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.
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Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church
G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma
In a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, it was decided that the Thanksgiving Day offering would be divided between the academy and benevolence unless otherwise designated. It was reported that Elders Keppel, Wakker, and Labots would be retiring and de Vries and te Roller as deacons. A congregational meeting will be held on that day also.
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Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church
G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma
At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, Mr. and Mrs. Hendrik Manting were received into membership even though Rev. Schepers of the Scottish congregation would not give them a transfer. Elders Keppel and Wakker reported that they were not able to make a contact with B. Ploeg concerning his "offensive writings" in the local paper.
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Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church
G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma
The minutes of the consistory of the First Reformed Church do not indicate who served as chair of this meeting in the absence of Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte. Elder Labots was absent; Elder Gerrit Wakker served as clerk. "Brother te Roller reports that the orphanage currently being used by the parochial school needs repairs. This was assigned to the deacons." The consistory also decided to canvass the congregation to obtain funds for the school. "Brother Broek informs the meeting that Kommer Schaddelee has used very deflamatory expressions and had not refrained from accusing the pastor of being a devious manipulator." The consistory considered that such conduct was unacceptable and certainly by an elder!
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Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church
G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma
Elder J. Labots presided at this meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church in the absence of the pastor, Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte. The consistory is in the process of collecting money for the salary of the pastor. Elders Keppel and Wakker proved to be too busy for this assignment so van der [sic] Luyster and Geerlings accepted this responsibility. The recent holocaust of fire caused needs in the congregation of those members who suffered losses. The parochial school was in need of a "competent and God-fearing teacher..."
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Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church
G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma
In a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church, of which there is no mention of Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte being present, a committee reported on J. Kleijn who was accused of Sabbath desecration. The gentleman was admonished and the "admonition had been comparatively well received by him." The consistory considered that Ploeg who wrote against the singing of hymns in De Hollander was worthy of censure but for the sake of peace in the church, judgment was withheld by the consistory. Gerrit Wakker signed the minutes as clerk.
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Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church
G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma
At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, several members were received and discipline cases handled. The clerk, Gerrit Wakker, disagreed with the decision made about the person accused with "misuse of hard liquor." Wakker felt the consistory did not follow the church order of Dort in this matter. In spite of the differences at this meeting, "the brothers declare that they are able, in love and peace, to commune together. However, Brothers Broek and de Vries did wish that Brothers Keppel and te Roller had expressed more condemnation of certain music and torch lighting on the occasion of a recent Republican gathering." In an appended note there was a discussion about the use of funds from the Schenk legacy.
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Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church
G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma
At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, two members of the congregation requested that worship services be conducted by elders of the church in the neighborhood of the elders due to the long distance that some members lived from the church. This request was approved. There would be a meeting of the school committee on 17 December. "It was decided to take a collection for the oppressed and persecuted Christians in Syria." A committee was appointed to inquire of two consistory members who have been absent from consistory meetings repeatedly. It was brought to the attention of the pastor that a child had been baptized whose parents were not confessing members of the church Rev. Van Raalte was unaware of this. He agreed to visit these members although he felt that children of non-confessing members should be baptized. Members were to be visited who have not been coming to worship including B. Ploeg.
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Letter from G. Wakker to Pieter J. Oggel Published in De Hollander
G. Wakker, Henry ten Hoor, and Nella Kennedy
A letter written to Rev. Pieter J. Oggel, living in Pella, Iowa, on 24 August 1860 by G. Wakker was published in De Hollander. The letter was intended to be an open letter and therefore was published. Wakker sides with Oggel in the current controversy about hymn singing but he asks Oggel to refrain from responding further to Wakker because the controversy disturbs the peace of the community. "....Your comments will not extinguish the strange fire...."
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Meeting Minutes of the Board of Regents of the Holland Academy
Adrian Zwemer
In a meeting of the Board of Regents of the Holland Academy, Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte, Rev. Philip Phelps Jr., Rev. Cornelius Vander Meulen, Rev. Adrian Zwemer, Rev. Giles Vande Wall, Rev. G. J. Nykerk, and Elder Garret Wakker were present. Vande Wall took the chair. Zwemer was appointed secretary in place of Rev. Peter J. Oggel. Student requests to be permitted to enter the Academy were processed. Cornelis Gardenier was admitted at the age often. His father was the late pastor of the First Reformed Church of Kalamazoo. One student of the school was dismissed. How the students were to be supported was also dealt with.
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Report of the Holland Classis Appeared in the Christian Intelligencer
Adrian Zwemer
On this date, a report on the Holland Classis appeared in The Christian Intelligencer. The meeting was held in Grand Haven Michigan; Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided. "The reports of the churches were generally encouraging, though no special revival could be named." Rev. John Van Vleck's membership was transferred to the Classis of Kingston. Elder J. [Van] de Luyster of Zeeland reported that ten families had lost their possessions in the recent fire and Christian sympathy was commended to the congregations who were directed to take offerings for them.
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The Minutes of the Board of Regents of the Holland Academy
Adrian Zwemer
In the minutes of the Board of Regents of the Holland Academy of this date, Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte was present. Rev. G. J. Nykerk was elected chairman. One matter of business was the request of Ale Buursma for some articles of clothing that he was in need of. The long meeting dealt with many student matters.
