23
VOLUME XX lV MAY, 1963 NUMBER 4
PuMished monfhl:+-, except J u n e ;tr!d A u c u .C : by thc Federation of l 'rotestar~t Iteiorrned Young People's Societies.
E X E C U T I V E BOARD: f l a r r y 1.nnxcrak ................ , .. Ptc%idc! i l'drin I<e~trn:n ................. \-ice I'rcbitl<w I .\InriIyr~ O~~dersrna ............................ Sri.!.c(ar). 1I:try Pa.it~wr ........................... ~\,>t. Scr:r.!ar). . . ....................... D a r c O~;<lrri:n:: I rc.i*t!rc.r
. . . . . . . . . . . . E d r x d I , s~ r~c rak . \ i z t . -I'rc.~ru:cr Shxron IJr:lice .... .............. .I. i l>r:~ria:
E D I T O R I A L STAFF: Rc,l,~-t lIrc.ker . .~ Ftlitur 1,: ( ' I l i c i 11. \V. K111per.. . ~.. ~~ .\--ociste lcditor
STAFF: .... i lc len Flikkerna ...... l'lcrl:
. . . . . . . . . C.rroi \-.:I: Puttsn ..A<<: ('lcrl: . . . Clsricc Scuhi i i . f l ,ssts . to JI,,~,, ~ d ,
I.ois Szhilq~cr ............. K o ~ e r Hnrbin
Chtirtn:rn ..... .\la:? Pn.r*itr Public Rslatio::. Sti.f
Edn-zrd I.:*nsc;zk ......... Sharon Prince
........ Judy B\I.n!s Louiac Loci? e?ig?.
C O N f R l B U T I N C EDITORS: lie,:. l<ol,crt Har11:tch ................... Tru th \-s. Error
......................... ... I . r e n'crvs Edi ior I 'harlcs 11. \Veitrx Current Con!a!entl Ker. C;. Lubber>. Rer. i;. \.:III Baren
From thr Pastor's Stud:;
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... EDITORIAL 1 Doi id Engel nao
OPEN FORUM 3 N * I D,%-.ro
THE POSTIBILITY 0' A PROTESTANT RCFO=".D S\',ltd PnOSRk:? 4 : m H, z ~ p a o
TRUTH \s ERROR Rev R C Horbocn
FROM Ti iE PASTOR'S STUDY D r , G !on Bcrt*
HELPS FOR BIBLE STUD' I l l Destruc~ion By Woter 10 IV Solvation in tho Ark I I V Post-drluvion Worship I 1
R G Vgno . Be-g GFADUA~LON 12
E R T Korni- EDITOR RiSIGNS 14
+"ff - - BOOKS COW.'UNION OF SArtuTS
'.', ,. D~r0.h Dz'.~- : NEWS FrOhl FOP. .AND kBOUT OUR CHURCHES
103s E K.. g ~ l
EDITORIAL
It \voulcl be ~rofitablc for Protcstant Iic- formetl young people if the b'ederatior~ Hoard st~hjectetl the aulual Convention to ;I thoro~~gh sti~tly. Thv liires ;~ l t~ng which the in\~rstigatio~i nlight he carrictl out arca these: 1) \17hat is the pilrpose of con\,en- tions? 2 ) \ that ol~ght to l)c inclutlcd in ant1 e s c l ~ ~ d r ~ l from convcntio~ls so :IS to atti~in the purpose? 3) Concretely, ho\\r does tl~is affrct the prest-nt nrrarigcn~ent a ~ ~ t l how, if at all, cnn irnpro\-crnerrls I)c* rni~clc!? If thc Board \\*c3re to sc!riously discuss thr matter, they rn~lld presc.111, I ft,cl, some pertinent proposi~ls to thc de1egntc.s.
'The pruposcb of holtling ;I convention centers aronntl friendship. Tht-rc: are two specific aspects of this friendship, those \vho comr togcthcr lo esti~ldisl~ ant! strmgthc~r friendly ties arc Protestant Reformed Christians and they are ynnng people. The Convention program ought to be gearecl to these hicts in form and i l l contcnl. To tlic extent t11;it this is done there can and nil1 be meiulingful p r ~ ~ i s e to Cod.
Altl~ol~gh not escl~~sive of, Iriendship, among Christians is ant1 ought to be more than stvinuning together or playing ball Logetller. The 1111rpose of the co~lvention is not exhausted on outing-\\ic.dnestln).. Hight- fully, a l o r ~ c place has al\vays Ixen given to the three speeches, u~rcler tl-~cl il\vareness that friendship is based on and rooted in thc tnrth of tlic \\lord of God. Recause we are CO-confessors of the tnith as maintained in the Protcsti~ilt Rcformc*d Cl~~crches, \r,c are frict~rds inclc~cd. This leads to the ob- sewat ion that the attituclc of the young people towilrd the spccclles is ;L healthy
irrep~.oachal,lc~ one. Tllry desire to be i l l -
struc~ed ant1 inspired, not merely a ~ l i ~ ~ s ~ r i or entertained. I t is the response to this desirc., the specrhes tl~c~mselvcs, that could bcar closer scrutiny and, perhaps, sorncs rcs- directing. Not, of course, because the spe;~kcrs arc intent on musing but he- cause the spc.c~ches indicate a lack of con- centratrd a\\r;lrt*ness, i ~ t times, that the nu- dience. is young people. Even on the eve- ning of the \ l ;~ss lleetir~g, \vhen many olclcr persons may l)e present, the i~i~diencc is specifically, pointedly, youth. \\'r request, not ;IS if for a new thing altogether, for a speciitl kiud o f speeclr. By all means the \\'ortl, but tlic It'orcl directed to youth, youth i~nited, youth csclusively, as circum- sta11cc.s pennit only once in a year. 'I'he ~pecial character of a convention speech docs not consist in the spcech's bcinfi a forty fivc minute string of practical minims, as if opposctl to thc tloctrinnl enlphnsis of a speech to i~dults. But the uniqueness ~ n r ~ s t reside here: the tvholc. of the speech, in \\:h;~tcver coml~ination of doctrinal ancl practicnl contcnt the speaker chooses to arrimge it, is zeroed in upon the age group of for~rtcen to this side of hvcnty. Yor~ng people ;ire quick to tlisting~lish bct\vec.n n li\~ing address and a presentation of an iden or idcas to \\,l~icll the)- are cspected to listen, or worse, to \\~hic)l they lend respectability by beuig in attendance. Suhtle though the distinction nlay seem, a kccn am;in:ness of it by convention spc:;tk- ers is n requisite.
But the strongest rapport bet\vcc.n speaker and audience \\-ill still fail tlic
BEACON LIGHTS
1,urpcsc of convention speechm if csitl~er party i~mores that h e i~udiencch is l'rot- estant Refonned yol~th. The convention is no tirnr for gcneritlities. Everytldrig that is said ought, with clarity, to be showt~ tn be highly pertinent for 11s in olrlr circllm- stances. .\lore and more, \ve feel it to be t n ~ e thitt no essential distinction holds be- tween times of "special crisis" ancl tirr~cbs or "normaliw." Quite concretely, our youtfr experience t11;lt it is ~tormnl to live in crisis itnd that crisis is normal. lien tlin into our ears uith amadng constancy thi~t \Ire I~avc no futc~re, tllitt \ve have no lcgitirl~ate plt~ce in the Reformed sphere, and, in fact, that the l~and\\riting is on our wall. I3csides this local attack there rages a furioc~s disavowal on evew hand of everything \vc are tattgltt to belic.\v is true ilnd good ant1 bea~~tiful. Ancl his \ision is ailing who-cannot sre the influence of ill1 this on Christian youth. 'l'he tide of numbers nntl prestige rolls t~g:~ilut us and if the breakers have not I>o\vletl us olfer, do not foster a false confidence, tl~crc are more to come. The last days ar? perilous tirnrs and, having drillotl this un- pleasant t n ~ t h into yootll's consciousness, the inspirer-instructor must fit youlh, nut hoary ;und sci~sonetl battlers, I)ut irnprcs- sionable. susceptible youth to continue in the things they ha\.e leanled - today.
Some may protest (don't \ve all, silently if not valuably?) that this is a gloomy ;ir~d serious flag to fly at the gity occi~sion of a convention. But such an objector misunder- sti~nds the nature of happiness. An ostrich, tltat she may be happy, plunges her 11t.ad into the sand when dangcr threittens :\lid, happily, is tle\,o~lred. None will acliit.ve 1i;tppinc.s~ t l~a t \rill not reckon nitlt enc~rlies and adversr realities it1 deepest, prcl- foundrst seriottsness.
Si~ppose that thr speakers ancl tlic ~ O I I -
vention-goers itre duly impressetl with this purpose of the convention - instntct and in- spire I'rotc-stant Iirformctl yortrlg pcsople with the Scripture so that they ere I~appy in frientlsl~ip \\,it11 Got1 and the Clt~lrcl~, are these sugzcstions out of order? Dolt out more time to group tliscushion h a t centers : i l o ~ ~ t tlre \\'ord of Cod. I'erhnl)s, the I.~.K- ~t lar length of knvcnitons is not sufficient and another c!ay ought to be :~tldecl. l'cr- 11;1ps, 311 t l~at is called for is o different tli\ision of time among the activities. H~lt
what I have in mind is this. At a corlrren- tion, the theme is, say, "Holtling Fast the Truth." The inspirationt~l spc.;~ker sets the tone for L h c s entirc: convcntiorl Ily addressing the a ~ ~ d i e n w , in an inspirationill manner, 011
this cntire topic. The following hvo spt-ak- crs would deal with hvo specific subdivi- sions of this topic, c.g., "lntellcch~ally" and "h,lor:~lly" or "Of Creation" :uld "Of Re- demption" or any number of divisions. The genc~rid topic, in t l ~ e light of t l ~ c speeches. woultl then be discussed in its different facets in seminar-type mc.etings led by cap- ithle young people or mirrislers. One q o u p of tc11 or t\vel\-c* young people \\voultl dis- cuss our callitig to hold first tlic, truth in the light of our shortage of seminary students, ainot11c.r g011p might dihcuss our relntion- sl~ips with those \\rho, to a degree, holti tlo\im the truth, still another gronp might spend ;in holm on the sul)ject of the effects of higher education on our calling to hold fast tlre truth. Ancl topics could be multi- plied.
