The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-11-13
THE CENTENNIAL
IN OLD SALEM
The Moravian Church Build
ing 100 Years Old.
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES
The Closing Exc cises Of the Meeting
Will Take Place To-Day.
HISTORY OF THE MORAVlAN SETTLEMENT
In 1853 The Se,tI, ment Of Wachoya Was
Begun and Satem Was Founded in llbb.
TIE Chuch is Today as i Was
100 Years Ago.
Especial to the News and OBSERVER


(Special to the News and Observer.l
Winston-Salem, n. c., Nov. ia.--The old
town of Salem is today celebrating an
event which is of more than local inter-
est. 1t is of interest TO many OF o'f
people all through the Old North state
and it is safe to say that ii Will call
forth a feeling of sympatheric notice OF
the part of many in every porllon OF our
land.
The occasion is Inc ~ceiph'"'ion Of the
centennial of the conservation of the
Noravian church building. It IS JUS one
hundred wears since this large structure
was completed. and when 1t IS conSli@fed
that the congregation then consisted OF
only a handful Of people, and that Tie
colony lived in he midst OF the PRIME
val forest, the magnitude If the WORK
appears as a source of surprise TO az!
who study the subject. In order tG enter
into sympathy without trienGs IN Salem
in the celebration which is IN progress
today it will be necessary tc turn a page
in history.
1t is one hundred and ft+v years since
a company of explorers came from Penn
sylvania to Edenton, where resided the
representative of Lord Granville, the
owner of a large portion OF North taro-
lima. With the official surveyor CT his
IordsEip the company started Gut with
the intention of securing a tract of lou
coo acres of land, which amount had been
purchased by the Noravian churcl Win
a view to the settlement OF the same.
The account of the journey of these mon
would form a very interesting page OF his
tory, as they journeyed westward 10 the
mountains. nearly to the Virginia line,
to the vicinity Of what was later Wilkes
boro. to the Catawba and 1adkln rivers,
till they finally selected the tract which
named WachOVia, in the center OF Wnlch
now stands W~inston-Salem.
Another interesting page in history
would be to trace the journey of the ff-
teen men. who twelve months later left
Pennsylvania and journeyed through the
forests and over the mountains and across
the river till they finally arrived at their
new possessions.
1t was in 1853 that the settlement of
Wachovia was begun. The company of
men who came to make North Carolina
their home consisted of able and brave
men. gOdly and upright. men who within
the next few years made their lntiu-
encc felt. as professional men and as
business men, in almost every portion Of
the State.
The life IN this primeval forest was
not an easy one, for in addition to the
natural difficulties we find the brave and
thrifty little colony twice threatened with
destruction. The first time during the
Indian war before 1850, when it was nee
essary to surround their town with q
stockade, and again when the dark days
of the American Revolution caused them
- h. ,,1,nnoI Nth nnnppinc and mora
thar once hope deserted them. But by
exercising great wisdom, strict honesty,
and by showing kindnesS to friend and
foe, coupled with d staunch patriotism,
by means of this method in all their
actions. they were finally saved from all
their dangers.
THE CLOSE OF THE CENTURY.
After the war Of the American Revolu-
ton the colony in Wachovia passed into
a season of prosperity, and spiritual ac-
tiyity. New towns and congregations
were established, and the future appear
ed bright. Among the towns established
in these early years was Salem, in 1855.
The natural location was good, and Salem
became the center Of the government OF
the colony of Wachovia. AS it was evil
dent that the town would grow with the
passing years. all things were planned
on a liberal scale. The beautiful ave
nue. of cedars in front of the not less
beautiful graveyard was planted. The
large buildings around the Salem Square
We're built in these years. The Salem
Academy and college, the first inStitu-
ton for the higher education of yOune
women in the South was founded, and
in 1873 it was decided to erect a church
which for size, and completeness of arch
itectural design had no equal in Western
Carolina, possibly not in any portion Of
the State at that time.
THE CHURCH BUILDING.
Tho church stands today practically q!
it was built d hundred years ago. ]
is nearly 100 feet long, and almost hal
as wide. The ceiling is very high. ant
the portion of the ceiling which join:
the walls is curved with an architecture
correctness that could not well be i'm
proved upon at the present day. Th'
walls are about three feet thick, and tn,
tjmbers in the roof are so heavy tina
they call forth the wonder of visitors.
The interior has been artisticalIy fres
coed within recent years. but otherwis,
the walls and ceiling have not becl
changed.
Another surprise to visitors is the larg
pipe organ which was finished in the sam
wear. For u century this large orga
has been used in the church services an
this great work is a marvel to those VIII
recall tho fact that it was built a hun
dred years ago, in d small village in tn
midst Of unbrokcn forests.
At nine O'Clock on the morning Of tn
date named d great throng gathered /
Salem from every portion Of the wcstcr
part of the State. Small as the villoc
was at that day. and scattered as wer
the farmers in the rural sections. NOR
than 1000 people were present at IN
conservation of The church.
A very interesting account Of the cor.
monies and the services is preserved
the Salem archives. The position take
by the variants comnanics Arrenararorv