Pretoria is an historic city with many important monuments. The most prominent of these is the Voortrekker Monument, located just South of Pretoria. This massive granite structure located on a hilltop, was designed by architect, Gerard Moerdijk. The cornerstone was laid on Monument Hill, 16 December 1938, by three descendants of Voortrekker leaders: the granddaughter of Andries Pretorius, the great granddaughter of Hendrik Potgieter and the great granddaughter of Piet Retief. Under the foundation stone is buried a copy of the Covenant vow made by the Voortrekkers on the eve of the Battle of Blood River, 16 December 1838, a copy of the anthem Die Stem and a copy of the land deal for Natal, signed by Dingaan, King of the Zulus after Piet Retief had fulfilled the conditions he had required. The monument was inaugurated 16 December 1949, by Prime Minister D.F. Malan.

1. By Dr. Peter Hammond

3. By Dr. Peter Hammond

4. Pretoria is an historic city with many important monuments.
The most prominent of these is the Voortrekker Monument,
located just South of Pretoria.

5. This massive granite structure located on a hilltop,
was designed by architect, Gerard Moerdijk.

6. The cornerstone was laid on Monument Hill, 16 December 1938,
by three descendants of Voortrekker leaders:
the granddaughter of Andries Pretorius, the great granddaughter of
Hendrik Potgieter and the great granddaughter of Piet Retief.

7. Under the foundation stone is buried a copy of the Covenant Vow
made by the Voortrekkers on the eve of the Battle of Blood River,
16 December 1838,

8. a copy of the anthem Die Stem and a copy of the land deal for Natal,
signed by Dingaan, King of the Zulus
after Piet Retief had fulfilled the conditions he had required.

9. The monument was inaugurated 16 December 1949,
by Prime Minister D.F. Malan.

10. The Voortrekker Monument is 40 metres high,
with a base of 40m by 40m.

12. It contains the largest marble frieze in the world. The frieze consist of
27 marble relief panels depicting the history of the Great Trek,
the life, struggles and fervent Christian Faith of the Voortrekkers.

13. In many ways the massive marble frieze depicting the vision, journeys,
sufferings and achievements of the Voortrekkers parallels
the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt.

47. In the centre of the floor of this Hall of Heroes is a large circular
opening, through which the Cenotaph can be viewed.

50. The Cenotaph, situated in the centre of the monument is the central
focus.

51. The architect intended the Cenotaph to resemble an altar,
symbolic of the altar established by Noah after the Flood,
and by Abraham, the Father of the Faithful.

52. Through an opening in the dome a ray of sunlight shines at 12 o' clock
on 16 December each year, falling on the centre of the Cenotaph,
highlighting the words: "Ons vir jou Suid Afrika".

53. This ray of light is to symbolise God's blessings on the lives
and endeavours of the Voortrekkers.

54. The Cenotaph hall is decorated with the flags of the various Voortrekker
Republics and contains wall tapestries depicting the travels and
achievements of the Voortrekkers and display cases with artefacts from
the Great Trek, including many Bibles, Hymn books and Psalms.

72. Against the Northern wall of the hall is a nave with a lantern
in which a flame has been burning
ever since the centenary of the Great Trek, 1938.

74. It was in that year, that the symbolic ox-wagon trek, which began in
Cape Town, arrived at Monument Hill where the monument's
foundation stone was then laid.

75. Visitors to the monument enter through a black wrought iron gate
made up of assegais.

76. Surrounding the Voortrekker monument is a laager of 64 ox-wagons,
the same number of wagons as were used at the Battle of Blood River.

77. At the foot of the Voortrekker monument stands Anton van Wouw's,
stone sculpture of a Voortrekker woman and her two children.

79. As the children
look to their
mother for
love and
guidance, she
looks up to the
Lord for
strength and
wisdom.

83. On each side of this sculpture, wildebeest are chiselled into the walls
of the monument, depicting the dangers of the wilderness
in which the mother, representative of Christian civilisation,
was establishing her home.

86. On each outside
corner of the
Voortrekker
monument,
there is a statue
representing
Piet Retief,
Andries Pretorius,
Hendrik Potgieter
and a fourth leader,
meant to represent
all the other
Voortrekkers.

92. The original design by Moerdijk had been rejected for its resemblance to
an Egyptian temple, including a causeway linking to Egyptian obelisks.

