Diary of the Year 1742

JANUARY

Friday, the 1st of January. Last night there was heavy thunder, lightning, and rain, which made the way to church somewhat difficult for the people from the plantations. But I believe our dear, living God has richly rewarded the pains they took for the sake of His word. For He granted power and joy to preach the sweet gospel of Jesus Christ three times, through which our hearts were quite strengthened anew and were aroused to His praise.

Last year in our congregation twenty-four little children were baptized, six people (to wit, two men and four small children) died, and six couples were married. It is very comforting to us that both men, as well as the children, went to their rest in the wounds of Christ, our faithful Immanuel, and thus passed away in peace. Oh, may He bless His gospel for all to the end that no one remain amidst his sins, rather that all may convert to Him in truth and become His little well cleansed sheep and thereby complete the course of their lives with joy. We often think: “May thy loyalty fulfill what Thou Thyself hast promised, that no one shall be lost on this wide world but will live forever if only he is full of faith. Lord Jesus, grant us this.”

I was gladdened to learn this New Year’s Day that the illness of a frail and often sick young girl had served her through God’s grace, as occasion and remedy, to escape as a poor sinner to Christ and become spiritually whole and sound through His wounds. For six months she has been having heavy fevers and with them epilepsy.¹ In her fever she constantly says very edifying things, converses in prayer and song with Jesus, and desires to receive a blessing and good consolation from others too. Nothing disorderly or unruly is mixed with this, so we see clearly that she has garnered a good treasure in her heart.

Saturday, the 2nd of January. Towards evening I received a letter from a captain from Palachocolas, in which he asked me to marry a couple; otherwise the captain would not allow them on his plantation. These two people had already been at our place on Wednesday at Ortmann’s house. Before they came to Ebenezer they capsized in their boat and would have lost their lives if, by divine dispensation, a trading boat had not come to their aid and picked them up. I had the schoolmaster tell him that I do not marry Englishmen unless there is no English preacher in the country and, in addition, I had sufficient assurance from the authorities that the marriage would take place in accordance with divine and human law.²

Sunday, the 3rd of January. It became rather cold today; nonetheless, it did not hinder our divine services. We are still lacking the upper floor and windows in the church; and, after the holiday, preparations will be made for completing the same. There are so many different kinds of work to do in the congregation, especially because the 4th transport is not yet fully settled in, that the members of the congregation must do only the most necessary things at first; for they have no servants and have to be present everywhere at once. Only a few will be able to build their houses this winter, and they will still have to make do in their huts and kitchens.

The man in the 4th transport who recently took to excessive drink in Savannah (and had carried on the same thing quite often in Germany) is coming to a recognition of his and also this damnable sin. He thanks God for snatching him away from such opportunities and bringing him to this solitude where he can hear the word of God and take it to heart in the quiet. He has resolved to change and thus use his time well in Ebenezer. For the sake of our new parishioners I hope God will not let us come to grief in the hope we have placed in His unfathomable mercy to be able to lead them all to the Lord Christ! Oh, may He stand by us in our ministry!

Monday, the 4th of January. I was occupied with Mr. Vigera for several hours paying the people of the 4th transport their food allowance for three months. Thereby I was reminded what advantages they enjoy in this over the first colonists. The latters’ yearly provision amounted to approximately 7 £ sterling. They still had much toil and hardship in bringing the provisions, good and bad, the long way up the swift Savannah River; for the present mill river was not yet known or usable.³ In place of provisions (besides tools) the men receive over 6 £ sterling for six months, but the women somewhat less. God be praised for these and other benefactions which He has rendered so richly to this transport in Europe and here in this country and is continuing to render.

In today’s evening prayer meeting I repeated with the children in the presence of the congregation a few of the introductory verses which had been impressed upon us during this church year beginning with the first Sunday of Advent. I and others were pleased that they could quote them, say them by heart, and point out their main content. The verses were chiefly: “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work,” etc., and also “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die,” etc.

Tuesday, the 5th of January. It has been arranged that tomorrow following the divine services, when as many members as can come down from the plantations are gathered, the charitable gifts from Augsburg and Wurttemberg will be distributed. Hence today they were put in perfect order and so divided that we are hoping for general delight and satisfaction among the members of all four transports. There will be instruction for them concerning a few things, and through this we hope to obviate all mistrust and ill judgments. On account of the high waters the journey hither has been difficult for the people, and besides that there have been all kinds of delays in housekeeping on account of the 4th transport. This moved us to select the holy day tomorrow for the distribution.

Through God’s singular direction our dear benefactors are doing the same thing for us and our dear members that Christian parents do for their children at ths Christmastide: they like to cause them innocent joy by means of material presents; and they use such gifts as bonds of love through which they can lead them more and more to the gracious Giver of all good and perfect gifts, who granted even His son to the children of men, and to awaken them to a heartfelt mutual love.

God be praised for these quite great benefactions which He has caused to flow to us from Wurttemberg and Augsburg; and may our poor intercession bring much blessing, in lieu of a reward, to all givers for the sake of Christ! We intend to thank them in heaven (whither we and they are striving) before the throne of God for refreshing us so often in this life and for giving us so many occasions for joy at the loving kindness of God and for the praise of His name through their loving gifts and heartfelt correspondence. At our humble prayer He will grant us power, grace, and wisdom to apply all the gifts we have received to the purpose for which they are in fact dedicated.

Wednesday, the 6th of January was the Feast of the Epiphany. This day has been for us a day of great joy and grace in the Lord, for God has given us power and joy to preach the sweet gospel of Jesus Christ, the Savior of poor sinners. By means of it our own and our members’ minds have been prepared for the joyful, humble, and grateful reception of the material benefactions which have flowed to us from joyous and mild hearts, to His sincere praise, and also prepared for a unanimous prayer of intercession for the spiritual and material welfare of our friends, known and unknown, in Europe.

The entire congregation had gathered before noon, and in the afternoon, to listen to the divine word in our place of worship, where, amongst other rousing hymns, we struck up in two choirs: Singt dem Herrn nah und fern, etc., and finally, O grosse Freude, dass auf der Weyde die Hirten hören, etc.⁴ In the exordium we learned from the mouth of our loving Immanuel the magnificent commandment of God, so comforting to all sinners: “Compel them to come in, that my house may be filled,” Luke 14. From this holy day’s gospel we recognized God’s heartfelt readiness to accept poor sinners to grace, for the sake of Christ, for us sinners a most highly comforting thing.

In the application lesson we showed it to be quite undeniable that God wanted to have us all with His Son and His dear grace, for He was giving us the same means of grace He had given to others, according to the direction in the gospel, and He was creating very salutary emotions in our congregation, as He did through the Wise Men from the Orient, by means of blessed missives and generous, munificent gifts of our worthy benefactors. No one should keep resting on his couch of sin, self-assurance,⁵ and love of the world, as Herod and both high and humble did in Jerusalem; rather each and every one should, according to God’s purpose and that of our cordially minded benefactors, let himself be brought to Jesus Christ and into His kingdom, so that it may be said: “Every man presseth into it,” as poor people do at the distribution of material gifts in the benefactor’s house, or people who have their enemy at their backs throng into a fortress.

Along with this we both recounted what splendid and magnificent gifts of money and other necessities had been collected during the troublesome times in Germany and also read aloud and recounted how the distribution of such gifts was partly made by the benefactors themselves and partly left to our own discretion. And, since the congregation can be assured that we love them all and treat them impartially, they have been admonished to the contentment, praise of God, and heartfelt gratitude. Each should accept his gift with just such a loving heart as it was dedicated and sent to our Ebenezer. I promised soon to read aloud to them the preface to the 6th Continuation,⁶ as I had done recently with the 5th, from which they would recognize the friendly and heartfelt intentions of our faithful benefactors, their heartfelt good wishes and the good purpose of their gifts.

After the afternoon catechism lesson was over, we admonished the congregation to bend their hearts’ and bodies’ knees with us before the Lord there in the church (where there is more space and opportunity than in my house, the place of distribution) and then praised our dear Lord from the bottom of our hearts for His spiritual and physical benefactions which He had shown us, beyond so many other people, here in this corner of the earth. We prayed for our benefactors and all of Europe, calling out to Him for wisdom and blessings in the coming distribution. We also implored forgiveness if by chance those benefactions were not used by all to their intended purpose.

We conducted the distribution in my house with the assistance of Mr. Vigera. Each person for whom a portion had been laid out came up, one after the other, in a quite fine Christian manner and without the least clamor or any unpleasant problems. First the old inhabitants of Ebenezer received their portions, according to the order of their dwellings in the town; and subsequently the people of the 4th transport received theirs. Because the latter, with very few exceptions, were provided with enough clothing from Europe, we provided more linen, shoes, and woolen goods for the first three transports than we did for the latter group. Nonetheless, the poor amongst them also received their modest share, but the remainder got for the most part the iron tools and supplies found in the crates from Wurttemberg.

The names of the people of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd transports, and their shares, are as follows:

Some Observations

1) 3 £ 10 sh. were designated for those who have deserved well of the congregation, and therefore Kogler, Kalcher, Steiner, Leimberger, Christian Riedelsperger, and Rottenberger received some of it.

2) 18 £ sterl. were dedicated to the poor of all four transports, which, according to the nature of their circumstances, was allotted to them at 10, 8, or 6 shillings. From this sum the surgeon, Mr. Meyer, was paid 2 £. 4 Sh. for the medicines and bloodletting he extended to the 4th transport during the entire trip. The remainder for the fresh provisions given them in Savannah when they guarded the baggage and fetched it, came from the 7 £ 5 Sh. dedicated to the 4th transport alone; it amounted to 2 £ 1 Sh.

3) Senior Riesch in Lindau again thought lovingly of those Salzburgers who were in his good pasture and spiritual care and sent them a piece of linen from which each person got 3-½ yds., and therefore more than one shirt. The green linen, which fell to us also from his loving hands, was dedicated to the church windows as curtains.

4) The tools of every sort were found in the Wurttemberg boxes and were distributed for the most part to the 4th transport, but a small number did go to some others. We were able to record them only in general. Each family also received 5 curved and 5 straight cobbler’s awls.

5) Some people did receive more than others, in which we looked upon their decorum, extreme need, and merit amongst the congregation.

6) Several large and small children could not partake of the presents this time (because there were not enough of them, as the congregation had increased). If they are obedient, they shall be provided for with gifts from the box from Halle, for which we are now waiting.

7) May our dear God enter into His book of commemoration what He caused to flow to us two, our helpmeets, and children, from the right heartfelt goodwill of our worthy benefactors and benefactresses from Wurttemberg and Augsburg in the way of books, black cloth, night gowns, and other things, also in cash money. In like manner may He remember what we have received in money for the orphans’ and widows’ house and for the church and other necessary expenditures in the congregation, which have indeed occurred in manifold ways, being so abundantly transmitted from the places mentioned and from our dear Halle. For the sake of Christ’s speaking blood may all sincerely good works be written in His book for the physical, spiritual, and eternal blessing and blessed refreshment of our worthy benefactors. May He hear our poor prayers of intercession, brought privately and publicly before His throne of grace, according to the richness of His mercy. Amen! Hallelujah! To the blessing contained in the box from Halle which stayed behind in London out of necessity we cry out in faith, “What our God hath created, He can also save.”⁹

8) The large mattresses with bolsters were lent to the 4th transport in London and were distributed at the direction of Court Chaplain Ziegenhagen amongst the needy of the first three transports.

9) The 6 leather cowls and 2 fur cowls, likewise leather thongs and leather garters, are listed in the catalog of things in the box n.I.E. but were not found. Also 5 white camisoles were missing, which Mr. Meyer still saw in London in a small box.

Names and Shares of the People of the 4th Transport

Some Observations

1) Every head of family of the 4th transport received 2 Sh. Sterl., and a child under 12 received 1 Sh. as a present. Besides that, the poor amongst them received a special present of 7, 12, or 14 Sh. Sterl. as their circumstances necessitated. These were distinct from those money gifts promised them in Canstadt and paid them here as well.

2) Every family received a few books which were found in the boxes, also each and every housefather got 5 curved and 5 straight shoe awls. Sewing needles shall be given them shortly.

3) A few, but very few, asked me to return the money most of the people on the 4th transport had deposited for exchange. They said they would rather know it was kept safely with me until they might buy cows in the spring or use it in some other necessary manner.

4) There are still peas, pearled barley, and dried fruit left from what was given them when they departed Canstadt. All that and what otherwise pertains to the 4th transport in the way of kitchen and other types of utensils will be distributed shortly or arranged for the congregation’s use.

Thursday, the 7th of January. Five men from the 4th transport had their land surveyed on Ebenezer Creek. I would have been glad to see them settle the matter without casting lots amongst themselves, as others have done, and get together in a neighborhood with people who mix well and like working together. The locksmith Lechner and his stepson /Ruprecht Schrempff/ the only ones who did not at all like casting lots. On account of his trade he would have liked to have the plantation nearest the town, but the others also had their eyes on it, as it was a good one and close by. We finally agreed that the matter would be settled by casting lots. I assured them that, since we had previously appealed to God in a heartfelt manner regarding it, He would so ordain things with the plantations that each one could be satisfied while denying his own self-will. Dictum factum,¹⁰ the casting of lots turned out to everyone’s satisfaction; and, after each had inspected his land, two of them came back to me and attested that they had received just such plantations as were laid out for each one’s purpose. God be praised for this sign of His kindness too! May He continue to rule over us and keep our eyes open properly to regard His works and to have nothing but pleasure in them.

Friday, the 8th of January. A German widow from Savannah came to our place and wished to spend her time here in quiet near God’s word, if she could find a living. Mr. Vigera had promised to take her into his service as soon as he got his household in order, but that will not take place very soon. If she wishes to adapt herself to our circumstances and be satisfied with little she will find a place of abode amongst us, but I do not know whether she will like these suggestions. She said that in Savannah she can earn one shilling Sterling a day besides good food and drink, but no one here can give her that. Another honest widow is coming with her daughter to our place this week, for sincere reasons.¹¹

Yesterday evening here in the city and this morning on the plantations we began going through the edifying contents of the foreword to the 6th Continuation. I felt God’s support and blessing tangibly and felt that thereby something good was accomplished for eternity in the souls of the listeners. May God reward our worthy Mr. N. for the many tasks he has willingly and joyfully undertaken for our spiritual and physical well-being. We, and thousands with us (praise God!) know from experience that his work in the Lord is not in vain and will have its reward in His time.

After the devotional hour Mr. Vigera was busy at the mill, where the 4th transport’s baggage, provisions, and other things had been off-loaded. He distributed the victuals brought from Germany—peas, pearled barley, dried apples and pears, and also prunes—amongst the new colonists, with great labor but also great pleasure, for he attested to me that he had never found the people so joyful, friendly, and thankful as this time. I take that as a blessed effect of the word preached just prior thereto, and I glorify God for it, for we have remonstrated a great deal with the 4th transport in the most heartfelt, loving manner concerning their former and present modes of life. We also indicated to them the sources from the gospel by which they can cleanse themselves from sin in divine order and gain strength for a new spiritual life and mode of behavior. I was occupied with the tools sent to me for distribution among all the families of the 4th transport. They consisted of axes, hatchets, wide and narrow hoes, drawknives, large and small planes, large, mid-sized and small bits, large and small saws, also crosscut saws, as well as files, hammers, and a large amount of all sorts of nails, etc. There were also a few copper pots with handles and many other things with them, by which the Trustees showed themselves especially generous.

God helped everything to come out according to plan and to everyone’s satisfaction, since various things had to go by the casting of lots. My faith and trust in divine providence, which is so wonderful, received new strength. In Savannah I recently bought pork and beef fat for the 4th transport. A 500-lb. barrel of rice was also brought hither from Savannah; Pichler was busy distributing it. Towards evening we were finished with everything; and, although I was quite tired, I still had to attend a funeral at sundown, for which the dear people had been waiting some hours in Ruprecht Steiner’s house not far from the cemetery. It was Paul Zittrauer’s newborn child named Samuel, the first this year to die in the Lord, who was buried this day, which was right blessed for me and others. On New Year’s Day, on the occasion of the introductory words to John XI, “Behold, how he loved him,” I had wished that I could hold a parentation and funeral oration according to the contents of these words for those who would die this year according to God’s will and that it would engender joy in heaven and edification on earth and be the most blessed thing for those who passed away thus.

Now the burial of this little Samuel (upon whom the above words can be applied with the greatest certainty) proved for the parents and myself to be a right great comfort and awakening, for in this connection it is also written, “Suffer little chidren, and forbid them not, to come unto me,” etc., and in reference to us adults: “Except ye be converted, and become as little children,” etc. I told these two young people that this could be a weighty incentive for them to prepare themselves earnestly for blessed eternity, since now their little Samuel had preceded them, etc.

Saturday, the 9th of January. Yesterday afternoon the surveyor¹² was ordered to go with me to the plantations below the mill, after the distribution had taken place, to where some new colonists were to take their land; but I was hindered as mentioned above. Hence this morning, I went out there in order to scrupulously inspect, with him and a few new and old colonists, the entire area where they should and would take their plantations. Six of them are each taking here 48 acres (for that much land, besides a garden, belongs to each plantation), and they intend to begin their work here very soon. The whole area has very good soil for cultivation and cattle grazing, also as much good timber in the vicinity as hardly any others find at their plantations. I hope that they will be able to support themselves here in their calling with satisfaction and thanksgiving towards God and men. There is still more good land in this district, which will be kept for others who need land in the future. I was happy to be able to observe everything myself and conduct the division of the plantations.

Since the death of her husband the N. woman seems to be more concerned about her salvation than previously, and is quite content in her great poverty. She told me her dying husband had called out the words: “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” She said that, however, whenever distress befalls her, she prays in her simple way to God as well as she can, and she hopes God will grant her prayer for Christ’s sake.

Monday, the 11th of January. Our dear Mr. Vigera brought along a fine physical blessing in money for our orphanage and thereby awakened us to a new praise of God. With it he gave me some very edifying letters from Christian friends, the right evangelical contents of which heartily refreshed me and inspired me to a heartfelt mutual love and esteem for them. Praise God that the Lord still has His people everywhere, even in dark and very perverse places, who shine as lights amongst the perverse people of our age, yet have their own suffering. May He be mindful of their benefit once more in all sorts of internal and external circumstances.

A coachman in Augsburg who loves Ebenezer benefited not only a young girl but also some of his countrymen with a fine physical gift, for which they will wish him many thousands of blessings in their prayers. They are all poor but they strive first and foremost for the kingdom of God, and God lets other things come to them too. This time God granted our orphanage such a blessing as we might not have expected in these troublesome times. He can do more than we ask and understand! May He give us the wisdom to proceed properly with it and to apply it to the purpose for which it was granted.¹³

Today two large wine barrels full of dried apples, pears, and plums or prunes were brought from the mill to the town. They were dedicated by our worthy benefactors in Wurttemberg partly for the orphanage and partly for the whole congregation. Oh, what a blessing that is! The barrels were stuffed quite full, and the gifts pressed so tightly together that we had to dig them out with effort and pleasant sweat. Now here we say: “Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For the same measure ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. He which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” May our merciful God cause that to be richly fulfilled in all our dear patrons and benefactors, here and there! God preserved this noble gift (through which the sound and the sick, and also the tender little children will be refreshed) so well that there was no sign of a single worm or of the least damage. We say once more: “What our God hath created He can also preserve, over it He will rule with mercy both late and early, etc. Give glory unto God.”

In recent days a Christian man from the Purysburg region sent me as a New Year’s present the verse Deuteronomy 11:12: “A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.”¹⁴ What a delightful testimony to the gracious providence of God for a land with obedient inhabitants; it was very impressive to me in view of the current circumstances in which we are living at the beginning of this year. Oh, that everyone in Ebenezer might fear, love, and honor Him! How good we would have it! We are hoping it will be a special year of grace for us and our members.

A widow who was at my house because of her intended marriage told me she had once heard that marriage and dying are the most important matters for which one needs grace. She considered a child who died in baptismal grace to be most blessed, and she would gladly give her own child in her arms to the Lord Jesus if He would take it to Himself forever by means of temporal death.

The weather has been as pleasant yesterday and today as it is otherwise wont to be in spring. Many fine seeds came to our place from Germany with the 4th transport, and we will try to see whether everything will sprout and propagate itself here.

Tuesday, the 12th of January. We sent our large boat with four men to Savannah this morning to fetch some barrels of rice and pork for the orphanage and the 4th transport. The dear people who have till now had a great deal of trouble in traveling back and forth will be paid for this labor by the orphanage. One thing after another has been happening, and now we will get some respite.

Kalcher is supervisor both for the congregation and the 4th transport; and it eases our burden considerably for him to distribute all sorts of foodstuffs and things which the 4th transport needs. His wife is keeping an account of it, and our dear God has already richly rewarded him through the blessing which the orphanage is receiving at this time. They both consider themselves quite unworthy of these benefactions they have now received, and their unworthiness becomes all the more apparent to them the more abundantly the Lord shows them His paternal care.

The N.N. woman believes she deserves punishment because of her youthful sins; and since, in spite of that, God has inundated her with so many benefactions, He wishes to convince her thereby that He has forgiven her everything for Christ’s sake. He wishes to awaken her thereby, but mostly through the comforting gospel of His Son our Savior, the very best gift, for whose sake it pleases Him to grant poor persons everything else to cause a sweet trust and childlike love in return. But she is all too much hindered in this evangelical joy by the recognition of her total unworthiness and abundant misdeeds. My exhortation for today, which she had to forego for some time because of my travel and errands, was very dear to her and awakened her to the praise of God.

