Rev. H. De Cock and the Secession

During the time of the Dutch Second Reformation the King of the church provided His people with many faithful servants. They were men who served in His vineyard with the gifts which the Lord gave them. We do well to remember these servants of the Lord so that thereby we do not forget the Lord’s benefits when we read the treasured writings of our Dutch forefathers. It is my hope that the biographical sketches of these men which appear in our denominational periodical may be used by the Lord to create a desire in you to read and study their works more extensively. Unfortunately, there is a serious obstacle in that but few of their written works are available in the English language. I hope that the Lord will yet provide a way so that more of their works may be translated and published, especially for our young and rising generations. [See appeal for donations in May 1989 issue of The Banner of Truth for this worthy purpose. Ed.] Unless we read the early forefathers of our churches, we will become more and more alienated from the roots of our congregations, and will follow the road of other denominations who have strayed from the truth.

With this in mind I will endeavor to write something about God’s leadings with the church in the Netherlands; thereby we may instruct our readers how to face the issues of today. We will see how faithfully the Lord preserves His church; He gives rich food for hungry souls and hears the cry of the needy. This divine care of His church was also evident in the last century, about one hundred fifty years ago, when there was much spiritual decline in the church. God-dishonoring teachings and errors had gradually crept in and were soon openly confessed.

The Lord at that time provided men, called and sent by Him, who again brought sound Reformed preaching. They were enabled to speak to the heart of Jerusalem, to the comfort of God’s hungry people. These were men, some of whom were ignorant and blind teachers, but whose eyes the Lord opened and whose hearts He inclined to stand up for the truth, to suffer for it, and to lead God’s people into the pastures of His unaltered Word. This was a time of scorn, mockery, discrimination, and even open persecution.

In the days of the Secession, the time when many left the State (Reformed) Church, the Word of the Master was fulfilled where we read in Matthew 10:22, “And ye shall be hated of all men for My Name’s sake.” In the life of God’s faithful servants it is seen also that the disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his lord.

Since the roots of our denomination in the Netherlands and also in our country can be partially found in the Secession, and so-called “Churches Under the Cross,” I thought it well to write some biographical sketches of the leaders of this movement. I hope that we may learn from the lessons of the past so that the lives of these ambassadors of the kingdom of God may make us jealous, and desirous to walk in the ways of their preaching and teaching.

It was truly a time of sad decay and error in the church when Hendrick De Cock was born in 1801 in Veendam in the province of Groningen in the North Eastern part of the Netherlands. He was ordained in 1823 to Word and sacrament and served in succession in the congregations of Eppenhuizen and Noordlaren. In 1829 he was installed as minister of the gospel in Ulrum by his friend, Rev. Hofstede de Groot.

De Cock, highly influenced by the liberal opinions of his professors at the University of Groningen, was at that time a moderate preacher, certainly not the most liberal one. Some even considered him to be quite orthodox. This orthodoxy however was certainly not the orthodoxy of Calvin or of the forefathers of the Dutch Second Reformation. In fact, Hendrick De Cock knew very little of the Calvinistic doctrine; and although this seems hard to believe, he appeared to be totally unfamiliar with the five articles against the Remonstrants. His preaching was moderately tolerant, but not real orthodox.

Rev. De Cock’s wife often told her husband that she missed something essential in his preaching, that it was superficial. Happily there were still some people in Ulrum who longed to hear the truth and who knew something of our truly Reformed inheritance. Those people were not the noble and rich ones, but the despised of the world. One of these was Klaas Kuypenga, an elderly man already, who was one of Rev. De Cock’s catechism students. Kuypenga, however, was evidently taught at another school — at the feet of the master Teacher, Jesus Christ — and he also expressed his concerns. He told his pastor what he missed in his preaching and recommended that he read some of the books of our forefathers which he gave to him. The young minister was not offended by this gentle and loving advice, and when he read Calvin’s Institutes, De Cock discovered a different doctrine from that which had been taught in Groningen and which he himself had preached. There he found the same truths which the simple, unlearned Kuypenga confessed when he said, “If I would have to add a single sigh to my salvation, I would be lost forever.”

It pleased the Lord to sanctify these words and the reading of these works so that it soon became evident that the Lord was leading the young minister. His preaching now fell in the hearts of God’s children. Those who loved to hear the truth came from far and near, sometimes walking many hours to listen to God’s Word.

