Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct/76

Contributor - Engelina Van Essen

Title - Women's Page

Topic - Heritage

Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you Gen. 12 vs. 1

This is, what the Lord said to Abram. "So Abram went, as the Lord had told him," vs. 4. It is said in a few words and it seems so simple. Yet, was it? Abraham has often been thought of as an ignorant nomad, an illiterate and uneducated ancient. But is this so? Archeological discoveries have shown that Ur of the Chaldees was a centre of advanced culture. There were libraries in the schools and temples. The people used grammars, dictionaries and reference works along with textbooks on mathematics, religion and politics. What was true for Babylonia was also true for Egypt, where for more than a thousand years before Abraham's time, writing was established. Therefore, that Abraham left written records which were incorporated in the Pentateuch is neither unreasonable, nor difficult to understand.

The home city of Abraham and his wife Sarai was highly civilized. Just as Abram had his work, so Sarai had her duties as mistress of her household. She might have lived in a balconied house, with courtyards, full of flowers and plants. Very likely, she had servants to dress her and keep her house clean. She was the wife of a wealthy citizen and lived accordingly . . . . And in the midst of this all, the Lord said: Go! Go, and change your entire life pattern of well to do city-dwellers, to semi-nomads of the desert. But go, to where I will lead you. Just trust me, and go.

Wandering among the graveyards in Holland, Michigan, this past summer, we stood at the grave of Christina de Moen-van Raalte. Beside her, Rev. van Raalte is buried. Close by, on some smaller gravestones, we read the names of some of their children who died very young. We stood on the soil, where the old "loggenkerk" log church once stood . . . I looked up at the old tall trees and imagined what it was like when these pioneers came here. It was so quiet among the graves - a sense of reverence and awe filled me, and at the same time I was thrilled. Many names on the grave stones were familiar. Names you find in the towns were I was born and spent my youth: Velp and Arnhem. I thought about all the planning that was done, to seek freedom of religion in another country - and I felt so much part of this. These people who are burried here, how they struggled for survival, and look people, look what happened - see this beautiful city - see Hope College - see I Western Seminary. 0, God, how great Thou art! You made this all come true!

Christina van Raalte, like Sarai, followed her husband, not knowing where she would end up. She left her house and belongings, her relatives and friends, knowing that she would probably never gee them again. She, like Sarai had a servant and had in a sense very little to do with the "common" folk. Still, she went, and suffered the hardships of all the people who settled in the new land. She went with her husband and all the others, because she felt, this was Gods plan for them. And just like God blessed Abram and Sarai, He blessed Rev. and Mrs. van Raalte together with all the other pioneers.

I am very proud of my heritage. I am very happy to be part of the R.C.A., although I wish sometimes that, living in Canada, the name would be R.C.N.A. (Reformed Church in North America). As Reformed -Church Women, let's thank God, that we can learn from other women who have gone before us, what it means to trust and follow our Lord. Let's ask God to make us a blessing for others.

With love to you all

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