CHAPTER III. AN OCCUPATION IN BREMEN
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CHAPTER III.
AN OCCUPATION IN BREMEN.
TOWARDS Christmas I drove once more towards the mill, and after I had put the horses in the stall, while the corn was being ground, I went to Vilsen to Pastor Kohler. He was engaged in conversation with somebody, and had to keep me waiting a little while, with the remark that he had some good news for me. I could not guess what news this might be, and was still more astonished when, while the other visitor was about to go away and was taking his leave, the Pastor reached out his hand to me and said (pointing to me), "We must pray for this young man; he is going to the heathen." Then, when we were alone, he said he had written about me to Pastor Mallet, in Bremen, and had received an answer. He then read me a letter from Pastor Mallet, and the contents related that the committee had taken his letter into consideration, and had unanimously agreed that the young man was suitable for the service of Christ among the heathen, and he could come to Bremen at the New Year to be presented to the committee on the 2nd of January. This was a surprise.
On New Year's morning I rose at four, and started on the road to Bremen. It was a still, long, dark night, and the snow lay deep; but I knew all the roads for a mile, and then I came to the great thoroughfare. I can yet remember how happy I was with my Saviour, to whom I felt I could leave the result of my journey. I felt none of the earlier impatience for light of the days of my boorish ignorance. I had now the light of my Saviour, and if it should be His will that I should remain a peasant I was therewith content. In the afternoon I arrived at Bremen, and inquired my way to the church of St. Stephen. I had been in Bremen before with waggon and horses, and, in company with other peasants, had done business, and wondered at the high houses and many streets in the old city (altstadt); but now I was here alone, and about to speak with a city clergyman without introduction.
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I walked round the church before I ventured to inquire where Pastor Mallet lived. At last I asked a child, who showed me the house at once. With a silent prayer I went into the house. On the threshold I asked a woman if the pastor was at home. The answer was--Yes. Could I speak to him? She thought not. A door opened at this moment, and a stately man, who had the appearance of a clergyman, stepped out. He came straight up to me, and before I could stammer out who I was and what I wanted, he said: "Ah, you are the young man of whom"--here he hesitated. "Yes," I said, "about whom Pastor Kohler has written to you." He took me by the hand and led me into a room, and as he saw my bashfulness he made me sit close beside him on the sofa, and calmed me in as friendly a manner as one would a nervous child, and this soon gave me confidence. As I observed that he was in a difficulty how to dispose of me, I said I could easily find lodging in a hostelry for a few days. "No," he said, "not in a hostelry; wait, I will have my church servant called." He soon made his appearance, and I was handed over to him, with instructions to lodge me for a few days in a Christian family. And therewith the pastor gave him as many directions as to what he was to do with me, as if I were a child and might come to harm in Bremen. I was then in my 28th year, but on account of my small stature and fresh colour I appeared to be much younger. Amongst other things, the pastor said to the church servant that I knew no people, and that my pastor had been long dead. I was astonished to hear him say so, but did not dare to make any remark.
The church servant (his name was Bude) went with me to the street called "Way's End," to a master tailor of the name of Schierstein, and the family were willing to lodge me. I was unaccustomed to meeting townspeople, and therefore they and I spoke but little, but when I heard their pious conversation I thought, These people have in common what I so far have hidden in my heart. Here I was made acquainted with more Christian people, and it was always said before me that I knew no people, and that my pastor was dead long ago. At last I had to break in and say that our pastor was alive, only I had no further acquaintance
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with him than that I saw and heard him in the church; thereupon one of the friends said to me. "That is what we mean; it is true he has a bodily life, but spiritually he is dead." That I had to acknowledge. Soon I learnt further, that the expression that I knew no people at all did not mean that I had no acquaintances in Bremen, as I had understood it, but that I was not yet acquainted with new-born Christian people. Here I would now become acquainted with such. It was so good. It was a communion of the saints almost overpowering me.
On the evening of the 2nd of January I was to be presented to the committee. There was a mention, too, of a mission hour, and I could not quite make out which was the one, which the other. They told me, however, I need not disturb myself, as the church servant was instructed to keep me in the right way. He took me to a large hall and showed me my place at the upper end, not far from a table, and told me to stay there. The benches in the hall were gradually filled by people. There was no seat where I was placed, and I dared not leave the place. Standing was easy enough to me, but it occurred to me that I found myself in a conspicuous situation. Perhaps, thought I, this assembly is the committee, and I shall be examined here. At last Pastor Mallet came and held a mission hour, the first at which I had attended. At the conclusion, and as the people went away, he came to me, and now I saw that I had been thus placed that he might easily find me.
