Afrikaner, David (Dawid, Heinrich, Hendrik) * (baptized) 23.07.1815, Jerusalem (Friedeberg) † 01.05.1849, Blydeverwacht. David Afrikaner grew up in the Hantam area of the northern Cape, where the remains of an once important group of Orlams, to which his father belonged, lived on the ground of a Boer farmer. David's father was still the sole ruler of the rich pastures which stretched from Tulbagh to Winterberg, before they were disseized and enslaved by white expanding settlers. Brother of Jager Afrikaner,1his other brother being Simon.2 Titus was the brother of Jager. After Jonker Afrikaner, son of Jager Afrikaner, moved away from Warmbad to the North, Dawid Afrikaner stayed behind with a group of about one hundred people. Edward Cook had appointed him as a catechist, and Cook "[...] could testify about him that he was a faithful and devout man ..." David worked with Benjamin Ridsdale (WMMS). In 1850 David Afrikaner and his group also left for more Northern regions and re-united with the main body under Jonker Afrikaner.3 Jerusalem (Friedeberg) was the name for Gaobis or !Gaobis (nowadays the farm Gaobis No. 138, along the Davignab river, north of Ramansdrift in the Karas region, Karasburg district)4 The brother of Jager (Christian) Afrikaner and uncle of Jonker Afrikaner. Was baptized with his brother Jager Afrikaner in Afrikanerkraal (at the Gariep river) on the 23. 07.1815. See Vedder (German) p. 191 Translator in Jerusalem, stayed behind when Ebner moved away. Stals p. 79 Informations according to Ebner: (who stayed in Friedeberg from June 1815 to March 1818, when he was replaced by the LMS with the English missionary Moffat. The Afrikaners, who had their own, negative experience with the Dutch of the Cape, and who associated the Germans with the Dutchs, specefically asked for an English missionary. During his stay in Friedeberg, Ebner had contact with Heinrich Afrikaner.) Long before Ebner came to the Afrikaners, Heinrich Afrikaner (as Ebner calls him) married a woman and had a daughter with her. After a time he left her however and took the sister of his first wife as his wife "[...] with whom he lived very peacefull."5 Heinrich Afrikaner (as Ebner calls him) together with this second wife was baptized by Ebner on the 23.07.1815 - he had arrived in Jerusalem in the beginning of June 1815. At the same time the following brothers and sisters of Jager (Christian) Afrikaner were also baptized: Andreas, Hanna and Sophia. His first wife was baptized by Helm and Saß. Afterwards his first wife wanted to return to Heinrich Afrikaner, who is however not inclided to take back that woman. To give him a chance to re-think his attitude, he is requested to move to "Hammis", 2 hours away from "Friedeberg", so that he may forget his second wife, who had approved her sister to return to her first husband. The distance away from the station created the risk that Heinrich might have turned against Chistianity. The situation is therefor not changed and Heinrich left with his second wife. Ebner calls Heinrich his translator. "[...] he fullfilled this ministry with vigor, eagerness and nachdrucksvollem Tone und Ernste."?? David Jager could read and write and had taught himself writing by copying any printed or handwritten text he could lay his hand on. David Jager were authorized by Ebner to preach to the local congregation in Nama. During his second trip to Cape Town from Friedeberg, missionary Ebner was away from the station for half a year. In this time the church services as well as the school at the station was held by Jager Afrikaner together with the other local Christians. "Under Moffat he had been the teacher of the 'female congregation'. [...] Cook appointed David Afrikaner [during his regular visits to Afrikaner´s Kraal from 1838 onward] as a missionary assistant for the Blydeverwacht/Jerusalem community of c. 200 people. David received 'a few pounds sterling per annum from our society, furnisched at the Cape Town prices' for his activity."6 In May 1841 Cook appoints five lay preachers to support David Afrikaner in his work amongst the congregation in Afrikaner's Kraal.7 David Afrikaner moved from Blydverwachte to his brother Jonker Afrikaner in Windhoek (Concordiaville) in the year 1845.8 David is now, and has been for several years past, a native assistant at Blydeverwacht, the chief residence of that portion of the Afrikaner tribe which separated from Jonker Afrikaner when he went with all his people to Damaraland, and commenced a series of freebooting expeditions against the inhabitants of that country. David is regarded as the father of his people, and is one of the most intelligent and useful men in the circuit. Titus Afrikaner, his elder brother, once renowned for his dauntless courage and for his deeds of violence, resides with him at the same place, but is now an old man. In the expression of David's countenance there are no indications of a warlike spirit, but, on the contrary, those of a peaceable and retiring disposition. In his person he was rather below the ordinary height, well nourished generally, and his face plump for a Namaqua, his eyes large and remarkably intelligent; and as a natural orator he was particularly effective. One Sunday morning, during his visit, he acted as interpreter to Mr. Haddy, and at the conclusion of the service engaged in prayer, when sighs and tears were wrung from nearly the whole congregation, so that the chapel