The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-01

ostentatiously add a parcel of lekkers a
present to the children from the GU baas
(old master). But his great forte is relig-
ion.
So far Tanta; now for Dom, who, for
some preteXt, has kept out of the way
during the conversation. No sooner has
Tanta departed than Dom finds himself In
an anteroom along with his friend the
storekeeper. "Oom does not drink a
soopie drop of brandt every day so what
says Dom to a real bolandsche," insinuates
the man of commerce
ia, ons kan zoo maak" eyes, We
might) is the half-halting reply and then
the Boer gulps down half a coffee cup full
of dop brandy neat, and strong enough to
knock over trooper.
Woe TO the minister who has not his
sermons and addresses ready before the
Friday evening when his congregation
flock to the village Early on Saturday
morning the elders and deacons troop In
to pay the predikant their respects their
wives to see his wife and bring her bilt-
ong (sun-dried meaO. n lump of butter,
a trussed fowl, some honey, bar of
home made soap, a loaf of bread, some
biscuit, or more substantial present If
meneer Uhat is. the minister) happens to
favor the fragrant weed, his study is filed
with a cloud of the most reeking tobacco
smoke throughout the day. To smoke in
the minister's study is a privilege accord
ed only to elders and deacons, Should an
ordinary layman enter the minister lays
down his pipe. and hrazen-faced, disre-
spectful must he be who then dares TO
take a puff.
The services which these good people
have come to attend Invariably commences
with Voor-bereiding, or preparatory ser
vice on the Saturday afternoon, and
prayer meeting at night. 1t is contrary to
custom for the farmer to change MS
clothes during ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In
the Sunday clothes means remaining in
the religious mood proper to the occasion.
The days services over, friends gather on
a stoep smoke and drink coffee, discuss
the sermon and the minister and various
religious topics.
The Saturday, night prayermeeting Is a
big feature of the Nachtmaal service, and
the feature of the meeting Is not the min
ister's address, but the interminable pray
ers of the elders and deacons. MarVels for
quoting Scripture these worthy gentle
men string together in one oratorical effu-
sion the whole course of biblical history.
The sanity lives of the patriarchs are eN-
tolled, the wanderings of the children OF
Israel are recounted, and the prophecies
and warnings of the ancient seers are IN
PRODUCED After the prayermeetlng the old
folk retire and the young are left to them
selves.
The morrow Is undoubtedly a very sol
emn day. In some congregations the min
lister, the truly pious, and those who WISH
to stand in good report with meneer have
an early prayer-meeting. The morning
service commences at 10 o'clock.
Shortly before the third bell two OF the
elders proceed to the parsonage TO fetch
the minister, upon whose approach a
group of gossipping farmers knock the
ashes from their pipes and enter church.
The whole service proceeds with a solem-
nitv which can only be compared with
that observed during the elevation OF the
host in a Roman Cathode church. After
a short sermon the minister descends to
the body Of the church, where the com
rnunion tables are arranged, and breaks
the sacramental bread children ana the
unconflrmed leaving the church In tho
mean time. First the men communicate,
then the women. In some churches II Is
customary fer the communicate before
leaving the table to slip a silver coin under
the cloth. The service lasts about three
hours Pm the afternoon the congregation
assemble for Thanksgiving, and In the
evening the final prayer meeting Is held
In the intervals between the several seIN-
ices the farmers pay visit to frinds mus
huise. and coffee Is Dunk ad lib. FrlVol-
inv is avoided as though II were deadly
sin This is the observance according to
the orthodox faith. which except man.
outwardlv at all events, observes he Is
accounted OF but little Importance IN
Dutch Reformed rural circles.
Nv noon on Monday the village will have
lost half It's Sunday population; the thuls-
huise are closed. and the villagers set
fling down to their everyday humdrum
Ufe. The congregation will have scatter
ed. Farmers wives have ridden off with
their wagons laden with a quarters gro
ceries. rolls Of stuff 20 cut up into suits
for their better halves and children, ana,
more frequently than not a demiJohn fll-
ed with Boer brandy turks beneath the
parcels. Tho pious farmers talk OF the
gezegende Nachtmaal-the blessings OF
the festival-while the shopkeepers con-
graduate themselves on the goede Nacht-
maal.
The elders and deacons remain for the
quarterly kerkeraads vergadering meet
ing Of the Vestry), at which the minister
presides. At this meeting the financial
affairs Of the congregation are discussed,
and the spiritual condition and progress
noted Frequently an elder tells OF en-
mlty between two members OF the congre-
cation, who onb that account absented
Themselves from Nachtmaal. and he Is
invariably appointed to act as the church
peacemaker. Sometimes a black sheep
appears before the kerkeraad on some or
other charge, and so great Is the inhu-
ence OF the rsad that the accused parties
rarely fail TO appear. The person found
guilty IL put under the church ban for a
certain perod-he Is denied the sacrament
and his children are refused baptism. In
this way the minister and the kerkeraad
exert a powerful influence In the Cape
Colony, for the Dutch Reformed church
is the church OF the people outside the
larger towns and villages.
And herein lies the influence OF the
Dutch reformed clergy.
=--s-o~s
An international Language.
From Harpers Weeldy