SECESSIONISTS
 

Hallum

 
Although the Secession in Hallum became effective on January 7, 1836 the first minutes of the church date from June of that year. Apparently the administration did not have the highest priority at first. The minutes do show the names of the first members though, one of them being farmer Hette Pieters Hettema who is not only known for his leading role in the Secession at Hallum but also known for his memoirs which were published in 1883. These memoirs describe a.o. the history, origin and development of the Secession from his point of view. In 1839 he remarried whereas in 1843 he left Hallum and moved to Beetgum. Furthermore Hette Pieters Hettema was first married to Grietje Doekes Hellema, daughter of Doeke Wijgers Hellema who had kept a diary for the better part of his life. A selection of this diary was published in 1978 as a book, entitled: "Kroniek van een Friese boer".

It were turbulent days in Hallum early 1836. In the evening of January 16, a church service was held at the home of Sieds Freerks Sytsma . Slowly but surely a crowd of opponents had gathered around the house and at the end of the sermon all of a sudden the windows were broken and various people forced their way into the house. Furniture was smashed to pieces, books torn apart whereas the crowd outside was  uttering all kinds of threats and insults. After some time the situation cooled down and nobody was (physically) hurt. As this was not the first incident, the Christian Reformed Church in Hallum decided to send a letter to the Governor of the province pointing out the freedom of religion and complaining about lack of protection. The letter -dated March 5, 1836- was signed by 11 Seceders:
J.A. Andree, S.F. Sytsma, A.J. Andree, J.H. Friesema, M. F. de Zwart , J.J. Andree, H.F. van Marrum, D. Moorhoff, H.P. Hettema, A.A. Haanstra and H.D. Talsma. The letter did not have any result and at the end the complaints were neglected.

The minutes of June 1836 show the following first members of the Christian Reformed Church:

Hette Pieters Hettema
(widower of Grietje Doekes Hellema)
 
Sieds Freerks Sytsma & Abeltje Jans Andree
 
Harmen Dirks Talsma & Sijke Rinderts Lelia
 
Anne Arjens Haanstra & Trijntje Wybrens de Groot
 
Hendrik Feyes van Marum & Janke Feitzes Veenma
 
Abe Jans Andree & Fokeltje Jans Kas
 
Pier Johannes Prins  & Antje Jans Faber
 
Romke Jans Boelens & Rinske Jans Andree
 
Sytske Hettes Miersma
(widow of Pieter Rinses Nieuwsma)
 
Jan Jans van der Haag & Feikje AEbes Braaksma
 
Dirk Moorhoff & Hermijntje Jacobs
(originally from the city of Haarlem)
 
Jan Jans Andree
 
Pieter Folkerts Rinsma
 
Jantje Gerrits Hofman
Source:
"De Afscheiding van 1834 in Friesland - Deel 1: de classis Wanswerd (Dokkum) van de Afgescheiden kerken" by Dr. J Wesseling.
Published in 1980 by De Vuurbaak which kindly granted permission to copy above information from the book.