It is well known to our readers that my wife and I visited the Transvaal from 12th to 27th September. Some members of the Dutch Mbuma Mission Society urged me, if possible, to visit the Mission field in Rhodesia so that our Committee might be better informed as to the political and religious situation in that country and I promised to do so if I had some time at my disposal. I had to visit a number of Dutch families in the Transvaal who went out from our church in Holland. I had also to baptise, officiate at a wedding, ordain office-bearers etc. while out there. In our Church periodical “De Wachter Sions” (The Watchman of Sion) I hope to write about these matters. The Lord has helped us. I felt myself prompted to help these people.
When I had arrived there and was busy these words came with power to my mind: “Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth” (Eccles. 11:2). As I had some days to spare I dared not shirk the request of the members of the Committee to visit Rhodesia. I felt that I must give a portion to seven, and also to eight. The last words especially impressed me: “. . . for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.” After visiting Rhodesia I thought much upon these words.
To go to Rhodesia was not easy. The home in the Transvaal where I was a guest was far away from civilisation. It was not easy to reserve a seat in a plane as most of the airlines were booked up. I asked my host and his wife, Mr and Mrs Kersten to come with us which they did. So on my journey to this unknown part I was supported by their company. It is good, too, that the staff of the Mission now knows them. One never knows in what way this may be useful for the members of the Mission staff later on.
The political situation in Rhodesia is not good. We noticed it as soon as we arrived. We saw soldiers hidden in the grass along the road with their rifles at the ready. It was very evident that we were in a theatre of war and it dawned on us that our journey was not without danger.
Mr and Mrs Ross, Bulawayo, gave us a very hearty welcome. The religious atmosphere in their house struck us very much. After our tea in the evening we had worship. We sang Psalm 54 as it is done in the churches in Scotland. After that we read Zechariah, chapter 8 and Mr Ross concluded in prayer. Before this prayer we went down on our knees. In the prayer Mr Ross committed us solemnly and tenderly to the Lord.
That evening we had an opportunity to speak to Mr Ross about many things and especially about the serious time in the country. We went to bed at 10 o’clock. In Mr Ross’s home all goes on very orderly and correctly. He told us that we would have breakfast the next morning at seven o’clock but he expected us ten minutes earlier for worship. At worship next morning we sang Psalm 55 and read chapter 9 of Zechariah. After this we went down again on our knees for prayer. After worship we visited and were taken round the church at Bulawayo. We then had our coffee at Mr Ross’s house and also had conversation with some nurses.
The Thursday of that week was the beginning of the Communion season when different services take place as a preparation for the Lord’s Supper. This gave us an opportunity to attend a service at Ingwenya. By car it takes almost an hour from Bulawayo to Ingwenya. It is a wild area. The service was for the Africans.
After our arrival at Ingwenya we visited the John Tallach School. It has 200 pupils who are residents. This implies a great deal of organisation. We were surprised to see all this work. We have been told definitely that this could never be done without the financial support from Holland and they appreciate this help very much indeed. It is very sad that the Mbuma Hospital had to be closed. Mr Mzamo is still always busy in his congregation at Mbuma. As he was at Ingwenya in connection with the Communion season we had the opportunity to meet him and Mr Ndebele. Together we had lunch.
At Ingwenya the welcome was very, very hearty. It struck us that the ladies from Scotland and the others were dressed so simply, just the same as we are used to seeing in our Churches in Holland.
We were able to attend part of the service along with the African people. The Church was overcrowded so that some African people had to be content with a seat outside the Church. The respect shown by those people moved us. The African women had their babies on their back and all the pupils were present. Mr Ross preached in English. An African translated all very skillfully from English into Sindebele. We had to leave before the end of the service as we had to be at the airport in due time for our flight. Mrs Ross took us to the airport. As we left we could see her waiting until the plane left although she could not see us. We sensed her feelings, staying behind in a country so threatened. No, we did not regret making this trip. Always the same words came to our mind: “. . . for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth”.
Travelling back with us were two nurses who were returning home with the very same plane. They were Miss Jantien Van Saane and a Scottish nurse. For the time being their work in Mbuma has finished. The Lord may turn things for good so that they are able to go back. That is their fervent desire. It was very hard for the nurses to leave the people behind.
The friends in Rhodesia are very thankful for the gifts from Holland and also for the clothes which arrive regularly. Our visit was very useful. Now we are able to give information about the work there, and as we have seen the work at close quarters, we sympathise with it more than ever.
We pray that the Lord may remember them in all the difficulties which perhaps may come over them in the near future and that He may bless their labours for the salvation of immortal souls out of blind heathenism.
(This article by Rev. F. Mallan, who is a minister in “The Reformed Congregations in the Netherlands” and the vice-chairman of the Committee of the Dutch Society for the Mbuma Mission, was written for the Mbuma Mission Magazine.)
The body and soul too, of all divinity (as some observe) consists very much in rightly distinguishing between the two covenants — the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace; and between the two dispensations of the covenant of grace — that under the Old Testament, and that under the New.