VOLUME XXI NOVEMBER - 1961 --

NUMBER 8

Published t~~otithly. r.\cept J u n e and A u a u s t by the Federation oi Protestarrt Reiurmed Young People's Societies.

EXECUTIVE BOARD: Harry L ~ . z e r d i . . . . . l ' r ~ > i d c ~ ~ t Cr rdd :iu~pcr ............ \'ii.c Prrvzidcitt S;tt:cy l I~e!?~?ira .... . . . . . . . . Sc, rt:t:li-y *Mar) Pastnor. . . . .A\~et. S ~ x r c t d ~ y

................... a - O d Trc .~-urc~~ Edunrd I .~:~gtrak ........... As-t. T r ~ m u r e r Bonnir R~lsrna ................... ..L,il~r.i~i:irt

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Ker. Kobet-: Harbach.~- truth vs. Error Aratha Lubbers . C r i t i q u e Rev. Herman Hoekserna Bible Outlines Rev. Richard Veldmaa

From the Pastor's Study James Jonkcr . . - C u r r e n t Comments bfrs. C. Kregrl ................... lie- Editor

EDITORIAL STAFF: Dznd E ~gelsma - Editor-in-Chief Rev. Alvin %iulder - -Associate Editor T.am Lubbers - blanaymg Editor Sancy Hcemrrra Ftii.incr hIanagcr

I All moteriol for publication should be addressed to MR. DAVID ENGELSMA,

846 Thomas, S. E., Grand Ropidr 6, Michigan. I I Grand Rapids subscribers please forward sub-

scription dues to BEVERLY HOEKSTRA 1346 Butler, S. E., Grand Rapids 7, Michigor

STAFF: a I I : ...................... Clerk Mary P::%tuor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 4 ,~ t . l.:lerl; Kwzrr t I 2 - hi11 I

( I~a i r rn . .~~ - I JIary P h t o o r ~ ................ Publ~c Relations Staii \I.. :..I h- !..., - ..ri.:. 2 8 .

- i .... t:du.ard I.z:!ge~zk Don 1)oczc~na. ....... I \Vinlired iiocile. ) F'rc,<*f Rt.ii~1t.1 - .......... J.-ner Kun: . . . . . ) Subscription blnnagers Brrcrly Horkstr z... . .

Subscribers outside of the Grand Rapids arcc 1 pleose forward subscription dues to ,

JANET KUNZ I 1131 Arianna St., N W, Grand Rapids 4, hich. I I I

All undelivcroble moteriol (Forms 3579) should be ref~~rncd to Janet Kunz, 1131 Arianna St., N. W..

Grand Rapids 4, Mich.

Siib2cription price: $3..00 Second Clais Postage p a ~ d at

Grand Rapids, Michigan

BOYCOlTED? Rev. G. Lubbers

THE SETTLED QUESTION 3 James Jonker

THE MODERNISTIC INTERPRETATION OF SCRIFTURE 4 Rev. R. C. Horbach

HELPS FOR BIBLE STUDY, (Revelation 13:l-181 The Beost (Revelallon 1311-30) 7 The Bcost (Cont.) (Revelot~on 13:3b-10) 9 The Beast Out of the Earth (Rrvrlotion 13.11-141 10 The Name of the Beast (Rev~lolion 13:15.18) 11

Rev H. Hoekscmo

HYMNS 12

BOOKS 14 The Third Cross

COMING TO THE FATHER c9 Rev. R Vcldman

CHURCH-CONTROLLED SCHOOLS Agatho Lubbers

boycotted? d

REV. G. LUBBERS

The editor of Bcncor~ Ligltts request(!tl 111c to \vritc. 1111 nccount of t l ~ c troublous s i t ~ ~ t ~ t i t ~ n nd~iclt h ;~s : ~ r i s c ~ ~ I~cc;re~sc~ of alitl i~yi~insi our I;tl)c~rs ilcre in t l ~ c 'I'ripp-XIC~IIIIO arc;#.

THIS ISSUE As the I'rotcsl:i~lt Rc*for~~~ccl Churcl1~5

point to~vartlb tllc inclusion of I I ) . I~J I IS \ v i t l ~ i ~ ~ tht! c1111rc11 service, I3ecrcorh Ligltts ctills u p - on one well-versed in this field for some krtowlcclpeablc investigation of hymns ant1 h>iiin-singing. I io l i~~~t l l'etersc~~, in Clus fir,t of :I scrics of ctrticles, cliscuss~~~ \vl~;tt 11yrn11:; arc ant1 what t1rc.y o ~ ~ g h t to I I C . il' incluclc~tl i r t \vor_chip scrvicc.~. IIc, the-n, proceeds t 8 1

rl~etltiori sevcriil clrsiri~ble and several not- so-desirable spcci~nrus. l lr . I'ctersen, :I

teacher at Adi~~ns St. Christian Scllor)l, ~;r;lc!t~atcd fro111 Calvin Collcgo \\.it11 a n~i~ jor

nus sic. tlc shldied for :I ycnr at 1111.

.citcIe~ny of \'IK:III Arts ill i ~ l ~ i l ~ ~ c l e l ~ ~ l ~ i a : I I I ~ .

;it present. tlircvts I~otli tho hlcn's C h o r ~ ~ s irl~tl the Rxdio Chon~s of tllc Protestant Rcs- fanned Chi~rcl~cs.

Re\,. Georgt. C. L,~~bbc:rs, Irome missionary of thc Protrstant Refortlied Cl~l~rci~c.;, is \vrlrkinp atnollF: thr: C ~ ~ I I I : I I I Reformrtl pcople of So~~t l t Dakota. Of lok, 11c I I ~ I . ; I)c~t.n experirl~cing stern opposition. I l i z article, "Boycottc-tl?", rehtcs that oppositiott nritl his hopc in the face of it.

Tile editorial g~test in this issue is Jnnic.; Jn~rker. He rl~s0111 tc!ly lifts the lid onct3 111or1, O I I lht* matte-r of clranln ant1 s~~ggc~sts t11:1t ;I cl~iuige I,e 111ntlo in our scmi-oflicial ill>-

proach to it. T l ~ c f:~nlili;~r rubric-\\,riters also take their

place in the Xoven~ber Beocort Lig11ts. it.; tloes the book rcvic:w scction. "News F r o ~ t ~ . For and .i \>o~~k Our Cburchrs" will return i l l

News From, For and About Our Churches:

At this writing \vt: I I : I ~ I ~ just receivta(l word of the pitssi~~g of Rrv. I-I. h'lliper, of

r Lovelancl Clll~rch. \Vc co1111nenc1 Iti.; ?11ily, I* conmc~ation, ant1 ;ill of our

Li~urches to thc col~~fort of tl~c* Spirit of t11~. Lord whom hc svrvrcl. - hlrs. C. Iircgc.1

ng.~inst by rc.fusing to tlc;~I \\,it11 or ;~ssoci:~tc. with. It i\ t l ~ c rrfusal of ; ~ l l dealittgs \vitll a penon or prrsons. Tllc* term sccn~s to I)c co~ricctetl \\it11 the persol) of Captait~ Hoy- cott of Irc.l:~r~d, \vho in 1GO-1&81 \\';IS tllus treated. Ilcncc. all action in which there is concertc.tl cll'ort not to tlc;~l with o~~c., or cot to nssoci:rte \\*it11 oncb is designate11 with the tenn: to boycott!

That tcr111 pretty \vcll t l i .scrib the situa- tica herc in llcnno-Tripp. especially in thc fom~er pl;lcc. Attempts \c.cre made in 'Tripp ' t:t up t i l l now this has f;~iled. LTritli+r tlte reportetl i~~stigiition ant1 leadership of tllc Rev. I:. K;~en~pchcn the :\meric;in Legion Lr)o& the rt~irtis- have tletem~ined, at all c.ostj. to keel, the untlrrsigt~ed from It:ctt~r- in: irl 1lt.1111o. The only s~~itnbie I~uiltling for our j,llrl)r)se seems to IIC the A~r~c~riciln Legion H;~ll. This hall II;IS been refr~secl us .:t the ~)rrsc~l t time. 011 Octotxr 19, 19Gl \%-e rti~~ivcul it letter fro111 llr. _iiserlhrcy to the cffcct. that, altliouglt the custocIi:u~ I ~ i ~ t l

rented 11s t l ~ c Legion I-lnll, and altl~~>ugIi tltc met!tinp.; \vrre nn~~lluncwt in tltc: Ilrrt- l.l~invnn Ilercrlrl, \\re col~lcl not use the I)~~ilil- in% on Octo!)c.r 26 m t l Sov. 9 as annour~cctl, !or at iu~y other time. The grnuncls wc*rc

rtol oivcr~, cscept that the Post had t:~kcn L decision on i~ "regt~lar 111cu.ting" on tlrr:

21st of Jlurcli, 1981 that the HaU woi~ld not Iw "re~~ted to outsitlc Religious Orgi~tli- zations for meetings or Icu.tt~rcs."

\\'hen tltr. ~~ndersignecl pressed the 111;11tc:r ~i feu* dnys IaLcr wit11 t\\.o officers of tllc Poit h~ \vils shonn the t~~inu te in q t~cs t io~~; he rend it from he llinlrtr Book. It rciitl: "It is t~nnninlously ;~greecd upon not to rent the hitll to t~~ttside religious orgat~ixntions for mectir~ga 11r lect~ircs." Tl~tt undrrsig~~ctl ivitr most solemnly assnrc*tl that this cla,ision was not dirt-cted at or occasioned by his labon Ilcrr in these parts, or by that of the three ~l~inistcrs, \Vouclenbcrg, Van Bare11 ;~ntl Kortering. 'That this decision \\,as t a k o ~ ~ :lt

BEACON LIGHTS Olte

thot titlie was purely coincidence. It \\.;IS

alleged (not st;itrtl in the Alinritc.) illat the real reason for this "agreement" was that in ;I certain town in Northeast South D;dcola a certain Post had esperienced difficulty in tlleir to\vn by rcsnting their hall to all "outsitle religiorts organizatiol~" i111cl this they \\.auld prevent to happen in Xlenno. And this nlonientous ( ? ) tlecisior~ was "agreed upon" in J l e ~ o at the ccry time:

1. \\%en the undersigned \teas renting t l~c Attrcrican Legior~ Il(11l in Tripp and the Citq IN// in Tripp, and was nlainl;~inir~g tllc. I)c.st of 1111m;xn-relationships as it I~c~comes ;I citizen of this land, and a co~ifcssing Chris- tian, professing godliness.

2. When the undersigned i~ncl his c01- le;~gut-s \Yere spci~kiiig ancl prcacl~ing to gootlly audiences in Tripp in the. I,e,air,r~ Hall and in the City Hall, among which \\.ere ;~lso memlx-rs of the Urlit~vl C1111rcli of Christ, both of Tripp, .\Ienno, rlnd of l>el- mont.

3. \\'he11 the Rev. Kae~npcl~en \\-rotr. tl~rce identical letters to the Iicvs. \VOII- denberg, \-an Baren and Kortc*rir~g. \rho spoke in Tripp on the foUo\ving nsspectitre dntcs: .\[arch 7, 22 and B. 'I'l~is h t c r of R(!v. Kae~iipchea, dated .\I:~rch 2-1. 1961, \v;~s written undcr a letter-hri~tl of the Eca~~gelical urlrl Reforrtlcd Chrirclt, and s i g ~ ~ e d in the capncity of "presitlc-nt" of the Synod, \rho is at once also the. "~~resideot" of tlrc Sytiorlicul E.rcccitice Corttti~iltrc l~nclrr the I.:. and R. Coilstih~tion. Scc. I3y-La1vs. 70, a. In this lcttrr he, as tllc spokesnan for tile ministry complained that thc evident interest in the IIeidelberg C;ltc.chis~ii on the pitrt of the nlinisters, i\'outlt.nhrrg, i'r~n Barc.11 and Eortcring, insin~~atetl tI1:1i [lie Cntr~hism was not preached, or ;~dcqu;itcly pre;rchetl in thr- E. and H. Cllnrcl~. (Taciily this letter was silent ;tbout tlic- changed of- ficial htand of the E. n~ld R. C l ~ ~ ~ r c l l a s ii

co~np;lrison of Secti1111 I. 4 will sllow \i41t:11 co111lmred with Article 189 of t l~c Chrrrcl~ Ortlcr of the Refornled Chlucl~ in lJ.S.r\., ant1 \vith the s~tbsec~~~ert t Constit~~tion oi t l~e I'riited Chrlrch of Christ, recc~ntly adopted and ratified. )"

.1. he her^ a concerted ntten~l~t \\.;IS lac-i~ig ~liatle here in Trip11 to have the City Co~u~~cil refuse the l~ndcrsigtred the use of the City Hall, and \\-hen those \vho \voulcl tleprive us of the building f;iiled to succcc~cl i l l lraving

tlrc. alnount r;~ised from tllr present rate to :I I~igher mtc.. Those who wo111tl protect tllc: ~~ntlersigned 111oved and succeeded to h;ivW the decision rnade that we 11;ty a non nth i r~rlvance. -

5. 1Vltcr1 consti~nt reports rct~clled the 1111-

tl~~rsignecl here in Tripp tlr;~l tlie Americtir~ 1,egion Post in llenno hat1 I~i~rrcd Ine from Tripp, 1)y refusing to rcnt the* hall to me.

