Brief view of Moravian history

Christ the King

Sunday, November 23rd, The Solemnity of Christ the King - For those who observe the Christian year it is the last Sunday before Advent begins. As such, it helps worshipers who are already thinking about Christmas to remember that the event of Christmas is about more than a baby in a manger—it's about the sovereign Christ - the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. 

Advent/Christmas Pyramid

The early Moravians brought rich Christmas traditions to the English colony of Pennsylvania and the Wachovia of North Carolina. One of their traditions was the Christmas pyramid. These four-sided, pyramid-shaped frame structures had a long history in northern and eastern Germany.

The pyramids were placed on tables and hung with cookies, candies and fruit - and featured a nativity scene or Putz. At least as early as 1748, the Christmas pyramid was in use in Bethlehem. On Dec. 25 of that year, the Bethlehem Diary recorded the following:

"Quite early, the little children enjoyed a delightful festal occasion. Their brethren had decorated various pyramids with candles, apples and hymn stanzas and, also, drawn a picture in which the children were represented as presenting their Ave to the Christ-Child …"

The Christmas pyramid is a combination of whimsy and piety. The middle shelf is traditionally where the Nativity Scene or Putz was placed. The image above is my 2017 Christmas Pyramid. 

I put up my pyramid at the beginning of the Advent season. Historically the Moravians put up theirs on Christmas Eve - and took it down a day or two after Christmas. 

Two Interesting Characters

Snapped at the 2019 annual rendezvous reenactment at Yadkin County, NC.

Historically the rendezvous was a time for fur trappers, long hunters and Indians to gather to buy, trade and sell their wares. It was both a commercial enterprise and a time for loose living. The last rendezvous was held about 1840.

Note the hat worn by the male pictured above. In short, he is wearing his wealth in silver. It is on his hat for two reasons: first, it showed that he had the resource to make purchases; second, if he desired the serves of a scarlet women his money was safe from theft being sewn on his hat. 

In real life the woman above is his wife. As a reenactor she is "his woman." 

Tough Love

The Episcopal Church puts forward 1 John 2:18-29 as one of the daily readings for the day I am writing and posting. 

I have a particular affection for 1 John. When studying Koine Greek, the medium of the New Testament, in graduate school we began with 1 John. It is the easiest text to translate. The first word we learned was teknion - “little children.” 

The Apostle John is addressing churches of Asia Minor. His goal is to give direction to believers,  the teknion, that faced dramatic challenges to their faith - even as we do in our day and in our denomination. John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, writes against the false teachers that had infiltrated the church of his era. Would that contemporary clergy speak as boldly to the issue of false teaching in the contemporary church. Alas!

Specific the text we are working with today wants the reader - the hearer to understand the dramatic difference between those that deny Jesus the Messiah - and those acknowledge Him in faith. In short, those who deny Jesus do not have God - the only God - the Holy, Holy, Holy God. This is a New Testament wide message. That is a tough love teaching by John. The Apostle offers the message because he loved his recipients. I am grateful that the Episcopal Church appoints this reading for this day. It is timely. 

Guess what I dreamed - or die!

Daniel was deported from Israel to Babylon. Shortly after he arrived he faced execution. The back story is that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had a most disturbing dream. That dream would affect the lives of a number of men in his court. 

Wanting to know the meaning of the dream he summoned those that might be up to the task - his magicians, soothsayers, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers. The complication was that the king wanted more than interpretation - he wanted them to tell him the dream itself - or be executed. Because Daniel and his friends were numbered among the wise men they faced the same dire outcome.

Arioch, commander of the king’s guard went about fulfilling the king’s awful wishes. He thus searched for Daniel. 

The commander of the king’s guard was not a man to mess with. He had a fancy title but his job description was brutal. Among other tasks he was responsible for the execution or deportation of citizens of conquered cities - as well as the dismantling of the city. Sixth century Jerusalem itself would feel the wrath of one bearing this title. Thus to understand Arioch - understand his function. 

Here is the takeaway - when Arioch came to scoop up Daniel, the text tells us, Daniel spoke to the functionary with wisdom and tact. That impresses me. We probably will not have to deal with one coming to take us for execution - unless the Lord deems it best. But, we all deal with difficult people of a lesser stripe. Words of wisdom and tact may salvage an otherwise grim encounter.

