A short Biography of Dr. Kornelis Sietsma

by Rev C J Sikkel, of the Reformed Church of Amsterdam-South.

Kidchner Publishing - Amsterdam-C.

A new translation in 2024 by his grandson Kornelis Sietsma, based partly on a 1996 translation by Arie Sietsma.

Kees Sietsma photo

1. Growing Up

At the end of the previous century, 1896, when summer was already past its peak, Kornelis Sietsma (known as Kees1) was born on August 25, on a farm in Nijega, in the municipality of Smallingerland2.

Map of the Netherlands showing mentioned locations

The birth of little Kees was, for his parents, a comfort from the Lord following the loss of their seven-year-old daughter the year before. They now had four sons and later would be blessed with another boy.

His father, Heine Sietsma, came from a family that had consciously participated in the church reformation of 18343, standing at the forefront of the fight against the illegitimate synodal organisation. Heine himself was a level-headed man, who remained faithful to his family traditions and raised his children strictly. Although he had a sharp mind and was well educated, he had much less influence on his sons’ spiritual development than his wife.

Kees’ Mother, Grietje Sietsma (née Akkerman), was a devout woman of great faith. She came from a thoroughly modern family, whose father was decidedly hostile to the Christian faith. However she and her sister, who later became the mother of Dr C. Bouma from The Hague, had come to know and love the Lord Jesus. These sisters owed a great deal to a maid in their father's house, who talked to them about the way of salvation. These talks often had to be held at night, because their father did not allow it.

The Lord blessed this simple teaching wonderfully and converted both sisters. Grietje Akkerman became a devoted Christian and a faithful Christian mother, who prayed and did a lot for her children in all simplicity. She had a great influence on her sons, including Kees. It is notable that the dedication in Kees’ dissertation reads:

“To the memory of my Mother and to my wife”.

The frontier farm, where the Sietsma family worked in Nijega, was not a grand Friesian farm. The land was not very fertile; it needed a lot of hard work to provide a decent living for the family. Things improved later, when the family moved to a farm that Heine bought in Donkerbroek. In Nijega, the years were tough and that burden weighed on Kees as a youth.

School years

During his school years, Kees immediately showed his capability and love of learning. He had an excellent teacher in Mr. H. Stiksma, whom he later credited with leaving a lasting impression on his life. He had understood that Kees wanted and was capable of more than training to be a farmer. The desire to become a minister that was awakened in Kees’ heart at a young age was encouraged by Mr Stiksma and his mother.

But would it be possible? While he had both the aptitude and desire to study, the normal path forward wasn’t immediately open to him. When Kees finished primary school his two eldest brothers were farming, while the third son was training to become a teacher. Kees would have to wait at least until his brother had obtained his teaching certificate, and even then it seemed almost impossible to send him directly to study theology.

So it was back to the farm he went, to learn everything: ploughing, sowing, weeding, harvesting, milking, droving - and learning here means doing, hard tiring work. But Kees did not quail. He learned farm work and committed himself to it; not grudgingly but with a sense of duty. Meanwhile, in his free hours, he kept up with his books and persevered. He still wanted to take the state examination4. When his brother passed the teacher’s exam, he initially refused to take that course, because he wanted something different. He would just keep working towards his goal in his spare time.

This arrangement couldn’t continue indefinitely, as both farming and studying demanded one’s complete attention. After consultation and advice, it was finally decided in the spring of 1915 that Kees would go back to school in Drachten, at least to get his teacher’s certificate and then see. This went well, as it became clear that he had studied well at home and already in the spring of 1916 (13 May) he passed his exams, less than eighteen months after he started.

World War I

Meanwhile, a new difficulty had arisen: the First World War. The Netherlands (which remained neutral) had mobilised5 the army since 1914. Kees should have been called up a year earlier, but had managed to get study leave for a year. Now delay was no longer possible and he had to join the army. Once again his perseverance was tested, but once again the Lord, his God, strengthened him.

Four months of military training passed in the Amsterfoot military camp, followed by a transfer to the field army in North Brabant. There, he was assigned administrative work at the Military Court office in ‘s-Hertogenbosch6. The work was not difficult and he had the advantage of being quartered with civilians, so he could study correspondence courses during his free hours, most evenings, and often late into the night.

So his life was moving forward and his goal was getting closer. When demobilisation came in 1918, he continued his studies at his parents’ home, now supported by private lessons from the rector of the Gymnasium of Groningen. In 1920, he passed his state examination and was admitted as a student at the Theological School of the Reformed Churches in Kampen on 28th September 1920.

Studying Theology

The Lord has His own path for each of His children. In retrospect we can see, at least partially, what the Lord intended and how great His wisdom and love was. We can observe this here, and will return to it, but while we ourselves are walking such difficult paths, it takes a lot of strength to keep courage and persevere. Kees’ journey towards his education must have been marked by many a dark hour, many a restless night, but equally by much prayer and holy perseverance, and finally by a great joy in the Lord. He had fought for it, and received it from His God. He did not get much help from other people, apart from the invaluable support of his mother, but the Lord knew his path.

As a student in Kampen, Kees excelled. He remained a hard worker and was held in high esteem by his professors and friends. Later, he always spoke highly of his teachers, praised Prof. Honig as a teacher, Prof. Bouwman for his fabulous memory, enjoyed Prof. Ridderbos’ clever exegesis and Prof. Hoekstra’s practical training. However he was most impressed by Prof. Greijdanus, whose deep scholarship and strong faith he honoured and admired, seeing him as as a shining example for students.

His studies went quickly: he passed the propaedeutic exam7 on 17 June 1921. He completed his candidature exam (similar to a Master’s degree) in two parts, 28 June 1923 and 27 June 1924, thus completing his studies in just four years.

Despite this short stretch of study, understandable due to his slightly older age and great zeal for the ministry, no one should conclude that Kees did not enjoy student life. On the contrary, he was a member, heart and soul, of the student association “Fides Quaerit Intellectum” (Faith seeks understanding) and made many friends there, of which we name two: H. Steenhuis and P. Kuiper, who also went on to be ministers.

Romance

Meanwhile, his stay in Kampen served another purpose. It turned out that the teaching certificate he had not wanted initially was useful after all. For he was asked to work as a substitute teacher at a school in Kampen, and there met Miss Jannetje Dekker, who was also working there for two months. Due to circumstances, they ended up running things together during those months and spent a great deal of time in each other’s company. At the end of her contract Miss Dekker went to England, but the two colleagues continued to correspond. Later, they became engaged in the Netherlands and became colleagues for life. Kees found in her a woman who not only supported him in his work but also inspired him to grow in countless ways. She found in him a husband whose dedication and selfless love were truly exceptional.

Their circumstances allowed them to marry after only a brief engagement, and they decided to wed on 17th July 1924, which they did. He would later recount this with a mischievous grin, saying, “I had the audacity to get married before I’d even taken my preparatory exams.8” That was typical of Kees - if he believed something was right and justified, he didn’t concern himself with whether it was ‘conventional’.

