There can be no doubt that A. himself was much less Arminian than his followers. He had not matured his opinions sufficiently to elaborate a complete system of anti Calvinistic doctrine, though it is perfectly certain that the conclusions at which his disciples arrived—as stated in the famous "Five Articles"—are the logical and legitimate results of his teaching. He always complained, however, that his opinions were mis represented; but this is invariably the fate of controversialists, and the penalty of contro versy. A. was an extremely good man, as even his enemies allow; his abilities were also of a high order; his thinking is clear, bold, and vigorous; his style remarkably methodical, and his scholarship respectable, if not profound.
After the death of A., his followers gained strength, and boldly asserted their views, but still remained in a minority. In 1610, they presented to the assembled states of tie province of Holland a " remonstrance"—from which they were styled " Remonstrauts" —which contained the following Propositions: 1. That God had indeed made an eternal decree, but only on the conditional terms that all who believe in Christ shall be saved, while all who refuse to believe must perish; so that predestination is only condi tional. 2. That Christ died for all men, but that none except believers are really saved by his death. The intention, in other words, is universal, but the efficacy may be restricted by unbelief. 3. That no man is of himself able to exercise a saving faith, but must be born again of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit. 4. That without the grace of God, man can neither think, will, nor do anything good; yet that grace does not act in men in an irresistible way. 5. That believers are able, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, victoriously to resist sin; but that the question of the possibility of a fall from grace must be determined by a further examination of the Scriptures on this point.
This last point, left as an open question, was decided by the Remonstrants in the affirmative soon afterwards (1611). Whereupon the Gomarists (Calvinists) put forth a strong "counter-remonstrance," asserting plainly absolute predestination and reproba tion. After several fruitless discussions, the states of Holland, in Jan., 1614, acting under the advice of Oldenbarneveld, a senator, and the learned Hugo Grotius, issued an edict of full toleration for both parties, prohibiting at the same time the continuance of the controversy. The counter-remonstrants (or Calvinists) refused to submit to this edict, and the strife soon became so furious, that in 1617, or soon afterwards, the Armin ians found it necessary to guard themselves from personal violence by appointing a safeguard of militia-men ( ardgelders). The controversy now merged in the strife of
party politics. The ambitious Maurice of Orange took advantage of the passions of the majority to crush his opponents of the republican party, whose leaders were adherents of the Arminian doctrines. Several Arnainians were put to death—among them the aged senator Oldenbarneveld, May 13, 1619—while Grotius and others were imprisoned. In these circumstances, the synod of Dort was held (1618-1619), attended by selected repre sentatives from the Netherlands, England, Scotland, the Palatinate, Switzerland, Nassau, East Friesland. and Bremen. From this convocation (Jan. 14, 1619), the 13 Arminian pastors, with the learned and eloquent Simon Episcopius at their head, were excluded. The doctrines of the counter-remonstrants were embodied in 93 canons; the Belgic con fession and the Heidelberg catechism were confirmed as authorities for the reformed churches of the Netherlands; and 300 Arminians (chiefly preachers) were expelled from office. In consequence of this decision, the defeated party sought shelter in France, Holstein, England, etc. Afterwards, under Frederick-Henry, the stadtholder prince Maurice (1630), they were again tolerated in Holland, and in 1634 Episcopus opened his theological college in Amsterdam.
Since that time, the remonstrants (or Arminians) in Holland have inclined wore and more towards freedom of thought on religious questions, and independence hi church government. The rejection of all creeds and confessions; the free interpretation of the scriptures; a preference of moral to doctrinal teaching; Arian views respecting the Trinity; the virtual rejection of the doctrines of original sin and imputed righteousness, and the view of the sacraments as merely edifying forms or ceremonies; all these and other points of belief display the same tendency which is found in their church polity. Their annual conference on ecclesiastical affairs is composed of ministers and lay-depu ties, and takes place in June, alternately at Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The number of remonstrants is now only about 5000, and is still decreasing. In 1809, they had 34 con gregations with 40 preachers in Holland; but in 1870, only about 20 congreffations. The largest society of Arminians is in Rotterdam, and numhvra members.
Although the Arminians are thus dwindlin7 away as a distinct body, their tenets respecting predestination have been adopted witli greater or less modhleation by several other Christian denominations (see Mornomsrs, BArrisTs); as well as by multitudes of the individual members of those churches whose formularies are Calvinistic (see CAL VINISM). They are also very prevalent in the church of Rome.