Rijsdijk, Jacobus (ca. 1690-1744)
Jacobus Rijsdijk (Rysdyk), born ca. 1690 in Norden, East Friesland, Germany, a Dutch Mennonite preacher, serving in Almelo 1716-23, Zwolle 1723-28, Groningen 1728-42, and again Almelo 1742-44, where he died in November 1744. He was an educated preacher of the United Waterlander and Flemish congregation, a defender of the Zonist principles, opposing rationalism and Socinianism, with a leaning toward the Reformed Church, which his son is said to have joined. He distinguished between "true Mennonites" like himself, and "the so-called Doopsgezinden, who hid behind the name Mennonite," and fought the latter, including his colleague Jan Commesin Zwolle and his uncle and colleague Eppo Botterman, over his activity in the Collegiant movement in Groningen, where the congregation vainly tried to mediate in 1730-31, and finally also Johannes Stinstra, a preacher in Harlingen.
Jacobus Rijsdijk wrote both polemical and doctrinal works. Of his polemic writings the following should be mentioned: Verdediging van de Regtzinnigheid der Ware Mennoniten (Groningen, 1729); Ongeveinsd en Zedig Antwoordt over de beschuldiging hem aengedaen door Jan Commes (Groningen, 1730), which was a reply to the attack on Rijsdijk by Commes titled Den Veynzaart ontmaskert (Zwolle, 1729); and Zedige Aanmerkingen (Groningen, 1735) against Botterman. The following doctrinal works should be mentioned; Eerste Beginzelen van de Lere des Geloofs (Groningen, 1733; 2d ed. 1740; 5th ed. Amsterdam, 1784); Korte Schets van de Lere der Waarheid (Groningen, 1733, 1747, 1756, 1764); De Waarheid van Jesus Messiasschap (2 vv., Groningen, 1735, reprinted 1745, 1749); Eerste Waarheidsmelk (Groningen, 1742); Godtgeleerde Aanmerkingen (2 vv., Groningen, 1742-44). Besides these he published his farewell sermon at Zwolle and first sermon at Groningen: Afscheidts en Intre-predikaatzien, zo van de Gemeente te Zwolle als in die van Groningen (Groningen, 1729).
As late as 23 December 1789, a plan for contracts for future ministers drawn up at Emden, Germany, stipulated that they should build the church and instruct the youth "in accord with the confession of faith of the Zonist Sociëteit as published and taught by Hans de Ries, Pieter Arends, Herman Schijn, and Jacobus Rijsdijk. The books written by Schijn and Rijsdijk were regularly used in the brotherhood; their spirit should prevail in any other books to be introduced."
Bibliography
Catalog of the library of the Mennonite Church of Hamburg-Altona (Altona, 1890): 40, 43, 45, 52.
Catalogus der werken over de Doopsgezinden en hunne geschiedenis aanwezig in de bibliotheek der Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam. Amsterdam: J.H. de Bussy, 1919: 135, 136, 167, 219, 248, 261.
Cate, Steven Blaupot ten. Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Groningen, Overijssel en Oost-Friesland. 2 vols. Leeuwarden: W. Eekhoff en J. B. Wolters, 1842: v. I, 137, 167.
Dassel, H. Menno's Volk in Groningen. Groningen: 36-38.
Doopsgezinde Bijdragen (1895): 121; (1868): 65; (1878): 48; (1895): 121.
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe; Schneider, 1913-1967: v. III, 513.
Kühler, W. J. Het Socinianisme in Nederland. Leiden, 1912: 263 f.
Molhuysen, P. C. and P. J. Blok. Nieuw Nederlandsch Biografisch Woordenboek, 10 vols. Leiden, 1911-1937: v. X, 863.
Schagen, Marten. Naamlijst der Doopsgezinde schrijveren. Amsterdam, 1745: 87 f.
Schijn, Hermann. Uitvoeriger Verhandeling van de Geschiedenisse der Mennoniten. Amsterdam: Kornelis de Wit, 1744: Geschiedenis v. II, 672.
Sepp, Christiaan. Johannes Stinstra en zijn tijd I and II. Amsterdam, 1865-66: particularly v. I 104-7; v. II 97-99.
Slee, J. C. van. De Rijnsburger Collegianten. Haarlem, 1895: 231-35.
Zijpp, N. van der. Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Nederland. Arnhem, 1952: 165, 167, 179.
| Author(s) | Ernst Crous |
|---|---|
| Nanne van der Zijpp | |
| Date Published | 1959 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Crous, Ernst and Nanne van der Zijpp. "Rijsdijk, Jacobus (ca. 1690-1744)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1959. Web. 25 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Rijsdijk,_Jacobus_(ca._1690-1744)&oldid=84570.
APA style
Crous, Ernst and Nanne van der Zijpp. (1959). Rijsdijk, Jacobus (ca. 1690-1744). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 25 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Rijsdijk,_Jacobus_(ca._1690-1744)&oldid=84570.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 335. All rights reserved.
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