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THE CHRISTIAN HERALD.

VOL. VII.]

Saturday, January 20, 1821.

[No. XVIII.

Miscellany.

For the Christian Herald.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE REV. DAVID ZEISBERGER, Sen.

For sixty-two years a faithful Missionary among the North American Indians.

Translated from the German.

DAVID ZEISBERGER was born April 11th, 1721, at Zauchtenthal in Moravia, where still many of the descendants of the ancient Bohemian and Moravian brethren resided, but who had to suffer oppression and persecution whenever they were discovered to be the confessors of the unadulterated doctrines of the gospel. For this reason a number of them emigrated-some of them going to Herrnhuth, the building of which town was commenced as an asylum for the oppressed, soon after the birth of our late brother. It was in the year 1726 that he arrived at that place, with his parents, one brother and one sister. This family had eloped from their country by night, and left all their property behind them. Young Zeisberger was distinguished for his diligence among his classmates at the school at Herrnhuth, and the progress he made in acquiring a knowledge of the Latin tongue, evinced his peculiar talent for learning foreign languages. Having finished his education, Count Zinzendorf, in 1736, took him to Holland; and a small settlement of the brethren being soon after established at Heerendyk, at the request of the princess dowager of Orange, his services were put in requisition for transacting outward business, when his thorough knowledge of the Dutch language, which he had acquired in a short time, proved of great service to him. His punctuality in despatching commissions, and his modest carriage towards people of every rank with whom he was engaged, together with his sprightly temper, ensured to him their favour in a high degree, and frequently he received presents from such strangers, to whom he had occasion to render his services. But as he received a compensation from the brethren, he was soon after strictly forbidden to accept any presents whatsoever. On the whole he was kept very strict, according to the mode of training up the youth in those days. Thus, for instance, there was a set time appointed for his return from errands, and in case of a longer delay, he was threatened with a flogging. Upon one occasion this threat was actually executed upon him, although he remonstrated that he had 3 Z

VOL. VII.

to wait longer than usual for the bread he had to fetch at Ysselstein, as also for the boat that was to convey him across the water. In addition to this, various crimes were laid to his charge, but in which he had not taken a share. Soon after, a stranger of rank called with the brethren, and being unacquainted with the country, our David was ordered to conduct him to a gentleman in that city, to whom he had been recommended. This being done, the former reached out to him a liberal reward, and he refusing to accept of it, the gentleman forced it upon him in these words "I must give it to you, and you must take it; it is yours!" Immediately absenting himself, the poor youth was brought into a new dilemma. While ruminating in his mind what he should now do, he happened to meet with another boy from Moravia, by the name of Schober. They disclosed to each other their troubles, and agreed to leave Heerendyk, and join themselves to the brethren elsewhere. He knew, from the society's accounts, that General Oglethorpe, then governor of Georgia, had assisted the brethren in founding a colony in Georgia, in America; the two youths, therefore, bent their minds to England, hoping from thence to get to Georgia. The captain of a ship, to whom they addressed themselves for this purpose, took them along with him on reasonable terms, gave them many proofs of his kindness; and they not understanding the English language, he took them to a German innkeeper at London, who was happy in contracting an acquaintance with two such active and enterprising young countrymen. Being informed of their design, he immediately acquainted General Oglethorpe with it. The latter, himself, then had an interview with them, and gave them in charge to a seacaptain, who was just about sailing for Georgia. David then communicated an account of their elopement to England, and their contemplated design, to a brother in Holland. Being come to an anchor off Savannah, after a prosperous voyage, the Captain took them to a gentleman in the city whom General Oglethorpe had requested, by letter, to take good care of them, till he should find an opportunity of sending them on to the brethrens' colony. Fortunately, there were just at that time several brethren in town, and into their care they were delivered. The brethren and sisters of the colony, and in particular the parents of Zeisberger, who had arrrived there with the other emigrants, were much surprised at the unexpected appearance of these two youths. They no longer knew their son, and yet were obliged to believe that it was him. But with all their joy at seeing him again, they, and the other brethren and sisters, had much anxiety about him. They were poor, had little for their own subsistence, and knew not how would be able to meet the demands of General Oglethorpe the sea-captain. Although David assured them that no es would be sent in, yet they could not be brought to believe a considerable time had elapsed.

Giving an account of this event himself in later years, he made these additional remarks-" From the day on which I left the brethren in Holland till I arrived in Georgia, our Saviour has mercifully screened me against all bodily or spiritual harm. I might easily have been drawn into wicked practices; yet this was not the case; for He held his hand over me. At that time, indeed, I did not rightly understand it; but I have since been led to reflect what might have become of me, if our Saviour had not guarded me. Many a time, also, have I thanked him for it. On the whole, I recognize the hand of Divine Providence in this affair, and am on that account the more inclined cordially to forgive those injuries wherewith some brethren in Holland have wronged me."

Our late brother had been but a few weeks in Georgia, when he experienced a remarkable preservation of his life. Having heard the brethren complain of the great damage done in the night by the deer, to their rice fields, he secretly took a loaded gun and repaired to the spot where the deer used to enter the fenced field. Their entrance was under a fallen tree, which rested upon another. He climbed up the former about 15 feet high, and had not sat long before two deer approached the spot. As they were passing under the tree, he fired upon them; but the gun, which had been largely charged, gave him such a shock when firing it that he fell backwards from his seat to the ground. How long he laid there, in a swoon, he did not know himself. Having recovered his senses again, and wiped the blood from his face-for his head had been severely hurt by the fall-he discovered the deer lying dead near him; but the fowlingpiece he could not find. He then went home; the brethren were terrified at his appearance, and bound up his wounds-then went into the field and brought home the deer and the gun.

