THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 i^issfonarn S2Uortj)fes. 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 The burning ot th3 Missionaries' Houoe. p. 95.
 
 ANECDOTES 
 
 OF 
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES, 
 
 IN THE 
 
 MORAVIAN CHURai. 
 
 BELATED BY A FATHER TO HIS CHILDBEll. 
 
 WRITTEN FOR THE AMERICAN S. UNION. AND REVISEB 
 BY THE COxMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION. 
 
 1122 Chestnut Street.
 
 Entr^rd according to the Act of Coneress, in the year 1833, 
 by Pacl Beck, Jr. Treasurer, in trust for the American Sunday 
 School union, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the 
 Eastern District of PennsyUama.
 
 ANECDOTES, &c. 
 
 CONVERSATION I. 
 
 Mr. Fox's two children, Emma and Edwin, 
 havmg lately read the " Sketches of Mora 
 vian Missions," published by the American 
 Sunday school Union, presented to them bv 
 a worthy clergyman, came one fine summer's 
 evening to their father to inquire whether he 
 could not give them some information con- 
 cerning the flourishing settlements of the 
 Moravians in the West India Islands, which 
 Mr. Barlow in that volume had promised to 
 furnish his children with occasionally. 
 
 Emma. Come, father, let us take our seat 
 under the shade of our big peartree, and do 
 you tell us some stories about the Moravian 
 Missions. 
 
 Edwin. O do. Father ! I know you have 
 ead and heard a great deal about them. 
 
 Emma. Please to contmue the narrative 
 which Mr. Barlow breaks oif abruptly you 

 
 4 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 know, in those sketches which Mr. S. gave 
 me. 
 
 Mr. Fox. You know, my dear children, 
 that I am at all times willing to oblige you 
 in any reasonable request ; but as I have no 
 doubt Mr. Barlow will shortly fulfil his pro- 
 mise to his children, you will then have an 
 opportunity to read his narrative yourselves. 
 
 Edivin. But Father, can't you tell us some 
 other stories ? 
 
 Mr. Fox. If you promise to listen atten- 
 tively, I will tell you some anecdotes concern- 
 ing Missionary AVorthies in the United Bre- 
 thren's church, which may prepare your 
 minds for a more detailed account of their 
 missionary establishments in the AVest-Indies. 
 
 Edwin. Indeed father, we will listen with 
 much attention. 
 
 Mr. Fox. I will begin by introducing you 
 to one of whom the world was not worthy, 
 and who, perhaps, was one of the worthiest 
 missionaries in the world. 
 
 The name of this devoted servant of God 
 was Christian Gottlieb Israel. He Avas born 
 about the year 1713, in the village of Eubau, 
 near Herrnhut, in Saxonv, and received his
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHII^. 5 
 
 education in the orphan house of the last 
 mentioned town. He was humpbacked and 
 lame, one of his legs being stiff and shorter 
 than the other ; in consequence of which, as 
 you may well conceive, his constitution was 
 feeble and infirm. But in this unseemly body 
 dwelt a noble soul, fired with an ardent desire 
 to serve the cause of the Redeemer among the 
 heathen. His sentiments on this head he ex- 
 pressed somewhat to the following purport, in a 
 letter addressed to the congregation at Herrn- 
 hut : " I know in whom my soul believes !— i 
 He has given me a mind not to pursue those 
 objects that are perishable. — I desire nothing 
 beyond carrying on this work, and to recom- 
 mend that giace to others which has been 
 vouchsafed to me.— <I find in myself no suf- 
 ficiency for these things ; but I beseech the 
 Saviour to give me those things he has de- 
 signed that I should have. I believe that 1 
 shall go among the heathen when the Lord's 
 set time is come. I will be a pi'grim, pos- 
 sessing nothing and desiring nothing, save 
 that I may be favoured to preach Christ cru- 
 cified, &c." — Soon after he was called to go 
 us a missionary among the blacks, on tVe 
 A 2
 
 6 
 
 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 coast of Guinea, and accordingly set out foi 
 A.msterdam. Here Count Zinzendorf gave 
 his destination another turn, by ordering him 
 to the West India Islands with Albinus The- 
 odore Feder, formerly a student at the Univer- 
 sities of Jena, Leipsic, and Halle, and latterly 
 approved by Christian VI. king of Denmark, 
 to be the minister in ordinary of the Mora- 
 vian Brethren's colonies, in the Danisl West 
 India Islands. 
 
 Having set sail from the Texel, Nov. 17th 
 1739, during the first week of their voyage
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 7 
 
 Feder was consti.ntly seasick ; and Israel, 
 who had thus far enjoyed health, on the 26th 
 of November met with an unfortunate acci- 
 dent. While in the act of ascending on deck, 
 to procure some water for his companion, he 
 fell backwards down the staircase, and bruised 
 his lame leg to that degree, that for several 
 weeks he could not bear his own weight on 
 t, and suffered violent pains in it by day and 
 by night. Being thus both confined to their 
 births, it was a great mercy that the captain's 
 cook, a free baptized negro, kindly of his own 
 accord undertook to nurse them, the captain fur- 
 nishing them with provisions from his own table 
 
 Emma. Well, I trust these kind hearted 
 people will in no wise lose their reward, for 
 having ministered to the wants of these dis- 
 ciples of Jesus ! 
 
 Mr. Fox. Most assuredly not ; else how 
 would the promise of Christ be fulfilled: 
 *' Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of 
 these little ones a cup of cold water only, in 
 the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, 
 he shall in no wise lose his reward." Bui 
 to proceed. By the 12th of December they 
 had both regained their usual share of heaUh.
 
 8 ANECDOTES OP 
 
 Feder afterwards, at the negro's request, taught 
 him arithmetic, and Israel worked at his trade, 
 making linen suits not only for himself and 
 colleague, such as they intended to w^ear in 
 the West Indies, but also for the hands on 
 board that desired it, without accepting the 
 least compensation for his labour ; and in so 
 doing, you may easily suppose, he won the 
 good will of the whole crew. Jan. 7th, 1740 
 they entered the harbour of St. Eustatia, 
 which was their destined port. On the 13th 
 they once more set sail in an English vessel 
 bound for Jamaica, via St. Thomas. Towards 
 evening, the next day, they got among manv 
 islands and keys, and the passage being a 
 dangerous one at night, the captain brought 
 the vessel to, in a bay near Spanishtown. The 
 16th they sailed out w^ith a high wind, but 
 before they had quite cleared Spanishtown 
 and Tortola, the wind abated. The captain 
 being an entire stranger in these parts, deter- 
 mined to proceed during the night; but the 
 mate insisted on the necessity of their run- 
 ning into a harbour. The captain in so far 
 yielded to these suggestions, that he came to 
 an anchor near Scrop, a small but high rocky
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 9 
 
 island in the vicinity of Tortola, to save the 
 expense of running into a regular harbour. 
 Towards daybreak of the 17th a great thun- 
 derstorm arose, attended with heavy squalls 
 and rain. For the greater security of the 
 vessel, the captain ordered another anchor to 
 be cast. At daylight they weighed the an- 
 chors ; but before the second was brought up, 
 the storm drove the vessel towards a steep cliff, 
 projecting somewhat above the water, a few 
 paces from Scrop, whereupon it was forcibly 
 iashed against the rock. In an instant the 
 sailors endeavoured to save themselves by 
 jumping into the boat and rowing off. The 
 two brethren begged to be taken in likewise, 
 but the boat cleared off in great haste, either 
 because it had already its full complement of 
 men, or because the fury of the waves called 
 for such expedition. 
 
 The situation of the wrecked vessel was 
 such, that its bowsprit projected beyond the 
 cliff on which it split. The two brethren, 
 together with three negroes, succeeded in 
 climbing over the bowsprit to the rock, where, 
 not finding room sufficient to stand, they 
 were compelled to lay themselves one upon
 
 10 ANECDOTES OP 
 
 another. Here indeed they were tolerably 
 well secured against the encroachment of the 
 waves ; still their lives were in constant dan- 
 ger, as the sails and ropes overliead, sus- 
 pended from the bowsprit, whenever the waves 
 tossed the vessel to and fro, threatened to drag 
 them from the rock into the sea. The only 
 way for them to prevent this accident, was by 
 each time hastily laying hold of the sail 
 and pushing it away overhead. At the foot 
 of the cliff lay a great number of stones, scat- 
 tered about three feet asunder, and reaching 
 to the rocky shore of the Ishnd of Scrop. 
 Feder made the first attempt to save himself 
 by means of them, and to effect his purpose, 
 let down a rope from the rock. On Israel's 
 turning himself with difhculty and danger, 
 to see what was become of him, he was just 
 on the point of placing his foot on one of the 
 aforesaid stones ; a moment after, he beheld 
 him swimming in the water, trying to lay 
 ho»d of the stones. But the raging billows 
 washed him off, and dashed him to pieces 
 between the stones and the ciiff. 
 
 Emma. Oh, what a hard death that was. 
 for such a orood and learned man. — I wondei
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 11 
 
 the Lord did not save him, and ralhsr let the 
 crippled missionary perish — or did he also 
 peri!<li ? 
 
 ]\Ir. Fox. He was preserved in a most mi 
 raculous manner, as you shall presendy hear. 
 Yet you must ever remember that " God's 
 thoughts are not as our thoughts, neither are 
 his ways as our ways, and that he hath chosen 
 the weak things of the world, to confound the 
 things which are mighty, and base things of 
 the world, and things which are despised — to 
 bring to nought things that are — that no flesh 
 should glory in his presence." — Taking a 
 last glance at the motionless body of Feder, 
 whose clothes by this time were torn into 
 rags, Israel thus blessing his departing com- 
 panion, exclaimed : *' Go in peace, my dear 
 Brother !" on whic). the waves carried the 
 corpse out of sight, so that Israel saw him no 
 more. 
 
 Emma. Brother, do you recollect those 
 beautiful lines by the poet Montgomery, which 
 may be ajiplied to the tragical yet happy de- 
 parture of this soldier of Jesus Christ ? 
 
 Edwin I suppose you refer to the ode on
 
 12 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 the Christian soldier's death, which concludei 
 with the following lines : 
 
 " The pains of death are past, 
 Labour and sorrow cease ; 
 And life's long warfare closed at last, 
 His soul is found in peace. 
 Soldier of Christ! well done ! 
 Begin thy new employ ; 
 Sing while eternal ages run, 
 Thy Master and his joy !" 
 
 Mr. Fox. Under these trying and mournful 
 e»rcumstanoes, the survivor's heart was filled 
 with an extraordinary degree of divine conso- 
 lation. He perfectly resigned himself into 
 the will of God, if He should see proper to 
 let him find a watery grave with fiis just de- 
 parted brother, feeling assured that the Sav- 
 iour would never leave nor forsake him, let 
 what would occur. Every moment in dan- 
 ger of death, he had the presence of mind 
 to sing the following verse, expressive of the 
 hardships attending the life of a missionary : 
 
 With fire and with spirit endow'd ev'ry moment. 
 
 Ye ministers of Christ confest, 
 
 Gk) forth, and proclaim ye the word of atonement 
 
 Both far and near ; and when opprest 
 
 By hardships and trials, be bold in God, 
 
 And gladly for him spend your life and blood.
 
 MISSION ARF WORTHIES. 13 
 
 'Midst tempests and billows, and through deserts go, 
 The seeds of the gospel 'mongst heathen to sow ? 
 
 In the mean time the stern of the vessel 
 had been driven closer to the heap of stones 
 on which Fader had hoped to save himself. 
 One of the men who had remained on board, 
 quickly threw a plank across, and in this 
 manner reached the shore of the island in 
 safety. Israel and some of the rest were 
 anxious to follow his example ; but he found 
 much difficulty in getting over the bowsprit. 
 Presently after, the stern of the vessel went 
 to the bottom, and with it perished the five 
 or six persons on board. Israel put forth 
 all his strength to save a boy who was cling- 
 ing to the forepart of the vessel, which by 
 this time was hove still nearer to the cliff. 
 He threw him the rope by means of which 
 Feder had let himself down ; but although he 
 exerted himself to the utmost, yet he was too 
 weak to draw up the boy, and so, to his un- 
 utterable grief, had to let him perish. 
 
 Some prospect appearing that he might 
 
 save himself by the help of some parts of the 
 
 wreck, he prayed to the Lord, who impressed 
 
 his mind with the assurance, that if he would 
 
 B
 
 14 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 not make the attempt, but remain some time 
 longer on the cliff, he would be saved. The 
 vessel, which had hitherto broke the force of 
 the waves, beinj^ now sunk, tliese ruf^hed 
 without opposition over the rock, so as to 
 endanger his life, either by washing liim into 
 the sea, or killing him by means of the broken 
 pieces of the wreck, which they drove over 
 the rock. He prayed to the Lord, iliat since 
 he had preserved him alive, while so many 
 of his companions had been drowned, he 
 would be pleased to render his deliverance 
 complete. He discovered three boats at a 
 distance, but none of them could venture to 
 approach the rock, without encountering a 
 similar fate to that of the wrecked vessel. 
 Finally, in the afternoon some of the islanders 
 threw out ropes to him and the negro, who 
 still remained with him, by means of which, 
 first the black man, and then Israel, were 
 drawn through the water and up the steep 
 rocks of the Island and saved. 
 
 Edivin. Oh ! how rejoiced I feel to hear 
 that the poor cripple was saved at last ! 
 
 Mr. Fox. Here you have another instance 
 Dt a striking nature, in modern times, that the
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 1 5 
 
 decla-ation of the Bible yet holds good: 
 " The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous 
 man avalleth much." Israel was kindly en- 
 tertained and provided with a dry suit of 
 clothes on the estate of Mr. Van der Pol, who 
 had made the arrangements for his deliverance 
 Here he met with the captain and those o 
 his crew, that had saved themselves by means 
 of the boat. Israel had saved nothing- but his 
 life , all his and Feder's goods, all the letters, 
 medicines, and other articles they had brought 
 out for their brethren in St. Thomas, were 
 lost. From Scrop he first passed over to 
 Tortola, where the English governor treated 
 him with great kindness, and then to St. 
 John's, where he staid three weeks, before he 
 found an opportunity to get to St. Thomas. 
 The commandant of St. Johns, being favoura- 
 bly inclined towards the brethren for the sake 
 of their missionary labours, provided for all his 
 wants, and entertained him in a very hospita- 
 ble manner. Although he lived here upon the 
 bounty of others, yet, as a state of inactivity 
 was intoleiable to him, he contrived to render 
 himself useful to oilers, by mending gra- 
 tuitously tl e clothes of the military. On the
 
 16 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 1 8th of February he arrived at St. Thomas in 
 a boat that the brethren had sent over re r hira 
 He happened to come to Tappus, the name of 
 the missionary station, just when the mission- 
 aries and their people were met for divine 
 service. After the first salutations and ex- 
 pressions of love and joy had passed, he 
 went down upon his knees with the congre- 
 gation, and returned heartfelt thanks to Al- 
 mighty God for the wonderful grace, help, and 
 deliverance he had experienced. In so doing 
 his conduct sweetly coincided with that exhor- 
 tation in the 107th Ps. ver. 31 and 32, where the 
 Psalmist, having described the miraculous de- 
 liverance of shipwrecked mariners, adds these 
 emphatic words : " Oh that men would praise 
 the Lord for his goodness, and for his won- 
 derful works to the children of men ! Let them 
 exalt him also in the congregation of the peo- 
 ple, and praise him in the assembly of the el- 
 ders !" 
 
