Page 57 - History of Rockingham Co
P. 57
A HISTORY OF
turned southeastward, crossed the Massanutten Mountain
through the picturesque Powell's Fort, and came up the south
fork of the Shenandoah to the Massanutten settlements.
One night he lodged with John Rhodes, the Mennonite
preacher, who was doubtless one of the pioneer settlers.
The next day he went to the home of Matthias Selzer, of
whom he speaks as follows:
He is a rude and hostile man towards the Brethren. I was compelled
to stay with this man all afternoon, because I wanted to make inquiries
about the people in that district and because I was surrounded by water
and terribly high mountains on all sides. He treated me very rudely,
called me a Zinzendorfian, threatened me with imprisonment, and re-
ferred to the travels and sermons of the Brethren in a very sarcastic
manner. He said if I should get to the upper Germans they would soon
take me by the neck, for he did not know what business I had among
those people. In the first place we had been forbidden to travel around
through the country, and then again they had such an excellent minister,
that if the people were not converted by his sermons, they would cer-
tainly not be converted by my teaching. But soon afterwards he related
of the excellent Lutheran minister that he got so drunk in his house that
on his way home he lost his saddle, coat, and everything else from the
back of his horse. I was silent to all this, but prayed for the poor man
that the Lord might open his eyes.
Having staid over night with Mr. Seizor, Brother Gott-
schalk set out eastward to cross the Blue Ridge. His host,
with no mean courtesy, speeded the parting guest, the latter
being witness:
I started early. Matthias Selzer saddled two horses and took me not
only across the South Bx'anch of the Chanador, but even five miles far-
ther so that I could not go astray. 3
Having crossed the Blue Ridge, Gottschalk descended
into the beautiful valley of the Robinson River, now in Madi-
son County, and became the guest of Rev. George Samuel
Klug, pastor of Hebron Lutheran Church from 1739 to 1764.
Mr. Klug was at this time extending his ministerial labors to
the German communities in Rockingham and adjacent sec-
tions of the Valley, and was doubtless the ' 'excellent Lutheran
3. See Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, July, 1904.
—46-
turned southeastward, crossed the Massanutten Mountain
through the picturesque Powell's Fort, and came up the south
fork of the Shenandoah to the Massanutten settlements.
One night he lodged with John Rhodes, the Mennonite
preacher, who was doubtless one of the pioneer settlers.
The next day he went to the home of Matthias Selzer, of
whom he speaks as follows:
He is a rude and hostile man towards the Brethren. I was compelled
to stay with this man all afternoon, because I wanted to make inquiries
about the people in that district and because I was surrounded by water
and terribly high mountains on all sides. He treated me very rudely,
called me a Zinzendorfian, threatened me with imprisonment, and re-
ferred to the travels and sermons of the Brethren in a very sarcastic
manner. He said if I should get to the upper Germans they would soon
take me by the neck, for he did not know what business I had among
those people. In the first place we had been forbidden to travel around
through the country, and then again they had such an excellent minister,
that if the people were not converted by his sermons, they would cer-
tainly not be converted by my teaching. But soon afterwards he related
of the excellent Lutheran minister that he got so drunk in his house that
on his way home he lost his saddle, coat, and everything else from the
back of his horse. I was silent to all this, but prayed for the poor man
that the Lord might open his eyes.
Having staid over night with Mr. Seizor, Brother Gott-
schalk set out eastward to cross the Blue Ridge. His host,
with no mean courtesy, speeded the parting guest, the latter
being witness:
I started early. Matthias Selzer saddled two horses and took me not
only across the South Bx'anch of the Chanador, but even five miles far-
ther so that I could not go astray. 3
Having crossed the Blue Ridge, Gottschalk descended
into the beautiful valley of the Robinson River, now in Madi-
son County, and became the guest of Rev. George Samuel
Klug, pastor of Hebron Lutheran Church from 1739 to 1764.
Mr. Klug was at this time extending his ministerial labors to
the German communities in Rockingham and adjacent sec-
tions of the Valley, and was doubtless the ' 'excellent Lutheran
3. See Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, July, 1904.
—46-
