beacon m lights · 1971. 12. 8. · christian charity, or, church in-fighting: the painful...
TRANSCRIPT
BEACON m LIGHTS
FOR PROTESTANT REFORMED YOUTH
But W h a t I s Christmas Really
All About?
Christian Charity
VOLUME XXXl DECEMBER 1971 NUMBER 8
~ , : I i t - , . -.. r*. . - r:i. , tn l \ . <.\rep: J u r! t A 11 F .I s t CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: h:: rhr- Fede rs : ! . I $ 8 1 P:i,resrart I<rfiirn~< (1 1-01:;:;. Pr -;le'i i ~ c ~ c t l r . .
lit.: Rwilrrt H:,rL..li.h. .\;.~:hn L u b k r - . I ) . ~ r l n ~ \ . , I ) ~ ~ ~ T c l c : ~ . SLIC I.,., ~, . trx J + ~ ~ I I T I V 1 ;r~!tcr,.
EXECUTIVE BOARD: I:,.,, . 1 i l.::bhcr:. I<r,. . 1 ;. \-.?!I Barcn, K:(th:. I I l ' r c ~ l d r n t : FII I i ~ r i c n ! c > t r I!$ I.,.ra. Rachrl I.I>I~I>?~..
- \-it.r Prc.icic~:~t, ( arc1 Dyk-tr.1 Scrrtbt:tr>; S : I . - ii:siitx:it Scrrr~:fil-\-: Jim Schin~nlel - 'l'rt.nruier: \,.ern Iln\cmnn - Is . 4xs , . 'l'rx.-t-~jrvr: Shirlr.: Cr!ttcr, l.ihrar;,311.
EDITORIAL S T A F F : --------
, . ~ , - ; ~ ~ , , ~ . i : : . ~ h , ~ f , ~ , , h , , ~ ~ 1 ; . All material for publication should be addressed k.eeL - .-\i-a-ii.,t- Editor: Ion liuiqkcn - to CALVIN REITSMA
-' --rrLtare F,l ! !nr. Ktr: Koi-le - Fin:~;:i.c hlar:. 3287 S. C o ~ a l , Grondville, Mich. 49418 arcr. News Editcr: JEANNE GRITTERS
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STAFF: Don!:a Kl?orn,r. Beth \\-cstr;:, .lon!~tlc Vanllcck, Giond Rapids subscribers pleose forward 1 lnhn Flikkct~l;~. J.irlr Schippw. Jucly On,lr.rs~na. subscription dues to JUDY HOLSTEGE \ .ll:dy Hol'trrr. J a n T.uhbrri. tintln h1icrqm:i. 5537 Lowndolc. Hudsonville, Mich. 49426 \ T .z - i? Ib.~ir.!:i.a. K~rd:: Me>-cr. Crt.;: Ettgcl;. Subscribers outside of Grand Rapids please 1 m r C z r , l I % ~ l . ~ x ~ . Euricr I l r r k ~ t . ~ ~ ~ , . R:,11.y forward rubscription dues to Ci7.7 =I- . - . 1 , 7 . 1 t (CT~: :C~ . EUNICE HOEKSEMA
\ \ 1842 Plymouth Ter.. Grond Rapids, Mich. 49506
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ED -0; A- Chrcrt~on Chorlty ' - Col.zn R r tt-mo
~ 2 0 ~ --: - P;.cTOP 5 5-UDY Sp!r*tual Growth' - '2 G '.'an Bar-n
POir,' Light In Dorknesr' - Sv- Port,
FEATURE "But What Is Christmas Really All About?" - B ~ t h Wl,'ra
CUCRENT E.'ENTS A N D COMMENTS "Abortton A Sogn of tho Times" - Knthy Bylsrno
C?I- QJE "Jehovoh's W~tnerses" (Port I) - Sur Terpstro
TRUiH .s ERROR "Hate-Good'' RF-r Robert C Harbach
NEWS, FROM. FOR. A N D ABOUi OUR CHURCHES - Jwonn+. Grifter;
CHRISTIAN CHARITY, OR, CHURCH IN-FIGHTING: THE PAINFUL DESIRABILITY OF A CLEANSlNG SWORD.
In the rc.cctnt pi141 it Ilas often hccm said of ollr cr~~~sistorics that lllcy thrc\v out faitl~ful rnenll~ers for notl~ing morc than pt-rsonal itni~nositica. It is not thc pltrpo>t- of tlris i~rticlcn to go iuto t l ~ t * isst~c.s i~lvolvrd in pmt trorll1les, they are ~ ~ t t e r l y closc-cl, iintl sho~~ltl re~ni~in so, I>ut rxthc~r, :I clarification of tllc basic iss~~e, C:l~ristiatl charity, is her<*- in in tmclecl.
Charity, Christi:rn clli~rity, I I : I ~ I~roi~d hil- l~lic;~tiol~s in o t~r lives totlay. It itlvolves a crcaat dci~l trlore than thc ouhvitrd mani- fe\t:~tion of Love to\v;trd ontr ;~notlrl.r. There arc: Iwcl sitlc!s tcl tht* coin 111' charity: One side is Lovc. the other ol>ediencc. One cannot he cl:~imecl \\,it11 tllc other not given. As t l~e church, \re ;Ire ul~itccl in f ~ ~ i t h and life thror~gll common love: Love to\varcl and c*manating fro~n God to H i ~ n uld to each other. In His i ~ i f i t l i t c - \\~iscIo111, God chosc. to rule his Church tlrrougli Ine,l of uisclom, c i~ l l r~ l to tllc office of Eltlcr. To ~I I ( ' I I I He gi~ve tlie lic:ys nf t11c kingtlom of heaven, through t l i t ' ~ ~ ~ the c l l~~rch grows in strc.ngth ;inti pnrity. \{'hen, in the. cuttrsc- of spirih1;11 grclwth, \tfc mitkc confession of our fait11, \v(. pledgc heforc. Gocl i~ntl Hi\ c1111rcl1 to s~~l,nlit to church govcSr~lrnel~t nntl cliscipli11~8. Bcfclre Gotl, we ml~st obey our consistoric.~ as long as we are of likc faith ;IS they. If we cannot I)e of like faith \v(. 111ust scp;tr-;cte o~rrselvrs from ilrc.nl 11c~- fore I~ccoming cause for rliscipline. Quite simply. to si~y we ;Ire of likr faith \\*it11 thoscs Cod Il;~s ~ l a c t ~ t l over 11s ;~ntl ~ h c n to disohc~y is not only sin, it is patently ridic- ulous.
Yet, Christi;ul c11;rrih rccl~~irrs 11s to love. our 1)rethren in Christ. IVitlr dl this love (and discipli~ie is :I fornl of love, Ilebrews 12:0) n;hy is dlc.re continr~al c1111rcli in- fighting ancl split?
Often, charity is forgotten by both partivs in a tlisputc. ISncll side is so sure of I~eir~g right, Chat t11t.y f0rgc.t to love cach other. l lany :L dihpute coltltl be cilsily settlcd if the I,eople involvcd woulcl ctll be forgiving. Even when olle pcrson or group is clearly at fault: forgiveness on both sides is re-
~luircrl. Ho\vc:vrr, \vllcn the 111i1tter is pi~ssed into thr jr~riscliction of the consiitory, things chanqc.. \ \ ' hc~~ a person rrft~scs to ol)cy the n ~ l r of Gocl tlrrouglr the cot~zistory. the sin hecol~tes clisohrdie~rrc. S o urrsolt is ex- mmtnunicatc~tl for it specific sin trlotlr, for all of us sin cor~\t;~ntly, 1 ~ 1 t pc~trl>l~* arc prolwrl.\l sep:lr;~tctl for nhcluri~cy. -['ht. con- cvm of the Church in zent.r;tl ln~lst Iw thcr me~~~bers ' Ililrtlness of heart; the isst~e in- volved is nclt the concenl of the 111cnlb1.r~ in general. I\'c all itre bnl~nd to ol)ctlirncc in love.
