FOR PROTESTANT REFORMED YOUTH

VOLUME XXI DECZMBES, 1961 NUMBER 9

I'~:bl~.he~I ~~~t i i~ :h l : . PhceFi! I u :I t nr:d A K c u i t CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: t ~ ) :!~c Freicratio:; *!I Protkstafit Rciormrd Paung Isc.. ; , I r ' . S z ~ c t i c i . Rc \ . Rubcrt Harbac!~ 'I'roth \.s. Er ror

h g a t h a I.ubber- Critique EXECUTIVE BOARD: Rev. H e r n i ~ l : Ilockiem-. Ilible O~~t l i r rcs

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'1:-H AND t'ADNE3S Do. J Erg* . - z

CEL:BRA: O:! OF THE AD.'LNi OF CHRIST JESUS 8 H ... . ' > c . r

\ H STOTY OL THE JESUIT O'DE3 R c . R C Ho.bn:b

HELP; 'OR BLBLE STUDY tReielatton 'i'! th rh.: Lamb on Mourlrli;i)da' !Yr:?'o?iot 14 1 5 ) The Go:p~.l oi Bobylorl 5 Fall tRt:\elot;oii I4:6-81

Rt:, H. Ho-ksemo '7

- M E " INISTE? SHORTAGE J m- Jonhcr

FIp ' \ PO'.' tOR AND ABOUT OUR CHURCHES 16 "r C Krrgel

MIRTH AND MADNESS

At no other time: of the yrar does the behavior of the Atnrrican people as closely roach insanity as at Christrl~as. One glance ;it a re-d-colored tl;~te, fivc sisths of the \\lay tl~rough tlw Dctre1~1l1c.r ealentlar. ;ind an cntirc* r~atior~ lurches into incrctlible uictivity. Like the fablctl hortlcs of the Ghengis hlr;ul, its pcoplc. dcscclld up or^

\\.clcon~ing stores. Icvery avail:~ble tnail- p o ~ ~ c h I)ulgcs wit11 every kind of greeting card. Forc,sts of evergrt:c.ns tlisappeilr overnight. There is a sp)ntaneol~s genera- lion of severill million rc~tl-conlc.cl, wl~ite- hearclc.tl in~l~cbciles \vho roam street and store for \veeks. wit11 no 0tht.r function 111iln a periotlic I)cllow of inane and Lm- nerving laughter. l ' l l c t I~enple cat ant1 the people! drink - furiously. 'l'lley lattgl~ and

6 ey talk - \\.it11 a vengeancr. Tl~cy arc in- upuri~l)ly, indescribably, unimagini~l)ly.

.bod ;il~solr~tcly violc~t~tly happy. \\'hen the cliilcl of God disenti~ngles Irirn-

self fro111 this r;~~iip:~ging I I I : I ~ ~ ~ * S S , lie l)ond- rrs a sober " \ V h ~ - ? ~ \ ' h o or \vlrat c;in be responsible for this t~niversal fc:l.vorT Ap- proaching ;I typic~tl specimen on the Eve of Christmas, hi, may i~sk, "Sir, \vhirt does all this 1111l~bi~b mean?" To \\.liirl~ cluestion comes cluick and I l r i t e rrpl>-, "\\'by Inan, it's Christmas. You k11o\3-, 1Iicke11's A Cltri.vt- rttcls Corol ant1 that sort of tiling. 'Tis the scason to he jolly." And inst Iwfore the fc*stive soul goes FitI1-la-lidling ~~nste;ldily do\\n the bo~~levartl, cotncs thr consuln- mi~tion, "Jesus was born." I I ~ yes, Jesus was born. But it's hardly the answer one c:spectc-d. Is illat the foulldali'o~~ ~ ~ p o n tvhich this rno~lstro~~s to\vcr of I)ecet~~l>er- I~nbble is btiilt? Upon the birth of Jesus?

Tllca chilcl of Got1 needs no sl)rcial I d - 1i;rnce to realize wl~iit tile ~tngotlly nrcrry- makers underbti~nd Ijy the "birth of Jes~~s." A little Imhy lies in n niangc3r. Sevc.ra1 wc.11-

~bbetl, golden G~lcrnseys luoo content- Cy ovtLr II~III . 11 I~c.iuming mo~l~c-r nestles "non-travudh~gly" in a shiny-yelio\v, non- prickly stra\vst;~ck. At tile door of this

rl~stic "sta11I"' stand three rich uncles i~boul to deliver the child from any inconvenience he might have. Tllrow irl a 11;1lo to intlicatr something alwut "tlivine" approval ant1 that is the birth of Jesl~s. Everybody likes 11;~l)irs and cows i~trd rich ulicles ancl happy end- ings, "\\'hy Inan, tis the season to be jolly.

Out of every pore of the t \ n ~ e r i c ; ~ ~ ~ cele- bration of Christmas seeps irony. deep, rich, imd llorrible. The rioting unhrlievers havc. the right answer, "Jesus was I~orn." But IIc is not the creature of their stilhlc scenes and llis I~ i r t l~ is not an ist~la~ed event. He "came clown from heaven" and He \vent to the cross and He accornplisl~ed His p~~rpnse. "For judgment I ; m ~ conrc3 irlto this world, that they ahich see not lnigl~t see; i~nd that they \vhich sec migl~t be nlade blind" (John 9:39). And the blind ones frolic ;it the occ;~sion of their c011- demn;~tion. They ;Ire jolly in the season of their woe. Hut not completely. Thro~lgh the rilllcous clin of revelry is heord thr thjn, penetrating \\.ail of despair and fear. At tin~es lo~td, at times scarcely arltlil)le, the cr?. of ;I horrified \vorld acknosvlcdges that death reigns and all is vanity. The n~orld clcsp:lirs ancl the \vorld feitrs becarlse the Babe \\.;IS born and they believe not, for "IIP that helicb\reth not is conclclm~ed already . . . the \\-rath of G d ahiclctl~ ou Ilim."

Ba i~use the Babe was Cod in human Hcsh. Ixcamc the man of sorro\r.s, and is the Lortl of Glory, Christnl;~~ is thc. scason of t~~r r r i - ~nent for the elect of God. Their joy is rootetl infinitely tleeper than in prcqsents and trces. Cod gave His Son into tlle dirty po\erty of Bethlehem for the salvation of Ifis people. And that is the rcasoll why the Christ~t~as mirth of believers not only esists, hut esists po\\?t.rft~lly as ;I joy wlrich c;~nnot be s\v;~llo\\~c*d up in sorro\Xr. To their \rretched cry, "Lord, be ~nercifill to ]me a sinner," comes t l ~ c reply, "Yo~lr sins ;ire forgiven yott." As they, too, peer fearfully into a war-threatening f i~t l~re, they hear the

BEACON LIGHTS 011e

rei~ssuring \vortls. "..\I1 thinjis \\fork togcthor for good to than that love Cotl." Ant1 sonut mny mourn at Christmas with real tear> but the ~nirth is not drowr~ed. For tleatl~ itself stood tloomml \\,hell the Bi~bc \\;;IS

born. Ilert). Christn~as. i~~deecl. Sot the Christ-

nx~s of I~ollo\\f customs and e~npty iictious.

Not tile ;~nsious merriment that frantically intc~nsifies itself .as the drumbeict of judg- I I I C I I ~ rolls ever louder. But :I Cl~ris t rn;~~ "goc~dtidir~gs of great joy. . . it S;~vior \chic is Christ the Lord" and the n~errin~ent of "Glory to God in tlrc l~iglrcst :~rld on earth pe;lcr, good will totvard ~rien."

d. j. e.

FROM THE PASTOR'S STUDY

REV. R. VELDMAN

Incarnation! \Vhat a ~~~iraclc-, ant1 \vlvhat a myhtery! It meals: conling it110 or being clothed with flesh.

\Ve might, of course, ;~lso speitk 01' tht. birth of Christ.

I~Io\\,cvrr, tli;~t is not e~lougll. Thc merc: \vord "l,ir!hV does not express what redly hi~pper~c.tl in that \vonderfi~l stable. Every person \vho ever lived was I~orn. 'I'herc's ~~oth ing speci;ll al~out that! But IIO other person \\'as ever incarn;lted. Tire Ii~ltcl., therefore., is the richer concept by far. It riplains wvhat reirll!/ took pl;~ccn tlli~l firs1 Cliristnli~s night. It tells 11s that solneonc*. \vho existed before IIC wi~s b o r ~ ~ , calllc. into our human flesh-God's eternirl Son.

Inc;~n~ation! Ren~embc*r that wortl \cIrel~ you ant1 your children sing: "Christ, tllr: S;I\-ior, is born!" Understi~nd ;I> dec.l)ly u s yo11 can: that birth of Jcsus was the III- carnation of the \Vord.

0 0 0 0

That incanlation, rnore forci1)ly pr*rhaps than i~~~ythirrg else, t lemor~s~~tcts tho truth of Scripture: "By grace a r c a ye snvetl, t l~roogl~ faith, and that not of you, i t is tllr: gift of God." Salv;~tio~r is of tlrc Lorrl!

That nleulls, that notlring of ill1 t l ~ i ~ t pertains to thc \vo~rderfi~l \vork of our $11- vation is of 11s-nor is it bocnusc of 11s. It is ;ill, fro~n beginning to clld, tlre frct., sovereign, eternal love and good pleasure. of God.

\Vherc is t l~a t demonstrated Inore clcarly i~ncl beautifully than in thc stable of Beth- l e l ~ ( ~ n ? Of course, also all God does I S reveitls thi~t salne frcc ancl sovc.rt.ign, \vholly unmeritctl ant1 unsolicitecl grace of "4 \\'it11 us is only darkness, lie, gr~ilt, tlca Rc.generi~tion, that spiritual resurrcvltiorl from the dead; faith, that gift of God; con- vrrsion, j~~stifir;~tion, sanctificatio~~; all speak of pure, undiluted Inercy. However, that [re(.- and gracious aspect of our reden~ption is isveo Inore clearly revruled in that which Got1 docts F01i us in tl~at I~lc-sscrl n~ornerrt, \vl~erein the \!'orcI d\velt among us, the fulness of tin~ta.

Indeed, illat is t n ~ e of all Cod docs for us in the Son of IIis love. They nrr all miracles of sovctreign grace. Think of Cal- vilry! \\'ere you there \\,hen thry cr~~cified my Lortl? Ditl you have :~nytl~i~lg at ill1 to do wit11 that \\-onderful cross? . h d think of lklis rrssurrc:ction! \Vho 1n11s.t not cor~fess from the bottom of lljs soul: nothing of us, that no Inan should glory!

Kven so, \r*liere is this soverctign grace of Got1 revealed Inore hcautifnlly than in thct Illilngrr of Bethlehe~n? Tllrrc is yonr salva- tion. and mine. 'Tl~ere t l ~ r \\*onder of all wcl~~ders, tlre Incar~li~tion of God's Son, is ;tccomplishccl in the way of tlir sign of sijins, the \.irgin Birth. 'There the inii 7 nliracle of your redemption kkes plnce; the trc.ry heart of God's rnan~elo~~s coti~~sel is

7'tco BEACON LIGHTS

revealed. There is the first link of that golden clrai~~ of s:tlvation \\rl~icl~ Cod Hitn-

e l f forgrd for 11s i t i Lhr fulness r,l tinie. "And .\~~drleuly there \vas \vitll the augel

a multit~rtie of tht. hcavenly host praising God, ant1 saying, Cloq to Gotl in the hi~hest , ;uid on earth peace, goocl \\ill to- ward tnen."

That did not 11:lppen when Jcsus died, or arose fro111 the deild, or rr-en \\,l~cn I Ie aseentlecl to heaven. Ditl that ever strikc yotl?

