BLUE BANNER FAITH AND LIFE, January–March
3408 7th Avenue, Beaver Falls, PA $1.50 per year
“The Christian and the Jigsaw” by Paul E. G. Cook, is a reprint from a British publication that deals with the need for the over-all view of Biblical revelation in order to make sense out of the jigsaw puzzle of modern life. “Christianity for the Twentieth Century” is Ian Murray’s title for a review of the best-selling (in England) religious book, The Cross and the Switchblade, by David Wilkerson. Murray applies Reformed standards in his evaluation of Pentecostal views expounded by this book Two series of Bible studies comprise the bulk of this issue: Lessons 63–69 of a series thus concluded under the heading, “The Law of God in the Modern World,” and Lessons 1–6 of a new series, “Studies in the Epistle to the Ephesians.” Although not identified, these studies are very likely from the ready pen of the Editor and Manager, J. G. Vos.
BANNER OF TRUTH, February
3229 Four Mile Rd., N. W., Grand Rapids, MI $3.00 per year
“Christ Exalted” is the lead article, appearing as a meditation on 1 Corinthians 15:25, 26, by Jonathan Edwards. Much of this issue is taken up with quoted material, it would appear. “What Is Television Doing to Our Youth” is an article written by the great Toronto pulpiteer, Oswald J. Smith, and “The Excellency of Prayer” is printed over the name of William Huntingdon, S.S. This magazine is veritably packed with solid spiritual material of the kind that our Netherlands Reformed neighbors arc known to appreciate.
CHURCH AND NATION, February 8
10 Golfdown Drive, Rexdale, Ontario, Canada $3.00 per year
“Our Third Decade” by Remkes Kooistra marks the passing of the Canadian Christian Reformed Churches into that phase of their existence which will be their third decade. Informative; analytical! Kooistra authors a second good article, “Two Ways of Reading the Bible”; H. Van Andel writes on “Bible Translation and the Unity of Scripture” (to what extent must we recognize the principle of the unity of Scripture in translation?—not too much, argues Van Andel, lest we try to bolster Scripture by our own efforts!); a South African, Dr. J. H. Kroeze, offers an explanation of the controversial apartheid policy; a lively exchange of opinion is published between Dr. L. Praamsma and his critic, C. Booy, plus Canadian “church news.”
CREDO, January
212 Seneca Ave., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada $2.00 per year
Most people of Reformed persuasion do not seem to know that there are two good periodicals for Calvinistic youth. The first is Young Calvinist, published by the Young Calvinist Federation of Christian Reformed youth groups; the second is this one, “Teenagers and Prayer” (Arthur Joosse), “Love in Courtship” (J. S. Hielema), “A Rose Is a Rose” (‘Hannus Mos’), letters, an editorial in poetic style from this you can see that Canadian youth and their leaders are not just sitting on their hands!
CHRISTIAN VANGUARD, February
11914 50th Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada $2.00 per year
Vanguard means to give exposition especially to the position that separate, Biblical action is required of Christians in all spheres of life. “The Christian Student and the Scientism of the Modern University” is written by Dr. Ed Piers, professor of Chemistry at the University of British Columbia, and is a warning to Christian students at such schools. “A Trade Union with a Difference” is an article taken from a secular Canadian publication, Canada Month, written by Raymond Hull, supporting the ambitions of the Christian Labour Association of Canada.
STANDARD BEARER, February 15
1326 W. Buller, S. E., Grand Rapid$, Michigan $5.00 per year
“An Open Letter to the REFORMED JOURNAL and Dr. James Daane” by H. C. Hoeksema reacts unfavorably to a brief article intended to be a tribute to the late Herman Hoeksema. “Indeed, Remember Galileo!” is in reaction to Dr. Lewis B. Smedes’ Reformed Journal article, also by Prof. Hoeksema (“Remember Galileo, and be reminded that there is but one trustworthy guide for the church in all its decisions: the Word of God that abideth forever!”), “The Doctrine of Creation, Days or Periods” by Rev. Herman Veldman begins a discussion which intends defense of the view that Genesis 1 speaks of ordinary, 24-hour days, “Particular Atonement and Missions” by Rev. C. Hanko, an exegesis of such “universalistic” passages as John 3:16, John 1:29, 1 John 2:2.
PRESBYTERIAN JOURNAL, February 23
Weaverville, North Carolina $3.00 per year
This periodical, a weekly, is out to preserve the tradition of faithfulness to Word and creed in what we call the Southern Presbyterian Church. G. Aiken Taylor is editor, L. Nelson Bell, father-in-law of today’s most widely acclaimed evangelist, Billy Graham, is an associate editor. In this issue the more striking features are articles such as “The Crime of the Century” by Fred Jervis (reprinted from Christian Life magazine, a scathing denunciation of the average American church member (who) gave $41 to his own church (in 1965) but less than $1.50 to foreign missions), “Hindrances to Evangelism” by Paul A. Snider (“Un-Biblical universalism which maintains that all men are already saved is sweeping Protestantism. This distorted ‘gospel’ cuts the nerve both of evangelism and of missions.”), “A Great Gulf Fixed” by L. Nelson Bell (“Which is the more important, doctrinal integrity or organic union? Which will do more to advance the Kingdom of God: the by-passing of these essential doctrines or a split church?”).