KESTELL – JOHN DANIEL

Note:
TOGETHER WITH PRESIDENT M.T.STEYN AND GENERAL C.R.DE WET, THE REV. KESTELL FORMED THE TRIUMVIRATE OF BOER WAR, ORANGE FREE STATE, HEROES. ALTHOUGH UNARMED AT ALL TIMES, HE MOVED WITH THE COMMANDO OF DE WET THROUGHOUT THE WAR, PROVIDING WORDS OF WISDOM AND SPIRITUALITY TO BOTH FRIEND AND FOE. THE REV. KESTELL WROTE OF HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES DURING THE WAR IN A BOOK ENTITLED MET DE BOEREN-COMMANDO’S WRITTEN IN AFRIKAANS AND PUBLISHED IN 1903. THE ENGLISH VERSION APPEARED IN THE SAME YEAR UNDER THE TITLE THROUGH SHOT AND FLAME. THE REV. KESTELL LOST HIS SON IN THE WAR AND HIS BOOK IS DEDICATED AS FOLLOWS : TO MY WIFE, WHO WAS ONE  OF THE THOUSANDS WHO ENDURED THE GREAT STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM, I DEDICATE THIS BOOK, AND WITH HER I COMMEMORATE HERE THE FIDELITY AND PATRIOTISM OF HIM WHO WAS MY COMRADE IN THE FIELD, AND WHO DIED IN THE SPRINGTIME OF HIS LIFE, A PRISONER OF WAR, AT LADYSMITH, NATAL, OUR SON, CHARLES KESTELL. AFTER THE WAR  THE REV. KESTELL REMAINED, VERY MUCH, IN PUBLIC LIFE. HE WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION  THAT UNDERTOOK THE TASK OF TRANSLATING THE BIBLE INTO AFRIKAANS, WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN 1933. THE TOWN OF KESTELL, IN THE FREE STATE IS NAMED AFTER HIM.