15th February:
I took tender leave of Brother and Sister Michler and about 1 o’clock in the afternoon journeyed in company with Brother Michler as far as Jacob Buerstler’s in order to be at Daniel Levant’s in Maxatawny early on the 16th; it was stormy, but it went well. In a couple of hours Brother Schnell met us and along with many greetings brought us the happy news that Brother Joseph [30] and the remainder of his company had finally arrived happy and healthy back in Bethlehem. We thanked the Savior heartily and were very glad even though we were indeed a little sad that he had passed us quietly by. Brother Michler went back but we spent the night with Jacob Buerstler’s family and were very happy together.
16th February:
Brother Schnell left us early for Warwick, but I went in company with Brother Buerstler to Daniel Levant in Maxatawny [31] where I arrived about 11 o’clock. Since I had understood from the letter from Bethlehem that a Brother from Allemaengel [32] would either meet me there or would arrive later, I waited until 4 o’clock in the afternoon, but no one came. Thus I was placed in a difficult position because I was uncomfortable laying around a tavern all day and there was no leaving on foot because it was so late. I finally decided under the circumstances to start out. But came no further than Jacob Levant where the folks from Allemaengel often go, but there was no one there either. [The Levans] however wanted to keep me there. Then a Church Man [33] from Allemaengel, a very modest man, came by on horseback, and he took me with him. We didn’t leave until 5 o’clock and we took turns safely on the way, with one walking. Everyone was surprised and said that they were expecting me on the 17th. But I was very happy to be there.
31. Between New Smithville and Kutztown, LeVan’s Old Mill House
32. Lynn Township, now in NW Lehigh County, below the Blue Mountain, “everybody in need”
33. i.e. not a Moravian, in distinction to a Lutheran or Reformed churchman
Brother Bader's Diary
of his Journey and Visit to the Schools in the Country from
16th November 1752 to
28th February 1753
Translated by Pastor Roy Ledbetter
<< Return to Digitatized Diary
Translated Bader Diary entries have
been wholly grouped by entry date.
Date entries spanning two original document pages repeat in gray text.
View Entire Translation >>