View source for Luies, Jan (d. 1637)

Jan Luies (Lues, Luyes, Lucas), date and place of birth unknown, died 21 January 1637, was a farmer, apparently at [[Kloosterburen (Groningen, Netherlands)|Kloosterburen]], Dutch [[Groningen (Netherlands)|province of Groningen]] (not [[Noordbroek (Groningen, Netherlands)|Noordbroek]] as has been suggested both by [[Cate, Steven Blaupot ten (1807-1884)|Blaupot ten Cate]] and [[Kühler, Wilhelmus Johannes (1874-1946)|Kühler]]). He was at the same time preacher and elder of the Flemish Marne congregation, and founder of the [[Groningen Old Flemish Mennonites|Groningen Old Flemish]] branch of Mennonites.

Jan Luies was a stubborn and very intolerant man, who opposed the attempts at unity between the different branches of Dutch Mennonites. He especially condemned the <em>[[Harlinger Vrede (Peace of Harlingen)|Harlinger Vrede]] </em>(Peace of Harlingen, 1610) between the [[Frisian Mennonites|Frisian]] and [[Flemish Mennonites|Flemish]] congregations of Harlingen, [[Friesland (Netherlands)|Friesland]]. In 1617 he was at Haarlem, where he banned [[Outerman, Jacques (ca. 1547-ca. 1639)|Jacques Outerman]], elder of the Flemish congregation. Again about 1620 at a meeting at [[Langezwaag (Friesland, Netherlands)|Langezwaag]] in Friesland, he denounced Outerman as the "most awful heretic he had ever met." On 13-16 April 1622 he disputed at Hoorn with [[Twisck, Pieter Jansz (1565-1636)|P. J. Twisck]], elder of the Frisians, and prevented a union with the Frisians. In 1623 Luies went to [[Blokzijl (Overijssel, Netherlands)|Blokzijl]] to ban the Flemish elder [[Claesz, Claes (17th century)|Claes Claesz]], who according to Luies was too lenient in maintaining the old principles of banning and shunning. Claesz defended himself against Luies in <em>Onschult ende Bestraffinghe des onschriftmatighen oordeels, 't welck by Jan Luyes ende sijne medestanders gegeven ende uytgesproocken is </em>(2nd ed. Amsterdam, 1627). Likewise in 1623 Luies stayed at [[Amsterdam (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Amsterdam]], where a part of the Flemish were planning to merge with the Frisians, and prevented the union by his obstinacy, banning a number of members including the preacher of the Amsterdam Flemish congregation, Abraham Dirksz (Bierens). For this act he was blamed by his former adherent Jan Gerritsz in a booklet <em>Een Spieghel des Geloofs </em>(printed not before 1641, Amsterdam). He also was active in Blokzijl, [[Giethoorn (Overijssel, Netherlands)|Giethoorn]], and [[Deventer (Overijssel, Netherlands)|Deventer ]](all in 1627).

The question of unification was fully discussed at a meeting on 18-21 September 1628, at [[Middelstum (Groningen, Netherlands)|Middelstum]]. Here Jan Luies, assisted by [[Walles, Uco (1583-1653)|Elder Uko Walles]] from [[Noordbroek (Groningen, Netherlands)|Noordbroek]], opposed a number of tolerant Flemish leaders, such as Claes Claesz of Blokzijl, [[Moyer, Pieter Jansz (d. before 1661)|Pieter Jans Moyer]] of Amsterdam, and Joost Hendriks of Harlingen. Here the rupture between Jan Luies and his intolerant adherents on the one side, who presumed that only the Flemish church was the visible church of the Lord, and on the other side the more lenient elders, led by Claes Claesz, who wished to make peace and union with other groups of Mennonites, became definite.

The followers of Jan Luies, who were numerous in the province of Groningen and who were at first called Jan-Lucas-volk, but soon were given the name of Groningen Old Flemish Mennonites, broke off all intercourse with the Flemish. After the death of Jan Luies, his co-elder Uco Walles became their leader, for whom they have also been called Ukowallists.
= Bibliography =
Cate, Steven Blaupot ten. <em>Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Groningen, Overijssel en Oost-Friesland</em>, 2 vols. Leeuwarden: W. Eekhoff en J. B. Wolters, 1842: v. I, 60, 64-67.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. ''Mennonitisches Lexikon'', 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. II, 389.

Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. <em>Inventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam</em>, 2 vols. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884: v. I, Nos. 558 I, II, VI, 571, 606; v. II, 1232-40; v. II, 2, No. 66.

Kühler, Wilhelmus Johannes. <em>Geschiedenis van de Doopsgezinden in Nederland: Gemeentelijk Leven 1650-1735. </em>Haarlem: H.D. Tjeenk Willink &amp; Zoon, 1950: II, 83 f., 133-135.

Molhuysen, P. C. and P. J. Blok. <em>Nieuw Nederlandsch Biografisch Woordenboek.</em> Leiden, 1911-1937: III, 797-800.
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