The first pastor of Johannesburg East, Rev. Pieter Gerhardus Jacobus Meiring (1897-1904), came to town around 1895 as a curate to serve the growing downtown portion of the mother church. Forty members signed a petition calling for the downtown and areas just to the east to secede, including Harry J. Hofmeyr (later mayor of Johannesburg and vice-chancellor of the [[University of the Witwatersrand), [[Lourens Geldenhuys]], P. van Os (first secretary of the congregation), O.J.J. van Wyk (its first cashier), C.L. Neethling, and J. van Eyssen. The first [[verger]] was P.J. Preller. Among the most prominent names on the list was that of a young prosecutor named [[Jan Smuts]], who had settled with his wife shortly earlier in a humble dwelling on Twist Street.