They respected the difference in religious opinions, and leaving all churches in their freedom, they chose to compel no man's conscience--a course which all statesmen, knowing the diversity of human opinions, had considered necessary in order to maintain fraternal harmony." Such words shine through the prevailing darkness of the religious atmosphere at that epoch, like characters of light.

They are beacons in the upward path of mankind.

Never before, had so bold and wise a tribute to the genius of the reformation been paid by an organized community.
Individuals walking in advance of their age had enunciated such truths, and their voices had seemed to die away, but, at last, a little, struggling, half-developed commonwealth had proclaimed the rights of conscience for all mankind--for Papists and Calvinists, Jews and Anabaptists--because "having a respect for differences in religious opinions, and leaving all churches in their freedom, they chose to compel no man's conscience." On the constitutional question, the States commenced by an astounding absurdity.

"These mischief-makers, moreover," said they, "have not been ashamed to dispute, and to cause the Earl of Leicester to dispute, the lawful constitution of the Provinces; a matter which has not been disputed for eight hundred years." This was indeed to claim a respectable age for their republic.

Eight hundred years took them back to the days of Charlemagne, in whose time it would have been somewhat difficult to detect a germ of their States-General and States-Provincial.