All Articles For Veldman, Herman

According to Webster, an intermarriage is a marriage between two families, nations, or tribes—hence, strictly speaking, any marriage may be called an intermarriage. However, this is surely not the implication of the subject as assigned to me in this essay. The current usage of the term emphasizes the latter part of the definition—“between two nations or tribes.” Intermarriages, then, refer specifically to “mixed” marriages, whereby persons or families of different faiths are united in the bond of matrimony. Intermarriages are a common phenomenon. This is surely true in the midst of the world. There one discovers no regard for the...

When we speak of science as contrary to faith, we would not leave the impression that they exclude one another, that there is an essential distinction between the two. This is emphatically untrue. To the contrary, true science and faith embrace one another, so that the one is possible only through the other. We speak of science vs. faith only because this is a common conception today. A believer and a scientist are regarded as opposites. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the scientists of today can hardly be considered believers. Faith, then, is the acceptance of that...

Marxian Socialism Karl Marx was a well-educated German, the son of Jewish parents who had become Christians. He was exiled from Germany for revolutionary opinions while a young man and lived almost all his later life in London. It is interesting that almost the only paying job he ever had was writing articles about European politics for the New York Tribune. The socialistic philosophy of Karl Marx may be characterized as historical materialism. All history was viewed by him materialistically. And history to him is the class-struggle which will culminate in a class-less world, when communism will be supreme. In...

My subject presupposes that this particular divorced party is innocent. The extent or degree of his (or her) innocence need not be discussed. Neither does this article purpose to answer the question whether one may seek and obtain a divorce. Some, we know, are of the opinion that a divorce is never permissible. They believe that what God hath joined together man may not and cannot put asunder. Death only can make separation. Only then, when God Himself breaks the bond, is remarriage permissible. Of course, this also applies to the “Innocent Divorced Party”. He (or she) may certainly remarry...

It is generally agreed in orthodox church circles today that the present “global-war” must be viewed as a judgment of God upon the earth. To be sure, another explanation is offered of this conflict. It is said that we are fighting for the most precious heritage which man can possibly enjoy, namely, the right and liberty for each man to live his own life,. And we are fighting for this invaluable possession over against the forces of barbarism and cruelty. This explanation would explain the present world-wide conflict solely from the viewpoint of man. However, it is generally acknowledged, particularly...

It may be considered a strange, yet wholly natural phenomenon that the desire to christianize education in the public schools is generally found among those who are lax in their support of Christian instruction. Parents, who are remiss in the fulfillment of their covenant pledge, “to instruct and help instruct this child in the doctrine of this Christian church”, are usually enthusiastic when confronted with the question whether the Bible should be introduced into the schools of our land. On the other hand, the true and ardent supporters of our Christian schools are apt to look askance at this movement...

Federal solidarity and personal responsibility are Scriptural conceptions. The first term refers to the oneness of the human race. The word “federal” signifies a league or contract, derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, particularly between states or nations. Theologically this word refers to the covenant idea as pertaining to the human race with Adam as its head. “Solidarity” refers to a solidarity of interests, a communion of interests. Hence, “federal solidarity” is the conception which refers to that which all mankind has in common because of the covenant relation in which Adam stood to the entire human race....

We believe in a personal God. We consider this to be a fundamental tenet of our faith, so fundamental, in fact, that it is basic for all religious life. It is impossible to deny this truth and continue to maintain any exercise of true religion. Whosoever denies that God is personal denies God. And, inseparably connected with this denial, inexorably following from it, he has denied the essence and the possibility of prayer, the reality of sin and guilt, the moral responsibility of man. This is evident in the modern world which is guilty of exactly this abominable heresy. The...

NOTE:—This article is a speech which the undersigned delivered at a school meeting of our Protestant Reformed School movement in Grand Rapids on Jan. 20, 1944. It is possible, as I address you tonight, that my subject is somewhat beside the point. I am now a stranger in Jerusalem, particularly since the untimely death of our Church News. It is possible that you are not delaying at all. If so, my subject for tonight’s talk is wholly beside the point. However, it is my opinion that my subject tonight is timely. This child, that of our own school movement, is...

The “Half-Way Covenant” was an expedient adopt­ed by New England churches in the seventeenth cen­tury to allow baptized persons of moral conduct and orthodox belief to have their children baptized but forbidding them the right to partake of the Lord’s Supper. It has been the rule to baptize those infants one of whose parents was a church member. When such baptized persons grew up and married but failed to join the Church, the question arose whether their children should be baptized. This question whether such as were church members by birth only were en­titled to have their children baptized was...