ABSTRACT
The theory of the divine right of kings was early drummed into Frederick William by the narrow and pious Hinzpeter, whose guiding maxim was that a ruler should never come under the influence of other men but remain directly under that of God. In the not insignificant matter of religious instruction, the education of William, last Emperor, at least for the time being, of Germany, was about as insensate a process as may well be conceived. With William II’s accession the pietistic strain in the Hohenzollern blood which had lain practically dormant since Frederick William IV’s mind had become clouded, reawoke with redoubled strength. As time went on William’s piety whose upbringing had been almost cloistral, became more and more pronounced. Church-building, which had abated somewhat during the last few decades, was revived, despite the fact that there appeared to be hardly anybody left who had any idea how to build a proper church, whether Catholic or Evangelical.
