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the Church is a voluntary association, equal to the State. The separate churches or
congregations are merely sub-divisions of the one national Church. The original power resides
in a national organization, and this organization has jurisdiction over the local churches. This is
just the reverse of the Presbyterian system, according to which the original power has its seat
in the consistory. The Territorial system recognized the inherent right of the State to reform
public worship, to decide disputes respecting doctrine and conduct, and to convene synods,
while the Collegial system ascribes to the State only the right of supervision as an inherent
right, and regards all other rights, which the State might exercise in Church matters, as rights
which the Church by a tacit understanding or by a formal pact conferred upon the State. This
system disregards altogether the autonomy of the local churches, ignores the principles of self-
government and of direct responsibility to Christ, engenders formalism, and binds a professedly
spiritual Church by formal and geographical lines. Such a system as this, which is akin to the
Erastian system, naturally fits in best with the present-day idea of the totalitarian State.
B. THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE REFORMED OR PRESBYTERIAN SYSTEM.
Reformed Churches do not claim that their system of Church government is determined in
every detail by the Word of God, but do assert that its fundamental principles are directly
derived from Scripture. They do not claim a jus divinum for the details, but only for the general
fundamental principles of the system, and are quite ready to admit that many of its particulars
are determined by expediency and human wisdom. From this it follows that, while the general
structure must be rigidly maintained, some of the details may be changed in the proper
ecclesiastical manner for prudential reasons, such as the general profit of the churches. The
following are its most fundamental principles.
1. CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND THE SOURCE OF ALL ITS AUTHORITY.
The Church
of Rome considers it of the greatest importance to maintain the headship of the Pope over the
Church. The Reformers maintained and defended the position, in opposition to the claims of
the Papacy, that Christ is the only Head of the Church. They did not entirely avoid the danger,
however, of recognizing, the one more and the other less, the supremacy of the State over the
Church. Consequently the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches had to fight another battle
later on, the battle for the Headship of Jesus Christ in opposition to the unwarranted
encroachments of the State. This battle was fought first of all in Scotland, and later on also in
The Netherlands. The very fact that it was fought against such external powers as the Papacy
and the State or the King, both of whom claimed to be the head of the visible Church, clearly
implies that they who were engaged in this battle were particularly interested in establishing
and maintaining the position that Christ is the only lawful Head of the visible Church, and is
therefore the only supreme Lawgiver and King of the Church. Naturally, they also recognized