Moravian Lives

Congregation Accounts 1769
Containing The Personals of our Happy deceased Brother
Charles Friedrick Tenser who departed this Life at Barby
the 13th of April 1769.   He has left the following account of his Path
thro  through Time.
I was born the 1st of January 1704 at Luzois near Nauen
in Brandenburg; Luzow being my Fathers Estate. I can well Remem=
=ber that when i was a Child and used to walk in the garden, it often
came in my Mind: I hope I shall not go to hell! of which I heard more
off than of the Gosple  Gospel in our Family. When I was I was about 14 my
Tutor brought me to the Saldrish School at Brandenburg, from thence
I came to the University at Frankfort  Frankfurt on the Oder. About this time
My Father John Teniser, Councellor  Counselor at the Prusian Court, whent  went to
Eternity, and in a few Years time My Mother run thro  through all our Estate
Which made her leave nothing undone, to engage me to enter into
Military Service, Advising me to go to a Relation of hers at Gorlitz
who was a Saxon Captain which I did accordingly, and inlisted  enlisted
a Souldier  Soldier. In the 21 Years I spent in the Army I made several
Compaigns, in which I suffer'd a great deal both in Soul which had cost
him his Blood, and follow'd me, notwithstanding I committted many
Crimes partly of my own Accord, and partly at the instigation of others.
Being in Poland and sent with a small company to Forrage one
on which the Lord Jesus shed his Blood and dyed  died on the Cross. I was
quite frighten'd at that could not sleep the whole Night lait conti=
=nually Ponder'd upon it whether it was really true, that Christ hung
                                                                                                       on