The first of May is the official holiday for the Queen’s birthday in Holland. This was the day chosen by the above-mentioned Society to hold its annual meeting in the now familiar Market Hall in Utrecht. The day was fine as we motored along the motorway from Rijswijk to Utrecht and, when we arrived 20 minutes before the beginning of the meeting, the Car Park was already well filled with buses and cars. The hall had been seated for 4500 people and when we entered it, the steward met us with his hands thrown up in the air, saying that there was only “standing room” left. As a result chairs had to be obtained from two nearby churches. When the hall was eventually filled up, it was estimated that the numbers of those present amounted to 6200 people. These had all gathered in support of the Free Presbyterian Mission in Rhodesia and to hear addresses from ministers of their own country and, in particular, from the representative of this Committee who had visited the Mission in Rhodesia during the month of April.
The meeting opened with praise and prayer and the reading of the Word of God. The first address was by the chairman of the Committee, Rev. G.V.D. Breevaart. His address was based upon the 1st Chapter of the Song of Solomon verse 5, “I am black but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.” He spoke for quite a while on this appropriate subject. He was followed by Rev. Donald MacLean, Glasgow, the Clerk to the Jewish and Foreign Missions Committee who was welcomed by Rev. C. Smits. Since a full report was to be given by Mr. Smits to this meeting on the work in Rhodesia, Mr. MacLean contented himself by giving an address on the marvellous love of the everlasting Father in choosing a bride for His beloved Son from among the lost and fallen race of mankind.* Mr. MacLean conveyed the heartfelt thanks of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the Foreign Missions’ Committee to the people of Holland for their wonderful support of the Mission in Rhodesia.
The next address was given by Rev. F. Mallan who took as his text, Ezekiel, Chap 47 vv9 – 12. In speaking of the waters which issued from under the threshold of the House of God with such wonderful effects upon the places to which they came, Mr. Mallan stated that he believed that the Mission work in Rhodesia was of the Lord and it was for that reason that he gave it his full-hearted support.
After a pause for lunch, the assembly was addressed by Rev. S. de Jong who spoke from Rev. 7vv9, 10. Mr. de Jong has likewise expressed the firm conviction that the Rhodesian Mission is from the Lord and that this is the reason why he supports it with all his heart.
The next speaker was the Rev. C. Smits who opened his address by speaking of the valley of dry bones. He then went on to speak of the visit of himself and other two members of the Committee to the Mission in Rhodesia. Quoting from Psalm 48 he said that what he had before only heard of with his ears, he and his companions had now seen with their eyes. They had been very much moved by seeing the work being done by the Mission in Rhodesia. He felt sure that among the Africans were those who belonged to the election of grace and who needed the gospel of the Christ of God, since faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. We should all have love to the missionary work in Rhodesia as we all have the same need in Scotland, Holland and Rhodesia. That need was to be able to say, “I am comely in the righteousness of Christ.”
Mr. Smits spoke of the very warm welcome they had received from the ministers and mission staff on the mission field. He saw clearly how inadequate human endeavour was to alleviate the spiritual condition of the African but what man was unable to do, the Lord Himself was able to perform. As surely as Ezekiel said to the Lord with respect to the valley of dry bones, “Lord, Thou knowest” so we could say with respect to the conditions of the Africans,” Lord, Thou knowest.”
During the 19 days they spent there, they first of all visited Ingwenya. In speaking of this place, Mr. Smits recounted the events connected with the Mission’s beginning including the sudden death of Rev. J.B. Radasi on the arrival of the Rev. John Tallach. He then went on to speak about the schools and the Church and their visits to Kraals.
With regard to these Kraals, he spoke of the terrible conditions in which the African people live and the clear conviction to which he and his companions had come that the only cure for the situation was the gospel of the grace of God, in which the Redeemer had declared, “No man can come unto the Father but by Me.” He and his companions during their stay on the Mission were like men in a dream.
In describing their visit to Zenka, Mr. Smits said that they were glad to arrive there after a very rough journey through the forest. He commented upon the profitable spiritual conversations which they had enjoyed with Revs. Campbell, Mzamo and Ndebele in which they were all very much impressed as to how the hand of the Lord was evident in all things connected with the Mission. “We should remember these labourers in Rhodesia,” Mr. Smits said. He also told of a visit to the Kraal of an elder to whom they spoke and put questions about spiritual experience. Here again, they enjoyed their conversation with this old man who confessed himself to be a poor sinner who saw his sin and who also saw what the Lord had done for his soul. “I am the chief of sinners,” he said to the Dutch visitors.
They then journeyed on to Mbuma where they stayed in the Nurses’ house and where they saw the Church and visited the hospital. Mr Smits spoke favourably not only of the European medical staff but also of the African nurses. He also spoke in most appreciative terms of the hospital itself.
Mr Smits mentioned that he had preached five times during his visit and believed that the gospel preached in Rhodesia was the same gospel as he, himself, preached. He was persuaded that the work of the Mission was not the work of man but the work of the Lord. He and his companions had been witnesses not only of the great needs which still exist among the Africans but also of what the Lord had done in the conversion of sinners. In his closing remarks, Mr Smits referred once more to the prophet’s saying to the Lord, “Thou knowest”, when it seemed impossible that the valley of dry bones could ever become an army to serve the living God. The whole fruit of gospel work is from sovereign grace, “From Me is thy fruit found.” Mr Smits hoped that by telling something of this visit to the Mission, the interest in its activities will continue to increase in Holland and that the people will continue to give of their support as they have done in the past.
This address was listened to with the greatest possible attention by the large assembly gathered at this remarkable meeting in Utrecht.
The closing address was given by Rev. J. van Prooijen who took his subject from II Kings 19:34 and the meeting was closed with prayer, the singing of a Psalm and the benediction.
The collection taken at this meeting amounted to the extraordinary sum of over £10,000 another evidence of the liberality of our Dutch friends in support of the Mission work in Rhodesia. Once again, those who were present among this large assembly were conscious of the spiritual warmth and the unity and love felt by these people in Holland for the mission in Rhodesia. It is evident that their interest is not merely in supporting it in a financial way, although they do this with such commendable zeal, but also that their prayers and thoughts are often with the Mission and its activities as these proceed under the hand of the Lord. During the year 1971, the Dutch Society had sent out the very large sum of £31,000 to the Mission in Rhodesia. When this is compared to the £5,000 contributed in the same year by the people of Scotland, there should be a great deal of heart searching. The Lord has wonderfully provided for the Mission in Rhodesia in its trying circumstances through our friends in Holland and may the Church at home not be found lacking.
“The Lord of us hath mindful been
and He will bless us still.”
D.M.
- This address can be read elsewhere in the Magazine.