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FROM THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D 
 
 BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
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 Section l\J£tt j 
 
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THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/augustOOIedd 
 

THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 4/ 
 
 AUGUSTUS GOTTLIEB SPANGENBERG, 
 
 BISHOP OF THE UNITY OF THE BRETHREN. 
 
 FROM THE GERMAN 
 
 OF a 
 
 F / 
 CHAELES fS) LEDDEEHOSE, 
 
 INCUMBENT OP ST. GEORGE, IN THE BLACK FOREST. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 WILLIAM MALLALIEU AND CO., 
 
 97, HATTON GARDEN. 
 
 1853. 
 
PKEFACE. 
 
 The Church of the Brethren, from its commencement, has 
 nurtured within its borders men of God, the history of 
 whose lives and labours is worthy of extensive circulation. 
 Bishop Spangenberg, like Count Zinzendorf, exercised so 
 remarkable an influence upon the formation and extension 
 of that Church, that his memory, for this reason alone, is 
 worthy of honour. At the same time he was a witness for 
 the truth, so deeply rooted and grounded in the love of 
 Jesus, and so strengthened with might by His Spirit, that an 
 account of his life cannot but prove edifying to every one 
 who delights in studying the word of God, as exemplified in 
 the lives and experience of the children of men. These con- 
 siderations have induced the editor to compile a biography 
 of Spangenberg, from both printed and written documents, 
 in the hope that it may obtain extensive circulation among 
 Christians of every denomination. In doing this, he cherishes 
 the belief that it will meet with an attentive perusal, and 
 if it should become the means, under God, of leading any 
 one to Christ, — unto that Saviour who revealed himself so 
 clearly to the heart of Spangenberg, — the editor will deem 
 his humble labours amply rewarded. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 SECTION. 
 
 1. The Lord seeks early 
 
 2. Spangenberg in the University 
 
 3. First Acquaintance with the Church of the 
 
 Brethren ...... 
 
 4. His position at Halle .... 
 
 5. First Appointment in the Brethren's Church 
 
 6. Labours in Wurtemberg and Holland 
 
 7. Experiences in London, and on the Voyage to 
 
 America 
 
 8. Becoming all Things to all Men 
 
 9. Labours in Germany 
 
 10. Labours in England 
 
 11. Return to America . 
 
 12. Various Occurrences 
 
 13. Visitation in America 
 
 14. Wars and Rumours of Wars 
 
 15. Wanderings and Partings . 
 
 16. Manifold Labours and Trials . 
 
 17. Literary Pursuits 
 
 18. The Privy-Councillor, Baron de 
 
 19. The Jubilee 
 
 20. Extracts from Letters . 
 
 21. The Sabbath draws on 
 
 Spangenberg 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 9 
 16 
 22 
 
 26 
 
 30 
 34 
 41 
 46 
 53 
 62 
 66 
 73 
 78 
 85 
 89 
 92 
 97 
 105 
 114 
 
 i 
 
t 
 
THE LIFE OF 
 
 BISHOP SPANGENBERG 
 
 I. 
 
 The Lobd seeks early. 
 
 " The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying-, Yea, I have loved thee 
 with an everlasting" love : therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn 
 thee."— Jerem. xxxi. 3. 
 
 About the commencement of the last century, George 
 Spangenberg officiated as Lutheran clergyman at Kletten- 
 berg, in the principality of Hohenstein, now belonging to the 
 kingdom of Prussia. His marriage with Elizabeth ]N"esen, 
 was blessed with four sons, the youngest of whom, Augustus 
 Gottlieb, was born on July the 15th, 1704. George Span- 
 genberg was a faithful witness of the truth. On one occa- 
 sion, when an attempt was made to introduce a hymn-book, 
 which contained pernicious errors, he manfully resisted, and 
 had the satisfaction of preventing it. He frequently called his 
 four sons into his study, and falling on his knees, commended 
 them to the Lord with many tears. Their mother likewise 
 was a pious follower of Christ, and anxiously concerned for 
 the salvation of her soul. The word of the cross was her daily 
 comfort, and she often expressed her surprise, that this word 
 was so seldom proclaimed. Her son, Augustus Gottlieb, 
 had just reached his first year, when she was laid upon her 
 death-bed, and after a short illness, fell asleep in Jesus, in 
 full reliance upon her Saviour's merit. The sole charge of 
 
 B 
 
Z THE LIFE OF 
 
 the four motherless sons now devolved upon the father. 
 "With increasing solicitude he attended to their education, 
 and was very anxious to make them acquainted with Christ 
 their Saviour. But alas ! when the youngest son was ouly 
 10 years old, in the year 1714, George Spangenberg departed 
 this life, leaving four orphans to lament his death. This 
 heavy stroke was felt most keenly by the youngest, although 
 he did not then comprehend the greatness of his loss. In 
 later years, when the eyes of his understanding were enlight- 
 ened, Spangenberg made the following remarks respecting 
 his childhood and youth : " I was a naughty child ; for my 
 heart forsook the Lord when I was still very young. My 
 conduct strikingly illustrated the meaning of the words of 
 the Lord regarding man, both before and after the deluge : 
 ' The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth.' 
 Before men," he adds, " I did not appear wicked ; on the con- 
 trary, I was often commended for my good behaviour. This 
 however proved very hurtful to my soul, tempting me to 
 indulge in many sinful practices. I should undoubtedly 
 have committed many more sins, had I known how and when 
 to do it. Our Lord Jesus Christ with much patience bore 
 with me and my wretched condition ; in which I continued 
 for a considerable time without restraint. By his gracious 
 care and watchfulness I was kept in ignorance of many sin- 
 ful things, which otherwise might have proved my ruin. 
 My Saviour guarded me like a tender mother, who follows 
 her child, when it runs to the fire, or is in danger of falling 
 into the water." 
 
 After the death of his father, Spangenberg entered the 
 Grammar-school at Ilefeld. He was early called upon, with 
 his brothers, to tread the thorny road of affliction ; among 
 other trying dispensations, all their earthly possessions were 
 consumed by a conflagration. Referring to that event, he 
 observes : " This occasioned many a tear, but afterwards I 
 perceived that it worked together for our good." The state 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 3 
 
 of poverty and want to which the four brothers were thus 
 unexpectedly reduced, became a good training school for 
 the inner man. The Spirit of the Lord was Spangenberg's 
 teacher, working with divine power upon his heart, when he 
 was about fifteen years old. He, however, confided his ex- 
 perience to none. In subsequent years, he thus spoke of 
 this period of his life. " Throughout the whole of my sinful 
 career, the good Shepherd followed me in love, seeking to 
 bring me back to his fold. I often resisted, but my Saviour 
 with untiring solicitude continued to draw me with cords of 
 love, and to disturb my conscience by the powerful convic- 
 tions of his Spirit. At length his grace proved too strong 
 for me ; and I seriously resolved to amend my life. At that 
 time, I knew not 
 
 That whoe'er believeth in Christ's redemption, 
 May find free grace, and a complete exemption 
 From serving sin. 
 
 I had often heard it said — that to commit no sin is the best 
 repentance. Therefore I now earnestly endeavoured to 
 eschew evil and to do good. I determined henceforth to pray 
 without ceasing, whether standing or walking, alone or in 
 company, and never to speak an idle word. Being conscious 
 of my inability to do this in my own strength, I implored 
 the Lord for his grace, to aid me in my endeavours. I well 
 remember spending once a whole night in fervent prayer, 
 even in my sleep. In this frame of mind I continued for 
 some time. But then I again grew lukewarm, discontinued 
 prayer, and joined in unprofitable conversation, for any other 
 I never heard. Then I lost courage, and considering my 
 case as hopeless, fell into sin again. What I hated, that I 
 did, and what I would, that I did not. After a little while, 
 I would begin again with renewed good resolutions, and not 
 without partial success ; but I very soon found myself un- 
 able to proceed. In this manner I continued, falling and 
 rising, in utter wretchedness. There was not a single person 
 
4 THE LIFE OF 
 
 about me, who could give me evangelical instruction, or lead 
 me to Jesus Christ. Nor had I any books, from which I 
 might have learnt what I must do to be saved. I derived 
 some little information from ' The Sacred Meditations of 
 Johannes Gerhard.' O how happy are the children, who 
 are early directed to Jesus, and enjoy sound instruction in 
 the truths of the gospel." 
 
 Thus the Lord in various ways sought the serious youth 9 
 and by afflictions and a special training prepared him as a 
 useful instrument for building up the church of God. 
 
 II. 
 
 Spastgenbekg in the Uktveesitt. 
 
 " But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 
 even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with 
 Christ ; (by grace ye are saved ;) and hath raised us up together, and 
 made us sit together in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus/' 
 
 Eplies. ii. 4, 5, 6. 
 
 After completing his preliminary studies at Ilefeld, Span- 
 genberg entered the University of Jena, in 1722. The 
 Christian spirit, awakened throughout the continental 
 churches by Augustus Hermann Franke, Breithaupt, An- 
 ton, Freilinghausen, and other servants of God, manifested 
 its power at Jena among men distinguished alike by piety 
 and learning. Besides the celebrated and learned Professor 
 Walch, we would specially refer to Dr. Buddeus, who exer- 
 cised great influence over the youthful Spangenberg. This 
 man, in whom a thorough scientific education was blended 
 with sincere piety, zealously endeavoured to promote the 
 spread of gospel-principles. His attention was soon drawn 
 to Spangenberg, whose superior natural abilities and honest 
 seeking after truth could not long escape notice. The good 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBEEG. o 
 
 providence of God so ordered it, that the young and des- 
 titute orphan was received by Dr. Buddeus into his own 
 house and family as a beloved son. But the Lord's mercy 
 towards him was manifested in a still more gracious manner. 
 One day being confined to his room by sickness, and lament- 
 ing his utter want of pecuniary means, Spangenberg was 
 surprised by the entrance of a stranger, who in the most 
 cordial manner conversed with him on spiritual subjects. 
 On leaving the sick chamber, the unknown stranger laid as 
 many dollars upon the patient's bed, as he could hold within 
 his hands. This kind friend was the Baron De Fritsch, by 
 whose liberality from that day forward an annual stipend 
 was secured to the poor student. 
 
 The prevailing spirit in the University at this time was by 
 no means satisfactory. A whirlpool of unbending insub- 
 ordination threatened to draw all the students within its 
 vortex, and to involve them in destruction. The Lord, how- 
 ever, held his hand over Spangenberg and preserved him from 
 its baneful influence. In subsequent years he thus described 
 his spiritual state during this period of his life : — " The 
 Holy Ghost made me to abhor my whole course, by placing 
 before me all the sins I had hitherto delighted in, and en- 
 abled me to perceive my utter depravity of soul and body. 
 These discoveries made me feel ashamed of myself. I re- 
 membered what the Lord had done for me, and how great 
 and merciful had been his goodness, while, at the same time, 
 my own ingratitude stared me in the face. I looked upon 
 myself as the vilest sinner, and thought the most wicked 
 transgressor was a better man than myself. This broke my 
 heart, and so completely overwhelmed my spirit, that I could 
 have sunk into the earth with shame and confusion. Then 
 our Saviour, in mercy, showed me that it was an act of his 
 grace which made me mourn, and bitterly lament my sinful- 
 ness. He allowed me to pour out my heart before him in 
 fervent prayer, and to enter into a childlike and confidential 
 
6 THE LIFE OF 
 
 intercourse with himself. Hereby I obtained daily increas- 
 ing consolations, and could no longer doubt his willingness 
 to pardon all my sins. Yea, I felt convinced that he had 
 forgiven them already, and would, in mercy, receive me. 
 Thus the Lord revealed himself to my soul in the most 
 gracious manner, listening to my prayers and supplications 
 with favour and compassion." 
 
 Spangenberg was now blessed and happy in Christ his 
 Saviour, and, therefore, able to despise the pleasures of this 
 world, and joyfully to bear its reproach. Concerning this, he 
 remarks : " I escaped the society of my former companions, 
 and they fled from me. Whenever I had occasion to enter 
 into conversation with any of their number my language 
 appeared unintelligible. I esteemed it a joy to be called a 
 fool for Jesus' sake, and this honour was conferred upon me 
 repeatedly." 
 
 But his soul now longed for fellowship with kindred 
 spirits ; and this longing was satisfied by occasion of the 
 awakening which took place among some of the students. 
 His piety, however, was so much commended by his new 
 friends, that, according to his own confession, it proved a 
 snare to his soul. " I became acquainted," he writes, " with 
 persons that sought the Lord according to their best know- 
 ledge. I joined with them in prayer and other devotional 
 exercises, from which I derived much benefit, so long as we 
 remained simple and childlike. They soon, however, began 
 to think very highly of me, and to tell me of the blessings 
 which they enjoyed under my prayers and discourses. I 
 was thereby tempted to imagine that I might be of still 
 greater usefulness to them, by feigning inward emotions 
 which I did not in reality experience, and thus became a self- 
 complacent hypocrite, and was again sold under sin. No- 
 body knew where the shoe pinched. I was inwardly dis- 
 tressed and shunned all society, even that of my Christian 
 friends, because they urged me to continue my former mode 
 
BISHOP SPANOEKliEEG. 7 
 
 of speaking and praying with them, which I could not do 
 without hypocrisy.' ' 
 
 About this time, also, he read many books of a mystical 
 character, and associated with persons who admired such 
 works. His own simplicity of faith was thereby spoiled, 
 and his mind stored with many fanciful and unscriptural 
 notions. In one of his essays he thus alludes to the state 
 of his mind at this period : " I lost the simplicity of Christ, 
 separated myself from all connection with the Church of 
 God, and withdrew from the table of the Lord. By so 
 doing I gained nothing either for myself or others, but 
 rather was the more tempted to sin. Nothing could have 
 been more painful than this chastisement. I, therefore, now 
 cried unceasingly to our Lord Jesus Christ for his mercy, 
 which at no time was entirely withdrawn ; nor was my con- 
 fidence put to shame." 
 
 Spangenberg's intention on entering the University of 
 Jena was to study for the law ; but one day he attended the 
 lectures of Dr. Buddeus, and heard him expound the 29th 
 verse of the 26th chapter of the Acts. In the course of his 
 exposition the lecturer, speaking of the bonds of the Apostle 
 Paul, observed, " whoever wishes to study theology, and is 
 not prepared to bear reproach for Christ's sake, is not 
 qualified for the sacred office of a minister of Jesus." 
 
 On hearing this, Spangenberg's mind became deeply af- 
 fected, and the resolution he immediately formed we learn 
 from the following remarks : " These words of the late Dr. 
 Buddeus made such a deep impression upon my mind, that 
 I at once resolved to study theology, with the firm determi- 
 nation faithfully to serve our Lord Jesus Christ, and, for his 
 sake, willingly to bear even sufferings. As soon as the lec- 
 ture was ended I retired to my room, and, shutting the 
 door, prostrated myself before the Lord, and promised, 
 amidst a flood of tears, to dedicate myself to his service." 
 
 Shortly after this occurrence he discovered that amidst 
 
8 THE LIFE OF 
 
 his scientific pursuits, he had forgotten the very first ru- 
 diments of Christian doctrine, as set forth in the Church 
 Catechism. He, therefore, resolved to spend a few hours 
 each day in studying the Catechism, and, as he terms it, to 
 hold " Collegium privatissimum " with our Saviour on its 
 contents. Making use of Spener's edition of the Small 
 Catechism of Luther, he carefully examined each sentence, 
 comparing it with the Holy Scriptures. These studies he 
 pursued with many prayers and tears ; indeed it often hap- 
 pened that his tears flowed so copiously that he was obliged 
 to lay aside his books. His love for the Holy Scriptures 
 grew daily stronger. " Whatever I heard or read," he ob- 
 serves, " I compared with the Bible, in order to ascertain 
 whether it was in harmony with the word of God. I never 
 felt freedom to say that I knew anything or had learnt it, 
 unless I had myself experienced it in my own heart, through 
 the teaching of the Holy Ghost." 
 
 Concerning another lecture of Dr. Buddeus he related 
 the following particulars : " When I was a student at Jena 
 I one day heard the late Dr. Buddeus speak of the coming 
 times. His auditory was so numerous that many had to sit 
 or stand outside the windows in the adjoining yard. The 
 trees were just then casting their leaves. The lecturer's 
 voice was distinctly heard by all both within and without 
 the hall. In the course of his lecture he said : i Gentlemen, 
 as you see the leaves now falling off the trees, so, when 
 persecution arises, you will see all those fall away who know 
 the truth without having experienced its power in their 
 hearts.' " 
 
 Spangenberg did not fall away ; on the contrary, his at- 
 tachment and fidelity to the cause of Christ increased and 
 strengthened the longer he remained in union with his 
 Saviour ; and by applying himself diligently to the study 
 of every branch of theology he acquired an uncommon store 
 of sound and useful knowledge. 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBEEG. 9 
 
 III, 
 
 flest acquaintance with the chubcn of the 
 Beetheen. 
 
 " Pilgrims travelling Zion-ward 
 
 Cheer each other ; 
 Each stirs up his brother." — Hymn-booh, 492, 3. 
 
 Spangenbebg, by many inward and severe conflicts, as we 
 have seen, was, through grace, brought to the saving know- 
 ledge of Christ Jesus. Meanwhile a peculiar people had 
 formed a congregation on the estates of Count Zinzendorf, 
 in Upper Lusatia. The seed sown by John Huss and 
 Jerome of Prague had yielded an abundant harvest in Bo- 
 hemia and Moravia, which no persecution could entirely 
 destroy. There existed in those countries at all times 
 societies and congregations that strictly adhered to the 
 form of sound doctrine, and were kept together by church 
 discipline and the maintenance of good order. About the 
 beginning of the last century a spiritual revival took place 
 among them. The year 1720 more especially was remark- 
 able for the outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord upon the 
 companies of believers in Moravia. The instrument, under 
 God, in effecting this revival was a distinguished servant of 
 Jesus, called Christian David, to whom Count Zinzendorf, 
 with much propriety, applied the name of " the Moravian 
 3foses" Whilst engaged in his trade as a carpenter in 
 Prussia and Silesia, he was deeply impressed with the truth 
 as it is in Jesus, under the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Schaefer 
 of Goerlitz, and the Rev. Mr. Schwedier of Niederwiese, 
 with whom he maintained an intimate Christian intercourse. 
 By visiting the descendants of the Moravian brethren in 
 their native country, he imparted to them something of his 
 spiritual life ; and a longing was created in their hearts to 
 
10 THE LIFE OF 
 
 find a country where they might serve the Lord according 
 to the dictates of their own conscience — a privilege denied 
 them at home. Christian David was very anxious to find a 
 place of refuge for the oppressed. And an opportunity 
 soon presented itself for rendering them the desired aid. 
 Count Zinzendorf, a nobleman of true Christian piety, and 
 eager to promote the kingdom of Christ by all means in his 
 power, gave permission to David and several Moravian 
 families to settle on his estates at Berth elsdorf in Saxony. 
 Christian David immediately repaired to Moravia with great 
 joy, to fetch the Moravian brethren from the house of 
 bondage to their new home. 
 
 The first emigrants arrived in Saxony in the summer of 
 1722. They found a place of refuge on the brow of a hill 
 called " The Hutherg" The first tree for the first house was 
 felled on the 17th of June. Towards the end of the year 
 Count Zinzendorf with his consort came from Dresden to 
 his estates in Upper Lusatia, on which occasion they saw 
 for the first time the house which the Moravian emigrants 
 had built. The Count was much pleased with it. Subse- 
 quently many other awakened souls came to this new colony 
 from various parts of Germany, besides the emigrants, 
 who, from time to time, continued to arrive from Moravia. 
 Many of the latter left house and home, in peril of their 
 lives, and with the loss of all their earthly possessions. The 
 foundation-stone of the first place of worship at Herrnhut 
 was laid on May the 1 2th, 1724. The ceremony was per- 
 formed after a very impressive discourse by Count Zinzen- 
 dorf, and during the singing of suitable verses. Baron 
 [Frederic de "Watteville, a native of Bern, and a friend of the 
 Count, offered up a most fervent prayer on the occasion. 
 
 The Moravian emigrants often spoke of their former 
 Church and its discipline, and did not rest satisfied till they 
 saw the rising congregation modelled after the plan of the 
 ancient Church. This was done amidst many difficulties. 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBEEG. 11 
 
 But we hasten on to the year 1727, which will ever remain 
 a memorable year in the Brethren's Church. Up to this 
 period Spangenberg had heard but little of the events which 
 took place on the estates of Count Zinzendorf. About this 
 time internal dissensions, fostered chiefly by a lawyer, who 
 entertained separatistical notions, threatened destruction to 
 the infant congregation. "When this came to the know- 
 ledge of Count Zinzendorf, he hastened from Dresden to 
 Herrnhut, and by affectionate and earnest entreaties, in 
 private as well as in public, prevailed with the Brethren to 
 agree upon certain Statutes regarding the doctrine and 
 practice, the constitution and discipline of the Church. An 
 awakening afterwards took place on August the 10th, 1727, 
 and on August the 13th, the whole congregation was bap- 
 tized with the spirit of brotherly love and union in a very 
 remarkable manner, by occasion of the celebration of the 
 Lord's supper, of which the Count himself partook with 
 the Brethren. The 13th of August has been ever since 
 solemnly celebrated as a Memorial Day of the Brethren's 
 Church. 
 
 The congregation of the Brethren from year to year at- 
 tracted more and more the attention of both friends and 
 foes. Various inquiries were made, and invitations sent 
 from different quarters. Many persons far and near culti- 
 vated Christian intercourse with them. One day, an ac- 
 count of the sufferings of the Brethren in Moravia, and 
 their emigration to Upper Lusatia, fell into the hands 
 of Spangenberg, who thus expresses his views regarding 
 his first acquaintance with the Brethren, in an interest- 
 ing letter, dated Nov. 8th, 1730 : " Having retired one 
 Sunday to my room, in order to seek the Lord with fast- 
 ing and prayer, the history of the emigration of the Bre- 
 thren from Moravia attracted my attention. I perused 
 it with great emotion. While reading those passages 
 which describe the earnestness with which these Bre- 
 
12 THE LIFE Or 
 
 thren strove to rouse each other from the sleep of sin, I 
 thought within myself: ' O my God, how wonderful are 
 thy ways ! O how great is the zeal which thou hast put into 
 the hearts of these simple men ! This is indeed the way, in 
 which Christ ought to be preached, and his disciples ought 
 to follow him, even amidst losses, hunger, and affliction. 
 Alas ! we slow bellies pursue our studies for years amidst 
 every outward comfort, and then are appointed to some 
 benefice as the pastors of the people. We know nothing of 
 want, we eat and drink, marry and give in marriage ; and 
 this mode of living we call a divine calling.' Upon this, I 
 fell first on my knees, then on my face, and cried unto God 
 with many tears to convert my soul, break my heart, and 
 form me into his own image by revealing his holy child 
 Jesus to me. I promised that I then would serve him in 
 truth, proclaim his blessed name and preach his gospel, not 
 only in places where it is well received, and where the 
 preachers are well paid for the proclamation of the truth, 
 but also where I would have to meet with afflictions. I was 
 ready not to count my life dear to myself if called upon 
 to preach the gospel among the heathen or the Papists." — 
 "Some time after I agreed with some friends, to sit up 
 through the night, and to spend it with them in fasting and 
 prayer. We entered into conversation on the precious pro- 
 mises contained in Isaiah regarding the proclamation of the 
 gospel to the heathen, from which it is quite manifest, that 
 Christ must be preached to every nation upon earth. This 
 led us to inquire into the reasons, why so few are mindful 
 of the conversion of the Gentiles. One reason, we con- 
 ceived, is the fact, that very few students of theology are 
 willing to serve the Lord in localities where the bread of 
 affliction is their daily stipend. We therefore surrendered 
 ourselves in prayer unto God, engaging to go and preach 
 the gospel to the heathen, if it should please him to send 
 us." 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 13 
 
 Spangenberg at this time entertained an ardent wish to 
 become a missionary, and though Dr. Buddeus tried to dis- 
 suade him, his inward desire remained the same. He re- 
 marks in the letter just quoted : " A short time after, Dr. 
 Buddeus, contrary to his usual practice, called me into his 
 own room, and taking me by the hand, said : ' My dear Sir, 
 I had a very remarkable dream last night concerning you, 
 and cannot forbear relating it. I dreamed that you came 
 up to me in an old blue coat, and having some manuscripts 
 under your arm. You said, I am come to bid you farewell ; 
 for I am going away. I tried to dissuade you from leaving 
 me, but in vain. I perceived that your shoes were very old, 
 and covered with dust.' We will see, he added, what will 
 be the meaning of this dream. His words made a deep im- 
 pression on my mind, and I pondered very much upon this 
 dream ; for it was the only dream he ever spoke of in my 
 hearing, although I had lived with him for seven years, in 
 almost daily intercourse." 
 
 His desire to become a missionary remained unchanged, 
 but it was not gratified till after his reception into the Bre- 
 thren's Church. Meanwhile, he longed for an acquaintance 
 with the Moravian Brethren, and even made it a subject of 
 prayer. One day, a brother from Herrnhut, on his return 
 from a visit to the Duke of Saalfeld passed through Jena. 
 Spangenberg had the pleasure of entertaining him at his 
 own house, which afforded many an opportunity for spiritual 
 conversation. From this brother he obtained a short, but 
 interesting account of the congregation at Herrnhut. On 
 November the 17th, Count Zinzendorf himself visited Jena, 
 on his way to the heir apparent of the Duchy of Saalfeld. 
 There was much joy among the little band of believers, and 
 they invited the Count to deliver an address unto them. 
 On this occasion, Spangenberg remarks, " I was present, and 
 kept silence — but my heart rejoiced." 
 
 In the spring of 1728, three brethren visited Jena on 
 their way to England, to which country they had been in- 
 
14 THE LIFE OP 
 
 vited by some pious individuals who wished to become better 
 acquainted with their Church. Spangenberg entertained 
 them with much hospitality and affection. The brethren 
 shewed him their letters of introduction and other important 
 documents. Some of the latter Spangenberg, assisted by 
 some Christian friends, translated into Latin, in order to 
 facilitate the object of the brethren's mission to England. 
 "By this means," he writes, "we obtained a clear insight 
 into the history and constitution of the Brethren's Church. 
 We feasted upon the precious fruit which was offered to 
 the English Churches." But Spangenberg became still bet- 
 ter acquainted with the Church of the Brethren in conse- 
 quence of a renewed visit of Count Zinzendorf in July of 
 the same year ; when the latter, accompanied by several bre- 
 thren, spent about six weeks with the awakened at Jena. 
 Spangenberg observes on this subject : " My intercourse with 
 the Brethren from that time forward became more intimate, 
 cordial, and blessed ; for which I shall thank the Lord to all 
 eternity. For I am fully convinced and confess it before 
 the Lord, that I consider my acquaintance with the Bre- 
 thren, the means, by which our Lord Jesus Christ has pre- 
 served me in the truth, and the way of holiness, unto this 
 very hour." 
 
