To a friend, upon the blessed decease of his mother.

What this letter is. To a friend, upon the blessed decease of his mother — to Johann Engelbert Evertsen of Barmen, Mülheim, the 1st of January, 1750. Condolence on the mother's death; greeting to the old father (Peter Evertsen); compassion for Brother A. (Abraham) in his sufferings.

Now I receive yours of the 29th of December. Unexpected news of their dear mother's redemption from this misery and mortal body-life. The will of the Lord be done. May He teach them to worship, approve and praise that will with a childlike heart: all His ways are goodness and truth. He knows why He so does; believing this, they can lay the hand upon the mouth.

The good composure of her mind. He has read of the composure wherein she suffered and went hence, with thankfulness and movement. They should thank the Lord that her heart was kept in quieting and trust, and that she was not permitted to reflect much upon inner and outer circumstances — whereunto the sleepiness perhaps served — so the mind might not be disquieted without need. The Lord has made all well; may He refresh her soul before the face of His glory.

Our dear old father. He greets Peter Evertsen and takes part from the heart in this loss. They would gladly have granted him this so needful helpmeet still; only God's irreproachable thoughts have not been as theirs. He trusts God will also provide in this point. It rejoices him that the old father can still compose himself Christianly. May God's eternal love draw his heart to the Eternal, that he may find again in His grace and communion a thorough, abiding comfort. Ah Jesus: comfort and strengthen thou our dear father; thou alone art better than the very best.

Brother A., and the brother himself. Brotherly compassion for Abraham's weakness and pains. Much will fall upon Johann Engelbert at this time; the Lord will give what is needful. Tersteegen himself remains so weak that seeing and hearing are often painful. Is it not a miserable life? And yet the cross and suffering is still the best this life gives. Ah Jesus, teach us to love thee. He greets and embraces him. Mülheim, the 1st of January, 1750.

A few words and echoes.

• The will of the Lord be done! The opening cry over the mother's death — not defeat, but the childlike worship of a will they cannot yet see. (Matthew 6:10.)
• misery and mortal body-life. Elend und tödtlichen Leibes-Leben — this present life as exile, and a body already given over to death; her "redemption" is being taken out of it.
• lay the hand upon the mouth. Once they know that all His ways are goodness and truth, the believing answer is to stop the questioning. (Job 40:4; Psalm 25:10.)
• composure of her mind. Fassung ihres Gemüths — the quiet in which she suffered and went hence; they are to thank God that her heart was kept in trust, and not left to turn her circumstances over.
• sleepiness. Schlafsucht — the drowsiness that, he thinks, was perhaps meant to serve, so the mind would not be disquieted without need.
• the Lord has made all well. The verdict on her end, and the prayer that He refresh her soul before the face of His glory. (Mark 7:37.)
• Our dear old father. The widower they would gladly have left this helpmeet still; only God's irreproachable thoughts have not been as theirs. (Isaiah 55:8.)
• thou alone art better than the very best. The prayer to Jesus for the old father — that his heart experience the one Comfort better than the wife he has lost.
• Br. A. The other son, in weakness and pains: Tersteegen has brotherly compassion, and asks that Jesus visit and refresh him in his stead.
• Is it not a miserable life? His own weakness — seeing and hearing often painful — and yet "the cross and suffering is still the best that this life gives."