Vol 20 Issue 20

This classis met in regular session Wednesday, July 12, at the Fuller Ave. Church in Grand Rapids. Rev. L. Ver­meer called the meeting to order, led the devotionals, received the credentials and declared the meeting constituted. Rev. J. De Jong now presides and Rev. L. Vermeer takes down the min­utes. The Formula of Subscription is signed by those who are present at the classis for the first time. The report of the Classical Committee in re the dissolution of Byron Center was read and received for information. The report showed that various matters had been taken care of: namely, the...

(Cont. from the last issue of the S.B.) Again in Question 23, Article 3, reply objection 1, Summa Theological, we read: “God loves all creatures and all men, inasmuch as He wishes them all some good; but He does not wish every good to them all. So far, therefore, as He does not wish this particular good—namely, eternal life—He is said to hate or reprobate them.” In support of both the first, and second contentions we read in Article 7 of Question 23, Summa Theol. I: “Reply obj. 3. The good that is proportionate to the common state of nature...

NEGATIVE: RESOLVED:That Discipline of Members that Belong to Worldly Organization’s should be Left to the Ministry of the Word. When the undersigned is requested to refute the proposition that the discipline of members belonging to worldly organizations should be left to the ministry of the Word, and, by implication, maintain that Christian discipline must be applied to these members, it is, of course, not his task to prove the necessity of Christian discipline. This is established among us, according to Scripture and Confession. If in many churches the exercise of Christian discipline is sadly neglected or even mockingly ignored we...

AFFIRMATIVE: RESOLVED: That Discipline of Members that Belong to Worldly Organizations should be Left to the Ministry of the Word. The undersigned feels constrained to make a few preliminary remarks before writing affirmatively concerning the above proposal. First of all let it be stated that he does not believe that the discipline of those that belong to worldly organizations should be left to the ministry of the Word. In fact, he does not consider a debate on this subject advisable, with the membership in worldly organizations by church members as prevalent as it is at present, without first emphasizing that he...

In this article we engage in a character study. And this study will result in our affirming anew God’s appraisal of the natural man and of the flesh of the believers—the appraisal to the effect that this man and this flesh is carnal and in: its carnality is thoroughly proud, vain, selfish, self-seeking, a deceiver and a false pretender to virtue and piety. The subjects of our study are the Ephraimites and the Succothites, the reaction of the former to the mighty achievements of Gideon’s faith, and the response of the latter to Gideon’s petition that they feed his hungry...

Dear Editor, I owe you an answer to the questions, put to the C.L.A. in one of your editorials in the May 15 issue of the Standard Bearer. It is unfortunate that there seems to be so much misunderstanding still about this strike question. I believe that much of it is due to the fact that what we say or write is too often misconstrued. Even you, Mr. Editor, seem to have drawn a wrong conclusion: when you wrote: “Mr. Gritter defends the position that a Christian not only may, but is called to create better and more just social...

The strike, as a refusal to work at a job which we still consider ours, and for one whom we still recognize as our employer, is rebellion against proper authority. But it also obstructs, in fact, makes impossible the manifestation of true righteousness and justice, i.e. the justice and righteousness of God. The very opposite is frequently stated as an argument in favor of the strike. The strikers claim to have a just and righteous cause. The laborer is oppressed. His wages are held to a minimum. Working conditions are bad. He is compelled to work long hours. And when...

* Speech delivered by transcription on the Field Day, July 4, ‘44. Twenty years ago today the Christian Reformed Church, convened in synodical gathering in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was travailing in the pangs of birth, about to be delivered of a doctrinal child. She labored hard, and even though some ten days before mother had been taken to the hospital, and a consultation of expert doctors and professors had been held, that had given detailed advice just how this particular case should be treated, when finally mother was brought to the synodical delivery room, it seemed as if there were no...