A short biography of Dr. Kornelis Sietsma

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

Translated by Arie Sietsma 16 July 1996

THE BEGINNING

Kornelis Sietsma was born on 25th Augustus 1896 on a farm in Nijenga in the county of Smallingerland.

The birth of little Kornelis, named Kees for short, was a consolation for his parents given by the Lord after the death of their seven-year old daughter, who had died the previous year. Now they had, Kees included, four sons, and later another son was added to the family.

Father Sietsma?s forefathers had, in 1834, played a part in the reformation of the Church and had been in the forefront of the battle against the illicit synodical organisation.(Ed: This observation would require a knowledge of church history).

Heine Sietsma himself was a sober man, who stayed true to the tradition of his forefathers and who gave his children a stern education, which was common at that time. Although he had a good brain and was well educated for the time, he had less influence on the spiritual development of his sons than his wife.

Mother Sietsma, whose maiden name was Grietje Akkerman, was a pious woman of great faith. She had been born into a modernistic, unbelieving family where the father was absolutely hostile to the Christian gospel. But she and her sister, who was to become the mother of the Rev Bouma of The Hague, had the privilege to learn to know and love the Lord Jesus. These sisters owed a great debt of gratitude to a live-in girl servant who spoke with them about the way to Salvation. These conversations had to be conducted mostly at night after bed-time, because of the opposition of their father.

The Lord blessed these simple lessons and brought both sisters to conversion. Thus Grietje Akkerman became a convicted Christian and later a faithful Christian mother, who in all simplicity accomplished much for her children in prayer and deed. She had a big influence on her sons, also on Kees. It is interesting to note, for instance, that the dedication in the doctoral thesis of Dr Sietsma read: “to the memory of my mother and to my wife..”

The farm, where the family Sietsma worked in Nijenga, was not a grand Friesian farm. The land was not very fertile; it required hard work and many hands to be able to decently support the family. Later, after a move to Donkerbroek, where father Sietsma bought his own farm, things were easier. The Nijenga years were difficult and this burden was fully shared by young Kees.

During his school years Kees clearly demonstrated his capabilities and, moreover, that he loved to learn. He had an excellent teacher in Mr. H Stiksma, of whom he later testified, that he had left an indelible impression on his life. He had understood that Kees wanted and could do something else than learning the farming business on his dad’s farm. Already the wish to become a minister of the Word had arisen in young Kees and this desire was encouraged by both Mr Stiksma and Kees’ mother.

But how was this to be achieved? There was a capacity and a will to learn and a heartfelt desire, but no obvious opportunity. After Kees finished primary school his two older brothers helped on the farm while the third son had gone to Teachers’ College. Kees would in any case have to wait till his older brother had got his teaching certificate and even then it did not seem possible for Kees to be given a theological education straight away.

Thus it was back to the farm to learn everything like plowing, sowing, weeding, harvesting, milking, winnowing  and learning on a farm means doing hard, tiring work. But Kees gave no quarter. He learned the farm work and gave himself totally, not with a desultory air but as his duty. In the meantime he got stuck into the books in his spare hours after work and was persistent. He wanted to qualify for the “State exams”.( Ed: it appears, that this might be like the HSC) When his older brother completed his teacher training Kees initially refused to train in that same profession because his wanted something else. He therefore continued to teach himself in his spare time.

In the long run, this did not work out, for the farm and study both demand the whole man. After taking further advice and after much discussion, finally, in Spring 1915, the decision was reached that Kees would go back to school in Drachten, Friesland and first obtain his teaching certificate and then see again. This worked well, for it became apparent, that this boy had worked well at home and on the 13th May 1916 he passed the required examinations, less than 18 months after he started.

In the mean time another difficulty had arisen: Holland had been mobilised since 1914 and Kees should have enlisted a year earlier, but had succeeded in obtaining study leave. Now further postponement was not possible and he had to start bearing arms. Again his perseverance was tested, but again the Lord his God gave him new strength.

Four months of military training passed in the army camp at Amersfoort before a transfer to the field army in North Brabant. There he was given administrative duties at the bureau of the War Council. His duties were not onerous and moreover he had the advantage of being quartered with civilians, so that he could devote himself to his study in his free hours and every evening, by the use of a correspondence course. He often worked until deep into the night. And so direction came into his life and the final goal came nearer. When in 1918 Holland demobilised he continued to study at the house of his parents, now assisted by the Rector of the Gymnasium of Groningen. Then, in 1920 he did his State examination and on 28th September 1920 he was enrolled by the Rector of the Theological School of the Reformed Churches of Kampen as a student in Theology.

The Lord has his own way with each of His children. Afterwards we can often see, at least in part, what the Lord intended and how great was His Wisdom and His Love. We can point to these things now and will return to them in this narrative. But when we ourselves walk a difficult road we know only too well that it takes a mighty battle to maintain courage and carry on. The road of Kees Sietsma through this period of his life must have been marked by many a dark hour, many a restless night, but equally by much prayer and a holy perseverance and finally a great joy in the Lord. He had battled for it and had received it from His Lord. He had not had much help from anyone, although the support of his mother remained invaluable, but the Lord himself knew the road he travelled.

As a student in Kampen Kees(Ed: Kees is short for Kornelis) did well. He was and remained a hard worker and was highly regarded by his professors and friends alike. He later always spoke with appreciation about his lecturers; praised Prof Honig as a teacher; Prof Bouwman for his fabulous memory, enjoyed the excellent exegesis of Prof Ridderbos, the practical teaching of Prof. Hoekstra, but was most impressed by the stature of Prof Greijdanus, whose thorough scholarship and strong faith he honoured and admired as a shining example to his students.

His study went quickly: on 17th June 1921 he did his propaedetic exam, two years later, on 28th June 1923, his candidate?s exam, part one; and a year later, on 27th June 1924, the second part, so that he was finished in four years. (Ed: Although not strictly comparable passing the candidate exam is like earning a master?s degree: it is the first step to a PhD)

No one should deduce from the speed with which Kees completed his studies that he did not enjoy student life. On the contrary, he was a member, heart and soul, of a student society called: ?Fides Quaerit Intellectum? (Faith seeks understanding) and there found friends of which we name just two: H Steenhuis and P Kuiper, both of whom were also to become ministers of religion.

