The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-01-11 00:00:00

MOR.AVIAN mrssioNt

The United Brethren, commonly called Mora.
visits, are, comparatively, little known in this coma.
try. Their Missions among the Heathen, how-
ever, have recently attracted much attention. not
only as models of what such establishments should
be, bat as proofs how effectually the rudest barba-
rians may be civilised by being christianized.
Wherever the Brethren have preached the Gospel
among the Savages, they have introduced the arts of
social life; and wherever the Gospel has been re-
ceived. those Savages have undergone a wonderful
renovation in moral and religious sentiment, iu per.
sonel conduct, appearance. and intellect.
The commendation due to the Moraviami, on
these accounts, has been liberally awarded, slot
only by eselightened travellers'. who have occasion-
ally visited their remote settlements, and been
struck with wonder ou beholding the comfortable
habitations, the happy circumstances, the humble
demeanour, and the fervent piety of the converts
from Paganism, whether Greenlanders, &qui-
moue, North American Indians, Negroes, or Hot-
tentots; but by the Governments of i:te Colonies
where their Missionaries have been stationed, who►
have borne the most favourable testimony to the
benign influence of their labours upon the state of
society In the neighbourhood of their congrega-
tions, mid have extended to them the most indul-
gent protection.
The ancestors of the Moravian Brethren had been
a Church of Martyrs fur many ages before the
Reformation. Originally destesoleml f the Sala-
voilian branch of the Greek Church, they never um-
plicitly submitted to the authority of the l'uFe,
though their Prince?, from the year 967, adhered
to the Romani communion ; but they resulutely re-
tained the Bible in their hoods, end performed their
Church Service accordnag to the ritual of their
fathers, and in their then tongue. For these
heresies, as they were deemed, they were persecuted
without mercy. and almost without itotrinission ;
many were punished with death, more with time
spoiling of their gods, mil multitudes with impri-
*moment and exile. Among these Coufessors and
Martyrs in the fourteriath century appeared John
Huss. who 3f 34 condemned to the flames as an
Heretic. During the war that ensued after his
death. the Church of the United Brethren, under
its present name, was formed by those who chose
rather to suffer 34 witnesses of the truth, than to
defend the truth with weapons of worldly warfare.
A bloody Decree was issued against them at the
Diet in 1 atia, raid commanded to be read from all
the pulpits its the land.
The prisms rat Bohemia were crowded with the
member* of their Church, mid their first Bishop,
remained jam close confinement until the
I death of the King rodiebnol. Many perished in
sleep dungeon* wit ff hunger ; others were MM.
manly tortured; the remainder fled to the thickest
forests. where, fearing to be betrayed in the day
e, they kindled their tires at night. round
which they spent their bows in reading the Scrip-
tures and in devotion. When they afterwards ob.
tamed some respite from persecution, they were
the first people who employed the newly-isivented
art of printing for the publication of the Bible in
a hying tongue, aid three edi►ions of the &Annie:it
Scriptares were lamed by them before the Repo-
station. When Luther. Melanctlion. Bucer, ■rid
Calvin, at length arose to testify more successfully
than they had been able to do, against the errors
mud usurpations or the Church of Rome, to each
of these illustrious men the Brethren submitted
their doctrinal tenets, their Church discipline,
arid the records of their affairs, and from each
in their turn they received aasurances of cordial
approbation, and the kindest encouragement.
But as the Reformation did not penetrate into
the recesses of Bohemia and Moravia, they had
to suffer renewed and aggravated persecution, till
towards the chose of the 17th century they were so
broken up, hunted down, and scattered abroad,
that they ceased to be known publicly us an exist-
ing church. Their devotions, at the peril of life
and liberty, wrie performed by stealth is private
dwellisigs. iu deep forest?, and in lonely caverns, a
few'ooly daring to assemble at one place and at one
time. Previous to this dispersion, their Bishop,
Amon Cutneuius, use of the most distinguished
scholars of that age, published a history of the
Brethren, with a dedication (which he called his last
will sod testament) to the Chinch of ENgluted, be-
queathing to it the memorials of his people in the
followiug affecting terms :—'" by the grace of
God. there bath been found in us (as wise and god-
ly men have sometimes thought) anythiug t►ue,
•oythiug honest, anything just, anything lovely,
anything pure and of good report—if any virtue
and any praise—care must. be taken that it may not
die with us when we die ; mud at least, that the very
foundations of our Church be not buried under its
present ruins, so that generations to come may not
know where to look fur them; and, indeed, this
care is taken, mid provision is made on this behalf;
by oar trust committed to your hands."
Sixty years after this period the Church of the
Brethren was raised, as it were. from the dead, by •
union intended to crush its last reinniout iu
persecution intcumukd to crush its last reunumut in
Moravia. Some families flying from thence, found
refuge on the estates of Count Zinzesidorf. in
Lusatia, where they built a humble village (Kenn-
but), which is now the principal settlement of the
Brethren. As their countrymen joined them. their
coogrqptions gradually multiplied through Ger.
many, and a few were established in Denmark,
Sweden, Russia, Holland, and North America.
The Brethren first appeared iu England about the
middle of the let century, where (though the most
malignant caluinuies were circulated against them)
in the simplicity of conscious innocence they laid
their case before Parliament. Their doctrines, dis-
cipline, character, amid history, were scrupulously
examined iu Committees of both Houses. and
• Bill exempting them from taking oaths and
bearing arms was carried with the unanimous
consent of the Bishops; indeed all opposition
to it was abandoned after the final investige.
Lion of their claims, and they were fully acknow-
ledged to be an ancient Protestant and Episcopal

