Born: 9 August, 1727 at Berthelsdorf
Died: 20 February, 1803 at Fulneck
Learn more about the life of Anna Rosina Anderson
Our dear happily departed Sister
Anna Rosina Anderson, has left
the following account of
herself:
I was born the 9th of Aug 1727 at
Berthelsdorf. My Parents belonging to
the Congn endeavour’d to bring
me up
in the same connection with the Congn
& sent me from my earliest years every
Sunday to Herrnhut to the Childrens
meeting, which the late Count Zinzendorf
kept. He asked me many questions, and
tho’ I did
not always understand him,
yet it made an impression on my heart
and I felt a desire to be happy. When
I was in my 7th year my Father de-
parted
happily to our Savior, after
which the late Count took care of my
Mother & her
children; she came to
live in the widows house at Herrnhut
and her children in the Orphan house,
but I for my part had no inclination
for it, but chose to stay with my Grand
father in Berthelsdorf. After a few years
my Uncle in Lobenstein desired me to
come and live with him, which I
was very glad of. I was there above a
year, but did not find it so agreeable
as
I thought, and I prayed may times
with tears to the Lord, to help me away
again, which he graciously did. For it
happened at this time that the late
Count came to Ebbersdorf and my Uncle
had an oppertunity to see him; and
told him that I was very unhap
py
here; on hearing this he took me
under his care, & sent me to Marienborn
to the Orphan house; I prayed to the
Lord to preserve me here
& make me
happy, & that I never might come to
any other place except among the Brethren,
because I was sometimes enticed by my
Uncle to go back with him to his home.
At that time during a severe sickness
which I
got, I learned to pray earnestly
for my happiness. I found many friends
here who wish’d me well and to see me pros
per for our Savior; particularly one Sister
will
always be remember’d by me, who,
when I had recovered, took me with
her into the garden, and kneeling down
with me, put up a fervent prayer in
my behalf to our
Savior, which I shall
never forget. But it was not sufficient to
make me happy; because I must feel
my Saviorscomfort & forgivenessfor my
own heart, & this
happened in a very
particular manner. Being once quite
alone in a place I fell down at his feet
& implored his mercy & forgiveness for all
my sins thro’ his
precious blood. At
that time I felt something, which I
cannot express, his comfort to my troub
led soul and his mercy shown to me,
melted my heart in
thousand tears. In 1740
I was after the then usual manner received into the
Childrens Congn which proved a great bles
sing to me, I devoted my
heart to our Savior
to live to him & serve him; however after
wards, I must own, I had many things to
experience by which I learnt better to know
myself but our
Savior was faithful and
helped me thro’, I always felt freedom to
speak my mind openhartedly to my Labouress
which was a great help to me. In the year
1741I
was received into the great girls Choir
and in the same year I enjoyed the holy
Comn for the first time, which was
an unspeakable blessingto my heart. At
that time there was a company of great
girls which the late Count took par-
ticular care of, he kept us Choir meetings
and instructed us how to
become useful
in our Saviors service. I was appoin-
ted to keep the Childrens & great girls
bands, and enjoyedmany blessings from
our Savior, when we spoke
together of
his great love & mercy. Soon after
I had the office of an assistant among
the Children conferred upon me and
moved in the same year with this Oec
onomy to Herrnhag. All these appoint
ments taught me to come into
closer
connection with our Savior and showed
me that I could do nothing of myself.
His mercy and love shown to me bowed
me in the dust before him. I had the
confidence to cleave to him as a poor
sinner, & believed he would help me
thro’. 1743I was accepted an Acoluth
with a large company, which encou
rag’d me anew to live to him and
serve him as a poor Child that has
nothing to plead but his mercy from
day to day. 1744I was receiv’d
into the S.
Srs Choir and 1747
blessed for a Deaconess. 1748 I received
a Call to be S. Srs Labores at Beth
lehem in
America. In LondonFebr.
the 10thI was bless for my office &
set out in June. Sept the 20th I
arrived in Bethlehem after a trouble
some voyage. I cannot but take no-
tice, that this year the 13th of Nov.
was
celebrated the first time in
America, which brought the first impres-
sion of that in Herrnhaag1741 very
fresh to my mind, but I was sorry,
I could not enjoy it in such a moment
manner as I wish’d to do. I had to
struggle,
particularly in the beginning
with many difficulties, being young
and unexperienced, and had no body
to whom I could open my heart and
consult with, so as I wish’d;
which
made it sometimes very heavy to me.
But my dear Savior helped me thro’
whenever I turn’d to him in my dis-
tress. I visited frequently in the most
of the
country Congns which lay very
distant from each other. In the year
1755 a a war broke out between the
French & English, and as the Indi-
ans
generally took share and joined
one of the other party, we had very
difficult times at Bethlehem and
Nazareth.
First the settlement of
the Brethren at the Mahony about
27 miles from Bethlehem was destroyed
by the Indians, where 11 Brn & Srs lost
their lives, after which many mur-
ders were committed much nearer, till
at last within 6 miles of Bethle-
hem. We knew that we were closely
watched by the Indians, who would
gladly have destroyed the Place, which
at that time was the only one capable
of making any resistance to their
Incursion. The reports of their cru-
elties at
other places kept us in con
tinual allarm and apprehension,
particularly as Indians were some
times observed to lurk about and
in the place at nights.
However the strict watch kept by
the Brn in many parts & particu-
larly about our house, but above all
the protection of our good Lord, al-
ways
frustrated their designs.
