Jesus Himself wished for the New Year.

What this letter is. A December letter of the 25th, 1766, from Mülheim to Johann Engelbert Evertsen at Barmen. At the now approaching New Year, and the renewed remembrance of the great love of God in the true gift of His Son, he wishes the brother, himself, and them all the blessing of God — yea the Son of God Himself into the heart. Nothing else, and nothing less, can redeem, sanctify, make joyful and blessed; no angel nor seraphim, much less another creature or thing. Let then this dear, sweet Jesus become dear and sweet anew, and through the year ever the dearer. May He make loathsome what would otherwise commend itself to the heart, and take possession of it as His given property, so that they experience they are no longer their own, but another, an absolute Lord and Master, is in us. In that honest mind, weak and faint as he may be, he unites himself with the brother and those dear known ones there. You are in my heart also still this year thus minded, to live, to love, to suffer and to die together. Jesus must live in us. Sing once with me. The Saviour Jesus's love-life become newly greening and growing. Mülheim, the 25th of December, 1766.

Jesus Himself into the heart. The New Year is not wished as a season's luck. The renewed remembrance is the great love of God in the true gift of His Son; and the wish is the blessing of God, yea the Son of God Himself into the heart. Nothing else can do the work — no angel, no seraphim, much less another creature or thing. That is ever certainly true. Let then this dear, sweet Jesus become dear and sweet to us anew, and also in the approaching New Year ever longer the dearer. What would otherwise commend itself dear and sweet to the heart, may He make loathsome — and take possession of it as His property given to Him, so that through the whole year they may happily experience they are no longer their own, but that another, an absolute Lord and Master, is in us.

To live, to love, to suffer and to die together. In that honest mind, desire, and expectation he unites himself — weak and faint as he also may be — with the brother and with all those dear known ones there, for the New. Saying with Paul, in his measure: you are in my heart also still this year thus minded, to live together, to love, to suffer and to die according to God's good pleasure. Amen, Jesus. O souls: Jesus must live in us, or we cannot live godly nor holy. Sing once with me: You sweet God-Child; Come, dearest Jesus, into my heart. He greets and embraces the brother in the Spirit of their love-fellowship. The Saviour Jesus's love-life become in us newly greening and growing. Mülheim, the 25th of December, 1766.

A few words and echoes.

• Dearest brother in Jesus!
• At the now approaching New Year. and the renewed remembrance of the great love of God in the true gift of His Son.
• I wish you, me and us all the blessing of God. yea the Son of God Himself into the heart.
• Nothing else, and nothing less can redeem us. sanctify us, make us joyful and blessed.
• no angel nor seraphim. much less another creature or thing.
• that is ever certainly true.
• Let then this dear, sweet Jesus become dear and sweet to us anew. and also in the approaching New Year ever longer the dearer.
• May He make loathsome to us everything that would otherwise commend itself dear and sweet to the heart. and take possession of it, as His property given to Him.
• we are no longer our own. but another, an absolute Lord and Master, is in us.
• weak and faint as I also may be. I unite myself with you, dear brother, and with all those dear known ones there.
• You are in my heart also still this year thus minded. to live together, to love, to suffer and to die. (2 Cor. 7:3)
• Jesus must live in us. or we cannot live godly nor holy.
• You sweet God-Child, etc. Come, dearest Jesus, into my heart, etc.
• The Saviour Jesus's love-life. become in us newly greening and growing.
• Mülheim, the 25th of December, 1766.