Classis East of the Protestant Reformed Churches met Wednesday morning at 9 o’clock, October 4, 1944 in the parlors of the First Church at Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The opening exercises were conducted in the usual way by Rev. J. De Jong, the president of the former classis. The credentials were then read and received and classis was declared constituted. Rev. C. Hanko was called upon to preside and Rev. J. De Jong took down the minutes.
The minutes of the July session of classis were read and approved.
A report of the stated clerk was read and approved.
A report of the stated clerk was read and received for information. The stated clerk is informed that he is expected to take care of the mimeographing of the report mentioned in articles 7 and 8 of the July classis.
The Classical Committee reported, that the only work they had done in the interim was to examine the Classical Credentials of Rev. H. De Wolf, who had accepted the call to the First Protestant Reformed Church at Grand Rapids, Mich. An instruction from the Consistory of Holland is read in which they ask for information in regard to the various assessments. Classis decides to answer Holland, that the assessments are based upon the current needs of the various funds, figured per family and so equally distributed among the various churches. A communication from Roosevelt Park is read and received for information. Roosevelt Park’s consistory expresses that it is not perfectly in agreement
with the advice given at the former classis and asks that the matter be reconsidered because it believes it can give sufficient grounds to warrant a change of advice in this matter.
After considerable discussion, a motion is made that classis rescind its former decision, but this motion does not carry.
A communication from a member of one of our churches is read and received for information. Classis decides to answer, that this communication gives no grounds why classis should rescind o former decision.
The minutes of the morning session are read and approved. Classis decides to adjourn till 1:30 P. M. Elder A. De Borst closes the morning session with thanks to God.
The president calls the meeting to order for the afternoon session. After the singing of No. 238 from the Psalter, Rev. M. Schipper leads in prayer.
Roll call reveals that elder C. De Jong is present as delegate from Fourth Church.
Elder N. Yonker, who had been appointed to thank the ladies for their catering services, reports that he had done so.
Classis re-elected Mr. F. LaGrange as Classical Treasurer. The terms of two members of the Classical Committee had expired, so classis elected the following brethren to serve in the Classical Committee: Rev. B. Kok and Rev. A. Petter. The following were chosen as Church Visitors: Primi—Rev. J. De Jong, and Rev. B. Kok; Secundi—Rev. R. Veldman and Rev. A. Petter.
The next meeting of classis will be held the second Wednesday in January, 1945.
The questions of Art. 41 of the Church Order are asked and answered satisfactorily. The minutes are read and approved. Classis decides to adjourn. Rev. H. Hoeksema leads in the closing prayer.
D. JONKER, Stated Clerk