Starting ministry in Zeeland

After passing his classical exams, this trainee minister proved to be in high demand, receiving no fewer than thirteen calls to serve. In his heart, he was torn between Grijpskerk and Schoondijke, but after a conversation with Reverend L. Bouma, who knew Zeeland well, he chose Schoondijke. He set off there and was installed on 23rd November 1924 by Reverend Moene. His inaugural sermon, however, got stuck in transit. Everything had to be transported across the river Scheldt, and the sermon was in a trunk that hadn’t yet arrived.

When they could wait no longer, Kees sat down the evening before the service and wrote a new sermon. Everything worked out fine in the end.

Schoondijke is situated in the charming and appealing region of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, a prosperous Zeeland village surrounded by vast fields. The parish was extremely large. It had been without a minister for quite some time and there was much pastoral work to be done. The spiritual life of the local Reformed Church was in a sorry state. In this fertile land, it lay like a spiritual wasteland. Kees therefore threw himself into pastoral work in his own congregation and into evangelism. Preaching came naturally to him, even then. Kees lived life at a fast pace and never dawdled. He produced serious work, but did it quickly. This was partly because he didn’t get in his own way - he served the Lord’s cause and had a very keen sense of what the Lord required of him at any given moment. And then he would do it.

That’s why in Schoondijke he was rarely at home, rushing along the long and sometimes difficult roads on his bicycle. As a faithful pastor, he spoke with many and achieved much, forming bonds that would endure. The people there grew to love him, and this lasted for many years. Later, when scarcity became severe in Amsterdam during the cruel war, the people of Schoondijke worried about his family and readily offered help. For they still couldn’t forget him, even then.

Kees had a gift of engaging with people of differing viewpoints, a talent that God had strengthened by repeatedly throwing him into diverse life situations. This proved invaluable in his evangelism, and he used this talent to the full.

So time flew by. The congregation thrived and his family grew - his wife bore two sons during this period. The busy life of a preacher never stopped him from devoting himself to his family with deep interest and great love.

It was inevitable that his time at his first congregation would be fairly brief. When he received simultaneous offers from both Hoofddorp and Eindhoven, he felt drawn to accept the latter. This wasn’t surprising - as an active fighter he was attracted by Eindhoven with its dynamic life, bustling activity and its uniquely diverse, growing population.9

Eindhoven and Doctorate

He received the call to Eindhoven in June 1928 and was installed there on 9th September. In Eindhoven he continued to fully embrace his role as a minister, throwing himself completely into his work. However in discussions with the Church Council before his arrival, he had made it clear that he intended to continue his academic studies, take his doctoral examinations, and if possible earn his PhD. This wasn’t surprising, as studying was his love and his life.

In Eindhoven, where a significant circle of intellectuals belonged to the congregation and were well represented on the church council (as was appropriate), this desire was immediately understood and encouraged.

This remarkable congregation demanded a lot from him, but also proved very stimulating. With heart and soul, full of zeal and using all his strength, he lived and worked there and spread many blessings under God’s guidance.

The task was challenging - the congregation doubled in size within two years, requiring good, faithful work and setting high standards, particularly for preaching. Kees also grew in his preaching, and in his approach to life, growing into a

In his preaching, and in his approach to life, Kees grew during this time into a dynamic Christian thinker and advocate with a keen understanding of modern people’s needs.

He never shied away from work, taking on an enormous workload, but above all, he served with his whole heart, deeply grateful for the privilege God had given him to work for His Kingdom. From his perspective, even though he worked extremely hard, he felt he was only doing the absolute essentials.

He remained first and foremost a minister, thoroughly enjoying his teaching duties (even travelling to Valkenswaard for this purpose), and had a particular interest in working with young people. He established a youth centre, initiated the formation of a men’s association, and was heavily involved in evangelical work.

His relationship with the church council was positive, partly because it represented such a diverse cross-section of the congregation, including people from various backgrounds and levels of education. There was a real momentum in the church’s work and impact in his preaching. Kees left his mark on many people, nurturing a generation who gained a deep understanding of religious truth and the way of the Lord.

Despite this busy life, his study didn’t suffer. He completed his doctoral examinations at the Free University10 on 7 Feb 1930, and three years later on 12 May 1933 he earned his PhD, with a thesis titled “Adolf von Harnack11, primarily as a Historian of Dogma”. This thesis was a sturdy volume of over 500 pages, in three sections: the first covered Harnack’s life, the second his principles, and the third his history of dogma.12

It is a beautiful book, this dissertation. The young Doctor Sietsma demonstrated a thorough knowledge of German cultural and theological history in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, showing exceptional familiarity with Harnack’s life and writings, and proving himself capable of both portraying and critiquing this significant figure.

For anyone familiar with the demands of a busy pastoral ministry, it seems remarkable that Kees managed to both fully serve his congregation and complete such a distinguished doctoral degree.

This was certainly helped by the fact that the Eindhoven congregation not only trusted him, but also respected and were interested in his scholarly work. It wasn’t mere politeness when he wrote in his thesis’ foreword: “I particularly note with great gratitude the rare appreciation my work has received from my church council and my congregation.”

The fact that the thesis was dedicated to both his mother’s memory and his wife perfectly reflected his wife’s role in his life. She took a keen interest in his academic work and truly was ‘a help meet for him.’

The family had grown in Eindhoven with the addition of two children, a daughter and a son. (Only the youngest son was born later in Amsterdam.) During these years, it was a happy family living in the parsonage on Fazantlaan, next to the Oosterkerk in Eindhoven, blessed by God.

Sietsma family photo

While Kees flourished in his own congregation, he also served with distinction in Classis and broader church circles. He was appointed as a church visitor during this period, was a delegate to the Particular Synod of North Brabant and Limburg, and represented them at the General Synod in Middelburg in 1933.13

However, this chapter of his life was drawing to a close. Less than a year after completing his doctorate, on Tuesday 30th January 1934, Kees received news that the church of Amsterdam-South had called him that evening.

This call would mark a new turning point in his life. He considered it seriously, but his ties to the Eindhoven congregation were strong. As usual, he was invited to Amsterdam to “take a look”.

I remember that day well - it was an unusually bleak day. As we crossed the Surinameplein, a veritable sandstorm hit the visitors in the face. Not exactly a welcoming reception! However the Church Council’s14 welcome was much warmer, and naturally the Amsterdam representatives emphasised everything that might persuade Kees to come and serve the Amsterdam-South congregation.

The decision must have been difficult for Kees, but in the end he accepted the call.

2. Amsterdam

The church of Amsterdam-South had been severely battered by the 1926 schism.15 16 But in the eight years that followed, it was wonderfully blessed. Rev H. S. Bouma, the first minister after the schism, approached his work with characteristic calmness and determination. Great unity was found in those years. By July 1929, the congregation had grown enough to need two ministers, and continued to grow and strengthen. When the time came to appoint a third minister, there was great interest from the congregation.

It was a wonderful meeting, when the church met to choose a new minister. The congregation had gathered in the Schinkel Church in unusually large numbers. The mood was tense and nobody was sure of the outcome. In the end, the majority of the votes were for Dr K Sietsma.

