Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1882-03-10
3 ,:
The Moravian GRAVEYARD at BethIe-
hem.

|
Under the title Brother Stolz's
Beat" the February Midwinter Cen
tury contains an interesting paper by
II. H., on the old Moravian settlement
at Bethlehem, Penr, where the grave
yard is the public park, and the scene
of curious Easter services.
This graveyard is the pleasantest
spot in all Bethlehem. 1t lies in the
very heart of the town, shaded by
great trees, and looking toward the
sunset as graveyard should. 1t is
simply field Of solid green turf, with
wide, well.kept walks, and rows of
green mounds. close together, and all
of the same size. Here, without dis.
tinction or separation, except of sex,
the dead Moravians lie, in the order of
their dying. A man might happen,
thus, to lie at last by the side of his
worst enemy-if such thing could be
rs enmity under the banner of the
"Unitas Fratrum," and doubtless, they
did have their quarrels and dislikes,
| like the rest of us. One would think,
however, that the everyday seeing of
this common and undivided final dor
mitory must have been great check
upon neighborhood squabbles-
times, also pang to weak human
hearts that would ike so much better
TO be buried close to their own be-
loved, than by the side of people for
whom in life they had cared but little.
On everyone of the old mounds lies
small marble slab, bearing either
number or an inscription of a name.
dates Of birth and Of death--nothing
more; the harsh word "died' is never
seen always the kinder and truer word
departed" for which there is the au-
thority Of the Apostle Paul, rs well as
Of all poets.
1t is an unconscious tribute to the
beauty of the old Moravian faith, and
the inalienable truth of their view of
death, that the towns-peOple of Bethle-
hem find this graveyard pleasant TO sit
in; women bring their sewing, children
their toys, and spend whole afternoons
there in the summer and lively social
chat goes on with sort of home.like
freedom, which would seem impossible
in any public park, but seems mex
plicably natural in this sunny old grave
yard. Part of this strange atmosphere
of good cheer may be owing to the eff.
feet Of the joyous ceremonies which are
held in this graveyard at sunrise on
every Easter morning. 1t would seem
in no wise unlikely that their deep,
seated gladness should outlast short
twelve months time, and linger from
Easter round to Easter again and
again, in a sacred bond of worship and
triumphant contentment.
If the influence Of the North Penn
sylvania and the Lehigh Valley rail-
roads, and the institutions and occupa-
tions kindred and incidental to them,
should ever crowd out or degrade
these beautiful Easter ceremonies, the
loss to the Bethlehem people would be
greater than they perhaps dream. But
up to this time, the ceremonies have
suffered no change. Long before day
light, on Easter morning, men playing
trombones 60 through the town. They
play sweet and solemn tune, to which
are set the words:
''Christ is risen from the dead,
Thou shalt rise too, saith my Savior
OF what should | be afraid?
| with him shall live forever;
Can the dead forsake his limb,
And not draw me unto him?
Walked by this music, the MOravians
gather in their church, where apart OF
Easter Litany is said. AT the passage,
"Glory be to him who is the resurrec.
ton and the life," the congregation
rises and moves in processioa to the
graveyard. The little children go first;
then the singers and the trombone