Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/890

* BEFOKMED CHURCH IN AMERICA. 786 REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA. Field in-o;u-liing ami the singing of evangelical hymns rapidly sjiread the lieforuied dot-trine. Con- ventions or synods of the Dutch Reformers during the next two decades formulated a liturgy and rules of Church government, and adopted stand- ards of doctrine — the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism (qq.v. ). Because of Span- ish persecution these synods were held outside of Dutch territory. In l(i43 copies of lliese rules of Cliurch government were sent to the West- minster Assembl.v as a specimen of Presbyterian polity. In 1018-19 the famous Synod of Dort (q.v. ), called to consider the controversy which had sprung up between the Calvinists and Ar- minians, formulated the Canons of the Synod of Dort. The earliest Dutch Church organization in ^mcrica was made in New York in 1U28 by Rev. Jonas Michaelius. Tliis is now the strong and wealthy Collegiate Church, with its half-score of buildings and fourteen ministers. During the government of (he West India Company down to 166-t thirteen Dutch churches were estab- lished in America and sixteen ministers in all had officiated. Then came the English eomiuest. Dutch immigration ceased. It was a question whether the Dutch Church could survive under the English Government. During the next half century there was an almost constant struggle with the English Governors, who naturally sought to establish the Church of England. During this same period there was also a considerable acces- sion of Huguenots to the country, who largely fell into the fold of the Dutch Chiircli. At first, however, during the reigns of Charles II. (IGGO- 85) and James II. (IGS.'j-SS), full liberty was o.stensil)ly granted to all denominations. But with the accession of William III. (1688) the normal policy of the English Government was restored, an<l more persistent attempts were made to im- pose the Church of England on a population which was overwhelmingly Dutch. A Alinistry Act was secured in UiO.'?^ but it had been so emasculated in its passage that it was founiL to be entirely unseclarian; yet it was often arbi- trarily perverted by certain of the Governors in favor of the Church of England. Because of such perversion the Dutch Church of New York City managed in lOOfi to extort a charter from Governor Fletcher, and this course was .success- fully followed by other Dutch churches, so that the Dutch Church really remained ecclesiastieally independent. During tliis period of struggle the churches increased to forty, and about twenty- four new ministers were sent from Holland. During the eighteenth century many Palatines arrived on the Hudson, making sooner or later about twenty German churches, which were also under the Classis of Amsterdam. Increasing de- sire for a general ecclesiastical organization and for institutions of learning now began to be ex- pressed. There were some conflicts at first be- tween the more revivalistie methods of Bertholf and Frelinghuvsen, which were of a Labadistio character, and the more conservative methods of others. A church organization styled the Ccetus was formed in 1747, but, owing to ecclesiastical interference from Holland, it found itself unable to ordain. Hence it declared itself an inde- pendent American Classis with full pow'crs in 1754. Meantime, an eft'ort was made to establish a Dutch divinity professorship in Kings College, New York City, which was accomplished in 1755, but this split the Church more couii)letely and led to the securing of a charter for Queen's Col- lege (New Brunswick, New Jersey) in 1700 and an amended charter in 1770. The two parties came together in 1771 upon articles of union, securing semi-independence from the Church of Holland, but the Revolution delayed the speedy developnu'nt of the new plans, in 1784 a pro- fessor of theology was elected — Rev. Dr. .John H. Livingston — and this was the bi'ginning of a theological seminary, the first in the country. In 1702 an Americanized c<nistitution of Church government was adopted, which has gone through two revisions since — namely, in 18.'J2 and 1874. The Church continued to grow slowly. In 1800 there were about 100 churches and forty ministers in service. The number of ministers did not equal the number of churches until 1845, when there were 375 of each. In 1840 began a new Dutch immigration which settled in the middle West, but is now penetrating even to the Pacific Coast. Many of these new-comers fell into the old Dutch C^hurch, and there are now more than 200 churches from this source and as many ministers. In doctrine the Reformed Church in America has ever adhered to the standards already re- ferred to, adopted in Holland. She also indorsed the Westminster Catechism in 1837. Her form of government is of the so-called Presbyterian type, first proposed by Calvin, and was adopted in 1568. This enumerated four classes of offi- cers in the Church, viz. ministers, teachers (or professors), elders, and deacons. Four grades of ecclesiastical bodies were also defined, viz. Consistories, Clas.ses, Provincial Synods, and a General S.vnod. The Reformed Church has a litui'gy, but this is obligatory only in the admin- istration of the sacraments and ordinations. It has received some additions from time to time as necessity required. In all other respecis her mode of worship is free. The General Synod is incorporated and holds all funds and endow- ments of the theological seminaries, and, in part, of the colleges and other agencies. The General Synod operates through a board of direction. The colleges are also incorporated, .as well as the various boards, such as the board of educ.-ition, the hoard of foreign missions, the board of do- mestic missions. The churches exist in New York, New Jersej-, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Jlichigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, the l")akotas. ilinnesota. Kansas, Nebraska. ^lontana, South Carolina. Gklahoma. and Washington. In 100.3 the Reformed Church in America re- ported 633 churches. 703 ministers, (il.OOO fam- ilies, and 113,000 communicants. There are also about 110,000 cliildren in the Salibath schools. Nearly .'15400,000 was raised during the ,vear for benevolent olijects. and .$1,250,000 for congregational purpo.ses. This Church has sev- eral nourishing institutions: Rutgers College (1706) and a theological seminary (1784) at New Brunswick, N. .J.; Hope College (1866), and the Western Theological Seminary (1866) at Holland. Mich.; and incipient institu- tions in other States. The Church has been especially successful on the forei,gn field, having missions in India, China, .Japan, and Arabia, having .sent out more than 200 missionaries, male and female. In 1002 the wonderfully successful Classis of Arcot, India, with 25 regularly organ- ized churches, many of them having native pas-