HEINRICH'S POEM

Hatzbach is the name of a village in Hessen,
Where it chanced that I was born,
Where in dancing, drinking and feasting,
I enjoyed myself in scorn.

Until my age past sixteen years,
I enjoyed their earthly pleasure,
God's grace did me so impress with fears,
That I would miss the Heavenly treasure,

God's free grace impresses all,
We shall live Godfearing lives,
Not like emboldened sinners fall,
But from sinful slumber to revive.

By this grace I was impressed,
Many a day and many a night.
Still youthful years did me posses,
Pleasure and earthly friendship my delight.

Those earthly ties did me so bind,
That I thought it could not be,
All sinful life should leave behind,
As the duty of a Christian is for me.

Do you such a life admire,
The enemy oft spoke to me,
Do you the loss of friends desire,
From companionship and pleasure free.

Then the young will you despise,
Of you a spectacle they'll make,
A fool you will be in their eyes,
Rich and poor will you forsake.

Of you laughingstock they'll make,
Wherever you may be,
All advantages of you they'll make,
The scorn of mankind you will see.

Therefore take advise of me,
Worship with them, with them live,
Of your convictions do feel free,
God will to you his blessing give,

Then you can evade the cross,
That is quite hard to bear,
Without pride and honour, would be a loss,
And leave a Christian in despair,

This advice the enemy did give,
Which my flesh did so admire,
Firmly I began to live,
As the deceitful person does desire.

A Christian life I wished to live,
Still the worldly way pursue,
My convictions not deprive,
As the world does I should do.

My life's pleasing way depressed,
Further I could hardly go,
Was by God's free grace impressed,
Life's folly I could see and know.

Their life on me made an impression,
Their methods I could plainly see,
Luther's followers, their profession,
How they lived, how could it be.

Living in their sinful ways,
Whoring, cursing, scorn and swear,
In wickedness they take full sway,
Leave their Godly duties in despair.

Shall I with them intermingle,
The thought did oft arise in me,
This does on my conscience tingle,
Where can I go where shall I be.

The thought came happily to my mind,
If to America I could go,
There I thought such folks I'd find
That live the Gospel life just so.

That I longed with them to dwell
Was my fondest heart's delight,
My thoughts in fondest hopes did swell,
I planned and studied in my might.

That my journey did implore,
As the occasion did impart,
In September fifty four,
To Neustadt City was my start.

Passage on a steam drawn coach I did avail,
I arrived in Bremen City grand,
Upon a vessel then I sailed,
Hoping in New York to land.

Stormy weather waves a roaring,
Much distress and truly sad,
Many sudden deaths occurring,
From the sickness that we had.

Forty have been called asunder,
By death's cold and chilly hand,
What will become of us, we wonder,
Oh, when will we see the land.

Finally we heard the chime,
Words our courage did revive,
That we could in two days' time
At New York seaport arrive.

Then the dreadful Monday on the morrow,
At the hour of four o'clock,
We heard with deepest sorrow,
That the boat had struck the rock.

Do imagine fears so grave,
Painful, anxious on the deck,
By the ocean's foaming waves,
Our boat was doomed to wreck.

That the sea should be our grave,
We felt sure would be our doom.
Fierce was the dashing of the wave,
Looking forth in fearful gloom.

Men and women down would fall,
With there face upon the floor,
To their God for help would call,
As I never saw before.

Naught but dying I could see,
If in the boat I'd be till last,
Therefore the thought occurred to me
That I should climb upon the mast.

Thus the sea was wildly shaken,
Many sadly mourn and weep,
By the hand of death was taken,
Sinking in the ocean deep.

Many with outstretched hand said here,
Help, O help me, come in haste,
Fainting away with dreadful fear,
Soon the sting of death must taste.

Yes, I on my both sides could see,
And also at my feet there be
Many in great agony,
Suddenly swallowed by the sea.

Those many dying I could see
In pain, agony, and distress,
Thought I of life deprived should be
Three hundred fifty death did posses.

I thought my God had me forsaken,
Of deliverance I had fears.
But on Tuesday morn I awaken,
A ship of rescue now appears.