De Cock studied also the writings of one of the men of the Reveil movement, Baron Van Zuylen Van Nijevelt. Gradually his position became more isolated and more difficult, for his former friends and colleagues turned their backs on him; however, those who loved the truth were glad with the wonder of grace which the Lord had revealed in DeCock. Several concerned parents from neighboring congregations requested him to baptize their children since they felt that the truth was no longer being preached in the church where they were members. They could not answer “yes” to the question of the baptismal form — “whether you acknowledge the doctrine which is contained…and which is taught here in this Christian church to be the true and perfect doctrine of salvation.” The Reformed Church at Ulrum therefore became a shelter for those who mourned the departure of their ministers from the Reformed faith.

De Cock also began to put into writing and to publish some of his convictions. In 1832 he wrote: “Ernstige en hartelijke toespraak aan mijn landgenoten” (Earnest and Heartfelt Address to my Fellow Countrymen in These Sorrowful and Serious Days as Regards their Eternal Welfare). In 1833 he published his “Verdediging van de ware Gereformeerde Leer en van de ware Gereformeerden,” a defense of the true Reformed doctrine and the true Reformed Church against two colleagues whom he called wolves in the sheepfold of Christ. These two ministers were Rev. L. Meyer Brouwer at Uithuyzen and Dr. G. Benthem Reddingius at Assen. This was forceful, but scriptural language. Paul also speaks in Acts 20:29 of “grievous wolves who would enter in among them not sparing the flock.” As was to be expected, the publishing of these articles led to severe censure.

Liberal theologians were permitted to write whatever they chose without being reprimanded, but the Reformed were censured for allowing the defense of the historic Reformed faith, based on God’s law and the three Forms of Unity, to appear in print. The three Forms of Unity however, and especially the Canons of Dordt, were not valued very highly; they were even publicly rejected by most of the theologians of those days. Rationalistic influences had especially corrupted the universities. The cardinal truths of Scripture were called into question at the universities, and there, as well as on the pulpits and in print, they were even openly denied. The doctrine of the Trinity was attacked, the divinity of Christ was denied, and the fall of man, eternal punishment, atonement of Christ were rejected by liberals and modernists in the Reformed Church.

Even though these men caused enormous damage in and to the church, they were retained in their influential positions. Those who opposed them, however, and warned against them were considered to be “troublemakers” who disturbed the (false) peace; their mouths had to be closed and their influence removed. Human reason was set up as a higher standard than God’s everlasting testimony.

Rev. De Cock would also experience that to be a witness often implies being a martyr, a sufferer for Christ’s sake. On April 1, 1834, disciplinary measures were taken against him, suspending him from office for two years in an action taken by the Provincial Ecclesiastical Board. His enemies seemed to be in a hurry to perform their work however, since the same board had deposed him on March 29th, thereby depriving him of all financial support. This was done because Rev. De Cock had written a preface to a pamphlet condemning Arminian hymns,

namely, the evangelical hymns which were weighed, tested, and found to be too light; because he had attacked two ministers who held heretical views; and because he had baptized children of parents from churches other than his own.

Rev. De Cock would also experience that to be a witness often implies being a martyr, a sufferer for Christ’s sake.

The General Synod modified this pronouncement to a six-month suspension, giving him an opportunity to show repentance. If this did not occur within the prescribed time, he would then be deposed.

Rev. De Cock did not wait for this to become a reality. Although some of his former friends tried to influence him to change his views, he felt more and more convinced of the Tightness of his position. Rev. Hofstede de Groot said to him, “De Cock, De Cock, how deep you have fallen!” But he remained steadfast and did not deny his Master. After all efforts by the ecclesiastical government failed to change his mind, De Cock called his congregation to a special meeting; with the full agreement of his consistory, he proposed to sever their ties with the State Church, to separate themselves from them.

These were days full of trouble and trials for God’s servant, for in 1834 De Cock’s oldest daughter passed away after a short illness. The future looked dark and the enmity from his opponents was great. But God strengthened His tried servant. During a solemn meeting, in which De Cock, kneeling together with his flock, were united in prayer, he read the Act of Secession which was, with very few exceptions, signed by all his members.

In this Act of Secession they expressed that they were separating themselves from those who, according to Article 29 of the Confession of Faith, are “not of the church” and that they wanted to join the fellowship of all true believers. The Seceders did not want to have fellowship with the Reformed Church until they returned to the true service of the Lord.