'I'11;tt 11:lppenetl when Jcsus \v;[s I~orn. 0 0 0 0

O t ~ r Ileidrlbrrg Catc.cllisn1 gives ;I ratller atlc.clnate rspla11;ltion of this \vorldvr of the Incarn:ltion, \vhcm it says in Lord's D:ry 14: "l'liut Ciod's caterndl Son. who is. and contin~lecl trlre nntl etc-r~ti~l Cotl, took upon him the very n;rh~re of I I I ~ I I , of the flcssll ant1 1)lood of thc: \%gin \lor).. 1~ thc opc.ratio~~ of t l~c IIoly Chost." So sirnplc, imtl yc-t so profnuntl! So brief, ;~ntl yet so con~prcherisivc! :Is LI dchition \vhicl~, young ;~ntl old ciin ripprrl~c.~~tl, it Iraves little tc~ I)e clesiretl. S11cl1 is thr wonder of thc grace

&"%::J; Co~l's (.tmral Son." The Secund ?rson of the- Iloly Trinity!

Ile is the on(! a ~ ~ d only persou, sul)ject, "I," irrvolvetl in tllr miracle of tile Irlc;trni~- lion. "Thc \Vortl brcame liesh." Jolln 1 :14. "Gad so lovc!tl tht. tvorltl that Hc give Iiis only I~e~ot t r r l Son." John 3:lG. "'This i\ JIy bc*lovecl S011, in \\'11on1 1 all1 well ]>le;rsecl."

t\lso, IIc retnains the only person, su11jer.t. "I," involved in the miracle of the 1nc;lrnil- tion. \\'hrn the \\'ortl I>ecornes flrsh H c tlocs not I,eco~lte :I Il11nla11 persou. I'hc Xlctliator is not two l)rarsotls. I-lc., \\'ho as- sr~n~es I~nr~tanity on Christ~nas Illorn is ,mtl remair~\ God's etcrtral Son. \\'hcnevcr the. \Iediator says "I" the rternally 1,egotten of the Father is spcnki~lg.

"Tliat Corl'.s c.ternal Son, \lfllo is c~nrl cor~tblrrcth trtre ntttl c?c.mcll Corl."

Hcnce, that e t r r ~ l ~ ~ l Son i4 Cod. I'ver- li~tingly IIe is cocssential .~ntl cot.trrnnl with t11e Fathcr and tllc* IIoly Spirit. k.ter- ~lally IIc. lives the full divine life in !he

6111 divine essence; possesses all thr divini. .mrs and attrihrtes. 1Ie is the rigllteous,

~loly, good, almigl~ty, never chiluging God. And, Hr rctnairls tnlc and eternal God,

also wher~ He cntcrs into our fled1 ;III(!

I)lood. T11;lt never changes. "7'hat C;oc/'s cter~tal Son, \\'lto is c~nd

conti~~crcth t r rr~ niid c t e r ~ l God, took tillall him the l-er!, r~atrtre i ~ f marl.-'

That is the incomprehensiSlc- Imt in- finitely gloriol~s rl~iracle of thr Incarnatiol~, the .tdordl>l(. n~ystcr) of Bcthlehrm. Urltler- ~t~mtling that \re don't see in that rnatigrr a rnrre infant. liclplcss itncl clepcr~dr~~t, l,ut \ve see Cod's [eternal Son \\ritppccI in s\ratlding clothcs, :lnd \\,c say: \\'hat a darling baby? So! \\re say: The \\'orrl is I)eco~ne flesh, and d\velt among us!

Soticc, l ie did not change fronl Gotl illto man, like the water changed to wit~c ;~nd thc rod of \loses irto a serpent. That is not the humiliittion of Bethlehem. The Son rr~naitletl \vhat IIc \\,as - eternal Gotl. And I l r brcame \v11;1t H' wits not - Finite. rniln.

And I,oth thehe nat71r~s IIc. ~rtliletl in Iii\ singlr prrson, thc. Sccwnd I'crson of tllr adorable Trinity. The unity between the natures, therefore, rnttst not IH: sought in the natures tlicmselves. They wcrc. ltot filsecl into one, somel~ow. The unih ml!st br sought in the one. Person \\.ho possesses NIC~ lives iilt 1)otll 11aturrs.

Let's stress particularly thc phrilse 'took rrpon Hittt."

That tells 11s that the lo\rvLy I>irtl~ of Christ \iP:ls all itct of Christ Himself. I1 wi~s not forced on Him, but IIe ;i~surr~ctl our flesh and Idood voluntarily. It \\,as not done to Hi~n, but by Him. I t \v:s not a fate, hut an act. \\'e (lo notliing to our Ijirth, the Son of God did eve-rythirlg to Idis. Christ is not \\-orkill:: for us only at tl~c. cild of Ilis life; ;iko at the very bednning.

It also tells us, that the birth of Christ w:ls an act of infinite and conscious looe. The manger is just as much an act nf love as thc cross. Bcthvcen thc two lies a wvl~ole lifc of love.

Hence, "He took upon Himself." That's not a Inere dogrnatic for~nula. \\'e arc not intcrrsted in I)nre formlrlas. This is the voice of supreme, eternal love, for l ~ o ~ i , \rcI[ He kne\v that from Bethlrl~en~ thc wily cor~ld lead only to Getl~sr~nane, Calvary, hell. Tnrly, neither voice of mim or ;~ngeI car1 express the love tllat is contained in this n~ost Ixisic of all confessions "that tlre So11 of God took upon flin~self thc. nnturc. of man."

BEACON LIGHTS Three

This blessed ~niracle of Cluistmns was rerilizcd in the \r*ell-known way: "Con- ceived by the Holy Ghost, born of tlre \'ugh Ilary."

Hence, Jesus \\.as born of &\lory. T h n t in~plirs so very much.

It tells us, that He became reill, g*:uuinc man. He \ws born as all nlen ;Ire born, out of one of thc \vomerl of our ritce. He was Besh of llary's flesl~, blood of I'lary's blood, bone of lfary's bone, m~lsclr. of Ilary's muscle. He ]>ore our lksh anti blood, therefore. He was not a strangl:r to our race. If he had bcen, Hi: co~tltl ncvrr have been our Savior, for then str:ulge hlowl \vouId lvave flon.cd fron~ the cross, and strange blood cannot atone for thr sins we committed. 13e \\.as man likr you ,uitl me, man like I.Lis brethren in the lieart of Africa or on the most forsaken islands uf the sea. Therefore IIe could sxve thcm. IF ? ~ L I hacl met Hit11 on the streets of Jcixsa- lcnl yo11 \r,ould have s c ~ n nothing that tvas not purely huunat~. Escept! Somehow you woi~ld have sensed that you werc in tlte presencrs of sorrow s~ich as the tvorlcl llacl never Lm01r-n.

Born of Slary He assrirncd tlre flesh ictlrl

l~locd of thr children. The Riblc lays great et~ipl~asis on that point. The Son of Cocl assumed Iiuman nah~re out of the seed of Abrahnn~, out of the house of D;ivitl. He entered oar race in the very heart itnd center of tlie covenant line. Tl~ercforc 131. \\?as the Lion of Judalis tribe; the root of Jesse; the secd of t l ~ e woman; !hc end :tnd blessed c~dnlination of D:~vicl's royal (he.

Yet, wonder of \r.ondcrs, I le \vns tvitbo~~l sin. This tvus t n ~ e it1 ever). scnse of t l~e word. The grlilt of sin \vas not iruputecl to I-lim. Thc staiu of sin did not cleavc to Him. Sever \\,as Hc guilty of (wen tlie slightesi tmmgrcssion of Cod's Iloly In\\.. IIow could this be? Christ knew 110 yiiilt brcnuse He w : ~ s not :I 111u11an person, b u t the Scxconci Person of thc 1101, Trinity. And He \\-as sithout the pollutiox~ of sin l iec;u~s~~ He was conceivecl t)y the Holy C;host, Who preserved Hinl in hlary's \voml~ frotn all the stain of sin. Hrnce, He had to be tnc~de sin; our iniquities had to he laid on I-Iiiil; Himself He knew uo sin.

Born He was, therefore. of the Virgin _\'liUy!

There is the sign of all signs that confirn~s

the woilder of all \\ponders - thc Incarnation of tlre Son. Xot only was Xlary a virgill \vhcn she corlceived the Christ. S l ~ e \ t T

still a virgin after she hat1 brought HL forth; the only woman in l~istory of \r,hnn~ his can be said.

Fl'e know how the \vorld has al\v;iys ridiculed this miraculous coilception ancl nativity of our Lord Jesus Cl~rist. Such a virgin birth, they say, is a scientific and biological impossibility: Thc fuols! As if all tllings are not possible with God. We shall riot dignify such uubelief arid proud folly with :111qtfiing resembling ;t detililed refuta- tion. There is only one re-on \v11y men reject the \'irgin Birth: they rejtrt the Jn- car ria ti or^ itself. For one who believes the latter it is easy enougl~ to believe the former. In Fact, one who truly brlieves thr 1nc;lrnation \vould never espect anything else than a corresponding n~iracle iu the pliysical aspect of Jesus' birth. For such an one there could be nothirig Illore u~matural than a n a h d birth; rrothing more natural than a supernatural birth.

Hence, conceived by the I-Ioly Ghost, born of tlte Virgin Slay! An uuf tl

a 'ol"abL.\ mystely? Yeses, indeed! So is the conct tion and birth of any child. How ther. could the birth of the Christ I)e aqthing trkc? Who will explain it? Not I! FF'e agree with h i n ~ \vho said: \f7e honor this Inystery most by being silent.

0 0 0 0

IVIiat does all this avail us? Thus, and thus only, tlmt Christ c:u~ be

our Head and Rcdeerner, FVho can prepare etrrnal salvation for us, xnd us for eternal salvation.

Thiis, and thuts only, Ire can be t l ~ e Launb ~irithout spot and blrl~lisll to rcc- oncile losl sinners with the living God. Ko\v when He wtffers and dies our nature suffers and dies. And hehind that human nature is ever the infinitc power of the divine to sustain and strengtl~en to the wry ~ I I C I .

Thus, and t h u ~ only. our h'Iediator can apply that redemption thus wrought and emit our fmite h~trnaa nature to the glory Cocl has vrcpared for us.

If o d y we may h o w that that Christ f l

oiir Savior too! And what is necessary for that? Eyes of faith!

Four BEACON LIGHTS

Eyes that \\,ere omnet1 l)y ahnighty Eyes like those of llary, who sings: "Sly sottl rcjoica in God rny Savior." &:;is t~mt wvre n ~ a c ~ e to sce in I, \\wi,

,css Gotl's glory; in llis s\vatltlli~rg clotl~es Eyes like those of Thomas, who may the nlajesty of God: in IIis sinlplc? niilnjier look into tllc fncc of this Jesus ;uld worship: Goth mighty throne.; in His cro\Irn of "Sly Lord imtl my COII." thorns God's crown of eternal victory for US. Then Cilristrnas is really Christmas!

seminar synopsls LAMMERT LUBBERS

In 1957, :I conunittre \\-;is ;~ppointcxl 11y thv F~cleration elf Protc.stnnt School Societies to invc.stigatc the powil~ility of setting LIP a Protest;lnt Rcforrric.el Nonilal Si~liool, an institution \vherc. ;dl Protestcult Refor~lled te:~chers nntl prospcvtive teacllers ~vould rc.- ceive their fom~irl training.

'I'lli% cornn~ittc.c, consisting of '1'. Langerak. )Cr \'an Ovi.rloop, T. Nc-\vlic)f, I'. I-l:tnko,

~ t l Rev. 13. Hanko, after ~ n r ~ c h tvotk, cirnlc. to the Fetleriition \\,it11 the advice. to sct ttp it Seminar instead. 'I'his Senlittar \vol~ld con- sist of all tmc.liers, prospective tcilcherx. :tntl ministers a 1 1 0 were irrtercstecl in cstah- lishing a non~lal sclrc~ol, \vhosc- duty it \voultl he to \\-rite pilpcrs on various assig~rcd suli- jcscts prrtainirlg to eclr~ci~tion. Tllese piipers woulcl be discrtssc.rl, criticized, and filecl i~\v;~y l~ntil they co~~lt l some d i~y Ilc used as i t bask for instnlctiati i l l tlrc nortn:tl

This conunittc~c ;~lso accoll~p;lnicd their ittlvice \ \ i t l~ rc.:sons. L\ fe\v bcsing, that therct were not er~ough lil1a11cc.s to irtstitt~tc it normal school, thnt tltrrc \vcrt. f c ~ tcacliers available to instruct in this nor~llal scllool. ;ind there was no avail;iblr lnilterial to forn~ it bi~sis For h ~ s t r ~ ~ c ~ i o n (tlle Sel~~innr, therr would provide at least sorne ~natcari;~l to bc usetl by instrllctors to tcach in this sclrool).

