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JOHN CALVIN. 
 
NOV 7 \m ' 
 
 AN OUTLINE "^"^^ 
 
 OF 
 
 ^be Distort 
 
 OF 
 
 THE CM RISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH 
 
 OF 
 
 flMERICA. 
 
 BY 
 
 IRcv. Ibcnv^ Dan ^ev TOcrp, 
 
 HOLLAND, MICH. 
 
 H. HOLKEBOER, Printer. 
 
 1898. 
 
A/ the urgent reqjiest of hiohly esteemed brethren in The 
 United Pi esbyterian Chiireh the folloiving pages first appeared 
 in the (ohimns of " The Ihiited Presbyterian''' and " The Mid- 
 land.' ' 
 
 In eomplianee 7vith the desire expi'essed by leaders in The 
 Christian Reformed Chnirh and by valued friends ft om other 
 denominations I readily send this neiv p7iblieation upon a ivider 
 field of hoped-for usefulness. 
 
 The Writer. 
 
AN OUTLINE Of THE HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 Zbc Cbrietian ^Reforme^ Church 
 
 OF 
 
 Hmerica, 
 
 I. 
 
 The Christian Reformed Church, as far as its organization 
 in America is concerned, does not date back any farther 
 than A. D. 1857, a year before the consolidation of that 
 elect remnant of Christ's body, since christened the United 
 Presbyterian Church. As for the origin and early history 
 of the Christian Reformed Church, we have to go beyond 
 the waters, back to Reformation times and to the old coun- 
 try, the Netherlands. With holy pride and glorious proof 
 we are right in giving her a place of honor as the historic 
 lineal descendant of the Reformed churches in the Nether- 
 lands, Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland, called 
 into being by the grace of God and the everlasting gospel 
 of Jesus Christ the Lord. 
 
 The Standards— all of them thoroughly Calvinistic — of 
 these churches, which may justly be styled their forraulse 
 concordioe, mentioned in the historical order are: 
 
— 4 — 
 
 1. The Belgic Confession, or Confession of Faith of the 
 Reformed churches, containing 37 articles, published in 1562 
 in the Holland language, drawn up originally in the French 
 language, in 1559, by Guido de Bres — or De Bray — who 
 died a martyr at Doornik, Belgium, 1567. 
 
 2. The Heidelberg Catechism, composed at the request 
 of Frederic HI, surnamed the Wise, the well-known patron 
 of the reformers. Prince electoral of the Palatinate, by two 
 illustrious professors of theology at the University of Hei 
 delberg, Saxony: Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus; 
 translated and published in the Holland tongue by Peter 
 Dathenus, a zealot in the cause of the Reformed churches. 
 Since 1568 up to the present day this Heidelberg Catechism 
 has been the manual of instruction for old and young, in 
 pulpit and Bible class, having been purposely divided in 52 
 sections, according to the Sabbaths of the year, so as to be 
 annually held forth and explained to the people. 
 
 3. The Canons of Dordt. The famous Synod of Dord- 
 recht — or Dordt — was convened to oppo.se and refute the 
 rising tide of Arminianism in the Holland churches. It 
 was in session from Nov. 13, 1618, to May 29, 1619. It 
 may well be called a General Assembly,, as constituted not 
 only by representatives from the mother country, but also 
 by delegates from those churches abroad which held tlie 
 refo''med and prcsbyterian principles in doctrine and form 
 of government. Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, France 
 and Switzerland were duly represented by per.son or by 
 letter. 
 
 The Great Britain (Hvines were Georgius, bishop of I,an- 
 da; JosephusHall, D.D., dean of Wigorn; John Davenantius, 
 D.D., professor of theology in Cambridge Univer.sity and 
 regent of the Queen' s College a costi ; Samuel Wardus, D. D. , 
 archdeacon of Taunton and regent of Sidney College in 
 
— 5 — 
 Cambridge University. We find no mention made of Scotch 
 delegates. As in those early struggles for religious liberty 
 tiie Scotch churches (congregations) had mainly to contend 
 for tlie presbyterian form of go\'ernment against prelacy 
 and hierarcliy. I presume said churches styled themselves 
 generall}' "presbyterian," though at a later period the name 
 "reformed" has been accepted by some. 
 
 The churches on the continent however, had to follow 
 other lines of defense, viz., against heresies and dangerous 
 deviation from the truth as embraced by the fathers of the 
 Reformation, and therefore they preferred to be called "re- 
 formed," their form of church polity invariably being pres- 
 byterian. Indeed, it is hard to under.stand how a reformed 
 church can he other than presb3'terian; while at the same 
 time it should not be forgotten that a Church holding the 
 presbyterian form may have hard times in upholding and 
 defending the truth as it is in Jesus, as may be proven by 
 the hi.story of the Scotch and Holland Churches, which we 
 are going to show now. 
 
 When in the memorable year 1688, William III, Prince 
 of Orange, son in-law to James II, then king of England, 
 came to the rescue of the oppressed and persecuted Protes- 
 tants of England and Scotland, the rights of the Church 
 were restored and presbyterianism re-established in these 
 parts. But not so easily were truth and peace maintained 
 within its walls. Though the Calvinistic Westminster 
 Confession and Catechisms were its accepted creed, all kinds 
 of sects and sectarians found their way into the Established 
 Church of Scotland, viz.. Pelagians, Arians, Socinian.s, and 
 such like. Expostulations on the side of the orthodox party 
 against these errorists being tolerated within the pale of the 
 Church were of no avail. A protest against an iniquitous 
 action of the General As.sembly was followed by the sus- 
 
— 6 — 
 
 pension of such lieroic and stalwart Christian men as Ebene- 
 /,er Erskine, Alexander Moncrieff, James Fisher, and Wil- 
 liam Wilson. On Dec. 6, 1733, these four ministers organ- 
 ized the Associat.^ Presbytery, .standing out until this day 
 as the patriarchs and originators of the United Presbyterian 
 Church. They and their followers werecontemptil)ly nick- 
 named seceders, but they were no more .seceders from truth 
 and righteousness than the heroes of the Reformation, 
 whose faith they held. 
 
 We cannot refrain from — nor do we apologi/.e for — this 
 little digression from the straight line of narration, since 
 there are .so many .striking coincidences in the hi.story of 
 l)oth the United Presbyterian and Christian Reformed 
 Churches. Even the sobriquet of "seceders" has been 
 awarded us. though a century later, in 1834, as the latter 
 part of this sketch will show, and has been inflicted upon 
 us until the present day, yea by brethren whom we love and 
 who feel quite at liberty to boast the .same godly ancestry 
 as we Chri.stian Reformed people do. 
 
 Now let us return to the Synod of Dordt and the history 
 of the Reformed Church after that event. The synod wa.s 
 an event of no little con.sequence. The old sound truths 
 were vindicated and the orthodox party came out victorious. 
 A goodly number of Arminian preachers were compelled to 
 give up their teachings or their country. Some two hun- 
 dred left their charges and their homes. But they were not 
 long in exile; all too soon they were allowed to return on 
 account of the change of government authorities, those 
 coming into power favoring their religious views and their 
 restoration. Henceforth the visible body of Christ in Hol- 
 land was infested and infected bij a legion of errors. 
 
 The main rea.son for this deplorable state of affairs was 
 the Erastian feature of the constitution of the Church, as 
 
/ 
 instanced by some of the "Rules of Churc'i Government," 
 established in the n^ional Synod of Dordt, A. D. 1618-19. 
 Article 4 of these Rules has this to say: 
 
 "A lawful call to persons heretofore not engaged in the 
 ministry of the Word, either in a city or in a country, con- 
 sists: (i) In the election made by the consistory (session ) 
 and deacons, after previous fasting and prayer, and not n'ith- 
 out proper correspondence tvith the Christian magistracy of 
 the respective places, and advising with the Classis, where 
 it has been customary. (2) An examination into the doc- 
 trines and morals of the person so elected, which shall be 
 performed by the Classis, in the presence of the deputies of 
 Synod, or some of them. (3) In the approbation and ap 
 proval of the magistrate, and after that (!) or the members 
 in full communion with the church (congregation) to which 
 he is called. For the obtaining of which, the name of such 
 minister shall be published in the church three Sabbaths 
 successively, that opportunity may be given for stating law- 
 ful objections to his ordination, if any there be. (4) In 
 public ordination in the presence of the congregation which 
 has chosen and called him, according to the form adopted 
 for that purpose, accompanied by suitable engagements, ex- 
 hortations, praj'ers and impositions of hands by the minis- 
 ter, who preaches and presides at the ordination, and .such 
 other ministers as may be present, providing, however, that 
 imposition of hands may be performed in the Classical As- 
 sembly (presbytery), in the ca.se of persons sent as mis- 
 .sionaries, or to churches under persecution." 
 
 In regard to persons already engaged in the ministry of 
 the Word, called to another field and having accepted such 
 call, Art. 5 runs in the .same strain; approval of the mag- 
 istrate is required. 
 
 Art. 26 charges the deacons to cau.se the city almoners to 
 
keep up a proper correspondence with the former, for the 
 more careful distribution of alms to the most needy. 
 
 Art. 28 enjoins ministers, elders and deacons to love, obey 
 and reverence, and to teach the people to love, obey and 
 reverence the Christian magistracy, zvhich is every zvay ex- 
 pected to be the protector and promotor of the Chzirch and the 
 ministry of the gospel. 
 
 Art. 37. In all churches (congregations) there shall be 
 a consistory (session), composed of ministers and elders, 
 who shall meet together at least once every week, in which 
 the minister of the Word (or ministers, if more than one) 
 shall preside in turn and moderate the business. The mag- 
 istracy of the respective places shall have the privilege to dele- 
 gate one or two of their 7uimber, these being members of the 
 church, to the consistory (session), there to attend and to 
 deliberate with them. 
 