"Take - Eat"

“For, as any ancient Jew would have known, the Passover sacrifice was not completed by the death of the lamb, but by eating its flesh. Five times the Bible states that they must “eat” the lamb; five times it emphasizes the sacrificial meal. 

The Passover was not completed by the death of the victim, but by a “communion” of sorts—by eating the flesh of the sacrifice that had been killed on your behalf.” 

— “Jesus and the Jewish roots of the Eucharist.” Brant Pieter

This has profound implications for the Holy Eucharist. “Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us. Let us keep the feast.”

The whipping and dismissal from the community

The Single Brother's House - Salem

A means of punishment was the whipping. As I read the records of the Moravians I do not get the impression that it was often used. Certainly it was not overused.

"this evening the Hat-maker Meyers' stepson was brought here (Bethabara). Last night he stole Schor's plowshare and coulter from his plough near the Village. He was whipped and ordered to leave the neighbourhood within 14 days, which he willingly promised to do." February 23, The Bethabara Diary

December 31, 1785

Moving from one year to the next was an opportunity for the Moravian communities to stop and consider the goodness of the Lord. Thus December 31st, new year's eve, was a unique day on the Moravian calendar. Consider the following notation in the Bethabara Diary on the last day of 1785.

"When the changing year was announced by the trombonists we fell on our knees and thanked our dear Lord for all the mercy and goodness vouchsafed us during the year just passed. Then the daily text was read ... and the service closed with the Old Testament benediction."

Change

In 1781 the Moravians received a letter from the Elders conference in Europe. It was addressed to all Moravians around the world. 

The Elders called for selfless dedication of all members, and reminded them that they belong not to themselves, but to God. The Elders also warned against fancy clothes and furniture - and allowing their children to marry outside the church.

This shows that it was not only the American Moravians that were questioning earlier values and attitudes. Indeed these issues would perplex both European and American Moravians well into the next century.

Smallpox

The Moravians in 1781 were not only harassed by nearby warfare and passing troops, but the Moravian communities suffered an outbreak of smallpox.

Friedberg fared the worst with 96 cases reported. Two families in Friedland and Bethania caught the disease. Fortunately Bethabara and Salem inoculated against it, and largely escaped its effects.

Good works by the Moravians

1781 were days of darkness and terror for Moravian towns in North Carolina. In that year American army and militia units repeatedly passed through Salem committing the familiar excesses and seizures of property and supplies.

The British and American armies collided at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse (in present day Greensboro) on 15 March 1781. 

Following the relatively short but important battle the Moravians were called to send rags to be used as bandages for the wounded of both the British and American armies. Their friend, the American Major John Armstrong, was concerned to hear reports that the Moravians were aiding the British. As he heard more on their good deeds he approved this act of compassion and was relieved to learn that all they had done was sent bandages.

The Moravians in Salem received several Virginia soldiers wounded in the fighting in Guilford County. Brother Peter gave this summary account:

"The good care taken of them and the sympathy shown, and the successful, even remarkable service given to them by Brother Bonn, Salem's physician, together with the good treatment given to troops quartered in Salem, in January, finally, through God's leading, gave us a good reputation with the officers of the Continental Army, which counteracted the prejudice against us..."

In 1781 a number of Virginia soldiers wrote letters of appreciation for the ministrations of Salem and it's physician Brother Bonn.

Brandy and Bro C.F.

Brandy shall be kept away from Brother C. F., who does not know how to use it in moderation, and who must therefore remain away from the Lord Supper. November 2, 1785 - Minutes from Salem Board.

Boys - hunting and guns

The Salem Gunsmith

A desire to shoot his increasingly among us. If a master deliberately gives his journeyman time off for hunting he is doing him a real injury, for we have seen that gradually a man grows eager for hunting and neglects his regular work, and is difficult to bring him back to orderly ways. 

Masters must not put muskets into the hands of their boys nor go hunting with them, because of evil results. August 4, 1785 - Minutes of the Salem Board. 

