Vol 44 Issue 07

Southeast’s congregation relinquished their pastor to a classical appointment in Pella, Iowa, for two Sundays. While there Rev. Schipper also gave a lecture during the week and made personal calls on people who have recently shown interest in our cause. In his absence the catechism classes were conducted by the Elders, and the congregation enjoyed the Seminary Professors in their pulpit.

We were quoting the last time from Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge. Although there is more in this work that is interesting and worthy of our attention, we will not quote it in its entirety now. Instead we will present a brief condensation of the history of liturgical practices in the early church. We noted that worship in the early church was largely patterned after the customs and traditions of the synagogue. Gradually changes were made.

When attacks are made against the veracity of the Word, of God they are usually concentrated against the miracles of Scripture. It stands to reason that this would be the case. If suspicion and doubt are cast upon these miracles, then the whole structure of the Word pf God and its truth collapses. In our scientific age-this is exactly what is being done. Miracles cannot be harmonized with a natural and scientific explanation of, things; and, bowing before the idol of science, men discard Scripture. 

(This is a continuation of the translation of a series of articles by the late Rev. Herman Hoeksema on the subject “Voortgaande Reformatie.”)  In our last article on the above subject we observed that the Reformation of the Churches takes place through Secession as soon as it has appeared impossible to reform the Church within the Church. 

The writer here returns to his point of departure inHeb. 3:1-5. There he had spoken of the great apostle and high priest of our profession, Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him, even God. After a most relevant digression in Heb. 3:7-4:13, he now picks up the thread of the argument, and repeats the exhortation which comes to the church as partakers of the heavenly calling.

“Legalized theft!”  The quotation marks used on the above phrase are due to the fact that some speak that way. But actually there is no such thing as legalized theft. 

From the Men’s Society of South Holland, Illinois, through their secretary, brother Garret Flikkema, I received the following question: “What is the similarity and difference of the content of the law for the church of the old and new dispensation, as based on Romans 6 and Romans 7?  REPLY 

We not only believe that God foreknows all things, but that He does not and cannot foreknow without foreordaining. For not only is God’s omniscience all-comprehensive and all embracing, but so is His foreordination. He foreordains whatsoever comes to pass (Acts 4:27f). Therefore it is impossible that He know beforehand anything that has not been already foreordained. There is nothing that can be the object of divine prescience but that which has been preordained.

The first note is to some of my delinquent fellow editors. You have all received a schedule informing you when the articles for your department are due. Whether you are observing this schedule or not is known to you and your editor in chief. The simple facts are, however, that the Standard Bearer runs on a rather tight schedule, and that this schedule calls for sufficient copy in the scheduled departments to fill our 24 pages.

We observed (in the December 1 issue) that at stake in the Dekker Case, according to Dr. Henry Stob, is a deep issue of theological method. We are interested in this matter, in part, because of the fact that the language of the Reformed Journal found its way into the Christian Reformed Synod’s decision in the Dekker Case in the charge of abstractness. But we have a deeper interest. In the first place, we are interested for purely theological reasons. Theological method is of the utmost importance, as is the method followed in any science.