Elton J. Bruins, long-time professor in the Department of Religion at Hope College, spent years collecting documents by and about Albertus C. Van Raalte, founder of Holland, Michigan and early patron of Hope College. Documents were gathered from dozens of public and private collections, making a nearly exhaustive collection of Van Raalte's writings and reflections. It is these documents that make up the "Van Raalte Papers."
Digitizing the Van Raalte papers was supported by the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York. The project was done in partnership with Heritage Hall at Calvin University, which also digitized its Van Raalte collections.
-
Meeting Minutes of the Council of Hope College
Abel T. Stewart
At a meeting of the Council of Hope College, Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte took the chair. A total of twelve members were present. Pres. Philip Phelps Jr., acting as treasurer and gave a report. The report was seven pages in length. [See the report in file dated 15 September 1869.] Rev. William B. Gilmore declined his appointment as Rector of the Grammar School. "Also one [a letter] from the Rev. Doctor Van Raalte accepting his appointment." [which was ??] During the illness of Rev. Pieter J. Oggel, Rev. Roelof Pieters was asked to take his place in Catechetical Instruction as well as [Rev. Jacob??] Van Der Meulen. At the 17 September session, it was noted that Van Raalte would visit churches to raise money for the institution.
-
Letter from Charles H. Stitt to A. C. Van Raalte
Charles H. Stitt
"The General Synod of the Reformed Church in America repising[?] confidence in your piety, learning and talents have elected you a Professor in their Theological College at Holland, Mich."...Done in General Synod at Philadelphia, June 9, 1869. Signed by Charles H. Stitt, President.
-
Reports in De Hope of the Death of Rev. Pieter J. Oggel, the Son-in-Law of the Van Raalte's and a Professor at Hope College, Was Duly Noted + Funeral Sermon by Cornelius Vander Meulen
Cornelius Vander Meulen and Henry ten Hoor
Reports in De Hope of the death of Rev. Pieter J. Oggel, the son-in-law of the Van Raalte's and a professor at Hope College, was duly noted. His funeral sermon which was preached by Rev. Cornelius Vander Meulen on 16 December was printed in full.
-
The Memoirs of Rev. Cornelius Vander Meulen Included the Story of the Death of His Wife, Mrs. Elisabeth Vander Meulen
Cornelius Vander Meulen and Henry ten Hoor
The memoirs of Rev. Cornelius Vander Meulen included the story of the death of his wife, Mrs. Elisabeth Vander Meulen, who died during the Sunday afternoon service in the Second Reformed Church of Grand Rapids when Rev. Peter Moerdyk was conducting worship. At the interment service in the Zeeland cemetery on Thursday, 11 February, Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte spoke on I Thess. 4.13. There are many references to Rev. Van Raalte in these memoirs.
-
An Extract of a Letter Written by Rev. Giles Van De Wall to Rev. Jacob Van Der Meulen was Published in De Hope On This Date
Giles Van de Wall and Nella Kennedy
An extract of a letter written by Rev. Giles Van de Wall to Rev. Jacob Van der Meulen was published in De Hope on this date. There was a cryptic note quoted here as follows: "I took from that that Dr. Van Raalte was sent out by the Classis to bring the astray sheep together in new Kolonies. Why are there no restful days given to the old man? Apparently this was a reference to the Amelia Colony. Van de Wall did not realize that Van Raalte wanted to do this as a missionary project. Van de Wall spoke about his ministry in South Africa. Van de Wall was a former teacher in the Holland Academy. The date of the letter was 26 May 1869.
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C, Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, reporting that Schieffelin and Cornell were opposed to making a proposal to the Collegiate Consistory. The Collegiate Church "will stick to the Dutch property and name: But if the clergymen do not take hold in great earnest of the young, they will lose them all, and those who cling then to the old institution will not have then the necessary characteristics to maintain a flourishing active church or denomination."Suydam's address is 37 Nassau or 18 W. 39th St.
-
A Brief Note of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, About a Letter with $500 Which May Have Gone Astray
A. C. Van Raalte
A brief note of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, about a letter with $500 which may have gone astray.
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to His Son, Ben
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to his son, Ben, asking him to obtain property on which peach pits can be planted
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, reporting that an anonymous donor gave $5000 to clear the debt on the Point Superior lands; $2,000 more may also be coming. It is now important to make the Pt. Superior land productive "with peach trees etc."
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, informing him that due to the illness of Rev. Oggel, his son-in-law, Mrs. Van Raalte insists that the family return to Holland. So they are leaving on the 10th. He may be able to raise funds for the endowment in the fall.
