Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

were faithfully delivered to his sons, & they acknowledged the gift in a polite letter to the Legislature. The second is that when, about the year 1794, the state proceeded to confer on its officers & soldiers the donation lands which had been promised them for their services during the war, five thousand acres of excellent land were also granted in fee simple to the Society of the United Brethren as an acknowledgment of their faithful labors among the Indians while they resided in Pennsylvania, & to reimburse them in some measure for the expense they had been at, and for the losses they had sustained in their laudable efforts to christianize the red men. The noble-hearted Governor, Thomas Mifflin, was foremost in this transaction. After first suggesting it to members of the Legislature, & finding that it met with their approbation, he urged the Rev. John Ettwein, Bishop of the United Brethren, to apply to the Legislature for the grant, which was promptly made. Although the Society has been at considerable expense in attempting to make this land productive, & has not, as yet, effected this purpose, still, being in no wise shackled by provisos or hampered by conditions unattainable for years to come, it can in the end lose nothing; since, if its expectations of a future revenue from the land should fail, it will be able to indemnify itself for its outlays by selling a portion of it, as it holds it in fee simple.

JOHN HECKEWELDER.

HISTORY

OF THE

Moravian Historical Society

From March 30, 1857, to August 31, 1894.

BY HENRY A. JACOBSON, A.M.

HISTORY OF THE MORAVIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY FROM MARCH 30, 1857, TO AUGUST 31, 1894.

In the issue of The Moravian for December 19, 1856, the following communication is to be found:

ED. MORAVIAN; DEAR BRETHREN :

Will you allow me the use of your columns to suggest to the members of our Church the expediency of forming a Moravian Historical Society?

But very little is generally known of the early history of the Brethren's Church in America. By means of such a Society, all possible light would be thrown on this very interesting subject, besides preserving, before it is too late, many a precious relic connected with the history and customs of our forefathers.

The attempt is, at least, worth making. Will some brother take the lead.

[blocks in formation]

This communication was the outcome of a number of informal interviews which took place during the Summer of 1856 between several persons residing at and near Nazareth, who were much interested in the early history of our Church in this country, and who considered that the idea of organizing a Moravian Historical Society would be favorably entertained by the membership of the Church. In that year (1856), at the Synod convened at Bethlehem preparatory to the General Synod, there was considerable feeling on the question of provincial

independence; the desire therefor had seemed to be very general at the Synod held in 1855, but when the details of the plan came up for consideration, much controversy ensued. Some wished to remove all the landmarks that marked the various periods of our Church history; others would drop this, and keep that; still others were totally opposed to changes of any sort. Although these differences were finally reconciled, there was undoubtedly reason to fear that the eagerness of those who advocated radical measures and wished to change everything, as opposed to the rigid conservatism of those who would change nothing, might destroy, at least partially, the reverence and love for all that is most excellent in our Church history and ritual, and give a serious check to the little antiquarian spirit that already existed among us. [A local influence may also have been exerted by the Centennial Anniversary of the Nazareth congregation, November 13, 1856.]

The first meeting to consider the expediency of forming a Moravian Historical Society was held one snowy evening in March, 1857, in the chapel of Nazareth Hall, those present being the Principal and teachers of the Hall, the Professors and most of the students of the Theological Seminary (then located at Ephrata), besides some other residents of Nazareth and Boulton.

A constitution having been adopted, the following officers were elected at the meeting held March 30, 1857: President, James Henry; Vice-President, Christian R. Hoeber; Treasurer, William Beitel; Recording Secretary, Eugene Leibert; Corresponding Secretary, Herman Brickenstein; Managers, Edward H. Reichel, Henry J. Van Vleck, John C. Brickenstein; Librarian, Lewis R. Huebener. At one of these meetings it was decided that Nazareth was the best location for the Society, inasmuch as the Faculty of Nazareth Hall and the Professors

« AnteriorContinuar »