I have prayed of
late years, I should have made much more rapid progress.

In August, 1827, I heard that the Continental Society in England intended
to send a minister to Bucharest, the residence of many nominal German
Christians, to help an aged brother in the work of the Lord; the two other
German Protestant ministers in that place being, the one a Socinian, and
the other an unenlightened orthodox preacher. After consideration and
prayer I offered myself for this work to professor Tholuck, who was
requested to look out for a suitable individual; for with all my weakness
I had a great desire to live wholly for God. Most unexpectedly my father
gave his consent, though Bucharest was above a thousand miles from my
home, and as completely a missionary station as any other. I considered
this a remarkable providence; though I see now, that a servant of Christ
has to act for his Master, whether it be according to the will of his
earthly father or not. I then went home to, spend a short time with my
father. In the town where he lived, containing about 3000 inhabitants, I
could not hear of a single believer, though I made many inquiries. The
time I stayed with my father was more profitably spent than it had
formerly been. I was enabled more than ever before to realize my high
calling. I had by the grace of God power over sin; at least much more than
at any former period of my life.

I returned to Halle, and now prepared with earnestness for the work of
the Lord. I set before me the sufferings which might await me. I counted
the cost. And he, who once so fully-served Satan, was now willing,
constrained by the love of Christ, rather to suffer affliction for the
sake of Jesus, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. I also
prayed with, a degree of earnestness concerning my future work.

One day, at the end of October, the above-mentioned brother, Hermann
Ball, missionary to the Jews, attended the Lord's day evening meeting in
my room, on his way through Halle, and stated that he feared, on account
of his health, his should be obliged to give up labouring among the Jews.
When I heard this, I felt a peculiar desire to fill up his place. About
this very time also I became exceedingly fond of the Hebrew language,
which I had cared about very little up to that time, and which I had
merely studied now and then, from a sense of duty. But now I studied it,
for many weeks, with the greatest eagerness and delight. Whilst I thus
f