The separate organization which was thus secured has remained to this day, a monument of providential interposition, and of the wisdom and piety of its chief human agent, Dr. Livingston, who is justly revered as the father of the Reformed Church in America. The constitution adopted in 1792 continued in force for the space of forty years. In 1832 it was revised, and again in 1874.
5. Causes of Slow Growth. — It has often been a mat- ter of surprise to persons unacquainted with these and other facts that this oldest Presbyterian Church organi- zation in this country has been of such slow growth. The reasons are self-evident. The Dutch rule in New Amsterdam lasted only about thirty years; and when it ceased, the population of the city was but 1500. The English Episcopal Church rose almost to the power of a state establishment. " The Presbyterians of Ireland and Scotland, for a hundred and twenty-five years, were practically excluded by the continued use of the Dutch language from the Church assemblies of the Reformed, and they established their own churches nearly half a century before an English word was heard in a Dutch church." The introduction of English preaching by the Rev. Dr. Laidlie, who was called by the Church of New York for this purpose, was the result of a long strife, and the commencement of a longer struggle against the use of this restrictive tongue. The damage to the Church from this cause alone was almost incalcu- lable, keeping multitudes away from its sanctuaries, and driving many of the younger families into the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches. The first English sermon was preached in the church in New York in 1764 by Dr. Laidlie. The dependence of the American churches upon the mother Church in Holland for more than a- hundred and fifty years also produced its natural results
:EFORMED (DUTCH) CHURCH 1000 REFORMED (DUTCH) church
iii dwarfing their growth and diminishing their strength. They were men- attachments to a foreign body, without ecclesiastical organization on the spot, save by a consis- tory, with no powers of legislation, licensure, or ordina- tion, with no colleg i or theological .seminary to supply a new mini-try. distracted by internal troubles, and bound hand and foot by Old-World alliances, prejudices, ami powers. The only wonder is that the Reformed Church maintained its separate existence, and that it achieved its independence at last. After the articles of union were adopted in 1772. the Revolutionary War added greatly to the embarrassments of the Church. Many ministers were obliged t<> leave their flocks tor years. I Ihurch edifices were sometimes used for British cavalry stables and riding-schools, and military prisons; and the fairest portions of the goodly heritage were oc- cupied by tin' opposing armies. After peace was de- clared, the Church grew slowly hut surely, and laid the foundations other educational and benevolent institu- tions upon a broad and enduring basis. The tenacity of the Dutch character is abundantly illustrated in the r\N. me difficulty with which this Church has been in- duced to break oil its old traditional relationships and attachments to iis foreign origin. It never has yielded one of them until it was compelled to do so by long con- flicts.
IV. Theological Standards.— The doctrinal symbols of the Reformed Church in America, which are still the same with those of the Reformed Church in Holland, are, (1) the Belgic Confession; (2) the Heidelberg Cat- echism, and tin- 1 lompendium of the christian Religion, which is an abridgment of the Heidelberg Catechism, designed lor the young and to prepare for the Lord's supper; (3) the Canons of the Synod of Dordrecht. The use of the Westminster Shorter Catechism in Sun- day-schools lias been also sanctioned by the General Synod. The Hellenbroek Catechism was formerly much employed by pastors and in Sabbath-schools, but it is now out of use.
These standards harmonize with each oilier, and in all essential points with the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England, with the Westminster Confession of faith, and with the confessions of the Reformed churches of Germany, France, and Switzerland. The theology of the Reformed Church is " Calvinistic," in tie' moderate sense of that historical term, ami it is Calvinistic amply because she believes ii to be scriptu- ral. The liberality with which Bhe'holds her standards is sufficiently attested by the very large number both of ministers and communicant members whom she has received from other evangelical bodies. The Heidel- berg < iatechism is held in the sense in which it is inter- preted by the Synod of Doll.
V. Church Government. — The government of the Church, in common with that of all Reformed churches, is Btrictly Presbyterian. Her constitution recognises '• the offices of the Church of Christ to be :
" 1. Ministers ofthe Word. " •-'. Teachers of theology. " :t. Elders. " 4. Deacons."
1. Ministers "/'//,, Word. -"No person shall be al lowed to exercise the office of a minister wit bout being regularly Inducted thereto, according to the Word of God and the order established by the Church" (Con- stitution, an. ii. § 1 ). Croat care is required in the ed- ucation of students and in the examinations of candi- dates for the holy office by the classes, which have the power of licensure, ordination, and installation. The candidates for both licensure and ordinal ion are required to sign certain "formulas," pledging themselves t>> a hearty belief an. 1 persuasion ofthe theological standards ofthe Church, and "diligently to teach and faithfully to del', nil the same without either directly or iii. 1 1 re. ll\