, '■ 
 
 A HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 MORAVIAN GHURC 
 
 ' YORK CITY 
 
 HARRY EM1LIUS STQCKER, Ph.D. 
 

 CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 Goodkind Book Fund 
 
 In Memory of 
 
 MARTIN H. GOODKIND 
 
 Class of 1887 
 
Cornell University Library 
 BX 8568.N5S86 
 
 A history of the Moravian Church in New 
 
 3 1924 008 321 469 
 
The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924008321469 
 
A History 
 
 of 
 
 The Moravian Church 
 
 in 
 
 New York City 
 
 By 
 HARRY EMILIUS STOCKER, Ph.D. 
 
 .Author "History of the Moravian Mission Among the Indians 
 
 on the White River in Indiana," "Moravian Customs 
 
 and Other Matters of Interest," etc. 
 
 NEW YORK CITY 
 1922 
 
 \Q'\ r \ 
 
Copyright, 1922, by 
 HARRY EMILIUS STOCKER 
 
 PARISH LIBRARY 
 
 CHRIST AHD HOLY TRIHITY CHURCH 
 TO^IPORT GOillfECTICul' 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CSAFTEB FAQB 
 
 FOREWORD 7 
 
 I. The Rise of the Moravian Church 9 
 
 II. The Moravian Church Resuscitated 16 
 
 III. Why the Moravians Came to America 24 
 
 IV. Moravian Pioneers in New York City 81 
 
 V. The Moravians Form an Undenominational 
 
 Society 42 
 
 VI. Systematic Moravian Home Mission Work 49 
 
 VII. The Organization op the First Moravian 
 
 Church 71 
 
 VIII. The Congregation before the American Revo- 
 lution 87 
 
 IX. The Congregation During the Revolutionary 
 
 War 119 
 
 X. Progress of the Work in Spite of Hindrances 146 
 XI. The Pastorate of Christopher Godfrey Peter 166 
 
 XII. In the Dawn of the Nineteenth Century 188 
 
 XIII. The Congregation Outgrows Its Quarters 202 
 
 jjjf XIV. The Consecration of the New Church 214 
 
 ^ XV. Sixteen Years in the Second Church on Fulton 
 
 OS Street 221 
 
 XVI. The Church in Houston Street 216 
 
 O XVII. The Homeless Years of the Congregation 275 
 
 XVIII. The Church at Lexington Avenue and Thir- 
 '<Li tieth Street 283 
 
 XIX. Fruits of Moravian Labors in New York . . . 360 
 
 --^ 
 
 ii APPENDIXES 
 
 A. Points of Interest 867 
 
 \A B. Ministers, Evangelists and Pastors 871 
 
 i C. The Communicant Membership of the Congre- 
 
 ,jo gation 375 
 
 Jy 
 
 k5 
 
 Index 381 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The First Moravian Church, Lexington Avenue and 
 Thirtieth Street Frontispiece 
 
 The Second Church on Fulton Street 214 
 
 The Houston Street Church 246 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 The year nineteen hundred and twenty-two is 
 especially important because it marks the two hun- 
 dredth anniversary of the Renewal of the Unitas 
 Fratrum, or Unity of the Brethren, now generally 
 known as the Moravian Church. The renewal of 
 this ancient Protestant Church meant a great deal 
 to the world in general and to the Christian Church 
 in particular. Some of the most glowing pages in 
 church history have been written by Moravians. 
 The record of their early achievements is not unlike 
 the Acts of the Apostles. At a time when the greater 
 part of the Christian Church lay in the cold grip of 
 a rationalistic formalism which had little or no 
 concern for the welfare of anybody, the hearts of 
 the people of Herrnhut were on fire for God. Their 
 one passion was Christ, and to make Him known 
 their greatest desire. Therefore they went anywhere 
 and everywhere, preaching the gospel. In due time 
 the Church spread to Great Britain, North America, 
 and other lands. In America the conversion of the 
 Indians engaged the zealous attention of the Mo- 
 ravians for many years. At the same time, they car- 
 ried on extensive evangelistic labors among the many 
 white people who were without church affiliation. 
 It is natural, therefore, that their hearts should be 
 directed to the religious needs of the metropolis. 
 Here they began their labors at an early day, and 
 
 7 
 
8 FOREWORD 
 
 eventually planted a church which exists at the 
 present time. 
 
 Altho frequent references are made to the 
 work of this church in various historical writings, 
 no one has ever written a history of the Moravian 
 Church in New York City. Believing that this mat- 
 ter was too long deferred, the Elders and Trustees 
 of the First Church fraternally requested the present 
 pastor to bring to light the valuable information 
 locked up in the abundant manuscripts and records 
 preserved in the archives of the congregation. Not 
 without a feeling of unworthiness for so important 
 a task, the pastor began his labor of love, and now, 
 after two years of careful research, this volume, 
 entitled "A History of the Moravian Church in 
 New York City," is given to the public. The principal 
 sources of information contained in the history are 
 the diaries, records, and numerous papers found 
 in the archives of the congregation. The Provincial 
 Archives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, were also laid 
 under contribution. Additional information was 
 found in various books by Moravian authors, in 
 numerous histories of New York, and in other litera- 
 ture bearing on the subject. If this history shall 
 add to the appreciation of the value of Moravian 
 labors in New York City and elsewhere, and inspire 
 a deeper love for the Moravian Church, the writer 
 will feel amply rewarded for his labors. 
 
 Harry E. Stocker. 
 
 New York City, 
 June, 1922. 
 
CHAPTER I 
 THE RISE OP THE MORAVIAN CHURCH 
 
 The Moravian Church dates back to the fifteenth 
 century. In the beginning it was known as the 
 "Unitas Fratrum," or "The Unity of the Brethren," 
 which is still the official title of the Church. After a 
 time it was commonly spoken of as "The Brethren's 
 Church." This name is frequently employed at the 
 present time. In history the members of this Church 
 are known as "The Brethren," or "Moravians," the 
 latter designation coming into use in the first quar- 
 ter of the eighteenth century. 
 
 The apostle of the Brethren was John Hus, the 
 Bohemian Reformer, who was burnt alive as a heretic 
 on July 6, 1415, the forty-third anniversary of his 
 birth. As the result of this act of Roman Catholic 
 violence, Bohemia was plunged into what is known 
 as the Hussite War. For twenty years the country 
 was bathed in blood. At first the Hussites were ar- 
 rayed against the Catholics, but soon they became 
 divided among themselves. In the bitter strife the 
 principles for which Hus had given his life were 
 often forgotten by those who claimed to be his fol- 
 lowers, and before long Hussite was contending 
 against Hussite. One faction sought to restore to 
 the laity the cup in the Lord's Supper. For this 
 reason its adherents were called the Calixtines or 
 Utraquists. Another faction demanded a general 
 
 9 
 
10 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 reformation of the Church. Its adherents called 
 themselves Taborites, taking their name from Mount 
 Tabor, a hill near Prague where they had their camp. 
 These two factions locked horns, and eventually the 
 Utraquists triumphed. The victors in the struggle 
 came to terms with the Catholics, and the pope 
 acknowledged the Utraquist Church as the National 
 Church of Bohemia. 
 
 As the result of this long conflict the Bohemians 
 were permitted to partake of the wine in the Holy 
 Communion, which was practically the only advan- 
 tage gained. The Utraquist Church was in reality 
 a Catholic Church, and before long the old-time cor- 
 ruption prevailed. It seemed as if Hus had died in 
 vain. But this was not the case. Fires kindled by 
 the martyr were still burning in some hearts loyal 
 to the truth. Here and there devout men could be 
 found who held to his teaching. They loved the 
 Bible, strove to live righteous lives, and during the 
 war refused to take up arms. These were the real 
 Hussites. Those in Prague were naturally drawn 
 together, and gradually a free religious society came 
 into being to which others of like mind were at- 
 tracted. It had for its object private edification and 
 the general reformation of the Church. This society 
 repeatedly requested John Rokyzan, the head of the 
 Utraquist Church and an eloquent preacher, to take 
 the lead in the reform movement. The members were 
 attracted to him because about the year 1450 he 
 preached against the corruptions of the Church, and 
 strongly exhorted the people to return to the princi- 
 ples advocated by Hus. 
 
RISE OP THE MORAVIAN CHURCH 11 
 
 Rokyzan's actions spoke louder than his words. 
 After halting some time between his convictions and 
 self-interest, he flatly refused to head the desired 
 reform movement. Turning from him in disgust, 
 the awakened now looked for a leader among their 
 own number, and this time they were not disap- 
 pointed. In Gregory, commonly spoken of as 
 Gregory the Patriarch, they found the one whom 
 God had raised up for the purpose. He was an elo- 
 quent speaker and able writer, and above all a man 
 of blameless character. In time he founded an inde- 
 pendent society. In 1456 he heard of the barony 
 of Lititz on the north-east border of Bohemia. This 
 estate was the private property of George Podiebrad, 
 the Regent of Bohemia. On the estate were three 
 thinly populated villages, Zamburg, Kunwald, and 
 Lititz. With the permission of the Regent, Gregory 
 and his followers began their first settlement at 
 Kunwald. In 1457 they met in a solemn convocation, 
 drew up and adopted principles of doctrine and 
 practice, and constituted themselves into a regularly 
 organized association under the name of "The Breth- 
 ren and Sisters of the Law of Christ." Later this 
 name was changed to "Brethren," and afterwards 
 to "Unitas Fratrum," or "Unity of the Brethren." 
 Therefore the Brethren's Church was founded in 
 1457, or four hundred and sixty-five years ago. 
 Tradition has it that the organization of the Church 
 took place on March the first. 
 
 Like-minded people from every walk of life joined 
 the Brethren, and the infant Church rapidly grew 
 in numbers. After four years of peace the Brethren 
 
12 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 were assailed by the first storm of persecution. The 
 King had heard that they were dangerous conspira- 
 tors and guilty of heresy, therefore he gave strict 
 orders that all his subjects had to belong either to 
 the Utraquist or the Roman Catholic Church. He 
 also ordered all priests who conducted the Holy 
 Communion after the manner of the Brethren to be 
 put to death. As a result many of the Brethren suf- 
 fered martyrdom. But in spite of persecution their 
 number increased. In 1464 the Brethren separated 
 themselves completely from the National Church, 
 and three years later established a ministry of their 
 own. Hitherto they had been served by Michael 
 Bradacius and other ministers who had originally 
 belonged to the Utraquist Church. That they might 
 secure a ministry whose validity neither the Utra- 
 quists nor the Romanists could question, the Breth- 
 ren sent three candidates for ordination to Stephen, 
 a Bishop of the Waldensian Church, living on the 
 confines of Bohemia and Austria, who consecrated 
 them bishops, and from that day to this there has 
 been no break in the episcopal succession of the 
 Brethren's Church. 
 
 By the time that Martin Luther nailed his theses to 
 the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral, the Evangelical 
 or Protestant Church of the Brethren had grown 
 influential. It had at least two hundred thousand 
 members and over four hundred parishes in Bohemia 
 and Moravia, The Brethren made the Bible their 
 only rule of faith and practice, taught the great 
 doctrine of justification by faith, and in every way 
 sought to advance the cause of evangelical religion. 
 
RISE OP THE MORAVIAN CHURCH 13 
 
 To this end they not only preached the gospel, but 
 established schools and made extensive use of the 
 printing-press. Among Other things they published 
 a confession of faith, numerous pamphlets and 
 treatises, and portions of the Holy Scriptures, as 
 well as a hymn-book which was the first to be put 
 into the hands of the people by any Church. A copy 
 of the first edition of this hymnal published in 1501 
 is preserved in the library of the modern University 
 of Prague. The Brethren were Reformers before 
 the Reformation, and as such Luther himself ac- 
 knowledged them after he became acquainted with 
 their principles. In turn the Brethren regarded 
 Luther as a champion sent by God. Although there 
 were points on which he and the Brethren could not 
 agree, on the whole, the relations between them were 
 friendly and mutually beneficial. The same holds 
 true of the Brethren's intercourse with other Re- 
 formers of the sixteenth century. While they bene- 
 fited in a doctrinal way, others learned much from 
 the discipline of the Brethren. Martin Bucer said, 
 "The Brethren alone in all the world combine a 
 wholesome discipline with a pure faith." 
 
 In 1546 the Protestant princes of Germany, headed 
 by Frederick, the Elector of Saxony, formed what 
 is known as the Smalcald League against Emperor 
 Charles the Fifth. When war broke out between the 
 Catholics and Protestants, Ferdinand, King of Bo- 
 hemia, called upon his subjects to take up arms in 
 behalf of the Emperor, his Catholic brother. The 
 Brethren were in a dilemma out of which there was 
 only one way. They refused to serve their King 
 
14 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 and gave what support they could to the Elector ol 
 Saxony. The Protestants were defeated, and Fer- 
 dinand proceeded to wreak vengeance upon his re- 
 bellious subjects. He determined to stamp out the 
 Brethren's Church. In 1548 an edict was issued, 
 commanding all persons living on royal estates to 
 unite with the Utraquist or the Roman Catholic 
 Church, or leave the country within six weeks. Fer- 
 dinand had no thought that the Brethren would 
 choose the latter course. He did not know them. 
 A large number of them left the country and even- 
 tually settled in East Prussia, where they were per- 
 secuted by certain bigoted Lutherans. After a time 
 they sought refuge in Poland, whither the Breth- 
 ren's Church had previously extended its operations. 
 The King of Poland leaned toward the Protestant 
 faith, and many of his subjects hated the Roman 
 Catholic Church. Therefore the Brethren found a 
 fertile field for disseminating gospel truths. In 
 less than six years they had about forty churches in 
 this country. A century after the founding of the 
 Brethren's Church it consisted of three confederated 
 provinces, the Bohemian, the Moravian, and the 
 Polish. 
 
 Ferdinand was succeeded by Maximilian II, a lib- 
 eral-minded monarch, in whose reign the Brethren 
 nourished. Under Maximilian's successor, the 
 Unitas Fratrum became a legally recognized Church 
 of the land. Before very many years, however, 
 storms of persecution swept over the Brethren, and 
 their Church all but perished. In 1620 Ferdinand II 
 ascended the throne, and inaugurated the Counter- 
 
RISE OF THE MORAVIAN CHURCH 15 
 
 Reformation, which had for its purpose the crashing 
 ont of evangelical religion in Bohemia and Moravia. 
 In 1627 this end was practically accomplished, and 
 only a few of the Brethren remained in the land of 
 their fathers, the majority having been driven into 
 exile, with only what is known as "The Hidden Seed" 
 left behind. The Brethren in Poland held together 
 about twenty-five years longer, when they too were 
 scattered abroad. In 1656 war broke out between 
 the Protestant King of Sweden and the Catholic 
 monarch of Poland. The latter was successful, there- 
 fore the Brethren, who had sided with the Swedish 
 King, had to flee, and their Church in Poland also 
 came to an end. But in the providence of God the 
 Brethren's Church had not perished altogether. It 
 was destined to be revived. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 THE MORAVIAN CHURCH RESUSCITATED 
 
 Many of the Brethren lost their lives during the 
 Counter-Reformation, others fled from the country, 
 while some of them remained in their native land. 
 The majority of those who remained behind con- 
 tinued to be true to the faith of their fathers. 
 Altho the coming generation was less fervid in evan- 
 gelical zeal, there were those among the descendants 
 of the Brethren who never lost hope that some day 
 the Church would be revived. This was especially 
 the case in Moravia. Among the number was George 
 Jaeschke of Sehlen. Before his death in 1707, he 
 told his son and grandsons that the time for the re- 
 newal of the Church was near at hand, and exhorted 
 them to make any sacrifices necessary to hasten the 
 event, not hesitating to leave their home and native 
 land should the occasion demand it. Fifteen years 
 later his prophecy began to be fulfilled. 
 
 In His own good time and manner the Lord 
 brought about the resuscitation of the Brethren's 
 Church. Strange to say, two of the principal instru- 
 ments in His hand to bring it about had no con- 
 nection with the Brethren at the time. One of them 
 was Count Nicholas Lewis von Zinzendorf, the 
 other, Christian David. It is important to know 
 something of the way in which God prepared these 
 
 16 
 
MORAVIAN CHURCH RESUSCITATED 17 
 
 men to become the instruments of His purpose. 
 Born in Dresden on May 26, 1700, Zinzendorf spent 
 his childhood in the old Saxon Castle of Gross Hen- 
 nersdorf, located about ten miles from the Bohemian 
 border. This was the home of his grandmother, a 
 woman of strong Christian character, to whose 
 charge he was committed when he was about two 
 years of age, his father having died and his mother 
 married again. In his fourth year he began to seek 
 God earnestly, and at this early age determined to 
 become a true servant of Jesus Christ. As a child 
 he delighted in conducting prayer-meetings in his 
 private room, and in preaching to his friends. 
 
 When he was ten years old Zinzendorf went to 
 Halle, where he founded among the boys the famous 
 "Order of the Mustard Seed," which had the three- 
 fold purpose of being kind to all men, of being loyal 
 to Christ, and of sending the gospel to the heathen. 
 After finishing the course at Halle he went to the 
 University of Wittenberg, where he likewise exerted 
 a profound religious influence among the students. 
 Several years after his graduation from the uni- 
 versity he married Countess Erdmuth Dorothea 
 Reuss. From his youth Zinzendorf desired to enter 
 the Christian ministry, but when he first tried to 
 carry out his purpose, his grandmother objected so 
 strongly that he submitted to her wishes and entered 
 the service of the State. But at no time did he cease 
 to labor for Christ. His Christian efforts always 
 took a practical turn. Purchasing from his grand- 
 mother the small estate of Berthelsdorf, he decided 
 to establish a Christian village, and to this end in- 
 
18 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 stalled, on August 30, 1722, his friend, John Andrew 
 Rothe, as the village pastor. 
 
 In this way the Lord prepared a refuge for the bur- 
 dened Brethren of Bohemia and Moravia. At the 
 same time he prepared the leader who was destined 
 to bring the Brethren to their new home. Christian 
 David became the link between the refugees and 
 their refuge. Born of Catholic parents, on Decem- 
 ber 31, 1690, at Senf tleben, Moravia, he early became 
 a seeker after the truth. It was not until he had 
 reached his majority, however, that he found Christ 
 as his Saviour. His conversion took place while in 
 Germany. Glowing with enthusiasm he returned to 
 his native land, where he went about preaching the 
 gospel, the common people hearing him gladly. As 
 a result of his preaching there was a Protestant 
 awakening, and many of the descendants of the 
 Brethren were fired with a new hope. But no sooner 
 did the Protestants show signs of activity when the 
 spirit of persecution manifested itself. Christian 
 David became convinced that Moravia was not a 
 place where Protestants could hope to enjoy reli- 
 gious freedom, therefore he sought out Count Zinzen- 
 dorf , of whom he had heard, and asked for permission 
 to bring his persecuted countrymen to his estate. 
 Having received the desired permission, he hastened 
 back to Moravia with the glad tidings. When Au- 
 gustin and Jacob Neisser of Sehlen heard that a 
 refuge had been found, they cried, "This is God's 
 doing; it is His call." The very next day the two 
 brothers, their wives and children, together with 
 Michael Jaeschke and a young girl, set out under 
 
MORAVIAN CHURCH RESUSCITATED 19 
 
 cover of night for Berthelsdorf . On June 8, 1722, 
 they arrived, "weary and footsore, at their destina- 
 tion. Other refugees followed later, and in due time 
 the Moravian emigrants established the settlement 
 of Herrnhut, about a mile from Berthelsdorf. 
 
 The Herrnhut settlers were not all descendants of 
 the Ancient Brethren. Others who desired religious 
 freedom were attracted to the new settlement from 
 the immediate vicinity and other parts of Germany. 
 For this reason there was a variety of religious sen- 
 timents in the community, which disturbed the peace 
 of the settlers. The descendants of the Ancient 
 Brethren desired the resuscitation of their Church. 
 They insisted that the discipline of the Brethren 
 should be preserved, and in the end their views pre- 
 vailed. On May 12, 1727, forty-two statutes called 
 "The Brotherly Agreement of the Brethren from 
 Bohemia and Moravia, and sundry other Brethren 
 at Herrnhut, to walk according to apostolic rule" 
 were publicly adopted by all the inhabitants of 
 Herrnhut. Not long after this important event a 
 copy of the constitution and order of the Ancient 
 Brethren's Church prepared by Bishop John Amos 
 Comenius under the title of "Ratio Disciplinw" fell 
 into the hands of Count Zinzendorf, who was aston- 
 ished to find that the statutes of Herrnhut were in 
 substantial agreement with the newly found docu- 
 ment. When he shared his discovery with the Breth- 
 ren, they were greatly impressed. Even those who 
 previously had no thought of separation from the 
 State Church now began to think seriously that the 
 Lord might have in mind the resuscitation of the 
 
20 MORAVIAN CHUECH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Unitas Fratrum thru the Herrnhtit congregation. 
 On August Thirteenth the Brethren experienced a 
 veritable baptism of the Holy Spirit in connection 
 with the celebration of the Holy Communion at 
 Berthelsdorf. This day is known as "The Spiritual 
 Birthday of the Renewed Brethren's Church." It 
 must not be supposed, however, that the Renewed 
 Church sprung into existence in a day. The resusci- 
 tation was brought about by a gradual process, and 
 not without considerable opposition. 
 
 This opposition came from within and without 
 the congregation. Herrnhut was an integral part 
 of the Lutheran parish of Berthelsdorf, and not all 
 were convinced that a separation should be effected. 
 Zinzendorf himself was at this time an ardent Lu- 
 theran, and nothing was further from his mind than 
 the thought of establishing a new Church. His pur- 
 pose was to make the congregation of Herrnhut "a 
 church within the church," laboring as a branch of 
 the State Church for a deepening of spiritual life 
 among Christians, and particularly for the spread 
 of the gospel among the heathen. This conscien- 
 tious opposition on his part had to be overcome. 
 The opposition from without was far more serious. 
 Much of it was caused by the Brethren's connection 
 with Zinzendorf, who long before Herrnhut was 
 founded had won the unmerited hatred of those who 
 were jealous of his influence. He had bitter enemies 
 among the university professors and Protestant 
 clergy, who attacked him and what he. did whenever 
 they could. Therefore the Herrnhut settlement 
 aroused opposition from the beginning. Naturally 
 
MORAVIAN CHURCH RESUSCITATED 21 
 
 the enemies of Zinzendorf also became the enemies 
 of the Brethren. Persecution was the inevitable re- 
 sult. Itinerant Brethren travelled far and wide in 
 Europe, witnessing for the gospel, and by the year 
 1730 fifty^six of them had already borne chains for 
 Christ's sake. About this time Zinzendorf s enemies 
 formally accused him before the Saxon Court of 
 being a dangerous man, and the Austrian Govern- 
 ment made the charge that he was enticing its sub- 
 jects to settle on his estate. An official investigation 
 of these charges proved them false. But the enemies 
 of the Count were not discouraged. They sought to 
 have him imprisoned, and failing in this they laid 
 their lines to bring about his banishment. This at- 
 tempt was successful. In 1735 a certain baron com- 
 plained that Herrnhut had such strong religious 
 attractions for his people that many of them had 
 practically become vassals of Zinzendorf. The 
 Saxon Government gave the Count no opportunity 
 to defend himself against this foolish charge, and 
 on March 20, 1736, he was banished. When Zinzen- 
 dorf, who was in Holland at the time, heard of the 
 edict directed against him, he calmly replied, "It does 
 not matter at all. In any case I would not have been 
 able to live at Herrnhut for the next ten years, be- 
 cause I intend to move about from place to place 
 in the interests of the work of the Lord." His ban- 
 ishment, instead of working mischief, therefore 
 helped to spread the Moravian Church thruout the 
 world. 
 
 Like Zinzendorf the Brethren were tireless in 
 their zeal to spread the gospel at home and abroad. 
 
22 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 "Christ and Him Crucified" was the center and the 
 circumference of their religion, and they believed 
 that their chief business in life was to make Him 
 known to others. Evangelists of the Brethren went 
 forth from Herrnhut to Denmark, Silesia, Hungary, 
 Austria, Moravia, England, and other lands, any- 
 where and everywhere preaching the gospel with 
 tongues of fire. At the University of Jena they made 
 a deep impression upon the student body. As a re- 
 sult a Brethren's Association was formed among 
 the awakened students. Many members of this as- 
 sociation later entered the Moravian ministry. 
 Among the number was Augustus Gottlieb Spangen- 
 berg, who became the father of the Moravian Church 
 in America. The thoughts of the Brethren turned 
 early to the heathen, and in 1732 the first foreign 
 missionaries left Herrnhut for work among the ne- 
 groes in the West Indies. Five months later other 
 Brethren went to Greenland to labor among the 
 Eskimos. These early Moravian missionaries were 
 the pioneers in the modern missionary movement of 
 the Christian Church. It was in connection with 
 their missionary activities that the necessity of an 
 ordained ministry of their own became apparent. 
 The missionaries had to be qualified to administer 
 the sacraments and to perform other ministerial 
 functions. 
 
 At this time two bishops of the Ancient Breth- 
 ren's Church still survived. They were Daniel 
 Jablonsky, Court Preacher to the King of Prussia, 
 and Christian Sitkovius, Superintendent of the 
 United Churches of Poland. When Jablonsky, who 
 
MORAVIAN CHURCH RESUSCITATED 23 
 
 was the grandson of Bishop John Amos Comenins, 
 heard of Herrnhut, he rejoiced greatly, and when 
 the proper time came he and Sitkovius were glad to 
 transfer the ancient episcopate to the new organiza- 
 tion of the Brethren. Therefore David Nitschmann, 
 one of the first elders of Herrnhut and one of the 
 first missionaries to the heathen, was sent to Berlin 
 where, on March 13, 1735, Bishop Jablonsky, with 
 the written concurrence of Bishop Sitkovius, who 
 was unable to be present in person, consecrated him 
 a bishop of the Renewed Brethren's Church. Thus 
 the Renewed Church was fully organized and pre- 
 pared to take its place in the world as an independent 
 ecclesiastical body. In the course of the following 
 years the Church was recognized by the governments 
 of Prussia and Saxony, and by the Parliament of 
 Great Britain, as well as by all other countries to 
 which it spread. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 WHY THE MORAVIANS CAME TO AMERICA 
 
 As early as the year 1727 the thoughts of the 
 Brethren turned to America. They longed to preach 
 the gospel to the Indians and to the spiritually desti- 
 tute German settlers in Pennsylvania, At the same 
 time, conditions in Germany were such as to make 
 it uncertain whether the Herrnhut settlement would 
 be allowed to remain. Therefore they thought of 
 America as a possible refuge in case of exile. That 
 their fears were not groundless is evident from the 
 fact that more than once the threat was made that 
 Herrnhut would be crushed. Altho this threat was 
 never carried out, the Brethren realized the pre- 
 cariousness of their situation, when in 1733 a royal 
 edict compelled a colony of Schwenkfeldian Chris- 
 tians, who had been under the protection of Zinzen- 
 dorf for eight years, to leave Saxony. Some of these 
 exiles left for Pennsylvania several months after the 
 edict was issued. In the subsequent year others 
 followed under the leadership of George Boehnisch, 
 one of the Moravian Brethren. On September 22, 
 1734, they landed in Philadelphia, Therefore Boeh- 
 nisch was the first Moravian to set foot on Amer- 
 ican soil. He spent some years in Pennsylvania, 
 laboring with his hands and witnessing for Christ. 
 
 When the Schwenkfeldian refugees on his estate 
 were compelled to leave Saxony, Count Zinzendorf 
 
 24 
 
MORAVIAN COLONY IN GEOEGIA 25 
 
 secured for them a large tract of land in Georgia. 
 They started out for this place, but in passing thru 
 Holland they were persuaded to go to Pennsylvania 
 instead. Fearing they too might suffer banishment, 
 the Moravians thought it the part of wisdom to pro- 
 vide a place of refuge before this fate should befall 
 them. Therefore they gladly accepted the proposi- 
 tion of the Trustees of Georgia to have a Moravian 
 colony settle on their domain. Two tracts of land 
 were granted them, one where the city of Savannah 
 now stands, and the other a short distance up the 
 river. On March 22, 1735, Spangenberg and nine 
 other Moravians arrived at Savannah. While these 
 men were of the best type of colonists, the prime 
 reason why they came to America was to preach the 
 gospel to the Indians. Soon after their arrival, 
 they established a school for Indian children. About 
 a year later Bishop David Nitschmann brought over 
 twenty additional Moravians. Among their com- 
 panions on the voyage were John Wesley and his 
 brother Charles. The former by his own confession 
 learned by this and later intercourse with the Mo- 
 ravians the secret of a personal assurance of salva- 
 tion. 
 
 On March 10, 1736, Bishop Nitschmann organized 
 the colony into a regular Moravian congregation. 
 Anton Seiffert was ordained to the ministry, and in- 
 stalled as pastor of the congregation. This ordina- 
 tion is unquestionably the first performed by a 
 bishop of the Christian Church in the English col- 
 onies of North America. Spangenberg, having been 
 a minister of the Lutheran Church before he 
 
26 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 joined the Moravians, was ordained a presbyter on 
 the same day. Five days later he left for Pennsyl- 
 vania, where he was commissioned to look after the 
 Schwenkfelders, in whom Zinzendorf was still in- 
 terested, and to take the place of George Boehnisch, 
 who returned to Europe in the following year. Soon 
 after his arrival in Pennsylvania he was joined by 
 Bishop Nitschmann, in whose company he visited 
 many people of various religious persuasions in 
 widely scattered neighborhoods. On June 23, 1736, 
 Bishop Nitschmann left for Europe, and Spangen- 
 berg sailed for St. Thomas, where he visited the mis- 
 sion-field, returning to Pennsylvania late in Novem- 
 ber of the same year. 
 
 The existence of the colony in Georgia was not 
 destined to be long. Altho the Brethren labored 
 with enthusiasm among the Indians and white peo- 
 ple, their efforts were not crowned with much success. 
 As early as the year 1737 they suffered from the 
 hostility of the Savannah authorities because they 
 refused to join the militia, having been exempted 
 from military duties by the Trustees of the colony of 
 Georgia. In February of that year they sent George 
 Neisser to Spangenberg in Pennsylvania with the 
 request that he should bring their grievances to the 
 attention of the Trustees. Spangenberg immediately 
 wrote to the Trustees, and sailed at the earliest op- 
 portunity for Savannah, where he arrived in mid- 
 summer. In response to his letter the exemption of 
 the Moravians from bearing arms was renewed, and 
 the magistrates at Savannah were severely repri- 
 manded for violating the previous agreement. In 
 
MORAVIAN COLONY IN GEORGIA 27 
 
 September, Spangenberg, after counselling with the 
 Brethren, returned to Pennsylvania. On October 15, 
 1738, Peter Boehler, formerly a professor at the Uni- 
 versity of Jena and now a Moravian minister, ar- 
 rived at Savannah. He was twenty-six years of age 
 at the time. Earlier in the year he had been or- 
 dained to the ministry by Zinzendorf, who on May 
 20, 1737, was consecrated a bishop of the Moravian 
 Church. Boehler was accompanied to America by 
 George Schulius, who was converted by the first 
 sermon which Boehler preached at Herrnhut. Boeh- 
 ler had been asked to assume the pastorate of the 
 congregation at Savannah, and to establish a mis- 
 sion among the slaves in South Carolina, about 
 twenty miles away. Schulius became his assistant. 
 The negro mission was located at the German set- 
 tlement of Purysburg. On Sundays Boehler preached 
 to the Germans, and on week-days he and his as- 
 sistant labored among the negroes in the neighbor- 
 hood. After a year both became sick, and Schulius 
 died. For various reasons the Savannah congrega- 
 tion did not flourish. A number of the members 
 died, some returned to Europe, while others emi- 
 grated to Pennsylvania. The membership dwindled 
 from thirty to twelve persons, and when war broke 
 out between the English and Spaniards of Florida 
 Territory the congregation came to an end alto- 
 gether. At that time the Moravians were non-com- 
 batants, and when they refused to take up arms 
 against the Spaniards who threatened to invade 
 Georgia, they became decidedly unpopular. Boehler 
 felt it his duty to give up his work at Purysburg, 
 
28 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 and to give his whole attention to his Brethren at 
 Savannah. Only five men, one woman, and a boy 
 comprised the congregation at the time. Therefore 
 it was decided to disband and go to Pennsylvania. 
 Altho the early Moravians were unsuccessful in the 
 South, they made a number of converts or friends 
 who later followed them to the North, where they 
 became eminently useful members of the Moravian 
 Church. Among this number was James Burnside, 
 who became a successful lay-evangelist. In 1745 
 he married Mary Wendower, one of the first Mo- 
 ravian converts in New York City. 
 
 After the Moravians had become convinced that 
 nothing would be gained by remaining longer in 
 Georgia, they sent John Boehner to Pennsylvania 
 to ascertain how those of their number who had pre- 
 viously gone there were getting along, and to secure 
 a temporary location for the rest of them. This was 
 in January, 1740, the same month in which George 
 Whitefield, the famous evangelist, made his second 
 visit to Savannah. When he returned to Philadelphia 
 in April he brought Boehler and the remaining Mo- 
 ravian colonists with him in his sloop. That their 
 labors were not wholly in vain is evident from the 
 fact that the Trustees of Georgia declared to the 
 British Government that "the Moravians had done 
 the government great service in labor and other mat- 
 ters, equal and superior to the service they could have 
 done as militia." The arrivals from Georgia were 
 advised by those who had preceded them to Penn- 
 sylvania to give up their evangelizing and coloniz- 
 ing scheme and settle at Germantown, where they 
 
TRANSFER TO PENNSYLVANIA 29 
 
 themselves had located. To this the Moravian new- 
 comers would not consent. They had come to Amer- 
 ica, not to advance their own interests, but to propa- 
 gate the gospel, and nothing could deter them from 
 their high purpose. They believed that the Lord 
 had led them to Pennsylvania, and that He would 
 also point the way to the work which He had in mind 
 for them. And their faith was not in vain. 
 
 During the voyage from Savannah to Philadelphia 
 Whitefleld expressed his determination to establish 
 "a negro school in Pennsylvania where he proposed 
 to take up land in order to settle a town for the re- 
 ception of such English friends whose heart God 
 should incline to come and settle there." To this 
 end he purchased on May 3 five thousand acres of 
 land for 2,200 pounds. This tract comprised ap- 
 proximately what is now Upper Nazareth Township 
 in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Whitefield 
 proposed that Boehler should superintend the erec- 
 tion of the proposed school-house, employing the Mo- 
 ravians to do the work. This proposition was ac- 
 cepted, and the "Whitefield House" at Nazareth still 
 stands as a monument to the thoroness of Moravian 
 manual labor. Whitefield gave the name Nazareth 
 to the village in which the negro school was to be 
 located. In November, 1740, Boehler went to Phila- 
 delphia to render a report of his labors as building 
 superintendent. He was greatly surprised to find 
 that Whitefield was decidedly unfriendly. The great 
 evangelist was fully persuaded in his own mind that 
 some souls are predestined to be saved, while others 
 are predestined to be damned, a view shared by many 
 
30 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 ministers in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsyl- 
 vania. 
 
 Then as now the Moravians believed that grace is 
 offered to all, that God desires all to accept it, and 
 that the influence of the Spirit may be resisted. It 
 was this position taken by the Moravians that fur- 
 nished the ground for Whitefield's unfriendliness 
 toward them. He debated the matter with the schol- 
 arly Boehler, and when he found that he could 
 neither silence nor convince his opponent, he lost 
 his temper and declared that the Moravians had to 
 leave his land at once. Altho winter made such 
 summary expulsion impossible, the Moravians began 
 to look about immediately for a suitable location, and 
 eventually purchased five hundred acres at the junc- 
 tion of the Lehigh River and Monocacy Creek, about 
 ten miles from Nazareth, where they founded Beth- 
 lehem. Here in the spring of 1741 the first house 
 was built. In the summer of the same year Spangen- 
 berg purchased in England the Whitefield tract for 
 the Moravians, and eventually Nazareth became a 
 Moravian settlement. At the close of the preceding 
 year there were just thirty-one Moravians in the 
 American colonies. In accordance with the plan 
 formed by the Brethren in 1727 Bethlehem became 
 the central settlement Prom this center schools for 
 neglected children were established, extensive mis- 
 sionary activities among the Indians carried on, and 
 itinerant evangelists sent forth to preach the gospel 
 to spiritually destitute Germans and others. In ac- 
 cordance with a resolution of the synod held at Beth- 
 lehem in 1743, the visits of the Moravian evangelists 
 were extended to New York and New England. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 MORAVIAN PIONEERS IN NEW YORK CITY 
 
 For a long time the province of New York made 
 little or no progress. This slow growth was due in 
 part to England's unwise policy of banishing crimi- 
 nals to the colony. Honest immigrants had no de- 
 sire to settle in a land to which the mother-country 
 sent its outcasts, therefore they usually chose to go 
 elsewhere. The province had other disadvantages. 
 It was a frontier colony. In the northern and west- 
 ern part the French and Indians drove the farmers 
 into the safer settlements of New Jersey. But the 
 chief obstacle to growth was its lack of self-govern- 
 ment. The people suffered much from the tyranny 
 and misrule of men who were wholly unfit to have 
 the rule over them. The majority of the Governors 
 were impecunious adventurers sent to America to 
 retrieve their fortunes in any way they saw fit. They 
 participated in gigantic land frauds and in at least 
 one instance shared in the profits of piracy. It is 
 therefore not surprising that the growth of the prov- 
 ince was slow. 
 
 The growth of New York City was no more rapid 
 than that of the province. For the first century of 
 its history the annual increase in population was no 
 more than about one hundred and fifty. At the time 
 the Moravians went to Georgia, the city had less 
 than 8,000 inhabitants, all of whom lived on the 
 
 31 
 
32 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 southern part of the island between Cortlandt Street 
 and Whitehall. As yet the city showed no sign of 
 the wealth and culture which were to characterize it 
 in a later day. The private houses were for the most 
 part plain. The streets were paved with cobble- 
 stones, if paved at all. Lanterns distributed here 
 and there illuminated the city at night. Broadway, 
 extending nearly to what is now the southern bound- 
 ary of Central Park, was famous as a drive. The 
 water of the city was impure and brackish. There 
 were no sewers or sanitary arrangements, and the 
 docks were foul and filthy. Under these unfavorable 
 conditions disease raged constantly. White and 
 negro slaves filled the streets. There was an active 
 slave-market at the foot of Wall Street, and the 
 newspapers were filled with offers of reward for 
 runaway slaves. Labor was held in disgrace, and 
 nobody worked if he could help it. If a Negro re- 
 volted he was burned alive. Pirates openly divided 
 their spoils with the wealthy merchants, and slavers 
 disposed of the men and women whom they caught 
 in Africa and brought here. Luxury and vice went 
 hand in hand. Gross ignorance was all but univer- 
 sal. There were no good schools, and a large per- 
 centage of the people could neither read nor write. 
 
 The state of religion presented a picture not less 
 dark. Altho no city needed the ministrations of 
 the Christian Church more than New York in the 
 first half of the eighteenth century, the Church no- 
 where encountered greater difficulties than here. 
 At a time when all the churches at work in the city 
 should have been united in a vigorous campaign 
 
EELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE 33 
 
 against the moral darkness of the people, they were 
 hopelessly divided, looking with suspicion upon, and 
 actually fighting, one another. Religious toleration 
 was unknown. In 1707, a Presbyterian clergyman 
 was arrested and compelled to pay a heavy fine for 
 no other offence than that of preaching in a private 
 house, and baptizing an infant. Two years later a 
 Baptist minister was imprisoned three months for 
 being so bold as to preach in the city without per- 
 mission from the authorities. Altho never enforced, 
 a law was passed forbidding a Catholic priest, under 
 pain of death, to enter the city voluntarily. It was 
 an age of intolerance, and in New York this intoler- 
 ance was all the greater because of the intense bitter- 
 ness stirred up by the over-bearing conduct of the 
 English rulers and churchmen. The Episcopalians 
 claimed that theirs was the Established Church, and 
 as such entitled to the support of the State. They 
 went so far as to claim that the Episcopal minister 
 alone had the right to perform the marriage cere- 
 mony. Manhattan having been settled by the Dutch, 
 the Dutch Reformed Church was naturally the first 
 to begin work on the island. In 1626 a congregation 
 was organized, and sixteen years later a stone church 
 was erected at Bowling Green on the south-east 
 corner of the fort, near what is now the Aquarium. 
 This edifice was taken over by the Episcopalians and 
 named "King's Chapel" in 1664, when Manhattan 
 was surrendered to the English. The Lutherans were 
 here before the English conquest, but it was not until 
 1702 that they erected their first church, a small 
 building on the corner of Rector Street and Broad- 
 
34 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 way. After a long struggle the Presbyterians at 
 last gained the recognition of the authorities. For 
 a time they worshipped in City Hall, but in 1719 
 they were able to open their first church on Wall 
 Street, near Broadway. The Baptists suffered even 
 more violent persecutions than the Presbyterians. 
 In the beginning they immersed their converts at 
 midnight to avoid trouble. About 1725 they erected 
 their first church in the city. Then as now there 
 were Jews in New York. They were long denied 
 the privilege of worship, but in 1706 they are sup- 
 posed to have erected their first synagogue. Such 
 were the conditions, and these were the Churches at 
 work in the city when the Moravians first planted 
 foot on Manhattan. 
 
 In every time and place, no matter how great the 
 general corruption in Church or State, there have 
 always been some who refused to allow themselves 
 to sink to the low level of those about them. And 
 those of like mind are usually attracted to one an- 
 other. Altho conditions in New York were anything 
 but conducive to the promotion of godliness, there 
 were in the Churches many earnest Christians who 
 bent all their energies toward advancing the cause 
 of Christ. They refused to be drawn into the bitter 
 controversies engendered by the intense sectarianism 
 of the day, and sought fellowship with one another 
 for mutual edification. Among this number was 
 John Jacob Boemper, who had come to New York 
 with his family in 1726 from Herborn in the Duchy 
 of Nassau, where he was at one time the treasurer 
 of the famous college, imperial steward, Burgo- 
 
NEW YORK AGENT OP MORAVIANS 36 
 
 master of the city, and an Elder of the Reformed 
 Church. This good man had two sons, Abraham and 
 Ludwig. His hospitable home was always open to 
 pions people of all creeds until 1743, when he went 
 to his eternal reward. He was known, far and wide, 
 as the friend of all children of God, whatever their 
 church affiliation. At his house not only Christians 
 who came from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and else- 
 where were freely entertained, but the awakened of 
 the city frequently met for prayer and edification. 
 
 When the Moravians settled in Georgia, they 
 found it necessary to turn to the North for 
 some of their provisions. Soon after their ar- 
 rival in America they were visited by John Reg- 
 nier, who had come from Switzerland to Pennsyl- 
 vania, where he became a Seventh Day Adventist. 
 In July, 1735, he left Pennsylvania for the Mo- 
 ravian settlement in Georgia, making the journey of 
 six hundred miles on foot. Three years later he 
 went to Europe and joined the Moravian Church at 
 Herrnhaag. After a service of five years as mis- 
 sionary in Surinam he returned to Pennsylvania. 
 Leaving the Church of his adoption, he became a 
 violent enemy and detractor of the Moravians in 
 New York and elsewhere. It was this man who ad- 
 vised the Moravian settlers in Georgia to communi- 
 cate with John Jacob Boemper. Therefore they 
 wrote him a letter, asking whether he would be 
 willing to serve as their agent in the metropolis. 
 Boemper cheerfully placed himself at their service. 
 In this way the Moravians made their first acquain- 
 tance in New York. When Spangenberg passed 
 
36 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 thru the city, in March, 1736, on his way from 
 Georgia to Pennsylvania he had the pleasure of 
 meeting Boemper personally, and of being hospitably 
 entertained at his house, sharing on the first night 
 the bed of twenty-two-year-old Ludwig, whom "he 
 impressed greatly by speaking to him of Christ, and 
 asking him if he loved* the Saviour." Spangenberg 
 was the first representative of the Moravian Church 
 to visit New York. A similar occasion brought 
 Bishop David Nitschmann to Boemper's home a 
 month later. Both Spangenberg and Nitschmann 
 made the acquaintance of other truth-loving people 
 in the city. Among the number was Thomas Noble, 
 a highly esteemed merchant, who as an earnest ad- 
 vocate of vital religion became deeply interested in 
 the Moravians when he learned of their work. They 
 also met Henry Van Vleck, a member of an old 
 Dutch family, who was in Noble's employ. This 
 man was destined to become the ancestor of five 
 generations of Moravian ministers. On June 23, 
 1736, Nitschmann sailed for Europe, and Spangen- 
 berg made an official visit to the island of St. 
 Thomas, sailing from New York in August and re- 
 turning to Pennsylvania in the latter part of Novem- 
 ber. The former took with him a little Negro boy 
 named Jupiter whom he had purchased in New York. 
 Prior to setting sail for their respective destina- 
 tions both these Moravian clergymen became inti- 
 mately acquainted with various Christians of dis- 
 tinction. Besides Boemper and Noble, these acquain- 
 tances were Peter Goelet, a French Huguenot, at 
 whose house one of the first services conducted by 
 
FIRST MORAVIANS IN NEW YORK 37 
 
 Moravian evangelists in New York was held, Richard 
 Waldron, Joris Brinkerhoff, Samuel Pells, Jan Van 
 Pelt, Cornelius Parant, and Peter Venema, of the city, 
 and Timothy Horsfield, a sturdy Englishman, and 
 later a most valuable member of the Bethlehem con- 
 gregation, whose farm across the East River, where 
 is now the oldest part of Brooklyn, was at one time 
 the seat of a Moravian school, and Jacques Cortel- 
 you, a Dutch resident of Staten Island. Among 
 the number was also Nicholas Garrison, a Staten 
 Island sea captain with whom Spangenberg sailed 
 from St. Thomas to New York. All of these men 
 subsequently rendered valuable service to the Mo- 
 ravian colonies and missions, and the majority even- 
 tually entered into full connection with the Moravian 
 Church. At this time Spangenberg also made the 
 acquaintance of Gilbert Tennent, a noted Presby- 
 terian minister, and of Theodore Jacob Fryling- 
 hausen, a Dutch Reformed minister on the Raritan. 
 In 1740 Frederick Martin, a successful Moravian 
 missionary in the West Indies whose health was im- 
 paired by his strenuous toil, with its attendant hard- 
 ships, found it necessary to rest from his labors for 
 a season. In May he sailed with Captain Nicholas 
 Garrison to New York, where he became acquainted 
 with several friends of the Moravians in the city 
 before leaving for Pennsylvania, whither he went 
 with the twofold object of recuperating his health 
 and of meeting Count Zinzendorf, who, however, 
 was not there, having been compelled to change his 
 plans. Martin visited among the Moravian Breth- 
 ren from Georgia, who had settled in Germantown, 
 
38 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 near Philadelphia. After four weeks' vacation he 
 returned to New York, where he had to wait a month 
 for a vessel bound for the island of St. Thomas. Dur- 
 ing his sojourn he was hospitably entertained at the 
 house of Thomas Noble. On July 21, Christian 
 Henry Rauch, the first Moravian missionary to the 
 Northern Indians, arrived in New York from Europe. 
 He had with him letters of introduction to John 
 Jacob Boemper. Expecting his arrival, Martin met 
 him on the dock, and brought him to Thomas Noble's 
 house. Like Spangenberg and Nitschmann three 
 years previous, these devout Moravian brethren con- 
 ducted private meetings for prayer, conference, and 
 testimony at the homes of Boemper, Noble and others, 
 and visited diligently among the friends of Moravians 
 resident in the city and its environs. 
 
 Altho the godly walk and conversation of Martin 
 and Rauch made a deep impression upon those with 
 whom they came into intimate contact, their un- 
 selfish labors were not wholly unattended by op- 
 position. About this time the Dutch Pastoral Letter 
 of the Amsterdam Classis reached New York, and 
 created a great stir against the Moravians, altho 
 there were only a very few of them in America at 
 the time. In this letter the Moravians in general and 
 Count Zinzendorf in particular were branded as 
 perverters of the faith. It was the culmination of 
 bitter attacks against the Moravian Church made 
 by various pastors and university professors in 
 Utrecht and elsewhere. The pastoral letter was is- 
 sued by a certain Dr. Kulenkamp over the protest 
 of other members of the Classis. It declared that 
 
THE MOBAVIANS SLANDERED 39 
 
 Zinzendorf and his associates were mere sentimental 
 mystics, neither good Lutherans nor good Reformed 
 Christians, and that they must in no way be identi- 
 fied with the Ancient Brethren of Bohemia and Mo- 
 ravia, who were worthy of all honor and esteem. 
 These baseless slanders wrought a great deal of mis- 
 chief both in Europe and America. Freely circu- 
 lated in New York, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, 
 many people were led to believe that the simple- 
 hearted Moravians were a menace to true religion 
 and the common welfare. For years these senseless 
 persecutions continued, and from pulpit and press 
 powerful invectives were hurled at the unoffending 
 Moravians, whose sole purpose it was not to make 
 "Moravians," or to win members for their Church, 
 but to preach the unadulterated gospel of Christ to 
 all men and so win souls for the Lamb that was slain. 
 Even so good a man as the Rev. John Brainerd, a 
 brother of David Brainerd, the distinguished mis- 
 sionary to the Indians, misled for a time, once de- 
 clared, "If what Gilbert Tennent has written about 
 the Moravians is true, I would rather see the Indians 
 remain heathen than become Moravians." 
 
 It was therefore no small fire that the pastoral 
 letter of the Amsterdam Classis kindled. No sooner 
 had the slanderous missive reached New York when 
 the Dutch Reformed ministers, notably Boel and 
 Du Bois, began to denounce the Moravians in most 
 violent terms. The Presbyterians in the city and 
 thruout the country were no less virulent in their 
 attacks. Thomas Noble, rigid Presbyterian that he 
 was, became prejudiced against the Moravians, and 
 
40 MOEAVIAN CHUKCH IN NEW YOBK 
 
 the love of other friends in New York cooled con- 
 siderably. For a time few would have anything to 
 do with them. Among those who refused to be 
 prejudiced against the Moravians were John Jacob 
 Boemper and his family, Mary, the wife of Thomas 
 Noble, and Eleanor Gregg, Mrs. Noble's maid. 
 Meanwhile the "Account of Herrnhut" by Isaac Le- 
 Long of Amsterdam was published. When this his- 
 tory of the Benewed Brethren's Church reached New 
 York, Mary Noble opened a correspondence with 
 Le Long. She requested him to send her everything 
 he might be led to publish in regard to the Mo- 
 ravians, whom she and Eleanor Gregg esteemed 
 highly as true children of God, having been strongly 
 attracted to them from the beginning. 
 
 On August 16, 1740, twenty-.two-year-old Eauch 
 began his labors among the Mohican Indians at 
 Shekomeko,* their village, in Dutchess County, lo- 
 cated about half-way between New York and Albany. 
 The account of his first contact with the Indians 
 reads like a romance. Meeting two wretchedly 
 drunken Indians in the city, he accompanied them to 
 Shekomeko, where he offered to become the teacher 
 of their tribe. Speaking in the Dutch language, with 
 which the Indians were acquainted, he told the sav- 
 ages about Jesus and His love. At first they laughed 
 him to scorn ; but he was not dismayed. With still 
 greater earnestness he pointed them to the Saviour, 
 and at last his hearers were moved to tears. Their 
 unbelief and indifference vanished. Wasamapah, the 
 
 •Shekomeko was twenty miles northeast of Shlnebeck, or two miles 
 sonth of the Tillage of Pine Plains. 
 
MORAVIAN INDIAN MISSION 41 
 
 Chief, familiarly known in history as "Tschoop," 
 has left an eloquent description of this meeting with 
 Rauch. "Once upon a time," he says, "a minister 
 tried to persuade us that there is a God. 'Do you 
 imagine,' we said, 'that this is news to us? Return 
 whence you came, we have no need of your teaching.' 
 Then another man came who tried to teach us not 
 to steal, drink, or lie. We told him, Ton fool, do you 
 think we are unacquainted with what you are try- 
 ing to tell us? Go and teach your white people these 
 things, for who drinks and steals and lies more than 
 they?' After a time Christian Henry Rauch came 
 into my tent and among other things said, 'The Lord 
 in Heaven desires me to tell you that He became 
 man and shed His blood to make you happy and to 
 save you from your misery.' When he was finished 
 he quietly laid down near my bow and arrow, and 
 soon slept as peacefully as a child. I said to myself, 
 •What sort of man is this? I could kill him on the 
 spot, and yet he is positively without fear.' I could 
 not forget his words. Even in my dreams I saw 
 Christ's blood shed for me. Thus by God's grace an 
 awakening began among my people." Tschoop be- 
 came an earnest Christian and served four years as 
 an evangelist among his own people, when he was 
 called to his eternal home. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 THE MORAVIANS FORM AN UNDENOMINA- 
 TIONAL SOCIETY 
 
 Soon after Whitefield's theological argument with 
 Peter Boehler which ended in the petulant expulsion 
 of the Moravians from the Nazareth tract in the 
 forks of the Delaware, Boehler received a call to 
 Europe to undertake important duties in England. 
 On Christmas Eve in 1740 he enjoyed a farewell 
 love feast with the little band of Nazareth Mo- 
 ravians, corncake and "rye-coffee" being served. 
 This was undoubtedly the first Christmas service 
 held in the Forks of the Delaware. After the love 
 feast Boehler celebrated the Holy Communion, which 
 was the first Moravian celebration of the sacrament 
 in Pennsylvania. Three days later he left for Phila- 
 delphia, where he visited some friends, after which, 
 accompanied by Bishop Nitschmann, he proceeded 
 to New York. While waiting for the ship which was 
 to take him to Europe, he and Nitschmann visited 
 the friends of the Moravians, and attended their re- 
 ligious meetings. These meetings consisted of Scrip- 
 ture reading, prayer, singing, a discourse, and an 
 offering for the poor. They were held on Sunday 
 afternoon after the regular services in the churches, 
 and on Thursday of each week. After a meeting 
 at the house of Peter Goelet, Jane Boelen, a relative 
 of the host, asked Boehler if he would be willing to 
 
 42 
 
UNDENOMINATIONAL SOCIETY 43 
 
 conduct a meeting for them. He promptly accepted 
 the invitation, saying he was always ready to preach 
 the gospel. Therefore Boehler had charge of the 
 next meeting. He delivered an impressive discourse 
 based on Psalm 89 : 15-16, "Blessed is the people that 
 know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in 
 the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they 
 rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness shall they 
 be exalted." Thomas Noble was an attentive hearer, 
 and by his own confession was deeply moved by the 
 glowing discourse. By his side sat a Presbyterian 
 minister who had come to criticize, but found no 
 occasion to find fault. This was the first Moravian 
 sermon preached in New York City. 
 
