The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-26
THE FIRST MORAVIANS.
rur rxorH xNNIYEEyARY or THE
OLD TOWN cHURcH.
Interesting Story of tho Tria's OF '"o''
sturdy Settlers at BetbabarS'
North Csroiina.

yrNsTON. N. c.. Nov. 2o.-Speeiai'-
,-ho uoravians OF Old Town uorher'
Ietbabara, this county .Forsythe' ce'e
,ra,ea the 1ioth anniversary of the FOUND
inc of their congregation a few days ago
This is the mother" church and the hrst
ono established by this denomination IN
tho south. From the old records, have
been able TO gather the following review
Of the first Moravlan family that came
South.
On October s. 1853, A company of twelve
single brethren set out from Bethlehem
Pa. to form a settlement In the wilds
OF the South. Among the number were
Bernhard Adam CRUDE. the first minister
OF the infant settlement. who died A
his y2d. year and on his oOth birthday'
walked from Bethlehem TO Nazareth, "a,
a distance of ten miles, and walked back
a Few days after, having returned 10
Pennsylvania in after years.
Jacob LOSch was another or the party
ana was the antecedent OF the Lash iaml-
ly In this section OF to-day. lie was SUI
perintendeat OF the colony in its temporal
affairS.
was surgeon and medical adviser OF the
party. The remaining nine brethren were
farmers, and mechanics, and mostly I'M
migrants from Europe.
part of Virginia. In a wagon with six
horses they carried the various articles
necessary tor a long journey and over
roads they seldom Travelled. Not unfre-
quently they had to unload and carry n
portion of the same over the mountains.
Travelling by Winchester and Augusta
Courthouse now stanton, Va, small
town of twenty houses, in the mountains
crossing the Blue Ridge at Evans Gap.
and passing the upper Sauratown, the lit
tie Uand arrived. November 18th. on the
northern line OF Norm Carolina.
On Saturday. November 18th, 1853. at
Il. NJ. , they reached the spot where
stands to-day the town OF Bethabara,
now commonly called Old Town. Here
they found shelter in a small cabin. built
and previously Inhabited by a German
named Hans Wagner. but then unoccu-
pied. In the evening, when keeping their
first loye-feast, they were forcibly remind
ed that ii was a wilderness. for they
heard the wolves bowling round about
their cabin. The next day was the Sab
bath, and the weary pilgrims enjoyed
their much-needed rest beyond measure.
Monday they began active preparations
for establishing themselves. The house
was repaired and enlarged, and eight acres
OF land was cleared. and on December 4,
OF the same year, the Brother Losch SOW
ed the first wheat in this hitherto uncul-
tivated soil.
-Four days after their arrival, November
2lst, the brethren celebrated their first
Lords Supper.
Difficulties OF various kinds were not
wanting. Two OF the company left Tor
PENNSYLVANIA, December 18th. ana those
remaining began to prepare for winter.
one went to Virginia for salt. another 10
Dan river to buy oxen, several 10 Yad-
Kin county TO buy -four and corn
Deer, bear turkey and other game was
killed. Wolves and panthers were plen-
tifui. Their cabin was neuriy DESTROYED
by fire on January /, 1854. a week later.
one OF their number was nearly killed by
falling limb of a tree he was telling.
lnvalids were attracted from 81 distance
OF sixty miles, by the fame of the Mora
Wan doctor Money was scarce. and his
pay In provisions. live stock etc, was of
great assistance to the colony. The tailor,
Brother Peterson, also did good bust
ness. and as the loom had not yet been
introduced, deer skins served the pur-
poses OF cloth. During the winter a
second cabin was erected a garden laid
out ana fenced in, and roads cut through
the woods. Thus passed the first winter
OF the Moravians in North Carolina
The denomination is now adding to its
numbers more rapidly than at any time
IN the Church's history in the South
About 100 members have been added 10
the membership OF the churches in the
southern Province during the past two
weeks. Seventeen Of this number Joined
me church in Virginia, just beyond the
North Carolina line.