In the light of the above \vc ask: bo)- cotted?

And now at tl~is ver). ti~nc- \vhen nrr 11;ltl

rt>rited the bc~iltling in Xlt.nno, ;I sprcii~l ~necti~lg is called of tlie Esc.c~~tive Corn~nit- tcc of dle Ramr~s-Bender Post 15.7, and the ";~grcemcnt" of the meeting of .\larch 21, I !I01 must I)(. inforced. The 1t:tter reads like :In ~~ltirnahlm: "That yo11 ci~nnot use tlrl: I>~~ilding on the cl;ltes of Oct. 26 or No\,. 9 or r r t (itly olhcr time." The tl~l~n~b-sc.re\rs really had to be turned do\vn. There \ri~s danger hi de1;ty. l'he Ro111;tns said, "peri- c111un1 in mori~"! IIowever, when the nndc.r- signed investig;~tctd there \\.;IS rcBason to I]<.- tieve that there may be ~ ~ l e ~ n l ~ c r s of the 'Ex- c.cuti\,e lieeting" who were not informed; they were not aware such a meeting had been held. They \vcare ~nembers of tlrc Executiv- I3oard of the I'ost. Xlir.~l~il[. clictn! ( n ~ a r \ c.lor~s to relati.! )

On die S ~ ~ n d a y follo\ving diis special meeting of thc Elecutive Co~nnlittee of t l ~ e I'ost, the Rcv. Kaempchen 111:ltle not little :~tlo against tllc. r~ndersignetl, who could, of corirse, not defend hin~self, I I O ~ 11ein.g pre+ cnt. It is reported that he rililecl against 1111;

untlersiped, Ircld up thc eight inch ad crf t l ~ c local paper, the Ilutcltir~sor~ Heraltl, ( it contained a pl~oto-print of tlrc. undersignell) i111d calunl~~ii~ted the teacl~ing of the Prot- csst;lnt Refonnetl Church, insinuating in tllc sermon that \vc. teach, "if one is elected I I ~ can live the \\.icy he wants to, Ilc \\.ill go to Ilcaven." (The old lie of S;I~;III, and the vilc c:i~lumny of tl~r en<-1nie.s of [he truth.) In

O'fhe undersigned wrote :I tloc~~ment this summer, in sixty-two qncstions and tin- s\tVers, in xvhich he sho\\ss tlic r~ntenablenc*ss of those who claim to bc Rcfonned tint1 yet livc uncler the Conslitl~tion of tllct Eacingelicol i~nd Refor111~11 Clir1rc11, i111(l

the s~~hsec~r~c.r~t nlerger trs LJr~itcrl Cl~trrclr (7f Christ. I le srnt a copy to Rev. Kaemll- c11c.n. The Post M c c at J.lenno rehlrn'? it "refusetl." I have thc c.~rvelope as souvenir; the document 1 schnt to a \vortlry I~rother!

BEACON LIGHTS

fact, Itr Ili~d the ai~tl;~city to tell his audience that tlir ~net~tir~gs :ind lectures w o ~ ~ l d not

% held, itnd that Iic had askctl the local ,~ini.stry to cooperate in this ";rnnounce-

I I I ~ ~ ' ! A t lenst o ~ ~ c . ministcr is reported to Ilitve Ii :~t l the srrlsc. lo tell his co~lgrrgatiorl that he 11;ttl 11ecr1 reclt~ested to milkc such ~111

~nnol~ncc~nent , b ~ ~ t since it \\,as none of his 1)rlsiness ilc \vas not going to do it.

I$:? ask ;tg;iin: Imj,cotted? X'[ear~\vllile we go on in faitl~, and COIII-

tilit tllr cause of our Lord Jesus Christ to IIini. I t is His cause. He oftcn takes the crdty in their o\jrrt craftiness, al~tl Inys thc ~niplity low ant1 c8s:tlts tllc I I I ~ I I I of low degree. Possibly (Tor with tlre Lord all things ilrr possible) IIc \\ill open the door, and Ic;ctl 11s to anotller building.

Tliis is our prayitr! IVitll the good ;tssistcnce of ILw. G. Van

Barrn \vc havc ~rc*l)ared a tlocumcnt, arc having it printctl in ;I thot~santl copies, and

\rill flood \fenno, Tripp and r)clmont wit11 the facts. For it is reported people are ask- ins: IVhy were those "lectures c;tncelled?

The hrarts of men ant1 Icings art: in t l ~ c hand of the Lord. Let 11s pray that thc Lord of h'wfit prosper ollr \r.ork, ant1 cituse also this "evil" to turn to the advant;~ge of the h l t h in Jesus, and to the f u r t h e ~ ~ n c e of the gospel in ;ill this region.

".\nd no\+, Imrd look upon thvir threoten- ings: ant1 grant rlnto thy senants to spcak thy \vord \ r i t l~ holdncss." Thus prayed the apostles.

It is not strengtlr but \ve;~kness wvllct~ tl~ose, \vI~o profesb to be ministers, rnust rcsort to I>oycott; fro111 the hand of such the s\vortl of the spirit has fallen, and they seek their strength ill chariots runt1 l~orses.

But \vc. \vill remetnl~er the K;~rnr of t l ~ c LORD, n~rtl in His N;uue lift up otlr ban- ners!

THE SETTLED QUESTION

'l'llr>rc- i\ ;I qitc\lio~l that has ol1c.n :~risrn in Protc.\t,~nt Refor~~~c*tl groups. Attempts to settlr tllr q~lestiot~ I>y discussion Itit\re met \\.it11 little success. The stalemc~rt that the qt~estion ought to I I ~ ;I settled orlo h;~s proved c v m less sl~ccessful ;IS a solulio~~ to t l ~ e probletn. The qt~cstion has not I~een nskec! openly for rltlite some tirne; ho\\rever. it is still 11ei11g itsked, ant1 \\lit11 increased regul- arity.

hlany will be portr~rbed that we ask the question again. Sollie will \\.onder why we csinnot silnply iiccept thc ;trgnmcnts u41icl1 I1;t\fc: bccn ntlv;l~lced so c1f1e11 I)c:forr uncl ngrrc. that tlic t~(testion is closod ;tnd settlcd. Tllc reason shoultl Ilc obvious. llerely stilting that :I question should no longer I>(. discussetl is no sure \\.i~y to end it tlisc~~ssion; it I I S I I ; L ~ ~ > , has the opposite

F e c t . hlerely stilting that a cluestiou is ttied does not scttlc it. Advancing reasons

for one's opinion is not a grti~ri~ntce that onc's opinion will I)(- aclopted. 'I'hose who

;Ire not co~~\linced lvill continue to raise L I I C qucition, if not openly, then in swret. Bu t this has no merit \\'c. 1n11st havc the frec- dom to openly discuss the things \\dlich con- cern 11s. \Vhen silencc- hecotncs il~terpretrtl as agree~tlc~lt, we ;arc. guilty of hypocrisy.

The clt~estion is 111' question of dritni;~. .And the cjt~estion does not concern any particr~liir type of tlrn~na or any itbuse of dmtna, hut tlrama pcrr sc. IVe arc told that it is \\-rong in itself ;uld con~cquelrtly can 1x11-e no pl;lce in our lives. Yet \ire are not convincctl. \ire faco the prol~lem consta~~tly and arc not too reatly to say th;ct the sol11- tion to the problenl lies in avoitling tlrc proble111

When face t l ~ c prol,lem in the l i ~ h t of the neg;ltit7e injl~nction have received. \vr raise these rlilestio~ls. If it is wrong to partake in clranlatimtion. is it ;~lso \\Tong to watch s~rch? If it is wrong to watch it, is it \\Tong to read it? If it is \\*rang to reat1 it, is it wfrong to write it? If one of th,:

BEACON LIGHTS Three

eltlc.rs of our ehurclr tells 11s thi~t "Scripturt. lc.;tchrs that all dram:^ is ;In :~l)o~l~inatioii L!)

the Lord" and that we niay not attencl plt~ys, \vhy tlors he sit home ;rntl w;ttclr t1r;una on trlrvision?

So\\. \\.e grant that lwople's inconsistcn- cics (which in this case arc as u~ultih~dirtous as tl~c. s a ~ ~ d s of the seashore) can I)e no grour~tl for :irgnmentation of principle. 1311t the f;wt is clearly s11o\\,11 that most who secnr to \\rant the princil,lc rc!lusc to accept its ;rpplication. And \trc \\ro~~tlcr whether tllt.sr people are so er1slirvc.d to sin or \vlretlrer they do not agree \\.it11 the prin- ciple as nruch as they intlic;~tc.

\\'e rnise this iss-TIC itg;~irr not for the s:rkc of dc~fc.ncli~lg d m n a but for thc p~~rpose of pointing out that it is still ir I~rol,le~~r. Ancl,

TRUTH vs. ERROR

the modernisfie

;IS \r.c. M.I. it, it \\ill continue) lo \)r a problein l1111 i l all a g e p \xi& the prilicilrl~: and follow it. l'his, apparently, will riot lial,pen i m A ~necliiit~~ly.

\\'c. arc fi~ced svith t\vo iillrrniitives. We - rim bring the question out into the opc-11 once i19;tin ;ind enjoy a hc;~ltliy disc~~ssion or \vr c;in close tlic festering \vouncl and \vihll tllat it \\-oultl I~cirl. 'I'hr first alter- I I ~ I I ~ V I - I I ~ I S been tried, ;~ntl, \vllilv it has not solvc.tl tile problem, it h:ts I : I I I ~ ~ I ~ LIS that t l t c n iss~~c: requires critic111 c~s:~mi~~ation. Thc 5ec1)ntl itltc.mative has lwcn trirtl and has 11;ltl :i clc~citledly acl\.ersc~ elfcct. r\ ~nari who is toltl exactly ho\r he sliould 1n:tkc up his 111intl c:lnnot reach a rnca~~i l~gf~ t l decision. ri~itl n lllnrl cwnr7inced against his \\.ill is of t i l e . S : I I I I ~ opinion still. j.j.

REV. R. C. HARBACH - E. MODERNISM ON THE

CONFESSIONS 1. Modernism Evading a n d

Enervating t h e Confessions . . l lie opening tartic of llntlcrr~ism nit11 re\l,c3ct to t!rc* Reformed ;~rrtl Pre\bytcrii~n (Ci~lvillistir) creed.\ II:I.; Iwt-11 to eilller rclnoic. the creeds i~lto~c*tht.r. or to c*\ilr thcn~ to (Illsty shotvcases of t l ~ c c.cclesii~stical Inll\cnnt. Step5 in this tlirc~tio~r Ii:i\,ct been to ~ ~ ~ k t k c . minor re\tions in the interrsh of ";~dvnnced s tapn of tlrc~)locy," ;ulrl ill keep- ing \\*it11 the 'littest develop~~rcnts of Chris- ti;rllily." First, a brief st;rlc~~i'~~t is prefixed lo tlre stanclnrtl cor~fi.ssio~~ w l ~ i r l ~ i~rovitlcs for ;I \vitlo latitude c r f il~tc.rprc~(ntior~ of thc: sepiiri~te poi~rh. Ln sonicb caws he bricf sti~tc~nent is a cornpe11tli11111 \vhicl~ is o&red \\.it11 the unden?;~ncling ~1l; l t it is not UI-

tcndcd to become a sul)stil~~tc. for the con- fcssion. Then, .after a fetv yc:trs, it is over- t11rc.d t11;it the brief stnteriic~~t I)c aclopted ;IS tlrc proper creetl of tl~ct cliurrll. I f tllii .stel) is not realizctl, t11i:n ;In ;rttrmllt ;it

c.v:isio~~ 1,y revLion is mi~tlc*. IJsually the revi\iori is first aimed at the doctrine of the dccrcr of Cod arid di\inc predestination. For c~\arnple: Articlc 17 of t l ~ c 'll~irty-Xine Artic~Ic~s of the Churcl~ of England, tvhich, 1,y thr \tf;ly, tlt~l;rres r lo t l~ i~~g of sovereign rol)rol~i~tion, is in thc RcConnc:d Episcopal rt!vision (Art. 18) \vhittlcel tlo\vn to a mere mttritiorr of the I\-ords "clcction" and "pre- dc.sti~~;rtion." and proceeds to idh the doctri~rc of "m;m's free ugc.ncy ;tnd rcsponsi- I~ility." In a sort of e\-l)l;~nirtory note, not hy \v:iy of a confession;il tlccl;tration, it is st;ltctl t11:lt "this ch~uch simply ; ~ E i n ~ s these tloctri~lc:~ :IS the Word of Got1 sets them for~ll;" yet it is nowhere cspl:iincd just ho\v I l l ( - \\'ord of Cocl tlors set forth these doc- tri111.x. It is also addcxl t1111t this truth, \vl~icl~ rcc8 believe to he thc llenrt of the ~ I I I I ~ C I I , is snbmittc<l "to the inditidual jutlgn~cnt of the memlwrs, as taught by th .r7 Iloly Spirit;" yet it is nowhere revealt Ilo\v the individual judg~ncrrt 111lrler tile tci~cliing of tbc Spirit will rcyard in this

Four BEACON LIGHTS

truth. hlodernist rrli~ion sul~mits all 111;rttcrs of "l'itilh" to tlir inclivitlu;rl jt1dgmc.n~. 'l'his

C i p keeping with its hnsic itlea h a t the n~inrl f rn;ili is the final cnttrt of appeal. Hefon~letl

t n ~ t h culttcates the int1iviclrt;tl judgn~cnt in the \\'ord of God, nrtd it (the human jutlg- 111cnt) I I I I I S ~ submit to Scriptnrr, ant1 tltc: c.onf'cssions based ort Scril~ture.