 The company of believers among the students at Jena 
 now entered into a covenant, to love each other as bre- 
 thren. Though deficient in the clear perception of the one 
 thing needful, and, as Spangenberg remarks, more God-fear- 
 ing than godly, yet their whole aim was to bring forth fruit 
 for Christ. They established Free- Schools in the suburbs 
 of Jena, in which they gave gratuitous instruction to the 
 children of the poor. In this labour of love, Spangenberg 
 took a most active part. He writes : " The children of our 
 free-schools had a public meeting for religious instruction, 
 every Sunday, at which many other persons attended. It 
 generally fell to my share to conduct these meetings. Our 
 Saviour was pleased to lay his blessing upon them." 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 15 
 
 As early as the year 1726, Spangenberg had taken his 
 degree as Master of Arts, which secured him the privilege 
 of holding Lectures at the University. By this increase of 
 labour, his bodily health was greatly impaired, and he re- 
 quired fellow-workers to aid him in drawing the gospel-net. 
 The work of the Lord, as is often the case elsewhere, was 
 spoken against at Jena. A third visit of Count Zinzendorf, 
 in 1729, proved a means of strengthening the little band of 
 believers, more especially when, after an earnest prayer of 
 the Count, they joined in singing — 
 
 " Cross, reproach, and tribulation, 
 Ye to me are welcome guests." 
 
 In April, 1730, Spangenberg was enabled to gratify a long- 
 cherished wish of visiting the congregation at Herrnhut. 
 This he did in company of his beloved friend Godfrey 
 Clemens. " What I enjoyed among the brethren, I shall 
 not forget to all eternity ;" such is his own statement con- 
 cerning this visit. He visited from house to house every 
 member of the congregation. The following remarks of a 
 Moravian sister remained deeply impressed upon his me- 
 mory : " Brother, if ever you are persecuted or cast into 
 prison stand fast and be strong. I once was in prison for 
 eighteen months with my mother. The Jesuits, who visited 
 us, promised us better lodging if we would give ear to their 
 teaching. We thought it could do us no harm to listen to 
 them, as we might, for all that, retain our own opinion. We 
 did listen, and better quarters were given us in consequence ; 
 but from that very hour the peace of G-od left us." 
 
 The two friends returned to Jena richly blessed by their 
 visit to Herrnhut. Spangenberg' s connection with the con- 
 gregation, and more especially with Count Zinzendorf, be- 
 came daily more intimate. The Count highly valued his 
 counsel, and sent him his diary and other papers relating to 
 Herrnhut, 
 
16 THE LIFE OF 
 
 IV. 
 
 Spangenbebg's Position at Halle. 
 
 " Tho' by threatening" storms surrounded, 
 Or oppress' d by pain and grief, 
 This poor heart is not confounded, 
 For in God I find relief." —Hymn-book, 635, 2. 
 
 Spangenberg attended to his multiplied engagements 
 with the utmost fidelity. Besides delivering lectures and 
 preaching, he cared for the spiritual edification of the 
 awakened both by private conversations and public addresses. 
 A manifest blessing rested upon his labours, more particularly 
 those among the students. His reputation as a gifted and 
 faithful servant of Christ spread far and wide. Count Zin- 
 zendorf, being commissioned by the King of Denmark, in 
 the year 1730, to recommend him an able teacher, at once 
 thought of Spangenberg. The latter, however, without 
 hesitation, remarked, u In Jena I have no salary ; in Co- 
 penhagen I shall get too much. Many a gifted man may 
 be found willing to accept of the situation in Copenhagen, 
 but I doubt whether any one will be ready to tread in my 
 footsteps at Jena. For these reasons I must decline going 
 to Copenhagen." 
 
 In the following year an appointment as Professor of 
 Divinity at the University of Halle was offered him, which 
 he declined. Iranke wrote in reply : " May the Lord 
 abundantly reward your faithfulness, and grant you as many 
 souls for your hire as you refuse shillings, yea, even pence, 
 for his name's sake." Although he had declined this situa- 
 tion, the Theological Faculty at Halle did not lose sight of 
 him. Mr. Pranke, the younger, with whom he was in- 
 timately connected, and Pastor Freilinghausen were at that 
 time the Directors of the Orphan-house ; and they wished 
 
13IS1I0P BPANGENBEBG. 17 
 
 him to undertake the superintendence of that extensive 
 establishment. These two gentlemen succeeded in procuring 
 for him a fellowship at the University of Halle. All his 
 friends advised Spangenberg to accept the situation at the 
 Orphan-house. He himself wrote, in a letter to Mr. Frank e, 
 who had wished for an expression of his own views on the 
 subject : " I can say neither Yea nor Nay in this matter, 
 for my decision would not be of faith. On the one hand, I 
 cannot but look upon my sphere of labour at Jena, whilst, 
 on the other hand, I am bound to look around me for some 
 person willing to take my place. If such an one can be 
 found I will go to Halle, though I feel that I shall be fit for 
 nothing else but to be used as a prop for the support of the 
 branches that are overladen with fruit, lest they should break 
 and the precious fruit be lost." 
 
 The decision of the matter rested with the King of 
 Prussia, in whose power it was either to confirm or dis- 
 annul his vocation. The royal sanction was granted, and 
 Spangenberg went to Halle. On accepting the appointment, 
 he thus wrote to his brother George : " I consented to go to 
 Halle, because I expected there to meet with the severest 
 opposition, the greatest amount of work, the smallest re- 
 muneration, and the best opportunity of serving our 
 Saviour." His departure from Jena was delayed till Septem- 
 ber. In the meantime he paid another visit to Herrnhut, in 
 order to strengthen his faith for manfully meeting the trials 
 which he felt assured he would have to encounter at Halle. 
 Thither he repaired towards the end of September, not in 
 accordance with his own wishes and inclination, but in 
 obedience to his heavenly Master's will, though he could 
 not then clearly understand its meaning. A wide sphere of 
 usefulness lay before him, both in the Orphan-school 
 and at the University. He was well aware that the 
 teachers at Halle entertained no friendly feeling towards 
 Count Zinzendorf nor the congregation at Herrnhut, but he 
 
 c 
 
18 THE LIFE OF 
 
 flattered himself with the hope of being able to change 
 their opinions. On his arrival he was received with the 
 greatest cordiality by Mr. Franke and others ; but their 
 regard for him soon gave place to distrust and jealousy, when 
 they observed his continued and increasing attachment to 
 the Count and his brethren. Some of his doctrinal views, 
 too, and his whole walk and conversation, were contrary to 
 the notions entertained by the teachers at Halle. He him- 
 self, in later years, owned that he was to blame. He wished 
 to pursue the same course at Halle which had characterized 
 his conduct at Jena, in relation to those who gloried in the 
 cross of Christ. The followers of Gichtel, the Separatists, 
 and a certain Tuchtfeld, all and each found in him a warm 
 friend. During the season of Advent he entered into a 
 spiritual union with fourteen of the inhabitants of the town, 
 among whom there were some who held separatistical views. 
 Their meetings were held nearly every day, and numerously 
 attended by an increasing auditory. Spangenberg held the 
 same opinion as the Separatists, regarding the non-admit- 
 tance of unbelievers to the Lord's table. He, therefore, 
 applied to a clergyman at Grlaucha to administer the sacra- 
 ment to himself and his fellow-believers separately. This 
 gentleman did not wish to take the responsibility of grant- 
 ing this request upon himself, but promised to consult with 
 Professor Franke on the subject. 
 
 Meanwhile Spangenberg, wdth some like-minded friends, 
 met the day after Christmas at a social meal in the house of 
 one of the Separatists, and termed their meeting a love feast. 
 On this occasion he expressed himself in very strong terms 
 respecting the rite of confession and the Lord's supper, as 
 observed in the Lutheran churches. These occurrences 
 induced the Directors of the Orphan-house to cite him 
 before a special meeting of the committee. In the course of 
 January, 1733, three conferences were held, in the presence 
 of some of his friends. Their object was to effect, if possible, 
 
BISHOP SPAXGENBEKG. 19 
 
 » 
 
 a reconciliation ; but the strong language, used on these 
 occasions by both parties, rather served to alienate their 
 minds more and more from each other. Spangcnberg deeply 
 regretted this, and soon after addressed a letter to those who 
 had been present at these conferences, asking their forgiveness 
 for any want of courtesy that he might have been guilty of, 
 while at the same time he begged them, to lay aside all pre- 
 judice against him, and not to require him to act contrary 
 to the dictates of his conscience. In thi3 letter he also 
 offered to lay down his offices at Halle. Xo mention had been 
 made at these conferences of the Church of the Brethren ; 
 but soon after this subject was introduced. In January he 
 had hospitably entertained three Moravian brethren, who 
 had been called to the service of the mission in Greenland. 
 Towards the end of the month he visited Count Zinzendorf 
 at Ebersdorf, and there partook of the Lord's supper with 
 the brethren. The news of this soon reached Halle. On 
 his return, on February the 6th, he was forbidden to preach 
 on the following day, as he purposed doing. The matter 
 was referred to the Theological Faculty, and that board ap- 
 pointed three new conferences, at which he was to give au 
 account of his doctrine and practice. The subjects intro- 
 duced at the very first conference were so varied, that Span- 
 genberg declared, he would rather give a statement of his 
 opinions in writing. This was accordingly done. His views 
 concerning the Lord's Supper, Baptism, the Ministry, the 
 Church, and so forth, were in most respects sound and prac- 
 tical, but when submitted to the Board at the second con- 
 ference they did not meet with the approbation of his exami- 
 ners. He was then invited to a third conference, the result 
 of which, however, was equally unsatisfactory. On being 
 told in a confidential manner, that all past grievances should 
 be forgotten, if he would renounce his connection with the 
 Count and the Moravian brethren, he openly declared that 
 he would never do so : " For I believe I shall be denying 
 
 c 2 
 
20 THE LIFE OE 
 
 Christ, if I deny his members ; and as such I consider the 
 Moravian brethren." Many entertained the erroneous 
 opinion that Count Zinzendorf was the real cause of his 
 obstinacy. 
 
 On February the 27th he was told that his services at the 
 Orphan-house were no longer required ; upon which he at 
 once called upon the Directors, and thanking them for their 
 past kindness, entreated them to forgive all his mistakes. 
 On April the 2nd the royal mandate arrived, dismissing him 
 from his offices at the University. It was drawn in the 
 dictatorial and peremptory style, then customary at the Court 
 of Berlin. Spangenberg was commanded to leave Halle 
 before Easter- Sunday. The professors and teachers of the 
 University were much grieved by the harsh tone of the royal 
 injunction. Spangenberg, however, thankfully accepted it 
 as from the Lord. On Good Friday he addressed a large 
 company of Christian friends for the last time in the house 
 of Pastor Struensee, with whom he had latterly taken up his 
 abode. The following day a large concourse of people ac- 
 companied him on the way from his residence to the gates 
 of the town. a In this manner," he writes, " I left Halle, 
 and I cannot but regard it as a special leading of divine 
 Providence, for my dear Saviour thereby desired to save my 
 soul. If I had remained at Halle, the honours and riches, 
 esteemed by the children of this world, might probably have 
 become a snare to me, and I should have suffered the loss of 
 my soul." 
 
 His name was certainly held in very high estimation at 
 Halle, and it was doubtless a blessing to be removed from 
 so dangerous a position.— In a letter to Leonhard Dober, he 
 afterwards wrote : " The people of Halle received me as an 
 angel of God, and loaded me with honours and praise ; this 
 made me fear and tremble : I cried unto the Lord, to preserve 
 me from the snare of worldly grandeur, and to keep me a 
 fool in Christ. The Lord heard my prayer, and delivered 
 
BISlIOr SrANGENBEBO. 21 
 
 me from my troubles. My want of prudence and my stub- 
 born conduct were overruled for the furtherance of his 
 gracious designs. Blessed be his holy name." 
 
 A\ r e conclude this section with an extract from a letter, 
 which he wrote, dated October the 7th, 1732, to Mr. Traut- 
 mann, a bookseller of Brieg, in Silesia, giving him an account 
 of his impressions, on occasion of a visit to Herrnhut in the 
 early autumn of that year. " The grace of God is uncom- 
 monly manifested in this place ; the gifts of the Holy Spirit 
 are poured out in copious streams upon the souls, and flow 
 from soul to soul. The pure doctrine taught by Christ, and 
 sealed with the blood of his servants, is maintained here with 
 much care. The members of this congregation are far from 
 setting up their own private opinions, because they are ear- 
 nestly intent upon the sanctification of their hearts, and 
 lose no time in caring for such work. Brotherly union 
 among them is intimate, cordial, child-like, and as sincere as 
 can be wished, while, at the same time, its only object is the 
 attainment of a thorough self-knowledge. Outward ordi- 
 nances are instituted for the edification of the church, and 
 are altered according to circumstances. As regards external 
 prosperity, the congregation is in very distressing circum- 
 stances, and exceedingly poor ; for most of the members have 
 sacrificed all their earthly possessions for the sake of saving 
 their souls, and inhabit a place where they can earn but very 
 little. Tet they are contented ; I never heard a single 
 complaint, although many have but very scanty means of 
 subsistence, and are sickly. They have to suffer much from 
 their neighbours around them, and often are greatly per- 
 plexed by their enmity. But the Lord helps them, and has 
 made them to increase more and more within the last ten 
 years, amidst all opposition. Whoever wishes to live with 
 them, and is unwilling to part with all his fondest hopes, will 
 feel very unhappy among them, for they carefully strive to 
 do all our dear Saviour has commanded us. But whosoever 
 
22 THE LIFE OF 
 
 is intent upon caring for the things of eternity, and is satisfied 
 with a few pence on his journey towards heaven, will soon 
 discover the blessedness of the communion of the saints." 
 
 First Appointment in the Brethren's Church, 
 
 " The Lord God has led me in the right way." — Gen. xxiv. 48. 
 
 "Whither was Spangenberg now to direct his steps ? 
 Herrnhut was the place towards which he turned his face. 
 Thither he went by way of Jena, where his memory was still 
 blessed by many. A cordial welcome awaited him from 
 all sides, and on his departure many of the students accom- 
 panied him in procession through the town. On his arrival 
 at Herrnhut, he was sorry not to meet with Count Zinzen- 
 dorf ; the latter, however, returned from his journey on 
 May the 5th, and was rather perplexed, on account of the 
 late occurrences at Halle. They agreed, that it would be 
 best for Spangenberg to follow the rule of the Brethren, to 
 be still, and wait upon the Lord, and not to defend his 
 conduct by writing, except in case of need. 
 
 Spangenberg would have preferred to retire into the bosom 
 of the congregation, but his superior talents could not well 
 be hid in a napkin. With the knowledge and sanction of 
 the congregation, Zinzendorf made him his Assistant. After 
 much prayer Spangenberg resolved to dedicate himself en- 
 tirely to the service of the Brethren's Church. An appoint- 
 ment was soon given him, the first he was called upon to 
 undertake. The Brethren considered it as their special 
 calling, to preach the gospel to the heathen. A company of 
 four married couples and ten single brethren was about to 
 be despatched to St. Croix, one of the Danish West India 
 islands, to invite the poor negro slaves to the great supper 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 23 
 
 of the Lord. Spangenberg was commissioned to accompany 
 them as far as Copenhagen. They set out in great poverty, 
 about the end of August, travelling on foot. Wherever 
 they went they preached the Gospel, speaking with all they 
 met about the salvation of their souls, and telling them of 
 the object of their journey. The Lord was manifestly with 
 these poor pilgrims. Everywhere they met with the greatest 
 hospitality, and often experienced the most touching proofs 
 of Christian affection. At Stettin they were obliged to wait 
 for the vessel, which was to convey them to Copenhagen. 
 The time of waiting was diligently improved by them for the 
 edification of their own souls, and the promotion of the 
 eternal welfare of their fellow sinners. Some went out every 
 day, two and two, to visit the awakened, whilst the rest 
 remained at home to converse with those who might come 
 to consult them on spiritual subjects. 
 
 The general complaint of the people was, that there were 
 none willing to instruct them. Spangenberg remarks re- 
 specting them : " There are many stones here for building 
 up the house of the Lord : but the masons are wanting, 
 to commence the work. It is with these souls, as it is with 
 a new-born infant, that has no mother nor nurse to wash 
 and cleanse it, and give it its meat in the proper time. It 
 must of necessity perish ; whereas, it was strong enough in 
 itself to live and to increase in growth and strength, if it 
 had been cared for." 
 
 The activity of the brethren attracted much notice at 
 Stettin. Spangenberg writes : " The people stare at us, as 
 soon as we leave our house. I, myself, in particular, am 
 their gazing-stock ; the young lads in the streets all but 
 run after me wherever I go." By occasion of a fast-day, the 
 brethren and their meetings were publicly spoken against 
 from the pulpit. 4 They were called a band of fanatics. The 
 result of this opposition was, that many more came to see 
 and hear them. 
 
 September the 3rd, they took shipping in a vessel bound 
 
24 THE LIFE OE 
 
 for Copenhagen. They themselves carried their luggage on 
 board, Spangenberg assisting them with his own hands. 
 The passage, owing to contrary winds, lasted eleven days. 
 Spangenberg held daily prayer-meetings and singing-meet- 
 ings with the brethren, and on the Sunday preached to the 
 crew at their own request. He states in a letter : " We 
 can and we must confess, that the Lord was with us, guiding 
 us with his own eyes, blessing us with his hands, rejoicing 
 us with his loving heart, and strengthening us with the word 
 of his mouth." On September the 14th they arrived in the 
 Danish capital, where they took lodgings in the house of 
 Mr. Ole Kerslet, a minister of the Gospel, who lately had 
 been dismissed from office for preaching Christ, and was 
 then intending to go to Herrnhut. 
 
 Spangenberg' s business in Copenhagen consisted chiefly 
 in consultations with the Chief Chancellor, Baron de Pless, 
 who had desired the Brethren to assist him in the establish- 
 ment of some new plantations in the island of St. Croix. 
 This nobleman was a friend of the Brethren's Church ; it 
 was therefore no difficult task to make the necessary ar- 
 rangements with him regarding the passage, the future 
 position, the liberty of conscience, and the nature of the em- 
 ployment of the brethren among the Negroes. Spangenberg 
 avoided all intercourse with the awakened ministers in 
 Copenhagen, lest their connection with him should involve 
 them in difficulties. The only gentleman whose acquaintance 
 he cultivated was Professor Beuss, the chief chaplain at the 
 Danish Court, who had been called to Copenhagen to fill 
 the very situation which Spangenberg had declined. The 
 latter now, more than ever, felt satisfied with his former 
 decision, when he became better acquainted with the nature 
 of the office of a court chaplain. 
 
 The brethren acted as a good salt in the Danish metropolis, 
 causing their light to shine before men. The awakened 
 shewed them much kindness, for which they, in return, were 
 admitted to the private devotional meetings of the brethren. 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 25 
 
 Their meetings, by degrees, became so numerously attended 
 as to attract public notice ; they were consequently obliged 
 to admit but a limited number of friends. 
 
 The opposition which was raised against Spangenberg, on 
 account of his troubles at Halle, chiefly by reports from 
 Germany, grew daily stronger. He, therefore, wrote to 
 Count Zinzendorf on October the 10th, " I think I am now 
 no longer of any use here. I am like a fifth wheel to a coach. 
 I even fancy that I am rather in the way, because the cause 
 of the Brethren is rendered suspicious by my presence 
 among them. People openly declare that they have no 
 objection to the Moravian Brethren, who are honest and 
 faithful men, but they don't like to see me with them. It 
 is my conviction that many would speak with them if I were 
 not in the way. As it is, many are afraid, stand aloof, and 
 shun the light." Matters proceeded to such lengths that 
 an intimation was given him to quit the country. Even 
 the Chief Chancellor, De Pless, who was influenced by the 
 prevailing opinions at court, became less cordial. Spangen- 
 berg considered it high time to depart. He denied himself 
 the pleasure of accompanying the brethren on board the 
 ship for the West Indies. They set sail on November the 
 12th, Spangenberg having previously left Copenhagen on the 
 5th, to return to Herrnhut. He wrote on this subject : 
 " I greatly long to return to the lioness, (the congregation) 
 as a little child longs for its mother, that I may again receive 
 my daily food for the strengthening of my needy soul." 
 
 His longing was satisfied before the end of the year 1/33. 
 He had faithfully discharged the commission with which he 
 had been entrusted, although he felt deeply humbled con- 
 cerning his labours. " God looked upon the hearts, and 
 revealed first to one and then to another their great sin- 
 fulness. If any one should ask, c But why did you not do 
 your work more faithfully ?' I reply, ' "We did not know 
 better at that time.' " 
 
26 THE LIFE OE 
 
 VI. 
 
 LABOTJES TN WUBTEMBERG AND HOLLAND. 
 
 " Unto ourselves no praise is due ; 
 And should we even something do, 
 That in thy sight were pleasing, 
 To thee we render all the praise." — Hymn-book, 886, 2. 
 
 It was not to be expected that a man like Spangenberg, 
 burning with zeal for the Lord's work, should remain inac- 
 tive ; more especially, since the growing energy of the Church, 
 which resembled the mustard-seed, presented ample scope 
 for his constant employment. The love of God shed abroad 
 in his heart, as the effect of his redemption, inspired him 
 with the spirit of genuine and useful activity for Christ 
 Jesus. The year 1734 was blessed to the Brethren's Church 
 in general, and to Spangenberg in particular, by the clear 
 perception of the word of the cross as the one thing needful for 
 salvation. He observes on this point : " This doctrine of 
 the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, 
 and of the blood of atonement, which cleanseth from all sin, 
 became the source of the most blessed enjoyment to the 
 congregation, and of her usefulness in many hundred places. 
 It was also the cause of the most abominable contradiction. 
 Meanwhile, I was led to serious self-examination, and prayed 
 the Lord, my Saviour, most ardently to guide my way accord- 
 ing to his mind." 
 
 This prayer the Lord graciously answered. 
 
 Count Zinzendorf, from his childhood, had fostered the 
 wish to preach the Gospel. Encouraged by Spangenberg, 
 he submitted to an examination in theology at the University 
 of Stralsund. Having passed it successfully, he resolved to 
 enter the ministry of the Lutheran Church at Tubingen, in 
 the hope of being able to obtain an appointment as chap- 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 27 
 
 lain to some cloister from the Duke, of Wurtemberg. 
 Spangenberg was commissioned to secure this object, and 
 did all in his power to attain it, but, as might have been 
 expected, without success. The Duke expressed his high 
 regard for Count Zinzendorf, but for several weighty reasons 
 declined acceding to his request. Spangenberg remarks : 
 " My commission to AVurtemberg proved a failure ; yet 
 though things did not go as I wished and hoped, I believe 
 they turned out for the best. I did with all fidelity and with 
 my whole heart, what I could to further this object, because 
 I thought it would be useful and profitable.'' 
 
 Although the primary object of his journey had not been 
 attained, much good resulted from it, both to the Brethren's 
 Church and himself, and to the Count. On his way to 
 Wurtemberg, he formed the acquaintance of many dear 
 friends of the Brethren. In Graefenthal he preached with 
 much blessing. Count Lewis de Castell constrained him to 
 stay with him for eight days. In Nuremberg, he resolved to 
 make an attempt at a reconciliation with the people at Halle, 
 and to this end solicited the mediation of the venerable 
 Senior Ulsperger ; but this good intention was misconstrued 
 at Halle, and the breach became wider. He expresses his 
 opinions, regarding many men of God, very freely in his 
 letters to Count Zinzendorf during this journey. Of Dr. 
 Buelfinger, he says, that " he entertains very just ideas 
 regarding the Brethren, and has assisted them in various 
 ways/" Of Dr. Weissman, he writes: "In intercourse 
 with him one almost gets suspicious, for he continually talks 
 of caution. Professor Fisher judges the Count in very mild 
 terms ; he is like a book in which there are many obscure 
 passages. Whatever is clear and intelligible in him is very 
 good, the rest it is best to leave unnoticed." Spangenberg 
 cultivated an intimate acquaintance witli Chancellor Pfaff, 
 who was at first greatly prejudiced against Herrnhut, but 
 afterwards received more favourable impressions respecting 
 
28 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the Brethren. He also made the acquaintance of some 
 students who formed connections with the Brethren's Church, 
 and gained the affections of two learned men, Hehl and 
 Waiblinger, who subsequently entered the service of the 
 Brethren's Church, in which they laboured with much bles- 
 sing, and of which they became bishops. The picture he 
 draws of Hehl is such as to call forth our admiration. 
 
 He succeeded in preparing the way for Count Zinzendorf s 
 entering upon the ministerial office at Tubingen. 
 
 Spangenberg visited Wurtemberg on his way to Holland, 
 having been requested by the Count to accompany the so- 
 called Schwenkfelders to Georgia in North America. The 
 latter had lived at Berthelsdorf, and were obliged to emigrate. 
 They intended to proceed to Georgia, but suddenly changed 
 their minds and wished to settle in Pennsylvania, Zinzen- 
 dorf had entered into negotiations with the London Directors 
 of the colony in Georgia, who expressed their willingness to 
 sell a piece of land to the Brethren. This offer was not to 
 be rejected, for in spirit they saw the door open for preach- 
 ing the Gospel to the Indians. Spangenberg felt much at 
 the thought of letting the Schwenkfelders go by themselves 
 but was ready herein, as on all other occasions, to sacrifice 
 his own wishes to the will of the Lord. He thus regarded 
 the performance of any work entrusted to his care : " I am 
 quite certain that I cannot execute a single commission 
 without the gracious assistance of the Lord. I therefore 
 cry to him day and night to be with me, and to impart the 
 needful grace, and he has at no time put my confidence to 
 shame." 
 
