MollyPitcher5

Molly Pitcher - 5

"LEBENSLAUF"
           OF
JOHANN CHRISTIAN
         GUTJAHR

Of his younger years, he wrote the following: "I was born
in the year 1714 on October 15 in Merseburg, Sachsen
[Saxony], and brought up in the Lutheran faith. My dear
parents brought me up carefully and saw to it that their
children attended church and school regularly, and also at
home never ceased to pray and sing with us and this made
a good impression on me. May the Lord reward them in
eternity. When I was 14 years old I went to Holy
Communion and in my heart for the first time it was as a
verse says; 'Both joy and trembling go through me.'" So
far for this writing.

About the year 1738 he came to this country and served as
an Indentured servant first in Philadelphia and Wilmington
and moved after that to Lancaster where he, in 1740,
carried on his profession of hatmaker and also married the
present widow, Margaretha [Roesner]. This marriage was
blest with 12 children - 5 sons and 7 daughters, three of
whom at last report preceded their father in death. His
heart's desire for his children was this: "I wish with all my
heart that all of my children and grandchildren would turn
with their whole hearts to the Savior and be converted. He
bought them so dearly and I pray daily that the Savior
would give them no rest until they turn to Him, join the
church and share in His grace. I will never stop in bringing
them before the Savior in prayer. 'Nothing is so rigid and
hard but Jesus can make it gentle and soft.'".

Our dear brother was, according to his own witness, truly
awakened and concerned about his salvation through the
preaching of Bro. Nyberg in Lancaster. He, along with his
wife, and at their request, were admitted to the Brethren's
Church on December 16, 1753 and went to Holy
Communion in 1757. This was always very important to
him as he said: "It is something unspeakably wonderful to
enjoy the Savior's blood and body."

In 1759 they moved from Lancaster to Warwick Township
to a plantation near Lititz and there joined the Lititz
congregation.

He spoke of the mercy of the Savior experienced from his
youth on and. expressed it thus; "I cannot thank my Savior
enough for the grace and mercy He has shown to me from
my youth on, both spiritually and materially. For this I give
Him praise and thanks.   I think often; Dear Savior, I can
never thank you enough for what you have done for me,
soul and body, let me as a poor, sick soul ever see your
wounds."

"My sole ground of faith is Jesus' death and sacrifice.   I
have found the foundation of my faith that holds my
anchor ever, where else but in Jesus' wounds. There He
lay before all worlds began, the foundation that stands
forever, when heaven and earth no longer remain.   On this
foundation I stand until I go to my dear Savior. To think of
Jesus brings joy and warmth beyond measure, and sweet
as honey is His presence. Nothing rather would my tongue
sing than my dear Christ, nothing rather my ears hear,
nothing is sweeter to my heart than Christ. Dear Jesus,
your love is sweet if I let it sink deep into my heart.
Thousand, thousand, times my heart seeks you, how
precious you are is known to me.   My hope is set on you,
O Savior of the world. And when I come to the Savior, I
won't think of goodness and piousness, but here comes a
sinner who has been redeemed.   I wait with longing until
He takes me to heaven."

We can witness to the fact that our departed Brother
spoke unfailingly of the Savior's grace and mercy not only
when he was in good health, but also in the weakness and
pain of his last illness; it was a pleasure to be near him
and to hear of God's mercy.

One could see in him what a blessing it was that his
healthier days he knew the Lord. Often he cried out;
"Come soon, Lord Jesus, and take me to you." This wish
was fulfilled on the morning or February 12 at five o'clock,
when he softly fell asleep with his family present.   He had
reached an age of 76 years and 4 months less 3 days.

[Translated from the Lititz Diary of 1791, the Moravian
Archives, Bethlehem, Pa. Some punctuation supplied.]