Prior to the devotional hour on the plantations I and two knowledgeable men sought a commodious and level spot on which to place the soon to be built church and cemetery. We found such a place in the center of the plantations and homesteads. It is very suitable for this purpose, and I hope that the work on it will commence shortly. The first thing will be for the men of all four transports to set about jointly building a bridge over the little river between the city and the plantations. This is indispensable to us and will serve to advance our office greatly in diligently visiting the members of our congregation. The proper construction was fully discussed in the congregation; and tomorrow, God willing and if the rainy weather permits, a few men are going out to inspect the area carefully to see where the bridge can be built advantageously. God has granted them something sweet in this bitter labor through the benefaction mentioned yesterday; it is an easy thing for Him to add still more for the refreshment of both great and humble. Before I left here this morning I had some neighbors who were living in discord come to me. I showed them the dried fruit standing in some open barrels and asked them whether, in the sight of this gift from God, they still wished to keep their hearts bitter toward each other. We reached the point of their becoming reconciled with one another, and they went home in peace.

Our dear Peter Reiter has been under treatment for a long time and is now being tended by Mr. Mayer. We do not know what he will have to pay to his surgeon because he has not had time to make up his bill.¹⁵ Doubtless it will amount to a great deal. Nonetheless, since God has attained His purpose with him through this bodily travail and has converted him in a righteous manner to His Son, the comfort of fallen men, He will also care for him like a father reconciled through Christ and will fulfill what is cited with the greatest assurance in the Book of Job regarding the relationship of God to His children. For his bandaging and cure this dear man not only needs the mercy that he has experienced in his soul but also needs God to grant him the medical fees for bandaging and treatment.

The dear and loving friend of our congregation, Mr. Durninger, has sent twenty-five florins to Senior Urlsperger with the request that this money be given to the poorest God-fearing person in the congregation to buy a cow. On account of his treatment this man Reiter had to sell a cow and an ox; and, because he will not be able to work for a year and a day but can therefore pray all the more diligently, we recognize with joy God’s kindness toward him. For Mr. Vigera agrees with us that this benefaction of the twenty-five florins should be applied to this dear man so he can once again acquire a cow. Doubtless by this means his faith will be strengthened in the same manner as our own.

We are also giving the Maurer woman some assistance from the blessing God put at our disposal for the benefit of the congregation and the orphanage.¹⁶ In this we will take care that these dear and righteous people do not suffer any more than the others in their subsistence, for they would rather give away all their little money and other things that bring debt upon themselves. Thus the Lord knows our need but also knows means and ways out of it “for that He is strong in power; not one faileth.” Should that not strengthen us in our faith? We wish the good of the 41st Psalm, especially vv. 2–4, to all our worthy benefactors. They are certainly unaware of these and other circumstances of the congregation, yet they let their hearts and hands be steered towards dispensing of charity.

Wednesday, the 13th of January. This morning we distributed the dried fruit amongst the first, second, and third transports, for the fourth had already received its good portion partly on the journey and partly in Ebenezer a short time ago. For this reason, the people came in from the plantations, although it was raining. To be sure this physical gift was well worth their taking such trouble; nonetheless, I considered it needful and useful to impart to them the spiritual along with the physical so that they might turn homewards refreshed thus in body and soul. To this end the distribution was combined with singing, praying, and devout preaching of the divine word.

In his last letter our dear Senior Urlsperger mentioned the following little verse, which we read aloud yesterday on the plantation, with much blessing: “With God thy faith is well disposed. Thy love will help thy neighbor if thou art born of God.”¹⁷ I recently put these select and beautiful words to good use for myself and the gathered listeners before the distribution. Praise be to God for the spiritual blessing He has sent me and the others from this; and may He let our worthy benefactors, who have shown their faith and their birth from God so splendidly through their charity in regards to our congregation, enjoy in time and eternity the good they have done for us. I mentioned herewith Acts 11:28 ff.

Thursday, the 14th of January. Amongst the last transport, Bacher received his brother, with wife and one daughter.¹⁸ Because he [the brother] is old and too weak for felling trees and running a plantation, Sanftleben has sold him his plantation with all the buildings on it for 24 £. It is, to be sure, a lot of money; but it did take much labor before everything could be arranged in such an orderly manner. The plantation is extremely well situated and has very good land for corn and rice, is never in danger of flooding, lies just at the junction of the Savannah River and the mill river, offers good opportunities for raising cattle, and is also very near the town. Sanftleben is now taking for himself a plantation on Ebenezer Creek with nothing but trees and bushes. He will be a neighbor of the schoolmaster and some other people from the 4th transport, and we hope this too will turn out profitably. This region, fruitful and well-suited for everything, has lain wild and uncultivated till now, because everyone preferred settling and building first on the mill river.

Saturday, the 16th of January. N.N.’s pious wife recounted to me with much joy and praise of God that, through the grace of God, her husband, who was previously given to drink, was becoming quite a different man. He wishes, she said, to write to Germany in truth and to the glory of God that he had wandered many places but had been unable to find any place so remote and pleasurable for living as God had presented him in this wilderness, etc. He said he could serve God and men in his profession in quiet, he had enough work, and was living with Christian people on the plantations. Praise God also for this blessing!

Sunday, the 17th of January. We predicted to the people of the 4th transport today from God’s word according to the instruction of the gospel for the second Sunday of Epiphany that they, as neophytes, must hold themselves in readiness for all sorts of spiritual and physical trials, but that these would not redound to their harm, rather to their salvation. For what is hiding in their hearts will be revealed; people do not generally believe from God’s word that they are so evil. But should external and internal suffering be added, then indeed there arise lack of faith or weak faith, impatience, love of the world and its aids, for which the Lord gladly wants to forgive us and heal our wounds, if only we ask for it in the recognition of our misery.¹⁹ Then the Lord makes plain His glory.

Monday, the 18th of January. During the absence of my dear colleague I held school with the children in the church for the first time. The mild weather was quite suitable for it. I began singing the very impressive hymn Ich bin ja Herr in Deiner Macht, etc., with them, because I desired it to be known in the congregation because of its weighty content and moving melody. After the prayer I reminded the children of the many good things our miraculous and benevolent God was doing for them here and from other places. I told them He would do more if they were grateful from their hearts and would yield up their hearts sincerely to the Lord Jesus. Ingratitude, however, would move God to take back His benefactions and actually to punish, a clear example of which they could see in the people of Bethlehem. Because they did not respect the best gift of all, Jesus, Who was born in Bethlehem, He was taken from them, and the parents had to live the sorrow of their hearts in their children, slaughtered at the command of Herod. At this point I read them the short and sincerely humble letter from the dear little son of a pious mother to our congregation, enclosing a gift of two florins for the poor. It is printed in the foreword to the 6th Continuation.²⁰

I have long wished to praise God in the orphanage, with both adults and children, for the recently arrived spiritual and physical gifts of money and all sorts of things pertaining to clothing; and today I found the best time for it. We sang the hymn Lobe den Herrn, o meine Seele, etc., which even the smallest children know by heart. I then reminded them of what had taken place amongst us at the recent Feast of the Epiphany. From the gospel of Matthew 2:1 ff., we had learned that the heavenly Father had aroused the wise men in a foreign distant land to bring to His Son and His Son’s poor parents a present, which they needed quite sorely on their pilgrimage to Egypt. I said it was, therefore, a great honor to our congregation and orphanage for our gracious God in this circumstance to wish to liken us to His dear Son and to the pious Joseph and dear Mary and to arouse wise and pious people in Germany who have been right eager to send us many physical and spiritual gifts, which were distributed according to God’s gracious dispensation without forethought or purpose for our part on the notable day already mentioned. Finally we knelt down before the Lord’s countenance, praised God for every good thing rendered to the orphanage and to our congregation, and implored him in Christ’s name to reward richly, in this life and in the next, everything we have experienced.

Tuesday, the 19th of January. So far, this winter has been quite bearable and not nearly so cold as in previous years; hence, there are all sorts of green things growing in the garden. Yesterday all the men in the entire congregation began building a 300 foot long bridge, tall and durable, across a broad and deep little river and over the swampy tract around it. With it we will be able to go continually back and forth from the town and plantations. Today I visited it and found, to my pleasure, just what Mr. Vigera had told me yesterday, to wit, that the people were working with great success and in fine harmony, each working crew at its own directed place. The bridge from the town to the plantations is being built so broadly, stoutly, and competently that we can walk or go by horseback or conveyance on it throughout the entire year. Till now, at high water, we have had to ride the long path around to the plantations on horseback for a good hour. But in this way we will be able to go on this short road in a half hour to the plantations furthest down the Savannah River. This will not only turn out very convenient for the people’s going to church and doing other business in town but will also make us more useful to the people in carrying out our duties.

The largest pilings are driven in, then so-called cross-beams eight feet long are laid athwart them. On these cross-beams or joists rest the wide and long boards which are placed together as closely as boards in a floor of a room. Balustrades are being placed on both sides so that neither horse nor man can wander over the sides and fall off. The water in the stream and the adjacent bog is almost at its highest now; and, even if it should go a few feet higher, it will not rise over the bridge since we thought of this at the beginning because of our previous experience.

Although it rained very heavily last night, the entire region from the town to the bridge and across the bridge to the plantations where our broad path is being cut is so dry that we cannot tell that it has rained. The broad path to the town goes through Landfelder’s plantation. He has had to give up some good land, and he complained about it to me yesterday. But I directed him to some men who would talk with him knowledgeably about the matter, by whom he was also mollified. For that I am willing to show him some favor. Likewise I wish to reward Rottenberger for so willingly giving up from his plantation all the wood we need for this important construction. Now the piles are being driven in by communal labor. As soon as the water is down and the swamps or boggy spots on the one side of the bridge are dried out, they will fasten the pilings to other timbers appropriate to stout bridges. At that point I will have to apply some of the money God grants the congregation or orphanage from time to time.

With the others I thank God for causing this long-desired bridge to progress so far and causing us to find such a suitable place for it that no other could be wished for. I think the present time is just the right time for this important construction: not only can the men best get away from their regular business but they have also been strengthened considerably by the 4th transport so that everything is proceeding all the more cheerfully and rapidly. These last people are quite industrious and untiring and steady at this labor, and thus they cause me and others much pleasure.

Thursday, the 21st of January. Pletter announced that his eldest little girl Elisabeth had died last night of epilepsy.²¹ He and his wife consoled themselves considerably in that in this child was so completely fulfilled what is present in the hymn: Wie wohl ist mir, o Freund der Seelen, wenn ich in deiner Liebe ruhe, etc. For this reason this hymn was very profitable to me and others at the burial. This makes the third little child to have died and been buried this year.²² May God teach us all to consider that we must die, so that we may become prudent.

Friday, the 22nd of January. A captain and judge from Purysburg /Linder/ had received some of our medicine from Halle at his request. Now in reply he wrote me: “I will remain beholden to you forever, for the medicines we received. I can say with truth that God’s blessing is in everything they have sent me. Everything has taken effect immediately. I thank Your Reverence heartily for all such kindnesses,” etc.²³

Besides the blessed medicines from Halle by which, from the very beginning, the Lord has rendered us much good in our homes and in the congregation, we have had, since the arrival of the 4th transport, the infallible Berlin fever powder, which was sent to us in some quantity from Stuttgart. A man and a woman with quartan fever have already used it with good effect. It seems likely that the fever is thoroughly cured [as the description and directions for use of this powder say], and therefore not merely checked. Our people use such medicines that are sent to us thus all the more confidently, since they know that they reach us from the hands of our Fathers and patrons, who would not send them to us if they did not have sufficient proof of their goodness and caution.

Saturday, the 23rd of January. Today our surveyor was observing the labor going on at the bridge and judged that a similar durable construction could not be finished in Charleston for less than 1000 £. of Carolina money, i.e., 142 £. 17 Sh. Sterl., and it will cost our treasury not more than 9 £. Sterl. Praise God for this right great benefaction! The said surveyor also sees that by and by our congregation will increase with inhabitants from new transports, and he therefore suggests we extend the terrain contiguous to the city as far as possible without harming other colonists in the country. In that way strange and possibly harmful people will not settle in our vicinity and take away the pasture land and other advantages. Once our town is occupied, then small villages and colonies can be set up in our district from the town, all dependent upon our town, as it is in and around Savannah. The suggestion pleases me and others highly, and I am thinking of proposing it very soon to the authorities.

Sunday, the 24th of January. Yesterday towards evening N.N. came to me and acknowledged his trespass and insolent conduct towards me and asked heartily and movingly for pardon. I would not have expected it from him, since his arrogant and self-righteous attitude is well known to me; hence I was all the happier when he came to me in these circumstances. He knows better now than previously that I have his interests in mind, and in physical matters too he has many proofs of my good intentions for him, which God has laid on his head like fiery coals and thus conquered his evil with good. Since our harvest and thanksgiving season God has begun to guide his mind, and from that time on he has begun to abandon his hate towards me and to come back to my sermons and prayer meetings. Since then God has very often placed materials concerning the intended texts in my heart and mouth in such a way that I believed at the time that his conscience would be touched by it, his inner character would be clearly portrayed, and he would be convinced that external things will not help him be saved unless inwardness, i.e., the new creature, were there. For he always sits directly before me, and therefore the miserable and perilous state of his soul has often given me the opportunity to prepare the application accordingly, without others’ being able to think that he alone is meant.

I knelt down with him, and prayed to God about him. Giving him my hand, I assured him I heartily forgave him everything he had done which caused me sorrow. I admonished him to ask God in the name of Christ for pardon and to talk with me in the future according to his circumstances. He wishes to withdraw into complete tranquility. He thanks God for bringing him here and considers it a benefaction whenever I come to him and tell him his errors. His wife tearfully acknowledged her rudeness already some weeks ago and told me at the time that her husband was beginning to change, which I now hope will continue with divine mercy.

Monday, the 25th of January. Today some people of the 4th transport were at my house talking with me about the condition of their souls. By their righteous acknowledgement and new good resolutions they gave me very good hope that they will surrender themselves sincerely to the Lord Jesus.

Tuesday, the 26th of January. Carl Flerl was married today to the widow Gruber. We hope that through this marriage God will bestow on the man not only an easing of his difficult household tasks but also much progress in his Christianity, for he is getting in her a true helpmeet. The tailor Christ has also long desired a change in his condition and has become engaged to the daughter of a tailor /Metzger/ from Purysburg. She has stayed at our place for quite some time in a quiet and Christian manner as a widow. This widow was weary of life in Purysburg and at her parents’ house; and because of that and in order to keep her three children in school here she asked permission to live amongst us, and now for that reason she will even marry here. The eldest little girl, very cheerful and clever, is frail and goes on her knees.²⁴ Both the tailor Christ and the mother have appealed to me to take her into the orphanage, which will also be done.

Wednesday, the 27th of January. This has been, to be sure, a very tiring but also very pleasing day: God caused me to learn from the humble and heartfelt acknowledgement of a few new and old members that His word is resounding in their souls and that they are drawing near the Kingdom of God. He will carry out the good work He has begun so that they will become true participants in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who are awakened but who have not made atonement for their dead works allow themselves to be shown how to postpone the use of Holy Communion rather than go to it to their harm, as happened aforetimes.

Our dear Mr. N. may well have worries and concern for some colonists of the 4th transport, about whom he has only recently heard. However, perhaps he and others whom the Lord has used as instruments in this will receive much refreshment in return when they learn what a blessed change God is creating in such previously unconverted persons. Those are the real Magnalia Dei²⁵ which God is performing in our days and to which we rightfully should pay more attention than to other adventures and external events in the world in times of war and peace. He is a lover of life and suffers even the most wicked with great patience so that He takes pity on them. Psalms 11:27. I am happy that the new people like being in Ebenezer so much, although there are many amongst them who would have it easier in other places in worldly matters.

Thursday, the 28th of January. A woman has brought a very bad name to us on account of her wicked behavior in another place. When she tearfully and vehemently accused herself at my house today and acknowledged herself to be the worst sinner who, in her sins, had lost practically all hope of salvation, I thought that by such acknowledgement she was referring to her vexatious behavior and base trespasses. But when I inquired, she attested by everything holy that she did not know herself to be guilty of such sins as people had attributed to her either in the place where she had stayed or on her journey; and with that she recounted to me all the things she had done in that connection, and whence the suspicion originated. I penetrated very deeply into her with God’s word; and, since she talked with me very honestly and intimately, and was very fearful of death and the seat of judgment of Christ, where all secret unforgiven sins will be punished, I abandoned my suspicions and will set straight others who have everything only on hearsay.

However, she still seeks no justification because she knows nothing of the base things imputed to her; rather, God disclosed to her the horror of the other sins lying in her heart. Assuming she is sincere, I hope she will soon come to a belief in Christ. Necessity brings her to her knees, and now she is learning better to understand God’s word. Among other things she said, “I applied the verse ‘In the multitude of my thoughts,’ etc., to myself whenever the people said all kinds of things about me and I came into great trouble and woe. But now I feel another affliction, it comes from the awareness of sin,” etc.

Friday, the 29th of January. The Klocker woman brought me a letter from her husband to be forwarded to Germany. She and her family cannot find words enough to extol the benefactions the Lord is showing them in Ebenezer. She would like to have a letter written to Senior Riesch, who was previously favorably disposed to her and her husband, thanking him for the fatherly love and faith he showed them. And she wanted simply to wish him blessings from God in recompense, and to inform him that everything was coming true that he had foretold them about Ebenezer. Since no time remains for writing him anything, we will do it in a few words here: “God bless him and Master Felss and other friends of Ebenezer many thousandfold for all their affection and intercessions.” She also told how much it had cost to get her oldest daughter away from the people in the Empire, and now she glorifies God who has ordained it so well. For He blesses the solitude and His word in her right noticeably so that she is becoming a virgin and bride of Christ. She said so many good things in great simplicity and honesty that we hestitate to report them.

Peter Reiter has given his plantation over to Klocker, since he himself will be unable to work for at least a year because of his severe accident. The two of them made a very Christian contract, and after some time Klocker is getting half of the entire plantation, which is very fruitful, well situated, and nicely laid out. The children are going to Steiner’s school.

A girl refreshed me today by means of the little verse: “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.” There are now right many remarkable and edifying things to enter into the diary. The Lord has certainly begun His work splendidly among the 4th transport, and what He already began in Germany through the labor of His servants is proceeding with blessing. Hallelujah!

Saturday, the 30th of January. Our bridge is now completely built, and it causes great joy in the entire congregation because it is a major benefaction which the Lord has shown to our Ebenezer. It cost only 5 £. and 13 Sh. Sterl. besides what the side rails will cost, which eight men hope to finish in six days. These rails are indispensably necessary; for the bridge is 300 feet long and only wide enough for one large wagon to cross it or for one horse to turn around, and without such rails someone at night, especially children, or even in daytime horse, rider, and wagon could come to grief. Yesterday for the last time I took the long way to the plantations; and my horse, as always till now, had to swim through the water, while I had to go over a tree lying partly in the water. After I was through I thanked God for helping us conquer all difficulties and dangers till now and for granting us this great benefaction of the new bridge, upon which we have not much more than a half-hour on foot to the next plantation on the Savannah River and mill river. Even the people living at the utmost ends of the plantations are now a lot nearer the town than before, even if, because of the high water, they were obliged to take the middle way and not the long way. We have had to get along with difficulty long enough, and we now justly glorify the Lord who put it in the heads of the men in the congregation to devote one week of communal work to this needed construction. Our cash box will bear the remaining cost, which, we hope, will be refunded by the authorities.

N.N. has now finished his six months’ service at N. and cannot find words to describe the mortal danger he was in, and how graciously the Lord looked upon his wretchedness, and his and others’ prayers for the sake of Christ, and how He finally indeed rescued him and brought him here again. Now Ebenezer is right dear to him, after experiencing many things in N. and N., whence he had to travel with his master. If the people believe his stories (there is not the slightest reason to doubt them), it is to be hoped that they will be given new cause to glorify God for the very special kindness He shows us here and to be well content with all that He lays upon us. Among other things he [N.] told Mr. Vigera that if he could earn 100 £. Sterl. every day in N. and only 1 pence in Ebenezer, he would rather be in Ebenezer than there, etc.

Sunday, the 31st of January. Today after the sermon I sought to rouse the entire congregation to the praise of God, while we sang: Lobet den Herrn, den mächtiqen König der Ehren, etc. Today eighty-two of us were at the Lord’s table. I believe with certainty that God has brought about much salvation through His word, which had been preached previously, and through this treasured sacrament of the body and blood of Christ Himself. Hallelujah!

