As this issue of THE OUTLOOK goes to press we have been shocked by the sudden death of Miss Johanna Timmer, our departmental editor. Miss Timmer has over many years shown herself ready to labor and, where necessary, to fight for the Reformed Faith. We shall miss her staunch support and faithful labors in the Reformed Fellowship and the pages of its magazine, as we thank God for the way He has long guided and used her service in His Kingdom cause. A sketch of her life is to appear elsewhere in the paper. Miss Timmer wrote of this article for her department, “I place this article on housecleaning because 1 believe Mrs. Folkerts (Des Plaines, Ill.) is reflecting the sentiment of a goodly number in the church whose opinions should not be ignored.”
When I start housecleaning in the spring, all the drawers and closets are cleaned and clothes and knick-knacks which are old, unwisely purchased, and/or are no longer 
useful are discarded. Some old “treasures” become more treasured as the years go by.
Is it possible our church is in for a very serious housecleaning? If so, let’s start at the top. Pastors who no longer believe the whole truth of God’s Word are the first thing that must go!
What about our new marriage, baptism and profession of faith forms? In letting them replace the old ones are we throwing away treasures and replacing them with cheap knick–knacks?
Have you seen a group of Christians dancing lately? I have. Art? Garbage! Satan laughs and our Lord must be grieving. Of course, we have music to dance by. Many new hymns are almost sensual; cheap sensationalism. Take away the words, and the music fits perfectly for dancing and in nightclubs. More garbage for the trash heap.
Never before have movies on TV been so saturated with sex and evil of every sort—with the actors’ and actresses’ real lives running a close second to the films. However, we are now sophisticated enough to handle this. What folly!
There are also the dangers of the new evangelism creeping into our churches. And there are as many versions of the Bible as there are women at the society meetings. Do we need these?
And what about easy divorce—and lodge membership gaining acceptance? More garbage! Am I through house cleaning? I tried, but being human, I’m sure that I threw away some things that might have been kept and saved some things that should have been thrown away. However, what if we never cleaned house? Confusion would reign, and we would have no real desire to live in our home.
Are some of us beginning to feel uncomfortable in our church home? Let us pray and work for a thorough housecleaning. Let us hear again, loud and clear, “Thus saith the Lord!” And let us pray that the Holy Spirit may enlighten our minds and hearts that we may desire to know and do the perfect will of God.