In the mean time his stay in Kampen served yet another purpose. It turned out that the teaching certificate which he had not wanted at first was to be useful after all. It was because of that qualification that Kees was asked to teach in a school in Kampen as a casual, during student vacations. There he met Miss J Dekker who was also working there for two months. Circumstances were such that they were together practically the whole of these months and went around together a lot. After her term was finished Miss Dekker went to England but the two colleagues kept writing to each other. Later, back in Holland, they became engaged and became partners for life, for Kees found in her a wife who would support him in everything he did and who, in many ways, stimulated him further. She found in him a husband who it would be difficult to better, when it came to devotion and unselfish love.

The circumstances for both were such that, after a short engagement, nothing stood in the way of marriage and they decided to get married as early as 17 July 1924, which duly took place. Later he would refer to it with a funny smile and would say: “I had at that time the brazen courage to marry before I had passed the preparatory exam” (Ed: 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) This was Kees Sietsma: if he knew that something was right and appropriate, he would never be concerned as to whether it was customary.

After passing the classsical exam it became apparent that he was a sought-after candidate for he received no fewer than thirteen calls. In his heart the choice was between Grijpskerk and Schoondijke but after a discussion with Rev L Bouma, who knew Zeeland very well, he decided on Schoondijke. Thus he went there and was ordained by Rev Moene on 23rd November 1924. His inaugural sermon got lost in transit. Everything had had to be transported across the river Schelde and the case containing the sermon did not arrive in time. Waiting for it to arrive was not an option and Kees sat down on the previous night and made another one. And so everything ended up all right.

Schoondijke lies in a pretty agricultural area, between the river Schelde and the Belgium border in an area called Vlaanderen, - a prosperous town with good size farms. The congregation was spread far and wide and had been vacant a long time. Much pastoral work needed to be done. The other protestant church(Hervormde Kerk) in the town was in a sad state, spiritually. In this fertile land it lay as a barren waste from a spiritual point of view. Kees now threw himself into the work of pastoral care of his own congregation and evangelisation. Preaching was not a problem for him, even then, and did not take a lot of his time. He was in a hurry to get on with his life and never prevaricated. He did serious work, but did it fast. This was also because he never got into his own way but had a very clear understanding of what the Lord was asking of him at a particular moment and just did it.

Therefore he was not at home a lot during his time in Schoondijke but was found hurrying on the long and sometimes not very trafficable roads on his bicycle. As a pastor he did much personal counselling and affected many lives and made ties which endured. They were glad of his presence and friendship and that over many years. When, during the war many years later, the food shortages were most acute in Amsterdam, it was the people of Schoondijke who cared for his family and gladly offered help. People just could not forget him.

Because God had thrust him repeatedly into life to the full, the Rev Sietsma had been forced to exercise and strengthen his gift of speaking with those of different minds and convictions.This gift now stood him in good stead in evangelism and he nurtured and used this talent to the full.

And so time flew. The congregation blossomed and his family grew. His wife gave him two sons. The busy life of this active preacher never hindered him from giving himself also to his family with intense interest and great love. It was obvious that the stay in the first congregation wouldn?t last too long. When the calls to Hoofddorp and Eindhoven arrived in the mail at the same time the pastor felt called to accept the latter. It was not amazing that this active battler would be attracted to Eindhoven with its life, industry and amusements and with one of the fastest growing populations.

Rev Sietsma was installed in Eindhoven on the 9th September 1928. There also, he was a minister of the Word in the fullest sense of the word, and gave himself fully to the task. But actually, in the discussions with Session before his call, the preacher had requested that account should be taken of his desire and perceived duty to continue his doctoral studies. This was not surprising, for studying was to Kees his love and and his life. In Eindhoven, where a remarkable circle of intellectuals belonged to the congregation and which were also represented in Session, this desire was understood and encouraged.

This remarkable congregation demanded a lot from him but also proved very stimulating. With heart and soul, with great energy and effort he lived and worked there and spread many blessings under God?s guidance. The task was heavy because the congregation kept on growing; doubling in size in 2 years, and demanded good faithful pastoring as well as a very high standard of preaching. Sietsma also grew in his preaching and in his approach to life grew until he was a living thinker and warrior for Christ, but with open eyes for the need of modern man.

He never considered himself, worked enormously hard, loved with his whole heart, deeply aware of the privilege that the Lord had given him, namely to be allowed to work in the Kingdom of God. From his point of view he did no more than the minimum necessary, however hard he tried. He remained first and foremost a preacher; he loved to catechise(travelling far in doing so); gladly sought out the youth; founded a youth movement; gave the impetus to start a man?s association and did much work on evangelisation. He worked nicely with the Session because it was very representative of the members who came from many different educational and social backgrounds. There was an urgency and speed in the work of the Church, a direct appeal and application in the preaching so that Sietsma left a deep impression and nurtured a generation that knew about the Truth and the Way of the Lord.

Yet this did not delay the study program: on 7th February 1930 he completed the doctoral examination at the Free University and three years later, on 12th May 1933 followed his promotion based on the thesis: Adoph von Harnack mainly as Dogmahistoricus. This thesis is a sturdy volume of some 500 pages. It has three parts, of which the first describes Harnacks life, the second his principles and the third his dogmahistory.

It is a beautiful book, this dissertation. The young doctor showed himself to be at home in the history of culture and theology in Germany in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, excellently informed about Harnack?s life and writings and able to accurately draw this great man and critique him appropriately. For any one who knows what a busy pastoral occupation demands from a man it may be thought miraculous that Sietsma seemed to be able to give himself wholly to his congregation and yet be able to acquire a doctoral degree in this manner. For this purpose the trust bestowed by the congregation and its interest in scholarly work was of great assistance. The words in the prologue to the dissertation are not mere empty words when the author states: ?In particular I am thankful for the unusual appreciation which has been expressed for my work by the Session and the congregation.?