FEBRUARY

Monday, the 1st of February 1742. Just as the Lord blessed the first month of this year according to His great mercy, He has already begun this day to bless the second month too. To the person who is the greatest sinner in his own eyes He displays the greatest mercy, hence He holds Himself bound to love that one most, for the one who is forgiven much also loves much. May the Lord cause us to savor the power of the Gospel ever more intensely! The Lord be praised for all He has done for us till now, we are surely not worthy of it! We are experiencing thoroughly what Jesus says in Chapter 5, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” With this may the Holy Spirit help each of us in faith to draw this conclusion: if the prayer of a righteous person can achieve so much, what may not the prayer of the great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God, achieve, upon whose intercession and merit every prayer is based and hence is heard? Yea, verily, it is so! The faithful experience it well, and therefore say: “If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

In the evening a man from the congregation was at my house. At my question he recounted how the Lord, our loving Jesus, had accepted his soul the previous day and had not let him spend the day without blessing. To be sure, it had seemed to him, he said, as if he would not have any blessing, but in the evening it had come. The song Du bist ja Jesu meine Freude, warum ist denn mein Herz betrübt came to his mind and refreshed him, so that he hoped it would be sung during the prayer hour. When this happened, it impressed him all the more so that he gained more trust and love in his Savior. It had been like that also at Christmastime, he said. He had taken no comfort from my sermon, but finally, when he prayed, he thought: “If I should see no comfort, I will refresh myself that I belong to Jesus.”

Tuesday, the 2nd of February. Today on the plantations I read aloud the very fine letter of the pious Salzburger from Ulm [Ruprecht Winter]. Our dear God again granted me great edification from it. I heard the same from a Salzburger after the prayer hour, and I believe others were edified by it also. For what comes from the heart goes to the heart. We can see how much the man is full of grace, and hence everything causes a deep impression. We see there how grace opens the heart and the mouth of a man. As long as a man is without grace, his mouth is closed; but if grace comes into his heart, then the mouth is opened.

When I had come home again, I married the tailor Christ with the widow from Purysburg. First I sang: Jesu, deine heilige Wunden, etc., and with the help of the Holy Spirit I placed in their hearts: “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in our body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:20. May the Lord bless it!

Wednesday, the 3rd of February. For Ernst’s medical treatment I was paid 9 £. Sterl. in Savannah on orders of General Oglethorpe. I was also promised that no one would establish a stock farm or plantation in our area, but that we could look on all land toward Abercorn and Old Ebenezer and back to Ogeechee as our own and as appertaining to our city. This assurance of the entire Council is as good to me as if the surveyor had already parceled out the land for us; and I am happy that it cannot be surveyed now because the people do not have time to assist the surveyor in his work. They are allowing us the 500 acres in the vicinity of the old sawmill with the stipulation that the proprietor or his heirs not return;¹ meanwhile the Lord Trustees will make a decision. Other than they, we are the first in line, and they should not be awarded to anyone else. I requested a grant of 10 £ Sterling for our bridge, but they can do nothing until orders come from the Lord Trustees. A few years ago they began to build a bridge near Savannah which is said to have cost over 500 £. Sterling, and the road is now worse than it was before. I had a conversation with the preacher in Savannah in order to prevent a disorder which threatens to spread amongst the Germans.

Thursday, the 4th of February. This year we desired to begin planting wine grapes. But good vines are so rare in this country that neither in Savannah nor in Purysburg can we get cuttings without roots, unless a good friend gives us some. In the Lord Trustees’ large garden the grape vines are so skimpy and poor that they themselves can hardly believe it when it is written out for them, the more so when they know what the costs have been.

To be sure, a Jew who has moved to New York has a good supply of vines in two places, to wit, on his plantation and in the city; but no one has the authority to dispose of them, and it is guessed that he will return in awhile.² In the meantime everything is being minded by a servant of the Lord Trustees at his expense. Since we can get no grape vines or even cuttings from the public garden now, some English acquaintances in Savannah have presented me with a few such cuttings as grew last summer, and we desire to have them planted here. Some time ago General Oglethorpe gave orders to his vintner on his barony at Palachocolas to deliver fifty such cuttings or cut branches to me, each a little more than a foot long, which will be cut next week. I have also brought a small olive tree along with a few cut branches from the Lord Trustees’ garden, and we will attempt to grow them here. Almost all tree twigs take root and proceed to grow if they are placed in the earth at the right time in spring.

Of the thirty persons fetched to Charlestown to be taken to Saxe-Gotha, no more than two are said to be left, the others all having died either on the way or in Charlestown, although they had good physical care.³

Friday, the 5th of February. The wheat sown at our place last autumn is standing so beautifully that we cannot look upon it here and there in the gardens without pleasure and praise of God. The people are highly encouraged to plant more European crops by and by, since the labor is not very great but the profit is greater than they could hope for with the local crops. I have been approached about taking the trouble to get spelt seeds [a very well-known and useful crop in a few corners of Germany]. We do not hear of anything similar in New York or Pennsylvania. Hence we will probably have to await these seeds from Germany, which we wish kindly to request herewith. Because we have a mill, we would be able to prepare the seeds quite easily for consumption by ourselves and others. For the past few years we have been going to some lengths to get hemp seeds, so far without success. Doubtless it would grow on the rich and moist lowland near the mill stream.

The surgeon, Mr. Mayer, still has no proper dwelling. As we had to do for a few years at the beginning, he manages with a well-secured hut, which is quite cold in winter, however, because one cannot place an oven in it. The people wish to have him in their vicinity on the plantations. For that reason Steiner is giving him a portion of his plantation, and very soon a stout and durable little house will be built in the section where the church is to be built. This plot lies practically in the center of the plantations and will be very convenient for him in all sorts of ways. The people have great love for and trust in him and will happily contribute according to their means whatever can serve his pleasure. If he takes his office seriously, as he has done so far, and is useful to the congregation and satisfied with little, I do not doubt that God by and by will cause something to devolve upon him for his subsistence.

Sunday, the 7th of February. Steiner is showing great industry and loyalty in the school on the plantations. He asked me, however, if he should continue it at the time when the field work is starting. He guessed that the parents would have to give some school money, for he is getting very little for his labors; since he would have to neglect part of his field work he would provide much too little for the maintenance of his family. However, in faith and trust in divine providence, I gave him the certain hope that we would pay him quarterly for his labors from the blessing which God in His time will grant. Perhaps God will show the worthy Court Chaplain Ziegenhagen a good opportunity to commend this loyal schoolmaster and his loyal work in the school on the plantations to the Lord Trustees or the most praiseworthy Society. 8 £. Sterling would fully support him.

We also lack a clear-sounding bell on the plantations for giving the signal to church and school, for which reason the children and adults sometimes come too early or too late. They cannot hear the horn at a distance; and, even if we wished to give the sound from a small cannon, as happened for awhile, a half pound of powder is required each time. Reckoned at 9 pence each, it comes to a very high sum. It is an easy thing for our dear God to grant a good bell to the plantations for this important purpose, as He has done in the town already.⁴ We deem it justly as a benefaction.

Monday, the 8th of February. Yesterday we dealt with the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany concerning the hidden powers and works of Satan and read the introductory words of Luke 22:46 (cf. 31). Today God let me learn that He had blessed this utterance in a married couple so that they are recognizing more and more what Satan has in mind, and how they should properly meet his sly attacks in a manner consistent with the gospels. The more earnestly a person carries on his Christianity the more earnestly Satan strives to counteract it with his hidden powers and works. Mouth-Christians and seeming Christians know nothing of this, but true Christians are often laid low by it and believe they have fallen from God’s grace if they must feel internally and externally the power of evil as a vile weed.

We also admonished the audience about being sold tares in place of wheat by the Enemy.⁵ Quite many such deceived people will be found in eternity. How few learn to distinguish between nature and grace and hold many things for virtues which are only deceitful sins. Their lack of faith or dead faith, which consists only of empty knowledge, human approbation, and worldly, self-made trust is called true salutary faith, their accommodation to the world compromise, their silence in the face of everything evil intelligence, a few physical good works Christian love, and their worldly anger a good zeal, etc. God protect us and our parishioners from this and other kinds of self-deception!

The wind now pierces into the rooms so much that almost no heating helps. It seems to me that it has never been so cold by day or night as it is beginning to be at the start of this month of February. The best thing about it is that the fierce cold in this country lasts barely a few days and then changes into pleasant spring weather again.

Tuesday, the 9th of February. The tailor Metzger, whose daughter married the tailor Christ last week, asked me to take his 14-year-old son into the orphanage. He will give clothes to him, but he will have to earn his board by working in the orphanage. He is now accepted and is going to school; and if he learns to read well, he will go to preparation for Holy Communion. During the remaining time he can take off from school he assists the orphanage manager. Metzger’s abovementioned daughter has brought three unreared children by her previous husband to the tailor Christ. The oldest girl is 7, and frail, but otherwise very sprightly and capable; and, at her request and also to lighten her housework, she has been taken into the orphanage. Since we have so many proofs of divine providence at the orphanage, we do not refuse to come to the aid of poverty. We believe confidently that God will be able to multiply the little that is left in the cash box for the support of widows and orphans, just like the oil in the cruse and the meal in the barrel, so that we may see His splendor and glorify His name, 1 Kings 17:14, 2 Kings 4:1–7.

Wednesday, the 10th of February. A woman who had stolen a goose egg from her next-door neighbor more than a year ago and now bears a great deal on her conscience wishes everyone to believe that this sin, as a trespass of the divine commandment, is the most terrible matter, even if, through blindness caused by Satan and deception caused by her own heart, it had seemed to be a minor one. She brought four eggs in return, and would happily have acknowledged her duplicity towards the person whom it concerned and would have shamed herself before everyone if I had not dissuaded her for very good cause. This person is an enemy of the pious and also of this sorrow-bearing woman, and this confession would cause more evil than good; hence I took this matter into my own hands and will touch that other person’s conscience at this opportunity.

This woman is also burdened by something else: she finds herself full of sin and the abominations of youth and would happily cry out to God day and night in her spiritual torment. But, she says, she has a sick child and has to take care of it till the middle of the night to get it to sleep; and thus it happens that she is hindered in her prayers. Since she herself is frail, she says, she falls asleep with the child, and afterwards this causes her anguish, especially since she read in the 119th Psalm that David arose in the night and praised God. I told her by way of instruction that we have no specific commandment in Holy Scripture to pray to God on our knees in the morning or in the evening lest we suffer harm in our salvation.

The love she was showing her child in faith and obedience was, I said, an actual service to God, and the Lord heard her desire also to praise and worship on her knees the dear Father in the name of Jesus Christ. I told her that her heart could be certain that His ear was aware of it. I directed her to the prayer of Christ at the right hand of the Father and to the communion of saints and at the same time admonished her not to worry herself and agonize onesidedly about this or that thing, even if it were a sinful weakness, but to come through Christ to the reconciled Father and to pray and seek from Him in spiritual hunger and thirst those things she needed. She must rest not in her customary practices but only in the wounds and merits of Christ.

I visited a man from the fourth transport named Cugel⁶ on his new plantation and found him and his wife very industrious at their work. He has received very good land upon which he has already built a hut and some out-buildings and has made a fine spot suitable for planting. They are both very content, and wish to report to their benefactors and friends as soon as they can about what God has done for them.

Thursday, the 11th of February. Yesterday the Landfelder woman brought a little daughter into the world, who was baptized today. The woman was very weak soon after the birth and desired my encouragement and prayer, which she was also provided. May God not begrudge her an even longer time of grace in which to put her house in proper order and to become certain of the grace of God in Christ so that she may die a blessed death. From her bed she offered me her hand several times, and it seemed as if many things were stirring in her conscience.

Michael Rieser, her one-time neighbor, moved at the end of last week to his plantation below the mill. I visited him yesterday, and I feel that his attitude towards us is better formed now than formerly. I am still hoping he will convert righteously to the Lord.⁷

A young man with business at my house told me that a piece of wood fell and struck Ott while he was at work building, leaving him all confused and with blood running out of his ears. Yesterday I had been at his plantation but had no opportunity to speak with him alone as I had intended, because he was helping his neighbor Bischoff [Henry Bishop] build a kitchen.

The above-mentioned man told me that with Ott’s accident the verse came to mind: “God is a righteous judge, and a God who daily threatens; if one will not convert, then he . . .,” etc. He said he had spoken with him some time ago on the way home from church and asked him how he felt about his fall from grace, a question he answered with tears but no further words. The other man showed him in holy scripture that if he would righteously convert, he would not be harmed for having been godless. But first he must disconnect himself from bad and frivolous company and seek the company of pious people, which he also wanted. But we have well seen that he has not been really serious about converting; and therefore God is earnestly following him. In church discipline we have proceeded with him in such a way that he has had no cause to complain about harshness and severity. Everything was so arranged that he and the others have had to recognize that we are seeking only the true salvation of his soul and that, in hope that we can set him right, we are using only as much gravity and severity as has been necessary to avert annoyance.

Friday, the 12th of February. In a year’s time we hope to have enough grape vines to help many people establish vineyards. Our boat was supposed to bring me some more domestic vines from Savannah, but they remained behind through the fault of a man who was supposed to have them ready. The orphanage has had a large piece of field near the kitchen garden protected by a very stout fence, within which the manager will apply himself to all kinds of German crops. We will also see whether we can set up a vineyard here. We are only lacking people who can assist Kalcher. To build something with day laborers is too costly, and could not be supported for long.

The surveyor /Avery/ has now concluded his work with the 4th transport and otherwise in the congregation; and after he receives his certificate from me today, he is looking for an opportunity to go to Purysburg. Amongst us he has been a quite orderly person and has done us good service, and for this reason I will mention him in a most complimentary manner in my letter to the authorities and General Oglethorpe. He has shown me a sketch consisting of all the estates on the Savannah River in Georgia and Carolina, similarly on other rivers in Carolina and around Frederica. I should like to have it, as it may be of service to our friends and benefactors in Europe. But, because he is justifiably asking a good reward for his trouble and we cannot give him anything like it, I will ask General Oglethorpe to help us in the matter. He knows the man’s work and knows that it is accurate and dependable.⁸

Saturday, the 13th of February. Ruprecht Zittrauer has been dangerously ill; but God has helped him up again, and he recognizes this to be a great act of grace of the Lord and to belong to the realm of His kindness, patience, and forebearance. For he said that, if he had died this time, he would have gone badly, because he had been contemptuous of the grace God had offered so far. His intentions now are very good, and we will see whether he will follow the admonitions given him privately and publicly.

An unmarried woman was at my house because of her soul’s circumstances. She lamented bitterly about the sins of her youth, and her only wish was that she might soon be able to say: “I obtained mercy,” since she must now say that she is the greatest amongst sinners. She complained that unprofitable gossip had done her much harm and had displaced the good she had heard, hence she longed for tranquility. She also asked me to allow her on Sundays, when she came in from the plantation for services, to remain in my house quietly and to join others in prayer.

Sunday, the 14th of February. Today the parishioners were instructed how they are serving through Christ even in the most lowly appearing occupation. I said for every labor scorned by the world, if done from the heart to God’s glory and for the love of their neighbor, they would receive from the Lord’s hand a reward in grace; today’s gospel on the laborers in the vineyard gave us a fine opportunity to speak of it. We had as an exordium Colossians 3:23, 24 and discussed the gospel of the Christians as servants of Christ, and looked upon 1) their service, and 2) their reward of grace.

Monday, the 15th of February. A boy from Old Ebenezer told me how great damage occurred around noontime when the people were at their meal, when a great part of the fence within which the Lord Trustees’ cattle are being kept rapidly burned down. Now is the time when the dry grass is ignited along with other easily flammable items, and at that point harm may easily occur if care is not taken. A few days ago a large portion offence here too caught on fire unexpectedly, near the gardens not too far from the town, and very little was left to put out. There was no water nearby, and we put the fire out only with earth or by tearing out the fence adjacent to it, so that the fire could reach no further. The orphanage plans to have a long-lasting fence built around a large field which was cleared of trees and bushes at my own expense some years before so that this year we could plant some corn, beans, and other things for the support of the widows and orphans and also try one or another German crop. We can hardly sow the German crops thin enough to keep them from becoming too thick, especially where the soil is rich. A single kernel turns into a big bush with green stem and leaves.

A smith from Purysburg was reported to me, and came to me personally to present to me his physical poverty with the request that he be allowed to beg some corn from the congregation for himself and his wife and children. He has lost all his cattle and one horse to sickness, and the wolves got his pigs. Because of lack of rain he has gotten no crops in the field, and he will have to starve if no one will come to his aid. He recounted that much heavy rain had fallen on his neighbor’s land in the summer, but on his own plot the sun had burned everything up. He said the rain which had brought crops to others had stopped right at his fence. He recognized that his knowledge of Scripture and other worldly comforts would not have helped him to salvation in the presence of an unconverted heart. His manner of speaking and his confession please me a good deal, and I believe they come from his heart. He attended the evening prayer hour Saturday and the divine services Sunday, and I see well that he longs for Ebenezer, although in previous times it was disparaged by other people to him and his wife. They had prided themselves very much on imagined merits consisting only of worldly freedom and insolence. He described the bulk of the people in N. in such a way that I was horrified. I supplied this impoverished man with three bushels of corn which, along with the perceived Word of God, made a good impression on him.

Tuesday, the 16th of February. Just as we were refreshed in so many ways last month, our miraculous God who makes everything good is leading us this month into many tribulations. One important test is the seemingly dangerous illness of my dear colleague. He has been lying for some days in a great fever and is at times delirious, and various aspects of this illness appear to me right alarming, although Mr. Thilo still has good hope at this time for his recovery because the dear patient is following his prescribed diet and taking his medicines. May the dear Lord hear our prayer for him and send him back to us sound. After it has been withstood, this illness will, through God’s grace, turn to much good for him and me and especially serve to bind our hearts closer in love so that mutually we may seek to carry on the work of the Lord more and more fervently. We only recognize what a true colleague God has sent us when He seems to be taking him away from us. Here also we say: “Commit thy way unto the Lord; . . . and He shall bring it to pass.” Oh, yes, may He do in this matter according to His wisdom, mercy, and omnipotence what will enable us to glorify Him!

The schoolmaster too has been unable to hold school for two weeks because of great loss of strength. I have offered to have Kocher take his place for that period, and to compensate him somewhat for it. But because the schoolmaster would not look upon it kindly, I have let it go in order not to bring him vexation and unnecessary worry in his weak condition. This evening he sent word to me that he wishes to begin school again tomorrow in his house.

Christian Riedelsperger and Schmidt, two very honest men, have also become violently ill, and we do not see how things will turn out with their illness. Here too we say: “May the Lord’s will be done.”

Scheraus, a fine man from the 4th transport, cut a dangerous wound in his foot. The surgeon, Mr. Mayer, went to Savannah yesterday; and, because Mr. Thilo had traveled along with me this morning to Schmidt’s plantation and came home only around one o’clock, the man had to lie unbandaged for that period of time. A few days ago I visited this Scheraus and his neighbor Scheffler on their plantations on the Ebenezer River. The two were occupied cutting down trees in great cheerfulness and pleasure. They asked me where I was now, and as the question appeared strange to me, they said: “In the Valley of Joy,” for they both had, they said, great joy in this country and labored with joy. I let them keep the name, but thought to myself it might better be called “Valley of Misery,” into which things have all too soon changed, as it goes in this wretched, miserable world. May God hold further His hand over us and let us experience His kindness forever, and for Christ’s sake not deal with us according to our sins, and not recompense us according to our misdeeds!

Wednesday, the 17th of February. Yesterday evening I received from General Oglethorpe a very friendly letter in which he very kindly invited Mr. Vigera, whom I had mentioned in my last letter, to Frederica in order to become acquainted with him. He also sent me a bill of exchange for 40 £. Sterling to buy horses for several men. These men are to reconnoiter our district and expel undesirable rabble, or else in case of need to carry out some tasks useful to our country, for which they will receive a small monthly payment. General Oglethorpe also reported that a certain captain and Indian trader above Palachocolas had promised him to put one of his children by an Indian woman in our school; and, because this child has a very good grasp of the Uchee Indian language, it may be the general’s purpose for someone to learn something of this language from the child, so that by and by other Indian children may be enticed into the school. It chanced that just today this captain came to my house at noon. I asked him about the matter and found out that his sending his child here was not in the offing, and in the end probably nothing would come of it. The man stands very high in General Oglethorpe’s estimation because he is looked up to by the Indians and can bring profit or harm through them.⁹

Thursday, the 18th of February. Yesterday evening Mr. Vigera came back again from Savannah with his traveling companions. Because the oarsmen were weak, the boat could come no further than the mill; and it will be fetched thence today. He now sees from his own experience how hard it is for us and how expensive it is when we must travel back and forth so often because of the needs of the congregation. How good it would be if the Lord Trustees would put out a sum of money and employ conscientious people to complete a main road from Savannah to Old Ebenezer so that people could travel back and forth rapidly and at little cost and difficulty. Perhaps when I report to General Oglethorpe the quality and uncommon usefulness of our bridge, something of the necessity and usefulness of other bridges to be built will be described and suggested. In Carolina all planters are bound to report six days each year to repair roads, and white people and Negroes must labor under certain assigned officers. But it is done, especially in the Purysburg region, so very badly and factiously that little is accomplished.