Still, discipline is n ptunful thing, \vllen it is done ill love particrllarly. I t hurts \vllcn there is diacord \vitlii~~ the ch~~rcll, j ~ ~ s t its illness is pai11f111 to the botly. \ \ 'II~ then, does God cattsc the church to suffer?
As in botlily sickness, d i w ~ s e m~tst cith1.r br ctlrt.tl or cut ol~t . If dis'itse is Iclt un- checkccl the \\.lrole I>ody \\.ill perish. So it is wit11 the c1111rcIi. tlre body of Christ. Oftm the ch~~rclies with the most ot~twitrcl 111atG- festation of love and un ih ;Ire the clrurches \rho 11iive rrothing Illore thi111 just that: out\\,;u.tl unity. Tl1c.y hang togc.tl~tsr for social iIppenrilIrces, fro111 a psychologic;~l nertl, for any reason but the real one.: ;I
tlt.sirc to ~~t:~i t~t ; l i~l IIIC. truth. Buffi~t t h e ~ ~ l d t h any ator111 of doctri~ie ant1 thrsc churclrcs fall. rotted from within.
The. t~niqt~t* stret~gth of the Cht~rcl~ of Gotl i i not to be found in ouhvartl l~nit), but in in\v;lrd collc.sivenes. To or~hvnrd apl,citraricrs the CI111rch \crlrrs really cootl at only on<. thing: In-fiShtir~g. Iiealit?., thouglr. is f i~ r tlifferc~lt. It is \,t*r). tnte that much of the. i~rguing \vithhl the Ch~~rcl l is per~o~ltilih cl:~sIi. :Iny group of sit~t~crz so closely I>ouncl itre going to 11;lve diKcrcncrs of o ~ ~ i t ~ i o n . '['his is llot \vllcrc thc renl problenis occur. Often \\-hen diiagr<~e~umts reach the stngc of consistori;~l ;tdnio~rition, the rc.ill fight I)cgins. Disciplil~c is ;I t\vo- edged s\vord; it l>ritlgs the tbrring I~rother home, whlc cutting 3 diheilatd e ' ~ i ~ e ~ ~ r h ~ r " from the chl~rch.
'I'l111s the church rr~nilins healthy tl~ro~rglr clisciplines' cure, even though it hurts. A
BEACON LIGHTS One
n i c ~ ~ ~ l ~ e r \\.\lo i \ so rllrc IIC. is right ovrLr It I ~ u r t . I I I I ~ oh ho\\ \ \-o~ltlefi~l it i.;! 'Vhc as1in.t C;r~tl'i .rl>pointc~l ccjl~.;istory, so .;tlrc2 .tcti\t. s\\,111-d of discipline is n sign of the t h d he will \(.vvr liil~l\~>lf fro111 t h ~ I~ncly trill. Churc.11. It cleanws, it heals. it kccaps of the ( : l~~~rch . i. a tli.easc,cl n~t*~nhcl.. ancl 11, t r ~ ~ l y \\~Iiolt.. For rc.melr~l,er, the otller dot \ nnt I ~ r i o l ~ c \r it11 th r C h ~ ~ r t 11 until ht: i5 \vliolt.. i f tI1;tt c ; u ~ ht-.
- l ' l ~ t pllrpcsts of tli\cipli~~c. in cli;~rity i\ not to I111rt ihc. i~ id i \ i r l~~ :~ l . 1 ~ 1 t to ke1.p ~lr: C l ~ ~ ~ r c h ptlr~.: it i. not to pllni\li. 1111t t,) rwtore. I t h ~ ~ r t \ . o l ~ Ilo\\ i t hurt\! It (,In- h.~rr.~,se\. it cr~t, c!o\vn pl-itlr. i t sep;lr;~tc,s fa~~rilic~.. Sl;an! tear\ ha\-(. I:een s l~r t l ovcr tlnt- two-c.tlue(l \\vortl of di\c.iI>lillt.. I t 1111rt<,
\itl, of tllc. h\vortl of tliscipline is love. love no 1Ilore \vondt.rfully \ I I ~ \ \ . I I than \vhcn a 11rotllc.r i\ .~dnio~ikht.tl. "For \vhoni the 1,nrtl lovcth. Hc- chastcnetl~." Nc~l). 11:6. T l ~ r t : ~ ~ g l r a ~ ~ t the age3 the love=-s\vortl of dihcipli~~t- 11.i~ ht.lti us intact, ant1 thi- be- cauv. it i \ t\c,o-t.dcrtl. Iliscipli~~c. is vver .III .let of b e . C.R.
TUD "SPIRITUAL
1 1'11(.\,. .I: 1 : "l;rrrtl~c~rmor(. t1rt.11 \VC'
I>c.\iech >on. l>rctl~rcn, .untl exhort ~ O I I by tht. Lord J I ~ I I \ , th:~t ;L.; ye have rc,cc.i~etl of 11. ho\v ye ourrht to \r ;~lk t l ~ l c l to ~) l (~~sch God. ao ye \vot~Itl ahotincl triore and ~~torc ."
I'clul~n peol~lc are v e n conscio~~s ol' tllc. f.tct &.it they are gro\\lng up. Olnr ci11i not help b ~ ~ t noticr clothing \\.hicl~ Ix-ccl~ncs too 3rn.lll. Onc can not fail to notice thc. cIt.\.-rlopn(mt of mind ant! talents. 0l)vir~us- 1y. if t l~is rrrc~tvth \rere :~l,sc~it. son~c,tling \ \ o ~ ~ l d be v e n \vrong.
Utit: \\.hat of your cpiritll;il lifc? I S tl~ei-c. fro\\-& ;ind developln~cnt thew?
REV. G. VAN BAREN GROWTH"
*. 1 I I C ~ apostle poi~lts out that there nus st I:r ;I proper walk \vhicl~ is pleasing to God. -1 "\valk" suggests first n patlr\v;~y. It is the roitd long \vhich one travels. But also, tliir "\valk" h .1~ a god. There is an end or tlc.sti~~;~tion I~eforc one. This "\valk" is one \vhicl~ is pleadng to God. It represt.nts that \\talk of thc regcnrratc*cl child of God alonc which he travels in this sinful \vorld to eternitl glory. Tln.~t walk is one \rhich is in 11aniiony with the law of Got!: it is thxt walk which is the f n ~ i t of Christ's \vork \vithi~i the children of Gotl. In this walk. on1 lovcs God above all \<-id> his
Two BEACON LIGHTS
whole hri~lg. Arltl for Cotl's snkr, hc loves his neighl~ol.. The tlct~~ils concerning this godly wi~lk ;trc. presentetl to 11s in tht. in- fallible \Vortl of God.
This godly \v;rlk is not a n optio~lal ~ ~ ~ ; ~ t t c r . Some, ant1 yonng people ton, alnlost scrm to consider i t so. Sc~ipturc is ignored. 'TIle walk of tllosc. wllo call thc~nselves clriltlrc.n of Got1 tlificrs hardly at all fro111 t l ~ c \vi~lk of the citizrns of this \\rorlcl. One insists in doing as lie wishes - c l i~ i~ni~ lg that Iris conscierlcce is Iiib guide. 'l'l~is evil l)liilos- ophy is on<. wl~icli you, covenant yorrth, particularly face.
