The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-07-04
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE REFORMED CHURCH.
No. 9.

which our Church stands in such pleasant auu
hopeful relations.
Let me mention, before | proceed to graVer
matters, that our Reformed friends have fali-
IN somewhat into the unseemly habit las we
would regard it) of applauding whatever
pleases them with the clapping of hands,
But this was not very frequent, and ordinarl-
" it was rather faint. They do not take to
it strongly.
Another criticism in all friendlineSs OF
feeling there was little clap-trap Tor, what
to poor unsophisticated SOuthron seemed
like that in their way of getting the So'ooo
for Foreign Missions subscribed and pledged.
Too much of the sensational, too much slim
ulation by applauding, too much urging In
dividuals to pledge their churches and their
Sunday Schools. But you know we of the
South are not the standard for any body,
being all of US old fogies and behind the
times. 1 positively know however that the
whole thing was dista0teful to come OF the
members, who therefore took no part in the
collection. - .
l am very glad that 1 was able to keep the
purpose announced in my former letter of
remaining to the close of the sessions. There
arose, after my letter was sent away, most
earnest and able discussion about their Hope
College land Theological Seminary attached)
which is in Michigan. In that Northwest
country, there are considerable body OF the
Reformed who are original emigrants not
very long since from Holland. The instltu-
ton named was established especially for
their benefit. But 1t has got into difficulties,
and these were not merely financial. What
their nature really was, however, it seemed
to puzzle the Synod greatly to fad out. The
College has, if I mistake not, three Profess
sors, one of whom is President and very
able mar. Another, also very able man,
besides his college duties, was Theological
Professor, and having few students, (only
FOUR carried them through the whole course
and all the branches by himself. The
Standing Committee reported, recommending
amongst other things the suspension for the
present of the theological department, but
they did not at once possess the Synod of the
reasons for this action, and conjecture imme-
diately became rife as to the object aimed at.
The Recommendation was earnestly opposed
by both the President and the Professor OF
Theology, who were allowed the privileges OF
the floor, and also by some ten or twelve of
the younger members of the body who had
pursued their studies there. And certainly
these did their alma mater and their whole
Church very great honor, for | never listened
to ADLER pleas. Theirs was not, in ell cases,
the purest English accent and style, but the
fire of genius and eloquence blazed forth in
several, and they all displayed earnest zeal
and excellent powers Of speech. With true
Dutch equanimity and patience the Synod
listened to all that was said both pro and con-;
and the stranger in the midst of them puzzled,
as they themselves generally were, to COM
prehend the full merits of the question, won
dered how they were ever to work through
the mazes of it. Most of the speakers from
the Northwest urged the popular judgment
in their sections as demanding home educa
ton for their ministers, and they pleaded for
Synod to postpone action for year, that
that popular judgment might have opportu-
nifty to manifest itself against what was now
proposed. The question then pressed itself
on the body, What is the necessity Of going
against these wishes of the people? One
eminent member of the body claimed to un-
derstand the case, and said the trouble oil
arose out of personal difficulties between the
President and the Professor. He was cor
rected, however, by others, who said the diff
fculty was deeper, and arose from the effort
to make one thing out of two different insti-
tutions, each with it's own constitution and
recurring to be allowed to move, each in its
separate sphere. Then rose one of the ablest
men in the body, Hollander, the Rev. Mr..
Van der Veen, who had kept silent for a
long time, and he explained that the people
of his section were not ready for theological
seminary of their own; that they we're bur-
dened with the effort to carry on this enter
prise, while it was the lower education, and
the education of their girls, which
was their highest interest; that they needed
to combine all their energies for the supply
Of these more fundamental necessities; that
be was born in Holland but was bent on be-
ing an American, and he did not want the
narrow ideas of his own section to prevail.
What his eountrymen in Michigan needed
was, not homs-raised ministers but the very
lest sort of ministers. And what they could
ret at New Brunswick were better for them
han such as could be trained at Hope Col
ege. His speech impressed the Synod
strongly and backed as he was by two other
IF the older members of the body from the
same section, viz: the Rev. Jacob Van der
Meulen and the Rev. Henry Uiterwyk, the
Synod evidently began to lean strongly to
;he suspension. Then was strongly urged
;he plea that the body ought to postpone the
natter for year, that the Glasses Of the
Holland people might speak. But the reply
vas, we have at length come to understand
he case and our duty now is to settle it.
accordingly it was settled'to suspend.