After the five happy years at Cassel, Elizabeth was appointed abbess of Herford by her cousin Frederick William, the Great Elector. This gave her jurisdiction over the ancient abbey and included many privileges and considerable wealth. She was now responsible to no one on earth but the emperor of the great empire. Soon after her arrival at Herford she thought of her old friend, Anna von Schurmann, whose last communication with her had been a warning about believing the doctrine of Descartes in opposition to the Bible. The warning had gone unheeded and the sweet friendship had lain forgotten through many long, unhappy years. Now Elizabeth knew the Savior of whom Anna had spoken with love and reverence. Now she, too, found in the Bible the satisfaction and joy that she could not find in the books of learning which had formerly been her delight.
She inquired about Anna and found that she was a member of a community of Christians living under the leadership of a powerful preacher, John de Labadie. They lived as nearly as possible after the manner of the Early Church, spending much time in prayer, meditation, and worship.
As a youth Labadie had been trained in a Jesuit college, but as he learned more and more from God's Word he felt burdened by the unscriptural and sinful practices of his fellow Jesuits. When he protested that such conduct was not in accordance with the Holy Bible he came into disfavor with his superiors and was finally released from the order. Then, with a freedom he had not known, he went about preaching the Word of God. Great crowds came to hear him, and many heard and believed the Gospel. He encouraged the people to secure and read the Bible, or at least the New Testament. The Jesuits were very bitter toward him and persecuted him constantly, driving him from place to place. He had many narrow escapes from death at their hands for they even secured a company of soldiers from Queen Anne of Austria to hunt him to the death. But everywhere he went he preached the love of God and salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
At one time Labadie was given refuge by Viscount de Castets, a Protestant nobleman, and here he lived quietly for two months. During that time he saw that the Protestant Castets lived such godly lives that his old prejudice against Protestantism was broken and he began to study the teaching of the Reformed Church. Before long he saw that among the Protestants he would be free preach and teach the truths for which he was hated and persecuted by the Jesuits, so he was received into the Reformed Church.
But here also he found many things which were not in accord with the Word of God as he knew it and he was often in controversy with those in authority. However, he could preach with a measure of freedom. He was invited to be the pastor of the French Reformed Church in London, and started on the journey to England. On his way he stopped at Geneva, the old stronghold of Protestantism, and found the city in a terrible condition. The meeting houses were almost empty; the taverns were filled; the Lord's Day was an occasion for feasting and drunkenness; gambling was the chief sport of the townspeople. Labadie decided to stop there instead of going to London.
God marvelously blessed the preaching of His Word and soon the city was changed. Now the taverns were almost empty and the crowds flocked to hear the sermons of this unusual preacher. Gambling became almost unknown; the trades people became honest and the magistrates, just. The Gospel was having the same effect on the people of Geneva that it had on Zacchaeus long ago; and for the same reason, because "the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." It would have the same effect on the people and on the cities of today if it were believed, for the Gospel is still the "power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”
As in the early days of the Church, Satan caused opposition when there were times of special blessing, so he did again. Many of the Reformed preachers became jealous of Labadie, then suspicious, then openly antagonistic. They did not agree with him in the doctrine that only those who were saved through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ should be allowed to partake of the bread and the wine at the Lord's Supper. They did not believe his teaching that the Lord Jesus was going to return some day. They did not like him, when he prayed, to express his own thoughts and needs to God, but thought he should use only the prayers in the prayer book that had been prepared. We know that according to the Bible, Labadie was right in many things.
In 1 Cor. 11:23, 2623For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: (1 Corinthians 11:23)
26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:26) we read how the Lord Jesus instituted, or started, the Lord's Supper. There we read that "the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come." Certainly one who did not know and believe in the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus for him could not see in the bread and the wine the testament of his Lord's sacrifice. God says in the same chapter: "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh [judgment] to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.”
He speaks of His coming again in that same passage for He says, "Ye do show the Lord's death till he come." The manner of His coming for His people is more fully shown in 1 Thess. 4:13-1713But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:13‑17) where we read: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." In many other Scripture passages we find the truth of His coming for His people.
When we pray, God wants us to speak to Him of what is in our hearts, for He says in Phil. 4:66Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6), "In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God," and in 1 Thess. 5:17, 1817Pray without ceasing. 18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:17‑18) He says, "Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks." Surely everything in our lives, all our reasons for rejoicing, all our cares and difficulties and needs, could not have been known to the men who wrote prayers in prayer books. Only God could know all these. Sometimes even we who are saved do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us.
Labadie had deep convictions as to his beliefs he would not stop preaching them, so the men of authority told him he would have to leave their organization. This he was ready to do for the Truth's sake, so with those of his congregation who believed as he did he started a community of Christians who had no name but were known only as Christians, and tried to live as nearly as possible like the early Christians lived in New Testament times.
Anna von Schurmann had heard of this group of believers and was drawn to them as their teaching was a deliverance from the deadness of the professing church at that time. She finally became one of them. She was vastly changed from the young woman who had delighted in this world's learning and acclaim. She realized that more important than anything in this life is the life to come.
