Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-09-09
AN ANCIENT MONUMENT.


AN ANCIENT MONUMENT.
Carefully Studied by an Antiquarian.
Walking along Market street the other
day We observed in the wall Of the Mora
Wan church \ curious sculptured stone. II
was evidently once the corner -stOno of the
earliest MOravian church building, pre-
| served with pious care and elevated at y
comparatively recent period to its present
post OF honor. Though somewhat weather.
worn it still bears evidence Of having been
carved by a master hand. On an escutch-
con, beautifully decorated with scroll
work, stands the following inscription
1746
KYssET DEN SOHN, PISA. >.
GLORIA PLEURIE.
This is probably the most ancient mOnu-
not be amiss to consider briefly the circum-
stances which it was intended to common
Orate.
Count ZinzcndOrf, the most eminent
man in the history of the MOravian church,
had llbored hard to promote the establish
ment Of = confederation of the German
churches Of this country, to be called
The Congregation of God in the
Spirit" The plan was noble, and
if it had been successfully accomplished,
it might have been productive of immense
good. A number Of piOus ministers and
laymcn of the Lutheran, Reformed and
Mennonite denominations entered heartily
into the movement, and in conjunction
with the MOravians held a series Of synOds
which were largely attended. Though
ZinzendOrf was not the originator of this
movement, he soon became its leading
spirit, and he was, therefore, accused by
its opponents of seeking to bring all the
churches into the MOravian brotherhood.
The result, in q number Of Lutheran and
Reformed churches, was i conflict which
resulted in the withdrawal Of tho members
who sympathized with ZinzemlOrf, and
their subsequent organization into dis
tinctively MOravian congregations.
At this time the Rev. Mr.. Nyberg was
pastor of the Lutheran church Of Lancas-
ter. He was 4 native Of Sweden, but
preached German with extraordinary clO-
quencc. Vast multitulcs Of people flOcked
to his services, and it is even said that the
MennOnites came in large numbers from the
country to hear him preach. Thoroughly
devoted to the proposed union of the
churches, he was, however, regarded with
suspicion by u majority Of his cOngrega-
their denOminational peculiarities. Fin
ally, there came struggle which resulted
in the withdrawal of Nyberg, with eight
or ten of the wealthiest families Of his
congregation. These were joined by
several Reformed families who withdrew
from their church undar the influence Of
Rev. Jacob Lischy, u minister of similar
sentiments, who was ut that time pastor
of the Reformed church Of York, but who
had frequently preached in Lancaster.
The new congregation now formally cOn-
nected itself with the MOravian brother
hood, and in the spring Of 1746 erected .
stone church, which was tho finest in the
town.
In every grca. religious or political
movement there arc certain watch-wOrtls
which are regarded rs peculiarly charac-
teristic of the parties which employ them.
Of this character were the sentences which
tho new MOravian congregation, in the
first glow of its enthusiasm, placed upon
the corner stone. Though now somewhat
obscure, they wcro then perfectly intelli-
gible, and they seem to have been placed
on the corners stone in order that there
might be no misunderstanding with regard
to the position which the congregation
had assumed. The first sentence, "Kys-
set den S0An," means g Kiss the Son." It
is well-knOwn passage from the Psalms
and needs no further explanation. The
Latin phrase, Glorin Pleur0," signifies
"GlOry to the Side;;' that is: "Glory
to the wounded side of the Saviour"
Though both Of these sentences are emf
nently piOus, their appearance ON corner
stone is somewhat curious, and it is not
likely that they would he similarly EN-
plOyed at the present day.
To any one who has studied the church
history Of the last century the whole sub
jcct is, however, sufficiently plain. Among
a certain school Of German theOlOgians
there had been for long time fOndness
for employing the physical perfectiOns of
the Saviour as symbols Of spiritual truths,
and a tendency to dwell with peculiar de-
light on the minute enumeration of His
sufferings. In the course of time this ten
dency gave birth to a number of phrases,
which were perfectly innocent and ever de-
but which were popularity re-
garded as the peculiar property of the
party that employed them, and were
therefore rejected by their opponents.
Some Of these phrases were adopted by
certain of the early NfOravians, who also
added largely to their number but among
I'll of these religious watchwOrtls," there
was none more expressive than
Gloria Pleur;E." The men who employed
t were understood to be MOravians with
leart and sonl, and by placing it on their
the founders of the Mora.
1ian church of Lancaster evidently desired
20 declare their intention of remaining
of the "Unitas Fratrum" for
,ver.
The conflicts which we have indicated
rave passed away. The old cornerstone
las Outlived them all, and now remains
Olitary memorial Of an almost forgotten
'ge. We regard it with reverence, and
lOpe it may continue to occupy its present
position during many future generations.
RAMBLER.