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The Netherlands: Reformed

CHURCH AND EDUCATION. The constitution of the Netherlands guarantees entire liberty of conscience and complete social equality to the members of all religious confessions. To the Reformed Church belong the royal family and a majority of the inhabitants, but the Roman Catholics do not fall far behind in the matter of numbers. The latest census shows that the Calvinists, or members of the Reformed Church, numbered a little over 2,000,000; the Lutherans, 69,000; Roman Catholics, 1,400,000; Greek Catholics, 32; other Christian denominations, 56,000; and Jews, 68,000. The Reformed Church is under Presbyterian government, the Roman Catholics under an archbishop, of Utrecht, and four bishops. The public funds are employed in the payment of the salaries of several British Presbyterian ministers settled in the Netherlands, whose churches are incorporated with the Dutch Reformed Church. While education is spreading throughout the kingdom, it has not yet reached the lower classes. Among the rural population, it is calculated that one-fourth of the grown-up men and one-third of the women can neither read nor write. A nondenominational primary instruction law has, however, been enacted for the benefit of the rising generation. The public schools number 2600, employing 7000 school teachers; and there are 1200 private schools, with 4000 teachers. There are also 90 schools for middle instruction, 60 Latin schools, 3 universities, and a polytechnic school-the latter at Delft. The ecclesiastical training schools comprise 5 Roman Catholic and 3 Protestant seminaries.

HISTORY. We find the Netherlands, in the 10th century, in the possession of a number of princes owning a limited degree of allegiance, some to the German Empire and some to the Kings of France. Before the 13th century it was divided into several dukedoms, whose chiefs acknowledged little more than a nominal allegiance to any other Sovereign. The most powerful was the Count of Flanders, whose possessions, in 1384, fell to the House of Burgundy, and in 1437 Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, became master of almost the entire Netherlands. The country had at this time become rich and populous, the commercial cities having acquired a controlling influence in the government, and within their own limits enjoyed almost republican freedom. Under the House of Burgundy the Netherlands became the most populous and opulent part of Europe, and such cities as Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges (the Netherlands then including the present kingdom of Belgium) were especially distinguished for their wealth and splendor. About the year 1555 the Reformation had taken a strong hold upon the people of the Netherlands provinces, and an attempt to introduce the Inquisition provoked the most stubborn resistance on the part of the Prostestants, until finally open insurrection broke out in Flanders, and spread rapidly. William of Orange succeeded in temporarily surpressing it by making important consessions Philip II., then King, determined to crush out Protestantism, and in carrying out his policy caused the death of a large number of the most prominent nobles who had participated in the revolt. The extent and ferocity of this monarch's tyranny are almost unparalleled in history. Alliances were made by the Prince of Orange with neighboring Protestant powers, and a long war ensued and finally, in 1584, he was assassinated, which was a great blow to the struggling commonwealth. After his death, the sovereignty was offered to Queen Elizabeth, but she declined it, although she sent the Earl of Leicester to the aid of the Dutch, with a large body of troops, who, however, did but little. Prince Maurice, son of William of Orange, who was but 17 when his father died, soon developed great ability as a soldier and a statesman, and carried on the war with success. A cessation of hostilities was followed by religious dissensions in Holland, and the execution of Barneveldt, the head of the peace party. War with Spain was renewed, and continued until 1648, when the independence of the Netherlands was acknowledged. The Dutch during this period began their assaults upon the East India Islands, and gained a footing there, while they also made inroads upon the American continent, conquering a portion of Brazil. After the close of hostilities with Spain, war was begun with England, and it was at this time that Admiral Van Tromp sailed the British waters with his navy, and a broom lashed to the mast head, symbolical of his determination to sweep the seas. Soon after 1653 peace was established, and in the following year the Dutch were expelled from Brazil. Since the separation of Belgium from the Netherlands (1839) the latter kingdom has had a peaceful and flourishing existence, and has made rapid strides in prosperity and wealth. With the exception of occasional conflicts with the natives of some of the East Indian colonies-the most important of which was the war in Acheen, on the island of Sumatra, in 1873-5-the Netherlands have had no war with foreign powers since the conclusion of the treaty with Belgium in 1839. DENMARK.

King-Christian IX., b. April 8, 1818; succeeded Nov. 15, 1863; m. May 26, 1842, Louise, d. of William Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel. Heir Apparent Prince Frederick, b. June 3, 1843; m. July 28, 1869, Louise, Princess Royal of Sweden and Norway; b. Oct. 31. 1851.