 The impression made upon these good people by 
 the devout and scholarly Boehler was deepened at 
 subsequent meetings, and on January 28, 1741, he 
 organized at their request an undenominational so- 
 ciety to which Moravian evangelists from Bethlehem 
 were to minister as circumstances would permit. 
 The members of this society retained their former 
 church connections, but met statedly for prayer and 
 mutual edification. The original membership con- 
 sisted of nine persons. They were Thomas Noble, 
 Mary Noble his wife, 'Ismajah Burnet the wife of 
 George Burnet, Jane Boelen the wife of Henry Boe- 
 len, Martha Bryant, Eleanor Gregg, Elizabeth Hume 
 a widow, William Edmonds, and Mary Wendower 
 the wife of Hercules Wendower. By the laying on 
 of hands Thomas Noble and William Edmonds were 
 set 'apart as the spiritual leaders of the society. A 
 system of visitation was also inaugurated. After 
 
44 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 the organization had been effected, Boehler preached 
 an earnest sermon based on Acts 20: 28-29, "Take 
 heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, 
 over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, 
 to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased 
 with his own blood. For I know this, that after 
 my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among 
 you, not sparing the flock." On the following day 
 he took affectionate leave of his friends, and set sail 
 for Europe. Bishop Nitschmann returned to Penn- 
 sylvania, reaching Nazareth on February the fourth. 
 On November 30, 1741, Count Zinzendorf arrived 
 in New York from England on the ship "London" 
 commanded by Captain William Bryant. He was 
 accompanied by his daughter Benigna a girl of six- 
 teen years, Rosina the wife of Bishop Nitschmann, 
 John Jacob Mueller his private secretary and a por- 
 trait painter, Abraham Meinung and his wife Judith, 
 David Bruce a Scotch Moravian, and John Henry 
 Mueller a printer, who was merely a fellow-passenger. 
 Bruce was the first British Moravian missionary in 
 America. He was also the first regularly appointed 
 evangelist of the Moravian Church who labored in 
 and about New York City. Mueller the printer 
 joined the Moravian Church in 1742, and became a 
 widely known newspaper publisher in Philadelphia. 
 His newspaper was the first to announce the signing 
 of the Declaration of Independence. The watch- 
 word* f or the day on which Zinzendorf for the first 
 
 •The original members of the Renewed Church felt the need of having 
 a Scripture text as * guide for their dally devotions and conduct. To 
 supply this need Count Zinzendorf selected a suitable text for each day. 
 This text was called "mate* word." In 1732 a series of "wo** words" 
 
ZINZENDORF'S FIRST VISIT 45 
 
 time set foot on North American soil was Jeremiah 
 51 :36, "Behold, I will plead thy cause." Strength- 
 ened by this peculiarly appropriate promise, he and 
 his daughter Benigna, and Kosina Mtschmann went 
 to the house of Jacques Cortelyou on Staten Island, 
 where they were warmly welcomed by this godly man 
 and his good wife Jacomyntje. On the following day 
 Cortelyou and his wife escorted the newcomers to 
 Timothy Horsfield's home on Long Island, directly 
 opposite New York, where they were hospitably en- 
 tertained. It was quite late in the evening when 
 they arrived at Horsfield's house. However, Her- 
 cules Wendower and his wife Mary determined to 
 extend their welcome to the visiting Moravians that 
 night, if possible. But it was eleven o'clock, and be- 
 cause of the lateness of the hour they were unable 
 to secure a boat to take them across the East Biver. 
 Next day Zinzendorf and his companions crossed 
 the river and immediately went to the home of 
 Thomas Noble, to whom the Count had written a let- 
 ter, announcing his arrival, while the "London" was 
 detained for a time by a calm in the Narrows. Mary 
 Noble at once sent word to Mrs. Wendower that the 
 expected guests had arrived, and the good woman im- 
 mediately came to welcome the newcomers. To her 
 great delight Mrs. Noble invited her to dine with 
 them. Captain William Bryant of the London was 
 also a dinner-guest. Bryant was a Presbyterian and 
 
 was printed In advance for the whole year. After Zlnzendorfs deals In 
 1760 two texts of Scripture were selected, the "watch word" being taken 
 from the Old Testament, and the "doctrinal" text from the New 
 Testament. Snch texts are published annually In a little rolnme popu- 
 larly known as "The Moravian Text Book," or simply, "The Text Book." 
 
46 MOEAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 a controversialist, therefore he soon launched into 
 a discussion of disputed points in the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. Zinzendorf sought to evade a discussion of 
 this sort by turning the conversation upon themes 
 more appropriate for the occasion. Thomas Noble 
 altho a good man was not without prejudice against 
 the Moravians at that time, therefore he was all 
 the more ready to take offence. Misunderstanding 
 the attitude which Zinzendorf took as a Christian 
 gentleman and guest in his house, Noble was not 
 only offended, but actually doubted whether Zin- 
 zendorf was really a servant of Christ. As a result 
 he was not at all sure whether it would be wise for 
 him to associate with the nobleman. His wife, how- 
 ever, had no such doubts or scruples. She was a 
 warm friend of the Moravians, and such she re- 
 mained to the end. 
 
 Count Zinzendorf's visit on Manhattan, altho it 
 lasted only four days, created a great stir in New 
 York for various reasons. His coming to America 
 had been announced far and wide and all sorts of 
 extravagant notions concerning him prevailed. The 
 curious minded were anxious to see a nobleman of 
 high rank and ancient family who had voluntarily 
 retired from the Saxon Court to engage in religious 
 work, even taking religious orders, and one upon 
 whom so much praise and censure had been heaped 
 by different men on both sides of the Atlantic. The 
 enemies of Zinzendorf, however, had no curiosity 
 about him. Influenced by the malicious pastoral let- 
 ter of the Amsterdam Chassis and by a vicious sec- 
 tarian spirit in their hearts, they imagined they 
 
ZINZENDORF'S FIRST VISIT 47 
 
 knew him. Such were prepared to fight him at every 
 turn as a man who was at once a dangerous adven- 
 turer and a menace to Church and State. In their 
 blind and unjustifiable hatred of this good man they 
 maligned both him and his fellow-Moravians, even 
 going so far as to charge them with being Papists 
 in disguise and emissaries of the French. On the 
 other hand, many earnest souls in New York and the 
 adjacent Provinces desired more Christian relations 
 between the different Churches, and above all in- 
 creased efforts to bring about the conversion of the 
 ungodly whom the senseless sectarianism of the day 
 not only left unreached, but greatly injured. It was 
 therefore no easy task that Zinzendorf and the early 
 Moravians assumed in New York and elsewhere. 
 
 Before Zinzendorf left for Pennsylvania he was 
 very active in his endeavors to effect a closer union 
 in New York between those who had been drawn to- 
 gether in the Lord, and who felt a peculiar attach- 
 ment for the Moravians. Their longing for the gospel 
 of Christ was genuine, and Zinzendorf resolved to 
 organize them permanently, or to resuscitate the 
 organization which had been effected by Peter Boeh- 
 ler the previous winter, but which had fallen into 
 partial decadence. With this purpose in mind he 
 appointed Jacques Cortelyou and Mary Wendower 
 as "Elders" of the awakened souls to labor faith- 
 fully among them according to the spiritual state of 
 each one. Cortelyou was commissioned to come over 
 to the city from Staten Island once a week to conduct 
 a conference at which those interested were to de- 
 liberate together on the condition of the little so- 
 
48 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 ciety, and to assist one another with mutual counsel 
 and advice. Those who were especially interested in 
 the welfare of the Society were Jacques Cortelyou 
 and his wife, Richard Waldron, Mary Wendower, 
 Jane Boelen, and Martha Bryant. On December 6, 
 1741, the day after the re-organization of the Society, 
 Zinzendorf and his company left for Philadelphia 
 where, after brief stops on the way, he arrived four 
 days later. The fellowship thus fostered in New 
 York led to a decided call for distinctive Moravian 
 labors in the metropolis. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 SYSTEMATIC MORAVIAN HOME MISSION 
 WORK BEGUN IN NEW YORK 
 
 Pursuant to a colonization policy inaugurated by 
 Zinzendorf in 1734, a colony of fifty-six Moravians 
 under the leadership of George Piesch, an assistant 
 of Spangenberg, left England on March 19, 1742, 
 for Pennsylvania. This colony was organized for 
 the voyage into a Sea Congregation with formal 
 rules and regulations. Peter Boehler was the chap- 
 lain or pastor. The voyage was made in the snow 
 "Catherine" commanded by Captain Thomas Glad- 
 man, who was at this time intimately associated with 
 the Moravians in England, and later identified him- 
 self fully with the Moravian Church. After a stormy 
 passage the Catherine landed on May 23 at New 
 London, Conn., where some repairs had to be made 
 to the snow. Three days later twenty-four men of 
 the colony boarded a sloop bound for New York. 
 Fearing they might be impressed by a British war' 
 ship, seven Englishmen in the party went ashore 
 near New Greenwich and travelled the remaining 
 distance to New York on foot. By the close of the 
 30th day of May all the members of the colony were 
 re-united on their own vessel lying at anchor in the 
 port of New York. 
 
 Almost as much excitement attended the coming 
 of the Catherine as that created by the arrival of 
 
 49 
 
50 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Zinzendorf in the preceding year. The enemies of 
 the Moravians were sure that the snow harbored a 
 new company of dangerous conspirators against the 
 King and the Protestant religion. Some Germans 
 in the city, thinking perhaps they might find re- 
 demptioners, or poor people whom they could buy for 
 a small sum by paying the Captain the money for 
 their passage, were greatly surprised to learn that 
 the Moravians belonged to a decidedly superior 
 class, and could not be purchased. But not all New 
 York people were hostile to the colony. There were 
 those who boarded the vessel to extend a warm Chris- 
 tian welcome to the newcomers. Among this num- 
 ber were Mary Noble and Mary Wendower with her 
 husband. These enjoyed a never-to-be-forgotten love 
 feast with their Moravian friends. Thomas Noble, 
 however, had no desire to see the Moravians, thinking 
 he had seen quite enough of their kind. That he 
 might avoid a meeting with them he left the city 
 early in the morning for Long Island without telling 
 his wife where he was going. Returning home in a 
 ferry-boat, his wife caught sight of him as he passed 
 the Catherine, and womanlike called to him and 
 asked him to come on board. He reluctantly re- 
 sponded to her request, and joined his wife just as 
 Peter Boehler was preaching a stirring sermon on 
 the text for the day. The sermon fitted Noble so well 
 that he insisted both text and sermon were inten- 
 tionally directed against him, thereby proving how 
 a guilty conscience inspires all sorts of vain imagin- 
 ing. When Boehler's New York friends requested 
 him to conduct an evening meeting for them in the 
 
FIRST SEA CONGREGATION 51 
 
 city, Noble objected on the ground that it would give 
 rise to offence. Hercules Wendower, seconded by 
 his good wife, took him roundly to task for trying to 
 block the preaching of the gospel by a true servant 
 of the Lord. Noble withdrew his objections, being 
 silenced, but not convinced, and Boehler conducted 
 the desired meeting. On the following day, which 
 was May 31, the Catherine set sail for Philadelphia, 
 where it arrived a week later. There were at this 
 time one hundred and twenty Moravians in America. 
 The working force of the Moravians was greatly 
 strengthened by the coming of the Sea Congregation. 
 Zinzendorf having perfected the organization of the 
 Moravian Church in Pennsylvania, and many of the 
 newcomers being eminently fitted for evangelistic 
 labors, it was now possible for the Moravians to ex- 
 tend their activities by entering inviting fields which 
 they had hitherto been unable to occupy. Persuaded 
 that the Lord had work for them in New York, ar- 
 rangements were made in the summer of 1742 to con- 
 stitute New York and vicinity a permanent field for 
 systematic home mission work. Encouraged by some 
 members of the undenominational society, it was 
 decided to make New York City a regular preaching 
 center for the mixed multitude sadly in need of gos- 
 pel ministrations. It was also thought some service 
 might be rendered the German Lutherans in the city, 
 who at the time were not receiving proper care and 
 attention. These however had been prejudiced by 
 the current misrepresentations, and Moravian effort 
 in their behalf proved of no avail. In September, 
 1742, David Bruce made the beginning of systematic 
 
52 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Moravian home mission work in New York. He was 
 the first regularly appointed Moravian evangelist 
 who labored here. The next workers sent to this 
 vicinity were Henry Aimers and his wife Anna Ro- 
 sina, who in January of the following year began 
 their labors as teachers and evangelists on Long 
 Island and Staten Island. George Neisser of Beth- 
 lehem also labored in New York for a short time in 
 January. The evangelists were unordained men. 
 This lay activity consisted of visiting among the peo- 
 ple, preaching the gospel in private houses or meet- 
 ings, dispensing spiritual food among those hunger- 
 ing after righteousness, fostering the undenomina- 
 tional society under Moravian care, the opening of 
 religious schools for children, and mission work 
 among the Negroes in the community, especially on 
 Staten Island. They had no thought of proselyting, 
 or of making Moravians of those whom they served. 
 Their one purpose was to exalt Christ and to win 
 souls for Him. These evangelists received no com- 
 pensation from those among whom they labored, 
 their frugal support being provided by their breth- 
 ren in the settlement congregations, principally the 
 one at Bethlehem. 
 
 On January 13, 1743, Zinzendorf arrived in New 
 York on his way to Europe. A small company of 
 Moravians, who had spent some time in Pennsyl- 
 vania, was also in the city. Some of this number 
 were to accompany Zinzendorf, while others were 
 bound for St. Thomas in the West Indies to engage 
 in mission work. Upon his arrival, Zinzendorf first 
 visited Captain Nicholas Garrison on Staten Island, 
 
AN IMPOBTANT CONFERENCE 53 
 
 having made the acquaintance of this experienced 
 Christian seaman in 1739 while in the West Indies. 
 Garrison was already interested in the Moravians, 
 and later became an efficient member of the Mo- 
 ravian Church, rendering important services in many 
 ways. The object of Zinzendorf's visit was to engage 
 Garrison to bring over from Europe another Mo- 
 ravian colony which was to be larger than the First 
 Sea Congregation. Garrison regarded it as a Chris- 
 tian duty to accompany the Count to Europe and 
 take charge of the proposed enterprise. Zinzendorf 
 also held an important conference with the Mo- 
 ravian Brethren who were in New York at the time. 
 Peter Boehler was among the number. Plans were 
 formulated for the further prosecution of the work 
 of the Church in Pennsylvania and New York. The 
 mission in the West Indies also received attention. 
 Valentine Loehans, a missionary of St. Thomas, had 
 come to New York some weeks previous to this meet- 
 ing, and, while waiting for a ship bound for the West 
 Indies, engaged in evangelistic work among the Ne- 
 groes in and about New York City. On January 8 
 this faithful servant of the Lord died unexpectedly 
 on Staten Island. John Brucker, a member of the 
 Sea Congregation, who had been appointed to ac- 
 company the West Indian missionaries as a lay as- 
 sistant, was now ordained to the ministry by Zinzen- 
 dorf to supply the vacancy occasioned by Loehan's 
 death. On January 20 Zinzendorf and his company 
 with Captain Garrison and his daughter set sail for 
 London, where they arrived nearly a month later. 
 As the activities of the Moravians increased the 
 
54 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 attacks of their enemies became more virulent. Pul- 
 pit and press were bitterly arrayed against the 
 Brethren. Hostile ministers made the Moravians 
 the subject of their diatribes and forgot to preach 
 the gospel. At the time of Zinzendorf's departure 
 for Europe Gilbert Tennent came from Philadelphia 
 for one of his periodic visits in New York. He 
 preached violently against what he termed "the 
 damnable doctrines of the Moravians," and read to 
 the people the slanderous tracts which he and other 
 clergymen had published. In these tracts the Mo- 
 ravians were called "locusts out of the bottomless 
 pit," "foxes who spoil the vineyard of the Lord," and 
 "heretics which the devil has sent in these last times 
 to delude the earth." At a public meeting where 
 Tennent read one of these tracts he concluded by say- 
 ing, "I have nothing further to offer." Jane Boelen, 
 an ardent friend of the godly Moravians, cried out 
 in disgust, "Feel in your pocket, you might have over- 
 looked something after all." The people were thoroly 
 weary of his senseless tirades, and took him to 
 task for not preaching the gospel. The Presbyterian 
 and Dutch Reformed clergy fanatically determined 
 to stamp out the preaching and work of the Mo- 
 ravians. At their instigation measures were enacted 
 against the Brethren first by the city authorities, 
 and next by those of the Province. One evening in 
 January, 1743, Peter Boehler was called before the 
 City Council for no other offense than that of preach- 
 ing the gospel in a private house, and John Cruger 
 the Mayor ordered him to leave the city on the fol- 
 lowing morning. When Boehler asked why he was 
 
BOEHLER FORBIDDEN TO PREACH 55 
 
 forbidden to remain in the city, the Mayor harshly 
 replied, "Because you are a vagabond." At the 
 house of a friend Boehler wrote a Latin letter in his 
 defense, and sent it to the Mayor, who was greatly 
 impressed by the scholarly document. But Boehler 
 left the city and went to the home of Timothy Hors- 
 field on Long Island. A number of friends brought 
 the matter of his expulsion to the attention of James 
 Alexander, a lawyer, who told them that any twelve 
 persons could give a minister an appointment which 
 would qualify him to conduct preaching services. 
 He advised them to give Boehler such an appoint- 
 ment. This advice was acted upon at once. Among 
 those who took the required action were Thomas 
 Noble, Hercules Wendower, Richard Waldron, Joris 
 Brinkerhoff, Jan Van Pelt,. Jacobus Montague, and 
 William Edmonds. Boehler then returned to the 
 city and resumed his preaching. 
 
 Altho authorized to preach, it was not without 
 danger that Boehler carried out his mission. Ten- 
 nent, Boel, Du Bois and other narrow-minded clergy- 
 men had so prejudiced the people against the Mo 
 ravians that it was unsafe for the Brethren and their 
 friends to be seen in the streets of the city. In some 
 instances they were actually stoned. That such 
 prejudice and persecution should have existed in 
 New York for years seems almost unbelievable in 
 our day of cordial relations between the various de- 
 nominations working side by side as one in the Lord. 
 It is equally surprising that a man of Tennent's 
 caliber and consecration should have been so misled 
 as to stoop to the level of vilifying and spying upon 
 
56 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 the Moravians, whose sole purpose it was to exalt 
 among the people the very Saviour whom he preached 
 with such wonderful results. In 1743 he delegated 
 a man from New Jersey, Fisher hy name, to go to 
 the home of Thomas Noble and persuade him to have 
 nothing further to do with the Moravians. While 
 this man was with Noble a package of letters from 
 Georgia addressed to the Brethren at Bethlehem ar- 
 rived. By no means sure that the Moravians were 
 not what their enemies represented them to be, he 
 was curious to know what these letters contained. 
 Christian Henry Rauch, who happened to be in the 
 city at the time, gave him permission to open the 
 package. The letters contained therein were written 
 by James Burnside and John Brownfield of Savan- 
 nah. The writers gave glowing testimony to the 
 grace and power of the Lord Jesus Christ which 
 they experienced, and Noble could not help but feel 
 that the Brethren were the children of God. Even 
 Fisher had to admit that God was with these people. 
 Notwithstanding the persecutions suffered by the 
 Moravians, the little Society organized by Boehler 
 on January 26, 1741, and resuscitated by Zinzendorf 
 in the latter part of the same year, flourished in a 
 quiet way and exerted its influence for good. Thomas 
 Noble did a great deal for the Society. Altho at 
 times greatly prejudiced against the Moravians, his 
 prejudice was always against his will, and never of 
 his own making. He was an active member of the 
 Presbyterian Church from his youth, well informed 
 in matters of doctrine, and on intimate terms with 
 fellow Presbyterians renowned for their holiness, 
 
FIRST MORAVIAN CONVERT 57 
 
 with whom he carried on a stated correspondence. 
 But he was first of all a devout Christian. Noble 
 in heart as well as in name, he unselfishly placed 
 himself and his means at the disposal of the Lord 
 for the advancement of His cause. About the same 
 time that he made the acquaintance of the Moravians, 
 he also became acquainted with the Rev. George 
 Whitefield, the English evangelist. His Christian 
 life was greatly strengthened by both these contacts. 
 Gilbert Tennent was his intimate friend, and one 
 whom he held in high esteem. That an earnest- 
 minded and conscientious man like Noble should be 
 confused at times, not knowing whether he should 
 believe what his Presbyterian friends said of the 
 Brethren, or follow the dictates of his own heart 
 and hold to them, can be readily understood. His 
 wife, who was not only a devout Christian but a 
 woman of rare common sense, by her wise counsel 
 helped him to overcome in his own heart the preju- 
 dice which the enemies of the Brethren stirred up. 
 In the summer of 1742 he visited the congregation 
 at Bethlehem for the first time. This visit greatly 
 strengthened his regard for the Brethren, altho as 
 a rigid Presbyterian he took some offense at their 
 music. For four years the Society organized in New 
 York by the Moravians regularly met at his house. 
 Here David Bruce preached his first sermon in the 
 city. Eleanor Gregg, Noble's housekeeper and the 
 caretaker of his children, was the first person in 
 New York to identify herself with the Moravian 
 Church. In August, 1743, she went to Bethlehem, 
 where she was received into the congregation. In 
 
58 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 September of the same year she became the bride of 
 Hector Gambold, a Welshman and member of the 
 First Sea Congregation. Both entered the household 
 of Thomas Noble. They were appointed by the 
 Church authorities at Bethlehem to labor in con-, 
 junction with Noble among the awakened persons 
 who were associated together, she especially among 
 the unmarried women. They served in this capacity 
 from November, 1743, to June, 1.745. 
 
 On November 26, 1743, the Little Strength, which 
 brought the Second Sea Congregation from Europe, 
 anchored off Staten Island, not far from Nicholas 
 Garrison's home. Garrison, who was now a mem- 
 ber of the Moravian Church, not only commanded the 
 vessel, but served as an Elder of the Congregation. 
 His crew consisted of fifteen men and boys, all being 
 Moravians with the exception of one man and two 
 boys. Besides the crew the colony numbered one 
 hundred and eleven persons. On the morning after 
 the arrival of the Little Strength, Henry Aimers, 
 the Moravian Evangelist on Staten Island, went 
 on board with his wife to welcome the newcomers. 
 After the greetings were over Garrison handed him 
 a package of letters from Spangenberg and George 
 Neisser for the Brethren at Bethlehem, and Aimers 
 immediately set out for Pennsylvania to announce 
 the arrival of the colony and to deliver the letters 
 in his care. On the same day the vessel docked in 
 New York. Hector Gambold and Thomas Noble 
 with other friends in the city went on board and 
 welcomed the newly arrived Brethren. Later sev- 
 eral leaders of the colony accompanied Noble to his 
 
SECOND SEA CONGREGATION 59 
 
 home, where plans were made for the journey of the 
 Sea Congregation to Bethlehem. The colonists cov- 
 ered the greater part of the distance on foot. Their 
 luggage was taken to Brunswick by water, whence 
 it was conveyed to its destination by wagons sent 
 for the purpose from Bethlehem. 
 
 Meanwhile the adversaries of the Moravians were 
 untiring in their efforts to suppress them. The suc- 
 cess of Moravian missions among the Indians re- 
 cruited the forces of the enemy. Finding that the 
 progress of the gospel seriously affected the liquor 
 traffic in the Indian country, unscrupulous white 
 traders assiduously circulated the report that the 
 Moravians were Papists in disguise and secret emis- 
 saries of the French. This was a master-stroke of 
 the enemy. It was delivered at a time of unrest 
 and apprehension. King George's War was im- 
 minent. It was an open secret that the French were 
 leaving no stone unturned to enlist the Indians to 
 fight on their side. Therefore feeling against the 
 Moravians ran high. They were called before the 
 authorities to clear themselves of the charge pre- 
 ferred against them by swearing allegiance to the 
 King. They expressed their willingness solemnly to 
 affirm what was demanded of them, but begged to 
 be excused from taking an oath on the ground that 
 this was contrary to their religious convictions. Al- 
 tho their request could not be denied, the position 
 they took in the matter intensified the hostile sus- 
 picion harbored against them. In August, 1744, 
 Gottlob Buettner, Joachim Senseman and Joseph 
 Shaw, missionaries among the Indians at Shekomeko, 
 
60 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 were arraigned before a magistrate, by the minister 
 at Rhinebeck, on the charge of propagating Popery 
 and French interests among the savages. Buettner, 
 in the name of the Brethren, proved to the satisfac- 
 tion of the magistrate that the Holy Scriptures fur- 
 nished the sole ground of their teaching and the 
 basis of their labors among the heathen. They were 
 promptly discharged, and the accusing minister was 
 sharply reprimanded for his slanderous charge 
 against the Brethren. However, the prosperous In- 
 dian Mission was in danger, therefore Bishop Nitsch- 
 mann sailed for Europe on March 24, 1744, for the 
 purpose of negotiating with the British Government 
 for the protection of the mission. He took with him 
 Samuel and Mary, a Christian Indian couple joined 
 in marriage by Peter Boehler at Bethlehem on Feb- 
 ruary 16. On May 1 the Little Strength was cap- 
 tured by a Spanish privateer. Nitschmann and the 
 other passengers on board finally reached their desti- 
 nation, but the vessel itself was never recovered. 
 
 The troubles of the Moravians were now fairly be- 
 gun. In September, 1744, chiefly at the instigation 
 of the Presbyterian and Dutch Reformed ministers, 
 the Assembly of New York formally took up the 
 cudgels against them. It was decided to frame an 
 Act which should banish the Moravians from the 
 Province. Many members of the Assembly were 
 strongly opposed to a measure of this kind. When 
 some one asked what the title of the proposed Act 
 should be, Judge Thomas Jones, an intimate friend 
 of Thomas Noble, said, "Call it the Persecution Act." 
 George Thomas, another member of the Assembly, 
 
THE MORAVIANS PERSECUTED 61 
 
 also protested against the silly and unjust measure. 
 When the question was debated as to what punish- 
 ment should be meted out to the Moravians in case 
 they insisted upon continuing their work and preach- 
 ing, Assemblyman Richard Stillwell cried, "Hang 
 them as your fathers hanged the Quakers." On 
 September 13 the measure was passed, and eight 
 days later it received the endorsement of Governor 
 Clinton. It was entitled "An Act for securing His 
 Majesty's Government of New York." Swearing 
 allegiance to the King was made obligatory. 
 
 Among other things this measure contained the 
 following enactments: "Every vagrant preacher, 
 Moravian or disguised Papist, that shall preach with- 
 out taking such oaths or obtaining such license, as 
 aforesaid, shall forfeit the sum of 40 pounds, with 
 six months' imprisonment without bail or main- 
 prize, and for the second offense shall be obliged to 
 leave the colony ; and if they do not leave the colony 
 or shall return, they shall suffer such punishment 
 as shall be inflicted by the Justices of the Supreme 
 Court, not extending to life or limb." "Every va- 
 grant preacher, Moravian or disguised Papist or any 
 other person presuming to reside among and teach 
 the Indians under the pretense of bringing them 
 over to the Christian faith, without such license as 
 aforesaid, shall be taken up and treated as a person 
 taking upon him to seduce the Indians from His 
 Majesty's interest, and shall suffer such punishment 
 as shall be inflicted by the Justices of the Supreme 
 Court, not extending to life and limb." That this 
 Act was directly aimed against the Moravians, and 
 
62 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 inspired by the Dutch Reformed and Presbyterian 
 clergy is evident from the fact that it made explicit 
 provision "that nothing in this Act contained shall be 
 construed to oblige the ministers of the Dutch and 
 French Protestant Reformed Churches, the Presby- 
 terian ministers, ministers of the Kirk of Scotland, 
 the Lutherans, the Congregational ministers, the 
 Quakers and the Anabaptists to obtain certificates 
 for their several places of public worship already 
 erected or that shall be hereafter erected within this 
 colony, anything in this Act to the contrary not- 
 withstanding." 
 
 On October 25 of the same year in which these 
 drastic measures were taken against the Moravians, 
 Spangenberg arrived in New York. He was now a 
 bishop of the Church, having received episcopal con- 
 secration on July 26, 1744, shortly before he left 
 Germany. With him came Nicholas Garrison, 
 George Neisser, Christian Froehlich, and two Mo- 
 ravian ministers, Abraham Reincke and Andrew 
 Horn, with their wives. Rishop Spangenberg did his 
 utmost to relieve the distressing situation which 
 he found here, but all his efforts were in vain. In 
 December the provincial authorities high-handedly 
 closed the Mission Chapel at Shekomeko, and Mo- 
 ravian Mission work among the Indians in New 
 York had to be abandoned. Eventually the Chris- 
 tian Indians followed their teachers elsewhere, lo- 
 cating first at Priedenshuetten, an improvised In- 
 dian village at Rethlehem, Pennsylvania, and later 
 at Gnadenhuetten, where Mahoning Creek empties 
 its waters into the Lehigh River. Meanwhile Mo- 
 
LAUNCHING THE IBENE 63 
 
 ravian colonists continued to arrive in America. 
 Soon after the loss of the Little Strength it was de- 
 cided to have a ship built, and placed under the com- 
 mand of Captain Garrison for the purpose of trans- 
 porting colonists destined for Pennsylvania. The 
 contract was given to John Van Deventer, a ship- 
 builder of Staten Island, who had his yard near the 
 present Port Richmond. Work on the ship was 
 commenced in the beginning of 1745, and by Feb- 
 ruary 7 Captain Garrison was able to report that 
 good progress had been made. But for various 
 reasons the work of construction was delayed, and 
 it was not until May 29, 1748, that the good ship, 
 which was christened the Irene, could be launched. 
 Thomas Noble acted as the financial agent of the 
 enterprise until his death in 1746, when Timothy 
 Horsfield took his place. But Noble's interest in 
 the undertaking extended beyond the time of his 
 death. He left a legacy of 1,682 pounds to be ap- 
 plied toward the building expenses, which made it 
 possible to launch the Irene altho constructed at a 
 cost of 1,866 pounds, free from debt. On September 
 4 she left New York on the first of her fourteen 
 voyages across the sea with twenty-nine persons on 
 board, and Captain Garrison in command. Among 
 the crew were William Edmonds, and Jean and Ja- 
 cobus, Jr., the sons of Jacobus Van der Bilt of 
 Staten Island. The Irene was captured by a French 
 privateer off Cape Breton, on November 36, 1757, 
 and sunk on January 12, 1758. 
 
 In the middle of March, 1745, the Society fostered 
 by the Moravians in New York lost one of its most 
 
64 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 influential members by the death of Mary, the es- 
 teemed wife of Thomas Noble. Her maiden name 
 was Bayard. She was of Dutch descent and a de- 
 vout Christian from her youth. The open wicked- 
 ness of the city and the indifference of the Churches 
 in the face of it gave her great concern. The meet- 
 ings of the awakened persons who were drawn to- 
 gether by their oneness of heart were to her as a 
 rock in a weary land. She earnestly longed for the 
 dawn of a better day. When she became acquainted 
 with the Moravians and their labors she regarded 
 them as heralds of the morning. Therefore she was 
 drawn to them from the beginning. A close student 
 of their doctrines, history, and missionary labors, 
 she recognized them as true children of God, and no 
 amount of slander could change her high regard for 
 them in the least. One of the first to join the Society 
 organized by Peter Boehler, she remained an active 
 member until her death. Seconding her husband in 
 every good work and inspiring him to undertake 
 many of which he himself might not have thought, 
 her hospitable home was always open to Christians 
 of all creeds, with a special welcome for the Mo- 
 ravian Brethren whom she dearly loved. The de- 
 parture of this Christian woman of refinement 
 brought an ache, not only to her immediate family, 
 but to a large circle of friends to whom her life was 
 a benediction. But no one missed her as keenly as 
 her honest-minded and conscientious husband. Lack- 
 ing a mother's care, he decided that it would be best 
 for his children to be under the direct charge of the 
 Brethren. Therefore he commissioned Hector Gam- 
 
DEATH OP THOMAS NOBLE 65 
 
 bold and his -wife to take Thomas, Jr., Isaac, James, 
 Sarah, and Mary to Bethlehem and put them in 
 the Moravian school. He visited them frequently, 
 and on one of these visits he died. On April 2, 1746, 
 which was the Saturday before Palm Sunday, 
 Thomas Noble went to his eternal reward, and 
 as a result the Moravian Church was very much the 
 poorer. The following epitaph fittingly crowned his 
 finished career: 
 
 "Beneath this earth a child of Grace 
 Named Thomas Noble lies interred ; 
 Faithful and active in his place, 
 Beloved in life, in death revered. 
 
 "A willing servant of the Gross, 
 
 Prom whence his peace and pardon came; 
 The world's best gains to him were loss, 
 He loved his Lord and bore His shame. 
 
 "O dearest Reader, think how he 
 
 Rejoices now, and views the Lamb ! 
 Indeed this Grace for you and me 
 Is purchased on the Cross' Stem." 
 
 Unmindful of their danger David Zeisberger and 
 Frederick Post went to the Mohawk Valley to per- 
 fect themselves in the Mohawk language. The An- 
 glican minister at Albany, a man by the name of 
 Barclay, altho later a valued friend of the Mo- 
 ravians, on February 23, 1745, had Captain Ruther- 
 ford arrest these missionaries as emissaries of the 
 French. They were taken to New York City and 
 imprisoned in City Hall. They were examined by 
 the Court and declared innocent of any wrong-doing. 
 
66 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 But they were not discharged because they refused 
 to take an oath. Perhaps the authorities desired the 
 prisoners to leave of their own accord so that a new 
 charge might be preferred against them, for the 
 prison-doors were frequently left wide open. But 
 Zeisberger and Post were law-abiding and waited 
 for a legal discharge. During their imprisonment 
 they were daily visited by Thomas Noble, Mary 
 Wendower and other friends of the Brethren. The 
 jailer had given them strict orders not to bring the 
 prisoners any food, but this did not bar these friends 
 from drinking tea with them. Such sympathetic 
 ministrations as these good people were allowed to 
 offer greatly comforted the hearts of the mission- 
 aries. They were in prison seven weeks when Gover- 
 nor Thomas of Pennsylvania interposed in their 
 behalf. At the time of their release from prison the 
 costs amounted to more than six pounds and ten 
 shillings. Noble and Mary Wendower expressed 
 their desire to pay the costs, but the authorities 
 would not permit them to do so because the mission- 
 aries had been imprisoned on a false charge. 
 
 The Moravian Brethren believed that the Lord had 
 called them to labor in New York, and they were 
 determined that the machinations of man should not 
 drive them from their God-given task. That they 
 might be unhampered in their activities they re- 
 solved to make use, if possible, of what seemed a 
 favorable clause in the Act of the New York As- 
 sembly directed against them. This clause contained 
 the provision, "Unless permitted or licensed by the 
 Governor." Therefore a delegation consisting of 
 
MORAVIAN PREACHING BABRED 67 
 
 Bishop Spangenberg, John Okely and John Pyrlaeus 
 waited upon Governor Clinton and respectfully 
 begged him to grant the Moravians permission to 
 preach in the City and Province. This request was 
 denied. Undaunted by the rebuff they changed the 
 character of their religious meetings, instituting a 
 sort of catechetical system. For example, some pas- 
 sage of Scripture was selected and read, whereupon 
 those present were invited to ask questions bearing 
 upon it, which were then answered by the leader of 
 the meeting or some other member of the Society. 
 In the first meeting of this kind William Edmonds 
 was asked to read I. Corinthians 3 :1-10, after which 
 questions were asked and answers given. 
 
 In 1744 the Society consisted of the following per- 
 sons: James Arden, a joiner; Jacques Cortelyou, 
 an Elder of the Dutch Reformed Church living on 
 Long Island, and his wife Jacomyntje, m.n. Pett, 
 also a member of the Dutch Reformed Church ; Wil- 
 liam Edmonds, who removed to Bethlehem in 1749, 
 and his wife Rebecca, m.n. Beavois ; Abraham Floren- 
 tine, a shoemaker; John Hopson, a butcher on Long 
 Island, who was received into the Moravian con- 
 gregation at Bethlehem in 1748; Timothy Horsfield, 
 also a butcher on Long Island, who removed to Beth- 
 lehem in 1749, and his wife Mary, m.n. Doughty; 
 John Kingston, a blacksmith and shop-keeper, and 
 a member of the Anglican Church ; Judith Brashier, 
 m.n. Gosheries; Elizabeth Hume, a widow who in 
 October, 1745, married John Okely of Bethlehem; 
 Martha Bryant, who married the Rev. Lawrence Ny- 
 berg in 1748 and went with her husband to Europe 
 
68 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 two years later; Ismajah Burnet, m.n. Thomas, and 
 wife of George Burnet; Jane Boelen, m.n. Waldron, 
 and wife of Henry Boelen, a silversmith ; Mary Mon- 
 tague, m.n. Pell; Thomas Noble and his wife Mary; 
 Elsie, the daughter of Alice Wyton, a widow; De- 
 borah Smith, m.n. Pell, a widow and sister of Mary 
 Montague ; Mary Wendower, m.n. Peterse, the widow 
 of Hercules Wendower who died in 1743, and one of 
 the first adherents of the Moravians in New York. 
 In 1745 Mrs. Wendower removed to Bethlehem, 
 where in August of the same year she married James 
 Burnside. After her second husband's death in 1755 
 she returned to New York City where in 1774 she 
 herself died. Other members were Jacobus Mon- 
 tague, a shopkeeper; Joseph Shaefer, and Hendrick 
 Van Vleck, a member of the Dutch Reformed Church. 
 In December, 1748, Van Vleck was received into the 
 Bethlehem congregation, and became the agent of the 
 Moravian Church in New York. In 1774 he re- 
 moved with his family to Bethlehem where he died 
 on July 25, 1785. Three sons and one daughter sur- 
 vived him. Jacob, the oldest son, was consecrated 
 a Bishop of the Moravian Church in 1815, and died 
 at Bethlehem sixteen years later. William Henry, 
 Jacob's son, was likewise consecrated a Bishop of 
 the Church in 1836. In 1853 he died at Bethlehem. 
 In 1881 Henry J. Van Vleck, a great grandson of 
 Hendrick, was also consecrated a Moravian Bishop. 
 Taylor Van Vleck, a grandson of the last named 
 Bishop of this famous family, entered the Moravian 
 ministry in 1912, and is now a successful Moravian 
 missionary in the West Indies. 
 
MORAVIAN DIVISION OP LABOR 69 
 
 In June, 1742, there were one hundred and twenty 
 persons at Bethlehem. This company was divided 
 into what was known as the Pilgrim Congregation 
 and the Home Congregation. Those in the first di- 
 vision devoted themselves to evangelistic work among 
 the Indians and white people, and to educational 
 activities among children for whom by the year 1746 
 at least fifteen schools had been established. The 
 second division carried on the work at home, and 
 provided means for the support of the Pilgrims. 
 Frequently transfers from one division to the other 
 were made, some being among the Pilgrims for a 
 time and then for a season with the Home Congrega- 
 tion. The Pilgrims were also known as Itinerants 
 or Evangelists. They reported at headquarters 
 from time to time and received appointments to other 
 fields of labor. This explains why there were so 
 many different itinerants in New York City and its 
 environs in the short period between the organiza- 
 tion of the Undenominational Society and that of 
 the Congregation, some laboring here only a few 
 weeks at a time. The ministers and lay-evangelists 
 who labored here before the organization of the 
 congregation were the following: 
 
 Augustus Gottlieb Spangenberg, March, 1736. 
 David Nitschmann, April, 1736. 
 Frederick Martin, June, 1739 and July, 1740. 
 Christian Henry Rauch, July, 1740, and occasionally 
 
 later on. 
 Peter Boehler, January, 1741, and later. 
 Count Zinzendorf, December, 1741, and later. 
 
70 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 David Bruce, September, 1742, and afterwards at 
 irregular intervals. 
 
 Henry Aimers, January, 1743, to April, 1745. 
 
 George Neisser, January, 1743 ; March to June, 1746 ; 
 March to June, 1748. 
 
 Hector Gambold, November, 1743, to June, 1745; 
 June, 1746, to February, 1747; September, 1747, 
 to February, 1748. 
 
 Owen Rice, September, 1745. 
 
 James Bumside, September, 1745. 
 
 Jacob Vetter, September, 1745, to January, 1746. 
 
 John Wade, February, 1747, to August, 1747. 
 
 Christian Froehlich, February, 1747, to August, 1747. 
 
 Valentine Loehans, December, 1742, to January 8, 
 1743. 
 
 Valentine Haidt, June, 1748, to July, 1748. 
 
 James Greening, June, 1748, to March, 1750. 
 
 Richard Utley, 1747 to 1748. 
 
 John Doehling, 1748 to 1750 laboring as an evan- 
 gelist and teaching school on Long Island. 
 
 Jacob Rogers, 1749-1750 here and up the Hudson. 
 
 In this list of Moravian laborers in New York, 
 Spangenberg, Nitschmann, Martin, Rauch, Boehler, 
 Zinzendorf and Loehans were ordained ministers, 
 the others being lay-evangelists at the time. Some 
 of the latter like Neisser, Rice, Gambold, Vetter, 
 Haidt, Greening and Rogers were ordained later. 
 Altho faithful and useful evangelists David Bruce, 
 James Burnside, Christian Froehlich and John 
 Doehling were never received into the ordained min- 
 istry of the Church. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE ORGANIZATION OP THE FIRST 
 MORAVIAN CHURCH 
 
 Altho the early Moravians in America had many 
 bitter enemies thru no fault of their own, they also 
 had numerous friends of which some were influential 
 in high places. Among their friends was General 
 James Oglethorpe, the philanthropic founder and 
 Governor of Georgia. This friendship had no or- 
 dinary foundation. When Zinzendorf was in Eng- 
 land in the early part of the year 1737, he took steps 
 to revive the famous Order of the Grain of Mustard 
 Seed founded by him as a boy at Halle, and Ogle- 
 thorpe, together with other influential Englishmen, 
 became a member. The friend of Zinzendorf, he also 
 became the friend of the Moravian Brethren. He 
 was on the same ship which brought the Moravian 
 colony to Georgia. As earnest Christians and good 
 colonists they won the everlasting regard and es- 
 teem of this good man, little thinking that he would 
 some day become a defender of their rights. In Gov- 
 ernor Thomas of Pennsylvania the Moravians found 
 another good friend. The following events show how 
 both these men proved not only their friendship, but 
 their broadminded statesmanship at a critical stage 
 in Moravian history. 
 
 In 1740 the British Parliament passed a general 
 Act for all the American Colonies providing that 
 
 71 
 
72 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 "all persons residing in his Majesty's Colonies in 
 America for seven years, without being absent from 
 the said Colonies for a longer time than two months, 
 shall upon taking the proper oaths be deemed his 
 Majesty's natural-born subjects." Quakers were ex- 
 cused from taking the required oath by a previous 
 Act of Parliament. Three years later the Assembly 
 of Pennsylvania passed an Act providing for a simi- 
 lar exemption of "such foreign Protestants as do 
 conscientiously scruple the taking of any oath." The 
 Governor wanted the religious bodies specified, but 
 then as now the politicians were afraid of losing 
 votes, for they knew that if the Moravians should be 
 mentioned there would be trouble; therefore they 
 refused the Governor's request. Proprietor Thomas 
 Penn took the position that whether or not the Mo- 
 ravians were specified in this Act they had been 
 particularly in the mind of those who framed it. 
 That full justice might be done the Moravians 
 Thomas Penn and General Oglethorpe went to Eng- 
 land in 1747 and moved in the House of Commons 
 "that a clause be inserted in the Act of 1740 in favor 
 of the Moravians or United Brethren, exempting 
 them from the taking of an oath." This motion pre- 
 vailed, and was embodied in a new Act which took 
 effect on December 25, 1747. Moravians of to-day no 
 longer seek exemption from taking oath or bearing 
 arms, even as in those early days many of the Breth- 
 ren as individuals had no conscientious scruples on 
 this score. At that time, however, it was deemed 
 desirable to take some such position as a Church, 
 not only on conscientious grounds, but so that the 
 
MOBAVIAN CHUEOH BECOGNIZED 73 
 
 progress of the gospel which it proclaimed might 
 not be hindered. 
 
 Altho deeply grateful for the privileges which 
 they now enjoyed, the Moravians realized the neces- 
 sity of having their Church officially recognized by 
 the British Government. To achieve this end six 
 leading men of the Church were appointed as 
 Deputies on December 13, 1748, to carry on the neces- 
 sary negotiations. On New Year's Day, 1749, these 
 deputies landed in England. They carefully framed 
 a petition which was brought to the attention of 
 Parliament. England was anxious to have the larg- 
 est possible number of desirable settlers in her col- 
 onies, therefore it was most opportune for the appeal 
 of the Brethren that Captain Garrison arrived in 
 London with the Irene while this matter was under 
 discussion. On board the Irene was the "Third Sea 
 Congregation," consisting of one hundred and twenty 
 Moravian colonists bound for Pennsylvania. 
 
 On February 20, 1749, General Oglethorpe pre- 
 sented a resolution in the House of Commons pledg- 
 ing the House to encourage the Moravian Brethren 
 to settle in the Colonies. This resolution was 
 adopted with but one dissenting vote. The House 
 then appointed a Committee of Inquiry consisting 
 of more than forty members with Oglethorpe as 
 chairman. The petition of the Deputies of the Mo- 
 ravian Church was referred to this Committee. On 
 March 14 Oglethorpe reported it to the House of 
 Commons, and in the name of the Committee recom- 
 mended that it be granted. The claims made by the 
 Brethren in their petition were substantiated by 
 
74 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 one hundred and thirty-five documents. After con- 
 siderable discussion an Act of Parliament was passed 
 on May 12, 1749, recognizing the Unitas Fratrum or 
 Moravian Church as an ancient Protestant Episco- 
 pal Church with doctrines differing in no essential 
 point from the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of 
 England, and conferring upon it as such distinct 
 rights and privileges in all British dominions. By 
 this Act the Moravians were also exempted from 
 taking oath and from military duty, the British Gov- 
 ernment accepting affirmation and assessment of 
 money in lieu of these obligations. The practical 
 value of this Act cannot be overestimated. By it the 
 Moravian Church was established thruout Great 
 Britain and all its possessions. 
 
 The significance of these important events was 
 nowhere appreciated more than in New York. Those 
 who had at heart the interests of the Brethren in the 
 city felt it desirable to organize a regular Moravian 
 congregation. At this time the church authorities 
 in Europe decided that Bishop John de Watteville 
 should make a tour of inspection among the Indian 
 Missions and in the West Indies. In the third week 
 of September, 1748, de Watteville, the son-in-law of 
 Zinzendorf, with his wife, the Countess Benigna, 
 and five young women, landed in New York. John 
 Wade, the Moravian Evangelist, welcomed the dis- 
 tinguished arrivals and conducted them to Bethle- 
 hem. Returning from his visit to the Indian Mis- 
 sions, de Watteville spent some time in New York in 
 December, 1748. This time he was not merely 
 passing thru the city, but had come for the purpose 
 
CONGREGATION ORGANIZED 75 
 
 of organizing a Moravian congregation as directed 
 by the first distinctively Moravian synod convened at 
 Bethlehem on October 13. Notwithstanding bitter 
 persecution the Society organized by Boehler 
 flourished. By the spring of 1748 it had at least 
 fifty members in the city and its environs. At this 
 time an ineffectual effort was made to secure the use 
 of a Lutheran or Reformed church for stated public 
 Moravian services. When this effort failed, a hall 
 was rented for meetings and rooms for the accommo- 
 dation of ministers and lay-workers. In this hall 
 both English and German preaching services were 
 held on Sunday and private worship on several eve- 
 nings of the week. 
 
 On March 26, 1748, a farewell love-feast was held 
 in honor of Abraham Boemper, who was about to 
 remove to Bethlehem. On this occasion a list of 
 "souls gone to the congregation from New York, 
 Long Island and Staten Island" was read. This list 
 contains the names of adults and children, for in 
 accordance with the rules of the Moravian Church 
 all baptized children under thirteen years of age are 
 received with their parents. In case only one of the 
 parents joins the Church the same rule holds unless 
 it is the expressed wish of the parents that their 
 children shall not be so received. Those who went 
 to the Bethlehem congregation from New York be- 
 fore the year 1748, according to the list mentioned, 
 were the following: Jupiter, the Negro boy who 
 went to Europe with Bishop Nitschmann in 1736; 
 Eleanor Gregg, who later became the wife of Hector 
 Gambold; Anna Oerter, Gertrude Schneider, Lydia 
 
76 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Montague, Elizabeth Brasher, Mary Burnside, Ger- 
 trude Peterson, Rebecca Montague, Abraham Mon- 
 tague, Martha Bryant-Neiberg, Martha Bueninger, 
 Elizabeth Okely, Anna Burnet, Thomas Noble, Jr., 
 Isaac Noble, James Noble, Sarah Noble, Mary Noble, 
 James Arden, Elizabeth Arden, John Arden and 
 his wife, Andrew the Negro, John and Mary Kings- 
 ton, Christian Boemper, William Burnet, Hannah 
 Gatehouse, Corydon the Indian, Thomas and John 
 Campbell, Abraham Boemper, Joseph Boelen, Joseph 
 Kingston, thirty-five in all. Those from Long Island 
 who went to the Bethlehem congregation were Tim- 
 othy and Elizabeth Horsfield, Israel Horsfield, Molly 
 Watters, Peter Peterson, John Hopson, John Ed- 
 monds, Mary Edmonds, Thomas a Negro, Anthony 
 a Negro, Rebecca a Negro girl, Caesar a Negro boy, 
 Mary Edmonds, Elizabeth Cornell, or fourteen in all. 
 Those who went from Staten Island were Nicholas 
 Garrison and his wife and children, Nicholas, Jr., 
 John, Lambert, Benjamin and Susanna; Sigorius, 
 two little children whose names are not given, and 
 Anna Van der Bilt, or eleven in all. Therefore the 
 total number of persons who had identified them- 
 selves with the Bethlehem congregation was sixty. 
 On December 27, 1748, Bishop de Watteville organ- 
 ized the first Moravian congregation in New York 
 City. Among the charter members were Hendrick 
 Van Vleck and his wife Jane; John Kingston, Isnia- 
 jah Burnet, Janet Boelen, William Cornwall, and 
 Timothy Horsfield and his wife Mary. James Green- 
 ing, who with his wife Elizabeth labored in New 
 York from June, 1748, to March, 1750, assumed the 
 
CONGREGATION ORGANIZED 77 
 
 pastoral oversight of the congregation. In May of 
 the following year the Act of the British Parliament 
 settled the future status of the congregation. 
 
 On the day this Act was passed the Third Sea Con- 
 gregation whose presence in London had given added 
 impulse to the measure, landed in New York. The 
 arrival of these colonists attracted a great deal of 
 attention. In the weekly issue of the New York 
 Gazette this statement appears : "We hear that the 
 snow Irene, Capt. Garrison, is arrived at Sandy 
 Hook, from London, with upwards of one hundred 
 passengers on board, of the Moravian Brethren." 
 The Moravians and their friends in the city wel- 
 comed the newcomers as the other Sea Congregations 
 had been welcomed by them, but the most important 
 event of the year was the announcement of the Act 
 passed by the British Parliament in May. On 
 October 6 Bishop de Watteville and the Countess 
 Benigna, with Bishop Nitschmann and his wife, and 
 a number of others left Bethlehem for New York to 
 return to Europe. On October 12 de Watteville com- 
 pleted the organization of the New York congrega- 
 tion. On this occasion the Holy Communion was 
 celebrated for the first time in New York according 
 to the ritual of the Moravian Church, forty-six com- 
 municants partaking. Owen Rice, having been or- 
 dained a Deacon of the Moravian Church in 1748, 
 became the first settled pastor of the congregation. 
 On May 12, 1749, he entered upon his duties, serving 
 in this capacity until June 10, 1754, when he re- 
 turned to Europe, where he served various congrega- 
 tions in England and Ireland until his death thirty- 
 
78 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 one years later. In 1744 the sacrament of Baptism 
 was administered for the first time in New York by 
 a Moravian minister. On April 25 the Rev. Gottlob 
 Buettner baptized eight-year-old James, the infant 
 son of James and Mary Montague, in the presence of 
 the parents, and Thomas Noble, Hector Gambold, 
 Mary Noble, Elizabeth Hume, Mary Wendower, Jane 
 Boelen, Martha Bryant, and Eleanor Gregg. On 
 October 20 of the same year the Rev. John C. Pyr- 
 laeus baptized James, the infant son of Thomas and 
 Mary Noble. The first Moravian marriage ceremony 
 in New York was performed by the Rev. Owen Rice 
 on January 12, 1751, the contracting parties being 
 Jacob Reed and the widow Jane Taylor, m.n. Min- 
 thorne. 
 
 Regularly organized and having a resident pastor, 
 the work of the congregation could be more vigor- 
 ously prosecuted. Three stated meetings were held 
 on Sunday, a preaching service in the morning at 
 ten and in the afternoon at three o'clock, and a 
 meeting for communicant members of the congrega- 
 tion at seven o'clock in the evening. The evening 
 meeting was liturgical in character. The pastor and 
 his assistant, together with their wives and such 
 other workers in the congregation as they chose to 
 invite from time to time, enjoyed a love feast every 
 Sunday. In connection with the love feast they 
 talked over matters pertaining to the spiritual in- 
 terests of individual members who especially needed 
 attention. There was also a brief meeting on Sun- 
 day afternoons known as "Viertel Stunden." This 
 type of meeting came down from the time when in 
 
CONGREGATIONAL MEETINGS 79 
 
 1727 Zinzendorf delivered a brief address to mar- 
 ried people, or young men, or young women, or chil- 
 dren, as the case might be, especially adapting his 
 words to the class of members before him. A weekly 
 meeting of the congregation was conducted on 
 Wednesday evening. The Society affiliated with the 
 congregation had its meetings on Monday and Friday 
 evenings. In common with other Moravian congre- 
 gations of that period the New York church intro- 
 duced at an early time the Oememtag, a monthly 
 congregational festival at which reports of Moravian 
 labors in general, or letters from Christian friends 
 or church leaders, or from missionaries in various 
 fields, were read. The services of this day fostered 
 the missionary spirit. The congregation also em- 
 ployed the "Hourly Intercession," which was insti- 
 tuted at Herrnhut in 1727 at a time when the congre- 
 gation was threatened with danger. The congrega- 
 tion in New York was divided into prayer-bands, 
 each band being charged to pray during a specified 
 hour. In this way every hour of the day and night 
 was filled with the intercession of the Brethren at 
 the throne of Grace. A list giving the names and 
 hours of such intercessors in the congregation in 
 October, 1756, is preserved in the archives of the 
 First Moravian Church of New York City. 
 
 The Holy Communion was celebrated every eight 
 weeks, the Society members partaking of the Sacra- 
 ment less frequently than members of the congrega- 
 tion. A congregational love feast was held every 
 three months, and as many times in addition as 
 special occasions demanded. The records contain 
 
80 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 the following interesting statement: "There must 
 be a watch always at our house-door at the time of 
 our private meetings, for it is against the law to 
 lock a door. The brethren of the congregation and 
 trustworthy members of the society take turns." It 
 was the duty of the pastor, or of some one delegated 
 by him, to keep a church diary, a copy of which had 
 to be sent to the authorities at Bethlehem every 
 month. This requirement likewise obtained in other 
 Moravian congregations. As a result a tradition 
 arose in some quarters that every Moravian minister 
 had to submit to the Church authorities at Bethle- 
 hem for approval a copy of every sermon he preached. 
 This tradition still obtained in the boyhood days of 
 the writer of this history. There was no rule of this 
 sort at any time. However, every Moravian pastor 
 is required to keep a diary of the church which he 
 has in charge, and to submit an annual report con- 
 taining a statement, properly signed by the Elders 
 and Trustees, showing the congregation's member- 
 ship, financial condition, contributions to missions 
 and benevolences, and other matters of interest. In 
 the early days of the New York congregation there 
 were elders and eldresses, and these, together with 
 other members charged with the performance of cer- 
 tain tasks, were known as "Helpers," and collectively 
 as the "Helpers' Conference." This conference 
 usually met before or after the weekly meeting of the 
 congregation on Wednesday evening. In 1754 the 
 conference consisted of Henry Van Vleck, John 
 Kingston, Ismajah Burnet, Jane Boelen, William 
 Nixon, and Esther Proehlich. One of the early 
 
BOYS' SCHOOL ON LONG ISLAND 81 
 
 diarists of the congregation writes : "In funeral ser- 
 mons we say nothing of the departed but speak to the 
 living," which is a custom in accordance with the 
 best traditions of the Moravian Church. The Mo- 
 ravian minister never deals in empty praise of the 
 dead, nor does he pass judgment upon them. It is 
 customary to read a brief biography of the departed 
 at the funeral service. The early Moravians wore 
 no mourning attire or emblems. They considered it 
 inconsistent with their belief that Christian believ- 
 ers depart to be with Christ in the place of supreme 
 bliss. Altho the former rule against the wearing of 
 mourning apparel was abrogated years ago, the Mo- 
 ravian view of death remains unchanged. Therefore 
 an outward show of mourning, especially if elaborate, 
 is regarded as contrary to the best traditions of the 
 Church. 
 
