New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-04


they been in the history OF mankind aud the world!
md this small spot this remote corner scarcely visit
Bile ON the map Of Europe, has been gorihed by God
Almighty 30 that the name and fame Of Holland Will
Ouive that Of the greatest empires The obvious
s this other peoples history in modern tmes ever
ooeey connected so utterly identified with its
religion. To the Gospel especially TO the great
Reformation Of the sixteenth century 10 its firm ana
sohd creed Holland greatness and its glory, its
strongly marked individuality. Ii is impossible rightly
20 understand It's history, while denying or disaVowng
ths fact For others, religion was powerful elenent
OF development for Dutch, 1t was the very germ Oh
nationality, IL remains Its kernel ana mar
rev. Certainly we had history before tine Low Ger
man a welformed language and had literature
when the Prussians and wends were mere barbaranD
we had our long centuries OF Egyptian bOndage, but
Hollands true nationality dates from that Exod, which,
In the great war for existence and liberty. made
free from Spanish chaus and priestly yoke at once
When the voice OF the Reformers reached Holland
from Germany. 1t found It is true well prepared soil
In those countries where the Roformers before the Re
formation lived where the Roman clergy itself had
been Jealous for their independence where the practical
sense OF the people OF the strongest and finest German
Iype combined with earnest religious mind, made the
ncIds white for the harvest But this especially gave
them such wonderful growth that they ruetihed
by the abundsnt dew OF martyrs blood no land or
earth ever Toe horrors of persecution and the ter
OF the very in Gods hand by which
independence and liberty were gained, the nationality
was born by which the peoples character in
NJ proper mold, and Holland made what it TO
be according TO the rule of Divine Providence-the
stronghold OF liberty the asylum OF the prosecuted the
pattern Of free nations for ages come, the prophetic
Iorerunner OF your great Commonwealth the land that
gave England its Constitution with William OF Orange,
and harbored the Pilgrim Fathers to send them to the
American shores!
By this national character was formed, which,
Ihink, may rightly deneate in the following outlines.
u u a character OF a somewhat phegmatic nature,
serious and grave, rigid aud rugged, in which
Ihere deep feeling than lively imagination, more
than wit, more power TO bear and endure than
less aptitude TO undertake what is new
lhau persist in what has been undertaken on
The whole it Is prudent tenacious, stubborn somewhat
slow and suspicious but orderly honest loyal true not
exeellng IN brilliant and dazzling qualities, but rather
quiet and domestic yirtues-such may be well said TO
the fundamental tone OF the Dutch national char
acter And such is the keynote OF religion, too
The strong and consistent doctrine Of Calvin, with its
gd fatasm, was' most adapted to the Igenus of the
people. SO, Notwithstanding that the Reformation
,ame first from the German and Swiss Reformer,
Calvns creed predomuated, though instgated by the
peoples mystic tendency and practical sense And thus
IL remaius, till now know no land where special ana
particular types more completely preserved with
that tenaey proper the popular mind than they are
in Holland. The Dutch Reformed Church is, as 1t was
here essentially aud decidedly Cayinstic in its creed
presbyterian in its organization and puritan in its
The religion ana worship declueu
in Holland even not ike those OF the scotch
Coyenanters and Of the New-I gland settlers OF old.
And though 1t should not be- forgotten that both the
smalneSs aud the OF Holland give 10 ITS pOpu-
Istion certain cosmopolitan character and make its
plains lie open 10 every wind OF learning TO every IN
duence from abroad-such as did trace IT, is even now
The reiguing spirit Of the Reformed Church 1t has
ceased TO be- since the days Of the French revolution,
the Church Of the State; the National Church it
always remained. Nearly four-tenths II Is true,
Catholic Church, and nowhere, perhaps. has the
Pope pious devotees and jealous adheI-
enfs NrOlorv uubelief, and religious indifference
have sadly served the OF the Roman seeits church
daily increasing, not IN Ielauye NUMBERS az caSo III
mass Of t6at medieval building save the remarkable
schsm of the sOcalled Jausenists members OF the
Old Catholic clergy, organized TIL now IN HOLLAND alone
and awakng to new life perhaps since the Old Cathoc
connection IN Germany took place; but TINS sect WITH
its few thousands Of adherens Is Tar more interesting
from It's history than Important IRON acl3a hIuedce
aud the greater part Of the Roman Catholics are utta
me- n ne u Ppsb C6nrSh NAV be- his fact does rot
annibate truth Of the statement that the Dutch are
vim remain such AS long as there Will be health and
Vigor in their national life. The Protestant majority
ceeds them in life by wealth and influence, by
searning and science The upper ten thousand and the
aristOcfacy Of intellect generally belong 10 the Protest
sons of Israel by their wonderful qualities aud mental
emiuence, often occupy most prominent place,
No is not the church OF Rome hG~eSST ong anu
tianity 10 Holland There is tide OF neol0gy hoGd
OF unDelief which no dykes or mOles can Keep bach
Thousands It Is true OF the lower ana nlude ei So,
and these undoubtedly the best and soundest part OF ne
people, steadfasIy and sanehy cng 10 t9clr O, DoIc
faith often with strongly marked, ntic zen
Iaacy and with narT0w-mnded stubboTnness IN some
secondary points tan uycterdo aversion OI lhsIaloe 10
Hmm SINGING and TO vacCinaton still with piety on
the whole solid aud sound But great many, sadly
S"d Gec0mug estringed from Christian truth. Mate
Taisin irregon are Staying their tens oi thoushus
in the ranks OF socaed Christians 80 II Is where
~, IL, Iyoiaud psnccially. Now, 3
b the butch Protestant churches have 10 oppose 10
R5 g' 81 che and Do dSS not call your
ton 10 their special Character OF iudlelei
all outward eccesldstcal amer
ences between various natlonaltles suc as IeloIcu
Lutherans, Mennones, demonstrate, sePn d it
Eether and are OF no Importance whatever compared
with the vital questions OF the day VIII I,s a~I s
Everywhere those churches are the same sN mpoms
of disease and the same tokens OF NE In OrdeI 10 geI
nroper ppreciaon of these. it Is necessary TO recall
T.. yohr memory few historical facts we can never
realize 10 ourselves the present condition OF thngS
without tracing their connection with the past anu
think may very well describe the history oil the CHRIS
tian reformed religion Holland IN the following
words. showing the subsequent periods in that his
tory TIC stream of religious and tneoioglcsi ne
IN my country since the Hays, % ,ne ngioi una
tiop was first in the sixteenth century VIC
iently moved and reused by the storms OF struggle
and strltei thtH III tHG sslo t ~ Ia ~
struggle had subsidized and the doctrine was settled al
the synod of Dordt was freezing u1Her e 10y %
Eighteenth century through the dlssOlVlDg influence
nearly utter stagnation Now again IN the nineteenth,
IL Is disturbed by new aStauOns' cdlhne 10 ne" sIo'
toeraDy exact resume OF Hollands religious ana seen
tihc lie. On the later especially must lay stess.
scocouspess OF rel gon and in Holland theological
science aud Is st eagerly cuHyaIed' always
rouutrios Is speedily known IN Holland ana most lni-
p0rtsnt has BEEN aud later days, tue nhence
Of Spiuoza ana Describes II schleermachcr ana strauss
of the French encyclopedias the English delsls, he
,t I,nt en- theology more excellent in the whole from
lt pathological learning, e&egeucal accuracy o sou
historical sense than nom It's enncal acute