 He hastened to London to make the needful arrangements 
 with the Directors of the colony in Georgia, and to accom- 
 pany the brethren thither. In the middle of November, 
 1734, we find him in Amsterdam, where he had to perform 
 an important work. The Brethren wished to convey the 
 message of the Gospel to the poor Negro slaves in the Dutch 
 
I3ISH0P SPANGENBERG. 29 
 
 colony of Surinam ; and to further this object, Spangenberg 
 entered into negociations with the Dutch Board of Trade, 
 who desired to have some information respecting the Bre- 
 thren's Church. It consequently became necessary to pro- 
 cure translations of the papers relating to its history. A 
 Dutch gentleman of ability and honest principles, Mr. Isaac 
 Lelong, kindly undertook this work, and thereby not only 
 became acquainted with the Brethren, but also learnt to 
 esteem them. He spoke of their cause to his friends, and 
 was an instrument of securing for them manifold aud sub- 
 stantial support in Holland. The first three missionaries 
 left Holland for Surinam in the summer of the following 
 year, 1735, through the energetic exertions of Spangen- 
 berg. Shortly before Christmas he went to Eotterdam, 
 from whence he embarked for London. The passage was 
 very unfavourable. Instead of being twenty-four hours on 
 the sea, as had been promised, they were ten days on board 
 the vessel. Spangenberg suffered greatly from hunger and 
 cold, and was much grieved by the frivolity and ungodliness 
 of the crew. Xear the English coast they encountered a 
 terrible storm ; but for him it had no terrors. He thus 
 writes concerning it : "I cannot describe how happy I felt, 
 nor do I remember any other period, in which I could rejoice 
 in the goodness of God with such heart-felt joy, as amidst 
 this tumult. I can say that I neither saw nor heard any- 
 thing around me, for the Lord was powerfully working in 
 my heart." 
 
 On December the 28th he arrived in London, with feelings 
 of thanksgiving and praise. 
 
30 THE LIFE OF 
 
 VII. 
 
 Experiences in London and on the Voyage to 
 
 America. 
 
 " We magnify thy grace ; pure love 
 Doth thy paternal heart excite ; 
 Thy pillar doth before us move ; 
 
 To dwell with men is thy delight.'' — Hymn-hook, 195, 4. 
 
 On his arrival in London (" the monster city in extent," 
 — as he termed it), the short days of winter and his want 
 of knowledge of the English language proved serious draw- 
 backs to the discharge of his varied duties. The Eev. Mr. 
 Ziegenhagen, one of the chaplains of the royal court, a man 
 of piety, and much esteemed in England, had been filled 
 with prejudices against Spangenberg and the cause of the 
 Brethren, by their opponents at Halle. Spangenberg in vain 
 hoped to receive assistance from this gentleman, who treated 
 him, however, with kindness. On one occasion he learnt from 
 him that fifteen brethren were on their wayfrom Herrnhut to 
 Georgia, but that he (Ziegenhagen) had advised them to 
 return home. Against this Spangenberg protested, and 
 succeeded in procuring lodgings for them in the city. On 
 January the 7th he had his first interview with the Governor 
 of Georgia, General Oglethorpe, the Eev. Mr. Ziegenhagen 
 acting as interpreter. Spangenberg soon perceived that the 
 latter embraced the opportunity to throw impediments in 
 the way of the Brethren. He therefore addressed the 
 Governor in Latin, and in this language carried on the 
 conversation. General Oglethorpe asked for a written 
 account of the doctrine and constitution of the Brethren's 
 Church, in order to lay it before the Directors of the 
 colony of Georgia, which Spangenberg very soon fur- 
 nished. All the obstacles he encountered at this time he 
 was enabled to overcome by faith, and as they vanished? 
 
 'i 
 
ETSnOP 3PANGEX-BEUG. 31 
 
 his confidence increased; so that he could write, " Why must 
 every thing be made so difficult ? May we not argue from 
 this, that all will turn out for the best ?" 
 
 One day, when sitting down to write an essay, he felt such 
 a powerful impulse to go to the Governor, that he cotfld not 
 proceed with his work. On reaching his residence, he learnt 
 with pleasure that the brethren had arrived, and entered 
 upon the lodgings provided for them by his Excellency. 
 They had been cast upon a sand-bank near the English coast, 
 and leaving their vessel, had proceeded to London on foot. 
 Their mutual joy at meeting so soon, was great indeed. The 
 brethren brought with them a commission for Spangenberg 
 to accompany them to Georgia, together with the instruc- 
 tions for which he had long waited. 
 
 The negociations with the Commissioners of the colony 
 in Georgia proceeded very favourably. A large tract of land 
 was ceded to the Brethren, accompanied with many im- 
 portant privileges. But whilst their prospects for the future 
 were thus brightening, they were greatly straitened by 
 pecuniary wants, which they felt the more keenly, because 
 it was necessary to purchase provisions for the passage, and 
 for their first settlement in Georgia. In these difficulties 
 they frequently experienced the watchful care of the Lord 
 over his feeble band of confessors. On one occasion Span- 
 genberg was in want of four guineas to enable him to settle 
 some accounts. "While the brethren were at dinner, a gentle- 
 man entered the room and presented him with four guineas ; 
 stating, that it had been very much impressed upon his 
 mind, that the brethren stood in need of assistance ; he 
 had accordingly gone to his brother, asking him to give 
 him some money for certain good friends, and promising to 
 add three times as much out of his own purse. His brother 
 gave him one guinea, to which, according to promise, he 
 added three others. Spangenberg on this occasion, as at 
 other times, felt the truth of a remark he once had made : 
 
32 THE LIFE OF 
 
 " Our Lord Jesus Christ, as soon as I looked to him with 
 my whole heart, gave me the special assurance by his grace 
 that he would never leave nor forsake me in regard to my 
 temporal wants. I derived much comfort from his words, 
 by which he forbids us to take thought for the things of the 
 morrow. The providential care of our dear Father in hea- 
 ven, of which our Lord Jesus Christ speaks in such emphatic 
 terms, by his divine teaching, made me sink down before him 
 in gratitude and amazement.' ' 
 
 Among other interesting connections which Spangenberg 
 formed during his stay in London, we may specially notice 
 his acquaintance with the Bishop of London, to whom he 
 gave satisfactory information respecting the Church of the 
 Brethren. In a meeting of the Commissioners for Georgia 
 he was treated with the greatest cordiality, and commis- 
 sioned to have the superintendence over all the passengers 
 in their vessel bound for North America. They also gave 
 him medicines, which he was to dispense in case of need. 
 The brethren set sail in the beginning of February. Their 
 voyage was upon the whole very prosperous. Several Swiss 
 families, who emigrated as colonists to Carolina, occasioned 
 him, however, no little uneasiness. Most of them were 
 very sickly, and claimed his medical attendance, as well as 
 his spiritual advice ; he cheerfully rendered both to the best 
 of his ability. Five of them died, and were buried in the 
 depths of the sea. 
 
 He could not sufficiently express his gratitude to General 
 Oglethorpe for having assigned to the brethren a separate 
 portion of the ship. By this arrangement they not only 
 were protected against the contagious illness of the Swiss 
 emigrants, but were enabled to edify each other by singing, 
 prayer, and friendly conversation. The Captain and his crew 
 paid marked attention to the brethren. The good hand of 
 their best Friend guided them in safety to the destined 
 haven, and Spangenberg gave utterance to his sentiments 
 
13ISII0P SPANGENBEEG. 33 
 
 and the feelings of his brethren during the voyage, in 
 verses, composed on their passage across the Atlantic, of 
 which the following is an imperfect rendering : 
 
 Precious Love ! thou dost inflame 
 
 Our souls to glorify thy name — 
 
 To thee to live, to thee to die ; 
 
 For gifts and blessings from on high 
 
 To shower on man is thy delight ; 
 
 Tea every fear thou putt'st to flight — 
 And all our sicknesses by thee are cast 
 Into the unknown depths of ocean vast. 
 
 Once from thy fold we went astray; — 
 
 And down the broad and devious way, 
 
 Where fearful shadows ever flit, 
 
 We hasten'd to the burning pit : — 
 
 But thou, with pitying heart, didst see 
 
 Our danger and our misery — 
 In tones of deep compassion thou didst cry, 
 " Turn, turn, ye wandering sheep ; why will ye die ?" 
 
 We turn'd ; — then beams of love divine 
 
 Shone on our hearts, and made us thine: 
 
 Thy truth gave light unto our spirit; 
 
 We saw thy all-atoning merit ; 
 
 And thou wast pleased, with tender care, 
 
 To guide our feet through every snare, 
 And lead us gently up the heavenly road, 
 Erelong to stand before the throne of God. 
 
 How faithfully thou lead'st thine own, 
 
 Lord, day by day, is amply shown ; 
 
 For with a tender mother's love 
 
 Thou watchest o'er them from above : 
 
 Such grace thou richly dost bestow, 
 
 That the poor worms of earth below 
 Are fitted for thy crown most glorious — 
 Where all shall shine who prove victorious. 
 
 Our souls to thee we now commend, 
 Keep them in safety to the end ; 
 That in the narrow road thro' grace 
 Unfaltering we moy run our race, 
 
 D 
 
34 
 
 TIIE LIFE 0E 
 
 Protected by thy mighty hand, 
 Until we reach the promised land ; — 
 Where we the prize of heavenly life shall gain, 
 If stedfast midst reproach we here remain. 
 
 may we be resign'd and still, 
 Whatever be thy holy will ; 
 Then let winds blow from east or north 
 And drive the giant surges forth, 
 We know that midst the tempest's roar, 
 While ocean foams from shore to shore, 
 Thou canst refresh thy children from on high, 
 And quell the towering billows with thine eye. 
 
 VIII. 
 Becoming all things to all Men. 
 
 " Amidst tribulation 
 
 We follow our Saviour, 
 Whose name and profession 
 We'll honour for ever ; 
 His shame we bear — and gladly share." 
 
 Hymn-look, 508. 
 
 The brethren reached Georgia in safety. Fifty acres of 
 land on the banks of the river Savannah were measured out, 
 according to the promise made to Spangenberg. Their first 
 care was the erection of a temporary dwelling . This they 
 finished within a fortnight, during which time they encamped 
 in the open air. They had scarcely taken possession of their 
 hut, when the season became so rainy, that they were truly 
 thankful to the Lord for their humble dwelling. The bre- 
 thren next commenced clearing the ground for field labour, 
 and sowing of the crops ; and on the 19th of June, Span- 
 genberg was able to report to the Governor, that the pros- 
 pects of a good harvest were very favourable. The inha- 
 bitants of the neighbouring town of Savannah, shewed them 
 much kindness, which proved truly welcome during the season 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 35 
 
 of sickness through which the brethren passed soon after 
 their arrival. They were at one time in great trouble on 
 account of the illness of the brother who had the manage- 
 ment of the farm, as this was their main support. Spangen- 
 berg on that occasion experienced a very remarkable answer 
 to prayer. Kneeling down by the bedside of the patient, he 
 fervently prayed for his speedy recovery ; after which, rising 
 from prayer, he addressed the sick man in the following 
 words : " My brother, I think you had better get up, in the 
 name of the Lord, and believe that you are well." And im- 
 mediately the patient believed, rose up, and went to his 
 work. His services were the more needed, because another 
 dwelling-house was to be built for a number of brethren and 
 sisters, whose arrival from Europe was expected from week 
 to week. These, however, did not come till the commence- 
 ment of the year 1736. 
 
 Meanwhile, Spangenberg diligently prepared the way for 
 them, by caring faithfully for the souls of the emigrants 
 around. He observes : " The Lord our Saviour owns 
 our work most graciously, for he looketh on the heart." 
 The brethren were occasionally rejoiced by visits from In- 
 dians, who attended their singing-meetings with reverential 
 awe. Spangenberg declares that he spent many happy sea- 
 sons with his brethren in the course of that year, although 
 they were much tried with poverty and other difficulties. 
 We know the source from whence this happiness proceeded, 
 namely, the communion of his heart with the Lord. On 
 one occasion the brethren were absent from home for several 
 weeks, and Spangenberg was left behind, a lonely inmate of 
 their cottage ; yet he was not lonely, for the Lord was 
 with him. 
 
 The quiet of the little colony was agreeably disturbed in 
 February 1736, by the arrival of several brethren and sisters 
 under the guidance of David Nitschmann, who in the course 
 of the previous year had been consecrated a bishop of the 
 
 d 2 
 
36 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Brethren's Church by Bishop Jablonsky of Berlin. The 
 same vessel had brought General Oglethorpe from London 
 to Georgia. The Governor and his friends were very much 
 pleased with the flourishing colony, and not a little surprised 
 to find the learned and well educated Spangenberg busily 
 engaged in cooking dinner for his brethren. The num- 
 ber of the new congregation steadily increased. This led 
 both Spangenberg and Mtschinann to think of the introduc- 
 tion of an organization, similar to that of the congregation 
 at Herrnhut. Overseers, class-leaders, servants, and sick- 
 waiters were appointed. The flock was divided into bands 
 or classes, for mutual conversation and exhortation on spiri- 
 tual subjects. It was agreed, also, that an elder should be 
 appointed. We will hear Spangenberg' s own account of this 
 transaction : "In a full meeting of the congregation Br. 
 Anton SeyfFert was unanimously chosen for this office. He 
 was thereupon requested to leave the room, while a conversa- 
 tion ensued concerning the nature of his appointment and its 
 requirements. On his re-admission some appropriate verses 
 were sung, and prayer was offered. Bishop JNitschmann then 
 pointed out to him the great importance of the office*. The 
 elder ought always to be foremost in being ready to suffer 
 for Christ. Such was the case in the primitive Church, and 
 likewise among their ancestors in Moravia. The bishops 
 always were the first victims in times of persecution. The 
 question was therefore addressed to him whether he was wil- 
 ling, if need be, cheerfully to lay down his life for the Lord 
 Jesus and his congregation ? Having answered this ques- 
 tion with a hearty c Yes,' he was further reminded, that de- 
 clensions in the Church of Christ generally originated in the 
 assumption of power by the bishops over their flocks, and a 
 desire to have the pre-eminence in external matters. 
 Another question was accordingly put, whether he would 
 be ready, if at any time the thought should enter his mind, 
 that he was the elder of the Church, and therefore above 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBEEG. 37 
 
 his brethren, to condemn such a thought as from the wicked 
 one, and to dismiss it immediately ? To this he replied with 
 a firm and deliberate ' Yes.' Hereupon, Nitschmann offered 
 up a fervent prayer on his behalf, and then blessed him for 
 his office by the imposition of hands." 
 
 Such was the simple and impressive ceremony observed in 
 this consecration of an elder. Spangenberg himself was 
 soon after ordained a presbyter of the Brethren's Church, 
 by Br. Nitschmann, in the presence of the whole congrega- 
 tion. His official engagements in the colony having now 
 terminated, he earnestly desired to follow his first appoint- 
 ment, which was to accompany the Schwenkf elders to their 
 place of destination. He therefore resolved to visit them in 
 Pennsylvania, and to embrace the opportunity for ascertain- 
 ing if an open door could not be found there for preaching 
 the gospel to the Indians, 
 
 Accompanied by the best wishes and prayers of the con- 
 gregation, and with letters of recommendation from General 
 Oglethorpe, he set out for Pennsylvania on the 15th of 
 March. On his arrival he visited the Schwenkfelders in 
 their colony, and met with a very kind reception from them 
 all, more particularly in the house of a certain Christopher 
 "Wiegner. Spangenberg' s chief care was to lead him and his 
 co-religionists to a clearer insight into the truth as it is in 
 Jesus. He writes : " I will visit the people, offer them the 
 peace I myself enjoy, be at their service, hear, ask, and 
 answer, as they may require. I pray that the Lord himself 
 may open the door." He spared no toil to gain his object. 
 Unwilling to remain idle in the mean while, he was not 
 ashamed to assist in the farm of his host. An occasional visitor 
 in Pennsylvania might at that time have seen Spangenberg 
 diligently threshing in the barn. "I was learning," he says, 
 " and thought to follow the mind of Christ in this matter, 
 Por I lived among the peasantry, and remembered the words 
 of Christ to become all things to all men." 
 
38 THE LIFE OF 
 
 There were at that time many other sects in Pennsylvania, 
 such as Baptists, Seven-day Saints, the New Lights, Se- 
 paratists, and others, upon all of whom Spangenberg endea- 
 voured to exercise a salutary influence. To some he was 
 the instrument, by the grace of God, of bringing the saving 
 knowledge of Christ Jesus. He adhered to his principle of 
 being a common friend to all, without joining more closely 
 any particular sect. 
 
 " They received me with great kindness," he writes, " and 
 my labours among them were not in vain." 
 
 Whilst thus labouring blessedly in Pennsylvania, he 
 very unexpectedly received a call to go to St. Thomas in 
 the Danish "West Indies. The mission of the Brethren 
 among the Negroes in that island, was in a prosperous con- 
 dition. The absence however of ordained brethren pre- 
 vented the baptizing of the converted Negroes. Bishop 
 Nitschmann, who was to have gone to St. Thomas, returned 
 to Europe, and commissioned Spangenberg to hold the visita- 
 tion in his stead. • The latter reached St. Thomas on the 
 10th of September, to the great satisfaction of the brethren 
 in that island. The white people were greatly enraged, 
 because the testimony of the missionaries condemned their 
 licentious practices. The Negroes, on the other hand, were 
 very eager to hear the word of the cross. Times of trouble 
 had not been wanting. Scarcity of provisions and heavy 
 sickness had tried many, and driven them to the true Helper 
 in all need. Spangenberg met with many difficulties ; but 
 his work was much blessed. He called upon all persons in 
 authority, begging them not to oppose the work of Grod ; 
 while at the same time he encouraged the brethren faithfully 
 to persevere in it. On April the 30th he had the pleasure of 
 baptizing the first three converts. Thus the foundation was 
 laid of a congregation of Negroes, w r hich in process of time 
 numbered many thousands. 
 
 In the midst of his activity he was laid upon a bed 
 
BISHOP SPANGENJiERG. 
 
 39 
 
 of sickness, from which none expected he would re- 
 cover. On this occasion it became strikingly manifest how 
 strong a bond of union already connected him with his 
 beloved Negroes. Bathed in tears they stood around 
 the sick bed of their dear teacher, and cried for help. 
 During the night he heard a newly baptized Negro, who 
 was watching at his-bed side, with loud and earnest prayers 
 implore the Lord for the restoration of his health. He was 
 so deeply affected by this that he himself joined in the 
 fervent petitions of the Negro ; and the Lord heard their 
 cry. His engagements in the West Indies having now 
 terminated, he longed to return to Pennsylvania ; although 
 he confessed : " How gladly would I remain here to share 
 in the reproach and in the blessings of the brethren ; but 
 my heart longs to be useful, where the Lord points out my 
 sphere." 
 
 In the island of St. Eustatia, he met with a vessel bound 
 for New York. In this he secured a passage ; and the cap- 
 tain, Nicholas Garrison, requested him to address a few words 
 of exhortation every day to himself and his crew. His words 
 were blessed to many. When they were near New York, 
 a heavy storm threatened the vessel with destruction, and 
 greatly alarmed the captain. Spangenberg encouragingly 
 assured him that the Lord would preserve them ; and, indeed, 
 not many hours after, they reached the desired haven in per- 
 fect safety. Captain Garrison from that day forward sought 
 closer acquaintance and connection with the Brethren, into 
 whose service he entered in the sequel. Spangenberg had 
 scarcely been two months in Pennsylvania, when an urgent 
 letter from the brethren in Georgia summoned him thither. 
 The English had demanded that they should take up arms 
 against the Spaniards, who threatened an attack. This the 
 brethren refused to do, and were consequently exposed to much 
 trouble. They then applied to Spangenberg for counsel. After 
 a long and hazardous voyage, during which he was several 
 
40 THE LIFE OF 
 
 times in imminent danger, he arrived safely in Georgia. The 
 brethren and many of their neighbours gave him a hearty 
 welcome. Others were very much opposed to him, and 
 openly declared that they would cut him in pieces if he 
 should fall into their hands. The internal course of the con- 
 gregation, however, was very satisfactory, and Spangenberg 
 was much pleased to perceive a growing desire to preach 
 the gospel to the Indians. The Lord laid his manifest 
 blessing upon the new colony, by sending them plentiful har- 
 vests. The brethren also found a well of such excellent 
 w T ater, that people came from the neighbouring town to fetch 
 it. Spangenberg revised and put in order all the account 
 books, and advised his brethren, in the event of an outbreak 
 of war, to emigrate. In the year 1739, they were actually 
 compelled to leave their beautiful property, and to seek a place 
 of refuge in Pennsylvania. A very trying time of sifting 
 ensued ; one portion of the congregation waited in Georgia 
 for a clearer indication of the Lord's will regarding them, 
 whilst another portion emigrated to Philadelphia, where each 
 one sought to promote his own personal interests. Spangen- 
 berg observes : " There must be divisions in the congrega- 
 tion, that they which are approved may be made manifest." 
 
 In November, 1737, we again find him in Pennsylvania, 
 labouring in much blessing. The more acquainted he became 
 with the errors of the sectarians, the more his thankfulness 
 increased for the pure gospel preached in the Brethren's 
 Church. In his joy over this blessing, he, on one occasion, 
 wrote to the brethren at Herrnhut to make a good use of 
 their privileges. "Having seen and become acquainted," he 
 says, "with many persons who strive to live godly or prac- 
 tise bodily exercises, I can say that Herrnhut not only has 
 become dear to me, but grows dearer each day to my heart* 
 ! how seldom and very rarely do we meet with the pure 
 and simple gospel all over the world! How few there are 
 who are firmly grounded upon Christ, and are united in one 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBEItG. 41 
 
 spirit by the Holy Ghost ! Of my own labours, I may not 
 speak much. My personal experience greatly resembles 
 the April weather in Germany. Before you are aware, there 
 is a heavy shower. The ground is hardly moist, when, behold, 
 the sun breaks forth again. Then, perhaps, a sudden snow- 
 storm follows. Yet amidst all these changes of weather, 
 the trees begin to bud and the grass is growing. Then the 
 month of May appears. For this May, I am still waiting." 
 He makes the following humble confession of his own 
 spiritual state during the period we are now speaking of : — 
 " It is quite clear to myself, that my ways are very imperfect, 
 and that Christ is not yet become to me the righteousness of 
 God. I do not sufficiently feel the power of his blood. 
 But I hunger after it with my whole heart, and consider it 
 the one thing needful that I ought to care for. The commu- 
 nion of my brethren becomes daily more precious to my soul, 
 and I long to enjoy it more and more in your midst." This 
 longing was soon to be satisfied in fullest measure, for he 
 received his recall to Europe. 
 
 IX. 
 
 Lajboues in Germany, 
 
 " Lord, grant us, though deeply abased with shame, 
 With true Christian courage to act in thy name ; 
 In thy blessed work may we always abound, 
 And let with success all onr labour be crown* d. — Tlymn-booh, 888. 
 
 The war between England and Spain caused much un- 
 easiness to many of Spangenberg's fellow-passengers on 
 their voyage from North America to England. They were 
 afraid lest they should fall into the hands of the enemy. 
 Spangenberg remained very calm, comforting himself with the 
 words of Jesus : " And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours 
 
42 THE LIFE OF 
 
 of wars, see that ye be not troubled." He went by way of 
 London to Germany, and arrived in "Wetteravia about the 
 end of the year. Count Zinzendorf had gathered around him, 
 first at the castle of Ronneburg, and afterwards at Marien- 
 born, a company of servants of the Lord, which was known 
 by the name of The Pilgrim Congregation, and as such 
 laboured in much blessing. Here Spangenberg also found a 
 sphere of usefulness. He asked the Directing Board of the 
 Unity to entrust to him the management of the outward 
 affairs of the schools, and the eare of the visiting brethren 
 and sisters. This request was readily granted ; for he 
 enjoyed the confidence of all. The great poverty of the 
 Brethren rendered the discharge of the duties in his new 
 office oftentimes very difficult ; yet the Lord approved him- 
 self on many occasions as the real Father of the house. The 
 household affairs of Count Zinzendorf were likewise com- 
 mitted to his care, in addition to which he conducted the official 
 correspondence of the Brethren, concerning which he remarks 
 in a letter : " I am so situated at present, that there is every 
 prospect of my remaining for some time at Marienborn and 
 Herrnhaag (where at that time a congregation was being 
 settled). I derive much benefit from my residence in this 
 place, and may say with truth, that I grow in grace and in 
 the knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ in the midst of 
 the congregation. The gospel of the glorious majesty of 
 Christ is preached among us with power and the demonstra- 
 tion of the Spirit. The grace of God reigns in every heart, 
 filling all with such a fire of love, that we cannot but 
 rejoice and be humbled before the Lord. I find enough to 
 do in managing the affairs of our schools and other duties, 
 which devolve upon me in the pilgrim congregation. May 
 the Lord fit me for my office." 
 
 One of the brethren narrates the following particulars con- 
 cerning Spangenberg during this period. " I used to see 
 him in a dress similar to that worn by the Schwenkfelders ; 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 43 
 
 a grey coat without buttons and pockets, of a coarse linen 
 texture, manufactured by the Schwenkfelders, and fastened 
 with loops. The single men slept in two separate rooms. 
 Spangenberg every morning woke us, left the room, and 
 soon after returned, to see if we had got up. If at any time 
 he found us still in bed, he w r ould sing, ' Why will ye sleep ; 
 awake, ye young lions, and be up. Let not sloth bring you 
 reproach.' On one occasion he tapped me on the shoulder, 
 saying, ' My young brother, when I was at your age, I was 
 always the first out of bed, lit the fire and swept the room. 
 Tou ought to do so now.' In January 1740, I generally 
 found him every morning (about 5 o'clock), when I fetched 
 water, standing at the well in the open air, washing his head 
 and hands, though the cold was most intense." His activity 
 rendered his services highly valuable, and they were so often 
 called into requisition that he became, according to his own 
 confession, " the common servant" There was therefore an 
 abundance of work — numerous trials — and also great joy. 
 
 "Whilst at Marienborn he had the mournful pleasure to 
 witness the happy departure of a Negro woman. "We 
 have no reason," he writes, "to lament her loss, for she is 
 saved by the blood of the Lamb. Nor do we consider her 
 as lost to us, for she still belongs to our number, although 
 our Saviour has conducted her into another chamber and 
 adorned her with another garment. Her earthly tabernacle 
 will be dissolved, but the Lord will raise from the dust a 
 glorious body, that it may be like unto his own glorious 
 body. Meanwhile we will do what we can to please our 
 Saviour by his enabling grace ; and when we are weary, he 
 will release us. AVhenever he calls, we will be content, like 
 day labourers, who are thankful, if their master calls them 
 from their work about noon, and gives them leave to rest in 
 his house." 
 