But this \\!r~rtl of God is very c~rnpl~;~tic: there is thr "o~~ght"-suggt'sti~lg a nect*ssity. One \vllo c l ; ~ i ~ ~ ~ s to 1,e ;I cl~ild of God 1n11st \\talk ;IS Cocl's \lrord clirc.cls. It is nc~t 111).
opinion, nor cLvcn Paul's ol)inion, th;it 111at- trrs. Thi.; r~hortatiorr comes in the rlilnlc of the Lorcl J e s ~ ~ s . He i~~sists upon this Christian \\,i~lk. 11712, tht.n, ns mrmlwrs of the body of Christ are t l~sc : \vho tlesirc to walk as cl~ilclrcn of light i l l this \r~orld of darkness.
IVhilt \ve 1111g1it particc~l;~rly to noticc. here is that in srtcl~ a \valk one must almu~~cl nlore and 111ol.e. Tllcre is Lhr tentlc.ncy always to I I (& satisfird \\fit 11 the st(~tlls clrro. One can look back on p;lst ;tcconiplisliments and believc that Ile has attained. He has, perllaps, attc.~~tled catechis~n classes; IIC hi~s attended chl~rch rcagnlarly: 11c h i~s attentlcatl society. Al~tl cine call ~ I I C I I "part himself 011
the back" I>ct'a~~sc of all tl~c..;e accomplish- nients. He i.; ;I rather good fcllow. He sc*csms more p i o ~ ~ s tha~n most. But in esa~nining hhnself, tlierc is evident 110 developme~lt: no growth. ITe appears l~nsically no dif- fcn:rlt than I I C urns five yc:lrs ago. Nor does he clesirc to change. IIe is self-satisfied and complacent. miere is no longing to progress.
Are yoi~ sl~cli a person? One mnst call- front the cl~~cslio~t 1\,hethctl. ;I sf(rtrrs rlrrcl is possible at ;ill. This IVortl of Gocl suggests that changc ~ n i ~ s t occur. One can not re- main the sanle. That is true, first, becar~se we are creatures of change. \T7e nevcr re- main the s;lrnc -much ;IS \vc would like to at times. Toeltty wc. ;]re tlifl'errnt than \ve \\,ere yestertli~y. Ancl torllorrow \\dl l~ring further change. The fact of continr~nl change is also cvident in our spiritual lives. None can remaill spiritually stagnant. We
are all si~rnerb hy n i ~ t ~ ~ r c . \\re facc I c ~ ~ ~ p t n - tions tlitily. Somr 11i1vc. their pet sill.;. .ill these affect a pc-rsoll ;IS he willks through this earth.
Bcu.;tuse the i~l,ovc ih true, tl~crrfore one rvho i~rsists on ~ ~ ~ i ~ i ~ ~ f i ~ i n i n ) : the S ~ ( I ~ I I S ~ / I I O ,
in rrri~lity will g o I~;tck\vurd. Onc ~ ; I I I not stand still. Jnst its ;t I~oitt heatled ~~l~streiun i\,ill eithcr co fonwrd or l~ackwartl, 40 we live \piritu;~lly tcm. Either there is i~tl\~unce - or t l ~ r ~ r is ine\ritablc. decline.
-.\re yo^^ growi~lg? Or tlo yorl st.(. yc~t~~self b e c o ~ ~ ~ i l ~ g more 1'11 ;tnd curelr\s i l l t l ~ i \ tvr- riblv wicked \vorlcl?
Alx~untling or gro\\.i~lg involvcs fir4 ;I
proper kno\\.ledgc of Cod's IVorcl through careft11 study - al~tl I,r;~yerfr~l str~dy. One ~ ' h o e1oc.s ~ltsgl(!ct tllitt \\rord ih ~ I I ~ I I ~ to decline sl,irituully. Or~c \vho tloc.s not h o \ v t l ~ i ~ t \Vorcl thro~~ghly, is the ~ I I L . ivl~o \rill rr;~elily find e\.cBry excuse for his sin. Therrforc~, one 1n11ht kno\v that \Vortl.
Pro1)c.r knowl(=tlgc* of the \\'ortl \\rllich is ilpl)lic.tl to tll(= hcart I)y t l ~ e Spirit, collies
first tlirougl~ the preucl~ing of that \\'ord. Pntler t11c. preaching, one 1n11st gro\IP and develop i l l the kno\vlt'dge and spiritual under\~nntling of \vIlalt Cad says to His people. 'l'lris, in tr~rn, Icsads to it~t'~.t.;tsecl interest in and s~utly of the II'ortl i l l other area>. Onc must inert-nsir~gly study the \\-ord fiiithfi~lly fithi hi^^ the home. IIe ought to h;ive regular times for his prii-ate devo- tion% tli~ily. One ;~pplies hirnsclf to t l~c stucly of tlrc \\'ortl in preparutio~~ for society. I I t ' seeks to tliscr~ss that \\'t~rrl 3s that \\tliicl~ lives within him.
This \\rod, \\;hie11 God applics to our hearts 11y His Spirit, directs 11s in ;I walk \\-hiell is pleasing to God. 'I'llus Cod teaches 11s the \tray in which we nus st go. The grciiter our spiritual I;no\vledge of God's \Vord, the more one seeks to \\rail; according to the la\\, of the Lord.
This \\'ord of God "bcseecht~s" yo11 ti, so abountl. This does not necessarily imply that there has been r ~ o spiritual grco\vtIi to the prvsent date. 'I'he Word does not n2inimizc. th;~t \\*hich 11.w illready taken pli~ce \vithir~ the church. Nor does God s i ~ ~ ~ p l y beg us to do as I le tlesires. God clotas not beg.
Rather, we have in this test ;I strong encour;lgcment to \vnlk in a manner pleas- ing to God - and to clevelop in that \vitlk.
BEACON LIGHTS
This is :I plea to the saints who nced con- stant eneouragemcSr~t and clirrction i l l this godly u.nIk. Pa111 the apnstlc comes and admonishes the church as a brother. He prods thml on, as it were, so that tlley will do that \vhich is expected of living sairrts. -At the sarnc time, Paul renlinds the clrllrch that hc tlwi this in the nanle of Christ.
Yolrnp people, many of ynll h;~ve 1,ttblicly confessccl your f;~ith befort. God ntrcl I l i a church: others of you, born i11 the spllere of the co~~rnant , ;tl.w believc. (if you give it thouglrt) that yo11 arc. clrildren of Cod. So\\,. living chilclren of Got1 do grow in ,-re arid tn~th. IIo\. are you abolrnding? Do yo11 feel less inclined to seek the cnter- tninmct~t of this \vorld offerecl in niovic and
ttrlcvision iu~tl other soluces, tll1111 yo11 Were r~i~rlic.r? 110 you kno\v Inore ant1 more t l ~ e ~rcscd of prayer? Do you belic~vc - it to be ~ ~ r x c * ~ ~ t that you study and I;no\\, the \fiord? r\rr you urlclerstanding more antl more the tloctrines of the Cllurclr of Christ? Do yo11 I~elieve that, by grace, you will hold fast to the \\'orcl of God -no nlattrr \\.hat the c:o~~sequencc.s? Do yo11 seek Inore and more ih:r( \\rhich is heavenly; i111c1 (lo you pray eilrnestly and sincerely for Christ's return?