During all these heavy times, our dear Lord
was our only comfort and his peace
was very sensibly felt amongst us. In the
year
1762 Br Nathanael Seidel arrived
here from Europe, who had lately been
married to Sr Anne Joh. Piesch an old
acquaintance of mine; from whose conver-
sation and support I received much com
fort. In the year 1764 I received a call
to return to Europe, Sr Susanna de
Gersdorf arrived early in that year to
supply my place, and I left
Bethle
hem in company with Br & Sr Boehler
and some other Brn &
Srs in the begin
ning of May. We had a very quick passage, arrived in London the 24th
of June, & at Marienborn where the
Synod was assembled on the 4th of
July. After the Synod was closed I
went to Herrnhut and in the year 1765
received a Call to serve the S. Srs Choirs
in England. I
first went to Fulneck,
where I staid about a year, & then got
a Call to Bedford, where I served the
single
Srs untill the year 1772 when I return’d again to Fulneck. To go
any farther in relating my course I
don’t think needful. Our
Saviors pas-
sion and death and that he has redee-
med me poor Sinner with his own pre-
cious blood, is to me above everything
in time and in eternity. He has helped
me thro’ this vale of tears and given
me grace to place my confidence in
him in which I never have been put
to shame. When I have the favour
to see him face to
face I shall kiss
his feet with Sinner-tears for all
his mercy bestowed upon me.
Thus far has this faithful hand-
maid of Jesus left us an account of
herself and of that what the Lord
has done for her Soul. There would
be much to say of all the proofs of
grace; wherewith he has crowned her
endeavours and blessed her services to so
many souls, in advising, comforting
and shewing
them the way to true hap
piness; but we shall content ourselves with
rendering unto him, who is the giver of all
good gifts, our humble thanks and prai-
ses
for all the mercys bestowed upon her,
during her pilgrimage here below. Her
character and the blessing which attented
her Labour is known and acknowledged
with
thankfulness and we heartily wish
and pray that we may follow her foot-
steps. In the year 1772 when she the
second time arrived in Fulneck, the
S. Srs Choir and Oeconomies in Yorkshire
were in a very hopeful state and she
was recieved by them with much
love
and affection. In this vineyard of the
Lord she laboured with the utmost
alacrity both of body & mind, deeming
it her highest priviledge to win Souls for
Christ. The weakest of the flock were
always objects of her peculiar care and
concern, and she spared no pains what-
ever in tending and bearing them in love;
and in such instances when all means
proved ineffectual, it was evident to all around
her, how she always bemoaned their loss.
On the other hand our Savior gave her the
satisfaction to see many faithful hand
maids, whom she had trained up for the
Lord, enter into the different services of his
house, which she always looked upon as
the greatest favour conferred on herself.
As
the Choir here in Fulneck considerably in
creased, it was in the year 1780 taken into
consideration to build a S. Srs
house in Wyke,
and the proposal having been approved of,
our late Sister had the pleasure to assist
in laying the foundation stone, which
was a
blessed solemnity. When it was fi
nished and inhabited by Sisters from
Fulneck she used to visit them frequent
ly with great faithfulnes, and
took
particular share in their weal & woe;
as also in the wellfare of the Sisters
Oeconomies at Gummersall, Mirfield
and Littlemore; when several years
ago the latter was given up, it was a
great concern to her mind.
Of late
years she grew weak and could
not be so active in her office as she
wished, nevertheless her mind was continu
ally employed for the wellfare of her
Choir. Great as her
delight had been in the
beginning, to see her Choir in such an in-
creasing and florishing way, so great
was her concern of late years to see it
gradually declining
in number and but
few new ones coming in. So much the
more she wished and prayed that the
few remaining might truly value their
lot of grace and enjoy the blessings
&
privileges, which were so precious to
herself. For as to her own person she
regretted exceedingly, that in her latter
days old age & weakness prevented
her attending every opportunity for
edification & encouragement as much
as she wished to do. May the 1st
1802 she was seized with a paralytic
stroke, but recovered so far again that she
on the 4th of May could attend the meetings
house. During this winter, her
weakness increased, & she was much confined
room. Febr. 15th 1803, she had
her stroke, which quite took away
use of her right side, & the next day
she had strong convulsions so that we
expected her dissolution. She had
often expressed a wish for B. Benade to
pray with her at her departure which
was now done, and after the prayer
the blessing of the Lord was pronoun
ced over her. The feeling of the peace
of God on this occasion will leave a
deep impression on the minds of all them who were present. After the
first
paroxysm she fell asleep and
slumbered for the most part; but when
she between times awoke she seemed
to be sensible, tho’ her speech was so
far gone, that she
could only say yes
or no to the questions asked. The 18th
some Sisters assembled in her room to
sing some verses expressing our fore
taste of that
happy lot to be at home
with the Lord; she seemed quite de-
lighted with it and kept awake the
whole time. The 19th in the afternoon
she appeared more recollected than before
and could speak several words, and when
the girls came to see her, she gave them all
the hand & said: The Lord bless you!
Afterwards she slumber’d again till
about evening, had a very restless night,
and the 20th in the morning about 7
a’ clock her redeemed and thro’
the blood
of Jesus sanctified soul went gently
and happy over into the arms of her
b beloved bridegroom, during the singing
of that verse: When in the arms of
Jesus, thy lips shall pallid grow.
Her age was 75 years 6 months.