Relief so great that I could sigh,
In my heart I felt so grand,
Most in the twinkle of the eye,
I was going toward the land.

From much exposure should survive,
Almost naked, faintly, I implore,
But ere long I did arrive,
In New York City on the shore.
Zeitungsartikel der Scranton Times

Willingly they did present,
Things I needed by their pity,
Then they had me onward sent,
To Philadelphia, another city.

There I was received with gladness,
With friends to worship, conscience-spied (sic)
Still many weeks passed by in sadness,
I could not be satisfied.

While there was no work provided,
I was seeking to and fro,
Of my own thoughts I decided
To Lancaster I would go.

There I found folks to me a light,
As my former memory's rife,
Those unto my soul's delight,
Travel on God's way of life.

While much with them in conversation,
Impressed, I was beyond recall,
How Satan does deceive the nation,
In sheepskin robe does to them call.

Oh, how shameful are their days,
Enjoy life's pleasures, in their ways,
Surely such are tossing waves,
As the book of Judas 13 says.

Those whom folks do honour, and call
Preachers of righteousness,
All they do is cheat and squall,
Steal, and murder, and depress.

When life's customs they review,
The sheep of Christ, by them misled,
Commands ignored, that they should do,
And by deceitful fruits are fed

Downy pillows for you they'll make,
Tell you that there is no need,
There their conscience don't awake,
Until death does send to them his steed.

Now you allow them, to you betray,
From false doctrine, you don't flee,
Now you are led astray,
Unprepared, to Eternity.

May the grace of God you teach,
This deceitfulness to see,
That Heavenly home you cannot reach,
You forever lost must be.

Oh, my dear folks, do take heed,
Humbly do repent from sin,
Christ's way plainly taught, to read,
The heavenly mansions strive to win.

Do depart from sin and pride,
From your cursing, do resign,
Your sinful was, do set aside,
Do not fill yourself with wine.

Your quarrelsome nature lay aside,
That your flesh doth satisfy,
Lie no more, in truth abide,
Scornful speaking, do thou defy.

Cease from whoredom, and abate,
From filthy living do thou shy,
Learn to love instead of hate,
And you mocker, mourn and cry.

Murderer, cause your evils to decay,
Your destructive nature end,
Learn for your enemies to pray,
All Christ's teachings do befriend.

Oh thou robber, you should shirk
From things you have no right to claim.
With your hands do learn to work,
By honest work you may attain.

Oh, do from your sleep awaken,
Seek the Lord, in Him do dwell,
Careful that you'll not be taken,
And doomed to suffer pangs of hell.

Youthful comrades of today,
My example do adore,
From sinful ways desire to stay,
Strive to enter by the door.

Confirmed I was as they demanded,
To their baptism, like you was brought,
With the name of Christ was branded,
From Babel wine I also bought.

By God's grace I soon could say
That my sins I then could see,
That living in this sinful way,
Cast in Hell I then would be.

I tried to make myself believe
That I could satisfy my mind,
If firm and holy I would live,
Heaven's entrance I would find.

Oh, how often I decided,
Today I'll take more earnest care,
But evil thoughts my mind divided,
Soon did take me unaware.

Before my God, how can I stand,
My sins they do me so embalm,
That in Hell I sure must land,
Such a sinner as I am.

Can I before my God appear,
He is holy, clean, and good,
My sins they make me quake and fear,
Here I'm lying, in my blood.

Truly I must hide my face,
Before my Lord and God confess,
I cannot my sins erase,
Full of wounds and in distress.

When on God's firm law I do reflect,
It speaks a hard command to me,
It ways we must be perfect,
Which I am not, I plainly see.

It plainly says that God is holy.
Holy you must also be,
Cleanse yourself from sin and folly,
If you wish the Heaven to see.

Deeply were my thoughts involved,
My sins so great, what can I give,
Every morning I resolved
That I would more firmly live.

Very soon again I see
More mistakes that I have made,
By the law condemned I be,
Without grace was coldly laid.

I thought God would cut asunder
Me, because my fruit was poor,
Yet some faults I have put under,
As through great trials I did soar.