was a very Bochim; and many were compelled to leave, that they might give expression to their feelings. Ridsdale p. 1239 David is a son of old Afrikaner, who had no other name till baptized by the Rev. Mr. Ebner, of the London 144 GHAPTEli III. Missionary Society, when he was called Adam Afrikaner. He had many sons, a list of whom, according to their age, I obtained from one of them in 1846. Six of these sons were living, and were in this place at the time of my visit. Most of them were truly converted men, and the rest were members of the church, though not so prominent in their religious character, or in their position in the church, as the others. But what a mighty change has the Gospel effected in this family ! At one time they were the terror of this part of South Africa, robbery and plunder being the order of the day ; now they are bringing forth " the peaceable fruits of righteousness," and peace has for many years prevailed among these tribes, who were at one time always engaged in predatory warfare. David was now the native teacher to his own people, having been appointed by the Rev. Mr. Cook. Mr. Cook says of him in his journal, " He is a very interesting and, I trust, a truly pious man ; a striking instance of the power of grace. He has been kept in the fear of God amidst a band of robbers and murderers for nearly twenty years, without any one to give him counsel and encouragement." From a statement he sent me in writing, it appears that he had learnt to read writing from a letter he had seen written by a Dutch Boer, and which had become his own, by studiously copying the letters till they became perfectly familiar. I am now in possession of several letters addressed by him to myself, and also an account of a portion of his life, in which latter he has ruled lines for himself, and written with great neatness, and with the letters, both capitals and small, exceedingly well formed. From this account he appears to have heard the Word, HARD AT WORK. 145 in the first instance, from some person who had fled to that part of the country, and whom he calls a refugee. "Afterwards," says he," this man went to the Bushmen, by whom he was murdered. But though I heard the Word from him, I gave no serious attention to it." He next heard the Word of God from Mr. Albrecht. "But," he adds, u though I heard the Word from Mr. Albrecht, I did not trouble myself about it. Still I had a love for the school." Mr. Albrecht, who, it appears, was for a short time with the Afrikaners, then left them for Warm Bath, to reside among the Bondelzwaarts. This was a great loss and disappointment to David, and "when the missionaries left us, then I began to pray, and languished to hear the Word, where the Word was not to be had." It appears that even whilst he was without a missionary the Spirit of the Lord was strongly striving with him ; "for," says he, " I felt that I was a sinner ; but that God had a great love for sinners, and that Jesus Christ had died for me through the same love. I looked upon myself as perishing without God. I began to wrestle with my sins, and I longed to hear the Word; but I did not hear the Word, for I had no missionary. But afterwards I felt that I was delivered from my sins. Then I had a longing desire to be baptized and to stand steadfast. Then I met with Rev. Mr. Ebner; at that time I was called Hendrik, the godless name " (alluding to his being still a heathen). " Then was I baptized, and rejoiced to be baptized in His name ; then was I called David. After this Mr. Ebner and Mr. Moffat left us." And poor David was left alone to struggle with sin in himself, and sin all around, amidst plunderings and fightings with the neigh- S 14610 CHAPTER III. bouring tribes, without any human guide or counsel ; yet by the help of almighty grace he and a few others kept the lamp of God alive during all those dreary years that elapsed between the removal of the London Missionary Society's missionaries and the establishment of the Wesleyan Mission, upwards of twenty years. As soon as David heard of this latter joyful event, he opened communications with Mr. Cook, my predecessor, by whom Blydeverwachting was taken up as an outpost of the Nisbett Bath Circuit, and a monthly visit to the Afrikaners established, to the great joy of David and others who were like-minded. Soon after my arrival, David Afrikaner returned from a visit to several small tribes of Korannas living along the northern bank of the Orange River. These tribes belong to one of the leading divisions of the great Hottentot family, speaking the same language, with only a slight difference of dialect, which proves no hindrance in understanding each other, and in general living in the same manner, varying only from the Great Namaquas in a few circumstances, occasioned by the location they have selected along the shores of a great river. They build mat houses of beehive shape nearly close to the water's edge, under the thick foliage of the willows and mimosas, and construct nets out of cord made from the bark of young branches of the mimosa. With these nets fastened at one end on the shore and at the other to the stump of a tree, or pole driven into the bed of the stream, they catch a quantity of fish, some of which are upwards of five feet in length: these are sometimes broiled as soon as taken ; sometimes dried, pounded, and put into a goat-skin sack for future use. Occasionally they shoot the enormous