unmerited favors. He sent them help in every time of need, and that very often when the distress had risen to the highest pitch. To mention but one instance among many, of which I was an eye witness myself, I shall always remember with love and gratitude the providential help, we experienced on the 2nd of March, 1753. A large sum was to be paid that day, for which a merchant, who was no member of the Brethren's Church, had become accountable. The expected remittance, had not arrived, and the merchant was upon the point of being arrested, as he was unable to make good his engagement. Resolved to preserve the credit of this innocent man, count Zinzendorf offered to go to prison for him. At this critical moment, the expected remittance arrived; whereby the evil intentions of the enemies were again frustrated."*

Thus, by the gracious providence of God, the ruin which threatened the Brethren's Church was averted, and this supplied its members with a fruitful subject for gratitude and humiliation. The 23d of February, 1754, was observed as a day of public thanksgiving in all the congregations. For though much remained to be done before the heavy burden, which oppressed them, could be entirely removed, the gracious deliverance, they had already experienced, animated their faith and hope for the future. Nor was their confidence put to shame.

Painful as their past experience was, its consequences were salutary. It taught the Brethren, who were ready to venture their all for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, those maxims of prudence, which, as far as human agency is concerned, can never be neglected without obvious detriment to the cause we wish to promote. They were conscious that in this particular, they had sometimes erred, and thereby put a stumbling-block in the way of those, who sought occasion of offence. The deliverance they had received from the Lord, encouraged them to hope, that he had accepted their repentance, and graciously forgiven their faults. It had the further beneficial effect of awakening in the breasts of the members of their Church the spirit of true brotherly love, which looketh not at its own

* Crantz's Hist. of Breth. p. 414.

things only, but also at those of others. Charity may indeed be said to have had its perfect work. All were ready to assist in bearing the burden of the whole, and many excrted themselves even beyond their ability. And lastly, the Brethren learned by this occurrence to trust for their daily bread to the care of their heavenly Father, and to understand, by practical experience, the true meaning of our Saviour's admonition to his disciples: "Take no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

SECTION XI.

Obituaries of CHRISTIAN DAVID-CHRISTIAN RENATUS VON ZinzendorfCountess ZINZENDORF--and DAVID NITSCHMANN.

SEVERAL individuals, who had taken a very active share in the renewal and subsequent extension of the Brethren's Church, finished their earthly pilgrimage during this period. A few notices of the closing scene of their lives will, it is presumed, nct prove uninteresting.

Among these Christian David was the first, whom his divine Master called to his eternal reward. To those circumstances of his life, with which the reader has previously been made acquainted, it is only necessary to add, that besides the visits he paid to his native country, he made several journies in behalf of the Brethren into Bohemia, Switzerland, and Livonia. In 1733, he conducted the first Missionaries to Greenland, and visited that country twice afterwards; in 1747 to superintend the building of a church at New Herrnhut, and two years after, to conduct some Greenland converts, who had paid a visit in Europe, to their native country. His proper residence was Herrnhut, where, when not engaged in active services for the Church, he followed his trade as a carpenter. The congregation respected and loved him as a child and servant of God. He closed his useful life on the 3rd of February, 1751, in the sixty-first year of his age. In the discourse delivered at his

funeral, count Zinzendorf gives the following brief sketch of his character: "He was a man of so extraordinary a character, that we used to say, we have but one Christian David. He served our Lord Jesus Christ with gladness of heart, and by day and night lived in the closest communion of spirit with Him. The Bible was so precious to him, that he was never tired of reading it; and found true pasture for his soul in it to the end of his life. He deeply felt and was ever ready to confess, that he was a poor and miserable sinner; yet this did not rob him of confidence in our Saviour; on the contrary, he was strong in faith. He was never idle; and whatever his hands found to do, he did it with all his might and prospered. If once convinced that he was undertaking any thing according to the will of his Lord, and for the good of his neighbour, he did not suffer himself to be hindered by any difficulties in its execution. He made frequent mistakes; but was ever ready to acknowledge himself in the wrong, when clearly convinced of his error; nor did he rest, till he was assured of pardon. And when divine comfort was again restored to his soul, he prosecuted his calling with his accustomed cheerful

ness.

