“I SHALL not die! I shall not die! I shall live—forever.” These were the words which fell from the dying lips of a poor Christian woman, a native of South Africa. They were calculated both to comfort her weeping friends, and to testify to them and to the world she was leaving, of the hope which she had obtained through faith in Jesus, “the resurrection and the life.”
Similar words are not unfrequently used by unawakened sinners at the approach of death. But there is a wide difference between the “I shall not die,” of the believer, and the “I will not die,” of the unbeliever.
The words, “I shall not die,” were, in this case, the calm utterance of one who knew the time had come for her soul to return to God who gave it, and who could say, “I have fought the good fight... and henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.”
Doortje Plaatjes was among the first fruits of the labors of some of God’s servants who were working amongst the heathen in Africa.
The virtues of a Christian life, however unobtrusive, cannot remain hidden; nor did those of Doortje, illustrated as they were by holy conduct, and intensified by bodily suffering. She was beloved by all God’s people in the place, respected by everyone, and feared by evildoers, whom she on every suitable occasion warned and rebuked.
Having been laid aside by severe illness, and realizing that should she be exposed to another attack, she would not survive it, Doortje was greatly stirred to seek the Lord’s glory during the little time that she felt remained to her. The way in which the Lord had revealed Himself to her during her illness made her most eager, if possible, “to do something for the Lord”; and we may be sure that when Christ is filling the heart, genuine service will flow from us. There may be service without communion with Christ; but it is hardly possible that there should be communion without service. The Lord’s sufferings for her filled Doortje with peculiar longings after His glory, and though very weak she began to visit her neighbors, and to stir up those who had grown lukewarm, the result of this humble believer’s work being a great stir and much prayer in many houses.
After a few weeks thus spent, Doortje was seized with another attack of her complaint, and lay upon her dying bed. There she passed through a severe ordeal, for the enemy, Satan, seemed to prevent the utterance of a single prayer. She doubted not her acceptance with God, but was terribly cast down. In a day or two, however, she rallied, when hearing a verse of a Dutch hymn sung, commencing, “God kent alleen het naaste pad,” the sense of which corresponds to the words:—
“Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him, for His grace;
Behind a frowning Providence,
He hides a smiling face.”
Just at the last, waking up hastily, she said: “Come all now; call all in.” Every one who came in she called by name, and addressed in a word of exhortation, or of comfort. Then with a strength of which we did not think her capable, she lifted her wasted hands, and said: “You think I will die! I shall not die, I shall live—forever.” And sinking back, she said, “Come, Lord Jesus, take me away!” and breathed her last.
Thus triumphantly passed away to be forever with the Lord, the ransomed spirit of this once heathen African. As we read of her, the solemn words of the Lord addressed to the Jews in His day occur to our minds: “They shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God”; and we remember how He said that there should be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, when those who had had every advantage found themselves shut out from the kingdom. Ah, reader! how is it with you? It is not sufficient to be a professor, nor to live in a Christian land; the despised heathen from the wilds of Africa shall be seen shining as a jewel in glory, while the Christless Christian, even though a guest at the very sacrament table, shall be shut out.
J. T.