Prof. H.C. Hoeksema Editor, The Standard Bearer 

Esteemed Brother in Christ: 

After I lived almost 40 years in the Netherlands, excuse me when my writing is a mixture of Dutch and English (I have taken the liberty of translating the Dutch expressions, HCH). You wrote in the last Standard Bearer that comments are welcome on the article of Prof. Meeter. 

I had the privilege that my parents had the financial means to send me to college; that gives one a broader view of life. For the average people Prof. Meeter’s article is too “high.” The average American is not interested in reading. Moreover, this article breathes a different spirit than the Standard Bearer does. As far as I am acquainted with the different spirits in America, the Standard Bearer is the only magazine that defends “the faith once delivered to the saints.” Prof. Meeter points out the urgency of Christian literature, but as far as I can understand it, he failed to show the possibility. Towards the end of his article he mentions Christian teaches and writers. And then I have a question. What about it, if there are almost no Christian teachers and writers left? I don’t know if Prof. Meeter will call this a silly question. I shall try very briefly to defend my question. In Luke 12:56 Christ tells us to discern the signs of the times. And I am convinced that the times in which we live are characterized by this: “upon us are the ends of the ages come.” This is to be proved by many instances from the Bible. I will mention only one. The white horse of Revelation 6 has almost finished his course. For instance, Western Europe, once the cradle of Christianity, is falling bat into “modern heathendom.” In the Netherlands there is apostasy like the swift running down of waters: Hepp—Berkouwer—Kuitert. 

Gog and Magog are coming up from the four corners of the earth. I know that the Lord figures with other dimensions than we small earthly creatures. Look at the so-called church world in this country. And then I read my Bible again: II Thess. 2:3; II Timothy 3:1-5; I Cor. 10:7. Look at the development of science. 

We have the privilege (?) to live in the “Calvinistic” Zeeland area. We have 5 daughters; and the oldest one (21 years old) said to me, “Are there any Christian boys left?” Where, today, are the Enochs, Jude 1:14, 15. I know it, the Dutch says it so beautifully: 

Gods verborgen omgang vinden 

Zielen, daar Zijn vrees in woont; 

‘t Heilgeheim wordt aan Zijn vrinden, 

Naar Zijn vreeverbond getoond. 

(A Dutch versification of Psalm 25:14, “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant.”) 

The Protestant Reformed pulpit is almost the only place where is preached yet “the faith once delivered to the saints.” The Protestant Reformed Seminary is almost a reproach to the so-called church world. I always maintain that, spiritually speaking, by the grace of God the teachers in our Prot. Ref. Seminary are higher than any church leaders from their shoulders and upward. 

Election is the heart of the Reformed doctrine. The Lord brought us back to the place where we hear not only the message of the gospel (Berkouwer), but much more the revelation of God in Christ, that Scripture is the written record of the Word of God, not the Word of God in its total conception. 

In conclusion, I don’t know if Prof. Meeter will endorse this all. I enjoy the Standard Bearer; but Prof. Meeter’s article brings back to me memories from the old country. I always maintain that the church is only as strong as their homes are. I always pray that Jehovah will bless our feeble efforts to instruct our children in the aforesaid doctrine. The Bible is an endless source. History always repeats itself. That Word of God was already foolishness for the Greek, and is today still a stumbling block for many in the so-called church world. 

And it is my prayer and I hope the prayer of many that the teachers of the Prot. Ref. Seminary can write what Paul wrote to Timothy in I Tim. 1:12-14. Then you will hear the Word of the Lord, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” 

With Christian greetings, 

Herman Woltjer