Boys and Jew's Harps

"The boys in Behabara have procured Jew's Harps, which they are playing on the streets. There shall be a conference with their parents concerning their duty of looking after their children and preventing such unseemly things and other disorders which may lead to more serious results." July 13, 17

American freedom perceived as a danger to the Moravians in 1785

"In the congregation a spirit has become evident which seeks to have American freedom. This should be taken up by the congregational council and thoroughly investigated, so that so dangerous a thing maybe put away from us. July 6 1785 - Minutes of the Salem Board."

Gottlob Krause

The grave of Christina Krause, the mother of Gottlob Krause.
She is buried at God's Acre - Bethabara, NC

"Gottlob Krause has said that he is thinking of giving up his work as a mason, He would like to know whether there was a chance for him to establish a pottery and Bethabara. 

He shall be advised to stick to his present employment, since he has put so much into his brick-yard, and can certainly do better with that than by starting a pottery in Bethabara. - June 15, 1785" -- from the Minutes of the Salem Board. 

Johann Gottlob Krause (September 18, 1760-November 4, 1802) was the master mason during the construction of the first major brick buildings in the Moravian community of Salem. Representing the first generation of native North Carolina Moravian artisans, in the post-Revolutionary era Krause introduced construction techniques that blended Germanic forms with decorative brickwork adapted from English traditions, and thus shaped the architectural character of this unique community.

Krause was born in 1760 in Bethabara, a frontier village settled in the 1750s in North Carolina’s Wachovia Tract by Moravian pioneers sent from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He was orphaned by the age of two. He died in 1802.

Baptism of Negro child

For the first time in Bethabra a Negro child has been born whose father has not been baptized. Decided that it may be baptized if the father asks it. May 18, 1785- Minutes of the Salem Board. 

The slippery horse thief

Today a well-known horse thief, with three horses, was arrested in our woods, and the next day was taken as a prisoner toward Richmond. 

Beyond Bethania he was was turned over to a man to be taken on, but he struck the man from his horse and escaped. (a week or two later he was seen on some of the farms near us, and that night our stable was entered, and the above mentioned three horses were taken out. Finally the thief was recaptured, but again manage to escape. For sometime horse stealing has been general in this neighborhood, and it seems difficult to put a stop to it.) -- September 18, 1785 - source - The Salem Congregation Diary. 

Marriage

Forming a family by marriage was not necessarily an easy go in early Salem. Consider this in 1774:

April 6 - (The church) recommended to Br. Peter Rose that he marry Sr. Rosina Bockel;

April 7 - Br. Peter Rose did not accept the proposal from the church concerning Sr. Rosina Bockel, but suggested Sr. Christine Merk. The church sent the proposal to her.

April 8 - Sr. Merk positively declined.

April 8 - Br. Peter Rose thereupon accepted the first suggestion, and Sr. Rosina Bockel accepted it as well. 

April 10 - Brother Rose and Sister Bockel were betrothed.

Walking

In 1772 one of the governing conferences of Salem said that for pleasure the Single Sisters and the Single Brothers should exercise by walking. But, and this was important, they should always go in opposite directions, alternating their routes week by week. This to prevent undo fraternizing. 

The lease system

The Salem pottery 

The lease system was a means for the church to maintain control over the affairs of the village of Salem. Families were assigned home sites but the land itself continued to belong to the Moravian church. The building(s) and improvements belonged to the individual or family but the land was leased one year at a time. If someone no longer wished to live under the discipline of the Moravian church the lease would not be renewed. 

The church not only leased property for the homestead but also for tradesmen - bakers and tailors and such. This enabled the church to limit the number of craftsmen for any given product. Limitations enabled Salem to be one of the richest and most productive communities in North Carolina. 

Whispering

When you see such a scene do you wonder what the one person is saying to the other that cannot be said in public? This photo was taken at the dinner given for "President Washington" at the tavern in Salem. The actual President Washington was in the village for three days and in the tavern for two nights in 1791.

Descriptive words

The 18th century Moravians may be described with three words: simplicity and spiritual warmth. These words are by no means exhaustive - but they lie at the core of the first generation Moravians in North Carolina. 

The Blum Fire

Brother John Christian Blum became the agent in the village of Salem for the Cape Fear Bank and thus had the responsibility of being watchful over the cash on hand.

