CHURCH NEWS

Calls Extended

To Rev. W. C. Lamain, Grand Rapids, Michigan, by the Amsterdam Centrum, the Netherlands, Congregation.

To Rev. J. Van Haaren, Amersfoort, the Netherlands, by the Norwich, Ont., Canada Congregation.

To Rev. F. Harinck, Den Haag, the Netherlands, by the Unionville, Ont., Canada Congregation.

Calls Declined

To the Amsterdam Centrum, the Netherlands, Congregation by Rev. W.C. Lamain, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Ailing Ministers

The Rev. J. Van Zweden has recovered sufficiently from his recent illness so that he is again able to preach occasionally.

Corsica Congregation to Dedicate New Church

The Lord willing the last service in the old Corsica Church will be held on May 13, 1971 at 2:00 PM. The new church will be dedicated the same day at 8:00 PM. Rev. W. C. Lamain will officiate at both services.

THE INSTALLATION OF THE REV. C. HARINCK

On Wednesday evening, April 14, Rev. C. Harinck, was installed in Franklin Lakes. Rev. W. C. Lamain, the moderator, spoke in his introduction on the first part of Psalm 126. The congregation had been without a minister for 47 years. Many calls were sent out, but without results. Many lost their hope of ever receiving a minister of their own. Both the congregation and the consistory were gladdened when a letter arrived stating that Rev. Harinck felt constrained by God to accept their call. Many mouths were filled with laughter, as in the days of Judah’s return from captivity. The Lord has done great things. The wish was expressed that it all might be in God’s favor, and that the Lord’s rich blessing might rest upon the labors of the new minister.

The text for the installation was John 20:21–23. The subject was: The charge of the risen Christ to His disciples.

1. The disciples sent.

2. The disciples qualified.

3. The disciples authorized.

Christ sent His disciples into the world to be His servants, messengers, and witnesses, as the Father had sent His Son to be His Servant, Messenger, and Witness. With various texts, also in the Old Testament, he showed how the Father had sent His Son. Now Christ sends His disciples, which He had already called in Matth. 10. A divine calling is necessary, first an internal calling by the Spirit and the Word of God; and then also a calling to the ministry in the church of God. (Rom. 10) What a blessing when we can say with Paul that we are called not by man, but by Jesus Christ. God’s servants are at God’s time sent to the place ordained for them and qualified.

Christ “breathed on them”. In Gen. 2:7 we read: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” There was no life in man until God breathed in the breath of life. In that breathing upon the disciples we see that all spiritual ministry must begin with being breathed upon by the Holy Spirit. The minister spoke of the weight of the ministry, not only in this time, but also one day when we shall all be summoned before that great Judge to give an account of our stewardship. Who is sufficient for these things? Preaching is a work that we shall never be able to do of ourselves. We feel more and more how blind and foolish we are. It was especially mentioned that the minister will have to preach in the language of the land, for the Dutch element of the congregation is disappearing.

By His breathing on them Christ signified the reviving of His work in their hearts and the restoration of their privileges as His ambassadors. The wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. “Receive ye the Holy Ghost”, as the Spirit of knowledge, Isa. 11:2. How much God’s servants need light, in their ministry as well as in their personal life, light upon light. Christ must open their understanding so that they may understand the Scripture, Luke 24:45. The counsel of Joseph Irons was given to the minister to be installed; “Preach Scriptually, experimentally, and practically”. Death in Adam, and life in Christ. The sovereignty of God, and the responsibility of man.

Verse 23 speaks of the authority of God’s servants. Calvin says of this text; “When Christ commissions His apostles to forgive sins, He does not delegate to them a power which is essentially His. As the true God He has the power to forgive sins. He commissions them to proclaim in His Name the remission of their sins, so that by their ministry, men (the elect) may be reconciled to God”.

Christ clothes His servants with authority to declare whose sins are forgiven and whose are not forgiven, just as the priest in the O.T. declared in cases of leprosy who was clean and who was not. There is no case reported in the Acts or in the Epistles in which an apostle took upon himself to forgive sins.

