The Dutch Reformed Church in
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legislative capital Cape To ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
is the fourth oldest congregation of the
Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa
Three churches from the Dutch Reformed Church tradition in South Africa are often mentioned together as "three sister churches". They are the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NGK), Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NHK), and Reformed ...
in the Free State Synod, but the 39th in the Church. The parish was founded on 30 November 1848, the same year as
Fauresmith
Fauresmith is located 130 km south west of Bloemfontein, South Africa. The town, named after Rev Phillip Faure and Sir Harry Smith, is the second oldest town in the Free State.
Fauresmith is the only town in South Africa, and one of only ...
(11 March) and
Smithfield (23 November).
Background
The history of the mother congregation of the Free State capital,
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legislative capital Cape To ...
, is closely connected with the early history of the
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...
. This is the history of migrant farmers north of the Groot River who, in the 1940s, settled especially in the vicinity of the Riet River,
Smithfield and
Winburg
Winburg is a small mixed farming town in the Free State (province), Free State province of South Africa.
It is the oldest proclaimed town (1837) in the Orange Free State, South Africa and thus along with Griquastad, one of the oldest settlemen ...
. In its formative years, this community enjoyed the spiritual work of
Andrew Murray and
A.A. Louw.
Foundation
On 30 November 1848, three months after the Battle of Boomplaats, the congregation was founded when P.E. Faure and William Robertson, delegated by the NG Church in Cape Colony, held a meeting in Bloemfontein with the members of the Church who had settled north of the Gariep, in the "Trans Gariepsche Gebied", then known as the Sovereignty under the management of the British resident. At the congregation meeting, the first church council members were also chosen as elders.
In the presence of Faure and Robertson, the corner stone of the first church building was laid on 6 January 1849 by maj. Warden, the British resident. It is unknown when this church building was consecrated, because the church council minutes up to 17 January 1853 are missing, but it is known that the church services were still held under sail when it was closed. Andrew Murray on 6 May 1849 as first pastor of the newly founded congregation by his father, Andrew Murray Sr. of the NG congregation Graaff-Reinet, was ordained and confirmed, three days before his 21st birthday.
[Nienaber, dr. P.J. 1946. ''Dr. J.D. Kestell - Vader van die Reddingsdaad''. Bloemfontein, Kaapstad en Port Elizabeth: Nasionale Pers Beperk.]
References
{{Reflist
Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NGK)
Bloemfontein