Early next morning I was awake, but the same feeling remained. I got out of bed quickly and then saw it was going to rain. On going out it felt pleasant after the rain. Suddenly someone cried out, “There is Juffrouw Martens.” She came from the village, and my first words were, “What am I going to hear?” She came through the house and met me in the backyard with these words, “Nonne,[1] I have sorrowful tidings. Your husband has sent me a telegram for you, and it says, ‘This morning our dearly-beloved son Adrian passed away in my arms from a wound received yesterday in a heavy fight, and to-day we shall lay him in the ground at Jacobsdaal.’”
[1] Nonne. A Dutch-Indian term meaning Mrs or mistress.
It was heartrending for me, but there is comfort to be found at the feet of Jesus. All Lichtenburg knew him and loved him. I had not only lost my son, but many had lost their friend.
The Sunday after he died, Dominie Du Toit of Lichtenburg chose as his text Revelations xxi., verse 7:—“And I will be his God, and he shall be my son”—and he said that the Lord had more need of him than we.
“I give him to the goodness of God.
Ransomed by the Saviour
He rises towards Heaven.
All shall contemplate him there
On the beautiful borders of Heaven
By the crystal waters.