 Spangenberg' s duties as house-father of the schools were 
 of such a nature, as to require female assistance; and 
 
44 THE LIFE OE 
 
 a help-meet was soon found for him. There lived at that 
 time in Wetteravia a faithful Christian whose name was 
 Eva Maria Immig; her maiden name was Ziegelbauer. 
 Her first husband had been a pious lawyer, with whom 
 she had come to Herrnhut in the year 1727, and whom 
 she lost in the following year. He departed this life in 
 peace, after having passed through many severe conflicts. 
 His widow was appointed one of the first elders, being a 
 very faithful and talented Christian ; subsequently she be- 
 came the labouress of the widows. During the year 1739 
 she had lived with the pilgrim congregation in Marienborn. 
 On the 5th of March 1740 she was united in holy matrimony 
 with Spangenberg. Soon afterwards the latter wrote to a 
 friend : " As regards my spiritual course and the state of 
 my heart I have undergone no change, except that I am 
 enabled to say, I learn daily more and more, how to 
 forget self, and to become more willing and ready to serve 
 the souls bought with blood. In reference to external 
 matters, I have not only undertaken various duties, which 
 I neither had learnt nor was used to discharge in former 
 years, but I have also received an help-mate in the person 
 of the widow Sr. Immig, an experienced and faithful hand- 
 maid of the Lord. We have acted in entire accordance 
 with the mind of the congregation, and were convinced 
 before our marriage that it would be after the mind of 
 Christ ; since then this conviction has been daily more con- 
 firmed. Our covenant before the Lord is this, that it shall 
 be a joy to us, to be spent in his service and for the good 
 of his people. May the Lord seal and confirm this covenant 
 with his grace." 
 
 In the year 1740 a Synod of the Brethren's Church was 
 convened at Gotha. Among other subjects the relation of 
 the Brethren's Church to the established Churches of the 
 land was considered. The Synod maturely discussed, how 
 the labourers in Christ's vineyard were to meet the opposition 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 45 
 
 of the enemies of the cross, and how souls might be con- 
 verted to Christ in the most effective manner. The truth 
 of the written word was prayerfully considered in reference 
 to these topics. The constitution of Iierrnhut, Pilgerruh, 
 and Herrnhaag ; the pilgrim congregation, and the mission 
 among the heathen were minutely examined. Spangen- 
 berg's counsel in these deliberations was highly valuable. 
 He remarks on this Synod : " I can say with truth, that the 
 Lord was in our midst. Divine seriousness and the power 
 of grace prevailed in our assembly, leaving no room for 
 quarrelling, angry words, or unsanctified disputations. " 
 
 The synodal conferences were continued at Marienborn 
 in the month of December ; when several points touched 
 upon at the Synod of Gotha, were reconsidered. There 
 were seventy brethren and sisters present, all of whom were 
 experienced labourers in the Church. The meetings of 
 conference sometimes began at 6 o'clock in the morning, 
 and were continued till midnight. On several occasions the 
 members scarcelv allowed themselves time for taking their 
 meals, lest they should lose the thread of their arguments. 
 " Each day has its own share of evil, but each day also has 
 its blessings. We were united to each other in love and 
 peace. Our Saviour's presence was not only believed in, 
 but felt in our hearts." The conferences were closed at 
 the end of the year, although several topics were postponed for 
 further consideration. 
 
 Spangenberg regarded his numerous and faithful services in 
 Wetteravia with his wonted humility, as we may gather from 
 the following confession : " The Lord our Saviour and his 
 faithful servants did all in their power to render me useful 
 in the house of God, that is, his congregation. But when I 
 examine what use I made of their help, I appear before God 
 and my dear brethren and sisters in the spirit of the poor 
 publican ; I stand afar off, smite upon my breast, and say, 
 ' God be merciful to me, a sinner.' " 
 
46 
 
 THE LIFE OE 
 
 Labours in England. 
 
 " In Jesus' love and peace, 
 On earth's extended face, 
 Dwell our congregations."— Hymn-booh, 810. 
 
 The fire which the Brethren had kindled in England spread 
 far and wide. Several letters reached the Directing Board 
 of the Unity, asking for a mission of brethren and sisters 
 to England. Spangenberg was commissioned in the spring 
 of 1741 to go thither, in company of several fellow-labourers. 
 They arrived in London on the 5th of April, and were well 
 received by their brethren. Spangenberg' s chief care was 
 to maintain the bond of union among all his fellow-labourers. 
 " In this," he writes, " our Saviour powerfully assists us, 
 his Holy Spirit exercising so gracious an influence upon each 
 soul, that we can do nothing but look on in amazement. He 
 does the work, without our interference. In short, the sun 
 shines so brightly, and the dew of heaven descends so gra- 
 ciously, that fruits spring forth spontaneously by his creative 
 power." 
 
 The brethren faithfully adhered to the simple doctrine of 
 the cross, whilst others, and more especially John "Wesley, 
 whose acquaintance Spangenberg had formed in North 
 America, urged the setting forth of the doctrine of perfec- 
 tion. The word of the cross was blessed to many. " "Whilst 
 others preach perfection, we glory in our misery and weak- 
 ness, and in the Lamb slain for us. On this point we are 
 all agreed, thanks to the Lord, and can testify with truth 
 that we love each other heartily. Our Saviour walks amongst 
 us, and his footsteps drop down blessings in abundance." 
 
 The Christian friends who joined the Brethren's Church 
 were animated by an eager desire to spread the knowledge 
 of the Lord to the utmost ends of the earth. For this pur- 
 
ELSnOP SPAN GENU ERG. 47 
 
 pose they formed "The Society for the Furtherance of the 
 Gospel among the Heathen." The Committee consisted of 
 four members ; and Spangenberg was elected a member of 
 committee as assessor of the Moravian church. They met 
 on the first day of every month, and admitted well-wishers of 
 the cause to their meetings. Missionary intelligence was 
 communicated, and donations were handed in at the close of 
 the meeting, for the support of the missions. The Society 
 soon prospered so greatly, that they were able to assist three 
 brethren on their way to Pennsylvania. Spangenberg writes : 
 " May the Lord give us ability and means to send forth many 
 more servants and handmaids into his service." This Society 
 subsequently was dissolved ; but was again reorganized in the 
 year 1768, with distinguished blessing. 
 
 As the year 1727 had become memorable for the Church 
 of the Brethren by the pentecostal outpouring of the 
 spirit of love and harmony, uniting all in one bond of 
 union, so in like manner the year 1741 is marked by an 
 important event. Count Zinzendorf was on his way to 
 North America, where he wished to promote the labours of 
 the brethren in Pennsylvania, and, if possible, to further the 
 mission among the Indians. About the beginning of Sep- 
 tember, he arrived in London, in company of several brethren 
 and sisters. On the 11th of that month, a synodal conference 
 of the servants of the Church was opened. Leonhard Dober 
 had just then resigned his office of Chief Elder of the whole 
 Church. This occasioned many perplexing deliberations, as 
 the brethren did not know of any brother to whom they 
 could confidently entrust the vacant office. But, on the 
 16th, when they were greatly troubled on account of 
 this difficult subject, their thoughts were directed most 
 powerfully to the conviction that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd 
 and Bishop of souls, and the Head of the Church, and that 
 therefore the brethren could do no better than commit the 
 office of Chief Elder to him. "With many tears, they sank 
 
48 THE LIFE OE 
 
 down upon their knees, imploring the Lord to undertake the 
 guidance of the Brethren's Church, and to do for them in all 
 perfection what their former elders had done in much 
 weakness. The peace of God filled their hearts, which they 
 considered as an answer and seal to their prayers. This 
 joyful and important event was announced to all the congre- 
 gations on the 13th of November. Everywhere the members 
 of the Church simply surrendered themselves to the guidance 
 of the Lord Jesus Christ. This day is justly celebrated as 
 an important memorial day of the Brethren's Church. 
 
 The synodal conference of London was of importance to 
 Spangenberg for many other reasons. He was appointed Over- 
 seer of all the committees, and entrusted with the office of 
 the so-called General-Diacony, which comprised the manage- 
 ment of all the financial affairs of the Church. This was a 
 very responsible post. His counsel and help were called for 
 on all sides. In subsequent years, he remarked : u I could not 
 possibly help everywhere ; this continually drove me to my 
 Saviour for his divine assistance. He alone knows how many 
 thousand times, and with what ardent supplications, I turned 
 to him in prayer by day and night, in the confident hope that 
 he would help me at the right time. And now I can joy- 
 fully declare he has helped me. Glory be to him in the 
 Church which waiteth for him, and in that which is around 
 him." 
 
 In addition to this, the direction of the affairs of the 
 church in England continued to be entrusted to his care, as 
 heretofore. We have just heard where he sought for help. 
 "Without faith he could not possibly have got through all his 
 varied difficulties. At one time money was wanted to meet 
 the liabilities of the schools for children, as the sums paid by 
 the parents were not sufficient to cover the current expenses. 
 At another time he was expected to find the means for the 
 support of the labourers, who were appointed for the service 
 of the societies, lately formed in England. Some months 
 
ElsnOP SPANGENBERG. 49 
 
 after the departure of Count Zinzendorf to North America, 
 a company of about an hundred brethren and sisters arrived 
 in England, on their way to Pennsylvania, where they pur- 
 posed forming a new congregation ; Spangenberg not only 
 cared for their board and lodging while in London, but also 
 purchased and fitted out a vessel for their voyage to America. 
 They had arrived on the 24th of February, 1742 ; and on 
 March the 14th the ship was ready for them. Spangenberg 
 derived much blessing from their company, and says con- 
 cerning them : " They are certainly little children, who suck 
 the breasts of divine grace, and know of no danger nor mis- 
 fortunes, nor even think of any. They are protected under 
 the wings of the Lord with tender care, like chickens under 
 the wings of the hen. They know of nothing else, but this 
 one thing, Our Saviour loves us, poor sinners, for he died for 
 us. We feel his love, and need not fear his wrath, for he 
 has shed his blood for us. We love each other, and our 
 fellowship is blessed." — The leave-taking at Gravesend was 
 very affecting. The conversation first turned upon the 
 verse (Hymn-book, 923.) : " How are thy servants bless'd, 
 O Lord, how sure is their defence !" &c. The company 
 fell on their knees, and joined in singing a farewell hymn. 
 The crew were deeply affected by this impressive scene. 
 On March the 19th they set sail, the Daily Word for the day 
 being: "Pear not, O land, be glad and rejoice."— Joel ii. 
 21. 
 
 The work in England so rapidly increased, that Spangen- 
 berg scarcely knew how to superintend it. There was much 
 to be done in and about London, where the brethren 
 kept twelve meetings every week in different localities, 
 besides preaching on Sundays in one of the churches. At 
 the same time the call was heard, first from one, then from 
 another part of the country — " Come over and help us ;" 
 more particularly from Yorkshire, where Mr. Ingham, a 
 clergyman of the English church, and a powerful witness for 
 
 E 
 
50 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the truth, preached the gospel with much blessing. Up- 
 wards of 1200 souls were awakened, and desired to become 
 acquainted with the Brethren. At their request Spangenberg 
 went to Yorkshire to see the work of the Lord among them. 
 He remarks, regarding their preaching there and elsewhere, 
 " We preached at many places in England, and took for 
 granted that we must commence with the very first principles. 
 We everywhere set forth the history of our Saviour's birth, 
 life, doctrine, sufferings, death, and resurrection, as though 
 they had never heard of it before. And many persons told us 
 afterwards, that they heard these things for the first time in 
 their life. Upon many, our testimony made so deep an im- 
 pression, that they resolved, from that day forward, to turn 
 unto Christ.' ' 
 
 Spangenberg established a place of residence for the ser- 
 vants of the Church, after the model of Marienborn, at 
 Smith-house, in Yorkshire. On June the 17th, 1742, the 
 brethren took possession of it. The work was now divided 
 into three distinct spheres ; one in London, another in 
 Broadoaks, where the schools for the children were estab- 
 lished, and the third in Yorkshire. In process of time, 
 many awakened souls flocked around the brethren in Smith- 
 house, which led to the establishment of several congrega- 
 tions, of which Lambs-hill, afterwards called Fulneck y was 
 the principal settlement. 
 
 In the same year Spangenberg went to Marienborn, in 
 order to arrange with his fellow-labourers several important 
 matters, which could not well be settled by correspondence. 
 His absence from England lasted only four weeks. On his 
 way to London he walked for two days and nights on foot, 
 carrying his portmanteau on his shoulders, whilst his com- 
 panion lay ill at an inn, unable to proceed any further. 
 
 The brethren were, at this time, greatly persecuted in 
 Yorkshire ; the common people would cast stones at them, 
 and cry, "Away with you." But they remained firm, and 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 51 
 
 covenanted anew to adhere to the doctrine of the cross, upon 
 which the Lord laid his richest blessing. About the middle 
 of February, 1743, Count Zinzendorf came to see them, 
 which occasioned great joy. They had gone to meet him at 
 Doncaster. " No other creature," says Spangenberg, u could 
 have induced us to go so far, for it was dark as pitch, and 
 the road almost impassable : but love urged us onward. The 
 next morning we set out early, and very soon met the dear 
 pilgrims. Joy and abasement filled our hearts ; we welcomed 
 them as messengers from heaven." Count Zinzendorf re- 
 mained eight days at Smith-house, expressing his pleasure 
 at the flourishing work of the Lord. 
 
 Spangenberg accompanied the Count on his return to 
 London, and went with him to Amsterdam, where, at that time, 
 the greater part of the Directing Board of the Unity was 
 assembled, with whom several conferences were held. Shortly 
 afterward, Spangenberg visited Germany, to consult with his 
 brethren about the colony which was to proceed to Pennsyl- 
 vania. From Holland to Silesia he travelled on foot. In 
 Silesia he met with Count Zinzendorf and his assistants. On 
 observing the flourishing work of the Lord in that country, he 
 remarks in a letter : " The hearts are opened with the key of 
 David, and the preaching of the gospel is like a fire that melts 
 the coldest of them like wax. The labourers are united in the 
 most affectionate bond of love, so that one cannot but rejoice 
 with them, and be filled with the fire of their love." On his 
 return to Holland, he met the company destined for Penn- 
 sylvania. After accompanying them to Plymouth, he re- 
 turned to Yorkshire, where he found the brethren in great 
 trouble. The warden of the congregation, an English 
 brother, from whose abilities and usefulness Spangenberg 
 had expected much good for the Church of the Brethren, and 
 in whom he had placed unlimited confidence, had left the 
 congregation, but not without having created much dissatis- 
 faction in the minds of many against the elders, yea, against 
 
52 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the whole Church. Spangenberg, in reference to this affair, 
 wrote, in his report to 'the Directing Board, "You may 
 readily imagine, how deeply we felt this unpleasant circum- 
 stance. On examining the case we soon discovered that it 
 was an old sore, which had not been thoroughly healed, and 
 now burst out with increased virulence. And here I am to 
 blame, and ask our Saviour and his congregation to grant to 
 me their full pardon." Thus he took upon himself all the 
 blame, and humbly bore the reproach brought upon him by 
 this affair. 
 
 Of his labours in this country in general he observes : 
 " "What shall I say at the close of my services in England ? 
 I have numberless reasons for praising the Lord and bring- 
 ing thanks to his holy name. But when I look upon myself 
 I feel what is expressed in the verse — 
 
 For grace I weep and pant, 
 'Tis mercy that I want." 
 
 This humble and child-like disposition rendered him at all 
 times an amiable ornament of the church of God. We 
 cannot refrain from inserting here the following expression 
 of his sentiments, contained in a hymn which he composed 
 about this time. 
 
 When simplicity we cherish, 
 
 Then the soul is full of light : 
 But that light will quickly vanish, 
 
 When of Jesus we lose sight. 
 
 He who nought but Christ desireth, 
 He whom nothing else can cheer, 
 
 But the joy which he inspireth, 
 Lending to his voice an ear ; — 
 
 Who sincerely loveth Jesus, 
 
 And upon his grace depends ; 
 Who but willeth what him pleases, 
 
 Simply following his commands ,— 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBEliG. 53 
 
 Who to Jesus humbly cleaveth, 
 
 Pays obedience to his word, 
 Yea, in closest union liveth 
 
 With our Saviour, Head, and Lord ; — 
 
 Who in Jesus Christ abideth, 
 
 And from self-dependence free, 
 In nought else but him confideth: 
 
 Walks in true simplicity. 
 
 He who is by Christ directed, 
 
 Trusting the good Shepherd's care, 
 From all harm will be protected, 
 
 And no danger needs to fear. 
 
 XI. 
 
 Eetubn to America. 
 
 " I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me." 
 
 • 
 
 Phil. iv. 13. 
 
 About the middle of January, 1744, Spangenberg left 
 England for Silesia, and joined Zinzendorf and the pilgrim 
 congregation who were staying at the castle of the Count de 
 Promnitz, which was then called Gnadeck. Here the office 
 of house-father was assigned to him. He remained there 
 only two months, but enjoyed so much happiness that he 
 testified, " those were blessed days, which will not be for- 
 gotten, even when the world is consumed by fire." From 
 Silesia he accompanied the pilgrim congregation to Marien- 
 born, where several conferences were held. 
 
 On the 15th of June, 1744, he was solemnly consecrated 
 a Bishop of the Brethren's Church, in the presence of the 
 congregation at Herrnhaag, and received a commission to 
 return again to America ; for this reason he was consulted, in 
 several conferences with Count Zinzendorf, on the whole work 
 in that country which he was appointed to superintend. On 
 
54 • THE LIFE OF 
 
 the 28th of June the following blessing of the congregation 
 was pronounced upon him and his partner : " May our Lord 
 Jesus Christ endow you with all the needful heavenly gifts, 
 and give you all his patience, his counsel, and the aid of 
 the Holy Ghost. Be elders in the new world, adorned 
 with all the blessings of the Head of the Church, with his 
 grace and his power. May the love wherewith he loved 
 you unto death, shine forth in all your words and actions, 
 and in your whole countenance. Be one in heart before 
 the Lord and his people ; and love those who love Christ, 
 as well as those who hate him. Let nothing overcome you. 
 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the victory of the 
 Father, and the continual comforts of the Holy Ghost be 
 with you, and make every thing easy, helping you through 
 all difficulties." 
 
 Greatly refreshed by this gracious blessing, Spangenberg 
 and his wife set out on the following day for Holland, in the 
 company of some other brethren. On the 5th of August, 
 the day on which they set sail from Amsterdam, the Doc- 
 trinal Text was, " Lo, I am with you always," Matt, xxviii. 
 20. This they experienced in a remarkable manner during 
 their passage. The voyage, indeed, was very unsafe on 
 account of the war w T ith England, and more than once they 
 were in danger of being taken prisoners ; but God enabled 
 them to reach the desired haven in safety towards the end 
 of October, and Spangenberg hastened to the congregation 
 of the Indians at Shekomeko. 
 
 A law had been lately passed at New York, forbidding the 
 brethren, who were suspected of being friends of the 
 Erench, from staying among the Indians and preaching to 
 them. The meetings had, in consequence, been discontinued, 
 but the missionaries still remained at their posts. Spangen- 
 berg, therefore, went thither in order to comfort and en- 
 courage them. The first man he met was the Indian 
 teacher Johannes, formerly a very wicked man, but now a 
 
BISHOP SrANGENBEEG. 55 
 
 faithful witness of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 Spangenberg had never seen him before, but at once recog- 
 nized him, having been told that he resembled Dr. Luther. 
 He remained twelve days among the Indians, with whom he 
 held many conversations, with a thankful heart for the grace 
 that prevailed. His wife wept for joy on seeing these 
 brown sheep of Jesus. He himself writes : " We remained 
 for some time in the midst of this congregation, gathered 
 from among the heathen, and endeavoured to build them up 
 in the faith.' ' The above mentioned law was subsequently 
 rescinded, in consequence of representations on the part of 
 the brethren. 
 
 On the 30th of November he arrived in Bethlehem, which 
 henceforth became his usual place of residence. He was 
 soon convinced that the Lord ha,d established a great work in 
 North America by the instrumentality of Count Zinzendorf 
 and his brethren. The whole burden of superintending 
 and furthering it now lay upon Spangenberg. We have 
 already seen whence . he derived support and confidence. 
 In the strength of the Lord he commenced his labours ; 
 which comprised the spiritual charge of the congrega- 
 tions at Nazareth and Bethlehem, their financial affairs, 
 the preaching of the gospel, and the care of the awakened 
 souls in the whole region, together with the mission among 
 the Indians. 
 
 The settlements at Bethlehem and Nazareth afforded him 
 much pleasure. They had been organized after the pattern 
 of the European congregations by Count Zinzendorf, in 
 1742. Spangenberg' s main object was to preserve their 
 constitution and discipline. He was enabled to say concern- 
 ing them : u We enjoy sweet peace in the midst of the 
 turmoil round about us ; we love each other in sincerity, and 
 mutually rejoice each other's hearts. We sensibly perceive 
 the presence of our Saviour, and his walk among us on all 
 occasions. It is manifest to all that he graciously and won- 
 
56 THE LIFE OE 
 
 derfully helps us through. The friends of our Saviour adore 
 him for it, while his enemies are enraged. "We are humbled 
 in the dust before him and are filled with deep abasement." 
 
 The congregation at Bethlehem was the centre of the 
 activity of the brethren. "Whenever the missionaries felt 
 fatigued in body and mind by their labours among the Indians, 
 they repaired to Bethlehem for recreation ; there they found 
 comfort and encouragement. Spangenberg was particularly 
 active in administering to their wants, and was the means of 
 stirring up a missionary spirit among many. He writes on 
 this subject : " When the congregation at Bethelehem heard 
 of the departure of the witnesses in St. Thomas, the desire 
 was awakened in many to devote their lives to the mis- 
 sion service. If I had asked the congregation, one by one, 
 who would be willing to gp to St. Thomas, the house of 
 pestilence, some twenty or thirty brethren and sisters would 
 doubtless have expressed their readiness to go thither." A 
 lively spirit of true Christianity reigned among the different 
 choirs and classes, more especially among the young. Span- 
 genberg loved the little children, whom he used to call his 
 lambs. The same state of things existed at Nazareth also, 
 which lay at a distance of about nine miles from Bethlehem. 
 Zinzendorf, on a certain occasion, expressed some doubts 
 respecting the internal course of these congregations, to 
 which Spangenberg replied in the most decisive manner, that 
 they were firmly established upon the foundation of the 
 Brethren's Church, adding : " You ought, however, to con- 
 sider that our little congregation is yet as it were in its cradle ; 
 if you compare us with the manly age of the European 
 congregations, our feet will certainly appear too little for 
 your shoes." . . " Every body owns our stamp as messen- 
 gers of God. Whoever comes near us, is either caught by 
 our fire, or flees from us in dismay." 
 
 The management of the finances, however, occasioned no 
 little trouble. While conducting the affairs of the General 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 57 
 
 Diacony in Europe, he bad learnt to understand the peculiar 
 difficulties attending the external maintenance of the con- 
 gregations. His principal care was, therefore, to make the 
 American congregations self-supporting. The sweat of the 
 brow and faithfulness in business were necessary requisites 
 for the accomplishment of this object. Their housekeeping 
 was conducted in a very primitive way ; Spangenberg acting 
 as house-father and his wife as a mother for all. He urged 
 every one to be active and faithful ; and exhorted all the ser- 
 vants and handmaids of the Lord who held official situations 
 not to be ashamed of working with their own hands. " We 
 wish," he writes, " all the brethren and sisters who tarry by 
 the stuff to be diligent in business, in order to support those 
 who go to the battle. In this way, every one, even a child 
 of four years of age, may serve in the gospel, by spinning and 
 picking wool for the pilgrims. I am convinced that our 
 people here, who live as a school of prophets, will grow weak 
 in body and feeble in heart if they do not work hard with 
 their hands. ,, Each one retained his own private property, 
 but gave all his earnings for the support of the common 
 house-keeping. Spangenberg received a considerable legacy 
 about this time, which he at once presented to the common 
 fund. In this manner, he strove to keep the external affairs 
 of the Church in good order. Nevertheless, it became 
 necessary at times to contract debts. The Lord, however, 
 preserved the brethren from getting into difficulties. Their 
 extensive connection with many souls in the adjoining districts 
 proved a means of securing them pecuniary assistance in 
 time of need. The brethren laboured in about 30 different 
 localities among Germans, Swedes, and Englishmen. Span- 
 genberg reports : " Our preachers meet with many open 
 doors, even beyond the Susquehannah, where the people are 
 most uncivilised." They preached in houses, barns, open 
 fields, and wherever they could find an opportunity. " In 
 Philadelphia, the clergymen are driving their hearers away 
 
58 THE LIFE 0E 
 
 by their teaching. But the word of the cross draws them 
 to our Saviour. Our church is oftentimes so full that the 
 people cannot find room enough to stand ; and yet our bre- 
 thren preach in great simplicity." Spangenberg kept up an 
 uninterrupted correspondence with these labourers, whom 
 he convened to a general conference twice a year for mutual 
 conversation on the affairs of the church. 
 
 In the year 1745 he undertook a very dangerous journey 
 to the Indians, with the Brn. David Zeisberger and Sche- 
 bosch. The journey, in going and returning, lasted three 
 whole months, during which time the brethren encamped 
 for the most time in the forests. On one occasion they had 
 pitched their tent for the night on a beautiful lawn, but there 
 was nothing to eat in their store. Spangenberg got up, 
 and with a smiling face said to Zeisberger : " Get up, David, 
 make haste and get your fishing tackle ready ; go and catch 
 some fish for us." "I would do it with the greatest plea- 
 sure," replied Zeisberger, "if there was the least hope of 
 catching any thing now ; but fishes are seldom found in such 
 clear and shallow water, more especially at this season of the 
 year, when they keep at the bottom of deep water." Sche- 
 bosch likewise confirmed this statement. Spangenberg, 
 however, continued his request : " If I ask you again, David, 
 I know you will go and fish, out of obedience to me." 
 Zeisberger no longer refused, and as he went, Spangenberg 
 called out after him : " Go a little deeper into the water, 
 that I may have the pleasure, from my green couch, of seeing 
 you catch a fish." As the two brethren stepped into the 
 water, the one said to the other : " Our dear brother Span- 
 genberg knows nothing about fishing ; and how should he, as 
 it is not his business ?" How great was their astonishment, 
 therefore, when soon after, Zeisberger caught a large fish, 
 which it cost Schebosch some trouble to hold fast. On their 
 return to Spangenberg, he said, with a smile, " Ah, my dear 
 brethren, have we not a very gracious Father in heaven." 
 
BlsnOP SPANGENBEBG. 59 
 
 They had not only sufficient food for their meal, but were 
 enabled to dry a portion of it after the Indian fashion for a 
 future repast. At another time they had been several 
 days without any victuals, and began to suffer inconvenience 
 from hunger. The Lord again helped. They saw a whole 
 quarter of a bear hung up on a tree, where it had probably 
 been left by an Indian who was not able to carry away all 
 his booty. After encountering many hardships they at last 
 reached Onondago, the seat of the great council of the 
 Cherokees. They renewed, in a most solemn manner, the 
 treaty which the Indian chiefs had concluded with Count 
 Zinzendorf. It was also agreed, that the Indian congrega- 
 tion at Shekomeko, which was in danger of being dispersed 
 by white people, should be removed to Wajomik ; but the 
 Indians refused to accede to this plan. Spangenberg 
 remarks, that it is more trying for an Indian to leave the 
 spot, where his mother is buried, and where he has eaten much 
 Indian corn, than for a prince to give up his crown. They 
 were therefore invited to come to Bethlehem ; an invitation 
 which some of them accepted. He says concerning them : 
 " I see clearly, that the Indians must be treated as children. 
 Tou may expect to see among them all the naughty tricks 
 of little children, yet they are an amiable people over whom 
 my heart rejoices." Several instances of conversion, both 
 of adults and of young people occurred among them about 
 this time. 
 
