Froln Atheist to

Christian Minister
My hean has ever been prone
to wander away from my God --
ever since my conception.
Shortly after my birth, lwas
baptized and sealed iIl the Name
of the Triune God -" as His
property. Then I was raised in
the Roman Catholic Church by
my religiOUS yet unconverted
mother. For the first seven
years of my life, I went to
church daily. Yet, underm:y
atheistic father's influence - I
myself, when only eight,
completely broke with
Christianity.
Thereafter, 1 dedicated
all my talents to the
furtherance of the false
religion of atheism. 1
avidly smdied rationalistic
books on palaeontology,
archeology and
anthropology. By the
time 1 was a teenager, I waS;!
most convinced and articUlate
evolutionist. 1 openly laughed
at Christians for I thought they .
were trying to tell me that all the
world's problems started when a
mythical Eve munched an apple
"once upon a time" some 6000
" .
years ago.
During my early teens I
smdied astronomy, chemistry,
languages, chess, poker, bridge,
and even 'Buddhism. Yet hone
of these satisfied my restless soul
for very long. G.oing on to
university, l majoredin law,
intending to enter politics via
my legal practice -- and thus to
dedicate my life toward
ameliorating human conditions.
To help me get ahead in .
politics, 1 bought a Bible and
started reading it. Six weeks
,later, during a univerSity
. summer vacation job, while
trapped in a goldmine, God
suddenly and dramatically
converted me to Christ. There
and then I promised Him that if
it pleased Him to spare my life, I
would dedicate all my energies
to His service. Delivering me,
. God then sent me home, where 1
had the great joy of leading both
of my parents to Christ Then
He led me to jOin a Bible-
believing denOmination, and
thereafter sent me to a Seminary.
. ".. '.
Since then, God gave me the
grace to work for and acquire '
many university degrees,
including the Th.D. in
Systematic Theology and the
Ph.D. in Christian Philosophy
ahdComniunist Philosophy (to
which latter I am of course
squarely opposed). During and .
since that time, I have pastored
c:ongregations and been a college
professor -- and am currently
both teaching and preaching.
Today, in the words of the
Westminster ConfeSsion (II:!), I
believe that Jehovah Elohim, the
Creator, is the only God.
Contemplating His blessed
attributes is the most profitable
activity in which any man can
ever engage. For "there is but
only livtng and true God,
Who is: infinite in being and
.. t THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 1997
perfection; a mOSt pure spirit,
. invtsible, withoutbody"parts or
passions; lnimutable, unmense,
eternal, mcompnmensible,
alIIiighty, mOst wise, most holy, ..
. most free,most absolute; .
working allthiogs accordmg to
the counsel of His own .
immutable and most
will for His own 'glory,mOst
lovtng, gracious, merciful,
long-suffering, abundant in .
goodness. and truth, forgivtng
iniquitY, transgression, and Sin;
the Rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him; and withal
most just and terrible in
His judgnients; hating all
sin; and Who will by no
means clear the guilty .
To me, this means God
alone is the only .
worthwhile object of
human adoration. And
my own heart was ever
restless, until it came to
its own permanent rest in'
this glOriOUS Bemg (Matt. .
11:28).
Now this God Jehovah
Elohim is the Father, Son, and
Spirit. In my adult life,He has
fulfilled the promises sealed to
me in His Own Triune Name
when I was previously baptized
(Matt. 28:19). To me, such
thinking is eminently practical.
For, like everybody else, I am'
often faced with making
decisions regarding priOrities as . .
to what is my most important
duty. Is it my obligation: to the
municipality, to my state or ' .
province, or to my federal
government?; to lIly ,
congregation, to my presbytery,
or to my general assembly?; to
my wife, to mychildten, or to
myself;,to my denOmination, to
my fellow Christians irrespective
of denomination or nationality, .
or to my country? Here, the
Dr. Nigel Lee
doctrine of the Trinity helps me
to give due consideration to the
interests of all these entities.
For in the Trinity, there is a
basic unity of interests amid the
Diverse Persons. No one
Person is ever more important
than the Others, nor than the
Triune Divine Community as a
whole. Neither is that ' .
Community more important
than the distinct personalities of
each of the three Persons.
Now all things in the
universe are meaningless: save
when regarded as creatures of
the Triune Lord. States the
Confession (II:2): "God hath all
life, glory, goodness [and!
blessedness in and of Himself;
and is alone in and unto Himself
all-suffiCient, not standing in
need of any creatures which He
hath made, nor deriving any
glory from them -- but only
manifesting His own glory in,
by, unto, and upon them. He is
the alone Fountain of all being
of Whom, through Whom, and
to Whom are all things; and
hath most sovereign dominion
over them to do by them, for
them; and upon them,
whatsoever Himself pleaseth."
This means, quite frankly, that
everything we see and do is
ultimately absurd -- except
insofar as we consdously
believe it is in the Triune
God alone that all these
things cOnsist (Col. 1:17).
Only this lmowledge gives
real purpose to my life.
To me, faith in the
Triune God alone is very
important. Without it, life
would be impossible to me
now. For "without faith, it
is impossible to please Him;
for he that comes to God, must
believe that He is and that He
rewards those who diligently
keep on seeking Him" (Heb.
11:6).
Only once after my
conversion have I ever doubted
my saved status before God,
That was when I became
uncertain whether my "faith" in
Christ was really and truly
"saving faith: Mercifully,
however. God soon showed me
thaUt is not by faith that I am
saved -- but by grace (and only
"through" faith). Moreover.
even that instrument of faith -- is
not from myself. For it is a free
gift of God (Eph. 2:8).
So I now have no trust in my
experiences about my faith. I
put all my trust only in Christ
Himself, irrespective of my
experiences of Him. I have no
faith in my faith. I have faith
only in Christ. And by regular
Bible study, prayer, church
attendance. and the use of the
sacraments -- God srrengthens
such faith. See the Confession
XIV:l.
In spite of my many personal
sins and wealmesses, and even
though I do distinguish berween
central and peripheral matters. I
certainly hold srrong convictions
about many things. This is
because, realizing the fragility
and relative worthlessness of my
own views. I am convinced
utterly that God's views alone
have any ultimate value. So I
am now determined to think
God's revealed thoughts after
Him. I t is only in the light of
His Infallible Word. the 66-book
Bible, that I see the light about
everything and anything. As the
ConfeSSion correctly states. "a
Christian believeth to be true
whatsoever is revealed in the
Word -- for the authority of God
Himself speaking therein
[XIV:2j .. .. The whole counsel
of God concerning all things
necessary for His own glory,
man's salvation, faith, and life --
is either expressly set down in
Scriprure, or by good and .
necessflry consequence may be
deduced from SCriprure: unto
which nothing at any time is to
be added, whether by new
revelation of the Spirit or
rraditions of man" (1:6). For, as
the Larger Catechism (Q. 5)
declares. "the Scriprures
principally teach what man is to
believe concerning God -- and
what duty GOd requires of man,"
To me, then, Scripture is
given not only to make us wise
unto salvation but also to
furnish us thoroughly unto all
good works (II Tim. 3:15-17) --
even unto the good works of
Christianeducation, Christian
medical practice, Christian
business activity, Christian
farming. Christian housework,
and Christian everything-else
July, 1997 t- TIlE COUNSEL of Chalcedon ;: 5
(Gen. 1:2628 /St Ps. 8). This
does not mean that the Bible is a
handbook for. all of the special
sciences. Yet It does mean that
the Bible is indeed the
Sourcebook for evelYthing.
