Vol 21 Issue 13

The Rev. P. De Boer conducted the usual opening exercises. It appeared from the credentials that all the churches were represented. Rev. L. Doezema takes the chair as president of the day, and Rev. P. De Boer serves as secretary. The president extends a word of welcome particularly the two new ministers now serving in Classis West, Rev. C. Hanko and Rev. L .Vermeer, and also to the deputies ad examina, the Reverends B. Kok, A. Petter, and M. Schipper. The church visitors for the middle West present their report, informing the Classis that love and unity prevail in the...

Dear Editor: At the day of my redemption as I stood justified before God in Grace through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; for so great a salvation I asked, “Lord, what wilt thou have me do”. And the voice in the vision replied, “Go fight the evil in labor, for what they do in labor, they do unto Me”. I answered, I have not the education nor ability to do so great a thing. The voice replied, “I will be with you alway”. Since that day I have sought to carry out the commission and have trusted the covenant....

Pacifism, from the Latin pax (peace) and ficus (to make), an “ism” which has asserted itself more and more since the turn of the century, is the doctrine that opposes war as inherently wrong, works for peace between the nations, and in many cases, with or without reservations, advocates the refusal on the part of the individual to actively participate in any given conflict between one’s own country and another. I say “in many cases”, because there is a form of pacifism that would not subscribe to the last part of the above definition and does not advocate the right...

If we are to arrive at the correct conception of the above Word of God, we will have to read it, not only in the light of the text in which it occurs but also in the light of the whole passage. Scripture is always its own interpreter. We must let it speak also in this connection. The whole passage in this connection is contained in the verses 13 to 20, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: Who is, the image of the invisible God, the...

Whereas the Passion Trilogy of Dr. Schilder has had and still enjoys wide publicity, we need not dwell at length to acquaint the readers with its nature and content. A few remarks will suffice. In it the author considers and contemplates the suffering of Christ’s death in its threefold stages. Volume I treats of Christ’s entering into His suffering and brings the discussion up to Christ’s being taken captive in Gethsemane; in Volume II the author considers Christ’s passing through His suffering. This volume brings the discussion up to His being condemned by Pilate to be crucified; and, finally, Volume...

In this essay, we analyze the reactions of the Philistines to Samson’s attacks upon them, and with them the responses of Samson’s own brethren. The import of these reactions and responses can be grasped only in the light of the following considerations. Samson, as was said, was wonderfully strong, physically; but no statement occurs indicating that he was big and course, a man of giant stature. There is every reason to believe that he was a man of ordinary build. This explains the inability of his enemies to know his strength. It could not be explained on the ground that...

The early Church, after a long period of controversy about the truth concerning the incarnated Word, finally expressed the faith of the orthodox believers in the Symbol of Chalcedon, in the year 451, as follows: “We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body; consubstantial with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the manhood; in all things like unto...

The South Holland Men’s Society asked for an explanation of Ps. 37:25. We read there: “I have been young, and now I am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” I suppose that the Men’s Society of South Holland had really no difficulty to understand the meaning of these words as such. They are very plain. They simply state that the poet in his days (and he had lived long) had never seen the righteous begging bread. And these words need no interpretation. The difficulty in the South Holland Men’s Society must have...

The Roosevelt Park Men’s Society sent me the following communication: “Esteemed Editor: “The English Men’s Society of the Roosevelt Park Protestant Reformed Church has experienced considerable difficulty in arriving at a satisfactory interpretation of the latter part of II Cor. 12:16, namely: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.’ “They would very much appreciate reading your interpretation of this, portion of Scripture as soon as you can conveniently do so. Respectfully yours, The Roosevelt Park Men’s Society. Geo, Ten Elshof, Sec’y.” Answer In the light of the context, it would appear evident that the apostle is defending himself against...

The second main point of the “Complaint” against Dr. Clark concerns, in the words of the complainants, “his view of the relation of the faculty of knowledge, the intellectual faculty, to other faculties of the soul.” I have reread the material the complainants offer on this point, and also its refutation in “The Answer.” I think that the points of difference between Dr. Clark and his accusers may, in the main, be summarized as follows: 1. The complainants hold to the trichotomous division or distinction of the human soul into its faculties, and apply this also to God. In the...