In t l ~ e Westminster 13ric.f Stalement of 1902, the Refonnecl I:;~ith was retlucrcl !o 16 scmty articles. 'I'l~cre ~nan's t n ~ e concii- tion 1 y nature is slighted in that not on' word is said about thr loss of the itnitgc of Cod. l'l~ere are S I I C I I csprc.ssions, llo\vc:vc~r. ;IS <:otl "on'ers IIis all-s~lll'icirnl salvatio~t to all IIICII," and "Hc. 11;~s ~~rovidrd i~ of eternal life for all n~;lnkind." This I;~st - -

statcn~t!nt makes thc cross: ( 1 ) not salv;t- tion itself, but a provisio~i for salvation; ( 2 not t/lc, wily, hut rr \\lay of eterllal life; i~nrl ( : 3 ) for ill1 men witI11111t exception, r:~lllt,r t11al1 l'or ill1 the clcrt. 111 1903 the \Vest- mitistc~r Confession, Art. I I I on God's Etcrunl Drcrcc, \vas so "revisccl" as to teach tl~r r\nniniiun philosophy of ;I love of God to all tn;unkind. This is tncant to controrlict

&ctiott VI1 \vI~erc it is stated that Cod .d;~ins Incn to dislinltor tultl \\rat11 lor tlic.ir

sin to tlre praise r ~ f Ilis glorious j~~sticc. 'I'hat (kc1 ordains to catcnlal \vr;~th thostr He lovcs inlplies that God is either a ]Iron- btrr or n \vc.;lkling. 'I'l~is "re\isiod' (corrtrp- ti011 it rc.i~lly is!) the^^ il~jccts into thc \Vest- rtlinstcr sy11111ol the poison of a ~tniv~~rsirl atnttr~~lc~rlt, ;I mere: 1)rovisionnl redrn~~,liou, ~tt;~Iic-s t l~c gift of Gocl it nlere offer to nll men; ;ltttl Furtller, in tltc added chnptcr SSSV on .\Iissions, tlrc teaching of a \vc.ll- mmning offer of God to 1111 men appears. Thcri* is ;~lso sttch Artninian language- ;IS

"Gocl invites all," ; ~ i ~ r l Cot1 "l>leatls ~vith IIICII Lo nccrpt His gr;~ciot~s invittltion." I t is also proper to note tlrnt ncithcr the tlecl:tr- atory statements, nor t l ~ r chapter changc.s, or ch;tpter additions evcr speak of th~e elect. of forr,ortlination, ~o \~cnant , decrcc or ill:- put:~tion. References iuc al\vi~ys to 1111'11, sinncrs or I~elievers. 'T'hc "re\.isions" t1lcl.c- fore irrr no dcveloptttc:nt of the Rcfonl~erl truth presenled in the original \Vestminstcbr Confession, but are bolcl, 1n;lrked depi~rturcs mrn tlr;~t truth.

In the revision chnptcr S.LXI\', 011 the Iloly Spirit. it is clecl:lrrtl that "the 1:itthcr

is ever williu/: to give (tltr Spirit) to all \\rho ask IIiin." Rut it should br rernrlil- bered that they \\rho ask for the Moly Spirit are the elect only. For God promises "to gice rrr~to 1111 those that firc orcfuirted unto life His I~Ioly Spirit. to makc then1 willing and able to I~rlicve" (1-11. I l l ) . It sho~il~l !:e further ~loted that the orclrr of s;~l\..ation prese~~tetl in t l ~ h new chapter is that of: i 1) conviction of sin, ( 2 ) repentance. ( 3 ) rezeneration, ( 4 ) faith. This tnalies salva- tion depenii upon ~nan's act, and is not in h m o n y writ11 the \i7estniinster, \\*hiell Itas: ( 1 ) elect ;~cccpted in the Hclovctl \ t - i t l~ i~~ Ll~e decrcsc- ol' Cod, ( 2 ) regc.nc.ri~tion, ( 3) caliing, ( 4 ) jllstification, ( 5 ) i~rloption, ( 6 ) sanctification, ( 7 ) faith, (8) repentance, (9) persevcrzlnce. The revisio~~s therefore ignore the Refomied order of salvation ~vllich has Iwcn for crntl~ries conft.bsec1 11y tbc. churclt in the \\'estniinster tloc~lnient.

In 192.5 thc United Presbyterian Ch~rrch came up with ita o\\n version of the \\Test- minster Confession, consisting of U brief ~uticies rather than the original 53 co111- prehensive articles, \vlucl~ are said to re- nlain the s~~l~statrcc of the \\.estminster standards, i~tld contain also cr~rrc.nt convic- 50% of the clenolnination. I lo\vever, tho 3nitcd Pre>l)ytcriar~ Church ~nacle the l\'est- rnimter s ~ ~ i ~ h o l s to teach that the gospel is unconditionally offered to all hex (.Art. XV). But if the offer can be rejected under any circumst:tnce, as tllr al)o\rc* ;~rticle ad- mits. 11o\v, fro111 man's or Gotl's point of vie\\-, iq it a11 r~nconditional olrcr? Is it not .:cccrding to "current con\~ictions" condi- tioned by t l ~ c \\rill of man? Is it not also conditioned 11y God's forc.sigl~t of man's future act of acceptance? Is it not contli- zoned by f i ~ i t l ~ when it is sti~tcul t11:tt faith is the contlilion of salvatio~~ (SVII)? Thus the confessio~ls are gxadually undem~inecl with inlprrccplil)le, imiciious subtlety. .-b- ~nirdmiitn tlols tlus, inevit;~hly leading to \lodemisn~, itnd \loderni<~t~ leads to athe- ism.

2. Criticising and Opposing the Confessions

What are SOIIIC of tllc more open attacks as&t the confessions? For one thing, they are denied with the contention that they are ortly nian-made records. \thy is it, ho\vcver, tl1;11 when the Bil~le has almost

BEACON LIGHTS

no placr whatever in tlie cl~urcli that tl~ctt tion is Illore bound l)v the confessions than opposition to the corlfcssions bccotnes t h ~ most fanatical? IVhy is it that the no st un- i n f o n n ~ l as to kmowledge of confessions hare the no st against tl~crn? 'I'lie Bible alone, or merely the Kew 'I'rslatnent, i u claimeti to be all the creed we tlc~ecl. "No creed but Christ" is one of llotlcrnism's tired clichGs. Or we hear, "Scriphtrr, not theolog!" This sounds sornewl~i~t pious, ;IS

it is ostensibly in the interest of tlte suf- ficiency of Scripture. \\'c, too, I~elievc the suificiency of Scripture, but that sufficiency does not render creeds atid cotlfcssions UII-

necessary any lnorc than it rctirlers 1.11~ church unnecessary. \Vllo reasons, \\re I~avt! the Bible. which is alone the \\'orcl of God - \\-hat n d then for any church connec- tion? \\.')lo co~~clucles \\.c rnay stay lio~nt. with our Bibles? \Ve neither t1isrcg:ucl tlre church, nor the p a t testimony of the church. Since that testirnony u.as of the I~Ioly Spirit, it is not to be drniecl or neglc.ctrd. Lt is our Christii~n duty in the chnrclt 1 0 confess the san~e tI1in.g as the churclr of all the ages. The truth is unchangeable. I3ut the chitrcl~ cannot make any confession or have any testirnony if it consitlt~l-s that Scripture alone escl~~sivc. of ;I confi.ssion is sufficicl~t. It is from the Scripture t11.1t our testinloll). oriqinatcs. \ \ I en \vr give our testinlony, that is ; ~ k o our confcssion.

The llodernist mind regards cot~fessions as a hindrance to frcte thought, ;~ncl renders believing i~ccording to the dictntc*b of one's own collscience an impassil)ility. 'I'11c lloden~ist \\-ill not Ix. bound by the tlictates of other men. He aspires to an ;il~>olr~t!. in- dividualistic autonomy, and \\.ill not sul~tnit to anotl~cr's conscience. H e will not, for anything, pcnr~il the loss of his own per- sonal itltmtity. .%s to ~ttan's thougltt. \ve IIC- lieve it is never absolutely free. Only God's is that! \Ian's tbouglrt is free untlrr Cotl's providence and sovereignty. His tl1o11g111. is spiritually free only \vl~en it is on the hack of Scriptnre. .\!an's conscience then may I)(: as free ;IS God's \\'ord ordains; and only God's \\lord niay hincl the conscicnce - not some plrilosophy, 11ot some "religion," not some org'ulization, not sotnc person or group of persons, nor some ruler or govern- ment - no power on earth, save tllc il'ord in the posvcr of tlre Spirit. But n o Cl~ris-

11e is by Scripture - not as much as he is 11y Scripture - yet the hirltling of the confes- sion lie wrlco~nes, wor~ld not have it an, otl~cr \vily. Confessions, thcn. ;ire no un- - I)e.~rable yoke. Tliey ;krcs a binding of choice.

The confcssiom arc also regarded CIS

divisive, ca~tsinp a rift in the churches. They :Ire the c ; ~ ~ ~ s c of clissrnsion and tliscord. 'I'hey raisc u p w;dls ill tlie church higher than those of the Iringc111111 of heaven. They separate brethren \\rho o ~ t g l ~ t to Iwt irnited. Tliey arc therefore one of the &Te;itest ob- s1:~cles stnntling in the way of the one ~vorld church ideal. The modcrn rcll~nenieil move- Incnt for this reason has for one of its pllrposrs tlie breaking down of :ill denom- inntionill I)i~rriers. This ;~~i t idoc t r i~~i~ l rnove- went ain~s to merge 110111inal Protest;mtism, llotnanisn~ ;~ntl Jltdaisn~ into n e ~ ~ h a l com- mon dcnolninator church. But the church is not so colorless iud non-tlescript. Jr~st ub

the insignii~ of an army indicates \vliether it consists of conirnandos or paratroops, reve;~l- ing its tli\tinctive function, so the cmnfes- sions Inark the real re:lsorl for a tlrnoniin;rl tion's eristc.ncc.. Th18 insigni:~ is ;I symbol ( tlie arnlies' nationality, function and pur- -

pose. Re~noving the insignia nlll not change ;ill this. But with the soldiers of the cross, to do so \voultl seriously i~~lpair their morale. Ilrop the confes>iora, ;~nd thr chr~rches \rill I,econ~r spiritually dc~noralized, irnpovcar- ished and tlegenerate to ;I club or a lodge. For \ h e n the churchcu: lose the expressions of their tlistinctivcness. they soon lose the cause and reason for their separate exist- c-nce and nsefi~lness in the world.

Further 01)jection to cotlfessions is that ~ l l ry st.lgn;~te i~~tel luch~;~l and spiritual developmw~t. Holding :~rchaic, out-of-&ttn tenets le;i\,es no room for ne\v ideals. The old corifessions are so hctvenly that they ;Ire no e;lrthly good. \Vith them, t l~c c1111rch 1)ccotnes 11 historical Innsellm ;in11 ceases to I:c a center of culture, inHr~ence, Icaderslup and progress. This criticism is not true, ex- cept \vl~rrc the churches have neglected, I'orsake~~ or corr~~ptetl their confc~sions anil Iitpsctl into ;I c1e;itl co~lfessionalisn~. This t>pical of the \lodcrnist clu~rches. T: truly confessing church has not yet uttereci the 1;1st word. On the basis of Scripture it

BEACON LIGHTS

l)c;~r.; a testirl~ony lo tllc. sovc~rrignty and tian discipline in punishing sin. R e f o r ~ ~ ~ i ~ ~ g , qr:lrc- ol Gotl. 'TI~iit tcstilnony is its confes- correcting iind pl~rifying are not acts of

-on. That confession, over tlrc yrars, it persec~~tion. \larl;tging everything accorci- .cvrlops, enriclrc5 anti p~~rifies. ing to the \\:ord of God and rejecting ail

I t has alsc~ I ~ c . c : l ~ , ol>jectcttI that confessions things contrary thrreto is not bigotry, I)i~t ~nnkv for prejlltlice, bigot~y and intolc.rance. love and integrity. . . Illc~y have alw;~ys 11c-en r~ncl still ilrc' ;I nleans of p.rsecution. .l'Iiis is the salne o1)jection ~natlc. hy frec-thotlghlis111. Thcy \\~lio be- l ie~(: the most ilrc* the* I,igots, ant! tllCy \vho helic.vc the loi15t are I~rtwdrnindccl. TOO much rvligion is as hacl ;IS no religion. It is ni1rro\~~mi1rtl1.(1 ;mtl Ic:i~ds to in1~11isiloria1 crr~clty. .Accortling to tl~is conte~~lion, not only were L11t11rr and Calvin notorior~s Ireads in thc rog~~c-s' gallcry of bipotn, but so worc! l'rt111 :t11(1 J~SIIS . For I~II I IC SO hope- lessly ontagonizc*d the J c ~ s as ditl Jcsus up to the point where they \\.ere ilnplacably drivc~l to n i~~rder him. Then P;u11 \\ith his inCc.rprct;~tion oC Clu.ist's princip1c.s used thr s;ume a% t l~c most divisive wcclge ever to tlirratcn an anciently cst;~hlishetl religious ir~stitr~tion.

