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EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

PRUSSIAN SILESIA.

THE TYROLESE OF THE ZILLERTHAL.

In the month of September, 1837, the valley of the Ziller, among the mountains of the Tyrol, was a scene of unusual activity and excitement. The language of manly sorrow, and the wailing voice of woman's lamentation, resounded in the deep glens, and among the craggy Alpine rocks of that wild country. The chalets on the mountain sides were pouring out their peasant population; some were taking a sad and final farewell of their homes, and others gazing with amazed and sympathetic feelings on friends and neighbours whom they were to see no more. The Austrian Government had refused the petition of these Tyrolese to form themselves into a Protestant community, and insisted on their leaving their native land, unless they would conform to the Roman Catholic Church. Rather than abandon their religious convictions, they preferred the other alternative, with all its self-denials and hardships, and determined to become exiles. The King of Prussia, Frederic William III., hearing of their distress, and doing honour to their Christian constancy, offered them an asylum in Silesia. In Evangelical Christendom, Vol. II., page 152, will be found an account of their emigration, written by Dr. Baird, of New York, who, while travelling from Linz to Salzburg, met them on the road in groups, and stopped some of them to learn who they were and where they were going. They told him that in all they were 480 persons; and on his asking, "What have you done that so many of you are compelled to leave your country?" they answered, "We have committed no crime. We only wish to serve Christ according to the dictates of our consciences and His Word; and we are not allowed to do it there. This is the reason why we quit our native valleys in the Tyrol, and are seeking a home in a foreign land." This emigration took place more than twenty years ago, and the writer remembering that he had transferred an account of it to the pages of this journal, took occasion, on one of his recent visits to Germany, to inquire after these sufferers for conscience sake. Through the medium of a friend, he has been furnished with the following ample particulars relating to their social interests, as well as to their moral and religious condition, written by the Protestant teacher of the Silesian Zillerthal, which he lays with great pleasure before the reader.-ED.

The history of the Tyrolese who have emigrated from the Zillerthal is a very remarkable one; it shows at the same time the perversity of human nature, and the care of God for His own people, and offers many points of resemblance with the leading of the children of Israel out of Egypt. God grant that the Tyrolese may better improve the time of their journeying home than the children of Israel, of whom only two entered the promised land!

able that one will sometimes run into the other.

1. EXTERNAL.Occupation.-The chief employments of the community are agriculture and cattle feeding, in which matters the Tyrolese are very diligent and clever. In many things, they are a pattern to the Silesians, among whom they now dwell; while, on the other hand, they have learnt many things from the Silesians. The Tyrolese are, for the most part, well to do in their domestic circumstances, and lately these have much improved, so that some of them have become rich; for their wants are simple, and their products fetch a good price. Their fields, too, produce considerably more than formerly, as nearly all the barns have had to be pulled down and larger built. It is to be regretted that the once Etruscan form of the houses have lost their beauty by the entire or partial falling away of the gallery running round them, and which If I now attempt to give some account has not been repaired for the sake of of this community, I shall divide my economy. In a few instances only has abstract into two parts, considering my the old gallery been replaced by a new one. subject from an external and internal The trades necessary for the wants of the point of view, though it will be unavoid-community are carried on by some of the

These Tyrolese are divided into three communities, Mittel Zillerthal, a new colony lately formed; Nieder Zillerthal, including those living at Erdmannsdorf; and Hohen Zillerthal, belonging to Seidorf. The whole number of the Tyrolese amounts to 400 persons. In my school, belonging to Mittel and Nieder Zillerthal, there are ninety children, while that at Seidorf is attended by nine children from Hohen Zillerthal.

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Tyrolese with ability; others provide every-testantism from Roman Catholicism more thing they need themselves. Young people from a dislike to the latter than from a are taught handicrafts, and find by them a pervading Evangelical faith in their heart livelihood (for the most part joiners and and life, and these are at the present day carpenters). At Muskau one of the Tyrolese the weakest portion of the community. But, is established as a master tanner, and has on the other hand, there are in our Church a boy with him to learn the trade. Some believing souls who love God's pure Word, of the young people have found profitable and who cheerfully and regularly attend employment at the Erdmannsdorf flax mill, our beautiful service, and are grounded in as well as a great many of the grown-up the principles of the faith, not only negagils from the school: though, to be sure, it tively but positively. As regards the young must be remarked that they are thus sub- people, they are more worldly-minded than jected not to the best influence; indeed, in a spiritually-minded, while the spirit of the few cases, the consequences have been very times is not without an important influence pernicious. on them, some of them even openly walking in the broad way of the flesh; others, however, of the young people behave modestly, live diligently and quietly, joyfully frequenting the house of God, and adorning the Church; already a number of young people have fallen asleep happy and blessed in the living faith. Quite lately, a young girl died, aged twenty-two years.

