Letter 12
Date:
February 8, 1873
Sender: G. W.
Bloemers
Gibbsville, Post Office
Sheboygan County
Wisconsin
North America
Writer: A.
Stokdijk (brother and friend)
Addressee: Derk Willem
te Selle
Holland,
Sheboygan County, Wisconsin February 8, 1873
Worthy Nephew, D. W. te Selle,
Upon invitation of your
uncle G. W. Bloemers, I am taking up the pen to write you some lines in his name
and in his presence hoping that these lines will find you and your family with
my two sisters in good health.
As far as your uncle is
concerned, well, taken his years into account (since he is almost 79 years old)
he still is very well, however, the old man is very deaf, and much dizziness in
his head, is related. Also, it goes without saying, he is becoming weaker and
less able to walk, and also must pay attention to many different weather
conditions. The desire of your uncle is that he would like to know that all is
well with you and with the entire family, not just from his side of the family,
but also from the side of his departed wife.
You must know that your
uncle, however old he may be, would very much like to know how each member of
the family is in the temporal. But also, and above all, I know that - however
pleasing and refreshing it might be for him to know that you are all doing fine
in the temporal - he would be delighted in particular to hear from you and the
family that you all are doing so well that you can write:
“Dear Uncle, we know that
when our earthly home, this tabernacle is broken up, we have a building close to
God. A house not made with hands ... but Eternal in the Heavens.” That your
uncle for himself may believe this, I have no doubt. And that you and the
entire family also might share in this hope is his sincere desire, and his
highest longing. Not only here, but also his prayer to our God and Father.
That the old man has
written you about this before is quite sure. And that you are convinced of the
fact that he means well by you, you would not dare to deny.
It has befallen the old man
well upon that way, and when we ask the older folks (in heaven) how did you come
out with Jesus whom you have chosen as your deliverer, and your Leader, for your
eternal hope, then they would all say, "All of us has befallen it well, yes as
good as it was and is for them to be near the Lord, that they consider others as
Strangers here below. They all would say to us that with Jesus they were never
cheated (or disappointed) and possess a hope they do not want to exchange for
the entire world.
And O, how wonderful it
would be for him in his old age, that there are souls who have obtained a love
for Jesus, and that is also why your uncle, once more wants to invite you to
give heed to that great salvation. Considering his high age, it could be the
last time that he is able to say this to you. So take heed to your days. I
know that your uncle is sincere, and yes I know that he also likes to see and to
hear very much that all of you is going along quite well as far as the temporal
is concerned. For that he is not reckless at all. He is with his family where
he has it very good. And now after the passing away of his wife, he will also
feel stronger than ever before how well the Lord still cares so much for him.
So well cared for that he is unhindered and free from all necessity beyond the
temporal. But above all his soul would fare well when his children and
grandchildren, yes the entire family, might walk in the truth. The grace is not
denied, no, no, a Christian would, if possible, bring all people to Jesus. A
Christian prays and pleads many times, hidden from view. Many times sheds tears
out of sight, and in the inner chamber, in the night when most of the people are
asleep. From this we see a great love, a great interest.
Even as Jesus stood over
Jerusalem and said while he wept, “Oh if only on this day you might know the
things which bring your peace."
I want to invite you to
write your uncle, especially how every member of the family is doing, and also
how his two sisters are doing, if they are still living. Also if they are doing
well, will you be so good to make them acquainted with this. And bring hearty
greetings from him to them and the entire family.
From your two brothers who
went to America he did not receive a letter for a long time.
This spring it will be two
years that Harmen Jan has written them. They live in the state of Nebraska.
Nevertheless, he has heard from others that they are doing well after the
temporal.
You will understand that
your uncle still lives with his son Tobias and wife, and that he, in his old
age, enjoys the privilege of being together in all freedom and comfort with his
children, and not only that, but also with his grandchildren. Of whom, Solomon
says, that they “are a jewel for the elderly.”
His children possess a
total of nine of these jewels called grandchildren, of whom the oldest Janna, is
20 years old; Anna, 18 years old; Hendrik Jan is 15 years; Gerrit Willem, 13
years; Dina, 11 years old; Gezina, 9 years old; Mina, 7 years old; Jan, 4 years
old; Albert, 1 year. Thus 9 jewels crown the head of a man of 79 years old and
living in a household.
Now, what else, your uncle
would also like to know how is the churchly situation with you in the
Netherlands. He feels that if it did not take a turn for the better, from when
he left the Netherlands, then the situation of the church is not the best. Not
that there are still some true Christlike congregations with upright ministers,
or that there were no pious Christians anymore, but how things are in general.
