Editorial

Henry Danhof and the Christian School in Sully, Iowa

Volume 3 | Issue 8
Rev. Andrew W. Lanning

Introduction

In the previous editorial we reacquainted ourselves with Herman Hoeksema’s first doctrinal controversy. That controversy continued from 1914 to 1920 in Fourteenth Street Christian Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan. The doctrinal issue in that controversy was the Christian school. Herman Hoeksema taught that God’s covenant required that families in Fourteenth Street maintain and use Holland Christian School. The result of the controversy was a split in Fourteenth Street, with many members leaving not only Fourteenth Street but leaving also the Christian Reformed denomination altogether. The result of the controversy was also peace in Fourteenth Street, which peace was God’s gift to his people of unity in his truth.

In this editorial we acquaint ourselves with another father of the Reformed Protestant Churches, Henry Danhof. Along with Herman Hoeksema and George Ophoff and others, Henry Danhof opposed his Christian Reformed denomination’s false doctrine of common grace, adopted by the Christian Reformed Synod of Kalamazoo in 1924. Along with Herman Hoeksema and like-minded Christian Reformed men, Henry Danhof started the Standard Bearer to expose the errors of his denomination and to set forth the truth of God’s sovereign, particular grace. Along with Herman Hoeksema, Henry Danhof was deposed from the ministry in the Christian Reformed Church. Along with Herman Hoeksema and similarly deposed men and consistories, Henry Danhof signed the Act of Agreement in 1924, which federated the churches and which federation would eventually become the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC).

Although by his confession Henry Danhof was one in doctrine with Herman Hoeksema and the Protestant Reformed Churches, Danhof sinfully separated from Hoeksema and the PRC in 1925 for apparently personal reasons. Henry Danhof and his congregation in Kalamazoo, Michigan, led an ecclesiastically independent life with no denominational affiliation for many years. When Danhof neared emeritation, he and his congregation sought to be reunited with the Christian Reformed Church (CRC). Although both Danhof and the CRC knew that Danhof and his congregation still opposed the doctrine of common grace, the CRC received them into the denomination. Thus Danhof added to his sin of schism from the PRC the sin of false ecumenism with the Christian Reformed Church. The emeritus Henry Danhof soon was in trouble with the CRC again for agitating against common grace, which he had promised not to do as a condition of being received back into the CRC. The end result was that the CRC, skittish about excommunicating Danhof from the kingdom of heaven, invented a new way to terminate membership in the church. The denomination simply “erased” Danhof and several members from the membership rolls against their will, all the while insisting that the erasures were not discipline. For the second time in his life, Henry Danhof was cast out of the Christian Reformed Church, that time for good. The aged and sick Henry Danhof ended his life ecclesiastically independent again, preaching to a small group until one Sunday in the pulpit he succumbed to a tumor behind his eye and died a few weeks later.

Although Henry Danhof committed the sin of schism against the PRC so early, he is still considered a father of the Protestant Reformed Churches in the historical sense. Almost alone among the many Christian Reformed ministers of the day, Herman Hoeksema and Henry Danhof stood shoulder to shoulder against the hellish doctrine of common grace. Henry Danhof was a founding editor of the Standard Bearer, which was a powerful instrument in the formation of the Protestant Reformed Churches. The churches were established upon the doctrine of sovereign grace that Henry Danhof taught and wrote.

The Reformed Protestant Churches today are the continuation of the old PRC. The Protestant Reformed Churches have apostatized from their doctrinal heritage by making man’s work the instrument of his salvation. The doctrine of the PRC today is that if a man would be saved, there is that which he must do. God brought reformation to the Protestant Reformed Churches, not by correcting the apostate PRC but by forming the Reformed Protestant Churches out of the PRC. Therefore, the Reformed Protestant Churches claim Herman Hoeksema as our spiritual father. And the Reformed Protestant Churches recognize Henry Danhof as an instrument that God used historically in the formation of our mother. In this historical sense Henry Danhof is a father of the Reformed Protestant Churches.

The tale of Henry Danhof and the Christian school is gripping, with parts of it almost unimaginable. The history demonstrates the conviction of our fathers that the Christian school is the demand of the covenant. Our fathers sacrificed all their possessions and were willing to sacrifice their safety and their lives for the sake of having and maintaining the Christian school. Only God’s covenant with believers and their seed could give rise to such conviction.