 In the spring of 1750 Jasper Payne, the pastor's 
 assistant, and James Greening, an itinerant evange- 
 list, opened a Boys' School in the Long Island house 
 of Timothy Horsfield, which he placed at the dis- 
 posal of the Moravians when on November 8, 1749, 
 he removed to Bethlehem. John Doehling, a former 
 Jena University student, was the teacher of the 
 school. In December, 1750, the school was removed 
 to "a house near the ferry." Subsequent to the year 
 1749, the Horsfield house was the seat of an "Econ- 
 omy," or "Family," composed of Moravian men and 
 women laboring for the spread of the gospel, or in 
 the interests of education. From this center the 
 itinerants went forth to their labors in the city, on 
 the neighboring islands, and in various parts of New 
 
82 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 York and New England. Meanwhile the congrega- 
 tion was worshipping in the Hall rented for the 
 purpose. Feeling that they needed a church, the 
 members purchased for 300 pounds in New York 
 currency two lots, each 25 x 100 feet, on the south 
 side of Pair, now Fulton Street, between William 
 and Nassau Streets. This purchase was effected in 
 the year 1751. The Trustees of the congregation at 
 the time were Owen Rice, John Brownfleld, Henry 
 Van Vleck, and John Kingston. The money for the 
 lots and building purposes was raised by subscrip- 
 tion. Those who contributed to this cause were Elsie 
 Wyton, Judith Brasher, John Kingston, James Ar- 
 den, Jacob Reed, Jacques Montague, Hendrick 
 Boelen, Hester Pell, Thomas Pears, Abraham Boem- 
 per, Bishop Spangenberg "in the name of the United 
 Brethren," Catherine Van Vleck, Sarah Van Vleck, 
 Timothy Horsfield, Rudolphus Van Dyck and Eliza- 
 beth Cofton. An extant list of subscribers toward 
 the erection of a dwelling house for the pastor con- 
 tains the following names : Henry Van Vleck, John 
 Kingston, Jacques Montague, Hendrick Boelen, 
 Thomas Pears, Jos. Spangenberg "in the name of 
 the United Brethren," Direk Schuyler, Catherine 
 Van Vleck, Sarah Van Vleck, and Cornelia Tiebout. 
 On June 5, 1751, workmen broke ground for the 
 edifice, and eleven days later the cornerstone of the 
 first Moravian church in New York City was for- 
 mally laid by the pastor, the Rev. Owen Rice. The 
 cheering watchword for the day was "They shall not 
 build, and another inhabit." — Isaiah 65: 22. This 
 event gave great promise for the future, and the con- 
 
FIRST CHURCH CONSECRATED 83 
 
 gregation rejoiced greatly. The building operations 
 were under the supervision of James Arden, a car- 
 penter and member of the church. Work on the 
 building, which was of brick, had to be suspended 
 when winter set in. But favorable weather per- 
 mitted the workmen to resume their operations on 
 February 17, 1752, and by the middle of June the 
 edifice was finished. On Sunday, June 18, just one 
 year after the laying of the cornerstone, the church 
 was consecrated by Bishop Spangenberg, assisted 
 by the pastor, Owen Rice, and Jacob Rogers. The 
 service was opened by singing the hymn, "May Jesus' 
 blood and righteousness, fill and adorn this hal- 
 lowed place." Bishop Spangenberg delivered an 
 impressive German sermon based on I. Corinthians 
 2: 2, "I determined not to know anything among 
 you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." At the 
 afternoon service the pastor, the Rev. Owen Rice, 
 preached in English from the text, "The hour com- 
 eth, and now is when the true worshippers shall wor- 
 ship the Father in spirit and in truth : for the Father 
 seeketh such to worship him." — John 4: 23. After 
 the sermon the Holy Communion was celebrated, 
 Bishop Spangenberg presiding. The services of the 
 day were well attended. Among those present were 
 a number of Bethlehem people. Some of the trom- 
 bone players of the Bethlehem congregation assisted 
 in rendering the instrumental music of the occasion. 
 On the following Tuesday the Rev. Jacob Rogers 
 preached at a service held in the little church. 
 
 Now that the congregation had a suitable house 
 of worship, it was next decided to provide a com- 
 
84 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 f ortable home for the pastor. On July 1, 1752, work 
 was commenced on the parsonage, and before the 
 close of the year it was ready for occupancy. The 
 building was of brick and three stories in height. It 
 was located on the lot adjoining the church, and like 
 the church fronted on Fair (Pulton) Street. It was 
 first occupied by Owen Rice and his wife, who had 
 previously found quarters in the home of William 
 Nixon on Long Island. The congregation now had a 
 church and parsonage, but no place for the burial of 
 the dead. Therefore a plot of ground was obtained for 
 this purpose in the year 1754 "a little way out of 
 town." This grave-yard was located at what is now 
 the corner of Mott and Pell Streets. Daniel Waldron, 
 a married man aged 41 years, was the first person 
 to be buried here. The interment occurred on March 
 23, 1754. The church register mentions six other 
 deaths previous to that of Waldron, but it does not 
 state where the remains were buried. In 1760 a 
 piece of ground, 22 x 70 feet, adjoining the church- 
 lot, was purchased and used as a burial-place. On 
 August 27 of the same year the body of Elizabeth 
 Susanna Pontenier, a child, was here laid to rest as 
 the first seed of this God's Acre. 
 
 In 1754 an indebtedness of two thousand dollars 
 rested on the church-property. Earnest efforts were 
 made to liquidate the debt. Every three months an 
 offering was taken to pay the accrued interest. At 
 this time the congregation consisted of the following 
 members: James Arden and his wife Ursula; John 
 Cargill; William Cornwall and his wife Charity; 
 John Doehling; Daniel Fueter and his wife Cather- 
 
MEMBERSHIP OP THE CHURCH 85 
 
 ine; John Kingston; a man named Kuiper; Daniel 
 Mueller and his wife Mary; James Montague and 
 his wife Mary; William Nixon and his wife Re- 
 becca; Peter Petersen and his wife Sarah; Jacob 
 Reed and his wife Jane; Jane Boelen; Ismajah 
 Burnet ; Elizabeth Inyard, a sister of Nicholas Gar- 
 rison; Mary Hinchman; Jarvis Roebuck; a person 
 named Smith; Jacobus Vanderbilt; Jan Van 
 Deusen; Henry Van Vleck; William Burnet; John 
 G-. Feldhausen ; Christoph Feldhausen ; a man named 
 Fritz; Lorenz Kielbrunn; Abraham Montague; 
 Susan Roebuck ; Nieltje Van der Bilt ; Trijut je Van 
 Deusen; Jane Van Vleck; Margareta Anthony; 
 Jane Haley; Esther Pell; Sarah Waldron; Judith 
 Brasher; Susan Berger; Elizabeth Cofton; Deborah 
 Smith; Matje Van Dyck; and Alice Wyton. The 
 congregation had the following adherents : Hendrick 
 Boelen; Ludwig Boemper; John Bowie; Jacques 
 Cortellyou; Abraham Florentine; Thomas Lapper; 
 Francis Hendrickse; a man named Marteuse; Wil- 
 liam Pearson ; Samuel Pell ; a man named Puntenier ; 
 John Rinney; Dirck Schuyler; James Swan; Cor- 
 nells Tiebout; John Van De Venter; Jacobus Van 
 der Bilt, Jr.; a married woman named Anderson; 
 Margaret Campbell; Gerritje Boemper; Catherine 
 Connor; Jacomyntje Cortellyou; Elsje Florentine; a 
 married woman named Hagen; Rachel Kingston; 
 Charity Hendrickse; a married woman named Mar- 
 teuse ; Mary Pearson ; Mary Pell ; Martha Puntenier ; 
 a married woman named Schout; another married 
 woman named Schuyler; Matje Tiebout; Lysbet Van 
 Deventer; three married women respectively named 
 
86 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Van Der Bilt, Van Dyck, and Van Home, the record 
 not stating their husbands' names; the following 
 widows, Cornelia Allen; Eva Cummings; Gritje 
 Helmes; Catherine Hones; a woman named Kings- 
 ton; Trautje Minthorne; Susan Sommers; and the 
 following unmarried women, Hannah Allen; Mary 
 Allen; Catherine Allen; Hannah Bond; Janet je 
 Boelen; Mary Ketcham; Elizabeth Sommers; Sarah 
 and Catherine Van Vleck. — Jasper Payne was the 
 school teacher of the congregation from May 6, 1750, 
 to September 1, 1734, as well as the assistant of the 
 pastor. During this period he also carried on evan- 
 gelistic work on the neighboring islands. For the 
 greater part of the year 1752 Owen Rice was also 
 assisted by Hector Gambold and his wife. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE CONGREGATION BEFORE THE 
 AMERICAN REVOLUTION 
 
 Having closed his pastorate on June 10, 1734, 
 Owen Rice left with his wife for Bethlehem, where 
 they spent several months, engaging in such labors 
 as a visiting minister could render. There were no 
 drones among the Moravians. Unless a man was 
 actually incapacitated by sickness or some other 
 cause certain work was delegated to him. And a 
 visitor in a Moravian community was glad to avail 
 himself of any opportunity to be of service, as evi- 
 denced by the indefatigable efforts put forth by the 
 Moravian pioneers in New York, altho some of them 
 were here only a short time. On August 24 Rice and 
 his wife returned to the city, where they waited for 
 a vessel to take them to London. Not able to sail 
 before October 10 he preached frequently to the 
 congregation, and at the homes of members and ad- 
 herents of the church on the neighboring islands. 
 He also visited extensively among the people. He 
 took formal leave of the congregation at a farewell 
 love feast, but a large number of friends had their 
 last affectionate word with him and his wife on 
 board the Sea Nymph, which bore them to Europe. 
 
 Rice was succeeded as pastor of the congregation 
 by Abraham Reinke, a native of Stockholm, Sweden, 
 who became acquainted with the Moravians while 
 
 87 
 
88 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 a student in the University of Jena. In 1738 he 
 identified himself with the Moravian Church. In 
 July, 1744, he was joined in marriage to Susan Stock- 
 berg of Summoer, Norway, and in the fall of the 
 same year he and his bride accompanied Bishop 
 Spangenberg to America, where he was active in 
 gospel labors in various fields until he became pastor 
 of the New York church. His pastorate was short, 
 lasting only from June 10 to October 28, when fail- 
 ing health compelled him to retire to Bethlehem, 
 where he died six years later. That he was success- 
 ful in his labors is evident from the fact that the 
 members of the congregation petitioned the authori- 
 ties of the Church at Bethlehem to send him back 
 as soon as his health and strength should allow. The 
 petition contained the following tribute to him: 
 "The members of the congregation are satisfied with 
 his preaching, and especially with his walk and con- 
 versation, which have exercised a great influence for 
 good." Jasper Payne and others were associated 
 with Reinke in his New York labors. The official 
 diary covering his pastorate contains a number of 
 interesting items. It records the death of the Rev. 
 Henricus Boel, the Dutch Reformed minister who for 
 fifteen years bitterly attacked the Moravians in 
 season and out of season. Having been reinforced 
 by new supplies of material directed against the 
 Brethren, he launched his last attack against them 
 on Sunday, June 23, 1754. Warning his hearers 
 against "the deceitful Moravians," he ended his dia- 
 tribe by saying that he would further reveal their 
 maliciousness on the following Sunday. Before the 
 
WHITEFIELD TAKEN FOR MOEAVIAN 89 
 
 echo of his words had died away, he was stricken 
 with paralysis, which brought about his death a few 
 days later, and on the following Sunday the Rev. 
 Mr. Ritzma preached his funeral sermon. 
 
 In July Whitefleld visited New York and as usual 
 preached to large congregations. It is evident that 
 this good man was not without a jealous vein, which 
 no doubt prompted some of the harsh things he di- 
 rected against the Moravians by tongue and pen. 
 In a letter to his friend Van Home, who became a 
 member of the Moravian Church after his conversion 
 under Whitefield's preaching, the evangelist ex- 
 pressed his great displeasure that he and others 
 should have allowed their love to grow cold toward 
 him "because he used his voice against certain peo- 
 ple." At the time of this visit, however, Whitefleld 
 seemed to feel more kindly disposed toward the Mo- 
 ravians. He preached so much about the Saviour and 
 His power to heal that some of his hearers who were 
 not acquainted with him, took for granted that he 
 must be a Moravian. It was reported that he would 
 not allow any one to say a word against the Breth- 
 ren, even expressing regret that he himself had ever 
 raised his voice against them, and exhorting his 
 hearers "to cleave to the Saviour whom the Mo- 
 ravians preached." The Baptists of that day were 
 not so kindly disposed. They left no stone unturned 
 in their efforts to attract the adherents of the Breth- 
 ren to the Baptist Church, declaring that the 
 Moravians were in error, giving as the principal 
 ground of this contention the fact that "the Mo- 
 ravians honor the Son more than they honor the 
 
90 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Father." In pleasing contrast to such petty sectari- 
 anism is the record of July 20, in which this surpris- 
 ing statement occurs : "Brother Payne and Brother 
 Reinke visited the Jews in their synagogue, who re- 
 ceived them very kindly and courteously, and they 
 could pray very heartily (presumably in secret) for 
 the poor Jews that the veil of Moses might soon 
 burst open." 
 
 Altho the Moravian Church was winning its way 
 and gaining friends among all classes of people, 
 its members and adherents continued to meet with 
 opposition from certain quarters. Some found fault 
 with them on doctrinal grounds, while others were 
 opposed to them because they refused to take up 
 arms. Some professed to take great offense because 
 the Brethren were supposed to believe in transub- 
 stantiation. When confronted with this alleged be- 
 lief Reinke declared that the position of the Mo- 
 ravian Church on this point was well expressed in 
 the words of Queen Elizabeth of England when she 
 said in regard to the Lord's Supper: "He was the 
 Word and spake it; He was the Bread and brake it. 
 And what His Word doth make it, that I believe, and 
 take it." It is a sign of the times that there should 
 have been opposition to the Moravians on such 
 grounds. Their one aim was to preach the gospel 
 to the unsaved. They desired to win converts for 
 Christ and then minister to them in a purely unde- 
 nominational way. Nothing was further from their 
 mind than the thought of proselyting. They never 
 under any circumstances asked any one to join the 
 Moravian Church. Wisely or unwisely, they actually 
 
A STRANGE BUMOR 91 
 
 discouraged people from becoming Moravians. 
 Those who became members of their Church did so 
 of their own volition, and absolutely without any 
 solicitation on the part of the Brethren. Any one 
 who sincerely loved the Saviour and desired to en- 
 joy Moravian ministrations could join the Society 
 affiliated with the congregation. No effort was made 
 to get the Society members to leave their respective 
 Churches. While on an official visit in the city in 
 1754 Peter Boehler said at a meeting of the Society : 
 "We wish that all our society members would con- 
 tinue in their respective churches as a salt, and 
 have their children baptized by their pastor, and 
 partake of the Holy Communion in their particular 
 Church. It is not our way to draw people from the 
 Churches in which they were brought up, and we 
 earnestly wish that the ministers of other denomi- 
 nations would be friendly to us, for in this way they 
 would not lose so many members. The baptism of 
 children, excepting those whose parents are mem- 
 bers of our Church, is not approved by our Synod." 
 The imminence of the French and Indian War 
 naturally aroused opposition to the Moravians. In 
 August, 1754, a rumor was current that the Mo- 
 ravians had a secret way to Ohio so as to render 
 assistance to the French. It was reported that two 
 lights had been seen on the Moravian church steeple, 
 "which made the Lamb upon the flag appear very 
 plainly and brightly." This was supposed to be 
 some signal to the French. When some one re- 
 peated this silly rumor to William Burnet he said, 
 "This story can proceed from no one else than the 
 
92 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Devil, because it is a lie, and he is a liar from the 
 beginning." But the populace and petty officials 
 are not readily impressed by a mere statement of 
 the truth. They choose rather to believe silly fables. 
 For this reason the New York Moravians suffered 
 considerable trouble at a time when a burning ha- 
 tred of the Indians consumed most of the colonists. 
 They proved themselves loyal citizens in every way. 
 Not all had scruples about taking up arms, and 
 some of the Brethren did stated duty at the fort, 
 while others cheerfully paid the fine involved by the 
 Act of Parliament which exempted such Moravians 
 as had conscientious scruples against taking up arms. 
 Several Moravian delegations appealed to the Gover- 
 nor for protection, and His Excellency always as- 
 sured them that their petition would be granted. 
 But even he could not shield them from all trouble 
 and annoyance. The Moravians were the friends 
 of the Indians, and the Indians were the allies of the 
 French, therefore the masses, who never weigh mat- 
 ters carefully, could not escape what they considered 
 the logical conclusion, that the Moravians must be 
 the enemy of the English. 
 
 For a time it looked as if there would be a neigh- 
 boring Moravian congregation established in the 
 Province. In the spring of 1754 a New York Land 
 Company, in which Cornells Tiebout, a member of 
 the society affiliated with the congregation, was 
 deeply interested, tried to induce the authorities at 
 Bethlehem to found a Moravian settlement in Ulster 
 County. This company offered to give outright to 
 the Church four thousand acres of land provided the 
 
NEW SETTLEMENT PLANNED 93 
 
 authorities would agree to purchase at a reasonable 
 figure an additional tract of seven thousand acres. 
 A Moravian delegation inspected the land, and ren- 
 dered a favorable report, recommending, however, 
 further investigation. On May 2, 1754, Bishop David 
 Nitschmann and David Zeisberger left Bethlehem to 
 select the site for the new settlement, which was to 
 be named Zauchtenthal after the village in Moravia 
 which had been the home of Nitschmann before his 
 emigration to Herrnhut. The negotiations with the 
 Land Company resulted in mutually satisfactory 
 terms of agreement, deeds for the transfer of the 
 land were prepared and lay ready to be signed. 
 Elaborate plans were made for the settlement, 
 Bishop Nitschmann agreeing to take up his residence 
 there. The church authorities decided to make a 
 final investigation, looking at the project from every 
 imaginable angle. As a result of this investiga- 
 tion it became evident that after all the land was not 
 of sufficient adaptability to meet the various needs 
 of the proposed settlement. Therefore the church au- 
 thorities withdrew their agreement with the Land 
 Company, and the matter was dropped. Another 
 tract of land was offered in the same region in the 
 following year, but this offer could not be accepted 
 either. 
 
 Meanwhile the work in the city and on the neigh- 
 boring islands was prosecuted with vigor. On April 
 15 the working force of the congregation was 
 strengthened by the arrival on the Irene of Daniel 
 Fueter and his wife Catherine, who decided to locate 
 in New York. Among the arrivals was John Valen- 
 
94 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 tine Haidt, a minister and distinguished oil-painter, 
 who three years later served the congregation for a 
 brief period as its pastor. Other members of the 
 company were Bishop Spangenberg, Bishop Nitsch- 
 mann, the Rev. John Ettwein with his wife and 
 child, the Rev. Francis Lembke, the Rev. Christian 
 Benzien with his wife and two children, and David 
 and Regina Heckewelder with their children, John, 
 David, Christian, and Mary. The impulse which the 
 touch of these Brethren and others, who arrived in 
 the city from time to time, gave to the local congre- 
 gation cannot be overestimated. It made a favorable 
 impression on the community, and did much toward 
 increasing the standing of the Moravian Church in 
 New York. The periodic visits of itinerants and 
 missionaries passing thru the city on their way to 
 nearby or distant fields of labor also helped to keep 
 the altar fires burning. One cannot come into con- 
 tact with those who are fired with zeal for the spread 
 of the gospel without having one's own heart warmed 
 and fired with prayerful interest in the Lord's work. 
 That education is the handmaid of religion is a 
 principle which the Moravian Church has recognized 
 from the beginning. At a time when in this country 
 educational advantages for children were either ex- 
 ceedingly limited or conspicuous by their absence 
 altogether, the Moravians not only gathered the 
 young for religious instruction adapted to their 
 needs, but established schools wherever they founded 
 a settlement or congregation, or merely a preaching- 
 place. The itinerants or evangelists were teachers 
 as well as preachers. Not long after the Moravians 
 
ORGANIZATION OF A SCHOOL 95 
 
 came to New York efforts were made to teach the 
 children of the colonists on Staten Island and Long 
 Island. In the city the training of the youth was 
 for some time individual in character. On July 9, 
 1754, Peter Boehler while on an official visit in New 
 York conducted the first children's meeting of the 
 congregation. There were fourteen boys and five 
 girls in attendance. After the meeting he met with 
 those parents who had expressed a desire to send 
 their children to the school about to be opened, and 
 imparted to them the following information: (1) 
 The school would open on the following Tuesday 
 with Jasper Payne as teacher, the pastor taking his 
 place when the teacher was compelled to be absent. 
 
 (2) That the children might not become too tired 
 and the teacher might have time for visiting among 
 the people, the school sessions would be held from 
 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. 
 
 (3) In case of misbehavior the children would not 
 be whipped, such punishment being contrary to 
 Moravian custom, but sent home, where they had 
 to remain until they repented of their misdeeds. 
 
 (4) The subjects taught would be spelling, reading, 
 writing, and arithmetic. (5) John Kingston would 
 receive the school money. (6) The parents were ex- 
 pected to keep their children, when not in school, 
 off the street as much as possible. On July 16, the 
 appointed day, Jasper Payne opened the school with 
 five boys. The pupils were Peter Van Deusen, John 
 Minthorn, Lewis Fueter, Daniel Fueter, and Samuel 
 Pell. About a week later Benjamin Burger and 
 John Kingston, Jr., were likewise enrolled. By the 
 
96 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 end of the year the enrollment was eleven. The lit- 
 tle girls of the congregation received instruction 
 under different auspices. They were in charge of 
 two young unmarried women or "school-mistresses." 
 When Reinke laid down his office as pastor of the 
 congregation on October 28, 1754, he was succeeded 
 by Albrecht Ludolf Russmeyer, who served tem- 
 porarily in this capacity, closing his labors here on 
 January 10 of the succeeding year. He was assisted 
 by Richard Utley, who came on the field on February 
 9, 1754, serving principally on the islands, and leav- 
 ing on June 30, 1755. In November of Russmeyer's 
 pastorate the Irene arrived with another colony from 
 abroad, and with it came William Pearson and his 
 wife Mary, former members of the Fetter Lane So- 
 ciety in London. They located in New York and 
 became members of the congregation. At ten o'clock 
 on New Year's Eve all the members of the church and 
 some members of the society attended a service con- 
 ducted by Bishop Boehler. When the clock struck 
 the hour of midnight the earnest discourse of the 
 preacher was interrupted by the joyful peal of the 
 organ and the exultant notes of the flutes, and the 
 congregation joined in singing a hymn of thanks- 
 giving and praise, after which Boehler led in fervent 
 prayer, unmindful of the great noise and shooting 
 outside in the city streets. At the love feast on New 
 Year's Day eight new members were added to the 
 society. They were John Hertel, Robert Richardson, 
 a man named Becker, Mary de Whyte, Abraham 
 Florentine, Aletta Florentine, Lena Wey, and Rosina 
 Brown. During the preceding year the congregation 
 
NAMES OF PASTORS 97 
 
 lost Ave members by death, and twelve children were 
 baptized. 
 
 There were such frequent changes in the minis- 
 terial staff of this period that it may be well to give 
 here the names of the ministers who served the con- 
 gregation from the beginning of the year 1755 to the 
 time of the American Revolution. Richard Utley 
 assisted Reinke and later Russmeyer, by laboring 
 on Staten Island and Long Island, and also by fre- 
 quently preaching in English in the city. He con- 
 tinued his labors about six months after Russmeyer 
 left. On March 6, 1755, Henry Ferdinand Beck, 
 won for the Moravian Church when the Brethren 
 carried on their labors in Georgia, and in 1754 or- 
 dained to the ministry at Bethlehem, took Jasper 
 Payne's place, and preached in German after Russ- 
 meyer left New York. He remained here until 
 April 10, 1757. On July 4, 1755, Jacob Rogers be- 
 came Head Pastor of the congregation, taking Ut- 
 ley's place as English preacher in the city, and re- 
 maining here until June 23, 1757. From March 4 to 
 April 16, 1756, Jasper Payne was here for the sec- 
 ond time, laboring for the most part on the neigh- 
 boring islands. From May 10 to June 30, 1757, John 
 Valentine Haidt took Beck's place, preaching in both 
 English and German. On June 23, 1757, Thomas 
 Yarrell succeeded Jacob Rogers as Head Pastor, and 
 continued in this capacity until October 12, 1766, 
 when he in turn was succeeded by George Neisser, 
 who served the congregation until January 6, 1775. 
 His successor was Oswald Gustav Shewkirk, who 
 was the pastor of the congregation during the trying 
 
98 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 period of the Revolutionary War, dosing his pas- 
 torate on November 13, 1783. 
 
 At the request of Bishop Boehler, John Kingston 
 and Henry Van Vleck, in February, 1755, waited on 
 the Governor of New York for the purpose of de- 
 livering to him a message and two pamphlets as 
 decided upon by the Synod held at Swatara, in Penn- 
 sylvania, a short time before. On the way to the Gov- 
 ernor's mansion they were met by His Excellency, 
 who was about to attend a meeting of the City Coun- 
 cil. He graciously stopped, and the brethren de- 
 livered the Synod's message, which made acknowl- 
 edgment of "the quietness, peace, and liberty the 
 Brethren enjoyed under His Honor's administra- 
 tion," and expressed "humble thanks for the same," 
 and "the hope that the same might continue." It 
 further declared that "Synod had thought it proper 
 to present to His Honor two pamphlets lately pub- 
 lished in England concerning the controversies 
 against the Brethren, which if His Honor would be 
 pleased to read, it might be a satisfaction to him." 
 The Governor accepted the pamphlet's and promised 
 to read them, saying, "I believe the Brethren are 
 honest and good people, and I will do for them what 
 is just and right, only I would like them to bear arms 
 and fight in defense of this fine Province in case of 
 invasion." The brethren assured him that the Mo- 
 ravians would gladly contribute toward such ex- 
 penses according to their ability, and that those of 
 their number who had no conscientious scruples 
 about taking up arms would not be hindered from 
 fighting. To which His Honor replied, "I know 
 
AN EVENTFUL YEAR 99 
 
 that it is a principle of your Church not to fight, and 
 those of your number who refuse to bear arms on 
 conscientious grounds have the benefit of the Act 
 which exempts non-combatants." Petty officials were 
 less thoughtful. In May, 1755, James Arden and 
 William Pearson, members of the congregation, were 
 arrested by a certain Captain Van Wyck for not 
 complying with the Militia Act requiring duty at the 
 Fort, and in punishment for their alleged wrong- 
 doing some -of their household effects were taken. 
 In a case like this the Act of Parliament exempting 
 the Moravians from military duty directed the in- 
 jured party or parties to apply to a Justice of the 
 Peace for redress. Arden and Pearson exercised this 
 right and received satisfaction. 
 
 The year 1755 was an eventful one for Moravians 
 everywhere. The war-cloud was constantly growing 
 darker. The movements of the Indians were closely 
 watched, as were those of the Moravians, who were 
 suspected of being in sympathy with the French and 
 their savage allies. When David Zeisberger visited 
 Onondago, the chief town of the Iroquois League, 
 in June, the Governor of New York expressed his 
 displeasure. In a conversation with Cornells Tie- 
 bout he asked, "What is Zeisberger doing among the 
 Indians at this time?" When told that the mis- 
 sionary labored in the interests of the gospel and 
 endeavored to keep the Christian Indians from join- 
 ing the hostile savages, the Governor said, "At any 
 other time I would have no objections to his preach- 
 ing to the Indians, but in these days of unrest I am 
 not in favor of it." He added that he would send 
 
100 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 for Zeisberger at once, promising he would take 
 good care of him. He did not explain what he meant 
 by "taking good care of him." Neither was it neces- 
 sary, because Zeisberger was not taken at all. The 
 New York Moravians experienced considerable 
 trouble, but their troubles were not to be compared 
 with those of their brethren in Pennsylvania. On 
 December 1, 1755, they were startled to read in The 
 Gazette and The Mercury, the weekly city news- 
 papers, the melancholy account of the destruction 
 of Gnadenhuetten on the Mahoning and the massa- 
 cre of the missionaries at that place. They had heard 
 so often that Bethlehem had been laid in ashes, only 
 to learn afterwards that no such calamitous blow had 
 fallen, that they cherished the hope that this latest 
 report of disaster would likewise turn out to be 
 groundless. Four days later, however, David Zeis- 
 berger came to the city with letters and reports to 
 be sent to Europe, and confirmed the newspaper ac- 
 count of the massacre. Zeisberger was in a position 
 to give a graphic description because he had been 
 near when the destruction was wrought by the sav- 
 ages. On November 24 he mounted a horse at Beth- 
 lehem and started out with a message for the Gnaden- 
 huetten missionaries thirty miles up the river. As 
 the shadows of evening began to fall he drew near 
 the Mission Station. He heard a number of gunshots, 
 but suspected nothing, this being a sound frequently 
 heard since the militia was roaming about in the 
 woods. Suddenly fearful cries of anguish rent the 
 air, and the flames of the burning mission buildings 
 burst on his sight. From those who escaped the 
 
THE GNADENHUETTEN MASSACRE 101 
 
 murderous hand of the savages he learned the sad 
 details of the massacre. 
 
 There were fifteen adults and one infant-girl at 
 the station. These were Joachim Senseman and 
 his wife, George Christian Pabricius, Joseph Sturgis, 
 George Schweigert, George Partsch and his wife, 
 Gottlieb Anders and his wife and baby Johanna, 
 Martin Mtschmann and his wife, John Lesley, Mar- 
 tin Presser, John Gattermeyer, and Peter Worbas. 
 Most of them were gathered about the table for the 
 frugal evening meal when the savages made their 
 treacherous attack. Some of the missionaries be- 
 came the prey of Indian bullets, while others in ter- 
 ror ran to an upper room and barricaded the door. 
 When the savages found that they could not carry 
 out their murderous intent with tomahawk and bul- 
 let they set fire to the mission-house. Senseman 
 and Partsch not being with the others in the build- 
 ing, and realizing that they were powerless to effect 
 a rescue of their companions, fled into the woods. 
 Gloating over the fiendish work of their hands, the 
 Indians were off their guard for a brief moment, 
 giving Sturgis and Susanna Partsch time to leap 
 from the garret window and escape. Fabricius fol- 
 lowed their example, but he was not so fortunate. 
 Scalped, mutilated and riddled with bullets, his 
 body, watched over by his faithful dog, was found 
 next day. Mrs. Senseman, Gottlieb Anders with 
 his wife and baby, and George Schweigert perished 
 in the flames. Martin Mtschmann, Lesley, Gatter- 
 meyer and Presser were shot, while Worbas, who 
 was in another building when the attack was made, 
 
102 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 escaped. Susanna Nitschmann was also hit by a 
 bullet and fell. At first it was supposed she had 
 perished in the flames, but it was learned later that 
 a worse fate had befallen her. She was taken cap- 
 tive by the savages and carried off. Later some 
 Christian Indians came across her, but she was in 
 a dazed condition of melancholy, recognizing no one 
 until death mercifully brought about her release. 
 This is the sad account which the New York Mo- 
 ravians heard from the lips of Zeisberger. The news- 
 paper accounts of the massacre caused a wave of 
 sympathy for the Brethren to sweep over the city, 
 and a deeper interest in the Lord's work manifested 
 itself among the Brethren themselves, with the result 
 that the work of the congregation took on new life. 
 
 Altho the congregation made progress from the 
 beginning, it was hampered in the early years of its 
 existence by the frequent changes in the personnel 
 of workers. The people were barely acquainted 
 with a minister when he was removed to some other 
 field of labor, and another took his place in New 
 York. This unfortunate state of affairs continued 
 until the middle of the year 1757, when Thomas Yar- 
 rell began his fruitful pastorate, extending over 
 a period of more than eight years. He and his wife 
 Ann, m.n. Hopson, were English members of the 
 First Sea Congregation, which arrived in America 
 in May, 1742. After serving some years as a lay- 
 evangelist, he was ordained to the ministry in 1755 
 and placed in charge of the Moravian work in New- 
 port, Rhode Island. A man of pleasing personality 
 and an eloquent preacher, he attracted not only the 
 
FORMER CHURCH CUSTOMS 103 
 
 people under his pastoral care, but many others to 
 the services held in the little Fair Street church. 
 Chief Justice Jones of the Jerseys was a frequent 
 attendant, and became a personal friend of the pas- 
 tor. Another adherent of the congregation during 
 the first part of Yarrell's pastorate was John Gott- 
 lob Klemm, the famous organ-builder, who was oc- 
 cupied at his handicraft in New York for a time. 
 He was formerly a teacher of boys at Herrnhut, but 
 becoming estranged from Zinzendorf he emigrated 
 to Pennsylvania with a company of Schwenkfelders 
 in 1735, and became a Separatist. In September, 
 1757, he wrote to Bethlehem asking permission to 
 settle down and spend the remainder of his life 
 among the Brethren. Receiving a favorable reply 
 to his letter, he left New York on November 17, 
 arriving at his destination eight days later. 
 
 The diary of the congregation during Yarrell's 
 pastorate and that of others contains references to 
 a number of customs and events which may be of 
 interest to Moravians of to-day. Whatever their 
 station in life, the followers of Christ are knit to- 
 gether by a common bond of union, being members 
 of one body whose Head is Christ. In token of this 
 spiritual union with the Lord and one another as 
 fellow-believers, Moravians extend the right-hand of 
 fellowship at the celebration of the Holy Communion. 
 The right-hand of fellowship takes the place of the 
 "Kiss of Peace" which was formerly employed in 
 the Moravian Church between members of the same 
 sex. This custom, which came down from the early 
 Christian Church, obtained in the New York con- 
 
104 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 gregation for many years. The pedelavium, or foot- 
 bashing in imitation of Christ's example recorded 
 in the thirteenth chapter of St. John's Gospel, was 
 observed in connection with the Maundy Thursday 
 Communion, the several divisions or choirs of the 
 congregation and the sexes being apart. This prac- 
 tice was never very popular, and soon began to wane 
 until it was abrogated altogether. The celebration 
 of a birthday anniversary with a love feast either for 
 the whole congregation or for a number of friends 
 was a more pleasing and popular custom. So, too, 
 was the gathering of the members in the church 
 before sunrise on Easter Morning for the celebration 
 'of Christ's resurrection, a custom which still obtains 
 in many Moravian congregations of the present day. 
 In common with other homes of loyal citizens the 
 Moravian parsonage was always illuminated in 
 honor of some notable event, as for example, the 
 birthday anniversary of the King, or the fall of some 
 fortification of the enemy in time of war. This il- 
 lumination was effected by hanging a lantern out- 
 side the windows. Until the year 1761 the streets 
 of the city were lighted at night by suspending lan- 
 terns from windows. When this system was defi- 
 nitely abandoned public lamps and lamp-posts were 
 erected and lighted at the public expense. Under 
 date of November 20, 1757, the diary contains the 
 following interesting record : "Bishop Spangenberg 
 celebrated the Festival of the Holy Ghost for the 
 first time in New York." Other Churches in the city 
 also celebrated the Festival. Why this celebration 
 took place at that time of the year is not stated. 
 
IRENE SEIZED BY PRIVATEER 105 
 
 On the same day that the congregation was thus 
 peacefully engaged the Irene under the command of 
 Captain Jacobsen sailed out of New York harbor on 
 her fourteenth and last voyage. The well-wishing 
 Brethren in the city little dreamed that they were 
 looking upon the good ship for the last time. Two 
 days later it was captured by a French privateer and 
 plundered. Those on board were taken prisoners. 
 A crew of inexperienced French sailors took charge 
 of the Irene. After cruising about until January 
 12, 1758, the robbers conceived the notion that they 
 would like to attend mass in one of the churches at 
 Louisburg. This desire was as strong as it was 
 unwise. To undertake to make a landing in the 
 dense fog which prevailed was foolhardy in the ex- 
 treme. Andrew Schoute, a veteran sailor, and one 
 of the Moravian prisoners on board, told the Cap- 
 tain that the thick fog made it impossible to land 
 in safety. His warning was unheeded with the re- 
 sult that in a short time the ship crashed against 
 the rocks, and the men barely escaped with their 
 lives. Schoute was held a prisoner at Louisburg 
 until the city fell into the hands of the English, when 
 he was released. On September 20, 1758, he came 
 "as one risen from the dead" to his brethren in New 
 York. Before leaving for Bethlehem he attended 
 one of their meetings, at which he related his har- 
 rowing experiences and adventures. About this 
 time a letter from London contained the announce- 
 ment that two of the sailors on the former church- 
 ship had died in captivity, and that Jacobsen and 
 two others were still prisoners in France. Even- 
 
106 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 tually these prisoners were released, and on Septem- 
 ber 15, 1759, Jacobsen landed in New York, where 
 he was joyfully welcomed by his friends. 
 
 The congregation made steady progress under 
 Yarrell's able leadership. The membership increased 
 and the attendance at the preaching-services became 
 so large that the seating capacity of the church au- 
 ditorium was no longer sufficient to accommodate 
 all who desired to attend. More room was provided 
 by enlarging the galleries. On July 19, 1760, these 
 alterations were completed. In the spring of the 
 same year, as previously stated, an additional lot ad- 
 joining the church-property was purchased and set 
 aside as a grave-yard. The pastor's wife was no less 
 active than her husband. She was indefatigable in 
 her ministrations among the girls and women of the 
 congregation, but as the work increased it was found 
 necessary to provide her with an assistant. On 
 October 18, 1760, Elizabeth Ronner was sent from 
 Bethlehem to render the needed assistance. The 
 widows of the congregation, numbering eighteen at 
 the time, were placed under her particular care. 
 Two years later another assistant was added to 
 the corps of workers. At this time Hannah Sperbach 
 took charge of the work among the single women. 
 Both these assistants rendered efficient service in 
 the congregation, the former for nearly a decade, and 
 the latter about eight years. On August 16, 1770, 
 both returned to Bethlehem. 
 
 After the loss of the Irene Captain Jacobsen made 
 several voyages with the brig Concord, which he 
 brought over from Europe after his release from cap- 
 
THE HOPE SUCCEEDS THE IRENE 107 
 
 tivity. Under date of June 14, 1760, the diary states, 
 "To-day Captain Jacobsen arrived from London in 
 the brig Concord, and Brother Schubert came with 
 him as a passenger." This was the last voyage of 
 the Concord in the interests of the Church. When 
 the records next make mention of Captain Jacobsen 
 it is stated that he arrived in New York with the 
 new ship called "Hope," which was built at New 
 Haven, Connecticut. This was on December 9, 1760. 
 "The Hope was plantation built, of one hundred 
 and twenty tons burden, and carrying four cannon 
 and a crew of thirteen men." It was registered in 
 New York by Jacobsen and Henry Van Vleck, there- 
 fore it would seem as if these two men were joint- 
 owners of the vessel. However, the Hope rendered 
 services to the Moravian Church similar to those of 
 the Irene. This good ship made ten voyages across 
 the Atlantic, conveying many Moravians to and from 
 Europe, after which it was sold in New York. On 
 January 17, 1761, the day on which George III was 
 proclaimed King in New York, Captain Jacobsen 
 set sail for South Carolina, but meeting with ice 
 and contrary winds he had to return. On the morn- 
 ing of the 19th he started out again, and on February 
 24 Henry Van Vleck received a letter saying, "The 
 Hope is a good sailor, and expects to sail from 
 Charleston under convoy by the 20th instant." On 
 May 27 word was received in New York that the 
 Hope had arrived safely at Portsmouth, England, 
 after a passage of thirty-one days. On October 19 
 it returned to New York with fifty Moravians on 
 board. Among the number were Bishop Nathanael 
 
108 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Seidel, who returned to America to become the suc- 
 cessor of Bishop Spangenberg as President of the 
 Executive Board, which had its headquarters at Beth- 
 lehem, and the Rev. Frederick von Marschall, who 
 had been chosen General Superintendent of the Mo- 
 ravian Church in North Carolina. They were ac- 
 companied by their wives. The day after their ar- 
 rival the whole company was entertained at dinner 
 in the assembly-room connected with the parsonage, 
 Cornells Tiebout, a member of the Society, defray- 
 ing the expenses. The married people and the single 
 women lodged in the parsonage, while the single 
 men spent the night on board the Hope. On the 
 following morning, the Seidels, Marschalls and a 
 number of single men left for Bethlehem by way of 
 Staten Island. On the two succeeding days the 
 others left for the same place by way of New Bruns- 
 wick. 
 
 With the growth of the work in the city it became 
 increasingly difficult for the pastor to look after 
 the needs of the members living on Staten Island, 
 and they in turn found it impossible to attend the 
 meetings in the church as often as they wished on 
 account of the distance. Therefore it was decided 
 to ask the Church authorities to appoint a minister 
 to take charge of the Staten Island portion of the 
 membership. The letter containing this request 
 was signed by the following persons: Richard 
 Connor, Stephen Martino, Jr., Tunis Egbert, Jacob 
 Vanderbilt, Aaron Cortelyou, Matthias Enyard, 
 John Beatty, Cornelius Cortelyou, Cornelius Van- 
 derbilt, Cornelius Van Deventer, Mary Stillwell, 
 
CHURCH BUILT AT NEW DORP 109 
 
 Cornelius Martino, and Peter Perine. This petition 
 was granted. On March 2, 1763, plans for the church 
 on Staten Island were submitted to Yarrell, and 
 three weeks later Henry Van Vleck and Jacob Mon- 
 tany accompanied the pastor to the Island for the 
 purpose of selecting, in conjunction with the local 
 residents especially interested, a favorable site for 
 the church. The hill upon which the present New 
 Dorp Moravian Church stands marks the location 
 chosen as the site of the first church-building. Be- 
 fore the brethren from the city returned home, 
 Richard Connor, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Cornelius 
 Van Deventer and Cornelius Cortelyou were dele- 
 gated to serve as Building Committee, the last named 
 being appointed Treasurer. No time was lost in 
 beginning operations, and on June 7 of the same 
 year the Rev. Thomas Yarrell laid the cornerstone 
 of the first Moravian Church erected on Staten Is- 
 land. His text for the occasion was Isaiah 28 : 16, 
 "Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for 
 a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner- 
 stone, a sure foundation." On August 3 the Rev. 
 Hector Gambold arrived in New York from Bethle- 
 hem to take charge of the work on Staten Island. 
 On December 6 of the same year Yarrell consecrated 
 the new church, and preached from the text, "We 
 preach Christ and Him crucified." — I. Corinthians 
 1 : 23. The little flock remained in connection with 
 the New York congregation for some years longer. 
 The first stewards were appointed on September 14, 
 1766, when also rules and regulations were adopted. 
 But it was not until May 18, 1788, that a complete 
 
110 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 organization of the congregation was effected. Up 
 to that time the communicants of Staten Island par- 
 took of the Lord's Supper in the New York church 
 unless hindered as indicated in the following record 
 of January 8, 1775: "The Staten Island brethren 
 and sisters of our Communion, namely Hector and 
 Eleanor Gambold, James and Catherine Colon, 
 Christian Jacobsen, Catherine Connor, and Elizabeth 
 Inyard, on account of the inclemency of the weather, 
 celebrated the Sacrament in the place of their abode." 
 The first Board of Elders was elected on May 18, 
 1788, and consisted of the following persons : Rich- 
 ard Connor, Sr., Edward Beatty, Lewis Ryers, John 
 Dorset and James Colon. 
 
 On October 12, 1765, Yarrell closed his pastorate 
 in New York, remaining in the city, however, ten 
 days longer for the purpose of acquainting his suc- 
 cessor, the Rev. George Neisser, with the work to 
 which he had been called. Altho Neisser was no 
 stranger to some of the older people in the con- 
 gregation, having labored in the city for three periods 
 of brief duration before the church was organized, 
 he was confronted with much that was new to him. 
 During Yarrell's pastorate there had been an en- 
 couraging increase in membership, there being, at 
 the close of the year 1764, under the care of the 
 Brethren 273 souls, of which 83 were communicants, 
 36 non-communicants, 84 society members, and 70 
 children. Yarrell was very popular with the people 
 among whom he labored for eight years and three 
 months, therefore they were very sorry to see him 
 leave. A petition signed by the leading members 
 
NEISSEE SUCCEEDS YARRELL 111 
 
 and a number of letters from private individuals 
 were sent to the authorities at Bethlehem earnestly 
 requesting that he be allowed to remain as the pas- 
 tor of the congregation. All these efforts were in 
 vain. His wife had been in ill-health for some time, 
 having frequently sought to recuperate her strength 
 on Long Island without avail, and no doubt the 
 state of her health had something to do with Yar- 
 rell's removal. On October 18 Neisser and his wife 
 Theodora were formally introduced to the people 
 at a love feast of the Society. On the following 
 Sunday he preached his introductory sermon based 
 on Deuteronomy 33: 3, "Yea, he loved the people; 
 all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down 
 at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words." 
 In the afternoon Yarrell preached his farewell ser- 
 mon. His text was Song of Solomon 5 : 9, "What is 
 thy beloved more than another beloved?" Two days 
 later he and his wife left for Bethlehem for a much 
 needed rest. Later they returned to England, where 
 they served several congregations. 
 
 When Neisser began his pastoral labors the Mo- 
 ravian Church was well known in New York. It 
 enjoyed the respect and confidence of people gener- 
 ally. Friendly relations existed between it and the 
 Dutch Reformed and Presbyterian Churches as well 
 as the Anglican clergy and other denominations rep- 
 resented in the city. That the relations between 
 the Moravians and the Anglican Church were 
 cordial is evident from the following record in the 
 diary under date of October 29, 1765: "The Rev. 
 John Ogilvie, the Anglican Church minister, (ap- 
 
112 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 pointed assistant minister in Trinity Church the 
 year before) paid Brother Neisser a visit, and sig- 
 nified that as the parents of Mrs. Susanna Clemm 
 insisted upon her staying with them to help the 
 family they had signified that they would not hinder 
 her in the least from attending our public, private, 
 and choir meetings in case she would stay with her 
 parents, which they thought was her filial duty. 
 He was also pleased to declare with what caution 
 and circumspection he proceeded in admitting Roe- 
 bucks to the communion of the Church of England." 
 This extract speaks for itself, and needs no comment. 
 November 1, 1765, was an eventful day in the city, 
 but fortunately none of the Moravians had a share 
 in the wild excesses of the mob, however much they 
 may have resented the action of the British Govern- 
 ment which brought them about. This being the day 
 appointed for the Stamp Act to go into effect, the 
 Sons of Liberty, a secret organization numbering 
 several thousands, marched to the Fort and de- 
 manded the stamps which had been sent there. When 
 their request was refused they proceeded to erect 
 a gibbet, made an effigy of Dr. Cadwallader Colden, 
 the unpopular Lieutenant Governor, and suspended 
 it from the cross-piece. After a time the image was 
 taken down and carried together with the gibbet in a 
 torch-light procession to the gates of the Fort. Here 
 a part of the wooden fence enclosing Bowling Green 
 was torn down for the bonfire into which "the effigy, 
 Colden's coach, a single horse-chair, two sleighs, 
 and several light vehicles were cast and consumed." 
 Other acts of violence showed the temper of the 
 
MORAVIANS ADDRESS GOVERNOR 113 
 
 populace. All English products or merchandise were 
 taboo, and this more than anything else, perhaps, 
 caused Sir Henry Moore, the newly appointed Gov- 
 ernor, to realize upon his arrival in the city on 
 November 13 that discretion was the better part of 
 valor, and the hated Stamp Act was not enforced. 
 About a month later the Rev. George Neisser, Henry 
 Van Vleck, Captain Jacobsen and John Doehling 
 waited upon the Governor and placed in his hands 
 a written address from the Moravian Church in New 
 York, containing best wishes, assurances of faith- 
 ful support, a respectful request that he grant the 
 Church his favor and protection, and other matters 
 which a document of this kind usually included. 
 His Honor received the deputies most graciously and 
 assured them he would be pleased to show their 
 Church the favor which it merited. His answer was 
 in written form, and was afterwards published in 
 the New York Gazette. 
 
 On November 19, 1765, the Hope arrived in New 
 York after a passage of eight weeks. Among the 
 passengers were Bishop David Nitschmann, Jr., 
 sometimes styled "the Syndic" and his wife, 
 and the Rev. Joseph Neisser and his wife. They 
 were entertained at dinner in the home of Henry 
 Van Vleck, and in the afternoon came to the par- 
 sonage. Nitschmann was a member of the General 
 Board of Syndics and was sent by his Board to make 
 a thoro investigation of Moravian affairs in Amer- 
 ica, as well as to explain the enactments of the recent 
 General Synod. On November 24 the congregation 
 celebrated a love feast in honor of the European 
 
114 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 visitors, at which Bishop Nitschmann gave a simple 
 account of conditions in the congregations abroad 
 and of the Synod held the year before. This Synod 
 was especially important because it was the first 
 convened after 1760, the year of Zinzendorf's death. 
 As long as Zinzendorf lived the government of the 
 Church in a great measure depended upon him. It 
 was therefore necessary for the Synod of 1764 which 
 met at Marienborn to work out some definite plan 
 for the adjustment of the affairs of the Church. It 
 was decided to frame a Constitution on the basis of 
 a theocratic republic, in accordance with which the 
 Moravian Church was regarded as a Unity in all its 
 parts, and governed by a General Synod. The ex- 
 ecutive administration of the affairs of the Church 
 was committed to a Board elected by Synod and 
 known as The Directory, which in 1769 took the title 
 of the "Unity's Elders' Conference." Subordinate 
 boards were appointed to superintend the work of 
 the Church in America and Great Britain. There- 
 fore the visit of Bishop Nitschmann was marked 
 with more than ordinary interest, and the New York 
 congregation realized the significance of what he 
 had to say. Nitschmann remained in America until 
 September, 1766, visiting during his stay most of the 
 congregations as well as the Indian Missions. 
 
 Soon after Neisser assumed the pastorate of the 
 congregation George Seneflf, who had come from 
 Europe on the Irene in 1755, became the teacher of 
 the school conducted for the children of members. 
 In accordance with a resolution passed by the Pro- 
 vincial Synod of 1766 the children received weekly 
 
FRUITFUL PASTORAL LABORS 115 
 
 catechetical instruction. At this time the combined 
 membership of the Society and Congregation num- 
 bered 345 souls, ninety of this number being children. 
 The consecrated labors of Neisser and his helpmeet 
 bore rich fruit. Altho faithfully attending to his 
 pastoral duties, he also found time for labors with 
 his pen. In addition to the diary kept by him Neis- 
 ser left a number of carefully prepared membership 
 lists, and a wealth of material bearing upon the 
 early history of Moravian labors in New York, for 
 which future generations owe him a lasting debt of 
 gratitude. His task as pastor of the congregation 
 was not an easy one. Altho he kept the members 
 together and faithfully advanced the best interests of 
 the Church, it was not without much prayerful labor 
 that this end was accomplished. At this time the 
 Methodists were very active in making proselytes, 
 and by their uncharitable activities succeeded in 
 persuading a few of the Moravians to join their com- 
 munion. That there were other distracting circum- 
 stances is evident from the following item of in- 
 terest taken from the records of the year 1770 : "As 
 a matter of thankfulness it is to be remarked that 
 in an uproar which took place in this city in January 
 between the inhabitants and soldiery the God of 
 Peace kept the members of the Brethren's flock not 
 only from being drawn into it, but preserved their 
 hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." This conflict 
 took place on January 18. It is known as the "Bat- 
 tle of Golden Hill," in which a number of citizens 
 were severely wounded and one killed. It may be 
 said that in the revolutionary struggle the first blood 
 
116 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 was shed in New York. Golden Hill was the name 
 applied to John Street, where formerly golden wheat 
 was supposed to have grown. 
 
 Believing that some people will be interested to 
 know the names of the members constituting the con- 
 gregation in 1774, the following list is here inserted : 
 Communicant Members: Henry and Jane Van Vleck, 
 Jacob and Jane Reed, William and Mary Pearson, 
 John and Mary Doehling, Abraham and Anne Wil- 
 son, Francis and Mary Conrad, Lawrence and Judith 
 Killbrunn, John and Elenora Van Vleck, Abraham 
 and Aletta Florentine, William and Rebecca Nixon, 
 Daniel and Vrowtje Van Vleck, Daniel and Agnes 
 Jacot, George and Mary Seneflf, Peter and Anne 
 Clement Durand, August and Philippa Christina 
 Steur, James and Catherine Colon; Married Men: 
 John Cargill, Robert Thomas, Edward Eastman, 
 Christian Jacobsen; Married Women: Mary Mar- 
 comb, Jane Welsh, Margaret Schmidt, Jane a Ne- 
 gress, Margaret Boemper, Jane Bouquet, Anne King, 
 Eva Ross, Margaret Campbell, Catherine Cornwall, 
 Catherine Ward, Gertje Knickerbocker, Anne a Ne- 
 gress, Hannah Giles, Catherine Connor; Widows: 
 Elizabeth Runcey, Elizabeth Banvard, Mary Pell, 
 Jane Boelen, Mary Van Dyck, Anne Bowie, Catherine 
 Hugonoit, Hannah Mann, Jane Pearse, Mary a Ne- 
 gress, Isabella Lepper, Jane Groves, Hilah Waldron, 
 Teuntje Waldron, Elizabeth McMenomy, Charity 
 Henryj Mary Barbara Zoeller, Sarah Everett, Nieltje 
 Peterson, Elizabeth Inyard, Christina Skuyler a Ne- 
 gress; Single Women: Esther Pell, Helena Nuss- 
 baum, Catherine Boelen, Elenora Burgher, Rosina 
 
A LIST OF MEMBERS 117 
 
 Brown, Elizabeth Van Deursen, Henrietta Anton; 
 Non-Communicants: Samuel and Catherine Van 
 Vleck, John and Elizabeth Faulkner, Philip and 
 Mary Sykes, Abraham and Elizabeth Van Vleck, 
 Isaac Van Vleck, Judith Eastman, Tenetje Cargill, 
 Sabina Allen, Phoebe McLean, Johanna Flora Bowie, 
 Margaret Cornwall, Margaret Steur, Catherine 
 Elizabeth Zoeller, Rachel Kingston, Elizabeth Bond, 
 Jane Waters, Rebecca a Negress, Joseph a Negro. 
 Members of the Society: Stephen and Mary Allen, 
 David and Anne Burgher, William and Matje Pear- 
 son, John and Sarah Campbell, John and Gertrude 
 Weyly; Married Men: Ludwig Boemper, Abraham 
 Knickerbocker, Benjamin Ross, James Giles, Mon- 
 son Ward, Thomas Price, and Thomas Welsh; Mar- 
 ried Women: Catherine Wessels, America a Ne- 
 gress, Agnes Hamilton, Mary Minthorn, Margaret 
 Van Vleck; Widows: Catherine a Negress, and 
 Elizabeth Sleght; Single Men: James Mann, Sam- 
 uel Zoeller, Peter Conrad, Matthew Sleght, Jacob 
 Reed, Michael Zoeller, Anthony Dodain, Abraham 
 Bueninger, John Waldron, Daniel Bowie, Thomas 
 Reed, and John Pierce; Older Boys: Daniel Waldron, 
 James Christopher Durand, John Reed, John Seneff, 
 Abraham Knickerbocker, John Wilson, Thomas Flor- 
 entine, and John Faulkner; Single Women: Eliza- 
 abeth Van Vleck, Anne Bowie, Jane Waldron, Cath- 
 erine Banvard, Catherine Embury, Mary Pearson, 
 Susanna Pearson, Anne Doehling, Mary Cargill, 
 Anne Florentine, Elizabeth Wessels, Margaret Lynn, 
 Margaret Morcomb, Mary Conrad, Jane Cargill, 
 Mary Banvard, Catherine Van Vleck, Jane Banvard, 
 
118 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Anne Cargill, Margaret Sippener, Margaret Camp- 
 bell, Jane Sneed, Mary Welsh, Margaret Fleming, 
 Elizabeth King, and Mary Cargill; Little Boys: 
 Richard Wessels, William Allen, Kerkem Groves, 
 John Thomas, Thomas Wilson, Peter Embnry, 
 Abraham Ward, George Faulkner, Abraham Thomas, 
 Stephen Allen, Stephen John Allen, Daniel Banvard, 
 Nicholas Burgher, Thomas Campbell, Isaac Seneff, 
 David Burgher, David Jacot, James Wilson, Abra- 
 ham Diemer, Jacob Seneff, Isaac Ward, James 
 Campbell, William Price, Henry Van Vleck, John 
 Allen, Lawrence Van Vleck, and John Van Vleck; 
 Little Girls: Mary Doehling, Mary Seneff, Phoebe 
 Cargill, Elizabeth Seneff, Judith Durand, Jane 
 Steward, Cornelia Giles, Jane Wyley, Jane Waters, 
 Sarah Campbell, Margaret Pearson, Mary Allen, 
 Elenora Van Vleck, Catherine Wyley, Jane Camp- 
 bell, Rachel Seneff, Catherine Jacot, Jane Van Vleck, 
 Mary Wyley, Jemima Campbell. 
 
