The author’s narrative recounts the reformation of the church in 1834, when Hendrik de Cock witnessed against the false doctrines and unspiritual character of the state Reformed church of the Netherlands. After having been unceremoniously suspended and deposed from office, he led his congregation to return to the biblical worship of God in Christ Jesus as set forth in the Reformed creeds, which represents the faith of God’s saints throughout the ages. His courageous testimony has inspired the witness of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world until this day.

This book therefore recounts one man’s struggle against the perversions of Scripture by the vast majority of ordained pastors in the state Reformed church with its million or more spiritually sleeping members. Contra mundum was the character of this struggle for the truth. De Cock’s witness therefore was a trumpet blast in the night of spiritual darkness that awakened God’s people at the morn of a new day, while at the same time it angered and galvanized the unfaithful ecclesiastical administrators in opposition. De Cock gave witness to the sole authority of sacred Scripture and to the binding authority of the Reformed creeds, which for Reformed believers is derived from the binding authority of the Bible.

“If first impressions count for anything, this book is a winner from the start. It has a sharp, handsome look and feel. From front to back, it’s been professionally produced and that made this reviewer favorably inclined from the start. The Reformed Free Publishing Association has done justice to the subject by packaging this substantial volume with great care. The subject is a compelling figure from our Reformed church history in the Netherlands: Rev. Hendrik de Cock. He was a leader in the Secession (or ‘Afscheiding’ in Dutch) of 1834. The Lord worked through de Cock to recover the Reformed faith in the Netherlands after a period of great darkness and decline. This book traces his story in great detail. There is no other book like this in English—it is truly one of a kind … 1834 is a masterpiece of Reformed church history.  Well-written and the product of countless hours of research, it was a delight to read” (Clarion and Una Sancta).

“This book will prove to be enjoyable for the average reader. It was written in a well-organized format and uses clear language which avoids highly academic terms. It is also illustrated with several pictures … The author explains the grounds for the Secession in a very carefully reasoned, but also a very sympathetic manner. Kamps defends his thesis as one who also takes very seriously the marks of the true and false church as confessed in the Belgic Confession (Art. 29). He demonstrates that these marks were central in the mind of Hendrik De Cock. The Secession was a reformational movement calling believers back to the Scriptures and thus returning to be a true church. The assertion that the Secession was intended as a return to the Scriptures has been readily defended by Kamps. As we see departures from Scripture characterizing some of today’s churches, this book is recommended to all students of our Reformed history who have a burden for Biblical faithfulness in our Reformed churches” (Messenger).

Prof. Engelsma: “This is a book about a spiritual hero. One day, God will honor him before all humans, especially before his contemptible enemies—ostensibly colleagues in a Reformed church—who persecuted him, and before the scarcely less contemptible ‘friends,’ who nevertheless refused to join him in his separation from the false church, which would have meant sharing his reproach—the reproach of Christ. The hero was an otherwise very ordinary preacher in the Reformed Church in the Netherlands in the early 1800s, Hendrik De Cock. His heroism was his lonely act of separating from the state Reformed Church, which had become apostate, and with his loyal congregation in Ulrum returning to the true church manifesting the marks of the true church as delineated in Article 29 of the Belgic Confession of Faith. Emphatically, as the instrument of the act declared and as the title of Kamps’ book expresses, the act of De Cock and his congregation was return, not only or even mainly separation, but return—return to the truth of the gospel, return to the true church, return to Christ Jesus the head of the church. This was the everlastingly worthy heroism of the reformation of the church in the Netherlands in 1834, as it is wherever and whenever reformation takes place. For this act of courage in the fear of God, a courage that despises the fear of man, the hero suffered greatly, as such heroes always do. He was fined, abused, and imprisoned by the state. He was maligned, disciplined, and deposed from office by the church. By all, he was defamed. By avowed friends in high places in the state church he was abandoned.”

“What a wonderful reference book to have. So glad the RFPA took this one on.” – Illinois, USA

“As I began to read this book, I must say that I increasingly looked forward to the time, after the house was quiet at night, when I could sit down and read it. Living in a world where good is called evil and evil is called good, where godliness of life and a sanctified walk are slandered, and where the place of the Reformed believer in this world gets smaller and smaller, it is good to sit down in the quiet of one’s home, close the door on the world and read an account of church history like this. The experience of Hendrik De Cock was the same as all faithful saints of God throughout church history who boldly and without compromise confessed the truth. It is encouraging to read of the mighty work of God in His despised and persecuted saints so that they are able to confess, ‘Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ … There is one aspect of the book that I would like to emphasize in this review. It is the author’s insight into how false teachers and heresy soon come to dominate the church and how the false and apostatizing church works to threaten and intimidate the faithful into silence. This was the situation in De Cock’s day and whenever there is apostasy in the church. In contrast to this, the author points out the only way that God preserves to Himself a remnant that continues to confess the truth, and that is in the way of a sharp, uncompromising condemnation of the lie and a clear and zealous confession of the truth.” –  Michigan, USA

BOOK REVIEW by Rev. Clayton Spronk

1834, the title of the book, is the year sixty-eight members of the Reformed congregation in Ulrum signed a document entitled Act of Secession or Return. By this act these Reformed believers separated themselves from the government sanctioned Reformed Church in the Netherlands and formed a new congregation that was (re)committed to the principles of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation. In the first 239 pages Marvin Kamps deftly explains and analyzes the events that resulted in faithful Reformed believers’ leaving a false church in order to begin a new true church of Jesus Christ. Kamps appropriately focuses on Hendrik de Cock, the pastor of the Ulrum congregation in 1834, whom God used almost singlehandedly to spark a momentous Reformation of the church commonly referred to as the Afscheiding in Dutch or Secession in English. The last 251 pages contain seven very valuable appendices, which would be worth purchasing and reading on their own. These appendices contain important historical documents that Kamps translated from Dutch into English.

The value of the first part of the book is that Kamps accurately explains the doctrinal significance of the Secession. In the preface Kamps explains that doctrine is his main concern. He writes, “In my recounting of the Secession of 1834 and the reformation of the Reformed church by Hendrik de Cock on the basis of the sole authority of the Bible, I will limit myself to the doctrinal issues of that reformation” (xvi). Because of this doctrinal concern Kamps does not focus on the historical question, how did the Secession come about? Rather the focus is on the weightier question, in what ways was the Session a true and necessary Reformation of the church of Jesus Christ? Kamps’ explanation is that the Secession was a true and necessary Reformation because it involved a rejection of false doctrine and a return to right doctrine as set forth in the Reformed confessions.

Kamps implies that his analysis of the issues involved in the Session is controversial. He writes, “The reformation of 1834 is often viewed superficially as a controversy about the “hymn question” and the error of baptizing children whose parents were not members of de Cock’s church in Ulrum” (152). Kamps recognizes that de Cock ran afoul of the state Reformed Church’s officials because he vehemently opposed the hymns that the state church adopted and because he agreed to baptize the children of parents who were not members of the Ulrum congregation. Kamps admits that these two actions contributed to the state church’s decision to discipline de Cock and finally depose him; and the deposition of De Cock eventually convinced members of the Ulrum congregation to secede from the state church in 1834. But Kamps rightly explains that the Secession involved other more central doctrinal issues than the “hymn question” and De Cock’s act of baptizing the children of parents who belonged to other congregations.

