The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-06-06
WHOLE NO. p SO

A4OAAA4 4NN(e - - ~
confae the benefits Of peace TO CathO-
lies and 10 such as adhered 10 the con-
fession o. Augsburg The rigor Of the
lGxs against heretics was left il force as
/ to the Reformed people. Indeed, il was
not until the end Of the thirty years war
I that the ban agains. them VS. removed
The Treaty Of wesiphalss provided that
the Reformed people sh Guild erjoy in as
ample manner IS the Lutheran, all sd-
vantages and protection which the Re
cess Of Augsburg made one hundred
years befoEel Afforded.
This excl Gsion Of the Reformed people
from the benefits Of the Treaty Of Args-
burg is the key note to an understand
ingof much subsequent history. Empe-
ror and Pope fully understood this spirit
of the Reformed people. They knew
that with them reformation Of the church
involved the reformation Of civil govern
ment, whilst those who adhered TO The
confession Of Augsburg at that time de-
sired only religions liberty. This differ
encs runs, ike the theme Of an Opsra,
through the whole story Of the Reforma-
ton. Napoleon understood it. Speak
ing Of the rivalry between Francis the
First and Charles the Fifth, be said that
Francis the First might have made him
self the great hero Of the reformation
had he turned protestant bat, he eau
tiously added, that be could not have
adopted the Reformed faith, which was
altogether Republican, and led to the
overthrow Of monarchy.
The adherents Of the confession Of
Augsburg, having been paeited by the
treaty, the Pope and Emperor we're left
free 10 extermin&te heresy IN the Meth
erlaRds. The whole power Of spain and
Rome was concentrated 10 crush the ref
orm1tiOn il the Netherlands. In vain
did the Netherlands imp.ore the protest
ants Of Germany to come over and help
them. STINT Aldegonde, with the clear
vision Of a seer, told them at Worms that
If they did not help to Gght the battles
Of protestanisn in the lowlands Of H1l-
land, the day would come when in fer
Ger form the conflict would be brought to
! finish on the plains Of Germany. Tie
thirty years war, with its devastation
and depopul4tion Of Germany, was the
price paid for deserting the Netherlands.
There is no more pitable spectacle in his
tory than that Of protestant Germany
with the exception o. a few personal fol
lowers Of William the Silent standing
aloof, protected in religion and property
By selfish treaty, whilst the whole
might and power OF Spain and Catholi-
eisa vas concentrated 70 crush the prot
estants il the Netherlands. How much
the cause Of religions and civil liberty
owes 10 William the Silent B1Ta a In
theran, trained a Catholic in the service
OF the Emperor. he espousei the cause Of
liberty. As the struggle for liberty and
Just laws went on, be saw that in the he
formed phase Of protestantisn lay the
true hopes Of freedom. In the h0ar Of
greatest struggle he joined the Reformed
Church, and led the hosts Of protestant
ism 70 victory. A victory that gave, not
alone freedom to the Netherlands. but
set the example Of religious liberation for
the whole world The religions and civ
i liberty we his day P1ssss grew out Of
this heroic stuggle in the Netherlands.
Switzerland, from a confederation
aristocratie republics, under Reformed
infaences has developed into the most
democratic Of au nations.
Whence come the Liberties Of England2
From the great charter? Magma Charts Is
among the brightest epoehs in history
Is story viii never grow old. L viii al
ways be the fruitful theme OF orl.ory.
sill one smiles a. times - hear Ameri-
cans OF Teutonic descen: tell how our
Eaglish ancestors-5arons, too, they
were-with mailed haad extortsd the
great charter Of our liberties from King
John at Rlanymede. Bat Msgaa Char
"a was dull parchment-ieai and dry as
the bones in kiei's vis;0n-1ntil
those stern C4'yinis,s in the era Of the
Commonwealth put life and spirit into
the musty old "a chment; and even then
the life was fitfll and the spirit tame IN
til Reformed Prince, William Of Or
snge, ascended the throne Of England.
The English call his accession the reyo-
luton. Such il undoubtedly was. The
limitations on monarchial power, and
what IS now called English constitution
al liberty, date from the landing Of Viii
liam Of Orange, a dsscendent Of the great
William the Silent, on Elglish soil.
intended to tell you Of our own free
dom, and from whence il comes Tine
will not permit. Will you turn 10 France?
The seed Of civil and religious liberty
was sOEn there by the Reformed protest
ants early il the Sixteenth century. Il
was soon ch0ked BY corruption aud blood.
From time 70 time it sprOuted into new
life and gave promise OF glorious things
again TO be cut down BY remorseless
tyranny and persecution. Cat down, bat
never uprooted- In our generation, We
have seen it develop new life and grow
into fair-sizsd tree, with hopeful PROM
ise Of becoming a full-grown tree Of lib
erty under whose shade her people nav
find rest. Turn where you viii, and this
fact cOnfronts you-Nherever the Re
formed faith las become a controlling
factor in the lifeo Of nations, then has fol-
loved, as the day follows the night, the
death Of absOlU,ism. aud a new birth Of
freedom.
Religions and civil liberty and educa-
ton are inseparable. The true votary Of
freedom must ever De the generous pat
ron Of educ ton There Is 10 more pleas
in2 incident in history than that which
tells how the Reformsd people Of the
Netherlands, as thank-ofsring FOR the
deliverance from the Spanish siege Of
Lsyden, founded the famous University
Of Leyden. Well may We, who enjoy
the blessings Of civil and religiocs liber-
ty in fuller and more permanent form
than ever fell to the Reformed people OF
Holland, initiate their example. and