His talents as a Laborer in the Brethren's Church, fitted him not so much for the office of an Elder, which he held for some time at Herrnhut, as for that of a Missionary, in the discharge of which he shunned no toil and feared no danger. Hence, of his own accord and often at the risk of his life, he paid several visits to his benighted countrymen, and was employed by the Brethren in various undertakings for the spread of the gospel, especially when new ground was to be broken up; and God made him the honored instrument of leading many sinners to repentance. His discourses shewed that he had formed a clear conception of the truth he was propounding, and could hardly fail both to convince the understanding and to reach the heart. What they wanted of that polish, which human learning might have given them, was amply supplied by his extensive knowledge of Scripture. Some of his Hymns have been printed in the Brethren's (German) Hymn Book. They

* Life of Zinzendorf, p. 1867.

breathe the spirit of an undaunted servant of God, ready to venture his all and life itself in extending the kingdom of his Saviour.

Christian Renatus, count Zinzendorf's eldest son, fell asleep in Jesus, on the 29th of May, 1752, in London, in his twenty-fifth year. After completing his studies at the university at Jeha, his father took him to his own house, in order to prepare him for service in the Brethren's Church, which fully accorded with the wishes of the young count. The pious education he had received, had not only stored his mind with a correct knowledge of divine truth, and preserved his moral character untainted by vice, but laid the foundation to true conversion of heart. But his natural vivacity, and comparative inexperience, drew him insensibly into those extravagancies, which at a certain period disgraced the conduct of many members of the congregation at Herrnhaag. His father severely reproved him, deposed him from his office as Elder of the Single Brethren, and called him to London, where he then resided with his family. This produced a salutary effect on the son. He deeply lamented his error and the time, he had unprofitably spent in soaring above the simplicity of the gospel, and aiming at something higher than the free grace of God in Christ Jesus.

The undissembled sincerity of his repentance soon re-instated him in the affection of his father, who, as heretofore, employed him as his assistant in his labors. In these services he spent all his energies, often exerting himself beyond his strength, and unknown to his father, sat whole nights in his study. This gradually undermined his constitution, and brought on a consumption which terminated in his happy dissolution. During his last illness, which lasted three months, his conversation and whole deportment were truly edifying. He seemed like one, whose affections were entirely weaned from earth, and whose spirit was already in the possession of heavenly bliss.

Since his return to the simplicity of the gospel, from which he had for a short time deviated, a marked alteration took place in his whole manner. His lively disposition was exchanged for great gravity of deportment far above his years. The pain he felt on account of his former errors, redoubled the vigilance and

zeal, with which he guarded against their recurrence in himself and others. Hence it was his constant and earnest endeavour, both in his discourses and letters, to impress on his Brethren, the necessity of keeping the word of Christ's patience, in its scriptural simplicity and purity. His own soul was truly inflamed with love to Jesus and gratitude for his passion and death, as the sole cause of man's salvation, and the only source of a holy life and conversation. He often employed his leisure hours in composing hymns and spiritual songs. Many of these are still in use in the Brethren's Church, and some have been translated and inserted in our English Hymn Book. They testify the delight of his soul in contemplating the wonders of redemption, and the pantings of his heart after greater conformity to his Saviour.

Four years after the death of her son, his honored mother, Erdmuth Dorothy, countess Zinzendorf, likewise entered into the rest, which remaineth for the people of God. After her marriage with the count, in 1722, she engaged with her whole heart and mind in all those plans for the enlargement of the Redeemer's kingdom, in the execution of which her consort labored with such unabated zeal to the end of his life. Endowed by her Creator with rare talents, and still rarer piety for a person of such exalted rank, she knew no higher honor, than freely to consecrate them all to his glory. The Brethren's Church will ever revere her memory as a devoted handmaid of the Lord, and bless Him for the benefits conferred upon it by her instrumentality.

She spent the last year of her life at Herrnhut, and was present at the opening of the Synod, which assembled in the month of June, 1756; but could not attend many of the sessions, in consequence of indisposition, which without much pain or suffering, terminated her valuable life, on the 19th of June, in the fifty-sixth year of her age.

Countess Zinzendorf was a lady of no common endowments, and perhaps the only one, who, in every respect, could have so completely adapted herself to the peculiar situation, in which she was placed by her marriage, and the vocation of her consort. She knew how to unite the manners of a lady, with the humility