January 1840 - June 1840

January 1st, 1840.
Since we didn't have a service in Adelaide today, I went to Klemzig quite early, hoping to meet Bertha alone at home, which I wasn't mistaken about. She told me that her father had prayed for us that morning so much that it moved her to tears. Towards the evening we had a walk around the village, where we had a pleasant chat and at one point sat down on the green lawn. I went home early because Bertha, who has become much more lively in Christian terms for some time, wanted to go in the evening hour and it was threatening to get very dark. With great conscientiousness and simplicity, Bertha said that she believed it would be sinful if she tried to suppress the pull she felt after the evening hour.

Help us, O God and Father, that with the new year our love for you and for one another may gain new strength, new life and fresh seriousness. Amen.

( 212 ) January 2nd, 1840.
Unfortunately, I hear that Pastor Kavel's separatism goes further and further in that he rejected Bauer as a witness at the baptism of the child of a certain Milde(192), and declared Mrs. Schlinke [and] also [Mrs.] Kleinschmidt incapable of the same honor.

Oh God from heaven, look at this and have mercy on him.

January 3rd, 1840.
The natives, among whom it had been a bit humid for a few days, were very excited today because the Wirra people threatened ours that they wanted to charm them (narroni*). I spoke strongly against it to many people, so that several people, including Mullawirrabekka, became very upset. Several, however, seemed to become uncertain in their belief in the power of the magic and agreed with me that I knew the opposite from the paper.

Wrote a 3-sheet letter to my brother Adam.
Contents:

Blame for his un-Germanness, blame for his name change. My view on Germany, On the emigration of our brothers and sisters and that I could not advise Friedrich to do so, Our dogmatic and ecclesiastical differences, Dispute between me and Br. Teichelmann and my settlement in Encounter Bay. My engagement and description of my bride, the Schlinke story and its consequences, namely the separation and removal of Pastor Kavel, that I would write to our siblings to request that my company give them emigration money of up to 100 pounds sterling.

I started spelling at my school today. In the evening at Moorhouse and Newland.