Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 19.djvu/720

696 PRESBYTERIANISM [NETHERLANDS. national synod was abolished. " C etait une liberte interne et muree dans les temples. II y avait rigoureuse defense de faire aucun bruit, aucun mouvement dans les choses de religion, ni journaux, ni associations, ni controverse, ni proselytisme ; et si quelqu idee ou action religieuse osait franchir Fenceinte ou elle etait emprisonnee, la main de fer de Xapoleon 1 y refoulait immediatement." Its life was taken from the church, and in 1807 it numbered less than 200 ministers. In 1848, however, all but three of the ninety-two "eglises consistoriales " sent a deputy to an assembly at Paris. From this assembly, when it refused to discuss points of doctrine, a secession took place, and the secessionists with the independent churches which had sprung up formed the " Union des eglises evangeliques de France." This society held a synod in 1849 and there laid down a con fession of faith and an ecclesiastical discipline. Mean while the established church set itself to the work of reconstitution on the basis of universal suffrage (with re strictions), the particular church being an essential element, with provincial synods, and a general synod meeting at Consti- regular intervals; but no result was arrived at. In 1852 tution of a change took place in its constitution. The "eglises con- |52- sistoriales " were abolished, and in each parish a presby- terial council was erected, the pastor being president, with from four to seven elders chosen by the people. In the large towns there were consistoires composed of all the pastors and of delegates from the various parishes. Half the elders in each assembly were subject to re-election every three years. Above all was the central provincial council, consisting of the two senior pastors and fifteen members nominated by the state in the first instance. All property qualification for eldership was abolished. In 1858 there were 617 pastors, and the subvention from the state amounted to 1,375,936 francs. The " Union des eglises evangeliques " numbered twenty-seven churches. 1 Position The Netherlands. From the geographical position of N tl ^ e ^ etner l an ds Presbyterianism took there from the be- landsT" 8 innin o its tone fr m France. In 1562 the Confessio Bel- gica was revived, according to the French Confession of 1559, and publicly acknowledged ; and in 1563 the church system was similarly arranged. In 1572, however, in the northern provinces alone, which had been chiefly Lutheran or Melanchthonian, serious schisms took place. The in vasion of Alva of course destroyed all Protestant order, and it was not until the Union of Utrecht in 1579 that the exiled Presbyterians returned. Previous to this, how ever, in 1574, the first provincial synod of Holland and Zealand had been held ; but William of Orange would not allow any action to be taken independently of the state. The Reformed churches had established themselves in independence of the state when that state was Catholic ; when the Government became Protestant the church had protection, and at the same time became dependent : it was a state church. The independence of the church was not consistent with that of the communes and provinces, each of which by the Union of Utrecht had the regulation of its own religion. Thus the history of the church is one of constant conflict. Both church and state were divided, the former into Zwinglian and Calvinist, the latter into those who desired and those who refused a non-Erastian church. In most cases it was insisted on as necessary that church discipline should remain with the local authority. In 1576 William, with the support of Holland, Zealand, . Rf.formee.1 de France; Borrel, Hist, de VEglige Ileformde de Nimes ; Beze, Hint. EccUsiattique ; Weber, Geschichtliche J)arsldlung, &c. ; Coquerel, Hist, des Eglises du Jjesert ; Vincent, Vue sur le Protestantisme en France ; Buckle, History. elders, and deacons were recognized and church discipline given to the elders, with appeal to the magistrate, but which placed the church in absolute dependence on the state. These articles, however, never came into operation ; and the decisions of the synod of Dort in 1578, which made the church independent, Avere equally fruitless. In 1581 the Middelburg synod divided the church, created pro vincial synods and presbyteries, but could not shake oft the civil power in connexion with the choice of church officers. Thus, although Presbyterian congregations remained the rule, the civil Government retained overwhelming influence. As the Leyden magistrates said in 1581, " If we accept everything determined upon in the synods, we shall end by being vassals of the synod. We will not open to church men a door for a new mastership over Government and subjects, wife and child." The contest between Zwinglian and Calvinist came to a decision at the synod of Dort, 1618. Arminius, on the one hand, inveighed against church autonomy as a new pope- dorn ; Gomarus defended it. The oligarchy supported Arminius ; the democratic party, headed by the stadt- hoklers, held with the Calvinists. The question at first was whether synods should be provincial or general. The independent provinces were naturally for provincial synods, as Arminius wished, the states-general for a national synod. The synod of Dort, wherein were represented all Reformed churches, decided against Arminius. When that was settled, the church system, as laid down in 1586 at the synod of The Hague (called by the earl of Leicester), and including general synods, was confirmed. This, however, was accepted only in Utrecht and Guelders; and from 1619 to 1795 there were seven church republics with more or less state inter ference. The synodal form predominated, except in Zealand, and the Presbyterian form also, except in a few congregations which did not choose elders. As a rule elders held office for only two years. The "kerke raad," or kirk session, met weekly, the magistrate being a member ex officio. The colloque consisted of one minister and one elder from each congregation. At the annual provincial synod, held by consent of the states, two ministers and one elder attended from each colloque. Every congregation was annually visited by ministers appointed by the pro vincial synod. The old controversy broke out again in the middle of the 17th century, Johann Cocceius and Gisbert Voet being the Arminian and Calvinist cham pions. The state made good its power in every case. In 1795, of course, everything was upset; and it was not until after the restoration of the Netherland states that a new organization in 1816 was formed. Its main features were that it was strictly synodal, with a national synod, and Presbyterian. But the minister was greatly superior to the elder, and the state had wide powers, especi ally in the nomination of higher officers. In 1827 a new organ was brought into play, viz., a permanent commission of the general synod, consisting of seven members, chosen by the king from twice their number nominated by the synod, meeting twice a year. This was revived in 1847. In 1851 the system now in force was formed. In every congregation sufficiently large there is a church council of all the officers. In large congregations with three or more ministers the ministers and elders alone form one college, the deacons another. The congregation chooses all officers. There are 43 presbyteries in 10 provincial districts; in 1850 there were 1273 congregations with 1508 ministers and over 1,500,000 people. The special provincial synod (1619-1795) has ceased. In its place is the provincial authority of as many ministers as presbyteries in the pro vince ; it chooses its own president. It meets three times a year, and has general superintendence, with power of

examining, placing, and deposing ministers. A general