Die NG Kerk Lydenburg is die derde oudste gemeente van die Dutch Reformed Church in die voormalige Transvaal. Dit is die oudste gemeente in die Kerk se Oostelike Sinode.
Agtergrond
Nadat malaria te veel slagoffers in Ohrigstad geëis het, het die gemeenskap besluit om 30 myl suidwaarts na Lydenburg te verskuif. Hier was die ligging hoër en gesonder. Ds. Andrew Murray van die NG gemeente Bloemfontein het in 1849 Ohrigstad besoek en die streek verlate aangetref, waarna hy na Lydenburg gegaan het.
Foundation of the Dutch Reformed Church
On 7 January 1850, the first members were admitted to the NG Kerk Lydenburg, and 74 children were baptized, marking the beginning of this congregation in Transvaal history. Rev. Murray promised to return soon and kept his promise by appearing again on 30 October 1850 for the second time. Without delay, he began his pastoral duties. A large number of people attended the services, showing enthusiasm and a fervent desire for the things of God. On this occasion, 109 children were baptized and 29 young people were admitted. The congregation was then organized, with a Cape minister serving as consultant.
'n Herderlose begin
In 1850 het 'n groep gemeentes, waaronder die NG Kerk Lydenburg, ds. Murray beroep; hy het egter die beroep bedank. Die gemeente was egter nie heeltemal verwaarloos nie, want in 1851 kom meester Willem Poen hier aan en hy het saam met die onderwys ook die geestelike belange van die gemeente behartig. Op 21 Oktober 1852 het die Kaapse Sinode besluit om die Kerk oorkant die Vaal, wat 'n deel van die Transvaal geskiedenis vorm, by hulle in te lyf.
Without a Shepherd
In 1850, a group of congregations, including the Dutch Reformed Church in Lydenburg, called Rev. Murray; however, he declined the call. The congregation was not entirely neglected, though, because in 1851, teacher Willem Poen arrived and, along with teaching, also took care of the spiritual needs of the congregation. On 21 October 1852, the Cape Synod decided to bring the Church beyond the Vaal into their fold, a significant moment in Transvaal history.
Lydenburg bly NGK
In 1853 het ds. Dirk van der Hoff in die Transvaal opgedaag nadat hy 'n beroepsbrief van die Transvaalse gemeentes ontvang het. Op 'n vergadering te Rustenburg is toe besluit om die inlywing by die Kaapse Sinode nie te erken nie. Lydenburg, wat deel uitmaak van die NG Kerk Lydenburg, was vir die afskeiding van die Moederkerk nie te vinde nie. In 1854 besoek ds. Van der Hoff die gemeente. Ná 'n onstuimige kerkraadsvergadering besluit Lydenburg om ds. Van der Hoff nie te erken as leraar van die gemeente nie, 'n belangrike gebeurtenis in die Transvaal history.
Eers in 1859 is ds. P.A.C. van Heyningen as leraar van die NG Kerk Lydenburg georden. Hy het reeds in 1865 na Kroonstad vertrek. Vanaf 1871 tot 1879 het ds. J.G. Kriel die gemeente bedien. Op 4 September 1881 is ds. H.J. Neethling hier bevestig. Hy bedien die gemeente deur die mees stormagtige tydperk van die Transvaal geskiedenis tot 1911. Ds. D.J. Pienaar het ds. Neethling in 1912 opgevolg. Vervolgens is die gemeente deur die volgende leraars bearbei: G.D. Worst (1917–'29), T.F. Cronjé (1929–'46), J.P. Joubert (1946–'48), J.A. Claassen (1947–'48) as medeleraar van ds. Joubert. Di. J. I. de Wet (1948) en D. S. Jacobs (1950) was die volgende leraars. Tydens die bediening van di. Worst en Cronjé is veel in die NG Kerk Lydenburg gedoen, veral vir opvoeding en onderwys.
NG Kerk Lydenburg History
Construction of the first church, now known as the Voortrekkerkerk, began shortly after the congregation was founded. By March 1851, during a visit by Deacon Andrew Murray and J.H. Neethling, the construction had already reached roof height. The roof was temporarily covered with straw for that occasion. The original vaults were removed in 1879, the windows were changed, and the straw roof was replaced with corrugated sheets. On 13 April 1973, the church was declared a national heritage site. It is the oldest existing NG Kerk in Mpumalanga, reflecting a significant aspect of Transvaal history.
Architect Johan de Ridder drew up the plan according to which the Dutch Reformed Church was restored from 1965 to 1977, based on a sketch by Richter from 1867 and another illustration that appeared in the Graphic in 1876. Rev. H.J. Neethling laid the cornerstone of Lydenburg’s NG Kerk on 12 April 1890, and the building was consecrated on 14 April 1894. The total cost was £72,779 36s. (which is likely a printing error in the source, as Beaufort-West’s similar church in the same decade cost £13,500).
The pulpit, a replica of that in the Mother Church in Stellenbosch, was built by Palframan and De Roo from ordinary kiaat wood donated by Abel Erasmus. In 1926, a descendant of the Voortrekkers, G.C. Schoeman, donated the organ. The building underwent extensive restoration in 1986.
