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The John and Elizabeth Veenstra Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organization established to provide funds to support research and education on biodiversity of seed, livestock and preservation of farm land including sustainable and organic farming. . We believe that the combination of a diverse natural food supply and healthy land supports the health and longevity for humans.
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After 40 years as an entrepreneur and inventor it is time to tell my stories. Stay tuned as I gather my thoughts on putting my stories, adventures and misadventures as an entrepreneur on the web.
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Published to the web by John Veenstra
We manage a family farm that has 30 goats, 3 pigs, 4 sheep, 15 geese and 120 chickens. We raise our own hormone free, organic meat, eggs and alfalfa.
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Diary of Martha Veenstra, nee Sprik, after a stroke 3 days before.
Published on the web by John Veenstra
On the 16th July, 1885 at 2:30 in the afternoon, my beloved father, H. A. Sprik, passed away being 77 years and 26 days old, believing that he entered into the rest that remaineth for the people of God. Now I saw the uncertainty and changeableness of life, but only for a short time: it was driven away by the cares of life. A week or so later Pa was to have a half-day free (Saturday). I did all my Saturday work on Friday, gave the children a bath in the morning. Oh, I was so happy! First we would have a family picture taken and then to the Black Hills since I thought so much of nature. Pa came home at noon and said, “I cannot go.” What a disappointment! I had been happy in it the whole week. I was seeking it (rest) in the world again.
Went to Wilhelmina across the river with Rein and Corneil in the buggy, walked to Alpine Avenue, sat on the stoop a little while. She didn’t ask me to come in because she had just cleaned the house since Pa was to hear Rev. Ekster preach Sunday and she was to care for Ys and Henry. On my return trip I thought how many disappointments in this life; how much wiser are those people who seek the welfare of their souls. This pressed heavily on my heart so that I determined to use the means of grace more faithfully, for in the world everything called out to me, “It is not with me.”
On Sunday I read several letters of John Newton. I saw (realized) that the service of the Lord is a much more blessed service than that of the world, prayed the Lord that He would keep me from indifference, began zealously to pray and read. And thought secretly that I was now much better than before and that I was now the proper (fit) subject of the Lord.
Under the preaching of Smitt about the justification of sinners before God I saw the deceitfulness of my position. I could without Christ go right into heaven.
I confessed my guilt before the Lord, prayed for enlightened eyes of the understanding, for the help of the Holy Spirit that I might not erect a building that at death would fall asunder. Often I felt the need of prayer, might by God’s grace conquer some sins, but fought not enough against my impatient nature and thoughtless expressions.
The importance of eternity sometimes weighed heavily upon my heart when I thought that I still had no redeemer (ransom) for my soul. Often then in the quiet I would give myself over to prayer, which became a necessity. I thought then sometimes that the Lord had begun the good work in me, and trusted that he would finish it. Once I spoke to Mrs. Faber; she said that a person had to have an abhorrence of himself. Now I saw how great a distance I still was from the kingdom of God, for in my opinion I was not as bad as this and that one. I became sorrowful, prayed the Lord that He might set me right, that He might give me eye salve that I might see, for so far I had been blind.
Old Year’s evening in1885 I read something in Smytegeld. I became rebellious instead of humbling myself before God. New Year’s morning I was more rebellious; while others were going to church, I had to stay at home to do my work. A little before dinner I read in Smytegeld. Then my attitude became guilty to me (in my sight) and I could humble myself before God. In the evening I read again in Smytegeld, Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Many of the evidences paralleled mine; then a sermon further — “Whosoever will come after me let him take up his cross and follow me.” I prayed the Lord, “Draw thou me and I will go after thee.” The following Saturday I felt extraordinary need of prayer. I was enabled to confess my sins before the Lord and pray Him for light and grace, to take me by the hand and to lead in the everlasting way of blessing, then I went to work. I was sweeping upstairs. I went over my way thus far. I felt so insignificant and small before the Lord, and this I plainly realize(d): the Lord would yet have dealings with me, with me, — passing by so many others who still live so carelessly. I had to sink away in wonder and praise and asked, Why should the Lord go to so much trouble for me? Then I deeply humbled myself before the Lord and cried out with Hagar, Have I also here looked after Him that seeth me? Yea, Lord, said I, unto thee belongeth the praise, the worship, and the thanksgiving, unto thee alone.
