Reformation Program Oct. 30 Rev
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Digital Collections @ Dordt The Voice Archive University Publications 10-1959 The Voice, October 1959: Volume 5, Issue 2 Dordt College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/dordt_voice Recommended Citation Dordt College, "The Voice, October 1959: Volume 5, Issue 2" (1959). The Voice Archive. 269. https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/dordt_voice/269 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at Digital Collections @ Dordt. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Voice Archive by an authorized administrator of Digital Collections @ Dordt. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DORDT Published by the COLLEGE The Voice Executive Board Vol. V. Sioux Center, Iowa October, 1959 No.2 Reformation Program Oct. 30 Rev. J. Vander Ploeg, Foundation Day Drive Under Editor of The Banner, To Speak Way; Envelopes Sent Out Dordt Choir and Western Band Last week 8500 Foundation Day envelopes were sent out To Perform from the college office to our people. Our secretary, Miss Miedema, has spent many hours on this work. She has been The annual Reformation Day assisted by several college girls. What will our people do this Program will be held on Friday, year with these envelopes? The boards, the faculty, the October 30, in the Sioux Center students, and the administration eagerly await the daily re- Public Auditorium at 8 :00 p.m. turns. Rev. John Vander Ploeg, present 'editor of The Banner, Christian Re- formed weekly publication, whll de- One can understand this. For the Foundation Day Drive liver the reformation address. The is extremely important for the financial stability of Dordt Dordt College Choir, under the di- eectton of Mr. Dale Grotenhuts, will College. And the educational progress depends upon this. Not sing two numbers and the Western only this-the response of our people indicates the measure Band directed by Mr. Hazen Brum- mel will both play a few selections of interest on their part. When the people respond willingly and accompany the audience sing- and in large proportion, the faculty and students take new ing. Provisions are being made to heart, new hope, and catch fresh vision. seat 900 people on 'chairs. It is sug- gested that the young people make use of the bleachers. We only pray that more of our people will read about our All the people of our area are efforts and consider our needs. Last year about 900 of the urged to come. An outstanding pro- 8500 took the time to send back the envelope with a gift. Must gram has been arranged. we believe that 7500 people were unable to do so? When we think of the many widows and the many friends of Dordt Col- lege in the lower income brackets who returned the envelope with a gift, we find it hard to believe that 7500 of our people cannot help. We like to think that the big majority just neg- lected this matter. Perhaps this year many more will join last year's 900. The Foundation Day Drive will go to payoff our present indebtedness which amounts to $125,000.00. We would like to liquidate this debt within seven years. With the help of all our people this can easily be accomplished even sooner. How about addressing your gift at once? Give the faculty and students real 'encouragement and, above all, lend your support to a kingdom cause that God has prospered through a faithful band of devoted kingdom laborers. Rev. John Vander Ploeg Page Two THE VOICE October, 1959 a negative approach to the enjoy- ments of life. By virtue of their al- Editorial . most complete identification of Cal- vinism with some of the more extra- vagant excesses of the American Puritans, scholars will too often un- A Continuing Reformation: critically accept E, L. Menoken's famous definition of Pur itan ism (Cal- vinism) as "the haunting fear that A Clearer View, A Stronger Voice someone, somewhere, may be hap- py." The doctrines of Election and by Peter P. De Boer Pr edesfinat icn are also a great stumbling block. And men are quick If it is true that the love of money is prompted by the respect fOT a to brand Calvinism a brutal, undov- has fathered all or almost all of the very influential contemporary theo- lng system. Didn't Calvin burn to evil in the world, then mi.sunder~ logical movement called .Neo-Or tho- dea th Servetus? standing 'must be one of Its off- doxy. For e popular analysis of Our examples co'uld be multiplied. spring. How many of us have not the threat this movement presents The impor-tant thing for us to r-ealize had the frustrettng experience of be- to true Calvinism, one ought to a-ead is that 'We the people, we Calvlntsts, ing m isu nderetood! That which we Dr. Fred Klooster's "Cebvinlsm and are not focusing a true picture be- thought had been made plain, once Neo-Or-thodoxy" (The Banr.er, Oct. fore the public. We can blame the and for all, 'We found had been 2, 1959). One of neo-or-thodoxys secular scholar for his lack of dis- twisted and warped beyond recog- must astute critics. Dr. Cornelius passionate appraisal; we can scold nition. 