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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 5, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 27.

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South Africa

By Hebert J. Edmed

VRYHEID, NATAL.—The little town of Vryheid, once a border town of the Transvaal, was transferred two years ago, for political reasons, to Natal. It is now a very small village, but is in the center of a large district which was the home of some of the wealthiest and best Dutch farmers in the colony. Unfortunately this town with its immense district was completely denuded of its fine farmhouses and cattle during the recent conflict between the Dutch and the English; and now nothing but ruins may be seen in the place of the old farmhouses. At this writing, another cloud gathers over this ruined people. The town happens to be on the borders of Zululand, where the natives are in rebellion, and the guns of the British may be heard from the hills surrounding the town. In the meantime another scourge is threatening to destroy their cattle, for the dread disease rinderpest has broken out, and thus dark days are before this already heart-broken people.
We are thankful that yet another ray of light is shining upon this people, in the third angel's message, which reached the wife and the daughter of one of Vryheid's best residents, while staying at the house of Brother Biessmer two years ago. This woman is the wife of a member of the legislative council of Natal, and has stood stiffly for the truth ever since she heard it. Brother F. C. Ernst also settled on a little farm near by, and as a partially self-supporting worker has been doing good work in the town, with the result that quite a little company have been gathered out. The Hon. C. Birckenstock, who has some of his children attending Union College, Claremont, has donated a large lot of ground for the purpose of building a meeting-house which is to cost one hundred and fifty pounds, and at our conference meeting it was decided to try to help raise the amount required. We are thankful that hard times do not prevent the spread of this glorious message.
HEBERT J. EDMED.