Dress.-Food.-The old people still wear their costume, only that the dress must necessarily be warmer here than in the Tyrol, so that now the short breeches with bare knees are no longer to be seen; but many are clothed in the short breeches with long white or blue stockings and high shoes. They all retain the national girdle (called Wirtsche) and some still wear the parti-coloured stomacher, but most have waistcoats instead. Almost all are seen with the short coarse smock-frock; on week days, however, many of the men wear caps instead of the well-known pointed Tyrolese hats. Among the girls, there seems to be a particular partiality for dressing smart, and many are to be seen most carefully dressed in beautiful velvet jackets and variegated gowns. If feminine vanity is not to be mistaken herein, and a keeping to the old costume would be preferable, still it must not be too harshly judged. Even in Zillerthal, in the Tyrol, the present costume is very different from what it was formerly. Many girls and all old people still wear the usual dress of the closed jacket with wide long gowns. Many of the school-children wear, for the sake of cheapness, in summer, straw hats of Silesian shape, others wear the Tyrolese hats, which, however, are very dear and difficult to obtain, as they come direct from the Tyrol, for those made here are not so durable. In school the children must take off their hats. The food of the Tyrolese has in general remained the same, and consists for the most part of milk, potatoes, and farinaceous food: they have, however, become more accustomed to eat bread, of which in the Tyrol little, and mostly bran bread is eaten. In frugal families, a little piece of cheese is eaten by young and old instead of bread.

2. INTERNAL.-Church and School. The lapse of time has shown that many of the Tyrolese had gone over to Pro

Unfortunately, at the first formation of the Church, two Tyrolese with their families went over to an old Lutheran dissenting congregation, and in the course of the year a few more followed their example, but their number was very trifling, and to all appearance will not increase; indeed, this Church itself cannot long exist. In general there exists between the pastor of the Tyrolese Church, Superintendent Roth, and the members delightful relations, and the people know how to value his very edifying, simple, heartfelt, and earnest preaching, as well as his fatherly care for them, which has been exhibited on many occasions.

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The principal obstacle to the spread of the Gospel among us is worldly-mindedness and the want of inward heart union, which unhappily is to be found all the world over. The Tyrolese possess a very strong and powerful character, not easily acted upon, and difficult to overcome, which makes the victory of grace hard to be won. nomy and simplicity of the Tyrolese is certainly to be commended, but the striving after earthly good is greater than the striving after the kingdom of God, an evil which is peculiarly prevalent in these days, and which is the reason that so little real happiness is found among men. This feeling has caused many heads of families among us to go forth into the wide world, urging them even to the gold mines of Australia. All the fathers who go (with the exception of one who went with his family in 1849 and obtained property) leave their families here; one has already

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returned. Young people also go out and have been successful in obtaining gold; but none will stay away. Members of our community have also penetrated to North and South America and Russia, so that already they are to be found widely scattered. Some who have thus travelled were children in my school, and I have only been here one year. May the Lord God have mercy on them all, that none may leave the arm of the Good Shepherd and be lost!

One thing which causes a want of communion is, that the houses of the Tyrolese, as was the case in their old home, are widely scattered, isolated, and separated. But the chief reason must be weakness of faith and a want of ardent love. Private devotional meetings have made no progress hitherto, and are limited to a very few families. Family worship, as well as asking a blessing at table, is the custom in many houses. Most of the Tyrolese are aware of the advantage of a Christian school; they send their children willingly, and exhort them to be diligent and obedient. The children are accessible to God's Word, and learn, according to their ability, what is necessary for them to know for temporal and eternal life. Many are clever, and learn a great deal. The boys stay longer than the girls, and do not learn so willingly, which is principally to be attributed to the influence of their home-discipline, where they are engaged in work as servants; but still have much liberty, which acts very prejudicially upon them. At school festivals, such as the examination, and on the festival of the King's birthday, there is a numerous attendance of parents, brothers, and sisters, and other members of the community; and I am able to have pleasant and peaceful intercourse with the people.

Morals and Customs.-The most conspicuous traits in the moral character of the Tyrolese are fidelity and honesty-virtues they have hitherto preserved-on which account people like to employ them and transact business with them. This arises from the fear of God, which is deeply imprinted in their character, even when it is not always the result of a living faith.