The Secession of 1834, Kamps explains, was a true and necessary Reformation because of the deep doctrinal division that developed between the state church and de Cock and his followers. The division was not the fault of de Cock. The division was the fault of the state church that for decades prior to 1834 allowed doctrines to be taught that contradicted the Reformed confessions. This animosity toward the Reformed confessions resulted in a very sad and important decision by the state church’s synod in 1816 to replace the Formula of Subscription adopted by the Synod of Dordt in 1618–19, which when signed constituted an oath to uphold and defend the confessions, with a new Formula. With this new Formula the state Reformed church rejected the Canons of Dordt! It referred only to the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism. But this new Formula used language that did not bind the signatories to uphold and defend these two confessions. The new form “opened the way for the approval of all manner of unfaithful preaching in the churches … so that in the state church preachers were permitted to deny total depravity, sovereign election, the eternal divinity of Christ, the reality of hell, and even the doctrine of the Trinity” (19).

The state church had fallen away from the Reformed confessions, and therefore from the truth of scripture which they set forth. The Arminianism that the denomination rejected at the Synod of Dordt as the enemy of Reformed truth had come to dominate the denomination. De Cock grew up and entered the ministry in the state church oblivious to its apostasy. Kamps provides an excellent account of de Cock’s discovery and then heartfelt conviction of the Reformed faith.

Although it is true that de Cock is the central figure in the Secession’s break from false doctrine and return to Reformed orthodoxy, you will find in Kamps’ account a description of how God used many influences to help him along the way. Kamps explains how de Cock was helped by his wife, John Calvin (by reading his Institutes for the first time during his ministry), Rev. Dirk Molenaar, Rev. Cornelius Baron van Zuylen Nijevelt, and the faithful consistory members of the Ulrum congregation. God graciously opened de Cock’s eyes so that he understood the truth and could see the apostasy of the state church.

Kamps highlights de Cock’s witness to the Reformed truth, especially to the doctrines of election and regeneration. In the state church the doctrine of election was rarely taught. Those who did speak of it openly taught the Arminian view of election condemned by the Canons of Dordt. And at least one minister was bold enough to reject the doctrine of reprobation. Over against this de Cock witnessed to the truth of unconditional election and reprobation (139–45, 274, 289–90).

Many in the state church also denied the necessity of regeneration. This included a rejection of the doctrine of total depravity. Sinful man does not need the Holy Spirit to sovereignly regenerate him, many taught, because man has the natural ability through moral persuasion and encouragement to choose to believe. Over against this de Cock witnessed to the truth of man’s natural total depravity and complete dependence on God to sovereignly bestow upon him new life in order to be saved (146–52).

Kamps, to his credit, is favorably disposed toward de Cock and portrays him as an imperfect sinner that God was pleased to use as a hero of the Reformed faith. After his conversion de Cock energetically promoted the truths of the Reformed faith in his preaching and writing. With his own money he published the Canons of Dordt for distribution. He was faithful not only to teach the truth but to condemn heresy. He was not afraid to name names and to use appropriately sharp language. He publicly charged Rev. Brouwer and Rev. Reddingius with the sin of oath breaking because these older pastors had signed the 1618–19 Formula of Subscription and failed to do anything to refute false doctrines that contradicted the Reformed confessions de Cock willingly stood up for the truth against friends, which is evident in the correspondence between de Cock and P. Hofstede de Groot that Kamps provides in the appendices. De Cock defended the genuine faith of the poor and uneducated people who separated themselves from the state church after they were unfairly disparaged by the educated elites of the state church. Noteworthy too is de Cock’s respect for church government. Even though he was unjustly suspended and then later deposed from office in the state church, de Cock submitted and patiently pursued every avenue of protest available to him in the state church where church government was thoroughly corrupt. And de Cock, along with his wife and many other saints, willingly suffered persecution for the truth’s sake.

After all of the avenues of protest were closed and the state church had shut de Cock out of the office of the ministry, De Cock agreed that separation from the state church was necessary. Thus began, as Kamps explains, a reformation of immense significance (see especially chapter 9). For first, this was indeed a doctrinal reformation. Kamps explains this well throughout his explanation of the history and provides ample evidence of this in the appendices. De Cock and his followers started a church that would no longer allow denials of the Trinity, of the divinity of Jesus Christ, of the doctrine of predestination, of the necessity of regeneration, or of any other doctrine taught in the Reformed creeds. The binding authority of the Reformed confessions was re-established, which created true unity in the truth. The restoration of right doctrine helped bring about a restoration of the pure preaching of the gospel and the proper administration of the sacraments, two marks of the true church of Jesus Christ. And by breaking away from the state church the Secession restored proper church government, freeing the church from improper intrusions by the civil government, and establishing the proper rule of elders (the importance of this cannot be overstated, for this marks the first time that a Reformed Church in the Netherlands would be completely free of the intrusion of the civil government, at least regarding the spiritual rule of the church). Included in this restoration of church government was the exercise of Christian discipline, the third mark of the true church, that was so lacking in the state church that de Cock was advised that nothing could be done to discipline those who openly denied the truth or taught false doctrine opposed to the truth (see appendix B and compare 254 and 259).

We should thank God for de Cock and his role in the reformation of the church that began in 1834. As a true Reformed movement the Secession churches continued to grow and develop in the Reformed faith. And Kamps explains that de Cock received great help from other men in this work of continuing Reformation. Some of their names are probably familiar to you—Scholte, Van Velzen, Brummelkamp, Meerburg, and Van Raalte. Thankfully the Lord used these men even to prevent de Cock’s wrong view of baptism from being adopted by the young Secession denomination. It is quite remarkable that these younger men stood up to the man most responsible for the formation of the denomination. It is probably even more remarkable that de Cock had the humility to admit his error and apologize in writing to the synod of the churches. But most importantly God ensured that the Secession denomination would uphold the right view of the sacrament of baptism. You can read about this fascinating and important history in chapter 8. There are many reasons 1834 is worth the investment it takes to buy it and read it. It is written in a way that is accessible to most readers, including teenagers and maybe even preteens. For Reformed Christians who are the spiritual descendants of the Secession the history is vitally important. Reading this book will make you appreciate anew the truths of the Reformed faith, especially the truth of salvation by God’s sovereign grace. And reading this book will increase your gratitude to God for delivering our forefathers from apostasy and thus delivering us; and for returning them and us to the true church.

Finally, I would like to mention that the book is also available in both the epub and mobi digital formats. I read the hardcover edition but used the mobi format on my Kindle Fire tablet to write this review. The ability to search the book electronically is especially useful. For example, my tablet tells me that the word election appears 98 times in the book, and it allows me to scroll through a list of every use of the word within its context.

In either the hardcover or electronic format, I highly recommend the book.

