Smyrna times., 1882-02-15
Old Moravians.
SOME OF THE ANCIENT CUSTOMS AT BETH
LEHEM, PA.

!
LEHEM, PA.
Under the title Brother Stolz's Beat"
the February MidWinter Century contains
an interesting paper by II. II ON the old
Moravian settlement at Bethlehem, Penn.
where the graveyard 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 all grave
yards should. 1t is simply a field of solid
green turf, with wide, Well-kept walks
and rows of green mouMds close together.
and all of the same Size Here. without
distinction or separation, except Of sex.
the dead MOravians lie, in the order OF
their dying. \ man might happen, thus.
to lie at last by the side of his worst
enemy-if if such a thing could be as enmty
under the banner of the "Unitas Fratrum," :"
and, doubtless, they did have their quar-
rels and dislikes, like the rest of u.s. One
would think, however, that the every day
seeing of this common and undivided
final dOrmitory must have been IL great
check upon neighborhood squabbles--
sometimes, also, a pang to weak human
hearts that would like so much better to
be buried close to their own beloved, than
by the side Of people, for whom in life
they had cared but little. On every one
Of the old mounds lies q small marble
slab, bearing either number or an in
scriptiOn of name, dates of birth and of
death-nOthing more; the harsh word
died" is never seem always the kinder
and truer word departed" for which
there is the authority of the Apostle
Paul, as well as of all poets.
1t is all unconscious tribute to the beauty
: of the old Moravian faith. and the in
alienable truth of their view of death,
that the townspcople of Bethlehem find
this graveyard pleasant to sit in: woman
bring their sewing, children their toys,
and spend whole afternoons there in the
summer; and lively social chat goes on
with a sort of heme-like freedom, which
, would seem impossible in any public park,
but seems inexplicabiy natural in this
sunny old graveyard. Part Of this strange
atmosphere of good cheer may be owing
to the effect of the joyous ceremonies
; which are held in this graveyard at sun
rise Gu every Easter morning. 1t would
seem in no wise unlikely that their deep
seated gladness should outlast u short
5 twelve months time and lingcr from
/ Easter round to Easter again and again
: in sacred bond of worship and trum-
: phant contentmcnt.
: If the influence of the North Pennsyl
!, vania and the Lehigh Valley railroads
) and the institutions and occupations kin.
l dred and incidental to them, should evel
. crowd out or degrade these beautiful
: Easter ceremonies the loss to the Bethe
5 hem people would be greater than they
e perhaps dream. But up to this time the
Y ceremonies have suffered no change
e Long before daylight on Easter morning
men playing trOmbOnes so through tht
a town. They play sweet and solemn tune
e TO which are set the words:
christ Is risen from the dead
Thou shalt rise, too, saith my Sayious-
OF what should be afraid?
/ with him shall live forever;
i Can tho dead forsake his limb
= And not draw unto hm?'
Walked by the music, the Moravian
:, gather in their church, where part o
the Easter Litany is said. At the pas,
sage, "Glory be to Him who is the resur
4 rectiOn and the life," the congregation
pises and moves in procession to the grave
yard, The little children so first thGl
. the singers and the trOmboae- players
= then tho clergymen; then the women
lastly the men. Slowly singing hymns
they walk through the streets and ente
=, the graveyard with a burst of music; a
the instant of sunrise, swiftly and quietl,
! taking thOir appointed places on th
! different paths, the women still separate,
from the men, they sing and chant the re
: mainder of the Litany Sometimes ther
are present at this service more than 9, ,00
i, persons.