MISSION TIDINGS

GIFTS RECEIVED FOR MISSIONS IN JANUARY 1983

CLASSIS EAST SOURCE AMOUNT

Clifton Dorcas Guild Gift $ 175.00

Friend in Paterson Gift 100.00

Clifton Miscellaneous 162.00

Friend in Prospect Park Gift 10.00

Unionville Gift 500.00

Hamilton Gift 800.00

St. Catharines Calendars 161.00

St. Catharines Gift 500.00

St. Catharines (Trafena) Gift 590.00

Unionville Calendars 126.00

Friend in Lynwood Gift 100.00

Friend in Michigan Gift 150.00

Friend in Grand Rapids Gift 75.00

Grand Rapids Gift 509.81

Kalamazoo Gift 600.00

Kalamazoo Calendars 120.00

Kalamazoo Donation 565.00

Grand Rapids Calendars 150.00

CLASSIS MID WEST

Friend in Sheboygan Gift 50.00

Sheboygan Calendars 90.00

Friend in Waupun Gift 100.00

Sioux Center Calendars 33.00

Rock Valley Gift 200.00

Rock Valley Gift 200.00

Waupun Calendars 90.00

CLASSIS FAR WEST

Friend in Chilliwack Gift 75.00

Sunnyside Gift 2000.00

Artesia Collection 258.70

OTHER Friend in Manhattan,

Montana Gift 50.00

TOTAL: $8,540.51 Dear friends:

Dear friends,

The prophet Jeremiah in Lamentations 3:22 exclaims “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” Therefore we are priviledged to start a new year. Already in this year we were priviledged to receive good support for the mission work, for which we want to thank you all.

May the Lord truly bless you and your gifts. We are glad to inform you that Mike Meeuwse, after a long wait, received his license to fly the helicopter in New Guinea, a long awaited for blessing. May the Lord truly be acknowledged therein. May the Lord protect him when flying in that dangerous terrain.

Mr. and Mrs. William Moerdyk went to the Netherlands to visit their children, Tom and Meta Moerdyk and family. Meta is gradually improving.

American General Mission Fund

Netherland Reformed Congregations of United States and Canada

John Spaans, Treasurer

R.R.I Box212

Rock Valley, Iowa 51247

AN URGENT REQUEST FROM THE MISSION BOARD

As we all know, before the Lord Jesus left this world He told His disciples, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). In Luke 24:47 we read, “And that re-

pentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

This was the great commission for the apostles and God’s church on earth, namely, to bring the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. Even though our congregations do not have large memberships, we nevertheless are to do that which our hands find to do. We must especially learn to pray that the Lord of the harvest would provide us men, called from above, to go and preach the Gospel in one or more heathen countries. We know that some friends will say, “But the need is already so great in our midst.” This we cannot and will not deny. But is there really supplication for this to the Throne of Grace? We sometimes fear that it is more talk than prayer!

The November issue of the Banner of Truth carried an announcement from the Mission Board that there may be an opportunity to begin Mission work in Haiti on a small, simple scale. At the same time we asked for persons who may have received a desire, a need in their heart, to conduct a thorough investigation there, and explore ways in which we could possibly set up a Mission post. The foremost task of Mission work is to proclaim the Gospel; let us not be mistaken about this. But the poor people of Haiti (hundred thousands of them) lack proper medical care, are insufficiently nourished; many of them are not able to attend school; they do not know how to grow crops very well; and many children are destitute orphans. The Mission Board feels these needs should be investigated in order to find out what could possibly be done and in what way it would be possible to bring God’s Word there.

What are the requirements for applicants? It is mandatory that such persons learn the Creole language. Moreover, in the first six months the task will not only consist of orienting themselves in Haiti, but also preparing reports. These reports are to outline the investigations, commenting on the possibilities of sending out a Mission team which would provide for education, for medical care, for agricultural instructions, for help in social needs such as with the orphans, or a combination of these. If such work is not feasible, this should also be honestly reported.

