FOR THE CHRISTIAN'S MAGAZINE.

The State of the Reformed Church, as also of the different religious denominations in Holland, previous to the late revolution.

(Concluded from p. 251.)

THE Lutherans, besides enjoying religious liberty, have also the privilege of erecting public places of worship, in all the cities of the United Provinces. Even in many places in the country, they are suffered to exercise their worship, though it be contrary to several acts of the States of Holland.

In

The number of Lutheran congregations in the. United Provinces, and Dutch Flanders, is forty, which are served by fifty-one settled ministers. 1809, there were sixty-nine ministers. In Holland, there are nineteen congregations, and twentyseven ministers; in Zealand, three congregations and four ministers; in Utrecht, two congregations and three ministers; in Gelderland, four congregations and four ministers; in Overyssel, three congregations and three ministers; in Friesland, two congregations and two ministers; in Groningen, three congregations and four ministers; in Dutch Flanders, four congregations and four ministers. In addition to

these congregations, there is one composed of Saltzburgh emigrants, in the district of Radzand, which is served by a minister who receives his salary from the states general,

The young men who contemplate the office of the ministry, prosecute their preparatory studies in one of the Universities or schools of established reputation, and afterwards their theological studies under any minister whom they may choose. They must then go to one of the Lutheran universities in Germany, to qualify them for ordination. Whilst they are yet students they may preach in any place in the Netherlands, except in Amsterdam. Before they can preach there, they must be examined by the ministerium, or ministry. When they have accepted a call, they must pass a final examination, after which they are set apart to the work of the ministry, by the laying on of hands.

Although the whole number of Lutheran congregations is small, yet severally, in most places, these congregations are numerous. The largest is in Amsterdam, which is under the superintendance of five ministers, ten elders, and twelve deacons... Besides these officers there are three church masters, whose business it is to take care of the two churches, which belong to this congregation, and also of the burial of the dead. The consistory here meet generally twice in every month. The Lord's Supper is administered every two weeks.

The Lutherans have an orphan house in Amster. dam, Leyden, the Hague, and Haerlem. The first is under the direction of six governors, and three governesses. In their church ceremonies they differ more or less from their brethren in other countries. They have no altars nor images in their churches ; and their ministers do not wear a surplice in their preaching, or administering of the Lord's Supper, but the ordinary black dress of clergymen

The Remonstrants are so called, in consequence of a remonstrance which they delivered to the states of Holland, in 1610. They are the followers of James VOL. III.-No. VII. 3 A

Arminius, who was professor of thcology in Leyden, from the year 1603 to 1609. Their doctrines were condemned in the famous Synod of Dort, held in the years 1618, 1619; their ministers deposed, and those of them who would not engage to desist from preaching, banished from the United Provinces. After the death of prince Maurice, and under the stadtholder ship of his brother, prince Henry, their situation became better. The ministers who had withdrawn, were permitted by connivance, one after the other, to return. Before long the Remonstrants began openly to assemble for worship, and in Amsterdam they es tablished a seminary to prepare young men for the ministry. They have since been received and tolerated as peaceable subjects by the Supreme Magistracy. Their number rather decreases than increases, especially in those places where there are Walloon congregations. With these the Remon strants readily connect themselves, because the members of the same are not excluded from the govern ment. The opinions of this denomination, are more prevalent in the Reformed Churches of other countries than of this. They maintain that election is conditional; that Christ died for all men, head for head; that the grace of God is indeed necessary for regeneration and sanctification, but may be resisted and rendered ineffectual by the perverse will of the impenitent sinner, and that saints may so fall away, as finally to perish. Whoever adopts the scriptures as the only rule of his faith and practice, and is free from idolatry, forcing of conscience, and a wicked life, may become a member of their congregations.

The community of the Remonstrants in the provinces of Gelderland, Holland, Utrecht, and Fries land, consists of thirty-four congregations, which are served by forty three ministers. In Gelderland, at Tiel, there is one congregation, and one minister. In Holland there are thirty congregations, and thirty

eight ministers. In Utrecht, two congregations and three ministers. At Dokkum, in Friesland, there is one congregation, and one minister. In the other provinces there are no congregations. At Frederikstadt, in the dutchy of Holstein, they have a tolerable congregation, which is supplied by the society in the United Provinces, with a pastor. The most respectable of their congregations is in Rotterdam, which is supplied by four ministers. In Amsterdam there are three ministers. The seminary in this city is furnished with two professors; one of theology, the other of philosophy, and other useful sciences. The students are examined twice a year by eight ministers and some few overseers, who are linguists, from the congregations in Amsterdam and Rotterdam! When promoted to the ministry, they are at liberty directly to administer Baptism and the Lord's Supper. They also receive some stipends, and are obliged to preach wherever the person who has the care of vacant congregations directs. Every year, shortly before or after Whitsunday, there is a general meeting of the whole community, held alternately in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

The Anabaptists are so called, because they deny that Christian water-baptism may be administered to any but adults. They are also called Mennonites, after Menno Simon, a Friesland teacher, who in 1536, left the Romish church, and publicly embraced the sentiments of the Anabaptists. He died in the year 1561. He was at first mild and moderate; but afterwards he became more rigid, maintaining that those who were excommunicated by their church ought not only to be avoided by the rest of the members, but if the husband was in such a case, his wife ought neither to eat or sleep with him, and so vice versa with the wife. Excommunication, in his view, was deserved not only for gross offences, but grudi bas

for trifling mistakes; even for marriage with a person of a different Christian denomination, nay, with Anabaptists of a different kind from his own. In these opinions he has not, however, been followed by the body of the Anabaptists. They are divided into different kinds. The principal ones are the Flemish, the Waterlandeans, and Frieslanders, so called, after the districts of country from whence they respective ly came. Of these the former is the most rigid, the two latter, who vary only in name, the most moderate. It would be a very difficult matter to show minutely wherein these differ from each other. Those that bear the same name do not agree together in all. things. In many places, they have departed widely from the sentiments of their first founders. In four particulars, however, they agree; viz. 1. They maintain adult baptism; 2. They deny the lawfulness of war; 3. As also of oaths; and, 4. The of fice of civil magistrate*.

The Anabaptists have congregations in all the United Provinces: as also one in Maastricht, one in Vaals in the district of Overmaaze, one at Ardenberg in Dutch Flanders. The whole number of Anabaptist congregations in the United Provinces, in 1791, was about one hundred and sixty-nine, and of ministers, about two hundred and fifty-one. In 94 ministers.

Holland,

Utrecht,

67 congregations,

*For an account of this sect, see Mosheim's Eccles. Vol.

IV. p. 454-478. and Vol. V. 490 498.