 In the autumn of 1746, Spangenberg with two Indian 
 brethren paid a visit to Wajomik. " The Indians there," 
 he says, " received us as angels of the Lord, and made us 
 several |presents. They eagerly caught our words, and out 
 of love brought us safely across the Susquehannah." A 
 new colony of Indians was established at the distance of 
 about 24 hours from Bethlehem, on a spot where the 
 brethren had purchased 200 acres of land. Many brethren 
 and sisters went to live there, and the place was called 
 
60 TITE LIFE OF 
 
 Gnadenhutten. Every thing appeared to prosper, at first 
 the Indians were provided with food and raiment by the 
 brethren, but by degrees they learnt to work for their 
 own maintenance. The brethren here experienced the 
 truth of the observation, that the most wicked sinners often- 
 times are the first to turn to Jesus. Spangenberg speaks 
 of "two leaders in Satan's cause," becoming as gentle as 
 lambs. " "When I look upon our converts from the heathen, 
 and consider what they are, I am greatly put to shame. 
 I cannot tell how hearty Abraham is ; how affectionate, 
 Jacob ; how cheerful, Isaac ; how humble, Joshua ; how 
 talented, Johannes ; how willing, Jonathan ; how serious 
 and steady, Sarah ; how lowly, Esther ; and how child-like, 
 Rebecca." 
 
 The victorious triumph of the cause of Christ very 
 naturally excited opposition and persecution. On one occa- 
 sion, while Spangenberg was preaching on the text of the 
 day : " Father, forgive them, for they know not what they 
 do," stones were thrown at him. This happened in 1745, in 
 the town of Lancaster. He preserved his usual equanimity, 
 and even prayed for his enemies. A magistrate who was 
 present, and expected to see him exasperated, or to hear him 
 denounce the wickedness of his assailants, was so deeply 
 affected by his calmness, that he became a changed character 
 from that hour. His enemies too desisted from their mali- 
 cious behaviour. In some instances the brethren experienced 
 personal ill treatment. The calumnies regarding them were 
 abominable. " But our being still, and suffering patiently 
 justified us in the consciences of men. As a general rule 
 we find that every attempt to defend ourselves, either in 
 writing or by word of mouth, is like pouring oil into the 
 fire ; for the people here are determined that we shall not 
 justify our cause. But by being quiet and doing the very 
 opposite of what they accuse us of, we gain victory after vic- 
 tory." 
 
BTSnOP SPANGENBERG. Gl 
 
 Spangenberg had repeatedly requested that more labourers 
 should be sent out from Europe. On one occasion he had 
 expressed the wish, u O that the doves would fly to us with 
 their olive leaves ? How gladly would we give them shelter 
 in our congregation-ark." On the 12th of January 1747, 
 Bishop Cammerhof, with several ministers and other brethren, 
 arrived in Bethlehem. Cammerhof was a very gifted and 
 faithful brother, and a real support to Spangenberg, who 
 introduced him to the whole work in North America. They 
 went to the various preaching places in the country, visit- 
 ing all the societies and educational institutions. Their 
 mutual harmony rendered all their duties very pleasant. 
 In September 1748, Bishop Johannes de Watteville came 
 on a visitation to the congregation in Pennsylvania and the 
 Indians in Bethlehem. This was a joyful season. He like- 
 wise was commissioned to proclaim to the American congre- 
 gations, on the 13th of November, the eldership of our 
 Saviour in the Church of the Brethren. Spangenberg and 
 his wife on that occasion laid down their office as General 
 Elders at the feet of Jesus. 
 
 Watteville held a visitation of the mission in St. Thomas, 
 during which time Spangenberg had the charge of the 
 society in Philadelphia, having resigned all his other offices 
 into the hands of the elders' conference in Bethlehem. 
 The time for his departure to Europe, where other duties 
 awaited his arrival, now drew near, when he had to bid 
 farewell to his numerous friends. On parting from his 
 beloved congregation at Bethlehem many tears of mutual 
 affection were shed. 
 
 On the 6th of October 1749, de Watteville, Spangenberg, 
 and several other brethren and sisters set sail from New 
 York, and on November the 21st they reached London, after 
 a very speedy voyage of about four weeks. 
 
62 THE LIFE OF 
 
 XII. 
 
 Various Occurrences. 
 
 " Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, 
 and speak comfortably unto her." — Hosea ii. 14. 
 
 " Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth, 
 With deep awe attentively." — Hymn-book, 7, 3. 
 
 "We must now pause awhile, and look upon the inward 
 and spiritual experiences of Spangenberg. It was doubtless 
 a great blessing for him to be called away from the perplex- 
 ing multitude of varied duties, and to gain time for quiet 
 self-examination. He improved this period for calm reflec- 
 tion upon the past, and discovered many things which 
 humbled him deeply. But we will hear what he himself 
 says : " I am deeply ashamed of my utter depravity, which 
 the Holy Ghost from time to time made me see in all its 
 heinousness ; and I am more ashamed than I can express in 
 words. Meanwhile, I have great reason to thank the Lord, 
 for immediately after my awakening I read these words of 
 Scripture: ' God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to 
 the humble.' I began to pray with all my heart, that the 
 Lord would take away my pride, which is very great by 
 nature, and keep me poor and lowly in my own eyes. This 
 prayer I have so often repeated that I can say, I have offered 
 it up innumerable times ; yea, I still repeat the same peti- 
 tions." There was an inward conflict in his heart, the 
 effects of which his fellow-labourers could perceive ; but 
 they knew not its nature. Instead of opening his mind to 
 them, he withdrew from them, because he thought that they 
 were to blame in many things. He could not bear the 
 suspicion, with which some of them unjustly treated him, as 
 it disturbed the bond of brotherly love. On his return to 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. G3 
 
 Europe he felt freedom to tell Count Zinzendorf, then in 
 London, all his troubles, which he had revealed to none before. 
 Many occurrences, that had taken place in the European 
 congregations during the past few years, caused him great 
 uneasiness ; but they did not destroy his attachment to the 
 Count, who in return received him with the greatest cor- 
 diality. In mutual and confidential intercourse with each 
 other Spangenberg regained his wonted cheerfulness. Count 
 Zinzendorf dissuaded him from going to Jamaica as mis- 
 sionary among the Negroes, and advised him to visit all the 
 European congregations. 
 
 About the middle of February 1750, Spangenberg and his 
 wife left London for the Continent, where he heard and saw 
 many new things. In Barby he visited the Seminary for 
 the students, who were there prepared for the ministry of 
 the gospel. After a pleasant sojourn he paid a visit to 
 Prelate Steinmetz, of Kloster Bergen, who of late years had 
 differed from the Brethren. He then went to Herrnhut. 
 He afterwards made a hasty visit to London ; but we find 
 him in the beginning of June, busily engaged in the con- 
 ferences of the brethren, to whom he handed in his defence 
 of the Church, which he had written at the request of his 
 fellow-labourers. It is entitled : " Declaration regarding 
 the accusations against the Brethren, and more especially 
 against Count Zinzendorf." Many pamphlets, filled with 
 accusations and calumnies, had been printed in opposition 
 to the Brethren's Church, but more particularly against 
 Count Zinzendorf ; probably not less than 600. It was there- 
 fore high time that a reply should be made ; and certainly 
 none was better qualified to draw it up than Spangenberg. 
 This declaration, together with the apologetic essay, con- 
 taining more than one thousand answers of Count Zinzen- 
 dorf to various accusations, Spangenberg published to the 
 world. Count Zinzendorf was so greatly pleased with these 
 writings that he appointed him Censor of all his works, an 
 
64 THE LIFE OF 
 
 honour which Spangenberg meekly declined. The direction 
 of the Seminary at Barby he gladly undertook, it being a 
 situation for which he was well qualified. Very shortly 
 after, however, he received a call to hold a visitation in Green- 
 land. To this end he went with his wife to Herrnhut ; but 
 the Lord's thoughts and ways are often different from those 
 of his creatures. 
 
 Whilst they were preparing for their long journey, his 
 wife, whose health had been gradually sinking for some time 
 past, was laid upon a bed of sickness. "We extract a few 
 lines from a letter, from which he wrote to his " white, brown, 
 and black sheep across the Atlantic," respecting the de- 
 parture of this excellent handmaid of Christ. " She took 
 suddenly ill on the 13th of March, 1751. Her mind was 
 remarkably cheerful, because she cherished the hope from 
 the very commencement, that the hour of her departure 
 was nigh at hand, for which she had often longed with tears. 
 "When I told her, that our Saviour would probably soon take 
 her to himself, she thanked me for the good news, and was 
 greatly comforted and cheered. Although she suffered much 
 from bodily pain, her heart always remained cheerful. On 
 one occasion she exclaimed, ' Oh, Pennsylvania ! oh, the 
 dearly loved people ! "Would to God that they were always 
 well cared for.' — She retained her full consciousness to the 
 last hour of her life, uttering the most delightful sentiments 
 regarding her longing to see our Saviour." Towards her 
 husband she retained the strongest affection. He observes : 
 " She manifested her tender love for me with looks and 
 gestures, when she could no longer speak . "When I imparted 
 to her the blessing of the Lord and his congregation for her 
 departure, she wept with me, and kissed my hands with 
 much affection. In her experience, the verse was literally 
 fulfilled, in which we sing : — ' If I were fainting away in 
 death, and the cross of Christ were named, I should at once 
 revive. 5 " During her illness Count Zinzendorf sent her an 
 
BISHOP SPANGEKEEBG. G5 
 
 ode, in which, among other things, he says : " Now no 
 great preparation is needed for our journey homeward, no 
 hasty packing up, no uneasy settling of our earthly affairs. 
 There is in heaven above a place prepared for all God's 
 children ; and when they come thither, they find it all ready, 
 and O how beautifully arranged!" She fell asleep on the 
 21st of March. 
 
 Nobody suspected that while our late sister was breathing 
 out her fervent prayers for Pennsylvania, such a change had 
 taken place there, as to necessitate Spangenberg' s return to 
 America. Bishop Cammerhof had departed this life, and a 
 superintendent was wanting for the extensive work which 
 was there carried on. Who was more likely to undertake 
 this office than Spangenberg ? He was thoroughly acquainted 
 with all its affairs, had been engaged there in much blessing, 
 and still took a lively interest in its prosperity. The eyes 
 of his brethren were accordingly at once directed towards 
 him, and he accepted the call. He did not go to Greenland ; 
 for when, after the illness and death of his wife, he repaired 
 to Copenhagen, the ship had already sailed. 
 
 Accompanied by Br. Hehl, whose acquaintance he had 
 formed in Wurtemberg, and who recently had been conse- 
 crated a bishop of the Brethren's Church, Spangenberg 
 went to London, where he met with Count Zinzendorf and 
 his coadjutors. The misgivings, with which he had come 
 from America, had been dispelled by his residence of nearly 
 two years in European congregations, and the former intimate 
 and pleasant relationship between himself and the Count 
 was firmly re-established. On board the ship, off Gravesend, 
 he addressed a letter to the synodal conference, then assem- 
 bled in London, in which he expressed his deep regret at 
 the Count's resolution to lay down his offices. Acknow- 
 ledging the merits of Count Zinzendorf, he candidly stated 
 his dissatisfaction with the conduct of some of the brethren, 
 adding : " My beloved brethren, if such things happened 
 
 F 
 
66 THE LIFE OF 
 
 while lie held his office among us, what will be done when he 
 has resigned ? May God prevent such a step !" — He then 
 entreats his brethren to prevail upon the Count to remain 
 in office, till the affairs of the Church be somewhat more 
 settled. 
 
 The voyage, though slow, was very pleasant. Spangenberg 
 says, that all enjoyed good health, were very happy in Jesus, 
 and united among each other. The captain was very kind, all 
 the passengers and crew very friendly, because the brethren 
 approved themselves before all as true children of God. On 
 the 4th of December, 1751, they safely landed in New York. 
 In his first letter, after arriving in America, he writes to 
 Count Zinzendorf concerning his own state : " Our Saviour 
 loves me ; he bears me up ; he is very near to my soul, and 
 helps me graciously. Here am I, may He do with me 
 what seemeth good in his eyes. His patience is my salva- 
 tion — his will my life. Amen." 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Visitation in Amebica. 
 
 " God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and 
 of a sound mind." — 2 Tim. i. 7. 
 
 The 10th of December, on which Spangenberg arrived in 
 Bethlehem, was a day of great rejoicing. One of his first 
 acts was to convene all his fellow-labourers to a conference, 
 in order to acquaint them with the object of his visitation. 
 The whole work of the Brethren among Christians and 
 heathen was carefully considered. These were days of rich 
 blessing. The internal course of the congregation was less 
 satisfactory ; for the bond of brotherly union had been broken ; 
 and a spirit of dissension prevailed. Spangenberg did all in 
 his power to restore peace and harmony, in which he suc- 
 ceeded by gaining the confidence of both parties. On the 
 
BISHOP SPANGEtfBERG. G7 
 
 1 lth of February, 1752, he delivered an address, on the text, 
 " Thy punishment is accomplished, O daughter of Zion." 
 He spoke with such energy, that the hearts of all present 
 were deeply moved. On the same day he wrote to Count 
 Zinzendorf, " In the congregations at Bethlehem and 
 Nazareth things now look brighter. "We reap the fruits of 
 Jesus' blood, which has cried, and still cries for mercy for 
 us. Party-spirit vanishes away like mist before the sun. I 
 am often quite surprised about it, for it is done without the 
 strokes of the hammer." 
 
 One year had elapsed since his dear wife had departed this 
 life. He alludes to the mournful event, in a letter dated 
 March the 8th : " A year has passed away since my late 
 wife took ill. I could hardly have believed that I should feel 
 her loss so long. I often think about my own departure ; 
 and surely it would be a great blessing to me. Eut yet I 
 am not melancholy, but happy and content at my present 
 post. Our Saviour is with me, and helps me everywhere. 
 1 live in peace with all my fellow-labourers. The course 
 of the congregation is even and blessed. Yesterday I 
 had the pleasure of seeing many brethren and sisters greatly 
 moved." 
 
 The financial affairs of the church caused him much 
 trouble. He was a prudent steward, of which we have seen 
 proofs on former occasions. Now, again, his talents were 
 called into full exercise. The cultivation of the fields and 
 management of the farm had not been so carefully attended to 
 during the last three years as formerly. The congregation 
 itself had increased, and another settlement was established 
 beyond Xazareth. He was therefore obliged to contract new 
 debts. But the Lord owned his exhortations to greater 
 diligence in such a manner, that he could write in a very 
 short time, u AVe were enabled to procure all that was neces- 
 sary without sticking fast." 
 
 Having got everything into good working order, he set 
 
 f 2 
 
68 THE LIFE OP 
 
 out on a visitation of the out-stations during the spring. 
 "What an extensive harvest-field lay before him ! 
 
 In New York a great change had taken place ; the former 
 animosity against the Brethren had given way to more 
 friendly feelings on the part of all classes in that city. The 
 Indian congregations engaged his chief attention. In April 
 he paid them a very blessed visit at Patgatgoch. " We found 
 the Indians there," he writes, "in a state of great wretched- 
 ness. We told them, that having ourselves found peace and 
 joy in believing on Jesus Christ, we wished to bring them 
 also to Jesus, that they too might become happy to all eter- 
 nity." " Our Saviour out of love has died for all, that they 
 all might live. He now lives for evermore, and rejoices when 
 poor sinners are made happy by his blood." The Indians 
 responded to his words a hundred times with their Nah and 
 Attoh. 
 
 In July of the same year he acted as interpreter for the 
 brethren in Grnadenhuetten, by occasion of the arrival of a 
 deputation of one hundred and fifty ]STantikoks and Shawanese 
 Indians, who desired to conclude a treaty with the brethren. 
 The Indians considered him as the chief of the brethren, 
 because of his tall figure and open and engaging countenance. 
 He did not omit preaching the word of eternal life to them 
 on this occasion. On the very first day he gathered all 
 the chiefs around him, and hearing from them that their 
 young people were about to dance and make merry, Span- 
 genberg said, " Brethren, ye are fathers among your people, 
 tell your young folks that they must not dance ; for our 
 brethren do not like it." The Indians hereupon desisted 
 from their heathenish dances. A treaty was concluded with 
 all due solemnity ; after which most of the Indians paid a 
 visit to Bethlehem. Here Spangenberg preached to them 
 in a very impressive manner of Christ our crucified Saviour. 
 On the 25th of July they returned to their own country 
 with joyful hearts. 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. GO 
 
 The time appointed for the visitation in Pennsylvania 
 having expired, Spangenberg now awaited further orders 
 from Count Zinzendorf, to whom he had stated in a letter, 
 that he would prefer retiring for awhile from active service, 
 in order to enjoy that intimate, cordial, and blessed intercourse 
 with Christ, which had marked his days at Jena with holy 
 joy. In the same letter he said : " I should like to go to the 
 heathen, who never yet have heard of Jesus, their God and 
 their Creator, who shed his precious blood for them. Among 
 them my heart is cheered, and I could joyfully hunger, or 
 even starve, or be tortured to death, for their sakes. But 
 the Lord's will be done ; and mine be mortified." 
 
 Before returning to Europe he had to execute a very 
 difficult task. The brethren had purchased a tract of land 
 in North Carolina, for the purpose of settling a colony there, 
 with the view of preaching the gospel to the Indians in those 
 regions. Accordingly Spangenberg, accompanied by five 
 brethren, set out on this long and dangerous journey, in 
 order to choose and measure the purchased land. The 
 great difficulty of this undertaking did not deter him from 
 its execution. He observes : " I do, indeed, see many diffi- 
 culties in my way, probably more than any of my brethren. 
 But yet what are they compared to the command to lead 
 600,000 men, besides women and children, through the midst 
 of the Bed Sea ? Is the Lord my gracious Leader, I will 
 boldly venture all for him. And I know, He is gracious to 
 me, thanks and praise to my Lord." 
 
 Our travellers went through Virginia to Edentown in 
 North Carolina, from whence the land-surveyor of the 
 county accompanied them. On the 21st of September, 
 Spangenberg and his brethren, with one exception, were 
 attacked by fever, and compelled to lie still for a whole 
 week. "When they set out again on their journey he fainted 
 away, after 'they had gone scarcely four miles, so that they 
 had to take refuge in the nearest house they could find. 
 
70 THE LIFE OE 
 
 Nevertheless he continued his journey on the following 
 morning, although in much weakness. More than once his 
 companions were obliged to lift him off his horse ; and, after 
 having rested a little, they again had to lift him up. By 
 degrees his former health returned. In the middle of 
 October they were about 400 miles distant from Edentown, 
 in a district near the river Catabas, which was somewhat 
 cultivated. From thence they entered the forest wilds; 
 taking provisions with them for about fourteen days. 
 They soon found a beautiful tract of land ; but it took them 
 five days to measure 1000 acres, for the whole district 
 was intersected with deep brooks, which it was no 
 easy matter to cross. Winter began to set in, and the 
 nights spent in tents were very cold. The dense forests 
 were almost impenetrable, and oftentimes they had to clinib 
 steep and rugged hills. Ere long their bread was con- 
 sumed, for their work took far more time than they had anti- 
 cipated. They then lived upon the game which their two 
 huntsmen, who accompanied them, could secure. On one 
 occasion their horses were destitute of provender while they 
 themselves had been for three days without food, when 
 a rapid mountain stream led them to a green plot of grass, 
 and their huntsmen shot two stags. There was then great 
 joy and thankfulness among the party. Spangenberg re- 
 lates : " "Withal we were in constant danger of being sur- 
 rounded and killed by the savage Indians, for we traversed 
 their dominions, and afterwards were informed that 300 of 
 their number followed us closely day by day watching all 
 our movements." Towards the end of December they 
 reached a district which was afterwards called Wachovia. 
 Here they found the wished-for land, of which they 
 measured 100,000 acres. About the middle of January 
 they completed the measurement, and, on February 12th, 
 Spangenberg and his brethren returned safely to Bethlehem. 
 Mournful tidings awaited their arrival. The only son of 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 71 
 
 Count Zinzendorf, Christian Benatus, a very talented young 
 man, Lad died in May of the preceding year. Spangenberg 
 keenly felt his loss ; more especially since his correspondence 
 with his father had become very cordial and interesting. He 
 had heard of the young man's illness, but entertained the 
 liveliest hopes of his recovery, as we learn from one of 
 his letters, in which he writes, " I hope the Lord will grant 
 me the pleasure of seeing again my dear Christian." In a 
 letter to the Count he thus consoles him under his loss : 
 " Christian, the dear heart, has now the great joy of seeing 
 his crucified Saviour and kissing his wounded hands and feet. 
 My heart is full and my eyes overflow with tears. If a tree 
 in the garden of the Lord is so full of fruit that it requires 
 many props to support its branches, we certainly are very 
 sorry when one of the main props breaks down. But I can 
 say no more.' , 
 
 His time was fully occupied with many arduous duties, pre- 
 vious to his departure from America. He took leave of all the 
 labourers, of the chiefs of the Nantikoks and Skawanese, 
 who had sent another deputation to him, and of the congre- 
 gations in Bethlehem and Nazareth. A letter of Count 
 Zinzendorf, urging him to hasten his departure, gave him 
 great pleasure. 
 
 On Good Friday, April the 20th, he delivered a powerful 
 address at New York to a numerous auditory. May the 27th 
 he arrived in London. Here he found the brethren, more 
 especially Count Zinzendorf, in great trouble on account of 
 the financial embarrassment into which the brethren had been 
 plunged by a want of that wisdom of the serpent, which, as 
 our Saviour tells us, ought to accompany the harmlessness of 
 the dove in our dealings with the world. " This so deeply 
 affected me," says Spangenberg, " that I could not cease cry- 
 ing to God for his help. And, because I could see no prospect 
 of relief, my prayers were the more earnest ; the Lord alone 
 knows what I felt." At this time his counsel was truly 
 
72 THE LIFE OF 
 
 valuable ; and lie faithfully imparted it in all the conferences 
 of the Directing Board, which were held almost daily, and 
 at which he was always present. He invariably recommended 
 firmness and decision. On one occasion the conversation 
 turning upon the increase of the congregations, Spangenberg 
 remarked : " I believe, if we are to exist and prosper as a 
 church, we must be much stricter than we have hitherto 
 been in admitting persons to reception into the congrega- 
 tion, and still more so about admitting them to the Lord's 
 Supper. I remember a little anecdote in reference to this 
 matter. Darius sent large bags filled with poppy seeds to 
 King Alexander, in order to indicate the great number 
 of his soldiers ; Alexander, in return, sent some small bags 
 filled with pepper-corns, stating that he had not very many 
 soldiers, but that he could rely on their valour, firmness, and 
 experience. I am of opinion that our Saviour will gain his 
 end with us far better, as long as our people consist of a 
 few, but really useful and experienced persons, than with a 
 great and mixed multitude." 
 
 His decision of character rendered his services everywhere 
 acceptable. In one of these conferences he was appointed 
 Ordinary (or Bishop) over all the American congregations in 
 Pennsylvania, which office he joyfully accepted. America 
 had become his second home. The Lord's blessing had 
 rested in an evident manner upon all his labours there. In 
 March, 1754, he sailed for JSTorth America, in the ship 
 Irene, belonging to the Brethren, with a company of fifty- 
 one brethren and sisters* "When at Dover, he addressed the 
 following lines to Count Zinzendorf : " What shall I say of 
 myself ? I ought to conclude, for my tears make my eyes 
 dim. Our Saviour has again called me into office, although 
 he might have good reason to lay me aside as an old and 
 rusty tool." Eegarding his relation to the Count, he re- 
 marks : " My dearest brother, I am quite sure you love me, 
 though, for some reasons, I was tempted to doubt it. Such 
 
BISHOP SPANGENEERG. 73 
 
 things may happen to a poor sinner. But now 1 am more 
 than ever convinced of your love to me. Farewell, beloved 
 man ! In spirit I kiss you and press you to my heart. I would 
 rather fall on your neck and weep, than write any more, and 
 therefore I conclude." 
 
 After a quick and pleasant voyage, they arrived in New 
 York on the 15th of April. He writes : " Here we are in 
 our beloved New York, deeply abased on account of all the 
 goodness which the Lord thus far has shewn us. "We have 
 to thank him, and his love which made him die for us, for 
 all these blessings, — we are a poor people." 
 
 XIV. 
 Waes and Kumotjes of Waes. 
 
 11 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day-time from 
 the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and 
 from rain." — Isa. iv. 6. 
 
 Spangenbeeg had now landed for the fourth time in 
 North America. His extensive labours rendered a second 
 marriage almost indispensable ; and, on the 20th of May, 
 1754, he was united to the widow sister Maria Elizabeth 
 Miksch, m. n. Jaehe, who for some time had been the 
 labouress of the widows in London. He wrote concerning 
 her : " My Martha is a good child, a very great gift of our 
 Saviour for me. If I can exchange a little of my stiff-necked 
 disposition for some portion of her gentle and affectionate 
 temper, we shall probably both be benefited for our future 
 service in the congregation. "We are willing to be used in 
 the Lord's work." She was a true helpmate for him; and 
 the more valuable, as the weight of his official engagements 
 was heavy enough to crush the most gifted and active 
 
74 THE LIFE OE 
 
 man. His own bodily health was by no means vigorous. 
 " I have grown rather stronger of late," he writes, " and am 
 again more cheerful than I have been for a long time past. 
 But my official labours appear to me like a mountain. I go 
 w T ith them to my Saviour, and say, ' Thou seest my insuffi- 
 ciency, my folly, and how soon I may do harm to thy cause/ 
 and he comforts and helps me." 
 
 "We have noticed on former occasions that there was a 
 general housekeeping at Bethlehem. Many of the new immi- 
 grants from Europe wished for a separate establishment, 
 which, indeed, would have been far better considering 
 human imperfections, but it could not be arranged without 
 many difficulties. Spangenberg, therefore, continually in- 
 culcated the first principles upon which the general house- 
 keeping had originally been introduced. The blessing of the 
 Lord manifestly rested upon their arrangements. In the 
 summer of 1754 a general scarcity prevailed in the country ; 
 but in Bethlehem they had not only provisions enough for 
 their own use, but were able to supply about twenty persons 
 every day with bread, some of whom came from a distance 
 of more than as many miles. 
 
