Vol 51 Issue 02

Rev. Dale Kuiper preached his farewell sermon in Pella on September 22. On September 25, he was installed into his new office of missionary minister of the Word, in a Divine Worship Service held in Hudsonville Church. The church was nearly filled on that occasion, as a goodly number of our people came to witness what First Church’s bulletin called, “this important event in the history of our churches.” The following week Rev.

The Freedom of God (A Study of Election and Pulpit), by James Daane; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publ. Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. 208 pages, $5.95 [Reviewed by Prof. H. C. Hoeksema]  For those readers interested in a more detailed review, such a review was published in the May, 1974 issue of our Protestant Reformed Theological Journal. A few brief remarks will suffice here. 

Members, Friends and Supporters of the RFPA Dear Brethren: 

Discussing the doctrine of the resurrection as taught and set forth by the church during the years, 80 A.D. to 250 A.D., we called attention in our preceding article to the writings on this subject of Athenagorus. We now continue with these fathers during these early years of the church in the New Dispensation, calling attention first to Minucius Felix. 

By faith Abram left Ur of the Chaldees to go to the land of Canaan.  He was not some venturesome soul looking for something better or different. He was not a man with a pioneering spirit who had dreams of other places for himself and his family to settle in .for fleshly advantage. He was not at odds with his relatives and neighbors so that it became wise for him to leave the area and get as much distance between himself and them as possible. 

Introduction  This is the third time in the fifty year history of The Standard Bearer that an exposition of the Belgic (or Netherlands) Confession of Faith is begun. The first exposition is a brief series written in the Dutch language and may be found in volume VII. In volume XXXVII Prof. H. C. Hoeksema began a, new series which, due to the press of other editorial duties, was never completed. Several articles appeared from the pen of the Rev. J. Kortering who is now editor of the rubric, The Strength of Youth.

Among the mass of “junk” mail that regularly enters one’s mailbox, the minister is subjected to some in addition to that which most laymen receive. Here in Grand Rapids, we receive regularly and without charge, Grace Notes. Judging from its name, one would think it to be a commendable organization. How could it not be—if its emphasis is upon grace? In fact, a recent flier from GRACE asked the question, “What does GRACE mean to you?” Alongside of that question one could find the definitions presented in the dictionary.

By the time this report is printed, most of the readers will have heard something about the Second General Assembly of the National Presbyterian Church. At the very least, they will most likely know that we are no longer the NPC, but have become the Presbyterian Church in America. Therefore, the purpose of this effort will be to consider some of the decisions made by the Assembly from a point of view that is very similar to that held by most of the readers of theStandard Bearer.

These three hang together.  When in 1924 the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church raised to the status of a dogma the theory of universal (better known as “common”) grace and, with it, the error of the general, well-meant offer of grace, it was predictable that in the years to come the Arminian heresy of universal atonement would rear its ugly head in that denomination. It was only a matter of time before this would happen. Our leaders predicted this in the late 1920s. 

Recently there was sent to me by the Reformed Fellowship of Canada a neatly printed 64-page booklet entitled Five Essays On Christian Education. Along with the booklet came a request for a review—a request I am happy to honor. In fact, I consider this booklet worthy of attention in our editorial columns rather than in our somewhat irregular book review department.