AN OLD FREE STATER’S ADMONITION

The doctrines of the Afrikaner Bond coterie have been so assiduously and deeply instilled into the Boer mind that demonstrations are utterly futile in shaking the national conviction of the divinely approved justice of his cause.  The first occasion when I saw this illustrated, and also the people’s unreasoning adherence to their leaders’ opinions, happened about ten years ago at burgher meetings which had been convened to discuss the then projected law for restraining Uitlanders from admission to Transvaal franchise and other political topics.

An old Free State burgher was led then and subsequently to express his views upon the subject in about the following strain:  “It is our duty to guard our nation against being swamped out or supplanted by strangers; they are in great force already, and their number will constantly increase, yet what attracts them, as you know, is our gold.  That will give out eventually, when the majority will again depart.  Those strangers, who then elect to remain with us, might be admitted to full burgher rights.  In the meantime it behoves us to reserve the full franchise, nor will many aspire to it if they are only treated well as strangers should be, as we should wish to be treated if we were in their place.  This is what they expect from us, and it can well be done without giving full franchise, which they indeed do not need and will then not claim.  They will be content if their own interests are not hampered or interfered with, and will be satisfied with such rights and privileges as are reasonably due to guests, and we may say welcome guests (for it is plain that the land is also largely benefited by their presence).  In other respects let us support law and order to suppress evil, which they desire as well as we do.

“Does the Bible not say, ‘The Lord loveth the stranger?’ so also then must we; and again, ’Thou shalt not devise mischief against the stranger who dwelleth in peace with thee.’  We are reputed as a God-fearing people.  Is it not well that we should take great care to act in accordance?  But I have observed with shame that instead of love and peace a spirit of hatred and strife has been allowed to gain upon us.  Let us strive to expel that evil, lest we fall under God’s displeasure and forfeit His favour.  We cannot afford to lose that.”

At this stage the speaker was interrupted by violent remarks about England’s incurable perfidy and the like, when he added, prolonging his speech more than he had probably intended:  “Yes, we may not trust England, but what we must do is to trust in God.  Did God not pull us through all along? was it not He who provided the peace of 1881 which restored our independence?  And can that gracious Lord, if we only let Him act, not also protect us against any wiles and dangers if such should occur in the future?  As yet none such have arisen.  The Lord was with us in our battles for liberty; He