 Emma. How many yeirs did this excellent 
 man labour among the ne^rroes ? 
 
 Mr. Fox. Somewhat better than tnree 
 years and a half. He immediately entered 
 mxh. great spirit upon the discharge of his im-
 
 MlSSIO:>rARY WORTHIES. 17 
 
 portant functions, having been ordained for 
 the ministry some time before he left Holland 
 and being of one mind with his fellow la- 
 bourers, to know nothing save Christ and him 
 crucified, he had the great satisfaction to see 
 the preaching of the cross attended with 
 abundant success that same year, so that in 
 writing to Count Zinzendorf on the subject in 
 September following, he could furnish the 
 following description of what he witnessed : — 
 *' The grace manifesting itself among these 
 poor people, beggars all description ; souls 
 are melting like wax. As soon as they feel 
 the plague of their hearts, they draw near to 
 the Lamb of God. Daily souls find grace, 
 and their number is constantly increased by a 
 great many strangers." These souls, burning 
 with the fire of their first love, would joyfully 
 testify to others what great things the Lord 
 had done for them. The negroes flocked in 
 erowds to the meetings, and the missionaries 
 were often engaged till midnight in con- 
 versing with individuals on the important con- 
 cerns of their souls. White people were as- 
 tonished at the change WTought among so 
 man«v negroes, and several slave-drivers were 
 b2
 
 18 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 curious to hear the Brethren's doctrine, which 
 had so renovating an effect upon the blacks 
 who formerly led such an abandoned and pro- 
 fligate life. Among the negro children too, 
 there was a great desire manifested to know 
 the Lord, and to experience the power of di- 
 vine grace. 
 
 At the close of the year, Israel thus ex- 
 pressed his sentiments concerning the pros- 
 perous state of the mission at that period : — 
 *' Oh what ecstatic happiness to witness the 
 transforming power of divine grace in the 
 hearts of these black people ! First they are 
 awakened and learn to know the wickedness 
 of their hearts ; then they weep, and cry for 
 mercy until they obtain faith in Jesus' merits. 
 And when they have this, their joy knows 
 no bounds ; they even come at night and in- 
 crease our joy, by relating what great things 
 the Lord has done for their souls." 
 
 Soon after he went with the missionaries 
 Frederick Martin and George Weber, two 
 other well-tried servants of Christ, to St. Croix, 
 in order to re-commence the mission there, 
 which had for some time been relinquishea 
 Here they had to encounter a host of difficulties,
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 19 
 
 owing to the climate and to the soil, which, 
 though very rich, yet was overrun with thick 
 woods and prickly plants of different kinds, 
 which rendered the clearing of the land ex- 
 cessively laborious. Serpents, rats, and ver- 
 min of every kind, also contributed to augmen 
 the difficulties which they had to contend with. 
 For a time they subsisted according to the 
 mode generally resorted to by the negroes ; 
 bread, meat, and butter being altogether out 
 of the question, they boiled a calelu, or greens 
 composed of the leaves of trees, and ate land- 
 crabs with it, which fortunately were then 
 found in abundance. The missionaries were 
 all taken ill, and a famine raged among the 
 blacks, which even carried off some of them, 
 so that the labours of the brethren did not 
 meet with that success they desired ; still their 
 courage did not fail them. Israel's letters, 
 which he sent home, invariably breathed a 
 spirit of confic'ential hope, that the Lord would 
 bless their labours bestowed upon the negroes, 
 and opon their eyes to behold a Saviour's 
 grace. In one of these letters he says:— "We 
 are quietly waiting for the Saviour to brnig tc 
 life the dead souls of the negroes and in the
 
 20 AXECDOTES OF 
 
 mean time we testify unto them, that He died 
 for them, and that they will obtam eternal life 
 if they will turn unto him." 
 
 December 21, 1741, he returneo to St. 
 Thomas, being called to superintend that 
 mission during Martin's absence. But in 
 March of the ensuing year, he and George 
 "Weber were requested by Count Zinzendorf 
 to come to Pennsylvania, in order to confer 
 with them at Bethlehem, on the then state of 
 the mission, and to grant them a season of 
 rest and refreshment after the severe service 
 they had seen. After a voyage of less than 
 three weeks they arrived at Philadelphia, and 
 were received with every mark of respect and 
 affection due to them as servants of the Lord 
 Jesus, M'ho bore visible marks of the sufferings 
 they had endured for the sake of the gospel. 
 
 Edwin. Indeed, father, I think, if I had 
 been at Philadelphia when these clear minis- 
 ters arrived, I would have tried all in my 
 power to render them comfortable. 
 
 Mr. Fox. Carefully cherish this disposition, 
 my son ! The day may come when you may 
 be enabled to reduce it to practice. But 1 
 have not vet done with this modern Paul. Id
 
 MISSIOi\ARY WORTHIES. 21 
 
 September Israel returned to St. Thomas in 
 company with John Bohmer. They were 
 seven weeks on the way, and had to encoun- 
 ter much distress. The mast of their vessel, 
 being half rotten, was broker, down in a mo- 
 derate gale ; and as the hands were so few 
 on board, they had an immense deal of labour 
 before they could raise it again. They had 
 hardly erected it, before it fell a second time, 
 and almost broke the crazy bark to shivers. 
 After once more righting the mast as well as 
 they could, the sails would not fit, because 
 they had been compelled to shorten it. After 
 having rectified the sails with much ado, they 
 had to wait until August 21st before the wind 
 shifted in their favour. September 24th they 
 arrived at Spanishtown ; the next day they 
 sailed in a fishing boat to St. Thomas, and 
 goin^ around St. Johns, they found on their 
 arrival at St. Thomas, that they had not only 
 escaped the Spanish privateers cruising in 
 those seas, but also the dreadful hurricane of 
 August 9th, which they would unquestionably 
 have had to encounter, if they had not been 
 80 long de tained on their voyage. 
 Edwin How kind our Saviour was to
 
 '22 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 these brethren and their fellow-paseengers, 
 although at first he seemed to cross all their 
 designs I 
 
 3Ir. Fox. Hence you may learn to understand 
 how " all things work together for good unto 
 them that love God ;" or, in the language ol 
 the poet : 
 
 " Storms of trouble may assail us, 
 Yea, life's vessel overwhelm ; 
 Yet no danger need appal us, 
 If our Saviour guide the helm." 
 
 The whole burden of the missionary laboui 
 at St. Thomas now rested on the brethren 
 Israel and Bohmer. The latter was still un- 
 acquainted with the Creole dialect, and the 
 former was constantly ailing since his return 
 from America. His decaying tabernacle often 
 cracked dreadfully, as hr was wont to express 
 himself, and yet, for the sake of the blacks, he 
 longed for strength to bear up under the nard- 
 ships of this life a li.tle longer. " Pray to 
 God," he once said, addressing the believing 
 negroes in a prayer meeting, "that he would 
 give me strength ; for if I should go to sleep 
 now. there would no brother be left here, 
 who could tell you a word about our Saviour."
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 23 
 
 The Lord granted this request in so far, that 
 although he had been very, ill all day, yet 
 when the evening came and the negroes met 
 for divine worship, he was enabled to arise 
 out of his bed and deliver a testimony con- 
 cerning the grace of God in Christ Jesus, 
 with power and unction of the Spirit. Boh- 
 mer, who had very soon acquired a knowledge 
 of the Dutch language, usually gave out the 
 lines of a Dutch hymn, and while the last 
 verse was being sung, the sexton would go 
 and call Israel, who had just so much strength 
 given him as he required for a short address 
 to the meeting. Here too was that scriptural 
 promise fulfilled : " as thy day is, so shall 
 thy strength be." Towards the close of the 
 year his health was somewhat better ; but at 
 the opening of the year 1743 he had such a 
 heavy relapse, that an occasional meeting was 
 ill he could attend to. 
 
 June 11th he and Bdhmer, together with 
 Tutweiler, who had come in May from Penn- 
 sylvania to their assistance, moved, for greater 
 convenience, into a small new house which 
 Bohmer had built. At that time Israel seemed 
 somevvnat better. That he was fully resigned
 
 24 AJTECDOTES OF 
 
 to the will of God for life or death, appears 
 from the following expressions in one of hi» 
 letters : " Let the Saviour do with me a^ 
 seemeth good in his sight. If my time be 
 up, may he take me to himself as a sinner 
 trusting in his merits. If He designs to 
 make further use of me, let him restore my 
 tabernacle. My brethren are still loath to be- 
 lieve that I am shortly to fall asleep. His 
 will be done ! That settles all." He took a 
 solemn leave of the communicant members 
 and nearly all the negroes that were present 
 on the prayer day of July 21. Having ga- 
 thered all around his dying-bed, he gave them 
 the following valedictory charge : " I would 
 fain address a few words more to you, but I 
 am very weak. I have become so much re- 
 duced by my illness and the pains that I en- 
 dured, that I indulge the hope of soon going 
 home to our Saviour. I have not come here 
 to consult my ease and comfort ; you know 
 that. I have cheerfully sacrificed my life for 
 our Saviour's and your souls' sake. I have 
 prer.ched nothing to you but Chnst and him 
 crucified. Never forget the Saviour and his 
 bitter agony. Be obedient in all things to my
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 25 
 
 brethien and sisters. I have stood before tlie 
 Lord for you with many tears and sighs. Now, 
 as you see, I shall soon go to him. I am con- 
 tent that he should call me this very hour. 
 Therefore I beseech you, do not forget him ; 
 do not forget his blood and his death. Be 
 faithful to him, that I may rejoice when you 
 also shall be admitted into his presence. Be 
 faithful to him and set a good example to 
 other blacks, and endeavour to win them like- 
 wise to the Saviour. He might, I know, if 
 he pleased, restore me agam ; but now I see 
 before me nothing but my speedy departure 
 Remember me in your prayers, and may the 
 Saviour ever have you in his holy keeping !" 
 
 Having next sung a few verses for him, 
 every negro stepped to his bed-side, shook 
 hands with him, kissed him, and thus undei 
 a shower of tears, took leave of his beloved 
 teacher. He gently fell asleep, on the 2d of 
 August, while the brethren 'and sisters, theo 
 present, were singing a hymn. 
 
 This faithful servant of Jesus, at the time 
 
 of his departure, was not quite 30 years of 
 
 age. His burning love to the Saviour, his 
 
 thirst for the salvation of the negroes, his 
 
 C
 
 26 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 firmness and invincible courage under all dif- 
 ficulties, his trust in God, his resignation to 
 the divine will, and the patience he manifested 
 during his lingering and highly painful illness, 
 fitted him for an example worthy of the imi- 
 tation of his brethren. His mortal remains 
 were interred on the following day in the 
 white people's graveyard near the village, 
 amid a vast concourse of spectators, when 
 the missionary Brucker addressed the meeting 
 in a short, but appropriate discourse. 
 
 Emma. Oh ! Father ! what a touching, 
 heart-affecting story you have told us ! I 
 could not help thinking, when you came to 
 the closing scene of this Christian soldier's 
 life, of the words of Scripture ; " Let me die 
 the death of the righteous, and let my last 
 end be like his !" 
 
 Mr. Fox. And to me the following impres- 
 sive lin<»s of the poet occurred — 
 
 " To me to live, is Christ, 
 
 To me to die, is gain, 
 
 For I have fought the fight of faith. 
 
 And all my foes are slain. 
 
 My 'y>urse I've finish'd now, 
 
 AnH tept the Christian's faith, 
 
 > cr"wn of righteousness the IX)RD 
 
 Wi^ ^ve me after death.'
 
 MISSvOlVARY WORTHIES. 
 
 Thus p+ioijted holy Paul, 
 Assur'd of faith's blest end ; 
 Thy language was the same the day 
 That Christ call'd home his fnend. 
 
 Go, vet'ran of the cross, 
 Mark'd with thy Saviour's scars, 
 And take thy seat in realms above. 
 Far, far beyond the stars. 
 
 Thou, too, full well didst know 
 That suff 'rings felt in time, 
 Were nevermore to be compar'd 
 With glory's matchless clime. 
 
 The Lord of All is thine, 
 With all his glorious state I 
 May we who still in bodies groan 
 Thy pattern emulate I " 
 
 CONVERSATION H. 
 
 Edwin. Father, won't you tell js some 
 more entertaining stories about the mission- 
 aries ? 
 
 Emma. Yes. I wish you could give us 
 some particulars about their labours among 
 the black children I remember hearing you
 
 28 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 say the last time we met, that among- them, 
 too, a great desire was manifested to know 
 and serve the Lord. 
 
 Mr. Fox. I am very happy to have it in 
 my power, in some measure at least, to Ratify 
 your commendable request. And 1 do it the 
 more readily, as I hope and pray that the ac- 
 count I am about to give to you concerning 
 the eagerness of these negro children to 
 know and to love the Lord our Saviour, will 
 tend to excite you to a holy emulation in re- 
 ligion and to that important self-inquiry, 
 whether you have made such advances in the 
 divine life, as these children had, according 
 to those authentic documents from which my 
 information is drawn. The principal instru- 
 ment which the Lord employed to feed his 
 lambs in the Island of St. Thomas, was the 
 missionary Reinhard Ronner, who was sent 
 out by the conference at Bethlehem. He 
 landed on that island Aug. 29th, 1750, and 
 soon approved himself every way qualified 
 for the office to M-hich he was appointed. 
 His mode of proceeding was this ; he eithei 
 instructed them at the mission-house in iYm 
 principles of the Christian religion, or els
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 26 
 
 went abroad with his wife, to visit them on 
 the different plantations. He remarks in his 
 jonrnal, that the number of children that fre- 
 quented their meetings, including those he 
 occasionally visited, amounted to more than 
 five hundred. On his visits, his chief aim was 
 to acquaint them with the history of the life, 
 sufferings and death of Jesus Christ. He 
 described to them the great love of Christ 
 which induced him to die for the sins of man- 
 kind, and in pursuance of which, he is now 
 ready to wash all those from their sins in his 
 blood, and to transform them into cheerful, 
 happy creatures, that come to Him with all 
 their guilt and misery, and gladly receive him 
 into their hearts. He enlarged more particu- 
 larly on the great love the Saviour bore to- 
 wards children, and thereby excited them to 
 a reciprocal aff(;ction and to a confidential 
 trust in Him. These delight%l and consolatory 
 truths found admittance into many a youthful 
 heart, and the number of those that tenderly 
 loved the Lord Jesus, and hated whatever was 
 displeasing to him, was very considerable 
 Their desire to hear the Saviour's words was 
 rery great. Whenever Ronner and his part- 
 c2
 
 30 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 ner would enter the premises of an estate, 
 the children would be sure to run with joy- 
 ful haste to meet and welcome them ; because 
 they had been anxiously expecting the day 
 when Baas, i. e. their master or spiritual guide, 
 would come and hold a meeting with them. 
 DurinsT the service they M'ere unremitted in 
 their attention to what was said, and seemed 
 fairly to take ever]^ word out of his mouth. 
 If the bad state of the weather, or any other 
 cause, prevented the meeting from being kept, 
 the parents had much ado to comfort them. 
 
 Edwin, Indeed, Father, I think our neigh- 
 bour's boy, John, ought to learn a lesson from 
 these pious negro children, for he does hate 
 to go to a place of worship, and if he does 
 go at last, after his father has threatened to 
 punish him if he don't, he is all the time 
 playing, laughing, or talking, without attending 
 in the least to what the minister says. 
 
