W92-0095.. Piet, John Henry (1914-1992).
Papers, 1940-1992. 5.50 linear ft.

Abstract

Hope College class of 1936; Western Theological Seminary class of 1939. Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary class of 1952. Minister of the Reformed Church in America, missionary to India, 1940-1960; professor of English Bible and Missions, Western Theological Seminary, 1960-1984; observer to the Joint Committee on Presbyterian Reunion and material concerning teaching religion in the public schools. Published articles and pamphlets; addresses include "Bristol and Decision for Church Union," 1967, "Race Relations at Home and the World Mission of the Church," and "The Purpose of Theological Education in the Reformed Church."

Accession No.:W92-0095
Provenance:John H. Piet
Donor:John H. Piet
Photographs:26 in Oversize
Processed by:Larry J. Wagenaar, February 1992
Russel Norden, May 1997
Leon Witteveen, September 1998

Bi ography

John Piet was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on September 2, 1914, son of Reinder Piet. While growing up John and his family were members of Eighth Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. John graduated from Hope College in 1936, attended Princeton Theological Seminary 1936-37, and received his B.D. from Western Theological Seminary in 1939. Following his departure from Holland he completed an S.T.M. at the Kennedy School of Missions at Hartford Seminary, Hartford, Connecticut, in 1940 and a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1952 during his first furlough from the mission field. Piet was licensed by the Classis of Grand Rapids in 1939 and ordained by the Classis of New York in 194 0.
Piet married his wife Wilma in 1939 just before they both took up studies at the Kennedy School of Missions. After graduation they served in the American Arcot Mission in Vellore, South India, from 1940 to 1960. During his tenure in India, Piet pioneered Bible Correspondence Courses which were effective in reaching those beyond the Arcot mission thr oughout India.
In 1960 John Piet joined the faculty at Western Theological Seminary as professor of English Bible and Missions. In 1965 one of several Bible study courses, "His Witnesses," was published. His other major writing includes A Path Through the Bible, which appeared in 1981.
Wilma Piet passed away suddenly on January 16, 1982. In 1983 Piet married Ann Bajema. After John's retirement from the faculty in 1984, Piet accepted the invitation to become pastor of the Protestant congregation of Katmandu, Nepal. He served there from 1985 to 1987. In 1987 Piet became pastor of the Yokohama Union Church which he served until 1989. At that time Piet returned with his wife to Holland, Michigan. John Piet passed awa y at his home on October 13, 1992.

Scope and Content Note

The John H. Piet papers consist of materials from 1940-1992. Included are addresses, bibliographies, biographical information, article and book manuscripts and reviews, sermons, teaching notebooks, and photographs. The 1998 addition includes material concerning his position as observer to the Joint Committee on Presbyterian Reunion and material concerning teaching religion in the public schools. The folders are arranged alphabetically by subject. Photographs are listed in the Oversize listing at the end of this doc ument.

Container List

Box 1

Addresses
Bibliography
Bibliography - Theology and History of Missions
Biographical Materials
Church Herald (2/19/88) Article, p. 14
Correspondence
Manuscript- A Road Ahead
Miscellaneous (Sermons, Bulletins)
Notebooks
I (Articles by John)
II (Various articles)
III (Articles)
IV (Various articles & Correspondence)
V (Articles by John) 1 of 2
VI (Various articles) 2 of 2
VII (Articles by John, etc.)
Orange Notebook (Various articles) 1 of 4
Orange Notebook (Various articles) 2 of 4
Orange Notebook (Various articles) 3 of 4
Orange Notebook (Various Articles) 4 of 4
Piet, Wilma
Obituary
"Prayer of Today", 1967-68
Published Articles
Reunion of Presbyterian Church US and United Presbyterian Church-USA
(Working Group Reports 1-12)
Reviews of Published Works
Scripts- Jesus Christ the Redeemer- Bible Correspondence Course
Sermons
Nepal (October-December 1984)
(January- April 1985)
(May- August 1985)
(September-December 1985)
(January-April 1986)
(August-December 1986)

Box 2

Sermons (cont.)
Nepal (January-April 1987)
Yokohama (September-October 1987)
(November-December 1987)
(January-April 1988)
(May-September 1988)
(October-December 1988)
(January-March 1989)
(April-August 1989)
Good News- Yokohama Union Church Newsletter- (November 1987-May 1989)
"The Light of Life"- Bible Correspondence Course
Unpublished Articles
Various Correspondence
Voorhees High School- Vellore, India (First-Sixth Form Bible Studies)
"We are His Witnesses"- Bible Correspondence Course

Box 3

Bound Notebooks
Apologetics (taught by J. Kuizenga)
Church History (notes taken in various Seminary classes)
Counter Reformation, The/The Church in the New World/The Modern Church in Europe (Church History)/
(Several Book Reviews-Term Papers for Welmers)
God's Messengers: Reformed Church in America Missionaries in South India (Dissertation by S. Immanuel
David, 1983)
History of Missions, taught by Dr. Pieters
Old Testament History, Notes on, Albertus Pieters
Summer Reading, Notes on-1938, Albertus Pieters
Various Lectures, Notes for- delivered to nursing staff & students at Woman's Hospital, Vellore, India
Old Testament Literature
We are His Witnesses Bible Correspondence Course, 1965