I visited families on the plantations and had occasion to talk about various things for the edification of the adults and children, and after that there was also some prayer. We see the people working earnestly on their plantations, and more would be done if only the water were not always so high and did not inundate the land, which is called the Savannah Swamps.¹⁰

Friday, the 19th of February. Before the edification hour on the plantations I called on the frail Peter Reiter. This time my visit was especially well suited for him since he had been longing for me for several days to share a word of comfort and instruction with him. It is going with him as it goes with others who are serious about their Christianity and salvation. His entire Christianity is displeasing to him, and much appears to him to be hypocrisy; and he believes that he will therefore progress no further and God will not accept him. Old sins are still always occurring to him, which disheartens him. Also, someone told him that he was talking and acting better than in previous times only to please people. But whoever has a spiritual countenance and pays heed to the whole tenorem vitae praesentis¹¹ and compares the present with the past will soon find that God has worked a true change of attitude in him and that he has been born again through the Holy Spirit. He detests inwardly and rues with pain the old paths of sin, and he struggles against all evil desires, crucifies the flesh with its occupations, and seeks refuge in the blood and wounds of Christ. As he previously judged the Christianity and customs of others, now others judge him similarly; and he knows well they can do no differently because of the blindness of their hearts. I edified him and myself from the wonderful hymn: “Prange Welt mit deinem Wissen,” etc.

After the edification hour N.N. had me called to him, and I found him on his sickbed in a violent fever. He lamented very fearfully that he had spent his previous time of grace so badly and had offended us his ministers with his bad attitude and hypocrisy. He now wishes honestly to convert to Christ through the grace of God and to become a new man, if God will prolong his life. I held up to him his oft-made promise to convert and also his unfaithfulness; and I told him something of the little verse: “Behold, that is the lamb of God, which beareth the sins of the world,” etc. and prayed with him and his new wife.

At his request, Mr. Mayer brought him some medications, and in general, as surgeon and physician, he takes care right loyally and with good effect of the patients who request his assistance. The fact that this dear man came to us with the 4th transport belongs amongst the benefactions which the Lord has shown our congregation. He has provided himself with various selected medicines for all sorts of contingencies, and what he did not bring along, he proposes to prepare himself from the herbs and roots which the gracious Creator causes to grow here, which is something we have long desired, and have said so. He is skilled, and does not seek to hide his talent in a handkerchief, rather to apply it to the honor of God and to the service of his neighbor. We are taking pains to be of assistance in getting him a dwelling in which he will be able to work at his chemistry and other things useful to his purposes.

Saturday, the 20th of February. The Burgsteiners’ recently born and baptized little daughter died of epilepsy. The parents are glorifying the Lord who brought her out of unrest and misery to rest and complete bliss.

Sunday, the 21st of February. Since yesterday things have improved noticeably with my dear colleague. After the fever diminished (which till now was great), he felt quite spent; and for that reason he had to lie in bed today, too. I also noticed yesterday a few inklings of fever in myself, and this morning before the divine services I felt somewhat exhausted. Nonetheless, the Lord, who knows our circumstances intimately, knew how to strengthen me during the fore- and afternoon recitation of His word, so that I was amazed at His paternal care and had to glorify Him fairly for it.

The tailor Metzger from Purysburg sought to have me let his eldest son marry here and establish a domicile. He cited a few disorders in Purysburg and Carolina as the cause which moved him not to remain there but rather to seek to reside in Ebenezer. The otherwise celebrated Carolina freedoms are already becoming a burden to many unconverted people; and we can see without difficulty that they redound to the people’s harm in body and soul. I told the father that I wished his son to become a true Christian before considering marriage, for to be the wife’s guide and therefore a leader, caring for both his own and other souls at once, has more to it than artless people recognize and believe. He will send him to me so that I may talk with him.

Monday, the 22nd of February. Old Kieffer from Purysburg, who had come to us on Saturday, rode home again this morning. He took a long letter for me to the already often mentioned honest Englishman Mr. Bryan.¹² In it I inquire whether we can obtain good horses and cows from him or through his management. We do not like buying them in this colony or above Palachocolas because we have to be careful that horses and cattle do not run back to their old pastures as soon as they can, if we buy them in the vicinity. Many Englishmen who earn their livelihood in trade with the Indians buy horses from them for a trifle.

The Indians rustle them near Frederica or in Carolina, and if someone buys that kind of horses, either the Indians themselves or the owners fetch them back; and harm and inconvenience is generated on all sides. Moreover, we do not like involving ourselves in complaints and lawsuits before the authorities. One would not get far because most of them have no qualms about lying and deceiving, nor even about swearing oaths, for the sake of profit and selfish gain. Because at this time we can contribute nothing to winning over the Indians, we hold it as an example of God’s love that so few Indians come to us. We are also spared from other loose folk, and we live in such quiet and solitude that Ebenezer might be the only place in this colony. Praise God for all His kindnesses!

N.N. took his daughter to the plantation three weeks ago.¹³ Married to N., she had been ill here with homesickness. N.N. promised me today, however, to send her back to her husband in a few days. This marriage took place in a very perverted manner, with too much excessive urging from the parents and all kinds of sin on both sides. It is therefore no wonder that in their marriage till now there have occurred many perversions which have upset and saddened others, Jeremiah 12:13. The father recounted to me that his daughter had been so perilously ill that she was also fearful that she would die and perish in her sins. Several times I have given N. salutary advice from God’s word and lectured her in the presence and absence of her husband; but there is great inconstancy there, and the two are falling deeper and deeper into it.

I now have another couple in mind with whom I have many sorts of things to accomplish, who made their betrothal and marriage vows not with God, but rather from desires of the flesh and sinful emotional conditions, of which no one but the all-seeing eye of God knew anything. In the meantime God has levied many judgments, especially on the husband, who had the most grace and recognition of God, and now the two are wound up so deeply in it that I do not see how it will turn out, but I fear even greater judgments. These people never would have thought that their mischief could come to my attention, but I see now to my utter astonishment how holy, just, and wise a God God is, and that He does not let the prayer of His servants and children go unheard.

Till now the woman could not be persuaded of her godless demeanor, hypocrisy, and incompetence to take Holy Communion. Now it has come to the point that she cannot request this Holy Communion until there are enough tokens of true penance in her. In intercourse with ourselves and others she has done (though only to her harm) as is found in Joshua 5:20, 21; and, unfortunately, I must apply to her what we read, yesterday from Deuteronomy 9:24: “Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you.”

Häsler, from Salzburg,¹⁴ is gladdened greatly that our dear Lord inspired an unknown benefactor in Wurttemberg to send a few ells of cloth and lining and everything else necessary for complete clothing to a poor person in the congregation. This great benefaction came to him, who had long hoped that our dear God would grant him an overcoat at such time as He recognized to be best. He wished the worthy donor God’s blessing in compensation, and bade me express thanks lovingly and heartily in his name.

Tuesday, the 23rd of February. Ruprecht Zittrauer has got some relief from his sickness; and he assured me today many times by word and deed that he wished, by the grace of Jesus Christ, to convert to God and become an honest Christian. I directed him to God’s word and prayer, in which, I said, he would have to renew earnestly his good intention often, otherwise it would come to nothing sooner than he got up from his sick bed. I told him he should not put off his good intention until after he was healthy again, rather now, now that God was working powerfully on him to have his heart drawn to Jesus and to have him offer himself up to Him, body and soul. The Kraus woman was with him, earnestly and powerfully exhorting him in her simplicity. I also learned that Eischberger and Peter Reiter were assiduously consoling him, although the latter has to limp to him some distance on crutches. I recommended to him that after prayer he have the story of the passion read to him item by item, so that he might be able to recognize the loathsomeness of sin and the great love of the Lord towards the loathsome sinners and miscreants (and therefore towards him).

The shoemaker Ade is thinking of becoming a neighbor of this Zittrauer and, for this reason, of buying a third of the plantation. He believes he will get on better with his household if he has a piece of field already fenced in at home and can plant it with his wife’s help. Whatever difficult work he himself cannot do he will have done by those who would prefer to pay him for their shoes with labor rather than with money. Zittrauer has become quite poor, for which he can thank partly his and his wife’s disorderly household; and he will find an improvement in it if, by means of the divine word, he causes a good basis for penance to be placed within him. In this poverty it would be quite good for him to receive a little money for the third part of his plantation, which the shoemaker is ready to pay. This man Ade some time ago went through such a change that he is no longer the man he was, and God has also in fact accomplished the important effect of conversion in him. Because he keeps diligently to God’s word and therein prays earnestly, I am quite hopeful that he will come further and further in his Christianity and that, by means of Christian exhortation, recitation, and good example, he will be profitable to the above-mentioned Zittrauer, whose neighbor he will become.

Wednesday, the 24th of February. Today we married Johann Georg Held to the widow Künlin. Heretofore the man was a servant in the orphanage and allowed himself to be persuaded to go off to St. Augustine as a soldier. After he had learned humility, obedience, and contentment, and had come from there hardly half alive, he desired once more to be accepted into our place, for which I had no strong inclination. Nonetheless, some heads of families on the plantations took him on as a cowherd, after his many requests and good promises. Because he honestly improved himself, and displayed loyalty in his physically tiring occupation, he gained his freedom and simultaneously a good plantation on the mill creek, on which he has already done some labor with pleasure and joy.

Now it has chanced that he has received the Künlin woman, an honest and industrious worker, as helpmeet; and I do not doubt that, if the two of them carry on their occupation in the fear of God, all the good wishes showered on them at the nuptials and afterwards at the wedding feast will be powerful and fruitful ones. Mr. Vigera, who along with Mr. /Ludwig/ Mayer was invited to the wedding, rejoiced heartily at the simple, edifying manner in which we hold our weddings (they are arranged only according to God’s word and aim at mutual edification). Everything amongst us pleases him very much, and he glorifies the Lord for his good guidance. We are very glad the Lord has led him to us and has effected in the hearts of the parishioners an honest love for him and Mr. Mayer, which also serves and will serve to facilitate our external affairs. He sees everything that has happened and is happening amongst us with a Christian eye. He recognizes God’s work amongst us very well, to his joy, and will attest thereto in writing, to the praise of our kindly God and to the pleasure of our friends and benefactors. He was with me today in the company of Mr. Mayer, Kalcher, and Kogler in Old Ebenezer, to look for himself at the spot of our previous pilgrimage and sojourn. The great field which the Salzburgers had cleared of trees and bushes with great pains through communal labor and had preserved with a good fence, is being used to best advantage by the present Englishman and the German family /Schwarzwälder/. Nonetheless, the soil is so poor that they could grow no crops on it if they could not improve it with [the manure from] the Lord Trustees’ cattle.

Our current Ebenezer becomes dear to us anew whenever we come from Old Ebenezer, as it were from the darkness into the light, and we cannot marvel enough at what the Lord has done, since our removal from there to here, to the town and to the plantations. Our memorial and thanksgiving celebration is now drawing near, and it is utterly dear and salutary to me that our previous and current circumstances are coming once more fresh into our minds: the works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. Our children’s task was to learn the 103rd Psalm by heart, which will be recited at the above-mentioned ceremony in remembrance of the many spiritual and physical benefits God has rendered this year to young and old.

Thursday, the 25th of February. It seemed as if our miraculous, all-redressing God, after our joy of the previous month, has sent us this month a cup of woe, but it only seemed thus because He has placed much matter for His praise and for joy among us into our hearts and mouths. My dear colleague is improving daily, and so are Riedelsperger, Hans Schmidt, and Scheraus. A few men, after using some medications, have completely lost their quartan fever and are able to labor unhindered.

It appeared as if we would get no church on the plantations this spring because the chief carpenter, Kogler, had gotten himself involved in a different project. However, because with our increased parishioners we cannot hold divine services in Ruprecht Steiner’s house without disrupting our health and the edification of the parishioners, we brought the matter to the attention of the Lord. I spoke the day before yesterday with the congregation after our edification hour, and this morning with Kogler, about the necessity of building the church, which we are convinced must take place now and must take precedence over all other construction. Since Kogler persisted in his view, and I could depart from my own views still less than he, I feared harm would come of it. But just yesterday afternoon, God showed that He can turn ill to good, and can steer hearts. For Kogler, who is indispensably necessary to us for such an important construction project, put aside all the other work he had begun and made up his mind to be at the church site this morning with me and the laborers and to begin the work with prayer.

When I came this morning with Mr. Vigera to the area where the church is to be built, the laborers gathered gradually, and we strolled about the woods with them, seeking an area with the best building wood and at the same time a good path to carry the cut timber and lumber to the construction site without undue inconvenience and expense. Finally we returned to the church and walked in prayer before the countenance of the Lord, to praise Him in the name of Jesus Christ for all the spiritual and physical benefactions we have enjoyed till now. We fervently wished the benefactors every spiritual, physical, and eternal blessing and humbly begged for every kind of grace and wisdom in the matter of the intended important construction, and also a further flow of His physical blessings.

God strengthened me and the dear laborers noticeably during the prayer, and it appeared to me that their hearts were powerfully touched by the details we cited in the prayer of the Lord’s miraculous providence which we have experienced till now and that they were made joyful and mettlesome for the attack on this important and most highly profitable labor. Two pairs of woodcutters have already cut such a supply of boards that the floor and the pews could be finished from them. Some men got together to make roofing shingles from cypress logs. A couple of others are cutting down the trees and are burning out the twigs and bushes which could be harmful to the church.

God also provided for horses with which we will be able easily to carry the boards and lumber upon a very smooth path to the construction site. Around the church a fine-looking fence was erected, with the church in the middle, so that people might not be so easily bothered by dogs and cattle. The large space around the church up to the fence is intended for a cemetery or graveyard in which to bury the dead properly and in a Christian manner. The pickets, thin, six-foot long boards for this fence, are already finished, and in this necessary and important matter of construction every obstacle and delay, as many as is humanly possible, are avoided.

On the plantations we can obtain workers even sooner than in town; hence we can make better and more rapid arrangements for everything here and there. There are only two men from town on hand. The others live outside of it and are not far from home. We still have some money left from the church in the town, which is a fine beginning, through God’s blessing, for arranging the new construction, trusting in further divine help and support. Besides, we hope that, in His time, more blessings will flow upon us from the inexhaustible fountain of divine providence. A church on the plantations is indispensably necessary for us because women, children, and frail people, who nonetheless wish to be edified for eternal life from God’s word, and who have left their gloomy fatherland only for the sake of it, would find it practically impossible to come to church every Sunday in town. Every two weeks anyway those adults and children come who are in good health and who can be spared from their housework.

Because the people on the plantations cannot attend the proper prayer hours in the town, from the beginning and at their request, we have held a sermon or edification hour twice a week, to wit, towards noontime on Tuesdays and Fridays. At that time I likewise expound on the stories of the Old Testament, as in town at the evening prayer hour; and in my absence my dear colleague does the New Testament for collective edification amidst much blessing of the Lord. If these weekly sermons are to continue, as is most highly necessary and as all desire, a spacious, well-secured house is urgently needed. It will be the same size as the church in town and will be built in just the same manner and thus convenient to the ministers and parishioners. On account of the carpenters’ many other tasks the town church can be finished out no further, as has already been reported recently: it lacks an attic, glass windows, window shutters, and doors, which in the meantime have been made from long, thin boards.

We still have to put up a good fence around the church so that dogs, pigs, and other obstructive things will be kept away from the church. The dead will be buried outside the town in the proper, well-secured cemetery; and therefore the cemetery by the church in town will be used as a botanical garden. We hope thereby to have a pleasant reminder of the resurrection of our fallen bodies and many other good profitable things. I was impressed by the fact that, in the current cemetery of the plantations, none but children lie buried, for so far no adults have died there.

Friday, the 26th of February. The carpenters and their helpers are very zealous in performing their daily work and preparing the lumber for the church. At their labor they are fairly deep in the forest; and, because the time for work is very precious and short and they do not relish spending one moment in vain, Kogler suggested, in the name of the others, that on Tuesdays and Fridays a special edification hour be held for them at their present work site, so that they will not have to go to Ruprecht Steiner’s house, as the others do. While they are laboring they cannot hear the blowing of the horn well and would come either too early or too late, both of which would cause harm. I have therefore resolved separately to deliver my meditation to the carpenters and their co-workers one hour before the public meeting and to express myself briefly in the recitation and prayer. I hope that our dear Lord will grant me doubled and manifold powers for this doubled labor.

The two Maurers, as carpenters, are coming just next week to this labor.¹⁵ At the moment they are busy cutting boards for a stout and wellbuilt hut, in which Mr. Mayer has resolved to undertake the salivation with Hans Maurer’s wife because, till now, with her cancer-like sores becoming progressively worse, no other cure will take effect. She was present at the edification hour and was instructed and comforted by the story of how dear David used the means suggested for his own and his people’s preservation; yet in all his misery he had recourse and childlike trust in the living God and was not lacking therein. Psalms 42.

I met Hans Schmidt again at the hard work of cutting boards. He wishes heartily to be of help in it to further the building of the church, if only his powers and frail physical condition will permit it. I am advising him rather to leave off this labor and to choose an easier one, rather than to harm his health and life. So many boards have already been cut that the construction will suffer no delay because of him.

Christian Riedelsperger was in the orphanage during his illness; and, since things had improved with him, he proceeded to his own dwelling. It may have been too early, however, as he had a perilous relapse and today was very weak and full of pain; but by faith and resignation he was quite at rest in God and Christ. His room has no stove; hence it is quite cold at night; and, because he cannot endure many covers on account of his weakness, he has again requested permission to set up his sickbed in the orphanage. I will gladly give it up, because till now this Riedelsperger has become most deserving through his many loving services for the orphanage. He let himself be used as a servant there for almost a year without taking any wage. For this reason I am likewise all the more in his debt. May God grant him the orphanage for his spiritual and bodily refreshment!

David Eischberger, a man from the 4th transport, today bade me allow his wife a small room in the orphanage so that she may give birth there. Till now she has enjoyed much there and has earned a little money from sewing. We are ready to have her lying-in, because they have no dwelling of their own and we would gladly advance their spiritual welfare with physical benefits. May God cause all to recognize what a benefaction the Lord manifests to the congregation by means of the orphanage!

Saturday, the 27th of February. The widow Ursula Meyer, who moved here from Savannah two months ago with her little girl /Magdalena/, has been praising the grace which she says the Lord has rendered to her soul by means of His word; and she considers herself (as do other honest people in the congregation) highly blessed to have come here into this solitude. She finds no opportunity here, to be sure, to earn money, as in Savannah, but nonetheless she does not look to that, but rather is content and satisfied with the little that God bestows on her through her handiwork.

Because the shoemaker Ade is moving to a plantation he purchased, she has bought his little house for 4 £. sterling, for which I had to lend her 2 £ from the orphanage for cleaning the children and washing. Her little girl is getting sewing work in the congregation; and, besides going to school, she must watch a small three-year-old, given to her mother in Savannah for nursing and care. Good people manage well amongst us and experience what is found in the 1st Psalm: “. . . whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

I visited N. and learned that now he and his wife are leading a peaceful marriage. He wished that it might always go on so. I showed him from God’s word that first a good basis must be laid in their hearts; then they will receive the Holy Spirit into their hearts and come to understand and experience their marriage vows: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” I told them they must not only hear God’s word, preached bountifully and clearly to them, but also gather it into their minds and hearts, consult it, and ponder it, and undertake a profitable conversation between themselves about it.

Also, if a fervent prayer should come to mind, it would sink like a good seed deep into their hearts, and good fruit would follow. I said they were not hesitant to discuss temporal things simply and trustingly between themselves as married people, why then would they be hesitant to talk of spiritual and edifying things and to advance their own good? I reminded them also of the verse at James 3:16, which, unfortunately, had been true of them and people like them till now. If they should continue in sin, I said, they would not escape judgment and punishment.

Sunday, the 28th of February. A matter has arisen concerning a particular person which will bring much misfortune upon her head if she does not do true penance, since, in that case, she will escape chastisements just as little as David did. Presenting her with her sins, I recited the verse: “Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God.” And recently, with the unfortunate end of the worldly-wise but godless Ahitophel, she heard the words from the eighth Psalm: “God judgeth the righteous, and is angry with the wicked every day.” But many people in Christendom, unfortunately, do like Absalom and others of his ilk, with every experience of God’s judgment upon themselves and others: they hasten along upon their path of sin to the chasm of perdition, although they see that one of their number, Ahitophel, met a fearful end. What David as prophet had previously announced in Psalms 8:12, 18 and in Psalms 55:10, 16, 24 was fulfilled in him in timely manner.

In his Theologia Viatorum, the late Prior Porst wrote of such people in Christianity in the following way: “To be sure, at times they are fearful and indeed somewhat dismayed if a sudden death occurs nearby or some other misfortune befalls them, but such dismay passes away as soon and easily as a wispy cloud. They are and act like swine: if one or another amongst them is slaughtered, the remainder run together and grunt. However, once it has died, they act as if satisfied once more and run once more to the slop and muck of their lasciviousness and comfort themselves thereby for the sadness they feel and are still to feel.”

Although, to be sure, the health of my dear colleague is restored by means of God’s paternal kindness and solicitude and he is getting stronger daily and becoming more vigorous in physical and mental powers, we nonetheless advised him to stay indoors and rest, today and this entire week, since the weather is changeable and is cool towards evening. Hence, today I preached the word of the Lord alone several times, morning and afternoon, for which our dear Lord granted me as much strength as necessary on each occasion. We discussed the regular gospel for Domenica Esto mihi Sunday: “On the salutary use of the incalculable benefaction of our surety, Jesus Christ.” 1) “On the incalculable benefaction of our Surety himself, and what we should understand thereby.” 2) “On the salutary use thereof.” We were given impetus for this presentation by the verse Sirach 29:20–21: “Forget not the benefaction of thy surety, for He hath taken thy place.” May God bless all to a living recognition of our most worthy surety and Intercessor, and His incalculable ransom!

