O NETHERLANDS, AWAKE!

What deep emotion seized very many in our land last week when the report was heard, “Princess Irene became Roman Catholic, yes, she has been such for a year already.” What a deeply grievous matter this was and yet is for our people, even so, that we might put on our mourning clothes and fly the flag at half-mast. In this respect we may also call to one another, “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be a sorrow like unto my sorrow”; for how closely is the House of Orange bound to our people.

Our nation is a Protestant nation from the time of its birth and is built upon the blood of the martyrs shed by Rome. Has not the father of this country (William of Orange) sacrificed his money and goods, yes, his life for the cause of the Netherlands, that our people might be delivered from the violence of Spain and the tyranny of Rome? Did not the Prince of the Netherlands, William fff, engage in a war with France to check the pressing danger of Rome’s domination, and how has the Lord attached His approval thereto? How many members of the famous House of Orange has the Lord made a blessing for our people! Then is not this change of our Princess Irene to the Roman Catholic Church a very unthankful act towards her princely forefathers and the sacrifice of their blood and goods?

Our Princess Irene is surely acquainted with what Rome has done on the night of St. Bartholomew. She surely knows how at places where they have processions (oh, what terrible idolatry!), reverence therefore is required from everyone. That Rome has no scruples about casting into prisons all those who cannot go along with this idolatry and who despise it all!

Many years ago the women at Constance, who were condemned to death because they refused to bow for Rome’s image-service, acted contrariwise to our Princess. In the floor of the prison they scratched the word “Resister,” that is, resist, persevere, for the honor of God was of greater worth for them than the favor of Rome.

And Rome is yet the same, however different it may appear presently. Only think of the persecutions of Christians in those lands where Rome has the overwhelming power in her hands. The Princess is quoted in “The Rotterdammer” that she “felt herself strongly interested in the approach to ecumenical accord and a unified basis of Christian faith in all Christian churches, and therefore she preferred the Roman Catholic Christendom in ecumenical light.

How clearly the ruination appears here again of all ecumenical unity in which the true foundation of the Holy Scripture is denied or becomes of minor importance Surely we can never speak of a true unity outside of the entire one Foundation, Christ Jesus, and Him crucified. All unity outside of this is for all those that seek it to destruction, and they must expect therein the righteous judgment of God. Rome, however, has never changed with regard to her principles. Any fellowship with Rome upon the true foundation, therefore, is a total impossibility.

Above all Rome strives after the supreme authority. Justly Prof. Mr. Diepenhorst writes in his Christian Policy: “There threatens yet another danger. Rome is trying to penetrate the society of our fatherland with her conceptions. This penetration is gaining continually in strength and shall yet place us before painful decisions.” (How true in this country also!—Ed.) See the issue now, also. Moreover, Rome is anti-Christian. Read the preface of our forefathers to the Five Articles against the Remonstrants (Canons of Dort) and also the Lord’s Day 30 and the Lord’s Day 11, question 30, of the Heidelberg Catechism. May the Lord keep our people from such a unity of which the Princess speaks, and where not the Lord, but the antichrist shall sit upon the throne and shall require that his orders shall be carried out. In such a unity there is no place for the true Church of the Lord.

Oh, that many would clearly see how far we have been drawn along already with that so-called Christianity! This slippery slope becomes steeper and steeper and makes us visibly sink farther and deeper away from God and His eternal Word.

O Netherlands, awake! For what shall yet become of us upon this dreadful, apparently pious, but (in the deepest sense) ungodly way, in which so many are already ensnared.

That we might confess the guilt of all these things in deep contrition before God. That we may not in the first place cast the guilt of all these things upon others, but that we personally, with land and people, also with our dynasty, may feel how guilty we are before the all-seeing God. That also the breach through sin, with all religion without God, and Christendom without Christ, would heartily be bewailed before the Lord with contrition and sorrow. How often has it been ssen that, when a people lives near to God and far from sin, the enemy cannot do with them as they would like to.

The change our Princess has made to Rome is “a sign on the wall.” We must consider this to be much more serious than of other persons who have done this before. The House of Orange and the Netherlands are welded together. There is a threefold covenant, and although we break it, God nevertheless maintains it and shall hold us responsible. A decline of Orange is a decline of the Netherlands. Oh, be attentive to thy cause; awake!

How necessary it is to cry in deep humiliation, with heartfelt grief and justifying God:

“In evil we have gone astray,
And sinful is our race;
Rebelliously our fathers walked,
Forgetful of Thy grace.

“Though from their harsh oppressors’ hand
Ofttimes He set them free,
Rebellious still, they were brought low
In their iniquity.”

Much could be added, but we will let it go with this, the more so because other articles about this sad event will further ask our attention. We can also yet inform you that a formal statement of Deep regret concerning this matter has been sent to the Royal House and to Princess Irene personally by the deputies of our churches.

This article was written by Rev. L. Rijksen, editor of “The Saambinder,” and is a translation.

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