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the Bible? Or did he urge people not to get agitated about man-made
theories that were not an essential part of Christ's teaching?

Another of the divisive debates was about "oath bound societies" like the
Masons Lodge and whether members could also be true Christians. Some
argued that if a person took an oath to join a group, that person should
be expelled from the church. There was also continuing debate about the
"common grace" and "pre-election" issues written about by Rev. J.W. Poot
in the Netherlands.

Rev. Poot appears to have made a friendship with a Rev. Evert Troost. The
Reverend Troost emigrated from the Netherlands to Pella in 1899. He
became pastor of Bethel Reformed Church in Pella from 1899 to 1904.
When Rev. Poot was on vacation in 1899, Rev. Troost gave the morning
sermon at the 4th RC. Rev. J.W. Poot performed the marriage of Nicholas
and Ida TerLouw in Bethel. Rev. Poot may have given a referral to the next
church served by Rev. Troost. Troost departed Pella in 1904 to minister at
the 4th RC of Kalamazoo. This was the new name of the first church
served by Rev. Poot in America!

J.W. Poot served the 4th Reformed Church until he departed Pella in the
spring of 1900. It appears to be the last Reformed Church that he ever
served. A lack of success in resolving the Pella conflict may have made
him uncomfortable in the Reformed Church. Their beliefs may not have
been compatible with J.W.'s evangelic leanings. Perhaps he became tired
of the constant conflicts within the Reformed Church. Rev. J.W. Poot also
had denominational arguments with his son Rev. W.F. Poot. In 1903 both
Poot's joined the Evangelic Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). Although
he no longer served in the Reformed Church, Reverend J.W. Poot was not
officially removed from their roll of ministers until his death in 1913.

It should be noted that circa 1900, the term "evangelic" was mainly used
to denote religious belief based upon a personal relationship with God and
requiring a personal commitment or conversion to Christ. It adhered
strictly to the text of the Gospels and was usually compatible with most
Christian denominations. In the present, "evangelic" is often used to
denote a conservative political-religious group with specific social and
religious beliefs.

After J.W. departed the 4th RC, the church continued to deteriorate. Three
more Reformed ministers served the congregation: A.G. Ziegler 1901-4;
Harm Dykhuizen 1904-7; and Maurice Ossewaarde 1907-9. The remaining
members of the congregation grew disillusioned and began dissolving the
church in 1909. The church formally vanished into history in 1910. They
sold the old Scholte Church to the same dissident group (now the 2nd CRC
of Pella) they had once locked out of the building!

Church matters were not all that occupied the Poots' time.

(11-2006) - Published in Pella - page 4 -