Or don't you give a care? In tlrr former case them is proper
";~l,ounclil~~" in the \v;tIk whiclr is pleasing to God. Thnt is the h i t of the Spirit within yo~r. Then: abound more and no re i l l this.
Light In Darkness SUE PORTE
The 11ip11t t r c ~ s cold ant1 c11iN r\ cirgin lrft from royctl line Enrelo~rc~d in rlorkne.~~ rcos the Itill O'pr .sl~atlotcerl by n potcer Dioinc \I'ltere lorcly .~l~cl~lrerrls tired arrcl rcortr Sttht~~issicc to God's l~ool!~ toill Gtrarded their .t11ee11 trniil tlw mom Il(t.v nou: l~roright forth Eintlrrrrel. Shntrlcl hrmrk; (~rtd send its light \Vlurt tms not possihle cciflr man Tn fakc nrcay thc dimis of itigl~t. \Ircrs ecer itr Gotl's holy pkrn.
1lc sends irtto mrr clurkrst t~iglrt Sad nn(l forlorn rrrrs I.vmel$ plight lliv loce rt~rtl rays of g1orim1.s light. O-er rchrln~ed I>!/ sin's dark rli.~n~al night Sir] l a r lc~~ so~rls tr.cc~ry rrrttl I C O ~ I I Ifric~ice; for rrnto yorr i.s horn H ~ l ~ ) l t ~ . ~ ~ l ! ~ recliti~rg for t11c. ~tror~r I'ortr SNCI'O~ 011 this glrrl ctnd g1orior1.s morn. To trer~k: anti .vc+tui if.? light Ilc comes Cd'.s 1nrrl10.w to frrlfill. To tttkr arcay the gloom r~ night. Ohedient to Ifis Itoly tcill,
Thr ))rolt/~et'.v voicr has lotrg hc~ett st/// Xo sacr$cc 011 lloly hill Thc royal line Itas passed ari.ay And cr:il potcers hold their srcay. The tray is dark trrtd toid of light Oh Cod! tce 11eri~li in the ,light.
Tho, srrrlrlerrly tlrc light c10e.s break At sipltt of tcllicl~ the .slrc~~~lrerds qrloke. For sirtfrrll man connot endtrre Heawn9.9 radiartt light so c h r so IIrtre. Tha j cast themsclces in fcpcrr that rright Hf.forc. God's fltr~~~irrp lrol!l ligl~t.
But Hark' The angel dot11 ~)roclainr d joyftrl message in Gocfs name. Fear not 011 slrel~lrerds, Ligl~t has rr>rtle To trtkc atcay ymrr deepest gloonl. God's promise g i ~ m long ago Delicrrs you front all your tcoe.
Ilt, clecrnscs yott fro111 sin arid rlinme / \ I I ~ lifts yo11 111) to 11~'(1~enlr~ f(1111e.
0 (rice Ilittr thanks \Vho sent IIis Son ?'he prrrc and spotless Ilolg One, '1'11~ D(~!/~l~ring fro111 011 11igli Il'lio brings
eternal day :\I] takes fore'er our night of sin au:ay.
BEACON LIGHTS
FEATURE
But What Is Christmas Really All About? BETH WESTRA
\\rc*ll, Christmi~s Sc,:~son is here i~gnin, folks, ilncl o ~ ~ c c \VI! get all our s l~tqqing nrlcl c;trcl niailillg tlo~lc wc. can sit 11ac.k :ultl hc~ content, if tlrrrc.'s enot~gh tinrr. I t \vill prol,ably be illst like last year- rt~sh. rt~zh, a~ltl their \i-l>vn \vc finally get to opcn ~111 tlio~c: presents 011 Christmas evc., wc'll bc nl~lc! to hear t11c. \vlrole w r l t l sigh wit11 rclic:t', as if it's all 0vc.r. 011 ycali, tlrc.rc.'s still church ancl a S11tldi1~ Sel l~ol program Christr~~as morning, I)ut it's relaying to just sit for a while, : I I I ~ don't the kiddies look ct~tc. saying their spc.cches up tliere?
)'I<CH!
I wirnt to ;iccusc 11s it11 of fast l o s i ~ ~ g tllc roc11 111tr;11iing of Clirist~rlas. give. o~~rsclvcs zillions of rscuses for doing the things \ve do.
"Oh, trees i ~ n d \vrcuths and bc-lls i111d s t~~f l ' are j~lst "h;~rmlrss tradition." nut why h:~v,. tlien~? To for(.(, on olirsclves a kind of oltt\v;lrd happin[-ss? 'l'o incluce u "Cllrist- I I I ; ~ spirit"?
\Vc. kill too n ~ ~ t c l i God-giver1 time ;lntl n~oncy on those fri\polous decorations. r\nd Gin you really get or keep any good friirnils I)y sc.trtliny them ;I picture and a copy of yollr Ilunle 0x1 ;L ci~rcl? Al~tl presents - oh yes, wrc have esclls<os for tlrcm too - "'l'he wisclnm gave Jcsrls ~rr.scnts," or "Gocl gave 11s the giFt of IIis Son." 'I'n~e, I)ut the c!rliphnsis of Christ cwmes tluougli \\reak, if ict i111. The \vl~olr prescSnt bit is getting too firr out of h:~nd. Thi l~k of the cl~iltlrt-n. D I I I I ' ~ they 111ake u p "CI~ristmns lisls" ;I[ tlrc. fiwt ~rr~~l i t ion of tllc- Ilolid;ly? I'cali, we'll givr: them a little talk about tlie hirth of Cliri~t, but yo11 can't fool them. r\ctions slx-;lk so much lorlder than n-ords. I>on't yo11 realize that it's damii\vortlly tlii~t so nir~ch t.r~iphasis is pli~ced on presc-tits ;111;1 otl14.r trinkets thnt TIIE CEN'l'Itt\L E\'ENT of History is lightly placc*tl i r ~ a ni;tngcsr, ctn-erecl with straw, ancl left in a cavc on the other side of the \vorld. You ho t r . what it reminds me of? It re~nincls mc of so many people going to n party ;uid getting so d r u ~ ~ k that they never knew
\vhethc.r or not the gt~cst of Ironor ~l~r)n.ecl up. Look Iro\v tlrc Lord is sl~ovccl asidc! OUH SAVIOR! in secol~tl place! That's ;cwful.
Chriati;~us, \ve 111u\t 11;1ve our cycs opt.nc.tl. 'I 'hi~~k of the I>r;~clitt.s, the chosen people of the. Old Test;~m~.nt. The promiw was givc.~~, i~ntl for a \\fllilc. all that c;rllc.d itself Isri~el was raper ill ;tnticipntion. Every ~-spc*ct;~nt mot11i.r w;w hopins FIIC' was bc;~rinq the \lessiah. But ;IS the years went by. tllc Jews \vontlcrcrl if God nc- h~ally h;~tl forcotten, or ~ ~ ~ n c t h i n g . But no, God kept His word. \\'hilt tlie 1sr;relitvs \\.ere t l y i~~g , Cod sent Ilis Life. -%11tl that Inealls tlie Iwginllil~g of otlr Lifr, too. \\'I.
\;ty tlii, is a11 rstric-i~ltlmrt;~~~t event, st, we c n n ~ ~ ~ ~ c i n o r a t r so~ncthing ;11111ual1y.
rind t r ~ ~ l y , ;I Christn~ii> celebration could be both :~ppropriate and IWc.l~cficiitl if all the :tspects of tlrca celebration \\,auld 1)r rc.llce- tions of ioy ill our Scivior.
