View source for Fortgens, Michiel (1663-1695)

Michiel Fortgens, born 13 January 1663, died 18 August 1695, became a preacher of the [[Zonists|Zonist]] congregation in [[Amsterdam (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Amsterdam]] at the age of 20, and served until death snatched him out of an effective ministry at the age of 33. Fortgens was an ardent defender of the conservative Zonist principles. He served as secretary of meetings held in 1684 and 1685 to unite the two congregations[[Lamist Mennonite Church (Amsterdam, Netherlands)| bij 't Lam]] and van den Zon at Amsterdam; his report <em>Verhael der Onderhandelingen . . . </em>was published at Amsterdam in 1685.

On this question he also wrote <em>Een Brief aan N. N. rakende de laatste onderhandeling . . . . </em>(Amsterdam, 1692). Especially in this last-mentioned booklet he proves himself to be an orthodox Mennonite, averse to the unlimited tolerance he found among the [[Lamists|Lamists]], and convinced that the church needed a concise confession.

He was a very good preacher; his sermons were Biblical, simple, not marred by quibbles or redundant display of learning, and spoken with persuasive power. His published sermons were much read by the Reformed also.

[[Schijn, Herman (1662-1727)|Hermann Schijn]] delivered the funeral sermon, which was published with the title, <em>Zalige Nagedagtenis ter gelegentheid van het Zalig, dog voor de Gemeente ontydig ontslaapen van Michael Fortgens, veel geachten en getrouwen Leeraar der Doopsgezinden te Amsterdam, onder het zedig verklaaren, en toepassen van Davids Leeven, en Sterven uit Hand der Apost. 13 v. 36 plegtig gehouden op den 11. September 1695</em> (Amsterdam, 1695). His friend [[Beets, Pieter (1664-1710)|Pieter Beets]], minister of [[Hoorn (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Hoorn]], also delivered (at Hoorn) a funeral sermon: <em>Het bereidwillig sterven, gesien in de zalige verhuisinge van wijlen Michiel Fortgens</em> (published at Hoorn, 1695).

After Fortgens' death three collections of his sermons were published: (1) <em>XLII Predicatien over uitgeleze Texten des Ouden en Nieuwen Testaments gedaan door Michael Fortgens, in zyn Leeven Leeraar der Weereloze en Doopsgezinde Christenen te Amsterdam. Deeze Tweede Druck vermeerderd met Drie uitgeleezene Predicatien van denzelven Auteur. Gedrukt te Hoorn 1719.</em> The first edition was published by Schijn in 1696. (2) <em>Tyd en Feest-Predicatien over uitgeleze Texten des Ouden en Nieuwen Testaments. De Tweede Druck vermeer¬derd met 7 Predicatien over Ps. XXVII</em> (Amsterdam, 1722). The first edition is undated. (3) <em>Predicatien over de twee eerste Capittels van den eersten Brief van Petrus, den Uijttogt van Abraham uit zyn Vaderland en de Opofferinge van zynen Eenigen Zone Isaac, beneffens de overdragt, of Vergelykinge derzelve in de Offerhande van Jesus Christus, onzen Heere</em>. This collection, published by H. Schijn in 1711, contains 33 sermons on the first two chapters of the first epistle of Peter, three on Hebrews 11:8-10, and four on Genesis 22:1-14; new editions came out in 1729 and 1738. At 16 Fortgens had published a Latin devotional poem, <em>De pace et Tranauilitate Animi Carmen heroicum</em> (Amsterdam, 1679). A picture of Fortgens is found in Schijn-Maatschoen.
= Bibliography =
<em>Catalogus der werken over de Doopsgezinden in hunne geschiedenis aanwezig in de bibliotheek der Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam.  </em>Amsterdam:  J.H. de Bussy, 1919: 132, 234, 241.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. <em>Mennonitisches Lexikon, </em>4 v. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 665.

Schijn, Hermann. <em>Uitvoeriger Verhandeling van de Geschiedenisse der Mennoniten.</em> Amsterdam: Kornelis de Wit, 1744: 83, 658-662, 668.

Visscher, H. and L. A. van Langeraad. <em>Het protestantsche vaderland: biographisch woordenboek van protestantsche godgeleerden in Nederland, </em>8 vols. Utrecht, 1903-1918: III, 96-98.
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