Box 4 (1998 Addition)

Joint Committee on Presbyterian Reunion
Agenda, Meeting in St. Louis, Mo., 1977
Booklets, "A Brief Statement of Belief", 1962, and "The Nature of the Unity We Seek", 1978, P.C. U.S.
Booklet, "Book of Order, P.C.U.S., 1969-70
Committee Reports, 1976-81
Correspondence, 1976
Draft Copies of Plan for Reunion of P.C.U.S. and P.C.U.S.A.
Final Edition, 1981 (2 folders)
Second Study Draft, 1978
Handwritten Notes, n.d.
Minutes
Meeting in Charlotte, N.C., 1978
Executive Committee Meeting, Charlotte, N.C., 1978
Meeting in Memphis, Tenn., 1980
Meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, 1981
Meeting in Memphis, Tenn., 1981
Newsletters, Covenant Fellowship of Presbyterians, 1978-1980
Responses from Presbyteries, 1979-80

Box 5

Joint Committee on Presbyterian Reunion (cont.)
Religion in the Public Schools Article, "Comeback for Religion in Schools?", 1975

Booklets
"The Fourth R Journal, 1968
"Public Education Religion Studies: Questions and Answers", 1974
"Religion and Public School Curriculum", 1972
"Studying the Sacred in the Schools", 1976
"Universal Issues in Human Life", 1965
"World Religions", 1971
Catalogs, 1976
Correspondence, 1974-77
Magazine, U.S. News and World Report, 1977
Report, Michigan Dept of Education, Calvin College Request for Approval to offer Major and Minor in History and Literature of Religion, 1970
Memoranda, Western Theological Seminary, 1980

Overs ize Photographs

1. Mrs. John Piet distributing famine relief milk to the children in and around Mission Compound, Vellore. W88-
MP0095/1.
2. Miss Kitty Ebenezer welcomes a village woman to the Pungannor Hospital as a patient. The village husband looks
on. W88- MP0095/2.
3. The preparation of rice prior to serving. 3,000 people were fed during the centenary celebrations, 1953.
W88- MP0095/3.
4. The preparation of rice for the centenary celebrations of the Arcot Mission, 1953. Over 3,000 people were fed three
times each day by this process. And it took but one hour for each meal. W88- 0095/4.
5. An American Buddhist nun worshipping two Singalese students. W88- 0095.1/5.
6. An American Buddhist nun at prayer in her hermitage in Kandy, Ceylon. W88-0095/6.
7. An American Buddhists nun prostrating before two Ceylon priests. W88- 0095/7.
8. The distribution of famine relief wheat (or rice) to village teachers and their children. Rev. John Piet took a ton a
week out to the village for the better part of two years. W88- 0095/8.
9. The distribution of famine relief rice to Christian village teachers and their students. The supplies were evenly
distributed in this way through the schools run by the church of South India to which Christians and non-Christians both come. W88- 0095/9.
10. A Christian Indian wedding: Dr. and Mrs. Inbanathan were in the States some time ago. He is now the chaplain at
the Christian Medical College, Vellore. W88-0095/10.
11. Miss Kitty Ebenezer reads the Bible to two village women who have come to the dispensary at Poonganur.
W88- 0095/11.
12. The Indian Christian Angelus. W88-0095/12.
13. A leaflet evangelist reads from the Bible to a bangle merchant prior to the sale. This is done to explain to the
individual who buys the Bible how and where to read. W88-0095/13.
14. A leaflet evangelist tells a Bible story to village school children while Dr. Wierenga looks on. After the story, leaflets
are given freely, and gospel portions and Christian books are sold at a nominal price. W88-0095/14.
15. Dr. C. R. Wierenga reads to a group of village school children from one of the Gospels. After this, the Gospel is
offered for sale. In each Gospel sold there is the first sheet of Bible Correspondence lessons. W88-0095/15.
16. The inside of one of the elementary schools run by the American Arcot Mission. The teacher and his wife are some
of the Christian employees of the Mission (now the Church of South India. W88-0095/16.
17. A group of village children who attend the nursery school of the mission. If they wash and comb their hair upon
arrival at school, they are allowed to wear the clothes with which they are seen here. Of course, they leave the clothes at the school upon their return home in the evening. W88-0095/17.
18. A Christian family. W88-0095/18. 19. Rev. J. S. Ponniah is assisted by Dr. C. R. Wierenga in the baptism of an
entire village group. W88- 0095/19.
20. Hospital evangelism: there is a colored slide in one of the tubes and a text in the other. Christian Medical College
Hospital, Vellore. W88-0095/20..
21. Rev. J. S. Ponniah baptizes a village child at Easter Hill. In this pastorate, 600 people were baptized in 1953 alone.
That number has now increased by 200 or more. W88- 0095/21..
22. Rev. S. Ponniah conducting a baptismal service. W88-0095/22.
23. A Bible woman at the Christian Medical College Hospital telling stories to the children who are in-patients.
W88- 0095/23.
24. Dr. Victor Rambo examines the eye of a girl while Dr. and Mrs. Emil Brunner look on. The scene: Schell Memorial
Eye Hospital, Vellore, started by Dr. Ida S. Scudder 50 years ago. W88- 0095/24.
25. Two women and a dog. W88-0095/25. 26. A Christian worship service. W88-0095/26.

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