Clarion Vol. 35,
No. 25 (1989)
Here follows the speech given by Mr. Garnet Peet, B.A., M. Div., a former Guido
student, at the Guido de Bris High School Commencement Exercises held on October
17, 1986.
Having asked the question, "What
do you think of when I say, 'Guido,' " and having mentioned some of the recreational
experiences most Guido grads have in common, Mr. Peet continued:
But I hope you also say, "When
I think of Guido, I think of a school that showed me how to think, and be
Reformed." Graduates of Guido, tonight I want you to think about the past
so that you can face the future. And if there's one thing that all Guido Graduates
have in common, it's that we were taught the Reformed faith, not just in Reformed
Religion class, but in History, Geography, Chemistry, and even P.E. - all
these subjects were taught from a Reformed perspective. We learned how we
should think and how we should act from a Biblical point of view.
But maybe some of you are afraid
of what lies ahead. Sure, you remember the past, all that education you received
at high school, but now you're on your own. In College or Grade 13 or University,
you can't think fast enough to give all the answers to every question you
are faced with.
At your job You just aren't
sure how to act and what to do around people who've never heard of Guido,
of being Reformed, who've never believed in Jesus Christ. Maybe some of you
wonder if Guido has properly prepared you in the past, prepared you for the
future that lies ahead.
Well let me tell you about five
students from the past, five Reformed students, probably your age. They had
learned a lot of things you've learned and they were able to face the future.
These five students were from Lyons, France. They lived in the 1500s, during
the Reformation, and they believed the gospel. They even went to Switzerland
to study Reformed theology, since Switzerland was relatively free of persecution.
And they studied a long time, too, passed a lot of tests and exams, and finally
graduated. They hoped to become missionaries.
But now they wanted to head
home to France, after graduation. They stopped in Geneva for a while and probably
spoke to John Calvin there, but then continued on to Lyons, France. On their
way, they met a traveler who asked if he could travel with them. Fine, no
problem. Once they reached home, the stranger they had met invited them to
visit him at his home. They had gotten to know one another a bit; the graduates
had probably talked about their studies and about their ideas for the future.
So the five students visited this man - and were arrested, then imprisoned.
Lyons may have had many Reformed
believers in the city, but the people in power were still fiercely Roman Catholic.
So the five graduates from Lyons became the five prisoners of Lyons. This
happened in April, 1552. In June, Calvin already wrote them a letter, encouraging
them to keep up their faith. Calvin stressed that God would give them strength
to face the future, through the Holy Spirit.
Well, these five graduates were
tried in Lyons and found guilty of heresy. Then they were sent off to Paris
to the French supreme court. Again they were declared guilty of heresy. Appeals
were made by all kinds of Reformed people but to no avail. Eventually, the
five graduates were taken from their Paris dungeon and shipped back to Lyons.
That was in March, 1553. They had already suffered for a whole year. More
appeals were made, but the Paris verdict was upheld and even the king agreed
that they were guilty of heresy. On May 16th, the five were told to prepare
for death. Guido de Bris was hanged for being Reformed. These five young men
were burned alive, at the stake. Why? Because they too were Reformed. They
said, "l am Reformed, I belong to Jesus Christ alone, my faithful Saviour
in life and death . . . ." and they died for their confession.
But that's not the end of the
story. During their imprisonment, these graduates wrote letters to John Calvin
and received letters from him. I'd like to pass on to you a little of what
they said. In Calvin's first letter, he had encouraged these students. So
the five replied, "We want you to know that although our body is so confined
here between four walls, yet our spirit has never been so free and so comforted
Their faith in God had been strengthened tremendously because of their persecution.
They went on to say, "We are
so far indeed from wishing to regard our affliction as a curse of God, as
the world and the flesh wish to regard it, that we regard it rather as the
greatest blessing that has ever come upon us . . . ." Isn't that odd? They
were happy to be in jail! Why? "For in our affliction we are made true children
of God, brothers and companions of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and are conformed
to His image; and by our affliction the possession of our eternal inheritance
is confirmed to us."
And now comes the most striking
statement of all, one that applies to us all tonight, but especially to you,
graduates, who leave the school of theory so to speak, to enter the school
of practice, the school of life - the world beyond Guido. These five graduates
said to Calvin, "We are bold to say and affirm that we shall derive more profit
in this school for our salvation than has ever been the case in any place
where we have studied . . . we testify that this persecution in prison is
the true school of the children of God, in which they learn more than the
disciples of the philosophers ever did in their universities. Indeed, it must
not be imagined that one can have a true understanding of many of the passages
of Scripture without having been instructed by the Teacher of all truth in
this College, prison . . . ."
That's why I called Guido the
school of theory - you've learned about Math and Geography and History from
a Christian perspective. You've learned what it means to be a Christian in
all areas of life: in your thinking, your working, your talking. But now you're
leaving Guido, and going into the world ... College, University after Grade
13, or work somewhere. You're starting school over again - the school of life.