 Art. 50. The General Synod shall be held ordinarily 
 every three years, unless a pressing necessity shall require 
 a shorter time; to this sjaiod two ministers and two elders 
 shall be delegated from every particular synod. The con- 
 gregation, appointed to convoke the General Assembly, shall 
 be in duty bonnd to apprise the supreme magistracy of its in- 
 tention, and this body shall be free to send a few of their 
 number to the Classis (presbytery), so that the latter, the 
 Classis, with the knowledge, the advice and in the presence 
 of the former, the magistracy, may settle the question. 
 
 Art. 64. Evening .services shall not be abrogated without 
 the advice of the magistracy, adhering to the Reformed re- 
 ligion. 
 
 Art. 66. Feast days. The churches shall keep, besides 
 the Sal)bath, Christmas day, Ea.ster, and Pentecost, with 
 the following day (!) . . .aiid the ministers of the Word shall 
 
JOHN BO GERMAN, President Synod of DerdL 
 
— 9 — 
 induce the mcigistracy to use their injl,uence in securing uni- 
 formity in observing these days. 
 
 We purposely entered into these somewhat lengthy de- 
 tails, to show how the Cliurch, which in its Synod of Dordt 
 fonght so gallantly for the faith once delivered to the saints, 
 was hoodwinked by the chimera of the State being Chris- 
 tian; to show how the Church was soon afterwards fettered 
 and held in bondage by this mesalliance with a so-called 
 Christian magistracy; to show how the Church, though 
 unintentionally and unconsciously, fostered the germ of dis- 
 sension and dissolution in its own bosom. By the regula- 
 tions, mentioned above, the Church was bound hand and 
 foot, as may be easily seen. 
 
 Let me state l)y the way that since 1834 — the year of ju- 
 bilee for so many Godfearing people in the Netherlands, 
 being the year when the Christian Reformed Church was 
 constituted — this evil has been done away with. Religious 
 freedom, under the sole head of the Church, is the precious 
 legacy left us by our fathers through the kind providence 
 of our covenant God. 
 
 Let it be well understood, however, that the famous 
 Synod of Dordi did not stand godfather to the Dagon of 
 the eastern hemisphere, commonly called the State Church 
 or Established Church. The Reformed Church in the 
 Netherlands had been such a one since 1583. In the resolu- 
 tions and regulations of Dordt' s Synod, we only see the 
 great apo.stle's admonition to Titus exemplified: "Put 
 them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to 
 obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work." This 
 however was applied in a way which any Church .sooner or 
 later has to repent of and to atone for. Not in vain has the 
 Lord God spoken from on high: "I have anointed my King 
 upon my holy hill of Zion!" 2 
 
— lO — 
 
 The material benefits of the State Church cannot out- 
 weigh the glorious libert}" of the children of God's Church, 
 neither counterbalance the i-piritual richness of the glory of 
 his inheritance in the .'-aints. And so it came to pass that, 
 like Moses, who esteemed the reproach of Christ greater 
 riches than the treasures in 'Egypt, the Christian Reformed 
 fathers of 1834 willingly surrendered the advantages of the 
 Established Church, the love of Christ constraining them. 
 
 After 1583 the Reformed Church of the Netherlands was 
 the Established Church. The Synod of Dordt did not bring 
 an}' change in this state of affairs. The Hervormde Kerk 
 (Established Church) of the present day is more than ever 
 handcuffed b}' the 5-eomanr3' of the state. After 1583 the 
 ministers of the Word were State officers, and all State-of- 
 ficers, from the secretary of state down, had to be members 
 of the State Church. This condition of things no longer 
 holds, since the so-called Christian state has become — as a 
 distinguished Christian statesman once phrased it — etat 
 atlie, an atheist state, or a state without God. These of- 
 ficers had their salaries paid them by the state. Expenses 
 for church gatherings, sj-nods, etc., were defrayed by the 
 state. This connection of State and Church proved fatal to 
 the latter. Erastianism and Mammonism combined almost 
 choked the old truths to death, and made the Church a veri- 
 table babel of confusion. 
 
 For about two centuries, from 161 8 until 1816, no synod 
 was convened, the state not approving of it. In the period 
 from 1618 until 1796, the reformed truths were maintained 
 and preached by many faithful ministers, and taught in the 
 universities; but, religious libert}' existing, the Roman 
 Catholics, Lutherans and Baptists, with their respective 
 votaries tenaciously clung to their own standards. In the 
 mean time a divensitj^ of sectarians, not adhering to any of 
 
these above mentioned bodies, and anxious to secure a state 
 office and state salaries, swarmed into the Established 
 Church. Thus heretics of all descriptions found a refuge in 
 the State Church, and there they found themselves well 
 nigh as safe as the unclean beasts in Noah's ark, as long as 
 they remained within certain limits of decency, morally and 
 religiously. 
 
 In the main the common people, the people of small 
 means, adhered to the sound doctrine, and in case of 
 their ministers not being men after their own heart and er- 
 ring concerning the truth, they worshiped God in their own 
 houses or gathered in conventicles, teaching and admonish- 
 ing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 
 singing with grace in their hearts to the lyord. The theol- 
 ogical works of Hellenbroek and Brakel, Corarie and the 
 Erskines were, and are to the present day, the favorite 
 authors with these goal}- people. 
 ' As we stated before, the Established Church remained 
 until 1796, when the French Revolution, by .the will of 
 God, changed the face of the earth. Little Holland, once 
 great in war, either on land or sea, as no other nation on 
 the face of the globe; once famous for its love to God and 
 his Churcli, Init in later years degenerated from the faith, 
 the heroism and the patriotism of its ancestors, fell an easy 
 prey to the great Usurper. The pious Prince William V 
 of Orange, was exiled and fled to England. Louis Philippe, 
 a brother to Napoleon Buonaparte, was made king of Hol- 
 land, and by order of the latter a proclamation was issued 
 to the effect: "that the Church be separated from the State 
 and that no social advantage or disadvantage is to be de- 
 rived from the profession of any religion whatever." 
 
No General Assembly however was convened to regulate 
 and further the interests of the Church. Now was the 
 Church's opportunity to avail itself of the emancipation 
 from the State; but it did not heed the time of its visitation. 
 It could hardly be otherwise, for, while the bridegroom tar- 
 ried, all the virgins slumbered and slept. 
 
 The years roll by. and we come to 1813. Wi'h the assist- 
 ance of the powers Holland regained its independence. 
 Napoleon met his Waterloo in 1815. Prince William of 
 Orange, a son of the exiled and since deceased monarch. 
 at the urgent petition of the Holland people, who are always 
 ill at ea.se without a prince or princess from the illustrious 
 house of Orange Nassau, returned to his country and as- 
 cended the throne as William I, March 30, 1814. 
 
 It took this king and his advi.sers a long time to .settle the 
 disorganized political .state of affairs, cau.sed by the revolu- 
 tion; nay, he and his son. King William II, left this earth- 
 ly scene ere a better day of peace and order dawned on the 
 newl}' made kingdom and the Church of God. 
 
 Amongst other things, which King W^illiam I arbitrarily 
 ^settled, as was his wont and his disgrace, was the govern- 
 ment of the E.stablished Church. The king himself con- 
 voked and constituted a General Synod. No voting or 
 delegating by the clas.ses (presbyteries) was deemed neces- 
 sary. A single classis made objection, but was soon 
 silenced. This kingly act rendered the Establi.shed Church 
 not an improved but a badly impaired edition of that of 1583 
 and 161 3. The year 161 8, when the reformed truths were 
 so gloriously vindicated, and the year 1816, when the 
 government of the Church was usurped by the king, with 
 all the miseries it entailed, are indelibly imprinted on the 
 minds of all Christian Reformed people. 
 
 This synod, it is true, brought about a sort of uniformity 
 
— M — 
 
 in the government of the Church, but this change was not 
 for better, but for worse. The standards of the Church 
 were apparentl}^ left intact; they were not altered or any- 
 way revised or improved; but were, all of them, practically 
 trodden under foot by a little, seemingly insignificant, alter- 
 ation, made in the "'formula of assent to the doctrines of 
 the Church," which mini-ters of the Word, before being 
 licensed or installed, had to subscribe to. This could easi- 
 ly be done by a mi.sconstruction and misinterpretation of the 
 ambiguous Holland wording of the text of the formula, 
 which it is hardly possible for the writer literally to render 
 into the English language. Said formula runs thus: 
 
 'IVe, the zindcnvritteii, testify in good faith and heartily 
 believe that the Heidelberg Catechism and the Confession oj 
 Faith of the Netherland churches, as also the Canons of the 
 National Synod of Dordrecht, held in the years 1618 and i6ip, 
 arc conformable to the Word of God,'' etc. 
 
 In the Holland language this last line could be made to 
 read, "inasmuch" as they are conformable to the Word of 
 God. Formerly ministers of the Word promi.sed adherence 
 to the standards ''quia" i. e., because or as they are con- 
 formable, etc. ; now they testified heartily to believe 
 "quatenus," i. e., inasmuch as they are conformable to the 
 Word of God. This ambiguity in the text of the Formula 
 of As.sent allowed ministers to preach their private opinions 
 of the truth, instead of the truth as expres.sed in the stand- 
 ards of the church; and ere long the sheep of Christ's flock 
 were tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind 
 of doctrine by the .sleight of men and cunning craftiness. 
 
 Before 18 16 no preacher had the right to teach and to 
 preach contrary to the standards of the Church; after that 
 date that right was silently granted him, his as.sent to the 
 standards having been only a conditional one. Hence no 
 
— 14 — 
 
 minister could be suspended or deposed from office on ac- 
 count of heretical teachinj^s. 
 
