View source for Teerns, Jelle Sipkes van (1738-1823)

Jelle Sipkes van Teerns, (1738-29 March 1823), whose father was a farmer near Leeuwarden in [[Friesland (Netherlands)|Friesland]], Netherlands, and who at first was a farmer himself, thereupon a carpenter, educated himself by reading, particularly on history and theology. In 1768 he was chosen as preacher of the [[Veenwouden (Friesland, Netherlands)|Veenwouden]] Mennonite congregation and earned his living by continuing his carpentry. He soon established a reputation as an eloquent preacher. In February 1771 he moved to IJlst, where he served the small [[Waterlanders|Waterlander]] congregation for nearly 50 years, retiring in 1818.

Jelle Sipkes was a clear-headed man; his piety had a strong moralistic tendency; his ideas were rather liberal, both concerning religion and politics. He was always interested in political affairs; as a "patriot" he took an active part in the government both of his home town and the provincial government of Friesland in 1795-96. In his private life he had to contend with many sorrows and cares because of illness in his family. Parts of his diary were published by H. J. Busé in <em>Doopsgezinde Bijdragen</em> 1909. His son Sipke Jelles van Teerns (1776-1829), a baker by trade, was like his father an untrained minister, serving at [[Irnsum (Friesland, Netherlands)|Irnsum]]from 1804 until his death.
= Bibliography =
<em>Doopsgezinde Bijdragen</em> (1870): 151; (1909): 49-103; (1912): 110.

<em>Naamlijst der tegenwoordig in dienst zijnde predikanten der Mennoniten in de vereenigde Nederlanden.</em> Amsterdam 1829: 49 ff., 54.
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