Everyone hoped and prayed that their preferred candidate would accept the position, and late in the evening of 17 Feb 1934, their hopes and prayers were answered.

The induction service took place on Pentecost Sunday, 20th May, led by Reverend H. S. Bouma. The following Wednesday, Kees delivered his first sermon at the Raphaëlplein Church in South Amsterdam.

Kees’ first sermon

We can still remember him as he first appeared at the pulpit in the crowded church. A man appeared before the congregation, an man full of earnestness and passion. Though relatively young, he carried himself with notable maturity. His face initially appeared stern, but was softened by a friendliness that shone through his bright, engaging eyes.

For his inaugural sermon, he chose a passage from 1 Corinthians 12:3: “Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God can say, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.”

His opening words to the congregation were particularly memorable:

“It’s quite a unique situation when a Servant of the Word joins a new congregation and delivers his first sermon. Even when it’s clear that his intention is to present the complete truth of God’s revelation and nothing else, there’s still that sense of anticipation about how things will unfold. Of course, theirs will be just one of many voices, one of many instruments that God uses to share the richness of His mercy through Jesus Christ. But even under one Lord, there are many different ministries, and even with one Spirit, there are many different gifts.”

“People naturally expect to hear a programme, a proclamation of how they will approach their role, where they will place their emphasis, how they’ll view both the congregation and our current times.”

“And if one has just experienced Pentecost!17 Then this question becomes even more pressing. Will this preacher only objectively present the truth to the congregation, or will he also talk to their emotions, say something to the moved hearts of the listeners? Will he only preach the facts of salvation and the data of revelation, will he only let the Scripture speak according to what it literally says? Or will it also be noticeable that the Spirit of Pentecost has worked and is working in his heart: will we be refreshed by the feeling that he himself has a part in it? And will that give warmth and color, bloom and blossom to what he says? Will what the Spirit says to the churches be added to the painting of what the Lord has revealed?”

“I’m not giving you a program today. I have no program; I only have to proclaim to you, during all the time that I will spend in your midst, even if it is a whole lifetime, what the Lord has revealed and what the Spirit says to the congregation. And these are the same thing18 - which can affect the heart and therefore the mind and the emotion, the will and the feeling of man - namely the Word of God.”

“But in order to show you that this Word has the answer to the questions posed, that it is not one-sided but multifaceted, that it dominates and encompasses the entire life of the congregation, that you should say not ‘either-or’ but ‘both’, I chose the text that was read to you and want to speak to you about: Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the church.”

That was not a program, but it was a principled start of the ministry of the Word, in which a clear position was taken and in which lines were clearly drawn for the future. Further in the rest of the inaugural sermon there was more evidence of this. With great sharpness, using Word and Spirit, a dividing line was drawn between the church of Christ and the World:

“The world glorifies itself, upholds itself, preaches itself. But Jesus came to seek and save what was lost. Jesus convinces the lost in of their need. Jesus - His whole Name preaches it - only has meaning and is only recognised in reality, for those who are lost. And that’s why Jew and Greek19, to whom the cross is a stumbling block and foolishness, say: Anathema20 Jesus, cursed be He.”

“And who can say: Jesus the Lord, Jesus is King of the universe? Who can say: Jesus, the Man of Sorrows is the Son of God; the mortal on the cross is the Immortal in glory; the cursed is the Blessed, the Most Glorious Son of God is given in the one whom we would have rejected, if we had looked at Him?

One can only say that if one has learned to speak by the Spirit of God. No one says that of themselves; it is the first thing one says when the Spirit of God, when the Holy Spirit renews and changes the heart.”

“But whoever says that, also has the Spirit. There are differences, many differences. Between Paul and the Corinthians, between Peter and the most hesitant among you. But you all say together, like a shout of jubilation: Jesus, the Lord. So you are a Pentecost congregation, so you have the Holy Spirit.”

“That’s what we want to deal with. Here we have a subject which will not be exhausted, even if I stay a lifetime in your midst, which you won’t get tired of listening to: to make it clear that there are two worlds, separated by a deep chasm: the unbelieving community and the Pentecost community. And that you can characterise these two worlds with their life motto: ‘Anathema Jesus’20 and ‘Jesus the Lord’.”

Just as clearly, this sermon then brought to light the pure touchstone:

“Do you understand what we are saying? You too will always be faced with the dilemma, inevitably as a touchstone for your life, to what extent you live from the Spirit of God, to what extent you are a Pentecost community: Jesus the Lord, or Anathema Jesus. With every step you take, in your civic and political and spiritual life.”

Finally, the preacher brought from his text the “wonderful harmony and interaction… in the church of Christ, which is at once the church of the Spirit, the church of Pentecost, and the harmony between Jesus and the Spirit”. From the very beginning of his ministry, Kees held on to the highness and glory of God’s work and highlighted it, but on the other hand he also knew how to both stimulate and comfort the little ones, the simple ones in God’s church.

In the congregation and in the Church Council and other colleagues, this inaugural sermon raised the highest expectations and these were not to be disappointed.

Kees the minister

Kees Sietsma portrait

Kees was and remained a fresh preacher; a man who had a great appeal for the people of modern times, and yet refused to burn incense on any altar of the gods of the time. But he did know how to sympathise with people in trouble, and no less with the church of the Lord in its struggle, because he loved it so much.

He was a preacher who undoubtedly also had his shortcomings and deficiencies, and knew that very well about himself, but time and again the congregation was captivated, because he kept stepping back to let his Sender come to the fore, to make Jesus Christ sparkle before the eyes of the believers in all His richness, to let God’s Word speak about the life of this poor world and about the life calling of Christ’s redeemed people.

Kees was a thinker, but in the pulpit even more a comforter than a thinker, a good pastoral carer also in the preaching service. Proof of this can be found in the seven sermons from the book of Job, which he published under the title: “The Self-Justification of God”. These sermons have the great merit that they are readable; that even those who have not heard the sermons can follow the preacher with enjoyment and edification. In these sermons is found a peace for lives that often lack peace and comfort for those who seek the only comfort in life and death. Jesus Christ is proclaimed to sinners; man has his own greatness broken, and is brought to face the greatness of Christ and led to worship of Him who rules all.

It is remarkable that among these 7 sermons from the book of Job, one is about Lord’s Day 10 of the catechism21 (God’s providence). This is not entirely justified. Kees often did this - preaching about a chapter of Scripture as though it was a catechism teaching. He was, however, quite capable of providing a fascinating exposition of parts of Reformed truth. He loved that truth and liked to teach it to people. In him, besides a good pastoral carer and preacher, there was a good teacher.

Kees also catechised22 with pleasure. He once told me: “It’s probably the same for you, I can never finish on time.” Indeed, once Kees got started in response to a question or an objection, he couldn’t finish quickly, his answer was elaborate and full. He always saw many more sides to a question than the questioner did, and he loved to explore a subject fully.

