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weaving, since he desired more time for prayer and meditation. It was not
until the year 1724, while on a journey to a neighboring town, that light
seemed to dawn on his troubled soul, and he was filled with the assurance
that God's grace in Christ Jesus was sufficient to atone for all sin. In
the joy and peace which he had found, he immediately wrote the beautiful
hymn, "How gracious, kind and good, my great High Priest, art Thou."

From this time until the close of his life, Tersteegen began to devote
his energies more and more to religious work and literary activities. An
independent religious movement known as "Stillen im Lande" had begun
about this time, and he soon became known as a leader among these people.

Tersteegen had already ceased to associate with his friends in the
Reformed Church, and had gone over to religious mysticism. In one of his
strange spiritual moods he wrote what he called "a covenant between
himself and God" and signed it with his own blood.

Finally he gave up business pursuits entirely, and his home became the
refuge of multitudes of sick and spiritually troubled people. It came to
be known as the "Pilgrim's Hut," from the fact that many found a
temporary retreat there, as well as spiritual help and guidance.
Tersteegen also traveled extensively in his own district, and made
frequent visits to Holland to hold meetings there.

Tersteegen never married, and for this reason he was accused of teaching
celibacy. Several sects, including the Moravians, sought to induce him to
become one of their number, but he steadfastly refused to identify
himself with any organized church body. He died at Muelheim, April 30,
1769.

Tersteegen's hymns, as well as his other writings, reflect his spirit of
mysticism. His soul was imbued with the sense of the nearness of God,
and, through a life of spiritual communion and a renunciation of the
world, he developed a simplicity of faith and a child-like trust that
found beautiful expression in his hymns.

Two of these, "Thou hidden love of God whose height" and "Lo, God is
here, let us adore," made a deep impression on John Wesley, who
translated the former during his visit to Georgia in 1736. Wesley became
familiar with Tersteegen's hymns through contact with Moravian pilgrims
who were crossing the Atlantic on the same ship on which he sailed. "Lo,
God is here, let us adore" has several English versions, including "God
is in His temple" and "God Himself i