Vol 52 Issue 14

BIBLICAL ZOOLOGY  In the Banner of Jan. 16, 1976, appeared an article by J. D. Eppinga on BIBLICAL ZOOLOGY. This article appears on page 9 of this issue. Writing on the fact that so many animals are mentioned in the Word of God, he writes the following: Coming home, I reflected on his answer and en- lamed a train of thought. What a lot of animals there are: in the Bible! They are mentioned in its fast chapter. In the second chapter, they are brought to Adam for naming. In

Classis West met in South Holland on March 5 and 6. Eleven ministers and eleven elders attended as delegates. Rev. B. Woudenberg opened the meeting by speaking on Ephesians 4:7, 8. Rev. W. Bekkering presided over the sessions of Classis.

Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches met in Edgerton, Minnesota, on March 3. Classis began with devotions at 8:30 A.M. and finished its work about 9:00 P.M. the same day. Ten ministers and eleven elders carried out the work of the churches of the West. 

The History of Christian Doctrines, by Louis Berkhof. Baker Book House (Twin Brooks Series) Grand Rapids, Mich., 1975. Paperback, 285 pp. $4.95. [Reviewed by Rev. Mark H. Hoeksema] 

We have, in these columns, given our attention to the various signs of the times—signs pointing to the nearness of Christ’s return on the clouds of heaven. Nor can there be any doubt in the mind of the discerning Christian that His return is at hand. The specific date none can say—Jesus Himself warned against attempts to determine the day and the hour.

Dear Timothy,  I have before me your last letter in which you make some inquiries concerning practical preaching. I shall try to discuss the points you bring up, one by one. 

An evaluation of the theological trends of the 20th century will reveal that in the early part of this century the Fatherhood of God was given prominence, especially under the influence of men like Harnack; the middle portion of the century was devoted primarily to the doctrine of the person of Christ, especially under the influence of neo-Reformational (and often heretical) theologians, of whom Barth was perhaps chief.

“We believe that all the posterity of Adam being thus fallen into perdition and ruin, by the sin of our first parents, God did then manifest himself such as he is; that is to say, merciful and just: Merciful, since he delivers and preserves from this perdition all, whom he, in his eternal and unchangeable counsel of mere goodness, hath elected in Christ Jesus our Lord, without any respect to their works: Just, in leaving others in the fall and perdition wherein they have involved themselves.”  Article XVI, The Belgic Confession

On February 23, 1975, Dr. S. Woudstra preached a sermon on Ephesians 1:3, 4 in the Reformed Church of Geelong. For some time prior to last year’s visit to Geelong I had had a tape recording of this sermon; and later I received a typewritten transcript of the same sermon which I checked very carefully for accuracy by comparing it with the recording.

For the first time in our lives we had the experience of participating in a service which we did not at all understand. And what is more, Rev. Hanko and I both had the experience of preaching through an interpreter. At 6:30 on Sunday morning our chauffeur, Cornelius Kuswanto, was at the hotel to pick us up for the first service of the day, which began at 7 o’clock. The services are conducted early in the morning because of the heat and humidity.