Humanly speaking, we must begin with a part of this type of help, thereby assuring the governmental authorities in Haiti that we will really help the poor people. If we do not begin in this way, the door will be closed for us in the event that the Lord would give a Mission minister in His favor and we would desire to help him there. In other words, the Mission Board is first attempting to help in social needs in order to have an open door in the event the Lord would be pleased to give us a minister for Haiti.

Some young friends have already applied. However, it is necessary that they be accompanied by a person or married couple with more maturity and experience, capable of making many decisions. Is there anyone, perhaps between the ages of 25 and 40, who fears the Lord and feels the call to such a task? If so, please write or call at once for more information from our clerk, Rev. A. W. Verhoef, 9524 Woodbine Street South, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada V2P 5S4. His telephone number is 604/ 795-9075.

The next meeting of our board is scheduled, God willing, for April 5, 1983, in Sioux Center, and we hope that the Lord will gladden our hearts and bless us with undeserved blessings.

On behalf of the Mission Board,

Rev. A. M. Den Boer, president

Rev. A. W. Verhoef, clerk

MISSION TIDINGS FROM IZI

Izi, November 1982

Dear friends,

A warm greeting from a warm country! Why do you receive this letter? Because you are interested in our life and work on the mission field. Many of you are keeping contact with us through your letters, cards and prayers. We thank you sincerely for that. It would take us too much time to reply to every letter. And if we do reply, then it is usually in Dutch. That is why we write this letter in English for all our friends from outside Holland, to let you share in the work of Christ in Nigeria.

February, 1981, the church in Holland sent us for missionary work to Izi, Nigeria. Six years before, the Word of God was preached there for the first time by Johan Commelin. A small church came into being, a church under persecution but not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Johan and his family had to leave, but others came. There was need for a pastor to administer the sacraments, organize a regular church life and train more leaders through the Bible School. That is how we came.

We are living in a village close to a stream (Onuenyim). North of the stream is the Igede area. Izi is part of Anambra State. Anambra is one of the 19 states which make up the federal republic of Nigeria. Nigeria is part of West Africa, not far from the equator.

We feel very much at home in this rural area. The Lord has made everything well. Our papers were stolen when visiting a town. But just recently we have received our residence permits. We have been to Holland for a few weeks due to serious ill-health of Tineke’s father, but he is still alive.

Out team consists of a nurse/midwife, an agriculturalist and his wife, a doctor and his wife, a teacher and his wife, a nurse/tutor and we ourselves. We expect a linguist/translator in the beginning of 1983. Most of us have been sick with hepatitis, but we have recovered now. Gert-Jan, our 2½ year old son, is the most healthy one, and is close friends with his Izi playmates.

Tineke and I are expecting a child by the end of January. The doctors foresee complicatons and they advise her to go home for the delivery. That means I will be alone for a couple of months.

In March, 2 years will have passed since we came here. In April I hope to join Tineke for our first furlough. A term is 2 years, the short periods of furlough-inside-Nigeria included. In such periods we usually go to Jos, 350 miles to the North, situated on a mountainous plateau, cool and refreshing. Once every 2 months Tineke and I visit our “sister-team” in Igede (Benue State), working with the Methodist Church of Nigeria.

We are still trying to master the Izi language, but “Izi is not easy”. Some people consider it as a dialect of Ibo (the Izis are somehow related to the Ibos, the former Biafrans), but we would say it’s a language. The New Testament and parts of the OT are translated into Izi, but illiteracy is still rampant.

Tineke is working with a women’s group of the church (sewing, hygiene, Bible teaching). It takes much time to keep a household running. She is teaching the Mission children who are still too young for Primary School. And, last but not least, she is doing an awfully lot of typing for me.

Nigeria is a big country with a population of almost 100 million (most of them younger than 25). It has a democratic government which is not hostile towards church and mission activities. That could change when the Muslims would become a majority. Right now about 40% is Muslim and about 30% is Christian. There are all kinds of churches and independent Christian movements, many of them growing fast. In the South East, where we are living, there are hardly any Muslims. In Izi the great majority is still sticking to the traditional religion. But the wind of change is strong. Recently the Lutherans have started work in Izi, too (besides the Roman Catholics, Assemblies of God and us).

