response to the book by
these naive, credulous               dissuade faith,                  whelmingly to deny        supposedly conservative and even
fundamentalists con-                      so also                     that such a planet-       Calvinistic colleges.
cede?"                               extrabiblical                    altering floodl ever          Will there be a clear, sharp, un-
    Leaving aside now                  scienti.ic                     took place. One           ambiguous condemnation of the
the unkind disparage-                   evidence                      might expect that         book from any of these institutions?
ment of the Reformed                   in favor of                    such individuals              Or will there again be a telling
believer as a naive fun-        the universal flood                   would instead make        silence?
damentalist, the answer                is no part                    appeals solely to the          The unbelief concerning Gene-
is, "Never!" For faith           of  the foundation                  Word of God as the         sis l-11 that is a mark of theological
holds for truth all that                of                          complete and final au-
                                               faith.             thoritv in alI such mat-      modernism is now widespread in
God has revealed in His                                          ters ani that they would       churches, seminaries, and colleges
Word.                                                         denounce extrabiblical evi-       that have a name for evangelical and
    Faith believes absurd things,                          dence as superfluous and mis-        Reformed orthodoxy. If the theolo-
e.g., that Jonah the prophet was three             leading. And yet the proponents              gians and professors do not them-
days in the belly of the great fish,               of flood geology have moved in the           selves teach the mythical  nature  of
just as Christ was three days in the               opposite direction, not only show-           the events in the opening chapters
grave.                                             in8 a substantial interest in                of the Bible, they are tolerant of the
    Faith believes impossible things,              extrabiblical evidence but actually          teaching - and the teachers.
e.g., that dead Abraham and barren                 elevating it to the status of apolo-
                                                   getic proof (p. 264).                            There will be no defense of the
Sarah had a son, just as the Messiah                                                            faith from them.
was a sprout out of the stump of                         It is one thing to point out, as           A puddle is fine.
Jesse. Indeed, faith holds for truth            Whitcomb  and Morris helpfully did                                                 - DJE
an event the impossibility of which              in their The Genesis Flood, that there
makes belief of a universal flood                is a great deal of evidence in the
with all its details mere child's play           present form of the earth corrobo-
in comparison: the incarnation of

                                                                                                   September 15,1995/Standard  Bearer151  1


TAKE! IT - or LEAVE IT?                   that this solution "avoids the dan-        sister church relation with the GKN
     This is what one keen analyst of     ger of congregationalism." If allow-       changed.
this year's synod of the Christian Re-    ing individual congregations to de-            Finally the decision re women is
formed Church (CRC) said in reac-         clare a part of the Church Order "in-      not. presented as a change in the
tion to that synod's decision re open-    operative" is not congregationalism,       Church Order, but as a  supplement
ing the offices of minister and elder     what is?                                   to Article 3. Does this "supplement"
to women, and to its decision not to          The decision is wrong on all           clarify or further explain Article 3?
break fraternal relations with the        counts. Does Scripture teach both          No, it flatly contradicts Article 3.
Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland         views? Of course not! One is clear-            All that the conservatives can do
WW "We have only two op-                  ly taught, and one is by that very         now is protest the decision of synod
tions," said the analyst, "Take it or     fact clearly forbidden. Women, the         1995. Assuming that the protest is
leave it. The CRC is not `headed in       Bible says, may not preach or rule         not sustained, the analyst is right,
the wrong direction'; as of Synod         in God's church. The issue is a con-       the conservatives have only two op-
1995, it is on fhe wrong course. Our      fessional issue, no matter what the        tions: fake if or leave it.
choice is no longer to change the         synod may have said. In a Reformed                              Christian Renewal
CRC because Synod 1995 has locked         Church the Church Order itself has                                        The Outlook
the door on the conservatives and         confessional status. The Three
thrown away the key. The only             Forms of Unity teach that only men         SOUTHERN  BAPTISTS
choice is -how to get out. Basical-       qualify for the offices in the church.     CONDEMN  SLAVERY
ly there are only two options for ev-     And, as if that is not sufficient, what    AND RACISM
ery member of the CRC: take it (pay       does one do with the Forms for or-             At its 150th anniversary celebra-
all the bills and watch the tragedy       dination of ministers, elders and          tion, the Southern Baptist Conven-
of the GKN be re-enacted in the           deacons, missionaries, and profes-         tion condemned slavery. The SBC,
CRC) or leave it (the only questions      sors of theology? All of these sub-        the largest Protestant church in the
being - how and with whom?)."             ordinate standards speak of the            United States, has never officially re-
    The CRC synod of 1995, the            "brother" or "brothers" who are be-        jected the racism in their history, but
reader will recall, declared that 1)      ing ordained.                              in late June they engaged in an act
both views on women in office (clos-          Does the women-in-office issue         of confession. "We lament and re-
ing the offices and opening the of-       impact one's salvation? Surely it          pudiate historic acts of evil such as
fices) are acceptable within the de-      does! It does because it contradicts       slavery from which we continue to
nomination; 2) the issue is not a con-    Holy Scripture (cf. I Timothy 2%           reap a bitter harvest, and we recog-
fessional one; 3) it does not impact      3:13)!  Besides, if the Bible does not     nize that the racism which yet
one's salvation; therefore synod will     speak clearly to this issue, how can       plagues our culture today is inextri-
compromise not by changing the            I trust it to speak clearly on any is-     cably tied to the past," the resolu-
Church Order Article 3, deleting the      sue, including the issue of one's sal-     tion read. "We apologize . . . for con-
word "male" which is the only legal       vation from sin and death through          doning and/or perpetuating individ-
thing to do, but by issuing a "sup-       the cross and resurrection of Jesus' ual and systemic racism in our life-
plement" to Article 3 which allows        Christ?                                    time; and we genuinely repent of rac-
a classis to declare the word "male,"         In the last issue we reported that     ism of which we have been guilty,
stated in Article 3 as a requisite for    the reaction to this decision on the       whether consciously or unconscious-
office, to be "inoperative," and, in      part of three sister denominations         ly.... We ask forgiveness from our
cases where a classis will not de-        was "strong and immediate." Such           African-American brothers and sis-
clare the word "male" inoperative,        is also the reaction from within the       ters, acknowledging that our own
a church within that classis may do       CRC. The CRC of Escondido, Cali-           healing is at stake."
so by itself. The synod also declared     fornia is asking its classis (Califor-         The SBC resolution is the latest
                                          nia South) to "invite all classes (as      in a series of reconciliation efforts in
                                          well as all councils and officebearers)    American evangelical churches. Last
                                          who share our convictions to attend        year the mainly white Pentecostal
                                          an assembly in November to formu-          Fellowship of North America dis-
                                          late appropriate actions and respons-      banded. Its members regrouped in
Prof. Decker is professor of Practical    es to Synod 1995." The Escondido           a new interracial body. In January
Theology in the Protestant Reformed       church wants the decisions  re wom-        of this year the National Black Evan-
Semina y.                                 en in office and re continuing the         gelical Association and the National

lilYStandard  Bearer/September 15,1995


 Association of Evangelic& formed               Timothy Van Dyke, both 43, were            FINALLY,  FAREWELL
 a joint task force to promote recon-           missionaries with the New Tribes                 This is the last contribution of
 ciliation.                                     Mission. They were teachers at a           the undersigned to "All Around Us."
                  REC News Exchange             school for missionaries' children.         Beginning next month, my able col-
                                                They were kidnapped January 16,            league Rev. Gise Van Baren will re-
 MISSIONARIES  KILLED                           1994. Three other New Tribes mis-          turn as editor of the column and I
      After surviving seventeen                 sionaries are missing since their cap-     will be contributing to the rubric,
 months of captivity, two U.S. mis-             ture in January 1993, and a fourth         "Ministering to the Saints." This
sionaries were killed July 19 during            missionary, with Wycliff Bible trans-      change enables me to do some writ-
 a fight between rebel and govern-              lators, has been a captive of the rebel    ing in the subject area which I teach
 ment troops in Colombia. The gov-              forces since March 1994.                   at the seminary.
 ernment troops say they were on a                  The New Tribes Mission had no                I take this opportunity to ac-
 rescue mission and that the rebels             comment on the charges about gov-          knowledge and thank those of our
 killed the captives to aid their own           ernment responsibility. They did say       readers who from time to time sent
 escape. Some local press reports,              that they had not requested or ap-         me items for the column. These
 however, allege that it was the mili-          proved any rescue operations.              were much appreciated. We encour-
 tary that killed the missionaries.                             REC News Exchange          age you to do the same for Rev. Van
      The two men, Steve Walsh and                                                         Baren.  0




                A Special Sermon for the
     Young Women of the Church
                                                              (2)*
      The Word of God often admon-              is something that goes against their       ing is to walk in the holy love of
 ishes the Christian woman to live in           proud sinful nature. The women of          God. The love to which Scripture
 submission. We are, of course, first           this world are given to self-exalta-       admonishes us is that of self-sacri-
 of all to submit ourselves to God              tion and self-promotion. They in-          fice and self-control. It is sanctified
 and His Word by His grace and Spir-            sist on usurping the role that God         love guided by the knowledge and
 it in our hearts. If in the Lord's             has given to men in marriage and           truth of the Word of God. It is the
 providence we marry some day, we               the church. This is strongly encour-       opposite of pride and self-seeking.
 are to be subject to our husbands.             aged by the feminist movement. But         It is the love of self-denial, obedi-
 The role of a woman in marriage is             the Lord delights in godly submis-         ence, and service. Godly love is ab-
 that of obedience to the husband that          sion. This is a virtue honorable in        solutely essential for all of our Chris-
 the Lord has placed over her. In               His sight.                                 tian life. Godly love is absolutely
 the church the Lord does not want                  You are exhorted specifically          essential for Christian marriage.
 women to insist on having a leader-            also to exercise the virtue of Chris-      God's Word exhorts Christian young
 ship position but rather to be sub-            tian love. All of us must walk in          married women to love their hus-
 ject unto men whom God has ap-                 love. Love is the supreme Christian        bands and to love their children. In
 pointed to rule. This is not easy. It          virtue. We are to love God and to          the love of God we are to seek His
                                                love one another. This is not the
                                                self-seeking and immoral love of this
                                                world. The love spoken of here is          *    This is the second installment of
                                                                                           a sermon preached by Rev. denHar-
 Rev. clenHartog is pastor                      not the mindless romance and pas-
                               of Hope Prot-                                               tog on the occasion of the public con-
 estant Reformed Church in Redlands,            sion promoted by the novels, songs,        fession of faith by three young wom-
 California.                                    and movies of the world. Your call-        en in his congregation.

