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Dieser Lebenslauf Jung-Stillings (mit Einleitung) ist bisher nicht bekannt gewesen.
Translation of a Letter from
Professor Young, in Mar-
bourgh, dated Feb. 27, 1803,
to the Directors of the. Reli-
gious Tract Society.
Honoured Brethren,
and dearly beloved in our adorable
Redeemer Jesus Christ !
Your favour of the 30th of
September, 1802, together with the
valuable books which accompanied
it, has been duly received ; and I
beg leave to assure you, that, for a
long time, nothing has given me
such a lively and sincere pleasure as
that letter and those books. Bless-
ed be the Lord, who causeth his
vivifying Spirit to move round
the globe, from Kentucky to Ota-
heite, and from Greenland to the
Cape of Good Hope ! and praised
be his holy name, that, in many
places, he raises up men who exert
themselves with zeal and fidelity
in the cause of the kingdom of God,
and unite together for his service !
His name be likewise extolled for
this, that his providence has di-
rected you to me, and me to you !
May our union resemble a grain of
mustard - seed, growing up to a
spreading and salutary plant ! –
“ Hallowed be his name ! ”
As to myself, it is my earnest
wish to devote myself, with un-
wearied activity, to the advance-
ment of the kingdom of God ; but,
alas ! my hands are tied in a variety
of ways. From my very infancy
I have felt a strong impulse to live
and labour only tor the Lord ; but
hitherto it has not pleased him to
release me from those duties upon
which both I and a numerous fa-
mily have to depend for support.
My dear, brother Steinkopfft [sic; Steinkopf] can
inform you of the wonderful deal-
ings of Providence with me ; and I
have reason to think, that my life,
which I have published under the
title of “ Henry Stilling’s Youth,
Travels, and Domestic Life;” as
also other publications of mine, if
they were translated into English,
would produce very good effects in
England, as they have done in Ger-
many ; and would fully convince
many of the particular providence
of God.
I was born in the year 1740, in a
solitary village of the principality
of Nassausiegen. My forefathers
were poor, but pious peasants, and
colliers. My father, who was a
tailor and schoolmaster, gave me
a careful and strict education ; and
devoted me from my infancy to the
Lord. I followed the employments
of my father till my twenty-third
year ; and had already then many
heavy trials to endure. The ta-
lents which God had given me,
soon urged me on to improve my-
self; so that during that time, I
made considerable progress in ma-
thematics, history, geography, the
Latin language, &c. At length,
I could hold out no longer in my
native country, but took up my
staff and went into the duchy of
Berg ; where, after having spent a
twelvemonth under very trying cir-
cumstances, I obtained a situation
with a rich ironmonger, as teacher
to his family, and assistant in his
business. During the seven years
I spent there, I learned the mercan-
tile business, the French, Greek,
and Hebrew languages ; and, I may
say, ransacked every corner of Phi-
losophy, Ascetics, and Poetry :
I perused the English works on
Ascetics and Theology ; and made
myself also acquainted with French
literature. At last, through the
providence of God, it so happened,
that a renowned oculist left me, by
will, his arcana (private recipes).
Upon this, I began to practise as
an oculist; and went, in the year
1770, in the thirtieth year of my
age, without money, and without
tlve least prospect of getting any,
to Strasburgh, in order to study Phy-
sic. Here I must refer you to Stil-
ling’s Life, for the remarkable and
wonderful interpositions of God in
my behalf.
In 1772, I returned to the duchy
of Berg, as Doctor of Physic.
There I married, in a very singu-
lar manner, the sickly daughter of
a pious tradesman, who had no
more fortune than I had ; but re-
lied, with the same confidence, on
the assistance of God. We then
moved to Elberfeld, where I prac-
tised as a physician ; but as it would
be too tedious for my present pur-
pose to enumerate the variety of
heavy trials which I again expe-
perienced there for seven years, and
the extraordinary help and repeated
deliverance vouchsafed me by my
heavenly Conductor, I must again
refer you to Stilling’s Life.
