Saturday, the 30th of May. Today we all were busy in distributing the received gifts of diverse linen cloth, calico, shoes, stockings, thread, needles, ribbons, etc. in such a way that every member of the community from the largest to the smallest one will receive his portion at the distribution. This time our loyal God has even taken care of the children who are being carried under their mothers’ hearts and are still to be born, since He has sent us not only midwife-books that have been written from experience, but also swaddling clothes and other things, for which the poor women will be very happy and praise God. I remembered hereby Psalm 102:19: “This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.” I hope that our descendants, insofar as they fear God, will find much material for the recognition of the wonderful and blessed ways that He has gone with us from the beginning from the printed reports of Ebenezer, of which we have just received the third and fourth Continuations, and that they will be thereby awakened to the praise of God and to faith in Him. May God so bless in our souls the memory of the ways He has gone with us from reading the diaries that we will sacrifice ourselves anew with soul and body to His service and glory. In the written report from Halle of 1740 I was much impressed that, during the hard times in which all Germany was very much afflicted and the poor were very oppressed, the free tables at the orphanage could be increased by the grace of God. The same is true of the gifts sent to us; although everything is expensive and there are many poor people in Germany, our merciful God, who knows about our need, collected a greater supply of charitable gifts than we had ever been able to distribute before. That may well mean: “I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord,” and here God does not tie Himself to any circumstances of the times.
Sunday, the 31st of May. After the morning sermon it was announced that tomorrow morning after a public service and intercessory prayers we would distribute goods received from God, which came to our hands quite undamaged from Augsburg and Halle at the end of last week. For this purpose not only the grown-ups but also the children were to appear so that everybody would take part in the beautiful and rich blessings to the praise of God and his own joy. They were also informed that the late Arndt’s Passion and Easter Sermons29 had also arrived, for which our worthy Senior Urlsperger had given us hope in one of his last letters and that they were even bound copies. This is a very special blessing for our congregation, not only because the book is worth reading, like his book of True Christianity, but also because they sent fifty copies so that the whole parish and every family in it can be provided with this special treasure. We had discussed the gospel of the First Sunday after Trinity, about the hope of a future glory that God will give to His children; for this glory our dear God will certainly prepare our listeners, young and old, by the help of this beautiful book.
A woman told me that her husband thanked God last night for these Passion and Easter Sermons. She said she wished to take them to him at the plantation, even though she has a little boy to lead and to bear, because she knows she cannot bring anything that would be more agreeable to him. I asked the listeners to examine themselves as to how they have managed up to now with the late Arndt’s book True Christianity, whether they all have been brought a real conversion and Christianity by it: [they should not request the new book before they have humbly apologized to our dear God for their former sins and disloyalty towards the mentioned book and have made an earnest resolution to employ both besides the Holy Scriptures in such a way that they may derive therefrom an eternal benefit with the help of the Holy Spirit. For . . .] there is indeed a great responsibility when God sends one good book after the other but does not achieve His purpose in a human being. After the afternoon service those people stayed behind who wished to receive this delightful sermon book for themselves or their families. We came together in my room before the distribution, praised the Lord for this book and for the absolute truth contained in it, and prayed for all who have contributed their share in having it brought to Ebenezer in so many copies.
During the prayer it came to my mind that our dear God has surely not ordained in vain for this beautiful book to be distributed to the parish today prior to the remaining gifts. He wishes without doubt to teach us to practice the verse: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, ...” etc. I undertook the distribution of the books with very great pleasure; for the great desire shown for it and the hearty gratitude of the dear people impressed me very greatly and I do not doubt that the Lord will lay His blessings upon the witness of truth that the late dear and highly esteemed Arndt gives us and that they will flow back on the dear benefactors spiritually and physically as a reward for such precious benefactions. Each family could be provided with one copy; but, since I could not refuse the request of the Kieffer family for a book, I had to give them my own copy and must now share with my dear colleague the book put aside for him until our dear God lets me have one of my own, perhaps next year.
JUNE
Monday, the 1st of June. On this first day of the summer season our gracious God has already begun to show us much good; and therefore we hope that, by His grace, He will let flow upon us the ever filled wells of His goodness in the future too as long as we live in this pilgrimage and until we finally come to the real fatherland, where abundant joy and pleasure will be found always and eternally at the right hand of God. Last night we had a soft rainfall; and this forenoon the members of the community and everybody who was able to come in from the plantations gathered in great number in my house, where our Lord, our friendly God, let rain many spiritual and physical benefits upon old and young, bar none, and thereby sought to entice all of them under His widespread wings of grace and give pleasure to them in Christ with heart and soul in time and eternity. The gifts to be distributed were spread out on the floor of my room just as, in former times, God spread out manna, which was prepared contrary to all known merit and desert and to the glorification of His majesty and the astonishment and joy of His people. These gifts we tried to sanctify by the word of God and prayer with the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
God awakened my heart anew this morning and encouraged it for this ceremony by the sight of the great blessing that was presented as well as by the confession of a man who told me with joy that yesterday God had shown great mercy to his soul by His word. He has also heard this of other men and women, so that he hopes that, if the grace he has received is not rejected, the congregation will look from now on as lovely as our gardens and fields do in spring and summer time. May God be praised for His boundless grace! At this time, when He has sent us manifold grace, God has let fall strongly into my mind the verse Sirach 50:24: “God doeth great things for us,” which was also the text in today’s assembly, whereby both the young and old listeners were reminded of many good things that our wise, pious, and friendly God has shown to us from near and far, especially at the present time; and their hearts were encouraged to praise our very kind God and reminded of their duty.
It was impressive for me that those words: “God doeth great things for us” were expressed by the pious Children of Israel with reconciled hearts and to the praise of God when they shared the blessings that our merciful God had commended to be put upon the Children of Israel in His name by service of the priests of the Lord. The perception of this great treasure excited their desire for it, and their recognized unworthiness made them kneel down and awakened their hearts to a heartfelt joy and praise of God so that they exclaimed like one heart and mouth: “Now bless the God of all, who in every way doeth great things.” Hereby we showed our dear listeners that these words, as well as the attitude of the honest Israelites toward the blessings they received, fit our present circumstances excellently well because our wonderful and friendly God has also put manifold blessings into the hands of His servants in Europe [especially of our dear Mr. Senior Urlsperger and Dr. /Gotthilf August/Francke] through which it has now flowed upon us. And just as they are eager to enjoy the same, it is now up to them to learn to repeat those people’s lovely words from the bottom of their hearts to the glorification of our great God: “God doeth great things for us.”
I reminded them that it would be impossible for me to demonstrate all the physical and spiritual benefactions in length, breadth, height, and depth that God has shown them just here at Ebenezer right from the beginning, for their weak minds would probably not comprehend everything; but it is the duty of every Christian to repeat the three main articles of Christian belief often and to consider all the spiritual and physical benefactions according to their contents with prayer and by the help of the Holy Spirit, so that they may not owe praise and glory to our most gracious God and Father. For ingratitude is as great a sin as other shameful depravities and bad habits. It is a wonderful joy to the soul to walk often in the garden of the widely spread grace of God in Christ, for one would meet one lovely flower after the other here, well-tasting fruit there, and also some refreshing fountains to the unspeakable joy of one’s heart, to the praise of the highest Donor, and to the very marked furtherance of evangelical Christianity. Always it would be said: “My God, thou doest all good things for me and us unworthy ones.”
In order to give them a good introduction, I opened the precious twenty-ninth chapter of Book Two of Johannes Arndt’s Of True Christianity and handed it over to children and adults to read at home. This time two points were important in the contemplation, that it be especially shown what our merciful God, reconciled in Christ, has done for us both nearby and far away, so that it will not only be said: “God doeth great things for us,” but also: “Thy kindness is so great that it has neither measure nor end.” It is not to be measured, not to be counted, not to be overlooked, not to be explicated, not to be articulated:
I. Nearby, what we enjoy at our place, in our lodgings, at the plantations, and in the country. Here it is most important that our Lord grants us His holy word and the holy sacraments pure, plentifully, and gratuitously. In order to make them understand what kind of a treasure this is, they were reminded of other, especially German, people in this and other colonies of whom one can say with Matthew 10:36 “They fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” They may help themselves along by reading a few books; but, since most of them are unconverted and not enlightened, they do not even know how to get on with good books but take comfort in things where there is no comfort. Some children stay unbaptized for a long time: I baptized one the other day that was three weeks old and still without baptism. What a great pity! [Mothers like this must look at their suckling babies as children of wrath and cannot say the words of yesterday’s exordium about their child: “We (I, your mother, and you my dear child) rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” What happens if they die without being baptized!]
The same happens with the treasure of the Holy Sacrament. Some people cannot obtain it for a long time, or not at all; and, when they do get the opportunity, they do not have the necessary preparation for it, as everybody has at our place. God works quite actively on all of us; the ones He could not win yesterday or in former times, He seeks today, follows them also tomorrow and the following days by calling and tempting them, by doing them good and chastising them. He does not give them peace before He has won them and turned them to love with heart and soul, just as if our sufficient God would win something Himself by the surrender of our hearts to Him. That surely means: “He doeth great things for us.” I remembered in this connection what the Mr. von N. [Honorable Mr. von Münch] mentioned in his letter to Mr. N. [Senior Urlsperger]: “People, especially our Germans, Württembergers, Palatines, and others, leave their countries because of need and misery and become there [a potori] even more, miserable in body and soul, which is deplorable.1 May God improve things soon,” etc. Furthermore, it is to be considered a special benefit of God that our parishioners do not have to pay their teachers and schoolmasters either by a salary nor by occasional emoluments, for God has awakened benefactors in England2 for that purpose who are not in the least obligated to do so, a fact which is perhaps not sufficiently realized by all the people.
2. Secondly, among the many good things our Lord is showing nearby is the fact that, although there are war and famine in the country so that neither corn, rice, nor beans, nor other food can be obtained for money, we are not at all oppressed by war and famine, but God has given us so much from the last harvest that everybody can enjoy his bread and what else is necessary for living in quietness and peace. Although they have very much esteemed the benefits from the storehouse, they have always wished to be able finally to eat their own bread. God granted them this and also a mill some time ago by His foresight so that they can enjoy their crops even better now. Senior Urlsperger praised the benefit of this in his last letter of 2 February st.n.a.c.,3 although at that time he had no word of its wonderful and blessed completion. It is a new benefaction that God is letting the present crop grow very beautifully, whereby I am encouraged to joy and the praise of God as often as I see it in the fields, especially since it started out so badly because of the worms. They should again look at this gift (as the late Arndt says) in the light of the cross and consider how it would be if God should send a bad year at this time of want. When would I ever finish if I spoke of the benefaction of our orphanage, of the health granted for establishing their plantations, of the blessings they can perceive in their households etc. It always says: “God doeth great things for us.” May laud and praise be to His name now and forever. After this we spoke
II. of the good that our merciful God passed on to us from afar, whereby 1) it is a principal blessing that, up to now, God has spared the lives of the dear men in Europe, our worthy benefactors, since He surely could have called them like others, of whose death we read in last year’s reports from Halle, from this miserable world into His, their Lord’s delight. Although they sometimes became sick and weak under the burden of their work, our Lord has strengthened them again; and they also hope to have drawn some improvement in their health from our poor prayer in the congregation, which shall encourage us to a new intercession and to the praise of God. They lift their hands untiringly to God so that we will be blessed spiritually and physically; they speak, write, worry about us, are happy when we are well, feel pity when it goes badly with us here and there, and assist us by word and deed. This could easily be confirmed by quite unquestionable and fresh examples. They consider us to be their sons and daughters abroad, of whose welfare they often request information and for whom they wish to care in the best possible way. What is said by Saint John in his third epistle v.4 is the pure purpose of their efforts, pains, and prayers for us to God and men; and they do not seek any other reward than this. This reminded me of the words of the honorable merchant Mr. Ott of Zurich in a letter to Senior Urlsperger: “How much I wished that the Swiss people who live in America and are certainly poor people and far from the good fortune of the Salzburgers might also find a fatherly protector as the Salzburgers have in the person of . . . [your Reverend Sir].”
2. It is a great gift and benefaction from afar that, despite the miserable conditions in Germany, God bestows on us so many good gifts of books, linen, medicine, and other necessary things that have been brought to Ebenezer undamaged and without costs and trouble to us, although bound books, shoes, and new linen cloth are not to be imported from other countries into England. But God directed the hearts of our superiors and blessed their intercessions. Also for transportation costs on water and land none of us needs to bear a share, but everything comes to our place free and without charge, except that this time 30 shillings must be paid for three crates from Charleston up to here, costs which God has already granted us. Judging by the mentioned 30 shillings for transportation, we can imagine how much the whole freight would have cost us.
3. From Europe the most beautiful and edifying letters and various good news from the kingdom of God, both written and printed, have been sent to us, of which we can again tell them many wonderful things. Some reports from the missions in East India were also included this time, which could serve some people for re-reading and encouragement. Their letters were gladly delivered to their families and they received answers in time, a benefit that other German people in this country long for but cannot have.
Here I had to stop enumerating the many good things from afar, since time did not allow me to mention more of them this time. Therefore I showed in the detailed application: 1) whom we have to thank for all these benefactions, namely, our gracious God, who makes His servants and children into vessels of His mercy and tools of His grace and gifts. The listeners were warned of the very common thoughtlessness of people who live with the pleasure of God’s benefactions without realizing from whom they come and what their purpose is, which is bestial, yes even worse than bestial (cf. Isaiah 1:3). 2) what the intention of our merciful God is. Nobody should quickly conclude from his experience of God’s manifold benevolent care that he could safely rest in God’s grace and be His friend and child. For He will also be kind to the ones who are unthankful and wicked: “He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good,” etc. Matthew 5:45. Here it goes as in the story in Genesis 32:33, where Jacob sent presents and gifts to his brother Esau, not because he was his friend but to become one in this way. Therefore all these persons among us who have a worldly mind, which is an enmity against God, like the rich man and his five brothers in yesterday’s gospel, should apply the blessings of God to be led to atonement and to be made friends of God, otherwise they would be worse than Esau, who was at least won by the love of his brother. May God make them ashamed by the multitude of His blessings, also the present ones, so that they realize with humility and regret that up to now they have been enemies of an all-gracious God who has loved them from eternity, still loves them, and will love them in eternity, and that they have offended against His eternal love.
Some others, whom our Lord has granted grace to come to atonement and to true service of God in spirit and truth, would also find grounds in the wealth of God’s grace, by which He does them much good, to blush with shame and humiliate themselves because they have not yet loved and served this eternal love and special grace so eagerly as He would deserve it. It should be said -- as of the honest emigrant Jacob, Genesis 28:20-21: “If God will be with me, and wil keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, then shall the Lord be my God.” Now it should really say: He shall be my God and highest treasure, to whom I surrender with soul and body as His own forever. In this order they would have to praise the Donor of all the charities and eagerly pray for all the dear and esteemed benefactors, whom He made willing and able to care and pray diligently for all of us as their children, for this is God’s will [1 Peter 2:1 ff], 1 Timothy 2:1 ff. After this we knelt down before God, although the space was small because of the many listeners, and prayed for ourselves and for our worthy benefactors and praised His glorious name for all His blessings in the kingdom of power and grace.
The distribution was made in good order, since beautiful books, linen, and other things had already been tied together and were lying in the opposite room. The name of our Lord be praised for all the spiritual blessings He gave to our souls through these very dear physical gifts. I trust He will ordain for a fruit of it to remain until eternity to the unspeakable great joy of our dear benefactors. They cannot take any of their temporal goods with them when they die, but whatever they give to needy members of Christ will follow them to eternal bliss as glorious undeniable attestations of their living faith, for “their works will follow them.”4 How comforting it was for us when we heard from the gospel yesterday that just people who have died will meet in heaven. How will we feel (oh God help us over there!) when we become acquainted with our benefactors, whom we do not know by sight down here.
While preaching the word of God and distributing the many items, our strength was somewhat exhausted and noon and mealtime were drawing near, so the special ceremony with the children was postponed until one o’clock, but they were also present for everything that was being undertaken for their parents through the word of God, prayer, and the distribution. This surely made some salutary impression on their tender hearts with the blessings of God. When the signal was given, large and small children assembled in my spacious room; the ones who could not walk yet were led or carried by their mothers or fathers. After the song: Nun dancket alle Gott . . . etc. had been recited and sung for them, the larger ones were catechized about the previously mentioned verse: “God doeth great things for us. . . ” and instructed that our dear God has shown so much good to them by holy baptism that I did not know whether He could show them an even greater kindness. For the triune God, the supreme Good, has given Himself to them as their eternal possession, their souls and bodies being temples of God and the Holy Spirit, however plain they might look from outside. Parents should know that they have very dear treasures and pledges in their lambkins; in this intent it is not said of pious parents: “Alas for you,” but “Well for you, ye are well off. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.” It is also said: “If thou hast grace, then blessing comes upon thy house.” God really lives in the already baptised children, therefore they cannot lack blessings and well-being if only their unfaithfulness and weak flesh will not drive away the blessings and will not spoil the children again through nuisance and lack of watching and praying.
The larger children were heartily admonished to pray, to struggle, and to make use of the often given advice to renew their bond of baptism. Then they will understand and know by experience what it means: “God doeth great things for us.” After the prayer a child recited the twenty-third psalm, and another one said the Lord’s prayer and we all finished with the Doxology: “The name of the Lord be praised and . . .” etc.; and they received the blessings and at last everybody received his gift. Many parents attended this ceremony. A man was very sorry that he did not bring his child, who stayed home with its sick mother. We have not had such successive blessed hours as these today for a long time. May our dear God reward in time and eternity those who have contributed to it by their gifts. We believe our benefactors will like to read in this diary the names of those, young and old, whom they have refreshed with their benefits. Therefore we will note them here:
Names, First, of Adults both Married and Unmarried
Ruprecht Kalcher
Margar. Kalcher
Margaretha Schwaighoffer, widow
Georg Sanftleben
Ursula Landfelder
Thomas Pichler
Margaretha Pichler
Ruprecht Steiner
Maria Steiner
Leonhard Crause
Barbara Crause
Hans Flerl
Anna Maria Flerl
Johann Kornberger
Gertraut Kornberger
Dorothea Arensdorff, widow
Peter, her son
Matthias Brandner
Maria Brandner
Johann Pletter
Elisabeth Pletter
Martin Lackner
Margaretha Lackner
Simon Reiter
Magdalena Reiter
Maria Gruber, widow
Thomas Gschwandel
Sibilla Gschwandel
Andreas Grimmiger
Anna Maria Grimmiger
Bartholomäus Rieser
Maria Rieser
Ruprecht Eischberger
Maria Eischberger
Georg Schwaiger
Eva Regina Schwaiger
Heinrich Bishop
Frederica Bishop
Christian Leimberger
Margaretha Leimberger
Dorothea Helffenstein, widow
Hans Schmidt
Catharina Schmidt
Peter Reiter
Gertraut Reiter, the widow Steiner
Matthias Burgsteiner
Agatha Burgsteiner
Ruprecht Zittrauer
Anna Zittrauer
Friedrich Müller
Georg Kogler
Barbara Kogler
Christoph Rottenberger
Catharina Rottenberger
Anna Maria Rieser
Paulus Zittrauer
Margaretha Zittrauer
Ruprecht Zimmermann
Margaretha Zimmermann
Veit Lemmenhofer
Maria Lemmenhofer
Thomas Bacher
Maria Bacher
Hans Maurer
Catharina Mauer
Gabriel Maurer
Elisabeth Maurer
Joseph Ernst
Maria Ernst
Matthias Zettler
Elisabetha Catharina Zettler
Maria Anna Rheinländer, widow
Christian, her son
Christoph Ortmann
Juliana Ortmann
Mr. Thilo, Medicus
Frederica Thilo
Maria Magdalena Rauner, widow
Martin Herzog
Jacob Schartner
Carl Flerl
Gottlieb Christ
Christian Riedelsperger
Christian Hesler
Carl Sigismund Ott
Joseph Leitner
Bartholomäus Zant
Johann Paul Müller
Michael Rieser, Bart. Rieser’s oldest son
Barbara Mauer
Ambrosius Züblin )
from St. Gall
Jacob Züblin )
Hans Krüsy Appenzell
Engel Koller, his kinswoman
The following have come to the congregation.
Hieronymus Salomo Ade, shoemaker
Margaretha Ade
Martin Käsemeyer
Catherina Käsemeyer
Catharina Custobader
Heinrich Hamilton, English schoolmaster
Regina Charlotta Hamilton
Friedrich Ludwig Nett
Elisabetha Magdalena Nett
Michael Schneider
Elisabeth Schneider, Sanftleben’s sister
Catharina Holzer
Susanna Haberfehner
Johann Georg Schneider
All these men and women, youths and girls, one hundred fourteen persons all together, have received linen, shirts, cotton-printed tablecloths, bibs, black and blue linen, likewise colored calico for aprons, shoes, stockings, caps, fustian, thread, ribbons, spoons, clasps, and other items. Everybody received his portion of one thing or the other, more than one pound Sterling in value for each. Because the Lord also blessed His word in their souls and some edifying books were distributed too, as well as the gifts mentioned, everybody went home with full load and happy in body and soul. Also we two, our helpmeets, and our children, have received a considerable gift of green-printed and white household linen cloth at the order of our benefactors from Augsburg. May our merciful God reward them richly in time and eternity. Our Lord, the almighty and allgracious heavenly Father, knows His people, including our very true and dear benefactors who have given more joy to all of us in the community than we have ever had before at Ebenezer with their gifts of books, medicines, and various items of clothing.
The very beautiful green printed linen cloth was sent especially for us, our wives, and our children by unknown benefactors; and therefore we wish to render our very special and hearty thanks for it. The hope greens in my heart that everything will turn out well at Ebenezer spiritually and physically, so that the name of our great Immanuel will be celebrated by all members of our congregation, small and large, according to the promise of Jeremiah 32:31-34. To attest such well-founded hopes, I intend to have both my sons, Samuel Leberecht and Gotthilf Israel, dressed in green from this gift we have received, and as long as God grants me life I will teach them with His grace to pray for all known and unknown benefactors, that our true God, who keeps faith eternally and does not destroy the hopes of His children, even if they be young infants and babies, will fulfill what is said in Psalms 92:13-16: “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To shew that the Lord is upright: He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”
II. The Children of Both Sexes
Ursula Kalcher
Maria Kalcher
Maria Magdalena Kalcher
Maria Schweighoffer
Thomas Schweighoffer
Ursula Schweighoffer
Agatha Landfelder
Maria Pichler
Johann Gottfried Pichler
Christian Steiner
David Steiner
Hanna Flerl
Maria Kornberger
Sophia Arnsdorff
Maria Margaretha Arnsdorff
Dorothea Arnsdorff
Maria Brandner
Elisabeth Pletter
Hanna Lackner
Maria Magdalena Reiter
Johannes Gruber
Margaretha Gschwandel
Catharina Grimmiger
Balthasar Rieser
George Rieser
Catharina Eischberger
Johann Eischberger
Christian Helffenstein
Jacob Helffenstein
Jeremias Helffenstein
Johannes Helffenstein
Barbara Schmidt
Sara Steiner
Johannes Burgsteiner
Maria Kogler
Johannes Zittrauer
Jacob Zittrauer
Elisabetha Müller
Maria Magdalena Müller
Susanna Rottenberger
David Rottenberger
Johann Georg Zittrauer
Maria Lemmenhoffer
Maria Bacher
Appolonia Bacher
Elisabeth Maurer
Johannes Maurer
Gottlieb Rieser
Maria Anna Rheinländer
Johann Martin Rheinländer
Maria Rauner
Margaretha Huber
Johannes Schneider
Susanna Ernst
Johannes Ernst
Adrian Krusy
Maria Anna Koller
Friedrich Ade
Johann Heinrich Ade
Clemens Käsemeyer
Dorothea Käsemeyer
Catharina Heinrich )
Juliana Heinrich ) these are five
Elisabeth Gebhart ) serving girls
Eva Gebhart )
Barbara Waldhauer )
Samuel Leberecht )
Gotthilf Israel ) our children
Hanna Elisabeth )
Israel Christian )
All these children, from the most tender infant to the children of fourteen and fifteen years of age, seventy-one in number, have received stockings, skirts, shirts, linen cloth for shirts, kerchiefs, caps, small knives, and one and another thing to their childlike joy. And since we also prayed with them and for them, the Lord will accomplish His word from the eighth Psalm among us too: “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of mine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy,” . . . etc. May God bless all these prayers sent to Him today so that the benefactors may be crowned with thousandfold blessings and that from this country and from dear Germany all enemies and the vengeful may be destroyed, if they do not wish to humiliate themselves before the highest Ruler of all countries, Jesus Christ.
