View source for Jesse, Willem (1833-1912)

Willem Jesse, a Dutch Mennonite pastor, was born 1 November 1833 at Rotterdam and died 23 February 1912 at [[Amsterdam (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Amsterdam]]. After studying at the [[Amsterdam Mennonite Theological Seminary (Kweekschool)|Mennonite Theological Seminary at Amsterdam]], Willem Jesse served the congregation of [[Giethoorn (Overijssel, Netherlands)|Giethoorn]] 1858-1862 and Zaandam-Oost 1862-1899. He also was a permanent delegate on the board of the [[Algemene Doopsgezinde Societeit|Algemene Doopsgezinde Sociëteit]] (Dutch Mennonite General Conference) and trustee of the Mennonite Seminary. During his pastorate Jesse turned to radical liberalism. After he had resigned he gave catechetical instruction for a number of years in the "Vrije Gemeente" (non-confessional liberal congregation) founded by his friend P.H. Hugenholtz at Amsterdam. He was one of the compilers of the hymnbook of the Dutch Protestant Union, which was much used also in Mennonite congregations. The Jesse family were among the pillars of the Rotterdam Mennonite congregation: Adrianus Arnoldus Jesse (1834-1900), a brother of Pastor Willem Jesse and owner of a drugstore, served the church of Rotterdam for many years as a deacon and as moderator of the church board.
= Bibliography =
Visscher, H. and L. A. van Langeraad. <em>Biographisch Woordenboek von Protestantsche Godgeleerden in Nederland</em>, IV: 541-543.

<em>Doopsgezinde Bijdragen</em> (1901): 215, (1912): 209-212.

<em>De Zondagsbode</em> (1911-1912): 70, 72.
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