signating England
as answering to that prophetic image destined to signal destruction.]

RELIGION

The old voortrekkers who emigrated from the Cape Colony all belonged to
the Dutch Reformed Protestant persuasion. With very little learning, the
Bible, catechism, and the orthodox "psalm and hymn-book" constituted
their sole means for building up their faith. The scope of their
education was likewise limited to these simple aids during their
chequered wanderings for nearly twenty years, proving ample, however, in
preserving themselves and children from the tendencies of receding into
barbarism. The Bible was the recognised reference and guide in private
and public affairs, and it is so still. It is, indeed, notable with what
wisdom and prudence those simple people managed to frame their treaties
with native potentates, their conventions with the Portuguese and the
British Governments, and, finally, in compiling their own constitutions.
Their experiences teem with incidents of extreme sufferings, dangers,
and reverses, and also with many signal deliverances, which all
operated in deepening religious fervour and dependence upon the
Almighty.

Their vicissitudes led them to make analogous comparisons with ancient
Jewish history. This practice resulted in some erroneous conceptions,
notably in regard to their relations with aborigines and general native
policy, as referred to in previous chapters. It also imperceptibly
fostered sentiments confounding legality with grace, and the by-product
of that subtle corrupting leaven which is apt to see a splint in the eye
of another whilst unmindful of the beam in one's own.

Upon the whole, the religious status of the Boers may be fairly compared
to that of the old American pilgrim fathers, only much less intolerant,
fairly strict sabbatarians, and jealous in maintaining national and
individual morality. About forty years ago a small group seceded from
the Dutch Reformed Church and formed a separate connection under the
name of "Enkel gereformende Kerk" (simply reformed Church), more
generally known under the sobriquet of "Doppers." This cult is identical
with the parent Church, and differs only in a somewhat stricter church
discipline and the rejection of the hymns from the common psalm and
hymn-book upon the ground that many of them are tainted with dangerously
anti-scriptural doctrine.[15] These Doppers are really very worthy
people, but noted for their strong conservatis