Brethren Archive

Seven Little Girls in Heaven

by John Leche Kraushaar




Comments:
Tom said ...
Anyone know who J.L.K. was? Wrote other childrens book too ...
Thursday, Mar 29, 2018 : 17:04
Timothy Stunt said ...
Assuming that all these stories were written by J.L.K., these initials must be a pseudonym for Emma Frances Bevan. From the details in 'Story of Ada' it is evident that it is an account of the short life of Ada Frances Bevan (1857-61) the first child of EFB. "T_____ Park" was the home of the Bevan family. Many of Mrs Bevan's hymns were published anonymously over the initials of the houses where she was staying at the time (P.G. for 'Princes Gate'; C.P.C for 'Chalet Passiflora, Cannes') but I have no idea from where the initials J.L.K. originated. Timothy Stunt
Friday, Mar 30, 2018 : 01:15
Tom said ...
Thanks, that's very interesting.

Other books written by them are at least,
A Voice of Flowers
Missionary Stories

Also CBA lists a "The tabernacle in the wilderness" by J.L.K.

Friday, Mar 30, 2018 : 18:04
Nick Fleet said ...
Yes, the initials "P.G." gave rise to the assumption that some of her hymns were translations from Paul Gerhardt's German (for example, 'Midst the darkness, storm, and sorrow,
One bright gleam I see'). Her hymn "From the palace of His glory" was written at "T.P.", as Timothy has said, this was "Trent Park" near Barnet - an enormous mansion (used partly during WWII in a similar way to Bletchley Park).
Friday, Mar 30, 2018 : 20:01
Nick Fleet said ...
It may be that "J.L.K." is only the author of the last of the seven accounts in the book (as well as the verse beginning "Oh, she's reached the sunny shore"). At the end of the third account it has "P.", evidently someone else. Very touching stories, though (albeit coloured by the social attitudes of the day). There is a similar book, by the same publisher/printers, entitled "Seven Little Boys in Heaven..."
Friday, Mar 30, 2018 : 23:03
Timothy Stunt said ...
The estate became Trent Park Training College after WWII and in a series of metamorphoses became Middlesex Polytechnic (1970s) and Middlesex University (1990s).
The JLK initials are perplexing. In addition to JLK's 'The Tabernacle in the wilderness', there was an identical title by W G Rhind and both titles (with different authors) were published by W H Broom in 1860. Broom also published an edition of 'The Story of Ada' with the name of Mrs Bevan given as the author. JLK is also given as the author of 'Madagascar and its Martyrs' (1842) a missionary book for children (but not published by Broom!) I am guessing that JLK may have stood for something like 'Juvenile Learners' Keepsake'. There were quite a lot of 'Juvenile Keepsakes' produced at the time... Timothy Stunt
Friday, Mar 30, 2018 : 23:21
Nick Fleet said ...
Google books has one called "An argument for the Divine Authentication of the Scriptures." [By J. L. K., i.e. J. L. Kraushaar.]

From the website <http://famtrees.info/sagatext.htm#bdm>

John Leche Kraushaar ("JLK"), 1819-1899, ... For five years (1829-33), JLK attended St. Georg German Lutheran Church School, so he would have been fluent in German. ... With a view to ordination, he studied Greek and Latin at London University where he was president of the debating society. ...
JLK joined the London City Mission in January 1852 and resigned on 31 Apr 1858, after serving six years. He joined the Plymouth Brethren and moved to various parts of the country ministering to the flock.
Friday, Mar 30, 2018 : 23:33
Timothy Stunt said ...
Hats off to Nick Fleet!! Thank you for tracking down this interesting man... The Kraushaar family web site is very well done and usefully puts JLK in his German immigrant/huguenot silk-working context. One wonders whether Georg Müller had any links with that community in the East end of London. Tom's question as to whether at the age of 22 he would have been writing books for children about missionaries poses a problem, but perhaps not an insuperable one! According to the 1841 census he was living with his father in Bethnal Green and is described as a 'commercial agent'. Ten years later (1851 census), he and his wife and children are living in the Marylebone/St Pancras region of London where he is described as a schoolmaster... Timothy Stunt
Sunday, Apr 1, 2018 : 05:56
Tom said ...
Agree with Nick that J.L.K. was only the author of the last story in this book.
Monday, Apr 9, 2018 : 18:42
Elizabeth said ...
I was given this book to read as a young child and it left an indelible mark on me. It seemed to be saying that good children were likely to be rewarded by an early death. I sensed the unspoken fear that the children in the stories were feeling and I knew that they had to pretend to love Jesus even if they were too young to understand. The alternative was Hell. It's not a good idea to terrify children into a state of false piety. The lethal combination of this type of belief system and the threat of the Silent Rapture destroyed my ability to trust in any kind of future.
I hope that the Brethren have changed what they teach and that they are no longer preaching such cruelty. The doctrines I grew up with were as far removed from true Christianity as it is possible to be.
Saturday, Sep 1, 2018 : 01:53


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