The Cape Colored People by D. C. Theunissen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 24, 1910

The Cape Colored People

By D. C. Theunissen

D. C. THEUNISSEN

THIS term is used to designate a race of people distinct from the white man and the original natives of Cape Colony — a mixture of these two, but more especially of the white settlers and the Hottentots.

In former years they were in slavery to the Dutch. But in 1834 they were liberated by the English, who bought their freedom for three million pounds. This act naturally created a warm feeling toward the English; and in their many wars against the Kafirs, the Cape colored people were always ready to help them, until these tribes were subdued. As a reward, they received tracts of land free from taxes, where are now found some settlements, the franchise also being granted them in a limited sense. At present they number between fifty thousand and sixty thousand. The Cape Dutch language is used; but a great many, having been employed by the English as servants, or having received some education, can speak English fairly well.

But, generally speaking, notwithstanding they were freed from slavery nearly thirty years before the American colored people of the South, yet their condition is in many respects similar to-day to that of the American Negro. Drink, the curse of the age, although kept away by law from the raw native, has done its deadly work among them, and disease

and vice have helped to carry hundreds to an untimely grave, with no hope beyond. However, through the self-sacrificing efforts of the white missionaries who have labored among them, thousands are now respectable members of the church, and are able to read and write, and not a few have learned trades, and have property and business of their own.

In the providence of God, the writer was one of the first, if not the first, among them to receive the present truth, now over seventeen years ago. And, with a very limited education and but little training, he offered himself to the conference to labor for his own people, and was accepted.

His work for a number of years has been in the city of Cape Town and its suburbs, and with the blessing of God a goodly number have accepted present truth. At the beginning of the year 1909 one little church was organized at Salt River, another at Paron, while another company worships at our city church in Roeland Street [Cape Town].

The believers in our Cape Colony Conference now number over sixty adults. Poor in this world's goods (there are scarcely any who own any property), yet they are faithful to God in their service to him, and I believe there could not be found anywhere a people more stanch to the truth and more willing to sacrifice in its cause.

At our last conference a resolution was passed that a ward for the colored people be built to our sanitarium at Plumstead as soon as means could be obtained. This building is well under way, I understand, and before this appears in print, it may be completed. In Dr. Geo. Thomason the colored man has a friend in the best sense of the word. He has been faithful in relieving their sick and giving of his means toward the erection of the above-mentioned building, to the end that the sick may be under his immediate attention.

I might add that these people are scattered all over the colony. The women are employed as domestics, and the men on the farms, etc. Much work is to be done to reach them all with the truth; but I pray that the Father may raise some from among them to come to my help. I am now laboring at Worcester, about one hundred ten miles from Cape Town. A few thousand are living here. My knowledge of our health principles has been a great help, this being indeed the “right arm” to open doors that otherwise would have been shut. The prospects are encouraging. One intelligent young woman has already yielded to the truth, and I trust others will follow her example. Pray for the effort among the Cape colored people.

Worcester.