BOOK REVIEW in the English Churchman

I first came across de Cock some years ago when I found an English translation of his work against hymns. Here at last is an excellent biography of the man, his life and legacy. It is a big book which it needs to be in order to present a comprehensive picture of De Cock.

In all there are 9 chapters followed by 7 Appendices and Bibliography. Regrettably there is no Index. In Chapter one Kamps describes the background to De Cock’s life under four headings – his National, Ecclesiastical, Social and Familial Circumstances. What surprised me, because I knew so little of the Ecclesiastical Dutch history, was the usurping of the Reformed Church by the State in 1813-1816. As Kamps puts it, there was effectively a coup d’état. The outcome of this seizure of the Church was a rewriting of the Formula of Subscription. No longer was there any reference to the historic creeds of the Church, rather ministers were merely to promote the ‘interests of Christianity in general.’ Subtlety and craft became the new ethos. Creedal confession was pushed into the background. The outcome was inevitable. As Kamps puts it, the Church acted dishonestly. Unsurprisingly there were dissenters to all this – the Reveil Movement and the Conventicles. Into all of this was De Cock, born in 1801.

Chapter 2 covers De Cock’s ministry in the State Church. It is fascinating to see how liberals used, for example, the Belgic Confession (Art. 7) to overthrow all Confessions. Their fundamental problem was a disbelief in the final authority of Scripture hence the dismissal of Creeds as worn out useless statements. With a sleight of hand the liberals constantly deflected focus from Scripture and Creeds to the more nebulous object of ‘the spirit of Christianity.’ Liberal attitudes ranged from studiously avoiding any debate with De Cock, tolerating him (presumably hoping he would go away), ignoring him but, ultimately, they charged him with failing to understand that appeal to outdated creeds was no longer relevant. De Cock, according to liberals, was simply ignorant of what constituted true, living Christianity. Meanwhile De Cock continued to preach the old faith which was drawing a lot of attention from the people.

Chapter 3 examines De Cock’s spiritual awakening. For many years in the State Church, liberalism was the main ideology espoused. The struggle over orthodoxy is exemplified in the debate over the First Table of the Law and God’s revelation of himself. The liberals rejected Scripture (as the final revelation) and the miraculous. It was this that led to the Secession of 1834. In that year an exposition of the Belgic Confession by Reddingus was published which explicitly denied the core doctrines of the historic Christian Faith. It was also the year of De Cock’s conversion. Kamps explains in detail the factors which brought that about.

In Chapter 4 & 5, Kamps outlines the contours of De Cock’s theology, in particular his witness to the truth of Scripture, the Canons of Dordt and the doctrine of God’s sovereign grace in election and regeneration. Kamps gives an interesting evaluation of the issues of 1834 reminding us that it was more than hymns and baptism, rather at the core were the issues of sin, grace and salvation thus demonstrating that nothing less than the heart of the gospel was at stake underlining the true significance of 1834 and therefore of vital importance to all who love these precious truths. In other words, the very essence of Christianity was in peril.

The climax of the struggle is dealt with in Chapter 6. Here we come to the cost of standing for truth. De Cock’s witness brought upon him all kinds of charges, slander and misrepresentations. In due time, De Cock was disciplined. It seemed that everything he did was a just cause for allegations, charges and discipline. After a long and tiresome process, without receiving any justice, the consistory adopted the Act of Secession on 13 October, 1834.

Interestingly, Kamps examines the role of De Cock’s wife in Chapter 7. It is both fascinating and appreciated. Too often the sacrifice of wives is overlooked. Kamps has done the reader a service in presenting to us her faithfulness, support and courage in the face of the most dreadful slanders.

What happened after the Secession? That is dealt with in chapter 8. It is refreshing to note the growth and development of the Secession. Ministers from the State Church joined De Cock. Congregations sprang up. By April 1835, there were sixteen congregations represented at the first meeting of the Secession Ministers. The first Synod was held in March 1836. Kamps helpfully describes the discussion within the Secession over two issues (Church Membership and Baptism) that were to define the direction of the Secession. There was further discussion over Church Order that was equally significant for the new body.

De Cock in God’s providence was to die in 1842 but he was preserved long enough to see a solid foundation laid and the beginnings of a return to a robust adherence to The Faith. By 1854 membership of the Secession stood at over 42,000, increasing by 10,000 in 1858. In 1870 membership reached 100,000 with 300 congregations and 270 ministers. This was the Lord’s testimony to the truth of the Secession.

The significance of 1834 is described in detail in chapter 9. This is a vital part of the history without which 1834 would be meaningless. As Kamps states, “it restored to the Reformed believers in the Netherlands the gospel of salvation in Christ Jesus by faith through grace alone.” That one statement is enough (though Kamps proceeds to spell out the full significance in some detail in a number of areas) to demonstrate that every believer has an interest in this. It is not an abstract history but one that is continually repeated through time. This is the spiritual legacy that we are required to know, subscribe to and defend, and if necessary to suffer for.

What follows are a series of documents that are crucial to a full understanding of 1834. They should not be neglected but read carefully, besides they are full of fascinating details, arguments and insights that remain relevant to our day.

This is an excellent work and given one’s interest in De Cock it is difficult to say anything negative. One suggested area that a future edition might revise is the use of polemical observation. It may of course be argued that they are essential to a fuller grasp of what is at stake.

Overall, an excellent book, worth getting and keeping. Here is a glorious history that will make every British believer rise up and give thanks to God. Further, it will encourage and embolden modern Christians that with such a legacy and heritage they can do no less that publicly adhere to the same truths that De Cock lived and suffered for. May this book be widely sold and read requiring further editions to be printed.

BOOK REVIEW by Dr. Eugene P. Heideman, professor emeritus, Western Theological Seminary, Holland, MI, USA

As the “Father of the Secession of 1834” in the Netherlands, Hendrik de Cock is a crucial figure not only in the history of Reformed churches in the Netherlands, but also in the history of Dutch Reformed denominations in North America. Marvin Kamps writes that “The significance of the Secession is that it restored to the Reformed believers in the Netherlands the gospel of salvation in Christ Jesus by faith through grace alone. The significance for us in North America is that through our fathers who immigrated to this continent, we are instructed in the same confession of faith on the basis of God’s Word. All true Reformed believers [in North America—EPH] are the heirs of the saints of the Secession of 1834” (231-232).

Because Hendrik de Cock and his writings are largely unknown today by the majority of the members of the Dutch Reformed denominations in the English speaking world, this book is important for making available to English readers a brief biography of Hendrik de Cock and his role as a leader of the Secession of 1834. It is especially valuable because approximately one half of its pages consist of Kamps’ translations of key writings by de Cock and several of his defenders and opponents. He writes that the translations are included because “they will give the flavor of the controversy and testify to the serious nature of the apostasy in the state church, while describing the determined, godly witness and pleas of the humble Secessionists” (xvii).

In his “Preface,” Kamps evaluates the place of de Cock and the Secession of 1834 in the various Dutch Reformed denominations since 1834 and the present. He writes that each of his readers will have to answer for himself the question, “Am I truly a spiritual son of this reformer of the Reformed Church?” (xii). Although this book is published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association, Kamps intends it to be read by all those who in one way or another trace their roots back to de Cock as their spiritual father (xii).