 And this is the ,, status quo' in the Estabh"s]ied Church 
 of the Netherlands until this day. The latest regulation is- 
 sued by that great Bab3'lon, which King William I built, 
 is to this effect, that the holy seal op baptism is not obliga- 
 tory on those wishing to become members of that Royal In- 
 stitute! 
 
 Ever and anon there was a crying out against these 
 iniquities; for instance. In' that greatest poet of his age, 
 Williarii Bilderdijk, lyL. D.; by his disciple, the converted 
 Jew, commentator and poet, Isaac Da Costa, and by Rev. 
 Schotsman of Leiden; but these were as voices crying in the 
 wilderness, because the people for long 3'ears had become 
 unaccustomed to the great truths of the total depravity of 
 man and the sovereign grace of God, and finally became 
 averse to them. Only a few God-fearing ministers adhered 
 to the good old standards, but they contented themselves 
 with simply preaching them. The following may account 
 for such behavior: 
 
 In the year 1827 Rev. D. Molenaar, minister of the Gos- 
 pel at the Hague, the king's residence, published a paper, 
 entitled: "Address to all my fellow believers," which was 
 an exposition of the calamitous condition and the imminent 
 peril of the Church. Thousands of copies were spread 
 broadcast over the land and eagerly read. Thus the people's 
 eyes were opened and interest in religious matters 
 awakened. No change for the better resulted however, 
 neither indeed could there be. The king reigned supreme 
 and silenced Molenaar, who was soon afterwards made by 
 his Majesty a knight of Orange-Na.ssau, for what we would 
 call "little faith." Instead of proving himself a knight of 
 
— ^5 — 
 the cross of Jesus Christ, he was made a kniglit of Orange- 
 Nassau, a distinctiou awarded tliose whom the king would 
 signally h.onor. Tluis Rev. Molenaar— though a preacher 
 and writer of scnie merit in the old orthodox line — was put 
 to sliame by those godly parents of Moses in Egyptian 
 l)ondage, of whom it is written: "And they were not afraid 
 of the king's commandment." 
 
 On this wise the once brightly shining Reformed Church 
 of the Netherlands was gradualh' converted — as one of 
 them, even a prophet of their own has tersely put it — into 
 a synagogue of Satan; and the spiritual interests of the 
 godly-minded among the people were sadh* ignored. Many 
 of them refrained from further attendance in the houses of 
 public worship, and read sermons and religious treatises of 
 the old Dutch, English and Scotch divines in their own 
 houses, or gathered in "societies;" while yet others added 
 to this by traveling far and wide to enjo}' the preaching of 
 an orthodox minister. For God in his great mercy had left 
 Him a few faithful .servants in the Netherlands, all the 
 knees which had not bowed unto Baal, .stalwart men and 
 true, who realized the need of the times, studying to show 
 themselves approved unto God, workmen that need not to 
 be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, shunning 
 profane and vain babblings, the enmity and the opposition 
 of their colleagues notwithstanding. The latter, so-called 
 liberals, who belied the standards of the Church, who 
 shamelessly rejected the cardinal points of the Chri.stian re- 
 ligion, were the heroes of the daj-, whilst the statmch re- 
 formed preachers were hardly tolerated. 
 
 But the time was at hand that God should rai.se a reformer, 
 a young gospel preacher, whose call the people would heed; 
 a man who, to the question of da^-s long ago: ,,\Vhat are 
 
— i6 — 
 
 these wounds in thine hands?" with a bleeding heart gave 
 answer: ,. Those with wliich I was wounded in the house of 
 my friends." It was the Rev. Hendrick De Cock. Wh.at 
 Ebenezer Erskine in his day, 1733, was to the Godly Scotcl':, 
 Hendrick De Cock was to the Godly Dutch in 1S34. 
 
 Hendrick De Cock, minister of the Word at Ulrum, ])ro- 
 vince of Groningen, Netherlands, was the first to be perse- 
 cuted, suspended, fined and put in prison for righteousness' 
 sake. After his conversion in 1832, he commenced preach- 
 ing the sound doctrine, vigorously protesting in press and 
 pulpit against the prevailing corruptions in the church. As 
 Erskine and his followers, so De Cock and his fellow-be 
 lievers were soon called .seceders or separatists, being made 
 as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things; 
 but in all their tribulations enjoying the consolation of the 
 fulfillment of the Eord's prophec}- and promise: "Blessed 
 are ye, when men shall hate you and when they shall sep- 
 arate you from their company, and shall reproacli you and 
 cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Re- 
 joice ye in that day and leap for joy; for, behold, your re- 
 ward is great in heaven, for in like manner did their fatliers 
 unto the prophets." 
 
 But let me state in brief the crime (?) for which De Cock 
 was deposed from his ministerial office: 
 
 1. He allowed the young people from a neighboring 
 congregation, where a liberal preacher was ministering, to 
 attend his catechetical cla.ss. 
 
 . 2. He baptized children, from other congregations, of 
 parents who felt aggrieved at their children receiving the 
 holy seal of baptism at the hands of liberal ministers. 
 
 3. He issued a pamphlet entitled: "Two wolves in the 
 sheepfold of Christ " and addressed to two ministers in tlx- 
 
GIJSBERTUS VOETIUS, 
 
— 17 — 
 
 Church, wiio piil)licly opposed and denitd tlie distinctive 
 principles of the Reformed Church. 
 
 4. He wrote a preface to a little work, drawn up by 
 anotlier, and directed against the introduction into public 
 worship of the so-called evangelical hymns, which the min- 
 isters were compelled to make use of. 
 
 By these actions not an}' of the rules or regulations of the 
 Church were trespassed upon; nevertheless, they were con- 
 sidered so many grounds for deposing him from the ministry 
 of the Word. I)e Cock appealed in person to the king, but 
 was dismissed with a stern rebuke. The king had created 
 that monstrosit}', the E.stablished Church-Institute, he 
 wanted it to go unmolested, cost what may. 
 
 De Cock did his utmost to be reinstalled, so did his con- 
 sistory (session) and his congregation, but without avail. 
 On the contrary opposition, insult, outrage and abuse fell 
 to their lot. On October 14. 1S34, De Cock, with his con- 
 sistor}' and the majority of his congregation, sent their act 
 of secession — a genuine auto-da-fe, act of faith — to the 
 church authorities and to the king. Next Sabbath, when 
 De Cock went to the usual place of worship, he was pre- 
 \-ented from entering the pulpit by a couple of constables, 
 but taking his stand in one of the pews, he preached with 
 his usual enthusiasm from Ephesians 2:8. 9. In the after- 
 noon the church was closed by the government officials, and 
 then De Cock preached in the barn of the parsonage, ex- 
 pounding the first and second questions of the Heidelberg 
 Catechism: 
 
 Question r. — What is thy only comfort in life and death? 
 
 Answer. — That I with body and soul, both in life and 
 <leath, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour 
 Jesus Christ, who, with his precious blood, hath fully sat- 
 isfied for all my sins and delivered me from all the power of 
 
— i8 — 
 
 the devil; and so preserves me tliat without the will of my 
 heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; yea, 
 that all things must be subser\-ient to my salvation; and 
 therefore by his Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal 
 life and makes me sincerely willing and ready henceforth to 
 live unto Him. 
 
 Question 2. — How many things are necessary for thee to 
 know, that thou, enjoying this comfort, mayest live and die 
 happily? 
 
 Answer. — Three; the first, how great niN' sins and miser- 
 ies are; the second, how I may be delivered from all my 
 sins; the third, how I shall express my gratitude to God 
 for such deliverance. 
 
 An appropriate and inspiring topic indeed! 
 
 On Oct. 26, 1834, no less than 150 soldiers were present 
 to prevent De Cock from preaching in his church, and after 
 that date almost ever}^ religious meeting of these and 
 kindred minds was rendered impossible b}' the higher 
 authorities and the irksome officiousness of the king's ser- 
 vants. The 31st of October De Cock was sentenced to pay 
 a fine of 120 guilders, amounting to about $50, and three 
 mouths imprisonment for his having preached in a pew! 
 De Cock appealed to a higher court, init on November 28 
 the first decision was comfirmed and De Cock at once im- 
 prisoned. 
 
 The second minister, who seceded, was the Rev. H. P. 
 Scholte, of Genderen, province of Noord Brabant, Nether- 
 lands. On Oct. 10 he had preached in De Cock's church 
 and administered the sacrament of baptism. Oct. 12, on a 
 Sabbath, Scholte, who was forbidden to preach in the 
 church, addressed the people in the open air. On account of 
 this offen.se he was, on the 29th of October, without any in- 
 vestigation on the part of the government or the Church, 
 
— 19 — 
 
 first temporarily suspended from office with right of salary; 
 eight days later. Nov. 7, he was suspended with loss of 
 saiar}-; and three days after this, Nov. 10, he was removed 
 from the niinistr\- and his consistory suspended. 
 
 vShortly afterwards a bill to the amount of $120 was pre- 
 sented him by the particular synod for its tender care in 
 l)ehalf of his person, accompanied by a detachment of cuir- 
 assiers to enforce the suit and to establish order, but in fact 
 to molest the peaceful villagers. Nov. i, 1834, Scholte and 
 his congregation tendered their "Declaration of Secession" 
 to the church and its king. 
 
 Appealing to courts of justice was of no avail in those 
 days. With a single exception they were all prejudiced, 
 the judges bting lawless menials of the king and his minis- 
 ter of religious affairs. But, as in the days of old, the more 
 God's people were afflicted, the more they multiplied and 
 grew. The times of Philip I, king of Spain, once cotmt of 
 Holland, and his butcher Alba, seemed returned; onl}' the 
 rack, the thumbscrew and the fagot were lacking. All 
 this could not hinder a goodlj- number of ministers and con- 
 gregations joining the secession, and, what deserves notice, 
 without an}' deliberation or negotiation with either De Cock 
 or Scholte. This was tlie Lord's doing; it is marvelous in 
 our evp.s. 
 
