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6. Blessed be the Lord for His peculiar assistance at the administration both of the
Word and Sacrament. Though the weather was very warm and the congregation
pretty large; I was helped to go through the work of the day with comfort and
delight, and oh, may I be enabled to perform the vows of our God that are upon
me, and become more confident and fervent in the Lord. May I and others of my
fellow servants be strengthened more and more, and be found doing for our great
and glorious Master. Blessed Jesus, spare Thy people and Thy ministers, as a
Holy Seed and remnant in the midst of our land and city, and give us strength out
of weakness, also many precious souls as seals to our ministry; and for our
rejoicing in a day of trial and affliction. Restore them that are sick, and raise up
young ones for Thy Sanctuary. May our schools prove seminaries of piety, and
Thy cause flourish and triumph. Bless the season of the year. May the
uncommon heat be temperated, and we enjoy Thy Communion in mercy and
power. Keep and preserve us from accidents and distress. Sanctify us and ours in
Thy trust! May my wife and children live before the Lord, and our grandchildren
grow up in Thy fear. Oh, pity the sick and dying, and be Thou our life, hope, joy
and glory, and a propitiation for our sins.
7. Thanks to the Lord for the fruitful rain and the cool weather. Oh, may we
observe all His mercies, and acquaint ourselves with Him and have peace. May
my conference with and prayer for the sick also [in margin: “H. W. n. d. l, 237 who
died not without hope.”] prove successful and we rejoice in the repentance of
sinners. I desire to work for Zion’s prosperity, and want to bring the congregations
into union with each other, to preserve and propagate the purity of doctrine and
discipline. Amen.
16. Last Thursday afternoon a terrible hailstorm swept away an immense quantity
of wheat, rye, pears and other fruit, both of the earth and of trees, in our
neighborhood from about 7 miles above Schenectady on both sides of the river
there, at Niskayuna and through the Boght 238 unto the East of the Manor. But we
are most graciously spared and left, a monument of distinguished mercy. May
this judgment 239 mixed with mercy be sanctified to our country, and the
inhabitants cease from sinning and provoking the righteous wrath of a sin-hating
God. Father of mercies! Spare what remains of the promising harvest. Forgive
our sins with blood of Thy Son, and remove Thy chastising hand from us. Pour
on Thy Spirit and cause us to fear, reverence, honor, and worship Thee in spirit
and in truth. I intend to preach in the morrow from Haggai 2.18. 240 May my poor
labors be blessed, and strength be given out of my present weakness. Pity the
sufferers, and also my unhappy servant. O, Lord, pardon our family sins and bless
the preparation necessary for the operation. May one member be taken off, but
the body, her life be spared [in the margin: “N.B. This text of our Savior was
237 rd
Harmanus Wendell (1732-1786). Merchant, Indian trader; alderman for 3 Ward.
238
(De) Boght or Cohoes, NY, in Colonie, NY; the church was first organized in 1784, but John
Demarest is given as its first minister, in 1790.
239
See Buisman 1992:189-223. This chapter of his dissertation focuses on the reactions to the floods
of 1783-1784 in the Netherlands. Especially many ministers viewed these floods as the Lord’s
punishment for a sinful nation.
240
Consider from this day on, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the
foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider.
102