Page:Schwenkfelder Hymnology.djvu/90

76 Tage zu erneuern; fleissige Übung in heiliger Schrifft, mit täglichem Gebett um Aufschluss gottlicher Geheimnüss, und um Gn'ade zur Besserung und Verneuerung des Lebens, nach Anweisung der heiligen Schrifft etc. Da er denn solchen Dinst mit hertzlichem Eyffer um Gott und der Menschen Seeligkeit 4 Jahr gepflogen, hat das letzte Jahr seine Natur zihmlich abgenommen, auch durch eine Krankheit, seines Todes Erinnerung geschehen, hat er aber bey aller Schwachheit seinen Fleiss, sovil als es möglichsten mochte seyn gethan, biss eine Woche vor seinem Ende er bettlagrich worden. Seine Krankheit bestunde meistens in Mattigkeit, und ein wenig Seitenstechen, wurde ein Magen-Fiber genennt, dass er keinen Schmakk mehr zura Essen hatte, machte ihm auch hefftige Beschwerde im Leibe, ist also mit gutter Besonnenheit 1740, den 11. Mertz, im 53. Jahr seines Alters auss der Zeit abgefordert, und also zur Erden bestattet worden, ligt begraben zu Schippach auff dem Lande George Jäkkels. "

Translation :

"George Weiss was born in Harpersdorf, a village in the principality of Liegnitz in Silesia ; his father was Caspar Weiss, born in Deutmannsdorf; his mother Anna (nee) Anders, born in Harpersdorf, and both were plain, poor and insignificant, as the world goes. George had a brother named. Caspar, and a sister, Mary; both died in Silesia in the bloom of youth. In 1715 he married. His wife was Anna (née) Meschter, born in Langen Neundorff; she accompanied him to this country, and died shortly after the landing at Philadelphia. She is buried there in the Pilgrims' cemetery. They had an infant son whom they named Abraham, who was taken from them in his second year. So that in this country he was quite poor and alone, a plain man and, as the world goes, unimportant. But because he exhibited a seemly zeal for the Holy Scriptures, and was minded to please God and honor Him (although in great frailty and in the face of many obstacles) God vouchsafed to him in magnificent measure a talent for interpreting Holy Writ, for disclosing the mysteries of God and for discerning sound Christian doctrine, in these latter doubtful days. * * * For this reason, he was chosen as our head (regarding ourselves as a