# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1850 01 08_S153 # AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) B. Why not? A. Because God's clear commandment prescribes something else for you. B. And what is that? A. Not to abandon wife and child. B. Oh, my wife is entirely in agreement with me. Besides, I do intend to come back again. A. Do you know that for certain? B. I can die here just as well. A. Is it then all the same whether you die here or die on the way? B. That I will not say. A. But what do you say, then, if you abandon everything and yet could still get by here with wife and child? B. That is just the thing — I cannot. A. Who tells you that? B. My experience so far. A. Have you found no sympathy, no help, in your trouble so far? B. Yes, I have. A. Has any of your friends up to now withdrawn his help from you? B. No, none of them has done that. A. Have your creditors pressed you hard? B. Not that either; indeed — would you believe it? — N. . . . forgave me the whole rest of my debt, entirely. A. And yet you do not trust yourself to get by here any longer? B. Oh, there belongs still something more to that. A. Do you not have exceptionally good health? B. Thank God, yes. A. And a pair of hands accustomed to work? B. Those I have. A. And a piece of your own land? B. Yes, twice forty acres. A. And some livestock? B. No more than two cows and a yoke of oxen. A. And a capable helpmeet and two promising children. — Is all hope, then, already gone? B. Three years ago you would have had good grounds for persuading me otherwise. Then I too was full of hope. A. As you now are for California. B. Yes, but California and . . . County — that is a difference. A. That is what I think too. For staying here on your farm with wife and child you have duty and commandment, comfort and promise. "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread." "And though it go hard for you with your farm-work, do not let it vex you, for the Lord has made it so." What can you bring forward for the adventurous journey to California? B. How can you even ask such a thing! You know well enough what is found there. Is a fortunate find, one that would relieve me and my family of all want for several generations to come, not worth fetching, and worth overcoming with Christian courage whatever difficulties may arise? A. Do you not also know that many of them go in vain? B. That is exactly why one must rely on God. A. Why is it, then, that you wish to rely on God only in the case of going to California — while if you are to stay here, you have no faith? B. Oh, I do not doubt that God would stand by me just as well if I stayed here; but I do think it far surer to try my luck in California than to take the meager scraps in . . . County along with hunger and sorrow. A. Do you notice no rottenness here? B. What kind? A. If you wish to follow the trail, you can find a whole treasure-trove of it. B. How so? A. Just now you said that you did not doubt God would stand by you here as well, and shortly before that you had claimed that you absolutely could not get by here. B. Well now — if one wants to take it so exactly. I do not deny that I could probably get by here too, but how? A. As a Christian. B. How do you mean that? A. Such a one lets himself be content, reaches for no neck-breaking means, bears patiently, knows that God helps him bear it and does not lay on him more than he can carry; he has his want, but also his promise and his help, without harm to the soul, and yet with just enough for the needs of the body — and he seals with his faith that God is truthful. But he who will not do this — what does he seal instead? That one cannot fully trust God; that God leaves his own to founder despite all effort and labor — so that one is forced to seek, in the gold, another and surer god, and to go to California; and if in doing so body and soul are risked or lost, and wife and children are made widows and orphans, then God must answer for it, because he did not measure out the daily bread abundantly enough. Is that the Christian faith? Can one who goes there with such a disposition still deny that he goes out of sheer unbelief? Whether now the word of the Apostle, "whatever does not come from faith is sin," finds its application here too, I will leave to your own judgment. Take yet another word besides: "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Heb. 11:6), and the word which the Lord Christ held against the tempter: "again it is written: thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." (Matt. 4:7.) B. You have made me very uneasy. A. I would still have several more points to discuss with you, but let this be enough for this time. Let me only give you, to carry with you on the way — not to California, but back from your unhappy resolve — this word of the holy Apostle: "It is a great gain, to be godly and to be content. For we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be content therewith. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." 1 Tim. 6:6–11. Change of Address: Rev'd Brohm, New York, 320 Ninth St. Letterbox. 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