occasioned by rebuffs of conscience on account of my infidelity, obduracy and insincerity, attended me every where, and lasted so long, till I repaired into solitude, threw myself at the feet of the merciful Saviour and besought him with tears, once more to liberate me from my sins, as, after all, this was my only desire, to belong to his chosen children. I then resolved to enter the married state, and the Saviour directed my choice to fall upon a woman who, like myself, desired to be saved by the merits of Jesus. However, still fearing that I secretly cherished a bane in my heart, viz: the vile lusts of the flesh, I disclosed my fears to the Lord Jesus with tears, and sought mercy with him. At one time I wrote to several pious souls, and revealed my fears to them likewise. They replied, the best advice they could give, was to pray, with the author of an ancient hymn of the church "O that my heart with eagerness, Would open wide and gather (i. e. for forgiveness and purification from sin) Each drop of blood, my sins did press From thee, my Mediator! O were mine eyes a well of tears, To weep for thee, my Saviour! May I ever, Freed from all needless fears, Enjoy thy love and favour!" This induced me to devote myself anew to my Redeemer, and fervently to beseech him never more to withdraw his grace from me, but to sprinkle my heart again with his blood which he has shed for us, and give me to feel with assurance that he also atoned for the bane in my heart. I then travelled to Konigsberg, where I resolved to stay all my life time, with my wife and child, particularly as the Rev. Mr. Schuman soon after departed this life. Here I also conversed with souls whom I had formerly known as pious Christians, and told them how the Saviour had once more restored me into his grace and favour. They rejoiced with me, that the Shepherd of souls had found and drawn to himself his lost sheep of the house of Israel, and advised me to cleave solely to Christ. From that time I have experienced also in my temporal concerns, many proofs of his love and bounty. Being at one time quite bare of the necessaries of life and greatly concerned how I should maintain my family, our merciful God wonderfully interposed for the relief of his miserable child. A man, otherwise very profligate, came to me and inquired whether he could oblige me with six bushels of corn, stating that he had felt a secret impulse to go to Leberecht and make the inquiry. I was quite confounded and received the gift as coming immediately out of the hand of God. I accordingly thanked my Redeemer for being still the same Jesus that he has been from all eternity, having also fulfilled to poor me his divine promise: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you," &c. Thus was Memoirs of John Christopher Leberecht. 195 any weak faith strengthened. My wife repeatedly remarked: "The Saviour is the Guardian of the simple. We will cast ourselves anew into his sacred arms-sue as poor sinners for mercy, and abide with him till he will eternally refresh us above.” Thus far the memoirs of this dear Christian were partly penned by a friend, as dictated to him or as related on various occasions. We might notice other remarkable events, but shall content ourselves with a few additional circumstances. One day he was unexpectedly called before a person of distinction, with whom he had contracted a slight acquaintance at the time a house was taxed. He knew not the object of the interview, but went there in the name of God. He found another gentleman sitting in the room whom he did not know. They proposed many questions to him, on the certainty and truth of the Christian religion, and finally bore upon him with this close inquiry: "Whether he now undoubtedly believed Jesus crucified, to be the true God?" "I must confess," he replied, "if any created being had been able to take away my distress on account of my sins and the loss of my salvation, I would have fallen down and worshipped the same. Now no one could effect this, but this crucified Jesus. Herein he gave proof of his divinity in me-therefore of right, I worship him as my God and Saviour." On leaving the room, he heard the gentleman say to his friend: "There, now you have heard it!-one who has been a Jew must tell you that which you will not believe on the testimony of Christians." The other gentleman, as it was afterwards understood, was one of those who call in question the eternal Godhead of Christ and the truth of the Holy Scriptures. We conclude by adding one circumstance more. Leberecht at one time understood, that both ministers of the church with which he communed, had received two Jewish youths into their care, each minister instructing one of them. The love he bore to his race, induced him to go and converse with these young men. He soon perceived that one of them was actuated by sinister motives. He therefore went to the clergyman who instructed the other youth, and with tears of joy burst forth into this exclamation: "Believe me, Rev. Sir, I can read in the countenance of your Jew, his concern for his soul! God grant that he may one day be the joy of your heart!" His fears concerning the other, alas! were realized. For after he had been baptized, he absconded, and no soul knows what is become of him. During the last years of his life, being no longer able, on account of ill health, to work at hard labour, Leberecht taught a small school of about eight or ten children, whom he faithfully instructed, and in particular endeavoured to lead to Christ. Some time after he was visited by God with sickness, viz. the dropsy. But as the water at times found a vent for itself, he got The force of this expression lies chiefly in the German word, "Vormund," literally, a mouth before; i. e. one making a previous provision for another without his knowledge. some alleviation, till towards the last weeks of his life, when he suffered great pains, and could hardly bear to lie down any more. He had a great desire before his death to enjoy the holy supper of the Lord, and in that he was favoured. Christ crucified having long before this time, been his all in all, so now his faith in an eminent degree embraced Him, while enjoying his body and blood. During the confession, he expatiated on his whole course of life with tears of gratitude and affection before his Redeemer, how God had plucked him out of darkness, borne him with astonishing patience, and given him no rest, till he brought him to the knowledge of the dear Saviour, who had cleansed all his sins. At last he broke out in the language of the poet : "Jesus, thee I view in Spirit, Cover'd o'er with blood and wounds; For my sin-sick soul abounds. On the minister's leaving him, they shook hands together, and took an eternal farewell of each other. Thus, unexpectedly, he sweetly fell asleep in the Lord Jesus, upon whose name he had so devoutly called, on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 1776, at 3 o'clock, P. M. and joined the company of just men made perfect. He left a widow and one son, in whose behalf he had fervently prayed, that God would also draw them to himself and keep them in Christ unto life everlasting. REFLECTIONS ON THESE MEMOIRS. 