 Mr. Fox. That is very likely, my dearj 
 yet I iear you are a little self-righteous sinner, 
 who, seeing the mote or splinter in his bro 
 thei's eye, cannot discover the large beam in 
 liifl own eye. AVhile you cannot say with 
 aijtb, that y >u bre the L ^rd Jesus as tenderl\
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. ' 31 
 
 as these coloured children are said to have 
 done, you must own that you fall short of 
 what you ought to do and to be, and that it 
 therefore ill becomes you, an imperfect crea 
 ture. to pass such a heavy censure on poor 
 John, who by the by does not enjoy near so 
 many privileges and advantages for becoming 
 a pious Christian as you do. 
 
 Emma. Please to go on, Father, with your 
 narrative ; I am anxious to hear more of this 
 good missionary and his lambs. 
 
 Mr. Fox. Ronner's first question to the 
 children on his arrival among them, generally 
 was this : did they love the Saviour ? and in 
 most cases he received a cheerful answer in 
 tlie affirmative. Such as could not in con- 
 science say yes, held their peace. On further 
 inquiring ivhy they loved the Saviour, he 
 ofttn received very animating replies, "We 
 therefore love him, they would say, because 
 he died for our sins, and because he redeemed 
 and saved us by his blood." From such, 
 and similar answers, he would then proceed 
 to show more at length, what grateful and 
 aftectionate returns they, and all mankind, 
 ought to render to the Redeemer for his un
 
 82 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 speakable love. On such occasions too, Ronnei 
 never failed to give suitable instructions to the 
 parents of these black children, how to edu- 
 cate them in the fear and admonition of the 
 Lord. 
 
 The question being one day put to the chil- 
 ren as usual in their meeting, whether they 
 loved our Saviour, one girl only, of about 
 fourteen, kept silence. Mrs. Ronner after- 
 wards took her privately aside, and asked her 
 whether she did not indeed love the Saviour ; 
 on which the girl, bursting into tears, replied : 
 " No ! for I have such a wicked and obstinate 
 heart that often grieves the Saviour, and when 
 I make this discovery, it grieves me again in 
 turn." 
 
 Such and similar complaints often dropped 
 from the lips of the children of both sexes, 
 and afforded a clear evidence of the work of 
 the Holy Spirit on their hearts, while they like- 
 wise elicited all the skill and fidelity of their 
 instructors to keep alive the sacred flame of 
 childlike conf.dence and trust in the infallible 
 support of their Saviour. 
 
 One day the daughter of one of the national 
 assistants confessed to Mrs. Ronner that she
 
 MISSIOXARY WORTHIES. 33 
 
 had so far felt no desire to be converted, and 
 had therefore purposely avoided going to 
 church ; and ihat whenever her mother had 
 idmonislted her to go, oi had reproved her 
 on an}' other account, she had always got 
 dreadful angry at her. Now, however, she 
 was very \^ illing to be converted, if only her 
 self-willed and obstinate heart would not con- 
 stantly resist every admonition given her. 
 She seemed to be in great bitterness of spirit 
 on account of her indwelling corruptions. 
 Mrs. Ronner, discovering that a work of grace 
 had commenced in the heart of this child, ad- 
 vised her to turn to the only pliysician of 
 souls, anxious to be relieved from the load of 
 sin and guilt. 
 
 And now let me put the question to you, 
 do you believe that you need conversion ? 
 
 Emma. If, for the reasons just stated by 
 you, the little black girl did, I feel and find 
 1 also need a change of heart ; for I am often 
 naughty, and not a little self-willed, and 
 Uiough I love to learn and repeat those lines 
 of the poet — 
 
 " Self-will, that cruel enemy, 
 No more I Avould obey ; 
 Thy Spirit shall ni\ teacher be, 
 And guide me in thy way,"
 
 34 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 I find it much more difficult to practise this 
 lesson than to commit it to memory. Oh 1 
 grieve and mourn that the Holy Spirit and my 
 dear parents and many other people are grieved 
 by my conduct, and I resolve and try to do 
 better, and yetr— 
 
 Mr. Fox. And yet you will never fully ac- 
 complish your design, until you go to that 
 same physician for health to whom the black 
 child was directed to apply. One day 'vhen 
 the missionary inquired of a boy, v/helher he 
 knew that he had a Saviour, who loved him 
 and had died for his sins, the little fellow can- 
 didly replied : " No Baas — I don't know that 
 I am bad enough, and have a wicked heart, 
 and much need a Saviour to help me ; but my 
 master wont let me go to school, how then 
 can I know any thing about the Saviour ?" — 
 Such proliibitions were particularly and pain- 
 fully oppressive to those children, in whose 
 hearts the love of Christ had already been 
 kindled by pious instruction in their meetings. 
 If such now and then chanced to meet a chil- 
 dren's Baas, (the name they gave to those that 
 laboured for their spiritual welfare,) they would 
 rejoice exceedingly, unbosom their distresses
 
 MISSIOIVARY WORTHIES. 35 
 
 to him and beg him for a few " Saviour's 
 words" as tliey called the Holy Scriptures. 
 On the whole, a most tender affection subsisted 
 between the children and their teacher, so 
 that at first sight of him, they would either 
 run to meet him, or else hastily run back to 
 carry the joyful tidings of his approach to 
 the rest of their companions on the estate. 
 Passing by a plantation one day, a dozen of 
 children ran after him, begging him not to 
 omit his visit to them, 'i'hey would not be 
 pacified until he had given them some account 
 of the Saviour and his love. In this way he 
 very often had his little meetings with them 
 in the street, or in the open field. 
 
 On another occasion, a baptized youth en- 
 treated him to enter a house, and on inquiring 
 what he should do there, the other replied : 
 " Will you refuse to tell us some words about 
 the Saviour ?" Of course the missionary 
 conformed to the boy's request, and was agree- 
 ably surprised, to find a large circle of children 
 collected together by the endeavours of this 
 youth. 
 
 A girl, whose name was Christina, appeared 
 very serene and cheerful during her illness
 
 36 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 Her grandmother, of whom at the commence 
 ment of her illness she begged a favour vvhinh 
 she hoped would mitigate her pains, said to 
 her ; " I will cheerfully do it for you ; but i* 
 grieves me, that I never see you pray to our 
 Saviour, who is the only one that can help 
 you." The child replied: "It is true, you 
 do not see me pray, but in my heart I often 
 pray to him ; there I feel him and know as- 
 suredly that I am His, and that I am going to 
 Him." Her friends and relations that went 
 to see her during her illness, could not refrain 
 from expressing their surprise and admiration 
 at the many tender expressions of her love to 
 the Saviour which escaped her lips. When 
 her uncle Cornelius, a native teacher, a 
 few hours before her departure sang these 
 meg — 
 
 " The Saviour's blood ana ngnteousness 
 My beauty is, my glorious dress ; 
 Thus well array 'd I need not fear 
 When in His presence I appear," 
 
 she acknowledged it to be very sweet and 
 comforting to her. After calling for a drink 
 of water, and talking of the water of life 
 which the Saviour would give her, she jusl
 
 MIS'y?WAR^ •*; RTHIES. 8*7 
 
 added : " Now I will joyfully depart to Him " 
 and immediately fell asleep. 
 
 Edwin. O, what a lovely child that wa« ' 
 don't yon think, father, she died happy ? 
 
 Emma. Why brother, would you doubt i 
 for a moment while she was feuch a goa: 
 praying soul ? 
 
 Mr. Fox. I have no doubt that she went 
 to heaven, yet, if so, it was not owing tc 
 her exemplary conduct, nor to the virtue 
 of her prayersy but only to the all-sufficiem 
 merits of that Saviour, in whom she put her 
 whole and only trust, and confidence. Le? 
 me relate some more striking instances of the 
 power of Divine grace on the hearts of these 
 lambs. 
 
 Another girl of 12 years, during her sick 
 ness sent for the native assistant Benigna, and 
 told her that the Saviour had called her, and 
 was about taking her to himself; that she 
 was very wili^^r.g indeed to go to him, because 
 she lovp-d ^-* 'Ti ''rom her whole heart, and thrf. 
 there ^^t ^-'^Ji'-xg in this world that delighted 
 her any mort. R3inhard Ronner, the indeia 
 tigable missL^na~v went to see her, and asking 
 her '*h<»tK^- *^3 fcelieved that she had an i? 
 D
 
 88 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 terest in the sufferings of the Lord J( sus, sh« 
 most cheerfully replied in ♦he affirmative, anc 
 went on to say, tliat she was not only fully as- 
 sured of the forgiveness of her sins, but like 
 wise that she would soon go home to the 
 Lord. A few hours after she gently fell asleep. 
 
 The missionary, meeting a boy in the field, 
 and asking him how he did, received this en- 
 couraging answer that he felt in his heart, 
 that the Saviour's love to him must be great, 
 because he felt so inexpressibly happy when- 
 ever he thought of him. 
 
 Owing to the peculiar state of servitude in 
 which a certain girl was placed, she could 
 seldom go to meeting. When therefore slie 
 one day received permission to go there with 
 her mother, her joy scarce knew any bounds. 
 " To day, she exclaimed, my desire is grati- 
 ried, because I can go to hear the Saviour's 
 words, that are so very sweet to me ; oh 
 what a long time have I hungered for them !" 
 When Mrs. Ronner went to see her, the girl 
 declared that she loved the Saviour with her 
 whole heart, that she often conversed with 
 him at home, and remembered the words sne 
 had heard concerning him in the metrtinji.— «
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 39 
 
 Tliis child, as well as others that coula 
 eeldom come to meeting, contrived to keep up 
 their acquaintance with the missionaries througli 
 the agency of their parents or other contiden 
 tial friends, through whom they requested a 
 place in their affections, and sent word how 
 they fared. 
 
 The missionary one day opened the chil 
 dren's meeting on a certain plantation* by 
 singing the verse, " O world, see thy Creator,'' 
 (fee, when a boy wept all the time, and on being 
 asked the reason, he replied, that the Saviour 
 had shown such great love to him, and still his 
 love to Jesus was so cold ; that he had a wick- 
 ed heart, and oftentimes greved him. — A boy 
 on being met by Ronner in the street and 
 asked whether he loved our Saviour, said with 
 a very sorrowful look ; " No, I do not love 
 him ; for I so often get angry at my father 
 and my mother, and quarrel with my brothers 
 and sisters. Yet all the while I feel so wretch 
 ed, that I know not which way to turn." 
 Ronner was delighted with his sincerity, and 
 ^iffectionately advised him to turn to the Sa- 
 viour, with whom he would assuredly find 
 comfort and rest.— Another boy declared to
 
 40 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 the missionary not only that he loved the 
 Saviour, but that he also felt his heart to be 
 cornipt, and that he was still often led astray. 
 A.t such times he would have a heavy heart, 
 but then lie would so lonof beg the Saviour for 
 grace and pardon, till his heart would grow 
 light again. This poor youth had to suffer 
 many stripes from his ungodly parents for 
 the sake of his love to Christ. 
 
 Edwin. Indeed I am thankful that / have 
 not such wicked parents as to whip me for 
 going to church. 
 
 Emma. And yet, is it not very strange, 
 that we notwithstanding neither love our Sa- 
 viour nor our parents as we ought, or even 
 as we might ! 
 
 Mr. Fox. Never forget to be thankful for 
 the privileges and blessings vou enjoy, and 
 ask yourselves frequendy : What maketh me 
 to differ ? To what is it owing that I am not 
 a slave or a heathen — or that I have Christians 
 ana not savages for my parents, but to the 
 grace of God. Thus you will learn " to walk 
 humbly with your God and to love mercy" 
 m pitying and praying for those of your 
 brethren in the world, whether black or white.
 
 MISSION ARV WORTHIES. 41 
 
 that -dire placed in a less fortunate situation in 
 life tlian what you enjoy. Still, whether a 
 man be a bond-slave or a freeman, it is gospel 
 salvation only when truly enjoyed, that renders 
 man, woman, or child, contented and happy, 
 whatever be the advantages or disadvantages 
 in life, as the following anecdote will prove. 
 Two boys living on the same plantation always 
 appeared cheerful, very industrious and expert 
 at their work. One of them espying Mr. 
 Ronner afar off, ran towards him with great 
 joy, and on being asked whether he often 
 called to mind what the Saviour had done and 
 suffered for him, whether he loved him, and 
 would give him his whole heart, replied 
 with a remarkably cheerful countenance : " O 
 yes ! I always think of our Saviour, and love 
 him very much, else I could not be so cheer- 
 ful, and because he loves me so, I will also 
 give him my whole heart." 
 
 A girl of 13, related to Mrs. Ronner, that 
 her wicked hf-art had latterly been a great 
 plague to her, and had urged her to steal her 
 father's dinner ; but that her good heart had 
 on the contrary told her to let it alone, because 
 she would thereby grieve the Saviour ; that 
 d2
 
 42 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 finally she gave way to the suggestions of her 
 good heart, in order not to offend that Saviour 
 who had loved her so much. The wicked- 
 ness of her heart was often so great, that she 
 could not get the better of it. In this distress 
 she would cry to the Lord, and find rest, and 
 the wicked thoughts would leave her again. 
 But whenever she would be disobedient or 
 obstinate, her heart would get very restless. — 
 She lamented withal, that she seldom found 
 an opportunity to go to church. Mrs. Ronner 
 laboured to impress her mind with a correct 
 idea of the corruption of the human heart, 
 and the effects produced on it by Divine 
 grace. She exhorted her to give her whole 
 heart to the Saviour, that he might wash it 
 from sins in his blood, and set it at liberty so 
 as no more to be under the power of the lusts 
 of the flesh. 
 
 Emma. Such advice, father, you have often 
 given to us, and I own, that if I always acted 
 up to it, I would be a much better and happiei 
 child than I now am. 
 
 Mr. Fox. The candid confessions of this 
 negro girl will show >■. u, how, when the voice 
 of conscience is heard, the thoughts accus«
 
 mSSIOJfARY WORTHIES. 43 
 
 or else excuse one another, and how the flesh 
 kisteth against the spirit, and the spirit against 
 tlie flesh, as St. Paul describes the conflict 
 between sin and holiness in the human heart. 
 The safest way for you to obtain the victory 
 over the corruptions of your heart, is to have 
 recourse to prayer, and then Christ's strength 
 will be made perfect in your weakness. 
 Mr. Ronner relates in his journal, that a 
 certain negro child never rose in the morning, 
 nor went to bed in the evening, without pray 
 ing to the Saviour that he would protect hei 
 little soul against all danger, and save her from 
 levity and indifference. And for her parents 
 too she would pray, if they had been unjustly 
 severe to her. Let me entreat you, my dear 
 children, to go and do likewise — so that 
 while you pray for yourselves, you always 
 pray for those that are near and dear to you, 
 yea for all your fellow sinners, as members 
 of the same family vith yourselves ; for " God 
 hath made of one blood all nations of men 
 for to dwell on all the earth," and " he 
 is no respecter of persons ; but in every na 
 tion he that feareth him and worketh righte* 
 nusness is accepted with him."
 
 44 ANECDOTES Of 
 
 COXVERSATION III. 
 
 Edwin. Come, father, and please tell us 
 some further particulars about that dear servant 
 of Christ, wlio was such a friend to the co- 
 loured children. 
 
