Pastor Harms: Or, What a Village May Do
James F. Cobb, Esq.
In the north of the kingdom of Hanover lies a wild tract of country called the Luneburg Heath. The soil is poor, the land rugged, with here and there patches of fine forest. Several villages, consisting mostly of farm-houses, are scattered over this heath; among these the most remarkable is Hermannsburg, because its pastor and its people have won a name throughout Germany and Europe for their energy and success in Missionary work, and present a bright example which many among us might follow with profit
An interesting and much fuller account of Pastor Harms and his labours will be found in a small book, called 'Praying and Working,' by the Rev. W. F. Stevenson. I only propose now to give my readers a short sketch of what the village of Hermannsburg has done; how they did it; and the result of their work in the great Mission field.
The Hermannsburgers appear, from all accounts, to have been a rough, ungodly set of people, till Pastor Harms began his ministry among them. This good and truly great man was born at Walsrode, a village on the Heath, in 1808; in 1817 his father was appointed pastor in Hermannsburg, whither the family removed, and which ever after was Louis Harms' home.
The lad showed brilliant talents and great diligence. At 16 he went to the High School at Celle, and two years after to the University at Göttingen, distinguishing himself greatly at both places. At the University ungodliness and scepticism reigned supreme; young Harms, thirsting for knowledge—himself without faith—went on his own way, and determined, if possible, to master the whole range of human knowledge—to satisfy the craving of his heart. Philosophy, mathematics, physics, astronomy, natural history, theology; languages, as Sanscrit, Syrian, Chaldee, Italian, and Spanish, he studied with the greatest zeal; but he did not find peace, and was, indeed, on the verge of utter infidelity. Then the Lord had mercy on the young man whom He was about to make a chosen instrument for the spread of His kingdom. During a night passed in study, as he was reading the 17th chapter of St. John, light dawned on his soul. The prayer of the High Priest and Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ, softened and enlightened his heart, especially the words, "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent."
After passing a brilliant examination, he was for several years tutor in a nobleman's family. In 1843 he returned to his father in Hermannsburg, to help him in his old age; and on his death, in 1848, he succeeded him as pastor. Unremitting diligence in pastoral visitation; Sunday and week-day services; preaching plain and homely, but very eloquent, soon told on the Hermannsburgers; the village became celebrated for the quiet and godly behaviour of its people, and the laughing-stock of the careless and profane
But the faith of the good pastor and the simple peasants, converted by God's blessing through his labours, was not a barren or unfruitful one. He told them that faith without works is dead, and urged them to show their faith and love, their gratitude to God for what He had done for them in calling them from darkness to light, by endeavouring themselves to make known the glad tidings of the Gospel to others. He touched their hearts by describing to them the forlorn condition of the poor perishing heathen, and then made the bold proposal that they should undertake the great work of evangelisation, and themselves establish a Mission. They were not merely to interest themselves in missionary societies, and send their money to some common fund; but they were to have their own Hermannsburg Mission, entirely independent and self-supporting. He asked who among them would volunteer for the work? Several presented themselves at once; the question now was, how were they to be trained? A farmer gave his farm as an offering to the Mission; this was turned into a Mission-house, where the candidates dwelt; and here they were instructed in theology, and all that was necessary for their future work, by Harms and his brother. Whither should the first Missionaries be sent, and in what way, were questions which soon suggested themselves to Harms and his enterprising parishioners. A sailor who belonged to the Mission proposed that they should build a ship of their own—a bold proposal, certainly, but quite in character with the independent nature of the Mission; besides, the ship might pay in the end by taking freight to and from Africa, which country had been decided upon for the first Mission field of the Hermannsburg peasants. Colonists were to accompany the Missionaries. Their first intention was to go to the Gallas, a very fierce and warlike tribe; but this project was impossible, so their first settlement was made among the Caffres, in Natal. The ship was built, and was set apart for her holy work with a special service conducted by Harms, and called the 'Candace.' In 1853 she set sail for the first time, with eight Missionaries and several colonists
