bullet Bethlehem Journal - Spangenberg Account

 

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On Saturday, March 24th, immediately after early service or Morning Blessing we held a conference with our Indian Brethren, Abraham, Nathanael, Joshua, Augustus, and Anton. We asked them, what they thought in response to the Five Nation’s proposition, which Nanticokes and Shawnee brought them. They told us simply how they felt in their hearts and what kind of answer they intended to give. We were all content/pleased with it, especially because it emanated from their hearts and was created by them, with the grace of the Savior.

Immediately after that the Indians came together again with the Brethren from Bethlehem in a small hall. After a short pause, Brother Joseph greeted the Chiefs of the Nanticokes and Shawnee. Then he asked them to have patience, in case he did not say something right, the way it should be, for he was not an Englishman, but a German, which they very well knew. After that he repeated the first speech, which they brought forward on March 22nd and which is Supplement D. Then he told them the Brethren’s answer, namely that we did not have anything against the Nanticokes wanting to move closer to the Five Nations and that we would like to receive a message before it would take place. The path would not be too long for us to visit them whenever we want. The answer is in Supplement D.

After this answer was reported to the Nanticokes and Shawnee in their respective languages and received with a general acclamation. (They took the String of Wampum from Brother Joseph’s hand at the same time) He appeared again and recited the second speech, which they expressed on March 22nd and which is Supplement E. The answer he gave to that was of that we did not have anything against our Brethren in Gnadenhütten wanting to move to Wyoming and that the conditions the Five Nations set for this proposition were agreeable to us. Hereby a String of Wampum was presented, which they also accepted. Brother Joseph’s response, as it appears in Supplement M, was then reported to the Nanticokes and Shawnee in their languages and followed with much acclamation in the Indian manner. There was a strong feeling present, not of fear and not of adversity, but of peace, and the scales fell from Brother Nathanael the Mahican’s eyes

Then Brother Joseph stood up for the third time and at first repeated the third speech, which the Indians brought forward on March 22nd and confirmed with a Belt of Wampum and which then Chief White had annuirt, that he had correctly expressed. Then Brother Joseph gave an answer and confirmed it with a Belt of Wampum, which the Chief accepted from his hand.

The answer is Supplement N and says nothing else but was already reported before. Namely that we are quite content with the proposition by the Five Nations concerning Wyoming and that we would leave it up to our Delaware and Mahican Brethren who live in Gnadenhütten to decide on that issue. It continued to say, that we wanted to maintain the connection with them when they moved to Wyoming etc., that we wanted to stay in united as long as the world stands. The Belt included both European and Bethlehem Brethren, especially Johanan and Tecariotntie. The speech was translated for Nanticokes and then for the Shawnee and was accepted with applause by every one.

Hereupon they were presented blankets, hatchets, tobacco, pipes, little pipes and the like, which among so many people was not much, but still they cost us considerably, especially that we let their shotguns, axes and the like be repaired for free. They accepted all this with gratitude. Gunpowder we did not have and they needed it urgently, so we were all sorry.

In the end Brother Joseph gave them a Sting of Wampum and said: "Brothers! When you were in Gnadenhütten last summer you asked us if your youth were allowed to dance in Gnadenhütten. We asked you not to do that kind of thing in Gnadenhütten, and it did not happen. Now I want to tell you, there are many among us, who are ignorant of such things. We have seen much, but none of our children have seen anything like it. If you would like to dance here, some may laugh and this we don’t want to happen. Therefore we ask you not to dance when you come to Gnadenhütten and Bethlehem. They accepted the String of Wampum, reported the speech to the Nanticokes and Shawnee and they gave their "Ohah" and "Netoh".

Brother Joseph went on to say: "Brothers! They have given our Mahican and Delaware Brothers from Gnadenhütten a Belt of Wampum, which they should hold close to their hearts." He repeated their speech, the way it appears in Supplement P and went on to say, that our Brethren from Gnadenhütten took it to their hearts and have already discussed it. But the reason they are not responding today is because they first want to talk about it with the rest of the Brethren in Gnadenhütten. When you go back they will give you their answer in Gnadenhütten. These speeches were reported to the Nanticokes and Shawnee in their respective languages and were received with their approbation and acclamation. (The answer of Indian Brethren, the way it was made by them, can be seen in Supplement O).

