The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-04-27
Tho NIorarIans.

The Morayian Church, says IN ex.
change, was first established in this
country by q colony Of the "United
Brethren from Herrnhut, in Saxony.
This colony went 10 Georgia in 1875,
but being opposed to bearing arms
against the Spaniards in Florida, with
whom FIVE years after war was declared,
they removed to Nazareth, on the Della.
ware River, and in 1741, having pur.
chased five hundred acres on tho Lehigh
River, commenced the settlement, to
which at Christmas OF that year Count
Zinzendorf gave the name OF Bothle-
hem.
It became q great centre Of mission
ary enterprise among the German set
tiers and Indians. With the latter the
Morayians were very successful, but
the various wars and the action Of un-
scrupulous whites at last put IN end to
the good work in Pennsylvania, as the
same influences have done ever since in
other parts of our country.
The Moravian religion is o simple
form OF Christianity. II originated in
the appearance Of some persecuted
Waldenses (exiles from Piedmont) in
Bohemia and Moravia, A. D. 1176. From
that time till the establishment Of the
church in America, the Moravians were
subject to the prosecutions OF the
Roman Catholics.
The service OF the Morayian Church
is impressive, accompanied by much
singing, and the occasional addition oi
string and wind instruments to the
organ accompaniment. The congrega'
tiou rises in prayer. Tho funeral core
monies are peculiar. When Moraviar
dies the trombone-players give funeral
marches and hymns from the churcl
steeple. By the music the initiated
can tell il the deceased be male or fe'
male, old or young, etc. At the grave.
yard, after services in the church, the
trombones head the funeral procession,
playing, and accompany the singers in
the services at the grave.
On Easter morning special services
arc held OF daybreak in the graveyard,
OF which the trombones assist. These
instruments also announce from the
steeple the loyefeasts, Of which there
are some for the brothers, the single
sisters, the children, etc., and others to
which all ore invited. At such times
the old church kitchen is inrequiSition,
and buns and hot coffee distributed,
with appropriate services.
The borough OF Bethlehem is pleas.
antly situated on the Lehigh at its
junction with the Monocacy, n small
but picturesque stream which rises in
the Blue Ridge.
There Is much that Is quaint mud in
teresting in the old buildings and In
stitutions of the Morayians, although
the flavor OF exclusiyeness has passed
away, and tho march Of improvement
is gradually destroying tho antique.
Churches OF various denominations
lift their spires above the embowcred
streets and houses, where forty years
ago enly Moravian doctriue was allow
ed. The establishment Of tho Beth
lehem Iron Works, the Lehigh Uni.
yersity, the Zinc Works, and Of the de-
pots OF three railroads, has materially
Iinteriered with the former exclusive
ness Of the sect, while adding immense
|ly to the prosperity and resources o.
The borough.
The dialect called Pennsylvania
Dutch is still in common use. There
are manypeople living in tho neighbor
ing farming districts whose parents
were born in this country, but who car
not speak English. These American
descendants Of the early Moravian set
tiers maintain the charming simplicity
OF manners by which their ancestors
were marked in the Old World. They
are temperate, virtuous, and industri'
Gus. To visit their village is like going
into new world, whose inhabitanti
are totally different from ourselves In
manners and customs; but they car
hardly be expected to maintain this
Arcadian simplicity.