Vol 23 Issue 13

Report of Classis West – Convened March 5, 1947 at Rock Valley, Iowa Classis West convened at Rock Valley, Iowa, on March 5, 1947. The meeting was opened with the usual devotions, conducted by the Rev. P. Vis. All the churches of the Classis were represented by their respective delegates. A word of welcome was extended to Rev. J. Howerzyl, representing Oskaloosa for the first time at our Classis, as also two other delegates who attended our Classis for the first time. They were given an opportunity to sign the formula of subscription. After the meeting was declared constituted, Rev....

Commendation. . . . We wish to begin our column in a slightly different manner this time. Under the caption above we will quote several comments and add a few personal remarks at the close. The statements quoted are certainly worthy of repetition as they contain valuable lessons for us all, as well as an encouraging and heartening note of truth. The first is written by a Mr. Henry Sikkema, in the department, “Voices in the Church” of the Banner of Feb. 28. Most of our readers are aware of the fact that Mr. Sikkema took issue with the Rev....

The Lord willing, the undersigned will be the contributor to this rubric for the next six months. May the little that is here contributed be of blessing to both writer and readers. The rich treasure of God’s Gospel is contained in an earthen vessel and not the least in this column. Of this truth the writer is painfully aware. Still, it is exactly in this acknowledgement that there is also a great measure of comfort. Now the exceeding greatness of the power may be and is not of us but of God. And no labor spent is vain in the...

In His fear. That excludes no part of life. We know that God is ONE and we have ONE Lord, therefore the life of the saint must also be ONE in fearing and serving God, not only here and there, now and then, but everywhere, always. That includes also what we call social life, our life in the married state, labor, industry, business, economics, politics, etc. We intend to apply this idea of the fear of God to this aspect of life, and thus attempt to bring to the surface somewhat the Sociology of Scripture. Social Gospel? Is that what...

Saul having been publicly chosen by the lot, Samuel, so the sacred writer continues, ‘‘told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord”. (I Sam. 10:24). What Samuel told the people is not revealed. The notice therefore raises a question in connection with the divine command to Samuel (I Sam. 8:9) to the effect that he witness against the people on account of their request that a king be set over them—witness against them by showing “the manner of the king that shall reign over them”, manner of...

As was stated, also Dr. Ridderbos of the Synodicals, takes the stand that, according to the Church Order, Classis (Synod) rightfully deposes officebearers. But the doctor is certainly mistaken. The Church Order does not vest the Classis (Synod) with the right to depose officebearers. It confers this right only upon the Consistory. This is the discovery of every one, who, as interpreter of the Church Order, is willing to allow himself to be bound by the God-created laws of exposition. The doctor’s exegesis of the articles of the Church Order, of the ones that bear directly on the point at...

The next to the last article of the Apostolicum reads: “(I believe) the resurrection of the body,” or, literally, according to the original, “the resurrection of the flesh.” From the place of this article in the whole of the Confession, it is quite evident that the resurrection unto life is meant. For it is the same Church, the same believer, that professed his faith in God Almighty, the Creator, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord, Who assumed our flesh from the Virgin; Who died and was raised again from the dead, and Who is exalted at...

The following is a clipping from the Christian Labor Herald: The contract with the Hekman Biscuit Company will be renewed on March 15, 1947. Negotiations began already in January when an additional wage increase was sought by the unions involved, United Truckers and Warehousemen, C.L.A., and United Bakery Workers, C.L.A. A wage increase retroactive to January 15, 1947, was agreed upon, which brings wages in the Hekman plant to a level as high as that of any bakery workers in either A.F.L. or C.I.O. bakeries in the nation. Several other changes in the contract were also agreed upon. Foremost among...

I received the following communication on Ladies Aid Sales. I place it, not in order to introduce another discussion on the question in our paper, but because I was foolish enough to put my nose into it. In the issue of Feb. 15 I wrote in connection with a remark made by Mr. G. Ten Elshof in Concordia: “This remark has nothing to do, of course, with the debate about the sales conducted by our Ladies Aid Societies. It is not my purpose to become a party in this debate. Nor is this necessary. The arguments raised against such sales...