An Interesting Experience.
By Bernhard Mattern
Bro. White: In relation to the Bible lectures, I will try to attend them, though not with the intention of entering the ministry, yet it can in nowise do me any harm to be present, if my matters can be arranged to do so. I was brought up a Catholic. My age is forty-six. My education such as was furnished by a common public school, as it was about thirty-five years ago in Baden, Germany. I came to this country in 1852. In 1861, I began to read English. By this means I became acquainted with present truth in 1871. After this time circumstances were such that I began to practice English writing also, being my own teacher. Since then I have studied much, but at great disadvantage. But having learned through the REVIEW that in the Battle Creek school a person can learn how to study, I have worked hard to save of my scanty means and small earnings enough to pay the expenses of at least one term, to enter when the new school-house is done. I want to study both the English and German languages, besides gathering all the Bible knowledge I possibly can. If by any means I may learn to translate, or in some way become useful in the great work. I have confidence that I shall meet there with Christian men and women in Battle Creek, who do not have respect of person. The True Missionary has stirred me up in a manner that my heart refuses to rest any longer. Those urgent calls for laborers, the great and all-important work to be done, the shortness of time to do it in, and this time growing shorter and still shorter: and I, rejoicing in the light of truth, am here bound by poverty and necessity, facing a herd of dumb beasts; for I am now herding cattle. This is the most confining business I ever was in. It takes all my time from sunrise till dark, and seven days in the week, with horse and dog, at wages of about fifty-four cents per day, and find myself. I cannot content myself to spend my time in this way while there are hundreds of thousand of Germans in this country, and probably over forty millions in Germany who have not so much as heard that there is a last message of warning. I hope by the grace of God soon to be able to do something better. This letter breathes the true missionary spirit, which is more fully expressed in the following lines penned by Bro. M. in the same letter. We trust the time is not far distant when Germany will hear the call, and many of that nation receive the light of present truth. God's people joining hand in hand,
The cause moves on from land to land.
Over mount and dale, both south and north,
The silent preachers now go forth.
To Denmark, Italy, and Sweden,
To France, to Norway, and Great Britain,
In many a tongue e'en now is heard
The cry by which men's hearts are stirred.
In Switzerland, the proclamation
Of the last message to that nation,
Will soon be heard with solemn sound,
Her mountains and her vales around. But Germany—alas! I see
No preparation made for thee!
No; not by letter nor oration,
In thy dear tongue, to king or nation.
Alas! is there no open door
To bring in light, and to thy poor
Preach Revelation fourteen, nine,
And let the holy Sabbath shine?
No candlestick, no star to light
Thee in the deep and dreary night
Of utter darkness and of gloom!
No one to warn thee of thy doom?
No one to take the great commission,
To show to thee thy true condition?
Forsaken must thou ever be?
Is there no message due to thee?
Oh! for some Jonah to be thrown
Upon thy shores in thunder tone,
To herald God's soon-coming wrath
To wake thee up from sin and sloth!
Lord, speed thy cause and show compassion
On this now truth-forsaken nation.
And if ten righteous there, I pray
For their sake turn thy wrath away. I have written a number of long letters, containing Bible truths to those most dear to me in Germany. Some were written with a lead pencil out on the Prairie. But among so many Catholics they will be no more than so many fire-flies in a dark night.