View source for Beets, Gerrit (1707-1776)

Gerrit Beets was born 21 December 1707, ordained as preacher of the congregation of [[Hamburg-Altona Mennonite Church (Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg, Germany)|Hamburg-Altona]] in February 1727, and chosen as elder there in 1749. He was a man of large physique and strong spirit, so eloquent that he was called the Apollo of the church. G. Karsdorp, Jr., writes of him, "His addresses to baptismal candidates and at communion services were especially moving; the Lord was in the temple through the mouth of His servant." On 9 December 1776 a cerebral hemorrhage ended his life in the midst of a sermon. [[Karsdorp, Gerrit, Jr. (1729-1811)|Karsdorp]] preached his funeral sermon, which was printed in Altona in 1777. His father was Jan Beets, a deacon in Hamburg from 1703 to 1712. The 1710 letter from the Dutch ambassador in [[Bern (Switzerland)|Bern]] to a J. Beets in Hoorn mentioned by [[Müller, Ernst (1849-1927)|Ernst Müller]](<em>Berner Täufer</em>) may have been addressed to him. Printed works of his are the following: <em>Lijkrede op H. T. de Jager</em> (1749); <em>Lijkrede op G. Karsdorp de Oude</em> (1750):<em> De vroolyke gesettheyd eenes Christens tegens de verschrikkingen des doods, . . .</em> and <em>Denkmaal in de Harten van Gods Volk</em>, (1749); also <em>Preek over I. Cor. 4, 4 en 5</em>, the sermon in which he was interrupted by the stroke.
= Bibliography =
Roosen, Berend Carl<em class="gameo_bibliography">. Geschichte der Mennoniten-Gemeinde zu Hamburg und Altona </em>Hamburg: [B.C. Roosen], 1886-1887, Reprinted: Hamburg : [s.n.], 1990: I, 77; II, 11-13, 25, 51, 59-64.

<em class="gameo_bibliography">Catalogus der werken over de Doopsgezinden en hunne geschiedenis aanwezig in de bibliotheek der Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam</em>. Amsterdam: J.H. de Bussy, 1919: 252.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Mennonitisches Lexikon</em>, 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe; Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 152.

<em class="gameo_bibliography">Mennonitische Blätter </em>(1854): 25.

Müller, Ernst. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Geschichte der Bernischen Täufer</em>. Frauenfeld: Huber, 1895. Reprinted Nieuwkoop : B. de Graaf, 1972: 257.
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