This co~nmittee also s~~l)~ni t t r t l n l i h t of r~lles u.hicll \\.auld govern this Setninar -

C'ho woulcl condi~ct ils :d;~irs, how s1111icct\ ould be provitled, wlren it nrotllrl 111cet.

\\,here it would meet, it~ld \\111o \ v o ~ ~ l d lead it. Thc nlles even stipulated "that the:

I.'cderation itdvisr our school boards to con- sider for nppoinhllent only tllose teiicllrrs \vllo sho\v evidence of hav~ng faitllfully pcrfomled the work of the Seminar."

In 1959, the cotllmittcc again investigtcd the n~attcr of estitblixhing n norn1;11 school: this time in particular refercncc to the ~iiiit- ter of it \ being an a c ~ r d i t c d school 1)y the St:~te, arid thc North Cerltral -1ccrcditing Association. I f our nortnnl school \vr~trlcl ilot be accrrditcd Ijy the nbove, our tc~i~chcrs collld rceeive no certificates to tcnch from the Statc; iind tllcrefore, instnlction in our grade schools \r~ould I)e considcretl inviilid. The conlinittec f o ~ ~ n d the stipul;~tiotl\ of 110th thc State ;~ntl the N.C..A.r\. c.stremolv stringent, Icngthy, and costly. They con- cl~tded that it was \\,ell nigh impossiblr to set UI, this school at thiq tilne. However. a reeo~l~mend;ition was nude that perhaps C;~lvin College ~n~oultl llc tnerciful enough to recognize and give credit to those snll- jects taught in our o\vn r~or~iial scllool.

The S c ~ ~ ~ i n a r then \vas not the nldi~nellt- ary plan for thc itlstrr~ction of teachers arrcl proqwctive teachers; bi~t , rathrr, it wiis estnblish~d :IS ;I tnc:llls to reach :I ln l~cl~ more desired goal; naniely, that of a Prot- estant Rrfonned Somlal School.

'I'hc Scmi~lar, hating hetm in existence now for so~~lc. five years, IIXS develolwtl into so~nething far more than ;I nr'ans to at1 enrl. The end which \\,as an id~rtl had a tinge of lofty optinlisn~ implied in it. -4 normal school wvitho~~t a corresponding lil>eritl arts program would bc like one receiving ;I Seminary training in only subjects like Catccl~etics,

BEACON LIGHTS Fice

Her~~~eneut~cs. iuld Cl~urclr Politv. 1'roh.s- hionnl courses nus st be based on a k~~orvl- edgc. of tilt. lilxral arts. 'The. possibility of sentling teachers to a collrge ~ c h its Ca lv i~~ to receive the ~enera i baining in the srts ;tnd sciences and then taking them b;~clc Lo our nornial scl~ool to "clean up tl118 tlamiigc*" by some Protestant Hefonned n~cthotls course \vould be, to press the analogy, like sentling sen~innriarls to C;~lvin Tl~eologici~l School for Dogn~atics, ar~tl l~ringing tllc~n back for professional training in the ari of preaching i~nd leacling c:ltechism. I rralize that the figure suffers by being prcsscd to an extremity; ho\\,ever, we >1101111i itlwlys r e n ~ r ~ n l x r that \\'I& is taugilt ta1:r.s; pre- cedence over Ilow it is tnugl~t. T l ~ e 11orn1a1 L ~ I G U I is not the idei~l in ~jltr l~rest*l~t (sir- cumstance.

Tl~ror~gh a well-planned prograul t l~e Se111i11ar con1111ittc.c 11as provitl1:tl felr ;I

thorough study of thr problcms fiicetl 1,). our school.;. The essential cluestions ,111 teacl~ers in our scllools face are firsl, ho\v can I he :in effwtive teacher, and secontlly. ho\v can I make the cduciitior~ in t l ~ r school distinct!y Christian. In our scl~ools tvlric-11 were set up and are ~unint:~h~c~tl on tile 1);tsis of Scriph~re as reaffim~cd i r ~ the Tl~ree Fornls of Linity, the tracl~er is !ncctl \\fi111 this dual responsilrility of tlistinc*livc c~:lur~a- tion and real education.

'The Se~nin:cr haz faced this problrn~ sclu:uely in the tlisc~ission of ii sorirs of papers in the past five ycsars. Tile Ilistory

of Eclt~cation was the first gcrtcral subject trratc-(1. The authors of these papers out- lined c.ducation among thc Hebrr~wvs, ~ r e r q ant1 Iiomi~ns: mcdieval educational s h tures und those fostered by the Enlighten- ~ncnt: and ftli~lly, the eclucation:~I pattrrn of ~ I I c * 1;1st two centuries in Europe and hlner- ica. The next general topic, and the one thc Sen~inar 11a.s nearly comple(ed, arr)1111(1 Ednc:~tional Psycholc~gy anci Pedn- gogy. The first paper in this series, "Thc Scriptt~riil Principles of Psychology." \\.a\

follo\\~ed I)y ;I discussion of the soul, mind, \vill. ilnd e~~~otions. Pitpers follo\ved on sr~ch subjects as the "lnfluencc of Sin on the Child," "'reaching of hiorid and Spirihial \'irlues," "Ol~edicncc," and "Tlle Relatior1 of the Cllild to the Family and the Church." -41 thc next l~~eet ing of the Sr.n~in;u the last pilper on this s~~bjcc t \ \ i l l hc discussetl, "hlethods of Teaclung in Our Schools."

%minor \\,as organized to fulfill ;I ncvtl: \\ll~ich \rrns ~~~entiontbcl I~~forc* in this p;tper. Soinc-how it has gone 1nuc11 farther thau tllis. The S c ~ ~ ~ i n a r hiis bem~ne ill1 opportun- ity for ecl~~cational principles to I)e clarifietl. 11 is a place \vhere tci~chors in smmice \vi:11 as probpective teuchi~rs can be11

* from the experience of others: a place where ollr eciuciltional systenl tllrough the con- tribi~tion of ministers ant1 tc.;~cl~crs can have. its ftrcat placed sc1u;lrely on t r~~tl l . .\loreover, it is a ~novc~nient \r,hich sho\\rs that Prot- estant Rcforlned education is not only a11 accol~~plisl~ecl fact, but i~ li\*ing challence!

CRITIQUE

AGATHA LUBBERS

Boys and girls, men itnd \\wnlerl, gr:incl- pilrents and grmtlchilclre~~, 1111c1c.s ;~rld a ~ ~ n t s , nephc\\.s and nieces, husba~~ds .111tl wives. brothers and sisters ;ill look for\\,ard to thc celebration of Christmas. h'Iar~y c.o~~utric.s cclel)r;~te festivals tluuir~g the Cl~rist~niis season and many countries havc atldccl traditions to the celebrntion of Chr i s t~~~;~s . Christmas b ;I tirne \\,hen I~nlls arc cl~~ckrcl

with bo\vs of liolly, trees are I)~irclencd \\it11 tinsel i~nd nickering lights, store fronts ;Ire cluttered with manger and fairyland displ:~ys, and carols clush dissonantly \vith the incessant tinkling and clanging of hells. Chris tm;~~ is a time when tit>- clubs a4 social organizations solicit one's dimes a cngirge in all manner of philanthropic ar. tivities. Christmas is a t in~c of "cheer'

BEACON LIGHT!

Christl~las is a t i l r ~ c - of giving in order to e i v c . C11ristm;ts is ;I scason of r:arolinl:

.I \v:tssailing. This is the Christian Cl~ris tm;~~? Is the Cltrist of thr Scriphlrrs in :dl yoilr

t l ~ o ~ ~ g h t s ;IS yo11 prepare to celebr;~te tl1' I~irtl~diry of t l ~ r King? Is thc s~tfl'ering Sav- ior of IIis peoplc and jutlging Lord of all nlrn re~nemb~retl on the day seli~ctetl in 1 Iis honor?

The stncggle of Lhe nliliti~nt c1111rcll of all ;tgtts 1):l.s 1we11 to mnintain it I~ralthy re- spcct for tlic 11oly tl~ir~gs - thosr \\.hiell rightfully belong tc~ that ch~rrcll. 'fl~is is also t r t~c of the 111ilita11t rllurch torlay. Ilo\\?. the~i, do all the traclitions itntl ol~scrvances \\.hie11 distinguish the Clirist~ii;~~ season fro111 i t U others fit into 1)ropt-r (117-

senilncc of tlie I~irtl~day of the King? Can you and I \vorsliip the King when \re arcb tlra\crn nw;ly from the true worsl~ip by things \r,hich ;ire not rssential to this \\,or- hliip?

Tllcre arc Inan), i~sgccts to this problem. 111 order that \ve m;~y illustrate this prnl~- m, u.r hiwe decidcd to limit our disct~s- h 3 of tht. Christian Clirishilas 11y i~~vts t i -

. .iing only onc. of the many syml~ols whicll Ii;~vc: ~ O I I I C to us t l ~ r o ~ ~ g l ~ the ages. 'I'his syn~l>ol Inorr than iiny otllcr has t i ~ k e ~ ~ ;I

big placc. in the .in~rrican cc1el)ration of C1iristm:is.

I iIln toltl that the* C l l r i s h ~ ~ ; ~ :me busi- nebs.\ is toclay :I rn~~ltin~illion dollar businr.ss. Slany conjrct~~red opinions l~ave ;~t tc .~~~ptet l to sol\,e thc relationsl~ip I~ct\veen the 11irtl1- tl:~y of Jesl~s nncl the tlecorations of the stately evergrr.cn trec. So~ne have adclerl to thc collrctio~l or co~~j rch~rcs on this score th~. Iegcnd th;~t "hl;trti~~ Lutlier wns out tvi~lking onc t~ight, :~nd t h ~ stars suggest- cd to him lights, \\,l~ich he then plncecl upon a fir-tree to brighten the Cluistnias of hi5 son." ( 1 ) Some suggcst that thc l'ltle Log \\,:IS thc allerstor of tlic* Christ- ails tree. Others :lssert that the. Chrishili~s ree is a sy~nbol of the trec of lifc.

\\'bile ;ill of these iclei~s have some Iner- t we can s,i>- in gcnernl without fear of evtbre ~ o n t r ~ ~ d i c t i o ~ ~ that thi\ custom mu\: wye had its origin in the vener.~tio~~ of ~11e

ely fir tree by the pajian Xorse~nen a~lcl oc tree worship of the ancient Germall -il)es. Certain it is too that the conlmon

gtqplts contributed the tree to the celebril- tion of Christmas. It did not come From thr church institute. Even other celebra- tions in Ellrope centered in tile on1;tmc.n- tation of special trees. Tlle \lay-pol(. \\'as a trec and garnished trees stood on P;ilm Sunday, Easter, -Ascension Ilay. St. Siclio- las Day (Dec. 6 ) and S c ~ v 'lhi~rs Day. The Cluistmas trec mily I~elong to this fall]- ily but if it docs it is tltc only I I I I ; I ~ ~ O ~ I I I ~ ; I -

ble ?;i~nivor. The established church frowned on the

trer and its contributions to Christnt:~~. In the 1740's Revcrend Johnnn Gonracl Ilann- hailer of Strassl~urg saicl: "t\~nong oth(.r trifles nith \vhich the people often occupy the Christmi~s timc more than \iitl\ God's word, is also the Chris:mas or fir tree, \r-liicli tliry cwct in tlte IIOIIS~, ant1 I I ~ I I ~ with tlolls and sugar :~ncl tl~ereupon shake ant1 cause to lose its blooin. \Vl~erca the habit comes from I do kno\\, not. It is it

bit of child's play . . . Far better wcrc it for the children to be dedicated to tlte spirih~;tl cedar trec, Jcsi~s Christ." ( 2 ) It is reported that Rom;~n ;lntl Protestar~t elerqy ;igrml \\.it11 tlle scntirncnts espressetl 11y pastor Dannltartcr.

