QUEEN WILHELMINA.

Evening Star, Issue 23422, 13 November 1939, Page 9

QUEEN WILHELMINA.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In view ot tne prominence in world affairs of Queen \Vilhelnuna ot the Netherlands it seems opportune for “an old minister in New Zealand ” to record that he had, some mouths ago, a letter from the Queen written by her own private secretary, that might interest not a few, at leant of Presbyterian readers. We read that in this month last year the Queen was celebrating the fortieth anniversary of her reign. She is the oldest reigning sovereign in Europe, as she was once the youngest. We noticed, too, that, at a great convention of the Salvation Array in Holland, sho was present and singing hymns alongside General Evangeline Booth. This led me, as 1 could present a relevant introduction from her own Prime Minister in her early reign, to write to her and ask her acceptance of my ‘ Brief Statement of the Reformed Faith.’ Her Prime Minister then was Dr Abraham Kuyper, at that time one of the greatest theologians in all Europe, described as the “ foremost figure in the land, and in some respects without a peer in the world.” I had read bis great works before I wrote my ‘ Brief Statement.’ So I sent him a copy when he was Prime Minister, and lie wrote me that my statement is “ brief, clear, complete, just what it ought to be.” This was my introduction to Queen Wilhelmina. And from her palace at The Hague I received from her own private secretary this gracious acknowledgment:—“The private secretary to Her Majesty the Oueen is commanded to transmit Her Majesty’s kind thanks to Mr P. B. Fraser, old minister in New Zealand, for the books ho offered to Her Majesty, which Her Majesty was much pleased to accept.” The Queen’s Prime Minister_ at the same date was Dr H. A Colijn I sent him the same booklets, the first and present editions. He wrote me with bis own hand: “ I received your three booklets containing a statement of the Reformed Faith. I concur entirely with the opinion of my great predecessor. Dr A Kuyper, written to you when he was Prime Minister of the Netherlands. In answer to your request (for a motto) I cannot do better than give yon the motto of my family from the beginning of the fifteenth century; ‘ Christos mea petra ’ (‘ Christ Is My Rock ’)” The motto sent me 30 years ago by the Queen’s Prime Minister, Abraham Kuyper. is significant today: “ Coram Deo gennflectendum. coram hominibns standum ” (“ We ought to bend the knee onlv to God. stand erect before men ”). Significant for Holland and all the world to-day! May I conclude with a motto from a line by Francis Turner Palgrave. apt for New Zealand flenteumal celebrations, whether civil or religious: “ Can time undo what once was true?”—l am. etc.. _ November 9- P B Fraser