Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-12-30
THE PENNSYLVANIA MORAvIANS
The Purpose In Settling in This Coun-
try Was to EvnnReIizc tho
Indians and Germans.

In I'LL, more than 4 century after the
heroes OF the Mayflower had been safely
landed on the shores of New England, the
ship Catherin brought colony of Mo-
ravians to Philadelphia consisting of fifty
seven pilgrims. who had been organized as
Sea Congregation" The sole purpose of
this colony. says the Philadelphia Times
was the eyanSelZinS OF the Indians and
the Germans of Pennsylvania. They pro-
ceeded to Bethlehem. at that time a set
tIement OF scarcely Il years growth. Count
Zlnzendorf. the most distinguished of these
Moravlans. Il native of Dresden, was Il
religious enthusiast, whose theological bent
withStood every effort to turn him TO more
practical affairs of life. lie had been reared
by his grandmother. d woman OF pious
zeal, and he became SO strongly imbucd
with her tendencies that when child he
wrote letters to the Lord and threw them
out OF the window in the hope that they
would reach their destination. y course of
study at Wittenberg failed to direct him
from his true bent. as did also a position
conferred on him by his government which
he hlisd for six years. giving it scarcely
any attention. and continuing his theolog-
At the time of the Moravian revival in
Moravia he established the celebrated
Herrnhut on his own dominions. taking
part in the preaching and educating OF
the community. When this enthusiast ar
rived in PENNSYLVANIA he tried to unite
INTO one church. under the name of the
Church of God in the Spirit which eff
fort is eloquent with the Self-furgetful poll
cy that characterized the work of the
Moravians throughout. The vast wealth
of tho count was bequeathed to the or
der for which he had labored all his life,
and whose obligations he assumed. The
brethren would not bear arms, but by
peaceful measures they served n patriotic
part. Their great influence with the In
dams prevented many maSSaCreS during the
French and Indian wars. In the Revolu-
tionary war the y kept many powerful tribes
of Indians neutral. while the hospital work
which they did for the Continental army
was praiseworthy in the extreme.
We probably know the MoravianS hest
to-day through their celebrated boarding
schools. which has survived all these
long years. AS early as 1916 at least fifteen
boarding schools had been established. the
brethren at Nazareth bearing tho expenses
of all the missionary and educational work.
There were at this point a Church of the
Pilgrims" and the Home Congregation.
The Home Congregation" laborcd To sup
port the pilgrims, who at days notice
departed for missionary work at any point
at all seasons for the benefit of Indian,
negro. slave or white settler.
All that remains of their broad and un-
selfish labOrS are q few ConGrcG cations seat
tered through a few cites in the state and
the boarding schools at bethlehem. NaZa-
reth and Lititz: the Moravian Seminary
for Young Ladies ut Bethlehem. established
in lISJ; the Linden Hall Seminary for
Young Ladies at I.ititz in 119i: the Boarding
School for Boys in Nazareth in 1IS5. though
these date practically from before li:'l. The
influence of tie teachings of these inStitu-
tions down to the present day is too well
recognized to need comment.
The Jealous and learned brethren have
bequeathed little else than these pacific
monuments of their sweet and loving serv-
ice to God and man.