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, about fund raising plans. It is clear that fund raising for Hope is in competition with fund raising for New Brunswick Seminary, thereby raising the doubts in the minds of many that Hope should not be offering theological education.
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, a very brief note but indicating that he is not feeling at all well.
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, reporting that he will come home because of Oggel's illness but he must go to Virginia first "to bring the property in a secure position."
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, responding to Phelps' request that he accept an appointment by the Council to raise funds for the endowment. A.C.V.R. is reluctant, however, to leave "the Virginia Settlement." It would cause disappointment there and besides "I consider it to be my missionary work which I am not allowed to part with."
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, reporting on his discussions Suydam and Schieffelin. A key letter which reveals Schieffelin's thinking about investments and his interest in "Classical Schools."
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, reporting that Suydam would be pleased to have the farm named after him.
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, reporting he has to defend the necessity of the seminary with Schieffelin; A.C.V.R. wants Phelps to ask C. Oggel to help with the fundraising because he speaks English well: "Being myself unable to preach in the English tongue, I hope you and young Oggel may give it to the churches." It is apparent that P. Oggel is very ill. If Phelps sends A.C.V.R. a telegram, he is to send it to Sam. B. Schieffelin at 15 East 26th Street.
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, asking Phelps to write Suydam (who has been a generous contributor to Hope College) that Hope is not a hopeless case.
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, informing Phelps that he has not given his permission to the railroad company to take the Female Seminary grounds for depots. A.C.V.R. mentions his visits with Cornell, Suydam, and Schieffelin.
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps; more on fund raising matters. Suggested to Phelps that the Pt. Superior farm be called the Suydam farm of Hope College.
-
Four Pages from an Account Book of A. C. V. R.
A. C. Van Raalte
Four pages from an account book of A.C.V.R. The first page is a set of instructions detailing how, son, Dirk, can handle A.C.V.R.'s loans and property matters while the Van Raaltes are living at Amelia Court House in Virginia.
-
Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Wrote in a Letter That Was Published in The Christian Intelligencer on 10 June
A. C. Van Raalte
Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte wrote in a letter that was published in The Christian Intelligencer on 10 June, that the family had arrived in Amelia on Saturday, 22 May, coming in from Richmond. On Sunday, the family attended a worship service in the local Presbyterian Church in which the preacher preached for an hour and without notes, Van Raalte observed. The letter was first published in the Schnectady Evening Star. The editor of that paper then adds his own comments that the Van Raaltes had been in the area about two months. "All who are at all conversant with what Dr. Van Raalte has accomplished in the West, will not only wish him God-speed in this great and noble enterprise, but will have confidence in his ultimate success."
-
A Letter, in Rough Draft, of A. C. V. R. to the Land Commissioner in Washington D.C. About a Property Matter
A. C. Van Raalte and Erica D. Heeg
A letter, in rough draft, of A.C.V.R. to the Land Commissioner in Washington D.C. about a property matter. Apparently A.C.V.R. had the practice of writing some letters in rough draft and then writing a good draft, which he sent off while retaining the rough draft as a record of his correspondence. The last line of the letter reads as follows: "I pray you Sir for light on the subject and for instructions what I have to do that they may not swallow up the whole tannery of that poor man and that they may not bring me in many troubles."
-
A Letter of A. C. Van Raalte to His Son, Ben
A. C. Van Raalte and Clarence Jalving
A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to his son, Ben, giving a least half of the space to spiritual concerns for Ben's spiritual life and the rest to personal matters. A.C.V.R. misses the comforts of home but is in good spirits although he feels he is aging fast. His wife "is in reasonably good health although I sometimes fear for her. She misses the family, is bothered with rheumatism and frequently has cramps at night."
-
A Letter of the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte to His Daughter, Mina Oggel
A. C. Van Raalte and Simone Kennedy
A letter of the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte to his daughter, Mina Oggel, wishing her a happy birthday. He also shares his concern with her that her husband, Peter, is still ill. V.R. says "Nothing can happen to us but the will of God" and "If we submit ourselves while suffering, and if we accept the burdens that God lays upon us, we will often encounter more obedience and a greater victory than if we were doing wonderful deeds in Gods Kingdom, deeds that would be noticed by everyone." He assures her that he is praying for both of them. V.R. does not indicate why he is in Jersey City but mentions a Dr. Lansing who may be Dr. John A. Lansing, Secretary of the Board of Publications of the Reformed Church in America.