hippopotami, the flesh of which, and especially the fat about the ribs, they esteem a most luscious article of food. With these small tribes David spent upwards of three weeks. They received the word with readiness and much interest; and some pressed him to remain amongst them. This valuable and fine old man was absent nearly five weeks, including his journeyings; and during the whole time he was dependent almost exclusively on wild honey for support, having obtained flesh and pounded fish only seldom, and in small quantities. He seemed mentally 184 CHAPTER IV. and spiritually refreshed by his late mission tour, and to myself the detail of his labours and journeyings was deeply interesting. Klass and Jacobus Afrikaner, David's brothers, had oversight of the work during his absence ; and I found the members in a pleasing and prosperous condition ; and very much enjoyed the services of the Sabbath, into which David threw unusual animation. Travelling all the night, to escape the heat, I reached our station in twelve hours and a half, the horses showing great cheerfulness on the journey. p. 18411 On my arrival I found David Afrikaner absent, having gone on a visit to Jonker Afrikaner, the chief, in Damaraland. Jonker had now abandoned his evil practices, and received a Wesleyan missionary, and had sent urgent and repeated messages to David and his people to come and settle with him. Until now they had disregarded these messages, being so attached to David that they were extremely unwilling to leave him and the quiet they had long enjoyed. This had been the state of things for years. But it was one that placed David in an unenviable position, as Jonker was chafed by disappointment and jealousy. David, at length, anxious to remove wrong impressions from the mind of his chief, to whom he was uncle, resolved to visit him, though at a distance of six hundred miles, taking with him all who had any inclination to remove. And as he had left home in June and intended to return by the end of the year, it was feared by his brother Nicholas that he was being detained by Jonker against his will. In consequence of David's long absence, I expected to find things in some degree of disorder. My pleasure and satisfaction, therefore, were great on finding that though their head was absent, such excellent arrangements had been made, and so faithfully carried out, that nothing of consequence had been neglected. The services had been held by Nicholas, the school daily maintained by Jacobus, and the classes regularly met by the leaders, and on meeting the members, sixty in number, I was thankful to find that they had advanced rather than retrograded in their Christian experience and character. One old woman, referring to our escape TOILS AND TRIUMPHS. S. 225 from the Bushmen, said her heart was full of joy to see her missionary again ; and when she thought of the goodness of God in so preserving me, it was " too great " for her. She had thought what great love the Lord has for His people. He always knew where they were. On that long journey He knew where Mynheer was every day, and He preserved him every day, just as a man knows where any precious thing is that he has put into a sack, so that he always knows it is safe, and always knows where he can find it. (A "sack" is their only safe.) I returned home on the 21st. p. 22512 Hahn about Jager and David Afrikaner (on the occasion of Jonker's death on the 18.08.1862) in BRMG 1862:32. Auf einer Reise trifft in den oberen Gei !ab trifft Eduard Sneuwe den alten, und inzwischen verarmten David Afrikaner "Am 14 Februar [1889] verließ ich Warmbad und traf am 22 Februar in !Hu ams ein. Hier traf ich den alten David Africaner einen ehemaligen, weslyanischen Localpreacher, der jedoch recht verarmt ist. Es ist schade daß der Mann so lange vor der Gemeinde ferngeblieben. Er besitzt bessere Rednergaben als wir Ältesten und kann auch über sein sittliches Betragen nichts nachteiliges gesagt werden. Er hält immer Gottesdienst mit den Leuten seiner Umgebung hat auch zu diesem Zweck noch aus früherer Zeit von Blydeverwacht her eine Glocke die dann auch bald die Leute zusammenrief. Ich sprach zu ihnen über Mattheus 11, 28-30. Schon beim Gesang merkte ich, daß die Leute wenn sie gelegentlich nach Warmbad kommen von unsern Gesängen etwas mitnehmen, denn sie sangen recht frisch. Nach dem Gottesdienst frugen mich die Leute warum Gottes Wort nicht auch zu ihnen kommen kann (also niemand dort sein kann). Ich antwortete ihm: Bittet den Herrn, daß er Arbeiter in seine Arbeit aussende, denn das ist die Arbeit des Herrn. [...]."13 Married: Children: Education: Other family members connected to RMS: Mission Stations: History with the RMS: 1 Dedering 1997:149. 2 Anonymous: Adventures of a Missionary; on Rivers of Water in a dry Place. Being an Account of the Introduction of the Gospel of Jesus into South Africa, and of Mr. Moffat's Missionary Travels and Labors. Carlton & Porter. New York, n.d. page 71. 3 Beris I n.D.:82-83 cited "Bailie's Journal" in the private possesion of Dr. A.D. Lückoff, Cape Town. 4 Mendelsohn (Atlas of Namibia) 2002:33, Map: South West Africa 1966, Alberty 1984:31, Nienaber 1977:375. 5 Ebner 1829:108. 6 Dedering 1997:150. 7 Cook 1849:151. 8 Van Schalkwyk 1963:118. 9 Ridsdale 1883:123. 10 Ridsdale 1883:144-146. 11 Ridsdale 1883:184. 12 Ridsdale 1883:225. 13 AVEM RMG 1.623a:74. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------