View source for Camphuysen, Dirk Rafaelsz (ca. 1586-1626)

Dirk Rafaelsz Camphuysen, though not a Mennonite, deserves mention because of his influence as a poet on Dutch Mennonite religious verse. He was born about 1586 in [[Gorinchem (Zuid-Holland, Netherlands)|Gorinchem]] and studied at the University of [[Leiden (Zuid-Holland, Netherlands)|Leiden]]. Then he was a teacher, first in his native city, and later in [[Utrecht (Utrecht, Netherlands)|Utrecht]], and preached several times for the Mennonites in [[Waterland (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Waterland]]. In 1617 he became a Reformed preacher in Vleuten in the Dutch province of [[Utrecht (Netherlands)|Utrecht]], but in 1619 was removed from office and in 1620 banished because he favored [[Remonstrants|Remonstrant]] ideas. He hid in [[Amsterdam (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Amsterdam]] for a time, then went to [[Norden (Ostfriesland, Germany)|Norden]] in [[East Friesland (Niedersachsen, Germany)|East Friesland]], and later to [[Harlingen (Friesland, Netherlands)|Harlingen]] and [[Ameland (Friesland, Netherlands)|Ameland]], until in 1623 he was finally permitted to settle in [[Dokkum (Friesland, Netherlands)|Dokkum]] and open a store. In 1625 he refused a call as professor in Rakow and died on 19 July 1626. Camphuysen wrote a translation of the Psalms in verse, a large part of which was taken into the new collection of Psalms adopted by many [[Lamists|Lamist]] Mennonite churches. They are also in the hymnal of the Mennonite church at [[Haarlem (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Haarlem]] (republished in 1713 and 1756). Among his writings were <em>Stichtelyke Rymen om te lezen of te zingen; onderscheiden in IV Deelen, </em>which was reprinted at least 12 times, and <em>Uytbreyding over de Psalmen des Propheten Davids, </em>which also went through many editions. Camphuysen's devotional poems were also known and loved in Mennonite circles. At the beginning of the 19th century one of Camphuysen's books, probably his <em>Stichtelyke Rymen, </em>was still the songbook of the Mennonite congregations at [[Leeuwarden (Friesland, Netherlands)|Leeuwarden]] and [[Grouw (Friesland, Netherlands)|Grouw]].
= Bibliography =
<em>Catalogus der werken over de Doopsgezinden en hunne geschiedenis aanwezig in de bibliotheek der Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam. </em>Amsterdam: J. J. de Bussy, 1919: 275 f., 279.

<em>Doopsgezinde Bijdragen </em>(1900): 90.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. ''Mennonitisches Lexikon'', 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 325.

Rademaker, Leonard Albert. <em>Didericus Camphuysen: Proefschrift . . . </em>Gouda: Koch &amp; Knuttel, 1898.
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