LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW - Concordia Lutheran Seminary

86 LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW XII
Ziegenhagen again and describe to him the misery of our dear flock.” 104
Particularly striking is the way the pastors turned to Ziegenhagen’s letters for
spiritual strength for themselves and their congregations. On 18 June 1737,
their journal records the comment,
I read part of the letter by Court Chaplain Ziegenhagen during the evening
prayer meeting, and I must confess, for the praise of our loving and generous
Lord, that my heart was much enlightened by the letter’s instructive
considerations of the beneficial and secret paths of the cross which He
travelled and is still travelling with the believers of the old and the new
covenant. 105
Again on 18 May 1740, the journal records the comment,
In yesterday evening’s prayer meeting we edified ourselves once more from
Court Chaplain Ziegenhagen’s letter for which may the cherished name of
the Lord be praised. May it help; us keep faith in the certain promises of the
Lord, to which we have been directed, even in the present war troubles. 106
It was not only Ziegenhagen’s letters which the pastors used as strength
for their ministry. On 22 March 1748, Boltzius records in his journal that he
had been using a song which Ziegenhagen composed on the three main
articles of the Christian faith as the basis for teaching the catechism to some
older children on the plantation. In December the same year, the Salzburgers
studied Ziegenhagen’s “excellent, sincere and inspiring thoughts” on Jesus’
words in John 12:20-33 in their evening prayer hours. These thoughts had
been contained in a Good Friday sermon, which Ziegenhagen’s associate
chaplain, Samuel Albinus, had sent to them. 107 On another occasion, the
colonists looked to some printed materials composed by Ziegenhagen and
put into print. One was a commentary on the Lord’s Prayer; another was a
tract called “Precious drops of honey from the Rock Christ” (Köstlichen
Honigtropfen aus dem Felsen Christo). 108
Not only copies of Ziegenhagen’s sermons, but also hymns which
Ziegenhagen (and other court chaplains, such as Albinus) composed, were
looked upon as precious input for the spiritual life of the colonists.
Specifically noted in Boltzius’ journal are: “Oh, Holy God, We All Pray” (O
heiliger Gott, wir alle bethen an), and “My Father, You Have Chosen Me”
(Mein Vater, du hast mich erwält). 109
104 Jones 4:16.
105 Jones 4:107.
106 Jones 7:126.
107 Jones 14:192.
108 Jones 17:15, 119.
109 Jones 15:291. Two hymns composed by Albinus were entitled: “All Men Must Die”
(Alle Menschen müssen sterben) and “World, Adieu, I Am Tired of You” (Welt, ade, ich bin
dein müde).