\krc ans\ver: Ill(+ Christinn ant1 the trt~c: cli~trch are aclniittcdly intolerant to sin ant1 the lie. So \v;~s Jesus, 1 ~ 1 t IIe was never ;I

*igclt. IIr atc. \vith p~tl~licnns, Pllarisccs and ,inncrs. He ncvc:r allo\vc*tl t l ~ e n ~ t i1 intimi- date or r u ~ m ~ p t Him. He anstvcrcd the devil \vith, "It i h \vrittcn," and refuted His enet~~ics \vitli "I'c Iirtvc Ilc.ard it si~itl . . . . h111 I say unto ~ O I I . . . .!" Using t l~v creeds to persecute is not thc mark of the true but thr false cl~l~rch. 'I'l~at "chnrcl~" perse- cr~tt-.\ "those tr.110 live holily acordil~g 1-0 the \Vortl of God ; ~ n d ~-cl)r~kc." it for error, cov- etousnc-ss ant1 itlolatw. Tlie tn~c. cl~urcli docs not persrc~lte \\'lien it esercis1.s Chris-

Finally, llodernism contends that confes- \iom t r t ~ ~ p t to 11ypcrisy. S o intelligent Iwnon I>c.lic.ves thrrn any niorc.. 'l'hey 111ul;~ the chr~rch's ship of state appear to bcb Ily- ing untlcr a piratc-chaser's (I~eresy-huntcr'b ) flap. \\,hrrcas the craft is really a Incnrcy- ship. It is high t i ~ l ~ r h c olcl, eml~arr:~ssiliq flag is :o\\.ered, and we 'Ict the clrurch he the church."

It must he admitted thiit there arc I~yp- ocritcs \\.ho pretend to the strictest ortl~o- doxy \\-hilt. they live under that &se in the most flitgri~nt sin. It is &o t n ~ e that tllere are hypocrites \\-l~o sail under tlii- Rc-tor~ned or Prest)yterian flag, but who have long ago deserted to the side of the enemy (Arnli- nianism and \lotlernis~n). These especii~lly predomini~te in the churches \\,hc.re Cl~ristii~n discipline is lax or non-existent. It is not the presence of the confessions iri the church which n~nkes for aml-chair believers or parlor Christians. They arc godly for ailin, generous for f a ~ r ~ c , and aspire after re put;^- tion for self. Tlie hypocrite is one 1v11o has God in his ~noul l~ , but thct \\.orld ill his heart. Kot the chl~rch, the Scripture or tllc confessio~~s are to I)lame, but "he is tlrrtwn away of his otvn lrrst ant1 enticed (Ji~s. 1: 14 ). A good conl'cssion implies l~~lic*f of the t n ~ t h a ~ ~ t l perforlnancc of the IVortl. It is defined in word, esprcss~ l in tongi~c and ~nanifested in dcctl imtl in tn~th!

HELPS FOR BIBLE STUDY ON THE

Book of REVELATION by REV. H. HOEKSEMA

LESSOS XXSI (Hecslr~tion 13:I-3a) The Beast 1. \rs. 1. a. "And I stootl upon t l ~ c . sand make \var \\1iil1 the rcmnant of the seccl of

+f t l r c n sea." '1'11~. 1i.V. is nlore ro~l.ecl: he thc \vomiIn. 1217. (3) No\\* he stands on 7od upon thc s;md of t11t. sre. (I) Tllc the seashore from the whiclr the beast \\.ill

.efercncc is to the clrrtgon. (2) Hc went to to i t b. "-4nd I saw a beast rise up out oi arise, in order tlr;lt lie nlily givc his PO\%-er tlle sen." (1) The sea in Scripture is syn~l)ol

BEACON LIGHTS Seom

of the \rgorld of nations in their historical tle\relopmertt, :IS they ;Ire swept 1)). \vJrs tlld revolutions. Dan. 7 2 , 3, 17; Rev. 17:15. (.2) The beast is a \vild beast, ; I I I ~ ~ besides, :I monster, icdicrrtive of its true clraracter. It s>n7nholi~cs tlre srcul:~r powc6l. of thc \vorld, n kingdom or cmpire tog(-tiler with its head. Ilnn. 7:l7, 23; 820 , 21; Rev. 17: 10. c. "Ha\ing scven heitds and ten honls"; ( I ) 111 the R.V. the ortler is given as "ten Ilorns and sca\*en hei~ds." This is correct. Ilising up out of the stir the horns of the beast \vould nppcar &st. This may al- so acco~lllt for the fact that here tllc c9rowns ;ire descrihecl as beirlg on the ltorns, \vldic) in the description of the dragon (123) they appear on the heads. \\'e must conceive of seven of the cro\\nerl horns as bei~rg on the seven I~eads (so tlr;lt the heiltls are .IIMI cro\\med tllor~gh ach1;111y the cro\vtls ;are on the hor~ls); \vhile three of the horns are I)(.- t\veen the lleads. Botll, heads ;~ncl horns, itre cro\vnc.tl. (2) The lleads rcprcsc?~rt severen ~vorld-poivcrs ;~ppearing conseci~~ivc~ly in I~istory (see. 17:lO); arld that, too, in such it \-ay that five of the heads represent so mnny \i~orltl-kingdoms of the past. one rep- resents the \vorldpo\\,cr that esist1~cl at the time of John (Roman ernpire), ilrltl one is still to come as the final manifestation of the antichristitinn power. Hence, E y i n g I);~ckwartl from the sixth head (Home, tlic fourth beast of Dan. 7). we. have: . I . 'The Creek-Sl;~ccclonian empire (the leopard of Dan. 7:6; tlle rough goat of Dim. 8 5 , 23: 2. The Jleclio-Persian empire (the hear of Dan. 7:s; the ram of Dan. 8:3, 4. 20): 3. The Babylonian enipirc (the lion of Van. 7:1; 4. Rc.fore Daniel's time therc was thc .bs>rian empire with Kineveh as its cap- ital: and 5. Babel, thc original \vorlcl-po\ver that c.~lt lc. t l in the confusion of lorlg~~cs ancl the separ.~tion of the ~lations. The 6th head is Rome. The 7th tllc world-empire of the fuh~re, \\,hich is ;~lso the eighth, ch. l'i:ll, that is, it \\.ill be tllc cons11nlnl:ttion 21rlci combination of all tlrc world-powers of h e past. (3) The ten horns represent (err kings or Lingdonls h a t shall mist si~n~~ltaneously at the ti~tic of the 6nal manifestittioo of the ;mtichristi;un beast, anti they slrall ~ v c Ilirir pa\\-er to the beast (confederate with hinl) for a short time, ch. li:l2. The horn is a symbol of royal power. Ps. 89:17. d. "rind upon its heads names of blaspllc~~ny." (1)

Iili~sphrn~y i \ properly the reviling of thst \\hi& is \ileretl, especiiilly Cod. (2) 'l'heze It;une.;, eyprcss, therefore, thc ; ~ n t i g o d y a character of the \\,hole brast, i.e. of all tht great \vorld-po\vers. -

2. Vs. 2. "And the I ) F ; I s ~ \vIric11 I saw," cute. \\'e m;ry notice Ilere: (1 ) 'r11,it in gen- eral the tlescription of the beast here rc- nlinds of the beasts in D'm. 7. (.2) That hcre the v;trions be:lsts of Danicl 7 appear not separately, h l ~ t conll)inc.cl into one mon- strous beast, denoting tlrat the fin;~l \vorlJ- cnrpire will bc a cmnlbinittion of all the tvorld-po\vers that went 1)efore. (3) '1'11at the ll~reefold description of the I)c-t~st (lcop;trtl, l~esr, lion) describes ~ h c \\,orltl-po\ver in its s\\iftncss, strength, :inti rapacity. I,. ".bd the driigon gave him his po\vcr," vtc. (1) -. l lle dr;igo~t, \ire renieml)er, is the tlc.vil. (9) 'I'l~at he gn\?r to t l ~ c I)ei~st his potvcr aig- nifirs, in general, thst Ilc uses the political \vorld-po\ver (\vhich, of wurse, as sr~ch has its po\ver, tltrone, itntl authorit?. from God) irs his i~ntichristian i~lstnlme~rllt ;IIICI rep- rcsentative. ( 3 ) Partic~ll;trly it 1nc;ins that the devil so influenru the \vorld-po\r,er that (a) Its po\rfcr becomes arl e\il po\ver; ( b h Its tluonc :ur antichristi:~r~ tlrrollc: (c) It ar~thority an antichristi;un r ~ ~ l e , used in tlte $en-ice of the "god of this \s-orld."

3. \'s. 3;1. "And 1 s;iw one of its heads 11s it were \vounded to tleatl~: and tltc deadly \vound wi~s hcalcd." The meaning is. of course, that (1) Once in the past the world- po\ver had bcen fatally \\-o~mded. (2) But that now, ;rt the time of thc h a l rcaliz~tion of thc n~ltichristian e n l ~ ~ i r e thc fntal wound was healed. b. > l a y interpretations have lxen offered of this s i b d c a n t detail: the Ror~ian \\,orltl-l~ower fi~t;rlly \vountled in the clr:~th of Christ, the \votlncI ir1flictc.d on the Iiomm~ empire by the invasion of the bar- lxtrous hordes h n l the Nortft, the death of Nrro, etc. c. \\-e prefer to think here of the confusion of tongues at the buil(ling of tile tolver of Babel, ( I ) 'I'hat \iras the first ;rttenlpt to establish a 1111iversal \vorld- po\trer. ( 2 ) 'I'lre confusion of tonbwes was much morc than that: it was the scvcring of the one race into sevc.r;rl u;~tions, tll;lt woultl henceforth \var against one aiother. As 1011 as they do this there can be no ~~nivers;

* power. (3) This \sill be healed in the fuhire. The nations \\.ill unitc.

BEACON LIGHTS

I,ESSOX SSSll (Kel;clrrlio~~ 13:3b-10) The Benst (Cont.)

~4 1. \',s. 311, 4. ;I. A I I ~ all the worltl r,ondrretl after the beast." ( I ) All the in-

11ul)itants of ~ I I C rirrth. Thi~t the wicker1 itrc denoterl by t l ~ i b esl~res~ion i~rrlicntes tlri~t thty prerlo~lri~~i~tv. The rigI~tt.o~~s i~rc few. (2) They "\vo~ltlcrccl after" thc I,c;rst, i.e., they were ir~nir~ed at his grci~t power, nntl they follo\vetl Ili~n, rallied to lris banner IN- ciu~sc of lus ptnvc.r. 11. ''And tl1c.y \\-orship- pcd the tlragon," etc. (1) 'l'o worsl~ip is to oscril)e divine. power to i111yona ant1 to l~ring hini divi~~(: homage. (2) 'Tlrcy worship, first, tlrc dr ;~xt~~i , because he g i ~ \ ~ e po\\?cr to the heast. 'I'11v meaning prohnbly is, not rhi~t they co~~seiot~sly serve the devil, brrt tlrill by follt~\vi~~g i1ftc.r t l ~ c , I ~ c a s t they tlo the \rill of t l ~ e tlcvil and i~ck~iowledge Iri~n as the pri~rcc of tl~is worlcl. (3) Directly, ho\r.ever, they \\forbhip the I)cirst, and that, too, because tl~cy put their ftrll confidence i l l

I~is powcr: "\\ll~o is ;tl)lcv to nitk kc war \vitlr I~irn?" Tlie I>tt:~st heing supreme, war is now impossible. Tlie long looked for pe;rcc Iliis CQII~C!

?. Vss. 5-5;~. ;I. "And thcre was gi\,cl~ m ~ r t o liim a 111orlt11," ate. ( I ) The ~ n e a t t i ~ ~ g

4s: by Gocl is gi\,cn unto Iri~n this n ~ o ~ ~ t l r , i.e., not in Ilis grace. but i l l I-lis proviclcnce. Even the power of the beast is Cod's and is strictly limitctl I)y Him. (2) This enables l~irn to speak grcirt tlii~~gs. Scc Dan. 7:s. 20. 25. 'I'l~c csprcssion "great tlii~~gs" refers to his boastful pritle. but also Inealls that Iic niilkes great promises to tlrc \vorld in his o\\.n strength. (3) And blssplremies: he re- vi1c.s things si~cred. See or1 vs. 1. IJ. "t\ntl Ire opened l~is ~ i io~~th ." etc. ( 1 ) Tlie niain ti~rget for l~is \vickttd tlarts of I)l;~sphcmy is Cod. (2) Hence, he blasphcmies: "His riame," i.e., all tl~;rt is co~urcctcd wit11 Gorl's self-revelation i l l Christ: "I lis tabernacle," i.c., Cod's covc~~iuit, His IIOIISC nncl semicc ;111d fcIIo~sllip; "il~ld ~ I I ~ I I I tIt;r( dwcll in I~r;~ven," i.c!., tl~osc that tlwell in Coti's tabernacle in Ileave111y glory: the hope of f r~hur glor).. Tlicse he deritlcs and ~nocks ;ind tries to cstirlguish. c. "14r1d power was givckn unto I~ini to co~rt i~~lre forty and rwo rnonths." Evcn lris time li~nit is dctcrnli~~cd

P y Cod. Cod gives him his power to carr). n his \vickctl \vork. For the "forty hvo

montlu" sec on ch. 119, 3: 12:6, 14. d. "And it \v:~s b i \ , c ~ ~ ~ ~ n t o hini to make wirr,"

etc. (1) Notice t l ~ e repented expressiorr: "it \va gi\.en unto him.'' (1) He makes war with the si~ints, i-e.. persecutes them. 'l'l~erc being no otlrer politicirl po\r7er opposi~~g 11i1n he cilrr direct all his attention to ~ l ~ e "seed of tlru woman." This \ ~ s the tlcvil's purpose. (3) "And to o\ercome them." Sot, of col!rse, its if he can overcome ant1 sub- due them spirih~ally. Hut lie kills tl~cnr, puts thcm in prison, and, for :I time, silences ~ l ~ e i r testimony. Sce on 11:7-10.