 The Church authorities pursued their course of deposing 
 ministers, simply because they preached the reformed doc- 
 trines and protested against prevailing heresies. The most 
 noted among the first preachers, who were deposed, were the 
 Revs. A. Brummelkampj Oct. 7, 1835, G. F. Gezelle Meer- 
 burg, Nov. 24, 1835, and S. Van Velzen, Dec. g, 1835. 
 
 An article of the Code Napoleon on unlawful assemblies 
 was applied to the religious meetings held by those single- 
 
hearted, God-fearing people, who al\va5-s wert, and still 
 are, staunch friends and supporters of the illustrious house 
 of Orange-Nassau. Unlawful assembly, according to 
 Bouvier, is termed in law the meeting of three or more'per- 
 sons mutuall)' to assist each other in the execution of some 
 enterprise of a private nature, with force and violence. Un- 
 der unlawful assemblies were included, in the time of the 
 Secession, all kinds of religious meetings held outside of 
 public places of worship. An impaired edition of the Code 
 Napoleon regarding assemblies, forsooth! So zealous were 
 the servants of the king and the Established Church that 
 the}' ruthlessly molested and by all manner of means 
 dispersed "societies" of even less than twenty persons, the 
 graciously allowed number. This happened in the nine- 
 teenth centitry, with the approval of a Prince of Orange, by 
 order of a so-called Church, illu.strating the forbearance of 
 liberalism! 
 
 The patient reader may think us rather harsh in denounc- 
 ing, in the .style which is our own, all the.se acts of exaction 
 and intolerance. For that rea.son, and that one may fairly 
 judge, we quote from Mr. J. Van Lennep, a noted barrister, 
 romancer and historian, and himself a member of the 
 Established Church. In his Hi.story of the Netherlands, 
 Vol. IV, page 340, he makes the following remarks: 
 
 "Many remonstrances were presented in regard to the 
 falling away from the .standards of the Reformed Church, 
 by tho.se whose vocation it was to preach its doctrines. 
 Petitions were filed in the General Assembly requesting tliis 
 body to maintain the truth in all its purity. The A.s.sembly 
 pronounced itself incompetent to take the necessary steps 
 leading to such an end. The result was that many, who 
 did not hear the truth proclaimed according to their eoncep 
 tion, and on that account had already commenced to hold 
 
religions meetings or 'societies' for their spiritual benefit, 
 Seceded from the Established Church. Others, however, 
 though sympathizing with the former in adherence to the 
 fundamental truths, preferred to abide with the Church, 
 and to continue the holy warfare within its walls. In this 
 emergency what did the government, which had constantly 
 preached forbearance? A retrospect of the result of persecu- 
 tions excercised in' the Inquisition over the Protestants, and 
 afterwards carried on by the Arminians and Contra-Armini- 
 ans mutually, might have taught it consideratencss at least; 
 l)Ut the government .slighted the les.sons of experience, and 
 if it did not use sword or stake, this was owing to the 
 changes of time and penal systems more than to the .spirit 
 which moved it. 
 
 From an article in the Constitution, insuring protection 
 to any existing denomination, the government inferred that 
 a new denomination could not claim protection, but must be 
 suppressed and persecuted. Aside from the doubtful logic 
 of this argument, the first thing to be decided upon should 
 have been the question if the so-called seceders could be 
 truthfully styled a new denomination. The latter asserted 
 that new doctrines had been introduced into the Established 
 Church they had left, and that contrariwise they adhered to 
 the old, orthodox standards, as founded on the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 Consequently the government should have inquired into 
 this matter, or kept silence; but it only consulted the newly- 
 made regulations of the Church, at the instigation of the 
 General Assembly, Some long-forgotten articles of the 
 Penal Code, and products of revolutionary tyranny, by 
 which a.ssemblies numbering over twenty persons were for- 
 bidden, unless by con.sent of the magistrate, were brought 
 to bear upon those people, and circuit judges were enjoined 
 
— 22 — 
 
 to prosecute tlieiii in case of violation of said articles. And 
 thus it came to pass that, under a government which 
 vaunted toleration, harmless persons who isolated them- 
 selves for tlie purpose of praying, singing and listening to 
 the exposition of truth according to their religious convic- 
 tions, were brought before courts of justice, and in some 
 places were punished with fines and imprisonment, in others 
 were pestered with quarterings, or dispersed by military 
 force. Nay, even if some courts acquitted, the vexations 
 and persecutions did not cease, for the very reprovable fact 
 that, b}' this time, circuit courts being instituted, those 
 judges who had decided for acquittal were intentionally 
 turned out of office. 
 
 L,ittle by little however the sentiment of the people in 
 general denounced the course taken by the government, 
 and permission was granted the Seceders to organize sepa- 
 rate congregations. But not before another William took 
 the reins of government did the worryings, to which they 
 were continually exposed, cease." 
 
 On the 8th of April, 1835, the first Particular Synod met 
 at Groningen, and on the 2d of March, 1836, the first Synod 
 (General Assembly) was held at Amsterdam. The Church 
 was denominated the Chri.stian Seceder Church, firstly be- 
 cause the government monopolized the nauje ,, Reformed" 
 as a right pertaining to the Established Institute; and 
 secondly, becatr.se the several Seceder congregations which 
 applied for acknowledgment — the same as incorporation 
 in this country — were recorded as such by the state. 
 
 Not until 1S69 was the sum total of the congregations, 
 acknowledged by the government, and accorded the name 
 of Christian Reformed Church. This did not imply that the 
 new denomination was set on a level with the other denom- 
 
illations, Roman Catholics, Lutherans and Baptists; in no 
 wise, for while the latter were maintained b}' the state's 
 finances, the Christian Reformed people had to sustain their 
 own congregations, besides paying taxes for the support of 
 the former. And this is tl.e situation of the Christian Re- 
 formed Church in the old country until the present day. 
 
 By this time tlie few congregations and ministers of 1834 
 had increased their numbers to 300 and 225 respectively. 
 The Secession became wiiiespread; the love for the old 
 truths became general. The finst preachers received their 
 theological training from ministers living in different parts 
 of the country, and soon the assumption prevailed — for the 
 good Holland people are all .said to be theologians in their 
 own way — that the mini.sters were different one from an- 
 other; but this was not in the substance of the preaching, 
 Imt in the wa}- of presenting the truth, which was a matter 
 of course, as every servant of Christ has his own talent or 
 talents from the Lord. This prejudice was soon done away 
 with however by the institution in 1S54 of the theological 
 seminar}' at Kampen, with four professors — T. F. De Haan, 
 S. Van Velzen, A. Brummelkarap (the two last named 
 being brothe-'s-in-law to Dr. A. C. Van Raalte, the founder 
 of the Dutch colony and Holland City, Ottawa Co., Mich.), 
 and H. De Cock, son of the late father of the Secession, 
 who died November 14, 1842. 
 
 The first ministers, who could not receive an adequate 
 theological training, as afforded at Kampen, have none the 
 less been signally qualified and blessed by the Lord of the 
 vineyard. The first profe,s.sors of Kampen Seminary have 
 all been called to their eternal reward, after having lived to 
 a good old age. Their places have been taken by a j-ounger 
 generation, the children of the Secession. The first profes- 
 sors rendered the best of .services to the rising Church. 
 
— 24 — 
 
 They will be in blessed remembrance as long as the Chris- 
 tian Reformed Church shall last, especially by those who 
 were brought up at their feet and received their theological 
 instruction at Kampen Seminary. Among these last are tlu- 
 three theological professors in our own seminary at Grand 
 Rapids, the writer of this sketch, and several of the 
 preachers in our Church of to-day, who successively came 
 over from the Netherlands to serve in the American field. 
 At the present day the theological department of the 
 Kampen Seminary has five professors, among whom the il- 
 lustrious divine and splendid orator, H. Bavinck, D. D., 
 stands prominent, with 71 students. The literary depart- 
 ment, with an equal number of professors, has 70 students. 
 
 In the year 1886 an all- wise Providence caused the learned 
 Dr. A. Kuyper, of world-wide repute, with many others, to 
 be expelled from the Established Institute. Many long 
 years this great and good man of God. this eloquent 
 preacher, this indefatigable worker for the cause of truth, 
 had in some respects successfully labored to restore the 
 Established Church to its old-time glory as a pillar and 
 ground of the truth. Many within the pale of the Church 
 had by the grace of God and by Dr. Kuyper' s untiring zeal, 
 been enlightened as to the truth and the corrupted con- 
 dition of the Church, and turned to the old ways to walk 
 therein. But the government and the spirit of the Church 
 leaders had remained the same, as was clearly shown by the 
 turning out in one day of Dr. A. Kuyper and some eighty 
 elders' and members of the Church. 
 
 This was the signal for a new movement viz., the volun- 
 tarj' leaving by div^ers congregations and per.sons in different 
 parts of the land of an In.stitute which, by its fatal Erastian 
 government, and consequently hierarchical actions of its 
 
— 25 — 
 judicatories, pandered to all shades of heterodoxies, and 
 sheltered all kinds of heretics, but in the meantime was 
 fierce in denouncing- and removing those God-fearing men 
 who stood by tlie truth, and whose only and hoh' aim it 
 was to serve God according to the dictates of his Word and 
 tlie good, old Standards of the Church. 
 
