Dutch-Colonies-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: Re: DRC
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 13:29:24 EDT

In a message dated 10/18/1999 12:59:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

> The New York State Archives held an openhouse yesterday. Among the exhibits
> was an 18th century map of Rhinebeck with two Dutch churches shown in
> different sections of the village. One was labeled "High Dutch Church" and
> the other "Low Dutch Church." Were these separate sects or just variations
> of
> the original RDC? Or did the Calvinists have a caste system?
>
> Bill Schermerhorn
> Clifton Park, NY

Bill,
I think the operative terms here are "High Dutch" and "Low Dutch," and not
"High church" and "Low church," terms one sometimes sees applied to Episcopal
churches and having to do with variations in liturgical usages and practices.


The term "High Dutch" (sometimes appearing in RDC records as "Hooghduytsch")
as I have seen it used generally means "German," as opposed to "Low Dutch"
(Nederduytsch), meaning Netherlandish. Taking my guess one step further, I
imagine that the "High Dutch church" was a German Reformed church serving
Palatine immigrants, and the "Low Dutch church" a Reformed Protestant Dutch
church for guess who.

Regards,
Ted Snediker

This thread:

• DRC by <>

  • Re: DRC by <>

  • Re: DRC by Dorothy Koenig <>