 Mr. Fox. I am sorry that my autlior gives 
 us no farther information concerning Mr. 
 Ronner, than what I related in substance at 
 our last interview. Yet if you are not tired 
 of hearing, I will give you some interesting 
 anecdotes about Lewis Christopher Behne, a 
 Moravian missionary, who laboured about 30 
 years among the natives in the provinces of 
 Surinam and Berbice in South America.
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 45 
 
 Emma. Indeed it will be gratifying and, 1 
 fKjpe, profitable to us, to listen to any account 
 that you may think proper to give us of any 
 missionary worthies. 
 
 Mr. Fox. September 12th, 1738, Lewis 
 Christopher Dehne entered the missionary 
 lield, when he landed on that day in the province 
 of Rio de Berbice. He» he laboured with 
 various success and diffe ent assistants, until 
 the year 1755, paying several visits to his 
 native country during this time, when we find 
 him, according to his own account, engaged 
 in the commencement of Ephrem, a new mis- 
 sionary station on the river Corentyn in Suri- 
 nam. Happening to have a manuscript trans- 
 lation of the most interesting events of his 
 life, as recorded by himself, in my possession, 
 I will read it to you in his own unvarnished 
 style. 
 
 Edwin. Do, father ! I shall pay parti- 
 cular attention. 
 
 Mr. Fox. [re^ds.] " A number of Indians 
 had come from Berbice to settle themselves 
 in Surinam, several of them moved with me 
 to Ephrem, and assisted me in clearing the
 
 46 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 spot \n6 building a hut ; yet in a short lime 
 they all left me but one, whose name was 
 Christopher. He was soon after taken ill, 
 t(^hen the Indians, and their sorcerers in par- 
 ticular, passing by our place, said to him : 
 ' You will never recover while you stay with 
 this white man, for the devil has too much 
 power over him, and you will see that the 
 while man himself will get sick at last.' 
 On his partial restoration Christopher also left 
 me. Yet our Saviour comforted me so effec 
 tually in this wilderness by his presence, that 
 I was very happy notwithstanding my solitary 
 situation. Indians, coming to see me, would 
 often inquire the reason of my building a 
 house here ; they thought that I must surely 
 have done it by order from the governor. I 
 repeatedly informed them of the true object of 
 my mi^sion ; but they told me the Indians were 
 going lo murder me. Even the soldiers at the 
 nearest military post invited me to come over to 
 their, for security. I prayed to the Lord lo 
 airec me what I should do, and he gave me 
 faith and perseverance, to endure hardness as 
 a good soldier of Jesus, by remaining at my
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 47 
 
 post, relying on his gracious assistance. One 
 evening, as 1 was about to retire to rest, a ser- 
 pent, of considerable length, dropped down 
 upon me from the rafters of the roof, coiled 
 itself two or three times around my neck and 
 head, and threatened to suffocate me. Ex- 
 pecting nothing else but death, I wrote the 
 occasion of it with chalk upon my table, for 
 the information of my brethren, that no sus- 
 picion might rest on the Indians as having 
 perpetrated the deed. At that instant it oc- 
 curred to me, to make an attempt, in firm re- 
 Dance on the word of the Lord, to dislodge 
 the serpent, which I did with such rapidity, 
 that a portion of the skin of my face came 
 along with it. It being dark, I could not see 
 what became of the serpent ; still I retired to 
 rest in my hammock." 
 
 Edwin. O how I trembled for the fate of 
 the good man ! I surely thought he would 
 have been strangled by the reptile. 
 
 Emma. I wonder what promise of Scrip- 
 ture was impressed on his memory, that 
 gave him such presence of mind and heroic 
 courage ; don't you think^ father, it was
 
 48 ANECDOTES OP 
 
 that declaration our Lord made, jnst before 
 his ascension into heaven : (Mark xvi. 17, 18.) 
 "These signs shall follow them thai believe — 
 they shall take up serpents, and if they drink 
 any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them ; they 
 shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall re- 
 cover." 
 
 Mr. Fox. It is as likely as not ; or perhaps 
 it was that encouraging promise, which Edwin 
 lately recited : (Ps. 1. 15.) " Call upon me m 
 the day of trouble ; / will deliver thee, and 
 thou shalt glorify me !" Whichever text it 
 was, it was neither a knowledge of every 
 promise of the scriptures, if even his mind 
 could have grasped the whole of them, nor a 
 fortunate coincidence of circumstances as some 
 might suppose, nor the good man's presence 
 of mind, but his simple yet strong rehance 
 on the stronger, yea the almighty saving 
 power of the Saviour, who had sent him to 
 this post to do his will, tha in this instance 
 effected his almost miraculous deliverance from 
 the merciless folds and fangs of the reptile. 
 Yet while he trusted in the name of the Lord, 
 tnd prayed for deliverance, he never forgot
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 49 
 
 to use such means of precaution and defence 
 as happened to be within his reach, or his 
 reason suggested to him as being the mosi 
 proper. This evidently appears in what fol- 
 lows in his interesting narrative. *• A. tiffei 
 also prowled around my hut for some time 
 whose cry I heard every evening. Knowing 
 that such animals dread the sight of fire, I 
 lighted up one in my hut ; during the night 
 however it would frequendy go out ; still T 
 was not afraid of this ferocious beast, and it 
 never molested me." 
 
 Edwin. Oh what a trial it must be to live 
 alone in a dreary wilderness, and to have none 
 but savages and wild beasts for one's neigh- 
 bours. 
 
 Mr. Fox. Such men truly bear the cross 
 of Christ ; yet they bear it not alone — Jesus 
 bears it with them -for " in all their afflictions 
 he is afflicted ;" he sweetens their bitterest 
 cup by the comforts of his divine presence — 
 and the best consolation comes last, when 
 " heaven shall make amends for all" and 
 " they shall see him as he is." — Tigers are 
 beasts which few men like to encounter, — 
 out human tigers, savages, thirsting for the 
 E
 
 50 AXECDOTES OF 
 
 blood of their fellow-men, are truly dreadfu^ 
 and such as an unsuspecting, solitary indivi- 
 dual, without weapons of self-defence, is hardly- 
 able to cope with. Yet He that stopped the 
 mouths of lions and of tigers, is also able to 
 irrest the hand of the savage murderer, and to 
 change the rage of the human lion into the 
 gentleness of the harmless lamb. Let us go 
 on with Mr. Dehne's memoirs, and we shall 
 find the truth of these remarks shown by the 
 following facts which he relates. 
 
 " In Nov. 1757, the Carribbee Indians set 
 out with the intention of executing their reso- 
 lution, long since determined upon, of mur- 
 dering me. One day, while I sat at my 
 dinner table, I saw fifty men approacliing 
 in their canoes, who presently after surrounded 
 my cabin. Oli what a dreadful sight pre- 
 sented itself to my view. Some were 
 armed with iron hoes ana mattocks ; others 
 carried swords, and such like instruuients. 
 Going out to them, I spoke to iliem in the 
 Arawak language, and bid them welcome in a 
 friendly manner. Tliey answered roughly 
 that I should speak the Carribbee tongue. In 
 the mean time I took care to observe which of
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 51 
 
 them was their commander. Perceiving that 
 1 did not understand the Carribbee, after some 
 consultation in this language, they ordered 
 their interpreter to step forth and ask me in 
 Arawak : " Who gave you permission to build 
 and to live here ?" Ans. " The governor." 
 "Why have you come upon our land ?" I 
 now stepped up to the chief, and thus frankly 
 addressed him : " I have brethren living on 
 the other side of the ocean, who, when they 
 heard that Indians lived here, who were igno- 
 rant of their Creator, have sent me to you 
 in love, that I should first learn your lan- 
 guage, and then tell you about the true God. 
 At some future time, you may expect to see 
 more of my brethren come hither on the 
 same errand." " I suppose you are a Spa- 
 niard ?" " No !" " Or a Frenchman T ' " No !" 
 *' Are you a Dutchman, then ?" " Yes, I 
 come from Holland, and a good way further 
 off. In short, I am one of the Brethren thai 
 love you and live on the other side of the 
 ocean." — "Well, didn't you hear that the 
 Indians were going to kill you?" ^' Yes, but I 
 did not believe it, and you have those among 
 you, who have been to see me, ana know
 
 62 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 that I love them." — " That is tme ; and 
 they have also told me that you were a 
 Christian very diflerent from other white peo- 
 },le." " Well, if you knew that I loved you^ 
 how could you think of killing me ?" — He 
 replied laughing : " AVell, indeed, I never 
 thought of that !" Upon this, all changed 
 their savage features and walked off. The 
 chief only staid with me, and put a number 
 of questions to which I gave suitable replies ; 
 and when I told him that no other white people 
 but Brethren would move hither, lie became 
 quite sociable. On leaving me, he gave me 
 some of his provision at my request, promis- 
 ing to repeat his visits. In this manner, the 
 Saviour helped me on from day to day, in- 
 somuch, that at the close of the year, I found 
 much cause for praise and thankfulness to the 
 giver of every good and perfect gift. In the 
 strength of my confidence in Him I entered 
 upon the year 1758. I was busily employed in 
 cutting down trees, and if I found the labour 
 too severe, I applied to Indians passing by 
 for assistance, w^hich was rarely refused. 
 One day, while collecting wood for fuel, I 
 was stung in the left hand by an ant, which
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 53 
 
 occasioned such violent pain, that I nearly 
 lost all power of recollection. This ant was 
 one of the large black kind, one incn in 
 length, the bite of which the Indians dread 
 as much as they do that of serpents. 
 
 During this period I suffered much out- 
 ward distress, and often I rose in the morn- 
 ing without knowing what I should eat, or 
 where I should procure food. Yet, whenever 
 I was perfectly destitute, undoubtedly accord- 
 ing to the direction of Him who fed Elijah at 
 the brook Cherith, Waraus, or other Indians, 
 came and shared their cassavi with me. 
 
 Edwin. What is meant by cassavi, father? 
 
 Mr. Fox. The daily bread of the natives 
 and negroes. The cassavi plant (Jatropha 
 Manihot) is wholly indispensable in those 
 provinces, as well as throughout the West 
 India Islands. The straight stem of this 
 plant is abo\'e six feet high, and of a whitish 
 colour. Around the stalk the whole length 
 of the plant, there are single leaves attached 
 to long stems, which fall off by de^-rees, and 
 only the uppermost around the top remain. 
 They leave knots in those places around the 
 stem to which they were affixed, wh ch gives 
 
 £2
 
 54 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 the whole plant a very ornamental appearance. 
 It IS from the bulbed or knotty root, that the 
 natives bake their cassavi or West India 
 bread. The colour thereof is brown, and th 
 shape something like a radish or parsnip. 
 Some plants are furnished with from six to 
 ten roots, the longest being one foot in length 
 and thick in proportion. Under the bark they 
 are quite white, containing a white milky 
 juice. After the outer brown bark has been 
 scraped off from the roots, they are grated, 
 and then the whole mass is pressed in a bag 
 until all the juice is extracted. After being 
 dried and sifted, it has the appearance of fine 
 white flour, of which large flat cakes are 
 baked on a heated iron. While fresh, their 
 flavour is excellent, particularly with the ad- 
 dition of butter ; but when in time they 
 grow hard, they are easily softened by 
 sprinkling water or wine upon them. The 
 fresh, milky juice of these roots is a sweet 
 P'-ison, that occasions swellings and death 
 to man and beast. The root itself is as 
 poisonous as the juice ; yet both are per 
 fectly divested of this quality by fire ; the 
 former in baking, and the latter in boiling
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 55 
 
 t several hours and diligently skimming it. 
 By this process the root is converted into 
 nourishing bread, and the juice into a savoury, 
 wholesome sauce, to be eaten with fish or other 
 meat. The natives feed upon domestic ani- 
 mals that have died in consequence of eating 
 the raw cassavi root, without suffering any 
 harm. In a time of famine, the leaves of this 
 plant are even converted into nutritious food 
 by the negroes and others, by bruising and 
 then boiling them. Let us now resume the 
 narrative. 
 
 " One day a Warau visited me with his 
 whole family, to whom I preached Jesus. 
 Before he went away, I requested him to hew 
 some trees for me, and by way of reward, 
 I promised him a part of the fruit of these 
 trees. He immediately set about the work; 
 but in the act of felling the second tree, he 
 was bit so severely by the great ants, that 
 he dropped down like a dead man. In this 
 perplexity, I cried to the Lord to restore 
 him ; for if the man had died, it woidd have 
 greatly prejudiced the Indians against me. 
 I then laid some of the fruit of the tree on 
 ch« M ounded part, md behold ' in a short time
 
 56 AiVECDOTES OF 
 
 he was restored. Soon after this event, seve 
 ral baptized Indians visited me, who resided 
 on the river Mepenna. I represented to them 
 their duty, to lend me a helping hand, since 
 I had established myself in this place on 
 their account, and now stood in need of their 
 assistance. Hosea, their leader, replied : 
 " Brother ! you are right ; we will atone for 
 our fault ; in a few days I will come with se- 
 veral others to your assistance. 1 will also 
 lay out a banana garden behind your pre- 
 mises, that when the fruit is ripe, I may be 
 able to stay longer." I was much gratified 
 subsequendy on finding that they were as 
 good as tlieir word. Even unbaptized In- 
 dians commenced cutting wood and planting 
 vegetables here. 
 
 " So far I had enjoyed excellent health ; 
 but at length I sunk under the burden of exces- 
 sive labour, and was taken ill. I wrote to the 
 Brethren in Berbice, requesting them to send 
 Brother Bambey hither on a visit. He imme- 
 diately on the receipt of the letter, started for 
 the Mepenna, intending to travel from thence 
 by water, yet he Jbund great difficulty in pro- 
 curing an Indian guide, because the natives
 
 MISSION ARY WORTHIES. 57 
 
 drs'.aded going to a sick man and more espe- 
 cially to me, believing the devil dwelt with 
 me. Brother Bambey, however, at length 
 prevailed on them to assist him, and on his 
 arHval staid with me one week. In all my 
 trouble and bodily weakness, my dear Saviour 
 graciously supported me and sweetened for 
 me every affliction. After having been two 
 years alone on this station, four Brethren 
 unexpectedly arrived here, in the year 1759 ; 
 two of them came to take charge of the sta- 
 tion, and with the other two I moved to Sha- 
 ron. 
 
 One Sunday, being January 25th, 1764, 
 while walking abroad some distance from our 
 dwelling with one of the brethren, we heard 
 the report of a number of firearms, which we 
 could not account for. We therefore hastened 
 back to the house to sf e what was the matter. 
 But before we reached it. Brother Daniel 
 Kamm came running up to us without hat or 
 shoes, and pale as death, stating that the ma- 
 roons or runaway slaves had surprised the 
 place, wounded Brother Zander and set fire to 
 our house. Soon after the Indians met us, 
 one of them with an arrow slicking in his
 
 58 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 back, and the wound bleeding profusely 
 They entreated us not to repair to the spot 
 as all resistance had become vain. Brothet 
 Strueby and myself concluded to follow them 
 into the woods, and to stay with them. But 
 soon losing the right course, we wandered 
 about the whole day, while the rain poured 
 down in torrents, so that, when night came on, 
 we found ourselves on the same spot from 
 which we had set out. The enemy having 
 left our premises, we went in search of our 
 Indians, whom we found. They then took 
 us to the spot where our wounded Brother 
 Odenwald was lying, whose wounds still re- 
 mained undressed. I immediately dressed thera 
 as well as I could. It was a fortunate circum- 
 stance that we were furnished with a hammock 
 to lay him in ; the rest of us however lay all 
 night on the wet ground, and were afraid to 
 make up a fire, for fear of being discovered by 
 the enemy. Next day Brother Strueby re- 
 paired to our establishment, and found every 
 thing laid waste and consumed, and the deadk 
 bodies of several Indians lying scattered on 
 the ground. We had intended to stay with 
 ur Indian flock; but Brother Strueby, who
 
 MISSIOPTARY WORTHIES. 59 
 
 was to affompany Brother Odenwald back to 
 Paramaribo, being but a poor surgeon; we all 
 three finally concluded to go to that place, and 
 comforted our Indians with the hope of the 
 speedy return of one of our number. January 
 28th we arrived in safety at Paramaribo, when 
 the governor immediately sent for us, to obtain 
 a true report of the whole transaction, and 
 manifested the liveliest sympathy with our 
 fate. 
 