1. "What I do, thou knowest not now-but thou shalt know hereaf The truth of this declaration of Christ is often confirmed in ter." the life of every man. We ought always to observe the leadings of God, and in particular, have an eye upon such circumstances, which to us appear insignificant, as they may lay the foundation of our eternal happiness as well as of our eternal misery, in exact proportion as we submit to the ways of God, or not. His ways are ofttimes rough and wearisome, but they lead those that remain faithful and do not shrink back, to a glorious issue. Neuman was led into Turkish captivity, that he might die a happy death in the faith of Jesus Christ. He fell a martyr to his faith and his godliness-for by consenting to sin, he might have saved his mortal life-and thereby occasioned the conversion of a lost sheep of the house of Israel. Stop! kind reader! to reflect upon the adventures of thy past life! Why wast thou brought to this place? Why exactly at that juncture of time? Why hadst thou to become acquainted with that man and no other? Who caused that book-this Herald, perhaps unlooked for by thee, to come into thy hands? "God our Saviour will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." Memoirs of John Christopher Leberecht. 197 Neuman's disobedience 2. Even sin may and shall profit a man. towards his parents was a grievous sin. His subsequent tragical adventures were for the most part, if not altogether, in consequence of this sin. But this very sin, which lay as a heavy burden on his conscience, brought him to reflection, and drove the sinner to Him who cleansed all our sins, to Jesus Christ crucified. What sins hast thou committed? Hasten with all thy sins to him of whom Moses and all the prophets testify, that all that believe on his name should receive remission of sins-to Jesus of Nazareth. Then will thy sins profit thee-thou wilt not only obtain forgiveness and peace with God, but also power to reign over sin. For whomsoever the Son of God shall make free, the same shall be free indeed. 3. When distress is at its height, then the help of God is nearest. Leberecht was just on the point of committing suicide, when an angel of God appeared to him, in the person of the Auditor, who not only preached to him Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the whole world, from a lively conviction and experience, but was also made instrumental in Leberecht's introduction to the Rev. Mr. Schuman, and of being baptized in the name of the triune God, after receiving the necessary instruction. Why did not the Auditor come sooner or later to the spot ?-For this reason, that he might assist Leberecht in his extreme distress. 4. "Cursed be he, that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen!" (Deut. xxvii. 26.). Leberecht read these words in the Hebrew Bible. They became to him a fire that burned his inmost soul. It was not quenched till he could savingly believe on him, who was made a curse for us, that the blessings of Abraham might come on the Gentiles-on Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world. The words, as quoted above, are still on record in the Bible, and condemn every one who wilfully and obstinately persists in his unbelief, who carelessly or wilfully slights the only remedy that can convert this curse into a blessing. "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved-except the name of Jesus Christ. 5. Where did Leberecht find rest for his soul? Not in the Law. that pronounced a curse upon him. Neither in that determination, I will not believe in this Jesus of Nazareth: that would only have augmented his anguish and distress, or have rendered his soul completely callous and obdurate. Where did he find rest? Exclusively through faith in him who justifies the ungodly, who invites all the weary and heavy laden, and promises and actually gives refreshment and peace to the soul-through faith in Jesus Christ. This is he, of whom Moses testifies: "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him shall ye hearken. (Deut. xviii. 15.) Of whom God himself testifies: "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and I will put my words into his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." (Deut. xviii. 18, 19.) This is he of whom Isaiah prophesied so clearly and plainly as though he had been on the spot when the Lord of glory was crucified: "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed," &c. (Isaiah, liii. 1-5.) 6. In what manner was Leberecht convinced that Jesus was the true God? He turned to this Jesus by prayer and supplication, for the removal of the extreme anguish of his soul, and he found acceptance. He thereupon justly concluded: "If Jesus be so powerful and merciful as to be able and willing to do according to my prayer, then he must be the true God; none but the Omniscient can know the foundation of my heart, the inmost desire of my soul. Now Jesus did unto me according to the desire of my heart-he did more than I prayed for, and could conceive; he is therefore my omniscient God and Lord, my Saviour in whom I believe, whom I love, to whom I pray. Examine thyself, reader! whether thou knowest Jesus to be thy God and Lord-whether thou believest on him and dost pray to him as such. Does thy conscience answer in the negative-then make the same trial in the same way that Leberecht did. At all events, it cannot injure thee, but it will rather convey to thee ceaseless and everlasting bliss. Turn therefore by prayer to that Jesus, whom as yet thou knowest not; beseech him to reveal his life in thee also, if he be actually alive as Lord and God of the universe, to illumine thy soul, and bring thee to a full assurance in this most important of all concerns. In the mean time, read the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, with constant prayer for light and truth. Thus wilt thou also be convinced, that Jesus is the Saviour of the whole world; but in an especial manner, thy-thy Saviour, and that thou too mayest have life in his name. Then wilt thou lead a godly life in the faith of Jesus Christ crucified, suffer patiently and die as happy as Neuman and Leberecht did. O, Lord Jesus! thou Light to enlighten the Gentiles, thou Glory of thy people Israel, have mercy upon all those that are yet going astray--lead them as the good Shepherd, who has given his life for the sheep, that they should lack no good thing here, and hereafter rejoice as thy redeemed ones, in thy eternal heavenly kingdom, with joy unspeakable and full of glory! Amen! |