He shaped the thinking of many people, seeking with intense interest to influence their thinking and living from the gospel of Christ. He could not bear it when someone criticised the catechism. He got highly agitated when defending against the idea that everything in the church was too formal, and that one could find more salvation at a revival meeting like the Buchman movement.23 He fought back against such ideas decisively; he put it strongly — entirely in accordance with his inaugural sermon — that no Christian had any right to despise the simple work in God’s congregation; that it was a denial of the work of the Holy Spirit to carelessly pass by the confession of faith by the young members and talk about all kinds of revivals and house parties with so much fuss. Kees did not participate in any glorification of ecclesiastical looseness, and contradictions between Jesus and the Spirit. He saw the harmony between Word and Spirit, and he experienced through the Spirit what he confessed within the Church and what he did within the Church.

He could preach so beautifully in preparation for the Holy Communion. He did that with particular love, as he would tell us. He was at his peak during the preparation. Then the beauty of Christ shone, he demanded decisiveness and faithfulness, but he also knew how to entice as well as lead. He did this so lovingly and so well, because the Lord had taught him so well through His Word to understand God’s congregation in its uniqueness, in its life, in its weakness and guilt also, because he saw the church of God as the work of the Lord, in which Jesus and the Spirit were in full harmony.

Needless to say, people also sought Kees as a counsellor. In his district he was faithful, hard-working and compassionate. His advice was eagerly sought - I will speak later about this in relation to the war period. This dedicated man was at ease visiting the sick. He was as happy to visit the homes of the poor as the homes of the intellectuals and the well off, though he sought out the latter more than he avoided them.

Part of the work of ministers of the Word also lies in the Church Council and its committees, often a laborious part. Kees never shirked this duty, even in Amsterdam through the heat of summer and the cold of winter. He didn’t speak much, but once he stood up - he liked to speak standing even in the Church Council - he really made himself heard, spoke with speed and urgency and sometimes people had to get out of his way, because of the force of his argument.

He could tell the truth forcefully, didn’t shy away from a sharp word in debate, but when the meeting was closed and matters had been settled, it turned out that this sharp debater was the same friend as before. He also knew how to cooperate, he didn’t claim to know it all, and could easily accept minor decisions even if he didn’t fully agree. Kees was an excellent colleague, who remained entirely himself and yet gladly listened to others and considered their perspective. He was not at all sentimental, but sensitive; sensitive to colleagues and friends.

Kees the writer

Kees did not just have talents of teaching and preaching; he was a good writer, and in Amsterdam became an excellent one. The modest “Kerkbode”24 of Amsterdam-South benefited from his writing talent. For six moths he took turns writing the meditations, fresh and lively pieces with clear scripture exposition. He always showed empathy with the congregation, with the diaconal25 and other official concerns of a congregation on the edge of a large city. But he was particularly noticeable that he was skilled in writing follow-up articles, which in a simple way explained dogmatic and ethical issues for the congregation. He was strong in theological expositions; even when he wrote about “burning issues”, he avoided polemics, which usually don’t bear much fruit. Even in such treatises, the pastor and teacher remained in charge.

In April 1941, his series on “God’s sovereignty and Man’s responsibility”26 appeared in booklet form. This calm discussion of an always topical question, which can be painfully pressing at moments in our lives, was helpful through clear scriptural exposition and simple piety. It was a piece that helped those who were willing to listen. It is no wonder then that this booklet saw a second printing.

To capture the essence of this writing, and of Kees’ writing in the area, we will quote from its conclusion, in which he points to the coherence between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, a cohesion rather than a contradiction.

God’s Sovereignty and Human responsibility conclusion

“Not an either-or, but a both-and.”27

“Not: God directs my life and God controls everything, so I can do nothing.”

“And much less: I can and must work and bear my responsibility, so God does not control my life; God only intervenes where I can’t go on”

“But: God is the Sovereign, the All-powerful, the Free and Mighty, the only Decisive One. I am human, created by Him and called by Him and taken into service by Him; so I work under His supreme authority, completely dependent and completely supported, and thus completely responsible and thus completely active.”

“If I could separate myself from God for a moment in the natural world, I would not exist; and if I did not go on, it would still go on, for He rules all things.”

“If I could separate myself from God for a moment in the spiritual realm, I would not exist, neither before God’s judgment, nor in the life according to the spirit. For I have been called into existence and held by Him, I work and believe and confess and am what I am.”

“And what I am and do and will and can and must is not a limitation of God’s sovereignty, but a glorification of it, for He is the source of my sense and life.”

“This is an enormous inspiration to work, to work in daily life with its many complexities, objections and difficulties. For this life is not sovereign and can therefore never dominate me, crush me and make my work meaningless. For the Lord God, who is the Lord of all my life, gives meaning to my work.”

“And at the same time this life is not a mechanistic, machine-like life without coherence, logical flow and fruitful28 activity of people. This life, in God’s hand, is life working and struggling and hastening towards the end.”

“In this life, the course and the end are not determined by the opposing and destructive factors, but beginning and progress and end are all placed in the service of God, even all that which I regret and mourn”

“This is also an enormous power for calm, for peace, for certainty.”

“For in the midst of all the turmoil and twists and turns of human life, to which I am bound by a thousand ties, I am still carried by the hand of God.”

“That does not mean that events in the world cannot take from me what I want, or bring about what I would like to avoid. But whatever happens to me, comes from the hand of God, and not from people who are independent of and separate from God.”

“This does not mean that in life’s events I am just under God’s total control, and thus lack independence, but much more that in everything I am watched over and guided by the Lord as His beloved child, as His special property, regarded and cared for with His favor and in His grace, for Christ’s sake.”

“Even in times like ours, especially in times like ours, this sovereignty of God still governs human activity, (though this doesn’t free them from responsibility). What a source of indescribable comfort and support”

“This is also an enormous inspiration to work on the things of God’s Kingdom in the spiritual world, where I (in accordance with God’s commands) cooperate in the enduring, ruling, continuing and triumphing in the world.”

“Here again we have two sides. So that I pray my prayers and speak my words and do my deeds with great joy, so that my working and watching, my building and caring, is engaged and included in God’s work (still with its own work and value), because it leads to the fulfilment of His ends and purposes.”

“And so I view the course of my life with peace and confidence, trusting in the knowledge that in the end only the Kingdom of God remains; and thus, against all appearances, my standing in the service of God is a standing on the side of victory, as Christ has already won the victory, and history serves no other purpose than to work out and bring to completion this victory.”

“And finally I stand in my place for all time and eternity, grounded in God’s faithfulness and God’s certainties, with all that is in me and around me. And nothing , not even my own errors and mistakes, can take that away, least of all the violent acts of the evil one and of all who serve him.”

“While I, in all these things, always actively and responsibly and with great joy in faith and love, struggle against sin, until I am perfected by Him, who teaches me and makes me work and thus gives me the temporal and eternal salvation of being a co-worker of God towards the perfection of my joy, namely of the joy of my King and Christ.”

“From Him and through Him and to Him are all things, even the responsibility of man and his conscious and active life in all facets and relationships.”

“To Him be the glory in Christ Jesus for all eternity. Amen.”

It is deeply moving now, in retrospect, when we know about his suffering and the end of his life, to read this piece again. Kees himself however comforts us and teaches us to bow and to unite ourselves with God’s holy will.

