Reformátusok Lapja, 1969 (69. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1969-02-01 / 2. szám
10 REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA Orange and hereditary Stadtholder (sc. President) of the Dutch Republic, threw the weight of his influence to the Calvinist side, and in 1618, the States-General finally issued a decree ordering that a National Synod should convene in November at Dort (Dordrecht) in South Holland. At the request of King James I of England, an interested observer of all these events, seconded by the Prince Maurice, eminent divines from foreign churches were also invited to sit and vote in the Synod, thus making it a true convention of the Calvinism of the time. The Synod, when it convened, consisted of 39 pastors and 18 elders from the Dutch churches, five professors from the universities of Holland, and the foreign delegates from England, the German Reformed principalities and the Swiss Reformed cantons. The delegates from Brandenburg and France were forbidden to go by their governments and, of course, delegates from disturbed Hungary were missing, too. Each of the members of the Synod took the following solemn oath: “I promise before God, in Whom I believe, and Whom I worship, as being present in this place, and as being the Searcher of all hearts, that during the course of the proceedings of this Synod, which will examine and decide, not only the five points, and all the differences resulting from them, but also any other doctrine, I will use no human writing, but only the Word of God, which is an infallible rule of faith. And during all these discussions, I will only aim at the glory of God, the peace of the church, and especially the preservation of the purity of doctrine. So help me, my Savior Jesus Christ! I beseech Him to assist me by His Holy Spirit!” The Synod was unanimous in condemning the Remonstrants. The Canons of Dort, which contain their decisions with regard to the five Arminian articles, were adopted without a dissenting voice. These Canons taught: 1— the Total Depravity of man dead in trespasses and sin; 2— the Unconditional Election by a Sovereign God of those whom He ordained to life; 3— the Limited Atonement of Christ, who died for the sins of the elect; 4— the Irresistible Grace of God in bringing salvation to man; and 5— the Perseverence of the Saints in that state to which God had appointed them. These five propositions, often known as the Five Points of Calvinism, are here arranged in slightly different order than in the Canons to make of their initial letters the mnemonic word “TULIP” so appropriate for the decisions of a Synod held on Dutch soil. The Synod continued to sit from November 13, 1618 until May 29, 1619 and held 180 sessions in all. In summing up its work, Prof. Samuel Miller may again be cited, who wrote: “No theological system was ever more grossly misrepresented or more unjustly vilified than that which is commonly called Calvinism, but which has been drawn from the Word of God and preached by some of the best men that ever lived. It is not pretended that the Cal- vinistic system is free from all difficulties. When finite creatures are called to scan either the works or the revealed will of an Infinite Being, they must truly be demented if they expect to find nothing which is incomprehensible. But the question is, Are there fewer difficulties attending any other system? There are not! Instead of being less, they are far greater both in number and magnitude.” In fact, only Calvinism, vindicated at the Synod of Dort against Arininius and his followers, is true to the Word of God, eminently reasonable, and ever reassuring to the sinner who has no other hope than the grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Charles Krahe TmYmnnnnnnrmnnnnTmnTmnnnnrmnnnTmnnnnnnnTmn DR. HERBSTER RESIGNS EAST LANSING, MICH.: — The Rev. Dr. Ben Mohr Herbster, New York City, a champion of peace, racial justice and Christian unity, announced he will retire as president of the two - million - member United Church of Christ, on October 1, 1969. Dr. Herbster made his announcement at a meeting of the 21-member Executive Council of the denomination, which was in session at the Albert Pick Motor Inn. The Executive Council conducts the business of the church between biennial General Synods. Dr. Herbster had been minister of the suburban Cincinnati, O., Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church in Norwood, for 30 years when he was elected the first president of the United Church at its constituting synod in 1961. He was re-elected to a second four-year term in 1965. Dr. Herbster played a major role in the negotia