This book is helpful in tracing de Cock’s conversion from the liberalism of the the faculty in the University of Groningen to the Reformed orthodoxy of the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, and the Canons of Dordt. Inclusion of a translation of the text of “Reformed Doctrine” by C. Baron van Zylen of Nyevelt frames de Cock’s conversion in the context of the theological defense of Reformed orthodoxy that others in the national Reformed church were fighting for after King William I promulgated the new church order in 1816 (82-93).

Kamps must also be commended for informing his readers about the circumstances that brought de Cock to republish in 1833 the Canons of Dordt and the Compendium that were being suppressed by the Directorate of the Netherlands Reformed Church. In the same year he produced his notorious attack on the unorthodox teachings of the “two wolves,” G. Benthem, Reddingius and L. Meijer Brouwer, pastors who had departed far from the faith as defended by the 1618-1619 Synod of Dordt. Inclusion of de Cock’s introductions to the “Decisions of the National Synod of Dordrecht” (117-126) and the “Compendium of the Christian Religion” are conveniently available for the first time to English readers (129-133). Equally valuable for an understanding of the significance of the Secession of 1834 is Kamps’ translation of his defense of Reformed doctrine against the teachings of Reddingius and Brouwer (313-365).

The leaders of the Secession of 1834 maintained that the Formula of Subscription signed by ministers in the Netherlands Reformed Church had to be interpreted to mean that they were loyal to the doctrines in the three Confessions because they are fully in accord with Scripture, not in so far as they are in accord. De Cock charged that pastors were breaking their oath when they openly deviated from the doctrines of the Trinity or original sin and taught an Arian Christology in place of the Christology of the Nicene Creed. Kamps enables his readers to judge whether de Cock was fair to the pastors when he includes both his translation of Groningen professor Pieter Hofstede de Groot’s defense of the pastors and the Reveil attorney C. M. vander Kemp’s response to Hofstede de Groot (366-450). Along with the inclusion of Hofstede de Groot’s defense of the pastors, Kamps’ translation of the correspondence between de Cock and Hofstede de Groot, who were close friends in the University and thereafter (de Cock succeeded Hofstede de Groot as pastor in Ulrum) until de Cock’s conversion, adds much to the value of this book.

Kamps traces the growth of tension between de Cock and Hendrik Scholte about matters of church order, the baptism of children of non-communicant members of the church, and the relation of church and state. He sides with de Cock for being a strong defender of the old Church Order of Dordt in opposition to Scholte who proposed a more radically congregational polity. De Cock opposed Scholte who insisted on restricting infant baptism to children of parents who had openly confessed their faith before the elders of the church. On this issue of infant baptism, Kamps sides with Scholte and Van Velzen against de Cock. He also takes the side of Scholte against de Cock on the separation of church and state. He criticizes de Cock for still holding to remnants of a “Volkskerk” tradition of church-state relationships, while Scholte is commended for his acceptance of the American distinction as understood at the time of the Secession.

In contrast to Hendrik Scholte who had secession in his blood and left the Netherlands Reformed Church without looking back, de Cock withdrew from it reluctantly. His “Act of Secession or Return” was written in the hope that the Netherlands Reformed Church, even though it was a false church, could still be brought to repentance and “return to the true service of the Lord” (246). On this point, Kamps stands closer to Scholte than to de Cock. As Miskotte pointed out in his 1934 centennial address on de Cock’s role in the Secession of 1834 (K. Miskotte, Korte Nabetrachting, 1834, p. 83), de Cock still held high regard for God’s faithfulness to His people unto the third and fourth generation, with the result he was ready to baptize children of non-communicant members. He still retained remnants of hope that the term “false church” was not the last word for the national “volkskerk.”

Kamps recognizes that there were ministers in the Netherlands Reformed Church who remained true to the faith and manifested true faith and godliness. One such was Dirk Molenaar, whose correspondence with de Cock is translated and included in the book. Scholte recognized the true witness of Molenaar, but accused him of cowardice when he bowed to the pressure of King William and the church Directorate to keep silent. Kamps uses a harsher term when he writes that Molenaar was “disobedient” by remaining in the Netherlands Reformed Church (251). Kamps is more positive toward the “Seven Gentlemen” in the Hague, including C. M. vander Kemp, who did not withdraw from the national church but remained within its fellowship and fought from within for the reform of the church (407-409).

We owe a great debt to Marvin Kamps for making available to English readers his biography of Hendrik de Cock in the context of the Separation of 1834. We have here in English a number of translations pertaining to the Secession that are essential for understanding what happened in the Netherlands in 1834 and in the emigration movement led by Hendrik Scholte and Albertus Christiaan Van Raalte beginning in 1847. It is unfortunate that no index is included in this important book.

Alice was dying from Lou Gehrig’s disease. During the last stages of her illness, letters arrived daily to comfort and encourage her. Were these notes from the Hemlock Society, urging Alice to claim her right to die with dignity and call someone in to assist her in suicide? Were these messages from the Stoic, coaching Alice to keep a stiff upper lip, to suck in her gut, and to draw from her inner resources in order calmly to resign herself to her fate? Or were these daily words to the dying Alice from God the heavenly Father Himself, reminding Alice of His sovereignty, goodness, and love—even in suffering and death—and teaching Alice to rest, by faith, in His will and in the sufficiency of His grace?

The attitude of the Christian toward suffering, based on a theology that recognizes the sovereignty of God in all trials, is well defined in the foreword by Professor Herman Hanko. For comfort in suffering and for an example of how to be a godly comforter to others in their suffering, read Good Morning, Alice.

REVIEW

“Good Morning Alice,” by Gise J. VanBaren. Grand Rapids: Reformed Free Publishing Association, 1994. 157 pp. (paperback). [Reviewed by Prof. Robert D. Decker.]

We quote from the jacket of the book: “Alice (the author’s sister, RDD) was dying from Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, RDD). During the last stages of her illness, notes from an anonymous friend arrived daily to comfort and encourage Alice. Each note reflected on a Scripture passage. These reflections helped Alice come to terms with her suffering and brought her to acknowledge the sovereignty of God in His way for her.

“The author skilfully weaves these letters into his account of and commentary on Alice’s illness and death. In these pages the reader also can find comfort and strength to endure the sufferings, discouragements, and tragedies which come to each child of God and can find the joy and peace of trusting God in all His works and ways.”

God’s children who struggle with terminal illness, or those who have loved ones struggling with serious or terminal illness, will want to read this moving account. Any believer who wrestles with the question of how a good God can cause His beloved saints to suffer will benefit from the book and from the preface which was written by Prof. Herman Hanko.

Gise J. Van Baren was a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches in America until his death.

The RFPA is to be commended for making this moving story available to the reading public.

Those were the Dark Ages, the days of knights and castles and kings and queens, of monasteries, Vikings and monks. But one monk stood out from all the rest. One monk stood firm for the truth. This is the story of Gottschalk of Orbais, a light of truth in the darkness of his age—a light of truth in ours.