A dark shadow to this bright side is the use of brandy, a custom which the Tyrolese have brought from their Fatherland. A decided abatement, however, of this habit has taken place through the efforts of the Erdmansdorff Abstinence Society, as also by the testimony of the school children to their parents against the use of brandy, so that brandy begins to be proscribed; it

is, however, still drunk, though chiefly on festive occasions, which are generally celebrated at inns, for the sake of the room they afford. Such festivals, to which children who have been confirmed are sent, are, in a spiritual point of view, a shame to the community. These customs and manners have been brought from the Tyrol, and most difficult is it to fight against these old habits, although the evil of them is acknowledged by the serious Tyrolese; for young married couples are on such occasions invited to dance and drink brandy, and are thus insensibly drawn into pleasure, and it easily happens that young people in this way acquire a taste for worldly gaiety and begin to walk in the broad road.

As regards the seventh commandment, it is very well kept, illegitimate children being very rarely born. The Tyrolese mostly marry among themselves. There are a few cases, however, in which a Zillerthaler marries a Silesian woman; there has only been one instance of the opposite kind, which occurred a short time ago. The female sex are treated well; besides the care of their children, they have only to perform the easiest domestic duties, and it is very seldom the case that a Tyrolese wife has to complain of being badly used by her husband. In many households cleanliness, exemplary order, and punctuality reign, and the much-blamed uncleanliness of the Tyrolese is fast disappearing, especially among the young people, it being one of the chief endeavours of the school to accustom its pupils to habits of cleanliness.

Especially worthy of remark is the care of the sick among the Tyrolese, who have every possible attention and help bestowed on them-in ways appointed by God-for the sake of God. When a person is very ill, there are never wanting those, either relations, neighbours, or friends, who offer themselves as night watchers by the sick bed, and continue faithful in this office of diligent love. A short time since an old unmarried Tyrolese man went out of his mind, when the men of the Zillerthaler community announced that two of their number would daily (one by day and the other by night) take care of and attend to him, although the unfortunate creature has been incorporated into the civil community of Erdmannsdorf. So they continued to do till the step-brother of the patient took him into his own house. He has since become better.

Quite the contrary is the conduct of the Tyrolese in regard to their dead, who are laid

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in the simplest coffin in their commonest clothes; they do this on the principle that they consider all adornments spent on the dead as superfluous. All the good that they can do is shown to the sick; the dead need it no more. In the Tyrol the dead used to have no coffin, but wrapped in a shroud, and, laid on a plank, they were buried in their mother earth. They have lately begun to put young people and children in coffins and lay them out for a spectacle. One evil attendant upon burials is the funeral feast, a custom brought from the Tyrol, the reason for it being that it is the only indemnification for the bearers. On such occasions there is a great feast, and brandy is drunk, while its distracting influence after the solemn engagements of the graveyard and the funeral address to the company of mourners, is most injurious. Against such deeplyrooted customs, in which the flesh finds its account, it is very difficult, as before remarked, to fight, and a better state of things can only be gradually introduced.

The really poor and needy are generously and cheerfully supported by the Tyrolese, not with money, but what is better, with

articles of food and clothing. Among the Tyrolese community, poor people are to be found, but not any who are entirely destitute; beggars do not exist; on the contrary, the community is much visited by foreigners who are in need of support, while a great many foreign servants earn their bread among us.

These are a few sketches of the circumstances of the Tyrolese community, truly and faithfully drawn from life. From them we see that here also we find the world, and not a Paradise. The Tyrolese are, however, a highly-gifted people, possessing fine parts, which, used in the service of God, might be productive of much blessing; and this will be the case when the breath of the Lord, which is the Spirit of God, breathes into these dry bones, when a Pentecost visits the Church. Let it be so, Father in heaven!

Amen.

Zillerthal. G. HAHN, Teacher. P.S.-As to the constitution of the community, that is in the best order, a very capable man being at the head who is trusted by the community. A good political feeling exists-faithful attachment to the beloved King and his family.

BOHEMIA.

SKETCH OF THE STATE OF THE PROTESTANT CHURCH.

GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

Dear Sir,-In the month of October I received, through the hands of our esteemed friend, Professor Plitt, of Heidelberg, your kind gift, partly for the payment of our debt, and in part for the purchase of Bibles. The Church Committee appropriated this donation without delay to the specified objects. Until now, however, I have been unable to fulfil the pleasant task appointed me, of thanking you and the pious donors. Will you have the goodness to tell those generous benefactors, in the name of my Church, that we greatly rejoice at the love which they manifest for their distant brethren, and do not cease to thank the Lord, who turneth all hearts, for this mercy, but earnestly pray that He will richly bless our benefactors, both in temporal good things and spiritual. The Church knows no better way of expressing its gratitude than by evincing an unshaken confidence in God and in the Gospel of His Son.