                                                                                                September 15,1995/Standard  Beatwl513


truth and righteousness in our life.             morality. They are aggressive in             ful in this area. Rather than follow-
Out of love for God we seek to con-              leading men to commit more and               ing the world's fashions and seeing
fess His name, and glorify Him in                more evil. They pride themselves             how daring one can be, the great
all our life. In love, especially for            in their life of immorality.                 concern about dress' for the godly
our fellow saints, we are to seek their                  I want to call your attention yet    woman must be that of modesty and
highest good and salvation.                      to the fact that the matter of dress is      chasteness. By no means does the
     God's Word exhorts you to a life            brought up in connection with the            godly woman want to call the atten-
of good works. God has made                              calling of the god-fearing wom-      tion of the world to herself, and cer-
the womanly nature in such a                                an. We cannot ignore this.        tainly not the immoral eyes of evil
way that godly women are                                     Women generally place a lot      men.
eminently suited for a life                To reveal
                                          the virtues         of emphasis on dress.               You must be careful not to
of good works in a very                                        They spend a lot of time       spend all your money on clothes so
special way. They are able                of the godly
                                            woman              every day in front of the      that you do not have sufficient re-
to show depths of com-              you need to be              mirror putting on make-       sources for more important things
passion, love, tenderness,                                      up and deciding what          in life, such as supporting the church
and sympathy that a man             prepared to be
                                           radically            clothes to wear for the       and giving to the poor.
is not able to demonstrate                                      day. The apostles of the          The evil that must be avoided
in the same way. The                       dif%euent
                                           jkom the            Lord thought this whole        by godly women in the area of dress
great examples of godly                     women              matter to be of sufficient     is that of inordinate attention to out-
women in the Bible are               of  the world.           importance to exhort you        ward adornment. What a necessary
those whose lives were filled                                specifically about your          consideration this is. Virtually the
with good works, especially                                 dress. The apostle Paul says      total preoccupation of women of the
good works of charity, kindness,                          in I Timothy 2, "In like manner     world is with outward appearance.
and compassion for the poor and af-              also, that women adorn themselves            They want to look good, to look
flicted in the world. Already now                in modest apparel, with shamefaced-          glamorous. They love to hear com-
in your youth begin to practice such             ness and sobriety; not with broided          pliments about how glamorous they
good works.                                      hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly ar-      look outwardly.
    .In considering these Christian              ray." Peter says: Let not your                   The adornment of the god-fear-
virtues laid out in the Word of God,             adorning be the outward adorning             ing woman must be inner and spiri-
we will soon realize how totally de-             of the plaiting of the hair and the          tual adornment, the beauty of the
void most modern-day women are                   wearing of gold, or putting on of            inner man. The inner man is the new
of any of these. Many are impu-                  apparel (I Pet.  3:3). The Word of           regenerated nature that we have
dent, rebellious, and immoral to the             God does not here forbid the mod-            through the operation of the Spirit
extreme. They are devoid of all vir-             erate use of make-up, the perming            of Christ in our hearts. This work
tue and moral beauty and excellence.             of one's hair, the wearing of some           in our hearts will create in us a de-
Though they are glamorized by the                jewelry, and some nice clothes. Not          sire to possess the beautiful virtues
modern-day media, and appear on                  all concern about this is condemned.         of God.
the front covers of women's  maga-               But modesty and sobriety must also               The apostle Peter knows what
zines they are an abomination to the             govern the way the godly woman               he is talking about. His words have
Lord. To reveal the virtues of the               dresses. This is virtuous in the sight       the greatest relevance for our mod-
godly woman you need to be pre-                  of God. It is possible to become le-         em day. Who  pays any attention to
pared to be radically different from             galistic and petty about these mat-          the great matter of the beauty of the
the women of the world. You need                 ters, so that a person is judged strict-     heart before God? Yet the beauty of
also, to be prepared to be ridiculed             ly by the way he or she dresses. This        the heart is true beauty before God.
and mocked by this ungodly world.                is wrong. However, there are gen-            Mere outward beauty is nothing but
As the world grows in rebellion and              eral guidelines laid out in the Word         vanity. All the emphasis that is
wickedness over against God, the                 of God that the godly woman must             placed on this in the world only en-
women of this world are more and                 follow. Often the way we dress re-           courages pride and self-promotion.
more becoming the leaders in sin.                flects the attitude of our heart.            All the emphasis on these things by
Women were once called the fairer                Many women of the world dress in             the women of the world cannot cov-
and gentler sex. They were respect-              enticing ways only to catch the eye          er up the rottenness and depravity
ed even by the world for being more              of men. Much immoral enticement              that resides in the heart of the un-
noble and virtuous than the rough,               is practiced by means of women's             godly women of the world. Would
immoral, and brazenly wicked men                 clothing. This is quite obvious. Be-         it not be wonderful if more women
of the world.  ~That is  hardlv true             sides this, many dress to draw ex-           would be concerned about true spir-
anymore today. Today women are                   cessive attention to themselves. God-        itual beauty before God?: What a
often leaders in basest sin' and im-            ly women ought to be specially care-          change there would  be, in many

514lStandard  Bearer/September 15,1995


women if they would spend as much                 avoid that which displeases God and          orous than they were. The world
time and effort and concern to adorn              that which brings His condemnation           honors its own. Who, after all, is
themselves spiritually every day as               on the wicked. We desire instead to          greater in this world than the glam-
they do in dressing themselves up                 live a life that is pleasing to the Lord.    orous movie star and the woman
and putting on make-up every day.                 We consider His favor in our life to         that has spent almost all her time on
    The virtues outlined in the pas-              be greater than any glory and honor          outward adornment, the physical
sages we read this morning are the                that the world may ascribe to us.            beauty of her body, make-up, expen-
reflection of the high standard of the                The apostle Peter speaks of be-          sive perfumes, skin-oils, facial-treat-
Word of God for you as god-fearing                ing of great price in the sight of God.      ments, hair dyes, and whatever else
women. After hearing about them                   How we want to be accepted.                  the world has invented to glamor-
and considering yourself I am sure                Young people often have an espe-             ize the physical, outward beauty of
that you say within yourself, "How                cially strong desire for this, some-         her women? But when God comes
can I ever live up to such a stan-                times almost an uncontrollable de-           to judge, all that outward glamor is
dard?" And indeed, it is impossible               sire. Our greatest concern in life,          going to be stripped away to reveal
for you by nature. We all fall far                however, ought not to be that we             the depraved and wicked hearts of
short of the standard of the Word of              are accepted by men - certainly not          the women of the world. They shall
God. We are called to walk by faith               the men of the world. Our greatest           be condemned to everlasting shame
in Christ Jesus. He alone can give us             concern in life must be that we are          and condemnation.
the strength to overcome the sinful               pleasing to the Lord, that we are pre-           But the woman who fears God,
inclinations of our corrupt nature                cious in His sight. There is true joy        she shall be praised. The woman
and to flee from the temptations of               and delight in being pleasing unto           who has the true, inner, spiritual
this world. We need the power of                  the Lord. The Lord delights in His           beauty of the godly virtues outlined
the operation of the Spirit of God in             saints. He delights in god-fearing           in the passages that we considered
our hearts to cleanse us from sin and             women in whom He sees reflected              today, she shall be precious in the
enable us to. walk in holiness and                I-Es own glorious virtues, virtues He        sight of God. She shall be exalted
sanctification before God.                        Himself has worked by His grace              because in her shines the true glory
    The principle from which the re-              and Spirit in their hearts.                  of God in Christ Jesus. Young wom-
generated child of God must live is                   What a dreadful surprise the             en of the church of Jesus Christ,
that of the fear of God. The apostle              glamorous women of Hollywood                 strive by God's grace to show forth
Peter speaks directly of this fear in             and Broadway and Paris and Lon-              the glory of these true virtues be-
connection with his admonition to                 don are going to have before the             fore God. Always think about be-
women. That we fear God means                     Lord, the Judge of all men, in the           ing truly beautiful in the sight of
that we have a profound knowledge                 day of the revelation of His righ-           God, your Lord and Savior. Then
of His sovereignty, greatness, and                teous judgment. While they were in           you will have the great reward of
holiness. That we fear God means                  this world they imagined that there          His everlasting favor and blessing
that we know of His righteous judg-               was no one greater and more glam-            on your life. Cl
ments. In fear of God we desire to



                            The Healing of the
                                Nobleman s Son
                                                        John 4:43-54
                                             I                                                                                            I
                                                      After the two days of enjoying           Lord Himself knew that a prophet
                                                  the spiritual harvest in Samaria the         has no honor in his own country.
                                                  Lord returns to Galilee. It is in Ga-        Some explain this to mean that the
Rev. Haak-is pastor                               lilee that the majority of the time of
                        of Bethel Protes-                                                      Lord knew that His ministry.must
tant Reformed church in Elk Grove Vil-            His earthly ministry will be spent.          be one of rejection and scorn, and
lage, Illinois.                                   The reason for this move is that the         He therefore labors  "-in. that country