For several years the RFPA has discussed publishing books for younger readers and Gottschalk: Servant of God represents our first effort. This book is intended for high school ages. Because the story is intriguing and the history of Gottschalk is not well-known, adults will also enjoy this book and find it profitable.

“I’ve found [the biography of] Gottschalk very encouraging. How wonderful that the Lord kept him faithful though standing alone and imprisoned for nearly 20 years!” – W. Yorkshire, England

“What a beautifully produced book this is!” – Leicestershire, England

I’ve enjoyed reading Gottschalk: Servant of God. Gottschalk was a great Christian, who stood alone for sound doctrine – Lincoln, England

Listen to the audio of a lecture on “Gottschalk: Medieval Confessor of God’s Absolute Sovereignty.”
Watch the video of a lecture “Gottschalk: Medieval Confessor of God’s Absolute Sovereignty” and its Q. & A. session.

Book Review

Published in the English Churchman (15 & 22, April 2016)

This helpful little book was recently published by Reformed Free Publishing Association (RFPA) based in Michigan, USA. I had never heard of Gottschalk before and what a treat and tonic I had to read about his life. In a day when even orthodox Calvinistic thinkers are watering down their message to present a more palatable presentation of the gospel, this book is an antidote to such conduct. Even more surprising is a clear defence of the twin doctrines of election and reprobation from a Benedictine monk in the 9^th century. The Westminster Confession does state in Chapter 3 section 8 that the doctrine of predestination is to be handled prudently and carefully but this chapter of the confession clearly proclaims the doctrines of election and reprobation.

Gottschalk was born around 806 in Saxony into a high ranking family. However, this child was born the “The Dark Ages” and the state of Christianity was very poor. His parents donated him to a monastery along with his inheritance. Any student of the Roman Catholic Church knows how the people can be manipulated form money in return for eternal security. However God, in his providence, had different plans for Gottschalk.

The book charts the life of Gottschalk through his monastic training and then his public church life, where he made the most audacious stand for sovereign grace. We are presented with a young man who was soaked in the Scriptures and the church fathers, especially Augustine. We trace a line that flows from the apostles to Augustine to Calvin in the clear presentation of election and reprobation. When in attendance at the Synod of Mainz in 829 (when he was approximately 23!), he set out his confession of faith as follows:

I, Gottschalk, believe and confess, profess and testify, from God the Father, through God the Son, and in God the Holy Spirit, and affirm and assert before God and His Holiness that predestination is double whether of election to peace or of reprobation to death. Because just as God, by free grace, has unchangeably predestined all His elect to life eternal, so likewise (similiter) the same unchangeable God by just judgment has unchangeably predestinated all the reprobate, who in the day of judgment are damned on account of their evil merits, to merited eternal death” (p. 75).

What a clear statement of truth from a Roman Catholic monk! He would shame the vast majority of Protestantism today. Note also his tender age. We are said to expect too much of our young people but in reality we expect too little. Gottschalk is an example of how young men can be fully theological literate when they truly desire the truth.

Gottschalk was harassed, silenced, beaten and imprisoned for his faith, and died defending sovereign grace. Just like today, “Calvinist” church men stated they were Augustinian in doctrine but then taught predestination, like Gottschalk’s foe Hincmar, in language which is not distinct or clear and with no room for reprobation. A synod at Quierzy declared Gottschalk a heretic. He was flogged within an inch of his life so that his blood stained the ground and he was forced to throw his writings in the fire. He was led bleeding, bruised and wounded to a prison room. Even as he was dying, Hincmar tempted Gottschalk to water down his views with the promise of the sacraments and a Christian burial. However, he did not bend. In the final chapter of the book, it is put as follows:

Gottschalk knew that long ago in eternity God had chosen him to be an elect of God in Jesus Christ for no other reason than that God wanted to. By himself Gottschalk was only a man, a sinner like everyone else. He knew that. The reason for election is in God alone. Gottschalk knew that too. God does not change his decrees. Gottschalk knew the devil cannot steal one elect out of God’s hand. Even locked away in his prison cell, Gottschalk knew the devil could not steal him. His election and salvation was sure. His path in this life was sure. His place in heaven was sure. In that knowledge Gottschalk could die for the truth he loved (pp. 121-122).

Gottschalk died around 868. He gave his life and death for sovereign grace. Oh, for men like this today who will stand for orthodox truth instead of saying you can be a Calvinist but preach like an Arminian! I strongly recommend this book. It is an easy read which would not challenge teenagers. We need to hear the truth and this is a superb introduction to election and reprobation.

A student of, and successor to, Herman Hoeksema as a professor of dogmatics, David J. Engelsma explains Hoeksema’s significance as a theologian, power as a preacher, heart as a pastor, magnanimity as a controversialist, authority as a church leader and skill as a lecturer. Here we see Hoeksema apologizing for an editorial mix-up, bringing the assurance of salvation in Christ to a dying saint and, from his wheelchair in hospital after his ministry-ending stroke, naming the poignant parable he would preach on if he were able to deliver one more sermon. A delightful, edifying and page-turning little book on a great man of God.

“A unique, personal perspective and a rewarding reading experience. I thoroughly enjoyed Prof. Engelsma’s remembrances of Rev. Hoeksema. For those of us who never had the privilege of knowing him, this book provides a welcome addition to the biographies that are also available, but with this difference: Prof. Engelsma had the rare opportunity to be taught by Rev. Hoeksema, one on one, at the PR seminary. The book is a recollection of those, and also a ‘history in real time’ of several of the events that affected the PRC in its growth. Prof. Engelsma’s book is a wonderful reading experience for anyone interested in the life of Rev. Hoeksema and in the history of the Protestant Reformed Church. Highly recommended.” – Charles R.

“A lively reminiscence. I discovered Herman Hoeksema by way of a footnote. From there I picked up Reformed Dogmatics. Wanting to know more, I waded into the common grace controversy. Finally, I desired to know more about this man who seems not to have been given his due in terms of recognition. In David Engelsma’s book you will catch a glimpse of him. You will learn something of Engelsma’s story and the story of the PRCA. Engelsma writes that ‘Hoeksema was always right,’ but notes the price Hoeksema paid for being right. It left me a bit wistful. Hoeksema is underappreciated. Engelsma’s I Remember Herman Hoeksema is a helpful start in changing that.” – Jacob D.

“An engaging personal perspective by the author based on his relationship with Professor Hoeksema. I had tears in my eyes by the end of the (relatively short) book for the gift of this man to [the PRCA], a man who was both great and small at the same time. Especially encouraging were stories of both Hoeksema and Ophoff on their respective deathbeds as they wondered how God could save sinners such as they. Proof of God’s great work accomplished in and through weak means, men saved by grace. Thank you, Professor Engelsma!” – Robin B.

