Vol 25 Issue 20

Report of Classis East Convened, July 6, at Grand Rapids, Mich. The July session of Classis East was opened with the singing of Psalter No. 165. Rev. R. Veldman, the president of the last Classis reads Psalm 25 and leads in prayer. The credentials are read and accepted. Classis declared constituted. According to rotation, Rev. G. Vos presides. Rev. H. De Wolf functions as stated clerk in the absence of Mr. D. Jonker.

*Translated from the Holland brochure: Appel! This is the title of a brochure which we received from the Netherlands and which has been sent to many others in the U. S. The form letter which accompanied the booklet explains what it is and its purpose. This letter reads, in part, as follows: “In the name of the Board of Netherlands Federation of Young People’s Societies and the Federation of Young Women’s Societies, we have sent these few copies of the brochure ‘Appeal’.

The special office in the church is the highest position that any person can possibly hold in this world. In distinction from the minister, or teaching elder, the ruling elder is overseer over the flock as ambassador of Jesus Christ. Therefore Scripture uses the term bishop, which means overseer. He must comfort the weary, admonish the wayward, and drive away the wolves that appear in sheep’s clothing. He must see to it that the flock is well fed in the green pastures of the Word, having oversight over the preaching to preserve it in all its purity.

Prof. Holwerda is the incumbent of the chair of Church Polity in the seminary of the Liberated Churches. In Canada dwells a certain immigrant who came to these shores about a year and a half ago and settled in Chatham, where we have a mission station. Though this immigrant attends our meetings for public worship, he was at a loss to know whether to affiliate with us or join the Christian Reformed Church in Chatham. He wrote Prof. Holwerda for advice. The professor gave advice. His letter to the immigrant found its way into my hands.

Rev. Petter, it will be recalled, told his readers that our Reformed fathers taught that there are conditions in the covenant. Here are your words brother, “The Reformed fathers also were not adverse to speaking of conditions in the plan of salvation. And if we may trust the statement of scholars about such historical data, then both Ursinius and Olevianus, the authors of our Heidelberg Catechism, maintain the terms conditional promise.

Idea of Mercy in Holy Writ

God’s children in the midst of the world face many more temptations than those of yesteryear, and these temptations are becoming increasingly subtle and dangerous. As the world develops in every phase of its life and as all creation’s potentialities are discovered and developed and placed in the service of sin and corruption, the means wherewith to sin and the forms wherein sin manifests itself become more and more numerous and treacherous. For the child of God the world is making itself more difficult than ever before.

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:5, 6 Paul has introduced himself to the saints that are at Ephesus: he is an apostle of the Lamb, by the will of God. We do well, to listen to this man, for God is speaking through him.