                                                                                                  September 15,I995lStandard Beami


where such rejection will be His          even though sixteen miles separat-               2. Explain the proverb "a
(Heb. 12~3; Is. 49:4). Although there     ed Cana and Capemaum. When the               prophet has no honor in his own
is truth in that idea, it seems that      nobleman returns home and is in-             country." See Luke  4~24; Matthew
the meaning of verses 43 and 44 is        formed of the recovery of his son,           1357;  Jeremiah 11:21.  What evil of
simply that in His own country, i.e.,     he takes note of the fact that it hap-       the flesh is at work when we be-
Nazareth, He had been rejected; and       pened at the very moment Christ              come familiar with the messengers
so He will now center his work in         spoke the word. Both he and his              of God's Word?
the broader areas of Galilee itself.      household believe.                               3. How must we understand
(Compare Luke 4:16ff.,  the incident               We are taught at least two out-     the reception given Him by the
of His rejection in Nazareth, which       standing principles:                         Galileans? Is it of true faith in Him,
must have been the first thing that                1. Faith is founded on the          or are they curiosity seekers who are
happened to Him when He returned          Word of God concerning His Son               interested in Him only because of
from Samaria.)                            and not on signs. Signs confirm              the popularity He gained at Jerusa-
    The reception He receives in Ga-      faith, they never produce faith.             lem?
lilee is however not one rooted in                 2. When God saves a man He              4. Why does the Holy Spirit re-
the faith that He is God's Son, but       also works in covenant mercy in the          mind us that Cana of Galilee was
rather in the things they have seen       lives of his household.                      the place where He made water
Him do in Jerusalem. His populari-                           Outline:                  wine? What are the similarities be-
ty with many people hinges on the                  1. Jesus enters Galilee (vv. 43-    tween this miracle (the healing of the
signs and miracles He performs.           4 ) .                                        nobleman's son) and the changing
This is why He speaks as He does                     a. The reason for His going       of the water into wine?
in verse 48. (Note that He says "ye,"     to Galilee (v. 44).                              5. Who was this nobleman?
plural, a reference to the Galileans.                b. The apparently eager re-       What can we say about his position?
He is saying to the nobleman, Do          ception the Galileans give Him (v.           A government official? A wealthy
you too belong to the company of          45).                                         land owner?
wonder seekers?) Later in His min-                   c. His return to Cana of Ga-          6. Discuss the progression in
istry He will speak even more point-      lilee (v. 46).                               the faith of the nobleman. In what
edly against those who follow Him                  2. The encounter with the no-       state does he come to Jesus? Why
for the external signs and not be-        bleman (w. 47-50a).                          does he come to Jesus? What does
cause He is the Son of God, the only                 a. The nobleman's request to      his request indicate about him?
Savior from sin. (See Luke  11:29;        heal his son who is sick in                  Compare him at that point to the
Matthew X1-4.)                            Capemaum, and the Lord's rebuke              centurion of Luke 21-10.  Show how
    A nobleman (royal officer) from       (w.  47,48).                                 the Lord brought his faith to be
Capemaum comes to Cana with the                      b. The nobleman's repeated        grounded in the Word and not in
request that He will heal his son who     request and the Lord's mighty act            signs.
is at the point of death. The man         of healing the son who was at                    7. What is the intent of the
believes that Jesus is a great miracle    Capemaum (w. 49,50).                    _    Lord's word to him in verse 48?
worker and that His presence at his                3. The nobleman and his house-          8. Explain how the Word al-
son's sick bed is the last and only       hold believe (w. 5013-54).                   ways has preeminence over signs
hope. The Lord is concerned that                     a. As the nobleman goes his       and wonders, and that faith comes
this true child of God have his faith     way believing, he is met by his ser-         by the Word and not by signs and
directed to who He is and to the          vants, who tell him his son recov-           wonders. See Romans 10:17.
Word He speaks and not be centered        ered at the very moment Jesus had                9. What divine attributes does
in Him as someone who is able to          spoken the word (w. 5Ob-52).                 Jesus show in the way He heals this
do great miracles. Thus, the Lord's                  b. His household believes as      son? How does this fit in with the
mild rebuke in verse 48 is intended       well (v. 53).                                emphasis of Johns gospel on the De-
to drive this man's faith to some-                   c. The notice that this is        ity of Christ?
thing deeper than signs and won-          Christ's second miracle (v. 54).                 10. Show the truth of the cove-
ders. This is also the result of                            Questions:                 nant from verse 53. How is the no-
Christ's words to him. The man                     1. Explain the reason for           bleman an example to us as parents
obeys Christ's command to return          Christ's going to Galilee as it is giv-      to instill the truths of the gospel in
home and believes the word that           en in verse 44. What "country" is            our children?
Christ has spoken to him, namely,         referred to? (If the country is Gali-            11. Is there any significance in
"Thy son liveth."                         lee, why does the fact that a proph-         the notice of verse 54 that this is the
    Jesus reveals His divine omni-        et has no honor in his own country           second miracle that Jesus, did since
science and omnipresent power in          serve as the reason for Christ's go-         coming out of Judea? 0
healing the sonaat  that very moment      ing into Galilee?)

516lStandard  Bearer/September 15,1995


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  Subscription of Officebearers



                                                                                                                                                                                                                Church` Order, Article `53.

                                                                                                                                                                                               IL . . . .

Historical background                                                          expressed their agreement with the                                                                                            Reformed churches the confessions
    The practice of requiring office-                                          confessions by affixing their signa-                                                                                          are of equal authority to the Bible.
bearers to express their agreement                                             tures, they responded that at the                                                                                             The confessions themselves appeal
with the Reformed confessions dates                                            time they had signed they had been                                                                                            to the standard of the Word of God
back to the earliest days of the Re-                                           in agreement, but since then they                                                                                             as the ultimate and only authority
formed faith in the Netherlands.                                               had come to see matters differently.                                                                                          in the church of Jesus Christ. That
    The minutes of. the first synod                                            In order to prevent this situation, the                                                                                       the "Formula of Subscription" does
of the Dutch churches, the Synod of                                             Classis of Alkmaar drew up a for-                                                                                            not place the confessions on a par
Emden, 1571, contain the following                                             mula of subscription. Very soon oth-                                                                                          with Scripture is plain from the fact
notice: "In order to prove the con-                                             er classes and particular synods fol-                                                                                        that the "Formula of Subscription"
cord among the Dutch churches con-                                             lowed the lead of Alkmaar.                                                                                                    itself leaves room for revision of the
cerning the confession, the brethren                                                          Our "Formula of Subscription"                                                                                  confessions should anything in the
decided it to be proper to subscribe                                           comes down to us from the Synod                                                                                               confessions be demonstrated to be
to the Confession of Faith of the                                               of Dordt, 1618-`19.  In response to                                                                                          in conflict with the Bible.
Dutch churches (i.e., the Belgic Con-                                           numerous appeals, the Synod adopt-                                                                                               Nevertheless, it is the conviction
fession of Faith)."                                                             ed the following: "It is decided that                                                                                        of the Reformed churches, and of
    In this early period, subscription                                          a standard form for subscription of                                                                                          the Protestant Reformed Churches
to the confessions was accomplished                                            the Confession, Catechism, and syn-                                                                                           in particular, that the "Three Forms
by signing one's name to the Belgic                                            odical decisions (i.e., the Canons of                                                                                         of Unity" (the Belgic Confession of
Confession, and later the Heidelberg                                           Dordt) be drafted by means of which                                                                                           Faith, the Heidelberg Catechism, and
Catechism. But as early as 1608 one                                             all ministers clearly certify their                                                                                          the Canons of Dordt) constitute a
of the classes, the  Classis  of                                               agreement with the accepted doc-                                                                                              faithful summary of the fundamen-
Alkmaar, judged that merely sign-                                              trine and by which the evasions of                                                                                            tal doctrines of the Word of God.
ing one's name was insufficient. The                                           some who try to deceive the church-                                                                                           They give expression to what it
difficulty was that there were those                                            es are prevented." The "Formula of                                                                                           means to be Reformed. With a view
who had placed their signatures over                                            Subscription" drafted by the Synod                                                                                           to the preservation of doctrinal pu-
the forms of unity, who later began                                             of Dordt is substantially that in use                                                                                        rity in the churches, subscription to
to contradict the confessions in their                                         in the Protestant Reformed Church-                                                                                            these confessions is demanded of the
teaching and writing. When con-                                                 es today.                                                                                                                    officebearers who serve in these
fronted with the fact that they had                                                                                                                                                                          churches. Such a public declaration
                                                                               Purpose of subscription                                                                                                       of agreement serves to ensure the
                                                                                              The purpose of subscription is                                                                                 confidence of the members of the
Rev. Cammenga is pastor of Southwest                                           not to elevate the confessions of the                                                                                         church  `in the orthodoxy of her
Protestant Reformed Church in                                                  church to the level of Holy Scrip-                                                                                            officebearers.
Grandville, Michigan.                                                           ture. It is not the case that in the                                                                                             The "Formula of Subscription"

                                                                                                                                                                                                                September 15,1995lStandard  Beareri  7


also serves to promote the unity of         "We declare, moreover, that we not           National Synod, we do hereby
the churches. That is why in Arti-          only reject all errors that militate         promise always to be willing and
cles 53 and 54 of the Church Order          against this doctrine . . . but that we      ready to comply with such requisi-
the confessions are referred to as the      are disposed to refute and contra-           tion...."
"formulas of unity." The unity of           dict these, and to exert ourselves in             And finally, it is promised that
the church, in the local congregation,      keeping the church free from such            should it be necessary for an
in the church federation at both the        errors." Defense of the truth is al-         officebearer to make appeal against
classical and synodical  level, as well     ways antithetical. It is not enough          the judgment of a minor assembly
as the unity of the church catholic is      - it seems there are always those            to a major assembly, during the pro-
in view in the "Formula of Subscrip-        in the church who suppose that it is         cess of appeal he will acquiesce to
tion." For the basis of the unity of        -to be positive. It is not enough to         the judgment that has been made:
the church is doctrine - one doc-           set forth what we believe. But it is         I, . . . reserving for ourselves, howev-
trine. Unity is strictly in the sphere      also necessary to be negative, to re-        er, the right of an appeal, whenever
of the truth. In the interests of that      ject error. The churches demand this         we shall believe ourselves aggrieved
doctrinal unity, subscription to the        of the officebearers; but, more im-          by the sentence of the consistory, the
confessions is demanded of  office-         portantly, God demands this.                 classis, or the synod, and until a de-
bearers.                                        Fourth, the promise is made to           cision is made upon such an appeal,
                                            report any doubts or difficulties that       we will acquiesce in the determina-
What is promised?                           should arise in order that the church        tion and judgment already passed."
    At least six things are promised        may pass judgment:  ."And if here-
by the officebearer who signs the           after any difficulties or different sen-     Signing the "Formula of
"Formula of Subscription."                  timents respecting the aforesaid doc-        Subscription"
    First, it is promised that one is       trines should arise in our minds we               All officebearers in the Re-
in full agreement with the Reformed         promise that we will neither public-         formed churches must sign the "For-
confessions:  `I... do hereby sincerely     ly nor privately propose, teach, or          mula of Subscription."*
and in good conscience before the           defend the same, either by preach-                All elders, deacons, and minis-
Lord, declare by this, our subscrip-        ing or writing, until we have first          ters must sign the "Formula of Sub-
tion, that we heartily believe and are      revealed such sentiments to the              scription" in the local congregation
persuaded that all the articles and         consistory,  classis, and synod, that        in which they are called. The "For-
points of doctrine, contained in the        the same may be there examined,              mula" is to be transcribed into the
Confession and Catechism of the Re-         being ready always cheerfully to sub-        minute book of the consistory with
formed Churches, together with the          mit to the judgment of the                   all the signatures of the officebearers
explanation of some points of the           consistory, classis, and synod . . . . M     who have signed it in that congre-
aforesaid doctrine, made by the Na-         The creeds are not infallible. It is pos-    gation. Signing of the "Formula"
tional Synod of Dordrecht, 161%`19,         sible that an officebearer comes to          may take place in the consistory
do fully agree with the Word of             disagree with a certain point in one         room, witnessed then by one's fel-
God." No room is left for entertain-        of the confessions. This does not            low officebearers, at the first
ing doubts, signing the "Formula"           give him the liberty publicly to ex-         consistory meeting after installation.
tongue-in-cheek., or with mental res-       press this'disagreement. Not at all!         In recent years many of our church-
ervations. Signing the "Formula of          But he must inform the churches and
Subscription" is an expression of           submit the matter to the judgment
wholehearted agreement with the             of the assemblies. Ordinarily this
confessions.                                would be done by means of a gra-             *    The mention in Article 54 of the
    Second, the promise is made to          vamen.                                       signing of the "Formula of Subscrip-
teach and defend the confessions:               Fifth, by signing the "Formula"          tion" by "the other professors and
"We promise therefore diligently to         an officebearer agrees to submit to          school teachers" reflects the state-
teach and faithfully to defend the          an examination should this be                church relationship that existed at
aforesaid doctrine . . . . M Signing the    judged necessary: "And further, if           the time our  Church  Order  was
"Formula" is by no means mere pas-          at any time the consistory, classis,         drawn up. Although this arrange-
sive assent. But it is the pledge ac-       or synod, upon sufficient grounds            ment no longer applies, the presence
tively to promote the great truths          of suspicion and to preserve the uni-        of this phrase in our Church Order
set forth in the confessions in one's       formity and purity of doctrine, may          does serve the purpose of affirming
labors as an officebearer in Christ's       deem it proper to require of us a            that the Reformed confessions are
church.                                     further explanation of our senti-            at the basis of the Reformed Chris-
    Third, the promise is made to           ments respecting any part&&r ar-             tian school and that agreement with
reject and refute all who oppose the        ticle of the Confession of Faith, the        the confessions is necessary on the
truths expressed in the confessions:        Catechism, or the explanation of the         part of all who teach.         `,