“I have read the book I Remember Herman Hoeksema, and found it most interesting and informative. It is also easy to read. So well worth waiting for.” – Cambridgeshire

“I read I Remember Herman Hoeksema from cover to cover. It is very good. I much appreciated it.” – Hertfordshire

Many people are familiar with the public persona of Herman Hoeksema. As one of the leading theologians of the twentieth century, a seminary professor, the pastor of a large congregation and a prolific writer, he was well-known in ecclesiastical circles, as well as in the world in general. But to his family he was “just Dad.” This anecdotal biography written by his youngest child records many stories about him, some perhaps familiar but others never before told.

Included in the book are numerous pictures of Hoeksema and his family, as well as an appendix with several personal letters of Hoeksema written to his children when he took a trip to Europe in 1929. These will show you a side of Hoeksema not found elsewhere.

Review by Charles Terpstra

Other biographies have been written on Hoeksema (e.g., Gertrude Hoeksema, Therefore Have I Spoken and Patrick Baskwell,Herman Hoeksema: A Theological Biography) but this one is unique–it is penned by his youngest daughter, Lois Kregel, and is a personal, anecdotal history of the man and his family from the “inside.”

This Reformed Free Publishing Association (RFPA) title is affectionately called Just Dad: Stories of Herman Hoeksema. The book covers Hoeksema’s life from his earliest days in the Netherlands and includes much of the history of his ministerial career as well as the controversies through which he lived and which served to define his labors and theology. But the book also covers the personal and family side of Hoeksema, taking us inside his home and showing him as husband and father, and that’s what makes it unique and special.

Adding to the value and interest of the book are the numerous pictures of Hoeksema and his family, as well as an appendix with several personal letters of Hoeksema written to his children when he took a trip to Europe in 1929. These will show you a side of Hoeksema not found elsewhere.

I am thankful that Mrs. Kregel could tell her story of her father, “just dad.” It is a story worth sharing. And I commend the RFPA for publishing this attractive little “gem” for the benefit of the PRC and the outside world.

“I am halfway through [Just Dad] and enjoying it so.” – New Jersey, USA

“I particularly enjoyed Just Dad received last Saturday, which I read that day, apart from the letters (pages 114-143) but read those on Sunday evening after returning from church. It is written in a lively and lovely way so I felt as though I knew everyone which of course I don’t! So congratulations to Lois in revealing the other side of Herman Hoeksema!” – Cambridgeshire, England

“It is good for us to see that [Hoeksema] was a husband and father—a normal and fallible man, doing the work of the Lord placed before him.”

“Delightful! Thank you, Mrs. Kregel.” – Wisconsin, USA

Less Than the Least is the memoirs of Rev. Cornelius Hanko’s long, fruitful life of nearly a century (1907-2005). He lived through the two world wars, the Great Depression, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the rise and fall of communism, and the advent of the space age, and spanned the terms of 18 US presidents, from Theodore Roosevelt to George W. Bush.

From Hull, Iowa to Oak Lawn, Illinois; from Manhattan, Montana to Grand Rapids, Michigan; and from Redlands, California to Hudsonville, Michigan, this memoir tells the story of Pastor Hanko’s life and forty-eight years in the ministry.

Son of Dutch immigrants to America, Rev. Hanko served six pastorates in five states, most notably in First Protestant Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan (1948-1964), along with Rev. Herman Hoeksema and Rev. Hubert De Wolf. Rev. Hanko poignantly describes the grief caused in the PRC by De Wolf’s heresy and schism (1953).

Pastor Hanko does not just tell his own history. He recalls the story of the Protestant Reformed Churches during the twentieth century. From the perspective of a long-serving pastor, we are given anecdotes and stories of the people Rev. Hanko loved and served in the Midwest and the far West, and we hear a first-hand account of two heart-wrenching church splits—in which Rev. Hanko and many others remained unwaveringly committed to the truth of sovereign grace.

More than this, Less Than the Least follows Rev. Hanko from his childhood, school days and seminary training, all the way to his retirement (1977) and beyond. As well as covering the formation of the Protestant Reformed Churches in the 1920s, it includes his travels to continental Europe, the Middle East, Australia (and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia) and Northern Ireland (and the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church).

In a very accessible way, this book brings Protestant Reformed church history to life. This delightful book comes complete with photographs.

“The book [on Rev. C. Hanko] was very interesting; a great read.” – Co. Down

Cornelius Hanko: “For a number of weeks in the winter of 1917, schools and churches were closed because of a coal shortage. The authorities maintained that so much coal was being shipped across the sea that there was insufficient coal for public gathering places. Because of the closing of churches and schools, a few of the neighbors came into our kitchen for worship on Sunday mornings. My dad would conduct the service and read a sermon. Thereupon we would all enjoy a cup of coffee and a piece of cake … Then, to make matters worse, the (Spanish) influenza epidemic hit in the winter of 1918-19. Once more schools and churches were closed for six weeks. Almost no one went to work. Nearly every home had one or more sick with the flu. Doctors could not keep up with the calls that came in: they worked day and night. But the worst was that they knew of no cure. They tried the usual medicines, and they tried the most caustic medicines, all to no avail. Hundreds died. Funeral services were held outside. Very few went to the cemetery. A little girl in our neighborhood died also. Her coffin was placed by the front window for the neighbors to see. The minister preached the funeral sermon in the street. A gloom hung over all. Everyone wondered, ‘Will it strike us next?’ There were some homes in which the whole family was stricken, and one home in which there were five deaths. My future mother-in-law, Mrs. Alida Griffioen, gave birth to a child in a room shut off by sheets while others in the family had the flu. Ministers were in a quandary regarding what to do. Rev. Groen was so afraid of catching the flu that he refused to visit anyone. Rev. Peter Jonker Jr. of Dennis Avenue Christian Reformed Church was out almost day and night visiting the sick. He placed a ladder next to an upstairs window in order to visit someone upstairs. He wore himself out to the point that he could hardly preach. The consistory allowed him to preach old sermons for a while. Our family was spared. We sat at home, trying to seek a bit of entertainment among ourselves. But sitting home day after day can grow very wearisome. I remember walking along Wealthy Street just to get out, but the streets were void of pedestrians. The street was ‘like a painted ship on a painted ocean.’ It hardly seemed real. The break came on Sunday, when we had our home service in the morning. To prevent further spreading of the sickness, no more than seven people were allowed to meet together; but we did invite in some neighbors. Those were times when prayer was no longer a mere formality, but a cry of the anxious soul pleading for the sick and bereaved” (Less Than the Least).

Reviewed by Prof. David Engelsma

This is a 40-page booklet containing letters written by well known Bible expositor A. W. Pink to Rev. Robert C. Harbach [who later became a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches in America]. Pink wrote the letters during the years 1943-1949. The letters contain little explanation of Scripture; some advice to a young pastor concerning the ministry; and repeated expressions of concern that Pink’s magazine had relatively few subscribers.

One piece of advice was that Harbach not “waste time listening to the Wireless or secular reading” (p. 23).

The Bible teacher made the intriguing assertion that a few servants of God are specially gifted to be teachers of the Bible in distinction from the rest of us who are “merely ‘preachers”‘:

It is God’s method to use human instrumentality, and He has called and equipped a few of His servants to be teachers (not merely “preachers”) – specially gifted by Him to “open” His Word, and they are “to be highly esteemed for their work’s sake” (I Thess. 5:12, 13).

