All Articles For Address at Annual Meeting of Reformed Free Publishing Association (RFPA)

[Editor’s Note: This is the text of an address delivered. at the annual meeting of the Reformed Free Publishing Association on Sept. 24, 1970 at the Southwest Protestant Reformed Church of Grand Rapids. This address will appear in two installments.].

[The substance of an address at the annual meeting of the Reformed Free Publishing Association] Beloved Brethren:

Last September 29 the Reformed Free Publishing Association held its annual meeting at Hudsonville, Michigan. Some of the reports of this meeting were published in an earlier issue of the Standard Bearer. At these annual meetings it is customary that a short speech is given by one of our ministers. This meeting, the speech was given by the present writer. I would like to share with you a few of the thoughts of this speech.

* Address given at the annual meeting of the RFPA, published by request. Mr. Chairman, Beloved brethren of the Reformed Free Publishing Association: I am very happy for the opportunity to be here and to speak to you tonight in behalf of the RFPA andThe Standard Bearer. I count this a privilege. The RFPA is undoubtedly the oldest organization in our churches, and has played a very important part in the history of our churches from the very beginning. And our Standard Bearer has borne witness to the truth for many years already. I am glad to speak, therefore, in its behalf...

The subject which I have chosen to consider with you this evening is “The Standard Bearer’s Witness.”

Delivered at the annual meeting of the Reformed Free Publishing Association September 25, 1958, at Grand Rapids

Daane’s Negativism In a very long article in the Reformed Journal, Dr. James Daane writes on the state of theology in the church. By “the church” he evidently judging by the contents of the article, refers chiefly to the Christian Reformed Church. And, in his opinion the state of theology in that church is rather very poor.

These days I received a letter from the Board of our paper, asking me to publish a speech which the Rev. H. Veldman spoke at a recent meeting of our paper. The brethren of the Board opine that this speech may help them in the work of propagating our paper among our people. And they are right. We gladly do so. And since in this issue there is no room anywhere else, we gladly give the space of our editorials for its publication.

On the above subject the undersigned made a few remarks at the last annual meeting of the Reformed Free Publishing Association. At the request of the Board of that Association I here reproduce it as nearly as I may from memory, for even the notes on which I based my remarks I destroyed. Being asked to speak on this annual meeting of the Reformed Free Publishing Association, I thought it but proper to make a few remarks on the subject: The Standard Bearer as a Witness. Well I remember, and, perhaps, some of you with me, the gathering that was...

* Speech delivered at the Annual meeting of the R.F.P.A. on Thursday evening, September 14, 1944 in Fuller Ave. Comments and criticisms concerning any of the material here presented is invited. We have called these sad facts because they reveal the following. There is a difference of at least $525 in receipts and actual cost of the paper each year. This means that, on an average, 310 subscriptions are not paid for yearly. Secondly, they reveal that the Standard Bearer is still a babe; supported and fed by mother and attached to her apron strings at 20 years of age. Thirdly,...