Gnadenhütten Journal - Comprehensive
Report
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Brother Nathanael had an opportunity to evoke our God and Savior lovingly and with a warm heart. All who were present listened eagerly, and Nathanael and Petrus felt well in their hearts. In the morning of April 12th Nathanael and Petrus visited elder John Cosse, who is also a Chief. They spent most of the day with him and the man could hardly testify enough to his love and his joy over the Brethren’s visit. Brother Nathanael took the opportunity to describe the loving heart of Jesus and also the heart of Brethren in a pleasant and loving manner. John Cosse said: he had really loved the Brethren in his heart, and it had always particularly pleased him when the Brethren visited him, and he hoped that thereby something good would come about for the others, and that their people would now come even more to Gnadenhütten and become more acquainted with the Brethren. On the 13th, they spent the whole day there, and all the people were friendly and testified to their love for the Brethren. The Brethren had plenty of opportunity during the course of the day to tell the people and especially the Chiefs something about the Savior and his love for all human beings and so again they visited with each other until midnight. Early on April 14th the Brethren prepared themselves for their trip, and the Chief’s wife made something to eat for them to take on the way back. The Chiefs came and visited them once more and said that in a few days several of them would also visit us in Gnadenhütten, in order to become better acquainted with each other. John Cosse said: If he had not had such pains in his foot, he would have immediately gone with the Brethren to Gnadenhütten. The Brethren then took leave of the Indians, and as they left, Brother Nathanael saw a poor child sitting by the fire, almost naked and very cold; Brother Nathanael took a blanket, which he had wrapped around him and presented it to the poor child. It gave people such an impression and they said: we take your gesture, as if you had done it to us. Hereupon the Brethren went away, the Indians watching after them as far as they could see. They went from Wyoming straight to Gnadenhütten through the woods, and arrived happily on the 16th. They remarked that, it was not any longer from here to Wyoming through the woods than from here to Nescopeko, and the road was not as bad as to Nescopeko. Overall Brothers Nathanael and Petrus testified, that they felt very well among the Nanticokes and had good hope that the loving Savior would soon receive Brethren and Sisters among them.
The Nanticokes have a completely different language from the Mahicans and Delawares, but mostly they comprehend English well, therefore our Indians have to speak to them in English.
Monday, April 24th, in the evening two Indians came as messengers from the Nanticokes in Wyoming with the words they wished to say to the Brethren. Thursday, April 27th, two Nanticokes visited Brother Martin in the afternoon. Brothers Jonathan and Nathanael were also there. The Nanticokes brought [the news of] a great famine. In remembrance of these people’s brave manner of facing hardship, we offered to accept them, and if we could, to assist them with some Welsh-corn.
They told us how last year they had had a very poor harvest. Because their old and young suffer so much from the famine, so they are of the opinion that they would be sent help from us. To confirm this, they presented us a Fathom of Wampom, which the Chief gave in name of all, in order to make a better acquaintance with the Brethren and to renew their friendship. With this intention that it concerns friendship, we have accepted the Fathom of Wampom. We and some of the Indian Brethren also gave them some welsch-corn to help them, out of love and compassion for them.
Friday April 28. After the morning services we held a conference with the Workers, in which it the Nanticokes’ Fathom of Wampum was considered, and it was resolved that there should be another Fathom of Wampum sent to their Chiefs. They then prepared for their journey and took leave cheerfully.
On this, see the Gnadenhütten diary for April 1752. [Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa: Box 117, Gnadenhütten Diary 1750-1753].
Translation by Rachel Wheeler & Irakly Chkhenkely
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