 But as it is growing late, I think it quite time 
 to conclude our conversation. 
 
 Emma. One question more, father. Do you 
 know what became of good Mr. Dehne at 
 last, whose narrative has so deeply interested 
 us for his welfare ? 
 
 Mr. Fox. He departed this life at Zeyst in 
 Holland, aged fifty-five years and two months, 
 of a quinsy in the throat, and the suppuration 
 of an ulcer in the lungs, in the full possession 
 of his mental faculties, and longing to go home 
 and to be for ever with the Lord. The active 
 life and peaceful death of this devoted servant 
 of Christ, bring to my mind the following 
 sweet lines of the poet:
 
 50 A\ECD01ES OF 
 
 Gracious Ixard .' Thy name we blesa. 
 That with hope and thankfulness 
 We may to the grave consign 
 Dust of friends, w ho were, Lord I ThiB0 
 
 ost Thou beckon those away, 
 Wliom we'd fain have longer stay ? 
 Dost Thou summon servants home. 
 Dost Thou bid thy handmaids come? 
 
 May we meekly bow to Thee 
 Under each adversity — 
 Cease from sorrow — let them rest- 
 Say, the will of God is best. 
 
 Make us active, pious, true. 
 Full of faith and patience too, 
 Willing. Lord I below to stay. 
 WUhngly to haste away. 
 
 Haste "the glorious ransom day, 
 \Mien to ev'n,' saint Thou'lt say. 
 " Well done, faithful servant; come. 
 Enter nou thy lastmg home I" 
 
 CONA^ERS.^TION IV. 
 
 Mr. Fox. I am going to give you an account, 
 this evening, of a venerable man; who. thoiin-h 
 tollowinfif in his younger days tlie business of 
 a coach-driver ana menial servant, was called
 
 MISSICNARY WORTHIES. 61 
 
 out from the world to become, in alter lifS; 
 an eminent instrument in the hands of the 
 Lord, for the conversion of some of the most 
 stupid and degraded members of the great 
 human family. In his case you will have oc- 
 casion to observe, that the promise of Scripture, 
 Isaiah xlii. 16. if never before, was in this in- 
 stance literally fulfilled : " I will bring the blind 
 by a way that they knew not : I will lead them 
 in paths that they have not known ; I will make 
 darkness light before them, and crooked things 
 straight. These things will I do unto them, 
 and not forsake them." 
 
 Emma. What was the name of this good 
 and worthy man ? 
 
 Mr. Fox. His name is John Beck ; he 
 served the Lord with persevering fidelity forty- 
 three years in the mission among the Green- 
 landers. 
 
 Edwin. I think I have heard or read an 
 account of this missionary before. 
 
 Mr. Fox. His name is mentioned in the 
 " Sketches of Moravian Missions," where 
 the interesting account is given of the conver- 
 sion of the first Greenlander, on which occa- 
 sion our Saviour employed Bfck as the ho 
 F
 
 62 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 noured instrument to effect the purposes of 
 his grace. As you have read those sketches 
 with pleasure, and I think with profit, I justly 
 presume that you will feel interested in hear- 
 ing some further particulars about this servan 
 of Christ, whose early call into the way of 
 salvation, and subsequently into the ministry, 
 is connected with truly wond-erful events. 
 He was born June 7th, 1706, at Kreuzendorf, 
 a village in Upper Silesia, in Germany. Hig 
 grandfather, Jacob Beck, a man holding the 
 doctrines of the reformation, had on that ac- 
 count to suffer persecution from his Roman 
 Catholic fellow-citizens to that degree, that they 
 laid him in irons and cast him into prison, where 
 they beat, tortured, and detained him so long, 
 till they made him a perfect cripple, and he 
 finally departed this life. The missionary's 
 father, Caspar Beck, having early imbibed the 
 principles of evangelical relio-ion, no soonei 
 came to years of discretion, than he sought 
 and cultivated the society of such as re- 
 tained a spark of the Redeemer's love in theii 
 hearts, and frequendy read the Bible and 
 other religious books with them. He him- 
 self instructed his children, to the best of his
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 63 
 
 knowledge, in reading, and in the truths of the 
 sacred Scriptures, that they might be kept out 
 of evil company and not imbibe false princi- 
 ples. He placed his son John as a servant 
 among strangers, and whenever the boy would 
 come home on a visit, his father would give 
 him this solemn charge, " My son ! alway 
 Bet God before your eyes, and it will be well 
 with you here and hereafter !" These words 
 left a lasting impression on his mind, and of- 
 ten, as he states in his biography, written by 
 himself, recurred to his memory in his lonely- 
 hours. He further states there, that in 1726 
 he was under serious convictions, but soon 
 after relapsed into his former unconcern res- 
 pecting his soul's salvation, till in May, 1731, 
 when he entered the service of Michael Da- 
 rnel, a Roman Catholic priest, in the capacity 
 of a coachman. 
 
 Being prohibited the reading of Lutheran 
 publications, on pain of a severe penalty, he 
 bought a Catholic New Testament and dili- 
 gently perused it. Happening to be alone 
 one day, he felt a secret impulse in his 
 heart to take up that book and read in it 
 He opened it at that passage Rev. iii. 15 — 18 :
 
 64 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 *' I know th}' works, that thou art neither cold 
 nor hot ; I would thou wert cold or hot. So 
 then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither 
 cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my 
 mouth : because thou sayest, I am rich and in- 
 creased with goods, and have need of nothing, 
 and knowest not that thou art wretched and 
 miserable and poor and blind and naked : I 
 counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the 
 fire, that thou mayest be rich ; and white rai- 
 ment, that thou mayest he clothed, and that 
 the shame of thy nakedness do not appear ; and 
 anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou may- 
 est see." He tells us in his narrative, that 
 as soon as he commenced reading, he felt as 
 though a fire burned in his bones, his eyes 
 began to weep, his heart melted like wax be- 
 fore the fire, and he fell to the ground as one 
 dead. Feeling himself to be a slave to sin, he 
 thought he must perish for ever in this mise- 
 rable condition. Having lain on the floor about 
 an hour, writhing like a worm in agony, and 
 oeing just ready to despair, he had an unexpect- 
 ed visit from his heavenly friend Jesus, who 
 came and smiled upon him. That he was not 
 dreaming, nor deceived by Ids own fancy, is
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 65 
 
 evident from his succeeding trials. It seemed 
 to him, as he relates, as though he saw his suf- 
 fering God and Saviour, covered with blood 
 and wounds, extended on the cross, as a sa- 
 crifice for his sins. With the smile of a friend 
 and brother, he seemed to incline towards 
 him ; he comforted him, and assured him of 
 the forgiveness of his sins, and bid him rise 
 and live. Beck now felt as though he had 
 been relieved from a very heavy burden. He 
 arose with alight and cheerful heart, and weep- 
 ing eyes, and from that hour became a witness 
 of the grace he had experienced. Accordingly 
 he could not hold his peace, when his ac- 
 quaintances, observing an alteration in his usual 
 deportment, asked him what had happened 
 to him, to produce such a change. His 
 fellow-servant, John Hadwig, returning home 
 from the field that same evening, he related 
 to him what had happened during the day, 
 which so powerfully affected him that he 
 burst into tears. Shortly after similar effecis 
 were the result of the same cause in an 
 interview he had with his own youngest 
 brother, with Hadwig's brother Martin, and 
 others. This little company of awakened 
 F 2
 
 6 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 Bouls, having no knowledg-e of the existence 
 of true children of God on earth, much 
 less of the existence of the Moravian church, 
 (of which some of them subsequendy be- 
 came members) instituted meetings for social 
 worship am.ong themselves, while they had 
 the promise of the Lord Jesus in their 
 favour : " Where two or three are gathered 
 together in my name, there am I in the 
 midst of them." At these meetings they 
 would pray, relate their experience, and love 
 one another. They soon became as a little 
 leaven that leaveneth the whole lump. People 
 flocked to them,- and testified their desire to be 
 informed concerning the way of salvation. 
 The affair soon came to the knowledge of the 
 priest, who did not long remain an idle spec- 
 tator ; he closely examined Beck, why he did 
 not as heretofore frequent taverns and fashion- 
 able amusements of the world, and commanded 
 him not to read any kinn of books, nor take a 
 Lutheran prayerbook into church. He pro- 
 mised the priest to comply with the latter in 
 junction, because he knew he could pray in 
 his heart to the Lord, which it was out of the 
 power of the other to prevent ; but as for the
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 67 
 
 first, said he, addressing himself tc the cler- 
 gyman, to frequent taverns, and riot in the 
 manner I formerly did, is not only in opposi- 
 tion to the command of God, but even to your 
 own doctrine from the pulpit. You well know 
 my former scandalous life and wicked con- 
 versation, but you never once reproved me 
 for its impropriety ; whence comes it that 
 now, since I endeavour to obey the truth, you 
 are dissatisfied with me ? He replied : " I see 
 you are in the right way ; but people give me 
 so much trouble on your account, that I am 
 quite tired of it. Indeed, if I should live 
 up to the requisitions of the Bible, V should 
 most assuredly be put out of office," &c. 
 After a long conversation they parted, appa- 
 rently in mutual good understanding and friend- 
 ship. The work of God continuing to spread, 
 until almost two entire villages were stirred 
 lip by the faithful testimony of these young 
 converts, the enemy became enraged thereby, 
 and by craft as well as force sought to quench 
 the spark of love which had been kindled 
 in their hearts. In April 1732 one hundred 
 or more of these people were summoned 
 tc appear before a court of inquiry, in the
 
 •J8 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 uastle of Suppaii, consisting < f bishops 
 priests, magistrates, and lawyers. Beck being 
 of course, included in the summons, first took 
 an affectionate and final leave of his friends, 
 although none of them could believe him, 
 when he asserted that they would see his face 
 no more; and then took his priest, who was 
 considered an indispensable witness at the 
 castle, to that place in his carriage. The 
 above named converts had their trial first ; when, 
 by promises and threats, they were all, through 
 the fear of man. persuaded to recant. In the 
 evening Martin Hadwig, who had been a close 
 prisoner' for several days, was called to the 
 bar ; but he remained firm, and made a bold 
 confession of the truth. About 10 o'clock 
 Beck was finally summoned before the com- 
 missioners, when for three hours together he 
 was qfestioned by them concerning the trans- 
 actions of the past year, and the whole of this 
 time felt so much cheered by the presence of 
 his Master, and his heart and lips so uncom- 
 monly ready for utterance, as to convince him 
 most sensibly of the truth of our Lord's saying. 
 Matt. X. 19. " Wnen they deliver you up, 
 take no thought how or what ye shall speak
 
 MISSIOXARY WORTHIES. 69 
 
 for it shall be given you in that same hour what 
 ye shall speak." About one o'clock at night, 
 when they had filled three sheets of paper with 
 his depositions, on witnessing his cheerful- 
 ness they ordered the constables to chain 
 him, to throw him into a dungeon and not to 
 take him out from thence till he had fallen a 
 prey to worms. His priest then rose up, took 
 him aside, spoke very kindly to him, and beg- 
 ged him to promise, that he would live as he 
 had formerly done ; telling him, that he was 
 still at liberty to entertain his private opinion, 
 and that he would never throw any obstacles 
 in his way. " Pray, take care, added he, that 
 I and you may not both be utterly ruined." 
 Beck replied in presence of the whole assem- 
 bly : " I cannot, neither will I suffer myself 
 to be diverted from my opinions just given 
 you." The constables then brought in the 
 irons, and with great trembling, chained him 
 hand and foot ; some of them even bewailed 
 his fate with tears, because they knew that he 
 was cast into prison without a just cause. 
 His sentence being pronounced, that he should 
 be cast into a dark hole under the walls of the 
 castle, some of his fellow-coachmen ran on
 
 70 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 before, and liirew some straw and hay into the 
 dungeon, that he might not be chilled by the 
 cold and damp ground. He accordingly en- 
 tered with a cheerful and courageous heart, and 
 enjoying the Saviour's presence in the most 
 powerful manner during the night, he felt as 
 happy there as though he had entered the 
 courts of heaven itself. 
 
 Emma. I can no longer contain my sur- 
 prise and indignation at the unjust and cruel 
 treatment which this man met with. And 
 after all, to be as happy in a dungeon, as 
 though he had been in paradise itself, is what 
 I cannot account for. 
 
 Edwin. I think, father, I should have wept 
 my eyes almost out, if they had put me into 
 such a place, without the least shadow of jus- 
 tice. 
 
 Mr. Fox. The principles upon which Beck, 
 and a host of similar worthy confessors acted, 
 you see, were of the purely evangelical and 
 self-denying kind ; they would sooner part 
 with an eye or limb, or, if required, with life, 
 for the sake of the gospel, than, by denying 
 their Master and his cause, purchase exemp- 
 on from a threatened penalty, and finally be
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 71 
 
 cnst soul and body into hell. And as Jesus, 
 while suffering for sinners, was not left alone, 
 but the Father was with him to uphold and 
 comlort him, so sinners, saved by grace, while 
 sutlering for their Redeemer and his cause, 
 enjoy his presence and support, in a manner 
 similar to what this worthy confessor did. He 
 and his fellow-prisoner, Martin Hadwig, were 
 daily compelled to shift their quarters, whilst 
 the former invariably received the worst treat- 
 ment. Whenever he was permitted to be in 
 the room to which all his adversaries had free 
 access, he was sure to be laid in the stocks at 
 night. He was often beaten with a stick, 
 stabbed with a sword, and treated in the most 
 barbarous manner, particularly when, in reply 
 to their reproachful inquiries, he either gave 
 them a pointed answer, or held his peace. 
 Receiving but a few morsels of bread and a 
 little water daily, he began to feel very hun- 
 gry Being again put into the dungeon, into 
 which a person could scarcely creep, through 
 a little door, which had a small hole in it, just 
 large enough to admit a hand, he met with the 
 following incident. The dungeon being close 
 to the street, one who was a perfect stranger
 
 72 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 to him, addr<3ssed a long speech to him, the 
 meaning of which, however. Beck could not 
 comprehend, not understanding the language 
 spoken by the stranger. Finding that the pri- 
 soner was incapable of answering his questions, 
 he thrust a long slice of bread through the 
 opening in the door, and then left him, and 
 went his way. Thus, through the wonderful 
 goodness of God, were his faithful servant's 
 most pressing wants relieved, his faith and 
 dependance upon the providential care of his 
 Saviour strengthened, and a prelude given to 
 that yet more remarkable deliverance from the 
 hands of his enemies, which he some time 
 after experienced. 
 
 Emma. Truly, I see that nothing is impos 
 sible with God, and that he keeps his saints as 
 the apple of his eye. 
 
 Edivin. How did the good man at last es- 
 cape ? 
 