After that White said: "Brothers! What you have told us is very good. We like your words very well. We are looking forward to going back to our land, so that everyone can hear them. Rest assured about that. It will be made known to everybody." Brother Joseph: "I do not have anything else to add." White: "You answered all the speeches and did not lose any. That is very good. Early on Monday we want to see you here again." In the meantime the servants took the presents and carried them away. Then the Chiefs took leave and all the Indians shook hands with the Brethren, who sat at the table.

At lunch time the Chiefs and also our Brethren Abraham, Joshua, Nathanael, Augustus and Anton dined with us.

In the afternoon they remained alone and distributed the presents they had received among themselves and their people. Brother Abraham as captain of Gnadenhütten also received his share.

On Sunday the 25th, Brother Joseph preached in English and had almost all the Indians in his audience. He told them how much our Creator loved mankind, and how he appeared as a man for their sake and endured bitter pains and in the end died for them. He told them how he shed his blood and was happy to help poor and lost creatures, who were tired under the yoke of their sins. They only had to come to him. No one was too bad for him. He accepted them gladly as children and made them people, who fulfilled His will with joy. This is the way to life etc. They were all amazed and attentive and one could feel the blessing of the congregation, which sat around the Indians and the words that accompanied their prayer.

The rest of the day was spent with our holiday joy [Fest-Tags Freude]. We could not do anything, but kneel down in front of Him who raised us so high and who dressed in our poor flesh and who even gave us His flesh and blood to eat and drink. Afterwards there was nothing more with the Indians. They were quiet in their lodgings. Anyway our congregants from Gnadenhütten and Meniolagomekah took the opportunity to engage in a private and friendly conversation with them.

Yesterday’s and today’s watchword was very good: There is non to guide her among all the sons whom she had brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up [Isaiah 51:18]. Build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [Daniel 9:25 & Hymn 248]

On Monday, March 26th, they remembered our gathering very early and when we and the Indians came together, White said, I have something to say, consisting of a few words, if you would like to hear them." We let them tell what they still had to say. Then the speaker stood up and said:

"Brothers! What I (the Nanticokes and Shawnee) say to you are not only our words, but also the words of all our Brothers in the province [Revier] (that is, the Five Nations) say the same as we are saying now. What you have told us, pleases us very much, etc." It can be found in Supplement P. He confirmed his speech with a String of Wampum, which Br. Joseph accepted, and answered them immediately, as follows in Supplement Q. In conclusion, Br. Joseph said, "Brothers! What we have said to you, comes from our hearts. We are happy that you have understood us. We now look on you as the mouth of the Five Nations. You would let them know our words.

White: "Brothers! You can count on that we want to tell you all your words, for we have not lost any of them."

Brother Joseph handed over a String of Wampum in confirmation of his speech. After that White said to the Nanticokes and Partrik to the Shawnee what was said in the end and they (the Nanticokes and Shawnee) received it with applause. Then the Indians took friendly leave and especially wished Brother Joseph a pleasant journey and hoped he would come back soon.

But before all this took place they remembered two things. The first one was, what he, Brother Joesph , said about a rock meaning something like in the idiom: "gutt cavat lapidem" (mentioned earlier about water making a whole in a rock after constant pressure), which they did not like. The other one was about how the color red did not belong on a String or a Belt of Wampum. The way it was now (it had a blue ribbon on it), was right. Brother Joseph responded to the first matter by saying, that it was not ill-meant and that we just wanted to say that it will continue to be hard, before we learn a language. But finally it will go well, when we hear a word many times. The Indians were pleased with it.

Concerning the second matter Brother Joseph said that we would like it if they would tell us how to go about such matters. We did not know before. Now we know, and it was good.

It was also said, that we would have gladly given them gunpowder, which had also had already been ordered, but which had not arrived yet. So we promised them we would send some of it to Wyoming as soon as we would receive it, which we hoped to manage before the end of March.

Something else was also forgotten, that on March 21st, there was a single Brethren’s Lovefeast, which was particularly special, because not only all the Chiefs of the Nanticokes and Shawnee, but also all the missionaries [Heiden-Boten] of all American pagan posts [Heiden-Posten] were present there. Brother Joseph led the Chiefs around in the hall, and they looked at the people carefully and not without reflection. Everything was given into the Lamb’s hands. The sweat of his face made their hearts warm and the blood of his wounds gave them strength.

 

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Translation by Rachel Wheeler & Irakly Chkhenkely


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