• Vide throw's Trarels in .Smithern .Ifeien, vol. i.
p. 308, 372--Aau Lichtensleiai'l l'earais in the same 1.1111111-
try—printed evidence taken before the Privy Council via the
Alsolitiun of the Slave 'Evade, in 1789-ISr/inn Edirtirds't
History if the &W WI Was( &c,

Church °.—The trethren have at pre►ent ►everal
congregations in England, Scotland, and Ireland,
bat their numbers are every where small, and
their ability of supporting the work of enlightening
the Heathen very slen,ler. If it could be ascer-
tained how ranch they have done, and with how little
means, the world might be held is wonder and ad-
miration, hut they themselves would ascribe the
whole to the blessing of the Almighty : no incon-
siderable portion of these small means has been
furnished by the occasional bounty of Christians of
other denominations.

IVhen the Moravian refugees, on Count Zen-
, zendorff's estate, scarcely amounted to Gun ; when
they had only just found rest from suffering thew-
' selves, and were beginning to build a church and
habitations where there had previously been a de-
sert; their desire to promote the spiritual and tem-
poral welfare of Heathen nations', became, to power-
ful, that in the short period of eight or nine years.
they Pent Missionaries to Greenland, to the Indians
and Negroes in North and South America ; to many
of the West India Islands ; to Lapland, to Tat-
tory, to Algiers, to Guinea, to the Cape of Good
Hope, to Ceylon and Niccobar Islands, to Persia,
and to Egypt.
In 1732, pitying the misery of the Negroes in the
West Indies. two Brethren sailed to the Danish
bland of St. Thomas, and such was their devoted-
ness to the work, having heard that they could not
have intercourse with the slue, unless they them-
selves becatue slaves, they went with that full pur-
pose, that they might hive the oppo-tunity of
teaching the poor Africans the way of deliverance
front Heathen darkness and ruperatition. Though
not called upon in the event to make this sacrifice,
they had for many yews to labour for their bread
tinder a tropical sou, while every hour of leisure
Wag employed in instructing the Heathen. The
fruits of their zeal and perseverance in due time ap-
peared ; and in the %Vest Indies (Danish and Bri-
tish) there are now more than 11,000 Negroes join-
ed to the Brethren's congregations, and a vast num-
ber have entered into eternal rest, stedfirst ►n the
Christian faith. Not a step behind these its ardour
and self-denial. were the first Missionaries that
went to Greenland in 1733. These were pluist men.
who knew only their native tongue. and who, in or-
der to acquire one of the most harbsroas dialects on
tie earth, had to leant the Danish language first.
that they might avail themselves of the Grammar of
Mr. Eger's% a Danish Missionary then in that comm.
try. Now the principal part of the population of
Greenland has Lecome Christian; the state of so-
ciety is wonderfully changed, and instruct inn is nt
least a universal in that inhospitable region as in
our own country. In 1734, wine Brethren went
among the Indians of North America. Their la-
bours, their trials, their sufferings, and their sue-
cess, were extraordinary, even in missionary history.
Many thousands of these ►oving and turbulent sa-
vages, of all others the most haughty and 'lmmo-
able, were converted from the errors of then way.,
and 'domed the doctrines of God their Saviour,
both in their lives and by their deaths. On
one occasion, 96 men, women, and children being
treacherously made prisoners by white banditti,
were scalped and tnmahawked in cold blood, and,
according to the testimony of their murderers, with
their latest breath gave affecting evidence of their
faith; at another time eleven Missionaries, male
and female, were burnt alive in their dwellings, or
massacred and threwu back into the flames, in at-
tempting to escape, by a troop of Indians, in the
French service ; i►► the late war, also, the Bre-
thren.' settlement at Fairfield, in Canada, was
plundered and burnt to the ground by the American
army under General Harrison. A Missionary and
his wife accompanied the Christian Indians on their
flight, who endured fur two years the most deplora-
ble privation, with unshaken rerignati ))))) thankful
to God that they had yet the breath of life, and the
means of grace, where they had scared) any other
comfort left.

