Who was Brother Melchior Rasp?

Brother Melchior Rasp was born in Salzburg, Austria, in 1715. Little is know about him early in his life apart from the facts that he was brought up Roman Catholic, worked in the salt-works and became a master mason. As an adult he aimlessly cast about through Europe but in 1741 he had a Christian awakening and joined the Unity of the Brethren (Moravians). 

He came to America in 1750. 

Sadly, in 1755 he fell away from the Lord and is recorded by the community as being in "distressing condition." Thankfully, in due course he was restored to the Lord and the Holy Communion. 

He originally lived in Bethabara, the original Moravian village in North Carolina, and was one of the initial workers to migrate to and help build the new village of Salem. 

In 1766 he fell while making his way from Bethabara to Salem. Unfortunately, the stem of his pipe pierced his throat - nearly fatally. It was said that he never fully recovered. As if that is not sufficient physical upheaval he was hit in the face with a stone causing the loss of sight in one eye - to add insult to injury scalding water was spilled on his foot, limiting his mobility. From then on he deteriorated in body and mind.Yet, through all this he wept when thinking of God's grace in calling him to be with the Moravians. At age 70 he passed into eternity. This verse was being sung by his bedside:

"Amen, Amen, sings he now,
There where the departed rest:
He has brought me to His side,
Lamb of God, who for me died."  

There is a way that believers, Moravian and otherwise, are meant to view their death and the death of all followers of Jesus. With Scripture as our guide we can say Christians may and should view death differently than the non-believer does. We see this reflected in an entry of the Salem Congregation Diary, dated March 21, 1785.

"Half an hour after noon there was a funeral of our brother Melchior Rasp. Brother Koehler spoke on the text ... 'this is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24. 

The Diary continues: "Brother Rasp had this beautiful text for the day of his homecoming and the children of Jesus may rightly say this concerning their own homecoming days."