Letter in response to Prof. Harting’s extensive response (in De Standaard, no. 3698, April 5, 1884) to 1884.03. Kuyper clarifies the complaint that he had expressed in his previous letter. Harting’s argument in his reply had actually passed over the salient point by giving a lengthy description of the difference between the Christian and the humanist worldview. That was not what the debate was about. Kuyper promises to take up the difference between the Christian and the humanist worldview after Easter in De Heraut (see 1884.07) and focuses instead on the present point of contention—namely, that by arousing widespread astonishment and indignation the Plancius address had also endangered the friendly relations between the Netherlands and England.

As a result of this letter, Harting withdrew a few more of his assertions (De Standaard, no. 3705, April 14, 1884). Kuyper reported that his correspondent, who had meanwhile also received 1884.02, had sent a letter to the editors of several English papers in which he admitted, among other things, that “what was said by Dr. Kuyper did not contain anything hostile or insulting to the English nation but to the contrary showed much sympathy for the English people” (De Standaard, no. 3709, April 19, 1884).