On the evening of December 21 1827 he apparently blew out a candle to go to church. He had not noticed the spark that fell into papers. In quick order $10,000 of the bank's money went up in flames. That is approximately $200,000 today. 

There was no way he could afford to pay it. The Moravian church paid the debt to the bank. In turn, Brother Blum had to give the church all his property, large and small, and his profits for the rest of his life. After he died his sons purchased the home from the church. 

Water at Salem in 18th century

Waterworks were uncommon in the U.S. in the 18th century, but in 1778, drawing from their familiarity with German waterworks systems, the 126 residents of Moravian Salem built one of the first public waterworks in this country. The pipes were cut from white oak logs. The water was gravity fed into Salem having traveled about one mile. 

This water system was not for the purpose of personal bathing or hygiene, but for several  kitchens - the Single Brothers, the Single Sisters and the Tavern.  The kitchens then as today had one simple tap for washing pots and pans. This was a huge labor saving arrangement. 

Slaves and Moravian church discipline

In the opening years of the 19th century, as in the decades preceding, slaves could become members of the Moravian Church. On the one hand this is enhanced the status of an enslaved person. On the other hand it bound them to obedience to the church. In this regard it was the same for free whites as for his slaves African-Americans.

Any Moravian Black or white could be asked to leave the community if they were not complying with the discipline of the Moravian Church. 

However, waywardness was more complicated for the Moravian slave than the Moravian free white church member. If the slave was chronically disobedient he or she could, after being sufficiently warned, be sold outside the community. Obviously this made penalty for noncompliance something more dramatic for the enslaved person than for the free white.  

Moravians do not bury in cemetaries

Cemeteries are for non-Moravians. Moravians do not use the word "cemetery" for their burial places. Moravians referred to their burial ground as Gottes Acker - a term they brought from Saxony. 

In German Acker is not a measure of land mass but describes an agricultural field - a place where one plants seeds. Moravians think of God's Acre or field as the place where the bodies of believers are sown to await the Resurrection of the dead at the Second Coming of Christ. 

Tavern Staff

A Moravian brother and sister catching that rare moment when one can relax at the 1784 tavern in Old Salem, NC. 

Rebekka Protten

Rebekka Protten's life is a marvelous story of a Caribbean woman that was a slave turned evangelist. She is credited with helping to inspire the rise of black Christianity in the Atlantic world. All but unknown today, Rebekka Protten left an enduring influence on African-American Christianity.

Born in 1718, Protten had a childhood conversion experience, gained her freedom from bondage, and joined a group Moravians. 

She embarked on an itinerant mission, preaching to hundreds of the enslaved Africans of St. Thomas, a Danish sugar colony in the West Indies. Laboring in obscurity and weathering persecution from hostile planters, Protten and other black preachers created the earliest African Protestant congregation in the Americas.

Rebekka is a shinning example of the missionary spirit that was evidenced by the early Moravians. They were not in a quest to be a baptized version of the Peace Corps seen so often in the 20th and 21 centuries. No, the Moravians of the 18th and early 19th century were seeking to bring the astonishing good news of Jesus Christ to the lost with an eye to the conversion of the hearer. A part of that enterprise was doing service to those to whom they preached. May their tribe increase.

The tailor's house

At the Miksch House

A Moravian sister scrubs potatoes which are richly harvested in the Miksch House garden.

The Miksch is a pre-revolutionary building originally built with logs, soon covered with clapboard. There are various simple additions up to 1786. It was the  first privately owned single family house in Salem. Earlier homes in Salem were shared.  

Rioting at the Salem tavern

On June 22, 1776 violence came to the Salem tavern. Four men, characterized as army deserters, ran wild in the tavern, breaking doors and furniture and attacking people. The rioters chased Salem citizens up the street to the home of Christian Gottlieb Reuter. His home suffered broken windows. The melee then moved to the Single Brothers House. Similar havoc was wreaked there. Seven Moravian brothers were noted as hurt by tomahawks. 

A military muster was in the area and came to take charge of the violators. As Providence would have it they were tried in the same tavern where their violence began. They were arrested by the troops and sent as prisoners to Salisbury, NC.