We have entered the country under the umbrella of the Sudan United Mission. That is an international and interdenominational organization, working mainly in Nigeria, Tchad, Cameroun and Sudan. The churches that have sprung up from the S.U.M. work are in contact, but every church is free to have its own confession and church polity. Basically they are evangelical.

The church in Izi is called the Nigeria Reformed Church. As you will notice there is some faith in that name (the church expecting to spread throughout the country). However, it is still a very young church. Four years ago there were 6 congregations, two years ago there were 8, now there are 16. Attendance is about 2500 a Sunday and is rapidly increasing.

Recently we had a visit from our Home Board deputees and we discussed the future of the work. With the help of God we want to reach out for new areas in Izi. We believe now is the time to move. That requires more evangelists on the side of the church and more workers on the side of the mission. But we trust that God will provide in all the needs of His own work.

The church has several departments. First, the proclamation of God’s Word: pastoral work in the church, Bible School and evangelism. Secondly, the medical work: health centre, outside clinics and a training school for community health aids. Thirdly, the agricultural work: projects mainly with church members, local preachers, students of the Bible School and Medical School. This so called holistic or comprehensive approach seems biblically most justified and culturally most appropriate.

My own work, as you will understand, is in the first “department”, with emphasis on the pastorate and teaching. Let me mention some aspects.

1. The heart of everything is the Sunday worship service (morning and afternoon), as it is the Word of God that calls dead sinners to life and to the only comfort in Jesus. Black or white, we all need the same!

2. Several people have received baptism by now, their children included. The Lord’s Supper is celebrated in three communion centers, 4 times a year.

3. Catechism classes are conducted in every church, a first class for beginners and a second class for baptism candidates. An Izi-primer belongs to the instruction material, as a help for the people to read the Bible by themselves. Most of the teachers are Izis.

4. The preaching on Sunday, for the greater part, is done by the Izis. On Friday evening I help them to prepare a sermon. Usually we preach a series of sermons (on Genesis, the parables of Jesus, the Ten Commandments, 1 Corinthians, etc.,).

5. The people of the church have to be visited. No one will know how they think and feel unless you see them at home, with a real interest in their affairs. Sickness and death are always around in this area, where a good system of health care and education is still lacking. In crisis situations Christians, even the most faithful ones, may still fall back in pagan practices.

6. Marriage is always a happy thing, but it is also a source of very complicated problems. In the clash between 2 cultures we are called to give light from the Word of God about such matters as polygamy, customary marriage, childbirth, and so on. It is not easy.

7. Fortunately we have the help of very devoted Izi Christians. We do not want to have a church dominated by whites. Most of the church matters are discussed and decided in the Church Committee, e.g. admission to baptism, Bible School, or the work of preaching, and disciplinary matters.

8. Besides that we have a General Church Meeting for all other matters. In this council each congregation is represented by 3 members. The General Church Meeting will slowly grow into a regular classis or synod. The Church Committee will probably be dissolved, when (all) churches have their own consistory (elders and deacons).

9. Church leaders are trained at the Bible and Agric School. Hielke Visser is teaching the lower level, Tom Moerdijk and I the higher level, post primary school. Tom is the man for agriculture. After (sometimes during or even before) their training the students find their place in the church as preacher, catechist, evangelist, Sunday school teacher etc. The B.A.S. is the focal point in church life, especially in this period of expansion.

10. Two young men are trained in Mkar (Benue State) at the Reformed Theological College of Nigeria. I go there regularly to visit them and to attend the meetings of the Board of Governors. When they graduate they will come back to Izi, the Lord willing, and become the first Izi-pastors.