Such an emphasis \rill not only more fit- tingly cx-press the t n ~ r cl~ar;~cater of con- \,entioris but \vill also achieve n closer, more intimate rel.~tionship bctwec*n the young 111~mhc.r~ ol thr Protestant Reformed Churel~es. Nor \\rill tl~ey, by the grace of Gotl, fnil to re\pontl to the lofty chdlc.nges of Scriptnrc., if only the\e challenges be tlirectccl to thern in all their gravity and r elevi~ncy.
D.J.E.
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NOTICE
All articles for publication in
Beacon Lights should be addressed to
MR. ROBERT DECKER
1004 Temple, S. E.
Grand Rapids, Mich.
BEACON LIGHTS
f open orunl I
'NEIL DYKSTRA
\lay 1 have ;I little spact- i l l ~t!clcoll Lig11t.v.'
1Vh1.n 1 rratl Rev. H. H;tnkct's article in the llarch ctlition that "our doctrine is out- dater1 and otlr life ;ind \\,;ilk is too nirrro\v and severe to be real in thcsc tli~ys," 1 gausecl a \vhile ancl looking around came to tlre concl~~sion t11;iL the I~ani~ony the Rcv- crend sees in the preaching ant1 our walk of life, is, ;tccordii~g to n ~ y 011srrvatio11, not as o1)vious. ?is lo t l ~ c prc;iching of the \Vord, we might I)e fifty years behind the times, althoi~gh \v(t do not lri~vc: to sit in cl~urch as long ;IS \ve did \vhen I \\:as a boy. But let us look ;I[ our organic life. Fifty years ago we hatl cateclrism 0 nlonths a year and some 11l;tces 12 mo~~tlis, with 2 \vecks vacation t l~~ring t l ~ r sul1lllrer, i~ncl 1 \\reek during the 11olid;lys. \\'c had Young People's ~nc.eting oll year around with ;r leadcr out of our own ~nidst. Young rnen and young Iadics met every \verk, 11:rving ;I prc,sidcr~t o~rt of il~eir ow11 111111lb~r. The Ladies' hid Inel cvc.rJ1 \vcek escrpt P weeks during Spring h o ~ ~ s c cle;~nirlg, and P weeks during the 11olid;~ys. Lnrger c11urcl1c:s that had a Choral Society pr;~cticecl c\.ery \reek. I ren~c~nbi!r clisli~rctly al3ont 30 yeilrs ago I took a sick neighbor to tlic cloctclr on a very hot (lily in July, ; I I I ~ wl~ile I llad to wait for him, 1 took :I walk tluo11gl1 the village, ant1 my attention \\,;is dri~wn to some singing in the clislancc. Tracing t l ~ r souncl, I lirnded back of a Cllristiiun He- foril~ccl Ch~rrch, i~nd looking through the wintlotv. bchrlcl s group of pcoplc, red in the face and swei~ting, singing praises to Cotl. Fifty ycors ago, girls Iciirnecl se\ving and knitting, nowv n.e have ;I basket ball team.
Yow-a-cl:~ys wc ha\.c., only during the n~onths Scptenlhcr thongh hI~1rc11, catechism arrcl Socirty, with vac:~tion c111ri11g Thanks- giving and Christmas ancl the bad \veahtcr days. Fro111 April 1 tliror~gh Scptcurbcr or October 1, our c h ~ ~ r c h doors arc closed dm- ing the week. If some minister gives a lecti~re c lu~ . i~~g ~ h c week, Ll~r c~ttentlnnce is al\i.iiys very small. Ifre hiivc 110 morc Field
picnics consist of eating and drinki~~g and playing gilnres.
Fifty yc;irs ago, we told heathen how to dress. I was infornird tl1i11 the people irr Jir~naicn did not want slacks, pedal puslit~rs or sl>orls sent to them, but \vc arc going to do n~ission \vork there ancl bring them up-to-date. 'ifty years irgo thr ladies \vorts skirts for s\vinlming, no\\, thcby \c9e:rr nest to nothing. On the streets thry wore dresses at 1e:lst l l i ~ l f \\lay to their ankl~js, ant1 little girls 11nd tl~eir knees covc!red. Now-ic- days dressrs b;~rc.ly cover the knccs ant1 little ~ i r l s dresses come only half tvay to the knee. A good year ago I read that in a certain 1nospit;rl thc nurses uniforms h;~cl to cover their knees at least 6 inches, but we, Protcsta~t Ilefom~ed people, ;Ire not that old fnsluoned.
Fifty years ago nlen \c,oulcl not think a b o ~ ~ t going a\\Iay nigl~ts to hall ganles, bo\\.ling ;illeys, golf courses, barbecues, or tvhi~t have. you. The-y \voulcl \\-ork in thc garden a\vhile, ; ~ n d then sit on the porch with tlne fi~mily irnd go to bed on ti~nc. The house usctl to 1 ~ . ;I Ito~ne, now it is :I hotel, \vherc \ve sleep, our car, and hang our cc,i11.
F i fh years ago we abhorred shows, now wli:~t can you ser in the living room? Slost of our families used to have 3 chilclren or more, no\\. rnost of thern have 3 or less. So I conld go on crricl on to prove &:it i r ~ the p r e n c b g \\,e may yet be old-fahioncd, bill apart from that, \vc are quite u p to snuS.
Therefore \vc nus st I~ecome rnorc 11p to date also in the pulpit, then wve can have grc;lt big cnlu~rcll builclings, and large con- gregzltions, other\vise \ve \\ill soon clisiippear. Or shot~ltl \\.e h i ~ ; ~ r morc of the thr~ncler of Sinai ant1 the curses of \fount Elx11 in ortlcr that w nlay repent from follo\r-ing the way of the 11c.nthrn round about us? Oh! t l ~ ; ~ t \ve woultl \wlk as pilgruns and strangers, as the t n ~ c 1sri1c-l of God; then \\*hen t l ~ e world ant1 all its pomp and glory passes away, \ere shall be armyetl, out of pure grircc., in fine linc.11, clean and white. Rev. 19:8.
clays with rcligioi~s progr;l1ns nr~tl our Church Thank you.
BEACON LIGHTS Tliree
THE POSSIBILITY OF A PROT. REF. SWIM PROGRAM JIM HUIZENGA
Before we decide \vhether or not a S\l'Ihl (Summer \\'orkshop in ,\lissions) program is desirable for the Protestant Rcformcd Cht~rches, let 11s consider what SLYlhl rc!nlly is as it esists in the Christian Reforlned Church: who participates and how, and what rcsl~lts are obvious.
The formal S\\'I\I program, r~nder t1.e :cuthority of Classis, is open to clnttlilic-tl members of the Christian Refonned Church \\rho are at least seventeen years oltl. Ap- plicants who are arvleptctl for this work typically spend eight weeks of their slim-
mer in communities \vl~ere the Chris(ial Refom~ed membership is rather s~nall I~ut \vhere i~ mission board or chapel has 11cen instituted. The S\\'I\lers canvass the city, distributing pamphlets ant1 tracts. Follow- up \\pork consists of clisc~lssions with in- terested families and holding summer Bilde classes for the children of interested parcnts.
The results of the S\\'111 prograrn ;Ire certainly \~isible. Long hours of work with an intercbsted flu~lily or a group ol' familit:s often results in a situation \\*here i~ mission- ary can spent1 full tinre. Other I~cnefits, ill- though they perhaps were not the primt~ry intended result of this mission program, ;Ire, ncvertlleless, no less rcaal. The young partic- ipant in the program usually, if not al\vi~ys, emerges from this es~)erience with rentbwc:(l convictions and personal faith. EIc is given a nen7 insight into the life of the person \\,llo knows little or nothing of the Refor~~~ecl fiiitll. Ilc becomes concerned with these people and tc~nds to lose the sclfish ;mtl esoteric qualities so often found in those who lead a very sheltered life. Ilerc you micy ask, "But isn't this concern for otlier people t l ~ ~ e to his unselfishness a l c l \rilli~lg- ncss to \\fork in the first plitce?" 'I'rl~c!, 111e applicants for the S\\'I\f progranl itre a r e - fully screened, imd only those \\rho Ili~vc l~ccn judged to be cnl);~ble of givir~g tl1(.111- selves to this \\,ark have hcrn chosen, I I I I ~ this does not Incan tlrat the S\trI;\,ler upill not be spiritually enriched by this espericnce. I think that, on the mntrc~ry, the S\T71.\lcrs
are i l l all likelihood the persons no st likely to benefit from this experience. It is hardly possil~le that the Cl~ristian Reforrned Church was ~~nil\v;\rc. of this tv11cn the prograln was ins2itllted. The program, then, llas t\vo dis- tinct udvant;~ges: it acquaints the people \\.it11 the Cllristian Refom~ed tlcnomir~ation, and, at the silnle time, gives thc participants 11 v:cll~;lble c~speriencc.
Is such a progranl needed in the Prot- cstnnt Reformed Churches? Ijefore s:~yinp anything definite, I sho111d like to clualify the purpose of this progr:1111. The Christian Iiefor~ned Church, by tlic very name given to the progmln, calls this ;I ~l~issior~ endeavor. Ilowt.\~er, p~.;~ctice is not always the same as theory. I h d that most of the young peoplt. with wLon~ I have talLc.cl w l ~ o have I,een on S\\'I\f fccl that their job tvas to introduce their denomination to people \rho \<.ere \\filling to listen. SIosl of t l~rm clitl not go out \\,it11 the itlea of trying to see how many people they could convert. \\:it11 this iittitudc in mind, there is room for work of this type. Despite our radio broitdcasts and mniletl pa~nphlet~, people of th(! Refornled faith ciln still be heard to say, "Is tliat 'Prot- estant Church' still in existence? I thought they ciltne b;rck a \\.llile ago." "No, that \\,as only some of then)." "Oh. \Vhy was it, again, that they left?" "I don't linow. Some- thing to do with gmce or sonlctl~ing." Sil- c'nce.