 A friend of the writer, the first minister who left the 
 Established Institute, in i886, with all of his congregation, 
 the Rev. G. Vlug, preached to his people on the first Sab- 
 bath after that event from the well-chosen text: "The snare 
 is broken, and we are escaped" (Ps. 124:7) — a word of God 
 which fittingly voiced the sentiment of the Seceders of the 
 second great period in the history of the Reformed Churches 
 in the Netherlands. 
 
 These Reformed people persistently declined the name of 
 Seceders or Separatists, the)' being unwilling, and for good 
 reasons, to give up their title either to the name or the 
 property of the Established Institute, but called themselves 
 "DoLEERENDE," from the Latin "doleo," i. e., mourn, 
 signifying those who bemourned the "doleful" condition of 
 the Church. They had to give up both, however. Who 
 should persuade Ahab? 
 
 It goes without saying that there was much rejoicing in 
 the old Seceder camp, mo.st of all because "the snare was 
 broken." Brotherly congratulations were mo.st cordially 
 extended, and even a little courting was indulged in; but 
 the "Doleerende", hoping against hope, preferred a reunion 
 with their first, though faithless love, the Established Insti- 
 tute, if so be she would better her ways. But no such 
 thing occurred. Man proposes, God disposes. 
 
 The limited space of this outline does not permit ivs to 
 enlarge upon the motives for not entering sooner into 
 denominational union witli the old Seceder Church. SuflBce 
 
— 26 — 
 
 it to say that, in the year of grace 189^ this melting to- 
 gether was effected to the gratification of all who had so 
 long prayed for the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace 
 and church fellowship. These United. Presbyterian, Re- 
 formed Churches accepted the name of Reformed Churchts 
 of the Netherlands. At the time of the union of these 
 bodies, June 17, 1892, they numbered 700 congregations in 
 583 different locations, the old branch contributing 400 and 
 the new 300. 
 
 Oct. 20, 1880, some forty consecrated men, members of 
 the Established Institute, who hoped for and aimed at the 
 reviving of the distinctive principles, brought into being the 
 "Vrije Universiteit" (Free University), which reckons, for 
 particular reasons, its birthday from Feb. 2, 1897. It is 
 located at Amsterdam, the country's capital. The Dolee- 
 rende of half a dozen years later were, so to speak, cradled 
 there. The originator and soul of this splendid institution 
 is that already mentioned, world-famed theologian, orator, 
 author, and politician of large influence, A. Ku}'per, D. I)., 
 of his eminent scholarly colleagues "facile princeps." 
 There are two more doctors of divinity for the theological 
 faculty, one doctor of law for the juridical faculty, and one 
 doctor of letters for the literary faculty, all able and skill- 
 ful men. To-day there are 1 12 students in all — theology, 
 76; letters, 17; law, 22. A Reformed gymnasium or college, 
 connected with the University, counts 112 pupils. Side by 
 side these institutions, at Kampen and Amsterdam, work 
 for the good of the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands. 
 
 Times have marvelously changed since 1834. Then a 
 handful of godly people, standing by the faith once delivered 
 ,to the saints — now an army of many, many thousands, who 
 do not bow unto the god of this world. Several of them 
 
— 27 — 
 
 have been knighted by the late King William III, and 
 afterwards by his noble wife, the Queen-Regent; even some 
 of the old guard having been thus honored on account of 
 tlieir good citizenship and valuable services rendered the 
 countr}' by their religious and philanthropic operations and 
 in many other ways. 
 
 The Reformed Churches brought their beneficial influence 
 to bear upon social and political issues, and the signal favor 
 of the Most High is their crowning glory. 
 
 It is from tliose Reformed people of glorious Reformation 
 times; it is from these persecuted believers, who through so 
 much earthly tribulation entered into their earthly Canaan, 
 and many of them into the heavenly, that the Christian Re- 
 formed Church of America mainly received its constituents. 
 
 But ere we enter upon this new field of narration, let me 
 try to complete the brief story of the Reformed Churches of 
 the Netherlands by relating wha't they have performed in 
 the line of mi.>-sions. In all tliese years, from 1834 and up- 
 wards, the spirit of missions was glowing in the Churches 
 of the exodus; but not until some internal dissensions had 
 been fairly subdued, the unity of the Spirit secured, and 
 home mission work provided for, could foreign mission work 
 be earnestly thought of and started. And whereas little 
 Holland, with a population of about six millions of inhab- 
 itants, has extensive colonies in the East Indies, with near- 
 ly twenty millions of population, most of them Mohamme- 
 dans, it was but natural to perform a long-neglected duty 
 by fir.st ministering to the needs of these benighted people. 
 
 The first two missionaries were unsuccessful, chiefly on 
 account of deficient training for the work, proving by their 
 example that emissaries of Christ, in order to be, with the 
 blessing of God, abundant in labors and good results, should 
 not onl)' be men of God, full of Christ and love to .souls, 
 
— 28 — 
 
 but should receive an adequate training, should have good 
 scholarship, and be the recipients of those particular attain- 
 ments which are the special gifts from the Lord of the vine- 
 yard to whomsoever He calls to that most arduous task of 
 winning the heathen for the kingdom. 
 
 The Rev. Enno R. Haan was sent to Java, Sept. 17, 1873. 
 As the pioneer in the work, he deserves especial mention 
 and credit for the good he did during his ten 3'ears' stay in 
 that unhealthy climate. On returning to his native land, 
 in 1883, he had the comfort of leaving to his successor two 
 congregations, one of converted natives at Quitang, and an- 
 other of Hollanders at Batavia. Failing health caused him 
 to repatriate. He first lectured throughout the Netherlands 
 on the cause of missions, was afterwards called to a pastor- 
 ate, and is now the beloved pastor of one of our Christian 
 Reformed congregations at Grand Rapids, Mich. 
 
 His successor was the able and amiable Rev. D. Huysing, 
 who faithfully and successfully prosecuted the work so 
 hopefully begun. 
 
 The, Rev. A. Delfos was sent out in T884. He labored at 
 Soerabaya, Java, where he gathered a congregation of Hol- 
 landers residing there, meanwhile ministering unto the 
 natives. All too soon he was obliged to give up the work 
 on account of ill-health. His successor was the Rev. A. Bol- 
 wijn. 
 
 In 1887 the Rev. W. Pos, and a year later, the Rev. C. 
 De Bruin were sent to the island Soomba. They proved 
 excellent workers, and soon organized a little congregation 
 of natives. 
 
 In 1894, after the consolidation of the Christian Reformed 
 Church and the Doleerende, the Rev. B. J. Horstman and 
 Mr. Scheurer, M. D., were added to the forces in Central 
 Java. A hospital has been established by the latter, where 
 
— 29 — 
 
 every week hundreds of sick people receive medical treat- 
 ment, the gospel treatment included. 
 
 The last, who was sent as a missionary to Purworedjo, 
 Java, is the Rev. L,. Adriaanse, for some years a minister 
 of the Word in the Reformed Church at Utrecht, Nether- 
 lands. 
 
 Twenty-five years of consecutive, earnest labor by the 
 missionaries of the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands 
 have proven true the promise of thelyOrd: "Cast thy bread 
 upon tlie waters, for thou shalt find it after many da^-s." 
 Faith and perseverance have — as usually along this line of 
 Christian activity — been many a time put to the severest 
 test, but Christ shall have dominion from sea to sea, and 
 from the river unto the ends of the earth. 
 
 The Reformed Churches of the Netherlands bid fair to 
 l)ecome the glory of the land. And so does their mission- 
 ary work. "Soli Deo Gloria!" 
 
 II. 
 
 God moves in a mysterious way 
 
 His wonders to pey'form.- 
 He plants His footsteps in the sea 
 
 And rides upon the storm. 
 
 In the year 1609 the Dutch East India Company sent out 
 Captain Hudson, with the merchant-man "De Halve 
 .Vlaan," i. e. "The Crescent," in order to find a northwestern 
 passage to the Ea.st Indies. This pa.ssage was not found, 
 but the result of this enterprise was of great import to the 
 
— 30 — 
 
 cause of religion. It really led to the transplanting of the 
 Dutch Reformed Churcli to American soil. 
 
 Business negotiations were opened on a large scale with 
 the Americans. Soon more Holland people came over, and 
 on the spot where Capt. Hud.son first landed a fort was 
 built, which, with more people immigrating, gave birth in 
 1 612 to the Dutch colony of New Am.sterdam, now New- 
 York. Later on Fort Orange was built, 150 miles up tlie 
 Hudson River, where the city of Albany is now found. 
 
 Pious imtnigrants and ministers arrived in the very be- 
 ginning of the colony, but all historians agree in not know- 
 ing at what time the first Reformed congregation was or- 
 ganized. The Collegiate Church is supposed to have been 
 formed in 1619. This was the origin of the Dutch Reformed 
 Church in America, which is second in chronological order 
 in this country, the Episcopalian being first. 
 
 The Dutch Reformed Church sustained relations with the 
 mother country, and from there received its ministers and 
 increased membership It was the established Church of 
 the colony until the colony's surrender to the British in 
 1664; after which its circumstances were materially changed 
 and its growth checked. In 1693 the House of Assembly 
 yielded to the plan of Governor Fletcher, and passed an act 
 which w-ent to establish the Episcopal Church. From that 
 year until 1776 the Dutch, English. Presbyterian. Scotch, 
 and all non-Episcopal inhabitants of the city and county 
 of New York, and adjoining counties, were obliged not only 
 to support their own ministers, but sustain, through a heavy 
 taxation, the small body of Episcopalians. In this way 
 many members were alienated from the Dutch Reformed 
 Church. During this period it also experienced severe losses 
 from another cause. Despite the fact, which was plainly 
 apparent, that the English language was to become the 
 
— 31 — 
 common language of tlie country, there was a questionable 
 persistence in the use of the Dutch language in the services 
 of the Church, notwithstanding that a large bod}- of the 
 younger members clamored for a change, which would 
 accommodate l)oth German and English hearers. Finally, 
 in 1764, the point was yielded, and preaching in English 
 permitted, though not until many of the members were 
 <lriven off into other denominations. (An object lesson for 
 the Christian Reformed Church of to-day.) 
 
