Five Girls

Unidentified girls, five in number, walking North near God's Acre in Old Salem, on Cedar Avenue. A light snow has fallen. The fence for God's Acre is to the left of the read. Photo date unknown but is 19th century.

Sickness and Death

"The year which we are about to close (1857) was also signalized by an unusual amount of sickness and mortality, so that in all probability there have never been as many deaths in our town and congregation as occurred this year. 

Toward the close of April when the weather was anything but genial the measles and kindred diseases attacked many children and young persons both in town and more especially in our female boarding school. 

Several children of members of our congregation were on this occasion taken away from their parents by him who said: "suffer little children to come onto me and forbid them not, four of such is the kingdom of heaven." Luke 18:16.

In more than one instant, through, this dispensation of our Lord was felt more keenly by the parents because by it was removed from their guardianship an only son or only daughter.

Later in the year great sickness prevailed  ... so that several of our members had to part with their little ones, and one of our sisters had to give up to him who has the best claim upon them three of her children in very quick succession.

Adults, though, were also called to their eternal home during the year, so that alongside one another are reposing on our "Gods Acre" the mortal remains of three young mothers." --From handwritten notes of George Frederick Bahnson - the Memorabilia of the Salem Congregation 1857

Image - God's Acre

God's Acre (1771) - Moravian burial ground - Old Salem
Winston-Salem
Click on image to enlarge.

The Widow Speaks the Meaning of God's Acre

Photo Credit: Lobster Pot Photography

The widow speaks having buried her husband, Dr. Hans Martin Kalberlahn, in God's Acre, in 1759, at Bethabara, NC.

"So that is what God's Acre meant! Not a place of burial, not even a measure of land consecrated to God, but a field in

which the bodies of believers were laid awaiting the glories of the resurrection!  I knew that of course, but I had never realized what it could mean to one whose best beloved lay there. How sweet it was to think of my Martin, one of the pioneers in this hundred thousand-acre field that we call Wachovia, now one of the first fruits standing in that glorious presence, his labors accepted, his soul ripe for the harvest. Humbly I accept the comfort which the Savior gave me, and the last lines of Brother Reuter's poem became my prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, Thou art so true,

Thou are so merciful to all,

I pray for grace Thy will to do,

To trust Thy love whatever befall."

The Road to Salem, by Adelaide L. Fries, Page 82, John F. Blair, Publisher. 

"Knock Knock" - "Whose there?"

Old Moravian Cemetery - Bethlehem, PA

There was no double about it. 

When the gravedigger had partly filled in Thomas Utley’s grave he heard three distinct knocks coming from the coffin below. He quickly called a number of the brethren to the spot. They decided to reopen the coffin for if they failed to do so an unfounded “talk” would be the result. After it was taken up and reopened and a careful inspection made they found no sign of vitality in brother Utley and decided he was very dead. 

The coffin was again lowered, but as the grave was filled in they all again heard the knocking. After agreeing that Claus Collyn must have used green lumber in making the coffin and that the ground pressure caused the knocking, it was considered a closed subject. However, this was in 1771 and in those days of much superstition it is safe to surmise that the ghost of Thomas would be around for a long time. --Lititz Public Library