 Having served the congregation for a little over 
 nine years, George Neisser received a call to the 
 pastorate of the church in Philadelphia, and in 
 January, 1775, he and his wife closed their labors 
 in New York, the Rev. Oswald Gustav Shewkirk be- 
 coming his successor. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE CONGREGATION DURING THE 
 REVOLUTIONARY WAR 
 
 When Shewkirk arrived in New York on January 
 12, 1775, to take charge of the congregation, the most 
 northerly street on the west side of Broadway was 
 Reade Street, and on the east side Catherine Street. 
 The city had about twenty-five thousand inhabitants. 
 More than two hundred souls comprized the mem- 
 bership of the congregation. Altho this number was 
 destined to dwindle to fifty-seven, of which only 
 twenty-seven were communicants, this decrease was 
 not due to inefficiency on the part of the pastor. 
 Such were the exigencies of the times that it would 
 not have been surprising if the congregation had 
 been blotted out entirely. A few facts concerning 
 the man who was the pastor at this critical period 
 will be of interest. Originally his name was Schau- 
 kirch, which English-speaking people found difficult 
 to pronounce correctly. Such called him Shaukirk 
 or Shewkirk, and eventually the owner of the name 
 adopted the latter spelling and became known as 
 Shewkirk. He was born at Stettin, Prussia. After 
 spending some time in England, he emigrated to 
 America in 1774, where he married Mrs. Herr, a 
 widow of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. At the close of 
 his pastorate in New York he received a call to the 
 Danish West Indies. In 1785 he was consecrated a 
 
 119 
 
120 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Bishop of the Moravian Church. He died in 1805 at 
 Hermhut, Saxony. Shewkirk was not only an ear- 
 nest Christian worker, but a man of exceptional at- 
 tainments. His diary of the revolutionary period, 
 which is preserved in the archives of the First Mo- 
 ravian Church of New York City, is one of the most 
 complete chronicles of conditions and events in the 
 city to be found anywhere. 
 
 Altho a man of unquestioned ability, Shewkirk 
 failed to discern the times. This was due not so 
 much to any error of judgment as to the fact that 
 his residence in America was of such short duration. 
 Having recently come from England, it is perhaps 
 natural that he should have been an ardent royalist, 
 espousing the cause of the mother country rather 
 than that of the colonists in their struggle for free- 
 dom. That a breach should occur between him and 
 some members of the congregation whose sympathies 
 were wholly with the patriots was inevitable. At 
 the same time, his sound common sense would not 
 allow him to antagonize needlessly those who en- 
 tertained views different from his own, and even 
 during the American occupation of the city both he 
 and the congregation remained unmolested. While 
 many of his members moved to the country or fled 
 the city in times of special danger, Shewkirk stood 
 bravely at his difficult post, faithfully maintained 
 the services in his church at times when all other 
 churches were closed, and ministered impartially to 
 the sick and suffering among civilians and soldiers, 
 to British and American alike, without obtruding 
 his opinions anywhere. During the occupation of 
 
SHEWKIRK EFFECTS CHANGES 121 
 
 the city by the British the little Moravian Church 
 on Fulton Street was the only church not taken to 
 serve as hospital or barracks, "because the com- 
 manding officer observed that for some weeks of 
 the greatest demoralization it was the only church 
 in which divine services were regularly conducted." 
 Preaching his introductory sermon from Matthew 
 11: 28-30, on Sunday, January 15, 1775, Shewkirk 
 took hold of the work with a strong and capable 
 hand. Despite many adverse conditions and dis- 
 turbances in the city the congregation showed signs 
 of growth during the first year of his pastorate. The 
 Church Council, which had not functioned for a 
 number of years, was restored and a meeting for the 
 transaction of business held once a month. A new 
 seating arrangement, whereby the men sat on one 
 side of the church and the women on the other, was 
 proposed and put into effect. A children's meeting 
 after the Sunday morning service was instituted. 
 The pastor's salary, which had hitherto depended 
 upon the uncertainty of a stated offering, was defi- 
 nitely fixed at one pound and seven shillings a week, 
 and raised by popular subscription. A more satis- 
 factory arrangement for raising money for foreign 
 missions was likewise effected. But it was not a 
 time for fruitful church-work. Torn by rival fac- 
 tions, the city was in constant commotion, and the 
 War, not religion, was the theme uppermost in the 
 minds of all. When news of the Battle of Lexington 
 reached New York, the people went wild with ex- 
 citement. Soldiers were enlisted, the port closed, 
 citizens seized the keys of the Custom House, and 
 
122 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 for a week business was at a standstill. Some of 
 the people fled to the country. In the face of a com- 
 mon danger the inhabitants were drawn together, 
 and all agreed to unite for the common defense. On 
 May 1 a General Committee was chosen for the ad- 
 ministration of local affairs. The citizens were 
 urged to perfect themselves in military discipline, 
 and to provide themselves with arms and ammu- 
 nition. 
 
 On June 25 Washington, who had been recently 
 appointed commander-in-chief of the American 
 Army, arrived in the city on his way to New England, 
 and received an enthusiastic welcome. It was Sun- 
 day, but few people attended church that day. The 
 Moravian services were poorly attended, but those 
 who were present remained to the end. This was 
 not the case in one church, where the people, hearing 
 the noise of welcome outside, all withdrew, leaving 
 the officiating minister alone in the sanctuary. It 
 may be taken for granted that the clergyman like- 
 wise hastened to join the crowd outside after his 
 last hearer had forsaken him. A great disturbance 
 occurred in the city on the night of August 24, when 
 the militia took away the cannons from the battery. 
 Captain Vandeput of the Asia, a man of war lying 
 at anchor in the harbor, watched these movements, 
 and at midnight opened fire, which was promptly 
 returned by the militia. Some were wounded on 
 both sides, and a British sailor killed. Twenty-one 
 cannons were removed by the militia. On the follow- 
 ing day many of the people, four Moravian families 
 among the number, moved to the country. So many 
 
DISTURBANCES IN THE CITY 123 
 
 fled from the city that some of the streets with the 
 houses in them shut up, looked as if they had been 
 visited by the plague. All men between sixteen and 
 fifty years of age were now divided into ward com- 
 panies. This arrangement caused George Seneff, 
 the teacher of the Moravian school, to remove with 
 his wife and seven children to Philadelphia. William 
 Nixon and his wife left for Bethlehem, where they 
 made their future home. Not all the Moravians 
 were non-combatants, as evident from the fact that 
 some of the younger men took up arms in defense 
 of American liberty. Among the number was a 
 son of John Cargill, who narrowly escaped being 
 shot to death by accident, a member of his company 
 carelessly forgetting to remove the shot from his 
 gun before going to the drilling-ground. Many of 
 the Moravians found a refuge at Second River, a 
 creek near Newark. When the excitement died 
 down the refugees usually came to the city on busi- 
 ness. In the beginning of December a Lancaster 
 Moravian named Dickert visited New York and 
 brought with him a letter from the Rev. Christian 
 Krogstrup containing the information that on 
 November 25, "the saw and corn mill at Lititz to- 
 gether with a quantity of grain had burned, entail- 
 ing a loss of about two thousand pounds." At the 
 close of the year 1775 Shewkirk made the following 
 record in the diary: "In our private and public 
 meetings we have enjoyed our Saviour's nearness in 
 a peculiar manner. We trust the testimony of Jesus' 
 redemption has not been heard in vain by the stran- 
 gers. That we have been able to keep our meetings 
 
124 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEY YORK 
 
 without disturbance in these troublous times, we 
 acknowledge as a particular favor with bowed 
 hearts." At this time the membership of the con- 
 gregation numbered 160, of which 66 were com- 
 municants, 20 non-communicants, 36 society mem- 
 bers, and 38 children. 
 
 As time went on matters grew worse in the city. 
 When in February, 1776, General Charles Lee "ar- 
 rived with his troop, the inhabitants began to move 
 away in a surprising manner." At this time forty 
 Moravian families left the city. The Sunday fol- 
 lowing was a gloomy day. The streets were full 
 of carts laden with the household effects of people 
 moving to the country. American soldiers took 
 away all the guns from the battery and Fort George. 
 In some of the churches there were no services at 
 all, and in others hardly any people. Shewkirk 
 preached in the morning and afternoon, "and both 
 times had more people than he expected under the 
 circumstances." On March 13 a packet arrived 
 from England and brought a large number of letters. 
 However, it was not without difficulty that they were 
 brought on shore. The City Postmaster would not 
 allow them to be delivered for fear they might be 
 seized without the postage being paid. Only those 
 who took a solemn oath not to reveal what was going 
 on in the city were permitted to board the packet 
 to get the mail. Shewkirk received a package from 
 England post-free. It became mixed in somehow 
 with certain government despatches, therefore it was 
 delivered at the parsonage by a messenger in the 
 King's service who had come over as a passenger. 
 
UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCES 125 
 
 Some of the members of the congregation had un- 
 pleasant experiences. Mrs. Killburn and Mrs. Hi- 
 lah Waldron had soldiers quartered in their houses 
 for a time, and both properties were considerably 
 damaged by the unwelcome guests. On Sunday eve- 
 ning, March 14, Francis Conrad, a shop-keeper, was 
 sitting quietly in his home with his wife and family 
 when several soldiers came and asked him to sell 
 them certain articles. Not having in stock what 
 they wanted all left with the exception of one, who 
 stole upstairs without being detected. When later 
 in the evening the daughter of the house went to 
 lock the back-door the ruffian came down and blew 
 out her candle. Her call for help attracted the par- 
 ents to the scene. The soldier struck the mother a 
 hard blow in the face, tore the pocket off her dress, 
 and snatching Conrad's cap from his head dashed to 
 the street, whither the shopkeeper followed him in 
 great haste. Here he was confronted by another 
 soldier, who jbined his comrade in beating the old 
 man unmercifully, and then both fled into the night. 
 Not all the soldiers in the city, however, were of this 
 type, for many of them attended the Moravian serv- 
 ices and listened attentively to the message from the 
 pulpit. Whether the Conrads were Tories and in 
 some way gave offense to the soldiers is not known. 
 It is quite possible that they were. In that event 
 the rough treatment they received would be ex- 
 plained. It was a time when a British sympathizer 
 had to weigh his words very carefully. Several 
 weeks after the affair at Conrad's a number of Tories 
 were dragged thru the streets. Each one had a 
 
126 MORAVIAN CHUKCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 lighted candle forced into his hand, or pushed into 
 his face. Many were severely burned. Others were 
 stripped of their clothes, carried about on sharp 
 rails, and otherwise abused. The mob-spirit was at 
 its height, and General Putnam and his men had all 
 they could do to quell the riot and disperse the mob. 
 Troops came pouring into the city, and on June 18 
 members of the ward-companies were drafted as 
 soldiers in the American Army. Robert Thomas 
 and Abraham Van Vleck were among those drafted. 
 It was possible for a drafted man to hire another to 
 act as his substitute. All these events caused another 
 exodus from the city. The shop-goods and household 
 effects of some of the Moravians were seized by a 
 man of war as they were being transported to Paulus 
 Hook, now Jersey City, but were later restored to 
 their owners. 
 
 On July 9, in the open space where City Hall 
 now stands, the Declaration of Independence 
 was read to the soldiers in New York by order 
 of Washington, and on the evening of the same 
 day the gilded and equestrian statue of King 
 George III was torn from its pedestal in 
 Bowling Green and taken to Litchfield, Connec- 
 ticut, where the lead was turned into patriotic bul- 
 lets. Three days later the English fleet began to 
 arrive in the harbor. Two ships sailing up the North 
 River when even with Trinity Church fired upon 
 the city and" killed six men, who were later buried 
 in one grave in Bowling Green. "The smoke of the 
 firing drew over Fulton Street like a cloud, and the 
 air was filled with the odor of powder.". At noon 
 
ARREST AND ACQUITTAL 127 
 
 on July 18 the Declaration of Independence was 
 read before the general public at City Hall, then 
 located at the head of Broad Street, and the Coat of 
 Arms of the King burned. Two days later Admiral 
 Howe sent a deputy to General Washington to ar- 
 range, if possible, terms of peace. The interview 
 took place in a house at the foot of Broadway. When 
 the British deputy left Washington and his staff he 
 said : "Sir and Gentlemen, let it be remembered that 
 the King has made the first overture for peace. If 
 it be rejected, you must take the consequences." Peel- 
 ing against the British and their sympathizers ran 
 high, and about this time John Wilson and his son, 
 members of the Moravian congregation, were ar- 
 rested on the charge of being dangerous persons who 
 had done much mischief by speaking against the 
 American cause. The charge could not be proved, 
 and the case was dismissed. Many Tories were com- 
 pelled to leave the city at this time. 
 
 During the first week of August Shewkirk brought 
 the comforts of religion to a number of sick soldiers 
 at the camp on the East River, which was not far 
 from the parsonage, and officiated at the burial of 
 Ensign Evans of Connecticut. On August 21 there 
 was a heavy thunderstorm in the evening. Referring 
 to the storm Shewkirk writes: "It lasted for sev- 
 eral hours, till after 10 o'clock; an uncommon dis- 
 play of lightning; one hard clap of thunder after 
 the other; heavy rain at times accompanied by a 
 storm like a hurricane. The oldest inhabitants can 
 hardly remember such a tempest. It was worse 
 than the one twenty years ago when lightning struck 
 
128 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Trinity Church. It was an awful scene. Three of- 
 ficers were killed in one of the camps; also one of 
 the New England soldiers in a house on the square. 
 Several others were hurt, and the mast of one of the 
 row gallies mashed to pieces." On Thursday and 
 Friday of the same week the British, twenty thou- 
 sand strong, or nearly five to one of the Americans, 
 landed on the southwestern shore of Long Island. 
 On August 27, the day on which the Battle of Long 
 Island began, a few members of the little Moravian 
 congregation met in their church on Fulton Street 
 for a fast and prayer-day service appointed by the 
 Provincial authorities. Shewkirk's discourse was 
 based on Jeremiah 48: 17-18. While the prayers of 
 the faithful little band ascended to the God of Peace 
 the boom of heavy guns was heard in the distance. 
 The result of this battle is well known. Before leav- 
 ing the city the Americans removed all their sick, 
 as well as their stores and ammunition. "They like- 
 wise took the bells of all the churches and carried 
 them away." A large portion of the American forces 
 deserted in companies and squadrons to the enemy. 
 On September 15 the British took full possession of 
 the city. The diary for the day contains the follow- 
 ing account : "Soon in the morning when the tide 
 served, more ships passed up the North River and 
 East River. Tho what was still in town of the 
 American troops got away as fast as they could, 
 they fired again on the ships, as they did likewise 
 from Paulus Hook (Jersey City), which caused a 
 cannonading that shook the houses; the sound of it 
 was terrible. One large ball, supposed to have come 
 
AFTEB BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND 129 
 
 from Paulus Hook, flew against the North Church, 
 just opposite the Moravian Chapel, broke, and a part 
 of it went back into a neighboring cellar kitchen, 
 badly frightening a Negro woman who came running 
 over to the kitchen of the chapel-house, where the 
 Syphers' family had found shelter, as they lived 
 near the Fort, where the houses were most exposed 
 to the firing. After some time the firing ceased, and 
 at the usual time we had the forenoon's preaching 
 in all stillness ; the only service kept in the city. By 
 this time the King's troops had landed on Manhat- 
 tan Island. There was some slaughter and the 
 Americans were forced to retreat towards Harlem. 
 In the afternoon at three o'clock the congregational 
 meeting was held, but the evening preaching was 
 omitted." 
 
 On the following day the houses of those who 
 had taken part in the rebellion were marked as for- 
 feited. Among the number were those of Mrs. Kill- 
 burn, Mrs. Hilah Waldron, Mrs. Bouquet, Isaac Van 
 Vleck and other Moravians. The royalist pastor 
 "afterwards wrote to Governor Tryon, congratulat- 
 ing him on the late happy event, and at the same 
 time interceded in behalf of the two widows' houses." 
 On the following day the city was fairly quiet. Pris- 
 oners in large numbers were constantly brought in 
 and lodged in the North Dutch Reformed Church on 
 William Street, and in the Middle Dutch Beformed 
 Church, which stood on the site where the Post 
 Office was later located. The horror of those British 
 prisons cannot be described. In the former edifice 
 eight hundred men were incarcerated, and in the 
 
130 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 latter three thousand. They were without fuel or 
 bedding in the coldest winter weather. There was 
 not a pane of glass in the windows. Whatever food 
 the prisoners received was of the poorest quality. 
 Thousands died from cold and starvation. For 
 weeks the "dead-cart" visited those prisons daily 
 to collect from eight to a dozen corpses, which were 
 taken to the outskirts of the city, where they were 
 dumped into ditches with no more ceremony than 
 if they had been the carcasses of animals. Mean- 
 while, the British officers and their wives fared 
 sumptuously every day. On September 21, about 
 an hour after midnight, the whole city was thrown 
 into confusion by a fire which broke out in a low 
 dram-shop occupied by fallen men and women near 
 Whitehall Slip. The fire was undoubtedly of incen- 
 diary origin, as soon after flames were seen bursting 
 from widely separated buildings. Ordinarily the 
 alarm would have been sounded by the ringing of 
 bells, but the bells had been carried off by the Amer- 
 ican soldiers. The fire company being broken up 
 and the fire engines out of commission, no organized 
 effort could be made to fight the flames. In a few 
 notable instances a bucket brigade rendered valuable 
 service. A stiff wind rapidly spread the conflagra- 
 tion, whose fury was not spent until a thousand 
 buildings, or one-fourth of the city, had been de- 
 stroyed. Trinity Church was reduced to ashes, en- 
 tailing a loss of twenty-five thousand pounds. The 
 Moravian church was at no time in danger, altho 
 a building near-by caught fire. Shewkirk ordered 
 the ladders of the congregation to be taken to the 
 
FIRE ADDS TO HORRORS OF WAR 131 
 
 scene, water was carried in buckets to the roof, and 
 after a time the flames were extinguished. Some of 
 the Moravians suffered considerable loss from the 
 fire. Widow Killbrunn lost two houses, Pell three, 
 Jacobsen one, and Widow Zoeller her home. Lepper, 
 Eastman and others lost part of their goods. After 
 the fire about two hundred people were arrested as 
 incendiaries, but proof was lacking in each case, 
 therefore all were dismissed. 
 
 By the month of November thousands of prisoners 
 had been brought to the city and quartered in 
 churches and other public buildings. The Dutch 
 Reformed and Presbyterian as well as the French 
 and Baptist churches were already used as barracks 
 or hospitals, and for a time it seemed as if the turn 
 of the Moravian church would come next. About 
 eleven o'clock on Monday morning, November 18, 
 two British officers and several other men came to 
 see the church and house connected with it. Shew- 
 kirk showed them about with rapidly beating heart, 
 fearing the worst had come. One of the officers in- 
 quired whether services were regularly conducted 
 in the church, and receiving an affirmative reply he 
 said, "Then it would be a pity to take it." Mean- 
 while, another officer made a thoro investigation of 
 the premises. When they were gone the pastor im- 
 mediately set out to interview General Robertson, 
 the Commanding General, and also Governor Tryon. 
 Unfortunately the former was not at headquarters, 
 and altho the latter received him courteously he as- 
 sured him that as Governor he could do nothing in 
 the matter because all power was now lodged in the 
 
132 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 army. But he offered to write a few lines to the 
 General, recommending a favorable consideration 
 of Shewkirk's request to leave the Moravian church 
 unmolested. That day two thousand or more pris- 
 oners taken after the fall of Fort Washington were 
 brought to the city. About four o'clock Shewkirk 
 saw the street in front of the parsonage filled with 
 soldiers. A sergeant came to the door and said : "Is 
 this the Moravian meeting-house?" Upon hearing 
 that it was, he declared that he had been ordered to 
 quarter four hundred prisoners in it. After ex- 
 amining the church the Major in command of the 
 prisoners was of the opinion that the building was 
 too small for the purpose they had in mind. Never- 
 theless, immediate steps were taken to remove all 
 the portable furniture to make room for the accom- 
 modation of the prisoners. Meanwhile, the Major 
 sent word to the Deputy Barrack Master, who was a 
 Jew, asking what should be done. This man sent 
 word that no mistake had been made, and that the 
 prisoners should be quartered in the chapel. The 
 Major was not yet satisfied. He decided to see 
 General Robertson in regard to the matter. When 
 he returned he informed Shewkirk that they would 
 trouble him no longer, and the prisoners were forth- 
 with taken to the North Church. 
 
 On Sunday afternoon, December 1, a number of 
 officers came to the parsonage seeking quarters for 
 themselves. They assured Shewkirk that they would 
 not interfere with the services in the church. One 
 of them actually selected a room for himself, and 
 demanded that it be cleared that very afternoon. 
 
SHEWKIRK AVERTS A DANGER 133 
 
 After they were gone Shewkirk went to General 
 Robertson and asked him whether the action of the 
 officers had his sanction. The General received him 
 kindly and assured him that he knew nothing at all 
 of the matter, adding that he had no intention of dis- 
 turbing any church in which services were con- 
 ducted. The officers did not return to the parsonage. 
 On the following day the city papers contained a 
 proclamation of the King which declared that all 
 who had rebelled against his authority might return 
 to the city without fear of punishment or forfeiture 
 of property, provided they were willing to take the 
 oath of allegiance to His Majesty. A great many 
 people availed themselves of the opportunity to re- 
 turn to their homes. Evidently Shewkirk's unwel- 
 come visitors of the day before knew of the royal 
 proclamation and the influx it would occasion, and 
 for this reason had tried to get settled before the 
 people would return in any great numbers. At all 
 events, the proclamation made it less easy for the 
 military men to take houses at will. The pastor's 
 wife was among those who returned to the city at 
 this time. The streets were not altogether safe in 
 the day-time, much less at night, holdups and rob- 
 beries being common occurrences, therefore the con- 
 gregation had its last service of the year at four 
 o'clock in the afternoon on December the thirty-first. 
 Under date of January 14, 1777, the diary contains 
 the following record : "Upon the request of General 
 Howe for the loan of our benches for the entertain- 
 ment on the Queen's birthday anniversary several 
 wagon-loads were taken away to-day." Six days 
 
134 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 later the diarist mentions the fact that "the loaves 
 of bread are larger," and doubtless this happy cir- 
 cumstance gave the inhabitants greater satisfaction 
 than the recent birthday celebration could afford. 
 That sectarianism was little in evidence at this time 
 is indicated by the presence of a large number of 
 clergymen who attended the funeral service of the 
 Rev. Dr. Samuel Auchmuchty, the late Rector of 
 Trinity Church, on March 4, 1777. The Moravian 
 pastor was one of the pall-bearers. On June 4 the 
 front of the Moravian parsonage was illuminated 
 with forty-eight candles, which "made a fine sight to 
 the satisfaction of the beholders," the occasion being 
 the celebration of the King's birthday. When noisy 
 tenants next to the church disturbed the services, the 
 Moravian trustees overcame the difficulty by renting 
 the building for twelve pounds a year and ousting 
 the trouble-makers. The summer of 1777 was very 
 unhealthful, and as a result a great many people, 
 especially children, died. There were seven or eight 
 burials every day, and once seventeen. At the close 
 of the year the pastor made this record : "The un- 
 happy circumstances and calamities of the country 
 have continued. We acknowledge it a singular 
 mercy of the Lord that we have been undisturbed: 
 in our public and private congregational courses. 
 No attempt was made to lodge any person in 
 either parsonage or chapel. We are deeply grate- 
 ful to our dear brethren in London for so faithfully 
 interesting themselves in our welfare, having in- 
 terceded in our behalf and securing government 
 protection for us. This shows what it means to 
 
AN OFFICIAL VISITATION 135 
 
 belong to a Unity. We have also bad less sickness 
 than many others. Some of our members have re- 
 turned to the city, but not as many as we expected." 
 Altho it was impossible to carry on an extensive 
 correspondence between Europe and America, the 
 authorities of the Moravian Church in Germany were 
 sufficiently informed in regard to the circumstances 
 of their American brethren to fill their hearts with 
 deep concern. It was therefore decided to send one 
 of their number to America to give to the congre- 
 gations the needed official instructions and to in- 
 stitute such measures as the times required. Bishop 
 John Frederick Eeichel was entrusted with this im- 
 portant commission. He was accompanied by his 
 wife and a number of other persons. Among these 
 was the Rev. Frederick William von Marschall, one 
 of the delegates to the General Synod of 1775, who 
 with others had been delayed in Europe by the war, 
 and was now returning to Salem, North Carolina, 
 with his wife and daughter. Others in the party were 
 Anna Dorothea de Watteville, daughter of Bishop 
 John de Watteville and grand-daughter of Count 
 Zinzendorf, who came to be the bride of the Bev. John 
 Christian Alexander de Schweinitz; Jacob Van 
 Vleck, the son of Hendrick Van Vleck, the New York 
 merchant, who had been taking a course in the Theo- 
 logical Seminary at Barby in Saxony; Siegmund 
 Leschinsky, who became connected with the manage- 
 ment of the Single Brethren's House at Bethlehem ; 
 John Jacob Swihola, who became the pastor of the 
 Emmaus congregation, serving in this capacity dur- 
 ing the latter part of the American Revolution ; and 
 
136 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Dr. Christian Frederick Kampmann, who was sent 
 to be the physician at Hope, New Jersey. On 
 October 9, 1778, this company arrived in London, 
 where royal passports were procured, as well as let- 
 ters of introduction to Benjamin Franklin from his 
 friends Bishop Spangenberg and Mr. James Hutton. 
 On Christmas Day they set sail on the good ship 
 Hannah. They arrived in New York on March 26, 
 1779. Shewkirk welcomed "the pilgrims" and con- 
 ducted them to the chapel-house, where tea was 
 served, and a short service conducted by Bishop 
 Reichel. On the following day, which was Saturday, 
 numerous letters were written, and "after the rest of 
 the Sabbath Day the pilgrim-sisters began a great 
 wash which took up some days." On Maundy Thurs- 
 day forty-one persons partook of the Holy Com- 
 munion, there being thirty-one communicant mem- 
 bers of the congregation in the city at the time. At 
 the Great Sabbath love feast Jacob Van Vleck played 
 the organ, accompanied by John Swihola on the 
 violin, while the pilgrim sisters sang " *Most Holy 
 Lord and God,' and some other selections in a very 
 sweet manner." After a sojourn of three weeks, 
 less one day, the pilgrims left for Bethlehem. The 
 Custom House official examined the baggage at the 
 chapel-house. "He trusted the honesty of the com- 
 pany, and opened nothing. Half a guinea was given 
 to him." Jacob Vanderbilt's flag-boat carried the 
 company and the baggage to Elizabeth Town for 
 ten dollars. 
 
 Two papers preserved in the Bethlehem Archives 
 are of interest in this connection. They show how 
 
PASSING AMERICAN LINES 137 
 
 the pilgrims were able to pass thru the American 
 lines and also the good services rendered by the 
 patriot Brother Henry Van Vleck. He was sent to 
 Philadelphia by the Bethlehem authorities to inter- 
 view Joseph Reed, a member of the Continental Con- 
 gress and President of the Pennsylvania Supreme 
 Executive Council, who readily furnished the fol- 
 lowing letters: 
 
 Philadelphia, April 8th, 1779. 
 Sir. 
 
 The bearer hereof, Mr. Van Vleck, has applied to 
 me in behalf of a Mr. Marschall, his Lady and 2 
 daughters, (one and de Watteville's daughter) the 
 Revd. Mr. Eeichel and his Lady, Mr. Jacob Van 
 Vleck, Mr. Campman and Messrs. Leshinsky and 
 Swihola, all of the Society of Moravians. These 
 persons are now at New York and are desirous to 
 proceed to their Friends at Bethlehem, for which 
 they have my free Consent and Permission so far 
 as the same may be consistent with your convenience 
 and the good of the Service. If therefore there is no 
 difficulty on that Account, you will be so obliging 
 as to favour their Views by permitting them, their 
 Servants and necessary Baggage to pass the Lines. 
 I am with much Regard 
 
 Your most humble Serv't 
 Jos. Reed. 
 To Brigadier General Maxwell 
 Command'g Officer 
 
 at 
 Elizabeth Town. 
 
138 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Unfortunately the address is torn off the following 
 letter, but it is supposed to have been directed to the 
 Commander-in-Chief : 
 
 Dear Sir. 
 
 The Bearer hereof, Mr. Van Vleck is a respectable 
 Member of the Moravian Society and a Gentleman 
 of amiable Character. Some Concerns of the So- 
 ciety as well as of a private Nature may make it 
 necessary for him to wait upon your Excellency. If 
 so I beg Leave to recommend him to your favorable 
 Notice, being assured he has no desires but what 
 are perfectly consistent with the Interests of Amer- 
 ica. I am with the greatest Respect and Regard 
 Dear Sir 
 
 Your most obedient and 
 very humble Serv't 
 Jos. Reed. 
 Philadia April 9th 1779. 
 
 With these letters in their possession the "pil- 
 grims" reached Bethlehem on April 17, having met 
 with no difficulties on the way. That the British 
 authorities knew where the sympathies of Van Vleck 
 lay is evident from the following record in the diary 
 of the congregation : "Tuesday, July 16. — Br. Henry 
 Van Vleck has been on Staten Island a fortnight, 
 but can get no permit to come to town, and now 
 has been ordered by General Jones, the Com- 
 mandant, to leave the Island, and go back to Penn- 
 sylvania." Van Vleck, however, was not easily 
 frightened, for it was not until July 9 that Shew- 
 
BEITISH SINS CONDEMNED 139 
 
 kirk was able to make the following record: "Br. 
 Henry Van Vleck went at last. He left for Beth- 
 lehem yesterday, and well it is. There has been so 
 much ado by writing and going to and fro of various 
 persons during his stay on Staten Island that one 
 had reason to be apprehensive it might give alarm. 
 When he came to Elizabeth Town the things he had 
 from here were to a considerable extent taken away." 
 Altho Shewkirk was a royalist he was first of all 
 an earnest Christian gentleman who condemned the 
 sins of the British no less than those of the Amer- 
 icans. On Thursday, August 19, he made the follow- 
 ing record: "Early this morning before daybreak 
 the rebels made an attack on Paulus Hook. The 
 reports of the effect vary, but they have again taken 
 some of our people prisoners. Another instance of 
 the great carelessness and security on our side, when 
 on the other hand the military gentlemen amuse 
 themselves with trifles and diversions. Lately the 
 walk before the ruins of Trinity Church and its 
 grave-yard has been railed in, painted green, benches 
 placed there, and many lamps fixed in the trees, for 
 the gentlemen and ladies to walk and sit there in 
 the evening with a band of music, while the Com- 
 mandant is there, etc. A sentry is placed there 
 that none of the common people may walk there. A 
 paltry affair! A house opposite is adapted to ac- 
 commodate the ladies or officers' women, while many 
 honest people, both of the inhabitants and refugees, 
 cannot get a house of lodging to live in and to get 
 their living. Such things make one sigh to the 
 Lord that He would have mercy on this land, and 
 
140 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 make an end of these calamities and the many in- 
 iquitous practices. Murders have been perpetrated 
 again lately; but they are quashed. Isaac Noble, 
 the only surviving son of the well-known Thomas 
 Noble of this city, a blessed beginner and promoter 
 of our Saviour's work here in the hands of the Breth- 
 ren, who was a commissary of stores, and lived 
 some miles out of town near Turtle Bay, hath been 
 lately murdered while he was returning from a visit 
 to one of his friends." 
 
 Altho the exigencies of the times made it impos- 
 sible to increase the membership of the congregation 
 to any great extent, Shewkirk made good use of the 
 abundant opportunities for Christian service. He 
 was favorably known among the inhabitants as well 
 as among the soldiers quartered in the city, and was 
 frequently called upon to minister to the sick, and 
 to perform other ministerial functions among people 
 not in connection with the congregation. A great 
 many strangers attended the preaching services. 
 Among the number were some Hessian soldiers who 
 formerly belonged to the Diaspora* of the Moravians 
 in Germany. From time to time a room in the chapel- 
 house was rented to various officers of the British 
 Army. During the fall of 1779 there was much sick- 
 ness in the city and on the islands, Shewkirk being 
 a victim. He suffered from pleurisy, and for a time 
 it was thought he would not recover. A French doc- 
 tor named Fisgard attended him, "bleeding him 
 
 •The Diaspora of the Moravian Church is the name given to abont 
 70,000 awakened souls scattered throughout the Protestant Churches of 
 Europe. These Christians are served by Moravian ministers, bnt retain 
 their membership In the State Church. 
 
SICKNESS AND SUFFERING 141 
 
 twice, applying a blister-plaster, and giving such 
 treatment in general as was customary in that day." 
 Not only the members of the congregation but a great 
 many other people showed a deep interest in his 
 welfare, and when he recovered there was general 
 rejoicing. If Shewkirk had died the Moravian 
 church would have undoubtedly met the fate of other 
 churches in the city. 
 
 During January and February of the year 1780 
 intensely cold weather prevailed. "The oldest in- 
 habitants declared that they had experienced nothing 
 like it since the year 1740." Wood was scarce and 
 many people froze to death. According to the diary 
 the East River was frozen over, enabling people in 
 some places to cross over to Long Island on the ice. 
 During the first week in February sleighs came over 
 the ice from Staten Island to the city, which was 
 unusual to say the least. While the city was shiver- 
 ing from the cold the Hannah in command of Cap- 
 tain Watson was driven hither and thither on the 
 boisterous waves of the sea. On board were the 
 following Moravians: the Rev. John Andrew Hue- 
 bener and his wife; David Zeisberger, Jr., and his 
 wife; John Michael Kern, the widow Barbara Mar- 
 tens, and Jeppe Nielsen. The Eannah sailed from 
 Portsmouth the latter part of October. The passage 
 as far as Newfoundland was comparatively smooth. 
 After leaving there, however, storms and contrary 
 winds were encountered, and for nine or ten dreary 
 weeks the ship was driven about along the coast. 
 The passengers suffered greatly from sea-sickness. 
 Finally the drinking-water gave out and the pro- 
 
142 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 visions were all gone, but before the worst came a 
 favorable wind drove the ship into New York har- 
 bor, where on February 27 the passengers landed 
 after being on the water for eighteen weeks. Soon 
 after their arrival "the pilgrims" put forth the 
 necessary efforts to secure the proper passes, but 
 it was not until March 26 that they were able to 
 leave for Bethlehem, where they arrived safely sev- 
 eral days later. 
 
 An outstanding event of the year 1781 was the 
 visit of Bishop John Frederick Reichel, who with his 
 wife, the ten-year-old Christian Frederick de 
 Schweinitz, Miss Anna Yarrell, and John Francis 
 Oberlin with his wife, arrived in New York on Au- 
 gust 10, from Bethlehem, which they had left four 
 days before. The Henrietta, on which they sailed 
 for Europe, had to wait a long time for a convoy, 
 and consequently was unable to leave port until 
 December 8. During the intervening months Bishop 
 Reichel visited all the members of the congregation 
 in the city and on Staten Island, held private in- 
 terviews with the membership, preached frequently, 
 acquainted the congregation with the results of the 
 last General Synod, and presented to the congrega- 
 tion the system of rules and regulations for the con- 
 duct of the Christian life known as the "Brotherly 
 Agreement."* On November 4 this Agreement was 
 formally adopted by the congregation. Bishop 
 Reichel's visit greatly strengthened the church in 
 New York. 
 
 •The system of rules, and regulations adopted by the Moravian Church 
 for the conduct of the Christian Life of Its membership. 
 
MURDER OF CAPTAIN JACOBSEN 143 
 
 On January 19, 1782, the congregation sustained 
 a great loss by the shocking death of Christian Ja- 
 cobsen of Staten Island, who had rendered invalu- 
 able services to the Moravian Church as Captain of 
 the Irene and its successors, as well as in numerous 
 other ways. After nightfall of the fateful day three 
 armed men waylaid his Negro servant, stripped him 
 of his clothing, and commanded him to get for them 
 the money which they alleged Jacobsen had secreted 
 in his cellar. Reaching the house about half-past 
 ten o'clock one of the bandits followed the Negro 
 into the cellar, another stood guard at the street- 
 door, while the third went into the kitchen. Jacob- 
 sen was in bed, but hearing a noise he quickly dressed 
 himself and hastened to the kitchen, where one of 
 the bandits shot him down in cold blood, the ball 
 entering bis chest and passing out thru his back. 
 Three hours later he breathed his last. The report 
 of the pistol brought the Rev. Hector Gambold and 
 other neighbors to the scene of murder, but the mur- 
 derer and his accomplices had fled. They were never 
 brought to justice. The motive of their crime was 
 clearly robbery. The widow of the victim was incon- 
 solable in her grief. She bitterly lamented that "her 
 good husband should have been struck down by the 
 agents of Satan." Captain Jacobsen was univer- 
 sally beloved, and his neighbors united in saying 
 that they had lost one of their best friends. The 
 funeral services three days later were attended by a 
 large number of people. 
 
 At the close of the year 1782 Shewkirk wrote: 
 "This year has been in many respects the hardest 
 
1U MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 since I began my pastorate in New York." And the 
 following year was no better. Business was at a 
 standstill, and the prices asked for foodstuffs and 
 other necessities were exorbitant. It may be some 
 consolation to present-day inhabitants of New York 
 to know that their fathers in the Revolutionary War 
 period passed thru even worse experiences than they. 
 Shewkirk informs us that "the rents of houses in the 
 city were raised in an extravagant manner, one 
 member of the congregation in looking about for a 
 house being asked twenty-five pounds a month for a 
 single room." Wood sold at thirty-two dollars a 
 cord. A new fence was badly needed around the 
 Fresh Water burial-ground of the congregation, but 
 on account of the great scarcity of fuel the building 
 of the fence was postponed for fear it might be torn 
 down and burned. After the Provisional Treaty of 
 Peace was signed at Paris in November, 1782, and a 
 cessation of hostilities declared by Washington in 
 January, 1783, business troubles increased. Falling 
 prices brought about the usual crop of business 
 failures. Shewkirk undoubtedly expressed the sen- 
 timents of all who had suffered at the hands of the 
 heartless profiteer who had preyed upon the helpless 
 inhabitants, when he wrote, "Flour, rum, molasses, 
 coffee and other commodities sold at auction have 
 fallen in price surprisingly, which is proof that the 
 dearness of many articles has been artificial. Some 
 men will now meet with great losses, and that de- 
 servedly, for their avarice, forestalling, and extor- 
 tion." Under the circumstances the congregation 
 found it extremely difficult to make ends meet. How- 
 
CHURCH RECEIVES LEGACIES 145 
 
 ever, matters were helped by legacies left by the 
 deceased Catherine Boelen and John Feldhouse, who 
 had been faithful members of the congregation. In 
 this way the trustees were able not only to make 
 the necessary repairs on the church-property, but to 
 liquidate the debt resting upon the congregation. At 
 least, they imagined they could make the needed 
 repairs. However, when one half of the church-roof 
 had been newly shingled, it was found that the 
 money set aside for repairs was all gone, therefore 
 the other half had to be left for a later day. On 
 April 8, 1783, the King's Proclamation concerning 
 the cessation of hostilities was read at City Hall, 
 and in the following months many of the members 
 of the congregation returned to the city. Some 
 members, however, were permanently lost to the 
 Moravian Church. The fortunate turn of political 
 events brought no happiness to the staunch royalist 
 pastor. Evidently he had no desire to witness the 
 evacuation of the city by the British, for he and his 
 wife went to Bethlehem eight days before Washing- 
 ton and his troops marched into New York to take 
 possession of it. Altho Shewkirk returned after an 
 absence of two weeks and assisted in the work of 
 the church for several months, he really closed his 
 pastorate on November 13, four days before he went 
 to Bethlehem, when the Rev. Albrecht Russmeyer, a 
 former pastor, took temporary charge of the work, 
 serving in this capacity until the latter part of April 
 of the following year, when he in turn was succeeded 
 by the Rev. James Birkby, who had recently arrived 
 from the Danish West Indies, where he and his wife 
 had served as missionaries. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 PROGRESS OF THE WORK IN SPITE OP 
 HINDRANCES 
 
 Moravian labors in New York from the year 1736 
 to the close of the American Revolution were not 
 unsuccessful. Under the most adverse conditions 
 the Moravian ministers, evangelists and their co- 
 workers zealously ministered to the religious needs 
 of all classes of people, including Negro slaves, and 
 hundreds of souls were won for Christ. But the 
 statistics of the congregation were at no time en- 
 couraging. The actual enrollment never exceeded 
 the three hundred mark, and for the most part fell 
 below it. The religious indifference and unsettled 
 conditions of the times naturally militated against 
 any phenomenal church-growth. These things, how- 
 ever, do not wholly explain the small membership. 
 The root of the matter lay in the policy pursued by 
 the Moravian Church during the first century or 
 more of its activities in America. The Moravian 
 minister had no thought of winning members for 
 his Church. He was charged by the authorities to 
 lead souls to Christ and provide for them spiritual 
 nurture. If any of his converts could lay claim to 
 the remotest church-connection, it was his business 
 to keep them from joining the Moravian Church.* 
 
 •The Moravians of this period regarded their Church as being "a Church 
 within the Church," whose special duty It was to labor {or the spread of 
 the gospel. 
 
 146 
 
PURSUING A WRONG POLICY 147 
 
 They were urged to remain in their respective 
 Churches as a salt, to have Their children baptized 
 by their pastor, and to partake of the Holy Com- 
 munion in their particular Church. Any one not 
 connected with the Society of the congregation had 
 to receive special permission to attend even the So- 
 ciety meetings. It was extremely difficult to be- 
 come a member of the congregation, and even those 
 who succeeded in being admitted had to be exceed- 
 ingly careful of their conduct because the slightest 
 impropriety on their part would bring about their 
 exclusion. Naturally the membership remained 
 small. 
 
 Had the seat of church government been in Amer- 
 ica, a different policy might have been pursued after 
 the Revolutionary War. But it was in Germany, 
 where conditions were altogether different. In 1782 
 a General Synod was held at Berthelsdorf, Saxony, 
 and altho no deputy from America was present, 
 American affairs were considered and various enact- 
 ments relating to them resulted. At the time when 
 the American Colonies had thrown off the yoke of 
 foreign rule and were about to set up a free and 
 independent nation, American Moravians were 
 stripped of what little power in governing their af- 
 fairs they previously possessed, and their congre- 
 gations and stations placed under the immediate 
 control of the Unity's Elders' Conference in Ger- 
 many. A feature of this policy was the abandon- 
 ment of church extension, and the growth of those 
 congregations already in existence was restricted by 
 the system of making admission to membership sub- 
 
148 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 ject to the lot, and by imposing upon them such 
 regulations as to make it almost impossible for any 
 one to become a member of the Moravian Church. A 
 record covering a long period of years and contain- 
 ing the names of candidates for confirmation and 
 reception into the congregation is preserved in the 
 Archives of the First Moravian Church of New 
 York City. These persons had expressed their de- 
 sire to join the congregation, for in those days no 
 Moravian minister was allowed to ask anybody to 
 become a member of the Church. Many on the list 
 mentioned were never received because the lot nega- 
 tived their reception. 
 
 It was decided that "in no sense shall the Societies 
 of awakened persons affiliated with the Church as 
 the fruit of the former extensive itinerations be re- 
 garded as preparatory to the organization of congre- 
 gations, and that membership in these societies shall 
 not imply communicant membership or preparation 
 for it." In regard to Society members it was de- 
 clared that these people had been grouped into so- 
 cieties "because their attachment to the Brethren 
 had caused their exclusion from the communions of 
 which they had been formerly adherents. Our 
 Brethren have therefore refrained from administer- 
 ing the sacraments among them." The unfortunate 
 part of it all is the fact that the times and conditions 
 demanded that Christians should organize and found 
 churches everywhere. This exotic policy was not 
 wholly abandoned until the year 1856, which ex- 
 plains not only the slow growth of the congregation 
 in New York, but the comparatively small member- 
 
WAR'S AFTERMATH 149 
 
 ship of the Moravian Church at the present time. 
 During the last half century or more Moravian 
 Church growth has been quite satisfactory, and in 
 proportion to membership fully equal to that of 
 other denominations. 
 
 It was no easy task that lay before the Rev. James 
 Birkby when he assumed the pastorate of the New 
 York church. During the war the membership was 
 divided into more or less outspoken loyalists and 
 patriots, and naturally these divisive elements did 
 not disappear as soon as the struggle was over. The 
 congregation had dwindled away until only a hand- 
 ful remained, and many of the remnant had cooled 
 considerably in their ardor for the cause of Christ, 
 while some were wholly indifferent to religion. 
 This spirit of indifference was especially found 
 among the young people, who had imbibed much of 
 the free and easy and even ungodly spirit of the 
 times. Some of the young men had been in the army, 
 and ordinarily a soldier's life does not tend to make 
 a man religious. The bloodshed and cruelties of 
 war usually have a reverse effect. Prices were ex- 
 orbitant and labor exceedingly scarce, therefore it 
 was not an uncommon thing to find people in prison 
 for debt, a lot shared by some of the Moravians. Not- 
 withstanding these and numerous other difficulties 
 which he had to face, Birkby entered upon his labors 
 with enthusiasm, and by his consecrated tact and 
 ceaseless activities did much toward counteracting 
 the injurious effects of war and its aftermath. At 
 the evening service on April 24, 1784, he preached 
 his introductory sermon from the text, "Repent ye 
 
150 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 therefore, and be converted that your sine may be 
 blotted out." — Acts 3 : 19. Russmeyer, his predeces- 
 sor, with his wife, left for Bethlehem two days later. 
 In May the Rev. Hector Gambold, who had been in 
 charge of the Staten Island work since 1763, had to 
 relinquish his labors on account of broken health. He 
 retired to Bethlehem, which laid the added burden 
 of this part of the field on Birkby's shoulders for 
 some months. He was relieved of this burden on 
 September 21, when the Rev. Edward Thorpe took 
 charge of the Staten Island congregation. Thorpe 
 served in this capacity for three years, when he was 
 succeeded by the Rev. John Frederick Moehring. 
 
 Altho Birkby's work lay for the most part along 
 spiritual lines, other duties sometimes required his 
 attention. He had barely arrived on the field when 
 some of the members voiced their suspicion that the 
 owner of the lot adjoining the burial-ground had 
 reset the line-fence to his advantage. The church- 
 lot was therefore properly surveyed, which revealed 
 the fact that the ungodly neighbor had appropriated 
 more than eight feet of Moravian ground. The fence 
 was set back where it belonged. By necessary re- 
 pairs and improvements the church*property was 
 made as attractive as the slender means of the con- 
 gregation permitted, and by the earnest preaching 
 of the gospel many strangers were attracted to the 
 services. Ambassadors and members of Congress 
 were frequent attendants. Following the custom of 
 the day the pastor kept the membership informed of 
 the events that transpired in other congregations and 
 on the mission-field. Gradually the church recov- 
 
MOB STORMS CITY HOSPITAL 151 
 
 ered from the effects of war and grew in grace as well 
 as in numbers. Church-music was improved by a 
 band of singers which met statedly for "choir-prac- 
 tice." As the old-time love for Christ deepened, the 
 members became interested in the religious welfare 
 of their neighbors. An unsuccessful attempt was 
 made to establish a preaching-place at New Vytriek, 
 Long Island, nine miles from Brooklyn. Birkby 
 preached statedly at the Poor House. In 1787 a 
 school-house was built by the congregation on the 
 lot adjoining the church at a cost of about fifteen 
 hundred dollars. 
 
 On April 14, 1788, David Burger, a member of the 
 congregation, was shot during a riot in the city. It 
 had been rumored for some time that dead bodies 
 had been stolen from various grave-yards by doctors 
 and medical students. On Sunday morning, April 
 13, some adventurous boys finding a ladder left by 
 workmen the day before, placed it at the side of the 
 city hospital on Broadway, between Duane and An- 
 thony Streets, climbed up and looked in at a window 
 to ascertain what was going on inside. They were 
 horrified to see a young medical student busily en- 
 gaged in dissecting a dead body. The boys went 
 down the ladder much faster than they had ascended, 
 and as their gruesome tale spread, excitement ran 
 high, and soon a mob was storming the hospital. 
 Doors were battered down and large quantities of 
 bones and other parts of the human body discovered. 
 The doctors fled to the jaily where they were pro- 
 tected by the militia. The mob swore vengeance on 
 all doctors in the city. After raging all day,, the 
 
152 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 excitement died down, and it was thought the matter 
 had ended. But on the following morning a larger 
 mob appeared on the scene. The rioters stormed the 
 jail, threatening to drag out the medical men and 
 hang them. Governor Clinton, Mayor Duane, and 
 other prominent citizens, including Alexander Ham- 
 ilton, vainly tried to appease the fury of the mob. 
 Then the soldiers were ordered to fire upon the riot- 
 ers. As a result five persons were killed and seven 
 or eight badly wounded, among the latter being 
 David Burger who, according to the diary, "hap- 
 pened to pass the prison when the firing began. He 
 was shot in nine different places, and brought to his 
 home by two men. However, the timely assistance 
 of a surgeon saved his life." A number of arrests 
 were made, but in the event the rioters were par- 
 doned. "It was said that three cart-loads of parts 
 of dead bodies were taken from the hospital and 
 buried in the Trinity burial-ground." Dame Rumor 
 was evidently running true to form. Either the re- 
 port grossly exaggerated matters, or the carts were 
 very small. It was not until January 3, 1791, when 
 eighteen patients were admitted, that the building 
 was used for general hospital purposes. 
 
 New York was one of the last States in the Union 
 to ratify the Constitution of the United States 
 adopted in 1787 by the Constitutional Convention, 
 which was held in Philadelphia. On June 17, 1788, 
 the New York Convention met for the discussion of 
 ratification. The leading advocates of the measure 
 were Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and Chancellor 
 Livingston, while the opposition was headed by 
 
CONSTITUTION RATIFIED 153 
 
 George Clinton, the War Governor of New York, 
 Melancthon Smith, Robert Yates, and John Lansing. 
 Altho the great constitutional battle was still raging, 
 New York City celebrated the adoption of the Con- 
 stitution on July 23, the appointed day. It was a 
 gala time. Public places and private residences were 
 fittingly decorated in honor of the occasion and all 
 classes of citizens, including many members of the 
 Moravian Church, joined the Federal procession, 
 which formed at eight o'clock in the morning. "The 
 various branches of business had their colors and 
 mottoes as grand as they could invent." A ship on 
 wheels representing the "Ship of State" was drawn 
 thru the streets of the city by ten white horses. Alex- 
 ander Hamilton's name was painted in large letters 
 on the platform upon which the ship rested. The 
 clergymen of the city marched with the rest, and 
 joined in the dinner given on the "Federal green a 
 little out of the city." The Moravian pastor was 
 indisposed and therefore could not take part in the 
 great event. Three days later ratification was finally 
 carried by the New York Convention. The victory 
 of the great constitutional battle was signalized by 
 the ringing of bells and the firing of cannon, which 
 continued until long after midnight. Sleep was at a 
 premium that night, but the majority of inhabi- 
 tants enjoyed the noise and only the few were dis- 
 turbed. 
 
 Altho the authorities of the Moravian Church were 
 keenly interested in the birth and development of 
 the Nation, other matters weighed heavily on their 
 hearts. In 1771 the Grand Council of the Delawares 
 
154 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 put at the disposal of the Moravian Church a large 
 tract of land in the Tuscarawas Valley ifl Ohio'. In 
 due time Indian mission-stations were established 
 here which received the names Schoenbruttn, 
 Gnadenhuetten, Lichtenau and Salem. The work 
 flourished greatly until the Revolutionary War 
 broke out. Both the Americans and British looked 
 upon the mission With suspicion, the former because 
 they unjustly believed the stations harbored Indians 
 in British pay and served as the rendezvous of raid- 
 ers ; the latter because they ascribed to the influence 
 of the Moravian Indians the only restraint which 
 prevented large masses of Delawares from enlisting 
 in the English army. The suspicions of both parties 
 were unfounded, because the Christian Indians had 
 no share whatever in the war. While their heathen 
 brethren were on the war-path, they zealously pur- 
 sued the arts of peace. On August 10, 1781, one hun- 
 dred and fifty Indians and white soldiers under the 
 command of British officers appeared at Salem. This 
 number was soon increased to three hundred. Both 
 the missionaries and their charges were made prison- 
 ers and the mission-houses plundered. The prison- 
 ers were marched into the wilderness, where they 
 were deserted by their captors. Soon after the mis- 
 sionaries were summoned to Detroit for trial as 
 American spies. They responded to the summons, 
 and after a thoro examination they were acquitted 
 of the charge. Meanwhile, the refugees in the wilder- 
 ness faced starvation. Naturally their thoughts 
 turned to their homes, where they had left five thou- 
 sand bushels of unharvested corn when they were 
 
GNADENHUETTEN MASSACRE 155 
 
 dragged away. One hundred and fifty Christian In- 
 dians obtained permission from the neighboring sav- 
 ages to return to their plundered settlements for the 
 purpose of gathering what they could find of their 
 harvests. They found an abundant supply, and on 
 March 7, 1782, they were prepared to return to their 
 brethren in the wilderness. Just then a company of 
 American soldiers under the command of Colonel 
 Williamson appeared on the scene. The Christian 
 Indians voluntarily placed themselves under Wil- 
 liamson's protection, and on the following day, like 
 a bolt from a clear sky, they were massacred in cold 
 blood by the soldiers. Twenty-nine men, twenty- 
 seven women, and thirty-four children lost their lives. 
 The others of the foraging party escaped into the 
 wilderness. Such was the Gnadenhuetten massacre 
 in Ohio. 
 
