Cornelis Spoelder (1886-1958), a Dutch Mennonite, professor of Latin and Greek and rector of the Gymnasium at Haarlem, was a man of many interests. He was prominent in sports, was a commander of the Haarlem fire brigade, and member and promoter of many associations, but most of all he was a loyal member of the Mennonite Church. Stemming from a non-Mennonite background he later joined the Haarlem Mennonite congregation, of which he was a deacon from 1945 until his death. He was a trustee of the Algemeene Doopsgezinde Sociëteit from 1946 to 1955 and a curator of its seminary, 1951-1955, acting as its moderator. Spoelder was a beloved teacher, a man of strong faith, who sometimes as lay preacher conducted services in Mennonite congregations.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 601. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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