'f Van Til of Westminster Seminary, the neo-orthodox for misreading Cal- 'Someone has suggested that I has e-igb tly babeled this movement vin; 'we can shrug our shoulders at John Calvin were living, he would nothing more than a new' species of the indifference of our brethren be shacked with some of that which modernism (cf. The New Modernism. from Jerusalem. None of these, passes for Calvinism. Theolcgical 1946). Beware of this wolf in sheep's however, provides a badly needed systems, educational principles, pro- clothing! corrective. grams for socl.al action are often Oh yes, Calvinism is being dis- labeled "Calvinistic." A,l'l of these cussed. Even we are discussing it. Toward a Solution seek a more secure sense of Iderrti- But are we Jistening? Throughout Calvin himself helps greatly to- ty leading to facile acceptance by the school year 1958-59 some of ward the solving of our problem. appeal ing to the name of the master the leading members of Calvin's B. B. Warfield, in "On the Literary theologian himself. It is all too faculty presented lectures on var- History of Calvin's Insfitufes" tells true that the master's disciples have, ious aspects of Calvinism. One mem- us that although the first draft of the perhaps more often than not, out- ber of that .facul ty, during a recent Institutes of the Christian Religion distanced the master. If Calv in were visit to our Dordt campus, informed was completed in 1534 or 1535, it here he might be forced to cry, us that the listeners, drawn from was not until the late summer of "Come back!" That is not what I Grand Rapids and environs, a po- 1559 that a definitive edition was meant!" tential listening audience estimated published. These simple historical Misunderstanding is a par ticubar'ly in the thousands, numbered eighty facts inform, us that the master him- human attribute. And because It at most, and on some evenings, as self felt 'compelled to write and then characterizes 'aU unen it has reper- few as ten! refine that which he had written, cussions on all levels. In a recent Fortunately those who did labor He sought a dearer view, a stronger Life magazine (October 5, 1959), a to coherently express what they voice. Mr. Max Wrays writes about "The thought were some of the signifi- A clearer view? Of what? War- Confused Image Amer-ica Presents." cant imp-lications of Calvin's 'World field tells us that the Reformation He char-ges that the United States and life view saw their- efforts, in meant an "Immense upheaval," when has fumbled its job as world Ieader summary. published in OUI church the "foundations of the faith" seem- because vee have apparently for-got- paper. But the reaction described ed to be "broken up." Men sought ten our own principles of freedom above is haedily the kind which helps "firm standing-ground." Consequent- 'and order under morality land law. spur the Christian scholar on to new ly the Inafifufes gave "stability to Constructively Mr. Ways suggests insights and 'renewed effort in this waver img minds, and confidence to that it is up to the people to redis- most difficult business of putting sinking hearts, and ,placed upon the cover and reaffirm such principles. thoughts together. Some years ago, lips of a'Il a brilliant apology in the As pertinent as are W1ay's criti- Henry Zylstra wrote in the Reform~ face of the calumnies of the enemies cisms of the ,confused im.age that ed Journal (January, 1955) a kind of of the Ref-ormation." America presents, so pertinent, we <review of J. T. McNeill's, The His- Must we have a modern Ca'Ivin feel is the ,contention that Calvin~ tory and Character of Calvinism. write a new Institute,;? Of course ism' presents just as con£using an There Zylstrra expressed the pro~ not. But does it not make sense image. found regret that McNeiU was not tha t while we celebrate the four hundredth anniversary of the pub- Some Proof For The Contention abe to credit ,a larger measure of influence to the Christian Reformed lication of the Institutes 'we are Pleas·e don't misunderstand. We church in the task of the appraisal grossly derelict if we :lSaiI to read are not saying that iCal<vinism is not and the dissemination of the rprinici- them? being discussed.