Gertse, Martin * 1904, ? † . Martin Gerzte (Herero "Halbweiß") came from Otjimbingwe, attended the "fourth course" at the Augustineum. According to AELCRN V 6.1:33 he attended the full course from 30.01.1933 till 06.12.1935 and was send as a farmteacher to the farm Hoasas in the Outjo district.1 The following letter was written to the congregations and signed by Martin Gertse during the important conference of all Herero pastors, evangelists and Herero missionaries in Karibib on 31.3.1955: "To the dear members of our congregations. We first greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today we have gathered in Karibib to take council with each other and to deliberate on the great need which is endangering our congregations in these days. We have heard that some are of the opinion that a new church must be established among our congregations. We have thought about this in front of the Living God. As an answer we send message to all the our congregations. The ardent men, who have taken the matter of a new church up most actively, are mostly those backsliders who have returned from Christianity to heathendom. We want this evil principle only be taken away by the Living God. But the word of God says: We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5, 29). We also read: He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me (Math. 10, 37). We now have to decide between Christ and the enemies of Christ. It is something else to be a Christian or a heathen. But those who want the new church, mix these two and do not keep the congregation of Jesus Christ pure. Christ says: He that is not with me is against me (Luk. 11, 23). This is why we admonish you all, to abide by the Word of God. Do not follow those who make you unfaithful to Christ. Do not bend under the same yoke like the infidel. We love our Herero nation with all our heart, this is why we show you the right path. We exhort you and greet you all with the words from revelation 2, 10: Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Signed by the pastors and evangelists: Hendrik Turiauri Ehrenfried Zaamuani Victor Hauta Friedrich Awaseb Hiskia Kapembe Gottlob Mungunda Erhard Kuzatjike Titus Tjinda Bernhard Kahiiko Martin Gertse Andreas Kukuri Josua Tjiurutue Ferdinand Gertse Reinhard Tjatenga Liebhard Kavari."2 01.-04.10.1962 2. Ordentliche Gesamtsynode der ELK in Windhoek. Eine neue Kirchenleitung wird gewählt: Pastor G. Tjombe, Pastor P. Gowaseb, Missionar Dittmer, S. Boois, A. Hipondoka, Präses Diehl, H. Lübke, G. Reeh, J. Beukes. (Immanuel 10.01.1963.) Teilnehmer (im Protokoll wird nicht unterschieden zwischen Evangelisten und Lehrern, hier nur die Evangelisten ausgewählt): I. Sitilisa [sic] (Tsumeb), M. Gertse (Otjiwarongo), G. Ngapurue (Outjo/Fransfontein), T. Richter (Outjo/Fransfontein), N. Hendrik (Outjo/Fransfontein), L. Nainda (Omaruru), Z. Awaseb (Usakos), K. Gonteb (Okombahe), F. Mativa (Otjimbingwe), Fl. Kariange (Okahandja), A. Nowaseb (Okahandja), F. Kandovazu (Windhoek-Herero/Ovambo), F. Lazarus (Windhoek-Herero/Ovambo), I. Tjlabanello (Gobabis), D. Skrywer (Gobabis), G. Alcock (Rehoboth-Baster), P. Adam (Rehoboth-Bergdamara), F. Gariseb (Mariental/Gibeon), P. Pieter (Mariental-Gibeon), A. Isaak (Keetmanshoop), I. Isaak (Berseba), H. Frederik (Bethany), E. Jager (Warmbad-Karasburg), L. Snewe (Lüderitzbucht-Nama/Kleurling), (AVEM RMG 2.669a:93+93r). Children: Education: Other family members connected to RMG: For further studies of the Gertse family, which moved to Eselsbank/Wupperthal and Beukeskraal/Wupperthal in the Cape with Rath in 1861 (the family called itself Koherta before changing to Gertse), see Moritz in Journal XXIII p 43. Im Jahr 1906 wird ein Karl Gertze zusammen mit Johann Bens als "Bastard-Schulmeister" in Rehoboth erwähnt.3 Married: Mission Stations: History with the RMG: 1 AELCRN V 6.1:28. 2 Kandovazu 1968:21. 3 JBRMG 1906:34. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------