518/StandardSeafef/September  15,1995


es have gone to the practice of sign-       classical meeting and the classis in-                                    May God continue to give to the
ing the "Formula" publicly at the           forms his consistory of his refusal to                              Protestant Reformed Churches
time of installation, so that the con-      sign the "Formula of Subscription."                                 officebearers who are committed to
gregation as a whole can be witness.                        Article 53 is not to be interpret-                  the great truths expressed in our Re-
This practice has much to commend           ed as giving to a classis the right to                              formed confessions. May He give
itself.                                     suspend and depose officebearers.                                   us men of courage who will defend
     All delegates to classis must also     This is not the case. Suspension and                                these truths and refute the errors of
sign the "Formula of Subscription"          deposition of officebearers, accord-                                our day and of the past that have
in the minute book of the Classis. In       ing to Articles 79 and 80 of the                                    militated against them. May the
the case of candidates, this is to take     Church Order, are quite different                                   signing of the "Formula of Subscrip-
place immediately after their suc-          from de facto suspension for refusal                                tion" be more than a mere formality
cessful completion of their classical       to sign the "Formula of Subscrip-                                   in our churches, but the solemn dec-
examination: "In case of a favor-           tion." Refusal to sign the "Formu-                                  laration of men who are resolved, if
able outcome the applicant shall sign       la" is in a class by itself. So serious                             need be, to lay down their lives for
the formula of subscription"                is this matter that it calls for &facto                             the sake of the Reformed faith. ~1
(Church Order, Article 4, Decision          suspension from office.
C., 2., b.).
     At the synod&l level the "For-         1  i  "  >"\,  ,:  I..,  _,  .;  :,                 Fo&ula of Subscription
                                                     .<
mula of Subscription" is not signed,              .x ' <-. -.' We,. `the' undersigned, :profesSors  of the Protestant Reformed
but the delegates arise in assent to                .' Churclies~ ministers of the Gospel; elders, and deacons of the Protes-,
the reading of the "Public Declara-           ._",  tant  R e f o r m e d   congregations   <of)'  .,                                   ,  .of  Classis
tion of Agreement with the Forms                           ..>.  1  ('  ;    (                 do hereby sincerely and in good conscience be-
of Unity.,                                        ' fore the~Lordi,  .declaLpe:by  ~&is, `our .subscription,  that we heartily
                                             .`I .`- believe .and are persuaded that@  the article.s and'points of doctrine,
De Facto suspension                         c : :`contained  in&e Confession1and  Catechism. of the Reformed Churches,.
     Refusal to sign the "Formula of         `1 together- with the explanation of some points of the aforesaid doc-
Subscription,"         either at the        I : t$ne, made by the National Synod of~Dor&echt,  1618-`19, do fully
consistorial or classical level, results     --(  .>agreewith:the   Wordof.God.   s  '                              ,,             (
                                              ;       i      ;-
in de facto suspension from office:                                 : We promise therefore `$igently to teach and faithfully to defend
                                            <,.       <(
I`... (those) who refuse to do so shall      ' the aforesaid doctrine, without  .either directly or indirectly contra-
                                             < ; ;&tingjhe  i
&facto be suspended from their of-                                           ame, `by dlur public,pre&hing or writing,
fice by the consistory or classis until             : .,.;- _ "We declare ,moreover,  >that.we `not only reject ,all errors that
they shall have given a full state-          ' militate ag&nst  thisdoctrine  and particularly those which were con-
ment, and if they obstinately persist       i 1. demned. by,the above mentionedisynod,but  that we are disposed to
in refusing, they shall be deposed          "`,: ~~reftite  and "contiadict `these, `Andy to exert ourselves in keeping the
from their office."                          ,((:. church free from such errors.` Aud if hereafter. any difficulties or
     Any minister, elder, or deacon           = : differentQsentiments`~@%pect&ig~  the :aforesaid  doctrines should arise
                                             <
who refuses to sign the "Formula"                    in our k&ids, we promise $hat:tie  will likither  publicly nor privately
in the consistory is automatically          ,,I ~~proP&e~~teach,  or,`defend.the%me,, either by preaching or writing,
suspended from office. This does not              s until `we have first revealedsuch sentiments to the consistory,  classis,
mean that a decision of the                  `: ?,: ana` synod,. that the same may b,e" there examined,' b&g ready al-
consistory to this effect is unneces-                : `ways cheerfully to submit to the judgment of the con&story, classis,
sary. A decision to suspend must be           :_ <<`and synod,`underthe  ~penalty  .iri.c&e~ of refusal to be, by that very
taken, but the ground is refusal to                 :-:r fact, suspended from.ot& office1 `. :,' ~ i                      `5  s               .   .
sign the "Formula of Subscription."                 : ~; _ ( And i further, if at any. time `the. consist&y, classis, or synod,
    At the classical level, any dele-               :` .upon `sufficient grounds of suspicion and to preserve the uniformity
gate, whether minister or elder, who                 .`~+nd.pu&y  Of d~ct$ne;`majr.d&m &proper to req+re of us's further
refuses to sign the "Formula" is au-                 Texpianation  of our sentiments respectirig.any  particular article of the
tomatically suspended from office.                   c' Confession .of Faith, the Catechism;or  the explanation of the Nation-
Again, this does not mean that a de-        ' ;: ,.d J@noci, ye do -hereby.  promise `always..to  be willing and ready to
cision of the consistory in which the         r -comply with suchlrequisition;.under the penalty above .mentioned,
officebearer holds his office is un-                :- -reserving for, ourselves~ howeveri'the  right of an appeal, whenever
necessary. But the decision to sus-                   , ~c$vetlf believe ourselves aggrieved by the, sentence of the con&tory,
pend must be grounded in the re-             *:.`:tlie classis;or `the synod, anduntila  decision is made upon.such.an
fusal to,sign  the "Formula.l  In this      .:. . .$ppeal; we :$4ll -acqui,esce  ins the: determination and judgment al-
case. the, delegate is not seated, is       I:  ready~passed.   1:'  1.  _:  -_  :  s
                                                     _I <'  --,
accorded no official capacity at the                        _  (                      _'  (        s
                                                                                  .`.  ..               :, ( ., (Cf. A& of $&2; 1~945, Art. 40,55.)

