COLL/216 Guide to the William H. Rutgers Collection Rutgers, William H. Collection

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Guide to the William H. Rutgers Collection Heritage Hall, Hekman Library Overview of the Collection William H. Rutgers Collection 1927-1979 COLL/216 William H. Rutgers, 1898-1980 23.00 Heritage Hall, Hekman Library
Hekman Library 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE Grand Rapids, MI, URL: http://archives.calvin.edu Email: crcarchives@calvin.edu Phone: 616-526-6913 Fax: 616-526-7689
Minister of the Christian Reformed Church, President of Grundy College, and professor of dogmatics at the Calvin Theological Seminary. The papers include biographical files; sermons; addresses; articles; correspondence; lectures; radio messages; book reviews; Seminary situation files, 1950-1953; Grundy College file, 1930; and student notes.
Biographical Information:

In 1978, Dr. W. Rutgers took part in the installation service of Rev. L. Kerkstra at Kelloggsville Christian Reformed Church. He recalled the crisis time when he had accepted a call and the same congregation – in the fall of 1952. In June of that year Dr. Rutgers was one of the members of the Calvin Theological Seminary Staff involved in the “seminary situation”. Synod did not reappoint him to the chair of dogmatics. The Grand Rapids Press headlined an article reporting the action of Synod as follows: “Synod Action Ousts Four of Calvin Seminary Faculty”. Rutgers had served in the Seminary since 1944. In the brief message to the congregation of Kelloggsville he said, “Permit me to relate an experience I had with the call to this congregation several years ago, 26 to be exact. It was at a time that I had passed through a shattering Waterloo sort of experience. I guess most people, if we live long enough, will have some such low-valley experience in life. Seemingly, for me, the rug had been pulled from under my foot; for a moment, everything seemed to lie in ruins. However, God was so merciful. I say this not to be boastful, but as an experience of fact, within a month or so He provided me with eight calls. I cannot tell you how ashamed or embarrassed I was for my valley experience and the sinking of heart experience. But now where to go? But do you know, after much though and prayer before the three weeks ended, all the others were cancelled out and this call, the first to be cancelled, was the very one I accepted.”

The Seminary situation experience, although a spirit and mind shattering one, did not leave him embittered. He testified that God’s grace was all-sufficient in his bitter disappointment. He was a man with a forgiving and forgetting spirit.

William H. Rutgers began his life in Firth, Nebraska on October 26, 1898. His parents, John and Sena Rutgers moved to Lynden, Washington where William received his elementary and high school education. For a few years, he worked on the farm, in a grocery store, at a lumbermill, and served in the U.S. Navy.

When he made profession of faith at twenty-one, he was constrained to enter the ministry. His preparation included studies at Calvin College and Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary and the Free University in Amsterdam where he received his doctor’s degree with a thesis on Premillennialism in America.

After graduation from the Free University, he became president of Grundy College and pastor or the Grundy Center and Holland, Iowa Churches. In 1933, he moved to Cicero, Illinois to serve the First Cicero congregation. He remained there for ten years. A farewell program gave thanks “for capable and effective leadership, for consecrated service, for nobility of character, for diligence and patience, for comradely fellowship in joy and sorrow.”

The Synod of 1943 elected Dr. W.H. Rutgers as alternate to the chair of Dogmatic Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary. When Dr. Cornelius Van Til declined to occupy the chair, William Rutgers accepted this call of the denomination and served from 1943 until 1952, when his teaching was terminated.

From 1952-1958 Dr. Rutgers served as pastor of Kelloggsville, Michigan CRC; from 1958-1964 he was minister if Bethany CRC in Bell Flower, CA; and from 1964-1969 his ministry was at 2nd Highland CRC in Illinois. During his retirement years, delegates at various classes heard William Rutgers enthusiastically speak about the work of the American Bible Society and the Evangelical Literature League. He wore the two hats capably.

Dr. W. Rutgers’ wider ministry included delegation to seven Synods, member of the Board of Trustees of Calvin College and Seminary and of the Board of home Missions, and synodical representative to the National Association of Evangelicals.

A heart attack laid him low, and after being hospitalized, he died on July 31, 1980. He was survived by his wife of 53 years, Johanna (Bloemendaal), 1 son, and 2 daughters.