In 1778, the Lord was pleased to
deliver me out of this fiery furnace;
and I received a call as Professor of
Husbandry, Manufactures, and
Commerce in the newly-established
College at Kaiserslautern, in the
Palatinate. Here my annual salary
was about 6ol. sterling ; but I had
contracted a debt of 400l. at Elber-
feld, and my heavenly Refiner con-
tinued to try me still more ; so that
I was under the necessity of going
still deeper into debt. After spend-
ing nine years in the married state,
under very trying circumstances, it
pleased God to deprive me of my
dear and pious partner, who left
me with two young children ; so
that after a suitable time, I was
obliged to marry again. My second
wife had likewise no fortune ; but
she possessed remarkable talents for
housekeeping : so that now I could
every year pay off some part of my
debt ; and my sufferings began to
diminish.
In 1784, the college was removed
from Kaiserslautern to Heidelberg ;
whither I of course moved likewise.
At length the Landgrave of Hesse
Cassel called me hither to Mar-
burg, as Professor of Politics, with
a salary of 1200 dollars (equal to
200l.)
In 1787 I came hither; and in
1790 my second wife died ; and my
children being still young, I was
constrained to marry a third time ;
and am now very happy in my mar-
riage.
I have published a great number
of treatises on Political Economy,
and several moral romances; but
since the year 1792, a great change
has taken place in my sphere of
action. The French Revolution,
with its consequences, and the suc-
ceeding war in Germany, made a
deep impression on my mind. I
thought there was reason to con-
clude from the Scriptures, that the
last great contest was commencing,
and the comming of the Lord to his
church at no great distance ; and
now that desire to devote myself
wholly to the service of the Lord
and his kingdom, and to live and
die for him, which had laindormant
within me from my youth, was
roused into activity. In the follow-
ing years I published a work in
five volumes, entitled, Heimweh
(Longing to be at Home). This
book excited uncommon attention :
many hundred copies found their
way to America ; many to Den-
mark, Sweden, and Russia ; and
it was generally read throughout all
the provinces of Germany. Being
now called upon from all quarters
to devote myself and my talents to-
the service of religion, I began
from that time to publish a periodi-
cal work, entitled, Der Graue
Mann (The Hoary Man) ; which
comes out every half-year. Soon
after, I wrote an explanation of
the Revelation of St. John, en-
titled, “ The History of the Tri-
umph of the Christian Religion,”
which had likewise an unexpected
sale; so that in the first year a se-
cond edition was called for. This
book is also much read in America,
where “ The Hoary Man” is now
printing, from time to time, in a
German newspaper. To this I
must add, the remarkable blessing
which the Lord lays on my prac-
tice as oculist; and particularly
on my operations for the cataract,
having already operated on 1300
blind patients ; and, in the vaca-
tions, I am always called upon to
travel into distant parts to attend
the blind. Next Easter-vacation,
I am engaged to travel into Saxony
and Upper Lusatia. These jour-
nies make me more known, and af-
ford me opportunities to edify my-
self, and to strengthen the hands
of others.
But all these various circum-
stances occasion a severe conflict in
my mind. The Lord has brought
me, without my seeking it, into a
sphere of religious activity, and
blessed my services in an abundant
measure; but my extensive corres-
pondence and labours as an author,
take up so much of my time, that
it is with difficulty I can fulfil the
duties of my professorship ; which,
however, ought to be my first ob-
ject, as I receive a salary for it.
On the other hand, I cannot relax
in my religious labours; not only
because they are continually de-
manded of me, but because I feel a
strong impulse in my own heart to
labour in that line. Moreover, all
the leadings of Providence with me,
from my youth, seem evidently to
mark me out as a witness of the
truth in these last times; and in
particular, to direct my labours for
the promotion of union among the
awakened of every denomination,
that when the Lord comes, he may
find only one flock. On this ac-
count I belong to no party ; but
cultivate a brotherly fellowship
with all. As to my external pro-
fession, it is that of thie Reformed
Church ; which, in England, is
called the Presbyterian; but my
principles approach nearest to those
of the late Mr. Wesley.
