attack as soon as the subject
which we now consider is finished; but pray earnestly that the Lord
would give me such spiritual power, as that these dear brethren may
be brought, through God's truth, out of this delusion also. I hope in
God concerning this matter. He will help me. He has in so many ways
made it so abundantly plain that He Himself sent me here, that He
will help me in this matter also.--Last Lord's day we were twenty in
number at the breaking of bread, including my dear wife and myself;
among them was the first fruit of my labours here, in the way of
conversion. She is a young lady of nineteen years, the daughter of
the procurator of the upper tribunal, Dr. R, one of the former elders
of the Baptist Church, who for my sake was cast out. This young
sister was baptized about four miles from here, in a river, about
eight o'clock in the evening, by moonlight, as the dear brethren
feared the tumult and concourse of the opposers in the day time. I
advised her father to baptize her, in order that at once, even in
this respect, there might be nothing in the judgment of the dear
saints, as if a ministerial person, according to the use of the word
in the world, were needed, and also that thus the attention of the
police might not needlessly be directed towards me, as they are so
particularly opposed to baptism. Hitherto I have been left unmolested
and unhindered, although I have been nearly eight weeks here, and
although it is becoming known throughout the city, and beginning also
to spread throughout the country that I am here.--The work still
remains small as to outward appearance, as generally, besides the
believers in fellowship, there are not more than about ten or twelve
persons present; but I dare not take a large place to meet in,
humanly speaking, and judging from what hitherto has been always
done, but I must go on quietly instructing the saints, or preaching
to the few sinners who come, in the hope that God, through my
instructing the brethren, will open the eyes and hearts of others,
after I have left. There is one brother among us, who learned the way
of God more perfectly in Switzerland, and who often had spoken about
it, before I came, but who was neither much listened to, nor received
into fellowship, because he was not baptized.--In the mean time I also
go on with preparing my Narrative in the German language for the
press, having found out that there is sufficient freedom of the press
here to allo