To anyone at all acquainted with the place which the Dutch Reformed Church in London has occupied during the centuries, it will not cause surprise to hear that I hesitated for a moment before accepting the invitation from its Council to relate the history of the Church on the occasion of its four hundredth anniversary. Not much time was left, and the material was voluminous. Only few church communities possess such a wealth of written documents bearing on their past history, or have been the centre to the same extent of so many varied activities. However, there were considerations on the other side, which made me decide to undertake the work. The extensive archives of the Church are well arranged and well preserved. The most important part, the voluminous correspondence, consisting mainly of letters addressed to the Church Council, has been made available, in a highly meritorious manner, by J. H. Hessels' publication: "Ec- clesiae LondinoBatavae Archivum". Only a small part of the - often very detailed - minutes of the Council meetings has been published, but these pUblications by Dr. A. Kuyper and Dr. A. A. van Schelven cover two very important periods in the history of the Church. In addition, there are the pUblications of the Marnix Society, viz. Ruytinck's "Gheschiedenissen" (Hi- story) and its sequels, and the Acta of the Colloquia of the Dutch church communities in England.

Table of Contents:
I Founding and Subsequent Difficulties. The First Years of the Community.- Dutch refugees in England.- Joh. à Lasco and Utenhove.- the Charter of King Edward VI.- Austin Friars.- the books of instruction and the service books of the Community.- Utenhove’s rhymed version of the Psalms.- First difficulties, Queen Mary.- wanderings by the Community.- Emden.- church officials and liturgy.- II Internal and External Strength. Safeguarding of Doctrine.- Return and restoration of the Community.- changed position.- support to the Church in the home country.- maintenance of doctrine.- the affair Velsius.- the affair Van Haemstede.- the affair Van Winghen.- action against unsound doctrines.- diminishing insistence on doctrine.- opposition against the putting to death of heretics.- training of ministers.- III Maintenance of Moral Discipline. Philanthropic and Social Activities.- Need for moral discipline.- extensive measures towards this end.- the moral condition of the Community.- social-pastoral care of the Community.- help for persecuted Protestants on the Continent.- changing needs.- care of the poor by the deacons.- measures for assisting theological students.- IV The Relations with other Reformed Churches in the Low Countries and in England.- Initial great importance, subsequently diminishing for the Churches in the Netherlands.- difficulties in the domain of organization, opposition on the part of England 91 the Synod of Dordrecht.- lasting personal contacts.- relations with the French Community, claims by them on the church building.- all the same good relations.- other Dutch Reformed Communities in England.- later settlements, Hatfield Chase.- the Colloquia, initial thriving, subsequent decay.- V The Relation to Church and State. The Struggle with Archbishop Laud.-Political relations, opposition on the part of population and guilds, protection by the government.- unaccommodating attitude of James I, imposition of fine.- involved in the struggle between King and Parliament, favourable conditions during the Commonwealth.- relations with the ecclesiastical authorities, judicious attitude towards the State Church.- the relations with the superintendents.- anti-puritanical tendencies.- Archbishop Laud.- opposition by the Dutch-French synod.- Laud’s stubborness, his fall, relief for the Community.- VI The Community in the 17th and 18th Centuries.- Dangers from Puritanism and Independentism during the Commonwealth.- the Restoration and the Glorious Revolution.- internal difficulties: the Rev. Van Cuilemborgh, the Rev. Ten Harmsen.- harmonious relations within the Consistory.- the Rev. Ruytinck, relations with Duraeus.- increasing liberty in religious teaching, process of secularization.- the Community languishes.- tale of woe of the organ.- the library and the archives, Hessels’s Archivum.- VII The Vicissitudes of the Church Building. The Community in the 19th and 20th Centuries.- Description of the church and its interior, difficulties in connection with the tower.- acquisition of the churchyard.- difficulties with tenants and neighbours.- the fire of 1862.- the Community’s properties and their management.- growing prestige, relation to the Netherlands Royal House.- the Rev. Adama van Scheltema, unorthodox orientation of the Community.- the Rev. Baart de 1a Faille, social activities.- the Rev. Van Dorp, the second world war.- the destruction of the church building.- possibilities for the future, relations with South Africa.- I. The Charter of King Edward VI.- II. List of the ministers of the Church.- Appendices.- List of thePictures.- I. Facsimile of the Charter.- II. Austin Friars and its surroundings in the 16th century.- III. Western front and entrance of the old churc.- IV. The interior of the old church about the middle of the 19th century.- V. The interior of the restored old church.- VI. The interior of the church of St. Mary.