Adults and children who died at Ebenezer
from 1739 to 1741
Adults
1739 Joh. Caspar Ulich 30 years old
Elisabeth Heldt 41 years
Peter Heinrich 50 years
Anna Schneider 32 years
Gert. Lackner 30 years
1740 Peter Gruber 40 years
Magd. Haberfehner 16 years
1741 Simon Steiner 50 years
Children
1739 Catharina Schwaiger 6 weeks
Matthias Schneider 2 days
Maria Eischberger 2 days
1740 Elisabeth Craus 2 days
Ruprecht Burgsteiner 4-1/2 years
Mar. Cathar. Schwaiger 3 days
Hanna Elisabeth Thilo 15 weeks
Tuesday, the 2nd of June. Before, during, and after the edification hour at the plantations I had great pleasure from the spiritual blessing that was revealed yesterday in the congregation. The same was experienced by my wife, whom I took along for some exercise and recreation because of her lasting infirmity; various people revealed to her with great emotion the great good that our Lord has granted them. At the end of the lesson, in which a beautiful letter from Mr. Urlsperger of 2 February of year was read, some men stayed behind and not only told me what I should write to their relatives in Prussia and Lithuania,5 but also asked me, being deeply moved with gratitude because of the recent benefactions, to draft a letter of thanks in their name to those benefactors through whose hands our loving God let flow these gifts upon us (which are very valuable according to the standards of this place). Kogler in particular came to me and said I should tell dear Mr. Urlsperger that God gave us a general awakening yesterday; he knows that, etc. In town I am likewise asked to write a letter of thanks because both young and old people have received so very much good this time.
The books, which were also distributed, are of great joy to them, as they revealed with powerful words; and we should not forget to thank especially for these beautiful gifts. One of the people said he would not give away what he has gotten even for 30 shillings Sterling. (Another one said that the late Arndt’s sermon book means more to him than two or three pounds Sterling), although he is a very poor man and does not even have one pence at home. Although I was rather weak in the evening because of exhausting emotional work, our mighty and at the same time good God noticeably strengthened my body and mind in today’s evening prayer hour, in which the previously mentioned letter from Mr. N. [Senior Urlsperger] was made useful to the congregation. How many salutary awakenings we receive from such letters, how many reminders of previously received blessings of God through which He has saved us from many afflictions and granted us ineffably much good. How much comfort and strengthening in faith we receive from letters like that! How comforting to us that someone is writing for us God’s most powerful promises which fit our external and internal circumstances and that we often read that people are praying for us very diligently before God.
This trusting and constant prayer of God’s servants and children is useful not only to us but also to this whole country at the present time of war, although scarcely one out of a hundred will realize it. “This shall be written for the generation to come; and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord” [when they read the recorded special proofs of God’s grace upon the little band of Ebenezer 1, Psalm 102. With the comforting dictis biblicis6 mentioned in the letters, like: “If thou wouldst believe, thou shouldst see the glory of God,” likewise, “He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” So that we may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper,” etc., I reminded the listeners again of our text at the commemoration festival, Isaiah, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye refuse . . .” etc., whereupon I remembered what somebody had told me about a Negro slave who had run away but was found again. He was afraid his masters would kill him and throw him into the water, therefore he preferred to run away. However, he was assured that no one would kill him, because this is prohibited by the book of God (that was shown to him): “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed,” etc., whereupon the Negro answered: “This book does not lie, it always tells the truth. . .” etc. This I told the listeners so that the careless would be ashamed, do atonement, and earnestly learn to believe that the Bible does not lie and that God is really true in fulfilling His threats and promises.
Wednesday, the 3rd of June. [Ernst has dislocated his left hand. To be sure, he has used the prescribed medicines; but, since the injury was not examined, it got much worse. I urged him to ask other persons who understand something about the injury to take care of him to prevent it from getting worse. Yesterday Mr. Thilo tried to pull the hand asunder and to set it again, whereby he had to use force. Consequently it was very painful, since they had waited too long already and had tried to help, without setting it, by bleeding, bandages, and compresses. He wished this morning to get some Schauer’s Balm, in addition to which Mr. Thilo wanted to prepare for him in order to cure the swelling and the pains. He also inquired about the chapter of Arndt’s book of True Christianity, which had been read in public on Monday and had slipped his memory. I told him it was from Book XXII, item 79, the beginning of which fits him very well; I read it to him with the request that he realize that, by this punishment, God does not seek anything else but to lead him to the realization of his grave sins and to true atonement. If God’s intention is reached, it will be to his benefit, if not, God will be even harder than before.]
N. [Ernst] told me so many good things about himself that I hope God will win this formerly very bad man too, whereupon a special joy would certainly arise in heaven and on earth. Whoever knows this man’s spite and the terrible curses he makes to hush up his spite will see the divine jus talionis7 from these and other circumstances I have mentioned. Since he has given some hope of improvement by an eager use of the means of salvation and by his and his wife’s better behavior, he and his wife and two children have received their share of the distributed gifts as plentifully as the others. May he be led to atonement by God’s grace.
N.N. [unmarried Barbara Maurer] has also behaved more properly for some time, so one can say that there is more hope for her true improvement than before. The books and gifts we have received have now led her dissolute and obstinate mind closer to us and our ministry. May the Lord have mercy on all people so that our kindest and holy God will not need to proclaim the accusing and threatening words upon us, Psalm 95:10-11 (which will be the introductory words on the coming Second Sunday after Trinity) : “It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways, unto whom I sware . . .” etc.
Thursday, the 4th of June. A short time ago Colonel Stephens in Savannah gave to me twelve grape vines that he had received from Madeira. They had come into leaf already; and, since one did not take the right care of them during the journey or in Savannah, the sprouted buds dried up again. I had them planted according to the benefactor’s wish, and today I saw to my astonishment that three of them were sprouting again very nicely. The vine expert who had to plant them had also doubted they would sprout, because they were only vine branches without roots and the sprouted buds were withered. According to the opinion of knowledgeable people this is an excellent country for grape growing; therefore the German people in Savannah cannot find words enough in their letters to their families on the Rhine and in the country of Wurttemberg to tell what a wonderful wine country this is. In Savannah a hat-maker and a smith’s wife showed me their little gardens beside their houses; there I could not help marveling at the quantity of grapes, their size, and lovely looks. The best method here to get many large grapes quickly is to graft on wild vines. They do not care about the species of the wild vines but transplant them from the woods, where any quantity is available, into the gardens and graft a good cutting on them the next year. This bears quite amazing fruit, sometimes already the first year, but certainly the next.
We already have so many domestic grape vines in our little house garden that a great quantity of wild vines could be grafted. We could not give much attention to them up to now; and this spring we had them trimmed (as we now learn) by a rather unskilled hand, who cut away what should have remained and let remain what should have been cut away. Therefore my dear colleague has a few rather nice grapes, but I have none at all. Dear Mr. von N. [Münch] has sent us some money; and, since he himself is a great lover of grapes, I intend to spend some of it shortly for cultivating vines so that, if God grants us life, we can send him the good news as to how it is growing at our place.
The old Swiss carpenter Hans Krüsy, who has lived at our place for some time and is a great lover of God’s word, had some business with me. I asked him whether he knows the Swiss man whose frivolous letters and lying messages about Georgia and Ebenezer were mentioned in the introduction to the 4th Continuation of the Ebenezer reports. He knew of a man, called N.N. [Gabriel Schlöpfer] who, together with his wealthy and pious parents, came to this country from Switzerland and, after his father had died in N. [Charleston] and his mother in N. [Purysburg], returned from a place being established near Savannah Town8 to his fatherland and spread obvious lies there. Here he led a loose life to the great disappointment of his parents. What good can a person like this write or tell?
Friday, the 5th of June. God is sending us the weather we wish with rain, sunshine, and refreshing dew, therefore the crops are very lovely wherever the workers do their part in the sweat of their brow. For N. [Ernst] it is [certainly] a great chastisement that he cannot use his dislocated and very much swollen hand at a time when most of the necessary work has to be done. This he should find useful for meditation and improvement. I believe that, if he would ask some people for help at his work, they would forget the evil he previously caused in the parish and assist him. I can see this from the fact that after the edification hour at the plantations today the foremen and some others emphatically interceded for him and asked me to make arrangements for him to receive medical treatment. I will gladly do all that lies in my power and will spare neither words nor costs and try to do no harm to one side or the other. Twice already they have used the greatest force to set the hand right again, whereby he had to suffer the most excruciating pain, and it seems that nothing is effected thereby. Today another treatment will be used with Mr. Thilo’s approval, the happy success of which we must commend to our Lord. I hope that it will somewhat change for the better now.
Instead of the letters from Europe we read to the congregation out there today three letters which have been written in their names and at their urgent request. One of them is addressed to the Salzburgers in Prussia and Lithuania, wherein they both give them a brotherly encouragement to take certain steps toward their blessed eternity and also send them a report on their spiritual and physical conditions.9 They also ask them for a message about the circumstances of their own hearts and souls, which we want to apply here by the grace of God to His praise and Christian prayer. The other two letters are letters of thanks to our dear benefactors in Germany, wherein they wish God to reward them for their previous and latest charitable gifts, which the Lord also blessed in their souls. They showed their sincere pleasure in the three letters and thanked me kindly for my small pains. They will now ask God to give His divine blessing for a good passage and a favorable receipt of the same.
Saturday, the 6th of June. In today’s house prayer meeting we read the letters of thanks to the assembled persons -- as we did yesterday on the plantations, and afterwards we prayed together over them. Only the letters that we have written this time to our dear Fathers and benefactors in England and Germany are ready now; and during the writing we have noticeably perceived the help of God due to the intercession of our dear listeners. We put these letters (together with some others of the community) with faith into the loving care of our heavenly Father. He will know how to bring them to their destination at the right time, as He has done before, bringing them back and forth. This has often delighted us and strengthened us to rely on His future kindness. Besides the not very thick diary we shall now mail a complete report on the receipts and expenditures of the orphanage and the congregation. From this the benefactors may see how very necessary their charitable gifts have been to us and for how many sorts of things they had to be used.
I hope that our dear benefactors have sufficiently seen from our reports that there is a great difference between the value of money in Germany and here; over there one can buy rather much for a guilder, but here only very little. We hold down the costs of the orphanage as much as possible and also postpone urgently needed purchases for a later time in order to be able to contribute what is absolutely necessary from the gifts toward supporting one and another good institution and relieving whatever hardships occur within the community. In the first establishment of a community whose members are still too poor to contribute something for it and need aid themselves, there are more expenditures than people at other places can imagine. May God be praised for everything!
I was impressed when some pious men proposed that I gather some money little by little in our parish, although we are poor, for the still poorer Malabars. Because they are not supposed to work on Sundays, they have to suffer want of food if they do not receive help through charitable gifts from Europe. We should send them a little comfort, because no one among us is living in circumstances as needy as the newly converted brothers and sisters in faith, disinherited and cast out by their people and also persecuted by Roman Catholics. To our great edification, we had heard the story of the poor and very pious student of Halle who, in his poverty, put aside a little every Sunday for Ebenezer until it finally amounted to an entire ducat. This impressive and apostolically simple example led the above-mentioned men to their Christian intention. However, since I know their and the other Salzburgers’ poor condition, I assured them that at this time their kind intention will be taken for the deed, we will pray all the more heartily for the mission in East India, which has been started and continued by our Lord, so that our wise and kind God, who keepeth in His hands the hearts, money, and property of all people, may awaken benefactors in all corners of Christendom in our stead to continue to open their generous hands for these institutions.
Sunday, the 7th of June. N.N. [young Kieffer] came to see me after the afternoon service and complained among other things that their Moor, who had run away and then returned, had again run away eight days ago. He is much better provided in every sense than most of the others in Carolina, has only little work, and does not have to fear bad treatment. Since he runs away in spite of all this, N. [Kieffer] sees in it a special chastisement for him and his family that they have drawn upon themselves by acting against Christian doctrine, as they have done for some time. As a Christian, he believes for certain that this is not happening by chance, but by God’s will, and will serve to their best once they turn to Him and love Him more than anything. He regrets that they have saddled themselves with this and also another Moorish slave and put a burden on themselves which is bigger than the profit they receive.
In Savannah people hope (as already mentioned the other day) that the Lord Trustees soon will consent to the petition they have submitted for permission to buy and sell land at discretion and also to use a certain number of Negroes or Moorish slaves for their work as in Carolina and other places. Not without reason I am afraid that the Moors will run away in great number as long as Augustine remains in the hands of the Spaniards, and this will put their masters in need and new debts; for such a slave usually costs twenty-eight to thirty pounds Sterling; and, since they cannot hope for the best treatment in the country, they can probably be kept in good order even less than in Carolina. We hope that the Lord Trustees will grant to our place the privilege that no colonist who might wish to come to our place in the future and take up land will be allowed the said destructive freedom of buying Negroes and making transactions with the land, since this would be dangerous for the loyal people of our community who want to eat their bread in the sweat of their brow, according to God’s commandment. A short time ago a party of Moors in Carolina again rebelled against their masters and caused damage; and in this a Spanish spy is said to have been the leader. Revolts like this have occurred in Carolina several times of late.
Monday, the 8th of June. My dear colleague traveled to Savannah this afternoon together with some Salzburgers to deliver our letters and the diary safely either to Colonel Stephens or to Captain Thomson himself, if he is going directly to London. [We have hurried as much as possible in this because we wished to let our dear benefactors know that their gifts have arrived to the blessing of our souls and have been distributed to the praise of God and general joy, according to the kind intention of the benefactors. Those people who cannot be ready in time with their letters will have to wait for the next occasion. Besides the threefold letter of thanks to the benefactors in Germany and the letters of some Salzburgers from here to their fellow countrymen in Prussia and Lithuania, we have written to the highly esteemed Society, the Lord Trustees, Chaplain Ziegenhagen, Senior Urlsperger, Prof. Francke, Privy Councilor Walbaum, Mr. Berein, Mr. von Münch, Deacon Hildebrand, and Mr. Laminit of Memmingen. On the one hand we thanked them for the charitable gifts we have received and on the other hand we told them something of our condition of life. At the beginning of a new diary we purposely specify what letters were mailed the previous time so that we can be notified soon if they do not arrive. It is very important to us that our spiritual Fathers and benefactors receive news about our condition from time to time; and, by the blessing of God, this has so far been of manifold use. May God repay with manifold blessings all those who heartily wish the true welfare of Ebenezer and do their best for the promotion of it -- spiritually and materially.]
I told a Christian person that, in the last package to Germany, we sent a specification of the receipts and expenses of all monetary gifts for the orphanage and the community. When I happily mentioned that God had helped me not only to pay all the debts of the orphanage but also to have a little more than three pounds Sterling left for future expenses, he heard with surprise that, in these times of misery and shortage in Germany and almost all Europe,10 God has granted us so much to pay debts made in need and in confidence of His grace. My and other sincere souls were religiously strengthened by what our worthy Senior Urlsperger wrote to us in his edifying letter of 2 February of this year in answer to the news that we had had to incur some debts, relying on the future providence of God: “Concerning the debts made on the credit of God, I remembered what St. Paul wrote to Philemon about Onesimo: ‘If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on my account. I, Paul, have written it with mine own hand, I will pay it.’” 5:18-19. Yes, if you are really caught in such want, just submit an emphatic memorial to our great God. He will surely decree, command, and arrange for help to come to you from near and far.”
Likewise it mightily strengthens my and our faith that, in these difficult times, Professor Francke is presenting us with one hundred Reichsthaler from a legacy that God has sent to the orphanage in Halle. In the written report of the year 1740 it says: “The number of orphan boys has increased to 120 and of girls to 46, and we have also had to increase the number of tables in the dining room because of the hard times and the many poor students and children. Up to now God has, by His grace, sent us the necessary means and we have not felt any want, although everything is expensive -- may the grace of God be praised for it.” While I am writing this with great emotion, I remember from Psalms 92:5-7: “For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not: neither doth a fool understand this.”
Unfortunately I know from experience that the wonderful goodness of God that is being perceived at the orphanage in Halle is being recognized no more than the priceless blessing in the deserts when the Israelites were given abundant food and drinks every day through the generous and fatherly hand of God without their merit or activity. Here too people say, but not without grave sinning: “Quotidiana vilescunt,”11 which does not take root in believers, but in simpletons and fools. We are looking forward to the promised reports from the poorhouse in Augsburg in order to hear how our Almighty and merciful God has managed already for several years without capital, also in hard times. This can and will serve us for much good under God’s merciful governance. What a great honor and happiness it is for people whom God has endowed with earthly gifts of fortune to become the blessed instruments by which God shows His wonderful grace from time to time.
Tuesday, the 9th of June. Worthy Mr. R.W. [Councilor Walbaum] has done us a right pleasing favor with his letter of January 30 st.n., since he has not only placed various beautiful reminders for instruction and comfort into the hands of us ministers but also rich material for urging very necessary admonitions upon the hearts of both our converted and our unconverted listeners. The Bona Nova from God’s kingdom, especially from N. [Mecklenburg], are so insinuating that I promise myself great blessings for young and old people of our congregation. Today we have heard only a part of them; but, since very pleasant things were told about a thorough conversion of many persons of both the higher and lower classes, among whom were three Salzburgers, I brought to the attention of those people who can hear such things without a real application the verses Matthew 21:32: “John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him; and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not . . .” etc. From this one can clearly see for what an end all persons, even respectable people and Laodiceans, should use the example of the conversion of others.
On Sunday we had as an exordium Psalms 95, 10-11, which was very impressive to me with regard to the Salzburgers; and I said the necessary things about it at the plantations too. For just as God led the old Israelites from Egypt and showed them much good in spiritual and physical matters, the Salzburgers have enjoyed the same grace; and, like them, they have caused our dear God much trouble for many years because there are persons among them whose hearts always seek the wrong path and therefore do not want to follow the right way of God. Consequently, as can be seen from the newly received printed diary of 1737, some of us have had to experience what is written: “So I sware in my wrath. They shall not enter ...” etc. or as it is said in the gospel: “I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”
Today as on Sunday, after I read part of the above mentioned letter, they were heartily invited to God’s grace-laden table, which contains the beginning and the continuation of Christianity and real salvation. God demands no more of them than to come not only with their mouths but also with their souls and bodies, upright and sincere from the bottom of their hearts, 2 Corinthians 6:17-18, and become reconciled with God. Thereby they were reminded of the example of the prodigal son and his honest return, from whom his father could not, to be sure, have demanded any less than he actually accomplished to his own salvation and his father’s joy. People have wrong ideas about Christianity and about conversion at the beginning of it; and these do great harm.
A Salzburger heard that I was unable to read the letter he had handed over to me but had mailed it together with the others in haste, so he was afraid that he had written too earnestly and incautiously to one of his close relatives, whereby harm and offense could be caused if the letter should fall into wrong hands. In it he had confessed that he had sinned by hard drinking and by secretly taking some property from his employer in N. [London] (although they were only petty) and that this fact troubled his conscience. Because he knows that others also sin like him and do not make any fuss about it (as he himself did before), he has from his own experience recognized these sins as sins and has admonished others to do atonement, for otherwise they would not be saved. I told him that he should not worry about this letter which I myself could not read: God has given him the grace to write it with honest intent. Now he should commend it in prayer to the providence of God, that He may hold His fatherly hand over his mistakes and make something good out of it through His wisdom and grace. Mr. N. [Senior Urlsperger] receives our and also his letters open for inspection,12 him God has given the wisdom to test everything well: should he find something offensive and injuring in it he would rather put it aside than to mail it. The man was happy to hear that.
[Through lack of experience and bitter feelings about the many trials, we too have written many things in diaries and letters that caused grief and unrest in us afterwards. But up to now God has always shown us that He is the Lord and keeps everything in His hands and that He can also use the mistakes of His well-meaning children for something good.]
After the edification hour at the plantations I had to settle a misunderstanding between two neighbors arising from damage caused by cattle. They had already discussed the matter and made proposals to avert the damage; I told them, however, that they have received not only a mouth but also hands from their Creator; therefore they should not lose their time with words and proposals, but every one of them should handle the matter without blaming the other in order to avoid further harm, as could easily occur. They were sorry for having worried me with their squabble; I was pleased to make peace because it is said by Christ: “Blessed are the peace makers, for they ...” etc.
A pious mother is very much concerned, under prayers, tears, admonitions, and the careful use of all means offered by God, to miss none of her children at the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ but to find every one of them at the right hand side of Christ. She knows how long our dear God has tolerated her with great patience and that He has finally won her heart, so she hopes that God may at last grant His blessing to all planting and watering that is done for the children so that they will be converted to Him and be saved. If she should not live to see this joy she will be satisfied to hear it in heaven to the eternal praise of God. I had this verse in mind: “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick,” and I told her, for her comfort, something about the power of prayer, also with regard to other people’s becoming spiritually well and vivified. James 5:14-16, 19, 20.
Wednesday, the 10th of June. Last night, Mrs. Kogler bore a little daughter, who was baptized this afternoon. N.N. [Christian Riedelsperger] is a vessel of God’s mercy, and more and more he is becoming a tool of His grace; therefore he is not only of great use in the congregation through his humbleness and humility, but is also forced by the love of Christ to pray eagerly for his cousins in N. [Lindau], with whom he formerly conformed to the world and burdened his conscience; and he is trying to do something good for their souls by writing to them. They have recently written something that is more depressing than comforting for him, since they write of their well-being but write nothing of the condition of their souls. Therefore he worries that they are still the same as before and consider their sins small matters. He had a letter written today wherein he is giving them some salutary admonitions by his own example and is also informing them of the grace that God has shown in the conversion of his old mother in Prussia (as we have read in the report from the arch-priest Mr. Schumann) for their awakening and emulation. May God bless these humble yet Christian efforts too.
I visited N. [Käsemeyer] at his plantation, who has been sick for some time. He seems to me more quiet and calm than before; but, because neither he nor she shows any signs of recognition or feeling of the many sins they have surely loaded on their consciences [during their soldier-life] but remain silent when speaking of spiritual things, I find it a bad sign, especially since they are talkative enough when talking of earthly things. They seldom come to the word of God, since N.’s [the clockmaker’s] plantation where they are is rather remote;13 they can read only a little and I do not know how to advise them. May God just lead them to care for their sins and make them weary and burdened, then they will look to ministers and neighbors for an opportunity for edification.
N. [Sanftleben] asked me to visit him if I come to the neighborhood of his plantation. When I came to him and his family today I heard various unpleasant things about the disobedience and bad behavior of his wife /Magdalena/ towards him and her stepmother /Cath. Arnsdorff/, who lives in N.’s [Sanftleben’s] home. I wish N. [Sanftleben] had been more careful with his marriage, but my advice came too late. I did not want to hear any details at this time, but only reminded her with love and earnestness of what I had read to her and her husband at their marriage from Ephesians 5:22 ff., which are genuine words of God that were written not only for information but also for the practice of obedience. I also read the first verses of Chapter 6 and reminded her to do her duty to her mother, who is well-disposed to her with all her heart, as I could prove to her with examples. I talked to her about these texts with emotion and asked her to bring me her answer tomorrow to the following two questions:
1. Whether she recognizes her behavior towards her husband and her mother as being a sin.
2. Whether she wants to eliminate it, as ordered by God’s grace, and lead a quite different life?
She also goes to the preparation hour for Holy Communion, so I hope to have a good opportunity tomorrow to talk to her again remotis arbitris.14 During this unpleasant business I was quite glad that she did not justify herself but was quiet and ashamed and showed a pleasing demeanor at my departure. Some time ago she eagerly wished to participate at the Lord’s Table; but, since she was ignorant and we could not perceive any proof of a real beginning of conversion to God, we could not admit her, and this she certainly did not like. People like her do not understand what is good for them; so it would be good if they would accept advice from ministers or experienced Christians.
Thursday, the 11th of June. My dear colleague returned home yesterday afternoon after finding an opportunity to mail our rather large parcel to Europe. Captain Thomson is still there; but he will soon go back to London, this time as a passenger [and will take our letters and the parcel from Colonel Stephens to the Lord Trustees]. Since he [the Captain] could not find a cargo anywhere, he has sold his ship to somebody who does business in the West Indies. He intends to purchase a bigger one, in which he can bring over two hundred people next time.15
[Some time ago I wrote a letter to General Oglethorpe and informed him of the reasons why the minister desired for Frederica could not yet be sent to us and asked for further instruction what to do. I also asked him to pay our Salzburgers, who are still in need of help, at least half of the promised shilling on every bushel of their crops harvested in 1739 although others have received two shillings for every bushel as encouragement. I do not know why I have received no answer.