All this I experienced in 1885 being 33 years old. About the middle of March 1886 we joined the church on Spring Street and the following Sunday our Cornelius was baptized. The first Lord’s Supper I celebrated with the rest but did not enjoy it much. I thought maybe I partook because I sat on (in) the front of the church and would cause talk if I went back. Then I was not there for several weeks because I found I was pregnant. When I was again in the church at the Lord’s Supper I discovered the evidences in myself such as a displeasure with myself because of my sins. I humbled myself before God and was about to go to the table when the thought arose that Betje was in the church and she would say, Oh yes now she has been accepted (by the church) and therefore (ca)n also go to the table (of the Lord.) I stayed away and went home sorrowfully because I cared more for man than God. I was prayerfully active and in the evening asked God for a blessing though I knew I had forfeited it. I prayed that through the night God would keep me from sinful dreams or thoughts, that I might keep myself busy with the Lord and that I might awaken with a prayer on my lips.
At about three in the morning I got awake with this prayer on my lips: O Lord, may the Morning star arise in my darkened soul. I began to realize, “That is what I prayed for last evening.” Now I believed that the Lord is a hearer of prayer. O what blessedness I tasted that day!—that I might believe I had a satisfied God and Father in Christ! O, thought I, as I looked to heaven, will such a God of heaven and earth deal with such a creature! Oh blessed assurance, oh that I may learn to know it more by experience.
Later I was much taken up with money matters, had care and worry about it, was often offended, and I believe that this brought me much harm and backsliding in my spiritual life. Still now and then the Lord would not leave Himself without witness. Let me now recite somewhat of those experiences so that in dark times the reading of these lines may bring comfort under the Lord’s blessing. Once I read in John, “Whosoever believeth on the Son of God, streams of living water shall flow out of his belly.” My whole soul melted in tears, such a preciousness I found in that word. We read in John about the draft of fishes and that Peter said, “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Oh that was exactly my case. O lord the efforts thou has(t) taken with me are too great. I saw my unworthiness. One morning I got awake because I was singing, “Ay, incline my heart and fiery longings of my soul.” Oh how that expressed the deepest longings of my soul, that the Lord might incline my heart to the fear of His name.
When we were to celebrate the Lord’s Supper again I felt that I would be justified in partaking of it. My sister-in-law Elske whispered to me, “Martha, it could be the last time,” but the fear of man held me back. Oh how guiltily I went home! If I should be ashamed to confess my Lord before men, the Lord also would be ashamed to confess me before His heavenly Father. The following Sunday Dominie Vos preached about the denial of Peter. O therein I found my likeness. Then my heartfelt prayer was “O Lord save me the third time!” When we were to have the Lord’s Supper again I was very prayerful. Also the week before it when I began to sing, “All that thou lackest I’ll give if thou askest, gently and abundantly,” I begged the Lord for the Holy Spirit and pleaded the promise that the Lord would grant it to those who humbly asked. That morning during the sermon I was given to believe that the Lord had had thoughts of peace toward me. O what a blessedness to be allowed to experience that. The whole day I was busy with it that the Lord would have thoughts of peace towards me! O eternal wonder. (Also I then went to the Lord’s table.) Such an unworthy one! Another day the reason became clear to me. I saw that it was the eternal pleasure of the Lord. O happy condition! O I hope and wish that I may get this book full of spiritual experiences.
1st Sept. 1894. This book has lain still for years. This morning I happened to pick it up. Oh shame must cover my face when I think how far backward I have gone. So often I am up to my ears in the world, the cares, disappointments, hardships and trouble occupy my whole heart so that there is no room for the Lord. Nevertheless I must say that the Lord does not leave me to myself. Often He shows that He will still take trouble with me. In the summer of ’93 I experienced it and now about 2 weeks ago I knew a day when I dared say for certain, Lord thou art my portion for eternity and sometime I shall tell thy praises with all the heavenly ones. O blessed experience. No pleasure in the world is to be even compared with it. Why do we have to go so often in the dark?
The Lord Our Righteousness
Once I was a stranger to God and (in) my heart
I knew no guilt and felt no smart (sorrow)
I asked not, “My soul, seest thou thy lot?
How shalt thou righteous appear before God?”
Though a voice should have spoken from the heavenly _______
Of the Lamb
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TJERK VEENSTRA’S LETTERS
Published on the web by John Veenstra
The following letters were written by Tjerk Veenstra in 1927. The first was written to the editor of the Banner about an article by Rev. Z. J. Sherda (L.J., as in the letter is incorrect) that appeared in the Dec. 17, 1926 edition. The second seems to be a response to a letter received from Rev. Sherda as a reply to the first letter. These are copies of rough drafts that are in the possession of Carl Veenstra.
Notes:
1. There is a word missing in the second paragraph of the first letter. It is not legible in the original.
2. Notes 1x and 2x, at the end of the first letter, were on the rough draft as shown.
Dear Editor-
Will you allow me space for a few remarks about what Rev. L. J. Sherda writes about the cloven foot in “Our Doctrine”, Banner Dec. 17, 1926?
