The Life and Dying of Mientje Vrijdag (6)

Christ testifies: “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am…for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world.” The Father chose Mientje to this end, the Son bought her to this end, and the Holy Spirit worked in her to this end— to fashion her as a vessel for glory. Thus, this royal child was home forever.

Now she may rejoice in the triune God with all those who were saved, to glorify Him forever. He who believes in Christ shall never die.

She was buried on Saturday of that same week. The home of the deceased was entirely filled with her relatives and friends. Rev. Fraanje conducted the service. Because the house was too small to contain the great multitudes, next door was a house full of friends also, where Rev. Heikoop conducted a service. All were filled with the happiness of the deceased, the happiness of all God’s people. The mouths of these ministers overflowed with this. There was a pleasant peace. God gave testimony of His work to His glory. Man was abased and God was exalted. Let me add that God granted it. He gave opening and freedom to do so. God’s honor was the highest end; that is what everything is about. “This people have I formed for Myself; they shall shew forth My praise.”

This great light was carried out to burial having served God’s counsel. Her only child walked behind the bier with the other relatives including also the only brother, a brother in a double sense, in the flesh and in spirit. For him it will not be an eternal separation. The ties between sister and brother had been very close, and they will remain forever.

A large crowd had gathered at the cemetery. This is always very striking. When a child of God is buried, there usually gathers a large crowd because something goes out from that. With emotion and joy, we stood at the graveside of this beloved deceased.

The first speaker was Rev. Fraanje. With great boldness he testified of God’s great grace glorified in the deceased. He pictured her life as he also was so closely tied to her. The second speaker, Rev. Heikoop, was filled with the same also. Thus, they spoke with ready tongues to the glory of God. Heaven came down. The Lord was present with His Word and Spirit. After this, Elder A. Ligtenberg spoke from his experience and contact with the deceased. And finally, the author of this spoke a word, feeling urged to do so. Together they stammered about the salvation of sinners, the happiness of God’s people, and the misery of the unsaved if they remain in that state. What a fluent preaching of the gospel when the Lord gives opening at the open grave of such a child of God. What blessed peace and mutual communion there was that day at the home of the deceased and at the graveside.

What great grace has been shown to us. Once we were children of darkness, now we are children of light; formerly children of death, of hell, and now children of the Lord, of heaven. Oh, never forget, at what price this has been done. It all flows from the eternal, sovereign love of the Triune God.

Many God-fearing people have passed away already, also in Rijssen. Think of the beloved A. Baan, brother Van Noord, old Dieke, and so many others. The Netherlands has always had many children of God. How empty it is on earth now that so many have passed away. They are destined for this blessed end and for God’s honor. The righteous are taken away from the evil to come, but God will have a Church until the end of the world, no matter how deep their ways may be.

Thus, the day of the funeral had flown by. Sweet, mutual connection is the communion of saints. This will continue until the last one will be gathered and the King will appear on the clouds of heaven with great glory. Then the whole body of Christ, of which He is the head, will be presented to the Father as a perfect, purchased, and redeemed bride. Then He will be eternally glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit. “I will praise Thee forever, because Thou hast done it.”

This is a brief outline of the life and dying of our beloved, now blessed friend, Mientje Vrijdag. After being urged by many, I finally succumbed to bring something of her to light. It would have been done earlier, but the war and lack of paper have delayed it longer than we had hoped. It is full of shortcomings from my side, but firmly trusting that the friends will certainly take my incompetence into account, I will bring this to the printing press.

May God be glorified in it, His kingdom extended by it, and God’s Church instructed and encouraged by it.

This is the wish of your unworthy friend,

B. Roest

Scherpenzeel, March 1947

(This installment marks the end of this series.)

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