The Synod of Middelburg in 1896 has been justly called the “Mission Synod” because missions and the missionary task of the congregation was given much attention on the agenda. Kuyper attended the synod as an advisory member and also as a member of the pre-advisory commission that reviewed the ninety-nine-page Rapport van de Deputaten tot de Zending [Report of the deputies about mission]. On behalf of the pre-advisory commission, Kuyper was the reporter to the synod with a review on the deputies’ report.

The commission’s report (pp. 27–34 in the Acta) is highly critical of the underlying principles of the deputies’ report. It also criticizes the deputies’ report for its lack of clarity with respect to a method for missions. After receiving these criticisms, the synod appointed another pre-advisory commission, to which Kuyper was also nominated, for the purpose of drawing up a sketch of the principles and guidelines for the regulation of missionary activity. This report (see 1896.14) was delivered ten days later (pp. 65–79 in the Acta). Kuyper was once again the reporter. The synod received the report and then asked the commission to draft recommendations for the transitional provisions that would be necessary until the new regulations were ready to be introduced. The commission again delivered what the synod had requested (pp. 92–95). Finally, the commission was asked to formulate revised and thorough proposed regulations for the churches’ entire missions program in time for the next synod (see 1899.10). On Kuyper and missions, see also 1890.05.

In the name of the synod, Kuyper also responded to the address by the delegate of the Reformed Church of North America (pp. 36–37). With four other members of the synod Kuyper submitted yet another resolution (p. 89), which gave witness to the synod’s solidarity with the persecuted Armenian Christians (cf. 1899.23).

For Kuyper’s method of working and his authorship, see 1897.04