[Mrs. Schweiger and Mrs. Bischoff (two sisters)16 have tried everything possible to persuade their little sister at the orphanage to induce me by urgent requests to permit her to move to Mrs. uSchweiger’s plantation; and, because I was approached by her and Mrs. Schweiger several times, I finally agreed after many representations. The benefactions of the orphanage are not imposed on anybody. If anyone does not wish to enjoy them with humble and hearty thankfulness, then we would rather let him go as is customary; this is also known to everyone, both adults and children.]
Now God is sending us a German [orphan] girl /Magdalena Meyer/ from Savannah. It was mentioned already the other day that she was with a Salzburger at our place some time ago and was diligent at school and was urged to do good things by her host. However, when, for good reasons, she had to return to her mother, who is the servant of a merchant in Savannah, the word she heard here began to prove alive in her there so that mother and daughter felt a great desire to be at our place. Because I have good hope for the girl’s full conversion and also see that she is in danger in Savannah, I have accepted her in the name of God in the place of [the] another girl who has left us.17 An English merchant has also sent his girl of about thirteen years to our place for education and is paying two shillings Sterling a week to the schoolmaster Ortmann and his wife, who have assumed the care of the child. I hope these two people will remember the admonitions I gave them to let this girl find a good home with them [otherwise they would not be allowed to keep her for long]. Her father has very honest intentions and wants to have her educated in Christianity and in various tasks and also prepared for the praise of God, the service of her fellow men, and her own salvation.
Three or four years ago our people received a number of plum trees from Purysburg, and they enjoyed some plums already last year; this year, however, they received a quantity of plums of different kinds. The trees multiply so abundantly that I have never seen the like with other, even wild, plants. The roots run back and forth from every little tree and often sprout again, so that from only one tree we can have a whole house garden like ours full of trees and bushes in about two years, and all of them bear fruit within a short time. They have a good taste when they are ripe and can take the place of German plums while we are waiting for seeds in order to plant the German varieties too. We never heard that they are injurious to the health even of little children. Fashionable people in Germany would certainly like to make a hedge of this kind of plum, as can easily be done here. Next fall we will send a couple of kernels or stones as well as other requested seeds to Mr. von Münch and to another benefactor in Switzerland.
Friday, the 12th of June. I visited N.N. [the Austrian Grimmiger] and his wife /Anna Maria/before today’s edification hour with the intention of expostulating with him and especially with her on their persistence in impenitence and faithlessness toward the preached gospel about the free grace of God which is established and offered to all sinners by Christ. However, when I entered their hut, God directed my mind to ask first about their attitude toward each other and their child, which had been very bad, as well as about their religious exercises and present state of heart. The usually crude wife [who had spent most of her life as canteen-woman with rough soldiers]18 thanked me with tears for helping her come from Savannah to our place where God by His word is opening her eyes more and more and is also giving what she and her husband need in the way of food and necessities. She also asked my pardon for having previously offended me by contradiction, rudeness, and in other ways, because I always spoke too hard and dashed her belief and hope (which was a null anyhow). She has, she said, considered herself to be better than she really is: I should talk to her and her husband often; they regard this as a special merit and will happily accept my words.
I encouraged them movingly, showed them the way to their salvation, admonished them to an eager association with other pious neighbors who had been helpful to him before his marriage and had furthered his knowledge of himself and the way to eternal glory. I also opened their Bible to the pithy verse of Ezekiel 36:26 and read it to them several times with the comment that I would gladly visit them often again if, with constant humble prayer, they would let God give them all the good included in it. If they will really convert, they will get the wisdom to bring up their naughty little girl to the Lord in fear and admonition. [It seems to me that the man has a dangerous physical ailment; and, because he is too bashful to visit the doctor, I had to encourage him in a friendly and earnest manner to do so. I have had no opportunity up to now to talk to Mrs. Sanftleben again, because she became sick during yesterday’s preparation hour and had to leave before the end.
[The water in the Savannah River and the mill river is very low now. Since the dike and the tributary streams, which were built during the cold time of the year, could not be properly repaired at all places and also because more bushes, sand, and soil have to be added to the dike, the men arranged after the edification hour to start this repair together next Monday, God willing. They will also need boards, which will be bought with the monetary blessing we received lately.
[Some people had promised their assistance to Ernst, who is strongly handicapped because of his dislocated hand. But, since the mill-work has precedence, I was glad that he is satisfied with the postponement of this assistance to a further date, which is quite against his temper and nasty nature. It seems that God is bringing this rough man to humility, to quietness, and to a salutary meditation. How much joy will be in heaven and on earth if he is converted sincerely together with his wife. He was very sorry that he was not at home the day before yesterday when I tried to visit him.]
Saturday, the 13th of June. [For some time God has been placing various illnesses and sufferings on Mrs. Rheinländer, and He wishes to let her feel what misery and trouble it will bring if she leaves the Lord her God and does not break away from her sins by a real conversion. Since the last damage she suffered from fire, she had, among others, many inconveniences and troubles with her son, who considers the piety she has hitherto pretended to be dissimulation, especially because she made believe, despite her rather large stock of money, that she was poor and let her children suffer want. Now in his excesses he wants to listen even less than before to her reproaches and chastisements although they are taken from the word of God; and he is behaving with words and works in a very rough, obstinate, and disobedient way. Yesterday morning she told me of his rude words, whereby I impressed upon her her children’s previous miserable and wretched upbringing, of which she now sees the fruit. She realized it well and complained of her blindness, etc. Last night I ordered her son to meet me this morning; and, when he turned up I told him (without mentioning any special matters, because it easily justifies excuses if one does not hit all the points accurately) how shocked I am about his unthankful and impudent behavior against his own mother, who bore him and raised him with great effort. I told him that his terrible sins, committed the other day and now again, and the punishments that will follow without fail, are causing me great grief and horror.
[I not only reminded him of the fourth commandment and the curse it carries for all disobedient children, but also cited as a lesson the terrible punishment of the shoemaker Arnsdorff, who perished in the water at Purysburg three years ago, about whom the Third Continuation tells some deplorable things, as a warning to all disobedient sons and daughters, even to grown-up ones. Furthermore I told him about Gabriel Bach, who perished miserably before Augustine and who had not behaved better in Memmingen toward his people and here toward his ministers, and I quoted the verse: “The eye that despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out . . .,” etc. I therewith admonished him heartily to do atonement, because it is not enough for him to change for the better outwardly, rather the former sinful condition must be extinguished in the blood of Christ through a righteous atonement.
[I also told him that I will write down his former annoying behavior by which he also scandalized his small brothers and sisters and drew down upon himself the threatening punishment in Matthew 18. Should he not accept the hearty and friendly advice given him, the time will come sooner or later when I will also have to write down the judgments that befall him. He did not deny his behavior, but imputed a great deal of the fault, or the cause of it, to his mother. However I did not accept this, because children, without exception, must honor their parents with obedience and love, and in this case the mother all the more, since she is a widow. At last I knelt down with him and showed him how he should humble himself before God because of his wickedness and seek his grace for Christ’s sake. I also had to apply to him what he had heard on Sunday in the sermon and on Monday in the prayer meeting about the words: “It is a people who do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways. Unto whom I sware in my wrath ...” etc. Psalms XCV, for the application of which a very important example pertinent to this point was read at that time.]
N. [Mrs. Sanftleben] assured me after today’s preparation hour that her quarrel with her husband and mother is finished and that she now wishes to obey.19 I told her how well both of them mean it with her soul, but she could not realize this because of the not yet crucified old Adam. I told her it was an especially great benefit for her not to be admitted to the Lord’s table as quickly as she wished, because great precaution is necessary in this matter; and I opened 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, read and explained it, and gave it to her to take home. To show her my hope of her becoming another woman, I also presented her with two booklets that should be useful to her, her husband, her mother, and the other housemates; and she was very glad of this. Her mother has told her about the unhappy death of her husband in the water at Purysburg [because her father is the aforementioned Arnsdorff] and his preceding sins. In warning her, I referred to these sins, especially in respect of his misuse of Holy Communion in spite of all my precautions; and she very well understood this.
Sunday, the 14th of June. Our dear God has granted us very comfortable weather and much edification from His holy gospel, for which our dear listeners have also assembled in large numbers. The walk from the plantations to town every fortnight to the sermon and catechization is being richly rewarded by the grace of God for those who carry with them a heart eager for the pure milk. Because of the repetition hour the people living in town have a certain advantage over the ones on the plantations, since these have to travel home shortly after the afternoon service because of their cattle and other circumstances. /Theobald/ Kieffer of Purysburg and his son-in-law /Zettler/ were also with us last night and today; and our dear God probably gave much edification again especially to Kieffer, as He has done before. At the prayer meeting last night Kieffer also heard a glorious gospel, which was preached to the poor from the first very important sermon by our worthy Mr. N.N. [Senior Urlsperger] about Hebrews 10:23, which was sent in manuscript. We will still make use of it in various prayer meetings with the help of the Holy Spirit. Since God began to make old Mr. Kieffer a vessel of His mercy, He is also making him a tool of His grace, as he not only manages his house well but also tries to do good in humility and innocence in Purysburg and its surroundings with edifying books and by spreading all the good that has been given him.
[We have received some edifying books and treatise from Pastor Lucius20 that Mr. Kieffer has requested in order to lend them to Reformed people, who may be better able to derive something from books by the ministers of their church. May God bless this.]
Monday, the 15th of June. In my house prayer hour that I hold on Mondays and Saturdays with some members of the congregation, I have twice read to them something about the course of life of the late Pastor Freylinghausen and made it useful for myself and for them. This servant of God is especially dear to me, because God let such great blessing flow upon me through his ministry and example that I have detected its use in my ministry and Christianity in many ways up to now. His books, of which I would like to have more, are dearer to me than others because I have heard him deliver his sermons myself; and when reading them now I can once again vividly imagine his gentle evangelical loving nature. Through his words the Lord always came with a soft whisper and a gentle but penetrating rain.
This morning I visited N. [Sanftleben] again but did not find his wife /Magdalena/ at home, for whose sake I had actually come. She had been sent to town on business. I directed him and her mother /Catherina Arnsdorff/ to appeal to God for wisdom to accomplish in her what may further her thorough conversion according to the example of our heavenly Father, who works on us more with kindness and patience than with severity.
N. [Mrs. Sanftleben] I encouraged separately after the preparation hour; and, since she realized that she had been carried away by her emotions even against her will and in spite of her good intentions, I explained to her the verse: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
N. [Ernst] was not at home either, so I encouraged his wife /Sabina/, and said that she and her husband, for whom she attested great diligence in hearing God’s word and in praying, should be serious now in freeing themselves from their old sins and turning to God through Christ and the dear grace gained by Him, so that they will become quite different persons. Then, in spite of their poverty, they will come to know what pious Tobias hopefully told his son: “We have become poor, but you have great wealth of your fear of God. . .” etc.
Tuesday, the 16th of June. N. [Mrs. Landfelder] had some business to do with me on account of her husband; and this gave me a good opportunity to ask her about her spiritual condition. I have been in front of her dwelling several times but met neither her nor her family, because there is much work to do now in the fields. She still thinks she has done atonement because she has felt repentance and sorrow about her sins; but she can scarcely be convinced that her heart is still clinging to the world, and therefore she never has experienced in her heart a real contrition about [any and each of] her sins by which our good and pious God is offended. Her anger, quarrelsomeness, willfulness, worldly love, etc., are caused, in her opinion, only by overgreat hurry and weakness, for which she apologizes to our dear God because they are, as I showed her from Galatians 5, works of the flesh and exclude one from the kingdom of God as the other great sins mentioned there do too. Besides her obvious love of the worldly, it is another sign of her lack of contrition that the unconverted among us are very dear to her. On the other hand she avoids the acquaintance of and association with the [regenerated and] pious believers among us. Indeed, she recognizes few as being such, but considers herself to be as good if not better than the rest. John 5:1.
I illustrated to her as far as possible the dangerous situation in which she and her family live and asked her to believe in truth what Holy Scripture says of her situation, i.e. that, according to John 3:36 and Matthew 5:8, it is exceedingly dangerous. Since she cannot realize and believe it without the Holy Spirit, this much is certain: I know her better than she herself according to God’s word and I do not wish to deceive her, so she should implore the Lord to let her realize and believe that she is miserable, deplorable, naked, blind, and bare, yea, even dead. If she will not learn to recognize her situation in this way, she will only hear the sermons with ignorance and without any profit, yea even with false application and therefore to her own harm.
Wednesday, the 17th of June. I visited the workers at the mill, of whom several transported material yesterday and the day before yesterday in order to strengthen the dike even better than before and to bank up the tributaries, a work that is going well with the present low water.
I also visited N. and N. [the wives of Gabriel Maurer and Schmidt], who live side by side, and I was satisfied that they love each other as neighbors and Christians and have continued unbroken the friendship they began some time ago. I told N. [Mrs. Maurer] several things about the verses in Matthew 3: “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance,” likewise, “And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees. . .” etc. After my previous admonishments she and her husband are more diligent than before in reading, praying, and repeating the divine truths which have been preached and heard; and, since she and her husband have very good examples in N. [Mrs. Schmidt] and her husband, I hope they will finally come to a real essence of Christianity.
Our dear God is continuing the work of grace he has begun in Mrs. Schmidt; the confession of her spiritual condition she made to me today was very pleasing. She exalts the truth of God she has received to a higher region, praises Him because of His patience and indulgence, and considers herself quite unworthy of receiving physical and spiritual blessings [from God]. She recognizes her poverty and other miserable condition and household as blessings aimed at her salvation, and she wishes to become smaller and smaller, even to become nothing, so that her Lord and Savior can become great, yea, all and everything in her. She thinks highly of the children of God and learns from their prayer, conversation, and way of life as much as she can, so she told me many good things about N. [Mrs. Kornberger], about her eager prayer, her contentedness, humbleness, praise of God, etc. She had recently called on her although she lives [quite] at the other end of the community. For her husband, who is sometimes dispirited in his housekeeping and field work because of his weakness and other difficulties, she knows how to make use of the help she has received from God to strengthen his faith so that she is a real good companion for him. However, at first she seemed to be a burden, so to speak, both in external life and in Christianity. This she sometimes remembers with shame, as she is doing today.
Thursday, the 18th of June. [The two Zueblis /Ambrosius and Jacob/ went to Mr. Whitefield’s plantation and orphanage two months ago in order to earn some money there; a few weeks ago Mrs. Helffenstein told me that her son also feels inclined to go and work there for some time, but I could not approve of this, since I know his bad spiritual condition. She was of the same opinion I was and was content for me to advise against it when he comes to get my approval. Now she tells me that he himself altered his opinion. He has sinned against his mother just as Rheinländer did and has not started atonement, although he has been visiting the preparation hour for Holy Communion for some time and also some other occasions for his edification. I told this widow that I noticed that the judgments of God have come down upon the old and persistent sinners of our parish, especially when they left our community for earthly advantages and went to other places, by which they excluded themselves from the means of salvation and the prayers the faithful in Europe send up to the Lord for our place and our congregation. Therefore it would not have been a good sign if her son had turned to another place with his old rebellious heart.]
I was told that a certain person [this woman] is reading questionable books, therefore I asked her about it at this opportunity. She assured me that she does not read any other books than those that concur with the word of God and the Christian doctrine as preached by us. However, she named a certain Theologia mystica by a not very sincere man, and she confessed that many good things but also some obscure and rather far-fetched ideas can be found in this book. I told her that I have not read this book (because I do not read books in which good and suspicious matters are mixed together, since God has plentifully provided us with other good books), but I do know that this man does not have correct principles in many respects. Therefore a solid mind, calm and grounded in the pure doctrine and divine application, is necessary for understanding his books. Then I read her what the late Pastor Freylinghausen explains in his own curriculum vitae, p. 35, about the danger of being misguided to a false dogma in the main principles of Christianity under a very good semblance. Its conclusion impresses me greatly when he writes: “Of all the sins that troubled me, none was so grievous (indeed, I felt almost only this one) as the fact that I had tried to achieve in myself what I could already have had in Christ and should have accepted in faith. From that time on this has become ever dearer and sweeter in my heart. . .” “The justification that comes from the law helps me not at all. Whoever trusts in his own works will be miserably misled. The works of our Lord Jesus alone can bring me salvation, ... I seize them in faith.”21
Towards evening God sent us an unexpected and very fruitful rain all of a sudden that refreshed the crops very much after the dry weather we have had. Everybody has good hope of getting a rich harvest with the blessings of the Almighty and thus a good reward for all the heavy fieldwork.
Friday, the 19th of June. Last Tuesday and again today my dear colleague held the edification hour for me at the plantations and benefited the listeners with the two important sermons of dear Mr. N. [Senior Urlsperger] on Hebrews 10:23, from which our merciful God has given us many blessings and lessons on some very necessary points.
This morning I traveled together with the manager of the orphanage and another Salzburger to the orphanage’s cowpen in order to preach the word of God there to N. and N.N. [the herdsmen /Michael/ Schneider and his wife /Elisabeth/], who, in their own eyes, are full of justification and quite redeemed. This I did on the very important text in the Revelations of St. John 3:14-18, by which [not only] their great misery [and their deplorable blindness] was presented to them, but also the way to be saved and the great salvation connected with it; and we prayed for this with them and the two traveling companions. They come to church only seldom and plead both the long way and their work and other things as an excuse. We presented them with the Bible and Arndt’s Christianity and admonished them to read them with diligence and to be obedient to the admitted truth of God. The herdsman takes his profession very conscientiously, guards the cattle like his own, and is well content with the subsistence he gets as food and clothes from the orphanage. He was previously one of the herdsmen on the plantations, but the Salzburgers grew tired of him, let him go, and took the orphanage herdsman, Schartner, in his place, which was to our and their benefit. For, as an unmarried [dissolute] man, Schartner fits the people on the plantations better; and this N. [Schneider] suits the orphanage’s cattle better, since he has a wife and would like to have his own household.
He has planted a fine piece of land here, manured plentifully by the cattle, with corn, beans, pumpkins, and melons for his own use; and we were amazed that there was not a drop of rain yesterday in this region. The hut and the kitchen and pens for the cattle are situated right on the path from Abercorn to Old Ebenezer; and we have reason to thank God that no harm or annoyance has been caused to these people and their household either by Englishmen or by Indians, although the former often pass this way and the latter sometimes linger about there. Furthermore, the two people are always healthy, otherwise the orphanage would have many inconveniences and expenses. Last winter the above mentioned [dissolute] Schartner let his entire herd become scattered to the four winds, and ten head are still missing up to now and cannot be found anywhere. Most of the cattle belonging to the orphanage are still young and therefore not suitable for slaughtering this coming autumn. Perhaps our dear God will send us something so that we can buy some meat for the wintertime.
In today’s Lectio biblica22 we heard what our true Savior says in Matthew 6: “Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. . .” Last autumn so many fat bulls from the orphanage cattle could be slaughtered that no meat has had to be bought for a long time, especially since pigs were raised and fattened too. May God be praised also for this physical blessing. The orphanage’s cattle raising had to be moved to another place far from town and plantations so that the community’s cattle, which are spreading out and increasing, will not lack pasture-land. For the orphanage such distance is rather inconvenient, because a strong man has to walk at least three hours to get there; but it will become much easier when we finally get a couple of horses of our own, which we have humbly requested several times in letters and diaries.
My dear colleague told me that the work at the mill was finished this noon, and we all expect great use from it. Because the water in the river is very low, they carried up a great quantity of coarse sand with wheelbarrows and handbarrows and put it behind the dike where the water had dried up completely, and thus the whole dike, and a large piece of it, was filled up, whereas at first we had to take sandy soil just as we found it. May God hear our prayer and send us some money to enable us to recompense the workers for their great trouble and heavy work, especially because they always need some subsidy for food and clothing. The time they usually take off from their fieldwork in order to earn something by outside work, they have had to spend at the mill up to now.
Saturday, the 20th of June. Among the letters in the chest from Augsburg we found a very hearty and moving one from dear Deacon Hildebrandt in Augsburg, which will be read in today’s evening meeting to my own edification and, as I hope, also of others. From the diaries we have sent he has seen what our dear Lord, in His wonderful grace, has done for us in Ebenezer from time to time and how He has established many an Ebenezer here already. Therefore he ardently praises our all-gracious God and Father and wishes from all his heart for us to receive all salvation and blessings from the fountain and abundance of His grace and providence for our spiritual and physical well-being also in the future. Since our dear God has already fulfilled in us many of such hearty wishes and prayers (of which no reasonable person among us will have the slightest doubt), we can believe and hope that all the good that is being wished and prayed for us in this blessed letter and by many other servants and children of God will come richly upon us and that we will be the blessed ones of the Lord always and eternally. May He only help us so that no one among us will lose such benefactions of God through disbelief.
Just as it was very welcome and useful to us for our worthy Deacon Hildebrandt, in his very evangelical and edifying way, to remind us of the great good that our Lord has shown us, it will be very important for us and our congregation in the future to remember often, and also to tell our descendants about, the mercy our Lord has granted us. For this reason I think it necessary to cite here the beginning of the letter, which reads: “I praise the Lord above you and your congregation for enabling you to say, ‘The Lord hath led us thus far!’ He hath helped in and through so many physical ailments and sicknesses; He hath helped in and through so many difficult times; He hath helped in and through so many tribulations; He hath helped so far in and through so many dangers from war and enemies; He hath already helped so many members of the congregation from previous sins and dead works to penitence; He hath helped so many to faith and continued them in it; He hath helped so many to Christian love, to patience, and to hope; He hath helped so many from one strength to another and from one victory to another; He hath already helped so many from death into eternal life and from the misery and wilderness of this life in the poor world into the joy and glory of heaven; He hath helped the shepherd; He hath helped the sheep; He hath helped the widows and orphans; He hath even helped many friends who have come to them for the sake of the gospel. Praise be to God! Praised be His glorious name forever! Praised be the eternal love of our Jesus! May His so precious merits be glorified! Praised be His loyalty and goodness over you in all eternity. Amen, Amen.”
This letter, from which I have extracted this arousing remembrance of the goodness of God that has ruled over Ebenezer, is dated 11 October 1740, just the time we were experiencing the Lord’s help in a most special way during the building of the mill (when there were many trials but also much proof of divine providence); and therefore it was written here too: “The Lord hath led us thus far.”23 Now he is also helping us to get a church, later on a school; and He will finally redeem us from all evil as He has already done for some of us during this and the past years and will help us to come to His heavenly kingdom, where we will praise Him eternally together with all righteous deceased for all the help we have received in Ebenezer. May He help us and all our dear benefactors, Fathers, brothers, and friends to get there soon so that we can tell [each other], to His eternal praise and our eternal joy, how wonderfully our Lord has helped every one of us in physical and spiritual ways. Hallelujah! God be praised!
Sunday, the 21st of June. My dear colleague told me that our kind God, who is always striving after the salvation of sinners, has again so strongly awakened the wife of N. /Frederica/ [Bischoff] by His word, especially by the proverb: “Strive to enter in at the strait gate ...” etc. that she humbly realizes and admits her former frivolous character, which was displeasing to God, and made the earnest resolution to hurry up in saving her soul. She also remembered some of the things we put to her from our hearts and consciences at the time she was preparing for Holy Communion, so we hope that this soul too will honestly turn to our Lord and again seek and receive His often rejected grace with prayers and tears. In this way the physical gifts of linen and other things she received from the last distribution will have been well employed [whereas to our sorrow we heard the contrary last week about Mrs. Landfelder. Her disobedience is so great that she causes much offense and sadness not only to her children but also to all honest people in our congregation. I do not, however, wish to report any details at the moment].
We spoke today about the gospel for the Fourth Sunday after Trinity: “Concerning the heart of our heavenly Father and His children” and as an exordium we had the precious words of Ephesians 5:1-2: “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love.” In the second part of the sermon it was pointed out that the children of God should follow their heavenly father in not judging and not condemning, in giving and forgiving as well as in the evangelical work of reforming their neighbors and also in seriousness and Christian zeal, which is also a kind of love. Especially important for ministers are the texts of 1 Corinthians 2:15 and 2 Timothy 2:25-26, which demonstrate the pitiable condition of the obstinate and disobedient people in the congregation and the proper behavior of an honest minister who is struggling for the salvation of his listeners.
