breakfast with one of the colonists, and found him a
sweet-spirited man, and his family pious. His name is David Voote. He
appreciated the object of our mission, and spoke of the awakening that
had taken place of late; telling us that devotional meetings had been
established, but that some of their preachers did not approve of them. We
sent for one of the ministers, with whom I was pleased; he invited us to
hold a meeting with them on a future occasion if we could make it accord
with our journey, which I hope will be accomplished.

We obtained some information respecting the Molokans, and were directed to
Nicolai Schmidt in Steinbach, who often has communication with them. We
found him a delightful man, quite of the right sort to be useful to us. As
the Molokans speak nothing but Russ, we shall be in want of an interpreter
in our visit to them. I told him he must go with us; and he immediately
said. I will go with pleasure; whenever you return here and incline to go,
I will be at home and will accompany you. This seemed an opening of
Providence, and removes one great difficulty in the way of a visit to this
people, for whom I have felt more than towards any others in South Russia.
N. Schmidt is a wealthy farmer, and sets himself at liberty to promote the
extension of the Saviour's kingdom; I felt at once at home with him as a
friend and brother.

From Steinbach, which lay a few versts out of the direct road, they
proceeded to Stuttgardt, and the next day, the 6th, to Neuhoffnung, where
they were accommodated at a farmer's, and had the comfort of a good clean
apartment and kind attention to their wants. This is the principal seat of
the German Lutheran colonists.

On Seventh-day, says John Yeardley, we attended the school-children's
meeting, about 200 present. After Pastor Wuest had questioned on or
explained the Scriptures, I had an opportunity to address them. On
First-day afternoon we held an appointed meeting [with Wuest's
congregation], which was not large, on account of many [with the Pastor
himself] having to attend an interment in the neighborhood. After the
meeting we received a salutation from some of the young sisterhood, who
came to us and surprised us with their sweet melodious voices, singing in
concert a hymn well suited to our present situation. After they had ended
I went out and had a long conversation with them.

In all my journeyings, he touchingly continues, I was never so much cast
down as in