The Awakening Coast: An Anthology of Moravian Writings from Mosquitia and Eastern Nicaragua, 1849-1899

2. Extract from the Diary of Bluefields, 1854

2 Extract from the Diary of Bluefields, 1854 H. G. Pfeiffer, Eugene Lundberg, and Paul Jürgensen, “Extract from the Diary of Bluefields, for the Year 1854,” Periodical Accounts Relating to the Missions of the Church of the United Brethren 22 (1857): 242–44. This short diary composite outlines the mundane nature of mission affairs in the year 1854. The mission site at southern Pearl Key Lagoon is being established, and the missionaries visit the Corn Islands for the first time. Overall, however, the diary presents a picture of a young mission struggling or in decline. Coauthor Johann Eugene Lundberg was a co-founder of the Moravian mission at Bluefields, along with Brothers Pfeiffer and Kandler. Lundberg was born in Labrador to missionary parents serving there, and by 1870 he was a British subject. He was a baker before becoming a missionary. Lunberg founded the Wounta Haulover (Ephrata) station in 1860 and was superintendent from 1867 to 1881. He served thirtytwo years in Mosquitia and died the year he returned to Germany. Jean Paul Jürgensen was Danish, though born in Germany. He founded the Pearl Lagoon, or Magdala, station in 1855 before moving on in 1857 to Rama Cay, where he remained until 1878. A translation of his Rama Cay memoir is presented in no. 3 of this anthology. January 1. With the prayer that the Lord would be pleased to be our Guide and Protector, we entered upon this new period of time. We were grieved by the vain and worldly spirit manifested by so many of the people. This shews that the hearts of many are not yet affected by the Word of life. The morning-service on this day was attended by upwards Extract from the Diary of Bluefields | 47 of three hundred hearers. Yet some of these were not sober, and caused some disturbance. On the second Sunday in the year we were painfully reminded, in the Sunday-school, of the sad state of the children at these holiday times. Many children do not attend school at all, but run about in a wild state, their parents being from home, and there being no food for them. Besides this, very few parents even endeavour to restrain their children from taking part in dancing, gambling, &c. [January] 10. Hearing that a small vessel from Greytown, with some articles for us on board, had gone on shore about twenty-five miles this place, Brothers Pfeiffer and Jürgensen proceeded thither with two boats, in order to see if they could save some of the goods. After they had left, the weather became very boisterous, so that we were very anxious about them. However, the Lord graciously protected them, and on the twelfth they returned in safety, bringing the articles, of which they had gone in quest, with them. [January] 29. A half-breed Indian, belonging to the Rama tribe, was married. There are many persons of this class, who speak English very well, and are not disinclined to hear the Gospel. O that the Lord would open their hearts, that they may feel His love, and be able to commend it to their fellow-countrymen!1 In the earlier months of this year, several Indian boys and girls attended the day-school and improved considerably in learning. The feeling of dislike between the two races, however, soon manifest[ed] itself, there being constant strife between the Negroes and the Indians. The cause of this is the contempt entertained by the Negroes for the Indians, arising from the pride of the former.2 By the end of February, our Sunday-school was once more attended by its full number, there being 107 on the list. We were glad to see so many scholars, but regretted the necessarily imperfect character of the instruction given, in consequence of the scarcity of monitors. There are young people who can read, and who might make themselves useful, but they cannot be prevailed upon to become teachers in the Sunday-school, viewing it as something by which they might be coerced. They certainly have very strange ideas of liberty. 48 | Extract from the Diary of Bluefields In March, Brother Pfeiffer proceeded, accompanied by the [Miskito] King, to Pearl Key Lagoon, for the purpose of fixing on a site for the erection of a church. About this time, the attendance at the [Bluefields] church fell off very much, as most of the men...