Pella, Iowa - A Touch of Holland; Spring/Summer 1995: 'EMIGRATION PREJUDICE' ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ To discredit the leaders of the Seceders in The Netherlands in the 1840s, it was brought to the attention of the people of The Netherlands in the form of a series of malicious cartoon-type drawings. This kermisprent was printed in Tiel in 1846. The title of the cartoon panels was "Sad Relation of the Miseries of a Journey of Spiritual Emigrants to the New Utopia." Fifteen pictures illustrated some of the stories about America. It seems that at that time some immigrants, especially Germans, had failed to make a living in the woods and prairies of America. Stories of these failures reached the all-too-ready ears of critics in The Netherlands, and the cartoons resulted. Even before the emigrants had left the shores of The Netherlands, an anonymous pamphlet entitled "Farewell Greetings" was published. It said that schism was always unchristian and was contrary to the Bible, using 1 John 4, the first two verses. "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God." The anonymous author deplored the drastic policy of the state and declared he championed the Seceders' freedom. However, he could not "stomach" Scholte and spurned his motto, "In unity lies strength." Said the anonymous writer, "let him go to the magic land of freedom which sets such store on unbelief and fanaticism." Fortunately, Scholte was not deterred by any of this negative attitude, nor were four shiploads of his fellow compatriots who made the venture to America. Van Raalte had already taken his followers to Michigan, and other leaders went elsewhere. Perhaps the anonymous writer and the kermisprent cartoonist suffered from what we could term "the sour grape syndrome." In unity there was strength! --------------------------------------------------------------------- Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert April 26, 2005 iggy29@rnetinc.net