 Soon after peace had been declared the Moravian 
 authorities addressed a petition to Congress asking 
 for an indemnity for the flourishing mission settle- 
 ments which had been destroyed by the American 
 soldiers. On May 19, 1785, Congress passed an Act 
 "reserving the sites of these settlements together 
 with as much land as Thomas Hutching, the Geog- 
 rapher of the United States, might see fit, -for the 
 benefit of the Christian Indians and their children 
 forever." Twelve thousand acres of land were even- 
 tually set apart by the Government as indemnifica- 
 tion for the ruin Of the missions in the Tuscarawas 
 Valley. On July 12, 1788, James Birkby had an in- 
 terview with the Geographer General concerning the 
 congressional grant, and a month later Hutchins 
 
156 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 called at the Moravian parsonage saying he would 
 soon leave for the west to make the survey. However, 
 the Geographer died the following year, which to- 
 gether with the distracted state of the Indian coun- 
 try delayed the completion of the survey. It was 
 not until the year 1796 that the grant was confirmed 
 and turned over in trust to the Society for Propa- 
 gating the Gospel among the Heathen. Two years 
 later the patent was duly signed by the President of 
 the United States. Bishop John Ettwein and the 
 Rev. John Heckewelder were largely instrumental 
 in bringing the negotiations to a satisfactory con- 
 clusion. Birkby, the local pastor, likewise played a 
 prominent part. 
 
 Altho Moravian brethren continued to arrive 
 in America from Europe after the Revolutionary 
 War, there were no large colonies as in earlier years. 
 They usually arrived in smaller or larger companies, 
 never exceeding fifteen at one time. Those who came 
 were as a rule single men. Very few unmarried 
 women arrived. The diary mentions five Moravian 
 men who landed in the city on September 29, 1788, 
 having made the passage from Amsterdam on the 
 brig Nymph, commanded by Captain Palmer. The 
 party consisted of John Frederick Frueauff, Charles 
 von Forstier, Gottlieb Masslich, Christian Peisert 
 and Henry Landmann. The members of the congre- 
 gation gave the pilgrims a warm welcome. They 
 had to secure a permit at the Custom House to have 
 their baggage transferred to the boat which carried 
 them to Elizabethtown. They left for Bethlehem on 
 October 3 under the guidance of John Campbell, a 
 
PRESIDENT-ELECT ARRIVES 157 
 
 member of the congregation, who volunteered to con- 
 duct them to their destination. 
 
 The year 1789 was a memorable one. With- 
 out waiting for North Carolina and Rhode 
 Island to come to their senses the eleven States 
 already in the Union proceeded to organize the 
 Government under the Constitution. On the first 
 Wednesday in January Presidential electors were 
 chosen, and on the first Wednesday in February 
 George Washington, the Father of his Country, 
 was elected President, and John Adams of Massa- 
 chusetts Vice President of the United States. 
 March 4 had been set for the inauguration, but the 
 members of Congress were so slow in coming to- 
 gether that a quorum of both Houses could not be 
 obtained for a number of weeks. Therefore the in- 
 auguration proceedings had to be postponed. The 
 churches in the city made preparations for the great 
 event. On April 20 the Rev. Dr. Livingstone, pastor 
 of the Dutch Reformed Church, called at the Mo- 
 ravian parsonage to acquaint the pastor that all 
 the denominations would meet in their respective 
 houses of worship at nine o'clock in the morning of 
 the day when Washington would take the oath of 
 office, for the purpose of offering special prayer in 
 behalf of the Nation, the President, and the Vice 
 President. In the afternoon of the same day, at four 
 o'clock, Adams arrived in the city. Three days later 
 Washington came at three o'clock in the afternoon. 
 A large crowd of people were at the dock to see the 
 President-elect come on shore. In the evening all 
 the public buildings and homes, including the Mo- 
 
158 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 ravian parsonage, were brilliantly illuminated. On 
 April 30, the day of inauguration, the Moravian con- 
 gregation together with other city churches had a 
 prayer service at nine o'clock in the morning. At 
 noon the President-elect took his place on the bal- 
 cony of Federal Hall, on the corner of WaM and Nas- 
 sau Streets, and in full sight of the assembled multi- 
 tude laid his right hand on the open Bible while 
 repeating the constitutional oath of office, after 
 which he reverently kissed the page. Chancellor Liv- 
 ingston turned down the corner of the page toward 
 the words of Genesis 49 : 24, the passage which reads, 
 "His bow abode in strength, and the arms of his 
 hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty 
 God of Jacob." After this solemn ceremony a great 
 shout went up from thousands of throats: "Dong 
 live George Washington, President vf ifae United 
 States," amid the ringing of bells and the firing of 
 cannon. When he had delivered his inaugural ad- 
 dress in the Senate Chamber, the President and 
 others proceeded to St. Paul's Chapel on Broadway, 
 where Bishop Provost, the Chaplain of the Senate, 
 conducted a brief service. Before Congress ad- 
 journed a resolution requesting the President to 
 issue a proclamation recommending the people of 
 the United States to observe a day of thanksgiving 
 and prayer in recognition of the successful organ- 
 ization of the new Government, was unanimously 
 passed. The most brilliant fireworks that the city 
 had ever witnessed were displayed in the evening. 
 The President took up his residence in a house on 
 the corner of Cherry and Pearl Streets, or where is 
 
WASHINGTON AND MORAVIANS 159 
 
 now Franklin Square. A huge abutment at the up- 
 per end of the slope of Brooklyn Bridge covers the 
 spot where the Presidential mansion stood. 
 
 Washington entertained a kindly regard for the 
 Moravians, and they in turn were deeply interested 
 in all that concerned his welfare. This friendship 
 had its 'Origin in the gracious services rendered by 
 the Moravians to the sick and wounded during the 
 Revolution. From December 3, 1776, to March 27, 
 1777, and from September, 1777, to June, 1778, the 
 General Hospital of the American Army was at 
 Bethlehem. From December 19, 1777, to August 
 28, 1778, the Lititz congregation rendered similar 
 services. From August, 1777, to March, 1778, Hes- 
 sian prisoners of war were harbored in the Moravian 
 Church at Hebron, Pennsylvania. In the Bethlehem 
 hospital Bishop John Ettwein served as volunteer 
 chaplain. These and other services rendered by Mo- 
 ravians were deeply appreciated by General Wash- 
 ington. In the Summer of 1782 he visited Bethle- 
 hem. Concerning that visit the diary of the Bethle- 
 hem congregation gives the following account: 
 "July 25, 1782. — Quite unexpectedly and very quietly 
 His Excellency, General Washington arrived here, 
 accompanied by his aids de camp, but without escort. 
 Brother Ettwein and other brethren immediately 
 went to pay their respects to him. After partaking 
 of a meal, he inspected the choir-houses (Brethren's 
 House, Sisters' House and Widows' House) and 
 other points of interest in the place, and attended 
 the evening service, at which Brother Ettwein de- 
 livered a discourse in English on the text: 'In all 
 
160 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 things approving ourselves as the ministers of God.' 
 — II Cor. 6 : 4. The choir rendered some fine music 
 both at the beginning and at the close. The General 
 manifested much friendliness, and the pleasure and 
 satisfaction which the visit afforded him were clearly 
 to be inferred from his utterances." He spent the 
 night at the Sun Inn, and "at a very early hour of 
 the following morning he proceeded on his journey 
 by way of Easton. Brother Ettwein, who had ex- 
 pected to go to Hope, New Jersey, accompanied him 
 to the first-named place, and then rode on ahead to 
 make some preparation for his entertainment at 
 Hope, where he dined later and looked about the 
 place with pleasure." 
 
 In the year 1787 the old Missionary Society or- 
 ganized in 1745 was resuscitated at Bethlehem under 
 the title of "The Society for Propagating the Gos- 
 pel among the Heathen." This organization, which 
 is still in existence and in flourishing condition, is 
 the oldest missionary organization in America. Its 
 re-organization gave occasion to renewed communi- 
 cations between the Moravians and Washington. 
 Bishop Ettwein wrote him a letter and enclosed a 
 copy of the constitution and rules of the Society, 
 together with a treatise of his own on Indian Tradi- 
 tions, Languages and Customs. Under date of May 
 2, 1788, Washington wrote the following letter in 
 acknowledgment of the receipt of these documents : 
 
 "Dear Sir, 
 
 I have received your obliging letter of the 28th of 
 March, inclosing a copy of some remarks on the 
 
WASHINGTON AND MORAVIANS 161 
 
 customs, languages &c of the Indians, and a printed 
 pamphlet containing the stated rules of a Society 
 for Propagating the Gospel among the Heathen, for 
 which tokens of polite attention and kind remem- 
 brance I must beg you to accept my best thanks. 
 
 So far as I am able of judging, the principles upon 
 which the Society is founded, and the rules laid 
 down for its government, appear to be well calcu- 
 lated to promote so laudable and arduous an under- 
 taking; and you will permit me to add that if an 
 event so long and so ardently desired as that of con- 
 verting the Indians to Christianity and consequently 
 to civilization can be effected, the Society at Bethle- 
 hem bids fair to bear a very considerable part in it. 
 With sentiments of esteem 
 
 I am your most obedient humble servant, 
 George Washington." 
 
 On July 10, 1789, the Directors of the Society for 
 Propagating the Gospel among the Heathen framed 
 the following congratulatory address and sent it 
 to the Rev. James Birkby, the pastor of the New York 
 Moravian Church, charging him to deliver it into 
 the hands of Washington: 
 
 "To His Excellency George Washington, President 
 of the United States of America. 
 
 The Address of the Directors of the Society of 
 the United Brethren (Moravians) for Propagating 
 the Gospel among the Heathen. 
 
 Sir, 
 The Directors for the Society of the United Breth- 
 
162 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 ren for Propagating the Gospel among the Heathen 
 do in the name of the Society and in the name of all 
 the Brethren's Congregations in these United States 
 most heartily congratulate you on your being ap- 
 pointed President of the United States of America. 
 
 Filled with gratitude towards God and our 
 Saviour, unto whose goodness and kind interposition 
 we ascribe this great and joyous event, we rely on 
 His mercy and on the influence of His good Spirit 
 when we expect that your administration will prove 
 salutary and a blessing to that Nation whose unani- 
 mous voice has called you to preside over it, 
 
 We embrace this opportunity to present to you a 
 small treatise which contains 'An Account of the 
 Manner in which the Protestant Church of the 
 Unitas Pratrum or United Brethren preach the 
 Gospel and carry on their mission among the 
 Heathen.' 
 
 Permit us at the same time to recommend in a 
 particular manner the Brethren's Mission among 
 the Indians in the territory of the United States 
 which is at present at Petquotting on Lake Erie 
 and in a very dangerous situation, to your kind no- 
 tice and protection, and to lay before you the ardent 
 wish and anxious desire we have of seeing the light 
 of the glorious Gospel spread more and more over 
 this country and great multitudes of poor benighted 
 heathen brought by it to the saving knowledge of 
 Christ our Saviour Who gave himself a ransom for 
 all and Who will have all men to be saved and to 
 come to the knowledge of the truth. 
 
 We fervently pray the Lord to strengthen your 
 
WASHINGTON AND MORAVIANS 163 
 
 health, to support you daily by His Divine assistance, 
 and to be Himself your Shield and great Reward. 
 
 Signed in behalf of the Society of the United Breth- 
 ren for Propagating the Gospel among the Heathen 
 and in behalf of all the Brethren's Congregations 
 in the United States. 
 
 John Andrew Huebener, 
 Han Christian v. Schweinitz, 
 Frederick Peter, 
 Charles Gotthold Reichel, 
 Paul Muenster, 
 David Zeisberger. 
 Bethlehem, July 10, 1789." 
 
 In response to this communication the following 
 letter in Washington's own hand was received on 
 August 20, 1789, at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania : 
 
 "To the Directors of the Society of the United 
 Brethren for Propagating the Gospel among the 
 Heathen. 
 
 I received with satisfaction the congratulations 
 of your Society, and of the Brethren's Congregations 
 in the United States of America. You may be per- 
 suaded that the approbation and good wishes of 
 such a peaceable and virtuous community cannot 
 be indifferent to me. You will also be pleased to 
 receive my thanks for the Treatise which you pre- 
 sent, and to be assured of my patronage in your 
 laudable undertakings. 
 
 In proportion as the General Government of the 
 United States shall acquire strength through dura- 
 
164 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 tion, it is probable they may have it in their power 
 to extend a salutary influence to the Aborigines in 
 the extremities of their Territory. In the meantime 
 it will be a desirable thing for the protection of the 
 Union to co-operate as far as the circumstances may 
 conveniently admit, with the disinterested endeavors 
 of your Society to civilize and Christianize the sav- 
 ages of. the wilderness. 
 
 Under these impressions, I pray Almighty God to 
 have you always in His holy keeping. 
 G. Washington." 
 
 After the excitement which attended the inau- 
 guration of the President of the United States, New 
 York City once more settled down to routine busi- 
 ness, and the little Moravian congregation continued 
 the even tenor of its way. From time to time the 
 membership suffered from such diseases as small- 
 pox and influenza. The ravages of the former had 
 been considerably checked, even then, by inoculation 
 or vaccination. Quite a number of the New York 
 Moravian boys and girls attended the Church schools 
 at Nazareth and Bethlehem. There are frequent 
 references in the diary of the congregation covering 
 this period, to parents who wanted to place their 
 boys in Nazareth Hall and their girls in the Young 
 Ladies' Seminary at Bethlehem, but the pastor had 
 to inform them that the schools were full, and for 
 the time being no new students could be entered. 
 After a pastorate of over nine years during which 
 the communicant membership doubled itself, the 
 Rev. James Birkby was transferred to Staten Island, 
 
PASTORAL CHANGE 165 
 
 where in the latter part of October, 1793, he entered 
 upon hie new labors. The Rev. Christopher Godfrey 
 Peter, who had come to America from Europe two 
 years before, succeeded him in the pastorate of the 
 New York church. The new pastor preached his in- 
 troductory sermon on Sunday afternoon, October the 
 twentieth. 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE PASTORATE OF CHRISTOPHER 
 GODFREY PETER 
 
 Christopher Godfrey Peter was an exceptional 
 man. He was a good student, an excellent speaker, 
 and an ideal pastor. Combining these qualifications 
 with rare common sense and a kindly disposition, 
 he was an influential factor in the congregation and 
 in the city at large. He was the friend of everybody 
 and everybody was his friend. Being on terms of 
 the most intimate friendship with all the clergymen 
 of the city, these men were frequent visitors at the 
 parsonage, while he was often the honored guest in 
 their homes. The most cordial relations existed be- 
 tween the churches. All the bigotry and sectarian- 
 ism of a former day had died away. The ministers 
 and laymen of the various churches met frequently 
 for the purpose of planning united efforts for the 
 advancement of the cause of Christ in the city and 
 throughout the country, and Peter was always 
 among the number, his word counting as much as 
 that of the most distinguished person in the assem- 
 bly. Several times he dined with the Mayor, at an- 
 other time he was the dinner-guest of the Governor 
 of the State, when His Excellency entertained the 
 members of the Assembly, and once he and his wife 
 took tea with the Governor and his Lady in their 
 palatial residence. All these honors had no power 
 
 166 
 
PETER VISITS A PRISONER 167 
 
 of spoiling this unassuming servant of the Lord. 
 They rather stimulated than hindered his untiring 
 activities among his own people. 
 
 The homes of the members were faithfully visited 
 and always brightened by his presence. He had the 
 courage of his convictions, but he showed his con- 
 victions in such a kindly spirit that no one was 
 antagonized even tho of a different mind. The most 
 contagious disease had no terrors for him. He felt 
 that the sick needed him and any services he could 
 render were freely placed at their disposal. His 
 brotherly heart went out to those in distress whether 
 they were members of his flock or not. When a cer- 
 tain John Young shot down in cold blood Robert 
 Berwick, the deputy sheriff, Peter made use of the 
 first opportunity to visit the murderer as he lay in 
 the dungeon with both legs securely chained to the 
 floor. Sight of the prisoner filled his heart with 
 unbounded compassion. Excusing himself to Young 
 that he as a perfect stranger should visit him, and 
 giving as his only plea the great pity he felt for the 
 prisoner, and an earnest desire to do something that 
 might afford him comfort, the heart of the criminal 
 was touched at once, and he immediately stretched 
 forth his hand in friendly greeting, assuring the 
 good man he was only too glad he had taken the 
 trouble to look him up. But Peter had come to save 
 as well as to comfort the unfortunate young man. 
 "Sir," he said, "excuse me for asking a very per- 
 sonal question. Your time is short. How do you 
 feel at the thought that you must soon appear be- 
 fore your Maker to give an account of the deeds done 
 
168 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 in the body?" The young man replied, "I am pre- 
 paring for the awful event as fast as I can. But 
 I would be so glad if you would pray for me." And 
 Peter prayed as he had never prayed before. The 
 heart of the prisoner was deeply touched, and with 
 tears in his eyes he begged his visitor to call again 
 at an early day. Peter was only too glad to accept 
 the invitation, and in the event, there is reason to 
 believe, "a brand was plucked from the burning." 
 
 Under Peter's fostering care the congregation 
 flourished. Members and friends attended the 
 church services in large numbers. At a certain love 
 feast two hundred and sixty buns had been provided, 
 but this provision proved inadequate, and forty per- 
 sons remained unserved. On special occasions not 
 all who desired to attend the services could be ac- 
 commodated. Had the regulations governing ad- 
 mission to church membership been less strin- 
 gent the numerical growth of the congregation 
 would have been unprecedented. As it was, many 
 souls were added to the membership during Peter's 
 four years' pastorate, and when he laid down his 
 labors there were over two hundred people under the 
 care of the church. In addition to his pastoral labors 
 Peter conducted a school for the children of the con- 
 gregation in a building rented from the Dutch Re- 
 formed Church. This building was known as "the 
 school-house." For nearly four years he was alone 
 in his school labors. Toward the end of his career, 
 when failing strength made it impossible to do jus- 
 tice to the work, he associated with himself a young 
 assistant in the person of James Perine, of whom 
 
THE SHADOW OF DEATH 169 
 
 he spoke in the highest terms of praise. During the 
 year 1797 Peter was frequently incapacitated by ill- 
 ness, and once while on a brief visit at Bethlehem, 
 whither he had gone to attend the annual meeting 
 of the Society for Propagating the Gospel among 
 the Heathen, he was suddenly taken with a hemor- 
 rhage, which, however, was checked by calling to bis 
 aid timely medical assistance. After returning to 
 New York he took up his work with old-time vigor, 
 but as the weeks passed and the condition of his 
 health became more and more precarious, he asked 
 the Church authorities to send him an assistant. In 
 answer to this request the Rev. Benjamin Mortimer 
 of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, was sent to New York, 
 but when he arrived, on November 3, Christopher 
 Godfrey Peter had already laid down his earthly 
 labors to join the Church Triumphant. 
 
 On October 21 Peter asked his physician for per- 
 mission to conduct one or two services, but his condi- 
 tion was such that his request could not be granted. 
 Weak as he was he faithfully kept up the church 
 diary to the end. On October 23 he wrote, "Brother 
 Peter began a new medicine strongly recommended. 
 The doctor said, 'One cannot but give it a fair trial.' 
 Sister Wade arrived from Bethlehem to assist Sis- 
 ter Peter." On October 25 the record states that 
 "Brother Peter had an agreeable visit from the Bev. 
 Dr. Stanford, and the preceding day from the Rev. 
 Dr. McKnight." Two days later he inserted in the 
 diary the words which were destined to be his last : 
 "Brother Birkby arrived with us to officiate for 
 Brother Peter next Sunday." On that very day 
 
170 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 the faithful pastor had gone to the school-house, but 
 his strength was unequal to the task, and he had to 
 dismiss the children. When he came home he went 
 to bed, and two days later at a quarter past ten 
 o'clock in the evening the greatly beloved man of 
 God took an affectionate leave of his faithful wife 
 and two little children, Joseph and Sally Ann, then 
 peacefully fell asleep in the arms of the Saviour 
 whom he had served so faithfully and well. 
 
 The funeral services were conducted on October 
 31 at half-past four in the afternoon, the Rev. James 
 Birkby officiating. All the members of the congre- 
 gation and a large circle of friends were in at- 
 tendance. Nine clergymen of other Churches were 
 present to show their love and esteem for their de- 
 parted friend and brother. The text of the funeral 
 sermon was John 12 : 26, — "Where I am there shall 
 also my servant be." On November 5 the Rev. Dr. 
 John Stanford, the pastor of the Baptist Church, 
 conducted a memorial service in honor of the late 
 Moravian pastor. His text was, "For he was a 
 good man." — Acts 11: 24. Dr. Stanford delivered 
 a well deserved eulogy and in closing said, "I and 
 all the ministers in the city, as well as every mem- 
 ber of my church and of the Moravian congregation, 
 may well follow the example of the Rev. Mr. Peter 
 in piety and in true Christian benevolence." He 
 also added this tribute to the Church of the departed 
 brother: "I love the Moravian Church because its 
 members seem to love the Saviour with all their 
 heart." This service was likewise largely attended. 
 Under date of November 23 the following item of 
 
NOTED SOCIETY OBGASIZED 171 
 
 interest is recorded in the diary: "Dr. Stanford 
 sent us for revision some records of the life and 
 character of the late Brother Peter, which he in- 
 tends to publish in the next volume of his Pocket 
 Library." 
 
 The diary of Peter's pastorate contains many 
 matters of interest. These will be given in their 
 chronological order. On January 20, 1794, the Bev. 
 John Stanford, DJD., the Baptist minister previously 
 mentioned, presented to Peter a plan for a "Society 
 for Propagating Christian Knowledge among the 
 Poor" which he had drawn up. The object of the pro- 
 posed society was to render support to the poor in 
 general, to missionaries among the TmKana, and to 
 establish schools on the frontier. In the evening 
 Peter and Henry Tenbrook, a prominent member of 
 the congregation, attended a meeting at the home of 
 the Bev. Dr. linn, a Presbyterian minister. The 
 proposed Society for the support of the poor was 
 discussed, and a committee appointed consisting of 
 the Bev. Dr. Stanford, the Bev. Dr. Benjamin Moore, 
 the Bev. Dr. linn, the Bev. Mr. Mason, the Bev. 
 Christopher 6. Peter, and Judge Ogelvie. After 
 this committee had met several times, it was decided 
 to call a more general meeting of those interested 
 in the project. This meeting was held on April 4 
 at City Hall. On May 1 the following constitution 
 was unanimously adopted by fifteen clergymen and 
 ten laymen: 
 
 "We whose names are hereunto annexed deeply 
 sensible of the importance of promoting Christian 
 knowledge and piety among the poor and instructing 
 
172 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 children in the interior and frontier parts of the 
 State in useful learning do hereby form and con- 
 stitute ourselves into a social union, that under the 
 blessing of Almighty God, we may be instrumental 
 in the accomplishment of these benevolent purposes. 
 The object of this institution is to distribute the 
 Holy Scriptures and other religious books among 
 the poor, to assist missionaries in diffusing gospel 
 knowledge, and to give such countenance and assist- 
 ance to schools which may be established in the re- 
 mote parts of the State as circumstances will permit. 
 The accomplishments of these objects, it is hoped, 
 will have a happy tendency to lay a foundation of 
 useful knowledge, virtue and happiness among 
 those who are now destitute of the means of instruc- 
 tion, and thus to benefit the community and advance 
 the interests of the blessed Redeemer's Kingdom. 
 With these views and hoping for the divine blessing 
 on our endeavors, we adopt the following as the 
 fundamental ARTICLES OF THE SOCIETY: 
 
 I. The Name of the Society shall be 'The New 
 York Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge 
 and Piety.' 
 
 II. A President, Vice President, Treasurer and 
 Secretary shall be annually elected by ballot. The 
 President, or in his absence the Vice President, shall 
 preside at the meetings of the Society, as well as 
 of the Standing Committee. In case of the absence 
 of both, a chairman shall be chosen who shall preside 
 pro tempore. 
 
 III. Persons of all Christian denominations may 
 be elected members of this Society, and those whose 
 
CONSTITUTION OF SOCIETY 173 
 
 place of residence may render it inconvenient to 
 attend the meetings of the Society, may be consid- 
 ered as Honorary Members, they being subject to 
 the terms prescribed in the next article. The mem- 
 bers shall be elected by ballot. 
 
 IV. Each person upon becoming a member shall 
 pay a sum of not less than Two Dollars and Fifty 
 Cents every quarter towards the fund of the Society, 
 and the members may solicit and receive annual sub- 
 scriptions or occasional benefactions from the benev- 
 olent and well-disposed. 
 
 Y. The Society shall meet once every quarter, viz. 
 on the first Friday in June, September, December, 
 and March, and at such other times as the Standing 
 Committee hereafter named shall judge necessary. 
 Fifteen members shall form a Quorum and the meet- 
 ing shall be opened and closed with prayer by the 
 President. 
 
 VI. The four officers mentioned in the second 
 Article and five other members of the Society to be 
 called assistants, and who are to be elected at the 
 same time and in the same manner, shall constitute 
 a Standing Committee, which shall have the sole 
 power of proposing persons to the Society for mem- 
 bership, and shall have it in charge to execute all 
 the laws and resolves of the Society, and shall render 
 an account of all their transactions and expenditures 
 at each quarterly meeting of the Society. Five of 
 them shall be sufficient in number to proceed to busi- 
 ness. The minutes and books of the Committee shall 
 be open to the inspection of all the members of the 
 Society. 
 
174 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 VII. The intention of this Institution in regard 
 to the distribution of books is to procure and dis- 
 perse among the poor such tracts as tend to incul- 
 cate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the depravity 
 and condemnation of mankind by original and actual 
 sin ; their recovery by the meritorious life, sufferings 
 and death of the adorable Redeemer, the sanctifica- 
 tion of the soul by the operations of the Holy Ghost, 
 the blessings and efficacy of the Sacraments of the 
 Christian Church, the necessity of holiness of heart 
 and practice, the certainty of a future state of eter- 
 nal happiness or misery, and such other subjects as 
 have a tendency to deter from vice, to improve the 
 morals and to conduct to the true knowledge of the 
 glorious gospel of Christ. The books may be in Eng- 
 lish, German, Low Dutch, or French as the Society 
 may judge most expedient for promoting its benevo- 
 lent purposes. No books are to be distributed which 
 are of a controversial nature, or which breathe the 
 spirit of party. 
 
 VIII. The Standing Committee shall have the 
 sole power of proposing books to the Society for their 
 approbation and shall provide and distribute them 
 agreeably to the Directors of the Society. 
 
 IX. In each of the books which shall be distributed 
 by the Society shall be inserted: 'The Gift of the 
 New York Society for Promoting Christian Knowl- 
 edge and Piety.' 
 
 X. The foregoing Articles shall be considered un- 
 alterable unless in the following manner: A pro- 
 posal for an alteration shall be introduced in writing 
 at a quarterly meeting of the Society and shall lie 
 
OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE 175 
 
 over for consideration to the next quarterly meet- 
 ing, and if it be then approved it shall be adopted 
 and ratified." 
 
 The above copy of the constitution of The New 
 York Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge 
 and Piety is found in the diary of the congregation, 
 and is here inserted because of the part which the 
 Moravian Church in New York had both in the 
 formation and promotion of this one of the earliest 
 inter-denominational organizations for tract dis- 
 tribution in America. Peter was a member of the 
 Standing Committee of the Society. On August 5, 
 1795, this committee drafted and sent to the Di- 
 rectors of the Society for Propagating the Gospel 
 among the Heathen the following letter: "Last 
 year a Society was formed under the title of 'The 
 New York Society for Promoting Christian Knowl- 
 edge and Piety.' The object of the Society will be 
 seen by the copy of the constitution herewith trans- 
 mitted. We have made a small beginning to accom- 
 plish the design of the Society and its benevolent 
 views. We have distributed 12 dozen of Bibles and 
 1,000 copies of Dr. Watt's Divine Songs for Chil- 
 dren, and we have in the press and nearly ready for 
 delivery, 'Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion 
 in the Soul.' 
 
 "The opening of a correspondence with Societies 
 of a similar nature was thought conducive to the 
 furtherance of our purposes, and for this reason we 
 take the liberty by appointment of the Society to 
 commence a correspondence with your incorporated 
 Society for Propagating the Gospel among the 
 
176 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Heathen. You will therefore please communicate 
 this letter and our intention to your Society at the 
 next general meeting. 
 
 "We hope that such a correspondence will be at- 
 tended with the most salutary consequences. It 
 will remove prejudices. It will more closely unite 
 those of different denominations, nevertheless of one 
 mind relative to the leading and saving doctrines of 
 the Gospel; yea, establish true Christian love, fel- 
 lowship, and peace. 
 
 "From such a correspondence another advantage 
 will accrue to us. We shall be informed by you 
 concerning that great and important work of the 
 Lord, your Missions among the Heathen, in various 
 parts of the world; especially we shall receive in- 
 formation concerning your Mission among the In- 
 dians in North America. Some of us have read with 
 pleasure and edification the affecting story of the 
 same lately published in London. 
 
 "We praise and adore the Lord with you for what 
 He hath hitherto done thru your instrumentality, 
 imploring Him to increase the number of faithful 
 servants who may proclaim His Gospel at the ends 
 of the earth. May He crown your endeavors with 
 success, that many thousands of lost and undone 
 sinners may be saved, and that the glorious prophecy 
 may be speedily accomplished : 'He shall see of the 
 travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.' 
 
 "We commend ourselves and our Society to your 
 kind remembrance and prayer before the Lord, and 
 will be happy on every occasion to cooperate with 
 you in the good work in which you are engaged. In 
 
CONGREGATION INCORPORATED 177 
 
 the name of the Committee of the New York Society 
 for Promoting Christian Knowledge and Piety, we 
 are, Your affectionate brethren in Christ." 
 
 In answer to this communication the Society for 
 Propagating the Gospel sent a cordial reply. Stated 
 letters passed between the two Societies to the mu- 
 tual benefit and satisfaction of both. 
 
 On April 4, 1794, the congregation elected a Board 
 of Trustees in accordance with an Act recently 
 passed by the State Assembly. The certificate of 
 the election was delivered to the civil authorities and 
 duly recorded on April 18. Both the certificate and 
 the record are herewith given : 
 
 "We the subscribers duly nominated and elected 
 by the members of the United Brethren's Church in 
 the City of New York to hold an election for trustees 
 of the said Church and to be the returning officers of 
 the said election do hereby certify that pursuant to 
 the Act entitled, 'An Act to enable all the Religious 
 denominations in this State to appoint Trustees 
 who shall be a Body Corporate for the purpose of 
 taking care of the Temporalities of their respective 
 Congregations and for other purposes therein men- 
 tioned,' the members of the said Church assembled 
 and met at their usual place of public worship and 
 then and there duly elected by a plurality of voices 
 the following persons to serve as Trustees for the 
 said Church, to wit, John Campbell, Henry Ten- 
 brook, Abraham Wilson and Abraham Bininger. 
 And we do further certify that it was then and there 
 unanimously agreed that the said persons so elected 
 and their successors in office shall forever be styled 
 
178 MOEAVIAN CHUECH IN NEW YOEK 
 
 and named the Trustees of the Corporation of the 
 United Brethren's Church in the City of New York. 
 In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands 
 and seals the fifth day of April in the year of our 
 Lord one thousand and seven hundred and ninety- 
 four. 
 
 Dan. Bowie (L.S.) 
 
 Frederick Devoue (L.S.)" 
 
 "Be it remembered that on the seventh day of 
 April in the year of our Lord One thousand seven 
 hundred and ninety-four, before me, John Sloss 
 Hobart, one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of 
 the State of New York, came the within named 
 Daniel Bowie and Frederick Devoue and acknowl- 
 edged that they signed and sealed the within written 
 certificate for the uses therein mentioned wherefore 
 I do allow it to be recorded. 
 
 Jno. Sloss Hobart." 
 
 When this matter was reported to the Helpers' 
 Conference at Bethlehem, the Conference informed 
 the congregation that what had been done was un- 
 necessary because the title to the church-property 
 had been previously vested in the Society for Propa- 
 gating the Gospel among the Heathen at the direc- 
 tion of the authorities of the Church at Bethlehem 
 and with the consent of the congregation. The mem- 
 bers raised no objections to this view, and so mat- 
 ters rested until seven years later. (Vid. next chap- 
 ter.) 
 
 During the war between England and France the 
 sympathies of some of the members of the congrega- 
 
CHUKCH INCREASES INCOME 179 
 
 tion who were of French descent were with the lat- 
 ter. Under date of March 12, 1794, Peter made 
 this record in the diary : "We were pained to hear 
 that some of onr people had joined the French in 
 expressing their joy over the recapture of Toulon. 
 They marched hand in hand with the French in a 
 procession thru the city, and later dined with them." 
 There were others in the country who watched the 
 struggle with keen interest, and it was with difficulty 
 that the administration kept the United States out 
 of the conflict. About this time the outlook was ex- 
 ceedingly gloomy. Active preparations were made 
 for war. Governor's Island was strongly fortified, 
 troops raised, and an embargo placed on all foreign 
 navigation. Business was at a standstill, and high 
 prices prevailed. Under the circumstances the con- 
 gregation decided to increase its financial resources 
 by leasing part of the ground connected with the 
 burial-place at Fresh Water Pond. A number of 
 members availed themselves of the opportunity and 
 erected dwellings on the newly-laid out lots. Among 
 them were the Brethren Simonson and Moses Egbert. 
 The committee authorized by the Directors of the 
 Society for Propagating the Gospel to grant leases 
 consisted of the pastor, Henry Tenbrook and John 
 Campbell. The ground was leased for a term of 
 twenty-one years with the understanding that after 
 the expiration of this time the leases might be re- 
 newed, or the congregation would pay a reasonable 
 sum for the houses and other improvements on the 
 lots. Simonsen's lot was 42 feet in front and 27 feet, 
 4 inches in the rear, and Egbert's 25 feet in front 
 
180 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 and 27 feet in the rear. In case the leases should 
 not be renewed the congregation agreed to pay Si- 
 monson f25 for the first term of seven years, $60 for 
 the second, and $90 for the last seven years, and 
 Egbert $15 for the first term of seven years, $40 for 
 the second, and $60 for the third period. Before 
 building operations began the whole burial-ground 
 was surveyed, and it was found "that towards 
 Bayard's Lane our neighbor had encroached upon us 
 about six or seven feet." This plot of ground lay at 
 the corner of Mott and Pell Streets, and is now cov- 
 ered by what is known as Chinatown, where property 
 owned by the congregation was a source of revenue 
 for many years. 
 
 It seems strange to Moravians of the present day, 
 when communicant members of other denominations 
 are at all times welcome to participate in the Com- 
 munion of a Moravian congregation, to learn that 
 Dr. John Stanford, the devout Baptist minister who 
 "loved the Moravians," had to have special permis- 
 sion from the Church authorities at Bethlehem to be 
 a spectator at the celebration of the Maundy Thurs- 
 day Communion in the church of New York. Such 
 were the regulations at that time. It was no un- 
 common occurrence for clergymen of some of the 
 leading city churches to attend Moravian services 
 on special occasions. This was largely the result of 
 their deep interest in the work of the Moravian 
 Church at large and its extensive mission-work. It 
 was generally agreed among ministers of other de- 
 nominations that the Moravian Church stood first 
 and foremost in proclaiming the Gospel to the 
 
TRIBUTE TO MORAVIAN LABORS 181 
 
 heathen, consequently they were eager to learn all 
 they could of the results achieved by the Brethren 
 on the mission-field and elsewhere, Peter had fre- 
 quent calls for mission histories, congregational re- 
 ports, copies of the Church Constitution, and even 
 the Church hymn-hook. These were studied with 
 the hope of learning the secret of Moravian success. 
 The Rev. Dr. John C. Kunze, at the time professor 
 of Oriental languages in Columbia University, wrote 
 the following interesting letter to the Moravian pas- 
 tor after reading a report of a Ministers' Conference 
 held at Herrnhut: 
 
 "Respected Brother in Christ: In the presence of 
 our common Lord whom I serve with gladness of 
 heart since He graciously called me in 1763 when 
 He demanded and conquered my heart, I hereby tes- 
 tify that the writings which I now thankfully re- 
 turn, contain the same sentiments I have, and that 
 I know of no writings, besides the Holy Scriptures, 
 which afford me so much delight and edification as 
 these and others of that kind. I am convinced that 
 the truth is followed by those dear Brethren whose 
 thoughts are contained in these leaves, and which 
 the elected, chosen, and faithful servants of God, 
 thus assembled, have supported in their conferences. 
 I beg for the future to be again honored with such 
 communications. They excite my soul to the praise 
 of my glorious Saviour. Whatever is handed me 
 from the Brethren I read with an ardent desire of 
 my souL For these many years I have been con- 
 vinced that the most effective means to edify and 
 strengthen souls is by communicating spiritual ex- 
 
182 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 periences to one another, for He who opens the 
 hearts, works by them such resolutions as these: 
 'I will follow the same example, or some such con- 
 viction ; thus it is with me.' I am very much pained 
 about it that in the Church in which my Great Shep- 
 herd and Head does not let me labor without bless- 
 ing, the reading of such historical accounts of the 
 leading of other souls, is not practicable, nor to be 
 imitated. I shall not omit to testify by a letter to 
 the Ministers' Conference that I am of one mind 
 with them. May the blessing of the Lord rest upon 
 the whole institution and particularly its earnest 
 activity to acquaint those with their salvation who 
 before did not know that a Saviour was given to the 
 world. — John Christoph Kunze." The original let- 
 ter was in German and translated as here given by 
 the recipient. The diary states that "the Rev. Dr. 
 Rodgers of the Presbyterian Church perused the 
 'History of the Moravian Mission among the In- 
 dians,' and expressed his satisfaction with tears." 
 Surely a great change had been wrought since the 
 day when the Moravians in New York were stoned 
 and persecuted. 
 
 In the "Annual Register of the Baptist Churches 
 for the year 1793" appeared numerous extracts from 
 the "Periodical Accounts of Moravian Missions" 
 and also a letter written by Christian Ignatius La 
 Trobe of the Moravian Church in England in re- 
 sponse to the request of the Baptist editor. The an- 
 swers of La Trobe to two questions included in this 
 request deserve a place in this connection. The first 
 question was, "What qualifications are especially 
 
MISSIONARY QUALIFICATIONS 183 
 
 requisite in missionaries?" La Trobe wrote, "To 
 this question we Moravian Brethren should answer 
 simply thus : The love of God shed abroad in their 
 hearts by the Holy Ghost. From love and gratitude 
 to Him who hath purchased them with His own blood 
 they should be truly and wholly devoted to His 
 service, assured that in life and in death they are 
 the Lord's forever. They should be void of self-love, 
 self-seeking, self-complacency, and the whole poison- 
 ous system of self; conscious of numberless wants 
 and infirmities, but by experience acquainted with 
 the saving power of Jesus, and the sanctifying merits 
 of His precious Atonement ; filled with love to their 
 fellow-men as being bought with an inestimable 
 price, consequently, precious in the sight of the 
 Saviour, however depraved and corrupted, and how- 
 ever despicable in the sight of men; shunning no 
 danger, no trials, no persecution, when engaged in 
 the cause of the Saviour, always hoping, always 
 believing; unweariedly following the poor straying 
 sheep ; and even without prospects, relying upon the 
 gracious promise that the Word of the Lord shall not 
 return unto Him void, but shall accomplish that 
 which He pleases in due time and prosper in the 
 thing whereunto He has sent it. Those of our mis- 
 sionaries whose labors the Lord has blessed have had 
 these qualifications. A true Christian has always 
 those accomplishments that he needs; he is kind, 
 courteous, gentle, peaceable, and full of good will. 
 
 "In the second place, 'What advice should lie given 
 to the missionaries?' When the Brethren first went 
 among the heathen they were advised that they must 
 
184 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 first enter upon an explanation of the greatness, 
 justice, omnipresence, and love of God ; of the hein- 
 ousness of sin, and the like. But they soon found 
 that to know nothing among them save Jesus and 
 Him crucified was the right way. The Word of the 
 Cross proved the power of God unto salvation and 
 every other good thing followed. The minds of the 
 converts were by degrees open to all other religious 
 subjects. Therefore our advice is as to doctrine, 
 that they should preach the Crucified Jesus; that 
 they look more for real conversion of heart in the 
 few committed unto their care than for numbers; 
 that they carefully and kindly maintain discipline, 
 excluding transgressors, yet not forsaking them, but 
 endeavoring by God's grace to lead them gently 
 back into the right way; that they are continually 
 watchful to prevent hurt to the souls of men; that 
 they become acquainted with every individual and 
 baptize none but those in whom a change of heart is 
 visible. That as to external support they be satis- 
 fied with whatever Providence may appoint and fru- 
 gally manage their housekeeping. The Lord be 
 praised who has hitherto given us such persons for 
 our missions." 
 
 Under date of September 16, 1794, the diary con- 
 tains the following record : "To-day there is great 
 alarm about the yellow fever prevailing in the city, 
 having been brought here by a vessel which came 
 from the West Indies." With the coming of cooler 
 weather the fever abated, but broke out again with 
 great virulence during the following summer and 
 raged until late in October. This time the epidemic 
 
YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC 185 
 
 claimed a toll of 726 lives in the city. Many mem- 
 bers of the congregation suffered from the fever, and 
 two died as the result of it. Services for prayer and 
 humiliation were held in all the churches. As many 
 as thirty-one persons died in one day, and Peter 
 mentions that one whole family, with the exception 
 of a little baby, was wiped out by the terrible 
 scourge. "In many places in the city they burned 
 tar in the night." For a month Philadelphia stopped 
 all intercourse with the city, not however before the 
 good people of the City of Brotherly Love had sent 
 thru their Mayor, Matthew Clarkson, the handsome 
 sum of seven thousand dollars to aid the metropolis 
 in its distress. With the coming of the fall rains and 
 cooler weather the fever abated, but only to break 
 out with increasing virulence during the succeeding 
 years. Many of the city ministers became victims 
 of the disease. Altho he fearlessly visited among 
 the fever-stricken members of the congregation, Peter 
 escaped. 
 
 The city at this time suffered not only from disease, 
 but from many destructive fires. On December 3, 
 1795, the little Moravian church was in danger of 
 being destroyed. Peter writes, "In the morning 
 about 8 o'clock a fire suddenly broke out in the shop 
 of our neighbor, John GUmore. In the beginning it 
 appeared quite against us. The fence between him 
 and us was immediately in flames ; so was the school- 
 house, and the house of Sr. Reed. The church was 
 in greatest danger. Several times the building 
 caught fire. But the engine constantly playing a 
 stream of water upon it succeeded in saving it from 
 
186 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 destruction. Eleven houses were burned in about 
 two hours. The exertions of our fellow-citizens on 
 this occasion were extraordinary. Br. and Sr. Peter 
 moved everything into the front part of the house; 
 little Joseph Peter lay very sick with the measles. 
 Our fence around the burial-ground was torn down 
 as well as the little hen-house." The cost of repairing 
 the damages done to the church-property amounted 
 to nearly one thousand dollars, toward which 
 amount the Nazareth congregation contributed over 
 one hundred dollars. There were so many destruc- 
 tive fires during this period that a fire-plot was sus- 
 pected. The city authorities offered a reward of 
 $500 for the discovery of the incendiaries, and the 
 inhabitants took turns in keeping a watch at night. 
 Several other matters relating to Peter's pastorate 
 deserve mention. The little text-books for 1796 
 reached the congregation in a roundabout manner. 
 The ship Joy, in which they were sent from England, 
 when thirty hours' sail from its destination was 
 caught in a storm and driven to the island of An- 
 tigua, where it finally landed in a disabled condition. 
 On March 5, 1796, Peter received a letter from Mis- 
 sionary Ishirpe in Antigua saying that on January 
 27 a text-book and a Moravian tune-book had been 
 offered him for sale by a merchant who told him that 
 he had others on hand, if more were desired. In the 
 event it was learned that the Joy had been obliged 
 to put in at St. Johns, where it was condemned and 
 her cargo sold. The merchant in question had pur- 
 Chased the case of books directed to John Schropp 
 of Bethlehem, Pa., for eight dollars. Ishirpe paid 
 
DROUGHT CAUSES SUFFERING 187 
 
 the merchant ten dollars and shipped the books to 
 New York, where they arrived on March 5. Peter 
 states, "We received the box of books this afternoon 
 without any custom house expense, the Captain hav- 
 ing put in at New Haven, where the authorities de- 
 clared them free from duty because they were books 
 of divinity." About this time Henry Tenbrook, a 
 member of the congregation, presented the church 
 with two lots in the Bowery. In August, 1795, a 
 great many people died as the result of the intense 
 heat which prevailed in the city. One day the ther- 
 mometer registered 124 degrees in the sun. The 
 diary also contains an interesting reference to a 
 drought of seven weeks in the fall of the following 
 year. Under date of December 6 Peter writes, "We 
 had a refreshing rain. There was hardly anybody 
 in the city supplied with rain-water. Most inhabi- 
 tants had been obliged to purchase sea-water for 
 washing. Dj. the country the people hardly remem- 
 ber a drier season. They have to fetch water a dis- 
 tance of from fourteen to twenty miles." 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 IN THE DAWN OF THE NINETEENTH 
 CENTUEY 
 
 After Peter's death in October, 1797, the Rev. 
 James Birkby, assisted by Benjamin Mortimer, 
 served the congregation as well as the Staten Island 
 church until December 10, when he became for the 
 second time the regular pastor, the Rev. Frederick 
 Moehring succeeding him on Staten Island. On 
 December 12 Mrs. Peter and her children, accom- 
 panied by Brother Mortimer, left for Bethlehem, 
 where she made her future home. Birkby's pastorate 
 was destined to be short and full of trouble. In 
 August, 1798, another epidemic of yellow fever laid 
 its fatal grip upon the city, bringing business to a 
 standstill, closing the schools and most of the 
 churches, and leaving more than a thousand deaths 
 in its wake. At the appearance of the terrible 
 scourge a large proportion of the inhabitants, in- 
 cluding all but nine members of the congregation, 
 fled to the country. Polly, the daughter of Isaac 
 Van Vleck, died of the disease. Washington Square, 
 which had been purchased by the City in 1796 as a 
 burial-place for the poor, became a potter's field in- 
 deed. However, not only strangers and poor people 
 by the hundreds, but many persons of distinction 
 were buried within its limits. By the end of October 
 the plague had spent itself and those who had taken 
 refuge in the country began to return to the city, 
 
 188 
 
DEATH OF PASTOR'S WIFE 189 
 
 among the number being "the merchants whose fall 
 goods had arrived from Europe, and demanded at- 
 tention." On the whole, the congregation was 
 graciously preserved from the disease, and on Novem- 
 ber 14 Birkby conducted a solemn service of thanks- 
 giving and praise for the preservation of his flock. 
 
 During the following summer and fall there was 
 a recurrence of the disease, and as a result another 
 extensive exodus from the city took place. For- 
 tunately the attack this time was milder in charac- 
 ter, and the deaths fewer than in the preceding year. 
 Feeling that he could not endure the strain of 
 another siege as severe as the former one had been, 
 Birkby registered an earnest prayer that the disease 
 might not be permitted to repeat its dreadful rav- 
 ages, concluding in his heart that, if the worst came, 
 he, too, would have to leave the city. His fears were 
 not realized, and on Sunday morning, October 6, 
 he entered his pulpit with a heart full of faith and 
 gratitude, and preached an earnest sermon from 
 the text, "The memory of the just is blessed." — 
 Proverbs 10 : 7. He had no thought that even then 
 death was casting its somber shadow over his own 
 home. Next morning at eight o'clock his wife had 
 a stroke of apoplexy which rendered her speechless, 
 and in the afternoon between four and five o'clock 
 she quietly passed away. The earnest hope of the 
 husband that her speech might return, if only for 
 one word of farewell, was not realized, but he com- 
 forted himself with the thought, "The Lord gave, 
 and the Lord hath taken away," and humbly sub- 
 mitted himself to the divine will. 
 
190 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 A messenger was immediately sent to the pastor 
 of the Staten Island congregation, asking him to 
 officiate at the funeral on the following day. Moeh- 
 ring hastened to the city as soon as possible, but 
 arrived a short time after the hour set for the serv- 
 ice. Fearing that his colleague might have been 
 prevented from coming at all, Birkby asked Dr. 
 Eunze, who was present, to take charge of the serv- 
 ice. However, before the liturgy was concluded 
 Moehring appeared, and preached a comforting ser- 
 mon from the text, "There remaineth a rest for the 
 people of God." Bishop Provost of the Episcopal 
 Church was present at the service. The deceased 
 was fifty-six years of age when she was called away. 
 Being unable to find any one to take his place, the 
 bereaved pastor had to conduct the services himself 
 on the following Sunday. But he found it impossible 
 to continue single-handed the labors in which his 
 faithful helpmeet had so loyally supported him, 
 therefore he announced to the congregation on 
 November 10 that he would retire, at least tem- 
 porarily, and that the Rev. John Meder of Phila- 
 delphia would succeed him in the work. On Decem- 
 ber 18 Meder and his wife arrived in New York, 
 and on the following Sunday morning Birkby 
 preached his farewell sermon from II Thessalonians 
 3 : 5 in the presence of a large and sympathetic con- 
 gregation. Next morning, accompanied by his niece, 
 Miss Hannah Fearnley, and Henry Tenbrook, he 
 left for Bethlehem, where on April 10, 1803, he 
 closed his earthly labors. 
 
 Meder's pastorate was likewise short. On Decern- 
 
A NOTABLE CELEBRATION 191 
 
 ber 22, 1799, he preached his introductory sermon, 
 and on February 7, 1802, he announced to the con- 
 gregation that he had accepted a call to become the 
 pastor of the church at Lititz, Pennsylvania. Two 
 important events, however, transpired during his 
 brief stay in New York. One was the fiftieth anni- 
 versary of the laying of the corner-stone of the 
 church, and the other was the receipt of certain 
 monies from the State for school purposes. The 
 former took place on June 16, 1801. The church had 
 been previously repaired and painted and the walls 
 of the auditorium white-washed for the occasion. 
 The festival speaker was the Rev. Charles Gotthold 
 Reichel of Nazareth, Pa., a member of the General 
 Helpers' Conference. All the services of the day 
 were largely attended by members and friends. The 
 Staten Island congregation joined in the celebration. 
 At the afternoon love feast a letter of felicitation 
 from the Rev. Jacob Van Vleck, a child of the con- 
 gregation, was read. The historical address de- 
 livered by the pastor showed that during the half 
 century four hundred and sixty-two adults and chil- 
 dren had been baptized, two hundred and sixteen 
 persons received into the congregation, and one hun- 
 dred and forty-seven admitted to the Holy Com- 
 munion. Forty-two marriages had taken place, and 
 since 1754 two hundred and eighty-two bodies had 
 been interred in the grave-yards of the congregation. 
 (These statistics do not include the period of Mo- 
 ravian labors in the city prior to the laying of the 
 corner-stone.) Three persons who had been present 
 at the laying of the corner-stone were privileged to 
 
192 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 attend the jubilee services. They were Jane Reed, 
 Ann Bowie, and Vrontje Van VLeck. Hilah Wilson, 
 another witness of the corner-stone laying, had like- 
 wise looked forward to the anniversary, but died 
 unexpectedly only three days before the cele- 
 bration. 
 
 On April 8, 1801, the State Legislature passed the 
 following Act : "Be it enacted by the people of the 
 State of New York represented in Senate and As- 
 sembly, that the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonality 
 of the City of New York, in Common Council con- 
 vened, be and are hereby directed, on or before the 
 first of August next, to pay to the vestry of the Epis- 
 copal Church, the vestry of Christ Church, the trus- 
 tees of the First Presbyterian Church, the ministers, 
 elders and deacons of the Dutch Reformed Church, 
 the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the 
 trustees of the Scotch Presbyterian Church, belong- 
 ing to the Associate Reformed Synod, and to the 
 trustees of the African School, and to the trustees 
 of the United German Lutheran Church, the trustees 
 of the German Reformed Churches, the trustees of 
 the First Baptist Church in the City of New York, 
 and to the trustees of the United Brethren or Mora- 
 vian Church, each one eleventh part of all the money 
 which remains in their hands, which they have re- 
 ceived by virtue of the Act entitled 'An Act for the 
 Encouragement of Schools,' passed the 9th day of 
 April, 1795, and the Act entitled 'An Act to raise a 
 Sum of Money for the use of this State by tax and for 
 the further support of Government,' passed the 3rd 
 day of April, 1799. 
 
CHURCHES GET STATE MONEY 193 
 
 . "And be it further enacted, that it shall be the 
 duty of the vestry, trustees and minister, elders and 
 deacons of the aforesaid, to put at interest on real 
 security, the whole amount of the respective shares 
 which shall by them respectively be received and the 
 said vestry, trustees and minister, elders and dea- 
 cons, shall annually expend in the instruction of 
 poor children in the most useful branches of common 
 education, the whole of the annual interest which 
 shall accrue on their respective shares; and shall 
 on the second Tuesday of July in every year make 
 return to the Common Council aforesaid, stating in 
 writing the amount and manner in which they have 
 disposed thereof, and how they have applied the 
 income thereof, and such of the said vestry, trustees 
 and minister, elders and deacons, who shall not ap- 
 ply such income as herein before directed, or who 
 shall fail in complying with the other injunctions of 
 this Act, shall forfeit to the said Common Council 
 such share or shares as by them shall have been so 
 received, and on refusal to return the same, it shall 
 be the duty of the said Common Council to sue for 
 and recover such share or shares as shall so become 
 forfeited, in any Court having cognizance thereof, 
 and the said Common Council are hereby directed 
 to divide the amount so recovered among the other 
 Free Schools in the said City, in equal proportions. 
 "And be it enacted, that the fifth section of the 
 Act entitled 'An Act for the Encouragement of 
 Schools,' passed the 9th day of April, 1795, and the 
 Act entitled 'An Act further to amend the Act en- 
 titled An Act for the Encouragement of Schools 
 
194 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 passed the 10th day of March, 1797, be and the same 
 are hereby repealed." 
 
