Two young Moravians heard of an island in the West Indies where an atheist British owner had 2000 to 3000 slaves. And the owner had said, “No preacher, no clergyman, will ever stay on this island. If he’s shipwrecked we’ll keep him in a separate house until he has to leave, but he’s never going to talk to any of us about God, I’m through with all that nonsense.” Three thousand slaves from the jungles of Africa brought to an island in the Atlantic and there to live and die without hearing of Christ.
Several thousand black slaves toiled in the sugar cane fields under the burning sun. 3000 slaves were doomed to live and die without hearing of Christ.
Two young Germans in their 20’s from the Moravians sect heard about their plight. They [were willing to sell themselves] to the British planter for the standard price for a male slave [if necessary.]
The Moravian community from Herrenhut came to see the two lads off, who would never return again, having freely sold themselves into a lifetime of slavery. As a member of the slave community they would witness as Christians to the love of God.
Family members were emotional, weeping. Was their extreme sacrifice wise? Was it necessary? The housings had been cast off and were curled up on the pier. As the ship slipped away with the tide and the gap widened, the young men linked arms, raised their hands and shouted across the spreading gap,
“May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!”
This became the call of Moravian missions. And this is our only reason for being… that the Lamb that was slain may receive the reward of His suffering! Amen.
–Paris Reidhead (May 30, 1919 – March 23, 1992, Christian missionary, teacher, writer, and preacher).