Indeed, no special sciences are
to be srudied coillrarywise to the
clear teaching of Scrlpmre. For
although, as the Confession
declares (I: 6),' "there are some
circumstances .. common to
human actions and societies,
which are to be ordered by the
light of namre and Christian
prudence" -- tl\is is always to be
done "according to the general
rules of the: Word,which are
always to be observed."
EvolutioniSIIl, which I
previously championed, is
therefore not just unacceptable
even "for the birds." It is also
not even for the "creeping
things." For God made all of His.
creamres "after their kind:
Gen. 1:11f,21.
Sometimes I am asked about
my thoughts on life after death.
Here I believe with the Bible CPs.
51:5 Cst Eph. 3:3 /Stjohn. 3:3-5)
that, as a result of man's fall, all
men are now by namre
conceived in iniquitY and born
in sin -and hence cannot even
see (and still less enter into) the
Kingdom of God, unless they be
born again. Until man is
regenerated, he is nothing more
than a lost soul under the.
righteous judgment and wrath of
a virme-loving and sin-hating
God (Eph. 2:12 /Stjohn 3:36).
Unregenerates are thus on their
way to eternal separation from
God in a place called HELL, . .
where they are to suffer constant
agony in body and in soul. -- for
ever. Mark 9:42-49 fit Rev. 14:9-1 L
Yet I also believe God so
. loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son, so that .
whosoever believes in Him
should not perish but ~ v e
everlasting life (john 3:16).
Those who believe injesus as
Lord of their lives, inherit
eternal bliss -- in three (triune)
stages. First, they receive Christ
here and now -- and thereby
enter into the Kingdom of
Heaven here on Earth (john
. 5:i4). Second, when they die,
their souls go to HEAVEN -
where they enjoy conscious bliss
with]esus until His second
coming (Rev. 4:1-11). And
third, with Christ's second
coming ba.ck to this Earth to
transform it, He brings Heaven
and its inhabitants with Him --
so that Heaven then comes
down to Earth (Rev. 21:1-2).
Then the saved will get back
their immortalized bOdies, and
thenceforth perfectly love God '
and enjoy Him forever in bOth
soul and body (I Cor. 15:35-58).
See here the Catechtsm, Q. 1.
Meanl;ime, I believe that
Christians are to live to God's
glory in this world here and
now. To me,this means that
chrtstians must be "tri.unely"
involved in three united and
r e ~ t e activities all their time.
First, they must subdue the
Earth and all its fullness w the
glory of God the Father -" .
precisely through serving the .
Lord in the ordinary practice of
their professional careers (Gen . .
9:1-6 /St I Cor. 10:31). Second,
they must evangelize the Earth
and christianize all its nations as
commanded by God the Son -- .
and get them to obey all things
whatsoever He has cOlllJ;Ilanded,
6 ~ TIlE COUNSEL of ChalcedOli Huly, 1997
even from Genesis . through .
Revelation (Matt. 28:19 &: Mark
16:15). And, third, they must
promote the coming of the
Kingdom in all its many facets -
with all their might, through the
power of God the Spirit, as all
history further unfolds toWard
its divinely-predestinated
consummation. Luke. 11:2 fit
Re\>' . 14:13 . .
While doing all this between
Christ's first and second
comings, I believe that
Christians are to seethe hand of
God in all things, They are to
thank Him for His blessed .
providence even in their
adversitIes -- and also in their
ordinary day-to-day
circumstances. AS the Heidelberg
Catechtsm (Q. 1 fit Lord's Day
10) states, my only cotrtfon in .
life and death is that I am not '
my own but belong with body
and soul to my faithful SaVior
jesus Christ. He, Jso preserves
me - mat withoutllie will of my
heavenly Father, not a hair can
fall from my head; yea, that all
things must be subservient to
my salvation. " This blessed
providence is "the almighty and
everywhere:present power of.
God, whereby as it were by His
hand He upholds and governS ',' ,
Heaveh and Earth and all
creatutes:' So: "herbs and
grass, rain and dtought, fruitful'
and barren years, meat and ' ..
drtnk, health and sickneSs,
riches and poverty -- yea, and aU'
things -- Gome not by chance, .' '
but by His fatherly hand,';
There is also an intensely
practicalres,ult of believing all of
this. For thus welearn how .to
"be patient in adverSity: !hankful
in prosperity; and that in all
things which may hereafter
befall us, we place our finn trust
in our faithfi)l God and Father --
that nothing shall separate us
from His love, since all creatures
are so in His hand that without
His will they cannot so much as
move."
This, then, is my God-given
faith, dear reader. May the
Lord Himself grant, by His great
grace, that it may also become
yours tOo! '
-" Dr. Francis Nigel Lee
The Lee Family in
South Africa
Mr. William Sydney Lee,
"Uncle Syd" to his close friends,
was born in East London in
South Africa on the 29th of
September 1908. There he
lived as a small boy, and again
from age.32 until murdered in
his home when nearly 86.
His wife, Mrs. Alice Maud
Lee (nee Smith), "Auntie Maud"
Mr. & Mrs. Lee
to her friends, was born in
England on the 31st of March
1908. There she married,
moving with her family to her
husband's land of South Africa -
where she died when almost 89.
Their only child, Francis
Nigel -- "General Lee" to his
close fiiends -- was born in
Kendal, County Cumbria, in
Britain, on the 5th of December
1934. When only seven he
moved to South Africa witl). his .
parents. There he grew up.
After becoming a Christian, he
later became a Minister of the
Word and a Doctor of Theology.
Afrer leading his father and his
mother to the Lord, Dr. Lee
emigrated to the United States in
1967; and thence to Australia in
1980.
Mr. and Mrs. Syd Lee lived in
Barrydale (South Africa) for the
last quarter -century of their
lives. There they celebrated
their 61st wedding anniversary
in April 1994, as shown on the
accompanying photOgraph.
Three months later, Mr. Syd
Lee was murdered in their
home, and then laid to rest in
the family grave (see below).
Mrs. Maud Lee was then
hospitalized and later admitted
to the Tomlinson Old Age
Home. As his faithful wife, she
too was finally laid to rest
alongside her husband - after
her son Dr. Lee preached at her
funeral service on the 14th of
OctOber 1996.
Prof. Lee's Burial Message
for His Father
(read out at simultaneous
worship services in South Africa
and Australia)
It has pleased the Holy
Triune God of life and death to
take my father, William Sydney
Lee, to Heaven. This occurred
at about ten p.m., on the Lord's
Day, the 17th of July 1994; in
the age of 85 years, 9 months,
and 18 days.
Uncle Syd, as his dear friends
in Barrydale (South Africa)
Tombstone of Mr. & Mrs. Lee
July, 1997 TIlE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 7
called him, was born at East
London in South Africa on 29th
September 1908. After his
mother became widowed when
he and his sister Dons were still
tiny, the family went to his
mother's country of Britain,
where the toddlers grew up.
