of the
gospel of peace on earth and good-will towards man--what an attitude did
it assume! Surely if these clergymen had been as eager to promote peace
as they were zealous to set in motion the waters of strife, they might,
have accomplished a work meriting eternal reward. Alas! that some who
are, or call themselves, followers of the Prince of Peace should have
favoured a war of destruction, and been led to say very hard things and
utter unfounded charges against the Dutch.

To cite only one of many instances, the Rev. Dr. Hertz, writing from
Lourenco Marques, worded his letter thus:--

"We are safe, having left all we possess in the world behind us,
and in all probability shall never see a single thing of it again.
When I found the game the President and his crew were playing I
thought it best to clear out ... The Boers have threatened to kill,
burn, and destroy everything and everybody, _women_ and _children_,
and some of them at least are bad enough to do it. I had the verbal
assurance of the President that I could stay safe and undisturbed,
but he would not put anything in writing. Then they appointed a
committee to give permits, and they would not give me one. And so
it became more and more manifest that they meant to decoy me into
staying, and then hold me at mercy. And what this mercy is may be
seen from the last news from Johannesburg; any one without a
written permit has been condemned to 25 lashes and three months'
hard labour."

Such statements flowing from the pen of a Reverend Doctor were believed
by thousands. Now what is the truth in regard to them? During the
Bishop's absence his residence was specially guarded by order of the
Government. The punishment meted out to some who remained in
Johannesburg without permits exceeded in no case a higher fine than L3
_without_ lashes. As to the Boers' intention of decoying the Doctor to
stay, and then hold him at mercy, we need only remark that he must have
thought more about his own importance than the Boers ever did. His
assertion that the Boers threatened to kill everybody, including women
and children, and that some of them are bad enough to do it, needs no
refutation, for it merits silent contempt.

A feeling of sadness, if not pity, lays hold of one to think that
ministers of the Gospel could actually draw up large petitions, urging
the British Government to prosecute the war vigorousl