15 December 25 - December 31, 1753
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Dec. 25.
Br. Grube held morning prayer. At noon he read for us a sermon preached by Count Zinzendorf on a Christmas Day, and we enjoyed it. In the evening we sang hymns relating to the Holy Christ-Child.
Br. Pfeil was again very sick with colic.
Dec. 26th.
Br. Jacob Loesch held the morning prayer. Peterson and Merkli went some twenty miles from here, across Dan River, to Mr. Gest, to get several head of cattle.
Our cornmeal mill ran today for the first time. It was very cold weather. We had singstunde in the evening.
Dec. 27th.
Buildings in the Bethabara settlement were small, which resulted in close quarters when accommodating guests. Image credit. About the photograph
After morning prayer Br. Kalberlahn’s patient returned to his home on the Catawba River, about eighty miles from here. He is fairly well now. The Brethren began today to split rails. In the evening an Irishman came from Dan River to have a couple of teeth pulled. He spent the night with us. Singstunde in the evening.
Dec. 28th.
After morning prayers the stranger left, very thankful for his relief from toothache. At noon Petersen and Merkli returned from Dan River with the cattle Br. Loesch recently purchased there. Mr. Haltem came on a visit. The weather was very bad, with much glaze ice. Singstunde in the evening.
Dec. 29th.
After morning prayers the Brethren killed two oxen, and spent most of the day in the work. Mr. Haltem went out with two of the Brethren and helped them set our beaver traps. Merkli looked for our horses, but could not find them. In the evening Br. Grube read the second Berlin sermon, and held an English song service.
Dec. 30th.
At noon Mr. Haltem left, well pleased with his visit. Petersen and Erich Ingebretsen accompanied him to search for our cows and oxen, which strayed last night. Br. Loesch went after the horses, and found them in the large meadow; also brought in a beaver caught in one of our traps. In the evening Br. Hermanus returned from Virginia, bringing three bushels of salt which he had bought on Smith River. Singstunde in the evening.
Dec. 31st.
Br. Loesch held morning prayer. At noon Petersen and Merkli returned with the cattle which they had found twelve miles away. We had expected to observe the Night Watch, but were prevented, for toward evening our neighbor, Mr. Banner, came, and a little later two hunters who had been across the Blue Mts., and still later three Irishmen on their way from Pennsylvania to the Catawba. Our little cabin was very full, and Br. Pfeil was still ill, and we were much inconvenienced. Three Brethren slept out of doors, and two sat up. We were sorry not to have our Watch Service, but what could we do, — and our dear Saviour knew our circumstances.
Comments
- We had expected to observe the Night Watch
-
The Brethren were accustomed to hold the closing service of the year late in the evening of Dec. 31st, watching the old year out and the new year in.
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Credits
This page copyright ©2008. Terms of use
From Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, edited by Adelaide L. Fries and others.
Courtesy of North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History.