 

The First Major Issue in Danhof’s Ministry

Henry Danhof’s first charge as a Christian Reformed minister was Sully Christian Reformed Church in the Dutch settlement of Sully, Iowa. Danhof served the Sully congregation from 1910 to 1914. When Danhof arrived in Sully in 1910, the church was in the midst of a tremendous struggle to establish a Christian school. Therefore, the first major issue that Henry Danhof had to face in his ministry was not common grace in 1924 but the establishment of the Christian school from 1910 to 1914.

It is striking that God made the Christian school the first issue that both Herman Hoeksema and Henry Danhof had to face. For Henry Danhof from 1910 to 1914, the issue was establishing a Christian school. For Herman Hoeksema from 1914 to 1920, the issue was maintaining and using the already-established Christian school. But for both men the first major issue of their ministries was the Christian school. When the Reformed Protestant Churches look all the way back to our fathers’ beginnings, the one issue that we find is the Christian school. Because the Christian school is the demand of the covenant, the one issue that we find in our fathers’ beginnings is God’s covenant with believers and their seed. What a worthy issue to find at the beginning!

When generations to come look back at the beginning of the Reformed Protestant Churches, they will find that the Christian school as a demand of the covenant was also one of the very first issues that the Reformed Protestant Churches had to face. Within mere months of the denomination’s beginning, the school question arose. Must we establish Reformed Protestant schools, or may we use the Protestant Reformed schools? May we as a denomination be a haven for homeschooling, or is the Christian school required? Is the good Christian school a demand of the covenant, or isn’t it? These questions are not hard to answer. They are as clear as a sunny morning. But the answering of them is always controversial, for there are always those who will not stand with their own confessions and with God’s covenant.

Nevertheless, God loves his covenant; and time and again in history, he brings the truth of his covenant before his people by bringing before them the school question. In their struggle with the school question, God brings his people to see the truth and beauty of his covenant with believers and their seed.

 

The Struggle to Establish Sully Christian School

When Henry Danhof arrived in Sully in 1910, the school question was the issue of the day. For two years already the congregation had seen the need for a Christian school.

It was at a Men’s Society meeting “few in number” at that early date of February 11, 1908, that the necessity of Christian education was not only considered, but it was decided to call a general assembly for this noble cause.1

These few fathers rightly viewed the school as a “necessity.” They rightly viewed the school as “this noble cause.” But what was it that made the school necessary and noble? There was only one thing: God’s covenant with believers and their seed in Jesus Christ. Any other foundation than the covenant of God would leave the school on the shifting sands of man’s will. When the general assembly met to discuss the school in 1908, two area ministers pled the school on the basis of God’s covenant.

These two ministers made a sincere and impressing plea for the covenantal promise pledged in the baptismal vow by the parents toward their children, God’s heritage. The result was that a society was organized, and at once a School Board was elected.2

Another account of the history highlights the conviction of these fathers that the school was required.

A men’s society was organized to study God’s Word and matters pertaining to the training of the covenant children of the congregation. As a result of these discussions a Christian School Society came into being. This was the beginning of our present Christian School Society. These pioneers of yesterday gave evidence of conviction that God wills that our children receive a Christian training and that it isn’t merely a matter of choice what kind of training our covenant children receive and we are rightfully proud of the fact that we still, by and large, subscribe to the “world and life view” of our fathers.3

However, between the organization of the society in 1908 and Henry Danhof’s arrival in 1910, the difficulties began to mount.

A School Society was organized and a School Board was elected, but to build a school was a much more difficult matter for such a small group. Many ways and means were considered but no decision taken at this time. As time marched on the hopeful and high spirit of former days seemed to subside somewhat. A few more meetings were called by the Board with no results and sometimes it seemed as though the whole matter would die in infancy and the hope to attain the goal of a Christian school would never be realized in Sully.4

Early in 1911 Henry Danhof, then the minister in Sully Christian Reformed Church, spoke at a general meeting. He taught the Christian school as a necessity. With that speech positive action was taken to establish a Christian summer school.

But a covenant God rules and reigns supreme and many fervent prayers were sent up to the throne of grace and these prayers were heard even when it seemed in vain. Not until February 11, 1911, did any action take place. On that date a general meeting was called and our pastor, Rev. Henry Danhof, again pressed the need for a Christian day school. Plans were laid and later realized to start a summer school in the consistory room of the Christian Reformed church, that in this way and by these efforts “used as a stepping stone” to the real goal, namely, a Christian day school, might be obtained. From then on many propaganda meetings were held.5

The summer school met for the summers of 1911 and 1912. By 1913 the parents became convinced that they needed a full-time Christian school. And what was the foundation of their conviction? Nothing less than God’s covenant. Though they faced much opposition from their own members, the truth of God’s covenant with believers and their seed established the determination of these parents to have a Christian school.