You will, honoured Sir, ask in surprise why I have so long remained silent, and drawn upon myself the reproach of un

VOL. XIII.-FEBRUARY.

grateful tardiness. I trust you will kindly excuse me when I tell you that the information I wished to convey was long ere it reached me, and when I also refer you to my last communication, in which I mention the wide circle of my ministerial engagements.

PASTORAL DUTIES,

which, elsewhere, my ministerial brethren could perform in half an hour, occupy me two or three days. Thus, during last week I was called to administer baptism at the furthest extremity of my parish, and only returned to my home after an absence of two days and a half. No one who is not well acquainted with our circumstances can have any idea of the hardships and toils attendant on the ministerial office in this country, especially in a severe winter. To these difficulties, which are in part the result of a mountainous country, must be added the hindrances and vexations caused by wicked men.

INDIGNITIES AT A FUNERAL.

Allow me to relate to you one incident to illustrate the position of an Evangelical clergyman under these circumstances.

F

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was informed that a Protestant, residing about five hours distance from me, had died, and that I was desired to perform the funeral service. After a long journey on foot, I arrived at the distant village among the mountains. And now words of consolation from the Gospel were addressed to the relatives of the deceased, and the pastoral office was so discharged that the dignity of our holy faith was felt by others besides believers in that large crowd. But before the funeral began we were informed that the grave was to be dug, by order of the Roman Catholic priest, in that part of the cemetery set apart for suicides, or if this were not done, that the gates of the cemetery should not be opened. In such trying circumstances every mental power has to be called forth to defend the few conceded rights of the Evangelical Church against these unrighteous and wicked attacks. The Romish clergy, however, seldom venture to carry resistance to its utmost length, and so at last the cemetery gates were opened, and the grave was dug in the proper place. Such and similar vexations degrade our faith in the eyes of the ignorant multitude. Most respected Sir, you take a lively interest in the life and prosperity of the Evangelical Church in Bohemia; permit me, therefore, to give you a few sketches of it in the following lines.

IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOLS.

It is a generally acknowledged truth that the school is the nursery of the Church. This truth is read in old books and new, and there is scarcely a Protestant in Bohemia who holds a contrary opinion. But it has happened to this truth as to so many others, people rest satisfied with believing it; and mischief results from this indolence which cannot be overlooked. Under the executive Constitution of the Protestant Emperor Joseph II., which began in the year 1784, many Evangelical Churches did indeed bethink themselves of establishing schools. Praise be to them who acted! This was chiefly the case where the Church members were wealthy, and willing to make sacrifices in order to defray the expenses of the building-ground and the teacher. Accordingly, most of the Churches of the Bohemian language, as being the largest, and also the Churches in Prague, were able, in the beginning of this century, to send their children to Evangelical schools. Those brethren in the faith, whose eyes had been opened, in the course of years, to the evils sustained by their Church, from sending their children to be

educated by a hostile Church, were awakened, by the grace of God, out of their sinful lukewarmness, and efforts were made to see if it were not possible to remedy the longendured evil, and even at the cost of much sacrifice to build schools. I will only quote one example, widely known, that of the town of M- which spared no sacrifice to obtain a school. Day-labourers and poor people, possessing no ground, but only a little house, saved from their hardly-earned wages to give something towards the support of the school; and, at the present time, many fathers of families deny themselves a warm coat in winter, and with the saved money cheerfully pay for their children to be sent to an Evangelical school.

Wherever a school is supported, the blessing of God is visible. All our Churches which have schools are greatly prospering, and increasing in numbers. Among them are those speaking the Bohemian tongue. Those who do this are from 1,700 to 4,600 souls, and they have become greatly strengthened by the quickening influence resulting from having schools of their own. In 1827 it numbered more than 1,100 souls, which number has now increased to 2,200. The Evangelical Church also in the capital town is increasing most favourably, and their school-house, which was built some years ago, is now not large enough to receive all the pupils. Of all the German Churches, those in the district of Aseher, on the borders of Bohemia, are the most flourishing. Here the instruction given in the schools is most carefully superintended, and have resulted in much blessing to the Churches. The north and north-west boundaries of our fatherland are the least happy in this respect. The Church of L has this year accomplished the erection of a schoolhouse, which will shortly be opened. The Church of T employed its first teacher in the year 1850, and now began joyfully to reap the fruits which an Evangelical school bears for our Churches. It is only the Churches of Gurkau and Haber, and the affiliated Church of Bedenbach, which do not possess schools. The circumstances of the first two lead them to hope that the ardently desired object will ere long be attained. The affiliated Church of Bedenbach has already purchased ground for a school-house, and thinks of commencing the building in the spring by the help of God.

Haber alone cannot, without the aid of charitable brethren, build a school-house, The debt incurred by the erection of the church and parsonage prevents them from

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