You've learned what the Bible means, what it says - now you have to apply
it in your daily thinking and living beyond Guido.
And now listen to these five
graduates of Lyons again. "It is true that one can have some knowledge of
Scripture and can talk about it and discuss it a great deal; but this is like
playing at charades. We therefore praise God with all our heart and give Him
undying thanks that He has been pleased to give us by His grace not only the
theory of His Word, but also the practice of it, and that He has granted us
this honour - which is no small thing for us who are vessels so poor and fragile
and mere worms creeping on the earth . . . ." And how had God taught them
the practice of His Word?
"By bringing us out to be His
witnesses and giving us constancy to confess His Name and maintain the truth
of His Holy Word before those who are unwilling to hear it - indeed, who persecute
it with all their force - to us, to say, who previously were afraid to confess
the truth even to a poor labourer who would have heard it eagerly . . . ."
These five students faced their
future by using what they had learned in the past. They had learned a lot
of nice things in Switzerland, but now they put these things into practice!
In prison they didn't give up, complain, question, but they said, "We trust
in our Saviour, we have learned about Him, we belong to Him, we trust Him
for our future." Even before the courts in Paris, these boys said, "We are
Reformed, we belong to Jesus Christ alone." They used what they had learned
- the theory, and put it into practice in their lives.
And was it all for nothing?
They died young, a terrible death, their whole future seemed wasted - all
because they wanted to confess Christ. But Calvin said, "Your chains have
become renowned and the noise of your imprisonment has been spread everywhere
abroad - thus it must be that despite Satan, your death will resound far more
powerfully so that the name of our Lord may be magnified thereby ... For let
the enemies do their utmost, they shall never be able to bury out of sight
that light which God has made to shine in you, in order that many may contemplate
it from afar In death, they spoke louder words of truth than in life.
And what does all this have
to do with you, graduates? I know we don't suffer persecution in Canada today.
I know none of you will be burned at the stake for being a Guido graduate.
But I also know your future will not be easy. You must go out into the world
to study more, to work. You must make new friends and make many important
decisions. I don't expect you all to be as courageous as the five graduates
of Lyons. But I do believe that the same God who strengthened those five martyrs,
will strengthen you. You are graduates of Guido! Think about your past, and
now use what you have learned for your future. Put the theory into practice.
Be a Christian on campus, at home, on the job, and your Father in heaven,
your faithful Saviour, He will care for you in the days to come. When you
are faced with problems you can't solve, don't give up! Turn to Father, in
prayer. When you just don't know anymore - how to act, what to say, where
to go - remember what you were taught in the past and pray to your King for
help.
He gave those five students
in Lyons the faith and the courage to remain Reformed, even in the face of
death. Well, He will fill you with His Spirit to give you wisdom, faith and
courage to remain Reformed and to face your future. And the fact that you've
graduated from Guido doesn't mean you can't ask teachers for advice still
- and you've got your parents and the church too!
If I still have a minute, I
would like to give you some advice from a former Guido graduate. I went to
University and I was very impressed with some of my professors, especially
in history and philosophy courses. I worked summers in landscaping and again,
I was impressed with what some of those guys could do - beautiful work. But
often these people who impressed me, me, a little graduate from Guido, often
these people were unbelievers.
You, too, will be impressed
by people, by places and by things and ideas as you go on in life. And don't
close your eyes! Open your eyes and ears and mind to these things. Don't go
to College or University and hide in a corner - no, be humble and listen,
learn, be involved. Let your light shine! But be impressed, above all, by
your God. You belong to Jesus Christ. You do! You are ail covenant children.
Well, remember to whom you belong. Remember the faithfulness of your God who
never let you down, who even sent His Son to die for you. He won't let you
down in the days and years to come, for He is a faithful Saviour. He encouraged
those five students I spoke about. He encouraged Guido do Bris so long ago!
He will encourage you also.
As John Calvin told those five
students, so I tell you, I shall not constrain nor exhort you anymore, knowing
that our heavenly Father gives you to experience how precious His consolations
are. . , has already so shown you how His Spirit dwells in you, that we are
well assured that He will perfect you to the end. Pray our good Lord to have
you in His holy protection, to strengthen you more and m ore by His power,
to make you feel what care He takes of your salvation, to increase you in
the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and make them serve His glory to the end . Your
humble brother, John Calvin."
For the first time in the history
of our Theological College the Lord took unto Himself an alumnus of our school:
Garnet John Peet, who was born on Reformation day 1960 and died on February
15,1987. He had just graduated in the fall of 1986 and was minister elect
of the Canadian Reformed Church at Ottawa. He had hoped as yet to be able
to enter into the ministry and had already chosen Hebrews 2:14 and 15 as the
text for his inaugural sermon.
