joined the Mormons, but who were not of either of the parties named.

In Denmark the affairs of the National Church are under the superintendence of the seven bishops of Själland, Lolland, Fyen, Ribe, Aarhuus, Viborg, and Aalborg. The nomination of the bishops is vested in the King. They have no political character, but inspect the conduct of the subordinate clergy, confer holy orders, and enjoy nearly all the privileges of episcopal dignitaries in Great Britain, except that of voting in the legislature. Complete religious toleration is extended to every sect. It is enacted by Art. 76 of the Constitution, that all citizens may worship God according to their own fashion, provided they do not offend morality or public order.' By Art. 77, no man is bound to contribute to the support of a form of worship of which he is not a member; and by Art. 79, no man can be deprived of his civil and political rights on the score of religion, nor can be exempted on this account from the performance of his duties as a citizen. According to the census of 1870, there were only 14,614 persons not belonging to the Lutheran Church. Of these 1430 were Reformed; while 1,770,127 were Lutherans.

In Sweden, according to statutes, the King must be a member of the Lutheran Church. All natives, aged twenty-five, and possessing certain other qualifications, and making public profession of the Protestant faith, may be elected for the Lower House of Parliament. The Legislative Committee takes cognizance of all matters connected with proposed alterations, not only of civil and criminal, but also of ecclesiastical law; and there is a special state department for educational and ecclesiastical affairs. For Church and public instruction the sum of 4,741,500 riksdaler (equal to 1s. 3d.) was expended in 1870.

In Norway, according to the Constitution of 1814, the whole legislative power is in the Storthing, or Great Court, the representative of the sovereign people. The King cannot nominate

any but Norwegians to public offices under the Crown. Here also there is a department of Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs. For Church and Justice, 487,557 specie-daler (equal to 5s.) were expended in 1869.

In 1865, the population numbered.
Dissenters,

Protestant, .

1,701,365
2,800

1,698,565

All sects are tolerated, but Lutherans alone are admitted to public offices.

TABLE OF SCANDINAVIAN CHURCHES.

'Those that were stout of heart are spoiled,
They slept their sleep outright;
And none of those their hands did find
That were the men of might.'

Charles V. governed the seventeen provinces composing the Netherlands by viceroys. Therein the writings of Luther were early and eagerly studied, for the seeds of Reformation had been sown from the fourteenth century by Groot, Wesselius, Thomas à Kempis, Goch, and Graphæus. But the Inquisition had been brought into operation in 1522, persecuting believers unto death. At length seven of the provinces revolted, formed an independent State, and embraced the Reformed religion. In 1566 the

nobility, though mostly Romanists, combined, and revolted against the severe edicts of Philip of Spain, and the people openly trampled on the things held sacred by the Romanists. When the Duke of Alva, with Spanish forces and unparalleled cruelty, endeavoured their overthrow, by the energy of their leader, William of Nassau, Prince of Orange, the Duke was defeated, and the seven United Provinces of Belgium were formed. The doctrines and ecclesiastical organization of the Swiss were adopted in 1573, and entire liberty of opinion in religion was guaranteed. The Protestants who petitioned Philip for toleration were 100,000 in number. They had about sixty places of worship in Flanders, attended by 60,000. So in Artois, Brabant, Utrecht, Zealand, and Friesland. Severities only increased their number. The narrative of their success is deeply interesting: William of Orange attacking the northern provinces by sea, after they had been conquered, recovering them, and finally securing the liberty of the Protestant people.

As the State withheld its sanction for a national constitution, each province adopted one for itself. Presbytery subordinate to magistracy ultimately prevailed.

Thus the same system of government in the Church was adopted in the Netherlands as in Switzerland. Not only was the unity of the Church and the authority of the officers manifested, the liberties of the membership were fully secured by popular election. It is true the initiation of the election was by the office-bearers, but the elders ever required 'the approbation of the members of the particular church.' The Synod of Dort gave a qualified toleration of patronage; but that was submitted to because it was checked by a right of repudiation on the part of the people. A precognition was taken of the people's inclinations in the matter, to which the presbytery gave weight, the approbation and consent of the people to a pastor being expressly required.

The special Synod of Dort was held in 1618. It arose from the views promulgated by James Arminius, Theological Professor at Leyden. He held loose opinions on the doctrine of election by grace. Opposed by Francis Gomarus, his colleague, and the other professors of the universities, by order of Maurice,

Prince of Orange, the controversy was submitted to a council of divines from various lands. Calvinism was vindicated, and the Arminians pronounced corrupters of the true religion.

'We believe,' said they, 'that the true Church must be governed by that spiritual policy which our Lord hath taught us in His Word-viz., that there must be ministers or pastors to preach the Word of God, and to administer the sacraments; also elders and deacons, who, together with the pastors, form the council of the Church. As for ministers of God's Word, they have equally the same power and authority, wheresoever they are, as they are all ministers of Christ, the only universal Bishop, and the only Head of the Church.' This was a strong declaration in favour of Presbytery.

The first synod in Holland was formed at Dort in 1574. Then the elders were conjoined with pastors in the government. The theory of co-ordinate jurisdiction of Church and State was not, however, realized. After a struggle, government by presbytery, subject to the civil magistrate, prevailed. From that period to 1795, seven distinct ecclesiastical republics have existed, each more or less subordinate to the State, and without any organic bond of union and communion. Deputations and correspondence were the only means of intercourse. A constitution was obtained for the whole Church in 1816, under the sanction of the State.

'This, as well as others of the Protestant Churches on the Continent, once sound in the faith, may be reckoned on the side of Rationalism and Socinianism. This was effected not by any change in the standards, but by an alteration in the formula. The Dutch Reformed Church, by the alteration of a single word in the formula, completely altered the standard. The officebearers formerly adhered to the Confession because (quia) it was in accordance with the Word of God; now the formula runs, in so far as (quatenus) it is in accordance with the Word of God. By such a change their Confession became a totally different standard to them.'

Again important changes came in 1852, an impulse having been giving to the Evangelical cause by the election of ministers being placed in the hands of the eldership, who again are freely

elected by the people; the effect of which is expected to be that the Rationalist clergy will be gradually replaced by men of orthodox and evangelical sentiments. With the altered formula there is no security for this. Since then the National Church is divided into forty-three classes or presbyteries. These are under eleven provincial circuits.

In the NETHERLANDS, according to the terms of the constitution, entire liberty of conscience and complete social equality is granted to the members of all religious professions. The royal family and a majority of the inhabitants belong to the Reformed Church; but the Roman Catholics are not far inferior in numbers. In the last census returns, the number of Lutherans was 64,539; Roman Catholics, 1,234,486; Greek Catholics, 32; other Christians, 48,960; Jews, 63,890.

Recent reliable details of the DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH are as follow:

Three theological halls form faculties in the three national universities of Utrecht, Leyden, and Groningen, with a staff of eleven professors. There are also recognised professors of theology at Amsterdam and Deventer. Twenty-three Walloon or French Protestant Churches, with 10,000 members, are scattered over the provinces. The Lutherans divided into two sections in 1867. They have a theological seminary in Amsterdam. A sort of 'Old Light' body arose from a secession from the Dutch Reformed Church in 1834, termed 'The Seceding Reformed