The family had grown in Eindhoven with the addition of two more children, a daughter and a son. In Amsterdam one more son, the youngest was born. In the manse in Fazantlaan, Eindhoven, bordering the Oosterkerk, lived a happy family upon which God?s blessing rested.

Even though Sietsma was totally at ease in his congregation he also worked with distinction in the classis and in the province. He was in that time one of the church visitors, was a delegate to the Particular Synod of North Brabant and Limburg and took part in the General Synod of Middelburg of 1933 as its delegate.

But this period also was to come to an end. Not one year after the promotion, on Tuesday, 30th January 1934 the news reached Sietsma that the church of Amsterdam-South had called him. This call would mean a new turning point in his life. He received it with sincere interest but the ties to the congregation in Eindhoven were very strong. He was invited, as was the custom, to come to Amsterdam to have a look. I remember that visit vividly. It was an unusually bleak day. As we crossed Surinameplein a heavy sandstorm hit our faces. Sofar not a very inviting reception. In Session things were much friendlier and it is self-understood that the Amsterdamse contingency offered every argument and inducement which might move the preacher to come and serve the congregation of Amsterdam South. The decision must have been very difficult for Sietsma but in the end he accepted the call

2 SIETSMA IN AMSTERDAM

The church of Amsterdam-South was heavily damaged by the schism of 1926. But in the six years since that event she was wonderfully blessed. The Rev H.S.Bouma, that first preacher after the schism, had started the work of rebuilding in a calm but determined manner. Great cohesion had been re-established during this period. After a relatively short period, since July 1929, another preacher was called; the congregation grew, doubled and the cohesion remained. There was great interest in the calling of the third preacher.

It was a beautiful meeting which decided on the call to Rev Sietsma. The congregation had gathered in the Schinkelkerk in particularly large numbers. The mood was tense and no one was sure of the outcome. The majority of the votes were for Dr K.Sietsma.

Everyone hoped and prayed that the first call in this vacancy might be accepted and late on the previous night, 17th February 1934, this hope was fulfilled and the prayers answered. On Pentecost Sunday, 20th May of the same year, Rev Bouma installed the new minister, and after that Dr K Sietsma held his inaugural service in Amsterdam-South in the Raphaelpleinkerk.

We see him still as he first appeared on the pulpit in the overflowingly full churchbuilding. A man appeared before the congregation, a man full of earnestness and full of passion. Still relatively young but instantly creating the impression of a certain maturity. His face showed at first a certain sternness but also created an impression of wisdom. In the face the somewhat severe features were softened by friendliness, which shone out of his lively eyes which betrayed an intensive interest in life itself.

For his inaugural sermon he choose a text from 1 Cor 12:3:?Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the spirit of God says, that Jesus is cursed and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit?. The first words, which the congregation heard were:

? It is a somewhat unusual situation that a Servant of the Word binds himself to a congregation and at the very first time of meeting engages in the preaching of the Gospel. For even if everyone expects that he intends to bring to them the full revelation of God and nothing else, there still remains a tension , an anxious waiting, as to how it will turn out. Sure, it will be one of God?s servants, one of his instruments, which the Lord uses to proclaim to that congregation the riches of His mercy. But even with the One Lord there are many ways of serving and even through the one Spirit there are many different gifts. From the incoming preacher one expects a program, a proclamation of how he will seize on his task and how he will interpret the times in which we live. And that especially, when you have just celebrated Pentecost!!!! After Pentecost this question and expectation is even more acute. Then you would most likely be eager to ask: will this preacher aim only to proclaim the objective biblical truth to the congregation or will he have somewhat to say to the troubled heart of the hearers? Shall he preach only the basis of Salvation and biblical revelation: will he let Scripture explain itself only by what it literally states? Or will it also be noticeable that the Spirit of Pentecost has worked in his heart and works there still? Will we be refreshed and revived by the feeling that he himself also lives in that Spirit? And will that add warmth and fragrance, colour and brightness to what he says? Will he add to what the Lord has revealed that which the Spirit says to the Churches??

? But I don?t have any program for you today. I do not have any program; I wish only to proclaim to you during the entire time, that I will be in your midst - even if it is an entire lifetime - that what the Lord has revealed and that what the Spirit says to the congregation and it is only one thing: that what can affect the heart and therefore the mind and the soul, the will and the emotions, namely the Word of God. But so as to demonstrate to you that this Word provides answers to questions, which are not one-dimensional, but multi-dimensional, that it encompasses and rules the whole life of this congregation I chose the text which we read and the topic about which I want to speak to you: Jesus and Holy Spirit in the congregation?

Although no program was indicated, the lines were clearly drawn. Further in the inaugural sermon there was more evidence of this. With great clarity the distinction was drawn between the World and the Word:

? The world glorifies itself, exalts itself, proclaims itself. But Jesus has come to seek and save what was lost. Both Jew and Greek, to whom the Cross is foolishness, cry out: Cursed be Jesus, cursed be He!?

?Then who can say: Jesus the Lord, Jesus is King of the Universe? Who can confess: Jesus,… man of sorrows is the very son of God?.. the one dying on the cross is the Eternal one in glory?…the cursed one is the blessing for all?….the very son of God has been given to us in a form so that we who beheld Him turned away our faces and wanted him not??

?Only those who have learnt to speak through the Spirit of God. No one says this of themselves; but it is the first thing that one says, when the Spirit of God, when the Holy Spirit has renewed and changed the heart…..?

?But whoever speaks thus, has the Spirit. There is no distinction, no difference. Not between Paul and the Corinthians, between Peter and the most diffident believer amongst you. But all together are able to say, as a cry of triumph: Jesus is Lord. And so you are a pentecost congregation, you have the Holy Spirit?

? That is our point of departure. There we have a subject, which can never be exhausted, even if I spent a life-time amongst you, and of which you will tire hearing: there are two worlds, separated by a yawning chasm: the world of unbelief and the pentecost congregation. And these two worlds are instantly recognisable by their respective mottoes: ?Cursed is Jesus? and ?Jesus is Lord?.

