Climbing the Mountain page 12 Reminiscences of Margaret Wuerflein Klammer (1891-1985) Written in 1976, her 85th year Go to Beginning Go to Ending Return to Home page

Thou on my head in early youth didst smile And though rebellious and perverse, meanwhile Thou hast not left me oft as I left Thee. On to the close, oh Lord, abide with me. I remember the days of old. I remember so well the time of Halley's comet. Early in May of 1910 we could make it out at two o'clock in the morning so very faintly in the eastern sky and all the rest of the summer and fall it came higher and brighter and bigger until it seemed to cover the whole sky with its long sweeping tail. According to the description of the destruction of Jerusalem a comet shaped like a sword stood over the city a whole year. The first World War broke out in 1914, just four years after Halley's comet hung over the world. The comet is due again in the 1980's and who knows what significance it will have. I often wonder if perhaps the one that stood over Jerusalem wasn't the Halley comet. Strange things happen in Nature. This year of our Lord marks the 200th anniversary of this great country that has been blessed so abundantly in every imaginable way. Great celebrations are being planned and huge sums of money are to be spent. I wonder if it all will be pleasing to God. This historic city of Frankenmuth was founded 131 years ago on the banks of the Cass River by a small band of German pilgrims who wanted to convert the Indians by word and example to become believing Christians. It was not to be, for they were a wild people and would rather stick to their way of life and so went westward. Only a few Indian children graves are left. The hard working pioneers cleared forest primeval and made of it a fruitful and beautiful countryside as more and more came over from the old country to settle down here. Now the fourth and fifth generation is reaping the fruits of their labor. The church that started as a log cabin has grown to a huge cathedral-like structure, and a showplace for tourists. God has indeed blessed this land but the people have wasted so much that God may take away the great abundance and send shortages and even poverty. Let the people repent and start being thankful to the Giver of all. "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is the downfall of any people." Prov. 14,34. The old pioneers called their settlement 'Frankenmuth' (Courage of the Franks), as indeed it took courage to leave a well settled life in their homeland and come to the wilderness of Michigan and make a home among the Indians. As far as I know there is only one Frankenmuth in the world. One thing I'll have to talk of yet and that is music. What a wonderful gift of God it is that man can make music of all kinds, all the way from Brahm's Lullaby to Handel's great, majestic Hallelujah Chorus. Those composers truly were gifted and in- spired to be able to create such marvelous works. It just occur- red to me that of all creatures God created, man and birds are the only ones that have the gift of song. I can remember so well the many song birds we had in my homeland and how wonderful it