David was one of our schoolboys. He was the son of the Chief Vellem and his Christian wife Manzoli. He has learned in our school for a good many years. He was about thirteen or fourteen years old now and was a strong, healthy boy. But influenza came to the kraal. The mother was very, very ill with it, and it was very hard, as she had a wee baby only four days old when this terrible sickness came, and David’s brother “September” was very ill too. In answer to prayer, the mother and boy got well. But a fortnight later David was struck down. Hearing that he was ill, the evangelist James and I rode over to the kraal on the Wednesday. He was indeed very sick, and was lying on a mat on the floor. The mother told us that in the night he roused and called his brother September. She went over and asked “Why do you want your brother?” He said, “To tell him he can take all my clothes, I shall never want them again, for a wonderful Person, all clothed in white and with shining face, came to me and told me to take no more medicine for He is going to take me to heaven.” The next morning they questioned David as to whether he remembered what he had said in the night, not knowing whether to consider it delirium or what. He said he remembered perfectly, and that it was all true. James, who was with me, now questioned David. He said, “Suppose the Lord did call you and death came, would you be afraid?” At once came the answer, “No, I would not fear death.” James asked “Why not?” “Because I trust in the Lord,” said David. Questioned further as to his hope of heaven, the boy replied that he knew he was a sinner, but he knew that Jesus died for him. The next we heard was that his father had called in a native doctor. Then on Sunday came a messenger to say, “David died this morning.” After the meeting all the Christians went over and James and I again rode sadly to the kraal to be present at the funeral. Manzoli told me about her son’s last days. He was very grieved at a witch doctor having been called. He said, “God is very angry with you for calling this man. I don’t want him: I can’t take his medicine. If I must take medicine I would rather take the missionary’s. But I need no medicine. God will give me all I need, when I reach heaven.” They forced him to take some of the witch doctor’s medicine. He said, “It would be better for me to disobey you than to disobey God.” He spoke much of the Lord. He said that he gave himself to the Lord some time ago, when an evangelist from Natal was preaching. “But,” he said, “I have not confessed Christ boldly as I ought that has been my mistake. I want you to name the new baby Nokuposisa, ‘Mistake, or Failure,’ then you will always remember how I failed. But God has forgiven me even that sin. He has forgiven all my sins.” He quoted over and over, “Yea though I walk thro’ the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me” (Psa. 23:44Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)), and many times also “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” Matthew 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28). He prayed aloud again and again, and sang portions of hymns that he knew. He said, “It was because I failed to confess Christ as I ought that God has sent this sickness, but I am forgiven now.”
What a message this little lad has left behind! Only a little Pondo lad, yet the Lord revealed Himself to him and gave him firm assurance that he was going to heaven. “He being dead yet speaketh,” and his message comes to us all. He had not lived earnestly for Christ. He was a quiet boy and gentle, and talked little with anyone. He came to school when able and to Sunday school regularly, but he grieved that he gave no open and clear testimony for the Lord. We pray that his dying messages may reach the heart of his father, for he seems trying to hold the world with one hand and Christ with the other. He is a professed believer, but he is not clearly out of heathenism. Had he come right out he would never have called a witch doctor to distress his Christian child at the last. We laid the little boy to rest, and James preached the Gospel to the assembled heathen natives. We left the dear mother comforted indeed saying, “He is with the Lord,” but oh, how lonely without her boy! May the Lord Himself fill the empty place in her heart.
David died on the last day of 1922.
Pondoland.
Frances Geyden-Roberts.