Just as clearly did this preacher lay down the appropriate tests:

?Do you understand what we are saying? You also will be faced with the same dilemma, an unavoidable dilemma to test you in your life in how far you live in the Spirit of God , in how far you are the pentecost congregation; the dilemma: Jesus the Lord or Jesus the curse, with every step which your take, in your secular and in your spiritual life?

In conclusion the preacher derived from the text a?wonderful harmony and interaction… in the congregation of Christ - which is also the congregation of the Spirit and Pentecost,.. the harmony between Jesus and the Spirit.? It was remarkable how Sietsma from the very beginning of his ministry upheld the majesty and holiness of God?s work, highlighting these, but managed on the other hand to stimulate and comfort the simple and the lowly in God?s church.

Within the Session and in the congregation the expectations were now high and those holding them were not about to be disappointed. Sietsma was and remained a refreshing preacher, a man who had great appeal to modern man and who nevertheless refused to pay homage to the false gods of that time. But he did know how to come alongside people in trouble including the congregation of the Lord in her battle, because he loved her so.

He was a preacher who undoubtedly had shortcomings and failings and who knew this to be so, yet always again he would captivate the congregation because this preacher would step back so as to let the full light shine on the One who had sent him, to let Jesus Christ sparkle in the eyes of the believers in all His richness, to allow God?s Word to speak to the life of this suffering world and to the calling of Christ?s redeemed people.

Sietsma was a thinker, but in the pulpit more comforter than thinker, a good carer for souls even while preaching. If proof is needed for this, one can find it in the seven sermons about the book of Job, which were published under the title: The Self-Justification of God. These sermons have the great merit of being able to be read so that those who have not heard these sermons in person can follow the exposition with joy and reverence. 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 declared to sinners; man has his own greatness broken and is brought to face the greatness of Christ and led to adore Him who is ruler of all.

It is remarkable that amongst these seven sermons on the book Job is one about Lord Day 10 of the catechism( the provision of God). This is not an entirely responsible inclusion. Sietsma did this more often: he included a sermon about a text in the Bible as though it was a catechism sermon. He was, however, quite capable of building a rivetting exposition on a part of doctrine. In him was found not only a good pastor and preacher but also an excellent teacher.

Sietsma loved to chatechise. He would say sometimes to me:? I suppose it is the same for you but I can never finish on time? And indeed it was so: once Sietsma had got started in response to a question or an objection he would not stop lightly and his answers would be complete and rounded. He often saw more angles to a question than the questioners had even thought of and loved to continue to explore a subject fully.

He shaped the thinking of many: he would seek to exercise influence based on the Gospel of Christ with intense interest and commitment. He did not take criticism about chatechism easily. The proposition that this was a mere formality in the life of the Church and that you get more benefit for your soul out of attending a revival meeting of the Buchman movement (Ed: a vaguely Christian sect with a call to moral rearmament) would disturb him greatly. He would resist such thoughts very strongly - entirely in line with his inaugural sermon - and would put it strongly that no christian had the right to despise the simple work of a congregation of God; that it was a denial of the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church to carelessly bypass the Confession of Faith for young church members and to praise very highly all sort of revivals and house parties. Sietsma did not take any part in the 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 would preach so beautifully in preparation for the Lord?s Supper. He did this with a particular love, as he would tell us. In this activity he would be at his very best. Then the Glory of Christ would shine, then he would promote a greater faith and fidelity, for he knew how to entice as well as lead. He did this with so much love and so well because the Lord had taught him to understand the congregation as an entity in its life, in its weakness and guilt but also as the work of the Lord wherein Jesus and the Spirit are in perfect harmony.

It will be clear by now that Sietsma was sought after as a counsellor. In his district he was faithful, hardworking and compassionate. His advice was readily sought - I will refer to the war time a little later on in this respect. This committed man also was at ease when visiting the sick. He would be as relevant to the uneducated poor as to intellectuals and the better-off. The latter he was keen not to avoid.

One part of the task of a minister of the Word is in Session and its committees, often an onerous duty. Sietsma never avoided this work and in this respect endured the heat of summer and the cold of winter during his period in Amsterdam. He did not speak very often, but once he had risen to speak - he preferred to stand while speaking in Session - he would give no quarter and would speak with great alacrity and urgency and one would do well to make oneself scarce to avoid his withering onslaughts. He was awesome when defending the truth, did not shun a sharp retort in debate, but after the close of debate this sharp debater would be the same friend as before. He knew how to work together with others, did not claim the sole access to all wisdom and would easily accept decisions of a lesser order even if he did not fully agree. Sietsma was a fine colleague, who would always remain himself but would glady listen to others and consider their point of view. He was all of one piece, and although not sentimental, was nevertheless sensitive; sensitive to colleagues and friends.

Sietsma was not only given the talent of preaching and teaching: he was a very good author and in Amsterdam became an even better one. The first publication to benefit was the modest ?Kerkbode? of Amsterdam South. When his turn came, he wrote meditations and clear pithy expositions of Scripture for six months. He always displayed his deep interest in the congregation at the edge of this large city. It was particularly noticeable that he was most capable when it came to follow-up articles, which would, in simple language, explain the complex dogmatic and ethical questions facing the congregation. But even when discussing the burning questions of the day he would avoid fruitless polemics. Also in this area he was first and foremost pastor and teacher of the Word.

In April 1941 a small booklet appeared with the title:`?God?s Sovereignty and Man?s Responsibility?. This calm discussion of the always vexing question, which can in certain circumstances of life be so hurtfully tense, did wonders though its clear, scriptural explanation and simple piety. It was a piece of work which helped people who were willing to listen. It is no wonder, then, that this booklet soon required a second print run.

