Office Bearers

GS 1968 ARTICLE 87

Regarding the Book of Praise Committee IV presents:

(See Supplement 9.)

Materials:

  • a. I,5, Report of the Deputies for an English Calvinistic Psalter; (Supplement 7)
  • b. I,15, Financial Statement; (Supplement 8)
  • c. I,16, Auditors’ Report from the Church at Brampton, Ont.;
  • d. III,2, Overture of the Church at Smithers, B.C.;
  • e. III,12, Overture of the Church at Coaldale, Alta;
  • f. III,14, Overture of the Church at Toronto, Ont.;
  • g. III,19, Overture of the Church at Barrhead, Alta;
  • h. III,27(3) Overture of the Regional Synod of Ontario, plus Appendix;
  • i. IV,5, Request of Deputies for an English Calvinistic Psalter;
  • j. IV,10, Request of Mr. W. Griffioen, Willowdale, Ont.;
  • k. V,9, Report of a Committee of the Church at Edmonton, Alta.

Recommendations:

Synod decide

  • 1. to express thanks to Deputies, the Publication Committee, and Mr. J. J. Knegt, Rockwood, Ont., for the work done for the compilation and publication of an English Calvinistic Psalter, and to thank contributors for their share.

ADOPTED

  • 2. to discharge Deputies of their responsibility for the finances of the Book of Praise during the period March 1965 – October 1968, on the basis of the Auditors’ report from the Church at Brampton.

ADOPTED

  • 3. to remind Deputies of the instruction given by General Synod Edmonton, 1965, Art. 192,5, and to provide next Synod with a financial statement covering the period 1962 – February 1965.

ADOPTED

  • 4. to thank the Church at Brampton for the auditing of the books of Deputies.

ADOPTED

  • 5. to appoint again six Deputies.

ADOPTED

  • 6. to forward to Deputies the report of the Church at Chatham, (as “Appendix”) added to the Overture III,27(3); and the report of the committee of the Church at Edmonton, added to communication V,9.

ADOPTED

  • 7. to give deputies the following mandate;
  • a. to consider the reports mentioned, and the criticism brought forward in the overtures and requests;

ADOPTED

  • b. to delete from a new edition of the Book of Praise:
  • 1. those rhymed versions which lack the close conformity to the Scripture-text and those which lack the simplicity and clarity of expres­sion required for the songs of the covenant, if revision is not possible;

ADOPTED

  • 2. those hymns which are not thoroughly scriptural in contents;

ADOPTED

  • 3. those tunes which are not considered conducive to the purpose of the singing of the covenant people, namely: “the praise of the Lord”.

ADOPTED

  • c. to continue the work of previous deputies in such a way that
  • 1. the completion of the Psalm-section of the Book of Praise have first attention of Deputies;

ADOPTED

  • 2. as far as the hymn-section of the Book of Praise is concerned, the decision of Synod Edmonton 1965, Art. 192,3d, be remembered, “that Deputies are authorized to include in the Book of Praise, beside the Psalms also hymns that are scriptural, preferably rhymings of parts of Scripture, especially of poetic character, which are considered suitable”.

ADOPTED

  • d. to give preference to the Genevan tunes as melodies for the rhymed Psalms, with the understanding:
  • 1. that identical tunes for different Psalms be avoided as much as possible;

ADOPTED

  • 2. that those tunes which are hard to sing be replaced by other melodies of “priceless value”.

ADOPTED

  • e. to continue the contact with “Deputies for a Churchbook in the English language” of the Free Reformed Churches of Australia.

ADOPTED

  • f. to avail themselves of the assistance of a Publication Committee which shall work under the authority of Deputies, and, if necessary, of a paid secretary.

ADOPTED

  • g. to conclude reasonable contracts with contributors.

ADOPTED

  • h. to submit a financial report to next Synod.

ADOPTED

  • i. to request financial assistance, if needed, directly from the Churches.

ADOPTED

  • j. to report to the next Synod about their activities, and to forward a copy of their report to the Churches at the proper time.

ADOPTED

  • k. to set as target date for the presentation of a complete Book of Praise the year in which the next General Synod will be convened.

ADOPTED

  • l. to make sure that the Creeds, the Liturgical Forms, and the Church Order are included in the next edition of the Book of Praise.

ADOPTED

  • 8. to request the Church at Brampton to audit the financial records of Deputies for an English Calvinistic Psalter and to report to next Synod.

ADOPTED

  • 9. to urge the Churches to show their interest in the work of Deputies by presenting them with their constructive criticism.

ADOPTED

  • 10. that the Reports of Deputies and the Committee be published with the Acts. (Supplement 7, 8, 9.)

ADOPTED

Elder J. VanderVeen requests Synod to sing Psalm 62:1,4, and leads in thanks­ giving.

Synod adjourns till Saturday morning 9.00 a.m.