In this piece we quoted, he not only wrote out the Word of God, but he also wrote out himself, and his believing heart. We understand his busy life, his sacrifice in God’s Name and cause as a gift, as a work of the Lord.

Other writing

As well the local Kerkbode24, he also wrote serialised articles in “De Bazuin”.29 His book “The Idea of Office” was collected from both journals together, after the war ended.

Kees contributed to many other periodicals: his articles appeared in “De Standaard” (The Standard)30, “De Stuwdam” (The Dam), in the evangelical periodical “Horizon”, while for some time he wrote the chronicle in the “Gereformeerd Theologisch Tidschrift” (Reformed Theological Journal). He also delivered a remarkable and readable article in the brochure “The unity of the Churches” in 1941. Prof. Dr J. Severijn and Prof. L. H. van der Meiden wrote in it about the Reformed Church and The Christian Reformed Church and unity, while Kees wrote about “The Reformed Churches and unity”.

In the anxious time of war, it was very understandable that that people began to reflect on unity. Yet for the writer it was first and foremost: “Whatever happens, the commandments of the Lord and the demands of the Word come first.” On that basis he made his detailed and calm plea, which deserves re-reading. (although the circumstances in the Reformed Churches have changed)

When the press in the Netherlands was freed from enemy pressure, two more pieces of his writing were found - one a commentary on the book of Job in the series “De Bijbel toegelicht voor het Nederlandsche volk” (“The Bible Explained for the Dutch People”), as well as a brochure “Het gezin in de Branding” (“The Family in Crisis”).

When you add to this the series of writings Kees wrote, about his work in evangelising among intellectuals and the wealthy; a short treatise on “De wedergeboorte” (“Regeneration”) (in the series by the publisher S. J. P. Bakker) and a course on “Gereformeerde Geloofsleer” (“Reformed Doctrine of Faith”) for the nurses of the Juliana Hospital, one will have to agree that in the less than eight years Kees worked in Amsterdam, his writing took off.

Evangelism in Amsterdam

We must say a little more about his evangelisation work; that was a separate chapter in his ministry. He spoke and wrote of it with great love and much talent.

He did feel for evangelism; he welcomed an appointment to the “Home visits and literature distribution” department and acted as its chairman; became a member of the Evangelisation Committee, but then found a field which would use all his strength. Everything else gave way to that. This was the work with intellectuals and the wealthy.

The work with intellectuals and the better off31 had been much discussed in the Netherlands, but not put into practice with much success. In Amsterdam-South, under Kees’ leadership, a committee “Levensvragen” (Life questions) now appeared, with an eminent membership, not least of whom was Mr. A. Windig who put in great effort and sacrifices.

That work started, went well, grew and kept growing. Several times I heard him tell about it, simply, modestly, but with great love and gratitude. He would just say: “we did it like this, that we found it worked well, but it was really more luck than wisdom.”

They had in a circuitous way managed to collect names and addresses of educated and better-off people, who might be expected to be initially interested in hearing the gospel, or who might be willing to join a study group.

Meetings were arranged, in which men of note and talent spoke in a simple way of faith in Christ and of His meaning in their life. It turned out that people were willing to attend these closed meetings and Kees knew how to get people talking.

He also spoke there himself, but was above all an eminent chairman for such evenings. He would lead the debate, kept it at a high level, and made sure it was a gripping discussion for the listeners. The ensuing discussion was often as important and influential as the lecture itself.

Some lectures were held with a larger audience, and people who were interested could join a follow-up course.

Kees led many of these courses. He worked on them with great earnestness and love, struggled along with the people on the course, and was of eternal blessing to many of them.

To encourage them and many others back to Bible reading and understanding, he wrote: “How do I read the Bible, a word to all who seek God.” This booklet has been distributed to thousands of people, not only to Christian families, but also to houses where the Bible was gathering dust or was entirely lacking.

Much richer still are the books containing the courses he gave: “Our Common Christian Faith”, “The Christian Life”, “The Kingdom of God”. Beautifully published in modern typography, with good and fluent style, written with passion and inspiration, calmly arguing and yet gripping, moving here and there, these books form a trilogy that will retain its significance for the church for many years to come, and as evangelism literature of the first rank.

How did he dare? How could Kees handle this work so well? Firstly, because of his faith in the living God, his devoted Christian life, and his zeal for the Kingdom of God. But further, he was helped by his peculiar, loving and yet penetrating understanding of the circles he sought to reach with the Gospel.

He wrote of this in the beginning of “The Christian Life” with these words: “The life of modern man is uncertain and rudderless to the highest degree; this is sad. But he feels something of it, he doesn’t deny it, and this is a reason for hope”.

What an optimist this serious man was!

He dared to speak to these modern people and to confess and testify to them. He was then calmly resolute and present them with a choice. He did this from the beginning.

In a first meeting to discuss the Christian faith he would simply say, among other things:

“I believe in God.”

“And then, of course, it comes down to the truths that faith reveals about this God, and about what it says to us about God. It not true that the content of your faith isn’t as important as having faith - the content does matter. But it it’s not about faith, but about God.”

“Faith is not just an attitude, but is above all a relationship, a relationship to the living, real, loving, acting God; to that God who reveals Himself - otherwise I could not believe in Him myself - and who is exactly as He reveals Himself to be.”

“And the truthfulness of ‘I believe’ depends on the real faith relationship to the true and real God, not to a fantasy product that I call God. The latter relationship is one of unbelief, no different in principle from if I were to deny the existence of God.”

“God Himself of course decrees the content of our faith, i.e. the content of what I now confess about Him, so that I will believe in Him alone. Anything else would be idolatry. Idolatry is runaway faith, derailed faith, faith that defines its own content; that seeks compensation for inner emptiness and really wants to find it itself, even if it expresses itself in Christian terms.”

“There is no middle way. We can believe in God or reject Him. And I do the latter even if I replace Him with a God of my own invention; if I do not let God define the content of my faith. One cannot haggle here, and replace God with: my conscience, my inner voice, my conviction.

God Himself says who He is and what it means to believe in Him, otherwise I can’t believe in God because I don’t know who God is. It is impossible to make a distinction between God and His testimony about himself - to try to accept God yet deny or even correct that testimony is self-deception, is impossible and fatal.”

That is strong language for an evangelism meeting, but that’s how it should be. Kees spoke with wisdom and love, but rightly refused to allow any dilution of the method.

If you want to see how calmly he kept his own course, then you should re-read the piece: “I believe in one holy catholic Christian Church”.32

I must quote from it. It begins:

“I believe: the Church, that it exists.”

“That is, I believe that the work of Christ and of the Holy Spirit has borne fruit and will bear fruit and that this work has its effect in the gathering together of believers, in the life and existence of the Church, which is the people and the congregation of Christ, the gathering and belonging together of Christian believers.”

“To deny the Church would be to deny Christ’s work, would be to deny the fruitful nature of Jesus’ suffering and dying and conquering; would also be to deny the work of the Holy Spirit. It would be claiming that God’s Spirit can work on earth but still be fruitless. Even if I saw no evidence of a Church or any life of faith on earth, I would still have to say ‘I believe in a Church’ because it is one of our core statements of faith.”

