The ‘Nederduitsch Hervormde' congregation was founded on 8 and 9 September 1855 in Pretoria. It was one of the independent churches started by the ‘Voortrekkers’. The first church building (1857-1882) was built on the corner of Visagie and Mark Streets (currently Paul Kruger Street). The church was very small and not much appreciated. In September 1882 it was badly damaged by a storm and shortly afterwards destroyed by a mysterious fire. The second church building (1885-1904) was designed by architect Tom Claridge on a piece of land connected to Church Square. While it was being built church services were held in the Tivoli Theatre in Mark Street. The government bought the church in 1899 for R100 000,00. In 1905 they bulldozed the church after which the whole of Church Square belonged to the Government.
The architects of the ‘Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk’, which was completed in 1905, were J.G. Kraan and J.B. Weijers, and the builder was G.J. Dorlas. The corner stone in Du Toit Street was laid on 18 July 1904 in the presence of general Louis Botha and only seven months later, on 25 February 1905, the church was ready to open. This occasion was the first time a soutane was worn in the Transvaal. The steeple houses an 1896 clock made in Germany.
Prof. P.J. Muller opened with a text from Revelations 21:5: “Zie, Ik maak alle dingen nieuw” ("See! I make all things new"). He ended the ceremony with the following prayer:
“Heer, onze God! wij smeeken U in dit nieuwe bedehuis, dat Uw Uwe liefde en trauw ons schenk, dat als gij alle dingen nieuw gemaakt hebt, in het nieuw Jerusalem geen van ons ontbreken zal, die thans handen en harte omhoog heffen tot U!”
In 1917 the University of Pretoria started with the training of ministers for the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk!
A memorial stone in honour of all the Dutchmen who died in the Anglo-Boer War was erected on the eastern wall. Names such as C.V. van Gogh (Cornelis, the brother of painter Vincent van Gogh) appear on the wall. He died at age 32 near Brandfort due to fever.
In 1953 decisions were made to alter the church to mitigate problems of a leaking roof and damaged sandstone. M. Runia and G.J. Bolsenbroek were appointed for the alterations. A baby room with two w.c. stalls inside were built north of the consistory. The men’s w.c. stalls were enlarged on the outside. The women’s w.c. stalls were changed into a store room. All the other outbuildings were demolished. The sandstone of the window sills was replaced as well as all the electric wiring, switches and wall sockets.
On 8 July 1953 a baptismal font and an announcement-stand was placed in front of the pulpit.
The concrete floors in the foyer were replaced with concrete tiles. The wooden floors were removed and replaced with parquet tiles. The brick sleeve was removed around the whole church and replaced with Kirkness bricks with recessed joints. A new corrugated sheet roof was constructed. All the interior walls were stripped and re-plastered. The chandelier was raised slightly, but it still has all its original glass pieces. The timber ceiling was painted light green and the wall behind the pulpit was painted in one colour (beige) with a wooden frame around it. All the chairs were fixed and varnished .
On 25 August 2010 a museum was opened on the gallery inside the church containing material concerned with the history of the ‘Nederduitsch Hervormde gemeente’ and the ‘Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk’. Here the public can view artifacts to gain more knowledge about the heritage of the church.
Ministers who served in the congregation were:
1904-1909: Prof. P.J. Muller
1909-1911: Ds. C.J.L. Ruysch van Dugteren
1914-1917: Prof. J.H.J.A. Greyvenstein
1917-1925: Dr. H.D. van Broekhuizen
1926-1949: Ds. S. Vermooten
1930-1934: Prof. ds. C.H. Rautenbach (assistant)
1944-1945: Prof. P.S. Dreyer (assistant)
1949-1952: Prof. E.S. Muller
1950-1963: Prof. S.P.J.J. van Rensburg
1952-1967: Ds. P.M. Smith
1963-1965: Prof. J.P. Oberholzer
1965-1966: Ds. H.N. Botha
1966-1994: Ds. F. du C. Labuschagne
1969- : Ds. E.C.B Kotze (Pont,1980:27)
1992-1997: Ds. G. van Staden
1998-2000: Ds. P. de Kock
1996-2003: Ds. M.J. Slabbert
1996-2004: Ds. A. Thomas
2003-2007: Ds. W. Mans
2008- : Ds. C. Pretorius (Pretorius, 2010)
Geolocation
-25° 44' 24", 28° 11' 24"
References