The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-01-05

Ministers Who Assisted the Bish-
op-Important Moravian Statistics.
A death;a birth. y funeral: christ
ening. 1892; 1893
The funeral Of the old year was
preached Saturday night at the am
cient Moravian church in Salem and
another child of the Nineteenth Cen
fury was laid away in the graveyard
of the Past.
Never were there tenderer minis
trations at the passing away of year.
There were two services. Z The first at
O'Clock was occupied by the reading
of the Memorabilia of the year by
Bishop BOndthaIer.
1t was prOpping up, as 1t were, or
the feeble, expiring year, that 1t might
be able in its last hours to take fare
well glance over the twelve months
nearly gone.
The beautiful Home church was
crowded to its utmost capacity and as
is ALWAYS the case on special occasions
there, double rows Of chairs had to be
placed in the aiSleS. AS the clock
struck eight strokes. Bishop ROnd-
thaleT. with Rev. L. 3. WurreSchke on
his right and Rev. Dr. Clewell on his left
entered and seated themselves on the
low platform in front Of the pulpit
DR.. CIewell opened the service with
the reading of the 90th Psalm, that
that begins Lord thou has been our
dwelling place in all generations" and
goes on, For d thousand years in thy
sight are but as yesterday when it is
past. and as a watch in the night;
Thou earliest them away as with
flood: they are as sleep: in the morn
ing they are as grass which grOWeth
up: in the morning it fiOuriSheth and
groweth up: in the evening it is cut
down, and withereth. We
spend our lives as d tale that is told. the
days of our years are three score years
and ten, and if by reason Of strength
they be fourscore years, yet is their
strength labor and sorrow: for 1t is
soon cut off and we fly away"
Mr.. Wurreschke then led in prayer
that all might so number their days,
that they should apply their hearts
unto wisdom.
The Bishop followed with his Mem
orabilia of the year. In clear, ring
ing voice that was audible in every
part of the house he told of the events
of 1892, both local and general. Even
the reading of the German names of
the members of the congregation was
a pleasure, and as a minister remark
ed who attended a MOravian service
for the first time. 1T IS not every one
who can make music of long list of
names"
One felt that he could detect d faith
erly pride in the Bishop as he read the
statistics showing the growth of the
MoraYian church during the last BOO
DAYS: statistics in their very mention
carrying with them evidences of re-
markable spiritual energy and vitality,
showing that the Mother church, where
the large congregation was then wait
ing. and her numerous spiritual on
spring, the various MOravian churches
and chapels in the country and town,
had been doing a great work. The
membership was very large, and it
was a remarkable fact how few of the
adults in the MoraVian families were
not members of their respective
churches. Perhaps one or two at this
place or that. The Sabbath school
roll calls showed how carefully the
Moravians were training up their
children in 1.-The nurture and admO-
milton of the Lord" Indeed, one
could not but think that herein lay
the secret of the great spirituality of
the Moravians. They have been so
careful of their little ones instruction
during their century and half or so
in Salem, that 30 live right and just
and pure has become hereditary with
them and is incorporated in the very
fibre of their being. An inspiring
thought it is, too, to think of heredi-
tary ChristlikenesS.
The Bishop mentioned the numeri-
cal strength, of his spiritual fiocks,
the number of members, of children,
of baptismS, of combinations, of re-
ceptiOns. of dismiSSalS, of marriages,
and of deaths. AS he came to the
latter his voice sank to solemn and
rcyerential tones, and one fancied he
could hear the usual hush in the
church become deeper and more pro-
found. The names of sixteen dead
were read and the thought Of sixteen
graves beneath the mournful cedars
in the beautiful cemetery near by,
awaiting in their lovely resting
place the day when the dead should
all rise and mortality put on immor
tally, entered the mind.
The Bishop alluded to the time
stained manuscript that he had reaC
the day before,-the Memorabilia O.
the Moravians for the year 1792,-(fo
each year they fare filed away In thu
archives), and he told of the words
which that year recorded the thank
fitness of their Moravian fathers TO
preservation of the little mission il
wild and unsettled country. HI
enumerated the important genera
events of the year going swiftly by, ant
also of the most interesting happen
ings of the Twin-City, particularly o
the frequent fires and the heroic worl
of tiremen from both towns, which h
said, went to prove that they are real
ly one.
The service was most interesting
and instructive and with all it's full
ness and variety only occupied al
hour of the dying years time.
THE WATCH MEETING.
The second service began at hal
past eleven O'Clock. The church wa
scarcely less crowded than at the cal
lier session. The beautiful eyergree
Christmas decorations looked q
fresh and pure under the brillian
electric lights as if they were agai
growing in their native woods.
In the left gallery the Academ
girls were crowded, many OF their ia
faces glowing with pleasurable antic
pations under their students tassele
caps. The right gallery was taken Y
by ladies from the two cities. III
6aiem Orchestra and the Moravia
ilhoiristers sat in the organ loft aroun
>e brilliantly painted pipe-orgal
lie in the main auditorium, a gre;
of people were awaiting I'll
of '92 and the birth Of -
class and condition were repr
for Moravians turn nOl
their church1 doors. The poo