There he later married Alice
Maud Smith (Auntie Maud, as
the Barrydalers call her).
From the marriage, one child
was born -- Francis Nigel Lee,
who later became the first Dutch
Reformed Minister 'at Wmtenon
in Natal (South Africa). Uricle
Syd's sister Doris married
Norman Levey, who is today
here at the grave-side. Norman,
through a faithful team of dear :
fello:w-believers in Barrydale, did
many (and very appreciated)
works of love - t9 enhance the
lives of Uncle Syd and Auntie
Maud, in their later years.
Shordy after the outbttakof
the Second World War, Uncle
Syd -- then in his thirties -- was
sent back by the British Navy to
South Africa as the land ofhis
birth. Based in Simonstown, as
Chief Radar Officer he was
respOnsible for the security of
theSouth African coast, and
sometimes even as far as
Trinidad in the West and Sri
Lanka in the East. During that
War, his son seldom saw Uncle
Syd. But every time he came
home, the wholefamily 1,Jsed to
clamber all over Table
Mountain . . Always fond of
mountains:, it is also rio wonder
that the couple later retired in
the mountainous Barrydale.
After the World War, Uncle .
Syd settled in the beloved land
of his birth, South Africa -- and
never wanted to leave it. Listen to these excerpts from his
Meantime, his son grew up; by' ' last letters to me, about the grace
the graCe of God became a , of God: "
Christian; had the great privilege Nov,27th 1993: Nigel
ofleading both of his parents to and family .... Your mother "
the Lord; and became a Dutch ' is ... still the girl I iove, who bore
Reformed Minister. Syd ,me,a bdoved son for whom i 1.
and Atintie Maud themselves th nk th L' d p . h '
a e or .... ray or er,
later joined the Dutch Reformed that the Lord will give her peace '
Church (Barrydale of mind, and thatsl:\e waits on
Congregation), of which they ,His blessing .. ,:. God's richest
thereaftei: remained lifelong blessings to you all! Do not
CoJ1llliUnicant Members -- even worry about us. We are.in the
after their only chUd moved first Lord's hands," Jan. 4th 1994:"
to America and then to Australia "Glad to nQte your trip to
in order to train of the Tasmania was so successful.
Gospel, overseas, as aSem:inar'y., Praise the LOrdi'" Feb. 15th
. 1994: "God bless you richly\"
. On account of sickness and . Feb.18th 1994: "We do hope
other heavy obligations, ,the sOri' . . MieIde [my daughter
could unfortunately not atterid Annamarie] gets a suitable
his father's funeral. He but ' position soon. tell her that I
hoped to go to Barrydale the am sure the Lord is on her side,
12th-19th of September, in and that she believes this and
order to .thank the community : awaits His pleasure. Thewrd
most cordially for their does indeed work in mySterious
long,lasting and loving care of ways.... I prayed to the Lord to
his parents-- andalso to visit help.... Praise the Lord!" .,
his weakened mother (now in April 24th 1994: "God's
Swellendam), He had been richest blessings.... God bless
looking forward eagerly to you all!" His last letter to me,
seeing his dear father once again May 14th 1994, said: 'Just
hereon earth in September, on received missionary letter, which
his.way to preach in Atlanta makes very interesting
U.S.A But the Lord had more reading .. ,.. We can only live
glorious plans than that for from day to. day in His grace,"
Uncle Syd -- in spite of the Grace!. Amazing "grace" -- my
murderous nature of his death. father's last word to. me!
For UncleSyd is now with .And now,onJuly17th 1994,
Jesus --not because he could he his been tom away from us.
ever deserve it - even though he He is not heie at his grave, for
helped many people, and his soul has been res1.l,l;l:ected
especially the Coloured already - into Heaven! Why
Coinmunity, fer many. years-- should we then seek our living
but because my father ov(!r the brother in his empty grave? ,For
years more and more trusted in later also his wife and 'then: child
the blood of Christ as the o.nly shall go. to him -- and then
ground ofhis .redemption. always ever be with out Savio.ur!
8 '" THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon July, 1997
I can best express my feelings In
the following words of a great
South African hymn (which I
here translate from Afrikaans
Into Engllsh):
"0 God, your goodness Is
never praised enough! Who is
not deeply impressed by it?
How miserably thankless is that
person who does not lift up his
heart to You! To You alone be
gratitude and honour -- may .
that here be my desire and my
song I Never then forget the
Lord, 0 my soul! For the Lord
never forgets me!
"Remember, 0 man, the next
life - the Inheritance reserved
for you!
There, surrounded With
glory, you will see God
everlastingly as He is!
Rejoice then, my soul,
expectantly! It cost the dearest
price -- the Lamb of God, led
and slaughtered, ):las s;lved 1)5
from sin and guilt!
"May then Your faithful
protection, 0 God, always
remain before my eyes!
That strengthens my steps
toward the good, to devote all
my life to You.
that leads me forth In happy
days; that comforts me In the
worst need and teaches me,
without fear, to put up with the
ugly picture of death."
The Lord hath given; the
Lord hath taken away; blessed
be the Name of the Lord!
Precious In the Sight of the Lord
is the death of His saints!
Prof. Dr. Francis Nigel Lee,
Presbytertan Theological Hall,
Brisbane AUSTRALIA .
The Salvation of My
Father's Slayer
by Rev. Prof. Dr. Francis
Nigel Lee
In April 1994 , I was Invited
to fly round the world and
expound the Lord's Prayer In the
U.S.A. during September. After
acquirlng the plane ticket, I was
much looklng forward to visiting
my parents In Barrydale (near
Swellendam In South Africa) -
on my way from Australia to
Amertca.
However, inJuly 1994, my
father Calmost 86) was robbed --
and left for dead In his home.
My mother (having lost her
mind and the use of some of her
bodily functions) was
permanently hospitalized. One
week after being assaulted, my
father died In the hospital - and
went to be with the Lord.
Upon my arrival In South
Africa In September, I headed
for Swellendam -- where my
mother was still in the hospital
[until December 19941. There,
I was amazed to hear that the
police had apprehended a young
man in connection with the
death of my father -, and that
the youth had signed a
statement alleging he alone had
attacked him. I also leamed
that my father, before dylng, had
given a descrtption to the police
of the young man. That
description was altogether in
harmony with the appearance of
the accused. The latter was
being held In jail precisely In
Swellendam while awaiting his
preliminary trial just one week
after my own arrival there.
I immediately contacted the
jail, requesting permiSSion t.O
. come and speak to the accused
Cof whom it was alleged he had
killed also someone else even
before attacking my father).
The police warmly supported
my request, but informed me
the accused had the right to
refuse to see me. He, however
-- upon being told who I was --
agreed and even requested to
meet with me.
On the 15th of September
[19941 I went to the jail. There
I was told to surrender my
camera and tape-recorder and
any firearms I may have been
carrying. I was escorted to a
room where three armed
policeman and their officer were
doing clerical work. One minute
later, the accused was brought
through the door into the room
- and stood there in front of me.
