Dear Editor of the Standard Bearer: 

IT IS WELL! 

As bitter as the onslaughts we against you in person, the above title nevertheless can retain its rightful and honorable place. SUFFERING FOR CHRIST’S SAKE! Factually, then it couldn’t be better! At least, I find so much cause for rejoicing! Because you my brother must suffer? God forbid! This devilish bitter gall of iniquity? Nay, we sorrow with you, while on the other hand we also rejoice. Not that we are being so unrighteously treated; nay, but that by this VERY UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, you, and we as protestants are being justified before ALL in our protesting against such corruptions, which here-to-fore were so glosscoatedly blanketed with a pious veneer; BUT WHICH NOW STAND OUT IN SUCH BOLD RELIEF SO THAT HE THAT RUNNETH CAN READ: That the protestants’ undying efforts and determinations, ‘to root out this corruption’, must undeniably (now!) be justified by all! 

To anyone who can read and understand the common grammar, and who still has a small sense of truth and righteousness, it certainly must have become more than crystal clear by now, ‘That the De Wolfs’ corruptions‘ lie much deeper than just a few ‘slips of the lips, which he didn’t mean that way’ . . . and as also, that B. Kok’s ‘striving to protect the purity of the doctrines of the Prot. Ref’d Churches’ is such an untenable corruption of self-conceived underhanded political maneuvering, that no human being, and surely no Christian, can afford to be a party of such outlandish iniquity. The beauty of this (sin?), nay, BUT in the REVELATIONS OF THESE HIDDEN SINS, which we have so righteously opposed; . . . but, which THEY so ardently???, and seriously??? defended and maintained (throwing every conceivable effort into the fray) and by which efforts they have succeeded to deceive so many. . . THEY THEMSELVES NOW WRITE INTO THE PICTURE TO EXPOSE THE FACTS SO UNDENIABLY CLEAR, AND UNDERSTANDABLE, BY THESE THEIR OWN ADMISSION IN WkITING AND OPEN CONFESSIONS, THAT THEIR BEING EVICTED FROM THE COMMUNION OF THE PROT. REF’D CHURCHES IS HONORABLY JUSTIFIABLE NOT ONLY, BUT DEFINITELY WAS A NECESSITY. How strange! They now say, just what the protestants have maintained, and the Classis has vindicated to be true. 

Can you imagine, even for one moment, that all this corruption which B. Kok has recently brought to light by his own pen (NOW FOR ALL TO READ) is the selfsame corruption which he in preaching and teaching, bulletin and in house visitation, was carrying on here in Holland’s congregation? And that we were just compelled to swallow this hook, line and sinker, and not to take recourse to it? And that if some dared to take issue with him, he would fly into a frenzy, or with threats of various kinds even dared to damn them to hell if they dared to continue to oppose him? Brother Hoeksema, these onslaughts are nothing new here in Holland! I must honestly confess for the TRUTH’S SAKE, that my SOUL has often been chilled while I was forced to listen to all such, and then to be compelled to hear above this all, that such preaching and teaching; Kok had the brazen effrontery to classify his preaching with that venerable title of “Preaching the Lord Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (????? PREPOSTEROUS!) 

Factually, then, B. Kok has only begun to put into writing, that which we were compelled to listen to, as being the preaching of the gospel. Interwoven through his preaching, teaching and other efforts, ran this line of his maneuvering, of backbiting, slander, etc., as you now can read from his own pen. Is there still a man alive who wonders why we felt seriously obligated to protest against such corruptions? Moreover, if I were to relate all of it as I know it, then I would need the entire Standard Bearer, at least for one issue. BUT JUST THAT CORRUPTION which we as protestants could not possibly hope to describe in its proper character (in and through our protests) Kok now kindly(?) publishes himself, so that all can read and judge properly! 

My soul exclaims in praise to God “Oh how righteous God IS”! To me, then it is God, Who is uncovering this SIN! SIN breeds SIN! Feed on it! and stupidity, idiocy, and TRUTH, all seem to be synonyms to the heart and mind which dares to flirt with this gruesome monster, who traps his adherent and slays him with his own conceits, Thanks be to God who has heard our pleas and cries. De Wolf, Kok, et alii, have justified our protests and the actions of Classis East. Brother Hoeksema, and all, cheer up! We now have the answer. Thanks be to God for His love. 

Yours In Christ, 

H.A. Van Putten