Today is the 119th Anniversary of the publication of the Georg Hansen Volume in Elkhart, Ind. To celebrate this anniversary, I submit the editorial exhortations from this publication in defense of our need to be aware of and to study the traditions of the past. Please forgive my overly under-qualified attempts at translation.
Editors' Preface:In as much as a number of persons expressed the desire to translate the present edition of Georg Hansen’s work from Dutch into German, and to thus republish it, Isaac Peters, of Henderson, York Co., Nebraska, undertook the task of translation. This work received much supported so that the North American Russländer would retain access to an accurate and correct translation.This penetrating translation is necessary in this these dangerous times because the spirit of the world has taken greater hold, even in the flock of Christ, that the spirit of the Lord and the true Christianity be taught. In the midst of the neo-Barbaric maelstrom that seeks to stifle this witness, it is important that we direct our gaze into the past to rediscover the pure, earnest, loyal faith and lifestyle of our forebears. We should earnestly and diligently apply these examples and return to the faith and life of the apostolic churches in the true spirit and as defined by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word, the lamp by which we determine the proper path. Our prayer is that the contribution of this new translation, by the Grace of God, to contribute to this cause so that its republication is not in vain.In the hope and sincere desire to God that this goal may be achieved, we pass this little book to the reader.The Editors.Elkhart, Indiana, 20 January 1893
Preface of the Head Editor:Attention readers! We read in Jeremiah 6: 16: “Thus said the Lord, stand at the crossroads and seek after the old ways, what is the good way and follow in it and you will find there rest for your souls.” And in Hebrews 13:7: “Remember your leaders who have spoken unto you the word of God, who look towards the end, and follow their faith.” These two verses of Scripture led me to this little book, to enjoy this Confessional. But as if in the days of Ahab, when the Scriptures had been lost, this healthy diet of spiritual teachings which was written in Dutch, was no longer available to readers of German. It has been translated into the High German for our contemporary edification. In this new edition, I pray that it will find a number of readers because of the old Evangelical truths to which we should return our attention.May the light of our Lord and Saviour bless this book so that it might achieve its purpose and lead sinners to salvation – this is the heartfelt desire of the head editor.Isaak Peters, 1893
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