These two summer sessions were convincing factors to start not only summer school sessions, but a full fledged elementary school in order that the baptismal vows might be fulfilled according to the demands of our covenant God and that the entire instruction rendered should be in harmony with the Scripture.

The School Board decided to call another general assembly to see what could be done so as to get a schoolhouse and get started by September of 1913. After prayerful consideration and trust in our faithful covenant God, committees were appointed to raise funds by donations and pledges. Shares were also sold to be redeemed later. There was much opposition by those who failed to see their covenant responsibilities.

The group, few in number, striving to attain the goal set before them, and with faith in God placed the need of positive Christian training in school as well as in the home before Him, and went forward in the spirit of Nehemiah of old who said, “We, his servants, will arise and build and the God of heaven will prosper us.” Although more opposition arose from the inside than from the outside of the circle, with God’s help the effort of these few was not put to shame. After all, the Lord does not forsake those who seek to follow His commands and shoulder the task set before them.6

Tremendous sacrifices were required if the school were to open. Many of the people lived so far away that sending children to school was virtually impossible. In fact, at the beginning of 1913, it still looked like it would be impossible to open a full-time Christian school. A report of Sully Christian Reformed Church in the January 9, 1913, Banner noted,

Other societies, usually found in our church circles, are all there, even a society for Christian Primary Instruction, although the prospects of the last named are, at least for the time being, not very bright on account of the very large territory over which our people are scattered, more than 150 square miles, not figuring the extremities and the mud roads of Iowa which are almost impassable for horses, not saying anything about children, in rainy weather, particularly during the spring season.7

If the school were to open, those who lived so far away would have to leave family farms behind. This they did for the sake of their brethren and their children. That is, this they did for the sake of God’s covenant.

Several who lived too far away to send their children sold their farms and moved as close to Sully as they could. Many sacrifices were made and those who made them experienced that these sacrifices were rewarded in God’s own time.8

The school opened its doors in September of 1913.

 

The Struggle to Maintain Sully Christian School

The school had been built upon the foundation of God’s covenant with believers and their children in Christ. This was the only foundation that could weather the storms that were coming. If the school had been built on the foundation of man’s will or merely as a good option for parents, the school would never have lasted after Henry Danhof left Sully for Dennis Avenue Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1914. Only if the school was the demand of the covenant could the parents maintain their conviction to maintain the school against the forces that were soon arrayed against them.

A fierce storm of opposition to the school swept through Sully in 1917 and 1918. World War I had been raging in Europe since 1914. When the United States entered the conflict by declaring war on Germany early in 1917, a wave of anti-German sentiment swept through the United States. Because some Americans found the Dutch language and culture to be similar to the German language and culture, the anti-German sentiment of the war years was often directed against the Dutch. The Christian school in Sully, Iowa, became the focus of this opposition.

Adding to the danger for Sully Christian School was the fact that the governor of Iowa, William Harding, inflamed the anti-Dutch sentiment in his state by outlawing the speaking or writing of the Dutch language in Iowa.

Harding is probably best known for his infamous Babel Proclamation in 1918 during World War I, declaring that only English could be spoken and written in Iowa, pitting citizen against citizen and casting innocent Iowans as traitors.9

Two powerful forces were arrayed against Sully Christian School in 1917 and 1918: the howling mob and the government. In the face of these powers, only God himself and his covenant with his people in Christ could save the school. If the school had been built on any foundation other than God’s covenant, the school undoubtedly would have perished. But time and again, in the face of governmental demands to close the school and in the face of angry men who wanted to burn down the school, God’s people in Sully maintained the school as the demand of God’s covenant. The fiftieth anniversary booklet of Sully Christian School tells the tale.

The future was to be a period of struggle and anxiety. It even seemed to be a matter of life or death.

In our neighboring town of Peoria, they experienced serious trouble and the results were that their school and church were both burned down to the foundation by arsonists. Rumors were spread that the Dutch School at Sully was to be next because it was claimed that Dutch was being taught. This was designed to blaspheme our institution, for no Dutch had been taught in the school for years. Yet it seemed that the Christian schools were the object of spite work for on short notice the rumors became a reality. A telephone call was received from Newton, our own county seat, that the school must close its doors at once. The reasons given were that the public was against the school and if we did not close down at once mob rule was inevitable and the building would be burned down. A School Board meeting was called at once to talk matters over and decide what should be done. It was decided to give a vacation and appoint a committee to investigate and discuss the matter with the county authorities. The committee took action at once and experienced a very cold reception from the authorities at our county seat. It was given them to understand that if the school re-opened we could not expect any protection from them. The promise was given that if they were willing to send their children to the public school they would be protected in every way. The committee understood very well that their plight was a very sad one and the very existence of our Christian school was at stake. But the committee appointed did not tarry and was not discouraged so as to give up that easily. At once they went to Des Moines to investigate with our state authorities and got in touch with Governor Harding and insisted on protection from then on. Assurance was given them and that the matter would be investigated at once and a report would be forthcoming in the near future. So all they could do was wait for an answer and before many days had passed, one morning some mourning crepe was hanging on one of the school door knobs bearing the inscription, “Dead and Buried.”

