Draft bylaws for the Association for the Free Management of Church Properties of the Reformed Congregations followed by a short explanation describing how the association came into existence (pp. 4–7). The draft bylaws were composed by B.J.L. baron de Geer van Jutphaas, chairmain of the Executive Commission of the Central Committee concerning Church Properties (see 1869.17). An original draft in Kuyper’s handwriting (KA 180) shows that Kuyper wrote the short explanation. The document, which was sent to all the church trustees who had attended the March 29 meeting described below, is signed by the members of the executive commission, Kuyper included, as well as by the secretary (HUA/NHKU 92). See also 1870.21.

On March 29, 1870, the executive commission convened a meeting with representatives of those church trustees who had voted for free management of church properties. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the draft bylaws that the General Supervisory Board had sent to all the trustees of the Dutch Reformed Church. After having judged these draft bylaws to conflict with the principle of congregational autonomy, the delegates at this meeting founded the Association for the Free Management of Church Properties of the Reformed Congregations. The bylaws were adopted during a meeting of delegates in Utrecht on November 25, 1870. The association was dissolved in June 1889.