Since my son is learning about the 13 colonies in history I thought it would be an interesting addition to learn about a missionary from that time period.
David Zeisberger was a missionary to the Native American's that lived within the 13 colonies. He was a Moravian clergyman.
If like me you wonder who are the Moravians, they are a group of Protestants founded in Saxony by folks who emigranted from Moravia. They believed the bible to the only source of faith, and held to many views of the Hussites (who were followers of John Huss). The Moravians were one of the first Protestant Groups to send out missionaries.
If like me you wonder who are the Moravians, they are a group of Protestants founded in Saxony by folks who emigranted from Moravia. They believed the bible to the only source of faith, and held to many views of the Hussites (who were followers of John Huss). The Moravians were one of the first Protestant Groups to send out missionaries.
click on image to go to source (fifth grade)
When he was five years old his parents left to be part of a settlement in the New World, he was considered too young to make the journey. Leaving him with other Moravians who raised him in a rather harsh manner led him to run away from that community to seek out his parents in the New World. Another teen joined him. It is said that In Georgia David was reunited with his parents but they didn't recognize and had to accept his word that he was who he said he was.
David has a quick affinity with other languages and quickly learned the languages of the Native People. This allowed him to serve as an interpreter for the government, but his true gift was travelling amongst the Native Americans, establishing mission stations as he went.
David has a quick affinity with other languages and quickly learned the languages of the Native People. This allowed him to serve as an interpreter for the government, but his true gift was travelling amongst the Native Americans, establishing mission stations as he went.
click image for source (wiki)
David didn't marry until he was 60 years, and spent the bulk of his life among the people he served, living in and starting up mission stations.
It was rather frustrating for him as the Native Americans would be driven out of their land and the mission stations he started destroyed so he needed to keep moving and restarting. In fact a rather sad moment occurred in his life (according to Wiki)
It was rather frustrating for him as the Native Americans would be driven out of their land and the mission stations he started destroyed so he needed to keep moving and restarting. In fact a rather sad moment occurred in his life (according to Wiki)
He was the senior missionary of the United Brethren (as the Moravians sometimes referred to themselves) among the Indians. His relations with British authorities worsened during the American Revolutionary War and in 1781 he was arrested and held at Fort Detroit. While he was imprisoned, ninety-six of his Native converts in Gnadenhutten, Ohio were brutally murdered by Pennsylvania militiamen, an event known as the Gnadenhutten Massacre.
You can learn more about that incident here.
In 1798 he established the Goshen Mission and stayed there the next 10 years, translating hymns and books into the language of the Delaware Indians. He taught many hymns to the converts, and while he lay dying they gathered around him singing hymns. (source)
In 1798 he established the Goshen Mission and stayed there the next 10 years, translating hymns and books into the language of the Delaware Indians. He taught many hymns to the converts, and while he lay dying they gathered around him singing hymns. (source)
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