 From the commencement of the Dutch Reformed Church 
 in this country it was subordinate to the Classis of Amster- 
 dam. The Church could not ordain ministers or judicially 
 decide in ecclesiastical disputes without the consent of said 
 Classis. The result was a controvers}- which agitated the 
 Church for more than thirty years, from 1737 tot 1771. A 
 movement was set on foot to throw off dependence on the 
 present Classis. This occasioued a violent contest, which 
 was iiot terminated till J 771, when Rev. Di. Livingston, 
 having previously convinced the Classis of Amsterdam of 
 the desirableness of the measure, and having prepared the 
 way b}' consulting wise men of both parties, induced the 
 consistory of his church to call a convention. 
 
 The convention met in New York in October, 177 1, and 
 resulted in a harmonious arrangemeut for a complete or- 
 ganization of the Dutch Reformed Church in this countr}- 
 as an independent body. It adopted the same standards as 
 the mother Church, viz., the Belgic Confession, the Heidel- 
 berg Catechism, and the Canons of Dordt on the famous 
 five points; Divine Predestination, Definite Atonement of 
 Christ, Man's Entire Corruption and Helplessness, His 
 Conversion by God's Grace Alone, and Perseverance of the 
 Saints. 
 
 In 1 8 10 the theological seminarv at New Brunswick was 
 
— 34 — 
 the old country. If Holland be taken as the center, Vries- 
 land, the farthest was and is only nine miles off: 
 
 Five had log churches, and soon after all of them had 
 built themselves suitable places for public worship, Zeeland 
 having one of the finest in the solid colonial style. By the 
 blessing of God all this was brought about in two years' 
 time without any outside financial support. The people 
 worked in faith and hope, dependent upon God alone. 
 During the first year a General Assembly was convened, 
 and then it was resolved that henceforth two such gather- 
 ings should be held. 
 
 Thus far all went well materially and spiritually, and 
 better than might have been anticipated, taking into con- 
 sideration the many privations and dangers the people were 
 exposed to, the malarial diseases peculiar to soil and climate; 
 the unwonted and toilsome labor in the woods, and last not 
 least the variety of the people, who, though all coming 
 from a common fatherland, had their peculiar shades of 
 religious opinion according to their training received at 
 home. 
 
 If the Holland people had continued the course taken, 
 "to be by them.selves in Church matters," if they had 
 sustained or sought ecclesiastical correspondence with the 
 mother Church in the old country, there might never have 
 been that much-deplored religious breach between the 
 Reformed people which occurred not long afterwards. 
 
 Dr. A. C. Von Raalte and the Rev. H. P. Scholte had 
 left the Netherlands of their own accord, without acknowl- 
 edging the mother Church in requesting credentials or 
 letters of recommendation; neither had the people, who had 
 followed them in the exodus. Consequently there was no 
 connection between the Reformed colonists and the Christian 
 Reformed Church abroad. 
 
— 35 - 
 
 As Christian gentlemen the Rev. Dr. Thomas De Witt 
 of New York, the Rev. Dr. Wyckoff of Albany, the Rev. 
 Roniein of Detroit, and the Rev. Hoj'dt of Kalamazoo, 
 besides Judge Kellogg of Allegan, had given the Rev. Van 
 Raalte the best of advice in regard to colonization, etc., but 
 outside of this the Dutch Reformed Church as a body had 
 not, up to this time, shown any particular interest in the 
 newly-arrived immigrants. 
 
 June I, 1849, Dr. Wyckoff appeared upon the scene. 
 On his tour westward in the interest of home missions he 
 also visited the new Dutch colony. The people were 
 delighted to meet with a Christi.in minister of the Reformed 
 denomination and to receive words of encouragement and 
 good cheer from his lips. He at once desired a meeting to 
 be called, as he had urgent business in Wisconsin; but on 
 being requested to remain a few days and to look over the 
 new colony, he assented. In the meantime an assembly of 
 ministers and elders was convened. These brethren could 
 not be said to be duly delegated by tipieir congregations, 
 opportunity lacking; they had no credentials to present, 
 with directions to negotiate or to act on so important a 
 matter as "corporate union." None the less, this assembly 
 was considered a regular, duly constituted one. But for 
 this very reason, when the matter of union with the (then) 
 Dutch Reformed Church of America was brought up, many 
 of the brethren reluctantly entered into the consideration 
 and discussion of an issue of so great moment. 
 
 Three questions were asked by Dr. Wyckoff: i. What 
 are your religious standards? 2. Do you desire to unite 
 with the Dutch Reformed Church? 3. Do you want any 
 financial help? 
 
 The first and third questions were easily and readily 
 answered. As to the second, there were not a few mis- 
 
-36- 
 
 givings. Most of the people did not understand the English 
 language well enough to judge intelligently of matters 
 pertaining to the religious condition of the Dutch Reformed 
 Church, while others were not at all acquainted with that 
 ecclesiastical body. The testimonies of Dr. Van Raalte and 
 a few others in regard to its doctrines and practices were 
 the only sources from which the people could draw the so 
 much needed intelligence. The Dutch people are singularly 
 cautious, and no wonder — thoughts of bondage, oppression 
 and persecution still haunting them, and so many demurred. 
 But finally the assurances of Dr. Wyckoflf, that his 
 Church was sound in doctrine and exactly the same as the 
 Christian Reformed Church in the Netherlands, prevailed 
 and caused the Assembl}' to decide in favor of denomina- . 
 tional union with the Dutch Reformed Church. Whosoever 
 still he-sitated was fully tranquilized by Dr. Wyckoff's 
 solemn declaration, which in the report to his Church he 
 put down in these words: "I stated that they would 
 
 BE MOST PERFECTLY FREE, AT ANY TIME THEY FOUND AN 
 ECCLESIASTICAL CONNECTION OPPOSED TO THEIR RELIGIOUS 
 PROSPERITY OR ENJOYMENT, TO BID US A FRATERNAL 
 ADIEU AND BE BY THEMSELVES." 
 
 This .settled the question And on these grounds the 
 denominational union of the Reformed Dutch settlers with 
 the Dutch Reformed Church was pronounced an ac- 
 complished fact. 
 
 Some, however, could not help complaining of the hurried 
 way in which this momentous step was taken, and the 
 people, since that time aroused and feeling the need of bet- 
 ter acquainting themselves with the new dispensation they 
 lived under and the new Church they were now connected 
 with, found that the preaching and practice of the Dutch 
 
— 31 — 
 Reformed Church differed a good deal from what had been 
 told them, and that in uniting with it the necessary precau- 
 tions and considerations had been lost sight of. Complaints 
 were made to tliat effect. Dr. Van Raalte used all his logic 
 and eloquence to convince the people that there was no 
 positive reason for uneasiness. But the more the people 
 learned the real state of affairs, the more they felt that they 
 liad done the wrong thing. As early as 1852, at a classical 
 meeting held at Zeeland, freema.sonry and other objection- 
 able features of the Dutch Reformed Church were made 
 points of discussion and the desirableness was expressed of 
 becoming an independent, separate Holland Reformed 
 Church. 
 
 The Dutch Reformed Church could not — at least not in 
 the estimation of these colonists— consistently or fully claim 
 the epithet ,, Reformed," while some fundamental doctrines 
 were sadly overlooked or misinterpreted by not a few preach- 
 ers. Richard Baxter's "Roepstem tot de Onbekeerden" 
 (obviously an earnest and well-meant appeal to repentance) 
 was highly recommended by leaders in the Church, though 
 a century ago condemned by Erskine and Comrie as heter- 
 odox in .some points. The Lord's table was found open to 
 members of every .so called Christian denomination. In 
 public praise a liymn book was used, containing some 800 
 .songs of human composition, with only 69 out of the 150 
 Psalms of the Bible. 
 
 All this proved clearly that the Dutch Reformed Church 
 was not at all like the Christian Reformed Church of the 
 Netherlands. This was too much for many who clung to 
 the old-time religion, who for conscience's .sake had given 
 up the Established Church in the old country; there was 
 too much contrary to their religious convictions, to be 
 tolerated without complaint or protest. But the leaders 
 
— 3^ — 
 among the colonists refused to go back and to withdraw from 
 the Duich Reformed Churcli. 
 
 Disagreement between brethren grew daily. The crisis 
 had come. March 14, 1857, Rev. K. Van den Bosch, of 
 Noordeloos, with 16 members, sent in their letter of with- 
 drawal from the Dutch Reformed Church. 
 
 The Graaf.schap congregation, then without a minister, 
 came next. April 7 they drew up their act of secession 
 from the Dutch Reformed Church of America, signed by 
 113 members (11 remaining with the old flock), and pre- 
 sented it the next day to the Classis, then convened at Zee- 
 land. 
 
 March 19, the Rev. G. H. Klyn of Grand Rapids joined 
 the secession, but soon flopped back, leaving behind enough 
 sheep to form a congregation, which ere long became one 
 of the largest and most prosperous in that locality. 
 Vriesland, Zeeland, and others soon followed. 
 This was the origin of the Holland Christian Reformed 
 Church of America df to-day. The original standpoint of 
 old -country fame and freedom was regained. 
 
 First she adopted the reactionary name of "The True 
 Dutch Reformed Church." In 1880 she took the old- 
 country name, with the additional "Holland." In 1894 
 she dropped the "Holland," since she included English 
 and German-.speaking congregations as well as Holland. 
 