The promise made by Governor Harding was never fulfilled and not a word was received from state authorities. Again a committee was sent to contact state authorities and this time they were told that the county must give protection. With this glad news the committee went to Newton at once but with the same result—they received no hearing. Therefore, the Board called a general Society meeting to discuss future plans and the outcome was that it was unanimously decided to open the doors at once, which of course took a lot of courage and conviction. This step was taken only after prayerful and careful consideration and meditation upon the possible consequences of this action. After all, principles were at stake—Christian covenant convictions.

Surely a word of gratitude to our teachers, Mr. Henry Kuiper and Miss Marie Vos, is not amiss. They were very willing and ready to teach, even under such adverse and trying conditions. On the 20th day of May all the pupils arrived and school work was resumed on schedule. This was a direct proof that the school was not “dead and buried”, but full of life and courage. Many hearts rejoiced and were thankful that the children could return to school again. However, some fear was expressed that the real test was yet to come. This soon proved to be true and grim reality. The same afternoon seven men of the county authorities appeared with the request to close the doors at once. Among those who appeared were: the president of the Council of Defence, the County Attorney, the Sheriff, and another attorney. They tried to impress the Board that it was un-American to have a separate school and that the county could not protect such a school. The officials also advised that they should send their children to the public schools and then they would give protection from every angle.

The spokesman of our Board tried to explain to this committee from Newton that God’s Word was our basis for education and the principles laid down in Scripture our aim and guide. But all this was spoken in vain and they would not promise any protection. The Board stood shoulder to shoulder and told them the School Society had decided to re-open the school and the Board had no right to shut down.

A call was sent through the Society for volunteers to come and guard the school building against mob rule which, according to rumors which reached our Board, was to come that night.

Some 30 men, members of the School Society, appeared to protect the school property although nothing really happened that night. The sheriff had expressed himself by saying, “If anything turns up, boys, just let me know at once and I’ll be there in 20 minutes.” It is possible that this saying of the sheriff had its proper effect elsewhere and, although everything seemed quite peaceable, a vigil watch was kept each night. Two armed guards were placed by turns, but as time went on and nothing happened and all remained quiet, the guards left for home about three o’clock in the morning. One morning, thinking that all had quieted down, they left as usual. But again we were to be reminded that God’s providence rules everything.

Rev. Haveman rose about four o’clock that morning to prepare himself for the funeral service of George Sjaardema, one of the soldier boys of our congregation. As he entered his study in the parsonage, Rev. Haveman noticed fire in the northeast room of the school across the street. He hurried to the Dan Dieleman home to get help and together they were able to put the fire out. The entire room had been sprayed with kerosene and a fire had been started under Miss Vos’ desk. The fire had burned a large hole in the floor so that the desk had fallen through into the basement. However, it seemed that the fire could not make much headway as the windows had all been left shut except the one through which the firebug had entered. It seemed that the fire did not receive sufficient air to burn fast. Every window pane in the room was cracked but none had fallen out. The hand of the Lord could clearly be observed and it is marvelous in our eyes!

Efforts were made to find out who the guilty party was. Two secret service men with blood hounds were obtained from Des Moines but it seemed that no evidence could be found to prove who the guilty party was. It was felt that the detectives learned more than they would admit at the time and the case remained in the hands of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. About two years later the guilty party was caught and convicted and drew a long time jail sentence.

The damage done by the fire was covered by insurance and repairs were speedily accomplished. School was resumed at once and all went well although guards were placed every night for quite some time. The Lord protected us and no other attempts were made to molest the school.

The trials were not yet ended, but the coming test was of an entirely different nature. In the fall of 1918 our community was stricken with influenza, which swept over our entire nation. Many lives were taken during this epidemic. All schools, churches, and public places were closed for quite some time.

Then in the spring and summer many children were stricken with scarlet fever, but by the good hand of our God, no lives were taken.

