Letter from Heaven. Translated from the German by Kate Gladstone. St. Germain type. US, 1887?

Letter from Heaven!
[within a rectangle directly under the title]
Guide me, so that I may keep your Law. — Give me, my son, your heart.

[top left]
Which is written with golden letters and to be seen in Saint Michael's Church at St. Germain, where it is to be seen over the baptismal font.   
[top right]
Whoever changes this letter, from him it retreats. But whoever copies this letter, to him it inclines and reveals itself. By this means it was spread throughout the world.

[full width, below]
Therefore I command you, that on Sunday you do not work to your profit, also otherwise do no work, except that you should diligently go to church and pray with devotion. You should not curl your hair and be haughty in the world, and share from your wealth with the poor, and believe that I sent from my divine hand this letter of Jesus Christ, so that you do not act like the unreasoning animals,
I give you six days to get through your labor, and on Sunday you should go to church to hear the holy sermon and God's word. If you do not do that, I will punish you with war, pestilence, and famine. I command you, that you also not work too late on Saturday, and on Sunday go promptly to church with everyone, young and old; pray and plead with devotion for your sins , so that they can be forgiven you.
Do not swear wickedly by my name, do not crave silver and gold, and do not see to fleshly pleasure and desires: as quickly as I made you, that quickly I can again destroy you; one person should not kill the other, and be not false with the tongue against a neighbor behind his back. Do not rejoice over your goods and wealth. Honor father and mother; do not speak false witness against your neighbor, so that I give you health and peace: and whoever does not believe the letter and direct himself by it, he will have neither luck nor blessing. One person should copy the letter for another, and if you do so, even if the sins you have committed are as many as sand by the sea and as leaves on the trees and stars in the sky, they shall be forgiven you; believe fully what this letter teaches and tells you; whoever does not believe it, he shall die. Repent or you shall be tormented eternally, and I will question you on the last day, then you will have to give me an answer about your many sins. Whoever has the letter in his house or carries with him will not be damaged by thunder, and you shall be protected from fire and water. A woman who carries the letter with her and acts upon it will bring a lovely fruit and happy countenance to the world. Keep my commandments that were sent to you by my angel Michael.

Therefore I command you, that on Sunday you do not work to your profit, also otherwise do no work, except that you should diligently go to church and pray with devotion. You should not curl your hair and be haughty in the world, and share from your wealth with the poor, and believe that I sent from my divine hand this letter of Jesus Christ, so that you do not act like the unreasoning animals,
I give you six days to get through your labor, and on Sunday you should go to church to hear the holy sermon and God's word. If you do not do that, I will punish you with war, pestilence, and famine. I command you, that you also not work too late on Saturday, and on Sunday go promptly to church with everyone, young and old; pray and plead with devotion for your sins, so that they can be forgiven you. Do not swear wickedly by my name, do not crave silver and gold, and do not see to fleshly pleasure and desires: as quickly as I made you, that quickly I can again destroy you; one person should not kill the other, and be not false with the tongue against a neighbor behind his back, Do not rejoice over your goods and wealth. Honor father and mother; do not speak false witness against your neighbor, so that I give you health and peace: and who does not believe the letter and direct himself by it, he will have neither luck nor blessing. One person should copy the letter for another, and if you do so, even if the sins you have committed are as many as sand by the sea and as leaves on the trees and stars in the sky, they shall be forgiven you; believe fully what this letter teaches and tells you; whoever does not believe it, he shall die. Repent, or you will be forever tormented, and I will question you on the last day, and you will have to give answer to me because of your great sins. Whoever has this letter in his house or carries it with him, no storm will harm him, and he shall be protected from fire and water. Whatever woman carries this letter with her, she will bring to the world a lovely fruit and happy countenance. Keep my commandments, that I have sent through my angel Michael
.
[center of page - title and poem]
A beautiful Christian prayer to say at all times.
God, who are pleased to live in Heaven,
In being one, and threefold in persons,
God, Father, Son, and Spirit, to you alone I call,
To me there is no God but you, who can give Heaven.

[poem on bottom left]
Who trusts God has built well.
God will not forsake him.
Although the enemies pursue and hate you,
As you trust God, so will he free you from need.
The greater the need, the nearer is God!
Drink and eat: do not forget God and the poor.
God's goodness and steadfastness make every morning new.
What God wants to revive, nobody can suppress.
God allows his own to sink, but not to drown.
I trust in God alone, mankind's help is small.
God well knows help and counsel, when human help is at an end.
With God begin your work, it will make good progress.
Have before your eyes God and his word
Thus will you have much both here on Earth and in Heaven.
Who willingly gives to the poor,
To him will God be merciful,
Pain, cross, misery, and need,
Is all Christians' daily bread.
In misfortune have a lion's courage,
Trust God, it will once more go well for you.
Yes, better that you hope!
To you, Lord Jesus, God's son, belongs my heart's joy
And all my fame, my trust, my highest good,
Is for me, Lord Christ, your precious blood.
Do not worry and worry too much,
What God wants will happen anyway.
The Christian's heart walks on roses,
When he stands with it under the cross.
Do not be distressed by your cross,
After the rain follows sunshine.
Lord Jesus, your sweet name
Revives my soul.
Lord Jesus Christ, my faith and joy,
I trust to you at every time.

[poem at bottom right]
O pious Christ, here on Earth guide and ward off:
Soon comes the good time.
Maybe death comes overnight
That makes an end to each thing.
To go to church do not fail,
To give alms do not neglect.
Live purely, value yourself little,
Work well, trust God alone,
Leave the sorrows to God,
Jesus Christ is to be found
In the Word where one reads of Jesus.
Jesus gives health and bliss
To him, that serves Jesus at all times.
Who trusts in Jesus’ name,
He will be set free by Jesus Christ.
To Jesus, the dear little child,
To the heart of dear Jesus
Be glory and praise, O Jesus mild,
Protect us Jesus through your shield,
Give us, Lord Jesus, your mercy,
So that the world, devil, death do not harm us,
Let neither devil, world, nor death separate me from Jesus,
Because Jesus is my treasure, I am in his hands.
Certain is death, uncertain is the day
No one knows the hour either.
With regard to that, trust God and think on this:
That every hour may be the last.
In suffering, have good courage,
And love the one that brings the suffering.
Take hearty pleasure in weakness,
That is complete perfection.
So it goes always:
Love me, I give you pain,
Help me up, I push you down,
Honor me highly, I shame you in return.

 [bottom central]
Do not say everything that you know,
Do not do everything that you are told,
Do not believe everything that you hear,
Do not judge everything that you see.
O God, protect this entire house
From fire, damage, and danger,
Reign over us with mercy and blessing
And sustain us with your pure word.
Lord Jesus, through your holy name
Give me a blessed last hour
Stand with me in the final end
And take my soul into your hands. Amen.

German language Himmelsbrief purchased in Oley, Pennsylvania. It was tucked inside a song book dated 1887. Size 10 3/8" by 15 3/4". Purchased on Ebay, June, 2003 by DWV. Sold - no longer in the physical archive. Text entered 12/7/2012.  See Oda, The Pennsylvania Dutchman, vol. 1, n. 21, Dec. 1949.

For an image of the original Himmelbrief, in two parts, see:
hg1887u_germain_image1         ( /photo-archive/ )
hg1887u_germain_image2                     "

 hg_1887u_germain       ( /archive/ )



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