es, the colonists perceived themselves as constituting a distinct community.
They often identified themselves by the label "Christian." Anders Sparr-
man recorded that in the 1770S all "Christians" were called "baas."35 The
distinction was essentially racial. Christianity had limited influence in
~outh Africa during the eighteenth century. The handful of Calvinist minis-
ters appointed by the government certainly did not challenge the norms
51