History has proven time and again that the church thrives during times of persecution. The churches in Holland were no exception to this general rule. The sixteenth century, in particular, brought tremendous upheaval, reformation and persecution to the church. Luther's 95 Theses, Calvin's Institutes, Guido de Bres' Confession of Faith, and The Heidelberg Catechism were lightning bolts that ignited an unquenchable fire. King Philip II of Spain, who became ruler of the Netherlands in 1555, was determined to eradicate the new beliefs. Thousands of Protestant "heretics" were brutally tortured and executed, yet the church flourished. The Netherlands eventually gained independence in 1648 and enjoyed a long-awaited time of peace. The church also enjoyed a period of rest and became more established. It became respectable to attend the Reformed Church (Hervormde Kerk), which was recognized as being the official State Church. Ease gave way to indifference and apathy amongst church members. Ministers and professors of theology dispensed with the basic doctrines of sin and man's need of salvation. They began to openly question the infallibility of Scripture and refute the doctrines of the virgin birth and resurrection of Christ.

It was into this church that Albertus Christiaan Van Raalte II was born in 1811. His father was a minister in the Reformed Church, and his dearest wish was that one of his sons would enter the ministry too. Albertus excelled in his studies as a young boy, but his desire was to pursue a career in medicine, not ministry. However, his duty towards his father prevailed, and, in 1829, he enrolled in the theological school of the University of Leiden.

Disappointed by the liberal views of the professors and students, Van Raalte was drawn to a group of students who met regularly to study the Bible and pray. This club, led by Hendrik Scholte, had been influenced by the Reveil, a movement which promoted a return to the doctrines of Calvin. The young men were mocked and ridiculed by their peers for their unsophisticated and unenlightened views.

Van Raalte's friends graduated and were ordained. Their preaching and outspoken views on the liberal condition of the church created quite a stir. The faithful preaching of another minister, Rev. Hendrick De Cock, had a tremendous influence also. People travelled great distances to hear De Cock preach. He confronted them with their sinful conditions before a holy God and proclaimed the free offer of salvation in Christ. Rev. De Cock was placed under censure for being a trouble-maker, and shortly afterwards deposed. He and members of The Scholte Club preached to people who, disillusioned by the state church, were prepared to throw in their lot with these 'radicals'. The Secession from the state church (The Afscheiding) had begun.

With the formation of the new churches came persecution of its ministers and members. The persecution was petty in nature: worship services were forbidden, ministers were fined and thrown into jail, members were laughed at and jeered, their houses vandalized and businesses boycotted, and the children teased and bullied. The king, acting on a request from the Synod of the Hervormde Kerk, decreed that the government would reactivate three Napoleonic laws which forbade the forming of new groups and limited the number of people who could meet together. It was hoped that these measures would prevent the Secession churches from growing. The king publicly called the seceding pastors, "schismatics, fomenters of unrest and secret agitators".

In the midst of this turmoil Van Raalte graduated. The professors decided to make a public example of Van Raalte. After passing his examination easily, he was asked if he would uphold all the laws of church government. Van Raalte replied that he could wholeheartedly agree with any law that was Scriptural and in agreement with the Confession of Faith. He was asked to study several volumes of church law and return for further questioning, which he did. The professors questioned him again, and his response remained unchanged. He was declared unsuitable for ministry, and immediately dismissed.

Van Raalte was examined by the first Synod of the Secession churches in 1836 and ordained to the ministry. He married that same year. Revival was sweeping the country, and persecution of the seceders was persistent. Van Raalte was arrested and imprisoned several times, soldiers were quartered in his home, he was fined repeatedly, and assaulted.

Van Raalte wrote to his wife,

Next week Tuesday I am to appear in court at Deventer ... notice has been received of another fine, to be paid by the 4th of May ... Dear wife, to preach is my calling; and if it costs money, it is the Lord's work; if we but fear and love Him, this too will work together for our good. We have never yet lacked anything, and truly He will not forsake us...

Ten years after the initial act of secession, persecution abated. The king tolerated the new churches, but it was an uneasy truce. The Secession ministers were involved with settling disputes within the new churches. The Synod meeting in 1840 resulted in Scholte being expelled. Some former members of The Scholte Club would not even speak to one another! At the same time, economic conditions in the Netherlands were deplorable; unemployment rates were high and taxes were intolerable. Disaster struck in 1845. The potato blight hit Holland. Van Raalte began to seriously ponder if the miserable living conditions, bleak future, and lack of true freedom to worship were signs from God that they should leave their beloved homeland. In the fall of 1846, the now-thoroughly convinced Van Raalte, his family, and approximately 50 others left Rotterdam, bound for America.

This band of Dutch emigrants travelled to Ottawa county in Michigan. They named the new settlement Holland. There was excitement as they anticipated their new life in this land of freedom and promise. They worked hard to clear the land, they constructed homes and a church with their bare hands. They endured unbearable heat, torrential rains, flooding, crop failures, disease and death. There were obstacles which had to be overcome, personality clashes that had to be worked out, and disappointments that drove some to near-despair. Van Raalte ministered to and led the colony, he policed and judged the people, he acted as land agent, chopped wood, helped clear the land, worked in the construction of the buildings, and encouraged the colony to keep trusting in God.

Albertus Van Raalte and his followers had a tremendous and lasting impact on the Dutch Reformed churches in North America. They influenced the history and development of the state of Michigan, as well as the vast country they came to regard as their home. Despite the hardships, the people thrived. Because of God's faithfulness, the church flourished.