e March 1828, that Professor Tholuck received an answer
from London respecting me, in which the committee put a number of
questions to me, on the satisfactory answers to which my being received by
them would depend. After replying to this first communication, I waited
daily for an answer, and was so much the more desirous of having it, as my
course in the university was completed. But no answer came. Had my desire,
to serve the Lord among the Jews, been of the flesh, it would in all
likelihood not have continued; but I still thought about it, and continued
to make it a subject of prayer. At last, on June 13th, I received a letter
from London, stating that the committee had determined, to take me as a
missionary student for six months on probation, provided that I would come
to London.

I had now had the matter before me about seven months, having supposed,
not only that it would have been settled in a few weeks, but also, that,
if I were accepted, I should be sent out immediately, as I had passed the
university. Instead of this, not only seven months passed over before the
decision came, but I was also expected to come to London, and not only so,
but, though I had from my infancy been more or less studying, and now at
last wished actively to be engaged, it was required that I should again
become a student. For a few moments, therefore, I was greatly disappointed
and tried. But, on calmly considering the matter, it appeared to me but
right that the committee should know me personally, and that it was also
well for me to know them more intimately than merely by correspondence, as
this afterwards would make our connexion much more comfortable. I
determined therefore, after I had seen my father, and found no difficulty
on his part, to go to London.

There was, however, an obstacle in the way of my leaving the country.
Every Prussian male subject is under the necessity of being for three
years a soldier, provided his state of body allows it; but those who have
had a classical education up to a certain degree, and especially those who
have passed the university, need to be only one year in the army, but have
to equip and maintain themselves during that year. Now, as I had been
considered fit for service, when I was examined in my twentieth year, and
had only been put back, at my own request, till my twenty-third year, and
as I was now nearly twenty-three, I could not obtain a passport out of the
country, till I had either ser