Think :l 111i11ute ;11>o11t \vIr;lt it titkey 111 mickc !.art 11;lppy for Chribt'\ sake.
\\'oultl ;I big n ~ e a l do it? - okay, have ;I
big 111e:il. \\'or~ltl grreting a ft.llo\v Clrristitur? - sc:~~tl
hi111 it ci~rcl. \\'ottlcl I I I I ~ ~ I I ~ y o ~ ~ r si~1t.r ;I gift YOLI clon't
tlri~lk s11e desi*rvt*s? - do it - for Cotl's sake.
\\'auld killing one of <;otl's tree.; anel tr!.i~rg to illlprove 1111 it5 I)c;tt~@ make yo11 Irit1~py for IIis s;~ke?
\\%ilc you're thinking - think 011 Ilis \\'ord: "\\'hctIier thereforr yc: cat, or tlrink, or \vhatsoc.ver ye do, do ;III to the glory of Gocl." Pray for help tll;ct \\.hilte\-er you do. yo11 \\till clo to God's glor?.. c>pecially &ring this tinie of year \vhcn tile tcmptil- tion is 4 0 great to do things for their o\\ '~l sake.
Then \\tlicn the ehilclrc~r irsk you why you're doing things differently, you will have an answer.
Joy to the world. The Lord is come. Let us receive our King.
BEACON LIGHTS Fiue
CURRENT EVENTS AND COMMENTS ABORTION: A SIGN OF THE TIMES
KATHY BYLSMA
PREGNANT? NEED HELP? For assistance in obtaining
a legal abortion immediately in N e w York City a t minimal cost. 8 A. M.-10 P. M. - 7 d a y s a w e e k
ABORTION REFERRAL SERVICE (ARS), INC.
This ;rd \v;ts fol~nel reccnlly in ollcL of our locitl college nr\t7spapers. It is a good eraniplc. of tint. incrrasing accrptancc ;mcl pop111iirit)- of :I \vorltlly actio~i - iill~~rlion.
Professor H. Manko has written a series of articles in 7%e St(rrrrlurr1 Bearer co~i- c.erning thr cl~~cstions facing 11s on Ills ahortion iss~lr (r\l~g.llst. Septelnber 1, Sep- tc-nnber 15, ant1 Octohrr 15, 1071 issi~es). It \\.ill help to read his and other cli~trches' opinions on the major questio~~s "\\'h;~l is life? \\'lien is the f e t ~ ~ s said to bc. alive and hcco~iie ;I pcArsoti instead r ~ f ;L rll:l.;s of tissue?"
I ngrce tvith Profrssor Hanko that ;In 11nborn child Iwconie-s :I living perso11 riqht :it the moment of conception. This c:un I,e sho\vr~ from several passages in Scripture, a good rsa~nple Iwing Psitlm 130: 13-18: "For tho11 haxt poswsed my r e d : t11o11 hast cov- ered me in niy mother's \vomh. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully ant1 \voriclc~rl'ully ~nacle: rnarvelotls are thy \vorks; ant1 that lily soul Lno\veth right well. Xly su1)stnncc \rras not hid fro111 thcr, when 1 was I I I ; I ~ ~
in secret. and adnus ly wroc~ght in tllc lo\vest pnrts of the e;lrth. Thine eyes clicl see my substance. yet being 11nperfec-t; :~nd in thy l m k all my members \\.ere \vritten, which in continuance were fashioned, when as pet there was none of them. I lo\\* preciorls dso are thy thoughts unto me, 0 God! how great is the sum of them! If I sliould count them, they are more in ~11111-
her than the sand: when I a\vake, I am still \vith thee." Du\icl, in this Psalm, speaks of l k s e l f as a person \\rho was fomiecl aiitl shaped in his nlother's \vomb by the mighty hand of God. Abortion, then, becomes a violation of the s i ~ t h commandment i l l tl~;tt it is the killing of a live child.
-An important question which arises from
thi\ i\, \hould ;in abortion be, :~llo\\*ed if the 11al)y i> l&el?- to 1 ~ . born tlefornietl or rl~c*r~tally retartlrcl? I I)c.lieve that we still II;I\T I ~ I J light i l l killing tlie fel~lr. God, in ;I sense, ha5 llis o\vti abortion-a mis- carriage. It is .I "safety ~neasurc." used by Cocl i r ~ taking c;tre of :I baby tllat \\voi~ld othenvisc. be horn abnornial. \\'l~en a re- tnrdetl or misformed haby is horn, it is be- ciluse C;od \vantc.tl it tl~is way, for reilsons sometimcs beyond otnr know-ledge or undcr- standing. 11-e have no right to take things into our own I~i~nds ant1 have :In abortion. I f Got1 had wanted tliat bahy not to be horn, I l e \rmultl have used a n~iscamagc or some other me-:uns to prevc~~t its hirtll. Abortionists, in promoting and rncouraging the killirlg of a mi.fomied fetits are, in a srnse, trying to ~nakr a perfect race. 'The root of tlli. idea is, of course, sin.
Anotl1c.r sit~tntion may arise when a girl 11eco111c.s pregniillt :iftc.r being r;tped. ?\g;lin, I feel tliat an abortion should not he al- lowed. No matter how much the girl may hate t l ~ c baby iuld \vlii~t it st;~llcls for, she may not kill it. She may, as ;in alternative, put the child up for acloptio~~ after it is Imni if she can not give it u rnolher's love. \ly vie\\, is not the view held by many other people, one of them being Gennan I'rotest;~nt Thcologi,ul Jonchinl Bechn:~nn. lie is quoted in the Time magazine as hav- ing said that he believes thc embryo is illivc from conception, but rirnlly insists that certain circumstances - s ~ ~ c h as preg- nancy tlirough rape - allow for abortion just ;IS killing is prrmissibic in war.
The only circumstnnce I feel that would jrlstify abortion is if the life of the mother is cndangered. The choosing hrre is be- tween tlie life of the child and the life of tlie mother. I believe the life of the
Six BEACON LIGHTS
lnc>tlrer d1o11ltl I>e saved ovctr against the. life of the clriltl.
I do not I1;1ve all tht: ;ins\Xrers to the cl11r;tions n l ) o ~ ~ t abortior~. Scripture clot-s not give ;In). clci~r-cut nrl>\\rrrs, either, to guide uh. 1311t if Mllinr: ; I I I unborn child is Icgalized. \\41:1t is to slop 1111. world fron~ killing all olcl people or criminals or cvcn
e\-ery sc.col~d pcrs ( ;~~ in the \vorlcl'? The almrliorl issur is nothe her sign C h t l \\;IS
given to tell us tililt the end of t l ~ c \\porld is quickly approaching. Let 11s look ; ~ t the tibortic:~~ controversy for what it is and ron t in~~c to watch ;inti prepare or~rst~lvc~.;, for \ve know "netither tlic day nor t l~c hour ~vherein the So11 of tn;ln cometh."
CRITIQUE ' SUE TERPSTRA
In :I rcrrnt ilrliclc I I I I~~CI . the Ileacling "Critique," lliss I\. Lubljcrs pointed out to t)otll BFACOX LICII.I.S readers i l~~r l \vriters that the original intcnt of this rubric \bras to br.iug current doctrinal ismes to light. Keeping this in mind. I thought it 111igl1t prove it~tcrcstin~ to nlakc nrl evaluative study of some of the cults of totl;iy's \\-orid.
