1789 Letter to George Washington from the United Brethren
To his Excellency George Washington, President of the United States of America; the Address of the Directors of the Society of the United Brethren for propagating the Gospel among the Heathen.
Sir, The Directors of the Society of the United Brethren for propagating the Gospel among the Heathen do in the name of this Society and in the name of all the Brethren's Congregation in these United States most cordially congratulate you on your being appointed President of the United States of America.
Filled with gratitude toward God and our Saviour, unto whose goodness and kind interposition we ascribe this great and joyous event we rely on his mercy and on the influence of his good spirit. When we expect, that your administration will for a salutary and a blessing to that nation, whose unanimous voice has called you to preside over it.
We embrace this opportunity to present you a small treatise, which contains "An Account of the Manner, in which the Protestant Church of the Unitas Fratrum or United Brethren preach the Gospel and carry on their missions among the Heathen." You will be pleased, sir, to accept it as a token of our affection and reverence, and of the confidence, we repose in you, to patronize all undertakings for propagating Christianity among the Heathen.
Permit us at the same time to recommend in a particular manner the Brethren's s mission among the Indians in the Territory of the United States, which is at present at Petquotting on Lake Erie and in a very dangerous situation, to your kind notice and protection, and to lay before you the ardent wish and anxious desire, we have of seeing the light of the glorious Gospel spread more and more over this Country and great multitudes of poor benighted Heathen brought by it to the saving knowledge of Christ our Saviour, who gave himself a ransom for all and who will have all man to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
We fervently pray the Lord to strengthen your health, to support you daily by his divine assistance and to be himself your shield and great reward.
Signed in Behalf of the Society of the United Brethren for Propogating the Gospel among the Heathen and in Behalf of the Brethren's Congregation in the United States.
John Andrew Hubner, Charles Gotthold Reichel, Hans Chr. Schweinis, Paul Minster, Friedrich Peter, David Zeisberger.
Bethlehem, July 10th, 1789.
Updated: 21 September 2005
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