He was a strongly-built
medium-sized man, answering
exactly to the descrtption given
by my father to the police. He
stood there, just looklng down
at the ground. I silently prayed
to God for guidance about what
to do next. Then I got up from
my chair; addressed him politely
by his full name; greeted him
Sincerely for granting me the
Interview; and requested him to
sit down before I again did so.
I then said, "Mr. Witbooi, are
you getting enough to eat here?"
He replied, "Yes, thank you." I
said, "Have you peace of mind
here?" He replied, "Sir, I am very
unhappy. I have been praying to
God in my cell for the last three .
nights, but it's as if my prayers
bounce back off the ceillng and
don't get through."
I then said, "Mr. Witbooi, I
am the only child of the old man
July, 1997 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 'I' 9
who was left for dead behind the
front door of his home in
Barrydale. on the 10th of]uly _Co
whom you are accused of having
assaulted. I had been looking
forward to spending a wet;kWtth
hini in September, but as you
can see this is now Impossible,"
The young man nodded; looked
down; and said nothing.
I then continued, "Mr.
Witbooi, my father was not a
Christian. many yeats ago. But
there came a time in his life
when he turned from his sins .
and received jesus as 'his Lord
and Saviour. That is why he is
now in Heaven,and waiting for
me to join him.
"But then one of the robbers
repented, turned to the other,
and said: 'We are being
condemned justly. For we are
. receiving the punishment due
for our deeds. But this man
Uesusl has done nothing amisS!'
Then the penitent robber said to
Jesus: 'Lord, remember me when
Y6u come into Your Kingdom,!'
So Jesus said to him: 'Truly I tell
you, today you shall be with Me
in Paradise!'
"Mr. Witbooi, do you not see
yourself as one of those two
robbers next to Jesus on
will you die in your
sins and go to Hell like the
The officer went galloping
out of the rOOin, and,
immediatelY returned with a'
Bible -_ and put-it onto my lap
with great respect. I opened it .
at John 3:16, and asked Mr . .
Witbooj whether he co,-!ldread.
When he so indicated, I handed
him the Bible and asked him'to
read it. tc.iu41y and clearly, he .
read it out, and then said,' "I.am
too big a siiIDer!" But I replied;
"Mr. Witbo()i, it says here ':
'whOSOever':'" and that includes .'
you toO, irand when you pur
your trust in Jesus."
The atmosphere was electric.
All in ihatrobfu felt the .
"Let me assure you, Mr.
Witbooi, that if you make
your peace with God--
whether you die right now
of a heart attack; or are put
"' Let me assure you. Mr. \Vithooi, that
if YOlt 111akc your peace with (focl --
whether YUH die right now of a heart
attack: or arc !lilt to oeath I'll!' Illlll'cin;
awesOlne ptesence of God
the Holy Ghost. The "
silenCe was terrifying.
Then I said,"Mr. Wit!JOoi,
will you 'come to jesus?"
He replied, "I Will!" .
to death for murder; or die
naturally later on-- you 'too
will go to Heaven. I also assure: :
you that my father, whom you
are accused of having murdered,
will then be the firstto welcome
you there. HQWe-<i-er, Mr.
Witbooi, if you do not repent
and if you die 'in your sins .- I
assure you that you will spend
eternity in hell-fire and
damnation, for everl
"Mr. Witbooi, three men died
on a little hill called Calvary.
Two were guilty rObbers; but the
One in the the Lord
jesus, was innocent Robbers, .. ,
as yoU know, include those who
go around beating up old
and leaving them Jor dead after
stealing from them. Both of ,
those robbers jeered at the .
innocentjesus crucified between
them.
or die llatlll'<1l1y Iatcr Oil -- Y"l1
ton will go to HC;'l\TIl."
Impenitent robber? Or Will
you, like' the other robber:
repent of your sins; receive Jesus
as Lord; and be assured by Him
that you Will go to 'Heaven when
you die?"
"Mr. Witbooi, if' you wish, I .
will reave this j ail right now.
But if you prefer, I would be
privileged to show you right
now how you too can becom a
Quistian. Which is it to be?'
Mr. Witbooi then tried to
look me in the eye. He said:
"Sir, would you please show me
how to become a Quistian?" I
then realized that the four
policemen in the room had all
put down their pens; had
stopped working; and were
straining their ears listening to
us. So I said: "Officer, could
you kindly get us a Bible?"
COUNSEL of Chalcedon July, 1997
So, twO wicked '
. sinners -:-
Rev. Prof. Dr. Nigel Lee and his
father'S accUsed slayer Cornelius '
Witbool
CC
.then wentdciwn on
their knees-in thai jail together . .
I put my arm around his'
shoulder; and prayed first. . L '
thanked God for our meeting;'
(re)confessed all my own fresh
sins to iheLQrd; and then asked
I-iiID. ,iQ have merc}'on'Mr. . .
Witbooi, for Chrisi'ssake.
Mr, Witbooi then prayed . ..
He said, "Lord,Tm a mlserabk .
sinner! DOiJ.'t let Satan destroy
mel I. al!l sorry for ali my s,irts. ,
Forgive me,for the sake
Who died for people like mel"
. . - ,
We then got up offour
knees. 1 a5$UIed him, "Mr.
Witbooi,if you really .
that, you are now my brother: ,
In that right . .
hand of fellowship. I will help
you in any way I can. Here is
my address in Ausrralia. If you
write to me, I promise to reply
to every letter you may write, for
the rest of my life. When is
your trial?
He replied, "Thursday the
22nd of September." I
promised to pray for him on that
day (when I would be overseas),
that justice would be done and
that he would continue to
receive God's grace whatever the
outcome. I then again shook
his hand and left the jail -- to the
astonishment of both the
grateful police and the
bewildered convicts there who
just kept on staring at me in
amazement.
Driving back to Barrydale, I
praised God and sang His
Psalms the whole time --
realizing anew that God is not
dead but very much alive on this
great planet Earth. For God
had revived my soul-- and, I
rrust, those of all in that room in
the jail at Swellendam.
Four days later, I visited the
jail again. This titne Mr.
Witbooi was waiting for me with
a smile. He had been reading
the Bible since I last saw him,
and claimed to have peace. I
urged him to speak to the other
prisoners about what had
happened to him; to tell the
whole rruth at the mal; and to
work and wimess for the Lord
for the rest of his earthly life (be
it short or long). He then
prayed for both of us; thanked
God for my visits; and boldly
asked God to bless me wherever
I went (that same day to
England and thereafter to
America).
The Lord heard his prayer.
In London, God spoke
powerfully -- through my
relating there the above events.
In America, the effect was
electrifying and the
tape-recording of my account is
spreading l1ke wildfire and
prodUCing awesome inquiries
and results. I used it there, as
an illusrration, while preaching
on the fifth petition in the Lord's
Prayer ("And forgive us our
as we forgive those who
trespass against us!")
o that God would melt the
Heavens and come down, and
touch and revive His hard-nosed
children here on Earthl Dear
reader, do you have the certainty
that all your sins have been
forgiven, for Christ's sake? If
not, settle this matter forthwith!
Sincerely in the Lord's
service, from a sinner saved by
grace.