 A Church entrusted with money from the State 
 could carry out the purpose of this Act either by 
 establishing its own free school for poor children, 
 or by uniting with another Church in an enterprise 
 of this sort, or by placing poor children under its 
 care in some school conveniently located near their 
 home, and paying for their instruction. The Mo- 
 ravian congregation adopted the plan mentioned 
 last, the poor children for which it was responsible 
 being too widely scattered to be gathered in a school 
 of their own. Furthermore, the money allotted by 
 the State was insufficient to cover the cost of a 
 school of this kind, and the congregation had no 
 available funds to make up the difference. It will 
 be remembered that after the congregation was in- 
 corporated in 1794 the Bethlehem church authorities 
 declared it unnecessary because the title to the New 
 York church-property was vested in the Society for 
 Propagating the Gospel among the Heathen. Ac- 
 cepting this decision, the congregation apparently 
 made no effort to exercise the rights and privileges 
 of a corporate body. It was compelled to do so, how- 
 ever, when this matter of receiving school money 
 from the State presented itself. Therefore Church 
 Council, on August 5, 1801, duly elected, in accord- 
 ance with the laws of the State, Henry Tenbrook, 
 Frederick Devoue, Abraham Bininger, Philip Sykes, 
 Leopold Beck, and Bernhard Symerson Trustees of 
 the church. Henry Tenbrook was elected Treasurer 
 of the congregation. At this time also a seal for the 
 
SEAL OF CHURCH CORPORATION 195 
 
 corporation was chosen. It contains two hands 
 joined, signifying union or united, a dove, and the 
 words, "United Brethren's Church in New York." 
 The following certificate was prepared by the trus- 
 tees : "At a meeting of the Trustees of the United 
 Brethren's Church in New York, otherwise known 
 by the name Moravian Church, the 21st day of Au- 
 gust, 1801, it was ordered that Henry Tenbrook, 
 the treasurer of this corporation, be and hereby is 
 authorized to receive from the treasurer of the City 
 of New York the sum of $ 1,565.77, being the propor- 
 tion of money directed to be paid pursuant to an 
 Act of the Legislature of this State entitled 'An Act 
 directing Certain Monies to be applied to the use 
 of free schools in the City of New York,' passed the 
 8th day of April, 1801." Provided with this au- 
 thority Henry Tenbrook called at the office of the 
 City Treasurer on August 24 and received the money 
 allotted to the congregation. This money was prop- 
 erly invested and the interest applied toward the 
 education of deserving poor children in the congre- 
 gation. The interest was more than sufficient to 
 supply the need because the State Legislature in 
 appropriating more money to the Churches in July, 
 1814, omitted the grant to the Moravian Church on 
 the ground that "the congregation maintained no 
 particular school and spent no more annually than 
 the yearly interest accruing from the grant already 
 made." The deeds to the church-property were in 
 the hands of the Directors of the Society for Propa- 
 gating the Gospel among the Heathen until October 
 1, 1816, when, at the request of the Trustees, they 
 
196 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 were turned over to the congregation by the Rev. 
 Charles G< Reichel. 
 
 Altho Meder announced the acceptance of his call 
 to the Lititz pastorate in February, he remained in 
 charge of the New York congregation until Septem- 
 ber 26, 1802, when he preached his farewell sermon. 
 The Rev. John Holmes of Yorkshire, England, had 
 been announced as his successor, but for some reason 
 the original plan was not carried out, and the Rev. 
 James Bardill, formerly a missionary on the island 
 of Antigua, succeeded him. The new pastor preached 
 his introductory sermon on the same day that Meder 
 delivered his farewell discourse. His text was Luke 
 16: 17, "Come, for all things are now ready." In 
 the latter part of November the following single 
 brethren from Germany passed thru the city on 
 their way to Bethlehem: Charles Gotthold Blech, 
 John G. Fuchs, Frederick Easke, Hans Peterson, 
 and Martin Hanson. In spring of the following year 
 the Rev. Frederick Moehring received the call to the 
 pastorate of the Schoeneck congregation, near 
 Nazareth, Pa. He was succeeded on Staten Island 
 by the Rev. Nathaniel Brown. 
 
 In July, 1803, the city authorities ordered the con- 
 gregation to level off the hill on which the Fresh 
 Water burial-ground lay. To meet the expense in- 
 volved by this operation the trustees decided to lay 
 out four more building-lots fronting on Mott Street. 
 Under the direction of Bernhard Symerson the bodies 
 that had been interred in that part of the burial- 
 ground were carefully removed and "buried near the 
 gate to the ground." In the same month yellow fever 
 
YELLOW PEVEE EPIDEMIC 197 
 
 again broke out, and a great many people, including 
 a number of Moravian families, went to the country. 
 The first case was announced July 20. All the Dutch 
 Eef ormed ministers left the city during the epidemic. 
 For a time the Moravian Church was the only one 
 open for public worship, altho the services were at- 
 tended by more strangers than members. On Sun- 
 day, September 4, Mr. Conrad, the school-master and 
 organist of the German Reformed Church, presided 
 at the organ. There was little work to be had in the 
 city, and not much to eat, therefore the distress 
 among the poor was indescribable. On October 25 
 Bardill officiated at a burial in St. Paul's church- 
 yard because no Episcopal clergyman was in the 
 city at the time. "Prom July 29 to October 26 there 
 were 596 deaths from yellow fever, of which 365 
 were males and 231 females." The entire toll ex- 
 acted by the epidemic was more than eight hundred. 
 On October 27 a stable in Dutch Street, which was 
 only twenty feet from the Moravian property, burned 
 to the ground. Fortunately there was no wind and 
 the heroic labors of the fire-company kept the flames 
 from spreading. On December 21 the churches of 
 the city observed a day of prayer and thanksgiving. 
 At the close of the year 1803 the total membership 
 of the congregation numbered one hundred and sev- 
 enty souls. 
 
 The diary for 1804 records a number of matters of 
 general interest. Among these was the incorpora- 
 tion of the Society for Propagating the Gospel among 
 the Heathen in accordance with the laws of the State 
 of New York, the Rev. Jacob Van Vleck and the Rev. 
 
198 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Andrew Benade bringing it about at Albany in the 
 month of February. On May 7, at one o'clock in the 
 morning, the Bardill family, together with many 
 others in the city, were disturbed in their sleep by 
 a severe earthquake shock. At three o'clock they 
 were awakened again, this time by the fire-alarm. 
 "The State prison about two miles out of town had 
 been set on fire by the prisoners after they had con- 
 fined the prison-keepers. The bells were rung for sev- 
 eral hours. The fire consumed a considerable part 
 of the building, and a number of prisoners made their 
 escape. The militia was called to the scene." On 
 May 12 there was great rejoicing in the city over the 
 Louisiana Purchase. The firing of cannon, ringing 
 of bells, parades headed by bands of musicians, and 
 speech-making marked the celebration. A less cheer- 
 ful event is recorded on July 12 and 14. The record 
 states, "At two O'clock in the afternoon General 
 Alexander Hamilton died of a wound received yes- 
 terday in a duel with Colonel Aaron Burr (at Wee- 
 hawken, N. J.) on which account the church-bells 
 kept tolling the greater part of to-day, and also 
 on the 14th from six o'clock in the morning until 
 almost three o'clock in the afternoon. On the latter 
 day, at ten o'clock in the morning, commenced the 
 funeral procession* of the late General Hamilton, 
 attended by uncommon military honors, and by all 
 societies and classes of citizens, with great solemnity, 
 and lasted until three o'clock in the afternoon. 
 Brother Bardill having been invited, as were all 
 
 ■iiWiiiii ■■— i n iw»- 
 
 •Hamilton's home was on Washington Heights, and Mb body was laid 
 to rest in the Trinity grare yard. 
 
NOTABLE EVENTS 199 
 
 the clergy of the different denominations, attended 
 the same in company with about thirty clergymen." 
 On August 1 Bardill records that twenty-four Osage 
 Indian Chiefs visited the city, and "in honor of the 
 event the volunteer companies and artillery dis- 
 played military tactics." 
 
 On November 7, 1805, Bardill was succeeded by 
 the Eev. John Molther, who served the congregation 
 as pastor until the latter part of December, 1812. 
 Under date of June 2, 1807, the diary contains the 
 information that "the little church-steeple which had 
 become leaky and otherwise out of repair was taken 
 down, and the roof of the church provided with a 
 sufficient number of scuttles for the purpose of ad- 
 mitting light and air." An event of greater impor- 
 tance took place in fall of the same year. On October 
 2 the Moravian College and Theological Seminary, 
 now located in Bethlehem, was founded at Nazareth, 
 Pa. Altho Molther undoubtedly did his best, a se- 
 ries of misunderstandings for which both parties 
 concerned were equally to blame, made his pastorate 
 one that was not altogether happy. One day he had 
 an unenviable experience that was clearly beyond his 
 control, but for which some of the members never 
 wholly forgave him. Crossing North River in a 
 sail-boat, he went to Weehawken to make a call on 
 some friends. Altho he started on the homeward 
 way in good time, contrary winds drove his boat 
 far from its course when in the middle of the river. 
 As a result of this trick of the wind he was unable 
 to reach the parsonage before nine o'clock in the 
 evening. On any ordinary evening this would have 
 
200 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 been a matter of small importance. But this was not 
 an ordinary evening. At seven o'clock the communi- 
 cants of the congregation solemnly gathered in 
 church for the service preparatory to the Holy Com- 
 munion, which was to be celebrated on the following 
 Sunday. They waited over an hour for the minister 
 to make his appearance, and then went home. As 
 a result the Communion service was postponed a 
 month. 
 
 During the early part of 1812 the trustees made 
 strong efforts to have the Directors of the Society 
 for Propagating the Gospel among the Heathen turn 
 over to them the deeds of the congregation. The 
 Bethlehem authorities saw fit to decline the request. 
 Molther was the correspondent of the Trustees and 
 in the event differences arose between him and the 
 members of the General Helpers' Conference. As a 
 result, the congregation was notified in April that 
 the Rev. Benjamin Mortimer, Missionary among the 
 Indians at Goshen, Ohio, had been appointed pastor, 
 and would assume his duties as soon as a successor 
 could take charge of the Indian labors. It was fur- 
 ther announced that Nathaniel Brown of Staten 
 Island would serve both congregations until the ar- 
 rival of Mortimer. The trustees wrote to Bethlehem 
 expressing their willingness to welcome the newly 
 appointed pastor when he arrived, but they would 
 not consent to have Molther, for whom they had the 
 highest regard, leave before his successor came on 
 the field. The authorities raised no objection to this 
 plan, and Molther remained in charge of the con- 
 gregation until the latter part of December, when 
 
MOLTHER LEAVES THE CHURCH 201 
 
 Mortimer with his wife, Bithia Warner-Mortimer, 
 and three children, arrived in the city. The trustees 
 paid Molther's salary to the close of the year. 
 Molther and his family left the Moravian Church. 
 He later took charge of a Lutheran congregation 
 near Troy, New York. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 THE CONGREGATION OUTGROWS ITS 
 QUARTERS 
 
 Mortimer delivered his first public discourse as 
 pastor of the congregation in connection with the 
 Christmas Eve celebration, thereby beginning a pas- 
 torate extending over a period of more than sixteen 
 years ; therefore very much longer than that of any 
 of his predecessors. Under his able leadership the 
 congregation increased in numbers and in influence. 
 Altho the people especially committed to his charge 
 received his first attention, Mortimer's influence ex- 
 tended far beyond the narrow confines of his parish. 
 His field was the world. Like Zinzendorf his one 
 passion was Christ. This passion led him in his 
 younger days to labor for the conversion of the In- 
 dians, and after he became pastor of the congrega- 
 tion his zeal for the evangelization of the world was 
 not less great. His enthusiasm for Christian mis- 
 sions at home and abroad was caught in a greater 
 or lesser degree by the congregation as well as by 
 friends whose interest he enlisted. During his pas- 
 torate the congregation contributed #8,657.13 for 
 missions and other benevolences. Since the year 
 1771 half-yearly missionary meetings had helped to 
 foster the missionary spirit among the members. 
 Under the inspiring leadership of Mortimer these 
 semi-annual gatherings greatly increased in useful- 
 
 202 
 
INTEREST IN MISSIONS 203 
 
 ness. Friends of the Moravians attended them in 
 large numbers. These meetings were announced in 
 the city newspapers, the first notice appearing in 
 May, 1819. The diarist expresses the opinion that 
 this was the first time a Moravian missionary service 
 and offering were brought to the attention of the 
 public either in America or Europe by means of a 
 newspaper notice. Be that as it may, it paid to ad- 
 vertise, as it always does. When the Missionary 
 Intelligencer, the first official periodical published 
 by the Moravian Church in America, made its ap- 
 pearance in January, 1822, the congregation gave it 
 a warm welcome, and in less than two years it had 
 five hundred and thirty subscribers in New York 
 City. The Rev. William Henry Van Vleck was the 
 first editor of this periodical. 
 
 Some time before Mortimer took charge of the 
 congregation the trustees sought to insure a more 
 punctual attendance at the monthly board meetings 
 by passing a resolution requiring a dilatory member 
 to pay a certain fine. A record of these fines pre- 
 served in the archives shows that the treasury was 
 enriched by no inconsiderable sum. It is quite likely 
 that this unique regulation gave rise to misunder- 
 standing, at all events it was discontinued on Febru- 
 ary 2, 1813, by action of the board. Under date of 
 May 25, 1814, the diary contains the following in- 
 teresting record: "In the afternoon Brother Mor- 
 timer visited by request the New York Free School 
 No. 1 to open the usual weekly catechisation of the 
 scholars, about six hundred in number, by a public 
 prayer. In this excellent institution about twenty 
 
204 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 different ladies of the Christian denominations serve 
 gratis every Tuesday afternoon. They instruct the 
 children in the catechism of the Churches to which 
 they belong, previous to which some clergyman to 
 whom they have applied for the purpose, leads in 
 prayer. This plan of instruction was introduced by 
 the pious widow of the late well-known General Al- 
 exander Hamilton, who also herself assists thereat. 
 The school is conducted according to the Lancaster 
 system by a Mrs. Smith from England." In 1814 
 the church-property was insured in the Washington 
 Mutual Assurance Company for $8,000. This was 
 the first time that the church and parsonage were 
 covered by fire insurance. In May, 1815, a new or- 
 gan purchased from John Geib, the organ-builder 
 of New York, for nine hundred dollars, was installed 
 in the church. The money was raised by subscrip- 
 tion. Those who contributed to the organ fund were 
 Abraham Bininger, John Dash, Daniel Bowie, Henry 
 Tenbrook, William Cargill, Michael Miller, Robert 
 McMenomy, David Jacot, David Cargill, Isaac Van 
 Vleck, Henry Peters, and Josiah Sturges. The old 
 organ was sold to the Staten Island congregation 
 for one hundred dollars. In the latter part of the 
 same year Pulton Street was widened by the city 
 authorities, and the congregation assessed $171.50 
 as its share of the expense. 
 
 On August 31, 1815, a fire consumed all the build- 
 ings on the six lots of the congregation in Mott 
 Street. In August of the following year it was de- 
 cided that "the tombstones in our burial-ground are 
 in the future not to exceed eighteen inches in height." 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL ORGANIZED 205 
 
 According to regulations previously adopted a grave- 
 stone was not to exceed five feet in length and two 
 feet in width, while graves had to be seven feet six 
 inches in depth. Later the depth was increased by 
 six inches. It is a rule of the Moravian Church to 
 this day to maintain simplicity and uniformity of 
 the gravestones and of the inscriptions as far as 
 possible. The object of this is to show that all be- 
 lievers are on an equality before the Lord. In 
 October, 1816, the burial-place in Mott Street was 
 closed, and the ground laid out in lots, which were 
 leated. The bodies were removed to the plot in 
 Orchard Street which was then used for burial pur- 
 poses. The first Sunday School of the congregation 
 was organized on April 14, 1816. This school was 
 for girls, and the teachers were young women. The 
 superintendent was Miss Elizabeth Harrison. The 
 girls' Sunday School had its first session on April 21. 
 A Boys' Sunday School was next organized. This 
 school was conducted by young men, and had its 
 first session on May 19. The first Superintendent 
 was Henry Tenbrook. The total enrollment of Sun- 
 day School scholars was forty. In October of the 
 same year the women of the congregation organized 
 a society for the purpose of supplying needy chil- 
 dren, belonging to the Sunday Schools, with cloth- 
 ing. 
 
 Declining health compelled Henry Tenbrook to 
 hand in his resignation as the treasurer of the con- 
 gregation. He had filled this important office with 
 great fidelity for twenty-eight years. John B. Dash 
 became his successor, entering upon his duties on 
 
206 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 January 1, 1817. He served in this capacity until 
 the day of his death four years later, when his son 
 Daniel was elected to take his place. In the summer 
 of 1819 the church was closed for a month on ac- 
 count of another epidemic of yellow fever. To es- 
 cape the disease many of the members went to the 
 country, and the pastor and his family lived in the 
 congregation-house of the Staten Island Church. 
 Three years later there was a more violent recurrence 
 of the disease. This time Charles Mortimer, a son 
 of the pastor, was stricken with it. Altho brought 
 to the point of death, he fortunately recovered. The 
 diary states, "According to a laudable custom 
 Brother Mortimer sent written requests to various 
 ministers in the city, asking their congregations to 
 unite with his son in returning thanks to Almighty 
 God for his recovery from the yellow fever." Upon 
 the advice of the physician the Mortimer family went 
 to Staten Island to get away from the pestilence, as 
 it was constantly spreading. The churches, includ- 
 ing the Moravian, were closed for twelve weeks. 
 Some of the members were stricken with fever, but 
 all recovered. In 1823 Miss Charlotte Mortimer, 
 the oldest daughter of the pastor, opened a private 
 school in the parsonage by permission of the board 
 of trustees. This school turned out to be very suc- 
 cessful, but unfortunately it had to be given up 
 after five years, because the teacher broke down in 
 health. Many of the pupils had been won for the 
 Christian life. 
 
 Under date of January 5, 1821, the diary contains 
 the following record of more than ordinary interest : 
 
BURIAL OP AN ESKIMO CHILD 207 
 
 "Brother Mortimer made the unexpected discovery 
 of an Eskimo family of three persons who are 
 at present exhibited here as a show for money. The 
 man left some years ago the Moravian Mission Sta- 
 tion at Hopedale, Labrador, where he had lived 
 about six years. He had been taught by the mis- 
 sionaries to read and write in his own language, 
 but could not read English. He was well acquainted 
 with all the Moravian settlements in Labrador, and 
 mentioned by name his teachers and the baptized 
 Eskimos with whom he was formerly associated." 
 The Eskimo child was sickly and died. It was buried 
 in the Lutheran grave-yard on February 19, the Rev. 
 Dr. Schaefer, assisted by the Moravian minister, 
 officiating. A committee, of which Mortimer was a 
 member, was appointed by the Mayor to make ar- 
 rangements to have the Eskimos sent back to Labra- 
 dor, but the well-meant effort had to be abandoned 
 because the man and woman had contracted evil 
 habits, and absolutely refused to be deported. 
 
 It is a pleasing fact that the New York congrega- 
 tion has always been ready to render assistance to 
 other churches soliciting funds for building-enter- 
 prizes, or to congregations in distress at home or 
 abroad. At the same time, it is a matter of record 
 that the congregation has at no time asked the as- 
 sistance of other churches in any building enterprize 
 of its own. When in August, 1823, two-thirds of 
 the Moravian settlement at Sarepta, located a thou- 
 sand miles southeast of St. Petersburg, now known 
 as Petrograd, was destroyed by fire, and more than 
 three hundred people were rendered homeless, the 
 
208 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 congregation in New York, under Mortimer's lead- 
 ership, was instrumental in raising more than one 
 thousand dollars for the sufferers in distant Russia. 
 This spirit of helpfulness is characteristic of the 
 congregation to-day. 
 
 November 4, 1825, was observed as a holiday in 
 New York City and thruout the State. The occasion 
 was the completion of the Erie Canal, connecting 
 the Hudson River with Lake Erie at Buffalo. The 
 canal is three hundred and sixty-three miles in 
 length. It was begun in 1817 and completed eight 
 years later at a cost of $7,602,000. The first boat 
 from Buffalo arrived in New York City on Novem- 
 ber 4. "Brother Mortimer accepted the invitation 
 given by the City authorities to all the clergy of the 
 city to accompany them on the steamboat Washing- 
 ton to Sandy Hook. Governor Clinton and many of 
 the most distinguished men in the State were on the 
 boat. The display of decorated steamboats and 
 other vessels at this celebration was grand beyond 
 description." 
 
 In the fall of 1826 the old wood-burner in the 
 church was replaced by a stove for burning Schuyl- 
 kill coal. But more was needed than a new stove 
 to meet the demands of the growing congregation. 
 The pastor and people had seen for some time that 
 a new church was necessary, and finally on February 
 28, 1828, the trustees decided to erect a new church 
 and parsonage whenever a sufficient sum of money 
 should be subscribed for the purpose. One Sunday 
 morning in December of the same year Mortimer 
 made the following announcement to the congrega- 
 
NEW CHURCH AND PARSONAGE 209 
 
 tion : "I have been requested by the trustees of the 
 church to inform the congregation that by a resolu- 
 tion passed by them on the fifth of December they 
 have in contemplation the erection of a new house 
 for the residence of the minister on the vacant lot 
 in Dutch Street. As soon as this building is ready 
 for occupancy, they will proceed to build a church in 
 place of the old one. They trust that the members 
 will heartily unite with them in the undertaking, 
 and respectfully solicit the aid of all those who are 
 interested in the welfare of the Moravian Church. 
 The committee appointed to call on the members for 
 subscriptions consists of Michael Miller, Daniel B. 
 Dash, and Michael Van Beuren." 
 
 The response to the appeal for subscriptions was 
 so hearty that before the close of the year the con- 
 tract for the parsonage was given to Banvard and 
 Hollinsead for $3,100, and by the first part of the 
 following July the house was ready for occupancy. 
 But Mortimer and his family did not move into it. 
 A letter, dated April 25, 1829, from the General 
 Helpers' Conference announced to the trustees and 
 congregation that the Rev. William Henry Van 
 Vleck, pastor of the Nazareth congregation, had 
 been appointed to the pastorate of the New York 
 church. This announcement came as a complete 
 surprise to the congregation. In those days pastoral 
 changes were brought about by the central authority 
 at Bethlehem without consultation with either the 
 minister or congregation concerned, a method no 
 longer pursued save in the appointment of a pastor 
 to a home mission church. The appointment of 
 
210 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Mortimer's successor came so unexpectedly that the 
 trustees were constrained to spread on their minutes 
 the following record : "The trustees cannot refrain 
 from noting in these minutes that nothing was ever 
 urged on their part, or even proposed, to bring about 
 a pastoral change. It was altogether a circumstance 
 emanating from the Head of the Church, and di- 
 rected by Him who orders all things in wisdom. 
 Brother Mortimer retires from his long and useful 
 service in our little congregation with the unanimous 
 good-will and best wishes of all his pastoral flock." 
 On June 28 Mortimer preached his last sermon as 
 pastor of the congregation, and two days later he 
 and his family removed from the old parsonage, 
 104 Fulton Street, to the house at 53 Charlton Street, 
 "being unable to accept the friendly offer of the 
 General Helpers' Conference to go to Nazareth, Pa." 
 The total membership of the congregation was at 
 this time 215, of which 47 were communicants, 81 
 non-communicants and society members, and 87 
 children. When the Rev. Dr. Schaefer of St. James' 
 Lutheran Church passed away Mortimer filled the 
 pulpit of that church for a time. 
 
 Reference has been made to the newspaper no- 
 tices announcing the semi-annual missionary meet- 
 ings and offerings. The notice for the meeting on 
 April 27, 1828, evidently attracted the attention of 
 people who were more interested in the offering than 
 in the service. At two o'clock in the morning after 
 the meeting, there was a loud rap at the parsonage 
 door. Opening his chamber window Mortimer saw 
 in the moonlight four men who were standing on 
 
MISSIONARY OFFERING IN DANGER 211 
 
 the porch-steps. One of them told the pastor that 
 Daniel Jacot, one of the trustees of the congregation, 
 was at the point of death in his home on Greenwich 
 Street, and that the pastor's presence was desired 
 at once. The men offered to wait for Mortimer and 
 go with him to the Jacot house, but this offer was 
 graciously declined, the good pastor not wishing to 
 put anybody to trouble on his account. When he 
 reached the home of the man supposed to be lying 
 at death's door, he found the whole family sleeping 
 peacefully, and Jacot not sick at all. Mortimer was 
 not the victim of a mere hoax. It was the consensus 
 of opinion of those who heard of the occurrence that 
 the men were robbers who had come to the parson- 
 age for the generous mission offering taken in church 
 the evening before, thinking that when the pastor 
 came out of the house they would overpower him, 
 and then take possession of the money in question. 
 Fortunately the rapping at the parsonage door also 
 awakened some of the nearby neighbors, who, hear- 
 ing the noise, opened their windows to see what it 
 was all about. This neighborly curiosity in the dead 
 of night undoubtedly frightened the robbers away. 
 Under date of November 27, 1828, the diary states 
 that "in the evening Brother and Sister Mortimer 
 were taken to the house of our friend, Robert Mc- 
 Menomy, in Dominick Street, where Brother Mor- 
 timer and the Very Reverend Doctor Power of the 
 Roman Catholic Church, each separately, according 
 to the wishes of the bridegroom and the bride and 
 their respective relations, married the single man 
 John Cronly, a Roman Catholic, to the single woman 
 
212 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Eliza Loskiel Benade McMenomy. Each minister 
 was to perform the marriage ceremony strictly ac- 
 cording to the usages of his own Church, which they 
 did, and as it happened without seeing each other." 
 On January 1, 1829, Mortimer writes : "This morn- 
 ing we had the usual New Year's Day service. This 
 was followed by the election of trustees. There was 
 no other service to-day, the time being devoted as 
 usual to the visiting of friends to wish one another 
 a happy new year. Altho the weather was rainy, 
 all the principal streets of the city were for some 
 time crowded with persons who were on this errand. 
 It is believed by many that this ancient custom of 
 paying visits on New Year's Day is in no large city 
 in this country so generally observed as here. Some 
 after attending divine services in the morning spend 
 the entire remainder of the day in making New 
 Year's visits, as they are called, whereby some im- 
 portance is attached to the visits being made on just 
 that day in preference to any other. Females usually 
 remain at home in order that they may receive their 
 friends. The same is true of men in public stations. 
 Ministers of the gospel have many callers on this 
 day from members of the congregation, and other 
 friends. On their part it is expected that they, if 
 possible, return all these visits before the end of 
 January. In our congregation it was formerly the 
 custom to have a love feast on this day, but for 
 many years past this has been, by the general desire 
 of our brethren and sisters, discontinued, as it was 
 found to be attended with various inconveniences." 
 Mortimer regularly paid the Mayor of the city a call 
 
CALLING ON NEW YEAR'S DAY 213 
 
 on New Year's Day to extend to His Honor the com- 
 pliments of the season. On January 11, 1814, he 
 called on another distinguished person. The diary 
 states, "Brother Mortimer waited upon Commodore 
 Perry of the United States Navy to return thanks 
 for his kindness to our missionaries at Fairfield, in 
 Upper Canada, recently, and had an' agreeable and 
 satisfactory conversation with him. This distin- 
 guished officer has a particular regard for the Mo- 
 ravians." 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 THE CONSECRATION OF THE NEW CHURCH 
 
 "William Henry Van Vleck and his wife Anna 
 Eliza Kampmann Van Vleck, together with their 
 little son Henry Jacob, left Nazareth on July 1, 
 1829, and arrived in New York two days later. 
 They were cordially welcomed by the trustees and 
 members of the congregation, and took up their 
 residence in the old parsonage until July 13, when 
 they removed to the new minister's house in Dutch 
 Street. At the morning service on July 5 Daniel 
 B. Dash, a trustee, read the letter of introduction 
 sent by the General Helpers' Conference, after which 
 Van Vleck preached his introductory sermon from 
 the text, "I determined not to know anything among 
 you save Jesus Christ and him crucified." At first 
 the trustees planned to remodel the church, but after 
 a thoro examination of the building it became ap- 
 parent that it would be best to raze it to the ground 
 and erect a new church on the site of the old. Ban- 
 vard and Hollinsead received the contract. They 
 agreed to erect a brick building with white marble 
 front, forty by seventy feet in dimension, for $6,000 
 and the material from the old church. On July 26 
 the last service was held in the little church which 
 had been a veritable house of prayer for seventy- 
 seven years, and on the following day the organ and 
 
 214 
 
CORNER-STONE LAYING 215 
 
 portable furniture were removed to the new parson- 
 age and workmen began to demolish the building. 
 
 The session room of the Murray Street Presby- 
 terian Church at 38 Chapel Street had been secured 
 by the congregation as a temporary place of worship. 
 Here the first service was held on Sunday morning, 
 August 2, the Rev. Charles Van Vleck, of Newport, 
 R. I., who was visiting his brother, the pastor, 
 preaching the sermon. The evening service was con- 
 ducted by the pastor. In an incredibly short time 
 the old church was demolished and the ground-work 
 of the new completed. On August 13 the corner- 
 stone was laid by the Rt. Rev. John Daniel Anders, 
 President of the General Helpers' Conference. The 
 corner-stone of the old church not being found in 
 time, a block of brown sandstone was prepared with 
 a cavity to receive the leaden box in which certain 
 documents were placed. At four o'clock in the 
 afternoon the trustees met at the parsonage and in 
 their presence there were deposited in the leaden box 
 an English Bible printed in New York in 1829, an 
 English Moravian Hymn Book, a copy of the "Epit- 
 ome of Christian Doctrine," the Statutes of the 
 Brethren's Unity, an English text-book for the cur- 
 rent year, a document setting forth the transactions 
 of the day elegantly engrossed on parchment, and 
 finally some newspapers containing the announce- 
 ments relative to the occasion ; also a few coins. The 
 box was then closed and soldered. 
 
 At five o'clock Bishop Anders, accompanied by 
 Brother Van Vleck, the Rev. George A. Hartman of 
 the Staten Island congregation, and the Trustees, 
 
216 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 repaired to the ground, where a large congregation 
 had assembled. Ministers of other denominations 
 had been invited, but were unable to be present. 
 The hymn, "As long as Jesus Lord remains," had 
 been printed on leaflets for the occasion. After the 
 singing of this hymn Bishop Anders prayed a part 
 of the church litany. The pastor then delivered a 
 brief address, which was followed by the reading of 
 the Moravian Confession of Faith in the Easter 
 Morning litany, by the Rev. Mr. Hartman. The of- 
 ficiating ministers then took their station at the 
 northwest corner of the wall, where the stone had 
 been placed, and, having put the leaden box into the 
 cavity, Bishop Anders said, "In this faith we now 
 lay this corner-stone of a new church of the United 
 Brethren in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghost." A layer of Roman cement 
 was then spread over the surface of the lower stone 
 and Bishop Anders, assisted by the pastor, laid it 
 upon the upper slab. He then gave three strokes 
 on the top with a hammer and pronounced the words, 
 "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, 
 which is Jesus Christ," in which he was followed by 
 the Brethren Van Vleck and Hartman. After a 
 hymn by the congregation and a prayer by the pas- 
 tor, the doxology was sung, and the service closed 
 with the benediction. When the old corner-stone 
 was later found and opened it was discovered that 
 the cavity contained nothing but two pieces of wood 
 embedded in dust, this being the only thing remain- 
 ing of the case in which the records had been placed 
 seventy-eight years before. The old stone was placed 
 
CONSECRATION OF NEW CHURCH 217 
 
 at the southeast corner of the new church, a short 
 distance above the ground, and distinguished by 
 an appropriate inscription. 
 
 The work on the new building was prosecuted with 
 vigor, and by Sunday, November 22, the church was 
 ready to be consecrated. The following Moravian 
 ministers were present at the consecration services : 
 Bishop Anders, and the Rev. Louis David de 
 Schweinitz, of Bethlehem; the Rev. Peter Wolle of 
 Philadelphia; the Rev. Charles Van Vleck of New- 
 port, R. I., and the Rev. George Hartman of Staten 
 Island. The choir, augmented by singers from 
 nearby churches, had been trained for the occasion 
 by Jacob Bininger, the organist, and a musician 
 named Dyer. The weather was ideal and all the 
 services on the day of consecration were largely at- 
 tended. At the morning service Bishop Anders 
 solemnly dedicated the new church to the worship 
 of the Triune God, after which the Rev. Louis de 
 Schweinitz preached the sermon from Exodus 20 : 24, 
 "In all places where I record my name, I will come 
 unto thee, and I will bless thee." The Rev. Charles 
 Van Vleck and the Rev. Peter Wolle preached in 
 the afternoon and evening respectively. The choir 
 rendered six different selections during the day. At 
 the close of the evening service the pastor baptized 
 little Jane Moore Ballantine and David Cargill 
 Sturges. Strange to say, the Rev. Benjamin Mor- 
 timer, the former pastor, had no part assigned to 
 him in the services of the day, altho he faithfully at- 
 tended them all. The Rev. Dr. Milnor of St. George's 
 Episcopal Church, and the Rev. William Brigham 
 
218 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 of the American Bible Society, attended the evening 
 service. The offering for the day amounted to one 
 hundred and thirty dollars. 
 
 Originally it was planned to connect the church 
 and parsonage with a closed passage-way. At the 
 suggestion of the contractors this connection was 
 made to consist of an intermediate room, which was 
 used for Sunday School and other purposes. On 
 Monday evening, November 23, at seven o'clock, this 
 room was formally opened with appropriate services, 
 the Rev. Louis de Schweinitz preaching the sermon. 
 At an expense of two hundred and sixty dollars gas 
 lighting might have been introduced, but evidently 
 the congregation felt that for the time being enough 
 money had been spent, because the old chandelier 
 was placed in position, and the auditorium illumi- 
 nated with spermaceti candles. The total cost of the 
 parsonage and church amounted to $9,808.11. Those 
 who subscribed to this fund were the following per- 
 sons : Hannah Bowie, Michael Van Beuren, Michael 
 Miller, Ann C. Dash, Daniel B. Dash, Anthony Ar- 
 noux, Abraham Cargill, Daniel Galsner, Lucretia 
 Brasier, Henry Tenbrook, Benjamin Mortimer, Jr., 
 David Jacot, Sarah Halligan, Agnes Clark, Abraham 
 Bininger, Jacob Bininger, Richard Varick, John J. 
 Astor, Daniel McCormick, Nancy Jay, Maria Banyer, 
 Nathaniel Smith, Stephen Allen, John Low, Frances 
 Taylor, Richard Taylor, Peter Embury, Mrs. Lewis, 
 Abraham Van Nest, George Lorillard, Peter Loril- 
 lard, L. Baum, Hannah Moore, four unnamed friends, 
 Philip Embury, William Briggs, Rebecca Bokee, 
 Jane Moore, Hilah Bokee, and John Sharit. Abra- 
 
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP ' 219 
 
 ham Bininger, Michael Van Beuren, Daniel Dash 
 and Hannah Bowie each gave a thousand dollars to 
 the building-fund, the other subscriptions ranging 
 all the way from five dollars to five hundred dollars. 
 At the time of the consecration of the new church 
 the congregation consisted of the following com- 
 municant and society members: Benjamin and 
 Bithia Mortimer, 53 Charlton Street; Daniel and 
 Elizabeth Banvard, 68 Center Street ; Abraham and 
 Catherine Bininger, 164 William Street; Michael 
 and Catherine Miller, 104 Duane Street; Jacob and 
 Harriet Bininger, 83 Chambers Street; John and 
 Prances Sharit, 318 Washington Street; Daniel and 
 Anzonetta Dash, Laight and Varick Streets; John 
 and Susan Diemer, Chapel and Duane Streets; 
 Daniel and Maria Banvard, Cincinnati, Ohio, tem- 
 porarily; Andrew and Catherine Runels, Fishkill; 
 William and Abigail Cargill, 124 Nassau Street; 
 Michael and Ann Van Beuren, 127 Bleecker Street ; 
 Josiah and Rebecca Sturges, 219 Pulton Street ; Ben- 
 jamin and Eliza Mortimer, Jr., 307 Pearl Street; 
 William and Margaret Hollinsead, 130 Wooster 
 Street; Abraham and Matilda Cargill, 232 Water 
 Street; Anthony and Gertrude Arnoux, Varick and 
 North Moore; David and Eleanor Beck, 306 Grand 
 Street; William and Eliza Beck, 96 Rivington 
 Street; Amos and Theodosia Rooke, 28 Downing 
 Street; Issachar and Mary Ann Cozzens, Jr., An- 
 thony Street and Broadway; John and Margaret 
 Graham, 180 Greenwich Street; Henry and Jane 
 Sturges, 21 Whitehall Street; Abraham and Ann 
 Asten, 101 Duane Street; Charles and Mary Mor- 
 
220 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 timer, 109 Fulton Street ; Esau and Agnes Drayton, 
 Third Avenue; John and Mary Burns, Duane and 
 Caroline Streets; William and Mary Beattie, 172 
 Reid Street; William and Eliza Briggs, 86 Bayard 
 Street; Christian Daniel and Juliana Lilliendahl, 
 34 Maiden Lane; William Henry and Anna Eliza 
 Van Vleck, 14 Dutch Street; David Jacot, Green- 
 wich and Harrison Streets; Moses Egbert, Staten 
 Island; George Miller, 136 Duane Street; John M. 
 Hoeber, Fourth Avenue and Mercer Street ; Elizabeth 
 Lane, 118 Barrow Street; Hester Leonard, 503 
 Broadway; Agnes Clark, 122 Liberty Street; Re- 
 becca Booth, 83 Tillery Street, Brooklyn; Hannah 
 Moore, 151 Wooster Street; Jane Ayres, 177 
 Laurens Street; Helen Ballentine, 142 Sullivan 
 Street; Susanna Galsner, 233 William Street; Ju- 
 liana Lawrence, Newton, Long Island; Henry Ten- 
 brook, 144 Grand Street; Philip Sykes, 37 Orchard 
 Street ; John William Petri, 10th Street and Avenue 
 D ; Jane Moore, 46 John Street ; Hannah Bowie, 217 
 Fulton Street; Rebecca Mead, 68 Center Street; 
 Frances Taylor, 365 Water Street ; Mary Ann Lock- 
 wood, 162 William Street; Elizabeth Colon, 123 
 Orchard Street; and Sarah Halligan, 217 Fulton 
 Street. These names and addresses are given for 
 the purpose of showing who belonged to the con. 
 gregation and where the members lived at that time. 
 The sexton of the church bore the distinguished name 
 of Peter Stuyvesant. At this time the city had about 
 200,000 inhabitants. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 SIXTEEN YEARS IN THE SECOND CHURCH 
 ON FULTON STREET 
 
 The erection of a new church is an event of far- 
 reaching importance in any congregation. Altho 
 God delights to reveal Himself in any place where 
 His people worship Him in spirit and in truth, He 
 can take no pleasure in an out-of -repair or tumble- 
 down church, if the membership is financially able 
 to make the needed repairs, or to replace the old 
 building with a new one. Any church edifice that 
 is a fitting expression of devotion to God exerts a 
 reflex influence on those who have a share in its 
 erection. It tends to deepen interest in the things 
 for which the Church stands. The building of a 
 church has also a unifying effect. Concentrating on 
 a common purpose and directing their efforts toward 
 the accomplishment of a common end, the members 
 are closely united and become a strong working- 
 force. Having worked together for months in a 
 cause to which they contributed of their energies 
 and means, they are prepared to unite with en- 
 thusiasm in other church activities. As a rule, 
 therefore, a new church signalizes the dawn of a 
 new era. This was true of the congregation when 
 the new church was erected in Fulton Street. There- 
 fore William Henry Van Vleck began his pastorate 
 at an opportune time. Building on the foundation 
 
 221 
 
222 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 laid by his immediate predecessor and others before 
 him, he carried the work forward with vigor. 
 
 Before he had been on the field two months Van 
 VLeck organized weekly Bible Classes for men and 
 women, which increased in popularity as the years 
 passed. "The young people were placed under a 
 competent music teacher for instruction in singing 
 the stately church-tunes." For the accommodation 
 of strangers who attended the public services, 
 thirty new hymn-books were procured from Bethle- 
 hem, the members in those days bringing their own 
 hymnals to church. Evidently the Sunday School 
 mentioned in Mortimer's diary failed to secure a 
 foothold. At all events, a new school was organ- 
 ized on May 9, 1830. Miss Anna Lockwood was 
 elected Superintendent of the Girls, and Jacob 
 Bininger Superintendent of the Boys. On May 20 
 rules and regulations were adopted, and a resolu- 
 tion unanimously passed to join the New York 
 Sunday School Union. The Sunday School had its 
 first session on May 23 at nine o'clock in the morning. 
 There were present six male teachers and seventeen 
 boys, and nine female teachers and twenty-three 
 girls. Several representatives of the New York 
 Sunday School Union were also in attendance. The 
 teachers met each week for the study of the lesson 
 under the direction of the pastor. At the first an- 
 niversary of the Sunday School John Lidger, one 
 of the scholars, delivered the address of welcome, 
 Bishop Anders, who had been invited for the oc- 
 casion, responding. Two days later the school joined 
 in the anniversary exercises of the New York Sunday 
 
VISIT TO CAMDEN VALLEY 223 
 
 School Union, held in the chapel of St. George's Epis- 
 copal Church, to which the teachers and scholars 
 marched in a body, the pastor, Bishop Anders, and 
 the Trustees of the congregation heading the pro- 
 cession. The teachers were addressed by the Kev. 
 Dr. Milnor, and the scholars by the Eev. Mr. Mc- 
 Ilvaine. Van Vleck led in prayer, and Bishop An- 
 ders closed the exercises with the benediction. 
 
 In September, 1830, the General Helpers' Con- 
 ference requested Van Vleck to make a tour of in- 
 vestigation to Camden Valley, in Washington 
 County, almost on the border-line of Vermont, and 
 between forty and fifty miles north-east of Albany. 
 It was here that Abraham Bueninger had settled 
 in 1770 after retiring from the mission-field. Some 
 of his descendants had emigrated to New York City, 
 where they became prominent members of the Mo- 
 ravian congregation. Others remained in the val- 
 ley, and from these and a number of Moravian 
 settlers from England the request came to the 
 authorities at Bethlehem for the services of a Mo- 
 ravian minister. Jacob Bininger (Bueninger) of 
 the New York church accompanied Van Vleck to 
 Camden Valley. On September 19 two services 
 were conducted in the Camden School House, and at 
 the request of "the few communicants from England 
 the Holy Communion was administered at Van 
 Vleck's lodgings." In June of the following year 
 Van Vleck again visited Camden Valley, this time 
 "preaching at eight different places to an eagerly 
 listening people." A year later it was decided to 
 grant the people's request for a resident minister, 
 
224 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 and on August 30 the General Helpers' Conference 
 called Charles A. Bleck, formerly a teacher in the 
 Theological Seminary at Nazareth, and at the time 
 assistant minister of the New York congregation, 
 to take charge of the Camden Valley work. Mar- 
 ried in October to Miss Sophia Louisa Krause of 
 Bethlehem, Bleck and his bride commenced their 
 labors in Washington County on November 30. He 
 preached statedly at Camden Valley, as well as at 
 Sandgate in Vermont and at "The Mills" on the 
 Battenkill, two neighboring communities. After a 
 time a congregation was formally organized, and on 
 September 29, 1834, a church consecrated by Bishop 
 Anders. In a short time the number of stated hear- 
 ers had grown to one hundred and thirty. "The peo- 
 ple were poor, the conditions for agriculture unfavor- 
 able, and very diversified religious views were rep- 
 resented in the sparse community." For this reason, 
 the undertaking did not prove a permanent success, 
 and after some years it had to be abandoned. 
 
 On January 16, 1830, the congregation suffered 
 the loss of one of its most highly respected members 
 by the death of Henry Tenbrook, who had served 
 the church in various ways for a long term of years. 
 He was a successful business-man, but took no 
 pleasure in merely accumulating money. To him 
 money was only the means to an end. His generous 
 heart constantly went out to those in need, and un- 
 known to his most intimate friends many needy per- 
 sons received at his hand the required assistance. 
 He was deeply interested in Moravian Missions, as 
 well as in the work of the local church. The Orchard 
 
DEATH OF HENRY TENBROOK 225 
 
 Street burial-ground, in which his body was laid on 
 January 18, was his gift to the congregation. To- 
 gether with others he had long felt the need of hav- 
 ing the rules and regulations of the congregation in 
 printed form, but it was not until the spring of the 
 year in which he died that five hundred copies, in- 
 cluding the Brotherly Agreement, were printed and 
 circulated among the membership. 
 
 like his predecessor Van Vleck enjoyed the friend- 
 ship of the leading ministers in the city, and took 
 an active interest in the various interdenominational 
 movements of his day. On May 13, 1830, he was 
 elected a life-member and director of the American 
 Bible Society thru the generosity of Arthur Tappan, 
 Esquire, who unknown to Van Vleck contributed the 
 necessary money to make this election possible. 
 That the most cordial relations existed between Mo- 
 ravian ministers and clergymen of other denomina- 
 tions is evident from the following record given in 
 the diary under date of March 15, 1831: "Brother 
 Van Vleck was invited to the house of the Rev. Dr. 
 Schaef er, pastor of St. James' Lutheran Church, who 
 was nearing his end. By special request Brother 
 Benjamin Mortimer administered the Holy Com- 
 munion to the dying man and several members and 
 friends of the family." Van Vleck was frequently 
 called upon to preach and deliver missionary ad- 
 dresses in other churches in the city and elsewhere, 
 and he in turn had some of the ablest divines in his 
 pulpit at the time of the half-yearly missionary 
 meetings. During the first half of the year 1831 
 there was "unusual interest in religion not only in 
 
226 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 the congregation, but in the city and other parts of 
 the country as well." On July 3 of the same year 
 the death of a Moravian minister occurred in which 
 both the pastor and congregation had an affectionate 
 and sympathetic interest. This minister was the 
 Rt. Rev. Jacob Van Vleck, a child of the congrega- 
 tion and father of the pastor. Jacob Van Vleck had 
 the distinction of being the first American-born Mo- 
 ravian to be consecrated a Bishop of the Moravian 
 Church. 
 
 On Sunday, September 11, 1831, the pastor suf- 
 fered an attack of bilious fever which brought him 
 to the brink of the grave. Realizing that it would 
 be a long time before Van Vleck could resume his 
 labors, the trustees wrote to the General Helpers' 
 Conference, asking for the services of Charles A. 
 Bleck, a teacher in the Theological Seminary, as 
 long as the pastor was incapacitated. Bleck arrived 
 in New York on September 22 and on the following 
 Sunday took charge of the work. By October 30 
 Van Vleck had sufficiently recovered from his sick- 
 ness to travel, and upon the advice of his physician, 
 Dr. H. McLean, went to Bethlehem to recuperate. 
 On Sunday, November 20, the church was closed, 
 Bleck having gone to Bethlehem, where he was or- 
 dained a deacon of the Moravian Church by Bishop 
 John Daniel Anders. On December 1 Van Vleck re- 
 turned to the city, but being unable to resume his 
 pastoral duties, Bleck was appointed assistant pas- 
 tor of the congregation. He held this position about 
 one year before leaving for his labors in Camden 
 Valley. At the end of 1831 the total membership of 
 
CHOLERA EPIDEMIC 227 
 
 the congregation was two hundred and thirty-three, 
 of which number sixty-three were communicants. 
 
 In August, 1831, a severe tornado swept over the 
 island of Barbadoes, leaving the Moravian Mission 
 stations in ruins. The church at Sharon was com- 
 pletely wrecked and the mission-house seriously 
 damaged. At Mount Tabor both the church and 
 mission-house were completely destroyed, the mis- 
 sionaries barely escaping with their lives. When 
 the disastrous news reached Europe and America, 
 steps were immediately taken to raise the needed 
 money for the rebuilding of the stations. The con- 
 gregation in New York City contributed over three 
 hundred dollars for this purpose. Van Vleck pre- 
 sented an appeal for help in various city churches 
 and elsewhere, meeting everywhere with a liberal 
 response. A struggling little African Congrega- 
 tional church at New Haven, Connecticut, showed 
 its sympathetic interest by sending without solicita- 
 tion, the sum of five dollars. While the Barbadoes 
 disaster was still fresh in memory danger threat- 
 ened nearer at hand. What this danger was is re- 
 vealed by the following record in the diary : "That 
 destructive disease, the cholera, which has com- 
 mitted such awful ravages in Asia and Europe, hav- 
 ing recently made its appearance in Canada and 
 causing great alarm in this city, on June 24 (1832) 
 a prayer was inserted in our litany relative to this 
 subject of painful apprehension." June 26 was ob- 
 served by the churches as a day of humiliation and 
 prayer. About fifteen Moravian families moved to 
 the country. By the middle of July the disease was 
 
228 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 widespread. On the 16th it was officially reported 
 that more than one hundred deaths had occurred 
 within twenty-four hours. Some members of the 
 congregation became victims of the disease, and 
 Mrs. Frances Sharit and John Matthew Hoeber, a 
 son of the late Rev. Nicholas Hoeber of Nazareth, 
 Pa., died from the effects of it. 
 
 While many ministers left the city during the 
 epidemic, Van Vleck faithfully remained at his post, 
 and diligently brought the consolations of religion to 
 his sick people. An offering was taken by the con- 
 gregation for the benefit of needy members afflicted 
 with the disease. August 3 was observed by the 
 churches as a day of humiliation and prayer. By 
 the end of this month the Moravian families who had 
 gone to the country began to return to the city. Be- 
 fore the cholera had spent itself it claimed a toll of 
 three thousand five hundred and thirteen lives. In 
 spite of the interruption to church-work as a result 
 of the epidemic, seventeen new members were added 
 to the list of communicants, bringing the total com- 
 municant membership to seventy-five. On December 
 10 a Female Missionary Society was organized "for 
 the purpose of fostering missionary enthusiasm and 
 of aiding in the support of mission-work." The first 
 regular meeting of the Society was held on January 
 3, 1833, at three o'clock in the afternoon. On March 
 19 the Society had "a little exhibition and sale of 
 fancy articles made by the members. The proceeds 
 were sent to Jamaica for the benefit of the new mis- 
 sion station at Malvern called New Bethlehem." 
 As a rule, the annual sale of the Society was held on 
 
HOME MISSION SOCIETY 229 
 
 Thanksgiving Day. By the year 1843, when this 
 organization was still in existence, it had con- 
 tributed more than fifteen hundred dollars to mis- 
 sions. Van Vleck was a missionary pastor, and 
 many of his members caught his enthusiasm. Other 
 Churches were likewise interested in Moravian Mis- 
 sions. One day the Eev. Dr. Jacob Brodhead, pas- 
 tor of the Dutch Reformed Church, called at the 
 parsonage and left in Van Vleck's hands the neat 
 sum of fifty dollars, which the ladies of his congre- 
 gation had contributed for the benefit of Moravian 
 Missions. 
 
 In June, 1833, certain Germans in the city re- 
 quested the Moravian pastor to preach for them oc- 
 casionally. This request was granted as the time 
 and strength of Van Vleck permitted. The enormous 
 influx of Germans and the inadequacy of German 
 Church provisions in the city attracted much atten- 
 tion at this time. The impositions practised upon 
 the poor and ignorant among the German immi- 
 grants called forth the assistance of benevolent 
 people, which resulted on August 15, 1836, in the 
 organization of "The Strangers' Friendly Society of 
 New York," of which Van Vleck was a member. The 
 first consideration of this matter led to the idea of 
 forming a Home Mission Society in the congregation. 
 On August 13, 1833, an organization of this kind 
 was effected under the title, "The Home Mission So- 
 ciety of the United Brethren's Church of New York." 
 The main purpose of the Society was "to supplement 
 the aid given to ministers in needy charges and 
 struggling new work by the central sustentation at 
 
230 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania." When the constitution 
 was adopted it was immediately signed by fifty per- 
 sons as life members or annual subscribers. Before 
 the close of the year the Treasurer was able to send 
 six hundred dollars to Bethlehem. For eleven years 
 the Home Mission Society rendered valuable assist- 
 ance to the Church at large and to the congregation 
 of which it was a part. After that time it disbanded, 
 at least discontinued its activities, but not from any 
 lack of interest, as the following record taken from 
 the minutes of the Board of Managers conclusively 
 proves : "Resolved, That the Home Mission Society 
 suspends its collections until the members are in- 
 formed by their agent at Bethlehem that there is 
 need of further aid and support from them, the 
 amount of funds in the hands of the Society's agent 
 at the commencement of the year 1843 being Fifteen 
 Hundred Dollars." 
 
 In 1834 the cholera reappeared and carried off 
 nearly one thousand persons. This time, however, 
 none of the Moravians became victims of the disease. 
 Nevertheless, the congregation lost during the year 
 two of its most distinguished members. On April 
 10 death claimed Abraham Bininger, a son of the 
 Moravian missionary of that name. His age was 
 eighty-four years, two months, and twelve days. 
 Born at Bethlehem, he received his early education 
 at that place. When fourteen years old he removed 
 with his parents to New York City, and later to 
 Camden Valley, N. Y. In 1779 he united with the 
 New York congregation, and at the time of his death 
 he was one of the oldest members. He was an 
 
DEATH CLAIMS TWO MEMBERS 231 
 
 earnest Christian and a life-long patron of Mora- 
 vian Missions. Mrs. Isabel Hoffmire, a highly es- 
 teemed member of the First Church, is a lineal 
 descendant, on her father's side, of the distinguished 
 Bininger (Bueninger) family. A death mourned by 
 even a greater number of people was that of the Rev. 
 Benjamin Mortimer, whose long pastorate and resi- 
 dence in the city endeared him to a large circle of 
 friends in the congregation and other churches. He 
 passed away on November 10 after much suffering 
 caused by an intestinal disease. Altho of English 
 parentage, he was born at Glamorgan, in the county 
 of Antrim, Ireland, where his father was at the time 
 the pastor of the Moravian congregation. He re- 
 ceived his early education at Fulneck, England. 
 After leaving school he became the private secretary 
 of a Bedford gentleman, in which capacity he served 
 seven years. In 1791 he was called to America, 
 where he became a teacher at Nazareth Hall. Dur- 
 ing his early teaching days he was ordained a dea- 
 con of the Moravian Church. In 1798 he accepted a 
 call to service as a missionary among the Indians, 
 locating in the following year at Goshen, Ohio, 
 where he remained fourteen years, when he became 
 the pastor of the New York congregation. His age 
 was sixty-six years, eleven months, and two weeks. 
 His funeral was attended by many prominent citi- 
 zens, including most of the clergy of the city. 
 
 The diary for the year 1834 records that "several 
 members of the congregation and a valued friend of 
 the church contributed two hundred and fifty dol- 
 lars toward the support of a missionary in the north 
 
232 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 of France, from whom an interesting report in the 
 French language was received." Mention is also 
 made of the fact that the Sunday School superin- 
 tendents and teachers began to hold prayer-meetings 
 on the second Monday evening of every month to im- 
 plore a blessing upon their labors and the cause of 
 Christ in general. The young people of the congre- 
 gation organized a "Sacred Music Society" for the 
 purpose of learning to sing in four parts the church 
 tunes and anthems. At the close of the year the 
 communicant membership numbered eighty-six. 
 
 Before dawn on August 12, 1835, a destructive fire 
 broke out in the neighborhood of the church. The 
 church and parsonage, as well as the North Dutch 
 Reformed Church and the house of the American 
 Bible Society across the street, were threatened with 
 destruction. Fortunately the flames were extin- 
 guished before much damage was done to the church- 
 property. However, the new organ recently pur- 
 chased from Hall and Erben of New York was com- 
 pletely destroyed. Another organ was built at an 
 expense of $1,750, and consecrated on Sunday, Sep- 
 tember 6. The old organ was disposed of in part 
 payment for five hundred dollars. On December 16 
 a disastrous fire swept over the first ward east of 
 Broadway, below Wall Street, destroying six hun- 
 dred and forty-eight of the most valuable stores, the 
 Merchants' Exchange, and the South Dutch Re- 
 formed Church; in short, property valued at more 
 than |18,000,000. In this calamity not a few mem- 
 bers of the congregation suffered great loss. 
 