As we now look back upon the past experiences and trials we openly confess the Lord turned all to our good. Many prayers were sent up to the throne of grace in these trying times and these prayers were heard and the love for our Christian school has grown among our people.10

In 1920 Henry Danhof would have one more opportunity to speak to God’s people in Sully regarding their school. At the dedication service of the newly-expanded building, Henry Danhof was invited back as the main speaker.

In the afternoon Rev. Henry Danhof, the main speaker for the day, gave a message. Rev. Danhof was a former minister of Sully and during his pastorate at Sully the school opened in September, 1913. His topic that day was “The Antithesis”, in which he brought out the contrast between the people of God and the people of the world. The task placed before the people of God is a heavy task, yet a pleasant task. He also stressed the fact that if we strictly maintained the principles clearly stated in the Word of God we would surely experience opposition of the world, but that the Lord’s blessings also will be certain and sure. We returned home with happy and thankful hearts to our covenant God for His guiding hand so clearly shown and the work was begun with renewed enthusiasm and high spirits for the year to come.11

 

Conclusion

The conviction of Henry Danhof and the Christian Reformed parents in Sully, Iowa, in the early 1900s was that the Christian school is a demand of God’s covenant. By grounding the school in the truth of his covenant, God preserved the school through fierce storms. No other foundation could have sustained the school in those years. Upon what other foundation could fathers have risked their lives and limbs to protect the school? Upon what other foundation could the parents have told the government officials that they could not obey their orders? Only God’s covenant can answer to those threats to the school.

When Reformed churches today sever the connection between God’s covenant and the Christian school, they kill their Christian schools. When Reformed churches deny that the Christian school is the demand of the covenant, they take away the covenant foundation of the school from under the feet of the parents. What will the parents say when the government someday tells the Christian school to close its doors because anti-Christian sentiment is running high? Those parents will have to obey the unlawful mandate of the government, close their school, and scatter to their homes to homeschool their children. For them the school is not necessary. It is preferable, maybe. It is the best option, probably. But it is not the demand of the covenant. According to them the demand of the covenant is only Christian content, and the parent can give that in his home. This is the death of the school. Only if the Christian school is the demand of the covenant by God’s own ordinance can the parents insist on maintaining the school over against the threats that will never stop coming against the school.

The Reformed Protestant Churches must learn from this history. Our mother has already destroyed her schools by her synodical decision in 2009 that the school is not the demand of the covenant. Her schools have no more foundation in God’s covenant when the storms will inevitably rise against those schools. No one in the PRC will be able to rise up and say, “But the Christian school is necessary as the demand of God’s covenant.” No one in the PRC will be able to rise up and say, “We must obey God rather than men,” for God has not commanded the school. All of the PRC will have to rise up and say, “We must close our schools, for they were only ever one option—even if the best option—among many.” The PRC have torn down the covenant foundation of their schools and have left their schools exposed to their enemies.

And what of the schools of the Reformed Protestant Churches? The threat to the Reformed Protestant schools does not come first of all from our mother, though her example inexplicably seems preferable to some. The threat to the Reformed Protestant schools comes from within our own midst. There are men teaching us that we can do away with article 21 of the Church Order. There are men teaching us that “the demands of the covenant” does not apply to schools but only to the content of Christian instruction. There are families caught up in the homeschooling movement, so that they would prefer to homeschool even where there is a Christian school. There are those who say that they want a school and who use a school but who deny that the Christian school is a “must” of the covenant and say only that it is a “may.” All of this is a threat to the Reformed Protestant schools.

Beloved Reformed Protestant Churches, learn your history. Learn God’s covenant. God requires the school. Upon this foundation, and upon this foundation alone, can the school be built and maintained.

—AL

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Footnotes:

1 “Fifty Years in Retrospect,” in 50th Anniversary: School for Christian Instruction, the fiftieth anniversary booklet of Sully Christian School (no author or publication data given), 12.
2 “Fifty Years in Retrospect,” 12.
3 Sully CRC 50th Anniversary Booklet, 8. This is not the same booklet as the one listed above.
4 “Fifty Years in Retrospect,” 12.
5 “Fifty Years in Retrospect,” 12.
6 “Fifty Years in Retrospect,” 12.
7 “Sully, Iowa, Items,” in Banner (January 9, 1913).
8 “Fifty Years in Retrospect,” 12.
9 “William Harding: Making the Case for Perhaps Iowa’s Worst Governor,” in Iowa History Journal, https://iowahistoryjournal.com/william-harding/.
10 “Fifty Years in Retrospect,” 13–15.
11 “Fifty Years in Retrospect,” 15.

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Volume 3 | Issue 8