After this Church has been confessed in its unity, holiness and catholicity33 and has been presented as a piece of faith on all sides, and the tasks and signs of the Church have been explained, it’s struggles and danger are also mentioned. Again Kees does not hesitate to discuss these matters in an evangelism meeting. Just one more quote from that discussion:

“This battle, and many other battles in Christianity have been fought, not between the World and the Church, nor between believers and unbelievers, but between one believer and another, between groups of believers with different views and understandings of faith. Because of this struggle, and all kinds of separatist tendencies, the unhelpful and sinful situation has arisen, that the Church of Christ on earth is not one institution but many, all of which view themselves as the Church of Christ”.

“Therefore in any one place, several Church institutions call themselves the Church of Christ. This is an abomination and a sin against the one catholic33 Christian Church and against the commandment of Christ that is contained in his prayer: ‘That all may be one!’”

“This can never be right. You cannot excuse it by saying that these different Churches express human diversity, because this diversity should be expressed within one Church of Christ, not by breaking it apart. You also can’t explain it by saying that your own Church is the only true Church of Christ, and that the other organisations are not churches, but merely sects and human associations, because that denies the work of the Spirit and the truth of the Word in these other churches.

“If there exists an institution where the preaching of the Word, the administration of the sacraments, the oversight and discipline and nurturing of the believers, are not absent or unrecognisable - then we must recognise that the Church is still there; as well as a community of believers and the office34 of leadership.”

“But as well as legitimate Churches there definitely are illegitimate Churches. Christ’s church displays such schisms16, which sadden all true children of God.”

“It doen’t help to obscure the real issue. We can’t say ‘Oh, it doesn’t matter - as long as you believe in Christ, it doesn’t matter which Church you belong to’. That is not true. Everything matters. In everything, you have to obey Christ, including in the membership of the true Church.”

The article continues; and the book was followed over the years by several books which have already been mentioned. We can’t follow them all here - and it’s not necessary, as we only need to characterise this part of Kees’ work. We constantly feel how much trust he enjoyed in this circle of his students, as he could speak out completely and cover a wide range of issues without losing his audience. For many of them he had become their counselor and advisor on the path of life.

So Kees was busy in Amsterdam, fully involved in all kinds of work. He gave himself completely and did not spare himself; he carried the congregation in his heart and carried God’s truth to the outside world. Expectations were high, and we hoped that he would become an Academy preacher35 for the Reformed Churches of Amsterdam, and so much more.

Then the war overtook him and us.

3. Kees in the war

The days of May 1940, those short, tense days full of rumour, unrest and noise, had Pentecost in their midst. The church of Amsterdam-South could still have services, though not without disturbance.

It was hard to commemorate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in these circumstances, but it was also a great consolation. The Spirit of Christ could not be resisted, even by modern warfare. There was still a place and a task for Christ’s Church, and her work is never without hope, even in the midst of suffering. That Pentecost, in the midst of war, was like a prophecy: God’s Word stands firm forever and will not budge an inch.

When the Netherlands surrendered to the Germans36, it was a blow which was almost too hard to bear. In many homes, parents and children wept together from the humiliation and the disgrace to Queen and country.

Kees could hardly believe it. When I called him and told him, he didn’t want to accept it at first. “But, what about our water line?37 We shouldn’t have made such a big deal about them.” This ex-army man had memories from his time in service - he couldn’t easily resign himself to capitulation.

But it had to be be accepted, and Kees was not a man to fret and hang his head. “We must go to work,” he said, “and hard work is the best thing for us.”

He immediately took a bold stance. He did not lose sight of caution; he understood that nothing could be gained by provocation, but he wasn’t going to be intimidated by a display of power and noise of the Germans.

His sermons remained faithful proclamations of the gospel, faithful in the sense that the victory, the kingdom and the justice of Christ were highlighted just as clearly as before. Obedience to God’s commandments was needed in every area of life, and this was a time to have faith in Christ. He practiced this faithfulness himself, especially in constant prayers for the Queen and her family and counselors, and for the liberation of the fatherland.

The people were full of questions, and they wanted speedy answers. Kees took these questions to heart, and treated them very seriously. He also took the difficulties and dangers of the day very seriously - so he often consulted his colleagues before giving a definitive answer.

This time brought a certain growth in maturity for Kees, as it did for all who struggled with the early years of the occupation. In the beginning it was still possible to take the land war regulations38 seriously, and people expected that the enemy would abide by international regulations. This was often discussed at the beginning of the occupation. But soon one violation after another occurred, until it was obvious that the enemy were trampling on law and order, and acting with arbitrary brutality. This provoked a sharper attitude in Kees, and people who sought his advice noticed this.

Full of courage, Kees worked to spiritually support the resistance39, and he quite often had “dangerous” conversations. His eyes would sparkle at this, and his whole face and posture showed his intense interest. His words and advice remained pious and prudent. He was through and through a man, a patriot, someone you could count on, and a faithful pastor.

He inspired and encouraged wherever he could, on the pulpit, in the church council and in personal conversations. He constantly warned that we should not show a sad face to the “hypocrites” - as he mockingly called the enemy police.

Discouragement and despair were not mindsets he would tolerate. I remember someone told him that I had preached a gloomy sermon in the Raphaël Square Church (I can’t remember if this was true). He took me to task: “You shouldn’t do that - you can’t be gloomy on the pulpit, it’s the last thing people need in these times, and there’s no need for it - there is enough courage in God’s Word for everyone”

It was a pleasure to hear his reprimand, and his company strengthened me. He lost neither his vigour nor his cheerfulness, although he saw more and more clearly that things were getting sharper, and would end up in fierce resistance. Once he said to me: “just think about it, you might get to the point of shooting them with a machine gun to get rid of them”

How he dedicated himself to the loving support of his suffering brethren became very clear in the trial of Mr C. van Rij. The whole congregation were praying for this, especially as several men from our church were involved. The lives of the “defendants” were very seriously threatened.

When the main session of the Marinekriegsgericht40 came to hear the case, Kees went to The Hague and managed to gain admission to the trial. He then offered much support to the prisoners and their relatives. At first the sentences were milder than expected (although later they were aggravated on orders from higher authorities). He stayed that evening at the house of Mrs. Van Rij and spoke to the family, to tell them how faithful the Lord had been, who watched over husbands and fathers. We should never forget that and we should thank and honour Him for it. Then he led them in prayer.

Those who witnessed this saw the way this servant of Christ understood his task in wartime. Little did we suspect that it would not be long before we would be grievously concerned about Kees himself and we would finally have to part from him.

Kees’ final service

On Saturday evening, January 31, 1942, I was in a meeting of the Evangelisation Committee when we were interrupted by a telephone call. A woman had read in the Kerkbode24 that there would be a collection for the Jewish Mission the following day, and warned me that the attention of the Sicherheitsdienst41 had been drawn, and they would want to prevent the collection. I took note of this message, but it was evident to me that a scheduled collection could not be canceled due to such a threat. Kees was also informed of this warning by a member of the Evangelisation Committee and warned that there would probably be spies attending the service.