In closing, the congregation and particularly the young people were admonished to submit themselves to the authority of God’s servants. May his ministry be a blessing to many, but above all to the honor and glory of the Triune God.

After the Form for installation had been read Rev. Harinck answered the questions with a solemn “Yes, truly, with all my heart.” The congregation then arose and sang Psalter No. 372.

The pastor and his family, the consistory and the congregation were addressed in a cordial manner after which the service was closed in the usual manner.

The consistories of Clifton and Peoples Park were represented both at the installation and at the inaugural sermon.

THE INAUGURAL SERMON

of the REV. C. HARINCK

Preached in Franklin Lakes, N. J.,

on April 15, 1971

The beautiful new church of Franklin Lakes was filled to capacity when the Rev. C. Harinck ascended the pulpit at 7:45 P.M. The service was conducted in the English language, and was begun by pronouncing the votum and the greeting, after which Psalter No. 417 was sung. Scripture reading was Genesis 24:32–67.

After prayer the minister declared briefly how the Lord had loosed him from his congregation in Utrecht and bound him to an unknown congregation in far-away America. As Abraham once sent Eliezer to far-away Ur of the Chaldees to find a wife there for Isaac, so the Lord had shown him that He would use him in Franklin Lakes to seek a bridge for the great Isaac, Jesus Christ.

With a text out of this history he wished therefore to bind himself to the congregation. The text was Genesis 24:58.

“And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.”

The subject was; The marriage of Isaac and Rebekah.

1. Eliezer’s search for Rebekah

2. Eliezer’s question to Rebekah

3. Eliezer’s guidance of Rebekah

While enlarging upon these three points the emphasis was laid on the labor of Eliezer in obtaining a wife for Isaac. It was compared to the labor of God’s servants. By means of sinful men and by means of the foolishness of preaching it pleases God to gather a church unto Himself. The Holy Spirit is the One that gathers this elect church by means of the preaching. This labor bore fruit in the heart of Rebekah. In her choice to go with an unknown Eliezer to an unknown bridegroom we see the wondrous work of the Holy Spirit in leading sinners to Christ. But also in that work it pleases God to use His servants. Eliezer’s task was not finished when he had found Rebekah, he must also lead her through the wilderness to Isaac. The narrative closes as Rebekah meets Isaac. What a wonder it is when a black condemnable bride may meet the Bridegroom Christ.

The minister then thanked the congregation for the very friendly reception they gave the Harinck family, also for the many gifts of welcome received, and especially for the car which was presented to him in the name of the congregation.

He hoped to live in a good relationship with the consistory, so that together they might seek the good of Jerusalem. He would do all in his power to work with the English language since that is so essential for the congregation, and especially for the young people.

He then addressed Rev. Lamain, who had installed him. He thanked him kindly for the manner in which he had installed him and had welcomed him. He also thanked the Rev. M. Heerschap for his presence and for the welcome given his family.

Then Rev. Heerschap addressed Rev. Harinck in the name of Classis and Synod. He expressed the wish that Rev. Harinck might find many Rebekahs in Franklin Lakes.

Elder Roose, the president of the consistory, welcomed the Rev. and Mrs. Harinck and their children and father-in-law heartily in the name of the congregation. He said what a wonder it was that the Lord had remembered them, an unworthy congregation. He hoped to give them all his love and support so that they may soon feel at home in this strange land.

Elder Pekaar, who can still speak the Holland language very well, addressed Mrs. Harinck, her father and the children in that language to welcome them heartily.

Then Elder Roose addressed Rev. Lamain to thank him for all his labors as moderator. Many times he traveled the 800 miles to serve them with the Word of God and the sacraments.

For Rev. Harinck he prayed that he might be the means of leading many Rebekahs out of their midst, especially of the young people to the great Isaac, Jesus Christ.

Then the congregation arose to sing to their new minister Psalter No. 345, after which he pronounced the priestly blessing upon the congregation for the first time. Thus this impressive service was concluded.

As the congregation went homeward, they marvelled at what God had given them.

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