 Mr. Fox. At one time, in the act of being let 
 out of his dungeon, on looking at his feet, he 
 perceived to his great surprise, that the pad- 
 lock attached to his right leg had opened of 
 itself. Fearing, however, that the jailer might 
 charge him with liaving burst it open, and
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 7i< 
 
 would for that reason order him to be beaten, 
 he stooped down, unnoticed by the other, and 
 closed it again. Yet he immediately considered 
 this circumstance as a token of his speedy de 
 liverance. 
 
 Some days after, on the 1st of May, 1732, 
 the lords commissioners once more assembled 
 for the examination of their prisoners. It being 
 St. Philip and St. James' day, they all went 
 to church to hear mass and a sermon. During 
 their absence, Martin Hadwig, being at that 
 time in the room, attended by a guard, re- 
 quested permission of him to go down stairs. 
 The guard, knowing him to be closely fettered, 
 suffered him to go, while he staid in the room 
 smoking his pipe. By the by, it must be re- 
 membered, that both prisoners, just about that 
 time, had been relieved from the irons fastened 
 to their hands. Hadwig, passing by Beck's 
 dungeon, stopped and inquired through the 
 small opening in the door, how he did ? He 
 replied ; " I think we are this day to leave the 
 prison !" " What!" exclaimed Hadwig, " we 
 are both chained at our feet — the doors are all 
 bolted — my guard is sitting up stairs ; and 
 besides all this, here is a large padlock, 
 G
 
 •74 A.VECDOTKS OF 
 
 of the size of a man's fist." Beck replied 
 "No matter for that ; I had an impression las) 
 night, that we should this day escape out of 
 prison ; and I am still of the same opinion. 
 Do you just try whether you can't force open 
 the padlock with your hands ; for then the 
 work will soon be accomplished." He dia 
 so, and happily succeeded in opening it. Beck 
 then said : '• Well brother, now come down 
 to me, take your seat, and let me try whether 
 I can't draw your boots, chains and all, from 
 your feet. He made the attempt, and after 
 much ado, succeeded in it. Hadwig next dia 
 the same to his friend, and although the skin 
 came off with the boots, still they Mere 
 rid of their irons. They threw the fetters into 
 the dungeon, took the boots into their hands, 
 and crept out of the hole. Now they were 
 indeed delivered from their fetters and close 
 confinement; but the gates were locked, and 
 both yard and castle were surrounded by a 
 wall several cubits in heisfht, so that a further 
 escape from these dismal premises seemed 
 wholly impossible. At this moment they disco- 
 vered that some carpenters wlio had been at 
 work atone pldce, had there piled up thechipp
 
 MlSSIOiVARY WORTHIES. 71 
 
 ugainst the wall. They mounted this pile, an^ 
 wi*h much exertion got to the top of the wall 
 from which they leaped down into the miry 
 ditch. During all this time, a litde girl had 
 been watching their motions. As they passed 
 her, Beck said to her : " if you will hold your 
 tongue, I will give you a piece of gingerbread 
 on our return." No sooner, however, did she 
 see them leaping from the wall, than she ran 
 and told the guard of their elopement. He 
 immediately hurried to the church to give 
 the alarm, when instandy, on receiving the 
 news, the congregation broke up. A number 
 of their enemies mounted their horses, and 
 taking their greyhounds with them, went at full 
 speed, in pursuit of the poor prisoners. 
 
 Echvin. Oh, how I feel for these innocent 
 sufferers ! After their hair-breadth escape from 
 the walls of their horrid dungeon, I can't see 
 how they could a second time escape their 
 mortal enemies, who were pursuing them 
 with the swiftness of an eagle. 
 
 Mr. Fox. What David said concerning his 
 own experience, when the Lord delivered him 
 from the hand of all his cLemies, and from the 
 hand of the implacable Saul, these men of God
 
 76 AiVECDOTES OF 
 
 could apply to their case, when they finally 
 v3ame to a place of safety. (Ps. xviii. 16 — 19. _) 
 *' He sent from above, he took me, he drew me 
 out of many waters ; He delivered me from my 
 strong enemy, and from them which hated 
 me ; for they were too strong for me. They 
 prevented me in the day of my calamity ; but 
 the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth 
 also into a large place ; he delivered me, be- 
 cause he delighted in me." Those hounds, 
 which the enemy calculated should seal their 
 destruction, eventually were made instrumental 
 in facilitating and completing their escape. 
 A.fter they had left the prison, and had run about 
 two miles, they entered a forest; when, looking 
 back, they beheld their pursuers almost at their 
 heels. Fortunately for them, however, a man 
 was travelling along the road from Jagerndorf, 
 and having passed him, they altered their 
 course, and struck into the woods on their left. 
 This man was presently attacked by the 
 hounds, by which means they gained upon 
 their enemies in the new course they had enter- 
 ed upon. Tlie hounds then quitting the man, 
 followed his track in the road, the hor.«!emeu 
 galloping after them
 
 MISSIOXARY WORTHIES. 77 
 
 Emma. Well, this was, indeed, a wonderful 
 escape. I think if I had been in a case like 
 this, I would never have forgotten such signal 
 deliverance. 
 
 Mr. Fox. Nor did Beck and his companion. 
 He remarks in his narrative : " with what 
 praise and gratitude we spent the day, and 
 how happ) we felt in our minds, I shall never 
 forget all the days of my life." And ever 
 after, to the last year of his life, it was his 
 legular custom to celebrate the anniversary of 
 his miraculous escape and delivery, as a day 
 of public, as well as private thanksgiving to 
 the Lord among his brethren. 
 
 Crantz, in his history of the Greenland mis- 
 sion of the United Brethren, makes mention 
 of the celebration of one of these anniversaries, 
 in the following words : 
 
 " When the missionary Beck, on his me- 
 morial day, (May 1, 1762,) called to mind 
 (in the presence of the Greenland congrega- 
 tion.) how thirty years ago the angel of the 
 Lord had de'ivered him in a miraculous man- 
 ner out of prison, where he had suffered bonds 
 for tlie sake of the gospel — how he had safely 
 conducted him to the church at Herrnhut (the 
 G 2
 
 78 A\ECDOTES OF 
 
 very name of which he had never heaid till 
 then,) — and how he was subsequently sent 
 by this church to Greenland, where he had 
 now the pleasure to see two congregations 
 of heathen converts established, he fell on his 
 knees with his hearers, and returned thanks 
 unto the Lord for all the mercy vouchsafed 
 unto him and his Greenland brethren during 
 the past thirty years. Many burst into tears, 
 and after service came to him, exclaiming : 
 '* What shall we render unto the Lord for his 
 great love manifested unto us, and for his 
 goodness in sending his messengers to call 
 us unto himself?" The only, and indeed 
 the best reply he could make, was, " O let 
 Christ's passion ever, till soul and body sever, 
 deep in your hearts engraved remain ! Ye 
 are commanded to show forth the Lord's death 
 till he come !" 
 
 Edwin. I am anxious to hear how our wor- 
 thies got to Herrnhut. 
 
 Mr. Fox. As it is said of Abraham, (Heb 
 xi. 8.) " that he went out, rot knowing whi- 
 ther he went," so they likewise journeyed 
 they knew not whither. Ignorant of any 
 place where G^d's true children dwelt, — igno-
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. V9 
 
 rant of the very existence of a Moravian chuioh, 
 clad in mean clothes, without a penny in 
 their possession, they were of course obliged 
 to hide themselves in the woods. Having 
 spent several days without food, and feeling 
 the cravings of extreme hunger, Beck ven- 
 tured to go into a mill, and to beg a woman 
 for a bit of bread, who, to his joy and sur- 
 prise, gave him half a loaf and some butter 
 in addition. Returning with this gift to his 
 hungry companion, with tears of joy they 
 gave thanks unto the Lord, and shared the 
 blessing together. 
 
 Emma. This affecting account makes me 
 think of the passage in Psalm cvii., which 
 so beautifully describes the case of our tra- 
 vellers. " They wandered in the wilder 
 ness in a solitary way ; they found no city to 
 dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul 
 fainted in them. Then they cried unto the 
 Lord in thei'' trouble, and he delivered them 
 out of their distresses. And he led them 
 forth by tlie right way, that they might go to 
 a city of habitation." 
 
 Mr. Fox. Having been to Breslau on se
 
 80 ANECDOTES OP 
 
 veral occasions, and knowing- tnat C'liristians 
 of the Lutheran persuasion lived there, they 
 now shaped their course in that direction. 
 Having again travelled several days without 
 food, hunger at last compelled them to ask a 
 piece of bread from some charitable people. 
 It so happened that they entered a Prussian 
 village near the city of Strehlen, where a 
 farmer, whose wife was a native of Rosnitz, 
 received them in a very humane manner. 
 After staying there several days, they were 
 told, that people of religious sentiments such 
 as they heid, lived at a place called Herrn- 
 hut, in Upper Lusatia. From that moment 
 they had no rest in their minds, but longed 
 to see Herrnhut, because they found nothing 
 but moral desolation every where, and hoped 
 there to meet with a body of people who 
 loved the Saviour supremely, and each other 
 cordially, the very thing they were in ques* 
 of. 
 
 But us Beck had been instrumental in con- 
 verting his youngest sister Elizabeth, and 
 she, before his imprisonment, had entreated him 
 not to be unmindful of her, if ever the Lord
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. ^1 
 
 should bring him to any of his faithful fol- 
 lowers, he now resolved to fulfil his engage- 
 ment to her ; and accordingly, a fortnight 
 after his escape from his prison, he retraced 
 his steps to lead her also out of the country. 
 
 At the village of Pummerswiz he learned, 
 that after he liad left the prison, his father 
 had been put in continement for several 
 days, but that he had since been set at liberty. 
 From ihis place he departed at night, and 
 brought out his sister without the knowledge 
 of his parents, although the whole family slept 
 in the same apartment. Calling her sofdy 
 by name liirough an open window, she m- 
 stantly answered : " Don't you see any of 
 the watch about the house ? Go into the 
 garden and I shall be there immediately." 
 Having left the bedroom in her undress, 
 slie joined him in the garden, exclaiming: 
 " This is a miracle wTOught by God ! He 
 has sent his angel before you to protect you ; 
 for ever since your elopement, government 
 liave every night placed sentinels about our 
 house, charging them to deliver you up, dead 
 or alive, in rase you should make your ap- 
 pearance !''
 
 82 ANECDOTES OP 
 
 They journeyed under the gracious protec 
 tion of a Saviour's providence, without pass ^ 
 port or money, barefooted and meanly clothed, 
 and although necessity compelled them almost 
 every night to sleep in the open air, and they 
 often lost their course in the woods during 
 dark and rainy nights, yet they safely arrived 
 at Herrnhut, May 31, 1732, one day before 
 Whitsuntide. Here they were received with 
 great cordiality and aflection by Count Zin- 
 zendorf and his Brethren. 
 
 In the fall of the year 1733, Beck once 
 more travelled into his native country, and 
 brought out from thence John Hadwig, and 
 his own eldest sister Anne, who had both ex- 
 pressed a great desire to emigrate. After tak- 
 ing an affectionate leave of his parents, he 
 returned once more to Herrnhut, with these 
 friends, under the safeguard of his Almighty 
 Protector. 
 
 Towards the close of this year. Count 
 Zinzendorf said to him in a meeting of the 
 Brethren : "So, you are resolved to go to 
 Greenland ? Indeed you look much like a
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 83 
 
 Greenlander !" He replied : " I am the Lord's, 
 •let him do with me as seemeth good in his 
 sight." And indeed that Lord, wlio had now 
 thoroughly furnished his chosen instrument 
 unto all good works, speedily cleared the way 
 for him, so that on the 10th of March, 1734, 
 he left Herrnhut for Greenland, in company 
 with Frederic Bcphnish, another devoted mis- 
 sionary ; they arrived there on the 19th of 
 August. 
 
 On thp 2nd of June, 1738, Beck was fa- 
 vourpd to be instrumental in the conversion of 
 the first Greenland convert to Christianity 
 who, in holy baptism, received the name of 
 Sara-iel. 
 
 Edwin. yes, 1 remember reading the in 
 teresting account of Samuel Kajarnak's con 
 version in the " Sketches of Moravian mis- 
 sions." 
 
 3Ir. Fox. I must refer you to that little 
 book, as well as to Cranz's History of the 
 Greenland mission, for further particulars of 
 the wonderful success that attended the labours 
 of Beck, B(ehnish, Stach,&c., in this mission 
 I shall content rpyself with giving you an ac- 
 count D tlie peaceful and triumphant departure
 
 84 ANECDOTES OP 
 
 of Brother Beck out of this vale of tears. 3Iarf h 
 10th, 1777, he once more rememhere'l with 
 gratitude the great things the Lord had done 
 for him during the period of forty-tliree years, 
 that had elapsed since his departure from 
 Herrnhut. The colic, which had often at- 
 tacked him during the last eighteen years of 
 his life, seized him violently on the 11th 
 On the 16th he was somewhat better, but on 
 the 17th the pain returned with so much se- 
 verity, that both himself and his family saw 
 that his hour was almost come. He then took 
 an affectionate leave of his wife, (the sister 
 of the missionary Stach, whom he had married 
 in 1736,) commended her in prayer to the Lord 
 and laying his hand upon her head, he gave 
 her his parting blessmg. He then sent for 
 Brother Meyer, his fellow labourer, who was 
 just on the point of meeting the communicant 
 members of Lichteifels. This meeting was 
 accordingly postponed, which made the Green- 
 land brethren and sisters suspect that their 
 dear teacher must be very low. 
 
 Brother Meyer having entered the room, 
 the dying man of God thus addressed him : 
 " 1 am very weak, and shall probably go to
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 85 
 
 my Saviour. All my concerns with Him are 
 settled. He sought me and drew me to 
 Himself out of mere love and mercy. I have 
 been exceedingly favoured to serve him in my 
 small degree in the Greenland mission ; and 
 all I could do, I did with cheerfulness and 
 alacrity. Still I know that I have been a great 
 debtor and have often been to blame. But 
 my dear Saviour has pardoned all my sins, and 
 now I hope he will, according to his good 
 pleasure, take me to himself." Having taken 
 a heart-affecting leave of all the missionaries 
 present, he laid himself quietly down and 
 prayed : " 0, dear Saviour ! uphold my weak 
 frame and ease my pains ! But ah ! what 
 are my sufferings when compared to thine ! 
 O, the anguish, the agony of death which 
 thou hast endured." His sufferings in the 
 night succeeding the 17th, were so excru- 
 ciating, that he confessed he had never before 
 spent so painful a night. No medicine 
 taking any effect, his only and last solace was 
 prayer to, and communion with the Saviour. 
 On the 19th, at two o'clock in the mo?ning, 
 he desired Brother Meyer to give hi^^ the 
 last benediction. Having himself unc -rered 
 H
 
 86 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 his venerable head, the blessing of the Lord 
 was bestowed upon him, under a powerful 
 sensation of the divine presence, and the tears 
 of the bystanders manifested, how deeply they 
 deplored the loss of sc worthy a man. Ac- 
 cording to his wish, repeatedly expressed, 
 he was permitted to retain the full possession 
 of his mental faculties to the last moment of 
 his life. At four o'clock at length arrived the 
 moment, when his beloved Friend beckoned 
 his faithful servant away into the mansions of 
 rest, in the 71st year of his life. During the 
 forty-three years of his ministry in Greenland, 
 he baptized 450 persons of that nation, which 
 affords one proof among many others, diat 
 he was not slothful, but always abounding m 
 the work of the Lord, and that his labours 
 were not vain in the Lord. 
 