\\'h;it must b r one's attitude toamrtl tlrc "helter-skelter" skurqing of thc Cliristmas season is o~~c ' s :~rltonietic response? \\'hat nlnst be t f ~ r Christiitn attih~tlc towart1 Christnlas gifts and aclomcd Cl~ris tnr ;~~ trees? Ilo pagan cllstolns and origins con- den1 participation in the practice? I)oc*s a distinctive nncl antitlietical lifc in this Christnlits srason imply a co111~)letc break \\it11 the custon~s of tlir Cliristma.+ season?

Can one \ , ~ y \ \ i t l~ a trec in his \\,indo\\, a wreath on his door, with candles on his ~nantle, ant1 gifts 1111dcr 11h trec:

"Let hctrcerr be glocl, let ecrrth rejoice, Tile teeming sm resorrrirl wit11 prtrisc; LLZ t eac i~~g fields lift high their voice, Atid all the trccs their a r ~ t l ~ e n ~ raise. So Ict then1 .shorrt before otrr Gotl. For, lo, Hc cotne.c, He cotncs tcit11

might, To tcieltl fhc scepter uric1 the rod, To jr1dg.c tlre ~ c o r l l tcitli truth urul

rlgllt.

1. 4tlOO Y ~ a r s of Cltrislma~ Earl \\-. Cotrnt. H. \Volff h k ~lanuiaclurin'p Co., 191s. p. i3.

2. Ibid. 1,. i 5

EACON LIGHTS

Cbri~tmae in our &cI joo l~ HENRY W. KUIPER

Dear Protc.stant liefonl~ed Yotrth: I \\,as askeel to write a few lir~rs for yi~u

this month in conrrcction with thcb propcr celel>ntion of Christmas in our own Chiis- ti;tn schools. Certain areas \verc suggcstcd, sltch as "Shoultl nee tlo this?" or "Ou<ht \ve do th;it?" I feel that the ide;~ 1)ehintl the suggestions \\.as to reflect on wlrelier or not certain of tluese things wcrc. par- rnissiblc.. I Iowe\~cr, thcb folli~\\ing was writ - ten in the firm belief thnt i r ~ tluct rllc:;tslrrct

that \vr as p;trents and as young folk hecd the cornttunntl o f God i r ~ this i15pect of educ;ition, in Lhat measuuc \slr \\.ill not even Iinvc the TISIE (~nrtch lrss desire) LU busy o~trsclv~.~ \\,ith those tllings \vlliclr ;tl.c t l~e \\.orld's distortior~ of this I,eautifrrl seasort.

l lay God blcsss ant1 ec/~rip us ;dl, ;tnd espc~cially yo11 ;IS the yotltl~ of His cliurch, to \vdk discretely and circun~spectly in thesc specid days o f the Christtniis scSilson, 196 I .

Celcl~rrrtio~r of the ,4tlcetrt Is the tcq~ic of t/rcsc> conrnrrrtt.c. .\ftrtrner of the celcbrc~fiort By the dtiklrcrr of tlre prorrrisr*, -4s b~ crltool\ tltey dclily gutltrr, Is tltc foct1.c of etferttiorr.

Schoo1.v these are of spccial ~luttrre; Scl~ools tellere r~arents of tlre cor:er~crttt TcacIt tire chilrlrett God has gicen 111 thr tnrths llis lore Ira5 plcrrttctl Drev itrto their hc*crrts u~tcl colls(*i~~rc*~c By thc ntorrllrpiecc~ of IIis scvc-rrnt\.

Qtrestion of fhr. cclehration \Vhiclr rlen~artr/.s orrr kcen attentiorr Is cot~cerned rcitlr all i~rcolr:cr~tcrtt.~ Of tlrr nlutrr~cr crnd procrtltrrc,~ TIrat nray crnsreer to tlrc prrrj)osc Of this ioyoris rcco//ect!ori.

S~/lO0l-~ of atr!~ type, or nrutlrlcr Ocorpy the place of j)crrcrrts Itr tlre tit~lc tlre clrilclrera gather l'lrcrc~ to clail!~ be itrstnrctcd. Nertce, tee ~ e e these obligaiions Dortle so cnrefrrlly hy God$ childretr.

?'ltcr~.fi~rc all the cclcbrcrtiotrs. Prograrrr.s, singing, gifts err~cl io!lirrg, SIlottM cottforni to crdrironitiorrs God ha.^ picerr in His Scriptrrrcs. Strre11~ parents throcrglr otrr teucl~crs .\Irr.\t (Iei~rcrrtd this strict (rdIt(,rcrtc~~.

Calling hrrre thcyl /ilcrit~ to errr.ctcer Questions of their sons utrd tlaoghters 7'1101 liertoin to fact crnd ntmr~ing Of God's \Vorrl becotire I~~cc~rrrate (Eccn rrs the youtrg of Isrclel I2ctrrner/ of stoncs frortr jon/trt~'s bottorn.)

I t is trlrc tlrctt cltikrlmn clttestiori - Rut the trtatter isn't altered Slrotrld they ccu.~e this tcondrotrs asking, /;or contt~ra~td to teacll thettt olt~erys Is concisc aird clec~r ~rrtl l~i~tditig- 1.y 11ot or1 their ~cill depc~t(/(,tti!

l'crrclr tlrern all of Goel's corirmcrndnrents; Tench them of titan's sirrftrl tiatnrc; Tccrclt tltenr hotc Cot/ gcrce the pronrise (Itttc~ I J ~ U ~ I in EcIm~~s grrrclmt; 'I'crrclt tlren~ hotu the chrrrcli looketl fortcord Tlr rotrglt thr ages for alessi(l11.

?'ecrclr therrr for tcllc~t gloriotts prrrpose Gnrl clecrerd to sent1 lrtrn~ut~trel. Tc.nclr tllenl of God's soc?crc,igti tcottrler As into our flesh He er~tercd; Tecrclr tlrenl lclrat o gloriorrs tharlk-song A'occ i.s theirs - Former shnll he!!

Cccn 11s u:e Iurrd His cotrti~lg \Vc src c-b tloloroscr - Elis to tcc11k irr loce, ol~ctlicncr w For rill t/rose the Fcrtlrcr gclce If iin. Tlris the babe, born in thc s-table, Contpleted on the hill of Calcanj.

BEACON LIGHT!

Jlorc- cccJ see in jestrs' corrririg: \\'hat a11 endless ttrecrrn of trrerry IV, .\c9e gloriorts E~ster'.~ rirort~itrp, He 1ra.r slrorcrt for 11s to tell thenr!!

-hen o'er drath He rosc tr it1 rrrl)hcrrit. Time is short to tell tlre story /e sce glories of r\scen,siott And t l ~ e glories of its ntecznir~g -

7'0 thc. Fotl~er tclro lrad sent Hittt, So rce tcarlt rto introdcr~iion Sncrifichl tcor k c.orrrl~letc,d, Of rnun'.~ c~crr-iltly decicrtimu.

Jlany otl~er giftv [tic rtotice Srrhsfitutior~~, ~I~(III's traditior1~, Sltacrlil be hrocrglrt bcrforc* tlrcir tttirrtl's eye, May not holtl tlreir plocc ori~or~g IN!!

Fron~ t11r pages of f1i.s \Vrititrgs, C;raritatior~ towcrrrl corrtrptionr, U'hiclr tee still rtrrry lrocc~ ~rr~l~itrtlcrc~tl: (Heirthen hurrdcd do to^ to Iieatherr), Xotably ilte Ilol!~ Sllirit Slrrc91y rrrcrsl detract from cJssoicc I \ 'ho~r~ He serrt to rcitness in 11s. Of our .spirit's conteritl~lotior~~.

IVoncirar.~ rcilrle,\ of tire Slririt U'ith ortr spirit t l~at rce His elre, 1.5 frrcet of .\er/~(rliort Fttll c~f corrrfort for sojotrrncr:\ \i'lro, hy gracc., seek 11ow a city Rrrilrler arrd tcliote rrrcrkrr Cod is.

Crorcd tt:e cloys tcith gifts arrtl lrOlly? Crorcd tl~ent tcitlt the glisicnitrg pine tree? CrorcrI tlrt7rr with tlrosc errtpty grec%.ngs S]~ok(,n tr:it/totrt therrrglrt or mcatiirtg? ?'hi., ti-c do that cocetrcrr~t chillren Jlay t11e Christ-child me nrorc* cler~rl!~?

he.^^, to cltililrerr. Cad IIUS tolcl trs, Cod for1)id tlwt cocoiat~t parents .lf~r.s? Ire t(rrtg1tt ;!I (111 t l r~ir t/~;rtkiitg, Shotrld ro crse the Chrisirrtcls .,rasorr!! So tlrcrt ecrrly tllc!l i~.ill ponder Fatlrer let r r s poirrt to letrtrtic,s A N tlre rr~(rrcels of ~ e ~ l ~ a t i u r ~ - Of tlie conring of .\les~iuhl Earl!/ tlte!~ will kr~orr cortteirtrncrtt Tmcli orrr clrildreri in this sfawn: To slintct ps(r1r11.~ it1 e111rk('st rrigllt ttiittcli. ALLELUIA!! Cocl setrt ] c a d

REV. R. C. HARBACH

Its Origin T l ~ c JesuiLs, or the Society of Jclsus (S.J.)

is the nanre of ;I rrotorious rc*ligiol~s or- der in tllc: 12<~11isll c h ~ ~ r c h . 'I'hc &JIII~. "Jesuit" \\us nevc-r ~ ~ s e t l by lht, foundcr, txing ~lscd derogativcly to Ineat) one \vho usc:d t l ~ e nome of J e s ~ ~ s too freely, or 1111- \\isc:ly. The fo~untlcr \\)as the Spi~nish fan- atic Iplatius Loyola (Inigo Lopc:z tle Ile- caltle of Loyol;~). Hcb \\,;is tougl~, s\v:~sI~- I~~~ckl i r~g , gillla~it a11c1 rich. He spcnl mucli of his time in ;trnorolls aclventuroh. r\s the result of an injury rcct.i\wl in I~attle \\.it11 the French he I)egi~ii to consitlcr Inorc scsr- ious ~niitters, ;~nd cr~ntc~npl;~trcl tl~c: :id-

-.:enh~re of a religious life. Ho\ve\?rr. his only i~~tcllectual :~bility at this tirrrc con-

sisted of a little re;~clir~g and \\rriti~rg. Idearn- ing ur those days \\.as despised :ind left to

priests! To clev'lop the 1c;ldership qualities he believrd lie neetlcd to ~nok(! solnt.thing of himsrlf in t11c religio~~s \vorltl, he entered college at thr age. of 33. (Lutl~rr \v;is 41 tlicn.) This was in Ilar- celonn. Later he continued his stcrdics ill Pi~ris. He felt t l ~ : ~ t it atltled to his training to dcvote hi~nself to tht* vir~qn .\l;lry, ;md to pilgrir~lages to tile Iloly I;c~rd. At tht: same time lic concci\ted the nebulous idc;r of a rir\\, religiot~x order of the knighthoocl. I-le thougl~t of it ;is ;I rnilik~ry coml~any, :In ;ir~iny. a fl>ing siluatlror~, tr:\iued in dcfen- sivc, and offensive* fighting, with cliscipli~lecl might, wc.11 c.cluippc.cl \tit11 knowleclp~. of stratep, surprise ant1 c;trno~lflage. Such :I

fighting force was felt necessary due to the detrir~~ent;~l eflerts Hornanisn~ suffered fro111 the Protestant Rc-forcnation, 'mtl from vnr-

BEACON LIGHTS N h ?

ions evitlences of unpopt~larity tlrroughov! the \\-orid. For the pmplc of Europe \vctrr striving Illore and marc to rid thc~nsc.lvcs of the I,o~ltlage of Rome. The Jeswits laboretl to tighten that bondage. Luthrr preucl~ed liberty in Clm'st. Loyola rebuttetl with un- cluestioning suhniission to tile hic~rari~li.;. The \sreiipoll of the Protestant Refonn;ttion \vas the Stvord of thc Spirit, tht. \\'ortl cf God. "The sllield of the Romish church \+*as ;I secret society."