I might, indeed, at once get rid
of the difficulties under which I
struggle, by resigning my office ;
but prudence forbids that, as I
should thereby put both myself and
family out of bread ; besides that,
my wife would then be unprovided
for, in case of her outliving me.
There is, therefore, nothing left for
me to do, but patiently to hold out
till the Lord himself shall help
me ; and this I am persuaded he
will do, and not leave me just when
his views toward me are unfolded.
You may, perhaps, think that I
might live by my practice as an
oculist ; but that is out of the
question, as I lie under an oblige-
tion to serve the poor gratis with
this talent ; and likewise to demand
nothing from the rich, but to be
contented with what they give me
of their own accord. – Amidst all,
I trust, with unshaken confidence
in the Lord ; and firmly believe that
he will support and help me.
Excuse me, dearly beloved bre-
thren, that I trouble you with so
circumstantial a letter; but it ap-
peared to me absolutely necessary
that you should have a thorough
knowledge of my situation, if you
and I are to join hand in hand in
labouring for the Lord and his
kingdom.
To conclude, I must request you
not to interpret any thing that I
have said in this letter concerning
myself, as proceeding from pride or
vanity ;– God forbid ! Roasting in
least becoming me of all men ; for
the Lord chuses the weakest, the
most wretched and abandoned
among men for his instruments,
that he alone may have all the
honour and glory. I dare not de-
scribe to you how wretched I feel
myself, lest I should appear to
make a shew of humility.
From all the above, you will
form an idea of my principles and
situation. As soon as it shall please
the Lord to release me from my
post in the college, so as to enable
me to spend all my time and strength
for him alone, I shall most gladly
join hands with you, to labour for
the great prize. Nevertheless, I
shall still continue to publish “ The
Hoary Man,” of which I have just
finished the thirteenth Number,
wherein the venerable Tract So-
ciety, with its great and glorious
object, is strongly and earnestly
recommended to all German Chri-
tians.
Year kind offer, dear brethren,
to assist us, in case of need, with
money, deserves our warmest
thanks ; but we will first endeavour
to do what we can ourselves, before
we have recourse to your assist-
ance, and become burdensome to
you. Meanwhile, we beg the sup-
port of your prayers and blessings.
Germany is the principal seat of
Christendom. Here the greatest
Christian Prince resides ; here it is
that the chief parties, both in phi-
losophy and religion, arose ; and
here, on the other hand, is likewise
the chief seat of Infidelity and
Apostacy from Christ. You would
scarcely believe, to what lengths
people have proceeded. In the
Prussian and Saxon states, they
preach boldly from the pulpits,
that to worship Christ is idolatry ;
and that the redemption of sinners,
by his sufferings and death, is no-
thing but old superstition. Dread-
ful indeed ! Here and there a mi-
nister is still to be met with who
preaches the truth ; but their num-
ber decrease’s more and more ; and
the apostacy so plainly foretold by
the apostle Paul, rushes in like a
torrent, breaking through all the
banks; but God will protect his
little flock, and will deliver and
preserve us. Here, in Germany,
the beast will soon arise out of the
earth, and make common cause
with the Man of Sin (the beast out
of the bottomless pit). – May the
I.ord help us ! that we may be
found faithful, boldly testifying of
the truth, and patiently enduring
unto death, that so we may obtain
the crown of life. It would, doubt-
less, be a great advantage, if true
Christians, in England and Ger-
many, would join hand in hand and
labour in fellowship ; and if the
German Tracts for edification were
extensively circulated in England,
and the English Tracts in Gcr-
many ; by this means, our prayers,
in behalf of each other, would be
more extended and more effectual,
and the work of God be powerfully
promoted.
May the Spirit of our Lord Jesus
Christ transform you, beloved bre-
thren, more and more into his
image, from glory to glory ! May
he work mightily in you and thro*
you, to the salvation of many souls
and to eternal life ! In him and
through him, I am to eternity,
your affectionate Brother,
Johan Heinrich Jung, M. D.
(English, Young)
Counsellor of Court and Professor