After the sermon we announced that a week from tomorrow we will celebrate our thanksgiving and memorial feast and that we intend to hold Holy Communion the same day. Our minds were enlivened morning and afternoon, gratefully thinking of the many benefactions which the Lord has made and continues to make for young and old. The reading of the Bible chapters Deuteronomy 10 and 11 gave us a fine and close instruction in this. This year we have special cause to glorify the Lord publicly and privately, for He has done great things amongst us, and also especially amongst the 4th transport.

MARCH

Tuesday, the 2nd of March. The laborers at the mill dam had so much work, which could not be put off on account of the rising water, that I could hold the edification hour at Pichler’s place with only a few men, women, and children. The carpenters with their work are somewhat far distant from the mill, where the edification hour was held; hence, I and they edified ourselves from the Bible story beforehand beneath the open sky. God strengthened me so much that I felt no loss of strength. What we discussed in both places about the story in 2 Samuel 17 concerning the remarkable support of the Holy Spirit, consisted mainly of the following: 1) although David was more prominent, wise, and experienced than his friend Husai, he nonetheless sought and followed good counsel, v. 21 & 22, for “The wisdom that is from above . . . is easy to be intreated.” On the other hand, we looked at Ahitophel and how he could not bear contradiction or have Husai’s counsel placed before his. From this we could recognize not his wisdom but rather his foolishness, arrogance, and perilous condition. Shortly before this discourse I learned from a woman that her husband does not allow anyone at all to contradict him; rather, she must, she says, remain silent whenever he undertakes something unsuitable and harmful to the household, which is “confusion and every evil work,” James 3:16.

2) David used the means for his own and his people’s preservation and protection, but he did not place his trust in the means, rather in everything he held through prayer and beseeching the invisible yet present God of the covenant, as we can clearly recognize from the 42nd, 43rd, and 55th Psalms, among others. We had to emphasize this point carefully to the parishioners, because presumptuousness is quite a common sin, as is tempting God, as if He were to care for and support His people without means. Idolatry and trust in means alike are common sins, we said, as if our almighty and kindly God could not help and rescue them if the means were lacking and miscarried.

3) The phraseology of v. 22 shows both that none deserted and ran away, even though David’s circumstances were becoming more and more woeful, and also that no one was injured, lost, or harmed upon the difficult and hasty journey on the water. In that there is great admonition, warning, and comfort for the disciples of Christ. John 6:66, 67; 17:12. What a shame it would be if we had deserted Ebenezer because of the trials we have had, since God has helped us across the sea without harm and has manifested His help in so many trials.

4) That Ahitophel came to a horrifying end was the fault of his sins. Nothing but a terrifying judgment could have followed from them, and we compared this with Romans 1:28 ff. Oh, what judgment whenever a person who thrusts away the grace and light offered him is given over to a perverted temper! Till his unholy end he had a clear wit, but it did not make him blessed. And thus blind people do not know properly what they are saying when they wish for and implore God to let them have a clear wit until they die. It is, to be sure, a great benefaction if God gives it, but it helps no one in itself to blessedness if a true conversion is lacking. If a clear wit and human intelligence made one blessed, Ahitophel would have to be sitting above in blessedness. In like manner Absalom and his dependents did not turn to these judgments of God, nor turn aside from their evil paths because of them. Thus, even now, most people in Christendom turn not to divine judgments, so that we may say: “Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear,” etc. Psalms 90:11.

Wednesday, the 3rd of March. A married woman had a certain secret concern which she disclosed to me today, her husband being away. I helped her correctly in the matter from God’s word. Harm might have resulted to her and her husband’s body and soul if she had been too shy to seek good counsel and instruction, with scruples concerning the state of her marriage. Much disunity had arisen between them on the journey here and in this country. In Holy Scripture we have the complete word of the Lord, wherein is imparted to us adequate instruction for every case and circumstance. It is also a benefaction worthy of thanks that the Holy Scripture speaks so clearly of marriage matters, so that he who follows this light will not remain in darkness nor take offense if any crude expressions appear on its account. Our congregation has received much edification from the report of the righteous Christianity of some Salzburgers in Prussia, written down and sent to us by the archpriest Schumann.¹ We are pleased that they are reading this edifying report together in the evening. By this means not only are unprofitable conversations hindered, but many good things are advanced.

A great gift could not have pleased me as much as seeing the mill in operation again this afternoon, as it was my intention to voice a hallelujah to our dear Lord for the clattering of the mill. The water is rising to the point that the young /Jacob/ Kieffer fears his plantation will be inundated again, yet God is so clearly standing by the laborers that they are plugging one hole after the other, directing the stream to the correct course, and leading the superfluous water over the dam and a sufficient quantity of it to the mill. Dresler understands water works very well. Kogler is very fond of him and regards him highly, which is a great joy to me. If there were envy and rancor there, as is often the case amongst manual workers and construction people, it would produce confusion and every evil work. It is not by chance that our dear Lord presents us once more with the mill during this week in which we are preparing for the memorial and thanksgiving holiday. We want to glorify Him from the bottom of our hearts for this and other gifts, and we hope also for the granting of His blessing to this construction.

Thursday, the 4th of March. I visited the Eischberger woman /Maria/ from the 2nd transport and found that she had grown for some time in the recognition of her sinfulness and in her Christianity. She is now leading a more content marriage with her husband than formerly, which is also bringing them blessings in their household. For some years now the husband has had large abcesses around his neck, back, and arms, which he takes to be a just chastisement for his previous evil life. For some time our dear Lord, against the expectation of the physician, has strengthened him so much that almost all the abcesses are healed up and his atrophying arm has been cured by a minor remedy. He has again become so strong physically that he can work quite energetically. God also grants him much grace towards his Christianity.

From the N. woman I learned that her neighbor N., in his illness, had been very desirous of converting righteously to God; but after rising from his sickbed, she said, he had become frivolous once more. This moved me to go to him and in the presence of his wife and two other women to appeal to his heart and warn him of unfaithfulness, for in the long run, I said, God does not let Himself be mocked. However, he assured me that he had no desire to draw away from the grace God had presented him for his penitence, but rather to persevere firmly and achieve salvation with fear and trepidation. He only regretted, he said, that his wife was so indolent and did not want to wend the narrow way to heaven with him. I reminded her of her duty, but I told him that his indolence and impenitence till now were to blame for her lack of earnestness in her Christianity. The N. and N. women, who were present, could corroborate from their own experience (as indeed they did), I said, that the husband’s example could be very impressive to the wife and produce much profit if he accepted grace for his penance and earnest Christianity. We knelt beneath the open sky and prayed concerning our conversation.

In the evening prayer hour we learned from the end of Chapter 17 from 2 Samuel that no man can prevent it if God wishes to render people a benefit, especially to his children. The dear, distressed David richly experienced what he counseled others in Psalms 55: “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, He will sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous,” etc. What appears in vv. 27-29 stands as a clear specimen and test, where, to wit, the dear and omnipotent God awakened some prominent and doubtless also humble people at the troubled time, to come with their temporal means to the aid of David, in his dearth, although they were not called upon, rather only surmised that he and his little band would have need of support and aid in temporal goods.

We justly remembered the Lord’s miraculous kindness over us. He has awakened both prominent and humble people not only for the last eight years, but also at a distressing time in Germany, to gather together all sorts of gift parcels for the benefit of the 4th transport and our entire congregation. God also kept this blessing upon the sea and did not let it fall into the hands of the Spaniards or other enemies. For that we rightly rejoice, praise the highest Grantor, and pray for the benefactors.

Friday, the 5th of March. Because the wind was very cold and strong today and the rain appeared imminent, the carpenters and their co-workers did not continue their labor. Thus I had the men and women once more all together at the edification hour. First we sang the edifying hymn: In alien meinen Thaten, etc., which was very impressive to me on account of David’s circumstances which are being presented to us from the story now occupying us. Everything comes to life whenever the verbal expressions are illustrated with Biblical examples. God’s love for His servant David, which was described in 2 Samuel 17:28, 29, gave me another fine occasion to prepare myself and my parishioners for the upcoming memorial and thanksgiving celebration.

It showed that our wise, miraculous, kindly, and omnipotent God had manifested such footprints of His paternal care for the 4th transport and at the same time to all the inhabitants in Ebenezer as He did to the dear David, but also that we, indeed, should recognize some advantages in this kindness of the Lord. For the gifts recounted here were brought by subjects to their king, who deserved well of them and richly returned all gifts again and who was able to repay their love handsomely. Similar and even more spiritual benefactions from people of both high and humble station have descended on the members of our congregation, poor, humble, and scorned by the world; and the benefactors cannot expect the least requital from them. Whoever amongst us is a thankful, righteous Christian cries out to God for requital of such gifts of love, as David indeed also praised God for everything good, and prayed for his benefactors. These gifts were granted to dear David for a short journey on land, but for us the Lord provided them for a long journey not only on land but also on the sea, and caused them to come to our need and refreshment without harm.

David was a man after God’s heart, cast all his burdens upon the heavenly Father in faith and hope, and stood the test in all trials; and for this reason the Lord’s kindness and aid could not remain absent. What good would God not do for Ebenezer, according to every desire of His heart, if all righteous people feared and loved Him and were content with His paths, since He has manifested so much good near and far till now even though there are unthankful and malicious people in the congregation. “Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me,” etc., Psalms 50. David enjoyed these gifts with his people at a time when he was much distressed and endangered by war.

We enjoy God’s benefactions in such external peace that there might as well be no war being waged. We would have deserved well what was threatened in the morning text, on account of our ungratefulness, unfaithfulness, and many evil things made public about so many people: “And if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Oh, what humble thanks are due Him for the wealth of His kindness, patience, and forebearance! God held the gifts brought to David by beneficent people to be worthy of being made known to posterity in His word. This likewise should stimulate and drive us not to conceal the good which flows to us from within and without Germany but to attest to it with our tongues and pens. If it seems meager and useless to some, there will be others who will recognize it to be not without profit: the benefactors and their gifts of love are worthy of being remembered by our descendants.

Saturday, the 6th of March. In the last four years the well at the orphanage has been most useful, but now the boards and timber with which it was secured and of which it consisted from top to bottom have rotted. Large pieces have fallen down with the severe rain we have had, so that we must, as quickly as possible, put in new boards and timber to support the boards on the four sides or walls. We cannot obtain bricks except at great cost, until perhaps, with divine blessing, some will be fired in this place, where there is sufficient clay and wood. Those made in Purysburg and Savannah some time ago are full of sand, and not much better than bricks dried in the sun, because they are fired in the open air without an oven. If God should allow some means to flow to the orphanage from His inexhaustible fountain, we have in mind setting up this highly necessary and sound well with 4 or 5-inch thick pieces of lumber, beneath the water with cypress and above with spruce or pine, which we hope will serve for a long time instead of stone walls.

Yesterday evening our boat arrived at the mill from Savannah and brought the news that General Oglethorpe has been fortunate against the Spaniards. He overtook one of their sloops in the vicinity of St. Augustine with 80,000 £ sterling and many costly fabrics and much material. On this occasion an Italian woman /Mary Camuse/ from Savannah sent me a great number of silkworm seeds. Since we ourselves have a fine quantity of them in the orphanage, I will be able to distribute all of them to those in the congregation who desire them.

The surgeon, Mr. /Ludwig/ Mayer, has brought a brother /Georg/, a maker of fine purses, here to Ebenezer. In the beginning our solitude appeared somewhat strange and unbearable for a young artisan lad. But after he had been here for awhile and applied himself to tailoring, he liked everything better and is now fully resolved to remain in Ebenezer. He intends to marry the Roner woman, a quiet and hard-working Salzburger from the 4th transport. Both of them were at my house this afternoon, so that I reminded them of their duty from God’s word, and might call on the God of Blessing for His blessing on their important undertaking. After they had assured me that before God and in their own consciences they were aware of no obstacles to their intended marriage, I cited for them the pious married couple in Luke I, to wit, Zacharias and Elizabeth, who give testimony that they were both pious, not before the world but before God, and thereby put their upright piety before men, “walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless,” which godliness is profitable in all things, and has the promise of this and of the future life, as is to be seen in their example.

Sunday, the 7th of March. To edify the congregation my dear colleague is setting aside the regular Sunday epistles this Easter season and is taking in their place the story of the Passion. This year the story of Christ’s suffering comes from the evangelist John. Because he is holding divine services on the plantations today, he preached yesterday evening in the prayer hour to the parishioners. We glorify the Lord for helping him completely through his perilous illness so that he can once more perform the duties of his office. To be sure, the people on the plantations are cheered that divine services can be held there on alternate Sundays, yet I learned also at the beginning of this week that they would prefer coming to church in the town rather than let my dear colleague perform his duties too early and thereby suffer harm.

During the morning divine services fire broke out in the clockmaker Müller’s kitchen. However, because a woman at home with her sick child saw it and sounded the alarm, the people who ran there from the church extinguished it quite quickly and were soon back at the sermon. Even this is a benefaction from the Lord, for which today we have cause to glorify Him at our memorial and thanksgiving celebration. During the intended preparation for the celebration our dear Lord brought to mind the important written foreword to the 7th Continuation which had been sent to us, so full of clear footprints of God’s paternal care for the 4th transport and all Ebenezer.² I believe we would commit a sin if we did not humbly remember anew this quite special guidance and reign of the Lord, praise the all-powerful Ruler inwardly for it, and pray for all benefactors—as in all places but especially in the worthy land of Wurttemberg.

We learned from 2 Samuel 17:27–29 in several prayer hours the quite edifying, and for our purposes useful, circumstances of the provisioning of the harassed and suffering David. These circumstances can hardly have been as moving and inspiring as actually occurred to the benefit of the 4th transport, our orphanage, the church, and entire congregations in Stuttgart, Canstadt, Calw and other places in the Duchy of Wurttemberg. This evening before the prayer hour I began to share a few items from this beautiful foreword, and I have in mind to continue with it both in the morning in the repetition hour and also in subsequent days. May the Lord Jesus, who sits at the right hand of God the Father and intercedes for us, remember now and evermore this great work of faith and the labor in the love which dear people of all stations, kinds, and ages have had for our sake! May He refresh them for all of us by means of the gifts and their edifying and refreshing report, richly in days sick and sound, indeed finally before His countenance in blessed eternity!

Monday, the 8th of March. Today the Lord gave us grace to observe our annual memorial and thanksgiving celebration together in great stillness and with much joy in our souls and visible blessing of the Lord in our hearts. Since yesterday evening I have felt somewhat weak; but the Lord showed in me and my still feeble colleague that He can do boundlessly more beyond all that we ask for or understand. The gathering was extraordinarily well attended; and probably all adults and children who could do so made their way here from the plantations to observe the joyful memorial and thanksgiving celebration. Mr. Vigera was astounded that mothers with delicate nursing children were going to church on a rather long and, for them difficult, road. Recently we heard that David, Psalm 40:5, longed like a hart for fresh water to go with the multitude and travel with them to the house of God, with rejoicing and thanksgiving amongst the multitude celebrating there. We felt in our souls how the Lord through His word and holy communion was powerfully present and in great grace amongst us. Now praise God, that our parishioners were so attentive. By means of His word, which is like a fire and crag-smashing hammer, God will fetch many more souls and bring them to rest in Christ. I was afraid that many would remain at home as a precaution on account of yesterday’s fire and wish to do without more sermons, but my worry was taken from me by their heavy attendance.

I showed in yesterday’s prayer hour that the profit that unconverted people draw from fire damage to their neighbors is commonly that they both sin from judgment and condemnation, and also make up their mind and enjoin their families to be more careful of fire henceforth and therefore to guard against fire both on weekdays and on Sundays in every way. Yet God sounds the bell of penitence through such misfortunes, according to Amos 3:6, and wishes to inspire us to use the means of salvation right earnestly and zealously for our salvation. Watchfulness is good, but it is much too short to avert all harm if the Lord does not do it, according to Psalms 127:1.

Prior to the morning sermon the children recited the 103rd Psalm, between the first and second hymns. Its first four verses were my celebration text, from which we got a living encouragement to the praise of God for the benefactions received thus far. Thereupon we looked, on the one hand, upon the benefactions themselves which the Lord has manifested to us and is willing from His heart to manifest even further and, on the other hand, upon the goal and purpose of such benefactions: to wit, they should raise up spiritually in us what the rain and snow from heaven raise up from the earth. For it blooms, brings forth profitable plants, refreshing flowers, and fruitful herbs, Hebrews 6:7. For an introduction we had the beautiful lesson of the old Tobit to his son, Chapter 4, verse 20. “Bless the Lord on every occasion, ask Him that your way may be made straight and that all your paths and plans may prosper.” My dear colleague had as text Malachai 3:2: “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings,” etc. From this he presented the constantly blessed state of all those who fear the name of the Lord. The introductory words were from Jeremiah 17:7, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.”

Just as we have remembered till now, humbly and thankfully and as particularly and minutely as possible, the benefactions of the Lord which we have enjoyed, so too our hearts are encouraged mutually to beseech God richly to share with all the instruments of His providence that rules over us, our dear benefactors in Europe, the blessings and the great good He has proclaimed in the cited texts, to rescue their lives from destruction and to crown them with grace and mercy. We also held communion at this joyous celebration with sixty-one persons.

Today was the first time that we both administered the Lord’s supper. I blessed the bread and my dear colleague blessed the chalice. Previously, this was not possible, for lack of a spacious enough church, and it was not necessary on account of the small congregation. Now that there is a fair number of communicants, it is necessary, because one person would tire too much, and also the morning divine services would finish too late, to the harm of the afternoon services. For we like to arrange divine services on Sundays and holidays in the town so that the people can be there at the right time and not be home too late on their plantations.

Tuesday, the 9th of March. Today young /Jacob/ Kieffer went to Port Royal in his boat, and he will help to see to General Oglethorpe’s order for us to obtain the seven riding horses and a number of cows and calves for the 4th transport. They are keeping their provision money together as best they can so that in time they may be able to buy one or another head of cattle, which will considerably lighten the task of nourishing them.

The two young Kieffers with their plantation across from us in Carolina are in a very bad way, for it stands once more under water; and the fine wheat, oats, and other things in their field which were looking excellent like those here, will likely be spoiled. They are now becoming almost completely disgusted with this plantation, and it is the same with them as with others in the vicinity of Purysburg, where their parents and remaining brothers and sisters live. To be sure, they have good land and pasturage there, but also a long way to the river; hence they have to drag their things back and forth either on their backs or on horses, which in this country is a very burdensome matter on account of the poor roads and lack of bridges. They now again mightily long to be inhabitants of Ebenezer, for the difference in the blessing of the Lord, which shows amongst us in all trials, shines better and better in their eyes.

Whenever we remember the details of the divine kindness and care we have experienced (particularly yesterday with the words of the text, “Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits”), and we aid one another once more in retelling it, we have to exclaim, “Lord, my God, many are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant and to the whole congregation.” When we consider the miraculous paths which God has traveled with the 4th transport and which we are now publicizing from the most remarkable foreword to the 7th Continuation, we almost lose ourselves in our thoughts, and almost do not know where to begin to glorify the Lord and to bring Him our humble hallelujah.

Our parishioners were warned today, by the example of the ancient Israelites with whom God also traveled miraculous paths, of heedlessness and forgetfulness of the divine benefactions. They forgot the benefactions all too rapidly and became ungrateful, although God appealed to them time and again, “Israel, forget it not,” etc. We also reminded them to ponder over the kindness of God whenever trials appear (which did not remain absent with the People of God, who had Jehovah Himself as leader), and by means of them to preserve themselves from all mistrust and despondence or indeed, discontent. For it is plain that they have come here according to God’s will and further, if they become and remain faithful, they will enjoy richly the gracious care of the Allhighest. They must always keep in mind the purpose for which they were sent here—not merely physical maintenance, but also this: “Our congregation shall be a city in this strange, dark land, a city on a mountain whose inhabitants shall be a light to the world and salt to the earth,” etc. The line, “Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required,” Luke 12, was faithfully impressed upon them.

Wednesday, the 10th of March. In the absence of my dear colleague I took up the three main articles of Christian faith with the children in school. They were given to our parishioners at the memorial and thanksgiving celebration, especially for their private devotions, to remember the many benefactions of the Lord. It was very impressive to me that pious mothers are seeking to teach their little children the main verses in the sermons. Whenever we visit them, they have to recite them for us. We reminded them at our celebration that the first fiery Christians, inflamed with the love of Christ, taught their children when they could barely babble how to pronounce “hallelujah.” We said the people, with the work of their hands, had brought to their God their sacrifices in praise of Him in every locality. May this sense of piety be felt more and more in our congregation!

A child had dropped a sheet of paper torn from his book, on which he had written the following verses from the exordium: “In the name of Jesus: My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish His work. 2) Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. 3) Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. 4) In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. 5) See how he hath loved him. 6) Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men: Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”

As ignorant and malicious as the N. boy from N. has been, he is cheering me now just as greatly in the orphanage. He is learning his lessons in the school industriously and is especially zealous in learning Biblical verses. I am now allowing him into the preparation hours for Holy Communion and am finding that he is seeking quite assiduously to take note of the basic truths of the Christian doctrine. We have lectured to the children on it from the late Pastor Freylinghausen’s Compendium Theologicum, and by means of God’s aid they will understand in succum et sanguinem.³ His eldest brother was also doing very well amongst us since he had been prepared for holy communion; but, since he has once more fallen in with bad companions, he has lost all goodness and has even forgotten his reading and catechism and has become downright bad.

