For the Truth, A booklet written in 1953 by Rev. J. Tamminga, (1907-1984) at the time of writing, minister of the Free Reformed Church of Chatham, Ontario.
The St. Thomas consistory then writes to the classis:
St. Thomas, May 1, 1953
To the classis of the Old Christian Reformed Church
C/o the calling church Hamilton
Mr. J. Hamstra,
R.R.1, Copetown ON
Esteemed Brothers,
With sadness we are compelled to inform you of the following:
After the classis meeting of April 22, 1953 we have reviewed the entire course of events, well known to you, and we have finally come to the following conclusions:
a) That we, as we have informed you in our letter of appeal, consider the classis meeting of January 14, 1953 unlawful. The decisions regarding young immigrant congregations we therefore also consider as being unlawful. The objections raised by the Chatham church we also share. We are convinced that both the material and formal aspect of this decision is contrary to church order.
b) That for this reason, at the meeting of the classis held on April 22, 1953, we could do no other than answer that could not and were not allowed to submit to your decision. We are no revolutionaries as if we would not be subject to a major assembly. We are of the opinion that we are bound to comply with all decisions of classis as long as these are in harmony with scripture and church order. Since we were and are of the opinion that your decision is not according to church order and also does not agree with the scriptural view of an independent church, and because you have rejected our (and the Chatham) appeal at this meeting, maintaining your decision, we may do no other than inform you that we cannot accept your decision.
c) Based on the above, we are unable to recognize and accept your decision to depose this consistory, and will continue to consider this body the lawfully chosen consistory of St. Thomas and appointed by the King of the Church himself. For this reason it is our obligation and charge to remain in that service to Him who has appointed us.
d) That, since it is no longer possible to appeal to a major assembly, to our great sorrow, there is only one possibility left, and that is to take the decision to withdraw from the Old Christian Reformed Church, of which we give you notice by this letter. With great emphasis we advise that this painful decision is taken with considerable reluctance. We would much rather have continued in unity and peace with you as brothers of the same house, but we are unable to perceive that this is now possible.
e) That the responsibility for this sad rupture is wholly attributable to the actions of the classis, since we have neither wanted nor sought to part ways with you.
The consistory of the Old Christian Reformed Church of St. Thomas
J. Pennings, chairman
A. Pol, clerk
A few days after St. Thomas had withdrawn, the consistory of the Chatham congregation met and decided to also withdraw from Old Christian Reformed Church. As in St. Thomas, also in Chatham the congregation was wholly informed, and has unanimously endorsed the decision of her consistory to leave the Old Christian Reformed Church.
The consistory sent the following advice to the classis:
Chatham, May 7, 1953
Classis of the Old Christian Reformed Church
C/o the calling church Hamilton
Mr. J. Hamstra,
R.R.1, Copetown ON
Esteemed Brothers,
With deep sorrow we are compelled to inform you that our consistory has felt compelled to remove this church from the Old Christian Reformed Church denomination.
This was a very difficult decision for us, since we would have greatly preferred to remain in the denomination and continued together with you in brotherly love and unity of spirit.
Considering the events of the recent past, we have no alternative but to do what we have done.
We are convinced, that the decision we have taken was forced upon us, even though this decision is a very painful one. We much would have preferred another solution to the difficulties.
We openly and sincerely announce, that it is our opinion that the decisions of the classis are the cause of our predicament. We have not in any way sought or caused the rift that is now between us. You are aware of the objections that we had and have against your decision of January 14, 1953 regarding the care of young immigrant congregations and of you sustaining this decision on April 22, 1953.
Our consistory has appealed and protested and detailed the reasons both by letter and verbally at your meetings, so that we do not wish to re-iterate this at this time. Because we are unable to accept your judgments in this matter as being contrary to scripture and church order, and also because there is no possibility of appeal to a major assembly, we have come to the above decision.
In addition to the above, we cannot recognize or approve the deposing of the consistory of the St. Thomas church.
With deep sorrow we ask how it is possible for the classis to come to this terrible act. Actually the matter is clear: It is the dreadful consequence of a wrong decision. This teaches us where wrong decisions necessarily will lead.
Office bearers who have no wrong intentions and do nothing but faithfully labour in Gods Kingdom and diligently fulfill their holy calling in their congregation, are deposed.
That the consistory of St. Thomas honestly declared not to be able to submit to your decision, is no revelation of a revolutionary spirit. The St. Thomas consistory has all along indicated why (based of church order) it may not acquiesce to this decision.
The consistory of the St. Thomas church stands, in her rejection of this decision, solidly on the foundation of our church order, while the classis has deviated from church order.
That they cannot accept your decision is not a revolt, but their responsibility. In that the consistory of Chatham stands shoulder to shoulder with St. Thomas.
We could write much more, but it seems that such is superfluous. We hope and pray that you will recognize the error of your ways. The King of the Church have mercy on you and us.
With brotherly greetings, on behalf of the consistory of the old Christian Reformed Church,
J. Tamminga, chairman,
H. Flootman, clerk.
After the congregations of Chatham and St. Thomas had left the Old.C.R.C. also in Hamilton a number of families left the Hamilton Old C.R.C. and formed a new group.
Under leadership of the Chatham consistory this group was instituted as a new church. Together these three churches now form a new denomination: The Free Christian Reformed Church.
In conclusion some notes:
In the report of the classis meeting of April 22, 1953 in the Gospel Banner you will find the decision regarding the care of young immigrant congregations. If you compare that decision in the Gospel Banner to my report you will find some remarkable differences.
To avoid misunderstandings, I wish to state that I have been referring to the decision adopted by the classis of January 14, 1953, while the Gospel Banner provides a later version, because an amendment was proposed by the delegates of Smithville at the meeting of April 22, 1953. This amendment was proposed and adopted after the delegates from Chatham and St. Thomas had left the meeting of April 22, 1953.
Whether this was of any substance or provided any improvement, I will leave to the reader to judge. It is not my intent to write about occurrences after we parted ways. The intention was to simply correct what the Gospel Banner distorted. My purpose was to clearly have the truth be told, so that all would know what really took place.
J. Tamminga,
94 Raleigh St.
Chatham, Ontario, Canada.
Note from translator:
The Free Christian Reformed Church and the Old Christian Reformed Church later resolved their differences and merged, and were after some time joined by the Free Reformed Church of Clifton, N.J., USA.
The name of the denomination then was:
The Old Christian Reformed Church and The Free Christian Reformed Church and The Free Reformed Church.
Rather a mouthful!
The new Hamilton congregation instituted shortly after the above ocurences on June 24, 1953 by Chatham is the present Hamilton church. The previous Hamilton church is now known as the Dundas church (instituted in 1950).
Synod 1974 adopted the name: Free Reformed Church for the entire denomination.
You can follow further developments after this (1953) booklet, on this same web site under the heading:
HISTORY OF THE FREE REFORMED CHURCHES.
CVD
