In 1868, the first Pastorie was built near the Kruiskerk for minister N.J. van Warmelo. Tensions arose during the 1885 unification of Hervormde and Gereformeerde Churches, leading to a property dispute that lasted 11 years. In 1893, after Minister A.J. Louw succeeded Warmelo, conflicts escalated over the Pastorie, resulting in the congregation building a new one. Louw played a significant role in establishing the Heidelberg Hoërskool and served until his resignation in 1931, later becoming Chancellor of University of Pretoria. He passed away in 1935.​

THE HISTORY OF THE HEIDELBERG PASTORIE AND REVEREND A.J. LOUW

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CHURCH UNIFICATION AND THE PASTORIE DISPUTE (1868 - 1893)

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Construction began on Heidelberg's first pastorie (parsonage) in 1868. It was erected adjacent to the "Kruiskerk," on land that now serves as the parking lot for the historic Klipkerk. The residence was built specifically for Reverend (Ds.) N.J. van Warmelo, the minister of the "Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk" in Heidelberg.

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In 1885, the Hervormde and Gereformeerde churches voted to merge. This short-lived unification dissolved soon after, precipitating an intense, bitter legal struggle over the division of shared ecclesiastical property, including the parsonage. Even a personal intervention by President Paul Kruger failed to resolve the standoff.

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The tension reached a climax in 1893 when Reverend Adriaan Jacobus Louw arrived to succeed Warmelo. The late Reverend Warmelo's widow flatly refused to vacate the pastorie. While the property dispute was still being argued in court, R.P. Ueckermann and P. Venter took matters into their own hands, forcefully seizing physical possession of the building so Reverend Louw and his family could move in. This action ignited local tempers; on one occasion, an enraged neighbour ran around the house brandishing a firearm and directly threatening Louw. The dispute dragged on for 11 years before the property was legally awarded to the Hervormde Kerk. The Gereformeerde Church later bought the land, converting it into the modern Klipkerk car park.

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THE NEW STONE PASTORIE (1896 - 1897)

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Cut off from the original parsonage during the ongoing legal dispute, the congregation was forced to build a new residence. In 1896, the Gereformeerde Kerk purchased two stands from J.A. Smit for £4,000 to serve as the construction site. Smit had originally paid just £37 for the land.

An additional £50 was spent to demolish an existing house on the stands. The entire purchase was financed by F.J. Bezuidenhout. Completed in 1897, the new pastorie was built using the salvaged stones of the original "Kruiskerk." The historic stone parsonage was later fully renovated in 1952.

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THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF REVEREND A.J. LOUW

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Reverend Adriaan Jacobus Louw was born in Paarl on 23 January 1859. He completed his theological training at Stellenbosch in 1884, taking his first ministry post in Riebeek-West until 1888. During his time there, he ministered to D.F. Malan and J.C. Smuts when both future statesmen were boys in his congregation. After a subsequent tenure in Vryheid, he accepted the call to Heidelberg, arriving on 8 April 1893. Though he received numerous invitations to transfer to other prominent congregations over the years, he declined them all to stay in Heidelberg.

Louw rose to prominence within the broader church administration, serving as a trustee of the Transvaal Church starting in 1906, an actuary from 1897 to 1916, and as church moderator from 1916 to 1925.

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Following the British occupation of Heidelberg on 23 June 1900 during the Second Anglo-Boer War, Reverend Louw was arrested by British forces on 11 July 1900. He was banished to a prisoner-of-war camp in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where he remained exiled until the war concluded.

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Upon returning to South Africa, he immediately resumed his ministry in Heidelberg. Recognizing the humanitarian crisis left by the war, Louw partnered with educational pioneer Theo Dönges to establish a dedicated school and hostel for orphaned children. He also became a driving force behind local educational independence, successfully establishing the Heidelberg Hoërskool as an independent institution providing secondary education through the medium of Afrikaans.

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NEIGHBOURLY WIT AND THE POET DR. A.G. VISSER

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Reverend Louw maintained a close, warm friendship with his neighbour across the street, the celebrated physician and Afrikaans poet Dr A.G. Visser. Dr Visser served as the official doctor for the congregation, possessed a deep religious faith, attended services regularly, and frequently played the church organ.

Local lore remembers their good-natured wit. During a visit to the parsonage, Dr Visser observed Reverend Louw carefully peeling a peach and discarding the skin, remarking that "the goodness is in the skin." The following day, Louw sent Visser a basket filled with prickly pears, accompanying it with a brief note reading: "The goodness is in the skin."

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Tragedy struck the parsonage when Louw's wife, Maria J. Louw, passed away at the age of 60 on 29 April 1920 after a prolonged illness. She was laid to rest in the Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery. Following her mother's death, Miss Charlotte Louw assumed the duties of the parsonage, managing community outreach and supporting local families. She routinely hosted concerts for local youths and brought flowers, puddings, and sweets to sick children. In 1921, when Dr Visser’s two eldest children, Andries and Annatjie, fell ill, Charlotte visited them with a bowl of jelly. Once the children recovered, a grateful Dr Visser sent Charlotte a basket of roses along with a poem he had penned at his breakfast table—a piece that subsequently became highly celebrated.

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Dr Visser also composed custom poems celebrating Reverend Louw's 66th and 70th birthdays, personally reading the latter composition aloud at Louw's milestone celebration on 23 January 1929. Dr Visser passed away just a few months later.

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FINAL YEARS AND RETIREMENT (1931 - 1935)

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In September 1931, citing old age and failing health, Reverend Louw resigned his post after serving the Heidelberg congregation for nearly forty years. He delivered his emotional farewell sermon on 6 December 1931, preaching from Acts 21:14: "The Lord’s will be done."

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To honour his long service, the congregation presented him with a retirement gift of £1,500 to purchase a home in Pretoria, alongside a monthly pension of £10. After relocating to Pretoria, Louw was appointed to the prestigious position of Chancellor of the University of Pretoria.

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Reverend Louw passed away in Pretoria on 23 September 1935, exactly two years after his friend Dr Visser. He was returned to Heidelberg and buried in the Kloof Cemetery the following day, resting alongside his wife. Reverend P.J. Viljoen succeeded him in the Heidelberg ministry on 9 April 1932.

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References: "Aan God Alleen Die Eer" by Dr A.E. Bosman, "Heidelbergers of the Boer War" by Ian Uys, Herbert Prins archives, and "Pro Deo Et Patria" by Dr A.E. Bosman.

​Source: Heidelberg Heritage Association - Article Post (Click to visit website)

​Source: Heidelberg Heritage Association Facebook Page - General (Click to visit website)