David Reichel
Rt. 1, Bruce, Wisconsin
January 21, 1937

Dear brother Jacob Reichel and family,

May God and our Lord, Jesus Christ have mercy on you and grant you peace. Amen.

Dear brother, the most important thing I have to report is that we arrived home happy and well, thanks be to God and praise Him, in the evening of Friday the 14th of this month. Everything arrived in good shape, thanks be to God and praise Him. We hadn't had any snow but since then it has snowed a lot. The snowplow went through today. Have also already [illegible]. It's $89.50. Isn't too bad. Our Frieda also arrived home in good spirits. Catarinliß's son, Andreas, also came up.

So warmest regards to your whole household from us. All of us, young and old send our best to everyone who knows us and asks about us. You dear child, Herman, have the most to do on our account. I'd like to send you something you'd like. Maybe I can find out your birthday. Farewell until we joyfully meet again.

Now, we have become righteous through our faith and so we know peace through God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Dear brother, read Collo. 2:16-23. And so let no one now [illegible]. Read also Galatians 4:9-11 and 5:13-15. Also read Romans 14:1-12.

Now dear brother Jacob, I don't want you to think that I'm trying to show you the way, but you seem to think I think I know the scriptures but don't really understand them. I regret that you can't seem to see the forest for the trees and that you both are subservient to each other through the fear of God [??]. "Wives (women) are to [illegible] their husbands as they would the Lord." And in another place, "Women are to remain silent at [meetings?] they should not be permitted to speak but are to act subserviently as the law says, (etc.)". Dear sister-in-law and also sister, don't think I'm trying to show you the way or teach you a lesson. No, I have enough problems of my own. I only want to point out to you what the Bible says. Read Isaiah 42:2-3 and Matthew 12:18-20 how the Lord worked in quiet ways. He could have moved their hearts, but he worked silently instead of talking as many people think is often necessary. I have seen the Light and now the Holy Ghost must call to those driven to desparation for fear of Hell. Do not grieve, I send you my love and warm regards.

To Mrs. Sofie.

I wanted to direct a few words to you, dear sister-in-law and sister Sophie -- a few Bible verses. It is written "Do not repay anger with anger or scorn but rather with a blessing, etc. The same shall also apply to women so that they will not believe in the power of words alone but rather recognize that change may take place without words as well." But it is also written what the men should do. "Instruct your women in quiet ways and to obey. Do not allow a wife to instruct nor to rule over her husband. She should, instead, be silent, for Adam was created first and Eva after him."


[The Frieda mentioned in the second paragraph is likely David's daughter. It is not clear who Catarinliß and Andreas refers to. David had a daughter named Katheryn, but we do not know is she had any children. The reference could also be to Katherine (Reichel) Busch who had a son named Andrew.]