Honest Christians and ministers who perform their office on such poor souls will probably have to accept the judgment of those blind people, who do not realize the truth, that they were sinning against the word of Jesus Christ: “Judge not . . .,” etc.; and they do not see that they themselves are already sinning by their wrong judgment and false application of such sayings. In their case it turns out to be true: “If the disciple is like his master, then he is perfect.” They believe themselves to be more intelligent than their ministers, they accept no remonstration and correction, they believe themselves to be perfect and not to need the minister and his ministry except as far as he speaks and acts according to their wish. In return they keep to people of their kind; one blind man leads, comforts, and strengthens the other; and at last they both fall into the ditch. We have examples of this already, also among people who have been called to eternity.
[Mrs. Landfelder, Michael Reiser, Mrs. Spielbigler and her son live together in one neighborhood, and one is the Satan and seducer of the other under the guise of friendship. Spielbigler has come back from Charleston where he has worked as a journey-mason; and he attended both divine services today contrary to his former practice, and he could also hear his part.]
After the repetition a very beautiful example was read to illustrate and further apply the material that had been preached, and this brought N.’s [his] youthful sins and his former behavior to his conscience. After that God gave many blessings to the listeners.
Monday, the 22nd of June. Burgsteiner saw the doctor because of his child and visited me also, which was as dear to me as if somebody had brought me a great present. For he told me, to the praise of God, that he had a greater blessing from Holy Communion last time than he had ever had before in his life; therefore he is longing for it again and hopes to see and savor again how friendly our Lord is. He is certain of his state of grace and is astonished that he used to think of himself as a good Christian, although his Christianity existed only outwardly. Although he cannot read and is rather simple, he nevertheless knows very well how to rule his house, and he told me something about it at my request which pleased me very much. He also notices it as soon as the grace of God appears in somebody else, and he knows how to make use of it. On the other hand, nobody is his friend who offends God and acts wickedly. He had a letter written to his old father in which he is sending him such satisfactory news about his spiritual and physical wellbeing that tears were running down his cheeks. He marvels and rejoices at the grace of God, which he experienced the other day during the distribution; and he awakens himself and his wife to the praise of God and to eager intercession for the benefactors.
Our dear God has awakened the whole house of Bartholomäus Rieser by His word in such a way that I can hope to say soon: “He believed, and his whole house.” During today’s visit the parents and children (except the eldest son, who was not at home) shed many tears and most heartily renewed their resolution to save their souls through Christ by praying, watching, fighting, and hastening. On the eldest son [who up to now was together with Mrs. Rheinländer and has caused his parents many a complaint] our dear God is also working strongly so that I am not giving up good hope for him.
While reading the diary of 1737 I remember many remarkable ways of grace that God has gone with this and that one of the congregation, both old and young people. He also gives us grace to make a comparison between the former and the present spiritual condition of our listeners and to work on them for their salvation. Our worthy Deacon Hildebrandt’s letter, which we read lately, made a great impression and gave much blessing to these two old people, who also remembered most pleasantly the very evangelical encouragement they received from him at the poorhouse in various circumstances, to the praise of God and to a necessary pastoral remembrance for me myself. I opened the Bible for the parents to some pithy verses that we came upon during the conversation, and these were recited by the children. For their oldest son I left some verses that fitted present circumstances well. I will also seek an opportunity tomorrow to talk earnestly to him and his likes who lose their way and cause harm by useless and sinful gossip.
Tuesday, the 23rd of June. [Yesterday our dear God sent a spiritual blessing to Zant too; and, since his relatives in Switzerland live at a dark place in ignorance and wrong ways, he thinks forwards and backwards how to warn them of their dangerous condition and to accomplish something for their salvation. He would like to have his mother and brother at our place, of which, however, there seems to be no possibility. He prays eagerly for them and hopes that God, whose ways are marvelous for the salvation of sinners, will show mercy to them as He has done to him and show them the way to escape His anger and be saved. He came to me because he wanted to have a letter written to them, in which he wishes to tell them what mercy our Lord has shown to his soul and how heartily he wishes that they too will arrive at atonement and belief in our Lord Jesus, because without Him they could have no hope of God’s mercy and eternal bliss.]
Before the edification hour at the plantations I visited two families, whom I encouraged to right seriousness in Christianity, the strength for which should be taken from the gospel of Jesus, who attracts all poor sinners to Himself in the friendliest way if something sure, strong, and lasting is to arise therefrom. Men and women remember eagerly what was presented to them; and we soon hear whether they have understood everything and made good use of it. We also hear that some consider bodily afflictions as a blessed means for the furtherance of their Christianity;24 and therefore they recognize them more as blessings than as chastisements. Today we made a beginning again (after reading the letters and news from Europe) to continue the thoughtful story of David in 2 Samuel 11, for which the listeners appeared again in great number. The other day we considered, as cautiously as possible, the ugly and terrible sin against the seventh commandment, which was finally accomplished step by step through the seduction of the sly old serpent and by his own deceitful heart. Through this, God wished to hold a mirror before everyone’s very corrupted heart, partly to further true atonement, partly for Christian vigilance. Today we heard that the saying of the Holy Spirit through Solomon the wise, Ecclesiastes 7, 30: “Lo, only this have I found, that God hath made men upright . . ., etc., but they have sought out many inventions” (intrigues and serpentine tricks) is being illustrated and confirmed by the attitude of David and by the attitude of many thousands of people in Christendom.
Sins in general, especially all sorts of impurity, are so detestable to God that He has laid upon them serious temporal and eternal punishments, as can be seen in Leviticus 10:10, Galatians 5:21, and Hebrews 13:4. Indeed, the conscience of a sinner itself finds it ugly, infamous, and blamable; therefore they are committed in the dark and, as long as divine Providence permits, are kept in the dark, so that John 3:20 is proved correct, “For everyone who doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to light, lest his deeds . . .” etc. The methods that David used, the way he wracked his brain, the trouble and sorrow he had (which perhaps did not let him sleep or eat quietly or fulfill his royal duties, to say nothing of praying) are presented here clearly and piece by piece by the Holy Spirit. He would certainly have looked upon it as a benefit to reach his purpose and to conceal his sin with Bathsheba. However, for the welfare of the two sinners God did not grant this.
On this occasion we made it a matter of conscience for the listeners not to act like this with their secret sins and be secretly glad that nobody knows anything. The eye of God has seen everything. And how will it be at the Last Judgment when even the counsel of the heart will become known! How will our listeners look at each other when secret and not yet atoned sins appear, whereas the sins of the penitents, in whom there is no fault, are being forgiven and forgotten for eternity. Those who have hidden their sins by lies and excuses, even when questioned by their ministers, and plan to apologize to God secretly, cannot promise themselves a favorable hearing and forgiveness. They must confess, otherwise their spirits will be false. Also the sins of getting drunk and also of persuading others to do so were discussed here in their abomination, and for this the important words of Habakkuk 2:15-16 were cited and explained as the meaning that the friendship that one careless comrade shows by persuading the other one to drink is only fury and poison. It is wicked to take away the goods and chattels from somebody, but it is more wicked to rob his brains by hard drink and to bring him into various troubles and misery [that means to seduce him].
After dinner I had four young unmarried people with me who had sinned by all sorts of idle gossip, which was examined and partly settled. If we get after such things soon, then it causes them to behave more cautiously in the future and they get to know the rotten foundation of their hearts.
[Ernst was accused of a secret theft without any grounds; when I examined it today after the edification hour, nothing but suspicion came out; and the man who had accused him and judged carelessly had to testify that, while working for him this time in order to earn some provisions, he (Ernst) has worked better than ever before. He is very likely walking on the path of atonement, may God grant him loyalty and constancy.]
Wednesday, the 24th of June. Already last night I was asked to baptize Brandner’s little daughter, who was born in the afternoon. This I did and still returned home early enough for the prayer meeting, which concerned the already mentioned story. A Salzburger from the plantations came to me and reported that already in Germany, when he was impeded in his Christianity by too much work even on Sundays, he had resolved, if God would help him to come to Ebenezer, to arrange his household such that his principal occupation would be to seek the kingdom of God and that the execution of his physical occupation would not damage his spiritual condition. However, he must maintain his family and cattle and fieldwork, and he has two little children who hinder his wife from helping him much with the cattle and the fieldwork, and he is unable to find much quiet during the day to pray and read; in the evening all of them are so tired that they are rather distracted from their prayer and contemplation of God’s word, and evidently his wife is especially harmed by this.
When he had a maid and the work was easier, his wife’s Christianity seemed to be better, etc. Therefore he asked me to help him get a grown-up girl, he would gladly do everything for her if only she would serve in the housework and with the children so that he and his family could achieve their spiritual purpose [work]. I intend to let him have one of the German girls who were sent over as maidservants, because I know that he will well provide for her soul and body. Her name is Barbara Waldhower, and her parents live in Frederica [and her two sisters lead a disorderly life in Savannah]. She has already served a long time, and she has asked me more than once to bring her to a place where she can become a pious child.
[The often mentioned Mrs. Landfelder, who was married to the deceased Schoppacher, has annoyed this girl and her own daughter by words and deeds; and, since she is growing in malice and there is no hope for improvement, I have consented to said petition and have received her into the orphanage until we might find a good opportunity like this one for her.]
During our worthy Mr. N.’s [Senior Urlsperger’s] second sermon concerning the words “Let us hold fast ...” etc., Hebrews 10:23, by which he admonished his listeners [the dear Augsburgers] in a most stirring way and with weighty arguments to keep good order, also with regard to rearing their children, I remembered the remarkable and edifying piece Description of an Improved Principality,25 out of which I read them what we need for promoting Christian order, especially the following point: “If there were wicked and unintelligent people who were not capable of rearing their children themselves, then their children were taken from them and brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And in this there was no respect for rank, and not even the wealthy and prominent were allowed to spoil their children as they wished; and the prince himself gave the best example of a truly Christian upbringing in the case of his crown prince” (just as we have read a right glorious example of the public confirmation of the crown prince of Denmark in the Halle newspapers that have been sent us). “One saw in a short time that the children were better grounded in Christianity than the adults were; and, when the adults spoke wickedly, they were modestly admonished by their children. . . . The children, who had formerly committed all sorts of mischief and wickedness in the streets, one now heard speaking of divine matters; and with joy and pleasure one saw them reading God’s word. ...”
[I remembered that, on his death-bed at Old Ebenezer, the late Schoppacher had asked my dear colleague to take his only little girl /Maria/, who was very badly cared for by her malicious and provoking mother /Ursula Landfelder/ away after his death. Against this, however, her mother struggled because she has been full of anger, obstinacy, and disobedience right from the beginning and against God’s and men’s laws she is treating her present husband, Landfelder, just the same as she did her late husband. We have tolerated it long enough, hoping for improvement; but, since she is becoming more wicked as time goes on and since, because of our overlooking it other people are following in her footsteps too and are trying to disobey good order openly, we have to take the matter seriously now and, if she will not obey, we shall have to get the help of the officials in Savannah. Everybody who has a Christian spirit or fair mind blames me for giving in so much to that obstinate, unruly, and disobedient woman. Things she cannot do herself she tries to accomplish through Michael Rieser and maybe also through Spielbigler and his mother.]
During our discourse the clock-maker Müller and his wife remembered the special proofs of God’s fatherly care in 1737, which they will not forget as long as they live. During the recent distribution he heard, not without tears, the explanation of the saying: “He doeth all things for us,” because the grace of God is very great whereas our respect and gratitude are still so little. This year our dear God is showing His wonderful grace again: everything that the worms had eaten up three or four times and that had been replanted as often is now growing so very beautifully that he is looking forward to a rather good harvest. Whereas last year the raccoons scratched up and tore down everything, no harm has occurred this year and everything has grown so plentifully that they have to weed out whole armsful of it for the cattle.
Because some annoying matters happened with N. and N.N. [Mrs. Landfelder and Barbara Mauer] some days ago, these two persons feared some harm to my health. However, I could assure them that, by God’s grace, I did not feel any abatement of my strength or of my joy in fulfilling my ministry for the glory of the Lord and the salvation of souls. This our Lord doeth also. Glory be to Him for it!
Thursday, the 25th of June. Today I had to examine a very intricate and disagreeable matter on the plantations; and in this I enjoyed the assistance of pious people by prayer and good advice. In spite of all the vexation I was very much refreshed by the testimony of grace that I noticed especially in a couple of women. Our Father always arranges to mix in our cup of woe some drops to serve us as a heart-tonic. We experience abundantly what can be accomplished by the believing and enduring prayer of the righteous; and today too I have had some distinct testimony of it. When people have sinned, they readily take refuge in lies; those cobwebs, however, do not last any longer than God’s providence permits, and such sinners usually fall deeper and deeper, so that one can clearly observe the judgment of God in them. Our wise God has probably kept our planned Bible story for us up to this time, but of this I cannot mention any details right now.
A woman was also involved in investigating the matter; and, although she is very humble and only a small light in her own and other natural people’s eyes, she has done so much good by her persuasion, eagerness, and good advice that I marveled and highly esteemed the grace and wisdom I realized in her. An example like this often reminds me of the despised but wise man in Ecclesiastes 9:10-18; and I remember what our worthy Mr. N. [Senior Urlsperger] mentioned in his second sermon about Hebrews 10:23, i.e.: “In providing for the common good and averting harm and furthering what is best, we need the advice of even the humble; and, if it is right, it should be followed.”
[Spielbigler is now preparing to move away, as he has already planned for a long time. Perhaps he will find at Charleston, where he has worked for some time in rebuilding the burned houses, the worldly goods he has looked for but could not find here. As long as we have known him, he and his mother have behaved so headstrongly and obstinately and have also sinned against our ministry so greatly that I pity them very much, because the judgments of God will not fail to appear, since there is not the slightest hope for atonement. Barbara Maurer has done the same and has moved us and all sincere people to sighs because of her impudence, which she tried to conceal before the distribution of gifts by some show. In her sinful ways she has run into such a spiritual and physical misery that she probably will feel it all her life long. She was already under church discipline and excluded from Holy Communion for some years, but she took it all as a joke, so that I told her I would certainly live to see with my own eyes that God will make a terrible example of her if she will not do atonement in due time. This she very likely did not believe at that time, but unfortunately it has surely happened, about which we will report more definitely another time in some letters. How sorry I am for Michael Rieser and his neighbor, Mrs. Landfelder, who also behave very coarsely, but only as long as our Lord will permit it. The late Pastor Mischcke thought highly of praying away vexing people if they do not wish to convert. May God send us His Holy Spirit for this purpose!]
From Old Ebenezer I received a letter from General Oglethorpe in which he writes that he is making our community a present of several bushels of wheat and oat seeds which have been grown in Augusta or Savannah Town. He probably thinks we do not have enough of them at our place. However, we have no need of those and other European seeds but rather of horses and oxen for plowing. Also people at our place have to plant such crops as are most necessary for them at the present time and which they can produce in the easiest and most certain way. The hares and other wild animals would do much damage if the land where this is to be sown were not fenced in firmly in the same way as the house lots near town and on the plantations are. When they are better established on the plantations, many things will be more practicable.
[He mentions no word about the remaining points of my letter, for example, the preacher for Frederica, the promised shilling per bushel of crops for 1739, the payment of the mill costs, etc.; and therefore I will send him a copy of said letter. Perhaps the silence is supposed to be a negative answer. If the Salzburgers received the money as an aid to their difficult housekeeping, like others in the country, they could sooner plant the said crops according to the wishes of the Lord Trustees and also cultivate grapes, for which he is promising to send some vines. God will send help in His time; and what we lose at one place He will repay to us at the other.]
Friday, the 26th of June. The captain from Palachocolas /Eneas McIntosh/ visited me together with two of his people in order to set me right very ceremoniously on what had caused him to speak against me and thus make up for his errors. He has rented the plantation opposite us for several years from the Frenchman, who has told him many lies about me. He is afraid that I will report the matter to General Oglethorpe, whose favor he would not like to forfeit. The man talked very sensibly and offered his services to me and the community. He also promised not to allow the sale of rum at said plantation to the prejudice of our community, as was done in the Frenchman’s time. The manager employed at his plantation also reassured me. He offered to supply our people with tame cows and oxen, which they themselves may select from the herd; and he wants 45 shillings Sterling or two pounds 5 shillings per head. To be sure, another captain from Carolina wished to bring us some cattle at a low price; but we had to take at least 30 head and also be content if they were wild and old, so we did not make the bargain. I will discuss it with the congregation and write him the answer next week. He also wishes me to marry him next week, but I cannot agree to do this before I have the consent of the authorities. I will have to do it, under said conditions, sooner than it usually can be done, because there is no preacher in Savannah.
The Germans in Savannah let me know that four children have to be baptized there; but I was surprised that they did not come up to us by boat to fetch one of us for the baptism. We cannot trouble our people with this, especially right now when they have much work. The weather is very fruitful, we have enough rain and good weather. After the time for plums is over the time for peaches begins, and God has granted us more of them than in any year of our pilgrimage in this country. We have a very delicate kind of peach that have the color and size of apricots; they ripen first and refresh us very much. There are also pretty melons, and therefore we do not miss any sort of fruit in this country.
[In her wickedness and evil temper, in which she resembles the woman described in Sirach 25: 21-24, Mrs. Landfelder has sent her husband and Michael Rieser to Savannah in order to bring an action against me before the authorities there because I cannot allow her willfulness and evident malice. By this she wishes to cause damage and harm to the entire community, and I have shown severity after having taken previous steps. They returned today, evidently having had little success. Therefore Landfelder and his wife submitted to external order in the presence of my dear colleague and two men of the community. However, we have not noticed any sign of atonement. The nuisance they have caused here by their spiteful behavior and in Savannah by their presumably manifold defamations was brought to their attention. In case they have caused difficulties for my ministry by discrediting it in Savannah and in case they have lied to the authorities, they should get their deserts as an example for others. Today during the assembly at the plantations I talked to the community about this very spiteful disobedience as well as about the spiteful behavior of Barbara Maurer, so that now all circumstances for observing our common duty have been made public. Therefore one of these days we will have to consider further how we can control the present evil and prevent it from gaining ground.]
From the story in 2 Samuel 11 we repeated the recently preached material concerning David’s efforts to conceal his works of darkness; and we elucidated and laid on our listeners’ conscience, as we had previously done in the following prayer meeting in town, verses which were, moreover, very suitable to my purpose: 1 Peter 2:11, “Abstain from fleshy lusts, which war against the soul.” Original sin is a terrible enemy if one lets it have its own way and rule by desires and everybody’s emotional bent; and it devastates and ravages the poor soul by the very desire that seems to give some pleasure to the lost person, just as an invading army devastates a country and everything in it, so that one can well see that an enemy has been there. The example of David makes it obvious, and from his mirror many of us may learn to know themselves. Because they did not dampen their desires by a true atonement and have not refrained from them through daily revival and have never really crucified them, the work our dear God has begun in them has often been devastated and spoiled, as is also seen in several young people of the community, just as it was seen in David.
Ecclesiastes 7:30: “Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright ...” etc., wherein the condition of mankind before and after the fall of man is described briefly [and firmly]. Since God is the sincerest and most honest being towards Himself and towards all of His creatures, He has also created men in the same sincerity and honesty; but they have lost it through the seduction of the old serpent and are now full of tricks, especially of tricks that are against the sincerity with which they were created. Satan is an arch-trickster, and those who are with him help him with his tricks. And the arts, intrigues, and deceits that some people do not have, they try to obtain, as we can unfortunately see in the children too, who, in committing and excusing a sin, already give evidence of their terrible congenital perdition. The older people grow, without doubt renewing the picture of God in a new rebirth, the more wicked they become; and they know how to misuse their intelligence and experience skillfully to extricate themselves from their provoking nature by all kinds of tricks, and also how to pull the wool over the eyes of their ministers and other authorities.
I explained to all the listeners again that sins will not be forgiven to persons who get off by lying and cheating their ministers and authorities, who are here in the place of God, Acts 5:4, and do not do real atonement. The sign of an honest atonement is the openhearted confession of the matter that has been denied, Psalms 32:2. This point had to be emphasized here and on the plantations with energy because of some lightminded sinners. From my own experience I could point out that some penitent sinners among us have already insisted that their secretly committed sins be revealed and punished in public because the disgrace they would then suffer would be more tolerable to them than the sin they felt.
Some children who were previously publicly confirmed in their baptismal covenant wish to participate in the Lord’s table again this time. They assembled this afternoon in my room; and I tried to inculcate in their hearts from Matthew 11, verses 5, 12, and 28, what is necessary for them to know and to practice. True Christians are poor and at the same time weary and burdened individuals, but they show great earnestness in the recognition and feeling of their great sin to draw down by an eager prayer the kingdom of heaven that is offered to them in the gospel. If they come to the Lord’s table like this, our Lord Jesus will present himself to them with all the merited goods of salvation, whereby they will become richer than even the holy angels, for whom there is no Holy Supper. “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?”
I asked the orphan girl N. [Holtzer] at the orphanage whether she would like to die because physically she is always so sick and miserable. Because she did not say yes, I told her that in eternity there is not only a beautiful heaven but also a terrible hell. She should just remember what she saw during the ocean voyage. If the whole sea were full of fire and a person were thrown into it, how dreadful that would be. However, such a poor person would be soon freed from the torture; in the real hell, however, it is quite different. Revelations of St. John 9:6. She said that she thought of that during the great fire in the kitchen fireplace and had promised to free herself of all her sins by the grace of God, and she has already humbly confessed and apologized to Mrs. Kalcher and me for some inconstancy and injustice.
Saturday, the 27th of June. Johann Christ cannot sufficiently praise the grace of God that happened to him a few years ago as a child of Jewish blood when he was admitted to the bosom of the Christian church, especially since our loving Savior is leading him more and more through the use of the means of salvation to the interior of His kingdom, where pure grace is offered and presented gratuitously to poor sinners. In memory of the physical and spiritual benefits he received in Reicheltheim near Frankfurt he had a letter of thanks written to the pastor there, Mr. Crecelius, which will be sent over with the next parcel to Augsburg. He would also have liked to mention, to the praise of God, some examples of the grace that has befallen him through the word of the gospel here at Ebenezer; but this time he had to avoid great detail, and something has deterred him from it as well.
Today our dear God let me know from the declaration of two young married women that their conscience was stimulated by the word of God that has been preached during the last days, and therefore they heartily regret their misconduct and offenses, including some against our ministry; and this gave me an opportunity to inquire about some things that seemed offensive to me and to remind them of their duty. Oh how glad we are when distracted and idle minds come to an earnest meditation, to a feeling of their sins, and to the way of atonement. May God help further to victory and real firmness in truth!
I now hold the house prayer-hour on Mondays and Saturdays at about noon jointly with my dear colleague, and this is advantageous to me and others.
Sunday, the 28th of June. Today we held Holy Communion with forty-eight persons, among whom were two people from Purysburg and two from Old Ebenezer. May our dear God also attract by the inexpressible great treasure believers have in Holy Communion, those who cannot be admitted because of their rough and impenitent minds and those who are deterred by vain reasons not known to us! Confession was held last night with the people of the town and with those who could come in and, this morning, one hour before the sermon, with the people from the plantations. Since some of them are physically weak or have small children and other obstacles, we have accommodated ourselves to their circumstances, because we wish to make it as easy as possible for our listeners. Oh, may all of them thankfully realize the benefaction of having two preachers in our community!
Hans Maurer’s wife /Anna Catherina/ has gotten such a bad throat from her longlasting sore [although she is well taken care of medically] that she cannot swallow any liquids unless she holds her nose. Therefore, after the public communion, I had to celebrate private communion with her. Our dear Savior, who heartily yearns for the salvation of sinners, has striven yesterday and today to lure all people to come to Himself by the gospel; and those who had refused the grace that has come so near to their heart would have been worthy of pity.
Monday, the 29th of June. [I answered General Oglethorpe’s letter of last week and included a copy of my letter of 24 March because I do not know whether it was delivered in the right way or laid aside and forgotten. In it, I asked General Oglethorpe to write his resolution in favor of the preacher wanted for Frederica; I had also humbly asked him for the payment of the promised shillings for the harvested crops and for some monetary help to pay the mill costs.]