 In 1835 Van Vleck was frequently absent from 
 
INTEREST IN MISSIONS 233 
 
 his pulpit. After Eastertide he went to Boston and 
 Providence, with the sanction of the General Help- 
 ers' Conference, for the purpose of presenting the 
 cause of Moravian Missions. He preached in various 
 Episcopal and Orthodox Congregational Churches, 
 and collected nearly fifteen hundred dollars for mis- 
 sions. In the meantime, his own pulpit was ac- 
 ceptably filled by ministers of other churches. The 
 half-yearly missionary sermons were preached by 
 distinguished clergymen of other denominations, and 
 large offerings were taken. At the monthly mission- 
 ary meetings interesting letters from missionaries on 
 the field were read, and once the congregation was 
 addressed by a Cherokee Indian who had been edu- 
 cated in a Moravian Mission School. The Provincial 
 Synod of 1835 commended the Home Mission Society 
 of the New York congregation for its splendid 
 achievements, and urged other congregations to fol- 
 low its example. In fall of the same year Nazareth 
 Hall celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. At that 
 time eleven boys of the New York church were en- 
 rolled in the school, and five girls attended the 
 Young Ladies' Seminary at Bethlehem. Both insti- 
 tutions were in a flourishing condition. At the close 
 of the year the congregation had ninety-four com- 
 municants, of which "eighteen lived out of town, 
 and nine in the city were unable to attend because 
 of physical infirmities, distance from the church, and 
 other causes." There were twenty-five male and 
 sixty-nine female communicants. The total member- 
 ship numbered two hundred and forty-two souls. 
 Originally the church was forty feet wide and sev- 
 
234 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 enty feet deep. By an Act of the City Council passed 
 in 1836 for the widening of Fulton Street, it became 
 necessary either to move the church back from the 
 street or to take off from it a sufficient portion to al- 
 low the required width of the street. The latter plan 
 was adopted. In June of the same year the altera- 
 tions were commenced whereby eight feet were cut 
 off from the front of the church. The corner-stone 
 laid on August 13, 1829, was placed in the north- 
 west corner of the new front, on June 25, in the 
 presence of the pastor and Abraham Cargill. While 
 these alterations were in progress the congregation 
 worshipped in the Consistory Room of the Dutch 
 Reformed Church on the corner of Nassau and Ann 
 Streets, which had been kindly offered for the pur- 
 pose. At the last service held there, on September 
 11, the pastor, suffering from throat trouble, was 
 unable to do more than pray the litany. Therefore 
 the Rev. Joseph Cooke, Assistant Rector of St. 
 George's Episcopal Church, preached the sermon. 
 An Episcopalian clergyman preaching the sermon 
 at a Moravian service in a Reformed Church was a 
 pleasing example of the friendly relations which ex- 
 isted between ministers of the different ecclesiastical 
 persuasions in the city. On May 1 of the same year 
 the Rev. Dr. De Witt of the Reformed Church 
 preached the half-yearly missionary sermon. The 
 Rev. Mr. Forrest of the Associate Reformed (Scotch) 
 Church in Delaware County, New York, the Rev. 
 Prof. Schmucker, a Lutheran clergyman of Gettys- 
 burg, Pa., the Rev. Joshua Leavitt of the "New York 
 Evangelist," and the Hon. Samuel Hubbard of Bos- 
 
CHURCH REMOVAL CONSIDERED 235 
 
 ton took part in the service. The Rev. Jacob Zorn, 
 of Jamaica, W. I., was also present and gave an in- 
 teresting description of his work, to which his dis- 
 tinguished hearers listened with rapt attention. The 
 church was filled to overflowing. "The offering for 
 the occasion amounted to three hundred and fifty 
 dollars, including a bank-note of one hundred dol- 
 lars, and another of fifty dollars." The alterations 
 at the church were completed by the middle of Sep- 
 tember, and on the eighteenth of the month the 
 building was formally re-opened for divine worship. 
 The seating capacity of the church was as large as 
 before. During the summer months the Moravian 
 and Reformed Sunday Schools had held joint ses- 
 sions. 
 
 When the new church on Fulton Street was built 
 on the site of the old, the members did not realize 
 how rapidly the aggressive growth of business would 
 crowd churches as well as dwelling-houses out of the 
 neighborhood. Because of the increasingly unde- 
 sirable surroundings, and the removing of one family 
 after the other to upper parts in the city, it became 
 evident that sooner or later the church would have 
 to be located farther up-town so as to be more easily 
 accessible to the majority of the members and to 
 strangers who might be attracted to the services. 
 As early as July 12, 1836, the following minute was 
 adopted by the Board of Trustees : "As it may be- 
 come more and more desirable to locate our place of 
 worship in the upper part of the city, Brother Mi- 
 chael Miller and Brother Abraham Cargill were ap- 
 pointed a Committee to keep this object in view, 
 
236 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 and if an opportunity should offer for the purchase 
 of a suitable lot, to report to the Board." 
 
 After a successful pastorate of seven years and 
 three months, Van VLeck accepted a call to Salem, 
 North Carolina. On November 13, 1836, he preached 
 his farewell sermon from Acts 20 : 32, and announced 
 that his successor would be the Rev. Charles Freder- 
 ick Kluge, at the time Principal of Linden Hall 
 Seminary for Girls, and temporary pastor of the 
 Lititz congregation. On November 20 Van Vleck 
 was consecrated a Bishop of the Moravian Church. 
 At Salem he was not only pastor of the congregation 
 but also President of the Provincial Helpers' Con- 
 ference of what was then known as the North Caro- 
 lina District. On December 2 Kluge arrived in the 
 city, and on the following Sunday preached his in- 
 troductory sermon. Under the leadership of his 
 predecessor the communicant membership had more 
 than doubled itself. Kluge found two hundred and 
 sixty-nine members, of which one hundred and six 
 were communicants. Altho his pastorate did not 
 cover quite two years, the congregation made a 
 worth-while contribution to the mission-field during 
 his brief stay. In 1837 William Prince, the efficient 
 Superintendent of the Sunday School, and his wife 
 Sophronia left for Jamaica, where they entered the 
 mission service of the Church. The congregation 
 felt the effects of the financial panic of 1837. It 
 caused not only a falling off in contributions, but 
 the removal of an unusually large number of mem- 
 bers to other places. 
 
 Having been appointed warden of the Nazareth 
 
NEW SEATING ARRANGEMENT 237 
 
 congregation, EQuge preached his farewell sermon 
 on October 7, 1838, and left for his future labors 
 three days later. He was succeeded in New York by 
 the Rev. Charles A. Bleck of Camden Valley, N. Y., 
 who began his pastorate on October 28. In the brief 
 interim between pastorates the Rev. John C. Brig- 
 ham, D.D., Assistant Secretary of the American 
 Bible Society, filled the pulpit. "In 1839 no less than 
 four church buildings in the city were destroyed by 
 fire." In 1840 on the occasion of an official visit of 
 Bishop Andrew Benade, a member of the Provincial 
 Helpers' Conference, the subject of the removal of 
 the church was again discussed at a meeting of the 
 Board of Trustees, but no definite action was taken. 
 At this time, too, the question was laid before Bishop 
 Benade whether it would be permissible to make a 
 change in the usual mode of sittings in church, so 
 that all the members of a family might occupy the 
 same pew. Benade referred the question to the 
 Provincial Helpers' Conference. In October the 
 Conference replied there would be no objection on 
 their part if the congregation desired to make the 
 change. Meanwhile the matter had been referred to 
 the congregation. Some of the members were 
 strongly opposed to the innovation, feeling sure that 
 a procedure of this kind would bring harm to the 
 church. Therefore the change was not effected at 
 this time. By a majority vote of the membership in 
 April, 1845, the change was at last brought about, 
 but not without strong opposition on the part of 
 some. Fifty-seven were in favor of the change, and 
 forty-nine against it. 
 
238 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 In 1841 it was decided to have special services at 
 a convenient place for those who had removed to the 
 upper part of the city, and others who might be dis- 
 posed to attend. A room at the Lyceum, a hall in 
 the Bowery and the chapel of the University were 
 successively inspected, and the last named was 
 finally chosen. The first of these subsidiary services 
 was held on October 3, 1841, Bishop Andrew Benade 
 of Bethlehem officiating. His son William, a teacher 
 at Nazareth Hall, was officially appointed to take 
 charge of this work. It was hoped that the project 
 would be successful and render the removal of the 
 church in Fulton Street unnecessary, at least for 
 the time being. After giving the matter a year's 
 trial, however, it was found best to abandon it. The 
 cause of the failure of the mission was partly finan- 
 cial, many of the down-town members strongly op- 
 posing the project on the ground that the trustees 
 had no right to use for it money raised by the mem- 
 bership for the expenses of the congregation. After 
 the novelty of these subsidiary services had worn 
 off they were poorly attended, and this was the main 
 reason why they were given up. 
 
 Having accepted a call to Salem, North Carolina, 
 Charles A. Bleck preached his farewell sermon on 
 September 18, 1842, and soon after left with his 
 family for the South. He was succeeded by the Rev. 
 David Bigler, of Philadelphia. The congregation 
 had reached a critical stage in its history, but for- 
 tunately Bigler was gifted with exceptional wisdom 
 and tact, and under his strong leadership matters 
 were adjusted and brought to a satisfactory con- 
 
REMOVAL OF THE CHURCH 239 
 
 elusion. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees on 
 September 7, 1843, the removal of the church to a 
 more central location was once more discussed, and 
 it was unanimously decided to get the sense of the 
 whole congregation on the subject. It was an- 
 nounced from the pulpit that the members should 
 record their opinion for or against the measure in 
 books left at the parsonage. On September 22 the 
 trustees met for the purpose of ascertaining the re- 
 sult of the vote. It was found that of the number 
 entitled to vote eighty-five had registered their 
 opinion, sixty expressing themselves in favor of re- 
 moval of the church, and twenty-five voting against 
 it. The result of the vote was announced to the con- 
 gregation on the following Sunday morning. Twelve 
 members living in Brooklyn had previously sent in 
 a formal protest against the removal of the church. 
 However, the majority had spoken, and in accord- 
 ance with their voice the Board of Trustees ap- 
 pointed Michael Miller and Abraham Clark a com- 
 mittee to select a suitable location for a new church 
 and parsonage, and to report. 
 
 In January, 1844, Clark reported for the commit- 
 tee that suitable ground could be obtained on the 
 south-west corner of Houston and Mott Streets. Sev- 
 eral other places were likewise mentioned, but the 
 board finally approved the one first named. On Feb- 
 ruary 12 three lots were purchased for the sum of 
 $12,750. On March 6 the property on Fulton Street 
 and Dutch Street was put up at auction in the Mer- 
 chants' Exchange, but the bids ran too low, therefore 
 it was withdrawn. In July estimates for the pro- 
 
240 MORAVIAN CHTJECH IN NEW YORK 
 
 posed church and parsonage were received from five 
 different contractors, and on the 11th the contract 
 was awarded to Merrill and White for $17,700. On 
 July 15 ground was broken for the foundation of 
 the church. It was necessary to dig down thirteen 
 -feet to find a solid foundation. On July 22 a work- 
 man began digging for the corner-stone of the old 
 church, the intention being to place it under the new 
 building, and on the 24th it was found at a depth of 
 seven feet below the curb. The contents of the box 
 inside the stone were found in a state of perfect 
 preservation. The corner-stone of the church built 
 in 1751 was likewise removed. It was the original 
 intention to use the stone laid in 1829, but the 
 mason who tried to enlarge the cavity sufficiently to 
 accommodate the additional documents to be placed 
 into it, had the misfortune of breaking it, therefore 
 a new stone had to be provided. However, the two 
 old ones were likewise put in the foundation. 
 
 On August 13, 1844, at two-thirty in the afternoon 
 the Trustees met at the parsonage with Bishop An- 
 drew Benade and the Brethren David Bigler and 
 Henry G. Clauder, the latter being pastor of the 
 Staten Island congregation, and the pastor placed 
 into the leaden box provided for the purpose the 
 following articles : The box taken out of the corner- 
 stone of the Fulton Street church, with its original 
 contents, having the following inscription on it, 
 "This box was placed in the corner-stone of the 
 church in Fulton Street August 13, 1829 ; taken up 
 July 24th and placed in this one August 13, 1844;" a 
 document engrossed on parchment setting forth the 
 
CORNER-STONE LAYING 241 
 
 transactions of the day; a copy of the document 
 which was placed in the corner-stone of the first 
 church of the Brethren, laid in 1751 ; a copy of the 
 city directory ; a hymn-book of the latest edition ; a 
 text-book for 1844 ; a communion hymn-book ; a copy 
 of the hymn prepared for the occasion and printed 
 on parchment ; three- religious periodicals, namely, 
 "The New York Observer," "The Christian Intel- 
 ligencer," and "The Sunday School Journal;" three 
 newspapers, "The Courier and Inquirer," "The Com- 
 mercial Advertiser," and "The Morning Express." 
 These documents having been placed in the metal 
 box, it was closed and soldered by a man employed 
 by Abraham Cargill, assisted by Valentine Car- 
 gill. 
 
 The Trustees then repaired to the ground, the 
 clergymen following in a carriage. Between three and 
 four hundred people had gathered for the occasion, 
 among the number being the Rev. Dr. De Witt of 
 the Dutch Reformed Church. The service was 
 opened with the following hymn composed for the 
 occasion by Abraham Bininger Clark, one of the 
 trustees : 
 
 "Thou Triune God, to Thee we raise 
 Both heart and voice to offer praise 
 For all thy gifts, which ever flow 
 In streams of love on us below. 
 
 "And now another boon we pray, — 
 A blessing, Lord, we crave this day 
 Upon this church, but now begun, 
 To rest upon this corner-stone. 
 
242 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 " 'Tis on Thy Word, great God, we build, — 
 That Living Rock, which ne'er shall yield; 
 To that in faith we'll ever cleave, 
 While life and breath our bosoms heave. 
 
 "Our cov'nants, Lord, we would renew, 
 The old paths we would pursue, 
 Thy walk on earth we'd imitate, 
 Our ways to Thine would elevate. 
 
 "Here staunch the wounds which sin has riven, 
 And raise the drooping soul to Heaven ; 
 Here let Thy glory radiant shine, 
 And set on all Thy seal divine. 
 
 "To God, the Father, and the Son, 
 And Holy Spirit, three in One, 
 Be honor, praise, and glory given, 
 By all on earth and all in Heaven." 
 
 A portion of the church litany was then prayed, 
 and another hymn sung. After an address by Bishop 
 Benade, the pastor read a list of the contents of both 
 boxes. Then the Confession of Faith contained in 
 the Easter Morning litany was repeated, after which 
 Bishop Benade said, "In this faith we now proceed 
 to lay this corner-stone." The pastor having placed 
 the box in the cavity of the stone, the Bishop added 
 the words, "In the name of God, the Father, and the 
 Son, and the Holy Ghost." A workman spread ce- 
 ment over the stone and placed a covering slab upon 
 it. The Bishop then struck the stone three times 
 with a wooden hammer, saying, "Other foundation 
 can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus 
 Christ," in which he was followed by the Brethren 
 
CORNER-STONE LAYING 243 
 
 Bigler and Clauder. The congregation then joined 
 in the hymn sung at the corner-stone laying of the 
 Fulton Street church in 1829, after which the pastor 
 led in prayer and Bishop Benade pronounced the 
 benediction. The following record appears in the 
 diary: "The new corner-stone was placed in the 
 foundation on the northwest corner of the church 
 about three feet below the curb. Being embedded in 
 the foundation, it is not perceptible from without. 
 But on digging two and one half feet below the curb 
 and breaking out about six inches in the corner of 
 the foundation it will be seen." Why this strange 
 thing was done, the records do not explain. 
 
 On December 8, 1844, workmen began to take up 
 the bodies in the old graveyard back of the Pulton 
 Street church, and by the 18th they had secured the 
 remains of thirty persons, which were placed in 
 tightly sealed boxes and deposited in the vault under 
 the new church. On January 15, 1845, the Fulton 
 Street church-property, together with that in Dutch 
 Street, was sold for $29,750 in the Merchants' Ex- 
 change by Wilkins and Rollins, auctioneers. The 
 church and lot brought $24,200, and the parsonage 
 and lot $5,550. On February 9 the last service was 
 held in the old church. On the following day the 
 organ, pulpit, communion table, pews and other 
 articles were removed from the church, and the 
 demolition of the building began. On February 23 
 the first service was held in the lecture room of the 
 Houston Street church. On the preceding Sunday 
 the pastor conducted a morning and evening service 
 for the Brooklyn members at the homes of the Breth- 
 
244 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 ren Robert Prince and Thomas Harvey respectively. 
 Both services were well attended. Altho the Brook- 
 lyn Moravians had been strongly opposed to the 
 removal of the church to a place still farther away 
 from their homes, they remained faithful to the con- 
 gregation and attended the services in the new 
 church as regularly as distance allowed. 
 
 It is recorded that on March 9 a very heavy rain 
 caused nearly half the yard back of the old parson- 
 age to slide down into the cellar dug on the site of 
 the old church for new buildings. Props had to be 
 placed inside as well as outside the parsonage, which 
 added inconvenience to danger. Bigler and his 
 family had to take refuge temporarily in the home 
 of George Miller, a member of the congregation. 
 From March 13 to 19 the Biglers were engaged 
 in removing their household effects from the old to 
 the new parsonage, 522 Houston Street. After much 
 delay and considerable misunderstanding with the 
 contractors the new church was at last finished, and 
 on Sunday, June 29, 1845, it was consecrated by 
 Bishop Andrew Benade. There were three services 
 during the day, and all were largely attended. The 
 Rev. Peter Wolle of Lititz preached in the morning, 
 and the Rev. George F. Bahnsen of Lancaster in the 
 evening. The afternoon sermon was delivered by the 
 Rev. Emanuel Rondthaler of Philadelphia. The 
 front of the church on Houston Street was fifty-eight 
 feet, and the side on Mott Street seventy-five feet. 
 The body of the building was of brick, while the 
 foundation walls were of highland granite. The out- 
 side woodwork was painted a granite color and the 
 
CONSECRATION OF CHURCH 245 
 
 inside white, while the doors to the church and at 
 the entrance to the basement were done in imitation 
 oak. The parsonage also fronted on Houston Street. 
 It was twenty-four feet in width and forty feet in 
 length. The front and the steps of the house were 
 of brownstone, while the other walls were of granite. 
 The Board of Trustees, consisting of Christian D. 
 W. Lilliendahl, George Miller, Abraham Clark, Al- 
 fred Beatty and John Addoms, constituted the 
 Building Committee. 
 
 The names of the contributors to the building- 
 fund are the following: Hannah Bowie, Abraham 
 Biniager, Michael Van Beuren, Jacob Bininger, 
 Daniel B. Dash, Michael Miller, Ann C. Dash, David 
 Jacot, Daniel Gassner, Anthony Arnoux, Peter Em- 
 bury, Henry Tenbrook, Jr., Nathaniel Smith, 
 Stephen Allen, Abraham Cargill, Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. 
 Abraham Clark, William Briggs, Rebecca Bokee, 
 George Lorillard, Peter Lorillard, L. Baum, Han- 
 nah Moore, Sarah Halligan, Lucretia A. Brasier, Mr. 
 Van Ness, Philip Embury, D. McCormick, M. Petrie, 
 John J. Astor, Richard Varick, Nancy Jay, Mrs. 
 Banyer, Benjamin Mortimer, Jr., Mrs. Taylor, C. D. 
 W. Lilliendahl, George Miller, Abraham Clark, Al- 
 fred Beatty and John Addoms. With the removal 
 of the church to Houston Street a new era began in 
 the history of the congregation. At this time the 
 city had about 400,000 inhabitants. 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 THE CHURCH IN HOUSTON STREET 
 
 The history of the Houston Street church covers a 
 period of twenty years. The first decade of this 
 period constituted the most prosperous years, the 
 membership growing before the close of David Big- 
 ler's pastorate in 1855 to the maximum of its record. 
 The popular semi-annual missionary meetings of the 
 congregation continued to hold the interest of many 
 people outside the Moravian Church. Among the 
 noted preachers on these occasions were men like 
 Dr. Knox, Dr. Alexander, Dr. Muhlenberg, Dr. 
 Tyng, and other leading representatives of various 
 denominations. The Moravian pastor was con- 
 tinually called upon to represent his Church and its 
 Missions at large meetings in other places, and to 
 participate in the famous gatherings of various or- 
 ganizations at the Broadway Tabernacle and else- 
 where. During these fruitful years the congregation 
 not only grew in influence and in numbers, but it 
 was privileged to see a number of congregations come 
 into existence under its fostering care. 
 
 Altho no one could doubt the wisdom of removing 
 the church from its undesirable surroundings in 
 Fulton Street to a more favorable locality in the 
 upper part of the city where most of the members 
 had taken up their residence, this removal took the 
 church still farther away from the Brooklyn mem- 
 
 246 
 
THE HOUSTON STREET CHURCH 
 
MEETINGS IN BROOKLYN 247 
 
 bers, and naturally they objected quite strenuously 
 to the move. For a time it looked as if this op- 
 position would crystallize into enmity, but Bigler 
 knew how to throw oil upon the troubled waters, 
 and under his wise leadership matters were amicably 
 adjusted. In the fall of 1843 he began cottage prayer- 
 meetings in Brooklyn with the hope that in this way 
 these members might be retained in the Moravian 
 Church and would eventually become the nucleus of 
 a separate congregation. Some of those most inti- 
 mately concerned entertained the same hope. When 
 Bishop Benade was in New York for the corner-stone 
 laying of the Houston Street church, the Brooklyn 
 members informed him of their desire to have a 
 church of their own. However, no official action was 
 taken at that time. Altho they retained their mem- 
 bership in the congregation and attended the Sunday 
 services as faithfully as circumstances permitted, 
 they never for a moment lost sight of their pur- 
 pose. 
 
 On January 19, 1846, they started a building-fund. 
 Mrs. Wichelhausen circulated a subscription-list, 
 and in one day secured the encouraging sum of 
 twelve hundred dollars in pledges. This amount was 
 increased by two hundred dollars before the week 
 was «nded. On February 4 the Brooklyn women or- 
 ganized themselves into a society for the purpose of 
 raising money for the building-fund. It was forth- 
 with decided to have a fair and festival as soon as 
 possible. In September the lots on Jay Street, where 
 the present church and parsonage stand, were pur- 
 chased for $3,000. On Thanksgiving Day the women 
 
248 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 had their fair and festival, and before the end of the 
 month the first installment of one thousand dollars 
 was paid on the amount owed for the lots. The last 
 payments were made in August, 1848. While no 
 stone was left unturned to raise money by fairs and 
 collections among themselves, they also appealed to 
 the congregations in the Province for aid. Mrs. 
 John Davenport and Mrs. Emilius Marx went to 
 Philadelphia and presented the cause. In the fall 
 of 1847 the Brooklyn Moravians received permission 
 to hold their week-day and Sunday evening meet- 
 ings in the lecture room of St. Ann's Episcopal 
 Church, of which Dr. Cutler was the rector. This 
 was their meeting-place until Passion Week of the 
 following year, after which they resumed their meet- 
 ings in private houses, principally at those of Robert 
 Prince and Mrs. John Davenport. 
 
 To increase the revenue of the earnest little flock 
 it was decided to build two dwelling houses on the 
 front of the Jay Street lots, leaving a space of ten 
 feet in width between the buildings for a passage- 
 way leading to the church, which they proposed to 
 erect in the rear. At this time the congregation of 
 which they were still a part showed its financial 
 interest by contributing thru its Home Missionary 
 Society the sum of six hundred dollars. Having se- 
 cured a school-room on Clinton Street at a rental of 
 ten dollars a month, regular services were held on 
 Sunday evenings. The first service in the school- 
 room was conducted on February 13, 1852, John P. 
 Warman, formerly a missionary in Surinam and at 
 the time a member of the New York congregation in 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL IN BROOKLYN 249 
 
 the employ of the American Tract Society, officiat- 
 ing. Bigler held the Friday evening meetings for 
 the Brooklyn members as hitherto. At this time a 
 Sunday School was organized with Robert Prince 
 as Superintendent. This happy arrangement was 
 somewhat interfered with in March of the following 
 year when Warman with his family removed to a 
 little farm which he had purchased near Paterson, 
 N. J. Some time before his removal the room on 
 Clinton Street was given up, and the meetings of 
 the little flock were held at the homes of the people 
 until October, 1852, when they were transferred to 
 the Mission Sunday School room on Concord Street, 
 near Hudson. For several months Warman was in- 
 capacitated by illness, and Bigler took his place 
 whenever possible. 
 
 Meanwhile a plot of ground, 100 feet square, had 
 been purchased on Schermerhorn Street, one hun- 
 dred feet east of Nevins Street, for $4,400, with the 
 idea of erecting a church in this rapidly growing 
 section of the city. At this time it was reported that 
 the Rev. 3. F. Schroeder, D.D., Rector of St. Thomas 
 Episcopal Church, Bridge and Willoughby Streets, 
 found his church too small to accommodate the con- 
 gregation and would like to sell the property. On 
 September 21, 1852, a meeting was called at the home 
 of Robert Prince to consider the advisability of buy- 
 ing this church. It was decided to make the pur- 
 chase, provided the church could be had for $5,000, 
 as had been reported, and the two lots fronting on 
 Jay Street would be accepted in part payment. 
 When Dr. Schroeder was interviewed he informed 
 
250 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 the Moravians that the vestry asked $7,000 for the 
 church, including the organ, or $6,500 without the 
 organ. It was impossible to pay this price, and the 
 matter was dropped. At a meeting, "probably the 
 most solemn ever held in Brooklyn among our peo- 
 ple," conducted by Bigler on October 25, it was 
 decided by the Lot to build a church on the Jay 
 Street plot of ground. Having only one thousand 
 dollars on hand toward the project, Bigler went to 
 Bethlehem, where he was successful in securing a 
 loan of $5,000 at six per cent. 
 
 On March 11, 1853, the Brooklyn congregation 
 was organized at the home of Robert Prince. It was 
 a stormy evening, and only the Brethren David Big- 
 ler, John Warman, Robert Prince, Thomas Harvey, 
 Emilius Marx, and Joseph Roworth, besides two 
 stated hearers and contributors, John Davenport 
 and Daniel Tryon, were present. The trustees 
 elected were Robert Prince, Thomas Harvey, and 
 Emilius Marx. On April 5 a certificate of this elec- 
 tion was acknowledged before a commissioner and 
 recorded by the County Clerk with a view to the 
 incorporation of the congregation. The infant con- 
 gregation consisted of thirty-three members, includ- 
 ing children. On May 16 Robert Prince was au- 
 thorized by the Board of Trustees to sell to the Cen- 
 tral Presbyterian Church for five thousand dollars 
 the lots owned by the congregation on Schermerhorn 
 Street. This deal was consummated and the Presby- 
 terian Church paid down $1,000 in cash, giving a 
 mortgage on the ground amounting to $4,000. The 
 incorporation of the congregation was effected on 
 
CHURCH IN BROOKLYN 251 
 
 August 29 under the title of "The United Brethren's 
 Church in the City of Brooklyn." 
 
 On November 29 the contract for a church to be 
 erected on Jay Street, near Myrtle Avenue, was 
 awarded to J. F. Booth for $1,125, "the church to be 
 in all respects like one built for the Dutch Reformed 
 Church in the town of Flat Lands, Long Island." 
 The contract called for a building twenty-five feet 
 in width and thirty-six feet in length. On May 16, 
 1854, Bigler informed the Trustees that the Rev. 
 Joseph Kummer had been appointed pastor of the 
 congregation. By July both the church and parson- 
 age were ready for occupancy. The erection of the 
 parsonage had been begun as the church was nearing 
 completion. On September 4 the pastor-elect and 
 his wife arrived in Brooklyn. The church was con- 
 secrated on Sunday, September 10, the Rt. Rev. 
 John C. Jacobson, President of the Provincial Board, 
 officiating. Under date of September 10 Bigler made 
 the following record in the diary of the mother 
 church : "Alas, the day so long wished for and so 
 pleasantly anticipated, when the church in Brook- 
 lyn was to be consecrated, was ushered in by a most 
 violent northeast storm. The wind and rain set 
 in during the course of the night and continued 
 with unabated violence until three o'clock this after- 
 noon. At nine-thirty in the morning we entered a 
 carriage and, accompanied by Sister Bigler and fam- 
 ily, we drove to Brooklyn. At ten o'clock not more 
 than a dozen people had assembled. We waited until 
 eleven o'clock, and by that time the number had in- 
 creased to thirty." The pastor of the congregation 
 
252 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 was installed and the church consecrated at this 
 service, but the services which had been announced 
 for the afternoon and evening were postponed until 
 the following Sunday, when the Rev. Dr. Richard 
 Storrs of the Congregational Church, and the Rev. 
 Dr. Cutler of the Episcopal Church, were the princi- 
 pal speakers. Kummer preached his introductory 
 sermon in the morning of the second Sunday on 
 which the congregation worshipped in the new 
 church. 
 
 After serving the Brooklyn congregation for four 
 years, Kummer accepted a call to Lancaster, Pa., 
 and Edward T. Kluge became his successor. In 1860 
 Kluge was succeeded by Edwin E. Reinke, who had 
 recently returned from Jamaica. After a six months' 
 pastorate Reinke was called to the congregation in 
 New York, and Herman A. Brickenstein took his 
 place in Brooklyn. Brickenstein served in this ca- 
 pacity four years, when he removed to Bethlehem, 
 Pa., where he became "Secretary of Publications." 
 He was succeeded in Brooklyn by Isaac Prince, who 
 in turn was succeeded on September 3, 1865, by Ed- 
 ward Rondthaler, who served the congregation eight 
 years. A month after Rondthaler's arrival the par- 
 sonage was damaged by a fire originating in a third- 
 story bedroom. Firemen quickly extinguished the 
 flames. The loss sustained was not great and fully 
 covered by insurance. A fire on September 24, 1868, 
 was more destructive. On that day a little paint- 
 shop on Myrtle Avenue, separated from the parson- 
 age by nothing more than a carpenter-shop and 
 stable, burst into flames, and before the fire had 
 
SECOND BROOKLYN CHURCH 253 
 
 spent itself the parsonage was in ashes and the 
 church practically destroyed. Plans for rebuilding 
 were made immediately, and by June 4, 1869, it was 
 possible to lay the corner-stone of the new church. 
 While the building operations were going on the con- 
 gregation worshipped and conducted its Sunday 
 School in the Washington Street Methodist Episco- 
 pal Church. On October 15, 1871, the new church 
 was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Amadeus A. Reinke, 
 the pastor of the mother church in New York. The 
 offering of the day amounted to $3,076. The sub- 
 stantial brick church and parsonage built at that 
 time have rendered good service ever since. Those 
 who served the Brooklyn congregation after Edward 
 Rondthaler are the following: Bishop Henry A, 
 Shultz, temporarily in 1873; Charles B. Shultz, 
 1874-1877; Charles A. Ricksecker, 1877-1879; Wil- 
 liam Henry Rice, 1879-1880; Edward S. Wolle, 1880- 
 1889; Clarence E. Eberman, 1889-1893; Albert 
 Oerter, 1893-1894; Clarence E. Romig, 1894-1903; 
 Paul M. Greider, 1903-1913; John Greenfield, 1914- 
 1916; Walter E. Besiegel, 1916-1918; Francis E. 
 Grunert, 1918 to the present time. 
 
 During the years immediately preceding the or- 
 ganization of the Brooklyn congregation other im- 
 portant events transpired in the Moravian Church 
 of New York. Altho one of them may seem to us a 
 minor matter, it was not so considered by those who 
 were called upon to decide it. At the time two cus- 
 toms obtained in the Moravian Church which have 
 long since become obsolete. One was the "Kiss of 
 Peace" in connection with the celebration of the 
 
254 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Holy Communion, (Vide page 103) and the other 
 the wearing of little white caps by the women. The 
 white caps were a reminder of former days when 
 Moravian women wore a uniform head-dress called 
 "Haube," with ribbons of different colors distin- 
 guishing the choir divisions of a congregation. 
 These colors were the following : Blue for married 
 women; white for widows; pink for single women; 
 dark-red for young girls ; and light-red for children. 
 In the early days of Herrnhut one style of "Haube" 
 was adopted, and even the female members of Count 
 Zinzendorf's family wore it. This custom of wear- 
 ing nothing but the "Haube" on the head never ob- 
 tained among the Moravian women in New York. 
 They wore the head-dress in vogue except in church 
 on Communion and several other occasions. Gradu- 
 ally this custom and that of giving the "Kiss of 
 Peace" became distasteful to the members of the 
 congregation, as well as elsewhere in the Moravian 
 Church, and various infractions of the rule ensued. 
 At last it was decided to bring both matters before 
 Church Council. At the meeting held on April 11, 
 1849, remarks on "the refractions of our rules at 
 the Holy Communion by some of the female mem- 
 bers of the congregation wearing bonnets" gave 
 rise to an animated discussion not only on the sub- 
 ject of female head-dress, but of the Kiss of Peace 
 as well. After considerable debate the following 
 question was submitted to the Council : "Shall the 
 wearing of bonnets by women at the Holy Com- 
 munion be left to the discretion of the women?" 
 This question was decided in the affirmative by a ma- 
 
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES 255 
 
 jority vote. At this meeting it was also decided that 
 the right-hand of fellowship should be substituted 
 for the Kiss of Peace. 
 
 In the summer of 1848 a General Synod was held 
 at Herrnhut. It was attended by David Bigler as 
 one of the American representatives. During his 
 absence from May 2 to October 17 his place in New 
 York was taken by the Rev. Edward H. Reichel. 
 This Synod effected such constitutional changes as 
 to make the government of the American Province 
 practically autonomous. The American Church au- 
 thorities were now unhampered, and definite plans 
 were immediately formulated for the prosecution of 
 home mission work on a scale hitherto impossible. 
 On March 31, 1849, a Home Missionary Society was 
 organized at Bethlehem, Pa. To this Society the 
 Provincial Synod, held in the following June, com- 
 mitted the general oversight of the work of Church 
 Extension. The formation of auxiliary societies in 
 the congregations was recommended by Synod. 
 Therefore the Home Missionary Society of the 
 United Brethren's Chivrch in New York was organ- 
 ized on November 7, 1849. That the members of 
 the congregation were interested in Home Mission 
 work is evident from the fact that pledges amount- 
 ing to four hundred and sixty dollars were received 
 at the time of organization. This amount was in- 
 creased to seven hundred dollars before the close of 
 the year. The Trustees of the Congregation consti- 
 tuted the Board of Managers of the Society. 
 
 The pioneer home missionary of the Moravian 
 Church in America was John Frederick Pett, who 
 
256 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 was formerly active in the Diaspora circles of 
 Switzerland and South Germany. In 1848 he was 
 employed as a home missionary among the Germans 
 in Philadelphia. After the Synod of 1849 he was 
 called to undertake a tour among the Germans in 
 Wisconsin and Illinois. In the middle of October 
 he arrived in Milwaukee, where he made the acquain- 
 tance of Andrew M. Iverson, a native of Norway, 
 who became acquainted with the Moravian Church 
 thru the Diaspora in Europe. Iverson was minis- 
 tering to a small congregation of Scandinavians in 
 Milwaukee, and with them had previously applied 
 to be received into the Moravian Church. Fett not 
 only recommended the granting of this application, 
 but urged the ordination of Iverson to the Moravian 
 ministry. He also found a number of Germans who 
 had been formerly connected with the Moravian 
 Church in Europe, and urged the church authorities 
 to send a home missionary to Milwaukee to organize, 
 if possible, a German congregation in the city or its 
 environs. In June, 1850, Pett visited Green Bay, 
 Wisconsin, a town of about two thousand inhabi- 
 tants, including a great many unchurched Germans. 
 Here a Moravian congregation was organized on 
 October 12, 1851. Fett came to New York City to 
 collect money for the erection of a church at Green 
 Bay. The New York congregation responded gen- 
 erously to his appeal. Its contribution amounted 
 to nearly seven hundred dollars. Bigler introduced 
 Fett to William B. Astor, who presented two lots 
 in Green Bay for the church and parsonage. While 
 in New York Pett conducted a German service in 
 
HOME MISSION ACTIVITIES 257 
 
 the lecture room of the Houston Street church. 
 About twenty-five Germans were in attendance. 
 
 Ever since the pastorate of Van Vleck Moravian 
 pastors in New York had made sporadic efforts to 
 minister to the German immigrants in the city. 
 Many of these Germans had learned to know the 
 Moravian Church in Europe. It was not until the 
 fall of 1851, however, that systematic efforts were 
 put forth by the Church. On October 1 John G. 
 Kaltenbrunn, formerly of the Silesian Diaspora, to- 
 gether with his wife and two sons, arrived in the 
 city and took up his residence in rooms at 134 De- 
 lancey Street. He had been appointed by the Beth- 
 lehem Home Missionary Society to establish a Home 
 Mission among the German immigrants. Kalten- 
 brunn began his labors by visiting and distributing 
 German tracts procured from the American Tract 
 Society. On October 8 he was formally introduced 
 to the Board of Managers of the Home Missionary 
 Society of the congregation. The Board pledged 
 the Society for three hundred dollars toward his 
 support, promised to pay the rent of his house, and 
 voted him twenty-five dollars to cover his expenses 
 after arriving in the city. The Society also pur- 
 chased furniture for him with the understanding 
 that while he should have the use of it, the furniture 
 should be considered the property of the Society. 
 The lecture room of the church was placed at his 
 disposal for German services on Thursday and Sun- 
 day evenings. Kaltenbrunn preached his first ser- 
 mon in the city on October 16 at a service attended 
 by about fifteen Germans. 
 
258 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 In January, 1852, a little chapel was rented in 
 Houston Street for six months, and a small congre- 
 gation organized. The first service in the new place 
 of worship was held on the 18th of the month. There 
 were about thirty people present. Sunday morning 
 and Sunday evening services were now instituted, 
 and plans made to organize a German Sunday 
 School. Before long Kaltenbrunn's eyes turned west- 
 ward, and on February 14 the Board of Managers 
 of the Home Missionary Society met to consider his 
 suggestion that the Society should purchase a tract 
 of about three thousand acres of land in Michigan 
 for the purpose of establishing a congregation there. 
 The Board declined to act upon this suggestion, but 
 pledged the Society to contribute two hundred dol- 
 lars toward his support for one year, if he should 
 locate in Michigan. The Brethren Abraham Clark 
 and Bowman promised as individuals to provide the 
 money needed for the purchase of a quarter section 
 of land to be used in part for church and parson- 
 age grounds, and in part for farming by the 
 pastor. For some reason Kaltenbrunn was unable 
 to accept this kind offer, and continued his labors in 
 the city about a year longer. In the meantime he 
 abandoned his plan of going to Michigan. On March 
 30, 1853, he left for Watertown, Wisconsin, to select 
 a place for his little congregation. During his ab- 
 sence Ulrich Guenther, formerly of Neudietendorf, 
 Germany, and now a colporteur of the American 
 Tract Society, looked after the mission work in New 
 York. 
 
 Returning from the west Kaltenbrunn reported 
 
HOME MISSION ACTIVITIES 259 
 
 to the Board of Managers of the Home Missionary 
 Society that he had found a suitable location for 
 himself and little flock a short distance from Water- 
 town, Wisconsin, and that he and his family, to- 
 gether with five German households, would remove 
 there in May. The Board voted to contribute one 
 hundred and fifty dollars toward his support for 
 one year, and Clark and Bowman promised to pur- 
 chase forty acres for a church and parsonage. At 
 that time land brought five dollars an acre in Wiscon- 
 sin. In this way the Ebenezer congregation, near 
 Watertowh, was founded. Kaltenbrunn's place as 
 home missionary in New York was taken by Guen- 
 ther, who soon added to his labors here an outpost 
 at Greenville, N. J. He also preached every Sunday 
 afternoon to unchurched Germans in the neighbor- 
 hood of Hamilton Ferry in Brooklyn. On Sunday, 
 July 31, 1853, he was ordained a deacon of the Mo- 
 ravian Church at Lititz, Pa. In October of the fol- 
 lowing year he relinquished his labors in New York, 
 and with the consent of the Provincial authorities 
 took charge of a German congregation in Newark, 
 N. J., under the auspices of the Presbyterian 
 Church. He was succeeded by John G. Praeger, who 
 for a year had assisted the Rev. Philip Gapp in 
 Philadelphia, where he was ordained to the Mo- 
 ravian ministry on November 5, 1854, by Bishop 
 Jacobson. 
 
 Praeger with his wife and mother arrived in New 
 York two days after his ordination, and on Sunday, 
 November 12, preached his introductory sermon. 
 At this time the little German flock numbered thirty 
 
260 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 persons. At the celebration of the Holy Communion 
 on the last day of the year twelve new members were 
 received. On March 8, 1855, a board of trustees, 
 consisting of the Brethren Charles Bachmann, 
 Henry Wolff, John Geyer, Jacob Hellriegel and 
 John Rice", was elected. According* to the certifi- 
 cate of election recorded on May 5 the meeting was 
 held at Stanton and Essex Streets. The congregation 
 was incorporated under the title of "The First Mis- 
 sion Church and Congregation of the United Breth- 
 ren's Church of the City of New York." John 
 Kilian and Christian Jenna were the first elders 
 of the congregation. Praeger labored with marked 
 success until the year 1858, when he was succeeded 
 by Adolph Pinckert. Unfortunately the work of the 
 Mission suffered a serious setback under the leader- 
 ship of Pinckert, whose intemperate habits brought 
 about his dismissal from the ministry. For a while 
 the congregation was without a pastor, the Rev. 
 Edwin T. Sensemann, of the English (First) church, 
 rendering it such service as time and his regular 
 labors permitted. It looked for a time as if the 
 German Mission which had started out so success- 
 fully might have to be abandoned. However, the 
 Home Missionary Society of the local congregation 
 and the Home Mission Board at Bethlehem revived 
 the work, and in the fall of 1860 the Rev. P. F. Rom- 
 mel was placed in charge of the Mission church. 
 After three years he was succeeded by M. Adam Erd- 
 mann, who remained in charge for five yeara. Altho 
 a good man, Erdmann was injudicious in his dealings 
 with his superiors as well as with some of his mem- 
 
THE GERMAN CONGREGATION 261 
 
 bers. As a result, he got into serious difficulties with 
 the mother congregation, and later with the Provin- 
 cial Elders' Conference, in consequence of which he 
 left the Moravian Church altogether, and took up 
 work in another Church in the city. This unfortunate 
 trouble resulted in working great detriment and 
 loss to the little congregation and to the Moravian 
 Church at large. At this time the Rev. Dr. William 
 Augustus Muhlenberg, a sincere friend of the Mo- 
 ravians, was putting forth strenuous efforts to in- 
 terest different denominations to contribute suffi- 
 cient funds to build a "Union Church to the Testi- 
 mony of Jesus," which was to be presented to the 
 Moravian Church. This project failed "because of 
 the recalcitrant spirit manifested by Adam Erdmann 
 toward the Provincial Elders' Conference at a time 
 when he stood high in the estimation of the clergy 
 in the city." The liberal contributors who responded 
 to Muhlenberg's appeal "refused any longer to aid a 
 Church which they imagined failed to sustain and 
 encourage its own faithful worker." 
 
 Prom January to September, 1869, the German 
 congregation was served by Gotthold Neef. In 
 November, 1869, Theodore Sondermann succeeded 
 Neef and served the congregation under great dif- 
 ficulties, yet faithfully, for eight years. Those who 
 have since served the church are Morris W. Leibert, 
 1877-1885; William H. Rice, 1885-1892; J. Erik Her- 
 mann, 1892-1899; Theodore Weingarth, 1899-1900; 
 Conrad E. Hermsted, 1900-1913 ; Edward S. Wolle, 
 1913 to the present time. For the first nineteen 
 years of its existence the German congregation had 
 
262 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 no permanent place of worship. The different meet- 
 ing-places in these years of wandering were on Hous- 
 ton Street, Orchard Street, Rivington Street, Elev- 
 enth Street near Avenue B, and the corner of Avenue 
 C and Fourth Street. During Sondermann's pas- 
 torate a house was purchased on East Sixth Street 
 from John Hirsch and his wife for $10,000. In this 
 building, 636 East Sixth Street, a small chapel was 
 consecrated on February 19, 1871, by the Rev. Lewis 
 F. Kampman. This remained the seat of the congre- 
 gation until 1906 when, on account of the encroach- 
 ments of Hebrews and other foreign-speaking people, 
 the property was sold to a Hebrew congregation for 
 $18,000. For a short time the congregation held its 
 services in the Reformed Hungarian Church at 121 
 East Seventh Street, after 'which it removed to the 
 Bronx, where the trustees purchased the "Church 
 of the Reformation" and parsonage, at Jennings 
 Street and Wilkins Avenue, from the Lutherans for 
 $25,000, including the organ. Here the congrega- 
 tion, now known as the Second Moravian Church of 
 New York City, has carried on its work for the last 
 fifteen years. All the services of this church are 
 now conducted in the English language. Altho it 
 had a clear field in the beginning, its growth is now 
 retarded by circumstances not unlike those which 
 made its removal from Sixth Street a necessity. 
 
 At the close of 1854 Bigler made the following 
 record in the diary : "An event of interest and en- 
 couragement, and connected with pleasant results, 
 has been the successful prosecution of the Home 
 Mission work and the enlargement of the field of 
 
THE FRUITFUL MOTHER CHURCH 263 
 
 operations during the last twelve months. Our own 
 immediate field in this city is now under successful 
 culture at the hands of our zealous and faithful mis- 
 sionary, Brother Praeger. Out of the numbers col- 
 lected thru the agency of the three missionary breth- 
 ren successively employed by the Home Missionary 
 Society of the Congregation three new and regular 
 Home Mission stations have been opened and are 
 now in encouraging operation. These stations are 
 at New Haven, Connecticut; Utica, New York, and at 
 Ebenezer, near Watertown, Wisconsin. There is now 
 a zealous missionary at each of these places. In ad- 
 dition to these a congregation numbering nearly two 
 hundred persons, organized a few years ago in 
 Newark, N. J., under the auspices of the Presby- 
 terian Church, has recently called to its service, with 
 the sanction of the Provincial Board, our Brother 
 Guenther, who is now laboring there with marked 
 success. Thus our little society under the blessing 
 of God has been directly instrumental in opening and 
 cultivating four other mission-stations besides its 
 own." In the memorabilia for the year, he says: 
 "Another subject of gratulation is the encourage- 
 ment which we have received recently in our Sunday 
 School. Owing in part to our location, the class of 
 inhabitants around us, and other causes over which 
 we could exercise no control, our Sunday School had 
 dwindled down to the small number of thirty-three 
 scholars. So discouraging had it become that the 
 idea of discontinuing the school altogether forced 
 itself upon our mind. Within the last two or three 
 months, chiefly thru the agency of a young man, a 
 
264 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 native of Greece, who is preparing himself for the 
 ministry at the Union Theological Seminary in this 
 city, our number of scholars has increased to sixty- 
 five, so that we now have eight classes and employ 
 eight teachers." The employment of a church- 
 worker was not new. The congregation had done so 
 from time to time as far back as the year 1760. 
 
 On January 31, 1855, the congregation held a 
 meeting of Church Council for the purpose of elect- 
 ing delegates to the Provincial Synod which con- 
 vened at Bethlehem in May. The Brethren Bigler 
 and Clark were chosen to represent the congrega- 
 tion at this Synod after Church Council had decided 
 by a majority vote that the women should be al- 
 lowed to vote on this or any other matter relating 
 to the best interests of the congregation. A com- 
 mittee consisting of the Brethren Bigler, Bminger, 
 Clark, Van Pelt, and Neidlinger was then appointed 
 "to take into consideration such instructions as 
 might be necessary to confide to the delegates to 
 Synod." This committee brought before a subse- 
 quent meeting of Church Council a number of rec- 
 ommendations which were embodied in the following 
 memorial to Synod : "In view of the present state, 
 the requirements, and the future state of our Church 
 in the United States, it is the opinion of the Mora- 
 vian congregation in New York that the Church in 
 America should undergo a radical change in its 
 government, canons, and legislative capacity. It 
 believes that the time has come when the Church 
 here should be entirely free and independent of, and 
 untrammeled by, any extraneous body in its civil 
 
CHANGES PROPOSED 265 
 
 and ecclesiastical affairs. It is of the opinion that 
 no measure short of this can give to the Church the 
 spiritual life, vigor, and activity within, and place 
 it in a proper condition to carry out the intentions 
 and designs of our blessed Redeemer and Saviour of 
 the world in the work of evangelizing the people and 
 in the extension of His Kingdom in this country. 
 "The experience of a century has fully shown that 
 a government centered in the heart of Europe, where 
 the language, laws, customs, habits, and genius of 
 the people are essentially different from those pre- 
 vailing here, cannot with the most sincere intention 
 either understand or properly provide for our wants 
 and exigencies, and that even were it possible the 
 distance is too great to act always, if ever, with suf- 
 ficient promptitude. It would recommend and ad- 
 vise in view of these important considerations that 
 the Church in this country, North, South, East and 
 West, unite in a general convention at a central 
 place, so that a plan of government and code of 
 laws, or constitution, may be formulated which 
 shall be adapted to the requirements of each and 
 all quarters of the Church, and that, if possible, it 
 may be unanimously and harmoniously adopted. It 
 would further observe that whatever action be taken 
 is merely of a preliminary and provisional character 
 intended to result in unity and in the formation of 
 plans which shall form a basis and material for a 
 General Synod to work out, elaborate, and mature. 
 That the Church as hitherto constituted has proved 
 itself in many respects inefficient, unwieldy, and 
 not subservient to the best interests of the Church, 
 
266 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 its unflourishing condition being partly due to this 
 cause, therefore be it 
 
 Resolved First, That Synod consider if the whole 
 system of church government in this country might 
 not with great profit undergo an entire change, and 
 be it 
 
 Resolved Second, That the title of the Church shall 
 be 'The Moravian Episcopal Church in the United 
 States of America' 
 
 Resolved Third, That the Church be divided for the 
 purpose of convenience, economy, and sectional ne- 
 cessities into three Provinces, namely, a Northern, 
 Southern, and Western Province, each one having 
 its separate government for the conduct of its local 
 and internal affairs, over which shall be placed a 
 Bishop and a Vice Bishop, the choice of whom shall 
 be determined by an election of the congregations 
 which comprize the Province. 
 
 Resolved Fourth, That the spiritual interests, wel- 
 fare, and happiness of the Church be enhanced by 
 the elevation and promotion of the office of a Bishop, 
 so that he may be more actively and intimately em- 
 ployed in the spiritual affairs of the Church, his 
 functions being no longer merely that of ordination, 
 but of an overseer of the flock of Christ, a visitor and 
 promoter of love, unity, and uniformity among the 
 congregations, who incites them to do their duties in 
 prosecuting the cause and promoting the welfare 
 and extension of the Church. 
 
 Resolved Fifth, That to promote and insure unity 
 of purpose and action in the whole Church in this 
 country, and for the common good and welfare there 
 
CHANGES PROPOSED 267 
 
 shall be convened a General Convention or Synod of 
 the Church as often as circumstances require, such 
 convention or synod to be composed of a suitable 
 number of ministerial and lay delegates from each 
 Province of the Church. 
 
 Resolved Sixth, That the bishops together with 
 the vice bishops shall constitute an Upper House 
 called the House of Bishops. (1) They shall elect 
 one of their number as President, who shall have 
 only a casting vote in case of a tie-vote; (2) No 
 measure shall originate in the House of Bishops, 
 but it shall be the duty of this House to canvass, 
 review, and consider all measures passed by the 
 Lower House, and its approval shall make them 
 laws; (3) Should the members of the Upper House 
 disagree, they shall return the bill with written ob- 
 jections; the same, however, shall become a law, 
 either by coinciding with the House of Bishops, or 
 by a majority of two-thirds of the members present 
 at a meeting of the Lower House. 
 
 Resolved Seventh, That, as experience has shown 
 that the Lot may be abused in its employment, -its 
 use be dispensed with in the future administration 
 of the affairs of the government of the Church. 
 
 Resolved Eighth, That the constitution and the 
 laws of the Church be duly digested, codified, and 
 published in a convenient form so that there may be 
 no uncertainty or misapprehension concerning them. 
 
 Resolved Ninth, That a standard form of church 
 worship be agreed upon, and that it shall be incum- 
 bent upon every minister of a congregation to adopt 
 and use it. 
 
268 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Resolved Tenth, That the English language be the 
 acknowledged tongue of the Church, and that suit- 
 able efforts be taken to use it on all consistent and 
 practical occasions. . . . 
 
 Resolved Eleventh, That if possible a weekly 
 church paper be established." 
 
 The memorial contained two additional resolu- 
 tions bearing upon the Theological Seminary and the 
 library connected with it. Altho Synod was un- 
 willing to adopt a diocesan form of government, a 
 committee was appointed to recast tentatively the 
 constitution of the Church, so as to meet American 
 requirements. This committee, to whom the me- 
 morial of the New York congregation was referred, 
 consisted of the following ministers : David Bigler, 
 Samuel Reinke, Henry A. Shultz, Philip Goepp, and 
 William Eberman; and the lay brethren, Jacob 
 Blickensderfer, Sr., and Jacob Blickensderfer, Jr. 
 The former title of the Church was retained, but 
 such constitutional measures were adopted as to 
 provide for Provincial self-government. Supreme 
 authority was vested in the Provincial Synod com- 
 posed of ministers and lay-men, and the executive 
 administration devolved upon a collegiate confer- 
 ence of ministers known as the Provincial Elders' 
 Conference. Resolution Eleven of the New York 
 congregation was adopted by Synod, and "The Mo- 
 ravian" became the official weekly church-paper 
 with the Rev. Edmund de Schweinitz, then pastor of 
 the Philadelphia church, its first Editor. The first 
 issue of The Moravian appeared on January 1, 1856. 
 Synod also effected a change in the administration 
 
SOME CHANGES EFFECTED 269 
 
 of Home Missions. The control of them was taken 
 from the Home Missionary Society of Bethlehem 
 and given into the hands of a Provincial Home Mis- 
 sion Board. This Board consisted of the Provincial 
 Elders' Conference and eight other men elected by 
 Synod. Those chosen were Charles F. Seidel, Henry 
 A. Shultz, David Bigler, Sylvester Wolle, Francis 
 Holland, and Francis Wolle, as ministerial repre- 
 sentatives, and the lay brethren, Abraham Clark, of 
 New York City, and Frederick Wilhelm of Phila- 
 delphia. 
 
 On August 2, 1855, Bigler received the call to the 
 pastorate of the Bethlehem congregation to take the 
 place of the Bev. Lewis F. Kampman, who took 
 charge of the Lancaster church. On September 5 
 the Trustees of the New York congregation passed a 
 formal resolution accepting the Bev. Edwin T. Sense- 
 man of West Salem, Illinois, as Bigler's successor. 
 On November 18 the beloved pastor, who for more 
 than thirteen years had guided the affairs of the 
 congregation and Home Mission activities in the 
 city, which resulted in a substantial increase in mem- 
 bership and in the organization of a number of new 
 congregations, preached his farewell sermon from 
 II Corinthians 13 : 11 to a large circle of members 
 and friends who were loath to see him leave the 
 city. At the farewell love feast in the afternoon 
 the lecture room of the church was crowded with 
 members of the congregation and Sunday School, 
 and many representatives of the Brooklyn and Ger- 
 man congregations. During the week Bigler left 
 with his family for Bethlehem, and on December 6 
 
270 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 his successor, with his sister Miss Emma Senseman, 
 arrived in New York and took up his residence at 
 the parsonage, 522 Houston Street. On the follow- 
 ing Sunday Senseman was installed as pastor by 
 Bishop Peter Wolle, a member of the Provincial 
 Elders' Conference, and preached his introductory 
 sermon from II Corinthians 4: 5. 
 
