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Title
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Charles von Larisch (1711-1754)
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Publisher
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Moravian Lives Project
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Date
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1754
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Type
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Text
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Format
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image/jpg
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Description
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This document memorializes Charles Henry Conrad von Larish, a Moravian nobleman born in 1711 in Silesia who gave up his estates and worldly status to devote himself entirely to the Moravian Church and the service of Christ. The account praises his humility, simplicity, faithfulness, and childlike spirituality, describing him as a true “saint” whose life reflected deep love for the Savior rather than worldly ambition or learning. After joining the Moravian congregation in the 1730s, Larish served faithfully in England, Holland, Germany, and other Moravian communities alongside his wife Diana Raymond, despite constant illness and financial difficulties. In his final sickness in 1754, he calmly and joyfully anticipated death, repeatedly expressing his longing to go “home” to the Savior. Surrounded by Brethren singing hymns and blessings, he died peacefully in his sleep, and the document presents his death as a heroic and spiritually triumphant example of Moravian faith and humility.
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Subject
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Von Larisch, Charles, 1711-1754
Moravians--Biography
Biographies
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Identifier
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Ful/3/05
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Place
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Fulneck, England
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Language
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eng
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Extent
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13 pages
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Rights Holder
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Fulneck Moravian Archives, Fulneck, UK
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transcript of
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Lindsey House on November 1st, 1754.
After the remains of our dear Bother Larish were interned, the Brethren and Sisters (among whom were many from London) met in the Family Hall in Lindsey House and then was sung that hymn: O head so full of bruises, after which the disciple spoke in English as follows.
I have but a few words to say on this occasion, the liturgy of today belongs to the evening when our Saviour went from us, the present day has besides that, the particular character of all saints, and that gives me a handle to speak something of the Saints, and of the nature of a saint. It is a name quite common in the Bible, and if we hear of a good man who left the world two or three hundred years ago, then we have not much against his appearing in that character, and are not shocked by it, but the ideas we have formed to ourselves of a saint are such that in the Roman Church itself nobody can be called so, until one thousand years after his Departure. The reason is because one fears that if any one should remain who had seen that man or woman he would control his sanctity; he would say something that would lesson his opinion of his worthiness. I am sure one is greatly mistaken in this respect, but as we are called to promote the sinnership, we are not so curious to receive that name, saint; we care not if that Character should be heard of no more but for all that I would not have it, that we should lose the meaning of the thing together with the name, title and character, and should we prove careless in that point, I fear we should be deprived of a great character in the Gospel Train. A saint in my opinion is a Christian, who thinks very little, who perhaps may be obliged to
think of many things on account of his business and of his office, but when I say he thinks not much, I mean that he does not care to think much, but instead according to the inclination of his heart. You will scarcely find a saint among the great men, the rich and learned men, perhaps not among the gentry, or what one calls an easy person in this World. The reason is, because all such charge themselves with too many superfluities, while the necessary condition of becoming a saint is not to have a great store of idle and unnecessary things about him. Simplicity and plainness is the distinguishing mark of a saint. I confess that if a person of that character happens to want education and, of course what one calls all manner of required qualities, hath absolutely not so much notion of the world as to deal in an ordinary way, in a regular way, then the sanctity of such a man may not command that honour, that awe, that reverence which is due to it as long as he lives, and it seems therefore, that I should be afraid to tell you now by way of discourse, what I have already sung of my Brother Larish, whom I always thought a saint and I believe there are one hundred in the catalogue on Dypticks of old, who were by far not his paramounts, not like him, nor so much of a saint as he. He was a person void of all manner of education, he had been neglected in all the necessary things of this life, and after having found the secret to make himself to be forgotten in this world, after having placed himself behind the congregation at Herrnhut, in order to lead a simple, civil life, and absolutely not regarded by anyone, which he contrived so out of a true humility, for he was a lord, and had then many subjects, and a great territory of his own. When he was in that situation he came hither, and met with one of the most difficult tasks which can be imagined, nevertheless he achieved and performed it with such surprising simplicity and wisdom that I cant help admitting once more that I should have been embarrassed in the highest degree to do the same. And I must add that if after my death one would compare me to that great man, and my conduct to his many personal circumstances, as well as real intricacies, which would be too long to relate here (the Saviour knows them, and part of us are not ignorant thereof), it would be mere courtesy. Brother Larish fulfilled his task with honour and has not left one leaf of his book unfinished. His end was like that of all truly great men, a little while before he had not the least thought of going home he was sick, and a very long time knew his case almost incurable but drew no consequence from it for in approaching dissolution. When he was acquainted of the turn his sickness had taken and of the approaching dissolution, it was very well, it was all the same to him. Those days passed away in the same strain as the foregoing. He treated that awful matter as simple natural and unconcernedly filled the last gasp as usual, that none of the heroes of this world, nor of the great geniuses, needed to be ashamed of the same exit, considering the thing in itself and without that difference, which makes his case so much happier than theirs, as for that, he will never change his exit for that of any hero of this world, of any great man or philosopher whatsoever that is quite out of question. All I have to say on that part is that he departed this life like a hero.