To capture the essence of this booklet and of Sietsma?s writing in the congregation generally we want to quote from its conclusion, wherein the author points to the coherence between God?s sovereignty and human responsibility, a cohesion rather than a contradiction. Not an ?either-or? but an ?and-and?. Not: ?God is in charge of my life and God overrules totally and therefore I can do nothing? Even less:?I can and must work and carry the burden of my own responsibility, for God is not in charge of my life; God interferes only when I have reached the end of the road?. But rather: God is sovereign, all-powerful, autonomous, in charge and I am man, his own created being and called by Him to service; I work under His sovereign direction, completely dependent and completely supported and in this relationship completely responsible and completely self-activated. If I could release myself from God for a moment in the realm of nature I would cease to exist. And if I could go no further He does go further for He rules all things. If I could release myself from God for a moment in the spirit realm I could not exist for I work and I believe and I confess and I am what I am only because I have been called into being by Him. And what I am and do and will and can and must is not a limitation on the sovereignty of God but a glorification of it, for He is the very source and being of my being and life?

Sietsma continues:

?This is a powerful inspiration to continue working, working in everyday life with all its manifold complexities and difficulties. For this life is not sovereign and therefore can never rule over me, get me down nor make my labour in vain. Because the Lord God , who is Lord of all my life, is the one who gives purpose to my labour. At the same time this life is not a mechanically determined life without cohesion, logical flow and fruitful activity of man. But this life, in God?s hand, is a life of working and wrestling and one that hastens toward the end. In that life direction and purpose are not determined by contradictory and destructive forces but its beginning, progress and end are put into the service of God, even that which I regret and must and may regret.?

?This is at the same time an enormous power for rest and peace for surety. For in the middle of the turbulence, twists and turns of a human life, to which I am bound with a thousand ties, I am nevertheless carried by the hand of God. This does not mean that all of life?s events cannot take away what I wanted and bring about what I wanted to avoid. But whatever befalls me, comes .from the hand of God. This does not mean that I, throughout all these events, am still under God?s total control but much more, that I in everything, am watched over and led as His beloved child, as His special possession, under His favour, and under His Grace am cared for and loved, for Christ?s sake. Even in such times as ours, especially in times such as ours, the sovereignty of God still overrules the activities of men even though they are responsible and accountable as His creation. What a source of indescribable comfort and support.?

?It is also an enormous inspiration to continue working in the things of God?s kingdom in the spiritual realm, where I, according to God?s command, am able to contribute to that which endures, to that which rules the world, to that which triumphs in the world. And so with great gladness I pray my prayers and I speak the words and do my deeds, so that my watching and working, my building and caring, is engaged and taken up in God?s work, still with its own worth and value, but only because it leads to the fulfilment of His ends and purposes. And so I , in that trust, can view my life in the knowledge that ultimately the Kingdom of God alone will survive and that, against all appearances, my standing in the service of God is a standing on the side of the throne of peace, where Christ has already won the battle and where the only purpose of history is to fulfil and bring to ultimate fruition that victory. And finally, that I am situated in history for all time and eternity, with all that is in me and around me within God?s plan and God?s assurance, and that nothing, not even my own faults and shortcomings, can take that away, least of all the violent acts of the Evil one and all that serve him.?

?While I in all these things actively and responsibly and with great gladness in faith and love battle against sin, until I am perfected by Him who constantly teaches me and works with me and gives me temporal and eternal salvation, as a co-worker for God until the day that my joy shall be complete, namely the joy of my King and Christ. From Him and through Him and unto Him are all things, even the responsibility of man and even his conscious active and wilful life in all of its facets and all of its relationships. To Him be the glory in Christ Jesus in all eternity. Amen.?

It is deeply moving to now, afterwards, when we know about his suffering and about the end of his life on earth, to read this work again. Sietsma himself, however, comforts us and teaches us to bow and unite ourselves to God?s sovereign will. In the booklet from which we quoted above, he not only wrote about the Word of God, but he also revealed himself, about his own faithful soul and so we understand his busy life, his sacrifice in God?s name and cause as a gift, as a work of the Lord.

Not only did he write in the local Kerkbode but his articles also appeared in:?De Standaard?, ?De Stuwdam?, and in the evangelical periodical ?Horizon?, amongst others. In 1941 a booklet called ?The Unity of the Churches? appeared. In these threatening war-days it is not amazing that people were concerned about unity in the church. Yet for this author the main concern was:

? Whatever happens, the commandments of God and the demands of Scripture are first and foremost?.

When the press in Holland was free again, two more pieces of writing were found, one a commentary on Job in the series ?The Bible explained for the people of the Netherlands? and ?The Family in Crisis?. When you add to the series of articles produced in connection with his work in evangelism amongst intellectuals, a short treatise on regeneration and a course in reformed doctrine for nurses in the Juliana Hospital, one has to agree that his output of publications during his eight years in Amsterdam was considerable.

We need to say a little more about his efforts in evangelisation because it was a separate chapter in his pastoral work. He spoke and wrote thereof with great love and much talent.

He really felt drawn to the work of evangelism: he was pleased to be appointed to the ?House Visitation and Literature Distribution? subcommittee and served as its president. He was also elected to the Evangelisation committee, but then found a field of work, which was to use all his resources. For that, all other things had to fall by the way. This was the work with intellectuals and better-offs. The potential of reaching out to this group had been discussed but nothing had as yet come to fruition.

Now, under Sietsma?s leadership a new committee called ? Life?s Questions? was formed with an eminent membership, not least of which was Mr. W. Windig. The work was started blossomed and grew and…kept on going. Many times he told me about it, simply and humbly but with great affection and gratefulness. He would just say: ? we found it worked well and we have found this or that way of doing it, but it was really more luck than wisdom?. As it was, it proved necessary to gather names of distinguished and well-off people in circuitous ways and work out which of these might be willing to listen the gospel message, at least initially, or who might be willing to join a study group. At such gatherings, men of note would tell simply of their belief in Christ and His meaning in their life. It became apparent that there was a willingness to join closed discussion groups when it was know that Sietsma would participate and encourage discussion. Although he might speak to such a group, he was more important as an excellent chairman of such evenings. He would lead the debate and kept it at a very high level. Most importantly he ensured that the discussion would have a real impact on the hearers. These discussions were very important and were at least as great a source of blessings as the talks presented during these evenings.