 The Indians were always an object of Spangenberg's 
 special regard ; he watched over them with great faithfulness 
 and care. According to the inscrutable ways of the Lord, 
 heavy trials were to come upon this portion of the Bre- 
 thren's labours. Gnadenhuetten had to be abandoned by 
 the Indian congregation, and another place of abode to be 
 sought. On the 11th of June the foundation-stone was laid 
 of a new congregation-house. Spangenberg was present on 
 the occasion, and delivered an address to the Indians, which 
 he concluded with the following words : " Satan must flee 
 from this place, and Jesus Christ be the Lord and Master ; 
 all your souls are his ; for he bought them with his own 
 blood. May he make you a people that shall be a blessing 
 to other nations around. May all seducers feel here as 
 
BISHOP SPAFGENBERG. 70 
 
 though they were walking on burning coals, and all mourners 
 and contrite souls find grace and peace." Many tears were 
 shed on this solemn occasion. The congregation-house at 
 Old G-nadenhuetten was set apart as a lodging-house for 
 the messengers among the heathen. 
 
 The Indian congregation required special care ; cases of 
 declension were not wanting among them. Spangenberg 
 observes : " Nevertheless, our Saviour deals with them as he 
 dealt with Israel of old. As soon as they turn to him with 
 weeping and supplication, he forgives them all their sins, 
 as though nothing had happened. They are then again his 
 dear children.' ' 
 
 These were troublous times, more especially owing to 
 the movements of the wild Indians, who laid waste and 
 burned, robbed and murdered wherever they went. They also 
 menaced the congregations of the Brethren, who, remain- 
 ing quiet, had excited the suspicion of the colonists that* they 
 were in league with the enemy ; but this suspicion was soon 
 removed by a dreadful catastrophe. The savage Indians for 
 some time had threatened the inhabitants of G-nadenhuetten 
 — M If they would not listen to them and come over to their 
 ranks, they would clean their ears with a hot iron ;' ' that is, 
 burn their houses over their heads and shoot them. On the 
 evening of the 24th of November, 1755, the brethren were 
 assembled around their social table on the Mahony. They 
 suddenly heard the loud barking of the dogs. On opening 
 the door they were saluted by the fire from several guns, 
 which killed some of their number. One of the brethren 
 made his escape through a window; the rest retreated into the 
 barn and blocked up the door. The savages set the building 
 on fire. Two brethren leaped down from the roof and es- 
 caped, while a third, who had ventured the dangerous leap, 
 was killed by the shots of the Indians. Eleven persons lost 
 their lives by this murderous attack ; all the cattle, furniture, 
 and stores became a prey to the flames. The same night 
 
76 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the intelligence of these horrible transactions reached Bethle- 
 hem. At day-break, Spangenberg summoned the whole 
 congregation to the meeting-house. The Daily Word 
 was from Genesis xlii. 7, " Joseph — spake roughly unto 
 them." He then related with deep emotion the tragedy on 
 the Mahony. The same day he went to Nazareth, where he 
 also announced this sad occurrence. His eyes were melted 
 in tears the whole day. 
 
 The smoking ruins, and the corpses of the brethren and 
 sisters who had been murdered, at last convinced the whole 
 country that the brethren were not in league with the wild 
 Indians and French, against the British Government. Many 
 who had heaped calumnies upon the congregation, now re- 
 gretted their past conduct. The brethren, therefore, for 
 some time were free from molestation. Spangenberg pos- 
 sessed his soul in patience under these trials, and said 
 afterwards, u When I had recovered myself a little from the 
 first shock, I thought— not a hair can fall from our head 
 without the will of God. To him, then, I will commit my- 
 self and the whole congregation. My prayer is, Thy will 
 be done." Threatenings were still continued; the ene- 
 mies even provoked the Lord, saying, " The brethren boast of 
 their Saviour, let us see now if he can deliver them." It 
 was also said, that a certain Indian had brandished his 
 tomahawk (which is to them, what a sword is to an European), 
 saying, " I will see if their Saviour is able to save them 
 from my tomahawk." Spangenberg relates — " This made 
 me angry, and I said, Dear Saviour, thou canst not allow us 
 to perish ; it would be a reproach to thy name. I pray thee, 
 save us ! This prayer I continually repeated." One day a 
 man, on his flight from the Indians beyond the moun- 
 tains, came to Bethlehem and cried, " I will not go another 
 step ; if I am not safe among the children of God, where 
 shall I be safe?" This encouraged Spangenberg to cry to 
 the Lord, " Own us as thy children, O Lord." Need- 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 77 
 
 ful preparations were now made to appoint watchmen both 
 by day and night. "Wherever the brethren apprehended 
 an attack, they erected palisades and watch towers ; the 
 watchmen had their guns ready charged, in order to raise an 
 alarm as soon as the Indians approached. In a congregation 
 meeting he explained the difference between witnesses of 
 Jesus, who ought never to take up arms, and rulers who 
 bear the sword. Their prayer ought always to be, that the 
 Lord might prevent the shedding of blood among them. 
 
 The brethren were well prepared to resist an attack, and 
 accordingly declined an invitation to flee to New York. 
 The savages, however, did not venture an assault, finding 
 them always ready armed. 
 
 The Indian congregation at Gnadenhuetten had been scat- 
 tered by the recent mournful events into the dense forest ; 
 but the greater part of these scattered sheep by degrees 
 found their way to Bethlehem, which now became a place of 
 refuge for many other persons. About 600 men and women 
 had to be cared for and protected during the severe winter ; 
 but the Lord, now as ever, approved himself a very present 
 help in time of trouble. He raised up friends in Philadel- 
 phia and other places, who sent liberal supplies of clothing 
 and provisions. 
 
 The spiritual course of the congregation during this time 
 was very pleasing, as we may gather from several letters of 
 their faithful bishop. On the 4th of May he wrote: U I 
 perceive that our dear friends in Europe are greatly con- 
 cerned for us. We are, thank God, still living, and dwell 
 in harmony with each other, through the peace of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who is our joy. The incendiaries more than 
 once were quite near to us ; but they were not permitted to 
 go beyond the bounds set them by our Lord. Our hearts 
 are cheerful, and I can say that we are free from #11 fear.' 
 July the 24th: " I have prayed by day and night, that no 
 Indian might fall into the hands of our watchmen. I should 
 
78 THE LIFE OF 
 
 have been inconsolable, if the blood of an enemy had been 
 shed near our settlement." And again : " Our Saviour 
 has thus far frustrated every design of the savages, and 
 we should be doing very wrong, if we did not trust Him 
 with child-like confidence. The wild Indians resemble a 
 nest of hornets. If once aroused, they swarm about and 
 shout, and wound every one that comes near them, whether 
 friend or enemy." The same spirit of confidence filled 
 the minds of the other brethren and sisters, yea, even of 
 the Indian converts. Spangenberg writes concerning them : 
 " An Indian brother, with whom I conversed, before the 
 Lord's supper, said among other things, ( My dear brother, 
 I was appointed watchman here and there; I thought 
 within myself, Ah, my dear Saviour, who am I that I 
 should keep watch for thy children? Thou must watch 
 thyself.' "While saying this, the tears rolled down his 
 cheeks." 
 
 XV. 
 
 Waotekikos and Pautings. 
 
 " The faithful servants of our Lord 
 
 Look up and calmly persevere, 
 
 Supported by the Master's word, 
 
 The adverse powers they scorn to fear." 
 
 Hymn-book, 868, 5. 
 
 Peae of the Indians gradually subsided. Several tribes 
 entered into negociations for peace with England. But 
 whether amidst the storms of war, or during the smiling 
 season of peace, the work of the Brethren gradually increased, 
 until Spangenberg was no longer able to bear the burden alone. 
 A faithful fellow-labourer, Br. Peter Boehler, came to his 
 assistance from Europe. Having introduced him into his 
 office as Vice- Ordinary, Spangenberg went to Nazareth-hall, 
 where he lived in comparative retirement, making occasional 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 70 
 
 visits into the country round about. On one of his journeys 
 he was exposed to imminent danger. He had hoped to reach 
 a bridge across the river before nightfall ; but in vain. In 
 the darkness his horse got into the water, and was carried 
 away by the stream. When he had gained firm ground, and 
 was fixing himself in the saddle, he fell, being stiff with the 
 wet and cold. He then heard a man's voice calling to him, 
 towards which he rode, as soon as he had remounted his horse. 
 This was to Spangenberg as an angel of the Lord ; for his 
 succourer treated him with great hospitality, gave him dry 
 clothes, put him into a warm bed, and refreshed him with 
 tea. And now arose the question, where could be his wife 
 and the company, who were following him in a waggon ? 
 Messengers were despatched to seek them, and after 
 some search they were found, sitting up to their knees in 
 water in the waggon. Help was soon afforded, and on the 
 following day the party proceeded on their journey. 
 
 On the 10th of May, 1759, he set out with his wife and 
 several brethren to visit the congregations in Wachovia, a 
 project which he had fondly contemplated for some time past. 
 
 This journey was attended with many hardships. In 
 Virginia there had been a bad harvest, which compelled them 
 to carry their own provisions and fodder for the horses. On 
 arriving at the borders of North Carolina, they met with 
 fugitive women and children, who exclaimed : " We have just 
 left the place you are going to. Nobody can remain there, 
 for the wild Indians burn and plunder, and scalp and murder 
 wherever they go, treating their prisoners with the utmost 
 cruelty." Spangenberg, however, continued his journey, 
 confiding in the Lord's protecting care. On the 5th of 
 June they safely reached their destination. Nothing was 
 heard of there but war and rumours of war. The wild 
 Cherokees had put to flight all the colonists who lived 
 beyond the settlement of the brethren at Bethabara, which 
 stood like a rampart to defend them against their enemies. 
 
80 THE LIFE OF 
 
 <? 
 
 There was much occasion for Spangenberg to administer 
 comfort and encouragement. The spiritual charge of the 
 congregation also devolved upon him ; for within a very 
 short time four corpses were conveyed to the grave, and 
 the minister of the congregation died soon afterward. He 
 writes : " The Lord has plucked three brethren and two 
 sisters as lovely flowers from our garden here below. I have 
 wept much, but my heart could not but thank the Lord for 
 his mercy towards them.'* Cares and trials were not wanting ; 
 but it was a great blessing that Spangenberg enjoyed the 
 privilege of God's dear children, of casting all their cares 
 upon the Lord. The distress and danger arising from the in- 
 cursions of the wild Indians, had brought many fugitives from 
 the surrounding country to Bethabara, where some heard 
 the gospel for the first time, and were led to the Shepherd 
 and Bishop of souls. The settlement, indeed, could scarcely 
 accommodate all the new comers. Another place was there- 
 fore built, which received the name of Bethany. Spangen- 
 berg faithfully assisted in this undertaking. 
 
 As they were constantly exposed to attacks from the 
 Indians, Spangenberg was led to introduce the same regula- 
 tions here as formerly at Bethlehem. "Watchmen were 
 appointed both by day and night ; and early every morning 
 the bell was rung, to rouse the inhabitants from sleep. 
 Indeed, there were about one hundred and sixty savages, for 
 nearly six weeks in the immediate neighbourhood of Beth- 
 abara, watching for a suitable opportunity to make an 
 attack upon the fortress, as they called the place. But the 
 palisades, and the ringing of the bell, which they regarded 
 as a sign that they were betrayed, kept them in constant 
 abeyance. It was evident that the Lord held his protecting 
 hand over his children ; and his faithful servant experienced 
 here such joy in his ministerial labours, that he called 
 Wachovia, "A land of the Lord ;" saying, "The brethren 
 and sisters here are dear people. Our Saviour's presence 
 
BISTIOP SPANGENBERG. 81 
 
 among them is felt on all occasions. It is a time of special 
 blessing. Oh for labourers among them !" 
 
 After a long stay in Wachovia, the hour of parting arrived. 
 On the 28th of April they set out on their journey home- 
 wards ; but the roads being still very unsafe, several brethren 
 accompanied the travellers as far as the borders. " When 
 we laid ourselves down to rest," says Spangenberg, st after 
 the first day's march, our brethren arranged themselves in a 
 circle round about us in the forest, in order to protect us 
 against the attacks of the Indians. The Lord himself kept 
 watch for us." On the 22nd of May they arrived in Beth- 
 lehem. 
 
 In the Brethren's Church we hear of wanderings and part- 
 ings, of going and returning, more than in any other. She is, 
 indeed, a Church of Missionaries, who pitch their tents here 
 and there, as the Lord may appoint. Spangenberg himself 
 is a true specimen of a pilgrim. He had now to experience 
 the bitterness of parting in a peculiarly painful manner. In 
 August, 1760, whilst holding a visitation in Philadelphia, 
 he received the mournful intelligence of the departure of 
 Count Zinzendorf, which had occurred on the 9th of May. 
 We have already stated that the death of the young Count, 
 Christian Benatus von Zinzendorf, deeply affected Spangen- 
 berg. Another breach had also been made in the Count's 
 family by the death of the Countess Erdmuth Dorothy, a 
 lady whose character shone forth brightly, both as the wife 
 of Count Zinzendorf, and as an ornament of the Brethren's 
 Church. She had departed this life on the 25th of June, 
 1756. Her husband, soon after the mournful event, made 
 this remark concerning her : " I have learnt from ex- 
 perience, that my late partner was the only person in the 
 whole world suited to my calling." When Spangenberg 
 heard of her death, he wrote on the following day to the 
 Count : " Yesterday I received the mournful tidings of 
 the departure of our beloved Mamma. I hardly knew what 
 
 G 
 
82 THE, LITE OP 
 
 to think about it, for my mind was too much affected. Ah, 
 how will it be now with this or the other matter ? "What 
 new burdens will be laid upon your shoulders ? How often 
 shall we lament the loss of this wise mother in Israel ? How 
 many a tender plant that was entwined around this stem, 
 and by its support bore fruit, will become weak and drooping ? 
 "We dare not say of her, as in the case of other gifts from 
 the Lord, that their value appears more fully after we 
 have been deprived of them. O no ! for we have known for 
 many years, what a treasure we possessed in her ; and in 
 many things we have none left among us to fill her place in 
 the service of the Lord. And yet, I am convinced, that we 
 shall hereafter understand, even better than we do now, that 
 according to the gifts of grace with which she was endowed, 
 she was an inestimable treasure in his Church, and a master- 
 piece of her Creator. To the faithful friend and bridegroom 
 of her soul, who has done so much for her — who revealed 
 himself to her soul in so intimate a manner — who endowed 
 her with such rich gifts — who made his grace to reign within 
 her so powerfully — who entrusted to her care so many im- 
 portant matters — who crowned her labours with so much 
 blessing — who was her powerful helper in many a time of 
 need — who shewed her excellence among the wisest men — 
 who made her feel strongly attached to his passion and his 
 wounds — who strengthened by her instrumentality the hands 
 of his dear disciple for so many years — who made her the 
 mother of so many objects of his grace, .(for what else shall 
 we call her children ? ) — who employed her as a successful 
 and prudent manager in external matters — who blessed her 
 heart, her head and lips in council with his heavenly wisdom 
 — who led her, as it were, in triumph through so many parts 
 of the world— who made her find an open access to both 
 high and low — who set her, not only as a princess of the 
 Lord, but also as a nursing-mother among his people — who 
 inspired her with the most incomparable, powerful, and 
 
BISHOP SPA^GENBEBG. 83 
 
 orthodox sacred hymns — who vouchsafed to her heroic 
 courage in the most dangerous undertakings — who raised 
 her by his heavenly unction above the most refined and 
 wisest of the sons of men — to Him be glory in the congre- 
 gation, in heaven above, and on earth below !" 
 
 When Spangenberg addressed these lines to the Count, he 
 little suspected, that within a few years he would have to 
 weep over the loss of his friend himself. His former dis- 
 satisfaction had entirely given way to a hearty, brotherly 
 union, of which we have the most pleasing evidences in his 
 letters. On one occasion he wrote to the Ordinary, by 
 which name Zinzendorf was generally called : " Here I sit in 
 utter astonishment at the love of our Saviour towards such 
 poor sinners as we are ; among whom I am the vilest. But 
 I feel that he loves me ; yea, he loves me more than I can 
 shew to others. If you were here now, I would fall on your 
 neck, and bedew your cheeks with my tears, not from a spirit 
 of melancholy ; for, thank God, I am very happy ; but be- 
 cause he is so gracious, while I am so sinful, and because I 
 enjoy your affection and brotherly love." 
 
 We may imagine how deeply he felt the loss of this dear and 
 blessed servant and disciple of Jesus. He gave expression 
 to his feelings in several letters to Johannes de Watteville, 
 the son-in-law of the Count. Thus he wrote : " My dearly 
 beloved brother, your truly affecting account of the depar- 
 ture of the disciple of the Lord has caused us deep sorrow, 
 which is renewed on repeated occasions, causing us to shed 
 many tears of heart-felt sympathy. Nobody can suffer 
 more by this bereavement, than we here in America. For 
 all other congregations have enjoyed his visitations and 
 blessed intercourse ; while we hoped and waited for it, until 
 it is now too late. The disciple of the Lord is present to 
 my mind day by day. He was the brightest ornament of 
 our times ; a beautiful diamond in the ring on our Saviour's 
 hand ; a servaut of Jesus without an equal ; a pillar in the 
 
 g 2 
 
84 THE LIFE OE 
 
 house of our God, and the mouth of the Lord before his 
 people. I thank God who gave and preserved him so long 
 among us. Oh that I could have seen and spoken once 
 more with the man ordained and prepared by the Lord for 
 a blessing to his Church ; filled with the gifts of the Spirit, 
 surrounded by the light of his wounds, touched by the 
 misery of all mankind, and endowed in an eminent degree 
 with the mind of Christ for doing his Master's work. And 
 the Lord was with him. May the Lord, by whose grace we 
 enjoyed so many blessings through his instrumentality, teach 
 us to hold fast what we have received, that we may resolve 
 rather to be torn into pieces than leave our sure foundation. 
 May He comfort you and us like a tender mother, and com- 
 pensate our loss by his own gracious* presence." 
 
 On his return to Bethlehem, Spangenberg found the whole 
 congregation lamenting the departure of the Count. He ex- 
 horted them on all occasions to hold fast the ground of our 
 atonement, and all the fundamental principles of the con- 
 gregation, as left us by the services of Count Zinzendorf. 
 He improved his remaining time in America with the ut- 
 most zeal, more especially because he knew that he would 
 soon be called back to Europe. In the spring of 1761 he 
 visited with his wife all the country congregations where 
 friends of the Brethren resided. In the summer of the fol- 
 lowing year he superintended the breaking up of the general 
 housekeeping, for which step he had previously obtained the 
 sanction of the late Count, as the steady increase of the 
 congregation rendered its continuance almost impracticable. 
 He also convened a Synod at Lancaster, in which he ex- 
 plained to the brethren how and by whom the work of the 
 Lord in Pennsylvania was to be carried on. Nathaniel 
 Seidel and Frederick de Marshall were appointed his suc- 
 cessors. 
 
 After a very painful leave-taking he set out on his return 
 to Europe on the 22nd of June 1762, accompanied by the 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 85 
 
 good wishes and prayers of all his brethren and sisters in the 
 American congregations. From Philadelphia he sent a fare- 
 well epistle to the congregation at Bethlehem, containing an 
 expression of his wishes and prayers for them. In his auto- 
 biography, referring to his residence in America, he remarks : 
 " In reviewing the many years I spent in America, I cannot 
 but own my many shortcomings. I myself, and probably 
 others too, were wanting in brotherly love. I do not mean 
 to say, that we — I speak of my fellow-labourers — did not 
 love each other ; but our love was not so cordial as it ought 
 to have been, according to the mind of Christ, and as it 
 might have been according to the grace which was given us: 
 Whether others were to blame in this matter, is not for me 
 to inquire. Of this I am certain, that I was not free from 
 blame." Such was the humble confession of one, concern- 
 ing whom his contemporaries testified, that he loved his 
 brethren with much affection. Spangenberg probably com- 
 pared his love with that commandment of our Saviour, which 
 enjoins upon his followers brotherly love like unto his 
 own. 
 
 XVI. 
 
 Manifold Labours and Teials. 
 
 '' May Jesus' grace and blessing- 
 Attend me without ceasing" ; 
 
 Thus I stretch out my hand, 
 And do that work with pleasure, 
 Which, in my call and measure, 
 My God for me to do ordain'd." — Hymn-book, 1123. 
 
 On the 12th of November, 1/62, when the congregation 
 assembled in the chapel at Herrnhut was singing that old 
 and well-known hymn — 
 
 " Head, so full of bruises, 
 So full of pain and scorn," 
 
86 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Spangenberg unexpectedly entered into their midst. "We 
 have already stated that his external appearance was im- 
 posing and prepossessing ; and on seeing him many brethren 
 and sisters were moved to tears, because his stature and de- 
 portment reminded them of the late Count Zinzendorf. 
 His voyage from America had been very tedious, and in the 
 North Sea dangerous and troublesome. But the Lord 
 protected him and brought him in safety to Herrnhut. His 
 first walk on the following morning was to the Hutberg, to 
 the grave of his never-to-be-forgotten friend Zinzendorf. 
 
 In a short time, a very extensive sphere of usefulness was 
 assigned to Spangenberg in the College of Elders, which 
 had been organized in the year 1762, for the management of 
 the work of the Lord among Christians and heathen. In 
 perusing the documents up to the time of the Count's death, 
 and making the needful extracts from them, he was filled 
 with astonishment at the extensive work carried on by the 
 Brethren. After joining in the festive celebration of the 
 congregation at Herrnhut in commemoration of the restora- 
 tion of peace on the close of the Seven Tears' war, he under- 
 took the visitation of the Silesian congregations, late in the 
 autumn of 1763. He first visited G-nadenfrey, where he had 
 the pleasure of meeting with his old friend Br. Clemens, then 
 minister of that congregation. He not only succeeded in 
 settling various matters that required re-arranging, but also 
 repeatedly edified the congregation by his heart- stirring dis- 
 courses. Towards the end of January 1764 he went to 
 Gnadenberg, where he testified with great power of the love 
 and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. After his return to 
 Herrnhut he lived in comparative retirement. Of this 
 period he writes in his memoir : " I can testify, that in spite 
 of the consciousness of my great sinfulness and depravity, 
 I enjoyed sweet and refreshing intercourse with my dear 
 Saviour, and with his and my God and Father, through the 
 gracious operations of his Holy Spirit in my heart." 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 87 
 
 After the death of Count Zinzendorf no general Synod was 
 convened, until the end of June, 1764, when one was ap- 
 pointed to assemble at Marienborn. It was one of the 
 most blessed Synods ever held. Spangenberg, assisted by 
 three other brethren, presided; and all agreed to hold fast the 
 doctrine of the meritorious life and sufferings of our Saviour. 
 In this assembly the articles of the Augsburg Confession 
 were unanimously agreed upon ; and the internal as well as 
 the external state of the Church carefully considered. The 
 forty-four sessioas of this Synod were indeed seasons of real 
 blessing. Referring to that period, Spangenberg says, "Many 
 wishes of my heart were then fully realized through the wise 
 government of our Lord Jesus Christ. He approved himself as 
 the Master of the house of God, that is, of his congregation ; 
 and the Brethren's Unity, as a Unity of Brethren, was esta- 
 blished by the Lord." 
 
 Spangenberg was elected a Member of the Directing 
 Board, which was appointed to conduct the affairs of the 
 Church from one Synod to another. He afterwards returned 
 with his colleagues to Herrnhut, from whence they carried 
 on the superintendence of the Church. 
 
 In the summer of 1765, he visited Berlin and Eixdorf. 
 The sight of the Bohemian congregations at those places, 
 called forth feelings of affection and regard in his bosom, 
 for many of the members had distinguished themselves by 
 suffering bonds and persecution for the sake of the gospel. 
 He reports : " When I spoke with the individual members, 
 and heard what the Lord had done for them, my eyes were 
 seldom dry." After a visit of some months, which was 
 blessed to himself and others, he returned to Herrnhut. 
 On the 1st of April, 1766, Leonhard Dober, one of his 
 dearest friends and a faithful servant of Christ, happily do- 
 parted this life. 
 
 His activity henceforward was of a more quiet nature ; 
 the business of the Directing Board occupying his chief 
 
88 THE LIFE OF 
 
 attention. Interruptions of a more public nature however 
 were not wanting ; as, for instance, by occasion of the visit, 
 towards the end of June, of the Emperor Joseph, who remained 
 at Herrnhut two days. In the autumn of 1766, the Directing 
 Board went to Zeyst in Holland, and Spangenberg also visited 
 the congregation at Neuwied. In June, he had the honour 
 of preaching before the king of Denmark, who attended a 
 meeting at Zeyst ; on which occasion he testified boldly of 
 the divine nature of Jesus Christ, and his atonement, which 
 is offered to every sinner for salvation. During the same 
 year he also visited England. 
 
 Misunderstandings and offences too frequently arise, even 
 among those united together by the dearest ties, seeing they 
 are descendants of Adam ; yet the Lord can never "be 
 pleased with those among whom they occur. Of this ten- 
 dency of human nature, the Brethren's Unity at that time 
 afforded an example.' Eor among the servants of thb 
 Church many dissensions arose, which proved very injurious, 
 and hindered the work of the Lord among them. Spangen- 
 berg remarks : " I was deeply affected by these dissensions. 
 As regards myself, I lived in intimate communion with our 
 Saviour, and whenever addressing the assembled congrega- 
 tion, I was greatly cheered by his presence.' ' 
 
 About this period of his life, he suffered severely from 
 colick. He eventually obtained relief, but his own remarks 
 upon the cure, are well worthy of attention. " I frequently," 
 he writes, " suffered from colick, and although I had con- 
 sulted medical men in Germany, Holland, and England, my 
 complaint kept returning again and again. On one occasion 
 it remained for some time, but at length I got better, in the 
 following way. "Whilst suffering acute pain, I examined my- 
 self, whether in any manner I had been the cause of bring- 
 ing on the complaint, and was led to the conclusion that 
 I was not free from blame. I remembered the words : ' Is 
 any sick among you ? let him call for the elders of the 
 
BIS1I0P SPANGENBEEG. 89 
 
 church ; and let them pray over him/ etc. James v. 14, 15. 
 I thereupon called for my brethren, to whom I stated my 
 case, asking them to pray on my behalf. The chronic dis- 
 order then left me, and I have never since suffered from it." 
 Thus his child-like faith in the word of God was his help ; 
 for the Lord will not put those to shame who put their 
 trust in him. 
 
