View source for Verbond der vier Steden, Het

Het Verbond der vier Steden (The League of the Four Towns), also called Ordinantie, is an alliance made about 1560 by the ministers of the Mennonite congregations of [[Franeker (Friesland, Netherlands)|Franeker]], Harlingen, [[Leeuwarden (Friesland, Netherlands)|Leeuwarden]], and [[Dokkum (Friesland, Netherlands)|Dokkum]] in the Dutch province of [[Friesland (Netherlands)|Friesland]]. In this <em>Ordinantie</em> of 19 articles they regulated their relations and passed the resolutions that the money for the care of the poor in all four churches would be provided from a common fund, and that the ministers of any of these congregations were also entitled to serve in the other three. The intention of this league was unquestionably laudable, but it was a serious error to conclude it among the ministers without consulting the membership and to keep it secret. Trouble arose when in Franeker [[Jeroen Tinnegieter (16th century)|Jeroen Tinnegieter]], a Flemish immigrant, was chosen as preacher, who was not accepted by the ministers of Harlingen, Leeuwarden, and Dokkum, where according to the terms of the League Tinnegieter was entitled to preach. Then the secret league came out into the open and particularly the members of Flemish descent in the congregations of Franeker and Harlingen were outraged at the abridgment of their rights. The result was the [[Flemish Mennonites|Flemish]]-[[Frisian Mennonites|Frisian]] quarrels in 1566-1567, which ended with a schism.
= Bibliography =
Cramer, Samuel and Fredrik Pijper. <em>Bibliotheca Reformatoria Neerlandica,</em> 10 vols. The Hague: M. Nijhoff, 1903-1914: X, 536 ff.

<em>Doopsgezinde Bijdragen </em>(1893): 1-90.

Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. <em>Inventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam,</em> 2 vols. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884: I, No. 464.

Kühler, Wilhelmus Johannes. <em>Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche Doopsgezinden in de Zestiende Eeuw</em>. Haarlem: H.D. Tjeenk Willink, 1932: I, 397 f., 407-13.
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