JEiiOVAH'S WITNESSES (Part I) - ON CHRIST
One of t l l c i foremost c ~ ~ l t s of ollr ;ICC- is th;~t of the Jchovidl's \Vitncssc.s. 'l'he moclt.n~ moveulent tourard this c~rlt Ilegan in 1884, \\hen a man by the name of Charles 'l':lzc. Ru\scll incorporatc?d thr \\1;1tcl1 Tower Ril~le ;end Tract Sociely fro111 ~ n ~ . ~ ~ ~ l > e r s of an or- g;uiization c;tll~.cl the I~~trrnationnl Bilde Students Orr:~r~ization. \vlrich he had crc- ated in 1572. Russell ant1 his band of fol- lowers I~eltl several beliefs \vIiich came to I)r kno\vn collrctively as Hr~sscllism.
Rtissellisnl ;~lLcr this t i ~ ~ ~ c * clcvelopc~cl into the set of t~clicfs \vhich ;Ire attributed to the Jehovah's \17itnesses, \\rho took on this name after the death of Charles Russcll. Tllc name l ~ ~ ~ s s e l l i ~ ~ n \Ifas indred nrl ap- propriatr n;rrnc for L1lc.s~ strnnge I~clirfs, since they wele strictly the offspring of Russell's conniving mitltl. In order to study the Jehovah's \I1itncsses, therefore, we must first delve into the belicafs of Charles Tnzc Ilussell.
One of the first ;ind most r:~tlical proposi- tions macle by Russcll concerns the mirac- ulous origin and esistence of Christ. Rus- sell belicvcd that Jesus Christ was a crentiort of God, and was actually created
.I spirit 11c.ing a\ all 1111- angels 11.1tl I)c.eil creatctl. He. went hlrtl1c.r to e\plain that Christ, I d o r e IIr had assumed the h111nan nature. had in re.alit?. been the Arcl~.~ngel, l1ichat.l. Try to imagine this - God's only Son, vvry God, and very Inan, I~eir~x only an Arcl~;~ngel of the Alulighty Gocl! 11 takes only thc po\verf~~l vcrse of John 1 :1 to show the outright blasphemy of this teaching. Sote - "In the beginning was the \\'ortl, and the \\'ord was ruitlt God, and the \Vord rcc~s God." In Johrl Fj:S8, we :tlso read Chri5t's \vords, " llcfore Abraham was, I All." Hob\* strangc it is that those who have taken upon themselves the nalnc "Jehovah's \\:itnesses" - the I All's \\'ilnesses - C;III so easill- reirct I4im Who is just as really the I .oI. 'I'o believe as the Jcho\~J~'s \Vitness is to deny Christ His Eternity, (30-rsistcnce, and His Deity.
Russcllisin next dcclnres that wvl~en Cluist became a nlan in the flesh, He IcfL Spirit I~cl~ind, thereby w;lllring on t l~e earth as nothing more than a perfect human being. Rwsell himself says, "He \v;~s not exalted to the divine nature until the hurnan nature was sacrificed-dead." TIlus,
BEACON LIGHTS Seuen
lvhile on the earth, Christ hns no triice uf tllc* divine ~raturc irl Him, and lIis 1ncnrn;l- tion 1;ecornt-i of little signific;~ncc. Such mangling of thc. many beautiful Scriptural passag= that testify to Christ's t\vo n;ltrire; is aluiost r~~rbclicv;~l,le. Russellisni, I Ile- lieve, is self-contr;~dictnry. It ;lllows Cliribt a perfect hulna~l nith~rc. b11t t11t.11 calls ITil!l a liar \\.hen Ile sl~r,:~ks the \vords rccortled in lo1111 1-1:9, "tie that hath WCII me linth svm my Father." Thus it hrcon~c~s possible for a perfect m;ln to lie?
Bec;~use R~~sscllis~n proposes that Christ while on eartll hat1 only a perfcct human nature, it follo\vs tll:lt the atc~~~e-~ncnt ~f Christ for our sin \il;ls niercly the ~vork of a man. This the Russt~llitrs do not deny. In fiict, Charles R~lsscll hilliself said, "as ;I hrrrrlcrr~ being, hr g;ive hirnse:f for ;I ransoni for men." Thcreforc-, the Innn iv11~1 died on the Cross for orlr sins w.1~ 11othi11g more. tllan this - i~ I I I ~ I I . Upon reading the Ilciclell~erg Catcc11i.srtl con- cenlu~g the prol,lem of the coriiplctc s:~tis- faction for sin, we find the follou,ing ques- tion and :m\\.cr: "C;tn thcre I)e fo~uid any- where one, u.ho is a mere cre;ih~rc, able to satisfy for us? Sone; for first, C~ltl \\,ill not p1111ish any clt11c.r creah~rr for tl~c- sill \vhicli Inan hat11 con~~nitted; and, firrthcr no mere creature can s11st;lin the burden of Gocl's eternal tvrath against sin so ;LS to deliver others from it." Scnph~re ;also testifies on I)cllalf of this in Psalm 49:i'. \vhcrc* wc. read: "Nonc of them can by any mc*;ilrs rcdc%c.~n his brother, nor give to God a T I I I I S ~ ~ I I I for Him." But the Russellites are not content to stop here, \vith Christ alone making satisfaction for our sins. Xo, this sinful cult declares that wr or~rselves, by ollr cventrlal death, have ;I piirt ill this ransoin, i~nd t11nt mch of us is ;I living sacrifict?. One \vlio sincerely has ktlo\vn tlre niiscry of heing :I \inner can only stand in ; ~ w c :it tliis I~lrisphemy .~nd degradation of the Atone- ment. \Iy sinful, hateful life ;I oacrifice to\vard my ourn redemption? Thanks be to God 1 need not take a part in even the \~nallcst part of it!
Finally, ill stud>-ing the Jehovi~ll's \\'it- nesws and their beliefs concerning Christ, we must look at one more absurd proposi- tion of Russellis~n. The Russellites declare, finally, that Christ now exists as a spirit heing in Hc;~vcn. Me exists in tliis manlier
\r.ithol~t cvni so 1nuc11 ;IS a trace of ili, I ~ I I I I I ~ I I I nature. Russt.llisln deliirs tllc! Rcbsur- rection, I ~ u t rather insists that Christ's I)ody was rc.lno\~ed from the crave by supe~n;~tural mc.alls unkno\\n to 115. This, they say, \\.,is tlo~le in order that the presence of the 1)ody \vo~~ltl not hinder the f;~itli of His disciples. Tllcrt: are again Ilrllncrous passages of Scriptrlre \\-hich mpport the fact that Christ is ~ ~ o \ v in Heaven in I ~ o t l ~ nattures. One of thcsc is I Timothy " 5 , \\.here Pal11 dc~lilres t11;lt "there is one hlediator between God and man, the \IAN Jesus Christ." This evil Iwlief plninly tlrnies not only Christ's Resl~rrrction and I>odily itscensio~i, b ~ ~ t nl\o distorts or denies 1 lis Ir~tc*rc~ssion. I.lo\r. tlic ]el~ov&'s \tTihiesscs find comfort in having a Christ like this at all, is incom- 13rc.llrnsible.
Ilnviag read about the Jehovah's \\'it- ~lessc~s, \ve can surc.lp see ho\v iu~portunt it is lo know just \r.l~;rt is wrong tvilh this c ~ ~ l t , \vhich althol~gli it may appvar hiirln- less, is ;In al>on~inil)ly sinful cult. I11 the second part of this iirticle, we will look at some of their beliefs concerning man him- self.