 XVII. 
 
 LlTEEAEY PUESUITS. 
 
 " A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." 
 
 Prov. xxv. 11. 
 
 We must now direct our attention to another branch of 
 Spangenberg's activity, which will convince us, that this 
 faithful servant of the Lord diligently employed his talents, 
 both for his own good and the welfare of the Church of the 
 Brethren. In June, 1769, he again attended a Synod at 
 Marienborn, where he presided, without any assistant. But 
 the Lord was his strength, enabling him to remove the mis- 
 understandings which divided many of the brethren. He 
 was re-elected a member of the Directing Board until the 
 next Synod ; the nature of his official engagements remain- 
 ing the same as heretofore. But in addition, he was charged 
 with the special superintendence of the congregations in 
 Lusatia. The increase . of labour thereby occasioned was 
 sweetened by the pleasure he derived from his official visi- 
 tations at Xiesky and Kleinwelke, where the brethren and 
 sisters prospered for the Lord. This was the more pleasing, 
 because the course of the congregation at Herrnhut was at 
 that time by no means satisfactory. And, as he remarks 
 on this subject, " Whenever things do not go as we could 
 wish, it is like walking in deep sand, or swimming against 
 the stream," 
 
90 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Every upright observer could not but admire his great 
 faithfulness, even when he had to use sharpness. The Elders' 
 Conference at Herrnhut therefore expressed their special 
 thanks to him for his great fidelity in superintending the 
 Lusatian congregations. But, in his reply to their address, 
 he wrote, " Is there any good in me, it is the gift of the 
 Lord. And since I dare not take any praise to myself, I 
 will lay down the thanks you convey to me at the feet of 
 our Saviour. Meanwhile, I am rejoiced to find that you 
 are satisfied with my humble service, and will kindly look 
 over my faults and shortcomings. I value your love highly." 
 About this time he went with the Directing Board to 
 Barby. Besides his usual official engagements, he took part 
 in the superintendence of the Theological Seminary. On 
 a former occasion he had manifested the liveliest interest in 
 the welfare of this nursery of the future ministers of the 
 Church. Every fortnight, the members of the Elders' Con- 
 ference devoted several hours to conversations with the 
 students. In these, Spangenberg was of the most essential 
 service, not only on account of his ability to teach, but from 
 his long experience. 
 
 Whilst at Barby, he completed his great and comprehen- 
 sive work, the Life of Count Zinzendorf, in eight volumes ; 
 which his brethren, at the Synod of 1764, had commissioned 
 him to write. But he had taken extracts from the writings of 
 the Count, the Synodal Besults, and the diaries of the Pil- 
 grim congregation, ever since his return from America ; and 
 these greatly assisted him in his labours, In the compila- 
 tion of this work he was guided by principles of the strictest 
 faithfulness ; but if we remember that many of the contem- 
 poraries of the Count were still living, we need not wonder 
 that Spangenberg wrote with great prudence and mode- 
 ration. In our day, we may use more plainness in com- 
 menting on the actions of individuals who existed at that 
 period. Spangenberg's work, however, will always be con- 
 
BISUOP SPAXGENBERG. 01 
 
 sidered as one of the very highest authority, since he wrote 
 from his own experience and observation, besides drawing 
 materials from the most trustworthy sources. In the pre- 
 face, he makes this humble confession : " May the Lord 
 bless this well-meant labour, and render it useful to many, 
 and an honour to his holy name. May he pardon all my 
 mistakes ; they are not intentional, but quite natural to a 
 human being like myself ; for how easily do we poor mor- 
 tals err." 
 
 Another work, perhaps of greater importance than the Life 
 of Zinzendorf, is the " Idea Jidei fratr urn," or "Exposition of 
 Christian Doctrine as taught in the Protestant Church of 
 the United Brethren," which Spangenberg wrote in 1777, 
 at the request of the Unity's Elders' Conference. In his me- 
 moir, he remarks on this book : " Its composition afforded 
 me great pleasure ; I wrote it in the presence, and with the 
 powerful aid of my Saviour, with much benefit to my own 
 heart. It has pleased the Lord to own with his blessing 
 this confession of evangelical truth, which has been made 
 in the name, and with the prayerful sympathy of the Bre- 
 thren's Church. To Him be all the glory, honour, and 
 thanksgiving." The preparation of this volume occupied 
 him a whole year. The brethren of the Conference after- 
 wards carefully revised it, for which he returned them his 
 most cordial thanks in 1784. "When the book came before 
 the public, it met with much opposition from the supporters 
 of infidelity, which at that time was rampant on the Euro- 
 pean Continent. On the other hand, the friends of evan- 
 gelical truth hailed it with delight. A bishop of the 
 Lutheran Church wrote to him : " Nothing has convinced 
 me so much of the purity of the doctrine of the Brethren's 
 Church, as your book Idea Jidei f rat rum. I first literally 
 devoured it with great appetite, and now I am goiag 
 through it again, proving word by word." Superintendent 
 Struensee remarked : " A great philosopher at one of our 
 
92 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Universities complained in a letter against our modern 
 theologians, adding, I have just now read Spangenberg's 
 Idea. Our children will have to learn theology from the 
 Moravian Brethren." A celebrated preacher of the gospel, 
 after reading this work, exclaimed, " Would to God I had 
 written but this one book ; I would gladly have written no- 
 thing else besides !" 
 
 This work has been translated into several languages, 
 and well deserves a careful perusal in the present day. 
 Every one, who is acquainted with the writings of the 
 Brethren's Church, knows that Spangenberg is distinguished 
 as a useful author, more especially by his beautiful discourses 
 addressed to children. "We regret our inability to insert 
 extracts from these writings, or from his sermons, but our 
 limited space forbids. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 The Privy-Councillor, Baron de Spangenbero, 
 
 " The shields of the earth belong unto God ; he is greatly exalted." 
 
 Ps. xlix. 7. 
 
 " Not many noble are called." — 1 Cor. i. 26. 
 Let none be startled at the heading of this chapter ; it was 
 not the Moravian bishop who gained this honourable title, 
 but his brother George, who was born in 1698. In his early 
 youth he displayed extraordinary talents ; and his father found 
 no other fault with him, than that his son was for ever look- 
 ing into his books. He went to school with his brothers at 
 Ilefeld, and afterwards entered the University of Jena. They 
 suffered much from poverty, but manfully overcame every 
 obstacle. George studied divinity, but on leaving the Uni- 
 versity entered the service of the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, 
 as his private secretary. From this house he passed into the 
 service of Francis George, the Elector of Treves, a descend- 
 
BISHOP SPANOENBEEG. 93 
 
 ant of the family of Schonbronn. While here he left the 
 Protestant Church, and became a pervert to Romanism, for 
 what reason, we cannot tell; the Lord alone knows. So 
 much is certain, that his religious sentiments were not 
 in accordance with the Council of Trent ; while, at the same 
 time, he appears to have felt convinced of his union with the 
 Romish Church, of which he became a zealous advocate. 
 
 Adjoining his residence at Coblentz a beautiful hall was 
 erected, in which he had a picture gallery, adorned with the 
 portraits of many females whom he had been instrumental in 
 bringing over to Popery. The Baron de Moser once called 
 to see him ; and he shewed him the pictures, saying, " These 
 are my children." He devoted a considerable portion of his 
 income to the support of those perverts. 
 
 How long he remained attached to the Rcmish church we 
 are not informed, but it is evident from his letters, and other 
 circumstances, that in the latter part of his life he was a 
 true Protestant, and a sincere and humble Christian. 
 
 Without entering into a detailed account of his political 
 career, we would merely remark, that he rose step by step. 
 The Empress Maria Theresa highly valued his sendees ; 
 the Emperor Joseph also greatly esteemed him, and made 
 him Privy- Councillor. After a very active and useful poli- 
 tical career, he retired from public life to a neat country-seat 
 at Ehrenbreitstein, near the banks of the Rhine. Here he 
 lived in quiet communion with the Lord, reading the Scrip- 
 tures diligently in the original languages. He was also much 
 attached to the Church of the Brethren ; often visited 
 Neuwied, and even cherished the wish of ending his days 
 in the bosom of the Brethren's congregation. 
 
 He kept up an uninterrupted correspondence witli his 
 brother Augustus Gottlieb, of which there are still several 
 letters extant. We cannot refrain from inserting a few ex- 
 tracts. After a long illness, in the year 1770, he wrote : — 
 " The doctrine taught by the Ereetl linkers is the gospel of 
 the devil ; with which he has perverted almost the whole of 
 
94 THE EIFE OF 
 
 Europe, and all its princes. "We are therefore the more con- 
 fident that our dear Saviour will preserve and defend his 
 kingdom by his almighty power, and bless the preaching of 
 his pure gospel in a rich measure. It is preached to the poor, 
 who feel how poor and wretched they are. Others do not 
 wish for it. The poor heathen, the Greenlanders, and such 
 like, praise his mercy .... I am getting gradually stronger. 
 My best Physician never leaves me/' 
 
 Soon after he acknowledges, in another letter, his great 
 sinfulness, accounting the long-suffering of his Saviour his 
 salvation. " If our existence on our little earthly ball had 
 not been sanctified, and as it were made honourable by the 
 true humanity of God our Creator and Saviour, I should 
 look upon the 72 years I have lived here on earth, as a vain 
 dream, and could not say, why I lived at all. Such would 
 be the case with every one of us, if there were no Jesus, and 
 our immortal spirit could not find repose in him. But as 
 thou, O my Jesus ! didst rise from the tomb, I shall not re- 
 main for ever in the silent grave ; since I, and all believers 
 are delivered from him that had the power of death." 
 
 In another letter he says : " I hold Him fast. The man 
 who is in danger of sinking, does not forsake his hold of the 
 raft that supports him. This I experience most powerfully 
 in my misery, having been brought down from the giddy 
 heights of my own reasonings to the simplicity of heart 
 which the Lord by his grace imparts to his children, when 
 we receive the spirit of adoption, in order that we may sur- 
 render ourselves with child-like confidence to his government, 
 without asking or knowing whither the Lord may lead." 
 
 In the year 1771 he confesses : " The Lord grants to me 
 in my advanced years innumerable proofs of his mercy, by 
 which I am deeply humbled ; for among all his creatures, 
 that have obtained mercy, there is probably none more 
 wretched, poor, and undeserving of his favours than myself. 
 But for this very reason I cling to him, that he may guide 
 me by his right hand and bring me out of all my distresses 
 
 
Bisnor SPAKGENEERG. 05 
 
 to his glory and honour, by virtue of his wounds, whereby 
 I am his property, with body, soul, and spirit, in true simpli- 
 city. I will let him do with me as he pleases, both here and 
 eternally." 
 
 In another letter he thus refers to the well known infidel, 
 Dr. Semler : " It is the best way to let these people talk, 
 and then to state our humble confession in reply. To dispute 
 with them, or bring forward arguments against their errors, 
 does no good, and often makes the matter worse. Who 
 could have thought that our beloved Halle and Berlin would 
 ever tolerate such men !" 
 
 In the year 1776, when the infirmities of old age were 
 increasing upon him, he wrote : " As is often the case with 
 old and grey-headed people, my hearing gets very dull, and 
 my sight so dim, that I often apprehend I shall grow blind 
 before I go to my rest. The time of my departure is fast 
 approaching. God be praised, that I shall not live to see 
 the floods of iniquity, which will assuredly break in upon 
 the world. To be with him, will be far better." At an- 
 other time he expresses himself in very strong terms con- 
 cerning people, who will not hear of the chief thing, but 
 talk much about our duties. " Begone all you new-fangled 
 wiseacres, who turn the Psalms of David into Odes and 
 Pastoral Songs, such as those of Horace and others ; begone, 
 with all your companions of the Devil's school, who tread 
 under foot the whole volume of the holy Scriptures, and all 
 our symbolical writings (together with the Apostles' Creed), 
 in order to make a way for their idols, before whom Paul 
 is no longer permitted to teach us what is the duty of a 
 follower of Christ, but a fool is to tell us in a play, or at 
 the opera, what are the duties of a Christian, (nay, this 
 name too they condemn) of a man. Such apostles as these 
 now infest the whole of Europe, and especially every court. 
 This is the time in which our Saviour will make his little 
 flock and his congregation a brazen wall against all the as- 
 saults of Satan." 
 
96 THE LIFE (3E 
 
 To a near relative, who was much influenced by the reli- 
 gion then in fashion, he addressed a very serious letter 
 of reproof. After speaking in strong terms against the 
 wisdom, which "appeared to have turned the head and 
 heart of his cousin" — he continues as follows : "It is an 
 established truth that our religion is not to be found in the 
 head, but in the heart, and the eternal truths of God cannot 
 be defined by our vain human reasonings, but must be be- 
 lieved with true simplicity of heart, venerated and turned 
 into our daily bread by the Spirit of power and of life. As 
 long as the heart is empty, all head knowledge is unprofit- 
 able.' ' At another time he wrote : " The days of my pil- 
 grimage have been few and evil, because I toiled hard for 
 the kingdoms of earthly princes, and did nothing for the 
 kingdom of God. For this neglect I stand in need of a 
 special assurance of forgiveness to render my latter days 
 peaceful." Concerning the Brethren, he remarks: " If at 
 any time the fundamental truth of our salvation, the merit 
 and blood of Christ, should be reasoned away from the 
 hearts of all other believers, our dear Lord has made pro- 
 vision for its preservation among the Brethren's people in 
 all its purity. This is the holiest of all, a temple of our Lord 
 and Eedeemer." In speaking of another of his brothers, 
 he observes : " Our dear brother George Philip has learnt 
 to see and understand this great truth as well as I, and 
 therefore he went home to his Saviour." 
 
 The following is an extract from his very last letter to 
 his brother, in which he speaks of his book on Christian 
 Doctrine. " Praise be to our Saviour for this invaluable 
 gift of grace, your Idea jidei fratrum ! It is one of the 
 most remarkable publications in our day, the value of which 
 cannot be sufficiently estimated. I hear it read to me day 
 by day, in the presence of men in high political stations and 
 others who may visit me. We defy every one that resists 
 the Spirit of the Lord and his holy word. Many hearts are 
 deeply touched, and lay the book aside with tears in their 
 
Bisnor SPANGENBEttG. 07 
 
 eyes. I bless his holy name for it. There is not a word, 
 nor a syllable in it, which I could not subscribe to, as the 
 expression of my heart and mouth, or which I am ashamed 
 to confess in time and in eternity as the ground of my hope, 
 to the praise of His holy name. And the same divine truths 
 I hope to be permitted to sing before the throne of God in 
 the presence of all his saints and angels. We are thy pro- 
 perty ; Thou hast bought us with thy blood ; by thy eternal 
 grace, which was sealed to us on the cross by thy word, i It is 
 finished.' Praise and glory be to Thee through all eternity !" 
 Thus the Privy- Councillor Spangenberg stood upon the 
 same foundation with his brother, the Bishop. This united 
 them as brethren in Christ Jesus in the most intimate 
 communion of heart. "Whenever Spangenberg came near 
 the Ehine, it afforded him much pleasure to visit Coblentz ; 
 and on his journey to Neuwied in September 1779, he pur- 
 posed once more to see his beloved brother ; but the latter 
 had gone to his heavenly home. The news of his death 
 reached Spangenberg at Neuwied, and deeply affected him. 
 He retired for an hour to pour out his sorrowing heart 
 before the Lord in sighing and supplications, and to receive 
 from above the consolation and strength he needed. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 The Jubilee. 
 
 " Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the 
 courts of our God ; they shall still bring" forth fruit in old age, they 
 shall be fat and flourishing-." — Ps. xcii. 13, 14. 
 
 We have already referred to the visitation of the congre- 
 gation at Neuwied. It was attended with many blessings, 
 but the journey homewards was very dangerous on account 
 of the floods. In the convent at Sayn, where the earthly 
 
 n 
 
98 THE LIFE OF 
 
 remains of that witness of the truth, Martin Boos, lie in- 
 terred, he visited the grave of his brother George. On his 
 return to Barby, he faithfully continued his official duties ; 
 about which time he wrote, at the solicitation of Dr. Walch 
 of Goettingen, a small, but very excellent tract, under the 
 title, " The Labours of the Brethren among the Heathen." 
 On the 15th of July, 1784, he entered into the 81st year 
 of his life, on which occasion he celebrated the Julilee of 
 his official connection with the Brethren. The whole Church 
 took a lively interest in the festive joy of its most blessed 
 servant. Early in the morning, the students of the seminary 
 woke him from his sleep by singing some suitable verses. 
 His colleagues of the Unity's Elders' Conference presented 
 him their most cordial congratulations, upon which he 
 poured out his heart before them in a very touching man- 
 ner, and falling down upon his knees, invited them to bless 
 and praise the Lord, and to implore his blessing for the 
 days to come. After the Jubilee, he sent the following 
 epistle to all the congregations of the Brethren. 
 
 " Dear Brethren and Sisters^ 
 
 " If I, like Simeon, have pressed the Son of God and 
 man to my heart while here on earth, I will, as soon as I may, 
 leave this earthly tabernacle in peace, through the merit of 
 his sufferings. This, through grace, is my present feeling, 
 and I daily wait for the hour when he shall call me home to 
 himself as his blood-bought property. The reason why I 
 wTite this letter, is the following : My dear brethren and 
 sisters have given me another proof of their love, which 
 has accompanied me for the last fifty years, by commending 
 me in the most cordial manner to our dear Saviour, on 
 occasion of my 81st birthday. They have remembered in 
 love my poor and imperfect services for the last fifty years, 
 during which time I have been guilty of many errors, mis- 
 takes, and shortcomings, which will always humble me in the 
 
BTSnOP SPANGENEEEG. 99 
 
 dust before the Lord, and fill me with heartfelt shame. They 
 never once alluded to these my imperfections, which are 
 great indeed. O ! for these faithful souls ! May the Lord 
 bless them for it with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly 
 places. May He own them as his own people, chosen by him 
 in these last times for the maintenance of the truth of his 
 gospel. I began to put on paper, the manifold proofs of the 
 goodness of the Lord towards the Brethren's Church during 
 the past fifty years, in order to leave to my brethren and 
 sisters, by way of grateful remembrance, a memorial of 
 mercy, to cheer them, and to call forth their praises unto 
 God. But I have not been able to complete my design ; and 
 therefore wished to send to all, in a few lines, my brotherly 
 salutation, as your old and faithful servant — Joseph.* 
 
 " Dated Barby, August 15th, 1784." 
 
 Thus the venerable Spangenberg wrote on occasion of 
 his Jubilee. The few remaining years of his life, he spent 
 with his usual activity for the good of the Brethren. 
 The Lord granted him, even in his old age, a very lively and 
 cheerful spirit, and grace to confess before friend and foe, 
 that he was the blood-bought property of Christ. On one 
 occasion a certain Countess came to him, lamenting that she 
 was a great sinner. Instead of hearing him say, as she had 
 expected, that he did not think her case so very bad, he 
 simply replied : " I readily believe all you say." She left 
 him with much dissatisfaction, and mentioned her trouble to 
 the youngest daughter of Count Zinzendorf, saying, " Every 
 body speaks well of Spangenberg ; I find that he is a man 
 without any good breeding." And then she told her what 
 had occurred. But here she found herself in a worse predica- 
 ment, for the young Countess told her, that if she wanted to 
 hear smooth and flattering words, she need not come to the 
 
 Moravian Brethren, whose aim and practice it is to speak 
 
 • 
 
 * The name lie assumed in most of his familiar correspondence. 
 
100 THE LIFE OE 
 
 the truth plainly and in love. At another time, a beginner 
 in the faith talked much of his inward experiences, making 
 use of many self- conceited expressions. Spangenberg, who 
 thoroughly understood his case, replied, " You fancy you 
 are sitting in our Saviour's bosom, and you don't know 
 him yet." This humbled the boastful beginner, and led him 
 to a closer self-examination. 
 
 On one occasion a lover of the truth called to see him. 
 Their conversation soon turned on the one thing needful ; and 
 the visitor complained of his spiritual slothfulness. Spangen- 
 berg in reply related a little incident that had occurred to him- 
 self when living in America. " I was once sailing in a boat 
 for a considerable distance, and watched the boatman, who 
 was fishing. As we sailed along I perceived that a large fish 
 had been caught by the hook ; the man pulled his line slowly 
 backward and forward for some time, till at length I asked 
 him, what is that for ? ■ Oh/ replied the fisherman, ' the 
 fish is too strong ; if I pull it at once with all my force, my 
 line will break ; but if I first tire it out, I can safely pull it 
 into the boat.' I thought within myself, does not our Saviour 
 often act in this way with us ? And perhaps he does so 
 now with you." 
 
 The same man asked, "What is the way to happiness ?" 
 Spangenberg answered : " I will soon tell you. Suppose you 
 see two persons, starving with cold. The one goes at once 
 to the fire in the hope of getting warm. The other goes up 
 and down, examining the nature of fire, and speculating about 
 its probable effects ; and remains as cold as ever. Who is 
 the happiest ? The simple man, or the learned ?" " Of course, 
 the simple," was the reply. His countenance responded, 
 " Go, and do thou likewise." While conversing on the happi- 
 ness of the life in Christ, Spangenberg remarked : " The 
 shortest way from one point to another is a straight line. Thus 
 it is between our Saviour and our misery ; the one is con- 
 nected with the other. In Jesus, ability to help ; in us, need 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBEUU. 101 
 
 of his help." At parting Spangenberg embraced his visitor, 
 and on his remarking, that he should never forget what he 
 had learnt on this occasion, the venerable old man said,* 
 " You ought rather to say, what I have learnt, to unlearn 
 again ; for you have still too much of your own ; you are too 
 good for our Saviour, who is sent to the poor and miserable." 
 We will allow the same visitor to give us a description of 
 the outward appearance of Spangenberg. (l I think John 
 must have looked like him. Spangenberg is now 78 years of 
 age, full of animation, without a single feature of the morose- 
 ness of old age in his whole countenance. He seems to possess 
 all the advantages of age without one of its evils. He is 
 filled with and guided by a spirit of mild benevolence, 
 modesty, true gentleness, and humility ; these virtues impart 
 to his whole bearing much of grace and decision ; but there 
 is another spirit that pervades his whole frame, the spirit of 
 love, the Spirit of God. In Spangenberg we can see strik- 
 ingly manifested, what Paul says of himself, * I live, yet 
 not I, but Christ liveth in me.' A serene brow ; heavenly 
 eyes — not piercing and fierce, nor dark and gloomy ; no 
 caverns of wisdom, like the eyes of a Socrates or a Mendel- 
 sohn ; a nose ( according to Lavater) an emblem of his straight- 
 forward character ; the upper lip like the wave of the sea in 
 a calm ; always quivering, full of harmony and softness, pro- 
 claiming love to all ; his lips well rounded, without a wrinkle, 
 like his forehead, not red nor yellow, but purple, not quite 
 closed, nor yet open, breathing out a noble spirit, and open- 
 ing widest in the middle when he is about to communicate 
 his sentiments to others, and to speak of the praises of his 
 God ; the flesh of his cheeks full of blood and life, well 
 rounded and fresh ; the blessing of God and the finger of 
 God appear to have left their marks upon them ; his chin, 
 an emblem of his power, neither quite round nor pointed, 
 rests softly upon a friendly pillow, like its owner resting 
 himself on God ; a slender but manly neck, covered by somo 
 
102 THE LIFE OE 
 
 silvery locks not quite snow-white, nor yet powdered after 
 the fashion of the day ; signs of honour given him by nature 
 and secured by divine grace ; on his head he wears a velvet 
 cap ; his dress is simple, of a darkish brown material ; 
 his hands that have baptized so many heathen, imparted 
 a blessing to so many men, appear to me like a compen- 
 dium of his blessed acts, the picture of the passage in the 
 book of prophecy : ' Behold, I have graven thee upon the 
 palms of my hand.' See, Lavater, such is the picture of a 
 Christian!" 
 
 After having completed such a lovely picture of the outer 
 man, let us glance for a while at a picture of his inner man, 
 drawn by one who for many years was his colleague in North 
 America. Eishop Etwin (whose great-grandfather had fled 
 from Savoy during the time of persecution to St. George in 
 the Black Forest) says concerning Spangenberg : " I have 
 been acquainted with him ever since the year 1739, and have 
 narrowly watched him on all occasions. I can testify with 
 confidence before God and man, that he never sought his 
 own honour, nor ease among men. He practised the word 
 of Jesus : ' Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be 
 your servant.' He was an example to the flock, and a truly 
 faithful servant in the house of God, whom I honoured as 
 my father, aud loved with my whole heart. If ever I felt 
 inclined to copy after another man it was after the pattern 
 of Spangenberg. I have always found him to be a faithful 
 and prudent steward. I have seen him burning with zeal, 
 whenever any offence had been given ; and when a mother 
 had dressed out her children with a view of excelling others 
 he would shew great indignation at such follies. Although 
 he was considered among us, and by all around us, as a prince 
 of God in this land, he was truly and willingly subject to 
 those in authority, and obedient to the laws of the country ; 
 as we may clearly gather from the minutes of our con- 
 ferences, in which are many exhortations addressed to his 
 
BISHOP SrANGENBEIlG. 103 
 
 brethren, to shew obedience and reverence to the powers 
 that be. Though among men many things may be forgotten, 
 the Lord preserves every tear of his servants and puts them 
 in his bottle ; and when those who have turned many to 
 righteousness, shall shine as stars in the firmament of heaven 
 (according to Dan. xii.) our brother Spangenberg will shine 
 with a glorious splendour." 
 
 In the year 1787 he very willingly undertook the extensive 
 work of the visitation at Ilerrnhut. At its close he candidly, 
 as was his usual custom, expressed his sentiments respecting 
 it. He found much cause for thankfulness, because of the 
 grace of God, which, through our Saviour's blessing, was still 
 manifest in this city on a hill. 
 
 He always urged decision of character in spiritual things. 
 In a letter to the missionaries in Labrador in 1787, he 
 exhorted them at all times to shew maternal kindness towards 
 the poor Esquimaux, with a constant looking to Christ our 
 Saviour,who loves us so tenderly. He mentioned an example 
 from the life of a missionary. " The late brother Boehner 
 having grown old, greatly desired to retire into a congre- 
 gation place, and was received with kindness in Bethlehem as 
 a faithful servant of Jesus. After a short time, however, he 
 wrote a letter to us, in which he stated, that he thought it 
 would be much better, if he were to return to St. Thomas, 
 that there he might be buried. ' The Negroes will there visit 
 my grave, and say — Here lies the man, who has told me so 
 much of our dear Saviour.' He went to St. Thomas, where 
 he served our Lord until a very advanced age." 
 