The church in Izi is growing. It is growing in numbers, but we pray also in depth. “Unless a man is born again, he will never see God’s Kingdom.” But the Word of the Lord will not return empty. The Father has chosen His people before the foundation of the world. The Son has redeemed them at the expense of His own blood. And the Holy Spirit will draw them out of the darkness into His wonderful light. What a privilege to be a small instrument in the hands of the Master! His work will continue, very often not thanks to us, but in spite of us.

And now we have to stop. The letter has become longer than we envisioned. Yet we hope you want to read it carefully; it may take some 2 years before you receive the next one. It is hard to give a good impression of the life and work in Izi, but this newsletter may serve to be a help in remembering us and, even more important, in praying for us. That is what we need most. Be assured of our prayers on your behalf; we hope never to forget you. May the Lord bless you and protect you.

Family Cees Sonnevelt

Rev. C. Sonnevelt

P.M.B.49

ABAKALIKI

Anambra State

NIGERIA

OUR ENGAGEMENT

Not with an unbeliever Part III

But regardless of our personal well or woe, however important that may be, the commandment of the Lord is in the first place the rule according to which we must conduct ourselves.

That commandment is clear and cannot be contradicted. God forbids the mingling of the “holy seed” with the children of the world. They sometimes think that once the marriage is performed, agreement will be reached in this matter.

Sometimes we hear the foolish thought that by such a marriage a person who is estranged from the Christian truth will be brought to the doctrine of Christ. The apostle, however, strongly counsels against such an alliance when he says that no believer shall be yoked with an unbeliever.

By the word believers we denote people who confess the Christian truth and want to live according to it, and by unbelievers we mean those who are estranged from the knowledge of truth. But then we must not try to obscure the seriousness of the issue by using sophistry. Perhaps we appeal to an example with which we are familiar, by which we seem to be justified in our opinion in this matter.

We know that there are examples of marriages that began in wrong ways, but finally, by the grace of God, became blessed and happy marriages. But that did not happen as a result of the wrong beginning, but in spite of it. There are, on the other hand, many other examples that prove to us that we cannot slight God’s law with impunity. We think of the marriage of Samson with the Philistine woman. This marriage was not outside of God’s counsel. It even had to serve to give Samson an occasion to grapple with the Philistines. But the marriage itself was an unlawful alliance. Samson’s parents were at first justly opposed to this marriage, and asked Samson whether there was no wife for him among the daughters of his people. This marriage brought no blessing to him, although it served the counsel of God.

We could also mention Solomon’s alliances with strange women. Solomon was beloved of the Lord, endowed with great wisdom of which the fear of the Lord was the beginning. But even in his life the strange women drew his heart away from God so far that he caused altars to be erected for strange idols.

We can also notice in this connection what we read in Genesis 6:2, where we read, “The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.” When this mingling of the generation of Seth with the generation of Cain continued, the destruction of the first world was hastened.

The examples are too clear to soothe ourselves with the idea that it will not be as bad as anticipated.

In his explanation of the seventh commandment Justus Vermeer says, “Would you marry a Negro in the hope that he would become white? But that is what you do when you yoke yourselves with an unbeliever in the hope that he will go with you, to walk with you in the way of truth.’’

A first requisite, therefore, is that in this most essential matter, that is in religion, there must be a unity of feeling and thought. If there is no unity here, the marriage shall never bring a true unity. For in marriage it is not only necessary to be one physically, but also to be one spiritually, if the marriage is to answer to the purpose of that institution of God.

Rev. A. Vergunst

(To be continued)

PRAYER DAY 1983

The time has arrived again that the congregations will come together to seek the face of the Lord.

The winter will soon be behind us and the spring will arrive. This we also find in the Word of the Lord. The Lord has spoken to Noah after the flood in Genesis 8, saying that summer and winter, sowing and reaping will go on till the end of the world.

We have no prayer, but may it please the Lord to open our eyes for the great High Priest, Christ, Who is at the right hand of the Father, and that He will pray for us in this coming season. The Lord grant unto us, out of sovereign love and grace, by the Holy Spirit, after the promises of Zach. 12:10, the spirit of Grace and Supplication. In us there is no reason at all, and there never will be any reason found in us, but only for His Name sake, for Christ’s sake.

