IN every testament as such lies the confession of an eternal life; the acknowledgment that he who died still is; and that also after his death his will binds those that remained behind.
Had not our human race for centuries lived in the sure confidence, that also after death our existence goes on, the idea of making a testament or of respect for a testament would never have come to any one (Heb. 9, 17).
Then a testament has no sense.
Then respect for the will of the deceased regarding the disposition of his goods, which is so indispensable for the validity of every testament, would be altogether wanting.
One would act as though the dead no more existed; would have no regard for what he willed or did not will; and consider what he left behind no more as an inheritance, but as a property that had become ownerless, and could be appropriated.
Now, on the other hand, when after one’s death his testament is opened, and the members of the family gather around that testament, the sense expresses itself by this, that he who died, as it were after his death, is still in their midst, and now by means of this testament makes known to them his will.
Could it actually be, that, momentarily, the deceased returned in the midst of his own, his word would be listened to with respect and reverence; the disposition of his will would count for all as law; and of resistance there would be no mention.
But since this is not possible, the testament fulfills the selfsame sacred task; it is for this reason, that the reading of a testament in the presence of all concerned is a moment of such solemnity; and that on the part of government such a far-reaching power of disposition is attributed to the testament.
FROM this it follows of itself, that also the making of his testament postulates faith in eternity.
Thoughtlessly to find one’s way to the notary and make one’s testament, is contrary to the nature of this transaction.
He who is to make his testament, must be seriously-minded. This does not mean that he must have a long and solemn face; for all affectation is abomination to the Lord. To be “seriously-minded” means: that you do not come to an act like this without careful forethought, and due consideration of all the pros and cons, and are deeply sensible of the responsibility, which by this action comes to rest upon you.
Rightly to make one’s testament, one must really imagine himself in the condition of being dead, and of appearing after death once more in the midst of his own, to make his last will known to them. And as one would then speak, so he must now write it down in his testament.
Our fathers therefore had the fixed habit, to begin every testament with an invocation of God Triune. Making a testament was looked upon as a deed done in the presence of God. The last act of stewardship. Or at least a responsibility, from which of itself that last act was to be born.
It was even frequently the custom, before the testament was made, to call upon God Almighty in prayer, that by His mindful making Spirit He would give direction, that everything might be well ordered and nothing be forgotten.
So almost every testament in time past bore a pious or at least a serious character.
One wrote it himself. One expressed himself in it. The one this way, the other that. And thereby such a testament had also personal value.
ALL this also, however, has become different.
Our present-day testaments no longer know the Lord of life and death. They are almost exclusively material testaments. They deal with money and again money. And when one leaves no money to any one, who then asks about his testament?
Hence accuracy in the make-up of a testament is now the main concern, for which reason it is mostly not only written by the lawyer, but also composed, so that one himself does nothing, except put his name under it.
O, from nothing more than from the style and form of testaments is the character of an age known.
Consult ten, twenty testaments of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and everything tells you at once, that you have to do with a generation that fears God. But examine ten, twenty testaments now, and in everything you observe, that in our nineteenth century god Mammon has pretty well made the spirit of men to wither.
They are all testaments after a fixed model, and of the person, whose testament it is, you learn nothing.
He does not speak, he does not express himself.
You learn nothing of his character.
Fortunate that at least we still have the holographical testaments.
Therein at least something still speaks, and, properly sealed, they are placed with the notary, without the notary knowing anything it contains.
ONLY in one point the pious, discreet spirit of our fathers is not altogether gone, namely, in making bequests of a part of one’s property to what among the things of God’s kingdom, among relatives, or among the poor is in need of financial assistance.
This also became less frequent, and it is incomprehensible how rich Christian millionaires could prove so parsimonious. Nevertheless bequests are made. Papers make mention of it again and again. Sometimes even very large sums. Only recently a devout Minister of the Word went to his reward, who had made disposition of his entire property, five hundred thousand guilders, in this godly manner.
And herein at least speaks the heart.
In such a testament this indicates the person.
From this, at least, one learns, in what direction his spirit moved and what the institutions were of his love.
And yet let us not boast too much of this in our age.
For in our age money has been made like water, and it is generally estimated that since 1830 in most of the states of Europe wealth has more than doubled.
And after that standard the sum of legacies is by no means what it ought to be. So little, indeed, that the increase in capital of institutions kept no equal pace even by far with the increase of population.
For not merely wealth, but also the population has more than doubled, and this is not thought of, and so counted we fall great sums behind.
Especially burghers who became rich were very delinquent in this, and while over against their increased wealth there was a dreadful increase in poverty and need, it can by no means be said that one has tried, at least after his death, to care for these more general interests.
Even among Christians many a one died, who left wealth behind, had no children to provide for, and yet fell altogether short in his care for this general need.
THIS does not say that all former dispositions were of pure alloy.
Liberal legacies to church or poor of olden times spoke oftentimes of much sin.
And so there was many a man, who after a life in sin and wantonness, thought he could buy for his soul a safe retreat in heaven, by leaving much of his money for sacred purposes.
It especially came to pass, that he who had made money in an unrighteous way, made agreement with his conscience, first to enjoy during his lifetime what he could, and then to make good his unrighteous dealings and robberies, by giving it to the church at his death.
And, of course, this is no standpoint pleasing to God.
But this does not give our age the right to look down upon this from the height.
Even now the capitals that have been laid up by craftiness, abuse of power, speculation and gambling, are legion, and when in the face of this even that single waking of the conscience remains wanting, which at least in dying desires to undo the wrong, are you then not put to shame by the Middle Ages?
What alone also in this can bring betterment is the working out of faith.
Also your testament must be from faith; otherwise it is sin.
From faith: That your goods are God’s property, and that you are nothing but a steward over them, and thus as steward owe your Lord an account.
So comes the testament into relation with the last judgment; for if of anything, of your testament you shall give account to God.
And now it is granted, that for the making of such a sound testament one must have come to certain years. To the years in which, in the ordinary course of life, one sees his end approaching. But the rule, that our years are sixty and seventy years, may never be crossed.
Also in our civil law there must more and more be insisted upon a manner of making one’s testament, which harmonizes with the sacred character of the same.
And what indeed were to be wished for our Christian people, is, that in city and country town, on every hand, notaries were given us, who practiced also this part of their calling as in the holy presence of God.
A more free office of notary would be a blessing to our Christian people.
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