1883 Form of Subscription

7 September 2009 by Wes Bredenhof

One of the notable things about “By This Our Subscription”  is the primary source material, much of which I believe is appearing in English for the first time.  Some of it is shocking.  For example, here is the Form of Subscription adopted by the Nederlansche Hervormde Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) in 1883:

We, the undersigned, admitted by the provincial board of …, (or by the Committee for the Walloon Churches) to the ministry of the Gospel in the Nederlansche Hervormde Kerk, herewith promise, that we, in agreement with our calling, shall labour therein with diligence and faithfulness, and will in as far as we are able further the interests of God’s Kingdom and in agreement herewith those of the Nederlansche Hervormde Kerk in keeping with her ordinances. (151)

There is no reference at all to the Three Forms of Unity.  This is a big part of why the Doleantie (1886) took place.

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