1995 Letters from
and to alai!
Mr. Witbooi was kept in j ail
at Swellendam for almost
fourteen months, while he
awaited his trial. After around
ten months, on the 24th of April
1995 he wrote the following
letter [translation]:
"Commander, Correctional
ServiCes 3198, Private Bag X6,
Swellendam 6740.
Dear Prof. Lee,
It is going well with me, in
the Name of the Lord Who
created us. Sir, I am thankful
and rejoice in the Lord that we
can write to one another, and
that He has carried us thus far.
Professor, I just wish to tell
you that I have now been
waiting here innocently for ten
months for my hearing. So I
ask you how one can be
innocent of a deed, and wait for
judgment. However, I shall
prove my innocence fully. But
pray together with me that the
Father will vindicate.
I am sorry for everything, and
wish to ask a favour of you.
Would you please help me with
R100, so that I can buy a few
necessary things for myself? I
would honestly appreciate this.
Sir, I am now going to close [this
letter] with great love... . Stay
with the Lord!
From Kerneels [Cornelius]
Witbooi. God's blessing."
Thereupon Professor Lee
answered as follows
[translation] :
"Kerneels Witbooi --
9471995,
C/O Commander Correctional
Services,
Private Bag X6, Swellendam
6740, Republic of South Africa, .
29th September 1996.
Dear Kerneels,
I was very grateful to our
Lord finally to receive your letter
to me dated 24th April. It
seems to have been sent to me
by sea mail, and thus took more
than five months to reach me. I
am answering itnmediately, and .
indeed by air mail, Which of
course should be delivered to
you much more quickly.
I have already sent three
letters to you, since we met one
another there in the j ail. I have
often wondered whether you
ever received my letters; or, if
July, 1997 t THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon t 11
you indeed answered them,
whether your letters were sent to
me. Thus, ', could do nothing
other than pray for you. That I
indeed did many times - that
the Lord should keep you
standing, come what may.
In the meantime I learned '
from my friends in Barrydale
that your trial has constandy
been postponed. j . then realized
how hard it must be for you, 50 I
often prayed here: '0 Lord!
May Kemeels's trial soon begin;
find him eithet lnhocent and
acquit him; or find him guilty
and give him the punishment he
deserves; but may his trial soon
begin, and speedily fuush!' Only
last week I woke up in the
middle of the night and once
again prayed for you thus. And
today your letter arrived. Many
thanks for it.
I rejoiCe to hear from you
that things are going well with
you in the Name of the Lord,
and that He has carried you thus
far. You say in your letter that
you are now innocently awaiting
judgment. Well, the Lord and
hopefully you too lmow to what
extent you may be guilty or
lnhocent of the number of
different crimes Committed in
my fa\l:ler's home, with which
you are being charged,
As now requested by you, I
shall certainly pray together with
you that God the Father stand '
by you. But as I .also told you a
while back in thejail: if you are
found guilty by the Coun, I
would like you to get the
maximum puntshInent. I am
enclosing for you, in English,
my report of our conversation in
the jail, to refresh our memories.
In the meantime I too have
now been waiting for more than
a year for justice [0 prevail, and
that. the thug or thugs who
broke into my
eighty-five-year-old father's
home at night and mortally
attacked him and just left him
there, will righteously be
punished. As his only child, 'I
have now been waiting for more
than a year that also a gravestone
will get erected for my late
father, and that the Lord will be '
merciful to myoId motherftrst
in the hospital and now ,
elsewhere - where she
constandy inquires why her
husband does not come and visit
her.
So you see, Kerneels, I too
have to be patient with the
disposition of this long-lilsting
matter. Thus, both of us still
need to learn how to keep on
waiting upon the Lord. Please
read Psalm 130 in your Bible.
I note in your letter your
request that I send you RI 00, so
that you can buy a few diings
you need. This request reminds
me of the story of Peier'; when a
man asked him for money. You
will remember that Peter then
told the man: 'I do not have silver
and gold. But what 1 do have, that
1 give to you in the Name of Jesus
Christ.' ActS 3.
Kerneels, I am giving you this
following Bible text of the same
Peter: 'You know that you have not
been purchased by tranSitory
things, silverOT gold, from your
tdle walk of!if handed down by
the fathers, but by the precious
blood oj Christ' Read about this
in First Peter 1:18-19 in your
Bible. Thus, I do not believe it
12 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon July, 1997
HI will
have
mercy on
whom,1
have
,
mercy,
and I
will have
compas-
_ 0
S10n on
whom I
have
compas-
sion."
Romans 9:15
would be right for me to send
you money. For I only wish to
help you along on the right road
ahead, and not to cause you any
further hardship.
Many thanks, Kemeels, also
for your loving wishes to me and
my family. By the grace of God,
we will indeed remain with the
Lord. We pray the same for
you and your dear ones. Once
again, I promise to answer every
letter which you send me.
Prayerfully in the service of
our Saviour the
Lord Jesus
Christ,
Dr. Nik Lee."
Almost a year
of silence passed
after the above
was sent to
Kemeels.
But on 17th
September 1996 Cope Town
he wrote the
following letter, which reached
Dr. Lee. on the 3rd of October
1996 (the day before his mother
died in South Africa):
"1 am Guilty of the Crime!"
"Rev. Prof. Dr. F.N. Lee, 17/
9/96
Dear Sir,
As regards biological
activities, my body system is still
functioning positively, and I
hope to hear the same from you.
Well, sir, I got the maximum
sentence which the judge and
our heavenly Father rightly
decided to give me. I am not
dissatisfied, for the Lord is with
me.
He protects me, and
hopefully will one day lead me
in the right path. The Lord is
my shepherd. I shall not want.
And therefore, Mr. Lee, I do not
lack both courage and guilt to
write to you tonight -- in order
to confess my guilt and to
acknowledge to you that I am
guilty of the crime for which I
am now serving out a sentence
of ten years of which two years
were suspended, so that I must
Lord, but my faith is too small.
Therefore I am asking you to
pray for me. I shall also pray
for you, as I have done many
times in my prayers, and then
ask forgiveness for my sins. Yet
it feels to me as if my prayers are
not being heard ....
I am still in the world, where
I cannot escape without a
healing hand. Sir, I am tonight
again praying for you, and I
shall ask that He must not leave
you. Mr. Lee, stay with the
Lord, for His ways
are good. Read
Matthew 4, from
verses 1 to 11,
especially verse 10.
God bless you and
your family.
MoserO
LESOTHO .
o Durban
'For this reason,
I bend my knees
before the Father
of our Lord Jesus
Christ, from
Whom every
generation in the
now serve out eight (8) years in
prison.
Sir, when you visited me in
Swellendam, I told you I was not
guilty -- you remember, the time
when I looked down at the
ground. And why? Because I
too indeed grew up in a home
with the Lord and with love, and
I was guilty and did not have the
courage to tell you that I had
committed the deed. That is
why I turned my eyes away, as I
knew within me that I lied to
you and to God.
Mr. Lee, I then told the judge
the truth, and he gave me the
punishment .... Sir, I so much
want to give my heart to the
Heavens and on Earth receives
its name, that He may give you
according to the riches of His
glory to be strengthened with
power by His Spirit in the inner
man.' Ephesians 3: 14-16.