Rev. Sherda says there are a good many people who have [ ? ] hatred of Rome: I ask as David asked Eliab: Is there no reason. See Ps. 139: 21, 22. Granted that some of the things that are circulated about the Roman Hierarchy are fabrications: is there not evidence enough today that it is dominated by the same Spirit of arrogance and pride that made Apollyon and his angels forfeit their place in heaven.
You say that Rome has once shown the cloven foot to the world. A cloven foot belongs to a clean animal- Ex. 11: 3 and is a sign of purity. I would rather say that Rome has shown and shows yet the paw of the red dragon. This is confirmed in history.
You say that Rome does not change, well hereby you contradict your own statement that Rome once showed the cloven foot; from which we may infer that she is better than she has been, which I do not believe. Why Rome acts as she does, what is the Idea, the motive back of her arrogant pretensions, you ask. Well, Domine, you advise us to read Merle D. Aubigne’s History of the Reformation, and it seems he answers the questions fairly thoroughly to the point.
You say further that Rome is perhaps the most wonderfully devised mechanism extant.
By her admirable organization she appears as the most Brilliant, intellectual, and worldly-wise manifestation of Anti-Christ in the world up to date, and that is why she is the most flexible, the most adjustable, the most adaptable scheme of things devised by man. She can conform to any proposition of the corrupt human mind, but not to the truth as revealed to us by the Holy Ghost, because the Carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Rom. 8: 7.8.
Rome has changed the truth of God into a lie, worshipping and serving the creature more than the creator. Rom 1: 25. Witness Transubstantiation, denial of the sufficiency of the mediatorial work and Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Mariolatry, adoration of Angels, Saints, and what not. Rome has done, and does, what the Devil tempted our Lord to do, to fall down and worship him and then he will give him all the glory of the world with its kingdoms and dominions, and that Rome has not got it is because Satan cannot deliver the goods, but that is the aim of the Church of Rome. The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof, Ps 24: 1.
You are right and here history has proven the truth about what you say about slinging mud or hurling stones, for it is written- Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit only, saith the Lord of Hosts, can that invulnerable, and to our minds invincible, fortress be made a plane, Zech. 4: 6,7.
In my opinion Romanism, Mohammedanism, Mormonism, Christian Science, Russelism, Rationalism, Modernism, and all the other isms, who do not accept the Bible as the infallible rule and authority of doctrine and conversation are manifestations of Anti-Christ. Rome has set the Pope above the Word of God.
Now a little about the scolding and abusing of the people by Luther, Calvin, and the other great reformers. I must say, Domine Sherda, I am astonished and it pains me to hear such things from a Reformed Minister. Touch not mine appointed and do my prophets no harm Ps. 105: 15, is written for you too. There is a book or pamphlet written by Robt. Ingersoll entitled “The Mistake of Moses”. Well, of course such men dare to challenge God in Heaven, why not his servants? But I confess, if seems somewhat audacious to me that a minister of the Gospel speaks derogatively about such heroes of the Lord as Luther, Calvin, and the other mighty men of the Reformation. I do not know what invectives they used, have not read enough of their work to be a judge about this matter. Only allow me to remind you that if they were somewhat rough about it, that they were not the first to use invectives and epithets against sinful people and pervertors of the truth of God.
For an example, please read Ps. 109, part of Ps. 79, and others. How did Jehovah’s prophets thunder against sin and iniquity.
John the Baptist calls his hearers a generation of vipers, etc., our Lord calls them hypocrites, a wicked generation, blind leaders. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell? Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do, John 8: 44. Stephen calls them stiff necked and uncircumcised of hearts and ears, resistors of the Holy Ghost, murderers of the Lord’s prophets and of the Lord Himself.
But enough to show that if the reformers used some rough names for people of the opposition they had good precedents. Paulus could make use of some harsh epithets; to witness his encounter with Elymas. What you further say about what they did to bring Rome to terms is OK as far as my humble opinion goes.
Yours in the bonds of Christian faith and love,
T. Veenstra
1X Any person that will read history, the book of martyrs, en (sic) above all, the Bible without prejudice and compare the system of Rome therewith, must come to the conclusion that the last mentioned is full of the tyranny, lies, and deceptions, mixed with some truth to hide its baseness and iniquity to bind the consciences of the people. And so there is abundant reason, I think to feel an aversion of Rome. See Times Indicator.
2X Purgatory, sale of indulgences, denial of the truth that we must be saved and live by faith alone and not by works.