Some time ago Lemmenhofer asked me to consecrate his house with the word of God as soon as it was ready for him to move in and live in it. I asked him at that time about the text of the verses we had used when consecrating his little house in town, from which our dear God had granted much edification. He knew it well, and it was very edifying for him and his wife /Maria/. It was Luke 10:5. This forenoon was destined for the Christian consecration of the newly built house, therefore I traveled to the plantations this morning as early as possible and turned the well-known text of the Christian church to the advantage of the owners and their neighbors who had assembled from both sides: “Where thou (Lord Jesus) art with grace, blessing cometh in the house.” Yesterday’s gospel of Luke 5:1-11 gave enough material for an evangelical explanation of this little verse, since it showed what kind of blessing is right and best and how willing the heart of Jesus is to present abundantly all merited blessings to those who realize their nothingness and unworthiness and are willing to obey His word. He will make them into vessels of His mercy and tools of His grace, which is more than all the treasures of the world. We also used Luke 9:5-10 and 2 Samuel 7:11-12 for our purpose.
[Tuesday, the 30th of June. Michael Rieser is growing worse in his obstinacy and disobedience and despises and thinks little of everything we reproach in him with God’s word. Indeed, today his impudence grew so far as to withdraw his obedience from me because he considers the way we rule our congregation as popish, for there too the spiritual and temporal ministries are united. We must leave him to God’s judgment. Meanwhile I have notified Mr. Jones and the authorities in Savannah of his and Mrs. Landfelder’s malice and of my tactics towards them and will see whereto God will guide their hearts. It seems that the aforementioned Rieser is ripe for the judgment of God, since he jeers at all threats and keeps very far away from them. Perhaps the country will soon spew him out so that he will go away from our place.
His neighbor, the malicious Spielbigler, has moved to Charleston comlpetely without saying goodbye to me, and his old mother /Rosina/ is selling her cattle and other things to move there too. These also shall stick in their filthy sins; and the office of the gospel has not been the odor of life for their life. Therefore we shudder to think about their end, for which they will surely be even less prepared at other places, since there is no opportunity there for spiritual good. It says here also: “Whosoever is pleased with sin, he shall fare otherwise; he shall be blown away like chaff. . .” etc. He who is wicked must perish. At present we have various inconveniences and troubles with wicked persons in the community, whose malice God has begun to make known; but during today’s evening prayer hour, during the singing of the evening-song: Der Tag ist hin. . . etc., God greatly blessed me in the words: “Thou art righteous, be it as it may...”
[We also have trouble now with Mrs. Rauner and her boy /Matthias/. She has hired said boy to an Englishman at Old Ebenezer for four years at five pound Sterling; however, she incites him to be faithless and run away. At the incitement of his wicked mother he broke into his master’s house and chest and took out his indenture of apprenticeship and some clothes and brought them to her. The mother burned the indenture and hid the boy in her corn field, where, however, he was discovered by his master, the Englishman, and taken back to Old Ebenezer. There he got a beating, and he ran away despite all efforts and precautionary measures to guard him. Since I cannot approve of this disgraceful conduct, the enraged woman is said to have sinned very much and caused annoyance. God is probably allowing such unpleasant things to happen among us so that I can offer the authorities in Savannah proof of the harm that can be done if they make no effort to punish wicked people in our community according to their deserts and as a warning to others. I cannot understand why they give so much of a hearing there to disobedient people who come to the authorities with their unfounded and slanderous claims that they investigate their cases and also wish to hear me for all this causes much inconvenience and harm.26 This time I shall put my opinion in writing, and in the future I shall also give it by word of mouth.
[There must be a reason that the Lord Trustees’ letters to me have never used any expression from which one could clearly recognize, and not merely presume, that they have granted us temporal authority for the secular administration of our community. The matter of provisioning was, to be sure, entrusted to our care; but otherwise General Oglethorpe has not further declared that we would have the power to do anything in our community without the aid of the authorities in Savannah. To our oral and written questions in this regard we have received no answer, nor have we particularly insisted on it as long as disobedient people could be put in order again by our ministry, especially by the keys to the kingdom. If Christian authority were granted us in this matter, we could refer the misbehaving and disobedient people to it; and, if we could make an example of those persons who wrongfully accuse us and lie against us in Savannah, it would be of manifold advantage. Previously, when I brought charges to the authorities in Savannah against malicious people who do not wish to conform to the situation here, I did not notice any seriousness; rather they shoved the matter back to me as if they did not wish to be entangled in our affairs. But it happens that they listen to obstinate persons who are against us; and, what is worse, they use a Jew /Sheftal/as an interpreter, and this causes annoyance.]
JULY
Wednesday, the 1st of July. Young Mr. /Jacob/ Kieffer was asked by several people in Purysburg to go to Charleston for an important matter, and he asked for our intercession. He realizes he is entirely unskilled in such important matters, but he is willing to serve his fellow man to the best of his abilities. I referred him to James 1:5: “If any of you lack wisdom.” [Many people in Purysburg believed their trip from England to Purysburg had already been paid for by the late Queen or others, but now they are being officially and threateningly dunned by young Mr. /Charles/ Pury to pay back the money for their trip, as well as the outstanding interest of ten percent for the last eight years, as soon as possible; that is why they are seeking help from the officials and the government in Charleston. Old Mr. /Theobald/ Kieffer told the people gathered in Purysburg that all mankind could be spiritually redeemed but that, according to the word of God, they had to strive for it earnestly and that no one was willing to strive for it as much as for material redemption and liberation. Only a few could be assured of their salvation and state of grace.]
Yesterday evening we finished the important story of David from 2 Samuel 2; and, through this mirror and the expostulation of other writings, our holy and wise God revealed to many of us the horror and deception of the natural and totally depraved heart, and prepared us for the subject of repentance and mercy, which we will find in chapter twelve. There is no lack of awakening, of pricking at one’s conscience, of good intentions [if only God could note true repentance and faithfulness towards His mercy], which are still missing in many souls among us. It also pleased our wonderful God, during the time the distressing conditions of David’s case were publicly discussed in the sermon, to reveal similar abominations and secret transgressions of several sinners before the community [one of whom was overcome by his sins just one year ago before St. Augustine], and all tricks and subterfuges were as useless here as they were in David’s case against the filth [or, to disguise the filth], which causes us much grief but also gives us the chance in this case and others to work on these impure and carnal paths that have also become known to us here, through the law and gospel.
Today a woman told me she wished she could tell all young people how terrible and dangerous it is to burden one’s conscience and to insult our holy God with intentional youthful sins, the terrible shape of which one cannot recognize until God brings one to repent. A certain minister wrote something that applies to this and other persons in the community: “One ounce of carnal desire causes two hundred pounds of physical and spiritual pain.” Because she and others sinned and caused annoyances in their youth, she has often had terrible yet unnecessary visions of herself and her fellow sinners appearing before the judgment seat of God and has worried that she would be accused and condemned by the others whom she had troubled yet not converted, especially since many have passed over into eternity. Yesterday, however, she learned to her comfort that, when David unexpectedly sent Urias and many other soldiers under his command to eternity through the sword of the Amonites, many of whom were non-believers, his strength had been taxed in vain, and nothing would have been effected thereby if he had burdened himself with such ideas. It was better that he found the [true] repentance and a God-pleasing life. The God who demonstrates the wonder of His love to sinners and forgives and forgets all sins forever so that they will never be thought of again will also make it possible that past vexations and temptations will not be repeated in the future through words, script, or example or be used for the public accusation and prosecution of the pardoned ones. It is written: “How can the many sins harm me?” etc. “Who shall condemn?” “Christ is here,” etc.
In this evening’s prayer meeting we began observing the twelfth chapter and it was wished that it could be truthfully said of all members of the community, not only, first, that they had sinned with David, but also, second, that they no longer sin, but have truly repented. It is terrible to be a still impenitent sinner, for this mispleases the Lord in all his ways, as in chapter 11:27; and He will say: “Depart from me, thou sinner.” In the name of the Lord they were reminded today of the great need to convert; they must decide to convert or to be damned. Likewise they were instructed about the possibility and bliss [spiritual poverty] of converting: it is a work of the triune God; what He does is praiseworthy and glorious; and therefore conversion must be praiseworthy, wonderful, and holy work of God. Among other things we explained the verse: “Ye uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost,” etc.; and we demonstrated that those amongst us who are not converted are evil people who resist the Holy Ghost and partake of the sins of their fathers and ancestors who, as disobedient sinners according to the forty-ninth Psalm, have gone to a terrible place and are thus justifiably called stiffnecked and uncircumcised of heart and ear.
Thursday, the 2nd of July. During yesterday’s evening prayer meeting I ordered the schoolchildren to come to me today so that I might speak to them from the word of God about the grace that God would grant; and this was done this morning. Jesus let us feel His merciful presence; therefore the simple and childlike encouragement from God’s word so affected some of the children that, contrary to their usual manner, they were quiet and even wept. During our talk I reminded the children of Magdalena /Haberfehner/, who died not long ago in our orphanage, and of the wonderful Bible verse she sent to Augsburg: “I am glad in the Lord,” etc., which gave me the chance to ask the children whether they still remembered the verses they sent; and I was very happy that they could recite them by heart. They promised to come to me often on their own, which our loving Savior will crown with His blessing, as He has done before.
Ross, the surveyor from Purysburg, again sent me a letter in which he announced that he was working on his map of our town and of the plantations and that, as soon as he was finished, he wished to come here and complete his surveying of the plantations so that, with my certificate, he can finally receive his full payment in Savannah, since a part thereof has been rightly withheld up to now. [I do believe that he wants to come. However, unless he brings workers or provisions (as is required by his contract with General Oglethorpe), his presence will be in vain because our people badly need their provisions themselves and they will not work for him, since they know full well from his excessive demands and his unbearable way of dealing with people. Besides, they also have no time for it. I informed him of this in a letter today.] The Honorable Councilor N. [Walbaum] appreciates being told something about our physical arrangements. Therefore, not long ago, I sketched out the position of our town, the gardens, and plantations as well as I could and sent a short description along with it. If the package we delivered four weeks ago has not yet been sent from Savannah, the said sketch will be enclosed for Councilor N. [Walbaum] along with a letter [which I have addressed to the Honorable Court Chaplain Ziegenhagen along with other letters from several members of the parish. My dear colleague hastened down there to baptize several children and to arrange other matters, since an opportunity was available. The haste prevented me from writing to the Court Chaplain, as something important had to be reported to the authorities in Savannah.
[I was very impressed that a pious woman implored her husband to take back their house lot by the town which they had exchanged, because God is showing her and her husband very special mercy and is graciously hearing her prayers. Whenever she sees the spot, she says, she is reminded anew of God’s mercy, which is very profitable for both of them. It will be easy for them to regain their old house, since the other Salzburger likes his own as much as this one. By building altars and other things, the dear Patriarchs (or rather God working through them) created monuments and memorials to the miraculous kindness of God our Lord; on their pilgrimages these reminded not only them but also their families of God’s blessings and strengthened their belief. How wonderful it would be if, in the course of time, the converted parents would show their children the places and corners where they shed thousands of tears because of their sins but where they were also assured that their sins would be forgiven. I am always impressed when I hear about that.
Friday, the 3rd of July. Even before the devotional hour at the plantation our dear Lord had informed me that He had blessed the story in 2 Samuel 11 so that the sins of our previous lives and the malice and hidden corners of our hearts would be revealed by the bright light of God’s words. Someone told me secretly that God had given him much recognition and that he was prepared, if demanded for God’s glory, to be disgraced before everyone in the community. Through the grace of God he can now understand the difference between a superficial and self-made Christianity and a true Christianity. It seemed to him as if a curtain had been hanging before his eyes, and he was amazed at his previous blindness and shocked when he looked at most people’s lives which have nothing in common with the word of God. He informed me of several examples of Salzburgers from the Empire2 who had become falsely converted to the Evangelical faith and of their defiance and claim to having achieved evangelical truth while conforming to the world. He said they ridiculed those Salzburgers who were concerned with their salvation almost more than any others.
The beginning of the story in Chapter 12 caused us to marvel at Divine patience and to praise our very kind God who not only put up with David for nine months but also put up with us for many years in our self-assurance and waited for us to repent and was merciful enough to give us the grace to do so. For the sake of their salvation, the secure and frivolous among us were asked in the name of God not to remain a moment longer under the wrath of God, which is like a double-edged sword that destroys both body and soul, but to remain joyful and without worries on the brink of hell. They were also asked not to find any carnal solace in those means of salvation that are commonly used in certainty because (as is apparent in David’s example) no sign of conversion and state of grace lies in them and God will not be deceived by such; as with David, one must first truly repent if one expects his service to please God. He looked with grace first on Abel and then on his sacrifice; on the other hand he did not look on Cain with mercy because he was impenitent and unbelieving, and therefore his sacrifice [service] was unacceptable. 1 Genesis 4. This is probably the meaning of the words in Psalm 51: “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else I would give it,” “The sacrifices of God are. . .” Oh how it troubles us when people depend only on their external church service and good works and do not wish to be moved from that security through true conversion and be put in a blessed state of grace.
On my return from the plantation I met my dear colleague at home, and in his reports I noticed clear traces of divine blessings that crowned this trip to Savannah. May God teach us to act according to His will, then there will never be a lack of blessing and every evening we will be able to say and sing: “Praise, laud, and thanks be sung to Thee, my God, glory be to Thee because everything has succeeded according to Thy counsel, even if I do not understand. Thou art just, however it goes.” [I have received no written response to my report and letter to the authorities this time, as there is much disharmony and factionalism among the members. However, I have learned enough from what Mr. /Thomas/ Jones told me orally. Ever since the return of Captain Robert Williams, who was previously the Tax et Tuba3 for this and nearly everything that was to be brought into the colonies, people have been ganging up again in Savannah to gain permission through force to import Negros and Moorish slaves into the country. As we oppose the Negros and other injurious “liberties” and exemptions in our town, they hate us, especially me, which, however, can hurt us little, if at all. Our slogan in this and other confused matters was and is: “Take counsel together and it shall come to naught, etc. . . . for God is with us.” Even the magistrates are opposed to Colonel Stephens and Mr. /Thomas/ Jones and are undertaking incorrect and dubious actions against their advice. For example, they recently served Mr. Barber, the preacher for the orphanage near Savannah, with a warrant to appear before the court in Savannah, although they had no right to do this, as Mr. Jones stated. They are said to have compiled a book4 in which I am also discredited and in which they will try to turn the truth into lies; but they will not come any nearer to me with their intrigues than our wise, holy, and good Lord will allow them to. My dear colleague baptized two chidren; the third child lives on a plantation which is far away and will be baptized when we next hold public services there.]
Saturday, the 4th of July. The late N.’s [Simon Steiner’s] wife /Gertraut/, who recently married Peter Reiter, came to me for a word of admonishment. I was happy that she now recognizes her late husband’s great honesty and seriousness in his Christianity more than before, so I warned her to make good use of all the good she had heard and experienced with him [especially since she does not perceive a genuine, but rather an apathetic and lazy form of Christianity in her present husband]. Also she should be very careful not to even think of the sins and weaknesses of her late husband, which our compassionate God has forgiven for Christ’s sake and banned to the depths of the ocean for everlasting oblivion, because this could only be damaging and would not be a good sign for her. I reminded her at the same time of her honest father on earth, the blessed N. [Schoppacher], whose struggle to repent and believe and whose temptations and blessed departure to his Savior did not impress her any more than her stepmother [the present Mrs. Landfelder], because of her blindness and foolishness back then. If she follows in the path of these two warriors of Jesus Christ, both of whom were her closest relatives, she will give them cause for eternal happiness through her blessed imitation. I admonished her of several things, e.g., I told her to get together with pious women neighbors [for edification] and to care for the Christian upbringing of her daughter [Sara] from her first husband, and then we prayed.
A woman eager for edification asked me in the presence of her husband for tomorrow’s introductory verses, for which she wished to prepare herself in advance. I referred her to the short and yet unusual story in 2 Kings 2:19-22 and told both of them that because of their frequent troubles they should trust in Jesus, confide in Him, and trustingly and humbly accept His help, which He willingly gives. He is many thousands of times more willing than the prophet Elijah to eliminate everything which torments us and to give us what we need, as one can also see from examples in the New Testament, where He leaves no sinner or wretch helpless. He accepts the first penitent and trusting plea, etc. They could, I said, believe that the Lord Jesus felt the same way about the mistrust and lack of faith of his people as pious Joseph did in Genesis 50:15, who wept that, after the death of his father, his brothers went back to their old sins and troubles and could not be brought to a stronger trust even after so many proofs of his love. Nevertheless it was good that they sent for him, went, and humbled themselves, and were reassured anew of forgiveness and total reconciliation. All this is not written in vain in the Bible. Belief and perception are not the same. What kind of faith would it be if one were not to believe the words of Christ, which are so gracious to penitent and grace-hungry sinners, until one has perceived it oneself? A resigned Christian has said: “I wish to trust without perceiving,” etc., “If I find no consolation, I will comfort myself with the knowledge that I belong to Jesus.”
Christian Riedelsperger requested that today’s noon prayer meeting be held in his house; like Lemmenhofer he wishes it to be sanctified and consecrated through God’s word and prayer. Several other people joined in prayer. Before the prayers I read to them from the Book of Gifts and Benefactions5 according to the First Article and reminded them of three especially divine benefactions, 1. God’s patience and forbearance, 2. gentleness, 3. chastisement for our betterment. As long as we have been together in Ebenezer, our all-loving Father has shown us this, the remembrance of which causes us great joy, praise of God, and heartfelt humility, as well as trust in future divine benefactions. We prayed here not only for ourselves and the residents of this house, but especially (as is always done in accordance with our Christian duty) for our beloved known and unknown benefactors in Europe [and since there is now confusion and contradiction among our superiors in Savannah, this trouble too is a matter for our unworthy prayer, which is founded in Christ’s merits.]
I was very impressed that Mr. /Thomas/ Jones showed my dear colleague the powerful words of God from Isaiah 41:10, 11, which he can apply to the present [distressing] circumstances. He is a very honest man and a lover of holy scripture. I always profit from his theological discussions.
Sunday, the 5th of July. The old [Swiss] carpenter /Krüsy/ showed me a letter written by a fellow countryman, a schoolteacher, who is in the wilderness near Savannah Town with his family. He asked whether we needed a schoolmaster. He, his wife, and their eight children would like to move here [because it is as annoying and scandalous up there as among the heathens]. Another single man, a carpenter, would also like to be accepted into our community if he could earn a living here. We do not need a schoolmaster, nor can we promise anyone else a good living here; but, since these people have a good recommendation from the old carpenter, we will not prevent them if they ask for permission to move here. There would be room and land for them near the town, but the land near the occupied plantations is reserved for the Salzburgers who are expected to arrive with the next transport.
The present plantation owners have firmly resolved to specifically concede to the late arrivals a large area near them as their specific property for houses and stables. However, like the present inhabitants, they will take up plantations jointly, partly back in the pine forests and partly on the lovely island. If the eight nearest neighbors join together, they can clear out and prepare a large piece of land for planting; and because the whole island is fenced in partly by a common fence and partly by the rivers, they are spared the initial difficulty of building fences.6 In this way they will be able not only to establish their own households more quickly but also to achieve the purpose for which they left their homeland: for they will be able to live with the word of God and spiritual care and to send their children unhindered to school. For it has already been agreed upon that, when the new arrivals come, the school will be held in the middle of the plantations, where church is now held. If, however, contrary to our expectations, people were sent who are not Salzburgers but hostile and aggressive people, this intended arrangement would not be satisfactory and such people would not be able to manage without similar arrangements. If people among us who are not Salzburgers fear God and are simple and honest, then they will be of one heart and mind with them; if this is not the case, then much damage will be done, as we know from experience.
Young /Jacob/ Kieffer bid us farewell this evening before leaving for Charleston and asked to be remembered in our prayers. I reminded him of the verse: “And be not conformed to this world,” and “All that will live godly in Christ shall. . .” etc. The last cannot be separated from the practice of the first. For the world loves only its own kind and cannot endure verbal or actual punishment of its dubious deeds and hypocrisies. [On 21 May, I wrote to Mr. /Johann/ Giessendanner, the minister in Orangeburg, and forwarded the present of 21 sh. Sterling from Switzerland to him by a safe hand, but I have not yet received any word that he has received it. As Mr. Kieffer is not only going to Charleston but to Orangeburg to his mother-in-law /Mrs. Depp/, he will pick up the letter and money in Charleston and deliver it if it has not already been forwarded. We will forward the books that also belong there when we are informed that the money has been received. One has to be very careful here if nothing is to go wrong.]
Monday, the 6th of July. N. [Pichler] visited me this morning and gave a beautiful testimony of what our merciful God has done for him and his mother [wife].7 With tears in his eyes he expresses shame for his previous blindness and for having been unable to endure it when we insisted upon righteous behavior and having refused to admit that he was still lacking it. He borrowed the Third and Fourth Continuation, in which his and his deceased wife’s confused situation in 1737 and the beginning of the following year is recorded; and I was pleased to see that he well recognizes everything and praises the grace of God for saving him from it and never relenting in trying to show him the better way.8 He also recognized how close he had come to committing a terrible sin; God had, however, made him ill and removed him from the danger by placing him in another hut rather than letting him commit the sin. For he could not trust his own heart any more than David could trust his own, therefore it was a benefaction to be removed from the temptation of sinning. God has already bestowed much good upon him from the diary, as I too must confess to the praise of this heartily loyal God.
The lesson of satisfaction and the ineffably great and wonderful sacrifice of Christ is very dear and valuable to him, and he is certain that his sins will be forgiven; yet he complains that his assurance weakens now and then and he is not sure where he stands with God. I referred him to the song: Eins Christen Herz sehnt sich nach hohen Dingen, and especially to the words: “O, open up the depths of my sins, let me see the depth of your mercy too.” Likewise, “Let me seek or find no peace except with Him who has it for me and who has called out: I will revive you when your sins and burdens oppress you.” Steadfastness is best, if one weakens, debauches, or goes astray at all, one will become restless; therefore one must penetrate into Christ and rest and perservere in Him.
Of his wife, N.’s daughter [Kieffer’s oldest daughter /Margaretta/, who is indolent9 by nature] I was happy to hear of her simple, heartfelt prayers; even in her case grace is triumphing over nature. God grant both of them sincerity and faithfulness! [I admonished him to join together with other people and to work on the people who came to our congregation from Memmingen,10 as most of them are still in a miserable state. God has revealed some of their hypocrisies and sins, of which they do not wish to cleanse themselves through repentance, so everyone can see what is wrong with them.]
The little daughter of an English merchant from Savannah, who has been placed in the trust of [the schoolmaster] Ortmann and his wife, has violent fever and other symptoms and is very weak. When I entered the room she asked me to pray with her, complained of her misery, and thanked me for the comfort I gave her and gladly accepted the admonition to call on Jesus in her physical and spiritual misery (which is the best means of recovery). In this summer heat various old and young people are getting fever, but it is not nearly as bad as in the first years. In Old Ebenezer too the German and English people have it; and it is remarkable that during the first two years in Old Ebenezer, where we had to endure many physical and spiritual trials, we did not suffer from the fever, with the exception of a few men; but then it was more the case of fever attacks rather than regular fevers.11 God did not burden us with too much at one time, for that we should thank Him and never forget His kindness.
The construction of the church began anew today in the name of the Lord; and, since Rottenberger was not among the workers because of an injured finger, I visited him and his wife with the blessings of God. He was much impressed by yesterday’s exordium from 2 Kings 2:19-22, from which, concerning the gospel for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity, I discussed the corrupted heart which can still be improved and changed through Christ; and he was unhappy with himself for having so little recognized the poison source of his heart because of his frivolity and for not having been as seriously concerned as he should have been about Christ and His help, which should not be lacking. One wishes to be rid of poisonous water and other dangerous things, I said, yet one puts up with a poisoned heart. I told him that, if one takes the following story of mockers at Bethel, the prefiguration would show that only a few, and namely those who recognize their misery, search for the true man of God (Theanthropos), while others scorn and mock him and that this leads to a terrible end. He recalled that he had reflected a lot about the fact that pious Abel was the first to enter heaven and that Cain was presumably the first to enter hell, thus both brothers were eternally separated. This is a prefiguration that such a wretched separation could occur between parents and children who do not wish to convert, and that one’s hair would stand on end if one thought about it.
I warned both of them to hurry and save their souls, etc. I also reminded them that they had several little children who had been baptized as God’s children and in His image and that they had already gone on ahead of them to the throne of God, etc. His wife interrupted me and said: “My cousin, Madereiter, who found his rest in Old Ebenezer as an honest Simeon, was also an example.” Back then, she said, she had not recognized his Christianity, now much was awakening in her. He confessed with weeping eyes that he had not followed the words or the edifying example of this pious man; he could have come much farther by now in his Christianity. He added that he was a great lover of the blessed Arndt’s book True Christianity; and, because God had given him many blessings in the Empire and here, he always said that, if the heavenly Father helped him reach heaven, he would first look for the blessed Arndt (among those who had attained salvation).