To crystilllize his plan with constitutioe, laws, and widr constitc~ency. Loyclla clainld direct clitine inspiration for llis idras and ;i~lthorih. This did not first set \r.c.ll \c,itl~ the pope, nor \vith his con~mittrr of car- dinals iippointed to s h ~ d y the matter. l'l~ey refused thcir :ipprobiition on tlie sro~lnds the society \\.as unnccess;lry. i u t ~ I \ro~clrl en- danger tho \velf;lre of the. cl11mc11. Uot Loyola succeecled in renloving these ol~jec- tions by ~naking in1 offer irrcsistihlc. to :111y pope. He pointcad out that the sc~cicty \vol~ld I~itve the us~lal three vo\\.s of IIO\rl'K)', celil~acy, and ~nonastic obedience common to Romisli ortlers, 11nt in i~dditio~l woc~ltl impose ;I fourth vo\v of 1,lincl. ~~ncriticnl obedience to the pope, swearing to go \vhere\,er Ile wo~lld camr~~i~nd. and Ii~bor lor the cause of Rornanisni \vitlrout any fillan- cia1 support from the pope or t l ~ r chr~rch at large. This new I>ody \vot~ld I~ave for its purpozc the cnsluvelncnt of all thc \vor!cI to Ron~,m authority, devotion to the ~)cpi*, tile p u t t i ~ ~ g in motion of effect~~al opposi- tion to Ho~ne's enernics. ;uid tlic co1111tc.ring of attach and set-b;~cks c;iuserl l)y the~n. The pope then prrccivi~lc Ilo\v this scl>er~~e, perfectly suited the Roniish spirit iuitl genius, approved and ordered tlrc. es(al>- lishrnerit of the ne\v society, making Loyol;~ its First gencrcll. Tlus was in t l ~ c l>t~~icld C I ~

15-1041. l 'hc pope's insight \rrns so011 sull- stantiat~d in the fast gro\vth a ~ ~ d po\vcr of the order, its swift increase of ~ne~nl)crshil~ over the \\rorld, its iumtu.iog wc;~ltll, a~ltl its becoming the most conlpetent iincl effc.ctu;tl order in the church.

Its Object \ r e are fan~ilisr with the fact tll;it I { ~ I I I -

is11 orders are, generally, ascetic. ~nonnstic, witlldra\ving from the \vorlcl, ri-tiri~ig to solitude. silence itncl seclusion for tho pur- pose of developing picty and influc~~cing

~na~~kin t l by goocl e \a~~ip lc and pr,iycr. Isut the Jesuits were fon~ied for :iction! l'hey wercn otrt 111 Ile j~rin~arily ~i~editative, II~I- ~nobilr. Tllry were soldiers, not ~iionks, n r l ~ their only chief on earth this pope. 'I'hey look upnn thenlselves to inslr~ld thr ignor- 'lnt, prowkte or prrseclltc* enc.mic~s of Home. To iiccc~~npli\h this \vitho~rt llindranc~. they \verc given totill e\eniptio~l from the recll~sc riqors of other ordc.rs. Ht*rlcr, t11c.y irre not 1)ouncl to the tctlic~~ns of processions, parades i~nd the erltlless ~nonkish austerities. They itre recl~~irecl to attend all the major political, soci,~l, labor, ecouo~llic, etl~~c:~tionill ;ind religiouh f~~ilction\ of tlle \vorlcl, nnil to ~llir~glr in the '&airs, including the rcvolrl- tio~ls, of the nations. They 111ust livcb closely to any ant1 every part of life wllich has in- Hucnce upon religion, and which may be turned to t l ~ c ;~dvantage of the Ro~nan cl~urch. Their purpose is to have ic Ron~isl~ 111ajority in the fjelth of politics ai~tl ~ C ~ I I C ~ I -

tioin. Tod;r!- we are dangeroi~sly closr to Ilaving pul,lic edr~cation ~~nclcr t11c domi- nance of il Ronian-controllctl govc.mmc.nt. ,- Ihc, Jesuits have gilinetl ;~ l~r~os t irbsolutc control \ \ - i t l ~ the Romitn Ci~tholic Cliurcl~. Every po\rer in the \vorltl is vie\vetl n y q

properly I)elonging to 1,ap;ll control. To retilize tllis iiirn, the priests I,c:co~nc psychol- ogists to ;I tlepce, sh~tly the n a t ~ ~ r e and character of men in high rank in order to cull i\r;~te their frientlslrip. Thc- cituse of Ro111ca I I I I I S ~ IJC- fosterctl in thesr. \r-;~ys. This is not sconi, satire, irony, oxaggerntion, or unl~istorical, unscholarly exposure. It is \\-ell- gro~lntlt.d fact borne out by current events, to say nothing of fnn~iliar history. Sor will it do to charge the \vorltl wit11 thc employ of namccnllinp, sclch as. "busy-bodies, mi+ c1iic.f-n~nkcrs, politicinns \\fill1 no attacll- 11le11t to conntry"! Let tllem makc their dc- fence stantling in the xvhite light of Scrip- ture, and not in the d;irlmcss of sopllistry i~ntl pilralogy.

Its Polity and Policy Other societies are of \rolu~~tary 'association,

ant1 ~neml,ersllip persists according to t l ~ c co~lsent of the individucrl mc:n~l)er. But tlie Jesuits submit to permanent blind obetlienc~ ant1 arr controlled I)y ~1 ;rl,solutely totill- 1

itarian ~nonarcl~y. \Ve nlr~st say a word ~11)or1t the principle of "blind obedience." T l ~ e reb~rttal to the charge: of blind obc-

BEACON LIGHTS

tlic~lce is tlrat ;ill ol)etlie~~ce nlrlst be t > l i ~ ~ d to sonle estcnt, well as thc tired clicl16 has

*t, "Theirs not to reasori \vhy, Theirs but io rlo or die." It is furtl~cr insistt!d that the sl~hjcct titkirrg csccptio~l to ;my given con)- n~uud Inny appeal ill the co~~stitutional way, ;1nc1 Ly tliscussio~~ ~11lc1 arbitration have his c;lscs cleared up. 13111 tl~is uecessitates going thror~glr lal)yrintllinc. ch;lnncls to rrlake a tlispos;tl of t l~c casr. To go tlirt~ugl~ a Ilicr- ilrchicnl bystem \\,oultl be like an attempt to cr~uilvc.l ;I ton of cookctl sp;l~h(~tti .

.-\ filrthcr \vorcI on this niattcr of Hind obetlienct:. Ont. 1n11st sul)lnil cvcan to the poir~t of sacrifice of tb(- i~ltellert ;uld al)an- d o n ~ n c ~ ~ t of pt.rsoll:~I frrctlorl~, 'I'l~s prirl- ciplt. hinds to tht! tloirlg of ally i~c t - the commission of assassini~tion -or any evil that good may come. Thr- ]c.slrit princil>le, "the end justifit-s the ~l~eans," l~ns I~ecn de- nied, l l ; ~ ~ I)eell i~dmittetl but cxplni~led away, has h e n defencled on philosopliic grou~lds. but not ;iccording to Scripture. It is not srrrprisir~g thcn that Jesuits must 1-ic-Id to their superiors nlatters of comcirnct., ~rntl~ral inclination and pt.rsor~ul senti~nctnt. Neither

&Fe severity of ;I convent, nor tllc cell of ii

nonastrry ~ ; I I I comp;rre \vith this iron-clacl despotistll, the i~npnct of \vhiclr is i~npressed ttpon ill1 its rnc~ml)ers, ;lntl felt in ill1 its operations. In ordcr to clu;tlify for mt,~nbcr- ship in thc order c;u)did;ltrs nust I,;\rc their conscierlcr, inmost thougllts itntl clcsires to thcir superior. I [c. i11~1st I I I I ~ only confc-ss Ids sins, ;ruricularly, iu~d reveal his o\\w persor~al dc-fects, Ixtt ;~lso bare tllr ~>assiolis of his s o ~ ~ l . I-le I I I I I S ~ sul,jcct himself to this l~syclio:~nylitic;il H~~~~roscopy r \I c r y s i s rllorrtlls. Oficial rccorcl files on him note his pcrson;~l rluirlitic-s, foil~lc~s i~ntl i~nything else of importance concer~~u~g Iril~r. This "d osslcr" .' i, not conil~lc.te willrc~rlt fornmal

deposits of daily dc1ni11.d inforlnatiorl i~cldccl year 1)). year until the ~rovicc irttitins the iigc of thirty-three. Only then ni;ty Ile t;llic the \.o\vs and hecolne ;L lull-fletlgrd Jt:suit. 'I'he order tl~ercfore has complete knc~wlctlge of tile novice's clrarncter, tt-tl~per;itnent and c:~p;~bilitit*s. The gc.neral of t11c ordt.r, \v?th the aitl of these rninl~tcly drtailed registers.

can then selcvlt the most aipt for ;uq- project 'lrr espion:~gc 11e nx~y dictate. There lnay .)ossihly I,e no secret Jesuits, Ilut every member of thc society hiis ;I shado\\r. and is either ;llways ill the colnpimy of anothcr

member (;IS \\,it11 the n~ins ), or co~rstitntly kept untler sr~n~cill;ince. The society ~011- lin~laliy spies on its otvn ~)nstit\lenc)'.

Its Progress, Power a n d Influence -4s the order from its inception p r o ~ ~ ~ o t ~ . d

the cause of education, it took nporr itsclf the task of etluc;~ting youth, of instrt~ctinr: the people, of missioni~ry effort to couvcrt the heathen nations to Romanism. Jesuits were the directors of ed~rcation ill ill1 the Ronlish states of Europe. 'They hat1 n Jrslrit college in almost every ton7n in Genn;lny, estal&shed colleges under strc'ss of great peril in Ireland, and \\-ere nrver entirely expelled from Engliincl. They hil\.e xlrools and colleges in every state in thc. lioion.

They were tlre father-confrssors of kitings, and 1111der the111 were of highr~r rnnk than prime mirristcrs. 'I'hcy were ;IS personal as- trologers to the clitc ;;nd eminent oE thc post-refonnation iige. They, of all the Romish orders, rnjoycd the esteem, interest, and cor)ficlcilce of tlre papal Ilierarchy. For thcv \\?ere the no st i~vicl ant] adroit ch:~nr- pions of pnpirl power.

Incre;~si~lg in power they also ;;ccumul- ated v;~*t stores of \vcalth. There w'rc de\7io11s \vitys of circ~cnl\,el~ting thr vo\v of poverty. 'I'hl. Ilolnan church has al~v~lys been uncornl~~or~ly \ve;,ltl~y. I3nt the Jcsllit order hi~s resources of its o\vtl. They 11;rvc built c;~thcdr;ib of m;~ssivc ;~rcl~itrch~re. (Upi rn~i te hitd to be usctl to dismantle tile m;~ssive wa~lls of the Jesuit ctrllcge of (21lel)oc. torn clo~sn in 1880 by ordcr of the provirl- cia1 govemmcnt. ) Tl~esc rdifices are con- stn~ctcd ui th numerolls side chawls, are of staggering I)e:~uty and richness in mi~rl~le, gold inlays, escel~tional lighting effects, the blrnding of striking artistry on \v;llls alrd ceilin~. This is comple~nented with great nus sic and il~>pressivc cerenionies which greatly impress the ulystically-mintfcd wor- shiper.

