The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1871-11-17
CORRESPONDENTS.
o.
Sketch Of the Early History Ofthe
MOraVianS.

LAFAYETTE CoLLEGE, EAsToS Pa. Nov.
9th lS7l.-Doar Editor In my last /
promised, in connection with Bethlehem
the MorAviAn town IN Northampton coun-
ty, Co give n few facts in connection with
the history of the United Brethren church.
In the ninth century, n sister Of the king
OF Bulgaria, was carried 30 COnstantinople
as a prisoner and became christian; and
through her means, on her return 70 her
native land, church. Of which the king of
Moravia and Duke of Bohemia were them-
bcrs, was established, a part Of these
churches were forced into the Roman
church, but select few refused 10 bow the
knee and do homage 20 tho power al
Rome.
This little remnant, adhering tc the sim
plo doctrines OF the primitive church, suf-
fercd many prosecutions for several centu'
ries and were at last permitted 10 live in -
wasted province Of Moravia. Here they
established church in 1867, on what they
the Rule and Law OF Christ
and finally called themselves "Unitas
Fratrium," or United Brothorn."
They were pure and sound evan
RelicAl church century before the
of Luther, and were hot in in
innate connection with the Waldcness.
who have been preserved uncorrupted from
the days Of the apostles. In lI25 they re-
moved to Georgia and established mis-
sions; but refusing 81 take up arms IN de-
fence of tho colony, were Obliged 20 leave
and sought an asylum in the peaceful do
mains of William Penn, about tho year
1889. Rev. George Whiteaeld, who had
laborod IN conjunction with them IN Gcor-
gin, had begun to erect nllarge building IN
the Forks of the Deloware,' a. q school
for negro children, 60 which he gave the
I. IL IA
Bretheren undertook 90 finish the building,
though attended with great danger-thc
Indians refusing To quit the country and
threatened 10 murder them; they were
compelled e. leave IL in lIi0. Some time
after the Brsthorn purchased the Manor
house, at Nazareth, from Mr. Whitfield,
and finished the house.
Bethlehem and Nazareth continued 90 in
crease and prosper; new Brethren came
from other stations to labor here, and
many believing Indians were baptized.
Bethlehem became n central and controll-
ing station from which the Bretaern took
instruction from the elders on their depart
tures from time TO time, for the different
out-po 4ts of the mission on the upper Lc-
high, Susquehanna and eventually in the
distant wilds OF the Allegheny and Ohio
rivers, Little Villages of christian In
dians, Huts Of Grace, Huts Of Mercy, Huis
of peace were organized at various points.
So frequent were the visits Of the mis-
sionaries and christian Indians TO Susque-
HANNA, that II beaten path was soon run
across Nescopeck mountains, between
Gnadenhutten and Wyoming. Among
those baptized in 1850 was one La. deus
cund, called honest John by the English
His baptism was delayed some time because
ofhis wavering disposition, buthaving been
once present at baptism, he said to one Of
the Brethern II am distressed that the
time is not yet come that shall be baptized
in the blood of Christ. He received the
sacrament soon after, but finally showed
that the doubts of the missionaries, con
cerning his steadiness, were too well foun-
ded. He was like II reed shaken with the
wind, and when a scheme was laid 10 in.
duce the, christian Indians to remove out
of the settlement, in order that the 9TH
ere might fall upon the Brethren with the