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Nicholaus Ludwig, Nicholaus Ludwig, Count von Count von ZinzendorfZinzendorf

Nicholaus Ludwig, Nicholaus Ludwig, Count von Count von ZinzendorfZinzendorf

1700-17601700-1760PoetPoet

MissionaryMissionary

1700-17601700-1760PoetPoet

MissionaryMissionary

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Nicolaus Nicolaus Ludwig,Ludwig,

Count von Count von ZinzendorfZinzendorf

Nicolaus Nicolaus Ludwig,Ludwig,

Count von Count von ZinzendorfZinzendorf

1700-17601700-1760

33

Here is what he wrote in his diary at age 15: This week I began the plan of spending a whole hour, from six to seven in the morning, as well as in the evening from eight to nine, and for fifteen minutes at a quarter of ten, in prayer. Also I resolved to pursue the study of civil law

with all my energy. . . .Examinations with Mencken. At ten o’clock I fenced. At eleven I studied the pandects [the laws of a country]. At twelve I dined. At one I played badminton. At two I drew. At three I

attended a lecture in the history of the Reich. At four I danced. At five Bardin (French tutor) was here. At six I studied civil law. At seven I dined.

At eight I prayed. At nine I studied Hoppi’s examination.

44

He wrote many hymns, and some are in our hymnal. His most famous one is sung in 90

languages and has 33 stanzas. It is in our 1941 hymnal as #676 and only uses 4 stanzas:

Jesus, still lead onTill our rest be won,

And although the way be cheerless,We will follow, calm and fearless. . . .

In our new hymnal is another of his hymns, #177, “Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness.” The tune

to this one is more familiar to us.

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Because he was born a nobleman, when his school was over at home, he was

sent on a grand tour of Europe to polish his education. While at Dusseldorf, he

viewed the portrait by Domenico Feti of Jesus crowned with thorns and beneath it he read, “All this I did for thee; what

doest thou for me?”

This spoke to his heart and changed his life. He wondered what he was doing for Jesus, and from then on he resolved to live completely for Jesus. He was only a

young adult at the time.

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Christians in Moravia were being persecuted--some imprisoned, some

loaded with chains, some yoked to the plough to work as horses, and some forced to stand in wells of water until nearly frozen. A Protestant Moravian

named Christian David asked Zinzendorf if some persecuted Protestants in Moravia

could find refuge at his estate.The heart of the Count was touched by

their plight, and he promised David that if they would come, he would provide a

place of abode for them.

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And across the mountains, by winding and unknown paths, they came, a little band of emigrants. For the sake of their faith, they left their goods and personal possessions behind. Their march was long and wearisome and when they

arrived at the estate of Count Zinzendorf, they were worn out and

footsore. They came as wanderers from a foreign land and were not able to bring with them any certificates of

orthodoxy.

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Count Zinzendorf was not at home. His steward was in charge, and he realized

these strangers could be dangerous heretics, but his master would not want them turned away, so he led the little

group to a stretch of ground that belonged to the Count, about a mile

away from the village, and told them to rest in an unfinished farm house. Soon

they were building their own homes, and this was the beginning of Herrnhut.

99

Herrnhut

100 houses built on rising groundEvergreen woods on two sides and gardens

and cornfields on the other two sidesHigh hills in the background

One long street, in the middle of which was the orphanage

At one end was the chapel, which could hold 600-700 people.

At the other end was Zinzendorf’s home.Another row of houses went in the opposite

direction, dividing Herrnhut into two squares.

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After his troubled crossing on the Simmonds, John Wesley visited Herrnhut and said it was a place where he would

have loved to spend his life. The people’s conversation, he noted, was in heaven,

and they had the mind of Christ and walked as he walked, with the spirit of

meekness and love. He found them almost peculiar. Their burials, for example, were simple. At one time he tried to console a father as he buried his infant child but soon realized the man did not need his words of comfort, for he had found a

higher consolation in his Saviour.

1111

In the evening all the young men marched around the town singing

praises and playing instruments and then gathered in a circle on a hill for

evening prayer. They returned to their homes singing more hymns and wishing every one a good night.

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This was Herrnhut.

Herrnhut was based upon the plan of reforming the established church of its bad practices by forming little churches within them. The Wesleys followed this plan when

they started Methodism.

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Herrnhut is also Herrnhut is also known for the known for the

missionaries that left missionaries that left their midst.their midst.

Herrnhut is also Herrnhut is also known for the known for the

missionaries that left missionaries that left their midst.their midst.

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In 1732, Zinzendorf and the Herrnhut congregation sent Leonard Dober and David

Nitschmann as missionaries to the slaves on the sugar plantations on St. Thomas Island in the Caribbean.

1515

Leonard Leonard DuberDuber

Leonard Leonard DuberDuber

Missionary to St. Thomas

Duber was only 19 years old when he left Herrnhut

as a missionary.

Missionary to St. Thomas

Duber was only 19 years old when he left Herrnhut

as a missionary.

1616

David David NitschmaNitschma

nnnn

David David NitschmaNitschma

nnnnMissionary to St. Thomas

David was an older gentleman, but he only

stayed with Leonard for a few months.

Missionary to St. Thomas

David was an older gentleman, but he only

stayed with Leonard for a few months.

1717

Sugar Cane Field Sugar Cane Field WorkWork

Sugar Cane Field Sugar Cane Field WorkWork

1818

Sugar Cane Field Sugar Cane Field WorkWork

Sugar Cane Field Sugar Cane Field WorkWork

1919

Zinzendorf as Zinzendorf as missionarymissionary

Zinzendorf as Zinzendorf as missionarymissionary

2020

MayflowerMayflowerMayflowerMayflower

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Pilgrims on Pilgrims on MayflowerMayflowerPilgrims on Pilgrims on MayflowerMayflower

2222

On October 14, 1735, both Wesley brothers left England for America. After settling in, there is their schedule:

4-5 a.m. private prayers5-7 a.m. Bible reading together with their group

7 a.m. breakfast8 a.m. public prayers

9 a.m.-12 noon German/Greek study, write sermons12 meet together to give an account of the morning

1 p.m. dinnerFollowing dinner until 4 p.m. reading to those they had taken

in charge4 p.m. evening prayers/Bible instruction

5-6 p.m. private prayers6-7 p.m. read to other passengers (about 80 English were on

board)7 p.m. joined the Germans (the Moravians) in their public

prayers8 p.m. group meeting

9-10 p.m. bedtime

2323

Their days were uneventful unless storms brewed, of which there were at

least four on this trip.The fourth one was particularly severe. John Wesley described it in his journal:

2424

In the midst of the psalm wherewith their [the Moravians’] service began, the sea broke over, split the mainsail in pieces,

covered the ship, and poured in between the decks, as if the great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible

screaming began among the English. The Germans calmly sung on. I asked one of them afterwards, “Were you not afraid?” He answered, “I thank God, no.” I asked, “But were not your women and children

afraid?” He replied, mildly, “No; our women and children are not afraid to

die.”

2525

On February 5, the Simmonds cast anchor in the Savannah River, and February 6 the Wesleys set foot on

American soil for the first time.

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John WesleyJohn WesleyJohn WesleyJohn Wesley

2727

John John WesleyWesley

John John WesleyWesley

2828

John John WesleyWesley

John John WesleyWesley

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Credits:Slide 2, Skara kommun

Slides 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 27: United States Public Domain

Slide 26: David MuirSlide 28: Pete Reed