 Emma. Indeed, father, the account of his 
 last moments is so affecting, I can hardly re- 
 frain from shedding tears. 
 
 Mr. Fox. I have myself been much edified 
 while reflecting on the exemplary piety, de- 
 70tedness, humility and resignation of this 
 A^orthy missionary.
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES 87 
 
 CONVERSATION V. 
 
 Ediinn. Sister, what is the name of that 
 Moravian Brother, whose portrait we saw some 
 lime last year, in Heckewelder's narrative ? 
 
 Emma. I think it was the Rev. David 
 Zeisberger. 
 
 Edwin. Yes, that's the name. Oh do, fa- 
 ther, tell us something about this good man. 
 I know nothing more about him, than that 
 he was a missionary of the Moravian Brethren, 
 among the North American Indians, many 
 years. 
 
 Mr. Fox. I most cheerfully will do so ; but 
 as you know our conversation hour is neces- 
 sarily short to-day, you must be content with 
 merely some of the most striking incidents m 
 his long, laborious, useful and eventful life. 
 
 DavidZeisberger was born April 11th, 1721, 
 at Zauchtenthal in Moravia; he was conse- 
 quently, in the strictest sense of the word, a 
 Moravian, and in after life proved himself to 
 be one of the genuine stamp, by his huniibty
 
 88 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 and perfect devotedness to the cause of the 
 Redeemer. To escape Irom persecution, his 
 family, consisting of his parents, a brother and 
 a sister, and himself, emigrated by night from 
 their native village, leaving all their property 
 behind. Younsf Zeisbercrer was but five years 
 old when he arrived with his father's family at 
 Herrnhut, where he distinguished himself by 
 his diligence at school. In 1736, Count Zin- 
 zendorf took him to Holland, where, the Bre- 
 thren treating him, according to the mode of 
 education then current among them, as he 
 thought, with too great severity, if not with 
 injustice, he secretly left the place of his abode, 
 m company with another youth from Moravia, 
 whose name was Shober. They went on board 
 a vessel bound for Georgia, where they knew 
 the Brethren had commenced a settlement. 
 The members of the colony, and in particular 
 the parents of Zeisberger, who had arrived 
 there before with the other colonists, were 
 greatly surprised at the unexpected appearance 
 of these youths. But with all their joy at seeing 
 him again, his parents and the company were 
 much concerned about him, as they were poor, 
 and had but little for their own subsistence.
 
 MISSIONARY WORTH/ES. 89 
 
 Yet He, under whose protection he had safeiy 
 crossed the ocean, knew how to provide for 
 his daily subsistence, as well as for that of the 
 whole colony. 
 
 He had been but a few weeks in Georgia, 
 when he experienced a remarkable preserva- 
 tion of his life. Having heard the Bretliren 
 complain of the great damage done to their 
 rice fields, in the night by the deer, he se- 
 cretly took a loaded gun and repaired to the 
 spot where the deer used to enter the field. 
 Their entrance was under a fallen tree, which 
 rested upon another one. He climbed up the 
 former about fifteen feet high, and had not 
 kept his seat a great while, before two deer 
 approached the spot. As they were in the 
 act of passing under the tree, he fired ; but 
 the gun, which had been heavily charged, gave 
 him such a shock that he fell backwards to 
 the ground. How long he lay there in a 
 swoon he could not himself tell. On recover- 
 ing his senses, his head having been severely 
 hurt by the fall, he wiped the blood from hka 
 face, and discovered the dead deer lying near 
 him ; but the fowling piece he could not find. 
 When he made his appearance at home, the 
 h2
 
 90 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 Brethren were shocked at the sight, kindly 
 dressed his wounds and went out and brought 
 home both the deer and the gun. 
 
 In 1740 he moved with the colony to Beth 
 lehem, in Pennsylvania, where a variety of 
 incidents contributed to induce him, to devote 
 himself, out of gratitude to the Saviour, to the 
 missionary cause. Diligently improving his 
 talent for acquiring foreign languages, he soon 
 made himself master of several Indian dia- 
 lects. In 1745 he travelled with bishop 
 Spangenberg, for the first time, to Onondago, 
 the seat of the great council of the Iroquois 
 Indians. On their return from that place their 
 stock of provisions was at one time exhausted. 
 A green lawn afforded them a comfortable 
 resting place, but nothing to satisfy the crav- 
 ings of hunger. Having cast many a wish- 
 ful glance at each other, bishop Spangenberg 
 arose, and in friendly mood thus addressed 
 Zeisberger : "Come, David, make haste and 
 get your fishing tackle ready to catch a mess 
 of fish for us.'' He replied ; I would readily 
 make the attempt, if there were the least 
 prospect of catching any fish ; the fish do not 
 stay in such c ear shallow water, particularly
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 91 
 
 at this season of the year, for at present they 
 are ill in deep water. Shebosh, their com 
 panion, confirmed this assertion. S}»ano-enberg. 
 however, continued: "But if I, notwithstand- 
 ing-, say : ' David, go and fish' ! you will do so 
 this time from mere obedience." David having 
 consented to go, the bishop then said : " Go 
 a litde farther out into the water, that from my 
 ^eensward 1 may have the pleasure of wit- 
 nes»sino[ vour skill in fishinof." While Zeis- 
 beiger and Shebosh were stepping into the 
 water, they said to each other : Our dear 
 brother Spangenberg knows very little about 
 fishing ; no wonder, however — it is something 
 out of his line. Filled with surprise, they 
 were soon ready to take back their declaration, 
 for Shebosh had enough to do merely to 
 watch the large fish that Zeisberger caught. 
 On returning to their resting place, Spangen- 
 berg smiling, observed, " Ah ! my brethren ! 
 have we not a kind heavenly Father ?" Not 
 only were thej enabled for the present to sa- 
 tisfy the ciavings of hunger, but they also had 
 a supply left, which, according to the Indian 
 fashion, they dried at a fire and then took 
 wi.h them to eerve them on their further
 
 92 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 journey. Or this occasion Zeisbergei's faith 
 in the gracioi.s providence of Gotl was so 
 firmly established, that ever afterwards, dur.ng 
 the whole of his ministry, he ventured every 
 thing upon the help and support of the Lord, 
 and never suffered himself to be dissuaded 
 from his purpose, whenever he had the good 
 of perishing souls in view. — On another occa- 
 sion, when they were much distressed for 
 want of provisions for several days, they 
 found a quarter of a bear, which an Indian, not 
 being able to carry it with him, had hung up 
 at the side of the road, for the benefit of those 
 that might happen to come that way. 
 
 Edwin. While you were relating, father, 
 how these pious men were supplied with fish 
 in so seasonable a manner, I thought of the 
 miraculous draught of fishes with which our 
 Saviour favoured his disciples, when they 
 had toiled lU night and caught nothing. 
 
 Emma. I suppose the same power that 
 furnished ihe one draught, bestowed the 
 other also. 
 
 Mr. Fox. Unquestionably ; for it is said, 
 " the Lord giveth to all their meat in due sea- 
 son ; he openeth his hand and satisfieth the de-
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 93 
 
 sire of every living thing." But we will now 
 resume Zeisberger's history. From 1745 till 
 1750, he was almost constantly travelling and 
 preaching among different Indian nations ; 
 having either the bishops Cammerhof and 
 Spangenberg, or else the Brethren Post and 
 Mack with him, as his fellow-travellers. To- 
 wards the close of 1750 he went on a visit 
 to Europe, where count Zinzendorf, at Herrn- 
 hut, had a long conversation with him concern- 
 ing his labours among the Indians, and acknow- 
 ledged him to be a chosen vessel of God foi 
 the good of these people. He confirmed his 
 call to this mission, and with this view recom- 
 mended him in an especial manner to the Di- 
 vine blessing. Thus having his province dis- 
 tinctly marked out to him, Zeisberger, on his 
 return to America, was enabled to resume his 
 favourite pursuits with so much the greater 
 confidence and activity. During the following 
 ten or twelve years, he and other missionaries 
 that accompanied him, had to suffer incredible 
 hardships ; so that the Indians were often 
 gready surprised to see the Brethren, who 
 might have lived so comfortably at home, out 
 of mere love to them, take up with coarse fare,
 
 94 ANECDOTES OP 
 
 oreven sufferhunger. November 24th, 1755 
 being the day on which the house of the 
 missionary Brethren, on Mahony creek, was 
 attacked and burnt, and eleven persons were 
 murdered by hostile Indians, Zeisberger was 
 sent as a messenger, carrying letters which he 
 was 10 deliver that same evening at botl: 
 places, Gnadenhutten on the Lehigh, and the 
 establishment on the Mahony, about half a 
 mile from the former. Having arrived at Gnad- 
 enhutten, at the house of the missionaries 
 Mack and Grube, they did not think it safe 
 for him to cross the Mahony the same even- 
 ing, particularly as hostile Indians were known 
 to be lurking in the neighbourhood. But he 
 would by no means be dissuaded from execut- 
 ing the commission he had received; bidding 
 the missionaries good night, he mounted his 
 horse and rode off. Mack being seized with 
 anxious forebodings concerning his fate, ran 
 after him and earnestly begged him to return 
 but he would not yield to any solicitations, but 
 rode on. He had hardly got into the middle 
 of the Lehigh, when Mack distinctly heard 
 the iring on the Mahony, and called out to him
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 95 
 
 to return. Zeisberger, not hearing the report 
 of the firearms, on account of the rushing of . 
 the water, rode quite across the Lehigh ; but 
 at last he was prevailed upon to retrace his 
 steps. As soon as he came up to Mack, 
 who stood waiting for him on the bank of the 
 river, they saw the country in the direction 
 of the Mahony illuminated by fire ; from 
 whence they concluded that the buildings be- 
 longing to the Brethren on that creek were in 
 flames. Shortly after, this supposition was 
 confirmed by the arrival of Joseph Sturgis, a 
 youth who had escaped the murderous hands 
 of the incendiaries. Zeisberger, immediately 
 after the receipt of the tragical news, hastened 
 back to Bethlehem, where he arrived in the 
 morning at 3 o'clock. In regard to this gra- 
 cious preservation of his life, he often ex- 
 pressed himself to this effect : " Had I come 
 sooner, or a little later to the missionaries on 
 the Mahony, I shjuld have run right into the 
 hands of the enemy ; but such was not the 
 Saviour's will ; I was destined to serve him 
 loiger in his vineyard." 
 
 Etmaa. How plainly was the Scripture
 
 yb ANECDOTES OF 
 
 declaration verified in this case : *All things 
 work together for good unto them that love 
 God !" 
 
 Mr. Fox. Yes, and not only in reference 
 to Zeisberger's narrow escape, but also in 
 regard to the poor sufferers in that tragical 
 scene. Men of the world, indeed, consider it 
 
 very distressing case to die under such cir- 
 cumstances ; but pious people know and believe 
 that such a death to tliem is for their good 
 because it terminates not only all their sorrows 
 and suflerings here, but at once brings them 
 to the full possession of an eternal weight of 
 glory 
 
 To give you some idea of the suflerings of 
 the missionaries in those days, while travel- 
 ing in the Indian country, and of the hardships 
 some of the devoted heralds of the cross have 
 to undergo to this day, I will give you a short 
 account of Zeisberger's journey, which, in 
 1767, he undertook to the Ohio, along the banks 
 of which Indians were reported to be living, 
 that were anxious to hear the gospel. This 
 was enough for his ardent spirit. Without 
 regarding the obstacles, hardships .iiiJ iriuis he
 
 MTSSTONARY WORTHIES. \) I 
 
 might meet with on the way, he set out in 
 company with Anthony and John Papunhank, 
 two pious Indian assistants ; the whole In- 
 dian congregation at Friedenshuetten (Peace- 
 cabins) uniting in prayer for their preservation 
 on this dangerous journey. Frequently they 
 had to travel over plains many miles in length, 
 called prairies, overgrown with such high 
 grass, that a man on horseback was entirely 
 concealed in it ; and when either dew or rain 
 had fallen, our travellers were completely 
 drenched by it. The farther they penetrated, 
 the more frightful the wilderness appeared^ 
 and it cost them immense labour to worK 
 their way through the thickets. After a 
 march of four days through such a country 
 they found the first hut in the woods, in which 
 they took their lodging for the night; for 
 60 far they had always slept in the open air, 
 wrapping themselves up in their blankets 
 and suffering great inconvenience from the 
 continual rains.— -The result of this visit to 
 the heathen Indians was such, that through 
 the bold, spirited and affectionate addresses 
 I
 
 yo ANECDOTES OF 
 
 of Zeisberffer and his assistants, and thff 
 eviderit blessing: of God resting on their 
 labours, a desirable door was opened for the 
 preac'hing of the gospel among them. A.c- 
 cordingly, in April of the followino; year, 
 Zeisberger, attended by bishop Ettwein, and 
 the Brethren Heckewelder and Angerman,* set 
 out on a journey to tie Ohio, which lasted 
 five weeks, in hopes of forming a missionary 
 establishment there. This company were in 
 great danger of losing their lives in a shock- 
 ing manner, the first night of their stay at 
 Wajomick. Oo-den, a trader, the only white 
 man at the place, entertained them very hospi- 
 tably. The dwelling of this man consistea 
 ot two small building-s adjoining each other; 
 in one were stored \v s goods which he kept 
 for sale, and in the other several kegs of pow- 
 der were deposited. He slept in the store- 
 room, from which a door opened into the 
 powder magazine ; another opened into it 
 from the outside. A change of weather threat 
 ening to come on, he prepared a couch of 
 straw for his g-uests in the powder magazine 
 
 * ConiJult Hekewelder's History
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 99 
 
 requesting them, in the most frienJl}' terms, 
 on no account to smoke tobacco in the apart- 
 ment, not only because some grains of powder 
 might lie scattered upon the floor, but chiefly 
 because several kegs had been opened. At 
 bed time Mr. Ogden placed a lighted candle 
 in his store, in such a situation that it coula 
 throw sufficient light through the middle door, 
 until the whole company had retired to rest. 
 Angerman, however, in order to examine and 
 bind up his wouned feet, wished to have the 
 candle placed nearer to himself. The land- 
 lord, and the rest of the company, represented 
 to him the danger to which he would expose 
 nimself and them ; but he ceased not to plead 
 for it, promising neither to bring the candle in 
 contact with the straw, nor to blow it out, but 
 to leave it standing on the sill of the door, 
 and then to extinguish it on the outside of the 
 house. Mr. Ogden finally gave way to his 
 request, and then shut the middle door. They 
 now laid down, after once more charging 
 Ano-erman to be careful with the lio;ht They 
 soon fell asleep, and he too was overpowered 
 by sleep, before he had extinguished the
 
 100 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 light. — Next morning Zeisberger took Hecke- 
 welder aside into the woods, there drew the 
 candle out of his pocket, and, in confidence. 
 3aid to him : " If during the preceding night 
 we had not had an invisible guard placed over 
 us, we should all have been blown to atoms, 
 and no soul could have known how it hap- 
 pened. I was fast asleep after the great fa- 
 tigue I had undergone, when suddenly 1 felt a 
 shock, as though some one were rousing me 
 by force. I jumped up, and behold ! the can- 
 dle was burnt down on one side, and just 
 on the point of dropping in a blaze on 
 the straw. To prevent this accident, there 
 was but one moment left. From that instanf 
 all sleep was banished from my eyelids — one 
 chill after another thrilled through my veins ! 
 Thanks be to our Lord for this extraordinary 
 preservation of our lives !" 
 