\\'e:~lth is also nccu~~lrrlicted by thcir working tllt~~usel\~es into the business of i t r - ternationiil ~ r i ~ d c , I~olding commerrr. in \\rest i~ntl lrast I~ldies, o\\-ning \r.archouscs i l l El~n~pc.. This led to thc tlcsire to acquire property, \vhen finillly possession of Para- guay sPcrtrc~tl. T l ~ e people here wrre heathen, ip~rornnt, illitrr;~te, sc~bsisting by hunting ;~nd fishing: and as can easily be

BEACON LtGHTS

bclirvetl, knew pri~ctic;~lly ~rothu~g of docil- ity, ~nuch less, of government. This was n cliallwge not too greirt for thc Jra~i ts , w!~o il~lrnc&;~tel~ I~egan cultivating ,mtl civilizing thc sav;iges, teaching them to f;~rnl. I)uild, form villages, and estal,lish ;I society sus- taintd by ;~rts and ~nanufactnrc. This wc~rktd so well, and so held th r 1ndi;lns tll;~t ;I few Jesuits c o ~ ~ l d control ;I httndretl t l ~ o ~ l s i ~ ~ ~ d of them. Ostensibly advancing th(* ~ o o t l of rnsnkind in this fwlriorl, t11c. ailn was to fornl I'ar:~p~ay into an e~npire nncl ~>c~\r ' r . l .

n~ilitarily, politically ;inti commercially, wit11 a vie\v of extentli~~g their tlon~inion all over Soutll .hlerica.

\Vithin tht! ~nalnmouth I~ody of Ronl;tcism tlicre is, par;~do\-icnlly, ;i dog-eat-dog spirit, or ;I Satan casting out Satitn state of i~ff~irs. To keep &c. 1'ar;~guny;ins under the inllu- cnce of their onn society, they taught thc.m to hate and 11ave no denlirlgs wit11 their Spank11 and Port~~gesr neinh1,or.;. \,lcw np-

pearing fro111 these neighlwring settlements were not pem~ittetl to Ilavc iiny contact or conversittion \\.it11 the sl~l)jccts ol thr ~esui- Nor \\.as any Indian privilegcJ 10 c11tt.r I!. hotrse of a Spi111i;lrd or ;I Portuguese t~nlrss in the company of a Jt>st~it pricst. The Ivnrning of either t l ~ r Sp;ulisli or any Elm- opwn I;~ngt~ilgr \vi~s \vitldic.ltl from the ~lative\. To welt1 their crnl~irc. into tllor- o~lglrly controlled security ;mcl unity thy lntlians were given ;I E~~rope;ui ~nilitlu?. traini~lg, i1m1c.d to the tcetlr, ant1 tk-

ciplirird in strict soldiery. Jesuits also con- trol French C;tneda, and the Frcncl~ 1.m- gu;igr itself, \vhich is ;I ~o \ver f t~ l Inearls of keeping the people isol;itecl, rind kerl,ing out any ideas or advances in civilization not in harniony with the ch~~rch . Atlminish~- tion, dil,lo~n;~cy, politics, csplori~tion ant1 lal,or arcs also Jrsr~it-controlled.

-

HELPS FOR BIBLE STUDY ON THE

B o o k o f 1:iEVELATIOhL by REV. H. HOEKSEMA

LESSOX _\'S,\?7 (Heoeltition 1./:1-5) (On the nhole the test of the Hevisctl Ver- sion is Iwttcr here tlun that of tlic King Jarne\ \.ersion; hence; it is follo\\.etl in tl~ese notes. )

1. \'s. 1. The L;~ml) on S l o ~ ~ n t Zion :uid the 1-14,000. a. This vision stiuntls ill con- hast to the prccetlinp in so i;lr ;IS ( 1 ) Tlicre thc church ~ v a s pictured us opprcssecl in thc \vorlcl by thc ;111ti-christian ~,o\c.crs of darkr~ess. ( 2 ) Hcre the s;unc% clnlrch itppears as safe a r~d sccurc., c~ritl as rc:ig~urrg wit11 Christ on Slount Zion. h. Slount Zion is not he;~vcn, nor is it reprcsrntc~cl irl die vision ;IS being in 1lc;lven. In the. 0. 1'. it is the royal mount of I)a\.icl on \vhicl~ was established tlie thn)cr;~tic tl~rone. On this mount Cod has set Ilis king 1:) rcig11. Ps. 2:6. Ilencc, the rnot~nt;lil~ is sy~~lbol of the royal r& of God's r\nointcd. c. On the mount stands the Llrnl,. ( 1 ) -I'II:I~ Chris1 appears bcre as the Lamb dcnotcs t l ~ i ~ t I le attained to IIis royal dominion ; ~ t ~ l l c 11e;lJ of Eli \ people ill the way of sun'cri~~g. ( 2 )

Thiit Ile stands on \lol~nt Zion rc-presents that I-Ir esercises lIis royal power ;IS Gotl's king. and tlrat too, in sl>itct of ;~ l l the fur>- and raging of thc devil m~cl thc antichrist as pictl~retl ill thc precetliug chapters. From X,lo~~nt Zion I Ie n~lcs over I lis onrn and over ;rll the worltl. tl. The 1-I4,000 arc, the same as tllosc nlentionecl in c l~ . 7:3, 4; for \vhich see the notch on that passage. Ilence, the). are ( 1 ) Not the glorifietl church in heaven, nor thr saved out of Isr:lel, nor a special group of glorifietl saints. ( 2 ) But they represent the complete nu~nl~er of the elect as they ere in the world ilt ;my period ol tlie new dispensatio~~. (3) 'I'hiit they arc represrntcd = heing witl~ tlle Liu11b 01.

. \ lo~~nt Zion simifies tlr:~t I-vrn \vliilc tile! itre in the \vorld hclicvr-r\ havt. tlir victoq in their 1,ortl i~nd rrigr~ with Him. ( 4 ) 01 tlleir forehead they Ilavc- the name of Cllrii ( a higrl ;ind seal that they I~elong to 1li1 ;IS IIih brethren), md of llis Father (a \ig i ~ n d scal of their belongings to God as H

lccelce BEACON LIGH'

children). No one can scparatc, thcm Em111 Cl~rist antl fronl the 1J:rtht.r. CI. the, seal in

-1. 7:3fr. 2. \'ss. 2, 3. 'I'llc Song of victory. "-ind

I 11eard ;I voice from heaven" cbtc. a. This voice docs not procet.d from tile 144.000. ( 1 ) 'I'hese itre reprrscnted it1 t l ~ e vision as bring on tltc c-;irllt, on hlonilt Zion, but the voicc procceds fronr heaven. ( 2 ) A distinction is plainly mitde between the 144,000 itnd thcnl that sing this song. for it is s:~icl thiit the t'onner nlny lcarrt it. b. The voice is clescril~etl as thc voicc of many waters (:is of :I great ~nr~ltiturle): as the voice of n great t1111nder (vcry po\verful): :and as tlre voice of harpers I~arping on their hiups, i.e., tlrc.ir song is accol~lpanied 11y playinf on the I~arps (signifying victory itntl ioy). I t is tlil voicc of tl~c. glorified saints in I~eaven. cf, c11. VI1:H-17. c. And they sing a new song. The song is new be- cause it is thc song of complete redemption ;tncl final victory; the viewpoint of the si~~gcrs is hr*;ivcllly. 'I'hry ser no longer "as in it gliiss tlnrkly." I ~ u t fiicc 1 0 Tiice. And thcy sing I~efore thc thronc of God

in His prescncc., ;IS I4is servants, to His Amy, ; a11d beforr the elders (the rep-

et*sc~ltstivcs o f t l ~ c ellurch of 1111 ages); antl 1)eforc the four l iv i~~g crcaturcs rt-prcLscnt- i~tivcs of 11n1te cre'itio~~). See. ch. I\ ' . d. Ant1 orlly the 144,000 coultl Ir;irn that song, i.c., they cannot only understand it, I~u t ap- propiatc it and I)y faith sing it, even \\rhile they tirc still i r l tht- ~nid\t of an oppressing \rorld. For they rcign \\-it11 Cli~ist :uid by f;iith they have the victory.

1. l'he angcl proclait~ling an everlasting gospcl. vss. 6, 7. a. "Ant1 I saw itnotller angel fly in tlte 111idst of ltc~a~t-n." ( 1 ) An- other vision hrre. a5 is ev ide~~t fro111 ";ulcl I saw"; yet the vision is closrly rel:tted to thc proccding on<.. ( 2 ) "Anotl~er 'mgel" i r~ tli.stinction f r o ~ t ~ i~ngc-Is that were. rncn- tionecl I>rfore in thca book of 1lcvc.lation. (3) He is flying in tht. lnidst of 11cnvcr1, i.c.., of the finnalnent, I)ecituse the whole worltl ntust hear 11is mrssage. b. "IIa\4ng the (or better 'an') everlasting gosprl (the q . V . has 'ctcr~iol good tidi~rgs' ) to prettch mto them that tl\vc.ll on the e:tl.tl~,' ctc. ( 1 ) Thc angel ~nust proclai~n n gospel (the original docs not have tllc tlefinitc article)

3. I'ss. 4, 5. The drscription of the 144,000. :I. They are not &filed with \vomen, for thcy :ire virgins. ( 1) The orig- ir~al \r,ord for "virgil~s" was frecluently tip- plied to mrn. ( 2 ) Tlie expression does not intend to extol the special si~nctit) of celibacy, as sontc would h a w it. (Sotnr esplain tlri~t these 144,000 represent a speciiil grorll) of saint\ that were never m,trricd! ). ( 3 ) The mteaning is th;~t thcy are virgins in relation to the \vorltl, a1111 arc not defiled \\ith its lust. They kept their garments clean, and had no fello\r*ship wit11 tlie ~~nfruitful \vorks of darkness. I). l'lley follo\\l thc Lamh \vl~ithrrsoever He goctll: i.c., not in glory. as a Lind of spcciill rc~tinrlc in heaven, but here, in this world. 111 their confession and \valk they are the disciples of the L:in~l~; they follo\v where IIe Imcls by Ilis \i70rd and Spirit, ru~d that, too, rcgardlcss of thc sufferings they may Iritve to bear because they keep His \CTor~1. c. They arc those that arc. purchased, redcemcd by the precious blood of the hlnb, from anlong men, i.e., out of all 11:1tions; ant1 that for the purpose- of bcing a firstfruits unto God (1) Firstfnlits of thc fuU itntl final hanrst: tlrc regeneration of all things in the nc\\- creation. ( 2 ) And consecrated to God. Cf. Jas. 1: 18. d. In their moutl~ \sr;ls found no lie. \\fl~icll means that positively they confessed the tnttlr of God. e. A I I ~ they are \vitbout fault or blemisl~, i.c., in Christ they arc l~oly in the spiritual ethicill sense of the. \\.ortl. They ;ire described, of course, from tlrcir ideal spiritual view- point, in their rc~latiot~ to tllc L:~rnl).

The Gospel Of Brr b!llo~~'s Fall i.e., good tidings, just ,is the angel pre,ichecl good tidings to t l ~ e shepherds of Betl~lehen~. ( 2 ) T1ri.s gospel is called "everlasting" be- cause it is dcter~nined in Cod's imntutable decree. ( 3 ) It is l~rocli~i~nccl to thrm that dwell on the earth, and tlvat, too, univcrs- idly: "to every nation, :~nd kindrecl and tongne, and people." This tloes not iinply that the message of thc ;inpel contains "good tidings" for all. Not, for i~~statlce, for the a.orsl~ippcrs of the henst, cf. vs. 9K. But it does niean that those for \x-lioar this prutir~~lar niessage is "gospel" are among all nations. ( 4 ) The contents of this gos- pel: "l+nr God and give glory to hitn," ctc. (vs. 7): ( a ) Sotice that God is herc

BEACON LIGHTS Thirteen

presented as the Creator and Lord of tlre universe: "that ~natle I~e;~ven :~ntl e;trth, imd tlre sea, and the fo~~ntains of watrrs." ( b ) I Ie must I)e feared, ant1 glorifird, al~tl \\.orship&. 'I'hc rneilnirlg is r\.id~.~ltly: Fear and glorify ; ~ n d \\-orslrip not t l ~ e I)ci~st, I>ut God. ( 5 ) .And the particltli~r rc:ason ant1 g r o u ~ ~ d for this "gospel" is that tl~e hour of God's jt~dg~l~errt is co~nc. Final jud~mrent is al,out to ti& pl;~cc. 'I'hcre is no more delay.

