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at their quitting the Romish Church. When the deputies replied, that "their consciences did not permit them, otherwise they should be hypocrites;" the Emperor rejoined, that he did not wish it, and promised to see what could be done for them, and that he would not forget them, nor believe any thing bad of them. Notwithstanding this favourable reception, the condition of the Zillerthalers remained unaltered. Their adversaries declared their protestations to be "lies," and requested that their petition might not be granted. Sometimes the tidings from Vienna were favourable, and sometimes the reverse: but their faith became the more confirmed in proportion as their sufferings were prolonged, and their numbers increased. On the death of the benevolent Francis II. the condition of the protesting Christians of Zillerthal became more oppressive.

They saw themselves, indeed, in an unhappy dilemma. In heart devoted to the Protestant Church, they yet could not, and dared not turn to it. From the Romish Church inwardly separated, they yet formally belonged to it, as not having received their dismissal, and because their civil relationships were manifoldly implicated with the ecclesiastical. It thus Occurred that their religious life assumed the following forms :— 1. The new-born children of those inclined to Protestantism were brought without consent into the Romish Churches, and there baptized. 2. The grown up children, as soon as they had attained the age prescribed by law, were constrained to attend the Romish Schools, and receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which in those countries is administered to children at the age of eight or nine years. 3. The Romish rite of marriage was refused to those disposed to Protestantism. 4. Both in Sermons and the Confessionals the Romanists were warned against all intercourse with them, and the poor were forbidden to ask any alms or shelter from the Protestants; neither were domestics or labourers to receive from them any employment. 5. The priests came to the sick, admonishing them to recant and to be reconciled to the Church, promising them on this condition the holy viaticum. 6. Those who died holding sentiments opposed to the Church, were not received into the Romish burial ground; their Bibles and other edifying books were taken from them by the priests: and on one occasion, at the close of a long conference held at Küppach, the priest concluded with this wish, "that the Lord Jesus Christ would come into the room, that I might say to him, "see! these are the people; DESTROY THEM AT ONCE BY CASTING

THEM INTO HELL FIRE. At length, despairing of obtaining from the Austrian Government (which it will be remembered is Popish) the free and public exercise of their religion, they deputed one of their body, in the name of his four hundred and thirty or four hundred and forty brethren, to implore the assistance of the King of Prussia (who is a Protestant), and whose interference in their behalf had previously been requested by his late Majesty King William IV., that Potentate despatched one of his chaplains to Vienna, who negotiated the affair with the Austrian Government.

Being now permitted to depart from Austria, they took their way through the Imperial States, Saltzburgh, the archducy, Moravia, and Bohemia. When a small company of them (for they went in companies) arrived in Wels and in Scharten, the seat of the Protestant superintendant, the inhabitants opened their houses to receive them. Here they met with unkindness from the opposite party. A Romish priest, after accosting the Zillerthalers with a certain shew of kindness, proceeded to harsh words, and concluded-“ Now you are going to the place you belong to, even the desolate Riesengsberg: few of you, however, will arrive there; most will perish on the way through Bohemia." "That does not trouble us," replied an artisan; "if we live, we live to the Lord; if we die, we die to the Lord."-On Sunday (the day after) the tenth of September, they distributed themselves in the chapels at Scharten, Wallen, and Efferding.

There the congregation devoted the front seats around the altar to the strangers. The service began with the hymn, "Christ says, come, follow me, &c." After this, Pastor Kotschy commenced his discourse with these lines of Terstegen's :"Forget not God's free grace and love, Nor from him e'er depart;

While many thousands harden'd prove,
His mercy won thy heart."

He then acquainted the congregation with the fortunes the Zillerthalers, and strikingly reminded them of the banishment, a century, before of the Saltzburgers, who then sang. "A wandering exile here I roam,

No other name is mine;

For God's truth driv'n from land and home;

Yet I will not repine,

Since thou, my Saviour, didst for me,

The path of grief not shun;

So that I may but follow thee,

Let all thy will be done."

The sermon was founded especially on the Epistle for the

day, Eph. iii. 18, &c., after which the congregation sang the hymn commencing,

"Glory and praise to God most high," &c. This ended, there followed a baptism, then a confession, and the holy Eucharist. As it was all new to the Tyrolese, they remained silent spectators in the church.

