have been a
curse and a cancer for us. Well, they need not remain a curse. And
then, how shall we materially rescue our people without the Gold
Fields? Swazieland is not of much importance. That we can give up.

The war is a matter of faith. If I had not been able to do so in
faith, I would never have taken up arms. Let us again renew our
covenant with God. If we fix our eyes on the past we have more ground
for our faith than I ever expected, and we have ground to continue in
faith. The entire war has been a miracle, and without faith it would
have been childish to commence the war. We must not think of
intervention. That there has been no intervention is a proof that God
does not will it, because through this war he wishes to form us into a
people. Our help and our deliverance must come from Him alone, and
then we shall not become proud. I cannot see into the future, but this
I know, that behind me it is light. What lies before me I do not know.
There it is dark, but we must go on trusting God, and then, when
victory comes, we shall not be proud.

With reference to the Cape Colony, I may say that I am also
disappointed, not with the reports from there, but because there has
been no general rising. People who sent us information have not kept
their word. We must accept the report of General Smuts, and he says
we must not depend upon the Cape Colony; but he does not say that our
cause is declining there. The Cape Colony has been of great assistance
to us, because it compelled the enemy to withdraw about 50,000 troops
from the Republics.

I feel for the poor families who are suffering so grievously, and also
for our burghers in the camps. I think anxiously of their misery, but
I have nothing to do with facts. The entire war is a matter of faith.
I have to do with a fact only when I have to remove it.

I must still make this one remark, that if we surrender, as
vanquished, we shall be able to depend on small mercy from England. We
shall then in any case have dug the grave of our independence. Well,
then, what is the difference between going into our graves in reality,
and digging the grave for our national existence?

Mr. C. Birkenstock (Vryheid) said: We must be careful how we deal with
the Gold Fields. Our country is dreadfully impoverished, and I fail to
see how we can give up that source of income.

The meeting was then adjourned, after prayer, to the following day.

SATURDAY, MAY 17TH, 1902.

At the reques