The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-12-01
The Reformed Church in Holland.

The Rev. DR.. Stuart Robinson upon his
return from the Presbyterian Alliance Con-
ference in London, delivered discourse to
his own congregation in Louisville, KY, in
which he gave very interesting account OF
the Conference and of his impressions of
Professionalism abroad. We quote the fol
lowing passage respecting the Church on the
continent and especially in Holland:
Time fails me for any such statement as /
intended, touching the prospects of eyangel'
ioal religion among the Continental people
There was, however, clear evidence that the
Christian people of the Continent. restricted
and encountered as they are by State inter-
ference with religion, are bearing noble testi-
mony for Christ. And one of the manifest
advantages of the contemplated alliance of
Presbyterians will be the benefit to these
feeble and oppressed bodies of Evangelical
Presbyterians from union with the stronger
churches of other countries. As an illustra-
ton of the difficulties under which Evapgel-
zeal churches labor, even under Protestant,
to say nothing of the Roman Catholic
Church aud Safe governme IS, | may in
stance the case of Protestant, Presbyterian
Holland, where l was surprised to find that
all the power of che government is practical
ly brought to bear so as to crush out Evan
gelical religion.
Three ffths OF the population of Holland
is Protestant and Presbyterian. The organ
ization in the several cities and towns is
after the collegiate fashion; all are under
one body of pastors and elders, who alter
nate in the several pulpits Of the city, and
form what he would call preSbytery. The
clergy since 1916 are not required to sub
scribe directly the Calvinistic articles Of
faith, but only vague formula of subscrip-
ton, which really binds them to teach no
particular doctrines. Hence every part Of
theology may be preached in the same pull
pits by the different associated pastors.
The supreme government of the church is
not in the hands of a General Assembly,
like ours, but by "synodical commission,
chosen indeed by the consistories, but the
Consistories or church session themselves,
are close corporation, chosen not by the
people, but appointed by the consistOry it
self. You may readily see, therefore, that
once heresy aud apostasy gets into the
church, no power can get it out. The syn
odical commission, if it would, has no power
to suppress heresies. There is no opportun.
ity for the earnest Christian to form anoth,
er congregation and call pastor who vii
preach the true gospel, for the government
chooses the divinity professors, and no man
can be situated as pastor who has not taken
his theological course from the government
professors. Such are some of the many pc
culiarities of the Holland Presbyterian estab
lishment. 1t is far worse even than the
English establishment as it now stands, sc
far as concerns Evangelical religion. From
this specimen of State churchism you may
imagine how it must be in Roman Catholic
governments.
But there is spirit abroad touching this
whole matter of State churches which will not
be put down until they are all overthrow and
the people of God delivered from their pow
er. The growing intercourse between ma,
tions and churches, and the development OF
free-churcbism in America, must at last work
out the churchs deliverance from this bond
age. 1 was surprised to find in London a
powerful society, with it's 10000 members,
scattering its tracts like the leaves of the
forest to enlighten the people concerning the
Injustice, the tyranny, and the irreligion that
necessarily grows out of the subsection OF
Christ's Kingdom to Caesar.