There were also lectures to a larger audience and whenever a number of such lectures had been held participants would be invited to a course, under the leadership of Dr Sietsma. He led several of such courses. He worked at this task with the greatest earnestness and devotion and struggled with those people and for many was a blessing unto eternity. To encourage these and others to read the Bible for themselves he Wrote:?How Do I Read the Bible?, a word to all who are seeking God?. This little booklet was distributed in its thousands, not only to christian families, but also to houses where the Bible was gathering dust yÿÿÿ

or was completely lacking.

Much more substantial are the books which contain the courses he gave:?Our Christian Faith?,?The Christian Life?,?The Kingdom of God?. These books formed a remarkable trilogy with their clear, simple but passionate and captivating style, which served the congregation and as evangelism literature for many, many years to come.

How did Sietsma dare? How could he take up a task such as this one? First, because of his implicit faith in the living God, in his devoted christian life and in his zeal for the Kingdom of God. But further, he was helped by a very clear and penetrating, but loving understanding of the circles he tried to reach with the Gospel. He wrote of his passion in the beginning of his?The Christian Life? with the words:

?Life of modern man is without certainty and totally without direction or purpose; this is sad. But he does not notice his own condition, neither does he deny it and this is a reason for hope?. This earnest man was still an optimist. He dared to speak to lost modern man and confess and testify. He would then be calmly resolute and put the choice to them. He would do this from the very beginning. In the first meeting for the discussion of the Christian faith he would simply say: ? I believe in God…and of course also in those truths which faith reveals about that God and about what God has to say to us.?

?It is not true, that the content of faith does not matter very much as long as there is faith. It does. In any case, it is not about the faith, it is about God. Faith is not just an attitude, but is above all a relationship to the only living, real God, a God who reveals Himself - otherwise no one could believe in Him - and who is not different from the way He reveals Himself. And the reality of the ?I believe? depends on an attitude of faith to the real and true God, not a result of my imagination which I call God. The latter is an attitude of unbelief, not very different from denying the very existence of God.?

?God himself decrees the content of our faith, i.e. the contents of what we are to confess about Him, so that we shall believe in Him alone. Anything else would be idolatry. Idolatry is run-away faith, derailed faith, faith defining its own content, that seeks compensation for an inner void, even when it uses christian terms.?

?There is no middle way. We can accept God or we can reject God. And we reject God, if we make a God of our own definition, if the content of our faith is not supplied by God. We cannot substitute or barter faith for a feeling of conscience, an inner voice, a conviction. God tells us who He is and what He signifies to us. If we cannot believe that, we cannot believe in God for we would not truly know who He is. It is impossible to make a distinction between God and His testimony about Himself. I cannot accept God but deny His testimony about Himself?

This is powerful talk for an evangelism evening, but this is how he did it. Sietsma spoke with wisdom and love, but absolutely and correctly refused to apply a reductionist method. If you want to see for yourself how he quietly maintains his own course you should reread the piece About;?I Believe in One Holy Catholic Christian Church?. I will quote a little extract:

?I believe: the Church, that she exists. That is, I believe, that the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit have born fruit and will bear fruit and that this work has its effect in the gathering of believers, and therefore 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. Denial of the Church would be denial of Christ?s work, denial of the fruitfulness of Jesus? suffering, dying and conquering. What is more, it would also deny the work of the Holy Spirit. It would infer that the Holy Spirit on earth could be working in vain, and not bear fruit. Even if I could not find any evidence of a Church or of any faith on Earth I would still have to confess;? I believe in a Church? because it is one of our first and foremost statements of faith.?

After the Church has been confessed as to its unity, holiness and universality and after this statement of faith has been examined from all sides, and her task and the signs of the true Church have been explained, the battle of the Church and the dangers facing her are discussed and again Sietsma does not hesitate to discuss these matters in this circle of hearers. Just one more quotation:

?Because these and many other battles in Christianity have been fought, not between the World and the Church, nor between unbelievers and believers, but between one group of believers and another, there has been a tendency to separate from each other into different churches. The unhelpful and sinful situation exists now, that the Church of Christ on earth is not one institution, but many, most of which claim the name of ?Church of Christ?. That in any one place many churches openly call themselves the Church of Christ is wrong and against the concept of one universal Christian church and against the commandment of Christ, what is contained in His prayer:?that all shall be one?.

?This can never be right. One cannot escape by saying that the different churches express diversity, which is natural to humanity, because this diversity ought to find expression within the one Church of Christ, not in its brokenness. Nor can one argue, that their particular church is the only Church of Christ and that other churches are mere sects or gatherings, because this is to deny the work of the Spirit and the truth of the Word in these other churches.?

?Whenever there is an institution, of which it can be said that the proclamation of the Gospel, the administration of the Sacrament and the discipline and nurture of the saints is still recognisably in place, then there is still a church and a community of saints. But equally we have to admit that, as well as legitimate churches, there are illegitimate organisations claiming to be churches. Christ?s church on earth displays schisms which sadden all true children of God.

?But to confuse and obscure the truth does not help. We cannot say: it does not matter very much about the Church: if you believe in Christ, it does not matter to which Church you belong. That is not true. Everything matters. In everything, you have to obey Christ, also in the matter of membership of and the involvement in the true Church.?

So far this quotation. The article continues to deepen out this argument and in the following years this series of articles was followed by several books, which have already been mentioned here. We cannot cover all this material here, but it does not matter. Here we merely want to indicate the character of Sietsma?s writing. One is constantly aware of the confidence which the students in these courses placed in him from the fact that he could fully and frankly discuss all his ideas without running the risk of alienation of his audience. For many of them he had become their main instructor and advisor; an advisor on the road of life.

Thus Sietsma was busy in Amsterdam, completely involved in many kinds of work. He gave of himself completely and did not spare himself; had the concerns of the congregation in mind at all times and proclaimed God?s truth to outsiders. Much was expected from him and we hoped that in him we would find a University teacher for the Reformed Churches and we hoped for many other things….

But then the war came upon him and all of us.