Every one enabled from above to see the hidden side of things, their real character to extricate the real point out of appearances, will never contradict my opinion about his abode here; like his departure I wish with all my heart to so many brave Brethren and Sisters, so many wise ones, so many well educated, so many truly learned ones. And which is the best of all, so many of our sinnerlike good people may obtain his natural and simple character that they, who had not the good fortune to have known him personally, may be encouraged thereto by his pretty end.
What I have said is only introductory to that little hymn which I have composed on his account and which perhaps will be translated.
Next follows some account of his life and departure. Our dear Brother Charles Henry Conrad von Larish, was born Sept 22nd, 1711 in Gradenwiz near Cosel in upper Silesia. He was descended from the ancient famous family of the courts & lords of Larish, also of the lineage of great Nimsdorff, one of whom, in the service of our Saviour is already a grain of wheat in Surinam. He inherited from his parents the Lordships of Shossloehiz, Lomniz, Zonade, and Rodewiz. In his tender youth he became acquainted with Abbot Steinmez and other servants of God, by means of the well known great justness awakening, and he was concerned about his salvation very much. This continued for some time, and on this account, he stayed awhile in Mandel with Abbot Steinmetz, was at Werningrode, Halle and other places, where he thought perhaps he might get a blessing for his heart. Since 1731, he has been acquainted with the Brethren as well in Jena as in other places and came from time to time to visit the congregation in Herrnhut, where the Savior came ever nearer to his heart. He found no true rest from all his good performance, nor was delivered from his anxiety till he resolved in the year 1739 to become the entire reward of the smart of Jesus, at the same time he got a conviction to let everything be as it was, and to betake himself to the congregation to stay there; accordingly he did so, with a true blessing for his heart, and he had at that time truly blessed times for his heart, with the Single Brethren assisting also quite faithfully in building their Choir House there. He was also soon received into the congregation and partook of the corpse and blood of Jesus in the sacrament with the congregation.
In May 1742, he came over to England where he stayed for some time, especially in Yorkshire, and was edifying to the congregation in his servants office in the hall which he performed very faithfully and with his whole heart; from thence he returned in company with the doctor disciple and mother to Holland and so on to M-born and was there on May 15th, 1743. Married to our Sister Diana Raymond, after his marriage, he and his Wife were 1st Deacons in England and conducted it with true simplicity and many blessings; afterwards he made several journeys to Herrnhut and Hhaag. In this year also he visited his lordships and found himself not only not in a capacity to execute what he had intended, but found also such an entanglement in his worldly affairs, that he thought it best to sell his estates, to pay his debts, and to give the rest to the Diaconate of the Unity, which at that time was much streightened; for which in the year 1740 the New House called Lichtenburg was made over to him and fitted up, but because his comfort did not like to tarry at Hhaag, he went with her first to Zyest and in the last year again to England and enjoyed by his abode in each Place of those congregations much grace and blessings for his heart, and all the Bethren and Sisters loved him; he had a longer attachment and faithful heart full of love to our Savior and his congregation and amidst the various circumstances which his weak constitution mostly occasioned. He was never put off from his point, but his heart always longed after him, whom he can now see bodily and kiss his wounds.
In the latter years of his mortal life he was very sickly and had many disorders in his body, but especially since the winter of 1753, yet as long as it was possible, he came to the opportunities in the Disciples House very diligently and with great cheerfulness. According to the nature of his disease and frequent causalities of all sorts, he thought nothing at first of going home until just after his birthday this year when the watchword was until the glance extend throughout and then he came upon it very happily himself, and he was heard to say when by by himself, to our Saviour: My Dear Saviour, be thou my all in all and round about me, I am indeed weak, but thou knowest well how to make it better, and he said: I am indeed spent or very weak, but I shall soon go into the regions of health. Another time, when he was in great pain, he comforted himself with the sufferings of our Saviour, and rejoiced at the sweet hour of his release, and only wished that our Saviour would take him to himself in sleep. As he pressed very much to have all his temporal affairs concerning him and his regulated while he was here, therefore the Synodal Conclusion of 1753, was through the interposition of the Disciples House but a few days before his end in the name of our God brought into the form customary here, and though all the necessary forms are yet wanting from both the married parties, yet the deed is delivered to the satisfaction of all sides. On October 26th, he got a new disorder and said: that now he was ready to wait for the last kiss, when the Brethren at his desire sung him some verses he rejoiced and said O that has strengthened me, and so continued in continual thought of going home till the 28th of October when he said: to this Servant Brother Summerskill, this evening or tomorrow morning, the expected hour will come and often asked, is it not yet time; he sent also two or three times in the night for Brother Johan to come and bless him, and when Johan came to him, and sung: pale lips, kiss him upon the heart; he said: O yes, and to that verse and when thy mouth expiring, he said even today.
