Vol 29 Issue 16

Many of the enemies to God’s truths, when they are silenced by the force of evidence, do, like a snail provoked, draw in their horns and spit.  Faith is the eye of the soul, and the Holy Spirit’s influence is the light by which it sees. 

Changes His Mind on Unions In the editorial department of the Banner of May 1, 1953, the Rev. H.J. Kuiper gives a “review” of an article appearing in THE CHRISTIAN CENTURY of January 21, 1953, written by a reputed liberal, Dr. C.C. Morrison. The latter wrote on the subject: “Re­examine the Social Ideals.”

It would be better if the second article of our Church Order were revised so that the word “four” were changed to “three” and the phrase “of the pro­fessors of theology” were elided altogether, or if it is desirable to retain that phrase the following redaction might be suggested as an improvement over the pre­sent article:

It enables us to understand more clearly the doctrines of our Church. The reader will recall that we were calling atten­tion in our previous article to the benefits which we derive from a study of the history of doctrine. And we concluded our article with the observation that one of these benefits is that it unites us with the Church of the past. Another benefit which we derive from this study is that it enables us to understand more clearly the doctrines of our Church or Churches.

Your brother in Christ, is he your friend? Theoretically he is, and according to the new prin­ciple of life in him and in you he can be nothing less. What is more, you are admonished by the Word of God to live with him in that sweet fellowship of God’s covenant. Zion also sings   “How good and pleasant is the sight

As we remarked in the beginning of this chapter, one of the reasons why the Synod of Dordrecht merits the reputation of being “the great synod” must un­doubtedly be found in the method which it followed in its labors. And because of this method, of course, the Synod produced such a sound and lasting product. Sound methods and sound products are inseparable.

The passage from holy writ to which we will call your attention in this article reads as follows: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread which I give is my flesh, for the life of the world.”

The sacred writer now takes us again to Mahanaim across the Jordan, the sight of David’s encampment. The city had an outer and inner gate with a roof sup­porting an upper chamber. On the roof was a watch­man on the outlook for messengers. For the day was well spent, so that reports on the battle could be com­ing in at any time now. David was seated in the space between the two gates below. Here he may have been sitting all the day long waiting for this hour. For it was the same place in which he had part­ed from...

Once more the apostle repeats the phrase, “God gave them over,” in verse 28. In this verse there is an expressed comparison between the sin committed and the punishment inflicted. The apostle designs to show how proper the punishment of God was, seeing it was entirely in harmony with the very nature of the sin they committed: “Even as they did not like to re­tain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” As the sin, so is the punishment. God is just and righteous.

Before I continue, I wish to refer back to the ar­gument of Bellflower that Synod failed to honor the request to consider the necessity of adopting the Dec­laration of Principles. I ask: was this necessary? Was it necessary for Synod to point out that necessity? Should it not have been evident to all, in the light of what happened be­fore the Declaration was adopted, that it was indeed very necessary to adopt a document of this kind?