                                                                                                                   September 15,1995lStandard  BearerI  9


Congregational Activities                  ther, we send our congratulations to      College in Holland, MI and other lo-
    The Council of the South Hol-          the congregation of the First PRC in      cations throughout west Michigan.
land, IL PRC has approved a plan           Edmonton, AB, Canada which cele-          Close to 400 of our young people
proposed by their Audio-Visual             brated their 20th anniversary as a        came together the second week of
Committee to ,make  use of selected        congregation on September 8.              August to enjoy this year's conven-
video-tapes of their services on the           The musical group, "Make a Joy-       tion, which developed the theme,
local South Holland cable TV sta-          ful Noise," from our Bethel PRC in        "Courageous Christian Youth." This
tion. This service is provided free        Itasca, IL, were part of two special      theme was unfolded by three speech-
to the churches in the South Hol-          singspirations during the month of        es, all dealing with Daniel and his
land area. South Holland has been          July. They took part first in a           example from Scripture. Rev. J.
given an hour and a half time-slot         singspiration at the South Holland,       Mahtani, of the Trinity PRC in Hous-
on Tuesday evenings at 7:3O P.M.           IL PRC on July 2, and later, on July      ton, TX, spoke on "Daniel - a Faith-
    This past summer, the congre-          23, at Faith PRC in Jenison, MI. In       ful Prayer Life." Rev. C. Terpstra,
gation of the Faith PRC in Jenison,        each singspiration proceeds were          pastor at the South Holland, IL PRC,
MI was able to meet together for a         designated for Bethel's Building          spoke on "Daniel - a Bold Witness."
couple of special activities. After the    Fund.                                     And Mr. C. Kalsbeek, a teacher at
evening service on July 30, the con-                                                 Covenant Christian High School in
gregation was invited to stay for a        Denominational Activities                 Walker, MI, addressed the conven-
light lunch followed by an hour of             Our churches' minister-on-loan        tioneers on "Daniel - Godly Choic-
singing and Christian fellowship led       to the Evangelical Reformed Church-       es."
by the Voices of Victory quartet.          es of Singapore, Rev. Jason                       Some comments heard from dif-
    Also on Saturday, August 5, the        Kortering, with his wife Jeanette,        ferent young people and adult chap-
congregation was invited to a beach        were able to return to the United         erones indicated that this year's con-
breakfast outing at North Shore Park       States for a month's furlough in late     vention was one of the best behaved
in Grand Haven, on the shores of           July. While they were here they           ever, which suggests that no detail
Lake Michigan.                             spent time with family and were also      was overlooked by the host society,
    Concerning updates on the              able to visit and preach in a few of      and that speeches and discussion-
progress being made with the build-        our churches. They were scheduled         group topics dealing with devotions,
ing of the Peace PRC in Lynwood,           to return to Singapore on or about        respecting authority, and choosing
IL, we really have no specific infor-      August 29.                                friends were dealt with in an inter-
mation other than that it is progress-         Evidently before the Korterings  '    esting and challenging way. One fi-
ing nicely and some members at             left Singapore, some members there        nal note: find a young person in
Peace predict that it could be com-        asked if there were tapes or CDs          your church who went and ask to
pleted yet late this Fall.                 available with the Psalms, which are      see this ye&s convention picture.
    The men of the congregation of         sung both there and here in our           What a good-looking group! And
the Randolph, WI PRC were called           churches. So when the Korterings left     the picture even has Rev. A.
together back in July to treat three       on their return to Singapore last         Spriensma, pastor at Grandville, on
proposals, all dealing with the sew-       month they had tapes and CDs of           one end, and his identical twin
er and water extension on Adams            Psalter  selections from "Make a Joy-     brother on the other.
St. behind their church. They ap-          ful Noise," who just happened to
proved proposals to install a sewer        have made a recent recording for a        Evangelism Activities
lateral stub to their church and also      fund-raiser for Bethel PRC's build-               The Evangelism Committee of
install sewer and water lateral stubs      ing fund.                                 the Randolph, WI PRC is making
for use in case a parsonage would                                                    available a set of tapes on the re-
be located on the church property          Young People's Activities                 cently completed series by their pas-
in future years.                               Certainly taking center stage this    tor, Rev. S. Key, on "Reformed Wor-
    With thanks to our heavenly Fa-        summer, as far as our young people        ship: Fellowship with the Holy
                                           were concerned, was this year's an-       One." This set of eight tapes (16
                                           nual Young People's Convention,           sermons) comes in a book-type al-
                                           hosted by the young people and con-       bum. Cost is $20, with checks to be
Mr. Wigger is a member of the Profes-      gregation of the Grandville, MI PRC       made payable to the Randolph PR
fanf Reformed Church of Hudsonville,       and held on the campus of Hope            Evangelism Committee, 225 Pierce
Michigan.

520lStandard  Bearer/September 15,1995


St., Randolph, WI 53956.                                       Rev. W. Bruinsma, of the First                          first pastor. With Rev. Dykstra on
                                                          PRC in Holland, MI, declined the                             that first tio were Rev. W. Bruinsma
Minister  Activities                                      call he received from the Hope PRC                           and Candidate Doug Kuiper.
      Rev. M. Dick, pastor of the                         in Walker, MI.
Immanuel PRC in Lacombe, AB,                                   Our newest congregation, the                                             Food for Thought
Canada, declined the caII he received                     Grace PRC in Standale, MI, voted to                                 "Happy the man who sees God
to serve as pastor of the Byron Cen-                      extend a call to Rev. R. Dykstra, pas-                       employed in all the good and ill that
ter, MI PRC.                                              tor in  Doon, IA, to serve as their                          chequers life."
                                                                         LI                                                                            - W. Cowper p
                                                                                                ,
                                                                                                               ti


                               Textual Index
     Passage                                                  Author page                   Book                                     Author               Reviewer page
Deuteronomy  6:7 ................................................H-H 483             Calvin's Old Testament Commentaries
Psalm 1:1,2 ......................................................MCD          99                                                    T.H.L. Parker                  DJE 45
Psalm 127:4,5 ....................................................RVO 423            Calvin's Old Testament Commenfaries:
Isaiah 21:lO .......................................................... CH 51                 DanieZ I (ch. Z-6)                     John Calvin                    DJE 45
Malachi 3:16 ........................................................ CH 123         Dispelling  the Tyranny                         Piet Prins                     DJE 477
Matthew 7~24-27 ................................................. CH 195             Good Morning, Alice                             Gise J. VanBarenRDD                       166
Matthew'&l-3 .................................................. RGM 171              Grace and Glory: Sermons Preached in the Chapel of
Matthew 24 ........................................................ DJE 389                 Princeton Theological  Semina  y
Luke 2% .............................................................HH 134                                                          Geerhardus Vos RDD 478
John 1:19-34 ........................................................ CJH 14         Guilt, Folly, and Sources of Suicide, The
John 1:35-51 ........................................................ CJH  1 3 3                                                     Samuel MiUer                   DJE 382
John 2:1-11 .......................................................... CJH  1 5 4    Hyper-Calvinism and the Cull of fhe Gospel
John 212-25 ........................................................ CJH 184                                                         David J. Engelsma CC 116
John 3:1-21 .......................................................... CJH 207       I Will MIainfain                                MarjorieBowen   D J E   2 1 4
John 3:22-36 ........................................................ CJH 231        Introduction  to Biblical Hermeneufics: The Search for
John 4~1-26 .......................................................... CJH 306              Meaning, The                            Walter C. Kaiser and
John 4~27-42 ........................................................ CJH 327                                                       Moises SiIva                 HCH 213
John 4~43-54 ........................................................ CJH 515        Order in the Ofices                             Mark R. Brown HCH 237
I Corinthians 4~1-5 ............................................. DJE 461            Paradigms in Polity: Classic Readings in Reformed and
I Corinthians 4~1-5 ............................................. DJE 488                   Presbyterian Church Government
I Corinthians 15:57 .............................................JAH 75                                                             David W. HaII;
II Corinthians 3:18 .............................................. CH 459                                                           Joseph H.  HaII RDD 332
II Corinthians 5~18-20 ......................................... CH 291              Revival and Revivalism: The Making and
Ephesians 1:8, 9,ll ..............................................CJT 470                   Marring of American Evungelicalism
Ephesians 5:21 ................................................... RVO 435                                                          IainH. Murray HCH 476
Philippians  1:3 .................................................. MGL 88           Scent From Heaven                              Timothy Cross HCH 167
Philippians  2:4 ..................................................... BW 68         Sermons on Job                                 John CaIvin                    DJE 45
Philippians 4:6,7 ................................................. GO 277           Studies in I Thessalonians                     Cornelius HankoRDD 166
Colossians  3:16 ................................................... DJE 374         Studies in  II Thessalonians                   Cornelius HankoRDD 166
Hebrews 10~25.. ................................................ DHK           37    Undersfunding  the New Age Russel Chandler WGB                                             22
Hebrews 12:1,2 ................................................MCD 411
Hebrews 12:3 ................................................... RGM 507
Hebrews 13:14 .....................................................HH 147
II Peter 1:lO ........................................................JAH 3                                                Title Index
II Peter 3:13 ........................................................JAH 315        Title                                                                   Author page
Revelation  3:12 .................................................... BW 323         Able and Faithful Ministry, An . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SM 61
Revelation 20 ...................................................... DJE 341         Addressing God with Feminine Terms  .*........ RDD 200
                                                                                     Against Dordt's Observance of Christmas . . . . . . ..PT 298
                             Book Reviews                                            Alexander Henderson: Covenanter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH 353
     Book                               Author            Reviewer page              Andrew Melville:
Calvin's New Testament Commenfaries                                                        Father of Presbyterianism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 . . . . . . . HCH      300
                                        T.H.L. Parker             DJE 45             Anniversary, An . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*.................... RDD 350

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Title                                                      Author page            Title                                                      Author page
Another Letter and Response on                                                    Electing Love of God, The ..................................NV 128
     "Jewish Dreams" ..........................................DJE 293            Election and the Covenant Promise ................. BW 441
Apocrypha  on Doctors ......................................PPA 55                Entering Into and Enjoying Salvation ............. JAH 219
Appearance of Evil ........................................... DLB 343            Experiential Preparation for the Ministry........ DJE                      53
Arrows Leaving the Quiver, An ..................... RVO 423                       False Prophecies ................................................. HD  3 6 7
Asserting Independence ................................. WGB               93     Franciscus Gomarus: Stubborn
Augustine Against Date-Setting ......................... BS                78          Champion of God's Glory ....................... HCH 179
Banned from Christian Reformed Pulpits...... RDD 225                              Franciscus Gomarus: Stubborn ..............................
Be Not Highminded but Fear ......................... ADH 425                           Champion of God's Glory (2).................. HCH 226
Beast from the Sea, The ......................................DJE 379             Further on Evangelicals and
Beauty ............................................................... DHK 469         Catholics Together ................................... ADH 185
Beginning of Miracles, The ............................... CJH 154                General Synod, The ........................................... RLC 330
Boesak in Trouble Again ..................................RDD 349                 Ghana Re-Visited ............................................ RGM 280
Book of Remembrance, A .................................. CH 123                  Good Practice of Two Services, One
Calvin Gets New President .............................RDD 405                         Given to Catechism Preaching, The.........DHK                         37
Calvin's Liturgy ................................................RDD 36           Gospel in Southeast Asia (1) ............................. JLK 229
Can an Independent be a Presbyterian?........ DTM 344                             Gospel in Southeast Asia (2) ............................. JLK 465
Censure at Major Assemblies ...........................RLC 17                     Gospel in Southeast Asia (3) ............................. JLK 496
Changed from Glory to Glory ........................... CH 459                    Grace to the Humble.......................................... HH 267
Christ is Coming ... Soon .................................RDD 129                Grammatical-Historical-Spiritual Exegesis.....DS C 151
Christ is Risen! ................................................. RGM 339        Grieve Not ........................................................ RVO 136
Christian Education ...........................................HH 483             Guido de Bres: Author of the
Christian Nation?, A ........................................RDD 274                   Belgic Confession ..................................... HCH           79
Christ's First Disciples ...................................... CJH 133           Hand ................................................................. DHK 204
Church Visitation ..............................................RLC 90            Harvest in Samaria, The ................................... CJH 327
Classis in Disobedience, A...............................RDD                9     Healing of the Nobleman's Son ....................... CJH 515
Classis Still in Disobedience, A .......................RDD 103                   Holy Family, The ................................................ DJE 125
Cleansed As the Leper .................................... RGM 171                Holy Laughter or The Toronto Blessing......... RDD 102
Cleansing of the Temple, The........................... CJH 184                   Hope of the Saints, A ......................................... DJE 149
Coming of Antichrist, The .................................DJE 208                House Divided, A ............................................ RDD 349
Comment on a Book Review .............................. CL 8                      If Not... Our Preaching and Faith are Vain... RDD 404
Common Grace and Difficult Texts ............... KDA 319                          Inheritance ........................................................ DI-IK 491
Communicating with Parents......................... WGB 109                       Instructions to the Major Assemblies .............. RLC 188
Concerned Presbyterians .................................RDD 225                  Irenic Debate .................................................... RDD 67
Considering the Contradiction of our Lord.. RGM 507                               IRS Requires Substantiation for
Covenant Promise, The ...................................... BW 350                    Charitable Contributions ............................... JL  86
Covenant Promise, The ...................................... BW 493               Is It Morally Justifiable to Terminate Ordinary
CRC Synod 1995: Significant                                                            Medical Treatment for Dying Persons?.........                       452
     Decisions, The ............................................RDD 463           Is There a Basis for Unity Between
Cross-Cultural Missions  -                                                             Roman Catholics and Evangelicals? ....... ADH 158
     Its Biblical Basis ......................................... RVO 82          Is Word-Faith Cultic?........................................ RDD 128
Curious Missive from Wonderland .....................JT 319                       Jehovah's Deep Concern for His People ...........CH                       51
Deacons and the State ........................................ NK 490             Jelle in Wonderland ........................................... DJE 197
Defense of (Reformed) Amillennialism ............DJE 317                          Jelle in Wonderland (2) ...................................... DJE 221
Defense of (Reformed) Amillennialism  -                                           Jesus and Nicodemus ....................................... CJH 207
     Revelation 20 ................................................DJE 341        Jesus and the Samaritan Woman ..................... CJH 306
Defense of (Reformed) Amillennialism,                                             Jesus is Magnified by His Forerunner ............. CJH 231
     Apostasy and Persecution ..........................DJE 365                   Jewish Dreams .................................................... DJE 173
Defense of (Reformed) Amillennialism,                                             Jewish Dreams, Puritan Hope,
     Matthew 24 ..................................................DJE 389              Reformed Ostrich ......................................... TH 272
Denominational Missions .................................RLC 416                  John Bunyan: Author of PiZgfim's Progress... HCH 474
Determined to Worship in the                                                      John the Baptist's Witness to Christ ................ CJH                  14
     Reformed Manner ...................................... FCS 8                 Judging Ministers ............................................... DJE 461
Domestic Mission Committee Report............... DD 395                           Judging Ministers (2) ......................................... DJE 488
Dordt College Founder Dies ...........................RDD 199                     Knowing Our Colors ...................................... M C D   9 9
Elder: To Aid and Assist, The ........................... EG 472