Arrangement of Materials:

Folder level description

Detailed List of Contents id42447 Varia id42448 1 id42449 1 1 Papers on Student Days id42450 1 2 Biographical Material: Birth Certificate from First CRC in Lynden, Washington id42451 1 3 Biographical Material: Call Letters and correspondence id42452 1 4 Biographical Material: Correspondence - Rev E to Dr Rutgers 1943 id42453 1 5 Biographical Material: Correspondence with family - Marilyn id42454 1 6 Biographical Material: Family roots, correspondence 1930 id42455 1 7 Biographical Material: Passports 1927 and 1929 id42456 1 8 Biographical Material: Pictorial memento of visit of Dr. H. Ridderbos to US 1956 id42457 1 9 Biographical Material: Officer of Synod Press clipping 1960 id42458 1 10 Biographical Material: Rutger's reception at Grundy College, Clipping from Grundy College Messenger December 15, 1930 id42459 1 11 Biographical Material: Testimonial Dinner at Classis May 14, 1968 id42460 1 12 The Candidate: Classical sermon for Classis Ostvreisland 1930 id42461 1 13 The Ecumenist: Relationship with National Association of Evangelicals id42462 1 14 The Ecumenist: Speaker in behalf of TELL and American Bible Society 1970s id42463 1 15 id42464 1 15 The Pastor: Addresses - Calvinism Club 1947 id42465 1 15 The Pastor: Jubilee at First Lynden 1950 id42466 1 15 The Pastor: Mission Challenge undated id42467 1 16 The Pastor: Addresses at Mount Hermon for Young People 1959 id42468 1 17 id42469 1 17 The Pastor: Anniversary and Dedication Booklets of Holland, IA 1945 id42470 1 17 The Pastor: Anniversary and Dedication Booklets of Kelloggsville, MI 1954 id42471 1 18 The Pastor: Arcadia CRC vs E Kappe, communications 1954 id42472 1 19 The Pastor: Correspondence and articles 1964 id42473 1 20 The Pastor: Farewell sermon at First Cicero CRC 1943 id42474 1 21 The Pastor: Fundamental Truths of Christianity and Five Points of Calvinism Kelloggsville 1955/1956 id42475 1 22 The Pastor: Seven Words from the Cross 1939-1972 id42476 1 23 The Pastor: Los Angeles CRC and Wm I Buiten Case 1959-1961 id42477 2 id42478 2 1 The Pastor: Marriage forms and wedding notes Also see under Wedding Messages id42479 2 2 The Pastor: Membership of 2nd Highland CRC, Comment on members 1965 id42480 2 3 Reviewer of books: Karl Barth, Prolegomena zur Christlichen Dogmatik undated id42481 2 4 Reviewer of books: MR De Hann's The Blunders of Paul 1960 id42482 2 5 Reviewer of books: The New Pentecostalism, reprint from Eternity - notes id42483 2 6 Reviewer of books: TF Torrence on the New Modernism of C Van Til 1947 id42484 2 7 The Student: Collected Poems id42485 2 8 The Student: Doctrinal issues Papers on the Faith of our Fathers and Common Grace id42486 2 9 The Student: History of Jonah Paper undated id42487 2 10 The Student: Paper for Dr S Mathew of U of Chicago 1932 id42488 2 11 The Student: Referaat Gehouden door Den Heer D Langedijk, on Christian Education 1932 id42489 2 12 The Student: Princeton University graduate school record book 1926 id42490 2 13 The Teacher: Commencement address to Seminary graduates 1952 id42491 2 14 The Teacher: Dogmatic notes and examinations 1949 id42492 2 15 The Teacher: Introduction and outline of the Book of Galatians id42493 2 16 The Teacher: Possible post-graduate courses id42494 2 17 The Teacher: Seminary Situation Papers 1950-1952 id42495 2 18 The Teacher: Student papers: F Handlogten, AW Hoogstrate, John Malestein, L Sweetman, A Veltkamp 1945-1951 id42496 2 19 The Writer: in Christian School News 1960/1961 id42497 2 20 The Writer: On Kindness, A Pertinent and Personal Question and Crusaders of the Faith id42498 Sermons in Booklets id42499 3 id42500 3 Sermons in the Heidelberg Catechism 1931-1932/1933-1934 id42501 3 Sermons on texts in Genesis to Romans 1926-1934 id42502 Sermons in Booklets and on Half-Sheets id42503 4 id42504 4 1 Sermons in booklets: ? Corinthians to Hebrews 1926-1934 id42505 4 2 Sermons in booklets: ? Peter to Revelation 1932-1934 id42506 4 3 Genesis 1935-1976 id42507 4 4 Exodus 1934-1968 id42508 4 5 Numbers to Judges 1933-1963 id42509 4 6 I Samuel 1934-1953 id42510 4 7 I Kings to II Chronicles 1939-1972 id42511 4 8 Ezra to Job 1936-1957 id42512 Sermons: Old Testament id42513 5 id42514 5 1 Psalms 1934-1972 id42515 5 2 Proverbs - Ecclesiastes 1935-1974 id42516 5 3 Isaiah 1934-1971 id42517 5 4 Jeremiah - Lamentations 1935-1941 id42518 5 5 Ezekiel - Daniel 1936-1959 id42519 5 6 Minor Prophets 1933-1960 id42520 Sermons: New Testament id42521 6 id42522 6 1 Matthew 1-13 1931-1961 id42523 6 2 Matthew 13-28 1933-1979 id42524 6 3 Mark 1936-1963 id42525 6 4 Luke 1-21 1934-1975 id42526 6 5 Luke 21 - John 9 1934-1971 id42527 7 id42528 7 1 John 9 - John 21 1934-1979 id42529 7 2 Acts 1934-1967 id42530 7 3 Romans 1935-1963 id42531 7 4 I and II Corinthians 1934-1962 id42532 7 5 Galatians 1940-1962 id42533 8 id42534 8 1 Ephesians 1934-1966 id42535 8 2 Philippians 1933-1968 id42536 8 3 Colossians 1934-1968 id42537 8 4 I Thessalonians - II Timothy 1934-1980 id42538 8 5 Titus - Philemon 1935-1963 id42539 8 6 Hebrews 1939-1963 id42540 Sermons: New Testament and Heidelberg Catechism id42541 9 id42542 9 1 James - II Peter 1934-1965 id42543 9 2 I John 1935-1965 id42544 9 3 James to Revelations 1934-1952 id42545 9 4 Sermons in the Dutch language 1943-1973 id42546 9 5 Heidelberg Catechism sermons, LD 26-52 1934-1935 Scope and Contents

