The New York herald., 1869-02-02
FROM ROTTERDAM TO COLOGNE.
Lecture by Rev. John Thompson.

Lecture by Rev. John Thompson.
At the Fourth Presbyterian church, on Thirty
fourth street, near Broadway, the Rev. John Thomp-
son delivered another Of his interesting lectures,
being composed OF "reminiscences OF his travels in
Europe. The church was well filed by an intelligent
audience and the Ladies' Charitable Clothing
Society,"" for the benefit OF whose treasury the
course OF lectures was arranged may well
be grathed at the success they have, so
far had The lecturer, on taking his
seat said thac at the close Of the last lecture they
had landed at Rotterdam, and, by way OF pleasantly,
he would inquire OF his audience, whether they
knew where Rotterdam wasf This is rather a
serious question TO ask Of citizens of New Amster
dam. But, as his friend Judge Brady would insist
that all the wit and smartness came from Ireland
and as Mr.. Choate would persistently claim that
it all from the Pilgrim fathers, he the lecturer
could assert that they were all mistaken for it may
well be said that owe it to old Holland The Hol-
landers-for the word Dutch had somehow grown to
be reproach and a byword, which was entirely
wrong-have in many respects shown the most re-
markable smartness Have they not purchased
Manhattan Island for twenty-one dollars divided 1t
OF into lots and blocks and sold with thousands Of
per cent profits In fact Holland was great coun-
try the land OF truth and liberty the home OF Christ
mas OF ST. Nicholas or Santa Claus On leaving the
hotel at Rotterdam the lecturer and his party
embarked on 10y low long Steamboat .s boat called
| followed description OF the farmhouses, how
| everything In Holland Is scrupulously clean and
neat that the people allow not an inch OF soil to lie
unproductive; that the land though nat with not
shadow OF hill. is yet interesting TO all who know
that most OF IL had been reclaimed from the water
b. the industry and perseverance of the people, who
| from their fat lands, exported 10000 beeves
annually. and that at Dundee and other places
linen for sallclofh and for ladies' fine
| dresses was manufactured from hemp brought from
the natlands OF Holland The lecturer broached the
theory that the name OF the country, Holland came
from Hollow Land tHoht land in German or Nsey.
land IN Dutchh An emphatic euiogy was then
passed upon the district OF Holland where the cheese
the clay pipes the glazed tiles are made which
carried over the world, and which in Scotland and
here have been so popular. Utrecht, the Ultra Ira
Jectum OF the Romans was next touched; the cathe-
draI. with its spire nearly 500 feet high, de.
scrbel. and the fact was mentioned, which the
lecturer claimed had hitherto been overlooked, that
at the peace OF Utrecht between England and
France IN lii3, the doctrine, which Is believed to
have been originated by the democratic spirit OF
modern times, was first enunciated-that free ships
made Tree goods. bort and lis origin were dweit
upon and the fact mentioned that here, 25o years
ago, the famous synod was held which resulted in
the establishment OF the Reformed Dutch Church.
or rather the Reformed Church. At EN-
merich they reached the frontier OF Prussia,
passed SIs nHed and WacSu dsd%T OseT sae
We're there, inspecting every trunk and every pack
age and each officer being spy on the other. Rev.
Mr.. Thompson then told an amusing story OF q He
brew and the way he cheated the customs inspectors
Dusseldorf, once the seat OF Flemish art, was next
reached after tedious night journey the steam
boat, and the beautifultcoection OF paintings de-
cribed The lecturer closed with description OF
Cologne, the Oppidum Ubiorum Of the ancients,
wife Of the Roman Emperor Ciaudius and
mother OF Nero. lie stated that Coleridge
was right in saying that In the narrow streets OF CO.
logne there were ia diferent bad Smells with de-
scribng the cathedral of Cologne, the supersitious
relics Of the three kings or magi OF st. Ursula, and
with the demolition OF these supersttions alone free
Thought can develop Itself, and paying high trib-
ute, IN contrad,tnction to the religious conquests
OF the Church Of Rome to the ciyizinr influences of
the conqae-ts Of the Rome Of Old the lecturer closed.