Soon I was in great suspense,
By the firmness of the law,
From much evil I was cleansed,
For the quickening hour had come.

Plainly I saw what it meant,
How God loves both great and small,
How His only Son was sent,
Sacrificed himself for all.

He forgives us all our sins,
He is our holiness so pure,
The power of the strong He wins,
He is our Salvation pure.

God's holy work He did fulfil,
Our burdens bear, our troubles share,
Our troubled sea does still,
Sits on the throne, as the scriptures do declare.

© Musée d'Unterlinden Colmar, Photo O. Zimmermann

Slain upon the Cross was he,
For us poor souls his blood was shed,
Bore all sins for you and me,
All our debts for us He paid.

Blood for us He truly sweat,
Bled, from the grave arose for you and me,
To Heaven ascended, there is set,
For as poor sinners He does plead.

That his Father will us pardon give,
Of all our sins, that press us sore,
Our sins forget, and us relieve,
While He himself temptations bore.

I could realise, yet in distress,
The burden of my sins got lighter,
That had me so painful pressed,
And my doubtful mind made lighter.

Faithfully, I then could say,
The Heavenly prize I may attain,
Christ Jesus, all the debt did pay,
Entrance to the Wedding gain.

There baptismal seal was made,
With my Heavenly Father dear.
He promised, His care would not be stayed,
I vowed to Him I would keep near.

I vowed that nothing should induce me
To separate me from my Lord my God,
But again temptations all around I see,
That so sorely make me nod.

Forsake I will this world of sin,
All false teaching I'll defy,
Seek all my life the prize to win,
To God be true, all self deny.

God's word to me proclaim,
Heaven, joy, and holiness,
Pain and misery again acclaim,
Again comes trouble, fear, and sadness.

This does make on feel sad, dreary,
So to God you will stay true,
From your promise not grow weary,
And confess the Saviour too.

And in weakness I do mutter,
My misgivings, I admit,
In my failings I do utter,
Grieved of sins that I commit.

Yes I do in fears express
God's grace will me not esteem,
He will leave me in distress
Since my life is so unclean.

Still by Jesus' blood and wounds,
And by the bright and shining light,
Until now I strength have found,
To continue in the fight.

Fiercely does the enemy shout.
Now I claim you as my own.
Then to Christ I turn about,
He says the meek I'll not disown.

Me he does so fiercely try,
Put me in doubt this life to live,
Then in fear I humbly cry,
Till more strength my God does give.

In the midst of this fierce struggle,
I do still so firmly stand
That hell's work shall me not smuggle,
And take me boldly from God's hand.

God's free grace, I now have found,
And his suffering I do share.
Now I'm standing on firm ground,
Have no fears of Satan's snares.

But by you sinners bold, I see,
By your shameful life of dross,
You do not consider the
Love, blood, and Christ's death upon the cross.

To you sinners bold, I call,
And say, deceitfully you're led astray,
For the love of honour fall,
Are not on the narrow way.

Christ will you not pardon give,
Your sin He will not bear,
While so idly you do live.
And no light you do declare.

Truly He for all did die,
With Him the just do only share,
The healing balm He does apply
But for the false will have no care.

Name you as a Christian, no indeed,
Employed by sin we do beseech,
To God for you He will not plead,
As so falsely you do teach.

He truly says that by His grace,
A Heavenly home we may secure,
The bounds of Hell we shall not face,
Christ Jesus is our perfect cure.

The life of sin, your desires become
No better than a heathen, Yea,
Seek not your evils to overcome,
In sinful rest you choose to stay.

You profess and do declare,
The same as we in Christ are free,
A whoring, dancing, cursing life you share,
In your degree, your sinful life you cannot see.

Oh, what a deceitful life you lead,
You are confused and falsely led,
How your lying preachers you do heed,
And by them you are misled.

Can a faith by man be named,
That the proof of Heaven shows,
Where with love the heart's inflamed,
That God's will in fullness knows.

Where man must be born again,
To become a Child of God,
The marks of a new life attain,
With righteousness he must be shod.

