Heritage Blue Plaque #Nr 12

NERDERDUITSCHE HERVORMDE KERK - 7 Voortrekker Street

What is the story here?

On the 4th of June 1932 Gerard Moerdyk presented the plans to the Church Board and in August, the tender from the firm Leemhuis and Leggatt was accepted and the building started earnestly. The cornerstone of the church was laid by Ds. Oosthuizen, on the 15th October 1932, in the presence of Ds. J.J. Prinsloo, Ds. T.F.J. Dreyer and Ds. Jac. Van Belkum. While Ds. Viljoen, Ds. A. Louw and Ds. de Vries represented the sister churches of Heidelberg.

The whole building project was a heavy burden on the congregation, but the sacrificial and willingness of members was stimulating. With this it must be noted that the Brits family carried most of the cost of the organ. Ds Oosthuizen adds further, that when visiting Auntie Martie Brits on the farm Sandfontein, that she paid her share in gold pounds from a chest. This made him travel home in silence and thankfulness. This was how, large or small, poor and rich did their share towards the building of the new church.

Continuation of No 8. Van Belkum Hall posted on the 3rd July 2021.

With the retirement of Ds. van Belkum in 1927. the congregation did not have long to wait for a new minister. During the Communion Celebrations of the 20th to the 23rd of April 1928, Ds. and Mrs. AJG Oosthuizen were well received. A horse commando and procession was waiting outside of Heidelberg, to welcome him. On Saturday afternoon the induction of Ds. Oosthuizen was conducted by Ds Van Belkum and in the evening Ds. Oosthuizen did his introductory sermon on 1 Corinthians 2:1

It was quite clear that the new minister, not only had to build the spiritual well being of the congregation, but also to help and support the poor Afrikaners. It was noted at a church board meeting that the poor did not feel at home in the church with the more successful members. The poor Afrikaners were still feeling the brunt of the Anglo Boer War, as well as the 1914-1915 rebellion, the drought of the 1920s, and the drought and depression of 1932-1933.

Church leaders, such as Ds. A.J.G. Oosthuizen and other Afrikaner cultural and political leaders were thrown into the battle to save Afrikaans people and their ideals. In this battle the Afrikaner churches and especially the Hervormde Church played an important role. In this situation the building of a new church in Heidelberg was planned and carried out by Ds. Oosthuizen, with the support of the congregation, was one of the ways of bringing back their sense of value and to feel proud of their Afrikaner heritage. 

In 1932 the church was very strong with 865 members and a church board of 35 members. The elders were RJ Crowther, TF Steyn, Jacob van der Westhuizen, Piet Brits, PD Bekker, BJ Smit, LH Jordaan, FJ van der Westhuizen, Nicolaas Jacobs, DA Minne, CFJ Strydom, CP Engelbrecht, A Gouws, A Greyling, JH Mulder, SGA Nortje, LC Ryke. The deacons were CJ Strydom, NH Jacobs, HP Strydom, DS Jacobs, JA Greyling, PH Henning, PG Jacobs, P Steyn, Cornelis Brits, A van den Berg, JJ Koekemoer, GP Bierman, PF Strydom, Schalk Brits, Sarel J van der Westhuizen, Cornelius Brits (Jnr), S van der Westhuizen en WCH Erasmus. The scribe was Frikkie Boltman. (Note from Tony: When wandering through the Kloof Cemetery one can see many of the names on the headstones)  

At a church board meeting ds Oosthuizen put forward the proposal:-
“Die voorsitter sê verder dat hy ‘n baie belangrike saak wil voorbring. Hy meen dit is tyd dat ons besluit om ‘n nuwe kerk te bou. Hy meen die gebou self sal sowat £3000 kos, dit is ‘n gebou vir 600 sitplekke. Die ameublement sal sowat £2000 kos, uitsluitende die orrel. Ons het nou £2000 sodat ons nog £3000 kortkom. Hy meen dat gemaklik die geld vir die ameublement bymekaar kan kry.”
This was a daring proposal as money and materials were hard to obtain in the economic climate 