Thursday, the 11th of March. Some time ago our inhabitants lost many swine to ravening wolves and bears; hence we have been able to supply the 4th transport with all kinds of field crops but not sufficient cooking fat and meat. Mr. Vigera took pains some time ago to request something in Savannah, but they were lacking there also. Since the people’s dearth seemed with their harsh work to become right great, God saw fit yesterday to bring to our place from the Augusta area some Englishmen with a large boat carrying seventeen very large, middling, and a few small swine for sale. I had to pay them 20 sh. apiece regardless of size, i.e., 17 £ sterling total, which is expensive, yet not as expensive as the meat would have been in Savannah. And therefore this is a new example of the paternal care of God, who could bring about a remedy at the time of dearth. With Him are both rede and deed.

This morning Georg Brückner’s house was consecrated with song, prayer, and God’s word. We sought our edification in the precious words from I John 4:19, “We love Him, because first He loved us.” Indeed the present time is a veritable time of love. For God discloses to us His love and kindness not only by the arrival of spring, in the realm of nature, but even more it rises for us like a great and bright sun from observance of the story of the passion of our dear Savior. Oh, might yet all our hearts be right inflamed thereby, enlivened and inspired to ardent mutual love! Wishing for this is insufficient; everything must be prayed for and struggled for.

Most of the neighbors, including Brückner’s in-laws, the clockmaker Müller and his wife, were at this blessed activity. The sweet gospel touched their hearts such that we could see in their tears how their hearts were moved. Shortly before this consecration I visited Peter Reiter, for whom the great cold had caused a few new physical weaknesses, but whose soul is becoming more and more desirous, like a hart, for Christ and His salvation. He longs greatly for Holy Communion, and it has been an especial cross for him to bear, that he could not publicly observe the memorial and thanksgiving celebration with us. His wife and pious family, to wit Klocker and his family, shared with him as much as they were able what the Lord had bestowed upon them from His words in the sermons. I found him with Luther’s catechism and directed him to the three main articles of Christian faith, to remind him therefrom both of the benefactions of the Lord, and also of his debt.

Sunday, the 14th of March. Some people from Purysburg were present today at our divine services. The Lord will doubtless have blessed them, since He has conferred joy upon them at the preaching of His word.

Monday, the 15th of March. The Lord Trustees’ herdsman in Old Ebenezer, along with some of our people, brought several head of cattle to our place. They ran away several years ago from our herds. The man has been in Frederica with General Oglethorpe for several weeks and corroborated the story that Genera! Oglethorpe’s soldiers captured a richly laden sloop before St. Augustine. It has already been emptied. In the current war the Spaniards captured it from the English and sold it to a French captain in Havana.

As wild as the young N., till now a locksmith apprentice, has been, I have such good hopes that he will be won over by the word of the Lord, which he listens to diligently. He and his mother were with me today, and I was able to converse with him in a quite reasonable and Christian manner. He holds it to be a divine ordinance that he came into this solitude, and he knows he must thank his patrons highly for it. He is sorry for his sins, which he committed against his mother from heedlessness and spite, and thereby vexed others; and his mother happily forgives him everything from the bottom of her heart.⁴

Tuesday, the 16th of March. In yesterday evening’s prayer hour, I read aloud the letter of gratitude composed for our most esteemed privy counselor Georgii; and today I did so on the plantations after the edification hour before the prayer.⁵ I can hardly express with words the willingness with which the people of the 4th transport recognized the letter for their own and gave their names over to be signed. Even the children wished to have their names placed beneath the letter as testimony of their childlike gratitude. They named those benefactors of whom they had enjoyed all sorts of good things on their journey here, and especially in the beneficent city of Canstadt. They would like to have had a good verse or something else edifying written in gratitude, if that had been feasible. They may believe that their benefactions are well placed with them, and they will always have a sweet odor in the congregation of Ebenezer as well as with the people yet to be born. When they hear how God so splendidly and clearly granted the prayers and wishes with which they blessed the 4th transport on its journey and across the sea, how much will this strengthen them in their faith? They have recounted to me such edifying details of their spiritual and physical treatment in Stuttgart and Canstadt that I cannot marvel enough at the kindness of the Lord which He so clearly disclosed therewith.

I publicly reminded the parents to consider that our dear Lord had emphatically commanded the Israelites at various times to recount diligently to their children what the Lord had done for them in Egypt and on their miraculous journey. Stories make a good impression, are wont to stick in the minds of children, and are very profitable. The story of the emigrants is indeed a right remarkable story and worthy of being noted and propagated for posterity. On account of our heedlessness God must often cry out to our hearts: “Bless the Lord, o my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”

Wednesday, the 17th of March. The recent heavy frost along with the very cold wind has spoiled many tender new growths (amongst them also the young leaves on the mulberry trees) in such a way that they hang on the trees as if boiled. They have already dropped their seeds, which are now completely frozen, and therefore it will be difficult this year to grow young mulberry trees. We have so many of them at our place that others can also be served with them. They are just so young that we must leave their leaves on them this year and also next, if we do not want to spoil them. The young leaves’ freezing will cause no more harm than that the silk worms will not get their nourishment as early as might have happened. As soon as it becomes warm the leaves will burst out copiously once more.

Christian Riedelsperger moved into the orphanage a short time ago with his young wife, the daughter of the widow Schweighoffer. He sees well the great amount of labor on our dear Kalcher’s back; and, since he has always been a faithful friend of the orphanage, he is giving himself over for a year’s service. He is still not fully healthy. This Riedelsperger has a fine evangelical base in his heart, and I found his conversation shortly before the prayer hour very edifying. Christ with His merit is everything to him, and therein he seeks his salvation as a poor sinner hungry for grace. He comes here for rest and for certainty of the forgiveness of his sins. In previous times all he got from his legalistic helter skelter was, as it were, nothing but tired bones.⁶

Thursday, the 18th of March. The young /Theobald/ Kieffer, still single, has become engaged to /Maria/ the daughter of Matthäus Bacher, according to the recognized will of God. Her husband /Meyer/ lost his life on the journey here across the waters.⁷ I was called to this engagement to aid by requesting the Lord’s blessing on it. Young Kieffer’s marriage is taking place amidst such pleasing circumstances that we can most clearly discern divine providence. The young man is a mature Christian and has a very beautiful gift for telling the truth to his fellow man without bitterness and for prevailing over and disconcerting his enemies and recalcitrant persons with great tenderness and penetrating exhortation. Hence I hope that God will use him for a blessed instrument. He is moving to his parents’ plantation, and with them will labor together and carry on the household.

With young N. I spoke of necessary things for the advancement of a more earnest Christianity. I admonished his wife especially to walk in the footsteps of the faithful heathen woman from last Sunday’s gospel. For, while she did not have the opportunity to bring about her salvation as the Lord has caused us to enjoy, yet in faith and in the practice thereof she did bring things quite far. As our prayers are, thus is our Christianity. Our dear Lord has produced in spiritual things a remarkable change in this woman for some time. If only her husband were more serious, she too would doubtless come further.

Friday, the 19th of March. Today we paid the carpenters who cut the wood for the church on the plantations. All the lumber, excepting the boards and roof shingles, costs 10 £ 18 sh. 9 p. sterling. The people have labored very faithfully on it and have sensed the support and blessing of the Lord. Two men received small cuts, otherwise (praise God!) everything has once more been concluded without injury. After planting they hope to have the time and strength to set up the needed church building, which we are very anxious to see. I have mentioned this new church in the letter to the most worthy Society, and have begged for a small contribution for it. In this new church we also need a fine tablecloth, likewise a decanter and bowl, or deep vessel, for water during baptism. We have been presented by the most worthy Society with a great pewter decanter for that purpose, and by dear Mr. Vigera a pewter bowl, but they are being used in the church in the town, just as is the altar- or tablecloth. May God steer the heart of someone in Europe to make such a gift and buy such a great linen cloth for this holy purpose. It will be easier to obtain it there than here.

Saturday, the 20th of March. This morning my dear colleague, Mr. Boltzius, went to Savannah to preach Jesus Christ the Crucified to the German people there. May the Lord support him there, and myself, poor person, here, so that everything may be abundantly blessed. At this time I can indeed clearly see that the Lord once more has strengthened my weak powers. My illness was indeed harsh, but very salutary to me.⁸ Thereby our dear Savior accomplished much in my soul, and especially by means of one or another word of exhortation. Once a man came from the plantations and brought me the 103rd Psalm, which he read aloud to me. This Psalm was very much suited to my circumstances and brought me right special refreshment, hence I can see nothing else in it than the Lord bade him do it. As I also remember, he said he had prayed to God to give him something for me. I would have had several exhortations from others if speaking had not been so difficult for me.

An honest man, a true Christian, also came here with his wife, and the man said to my helpmeet that they wished to present their compliments and to assure her that they were praying for me. Ah, I, unworthy servant! May the Lord reward them for it! Now I have also resolved anew to spend my short lifetime in such a way that I may better prepare myself along with my parishioners for blessed eternity. I have already told them several times subsequent to my illness that from now on our concern should be nothing but Jesus Christ the Crucified, to die from ourselves and from the world, and to be discovered only in Him. May He strengthen us to this end through His spirit!

Sunday, the 21st of March. The observations of Johann Arndt concerning the Passion are indeed downright dear to us! In compensation for it may the Lord Jesus grant the noble benefactress all the good that is contained in it. It is being indicated to the parishioners that they must not leave things simply at reading such observations and listening to sermons on the Passion, but rather diligently pray for enlightenment from the Holy Spirit, otherwise they will remain blind despite all reading and listening.⁹

Monday, the 22nd of March. Through God’s grace I already finished my affairs with Colonel Stephens and elsewhere in Savannah by Saturday afternoon, and was therefore able to depart thence at three o’clock this morning. At nine o’clock we arrived in Abercorn; and, since Kalcher had sent horses for Mr. Vigera and myself, we rode home quite comfortably in three hours. The path to the orphanage’s cowpen, an hour from Abercorn and towards our plantations, is so well trodden down up to the plantations by men and cows that we could not stray, although we had never ridden this path alone.

Our dear Mr. Vigera has been very busy reporting his feelings about Ebenezer to his friends in Strassburg and also to Mr. Vernon and Mr. Verelst. He considers it a place wherein he is able to live content in body and soul and can serve God and his fellow men without bustle and distraction.

Tuesday, the 23rd of March. Before holding the edification hour on the plantations I visited the mill, for someone had told me it was in full operation, after the water had dropped a little since the previous weeks. The longer we have had to dispense with this great benefaction, the more pleasant it is to see the beautiful, clear meal being made day and night, and we are fairly inspired to praise God for it. I know that since Saturday, when the all too powerful water subsided, many hundreds of words of praise and thanksgiving have been brought to our dear Lord.

The miller asked me whether he should mill on Sunday and wanted to be quite certain in this matter. I told him that till now my allowing milling on Sunday on the apparent grounds of necessity had often occupied my mind, and soon thereafter I learned that God could make us take time off on workdays if we did not desire to take time off for the furtherance of the holy Sabbath. For at that time the dam got such a hole, and the water was so high the entire time, that nothing could be built or repaired. Hence, I said, my advice was to apply Sunday as the Lord’s day as it was given us to do, and also to have the mill take a day of rest. If, with the enlarged congregation, the one mill run is not enough, the other large pair of millstones can be set up, which in any case I would like to see brought about, the sooner the better. This advice brought the miller great pleasure; and he confirmed that, although the water drove the millwheel and the stones made the meal, he still had enough to do with it and thus could not celebrate and spend Sunday as did others in the congregation.

Moreover, some who come to grind their flour on Sunday risk upsetting themselves on account of its being done. And therefore, it is no argument to move us to grind flour on Sunday, just because they do it commonly in other places in Germany. If others have sufficient grounds by which they can rest their consciences at the labor of grinding despite the fourth commandment,¹⁰ we are happy to grant it to them. With us the causes which can be cited for it are not strong enough to outweigh the explicit command: “Thou shalt keep the sabbath day holy,” and to give the miller a dispensation to grind on Sundays and holidays.

Friday, the 26th of March. I have spoken numerous times with Kocher, an intelligent and skilled man of the 4th transport, in his hut; and it is becoming clearer and clearer to me the more I speak with him that he is honest and concerned about the one necessary thing. He and N. disliked each other somewhat since the journey, but they have once more found themselves in good order and Christian propriety. I will help to advance this new harmony. He and his wife are very content and glorify God, who brought them to Ebenezer, where they find their sustenance for soul and body. I believe it was not by chance that in the drawing this Kocher received his acreage near town. It consists simply of such good land that he could not wish for better. From the first beginnings of my acquaintance with him I have had him in mind as a schoolmaster.

I visited the Schmidt woman for the first time since she delivered. In the last days of her pregnancy she had all sorts of bothersome and unfaithful anxieties on account of her many bodily problems, but now that all has turned out well and her child is healthy, she is very much ashamed of them. Among other things I recited to her the verse: “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”

Saturday, the 27th of March. The Swiss boy, brought here from Savannah, is being cared for now in the orphanage, because he does not hear well, is lame, and has neither mother nor father. We are doing this all the more because pleasant gifts have already flowed to our congregation and orphanage from Switzerland. We give him labor according to his strength, and he is faithful in it. With his bodily frailties he is very simple, and in Switzerland he had to seek his bread by begging, which here is not necessary for him. For amongst us are no beggars, although there is no lack of poverty here and there.

Sunday, the 28th of March. Just as two weeks ago we recognized from the regular gospel, Dominica Reminiscere, in the beautiful example of the Canaanite woman, the “Christian behavior in evil days” of Christians, in today’s gospel text (John 6:1 ff.) we were shown the “Christian behavior in good days”—of Christians—when things are going well for them. The introductory words were from Sirach 41:17: “My children, when ye fare well, observe instruction and be at peace.” God presents us in Ebenezer with many a good day amidst all trials; and after we have surmounted many difficulties He causes things to go well for us. Also, from God’s word and our experience till now, we have hope that things will get better and better: as the children of Israel had to be reminded during good days when things were going well for them in the land of Canaan not to forget their God, so we too must just so be reminded. The proper good days are those when we can truly say: “Through thy merits alone I can be peaceful here and blessed there.”¹¹ A good spirit such as this is a daily life of pleasure. Proverbs 15:15, 17.

Monday, the 29th of March. I inquired of the N. woman /Mrs. Scheffler/ whether she had remembered what we preached about yesterday from God’s word and whether she had applied it. She is eager for God’s word, marks carefully the verses cited and read aloud in church, repeats them with her heretofore quite rough and unintelligent husband, and is gradually learning them by heart.

God’s word gladdens her, and she regrets that formerly she took so little note of the sermons and did not look up the Biblical verses or profit by them. For a long time her husband has not been as wild, impudent, full of temper, and malicious as he was. I hope that these two married people, however improperly they came together, will become right Christian and edifying people.

Some people cannot read, such as Lechner and his wife, likewise Scheffler and his wife; but, because they desire it, we shall immediately set aside an hour for instructing them in an easy and understandable way. Either Ortmann or Kocher will be appointed daily to hold an hour with the adults at the town school, to be sure at such a time during the day that they cannot labor anyway in the fields and gardens because of the summer heat, and will therefore miss little in their external professions. We might also have need of a similar school on the plantations for the adults, but the one must wait for the other.

The Zimmerebner woman had her catechism before her during her housework. She said her husband had told her that, if one wishes to defend oneself from evil thoughts, one should always have something good before one and hold it in one’s heart. She greatly bewailed her worldly sense; but she attested also that the word and the good example of her husband was blessed in her soul. As weak as these two people are, nonetheless they are blessed in their domestic concerns, for not only are their physical needs abundantly provided for, but they can also sell corn and rice, and are content in all respects.

Tuesday, the 30th of March. Today we married the young locksmith Ruprecht Schrempff to Barbara Brückl, and also Johann Theobald Kieffer to Matthias Bacher’s daughter /Maria/, whose husband drowned in the Rhine. Old Kieffer in Purysburg now has three children married in our place, to wit two daughters and the last mentioned son, a very Christian youth, superior in all respects to his brothers and sisters.

A pious woman had these thoughts on the matter: she said she had heard, from her late husband and others, that our Salzburgers had enjoyed many good things in Kieffer’s house in Purysburg during their travels to and from Savannah, both day and night. Parents and children had taken great pains to show many loving favors to their guests who were lodging with them, and she felt that God was now rewarding this love by bringing one child after another to our place to His word and to the holy sacraments. This observation was very dear to me because it reminded me at once of the many good things I had enjoyed with Kieffer’s family, on my journeys, and also of my duty. The eldest son lives in Carolina with his wife, in our vicinity, and can come every day to the practice of the divine word and to prayer, as he does. We only regret that he is quite often inconvenienced by flooding of the Savannah River and is obliged to move away.

Wednesday, the 31st of March. Today Mr. Vigera and I balanced and closed the accounts for the mill, horses, provisions, and other things. I confess that I find that I am in debt for over 20 £ Sterling, and I can pay it in no other way than from my shortly expected salary. Nonetheless, I feel not the slightest unease in my conscience about it, especially after I and the above-mentioned friend placed the entire account and the debts which appeared therein before the almighty Creator of heaven and earth, our Father reconciled in Christ, whose arm is not shortened and who can act superabundantly in everything we ask or understand, and after we commended those debts to His paternal care. The treasured words amidst the prayer were very sweet to me: “Cast thy burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain thee,” etc. That according to the accounts I am in debt to both the orphanage and the congregation itself, no one understands better than my dear colleague and now Mr. Vigera, who are also witnesses that my household is restricted in a most thrifty manner, and therefore I can hardly owe a shilling for its sake.

The question of the Lord, “Is the hand of the Lord waxed short?” is also very blessed to me in these circumstances, and at once directs me and others who might be uneasy about this debt.

APRIL

Thursday, the 1st of April. For a long time there has been no cowherd on the lowest parts of the plantations, hence the people have suffered much harm to their cattle and have had many obstacles in their work. Now the honest Klocker, who came with the 4th transport, is willing to serve. He is doing the people therein a right great favor. Now others are doing for him and his family just what lies within their capability. This Klocker and his wife are Christian people and have reached such an arrangement in their domestic concerns, under divine blessing, that they are living contentedly. They are very happy that they have come to Ebenezer, and they thank God and their benefactors for it.

Until now, the fact that we lack small coins has caused many difficulties in buying and selling among us. The smallest money of the Lord Trustees consists of 1 £ sterling notes, but General Oglethorpe has had notes or bills made up for his soldiers, in 5 sh., 4 sh., 2 sh. 6 pence, and single shillings. These are still practically unobtainable, because far too few of them have been produced. Now, whoever has a few pence to pay must either stay in debt or not take his purchases, for we hardly get to see English silver and copper money. The merchants in New York change quite quickly whatever is sent or brought from England, out of pure selfishness, for it is worth twice as much there.

Because now the lack of small coins is producing quite a lot of inconvenience and sometimes loss among our congregation, Mr. Vigera has taken the trouble to write quite a large quantity of all kinds of notes with values of 6, 3, 2, and 1 pence, which the people are accepting willingly, and with which they can pay amongst themselves quite conveniently. If they have 4 or 5 shillings together in such notes written here and wish to purchase something in Savannah, they surrender them to us and get for them the Lord Trustees’ or General Oglethorpe’s notes. In this way our own notes remain here and do us very good service, while the copper pieces, as mentioned, would soon circulate to Savannah and beyond. This way of making money is quite harmless. Our precursor in this was actually the merchant Charles Pury, who, because of the dearth of small change, issued similar notes in Savannah and redeemed them with sterling money. No one has to worry about any debt, for not only Mr. Vigera but also my dear colleague and I are good for them, that these notes will be taken up from them and changed whenever they have a few of them together. Also, no one has the slightest worry that he will lose a single pence on account of it, rather all inhabitants of Ebenezer are happy to get something in their hands to discharge and pay off their small debts. We, for our part, fear no harm, for no one can copy the signature and Mr. Vigera’s impressed seal beneath, as some have dared to copy and print the Carolina money. In the English colonies in America the authorities have made similar notes by permission of the king. They have no value beyond the province where they are distributed, with the exception of the bills of the Lord Trustees; they are accepted everywhere as drafts which are properly paid in London.

Friday, the 2nd of April. The locksmith Lechner has now established his smithy, and today he began to forge a few pieces. We have more need of a blacksmith than a locksmith; and, because he also understands the smith’s trade well, he will serve the congregation well in this matter. He is an obliging and fair man; and therefore by his labor many things will be much eased in the congregation, since till now they have had to pay a high wage in Savannah for a small amount of work. Moreover, things have been difficult on account of broken tools, or when someone needs something new, to travel to Savannah, to wait until it has been convenient for the smith to work for us. Lechner’s workplace is better set up than that of the blacksmith in Savannah, more than eight years in this country. In addition, he dwells near there in a quite fine little house, fitted with floors and windows, which for the most part he built himself and spent little money on.

