Jurjen Thomas: preacher of the Old Flemish Mennonites in the Dutch province of Groningen. As an opponent of Elder Uko Walles, he was banned on 4 March 1637, by a meeting of elders, because "he was not obedient to the elders." This meeting was probably held in the town of Groningen (not at Noordbroek as stated in Mennonitisches Lexikon v. II, 448). After he was censured Thomas is supposed to have lodged a complaint against Walles with the magistrates; in any case Walles soon after was banished forever from the province of Groningen. Afterwards Jurjen Thomas attacked Walles in a booklet, Vermaninge oft indachtig-makinge in een Nootwendige Verantwoordinge (1645). Jurjen Thomas had a number of adherents, commonly called Jurjen-Thomasvolk, which for some time formed a separate branch of the Groningen Old Flemish Mennonites, but may soon have dissolved or joined some other group. In the same meeting in which Jurjen Thomas was dismissed, his son Thomas Jurjens had also to answer for his opinions, but he unlike his father conceded and conformed to the views of Uko Walles.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 715. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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