Ds. Oosthuizen made a further proposal at the meeting:-
“Ons vra die families Brits and Jacobs om ons die orrel te gee. Die families Van der Westhuizen om die grond langs die winkel van Dettman te gee. Die familie Strydom om dit toe te maak. Die familie Bierman om die ligte te gee. Die familie Lanser om die tapyte te gee. Die familie Labuschagne om die deure te gee. Die preekstoel sal deur ds Ooshuizen gegee word. Die stoel in die preekstoel kan oudl. Bekker gee. Die horlosie oudl. Crowther. Mnr Kilian kan byv. die doopbak gee ... As dit kan verkry word, sal ons fetelik die kerk kontant kan bou.”

Although this was stated as part of the planning, it is a pity no actual list was drawn up of who donated what. The church board did decide to set up an album with all the names, but no album has been found. 
At the church board meeting of the 2nd April 1932, Elder P.D. Bekker and R.J. Crowther proposed that a new church building be built. After the approval at a Congregational Meeting and with the support from Brits, Jacobs, Van der Westhuizen and other influential members, a building committee was formed. The architect Gerard Moerdyk was instructed to design a church building. 

On the 4th of June 1932 Gerard Moerdyk presented the plans to the Church Board and in August, the tender from the firm Leemhuis and Leggatt was accepted and the building started earnestly.
The cornerstone of the church was laid by Ds. Oosthuizen, on the 15th October 1932, in the presence of Ds. J.J. Prinsloo, Ds. T.F.J. Dreyer and Ds. Jac. Van Belkum. While Ds. Viljoen, Ds. A. Louw and Ds. de Vries represented the sister churches of Heidelberg.

The whole building project was a heavy burden on the congregation, but the sacrificial and willingness of members was stimulating. With this it must be noted that the Brits family carried most of the cost of the organ. Ds Oosthuizen adds further, that when visiting Auntie Martie Brits on the farm Sandfontein, that she paid her share in gold pounds from a chest. This made him travel home in silence and thankfulness. This was how, large or small, poor and rich did their share towards the building of the new church.    

The church was inaugurated on the afternoon of Saturday, the 14th of April 1933. The inauguration was hampered by an outbreak of “Foot and Mouth: disease which prevented many of the members staying on the farms from attending, as the movement of animals was strictly prohibited. The members would have used a horse and carriage or an ox-wagon for transport.

The inauguration was still a large event with Prof. Dr. J.H. Greyvenstein, the deacon of the church’s Theology University in Pretoria, doing a sermon on Daniel 9:17. From near and far members attended. The wonderful celebration was a reward of the hard work that went into the building of the new church.
At the 70th anniversary of the congregation the previous church building, which was built in 1889, was named the Van Belkum Hall. The old pulpit was given to the Delmas congregation in exchange for the costs of building a stage in the hall.    

      
The list of Ministers from 1868 to 1984 are:-
Ds. N.J. van Warmelo 1868-1885
Ds. H Lagerwey 1895-1898
Ds. Jac. Van Belkum 1903-1927
Ds. A.J.G. Oosthuizen 1928-1941
Ds. T.F.J. Dreyer 1941-1954
Ds. J.C. du Plessis 1954-1970
Ds. J.J. Smit 1970-1972
Ds. J.A.A.A. Schroeder 1972-1990
Ds. F.H. van der Merwe 1982-1984

So was the ideal fulfilled. The building that was inaugurated on the 14th April 1933, with so much passion and thankfulness stands today as a jewel of the town, but also a symbol of faith and the willing to sacrifice. This church is also a sign on how God blessed and guided the congregation.

(References and pictures: 50-jarige Gedenkalbum 1933-1983 and Die Nederduitsch Hervormde Gemeente Heidelberg 1865 - 1965)