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Title                                                             Author Page           Title                                                      Author page
Last Four Days of Creation-Week                                                         Preaching in Reformed Worship ......................RLC                   34
      Introduction .............................................. HCH             19    Protestant Reformed Church of New Zealand  -
Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The ......... HCH 104                                       Tea Years Old ........................................... RGM 402
Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The ......... HCH 164                                  PubIic Confession of Sin .................................. HVV 8
Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The ......... HCH 181                                  I%dling the Plug on the Flood ............................DJE 509
Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The ......... HCH 211                                  Purifying Ourselves in Hope ............................JAH 387
Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The ......... HCH 308                                  Putting the Record Straight ...............................HM 344
Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The ......... HCH 355                                  Question of Language, A ..................................RLC 467
Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The ......... HCH 428                                  RCA Says, "Not Yet," The ............................... RDD 464
Leakage or Hemorrhage?.................................RDD 322                          RCUS Synod ..................................................... RDD 493
Lessons from the Recent False Prophecy of the                                           ReconciIed to God .............................................. CH 291
      Date of the End of the World..................... DJE                        6    Reformation and Family Worship, The ............. KK 139
Let the Earth Keep Silence1. ............................. WGB                    31    Reformation and Family  Worship (2), The ....... KK 177
Letter and Response on "Jewish Dreams" ...... DJE 269                                   Reformed Family: Resolved, The ................... MBL 163
Letter from Seminary ........................................ DJE 275                   Reformed Family: Saying Thanks, The..........MBL                          88
Living the Single Life ...................................... WGB 446                   Reformed Worship Vs. Liturgical "Renewal" ..DJ E                          29
Lord's Day, The ................................................ GVB              43    Religious Freedom for Employees .......................JL 330
Maker and Breaker of a Family's Peace......... ADH 371                                  Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)
Making Our Calling and Election Sure............JAH                                3         Gains Visibility ...............................................JL 329
Minutes and Archives ...................................... RLC 161                     Remember!. ....................................................... DHK 449
Missionaries  Killed ...........................................RDD 513                 Repent and Rescind ......................................... RDD 492
Missionary Murdered ......................................RDD 273                       Report of Classis East .........................................JJH 46
Music in the Church .......................................... DJE 374                  Report of Classis East .........................................JJI-I 238
Music in the Church (2) .................................... DJE 418                    Report of Classis East .........................................JJH 454
Nations ............................................................. DHK 348           Report of Classis West ...................................... SRK 22
News from Seminary Hill ................................. DJE                     60    Report of Classis West ...................................... SRK  3 3 4
News from the Seminary .................................. DJE 406                       Return Visit to a Beloved Church in SingaporeADH  304
19947.................................................................... DJE      5    Running the Race ............................................ MCD 411
1994/1995  Standard Bearer: Volume 71............ DJE                              5    Sacrifices .......................................................... DHK 303
No Room for Him ...............................................                  134    Samuel Rutherford: Westminster
North American Presbyterian and                                                              Divine (1). .................................................. HCH 369
      Reformed Council ......................................RDD 153                    Samud Rutherford: Westminster
Oath .................................................................. DHK 224              Divine (2) ................................................... HCH 421
Observance of Christmas .................*.t ................. RJ 127                   Sanctifying our Children ................................. RVO 232
Office of Deacon: Its Function ........................... GS 346                       Secretary's Report to the RFPA ...........................TB 65
Office of Elder - An Overview, The.................EG                             84    Sending the Reformed Truth to the
Office of Elder - His Qualifications, The .........EG 283                                    Ends of the Earth .........................................RJD 394
Office of Mercy - Its Basis, The ........................ GS 131                        Shall the Churches Observe Christmas? ............RS 272
Oregon Voters Adopt Nation's First                                                      Southern Baptists Condemn Slavery
     Physician-Assisted Suicide Law ................... JL 156                               and Racism ................................................. RDD 512
Orthodox Presbyterian Church Also                                                       .Sovereign God of Predestination ...................... CJT 470
     Disturbed by CRC .....................................RDD 493                      Special Sermon for the Young Women
Our Church-Governed Seminary.. ................. HCH                              56         of the Church (l), A.................................. ADH 498
Our Heritage and the Stulzdard  Bearer ............... CH                         63    Special Sermon for the Young Women
Our Work in the San Luis Valley ...................... TM 400                                of the Church (2), A .................................. ADH 513
Parochial Schools Now Subject to                                                        Specialized Ministry to Gay and Lesbian
     Age Discrimination Act ................................ JL                   86         Support Group ........................................... RDD 129
Particular Synods and                                                                   State Aid and the Work of the Deacons ............ GS 501
     Delegates  Ad Examina.. .............................. RLC 235                     State Supreme Court Holds KiEing of a
PCA Publishes  Psalter .......................................RDD 153                        Fetus is Murder ..............................................JL 87
Pilgrim's Goal, The .............................................                147    Stewards of God's Manifold Grace .................. CH 363
Population and the World's Future ................RDD 154                               Story of Two Margarets .................................. HCH 444
PRC Featured in a Dutch Daily  Newspaper ... DJE                                  77    Submitting One to Another ............................. RVO 435
PRC Featured in a Dutch Daily                                                           Subscription of Officebearers ...........................RLC 517
     Newspaper (2) ............................................: D JE 101               Sum of Christian Doctrine, The .........................LH 297
PRC Synod of HuII, 1995.. ................................. DJE 438

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Title                                                                                    Author page                      Subject Title                                             Author page
Synod of the Reformed Churches                                                                                            ANTICHRIST
     in Australia, The ........................................RDD                                               68           Coming of Antichrist, The .......................... DJE 208
Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church                                                                                 APOCRYI'HA
      in North America ......................................RDD                                                  10          Apocrypha  on Doctors .............................. PPA              55
SynodicaI Baggage ...........................................RDD 175                                                      ARC
Take It - or Leave It .......................................RDD 512                                                          JeIIe in Wonderland .................................... D JE 197
Thankful for a Blessed Victory.. .......................JAH                                                      75           Jelle in Wonderland (2) ............................... DJE 221
That Blessed Promise ........................................JAH 315                                                          Putting the Record Straight ........................HM 344
Theologian Murdered in South Africa ...........RDD 199                                                                        Synodical Baggage .................................... RDD 175
Third Bienniel Conference of the                                                                                          BEAUTY
     British Reformed Fellowship .......................BO                                                        10          Beauty ........................................................DHK  4 6 9
Thoughts on Prayer ............................................                                                277        BIBLE STUDIES
Timely Warning, A ............................................J:: 378                                                         Beginning of Miracles, The ........................ CJH 154
Together on the Way ........................................RDD 350                                                           Christ's First Disciples ............................... CJH 133
Trinity PRC Hosts Reformed                                                                                                    Cleansing of the Temple, The.................... CJH 184
     EvangeIism Conference ................................BH 391                                                             Harvest in Samaria, The ............................ CJH 327
True and False Churches, The ........................... BW 323                                                               Healing the Nobleman's Son ..................... CJH 515
Two Congregations Split in NW Iowa ...........RDD 104                                                                        .Jesus and Nicodemus ................................. CJH 207
Two Years in Northern Ireland ...................... RHH 200                                                                  Jesus and the Samaritan Woman .............. CJH 306
Unadulterated Calvinism ................................GMS                                                         7         Jesus is Magnified by His Forerunner ...... CJH 231
Weak and Strong Faith ................................... ADH                                                    15           John the Baptist's Witness to Christ ......... CJH                    14
Weak and Strong Faith (2) .............................. ADH 112                                                          BUNYAN, JOHN
Weak and Strong Faith (3) .............................. ADH 205                                                              John Bunyan: Author of
What's Coming Up at the Synod                                                                                                      Pilgrim's Progress ................................ HCH 474
      of the PRC?.................................................... DJE 413                                             CALVINISM
When the Knitting Stopped ............................... BW                                                     68           Unaduherated  Calvinism ......................... GMS                  7
Why I Signed It .................................................RDD 321                                                  CATECHISM PREACHING
William the Silent: Father of                                                                                                 Good Practice of Two Services, One
     the Netherlands ........................................ HCH 106                                                              Given to Catechism Preaching, The . . DHK                       37
Wise Building, The ............................................. CH 195                                                   CENSURE
With .................................................................. DHK                                      13           Censure at Major Assemblies.................... RLC                   17
Woman Serving as Pastor ................................RDD                                                      67       CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
Women in Church Office ... Again.. ................RDD 405                                                                    IRS Requires Substantiation for
Worldwide Preaching of the Gospel, The ........DJE 114                                                                             Charitable Contributions ........................JL             86
Worship the Lord in Psalms ........................... HCH                                                       40       CHILDREN
Worshiping Jehovah in the Beauty of Holiness JLS                                                                 27           Arrow Leaving the Quiver, An................ RVO 423
Yin-Yang .......................................................... WGB 325                                                   Sanctifying our Children .......................... RVO 232
                                                                                                                          CHRISTIANITY
                                          Subject Index                                                                       Running  the Race ..................................... MCD 411
Subject Title                                                                            Author page                      CHRISTIANS
ABORTION                                                                                                                     Wise Builder, The ......................................... CH 195
     State Supreme Court Holds Kilhng                                                                                     CHRISTMAS
            of a Fetus is Murder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JL              87           Against Dordt's Observance of Christmas . PT 298
ADOLESCENCE                                                                                                                  Holy Family, The ......................................... DJE 125
     Asserting Independence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WGB                              93           Observance of Christmas ...............................RJ 127
     Communicating with Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WGB 109                                                   ShaB the Churches Observe Christmas? ..... RS 272
ADVENT                                                                                                                    CHURCH
     No Room For Him . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HH 134                    True and False Churches, The.................... BW 323
AMILLENNIALISM                                                                                                            CHURCH HISTORY
     Defense of (Reformed) AmiBenniaIism . . . ..DJE 317                                                                      Alexander Henderson: Covenanter ....... HCH 353
     Defense of (Reformed) AmiBenniaIism  -                                                                                  Andrew Melville: Father of
            Revelation 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE 341                F'resbyterianism ................................. HCH 300
     Defense of (Reformed) AmiIIenniaIism,                                                                                   Franciscus `Gomarus: Stubborn Champion
            Apostasy and Persecution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE , 365                                             of God's Glory ................................... HCH 179
     Defense of (Reformed) AmiBenniaIism,                                                                                    Franc&us Gomarus: Stubborn Champion
            Matthew 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE 389             of God's Glory (2) .............................. HCH 226

