Vol 48 Issue 14

From Southeast’s bulletin we learn that Rev. Schipper, the pastor of that congregation, has declined the call extended to him from our church in Redlands, California.

On February 29, forty elders, ministers, professors and seminary students participated in a full day of discussions in the Pella, Iowa Protestant Reformed Church; Classis West met in Pella the next day. The general subject of the conference was pastoral counseling. The morning session commenced with the reading of the paper “Competent to Counsel—A Critique” by Prof. Herman Hanko of our seminary. It is not necessary to offer an analysis of the critique here. Let it be sufficient to say that Dr. J.

“Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” Philippians 4:17

We conclude our evaluation of the Reformation’s concern for Christian education with the observation that the Reformation did not adequately guard against the subversion of Christian education by humanism. This leaven eventually leavened the whole lump of Christian education in Germany and ruined it. This has significance for us who have the zeal of Luther and Calvin (and Paul and Moses and Abraham) for the Christian instruction of covenant children. For humanism is a persistent threat to the Christian school and is, at present, in the process of destroying much of Christian education.

Dear Brethren and Sisters in the Lord:  It is our purpose in this brief letter to share with you a few items of news from the Seminary.  There have been a few breaks in the Seminary schedule this semester. In the latter part of February the school recessed for one day to meet with the ministers in the Grand Rapids area and with Rev. Sang Chan Lee, a minister in the Hapdong Presbyterian Church of Korea. 

Among the greatest gifts God has given us as parents and as church members is the gift of covenant children. The greatest privilege He bestows on us is the duty of raising these children to His glory. In this respect, as in every other, our Christian privilege is also our obligation, and our obligation as Christians is at the same time our privilege. Educating our children according to our obligation before God raises difficulties often unpleasant to face.

In our last article we were calling attention to Article V of the Second Head of the Canons, dealing with Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross of Calvary. This article reads as follows: Moreover, the promise of the gospel is, that whosoever believeth in Christ crucified, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. This promise, together with the command to repent and believe, ought to be declared and published to all nations, and to all persons promiscuously and without distinction, to whom God out of His good pleasure sends the gospel.

In the last three installments of this series we have endeavored to present that view of the decree of election which is not only the most acceptable, but which is the correct view, the one most in harmony with Scripture. We showed that divine election is that act of God according to which He chose to everlasting life, not a group of individuals, merely, but a whole church. Also we must maintain that all the members of this elect church without exception, from the beginning to the end of the world, God regards as His own children.

Dr. H. Wiersinga Cleared by Amsterdam Consistory  Previously we have reported to you concerning the case of a Dr. H. Wiersinga, who denied the truth of substitutionary atonement in a doctoral dissertation for which he received a degree from the Free University of Amsterdam.

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”  I Corinthians 15:51, 52