Brotherly answer to a New-Year's-wish: to be wholly the Lord's.

What this letter is. A January letter of the 9th, 1766, from Mülheim to Johann Engelbert Evertsen at Barmen. The hinderings of the feast-days have delayed his answer to the brother's pleasant letters until today. The tolerable circumstances of the brother and the others he sees with pleasure; for the brotherly New-Year's wish he thanks heartily — the Lord do so, and let the wishes flow richly back into the hearts. The God-Man Jesus, who alone originally brings a true life, impart His God-life; as dead, black, cold coals hold near to Him, the coal wholly glowing from the gleam of the divine love-life, from one brightness to another. Whether they will be called away in 1766 they know not; all days are written on the Lord's book, every little hair numbered. To foresee and to care is His work; to remain near, to worship, to love, to follow, is theirs. Let the mind renew itself to be wholly the Lord's; he has laid the brother and all the members with himself, as in a little bundle to the Lord, a whole offering. Mülheim, the 9th of January, 1766.

Dead coals, and the glowing coal. Yea, the God-Man Jesus (who alone originally brings a true life with Him) may He impart to us ever more this His God-life, and teach it us, how we as in ourselves dead, black, cold coals may hold ourselves finely near to Him, who is the coal wholly glowing from the gleam of the divine love-life, and let ourselves be ever more penetrated by His gleam, from one brightness to another. Whether we shall be called away in this begun year, we know not; the Lord knows it. What in the year 1766 shall meet us after soul or body, we know just as little; upon whose book all our days with all meetings are written, and who has precisely numbered all the little hairs upon our head, that not a single one shall fall from us without His Father's will.

Wholly the Lord's. To foresee, to govern, and to care is His work; to remain near, to worship, to love, to follow, to rejoice ourselves in Him Himself and in His will, that is our work and our sweet children's-duty; we shall and will prescribe nothing to Him; He will make it well. Let only our mind renew itself, to will to be wholly the Lord's; with the new year not to will to live ourselves more and follow, but Him whose our heart and life is. I have in this intent laid you, dear brother, and all the other dear members at the beginning of this year, with me, as in a little bundle to the Lord, and in the name of Jesus given over as a whole offering to His eternal property and honors. It has yet from the beginning of our acquaintance already been our irrevocable covenant. Hold me and us all fast, that none of us remain behind, and be missed on that day. Mülheim, the 9th of January, 1766.

A few words and echoes.

• the hinderings of the feast-days. have hindered my answer to your letters, pleasant to me, until today.
• tolerable circumstances. yours and the others'; I see them with pleasure.
• your brotherly wish for the New Year. I thank heartily; the Lord do so, and do yet add thereto.
• let the wishes flow richly back into your hearts. yours and the others'.
• the God-Man Jesus. who alone originally brings a true life with Him.
• this His God-life. may He impart it to us ever more, and teach it us.
• dead, black, cold coals. as in ourselves; hold finely near to Him.
• the coal wholly glowing. from the gleam of the divine love-life.
• from one brightness to another. ever more penetrated by His gleam. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
• whether we shall be called away. in this begun year we know not; the Lord knows it.
• the year 1766. what shall meet us after soul or body, we know just as little.
• upon whose book all our days are written. with all meetings; not a single one shall fall without His Father's will.
• all the little hairs upon our head. He has precisely numbered them. (Matthew 10:29–30)
• simple, unanxious, will-less heart-children. remained near to the Father in the present.
• to foresee, to govern, and to care is His work. to remain near, to worship, to love, to follow, is ours.
• our sweet children's-duty. to rejoice ourselves in Him Himself and in His will; we shall prescribe nothing to Him.
• He will make it well. (Psalm 37:5)
• to will to be wholly the Lord's. let only our mind renew itself; with the new year not to will to live ourselves more.
• as in a little bundle to the Lord. you, dear brother, and all the other dear members, with myself. (1 Samuel 25:29)
• a whole offering. in the name of Jesus, to His eternal property and honors. (Mark 12:33)
• our irrevocable covenant. from the beginning of our acquaintance already.
• hold me and us all fast. that none of us remain behind, and be missed on that day. (Hebrews 4:1)
• my Mülheim and Barmen fellow-called ones. Thy blood's reward and Thy honor's crown eternally.
• Jesus become in all All! I greet you very heartily, and all the others.
• Your / Mülheim, Brother in Him. the 9th of January, 1766.