3. Vss. 711, 8. a. "AIICI power wiis gi\ren him over all kindred, :cntl tongues and II;I- tions." TIw H.V. has the fourfold division: "eve- tribe, and prople, and tonguc i111c1

nation." 'l'l~c ~ncaning is thiit the r~~lc: of antichrist is universal. rind again, ~ ~ o t i c e illat this po\s7cr is givcsn him of Cod. b. ".hd all that d\vell upon the earth shall \vorslup I~irn." Sotice that the form here ltlergcs into that of direct prediction: "shrill \\?orship." The anticliristiiin beast cr~ioys universal adoration and \\.orship. (?) I.low- ever tlris does not apply to ever?- indivitl~~al on the ewtll; it i~rcludes only those "whose names :ire: not written in the book of lifc of thc. 12:1~~11) slain lrom the foundi~tion of tllc worltl." (The R.V. connects die last phrase with "\vritten" ancl reads: "\vlrox names are not \vrittcn from the foundntiorr," etc. This, Iio\vever, is ;I commentan rather than a I~ctter tra~islittion). c. Concerning this book of life \ve I I I ~ I ~ note: (1) That: it is the book of election. (2) That it is ci~lled the book of life because the names of those h a t are ordirined to ~ t c m n l life arc written in it. (3) Tl~;rt it is the Li~nlb's book, becn~~se those \vritlcn therein :Ire dven to IIim. (4) That it is ~nentioned here for the comfort of the elect ilnd the assurance of their final victory while it spells sure defeat for the nicked \\,orshippers of the anti-christian beast. d. '1-llc Lamb is slain (as the slain Lamb He p~~rchased those \\.hose n;~rnes are written in the book) from the foundation of the \vorld: from the very beginning the \vorld killed Christ.

4. \'ss. !J. 10. a. "If c111y ni'm lint11 U I I enr, let him lic;~r." This familiar eshortatior~ is, of course, i~dclressed particularly to the spir- i h ~ d people of God. Tlrey only hil\,e ears to hear. By it special attention is cirlled to the follo\\.ing warning. 1). "He thict Ic;~tlcth

BEACON LIGHTS

into c.lptivity," ctv. (1) The expression rnily ancl tlo look for\varcl. (3) Iiencc: "Here means th;lt just retril~ution shall 111: inflicted is thr patienct- i~ncl the fail11 rjl' the saints." upon the anti-christiarr power ant1 those that 'I'lle hope of their h a 1 tlt~livrrance and- follott. the beat . (2) To this tllc suffering j~rstification is the object of their faith, and saints that are Irtl into prison i~ntl tlri~th, the ex~lanation of their patience. -

I,ESSOA7 S X X I l l (Recel(l~ion l.i:11-.7 Vs. 11. "-hd I bdleld another I>east com-

ing up out of the c;lrth." 1. A second beaht appeilrs in the vision. This iilso is called "a beiut," t11o11gh its appearancr is not a t all like that of ii \vilcl animal. ' 1 ' 1 1 ~ rv:lson is tlli~t its nature is quite like 111i1t of die. first Iwi~st. 2. This aec~)nd beast arises out of the earth, i.r., it hiu its origin in the sea of nations, war-s\sPcpt, rest1c.s~. That the sccontl beast arises out of the c.i~rtll tlcr~otc~s: a. That it is eilrthly, from bclo\v, carnul; not frorn above. James 3:13. 11. Tl~iit it has its origin not in the po\rvcr of the s\rorcl, but in thrni that d\vell on tile earth, 11ot in rvar and strife, but rather in the 11rorc qltict de\relopment of cartllly, human lilc and in- gc-nuity. It is not political, but ;I spiritual character. This suggests at once that .his secorltl beast is a product of ll11111an in- genuity imd tahnts fulfilling its origi~ral miintlate to h;n-e dominion over the earth: cult~lre, science i ~ r l t l invention, ~ I I I I I I ~ I I \\?is- dom cli\,orced from the \\-isdom that is ~ I ~ I I I

above. 3. The description of the be~st: "ancl hc had hvo honls like a lur~ll), :irrd Irr spake as a dragon." a. The n11111l)c.r of tllc horn\ has no srpeci;ll sigpificiulccs except to indicilte that it Iwks like a nor~ni~l I w t , and that. too, like a lamb. There is no direct cwmparison to the Lamb, for He hils se\.ell horns. 'l'l~at his horus arc like thosc of ;I I:~nil~ rather inclicates that this beast is not fierce ancl warlike, but 11leek ant1 peiiee-loving. Ho\vcvcr, his appearilnce rc- mintls of the Lnll) . \\'e are rcn~intled here tliat false propllets arc \\-olves i l l shecp's clothing. \latt. 7:l.S. 11. 'I'he spet.cl~ of this heitst belics its nppc;~ra~~ce: it sl)v;t!is like a dcigon, i.e.. with the purposrs to tempt ant1 decei\-e. The spc!cch suggests thnt also this beast stands in the senice of the devil, innocent thouglr it looks. c. Notice. Loo, that it speaks. It docs 11ot exercist, it.; poncr by force of arms, but by the po\\r:r of its \t.ord. It reprcscnts the fdsc prophet i.e., not any pi~rticular person, but tlio ectire potwr of false scicncc, culture, rt-ligiorr.

4 ) The Beast. O~rt Of Tllc Enrfh. \Is. 12. "-And he eserciseth all the pn\trer

of the Erst beast Ixfore Irir~l." 1. The orig- inill \\rorcl for "pn\ver" means "authority." - , I his seems to s~~figest that this second beast is clothed \\.it11 the official i~r~tl~ority of tllc first beast. Tile politicill powc!r of the anti- christ takes antichristian culture and religiorr i r l its service. IIence: "l>efore him," i.e.. Iwfore the first beast this sectrnd heast does 1111 its work. I t stilnds in t l~c ser\.ice of thc i~~ltichristiari empire. -2. "Antl citusetll tht, cnrth ancl them which dwell thcrcin," etc. : I . This is the v e n specific service it per- forms for the I~enst. It niakt*s people i11I

ovrr the earth \\,orship tllr- I)c.ast. b. Let 11s note here: ( 1 ) That this is ecco~liplishecl by the pers~~asive speech of the secmntl I>eilst. It molds public opinion. (2) That they that \\-orship the beast are described as "tl~t: c:;rrth and them that dwell tlrcnrein," i.e., al* IIII-11 and that i t 1 their capircity of dwellers in the earth: thry clcvote tllcsir all to 111~:

beast. (3) 1'11i1t it is emp1i;lsi~fid here tlidt thc special rciison for this \vorsllip and ad- ~niration is t11i1t the deaclly tvound of thc first I)cast is Ilciiletl. See OII vs. 3.

1's. 13. "And hc doeth gr13at wonders, so that," etc. 1. The word for "\r~onders" in the original is "signs." To I)c able to do signs belongs to the office of a true prophet. Signs corroboriltc llis worcl. Ilence, also tllc false prophet \vill procl~~cc! llis s ips . See Slatt. 24:"; ilk. 13:'32. 'I'hese won- tlcrs are not mere tricks, but v e v real, even tliough they are i1I1 limited to thc sphere of c:trthly things. 2. He eveu I~rings fire from hc.;~vcn. This ia mentionetl 111ere1y as onc of the great things he \\.ill III. able to do. representing otller wonders. Reminds of Elijilh. 3. Ant1 he perfornls ;11I this "in the sight of men." It is his spcciitl purpose tl~at men be witnc.sses of his power, in orclcr t I i ;~ t they may believe his wo1.d. Hence, he ~>crl'orms them pi~l~licly.

\.s. 14. "Arltl he deceiveth tllem tha 9 clwc.ll or1 tile carth by- the means of those nlirircles," talc. 1. This .rgiiir~ il l Ilarnlo~ly

Ten BEACON LIGHTS

with llatt. 2.4: 1 1. 24. \ l .~ r~y \\.ill I)c dc- deception r.orl\isth co~lcretcly in t11;1t IIC. 11c.r- ceivt.tl. 'I'lrc: ~rc;rt deception is alwilys that

-it is good iund I(.;~ds to happiness to tlc.11i1rt .?om the livil~g Cod and His \tTortl. 1. 'flre \venders sc.rve this ptrrpose. By it tile scwond lwast .seem\ to prove that he is ;tl)le to in- augurate an cril of ~ ~ n h c a r d of prosperity and happiness. 'Tl~c. I{.\'. has "which it was given I~im to (lo." This is correct. 3. llis

su;~dcs IIICII to muke an image of thc I)c:~st. a. Notice hcrc ;~gair~ that tlle worsl~ip of the beast is brought into connectior~ with the fact thilt the deadly wound was healed. b. The image of the beast is meant as an idol, representing Llre antichristian worlcl- power. This m;ty very \\,ell h t l litrritl ful- fillment ill t11cs f u t ~ ~ r e .

1,ESSOn' SSXlV (Reuekltiorr 13:l.j-18) The Ntrnlc Of The Be0~1 1. Vs. 15. "Antl lie had ~~o\vc.r to give ond beast) i t is clrcreed as a state law, tl~trt

life unto the itni~ge of the I,c;~st." The all \vorslrippers of the bcrst shall receive H. \'. is moreb correct: "ilnd it \v;ts gi\.en unto him to give breatll unto it, eve11 I I I I ~ O

the imagt: of the. Ileast. 1. 'I'he f;~lsc 11rophc.t is given power (sve on vss. 5 , 7) to give life or breath, litcritlly ";I spirit" to thcr in~:rgc of the beast. '3. According to solnc (who in- terpret t l~c cvrtirc clraptc*r ;ts rcaf(*rrir~g to the IXorn;~n clnpirc.) some images of the, tle- ified Roman cmperors were rel~ortctl to have hpokcr~, t~ntl John is .sul~posccl to I~ave believed tl~is s~~pc.r.stition. Keedless to say, that Itre nn~tst rc*g;~rd such interpretiltiotls in conHict \vith tlrc idea of infnllil~l(. i~lspirir-

-on. 3. I:s;~ctly i l l what I I I ~ I I I I I C ~ ~ Illis is 10

t)e rci1li7cd wc. tlo not know; ho\vcvct~. i l l our clay of ruclio ; u l t l tlicti~phones, etc., it slrould not be cliff-ic~rlt to visualize a literill fulfill- meut of this prophecy in the f u t ~ ~ r c . "And that the im;rgc of the beast shor~ltl 1,otll speak tint1 c;lltsc. tllnt as many \vo~tltl not \vorsl~il)," etc. I. .I'hc "spirit" is givc~n to the image it1 o r t l t ~ that it may spc;tk: any- thing recortlctl cbiln be reprocl~~ccc.l. 2. And the specific purpose of this spc.rch is to (Ie- tcct ancl c,sposcs t l~e faithful sair~ts Illat

and \\-ear srrch ;I mark. b. That, nc\~crtht.- less the mark is \,oluntarily received. It is not forcvcl I I ~ ~ J I I them, for the saints do not rccci\,e the 1n;trk. Only on s\\.earing i~lle- gimcc to the- he!ilst i~~lcl \vorshippil~g l1il11

can the m;wk Ilc rcccived. 1. Fro111 its. 17 ("sax-e he tln;~t Iiatl the mnrk, even the nanre of the beast or thc number of his n;unc." R. \I.) it is plain that the mitrk cor~sists of the name of the I ~ t l s t or the number of his name. Let 11s note hcrc: a. That by the name of the 1)c;ul is not meant the propcr name of some incli\fidual, sucl~ as NLTU, Domitiar~, ~htc. T l ~ c name in Scril)tc~rc is the expression o f 1111. nature of ;~tlyot~c or aqthing, or t l ~ c s>mbol of brlonpi~rg Lo someone. See lkv. Eli: 3:l. 5, 12. I.lcrc the name denotes the antichristian ch;trilcter of tile beast. b. That by the number of his name is not nreant the numerical villue of the letters of his nilme either in Crcek or Hebrew. (1) l'llis \vould limit the i111cr- pretatio~l nt' tl~is entire chapter to its :~p- plication to the Rolnan empire. 'fhc n:llnc in that rase i h >111q)osed to be the n;ullc of

refuse to \vorsl~ip tlie 1)cast i~ncl his itl~agc, the Iioman enll~irc, or of one of its (:I~I- that they ttlily I)i. killed. perors, ant1 the number of the name t l ~ c