His stepson, Ruprecht Schrempff, has now married, and has also promised to become a new man. In addition, we have disclosed and presented to him his clear disobedience to his loving mother and stepfather from the story we are dealing with of the disobedient and chastised Absalom, as a main source of temporal and eternal perdition. If he is suited for Christian orderliness, and wishes to work with his stepfather as a son and companion, we will be very much pleased, and much profit will stem from it. In addition two plantations fell to them by lot which lie directly next to one another. They look on them as a unit and are able to work on them whenever they have nothing to do in their trade.

Saturday, the 3rd of April. Planting at the orphanage is indispensably necessary because we do not have enough money to buy as many provisions as are necessary annually for the support of the widows and orphans, and we had to buy corn and rice this year because the people who are fed here are many, while the laborers are few. Rice and corn are quite costly this year, and this too has increased the expenses of the orphanage. Perhaps our dear Lord will bless the sericulture this spring, so that from it the orphanage may receive a little money for the purchase of needed things.

This week the days have been very hot, as if in the middle of summer, hence planting in the field is becoming somewhat irksome. But we always say: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,” wherein loyal and honest people have the sweet comfort that the Christian arrangement of their irksome and burdensome calling is in divine order, and that their labor for the Lord will not be in vain.

Some dissention arose amongst some people, and our Enemy¹ used external things pertaining to the household for the purpose. But our dear Lord helped, so that both my judgment and my exhortation were blessed, and instructed the parties. One likes to accept the help of intelligent men who contribute, from their experience, their own ideas towards the advancement of peace. Many a person bases his right on some old custom, or attributes to his fellow man the same thing previously attributed to him, perhaps from oversight or maliciousness, by others. Drawing conclusions is a harmful thing among common people. God’s word and natural and Christian fairness must be the guiding principle of our actions, but not habits or other inconsequential things.

Sunday, the 4th of April. Because the days are longer, we began holding the repetition hour today between five and six o’clock, which, for the sake of the children, is much better for looking them straight in the face. We recited many good things to them from the two verses: “Dear children, when it goeth well with you look well and remain in the fear of the Lord;” also, “They proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:4, and this should have gone to some of their hearts. The last verse was the introduction to today’s sermon, and we recognized from the gospel for Dominica Iudica both the abominable evil of men, and also the Lord’s inexpressibly great gentleness and kindness. May the Lord make of it a constantly enduring harvest!

Monday, the 5th of April. Our dear Lord has strengthened Peter Reiter on his feet so much that a week ago he could come to the divine services on the plantations for the first time. He recounted to me after the early morning sermon that, since he had not attended one for so long, he was in quite good spirits during the sermon. Last Wednesday I intended to visit him in his house after school, but I did not encounter him, as he had gone to Bacher’s place. In the meantime I spoke somewhat with his wife and told her that she should simply come and partake, since our dear Lord wished to be gracious to her and she desired nothing else, for the Lord Jesus said: “And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

Thereupon I came to Bacher’s place, where I encountered Peter Reiter praying with others. In his unconverted condition he would certainly not have had dealings with such people; but, since he himself has acquired the spirit of grace and prayer, he was happy to go there even on crutches. He is quite content with everything, since our dear Lord is ordaining it for him. He does not worry about whence his future support will come, rather he lets the Father, whom he has now come to know in Christ, worry. The introductory words from Psalm 115:3, “. . . Our God is in the heavens; He hath done whatsoever he pleased,” were very impressive to him.

Tuesday, the 6th of April. The war is making everything in Savannah very costly, to which the monetary confusion in Charleston contributes much. There they are beginning to accept sterling money once more for a meager price.

Wednesday, the 7th of April. In my absence the previously mentioned blacksmith from Purysburg came to our place and begged corn from house to house on the plantations. In doing so he availed himself, in a deceptive manner, of the intercession of the righteous Theobald Kieffer, himself only recently an inhabitant of Ebenezer. A few weeks ago I sent him three bushels of corn and told him the reason why I could not allow him to petition the people for assistance in his poverty without the foreknowledge of the authorities and without prior consultation with the congregation. For the like still has not occurred amongst us, and I believe it is incumbent on every country, and therefore Carolina also, to take care of its own poor. Even if we had wanted and been able to apply a gift to this man, it would have to take place in Christian orderliness: for charitable services without orderliness are more harmful than profitable. He did not report to my dear colleague, and when he saw me yesterday on the returning road, he and his great sack of corn vanished from my eyes so that I did not know where he had been.

Thursday, the 8th of April. This morning we dedicated Gschwandel’s new house with God’s word and prayer. He had invited his neighbors to it. We sang the edifying hymn, Prange Welt mit deinem Wissen, etc. and profited before the prayer hour from a few instances from the story of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, e.g., according to Matthew 20. He spoke with His disciples on the road of His forthcoming sufferings, turned aside in Bethany to Simon the leper, and here also testified of His death and burial. He was pleased by the loving deed of the divinely blessed woman, etc. He had occasion to be at a certain house in Jerusalem at the time of the Paschal Lamb, and also here He spoke, before and during the setting of the Holy Communion, from a fervent heart, of His sufferings, etc. Finally His inner and external sufferings commenced at the Mount of Olives, which continued more and more until He was crucified.

At every point we showed how every Christian should simply profit, in all circumstances wherein his worldly calling leads him, from the most meritorious sufferings of Christ, and what great advantage would ensue therefrom. With the first Christians it was thus; at the Passion Season they said: “Jesus my love is crucified.” At Easter time: Surrexit. At the time of the Ascension: Sursum corda, etc.² In the beautiful hymn: Ein Lämmlein geht und trägt die Schuld, the 8th and 9th verses state very impressively: “I shall and will make use of that at every time.” etc. During the prayer it occurred to me anew that God’s wisdom ordained for the first members of the congregation to come to this country with us in the Lenten season. This should have taught us that, in this pilgrimage, Christ the Crucified should be our most prominent matter of study, and that we must be willing to walk in the crucified imitation of Christ, for there would be crosses and sadness, as has happened.

Gschwandel is from the first transport, and after he overcame many trials, God blessed him so that he cannot marvel enough at divine kindness. His neighbors, Leimberger and Simon Reiter, have also progressed well in their household and livelihoods with divine blessing, and this can be nought else but impressive to the people of the last transport. They did not have nearly the difficulties the first ones had to suffer, but now they prefer it to being spared this experience of the cross throughout their lives.

The Lackner woman has moved into the orphanage for a few weeks to learn about sericulture, and for that she is getting food and a small wage. I would wish that several people would apply themselves to making silk, which would bring them great advantage if they have enough white mulberry trees. Besides the orphanage, the widow Helffenstein, the Rheinländer woman, the clockmaker’s wife /Christina Müller/, the Swiss woman’s girl /Magdalena Meyer/, and Bacher’s two daughters are engaged in sericulture, using sometimes wild and sometimes cultivated leaves. Although the orphanage has had many larvae and has gotten a fine quantity of them from Savannah, we still seem to have too few, and many leaves will probably be left over. The day before yesterday I brought a little box with several thousand worms in it from Savannah, but we could feed more in the orphanage. In Savannah they have many worms and little foliage, and I do not know how it happens that the trees in the Lord Trustees’ garden are standing like broomsticks and have only a little foliage here and there.

Friday, the 9th of April. The Rheinländer woman is badgering me to take her little girl and small boy in with the orphan children, since she is not in a position to maintain them. In previous times, however, she was not pleased by the stipulations connected with the acceptance of her children, and which are concerned with orderliness. Otherwise the orphanage would stand open to them. Now the orphanage is so full that, if more children were taken in, we would have to build a larger dwelling and take on someone as supervisor, because Kalcher and his wife can now hardly keep up with everything pertaining to the domestic matters and managing the children. But for this there is no supply; and I have no call to plant myself in the midst of copious debts, since I find myself deep enough in them anyway on account of various accounts which we kept and now have closed. I directed the Rheinländer woman to prayer. If she and her children keep with it, it will be easy for our dear Lord to grant means for caring for her children.

Sunday, the 11th of April. Last night a very violent storm with thunder and rain came up, tearing down a few garden fences. Towards morning it had cleared up once more so much that today we had a very pleasant day. Our dear Lord made known to me that He had blessed His word richly in some persons on Palm Sunday. The love of the Father and the Son penetrated their hearts by means of the illumination of the Holy Spirit such that they vested their heart in Him, and they believe that everything has been forgiven them.

Today the young Kieffer brought his Negro to church for the first time. He does not fully understand the German language to be sure, nonetheless he was present with great modesty and quiet disposition. Kieffer has called on me to allow him to bring both his Negroes to church and to the prayer hour so that by and by they might learn the German language and become aware of some of the doctrine of Christ. This poor man forced out many moving sighs and prayers from us on his behalf, even some tears from some amongst us, from which this Negro himself also profited, for he was given a shirt and one other gift, for which he showed himself very grateful and humble.

Monday, the 12th of April. For some time N.N. has longed to disclose a certain wound which pains her conscience; but, since they still do not have their own dwelling, the moment has not been right for it till now. Today she came here on that account from the plantations, and I directed her properly on account of her misery.³ She is a true, quiet disciple of the Lord Jesus, and like an eager little dove applies loyally every crumb and morsel she hears from the Lord’s word. Various people still lack Bibles and hymnals, which our dear Lord will surely grant in His time. Our miraculous God is placing this trial over her husband and a few others: The water is covering and inundating the land which good friends directed them to plant this year, until they could get to their own plantations. For the time has been too short for them to clear their own land of trees and bushes, and secure it with a stout fence. If in the previous time the first Salzburgers in our place underwent a trial of that which was in their hearts (trials of which there was no dearth, and cannot be), how should the 4th transport be able and desire to be spared them? Hebrews 12:6–11. The above-mentioned woman said the verse that comforted her was always: “Commit thy way unto the Lord; and trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”

Today I read through the continued report by Pastor Schumann concerning the state of the Salzburgers’ souls whom the wise providence of God has led to His spiritual care. I have found much edifying matter therein, as have my dear colleague and some members of the congregation, to bring me to a powerful awakening to carry out my office to my parishioners with greater earnestness. May the heavenly Father bless the righteous shepherd with the little sheep, and may He also bring the recalcitrant and obstinate ones thereto, so that they make up a blessed flock and together be a right blessed salt both near and far. I am now considering lending out this edifying and easily read report among the congregation, so that neighbors may profit by it in small groups, for fine examples make a good impression.

Tuesday, the 13th of April. Prior to the edification hour I visited N.N. and his wife, who have wanted to plant something in the fields for some time, in addition to their profession. To be sure they have both improved somewhat, but I found in their practice of prayer and God’s word many a great deficiency; and, as long as that is lacking, a true penance must also be lacking. This time, I once more presented to them in detail their great peril and the path from it to salvation through Christ, and also what a terrible judgment of God they would draw upon themselves if, as in previous times, they went to Communion in a state of would-be penance. Amongst other important materials I made known to them the two verses: “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread.” For we say in the words of the institution of Holy Communion: “He gave it to His disciples,” and therefore this treasured and valuable food belongs to the disciples of Jesus. Also, “Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out,” etc.

The N. woman subsequently wept copiously in the edification hour at the beginning of 2 Samuel 19, for from it she could recognize her disorderly conduct, but also at the same time the heart of the Lord Jesus, bubbling over with reconciliation, who much more than David wishes to forgive everything to the hostile and malicious person, and who wishes to accept her in grace. Psalm 86:5 says of Him: “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive (He forgives gladly); and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee (mercy which extends over great sins and great sinners).”

I learned from Pichler that the filtering cloth for our mill in the last gifts from Stuttgart was too delicate and cannot be used for making cornmeal. Hence I fear we will have to take counsel otherwise as well as possible from Savannah.

Wednesday, the 14th of April. Mr. Meyer brought an unmarried woman named Christina Häusler here from Memmingen. She served as housekeeper to him but has now moved to the plantations with Kornberger and his wife, since Mr. Meyer can no longer use her. It is quite profitable for her to learn field work and household management, to which she had not been introduced before now. The Kornberger woman will be a very honest mistress and leader for her in all spiritual goods; and since she loves the good and is obliging, I hope she will become a pure maiden of the Lamb, and someday a good housewife amongst us.

The N. woman visited me this afternoon to discuss the state of her soul. For she practically never goes to Holy Communion without having previously presented herself, according to God’s word, for an examination. She does not hide her condition, rather is quite specific about everything, and insists weepingly that we deal earnestly with her. She must always pull on her husband; and, because he is not seriously interested in progressing to blessed eternity, but rather is unfaithful and indolent in many points, she has a real cross to bear. She is seeking to rear her four-year-old little girl in discipline and admonition to the Lord, and uses gravity and love at the right times, which the Holy Spirit is certainly teaching to her, as I recognized from clear examples. The husband, however, considers the willfulness and disobedience of the child to be more lack of understanding than sin worthy of punishment. Hence he, through his forebearing demeanor, harms the child; and in the presence of the child he sins with gestures and words against his wife, believing that the child does not understand.

In these and similar circumstances, which come to her alone or amongst her family, I directed her to prayer, which would be better, I said, than to upset oneself or even do oneself harm through unseemly fervor. I told her God had everything in His hands and that He could steer her husband’s heart further, as He had already done in many points. Whenever God by and by granted her requests and she sensed the fruition of her prayers in the real improvement of her marital and household circumstances, she would have inexpressible joy and profit. I also said she should bear well in mind the timing of her well-meant friendly admonitions, e.g., when her husband is in a position to take a friendlier reminder and chastisement, also, when the child was not there, etc. I, however, will immediately find as much time as I need to deal with this family in detail.

Thursday, the 15th of April. This morning in town and on the plantations we held a sermon on the important epistle on Maundy Thursday. Our dear Savior blessed it noticeably in me and others, as I was informed directly afterwards. May He cause His love which He has manifested to us so gloriously through His meritorious suffering and death, as well as through the institution of his loving supper, so that we all place our trust in Him with all our misery, repose only in His love, and fervently love Him once more in deed and truth. May He cause us also more and more clearly through the spirit of Revelation, to recognize what a most highly cherished treasure Holy Communion is, which the most gracious Lord Jesus offers most lovingly, especially to the ailing and mourning sinners, and appropriates and dedicates to such simple consciences by means of the presentation of His body and blood in bread and wine, everything that He has gained: “Give to me what Thou hast merited; and I shall not ask for more.” Oh, what a sweet, cherished Savior we have in Him! Poor sinners could not wish a better one for themselves!

Friday, the 16th of April. We celebrated this day, morning and afternoon, once more as the day of the death of our most cherished Redeemer and as the high holy day of reconciliation of the New Testament with song, prayer, and the practice of the divine word and Holy Communion. Eighty-three of us took communion, for which cherished banquet our loving God was pleased to prepare us through His word in the regular evening prayer hours, and especially yesterday in the sermon on Holy Communion, which we repeated in the evening. Indeed we sensed this in our souls. We have certainly looked forward to celebrating this day solemnly with each other; and, since the entire congregation gathered in the town for the celebration and our dear Lord granted us the joy to treat of the word of the death and burial of Christ from John 19:31–42, I certainly believe God has created a great blessing not only amongst us but also amongst many others.

Saturday, the 17th of April. I received from General Oglethorpe once more a very friendly letter in which he reported receiving my last communication and at the same time requested that I send in news more often. And so that letters may go from and to Frederica every month with certainty, he has arranged for people on horseback to accept and deliver the letters in Old Ebenezer on a certain day each month.

Sunday and Monday: the celebration of Holy Easter. Therein our loving God in Christ, who has nothing but forgiveness and blessing for mourning sinners, revealed His fatherly heart abundantly and clearly to us from the Gospel. On the first Easter day we heard the sermon concerning the immense grace from Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, according to the text in the Gospel of Mark, 16:1 ff. The beautiful verse in Apostles 10:33 was the occasion for this presentation. On the second Easter day the loving and kind heart of the risen Jesus toward miserable sinners was presented to us. The introductory words were from Psalms 149:4.

On the first Easter day my dear colleague in the epistolic reading dealt with the salvation which comes through Christ, and what our duty thereby is. On the second Easter day he edified the congregation on the plantations concerning the proper text for our celebration, from Luke 24. He also discussed some genuine sources of comfort for true Christians in their suffering and sadness. On the way back he spoke with the carpenter Kogler, who recounted to him with brimming eyes how the Lord had permitted him this time to celebrate a blessed Easter. The widow Schweighoffer was perilously ill before the celebration, but she implored the Lord to make her well so that she might make a pilgrimage to the house of God with others and be edified from the treasured Gospel of Christ our Savior. The Lord indeed sent her this benefaction, so that she could also say: “The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad,” Psalms 126. These had been the introductory words on Good Friday.

Wednesday, the 21st of April. The Swiss carpenter’s niece /Engel Koller/ has brought things to the point that she can leave him and move into the orphans’ and widows’ home. Things have gone ill and wretchedly for her as a widow in Purysburg. As long as she has been in Ebenezer, however, she has conducted herself in an honest and Christian manner, and has received good testimonials from everyone. She may never have been held to do household work; and, because the old carpenter Krüsy’s household appears very disorderly, she has been unable to learn anything here either. She is still young and of vigorous constitution and is willing to learn something. Hence I am hoping that something good will become of her in the orphanage, so that in the end she will make of herself a skilled and Christian house-mistress. Her little child is about one and one-half years old, and is feeble. Its situation will also be improved now. From this example our benefactors in Switzerland will be able to perceive that we are happy to allow their countrymen to enjoy with us the benefit that has flowed from their generous hands upon our orphans’ and widows’ home and, through the blessing of the Lord, may further flow upon it.

The orphanage is now somewhat cramped on account of the many people in it. Perhaps in autumn, when our dear Lord places something in our hands for the purpose, necessity will require us to expand it. The manager /Kalcher/ has inspected the roof on the orphanage and found that the shingles are almost rotten; hence it, too, should be completely covered anew. We will need nearly eight thousand shingles for that purpose. For the sake of long durability, we would like to have them made from cypress, should the Lord grant us such means. In our glorious Jesus we have infinitely more than the Israelites had in their Joseph. We may appeal to Him faithfully and calmly. He can and will be solicitous and see that every benefit be abundantly among us so that we may have sufficiency in all things and be rich in all kinds of good works, to be able to practice them within and without the orphanage. 2 Corinthians 9, 8.

Friday, the 23rd of April. Christian Riedelsperger is not improving, rather his powers are diminishing more and more. He is having many pains intermittently in his abdomen, and in some parts of his body there is almost no feeling. He is very patient and content with God’s guidance, although it pleases Him to place him on a wearisome sickbed. Because he is becoming weaker and weaker and wishes to know that his legacy has been settled, my dear colleague and I and two wise, Christian, and discreet men, have set his will to paper, regarding his temporal possessions. Our dear Lord rewarded his labor in the sweat of his brow with a fine blessing in horses, all sorts of cattle, and household items, although he did not seek temporal things since his conversion, rather he has been generous and disinterested. He did not forget the poor, rather he bequeathed them his clothing.

Although the orphanage already owes him much gratitude and compensation for his good service, he is again granting it a few head of cattle; and, most important, he is presenting to it his well-constructed house. The house is to be sold, and with the money realized from it, a sick bay is to be built in the orphanage. He knows from experience that such a thing is very necessary. To Kalcher, with whom he has a strong bond in the Lord and has been of one heart and soul, he is leaving a young horse and some cattle. In addition, the Eischberger woman of the 2nd transport, his father’s sister, is getting a fine present of horses, cows, pigs, and shirts. He has made an arrangement with his wife so that if, with Christian advice, she marries, her portion is so arranged as to satisfy her. May God, for the sake of Christ, hear our poor prayer for this sick man and make him once again sound in this life according to His gracious will, for we have great need of him in the orphanage and in the congregation.

Saturday, the 24th of April. Last night the mill had to stop running because a very large crocodile got into the mill wheel and was crushed. This morning some men pulled the animal out with difficulty. In addition, from time to time the milling has been hindered because the miller does not have enough flour sacks.

Sunday, the 25th of April. Today after the afternoon divine services Kogler gave a beautiful testimony on the state of his heart. I fairly rejoice over it. He feels the power of the word much more impressively than before; and, when one of us is preaching, he says it appears as if the preacher knows precisely the state of his soul and everything is clearer than in previous times. He is a very skilled, obliging, and generous man who, till now, has done the congregation many good services. What could we not hope from him if he offered himself fully to the Lord Jesus?

Monday, the 26th of April. A man in Carolina sent me a letter whose contents were as follows: He said he had many horned cattle; and, because he has heard that the Salzburgers want to buy a few head, he was willing to bring as many here as we wanted. I should write him the number very soon. He is the same man with whom I struck a bargain in Old Ebenezer on his journey to Frederica. He promised to bring a herd to Old Ebenezer and give our people the freedom to select such cows and calves as they liked, for which they were to pay him 2 £ 6 sh. Sterling. Now he is not thinking at all of these circumstances. I am writing to him in response that we wish to have thirty cows with their calves, the sooner the better, because the pasturage is at its best now. But he would have to bring an entire herd, as he had promised, and grant us the choice. I am writing that if we like his cattle we may not stop at thirty head, but rather he should be able to sell more cows and oxen for ready money as soon as he lets us know that he is in Old Ebenezer with his cattle. Nonetheless, he will have to arrange things to spare us on Sundays, for we cannot become involved in that kind of external matter then.

