Chris Wilshaw
This is a good example of how popular Kuyper was in America at the time. In 1898, the theologian, journalist and politician, born in Masluis in 1837, embarked on a four-month journey through America. For example, he goes to Princeton to receive an honorary doctorate and delivers the Six Stone Lectures on Calvinism. According to Kuyper, America is the ideal (Calvinistic) society. Because church and state are separated and there is freedom of conscience and pluralism. Kuyper also maintains values. According to one of his daughters, his vision of America was somewhat idealistic. One thing he later admitted.
Contempt
At the Abraham Kuyper Heritage Center located at Delflandhuis on the Hoogstraat, Vrije Universiteit Prof. Dr. Georg Harinck gave a lecture on Kuiper’s trip to America to an interested audience on Wednesday evening, May 29. Kuyper is called for this. This meant that he could not be present at Queen Wilhelmina’s coronation in Amsterdam on November 6, 1898. Something the eighteen-year-old queen would take as an insult. Apart from Kuyper, the Socialists are also missing. Before departure, he arranges accommodation and overnight stay for foreign journalists coming to the capital to cover the said ceremony.
According to Harinck, to make up for his absence, Kuiper sends a congratulatory telegram from the New World to the brand new head of state.
East Coast
Kuyper takes English lessons to deliver the Stone Lectures, named after their sponsor and still given. “From that moment on, only English was spoken in his home in Amsterdam.” His teacher helps him translate his texts. Like immigrants in America. As if that were not enough, Kuyper submits his texts to his fellow theologians for considerable scrutiny. Along the way, he travels to the East Coast of America. Near New York he first goes hiking because Kuiper has been interested in hiking his whole life. A publisher in New York also finds himself ready to publish his books.
As soon as he came to America and people knew about it, he was invited everywhere to give lectures. In addition to speaking to an academic audience, Kuiper also speaks to ‘ordinary’ people without wanting to offend anyone. “He’s always talking about the Queen and the House of Orange. Everywhere he goes, there are (parts) sung by Kuiper Wilhelmus. It’s not our national anthem yet.
According to Harinck, Kuiper came up with Wilhelmus and it was no coincidence that it was always our national anthem for him. “This song is about the Dutch freedom struggle; We were born as an independent nation from the struggle against the Spanish.
