Johann
Gold (1678-1745)
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A short acct. of the life of our dear Father Gold. On the 9th of April our dear Savior look him home to himself towards evening. He was one of his Sheep for which he took abundance of pains, which is well known to many of us, who also thank the good Shepherd with an humbled heart for his faithfullness in going after the poor bewildered Sheep the Sinners, till he can get them in his Arms and carry them Home, to the other Sheep in the Fold of his Church, where he can nurse and tend them. But as all don't know it, who could also with us worship and praise our Savior for it, or look back and see that our Savior has dealt even so with them, and thereby have an opportunity to reflect on his shepherds faithfullness, and what trouble and pains he likes for us, with what eagerness and love he goes after us, with unspeakable hunger and thirst for our souls, and it's not to be wondered at, since he has shed his blood for use poor worms. How our Savior labours that no soul may be lost, the most people know, especially amongst us. But as we cannot but thing it will be a pleasure for every on to hear, with what an amazing love he has pursued our dear Br. Gold in the world, till he could snare him with the cords of love, therefore we thought it necessary and useful to make it know to everyone, that they may rejoice with us, that the good Shepherd has at last found his sheep Br. Gold. He was really drawn by the holy ghost, to leave his native country Moravia, Estate and good days in the world to deliver his soul, and he was so for obedient, as to go with his wife and children, tho' not with his whole heart, and came to the church in H. Hutt [Herrnhut] in the year 1727. His heart still cleaved to the earth, and sought there as much as lay in his power, to procure something again which he could call his own, at which, his dearest wife and daughter (Krügelstein) were heartily grieved. The more he got for himself, the more he was enslaved to it, used to conceal the little money he had and receive alms of the church. The church was not ignorant of it but yet would not, for returning [?] from those things by the Law, hoping always our Savior would find a time, when he could best deliver him out of the devils snares. At last he and his wife were sent to St. Thomas's in hopes he might get a blessing for his own soul, the Church promising themselves an undoubted blessing for the poor Negroes thro' his wife's faithfull heart to our savior and
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