Harm Henry Meeter (1886-1963) | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

Born April 29, 1886, in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Meeter received his elementary education in the public and Evangelical Lutheran schools of Lansing, Illinois.  After graduating from Calvin College and Seminary in 1911, he did post-graduate work at Princeton Seminary.

Of two fellowships offered him at Princeton, he chose the one that allowed him three years of study at the Free University in Amsterdam, from which he graduated in 1916, the first American cum laude with a doctorate in Theology from that institution.  His dissertation was titled: "The Heavenly High Priesthood of Christ: an Exegetical Study."

In January 1917, he was ordained as the first minister of the Neland Avenue Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids.  While at Neland, he served on the Board of Trustees of Calvin College and Seminary, on the board of the Grand Rapids Christian High School, on various synodical committees, and as chairman for several years of the Publication Committee of the Christian Reformed Church.

In 1926, Dr. Meeter began his illustrious career of teaching at Calvin College, serving there until 1956.  He was the sole teacher of Bible at Calvin until 1946.  He wrote two books, The Fundamental Principle of Calvinism and Calvinism, an Interpretation of Its Basic Ideas.  The latter book was translated into the Dutch, Japanese, and Korean languages.

Retiring in 1953, Dr. Meeter lived until July 19, 1963 and was survived by his wife, Jennie, and son, Hugh.