FAREWELL TO REFORM 283pieces of prose writing written for Die Republik der Arbeiter in
1853, Weitling spoke of the "faith and power to do good" which
is the holiest of all men's possessions and of the ability to gather
new strength by mobilizing the resources of faith, hope, and love
which are part of the universe and of every person's inner self.
This was the essence of his religion, and this he tried to convey to
his children. He grew weary in his mature years of what he
called "the eternal chatter about God, Bible and priests" in which
so many radical freethinkers among the German immigrants in
dulged. He was never sure whether what man called God does or
does not exist; yet he faced the uncertain future with about as
much confidence as most other men. He was not concerned with
immortality and was wont to say with Faust: "Nach drüben ist
die Aussicht uns verrannt."
As soon as he had a home Weitling spent most of his time there
with his family. There is no evidence that he ever belonged to a
singing society, or a skat club, or to any of the other social organi
zations which were so popular with the German-Americans. He
needed little recreation and had little money to spend for it. He
found whatever happiness and peace of mind he had in working
on inventions and puzzling over the mysteries of the stars. Oc
casionally he attended a German play in the Stadttheater of New
York or a concert of one of the German musical societies. On
Sundays and holidays he would spend hours on a boat ride or
walking with his wife and sister-in-law and the children in the city-
parks. As far as we know, he did not bowl or fish or spend time at
cards or chess. He was temperate in his habits and did not smoke.
Occasionally, he took his family for Sunday dinner to the Shake
speare Hotel, the scene of so many German-American activities,
or for a ride on the horsecars, or on the ferry to the New Jersey
side to stroll about in Jersey Heights and Hoboken. Many Sunday
afternoons were spent in Tompkins Square Park in the German
neighborhood on Avenue A between Seventh and Tenth Streets
known as Der Weisse Garten. The only membership Weitling
held was in the Custom Tailors' Union, whose annual picnic in