Vol 32 Issue 08

An observation by the Rev. M. Schipper in the December issue of the Standard Bearer causes me to take the pen and write of his conclusions: Non sequitur! (It does not follow). 

Such is the title which the Rev. Edmund P. Clowney, Jr., in the Presbyterian Guardian of December 15, 1955, placed over his article reflecting on the passage found in Luke 2:14 which reads as follows: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, among men of his good pleasure.” 

The twenty-third article of our church order states that one of the duties of the office of elder is “to visit the families of the congregation, in order particularly to comfort and instruct the members, and also to exhort others in respect to the Christian religion.” The original rendering of this was much more explicit.

Article 4. This death derives its infinite value and dignity from these considerations, because the person who submitted to it was not only really man, and perfectly holy, but also the only begotten Son of God, of the same eternal and infinite essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit, which qualifications were necessary to constitute him a Savior for us; and because it was attended with a sense of the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin. 

Finally, in regard to the four great ecumenical councils, the first of NICE, the first of CONSTANTINOPLE, that of EPHESUS, and that of CHALCEDON: we have already presented their position on this question in connection with their legislation on the patriarchal system. We have seen that they accord to the bishop of Rome a precedence of honor among the five officially coequal patriarchs, and thus acknowledge him primas inter pares, but, by that very concession, disallow his claims to supremacy of jurisdiction, and to monarchical authority over the entire church.

We may have no God besides Jehovah.  On that we are all agreed.  “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” So reads the first commandment.  To have graven images to represent God and to worship as gods is a great sin.  Not one of us will deny that.  “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” That we are taught in the second commandment. 

We are still studying Paul’s superb and masterful refutation of the party-strife and schism in the congregation of Corinth; the heinous sin of making a rend in the church of the living God! 

The second vision—the four horns and the four smiths, i, 18-21 (In the Hebrews, ii, 1-4). 18. Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.  19. And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these? And he said unto me, These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, Jerusalem  20. And Jehovah shewed me four smiths. 

Chapter 1: The Prayer for Forgiveness 

Lucas, vols. I, II. (Luke, two vols.) by Dr. S. Greijdanus. Published by J.H. Kok, Kampen, the Netherlands. Price vol. I f 7.95; vol. II f 7.50.