To a friend who is disturbed by evil reports. The reason why God permits such.
The Seventy-fourth Letter.
To a friend who is disturbed by evil reports. The reason why God permits such.
In our most precious Saviour Jesus, dearly beloved sister!
Because I think to come by opportunity, so I write this little letter for the short answering of yours of the 16th to the 27th of August. Be assured, dear sister, that your little letters (and also the last) are always pleasant to me. It matters to me that I from time to time gladly know how it stands inwardly and outwardly with you: Make yourself no thoughts or restriction thereover. Should my and your bodily weakness and circumstances also permit it, then would your coming-over also be dear and pleasant to me, how restricted also my circumstances are. Do not let yourself be disturbed by all manner of talk! I cannot remember such expressions; or it would have to have been spoken in a certain connection, yet then it would come out quite otherwise, and is here too lengthy to explain. Once for all remain only wholly assured of my unmoved brother-love and sincere concern for your soul's well-being! The known friend must indeed stand in a temptation, which will hopefully not take deep root; for otherwise she would not have said to you that which she said in regard to me; granted that it also had been fully so. Now, such talk, and unfriendly loveless conduct of others, even of dearest friends, divine providence oftentimes expressly permits for our best, that our love to others may be proved and ordered, and we be brought to nought; we should therefore not bring it too sharply into account against others: The Lord has His lovely end-purpose therein; so soon as He has reached it on us, then He opens the other's eyes, forgives them their follies, and then they must sometimes also themselves feel it.
Now, dear sister, I am indeed from my weighty sickness on the mend, but still long not again in the former. God is good, worthy of worship and of love. All His ways are good, also your way. Summer and winter, light and darkness, praise the Lord! Let us love, trust, and surrender ourselves with closed eyes!
How weak I am, even as I still lay in bed, yet almost daily foreign visits come, which falls hard on me. Now some of them sit again and wait: Nevertheless I had to greet you through a few lines heartily, and to your quieting answer the above; of which no one knows nor must know. I do not forget you meanwhile before God. Venture yourself thereby from love to God; I will do it also. A whole offering become on earth, etc. If you find it serviceable, then greet the other also.
Your Mülheim, obliged weak the 9th of September, 1764. brother.
German
Der vierundsiebzigste Brief.
An eine Freundin, die durch üble Nachreden beunruhiget. Ursache, warum GOtt solches zulasse.
In unserem theuresten Heilande JEsu herzlich geliebte Schwester!
Weil Gelegenheit zu bekommen meine, so schreibe dieses Brieflein zur kurzen Beantwortung des deinen vom 16ten bis 27ten Aug. Sey versichert, liebe Schwester, daß mir deine Brieflein (und auch das leztere) allemal angenehm sind.
— Opening lines of the original German. The complete transcription of all 605 letters appears in the forthcoming Encounter Press critical edition; Brief 1 is shown in full as a sample.
German text: public domain (1773–75 first edition / 1845 Gesammelte Schriften).
Translator’s notes
What this letter is. A September letter of the 9th, 1764, from Mülheim to Anna Christina Spieker at Wittenhaus. Because he thinks to come by opportunity, he writes this little letter for the short answering of hers of the 16th to the 27th of August. Her little letters are always pleasant; he gladly knows from time to time how it stands inwardly and outwardly with her. She is not to let herself be disturbed by all manner of talk — he cannot remember such expressions, or they would have been spoken in a certain connection and would come out quite otherwise. Remain assured of his unmoved brother-love. The known friend must stand in a temptation, which will hopefully not take deep root, for otherwise she would not have said what she said in regard to him. Such talk and unfriendly loveless conduct of others, even of dearest friends, divine providence oftentimes expressly permits for our best, that our love be proved and ordered and we be brought to nought. The Lord has His lovely end-purpose therein. He is from his weighty sickness on the mend, but still long not again in the former. God is good, worthy of worship and of love; all His ways are good, also her way. Foreign visits come almost daily even as he still lay in bed. He had to greet her through a few lines, and to her quieting answer the above, of which no one must know. Venture yourself from love to God. Mülheim, the 9th of September, 1764.
Do not be disturbed by all manner of talk. He cannot remember such expressions; or it would have to have been spoken in a certain connection, yet then it would come out quite otherwise, and is here too lengthy to explain. Once for all remain only wholly assured of his unmoved brother-love and sincere concern for her soul's well-being. The known friend must indeed stand in a temptation, which will hopefully not take deep root; for otherwise she would not have said to her that which she said in regard to him. Such talk, and unfriendly loveless conduct of others, even of dearest friends, divine providence oftentimes expressly permits for our best, that our love to others may be proved and ordered, and we be brought to nought. The Lord has His lovely end-purpose therein; so soon as He has reached it on us, then He opens the other's eyes, forgives them their follies, and then they must sometimes also themselves feel it.
God is good; all His ways are good. He is from his weighty sickness on the mend, but still long not again in the former. God is good, worthy of worship and of love. All His ways are good, also her way. Summer and winter, light and darkness, praise the Lord. Let us love, trust, and surrender ourselves with closed eyes. How weak he is, even as he still lay in bed, yet almost daily foreign visits come. Nevertheless he had to greet her through a few lines heartily, and to her quieting answer the above, of which no one knows nor must know. He does not forget her before God. Venture yourself thereby from love to God; he will do it also. If she finds it serviceable, then greet the other also. Mülheim, the 9th of September, 1764.
A few words and echoes.
- because I think to come by opportunity. this little letter for the short answering of yours.
- your little letters. and also the last, always pleasant to me.
- inwardly and outwardly. I gladly know from time to time how it stands with you.
- do not let yourself be disturbed. by all manner of talk.
- I cannot remember such expressions. or they would come out quite otherwise.
- once for all remain assured. of my unmoved brother-love.
- the known friend. must stand in a temptation, which will hopefully not take deep root.
- for otherwise she would not have said it. that which she said in regard to me.
- unfriendly loveless conduct. even of dearest friends.
- divine providence oftentimes expressly permits. for our best, that our love be proved and ordered.
- brought to nought. we should not bring it too sharply into account against others.
- His lovely end-purpose. so soon as He has reached it on us.
- He opens the other's eyes. and forgives them their follies.
- God is good. worthy of worship and of love.
- all His ways are good. also your way. (Ps. 25:10)
- summer and winter, light and darkness. praise the Lord.
- surrender ourselves with closed eyes. let us love, and trust.
- foreign visits. almost daily, even as I still lay in bed.
- of which no one knows nor must know. I had to greet you through a few lines.
- venture yourself from love to God. I will do it also.
- Your / Mülheim, obliged weak brother. the 9th of September, 1764.
trans. Jarred Fenlason · gerhardtersteegen.com/letters/bdii-thiv-074 · all rights reservedEnglish translation © Jarred Fenlason · All rights reserved · gerhardtersteegen.com.