 The development of the Church was at first an extremely 
 slow one, as are all things worth living and predestined to 
 be a blessing to generations for ages to come. When as- 
 cending to heaven our gracious Lord could point to only a 
 few hundreds of professed believers. 
 
 Saddest of all to the hearts of those brave and godly 
 pioneers was the fact that the much-beloved mother Church 
 
- 39 — 
 in tlie Netherlands had her misgivings as to the legal birth 
 of the new-born American sister. 
 
 The future looked anything but bright, with only one un- 
 dershepherd, the Rev. K. Van den Bosch, to minister to 
 the wants of the various congregations, which at first were 
 small and financially too weak to call and sustain ministers 
 of their own; but faith in God and the consciousness of 
 serving a good and holy cause enabled them soon to call 
 ministers from the old countrj-. The Revs. W. H. Van 
 Leeuwen, D. J. Van der Werp (an uncle of the writer), and 
 J. H. Frieling were among the first to heed the cry: "Come 
 over and help us." 
 
 After that time the growth of the Church became 
 marvelous. More ministers from the Netherlands came on 
 call, among whom was the writer of this sketch, and they 
 heartily embraced the movement of 1857. B}^ degrees the 
 Christian Reformed Church in the old countr}- got better 
 informed with, and more favorably inclined towards, the 
 new denomination, this being accomplished through private 
 correspondence, written apologies, and delegations to the 
 Netherlaud Church of brethren who aforetime had served 
 in its ranks. The result was that brethren, requesting let- 
 ters of membership before leaving the fatherland, were 
 given the advice of being very careful in the choice of a 
 Church when arriving in the West, yea some congregations, 
 more positive than others, in filling out credentials, had the 
 firmness to direct the address exclusively to the Christian 
 Reformed Church. Most of the immigrants, after 1880, 
 found in the Christian Reformed Chuich wat they left in 
 the mother Church, and thanked God. The}' reported so to 
 relatives left behind, who, in their turn coming over, joined 
 the Christian Reformed Church without any hesitation, and 
 accessions were and are many up to this date. 
 
— 40 — 
 
 From 1879 till 1881 the Holland braixh of the Dutch Re- 
 formed Church, especially the Michigan and Wisconsin clas- 
 ses, remonstrated time and again in many consecutive 
 General Assemblies of said bod}- against the tolerating of 
 freemasons and such like as members of the Church and 
 communicants, but, as might be expected, without any suc- 
 ces, divers members and presidents themselves being lodge- 
 men. The Dutch Reformed Church could not, or would 
 not, take any decisive step in that matter, at least not to the 
 satisfaction of the Hollanders. The General Assembly as- 
 serted that, according to "Reformed Church polity" it could 
 not go any farther than to leave the decision of disciplining 
 members of secret societies to the respective classes. Af- 
 terwards, when this action did not prove satisfactory to the 
 various classes and congregations, it was resolved to refer 
 the matter to the consistories for final decision. Conse- 
 quently members of the Anurican Reformed Church could 
 be seen moving from Fir>t Street church to Third Street 
 church, in the same localit}', for the simple reason that in 
 First Street no lodgemen were tolerated, but graciously re- 
 ceived in Third. These curiosities, to be true to history, 
 are getting scarce day by day on account of the more for- 
 bearing attitude of the Church toward the lodge. 
 
 In 1882 the Christian Reformed Synod of Zwolle, Nether- 
 lands, liad the boldness to send a general epistle to the 
 General Assembly of the Dutch Reformed Church, the bur- 
 den of which was: ^'Brethren, put away from among yotw- 
 selves that wicked person.'' It was received in a manner be- 
 tween a smile and a sneer. Since that date the Christian 
 Reformed Church of the Netherlands has fallen from grace, 
 the grace of the elder American sister. 
 
 Owing to the fact that entreaties to check the growing 
 
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 
 
— 41 - 
 
 decline in doctrine and practice resulted in utter disap- 
 pointment, in 18S2 a second withdrawal from the American 
 Reformed Church was effected by the following congrej:',a- 
 tions: Grand Rapids, Zeeland, Grand HaVen, Drenthe, 
 East Saugatuck, Montague, and Holland, the late Dr. Yau 
 Raalte's church. After due consideration all these united 
 with the Christian Reformed Church. 
 
 In 1890 the True Protestant Dutch Reformed Church, 
 consisting of a dozen congregations in New Jersey and New 
 York, which as early as 1822 had seceded from the Dutch 
 Reformed Church for reasons just mentioned, also joined 
 our Church and swelled its ranks. 
 
 The Christian Reformed Church of to-daj- numbers: 
 
 Classes or Faml- Cominu- Souls. Congre- Miu- 
 
 Presbyteries. lies. ulcants. gallons, isters. 
 
 Grand Rapids.... 2,614 3.829 13.216 25 17 
 
 Holland ;.. 2,021 3.712 9.938 19 15 
 
 Muskegon 1,438 . 1.912 9.951 16 8 
 
 Illinois 1,273 2,221 6,567 14 13 
 
 Hud.son 838 1,520 4157 9 6 
 
 Iowa 1,084 2,194 5-778 i'5 14 
 
 Ostfriesland 485 816 2,502 14 8 
 
 Hackensack 549 568 1,878 13 9 
 
 Total 8 10,302 16,772 50,987 135 89 
 
 Ministers deceased, 17; retired, 3; candidates, 2, 
 The first preacher appointed to educate young men for 
 the ministry of the Word was the Rev. W. H. Van Leeu- 
 wen. The only one who received his theological preparation 
 from him (and that but in part) was the Rev. J. Schepers, 
 now at Vogel Center, Mich., a cousin of the late Rev. J. R. 
 Schepers, who was ordained by the United Presbyterian 
 Church in the fifties and sent to labor among the Holland- 
 ers scattered throughout Indiana, especially in Lafayette 
 and vicinity. The origin of our Christian Reformed con- 
 gregation in that localit.v has to be traced from that source. 
 
 6 
 
— 42 — 
 
 The second professor was the late Rev. D. J. Van der 
 Werp, from 1864 to 1875. The Revs. J. Schepers, J. vStad, 
 W. Greve, L. Rietdijk, G. Broene, C. Bode, C. Vorst, and 
 J. Van der Werp were his students. 
 
 His successor was the Rev. G. E. Boer, then pastor at 
 Grand Rapids. In 1876 he was appointed by the General 
 Assembly of our Church, held at Chicago. Released from 
 his charge, he preached his farewell sermon March 12, 
 1876, and entered upon his new duties March 15, 1876, 
 with an oration on "The Training of Future Ministers of 
 the Gospel " For over twenty years the professor has 
 labored and is still laboring w^ith devotion and success. 
 Through his instrumentality many good preachers have 
 been given to the Church. To him the Church owes a 
 never-to be paid debt of gratitude for his labors as profes- 
 sor of theology, as editor for many years of our Church 
 organ, De Wachter, and his .services rendered to the Church 
 in many other ways. 
 
 In September, 1884, the Rev. G. K. Hemkes, pastor of 
 Vriesland congregation, was elected professor of theology 
 and installed as such, the Church thus providing for a long- 
 felt want, as the number of students was steadily on the in- 
 crease. A thoroughbred scholar, the professor can be found 
 among his .students and his books the whole year round. 
 
 In 1888 Mr. G. Vos, Ph. D., was called to the professor- 
 ship. He accepted, and fulfilled his duties with marked 
 success for five years, when a repeated call from Princeton 
 Seminar)- led liiui to the chair of biblical theology in that 
 institution as Prof. G Vos, Ph. D., D. D. Cradled in our 
 Church, wc are justh' proud of him, even though the il- 
 lustrious doctor pitched his tent elsewhere. As aCalvinist, 
 scholar, thinker, writer, lie is known to be second to none. 
 We hope and trust that the Church of Christ at large ma)' 
 
~ 43 — 
 he benefited by his leaving the limited sphere of our denomi- 
 national existence. 
 
 In 1894 the Rev, H. Beuker, of Muskegon, who the 
 previous year had come from tlie Netherlands, was chosen 
 to occupy the chair of systematic theology, left vacant by 
 the departure of Dr. Vos since 1892. Dr. Beuker is a 
 favorite alike with the .students and with t!ie people. Like 
 his colleagues past sixty, he owes his popularity to his 
 cheerful disposition, his many-sided experience, and his 
 thoroughness in teaching. 
 
 Messrs. K. Sclioolland and A. Rooks, able men of letters, 
 are instructors in the literary department, honoring their 
 profession and our institution. 
 
 There are in all 46 .students; 20 in the theological depart- 
 ment, among whom is Mr. I.saac Adams, a Persian, and 26 
 in the literary department. A fine Seminary Hall in one of 
 the most beautiful and health}^ parts of the Valley City was 
 erected in 1892 at a cost of about $30,000. Constructed 
 in the latest and best architectural .style, and fully answer- 
 ing the purpose, it stands out as an ornament to the city 
 and a monument to the Chri.stian Reformed people, who al- 
 ways prove cheerful givers where the cause of Christ and 
 his Church is concerned. 
 
 The cause of missions always filled a large place in the 
 hearts of our people; but the penury of colonial conditions 
 at first, the financial weakness of the Church for .some time 
 afterwards, and the littleness of the amount contributed for 
 such a grand purpose in later years, made people scrupulous 
 in regard to any private enterprise of their own along the 
 line of missions. On that account contribtitions were for 
 many years .sent to the Chri.stian Reformed Church in the 
 
— 44 — 
 Netherlands, for the support of those missions in the East 
 Indies, mentioned in the first part of our sketch. 
 