 To a brother, who offered himself to the mission-service 
 in his GOtli year, he wrote in the name of the L r nity's 
 Elders' Conference, that they considered it better for him 
 not to go among the heathen, because he could serve our 
 Saviour in his congregation at home. " As there are various 
 members in our body, such as hands, feet, eyes, ears, mouth, 
 and so on, which can be Been, and whose work is apparent, 
 
104 
 
 THE LIFE OF 
 
 so it is with the body of Christ. And as there are in the 
 human body many other members, whose work cannot be 
 seen with the outward eye, but which are nevertheless of the 
 utmost importance ; for instance, the heart, the lungs, and 
 the stomachy which are day and night in constant operation, 
 so likewise is it with the body of Christ : for a poor brother 
 who is lying in a miserable condition on a bed of sickness, 
 and can find no rest at night for pain, but does not cease to 
 pray for the extension of Christ's kingdom among the heathen, 
 and to thank our Saviour for all his blessings vouchsafed unto 
 his people, is doing as much good for the conversion of the 
 heathen, as the preacher of the gospel in their own country." 
 
 Spangenberg had seen his dearest and most esteemed 
 friends one after another depart this life. He had already 
 followed his beloved brother Clemens to the grave, and after- 
 wards kept his funeral discourse ; and now he witnessed the 
 departure of his brother Johannes de Watteville, which took 
 place on the 7th of October 1788* But a still deeper wound 
 was inflicted by the death of his faithful partner, Martha 
 Elizabeth, who fell asleep in Jesus at Gnadenfrey on the 
 26th of March 1789, in the 81st year of her age. They had 
 been united for 36 years, sharing weal and woe. He remarks, 
 in a memoir, " She possessed an uncommon degree of child- 
 like simplicity. She never thought highly of herself, but 
 was truly lowly in spirit ; it was the delight of her heart, to 
 shew personal kindness and to administer counsel and help ; 
 she was particularly diligent in intercessions for her husband, 
 whenever he was called upon to address the congregation in 
 the house of God." When she took ill at Gnadenfrey, she 
 soon felt convinced that her illness would be the means of 
 terminating all earthly sorrows, and declared that she felt 
 full confidence to go home to her Saviour. 
 
 Spangenberg attended all the sessions of the Synod of 
 1789, at which he was again chosen a member of the Unity's 
 Elders' Conference. His autobiography, which he wrote in 
 
BISHOP SPAXGENEERG. 105 
 
 1784, and from which we have frequently quoted, concludes 
 with the following sentiments. " "When I reflect upon what 
 is entrusted to the care of the Unity's Elders' Conference, 
 and how little I was able to assist in the discharge of its 
 important duties, I stand before my Lord with deep abase- 
 ment ; I pray him, and my dear brethren to forgive me all 
 my defects ; and since we, poor mortals, daily sin and make 
 mistakes, however good our intentions may be, I ask the 
 Lord for the forgiveness of all my sins. I am now at variance 
 with those who pervert the gospel and preach another doc- 
 trine than that preached by the Apostle Paul. I pray my 
 heavenly Father to make the enemies of his dear Son his 
 footstool. I implore my Lord and Saviour to turn to folly 
 the artful designs of Satan and his allies ; and by his Holy 
 Spirit to let his gospel be approved as the power of God unto 
 salvation to all them that believe. May He graciously pro- 
 tect in days to come the little and despised flock of his 
 children, own them as his, and give them his peace. 
 
 " The Saviour's blood and righteousness 
 My beauty is and glorious dress ; 
 Thus well arrayed I need not fear 
 When in his presence I appear." 
 
 This is the ground of my hope, and the whole hymn fully 
 expresses my sentiments." 
 
 XX. 
 
 Extracts trom Letters. 
 
 " To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for 
 you it is safe." — Phil. iii. 1. 
 
 Spaxge^berg was a very faithful correspondent. During 
 his long pilgrimage on earth he wrote many interesting and 
 valuable letters, of which we will now insert some extracts, 
 
106 THE LIFE OF 
 
 as they will give us a deep insight into the state of his heart, 
 "We must however content ourselves with mere fragments* 
 
 In the year 1771 he wrote to the Court Chaplain, Sassa- 
 dius, in Polish-Wart enb erg in Silesia, who was a timid confes- 
 sor of Christ Jesus : "If I may tell you my mind freely (which 
 I trust you will allow me to do), I do not deem it right that 
 ministers of the gospel in our days should be in any measure 
 ashamed of the brethren, who bear the reproach of Christ. 
 For when we see how the powers of darkness, which other- 
 wise are continually at variance and enmity with each other, 
 agree in their attempts to hinder the spread of the gospel, 
 the children of God aM servants of our Saviour Jesus Christ 
 ought surely to hold together as one man ; and to acknow- 
 ledge each other as friends. The fear which some people 
 entertain of depriving themselves thereby of some blessing, 
 has only a semblance of truth in its favour, and is without 
 foundation. For the more sufferings, the more reproach, and 
 the more persecution we experience, the greater will be the 
 blessings, provided we suffer for Jesus and for the sake of 
 His word. This, however, I do not mention in order to lay 
 down any rules for your line of conduct. O no ! I leave 
 you to the guidance and providence of Him, who died for 
 you and shed his precious blood for you. For he knows best 
 at what time Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea are to 
 come forward openly, and when to remain in secret." 
 
 Inspector "Witte, of Halle, had expressed his regret at the 
 publication of a letter of a certain brother Peistel, although 
 there appears to have been nothing offensive in the letter 
 itself. Spangenberg in 1771 wrote to him, and after stating 
 that he believed the publication of the letter was a 
 mistake, goes on to say, €i Our dear brother Peistel is a 
 faithful lover of our Saviour, I can give him this testimony 
 without hesitation. He often shoots at the mark, but does 
 not always hit it. This however does not discourage him, he 
 charges again and continues his fire ; and sometimes he hits 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 107 
 
 the nail on the head. Wherever he is wrong, he is ready 
 to own his error, and does it with such true contrition, that 
 one cannot but love and honour him as a servant of Jesus." 
 
 He then speaks of the Brethren's Church in general, de- 
 claring that its excellency does not consist in its beauty or 
 perfection, but in the fact that our Saviour condescends to 
 dwell among such poor, defective, and miserable people. He 
 concludes with these remarks : " Therefore, my dear Inspec- 
 tor, we will glory in this, that we are, thank God, a happy 
 people. And why ? We have a Saviour who forgiveth all 
 our iniquities, who healeth all our diseases ; he sitteth at 
 the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us, What 
 we ask of the Father, he will give unto us ; the more wretched 
 we are when we come, the more gracious he is. When we 
 go astray, he shews us the right way ; when we are sick, he 
 healeth us ; when w T e are hungry, he feedeth us ; when we 
 are thirsty, he gives us drink ; when we appear before him 
 naked and full of misery, he is our covering ; when we grope 
 in darkness through our own folly, he is our light and our 
 sun ; when we are dry and cold, he is the fire that warms us ; 
 he is our riches, when we are poor and wretched, and as 
 miserable sinners fall down before him at his feet." 
 
 To the celebrated Doctor Semler, who introduced infi- 
 delity into the German Universities, he addressed the follow- 
 ing lines — probably in 1774 : " I can tell you, to the praise 
 of our Saviour, that we stand immoveable upon the same 
 foundation of our hope, which we shewed to you openly on 
 occasion of your visit among us. God will in his mercy pre- 
 serve us from every declension from the gospel of Christ, 
 and will teach us to hold fast this doctrine — 
 
 " That whoe'er believeth in Christ's redemption, 
 May find free grace, and a complete exemption 
 From serving sin." 
 
 " I assure your Reverence, that, as I have hitherto often 
 implored the Lord our Saviour to guide you into all truth, 
 
108 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and to teach you according to his good pleasure, I shall not 
 fail in future to remember you in my prayers." 
 
 Spangenberg carried on a very blessed correspondence 
 with the celebrated minister of state and author, Baron de 
 Moser, who was a faithful confessor of Jesus : especially be- 
 tween the years 1770 and 1780. In one of these letters 
 he alludes to the time when they first made their mutual 
 acquaintance at Frankfort. " Tou read my heart and I read 
 yours, and I found that it was not necessary for Christians 
 to eat a peck of salt with each other before they get ac- 
 quainted. One spirit, even the spirit of Christ, animated us 
 both; in him we were one. It was a great pleasure to me, 
 to hear a faithful account of your experiences in their true 
 connection. The line is drawn as the ruler is laid. The 
 question is often put, but what must we do, if the ruler is put 
 the wrong way at the beginning ? and if the thing cannot 
 be altered, because it is like a broken egg that cannot be 
 mended ?" We may readily conceive that he [answers this 
 question by a simple reference to Christ our Saviour, who 
 alone can forgive and help. 
 
 Moser fell into trouble, upon which the faithful bishop 
 wrote to him : " Tou have got into very trying difficulties, 
 which probably none knows so well as our Lord, and you 
 yourself. We deeply sympathize with you, as we ought ; 
 for if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it. 
 Tou cannot counsel yourself in this dilemma, although you 
 are a great and prudent man, who has oftentimes assisted 
 emperors and kings and princes and noblemen with his coun- 
 sel. Tour best friends too, who would willingly do all in 
 their power to help you, are unable to do it. And why is it 
 so ? The Lord our God, says to you thereby, ' Eely upon 
 me ; I know how to deliver you out of all your troubles in a 
 thousand ways.' Do as Daniel did, who was a great states- 
 man like yourself, he confessed his own sins and the sins of 
 his people. And was he not heard ? Surrender yourself 
 
BISnOP SPANGENBERG. 109 
 
 entirely into the bands of Jesus Christ, to do with you what 
 pleases him, and to take from you what grieves him." 
 
 In another letter he expressed his sentiments in a very 
 scriptural manner on the behaviour of a child of God under 
 tribulations. As they contained nothing but the simplest 
 truths, he said in a postscript to his letter, " Tou may per- 
 haps think, does the old man fancy that I doVt know all 
 he has written to me ? To this I would reply, I have indeed 
 written such simple, alphabetical truths, that even a child 
 may know and comprehend. But when we are in trouble, 
 such precious truths of God, more precious than rubies, are 
 often hid from our view by many other perplexing considera- 
 tions. . . To pray and weep, and think more of past mercies 
 than of future things, is the best remedy amidst heavy trials. 
 Such at least has oftentimes been my experience." 
 
 In another letter to the same party he writes : " Tou have 
 the Bible ! this precious treasure, of more value to me than 
 many thousand pieces of gold and silver, yea, than all the 
 glories of this world ! Tou furthermore know, that our 
 Saviour receives sinners, and with shepherd's faithfulness 
 takes notice of all their trials. If he bestows on you his 
 grace anew ; if he owns you as his dear-bought property ; 
 if he says to you, My son, be of good courage, thy sins are 
 forgiven, I will cleanse thee from all thy iniquity ; if he pro- 
 mises you in his own word, I myself will counsel and help 
 thee ; then indeed you will experience the truth contained 
 in the hymn taken from the twenty-third Psalm : 
 " The Lord my Shepherd is and guide, 
 AVho kindly doth direct me, 
 For all my wants he will provide, 
 From dangers will protect me," &c. 
 
 "Which hymn I would herewith recommend to your attentive 
 perusal. All I have written, proceeds from the faithful and 
 sympathising heart of a dear brother, who loves you ; for a 
 brother whom the Lord deigns worthy of his divine chastise- 
 
110 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ments, in my eyes is a very venerable and dear object of my 
 regard ; and when I see that such an one learns to under- 
 stand our Saviour's mind and takes his lessons to heart, I 
 adore and wonder." 
 
 To Professor Basedow, of Dessau, who by his antichristian 
 tendencies had endeavoured to change the whole educational 
 system, he addressed the following well-meant, earnest 
 admonitions, in the vear 17 88 : " You are now about 59 
 years old, I shall, if God permit, in a very few weeks enter 
 upon my 80th year. We are both going towards the grave 
 with rapid strides ; I therefore feel in duty bound, having 
 had an opportunity not only of reading some of your writings, 
 but also of making your personal acquaintance, to address a 
 few well-meant words to you. Tou say in your pamphlet, 
 ' Something from the Archive of Basedow's Memoir, 5 etc. 
 p. 28, that it seems to you almost necessary that we should 
 at times divert ourselves by drinking and gambling ! Do you 
 really not know of any better ways and means of recreation 
 after your labours ? Such methods are no honour to the Lord. 
 Tou give offence to others, and derive no benefit from them 
 yourself. Suppose that another man were to say, ' I want 
 some recreation after my labour is over ;' and went into a 
 brothel, to seek it there in licentiousness and sin ? Would 
 you commend him for such conduct ? I think not ; and yet 
 the one is a vice as well as the other. Por Paul says : * The 
 works of the flesh are manifest, which are these : adultery, 
 fornication, uncleanness , . . . envyings, murders, drunken- 
 ness, revellings, and such like : of the which I tell you before, 
 as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such 
 things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.' Tou purpose 
 publishing useful lessons from the experiences of your own 
 life. Tou will, by so doing, have to think much about your 
 own course. Take the prayer of David for your pattern : 
 ' Search me, O God, and know my heart ; try me, and know 
 my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and 
 
ElSnOP SPANOENBERG. Ill 
 
 lead me in the way everlasting.' You have endeavoured for 
 many years past to make improvements here and there ; it 
 very easily happens that persons, who are too much engaged 
 with others, neglect their own best interests. Even Paul 
 was afraid of this danger. If you will turn with your whole 
 heart to Christ, who gave his life a ransom for you, and shed 
 his blood for the forgiveness of your sins ; if you will em- 
 brace him by faith as your Lord and Saviour, and hold him 
 fast ; he will pardon your sin. And when much will have been 
 forgiven, you will also love much ; and when you will have 
 learnt to love him, you will keep his commandments. This 
 blessedness I wish for you, and when you have experienced 
 it, and then begin to write a book, it may perchance become 
 as usefid as the Tlnum necessarium of John Amos Coinme- 
 nius. Tour behaviour towards Mr. Wolke I cannot approve 
 of. Do you wish that the Lord may deal with you, as you 
 have dealt with Mr. "Wolke ? If you say, ' he deserved it ;' 
 I reply, and how will you stand before God, if he were to 
 deal with you according to your deserts ? I have no inclina- 
 tion to enter into a controversy with you on these subjects. 
 My time hardly suffices for the ordinary duties of my calling. 
 Eut I love you as a fellow-creature, and pity you ; I would 
 thank God, if ever I heard that you have experienced some- 
 thing like Paul, when he said, ' When it pleased God to re- 
 veal his Son in me, I conferred not with flesh and blood.' 
 Herewith I commend you, my dear Professor, to the mercy 
 of God my Saviour, and joyfully subscribe the doctrhie — 
 
 u That whoe'er believeth in Christ's redemption, 
 May find free grace and a complete exemption, 
 From serving sin." 
 
 If the Lord grants you grace to know our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 you will say with Paul : ' Yea, doubtless, and I count all 
 things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ 
 Jesus my Lord.' " 
 
 Dr. John George Eosenmueller, of Leipzig, had published 
 
112 THE LIFE OF 
 
 a tract, entitled : u On dogmatic and moral Sermons,'' etc., 
 in which he openly avowed his opposition to the doctrine of 
 the blood and wounds of Christ. Spangenberg, in 1786, wrote 
 to him as follows — after passing some laudatory remarks on 
 some portions of the tract— " My dear Doctor, allow me to 
 speak to you in as free and open a manner, as though I, the 
 grey-headed old man, sat with you on your sofa, holding your 
 hand in mine. Supposing you saw a man, overcome by the 
 love of Jesus, who gave Himself for us, that he might suffer 
 and die on the cross, and give his life an offering unto God, 
 the sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour, (to use the scriptural 
 phrase) a man who lived in the daily experience of the words, 
 ' In Christ Jesus we have redemption through his blood, even 
 the forgiveness of our sins ;' and who on this account loved 
 our Saviour much, because much had been forgiven him ; 
 supposing you heard such a man say words like these, ' I can 
 and will hear, and know, and talk of nothing else but Jesus 
 Christ, his passion and his wounds, his death and his precious 
 blood, for they have won my heart for him ;' would you think 
 that man to be altogether wrong in his judgment ? "Would 
 you not rather say, O, that man is blessed indeed ! "Would to 
 God, I were like him !" He then goes on to shew that such 
 is the experience of the Brethren. But to maintain that 
 they neglect all other truths of God, is a vain assumption. 
 
 Eosenmueller found fault with Luther's Catechism. Span- 
 genberg defends it in the same letter : " It is an incompar- 
 able work, and a precious treasure. The testimonies of our 
 fathers, who staked their lives and limbs, possessions and 
 everything for the truth of the gospel— i Here am I — I can- 
 not do otherwise, may God help me: Amen/ — ought always 
 to remain dear to us." 
 
 To Superintendent, Dr. Tittman, of Dresden, a confessor 
 of Christ, he wrote in the year 1790, after expressing his 
 good wishes for his official duties : " In the present day, when 
 so many public teachers in the Protestant Church venture to 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 113 
 
 pervert the pure doctrine of Jesus, and to pull it in pieces, 
 and are not afraid to deny him, who has bought them with 
 his blood ; whereas Paul curses every one, who preaches 
 another gospel than that which he had preached, or preaches it 
 in another way ; — a man of God, who by the Holy Ghost calls 
 Jesus Christ his Lord and his God, and adheres to the word 
 of atonement, which the Lord our God has given us, is an 
 inestimable boon !" 
 
 When the chief Court Chaplain, Dr. Eeinhardt of Dresden, 
 was about to enter upon the duties of his high station, in 
 1792, Spangenberg thus expressed his best wishes : " The 
 Lord has thoughts of peace concerning Saxony, and will not 
 allow the gospel of his dear Son, Jesus Christ, the glorious 
 gospel of the holy God, to be obscured or thrust out by the 
 traditions of men. Saxony must adhere firmly to the doc- 
 trine confessed at Augsburg by our forefathers at the risk 
 of losing their lives. In our pulpits and academical chairs, 
 Christ Jesus and him crucified must remain the true foun- 
 dation, and woe to him who tries another way." He con- 
 cludes : " May the Lord be with you, and own your work. 
 May he support and help you wherever you need it." 
 
 Eeinhardt replied in the most cordial and respectful man- 
 ner, both as regarded the Church of the Brethren, and in 
 particular as regarded Spangenberg himself. " I express to 
 you, venerable father, on this occasion, my special esteem. 
 You have arrived at the highest point of an active and very 
 useful life, and therefore claim the regard and affection, not 
 only of all your brethren, but the esteem of all to whom the 
 gospel of Jesus is precious. May He, in whose service you 
 have spent your whole life, sweeten, by his grace, the last 
 days of your pilgrimage, till he bid you enter into his joy." 
 
 Just as this letter arrived from Dresden, containing these 
 good wishes, the Lord was ready to give to his servant 
 infinitely greater blessings than the royal Chaplain had 
 wished him. 
 
114 THE LIFE OF 
 
 XXI. 
 
 The Sabbath draws on. 
 
 " With long* life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation." 
 
 Ps. xci. 16. 
 " Thou shalt come to thy grave in a Ml age, like as a shock of com cometh 
 in in his season." — Job v. 26. 
 
 Although Spangenberg felt the infirmities of old age in 
 many ways, yet he continued to take the liveliest interest in 
 everything relating to the kingdom of God, more especially 
 in the affairs of the Brethren's Church, which he dearly 
 loved. He regularly attended all the meetings of the 
 Unity's Elders' Conference. In February, 1790, he paid a 
 visit to Niesky, whither the Seminary had been transferred 
 from Barby. On that occasion, he conversed in a very inte- 
 resting manner with the teachers and students, upon whose 
 minds he impressed the importance of their high calling. 
 
 He remembered the missionaries in St. Kitts with peculiar 
 affection, and addressed to them a very heart- stirring letter, 
 in which he says, "You live in a country where the great heat 
 of the climate oftentimes renders the body weak and inert. 
 Our Saviour, too, lived in a warm climate, and it took him 
 four days to go from Galilee to Jerusalem, and as many 
 to return home again. This journey he annually made more 
 than once. Are you at any time hot and weary, think of the 
 sweat of Jesus' brow." He then adds several consolatory 
 remarks, telling them something of his own experience, 
 and concludes : " Regarding your labours among the Ne- 
 groes, when you have sown 'the word of God, water it with 
 your prayers and tears. In this manner our Saviour him- 
 self did his work while here on earth. If Satan causes 
 you trouble, pray and weep at the feet of Jesus, and think 
 of the word of the Lord : ' The God of peace shall bruise 
 Satan under your feet shortly.' " 
 
13ISU0P SPANGENBEEG. 115 
 
 Many were the refreshing springs that flowed from the 
 pure fountain, — a heart filled with the waters of life. This 
 was especially the case during the annual Ministers' Con- 
 ference which was held in June, 1790, at Herrnhut. This 
 conference was begun in the year 1754, by three clergy- 
 men, not members of the Unity, but one in heart with it. 
 At the time we now refer to, thirty-three ministers of 
 \he gospel had assembled in friendly conference, at which 
 Spangenberg presided. His words throughout were full of 
 simple truth, and the result of a well-tried experience. In 
 his concluding address, which he delivered with great anima- 
 tion, he said, " It is our sincere wish that every one of us 
 may be filled anew with love to Jesus by the Holy Ghost, 
 in order faithfully and with cheerful confidence to discharge 
 the duties of our offices ; for our Saviour is with his servants, 
 supporting them, and not withholding his divine aid when 
 they cry for it in sincerity. And if we meet with any trials, 
 we will consider them as a portion of our salary, and think 
 it belongs to the lot of a servant of Jesus, to bear the yoke 
 and suffer tribulation. And they ought to accept it with 
 thankfulness, for a blessing is in it." The sessions were 
 concluded with fervent prayer. 
 
 In June, of the following year, he took up his residence at 
 Berthelsdorf, whither the Unity's Elders' Conference repaired 
 as their future place of abode. 
 
 The year 1791 proved to him a year of holy rejoicing, for 
 half a century had elapsed since the Brethren had made the 
 blessed and powerful experience that our Saviour is, in an 
 especial manner, the Head and Elder of the Brethren's peo- 
 ple. Spangenberg was the only surviving member of the 
 Conference of the 16th of September, 1741, held in London. 
 He was thankful to be able to join in the celebration of the 
 13th of November both at Berthelsdorf and Herrnhut ; and 
 concluded his address to the congregation with the following 
 words : " The love which made Him willing to be crucified in 
 
116 THE LIFE OE 
 
 our stead, is still the same to this day, and prompts him to 
 have mercy upon every poor sinner who needs his grace and 
 asks for it. Therefore we may confidently go to him and to 
 his mercy-seat, that we may find grace to help in time of 
 need." These were the last words he addressed to the as- 
 sembled congregation. 
 
 He gradually grew weaker and weaker. His sight re- 
 mained unimpaired,, so that he could read without the use of 
 glasses ; but his hearing became very dull, his feet began to 
 swell, and he found a difficulty in breathing. In the begin- 
 ning of January, 1792, he felt himself unable to attend the 
 meetings of the conference, though he continued to take the 
 liveliest interest in its deliberations, as they were reported to 
 him by word of mouth. The spring did not bring him any 
 relief; he experienced rather a gradual decline and sinking of 
 all his bodily powers. "Want of breath prevented his lying 
 down : and he remained day and night sitting up in his 
 arm chair. He suffered severe pain, yet no murmuring es- 
 caped his lips. To the inquiries respecting his health he 
 generally replied, " I think of all the mercies of my God and 
 Saviour." All who visited him derived much benefit from 
 his conversation, for his mouth, like Simeon's of old, uttered 
 the praises of his Lord. The weary pilgrim longed for the 
 rest which remaineth for the people of God. " Ah, my dear 
 Saviour, when shall I be with thee ?" he once exclaimed in 
 the presence of his colleagues. 
 
 On a fine morning in August, he longed for the refresh- 
 ing breezes of the harvest-month in the open air ; and he was 
 carried into a neighbouring field of wheat, where the reapers 
 were engaged with the harvest. Seated in his chair, with 
 the reapers gathering around him, he assured them of his 
 constant and lively interest in the prosperity of the village 
 of Berthelsdorf and all its inhabitants, and then told them 
 how he was wont to sow and reap with his brethren in North 
 America. Hereupon he exhorted them to return thanks 
 
BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 117 
 
 unto the Lord for the blessings of the harvest, and then led 
 the singing of the hymn of praise, — 
 
 " Now let us praise the Lord 
 AVith body, soul, and spirit, 
 Who doth such wondrous things, 
 Beyond our sense and merit," etc. 
 
 Having provided some refreshment for the reapers, he im- 
 parted to them his blessing, at which many were so deeply 
 affected that they could not refrain from weeping. This 
 little excursion was like the last nickering of the flame of 
 life ; the aged pilgrim returned to his sick chamber, fatigued 
 and weary, never again to leave it before his end. From 
 that day forward he was mostly dozing, and whenever he 
 fully awoke, it was to give utterance to some expressions of 
 thanks for the goodness of the Lord. 
 
 It became apparent that his earthly tabernacle would soon 
 be dissolved. On the 16th of September, he called to mind, 
 though in extreme weakness, the Memorial Day which the 
 servants of the Brethren's Church are then wont to com- 
 memorate. 
 
 On the 18th, his colleagues assembled around his bed, 
 singing benedictory verses for the departing saint ; and about 
 one o'clock in the afternoon, their beloved father gently fell 
 asleep in Jesus. His placid countenance, even in death, 
 spoke of that rest into which he had entered in the realms 
 above, where he was to reap in joy, what here he had sown 
 in tears. 
 
 The intelligence of his happy departure, although not un- 
 expected, caused general sorrow in all the congregations. 
 His mortal remains were interred on the 23rd of Septem- 
 ber. At the funeral, according to his wish, the memoir 
 was read, which he himself had written in the year 1789, 
 and which concludes with these words : " It has pleased 
 the Lord to make of me — a poor sinner — a child of God, a 
 temple of the Holy Ghost, a member of the body of Christ, 
 
118 THE LIFE OF BISHOP SPANGENBERG. 
 
 and an heir of eternal life, Blessed be his grace to all eter- 
 nity. Amen." 
 
 His body rests on the Hutberg, in the hope of a glorious 
 resurrection ! 
 
 " Let their bones flourish again out of their place." — JScclus. xlix. 10. 
 
 " Now rest in peace, from sorrow free, 
 Within thy tomb rest silently, 
 Thou servant of the Lord ; 
 Until we meet before the throne, 
 Where Jesus all his saints will own, 
 Who trusted in his word : 
 Then — boundless bliss to thee, the Son of Man will give, 
 And in his presence glorious thou shalt ever live." 
 
 
 THE END. 
 


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