Note. T l ~ e significance of this visiol~ is not that to\\-;~rds thc end of this tlisl~cnsir- tion therr. \\-ill be a s p t ~ i ; ~ l preitching of the gospel to nU nations once Irrore; nor that nlen \\-ill be given a special pc-riod of re- pcntancc., for ( 1 ) The contents of t l ~ c nlvs- sage is not Christ and ret lc~~r~~tion, l~u t very specific;~lly judpnent. ( 2 ) It is vcry tlcf- initely proclail~~etl thitt the hn~tr of Gorl's j u d g ~ n c ~ ~ t is i~lrcad>. come. ( 3 ) Thc two angels tllat folio\\, l~rocluitu this judgment upon tlw \\-icked as an ;tccornl~li~lletl fii~t. Rather does it prwlain~ that \vl~ich is "good tidings" to the faithful, thnt the li111c is come \\.hen ;IU tnust confess Illat (;otl is God, and tht. \\,orslril) of the I>r.irst s11:lll have an rnd.

I. The Fall of B;~bylon an~ro~lnccd, vs. 8. a. ":\nd there follo\vetl al~otlier ( a srcond, R. \'.) arrpel, s:~ying, B;rhylo~r is f:~llt.n." etc. The second angel nnuounccs the fall of Babylon, and tl~at, too, eml~hatici~lly as an iiccomplished fact. ( 1 ) Tlris is thc first time \ve reatl of I3abylon in tht* hook of Revelation, yet the text presllpposcs that it is \\.c.U kno\\n \\,hat is nrcant by B;~bylon. In Script~lre Bahylon occurs: ( a ) As thc capital of the country of Shinar, foir~~tletl by Nimrod (Babel), Gen. 10:lO. (11) As tlrc* ciipital of the Cl~nldenn empire of wl~icll Kebuchadtlezzar was thct great 1ic;~cI. I t was a s c a t city (cf. Jcr. 31:3L, 32), 60 rllilcs in circurnferc~~ce. Its w;th were 3.30

feet high, 87 feet thick ;~ntl ill it \\,ere 100 gi~les of IIrass. Cf. 1 s : ~ 45:1, 2; Jer. 51:58. ( c ) the eneoly of Jerl~si~len~, Kings 24:l-17; 25:1, 2; I Chron. A:13; Chron. 36:Fi, 7; Jer .24:1; 29:1, 2; 52:28ff. ( tl ) -4s the 11e;tcI of golcl on thr unagc of the \r-orldpo\\-cr, Dan. 231, 37, 38; the lion, Ilarl. 7:4; a great naval po\ver, Isa. 13:14; ;I great m i l i t q polver, Jer. 5: 16; ( e ) -4s glorio~~s, ~nighh. arrogant, oppressi\,c, cartb- less. ple;~surc-lovinr, bonstft~l, self-conficle~~t. Isa. 13; l4:M; Isa. 47:i, 8. ( f ) .k (It.- stroyecl ill the day of thc I.ortl, Isa. 13; 14:~LiT; 21:l. 2; 47:lff; Jer. 25:E-14; 51 (''~ny people go ye o l ~ t of the midst of her," vs. 43 ). (3 ) In the book of Rcvel;~tion it occurs (I~esides i11 our passage) in ch. 16: 19; 17:s; 18. (3) .\nd a clear reference to Bal)ylon there is in I1 Cor. 6:17; cf. Isa. 521 1; Jrr. .51:4.5. ( 4 ) Fror~l ill1 thh (es- pecially, too, from the p:lss:rgc! in I 1 Cor. 6 it shoi~ld be evident that B:tbylon in thc N. T. is ( a ) Not that ancicmt city rebuilt in tht: f i ~ h ~ r e , ns some \r-oulcl 11;1vr it; neither tlic city of Rotnr, though it is n phase of it; nor pap;tl Rorne; nor the false chitrcir. ( b ) Rut the al~ticlmristian empire comiderrd

A from t h ~ . vie\\.point of its crntcr itnd st. of goverlmment, p r o ~ ~ d , I)oastf~~l, rich allc. -

mighty, cruel ;~nd ungodly 21nd opprc>ssing the. peoplc ot Cod, the Jcrllsalnn of the ne\v tlispensation, the ~nighty ~ o r l d - r ~ ) \ v ~ r of Re\,. 13. She is here presented as fallen. b. '[hc ground of her judgment: "she made all nittions &I& of the \tine of wrath of her fornicc~tion." ( 1 ) The \vine of her fornication: fornication is, as often in Scrip- h~re , to bc takrn in thc sc3nse of spiritual fornication, almstacy fro111 the living God, idolatry, ~~~lgodliness. With this she iillecl t l ~ r nations, made t11el11 tln~rlk; all n;~tions, for the anticlrristian kingdom is ~lniversal. ( 2 ) And "the \vri~th of lirr forniciation," becnusc in this antichristi;~n \vine there is d ~ e \math of God!

CURRENT COMMENTS

THE MINISTER SHORTA-GE JIM JONKER . I

hnlong the pmblems wvluch face our undoubtedly is the shortage of minister churches at the present, one of the greatest ot the \\'ord. .4nd, the problem seenu tl

Fourteen BEACON LIGHT

I)c gro\rri~lg \rVorse ir~ale;~tl of hecoming less serious. Tile ~lcecl scenls more acute, for

p , e s ~ ~ p p ~ y is tlecli~liilg i l l [ ) T O ~ M T L ~ O I ~ to . ~ e i11cre;lse of thc tle~~la~lcl. X,lnrly \vords

ilre espentletl i r~ prilyc5rs ilntl sc.~mons in tlle hopr of i~llevintirlg thc lack. Yet very little action is ever t;rkcn. \\'e carr. ;und I ; i l r t sure we (lo, m ~ s t thc Lord completely to supply sl~epherds for 1 lis shtrp. I3ut this cannot give us the ol)tigirtion or thc right to sin~ply sit iuvl wi~it for this to 11appe11.

I \vo~~ltl like lo oll'er solne criticism of o11r i~ttihttlr ; I I I ~ ;~ctic~ns alrtl, I Ilopc, givc solnc. s~~ggestions to givc: 11s an improved, positive. ;rpproach. l'hvre .IrI. two birsic rcsasons, 1 feel, why \vc l~avc. this problem.

First, there i, a \vidcsprcad and ;dnlost complete apath). on the part of ;~\niost all of our people, cSvelr those who sl lo~~ld bc directly co~tccrncd. 'This is not revealed by words, lor \vc- conblarrtly hear talk urging our yo1111g mcsn lo sc.c>k this ci~lling. I3ut \vc I~avc. rcaachetl the oc~inl ull~erc talk is clleal). No o l~e SCC-111s at all intcresletl in helping anti advising ;rntl rncouritfii~~g in- divitluals. No onc. conti~cts yo1111g Illen who

Ween1 qualified; no one investigates pos- ble or prob;lblc c:~ntlid;ites. \\'llile it is

trlie that Ile \vl~cl is called nlust receive thc. c:rll h o ~ u tllc~ Idorti, this is no rnystic voice fro~n h e : ~ v c ~ ~ or (lie letters "IJ.C" em- hlirzctl or1 the akics. 11 is n wll that is re- ve;tlecl very pr:tctically ;~nd thror~gl~ nlenrls, talents, iirld circt~~~rstanccs wliicll 1 1 1 ~ Lord t~scs. 7'0 ;tns\ver this call invo1vc:s 11 rle- cision on the part of the inclivitlu;~l, ;I tle- cision which is by no nIc5ans all c.asy one Lo r11:tke. Yet, the person \\rho faces t l ~ e c:~ll hns lu go it entirely alone, scltloln re- ceiving tire help Ile so often crnves. AIIC~ even i1ftc.r l ~ c has n ~ n d ~ . his decision, lie is alnlosl completely :I iorgotlcll man ur~til he shows his facc in scminnry class- cool11 or on a I)~~lpi t .

Seconcll?; the I:tck nf ir~terchst ;lntl r~lornl support is also revcalcd in n lack of finallcia1 support. Thc one \r.lto fecLs callccl to the tikinistry is crrt;~ully lot looking ;st financit~l f i a i ~ ~ or irl,u~~ditncc of' c*i~rthly reward. The itoclcnt, I~o\vc.vc.r, often 11as a re;d prol)le~n ilnd strugglc to 111a1cc c~iitls I I I I ! ~ ~ . , \ I ; I I I ~ 'hurclies, e.g., thc Cl~ristia~t lIefomlc.tl, arc luite re;rd>- to give st~~ttents consirlerable binancial help. Yet \\,e do not secln to con- idcr this aspect ;IS part of c111r e a 11' ing its

churches. Article 19 of the Churcll Ordcr states, "Tile cllurches shall c w r t therllsclves as far iis nm5snq-, drat there may be stu- dents s~rpported by t11en1 to be trained for t l ~ hlinistry of the \\'orcl." \Vc appirrerilly fcel that vcry litllc exertion is necessary.

I know. \ve h;rvt~ the student aid fluid. But th;rt is t ~ ~ m i n g o ~ ~ t to be ;I n~isllo~i~er. In thc first placc, the stuclent is not askrtl if he has ;r need nor is he oflerecl ,~ssist- anw, but Ilc has to bake the initiative lri111- self, which he is often loath to [lo. Sr,co~ltl- Iy, \\.llile \ve do not intend to support those \rllo do not become ordained in our chl~rch- cu, we simply refuse aid to sh~dents xvho w-o~llcl like to go to a graduate school. Thirdly, the students \vho probably have the greatest need of finances, the mi~rried students, cannot receive help.

It s c ~ n ~ s to me that it is time this sitr~il- ti011 be ren~edied. I nvould suggest a pro- gram along the follo\ving lines. First, con- sistories and mcnil)ers of congregations shoulcl constantly be on the lookout for potc?ntial ministers. T11t.y should find o11t \rrh;~t vocations the young Inen are seek- ing and their reasons. They sltoc~ld pcr- sondly urge and atlvisc cluiilified y o ~ ~ t l ~ s to praj-erfully and cuucf~~lly consider tlte Itighest calling. -and dley should riot wi~it with this r~nlil the person is almost through Iligh school or in college. Sor sl~ould tiley fail to conti~luc- their i~ltcrcut, atlvice, and encourng~.mcnt to tl~osc \\rho prepare for this tilsk.

Se~ondly, these ~)otcntial s t~~dents should he I ) ro~~gl~ t immediittcly to die attenti011 of the theo1ogic;ll school cu1lu1iittc.e. The cont- lnitter shoulcl n~akc it their brlsiness to 11,. personally and \it;~lly conccmed \\it11 ctacll prospective student. They shot~ld offer the guitlilnce they ;ue qualifictl to give. Per- haps one of the nli~Lsters should he named 81s ;I prrson:~l i~dvisor to the >-oung rnan, to I)e avi~ilal~le for cc~nsultation regartli~lfi his problems and tlotlb~s ;und certainly t o llclp him plan his high scl~ool iuld/or col- lege scl~edulc of sulljects re1;rtive to the rcquirelne~lts of the srminaq-.

Tllinlly, financial support sh0111d he of- ft.retl willingly. 'I'he students should be cons~tltcd in regarcl to their Gnanciial situa- tion and the ch~~rlrches should Iw eager to fillfill their ol)ligation to aid the causc of the hlingdorn in tllis way. Secondly, wl~ilca

LEACON LIGHTS Fifteen

thr itdvisa1,ility of a sh~dent going on to ~~iudua te school niay perhaps be questioned, to refuse h i n ~ itid on this ground sce~ns to reflect nlore selfishness th;m conccsrn for thc. prc;~ching of the \irortl in our cllurchcs. 'Thirdly, if the churches feel that suupport- ing ;I man's f;imily is too mu~cll esertio:~, let ti~eiii give him at least as mulch iuirl :IS

they \voultl give to an u~un~:lrried nl;clr. \Vc serni m n c m ~ e d that a minister get :I qootl wife; yet, at the silme time, wr tell 11im thi~t if he shou~ld dare to mmy, 1 ~ . c;in cotnt on no help from us. \tle Ilavc ;kt thc present a prospective sh~dent wllo is III~U-

ricd; \ve :llso have oltler married men rvho arc interestetl in going to the semin:try. \ire \\ill u~ndo~lhtcdly have young Inen wl~o will want to ni,ur;v and \vho sl-ioultl not bc placed under undue stress to wait until graduation. ( Sote - the young people clitl not makc this rnistnke in adopting the constitution of their scholarsl~ip ~ I I I I C ~ . )

If \ve follow ;I progani si~nilar to this, I feel that \vr \\ill he re\r.arded not only with more young rnen, b i~ t iilso witlu the joy of giving ant1 hclping, \\it11 ; I I increased a\vilreness of the i~nportiuncr of this office, with a grater apprecintior~ for it, and with a nlorc I)lessetl fellowship within thc com- niunion of saints.

