The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20
BETHLEHEM, THE PICTURESQUE
OLD TOWN IN PENNS1L VANIA
Settled BY the Moraviaus I74o, Still Shoes Traces Of Their
Good Influence


BETHLEHEM. Pa, Dec. 19.-'Naeht Jeru-
salem sondern Bethlehem aus dir kommet
was mir pommet." (Not from Jerusalem
but from Bethlehem comes that which ben
efits my soul.)
Thus sang Count Zinzendorf (Sicholas
Lewis. count of Zinzendorf and PottendorD
and his little band of Moravian pilgrims at
midnight on Christmas eve, 162 years ago.
and thus did they lay the foundation of, and
give a name to, modern Bethlehem. The
ceremony was perhaps one of the most rude
but impressive that marked the pioneer
struggles OF Christianity in America. Count
Zinzendorf after the usual Christmas eve
vigil. when the hour of midnight was ap-
preaching, suddenly rose and led the way
from the house where the watchers sat, into
a neighboring stable. Under surroundings
such as had given 10 the Christmas world
its Redeemer, this Moravian band sang the
lines OF the old German hymn above quoted.
This incident gave Bethlehem it's name"
says Bishop Eide Echwenitz in his admir-
able and instructive sketch on the Moravian
Church in America.
Bethlehem, a city Of 27.000 Inhabitants,
nesting in the picturesque hills that guard
the Lehigh valley of Pennsylvania, COM
bines in a remarkable degree the traditional
and historical with the most perfect modern
Industrial development Not only are its
ancient religious ceremonies, customs and
landmarks preserved, but here is the loea-
ton OF the great Bethlehem steel works.
one OF the branches OF thefmuch discussed
Shipbuilding trust Starting as corpo-
ration with a capital stock of 500, 600 1t has
made millionaires of all or it's original
stockholders and is now a corporation of
thirty millions OF dollars, yielding net
profits approximating $2.O0O.OOo. Thus. its
annual profits have to be ten times
its original capital stock.
But it is in an historical sense that Beth
lehem is chiefly interesting. David Nitsch-
baum. whom a wise Providence decreed
should be prosecuted and driven from
M0ravia In order that THE seed of the
church" might be implanted in American
SOIL felled the first tree which marked the
beginning OF this quaint city Dec. q, 1740.
Some historians have insisted the tree was
feIled in 1741 but the Moravians have fixed
the former date and they are scrupu
'lously accurate in all matters pertaining TO
the early history Of the city which is the
fountain head OF their church in America
There were thirteen persons in the orig
tnal settlement at Bethlehem and the fatal
list may follow the history of the lives Of
these Moravian pioneers for profitable in
struction. The writer took some pains 10
trace the history of each of the thirteen
and met death naturally and with serene
. Christian faith
Hostile Indians hung upon the outskirts
OF their little settlement in the French and
Indian war and In the Pontiac uprising.
Hunger and rigorous climate assailed them.
but they lived on, cheerfully exemplifying
the exception that proves a rule.
A HISTORIC BUILDING.
The second house built in Bethlehem in
174s is still standing. 1t is the Sisters
House % ha of M tad
Wan women and the widows OF ministers
of the Moravian faith. These were described
by LongfelIow as the 'Moravian Nuns of
Bethlehem" in his poem THE Banner Of
Pulaski"
Here one may pause to read the inscrip-
ton on the tomb Of 1.-The Last of the Mo-
hicans." although the claim for the dis
tinctlon of being the resting place of the
last OF the MOhicans is as numerously con-
tested as was the birthplace OF Homer.
THE foundations Of Bethlehem were laid
in the name and to the glory OF Cod" says
Bishop Schwenitz, historian Of the Mora
Wan Church. The relation which Count
Zinzendorf bore TO the early struggling Mo-
ravian colony is altogether romantic and
fine example OF Christian sacrifice. When
the prosecuted Moravians, fleeing their ma
tive country, entered Saxony they found
refuge at Herrnhut. the estate of Zinzen-
dorr. He became so impressed with their
faith and so sympathetic on account of
their prosecutions that he relinquished all
his worldly goods and prospects and be-
cane the leading bishop of the church.
The Economy so called, which was a
distinctive feature of the growth of the
Moravian Church in America, is described
as "a communism, not of goods, but of
labor" The Economy existed for twenty
years, and was dissolved by mutual con-
sent in 1762. 1t was practically failure.
as are most OF such experiments, ana was
never introduced in any other colony of the
Morav1an church except in the first set
Elements in North Carolina.
The Moravians have been, according to
their own version, much misrepresented on
account OF a peculiar rule of their faith
which sanctioned marriages by lot This
"A man proposed a woman to the author
tiles OF the church; or, II he had no pro-
posals to make. asked them to suggest a
posal TO the decision Of the lot, and II ii
was sanctioned made the woman offer
OF marriage In the name of the man, which
o1er she was at perfect liberty 10 reject II
thorfties to make the offer, but not the
woman to accept it. If she refused, or II
made another- The fact that the young
OF both sexes at Bethlehem lived in classes
IN the so-called brethren and sisters
course with each other. throws additional
light upon such marriages. AS soon as
faith In them began to wane they were
abolished, nearly sixty years ago."
The Moravian Church was early In the
Held In missionary work among the In
dams. One hundred and thirty-four Indians
IN all were baptized at Bethlehem But
this did not give the Moravians immunity
from Indian attacks. During the French
and Indian wars the town was stockaded
and defended, and during the Pontiac upris-
Ing similar defensive measures were taken.
SIMILAR TO THE QUAKERS.
The Moravians held ideas very similar to
the Quakers in regard to military service.
and have been criticised on account of their
failure TO participate freely in the revoIu-
tionary war. And yet the chronicles of the
church stoutly defend the action of the
Moravian Society. 1t is asserted that the
town OF Bethlehem gave 1900 pounds in
money and valuable supplies to the revolu-
tionary army during the last three months
OF IN. In addition TO the fines forfeited In
default OF military service"
Benjamin Franklin has been sharply crit
tclzed by the Moravians for the account
OF their conduct during the revolution pub
liShed In his autobiography.
when IL became apparent. in 1775 that
war was imminent between the colonies
and the mother country, the naturally con-
sentative Moravians were much perturbed
The authorities OF the church (which AZ
that time meant the municipal authorities
OF Bethlehen) issued the following procIa-