Now Prof. L. Selles officiating
at Garnet's funeral spoke of Christ who has freed us from devil and death.
After Guido de Bris High School
had been established, Garnet Peet came as a young enthusiastic lad from his
hometown Chatham to Hamilton. He had a burning desire to become a bringer
of the good tiding and dreamt of being a missionary or evangelist. Now he
wanted to receive Reformed education and he directed his studies of English,
History, Latin, German and even Greek already in High School towards his ultimate
goal. At the end of his life he would be the first alumnus of this High School
to be invited as commencement speaker.
He related Calvin's correspondence
with the five young men imprisoned in France who had finished their studies
and had been eager to spread the gospel but whose lives were ended at the
moment when it pleased the sovereign and wise God to take them to Himself.
Garnet did not mention his own situation; it made his message even more powerful
and unforgettable. After
matriculation from High School he had entered upon studies in classical civilization
and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree at McMaster University. When in 1982
he was admitted to the Theological College, he showed himself to be an intelligent
and original student. He enjoyed the studies tremendously and was especially
interested in the relation between art and theology. Garnet drank the God-given
cup of life to the brim: he worked during summers in Germany and spent his
holidays traveling all over Europe, visiting cathedrals and museums, marveling
at the beautiful specimens of Christian art.
Back in Hamilton he wrote fine
papers about the meaning of the second commandment, the iconoclast controversy
in church history and - another field of intense interest - about the struggle
of the confessing church in Germany against national socialism. In the meantime
his zeal for spreading the gospel manifested itself in his regular visits
to an old age home. Old people loved him for his joy and cheerfulness and
Garnet enlisted the students of the College to speak a simple word from the
Scriptures to those men and women who were sitting in the shadow of death.
In congregational meetings he showed slides about the World Relief Fund and
he organized help for persecuted Christians. It
must have been three years ago that the first symptoms of cancer appeared.
Garnet had just happily married
Konnie van Weerden, and especially for her but also for all of us in our small
College community the discovery came as a shock. The Lord, however, gave Garnet
the grace of remaining steadfast and even joyful. He played with his newborn
son Neil and at the same time he could frankly speak about his illness and
the future. He became deeply aware of the fact that not the quantity of
the number of our years is important but the graciously granted quality of redeemed life.
In the beginning of his studies,
his chapel talks dealt with the relation of the gospel to the ancient world.
He once spoke about the figurehead of the Twin Brothers; it was on the ship of Alexandria that brought the Apostle Paul, and in him the gospel,
to Rome. But at the end of his studies, when his deadly illness had become
manifest, he turned to texts as Amos 3:6, Isaiah 45:7 and Lamentations 3:31-33.
The LORD makes weal and creates woe, but, though He causes grief, He will
have compassion. He does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men.
Also the congregations in Ontario
listened attentively to his edifying words, e.g. from Psalm 121, and felt
the power of the living words coming from the lips of a dying young man.
In July 1986 Garnet wrote his
last and because of his illness, belated paper. The course Dogmatics
had ended with the doctrine of salvation and the doctrine of the last
things.
Our student had become interested
in what Calvin in his correspondence had written about the comunion of the
believers with the Lord Jesus Christ. He studied a German publication of W.
Kolfhaus and elaborated on a comparison between the mystical ideas of Eckhart
and Calvin's Scriptural approach. Let
me quote the last page, where Garnet in the line of Kolfhaus draws "some beautiful,
comforting conclusions from the Unio cum Christo":
Believers no longer need fear
death, since they are "in Christ," who is the source of all life, forever.
Since we are united to Him eternally, indissolubly, all our tears and troubles
are His also. Our life is in Him, so we never need to fear losing Christ or
His losing us. Perseverance of the saints is found in the Unio cum Christo.
Our hope is not based on the future, on how far we can come along in our sanctification,
but our hope is based on our union with Him.
He is our hope for the future.
Our anchor is in heaven and thus is sure and firm. " Bis zum Tod und uber
den Tod hinaus erstreckt sich die Kraft der Christus-Gerneinschaft." This
also applies to our bodies, since we, body and soul, are united to Christ,
the man God. Thus the resurrection of the body is sure since He is united
to all of us, every part of us. Every sickness of the brethren is sickness
in Christ, every healing of brethren, healing in/of Christ. Even the "kleine
Glaube" has Christ, all of Him, as Saviour. In the fight against sickness,
against sin, against all troubles and terrors, we are united to Him, our Lord
and Saviour. Praise be to God.
FINIS
One may imagine the deep
emotion when Garnet wrote the last page (page 26) of his last paper. His work
at the Theological College was finished; a few months later his task on earth
came to an end at age 26. But finis is at the same time continuatio.
Christ says: I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, though
he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never
die (John 11 :25).
Laus Deo.
