August 20, 1960

Our congregation at Hull called Candidate J. Kortering from a trio which also included the Revs. G. Vos and G. Lubbers. Randolph’s trio consisted of the Revs. R.C. Harbach and M. Schipper and Cand. J. Kortering; the candidate receiving the call. The third call to come to the candidate was from Creston Church whose trio included the Revs. H. Hanko and A. Mulder.

Rev. A. Mulder of Kalamazoo declined the call he had received from the church at Grand Haven.

The Reformed Witness Hour welcomes Rev. A. Mulder, minister of the Word of God in our Kalamazoo Church, as their guest speaker during the month of September. This is Rev. Mulder’s initial appearance in the Protestant Reformed radio ministry—a ministry of weekly messages broadcast over many U.S. stations and one European station. Rev. Mulder has taken as the theme of his four radio broadcasts: “The Powers of Praise”; “By Hearing,” “By Giving,” “By Singing,” and “By Praying.” Copies of these sermons are available by writing to the Reformed Witness Hour, P.O. Box 8, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Correction. Not only members of Holland, Hudsonville and Hope contributed the funds necessary for the four room addition to Hope School (as reported last month) but those of Creston and Southwest also gave generously to that King­dom cause, as we learned since, from a kind reporter.

Lynden’s pastor, Rev. R.C. Harbach, was privileged to expound the Word of God, as found in Matt. 1:21, in the chapel service of the Christian Rest Home Sunday, July 31. The “He shall save His people” gospel revealed in that text is comforting to all ages, and especially to folks waiting the deliverance from the earthly house.

May the joint efforts of Rev. Heys and Rev. Vanden Berg be successful! They are planning to organize a choral society of volunteer singers from both their churches. It is still in the planning stages, but should it be successful it will be another means of grace which many may enjoy—the singers and, when ready to give a concert, the audiences. Truly, the church on earth should be a singing church!

Doon’s Consistory decided to add a third elder to their body. At the Congregational meeting, held August 3, E. Van Egdom was chosen, and at the August 7 morning serv­ice the brother was installed into the office.

Some spiritual and scriptural propaganda found in South Holland’s bulletin: John said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth,” III John 4; Joshua said, “As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord,” Joshua 24:15; The Psalmist said, “Walk about Zion, and go round about her, tell the towers thereof; mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to genera­tions following,” Psalm 48:12, 13; God said, “Train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it,” Prov. 22:6. And what doctrine or idea was Rev. Heys spreading? ‘Tis found in this prayer: “May our Covenant God bless our efforts to have a school of our own for our children’s joy and benefit.”

Convention News. The Young People’s 1960 convention was launched with a Beacon Lights preconvention Hymnsing Sunday evening, August 14, at First Church. The meeting was opened by the president, Dave Engelsma, who introduced the song leader for the evening, Chas. Westra, youth director in our Southeast Church. The audience sang hymns and Psalter numbers appropriate to the Convention theme, “Faithful Today.” The singing was accompanied by Bonnie Bylsma at the organ and Mary Pastoor at the piano. A male quartet from Hope’s Y.P.S. sang two numbers, Mr. Edw. Ophoff rendered a vocal solo, and a piano organ duet, “The Heavens are Telling” rounded out the program to the en­joyment of all. Tuesday evening found many people gathered in First Church for the Mass Meeting—open to the public. Rev. H. Hoeksema occupied his usual post, that of Keynote Speaker for the Convention. His topic was, “Faithful In The Truth.” Wednesday was the day of the outing, in the A.M. at Saugatuck with its thrilling dune scootering, and in the P.M. at the Chr. Ref. Conf. grounds on Lake Michigan. Their business meetings and a program occupied the young people’s attention. Speaker for the evening was the Rev. J.A. Heys, of South Holland, who spoke on the topic, “Faith­ful In Life.” Thursday started off with a pancake breakfast at Douglas Walker Park, then back to First Church for more business, a luncheon and a panel discussion on, “How does the world show her hostility to the church?” The final gathering, the eagerly anticipated banquet, was held at the Mayfair Christian School gym with the speaker for that evening, the Rev. G. Vanden Berg, of Oak Lawn. The final topic of the series under the theme, “Faithful Today,” was “Faithful unto Death.” It is reported that this 20th Annual Convention was carried out without any unpleasant incident to mar it; it was further observed that a few of our churches were not represented by their delegates, which was the only restraint to a wholly successful convention.

Young men: There is a call for aspirants to our Theolog­ical School directed to you! In such a reminder found in South Holland’s bulletin we find the last paragraph to read as follows: “Make it a matter of prayer, and ask yourself before God whether He does not have labor for you in His Kingdom in this glorious work of proclaiming the truth as He has given it to us as Protestant Reformed people. What a glorious truth to proclaim! Have you any desire to make it known to others?”

. . . . see you in church.                                

J.M.F.