This fervently argued but soberly composed circular letter is dated December 5, 1878—the day the Association for Higher Education on Reformed Principles was established. The founding meeting of the association took place in Utrecht. In this circular, the Reformed community in the Netherlands is called upon to work together toward the realization of a Reformed university. This piece, which may well be termed the birth certificate of the Association for Higher Education on Reformed Principles, is signed by I. Esser, Ph.J. Hoedemaker, W. Hovy, W. Kuhler Wz., A. Kuyper, Ph.S. van Ronkel, F.L. Rutgers, and T. Sanders, Jr. The letter concludes with the names of forty-three pastors and (former) elders from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague; from the academic cities of Leiden, Utrecht, and Groningen; and from every Dutch province—all attesting to their resolution to found a Reformed university (see 1880.09).

A copy of the statutes of the association, which had been settled upon already but which would not receive royal approval for another two months (on February 12, 1879), was added. The draft of these statutes had already been made public in De Heraut, no. 50, November 24, 1878.

The circular letter was also published in De Heraut, no. 53, December 15, 1878.