All Articles For Editorially Speaking

The recent issue of Clarion (March 7, 1997), magazine of the Cana­dian Reformed Churches, contains an article that is of interest to the Protestant Reformed readers of the Standard Bearer. The author, G. Denbok, relates the history of the organization of a PR congregation among the Dutch, “Liberated” immigrants in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 1949. Mr. Denbok was one of the twelve male confessing members at that orga­nization. Denbok speaks well of the PR ministers and people involved in the work in Hamilton. The Canadian group were “overjoyed by the love and support” they received from the PRC. They enjoyed...

This special issue of The Standard Bearer is devoted to the subject of the children and young people of the church. They are in our hearts, not only because of the natural ties of flesh and blood, but also because of the covenant of God established with believers and their children. The rule concerning catechizing children in Calvin’s Geneva that appears on the cover is taken from The Register of the Company of Pastors of Geneva in the Time of Calvin, tr. by P.E. Hughes (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1966). The quotation indicates Calvin’s rejection of child-communion, as well as...

The October 1 issue of our magazine always represents the beginning of a new volume-year. In this issue, therefore, we inform our readers as to what they can expect in the Standard Bearer in the coming year, as this has been decided at the staff meeting held in June. Changes from the past year are few. Rev. Barry Gritters and Rev. Gise VanBaren asked to be relieved from writing for a year. We express our thanks to them for past contributions to the magazine and entertain the hope that they will be back on the staff soon. Replacing Rev. Gritters...

The Reformed Free Publishing Association has just published a timely book on Scripture’s teaching concerning the godly woman. The title is Far Above Rubies: Today’s Virtuous Woman. It is a collection of sermons and articles by ministers in the Protestant Reformed Churches, with the exception of several articles by Abraham Kuyper. Rev. Dale H. Kuiper reviews the book elsewhere in this issue. I recommend the book to the readers of the Standard Bearer. It can be ordered from the Reformed Free Publishing Association, P.O. Box 2006, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. The price is $9.95, plus $1.75 for shipping and handling....

Our special, Reformation issue of the Standard Bearer this year is devoted to the influence of the sixteenth century Reformation on the church’s eschatology. Eschatology is the church’s understanding and confession of the Word of God on the last things, culminating in the second coming of Christ. The subject is timely. As we approach a new millennium, many are distracted by the scare of Y2K. Other professing Christians—millions of them—become excited at the prospect of an imminent rapture of the church, which is utter and bizarre nonsense. Of late, prominent Reformed and Presbyterian theologians and teachers tell conservative audiences that...

For many years now, we have made the October 15 issue of the Standard Bearer a special issue commemorating the sixteenth century Reformation of the church. We have highlighted a Reformer, a doctrine, a controversy, or some other aspect of the Reformation, whether of that time or of a subsequent age. It is high time that we feature John Calvin, the Reformer who completed the Reformation begun by Luther, spiritual and theological father of the Reformed churches, and one of the greatest men of God in the history of the church after the apostles. The reader will learn something of...

With this special issue, the Standard Bearer celebrates both the 75th anniversary of the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC) and the earlier 75th anniversary of the SB (October 1999). We include appropriate articles, or excerpts of articles, by some who have gone before in the history of the churches and on the pages of this magazine. We regret that many others could not be recognized. Rev. C. Hanko, whose ministry dates back to 1929, provides his reminiscences. A daughter of Herman Hoeksema, Lois Kregel, gives a glimpse into the parsonage at 1139 Franklin St. in Grand Rapids. One of the two...

As is our custom, we devote much of the July issue of the Standard Bearer to the annual synod of the Protestant Reformed Churches. This issue contains a report of most of the more important decisions of synod (the editorial), the text of the sermon preached at the pre-synodical service (as the meditation), pictures (by Don Doezema) of synod at work and at coffee, the official greetings of synod by the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church in Northern Ireland and by the Evangelical Reformed Churches in Singapore, and a report on foreign missions by the secretary of the Foreign Mission Committee....

In this issue of the Standard Bearer, we begin a three-part series on the history and present doctrinal and spiritual condition of the Dutch Reformed church in South Africa. The articles feature the Gereformeerde Kerken van Suid-Africa (Reformed Churches of South Africa), known popularly as the “Dopper” churches. In the past, this has been the soundest of the Reformed churches in South Africa. Most readers of the Standard Bearer have little knowledge of the Reformed church in South Africa and its present struggles. The only mention of the Reformed churches in South Africa by the religious press in North America...

At their annual meeting in June of this year, the staff of the Standard Bearer (consisting of the writers and the managing editor) reappointed the editor, managing editor, secretary, general adjunct, and special issues committee. They are Prof. David Engelsma, editor; Prof. Robert Decker, secretary; Mr. Don Doezema, managing editor; Prof. Herman Hanko, general adjunct; and Prof. Engelsma, Prof. Decker, and Mr. Doezema special issues committee. The staff also made decisions for the content of the magazine in the coming volume-year. The rubrics and writers will be much the same as the past year. There will be a few changes....