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OUR CHURCH ORDER

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OUR CHURCH ORDER

9 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

Article 54

“Likewise the school teachers shall subscribe to the aforesaid Articles or instead thereof to the Christian Catechism.”

From this Article it is evident that it is necessary and profitable to have school teachers to instruct the youth in the pure doctrine of the Bible. By subscribing to the Confessional writings these Teachers express their concurrence with them and pledge themselves to instil this pure doctrine into the minds of the youth.

The Reformed Church (The Netherlands) altered above article in their Synod of 1905 to read: “Likewise the Elders and Deacons and those who are admitted by a Classis as a candidate shall subscribe to aforesaid Forms of Unity.”

Although it is also profitable that Elders, Deacons and Candidates for the Ministry subscribe to the Forms of Unity it is nevertheless to be regretted that school teachers were eliminated from this Article.

Article 55

“No one of the Reformed Religion shall presume to have printed or published in any other way any book or writing, treating of Religion, prepared or translated by himself or by someone else, unless it is previously looked over and approved by the Ministers of the Word of his Classis, or by the Particular Synod, or by the Professors of Theology of these Provinces, but with the knowledge of his Classis.”

This article is about the approval of books. The Synod considered this to be essential. Not only books written by one’s self, but also translated works are to be looked over and approved in above-mentioned manner before they are printed and published.” The Roman Catholic Church forbade the publishing and distribution of Reformed writings;—the Dort fathers did the opposite and forbade the publishings of writings which were not Reformed. The pure doctrine of God’s Word and not false doctrine was to be propagated and read.

From many old books we can see that this decision of Synod was enforced in former years. It was not long, however, before it came to be neglected.

The Christian Reformed Church in America has substituted the following: “To ward off false doctrines and errors that multiply exceedingly through heretical writings, the ministers and elders shall use the means of teaching, of refutation, of warning and of admonition, as well in the ministry of the Word as in Christian teaching and family visiting.”

What about the enforcement of this article in our own Reformed Congregations? It has come to be neglected long ago. It is seldom if ever enforced.

However, this article has been retained in order to be adhered to. By adhering to it much difficulty can be avoided. The best way of executing this article is by having each Classis appoint a Committee for this purpose.

—J. v. Z.

Article 56

“The Covenant of God shall be sealed to the children of Christians by Baptism as soon as the administration thereof is feasible, in the public assembly when the Word of God is preached. But in those places where sermons are preached less frequently, a certain day of the week shall be set aside for the administration of Baptism in a special service, not however, without the preaching of a sermon.”

Articles 56 to 60 inclusive treat of Holy Baptism.

Baptism shall be administered by a lawful Minister of the Word. Christ, the heavenly Administrator of the Sanctuary, sent forth his disciples to proclaim the Gospel and to baptize, Matth 28:19. He who is not lawfully called and sent by God has no heavenly right to perform this work.

Baptism is to be administered in the public assembly of the congregation, where the Word of God is preached. The Word and the Sacraments belong together.

This article condemns the action of many young parents who have their child baptized at home, as well as the action of those Ministers who comply with their wishes in this matter. These parents do not desire to attend with the congregation nor join themselves to them, but they do want their child baptized. It is hoped that they may learn to walk in the right ways of God.

Baptism shall be administered to the children “as soon as the administration thereof is feasible.” We read of Guido de Bres, the framer of our Confession of Faith, that he had his first child baptized the day after it was born. The sons of the Israelites, according to the command of God, had to be circumcised the eighth day. The ordinances of God are to be kept with all diligence. Circumstances may sometimes make it necessary to defer baptism of the child.

The lay baptism of the Roman Catholics is to be condemned. We believe that a child can also be saved without external baptism with water.

What children are to be baptized ? Children of Christians or believing parents. The Covenant and its promises pertain to them. Their children shall bear the sign of the Covenant. Consider the ancient Israelites and see the Form of Baptism. Read also Article 34 of the Confession of Faith.

Children of members by baptism only are not to be baptized. They are to be seriously admonished to join themselves to the church of the Lord by means of public confession in order that their seed may receive baptism in the proper manner.

Parents under censure cannot have their children baptized. They are still members of the church, but the exercise or use of their rights has been taken from them during their censure.

If one of the parents is not under censure he retains the right to have the child baptized.

Finally the question: “May adopted children be baptized?” A certain writer states the following: “It all depends whether or not they are children of believing parents. If they are, then the foster-parents may have the child baptized, provided they are members of the church. If they are not children of believing parents they may not be baptized. A case of this kind came before the Synod of Dort, 1618–19. The Rev. Hulsebos of Jacatra asked the question whether children of heathens adopted by Christian families might be baptized. The British theologians, among others, said yes, because Abraham also circumcised heathen children, Gen. 17:12, 13. But the Synod answered: No. The fact that such heathen children are adopted by Christian families and are brought up in a Christian manner does not give them a right to baptism. Abraham did not circumcise all the heathen children in that vicinity, but only the children of his slaves, who had learned to serve Abraham’s God and had first become circumcised themselves. The Rev. W. Brakel also states: “The children who are to be baptized may not be children of Jews, Turks, Heathens and heretics, even though they have been adopted by a covenant member, because the adoption does not alter the fact that they are not born in the covenant.”

Article 57

“The Ministers shall do their best and put forth every effort to have the father present his child for baptism. And in the Congregations where Sponsors or Witnesses are taken at Baptism beside the father (which custom, not being objectionable in itself, is not easily changed) it is proper that such be taken who agree with the pure doctrine and are pious in their conversation.”

In order to grasp the intention of this article some explanation is necessary.

We bring to mind the Church of the Reformation as the Lord in a marvellous manner caused it to come forth out of the Roman institution. Regarding baptism it was a deep-rooted custom in the Roman Catholic Church that sponsors or godfathers and godmothers took the place of the parents when a child was baptized. And so there were witnesses at the baptism of the child who came to be considered as spiritual parents.

The Reformers would have nothing to do with this system. They were convinced that the natural parents had to present their child for baptism, answer the questions put to them and be responsible for bringing up and instructing the child, as this is clearly expressed in the Form of Baptism.

Experience has always taught that deep-rooted customs cannot be done way with all at once. Still the Synod of Dort was of the opinion that a change had to take place. For this reason they said: “The Ministers shall do their best and put forth every effort to have the father present his child for baptism.”

Why did the father have to present his child for baptism and why is the mother not mentioned at all? Was not this slighting to the mother? Not at all. We must not forget that at that time the child was baptized at the first opportunity and therefore the mother was not able to be present at the baptismal ceremony. Later on this was changed; baptism was not administered until both parents could be present. However, it is still essential at present not to defer baptism any longer than necessary, not only from regard to the ordinance of God, but also because the child has a right to Holy Baptism immediately at birth.

The second part of the article informs us that the parents did retain the liberty to have witnesses appear at the baptism of the child beside themselves. These witnesses, however, had to agree with the pure doctrine and be pious in their conversation.

History teaches us that in the 16th and 17th centuries it long remained the custom to have witnesses beside the parents to be surety for the Christian bringing up of the child and as eventual witnesses to prove that the child was baptized. But in the 18th and 19th centuries this custom gradually fell into disuse.

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Bekijk de hele uitgave van vrijdag 1 januari 1943

The Banner of Truth | 16 Pagina's

OUR CHURCH ORDER

Bekijk de hele uitgave van vrijdag 1 januari 1943

The Banner of Truth | 16 Pagina's