Pastor Mallet went with me out of the hall, and when we were in the street he drew my arm through his. This appeared to me almost too much condescension, but I submitted in silence. At last we went into a house (I think it was Burgomaster Nonnen's). Here in a room we found more gentlemen assembled. They seated themselves around a table, and I now saw what a committee was. I remained standing, because I thought I would have to undergo examination; but I was motioned to take my seat at the table. At first I was embarrassed, and did not know what was happening. A servant came in and brought a plate with confectionery. When he came to me I hesitated to take any, till a gentleman said to me I should take some, which I then did.
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Thereupon I was drawn into conversation by the gentleman. The conversation became in time warm and still warmer, and I became at last so warm that I lost all my embarrassment, and was astonished at myself that I could express myself with clear voice and without hesitation so fluently in the unaccustomed High German language. Naturally my language could not be grammatical, and I noticed sometimes a good-humoured smile at my broad pronunciation. At last I was asked if I could find my lodgings alone. I gave the assurance that I had no trouble in finding my way in neighbourhoods with which I was unacquainted. I was then told I could go, and, early next morning, come to Pastor Mallet and he would inform me what the decision of the committee respecting me was. I was about to withdraw myself with a bow and a simple Good-night, but I was called back and compelled to shake every gentleman's hand.
The uncertainty about the decision I was to hear the next morning prevented my sleeping very well that night. There are times when we leave the result of great occasions quietly in God's hand, and with full acquiescence of the heart can say, "Thy will be done." At other times when perhaps the result is of far lesser importance, we can hardly arrive at such calm submission after much prayer. This shows us the wise education of our dear Heavenly Father. When He gives us such calm submission, then we know that His good Spirit rules our hearts, and that strengthens our faith and does us good. But that we should not be rebellious children at other times he allows us to struggle hard. Lord, if I only have Thee I ask no more from earth or heaven!
The next morning, as soon as I was presentable, I went to Pastor Mallet, for I had a walk of five miles before me, and the days were short and the weather cold. I found him in his workroom. He looked earnest and moved, as if he had been praying, and he said to me the committee had resolved in the name of God to take me up. He did not yet know to which institute they would send me, nor did he know the time. I should go back home, and when the time came he would write to Pastor Kohler. Then he laid his hand on my head and blessed me. The
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remembrance of this blessing has sometimes been an encouragement to me in my lonely missionary work.
On my journey homeward I took my way through Vilsen, where I arrived in the evening. I found Pastor Kohler in his study, and as he looked at me inquiringly, I said the committee in Bremen has resolved to take me up in the name of God. He was visibly moved. I narrated shortly what had happened to me in Bremen, and then said: "So far I have concealed my intention, but now I must tell it in the house, for I have taken care of the farm work for my uncle, and he must be on the look out for a man who can take my place." "Yes," he said, "now you can tell it." Then he took me into the dwelling room, and made me acquainted with his family, especially his mother and two sisters (he was not married)--we were country people of the same district. He was the son of the Obervogt at Bucken, the parish where Mahlenstorf, my birthplace, was situated. One of the sisters remembered having seen my father, Bauermeister Gerd Wohlers, in their house doing business with her father. Pastor Kohler was the second pastor. The first (the superintendent) preached in such a manner that the glory of the Bible was lost, and as if Jesus Christ was merely a wise teacher. Kohler, however, resolutely preached Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Saviour of sinners. He was, moreover, a broad-minded man, and a friend of art and science. I still had a good hour to walk before I arrived at home; but that was a small matter to me in a region where I knew all roads and byways on the darkest night. Arrived at the house, I saw my uncle and both aunts were curious to learn some news from me, and I narrated my affairs. I found that the matter was not unexpected by them. They had long seen that there was something going on.
I have just mentioned two aunts. One was my uncle's wife, and the other her and my mother's unmarried sister. This one loved me like a mother, but was willing to allow me to go to the heathen in the service of Jesus Christ. All were of one mind, that this would suit my inclination better than farming. They were old-fashioned, and had not experienced the new birth as I had lived it through in stillness. Still piety was more and more
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observed in the house; also, among my brothers and sister (we had six brothers and only one sister), who all lived at my birthplace and its neighbourhood (three hours distant from Hoyerhagen), a spiritual life began to be apparent, and has continued to thrive. To some of the neighbours it was ridiculous. Others, however, and they were the most numerous, thought there might well be somewhat of good in it, and they wished me the blessing of God.