(See box with booklets for LD 1-25)

id42547 9 6 Heidelberg Catechism Sermons, LD 1-7 1935-1936
id42548 10 id42549 10 1 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 7-20 1936-1937 id42550 10 2 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 22-40 1937-1938 id42551 10 3 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 40-52 1938-1939 id42552 10 4 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 1-14 1939-1940 id42553 11 id42554 11 1 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 16-25 1940-1941 id42555 11 2 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 26-45 1941-1942 id42556 11 3 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 45-52 1942 id42557 11 4 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 1-7 1943 Scope and Contents

(incomplete)

id42558 11 5 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 1-12 1952-1953 id42559 11 6 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 12-19 1953-1954
id42560 12 id42561 12 1 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 1-8 1956 id42562 12 2 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 9-20 1956-1957 id42563 12 3 Heidelberg Catechism, LD 21-32 1957-1958 id42564 12 4 Heidelberg Catechism, selected LD's 1961-1979 id42565 12 5 Advent Sermons 1934-1964 id42566 12 6 Ascension Day Sermons 1934-1968 id42567 13 id42568 13 1 Christmas Sermons 1930-1975 id42569 13 2 Easter Sermons 1934-1970 id42570 13 3 Good Friday Sermons 1934-1967 id42571 13 4 Lenten Sermons 1936-1967 (?) id42572 13 5 Lenten Sermons 1960-1976 (??) id42573 13 6 Pentecost Sermons 1934-1964
id42574 Preparatory and Communion Sermons id42575 14 id42576 14 1 Preparatory 1930s id42577 14 2 Preparatory 1940s id42578 14 3 Preparatory 1950s id42579 14 4 Preparatory 1960s id42580 14 5 Communion 1930s id42581 14 6 Communion 1940s id42582 14 7 Communion 1950s id42583 Communion Sermons and Series Sermons id42584 15 id42585 15 1 Communion 1960s id42586 15 2 Post-Communion Sermons 1934-1941 id42587 15 3 Post- Communion Sermons 1942-1969 id42588 15 4 Series Sermons: Beatitudes 1943 and 1958 id42589 15 5 Series Sermons: Christian Armor, Ephesians 6 1934 id42590 15 6 Series on Elijah 1955 id42591 15 7 Series on Colossians 1 1961 id42592 15 8 Series on I Peter 1 and 2 1954 id42593 15 9 Series on James 1956 id42594 15 10 Series on Mountain Top Experiences id42595 Series Sermons and Special Day Sermons id42596 16 id42597 16 1 Series on Revelations 4-8 1962 id42598 16 2 Series on Ruth 1961 id42599 16 3 Series on II Peter 1942 id42600 16 4 Series on Seven Churches 1957-1958 id42601 16 5 Series on Twelve Apostles 1936-1937 id42602 16 6 Series on What Shall I Do With Jesus? 1935 id42603 16 7 Mother's Day Sermons 1953,  1956, and 1974 id42604 16 8 New Years Day Sermons 1935-1963 Scope and Contents