In illstances whcre there arc people who 11:1\,e cspressed interest in OLU tlcnollli~ation its ;I response to our r;~dio 111inistry or pampl~lets they may havc received in the ~ n d , it may he well to sent1 representatives of the. Protctant Reforn~ed Clrurches to talk \vith these people ;cod answer their i l~~es t io~~s . Since \vc clo not havc an over- ;~bundi~nce of missionaries, the logical solu- tion tt,ould he to ;~tlopt n progrilm similar to that of the S\VI\I program as descril)ed icbove. Let's not look at this as it means to i~lcreast. our nie~~ibcrsl~p, but r;tt11er as tin- other way to tnake people aware of the l r ~ ~ t h we profess to ot1-n.
BEACON 1 IGHTS
VS. ER
REV. R.
R O R
C. HARBACH
CHRISTIAN LIBERTY vs. JUDGING AND DESPISING
"\17ho irrt ~I IOLI that jr~~lgcst the s e r v a ~ ~ t of another? to his o\vn lord he standcth or falleth. Tea, 111. \hall bc- mildc to stand; for the Lorcl hi~th power to makc him stand. Ihrt thou, wl~y dost thou ju(lgc thy brother? or tho11 ngi~in, \\-hy dost t11o11 S I ? ~ at nought thy hrotl~csr? For \vc shall 1111 stand 1,efore the jndg~nent sr:lt of Cod" (Ron1 14:.1, 10. AS\'). He \vho does the jr~tlging here is the \vcak co~~tlrmning tllc: strong. Thc weak sctti~ifi thurnsclvrs I I ~ ;IS stt.on:: insist th;~t others con for^^^ to their cthicol conceptions, and so rc~girrd those as "l~;~cksliders." "cirr- r d " or "\vorlcll>-" who in conduct and Ilal~its cliffer fro111 them. \Vliat right \vc)uld yo11 I~nve to m~np'l the scrvant of another miin lo confolm Lo your reyul:~tio~~s? How pre- sumptuous, tlrrn, and pror~tl it won~ld be for you to condc*mn h a t in ;I servant of the Lord \vhich does not suit you! Zed for good order ant1 Gc~cl's c o m ~ ~ ~ i ~ ~ ~ t l ~ n c r l t s does not requirc yor~ to pl.escribc \vll;~t ~ O L I tllink is the course Ilc or~ght to t;rkc. what hc is to avoid; nor need he live according to ideas you prefer. \\:here Scripture neither pro- hibits nor commands, you have no right to judge his chnmcter or contluct. In that case, leave hi111 to the I,ortl, I)cfore whon~ he stands or f~llls. In fact, 1)ccause he too I)e- longs to the Lord he shall he mncle to stand. This is good cor~nscl to the incs- perienced Cl~ristian. Conduct in mattrbrs of Christian liljcrty must l)c judged by the
\\ford of Gocl, and not I>y "community con- science" or our own opinion. \\'hcrc* the \\'orcl of God speaks it renders a jr~clgment \r.hich is ncither another's nor ~I;III's; it is God's. Ihrt no one has the right tlrider prelencct of nlaintaining Cod's \C70rtl of im- posing o~~tlooks, rnandates or prccll~sions and inhibitions \vhc=rc. the Scripture itself does rrot. .%void spiritual \\itch-hunting of- ten contlucted in the name of religion. In there i~lcliirerent ln;rtters, let tlbc weak brotlictr keep his Scripture-q~iotil-rg mornl- isms ant1 his pious ;rppcals to superior krno\\-1- edge of right and wrrong to himself.
Therc: irre some brcthren who can see the mote i r r your eye frorn fifty yards itw;ty. Set in attempting to get Ilc.iIr you to prove it is there tl1c.y \\rill s t ~ ~ m b l e over a co\v. 'I'hey pretencl to have such acute foresight, \\-here- as they ;rrc really ne:lrsiphtcd because of the beam in tlic-ir omn eyes. They arc gnat- strainers : I I I ~ ~ nluck-r;rkrrs, forgt.tting the i\,eightic.r matters of thc law. Indilferent nlatters :ire not t l ~ c \vcightier n~attcm. Thc non-esscntinls are not our guide lines -the sreighticr ~natters are, sr~ch as justice, lllercy and faitl~. It is pohsil,lc to do the callse of Christ iuntl the cl~ureln of Cod rllilcl~ llar~ll by causing others to st11m1)le over orlr dis- sension, ce~lsoriousncss, coldness, i~~rlilfer- ence. mere f o m ~ of religion (all-in-the-mouth religion) and lack of spiritual enthusiasm. The comedian says, "Love your cnc~nies -
BEACON LIGHTS Fice
Ps.4~51 1ll:lO- "The feur of the Lord is ilte begi~~tt i r~g of rci.sdo171."
THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM
Gr-aduation clay, 1963! S O I I I ~ of you young peoplc look fonvard to that went (o r maybe it is ulreacly an ;~cco~l~~)li$licd fact). S o doubt the clay is one of g~-~i i t i~nportance for you ant1 for your f;u~~ilies. It is t l~v culmin;ition of ye.1rs of Ic~I )o~ ( 1 \\,as going to say, "diligent li~bor," but pos- sibly \ve tvere not always so very "cliligcnt in our tvork). :\ny\\ray, the tliiy has f i~rn l ly come. For 5ome thew arises ;I sigh of rialief that t h ~ ~ i r days of schoolir~g arc cmded. Others b~aduate from one scl~ool o ~ ~ l y to enter ;uiothcr of higher learning. But for all of you young people, \vhether ).ol; g r a d ~ ~ a t e this month or not, thcb etrent itself is of significance. The days of gracl~~;ition Liter are fondly recalled. .ind if )-or1 look closely, you \ \ r i l l vcry likely ol)srrve I ~ : I L
thc eyes of your parents are slightly t l ;u~~p at this event - for they recall how that s ~ ~ c l l it short time ago they too \\.ere in the ~zu~ks of those \vho m;irched fonvarcl to the n~usic of the n~;tjcstic organ to receive their cliplo- IllilS.
So\v let nic ask you, docs gradr~;~tion Inean th;rt yo11 ha\-e learned ever)-tl~i~lg? One finds somcti~ncs tlr;~t nttitudc i l l tlre grad~~ntc. So\\, lie has l~ i s diplonia. So\\, he is conil)letely capable of expressing his il~tlg- ~nent on even cluestion -aiid \voe 11c to anyone \vho differs fro111 Ilini. I-Ic takes the pobition that he can not learn ;lny more; no\v Iic call only teach. But we clu k~lo\v
I~etter. Graduation means that \\-e have Ii;ttl a mc;tsure of necess;iry prcp;~ration. In Inany \\I;rys, the real lalmr or work r~ow lies I~cfore us. Schooling serves ;IS one of the tools \vhicli must be t~setl in our calling in tllis lif-. Nor does learning ce:~sc~. 17nct is, learnin!: must nc\,er cease. One \\,llo " k ~ ~ o \ \ ~ s it all" siniply rr\fral.; his o\vn ignorance.
So yo11 have a I,cginni~lg, I ~ l t i t is orlly a I)c.ginning. For d d d r c n of the covenant, tIi;~t hegi~lning cart only be according to the \vol.ds of the I'si~lr~~ist. LIc dccli~rcd that t l ~ c I~cginning of wisdom \\*;IS the fear of the 1,ord. I f you understand that fact by the gr:lce of God, tlicn >-our trair~ing was not in vain (if one can use such I,ulgtri~ge).
\\'isclo~n and kno\vlvtlge arc: not es;ictly sitl~il:~r. Kno\vletlge is the acc~~tnulation of fact, but \\isdom is the proper ; ~ n d disccm- ing applic;ition of that kno\vlcdgc. One niiiy II: IVC l i ~ l ~ \ \ * l ~ d g ~ - b ~ t 11ot ).el necessarily \visdom. So too. it \voc~ld be possible to distingt~isli spiritual \visdom from Inere knc)\\ylotlgc-. Oncb might have Ic.nmetl all ;ibout the \\'ortl of God, yet not havc spirit- I I ~ I I \visdoln. Spirih~al \visdom is not earthly, 1 ~ 1 t is I~cavenly. It docs no1 i~rise out of n;itur;il nia11: Imt it has its source in God. \\ ' i ido~l~ is that Di\*ine Po\\.er. first of all, \vlirreby Cod c ;u~ and tlocs direct 1111 tliitigs i l l thc I~cst passil~le way to th(! gloq and Ifionor of His Siune. \Violin the child of (;od, \vistlom is first the spir i t~~i~l ability to
Eight BEACON LIGHTS
discern that Gotl's \my is rig111 and good Thc Christian t~nderst;~nds that \\'hiit God docs is to FIis greatest glory i~ncl for the good of the cl111rc11. 111- scc,s that "Jew~s Christ (is) the power of Gocl and thr wis- (lorn of Goti" ( I Cor. 1:2t). And the cl~ild of Cocl t~ntlerst;r~~ds thi~t in CIII-is1 ill! things arc worked together for his good. But aka, \\,isdon1 is th;lt spiriti~i~l ability within the mt.mbers of thc chnrch of Cl~rist wl~errby thcy disccam \vllat is the proper ant1 godly \\,i~y for tlien~ 1 0 walk. \ V ~ I ~ I I that \visdom is lacking, tl11:11 on(- \\.;ilks i l l tllc foolish \vays of the \vorIcl - \vnys \\,l~iclr go head- IOIIR to destr~~vtion. 13ut the. regc.r~c:ratctl see, kno\\,, and folio\\, in tl~i. way of thc I ,ord.