Tuesday, the 7th of July. Before the edification hour on the plantations I was called to Simon Reiter’s sick wife /Magdalena/ to give her a word of comfort and to pray with her. She is very ill. Her husband spoke kindly to her and repeated what I had told her about our merciful and helpful Savior. She is a Christian woman and will find eternal peace if she should die. I also visited Pichler, prayed with him for his sick child, and spoke to him extensively about the preparation for a school on the plantations. Many of them are now aware of my ideas, and I hope they will discuss them among themselves so that something will come of it. [Michael Rieser’s wife told Mrs. Rheinländer some shameful stories about Barbara Maurer to hurt her reputation and strengthened the Maurer woman’s evil ways. She had heard these shameful words from her insolent husband and then passed them along. I therefore asked her to visit me and give me some evidence, which she could not do. Thereupon she spoke as insolently and rudely as her husband does when he speaks to me. She refused to be corrected in any way and considers herself and her husband pious. Whatever good she had gained from God during her husband’s absence was completely lost.12 Her husband is going to Savannah with Landfelder for outside work, and both of them are to be pitied.]
During the prayer meeting we learned that it was one of God’s benefactions that penance can be preached to the sinners in our community in the name of the Lord. However, because several avoid such sermons or harden their hearts against them or even move away, they will no doubt remain unconverted and suffer misfortune. For, if God does not act directly but rather deals with people through people (just as the Lord God did not ask David directly to repent, but rather through Nathaniel), if such people remove themselves from God’s order, how can they be helped? They would depend upon their good books and do not believe that they cannot understand them in their natural blindness. As I heard from the mouth of N. [Mis. Rieser] today, they expound the Bible incorrectly to fit their circumstances and apply divine truths only partially so that they can persist in their security and worldly outlooks.
We received the following lessons from the severe yet just judgment which David imposed upon the rich and merciless man in the presence of the prophet Nathaniel, in regard to our present situation now that God has revealed the terrible sins of N.N. [Barbara Maurer and others] 1) not only to look at others and condemn their sins severely while forgetting their own, for rather God holds up other people’s sins as a mirror and warning; on the other hand it can be very destructive when man is more out of than in himself and justifies himself by pointing out other people’s mistakes, as is often done when reading about the evil behavior of the Jews towards Christ and his teachings, 2) not to be indifferent, foolish, and self-assured towards the sins of the world and especially of the congregation, rather to actively follow the Bible and eliminate vexations in a Christian manner, and not leave everything to the ministers. Here I read to them from 1 Corinthians 5:1 ff., i.e., that the apostle was not pleased with their indifference toward vexations and took matters in his own hands to remove the filth, and this had a good effect. This reminded us of the remarkable story from Joshua, Chapter 7, where we read that a secretly unpunished sin brought God’s wrath upon the whole community and that, although God could have punished the sinner as an example for the others, He did not, rather he demanded the diligence and zeal of the Children of Israel, otherwise their prayers and struggles would not have helped. Now, since God himself had helped through His providence to reveal wickedness [especially that of the Maurer woman],13 His wrath would fall upon the community if the revealed sins remained unpunished. Therefore we pray that the Lord give us wisdom.
Wednesday, the 8th of July. [I have not seen Mrs. Craus for a few weeks at the edification hour on the plantations, she has been kept away because of her female condition; therefore I visited her and her husband this afternoon and spoke to both of them according to the state of their souls. The husband /Leonhard/ needs a spiritual awakening, which, according to his own admission, he received from the lovely proof of mercy which reigns in his wife’s soul and, as he confessed, from the encouragement he received through me from God’s word. They have a young girl /Gebhart/14 in their service who was publicly confirmed along with others before Easter and who partook of the Lord’s Supper last time with the congregation. They give her a good recommendation, and I gave them further instruction for encouraging her through word and deed in what she has begun. When she grows up and has her own household, she will thank them as her sister /Magdalena/, Mrs. Simon Reiter, now thanks her previous master and her child’s godfather, Ruprecht Steiner, for their love and care and will profit from the edifying things she has seen and heard. I wanted to stop at Peter Reiter’s hut, but I saw that his wife /Magdalena/ (the widow of Simon Steiner) was not at home, and therefore I will wait until both of them are there. I had an edifying talk with Mrs. /Anna Maria/ Floerel and Mrs. Bacher in Mrs. Floerel’s hut. Both of them are closely united as sisters in the Lord. Our merciful God will hear the prayers we said together, for the sake of Christ. On the way back I visited Floerel and Schmidt while they were sawing boards and called out a gospel verse and my best wishes. I also offered Floerel the position of schoolmaster on the plantations; he did not respond this time but will speak with God about it all the more so that His will be done. Because I had to be at home at 11 o’clock for the preparation hour for Holy Communion, I could neither talk very much here nor visit anyone else.]
This afternoon I felt a strong urge to visit N.’s [Simon Reiter’s] sick wife /Magdalena/, which I did after the rain that had begun at two o’clock. She was out of bed, but very depressed and crying violently. I asked the cause of her sorrow and tears, and her husband said to me she was experiencing the same thing he had gone through earlier: when he was impenitent, he consoled himself enough. However, after he had recognized and felt his sins, no consolation lasted and, even though he had gained trust in God through the gospel, it disappeared as soon as he felt rashness and new temptations to sin. She has been recognizing and sensing her sins for a long time and longs for forgiveness yet does not find it. The pain in her soul and her tears did not allow her to confess her misery and what was burdening her; she only testified that it was neither her sickness nor any other physical circumstance, rather alone her sins which caused her trouble and tears. Yesterday she was so weak she seemed to be standing before the gates of eternity, and today she was strong again although she had not taken a single dose of medicine and had only been bled a little, which was a clear sign for all of us that our prayers were being answered right miraculously.
Yesterday our wise Lord arranged right wonderfully for me to go to her uncalled and without planning and to pray for her physical and spiritual condition with others before God, our true physician, and therefore I could tell her to her spiritual strengthening that my feelings had compelled me to travel the long distance to her this afternoon and that neither my work at home nor the many obstacles on the way could prevent me from coming. Her soul was crushed by her feeling of sin, she said, and she was troubled and burdened. It is now the will of God for her to find comfort in the gospel and in the name of Christ and for her sins to be mercifully forgiven at the command and in the name of Christ. I told her several things about the correct kind of faith that is effective in the workshop of a penitent heart and expresses itself in desire and longing, turns humbly to the loving Lamb of God, who bears the world’s sins just as the snake-bitten Israelites turned to the raised serpent, comprehends Christ’s universal sacrifice, and rests like a poor little bee on His rosy wounds. Her husband /Simon Reiter/ confirmed all this from his own experience and encouraged her to trust Christ despite her feeling of sin. It is written, “Trust in His word though your heart loudly cries, ‘No.’ Do not despair,”15 “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity?” etc., also, “If we say we have no sin,” etc., “If we confess our sins,” etc., and “If any man sin, we have an advocate.” Because she is named Magdalena, I recalled the great sinner in Luke 7 and told her briefly how Jesus felt about the sinner. We knelt together, and after the prayer I read her the beautiful text for penitent invalids from James 5:13-20, which impressed and edified all of us so that I could say at my departure, “This day is salvation come to this house,” and both husband and wife will sing, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is in me,” etc., “who forgiveth all iniquities,” etc. The current story of David’s confession and quick absolution also served me well in this case. As it was becoming evening and I did not wish to delay the prayer meeting, I returned home without visiting anyone else in the neighborhood.
Thursday, the 9th of July. Since the repair of the mill dam the water in the Savannah and the mill river has sunk to such a level that we cannot grind anything and the people have learned to appreciate even more the benefaction of the mill now that they have to use hand mills again to prepare their corn and rice for meals. Today the miller sent me a message that the water has risen enough for him to begin grinding again. If the water continues to rise, our people will soon again be provided with flour, and this is a blessing for those helping to build the church. The mill is suffering because the little stream in front of the dam was not sufficiently dammed last time. The water soon tore away the protective boards and took its old course. Money is needed to seriously undertake the kind of work needed for a dam; in the meantime we have to be patient. We cannot dam up the river completely because, when the water is high, it is greatly needed for leading it away from the plantations and mill. Therefore such a weir and wall of boards should be built such that the water can be held or let off as conditions demand. Also a jetty should be built at the mouth of the mill river in order to direct more water into the mill river from the Savannah, especially when it is low; all of this is impossible at the moment because of a lack of money. Perhaps God will help the Lord Trustees to do something. If our people had the means, they would build something to make the rice white and saleable, which would refute the argument of people eager for Negroes who claim that this cannot be done without slaves.
The N. [shoemaker Adde] and his wife do not yet recognize the state of their own souls and suffice themselves with external means of grace rather than lay a solid foundation for their Christianity through repentance and faith. Therefore I advised them not to overlook the foundation, for which purpose they should kneel diligently before our omnipresent and merciful God and follow the directions of the little booklet Dogma of the Beginning of Christian Life.16 Because much listening and reading but little praying are more pernicious than useful, I showed them the right way.
A pious woman told me yesterday that she gathered from Mrs. Rottenberger’s edifying words and deeds that she was seriously trying to repent. I went to see her afterwards and informed her how she could realize her resolution earnestly. Several of the church builders are lodging here; and, because I heard that each of them kneels down before God and prays after the evening prayer hour but neglects the common prayer and repetition of the gospel because they are too shy in front of one another, I told her how damaging this is and what she should tell the men in my name.
Friday, the 10th of July. Shortly before yesterday’s evening prayer meeting the miller sent me word that the water had risen considerably and that the mill wheels were turning well and that we should thank God for this benefaction. I also resolved to inspire the community during the prayer meeting to praise God; however, during the sermon about Nathaniel’s penetential sermon, I forgot to do it, contrary to my intentions and plans, and this worried me afterwards. Nevertheless, I believe the silence was the will of God to find out whether the members of the congregation would remember to thank God for this benefaction on their own. Before today’s prayer meeting I went to the mill in order to encourage myself and my listeners to recognize our duty. The water has risen so much in the little creek between the town and the plantations that one cannot ride through without getting wet; and, because the river water is very muddy, we can imagine that it must have rained very hard in the mountains. We often have lightning and thunder here but not always with rain, although we have had enough for the fields. Last night too it rained penetratingly here and on the plantations.
I reminded the listeners today from 2 Samuel 12:7-8, in which Nathan reminded David of the Lord’s many benefactions, that a Christian must attribute all good he experiences and all evil that is averted from him not as causis secundis but rather primario17 to God who rules over all, otherwise one would act worse than the heathens and Philistines, Judges 16:23-24, Acts 14:16-17.
I met N. [Mrs. /Margaretha/ Leinberger], who was going into the town to get some medications because of her infirmities. God has made her mellow and humble in the continual physical weakness she has had since her marriage to honest N. [Leinberger], so that she recognizes sins as the cause of all evil and is submitting herself to God’s omnipotent hand. She sincerely detests her previous sins and the godless ways of her previous deceased husband [Gabriel Bach from Memmingen]18 and humbly praises the Lord for His goodness for saving her from such snares and bringing her here where her soul can be saved. A Salzburger recently told me that she would not leave our village for any amount of gold, now that she has been shown the way to her salvation.
Because of her almost constant illness, N. [Leinberger] has not had much help from his wife, rather hardship and expenses; yet he is quite resigned and does only what is best for her body and soul. He would be very happy if she would (as I hope) convert to the Lord and achieve a certainty of a state of grace. Sinners can be saved through Christ. If one truly believes, His merits cover everything. During the Bible story yesterday and today we were impressed by the verse 1 Samuel 2:30, “Those that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” It is the greatest honor for the heavenly Father when poor sinners conform to His order and let themselves be saved and justified by His Son; and this is also the poor sinners’ greatest glory.
N.’s [Simon Reiter’s] wife /Magdalena/ has been quite comforted since the last gospel reading and has felt the strength of the gospel in her soul. Her limbs are still very weak and she is totally debilitated. I repeated David’s sigh to her several times, “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice,” etc.; and I opened up to and read to her what is written in Isaiah 61:1-3.10 about those who mourned at Zion, indeed about all of them and what blessed changes our loving Savior has in store for them. She wished true improvement for her little sister, who was staying with her, and cried for her. I expressed my hopes for her improvement, for she seemed to have improved greatly in external matters in a short time. The sooner N. [Mrs. Reiter] could learn to speak to God her Father as a child in her prayers, the better she could pray to Him for her sister’s change of heart. [She is one of the most obstinate and disobedient children and has become even more defiant and disobedient during her stay with her sister, whom she did not take seriously. However, since I wished to send her away and put her in stricter hands, she is now trying harder.]
Saturday, the 11th of July. The English schoolmaster /Hamilton/ and his wife /Regina Charlotte/are recovering from the fever, and this morning both of them were out of bed. They are receiving much good from good people, and I wish they would recognize the hand that strikes and kisses them and humble themselves before it. They are full of self-righteousness and believe they have been pious for a long time, even though they have never truly converted. When we talk to them about religion, they sit there as quietly as during a sermon and assure us that they understand everything and already know it. I read to them today from Psalm 50:14-15: “Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows,” etc. and “Call upon me in the day of trouble.” The first would be payment of the baptismal vow. To be sure, then one would have both inner and outer troubles, but one would be free to step before our reconciled God in prayer to ask for His help. This He will so demonstrate that one will find a new song of praise in his mouth, etc. God has sent them their present troubles, I said, so that they will recognize themselves and renew and pay their broken baptismal vow through atonement.
The carpenters finished their week’s work at noon and called me to the construction site to praise God with them for His goodness and benevolence this week. They have their own work at home, and therefore they are hurrying home and will continue work on Monday. The summer heat is quite bearable this year, there is always a cool breeze as well as a refreshing rain now and then. This week they planed the wood for the church walls and arranged it so that one piece fits exactly into the next one without any space left in between, and this task was done very successfully. If God keeps them healthy, we hope to consecrate the church in a few weeks. May God prepare our hearts for this. It is very important that in the present war God wants to give us a church in this wilderness, which will be the first one in the country.
Sunday, the 12th of July. [My dear colleague went to Savannah yesterday to preach the word of God to the Germans there, and therefore I have had to perform the official duties by myself today. Our faithful Lord gave me so much strength that we gathered together twice for edification and once for prayer. During the prayer meeting I have some helpers, in that some men are touched by God and can tell the Lord in loud, clear words their and others’ needs and praise Him.] The weather is quite bearable today as it has been all this summer. This is pleasant when the entire congregation is gathered in my house for the divine service. It will be more comfortable in the church. Since it is taking so long to pay for the construction costs of my house, it would have become a burden for me if I could not consider it a public house, one built for the glory of God and the good of the community because of the services held there on Sundays and weekdays. I would not know where the congregation could have gathered together all this time for edification and Holy Communion if we had not had this house. I still trust that our almighty and benevolent God will inspire the hearts of either the Lord Trustees or other benefactors as has already been done in part, so that they will enable me to repay fully the construction costs I have borrowed in part from the storehouse and in part from General Oglethorpe.
Monday, the 13th of July. Joseph Leitner and Dorothea Catharina, the widowed Mrs. Arnsdorff, were married this morning in Ruprecht Steiner’s house, the house of public worship on the plantations. For them and their friends I applied the pithy proverb from Romans 14:17-18, “The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness.” The bride and bridegroom, as well as the others who attended the ceremony, understood clearly that the purpose of marriage is not what merely natural people search for according to blind, carnal reasoning, but rather that the Kingdom of God be founded. This consists not only in the observance of certain duties, but especially in the means of salvation achieved through Christ in the enjoyment of which God can rightly be served. [For the sake of Christ] not only those Christians should enter into the holy state of matrimony who have received Christ’s mercy or who are true Christians, otherwise this holy state would be dishonored. What a terrible sin it is to abuse this holy order of God, to turn it even into a cover for evil, at which God took offense in the case of David, 2 Samuel 12:9-10, for which he had to endure hard punishments after his conversion. [Because the wedding party gathered at Pichler’s before going to where the wedding took place, I saw with pleasure how useful the mill is for our people; it works well night and day, and in a few days everyone will be supplied with flour. Each is content with a bushel for now, and afterwards each will grind as much old corn as is left in supply. This blessing is really appreciated now that we have had to do without it for awhile because of a lack of water.
[Yesterday before the prayer hour Mrs. /Margaretha/Leinberger] N. spoke to me to arrange a time when she could visit me to talk about her soul. She came this morning one hour before my trip and confessed, trembling, fearful, crying, and moaning that she was the worst, most despicable sinner. Her sins oppressed her, she said, like heavy stones; and she will not have any peace until she has purified her soul through confession. Oh, how a single woman is subjected to many dangers here as well as in many places in Germany; and, as she thankfully recognizes, it is a great benefaction of God when such people who are exposed to sin [the filthiest horrors] through much temptation and their own sinfulness [acquiescence] can still find their way to God’s word, to good people, and to reflection. Both before and during her marriage she committed many sins despite my warnings at the wedding and afterwards, based on Mark 5:18-20; and her conscience is also burdened with sins committed against the seventh commandment.
The unfortunate Bach had taken her from our place to Ogeechee or Fort Argyle and had left her there alone after his departure for the siege of St. Augustine. She knows from experience that several people who committed such sins [with her] have suffered in their bodies and she is now in holy terror [about her sin and the curse it observes]. She can almost put her hand on the source of her lasting infirmities [which she has had since her marriage to Leinberger], and she knows what a salutary purpose God has. I reminded her again of her abominations, which were committed before the eyes of our all-seeing and holy God and warned her, since God is appealing to her conscience, to implore God day and night from now on with prayers and tears that her heart will be crushed and be strengthened for the good [in faith]. God is seeking her salvation, I said; and she will partake of it if she seriously uses the means to salvation. And, because she sees what value there is in associating with other converted people (she lived here several days with N.) [Mrs. Kalcher], she shall seek such companionship here and elsewhere and not be content with herself until she knows that Jesus has forgiven her, as He forgave the terrible sinner in Luke 7 and in the First Epistle to the Corinthians 6:9-11, as she promised me with hand and mouth while weeping copiously. She will wait yearningly at home for a word of encouragement, which will be of even greater use, since she is letting herself be brought to a recognition of the dangerous state of her soul. We finally knelt down before the countenance of the Lord and prayed to Him about what had been said.
Tuesday, the 14th of July. [Yesterday toward evening we again had a fruitful rain, which was not long, but penetrating. The corn is flourishing, other crops have already ripened; and the corn will form good ears with such fruitful weather, for which we could not ask any better.] A pious man from the plantations talked to me about several things regarding marriage, as he had many scruples concerning it. However, they were eliminated through the instructions he received from God’s word; and he was very happy that he had not let his timidity keep him from asking for instruction any longer. Praise God that He has provided us with His word so that we take no uncertain steps but can live in all ways according to His merciful and benevolent will.
The foundation for the church should have been laid yesterday; however, since the carpenter, Kogler, was somewhat ill, it took place this morning. We gathered at the construction site and knelt down on the ground as if on the footstool of our most beloved King of Mercy, Jesus Christ, and gave Him our praise and offerings of thanks as well as prayers for all people, especially for our worthy benefactors, who have contributed to the building of the church according to their means. It occurred to me during the prayer that the church foundation was laid, with prayers and God’s word, on the day which takes its name from the word “serve,” whereby God in His providence wishes to give us a hint that, in this house of God, as well as during our entire lives, we should follow in truth what is written in Psalm 110:13, “After thy victory, thy people will willingly serve thee in the beauty of holiness, thy children will be born like the dew from the morning dawn.” These words especially touched my soul so that I trust our dearest Savior Jesus Christ, to whom all souls shall belong after creation and redemption, will bless the preaching of His word in this house, so that all who have failed to do so will be born again and be made worthy of evangelical divine service. I consider it a good omen, yea, a sign of God’s mercy, that we have a child to baptize this very day and that in the Bible story both on the plantations and in the town we are contemplating the story of the fallen David after his repentance and confession of his sins, as well as after he received merciful absolution.
Because we have become aware this week of several clear examples of poor penitent sinners to whom the Lord has begun to show mercy, this strengthens my belief all the more that God will not only let us hold many sermons on penitence and grace in this house of God but also show mercy to all of our present and future listeners so that they will experience what was preached to the wedding party yesterday: The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, “For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.” Romans 14: 17-18. The fatherly love of God and of His beloved incarnate Son our Savior has filled my heart this morning in regard to our sick Gotthilf Israel as never before.19 Oh, may He enable us through this great and unfathomable love as Father and Savior to preach to all the poor sinners so that none of them will lose hope but flee to Him with humbled souls into His loving outstretched arms and to seek and find protection and salvation in them. We praised God, our all-highest benefactor, for not only having provided for us these seven years in the wilderness, according to the number of the seven loaves as said in last Sunday’s gospel, with the necessities of life and for having let us also build a town in this wilderness, but also for having blessed us so far with His word and sacraments. It would have been grace enough if, while giving us spiritual nourishment, He had commanded us to camp on the ground like that nation. However, He is giving us a comfortable house and granting us the costs for it so that good is also done through paying the workers, who are poor in any case.
We accept the gift of this house as a definite sign that the Lord will not let us fall prey to the claws of our enemies, rather He will take care of us as He cared for that Ebenezer in the time of Samuel by scattering the enemy who wished to attack the penitent people who had joined together in their God-pleasing purpose. In the previously mentioned 110th Psalm, v.2., it is written: “Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies,” as He has clearly shown in our Ebenezer-Zion up till now. We surmise that a new transport will soon be coming from across the sea to our community of people who are truly concerned with God’s word. There would not have been room for them where we now gather, and thus our heavenly Father is providing for them already in advance. During the devotional hour on the plantations I repeated Nathan’s penitential sermon to King David. In the first part, in which David is reminded of the benefactions God has bestowed upon him, I told the listeners what kind of prayer incense God had granted us at the site where the foundation for the church was being laid: those were the points which were included in detail before and during prayers.
Mr. Thilo accompanied me much of the way to the plantations; and during our discussion I remembered all the good that God has abundantly bestowed upon me and others, especially a certain matter which happened one and one-half years ago to my poor self and which I am only now beginning to understand. At that time my illnesses indicated that I was going to die soon. Underneath a tree on my way to the plantations I poured out my very distressed heart to the Lord and humbly told Him in the name of Christ about the debts for the orphanage and for my own house and about all the failures of my office and my Christianity; and I asked for help and release from my debts. My heart was greatly relieved, and I was impressed by the words that came to my mind: “I believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living,” which I understood as my imminent passage from temporal death into blessed eternity; and therefore I selected these hopeful words for my burial text. However, God let me recover especially after our last memorial and thanksgiving celebration so that the seemingly serious symptoms gradually disappeared. Since He is now granting us a church and many other blessings in His kingdom of grace at Ebenezer, I realize His words have been fulfilled even before death came; and I believe God will show us much benefaction if we have faith and let our place become a land of the living where there will be no spiritually dead. In numerous gatherings our merciful Lord has given us as much grace for edification, prayer, and songs of praise as if we had already consecrated the church for which the foundation has been laid today.
[My dear colleague has returned safely from Savannah and hopes that God has blessed his ministry among the Germans there. They eagerly met twice on Sunday in large numbers for prayers and met in his lodgings on Saturday and Sunday for the evening prayer meetings. He also had the opportunity to talk with individuals in Savannah and Purysburg about their souls. It looks very disorganized in Savannah: the last Grand Jury opposed the Lord Trustees and General Oglethorpe, they do not want to be ruled by the Trustees but by the King, as the people in other colonies are. Mr. /Thomas/ Jones and Colonel Stephens are being treated disdainfully, and this is most distressing.]
Wednesday, the 15th of July. N. [Mrs. Rheinländer] visited me this morning and acted and spoke quite differently than she did when we tried to appeal to her conscience through God’s word. She claims that her sins are a terrible misery for her (which they unfortunately are) and that she had long since deserved to be snatched away by our holy and righteous God, before whose clear eyes and holy presence all sins were committed. She confessed (tearfully) that she regrets having insulted me and others with her lies and deceits, and she said she was resolved to confess freely to everything relating to her sins so that others can use it for their salvation. I do not trust her yet, and therefore I warned her not to commit other sins through hypocrisy and twisting the facts. Praying with her, I told the Lord about her miseries and my fear that there was not yet a true repentance in her case, and I asked Him to show mercy towards this person [sinner].