 In 1 886 a mission of our own was planned. The Ameri- 
 can Indian was made the sul)ject of much discussion in the 
 Synod of 1888, and, the majority being in favor, it was 
 decided to send to the Indians Rev. T. M. Van den Bosch, 
 who had some experience in home mission work. After 
 due ceremonials, he entered in 1889 upon his labors as a 
 missionary among the heathen of our country. He was 
 not long in the field however. At his own request he was 
 recalled in 1890, on account of failing health. Because of this 
 ill-luck at first effort, which could hardly be called an earn- 
 est effort, in 1894 the Synod, not being unanimous in the 
 course to be taken in the future, entered into correspondence 
 with the United Presbyterian Church, principally with an 
 eye to mission work, but with the thought that, perchance, 
 after closer acquaintance with said Church, a mutual recog- 
 nition as Reformed Presbyterian Si.ster Churches might be 
 reached. This correspondence is still going on, the first 
 step in the direction of mutual acknowledgement, for various 
 rea.sons, not yet having been taken at the present date. 
 The Christian Reformed Church may be considered cautious 
 to a fault in the matter of union, but sad experience, as 
 shown above, has taught her the "'festina lente.'' 
 
 In 1896 a candidate of theology, who had .studied with a 
 view especially to mission work among the Red Men, 
 presented himself to the Synod when in session, at the time 
 when the matter of mis.sion was brought up. He declared 
 his intention to go at once, if the Church should so desire. 
 This made the Synod's vote as to the field not only easy, 
 but almost obligatory, the Church, eight years before, 
 having decided that point, and the candidate having adapted 
 his studies to this end and elected his "futura," who had a 
 
— 45 — 
 warm heart for the Indians. The result could easily be 
 fcjresetn. The resolution of iS88 was maintained by a 
 large majority. So the labor among the Indians was 
 resumed, and Arizona chosen as the field. Four months 
 later the Rev. H. Fryling was ordained and sent out as the 
 first missionary, with his wife, to the Navajoes of Arizona, 
 a tribe which numbers from 20,000 to 30,000 people. Mr. 
 A. Van der Wagen, a student of theology, burning with love 
 for the American Indians, with his wife, an able teacher 
 and nurse, were added to the missionary as assistants and 
 co-laborers. In less than half a year Mrs. H. Frj'ling, a 
 sufferer of consumption, died cheerfully at her post at the 
 age of 24. rejoicing to breathe her last amidst the tribe she 
 had learned to love and which loved her. In 1897 ^r. J, 
 K. De Groot, a teacher, was sent to assist the Rev. Fr^iing 
 in his loneliness and manifold labors. The committee on 
 Missions among the Heathen was obliged thus to strengthen 
 the arms of Mr. Fryling, as, at the urgent request of 
 another contiguous tribe, the New Mexico Zuui's, Mr. Van 
 der Wagen and his wife had been ordered thither. 
 
 They all are efficient and successful workers, doing ex- 
 cellent work, regularly teaching the Indian children in the 
 government boarding schools or at the missionary's home; 
 preaching at stated times to government officials and the 
 grown up Indian people; learning the languages of said 
 tribes and composing dictionaries for themselves and future 
 mi.ssionaries. These Indian people arc not, as is the 
 common notion, decreasing, but increasing in numbers, and 
 they are peerless lovers of their native land. God bless our 
 mission! 
 
 The Jewish missions in Chicago and New York are 
 supported by the Christian Reformed Church, with an 
 average uonation of $800 per year. 
 
-46 — 
 Besides Dorcas, Tryphena, and Tryphosa and kindred 
 circles of women, laboring in the Lord, the Church has its 
 Young Men's and Young Daughter's Christian Societies in 
 ahiiost every congregation. 
 
 There is established also in Grand Rapids, Mich., an 
 Aged People's Home, called Holland Home, where at a 
 moderate price old people of the Reformed denominatioi; 
 are cared for materially and spiritually. 
 
 A sanitarium for consumptives, Bethesda, is being built 
 at Maxwell City, New Mexico, at the initiative of Prof. 
 Beuker, who for years in the Netherlands has been working 
 along philanthropic lines. Pie is meeting with the hearty 
 approval and efficient co operation of many in the Church 
 and outside, who on the altar of love and sympathy will- 
 ingly lay their offerings to assuage or heal the miseries of 
 suffering humanity. At Maxwell there is a little Christian 
 Reformed congregation. The pastor, the Rev. I. Van 
 Dellen, ministers to the wants of his church members, who 
 for the most part are patients, as is, or v.-as, his own wife. 
 He is, by common consent, the right man in the right 
 place. 
 
 The only Holland Christian Reformed Church organ is 
 ''De Wachter,'' or, in English, ''The Watchman,'" a weekly 
 of some thirty years' standing, with an able editor-in-chief , 
 the Rev. A. Keizer of Graafschap, Mich., and three assist- 
 ant editors. Its circulation is 2,350. 
 
 The English-speaking classis of our church, Hackensack, 
 N. J., furnishes a monthly, ""The Banner of Truth,'' the 
 Rev. J. C. Voorhis of Hackensack, being editor. It firmly 
 upholds the doctrine and polity of the early Dutch Reformed 
 Church. Its circulation is in no wise limited to New York 
 or New Jersey, a good many of our people reading and 
 understanding both the Holland and English languages. 
 
— 47 -- 
 
 The '^Gcrcformecrde Avierikaaiiy the ^'Reformed Amen- 
 can,'" is a Holland monthly of recent birth, having just 
 entered the second 3'ear of its orthodo:;^ existence. It is 
 intended for the more religiousl}' developed among the 
 people and bids fair to become a power for good in advocat- 
 ing and advancing the "strictl}- reformed" principles and 
 practices in ecclesiastical and social life. The Rev. F. M. 
 Ten Hoor, Prof. H. Beuker, D. D. and the Rev. H. Van 
 Hoogen are the editors, with a great corps of assistants. 
 Circulation 350. 
 
 For the sake of completeness and for those who do not 
 know the Christian Reformed Church of America in regard 
 to its polity, we note the following: 
 
 The government of the Christian Reformed Church is 
 Presbyterian, only a different nomenclature is used in some 
 respects in speaking of ecclesiastical affairs. The consistory, 
 or session, is composed of the minister, ruling elders and 
 deacons. They meet at stated times as a spiritual court to 
 transact spiritual concerns, such as the admission of mem- 
 bers and the exercise of discipline. The ruling elders, 
 instead of being elected for life, as with the Presbyterians of 
 other denominations, are appointed for two years. If 
 acceptable to the church, they may be appointed again for 
 another term or terms, or after having been out of office 
 for one year at least. The deacons are charged with the 
 care for the poor. They are elected the same way as the 
 elders. 
 
 The next court is the classis, or presbytery, which is a 
 representative body; all the congregations being represented 
 there by one minister and one elder, or two elders for vacant 
 congregations. 
 
 The highest coiirt, from which there is no appeal, is the 
 Synod or General Assembly, constituted until some years 
 
— 48- 
 
 ago in the same way as the, classes; but since the number 
 of congregations has considerablj^ increased, since the 
 distance from Grand Rapids (where in the Seminary Hall 
 its sessions are held) for many a delegate amounts to 
 hundreds of miles, and the expenses became rather burden- 
 some, the representation, by resolution of the late Synod, 
 has been reduced to three ministers and three elders from 
 each classis, which will make the total of delegates 48 for 
 the future, unless a new classis be formed. The Synod's 
 sessions are held every other year, and its affairs conducted 
 much in the same method with all other Presbyterian 
 Churches. 
 
 Such is the history of the Christian Reformed Church of 
 America. The Lord has done great things for us, whereof 
 we are glad. To Him alone be the glory! 
 
 Our Church is, as may be seen from this sketch, in a 
 flourishing condition financially and spiritually, the influx 
 from the Netherlands and Germany furnishing it each year 
 with fresh supplies of godly men and women. Besides 
 these, we have as a source of increase the rising generations 
 from our own households. 
 
 Many are the blessings we enjoy in this good land of 
 ours, inducing us to unbounded thankfulness, which 
 however is too often withheld from the Father of lights. 
 
 Many are the duties devolving upon us as a body of 
 Reformed Christians, who have been so signally blessed and 
 protected by the hand of Divine Providence. 
 
 Many are the possibilities before us, which should cause 
 us continually to offer t lie fir.st disciples' prayer: "Lord, 
 increase our faith " Oh, for more love to Christ and the 
 everlasting gospel, for more compassion for dying men, for 
 more consecrated lives in the service of our God! 
 
- 49 — 
 
 The dangers surrounding our Church are not to be 
 slighted: the hist of the flesh and the lust of the eye and 
 the pride of life besides the hosts of the power of darkness 
 standing in battle-array against the Lord and his Anointed, 
 and against his saints on earth. 
 
 If we continue in the ways of the Lord, though we be 
 small, 3'et we may be a power for good in the land which 
 the Lord our God has given us. 
 
 May the Christian Reformed Church in regard to God's 
 truth be ever mindful of the device ot the Princes of Orange- 
 Nassau: "Je Maintiendrai" (I shall maintain). 
 
 Our merciful God and Father grant us grace to stand 
 manfully by our distinctive principles, never faltering, 
 never failing, firm in the faith once delivered to the saints, 
 faithful unto death, tru.sting in God alone, Who giveth us 
 the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 May the injunction from on high: '"Hold that fast zvhich 
 thon hast, that no man take thy crozvn,'' spur us on to be 
 steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the 
 Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain in the Lord. 
 Then ours wall be in endless ages the fulfillment of that 
 glorious promi.se of our Saviour and our God: "I will 
 
 GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE." 
 
 Fremont, Mich., March 1898. 
 
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