About books.

About forthcoming books published by our own Reformed Free Publishing Association (RFPA).

Two books are to appear before Christmas of this year, God willing.

One is a reprint of Herman Hoeksema’s Believers and Their Seed, now subtitled, Children in the Covenant. This is Hoeksema’s definitive, ground-breaking treatment of the covenant of grace and the place of the children of believers in the covenant. The reprint is an attractive hardcover volume which was newly typeset. It runs a little longer than 200 pages. Included in this reprint edition for the first time is a preface that traces the interesting history of this work by “HH” on the covenant and that analyzes the significance of the doctrine set forth in the book. The book also contains a brief biography of the author.

Since the book is a reprint, it will not automatically be sent to the book club members. They will have to order it. Even though they may have the old edition, they will want this new, enlarged edition.

The other book is new. The title is Ready to Give an Answer: A Catechism of Reformed Distinctives. It contains two, related catechisms that give instruction concerning two important doctrinal controversies in the history of the Protestant Reformed Churches. The first main part consists of the questions and answers by Herman Hoeksema on the controversy of 1924 over the doctrine of common grace. These were first published in the old, red history of the PRC, now out-of-print. The second part consists of questions and answers by Prof. Herman Hanko on the controversy of 1953 over the doctrine of a conditional covenant. A brief introduction establishes the historical and doctrinal setting for the struggles of 1924 and 1953. Also included are the complete text of the “Declaration of Principles” which the PRC adopted in connection with the struggle of 1953, and an index of scriptural and creedal references. This is a very valuable “catechism,” not only for all members of the PRC but also for those outside the PRC who desire to know exactly what the PRC believe concerning particular grace and an unconditional covenant.

Since this is a new publication, all book club members will automatically receive it at a healthy discount.

I encourage our readers to order both of the forthcoming books, using the cards that are found in this issue of the Standard Bearer. Consider giving the books as Christmas presents, as fine a gift as one can give.

Those who are not members of the book club are urged to become members. This gives you the new RFPA publications at a significant discount and helps the RFPA to publish—a worthy consideration.

Yet one more announcement about books. The RFPA plans to publish Herman Hoeksema’s 96 sermons on the book of Romans, from the Martin Swart collection, as a commentary. Therefore, sermons from this series will no longer appear as meditations in the SB. The sermon in this issue is the last. No doubt, the sermons that we have published have whetted the appetite of every reader. Look for the publication of the commentary.

—DJE