Where man teaches, as Christ taught,
His enemy he must not slay,
Not worldly riches, by sins brought,
Willing to bear the Cross each day.

Where many for his enemies does pray,
And all his debts he does forgive,
His robe of sin he puts away,
In love does with his brethren live.

In sin's yoke, he will not work,
None of Babel's wine has bought,
From a strange voice he will shirk,
By baptism to this faith is brought.

Our desires shall not be barred,
In holiness, live perfect lives,
Watch and pray and keenly guard,
To win the prize, sincerely strive.

To you, then, we joyfully say,
If this is you implored,
The enemy's advice you do defray,
And you call upon the Lord.

Do you then, in fear and trembling,
Your imperfections plainly see,
In your sad heart the thought assembling,
Through Jesus Christ, God set you free.

Does the enemy of you complain
Before God's holy throne,
Then God will to him proclaim,
He is clean through my dear Son.

Still you, we plainly see
Wicked living, multiplied,
Forenoon in the Church you be,
Afternoon in drinking spied.

Forenoon bread and wine you take,
In remembrance of Christ's death,
Afternoon life's joys partake,
We see your filth by every breath.

Jolly to a place of dancing,
Dancing, swearing, which you do,
In drunkenness we see you prancing,
Disgraced by whoring, added too.

In the morning you're heard singing
Songs of praises, God to please,
In the evening you are flinging
Songs of filth, and feel at ease.

We do not brother love achieve,
If in ourselves we show no fear,
Whereby we make the world believe
That we are God's children dear.

One another you do hate,
Scorn , mock, and despise,
Scold, quarrel, and relevate,
This we see with our own eyes.

One the other does belie,
Is a habit you posses,
Cheat and backslide, not defy,
This your doctrine does not stress.

That you steal, and do defraud,
Is nothing new for us to hear,
Unkind and honest deeds you snod, (sic)
Others' burdens will not bear.

Oh, how do yourself amuse,
Oh, how tactful and how sly,
Those of good deeds to confuse,
The commands of truth defy.

I hope you will admit to this,
That I speak the truth to you.
As I see it you will miss,
If your mind you'll not renew.

Did this teaching come from Paul,
Does the Son of God permit,
I say no, and to you call,
In Babylon the Great you sit.

Her costly garments so adores,
On many waters she does sit,
Colour bright her form and gorgeous,
Your attendance yearns to get,

Oh, how brilliant her pretension,
This is the Anti-Christ we see,
And she gets such great attention
That She shouts with jubilee.

By this faith she claims a stay,
Says she is a Christian bright,
Kneels at night, does sing and pray,
She is false, and is no light.

And to you hands to drink
With polluted wine you are besought,
And too surely I do think,
By false prophets you are taught.

In this work you are so drunken,
You are wandering to and for,
So in sinful lusts are sunken,
That you do no danger know.

If to awaken you we try,
If we to you danger show,
Then with laughter you outcry,
Say that we're fools, and do not know.

Well, I know the serpent's seed
Is never fond to hear,
A name is found to fill the need
Of him that does not hear.

I observed this great deceit,
This vain life I could plainly see.
To you, I do my wish repeat,
Leave them, and from them be free.

How the angel voice does say,
"From this falsehood separate,
Stench of their plague will on them stay,
Their Holiness to saturate."

Our great desire to make you wise,
And do you I make it clear,
But conscience calls, you do despise,
Your solemn prayers God will not hear.

Us so often you beseech,
That we claim we better know,
That a new doctrine we do teach,
That t'is falsehood we bestow.

Let us think, how She did fall,
Babylon that City great,
How the voice to them did call,
Their sinful life to them elate.

Unto Heaven it did reach,
On their misery God has sought,
Let your heart be softened, and impeach,
Before you to the grave are brought.

This life by the Devil possessed,
Your habitation, I really say,
Where folks are murdered, robbed, and distressed,
Hate, swear, lie, and illicit lives defray.

Where the scriptures they do not obey,
And the leaven not disdain,
Where the Church does open stay,
And bold sinners do retain.

But for all Her sinful ire,
Her punishment will be severe,
For with brimstone and with fire,
As St. John does say so clear.