93. Public participation helped to determine the final design of the
Voortrekker monument. Gerard Moerdijk was the chief architect
of 80 Reformed Churches in South Africa.

94. The Greek cross floor plan reflected the fact that
the New Testament was initially revealed in Greek.
The centrality of the Word of God was emphasized.

95. The monument's huge upper dome, was designed to draw
the visitors eyes upwards, towards God who is our Creator,
Sovereign Lord and Eternal Judge.

96. As God communicates in general revelation through nature and in
special revelation through Scripture, Moerdijk determined to focus on
both the Word of God and the Works of God, both in history and in
nature.

97. A beautiful garden of indigenous flowers, plants and trees surrounds the
monument, reflecting our duty to fulfil the Creation Mandate.

98. The 3.41km squared area around the monument was declared a nature
reserve in 1992. Zebra, blesbuck, mountain reedbuck, springbok and
impala flourish in this nature reserve around the monument.

99. The Bible presented by the English speaking 1820 Settlers to the
departing Voortrekkers, is prominent in the marble historical frieze,
emphasizing the importance of the Great Commission.

100. God has placed us at the foot of Africa to take the light of the Gospel of
Christ throughout Africa.

102. From a distance, the Voortrekker monument resembles an altar,
symbolising the Afrikaans people's determination to be consecrated to
God, to the fulfilment of the Cultural Mandate,

103. to care for God's Creation and to develop civilisation in the wilderness,
and a commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission
throughout Africa.

108. Quote from:
SIR ARTHUR
CONAN DOYLE
“ THE GREAT
BOER WAR”

109. “Take a community of Dutchmen of the type of those who defended
themselves for fifty years against all the power of Spain

110. at a time when Spain was the greatest power in the world.

111. Intermix with them a strain of those inflexible French Huguenots
who gave up home and fortune and left their country for ever
at the time of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

112. The product must obviously be one of the most rugged, virile,
unconquerable races ever seen upon earth.

113. Take this formidable
people and train them
for seven generations
in constant warfare
against savage men
and ferocious beasts,
in circumstances
under which no
weakling could
survive,

114. place them so that they acquire exceptional skill with weapons and in
horsemanship, give them a country which is eminently suited to the
tactics of the huntsman, the marksman, and the rider.

115. Then, finally, put a finer temper upon their military qualities
by a dour fatalistic Old Testament religion
and an ardent and consuming patriotism .

116. Combine all these qualities and all these impulses in one individual,
and you have the modern Boer – the most formidable antagonist
who ever crossed the path of Imperial Britain.

117. Our military history has largely consisted in our conflicts with France,
but Napoleon and all his veterans have never treated us so roughly as
these hard-bitten farmers with their ancient Theology and their
inconveniently modern rifles.”

118. As United States President Theodore Roosevelt challenged
us:
“It is not the critic
that counts —

119. nor the man who
points out how the
strong man
stumbled;

120. nor where
the doer
of deeds
could
have done
better,

121. the credit belongs to the
man who is actually in
the arena;

122. whose face is marred by
dust and sweat and
blood;

123. who
strives
valiantly;

124. who errs and comes short again and
again;

125. who knows the great enthusiasms, the great
devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause;

126. who at best
knows in the
end the
triumph of
high
achievement
and;

127. who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while
doing greatly,

128. so that his place shall never be with those
cold and timid souls who know neither
victory nor defeat!”

130. REFORMATION SOCIETY
PO Box 74
Newlands, 7725
Cape Town
South Africa
E-mail: info@ReformationSA.org
Web: www.ReformationSA.org

160. O God, Our Help in Ages Past

161. 1: O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home.

162. 2: Under the shadow of Your throne,
Your saints have dwelt secure,
sufficient is Your arm alone,
and our defence is sure.

163. 3: Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting You are God,
to endless years the same.

164. 4: A thousand ages in Your sight,
are like an evening gone,
short as the watch that ends the night,
before the rising sun.

165. 5: The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
with all their lives and cares,
are carried downward by Your flood,
and lost in foll’wing years.

166. 6: Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away,
they fly forgotten, as a dream,
dies at the opening day.

167. 7: O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
O be our guard while troubles last,
and our eternal home.

168. REFORMATION SOCIETY
PO Box 74
Newlands, 7725
Cape Town
South Africa
E-mail: info@ReformationSA.org
Web: www.ReformationSA.org