Instcad of shnply looki~~g to honven for ministers, let's alvo look nrouultl us for Inrn. Instcad of 11r;tying prilycrs \vl~iclr :1111loat seen1 uu~l~e:~rtl ant1 the11 rclauhg i l l our apall~etic chairs. let's rcflecl a l ivin~ fitit11 by our action.

FROM, FOR AND ABOUT O U R C H U R C H E S

IIRS. C. KREGEL

Our scl~ool: ;tncl their nnsi1i:rrics l~avc re- sumed their uslual full bchc.dules. \Vc ;Ire p~cnsed to report that nnothcr Protestant Re- formed School has opened its doors, tlus time in Loveland, Colorado. Sliss Ruth ELU-

per is the teacher. The men of tlrc. congrrra- tion cooperated in preparing the school l ~ r ~ i l t l i n ~ and grounds for t l ~ r opening daya

An enjoyable evening \\,;us spc.nt by a. people of our O;lkla\\.n ;uncl South Hollantl chuurchcs when they had a dedicatory pro- griui) for their new scluool. Prof. H. C. FIorkse~na \\,as thc speaker. After the p* gr:un~ rcfresl~ments ;utd open luouse nlatlcs this event still rnore plectsr~mble. I t \\*as 011

Novcmber 30, 1955, that this as so cia ti or^ for I'rotestant Reformed Education was or- gi~nizctl. imtl on September 3, 1961, that the scluool was openctd.

Hopr Scluool's P.T.A. hcltl its annual l~u~siness meeting Octohcr 12. Feahlred on the progrill11 \\.as a book revie\\: I,y lliss \V. Koole on "Ho\v Great Xly l-lrritnge."

Rev. .A. Sluldrr spoke at tlue open h o ~ ~ s c of Ad;lms St. School or1 Nov~~mber 2.

A goodly number of propl~: cil~nc to enjoy the pnncikcs senred by tllr Adiuns Atl~letic Association on October 98.

South HoUiuncl reports that Ed HoUcmiun has rcturncd home frorr~ his term of servir*

m in Korea. \I'm. Iiutgers I~as just been i- tlucted into tllr service; tllc Young Peoplc Society I~atle good-\)ye to I ~ I I i ~ t a farewcll outing Septen~bc-r 1-2. I[c:rc is his address:

I'vt .\\'illia~u Rutgt-rs, ITS 5579786 Co. E 17th Bn. (5th Training Rept. U.S. iiTC.4 Fort Eno\, Eenh~cky

Another nlember of our S o ~ ~ t h Holland Church has a cl~anqe of arldress:

l'vt. Fr;~n!i \',an Barcn, US 55701142 Co. A. 18th Bn. O 'rug. Rext. U.S. ATC .*nor (BC1') Fort Knos, Kenh~cky

Louis Eamps, of our H~~clso~lvillc Cl~uurclr. left for tlue senice (his second shift) ill September.

K;~l:unazoo I'rotestarrt Refonricd Chllrcl also 11;1s ;I senriceman, Ilaroltl Triczenberg \\.llo n..u c;tUcd to leavc in Octol~er. Hi acldrrs\ follo\\,s:

I'vt. Hilrold Triezenl)crg, US 5.5707602 3rd I'latoon Co. D 1 l l lN 4th Rcgt. ( BCT Fort Enox, Eenh~cky

I wonder whether our tluc-e s e n i c e ~ n c ~ ~ Fort Knor have gotten together.

Sixteen BEACON LlGHl

I\ tne~r~hcr oi First Church h;ls it cll.mg,rc. of i~dtlrcss: h Pv:-. \Villi:ti~~ P. Doezc-ma, 1N9!)2(i'i

"S" Co. Group 13 1st I.T.R. 2nd 1311. XICI3 Ca111p Lejttu~~e, K.C.

0 0 3

\\'e have bc*en ;I sit~gitcg c1111rclr these l:ut coi~ple of months. 13encot1 Liplits spon- sorctl a Ri.for~nation Day Singspir;~tion in our Soutl~\vc.st Ch~lrr.l~ on Oetobcr 29. 0;1k L:l\\.n \v:ts tile scc.ncs of a singsl)iri~tio~~ (111

Septe~nhcr 10, put on 11y thc- Liltlics' Aus- iliary of thca ScholJ. l'he T ( ~ t u ~ g I'coplc's Society of Sot~th Iloll:~ntl sl>o~lhoretl a sing- spiration in their church on 0ctol)er 15. Loveland's l'oung People's Society arrangetl singspir;~tions after the evening scrvicc. on Septen~ber 24 i ~ r ~ d Novem1)er 12.

The n111sic of Cl~ristmas is in the air. 'Thc pupils of Adams St. School \\.ercs to prc~sent a Christmas 1)rogr;ltll Ilec. 7 at the school. Hope School's s t ~ ~ ( l r . ~ ~ t a Illan to present a progmm, "0 \\70rsliip t l ~ c King.' on Ilecember .'I in First Clr~~rch. ;\ Christ- mas Singspiration is to be held Dccrnll~cr l7 ; ~ t 1lol)e Churcl~. 'Th(. I lol)e Choral So-

P'.iety plans to 1,resent a Christmas progran~ rJn 1)eccmbcr 2.1.

Tl~ost. i l l C:r;i~~tl R:ipi(ls i~ntl vicinity \vill

\ \ e have also I)rc.~i an actice church. Among the lively ;~ftrr-recess progralns cn- jt~yetl hy otu Soutl~ Holl;und Young Pcople's Socict?. wcrc the follo\ving: ;I tle1,;itc- or1 thib sr~l>jrct, "Hesolvctl tllat the Ch11rcl1 is livi~tg today in a periocl of npostacy; ;III essay or1 "Con~munism"; n p ; ~ ~ n p l ~ l e t report on "Tl~c. Gospel"; a piinel on the q~~est ion, "\\'hat gospel must be hrot~ght to the uncl~t~rchecl?"

Often ollr societies join for a ~neeting with one or more of the neighl>orir~g societies. A Fall Xless hIrcting of young people \v:w 11c.ld at l Iopr Cl~~trcll or) Novcml)cr 7. Lcbng~~e olt.eti~ly.\ \verc. Ilel(l I)y I>ot I1 the. E;rstrrn nntl \\restcr~i 1,;idic-s' L r ; ~ g ~ ~ e s . l'he llen's Leakq~e ant1 the Lwgue of Ilr. ; t r ~ r l

w?lrs. Societies also 11;1d thctir ;innui~l fall ~cetings. 'The young people of Hull, !loon,

and Eclgerton net for a Refor~natioi~ Day progr;ml on Nov. 5. The program inell~clecl

a speech by Rev. B. IVoudenberg of Etl- perton, spcci;~l nun~hers fro111 the societies, :inti cnngregi~tional singing.

\ire have been, nioreovcr, a rcitnessir~g chr~rcl~. Rev. J. Kortering spoke at the imn~~al meeting of the Rcfomccl Action So- ciety on the s ~ ~ b j ~ c t , "PropSion or C O ~ I - pl~lsion, \\'hich \ V , I ~ for Refor~netl .Action." Thr Church E\tension Comn~ittee of t l~c South Ilollantl-O;tkla\vn arca ha\ hecn send- ing out pan~pl>lets, Storldard Becirers, ant1 reprints of an article called "Reformed Faith ancl Ar~i~irlianis~n" fro111 the magazine "I7aith i~ntl Life." Now they are planning to scnd o ~ ~ t 41 series of pa~~lphlets on the Lortl's Prayer by Rev. J. IIeys, and on thc Ten Com~nandments hy Rev. C . Vanrlen Berg.

The Refonned \Vitness Hour ;~nnou~~ccs that it has I>ecome "of age." In October this distinctively Refom~id radio ministry ec.k!?rated the beginning of its bventy-first year of raclio broadcasting! .b anniversary progranl, co~umtrmoratin the one tl~ou- si~ndth broi~dcnst, \\rill take place, D.V., ~ I I

J ~ I I I I I ~ I ~ 2.5 in First Church. ALL of our Protcst;lnt Refonnetl young peoplt* are in- \<tc-cl to attend the "party." An interesti~rg evenin:: h ;~s been arranged, plus "~afTeec: and cake" in the church basement follo\v- ing the program. You \\.ill be c1is;ippointecl (and so \\.ill the Radio Con~mittee) if you don't attend!

0 0 0

Our list of "l:ut~lre Conventior~eers" is e\vidcnce of the fact that \\-e are a grou:ing church. They include the following: -4 son born to 5lr. and 5lrs. S. Dykstri~

( Hope -4 daughter horn to 5lr. and Slrs. C.

\\'estr;l ( Soi~theast ) .-\ son born to hlr. and Slrs. George:

\rroom (South I-Iolland ) .A t la~~ghtcr born to Slr. and .\'lrs. .A.

Buiter (South kIollantl), .I son born to Slr. and SIrs. Leonard

Ilolstege ( Hr~clsonville ) I\ son horn to Rev. and XIIS. Gerald

\',mtlen Bcrg (Oakla\vn)

.\fern bcrsh i p trcl nsjcrs: 13aIe Kuiper transferred from Edgerton to

Loveland.

BEACON LIGHTS

The 11. \I-. Kuiper family tra~~sferrecl fro111 Lovchnd to Oakla\\,n.

First Church \velcomed SIrs. Rol)ert D<!c!ic-~. froin tllr Oakdale Park Cl1risti;lrl Rel. Church.

OiAl;l\v11 re~-ci\'cd ~ne~nbership p;lpers of llrs. llobert IIaak from First Cllr~rch.

lliss Ht~lda Kuiper joined Solrth IIoll;ll~cl Church. Fonnerly she \vas ;I inrnthrr of' First.

Ilr. Raymond IIoven ;ind da~~ghtc r Shcryl L y ~ m joincd Soltthe;tst; they had been niembcrs ;it Ply~l~outll tleiglrts Chrislii~l~ Hefor~ned Church.

Soutlleast rcceivcd 1ue1111)crship p;Lpc.rs 0I Slr. and Slrs. 1-1. K;tiser from I:irst Or- thodo\: Prote.;tant Refornied Chllrcll.

Gal;l~ni~zao received Slr. and Slrs. G . Dus- wlje iud Slr. imd llrs. llen~lis I . ; ~ ~ i ~ e l a ~ ~ d from ~vlli~t \\.;IS forn~c.rly callvd the. First Protesk~nt Refor~necl Cliurcll of that city,

R E V . G. V A N B A R E N - - - - - - -

B' IX 18 D33N. I O W A

I,ut is no\v Bethel Cl~n'sti;~n Reform* Church.

Iiirst Cllurcll welco~nc~tl Xliss Ann Dertirn, l lr . and Slrs. Charles Iliepstrii, and Slr. itnci Slrs. Kclly T ~ ~ c l r r r fro111 the First Orthotiox Protest;lnt Refor1ut.d Church.

0 0 0

\Vcddirig /JC!~S rang on Scptenlher 8 for 1)uanc l~m~nrnel axlcl r\udrey Colenbrnn- tlcr (111111); and on Friday, October 6, for Ilarvin Kanlps and Sancy Ellen \';an- der Lann ( Hudsonville ).

Crrllcd I~ott~e: \ In . D;ile Hr~izenga of our Eal;mn~azoo Cllurch; llrs. Grace Doornbos of our vhi~rch in Soutll Hollilncl.

0 0 0

S1;1y l h c . good news of thc conling of thc S;I\ i;rr. a~rd the hope of llis second coining, I,( , t~ lc liglrt t l~at fills your hearts and ho~nes this Cllristmas.

t~ightecti BEACON LIGHTS