Not every meeting of the Board of Reformed Fellowship, Inc., is as encouraging and exciting as last month‘s meeting on February 4. New members are being received regularly and, of course, there are also some cancellations from time to time. But try to imagine our elation when at last month’s meeting as many as 107 persons applied for membership. Presumably, these new members are largely from the CRC and it is interesting to note that they are from so many different locations in the U. S. and Canada.

All these 107 were received as members without exception and it is positively a thrill to extend a hearty welcome to them as well as to others who have become affiliated with us in recent months. May the Reformed Fellowship prove to be a rich blessing to you in your commitment to profess and to defend the Reformed faith as our Lord requires, and may you also prove to be a rich blessing in the cause to which we are now committed to serve in a special way together.

These additions to the list of members make it necessary to update the printed Reformed Fellowship Membership Roster, and the plan is to do this in the near future. The present booklet which gives the names and addresses of the members is dated October, 1974. This booklet contains also the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the organization. Those who are interested will be sent a copy of this booklet upon request to be sent to Reformed Fellowship, Inc., P.O. Box 7383, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49510. When the updated Membership Roster appears in print it also will be made available.

Now let no one misunderstand our enthusiasm about receiving such a large number of new members at a single meeting to mean that our reliance is necessarily on numbers. During its twenty-five year history, the Reformed Fellowship has carried on in the assurance that even only one with the Lord is always a majority and that He is often pleased to accomplish great things and to win great victories with no more than a Gideon’s band. “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts” (Zech. 4:6).

Nevertheless, when viewed in their proper perspective, numbers are significant also in God’s sight or He would not have given a record of such as in Acts 2:41: “They then that received his word were baptized; and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls.” There may be no thought whatsoever of a glorying in or reliance upon numbers but rather a recognition of the work of the Lord in adding this large number into the fellowship of the early church. And it is in that spirit that we also wish to record this gratifying growth in the membership of the Reformed Fellowship.

There are good reasons for rejoicing in this growth the Lord has been pleased to give. For one thing, this response to letters inviting our readers to become members may very well be an encouraging indication of how large the potential throughout the e nc may be for reinforcements in pursuing the cause to which the Reformed Fellowship is committed. Moreover, the increased financial support provided by this gain in membership assists ill the publication of THE OUTLOOK with no increase in the subscription price and to stay out of the red until now. Whether inflation and growing costs will allow a continuation of this old subscription price remains to be seen.

Honesty compels me to add to this warm welcome to these new members that anyone who takes his Reformed Fellowship membership seriously in openly bucking an evil tide in today’s church will not find this to be all moonlight and roses. It may cost opposition, the loss of friends, and even ridicule. When his land was in danger of being overrun by a ruthless Nazi foe and when his countrymen needed to be rallied to he firm, Winston Churchill once told them: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.” The British rose to meet the challenge because they knew that their homeland and their freedom were worth the price.

Our precious Reformed heritage which is increasingly coming under attack is worth infinitely more. Those who insist on being at ease in Zion and refuse to be disturbed, either do not know or do not care what is at stake. Corporate responsibility also for members of a denomination is an awesome reality. Those who refuse to become involved and prefer to close their eyes, ears, and minds are indeed to be pitied for one day they will surely be called to account by Him who says: “I come quickly; hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown” (Rev. 3:11); and also: “. . . contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).

Ye that are men now serve Him Against unnumbered foes; Let courage rise with danger, And strength to strength oppose.