THE CONFESSION
OF
JACOB WEBER
WEBERITE SECT LEADER
CHARLES TOWN PRISON, APRIL 16, 1761
A verbal account of the life of Jacob Weber written down by the Charles Town Prison Master seventeen days after the Weberite trial & Weber's conviction, and the day before he was hanged, as a letter to his children. Some believe that this letter is a confession. Some believe that Weber never confessed and may have been railroaded by the justice system of Charles Town. Certain documents do exist that offer historical proof of a trial and conviction by a jury. The "letter" does offer some insight into the life of Jacob Weber in America. You as the reader can decide.
My perspective is that Weber did not accept personal responsibility for his actions, but instead blamed the Devil for his downfall and greedy acts. Nor did Weber confess for his role in murdering Schmidtpeter (Smithpeter), Hentz, or Dauber. Weber blamed Schmidt Peter (a man he murdered and who could no longer speak for himself) for his downfall. The original document can be found in the journals and papers of Reverend Henry Melchior Muhlenberg. Should you have any additional information on this subject, please E-mail me.
"On April 16, 1761, when I was imprisoned and chained in irons, it occurred to me and the master of the prison to transmit to my beloved children of my wretched life.I, Jacob Waber, was born in Switzerland, in the canton of Zurich, the county of Knomauer, the parish of Stifersweil, and was reared and instructed in the Reformed Church. When I was in my fourteenth year I traveled to South Carolina with one of my brothers, leaving my parents behind. Soon after coming to Carolina, I lost my brother also, so I was forsaken of man and without father and mother. But the Lord God had compassion on me in the midst of much adversity and suffering. He so implanted the fear of God in my heart, that I was often troubled about my soul's salvation when I thought of how God would require of me a strict accounting and how I would then hear the judgment pronounced upon me, not knowing what it would be. However, though God was drawing me by His grace, as I have said, I also felt the opposite pull of my corrupt nature, which, I found was inclined towards love of the world, namely, honor, riches, and an easy life in the world. Men love to be sociable with other men.Therefore, when the Lord drew me back in all sorts of wonderful ways and I began to come closer and closer to God (despite the fact thaI had always observed the externals of prayer and attendance upon divine services, though with a heart that was cold and distant from God), I came, through this stirring of my heart, to a knowledge of my sin, and I realized how terribly the human race has fallen from God and also how deeply all of us without exception are sunk in corruption by our very nature. When I came to this realizatiion, I prayed fervently to God day and night for the forgiveness of my sins, for the Holy Spirit, a clean heart, and saving faith, and it was then that I observed that I must remain in silee in order to keep my thoughts together and not to hinder the divine work in me. In this silence I forgot all the tumult of the world so that I felt as if God and I were alone in the world. In this light I realized that all vain desires and thoughts and all the works of man, glittering as they may be, are all by nature damnable in the sight of God. When I came to this realization, a fear and sorrow fell upon my poor soul, and I thought, What must I do to be saved?Then it was revealed to me that nothing would suffice but being born again of water and the Spirit. Realizing that I could not be saved in any other way, I fell to pray more fervently than before. Then I was shown in a still more gracious manner, that is by the Holy Spirit in my heart, how utterly sinful I was (Romans 7), and that I was standing before the judgment seat of God. But God's judgment became manifest in me, so that I judged myself and confessed before God that I deserved a thousand times to be cast out by God, and I marveled that the forbearance of the Lord had not long ago hurled me, poor, condemnable man, into the deepest abyss. Then I also saw that the whole world was lying in Wickedness. When I came to this horrible realization I sank with my whole thou and mind into the mercy of God and prayed that He would lead me and guide me according to His holy will and pleasure, whether unto life or death, if He would only be gracious unto my poor soul for the sake of the merit of Christ, pardon my sins, nd purify my heart from uncleanness. Thus I lay with my whole heart at the feet of Jesus day and night for several days, praying and sighing in the silence for His grace, until finally I passed from death to life.Then Jesus revealed Himself in my soul; then there was joy in heaven over me, a returning sinner; then all my sins were forgiven and I was full of the Holy Ghost, which filled me with an unspeakable, heavenly joy. I I experienced this grace in the month of May, 1756. This grace made it possible for me to despise the joy of the world and to disregard its reproach; and from that day on I clung day and night to my Blood-Surety Jesus, through many temptations and tribulations not now to be mentioned, until at length I found peace for my soul. I possessed this peace and communion with God in the midst of much cross and many burdens for almost two years. For I had the grace to enable me under all circumstances to submit my will to the mercy of God. By the grace that was in me I was able to rule over temporal goods without harm to my soul.Then came the great calamity, the ghastly fall! As everyone unfortunately knows, the devil was able to bring me into such a great temptation and fall into sin, a fall so deep that I have never before heard of its like, of which Schmidt Peter was the author and instrument. Thereafter God tracked me down and I was captured and led away to prison in order that I might be brought to my senses and be able to realize and confess my sins before God. It awakened a great misery and despair in my soul, and I now bow down in deepest humility beneath all men, yea, beneath all creatures. Yea, I account myself less than the lowest worm. I often thought that any man was too good even to speak to me or interest himself in me.Nevertheless, with my whole heart I constantly sought the frgiveness of my since in the blood of the Lamb, my Redeemer, who lod me and died for all my sins and for His righeousness' sake arose, all of which I believe with all my heart because I am again experiencing the testimony of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is bearing witness with my spirit that I am the child of God.Now, my children, beloved in the Lord, I must leave this world and perhaps never again see your faces in this world. I therefore commend you to the mercy and protetion of God! Pray without ceasing, learn and read God's Word, do no intentional harm to anyone while you live, and with all your powers be industrious and faithful in your work; then, if you do not see me again in this world, we may hope to see each other in heaven, in the world to come. To this may the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, help you and me for the sake of Jesus the Crucified. Amen. Such cunning and sleight has Satan acquired that he was able to open up a great gap in the ranks of Godfearing children of God and seduce and make them fall so suddenly against their knowledge and consent. May God protect and preserve all men from so great a fall and trample Satan under foot, for Christ's sake. Amen. I beg all persons who have been harmed through me to pardon and forgive me for Christ's sake. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and all men. Amen."Written by Jacob Weber, 16 April 1761Source: The Journals of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg Vol II; translated by Theodore G. Tappert and John W.Doberstein; The Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsylvania and the Muhlenberg Press; Philadelphia; 1942; pp 578-579; dated 5 October 1774; letter appears under date of October 10, 1774 in manuscript volunte PM 95 A 1774-75; UC Berkeley Main Library, Berkeley, CA BX8080M9A4 v.2.
Reverend Christopher Martin of South Carolina gave the original letter to Reverend Muhlenberg during a visit to Charles Town in October 1774.
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Brenda Helen Reed
6276 Acacia Avenue
Oakland, CA
