The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-03-29

SesSGsAyS iginal, quaint ana yet
Withal beautiful, it
stands out in impressive contrast 10
the ceremonials of all other churches
on this sacred occasion. However,
in order to fully appreciate 1t, one
must know something of the pecuh-
arities of the Moravian Church.
The Moravian Church has long
and honorable history among protest
ants. It's seeds are found as long ago
as the ninth century, when Christian
ity was introduced into Moravia and
Bohemia
A gentle law-loving people, the MO-
ravians were encouraged by the varl-
Gus governments to form settlements.
The parent organization in America
is the church at Bethlehem, Pennsyl-
vania, which has been in existence LOT
almost two centuries, Besides this
church there are but one or two strong
congregations in the United States,
although the sect numbers thousands
Of adherents throughout the country.
Perhaps the Moravian Church, OF Sa-
lem. North Carolina, will convey
clearer and more comprehensive IDEA
of this unique organization than any
other that could be selected.
The town was founded more than
one hundred and fifty years ago as
church community. The influence OF
pastors and elders was paramount IN
all secular as we'll as in religious at
fairs. They settled the questions OF
competition and production as well as
of church attendance, and from their
decision there was no appeal.
In this way all business was regu-
lated, and from this system emerged
the quaint and prosperous little city
of Salem, whose wooden and cotton
mills, its iron furnaces and tan-yards
and it's three thousand happy and
prosperous citizens and it's college
were the envy of other towns and the
pride of the State as early as the first
quarter of the last century.
The Salem College later introduced
some of the most charming women
of the South, including Mrs. stone
wall" Jackson and the wife of Gen.
eral Stuart, the great cavalry leader.
Back of the college campus, under the
perennial shadows of cedars that were
old when the nineteenth century wa@
young, lies the Morvaian Gods
Acre" A more beautiful spot could
not be imagined There the flowers
bloom, the birds sing and the bees
drone throughout the year, where the
rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep"
But there one will find no family
lots, for the church ordains that males
and females must not be buried to-
gether. Neither shall the male rest
= beside the matron, but in separate
sacred square, which, when the spring
comes, is marked by great clusters of
blooming lilies and hyacinth and
white roses. No imposing marble
shafts or pretentious mausoleums are
there to tell of the wealth, rank or
earthly importance of the departed
for the church DEGREES that there, at
least, all men are equal, and no dis
tinctions are permitted in that peace
full, beautiful home of the dead, where
magnolias and gardenias each spring
whiten impartially over the modest
tombs
There, in the presence of the dead
occurs the most dramatic and beauti
full scene of the Moravian Easter ser
vice. During the night preceding the
sacred day no Moravian sleeps. Ii
is watch night-a time of intro
spection and prayer. AS the clocks
finish striking the hour of midnight
the deep, musical notes of the church
: bells from every steeple in Salem
chime worth the tidings that it is
once more the anniversary Of the
Blessed Redeemer's resurrection. The
lights blaze up around the altar, re
vealing banks and wreaths and fes
toons of flowers, and as the sonorous
thunder of the great pipe organ roll:
through the aisles, the splendid church
band takes up the sacred air, while
the priest and the elders and the con
gregation stand with bowed heads I'm
til its conclusion. The priest theI
stepping forward, bids the band g
forth and proclaim in music the glaC
tidings To slow measure the con
gregation files out, and at the frs
corner the sacred concert begins
Street by street the town is traverset
by the band and the choir. and q
each corner several selections are ren
dered. BY the time the itinerary
completed the town is aroused, an
when the performers return to tn