As my mother was one of the first children baptized in the Christian Reformed Church she was requested by the consistory of this congregation to give a few facts connected with the History of the "secession" of the CRC from the Reformed Church. In the words of the writer these facts are as follows: My father's parents, the Benjamins; came to America from Zeeland in 1870 with six sons and four daughters. My father was a son of sixteen years. They came from the Netherlands with the Reverend A.C. Van Raalte. They settled in New York for a few years. From there they went to Grand Rapids where they spent the remaining years of their lives. Their trade was tailoring. The six sons were a "gay lot" as they strutted about New York and Grand Rapids with their plug hats. My mother's parents, the Vanden Bosches, also Frisians, came from Drenthe, Netherlands in 1844 with six sons and three daughters. The oldest son was the Reverend Koene Vanden Bosch. They settled down in Zeeland, Michigan 25 miles from Grand Rapids. They were farmers by trade. Their struggle for an existence was a hard one. It was their lot to first clear the land which was then full of trees. They had to put up log houses, rail fences, etc. Their diet consisted chiefly of corn, pancakes and corn bread. The only means of transportation at that time was a wagon or sleigh and a team of oxen. Whatever had to be brought to market had to be taken to Grand Rapids with a team of oxen. One day was spent in going and one in returning. Much of the farm work was done by hand. The hay and grain were cut by means of a scythe.

My mother was the oldest daughter. She did not like to work on the farm but had to work nevertheless. So she and a friend went to Grand Rapids to look for work each with a small bundle of clothes. They found a place to work for one dollar a week. Mother gave fifty cents of that to her parents; the rest was for herself for clothes. She surely could not buy silk dresses or silk stockings but that did not bother the people of those days. They lived according to their means and were highly respected. Sometimes my mother wanted to go home, but the only way to get home was to walk-- not a pleasant one either. It was all woods from Grand Rapids to Zeeland, 25 miles with only one narrow roadway. Once while on her way home she saw a bear cross the road from one woods into the other. The bear stood still and looked at her from a distance. She also stood still. Finally the bear went on. She waited awhile till it was out of sight; then she went on. She often heard them growl when she went though there.

Home to her was a beloved spot of worship. After working in Grand Rapids a few years she became acquainted with my father, Mr. Adrian Benjamin, and they got married. Their first two children were baptized by the Reverend Klyn. This was before the "Secession". Then came the "secession" in 1857. Certain parties could no longer agree with the church as it was becoming lax with regard to the three marks of the true church: 1.) As to preaching sound doctrine. 2.) Administering the sacraments according to the institution of Christ. 3.) The proper exercise of discipline.

Concerning point one, ministers neglected to preach the doctrine of Election of Grace and Limited Atonement. With respect to the second point: private baptism and open communion were permitted. As to the exercise of discipline, Free Masons were tolerated as members in good standing. Also catechism preaching and teaching were sadly neglected.

So the Reverend Klyn and Vanden Bosch elders Gelock, Haan and Gezon left the church, but Reverend Klyn went back to the "mother church".

Then Reverend K. Vanden Bosch was the only ordained man. He had laymen on his side, but as a minister he stood alone. And how did he stand? As a man he was tall and coming from the farm was sinewy. He stood resolute in his convictions. He has been likened to General Jackson and we know that Jackson was likened to a stone wall. He was, as Dr. Beets says, "Rough and ready". If he knew he was right, he would stand up and fight till there was no more breath in him. Such a man was Vanden Bosch.

Vanden Bosch was very "driftig"(short tempered). One time when he had to baptize his son"s baby, his son arrived late. That poor son got a good scolding right in front of the church. Now days we would say, "That is rude and uncouth." I know it is , but I just wonder if it isn't better to sacrifice refinement for religion instead of vice versa.

The first group of Christian Reformed people were a very small group. They were also very poor. Reverend Vanden Bosch received a $400 salary with a family of five children.

The group was like other reform groups in that it was at first despised and condemned. Dr. Beets says, "At home Reverend Scholten condemned it as being the violent district of modern Babylon." Others asked, "What are these followers of Jesus doing?"

The first little group that left the mother church was in Grand Rapids. At first they all gathered in the house of my grandfather and grandmother Benjamin. After a few gatherings that proved to be too small. Then a hall or room was rented downtown. I was born in 1857 and was the first or one of the first ones baptized. Mrs. Heyboer was baptized at the same time. We were both baptized by my uncle, Reverend Koene Vanden Bosch

During and shortly after 1857 we had no minister but elders who read. Reverend K. Vanden Bosch would come to preach and administer the sacraments. As there were no trains to Grand Rapids in those days he used to go with a team of oxen on Saturday, preach on Sunday and return on Monday. For this he received the big sum of three dollars. Wages were small in those days. My own father 's wages were good proof of that, because even though he was a tailor he had to work all week for $3.50.

I do not know just how long after meeting in a hall that they built a church on Ionia Street, as I was only five years old at the time, but I do remember the building of the church and also that they called Reverend Van Leeuwen to be their minister. He accepted the call, thus becoming our first minister. I remember going to that church and school, the first church and the first school. The first teacher was Mr. A Puleme. We had to go through town to go to church. Grand Rapids was so much different then.

Allow me to give you a brief history of Grand Rapids. When I was about six years old the main street had a few stones, some saw mills, flour mills, and small factories. A fifteen minute walk would bring us into the country. The sidewalks on main street were made of boards.

I also remember that there were no potato bugs or insects in the trees. The year before the bugs came there were so many potatoes and so much fruit that you could buy peaches, apples, and potatoes for fifteen cents a bushel. Many loads were thrown into the river. The next year there were potato bugs and trees had to be sprayed and there were no potatoes to throw into the river.

Going back to First Church. There was a time when there were no services in the evening so friends would come together and talk religion and of the spiritual experiences they had.

It was not to long after the first church was built that it became to small, so a new brick church was built and called Spring Street Church which is now Commerce avenue. That church was sold and a new one was built on Bates St. where it still remains.