New Hermannsburg was founded in the colony of Natal, and from that, as a centre, the Missionary work began in good earnest, and was soon blessed with abundant success. The good King of Hanover —always eager and ready to help forward any good work for God in his kingdom—took the deepest interest in the mission; he had frequent interviews with Harms and his Missionary students, and told them how his heart was with them in their work, and how he and the Queen never forgot the Hermannsburg Mission in their prayers. This good king—now driven by the rapacity and ambition of a neighbouring state, an exile from his country—is, as far as religion is concerned, a model sovereign, and we may well wish there were many like him
The village mission grew and flourished both at home and abroad, though, like all similar good works, it was not without its difficulties and trials. The Mission-house was enlarged to accommodate twentyfour candidates for the Mission field; but soon this was not large enough, and another had to be built to receive twenty-four more. The 'Candace' now takes out every year twenty-four Missionaries from each seminary alternately, besides a number of colonists. A Missionary magazine is published monthly at Hermannsburg, which gives an account of the work both in Germany and Africa. Each number is surmounted by a cross (a symbol of which German Lutherans are not at all ashamed) with the motto beneath, "In this sign thou shalt conquer." The village is alive with the stream of peasants, some in carts, some on foot, who come pouring in from the neighbourhood to attend the services of the Church. The morning service begins at 9.30. The building is architecturally a very mean one. Every available space in the interior is made use of. The arrangement is very peculiar; over the altar is the pulpit, and over that the model of the ship "Candace." On the altar is a crucifix and two candles which are lighted at the Celebration. Before service began there was scarcely standing room, and the heat was excessive. When a bell rang all fell down on their knees and said a silent prayer. Then a long hymn was sung very heartily, during which Harms entered dressed in the usual Lutheran black gown, and took his place before the altar, facing eastward. The hymn over, he intoned in a good voice the liturgy, the people responding. He was a pale, care-worn looking man, with a suffering but somewhat severe look, but full of fire and energy. "When he came to the epistle, he expounded it in a very terse and homely way for about half an hour, still standing before the altar. While a long hymn was being sung, he ascended the pulpit, and then preached a long sermon of nearly an hour from the gospel of the day—it was the festival of the visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Observed by the Lutheran, but not by the English Church.); it was a discourse of great power and eloquence, but very quaint and practical, well suited to a peasant audience. The sins and follies of the times were not spared. The service had already lasted three hours, when the sermon concluded, followed by the celebration of Holy Communion; there were a great many communicants. Afternoon service was at three, the church as crowded as before. After the liturgy and sermon Pastor Harms proceeded to catechise not only the children, but all the young men and women as well; to do which he went all round the church from the altar up to the west end and back again. This service lasted upwards of two hours. At seven in the evening again, numbers of peasants assembled in the passage and in the gardens of the parsonage-house. The pastor standing at the end of the passage read a chapter and then explained it in Plattdeutsch, the patois of the country, which is very like English. Hymns were sung, and prayers offered, this service lasting about an hour. The pastor looked utterly exhausted with this hard day's work
Foreign Mission work was not enough for the holy zeal of Pastor Harms; there was work to be done for the outcasts at home, as well as for the heathen abroad. He had often thought of the sad condition of discharged convicts, and determined to establish a refuge for them. For this another house was taken, and the good work, too, was richly blessed by God. Then a printing press was set up in a building erected for the purpose. Here the 'Missionary Magazine' is published, besides Harms' sermons, and many other religious works, all of a strictly Lutheran and orthodox tendency. The last Mission established by Harms is in the Telegu country, in India
