Bethlehem Diary - November 13, 1763
|
|
|
[Symbol for Sunday] November 13
On this day, 22 years ago, our dear Lord let it be announced to His Brethren People, under an unforgettably blessed sign, that He wanted to be their own Elder. [Today] all of the adult brothers and sisters found themselves at 9 o’clock in the morning in the Saal before their Elder and sang: Hear You Elder, you incomparable, etc., Should we Christ, Thaumaturge* etc., Your Friends, who live for you, etc. Then Br. Peter said, among other things, about the Daily Text: When we consider what our Lord did for His Brethren church 22 years ago, both in view of the spreading of the Gospel and the communication of His reward, and from which we have come to know particularly the most blessed principles of His heart for the Gemeine and the Choirs, then we must confess, that all God’s promises, which He gave us then, were affirmed and granted. This consideration makes it, however, at the same time, that on the one hand we painfully reveal even the most subtle rejection of His heart’s plan at His feet, on the other hand, we promise diligent obedience again in heartfelt recognition of His Staff of Duty, and surrender ourselves to his Plan of Peace. Both then happened for the Gemeine on its knees with many sinner-tears and His friendly eye let the Gemeine feel His heart, upon which it sang with childlike bowing: We know not what to say but to ask: is it possible, etc. To seal the covenant [the Gemeine] shared the Kiss of Peace with the words: We give our hands and hearts around, etc.
Afterwards were the normal sermons, and in the afternoon the Festival Gathering of the children with the same blessed feeling, upon which 1) the Single Sisters, 2) the married and widowed Brethren, 3) the Single Brothers, and 4) the Children showed blessed respect for the Elder to the Lord on their faces.
In the evening, all the communicants bound themselves together through the Cup of Praise to let form the joy of His heart, and He gave His blessed word to them that He will hold them to his faithful oath, that they will become His complete joy. At the end of this blessed day, the Gemeine welcomed the blessing of the Lord.
Towards evening, several Brothers, who had accompanied our emigrating Indians to Philadelphia, returned. They [the Indians] had been shown to quarters in the barracks where soldiers and other people live; through peculiar circumstances however they [the former residents?] went back, and they [the Indians] were transported to an island that lies near the city.
* A worker of miracles
Transcription and translation by Katherine Carté Engel
 |