OUR MONTHLY PUBLICATION

MY dear friends:

Have you heard the latest reports from our Classical meeting held on March 6, 1934? It reads as follows; Article 8, “The publishing of a monthly paper in both the Holland and English language is now considered. The usefulness and necessity were shown, and it was then decided to undertake this matter.”

This being the latest decision concerning the benefit of the Church at large, we now commence this great undertaking. It is indeed a great task to begin when we consider present dark and dismal conditions of Church and State. It is true, that the financial means are very scanty, especially when the cause of Christ needs support of this kind, but let us bear in mind it is the Lord’s cause, and therefore it is also His battle. With our eye upon Him as our Leader in the great spiritual war against the Prince of darkness, let us go forth in His strength. Let us arm ourselves with His armour as the Apostle Paul teaches in his Epistle to the Ephesians, the 6th chapter, verses 10 to 20 inclusive: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, (and for us who must undertake this publication by the help of God, that our hearts and pen may give utterance, to make known the mysteries of the gospel, that we may speak boldly, as we ought to speak) that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

In these verses we can see that the Apostle also experienced great difficulties in the warfare of Light against Darkness. And he sounds the alarm of preparation thereunto and directs us to the true and proper weapons to use in this battle. Weak in ourselves, but! be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Stand with loins girted about with Truth, and Righteousness as our Breastplate. And shoes of impregnible durability the Gospel of Peace. And above all the shield of Faith which will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Covered with salvation as our helmet and the Spirit our sword, to smite, slay and destroy everything of the kingdom of darkness and so fell sinners at the feet of Jesus as poor and needy, being the Word of God. Finally, Pray always and Watch with all perseverance and supplication.

Friends, thus speaks the Apostle to us by the Spirit of God. Instructive, comfortable and timely encouragement and admonition to us in our purpose and aim in the printing and publishing of a monthly religious paper to sow the good seed of the Word. Let not the evil one hinder you by casting so many barriers and stonewalls of every description before you. May you be able to use the Shield of Faith which will quench every fiery dart that Satan will hurl at you. He certainly will call forth every dart to fling at you because he cannot withstand Truth and Righteousness, therefore, watch and pray.

The purpose of this paper is to sow the Word of God in the field of humanity. And to inform our members and friends concerning our activities in the churches. To bind one another more closely together in the christian ties of love and unity; that we may walk and talk in fellowship one with another. The usefulness of this paper you are no doubt convinced of; but, you ask, where does the necessity come in? When we view the wiles of the devil which covers the earth as the clouds in the skies, I ask, is there no need of this sowing? Satan is ever busy sowing tares, and it is ours to sow the good seed of God’s Word, which teaches us in Ecclesiastes 11:6, “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether they shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” Therefore we prayerfully submit the following verses with the hope that we all may remember to ask His blessing on this work.

Upon the stormy waters
The Bread of Life we cast,
With cheerful trust believing
It shall be found at last:

One Eye shall ever watch it—
The Eye of Him Who sees
Each tiny seedling scattered
By summer’s passing breeze.

His never-failing promise
Jehovah will fulfill;
The Seed be found in glory
According to His Will.
(Author unknown)

To raise the “Banner of Truth” is no small thing. It calls for courage and for faith to fight the great and terrible battle in these doleful days of dead and passive faith. And looking at the army we would shrink from battle. But are we to contend ourselves with these beggarly elements of human frailty and weakness, then, all is lost, but we know, (as did the dear King of Sweden, in the early 1600’s when he composed the battle hymn which follows), that our cause is the Lord’s cause. We herewith commend this publication to you.

“Fear not, O little flock, the foe
Who madly seeks your overthrow,
Nor dread his rage and power;
What though your courage sometimes faints,
His seeming triumph o’er God’s saints
Lasts but a little hour.

Be of good cheer; your cause belongs
To Him who can avenge your wrongs,
Then leave it to your Lord;
Though hidden yet from all our eyes,
He sees the Gideon who shall rise
To save us and His Word.

As true as God’s own Word is true,
Not earth, nor hell, with all their crew,
Against us shall prevail.
A jest and byword are they grown,
God is with us, we are His own,
Our victory cannot fail.

Amen, Lord Jesus, grant our prayer;
Great Captain, now Thine arm make bare,
Fight for us once again;
So shall the saints and martyrs raise
A mighty chorus to Thy praise
World without end. Amen.”

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