Before I went out this afternoon to visit people I presented our Lord, among other things, the miserable situation of this woman who had fallen out of grace; and, when I came to the orphanage, I found her with Mrs. Kalcher and Mrs. Schweighofer profiting from these two pious women’s prayers and advice. Because they wanted to pray together just then, I prayed with them; and, for the third time today, I told our gracious God about this great sinner and her public scandal. He granted so much mercy in this that this poor person was especially moved and it seemed to me that God had sent her a powerful penitential sermon during the prayer and touched her formerly sleeping and secure conscience with His law. I believe the said circumstances indicate something which will soon be better clarified through God’s fatherly rule.
Before visiting the orphanage I visited the Swiss carpenter’s kinswoman /Engel Koller/, who came here after the death of her husband a year and a quarter ago. I was very happy to discover that since her arrival God has not only let her increase in her knowledge of Christian dogma but has actually shown her mercy, for which she praises God. Compared to this treasure, she considers all material poverty and troubles to be negligible. She heartily wishes that her two brothers, who are still in N.N., could be here. She is a great lover of God’s words. So that her sickly child, who is almost a year and a quarter old, will not prevent her from attending the evening devotionals, she carries it around with her all day to make it tired so that it will fall asleep toward evening and so that, when she returns from the church, the child will be sleeping just as she left it. She regularly visits the preparation lessons for Holy Communion, through which God does her much good. [She had not learned how to keep house and is not learning very much now, since the carpenter, although he is a good worker and attends services, is neither tidy nor orderly at home. He does not care whether clothes, dishes, or house are clean. This good person would have a chance for a Christian marriage here, but everyone is repulsed by his disorderly housekeeping. Perhaps God will show her a way to better herself, but the old carpenter is incorrigible. He prays and diligently follows the word of God and is not without grace.]
Thursday, the 16th of July. This morning a man [from the plantations] came running to me, preferring to drop his work than to disobey the voice of God in his conscience. As he came into my house he asked me with a troubled and fearful visage to go with him to a concealed spot in the house because he had so much to discuss with me. I closed my study and he confessed, crying bitterly, that he was a terrible sinner and wanted to confess the sins which were troubling him. Before letting him talk, we fell upon our knees and asked the Lord for mercy and wisdom so that we might deal with what was forthcoming according to His pleasure, to His glory, and to the salvation of this burdened soul. God our Father had worked on this man with His word for the past six years, he has always been serious in his use of the means of salvation and has tried to achieve a state of certainty about his salvation, yet he complained to me that he had not yet succeeded. Four or five years ago he had confessed his youthful sins to me with many tears; and since then has proven to be very serious in his Christianity and has worked on others with blessing and also suffered for the sake of good. Therefore I did not doubt the honesty of his heart when he complained he was not progressing in his Christianity, especially when I asked him about several points which had been suspicious to me, and he gave me a good and sincere answer.
Now, however, he recognizes that more than one thing was preying on his conscience, which is why pangs of conscience were always bothering him like stones lying about his head whenever he heard the word of God; and, as he said, he will not be at peace until he has confessed, no matter how I might deal with him. He had deserved every disgrace and punishment; there was not another sinner like him under the sun, he said with many tears. Even N.N. had helped him commit terrible sins when he was still very young and taught him what he did not understand, and committed further sins against the 6th and 7th commandments, which would be a disgrace to mention; there is no commandment he did not grossly violate. Even during the sea passage and here, when greatly tempted, he has committed carnal sins unasked and he willingly revealed the people to me with whom he had sinned and had urged to penance, and he assured me that one of them would come to me to confess the sins which were troubling her soul.
I told him several things concerning the verse from 1 Corinthians 11:31-32 which impressed us yesterday regarding David’s heartfelt repentance: “If we would judge ourselves we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord,” etc. If he will not deceive and flatter himself, I said, but sharply attack the Old Adam and his sinful ways in his confession and humble himself before the powerful hand of God, then God, who has been reconciled through Christ, will not wrathfully judge him but will let grace and forgiveness follow his penitence, as He has promised. However, God reserves the right (as He did with David) not to judge those who are penitent but to chastise them. He has already felt the rod of chastisement, but this should not hinder, but help, his repentance, so that he will not be damned with the world. His heart is contrite and sorrowful about his sins, especially because he has so greatly insulted our dear Lord who had been so good to him even when he was a child, yea, even before. Therefore I could comfort him by telling him that God had already forgiven him his sins with his first honest attempt to repent, so that I could borrow the words of Jesus, who cleansed our sins for us through Himself and who is our reconciler and intercessor (not before the judge but before the Father): “Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee.” God will give him the assurance in due time, I said. He must take the 51st Psalm as his own. He must pour out his heart to God in prayer, and I closed with prayers and thanksgiving.
[Although N. has improved herself in many ways, she still has many traits that do not concur with God’s word or the example and mind of our Savior. As a result, the evil in her heart which has not yet been mortified through repentence reveals itself at given external occasions as it did today during an affair with N.N. We summoned these people, who had argued and fought, in order to establish peace and to convince them of the bad state of their Christianity. We spoke several times separately with Mrs. Rheinländer, who was most at fault and who tearfully recognized her wrongdoing again. We spoke to her again and hope that our Lord will bless this for a change in her ways. As she cannot yet control herself, she is unable to control her three children, especially her oldest son, and this brings about various sins. Otherwise the son seems to have a willing nature, and I think his mother’s foolish behavior causes him to be disobedient and contrary. But one cannot ask mother and son to inform against each other, so they are instructed separately from God’s word. However, I still hope that everything will turn out the way it should with this mother and her children if they are not to wish they had never been born. They often take the opportunity to be edified through God’s word.
[My dear colleague also noticed that the old schoolmaster Ortmann is better recognizing his perdition and sinfulness and is departing from his own self-righteousness and is learning to search for the grace of Christ, as I too have perceived lately from his behavior. He no longer blindly follows his wife the way he used to do but tries to soften her anger and overhastiness with Christian encouragement. To be sure, his wife hears the word of God gladly but applies it improperly to herself so that we can see she does not yet know herself.
Friday, the 17th of July. [Yesterday evening after the prayer hour a young English boy was caught at our place, whom we suspect to be a runaway servant. He told me many obvious lies and named people at our place who could testify that he was not a servant and therefore could go where he pleased. This time he wanted to go to Charleston. We finally discovered that he had run away from a captain at Fort Augusta, and this morning he was taken to Savannah by three people. It was fortunate that he was quickly caught and sent away, otherwise he could have caused us a lot of trouble just like that bad fellow last winter and spring. He could easily have hidden and fed himself in the fields at this season.
[Mrs. Arnsdorff, who was married early this week, has not only a stepdaughter /Magdalena/, who is Sanftleben’s wife, but also three little girls and a very weak but clever, diligent, and pious son /Peter/. Two of the girls are at the orphanage, the third girl has been with her brother, her mother, and Sanftleben and has helped them as long as the household has been together. Said young Arnsdorff asked for advice this afternoon, whether he should stay with Sanftleben or move in with his mother’s present husband, Leitner. His mother is letting him choose and she also would have preferred to stay on her son’s plantation next to Sanftleben if Leitner were willing to give up his own land. The young man realized that Sanftleben is just like a real father to him who especially cares for his soul, for he himself is very concerned about the salvation of his own soul. He also helps him a lot with his work, he needs him in his carpentry work and cabinet making and in the fields, and he shares everything with him that God grants him. I advised him to stay with Sanftleben and to follow his instructions and example, which he will do very gladly. In our prayer we offered some matters to the Lord which, in His time, He will reward in this young man.]
An [old] man came to see me this evening and said his wife was asking for me to come to see her; it seemed to her that she could not be saved as she was. I found her lying in bed, and she asked her husband to leave us alone. She cried greatly and explained that on Tuesday she was overcome with fear and broke out in a cold sweat all over her body. She remembered all the sins she had committed during her whole life, and she prayed to God to let her live through the night so that she could confess all the sins that she had concealed up until now. However, she foolishly let Wednesday and Thursday pass without confessing; but yesterday evening during the prayer meeting she heard about the death sentence passed upon Bathsheba’s baby son and learned that parents should not be foolish when their children are ill and die young but should humble themselves: the parents are often to blame for what the innocent children suffer. Her conscience was troubled again by the adulterous conception of a child that died yesterday. She had been forced to marry against her will back then, and such actions are accustomed to bring forth such fruit. She confessed her lack of love for her husband to a pious woman who led her into a concealed room and advised her to pray devoutly and eagerly to God to grant her the love she was lacking. When she prayed diligently, her situation improved. [She is also deeply troubled about her angry reluctance to accept my judgment which I had given by lots over two misplaced kettles.20 She asked for forgiveness; I confess that I can hardly remember the circumstances because it occurred already five years ago. This last confession will be of some use to me with the other party.]
This penitent and heartily humbled woman prayed sincerely during and after her confession while shedding many thousands of tears and sighed hungrily for the forgiveness of her sins. She accused herself severely for having held back and having been hypocritical for so long although many years ago she had heard someone read from Schaitberger that hypocrites do not have a ghost of a chance in heaven. Her spite was at fault, she said, and prevented her from being a good Christian. It was the same with her husband, and she prayed to God that He would have mercy on him and help him confess. I suspected several years ago that she had wrongfully taken some property, and therefore I asked her whether she had sinned against the eighth commandment. She assured me, however, that she was never aware of having done that in her life; but she did not consider this a sign of righteousness. She had sinned against all of God’s commandments.
Since she was truly honest and penitent, I spoke to her heart from the gospel and I showed her that her contrition was a great blessing of God’s and that she should now know that God joins repentance and forgiveness closely and had ordered the Evangelical minister to preach both. Our reconciled God prefers no greater benevolence than forgiving sins. I cited several important pithy gospel verses and read to her from Luke 7 what is written there about the Lord Jesus’ kindness towards the great sinner. She herself recited lovely verses and prayers which occurred to her in her anxiety. Her heart was greatly revived. She rejoiced at the treasure of the promised forgiveness of sins, we prayed together and praised the Lord. She will visit me often.
Saturday, the 18th of July. We have had a very bearable, pleasant, and fruitful summer this year. Although these are the dog-days, it is often cool at night, also in the mornings and evenings; and during the day the heat is so bearable that the workers are not hindered in the construction of the church. We have all types of peaches in such great quantities this year that the tree limbs break off and no support will help. Some were ripe four weeks ago, and from then on we have always had some fruit. Some are still quite green on the trees; and they will ripen even before we can enjoy the ones that are already ripe now. For several months we will thus not lack various types of peaches; and all thankful people regard it as a great benevolence that God has so abundantly replaced the lack of apples and pears that we had in Germany with these pleasant and juicy fruits. This year our people harvested some bushels of wheat, which they are having ground. Yesterday they showed me the flour, delicate and white, but not as white as the flour brought down from the north country. The mill, where their wheat can be put to use, will encourage them to plant more of the same crop, which grows so plentifully.
Sunday, the 19th of July. There are several Indian families here now who do not have a good reputation. We are afraid they could damage the crops in the gardens and the fields as they did last year, which cannot be prevented. [Kieffer’s middle son /Theobald, Jr./, who is not yet married, extolled the glory of God to me, which opened his eyes to the difference between true and false Christianity. He is very happy that he and his family have the opportunity to edify themselves on his brother’s /Jacob’s/ plantation, where God is blessing him with recognition of himself and his dear Savior. He notices how much of youth’s lust is still alive within him and that he would have fallen into various sins if he were still among worldly people and without the chastisement of the Holy Ghost through the word of God. He /Theobald/ does not trust in his own goodness. His brother-in-law, a Reformed young man /Valentin Depp/, is at his brother’s /Jacob’s/ plantation in our neighborhood to help him in his work; and, although he regularly visits the prayer hours and sermons, there are still no results as far as one can see. The said Kieffer and his brother, who has been gone for fourteen days,21 are working on him but they run across much contradiction because he stubbornly holds onto his party.22
I warned young /Jacob/ Kieffer not to get involved with him in any of the discussions and arguments that occur between the Reformed and ourselves but only to try to convince him from God’s word that true conversion and change of heart are necessary and possible and that they themselves must lead a right Christian and cautious life so that he can see that Christianity consists not only in word but in deed. He cannot believe that a man can be assured of his salvation, etc. Once, when they had him in a corner, he said that if only he would relinquish his belief and take Holy Communion with us they would be content with him, but now they were always finding something wrong with him, etc. They were able to refute his absurd opinion with the case of young Mrs. /Anna Elisabeth/ Kieffer, who has not yet been allowed to take communion despite her frequent requests, because she is still lacking true recognition and the fundamental truths of the Christian religion, as well as righteous behavior, and therefore still attends the preparation hours.
Monday, the 20th of July. /Hans Michael/Held, who is the Salzburgers’ most distant herdsman, came to visit me this morning to talk to me about the state of his soul. [He claimed repentance and said that his sins do not leave him one moment of peace, but I still cannot quite trust him. However,] I was happy about his visit because he gave me the chance to advise him about the essence of Christianity and to pray with him. In tending cattle he practices Mensas ambulatorias23 and sleeps now and then with a farmer, where he is fed for a few days; therefore he had to be admonished in his association with people not to follow those who only talk about Christianity, but to conduct himself according to the example of righteous Christians and to follow them, and he should chastise with word and deed the evil that speaks against Christianity even if only through foolish gestures and words. [He found this reminder necessary and told me something he had heard from Bruckner, who likes to joke and talk foolishly, on his way home from the town church on the Fifth Sunday after Trinity, which I will know how to put to use even if I am not sure how much of it I can believe. The dear Lord seems to have broken Bruckner with recognition of his sins and with epileptic attacks; and He even brought him to an open confession of his evil doings in Germany and here, and I would be unhappy if he were to begin again to act frivolously and secure.] Held had received the book Dogma of the Beginning of Christian Life,24 which he claimed was very useful to him. I told him what I had recently heard from a pious Salzburger, who believes shepherds have the most blessed life because their solitary life follows the example of other pious shepherds in the Bible. This thought reminded him of the verse in Hebrews 11:27, “He endured as seeing him who is invisible,” which had impressed him greatly as a sign from the Holy Ghost from Moses.
/Theobald/ Kieffer from Purysburg came to his son’s /Jacob’s/ plantation to ask his second son /Theobald, Jr./ and son-in-law /Depp/ to come to his plantation, which lies not far from Purysburg. He came over land and was up to his waist in water, although the path is usually dry in summertime. His plantation is so badly located that in the summer he has no water for either man or beast. The wells he dug out last year are dried up; and he needs help to dig them deeper in order to find water so that his animals will not die. What advantages our people have here in this regard: men and animals have an excess of river, spring, and well water not only in the town but on the plantations as well. We consider the orphanage’s well by the town as a special gift from God, even in the driest periods it has the coldest and healthiest water. There is never too much water and never too little in it; there seems to be something which carries off the extra water.
Tuesday, the 21st of July. I spoke to N. before the prayer meeting to warn her to be serious when praying to God in order to be able to truly repent her dead works. To further her repentance and godly contrition, I recommended both ardent prayer and the diligent and pious reading of the story and songs of the Passion, from which she could recognize how abominable a sin is in the holy eyes of God, because He so seriously punished our sins through His only begotten Son, who, in His inexplicable love for us sinners, took them upon Himself. The Lord Jesus also said to her: “Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.”
N. lives not far away, and I also had an edifying talk with her. She considers Mrs. /Magdalena/ Steiner more fortunate than other women because, the services being held in her house, she can hear God’s word and be edified despite her sick child. Nevertheless, she comes to the services with her four-week-old baby; and I hope the Lord will bless her, as I have seen in the case of others, through the Bible story we contemplated today and through reading from Psalm 51. When her husband comes home, he always tells her about the words of God that were helpful to him. When he came home from town yesterday evening he told her that he had been impressed by the verse 2 Corinthians 5:1: “We know that if our earthly house. ...” When he was at the late Peter Gruber’s plantation and saw the ruins of the poorly built cabin and recalled that the owner had abandoned the cabin at the beginning of the year, he then knew what is meant by, “We have a building of God.”
She now has two little children; and, because she wishes to raise them to the glory of God and their own salvation, I told her what I had read about the mother of St. Bernard, namely, that she “was accustomed to take her newly born children on her arm and to give them as a sacrifice to our Lord Jesus so that afterwards she loved them not as her own children but as property of her Redeemer that had been placed in her trust; and she saw to it that, with the blessing of our Lord, she succeeded in making all of her seven children into pious, godly people.” There is no doubt that the enemy of man, as we learned from the life of blessed Monica, must have tried his best to take these children away from our Lord and embroil them in the world and sin, and it must have cost prayers, waking, struggle, and tears.
Yesterday evening during the prayer meeting and today on the plantations we learned what followed David’s confession and absolution. We read that Nathaniel went to him again and undoubtedly prayed to God fervently about the performance of his duty and the circumstances of his dearly beloved confessee, David, which is the duty and obligation of all righteous confessors and ministers. In both Psalm 51 and in the Bible story we are covering, we read that David sincerely and humbly prayed for himself and the child and that the prophet’s prayer was helpful to him in this matter. There is more than one Nathaniel among the dear servants and children of God in Europe who bear the welfare of Ebenezer in their hearts and earnestly pray for us. That not all of them have truly repented and gained a new spirit from this is to be blamed on their lack of personal and righteous prayer. Cf. Psalm 66:18 and Psalm 51:8. We are taught about true repentance by David’s repentance before Nathan and the absolution he received, which first resulted in his evangelical repentance, remorse, shame, humility, and penitential prayer. As soon as the grace of God gives them strength to return with the prodigal son and to cast themselves down before the throne of God, repenting and longing for grace in Christ, God will, for the sake of Christ’s merits, forgive them all the evil they have ever done and all the good they have left undone. The more they recognize in the light of the Holy Spirit the wondrous grace and love of God and what He has also done for them in their state of security, the more they will shame and humble themselves and, as David said in Psalm 51, they will always be aware of their sins. They would do God an injustice if they mistrusted His forgiveness, as happens often enough when such souls think they are not sorrowful enough and their repentance is not pure and when they still fear hell and the wrath of God and think they have not been forgiven but fall more and more under the law. O, how dear to us were the verses Ezekiel 16:60-63 and Jeremiah 31:18-19!
Two men had business in town this afternoon; and, since they also came to visit me they attested that the Lord had given them and their families much blessing and insight today on their way. One of them stated that when he contemplated the fourth and fifth petition the day before yesterday he realized that God, if we ask Him as He teaches us to, will give us in the name of His Son everything we need in the Kingdom of power and mercy. He still thanks his mother for having made him and his two brothers learn to read, even though she could not do so, and for having taught them the catechism and the gospel. It was three hours to walk to school and, because they could not go that far, they had to practice among themselves.
When I went to the orphanage this evening to edify myself through a spiritual discussion and common prayer, I saw, to my great pleasure, three or four young Indians contrary to their habits (for they consider work to be a disgrace) helping the construction workers place the timbers on the almost half constructed church, which was a lot of fun for them. I recalled what I had read yesterday about the building of Solomon’s temple, namely, that he used not only born Jews but also strangers and foreigners, as a prefiguration that during the time of the New Testament God would build His holy temple through and among Jews and heathens. Although I do not wish to compare the church we are constructing with that splendid temple, I was greatly impressed by what I had read and even seen in the case of this church. In minimis Deus saepe est maximus.25 Most of His works have begun small and expanded later. We hope that one day He will show the heathens of this land the door to life through the gospel, although we cannot determine how or when. Nothing is impossible for Him, nor is it possible that His promise will not be fulfilled concerning the winning of those other sheep that do not come from the Jewish fold. The church construction is progressing well, and God is strengthening the workers against the fairly intense summer heat. Sanftleben and others are finishing the roof shingles of cypress wood; each shingle is two feet long, and eight thousand are needed for the roof.
Wednesday, the 22nd of July. Our storehouse, which was previously Mr. Zwiffler’s house, has now collapsed, and this would have happened long ago if the side walls had not been supported by lengths of wood nailed to the posts. In the beginning we had neither time nor money to lay foundations for the cabins, and therefore the posts which are set in the soil have begun to rot. Now the beams are laid on thick pine-wood logs and the posts are fitted in them; all of this is done most industriously and accurately even if it is only a cow-barn and especially when better houses are built. Almost all of the cabins and stables built five years ago have collapsed, but the house lots and gardens have been kept in good order so that the town looks presentable. I hear that the heads of houses on the plantations are going to build themselves solid houses in town as soon as they find the time in which they can lodge with their families when they come into town for services or temporal business and which they can also relinquish as lodgings to those who arrive later. It is not necessary at the moment to build a new storehouse at the community’s cost; some of the supplies are at the orphanage and some at my house. Should another transport arrive, the Lord Trustees will have a public house built for them as they have done elsewhere. A useful storehouse could be built for 40 ь Sterling as long as wood is nearby and easily accessible.
/Martin/ Lackner would like to consecrate the new house on his plantation with prayers and the word of God, and for this he has invited me; we will have to postpone it for several days until the river falls and the shorter road to the plantation is passable by horse; otherwise, if I take the /longer/ detour, I have to miss the preparation for Holy Communion (as I must do on Tuesdays and Fridays when I do not wish to walk in the heat), and I do not like to do this. The river water has risen somewhat of late and is now so high that the men working on the shingles would be forced to leave their work place if it were only a bit higher. It has not been raining too much here, so it must be raining more frequently in the mountains.
I was surprised that N. was praying with someone in a small room in my house, but did not come to see me. When I met her [on the way home] and asked her why, she complained of her timidity and shyness, people were saying that those who came to see us often are gossiping about others, i.e., denouncing their evil ways. She knew that it was not the pious but the wicked who thought and said such things. Therefore I encouraged her not to forego what had already helped her so much because of evil people. In the meantime I was greatly depressed by this matter, the like of which may have occurred among us several years ago and which is the doing of the devil. I cited her the verse: “I am with you every day,” which she was to take with her and say to the sickly Mrs. Flörl, for whom she had fetched medicine; in it lies a great consolation for the healthy and the sick, for travelers, workers, and various situations.
I spoke with the clockmaker Müller about the wonderful benevolence of the Lord that is seen in the fields, gardens, and homes; and we recalled the verse: “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land,” likewise, Psalm 81:14 ff. “Oh that my people had harkened unto me, and Israel,” etc. “I should soon have subdued their enemies,” etc., “I should have fed them also with the finest wheat and honey,” etc. Besides the usual fruits of the land, God has granted us lovely wheat, which several people are having ground by the bushel. Nor are we lacking honey; just yesterday as much was gathered from one tree as a man could carry. And fruit is so abundant this year that much of it can be dried in the oven and also made into spirits. God is bestowing this much upon us even though we do not all fear Him yet; what would happen if everyone devoted himself to true godliness, which is useful for everything and is the promise of this and future life?
Thursday, the 23rd of July. The girl from Savannah who is under the guardianship of the schoolmaster Mr. Ortmann and his wife has had fever for a long time and has complained about the soreness in her throat and mouth. Now it turns out not only that her uvula is affected but also that much damage and a deep cavity have appeared in her throat, which is a cause for concern. It is also feared that she would fare like Hans Mauer’s wife /Catherina/, who can barely eat, drink, or talk anymore. Mr. Thilo is taking care of her and believes that little can be done externally unless she is treated internally with effective medicine. The girl does not like to take the medicine, and therefore I tried to encourage her today. She enjoys being here and does not want to go home. Her father will be informed of her situation as soon as possible.
[We sometimes have problems with the old Swiss carpenter /Krüsy/. He loves to dispute and always believes he is right; and, when he cannot win, he grows angry and uses harsh words. Yet he believes he is a good Christian because he knows the Bible well. I must make the best even of this and use it as a lesson not to let such people settle in our town so that, if there is trouble afterwards with the neighbors, I will not be to blame. Zettler told me of some confusing things that happened between him and his wife /Elisabeth Margaretha/ lately. I asked young26 Mrs. /Anna Elisabeth/ Kieffer about this; she was also involved in this misunderstanding and candidly told me everything that husband and wife had done that was punishable. When I arrived this afternoon, the husband /Jacob Kieffer/ told me that they were reconciled but they were pleased that I was aware of their fault and had come to them; and they asked me not to tell their parents anything.