Where shall my help come
from? My help comes from the
Lord Who made Heaven and
Earth. 0 Lord, be with us
always. PrOtect and guard us. 0
Lord, lead me according to your
ways, and forgive us our sins,
where I have sinned in thoughts,
words and deeds. This I ask
not because I am worthy, but
because of grace. Save my soul
and open my eyes to be able to
distinguish between good and
evil. Amen!"
J1\ly, 1997 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 13
"May I Come
Visit. You Again?"
"QueensIarid Presbyterian
Theological Hall .

Sir William MacGregor Drive,
St. Lucia 4067) .
Faculty Secretary: Rev.
ProfeSsor Dr. ,F.N. l,ee
(Th.D., Ph.D;, D.Min.,
S.T.D., D.RE" D.Ed., D;Hum,,
D.Jur., D.C.L., D.L.itt.)
3 Kenya SITeet, '?v'avell
Heights, Qld.4012,
A.USTRALIA. Ph. (07)
3266-1688
Mr. 'CorrieJius Witbooi, 7 ili
October 1996. "
Dear Cornelius,
Many thanks' for your
wonderful letter 1 7th September
1996, which reached me at 4:30
p.m. on the 3rd of October. As
you can see from'!he paper
attached, my de'lr mother died
the next day (88 years old). She
was the old "Mrs. Lee" of 25 Van
Riebee<;k SITeet in 13artydale, .
whom you probably saw and
possibly even knew before my
dear father (old Mr. Syd Lee)
was assailed iD. July 1994 and
!hereafter so tragically died.
Your letter moVed me' to
tears, I then translated it into
English, and read it out to,
Theological Sttidents the 'next '
day. I help teach themhow to
become'Ministers of the Gospel.
When I began to read mit your
letter t6 them, more than one of
them softly started weeping.
Ninety minutes later, I gala
phone ca:n from Swellendam
saying that my mother there in
the hospital had just passed
away. Now she is in Heaven,
witl,l my father, where they. both
wait for you and me to see. them
again, in God's good time.
Cornelius, although I have
typed out this letter ill Australia,
I am going to post it to you b:illy
after I reach South Africa. You
see, 1 hope to arrive in
Swellendam on the 12th of
October, in order tobury my
Dutch Reformed mother in
Bartydale the follOwing Monday
at 2 p,m. There in the Church I
am going to read out the burial
letter, which I am attaching for
you, before we go to the .
Cemetety.
Cornelius, I would very
much like to visit not o:illy your
parents and family in Bartydale,
but also you yourself in the
Buffeljag's I'iison, before! return
to Australia. ' May I, please? I
shall phone the Prison in a few
days, and ask them whether you
are again willing to receive me,
and also whether the Head of
the Prison will give his friendly

In the meantime, I am hereby
enclosing a further two things ,',.
for you. l'irstly, the bId 1994
burial letter which was read out
two years ago at my father's
funeral in the Church at
. Bartydale -- together with my
account of our meeting, after
that, in the, Swellendam Prison.
Secondly, a .selectlon of poems
which I myself wrote. From
them, you can see how I too
struggled to come to the Lord --
but also how Heenabied me to
find Him, and how I !hereafter
attempted and still try to Serve
14 THECOUNSELofChalcedon f July, 1997
Him. That is my prayer, also for
you!
With my very best brotherly
greetings, till we meet again,
Nigel Lee
Prof Lee Again
Visits His Brother
The above letter was not
mailed to Cornelius, but handed
to him in jail by Prof. Lee on
13th October 1996, the day
before he buried his mother.
On October 13th, Dr. Lee
together with the Swellendam
Gideons visited the Buffeljags
Prison. Addressing hundreds of
prisoners, Dr. Lee preached on
Matthew 25:36 -- "I was in
prison, and you came to Me."
Among all those prisoners, the
murderer of Professor Lee's
father was there too.
Prof. Lee was then allowed to
spend five minutes with
Cornelius (together with an
Officer) and to hand over the
above letter to the prisoner.
Professor Lee greeted
Cornelius; told him that their
story had already gone around
the world; and said he planned
to write a book about it. The
prisoner was very agreeable for
Prof. Lee to take his photograph,
and then to use it in any book
he may write about their
contacts. But the Officer could
not allow Dr. Lee to take any
photographs.
So Cornelius then asked
Prof. Lee to visit his own
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kemeels
and Katrina Claassen
Qabourers for Mr. Jacques
Theron on his farm
Helderkroon near Barrydale),
and to request them to provide
Prof. Lee with a photograph of
Cornelius for that purpose.
This Prof. Lee would do,
shortly after he had gone and
buried his own mother in
Barrydale the very next day .
(Monday 14th October 1996).
Professor Lee then put his
arm round Cornelius, and
prayed. He thanked God for
their reunion; asked the Lord
to sustain Cornelius in the jail;
and to give him the grace to
profess and live out his
Christian convictions.
Professor Lee then said
goodbye to Cornelius; thanked
the Officer; and left the jail.
Prof Lee's Burial
Message for His Mother
It has pleased the Holy
Triune God of life and death to
take my dear mother, Alice
Maud Lee, to Heaven. This
occurred around three o'clock
July, 1997 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 15
Friday morning the 4th of
October, 199q; in the ripe old ,
age of eighty-eight years, six
months, and foUr days.
Auntie Maud, as her dear
friends in Barrydale called: her,
was born on March 31st 1908 in
England - and married there.
She and her elder sister mta
were raised very strictly in the
Roman Catholic Faith,
SiIililarly, both sisters educated
their children in and for the
Roman Catholic Church. When
Auntie Maud '!Vas expecting her
only child Nigel, she gave him to
the Lord -- with the sincere
prayer that he. would later-
become a priest in the Church of
Rome. She raised him with this
in mind. '
It was when Nigel was six
years old that he last saw his
Auhtie mta's three sons. All of
them, togetheF' with Nigel, then
promised one another to serve
the Lord in His Church. mta's '
children Peter and John and
Tony all studied for the Roman,
Catholic priesthood. Their
cousin Nigel, however" when
seven years old, went with his
mother Auntie Maud to South
Africa, the land ofbts father's'
birth. There Nigel grew up;
became a Christian by the grace
of God; had the great privilege
of leading both of his parents to
the LordJesus; and then became
a Reformed Church Minister. .
After her conversion to the
Protestant Faitl1 at MUiieilberg
near CapeTown during 1958,
Auntie Maud started a .Sunday
School in her garage for children
of the Coloured Community
and al,so taught them many
Christian Songs. She often also
gave some of her son's religious
tracts to interested persons.
After their retirement, Auntie
Maud and her husband Uncle
Syi! settled down in Barrydale. .
There, in their sixties, they both
decided to become Members of
the Dutch Reformed Church.
Auntie Maud's catechist, the
Dutch Refornied Minister of
Ilattydale, told her son at the
time that she was able to recite
every answer of the Short
Compendium (or Catechism) by
heart. Thereafter both Auntie
Maud and Uncle Syd remained
Communicant Members of the
Dutch Reformed Church in
Barrydale, even after their only
child moved first to America and
. then to Australia as a Seminary
Professor in Systematic
Theology, to train theolOgical
students overseas for the Gospel
Ministry.
