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My beloved Eberhard, I plan to read all of them, little by little. I cannot read them quickly, though, so if you need one or the other of them back, I will send it. I have begun the one on Finney. It has made a tremendous impression on me so far, and I hope there’ll be a blessing on it. Yesterday evening we were at Herr Siewert’s house with Fräulein von Nostiz, the Sallwürks, and a few others. The topic of infant baptism came up, and everyone said that according to the Bible it is not a valid practice. I am not at all certain. I must say that it doesn’t seem very important to me. Up till now my view has been that Jesus instituted baptism in order to distinguish Christians from children of the world, and that whoever has been baptized has thus died with Christ. It’s true that nowadays everyone’s baptized as a child. But if we would allow ourselves to be rebaptized, we would remain the same in the view of the world – we would become “Christians,” which is what we are already. I don’t know if I’ve expressed myself clearly. Else, on the other hand, feels fairly certain that infant baptism is not valid. She said yesterday that if she came to understand the matter more clearly, she would have herself re-baptized. At this Mama became furious (I had also said that if I recognized it as being in accordance to God’s word, I would do it) and said it was blasphemy. She added that anyone who had herself baptized would be committing a grave sin and would not be allowed to remain in the house. She said she would not live under the same roof with someone who had been re-baptized and, reminding us of the commandment to honor father and mother, sternly forbade us even to entertain such an idea. Today I am very sad about all this. Even though I clearly acknowledged that for the time being it was out of the ques tion for me to be re-baptized, I insisted that I would unreservedly do the will of God as I recognized it, in his strength. Olga always tries to mediate. She finds Else and me too narrowminded, though in many things she seems to understand us. Mama, by the way, also said she would forbid us from going to the meetings, as we are getting too wound up. What do you think about baptism? In the Acts of the Apostles it says several times, “He had himself baptized with his whole household.” At least now, I don’t feel this is God’s will for me. O Ebbo, pray about this, and also for Mama and Else (but don’t write anything about it to Mama )! Now, one more question in regard to the Holy Spirit which worries me somewhat. I can’t say that I’ve experienced a moment when I received the Holy Spirit, as for example Finney or Fräulein von

Nostiz can, to the degree that (like them) I could not control myself for joy. I believe I know something of the Holy Spirit – how else could I now recognize so much that I did not see earlier in the Bible and in my life, and what else gives me the certainty of having a Savior? But above all, I want to know how you are doing. How late do you work and on what? May God give you strength; without that, it can’t be accomplished. Your studies are always in my prayers. Oh, my Ebbo, I look forward so much to seeing you in Breslau. In three weeks we will really be together again, and then we can talk over so many things. In faithful love, your Emmy Olga has just been to Pastor Hobbing’s. She told him all about us, and he said he is in agreement with us in general, but not totally. He doesn’t like Bernhard Kühn and his book, Back to the First Love. He said Kühn is an uneducated man. He finds it unconscionable that someone would talk to such young Christians about baptism and get them upset about it.

When the von Hollander parents realized that their daughters’ questioning of accepted church teaching was more than just a phase, they were beside themselves. Frau von Hollander became so distraught that she said she’d kill herself if they were re-baptized. After all, such an act of apostasy would result in expulsion from the established church, and that meant far more than simply being struck from the membership rolls. In a society where the state church operated everything from schools and universities to hospitals and cemeteries, it would be social suicide. For young women of good breeding – women like the von Hollander sisters, whose family had loyally served state and church for generations – it would be an unthinkable scandal. There is so much that moves me today that I don’t know how I’ll ever end this letter. And I long for you so terribly ! This morning at eight o’clock I went out on my bicycle, because I had no peace at home waiting for your letter. Then the mail carrier comes past the bridge. I jump off my bicycle and ask him for the mail, and he hands me – a magazine! Crestfallen, I ride on, out into the wonderful morning air. To right and left the new green grass is sprouting, and the sun shines, friendly and warm. I keep silently praying, “Lord, make me joyful in spite of it, even if I have no letter! And bless Emmy, and help me to thank you that she has so much to do for you that she cannot write!” But it was terribly hard – I couldn’t quite get over my disappointment, though it did improve because it was so glorious outdoors. I got off my bicycle by a little stream with beautiful woods and bushes and a lovely view across the fields, read Matthew 26, and prayed for you and