Tuesday, the 27th of April. Yesterday evening shortly before the prayer hour a subject of special importance to Christian intercession was brought home to us. Young Lackner brought the news that our dear, pious Ruprecht Steiner had been bitten by a snake and thereupon had suddenly become ill. Since no horse could be found, Mr. Mayer and my dear colleague traveled rapidly on foot to take the steps to counteract the poison. When they arrived there they found the patient naked and buried practically up to his neck. A cobbler had given this advice in the opinion that the earth would draw out the poison. They pulled him out straightaway, put him to bed, incised the snakebite, washed out the wound with a great deal of salt water, and gave him theriac and other things, whereupon the excessive pains subsided somewhat and the very violent fever abated. He had to vomit a great deal. Thereafter, he passed impure blood (per sedes,)⁴ and his thirst grew so great that they poured masses of milk and water into him even before the arrival of the surgeon.

My dear colleague spoke comforting words to him from the Gospel, and prayed with and for him along with others. He understood everything well and prayed along with them. This morning I would happily have ridden out quite early to his place, but for a lack of a horse I arrived only after nine. I then learned that he had very much desired my presence, as he himself attested with friendly words. I reminded him of the beautiful words from Numbers 21:8, 9 of the exalted brazen serpent and directed him to look upon it in faith in his current circumstances.⁵ Then he would become pure in his soul and enter into the heavenly Canaan, as I repeatedly cried out the words to him: “Look unto me and be ye served, all the ends of the earth;” also, “Come unto me, all ye that labor, and I will give you rest,” etc. “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Then, with all the Christian people present who had come to the gathering, we went down on our knees and in the name of Jesus Christ implored the Father for everything useful for the patient in soul and body. I suggested to a pious man that, when the occasion arose, he read aloud to the patient, along with the beautiful story from 2 Samuel 19 which we were now considering, some chapters from the late Arndt’s book on True Christianity, Book V, part 1, ch. 7, concerning the gracious forgiveness of sins. This also will be like a balm to his wounds. He was heartily content with the guidance of God and committed himself in life and death to his Savior, lamented only his lack of faith, but sought rest and comfort in the blood and wounds of Christ.

He thanked me very courteously for one and another of the things he said he had gotten from me, and he also paid his respects. He attested that he would like to beg forgiveness of everyone whom he had offended. I also told him that our miraculous, gracious God, by means of the cross placed upon him, was effecting good and salutary things with others in the congregation, for many a person had been awakened to seek peace hurriedly with God, as long as today lasts. Mr. Mayer also assured us that this was so, and therefore I said that in his suffering and in his day-to-day life he should be a good instrument to the honor of God and to the service of his neighbors.

Yesterday in the prayer hour we heard how Simei hastened to humble himself and seek pardon before David, when we also remembered the words: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?” He esteems the intercession of the faithful and does not doubt people will pray for him. He complained that he does not know how to pray properly. But I reminded him of the words from Psalm 38: “Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.”

Last Saturday I had business with him;⁶ and there I heard that he had told his wife to call their child from the field because he had seen snakes. He himself was working with his wife in the field to clear the grass from the crops when unexpectedly he felt a mild sting at the ankle of one foot. He guessed that he had poked himself on a stalk and thought nothing of it, but after a while he had great thirst and pain and saw that he had been bitten by a snake which he had seen in the grass. It cannot have been a rattlesnake, for when they bite, a sudden death results in a few moments, of which we have had various examples till now amongst both men and animals.

When I arrived home from the plantations and was holding family prayers with my helpmeet, we read page 301 from the Little Treasure Chest⁷ of Halle, which redounded to the strengthening of my faith. The beautiful verse and the appended application and encouragement very well suited our present circumstances of trial. The entire little sheet contained these treasured words: “Abraham believed in hope, against hope.” Romans 4:18, 21. “O soul, thou hast not only, as did Abraham, one single promise before thee, rather many promises and many thousands of examples of faith. For their sake hold thou to the word and faith, and if succor vanishes, indeed, if evil becomes more wicked, do not become therefore weak, rather strong and joyous, because God’s promises come to fruition by means of such miraculous paths, and God is prepared to succor thee for the least cause. If the cause be there, He etc.”

Help, thou mighty God, lest I lose heart in Thee,

Since here I lead my life in sheerest frailty;

Let me Thy promise thus more reassure

If, instead of succor, sheer hindrance occur!

Wednesday, the 28th of April. The young /David/ Eischberger and /Georg/ Eigel have their plantations next to one another; and, what is more, not like the others, on the mill stream. Rather they go further inland and are separated from the other plantations on the mill stream by a broad gap. Therefore, because they have no neighbors, getting started fell more heavily on them in the first years than it did on others. Fence-making they found especially burdensome, since both plantations had to be fenced in completely. Both families are very industrious and have, with divine blessing, accomplished much in building their huts, preparing the land, making fences, etc. Anyone who sees their many labors and recognizes their contended spirit, strengthened with good hope, will rejoice and will praise the Lord with them for all support. Thus have we in like manner praised God with one another on bended knee, and called on Him for His blessing in the earnest conduct of Christianity and in the faithful carrying out of our secular professions.

I have been very pleased indeed that Eischberger and his helpmeet have recognized their former inadequate Christianity and the necessity for a true conversion and that they are also diligently employing the means thereto. The man is not used to labor, but exerts himself beyond all his powers and does almost too much. God has held His hand over him especially—otherwise he would have been struck down on the spot by a tree. That occurrence, as well as what happened to Steiner, has been a call to penitence for both of them. I spent my time very contentedly with them and their neighbor Eigel (and his family), and my visit likewise gave them much joy and encouragement.

/Ruprecht/ Steiner, who has been visited by Mr. Mayer, my dear colleague and me, has since yesterday felt the assistance of the Lord abundantly in soul and body. The pains in his body and the severe fever are quite gone. Only in his foot, where the snake bite is, is there an intense inflammation, and the wound is beginning to draw pus. Mr. Mayer is taking every measure he can in the matter, applying internally and externally his own and our medicines. I was able to recite many comforting things from the gospel with him, strengthening his faith in the Lord Jesus. Because in his fear of death he looked to himself and his own transgressions rather than to Christ the Eradicator of sins, by means of whose wounds we are saved, he has been very agitated. Hence I advised him to become fully familiar by means of the Gospel with the heart of the Lord Jesus, which is full of love and reconciliation, and not to mix his own piety and good works, which were wholly inadequate, into vindication; for He called the sinners, I said, and made the godless righteous.

The above-mentioned chapter from the late Arndt’s book on True Christianity was very impressive and comforting to him; and our dear God also gave him much blessing and edification with the story of the resurrection of Christ. I recounted to him also how yesterday God had strengthened my faith and hope regarding his critical circumstances, viz., Romans 4:18–21, wherein we came upon the beautiful song: Es ist das Heil uns kommen, and especially its beautiful words, by which we profited when we distributed the dried fruit: “With God our faith is rightly placed, love will do our neighbor good, if you are born of God,” likewise, “If it appears that He would not, let it not dismay you, for even when He is with you best, He will not reveal it,” etc. I also read aloud to him and others the song: Wunder Anfang, herrlich Ende, etc., and prayed with them. We gave his wife necessary admonitions that fitted her circumstances.

For some persons whom God is causing, internally and externally, to feel the bitter fruits of their sins, I had the opportunity to interpret and apply the words found at Hosea 5:15 and 6:1 ff.: “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early, [saying] Come, and let us return to the Lord, etc.” All of this is to be quite clearly explained with the example of the Prodigal Son.

Friday, the 30th of April. Today after the prayer hour we calculated roughly the most recent mill expenses, which come to 20 pounds 5 sh. Sterling. Since I have only 1 pound 4 sh. 2 p. left, we will pay the smith and the carpenter for some additional work and buy a few ells of sack cloth, the best that can be had here. The people are willing to give up one quart or by weight two pounds from each bushel of corn, rice, or wheat for the upkeep of the mill. These shall be collected and profitably turned to money. In case of need they wish jointly to work a few days gratis. They look upon it not as forced service but rather as a grateful labor of love as profitable as the mill is to them. For each bushel of grain the miller gets 2 quarts or 4 pounds, which indeed he cannot subsist on; but in addition he can cultivate his field because the milling cannot be done constantly, and he has no tasks and expenses at the mill, since everything he needs is made and built for him. Corn and rice are getting a good price now, and with this compensation he can well afford the labor at the mill. In the future, when prices become cheaper, God will also take care that the miller is given recompense for his labor.

MAY

Saturday, the 1st of May. My dear colleague traveled very early this morning to Savannah to examine the people who are taking Holy Communion tomorrow and at the same time to preach the word of the Lord. May God place in him many blessings and also strengthen me at home so that I may be something for the praise of His glory. In the same boat we sent a fine quantity of silk to sell. The silkworms at the orphanage and at a few other peoples’ places spun it. Only a small part of the worms have finished spinning, and therefore the greatest amount of silk will be ready for sending down shortly.

Since the orphanage made a beginning, and to be sure a successful one, at silk cultivating and since the inhabitants of our place have recognized the great profit of this labor (which can be performed even by weakly persons such as women and children), some people who were able to get mulberry leaves have applied themselves to it this year; and it is a great joy to me to learn that they are being well rewarded for their pains. Now they have learned that art and can serve others with their knowledge, and I also see that others earnestly wish to apply themselves to planting many mulberry trees. Whenever there are enough trees in the vicinity, sericulture is an easy and very profitable thing. We have presented each and every widow this year a fine, full, white mulberry tree for their use in the orphanage, which indeed will prove useful to them. This year, contrary to expectations, there were too many sillkworms at the orphanage and too little room in the attic. We also had to feed them many wild mulberry leaves, for which reason quite a few worms died and a few became so weak that they barely half spun out. In the meantime we hope, nonetheless, to get a good quantity of silk, the profit from which will be applied both to the honest, industrious Kalcher and other co-workers, and also to build something which is indispensably necessary for the rearing of the silkworms.

At the moment the worms have to lie beneath the roof, where they are heated too much by the warmth of the sun, which in any case has been quite strong and lasting this spring. Also there are many midges and blow-flies which harm them. We have an indisputable need for a special house to accommodate the worms, but at this time we have not been able to build it, because we lack money and people to do the work. Our mulberry trees are still, for the most part, quite delicate, hence we have to get the bulk of the leaves elsewhere in this neighborhood. They grow in a wet area and are not as fine and sound as those that grow at our place, and this too may have contributed much to the death of many of the worms.

One of General Oglethorpe’s soldiers (who must reconnoiter the woods between Fort Argyle and Old Ebenezer) came to me to fetch a letter for the general. I will now always have a safe opportunity on the first day of each and every month to write a letter to this gracious and beneficent gentleman. This time I wrote a few hurried lines, once again commended Mr. Vigera to his good will, and gave him a report of the perilous accident which befell Steiner. I asked him to share with me the tested means against snake bite of which he had told me in Old Ebenezer, so that in case of need we will have something to apply. I am also reporting to him how burdensome and costly the journey to Savannah by boat falls to us, and am asking therefore that a road on land be made to Savannah.

Monday, the 3rd of May. Hans Schmidt visited me, and his tale of what the Lord had done in him was very edifying to me. On account of the high waters innundating a part of his land which was due to be planted—the milldam contributed something to that—he was somewhat troubled and uneasy. But God comforted him powerfully and fully satisfied him when he reverently read the hymn: Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt, etc., especially from verse 16: “If this or that be lacking, be undaunted. Let care and worry vanish. He who does not refuse me the greatest will find counsel for what’s small. God has given me His Son and sent Him to His death. How could He (let us think) not give us everything with Him?” He could cite many instances in previous times of how our gracious Lord had stood by him and helped him out of his miserable circumstances, and this strengthens him in faith and hope. I could recount to him how much I was both shamed and strengthened in trust in the reconciled heavenly Father, by means of a little bird on the roof of my house, singing merrily and happily, caring nothing for what the future might bring. We have a redeemer and spokesman with the Father, whom other creatures do not have. How peaceful and content we can be if only we hold to Him.

Schmidt intends to apply himself more to planting wheat than he did previously. He does not lack land but rather sufficient manure for it, and to get it he wishes to buy himself a cow, for which I shall lend him some money. I myself have to have recourse to loans; nonetheless, for those people who wish to support themselves in an honorable and Christian manner I cannot refuse it. God will grant everything.

Tuesday, the 4th of May. The people in Savannah, both German and English, are feeling anew the rod of God’s wrath, inasmuch as now as last summer the cattle are succumbing in droves, and eventually they are losing their few cattle. Mr. /Thomas/Jones, our honest friend, returned from Frederica at the end of last week, but he intends to travel back there already today.

The physician for the orphanage in Savannah /Patrick Hunter/ caused the pleasant report to be given to me that something has been collected and already sent to Charleston. It will very soon be turned over to me to dispose of, for money or goods. In one day the Lord is causing His kindness to our orphanage to become manifest in three noteworthy ways: today, as my dear colleague transmitted this news to me, a devout woman in the congregation presented the orphanage, with heartfelt good wishes, 7 sh. sterl., which had been given her in London. Also today, from the silk lately sent, a small blessing came our way, not to mention what the righteous Christian Riedelsperger bequeathed the other day to the orphanage. Our heavenly father knoweth what we have need of. We urgently need a spacious house, for the current one is much too constricted and too cold in winter, and its roof is dilapidated. We prefer to make do till God shows us, by means of real gifts, a more definite call for the construction, which is so costly in this country.

Concerning other matters, the people in Purysburg and elsewhere in Carolina have been vaingloriously claiming that they alone, and not the inhabitants of Georgia, have made silk, and that the silk sent annually to London shows only the industry of the inhabitants of Carolina. This vainglory has brought things to the point that silk from Carolina is no longer accepted at the store house in Savannah. Because of that, the people of Purysburg, who have drawn a fine sum of money from Savannah every year, are getting into a scrape and are trying every idea they can to get their silk into the store house.

Wednesday, the 5th of May. Some people in town are still very much behind in their reading; but, when I inquired, they attested their desire to go to school and remedy their defect. My dear colleague and I would like very much to become involved in this labor if only we had the time and strength for it. The schoolmaster Ortmann is now starting the school for the adults between two and three o’clock, at which time all the children are learning the catechism with my dear colleague. Because this is an extraordinary labor, we must give him something for his benefit from that which God will grant. On the plantations we are gladly making similar arrangements for the adults to learn reading. But, because we have to pay Ruprecht Steiner four pounds annually for the school with the children and also have no means at hand for it, we will have to wait for another time to set up school for the adults.

Thursday, the 6th of May. I found /Martin/ Lackner of the 4th transport at his labor in the field. He was sweating copiously but was in a good mood. He planted a large field somewhat late and, because his corn is younger than his neighbors’, the birds have pulled some of it up again and he must therefore plant again. If they all plant at the same time, the uprooting and harm caused by the birds can be sooner prevented. He recounted to me several things of what God was doing in his soul, through His word and especially on the occasion of the stories in the evening prayer hour. For him and his helpmeet it is extremely agreeable, on account of the daily prayer hours, to give up their most distant plantation and move nearer to the city. I am very hopeful for both people. They fit well in the congregation and live in Christian order.

The German crop of wheat, rye, barley, oats, and peas stands so handsomely in the gardens that we could not wish it better, and it will shortly become ripe. The people urgently need more cattle for making manure, and it might be wished that the Lord Trustees could grant some to the last transport, for the furtherance of agriculture. As a consequence the poor land, which they scornfully call “pine barren” (unfruitful land of Scotch pine), would also be profitable to use, as we know from many good tests. God can give everything, we must only pray for and await it.

Friday, the 7th of May. Before and after the prayer hour on the plantations I was busy paying the people for the last work on the mill. To be sure, it tired me greatly; but a letter from Mr. Whitefield, delivered to me while I worked, gladdened and refreshed me. He writes that in Edinburgh he collected 20 £. Sterl. for our people, in which especially the orphanage but also the congregation should share, for the rice mill or whatever good use I might find. He said he bought 600 yards of cloth and sent it here to make clothes for the orphan children in Bethesda. From it we can buy some for a small price. He hopes to collect still more for us before he departs from England. Praise God for this new benefaction. May He compensate Mr. Whitefield, and others for it, abundantly, with temporal and heavenly goods. It was very impressive to me that, as I was on the point of paying out the last money for the labor at the mill, I received this pleasant report of the above-mentioned collection, from which the mill will also profit.

Saturday, the 8th of May. I received a visit from the cobbler Reck, who once belonged to our congregation, but later moved to Port Royal. He regretted what he had done and how he had lived till now, and he cited also several particular cases of misfortune which had befallen him since his departure as evidence of the heavy hand of God over him. He sees himself in error and in great peril and recognizes that he has violated the Sabbath and kept bad company; and he has many good resolutions. They are not to remain merely resolutions, however, and with God’s help they shall come to fruition. He has proved to be benevolent in a certain matter concerning the orphanage, and offers to do more.

He has land nearby on the Carolina side, and is thinking of moving there this coming fall. Yesterday evening in the prayer hour he heard much for his own instruction in the example of the evil Ziba and the honest Mephiboseth, and of the behavior of David towards them both, and I noted that it impressed him. We read aloud and emphasized Ephesians 4:25 ff. and Sirach 5:29. We have dwelt upon the 19th chapter of 2 Samuel for some time in the prayer hours, because the material has been so important and edifying. The heart of the risen Jesus especially was demonstrated quite clearly and lovingly to us by the model of David and his behavior towards his rebels, with our duty towards Him; and I felt the power of the gospel in myself and others. The verse from Romans 4:5 was for us quite select and valuable: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,” etc., for it brings comfort in the struggle to do penance, in temptation, and on one’s deathbed.

Sunday, the 9th of May. A sad report from Savannah was confirmed, to wit, that the owner of a sloop which went regularly back and forth between Savannah and Charleston, twice came into mortal peril in the water, and at last drowned in it. Large fish dealt roughly with the body, and at first it was concluded that perhaps he had been murdered and thrown into the water; but now it is known with certainty that the boom knocked him overboard. Such judgments happen often, rather than seldom; yet few reflect thereupon. And therefore, with perverse persons God effects just as little by earnest means as by means of His kindness. May He aid the pious ones in the land, by means of their humble and constant prayer, to become a battlement against those judgments and step into the breach.

Monday, the 10th of May. This afternoon I visited some families in the upper part of the plantations and had much pleasure with them in conversation and prayer. Mrs. Krause had been waiting for me a long time to disclose to me the state of her soul and to request good advice, since it goes from fear to hope with her. On Good Friday God displayed to her an act of grace so that she could believe that God had forgiven her everything. She recounted to me many edifying circumstances and details from it. Peter Reiter also came here, and we conducted a pleasant (and very profitable for all of us) conversation concerning the proper kind of faith and its business in righteousness and salvation, for then we can especially recognize that it is not a work of the head but rather of the heart and an actual effect of the Holy Spirit.

N. sees the glorious grace in Christ and the bliss of a true evangelical Christian from afar, as it were, and looks forward to it. He regrets his lack of faith and blindness in wanting to be saved from perdition more by means of his own works and his activity than through faith in the Lord Jesus. He prays very earnestly and takes great pleasure in having good conversation and good examples, hence it is much to his liking when we visit him and his family. He is now, as he himself attests, very content with everything, even as burdensome as the country life strikes him, and he thanks God for saving him from the life of his companions in Germany. He believes he would have perished body and soul among the rough crowd had God not torn him away from the journeyman’s life and brought him into solitude. He recounted exactly the same thing about N., who was compelled by force by other members of their guild to drink excessively, etc. Kornberger recounted how, when he came into a certain imperial city¹ as a weaver journeyman wearing a black scarf, other journeymen compelled him to put on a white one and to display pomp with a walking stick and other vanities. He sent them about their business, however, when he said he had not left Salzburg for the sake of vanity, but rather for the sake of the Gospel.

Tuesday, the 11th of May. This morning a woman of the 4th transport came in from the plantations to fetch medicines for her sick husband, and she also then called on me and, weeping copiously, acknowledged several sins which were leaving her no peace day and night since she had been awakened by God’s word. Because she could find no comfort in the merits of Christ, she was forced to a candid confession. They were the kind of sins that cannot be hushed up and prayed away in secret, and the good woman did quite right in disclosing her wounds in the appropriate place. The words from Sirach 41:19 fit many: “One often is ashamed, when one should not be ashamed.”

Wednesday, the 12th of May. N. had gotten into a conflict with his neighbor. Because the former had acted angrily and threateningly, yesterday morning I impressed seriously upon him that his intransigent behavior was evidence of his unconverted heart, and I promised more thoroughly to investigate and punish these goings-on. This morning he came a long way here from his plantation, humbled himself, asked pardon, and said he would be happy to take whatever punishment is pronounced upon him. I reminded him of a few old sins which he had secretly committed with N. and N. (both of whom took miserable leave of Ebenezer), for which God had borne him in such great forebearance and had waited so long for an act of penance, but in vain up to now. He acknowledged well everything we told him in addition and departed from me with good resolutions?

I visited the people on their plantations on Ebenezer Creek, to encourage them at their hard labor by means of a Christian exhortation, not to let their spirits fall, but to consider God’s promises and the example of the first Salzburgers, with all difficulties which arise with the construction of new plantations. In Savannah I bought a ploughshare which I am giving to Kogler and Rottenberger. They will finish the wooden parts for it, so that there then will be two good plows, one at the orphanage in the town and one on the plantations. The horses at our place are mostly brood mares, young and weak. The people are saving them for breeding, as far as possible.