3 Sietsma in the war

The days of May 1940, those short, tense days full of unrest, gossip and rumour, included the days of Pentecost. In Amsterdam South, short services were still possible, although not without disturbance. To remember the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in these circumstances was not easy but full of comfort. The Spirit of Christ could not be resisted, not even by a violent war. There was still a place for Christ?s church and her work is never without hope, despite all the suffering. That Pentecost, in the midst of war, was prophetic: Gods Word will endure forever and will not change even one little bit.

When Holland capitulated to the Germans, it was a blow, which was almost too hard to endure. In many houses, parents and children would weep together because of the humiliation and the shame of defeat of their Kingdom and Fatherland.

Sietsma could hardly believe it. When I rang to tell him, he did not want to accept it. ?But what about our river defences. They should not have carried on about those, the way they did.? This ex-military had remembered what he had learned from his service days. He just could not reconcile himself to the fact that Holland had capitulated.

But accept it he had to and Sietsma was not a man to fuss and worry and go about with a despondent air. ?There is work to be done?, he would say, ?and hard work is the best thing we can do now.?

His action also were resolute, though he did not lose sight of the need for caution. He understood that nothing was to be achieved by provocation but - on the other hand - he did not allow himself to be intimidated by a display of power and noise from the Germans.

His sermons remained faithful gospel proclamations, faithful in the sense that the victory, the kingdom and the justice of Christ were highlighted with as much clarity and force as before; that the need to obey God?s commandments in every area of life remained as before, and that this was a time of trusting dependence on Christ. This trust he himself showed by openly praying for the Queen and her family, for the ruling Council and for the liberation of the Fatherland.

The questions alive in the congregation were many and people looked for immediate answers to their pressing concerns. Sietsma would enter into these questions fully and took them very seriously. He also sensed the difficulties and dangers and weighed these fully. In many cases he preferred to talk to his colleagues before giving a definite answer. As with all who endured in the early years of the occupation one was aware of a certain growth in maturity in him.

In the beginning there was still an expectation that the occupying forces would abide by the code of conduct for occupying armies so that even these enemy forces would abide by international regulations. This was a subject for discussion in the first period of war. But soon one transgression was followed by others, until it became obvious that the enemy trampled on law and order and acted with crude arbitrariness. This provoked a sharper attitude in Sietsma and those who sought his council noticed this.

Sietsma worked with great courage to lend spiritual support to the forces of resistance and engaged in ?dangerous? conversations. Then his eyes sparkled and his whole face expressed his intense interest. His word and counsel were wise and devout. He was through-and-through a man, a citizen, on who one could count and, as well, a very faithful pastor. He inspired and encouraged wherever he could, in Session, on the pulpit and in personal conversation. He constantly warned that we should never show a sad face to the enemy. Discouragement and despair were not words he would tolerate. I remember that someone had told him that I had preached a sombre sermon in my church. Whether this was true or not, I don?t know. But he had a proper go at me: ? You cannot do that; you cannot be sombre in the pulpit. People have no need for that in these times and, what is more, there is no reason for it, for there is enough comfort in God?s Word for everyone.? It was a pleasure to hear his chastisement and his conversation was a strengthening influence. He never lost his energy nor his cheerfulness, even though he saw ever more clearly how things were bound to lead to fierce resistance.

Once he said to me:?think about it: you might be lying behind a machine-gun and be firing away just to get rid of them.?

How he involved himself in the support of his suffering brothers became very apparent in the matter of Mr. C. Van Rij. In that matter the whole church was prayerfully involved, the more so, because several other men from the congregation were involved. The threat to the lives of the accused was very severe. When the most important session of the war council was held in The Hague, Sietsma managed to gain admission. He was constant in his support of the prisoners and their relations. At first the sentences were more lenient than was at first feared, but later on they were made more severe at the behest of higher authorities. In the evening of the day of the verdict he went to the house of Mrs Van Rij and spoke to the family about God?s faithfulness to his children and that he watches over them always. He continued to admonish that we were never to forget this and that we were to thank Him for this, which he then did by leading them all in prayer.

Those who were there experienced first-hand how this servant of Christ understood his task in war-time. Little did we suspect that it would not be long before we would be grievously concerned about Sietsma himself and that we would finally have to part from him.

On Saturday night, 31st January 1942, the meeting of the Evangelisation committee was interrupted by a telephone message. A lady, who had read in the Church letter that there would be collection for the Mission to the Jews on Sunday morning informed me, that the attention of the security police would be drawn to this with a view to prevent the collection taking place. I received this message as information only, since it was self-evident, in my opinion, that a fixed collection could not be cancelled as a result of such a threat. Nevertheless Dr Sietsma was informed before the first service of this telephone conversation and was warned that spies were likely to be present during the service.

That morning Dr Sietsma preached about the temptation of Christ in the desert; about the battle for power between Satan and Christ. I had the privilege to be present in the audience. The preaching was biblical and was not lacking in clarity though it was neither provocative nor careless. The preacher brought Christ to light in his holy, principial battle with Satan. He made clear that Satan applied the temptation of power and sought to seduce Him with all the kingdoms on earth. The application of this text, that those who belong to Christ have to resist the temptation of power, was an obvious conclusion to draw.

In this same service the collection for the Mission to the Jews was held and recommended and , as well, the birthday of Princess Beatrix was remembered in prayer. This was done exactly as could be expected from a faithful minister, but nothing too much was said either.

After the service I spoke to Sietsma for the last time. He told me immediately that most likely there had been spies in the church. I knew this and we spoke again about the warning about the collection and he remained of the opinion that it should not have been cancelled as a result of the threats.

On the following day, 2nd February 1942, Dr Sietsma was taken from his home and transferred to Euterpestraat. Sietsma was at the point of leaving to attend a ministers? meeting when the Germans came. It was at that meeting that the news of his arrest was greeted with great consternation and it aroused great alarm and indignation. No less so in the congregation: there followed much agitation and great sadness.

