Page 2, Die Welt-Post,
Huck:
God's love to you my brother Georg Philipp and sister
Christina Schaaf in
On the 21st of this month we happily read your letter of 9 February, and yesterday evening I read it in front of the Meeting (Versammlung) as the basis for the text of the sermon. All are each time, given notice of the arrival of your letters and are very happy that you remember us, especially those of the members who with me and you together in your time built and strengthened. Many have now passed away but a goodly number are still here. They all send heartfelt greetings. Our Meeting is at sister Charlotte Michel's in the same place where we, in your time once went in. She is with her son, your god-father Philipp still alone. Your god-father is presently betrothed to Anna Marg. Schneider, daughter of Johs. right across from the church. Sister Charlotte, as well as your god-father are asking for an Easter wedding!
Br. Jaschka died of hunger this previous winter. Br. Heinrich Michel is already 8 years a lay leader (Mitmann) and sends his greetings. I am for now the only elder, though the next time we meet we will install Br. Jac. Neu as an elder. In our Meeting everything, thank God, is going well. Peace, Harmony and Life. We are so many that one room will not hold us all. A line of over 100 souls. We are known to all the villagers, even by the Russians.
Since the New Year there has been such an awakening as there has never been before, something that the old men in their time cannot recall happening. We see this as a sign of the times, Joel 3, 1. A conference was held here after the conclusion of another and always in the church, not withstanding that it was wintertime, and there were not enough beds.
I myself was in Norka, Beideck and Frank. In Frank first, and not long ago; there we worked simultaneously in church and in the houses where we slept and here and there---full, Full!
From Frank we drove directly to Pastor Kluck, evangelist Fink and the old brethren: I, Br. Hirt and Ph. Schneider (Row 5, Ludwiche Jacob's son) from Huck, a brother from Norka, Beideck, and so forth and so on. Approximately 20 brethren in a row from the villages. We were out for 14 days. We went on day and night and all the experiences of grace we had do not lend themselves to writing. As an example I will only tell you of the trip to one village. It was on the so-called "Saposchni-Chutor" (30 Wersts from the Franker Chutor). After our discussion, the last devotion closed and 9 fresh souls were made known to the Lord in prayer.
Br. Fink blessed the 9 and until we left we prayed and sang,
as we were leaving there came a crying and screaming and calling and we
unanimously surrendered ourselves in prayer with 17 newly arrived souls. After
these came another 11 and quickly another 2, so that in total 39 souls were
converted. 6 full hours we remained in this one place and we could not
leave, though we should have gone on further to our next appointed time.
Here in our home village it happens the same way. Each Wednesday evening we hold a large Meeting (Versammlung) in the bed house (Ed. Note: apparently a house set aside as sleeping quarters for people visiting the village). There were four brothers appointed from the rows to hold lectures and report to the Meeting (Versammlung).
From these smaller Meetings (Versammlungen). We have 15 Meetings; 4 are held each year for those who have wandered away or entered into death's decline.
My dear! If you could only once stay in Huck for a week, you certainly would have an experience such as you have not yet had. At the last Meeting the evangelist Jacob Ehlers was here and with him a host of brethren from Norka. It was a large Meeting of 200 souls praying as one. Everyone was totally enchanted in an instant by such a sight!
Your sister Anna Marg. is beset by sorrow: her last son Georg died in January of Spotted Typhus. Now she is with her youngest daughter Elisabeth alone. It is not going well with her.
This year I have done much handshaking but one must presently do something with himself. What you write, regarding the clothing shipment--I will do what I can do.
The wife of Peter Schaaf was one born a Meisinger from Alt Messer. They had 2 children together. They also have returned again (Ed. Note: to Alt Messer).
Son Pilipp recently married the daughter of Jacob Kindsvater (Weisser's Jaschka) Anna Maria.
I often meet with Br. Volz.
He is a good friend. I am the local representative of the A.R.A and I have to
go to Balzer now and then and on this
account have often met with him. We expect him to be here any day now. He
knows you well and has told me much of your religious life in
That's enough about things for this time. With heartfelt greetings from me, my wife and father-in-law, I am, yours in Christ Jesus, dear brother,
Ph. Kindsvater
P.S. -- Greetings to Br. Ph. Hein and his family. The same to his father-in-law.