Afrikaans
Ons voorblad toon die foto’s van Maria, die vierde kind en oudste dogter van ons stamouers, Amdrew en Maria (Stegmann) Murray, en haar man Johannes Henoch Neethling (1826 – 1904).
Maria ontvang haar eerste lesse aan moedersknie. Twaalf jaar ou gaan sy na “Mrs Pears’ School for Girls” in Somerset-Oos. Op kosskool raak sy diep bekommerd oor haar geestelike lewe. Daar moes ’n besonder vertroulike band tussen dogter en vader bestaan het, want in haar briewe vra sy hom gedurig om raad en voorbidding.
Twee jaar later kom sy tuis. Soggens hou sy vir haar boeties en sussie skool en smiddags versorg sy hulle klere. Vir haar was daar nie kans vir verdere studie nie, maar haar wakker verstand en drang na kennis het sy versadig deur baie te lees. “She delighted in biography and poetry,” sê sy van haarself in “Unto Children’s Children”, “and had a great veneration for saintly men and women. Of the poets, Milton and Cowper were her favourites, but … the handsome volume of Shakespeare, which lay hidden behind some other books in her father’s study, she was forbidden to touch, and when once she did surreptitiously open it, her little Puritan soul was so shocked by the oaths and curses that she quickly put it back! A copy of Don Juan was committed to the flames of the brick oven by her mother – wholesome lesson to the children.”
Die terugkoms van haar twee broers, Johan en Andrew van hule studies oorsee, was vir haar ’n groot vreugde. Sy verlustig haar in alles wat hulle te vertel het. Hulle bespreek die godsdiens en sake van die dag. “Here love and admiration for her two elder brothers were unbounded,” so getuig sy self. Hul briewe aan mekaar getuig van ‘’n innige verhouding wat dwarsdeur hul lewens geduur het. Drien maande lank het sy vir Andrew, nog ongetroud, op Bloemfontein gaan huishou. “But her promise to remain with him always was broken when she accepted the offer of marriage made by her brother’s friend, J H Neethling!”
Op 21-jarige leeftyd trou sy dan, ’n huwelik waarvan sy jare later self sê: “The many happy years of married life showed that God had chosen for her.” Sewe jaar bly hulle gelukkig op Prins Albert. Dan neem ds Neethling ’n beroep na Stellenbosch aan, en daar het die drie vriende, John Murray, Nicolaas Hofmey en Jan Neethling saam gearbei tot die dag van hulle dood.
Marié – soos haar man haar genoem het – het hom in al sy gemeentewerk bygestaan. Sy grootste belangstelling, ná sy geestelike werk, was die opvoeding en die sending. Hy stig skole en koshuise, en sy dogter vertel dat die name, soos Bloemhof, Eikenhof, Harmonie en Wilgenhof, sý keuse was. In sy tyd is die ook die moederkerk herbou.
Op die dorp het die Dominee se aangename geaardheid hom bemind gemaak. Nie alleen sy eie nefies en niggies nie, maar ook al die kinders het hom “Oom Neethling” genoem. Jan Neethling en sy vrou was beroemd vir hulle gasvryheid. Die pastorie het letterlik oorgeloop van al die gaste – sendeling, o a dr Moffat, onderwysers wat op losies wag, niggies en neefs wat van afgeleë plekke kom studeer, is met ope arms ontvang.
Maria was diep vroom en het haar daagliks afgesonder om te bid – vir die kerk, die sending, haar kinders en vriende. Haar dogter Nettie het van haar gesê: “As my ma nie so ’n goeie Calvinis was nie, sou sy ’n wonderlike Rooms-Katoliek uitgemaak het!” Ten spyte van haar drukke lewe vind sy tyd om te skryf: “Aangename Zondagen”en “Zondag Agtermiddag”, twee boeke met Christelike verhale, was sekerllik aan die meeste Afrikaner-kinders van die vroeë twintigste eeu bekend. Ná ds Neethling se dood in 1904 bou die gemeente vir sy weduwee ’n huis in ’n deel van die pastorietuin, aan die Laan. Maria hou vol met haar skryfwerk. Sy neem die redaksie van haar man se Christelike maandblad “De Wekker”oor en skryf self die vernaamste artikels.
Haar kinders was sewe seuns en vyf dogters. Hendrik, predikant op Lydenburg, dien tydens die Anglo-Boere-oorlog as veldprediker en sy broer Andrew as dokter. Hendrik se vrou Cecilia (Steyn) sterf in ’n konsentrasiekamp. Johannes Henoch word distriksgeneesheer op Stellenbosch. Willie gaan as sendeling na Mochudi. Chris word predikant, eers op Nieuwoudtville en daarna in die Transvaal. Mimie trou met ds Gonin, sendeling op Saulspoort. Nettie, vrou van ds Pienaar van Somerset-Wes en moeder van twaalf kinders, word veral bekend vir haar kindergediggies. Ella, besonder begaafd, is delikaat en bly by haar moeder. Sy skryf, en neem die redaksie van “De Wekker” oor ná haar moeder se dood. Katie, dosente van naaldwerk aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch, word ’n persoonlikheid, “Miss Katie”, onder studente en oud-studente.
Maria was ’n lieftallige ouma. ’n Besoek aan haar huis, Vredelus, op die oewer van die Eersterivier, was vir haar kleinkinders ’n gebeurtenis.