The visit of Descartes many years before, had produced the desired effect in her life. She had turned more and more to the study of God's Word and now found sweet fellowship with Labadie and his congregation.
Such an assembly, however, was not in favor with most of the religious bodies of the day. Magistrates were aroused to issue edicts against them and they were compelled to move from one place to another. When Princess Elizabeth at her Abbey of Herford heard of them, she was deeply interested. After some acquaintance with them she invited the entire company to occupy the rambling old buildings of her estate. Here they could have complete freedom of worship under the rule only of Elizabeth and the Roman emperor.
They arrived at Herford on a cold, bleak November day, and what a mixed assembly it was! John de Labadie, the great preacher who was either dearly loved or bitterly hated by all who heard him; Anna von Schurmann, the wonder of the whole world for her great learning; ladies of high rank and large fortunes; trades people; tanners; cobblers; working people of all kinds. Elizabeth welcomed them warmly and said, "My house is open to all who love the Lord Jesus.”
Although Elizabeth was very cordial to the Christians, the people of Herford felt otherwise. They regarded the company as "awful Dutchmen," and "mad Quakers, "and pelted them with mud and refuse as they walked to the abbey. The next day a deputation from the mayor and town corporation called on Elizabeth to demand that she send her friends away immediately. She refused to even consider such a demand, so they sent an appeal to the Great Elector. Elizabeth had anticipated such a move and had obtained the consent of her powerful cousin before her guests arrived.
The company settled down to enjoy its freedom under Elizabeth's protection. There were many old buildings connected with the abbey which were furnished to accommodate them. They met together morning and night for prayer and Bible study. Sometimes Labadie taught them the Scripture lesson and occasionally one of the other men taught. They met together unmolested to break bread and partake of the cup of wine in remembrance of the Lord's death, at the same time looking forward to His coming again.
Not long after the Christians' arrival at the abbey, Elizabeth's sister, Sophia, came to visit her. Sophia did not know the Lord Jesus and did not delight in the study of His Word. She did not enjoy Labadie's preaching which classed her with common sinners and told her that she needed a Savior, the same Savior that would save all these common working people which her sister loved and she despised. Sophia refused to believe such a message, and lost no opportunity to ridicule and find fault both with the preacher and the congregation.
On one occasion she said to Elizabeth, "You are crazy to surround yourself with such rabble when you might entertain the royalty of the world if you chose. Do you forget that yours is royal blood?”
Elizabeth answered, "These are the royalty of heaven, a far higher line than our family has ever known. I feel honored by their friendship." Then said Sophia, "Remember that our mother was Elizabeth Stuart. And remember, too, that Queen Anne is getting old and has no heir. Have you ever thought that you might be chosen to be the next queen of England?”
Elizabeth replied that she was perfectly happy in her present condition and had no desire to become the queen of England. The throne and crown of England had no more appeal to her than the throne and crown of Poland had had many years before; perhaps not as much.
Great was Sophia's surprise at such a statement. She exclaimed, "You do not care to be the queen of England! If I could only know that 'Sophia, Queen of England' would be carved on my tombstone, I would be the happiest woman in the world.”
Years afterward Sophia almost realized that ambition. She was chosen to succeed Anne in the event of the latter's death, but Sophia died two months before Anne, and so her son became king and was known as George I. Although she could not be called queen of England, she was the mother of England's king.
In spite of the quiet, godly lives of Elizabeth's guests the people of the village refused to change their opinion of them and when, after a prolonged correspondence with Frederick William, the Great Elector, they understood that he would do nothing about sending away his cousin's friends, they sent an appeal directly to the emperor. That austere man sent Elizabeth a mandate to banish her friends at once from her property. This she ignored except to notify Frederick William that the council of Herford had scorned his authority.
An exchange of letters followed but the visitors were not molested further until they had been at Herford three and a half years. Elizabeth then went to Berlin to plead their cause in person. During her absence Labadie and his people decided not to cause more inconvenience and trouble to their beloved benefactress, so they gathered their belongings together and departed from Herford. They went to Altona, in Denmark, where the king had proclaimed religious freedom for all his kingdom.
There at Altona, Labadie died about a year and a half later, having given this testimony just before his death: "I thank and praise God for His countless benefits to one so unworthy; for which I adore Him and thank Him with my whole heart, and especially that by His Spirit and the mighty power of His grace He made me to be a Christian, and brought me to the knowledge of Himself, as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Further, that by His leading and guidance He has brought me to the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, and to the true worship of Himself in the Spirit.
“I desire also to bear witness that I believe in His divine Word as it has pleased Him to reveal it to us in the whole Bible, and especially in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, With my whole heart I attach my signature to this Word of God, dictated by Him through His Spirit, and by His Spirit understood and explained.
“And I would especially declare that the faith of which I speak is the faith of the latter years of my life.”
A year after his death, Anna von Schurmann also died, rejoicing to the last in her Savior.