On October 3rd, just a few
hours after he learned fr0111 her
doctor in Swellenda111 that
Auntie Maud was terminally ill,
her son received a letter from his
deceased father's assailant from
the Bu{feljags River Prison.
That letter came from the person
accused in 1994 of having
UlE COUNSEL of Chalcedon July, 1997
assailed and killed the deceased
Uncle Syd Lee - the person
whom Auntie Maud's son Dr,
Lee had. in 1994 visited in the
Swellendam Prison and. then led
to the Lord.
in the a,boveletter,that
criminal asked both Auntie
Maud's son.and God for ' _,
forgiveness for the murder he
, committed against her deceased
husband, 'After her son had '
, translated that letter from
Afrikaans into, English and read
it out to his theological students ,
in farawayAusttalia on October
4th, mwe than one of them was
visibly moved to tears. Ninety
minutes later, the son received
the news that his motherb.ad
j died, and had left
Swe'lendam for her Father's
Hcave,;'Jy Home above.
r heard a voice from
Heaven saying to me: Write -
. Blessed are the dead who. die in the
Lord from now onwardl' 'Yes,'
said the Spirit, 'so that they may
rest from their labours; and their
works dd follow theml'"
Revelation 14:13,
A Jew days later, Dr. Lee
viSited Cornelius'S parents (&: '
sister); tooktht':ir photograph; &:
was given by them a photo of '
COrnelius: Ms. Claassen, Mrs: ,
Witbooi-ClaasSen, Mr. Claassen,
and Mr. C. Witbooi
The WitlJooH:;laasseIi F amiTy
, Visiting' F aT1ll
A few days aftet-Dr. Lee, .,'.
buried his mother on the 14th6f
Octobe,r 199!J, he kept the
he Dlade to Cornelius to
go and, visithisparents. They
work on, Mr. Theron's
farm Helderkroon, just outside
of Barryda1e. '
Mr. Theron was very helpful.
He gave Cornelius's parents the
afternoon off, and put his own
office at our disposal. I then
went and introduced myself to
Cornelius's parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Kerneels and Katrina
Oaassen.
Dr. Lee then explained he is
the only child of old Mr. Syd .
Lee, whom their son Cornelius
murdered in July 1994. I then
mentioned that I was with
Cornelius in the jail on the
previous Sunday; that I then
spoke to him; that I then also
preached to all of the convicts; .
and that I had now come to visit
them precisely at the request of
their son.
I then explained to them how
even King David, a man. after
God's own hean, murdered
someone in a moment of
weakness -- but later sincerely
repented of this. Second
Samuel 11 and 12, with Psalm
51.
I then told them that their
son Cornelius, on the basis of
faith in Christ which he now
professes, had been made just --
in the eyes of the Lord. Then I
asked them whether things are
right also in their hean -- and, if
not, whether they did not wish
to settle the matter with the Lord
immediately.
Thereupon all three of us got
down upon our knees. Katrina
then prayed a passionate prayer,
in which she thanked the Lord
that He had now after all the
years sent His messenger to her
-- in order to show her too the
way to Heaven. Kerneels then
recited first Psalm 23 and then
the Our. Father and, after a great
battle, confessed faith in the
Lord. After that I myself
thanked God for the wonderful
privilege of kneeling with
Cornelius's parents at the foot of
the I;TOSS ofJesus.
All three of us then went to
the little farm cottage of the
Claassens, where they gave me a
photograph of Cornelius which I
could use in my new book, as
Cornelius himself had told me to
do. I then took a photograph of
the couple, together with their
daughter (Cornelius's sister) -
and encouraged the family to
read the Bible every day.
After I then said goodbye to
all three of them, we parted
from one another with great joy.
Shortly thereafter, I wrote to
Cornelius once again, and
remrned to my wife (and family)
in Australia.
Telling Cornelius .
about His Parents
"Mr. C. Witbooi, 21st
October, 1996.
Dear Cornelius,
It was good to see you on
Sunday the 13th of October, and
. to pray together with you once
again.
I buried my late mother the
following day. After that I went .
and visited your parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Kerneels and Katrina
Oaassen, on Mr. Theron's farm
Helderkroon near Barrydale.
Mr. Theron gave your parents
time off from work in the
afternoon, so that they could
speak to me [in his officel. I
spent almost two hours with
them, talking about you [and
telling them of my visit to you in
jail again on Sunday the 12th of
October, and explaining to them
that you are still standing for the
Lord in jail, by the grace of
Godl.
. All three of us then prayed,
and I explained to them how to
become a child of God - just
like I explained to you in 1994
in the jail in Swellendam. After
that, I went to your parents' little
cottage. There I met your sister,
and photographed [her together
withl your parents. Your
mother was very happy, and she
gave me a photograph of you
which I shall take back to
Australia.
Yesterday, Sunday the 20th
of October, I preached in your
congregation -- the Dutch
Reformed Mission Church in
Barrydale. I asked the brothers
and sisters to read a thorne
Second Samuel chapters 11 and
12. I then preached for them
from Psalm 51. I explained that
there was grace even for a '
murderer like King David.
After that, I gave your Aunt
Maria a copy of your most recent
letter to me, and of mine to you.
Cornelius, read Second
Samuel [chaptersl11 and 12,
and Psalm 51. Also read Acts
chapter 10. I would very much
like to hear from you again.
Pray for me, for yourself, and
especially for your parents.
With every blessing in the
Lord, Dr. Lee"
[TRANSLA nONl
Christmas Messages from
and to the Prison
In the middle of November
1996, Dr. Leefrom Australia
sent a number of documents to
his father's converted murderer
Cornelius Witbooi in South
July, 1991 t THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon t 17
Africa. Those documents
comprised inter alia: a report
about Dr .. Lee's October 1996
visit to Cornelius and others in
the Buffeljags Prison; the burial
letter for the October funeral of
Dr. Lee's mother in Barrydale;
snapshQts of Cornelius, and of
members of the latter's farttily
whom Dr. Lee photographed ill
bct.at Barrydale; Dr. Lee's
report on his Oct. visit 19 .
Cornelius'S parents;' Dr. Lee's
21st Oct. letter to Cornelius, '
about the above visits; and a
photo of Dr. Lee and his wife, '
taken by their daughter, when '
he on the 3rd of November
1996 again arrived back home in
Australia . .
To the above, Cornelius
reacted at once, On the 9th of .
Dec. he wrote the following
letter, which Dr. Lee received
just before Christmas 1996:
[TRANSLATED]
Dear Dr. F.N.Lee,
I greet you in the beautiful
name of jesus .. 1 amplea.sed you
encouraged me so strongly to
make contact wifujesus. ' Sir, I ;
received the letter which you
sent me.' Consequently, I am .
again feeling like a new man--
full of hope; and trustiIig in our
Father,
My brother, I.believe that you
will pray for us here in Buffeljags
Prison. Remember, Mr. Lee, 1
am upholding you in prayer to
God. And I believe the heavenly
gate has been opened for us
my dear brother in jesus.
