ake or for the Gospel shall preserve it.")

It points to the operation of most persevering and subtle agencies and
potent illusions that could mislead and carry away the chief men and the
most intelligent of the Boer nation so far as to engender the erroneous
convictions which caused them to court the present war and to consider
it just. As to the bulk of the people, they are in turn led astray by
their leaders' example and opinions as victims of the general delusion.

These convictions, together with the acceptance of Afrikaner Bond
doctrines, have developed into quite a national infatuation, a kind of
Boer Koran, invested with similar fanaticism. Analogies are assumed as
existing between the case of the Israelites brought by Moses through the
wilderness, and led by Joshua into the conquered possession of their
promised Canaan. Following those prototypes, Paul Krueger is held as
having guided the Boer nation thus far through the mazes of political
troubles, and so also is General Joubert,[17] now their leader in the
conquest, South Africa in its entirety being considered as rightfully
belonging to them. The Orange River stands for Jordan, dividing as yet
the possessions of the people, and the analogy only needs completion by
a Pisgah for President Krueger. That such hallucinations have taken deep
root appears from the fact that the wife of President Krueger dreamt of
the accomplishment of such a typical history, and that her husband had
died at an early stage of the conquest. Such complete faith is attached
to the prophetic import of that dream that the President was prevailed
upon to permit its publication in full detail some time in November
last. The President's death was anticipated within two months after. (I
am far from referring to those incidents in a mocking mood, but rather
to show the intense sincerity of Boer convictions, confounding the
Christian's exalted calling with one which is temporal; and I fancy that
those very Boers, if equally well instructed, might sadly eclipse some
of us who have the privilege and also the responsibility of enjoying
correct teaching.)

The writer has endeavoured to represent in a true light both the
character of the Boer nation and its responsibility in regard to the
origin of the present deplorable war. The reader will be able to judge
whether that people is wilfully guilty, or whether the circumstances
admit of generous, mitigating condonement, always considered apart from