In 1737, C;eorge Schmidt settled in South
Africa, and built himself a bur, end cleared a piece
of ground near Sergeant's River. Finding it im-
possible to learn the Hottentot language, he set re.
solutely upon the task of teaching the Barb:a-
rias), his own. Ile soon so won the affection of this
rude people, that they became willing scholars,
and made proficiency in learning to rind the &nip-
tures. In the course of seven years, he baptised
seven persons, who guys proof of their sincere
conversion. But owing to some difficulties that
arose at thut period, he went to Europe, to
obtain *mist:nice, and to procure powers from
the Dutch Government to pursue his peaceful Ali.
nistry. These were denied, end ha was never per-
mitted to go bsck to the Colony ; for 50 years, ac-
cording to human apprehension, his labours seem to
have beau lost, end his incessant supplications to the
moment of his death (for he was found a corpse
in the act of prayer) unanswered. Brit at the end
of that interval, the Brethren were enehled to send
three men of like spirit with Geo. Schmidt, to
the Cape of Good Hope, with permission of the
Dutch Government. They found the spot which
he had cultivated ; the ruins of his hut were yet
visible, but his garden ins rim to waste, mod the
whole valley was such • haunt of wild beasts that it
was called Bovisuis Ckqf (Babowes (flea.) The
new Missionaries, however, took possession of it, ea.
pelted these intruders, gathered the Hottentots to
hear the Word of God, and taught their children
to read it under the shadow of a magnificent pear-
tree, planted by their predecessor, which was still
in full vigour and bearing. But this tree and
its fruit were not all that remaiued of the good
men's labours; au aged blind woman, who had been
Deo of his converts, being traced out. produced
Dutch Testament, which lie bad given her when he
left Africa, and which she had kept as her greatest
treasure, carefully wrapt up-in two sheep skins.—
A young Hottentot woman was in the habit of
reading occasionally from this book to her ; and this
young woman became one of the earliest convert.
of the three Brethren. In that place there is now a
flourishing congregation of Hottentots, and at •
considerable distance another, which is also greatly
prospering. A third Kttlentent has been lately
begun ander the encouragement of the British Ga-

• See Jaaraals of Ily! Howe of Commons, awl Arts
20 Geu. 11 cap. 41 ; and l 2 Gen. 11. c op. 30 ; ailsu a Congra.
fainfory teller Gum Arelobi,!tup Niter to one of Shaw
lio•itot. on the °coition of his Consecration, written in
Latin (with a translation), in Cranes History of Om United
lircarert—Prcrace.

sernmeiit. The two (omit., accordir.g to the te;-
timony' of both friends and eue►nies of Missiot►nry
exert►ons, are like beautiful gardens in the midst
of a wilderness ; and the Hottentots themselves are
as much changed in their manners and winds, as
the face of their country has Leen improved by in-
dustry and skill.
The Brethren h:ive various Missions in other parts
of the Globe; the following is • Table of the
whole :

COUNT!: I FS.

I AMONG THE NEGRO SLAVES.
Danish West ',Adige Island,.
! 46
Si . Croix
St.J.en
British West India Islands.
Jamaica

Autitutt
Barba bra
St. Kith .. ...
Swath America

♦NONG THE HOTTENTOTS.