His stay among the brethren in Georgia proved, in many respects, a blessing, and of service to him, particularly as the brethren Peter Bohler and Schulius bestowed a peculiar attention upon him, and a reciprocal confidence was kept alive between them. Even in his later years, he was wont to remember these times with pleasure. The colony, which had been designed as a settlement from which to send the gospel among the Indians in the vicinity, breaking up for Pennsylvania about 1740, because they were desired to take up arms against the Spaniards, who threatened an invasion, Zeisberger likewise accompanied them, and assisted at the building of Bethlehem and Nazareth wherever he could.

At that time, (as himself related) he was not yet converted, but still was not without serious convictions, and it was his sincere desire that his heart might be changed, and that thoroughly and for ever. He once replied to a brother, who asked him whether he had no notion for being converted-" that will take place in

due time, and then will every body perceive that I am truly converted."

In 1743, Count Zinzendorf being on the eve of his departure from America to Europe, this was thought to be the most suitable opportunity for Z. to return to his native country. Contrary to his inclination, and out of mere obedience, he complied, and went with the Count's suite to New-York, in order to sail from thence. All things were in readiness, and the cable was just about to be loosed, when brother David Nitschman asked him "whether he went to Europe willingly." Replying to this question in the negative, and alleging, as the reason for it, that his conversion was his first concern, brother Nitschman said to him-"If I were in your place, I would immediately return to Bethlehem." He instantly left the ship and went back to Bethlehem. Soon after, the friendly address of brother Gottlob Büttner, a missionary among the Indians, proved a great blessing to him; and again, that verse which was sung as a prayer at meals--

"Whom dost thou love ?-Sinners the vilest race!

Whom dost thou bless ?-Children who scorn'd thy grace!"

Made such a deep impression on his heart, that he burst out into tears, and pondered on it, weeping and praying all that afternoon. His determination to devote himself to the Saviour was now fulfilled, and he found what he sought with Him-a friendly reception, and a comforting assurance of the forgiveness of his sins. He likewise soon felt an impulse to serve Him, and his particular wish was, to be accounted worthy to labour for the extension of the kingdom of Jesus, among the heathen nations of North America. At that time brother Pyrlaeus instructed several young men in the Maquay, or Mohawk language: Zeisberger left his fellow scholars far behind him, and on every occasion endeavoured to turn what he had learned to account. He also sought to have intercourse with the Iroquois, who visited or travelled through Bethlehem, that he might learn their language too. It soon became customary for the Indians that repaired to Bethlehem, to go in quest of him, and if they were still strangers to him, they were introduced to him. By this means he soon became such a master of the Iroquois tongue, that he was able to serve the government, as an interpreter of Indian languages, in the following years.

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In 1745 he travelled with brother Spangenberg, for the first time, to Onondago, the seat of the great council of the Iroquois, or the so called Six Nations; and although this journey was the most troublesome of all that he afterwards undertook, (for he and his companions often suffered great want of the necessaries of life,) yet it was very agreeable to him. One circumstance which happened at that time, left a lasting impression on his and his companion Schebosch's mind. On their return from Onondago,

their stock of provisions once failed them.-A green grass plat afforded them a comfortable resting place, but nothing to satisfy the cravings of hunger. Having oft eyed each other with pitiful looks, brother Spangenberg arose, and in a friendly tone said to Zeisberger, "Come David, make haste and get your fishing tackle ready, and catch us a mess of fish." He replied, “I would readily go and fish, if there was the least prospect of catching any; in such shallow clear water as we have here along side of us, the fish do not stay, particularly at this season of the yearat present they are all in deep water." Schebosch confirmed this assertion. However brother Spangenburg replied, "But if, notwithstanding, I say, David, go and fish!-you will this time comply from mere obedience." "Well, I'll do it," was his answer. Spangenberg then said, "Go a little further out into the water, that I may have the pleasure of seeing, from my couch, how expert you are at fishing." While Zeisberger and Schebosch were going to the water, they said to each other, "Our dear brother knows little about fishing; however that is something foreign to his line too." Filled with surprise, they were soon ready to retract their declaration, for Schebosch had enough to do, merely to watch the large fish that Zeisberger caught. Being returned to their resting place, brother Spangenberg, smiling, observed, "Ah! my brethren! have we not a kind Heavenly Father?" Not only were they enabled for the present to satisfy the cravings of hunger, but they also had some left, which, according to the Indian mode, they dried at the fire and took along with them, to serve them on their further journey. On this occasion, Zeisberger received such a powerful impression of the gracious providence of God; and his faith in the same was strengthened to such a degree, that afterwards, during the whole of his ministry, he ventured every thing upon the help and assistance of his Lord, and never suffered himself to be dissuaded from his purpose. On another occasion, when they were nearly starved, because their provisions had been consumed for severa! days already, they found a bear's quarter, which an Indian, it being out of his power to take it along, had suspended at the road's side, that such as might happen to travel that way might use it.

The same year, (1745) when Zeisberger and Christian Frederick Post were going to travel by way of Albany into the Indian country, in order to learn the Maquay language, they were taken up at this place as suspicious characters, who instigated the Indians to hostile measures; and were confined in the prison at New-York. But after repeated trials, being found innocent of all the charges preferred against them, they were again set at large, after a captivity of seven weeks, and then returned to Bethlehem. In 1747 Zeisberger again visited the Indians living on Long Island and Great Island, in the western branch of the Susquehannah, in brother Martin Macks' company. They found many

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