Vol 27 Issue 05

Esteemed Editor: For twenty-five years we as churches have labored among those who cast us out. And for twenty-five years we have felt somewhat as the prophet when he said, “All day long have I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people”. And for twenty-five years we have labored among those who differ from us and have done so without so-called indispensable declarations of principles. Not only have we bestowed labor upon them but we have, as it were, plucked out from among them that small kernel which confessed that God is sovereign, gracious only to...

In our previous article we were discussing the question, whether the term “flesh” in the phrase “through the veil, that is, His flesh” could be read as though the text said “His body”. We then remarked that, in our opinion, the two terms are not identical in meaning; that they are not used interchangeably without a distinctive meaning in each. It is, therefore, our conviction that for the proper understanding of the term “flesh” in our text it can aid us a great deal to inquire into the respective usage and meaning of the terms “flesh” and “body” in Holy...

For the past year we have spent a great deal of time among the Holland immigrants in Canada. More particularly our contacts have been with those of the Gereformeerde Kerken (Art. 31), who are more popularly known as the “Liberated”. Our work has taken us from the St. Lawrence River in Eastern Ontario through all the Canadian Provinces to the West Coast. We have met people from every walk and position; farmers, laborers, professional people, married and single, young and old. These have also constituted a cross-section of their brethren in the Netherlands since there were representatives from almost all...

We have begun to call attention to the practical import of the truth that the Son of God gathers His church by His Word and Spirit from the beginning to the end of the world out of the whole human race. And last time we mentioned specifically the practical significance of the truth that this gathering takes place in the line of continued generations. It still remains, therefore, to call attention to the importance for church membership in the fear of the Lord of the truth that the church is a gathering out of the whole human race, and that...

The “Concordia” for Nov. 9 contains Rev. Petter’s third installment of a contemplated series of articles on “The Brief Declaration”. Having read also this article, it occurred to me that Rev. Petter’s choice of title “The Brief Declaration” is a mistake. Rev. Petter is not treating the “Declaration”. His present article is on the idea of “Separation of the church into factions.” His introductory remarks having been made, Rev. Petter goes on to explain what it means that God’s people in this world must seek and strive for unity in order that they may become ever more one. It means,...

  We were busy in our preceding article with a discussion of the Cherubims. We called attention to the fact that the Lord had placed them at the entrance to the garden of Eden, and also that they gaze upon the mercy seat, between whom the Lord established His dwelling. To continue new with the Scriptural references to these heavenly beings, when God descends to the earth, He is described as descending, riding upon the cherubims according to 2 Sam. 22:11, Ps. 18:11, Ps. 104:3, Is. 66:15, Heb. 1:7. We quote 2 Sam. 2:11, Is. 66:15, and Heb. 1:7: “And...

Here follows the translation of this letter: Esteemed Editor: May I also have a little space in the Standard Bearer? I would like very much to write something regarding the things which are discussed among us. As an emigrant, formerly belonging to the Reformed Churches, maintaining Art. 31, I, and many more with me have looked for an ecclesiastical roof over my head in this new land of our sojourning. And after a lengthy and intensive contact with the Prot. Ref. Churches and their office bearers we came to the conviction that it was our calling to join those churches,...

Qu. 80. What difference is there between the Lord’s Supper and the popish mass? A. The Lord’s Supper testifies to us, that we have a full pardon of all sin by the only sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which he himself has once accomplished on the cross; and, that we by the Holy Ghost are engrafted into Christ, who, according to his human nature is now not on earth, but in heaven, at the right hand of God his Father, and will there be worshipped by us:—but the mass teaches, that the living and the dead have not the pardon of...

Dr. Schilder published his first installment of his criticism on our Declaration of Principles in the Reformatie, Vol. XXYI, p. 44. Once more, I am very glad that he writes. If the Declaration of Principles even has no other fruit than that it provokes an open and above-board discussion of the truth and of the points of difference between the Reformed Churches (Art. 31) and our Protestant Reformed Churches, I think it is well worthwhile that the proposed declaration was decided upon by our last synod. This does not mean that I am of the opinion that the declaration, after...

“And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the Name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and My people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel and that I am the Lord your God, and none else; and My people shall never be ashamed.” Joel 2:26-27 We have heard much of fundamental truths. And how important they are to the correct understanding of the Holy Scriptures. We thought of this when preaching on the text which is quoted above. Generalize this text, and...