d to the
arbitrament of the sword, and then the verdict will depend upon
the Cape Colonial Afrikanders. If they give evidence on our side
we shall win. It does not help a brass farthing to mince matters.
This is the real point at issue; and in this light every
Afrikander must learn to see it. And what assistance can we
expect from Afrikanders in the Cape Colony?... The vast majority
of them (Afrikanders) are still faithful, and will even gird on
the sword when God's time comes."[42]

[Footnote 42: As translated in _South Africa_, October 15th,
1898.]

At the same period the Dutch Reformed Church in the Colony had become
what was, to all intents and purposes, a vehicle for the advocacy of
rebellion. The manner in which the principles of Afrikander
nationalism were combined with religious doctrine may be gathered from
certain extracts from the _Studenten Blad_ of the Theological Seminary
of Burghersdorp, which were translated and published by _The Albert
Times_. The passage following appeared on May 26th, 1899; and by
November 16th the Seminary was closed, since the bulk of the students
had at that date joined the Boer forces:

[Sidenote: Anti-british sentiment.]

"Must we love this people [the English] who robbed our ancestors
of their freedom, who forced them to leave a land dear to them as
their heart's blood--a people that followed our fathers to the
new fatherland which they had bought with their blood and
snatched from the barbarians, and again threatened their freedom?
Our fathers fought with the courage of despair, and retook the
land with God's aid and with their blood. But England is not
satisfied. Again is our freedom threatened by the same people,
and not only our freedom, but our language, our nationality, our
religion! Must we surrender everything, and disown our fathers? I
cannot agree with this. The thought is hateful to me--the thought
of trampling on the bodies of our fathers as we extend the hand
of friendship to those who have slain our fathers in an
unrighteous quarrel.... But some may say that the Bible teaches
us to love our enemies. I think, however, that the text cannot be
here applied. Race hatred is something quite distinct from
personal enmity. When I meet an Englishman as a private
individual I must regard him as my fellow-creature; if, howeve