Isn’t there a great falling away and departure from the true Christian
teaching? If you still hear about conversions, or being born again to a living
hope through faith in Jesus Christ and the Word. When you see churches and
enter therein and hear and see what goes on there, and sit by yourself at home
and read the Bible, and see what the despised man of Nazareth, Jesus Christ,
teaches us about the way of salvation, and his disciples, those despised
fishermen, what they learned, and not only what they learned, but how they
lived, what would then be your answer? Is in your place the congregation of
Christ visible to the world, or is the world with you in the church, or has the
so‑called church taken on the garments of the world? Your uncle longs for your
answer. Tell him once your thoughts, because we all know very well, or should
know, that we are approaching the end of his time. We must remember that the day
of the Lord is drawing near, and that that day will come, after all, when people
expect it the least.
And it is quite plain that,
in general, very little thought is given to this. It is evident that there are
many who say, "Oh it is and will stay as it always was in the world. Where is
the promise of His coming?"
But when we see what the
Bible says about that, then it is the language of mockers. Mockers and those who
bear the name of Christians, we must not give heed to hear them. O troubled
Christendom, we might well say, "Did you learn Christ that way?" No, mockers are
not Christians and it makes no difference who or what he is. Even the most
fluent or talented preacher: when he makes fun with (or mocks about) the return
of Christ, he is not a called minister of Christ, and he himself is not a
Christian. Surely we are in dangerous times, there is so much agitation to move
and to go ahead, but where is the movement ahead in Christendom? Nevertheless,
it is also true that there are crying voices from all directions East, West,
South and North, "See the Bridegroom is coming." Faithful watchers who God still
gives, also in our days, and those calling voices, increase from day to day
until the day is there. Fortunately there are still many who are awake here. And
how is it with you, or don’t you hear anything about this. We know that there
are in the Netherlands, but if there are some with you, or is still everything
still asleep?
O, may the Lord cause all
to understand, not only to help us to recall that the day of Jesus is near, but
also that we impart the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ through conversion so that
Jesus Christ may live in our hearts by faith so that we with joy, may long for
that day.
Because, otherwise, all our
knowing will help us nothing.
If we long for Jesus’
return, then that Jesus must be our daily life.
If we pray for His return
(lit. Toekomst means Future!) , then we must first pray that He may live
in our hearts. If we long for the New Jerusalem (Hemelsche ‑ Heavenly),
then we must first have our new birth from that Jerusalem, and when we
understand that, my friend, then we can call ourselves fortunate people. And
then we know for sure that our Lord Jesus Christ shall come when He has prepared
a house for us in the House of our Father, the New Jerusalem. And worthy
friend, may my wish and prayer be fulfilled then will your uncle, I myself, with
all our friends and acquaintances may receive that grace to know Jesus here and
to long for His return, and to meet you and yours there, to be with the Lord
forever. Amen, so be it.
And now, my friend, upon
the invitation of your uncle, I have written you a little. I may have added a
little of my own, but this I know, that whatever I have written, it will have
the approval of your uncle. And with this, I commend you with yours to God and
the words of His grace.
Your uncle’s friend,
brother and servant
A. Stokdijk
N. B. We have had an early
hard winter here. On November 12, 1872, the winter started. There is enough food
and fodder here for people and cattle. The coldest it has been here is 22
degrees below zero. In other places as cold as 40 degrees. The likeness (gelijkenis
= photo, picture) of your uncle is enclosed herewith, and you and your family
and all other friends receive hereby the hearty greetings from old man Bloemers,
his son and daughter, as well as their children. Hoping that you will write back
soon.
Address; G. W.
Bloemers
Gibbsville, Post Office
Sheboygan County
Wisconsin
North America
Some writing included
on the backside of the same letter paper.
Letter 12a
Date:
February 28. 1873
Sender: Derk
Willem te Selle
Kotten under Winterswijk
Addressed to: C.
Grutters/Gruter
Wife and children
Highly esteemed friends,
C. Grutters with wife and
children.
I received this week from
my uncle, your brother in law and brother G.W. Bloemers from North America this
letter. As he asked me for letting you know the content of this letter I send
it to you, and also the portrait. so
you can see him on it, and also read from this letter how he is doing. So you
can also send it to your other sister,. They would like to have and see it very
much.
But Grutters, will you be
so good as to send me back this letter soon? The old man is longing for a
letter in return from us, so I can give an answer to a few questions he posed.
We have for many years not
received a letter from him. It is true that he provided us by way of one of my
brothers who was also with him sent a few letters.
I would also gladly have
brought this letter, but I am not able to face walking all the way to your home.
Furthermore, I let you know
that I myself, my wife and children, and also my mother, we are still in good
health.
We hope and wish this also
for all of you.
Greetings from all of us,
the 28th of February 1873.
Derk Willem te Selle
at Kotten under
Winterswijk.
Esteemed nephews and
nieces. We thank you sincerely because you have sent us these tidings (letter)
and noted from it that you are still healthy by God’s blessing. That which
delights us greatly and that you are still alive about which we are happy, and
as far as we are concerned we cannot do much more.
We are both old and if money must be with it,
then be so good as to send a (3) foreman (voerman ?). The writing is very
difficult for me.
G. Z.
Bloemers C. A. Gruter
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