PennaDutch@aol.com wrote: > > Therefore they hope from the justice of the Right Honorable Lords > Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, to whom their petition to their > excellencies the Lord Justices has been referred, that they shall be so > supported by their Lordships' report, as to be represented fit objects to be > secured in the land they now do inhabit, or in some near adjoining lands > remaining in the right of the Crown of said Province of New York. -August 2, > 1720- > > But a new difficulty arose. The far-seeing eye of Weiser had Pennsylvania in > view as the proper home of his people. He conceived the scheme of securing > from the government an exchange of their lands in New York for others on the > Swatara. To this Scheff was violently opposed, and accordingly filed his > protest with the Board, declaring any such proposition of Weiser a violation > of instructions. 'Your petitioner,' he writes, 'hearing with grief that John > Conrad Weiser has petitioned your Lordships, for obtaining a tract of land > called Chettery(Swatara), most humbly entreats your Lordships to dismiss the > said Weiser's petition as being directly contrary to our instructions and the > inclinations of our people, who earnestly desire to lead a quiet and > peaceable life, and are utterly averse to expose their tender children and > childbearing women to another transportation by water, as still remebering > the loss of most of their young children at their going from home to > America." > > " Hunter's recall to England and his appearance before the Board was an > effectual obstacle to any efforts for the confirmation of their titles to > their lands. Lands in other localities in New York were offered instead to > those willing to remove. Some accepting this offer, removed to the district > known as Stoney Arabia. Others, who, by their thrift, had accumulated means, > purchased their old homes. But still others, chiefly from Hartmansdorf and > Weisersdorf followed Weiser's advice, as the best solution of the problem, > and turned their faces southward to Pennsylvania. > > As we turn from New York to descend the Susquehanna with these pioneers, we > may interrupt the narrative for a few moments,and, going forward nearly a > quarter of a century, look upon the closing scene of the life of their > leader, as it shows whence his intrepid courage and undaunted perseverence > came. > > 'In the year 1746,' writes Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, 'my wife's grandfather, > Conrad Weiser, Sr., came to my house, having been living in the Province of > New York, since 1710, and more recently on the borders of New England.* * > * He was so much exhausted by the long and fatiguing journey at his great > age, that he was almost dead when he was brought into my house.After he had > been resting in bed for twenty-four hours and he had partaken of some > nourishment he was refreshed. Then he began in half broken accents, devoutly > to repeat the hymn: 'Schwing dich auf zu deinem Gott' etc., especially > repeating the third verse. His eyesight was very dim; his hearing was so dull > that I could not speak much with him; but as I listened to him repeating from > his heart passages of Scripture, such as: 'Surely He hath borne our griefs,' > etc., 'This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptations,' etc., 'God > was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself,'etc., I could not refrain > from tears of joy. To these he added verses concerning the personal > appropriation of Christ, as 'Come unto me all ye that labor, 'etc., 'Him that > cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out,' etc., and ' Father, I have sinned > against Heaven,' etc. ' and God be merciful to me a sinner.' He repeated also > 'Ach Vater deck all meine Suende,' the sixth stanza of the hymn, 'Wer weiss > wie nahe mir mein Ende.' > > 'O Father, cover all my sins > > With Jesus' merits, Who alone > > The pardon that I covet wins, > > And make His long-sought rest my own. > > My God, for Jesus' sake I pray, > > Thy peace may bless my dying day.' > > I had quieted everything around him, so that he might not notice the presence > of any one, in order that he might alone and in spirit hold communion with > the Omnipresent God.* * *He expressed an anxious desire for the Holy > Supper, adding that as there had been no pastors in the region where he had > been living, he had not received it for some years. It was Sunday, and some > members of our congregation had called before the hour of worship. So he made > confession of his sins, humbled himself in the presence of his Saviour, as a > poor worm, worthy of condemnation, implored grace and pardon, and asked for > the Holy Spirit, that he might lead a better life. Such an impression was > made on all present that they were melted to tears,* * * In the > meantime my father-in-law sent a wagon for him, furnished with a bed, and so > had him conveyed to his own home, fifty miles up the country. Upon leaving, > he gave us his blessing. He arrived at the house of his son, after a very > fatiguing journey, and lived yet for a short time with his Joseph in Goshen. > Then at last, he fell asleep amid the loving prayers and sighs of his > children and his childrens' children, who stood around him, his wandering in > his pilgrimage having been continued between eighty and ninety years." > > ==== PENNA-DUTCH Mailing List ==== > Forgot how to SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE? 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