Our limits oblige us to be brief; we must therefore pass over the very interesting journey of these exiled Protestants, and just take a glance at them in one of the towns appointed for their abode. In the town of Schriedeberg they met with the kindest reception from the inhabitants. On Sunday the 24th of Sept., those who had first arrived attended divine service in the Protestant Church. Pastor Sussenback offered on their behalf an earnest prayer: Pastor Neumann, in his Sermon, admonished the congregation to receive the Tyrolese with love as their Christian brethren, remarking on the powerful faith by which they must have been actuated to forsake house and home, their native country, friends and kindred, and all that man in this life holds most dear, in order to attain liberty of conscience and belief.

On the 8th of Oct. they all came to the church to observe a day of public thanksgiving for their happy arrival. The Zillerthalers assembled in the great open place before the church, at the doors of which the clergy stood to receive them. The hymn was sung,

"When Christ his Church defends,

All hell may rage and riot,

Nor mortal foes nor friends

Shall give her long disquiet;

He who at God's right hand doth sit

Shall quell all foes beneath her feet," &c.

The church doors were now thrown open, and the clergy led in the people, singing the hymn

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To the exiles were allotted the seats on the right and left before the altar. Divine service commenced with the hymn, "In thee, O God, I put my trust;"

then followed an address from the altar; and the whole was concluded by singing,

"Now thank God, one and all," &c. The church could hardly contain the crowds that streamed in from all directions; while all manifested the most heartfelt interest and sympathy.

On the 13th of Oct., being the birth-day of their noble bene

factress, the Princess Marianna of Prussia, the school was consecrated, and the school-master inducted; after which the president of the province, Dr. Von Merckel, addressed first the children, and then the adults, saluting them all as the new subjects of the king. Thus we have traced these Protestants from the land of their nativity to the land of their exile, and in the history connected with them we learn two things-1. That Popery is the same in its persecuting spirit that it ever was; and 2. That God has yet a faithful people, who count not their lives or any worldly goods dear to them, so that they may win Christ and be found in him; yea who, like Moses, esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures, having respect to the recompense of the reward.

The Zillerthalers, after being exposed to various trials and privations in their journey, were finally located in the domain of Edmansdorf in Upper Silesia, where they are now residing happy and grateful.

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WE purpose to give a very brief address on Confirmation, satisfying ourselves with merely stating the nature of this interesting ordinance, and what is required of those who would attend upon it in a proper, scriptural, and beneficial manner. If further information be desired, we refer to a short Address on Confirmation by the Rev. Robert Simpson, M.A. Second Edition, W. Dearden, printer, Carlton-street, Nottingham.

Our readers are desired to refer to Acts viii. 13-17. "Then Simon, &c."

1. If it be enquired, whence is the ORIGIN of Confirmation? We answer, it is as old as the days of the Apostles, and evidently referred to in the New Testament. For instance, where St. Paul enumerates the principles or fundamentals of religion in his Epistle to the Hebrews, vi. 1. 2, he, mentions, after the "doctrine of baptisms," the "laying on of hands.” Here we have the rite of Confirmation. For other passages of Scripture the reader is directed to the following-Acts xiv. 21. 22., xv. 32. 41., xix. 1-6.

2. The persons administering this rite were the APOSTLES, and their successors the BISHOPS. We find that when Philip "went down to the city of Samaria he preached Christ unto them, and he baptized," but he did not confirm them. This rite was administered by the Apostles, Peter and John; and we read "when they were come down, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost: then they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost." Acts viii. 14-17.

3. The subjects of this ordinance were those already admitted into the outward and visible church by the rite of baptism.

4. As to the nature of this institution, it may be simply explained in a few words. It is "the publicly taking upon ourselves the vow and promises made for us by our godfathers and godmothers in our baptism." The word means to strengthen, renew, and ratify, and establish.

Now, what is required of those who present themselves to the Bishop to be confirmed, is not merely the being able to say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments in the "Vulgar Tongue," (See Prayer Book,) but the having a proper understanding of the spiritual character of the ordinance, and an earnest desire to be made the happy receiver of all those blessings of which it may be made the means of conveyance. It is highly important that the young subject for confirmation should enter upon this solemn duty in a spirit of prayer and watchfulness, and in a humble dependence upon the grace of God. If these things be not attended to, the blessing to be derived from this institution will not be enjoyed, and the promises in it made will not be fulfilled. Very beautiful is the address of the Greek Church to her young members, after Confirmation. "The bonds are now sealed, and Christ, who is in heaven, hath received them. Remember your promise, and fulfil your engagements, which

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