2. t'ss. 18, 17. "l\nd he causeth :III, 110th sum of the ~lr~nlerical value of its lettc.rs. small and grci~t, rich and poor, free and (-5) Even then the question arises: ;I Ililnie bond, to recc+i\*c ;I mark," etc. Noticc I~erc: in \\-\-hat Inn~~;rgcT IIebre\v, Greek, I,iltin? 1. That all c.l:~shc:s of men \vitlrollt c.sccntiou r\nd \\-I-hat 11:11nv? Ti is better and ~ ~ ~ o r c in receive a r~~i~r l i , I I ~ which they arc. tlistin- harnmony \vitlr tllc sy~nbolisnl of the r111nr1,ers guislrccl as I)c.lol~~ing to the bcnst r l ~ ~ t l I)cinq in the book oI' rc\~elation. to i~rtcrprcht the loyal to his c;ursc-. 2. That they wear this "nun~ber of l~ i s name" as the syml~olic cx- mark "on their right hand, or in tl~tsir fore- pression of thr meaning of the name ill ;I Ireads" has, c\,irlcntly, no other sig~~ific;rncc nunrtwr ( s c ~ I)clo\\l on vs. 18). The gcneral than that it nr~rst l)c plainly seer1 t~r~tl, there- meaning is, thcrcfore, that the mark is solnz r ore, be in :I conspicuous pliicc. 3. 'fhc sign that expresses tllc antichristian cll;rr- nark is give11 them (illus in the originill), ~ c t c r of tlre 111'iist; perhaps, literi~lly the 'and this irrrplics: ;I. 'I'llat undcr tl~c* power- number 666. 5. Again, the purpose of tlris ful iriflucnce of tho ft~lse prophet (the sec- mark is to c l i s t i~ r~~~ish h e \\.orshipprrs of t l lc :

BEACON LIGHTS Elecrrt

11r;rst fro111 tl~osc! t11;it ref~rse to worship him, a11tl to pcrsccutc tlrc latter: "Ancl thilt no I ~ I ~ I I I 1nig11t l ~ ~ y or sell save hc tl~itt had the n ~ i ~ r k of tllc. I>east." \\:hat this incvtns m;ry r;lsily be surmised. It would make social o~~tensts of I~elievers. so h a t literally they 11;ive no place left in the world.

3. 1's. 18. "Here is n.isdorn. Let Iiim that 11;rth i~nderstanding count the number of the Ixast," etc. Lct us note here: 1. That it requires svisdom and understancling to count the number of the beast," etc. In Scriph~re "wisdom and understand- ing" arc not the same as human in- genuity, but they are spiritual, from above, ;rnd enable one to h ~ o n . tile spiritwal

things c ~ f the kingclon~ trl (;otl. 2. This slm111tl \rrarn us against tllosc! i~l l~.rprcl i~t io~~s that n~akr of this nirnll>cr ;r ritltllr or pllzzlr.mq e.g. L (30) h (1) T (300) I< (5) 1 (10) N (50, 0 (70) S (?OO): GG6 is I,A'I'EINOS, the ' Roman empire. And thcre i1rc very many explanations that proceccl on t l ~ e same prin- ciplr. 3. That it is tl~c: nl~rnl,c.r of a nxin, i.e.. not of any partic~~liir intlivitl~~al, l ~ u t of a humall Ilei~lg, cliar;~cteristici~llj limited as :I human being, mere \Itin. 4. 111 the light of this: 6 is 7-1, the mere ciirthy, the week ~vitlrout the sabbath, l a h r \ \ i t h o ~ ~ t rest. Tl~c. repetition: 600, 60, 6 represents the repeated efforts of nlan to estnhlisli his own kingtlom of blessedness and peacv, ;~nd his reprc~tcd and ultimate failure.

ROLAND PETERSEN

\\'hilt this ;~rticle deals wit11 hymns, it is not the. intention of the writer Lo enter at this time into the present col~trovrrsy cnncrrning tlre tlae of h>mns in ollr cllurch scrvicc.~. l'hcrc s c e ~ ~ ~ s to be little c~ucstio-, conernling the ilsc of hymns in our schnols a11d Ilc>~rles, nt "hyn~nsir~gs," for special prcl- grams. ;inti on our raclio 1)roadcasts.

Let's Iwgin with a fomial definition of "h!~nn." \\7e'cbsier's Concgiafe Dictionar:? defina "h>111n" as "An ode or song of praiw- anti adoration; tsp. a religious ode or soll~." Illis I~road definition includes our "ps;~l~i~s" (better. p\alm versifications and pa~~phrases ) , so, for our purposes, it is best to use t l ~ e conventional di~tiuction in mhicl~ '91y7111i" means a religioiis song oher th,t:l those I , ; U L ~ on the Ps;~lrns. It should nbo I)c ~niitle clear th:tt "hynm" means test. \\'hen referring to the ~r r~~s ic , \re use "hymn tune."

If onc were to ask the cluestion, "\L711y do \ve sing Ilynins?" The most prohuble answer \\*ot~ltl be that \vc sing to praise and glorify Cotl, to thank IIim for His great: good~iess to IIis l'lris lofty itlcal slrould Incl-

tivntr all our singing i111d s1)~'irkil~g. To deviate from it is to \rfalk il l , error. \\'hen 1l)vnlns l~eco~ne tools to I)i. I I S I ~ in "saving so111s" or they arc Incar(. c*ntcrtitintnrnt, thc signs cf the t n ~ c Clrr~rcli ;arc. probably ab- sent.

It is obvious, fro111 tllc insl;~nl ol,jections r.;iscd 11y some to tllc intrc~tl~~ction of hymns ir! o w smriccs, that thcrc ;rrc many hymns .-*hich are not usable in l'mtestant Reformed circles. To these people "hy~nn" has ;I dis- t-essing connotation. \\'l~en "hymn" re- --i~cls the111 of such horrors :IS "\\'hen the Eoll is Citlled LTp Yonder," this :~ttitude is rlsily understnod! Pcrhnps :rt this point somr refining of our definitio~~ of "\ly~nns" is in order. \\'hilt, then, constit~~tes a g m ~ l h>mn?

\f7e )r!~ol~ld insist that all llymns be hicseti on Scriphtre. This, of corlrsc*, rllcb;uns that h>lnns contain doctrine. Not virgilc gel)- .. . rlities ircccptal~lc to all who call them- selves "Cltristi;~n." Xo, \rPc ~ I I I . I S ~ llirve h)~~nn.s ,-,it11 I'rotcst;~nt Refor~~lcrl 1)octrinc. It i.

..9

sird imd strange, but distrcsssi~~gly trrlcb, that songs 11avi11g little or 11o11(~ 01' this cloetrine

Ttcclcc BEACON LIGHTS

ilrc. oftcrt Irct;rrd i l l l'rnl~.sl;~nl Ih~for~uecl g;ctllcrings. \Vc Icc>:tr :~ltopc.llc(!r I I N I I I I I I ~ ~ :

thc religious er~lcrlainmc~rl 111i1t chilr- , rcterize~ the fundomenlalist ~novvcncnt.

Further. I~ymns arcb poems. .\ goo(/ Ilynl~t is a good poenr. 'I'llosr wllo sity tll;rt tllcrtt :trc no ncrept;thle h>nins runtl that \vc should \\.rite our o\r-n seem to forgct this fact. \\'e

~ceed good poems. brrt, \\.it11 vc-ry few es- ccptions, the poets are not ill c~vitlc~ncc . . . \\'e can learn niuch from th(. rc)~cllifarious poetical garbage trrrnrcl orit I)), tlre "Tin I'irn Alley" of mocleru fccntln~nc~~~l:tlisrn.

If \ire j11c1g' ~ I ~ I I I I I S . t11t.11, 1111 tlccbir F i ~ i t l r - fulrlrss Lo Scriplurc, Llcvir tloclrir~i~l c:o~rlent, icntl thc quality ccf thrir pocbtry, wc can u.cctl out many tli;~t ; I IC co111~>lc4cly ~~ntlcsir- able. First, there are tlloso tll'lt contain crror. Solnetir~res this error is obviocls; nlore ofte~r it is not. '1.11~ .Arr~~ir~iat~ I1r~rcssy i; prcwnt in all its wrbtlc fornms:

C O ~ I P , sinners, to tlre Gosl~c'l feast, Let ccery so111 hc Jcstrs' grrcst; Yorr need rot one IJC left l>elri~ltl, For God llas bid(1err all r~rtrrrkirrtl.

C. \\'csl,.v

*errrs is p!roclir~p; 0 l i ~ t to llis I (1ic.c; ilc~nr lliirl lodoy Ireor Iiirrr lod(r!/; 'I'lrrr/ tclto l~elicre orr llis r~crrrrc slrrrll rejoice; Qtric-kly arise and alto!,. C~rllirrg forlny . . . J(,srrs is t ~ ~ r d ~ , r l ~ culling

today. F ; I I I I I~ J. Crosby

Sirrrrers trrrn, ~ c h y trill ye die? God. the Spirlt, asks !lorr rc~lr!l; He, rclro all yoor lic(3,s Ir(r111 stroce, \1700ccl you to crr~l~mc~c llis 1or;c; Will yorr rrot llis grrrcc. rc,r.c:ire:.' etc. C. \\'eslcy

:ill heresy is lot Arc~~inia~iiscn. 'I'lc,, ntorl- ernist II:IS l~is "li!lnns" loo . . .

For Socrcrtc,~ rcho, ~~lrrcr.+r /I!/ 1111rtr.vt'. Trrlkccl nlen to trrrflr, rorslrrinkir~g, ttrlrz &,ft for Plirto'.\ ~ttiglrt!/ grrrcc. 7'0 rirolcl ootrr rctrys of tlrirrkitrg; For all tcl~o rcrc.stlcd, scrr~c. arltl free, l'o rein the rrrraeor reality, To God be flrurrks crncl glor!~.

Percy Deanller 7 . I hen tliere is tlle Ir)q~er-cmotio11i11 "Gos-

pel o n This trrttlilional ton1 of the w.undcring evan~elist is i~ccl)orl;cnt ill ol>tnin- ing tlle "decisio~ts tor Chrisl" 1 1 1 ~ 1 1 icre their

stock in tr:lde. 'I'hcasc. sor~gs, supercharged \\,it11 mlotion. I I S ~ I ~ I ] ~ ~ do not sir)' \.er)' nluch . . . @ trrrn ye. @ ttrrn yc*, for [thy rcill ye die? U71~erl God, in grccrt rrlcrcy is cornir~g so

nig11.~ Sotc. Jc5rr.s irlritcs you, the Spirit says

"Corrre" Aid a n g ~ b are cc.criti,rg to tcelcorne you

Irotne. I\cv. Josiah Napkins

Late, late, so L~te! crtrtl ckrrk tire night crnd chill!

LO&. Intv, so kot~! Lrrt 1r.c curl cntcr still Ttx) Intc, too Irrtc., !I(! r.crrrrrot crltcr riorc: 700 late, loo /(rtc, !/cs ~ ' ( I I ~ I I ~ J ~ errtc'r no&.

Alfred Teimyson

\'ow then, \vlii~t ;trcx \ire to do? 011r hyn1n.s niurt e\nress I'rotcstnnt Reformed truth. They must Iw good poetq-, free of emo- tionalim and c\cessive subjectivity (over- use of -'I," "mine," "nle," ctc.). TlGs is a L:gc orclcr, but it ci111 I)e filled. Compare the follon-inq \\.it11 ~ l l c nl)o\-e e\ompIes:

1-c tltcit krrolc tlrc D)rd is graciorrs 1-1. for cc.lrorrc rr corr~c~rsto~le stands Of Cod elcrt ertrtl ~~rc~ciorrs, Laid l/lOt !I(, !ttfI!/ /~lli/ll ~ ~ 1 ~ ~ ~ 0 1 1 ,

See t l r ~ t 011 111ctt J I I ~ C ' forrtrclufiot~ Yc a lit ing tc*rrr~~lc raise Toterr.+ tlrcrt rira!r tell fort11 solrution l l 'a l l~ flrut rrrcry reccho praise.

Licirrg st or re^, by C:od opl~obrted ENCII to 11i.v ol lot~c~l ~~luce , King rrntl l~ric~.\ts, by God urtointcd, Slrnll ye ,rot clcclan* 1Ii.s gracc? l e , n ro!lcrl gcirerc~ti~~~r, Te!l tlrc tir1i11p.v of !/orrr birth, Tidirrgs of rr rlc,ra crcwtio~~ To (111 0lr1 1111(1 IC(.(l).!l ~'rlrtlr.

C. .A. Alir~gton

The l ~ ~ o p l c ilrrit irr tlr~rkncss sat 4 gloriorrs light 11oo.e secn; The !iglrt Ircrs ,$hirrctl 011 tlrorr who long 111 sl!ndes of ck.trt11 Itare been.

For thorr thdr btrr(1ot [lost renlocc .Ind I>rc~rrX- the t!ynrrrt's rod :Ls irr tlrc (la!/ rehc*n .\litlion fell BEfore tlre srcorcl of Gal.