May the Lord look upon us, our country, our President, government, our nation, our fields, our industries, our families and us, personally. It has all been sinned away. Sins among young and old, poor and rich, have reached to heaven. Many are the judgments over the world, and our country also, but who takes it to heart? The judgment of hardening of our hearts is, alas, increasing. Where is there knowledge of sins, sorrow over sin and a breaking and a fleeing from sin?

The world shall never repent, but make themselves ripe for the judgment of condemnation and to be cast in hell. But the worst thing of all is, that the judgment starts with the house of God and there is no sorrow over it. The deplorable condition of the Church militant is clearly described in Ps. 74 and 141, and in Lamentation and other places. The world is in the church, and there is no concern about it. We see our signs no more as in the days of old.

For years the Lord has called: O Land, Land, Land, hear the Word of God. But there are no ears to hear and no hearts to observe. Where do we hear of a returning to the Lord, to His Word and Testimony? We do not find impressions of hell or heaven. Sin is increasing in all levels of society. The majority break with law and morals. Cursing and blaspheming is increasing and the most have no respect for the Sabbath day. Married life is not respected and honored. There is a generation growing up which destroy themselves and who ban God away. Where do we find the honoring of the parents? There is a destruction of the families. All controls are lost. They are living themselves out in sin. It is an exception in our days when children ask for the advice of their parents and who are willing to please their parents, also in connection with the truth in which they were brought up. Many boys and girls know it better than their parents. The majority of the young people are drowned before they have seen water. Murdering, stealing and corruption is increasing every day. Life has no meaning anymore and that all because we have left God and His Word. We have forsaken the fountain of life. Indeed, there is no end to it. Millions and millions of abortions are taking place and there is no law against it. There is still no capital punishment, still no prayer and no Bible in the public schools. Think of the time of a Nehemiah, who was filled with zealous fervour for the Word of God and they sought to kill him.

We cannot describe how far that the Lord has departed from us. O Lord, open our eyes, break our hearts asunder, bring us in the valley of deep and true humiliation. Bring us to the right confession of our sin and iniquity, and cause us to thirst after the blood of Christ. Give true conversion, because with the religion which is preached in general in our day, we cannot appear before God. Zion must be redeemed with a ransom. We must be cut off from Adam and ingrafted in Christ. We must be regenerated and as an enemy be reconciled with God. We have to go to hell first, (for ourselves) before we can ever enter into heaven.

O God, bring us back to that old doctrine and open our eyes for all the misleading and false religions, which teach to accept Christ, but to whom Christ was never revealed.

Lord, that it may please Thee, to give us a blessing for our temporal life in the season which is before us. Convert us, and we shall be converted. Fill our hearts with the fear of God’s Name, which is the beginning of wisdom.

Rev. Lamain

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

Some copies of “De Wachters Op Jerusalem’s Muren” are still available for purchasing. For those who wish to obtain a copy, send $14.00 to the clerk of the First Netherlands Reformed Congregation, 540 Crescent Street, N.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503.

A teacher of our School in the Netherlands has begun translating the sermons of Joseph Irons, a deceased servant of the Lord. If anyone is desirous of helping with this work, it would be very much appreciated. I am looking forward in obtaining some replies. Those of you who are living in the Netherlands will greatly appreciate these sermons. In them we find sincere milk, I Peter 2:2 and strong meat, Heb. 5:14. It would gladden my heart if some people on the other side of the ocean would become acquainted with these sermons which are scriptural, experimental and practical.

Your forward-look friend,

Rev. W. C. Lamain

EXHORTATION TO PRAYER

What various hindrances we meet
In coming to a mercyseat!
Yet who that knows the worth of prayer,
But wishes to be often there.

Prayer makes the darkened cloud withdraw,
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw,
Gives exercise to faith and love,
Brings every blessing from above.

Restraining prayer, we cease to fight;
Prayer makes the Christian’s armour bright;
And Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

While Moses stood with arms spread wide,
Success was found on Israel’s side;
But when through weariness they failed,
That moment Amalek prevailed.