Every year what is called the Mission Festival is held at Hermannsburg. This lasts for two days; and persons interested in missions come from all parts of Germany to attend it. There are services in the church morning and evening, between which the whole company—often consisting of thousands of persons—go out to some fixed spot in the country, where a great Missionary meeting takes place; hymns are sung, addresses given, dinner and social intercourse taking place between. But twenty-one years of work, such as few men have ever dared to take upon themselves, at last overcame the always feeble health of the good and active pastor. He died, utterly worn out, last November, at the age of 57 years. The whole mission work had devolved upon him. He had originated all—planned all—ruled all—organised everything. Neither was the parish neglected for the Mission; all his parishioners were well cared for, and regularly visited. There were week-day services; and as to the Sunday work, few, if they were willing, could do so much as Harms did on the Lord's Day
Four years ago I visited Hermannsburg, remaining there from Saturday to Monday. It is a quiet, clean, and rather pretty village. All the inhabitants have a serious but happy air about them. They seem, too, to be a prosperous well-to-do set. The village is alive with the stream of peasants, some in carts, some on foot, who come pouring in from the neighbourhood to attend the services of the Church. The morning service begins at 9.30. The building is architecturally a very mean one. Every available space in the interior is made use of. The arrangement is very peculiar; over the altar is the pulpit, and over that the model of the ship " Candace." On the altar is a crucifix and two candles which are lighted at the Celebration. Before service began there was scarcely standing room, and the heat was excessive. When a bell rang all fell down on their knees and said a silent prayer. Then a long hymn was sung very heartily, during which Harms entered dressed in the usual Lutheran black gown, and took his place before the altar, facing eastward. The hymn over, he intoned in a good voice the liturgy, the people responding. He was a pale, care-worn looking man, with a suffering but somewhat severe look, but full of fire and energy. "When he came to the epistle, he expounded it in a very terse and homely way for about half an hour, still standing before the altar. While a long hymn was being sung, he ascended the pulpit, and then preached a long sermon of nearly an hour from the gospel of the day-it was the festival of the visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (observed by the Lutheran but not the English Church). It was a discourse of great power and eloquence, but very quaint and practical, well suited to a peasant audience. The sins and follies of the times were not spared. The service had already lasted three hours, when the sermon concluded, followed by the celebration of Holy Communion; there were a great many communicants. Afternoon service was at three, the church as crowded as before. After the liturgy and sermon Pastor Harms proceeded to catechise not only the children, but all the young men and women as well; to do which he went all round the church from the altar up to the west end and back again. This service lasted upwards of two hours. At seven in the evening again, numbers of peasants assembled in the passage and in the gardens of the parsonage-house. The pastor standing at the end of the passage read a chapter and then explained it in Plattdeutsch, the patois of the country, which is very like English. Hymns were sung, and prayers offered, this service lasting about an hour. The pastor looked utterly exhausted with this hard day's work
His life had been one of intense bodily suffering, continued illness left him scarcely ever free from pain. He suffered agonies during his last illness, but not a murmur or complaint escaped his lips, and his end was most happy and peaceful. The charge of the Mission has devolved upon his brother, who has all along been associated with him in it
It may be asked how Harms obtained all the funds necessary for carrying out his great Mission work. They flowed in unasked; it is the story of Franke and the Mission-house at Halle over again. It was in answer to prayer that God gave the means. Harms never asked a person for a donation, and in the sixteen years since the establishment of the Mission he has received at least 300,000 dollars
In doctrine, Harms was a strict Lutheran and sacramentarian, what in England we should call a thorough High Churchman. He most strongly opposed and denounced in unmeasured terms the rationalism and scepticism of the day, neither did he spare the sects and schismatics. That he never understood the true doctrines of the English Church may be inferred from his always confusing her when he mentioned her in his 'Missionary Magazine' with the German Beformirten, who are Calvinists, and in doctrine and discipline are similar to the Presbyterians among ourselves. The heresy of Colenso made him also regard us with suspicion
Twenty-four Missionary Stations have been founded by the Hermannsburg Mission in Natal and Zululand. Of these we shall hope hereafter to give a full account.
James Cobb, Mission Life; Or Home and Foreign Church Work, Volume 1, August 1, 1866, pp. 222-227.