This book can also be read on-line.

To order in N. America, please contact Grandville Protestant Reformed Church

“No one seemed to know how to give her lessons in Bible history, nor to teach spiritual realities to a girl who seemed quite retarded and who was both deaf and mute” (p. 19).  Such is the dilemma which Gertrude Hoeksema faced when she was asked to teach Lori Holstege, a twenty year old, deaf-mute, mentally retarded diabetic.  How much could such a girl understand; would she be able to grasp concepts such as sin, grace and salvation?   Yet, God is sovereign in His grace and He can make a girl, who cannot hear the earthly sounds around her, hear the heavenly voice of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd.

Read the touching tale of how Mrs. Hoeksema (wife of Prof. Homer Hoeksema) meets Lori, how Lori learns New Testament history, Old Testament history and the Heidelberg Catechism until she makes public confession of faith before Byron Center Protestant Reformed Church on her twenty second birthday.  Learn how Lori and Mrs. Hoeksema overcome the obstacles to her participating in public worship.  Observe how she reacts with a mixture of astonishment, joy and simple childlike faith at each new discovery from God’s Word.  Be moved at the hardships she faces during her short life.   Rejoice with her and her church as she confesses her faith before the elders and the congregation and partakes of the Lord’s Supper.

“Who then can be saved? … With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:26-27).

REVIEW

Lori, Gertrude Hoeksema; Reformed Free Publishing Association, Grand Rapids, MI, 153 pp. (paperback). [Reviewed by Prof. H.C. Hoeksema]

Truth is stranger than fiction, it is sometimes said. This true story of the conversion of a deaf-mute and mentally impaired girl is certainly a confirmation of that maxim. If some of the details of this story were found in a novel, they would probably be characterized as unbelievable and non-realistic. But this deeply moving account of the instruction and conversion of a dear child of God is truth, not fiction.

You probably think that as the husband of the author I am a biased reviewer. I freely concede this. And from that point of view I gladly allow the book to recommend itself. Besides, the rather overwhelming public response to this latest RFPA publication also serves as a recommendation.

However, from my position as the author’s husband and as first-hand observer of many of the events recounted in Lori, I am also able to confirm the facts of the story. It is safe to say that, if anything, the author has underplayed the drama of the events, possibly because sometimes words were inadequate to describe them.

In conclusion, two things. First of all, this little book should encourage us—parents, churches, schools—to do all in our power to furnish biblical and spiritual instruction to the handicapped among our covenant seed. Secondly, we should not underestimate the ability of the Spirit of Christ to drive home and to apply that instruction. If this book serves to underscore these two items, then, in addition to being a moving and highly interesting true story, it will serve a positive purpose.

Rev. Jason Kortering (1936–2020) was a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches. From 1992–2006, he and his wife, Jean, were called to missionary labours in Singapore, India, and Myanmar. Say Among the Heathen the Lord Reigns is Jean’s account of those years. The recollections and stories in this book will direct your heart to the Son of God who gathers, defends, and preserves to himself an elect church out of all nations, kindreds, peoples, and tongues.

“Our living in Singapore and other foreign countries for 10+ years was a great blessing for the whole family. Though children and grandchildren gave up their parents and grandparents for the Lord’s work, and we were separated from each other for a while, God remained our constant. He reigns. He reigns over the whole earth and we rejoice. He reigns over the multitude of isles and they are glad (Ps. 97). He rules in America and he rules across the globe. We were separated by many, many miles but we were so close because we worshiped and served the same God. He is supremely sovereign and yet gentle and caring in his love for his people. It was our privilege many years ago to share that truth in a heathen culture.” — Jean Kortering, July 2022

REVIEW

The following review was written by seminarian Matt Koerner on Say Among the Heathen the Lord Reigns: Evidences in Southeast Asia by Jean Kortering (Jenison, MI: Reformed Free Publishing, 2022).

With passion, humor, and insight, Jean Kortering’s book tells the stories of her own experiences as a pastor’s wife during a time in which he served in foreign lands, as well as stories of some of those to whom they ministered during those years. Originally written for Kortering’s grandchildren as a gift to them for the years they missed having their grandparents present in their lives, the work is a wonderful read for children and young people. At the same time, however, it has enormous value for older audiences as well. The child of God, regardless of age, will greatly profit from reading this book.

This book as a whole is highly encouraging. This is true in the first place with a view to the future. As believers, we know it to be true that persecution is part of the Christian faith; it is to be expected. In this land, persecution is relatively light; to be a Christian here is not particularly challenging. However, there are other nations of the world where this is not the case. Many face extreme hardship on account of their faith in Jesus. And because it is the promise of Scripture that persecution will indeed come, even those Christians who live in countries where there is presently little may be sure that one day, they will feel persecution’s scourge more directly. One temptation for the child of God, therefore, is to look ahead with fear, worrying about what might happen to one’s church, family, or oneself. Reading books like Kortering’s is helpful in this regard. It is extremely encouraging to know that there are others who in the past have borne up under persecution and remained faithful to their Lord. It is encouraging too that there are others doing so right now.

This type of encouragement comes out numerous times in Say Among the Heathen the Lord Reigns. Particularly is this true in the section in which Kortering tells stories of those she and her husband met while laboring in foreign lands. The story of a young girl named Poh Li, which is told first, is amazing. At a very young age, she was introduced to the faith and would return to church again and again, knowing full well she would be beaten by her mother when she returned home (32-33). If a young child such as she was can endure such pain for the gospel’s sake, we may be encouraged that God will so sustain us as well, when the day of increased persecution comes. Another story gives an interesting account of a different sort of persecution: Huey Min tells of the fact that she was not physically attacked, but that her mother would weep over her conversion to Christ and engaging in Christian activity. This would lead her to sadness; it weighed on her to know that she was the cause of her mother’s grief, and this was enough to prevent her from going to church at times (86-87). Here too, however, God overrode her troubles, and He faithfully and lovingly brought her to Himself. Enduring persecution points to a deeply rooted faith. That comes out too in the story of an unnamed man from India, who received electric shock treatments for perceived insanity after his conversion from unbelief but pressed on, even when his family ostracized him, and later committed himself to speaking to one person every day about the faith (294-95). The strong faith of Dorin is also encouraging. Faced with a family that hated her for converting to Christianity, she too endured beatings at just 14 years old, as well as mockery, ridicule, taunting, and the tearing up of her Bible and other religious materials (64ff).