Prof Dr G F Sizoo, after trying to ascertain what the exact charges were against this worthy preacher, was finally told of the three-fold charge:

1 Gathering goods for the Jews.

2 Prayer for the Royal Family

3 Principial opponent of National Socialism.

With respect to the first point it was easy to show that it was a clear lie and it was not pursued even though it was the reason for the arrest in the first place. Not much attention was paid to the second point either. The third point revolved around the sermon and in the hearing, the question was put as to where the temptation of power lay. Sietsma mentioned several possibilities. In answer to the specific question, as to whether the temptation of power could also be found in the National Socialist school of thought he answered that this was indeed the case, though not only in the case of National Socialism. After his transfer to Amersfoort, Sietsma learned from the transcripts that it was this explanation which was especially held against him and that this was the main reason for transportation to the concentration camp.

In the meantime it was not yet this far.

From Euterpestraat, Sietsma was transferred to a detention centre on Weteringschans and was put in a cell in which Rev Hinloopen and Rev Vogel had already been put. One of the first signs of life which his wife received was a scribble on the label of his laundry bag, which read: ?Acts 5:41” This text, of course, reads: ? The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.?

We knew therefore in which manner he accepted his suffering. In this cell, the three preachers shared many good times. But this is not to say that it was not a very difficult time also, especially for Sietsma who suffered sickness during this time.

In those days, while he was in prison there, I visited a detainee by the Dutch justice system in the same detention centre. I did not have access to Sietsma. I stood in the open doorway which separates the actual prison from the corridor where the lawyers? rooms were situated and counted out where the cell containing Sietsma had to be. That part containing political detainees was secured with large iron gates which reached from ceiling to floor and on which a large SS sign was mounted. There he was, incarcerated like one of the worst criminals, the same man, for whom members of the congregation of God were praying and whom they loved like their own brother. What kind of guilt could the enemy attach to such a man from our nation and from God?s church to require their suppression and abduction, though innocent? We just could not understand it. We could visit a common crook or thief but his closed cell door we could but see from afar. It was very bad to have to leave that place again without being able to do anything for him.

Mrs Sietsma did speak to him there. How she and many other wives suffered in the corridors and cells of our prisons. She brought back from one of the visits a message to the Rev Bouma and me:?Say to my colleagues that the Word of God remains true under all circumstances?. He did not forget us and comforted and encouraged us even from his prison.

At last he was transported again: on Ascension Day they had the sensitivity to take him in an armed carrier, first to the prison in Amstelveenscheweg, where others were taken on board as well, and then, past his own church under the eyes of his distraught parishioners who were on the way to the Ascension Day service, to Central Station and thence to Amersfoort. What must have gone through his mind that day. Much suffering, but also much comfort, as only the Lord can give to his who are suffering for His name?s sake.

The camp at Amersfoort was very bad: I do not have to go into particulars. But what a remarkable strength of spirit that man had. Spiritually he was unbroken and encouraged many of his imprisoned colleagues. Even there he was full of plans for the future. He did not lose courage easily but was busy thinking about the task of the Church after liberation from the Germans. In this thinking he also engaged the other pastors. He lived by God?s Word and was constant in proclaiming it faithfully to everyone he came into contact with.

Finally it became clear to him that he was going to be deported to Germany and he understood that this could mean that he would not see his wife his children or his congregation again:? In that case I will not come home again? he told a colleague.

The trip to the punitive detention camp in Germany was a harrowing experience in itself. Many camps and prisons served as staging posts and it was fully three weeks before he arrived at Dachau. But Sietsma remained the same as he always was. In one of the towns on this trip he experienced a bombardment, while locked in a prison. One of his cell mates, who he had not known previously, later told of the experience. Sietsma spoke to them about Psalm 91:1:?He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.? While preaching the Word of God, peace returned to the cell.

He remained a preacher even in the last camp, the dreaded Dachau, where there was hunger and deprivation.(It is remarkable to note that Dachau did have a library and, as his nephew found out later, it contained :The Kingdom of God, by Dr. K Sietsma) He finally arrived in a section where people were gathered who were no longer able-bodied. There hardly anyone would notice if someone fainted. That happened regularly. There was no requirement for work but suffering abounded. Also in this place Sietsma offered the comfort of the Word of God till he could no longer do so. He got dysentery and after a while he lapsed into a comatose state from which he did not wake again. Then he was free: truly liberated. Then the victory was his: he went into Heaven and inherited the Kingdom.

Dr Sietsma died on 7th September 1942. On Monday, 14th September, the news reached Mrs Sietsma. We were devastated. The news was received during Catechism classes, which were stopped immediately. Friends and colleagues gathered at the house of Mrs Sietsma. She was fairly seriously ill, as were four of the five children.

Who would not weep? This man was always sorely missed by every one who got to know him better. In his family the loss was most acute and most painful. But also in the congregation and in his work, which he left behind: we miss him everywhere and always.

But now we want to follow him in our thoughts and direct our hearts and thoughts to God. In the death notice in the newspaper it had the words:?The path of the righteous will be like a shining light, becoming brighter until the full light of day.? God has made His light to shine through the person of Sietsma, the light of His Word, the light of Christ, the light of His Spirit.

Him, who we loved so much, we have had to let go, but we never have to let go of our faithful God. There is comfort in this rich life in Christ, in this faithful man and father, in this noble friend and pastor of the Church of Christ. He was caught and imprisoned, but he was one of the truly free, whose suffering finishes and transcends into the glory promised by God. Once more we let him speak the words of comfort. He wrote about faith in Christ as follows:

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

? The latter are truly free, for the Son has set them free. The latter have found themselves for they have lost themselves and have been saved. The latter have a firm knowledge, both now and forever, which destroys insecurity: they can withstand the suffering; they can withstand the sorrows and they can withstand the uncertainty and devastation of this world. They are citizens of the eternal Kingdom that is built in Heaven and which will never be destroyed?

To these latter one belonged Dr Kornelis Sietsma, in his life and in his death. He was of Christ. And he shared in His Glory. The enemy has been defeated and Jesus Christ has won. God?s Word will endure for ever.

Translated by Arie Sietsma

16 July, 1996