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Subject Title                                                                           Author page                      Subject Title                                                                               Author page
CHURCH HISTORY (cont.)                                                                                                   CREATION
    Guido de Bres: Author of the                                                                                             Last Four Days of Creation-Week:
            Belgic Confession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H C H   7 9                               Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH     19
    John Bunyan: Author of                                                                                                   Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The . . HCH 104
           Pilgrim's Progress . . . ..*..........*..*.*.......... HCH 474                                                    Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The . . HCH 164
    Samuel Rutherford: Westminster                                                                                           Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The . . HCH 181
           Divine (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH 369        Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The . . HCH 211
    Samuel Rutherford: Westminster                                                                                           Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The . . HCH 308
           Divine (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH 421        Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The . . HCH 355
    Story of Two Margarets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH 444                                     Last Four Days of Creation-Week, The . . HCH 428
    William the Silent: Father of the                                                                                    CULTS
           Netherlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH 106               Is Word-Faith CuItic?. ,............................... RDD 128
CHURCH ORDER, 43                                                                                                         DEACONS
    Censure at Major Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLC                                       17           Deacons and the State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NK 490
CHURCH ORDER, 44                                                                                                             Office of Deacon: Its Function .* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GS 346
    Church Visitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLC 90                   Office of Mercy - Its Basis, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GS 131
CHURCH ORDER, 45                                                                                                             State Aid and the Work of the Deacons . . . . . GS 501
    Minutes and Archives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLC 161                           DEATH
CHURCH ORDER, 46                                                                                                             Is It Morally  Justifiable to Terminate Ordinary
    Instructions to the Major Assemblies . . . . . . . RLC                                                    188                    Medical Treatment for Dying Persons? . JL 452
CHURCH ORDER, 47,48                                                                                                      DeBRES,  GUIDO
    Particular Synods and Delegates                                                                                          Guido de Bres: Author of the
           Ad Examina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLC 235                    Belgic Confession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH                 79
CHURCH ORDER, 50                                                                                                         DOCTORS
    General Synod, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLC 330                         Apocrypha on Doctors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PPA                      55
CHURCH ORDER, 51                                                                                                         DOMESTIC MISSIONS
   Denominational Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLC 416                                        Domestic Mission Committee Report . . . . . . . . DD                                                        395
CHURCH ORDER, 52                                                                                                         DUTCH CHURCHES
    Question of Language, A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLC 467                                     Together on the Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD 350
CHURCH ORDER, 53,54                                                                                                      EASTER
    Subscription of Officebearers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLC 517                                              Christ is Risen!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RGM 339
CHURCH VISITATION                                                                                                        EDUCATION
    Church Visitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLC 90                  Christian Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                 483
COMMON GRACE                                                                                                             ELDERS
   Common Grace and Difficult Texts . . . . . . . . KDA                                                      319            Elder: To Aid and Assist, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EG 472
CONFERENCES                                                                                                                 Office of Elder - An Overview, The . . . . . . . . o EG                                                      84
   Third'Bienniel  Conference of the                                                                                         Office of Elder - His Qualifications, The . . EG 283
           British Reformed Fellowship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BO                                       10       ELECTION
   Trinity PRC Hosts Reformed                                                                                               Election and the Covenant Promise . . . . . . . . . . . BW 441
           Evangelism Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BH 391                                     Making Our CaIhng and Election Sure . . . . . JAH                                                             3
CONFESSION                                                                                                               ESCHATOLOGY
   Public Confession of Sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HVV                             8         Beast from the Sea, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE 379
CONVOCATION ADDRESS                                                                                                         Coming of Antichrist, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE 208
   Our Church-Governed Seminary . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH                                                     56          Worldwide Preaching of the Gospel, The . D JE 114
COVENANT                                                                                                                 EVANGELICALS and CATHOLICS
   Covenant Promise, The . . . . . . ..***.................... BW 350                                                       Further on Evangelicals  and
   Covenant Promise, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BW 493                                        Catholics Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADH 185
   Election and the Covenant Promise . . . . . . . . . . . BW 441                                                           Irenic Debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..a.......... RDD            67
CRC                                                                                                                         Is There a Basis for Unity Between
   House Divided, A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,RDD  3 4 9                          Roman Catholics and Evangelicals?  ADH 158
CRC SYNOD                                                                                                                   Why I Signed It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD    321
   CRC Synod 1995: Significant                                                                                           EXEMPLARY LIVING
           Decisions, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD  463                Appearance of  Evil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DLB 343
   Take It - or Leave It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :...RDD 512                           FAITH
                                                                                                                            Weak and Strong Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADH                          15
                                                                                                                            Weak and Strong Faith (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADH 112

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Subject Title                                                                                                      Author page           Subject Title                                                                                     Author page
FAITH (cont.)                                                                                                                            LITURGICAL RENEWAL
      Weak and Strong Faith (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADH 205                                                        Reformed Worship Vs. Liturgical
FAMILY                                                                                                                                                "Renewal" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ...* . . . . . . . . .DJE            29
      Maker and Breaker of a Family's Peace . . ADH 371                                                                                  LITURGY, J. CALVIN
FLOOD                                                                                                                                        Calvin's Liturgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .RDD                    36
      Pulling the Plug on the Flood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE 509                                                    LORD'S DAY
FOREIGN MISSIONS                                                                                                                             Lord's Day, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .GVB                   43
      Sending the Reformed Truth to the                                                                                                  LOVE C9F GOD
                 Ends of the Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RJD  3 9 4                              Electing Love of God, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NV 128
      Ghana Re-Visited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ..s... RGM 280                                   MARGARET
FREEDOM, RELIGIOUS                                                                                                                           Story of Two Margarets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH 444
      Religious Freedom for Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JL 330                                                             MELVILLE, ANDREW
      Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)                                                                                               Andrew Melville: Father of
                 Gains Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ..-.JL 329                               Presbyterianism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH 300
GHANA                                                                                                                                    MINISTERS
      Ghana Re-Visited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RGM 280                                   Judging Ministers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DJE 461
GOMARUS, FRANCISCUS                                                                                                                          Judging Ministers (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE 488
      Franciscus Gomarus: Stubborn Champion                                                                                              MINISTRY
                 of God's Glory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH                         179        Able and Faithful Ministry, An . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SM                                                  61
      Franciscus Gomarus: Stubborn Champion                                                                                              MISSIONS
                 of God's Glory (2) ..e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH 226                                        Cross-Cultural Missions  -
GRACE OF GOD                                                                                                                                          Its Biblical Basis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RVO                      82
      Stewards of God's Manifold Grace . . . . . . . . . . . . CH 363                                                                        Denominational Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLC                                       416
GRIEF                                                                                                                                       Domestic Mission Committee Report . . . . . . . DD 395
      Grieve Not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RVO 136                 Ghana Re-Visited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RGM 280
HAND                                                                                                                                         Gospel in Southeast Asia (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JLK 229
      Hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D    204        Gospel in Southeast Asia (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JLK 465
HEIDELBERG CATECHISM                                                                                                                         Gospel in Southeast Asia  (3), The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JLK 496
      Good Practice of Two Services, One Given to                                                                                            Our Work in the San Luis Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TM 400
Catechism Preaching The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D H K   3 7                                              Sending the Reformed Truth to the
      Sum of Christian Doctrine, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LH                                                     297                 Ends of the Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .W 394
HENDERSON, ALEXANDER                                                                                                                     MUSIC
      Alexander Henderson: Covenanter . . . . . . . HCH 353                                                                                  Music in the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DJE 374
HOMOSEXUALS                                                                                                                                  Music in the Church (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DJE 418
      Specialized Ministry to Gay and Lesbian                                                                                            NAPARC
                 Support Group . . . . . . . . . . . . s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD 129                              North American Presbyterian and
HOPE                                                                                                                                                  Reformed Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD 153
      Hope of the Saints, A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE                               149    NATIONS
      Jewish Dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .DJE 173                        Nations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DHK 348
      Purifying Ourselves in Hope . . . . . . . . . . e . . . . . . . . 00 JAH                                                    387    NEW ZEALAND
HUMILITY                                                                                                                                     Protestant Reformed Church of New Zealand  -
      Grace to the Humble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  D . . . . . HH 267                                               Ten Years Old . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RGM 402
INDEPENDENT CHURCHES                                                                                                                     NORTHERN IRELAND
      Leakage or Hemorrhage?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD 322                                                   Two Years in Northern Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RHH 200
      Two Congregations Split in NW Iowa . . . . . RDD 104                                                                               OATH
INHERITANCE                                                                                                                                 Oath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DHK 224
      Inheritance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DHK 491                OPC
JESUS SEMINAR                                                                                                                               Orthodox Presbyterian Church Also
      If Not . . . Our Preaching and Faith                                                                                                            Disturbed by CRC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD 493
                 Are Vain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD         404    PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS
LAUGHTER                                                                                                                                    Parochial Schools Now Subject to Age
      Holy Laughter or the Toronto Blessing . . . RDD 102                                                                                             Discrimination Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .JL                        86
LEPROSY                                                                                                                                  PCA
      Cleansed As the Leper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RGM 171                                               Concerned Presbyterians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD 225
LIFE EVERLASTING
      Pilgrim's Goal, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HH                          147