That morning Kees preached about the temptation of Christ in the wilderness, especially about the temptation of power. I had the privilege of being in the audience. The preaching was scriptural and full of clarity, but it was in no way provocative or imprudent. The preacher brought Christ into light in his holy, principled struggle with Satan. He also made it clear that Satan still tempts people with power, and seduces them with the kingdoms of the earth.

The application of this text was obvious: those who are of Christ have to resist the temptation of power.

In this service, the collection for the Jewish Mission was also held, and prayers commemorated the birthday of Princess Beatrix. All this was done, as might be expected of a faithful man, but not a word too much was said about it.

After the service I spoke to Kees for the last time. He immediately told me there had probably been spies in the church. I knew this, and we spoke briefly about the warning regarding the collection; he remained of the opinion that it should not have been cancelled despite the threats.

Arrest and trial

On the following Monday, February 2 1942, Kees was arrested at home by two men from the Sicherheitsdienst41 and taken to the “Euterpestraat”42. The coetus43 of ministers meeting, where he was expected to attend, was told of his arrest - and it caused great consternation and indignation. No less so in the congregation, where there was much agitation and great sorrow.

Professor Dr G. J. Sizoo, after attempting to find out the actual charges against this worthy preacher, was told of three charges:

  1. Collection of goods for the Jews 44
  2. Prayer for the Royal Family
  3. Principled opposition of National Socialism45.

Regarding the first point, it was very easy to show that that was an outright lie, and this charge was later dropped, even though it was the initial reason for his arrest.

Little attention was also paid to the second point.

The third point revolved around the sermon. During the interrogation, Kees was asked whether the “current temptation of power” could also be found in National Socialism45.

Kees said there were many possibilities - the temptation of power could lie in National Socialism, although it also appeared in other forms as well.

In Amersfoort, Kees learned from the transcripts that it was this statement that was held against him, and this was why he would be sent to the concentration camp. But this was yet to come.

From the “Euterpestraat”42, Kees was transferred to a detention centre on Weteringschans, and was locked in a cell containing Rev. M. Hinloopen and Rev. H. Vogel. One of the first signs of life his wife received was a scribble on the label of his laundry package, which read “Acts 5:41.”

In that text of Acts it says: “The apostles left the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer disgrace for Jesus’ name.”

So we know his attitude towards his suffering. Many a good moment was experienced by the three ministers in that cell. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t very difficult, especially for Kees, who was ill for some time.

In those days, while he was in prison, I visited a detainee of the Dutch justice system in the same house of detention. I was not allowed access to Kees. I stood in the doorway between the main prison and the corridor containing the lawyers’ rooms, and I counted out which cell should contain Kees. The section for political prisoners was closed off with large iron gates, from ceiling to floor, mounted with a large SS sign. There he was locked up, like a major criminal, this man for whom the congregation was praying, and who they loved like a brother.

What guilt the enemy brought upon themselves, to torment and deport such men from our people and from God’s church, despite their complete innocence. We couldn’t understand it. I could visit a common criminal, but I could only look at his closed cell door from afar. It was terrible to have to leave again, without being able to do anything for him.

Mrs Sietsma was allowed to visit him in the House of Detention. How she and many other women suffered, at the gates and in the cells of our prisons. She brought back a message for Reverend Bouma and me: “Tell my colleagues that the Word of God remains true under all circumstances.” He didn’t forget us, and continued to comfort and encourage us, even from prison.

Deportation

Finally, he was taken away - they had the ‘delicacy’ of taking him away on Ascension Day of all days. He was taken in a prisoner transport van to the prison in Amstelveenseweg, where others were taken on board; from there he was taken - past the eyes of the distraught churchgoers on their way to the Ascension Day service - to Central Station, and thence to Amersfoort.

What must have gone through his soul on this Ascension Day? Much suffering, yes, very much; but also much comfort, as the Lord Christ gives to those who suffer for His Name and Cause.

Conditions in the Amersfoort camp were terrible; I need not go into details. But Kees’ strength of spirit was remarkable. Spiritually, he remained unbroken, encouraging many of his imprisoned colleagues. He was full of plans for the future; he did not give up hope; but was preparing himself and other ministers for the task of the Church after liberation from the Germans. He lived by God’s Word and continued to faithfully proclaim it to anyone within his reach.

Finally, it became clear to him that he would be deported to Germany, and he understood what that could mean - that he would never see his wife, children, or congregation again. “Then I won’t be coming home again” he said to a colleague.

The journey to the concentration camp in Germany was a horror in itself. Many camps and prisons served as stopping points on this journey, and it took three full weeks to get to Dachau. But Kees remained unchanged. Locked in a prison, in one city on this journey, they were under a bombing raid, and his fellow prisoners were extremely anxious. One of them, who didn’t know Kees previously, later recounted this tale: Kees spoke to them of Psalm 91:1: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Under this ministry of the Word, calm returned to the cell.

Dachau gatehouse with sign 'Arbeit Macht Frie' or 'Work sets you free'

He remained a preacher even in the last camp, the dreaded Dachau, where there was suffering, hunger and deprivation. 46 He ended up in a section for the ill and unable to work prisoners lived. It was so bad, nobody was surprised when someone collapsed - that happened regularly. People didn’t have to work there, but suffering abounded. Even in this place Kees offered the comfort of the Word of God until he was no longer able to. He caught dysentery, and after a while collapsed and died. Then the victory was his - he ascended to heaven and inherited the Kingdom of God.

Kees died on 7th September 1942. 47 On Monday, September 14, Mrs. Sietsma received the news.

Newspaper death notice

We were devastated. The news came in during the catechism classes, which were immediately cancelled. His friends and colleagues gathered at his wife’s home. Mrs. Sietsma was overcome with grief, as were four of his children. It was terrible.

Who would not weep! This gifted man is missed by all who knew him - most acutely and most painfully by his family. But also in the whole congregation, and all the work that he left behind; we miss him everywhere and always will.

But now we want to emulate his example in our remembrance and turn our hearts to God. The family’s obituary contain these words: “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” God has made the light shine in Kees, the light of His Word, the light of Christ, the light of His Spirit.

Him, whom we loved so much, we must miss, but we never have to miss our faithful God. There is comfort in this rich Christian life, in this faithful man and father, in this noble friend and shepherd of the Lord’s congregation. They may have imprisoned him, but he was one of the truly free, who now and in the future have a strength that defies all uncertainty. Their suffering ends, and transcends into the glory promised by God.

Once more we let him speak the words of comfort. He wrote the following about faith in Jesus Christ:

“Christ Jesus the Lord, is the hope and comfort for all who truly want to love God, of all who apprach God through Him. Without Him we cannot find God. In Him God becomes the Father of all who believe; there is no distinction between his children. The only distinction in the world that matters is that between those who reject Him and those who believe in Him, between those who do not know God, and those who have found their Lord in Christ.”