 Emma. This wonderful preservation of 
 these servants of God, brings to my remem- 
 brance the saying of David, (Ps. xxxiv. 7.) 
 " The a igel of the Lord encampeth round about 
 them th.it fear him, and delivereth them." 
 
 EJutii. And I have to think of the text I
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 101 
 
 commj'^d to memory for our last Sunday- 
 school "All his saints are in Thy hand!" 
 
 Mr. Fox. Yes, it is still true in our days, 
 as it vas in the time of Moses and David, 
 that th<3 Lord preserveth the souls and bodies 
 of hi«* saints. But I have an engagement, 
 that <»emands my immediate attention ; we 
 shall "herefore conclude our conversation this 
 pvenniof. 
 
 I2
 
 102 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 CONVERSATION VL 
 
 Edwin. Well, I am happy we are agam 
 met under the shade of our noble pear-tree ; 
 I hope we shall hear something further about 
 Zeisberger. 
 
 Emma. Will you please, father, to continue 
 the interesting narrative concerning him ? 
 
 Mr. Fox. You will remember, it is my de- 
 sign to confine myself principally to interesting 
 anecdotes from his valuable life, rather than 
 to give you a regular narrative, because that 
 would lead us too far. I may on the whole, 
 remark, that the labours of this untiring apostle 
 of the Indians were moet singularly blest by 
 the great Head of the church ; and the collect- 
 ing and establishing a number of flourishing 
 Christian Indian congregations, in different 
 parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio, was, under 
 God, chiefly owing to his great and persevering 
 exertions in the gooc cause. During the great 
 revival, for instance, which took place at 
 Schoenbrunn,* one of these Indian congre- 
 
 * Schoenbrunn, (beautiful spring,) a name given b> Zeis« 
 berger. — See Moravian Mis. p. 105.
 
 MISSIONARl WORTHIES. 103 
 
 gntions in Ohio, his biographer tells us, that 
 Zeisberger had his full share of the work. His 
 heart leaped for joy, when he was favoured to 
 be an eye-witness to the powerful effects, 
 which the word, preached by him and his t'el- 
 ow-labourei's, had upon the hearts of the 
 hearers. No strange Indian came into the 
 village but heard the gospel, and daily there 
 were some of them on a visit to the place ; 
 numbers did not leave it again, but immediately 
 asked for permission to stay; a spark of grace 
 had fallen into the hearts of others, which after- 
 wards induced them to call again, and to re- 
 main. These happy days the missionary ever 
 after held in grateful remembrance. 
 
 In 1779, Zeisberger, being once on the 
 point of returning from Lichtenau, another 
 missionary station, whither he had gone on a 
 visit, to Schoenbrunn, a faithful friend from 
 Sandusky brought him the news, that a party 
 of murderers had been deputed by the governor 
 of Detroit, and were already in the neighbour- 
 hood, being charged to take the missionary 
 alive, or bring away his scalp. His friends 
 therefore tried all in their power to prevail on 
 him to stay at Jiichtenau — the more so, as he
 
 104 ANECDOTES OP 
 
 had but one Indian to accompany him. But 
 he replied with great cahnness and composure ; 
 " My destiny is in the hands of God ; how 
 often has Satan attempted to cast me down ; 
 but he is not permitted to effect his purpose. 
 I go !" Seeing him so resolute, they deter- 
 mined that, at least, a safeguard of valiant In- 
 dians should accompany him ; but as these 
 could not get themselves in readiness so soon, 
 he took leave of the Brethren, and rode off. 
 God however permitted him to strike into a 
 wrong path, without his being aware of it. The 
 four Brethren, having started an hour later than 
 he, on coming to the spot where the road forked, 
 saw Zeisberger, who in the mean time had 
 discovered his mistake, riding back, and thus 
 they providentially met together. Had he 
 taken the right road, it would have been im- 
 possible for thesi Brethren to have overtaken 
 him before he met the hostile party ; the latter 
 meeting them when they were only about ten 
 miles from Lichtenau. Just at this juncture, 
 some friendly Dela wares, brave men, being 
 out upon the chase, joined Zeisberger's com- 
 pany, and immediately had recourse to their 
 arms, in order to act upon the defensive, pro-
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 105 
 
 vided they were attacked. This however was 
 unnecessary, as the enemy, on finding tliem 
 upon their guard, presently departed. 
 
 Echvin. Oh, I was afraid the dear seivanl 
 of God would certainly fall into their hands ; 
 I feel so happy that the angel of the Lord once 
 more delivered him out of the snare that was 
 laid for him ! 
 
 Mr. Fox. He was not always so fortunate , 
 for two years after, on his return from Bethle* 
 hem and Litiz, at which latter place he had 
 married Susan Lekron, he and all his fellow- 
 labourers were carried away captives to the river 
 Sandusky, about 125 miles from the mission- 
 ary stations. Heckewelder gives the following 
 account of this tragical event. On the morn- 
 ing of the 3rd of September, a native assist- 
 ant entered the mission-house at Gnadenhut- 
 ten on the Muskingum, where the Brethren 
 Zeisberger, Edwjrds, Senseman, and Hecke- 
 welder were assembled, and with *ears in his 
 eyes brought the news, that the savages would 
 attack them that very day ; but that the latter 
 were not aojeed amono^ themselves, whether 
 they would lead them away prisoners, or mur- 
 der and scalp them This intelligence had
 
 106 ANECBOTES OF 
 
 been gwen to the native assistant bj one 
 of his rehitions, who had sat in their counci , aiid 
 was a friend to the Brethren. The mission- 
 aries, notwithstanding, rang the he'll at the 
 usual hour in the morning, to assemble the 
 Indians for divine sen'ice ; and as a great 
 number of warriors came along with the Chris- 
 tian Indians, the spacious hall was not only 
 crowded with people, but many stood on the 
 outside of the doors. 
 
 After singing a hymn, brother Zeisberger 
 read the text appointed for the day — " In a 
 little wrath I hid my face from thee for a mo- 
 ment ; but with everlasting kindness I will 
 have mercy on thee, saith the Lord diy Re- 
 deemer." Isa. liv. 8. From these words he dis- 
 coursed with such power and undaunted bold 
 ness, that the great part of his hearers, ant^ 
 among them many of the warriors were melted 
 jnto tears. All the truly faithful members of the 
 church, were, on this occasion, united togethei 
 m one spirit, and formed the resolution, v,i\ 
 lingly and patiently to submit to every thin^ 
 that God should suffer to befall them; others 
 however, whose conversion was not sincere, 
 were brought to consider their state, and at leas4
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 107 
 
 to be iishamed of their double-mindedness. But 
 another blessed consequence of this memordble 
 meeting was, by the mercy of God, the preven- 
 tion of a terrible slaughter. The missionaries 
 knew, that many of their Indian brethren \vou]d 
 not remain indifferent spectators, in case their 
 teachers should be assaulted and abused ; ai d 
 it was likewise known that many of the war- 
 riors loved the missionaries, and would, ir 
 connexion with their relations among the be- 
 lieving Indians, fight for them. The war 
 council of the Hurons having been apprized 
 of this, had therefore devised ways and means 
 to assassinate them. Now brother Zeisberger 
 had declared publicly, and in the name of all 
 the missionaries, that they would willingly 
 and without murmuring submit to every dis- 
 pensation of Divine Providence ; yea, that 
 they would, as was the duty of every believer, 
 pray for their enemies, and for all the warriors 
 that had encamped around them. Doing so 
 himself, at the conclusion of his discourse, 
 the minds of the believing Indians were put at 
 rest concerning ibeir teachers ; and the war- 
 liors who had bef\i present at the meeting. 
 co\df\ "ftow announct to the council, that they
 
 lOS ANECDOTES OP 
 
 should meet with no resistance here For 
 this reason also, but three or four Indians 
 laid hands on the missionaries, and, contrary 
 to their custom on such occasions, treated 
 them with comparative lenity, notwithstand- 
 ing above 300 warriors were on the spot 
 At noon of said day, the Brethren Zeisberger, 
 Senseman, and Hecke welder, standing together, 
 a Mousey captain came running up to them, 
 and asked the former, whether he alone would 
 acknowledge himself as belonging to the nation 
 of the Monseys, (a Delaware tribe,) and as their 
 only teacher? Scarcely had they returned 
 for answer : '* Where one stays, there we all 
 8tay," when all three were seized and led into 
 the camp of the Hurons. While they were 
 being dragged along, a Huron galloped up to 
 them with great impetuosity, and aimed his 
 javelin at Senseman, but fortunately missed 
 him. A wicked Mousey took them one after 
 the other by the hair, and shaking their heads 
 soundly, every time repeated these words, 
 " Guamangomel niniat!" i. e. "I salute thee. 
 Brother !" Tliis their arch enemy, who was 
 a great reviler of the gospel, very well knew 
 the mode of salutation current amons: the Bre-
 
 anSSIONARY WORTHIES. 109 
 
 « 
 
 thren, and having the teachers now in his 
 power, he vented his indignation against th ;m 
 in this mannci-. 
 
 Emma. How much the conduct of these 
 missionaries resembles that of our Saviour, of 
 whom it is said, that "when he was reviled, 
 he reviled not again, when he suffered, he 
 threatened not ; but committed himself to Him 
 that judgeth righteously." 
 
 Mr. Fox. It was, you see, the grace of 
 Christ which enabled them patiently to sub= 
 mit to these indignities ; for if the spirit of 
 Christ had not animated them, they would, like 
 men of valour, probably have taken up arms in 
 their own defence, or at least have instigated 
 their people to do so ; whereas the truth is 
 this, they not only put down every attempt 
 made by their people for this purpose, but at 
 the demand of the savages even prevailed upon 
 the believing Indians, in a body, to remove, 
 and retire with them into the Sandusky wil- 
 derness, where, after having sustained at the 
 three missionary stations a loss, amounting in 
 value to more than §12,000 they spent a most 
 wretched winter, being almost perished with 
 ■told and famine. In March the missionaries 
 K
 
 110 ANECDOTES OP 
 
 were informed, that they were to be brought 
 as prisoners of war to Detroit. Tlie sej)ara- 
 tion from his dear flock grieved Brother Zeis- 
 berger beyond expression. 
 
 At parting he exhorted them with paternai 
 tenderness, now their teachers were taken 
 from them, to cleave the more firmly to their 
 Saviour. On their way to Detroit, the mis- 
 sionaries received the heart-rending news of 
 the tragical occurrence on the Muskingum, 
 when 94 Christian Indians were cruelly mur- 
 dered by a band of American assassins. 
 
 Edwin. Did the missionaries never return 
 to those of their flock, who escaped this mas- 
 sacre ? 
 
 Mr. Fox. Yes, they afterwards commenced 
 three or four new missionary establishments 
 in succession, where they collected their scat- 
 tered Indian flock ; but they were constantly 
 compelled to change their places of abode by the 
 machinations of their enemies :md various other 
 into ward circumstances, till in the fall of 1798, 
 when we find Zeisberger returning with his 
 assistant and their congregation to die iMusk- 
 ingum, where he commenced the missionary 
 tation at Goshen. This was the thirteenth
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. Ill 
 
 Christain Indian town that he laid out, and 
 here he spent the last ten years of his life 
 without any mo^station from without, and in 
 a constant siate of activity. 
 
 It now remains for me to give you some 
 account of the happy death of this champion 
 of the cross. On the 5t.i of November, 1808^ 
 seeing his end approaching, he addressed him- 
 self to his fellow-labourer. Brother Mortimer, 
 in the following terms : " My strength is daily 
 decreasing ; I believe that our Saviour intends 
 to make this sickness the occasion of my dis- 
 solution. I have reviewed the whole of 
 my past life before Him, and found abundant 
 reason to crave his forgiveness. I rely upon 
 his blood to cleanse me from all sin ; I know 
 that I am His,, and that he, with all his merits, 
 is mine. Some of God's children leave this 
 world in triumph, but that is not my case. I 
 go home with the feelings of a poor sinner- 
 My soul the Saviour will take to heaven ; my 
 sinful body I leave behind." On the 12th he 
 was entirely confined to his bed by a violent 
 ttack of the colic, which weakened him to 
 uch a degree, that it became evident this 
 would hasten his dissolution. On the follow-
 
 112 ANECDOTES OF 
 
 ing day he took an affectionate leave of Lia 
 wife, thanking her most cordially for all the 
 kindness she had ever shown him. Towards 
 midnight the last blessing was pronounced over 
 him by Brother Mortimer, at his own request. 
 lie was often found engaged in secret prayer, 
 and sometimes broke out into this audible ejacu- 
 lation ; " Lord Jesus ! I pray thee, come and re- 
 ceive my spirit !" At ore time, being in great 
 pain, he prayed very tervendy thus : " Thou 
 never yet didst forsake me in any distress what- 
 soever, neither wilt Tliou forsake me now T* 
 and soon after he exclaimed, as though he were 
 sure that his prayer were heard : " The Saviour 
 is near, perhaps he will soon come and take me 
 nome !" Although he so ardently longed to 
 be divested of this earthly tabernacle, yet he 
 manifested not the least sign of impatience, 
 but remained wholly resigned to the will of 
 the Lord. That childlike faith, and that firm 
 reliance upon the Saviour, whereby his life 
 was so eminently d/stinguished, and which 
 carried him through every trial and difficulty, 
 even now, when death approached, bore away 
 the palm of victory ; and the enjoyment of the
 
 MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 113 
 
 peace of God, which passes all understanding, 
 kept his heart and mind in Christ Jesus. 
 
 On the 17th at noon, brother Hecke welder 
 and some other Brethren from the neighbour- 
 hood, once more visited him. Being no longer 
 able to express his thoughts in words, he 
 expressed his inward joy by his smiles. 
 Soon after the departure of those Brethren, a 
 change being observed to take place in him, 
 all the Indian brethren and sisters collected 
 around the dying bed of their beloved teacher. 
 Every now and then they cheered his passage 
 to the tomb, by singing suitable hymns for him, 
 which almost to the last moment of his life, 
 he testified by signs was very agreeable to 
 him. About half past 12 o'clock he breathed 
 his last very quietly and without a groan, 
 and entered the mansions of eternal rest, aged 
 eighty-seven years, seven months, and six 
 days. 
 
 Edwin. Oh what a happy death was his ! 
 
 Emma. Well may every one who is desi- 
 rous to emulate the faith and patience of this 
 saint of God, pray with the poet : 
 
 ] Thus, O my Saviour, let me die 
 The righteous Christian's death; 
 k2
 
 114 ANECDOTES OF MISSIONARY WORTHIES. 
 
 And let ray last end be like his, 
 \Vhen I resign my breath. 
 
 2 Were mine such faith, such hope, such love 
 Such heaven-bom peace serene — 
 
 Then might I call for instant death, 
 Swifl to remove the screen. 
 
 3 Then too, my body might return 
 Unto its parent dust ; 
 
 My spirit wing its flight to God, 
 To whom return it must 
 
 4 But ah! while I myself confess. 
 Thy servant, Lord I to be, 
 
 In truth I am compelled to say— 
 " Such zeal dwells not in me !" 
 
 6 If such a ueathbed be the test. 
 That mine 's the bliss of heav'n— 
 Then, dearest Lord ! let such great grace 
 To me at last be given ! 
 
 THE END.
 
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