Miss Johanna Timmer, departmental editor for Reformed Women Speak, writes: “The following tender account of one of God’s saints, is by Mrs. Frederika Prank, wife of the Rev. C. Pronk. You will find it a most pleasing essay about her very influential Christian grandmother. Old and young will enjoy this moving account of an outstanding “mother in Israel.”
One person who has deeply influenced my life is my grandmother. Yet, strangely, for many years I have had very little personal contact with her, since during the last twenty-five years she lived on one side of the Atlantic Ocean and I on the other. My grandmother was not a strong and self-assertive person, but she was the most gentle, self-effacing person I have known. Why then, has she had such an influence on me? Perhaps you will understand if I tell you a little about her.
My earliest memories of her date back to when I was a little girl and lived in the Netherlands. A slight figure, usually dressed in black, with her silver-gray hair pulled smoothly back in a bun at the nape of her neck. She suggested to me those mystical, ageless quaIl ties which I associated with women of the Bible, such as Sarah, Hannah, Elisabeth, Anna and grandmother Lois.
Instead of wealth, children were the heritage with which the Lord generously endowed her. Many times she almost died in childbirth—but she always came through, even through the traumatic miscarriages. Apparently childbirth isn‘t as unhealthy as it is made out to be today, because she lived to a grand old age, keeping a sound mind until the very end.
As her children grew up, she instructed them in the Bible, instilling a holy reverence for God and His Word. Faithfully the children were taken to church and taught to respect the ministers and other office holders. If anyone was in need, she sent one of her off-spring to bring food or other help. “It is our duty to help others if we can,” she taught her children.
Grandma believed that “the effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much.” And this she practised. Not that she dared call herself righteous. Far from that. Grandma belonged to that now almost extinct breed of Christians who couldn‘t so easily appropriate their righteousness before God. She felt herself to be a great sinner, unworthy of the Lord’s grace. But many were the prayers that went up to heaven for herself and her ten children, that they might live godly, useful lives. Her greatest concern was that the Lord would grant them the new birth from above, for only then would they be freed from Adam’s curse which rested upon them from the first birth.
I remember Grandma’s piety most of all. Not that she talked much, but much more eloquently than words, her very being expressed an aura of true piety. When Grandma did talk about her relationship with the Lord, it made a deep impression on me. I sensed that her piety was a living reality and even though I could not understand everything, I knew that she walked intimately with the Lord. She possessed something of great value and she inspired in me a deep sense of the reality of God and His Word.
From early childhood I vividly remember Sunday evenings spent at her house, when the unmarried aunts and uncles and their friends were gathered around the old-fashioned pump organ, singing Grandma‘s and Grandpa’s favorite Psalms. Their favorite selections were from Psalm 25, 42, 68 and 103 and the Dutch phrases of these Psalms still linger in my memory, reminding me of Grandma and Grandpa.
Grandpa was the respected head of the family, and Grandma honored him as such. He was intensely interested in public life and Grandma respected his interests. Even though she had to bear the brunt of managing a large and spirited brood of children, she never tried to stop .Grandpa from giving his time to the many public functions he loved. He was a selftaught man, and he earnestly wanted to influence society with Christian morals and values. He was a leader in establishing a Christian day school. Therefore he was often away and left Grandma at home to manage as best she could. Her oldest sons took over many of the duties that Grandfather had no time to do. They ran the family farm and disciplined the younger brothers and sisters, which was not always appreciated by them. The only time Grandma would involve herself in Grandpa’s affairs was when he was elected to yet another committee or office. Then she acted not to keep him from giving his time, but to keep him from becoming too important in his own eyes. “Father,” she would say, “don‘t forget your sinful nature and become proud of yourself.” Grandpa needed such advice, as do all who hold public office.
The supreme sacrifice (or Grandma came when, after the Second World War, five o( her children decided to leave the little crowded country by the sea to seek more living space (or their growing families. When the first son told her o( his plans to immigrate, Grandpa raised some objections. But it was Grandma who had the final say: “Children, if you believe that there is a better future there for you and your children, we may not and will not stop you. We have taught you to fear God and serve Him. Do that also in your new country.”
She hardly cried when we left to say our last goodbyes, at least we saw few tears. But I’m sure that she shed many tears in secret before the Lord, committing us all to His care. Her last words to each of the grandchildren were: “Child, never forget to pray to the Lord for a new heart.”
Yet her concern for spiritual things did not prevent her from having a real interest in life. She knew human nature. I will always be grateful for what happened whcn I 6rst had to wear glasses. Vain thing that I was (and am), I was quite unhappy about having to wear “goggles.” Knowing that my parents could hardly afford to buy me glasses, she nevertheless told them: “Be sure you get her nice ones, even if they cost a little more.”
Last night my grandmother died –ninety–four years old. On her deathbed she was visited by many of her off-spring, from both sides of the ocean. Up until the end her mind remained clear and sound. Her last words were from one of her favorite Psalms: “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”
As the years were added to her, she often wondered why the Lord kept her so long on this earth. I think I know why. Although she appeared to be only a simple, insignificant, little woman, I know that she inspired her numerous offspring, to the third and fourth generation, just by being what she was: a godly grandmother. May the Lord give us many more of such godly grandmothers.