“He was an original man, and said and did things differently from other persons… A very good man, he suffered persecution for his zeal for the truth.”
Table of Contents John Christopher Hartwig (1716-1796) Language Conflicts in New York City Attacked for His Orthodoxy at Rhinebeck, New York Hiatus in Pennsylvania Return to New York A Very Good and Most Eccentric Man John Christopher Hartwig (1716-1796) Of the early history of this individual we have no information.
Some idea of the high estimation in which Mr. Handschuh was held by the Christian community of different denominations, may be gathered from the account given in the papers of that day of the funeral services.
How refreshing the thought, that we too, if we are faithful, shall meet and mingle with those who lived and served God in past ages of the church, of whom the world was not worthy; that we shall recognize those whom as Christians we loved on the earth, but whom, as glorified spirits, we shall love still more in heaven.
“Some there are, whose names will live,
Not in the memories, but the hearts of men.
Because those hearts they comforted and raised.
And where they saw God’s images cast down,
It is seldom that the church is called to mourn the premature death of one, so highly gifted as the subject of the present sketch. He was a young man of rare attainments and extraordinary promise.
“The people of Israel must ever be regarded with an interest unrivaled by that which attaches to any other of the nations of the earth… what picture of national history could ever display lights so bright, or shadows so deep and dark as this?
January 27th, 1854, will long be remembered in the city of Reading. It was the day when nearly the whole community crowded to the sanctuary, not to listen to the voice of the pastor of the church, but to gaze for the last time on his lifeless remains, and to pay the last tribute of respect to one who was highly esteemed in life.
Among all who have occupied a prominent position in the history of the Lutheran church in this country, perhaps there is no one who is entitled to a higher rank than
It was said… at the time of his death, that many generations must pass away, before the world could look upon his equal. From all accounts, he must have been a most extraordinary man, gifted with rare endowments of intellect, and possessed of the noblest qualities of the heart.
“The first Lutheran minister, ordained in this country to preach the gospel.”
John Nicolas Kurtz was born in Lutzelinden, in the Principality of Nassau-Weilburg, and immigrated to this country in 1745.
The transition from Dr. Helmuth to his intimate friend and colleague is very natural. Dr. Schmidt would, perhaps, have never abandoned the country of his birth, had it not been for his fond devotion to the friend of his youth, animae dimidium suce, separation from whom seemed so painful and almost insupportable.