therland--are ever the
main object of all to whom any ecclesiastical office is entrusted, and
no one can be rejected as a member or a teacher who, complying with all
other requirements, declares himself to be convinced in his own
conscience that in compliance with the above-named principles, he may
belong to the Reformed Church of the Netherlands."[21]

This declaration, however, did not pass the Provincial Church Courts,
which possess the right of veto; and the law therefore remained as it
was. But, in 1881, a new proposal for altering the formula of
subscription passed the General Synod. Next year, it was definitely
approved, and is now the law of the church. According to it, licentiates
to the Ministry, on being admitted by the Provincial Church Courts, are
made to promise that they will labour in the Ministry according to their
vocation with zeal and faithfulness; that they will further with all
their power the interests of the kingdom of God, and, so far as
consistent therewith, the interests of the Dutch Reformed Church, and
give obedience to the regulations of that Church.

There is, however, both in orthodox and in semi-orthodox circles, a
wide-spread dissatisfaction with this amount of latitude, and fears are
entertained for its continuance.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 20: The debates in this Synod were conducted with the highest
ability on both sides. Guizot took a part on the side of orthodoxy. The
published report will be found abstracted in the _British Quarterly_,
No. CXIV.]

[Footnote 21: Mr. Wicksteed makes the following curious remark:--"I am
often asked whether the 'Moderns' are Unitarians. The question is rather
startling. It is as if one were asked whether the majority of English
astronomers had ceased to uphold the Ptolemaic system yet. The best
answer I can give is a reference to the chapter on 'God' in a popular
work by Dr. Matthes which has run through four editions. In this chapter
there is not a word about the Trinity, but at the close occurs this
footnote: On the antiquated doctrine of the _Trinity_, see the
fourteenth note at the end of the book,--where, accordingly, the
doctrine is expounded and its confusions pointed out rather with the
calm interest of the antiquarian than the eagerness of the
controversialist.'"]

* * * * *

WORKS BY PROFESSOR BAIN.

A FIRST ENGLISH GRAMMAR, 90th Thousand.

A KEY, with additional Exercises.

A HIGHER ENGLISH GRA