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The Final Word September, 2005

John H. Giesler

Summer is dying away and fall is on its way. It is a time for renewal in school and church and we face new opportunities. We recently lost one of the most effective mission workers in the worldwide Moravian Church, Br. Irvin Leinbach. Very few people had as wide a vision as he did. His experience in World War II changed his life as he saw the poverty and pain children faced, and the Lord touched his heart to help alleviate things that could be changed. He used all his skills and resources to change the lives of many around the world. Br. Charles Fishel, his pastor for many years, prepared the memoir that sums up much of his life. But as Br. Fishel said, words cannot tell the whole story of Br. Irvin’s life. The funeral was a joyful celebration of a Christian life well lived. The article about Gelelemend was found on a Google search and is another testimony of the influence of the Apostle to the Indians, David Zeisberger. The life of Gelelemend was a shining example of the power of God. Br. Jack gives us much to think about in his president’s message. I am still the interim for Pray Every Day

We had to postpone our annual trip on the Trail of Tears for this year. We did not have enough participants to meet the minimum. Also, with the Cherokee mission, a great milestone is about to be reached as the diaries of the Springplace Mission (1800-1835) are in the process of being published. Dr. Rowena McClinton, a foremost scholar of the Cherokees has finished a 10 year labor of translating 2000 pages of the diaries from German Script. Most of the diaries were written by Sr. Anna Rosina Kliest Gambold. They cover the important years of founding the mission and the school life of many of the most important leaders of the Cherokees during the Trail of Tears removal. When they are published, perhaps early next year, the Cherokee-Moravian Historical Association is preparing a publication with many resources from our archives to illuminate the diaries. This will make available for the first time in English, one of the key Moravian mission stories involving Anna Rosina, perhaps the greatest Moravian missionary of the 19^th century. The Cherokees are also looking forward to reading about their history, mostly from years before they had a written language. They contain the earliest written sources about their way of life. We recommend you join the Association. Call Sr. Betty Hobbs - 336.722.2775 – for details. It is a great. way of learning about Moravian life that is amazing.

THE FINAL WORD  - John H. Giesler

ONWARD is published 10 times a year, with two double issues, by the Moravian Mission Society, South, Inc. You can subscribe for     $10 per year. Changes of address and/or checks should be made out to the Mission Society, and mailed to PO Drawer Y Salem Station, Winston-Salem  NC  27108 – Attention Sheila Beaman.  Editor is Rev. John H. Giesler, 1116 Tommy’s Lake RD, Winston-Salem  NC 27105. E-mail John Giesler
 ONWARD is on the world wide web at  www.bethabara.org/ONWARD.htm