(incomplete)

id42605 16 9 Old Years Day Sermons 1934-1976 Scope and Contents

(incomplete)

id42606 16 10 Prayer Day Sermons 1935-1972 Scope and Contents

(incomplete)

id42607 Addresses and Messages id42608 17 id42609 17 1 Anniversary Messages (churches and schools) 1937-1978 id42610 17 2 Christian Education Messages (Commencements, etc) 1930-1959 id42611 17 3 Christian Education Messages (Commencements, etc) 1960-1973 id42612 17 4 Church Special Events addresses (farewells, etc) id42613 17 5 Funeral Addresses 1930s id42614 17 6 Funeral Addresses 1940s id42615 17 7 Funeral Addresses 1950s id42616 18 id42617 18 1 Funeral Addresses 1960s id42618 18 2 Funeral Addresses 1970s id42619 18 3 Funeral Address for Dr S Volbeda May 1953 id42620 Addresses and Messages id42621 18 id42622 18 4 Installation Messages 1939-1969 id42623 18 5 Mission Rally Addresses 1935-1968 id42624 18 6 National Holiday Messages 1943-1976 id42625 18 7 Reformation Day Addresses 1941-1974 id42626 19 id42627 19 1 Society (Men's and Women's) Messages 1935-1965 id42628 19 2 Special Speaking engagements, (Kiwanis, etc) id42629 19 3 Sunday School Rallies 1932-1958 and undated id42630 19 4 Thanksgiving Day messages 1934-1962 id42631 19 5 Wedding messages 1945-1969 id42632 19 6 Youth Rally addresses 1937-1962 id42633 19 7 Papers: various occasions id42634 19 8 Papers relating to the Belgic Confession id42635 19 9 Prayers id42636 Miscellaneous id42637 20 id42638 20 1 Syllabus: Evidence of Christianity Princeton 1925-1926 id42639 20 2 Press clipping: Rutgers, Pres Of Grundy College 1930 id42640 20 3 Paper: “Premillennialistic Conception Concerning Israel and the Church” undated id42641 20 4 Theology: NT Biblical Theology by G Vos Princeton Notes added id42642 20 5 Radio Messages, WHFC, Genesis-Nehemiah 1939-1943 id42643 20 6 Radio Messages, Psalms-Proverbs 1939-1943 id42644 20 7 Radio Messages, Isaiah-Habukkuk 1939-1943 id42645 Radio Messages 1939-1943 id42646 21 id42647 21 1 Radio Messages, Matthew-John id42648 21 2 Radio Messages, Acts-Galatians id42649 21 3 Radio Messages, Ephesians-II Timothy id42650 21 4 Radio Messages, Titus-Revelation id42651 21 5 Radio Messages, Calvin's Institutes Seminary class notes id42652 21 6 Dogmatics: Theology Proper ? id42653 Seminary Courses 1944-1952 id42654 22 id42655 22 1 Dogmatics: Theology Proper ?? Outlines and notes id42656 22 2 Dogmatics: Anthropology Outlines and notes id42657 22 3 Dogmatics: Christology Outlines and notes id42658 22 4 Dogmatics: Soteriology ? Outlines and notes id42659 22 5 Dogmatics: Soteriology ?? Outlines and notes id42660 22 6 Dogmatics: Soteriology ??? Outlines and notes id42661 23 id42662 23 1 Dogmatics: Ecclesiology Outlines and notes id42663 23 2 Dogmatics: Eschatology Outlines and notes id42664 23 3 Introduction to Dogmatics Outlines and notes id42665 23 4 History of Dogmatics Outlines and notes id42666 Seminary Courses 1944-1952 id42667 23 id42668 23 5 The Kingdom of God in Modern Thought and Life 1945 id42669 23 6 The Knowledge Man can have of God Paper id42670 23 7 Symbolics Mimeographed copy Sept 1948-Jan 1949 id42671 23 8 Symbolics Mimeographed copy undated id42672 Oversize id42673 24 id42674 24 Calvin Theological Seminary diploma 1926 id42675 24 Calvin College Diploma 1926 id42676 24 Princeton University diploma 1927 id42677 24 Free University of Amsterdam admission 1927 id42678 24 Free University of Amsterdam lecture schedule 1928-1929 id42679 24 Free University of Amsterdam Drs diploma 1929 id42680 24 Classis Ostfriesland doloma 1930 id42681 24 Gundy College promissory notes 1932-1934 id42682 Photographs id42683 OS 33 id42684 OS 33 Princeton University Students c 1927 id42687 OS 33 Synod 1943 id42688 OS 33 Synod 1948 id42685 24 id42686 24 Synod 1936 id42689 24 Synod 1960 id42690 24 Synod undated id42691 24 National Association of Evangelicals 1946 id42692 24 Group of young men undated id42693 24 Calvin College Preseminarians 1914 id42694 24 Calvin College Drama Club 1918 id42695 24 Calvin College, Glee Club 1920