This xvisdoln h;ls a I w g i n ~ ~ i ~ ~ g . 111 God. crrtainly, this \visdom is infinite. Rut in u.4,
in the cll~~rcli, t l~s t \vistlom is lot etc:rnal l)ut rather it begins. Its begi~~ning strictly speaking is first in rcgcnertition. 'I'hon cot1 through His Spirit i~~lplnnls thc life of Christ into our hearts. The principle of wis- tlonl is sr~rely cor~tainctl in tlii~t seed of new life. Hut in our conscionsncss. Llli~t \visdonl II;IS its beginning \\-hen, througll the preach- 1x1 \\'c~rcI of (;clcl, t l~nt wisclom is callctl forth into rcvc.li~tion togethrr wit11 the c;11- ling ant1 co~ir~crsion of the chiltl of <:d. 111 another wily c;ln spc~tk of thr, "l~cginrling of isdo don^," and that is \\thcn that wisdom first becomes rcvealeil in ollr lives or ac- tions. \\'hen t l ~ c fc-ar of Cotl first I)c:c~or~~es el-ident in onc's lifr, the11 i t is sccn that s11cl1 an one hits the I)egin~ii~~g of t r~te nis- (lorn. True ftwr of thc Lorcl is t l ~ e first evidence of spiritual isdo do^^^.
Ant1 what is tl~is Ici~r of t l ~ t a Lord? S11rt:ly it is not being nfraid of God. Little. children Illny fear the tlnrk, or the "bears" \vllich they ilnagirli. lurk thisre. liut the fcsi~r of the Lord does not fall in this catrgory of "fears." Onc \vho possesses the fc;~r of t l ~ e Lortl is not nfraid at all: he is not afr;~icl of Cot1 \$7ho is his Coci; nor is 111. xfraitl of the. \vorlcl, the devil, and ill1 his Iiosts.
In the fear of thc Lord, \ve first of all i~cho\vledge our own nothingness. Fmnl our yorltl~ up \vc ~~ntlorstnnd tl~ut in I I ~ , that is, in our old nature, there is no good tiling at ;ill. If ~ v c tndy have this fear, t l~en \vc c;~n confess t11:it thew is nothing in 11s \\*hereby Gotl \vould choose us or 1,less us. The fear of thc Lord will ncvc:r dlo\v- 11s to
say that wc chosc Him ancl thi~t therefol-e H r ellooses us. \Vc are dust. \\'(. ha\:(. re- belled. \\'e tlesen-e the eternal \\-rot11 i111d condctmniitir~n of our God.
Btrt true spiritual fear :~ckno\\.letlges that God is the Sovereign God. Out of IIini pr!)- cectls ever). benefit. hll of salv;~tion: re- gvnec~tion, c;tlling, faith, justifisatinn, g101.i- ficntion arc all of I l i~n. A I I ~ in true fear h ~ e Christian cor~fcsses that all I~onor, glory, iuncl praise must redollnil to the wanli: of Cod for ;ill this work. This fc;~r casts one do\\,n on hi5 knees in adoration and \\,orship of the living God. .iccortlin~ to it, we do not i~ct Imugl~ty or proud, I>ut r;~ther I~un~ble : ~ n d tllankful. This fear is the beginning of all \vistlom.
lIo\v is this fear the bcgir~rrirrg of all \\.is- don^? This is the first truth \\itliin thc con- scio~~s spirit~~;il lifc of the Christian. In man's depr:~vity i t is rightly said tl~at tl~ere is no fear of God Iwfore his eyes. But ns soon as Gotl calls us from di~rkness tc~ l-lis o\\-n marvelous light, then there is h111nc.di- att.ly this spirih~;il fear. \\'c confess Gotl to bc \\.hat I l r tlxly is. And in thi~t fear, \vis h g i n to ~lnderstand the re\-elation of all the truths conci.rning orlr God. Secondly, this fear is c;~llcd the truth. 'I'l~is ft:;~r ackrlo\\,l- edges that Cad is Sovereign. That t n ~ t h is basic; it is the fo~~ndation upon \vhich ill1 revc;~lecl 1111th rests. Tnkc this fact n\vny, and the \vl~ole structure of the \\'orcl f;~lIs.
No\\? yi111, young people, I~avc complcsted a period of training. Of mursc, your train- ing tlid not, i r~ itself, give you this fear. 'l'llis frar is give11 us by Christ through the opera- tion of the Iloly Spirit. 1-et the schoolin% \vllich you rcceivcd \\.as supposc*d to I,c of n ~ c h a nature tllirt it constantly c~nph;~sizcd this truth tl~at the beginning of it11 wistlorn is Ihe few of the- 1,ortl. 1-011 \\,(,re t:u~gl~t t11;tt the purpose of the child of God on this earth is not simply to make a "good living." Ilis c.duci~tion is not mcrcly to preparc him for his niche in society. Rather, educi~tion for the Cllristian is to prepare him for his place ant1 position in the church of Jesus Christ - a position in svl~ich hc reveals in all that hc tlocs, that 111. fears tlrc! Lortl.
.it prad~ration orle speak often of "com- ~nencemcnt" esercises. The \vortl is very ap- p~opriatca. "Con~~~~rncemcnt" cloc,s not Incsun "the cncl" as one might suppose-since it conlrs at the end of graduation. "Cnm-
BEACON LIGHTS
~nencernertt" means a Ixginning. Stlcli is yorlr comltlencemc.nt too. You hilve not "ar- rived," but you have just beg1111. So\\, you face othrr ~nilestorles in your yc~r1thf111 1ivc.s. In your sitl~atiori, the \vortls of the Ps;tlll~ist serve as ;In appropriate corrtnic.r~ce~t~rnt test. Yo11 are brginrii~lg, i~ntl in th;~t I)(,gi~~rlillg there must he rvitlmt ill your lives ;I tnle spirihtd \visdorn. .ind that l~egillninr: \\?is- tlo~n can only be the feitr of thi. Lortl.
Are you going on for further schtx)ling? Or, do yo11 intend now to find some work .- possil~ly a Ivork in which y o ~ ~ \ ~ i l l he ~ I I -
gaprd for the remainder of your lifr? It \\.ill not 11r long now a~rtl yo11 \\ , i l l I,? sc!ck- ing a life's partner: a hwl~:lnd or n wife. Daily you face temptations, the tltrc:tts, the mocken of the \vorld :il)out 11s. NII I I~ . of these things could you do to the Itont~r iind glory of Cod of yourself. Only the ftwr of thr Lord is the I~eginning of \visdoni. By gmce walk in that fear: then tnle \vi.tlom n.ill be niiinifcst in ill1 that yort do.
Horc, ti~c,r~, is it tlrat tlris rlirir~c mercy rrcrs 1)estotcc~rl on irrr~~ious crnd rrrrgratrfrrl rllun: Srrrel!l, the nnstcer is that tr~ercy I C ~ H
shoron by the* 011c tcho, clay br/ dry, 'nurk- c.th IIis sun to rise rrpon t11e gootl and tlte bod, (old rnirrcth trpor~ the frrsl crr~cl the rrn- jrrst:' For, crlfhoug11 some 11;ho rcqlcct or1 t h e ~ trtrths rejlcrtt crrtd are cor~certed frcnit their tcickeclr~ess others, rrccorcli~~g to t l ~ c rcortls of t h e Apostle, 'desl>ised d ~ c riclres of his goodness onel lorla srrffering, in tile I I N ~ C I ~ I I ~ S S of titcir lrc(rrts ( I I I ~ i~~~/)vtiitence, crnd trc9crsrrrc rrl) to tllcrrwlces' t~irat11 agniruf the do!/ of rcrcrt11 arrd rmelcrtion of the ftrst irrtlp1111,11t of (;ocl lV11ci ill r e ~ ~ d e r to a e r y III~III nccctrding to l ~ i s 1cork.r.
- ST. AL~~LTSTISE
HELPS FOR BIBLE STUDY ON THE
REV. G. VANDENBERG Hook of DELIVERANCE THROUGH JUDGMENT
Genesis 7 a n d 8
I l l . Destruction By Water (Chapter 7 ) The first part of this cllapter (vss. 1-10)
records the final instnlctions of Cod to Noall just a week before the flood came. Again the obedience of Noah is ltlarkrcl (vs. 5) as he brought into the ark those appoitlted 1111to salvation and so ;111 things were ready for the judgment to come.
Our attention in this chapter is to be directed rnainlp to the flood as the judgment of Cod I)y \vhich the \vickctl \vorld nlas de3iroyed by water. \Ve cannot treat this in detail but will note a few of the main points.
Our starting point we may take frotn 11 Peter 3:s-7 so that we are nli~l&l that this judgment is a type of the final judg~licnt
GENESIS of the \vorld. This is also suggested in Christ's \c~orcls in SIatt. ?4:37. II~nce, the outstantling feature of the j~~tlgmrnt of the Hood is that it is umivc.rsal, i.e., its tlestn~c- lion includetl the whole worltl and from it t l~rrc \\?:IS nr] escape. "The rail1 \\,;IS upon the e;lrth forty days and forty nights" (vs. 12) Forty is a symbcllic 11~111111rr. It is four times ten. Four synbolizes thc e'mtl1 and ten clenotes conlpleteness of my- thing as tleterminecl I>y the co~tnsel of God. 1:orty then represents the f11l1 measure of the outl~ouring of the wrath of God upon the eartll. Cot1 destroyed thc world utterly.
