hes such obstacles (all being double in that
spot,) that it only entered a very little way into the body and
lodged upon one of the ribs. After the fire was extinguished, (for
our brother's clothes were set on fire, so near had the poor sinner
put the pistol to him,) our brother walked home, and shortly after a
surgeon extracted the ball, and on the seventh day our brother was so
far restored, that the whole little church here could be gathered
around his bed, together with his relations, and we united together
in praising the Lord for His wonderful help; and on the fifteenth day
our brother was already so far restored, that he was able to assemble
himself again with us for the breaking of bread. Half an inch higher
or lower might have taken his life; but the balls (for the pistol was
loaded with two, one of which fell out of his clothes,) though most
maliciously so prepared that they might do much mischief on entering
the body, found so much resistance that the power, through the soft
clothing being every part double in that spot, was spent before
touching the body. Surely, the Lord is round about us Even the
ungodly in this city have been forced to marvel; but now the devil
spreads the report that that wicked person shot our brother, because
he purposed to marry his wife.

At last also the sentence has come from the judicial court appointed
for that business, with reference to the married brother and sister
about whom I wrote to you. Both of them are sentenced to fourteen
days' imprisonment, and their marriage is declared to be illegal and
only concubinage, so that when the imprisonment is over, they will be
separated by the police, and sent back to prison, should they still
seek to live together as they must do, being married in the sight of
God. Further, the brother who lodged them after their marriage, is
sentenced to four days' imprisonment, because he helped on, as it is
said, concubinage. Finally, the husband is sentenced to pay 4/6 of
the legal expenses, his wife 1/6 and the other brother 1/6. If here
were only the question about money, or suffering imprisonment, we
must bear it, and account it an honour, to suffer for Christ's sake;
but as the sentence is, that this marriage is concubinage, which
according to God and to man it is not, and as the liberty of the
Wirtemberg subjects allows them to appeal to a higher court, and as
brother R. can do all this business, I have with brother R. and some
other brethren