RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Holland
the Free University of Amsterdam. This thriving seceder Church in Holland had 276 churches in 1860 and 400 in 1900. It has exerted a most happy influence upon the old Reformed Church by reviving the power of the Reformation faith in that body.
In 1892 a union was effected between the Synod of "The Christian Reformed Church" — with the exception of a small protesting body — and a certain Provisional Synod of " Dutch Reformed Churches," known as the " Doleerende Kerken," originating in 1886, and claiming to be the successors in doctrine of the Synod of Dort of 1619. These united bodies style themselves the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (" de Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland"). They have more than 700 churches and represent one-tenth of the entire population. This new body at once gave notice to all other Reformed or Presbyterian churches, in all lands, of its formation, its doctrine and polity, and invited correspondence and exchange of delegates. The Reformed Church in America at once entered into correspondence with this body, and appoints delegates regularly to its triennial general synods.
3. The Lutheran Church: The Reformation in Holland started simultaneously with, but independently of, the Lutheran Reformation in Germany; but Lutherans soon penetrated also into Holland. This form of Protestantism, however, was always of-minor importance in that country. The first congregation was at Woerden, which adopted the Augsburg Confession in 1566. In 1605 a union was effected among seven Lutheran ministers, who agreed on a system of faith and a liturgy. This union developed by 1612 into the so-called " Lutheran Brotherhood," which held conventions once in five years. The last Lutheran synod under the Republic met in 1696. In 1818 King William I. gave a new organization to the Evangelical Lutheran Church. This was modified in 1855 and again in 1859, so as to render the Church independent of all state control. Since 1819 their synod has held annual meetings, consisting of fifteen members, eight of whom are ministers. Each local church is governed by a consistory. At first their ministers were all educated in Germany, but in 1816 a Lutheran seminary was founded in Amsterdam. Like all other Protestant bodies, this church was affected, more or less, by the rationalism of the period. A reaction began about 1791, and a rupture occurred between the rationalists and those who insisted on returning to the old confessions and liturgy. An " Old Lutheran Church " finally obtained legal standing in 1835, and further legal confirmation in 1866. Its affairs are directed by an assembly of seventeen members, nine of whom must be ministers. Candidates for the ministry were at first instructed in different schools in Amsterdam, but since 1877 in the University of Amsterdam, where a Lutheran minister teaches theology. The sharp differences between the two bodies gradually subsided, and in 1874 they were reunited. The Evangelical Lutheran Church is divided into the seven districts of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Haarlem, Groningen, and Hertogenbosch, and numbers at present forty-nine congregations and nine mission congregations, with sixty-one active ministers. The V-21
seminary of this body is connected with the University of Amsterdam. The Revived (Hersteld) Evangelical Lutheran Church has at present eight congregations with eleven active pastors. All these congregations are free to call their pastors and are independent in government. There are also churches styled the Evangelical Brotherhood at Zeist and Haarlem, and German Evangelical churches at The Hague, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam.
4. Baptists: This body is often called Mennonites from Menno Simons (q.v.). They rejected infant baptism. For a time they had no central organization, and hence several divisions existed among them, but these were harmonized in 1650. Doctrinal differences subsequently sprang up. The orthodox took the name of Zonists, and the liberals that of Lamists. The names were derived from the armorial bearings of their respective localities; but in 1801 the two divisions reunited. One special feature of this Church is its confessional freedom. There is no common standard of doctrine. Whoever makes a sincere confession of sin, and promises to lead a righteous life, is admitted to membership, without regard to his views of the person and work of Christ. As a rule, only regularly educated persons enter the ministry, but there is also a class of " exhorters." In 1811 a General Society was formed for the encouragement of theological education and for the support of the ministry among the poorer congregations. At the same time they enlarged the curriculum of their seminary, which was founded in 1731. They had in 1898 116 congregations. All the congregations have perfect freedom in calling ministers and are independent in government. See Mennonites. [There are in the Netherlands several Baptist churches of the Anglo- American type.
A. H. N.J
5. Remonstrants: This body, dating from about 1618, in regulations revised in 1879 set forth the aim of the body to be " to further the Christian life on the basis of the Gospel, while at the same time holding fast to freedom and toleration." The control of the body is vested in an assembly which meets annually. It is composed of the professors, all the ministers, delegates from the congregations, and a few others. A permanent committee of five members executes the resolutions of the assembly, and supervises the administration. But this body is gradually declining. The Church of Rotterdam is their principal church, having about 600 members. They have freedom in making calls and are independent in government. See Remonstrants.
II. The Roman Catholic Church: At the time of the Reformation the Netherlands belonged to the bishopric of Utrecht. In 1559 this was made an archbishopric. After the death of Ferdinand Schenk van Toutenberg in 1580, the last archbishop, the ecclesiastical affairs of Holland were administered by apostolic vicars. From 1717 onward papal legates took control. They were called vice-superiors and dwelt at Cologne or Brussels. Since 1840 Dutch ecclesiastical affairs have been under a papal internuncio at The Hague, and three apostolic vicars, located at Hertogenbosch, Breda, and Limbursch. The overthrow of the State Church in 1796 led to renewed activity among the Romanists. The
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