Dorin’s story is encouraging in an additional way, however, and this is representative of another aspect of the book’s value: it encourages the reader not just with a view to future persecution, but also to his/her present-day faith walk. Dorin displayed beautiful trust in God during her struggle with infertility. When she finally got pregnant, she lost her first child in a miscarriage. All of her pregnancies came with great difficulty. And yet, her testimony was this: “I don’t know what the next stage [of my life] will be, but I know the Lord will carry me through. All these things help me to grow in trust and to really experience His presence, especially the peace that He will not leave me” (72). Reading of such strong faith makes one want to walk by faith more and more in every area of life. Similarly, one may also be encouraged by this book in one’s calling to witness as part of the daily Christian life. At times it can seem as though our efforts are futile, and it is no longer worth continuing. But this is not true; God’s Word never returns to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). Poh Li’s story is proof: though her parents would beat her for converting, they eventually were won to Christ by her good conduct and her faithful witnessing to them (35). The commitment of Rev. Titus to the Reformed truth is also very encouraging (123ff). How often do we not take for granted what treasure we have in true doctrine! The reader will be encouraged to look with new wonder at the truth of Scripture when reading these pages. Finally, it is not only the stories of others that encourage the reader in his or her Christian life, but even the author herself. It is so beautiful to read of her love for her husband and her appreciation of his labors. This comes out on various occasions (333, for example). Reading of this woman’s love for her spouse encourages readers to strive for a deeper love in their own relationships.

The value of this book is also seen in that it traces the providential hand of God, reminding us that our God is in control at all times. One application of providence is to the forming of our earthly relationships, and this is clearly on display in Chapter 4, “Christ, the Lord of Romance.” The origin of the church in Singapore also brings to mind this glorious doctrine. How wonderful to read of how God worked to bring the Reformed truth to the dear saints in that land (see especially 13ff). And then there is the story of Peng Lan, a teacher, who by an amazing act of God’s providence did not have to be observed by a curriculum evaluator when she was under scrutiny for teaching the truth of God’s Word in her classroom (82). These stories are a clear testimony that God works wonders even today, ensuring that His gospel might go forth and His elect children might be saved.

There is another element of value to Kortering’s book: it provides the reader with a deeper understanding of mission work. Kortering’s stories and firsthand accounts are helpful in that they reveal some of the particular joys and struggles with which missionaries and their families meet. They get the privilege of meeting and laboring among converts from heathen religions, meaning they get to experience the blessedness of hearing their testimony and walking with them as they learn more about the teachings of the Reformed faith. But there are also difficulties. Teaching the faith to those unfamiliar with it is not simple. In addition to patiently setting forth Reformed theology for those who were not raised learning it, there is also the struggle of teaching other aspects of the Reformed faith, such as proper biblical church polity (185). Missionaries very often must adjust to living in an entirely different way than that to which they are accustomed. The humorous story of dealing with 2 Singapore’s system of income tax illustrates this well (27-28). Similarly, the description Paulraj gave of what the people in Vellore, India do to stay cool in the hottest part of the year is illustrative of the great adjustment a missionary would face in moving to that country (303). But making changes to one’s way of life is necessary, not only because of climate and such, but also because of cultural differences. A missionary must be willing to sacrifice certain pleasures, conveniences, and preferences. This helps him not to offend those among whom he labors. In the case of the sorts of countries to which the Korterings went, the extreme poverty is a real factor. That poverty comes out many times in the book (ex: 198-99, 201, 217, 333-34). And yet, the people of God in such countries so often display such contentment in their circumstances. A missionary, therefore, may not cause offense by living luxuriously. During a brief section written by Rev. Kortering, he makes the point that enduring difficulties and inconveniences in foreign lands is part of being all things to all men (299-300). This is a pointed and good reminder. And then of course, there is the immense struggle of having to leave one’s own family members. Kortering underscores the pain of this as she mentions being moved to tears merely thinking about it while she wrote (4). A missionary and his family must be prepared to give up much for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

All of this is to say, Say Among the Heathen is a recommended work. The reader will not only grow in appreciation for those men whom God calls to be missionaries and for their families, but will also be led to thank God for His great grace. It is a grace that draws sinners to Himself, saving them at times even out of idolatry and wicked families. It is a grace that sustains His children even through harsh persecution and great poverty. And it is a grace that unites all His people in one common covenant. Though we be separated by many miles and even (in some cases) many years from the individuals referred to in this book, we may rejoice in knowing that we are so very close to them: we join hands with these saints as we kneel together at the foot of our one Savior’s cross. Kortering wrote concerning her husband’s and her experiences, “I always preferred to think of our years in Singapore as a privilege rather than a sacrifice…a rich blessing given to us by the Lord. There are comparatively few who have that privilege, and the Lord in His goodness had given that to us” (3-4). Although it is true that most readers will never be called to serve on the mission field as the Korterings were, this book gives one a taste of some of those same experiences. In a small way, therefore, the reader may indeed share in that great privilege.

Simon van Velzen was a Reformer of the church of Christ in the Netherlands in the Secession of 1834, a seminary professor who influenced hundreds of future Reformed ministers, a powerful preacher of the gospel, and a faithful husband and devoted father.

In his own day, he was held in high regard by such notable figures as Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck, and was respected as a spiritual father and John Calvin-like figure by Reformed believers both in the Netherlands and America.

Sadly, many Reformed Christians in the twenty-first century have little, if any, idea as to who he is. Where he is remembered, he is often branded as being “unyielding, obstinate, and domineering,” and he is dismissed as having little significance in the history of the church.

Here is the biography that corrects the ignorance and misconceptions by setting forth the fascinating life of an influential figure in the history of Christ’s church.

____________

Joshua Engelsma is a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches of America. He has served as pastor of Doon Protestant Reformed Church from 2014-2021 and is now pastor in Crete Protestant Reformed Church. He is also the author of Dating Differently: A Guide to Reformed Dating.

Review by Rev. Jerome Julien, The Outlook July/August 2021

“Thoroughly rewarding read! Having lived for many years in the Netherlands, and having been converted to Christ there, and later a member of the Restored Reformed Church (Hersteld Hervormde Kerk), I knew something of the Afscheiding and the Doleantie, and also the later Vrijmaking under Rev. Schilder, but had never heard of Rev. S. van Velzen. How I enjoyed reading of a man, that by God’s grace, had studied to show himself approved, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. His zeal for God’s truth, in the face of many types of compromise, is exemplary. The brutal truth is laid bare for all to see, that the Redeemed of the Lord, are redeemed sinners, and therefore still sin, even against their fellow-Christian and fellow-ministers (Psalm 55:12–13)—a truth that is both encouraging and discouraging at the same time. What a great start the churches of the Afscheiding had, and yet, looking at what, in general, they later became after the union of the Dolerende congregations and the Afgescheidenen, as they became progressively more liberal, to the extent that they would have disfellowshipped even Kuiper and van Velzen, if they had been around today. And yet, here is the great encouragement, Christ is still building His Church through His Church, in spite of His Church! May the Lord grant us His grace to know which battles to fight, and then to fight well. Thank you to Rev. Joshua Engelsma for a fascinating and well-written book.” – Paul B.

“Easy-to-read, many interesting details from the life of Simon van Velzen. I found the book to be full of fascinating details regarding the life of Simon van Velzen and the period of the Afscheiding in the Netherlands. As a Reformed Christian in the USA with spiritual roots in the Netherlands, I appreciated gaining a much better understanding of the events and history during this time period. At just over 200 pages, this book should be quite accessible to the average reader.” – Jason E.