The modern Moravian Church

The modern Moravian Church, the Unitas Fratrum, with about 750,000 members worldwide, continues to draw on traditions established during the eighteenth century. The Moravians continue their long tradition of missionary work, for example in the Caribbean. This is reflected in their broad global distribution. The Church places a high value on ecumenism and personal piety, missions and music.

Heartwarming - The Indians addressing the Moravian Brethren:

March 21, 1753

"Brothers! As I (the Nanticokes and Shawnee) was here last summer, my Brothers (Moravians in Bethlehem) helped me very much. I had nothing to eat and I certainly would have starved to death. I am very grateful to you. Our youth was very pleased and said: "I would have been ruined, if the Brethren in Bethlehem had not helped me." Our boys were strengthened with food and were pleased to hear that you helped us so much. The children who were born since that time have heard that you helped us in our hardship and are grateful for it. Our children in their mothers’ wombs will be pleased when they will hear that we would have had to have starved to death if our Brethren had not helped us.

Brothers! We ask you to accept this small present of skins, which will serve you as gloves and trousers. It is not very much. We are only us few, just a handful.

Brothers! We came now to smoke a pipe with you and not to undertake many matters.

Jan Hus

This day in history (1831)

"A new North Carolina law eliminates the Moravians’ exemption from military service. Rather than protest, as their fathers would have, Moravians flock to enlist. By February a militia will form in the Bethania area, and on 4 July Salem’s own militia will parade to martial music." --Moravian Archives, Winston-Salem

Pennsylvania religion = atheism

Would you have guessed that an 18th century phrase “Pennsylvania religion” was a synonym for atheism. It was and here is why.

Pennsylvania gave a home to a diversity of churches. This was viewed by most denominations as impiety. Church officials of various denominations proclaimed that Pennsylvania was the most irreligious colony in America. This view did not help the Moravian cause centered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Julius Sachse, in his book, The German Sectarians in Pennsylvania (1708-1742) wrote the following:

“All shades or sectarians exist here down to open infidelity. Besides the English, Swedish and German Lutherans, and the Scotch, Dutch and German Reformed, there were Arminians, Baptists, Mennonites, Arians, Socinians, Schwenckfelders, German Old Tuckers, New Tuckers, New Lights, Inspired, Sabbatarians or Seventh-Day Baptists, Hermits, Independents and Free Thinkers.” 

This represented a disorganized spiritual life in colonial Pennsylvania. It stood in stark contrast with life in a German parish, with its clear lines of authority, intimacy and order.

Image: T. Bagge Community Store - Salem

Photo Credit: Digital Forsyth

The Community Store opened in 1775. The store was named for its proprietor, Traugott Bagge. Bagge served as Salem’s spokesman during the Revolutionary War, when the Moravians remained neutral despite pressure from both sides. 

From Bagge’s death in 1800 the building continued to function as a store and residence. Today it is both a store and museum run by Old Salem, Inc., 

Christmas Post: Christmas Candles

Photo Credit: Unity Moravian Church, Winston-Salem

Bishop Johann Michael Graff was the first resident Moravian bishop in North Carolina. He introduced a Christmas custom that children and adults of the Wachovia would cherish - to this day. 

At the love feast on Christmas Eve Bishop Graff gave each child a lighted candle. This is a custom that began in Marienborn in Germany in 1747. It gradually spread to Moravian congregations throughout the world. 

In the Wachovia of North Carolina the first of these candle distributions was held 1762. 

The Symbolism of the Candle

The candles distributed to Moravians in America were made from beeswax. Beeswax, considered the purest of all waxes suggested the purity of Christ. 

The candle, giving its life as it burned, suggested the sacrifice of the sinless Christ for sinful humanity. The light also signified Christ - as the light of the world. 

The red trim brings to mind the blood of Jesus - shed for the salvation of those who turn to Him in faith. 

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. John 6:53-56.

The Bethlehem Diary

The town diary has a full account, a free translation of which is:

At eight o’clock the children assembled for their Vigils service in the congregation chapel. After the choir sang the old Christmas hymn, “Today we celebrate the birth,” Brother Peter Boehler talked about the birth of the Savior, using as illustration the Christmas Eve painting which was illuminated and surrounded with the Daily Texts from the past two days. The children took part with Christmas verses, singing them with spirit and tenderness. Then each received a gift as a reminder of the greatest and most wonderful gift when the Savior gave himself to us.

And, at last, each was given a wax candle, lighted while hymns were being sung, and before one was aware of it, more than 250 candles were ablaze, producing a charming effect and a very agreeable odor, especially as they sang the concluding hymn.

Brother Peter dismissed them with the wish that their hearts would burn as brightly toward the Child Jesus, as the candles were burning. Then they went happily homeward with the still-burning candles in their hands.

Christmas Post: Home Moravian Church - Christmas past

Photo Credit: Digital Forsyth

Home Moravian Church at Christmas past

On Christmas Day at dawn the birth of Jesus was announced with trombones or French horns as was the case in 1780. A diarist confirms this with this statement, “The French horns played early in the morning.” 

At 9 AM there was a liturgical worship for communicant members of the church. It was accompanied with a sermon. Another worship service began at 10 AM and featured a sermon in both English and German. The churches would have been decorated with greenery as photographed above.

The Salem Diary for 1771 reported: "On December 25th at 10 AM, there was preaching on the Gospel for the day: that God became man, taking part in our flesh and blood, was powerfully set forth as a truth from God.”

Christmas Post: The spread of Moravian Christmas traditions

Non-Moravian neighbors after making contact with Moravians seemed pleased to borrow from the Christmas Moravian traditions.

The warm hearted, Christ centered Moravians founded schools for the Cherokee. When the tribe was relocated to Oklahoma in the 1830’s memories of the traditions of the Moravian schools traveled with them. This is but one example of how Moravian Christmas traditions spread. 

Not only have Moravian Christmas traditions spread but they have endured.  There is a reason for this. In the 1700’s most Americans celebrated the holiday with more secular and adult activities such as shooting matches, cockfights, and balls and parties. As time went on Americans sought to be more family friendly at Christmas and found fitting Moravian traditions - tried and true. Where there are Moravian churches, even to this day, participation in the seasonal traditions continue unabated. 

Christmas Post: Moravian children and Christmas

Photo Credit: Unity Moravian Church, Winston-Salem

An integral part of the Moravian Christmas celebration meant that children were included in the preparations. The effect of which was to pass on the Moravian traditions to the next generation. 

Children did their part in Christmas preparations by going into the woods to collect greenery, moss, and small trees. These were used in the decorating of the church.  

Additionally children helped in the dipping of candles, the baking of Christmas cakes, the gathering of apples, the chopping of wood, the preparation of meals, and the butchering of hogs. 

They committed to memory Bible verses and music relating to Christ's birth and delighted in the Putz - which is to say the Nativity scene. 

All of these activities and more gave young people and children sensory points of reference to strengthen their faith.

Welcome

We welcome Ireland to our ever growing international readership. Scroll down the sidebar to see the whole listing.