For unto rrs (1 drikl is bmir To rrs a son is pi~:cgrr Arid on Iris slrorrltlcr rests All porccr irr cart11 rrrtd Ircrrcen.

BEACON LIGHTS

IIis trorirc shall be tire Prirlce of Pe~rce 'I'lrc, ct.crlasting Lord 7.11~ \Vmrderful, the Cotrt~.scllor, The Gorl hy al7 udored.

Fathcr. long heforc creutiorr Thott haclst chosen trs in locc.;

.4rrd tlrot lore, so cleep, so rilocitrg, Drnrcs t r y close to Christ c~boue.

Still it licel~s rrs, .*ill it k t ~ l ~ s rrs, Firnll~ fired in Christ crlorrc.

Thmrgh tile tcorld tiloy clrrrrtgc its fnshiojr, Tc? our God is e'er tlrc, sc111rc:

His conrpc~.v.sion and His Cot.~,rlrirrt Tlrrougl~ (dl ages will renrain.

Cod'.\ otctr clrildren, God's orcrr chillrmr, \I trst forecrr prcrise IIis rranrt,.

Chinrse; ;inon. Tronsl;itctl by 1". P. Jorrec

Of /It(, Fnthcr7.r. loce begottt.rr, Ere 11re rcorlds begun to bc,

I/(. is All)htr (lrrd O~ncgo, Ilcz tlrr! solrrcr, the c~rrrlir~g, He,

Of tlre things that are, tllcrt Irrrre heen, - .4rul tlrut jrrttrre years slrull see, Ewnirort

tlttd ecemrore. Aurelius Clemens Pnrclentius (348413)

'I'hesc, and the many hyn~ns like them artL not hrnnd in a single. l1y111n;rl. One must I I I I I I I tllroltgh many books to find them. ( ~ ) f t c . ~ r a Irymnal will not co~rt;rin ;I sixiplc wcrrtll\vlrilc: hymn; occnsior~ally. thcre are scvcsriil. 'l'11t.y are n,orth sc.:rrchinp out, ho\vevc.r, ant1 \vl~en they ;rrc found they are \vorth singing \\-l~crt~vcr ;~ncl \vlienever \ve can.

Jcsrr.\. lit:e.v! Orrr Irearts krrorc tcell iYtrtrght from c r s His locc slrcrll seccr; Lift tror cleutl~ nor 1)orcc.r tlf lrell ,, Icrtrr 11s Irnnr Iris kecl~irtg c,l.cr

Allclrtia! C. 1'. Gellrrt

The Third Cross I \vill follo\v yo~r!" .-\\.IS I I~nnl- JOKYMOS - jl,o~iderv;tn P111)- ?'Iris novel descriptively tlcpict\ Roman lidling Co. - 346 pp. - 53.50. ;inti Jl~tlcarn histon t l~~ring tllcsc* times. It

7'11c. 'l'lrirtl Cro.ss, \vritterl hy A. H. Jol111- r~%~(>:ila tint. nahlre of the Jc\\lislr people in ston, is ;I sincere atterrrpt to \vr i ic a Chris- col~tr;lst to that of thc I ~ ~ I I I I I I I S , . . and the ti;ilr novel. The depth of tlio~rght, tlre t)'pc: of ronr.uicc, and the pt.q)ctu;rncc of actiorr makc this novel espc~i;illy appcsl i~~g to those of Junior IIigh and Ilighschool level.

F:~l)ius. a Iloman soldier, ;iccustomed to liigl~ livinq in Rome, is scbnt to the lonely llills of J l~dea \\ith ;I replacc-l~~c.nt contingent for tlle Legions in Jndt'a. F1c in-rives liere ;it tlrc. c~rl~nil~ation of thr lift. of Cl~rist. IIere IIC* coincitlvntally meets ;I J(.\visli girl v,?llo drspisrs ;ill Romans, goc~tl-looking or not. Being repelled, he. of collrsr, bcconles don!,ly much interested in this lithe. dark- 11,tirrd. Jr\vi>h rrpcllent. But, Irr finds that their triodes of life conflict. she. Ixring an avitl follower of the Son of Cnd. he, holtl- ing only ;I gripping a\ve for I r i l r r . Thc con- flict is rc*solvecl. "If you \\.ill folio\\, Him,

irrtt-lisc 11:rtn.d l,et\\reen tllcsc: t\vo factions. Again, thr histog- is I)nsetl on Scripture's intt:rl~rct;~tion of it. Ont. \\.orrlcl especially cnjoy the eight p;lpc, tlriunatic sccne of I'il;~tc's dilelnma in cn:cifyiug Christ.

'l'he title of the book may lead one to lhilrk tl~nt this is ;t novc+l [,(~rtra)ing the lifc of Christ. Ho\vc\rer, very little is cv- idcrrcc.tl corlceniug die life ; ~ r r c l \<-ords of J t~si~s Clrrist. Christ is portr;~yc:tl only a?; Hc tlircctly Iwars on the lives ol' tllescs two pcoplt.. 'i'hns. Christ's \vortls ;~ncl \vorks are kt.pt tlrose of the Scripture, ;untl not portrq-ed (;I\ t11g.y ;rrt. by ro Inany artists \vho depict tl~is t.r;i) to ~ 1 1 ~ 1 1 a degree that Christ fw corrlc.\ nothing more than ;I tni~in charii~tc

7 ill tlrc I)ook, ~riolded for thc ;rl~tlror's intents.

mitry I~rtln Iirbbers

Forrrtcnr BEACON LIGHTS

FROM THE PASTOR'S STUDY

^ COMING TO THE FATHER REV. R. VELDMAN

",lo 111or1 cor~leth trnto the Fall~er, btrt by Ale." - John 14:lil)

Few chapters in ill1 t l~c \Vorcl of God are more to~~cliing, iliort: ter~cler ancl loving, than thi-5 14th cl~nptc:r of Jol111. Spoken as it \\,as in the wry sllntlow of the cross, this is not surprising.

The hearts of the disciples are troublccl- ;tntl no trorrdcr! It is Jesus' last ~liglit on earth. Only ;I fc\v Illore Iiours and He, \\.~11om they loved so tlcarly \vo11ld I>(. trailed to the cmel tree. It is the honr of scpara- tion, ancl as tlre drcaclft~l moment nears the hearts of tlre disciples 1)ecome more and more ~roubled.

Jesus, holvever, comforts theln, first wide they are yet in the ~tpperclramber, then \vliile He and His clisciples are on the way

t l ~ c g;lrtlcn of son-ows. IIc tclls tllc~n, '1,et not your Ilearts Ile troubled." Yoiu

S O L I ~ sorro\vf~il - tlr;~t's one thing. 'There's nothing wrong \\*it11 tJt;tt. Yoi~r l~rarts troubled? 'I'he ce11tc.r of your spirihlal life be\vildrretl, conf~~setl, sIi:Lkc~i? KO! I4e tells them, "In hIy L7ather's Ilo~lsc arc many mansions . . . . 1 go to prepare n place Tor you." Antl then I-le says, "Ancl \\,hither I go ye know, ancl the \vay ye ktlow." .i question of Thomas luads to tl)e \\orcis

quoted above. 'I'l~is disciple, perplexed by it all, says, "Lord, \re knout not \vl~ithcr Thou goest; an<! I~o\v can we I ~ I I O W the wt~y?" If one doc.sr~'t knot\. the destination, how call one kno\\r thc way? Jesus replies, "I am Lllc w ; I ~ , the t ~ ~ ~ t h , and the lifc.: no man co~netll u~ito tlic. Father, 11~11 by lie.“ I1(.11cc, the "\vliitller I go" is the Father: t t ~ c "way" is Christ, \vitllout \\'holn is ou!y clnrkness and lic. :~ntl clratl~.

a * f o

This "coll~ing to the F;ctlier" is tlrc Iliahest cotlceivaldc I~lcsscclness. Beyb~~tl dmt is

p ; h i l l g . I t ' the nrost, Ult: grriltest - .rytl~ing. It's the covenal~t itlcci in all its

fulnctqs and glory. Father is God, Crccttor of all thi~~gs. the

infinite conlprrhensio~~ of ever). perfection ancl overflo\ving fountain of all good. To come to thc Fat11c.r is to collie to C011! \\'hat can be greater than that?

Father is the Trirrr~e C o d Me is not merely tlre First Person. \iie do not come to only one person. Ire is Fatlier. Son, and Holy Spirit, the thrrc-personal covenant Jeho\rah. IVithin the Iioly Trinih- only the First Persou is ~ l r e Father; in His rel;~tion to thc creatilrct tlre Father is the Triune Cod, al\vays, itnd our corning is to 11i111.

Father is tlre Triune God :u- Fc~tl~er. Father He is of our Lord Jesus Christ, thc holy child Jesus, in II'honl d w c h tho fuhess of the goclllead bodily. Father He is of :all \vl~o l~clong to Christ from c!vcS!.- lasting and to everlasting. To Uiem He gives His life so that thry are ir~tlec.tl I~orn of IIim. Therein lies the basic idcn sf fatherhood: the will to have children and the act of begettiug them. The111 He loves ancl supplies nit11 all they need for time and eternity. 1x1 these both lie the essence and 1)canty of fatherl~ood.

Conlb~p to this Father uirplies, that \\.a forsake the world \vhich \re love so dcarlv hy nat~irc., renounce sin a i d evil, cr~tcify our old flesh, ancl \valk in a new ;and Iloly life; that \ve dr;i\v near to Him spiritually, seek IIis fcllo\vship, enter into His sacred presence, know Him, lovct IIiln, serve IIiilt; that \ve d\veU in tile light of His count- enance, h ~ s k in t l ~ e s ~ u w b e of His favor, slx~re in the Ixanties of His glory. All tllir, and mucl~, nine11 more.

Herein, lierein only, lies true ;~nd lasting blesseclncss for the creature., made in His iuraoe itnd adapted therefore to colli~l~~niolr Lvitli God.

Scver does Lliis happiness lie in dunys of this earth, in sill. or even tlre Iegitinlatc things of this life.

In fact, tnie happiness for man cloes not

BEACON LIGHTS Fifteen

even consist of heaven, merely as 11 place, ho\ve\rer b e a ~ ~ t i f i ~ l it nwy bc. h lany sc :ern to think so. IIcaven will bc a t~ciuntifi~l lmcl of breath-taking splcnclor, nherr tlxrc will 1)c only endless joy and pc;~cc. 'rllc great purpose of innn is to get to that place. That Father is thc hr.avt%n of I~rnvci~, even as o t ~ r parents make home homr, is not consiclercd. Even such a heaven clocs not constihite man's chief glory.

To l ~ e \\-it11 f i ther . to be near to God, that is true i~icppiness - that, and nothing more.

Q O O D

This coming to the Father, this stlprcmc blessednessl iq i~n~ossihle outside ol Christ. That's thc great thrust of this word of 1rs11s.

First of all, i t nras tlol the Fatl.~or's c d l l that the creature should d\vcll wit11 IIim o ~ ~ t - sidc of Christ. Jesus is His own I)elovecl Son. It is the Father's eternal gooil plcnsnrt:. that all the fulness of tlle god~r;itl i~ncl ill1 the riches of His virtues slloilltl tlwcll 11otlily iu Hln, that He sho111d hc the way and h e tn~t l l and die lifct, and that only through Him sal\lation shoulcl be ilnpartrd to a nlultitude of elect.

Fwthenl~ore, \vc cc~rlrrot coute Lo I I I P Father and enjoy His heavenlj. cor~ln~nnion outsidc of Christ because of the: csscntinl &Tc:rcnce between Father ant1 children. Fat l~rr is God, remember? .And Cocl is tlie absolutely tramcendent o ~ ~ c , tlie light I I I I ~ ! I

which no man can approzich, the etrrn;tlIy uurt.:tchable w d nnknowable one as far as nlerc ci-eah~re is concer~ied, invisible, in- finite, omnipresent, beyoud all kr~owlccl~c and human comprehension. 'That Cot1 c;irl be h \ v n only in Iiis revelatio~~. 'l'11;it rcvrlation unto heavenly blessctlness is Christ. He is I~~trua~tuel, God with us! IIc is the face of Got1 - the 111ost me shall t:\(?r see of the Father. To sec Ilim is to :ec+

the Father; to kcox\- Hi111 is to kno\v Ll~e Father. \Vitl~out the fonner the 1;tttcr is impossible. "Believe ~ t t e that I itm in Il~c Father, and the Father UI Me." "1 an1 tlu: way, a11d the tnrtl~, and the life."

&o, ho\ve\,er. \vc cur~riot come to t l~e Father outside of Cl~rist by reason tsf sill.

Father is tile perfectly righteoc~s o~~t:. \\?11o ntust deilland &at all who dwell \vitll IThn be iu coulpletc harmony witl~ I-lis will and law. Besides, Father is the spotlessly holy one. who earl tolerate in IIi\ presence

only h a t \vl~ich is holy as Ilt. is Iloly. "Lord, nrho sh,d al~ide in Tliy tat~mlacle? \vho shall d\rrell in 'l'hy Iloly hill? IIc t l ~ i ~ t \ \ r a k e t l ~ q uprightly, and \vorketh riglltco~lsne~s, ant' speaketh h e h t h in Iiis 11e;~rt." Psalrr~ 15:1, - 2. Nothing 1c:ss can satisfy IIim. Illosct rcclnirrments cannot be alterecl or bent.

tlnd now, who and \\*hat is tllis man. ~vho is spenkir~g of dra\\-inp near to this right- eous and pnre God? \Vho are we?

