Vol 30 Issue 14

Dear Editor of the Standard Bearer: May I have a little space in the SB, the paper which is still the leading magazine in the Reformed Church world, although Rev. De Boer is of the opinion that it is not worthwhile to read this magazine anymore, and it is no longer worthy of publication. That is what De Boer tells his readers in the Reformed Guardian of March 10 in his “A Moral Issue.” 

My remarks under this caption are a continuation of what I wrote in the last issue of the Standard Bearerrelative to an editorial of the Rev. W. Hofman inConcordia of March 11th, and an article appearing in the same issue by a Mr. Byker of Hudsonville. These brethren consumed most of the space in that issue criticizing the undersigned for what he wrote in theStandard Bearer of February 15th concerning Dr.

We are still busy with the eleventh article of the church order. Besides speaking of the obligation of the consistory to properly support the minister of the congregation so that “he may be free from all worldly cares and avocations while dispensing spiritual blessings,” this article also speaks of dismissing ministers from the service of the church. Concerning this matter the article states: “And shall not dismiss them from service without the knowledge and approbation of the classis and of the delegates of the (particular) synod.” 

Most beautifully do the Canons make mention of the Christ in this connection. He is “from eternity appointed the mediator and head of the elect, and the foundation of salvation.” And God, has chosen His people unto “redemption in Christ.” And hence, “this elect number . . . . God hath decreed to give to Christ.” Our election is therefore not to be separated from the election of Christ. He has been from eternity appointed the mediator and head of the elect.

We had concluded our previous article with the objection voiced by heretics against any form of baptism that Abraham was justified by faith only. The reader will excuse the undersigned when he went off on a tangent when commenting on Rom. 4:16.

The Rev. H. Hoeksema and the Rev. G.M. Ophoff protested to Classis East of the Protestant Reformed Churches against an action of their consistory.  Classis East sustained them in their protest and advised that Consistory to demand apologies from Rev. De Wolf and from that element in the consistory that had defended him in his heretical statements.  By majority vote of eleven to nothing the consistory adopted this advice of Classis East on June 1, 1953 and gave those involved a period of time to decide whether they would apologize or not. 

In our former essay on John 10 we have noticed that Jesus is indeed the good shepherd, who lays down His life for the sheep. He is not an hireling, whose own the sheep are not and who careth not for the sheep, but He is the Shepherd who has received these sheep from the hand of His Father in electing love and tender mercy; God gave Him these Sheep, in order that He might save them to the uttermost, and raise them up in the last day!

God’s people sanctified and saved. Isaiah 30:20-26

Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah by Joseph Addison Alexander; published by Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Price $8.95. This is a commentary after my own heart. Zondervan is to be congratulated for reprinting and offering to the public books of this nature dating from the preceding century. They certainly are to be preferred to much that is published today.

In a very ably written article, Mr. Willis Kooienga writes an article in Concordia in which he attempts to prove: 1. That those who condemn conditional theology, and who condemn the term “condition” as, recently, the attempt was made to introduce it in our Protestant Reformed Churches, must regard Ursinus, one of the “Reformed fathers” and co-author with Olevianus of the Heidelberg Catechism, as a heretic. 2. That the condemnation of the Rev.