The judgment of tlle flood was a divine \rqonder. This was no ordinary rain. Versc
BEACON LIGHTS
11 tells 11s "it11 the four~ti~ins of the great deep \\,ere hrokcn up, a~ltl t l ~ e \vindo\vs of I~ei~ven were ol)t,nrtl." \VI: tilke illis in 3
scanst= fignrati\'ely but tlle ~nenr~ing is olwi- ous. l'here it ur~ivc.rs;~l ~ ~ ~ ~ l i e a v i ~ l , catartrophe resulting not simply in great w;rter-cliumi~ge I)ut in r;~tlici~l. struct~~r;d chiulge in the very earth itscalf. hlany of the so-called problc~ns of scicx~cr cnn be ;~~~swrrc*tl if this aspcct of tllc. jntlg~ncnt of Gocl in the flood be r e ~ ~ ~ e ~ n b e r c d . :\ divirle wonder too, that t l ~ c ;Irk is I~rest.n~t*tl in such a stonn. l\'hich of our modern ocean liners cor~ld s~~rvicc it? Lenski s;~ys, " . . . tl~crse mighty M-atcsrs ditl actr~ally prove themsc*lves 'n~ighty'. \\'ll;~t ~)o\\,t.r bcl~incl ~ . i ~ g i ~ ~ g , s ~ ~ r g - i r~g \vi~ters! 0 1 1 the one hantl, ho\v Cocl's po\s7cr in k r r I ) i ~ ~ g the ark ;lrnicl sucl~ dangers sti~ncls out t11c nlort. clisti~~ctly! On the othcr hiund, \\.hat opportunity for \\forking vast pc*ologic c.h:~ng~~s lie dor~ncu~t i l l tlirse 'n~igl~ty' \vitters! Tht. native force of gul111ur is c.nh;~~rcetl by one 111c,'o(l11, 'c:src.c~tlingly' in v. 18 i ~ n d 1))- do~~bling of the same i~tlverb - a IIcI)ri=\v s~~perlat ivc - in \I. 19. litlien \\.ill geologists 1)egin to ~~otict* thcse I)nsic f;1cts?"
Verses 19-24 strc.ss the fact tllat tlestn~c- tion \\,as total and universal. Tlie \\.itters rose "fiftec~n c ~ ~ l ~ i t s ~~pwi~rd ," i.e., approsi- n~ately hvrnty five fclet abo\;c. thr highest n~ounti~in. \Ye tlo not picturca prople and nr~i~nals attcrnpti~~g to cli1111) these ~nowitains
r . to rscope. I his was inlpossil~lr. The tlestruction canlc with s~tch rapidity as to disallow this. COD is judge i~nd tcrriblc as it is to fall into Ilis I~i~nds, there is 110 escape.
To be noted yct is the fact that the vcry c~lenlrr~t (Ivnter) by \rllir.h thc cl~urch is saved ( I Peter 3:%) is the element that destroys the world. Evcr~ so is tlie church I I ~ W - tried nrld purified as it \\ere by fire and so shall thc \~~orltI perisl~.
IV. Salvation in the Ark (Chapter 8:l-19)
In this passage \ve are told ho\v Soah and the other occl~l>ar~ts in thr ;trli s ~ ~ e n t the year and ten days that the ttood w;iters prevcliled icnd the earth wits again ~nade ready to I)e inhal~ited. The details are mcngclr. (2~1estions of c~~riosity rennin un- answered. hlost in~portant is the fact that God saved and ~reservrd them in the ark.
Herc: we Inay consider the truth that the
ark is the symbol of Christ. T n ~ e , I Peter 3:20 tells us S o ; ~ h was si~ved "by watt-r" but "ir~ thc ark." The xvater, syn1l)olizing the flood of Divine \vn t l~ , destroyed the \vickctl :lnd I)y it the chr~rch was savc.11. The ark, \vhich is Christ, \\-as in the rnitlst of thosc: \vatcrs hut not dc:stroyecl. Cl~rist
engr~lfwl by the \\-rat11 of Cod c~gainst our sins but HI. did not perish. Ile tlied hut also rose again. A beautiful pich~re directing us to the rtsality of our salvation irl Cl~rist.
\\'hc.n Soah, ctc. entered the ;irk "Cod shut h i ~ n in." ( 11 : 16 ) This rrle:Lns riot only that \\then God shut the door no one else r o ~ ~ l d possibly get into that ark I I I I ~ ;dso that those \vho \\.ere in c o ~ ~ l d 11ot a g ~ i n pet out. Cot1 se;tls llis pc.oplv in Christ ant1 nooe of them shall perisll. "Thr fountlation of the Lord stanrlcth sllre, having this sc~al, the Lorti kr~o\\,ctl~ thc~n that ;Ire His." (I1 Tim. e:ls)
A kcoy espression i l l this passitge is f o ~ ~ n d in verse 1, ".%ntl Cod remc~nbered Smth . . . " This ci~nnot be intcrl)retrtl to imply that there \\.a\ a time prior to tl~is thi~t Cod h;~cl forgotten him. This is cer- tainly not true. Ratl1t.r it points to the fact that tlli: renic.~nbri~ncc. of God is the dcc:pest reilson for their prcscrvation i~rtd a;~lvntion. 111 this rcmeml)mncc God xvarnecl Noah, i ~ ~ s t n ~ c t ~ d Koalr, strc.ngtlicnec1 him during the hundretl hventy years while die ark was prcpiart*cl, I)rol~ght l1i111 into the i~rk and delivered him through the flood. If only Cod rc~nlernl)ers us. we need not fear. His rememl~rance is our salv;~tion for hc. works all things to our gootl.
That Koah sent out n raven and dovc is of significance only as means of detem~ining to \vh;~t extent tlre \viltcrs of the Hood had al,.~tetl. I\'e attach no sy~nbolical meaning to this as, for c~aniplc, thitt the clove Iwre represents the Spirit, etc. Seitlicr is this a sign of i~npaticncc or un\\fillingncss on Koah's part to ;~\v.~it God's time \vlien 11e will be let out of the ;irk. This is ollly n natural sequmct. of events.
V. Post-deluvian Worship (Chapter 8:20-22)
lfritll No:~li, his family, nntl every living creature God hat1 estnbli-shed Iiis covenant. This was not a general covenant of nature but the covenant of grace as esklblisl~cd with
BEACON LIGHTS
the church and realizetl in Christ. Fr~rtllcr discussion of this may he taken up in corinection with chapter 9.
The church then. reprcsentecl in the family of Soah, is let1 from the ark and the first thins they do is an act of worship. "Nc;o;h huilds an altar unto the Lord" ancl offers a sctcrifice. This sacrificinl act is first of i t l l :In expression of gratitude for tlie \vondrrft~l dcliver;unce wrougl~t. In it is also a ~ I I I I - fcssion of sin and an aclrnowledgcnler~t of un\vorthiness of ;111 this. Ccrhlinly Noit11 knett- and felt that he did not deserve this. This is expressed by the "blootly sar.rificcs."
God's response to this sacrifice of Soith. \.c,rse 21 says the "Lortl sti~elletl it surt8et s:tvour." The sitcrific- \\.;is pleasing to Him. lmmedintely God s;~ys t11;lt Hc \vill tlot again curse the grouncl or snlite evcSp living
er'i~tt~re ;IS He had clone. Thcrc would he no tnore flood snch as this. This d e t c d a - tiori of God is not prompted l)y t11e fact that nlan is no more evil and t l~:~t the tho~~ghts of his heart are now good. The conlri~ry is the case. But the point is fust of all that God \vill not again destroy the \vorltl fe171))orcrrily as He did in Norlh's time. The r1e.d tlestnlction \sill be perlnanmt ant1 h a ] . Then, too, this will not agairi be hy iccltcr but at the end of tinie tllc Lord will consume the \vorld by the fire of' Hi\ wratli. Till then IIe \\.ill maintain the ortlinances of IIis crc.ation for the sake of llis Climch. That church which I-le loves eternally in Cllrist He delivcrs tlirough judgment that tltcy may slio\v fort11 the praise of His wondc!&~l grncr wit11 abiding sacrificc.~ of thanksgiving.
Graduation E. R. T. KAMPS
LVcstrninster Confcssion of Faith: ( Shorter Catechism ) Qucstion 1. \\'hat is the chief end of
man? Anstver 1. Slan's chief entl is lo
glorify God and to enjoy 11inl forever.
The sun glistens on the pulsing n111sclt.s of the nlnner. His head thro\\.n I)ilck, his urltls ar~rl legs rising and falling in a strong. stestly rh>thn~, his strides poncrf~~l , I I C reaches the top of the slope. \Valch l i i ~ ~ t as he approaches: Ilis mouth open, lic t:tkes in the tleep gasps of life-gi\,ing air. Ilis strides reaching out long, his bei~r~tifully mt~scled I~ody, shining \\it11 ~ \ \ ~ c i ~ t , is poistd in flight. See him reaching out for his colors El:~rclly sloming, he snatches t l ~ e s\v;~tch ( I F bright cloth from tlie time keeper at tlic &st station. Sow he's on his way arou~~tl the bend on the next lap - a hc i~ut i f~~l porln of s y n l ~ i ~ e m in motion. Ant1 more: thc
pict~~re of a 1il;ln ci~rnestly r ~ ~ t t ~ t i n g \\.it11 ~xltietrce the race set Ixforc him.