\\'r are guilty, arc we not? Our sins rise I I ~ against us day by tLy. "hly transgcs- sions I col~fess, Grirf ;inti guilt n11- soul opl)ress." Thus \ve nay no^ come to the Fntl~er. \\'e lost every rigl~t to d~vell in Fnher's I>o~isc. ny nr~ture there is for us, not frllo~-ship iptd life; only damnation and death.

Also, are i1ot \\-holly corrupt, dead in sin, allies of the devil, inclined to all and every corml~tion? Thus we crr~~t~ot collie to t111- Father. "I am evil. born in sin; T ~ I ~ I I drsircst h i t h tvitllin." His holy being nlust ncctb consume all hat is not according to the purity of His \\.ill.

In addition, \s-c are utterly incapal>le of ri~ising one h g e r in bel~i~lf of our o\\n sal\.atioil. No, \ve do not to come t e the Father either. But, deeper tllan that, we cannot. Who call atomc for even t l ~ c remotest par1 of hk deht? Who can deliver himsell from the !aw of sin and tlcath, wash away the leopard's spots, cl~ange t l ~ c Et l~ io~in~l ' s skin?

"No man cometh unto the Father." 0 0 0 ,

"But Ale." Our precious Redeemer. Llon't you feel, that ordy I-Ie Inay dwell

\vith the Fatller. not only as the eternal Son. l)ut also as the Christ, the Son in 1lu111an nature, the holy child Jesus, 0x1

\C'l~om the Lord has leicl the illiquity of u< all?

IIc l ~ a s firlly satisfied the j~lstice of God, 11y pilying the fnll penult)- of sin.

IIc: has fulfilled the entire Ian7 in Iiis activc obedience. .U\vays His illeat \\,as to clo Ote \\ill of h e Father. I11 pl~rcst truth FIe can say, "I have glorified 'I'l~ec on the ewtl~; I llatc. finishc~! thc work n7hir.h Thou gavc+st I I IC to do."

Only by Fh11 \re may and cim come to the Father. !-

By His Mood, first of all. His ripl~tcons? ness must be rec1;oned unto 11s unto com-

BEACON LIGHTS

plctc. i~~stification. TIIC*II we nlu!) co~nc t c l

Ll l ( . IZatlltT. 'I'lzcm 1)y His life, givc.~~ in thc ~r~il-;rcl~- of

P tllr rc-12irtI1. 130th \\-e have o~lly 1,y it true antl living

f;lith in Jesus Cllrist. Faith, therefore, is intlcotl the victory. Yo11 I~elievc in the I,or(l Jesus? 'I'llen, I~o\vevcr s11ral1 the principle I I I ~ I ~ I>t*, that Christ is yozlr Christ too i l l nll the ricl~crs of His sizvi~~ji grace. Thcn tlie I'nthcr is your Fatllcr too in all the dc-pth\ of c.tc.rnal love.

"So Inan . . . . but by \lc." Ever ~nintl- f i l l of thict cor~necti(~n, thereforc, Ibctween tlc.sti~~;ltit~n ant1 \vi~y, the eternal b':~tl~c*r and

our lligl~ty Siivior, wr may \\,ell join the churcl~ o f I I I ; I I I ~ ages in tltilt E~miliar ant1 touchinq prayer: "Rock of .-\ge~, cleft for me, Ixt 1111, Izi[lc myself in ?'hce; L d thc. rrciter and the blood, From TIiy rcmrndecl sicle tcl~icl~ flowed, Rc. of sit1 t l ~ e dorrble ctrrc; Scice fro111 gtiilt arul ritcrke rrie ptrre.

"1-ot tlte Itibc>rs of nzy I ~ i i t ~ c l s Carl frrlfil Tlry lutc's demuruls; Cotrld n ~ y xul no lar~gtror know, Cotrld r11y tears former flotc, All for sin cotil~l not crtone; Tlzorr r i c c r d sace, and Thori alone."

CHURCH-CONTROLLED SCHOOLS AGATHA LUBBERS

OII(. of the first tlrebn~es that the froshrn;c~l stuclc.nt at Calvin College as rcql~irc.tl to \\.rite in Englisll 103 some year5 yo \\.as: "Sllould Calvin Collc.ge Be a Church-Con- trollctl School?" l'lzis cluestion \vns ;~sketl . .. c c , ~ ~ ~ s c it \\as o~rc \vllicll \\.;IS c~i~hirtcxl ;it -onsitlt*ri~I)lt~ It.11gt11 I I ~ clt*rg~-, f:tc:i~lty, I IWIII- 1)c.r~ of the board of tnzstc:rs, and cvc.~~ 13)-

S ~ I I I C - 111~11ibt.r~ of t11ca stlldent body. :\ topic such ;is tlrih Irlay hilrdlY scan

;iprolms or of unport;u~cr to us in the I'rot- c8stiznt Reforluecl (:I111rcl1(.s I > ~ c ~ I I s ~ itrc 1101 ctzrte~~tly fi~cecl \vitIz tlze cL8ficttlty nor ol)lig;ttion to fizr;~~rc.c: ; u ~ d ncl~ti~tistcr ;I

clzr~rcll .\chool in tlrc itrt.;t of sc:c,oz~d;~ry ctlt~c;rtion. In tht. Chris t i :~~ Rcfonned Churcl~rs the Sy~~ocl is responsible for t l ~ c ;d~~~inis tcr ing of ;I school which has 11111sll- roo~z~rcl into a lil~c:ri~l ;Iris college fronz ;I

sltr:~ll scl~ool cl(~rlicizt~~d to the tlainilrg of 111i11ixt~rs n11d tcachcn. l'hc Synotl c;zrric:s oz~t this obli~ation Ily ;cppointing n I,o;zrcl of lr~~slees \\rho appoints csxpcrts in t l ~ c field of scrontlnn c.dllcizt ion.

I<vc*r~ to rn;tny \vl~iclt I~elong to cl t~~rchr> \vl~icl~ support coll(!gos a topic si~ch ;IS this sc:c:ll~s 1111irnporti111t f1.o111 ;ul acade~nic point of \,ic\\r. ;I l i ~ ~ a ~ ~ c i a l and 111;1teria1 st:untlpoint I \vo~~ltl ilttngine that the clurs- tion iissumcs rnorc. sc.rious proportio~~s for

p l r s e . There are 1n;iny \\rho can not untlcr- .,tnncl why the cllurcl~ sl~oclld be "t;rsctl" to 11c-111 future doctors, lawyers. c:ngineers,

b~~siness ;~tIzrri~~istrators, ; ~ n d profession;~l chemists, to nrullr a few, get their start in these secular professions.

This qucstion is not only aired and dis- c~~ssetl in professedly Rrfoned circles but i> aLso tliscl~ssed by professors and leaders iri the so-c;~llc*tl Bible Belt of the South. Uncler t l ~ r c;tption, "\Vhy Evangelical Colleges Die;" C. Gregg Singer of Cata\vl)a College ir. Sortlt Ci~rolina discusses ;I pro1)leln re- lated to this \vhole problt.111 of church s l ~ p ported ; I I I ~ c~ntrolled colleges. IIc attez~tpts to ;ins\\.csr thr question by invcbstijiating th: Iustc~ric rtailsons for the decline of tlle Chris- tian position and the e\,entuiil totiil denial of the historic Cluistiarl position by nlany colleges \vl~ich \vcrc previously founded on Christiirn principles.

The a~~tlror of the itrticle ~ncrltionrd takrs the position t11;ct Christiz~nity is exclusi\,ely t n ~ c and that it transce~~ds all human s y s t c ~ ~ ~ s of thought and 111ust therefore be 3overeig11 over tbe nlinds of men. He con- tends t11;lt thc sihlntion is deplorable ;mtl lamental>lc when this hasic position is tle- nietl. Ile gives four l):~\ic rc'wons for tlie sohrring [:let that trollr*gc.s drat were previously dedicated to the Christian posi- tion have. no\\, long departed.

He cites as the first reason a loss in church control. Particularly colleges which were foundtxl by those churches using the Congregational or Baptist form of govern-

BEACON LIGHTS Seventeen

l~rent have defatedi A basic wcnkness irl

the political str~!cture i n the clrurcl~ h;ls made . ciepiiitilrk from c!octxinel orthc,rlosy possiblr. Cqllegt-s .:\vl!ich opeq~tc? in this loose political &n~ctufe p6miit ;I proclama- tion of theolokical indk1;.nd&ce fron~~-tlie founding chukh.

The, second reiison given by Dr. Singer is the inherent. theological wcakncss in nlally of the churches \vhich -supported t l~ese col- leges \vhich hi~ve become sec~~lirr. h- minianism and semi-Pelagianisnr becane official positions of these cli~~rches and these theologic;~l positions are consitlercd by the \niter as "conscious accomodi~tions to lu~n~nnism : I I I ~ unbelief to tlw cbstcnt to which they tlcny the sovereignty of God and the depravity of the race after the F'd." This professed Antlinianism hiis been "the Achilles heel of rnr~ch evangelical mlucation effort in this corlntry."

The writer also stresses h a t :L sound philosophy of etlucation carniot I)c devel- oped by cduci~tors unless 'there I)c ;I sound theology which supports a Christian world and life vietv. '.\[any churches which \\,ere historically evi~~lgelical in outlook have sing- ularly failctl in their tducationi~l ;~ctivities silr~ply becar~hc tl~cir theology ditl not pro- vide the llibccss;iry fourrtlatio~r for ;I

philosophy of ctlrlciition that \vor~ltl \>ring the teachings of Scripture sharply to focus on the education,rl progr'am."

Because of ;I clccided theologir.ill indiffer- cnw the educatio~lal level was rt*elucrtl to 11. culling of prcvitiling ht~nior~istic p11ilo- sophies of etluci~tion. The collcgc. prngl.am caine-~inder tlrc control of thosc who tlitl not care to esan~ine ~roblems of sclroli~rslrio and c u l t ~ ~ r e in tenns of the Scriphlr('s.

The shunning of intellectual issucs is given as the thircl reason for the rlcclioe of Christian collegch. The great intr.llcctual clucstions that ilrisc in educntionirl circles were avoided ant1 tlrc \\-hole C O L I I I . ~ ~ elf God \reas not prcsentecl in all its grantle~~r ant1 fullness. Pietistic leaders begnn to proclaim that learning \vns dangerous n~ltl Ixcausc. Icaming was dangerous it was to be avoided.

Beciiuse the educational rr~tcrprise denrand. -I trainer1 personnel many colleges were forcec

to employ competent scholars -wittrout too' n111cl1 regard for their doctrinal sta~~clards. It \\,;IS simply ass~~mcd that these profs-. sews coulcl not infringe upon the f;~itli of tllc. students-l~ecausc they tlitl not t e x h collrses in Bible or theology. Dr. Singer, kcc111y o k e n e s on this point: "The finest. ~ d u c ~ ~ t i o n a l philosophy must renlairl in- cffc5ctive unless it hecomes the guiding pnn- ciplc for competent scholius who are, at the s:llnc. time thoroughly grountled in the Scriptures -and con~rnittctl to the historic Clrristi;~n faith-"

Conformity to environnlent is stated to he the last great reason for this decline. Christi'in mlleges attempt to ~cconinrodate their 0u.n program to the c r ~ l h ~ r d nlilieu of t l ~ c cli~y. Colleges hi~vc corlfonnetl "to the tlenr;~ntls of the American way of- life nnd clernocr,rtic philosophy." The \ l i t e r sagely u~qi\ts that "the basic differences b e h v ~ ~ n eontenlporary non-Christian philmoplries .tnd tlrc plain teacl~ings of the Scriptures in rcgi~rd to Cod and Innn, sin and salvation- :ant1 nleuning of the Iluman clr,una itself - irrc to be the basic teaclungs in Christkn educi~tior~al effort.

It is cc-rtainly true that there are decidcd dangc.rs in the educational uldeavor. Nat- ural 111an is always ready to pervt-rt t11c t r~l t l~. Only rvhen ono in guided by tile I,ri~~ciples of the \\'ord of God and ;IS tllcsc are st:itcd for us in the Tluee Fon11s of Lrlrity tlws one remain dibtinctive and anti- theticill in his teaching. Basic pl~losopllies of cdllcation one must hold and thrsc I I I I I S ~

11e I);~sc.cl on the \I'ord of God. C1111rch controlled colleges are riot nb-

sc)l~~ti.ly csscntial h11t because of thcr tlc- pri~vity of nleri this type of college seems to I)(. most feasible. A strong church in- stit~~tc: \vhich is interested in the main- tetrancc. of pure doctrine and is willing to opl)osc., cspose, and dispsa of all offenders of ~ I r c * fiiidi is n neccssiuy rcrl~~isite to the nl;ii~~tc.n:rnce of the tnltli ;urd thc develop- Irrcnt of the truth in the educational en- tlravor.

\\'c do not intend to cast stones but OUT Protc.stiint Refor~ned sh~dents do \\ell to - ol>wrvc the results in today's colleges.

eighteen ' BEACON LIGHT$