It can be seen that the possibility of a return was not considered to be out of the question, and that the intention was not to be separatistic, but to be truly Reformed. God’s Word and the three Forms of Unity would be the rule for church life, along with the Church Order of Dordrecht. Thereby they rejected all the other regulations and stipulations promulgated by the Reformed Church Board. The first Seceders openly stated that the Reformed Church showed the marks of a false church because they had tampered with the doctrine, had defiled the sacraments, neglected church discipline, and persecuted true believers.

This is how the Secession began. It is indisputable that the break had been forced by the State Church itself. In spite of his deposition, De Cock continued to preach to the people who needed him. The newly-formed Secession Church of Ulrum considered themselves to be the legal owner of the church building and parsonage, because the entire congregation, with a few exceptions, had followed their pastor. With great expectation the people looked forward to the Sabbath Day, when their minister might bring God’s Word again in their midst. But what a disillusion this was! When Rev. De Cock tried to enter the pulpit which he had not stood in for such a long time, he found policemen blocking his way, denying him access to it. Another minister in that district had been asked to bring God’s Word there.

De Cock, however, preached that day, standing in the elders’ bench, from Ephesians 2:8–10. In the afternoon of that same day he preached in the barn by the parsonage, standing on a farmer’s wagon. The state government immediately took measures to stop him. A contingent of a hundred and fifty soldiers was dispatched to the town to keep peace. The Seceders were branded as revolutionaries, threatening the peace of the kingdom; therefore, these soldiers were housed among them. This caused much discomfort and many difficulties in their homes. De Cock himself had twelve soldiers in his house for quite a lengthy period of time.

He also was sentenced to pay a fine of 150 guilders, a considerable amount of money in that time, because he had caused unrest in the church on that Sunday morning. He was arrested, and imprisoned for three months. This did not turn out to be a serious punishment for De Cock however. The Lord visited His persecuted servant there. It became a blessed time wherein he received the full assurance of his faith. He was also allowed to receive daily visits from his friends, and there appeared to be many who were not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of his prisoner. (See 1 Tim. 1:7.)

The Lord also gave an opportunity for His servant to bring the gospel of free grace, even to his fellow-prisoners. When he was finally released, he found his wife also suffering for the sake of God’s kingdom; she had been put out of the parsonage. De Cock was now homeless and had to experience the footsteps of his Master, for Christ once said: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head,” though He was the Lord of heaven and earth.

The Seceders were severely persecuted. At the request of the General Synod of the Reformed Church, an old criminal law was recalled which limited the number of people who could meet without government consent. This meant that any gathering of more than twenty people needed approval from the government. This law had originally been adopted with the intention of limiting the influence of political gatherings, but now it was used against the despised Seceders. But there was much hunger for the Word of God and many wanted to obey God rather than men. Because of this many had to pay high fines which often they were unable to pay, since most followers were poor and simple people. Then they also were imprisoned. But in spite of all these oppressive measures, the movement grew. And soon there were in the northern part of the Netherlands alone many thousands who left the State Church. De Cock, being placed out of his parsonage in Ulrum, had found a home in another place. From there he travelled from place to place to bring the message of his Master.

He entered into that Church where Luther and Calvin are friends forever, and where Paul and Barnabas will not disagree anymore, but where Christ is all in all.

Other ministers followed him in this movement. They also were deposed or left the State Church for the same reason. Some of their names are: Scholte, VanVelzen, Van Raalte, Brummelkamp, and Meerburg. They became the leaders in this initially rather disorganized movement. Sad to say, it soon appeared that they were also sinful men with different characters and opinions. The whole cause of the secession was rent by internal disagreements and conflicts. There were different views in the congregation: church order, clerical garb, singing of Datheen’s psalms, and many other things.

The early beginning of the secession is therefore called “The Crisis of Youth,” and it sometimes seemed that the young churches would be consumed and destroyed by strifes and conflicts. However, the King of the church preserved and kept these churches, in spite of human foolishness, and caused them to grow. In the midst of this turbulent beginning period of the secession, this wearied champion for the truth, De Cock, passed away in 1842 in middle age.

We may believe that he entered into that Church where Luther and Calvin are friends forever, and where Paul and Barnabas will not disagree anymore, but where Christ is all in all. There all those who, by grace, were separated from the world and self-made religion, will serve Him without sin and give Him all the honor. And there the words of Klaas Kuypenga will be confirmed: “No sigh from us can be added.” But also: All in Him and from Him. Then the prisoners of the Lord will be released forever. And they will inherit the kingdom promised unto them.

Rev. C. Vogelaar is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

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