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Subject Title                                                                             Author page                     Subject Title                                                                                  Author page
PERSECUTION                                                                                                               REPORTS, CLASSIS EAST
    Defense of (Reformed) Amillennialism,                                                                                     Report of Classis East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*............. JJH 46
             Apostasy and Persecution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D JE 365                                          Report of Classis East . . . . . . . . . . . . ..o...*................ JJH 238
POSTMILLENNIALISM                                                                                                             Report of Classis East . . . . . . . . ..*.a.*.................... JJH 454
    Another Letter and Response on                                                                                        REPORTS, CLASSIS  WEST
            "Jewish Dreams". . . . . . . . ..*....................... DJE 293                                                 Report of Classis West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..e.......... SRK 22
    Letter and Response on  fl Jewish Dreams" DJE 269                                                                         Report of Classis West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SRK  3 3 4
PRAYER                                                                                                                    RESOLUTIONS
    Thoughts on Prayer . . ..*....*.................*......... GO 277                                                         Reformed Family: Resolved, The . . . . . . . . . . . . MBL 163
PRC, INTERVIEW                                                                                                            RESURRECTION SUNDAY
    PRC Featured in a Dutch Daily                                                                                             Christ is Risen!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*................. RGM 339
            Newspaper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE 77        RFPA, ANNUAL MEETING ADDRESS
    PRC Featured in a Dutch Daily                                                                                             Our Heritage and the Standard Bearer . . . . ..~. CH                                                                63
            Newspaper (2) . . . . . . . . . . . ..*..............*..*...... DJE 101                                       RFPA, ANNUAL MEETING REPORT
PRE-SYNODICAL SERMON                                                                                                          Secretary's Report to the RFPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TB                                           65
    Submitting One to Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RVO 435                                         RFRA
PREACHING                                                                                                                     Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)
    Preaching in Reformed Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLC                                                 34                   Gains Visibility ..*......................................JL 329
   Worldwide Preaching of the                                                                                             RUTHERFORD, SAMUEL
            Gospel, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE 114         Samuel Rutherford: Westminster
PREDESTINATION                                                                                                                         Divine (I) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH 369
   Be Not Highminded but Fear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADH 425                                                     Samuel Rutherford: Westminster
    Sovereign God of Predestination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CJT 470                                                            Divine (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH 421
PRIDE                                                                                                                     SACRIFICES
    Grace to the Humble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HI-I  2 6 7                     Sacrifices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DHK 303
PROMISE                                                                                                                   SALVATION
    Covenant Promise, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BW 350                               Entering Into and Enjoying Salvation . . . . . . . JAH 219
   Covenant Promise, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..a... BW 493                                  SAN LUIS VALLEY MISSION
   Election and the Covenant Promise . . . . . . . . . . . BW 441                                                            Our Work in the San Luis Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TM                                                  400
PROPHECY                                                                                                                  SECOND COMING
    Augustine Against Date-Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BS                                       78         That Blessed Promise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JAH 315
   False Prophecies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HD  3 6 7       SEMINARY
   Grammatical-Historical-Spiritual                                                                                          Experiential Preparation for the Minister . . DJE                                                                    53
       E x e g e s i s ..*.**.........................**.**........... DSC 151                                               Letter from Seminary . . . . . ..*.......................... DJE 275
PROPHECY, FALSE                                                                                                              News from Seminary Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE 60
   Lessons from the Recent False Prophecy                                                                                    News from the Seminary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE 406
            of the Date of the End of the World . . . DJE                                                           6        Our Church-Governed Seminary. . . . . . . . . . . . HCH                                                             56
PSALM-SINGING                                                                                                             SINGAPORE
   Music in the Church o...............................;..DJE 374                                                            Return Visit to a Beloved Church in
   Music in the Church (2) q.............................DTE 418                                                                      Singapore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADH 304
   Worship the Lord in Psalms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH                                        40       SINGLE LIFE
PSALTER                                                                                                                      Living the Single Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WGB 446
   PCA Publishes  Psalter ..*............,*.*............. RDD 153                                                        SISTER CHURCH
RACISM                                                                                                                       Protestant Reformed Church of New Zealand  -
   Southern Baptists Condemn Slavery                                                                                                  Ten Years Old . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RGM 402
            and Racism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .RDD 512         SLAVERY
RCA                                                                                                                          Southern Baptists Condemn Slavery
   RCA Says, "Not Yet," The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD                                464                    and Racism . . . . . . ..*...a..............*.............. RDD 512
RECONCILIATION                                                                                                            SOUTHEAST ASIA
   Reconciled to God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...*.. CH 291                         Gospel in Southeast Asia  (l), The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JLK 229
REFORMED EVANGELICAL CONFERENCE                                                                                              Gospel in Southeast Asia (2), The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JLK                                                465
   Trinity PRC Hosts Reformed Evangelism                                                                                     Gospel in Southeast Asia (3), The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JLK 496
           Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BH 391    SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
REMEMBER                                                                                                                     Sovereign God of Predestination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CJT 470
   Remember!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DHK 449      STATE AID
                                                                                                                             State Aid and the Work of the Deacons . . . . . GS 501

                                                                                                                                                                         September 15,1995/Standard  Bearer/527


                                                                                                                                                                                                          SECOND CLASS
                                                                                                                                                                                                          Postage Paid at
                                                                                                                                                                                                          Grandvilie,  Michigan
      P. 0. Box 603
      Grandville,  MI 49468-0603

1:                                                                             ,:                                                    ,,                                                                                          I
 Subject Title                                                                                               Author page                         Subject Title                                                   Author page
 SUBMISSION                                                                                                                                      WORD STUDIES (cont.)
       Submitting One to Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RVO 435                                                                  Oath .......................................................... DHK 224
 SUICIDE                                                                                                                                              Remember! ................................................. DHK 449
       Oregon Voters Adopt Nation's First                                                                                                             Sacrifices .................................................... DHK 303
                 Physician-Assisted Suicide Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . JL                                                         156              With .......................................................... DHK 13
 SYMBOLS                                                                                                                                         WORD-FAITH
       Yin-Yang . ..~..,,....,.......................................WGB 325                                                                          Is Word-Faith Cultic?. ................................ RDD 128
 SYNOD, 1995                                                                                                                                     WORSHIP
       PRC Synod of Hull, 1995 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..a........... DJE 438                                                                   Calvin's Liturgy......................................... RDD             36
       What's Coming Up at the Synod                                                                                                                  Let the Earth Keep Silent ......................... WGB                   31
                 of the PRC? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE             413              Lord's Day, The .......................................... GVB 43
 SYNODS                                                                                                                                               Preaching in Reformed Worship ............... RLC                         34
       CRC Synod 1995: Significant                                                                                                                    Reformation and Family Worship, The...... KK 139
                 Decisions, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD 463                                     Reformation and Family
       RCUS Synod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD 493                                        Worship (2), The .................................... KK  1 7 7
       Repent and Rescind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD 492                                               Reformed Worship Vs. Liturgical
       Synod of the Reformed Churches in                                                                                                                     "Renewal" ............................................. DJE 29
                 Australia, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD 68                                    Worship the Lord in Psalms.................... HCH                        40
       Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church                                                                                                      Worshiping Jehovah in the Beauty of
                 in North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD                                      10                Holiness .................................................. JLS    27
 THANKSGIVING
       Reformed Family: Saying Thanks, The . . . MBL                                                                                       88
       Thankful for a Blessed Victory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JAH                                                              75
 TRINITY
       Holy Family, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DJE                        125                                           REMINDER:
 TWO SERVICES                                                                                                                                         College students should let us know what their college ad-
       Good Practice of Two Services, One Given                                                                                                  dresses are so we can send a complimentary copy of the Standard
                 to Catechism Preaching, The . . . . . . . . . . . . DHK                                                              37         Bearer to them for the duration of their year away from home in
WlLLIAM  the SILENT                                                                                                                              college.
       William the Silent: Father of the
                 Netherlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HCH 106                                                                 NOTICE!
WITH                                                                                                                                                  The issue of September 15 is the last in Volume 71. Bound
       With . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DHK          13    volumes will be made available for $16.00  (+ postage) each. Or, if
WOMEN IN OFFICE                                                                                                                                  you bring or send to the  SB  business office soon your own loose
       Classis in Disobedience, A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD                                                       9    issues for binding, you can obtain the bound volume for just $9.00.
       Classis Still in Disobedience, A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD 103                                                                  (The latter service can be provided if we have your copies by
       Women Serving as Pastor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RDD                                                  67         October  15.)
       Women in Church Office . . . Again . . . . . . . :... RDD 405
WOMEN OF THE CHURCH                                                                                                                                                                 NOTICE!!
       Special Sermon for the Young Women                                                                                                                                   Annual RFPA Meeting
                 of the Church (1), A . ..*....................... ADH 498                                                                                             September 28,  1995,8:00   P.M.
       Special Sermon for the Young Women                                                                                                                             Hope PR Church (Grand Rapids)
                 of the Church (2), A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADH 513                                                   Men, women, young people, families - you are all cordially
WORD STUDIES                                                                                                                                     invited to attend this meeting, the main attraction of which will be
       Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DHK 469            a speech by Rev. Cammenga on "The Standard Bearer - In De-
       Hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DHK 204            fense of the Faith."
       Inheritance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DHK 491                           Three new board members will be elected from a nomination
       Nations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DHK 348               consisting of Rod Brunsting, Vern Casemier, Leon Kamps, Sr.,
                                                                                                                                                 Jeff Kalsbeek, Rog King, and Bill Oomkes.

528lStandard  Bearer /September 15,1995