It is very clear that gratlnatic~~t involves t\vo participants, the nlnner ant1 tlic time kcepc.r. Thr nlnner stancls at 111r bar of j~tsticc., ant1 the time keepers st:lnd in the place of Cod. Their lan~ps bl~rn late. They spent1 their days te;~ching the la\vs and \vcigliing ~ I I C - c;~sc: after anothc*r, Tlic. run- ner, Inoreover, Ilas a Tmck, ii path of good vrorks, "Prrpnred beforehantl that Ile should walk in tllcni." Further, it is clear that frt1n1 the stnndpoi~~t of thc* runrlcr, gri~dna- lion t1oc.s not mean sinlIdy ";~ttaining a certai~i gr;rtle," :IS \V~.bster w-oultl have it; nor cloes it me:ui being m;~rkccl I I ~ certain tlegrecs, or I~aving one's steps 111arker1 and hr;lntlc.tl: '"I'hus-l~;lr-Yc,u-Ha~e-Co~~~e." Such ;I description to the p;mting runner is pas- si1.c riotlsrrise. 'I'hat gate in thc near tlis- tance may look a mere painted, n~ler-!ike l>olc to ;I spectator. l311t tn the ru~l~lc.r! It
Twelce BEACON LIGHTS
is his Heason for Bcing. His wl~ole aching, thirsty llody is pan t i~~g to re;\ch it. IIe has slopped miles through the ~nutl, rain drench- ed, to attain it. IIe 11ns gone Inany a leaale in the wrong dircction, sct off t r : d by hvisterl sign posts. llis body is scratched, scarred in spots. IIe lias fitllen o11 tlrc slip- pery rnountnin patlls of ride ant1 lain broken on the tlesolate letlgrs of despair. h d you can call this goid a mere painted stick, an insigiiifici~~~t road niarltcr? You \von't be the first; Satan kcpt it up in a constant stream of tlcrisive stage whispers all the wlrile the rr11111er was : ~ ~ ~ ~ r o a c h i n g ! Satan kcpt dr;~\ving pictures of asses chasing carrots on n stick: he gnvc three climen- sioni~l, object lesso~is of t l ~ r no-tlo\vn-pay- nient-needctl, French-Provincial, mink-trini- nietl type. "Thcsc itre your famous gods!" he kcpt saying, ''Adl~~it it, \\~liy do~i't ~OII!' '
This kind of dt.scription 1n;tkes it all sountl very glaniorot~s, docs it not? Rut such oc- casions 11s11:1lly arc.. St~dtlcr~ly you ;ire caught up, intcnsc*ly involved, in the t l ~ ~ ~ ~ r i p i n g clrttrna of life, in ;I rare, this-is-it ~noment. This \'lament of 7'r11tl1 does not secanl in any wily connected \vitl~ those long, seetiiingly fn~itless hours you spent trying to cam- prelic.nd nlgc:l>raic I'i~ctoring, or thc tlespertl- tion with \\,Iiich yo11 faced writing your first tern) paper, or that gnawing feeling in the pit of your s tc>~~~i~cl i 11s yo11 I11rcli1~1 illto h l i ~ l esilms not far fro111 panic. And, since yo11 are looking back a moment over the course yo~l've run, coulcl this monient possiblp be evcm faintly related to the tin~es you carried yo11 home\\~ork Ix~ck to scl~ool rtntot~ched, or thv \Vll;~t-~ile-stutly? nttit~rtlc* you tlisplayccl too frcqurntly? *l'l~at flash-back of wasted study halls, or t l~a t decision tlu~t college- prep sountlcd like too mucli work? No, we \vo~~ld rather eriise all that froni this scene!
I3ut like it or rrot, we ci~nnot erase the filct that the gl;u~irir, t l~( . pagc;lntry, t l ~ c dignity of ;I commt:nceme~~t exercise, are an enipty liypocritic;~l facade ~ ~ r ~ l e s s the efforts \vl~icll Xve~rt I~eforc \verr the Iicarly esTrcs- sion of a n~incl thirsty for kno\\~lcdge, i~ncl iI soul l o ~ i g i ~ ~ g to obey one cornr~~nnd; "l3e fr~~itful, rnr~ltiply, rc*plenisl~ tl~c: cxrth, ~111,- due it!" - not for glory but for Gotl.
Graduations arc steeped wit11 triidition. 011c pict~~rcs oltl familiar professors sud- denly transformed, s\vathctl in simple dim- ity. Tl~cy march Iwfore IIS, a long swinging
BEACON LIGHTS
line in their dark togrrs, each clrapetl in the colors of his academy. They take their pLwes solemnly; they seem timeless, like judges. They have known our minds; they have judged our works. \ire wait, l jre~th- less, ;~nci full of guilty &&id. \Ve lr;~ve not earned "\\'ell done." Sonieho\\*, tvhether or not tvc receivc. that p;~rch~iicnt with the seal and ti~ssel, \vc \\ill not have earned it. Their solenin faces sear into our inner thoughts. It has heen tllclir office to judge us, nricl we havc been found wanting. Still the swinging line of gradu;~tes approaches. \i7ith pound- ing heart ant1 the mc.tauic ti~ste of fear, we hear our name calletl. It is the time. \ r e mnst graduate.
Cr~~dl~a t ion cxerciscs usually entail speecli- es. There are always thc "IIitc11-your- uragon-to-a-sti~r," ti111c honored admotlitions to be re-said. Tlierc are the good sl~cc~ches and the trite ones, the long, drair~ing speeches, ant1 the short, '%rilliant" ones. At the risk of oRendi~ig, the fact nrust never- theless be st;~ttxl that the only rare kind is tbe listeiic,d-to varicbty! U~iforhinatcly this b especially true for a large nunlhcr of the intentled autlitors, the _rratlr~ates.
\\'hy? The answer is simple. It is fot~nd in the very r~ature of gratlr~ation :IS it has been presented in these pages. It is the n~nning, not the stopping for laurels that has tneaning. It is the n~nner's Irc;~rt not rno~~tlr that has m;~dr him keep going. This fact is only loo apparent ;IS an r~~rintcrcstetl spiritless auditor slumps there in his Iial~itual untlrinking trance. The \vords of the orator havc. meaning not I)ecausc of this moment, but l>ecaust* of all the things \vliicli havc gonc on before in the hearts of the listeners. T n ~ c , there may I,r some laggards wlio \ \ i l l be strt~lg illto guilty self-reproacl~, I I I I ~ in generi~l, the \vords or svisdo~ii \!dl only have rffcct to the extent to \\pIiiclr the listener lias lived t1i;it bn~t ;~ l . Irunrl~ling. rc*lrntlcss Race in the months and years \\.hicl~ have just passed. For solile, the challerrgc of new worlds to s ~ ~ b d u e nntl conclucr will altvays beckon in ;in increaqingly spirih~id, ever more po\vcrfi~l direction. Every barrier passed will open ncw and more tlc.~nantli~~g c1i;rllenges imd a~crifices. But for others tlle pace \\.ill dwindle into a standstill of nt~mbeil ant1 senselrss \vorltlliness. The ever- present antithesis \\-ill beconie more and more obvioi~s. "From h i n ~ who Lath not
Thirteen
shall I)e takcbn atray c\.en that \vllicl~ Ile hiith."
The ardent nttrner \\.ill continue. Iii.; race, his fr;t~lie more ;irltl nlore \\*astetl, liis filer rn:uketl \\.it11 .\reat and the strenl~oc~s toll of I ~ i i ortl(.;~l. B I I ~ his expression will I,(. {In- troublctl, exnest. his eyes fisetl on tlnit goi~l, ant1 his legs ~~r~rnping on u p ctnd tlo\\-n \vith ;I super-liumnn, persevering strengtl~.
Thus, the cerenlony, the sialf scn~tiny, ~untl the orator).. of gratluation ciin br of grC.lt meaning. E~~meshetl as we all itrc2 ill tlie n~t~ndanity of our daily lives, it is a good thing there arc. nloillcnts such ;IS gr;rtluotion, ~i~oillrnti tlxit clear away the s~ilog i~nd poillt 11s back in tlie rigl~t tlirettio11. \\re sulrcr from a n ovcr-abuncl;u~cc of I,t~sy-~less. \Ve \v;~llo\v in r~teaningless tletails. \ \ ' (a chi~rc. ;~ftt.r tr;~rlsitory \vliimsir<. \\'(* losib our ili- rections entirely ant1 forget coll~pletcly \\'lliit tlircctioli \vc. had been heatled in! Lifc's
grtwt R;icra l>c.cu)~nes it r.11-races on ;I tread- mill. l'l~is is the- hlan'ng, j ~ ~ k r h o s thenlc song of oilr ti~nes, the cacopllonous shout ; ~ t t l~c tnsrkrt place evrn at thct door of our temple\. Dro\vried, s~nrrthered in a \vhirling s~nokt: screen of noise i111cl cl~~l~ris. is the nluted solo voicr of the spirit. 'I'l~e solemn- ity iultl ccBlr.lnony of gr;tdu;ttion I~rings about a p;iu\e in the chaos of shouts iind >\\-irline clt~st. \\;e itre I~rought to ;I Iiusl~cd ~noine~il of inner \c.archirig. \\:e are give-n a mean- ingf111 illt~striitio~~. SIICICI~~III~ \vc, sccb O I I ~
clehtination vivcdl>- port~iyed: That chief end c ~ f rrtlrenlctl miin! I\!(: set* that 111oment \vhelt \re too \rill all receive ;I robe and ;I
ero\\'11. Rc-br. 1 3 : 1 - \\'ho .s/lull tu)t fecrr thcr O Lord, crricl clor+~ th!/ ~tulnc? for thoti ot~ly crr.1 holy: for crll natiorrs ditrll come rrticl tcorsliil~ hefore thee; fnr thy irrde- ri~c*~~t.s crre ~rrcrdr r~ccirtife.\l.
in our circle\ -h i~s rrsig~~etl as cbrlitor of Bcircon Lig11t.r ant1 the* Staff, \\rho has I I J I I ~ enjo>-ed his co~np;inionsl~ip arltl trust, \vislle: to rerne~nl,er hini \\.it11 n few well tlc3en~c:d \vords of apprwiation.
:is our rtlitor Ilavc. gave of his time, t;~lcnt, cnergy arltl effort to ~nnkc Bccrcor~ Ligltt.9 the stitnuliitino paper that it is to- clay . It \\.as his go;il to improve ~lli , su11il:ct matter and increase- the caliber of tho ilr- ticles in Uecrco~l I.ights and his nitl~s 111tve
sl~ccessfully nchie\-cd pri~narily becatisc of Iiis o\\,r~ \vriting ability \vllich 11;~s p ~ o - ducxcl such irrticles as Philil, .\leliirtclttl~orl in three parts, .Ahecid tcitli Cor~fidoice, 'l'lzc~ Pope i s Still Proutl. Tlie \Veight of Gktr!/, anel many, Inany morc. 'I'llesc ;irticlcs, master pieces of literature in regard to stylc, contents, and granltnar, are also in scope ant1 conviction tnily Reformed.
Ilis standards \\,ere hifill and our Beucon Liclits is a living \\fitness of the results of such standards.
Unvc. i\ presently breal;irlg in the newest ~ilernl~ctr of the Staff, Robcrt D~scker, \\ho will titkc over Dave's place as editor.
TI1c. Staff welconles Slr. I>cclcr as it bidJ f'lrewcll to l l r . Engelsn~a. &lay the Lord continiie to bless Beacon Ligltts with such talented men. THE STAFF
SIANACINC: EDITOR
Fourteen BFACON LIGHTS
BOOKS siim~II 1. Oh, sure, the f:urlily calls it ulcers.