myself. About ten o’clock I was back home again. Imagine how infinitely happy I was when I found two letters there with your beloved handwriting! Thank you for everything you wrote! I also had to thank Jesus for the fact that you and Else have decided to do God’s will in all circumstances, insofar as you understand his Word. True rebirth can never be without this kind of decisiveness. I am moved that the issue of baptism is confronting you so seriously. I pray urgently that God, and no one else, leads you. This issue is closely connected with the whole question of the outward form that the church of God should take, which we will talk about together sometime. Just now I took out my old notes on baptism, and looked through them, and wrote to Else – the letter is also intended for you. I am so happy that, God willing, you will be with me in three weeks. How I long for that! This time, Emmy, please put together all the points and questions we need to talk over. Don’t forget! If you follow my suggestion below, we will be reading John 3 together on Whitsunday. That is as follows: I would very much like to start on Mark the day after tomorrow, firstly for the sake of what I’m working on, and secondly for your sake. We’d be finished with it on May 16 and could then start John. I am now reviewing the Gospels – that is, comparing and studying the three synoptic Gospels (until May 16) – and then starting on John, all in Greek of course. In the mornings I read it only with my heart, and then later I work it through. I think it would be good for you also to read the Gospels thoroughly first (comparing them all with Luke), before starting with Acts and the Epistles. Please write to me right away if you are in agreement. The Gospel of Mark brings the acting and working of Jesus (less so his words) to our eyes in an uncommonly vivid way. Thank you for asking in such detail about my studies. I have to say that I am dissatisfied with what I have accomplished this week. God gave me strength to establish something of a basis for my work in the coming weeks. But I still got far too little done. First I had to arrange a number of things here, take care of correspondence, etc. I basically have to set aside, at least for now, all the correspondence I brought along, a good deal of which has to do with my kingdom work in various places. In addition, I had things to prepare for the university; and thirdly, I didn’t always have the energy I would have wished for. The last days were better, however. Joyfully forward ! Let us believe and pray with greater earnestness, and I will achieve more and more every week. Oh, how I need your intercession! As to the books, keep them for now. I have no time to read them. They are all significant. Finney was wholly decisive in making me determined to become a saver of souls for many – yes many! God used him on me. It is excellent that you are reading him now, and that he is making such an impression on you. Read his life first and his talks afterward. That’s probably what you are planning anyway. The fact that Finney – as well as our dear Fräulein von Nostiz and many others who belonged to God through the ages (above all, the apostles at Pentecost) – received the Holy Spirit in a way that involved powerfully stirred emotions and other outward signs must not make us think that the Spirit is limited to such accompanying phenomena. That is far from the case. No one can call Jesus “Lord” (and thus belong to him) except through the Holy Spirit, as it says in 1 Corinthians 12:3, Romans 8:9: “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ”; and 8:14: “because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” And anyone whom the Spirit of God guides and leads is God’s child. For most, this comes about quite naturally and unnoticed, by means of the Word, sober reflection, and circumstances. Thus, for example, our engagement was undoubtedly a leading of the Holy Spirit. When we know Jesus, love Jesus, and follow Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit, for he shows and glorifies Jesus. See John 15:26: “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes

out from the Father, he will testify about me”; and 16:13–14: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” It is important, however, to distinguish here. The same Spirit who 1) makes his dwelling in every converted person and who glorifies Jesus wants 2) to take possession of that person and fill him so completely and utterly that he will be at his constant disposal as an instrument for others. This means being equipped with the Holy Spirit to serve. This was what gave Finney the strength to save so many thousands. And it is as a result that we are now seeing such a powerful awakening in Halle. Finally, the Spirit wants 3) to use us to convince the world as to sin, justice, and judgment. See John 16:7 –11: “I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.” We are capable of service only through the Spirit. The more we have the Spirit, the more souls will we be able to rescue. And receiving the Spirit, who is a personage, will always be possible for us if we are surrendered to Jesus in faith. Yes, we do have him. Sometimes we are filled with the Spirit all of a sudden; but sometimes it happens gradually, as we allow ourselves to be detached more and more from self and grow to trust him only and totally. Let us pray, pray, pray for the Holy Spirit. It is actually very simple. It only appears to be a difficult question. I, too, was occupied by it for a long time before it became clear to me. But now I must finally close as I have several other letters to write. When you wrote that Olga told Pastor Hobbing everything, surely you didn’t mean that she said anything about our engagement? Please clarify this immediately! I’m praying especially for Olga. It seems to me that she lacks full trust, that she is afraid of things going badly if she obeys Jesus completely. That is not faith in the full sense – it is not faith at all. It is more like seeking and experimenting. Or am I being too skeptical? Until Saturday evening, then. Auf Wiedersehen! Loving and trusting you boundlessly,

your Eberhard