Have you no words? ah! think again,
Words flow apace when you complain,
And fill your fellow-creature’s ear
With the sad tale of all your care.

Were half the breath thus vainly spent,
To heaven in supplication sent,
Your cheerful song would oftener be,
“Hear what the Lord has done for me.”

John Newton

NATIONAL-INTERNATIONAL DISASTER FUND REPORT

Through the generosity of our congregations, we were able to supply basic needs for survival in some areas. Haiti is a very poor country where millions of people do not know how to survive, and where parents cannot provide enough food for their children and themselves. Fifty percent of the children die before the age of four and eighty-seven percent are illiterate. Upon advice from our Mission Committee, $5,000.00 was sent to Haiti. Another $2,500.00 was sent to Haiti through Outreach, Inc. to purchase corn for those suffering from hunger.

Also India has experienced much human misery from a typhoon and we were able to send $4,000.00 to relieve some suffering. I would like to share with you part of a letter received from World Vision in response to our assistance.

Your gift has helped provide critical assistance to families and communities who are homeless, without daily food and ill health. An example is the Romantico family. This family suffered great loss during a recent typhoon on the eastern coastlands of the Philippines. They had already lost a one-year old child to diptheria and a five-year old son to a mysterious illness. When the typhoon leveled their hut they were among 44,000 families who were left homeless by its destruction. Your support has helped make it possible to help the Romantico’s and 600 families rebuilding their homes and receive help in developing a healthy community. And your generous support has enabled us to help still others, such as the 300 homeless families in Uttar Pradesh, India whose homes were recently devastated by flood, as well as another 1400 families who were helped to restore their means of food production. As you requested, your gift is being used for hunger/emergency aid assistance in India.

Due to windstorm damage, we were able to give assistance to one of our congregations.

Similar needs throughout the world can be multiplied. May our eyes be opened to see that these judgments are all the results of sin and that we may pray for repentance and a returning to God’s Word. Paul speaks in Romans 2:4b “That the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.”

This committee wishes to thank all the congregations and individuals who contributed this past year. May we remember one another at the throne of Grace and obey God’s Word when He reminds us, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” The Synod has asked that each congregation remember this fund, and we hope the Lord will open hearts for this humanitarian mercy. Special gifts may be sent to the treasurer, G. Deur, 1st Neth. Ref. Congregation, 540 Crescent St., N.E., Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503.

THE SAVIOR’S LOVE

Never love, nor sorrow, was
Like that my Saviour showed;
See Him bleed on yonder cross,
And bow beneath our load!
Now discern the DEITY,
Now His heavenly birth declare!
Faith cries out, ‘tis He — ‘tis He!
My God that suffers there.

Jesus drinks the bitter cup,
The winepress treads alone;
Tears the graves and mountains up
By His expiring groan;
Lo, the powers of heaven He shakes;
Nature in convulsions lies;
Earth’s profoundest centre quakes;
The great JEHOVAH dies.

Well may heaven be clothed with black
And solemn sackcloth wear,
JESUS’ agonies partake,
The hour of darkness share!
Lo, the sunbeams veil their light,
With their MAKER sympathize,
Leave the world in sudden night!
The GOD of angels dies.
JESUS, LORD, what hast Thou done?
Never was love like thine.

Toplady

A LESSON TO BE TAKEN TO HEART Part I

At a certain time in the days of my youth, I was staying with one of God’s servants, who spoke of an elder, who was already old at that time and who was beloved and respected among God’s people.

There came a desire in my heart to meet this man. This Minister promised to go there, which gladdened me greatly, although on the other hand, there was great fear in my heart. But I thought, after all: that Minister is going too, then I can follow behind him. On a Monday morning we went there together. When we came to the house of this elder, the Minister opened the door and said, “Now you are at his home. I am going to visit some other people, but at noon I will come and get you.”

I stood there for a moment, and that old man was just reading the Bible, and read, “If I perish, I perish,” Esther 4:16.