Ulcers! That's just \rrisllf~~l thinking; the real trouble, ;I.; everyone IIIIL the family \\,ill adrilit, is cc~tlccr! Hc hitsn't got long to live; 1 hear the Doctor givcas I l i t t t 0111y f i ~ e weeks . . ."
". . . . oh, yo11 can't pry attc~ilion to tllc ravings of that old miin. Iie nlight haw been ;r hero at one time, \\,hen he was much youngcr, I ~ l t no\\, lie is so stubborn about having his c,\rfn \vny. I'm tc.lling you. he's srnile - is almost ;it the cnd of his tlocldcring \v;ty; he's got one foot in the gravc - can't last the nrontli oil(, I'm told . . . .
'6 , 'les, lie's altnost toti~lly blintl. C;rtaracts? No, 1 tlon't think so; that's cl~iite a con- venient way to cspl;~in his ,&rlent, but I've heard that in his youth IIC was ;I wild oric.. He's probably reaping his wild oats. You know that some sins cam). he i r own punish- ments, and bli~~tlness is Irigh or1 [Ire list. I \vouldn't be surp~ised if tic's full of clise;csc and that it'll crop up sonie\vherc. else soon: it's silicl that he ~vi11 soon srrccumL to it . . . ."
Tllese hits o f venolnoits gossip recall to mind \\!hat Scriplure vcSrse iott ltcl in tl lc Book of Psalnls?
stop at that bookie, too, and arrange for a xvcck's races in advi~ncc. Oh. ycs, I sllirll stop at Loi~ic, thr Fctlce, about k1k11g off my 11;lnds thi~t 100 c;irtons of cigarettcts 1 iiftcd off that tmck I.l\t niqht. Ho hu111. I wontler \vhen it \rill be safe to do that Ixtnk job. 'That f;tkc warning 1 mailcd them \\'ill causc. them to drop their vigilance rvl~cn they find out it was ;r false alnrtn, about :I
~vcrk onght to do it. 'I'hey ncrcl never know that I arri3rlgc.tl the llirinr of that new girl in tllc KO. 1 trller's cage. She orvcs nle a good tnrn for getting 1rc.r n~otllcr out of jail. Sllc'll make ;I realistic fainting sccane nfti-r I have scooped her stLlck of I)ills into tny briefcase a ~ d have s;tfcly gone out . . . Ito, hum . . . .4m I sleepy!"
TIIIS aoliloclrty rec.~lls to mind what Scrip- turc. verse foiltld in the Book of Psiilms?
At~vtcer: I'>alm 36:4 3. "Come on, Joe. he a good sport, join
our poker party tonigllt. the stitlies are kept lo\\ so evenone can ;ifford it."
"So, I \vouldn't \v;~nt to do that. You knorv that 1 believe gambling is sin. It destroys OIIC*'S c.stirn;ltion of nloney so that it is no morr a mctliurn of eschangc, but brcomes a tlling to be desired, and the getting of it is an in itself." 'I\\!?, Joc, Yo11 ~nustn' I)c so nnrro\v mintled. It's ;ill in fun, and no one loscs or pains more th;tn :I
fe\v tlollars in the ~vholc evening. Set in to~tigl~t, why don't you?"
2. "Am I tirctl! This bed sr1n4y feels "So, I have better th ing to clo than to good. I'cl Ijc!111<r gct to sleep soon for I gather \vith you aroi~nd your poker ttil~le. should get up on time tomorrow. - b o n g I bclieve th:~t g.unl)ling is an evil discnse othcr things, I have to get that traffic and is habit fonning; it has ruined many a ticl~at fixed for the school princilx~l; I sho111d family. I also believe that it is nrrong to
BEACON LIGHTS Fifteen
gain money by the drawing of :I cart1 - a drawing of chance. One shoultl earn his money, not gain it by gambling. I have not the slightest desire to join you; in facl, I abhor the whole thing, count me out!"
This conversation recalls to mind \\,hat Scripture verse found in the nook of Psal~ns?
his bragging? \\'ell, you know he gets rile
things ~vllolesale, and I have to tirlk nice to hinl."
The above conversation recalls to mind \vhat Scripture verse founcl in the Book of Pslhls?
Aiuc~er: Psalm 26:s
'1. "\Veil, acall, I see 11y tlir luonli~rg papcrs tlli~t my stocks have triplet1 since 1 bought then1 yesterday. I'll call my hrolrr this minute and sell tllcnl at this tremendous profit. . . . . d~ere, nowr that's done atit1 I am 1)robal)ly the richest miui in t11(* I1.S.A The profits from those stocks added to all my other holdings givr, trlc r~nlinii~cd ricl1c.s. I can out-buy any man you can name. Sow no onc can shove lne itround and ~n.tlc In(* do anything I don't wish to do; no one can order me about to go i~nywhcre I rlon't c,lrc to go. I'nl sitting pretty in this lu\i~riour home, and no one, jilbt no onr \\.ill mole me out of it."
This arrogant boast recalls to tl~ind \vltnt Scriphtre verse fo~intl in the Book of Psalnls?
.5. "Hi, neig11l)or Bill! Ditl yo11 sec L l ~ t ?
e.icellmt job I ditl on my cenlent drivcwi~y? It seclns that \vl~ntever new thing 1 n t te~~rpt to do, I do it like a vetcran. It goes \vithout saying that 1 am .I natural; everything collies
easy to me. Oh, I suppose that I inheritccl some nahtral talents, hut I surely 11;tve tleveloped them to the nth clc~~ee."
"Yes, I noticed that, neighbor. You chose the best location for your house, hl. You keep it up better than ; t l I of your 11eig1tl1ol.s; your choice of \\.ife is un-nssailahle. Yo11 stuely do cveq-thing up brokvn, I llave to admit that \\ell, see you in the ~nonlinq."
6. "The h r c l l ~ a s blessed 111); Iittter days Inore than my beginning. I now have 14,000 sheep, 6,000 ca~nels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 she asses. 1 also am the happy father of seven sons nncl three daugh- ters. In a11 the land are no wonlc.n found :IS fair as nly tlnughters nt~d I will give them an inl~eritancc anlong their I>retllrcn."
This joyous statement recalls to mind what Scripture vcrse found in the Uool; of l'sal~ns?
7. God's solilocluy, f o ~ ~ n d in Gcn. 18:17- 19. ":\nd the Lord saitl, 'Shall I hide from Ahra11;tnl tlli~t thing \vhich 1 do: secing that Abr;tllnm shall st~rely beco~nc a great na- tion, and all the nations of tile earth shall be 1)lessctl in him? For I know hirn, that-he shall comrn;lnd his chiltlren i~ntl his horlse- hold idler him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice nncl j~~dgment; ~ l ~ a l t l ~ c Lortl may bring npon Abr;tl~am that \vhiclr He l~a th spoken of him'."
This passage retninds us of which Scr ip Lure verse found in the Book of Psalms?
8. That Kmshchrv kno\vs no limits! H r has acquired rule over all of Russi:~ proper, ; u ~ d o\.er the satellite states round about him. llis influence is seen in Cul);~, Laos. Africa and the Latin Countries. \\'hat a lrenlc~nclous iunount of power is vcstetl in that one dii~bolical tyrant!
"Jane, did yell hear that braggat rlcvt This statement reminds US of what Scrip-
door ta&jng to Ine on the porch? IIonestly, ture vrrse found in the Book of Psalms?
his perpetl~nl bragging gives me a pair1 in the neck. You ask me why I coddle him in dris~cer: Psalm 37: 35
BEACON LIGHTS
~~n~tntai t io i t of Buints
DOROTHY DEVRIES
"I believe an holy catholic clrurch. the con~~nr~nion of saints." These words wc: hear read every Sunday, and yet, tlo we really belicve wllat they ~nran? Or do we just belicve the111 LO be true? Everyone. I~elieves sonlething. But, tlo we really 1)elieve in the conln~union of saints? IVho are the true saints? C;m \r7e I)e sore? Arc wc :rll saints as \vc unite to worsl~ip? The apostle Paul says. "Xot ;dl havc the f;~ith." Or, do wc believe in ;I noup, that \tee pick out a~ltl wish to join as a communion of saints? Is that true?
\ire i;no\v that ;I saint is and must be an holy one, for Cot1 says, "l3c ye Iioly: for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:16. Ant1 again, "For both He that sanctifieth ant1 they \\rho are sanctified arc ~111 of one." IIcl,. 2:l 1. Now Paul says, "That t l ~ c Ilcir, 11s long i s he is a child, differeth nothing frorn ;I serv;tnt, tllol~gh he lord of ;ill; I>II t is 1111t1cr h~tors and govrrnors until the ti~nc appointed of the father." Cal. 1:1, 2. For when it pleases dlc living God to regmc:r:ttc ant1 convc.rt His elect, they arc under the command of Gocl to obey Hinl i~ccorcling to His prwe~)ts, ant1 to scsrvc. Him \\.it11 all their licm-t ant1 mind. Anrl wherl the Holy Spirit breathes His life in us, \ire \\rant to do His \vill, :mtl love IIim wit11 1111 onr 11c.iirt. And 1Ie will \\trite His la\\, in our heart and conscience, so that we \+,ant to walk in love ant1 faith, ant1 glorify [lie niunc of Got1 only.
Oh, how good it is that we car~not have anything to s:~y nl. do to n~nko or~e saint, or bring one into hilt com~nunion of saints. IIow bad would it be if we could. For the
communion of saints is not of the Ilesh, but of the IIoly Spirit. And \vc do not have each a little piece of that Spirit, l ~ l ~ t it is one \vliole, one hrc.ath, one life, one mind, and one faith i r l Gotl the F;~tlier ant1 in tllc Lord Jesus Christ. One Body, one Hcad, one Spirit. They spei~k one language, wlucli is thc 1angu:lgr of tht* Script~~res ant1 of all saints, through the IIoly Spirit. ~~ 'het l ier we are young or old. \Ve cannot joiu t l ~ c com- munion of sttints, l,r~t the living Cot1 int~st. through His Spirit unite us in that corn- munion with all His people. John 14:ZG; I Car. 12:12.
