(1) English translation (excerpts)
1.1 Waldmeier (Gaffat, June 6, 1861)
- publ. in Mittheilungen, 1862, p. 1.
[…] I will now turn to our missionary activities. This has been more pleasing in recent years than in the past. We also have much more freedom to teach the Word of God. Each of us has his own house where he educates and teaches his people, as every Christian house father should do. Every Sunday, the older brothers take turns holding Amharic services. The people come in large numbers, but very few have devoted attention. […]
In my house, I have many boys to teach. The king [Tewodros II] himself gave me five, one of whom is so outstanding that I am astonished. He gives me great pleasure with his behavior, eagerness, and desire to learn, as well as his untiring diligence in every respect. He is now learning German. The children of my late father-in-law, Mr. Bell, are also being educated in my house. Next, Dr. Schimper’s son will also be coming to me. My dear wife has some girls to teach and educate. […]
1.2 Waldmeier (Gaffat, May 14, 1862)
Published in Mittheilungen, 1862, p. 11-12.
Dear Mr. Caplan [Schlienz]!
Your two dear letters, one dated May 29, 1861, the other September 21, 1861, reached me correctly on May 13, 1862. Thank you most sincerely for that! […]
This time, I would like to provide a brief description of my missionary activities. Essentially, it has remained unchanged until now. I mentioned earlier that I would focus particularly on the youth. I have remained faithful to this idea right up to this hour, and I believe that I will never deviate from it. It seems to me that this is the most fruitful and successful thing that can be done for the kingdom of God in this country. When one thinks of sending the Word of God into the land in thousands of copies, the question naturally arises whether the people can read and understand it, which, unfortunately, is not the case at present (I am speaking in general terms). […]
The [p. 13] lessons are regular every day, in the morning, and consist of reading and contemplating the Word of God. The boys have all learned to read well, praise and thanks be to the Lord! One [Oromo] boy named Haylu Maryam gives me great joy. He has not only learned to read, but also to write well in Amharic, so that I can already use him as a scribe. I believe I can say that the Lord has begun the good work in him. And I have hope that He will also carry it out for His glory. He loves the Word of God, so when he gets just a moment, he uses it to read it and to copy [Bible] verses.
On Sunday afternoons, there is a regular Amharic service in my house. It is sometimes held by me, sometimes by my dear wife (because she speaks the language well), sometimes by Brother Kienzlen.
Apart from the lessons on weekdays, my boys are all kept busy at work, namely in the carpentry workshop, where the above-mentioned Haylu Maryam in particular gives me great pleasure again, as he has already learned to plane, saw, chisel, glue and join quite well. I believe that the king will be very pleased if such people are trained in my house.
I recently wrote to Bishop Salama, with whom I am on very good terms, asking if he would be kind enough to collect and send me a number of the neglected poor [Oromo] children [actually: orphans] who are lying around starving in the king’s camp. Since the abuna (bishop) knows that I love the children very much and bring them up in the fear of God, I will probably soon receive a transport of boys and girls.
Recently, I took the wagon we had made with Brother Mayer to the king [Tewodros II]. On the journey, we came again to our former place of residence, Magdala, where we have many friends and were received very warmly. Among these, I must especially emphasize Debtera Saneb [Zännäb], who was our disciple when we still lived in Magdala. He, along with others, met us with such a fiery, lively spirit that we could only marvel. For days, without eating or drinking, he sat with us and others, writing and asking questions about the Word of God with the most extraordinary zeal and attention. This man has such a fullness of spirit and such a power of witnessing that he again, as he told me, organized meetings and prayer sessions from which souls were born, to his and our great joy. One Sunday, I preached a formally planned sermon there, and I felt how every word was absorbed from my mouth into the hearts of the listeners.
1.3 Waldmeier (Gaffat, January 1865)
Published in Mittheilungen, 1865, p. 18-19.
[…] [p. 19] Just one year ago, we asked for the Emperor’s favor to free our brothers Flad, Steiger, and Brandeis and some other Europeans from their gangs, which was granted to us […]. Since then, the brothers have been with us on Gaffat. Brother Steiger serves as a tutor, and Brother Flad is working on translations. […] Brother Kienzlen, who is suffering from a serious ulcer, has not yet completed his grammar. Brother Maier translated the Württembergische Kinderlehre [Württemberg Children’s Doctrine] into Amharic and asks that it be printed soon, as it is an excellent guide for teaching the Abyssinians. Brother Bender is always busy distributing the Bibles sent via Matamma, New Testaments, and the particularly popular Psalms […]
For all these children, we […] also have a teacher named Semanni, a pupil of Brother Flad, a good, talented young man who gives them regular lessons. Some of them, especially the [Oromo], are making good progress. […]
The emperor gave us many Jews [Beta Israel], baptized and unbaptized, about 200 [Oromo] and many other workers for our manual work. So here in Gaffat we have a beautiful mission field among Jews, [Oromo], and Christians; for these people are not only preached to on Sundays, but the word of God is laid to their hearts in simple conversations before, during, and after work.
(2) German text
Mittheilungen aus der Correspondenz der Pilgermission, zunächst für deren auswärtige Brüder bestimmt (1862 ff)
Source: Library of the Theol. Seminary St. Chrischona