The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1892-02-18
HISTORIC SALEM'S FOUNDER
The Subject Of Bishop ROndthaler'S An
niYefSary Sermon.
A Memorable Day in the History of
Salem Fittingly Celebrated-AS Syn
opsis of an Interesting Sermon-Lis-
tened to by Large Audience.

orable day in the history of this
church and community said Bishop
Rondthaler, as he began his sermon
Sunday morning, appropriate to
the 127th anniversary of the found
ing of Salem. :
Every seat in the beautiful old
edifice was occupied, and after the
service Of the Moravian church, all
was attention when the melodions
voice of the preacher resounded
through the ancient archives.
It required no effort of the imagi-
nation for the thought to drift back
more than a century as the elo-
quent preacher told of the early
| movement to establish the settle
ment of Wachovia and the trials
and hardships that we're encountered.
s'From the first arrival of the Mo-
ravian settlers on the tract of land
called Wachovia," continued Bishop
Rondthaler, it had been intended
that = town should be built as near
Iy as possible in the centre of it. On
this account the first settlement was
called Bethabara, which in scripture
language means a house of passage.
1t was so called because the breth-
rem did not propose to stay there,
but to pass on to more convenient
and central place Of abode.
1.-The very name of the place had been
given long before the site had been
selected. Count Zinzendort, who
died in 1850 had expressed the wish
that the new town might be called
Salem, which is peace.
On the 18th of February, 1855 the
lot which was sought in the matter
decided for the place where the town
now stands. The brethren were
greatly encouraged by the watch
word of the church for that day. 1t
was from First Kings 500: That
thine eyes may be open toward this
house night and day, even toward
the place of which thou hast said,
my name shall be there
ssIt would be an int sting task on
some suitable occasion, to take this
| text and show how graciously it has
| reen fulfilled with regard to Salem.
| NV subject to-day however carries
| me along a different line. | shall
| speak particularly of the life and
| character of the brother who
Was present on a temporary visit
when the site of the town was select
| ed and who afterwards became to
| such peculiar degree the main spring
| in it's growth that he may be rightly
| called the founder of Salem. What
Bishop Spargenberg was for the
| whole district Brother Frederick Will
liam de Marshall was for the town of
Salem, the man without whom hui
manly speaking Salem would not
| have BEEN"
| Taking as his text, ''The Memory
of the just is blessed" Bishop
Rondthaier proceeded to speak of
the life and character of the founder
of the town. He briefly sketched
his life from his birth at Dresden
February 5, 1921, to his death, and
burial February IA, 1902, in Salem.
| William Frederick de Marshall was
| the son of George Rudolf Marshall,
an officer in the service of the King
of Saxony. Young Marshall was
brought up with military discipline
and precision, and unusual plety.
He had opportunities open both IN
the Russian and English service
But Gods ways with him as even in
his extreme old age he recognized,
them were otherwise. He had diff
ferent destiny in view for the vigor-
Gus and gifted young man.
'sThrough tutor who had come
back from Herrnhert perfectly aglow
with what he had heard there the
youth became exceeding by DESTROYS
of visiting the place for or against
which all men were speaking. While a
student atthe Leiphsig University he
came to Herrnhert during a brief col
lege vacation and during his stay
heard an address by Count Zinzen-
dorf. The night which followed was
mainly spent in tears. During those
blessed hours of life-decision the
young man became deeply convinced
of his own personal salvation and O
his call TO serve God in the Moravian
Church. Continuing with the story
of young Marshall's life Bishop Rond
thaler told of his intimate friendship
with Count Zinzendorf, of his frs
mission to Holland, his long service
of the church in London, both in
spiritual and secular work.
: He was married by Zinzendor
himself in 1850 to Hedweig Eliza
be tn de Schweinitz For time h,
represented Zinzendorf in the gov
eminent of the English congrega
. tions. But it was only after Zinzen
, DORIS death in 1760 that the chic
work of his life commenced when i
was decided by the brethren tina
he should go to America as the bu
siness manager of the American
church and representative there o
the ruling board. He arrived IL
Bethlehem October 20, 1851, ant
, visited North Carolina in 1854 an
was present when the site of Salem
l was selected. Soon after his return
he learned of the decision of tn
General Synod, that he shout
henceforth live in North Carolin
and devote himself particularly t
that work. He arrived in Wacho
via with his wife February Ia 176e
this day ia years ago.
Bishop Rondthaler then told c
: Bishop Marshall's efforts in bringin
order out of confusion and infusin
the settlement with new life and pro-
. perity. In 1774 he was called ava
: to attend the meeting Of the Syno
!, Baskley Germany, and upon retirin
found the settlement threatened wit
I him as result of the revolution.
The land was threatened with col
fscation, but Bishop Marshall vii
tied the Assembly at Hillsboro an
) was successful in having the tit
is made to him. He then held the tit
n to all the prosperity of the church
e America. Again he put new life int
n the town and many improvement
unre made and he WOrShiDed in tt