Attaches, correspondents, and foreigners who fought on the side of the Boers were struck much by the simple piety, the religious ideas and sentiments of the Boers.  Early in the morning and late at night their camps would resound with hymns.  In this enlightened twentieth century, however, it has become the fashion to scoff and sneer at everything which savours of religion, so much so that it seems incredible to most that the Boers, as a people, can still be devout and God-fearing.  Civilization with its concomitant vices has assumed the garb of Christianity, having its form and semblance, but missing its spirit and power.  Such as are animated by the spirit of Christian religion and are endowed with its power are derisively called hypocrites.  We shall willingly admit that there are many hypocrites among the Boers.  But are they not found among all nations?  To say that all religious Boers are hypocrites is utterly false.

When the English entered upon the contest with the Republics they evidently did not reckon with this religious factor of the Boer character.  They did not know that the Boer would be supported as much by his religious sentiments as by his love of freedom to fight to the bitter end.  Had they not been animated by such a fervent belief and childlike trust in Providence, they would have abandoned ere long a struggle which, regarded from a human standpoint, must have seemed hopeless to them.  But they believed that their cause was a holy and just one, and that the God of Battles, the God of their forefathers, would ultimately crown their efforts and sacrifices by sending them a glorious deliverance.  When the enemy desecrated their churches, ill-treated their pastors, and stabbed their flocks, cattle and horses, they were not disheartened, but said to themselves:  “God in Heaven does behold, and He shall vindicate the cause of the just as well as that of defenceless creatures.”  Such deeds the religious Boer regarded with awe and aversion, and made him more determined than aught else not to surrender to those who perpetrated them.

The national anthems of the late Republics admirably express these two features of the Boer character.  The following is a free translation of the Transvaal Volkslied, which may serve to illustrate the sentiments which have dominated the Boers ever since their national existence: 

TRANSVAAL VOLKSLIED.

    Right nobly gave Voortrekkers brave their blood, their lives, their all;
    For Freedom’s right, in Death’s despite, they fought at duty’s call. 
    Ho!  Burghers, high our banner waves, the standard of the free,
    No foreign yoke our land enslaves, here reigneth liberty. 
    ’Tis heaven’s command, here we should stand,
    And aye defend the Volk and land.