I admonished [them] certain people, as they had recently been told publicly, not to be content that they had been reconciled with one another. Rather, since they had sinned against God and annoyed others, it was up to them to seek for true repentance and to ask for forgiveness in the blood of the Lord Jesus. Then they would not only dispose of all the guilt they had incurred before and during their marriage but would also become good trees that bear good fruit. For both of them lack conversion, on which my entire lecture had concentrated. Otherwise they would experience what they learned from David’s example, namely, that sins will bring one misfortune after the other into their home and marriage. Even if other unconverted people in the country succeed and have good luck and progress in their work, God will judge the disobedient in our town more than others because they have been shown more mercy and given more chances to convert and lead a holy life than others.
I wished they had listened to yesterday’s prayer meeting, but they were hindered by their squabbling, although they claimed the cause was something else. We learned that God not only visited David’s little son with a special illness but also let him die on the seventh day, shortly before circumcision, a terrible punishment that David had surely earned by not respecting Uriah’s sacrament of circumcision but allowed him to be killed by the sword of the uncircumcised Ammonites. Although the child was not damned because of this (as even David recognized in v.23), it caused him to humble himself before God [as was done especially in the temple]. Through the grace of God we are herewith warned neither to underestimate nor to abuse the means of salvation and mercy, which both adults and children here are so richly enjoying without having earned it. God could punish us by retracting His benevolence (against which we sin contrary to God’s intentions), and we would be justifiably punished if God should take away the candlestick of the gospel and of the entire Christian Service (to which belongs the administration of the holy sacraments). It is only a candlestick (although a golden one) which can be easily removed from one place and put in another, according to God’s help and just will.
It is, I said, a grievous and critical sign that on several occasions newborn children have died without being baptized. One should not be so casual about this, but reflect upon it, for such unusual cases do not occur without special reason, since there are ministers ready day or night for performing holy baptism. This is a great judgment over non-believers, and even for believers it is a chastisement which they will surely feel. N.N. (who often becomes very indifferent toward the means of grace during his marriage) let two of his children die without being baptized, although he was my dear colleague’s nearest neighbor; and it happened once to N. Oh, how many examples of God’s right of retaliation do we find in the Bible stories, which clarify the well-known verse from the Book of Wisdom 11:17, “As one sins, so shall he be punished.” Likewise, the Savior’s “With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.”
Friday, the 24th of July. Yesterday evening the sick little English girl told me that she had had scabies while at the orphanage in Savannah and that it was cured with yellow sulphur, which she had to swallow as well as rub all of her limbs. I told Mr. Thilo, who had not yet been able to determine the cause of the ailment but who now understands clearly what caused the serious eruption in her throat near the uvula. Her throat looked worse today than yesterday, and the cure dare not be delayed. As the scab has softened and broken loose, a deep cavity can be seen near the uvula; and it looks generally bad. Mr. Thilo is now even more determined to cure it from within. All the children and adults in the /Bethesda/orphanage had a bad case of scabies, even the doctor and his wife; and Mr. Habersham, the manager, told me they had all cured themselves with yellow sulphur. They took whole spoonsful for ten or twelve days, made a salve of it and rubbed it over their entire bodies in front of the fire, and bathed afterwards.27 They call this a dangerous but successful treatment, yet none of us wishes to have anything to do with it. [Ortmann, the schoolmaster, went to Charleston because of his retail trade;28 and his wife is therefore entirely alone with the girl. As she has her own work to do, especially picking fruit, which she, like others, tries to put to good use by making dried fruit and spirits, it is difficult for her to nurse the said girl. I hope the girl’s father will repay her for her trouble. He promised to pay 2 sh. 6 d. for her food and lodging every week, and this will probably not cover any extra costs and accidents.
I hear that the miller will be finished tomorrow with the corn, rice, and wheat that he is grinding for the community and for Savannah, and therefore many others could be served if it were necessary.]
The two mill stones donated by General Oglethorpe are still lying in the storehouse in Savannah; and today before the edification hour it was resolved to fetch them at the beginning of next week with a large boat, which has been repaired, now that the people have time. As the water in the river is high enough, they can best be brought to the mill now. Although they cannot be set up now because of lack of money, it is still good to have them here before they are taken elsewhere. At some point we will construct a millrun that will enable us to grind even when the water is low.
[There have been complaints that Grimmiger and his wife /Anna Maria/ treat the girl /Catherina/from his previous marriage too harshly. I wished to visit them, but they were not at home and I found the girl locked in the house so that I could only talk to her like a prisoner through a crack in the door. I finally found the father, who tried to justify his actions and complained about the girl’s naughtiness. He and his wife prayed to God to change the girl and to bless their discipline, but nothing changed. He begot the child dishonorably with his former wife, who died four weeks after her arrival, and he has not yet repented. It is irresponsible when parents try to drive out the evil in their children without trying to do away with their own, and I admonished about this loyally. Some change will probably be made regarding the girl, as the community itself hopes. After the death of her mother much was spent on her from the poor-box; and now that she has gotten through the worst we must not let her go to ruin.]
Saturday, the 25th of July. Yesterday evening the carpenters raised the four walls of the church with the help of God. Both of us were there for the sake of exercise when a worker came to us to let us know that they were almost finished and wished to conclude with a prayer. My dear colleague led the prayer this time; and I went home because of the planned prayer meeting, where I met two strangers who brought me a welcomed letter from General Oglethorpe, which was even more enjoyable because it arrived at such a remarkable time. [For the pleasure of our friends I am including the entire letter which reads, word for word, as follows]:
Frederica July 17 1741
Rev. Sir
I received the Pleasure of Yours the Copy of one dated 24th March the original of which I do not remember to have received, otherwise should certainly have ordered Corn from Augusta to be ground at Ebenezer.
I desire to know whether Mr. /Thomas/ Jones has paid for the Indn. Corn Flour you sent down which if he has not I desire he would, I should also have given you the Assistance which I now send for Erecting the Mill.
I am still more concerned at the not receiving your Letter, since it has so long Deprived the People here of a Minister. At the same time I spoke to you of a Minister for here, I wrote to Mr. Verelst to defray the Passage et other Expences from Germany to England, et from England hither, of the Minister, Mr. Professor /Gotthilf August/Francke should recommend; by the Trustees answer it seems that, that letter had miscarried; I am affraid wicked people often stop Letters besides the accidents of War. I send you a Letter to Mr. Verelst which I desire, you would inclose to him. I send it to you open that you may see how this office must be managed.
[I desire you would make my Respects acceptable to the Revd. Mr. Senior Urlsperger at Augsburg, I rejoice much in hearing of the health of so devote a Man, et worthy a Pillar of the Church of Christ.]
I wrote to Mr. Jones to Pay all the Bounty on Corn that is allowed by the Trustees.
[This is the Answer to the first Letter (of which you sent me the Copy) which I should have answered long ago.]
With respect to your second. I am very glad to find that your Congregation is able et willing to Plow in case they had Horses et Oxen, also that you intend to go upon Silk, Mulberry Trees et Vines. I therefore send you enclosed a Bill of Exchange for One Hundred Pound, which the Trustees will Lend without Interest to such Persons, or in such manner, as you shall think proper to enable the Building of the Mill, the buying Horses et Cattle for Plowing et the Planting of Vines and raising of silk by the Salzburgers. The said Mill et Cattle bought to be security for the repayment of said sum after the Expiration of 5 years.
I am sorry that the Accounts you heard of my Health are not so true as I could wish since I have not been thoroughly well since the seige of S. Augustine, though thank God I am better now than I have been. [I desire you would make my service acceptable to etc. Pray also. Let me know how the young Man Bishop does. I am
Revd. Sir
your very humble serv.]
James Oglethorpe
[Frederica, 17 July 1741]
His enclosed letter to Mr. Verelst [regarding the minister requested for Frederica] reads as follows:
Frederica 17th July 1741
Sir
I Desire you would do what I mentioned in a former to you, which for fear you did not receive I now repeat, viz that you would Pay the sum of fifty Pounds Ster. to Defray the Charge et Passage for such a Minister of the gospel as Mr. Professor Francks shall recommend from the Place he shall be in Germany to London and from London this Place, for there are many German Familys in want of a Minister. I hope the Trustees will make him an Allowance, but if not, I am willing to Pay this myself et also to give him fifty Pounds Ster. a year during his Residence here. I desire you would acquaint the Trustees with this Letter, we are very healthy here and lately Destroyed one of the Spanish Privateers and the Indians are continually bringing us in Spanish Prisoners.
I am Sir
your very humble Servant
James Oglethorpe
[I rarely make extracts, much less copies, of the letters which are sent to Savannah or elsewhere in the country, partly because of other duties and also because we receive an answer before the contents have been forgotten. However, with this letter that General Oglethorpe answered to our pleasure, I entered it into the letter-book with God’s blessing so that it can be recopied in case the letter is not properly delivered.] During the evening prayer meeting we sang a song of praise and I informed parishioners of the contents of the said letter before we continued with our lesson so that many of them would be humbled by their disbelief, doubts, impatience, etc. because the corn subsidy or bounty had been delayed for so long and so that they would learn through the grace of God to wait and believe in His help and not always to depend on people and their tools. It is written: “What slowly creeps is surely caught” and “What is delayed is all the sweeter.” Be content. The fulfillment of God’s promise takes time, as He has always proved it to us so far. The listeners were also called upon to praise God and to pray for our dear Lord Trustees and especially for General Oglethorpe, who is so kindly disposed to us, and to take to heart that he and others who mean so well with the inhabitants of this land are caused much distress and vexations by unthankful, evil people. We are also very happy that the German people in Frederica will have a preacher, who is now going to be called to them.29 Oh, what a blessing for these people. They are more concerned about their cattle than about a minister, and God is sending them one without their having asked or troubled themselves for one. May God make this great benevolence contribute to their salvation and not, through their own fault, to their judgment, and may He hear all the intercessions sent up to Him!
We learned from the story in 2 Samuel 12 how effective a humble, continuous, and pious prayer is for the salvation of the person praying and for the persons being prayed for. David was blessed during and after the prayer. Although God did not bless him with the health and life of the child as a constant and humble remembrance of his fall, Jeremiah 31:19, He nonetheless gave him composure and total resignation to His will and revealed to him the meaning of his prayer in Psalms 51:10, “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice,” etc. He left the tabernacle with an enlightened heart and visage and happily ate his bread after receiving God’s grace. Now he could, as he had resolved in Psalms 51:15, teach transgressors His ways and convert sinners to Him and he could console the other, especially Bathsheba, who had sinned with him (and who had also truly repented with him, as it is written in the caption to the 51st Psalm and indicated by other events in the following story, i.e., the blessed approbation of their marriage through the birth of Solomon, or Jedidiah (Friedrich Gottlieb), cf. Proverbs 31:1 ff.) He could comfort them with the comfort by which he was comforted by God.
Oh what blessed changes occur through true conversion in soul and body in all circumstances, if all believe and wish to carry it through. If all fathers who are similar to David in sin and security would follow in the footsteps of the converted David, they would preside over their wives and homes rightly and no longer be tools of Satan to seduce and hinder, rather tools of God to promote His Kingdom. They could teach the paths of God to those whom they have helped seduce or have hindered their conversion through words or deeds (there are a few of them among us), so that the sinners would be converted to Him; and then they would comfort the penitent, the mourners, and the sorrowful in Zion not perversely (as worldly people do to assure themselves), but in a godly manner and with good success. We learned from David’s example how much blessing and profit a penitent person can have during prayer if he prays with trust (as can be seen in many Psalms) and how he will be granted his prayer, if not according to his will, at last according to that of God, while still on his knees.
I recalled what the late Pastor Mischke (whose life and ministry are remembered with blessing) told me joyfully and with praise to God. He had a well dug in Glaucha in Silesia for the orphanage at a spot God had revealed to him in prayer. After much digging they still had not found water and people began to question and argue whether or not this was the right place to dig. Meanwhile he had to take a trip; and in a strange town he prayed to God about the well. During his prayer the word “water” resounded in his mind; and this aroused him to praise God for the discovery of water although he had not yet received any news. When he returned home, he learned from his people that the very moment he had felt it in his prayer the workers in the well, who had driven an iron bar through the iron-hard soil, had called out “water,” and the word had spread through the entire orphanage from one room to another to awaken them all to praise God. Psalm 25:14.
Sunday, the 26th of July. N. came into town as early as yesterday evening for today’s services. She attended yesterday’s evening prayer meeting and heard that David and Bathsheba, who had both been converted by Nathan, had a sincere love and deep trust in their father-confessor, this tool of God, as could be recognized by the fact that he trusted him with the care and raising of his beloved Solomon (i.e., Friedrich)30 and named another of his sons by Bathsheba Nathan, as can be seen in 1 Chronicles 3:15. We learned from these historical circumstances that only those parishioners who are of one heart and mind with their honest ministers and are devoted to them with sincere love, simplicity, and trust who let themselves be brought by their ministers to penitence, to reconciliation with God, and, thus, to the incomparably blessed state of grace. On the other hand, others are least content with them when they perform their ministry honestly because they judge their sincere and loving zeal to save their souls as hostility and interpret their words and deeds falsely.
I did not know that N. had expressed her discontent and mistrust towards me to my dear colleague shortly before the prayer hour; and therefore she received a lesson at this prayer meeting as she had from him. Today, before the [afternoon] services, she came to me and confessed that she had sinned against me in many ways, with and without my knowledge; and she gave me the chance to show her her improper way and lack of penitence before God, as well as the divine judgments she had already felt. She was absent recently when the Bible story gave us the occasion to talk about the judgment passed upon parents whose children die without being baptized. I admonished her to recognize and repent her sins before and during her marriage, especially her disobedience and irritating behavior towards N.N., and to beg God for a different heart; then everything, even in her housekeeping, would fare better and she would be a good example for others, which she has not been up till now. N. was once on the way to change her heart, as she well recognized; but afterwards she lapsed into unfaithfulness and committed many sins: as I could not condone her evil ways, she spoke very badly about me and interpreted my well intended advice in such a manner that she disgraced herself before other Christians. Only time will tell whether or not she took our discussion to heart.
H. Flörl indicated that his wife /Anna Maria/ was very ill and weak and that she would appreciate it if I came to see her again, since both she and her husband believe she is going to die. He told me that God had blessed him through His word and that, if I visited her, I could also impart some of the blessing to her. Before he came to town to go to church this morning, he opened up the Little Treasure Chest39 to the very impressive verses on p. 128, which are her spiritual condition, and left her life or death in the hands of God. Both of them truly love each other for the sake of God and in His love; and their composure and contentment impress me greatly. [She appears to have arthritis vaga.]40 Tomorrow I will try to visit this pious patient as early as possible, she is truly an Anna Maria.
During the afternoon service we had a very strong thunder and rainstorm, which was over in a half an hour without damaging anything. Last week it was said to have thundered excessively at night on the plantations, and lightning struck now and then in the forests; but we noticed nothing in town.
After the afternoon services Ruprecht Steiner gave me a letter which he wishes to be sent along to N. [Senior Urlsperger]. The distribution of donations from Europe among the adults and children has edified him and others, and he wished to acknowledge it in the letter. He wished to thank the dear benefactors who had occasioned their edification and spiritual blessings and wish them God’s blessings. [His writing is so illegible that I do not know whether everything can be read. The Salzburgers’ unclear handwriting is usually the reason we often guide their hands and pens when they write a letter.]
Monday, the 27th of July. [My dear colleague, Mr. Boltzius, went to Savannah this afternoon. When the Lord brings him back home again he will tell us the reason and benefit of this trip.] N.N. [Hertzog] visited me today; he is doing very poorly physically, but the Lord is doing much thereby for his soul so that I surely believe he will be saved. He always loved to argue and take exception, but now he is quieter, sighs for grace, and trusts that our dear God will have mercy on him: he no longer fears death as he did before; he was deeply affected by the death of the late Magdalena Haberfehner, which he saw with his own eyes, and he had observed everything [all her gestures].
This evening our dear Lord blessed /Gertraut/ the wife of my dear colleague (Boltzius) with a healthy daughter /Catherina Maria/. Her labor pains began before he left on his trip, yet he did not let that interrupt his plans. He must have prayed all the more for her during his trip, and I believe the Lord assured him his prayers would be answered. This will strengthen his faith even more when he comes home and sees with his own eyes what the Lord has done. We should say: the Lord can do so much more than we can ever understand or pray for. For a long time she was sick almost every day, yet our dear Lord made it so easy for her even in these circumstances and helped her through quickly. I sent my wife’s sister /Gertraut Boltzius/ the verse I used as a text for our Thanksgiving, Psalm 68:20-21: “Praised be the Lord daily. God lays a burden upon us, but He also helps us. We have a God who helps, and the Lord, who saves from death.”
Tuesday, the 28th of July. Kalcher visited me this morning, and on this occasion he confirmed what I had reported about N.N. [Hertzog]. He recently recited for him the verse: “I am the Lord that healeth thee,” which was a special blessing for him. He told me about the German girl from Savannah /Magdalena Meyer/ who has been taken in by the orphanage, that the dear Lord is working on her powerfully in her illness. On Sunday he read her the verse my valued colleague had used in the sermon; she cried and said how she wished to be rid of her sins. May the Lord help her and teach her the truth, then everything will be well.
Today our dear God especially blessed me twice and gave me great edification and refreshment when, in the presence of other godly and grace-hungry souls I poured forth my heart before His throne of grace and lauded Him. It happened once before at a baptism when I was praying on my knees to God with the pious godparents before the ceremony; we praised Him for the great mercy He shows us in our childhood and afterwards, when He searches for us and finds us like lost sheep. This we could all acknowledge to His praise, and during the prayer the words with which I had been especially blessed at another baptism came into my heart again: “Is Ephraim not my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For since I spoke against him, I do earnestly remember him still (oh what wonderful things He told me even during holy baptism), therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.” It can truthfully be said of such society: “God inhabits the praise of Israel.”
We prayed to God about various matters and asked for His blessing on our plans. The other time our dear God granted me His blessing was during one of my visits where I met two other pious people.41 All of these people were of the kind, as the Lord Jesus says in Matthew 5, who are blessed for they are poor in spirit, mourners, and hungry and thirsty for righteousness. They could not help but praise God for His mercy, even though they recognized their sin. We look forward to that eternal life where we will be delivered from all evil and will praise the Triune God without sin. It will be glorious there. He will surely help us achieve this.
Wednesday, the 29th of July. [I visited the sick English girl today after school; she still looks right miserable. Mr. Thilo also came and looked at the damage to her throat and applied something to heal it, so I could see it all the better. I reiterated for her the little verse, “I am the Lord thy physician,” and I showed her briefly how her sins were the cause of all of her pains and that she should first recognize her sins and turn as a spiritually sick person to Jesus, who is the best physician so that she will be cured, especially in her soul.42 In the end I prayed to Jesus about her condition and laid it at His feet, as the people there did with their sick ones in Matthew 15:30. I believe our dear God did not lead her to our town and make her sick in vain; I believe it happened for the cure and salvation of her soul. May He let us see this joy.]
Yesterday and today the Lord granted us great edification during the prayer meeting. During the Feast of Tabernacles we read in John 7:2 how during the time of the New Testament we should celebrate every day as such a feast day not only to remind ourselves of the good merited through Christ but also to enjoy the fruits of His death and resurrection. The days of the New Testament should be right joyful days; and, although we, as strangers and pilgrims, encounter all types of evil living here in tabernacles, that should not hinder us from rejoicing in the Lord. When we are transferred to the eternal tabernacles in heavenly Canaan, everything will be perfect. Because we have been redeemed so dearly by Christ, it is written in Psalm 81:11, “Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” We also read from Luke 9:51 ff. how the Lord Jesus sent His servants ahead as messengers to ask for shelter in the hearts of men and that men did not wish to give it to Him. If the Lord Jesus were like mankind, we would all have been consumed by fire long ago. However, He has borne us with great patience and forebearance until He succeeded in a few cases to find not only shelter but a lasting home. Oh, may He help everyone in Ebenezer to be moved by His entreaties [so that we can all understand Him and learn meekness and humility].
Thursday, the 30th of July. This morning I saw a young man working in his workshop. I soon went up to him; and, because I had not seen him yesterday during the prayer meeting, I asked him whether he wanted to give someone shelter. He answered yes. I said, “But it is a very distinguished man.” “Oh,” he said, “does such a man want to come to our town?” I said, “He wants to come into your heart,” and he understood whom I meant. I said that, if he was so willing to take someone into his home (which is what he first understood), he should rightly be even more willing to take in the Lord Jesus. May the Lord make me happy and show me that He has opened his heart to Him.
To be sure, certain domestic circumstances43 as well as some physical weaknesses would have required me (Boltzius) to postpone the planned trip to Savannah; yet my duties and the well-being of the parishioners caused me to take the trip, which had been planned for Friday, according to God’s will, last Monday afternoon. I completed it safe and with divine blessing today after the noon meal, and I have seen much evidence of the Lord’s goodness and guidance. Last week I had written several letters to Europe which, along with the voluminous diary, was to be sent off at this time. The opportunity for this was so perfect that for this reason alone I did not regret the trip. I also had an opportunity to answer General Oglethorpe’s last letter quickly and to send him humble thanks for the especial good will he shows to our congregation in many ways and to inform him at the same time that the money he is lending the congregation for five years without interest will be used for the mill and agriculture, etc., to the best of our abilities, as we discussed and decided upon Monday morning within the congregation; more will be written to explain the matter. I informed this benefactor that Mr. /Thomas/ Jones has no order or money from the Lord Trustees to pay us the bounty or so-called corn-shilling for 1739 (as has been done for others in this land and has been promised us too). Therefore I asked him to give me the authority to cash a bill of exchange in Savannah, as the money could solve many of our needs.
I discussed several important things concerning the welfare of the congregation with Mr. Jones and Colonel Stephens and was treated very kindly by them. the long awaited horses for seven men in the congregation to inspect the forests from time to time to drive away evil people have arrived in Savannah; and, since they are stud mares, we are hoping they will fill more than one purpose, so we do not mind waiting. General Oglethorpe gave orders that, along with the money for furthering agriculture, our congregation should receive six young oxen from the Lord Trustees’ herd in Old Ebenezer, which I have not yet accepted because I have not yet discussed the matter with the congregation, as he did not mention it in his letter. Our people would prefer young stud mares rather than oxen for plowing; the work is easy, because of the loose soil, and horse breeding is a very necessary and useful thing.
From the ь 100 Sterl. loan, fifty pounds will be needed for the mill, partly to pay for the work already done and partly to install the grinding stones that are being picked up in Savannah. If only ь 10 are allocated for silk and grape vines, then ь 40 remain to buy horses to plow the fields. No more than ten or eleven mares or horses can be bought for that. So that as many as possible (even if not all) can partake in this benefaction, either the nearest neighbors will join together, or, if anyone wishes his own horse, he can pay half. Some of those who are earning money from the church or elsewhere are willing to do so. To be sure, General Oglethorpe had intended this benefaction primarily for the orphanage; however, since we gladly give the Salzburgers preference, there will be nothing left over for it, as I explained somewhat in my letter. We plan to begin plowing the fields near the orphanage, since there is enough land nearby which has been cleared of trees and roots. Perhaps God will grant us something more for this purpose. [No letters have arrived in Savannah from London for a long time, therefore it is no wonder that we have not heard from our friends and benefactors for some time. The letters we sent at this time were for Court Chaplain Ziegenhagen, Senior Urlsperger. Professor /Gotthilf August/ Francke, Mr. Verelst, and Mr. Newman.
[In Savannah several so-called gentlemen44 ganged together and arbitrarily composed a petition to the King against the Lord Trustees; and they hope in this manner to receive permission to introduce all sorts of harmful liberties as are found in other colonies. This attempt will not only fail, but will also cause them problems, for they have treated the Lord Trustees and their subordinates poorly before. Several of them were involved in this plot believing it was something good, but they now regret what they have done and are sick with worry. They were joined by people from Carolina, who probably wish to sneak in here and practice their evil ways, which harm the poor here as in Carolina. The regiment of the Lord Trustees and the previous arrangements of the colony have hindered them up to now.
[People who are clients of the Lord Trustees and have borrowed several hundred pounds Sterling from them and are still in their debt are kicking up their heels and believe their government to be an unbearable and damaging yoke on the country. Also, noble and common people have protested against the storehouse and complained that it should not be permitted to sell all kinds of things and food because it hindered free trade and did not allow the subjects to make a profit. Now that nothing more is being sold from the storehouse, they can clearly see the damage and punishment their stubbornness created; for they must pay more for most of the things bought in the shops elsewhere, and most are not to be had. Food supplies are scarce, and the people would gladly pay four shillings for a bushel of corn and beans, if only it could be had. Not one of us knows anything about this famine. There is also a lack of money and food at the orphanage at Savannah.]