A Save Named Sam

• In the 1760's the Moravians rented a slave named Sam. He was competent and hardworking. 
• Sam saw that the Moravians could offer him the opportunity to better himself. On the basis of that belief he asked to be purchased by the church. The bishop opined: "It is certainly not our way to buy men."  But, the bishop eventually justified the purchase of Sam in the hope that Sam would become the property of the Savior as well as the Moravians. Thus he was acquired by the church. 
• Sam supervised several young Moravian helpers - he was a cattle herder, and the teamster.
• In due course, repenting of his sins, Sam was baptized in 1771. The first baptism in the nascent town of Salem. 

In the Church's diary it is written: (during the liturgy) "... The presence of the Savior was deeply felt by the congregation, including many friends and a few Negroes; many said that the impression would never be forgotten."

• Sam was renamed Johannes Samuel. 
• Samuel eventually married - Maria, also enslaved.
• He purchased freedom for himself and his wife.
• Samuel faced the terrible problem so many freed slaves faced - poverty. 
• Fifty years after his baptism Samuel died an indigent - the year was 1821.
• Samuel was, as they called him, the first fruit of Moravian evangelism. Yet in the congregational diary there is only this terse statement: "the Negro Johann Samuel died in our neighborhood." 
• Between Samuel's baptism (1771) and death (1821) - those fifty years - the attitude of the Moravians toward slaves had changed, sad to say. 

Moravian Baptismal Sponsors

How the Moravians in the late 18th century chose sponsors for their infant baptismal candidates is interesting.

Most parents chose two to five sponsors (godparents). They typically would be a mix of relatives, neighbors and friends. 

A typical North Carolina Moravian family might select brothers and sisters from other communities such as Salem or Bethania. These selections had the positive effect of binding various Moravian congregations together. Selecting sponsors from within the family had the same effect within the family unit. 

The selection of godparents among NC Moravians rarely was made in the hope of economic gain or a rise in social status. This would be more common in Germany. 

The Moravian brethren perceived the selection of baptismal sponsors to be a high honor. Over the childbearing years the Moravian family chose and honored many people. Keep in mind that one child might have five sponsors and that the average family in this time period was seven children - some with many more. 

Important Historical Note

In 1771 the Saal,  the space Moravians designated for congregational worship and other meetings was completed. 

It was announced that at 2 PM there would be a baptism in

the Saal. The baptismal candidate was a slave - a man

named “Sam”. It is significant that among the Moravians a slave could be the first baptized in their spanking new worship space. He was given the name of Johannes Samuel.

The Salem Diary reported on the event: “The presence of the Savior was deeply felt by the congregation, including many friends a a few negroes. Many said that the impression on them would never be forgotten.”