On October 29th, towards morning, he took leave of his wife and said: My dear, I kiss thee on thy heart, here I have been thy husband and thy heart, we were both one body, but now no more; I am going to our dear Saviour and shall expect thee with my bridegroom with joy. Afterwards, he said to Brother Summerskill and his wife, my dear children, forgive me everything and I thank you for all the love and faithfulness that you showed me here, and the Brethren will think on you for it; thereupon he said to his Maid (who is no Sister) adue: I thank you also for all you have done for me, I wish you well in the world; about six o’clock in the morning he desired Brother Johan to be called again, because he was very weak but recovered himself as soon as he saw him, which he did several times before; the rest of the time he was mostly as if he was asleep and had thereby sometimes such an extraordinary lovely and smiling look that the eyes of the Brethren and Sisters round about him overflowed. Hutton said once, such a look is worth more than one hundred Guineas; at last he awoke, raised himself and said to Brother Johannes: now bless me, and then he took his hand and laid it himself upon his forehead, and so Johannes blessed him with that verse: let his mouth expiring on thy dear breast recline, to which our dear happy heart said yes powerfully: After the blessing he looked about once more, when he saw Brother Johannes, Wallerville, Hutton and others standing round him, he threw them a kiss and said: Fare you well, adieu, sweetly the Holy Ghost has impressed upon all upon my heart thy committed to him many salutations and kisses to the Saviour and the Church above made perfect and particularly our dear blessed Christle, and he promised it with a plain Yes. His last words were: We all live unto him, and then he shut his eyes again and slept and so according to his wish, his spirit was kissed away in sleep and the Brethren and Sisters round him sung him quite into his rest. His tabernacle displayed a very happy look with which the Brethren and Sisters present in Jason’s Hall delighted themselves.
Made by the dear disciple on Brother Larish’s departure:
1st. Thou venerable child of grace, go in thy white and blood washed dress to live there henceforth without sin where many a soul before thee hath been.
2nd. On all Saints Day thy corpse is laid in God’s green pretty Sharon’s Bed, where it shall sweetly rest, till He thinks fit to change it gloriously.
3rd. from the Disciples House there are already several grains sown there, Marigen’s and her little ones, * Kleist’s, Miller’s, & Gold’s little sons and Christel’s bones. (* Or Kleists, Millers, Gold’s Child’s mortal Bones and my own Son’s
4th. That corpse is now laid in the grave on whose account no doubt we have, but he who did inhabit it will fetch it back when quite made fit.
5th. Now thou that body’s noble guest who is so edified hast, because thy farewell was like that which we of Fredrick Whilhelm Great commemorate.
6th. Thou wert present is Animi, even in thy farewell – agony. Some days thou is ready for adieu, so that thy our friend and mother too their pleasure view.
7th I saw it when that angel dear, who waited on our Larish here, went to his Brethren. He did say beloved only think I pray.
8th. I thought I waited on a sheep which happened on his path to keep, but in its exit turned at length to heroism that little strength.
9th. This last act finds so much applause that even a Christle hath no cause to blush at it, when Ludwig shall so clear and cheerful leave his call O very well.
10th. Should one ask seriously: How so? What is it that makes Larish go so nobly, and afford a sight of which God’s house hold with delight saith. That is right?
11th. I answer Larish may be still in all respects a simple child; a child, as scripture teaches us, is otherwise synonymous with genius.
12th. Swift’s wit did end in lunacy. A clark doth lose his forced esprit, even Newton turns a simpleton. But Larish, when ripe, to be gone a Solomon.
13th. Thou partner of this man, attend and ponder well his happy end. Let thyself in child’s mould be cast. So shall you be right nobly graced and shine at last.
14th. All ye who are saints because the Lamb did take upon him your sins’ shame; salute him, ye who are gone to Christ. You here; turn children, be advised and so baptised.
