Klaas de Vries, born March 1716 at Emden, died 23 July 1766 at Amsterdam, a son of Preacher Wytze de Vries and Grietje Wessels, was a Dutch Mennonite minister. He was educated at the University of Franeker and the Amsterdam Mennonite Seminary. He served as pastor at Emmerich (Germany) 1741-1744 and Amsterdam (Lamist church) 1744-d.1766. In spite of poor health he was very active. He is said to have carefully prepared his sermons, which, however, were learned essays on religion and morals rather than direct Christian testimonies. In a commemorative poem he is called a preacher of penitence, but this is a somewhat rhetorical epithet for this rationalistically minded man. He opposed catechetical instruction by the church, believing that this was the task of the parents. Though he did not publish much, he was a man of great learning. After the death of Professor Tjerk Nieuwenhuis in 1759 he taught philosophy and physics at the Seminary for some time. His colleague Allard Hulshoff preached his funeral sermon: Klaas de Vries . . . geschetst in eene Lykrede (Amsterdam, 1766). His brother Uilke Wytzes de Vries (d. 1781) was an untrained minister of the Leeuwarden Mennonite congregation 1726-1762.

Bibliography

Author(s)	Nanne van der Zijpp
Date Published	1959

Doopsgezinde Bijdragen (1918): 50, note 1.

Doopsgezind Jaarboekje (1850): 112.

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Zijpp, Nanne van der. "Vries, Klaas de (1716-1766)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1959. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Vries,_Klaas_de_(1716-1766)&oldid=131407.

APA style

Zijpp, Nanne van der. (1959). Vries, Klaas de (1716-1766). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Vries,_Klaas_de_(1716-1766)&oldid=131407.

Vries, Klaas de (1716-1766)

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