“The latter are the truly free, for the Son has set them free. They have found themselves, through losing themselves and then being saved. They truly have, now and in the future, a strength that defies all uncertainty. They can withstand the suffering, the sorrows, the uncertainty and the destruction of this world. They are citizens of the eternal Kingdom, which is build in Heaven and is their destiny in Heaven, and which never perishes.” 48

Included in these truly free peoples was Dr Kornelis Sietsma, in his life and in his death. He was Christ’s. And shares His glory.

The enemy has lost and Jesus Christ has won.

God’s Word stands firm forever!

Translation notes

Translation by Kornelis Sietsma (grandson of Dr Sietsma), October 2024.

This is a combination of Arie Sietsma’s translation from 1996, with modern automated translations using Large Language Models in 2024. I also checked some tricky passages with Dutch-speaking friends.

I have made some changes to make things a bit more readable for a modern audience, but attempted to be authentic to the meaning and the intended idioms of the original. One change is that throughout the original referred to Kees as “Sietsma” or “Dr Sietsma” - in most cases I have used “Kees” as this was written by a friend of his, and in modern English it feels a bit impersonal to refer to someone entirely by their surname.

I also broke up some long paragraphs and added titles to make navigating this fairly dense document a bit easier.

Death notice

The Death notice shown above translates as:

Deceased: in Deutschland passed away on 7 August 1932, our beloved Husband and Father, Dr Kornelis Sietsma, formerly minister at the Reformed Church of Amsterdam South. He lived for 45 years.

“The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day” (Proverbs 4:18)

J Sietsma-Dekker, Hein, Anton, Greta, Kornelis, Arie

  1. “Kees” is a common nickname for Kornelis, pronounced like the English word “case” ↩

  2. Smallingerland is a municipality in the province of Friesland, Netherlands ↩

  3. The church reformation of 1834 likely refers to the 1834 Dutch Reformed Church split ↩

  4. “Staats-examen” - the “state exam” - was an alternative route to university admission for those who didn’t attend gymnasiam. ↩

  5. The Netherlands remained neutral during World War I, the army was mobilised to deter any violation of neutrality. ↩

  6. ’s-Hertogenbosch is a city in North Brabant, Netherlands. The “‘s” is because the name is a contraction of the archaic “des Hertogen bosch” - it is commonly known as “Den Bosch” ↩

  7. The Propaedeutic Exam is a preliminary examination in Dutch higher education ↩

  8. Arie notes: The preparatory exam qualified a minister for a call and therefore for an income. Ministers had been known to wait for years to get married in the absence of obtaining a call ↩

  9. Eindhoven was growing rapidly in the early 20th century due to the presence of large industries such as Philips ↩

  10. The Free University (Vrije Universiteit) is a major research university in Amsterdam, founded on Reformed principles. ↩

  11. Adolf von Harnack was a influential German Lutheran theologian and church historian of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ↩

  12. “Dogma” here refers to the principles of Christianity - Harnack wrote extensively about the history of church doctrine from the 4th Century to the present day ↩

  13. A number of Reformed church terms are mentioned here - “Classis” is a regional body consisting of representatives from local churches. The “Particular Synod” is a regional synod, while the “General Synod” is the national governing body of the church. “Church Visitors” were experienced pastors who visited other congregations to offer advice. ↩

  14. The Church Council is also called the Session elsewhere in this text ↩

  15. In 1926 a group split from the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (GKN) over biblical interpretation. This must have made quite a stir - it even featured in the New York Times ↩

  16. The Dutch Reformed churches sadly have had a lot of schisms over the years - see the wikipedia page for the Reformed churches for an overview. ↩ ↩2

  17. Note that Pentecost in the bible was when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles of Jesus - a time of spiritual awakening ↩

  18. KS: my reading of this passage is that he is saying “there are not two topics, Truth from the Lord vs Emotions from the Spirit, these are the same thing” ↩

  19. The phrase “Jew and Greek” is a reference to Galatians 3:28 in the Bible “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. So here it does not refer to literal Jews and Greeks, but to all people who are not saved Christians. ↩

  20. “Anathema” is a term meaning “accursed” or “set apart for evil,” often used in religious contexts. ↩ ↩2

  21. This refers to the Heidelberg Catechism, used for teaching Reformed Church doctrine ↩

  22. To “catechize” is to teach, usually religion, by means of questions and answers ↩

  23. Frank Buchman was an American Lutheran popular preacher who formed various Christan revival groups in the 1920s and 30s ↩

  24. The “Kerkbode” or “Church Herald” was the Church newsletter ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  25. “Diaconal” refers to the work of deacons, church officers focused on practical service and care for the needy. ↩

  26. The book’s original title was “Goddelijke soevereiniteit en menselijke verantwoordelijkheid” ↩

  27. The phrase “both-and” (én-én in Dutch) is used to emphasise the complementary nature of two concepts, as opposed to “either-or” thinking. ↩

  28. The term “fruit-bearing” (vruchtdragende) is often used in Christian contexts to describe productive or effective spiritual life. ↩

  29. Literally “The Trumpet” - probably a church periodical ↩

  30. De Standaard was a Dutch national newspaper with Reformed Christian leanings ↩

  31. “Betergesitueerden” or “Better Off” - it isn’t clear if this means wealthy, very wealthy, or upper class. ↩

  32. This has a footnote in the original, referring to “Ons Algemeen Christelijk Geloof” or “Our Common Christian Faith” page 101 - one of Kees’ books mentioned elsewhere ↩

  33. “Catholic” here refers to a universal church, not the Roman Catholic church ↩ ↩2

  34. “Office” refers to positions of leadership in the Church and in the world. Kees wrote a book “The Idea of Office” entirely about this subject. ↩

  35. “Academieprediker” literally “Academy preacher” likely refers to someone who preaches in an academic setting ↩

  36. The Netherlands surrendered to the Germans on 15 May 1940. The government, the Queen and her family all fled to the UK. ↩

  37. The “water line” (waterlinie) refers to a series of water-based defences historically used by the Netherlands ↩

  38. “Land war regulations” (land-oorlogsreglement) probably refers to the Hague conventions on warfare ↩

  39. It is worth noting that Kees’ cousins Henk and Hein Sietsma ran “Group Hein”, an underground resistance movement, and Kees’ oldest two sons were later involved. It is not clear if this started before Kees’ arrest. ↩

  40. “Marinekriegsgericht” was a German naval court martial ↩

  41. The Sicherheitsdienst was the intelligence agency of the SS and the Nazis ↩ ↩2

  42. The Euterpestraat was the headquarters of the Sicherheitsdienst in Amsterdam ↩ ↩2

  43. The Coetus was an assembly of ministers ↩

  44. in German “Einsammlung von Güter für die Jüden” ↩

  45. National Socialism is the formal name for Nazism ↩ ↩2

  46. (original text footnote) As a curiosity it may be mentioned that there was still a library in Dachau and that in it - as a nephew of Kees observed - was present: “The Kingdom of God” by Dr K. Sietsma ↩

  47. (original footnote) This was originally reported as 7 August by mistake ↩

  48. (original footnote) Our Common Christian Faith, p. 40. ↩