, and whilst I
thus greatly delighted in the study of Hebrew, I called, in the evening
of November 17, on Dr. Tholuck. In the course of conversation he asked
me whether I had ever had a desire to be a missionary to the Jews, as I
might be connected with the London Missionary Society for promoting
Christianity among them, for which he was an agent. I was struck with
the question, and told him what had passed in my mind, but added that it
was not proper to think anything about that, as I was going to
Bucharest; to which he agreed.

When I came home, however, these few words were like fire within me. The
next morning I felt all desire for going to Bucharest gone, which
appeared to me very wrong and fleshly, and I therefore entreated the
Lord to restore to me the former desire for laboring on that missionary
station. He graciously did so almost immediately. My earnestness in
studying Hebrew, and my peculiar love for it, however, continued.

About ten days after, Dr. Tholuck received a letter from the
Continental. Society, stating, that on account of the war between the
Turks and Russians, it appeared well to the committee for the time being
to give up the thought of sending a minister to Bucharest, as it was the
seat of war between the two armies. Dr. Tholuck then asked me again what
I now thought about being a missionary to the Jews. My reply was that I
could not then give an answer, but that I would let him know, after I
had prayerfully considered the matter. After prayer and consideration,
and consulting with experienced brethren, in order that they might probe
my heart as to my motives, I came to this conclusion, that I ought to
offer myself to the committee, leaving it with the Lord to do with me
afterwards as it might seem good in his sight. Accordingly, Dr. Tholuck
wrote, about the beginning of December, 1827, to the committee in
London.

It was not before March, 1828, that he 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. At last, on June 13, 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.