Doctor, I am sure no man on
Earth but only the Lord knows
my conscience. Yet I am. happy
for the sentence laid upon me. ,
Therefore I do not wish to talk
about that again. For God has
tilken all my burdens upon
Himself.
Consequently, I praise the,
Lord for all His good deedS
which He as our Saviour keeps
On dedicating to us.' ,So, rejOice
together,with me! For when He
comes -- I shall go to heaven
together with Him. Praise. the
Lord!
., Dr. Lee, 1 have a friend here
who would like to correspond
with you and the Church, His
name and number is Heruirik
jansen, number 95714670. He
sayS that the message you
brought us here, touched him as
' ifhe were here for the same '
, crime [as I am] --although he
committed a different crime
[than murder]. But the words
were too. true. Praise the Lord!
Dr. F.N. Lee, thank you for
visiting my humblefamily. The
Lord shall praise all your work, '
even though we cannot do so.
For nothing is impossible for
God. Praise the Lord! Doesn't
man have a struggle, here on
Earth? Thus I have inherited'
months of disappointment.
Isaiah 59:1-31
My life is in God, and God's
is in mine, my brother. So I
understand how you can now
,feel. Y oushall hear more from
me an,d my friend. We are
praying God's blesSing upon you
and the rest of the Church.
Stay with the Lord, no matter
what happenS. God shaU
provide. And greet your famUY
there in Australia. This letter
comes from Mr. Cornelius
Witbooi: brother inJesus.Till
we meet again!
This Dr. Lee answered as
18 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon July, 1997
follows [translated from
Afrikaans into English):
Cornelius Witbooi -- 19th '
. December, 1996. ! ,.
Dear .Cornelius,
The True Meaning of Christmas
. Inside and
Outside ofJail -' '
1 was verygrateful toward
our Lord yesterday,. to get a; , " .
letter from you dated the. 9th of
Dec. 1996. It arrived here right
before Christn\as.lt re:Qlinded
meth;it we mUSt onj:e .again
, soon thank God for His great'
Chrispnas PreseiJ.t. "For God so, ,
loved the wQrld, that He gave His
only-begotten Son.- so that .
everyone who believes in Him
should not perish, but have
everiqsttng life!" john 3:16 . .
Cornelius, I am very pleased
that my prison sermon on the
13th of O<1tober touched '
Hendrik Janseri too and that .
you and Hendrik are now
praying in the jail also for me. I
much value that. All. of us need
. " . . _; ,
. . , .
1 will, of course, pray also fat '
Hendrik. Because I now.have no
plans tb return to South Africa; ,
but am soon again going to '
America -- 1 do not quite know
how 1 can help Hendrik too. But '
lam making a copy. of your
letter to me, and i am sending it
together with a copy of tflis ..
,letter from me to you, to the
Gideons of $weU.endam. They , .
are ,the Christians who brought
me to the Buffeljags PrisonQn
. ' the 13th of October, and there
Bibles. Hopefully
they can further help both you
and Hendrik.
I was deeply touched by your
words: "1 am happy for the
sentence laid upon me .... For
God has taken all my burdens
upon HimseU. Consequently, I
praise the Lord for all His good
deeds which He as our Saviour
keeps on dedicating to us ....
My life is in God, and God's is in
mine .... "
Cornelius, the Lord has
placed you there in jail with a
wonderfui purpose. You should
not only wimess for the Lord in
word and deed to Hendrik and
the other prisoners, but also to
the jailers. That is what Paul did
when he was in jail. Read his
letter to the Philippians. Also
read: Genesis 39 to 41, about
Joseph in jail; Daniel 6, about
his experiences in the lion's den;
and Acts 12, about Peter in jail.
They all-- Paul, Joseph, Daniel,
and Peter -- did wonderful work
for the Lord also in j ail. You
should do the same, by the
power of God!
Please give my very best
wishes also to Officer Snyman --
and espedally to your parents, .
when you see them again.
Kindly remind your parents
about their fine deCisiOns, which
they took together with me on
the 18th of Oct., to serve the
Lord. Your Aunt Marta too was
so happy! Please give my
greetings to her too.
I close by wishing you and
your dear ones the most blessed
Christmas. Thank God He came
to save us, just when we were
hopelessly lost. Thanks be to
God for the unspeakable gift of
His Son! Second Corinthians
9:15!
Your cO-servant in our Lord
Jesus Christ, Dr. Nigel Lee.
Reader, Where do You Stand?
Dear reader, in the above
pages you have been reading
something about the ancestors
and the descendants of this
writer. His great-grandfather
was a fiery preacher, whose
daughter became a Christian
only in her late-fifties. Her son
became an atheist. But the
latter's son led his parents back
to Christ, and then became a
preacher like his great-
grandfather. By the grace of
God, he raised two godly ..
children (the daughters of Dr.
Frands Nigel Lee).
Truly, God's ways are won-
derful! For He, through His
servants, did "rum the heart of the
fathers back to the children - and
the hean of the children back to
their fathers." Malachi 4:6. May
He do the same for you too!
You have also been reading
something about the life of my
father's murderer, and his
family. What a marvellous God
we worship -- Who gave me the
grace to lead not only my own
parents back to the Lord, but
also my father's murderer and
later even the latter's parents!
These two families -- one
White, and the other Coloured
-- would never have met at all,
but for the death of my father
Mr. Syd Lee. More importantly,
but for the death of Jesus, these
two families and all of their
members -- Mr. and Mrs. Syd .
Lee, their son Dr. Nigel Lee, his
wife Mrs. Nellie Lee, their
daughters Misses Johanna and.
Anna Lee; and Mr. Cit Mrs.
Kerneels Claassen and their
child Cornelius Witbooi --
would still be going to Hell.
They are now brothers and
sisters of one another and all on
their way to Heaven through
bloodshed: through the shed
blood of our great Saviour, the
Lord Jesus Christ!
"But now, in ChristJesus,you
who were previously far off, have
been made nigh by the blood of
Christ. For He 1$ our peace ... , to
make in Himself, from two, one
new man, thus making peace -- so
that He might reconcile both unto
God in one body by the cross .
Ephesians 2:13-16.
"It pleased the Father that in
Him {the Lord Jesus Christl all
fullness should dwelL And, h/lvtng
made peace through the blood of
His cross, by Him to reconcile all
things unto Himself; by Him, I say,
whether they be things in Earth, or
things iit Heaven. And you who
were in past times alienated, and
enemies in your mind by wicke(i
works -- you He has now
reconciled in the body of His flesh
through death, to present you holy
and unblameable and unreprovable
in His sight." Colossians 1:19-22.
Dear reader, where do you
stand today? May you too join
the brotherhood -- because of
His bloodshed!
Forgive Us Our Trespasses
"Forgive us our debts,as we
forgive our debtors .... For if you
forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive
you: But if you do not forgive men
iheir trespasses, neither will your
Fatherforgive your trespasses!"
-- Matthew 6:12-15
Jesus Uves,
3 Kenya St.,wavell Heights,
QUEENSLAND 4012,
Commonwealth of Australia
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 I
July, 1997 $ THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 19