Remember the
Beacon Lights Literary
Contest
send entries before
December 31, 1971 to
DONNA KNOPER
1438 Elliott St., S.E.
Grand Rapids, Mich. 49507
Eight BEACON LIGHTS
TH vs. E R R O R
REV. ROBT. C. HARBACH
Hate-Good I ~ ; ~ i t l l f t t l ;u~tl C11risti;un began to cot~lfort
c~nt, ;~notl~er with t l ~ c - tlro~~ght tliirt t l ~ r one \rrllosc lot it was to tlic in \'anity Fair should Irnvc the bettvr of the two, each man secretly wishing he might be that one. Then they prayctl together, committing tl1t~1nsr1vc.s to the :~ll-\vise disposal of Him \vl~o rr~les all tllillps.
'They were tlrc*rt-forc ready with co~~rplcte cotliposnre, \\.hc*n tlrt-y Lvere 11ro11ght to trial I d o r e Judgr I.l;~te-good's court. 'Three false witnesses were dredgrd up out of \'anit? Fair to testify ;~girinst them. 'I'hcse \\~~r.c.: Iq;nvy, Superstition and Picktl~i~trk. In tIrt.sc6 witnesses t11ca c1i;iracter of lhc no st :~ctivc persecutors of Christians is tlescribed. .As for Envy, tlrc incomparal~lc iirtist. 1:rcclrrick Bar~larcl, irr the \\'intluop etlition of 7'11~ Pilgrin~'.~ Progress, has clepictctl this cl~;lr;~cter \rill1 cl;r\ved Iiancl scr;rtcl~i~~g at t11(~ pn;lwiug, r a ~ ~ g i ~ ~ g ' srrpent of cliscc)~tLc~rt in his brcsast. tint1 :In cavil eyc ricncti~~g LIIC ~ I ; I I I I C of iU-natured, ~~lalicious, rna1ign;unt ~rt~t lging (and tllcrc.fort. Env) is ii for111 of Ii.~trc*tl \via desirv to injure) for wlii~t ;in- othcr has or cnjoys. Frtlncis Bilcon' wrote ~ I I 1635, three ):cars I~rforc the 1,irtll of JI ) I I I I Bu~lyan, th;~t crnvy is t l ~ e vilest ;rlFe'cc ti1111, illso thr 111ost tlrprnvecl, ant1 so is Lllr propcr nttributc. of the clevil. ( T l ~ c devil out of envy so\\,s tares ;~mong tlre wheat ).
S~~pcrstition is rcprcsrnted ul tilt \\'or- ,hipcbr of .\loloch. Ilr. Snperstitiotl is \verse
tll:~ri Alr. Atheist, for it is better LO hnvc
no opinion of God at all. 1h;rn to think that God \vould eat our children as soon as they iuo I~onl. Atheism still I,ows to logic, argn- mex~t. natural good, to principles of the same, nntl. most of all, to reputation, Athe- ism has a replltation to ~naintain. It at Iccist mitkr pretence to Enlightemiient. Supt'rstition, to the contrary, unhorses all these ant1 ~ ~ s u r p s an absol~~tc tyranny ovcsr tire mintls of men. Superstition thrives in she\\-)-, SCI~SI I ; I~ fornls a~rcl ceremonies, in h>pocritic;~l piosity. it1 n;rh~ral, intellectual rehpio~rs and ~~hilosopliical darkness, and i l l
an at~l~ospllc.rc. of occult b;rrl~:lrisrn. Super- stition ~~ntlt.rnc.;tth its sharri is contemptil)lt* defomiiltion. Rcneath tlrc carclinal's I ~ n t ant1 eKe~nin;itr chasuble there \v,&s a dog on its hiud legs.
Superst i t ion represents ;I class of low- brotv persecutors. Some of them arc crypto- atheists. Ycat they wear long rrligious rolws deep-t1yc.d in tradition, custom, formality. pon~poc~s II~IIIIIIII~I-?. and tlreatrical cerc- nlonialism. Tl~eir religion is one of tenaciclus ignorsncc., monkish austerity and childishly ridiculo~~s self-denial. Tlicir pride and farlaticism 1lardt.n~ their har ts . They sup- pose t111: i~~lagjlltd rightness of their ca\lscb and thtsir sincerity i11 pcr3istent n-rong- doing sanctify their bitter rage.
The tlrircl witness appearing against thc hvo pilqritns \\*as a close-cropped, loosr- mouthed. 1,chinhthe-hand \vhisperer naniecl Pickthank. 'This peculilir nitme is frnm
BEACON LIGHTS
Pizk-(1-fhcrrlk. Totlay, wr \vo11lt1 say he is orlc. \vllo is "al\vnys Itroking for ;I qtlarlrr." A won. rc.ccnt ter~n is S!lco~~l~ot~t, litcr:1!1y, "fig l>l:~l)l~c:r," rc>f~*rring to ;I city Ia\v in :\tllcns forl>idtlir~g the export:ltion of figs. Cert:iin f;i\\.ning fl;ittc.rers of those in nu- thority i~ntl infl~lencc* \\ 'o~~ld report to t h i ~ ~ n \\'l~;ttc.vc.r inst i~~~c~.s of illegill fig traffic tltry col~ltl uncover. They pretended to br dr- vctrd iincnts of tlie state and great enemies of thr fig-sn~~~gglers. They were therefore spies ;~ntl informers for their otvn t:nds. r\ Picbltank is then a rnenial who sc-eks the. f;l\*or?; of those in po\vc.r by officio~~s attentions in order to get ahead in thv \cporlcl. Especially an Englishnlan \vot~lcI call hinl ;I to(~lrly. That Inearls hr is a critlqinc paritsitc* \\.ho \rill do all sorts of dirty-work for his o\rPn p:~l tn gain. Once tlia nr~thor- itit~s, to prove to 511~11 ;I one \vh;it it \\*retrlt he \\.:I\, wt it dish of toads beforc him, \vllich 111: atc. and praised.:' Hence, t h ~ ~ t r r ~ n io*rtly. l'icktllank, thm, is reitlly ;I falye witness. ;I slnrltlerer, :I perscc~~tor, :I prilp- 111atist. \rho tlcspises, secretly, hoth the si~pcrstitior~s iincl tlie t n ~ r wnrshiper. Hr is ;I Slr. :\~tytIiing, :I Ilnnkie, an underling, :I
pimp, ;I look-out for i i r~~nher One. Thew lying \vitncssrs slander tlie people of Gocl in c\rcr?. i~gr .
