IN MEMORY OF REV. P. ZANDT

Since many of our readers are not unacquainted with the late Rev. P. Zandt, we are herewith publishing a brief article in his memory. This minister was a very good friend of the late Rev. G. H. Kersten, and for many years they were coworkers for the welfare of State and Church in the Second Chamber of the Holland government. Rev. Zandt remained a member of the “Hervormde Staatskerk” and in that respect he differed from the Rev. Kersten, but in other important matters they were like two brothers and were fearless witnesses for truth and justice.

Rev. Zandt was born on March 6, 1880, and had reached the age of about 81 years when the Lord ended his useful life by death on Saturday, March 4, 1961.

We read in our Holland church paper, the “Saambinder,” the following: “For thirty-six years he has fought the battle in the Second Chamber, where in he was unwavering if it concerned the maintenance of those matters which regarded the name and the cause of the Lord.

“Very soon after the establishment of the Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij (Political Reformed Party) he became very zealous for it and soon, viz. in the year 1925, he stood at the side of the Rev. Kersten in the Second Chamber. Great friendship and a firm cooperation has always existed between these warriors. If we look backward to those earlier times and consider how great and sharp the opposition was, then great respect must fill us, yes, for him as well as for the Rev. Kersten, for he also undauntedly appeared against so much opposition.

“Even his opposers were compelled to have respect for him in all his actions. He never wanted to tolerate if it concerned the principles, but went right on to attain his purpose. He was the oldest member of the parliament. Last year Her Majesty our Queen acknowledged his merits by appointing him commander in the Order of Orange Nassau.

“We may believe, however, that this courageous warrior has been crowned with greater honor by his Lord. He has received His divine grace, whereby he has now received the crown of imperishable life in the eternal glory of heaven. He may now, as we believe with our whole heart, abide in the communion of Him Who bought him with His blood, and worship and glorify the Three-in-One God eternally.”

On February 21, 1961 he delivered his last speech before the party he loved to the end. He perhaps did not know that his journey and labors upon earth were nearly finished. He spoke at that occasion about Jer. 8:9: “Lo, they have rejected the Word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?”

A few passages from his last discourse are as follows:

“Future lies in darkness before us. The righteous are taken away from the evil day to come, and no man layeth it to heart. Jacob has become very thin, Zion goes under a cloud, the fine gold has become very dim. Judah distresses Ephraim, and Ephraim Judah, and there are not many who bewail this in uprightness of heart. It is visible that the judgment of God is expanding above us more and more, and who knows himself to be guilty before God? Iniquity has increased and the love of many waxed cold, and oh! who takes it to heart? The denial and rejection of God is seen and heard all over. Hardening of heart and impenitence are the signs of our times. Sport and games have all the desires and the love of many. No, the heathens have not called more passionately and urgently for bread and plays than people do in our days.

“Things become worse when they finance this all out of public funds, and this is a symptom which appears throughout whole Europe, (and in our country?). Thus the way is paved for a heathendom, for the downfall of the West. It appears very much that, as in the days before the deluge, people are preparing themselves more and more for an open batle against God. We do not have to doubt who shall be the losers in this fight against the Almighty and His Word.

“There are reasons that our hearts should be filled with fear when we consider that all of this is attended with a certain religiousness, and that a free-will religion gains more ground, by which they look down with scorn upon the old and tried truth and especially direct their enmity against that truth. What is to be expected from such a religion, from a religion without God and a Christendom without Christ? Nothing else than that the stream of unbelief and superstition there-by shall not be turned, but become much worse. What else than an increase of misery and woe, and an ultimate doom and destruction? It is no wonder that Europe and other countries do not come to rest, and that the tension between the mighty ones upon this earth increases greatly. Is it not evident that after the terrible second world war, a third one much more dreadful than the others shall burst out?

“It is evident that this world is in a state of distress and fear! What has brought the world into such a miserable and wretched state? What else but sin, which has made an enemy of both God and his neighbor? What else but sin, which has hardened man so awfully, that the second world war with its millions of slain and wounded, with its hundreds of thousands of widows, with its destroyed areas and cities, its hunger and misery, has taught him nothing; yea, has hardened him thus far, that he rejects more than ever the only remedy to be saved from this pit of misery and woe. Those filled with unbelief, human wisdom, and self-righteousness will have nothing to do with it; they absolutely stand in enmity against it. We may ask with the Apostle Paul: ‘Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?’

“They are ‘not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and the things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are: That no flesh should glory in His preesnee. But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.’ I Cor. lst chapter.”

He also mentions that Rev. Van Lodensteyn has written: “Our people are in general much too satisfied and restful with their Reformed catechism, their Reformed doctrines, and Reformed confession, as if it was not necessary for every person to be born again.”

In conclusion, we read in our Holland paper: “It may be exclaimed with David in this time: ‘Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?’ “

Editor.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen