The Schoolmaster of Stockach

1816 was a year of real hardship. In November, my husband and I traveled to Tübingen to sell our goods at the market. The proceeds were meager, and the weather was extremely poor.

Evening was approaching, and my husband didn’t want to spend the night in the town of Ofterdingen, so we set off toward the village of Stockach.

After a row of three or four houses, the hamlet split into two alleys. My husband chose one, and I the other. Whoever found lodging first was to come and get the other. After inquiring at the third or fourth house, a woman told me that she might be able to offer us lodging, but we should first ask the schoolmaster. If he couldn’t take us in, we could come back to her.

On the way, I ran into my husband. He asked, “Did you find a place to stay?”

“Not quite yet, but I was sent to ask the schoolmaster,” I replied.

“I just came from there. He’s willing to take us in,” said my husband.

We were received warmly. In the heated living room, we took off our wet clothes, which were then hung up to dry. In the meantime, the schoolmaster and his wife gave us clothing to wear. After the exhausting days we’d had, the conversation with the teacher was so refreshing to us.

Eventually, the table was set, but there was only a thin soup. We received the first servings, followed by four or five children, who each got a smaller portion. In the end, only a little was left for the schoolmaster and his wife. When the children noticed this, they offered to share their food with their parents. But the parents said, “Eat what you have—we have enough.” The schoolmaster then asked the children if they felt full. One child said that it had enough, another said that it would be fine to wait until tomorrow. Then he turned to us: “See, dear folks, the good Lord can satisfy us even with a little. If we had more, we would gladly have given you more. But the One who fed five thousand with five loaves can also satisfy us with five spoonfuls of soup.”

I was truly shocked by their extreme poverty and felt regret that we had eaten their meager supper.

“Do you really have nothing else in the house?” I asked.

“Nothing,” said the wife, “absolutely nothing.”

We were even more alarmed. “But what will you do tomorrow, if you have nothing left?” I asked.

The schoolmaster replied, “I don’t worry about that. I’ve entrusted my needs, my wife, the children, and everything we require to the Lord—and I am in good spirits. If He sees that we need something, He will provide for us.”

We were amazed, and I was nearly moved to tears. My husband was also deeply touched, and he felt very drawn to this faithful man. The schoolmaster soon noticed what my husband was lacking inwardly. He spoke kindly but earnestly to him. He urged him to place his trust in God and the Savior. The man also testified that HE had never let him down.

At the end of the evening, our sleeping arrangements were prepared. Straw was laid on the floor and blankets were spread over it. We couldn’t fall asleep for a long time. When the schoolmaster and his wife were already sound asleep, I heard my husband sigh, “Ah, this schoolmaster! I can’t stop thinking about him. I’ve never met such people!”

I thought to myself, “Oh, if only we could be more like them!” And then, suddenly I remembered the goods we had purchased and brought back from Tübingen. I said to my husband, “What if I make breakfast tomorrow? We have coffee, sugar, and two loaves of bread. I’m sure we can find some milk.” My husband agreed, and finally we fell asleep.

The next morning, the schoolmaster and his wife got up early. When he came into the room, I immediately offered to prepare breakfast—provided he could get some milk. It was quickly obtained, and soon everything was ready.

After the schoolmaster prayed and sincerely gave thanks he said, “Didn’t I tell you: If the Lord sees that we need something, it will be provided? And now it’s here—it was already in the house; I just didn’t know it.”

As we prepared to leave after breakfast, I couldn’t help but ask the schoolmaster what they would eat for lunch, since there was nothing left in the house. He answered cheerfully, “The dear Lord has already taken care of that—you needn’t worry. I, at least, have no anxiety. By lunchtime, something will surely be here.”

He accompanied us a short way and showed us a path through the field which would shorten our journey. Before parting, he exhorted my husband to trust in God and to live in the fear of the Lord.

As we reached the top of a hill, my husband, who had spoken little until then said: “That is a godly man—if only all people were like him!”

As we descended the slope, we met a man pushing a handcart. A few steps ahead of us, he stopped, wiped the sweat from his brow, and greeted us as we passed. We saw that his load consisted of two full sacks. Curiously, I turned and asked, “Is it heavy?”

“Yes, indeed,” he replied.

“Don’t misunderstand me, but where are you headed?”

“To Stockach,” he replied.

“What are you transporting?”

“All sorts of things: bread, flour, potatoes, barley, beans, and so on.”

“Are you going to sell that at the market?”

“Oh no—a poor, but godly schoolmaster lives there in Stockach. In these hard times, he and his children probably don’t have much to eat.”

We were stunned by his words. The man looked at us questioningly, not understanding our reaction. We then told him what we had just experienced with the schoolmaster. The man listened with emotion. Finally, he said, “But now I must hurry, so the schoolmaster and his children have something warm on the table by lunchtime.” He slung the strap of his cart over his shoulders and pushed on.

What a touching example of deep faith in God’s love and provision this experience with the schoolmaster of Stockach was. Despite complete poverty, he trusted that God would not forsake him—and indeed, the Lord provided for him and his household in a wonderful way. It brings to mind the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:31–33: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’… But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.“