As afstammelinge van die Murrays is ons aan Maria dank verskuldig vir haar boek “Unto Children’s Children.” Haar doel daarmee, sê sy, “Toe keep up the bond of union, and that our children may remember that they are covenanted children.”
(Met erkenning aan die opsteller van die hoorbeeld wat aangebied is by geleentheid van die groot saamtrek op Graaff-Reinet in 1972 en ook weer vanjaar, 1982.)
Uit: Murray Nuusbrief Nr 9, Junie 1982. (Op die omslag staan foutiewelik dit is Nr 8.)
English
Maria was the fourth child and oldest daughter of our ancestors Andrew and Maria (Stegmann) Murray.
The first years of education she was home-schooled by her mother. At the age of 12 she was sent to “Mrs Pears’ School for Girls” at Somerset East. At boarding school she became deeply concerned about her spiritual life. A special bond of trust must have existed between father and daughter because in her letters to him she continually sought his advice and his prayers for her.
Two years later she had to stay at home. In the mornings she had to school her little brothers and sister and tend to their clothing in the afternoon. As there was no chance of further study, she satisfied her keen mind and thirst for knowledge through excessive reading. “She delighted in biography and poetry”, she noted about herself in “Unto Children’s Children”, “and had a great veneration for saintly men and women. Of the poets, Milton and Cowper were her favourites, but … the handsome volume of Shakespeare, which lay hidden behind some other books in her father’s study, she was forbidden to touch, and when once she did surreptitiously open it, her little Puritan soul was so shocked by the oaths and curses that she quickly put it back! A copy of Don Juan was committed to the flames of the brick oven by her mother – wholesome lesson to her children.”
The home coming of her two brothers John and Andrew after their studies overseas was of great joy to her. She delighted her in everything they had to tell her. They discussed religion and matters of the day. “Her love and admiration for her two elder brothers were unbounded,” she confessed. Their letters to one another testified of a deep relationship that lasted their whole life. She joined the unmarried Andrew in Bloemfontein as house keeper. “But her promise to remain with him always, was broken when she accepted the offer of marriage made by her brother’s friend, J H Neethling!”
She married at the age of 21, a marriage of which she later testified: “The many happy years of married life showed that God had chosen for her.” They lived happily in Prince Albert for seven years. After that Rev Neethling accepted a calling to Stellenbosch where the three friends, John Murray, Nicolaas Hofmeyr and Jan Neethling worked together until the day they died.
Marié – as she was named by her husband – supported him in his parish work. His greatest interest next to his ecclesiastical work was education and missionary work. He started schools and boarding houses of which his daughter refers to names like Bloemhof, Eikenhof, Harmonie and Wilgenhof that he proposed. The Moederkerk (Mother Church) in Stellenbosch was rebuilt in his time.
In town the Reverend’s pleasant demeanour made him endeared by the public. Not only his little nephews and nieces but all children called him “Oom Neethling” (Uncle Neethling). Jan Neethling and his wife were known for their hospitality. The parsonage literally overcrowded with guests – missionaries, amongst others Dr Moffat, teachers awaiting lodging, nephews and nieces from far off places coming to study, were all openly welcomed.
Maria was deeply devout and daily secluded herself to pray – for the church, the mission, her children and friends. Her daughter Nettie referred to her saying: “As my ma nie so ‘n goeie Calvinis was nie, sou sy ‘n wonderlike Rooms-Katoliek uitgemaak het!” (If my mother were not such a good Calvinist, she would have been a wonderful Roman Catholic!) In spite of her busy schedule, Maria still was able to write books: “Aangename Zondagen” and “Zondag Agtermiddag”, books with religious stories that were familiar to most Afrikaner children of the early twentieth century. After the death of Rev Neethling in 1904, the parish built a house for the widow on part of the parsonage garden in the Laan. Maria continued with her writing. She took over the editorship of her husband’s monthly Christian edition of “De Wekker” and personally wrote the main articles.
She had seven sons and five daughters. Hendrik, minister at Lydenburg, served as field minister during the Anglo-Boer War and his brother, Andrew, as doctor. Hendrik’s wife, Cecilia (Steyn), died in concentration camp. Johannes Henoch became district surgeon at Stellenbosch. Willie became missionary in Mochudi. Chris became minister, first in Nieuwoudtville and then in Transvaal. Mimie married Rev Gonin, missionary in Saulspoort. Nettie, wife of Rev Pienaar of Somerset West and mother of twelve children, became known for her youth-poems. Ella, most gifted, was delicate and remained with her mother. She wrote and took over the editorship of “De Wekker” after her mother died. Katie, lecturer in needle work at Stellenbosch University, became known as “Miss Katie”, much revered by students and ex-students.
Maria was a most loving grandmother. A visit to her home, Vredelust, on the banks of the Eersterivier, was a wonderful occasion to her grandchildren.
As descendants of the Murrays, we are indebted to Maria for her book “Unto Children’s Children”. Her objective with the book, she stated: “To keep up the bond of union, and that our children may remember that they are covenanted children.”
(With acknowledgement to the compiler of a talk presented at the reunions at Graaff Reinet in 1972 and again in 1982.)
Extracted from the Murray News Letter No 9,June 1982. (Erroneously marked as No 8 on the cover.)