But, oh, the bc.u~t)-, and glory imci love and Irlercjr of God, it is not ye that choose. it is only ; ~ n d alone the living Gotl and Father that elects illid regenerates, calls and justifies us and sanctifies us to beconie saints in Cllrist, 'Because Go3 lmth from the be- ginning chosen you to salv;~tion tlrmugll sanctification of tllc* Spirit and hclirf of tlrc truth." I1 Tlress. 213.
It is i~npossiblc to believe in tlrc com- munion of s'lints tl~nn only by the Holy Spirit. T11t.refore we belicvc. first of all in God tlle Father, and in IIinl th ro~~gh thc sacrifice of the Son of Gotl, or Got1 in, the flesh, :uld ~hroug11 tlrc workings of tlie IIoly Spirit in our hearh. . h d those saints are in a11 parts of the \vorld, as one invisil)le yet becoming manifest in time in tllt, churcl~ visil)le, or in the indi\idual saint, young or old ;LI they \rill be re\reaiecl in time, or arc hid in Christ \vlr.herever they 'are. l7c1r il is a spiritual co~nmunion of saints as ~nembers of one Body in Christ.
BEACON LIGHTS
Moliriess cannot be just lenr~~ecl or put on :it \\,ill, for tl~im yon have a vol~~nlitry \ r i l l worship, thinking that godliness is gain. Col. 2: 18. But it is a faith that can never 1 ~ ' broken, for we belong to Christ only, and to His saints forever more. So OTIC can 11ri11g one into the coiiu~~l~nion of saints, nor titke one ont. Cliriat done has the keys, not the cllurch visible \\,hicl~ is impossil~le, but h e church invisible has the keys in that coni- nuni ion of saints, through the Iloly Spirit of Christ. For it is a spirituitl bond that not be broken. The visible church car^ 1111ly iudge :evliat is seen.
IF those saints sin against each other and pervert their way, tlie Lord nil1 snrely rc- huke and chahtize tllem, nritil tlrc!y are ;lxi~in restored into the fello\vsliip of tlie s;rints. Othenvise they \vot~ld be lost ond that is inipossil~le. So long ;IS they conti~rnt. in sic, they grieve the Holy Spirit and God's rriune is Llaspl~emecl, and not glorified. I Icb. 10:.75, Gal. 6: 1.
For, you see, if you arid I 11nve rcbally hcen born again by God, i ~ n d have kno\vn each otlicr ;IS tnte children of Gotl, bcci~use of that tie of the ZIoly Spirit, and then wolk in sin ;lgainst each other, than it \voultl Ile in~possible for you to be saved without III(.
;tnd I not without you, \vithol~t retur~ring and repentinq before the face of the living God. Therefore n-e may not grieve the Iloly Spirit, for Jolln says, "If :iny rllirn set. Iii: l~rother sin, a sin arhich is not unto cle;ttll: he shall ask, and he shall give hi111 lifc for them \vho sin not unto tlcath. There is ;I
sin unto cieatli: I do not say that he sli;ill pray for it." I John 5:16, J;lmrs 5: 19,20.
Thc Lord leads Ilis own in \vhatever \vay He chooses, we c;~nnot choose our own way. He gives us His Holy Spirit i~ccordina to l l ~ e Incasure IIe chooses not wr. And ac- cording to that way He will glorify us. Sot :iccortling in the way we \ v a ~ ~ t to go, or whatever \vc choose. For tlie Lord instn~cts I l i b p ~ 9 p l c by IIis word and Spirit to \\-all; in His way iind to teach tllcrn 1 lir precepts. But Itis \\-arc3 also judaes those tlut are not of Him. God is rigl~tcous.
011, what power and glory ;111d lionor conles through the comnlunion of saints unto God forever and ever. For they are all one as their cryings and supplications and praycrs come before the tlironc of God. Ncv. 8:l-5. But if they sin ;tgainst each other, they dishonor Gotl and i~ll that is I~oly. For sin is shi~~ne. 1 Cor. 3: 13-17; Ilan. 9:3-10; Isa. 63:T-9.
Tlrc living God knows Ilis o\rrn. And \r7e shor~lcl make kno\vn His glory ilnd po\vcr ;und greatness, and testify of l1i111 for His name sake. That Iris nanle may be glorificcl. Othcr\vise tlie sloncs will havc- to sptaak. Luke 19:40.
0 you that are tlie Lortl's, let there he no silencc! ;lnlong >-ou, bnt testify i ~ n d bc wit- nesses of the living God, for there is no other God beside Iliin. Isa. 14:8, 6.7:G.
1 I,t~lievc ;111 holy catl~olic c.l~nrcli; the comnlt~nio~~ of saints; the forgiveness of sins; t l ~ c resurrection of the body; and the l i e everlasting.
I\TEIIIS from, for, and about our churches
LOIS E. KREGEL
Concerning our Missionary: There \vas one family from Port Arthur, Fro111 Hor~slon Rcv. Lul)l)rrs \\.rote re- Texas. This m'm is in the service aud w i l l
ccntly: "Last S1111cl;iy ii~onling \\.e llad 15 ;iccomp;tny 11s to see some of tlrese Dutch in Sunday Scl~ool and 27 in the sen-ice. filmi1ic.s in thiit community. This week the
Eighteen BEACON LIGHTS
IIouston Post c;~llccl \vhether \ve desired to Donald Ezinga and his family have been use their Sunclay page for advertising. .4n transferred to Slississippi; on the way tllcy acivrrtisement in the Chronicle did bring worshipped in Rc~dlnncls Protestant lie- somca people to the cht~rch. A cc.rtai11 Rev. for~necl Church, where their infant daugh- Cross, minister with the Prcsl~yterian ter was baptized. Their new address is: Church (of Dutch ancestry), ct~llcd this Sti~r Ligl~t Trailer Court, Bos 131 K, Pass week. Hc \\,ah wondering about these Road, Bilosi, Sliss. 'Dutch Calvinists'."
For t h e next census: A flurry of scl~ool activities char;ictcri~es A daughter, born to Mr. ,and Mrs. Tunis
the home strctch of the school year in our \ran B~uen (South Holland) vnrious institc~lions:
A dal~ghter, bonl to \ir. .IIICI Mrs. Donald "hlanner\ i r l tile light of Christian Char- Enoper (First)
ity" was the topic developed very interest- ingly by a p,mc.l at the \lay ~~lec*ting of Acli~m\ St. Scl~ool Xlotl~rrs' Cli~b. A th~~fihtcr , born to Xlr. and Slrs. D. Vander
Kooi (Southeast)
The Hope Scl~ool picnic waq scheduled for June 5 at FIitgers I'ark, in Hildso~willc. A d;tughter, born to Xlr. and Mrs. IIomer
Teitsma (Southeast)
The Northwest lowa Protestant Rcfomed School Socicly is beginriing n fund. with .A daugllter, to XIr. XIrs. John the ptirpoxe of starting ilr own \chool some Blankcspoor (Doon) timc in the ftiture.
A daughter, born to l l r . and hlrs. Gerald A rnusical progr;im was to hc presented Vnllder Kooy (Nudsollville)
by the choirs and bar~cl of Adanls St. School on 5lay 24.
A son, born to hlr. and Slrs. hlelvin Yonk- miln (Hudsonville)
Hope School Band's sccond iinnual con- cert was prescntetl in Hope Church on Slay 10. A son, born to 51r. and Slrs. Clare Kuiper
Graduation Esercices of Adams St. (Sonth\vest) Scllool are to he hrltl on Jt~nc. 6 ill First' Church; Rrv. C. I-lanko is the speaker.
Wedding bells
O u r servicemen: rang for Cornelius Nynvmeyer and Anna l lac \ran Baren (South Holland), on >lay 17; for
Pvt. -Arthur Uult, Jr., is home on leave K e n Le~ns and Robert De Yocmg (Ilud- for two \vccks (unltil l l ay 311, aftcr wl~ich sonville) on hlay 24; and for Robert 1V;lyne he is to be tr.~nsferrcd to Fort Sill, Okla- Lubben and Kathryn Elaine IIuizingii homa. (Huclsonville) on \lay 17.
BEACON LIGHTS Ntneteen
Congratulations low able to get about again in the house.
to Slr. Cornelius \\'oc~dwyk, Hudso~~ville's oldest member, who celebrated his nine- Hlldson\rille Chord Soriety a tieth birthday on Slay 1. program on Slay 19 in the church.
Trios and Calls:
L>ndenJs new trio consists of Revs. G. I,r~l,hen, G. VandenBerg, and 11. Vrltlnli~n.
Retllantls Ilirs estt.ndcd a cc~ll to 1lc.v. C. IIitnko of First Church.
Rev. C. Lubbers has received thr all1
from Loveland.
South\vest has called thc Rev. B. \\'oil- dentwrg of Edgerton.
Miscellanea
Seminarian David Engelsrna \\.ill be esan~inetl at the coming synocl with a view to his c;~nclidacy for the ministry in our cllr~rches.
Rev. C. Ilanko pliin~letl to l>reach the sermon ;it the installation of I\e\.. H. Veld- 111:ul as pastor of our Mope Church on Slay 26. A congrrgntional welcomc for Rev. and Xlrs. Vrltlm;~r~ \\.as to 1,e held on May 31.
The H;ldio Choir outing is scheduled for JIIIW 18 at Fallasbr~rg Park.
Hull's congregation spent it social eve- ning togc~ther in the Co~nmunity building OII rZpr i l 23.
Tht. ~ ~ , r n g social of Sontlleast Church \ i r i ~ s pla~~ned for Slay 23; their Sunday School Picnic is on June 1.'.
First Church plans its congregational pic- nic for 111ne 13 at Douglas \Vnlker Park.
SIrs. C. Hanko suffered a fmctl~red ankle as a result of a f;dI .-ipril 25 in her home: Southwest is to have its Church picnic shc llas improvetl to the extent that s l ~ o is on June 8 at Pallller Park.
Twenty BEACON LIGHTS