This gave me liberty to go in. And, O how well it all turned out! How edifying he was in his speaking, what a humbleness; and...exercised in the ways of God. He is now already more than 30 years before the Throne, delivered from all strife and trouble, but above all from sin and he may now exalt his King.

But, to continue, concerning the world he was a poor man. But no matter how little he earned, he had a large heart for the people of God. No matter how small his weekly income was, he always had something left for those in need.

On a certain morning he bowed his knees in secret before the Lord and said: “Lord, if Thou would make it so that I would have more outwardly, then I would be able to give more away, which is my life and my desire.” The Lord heard his prayer and gave him more. Now he was in a position that he could give away more than formerly. But how different it all worked out than he had thought. Instead of giving away more, he gradually gave less. Continually he could spare less. And the Lord was so good for His child, that his eyes were opened for it.

When that happened he bowed his knees again and said, “Lord, be so good to me that I will receive less and do as formerly; then my heart was wide open, but now that I was given more, my heart is closed more and more. I would become a miser.” The Lord again heard his prayer.

The man never became rich in worldly goods, but spiritually he had a rich life. What a lesson for us all. David, the man after God’s heart, even had to pray: “Incline my heart unto Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.” The horse-leech hath two daughters who cry, “Give, give.” He who loves money shall never have money enough.

It is a snare which brings many people to destruction, but also causes many of God’s people to dwell in darkness. It is a privilege to possess worldly goods as not possessing them; that we may not set our hearts upon uncertain riches, but that the things of eternity might have the upper-hand. The Lord has a close watch over our life, and we shall give an account of all our possessions before the Judge of all the earth. We lay open for all kinds of miseries. If we may do well, we are often surrounded by Pharisees who give so much food and pride to the Pharisee within, so that he grows above all people. If we cleave unto money and live for ourselves, then we quench the Spirit of God within and obstruct the way to heaven, yea, and rob ourselves of a close life with God.

Rev. W.C. Lamain

EVOLUTION

Unbelieving scientists for a hundred years or more have been trying to establish some link between man and the apes. From time to time fossils of one kind or another appear and seem to fit the bill. The latest of these discoveries has appeared in Kenya where a team of Japanese and Kenyan researchers have discovered a jaw-bone of a “humanlike” creature which they claim is between seven and nine million years old and may help to unravel the origin of man. The suggestion is that if this estimate is correct the fossil would fill an eight million year gap between the 12 million year old Ramapithecus who walked on all four and the four million year old Australopithecus who walked upright, according to a report in the Press.

Vain man would be wise but, leaving aside the teaching of God’s Word, is destined to wander in a wilderness in which there is no way. Evolution has had a long run and all the while has only hindered instead of advanced the progress of man. Let men only seek first the knowledge of the living God and then they will devote their gifts and energies to more fruitful studies.

Free Presbyterian Magazine

THE THIEF IN THE HOME

In the midst of our family a thief is found who thinks it not necessary to hide himself in the cellar or upstairs. He is very bold and a nuisance in our living room.

Although I would rather chase him away and let him be arrested, this thief stays by us undisturbed. Our children like him and will not part with him. My wife tolerates him silently and instead of my hearty protests, we stay more dependent on him!

This thief is outspokenly annoying, when we have visitors he disturbs us continually in our conversations. If he lets us see something of the beautiful nature, he compels us to stay in the house. If I want to deeply read a book, he keeps me from reading it. He brings us to buy things we do not need at all and robs us pitiless of our most precious goods: “OUR TIME”.

That thief is a chrome adorned box standing in the nicest corner of our room. A television set!!

Submitted

PRACTICAL RELIGION

Never, never let it be forgotten, that our tastes on earth are a sure evidence of the state of our hearts; and the state of our hearts here is a sure indication of our position hereafter. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. He that hopes to be gathered with saints in heaven while he only loves the gathering of sinners on earth is deceiving himself. If he lives and dies in that state of mind he will find that he had better never have been born.

Practical Religion by J.C. Ryle

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