FOR THE CHRISTIAN'S MAGAZINE.

The state of the Reformed Church; as also of the different religious denominations in Holland, prerious to the late revolution.

(Continued from p. 89.)

THE government of the Reformed Church in the

Netherlands is committed to Consistories, Classes, Provincial Synods, and a national Synod. Each Consistory is subordinate to its respective Classis, each Classis to its Provincial Synod, and the Provincial Synods to the national Synod.

In every congregation there is a Consistory, composed of the minister, or ministers, if there are more than one, and the elders. In some cities, the deacons are also admitted as members. The number of elders and deacons is left optional with every congregation. The ministers, if there are more than one, preside alternately in the meetings of the Consistory, which are weekly; and if there be but one minister, he is always president and secretary of the same..

In the Consistory and other ecclesiastical assemblies, the business is wholly ecclesiastical. Converts from Judaism, Mahometanism, and Paganism, are strictly examined before the Consistory. Sometimes applicants for admission the first time to the Lord's Supper are received by them; but most generally they are received by the ministers. They who remove from one place to another, procure a certificate of their standing from the Consistory of

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the first place. The Consistory also possess the power of citing before them such members as lead offensive lives, or are unsound in the faith; and in case the persons cited do not obey the admonition given them, to suspend them from the Lord's table; and if they continue contumacious, to excommunicate them. This last measure may not be taken without previous leave of that Classis to which the Consistory is subordinate. Before the excommunication takes place, the congregation, at three different times, is exhorted to pray for the offender, whose offences and resistance to admonition, are stated at full length. In the first notification, the name of the offender is withheld. In the second, his name, with the consent of the Classis, is mentioned. In the third, the congregation are informed that unless he repents he will be excluded from the communion of the Church; which sentence is passed upon him, if he remains obstinate. If he repents after excommunication, his desire to be restored is made known to the congregation at some seasonable opportunity, and if they do not object, upon his declaring his penitence, he is restored. The sins which are considered as deserving punishment, are, false doctrine or heresy, public schisms, open blasphemy, perjury, adultery, fornication, theft, acts of violence, brawlings, habitual drunkenness, scandalous traffic, gaming, and the like*. The ministers who are guilty of these sins or of simony, faithless desertion of their office, or intruding into that of another, may be suspended by their Consistory, with the approbation of a neighbouring Consistory, called in for assistance: but they can be put

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By the Synod of Alkmaer, which met 1599, in the thirtysecond act, members who engage in mixed dances are declaret censurable. This act is still in force.

out of office or deposed only by the Classis to whom they are subordinate. Delinquent elders and deacons, may, however, immediately be put out of office by the Consistory to which they belong. Every member who considers himself aggrieved by the decision of Consistory, has the right of appeal to Classis, and from the decisions of Classis to the Provincial Synod, whose decisions are final, and must be obeyed, if they accord with the regulations of the national Synod of Dort, which are in force until another national Synod is called.

The classical assemblies are composed of neighbouring Churches, each of which sends one minister and one elder, with proper credentials and in structions, to said assembly. They are held statedly, at least three, and in some places, seven times a year, at the place and at the time agreed upon at the last meeting. If there be several ministers in the place where they meet, they may all attend the meeting and act as members, except in cases where they or their congregations are concerned. The ministers ordinarily fill the offices of president and secretary in rotation, according to the time of their connexion with the Classis. In some Classes, the ministers of cities have the right of always presiding. The business which is transacted in Classis relates to discipline, consistorial meetings, the care of the poor and of schools, the defence of sound doctrine, appeals from Consistories, references, requests for advice, and the like. They choose delegates to the provincial Synods, and appoint two or more visitors, who annually visit the Churches under their jurisdiction, to inquire into the state of the Churches and of the schools. These serve, sometimes one, sometimes two, and sometimes three years. An extraordinary meeting of Classis may

be called by the delegates of Classis, or its moderators, viz. the president and secretary; but it must be done at the expense of the person or congregation calling such meeting."

The provincial Synods are composed of four or more neighbouring Classes, and meet ordinarily once a year. Every Classis delegates ordinarily

two ministers, and one or two elders, who must have attended the last classical meeting. To the Synod of Drente there are no elders deputed; and to that of Groningen, not more than one from the Classis of Groningen. The president of the last preceding Synod, or one of the delegates of Synod, both of whom are considered as advisory members, ex-officio, frequently opens the meetings of Synod, calls for the credentials of the members, and fills the place of president, until a president be chosen by the meeting. Sometimes the minister of the place where the meeting is held, calls for the credentials. In every Synod, except that of Friesland, there is an assessor, (who acts as a vice-president and counsellor to the president,) as well as president and secretary. Every Synod chooses from its members correspondents, whose business it is to meet with other Synods. In those Synods, however, they possess merely the right of advising, not of voting. Every Synod also deputes some of its members to put in execution whatever has been ordained by such Synod, as well in matters of general concerns, as in what relates to the respective Classes in particular, that are subject to its jurisdiction; which deputies, or at least some of them, must always be present at the examination of candidates for the ministry; and they also transact all the business that Synod has with the magistracy. These Synods may not alter any thing which is established by a

General Synod. The states of the province where the Synod is held, send at least two deputies, who are called Political Commissaries, whose duty it is to take notice of every thing done in Synod. The meetings of Synod are opened and closed with a

sermon.

The number of provincial Synods are nine*, to which fifty-three Classes are subordinate. In the following account of them, the number of ministers, in three distinct periods, is inserted.

I. The Synod of Guelderland, to which belong nine Classes. Its ministers, in 1759, were 284; in 1797, 283; in 1803, 285.

II. The Synod of South-Holland, to which belong eleven Classes. Its ministers, in 1759, were 331; in 1797, 332; in 1803, 331.

III. The Synod of North-Holland, to which belong six Classes. Its ministers, in 1759, were 222; in 1797, 218; in 1803, 220.

IV. The Cœtus of Zealand, to which belong four Classes. Its ministers, in 1759, were 173; in 1797, 159; in 1803, 163.

V. The Synod of Utrecht, to which belong three Classes. Its ministers, in 1759, were 81; in 1797, 82; in 1803, 79.

VI. The Synod of Friesland, to which belong six Classes. Its ministers, in 1759, were 208; in 1797, 209; in 1803, 207.

VII. The Synod of Overyssel, to which belong four Classes. Its ministers, in 1759, were 84; in 1797, 84; in 1803, 64.

VIII. The Synod of Groningen, the city and country, to which belong seven Classes. Its minis

* No alteration has been made in the Synods or Classes by the late revolution.