All those enjoyments will pass away,
While we laugh, dance, and in song revere,
And to all merriments give sway
That small still voice we will not hear.

This I could plainly see,
From your inducements I should sway,
From your worship I did flee,
The Apostle's teachings to obey.

The baptismal vow I then did take,
As a child to Jesus' breast,
The multitude I did forsake,
The Babylonish life detest.

This doctrine does to me appeal,
Reformed Mennonite by name,
Anti-Christ they do reveal,
God's pure love they do attain.

All earthly pleasure they disown,
Seek the prize that is so great,
That our God through dear Son,
All our sins He will abate.

A firm promise to them I gave,
True to God, all self deny,
As God wills that I should live,
All false doctrine to defy.

Oh, that God your eyes would open, and
That you in their deceit could see,
That they are built upon the sand,
And forever lost must be.

Heed my word to you serene,
All false teachings do abhor,
It is not the door of Palestine,
Of this whoredome partake no more.

No longer do this robe pursue,
Made of spider web so thin,
That you shall not have cause to rue,
When you hear, poor servants you have been.

Condemnation you must bear,
As the white robe you do not possess,
The pains of Hell you then must share,
Eternally be in distress,

Where fire the worm does not consume,
In unquenching fire you will quake,
Do overcome this fearful doom.
Before the thread of life does break.

By God's free grace may be encouraged,
By long-suffering, with love and grace do pray,
That you will not be discouraged
While walking on the narrow way.

That you might that rest bestow,
Your Heavenly home you will adore,
Milk and honey there will not flow,
There will be not strife and war.

I say that truthfully, you do amuse,
By your false teaching, I foretell,
How the people you do confuse,
Send them to the bounds of Hell.

You who evil deeds do favour,
In sinful life they do remain,
With living words, folks' thoughts you flavour,
Bring the truth into disdain.

Vainly, in God's name enrolled,
Worse than a heathen in his land,
Many poor souls you do blindfold.
For their lost souls responsible you stand.

Yes, you will be sure to know,
Cause them on you to rely,
Care not if to Hell they go,
Seek your lives to satisfy.

What scripture says, you do refrain,
Keenly you do this ignore,
Earthly riches seek to gain,
A life of pride you do implore.

Where your purse is not well filled,
You do not care to preach,
The enemy's way my mind instilled,
In angel robe, you do beseech.

Is this the way, Christ does command,
Did Peter of such life possess,
Did Paul, of his followers, pay demand,
Was he in Pride and folly dressed?

Did you hear any Apostle plead,
I must be paid, I need reward,
Unless I'm paid, I'll not preach,
This by you has oft occurred.

You should shame, and not proclaim
That by Christ's blood you have been bought,
While a life of pride you do attain,
In strife, drunkenness, and feasting are besought.

What can I more unto you say,
As my time comes to a halt,
That to you plainer would portray
Where you truly are at fault.

When you must appear before your God
At the great Judgement Day,
If you are not rightly shod,
So many souls are led astray.

Demanded from your hand will be
Those whom you have falsely taught,
The end of misery you'll not see,
God's word before you will be brought.

My line of rhyme, I do close now,
My gentle call, to you addressed,
To righteous live, you should avow,
For at last you'll enter rest.

Before the sun does disappear,
Before the thread of life enthralled,
Before the cold north wind adheres,
And the Judgement you are called.

Today by grace you may abide,
Today the Saviour calls to you,
Today God's arms are open wide,
Today soberly God's grace review.

Think that tomorrow as expressed,
That the axe may not be spared,
Forcefully into your roots be pressed,
Will take you quite unprepared.

In that place of lasting torment,
Where your pains will never cease,
You eternally lament,
For your agony will ne'er decrease.

The Sword of God is ever drawn,
And his bow has long been bent,
Be the break in day or dawn,
No help to you can then be sent.

Therefore do yourselves prepare,
Day and night, strive to be right.
With pleasure may the Wedding share,
Is my wish, and now, GOOD NIGHT.

Untere Kirchhof, Marshallville, Ohio, USA