Borrelists

Borrelists, a Dutch sect, named from their leader, Adam Borrel or Borel, a Zealander, born 1603, died 1667. They lived an austere life, and laid great stress upon abundant almsgiving; they also decried all the outward forms of the Church, denied the efficacy of the sacraments, and maintained that the Bible should be read without any commentary whatever. They taught that private worship is more important than public. Borel wrote a treatise, Ad Legem et testimonium, maintaining that the written Word of God, without human exposition, is the only means and the adequate means of awakening faith in the heart of man. See Arnold, Kitchen- u. Ketzerhistorie, pt. 3:ch. vi.