Van Raalte Papers: 1860-1869

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  A Letter of Albertus C. Van Raalte to His Son-in-Law, the Rev. Pieter J. Oggel Published in De Hope

  A. C. Van Raalte and Simone Kennedy

  A letter of Albertus C. Van Raalte to his son-in-law, the Rev. Pieter J. Oggel, which was published in De Hope on October 23, reporting on his visit to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Racine, Wisconsin, Fulton, Illinois, and Forestville, Minnesota. He said that a number of people from Muskegon had settled in Fulton, Illinois, and were now petitioning the Classis of Wisconsin to organize as a congregation. V.R. had preached for this group which is building a sanctuary. The group in Forestville was mainly a group that left Waupun, Wisconsin. An elder of the group was a Mannes Mensink. V.R. gives the readers a full description of this community as well as the Fulton one. Van Raalte adds: "There is no better way for me to spend my last days encouraging this divine, wise and blessed gift of congregations." [He is now 55 years old!]

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  Albertus C. Van Raalte and His Wife, Christina de Moen Van Raalte Gave a Parcel of Land to the Council of Hope College

  A. C. Van Raalte, C. J. Van Raalte, and Peter J. Oggel

  Albertus C. Van Raalte and his wife, Christina de Moen Van Raalte gave a parcel of land to the Council of Hope College. The property is designated for the establishment and support exclusively for the Female Seminary.

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  Letter of Albertus C. Van Raalte to Theodore Romeyn

  Albertus C. Van Raalte

  A letter of Albertus C. Van Raalte to Theodore Romeyn, inviting Romeyn to stay with the Van Raaltes when he visits Holland. V.R. has very fond remembrances of all the help he gave when the Van Raaltes wintered in Detroit in 1846-47. "We [Van Raalte and his wife] both remember yet, with deep feeling and thank[s] to God our kind father and to you, all the kindniss [sic] shown to us at the time when we were helpless strangers in a strange land. You were to us like an angel of God."

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  A Letter of Gerrit Van Schelven to Moses B. Hopkins

  Gerrit Van Schelven

  A letter of Gerrit Van Schelven to Moses B. Hopkins regarding the petitions to incorporate the city. "Upon the request of Rev. Dr. Van Raalte, we have concluded to withdraw his farm from the City Territory. As the original proprietor and Settler of this place, we respected his claim & demand."

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  Meeting Minutes of the Congregation of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a congregational meeting of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, various matters concerning the calling of a minister were discussed. On the first ballot, Rev. Donner received the majority of the votes.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Congregation of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a congregational meeting of the First Reformed Church, Rev. Roelof Pieters was chosen as pastor with a salary of $1,000 and free parsonage. Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte closed the meeting with prayer.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Congregation of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a meeting of the congregation of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, it was decided by a vote of 64 to 0 that the new church would be located on the four lots provided by the Van Raaltes.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Congregation of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a congregational meeting of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, the pastor informed the assembly that the call letter to Donner in the Netherlands was sent. In view of the fact that Donner had a large family, the congregation decided to raise his salary from $800 to $1,000.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Congregation of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a congregational meeting of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, a committee of seven men was appointed to investigate the regulations concerning the building of a new church.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Congregation of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  The congregational meeting of the First Reformed Church was opened and closed with prayer by Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte. The singing of Psalm 119.6 was sung prior to the opening prayer. A financial report was made. The poor find was $84.07 in arrears. Elders and deacons were elected. The trio of Pieters, Zwemer, and Oggel was approved.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Congregation of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a congregational meeting of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, the pastor explained why the meeting was called and gave a report on his decision to sever his ties with the congregation as pastor. The members present agreed by a vote of 54 to 0. It was decided to meet again in fourteen days to propose a trio of names for the calling of a new pastor.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a consistory meeting of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided and some members of the building committee also attended, the pastor reported that a sum of about $4,000 was pledged toward the new church. The plans of the new church were scaled back.

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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, the major item for discussion and decision was to borrow funds for the construction of the Second [Third Reformed] church.

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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, there was a "discussion concerning the calling of a pastor, and it was decided to leave the matter in God's providence, and the free choice of the congregation." Apparently on the same date, the consistory met with the building committee. The pastor opened this meeting with prayer. It was decided that monies would be loaned at not more than ten per cent and a mortgage between "$1,200 and $1,300 will be placed on the new Second [Third Reformed] Church with its four lots." Then just this note at the conclusion of the above minutes: "A congregational meeting was held on August 26, preceded by a sermon and prayer and a trio was formed, consisting of Revs. Donner, [Roelof] Pieters, and de Pree."

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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, the pastor announced that he would be concluding his service as pastor. Both First Reformed Church and the new congregation would then be free to call their pastors. "In any event, a formal dissolution does not need to take place, because there has never been a formal connection." The pastor had to leave at this point because of another meeting. Elder Labots was chosen chairman and routine matters were taken care of A congregational meeting would be called for Tuesday, August 13, at 7 p.m. regarding the pastor's severance with the congregation.

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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 of the new members received were Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Schols from Amsterdam.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At the meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church, Elder Broek was chosen chairman in the absence of Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte. A member of the congregation was present who requested the lifting of the censure the consistory had placed on him. Further investigation on the part of the consistory was necessary before his request would be granted. The pastor then entered the meeting. Routine matters were dealt with.

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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 new members were received. Pews will be rented after all and the committee to determine the amount of the rent reported. No amount was stated but the report was accepted.

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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, Elder Labots opened the meeting with prayer but Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte took the chair. Some persons present were from the consistory of the Third Reformed Church including Isaac Cappon in order to discuss the manner in which "each church will handle its separate financial business" from now on.

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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, Elder Broek was chosen chairman. One action taken was that First Church would take an obligation of $1,000 for Third Church and Third Church would be responsible for $2,000.

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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, Elder Keppel was chosen chairman in the absence of Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte. New members were received and some members dropped or transferred. There was no other business conducted.

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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, the consistory decided to call "Brother Kuipers" [A. C. Kuyper] to serve as pastor of the County Line [Ebenezer] church. It was also decided that the pastor and three elders serve as a committee to "look for a good location for a new additional church in the village."

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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 along with members of the building committee and at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, the name of Isaac Cappon now appeared as a member of the building committee. Mr. Minderhout, the carpenter/architect, was present to show the building plans. The proposed building would be 80 x 50 feet, without a tower due to lack of finds. A furnace would be placed beneath the sanctuary, thus requiring a basement. "The benches are to be the same as in the first church, as well as the platform and pulpit to be made of wood." The church must be ready by September.

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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, memberships were received and the memberships of three people were dropped. Members received included those of Mr. and Mrs. Teunis Beeuwkes from Alto, Wisconsin.

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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, new members were received. A member again requested to be reinstated and censure lifted. A copy of the letter refusing him his request is given fully in the minutes. Article 6 reads as follows: "The president reports that an answer to the protest sent to the Second Church about membership in the Masonic order has been received. In a very irenic manner they have given their reasons why they are of a different opinion than we. It was decided to bring the matter to classis and afterwards to synod."