Thcse three stood before Judge I-Iate- ,gootl. I3chi11tl 11inl sat t\vclve illore of illc pilgrims' cnernics, Hate-good's j~~ry . On thr jrltlge's riglit I1:1nci dozed tlie forcman of the jury, SIr. Rlindman. \\%enever the jury \vent out after its sessions, the \vliole lot of thc~n invariirbly fell into the ditch. This soon got tlle~n to be a dirty-looking bunch. S w t to Slr. Rlind~nan is the judge's cousin, I l r. So-good. His friends appropriately c:lll hi111 "N.G." NO good he is every\vllere - on the jury, in his busincs, in his chorcl~, :it ho~ne, in rc1:rtions with wife and children. So-good was good-for-nothing, except, pe- haps, for his spot on this jury. Who else could fill s11c11 a spot? Then there was llr. \lalice, \vhose eyes and nose were always purple wit11 rage, and whose teeth were d- \v;lys grinding together, or biting his uails, or gna\virrg his torlg~c, while he contintially stc\ved and m~lmblecl in hot-brenthccl per- h~rl>atioris against his neighbors, hot11 strong iutd \vcak, Ncst was Slr. Love-liist. a lecherous, leering old rnan whose tongue 1111ng out with drooliug as he paged
througl~ ;I Sc;lrs, RocI>uck c;lt;llog. Sest \\-;IS
Xtlr. Livc-loose., Ircitvy-litltlctl cLycx forming a perlnancrrl espression of contc,~nl,t wit11 a prrpeh~al snccr on his fi~cc~. 15v1.n Love- lust was too naive. for hinl. Tllc. sixth j ~ ~ r o r was Xlr. Heady. If 111. hntl horns, hc coultl easily pass for a sat;in. I-lis c;irs \\.cSrc. pointed, his hair thick-l>oclictl, like that of a porcupine. Yet in a rntller ficrcc \sr;ry. as the de\.il himself. disti~rgl~isllc~tl lookins. In conversation he e~nphi~sizcd his \rortls \vitll right fist thrusticg piston-fashion at his addressee's middle. His words werc. like :I
head of steam blasted at his Ilc;irer>. Ilr. Cn~elty is s e n in typical pose, Ii.;o~ing smugly with hands foltletl or1 :I st;~inle.\s \tee1 cane. Ilr. Cn~elty's canc is capped with it11 ivory de;~th's head, \vl~ich is also the handle of n removal>lc four-lr;~rrel dcr- ringer. The body of the cane corice;lli ;I 32 calihre carl~ine. \Vith tllc prcths of n hiltton on its side a rapier-like I>;~yor~c:t llicks into position. hlr. Cnrelty does~l't ti1I;c anything fro111 anybody. He lrils usc.tl Ibis cane in every one of its capacities on cbvc.ry crciitllre kno\rn to m:tn, inclutlir~g wo~irc*n ilncl cliil- tlrrn. IIis slnugrless con1c.s fro111 pride in his Icnding lil,r:lry ~ I I torturc, o ~ ~ t of \vhich he has s~~pplietl the r\ssyri;~l~s, 13:il)ylonians, Egyptialls, l'hilistincs, S;~~~lrc~tlrirr, I'il:itc, the Turks, the Inquisition, tlic N;izis, Smith- fic-Id. Xlosco\v and Peking. 'l 'lle~~ Xlr. Iligh- mind sits in drenl~~y s~~l~c~rcilior~sncss. ;is thoug11 :all his colleag~tes arc ~.irther Imors ant1 dolts con~pared to him. Ile keeps telling himself that lie is at Ici~st fifty pages l>eyo~icl anyone in any I>ook. Mr. Enmity is a masked anarchist, for a l t h o ~ ~ g l ~ he has served on many a jury onti has hinlself Iwen a judge, he has never been s ~ ~ l ~ j e c t to the law. and is constitutionally incapal>lc of it. He is perl~aps the \\.orst of the lot, for they are a11 enenlies of pilgrims, but he is Enmity itself. \Ir. Liar \vas not scrcenctl out from this jury. He, too, is ideal for Judge IIate- goocl's purposes. Like the rest. :I child of the devil, but none more than he, for the dcvil not only speaks thc lie, but is a liar (301111 8:41), and the fathcr of it, i.e., he is the father of the lie. IIc is not ~nerely a liar like others who learn lying from him, but he is the parent ant1 I'iitllcr of the l i c b itself. All lies and tlcccit arc the proper works of the devil ( IIC, 112). So Sir. Liar is busy, even in his slccp, doing
BEACON LIGHTS
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from, for, and ubout our churches JEANNE GRITTERS
From our Southeast Church: Miss Brenda Rietema and Xliclrael En-
selsma (Hope) \ifere united in marriitgc cn Octobrr T in Shawnee Park C11risti;ln Refonnrd Church. Congratulations!
llr . ;inti \In. 13cm \Vigger were blessed wit11 a baby daughter, Jmnifcr Louise, on Sove~ilber 26.
Seminarian Jim Slopserni~ ;tnd his wile rejoice ill the birth of a tlanghter, Paula Rae, born on October 7.
From our Loveland Church: A public lech~re was 11eld in the clrurch
auclitorium 011 October 28. Rev. Rngc!lsn'i~ spoke on the topic "A Defense of Calvinism as the Gospel."
From our Holland Church: The Young People's Society sponsorecl a
Hefonnation D ; I ~ sings pi ratio^^ on Octoher 31 to raise Inoney for tlir 197.' convrr~lio~~. 11r. Arnold llykstm s.lng ;I solo and a piano and organ duet \\,as givcn hy Nancy C:IIII- lnellga and CMsty Elzinga.
From our South Holland Church: Public confession of faith was 111.1de by
Lewis Bn~insnia, Robert Hoving, Rol)rrt Lenting, Karen Poortmga, Lois Poortmgl, Julie Poortinga, Kobert Poortinpa, K.ltllletn Rejpen~s, Gyhert \'an Raren, Brrt \Vo~ics, Jr.. and Peter Zandstra on Novemhcr 7.
The young people held a hayritle party on Thurqday. \ovember 18. Refreshments were \enetl .~ftenv,lrds arot~nd a 11onhc.
From our Hull Church: The Young People's Socirty sponsort:tl 11
slcating party in Rock Rapicls on \\7ecl~~es- day, October 27. Edgerton ancl Iloc~n societies merc ;~lso invited. h Refonnation Day program w;~s l~clcl on
October 31; Rev. Sloore gave he sprccli and there \\,ere special nurn1)ctrs.
From our Pella Church: Rev. Engelsma visitcd the congrcgi~tion
on Octol~er 31 and gave a public lt!ctt~rct on "Tlie Sixteenth Century Reformation nf our Church." He also preachecl tlle evening service there.
From our Hudsonville Church: Tllc: T o ~ ~ n g People's Socicb invited ~111
tllc yollng people from the neighboring c l~~~rc l r r s to a hayride on Novcmher 5. Re- frrshmmts were served aftelwards in the basv~nent of I-Iudsonville Church.
'I'ht: congregation welconletl Rcv. ancl Xlrs. Nanko ancl their c1;iughter i\licc to the church in a progranl on 0ctot)c.r 29, in \vhich a special number was given from each society. Rev. IIadio was installed on the 3lst and preachetl his ftrst sermon that
From our First Church: Tllr membership of \fibs Pi1t1ici.i K.~rsc-
Irlryer uras tr.lnsferred to otlr LI~itlzonvillr Cllr~rch.
First Sr. 1-oung Peol~lcYs Societ) sponsored a 'fl~anksgiving Mass h l e e h g on Su~day , Novc~n11,er 21. The speech was given by Rev. C. Hanko, and \\.as takcn fro111 Philip- pians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always: i~ncl nyi~in I say, Rcjoicr.." Linda Knoper gave a specinl number on the sas;lphone, il11d thy Senior society mcmlIers sang two songs.
The Beacon Lights thanks the fol-
lowing congregations for their gifts:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hope (Walker) $70.00
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Southwest 34.25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hudsonville 76.00
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Southeast 26.76
......................... Kalamazoo 17.35
And all those who contributed at the
various Singspirations:
Hudsonvil le Singspirations . $ 95.85
Southwest Singspirations 38.74
Pre-Convention . 124.53
Ttcclce BEACON LIGHTS