South Africa, sear Cape of GundS
Hope
AMONG NATIVE. INDIANq.
North America
Cout of Labrador
Grecolaud

AMONG TOO CALMUCK TANTARf.
ittosiasa .►.ia

TOTH

1754
1756
1617
1765
177:a
17311

PM. ?
1741 i 5
I ISIS

1714
1761
1733

1765

• .;
4.

"?.

For many years the burden of pecuniary expense
attending their missions, bas been more than the
Brethren have been able to bear; hot the successive
occupation of their principal settlements, as the
head quarters of the hostile armies in 1813, brought
their affairs to the verge of rune.
The Committee in London " For the Relief
of the German Sufferers," felt it an imperative
duty to afford their assistance, in order to avert the
extrtsmity of distress to which they were exposed •.
It is not therefore surprising, that the Mission
Funds should have been so reduced as to have
been scarcely sufficient to support the families
of the ;Missionaries that are maintained by
them, and the aged and infirm who have retired
from labour—or that the Brethren should he
at the present time dependant upon other
communities of Christians for the preservation
tt the existence of their 111ssionaries abroad. Not-
withstanding these discouragement*, they unob-
trusively persevere in simplicity and humility, trust-
ing that he who said to his disciples, when he sent
them forth to teach all nations, Lo ! I tun with
you always, even unto the end of the world," will
nut leave them destitute of the means of continuing
to promote the itligious and temporal benefit of
the various Clock• that they have been the instru-
tnents of rescuing from the dominion of the degrad-
ing vices and auperstiti of the Heathen world,
awl of leading into tlft paths of industry and peace.

• See printed Report of the Committem fur the Relief of
Distrraara in Germany, I. 1:4 Rep. p 8; td Rep. p. 6 •nd 7.

SP.I.VISM ARMIES.

STATEMENT Of TUE FORCES SENT FROM SPAIN AGAINST
14IE iARIOUS P05%14 OY SOOT'S AMERICA, SINCE THE
(OMNI NCLMENT Ow NM, llr TO THE PRESENT TIME.

lu the beginning of 1813, General IPDonnujon,
*lieu Minister at War, laid before the Cortes, in
cumpliauce to their order, a detailed account of
the troops sent ut Sonth America since 1810, the
tacial returns of shich were...
Is 1813 and 14, went over to .Monte Video, in dif-
ferent divitinns, and were taken by the Buenos
Ayres army on the surrender of that place
lit 1815, palled from Cadiz the invincible Armada of
General Alorillu, against the Provinces of Vene-
zuela

Slimily- after Brigadier-General Minaret) lauded Pit
Vera Cruz, with
In the course of the saute year arrived at Callao de
Lima, the regisarnts of Ta'aware, Zarogoza,Cas.
and America, earn 800 strong
Is 1816, Governor Cienfuegos took with him to
Bavanah
iti April, 1817, trilled front Cadiz to Venezuela ..... 2,600
At various period., and to Keit.. Rico, and even-
tually against Venezuela 9,000
In Nay, IPII7, left Cadiz fur P. ~,1
la May, ISIS, left Cadiz fur u

41,000

In lhii amount are not 'minded small pulite will
out in sorb merchant vessel, according to tonnage,
awl sailors prissril by the various Governors, MI
rated at

Tutu seat against Snail America

MEETINGS OF CREDITORS AT GUILDHALL,

TO-MORROW.

N. H.

J.Joaors, Isle of Neulate•slrret, lore.manafachwer 3 10
IV. C. Timmer', Great imarn-bereet, dealer 3 10
R. TuvrewrieJ, jos. Altlerminhary, merasat ..... 3 10

J. Hari, We at Soullsamptuu, grorer ...... 2 U
W. Bryant, Grerawicb, coach-master 1 I

DIVIDENDS.
J. Joseph, late of Ratcliffe-highway, slopeeller lO
A. Dewily, Gower-street, builder
A. Henry, late of Finsbury-square, merchant lO
T. Hedges, sew. Ow Bailey, (wafer:flower ...
T. Thsehlay and Co Greenwich. linen-drapers ..... . 11
.1 Dssigl ..... , Uganda&ll street, !enchant.... ...... 1
%V. Smith, Llizforthstreei, irouniuoger lt