REFORMED CHURCH, a religious body in the United States, whose desig nation has been changed from that of its progenitor, the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, which arose in the Neth erlands early in the 16th century and attained its form and organization dur ing the struggle against Philip IL under the leadership of the princes of Orange. The Church was introduced into America early in that century. Public worship was commenced at New Amsterdam in 1643. After the surrender of New Amsterdam to the English in 1664 the growth of the Church was slow. The Dutch language was used exclusively in worship down to 1763. About the middle of the 18th century arose the noted coetus and conf erentie controversy, which turned on the question of depend ence of the Church of Holland. An in dependent Church organization was ef fected in 1771. From 1817 to 1857 the Reformed Church co-operated with other bodies in supporting foreign missions; and from 1836 with the American Board. In 1857 an amicable separation from the latter was effected, and the missions of Amoy and Arcot were transferred to the Reformed Church. The doctrinal stand ards of the Church are: (1) the Belgic confession of faith; (2) the Heidelberg catechism; (3) the canons of the Synod of Dort. The synod of 1874 adopted a revised liturgy, the use of which is optional. The government of the Church
is according to the Genevan model. The officers are ministers, elders, and dea cons, who compose the consistory, to which the government of the individual church belongs. The classis, consisting of the ministers within a certain district and one elder delegated from each church, corresponds to the presbytery in the Presbyterian Church. The particu lar synods, of which there are four, New York, Albany, New Brunswick, and Chi cago, are delegated bodies composed of four ministers and four elders from each classis within the bounds of each synod. These are courts of appeal from the de cisions of the classis. The general synod is the highest court of appeal, and exer cises a general supervisory power over the Church. It is composed of three ministers and three elders from each classis. In 1867 the word "Dutch" was dropped from the corporate name of the body. "The Christian Intelligencer," a weekly journal devoted to the interests of the Church, was established in New York, 1828. There are two theological seminaries, one at New Brunswick, N. J., the other in connection with Hope Col lege, at Holland, Mich. Statistics, 1919: Churches, 708; ministers, 756; members, 144,166.