Denial of the truth that even the best works of the believer are imperfect and defiled with sin, and asserts that saints are capable of laying up a store of meritorious good works for the benefit of others who have not enough of their own, etc., etc.
Clement XIV July 21, 1773
Rev. L. J. Sherda, Evergreen Park, Illinois
Dear Domine,
I do not know you personally and you most likely never thought that there was a person calling himself T. Veenstra, in the world. Well just the same, we may be brothers in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who has loved us and given Himself for us an offering and sacrifice unto God, for a sweet smelling savor.
The object of my writing is to let you know something about myself and assure you that it was not my purpose to show off, XX that I wrote the remarks on Romanism, but, dear Domine, I must confess that it is a hard thing for me to stand, to see Reformed ministers say a good word for the Roman hierarchy and Jesuitism, which dominates the same ever since that Order was reinstated by Pope Pius Vii, March 7, 1801.
I have observed the fruits of that combination to some extant in several countries of the world, as the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Austria, and also in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. And about the Greek Church, I had some experience in Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia, and have come to the conclusion, that altho they have some elements of truth in their official creed, those truths are so thickly obscured by error, idolatry, superstition, adoration of angels and saints, etc., that they can hardly be said to exert any influence on the life and faith of catholics.
When I think of what those people have done to the true followers of our Lord; I feel troubled and my bowels twist in my body, and can not help to have a sense of abhorrence to them, for the cruelties they perpetrated on innocent persons.
You see, Domine, I had the great blessing and privilege to be reared in a Christian home, trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, indoctrinated in the scriptures from my youth, and now as I am in the evening of my life’s journey; having reached my 83th (sic) milestone on the 23rd of Jan. last, I see more clearly how that Godliness is profitable for this life and the life to come, and also how detestable and wicked Romanism is in keeping their people ignorant of their responsibility and true relation to God, when they have every opportunity to know and do better. It is a clear case of what our Savior said to the leaders of His day; Ye travel about sea and land to make a proselyte; and when ye have found him, ye make him a child of Hell seven times more than yourself: you will not go into the kingdom of heaven, and prevent them that should go in.
Now, dear Domine, I hope you will not be angry or provoked with me for what follows; I take it that it is every one of God’s ministers of the gospels duty to lead lost sinners to the knowledge of themselves and the Savior and that also our religious church papers must be printed with that end in view. I am and have been a reader of the Banner, but find very little soul food in its pages. The exceptions are mostly the meditations on the first page and sometimes the editorials of Dr. Beets, and also the articles of Dr. Trap, etc.
You write under the caption, Our Doctrine; but is what you have been writing now for a good while Doctrine? I would call it Church Government.
If I am not entirely mistaken, there have been for years but few articles under the above Caption, that were conducive to the edification and upbuilding of the laity in the faith.
I remember when Mr. Hoeksema wrote, that there were very good things until he began to spoil it with his denial of common grace. At the same time Dr. Jansen was trying to make him out a heretic, instead of putting the beam out of his own eyes and called Mr. Hoeksema an Annabaptist (sic). From time to time we had some good food by the hand of other ministers until we came to church polity.
It seems to me that we have enough opportunity to know about these matters in what our Lord teaches us about those things [in] the letters of the apostle Paul and elsewhere in Scripture; also in the forms of ordination for ministers, elders, and deacons and in our Church order; also in the Belgic Confession. In my humble opinion it would be better to publish such things in pamphlet or book form, so that if any person should want more information about these matters, could avail himself thereof.
I respectfully submit to you, Dominie, if it would not be more conducive for the upbuilding of the church in general and its members in particular to elucidate such a subject as for instance, the Doctrine of the Covenant, The Spirit of Baptistry is rampant in our church, also in our denomination, and is constantly fed by the doctrine of pre-millenarianism.
I am acquainted with elders and deacons in our church, also in Grand Rapids, who assert that there is no more in infant baptism than giving the child a name. I think there is a crying need of information.
I beg your pardon if it should appear as if I would teach you a lesson; that is not my objective at all and my esteem for the ministers of the gospel is such that I would not think of such a thing. I only state my honest opinion, and that is what I do in the presence of our beloved and esteemed Dr. H. Goodyk of whose congregation I am a member. He sometimes calls me brother and I feel highly honored thereby. Am also good friends with Dr. Lysenga, Dr. Lamberts, etc.etc. and I doubt not if we should learn to know each other better, we would be good friends, and brothers, too.
I would be very grateful if you would write to me sometime.
The Lord bless and keep you and give you bountiful results on your labor for His kingdom.
Yours in our dear Savior,
T. Veenstra
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