THE NETHERLAND REFORMED CHURCHES OF AMERICA

The Synod of the Netherland Reformed Churches in the United States of America, convened at Grand Rapids, Michigan, on May 19, 1938, and the delegates have deemed it necessary to direct the following communication to our Right Honorable Sir Mr. Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, and to every member of the Government of our nation.

As citizens of our country, we can not approve of the plan for again reducing the acreage on a number of crops this year. There is also involved the great danger of this becoming compulsory whereby the farmer will be deprived of his liberty. We believe that the farmers should be encouraged to plow their fields and sow their seed most diligently, so that, with the blessing of the God of heaven and earth, there may be an abundance of crops for man and beast; and that the poor amongst us may also be abundantly satisfied therefrom. This may be greatly hindered by reducing the acreage of any crops.

When God favors any nation or people with plentiful goods, “in the fruit of thy cattle and in the fruit of thy grounds,” it is a great blessing which He bestows upon His sinful and unworthy creatures, through Jesus Christ. See Deuteronomy 28 verse 11 & 12; and Psalm 65:10-14.

It is then a most grave situation for the nation when the acreage of crops is reduced and curtailed in opposition to God’s Holy Word. If the God of Providence were to withhold the rain in its season, and send a famine in our land, would not our consciences convict us as being the cause thereof and would not self remorse be our portion?

Most honorable sirs, may God, who is the Fountain of wisdom, fill your hearts and minds with true wisdom and holy thoughtfulness.

There is also another serious matter, which we can not refrain from bringing to your attention, for it has a direct bearing upon the present state of our nation and people as well as upon our future welfare.

It is apparent that our Government and a large number of our people have to combat with many perplexing difficulties. How different it is now from only a few years ago, when every one that was able and willing to work could earn his own livelihood.

We know that some natural causes for these conditions can be mentioned, but they too are all in God’s hand. God is the first cause in all these things. He is the God of Providence. God reigns over all and will manifest His Almighty Power either in blessing or in cursing. He is an everlasting Sovereign Lord, and worthy to be revered by Government and People, both ascribing justice and righteousness to Him.

God displayed before His servant Moses the terrible things He would bring to pass upon Israel whenever they would forsake Him and His Commandments, (Deut. 28:58-61). And, although God was very long suffering with His Israel, yet in His time He brought all the pronounced curses upon that once favored and blessed people. Honorable Sirs, we firmly believe that God is speaking to us in the signs of the times and that all the particular misery of the last years has come upon us because of our sins and because of the departure from God of both the Government and the People, although there always have been some exceptions.

Although God’s displeasure is seen and felt on every side in His just punishments, yet, in general, man continueth in all manner of wickedness; forgetful of our omniscient God and of His divine commandments. Both the Great and the small have little or no respect for the King of kings and Lord of lords. The desecrating of the holy day of the Lord is awful and it has been made a worldly feast day by our nation. Beholding all the soul destroying sports and pleasures of our day, it is manifest that a supposedly Christian nation is rapidly declining into heathenism again.

It can not be denied that our honorable Government have endeavored, in the last years, to improve the conditions, but—alas! without success. There is no nation in the world that (to our knowledge) is so awfully burdened with debt as our beloved country; the unemployment and misery are as great as ever; dissatisfaction and division have greatly increased; and so we could enumerate many more things, but let these suffice.

We are firmly convinced that, according to the infallible Word of God (the Holy Bible) every method that is adopted (and which is also supported by millions of dollars) to restore our nation and people to the former prosperous times, will fail, as long as our Government and people continue to walk in the paths which they are now treading. Many may imagine that they can act independently of God and set matters to rights depending upon their own genius and wit, but God is Lord over all and every creature is dependent upon Him, therefore who shall strive against God end prosper? None!

May we, humbly and with all due respect and sincere love for the welfare of our nation and people, Church and State, direct your attention to the only true source for the healing and restoration of our sorely afflicted land?

We must confess our sins and, covering our faces in shame, return unto God whose Commandments we have transgressed and whose Statutes we have disdained. Iniquity must be banished by executing justice, and His holy will which is revealed in His word must be performed under prayerful attendance upon Him. God will show mercy, in Christ, unto a penitent people that return unto Him.

If we were to tread in such paths, we believe, that the endeavors towards our recovery would succeed; but if Government and People continue in the paths of sin and iniquity and of the forsaking of God, we fear that our Just and Holy God—whose forbearance has been exceedingly great—will continue to avenge himself of the evil. God will glorify His virtues in punishing iniquity, if His creatures will not honor Him by walking in His ways.

May you as Government set the example in every good word and deed. Having been exalted above the People, may you urge the great and the small, the rich and the poor, to turn unto the Lord and to His Holy Word. Thus did the Rulers of the Old and the New Testament dispensations, on which the blessing of God rested abundantly. Let not any single thing be left undone towards the uprooting and destroying of the practices of ungodliness or wickedness.

We fear that this advice and demonstration of love, will not be heeded; however, this Ecclesiastical Assembly has discharged its heavenly calling and has evidenced its genuine love for Government and People.

May our God, from whom all blessings flow, bless thee with understanding in all matters.

In the name of The Netherland Reformed Churches in the United States of America.

Rev. J. C. Wielhouwer, President

Mr. P. Verblaauw, Secretary

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