 Senseman was a widower when he came to the 
 city, but his sister kept house for him, therefore 
 the women of the congregation, desiring to make the 
 parsonage as comfortable and attractive as possible, 
 held a fair and festival on March 11 and 12, 1856, 
 in several rooms of the Mercantile Library building 
 at Astor Place and Eighth Street, for the purpose 
 of raising money to refurnish the parsonage. In 
 June of the same year Christian Bentel, a member 
 of the congregation, was ordained a deacon of the 
 Moravian Church, and in July took charge of the 
 newly organized Home Mission at Olney, Illinois. 
 On January 5, 1857, Senseman was married to Miss 
 Sarah Lueders, a teacher in the Young Ladies' Sem- 
 inary at Bethlehem, Bishop Jacobson officiating. 
 During the following summer he attended the Gen- 
 eral Synod at Herrnhut. In his absence the pulpit 
 was supplied by the Brethren Henry A. Shultz, 
 David Bigler, Peter Wolle, C. F. Seidel, Edward T. 
 Kluge, and Amadeus Reinke. Two noteworthy 
 events of the year 1858 are mentioned in the diary. 
 One is the great religious revival which affected 
 nearly all branches of Protestantism during this and 
 the succeeding year. The work of grace had its be- 
 ginning at a Union Prayer Meeting held in January 
 
WEEK OP PRAYER INSTITUTED 271 
 
 in the old Dutch Reformed Church on Pulton Street 
 immediately opposite the site of the former Mo- 
 ravian^hurch. The revival spread thruout the coun- 
 try and to other parts of the world. It was nowhere 
 more successful than in New York City. Naturally 
 the congregation felt its gracious influence. The 
 other event was the successful laying of the Atlantic 
 cable. On August 17 complete connections of the 
 cable with the receiving instruments and land-wire 
 were made and the following message sent over the 
 wire: "Europe and America are united by tele- 
 graph. Glory to God in the highest ; on earth, peace 
 and goodwill towards men." Messages between the 
 Queen and President of the United States, and other 
 officials followed. The great event was enthusias- 
 tically celebrated in New York as elsewhere on both 
 sides of the Atlantic. 
 
 When reports of the remarkable religious awaken- 
 ing in the United States reached India the members 
 of the Presbyterian Mission of Lodiana issued a 
 call for a universal concert of prayer to be held an- 
 nually during the first week of January. This call 
 met with a hearty response, and the Moravian con- 
 gregation in New York joined other churches thru- 
 out the world in observing the first Week of Prayer 
 in the year 1860. Senseman was always ready to 
 follow any good suggestion for the advancement of 
 the, cause of Christ. He was also prepared to under- 
 take any work to which he believed himself called 
 by the Lord. Therefore he cheerfully accepted the 
 editorship of "The Moravian," beginning his editorial 
 labors in, January, 1859. After the dismissal of 
 
272 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Pinckert he likewise consented to look after the 
 work of the German Mission church until the ap- 
 pointment of a regular pastor. In September, I860, 
 he accepted the call to the pastorate of the Staten 
 Island congregation, and in October he left for 
 his new field of labor. He was succeeded in the city 
 by the Rev. Edwin E. Reinke, a great grandson of 
 Abraham Reinke, the second settled pastor of the 
 congregation. Reinke remained only a short time. In 
 the summer of 1862 he was transferred to Olney, Il- 
 linois, the Rev. Joseph Horsfield Kummer, a great 
 grandson of Timothy Horsfield, who was active in the 
 early years of Moravian labors in New York City, 
 succeeding him. On August 3 Kummer preached his 
 introductory sermon from Isaiah 40: 9, and then, 
 according to custom, the church was closed for a 
 month. At this time there was no Sunday School 
 in the congregation, altho a mission school on Sun- 
 day afternoons rendered some service in the com- 
 munity. On September 14 Kummer commenced a 
 morning Sunday School with nine scholars and four 
 teachers. The communicant membership at this time 
 numbered seventy-four. 
 
 The latest edition of the Discipline and Rules of the 
 Congregation having been issued in 1830, a new and 
 revised edition was drawn up in accordance with the 
 recent constitutional changes wrought in the Mo- 
 ravian Church at large, and published in neat and 
 attractive form in the summer of 1863. In July of 
 the same year the work of the congregation was 
 greatly disturbed by the excitement attendant upon 
 the Draft Riots. On the approach of the Civil "War 
 
A CHILD MARTYR 273 
 
 many people in the city favored the South, and in 
 January, 1861, Mayor Wood proclaimed secession 
 "a fixed fact." He proposed that an independent 
 commonwealth to be called "Tri-Insula" should be 
 formed out of Manhattan, Long and Staten Islands. 
 Altho the city as a whole loyally supported the Union 
 during the War, in July, 1863, the Draft Riots took 
 place. They lasted four days, during which business 
 was brought to a standstill, property worth more 
 than fl,500,000 destroyed, and more than one thou- 
 sand persons killed. Among the lives lost was that 
 of little Joseph Reed, a member of the Sunday School 
 of the Episcopal congregation then in possession of 
 the church at Lexington Avenue and Thirtieth 
 Street, which was later purchased by the Moravians. 
 A memorial tablet placed on the north wall of the 
 lecture room remains to this day. It bears the fol- 
 lowing inscription: "A child martyr, we hold in 
 memory Joseph Reed, aged 7 years, a scholar in the 
 infant class of this school. Died from injuries re- 
 ceived during the riot, July 23, 1863. 'His child was 
 caught up unto God, and to His Throne.' Rev. 
 12:5." 
 
 In view of the great services which Brother 
 Charles Augustus Zoebisch rendered the congrega- 
 tion in later years it may be of interest to record that 
 he was elected a trustee of the church for the first 
 time on December 23, 1863. For the purpose of 
 stimulating greater interest in Foreign Missions the 
 Rev. Philip Schaff, D.D., preached a missionary ser- 
 mon in the Houston Street church on April 10, 1864. 
 In June of the same year an effort was made to start 
 
274 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 a Sunday School at Williamsburg, where a number 
 of members of the congregation lived at the time. 
 After a while the project was abandoned. Altho 
 the congregation made progress for the first ten 
 years after its removal from Fulton Street, it was 
 not long before it became apparent that the new 
 location of the church was not as desirable as first 
 supposed. There were a great many Roman Catho- 
 lics in the community and only a few unchurched 
 Protestants. For this reason the Sunday School 
 never flourished. As the better class of citizens re- 
 moved to more agreeable localities, a less desirable 
 element came into the community. After a time it 
 was not at all pleasant for people to attend evening 
 meetings in the church. The services were fre- 
 quently disturbed by children and young people in 
 the street outside. Once a stone was hurled thru a 
 church window while a service was in progress. 
 Complaint was made to the police captain, who 
 promised to station one of his men outside the church 
 during the hours of service. However, matters did 
 not improve very much. It became increasingly 
 apparent that it would be best to remove the church 
 to another neighborhood. On December 29, 1858, 
 Church Council earnestly debated the matter of re- 
 moval, but there was strong opposition to the pro- 
 posed change, and consequently no definite action 
 was taken. At last the situation became insuffer- 
 able, and in August, 1865, by a majority vote, the 
 property was sold for $30,000. The last service in 
 the Houston Street church was held on Sunday, 
 September the third. 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE HOMELESS YEARS OF THE 
 CONGREGATION 
 
 It was a great mistake for the congregation to 
 remain so long in Houston Street. In the last few 
 years at that location there were few, if any ac- 
 cessions to the church, the communicant membership 
 dwindled to fifty-nine, the Sunday School had to be 
 given up for want of scholars, and in every way the 
 work suffered greatly by delaying the removal of 
 the church to a more desirable locality. The home- 
 less years which ensued after the sale of the church- 
 property added further to the detriment already 
 suffered. It is always unwise to give up or sell a 
 house before another has been engaged or purchased, 
 and this was especially true in this case. Before 
 the sale of the church-property the Trustees made 
 temporary provision for the congregation by renting 
 the dismal and by no means clean Hall of the College 
 of Physicians and Surgeons on the corner of Fourth 
 Avenue and Twenty-third Street. On September 
 10 the first service was held in this place. The rental 
 was five hundred dollars a year with the right of 
 using the hall on Sunday morning and evening, and 
 on one week-day evening. When this temporary ar- 
 rangement was made it was thought a comparatively 
 easy matter to find a suitable church-site or building 
 as well as a parsonage. The event belied the sup- 
 position. 
 
 275 
 
276 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Rummer having laid down his work, the Rev. 
 Amadeus A. Reinke, a brother of Edwin E. Reinke, 
 was called to take his place. On November 19 he 
 preached his introductory sermon. His text was, 
 "Brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord 
 may have free course, and be glorified." — II Thess. 
 3 : 1. The newly appointed pastor surely needed the 
 abundant prayers of his brethren under the trying 
 circumstances which attended the entrance upon his 
 labors. In spite of the most earnest efforts put 
 forth by the trustees and real estate agents whose 
 aid had been enlisted, it was impossible to find any- 
 where a house for the minister, to say nothing of 
 securing a building for a permanent church-home. 
 The rents were exorbitant, and the price asked for 
 building-lots prohibitive. Brother Reinke had to 
 leave his family at Bethlehem, Pa. While in the 
 city he stayed at the homes of different members, 
 but principally at the hospitable home of Brother 
 C. A. Zoebisch on Clinton Street, Brooklyn. 
 
 At last thru the kindness of a friend, Edward 
 Banker, Sr., of Staten Island, he secured the promise 
 of a house at 41 West 23rd Street at a rental of 
 $1,200 a year, which was exactly $500 less than the 
 rent paid for similar houses in the neighborhood. 
 However, this house could not be had before the fol- 
 lowing May, and that time was still distant. In the 
 meantime, Brother Reinke made serious efforts to 
 remain in the city for the purpose of visiting the 
 members of the congregation, but for some reason, 
 principally financial, this was found impracticable. 
 Naturally the enforced residence of the pastor out- 
 
EFFORTS TO SECURE A CHURCH 277 
 
 side the city proved detrimental to the work. Sev- 
 eral members left the church altogether, while others 
 became careless and indifferent about attending 
 services. Surely the lot of the conscientious pastor 
 was not a happy one. Once when a general strike 
 among the cab-drivers added to his inconvenience 
 on Sunday, he and Brother Zoebisch had to walk all 
 the way from South Ferry to Twenty-third Street, 
 and back. The exercise was no doubt beneficial, but 
 rather vigorous before and after conducting a 
 preaching service. At length May came, and by the 
 25th of the month the pastor and his family were 
 comfortably settled in their new home, a two-story 
 frame house on West Twenty-third Street. 
 
 Efforts to secure a church were vigorously con- 
 tinued, but without success. A Unitarian church at 
 Madison Avenue and Twenty-eighth Street was for 
 sale, but the price asked was $70,000. The French 
 Episcopal church on Twenty-second Street could 
 have been purchased for $100,000, but prices like 
 these were beyond the means of the congregation, 
 and could not be considered. Building lots were 
 sold at $15,000 each. While the quest for 
 a church-home continued with unremitting zeal, 
 the congregation made some progress. On October 
 9, 1866, a Sunday School was organized with 
 ten scholars present. The profiteer was at large 
 then as now, and on March 13, 1867, the pastor 
 was notified that from henceforth his rent would 
 be $1,700 a year. For the time being there 
 was nothing to do but to pay it. The price of real 
 estate was going up by leaps and bounds. The rents 
 
278 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 of stores on Broadway jumped from $10,000 to $40,- 
 000 per annum. At this time it was decided to leave 
 the Hall of the College of Physicians and Surgeons. 
 It was daily used as a lecture-room for about two 
 hundred students, and when the congregation met 
 for the Sunday services the room was in no desirable 
 condition. The cabinet organ of the church had to 
 be crated or boxed during the week to save it from 
 destruction. The hall had the further drawback of 
 being removed from the street by two long flights of 
 stairs, one outside and the other inside the building, 
 besides being in a neighborhood where three large 
 Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian churches 
 were at work. Therefore the last service was held 
 there on May 19, 1867, the Rev. Lewis P. Clewell, 
 then on a collecting tour for a church in Iowa, 
 preaching the sermon. Three weeks later the con- 
 gregation met in the Chapel of the Home of the 
 Friendless on the north side of Twenty-ninth Street, 
 between Madison and Fourth Avenue. The rental 
 of the Chapel was $700 a year. The children in the 
 Home attended the Moravian Sunday School, and 
 continued to do so for some time after the congre- 
 gation had found permanent quarters. 
 
 On March 11, 1868, the pastor celebrated his forty- 
 sixth birthday anniversary. This celebration was of 
 more than ordinary importance. The evening before 
 the members gave him a pleasant surprise, and as a 
 mark of their esteem presented him with a gold 
 watch worth two hundred dollars. Among the many 
 friends who came to felicitate the pastor on the an- 
 niversary day was the Rev. Dr. William T. Sabine, 
 
THE CHURCH OF THE MEDIATOR 279 
 
 rector of the Episcopal Church, at Madison Avenue 
 and Twenty-eighth Street. Out of the abundance of 
 the heart the mouth speaketh, and before long 
 Brother Reinke told his friend what a hardship it 
 was not to have a church-home. Dr. Sabine said the 
 "Church of the Mediator" at Lexington Avenue and 
 Thirtieth Street was for sale, and suggested that an 
 effort be made to purchase it. This church was 
 built by the Baptists, from whom it was purchased 
 by J. D. Wolfe and his sister to serve as a home for 
 an Episcopal Mission congregation. The mission 
 did not prove successful, and after a time the edifice 
 was given to the Episcopal congregation served by 
 the Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Tyng, Jr., on condition that 
 Wolfe must be consulted should the congregation at 
 any time desire to dispose of the property. The 
 Moravian Trustees weighed the matter carefully, 
 and finally authorized Brother Reinke to send a 
 letter to Dr. Tyng, offering $30,000 for the church. 
 Altho this letter was mailed on April 22, it was not 
 answered until October the fourth. 
 
 It was a long, weary wait for the pastor, but not 
 wholly unrelieved. There were other troubles to 
 engage his more immediate interest and attention. 
 The house in which he lived having been sold, he 
 was obliged to spend much of his time tramping 
 about on the streets in quest of another dwelling- 
 place. After a weary search he at last found a house 
 at 147 East Twenty-seventh Street which rented 
 for $2,000 a year. The price was exorbitant, but 
 there was no alternative, and so it was paid. On 
 May 1, 1868, the pastor and his family removed to 
 
280 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 the newly rented house, in which the mother of the 
 landlord, being too feeble to be moved, retained a 
 room. Finally the eagerly awaited letter from Dr. 
 Tyng made its appearance. The cause of the delay 
 was the absence of Mr. Wolfe in Paris. The trus- 
 tees were informed that "the price of the Church of 
 the Mediator was $35,000, and not a dollar less." 
 They were not prepared to pay this price, therefore, 
 after some delay, a congregational meeting was held 
 on December 31, at which it was decided to make 
 the purchase. After further negotiations with the 
 Episcopalians the church was at last purchased on 
 February 1, 1869, for the sum of $35,000, the pur- 
 chasing price including the organ and fixtures. At 
 the time of purchase the Episcopal mission con- 
 gregation worshipping in the church was served by 
 the Rev. Mr. Homans. The church was painted and 
 repaired at an early day, and all these expenses and 
 the purchasing price could be paid in cash, leaving 
 the congregation without a cent of debt. Two years 
 later the congregation was offered $45,000 for the 
 property, but the members had been without a regu- 
 lar church-home for three years, seven months, and 
 fifteen days, therefore this proposition was not con- 
 sidered for a moment. 
 
 On Sunday, April 18, 1869, the congregation held 
 its first service in the newly acquired church, 
 Bishop David C. Bigler, a former pastor, officiating. 
 His sermon was based on the words, "And yet there 
 is room." The Rev. Dr* S. I. Prince also spoke at 
 the morning service. In the afternoon the Rev. A. R. 
 Thompson preached an eloquent sermon from the 
 
NEW HOME OF CONGREGATION 281 
 
 words, "Rooted and grounded in love." The Holy 
 Communion was celebrated in the evening, one hun- 
 dred and twenty persons partaking. This number in- 
 cluded communicant friends from other churches. At 
 this service Sarah Elizabeth Reinke, the daughter of 
 the pastor, and later the wife of Mr. Judson T. Fran- 
 cis, was admitted to the communicant membership of 
 the congregation by the rite of confirmation by Bishop 
 Bigler. Mrs. Francis has been a highly esteemed 
 member of the congregation ever since. At the same 
 service, Olivia, the wife of Henry Schroeder, was 
 received from the Lutheran Church by the right hand 
 of fellowship. The choir, assisted by a Maennerchor, 
 under the direction of Prof. Henry Haar, the organ- 
 ist, rendered excellent music thruout the day. The 
 soloist was Miss Rokohl. Miss Tillie Anstatt, now 
 Mrs. David B. Nedwell, was a member of the choir. 
 It was a happy day for pastor and people, and the 
 work of the congregation received a new impulse. 
 
 Altho the pastor was seriously handicapped by 
 conditions beyond his control in the homeless years 
 of the congregation, his earnest efforts and faithful 
 visiting among the people bore fruit. When he 
 took charge of the work the membership was not 
 only small, but more or less disaffected. Under his 
 consecrated leadership the scattered forces were 
 brought together and remained a unit thruout the 
 years of his long, fruitful pastorate. Altho the bur- 
 den of the homeless church rested heavily upon him, 
 he yet found time to further the interests of the Mo- 
 ravian Church at large. When on October 18, 1865, 
 a hurricane left only eight houses standing in Blue- 
 
282 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 fields, Nicaragua, and these half in ruins, and se- 
 riously damaged the second "Messenger of Peace," 
 a small schooner used in carrying on Moravian mis- 
 sion-work on the Moskito Coast, where Brother 
 Reinke had been one of the pioneer missionaries, he 
 used both voice and pen to arouse interest and to 
 raise money for the rehabilitation of the sorely af- 
 flicted mission. Stirred by these glowing appeals 
 a third "Messenger of Peace" was purchased by 
 money largely contributed by the young people in 
 the American Moravian Churches. Several Sunday 
 Schools in the city likewise contributed to this cause. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE CHURCH AT LEXINGTON AVENUE AND 
 THIRTIETH STREET 
 
 The pastorate of Brother Amadeus A. Reinke was 
 by far the longest in the history of the congregation. 
 It extended over a period of nearly twenty-three 
 years and nine months. That these years were 
 not marked by any phenomenal growth in mem- 
 bership was not due to any lack on the part of the 
 pastor. His large heart, genial disposition, generous 
 spirit, excellent judgment, unselfish service, sincerity 
 of purpose, and whole-hearted consecration to the 
 Saviour whose cause it was his sole purpose in life 
 to advance, made him a man universally beloved by 
 the members of the congregation, and by a large cir- 
 cle of friends in the city and elsewhere. In at least 
 two instances the friendship of non-Moravians 
 brought unexpected financial returns. On December 
 12, 1872, Daniel Marley, a second-hand furniture 
 dealer, died, and when his will was read it was 
 learned that he had left, as a token of his regard 
 for the pastor, a legacy of $5,000 to the congregation. 
 A certain Miss Merritt, who altho she was not a Mo- 
 ravian had enjoyed the sympathetic ministrations 
 of Brother Reinke during her last illness, willed him 
 personally the sum of five hundred dollars. No one 
 was more surprised than the pastor when these facts 
 were revealed. When he took charge of the congre- 
 
 283 
 
284 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 gation it was in anything but a flourishing condi- 
 tion. The church had remained too long in Houston 
 Street. By staying there after conditions had become 
 well-nigh insufferable, it seriously damaged its 
 strength and prestige. This detriment was in- 
 creased by the homeless wanderings after the church- 
 property had been sold. It was therefore like start- 
 ing afresh when the little congregation began its 
 labors at Lexington Avenue and Thirtieth Street. 
 Then as now a number of strong and influential 
 Churches ministered to the immediate communily 
 with its large percentage of Roman and Greek Catho- 
 lics. At the same time, the membership of the con- 
 gregation was scattered far and wide thruout the 
 city, Long Island, and Jersey City. 
 
 Altho conditions were adverse to church-growth, 
 Brother Reinke had the joy of receiving a goodly 
 number of people into the congregation as the result 
 of his earnest efforts. According to the records of 
 those years church attendance was the same as it is 
 to-day. The enrollment of the Sunday School fluc- 
 tuated, and was never large. The members lived too 
 far away from the church to attend two services on 
 the Lord's Day, therefore no Sunday evening service 
 could be held except on special occasions. A week- 
 day meeting was held on Friday, instead of Wednes- 
 day evenings, as is customary at the present time. 
 Among the organizations in the congregation were 
 the Young People's Hope Society, and the Dorcas 
 Sewing Circle, both of which rendered efficient serv- 
 ice. Then as now there was a paid choir which fur- 
 nished special music at the Sunday morning service. 
 
CHUKCH ACTIVITIES 285 
 
 That the congregation was greatly attached to the 
 pastor is evident from the fact that it refused to let 
 him go when in July, 1875, he received a call to the 
 pastorate of the church at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 
 A special meeting of Church Council was called at 
 which a petition was drawn up and unanimously 
 adopted, asking the Provincial Elders' Conference 
 to allow Brother Reinke to remain in New York. 
 This petition was granted. Perhaps, the greatest 
 tribute to the efficiency of Brother Eeinke's labors 
 is the fact that the whole membership remained loyal 
 to the church during the pastorless year following 
 his death, concerning which mention will be made 
 later on. 
 
 It will be of interest to note a number of events 
 that transpired during Brother Beinke's pastorate. 
 Three weeks after the opening service in the church 
 on Lexington Avenue the pastor left for Europe as 
 one of the American delegates to the General Synod 
 at Herrnhut. During his absence Brother Edward 
 Bondthaler of the Brooklyn church, together with 
 other Moravian ministers, supplied the pulpit. 
 When he returned from Synod in September he re- 
 moved with his family to the house at 256 East 
 Thirty-third Street, two doors from Second Avenue, 
 which was the only available place to be found at 
 the time. In April, 1870, the Scripture mottoes or 
 texts, which still decorate the walls of the lecture 
 room, were made and neatly framed by Brother Wil- 
 liam Higgins, an Elder of the congregation. On Au- 
 gust 28 of the same year Brother Beinke was con- 
 secrated a Bishop of the Moravian Church in the 
 
286 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Bethlehem church, the Brethren David Bigler, Peter 
 Wolle, John Jacobson, Samuel Reinke, and Henry 
 Shultz officiating. The humility of the man is evi- 
 dent from the fact that he only consented to be thus 
 honored after much prayer and hesitation inspired 
 by a feeling of unworthiness to clothe so sacred an 
 office. Among the many Moravian ministers enter- 
 tained in his hospitable home was the greatly be- 
 loved Doctor Augustus Schultze, since gone to his 
 eternal reward, whom Bishop Reinke met at Ho- 
 boken Pier upon his arrival in this country from 
 Germany, on November 29, 1870, as the newly-ap- 
 pointed Professor in the Theological Seminary at 
 Bethlehem. 
 
 On May 30, 1871, -Bishop Reinke had an interview 
 with the Rev. Dr. Charles Force Deems, pastor of 
 the Church of the Strangers, in regard to the con- 
 templated purchase of the "Alexander property" 
 near the grounds of the New Dorp church on Staten 
 Island. At this time Cornelius Vanderbilt had in 
 mind to honor the memory of his mother, who had 
 been a member of the New Dorp church, by erecting 
 a Boarding School on the property mentioned. It 
 was his intention to place the proposed school under 
 the management of the Moravian Church. The gift 
 to the Church was to be made under certain condi- 
 tions. These conditions the Moravian authorities 
 were not ready to meet. After a time the negotia- 
 tions came to an end, and soon after Vanderbilt gave 
 $1,000,000 to the Methodist Episcopal Church for the 
 founding of a co-educational institution of learning 
 now known as Vanderbilt University, at Nashville, 
 
PROPOSED SCHOOL AT NEW DORP 287 
 
 Tenn. This institution has subsequently received 
 numerous gifts from members of the Vanderbilt 
 family amounting to about f 600,000 in all. What- 
 ever regrets present-day members of the Church 
 may have that the fathers allowed an oppor- 
 tunity of this kind to escape, it is only just to say 
 that they were not altogether to blame that the ne- 
 gotiations came to an unsuccessful end. While the 
 Church of the Strangers was undenominational, Dr. 
 Deems was originally a Methodist minister. Bishop 
 Reinke records that Deems had great influence 
 with Commodore Vanderbilt, first thru Mrs. 
 Vanderbilt, who was a Southern woman, and 
 later by the force of his own personality. It 
 was Vanderbilt who asked Dr. Deems to seek an 
 interview with Bishop Reinke to ascertain what 
 Moravian he thought would be most competent to 
 place at the head of the proposed school. Concern- 
 ing this interview Bishop Reinke says, "While very 
 courteous in his manner, it seemed evident to me 
 that Dr. Deems' application to me was forced, and 
 that he would be willing to divert the money in some 
 other direction." This impression was deepened at 
 a later interview. The event would indicate that 
 Brother Reinke's suspicions were not without some 
 foundation. The statement of these facts is made 
 not with any intention of casting sinister reflections 
 on Dr. Deems, who was a good man, but to show that 
 the Moravian authorities were not altogether to 
 blame for not receiving the munificent Vanderbilt 
 
 gift. 
 On September 7, 1871, T. Oliver Carter sold the 
 
288 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Orchard Street property of the congregation for 
 $42,500, for which he received a compensation of four 
 hundred dollars. This ground had been originally 
 intended for burial purposes. The greater portion 
 of it, however, was laid out in building-lots on which 
 houses were erected. At the time of sale there were 
 one hundred and one graves in the section reserved 
 for burials. "At a meeting of the Board of Health 
 of the Health Department of the City of New York 
 held on the 25th of October, 1871, it was resolved 
 that a permit be and is hereby granted to disinter 
 the dead bodies buried in the Moravian Cemetery in 
 Orchard Street and to remove them from the city, 
 the same to be done after the 1st day of December 
 and before the 1st day of February, 1872, and under 
 the supervision of the City Sanitary Inspector." 
 The disinterment began on December 11 and by the 
 28th of the month the work was finished. Thomas 
 Harvey had oversight of the labor, which was ren- 
 dered especially difficult because of the cold weather 
 that prevailed. For several days the thermometer 
 registered 14 degrees above zero, and one morning 
 the mercury dropped to 4 degrees below. Some of 
 the bodies exhumed were claimed by relatives and 
 by them interred elsewhere. The remaining bodies 
 were carefully placed in strong boxes prepared for 
 the purpose, which together with some grave-stones 
 were then loaded on a wagon and conveyed to the 
 New Dorp Moravian Cemetery, where ground had 
 been previously purchased. The transfer was made 
 on December 30. The wagon containing the bodies 
 left Orchard Street at ten o'clock in the morning, 
 
BURIAL-GROUND ABANDONED 289 
 
 and an hour later it was on the Staten Island boat. 
 It was a cold and snowy winter day. The road be- 
 tween the Ferry and the cemetery was in bad con- 
 dition. As a result the horses gave out, and had to 
 be replaced by a yoke of oxen. The twenty-two boxes 
 of various sizes which contained the bodies were 
 buried in two trenches, the one 13 feet long, 4 feet 
 wide, and 6 feet deep, or the equivalent of four large 
 graves, and the other 12 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 
 6 feet deep, or the equivalent of two large graves, 
 and on a lot of ground on Avenue West containing 
 150 square feet. The ground last mentioned had to 
 be prepared after the dead bodies had arrived, be- 
 cause the boxes required more space than at first 
 supposed. All this work was done with the utmost 
 care and to the entire satisfaction of the relatives 
 concerned. 
 
 The house in which the pastor and his family 
 lived at this time was very unsanitary, and on Sun- 
 day, November 12, it was discovered that the pas- 
 tor's wife had a virulent type of small-pox. For 
 five weeks she hovered between life and death. The 
 rest of the family were confined to the lower part 
 of the house, while the patient was placed in^a room 
 on the third floor, where sheets soaked with carbolic 
 acid were hung at the door. Brother Reinke was 
 her sole attendant, no one else being allowed to 
 come near her room. It taxed his strength severely, 
 but he remained unflinchingly by her side until she 
 recovered sufficiently to have others render assist- 
 ance. The disease left Mrs. Reinke very weak, and 
 for more than eight months she was confined to the 
 
290 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 house. It became apparent that the pastor had to 
 have another house. On January 24, 1872, an inter- 
 view was had with Dr. White, the owner of the house 
 next the church on Thirtieth Street. This house was 
 the parsonage when the Baptists were in possession 
 of the church. Dr. White had spoken of selling, and 
 the Trustees offered him $14,500 for the building, 
 but he declined the offer, and later declared that for 
 the time being he would not sell at any price. The 
 quest for a suitable residence for the pastor con- 
 tinued, and finally on April 16 the trustees pur- 
 chased the house at 112 Lexington Avenue from Mrs. 
 Buckman for $22,375, including mirrors, gas-fixtures, 
 shades, oil-cloths, etc. On April 29 the pastor and 
 his family removed from Thirty-third Street to their 
 new home. Here they lived until April 12, 1883, 
 when, at the request of the pastor, the house 
 was rented by the trustees, and Bishop Reinke and 
 his wife, the son and daughter being no longer at 
 home, removed to an apartment at Thirty-sixth 
 Street and Third Avenue. The old parsonage is 
 still in the possession of the congregation, altho it 
 has not been occupied by the pastor since Bishop 
 Reinke's day, with the exception of ten years when 
 the late Bishop Leibert and his family lived in it. 
 The property is very valuable, but the house is too 
 large for a small family. It consists of three stories, 
 a basement dining-room and kitchen, and a sub- 
 basement. 
 
 From February 7 to April 16, 1876, Moody and 
 Sankey held revival meetings in the Hippodrome, 
 which was then where is now Madison Square Gar- 
 
EVANGELISTIC MEETINGS 291 
 
 den. At the first prayer meeting in the Hippodrome 
 Bishop Reinke offered the opening prayer. The first 
 public meeting was held on the following evening. 
 These revival meetings were profitable and far- 
 reaching in effect. The Moravians were faithful in 
 their attendance, and the congregation derived 
 much spiritual benefit. Some of the young men of 
 the church were "workers" in the meetings. Bishop 
 Reinke writes : "While many souls were awakened 
 and thoro conversions occurred, the really great 
 and effective work accomplished by the evangelists 
 was to give the clergy and Christians generally more 
 'backbone.' The earnestness and humility of Mr. 
 Moody are worthy of all praise, while the wonderful 
 tact he displays, both in managing the masses and 
 in leading the clergy associated with him, is some: 
 thing admirable. The effect of his sermons on the 
 unconverted is very marked." Friday afternoon 
 meetings were held to advocate the cause of temper- 
 ance. On September 24 of the same year an upheaval 
 of another sort took place. At 2 :30 p. m. the great 
 explosion took place which destroyed Hallet's Point 
 Reef, connected with Hell Gate in the East River, 
 leaving a depth of twenty-six feet at low water over 
 the site of the reef. The three signal reports of can- 
 non, as well as the explosion, were distinctly heard 
 at the Moravian parsonage. 
 
 From September 29-30, 1875, a Moravian District 
 Conference was held in the church, Bishop Reinke 
 acting as Chairman. The delegates were entertained 
 at the homes of members. On April 8, 1877, Robert 
 W. Herbst was ordained to the Moravian ministry in 
 
292 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 the church by Bishop Reinke. On Maundy Thursday 
 evening, April 10, 1879, Brother Samuel J. Dike, 
 who has so efficiently served the church for many 
 years in an individual and official capacity, was re- 
 ceived into the congregation from the Congrega- 
 tional Church, by the right hand of fellowship. He 
 is a graduate of Amherst College, and one of the most 
 highly esteemed members of the congregation. 
 When James A. Garfield died from the effects of 
 the murderous bullet fired by Charles Guiteau on 
 July 2, 1881, a memorial service was held on Sunday, 
 July 25, in the Moravian Church. The text of the 
 sermon was, "Know ye not that a prince and a great 
 man in Israel is fallen." The impressiveness of the 
 service was increased by the fact that the church was 
 draped in mourning for the occasion by David B. 
 Nedwell, whose willingness and ability were laid 
 under contribution for years whenever special 
 church decorations were desired. 
 
 On October 6, 1881, Miss Sarah Elizabeth, the only 
 daughter of the pastor, was joined in marriage, in the 
 church, to Judson T. Francis, Bishop Reinke officiat- 
 ing. Another marriage of more than ordinary im- 
 portance was solemnized in the church on Tuesday, 
 January 10, 1885, when Miss Carrie Yost, "a most 
 worthy and devout member of the congregation," be- 
 came the bride of the Rev. William H. Weinland, one 
 of the first Moravian missionaries in Alaska, the pas- 
 tor performing the ceremony at three o'clock in the 
 afternoon. The Brethren Edward S. Wolle, William 
 H. Vogler and Clarence Eberman acted as ushers. 
 On January 27 Brother Weinland gave an illus- 
 
TWO CHURCH MARRIAGES 293 
 
 trated lecture in the church on "Alaska," a subject 
 in which he was not only deeply interested, but one 
 with which he was thoroly acquainted because he 
 had made, in company with Missionary A. Hart- 
 mann, during the previous year, an exploratory visit 
 to that distant field. Brother Clarence Eberman 
 operated the lantern. There were over two hundred 
 people at the lecture. The offering for the Alaska 
 Mission amounted to one hundred and thirty-three 
 dollars. On March 20 the congregation tendered 
 the young missionary couple a farewell reception, 
 and soon after they left for Alaska, where they la- 
 bored with exemplary fidelity for two years, when, 
 on account of broken health, they had to relinquish 
 the work. Later they began their labors among 
 the Indians in California, where they have remained 
 ever since. No tongue or pen can adequately describe 
 the great,' unselfish and self-sacrificing work which 
 this consecrated couple has rendered the cause of 
 Christ in general, and the Moravian Church in par- 
 ticular. 
 
 On July 3, 1885, the congregation lost a valuable 
 member by the death of Sister Elizabeth Miller-Ned- 
 well. Bishop Reinke says of her, "She was a 
 truly good woman, humble, liberal to the cause of 
 Christ, and a very mother in Israel." Her husband, 
 William Nedwell, preceded her to the eternal home 
 on November 19, 1879. His pastor left the following 
 record of him : "A very faithful man, and the most 
 diligent reader of the Bible I have ever known. How- 
 ever frequently I might call at his home, I always 
 found him reading the Bible." Naturally, he had 
 
294 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 been greatly interested in the distribution of Bibles 
 thruout the earth. Miss Harriet Nedwell, a daugh- 
 ter of this worthy Christian couple, is a highly es- 
 teemed member of the congregation at the present 
 time. 
 
 Under date of October 31, 1885, the diary makes 
 reference to an article which had just appeared in 
 the New York Independent on the subject of "Mora- 
 vian Hymnology," written by Professor Bird of Le- 
 high University, South Bethlehem, Pa. The writer 
 made the absurd statement that James Mont- 
 gomery was not a Moravian. The Rev. Dr. Armi- 
 tage, pastor of the First Baptist Church, in 
 discussing this matter with Bishop Reinke assured 
 him that he had known Montgomery personally 
 while living at Sheffield, England, and that he was 
 a Moravian, the contention of the learned professor 
 to the contrary notwithstanding. Armitage referred 
 Bishop Reinke to the Rev. Samuel Beedle, a Method- 
 ist minister at Hull, Massachusetts, for further in- 
 formation on the subject. In a letter to Brother 
 Reinke dated November 15, 1885, the Rev. Mr. 
 Beedle wrote the following: "I think I was about 
 ten years old, which would be in 1821, when I be- 
 came a resident of Sheffield, England, and there I 
 first saw James Montgomery, Esq. He was at that 
 time Editor of one of the Sheffield papers. Because 
 of his excellent qualities as a Christian gentleman 
 and his preeminent talent as a poet, he was at that 
 time, and during the rest of his life, much respected 
 and exceedingly popular. The people were proud of 
 him as a citizen. He was universally regarded as a 
 
JAMES MONTGOMERY 295 
 
 catholic-minded man. He seemed to love every one 
 and everything that was good and true. 
 
 "I became a scholar in the famous Hill Sunday 
 School, which Mr. Montgomery often visited and 
 addressed. It was on one of these occasions that I 
 first saw and heard him, and tho I remember nothing 
 that he said at the time, yet as a child, my memory 
 was impressed with the sweetness of his spirit, as 
 seen in his countenance and heard in the affectionate 
 words he uttered. ... I love to think and write of 
 him, and while I write the silvery tones of his voice 
 seem to be sounding in my ears. At the great mis- 
 sionary anniversaries of the Wesleyan Methodist 
 Church in the Sheffield circuit, Mr. Montgomery was 
 generally invited to preside and speak, which he did 
 with grace and dignity. It was generally under- 
 stood by the people in Sheffield that Mr. Montgomery 
 was a Moravian. This I often heard asserted, and 
 never heard disputed. I was greatly surprized at 
 the statement in your letter that a writer in The 
 Independent had recently denied Montgomery's con- 
 nection with the Moravians. I could scarcely be 
 more surprised if some man, to show his wonderful 
 acuteness, had denied that General Washington was 
 the Commander of the Revolutionary Army. . . . 
 I remained in Sheffield until 1837, when I came to 
 the United States. . . . My reminiscences on the 
 subject of your inquiry are mostly of a general char- 
 acter and will add little to your previous knowledge. 
 But, as to his connection with the Moravian Church, 
 there can be no doubt. You are at liberty to make 
 any use you please of this communication. I have 
 
296 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 always been attached to the Moravian Church, as 
 Methodist ministers generally are. . . . Yours faith- 
 fully, Samuel Beedle." 
 
 On December 8, 1885, William H. Vanderbilt died 
 suddenly. Because of the early connection of his 
 ancestors with the Moravian Church on Staten Is- 
 land he bequeathed $100,000 to the New Dorp 
 congregation. It may be of interest to know that the 
 fund of the congregation at Lexington Avenue and 
 Thirtieth Street had grown by this time, thru the 
 careful management of the Treasurer, Brother 
 Charles Augustus Zoebisch, to $89,907.39, which 
 amount has been since increased. About this time 
 Bishop Reinke became greatly interested in a Chi- 
 nese Sunday School in Catherine Street, where he 
 went weekly for a number of years to teach a class. 
 The diary records that the American Tract Society, 
 in addition to substantial financial assistance given 
 toward the publication of Moravian Missionary 
 literature, contributed annually, for at least three 
 years, the sum of one hundred dollars to the Bo- 
 hemian Mission of the Moravian Church. After a 
 serious illness of nine weeks the worthy wife of the 
 pastor was called to her eternal home on April 5, 
 1888, leaving her husband and family, as well as the 
 congregation, sorrow-stricken. "The cause of her 
 death was double pneumonia and gastritis." Brother 
 William H. Rice, assisted by Brother Edward S. 
 Wolle, conducted the funeral service, which was 
 largely attended by members of the congregation 
 and friends from the city, Brooklyn, Staten Island, 
 and elsewhere. The interment took place at Beth- 
 
THE SHADOWS OF DEATH 297 
 
 lehem, Pa. Sister Reinke had been a great help to 
 her husband in his labors, and her removal from his 
 side was a severe blow to him. William Higgins, a 
 life-long member and an Elder of the congregation 
 for more than twenty years, passed away on April 
 24 of the same year. Some one said of him, "If I 
 were permitted to engrave an epitaph on the tomb- 
 stone of my beloved Brother Higgins, it would con- 
 sist of these three words: 'Faithful unto death.' 
 He had a simple, childlike, unostentatious faith, an 
 unfaltering trust in God and in His Christ, and this 
 faith made him faithful in duty. As an Elder he 
 faithfully served the church, identifying himself 
 closely with all its interests, and anxious for its 
 spiritual and external prosperity." Before the year 
 was ended another prominent official of the congre- 
 gation was called away. This was David Nedwell, 
 a member of the Board of Trustees, who died on 
 December 12, aged 43 years, 11 months, and 5 days. 
 "All his relations to the church were characterized 
 by strong fidelity to his duties. He was an ardent 
 Moravian as well as a sincere and loyal disciple of 
 Christ." His widow, Mrs. Otilie Anstatt-Nedwell, 
 is one of the most loyal and efficient members of the 
 congregation at the present time, as she has been 
 from her youth. 
 
 At the Synod of 1888 Bishop Beinke was chosen a 
 Provincial Elder, and his colleagues made him 
 President of the newly elected Provincial Elders' 
 Conference. He continued, however, to reside in 
 New York as the pastor of the congregation. Altho 
 in poor health, he decided, with the approval of his 
 
298 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 physician, to attend the General Synod held at 
 Herrnhut in 1889. On May 12 he preached his last 
 sermon to the congregation from the text, "For who- 
 soever shall do the will of my Father who is in 
 heaven is my brother and sister and mother," little 
 thinking that this would be his final pulpit message 
 to his beloved people. In the evening of the follow- 
 ing day he boarded the steamer Eider and left for 
 Europe, after bidding farewell to a large number of 
 his friends who had come to the pier to see him off. 
 One of these friends writes : "How sorely we tried 
 to keep back the tears at parting from him because 
 of the unspoken fears that 'we should behold his 
 face no more.'" Arriving at Herrnhut, Bishop 
 Reinke attended several sessions of Synod, bnt 
 found himself too weak to take part in the discus- 
 sions. After a time he was confined by sickness 
 to his room in the home of Bishop Richard at 
 Berthelsdorf, near Herrnhut. When Synod ad- 
 journed most of the American delegation left Herrn- 
 hut, but Bishop Reinke had to remain behind a help 
 less invalid, hoping against hope, however, that the 
 Lord would yet permit him to return home at the 
 appointed time. On July 11 he dictated his last 
 words to his loved ones in New York. "My dear 
 Children," he said, "Let not your heart be troubled, 
 neither let it be afraid. Ye believe in God, believe 
 also in Christ. If it be His will to take me to the 
 Father's House, it will be a blessed thing for me. I 
 shall see Him whom my soul doth love; and her 
 whom He took home before me. But it may be His 
 will, and so I still feel, to spare me yet a time, that 
 
LAST WORDS OF BISHOP EEINKE 299 
 
 I may see you and consult with you once more, and 
 have a happy reunion around the common fireside 
 and table. We will leave that matter to Him who 
 doeth all things well, and makes no mistakes in His 
 all-wise Providence. I have not a doubt nor a fear 
 in regard to the future. My sins are forgiven, and I 
 am accepted in the Beloved, and therefore can feel 
 no possible condemnation. His ways are not our 
 ways; but all things, we know, shall work together 
 for good to them that love God. Hold fast to the 
 truth, as it is in Jesus. Be not afraid to show your 
 flag. We can trust Trim for the future for us all. 
 
 "My love to everybody in the congregation, old and 
 young. May they all hold fast to the Saviour. May 
 those who have been indifferent become more loyal 
 to the Church ; and may one and all seek to follow 
 the principles which I have taught them. And now 
 farewell, dear children. Be of good cheer, in the 
 hope, tho perhaps I dare not entertain it so strongly, 
 yet still in good hope, that I shall see you on earth 
 once more." This loving epistle was tremblingly 
 signed by his own hand. His hope of returning to 
 his home in America was not fulfilled. When he 
 took a turn for the worse word was sent to his daugh- 
 ter, Mrs. Judson Francis, who immediately sailed 
 for Europe, and by the grace of God reached her 
 father's bedside in time to smooth his dying pillow, 
 and to speak the last earthly farewell. On Saturday 
 evening, August 10, this man of God peacefully fell 
 asleep in Jesus, and on the following Wednesday 
 morning his remains were laid to rest in the grave- 
 yard on the Hutberg at Herrnhut. On Sunday after- 
 
300 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 noon, October 13, a memorial service was held in 
 the church at Lexington Avenne and Thirtieth 
 Street, Brother William H. Rice, pastor of the Ger- 
 man congregation, presiding. The following minis- 
 terial brethren of the Moravian Church and of 
 other denominations took part in the service: 
 Bishop J. Mortimer Levering of Bethlehem, Pa., 
 the Rev. E. N. Schwarze of Elizabeth, N. J., the 
 Rev. William H. Vogler of New Dorp, Staten Island, 
 the Rev. Robert Herbst of Graceham, Maryland, the 
 Rev. Clarence E. Eberman of Castleton Corners, 
 Staten Island, the Rev. Andrew A. Smith of Brook- 
 lyn, the Rev. George L. Shearer of the American 
 Tract Society, the Rev. H. B. Chapin of the Evan- 
 gelical Alliance, and the Rev. Dr. William T. Sabine 
 of the Reformed Episcopal Church. Letters of sym- 
 pathy and esteem were received from the Rev. Dr. 
 George U. Wenner of the Lutheran Church, the Rev. 
 Dr. Thomas W. Chambers of the Dutch Reformed 
 Church, the Rev. Dr. William M. Taylor of the 
 Broadway Tabernacle, and the Rev. Dr. John Hall of 
 the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, all of whom 
 expressed .regret that, because of services in their 
 own churches, it was impossible to be present at 
 the memorial service. Brother Rice read a memorial 
 paper prepared by him at Bishop Reinke's own re- 
 quest in one of his letters from Herrnhut. Ad- 
 dresses were delivered by Bishop Levering and the 
 Rev. Dr. Sabine. A quartet of male and female 
 voices directed by Prof. Henry Haar, the organist 
 of the church for nearly thirty years, rendered three 
 selections with sweet solemnity. The only floral 
 
REINKE MEMORIAL SERVICE 301 
 
 decoration was a representation of the arched gate- 
 way at the entrance to the Hutberg at Herrnhut. In 
 the arch was set the word "Hutberg" ; across the 
 closed gateway were the initials "A. A. R.," and on 
 the base of the whole design were the words "Sweet 
 Rest" in German. This beautiful decoration was 
 immediately in front of the pulpit and had a simple 
 setting of evergreen plants. It was sent as a tribute 
 of love and esteem by the Sunday School and mem- 
 bers of the German congregation. 
 
 Amadeus Abraham Reinke was born at Lancaster, 
 Pa., on March 11, 1822. His parents were the Rt. 
 Rev. Samuel Reinke and Susan Theodora Eyerle- 
 Reinke. After his graduation from the Moravian 
 Theological Seminary in 1841 he taught school, first 
 as Head Master of the Bethlehem Parochial School, 
 and then at Nazareth Hall. On March 2, 1844, he 
 was called to enter mission service in Jamaica, West 
 Indies, as a teacher in the Normal School at Pair- 
 field. In 1847 he made an exploratory visit to Blue- 
 fields on the Moskito Coast, where a successful mis- 
 sion was established. In the fall of the same year 
 he returned to the United States. On March 5, 
 1848, he was ordained a deacon of the Moravian 
 Church by Bishop Peter Wolle in the church at 
 Lititz, Pa. After his ordination he became the as- 
 sistant pastor of the congregation at Salem, N. C. 
 On June 21, 1849, he was joined in marriage to Miss 
 Eleanor Elizabeth Rice of Bethlehem, Pa. He then 
 became pastor of the congregation at Graceham, 
 Maryland. After five years of service at that place 
 he became pastor of the New Dorp congregation on 
 
302 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Staten Island. Here he labored for six years, when 
 he was transferred to the pastorate of the First 
 Church in Philadelphia. In the fall of 1865 he came 
 to New York City to take charge of the First Church, 
 then known as the English congregation to differen- 
 tiate it from the German Mission church. During 
 his long pastorate of over twenty-three years in this 
 congregation he was not only indefatigable in serving 
 the members of his flock, but engaged in many other 
 labors for the advancement of the cause of Christ. 
 He was a regular contributor to "The Moravian" 
 and for years the Editor of "The Little Missionary." 
 He was a member of the Board of Managers of the 
 Evangelical Alliance of the United States ; officially 
 connected with the American Bible Society, and took 
 an active part in the work of the American Tract 
 Society. After attending a service in the Hall of 
 the College of Physicians and Surgeons a prominent 
 member of another church expressed the conviction 
 that "the Rev. Mr. Reinke was one of the best preach- 
 ers in the city." 
 
 For about one year after the departure of Bishop 
 Reinke the congregation was without a pastor. Dur- 
 ing this time the pulpit was supplied by ministers 
 in New York and by brethren from Bethlehem. It 
 was a strong tribute to the late pastor's labors that 
 the well trained membership kept up the various 
 activities of the congregation. Nevertheless, the 
 congregation rejoiced to hear that the Rev. Edward 
 T. Eluge, the gifted pastor of the Nazareth church, 
 had accepted the appointment to become the suc- 
 cessor of Bishop Reinke. The newly appointed pas- 
 
E. T. KLUGE BEGINS LABORS 303 
 
 tor arrived in the city with his family on April 30, 
 1890, and took up his residence at The Lexington, 
 an apartment house at 126 East Nineteenth Street. 
 On Sunday morning, May 4, he preached his intro- 
 ductory sermon to a goodly number of members who 
 had braved a rain-storm to hear and welcome him. 
 An eloquent preacher, a faithful pastor, and an 
 earnest worker, the new pastor soon won the hearts 
 of the membership. Because the members lived at 
 great distances from the church, no evening service 
 on Sundays had been attempted for years. Brother 
 Kluge made strenuous efforts to restore the evening 
 service, putting his resolution into effect for the 
 first time on October 26, 1890. The attendance was 
 quite encouraging. It took a very short time, how- 
 ever, for the novelty to wear off, and altho the good 
 pastor prayed earnestly and worked hard to arouse 
 interest, the Sunday evening service was at best a 
 losing proposition, and failed to elicit the support it 
 deserved on the part of the few members who lived 
 within easy reach of the church. After a time the 
 idea had to be abandoned. On October 26, 1890, 
 the Sunday School was conducted in the morn- 
 ing for the first time. Hitherto the sessions 
 had been held at three o'clock in the after- 
 noon. During the first week in December, 1890, 
 the bronze tablet bearing the inscription, "First 
 Moravian Chwch of New York, Founded A. D. 
 1748," was placed on the right-hand side of the 
 church-front on Lexington Avenue. Hitherto there 
 had been much complaint that people had difficulty 
 in finding the church. To a certain extent this dif- 
 
304 MORAVIAN CHUBCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 ficulty was obviated by the tablet. On Christmas 
 Day at four o'clock in the afternoon of the same year 
 lighted wax tapers were distributed in connection 
 with the Christmas exercises. The diary states, 
 "This was the first time that this pretty and very 
 significant Moravian ceremony was held here and all 
 appeared pleased. Ninety candles were distributed." 
 On March 29, 1891, another tablet giving the name 
 of the church, pastor, time of services and a cordial 
 welcome to all was placed on the outside of the 
 ehurch. The same year the pastor started a singing 
 school for the Sunday School scholars, which was 
 very successful. Then as in former times and now, 
 the congregation felt the necessity of having a lay- 
 worker in the community, and a worker was em- 
 ployed, from time to time, during Brother Kluge's 
 pastorate, with good results. 
 
 On January 29, 1892, the first King's Daughters' 
 Circle of the congregation was organized. The pas- 
 tor's wife was the leader. On March 23 of the same 
 year the congregation lost one of its most faithful 
 members by the death of Mrs. Charles A. Zoebisch, 
 maiden name Beitel. She was born at Schoeneck, 
 near Nazareth, Pa., where she was joined in marriage 
 to Brother Zoebisch in 1844, and came with him to 
 New York City three years later. Soon after her ar- 
 rival in the city she identified herself with the con- 
 gregation of which "she was a faithful and much 
 esteemed member until the time of her departure. 
 For twelve years before her death she was an invalid, 
 but always patient and uncomplaining under many 
 severe trials." On November 20, 1892, Mrs. John 
 
LECTURE ROOM RENOVATED 305 
 
 Kilbuck, who with her husband was a pioneer 
 in the Alaska Mission Field, delivered an inspir- 
 ing missionary address in the church. In Feb- 
 ruary, 1893, the lecture room was refurnished, and 
 on the 9th of the month this event was marked by a 
 love feast. This was the first love feast celebrated in 
 the Lexington Avenue Church. The improvements 
 consisted of new chairs, gas-fixtures, window-shades, 
 a pulpit, three pulpit chairs, and carpet on the plat- 
 form. The King's Daughters' Circle paid for the 
 pulpit, pulpit chairs, carpet, and a Bible out of the 
 proceeds of a concert given in December, the trus- 
 tees defraying the other expenses. Brother Kluge 
 presided at the love feast, and Brother Clarence E. 
 Eberman of Brooklyn delivered the address. Brother 
 Erik Hermann, pastor of the German congregation, 
 offered a German prayer. The Synod of 1893 elected 
 Brother Kluge a member of the Provincial Elders' 
 Conference, of which body he was chosen President 
 by his colleagues. On July 23 he preached his fare- 
 well sermon, and in the following week removed with 
 his family to Bethlehem, Pa. The pulpit was sup- 
 plied by the Brethren Henry Bachman, Jesse Blick- 
 ensderfer, and J. Taylor Hamilton until October 8, 
 when the Rev. Herman A. Gerdsen, the son-in-law 
 and successor of Brother Kluge, preached his intro- 
 ductory sermon from Acts 5: 20. 
 
 Brother Gerdsen and his wife took up their resi- 
 dence in The Lexington at 126 East Nineteenth 
 Street. The new pastor attacked the work with con- 
 secrated zeal, and during his pastorate of ten years 
 and four months accomplished a great deal. He 
 
306 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 worked hard to make the church more attractive 
 in outward appearance and to bring the work of the 
 congregation to the attention of a larger number of 
 people in the city, and had the satisfaction of see- 
 ing a marked improvement in both respects. The 
 latter end was largely accomplished by making ex- 
 tensive use of newspapers in advertising the church, 
 its services and its activities. In the summer of 
 1894 the church was renovated, receiving "a thoro 
 overhauling from roof to foundation. The audi- 
 torium was frescoed and the floor and pulpit plat- 
 form re-carpeted." The congregation had a paid 
 choir or quartet for a number of years while Bishop 
 Reinke was pastor, but during the last years of his 
 ministry there was none, from a supposed lack of 
 funds. Appreciating the value of good music in a 
 church service, Brother Gerdsen left no stone un- 
 turned to re-instate a paid choir, and his efforts were 
 not in vain. On February 2, 1896, a quartet con- 
 sisting of Miss Anna Haar, Soprano, Miss Myra 
 Graff, Alto, Mr. Armbrusher, Tenor, and Richard 
 Nitzschke, Basso, made its initial appearance. An 
 effort was made to introduce a Sunday evening serv- 
 ice without results. The annual custom of the 
 King's Daughters to entertain the Sunday School 
 scholars and their friends in the latter part of June 
 was continued. The Sunday School picnic, an in- 
 stitution of long standing, was held at some distant 
 or nearby resort later in the season. In October, 
 1898, a certain Mr. Wunderlich offered to give the 
 congregation two houses and a lot, 100 x 200 feet, 
 for an orphanage in Brooklyn. Altho the trustees 
 
THE SESQUI-CENTENNIAL 307 
 
 considered the matter carefully, nothing came of it. 
 In this year the congregation decorated the church 
 auditorium for Christmas for the first time since 
 its removal from Houston Street, the decorations 
 being confined hitherto to the lecture room. 
 
 Moravians make a great deal of Christmas every 
 year, but the Christmas of 1898 was of special in- 
 terest to the church in New York because it marked 
 the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the or- 
 ganization of the congregation. Great efforts were 
 put forth to make the celebration worthy of the 
 event, and the fondest hopes of the hard-working 
 pastor and his loyal people were amply realized. 
 The first service of the celebration was held on 
 Christmas morning. Brother Kluge, the only former 
 pastor living, had promised to preach the sermon 
 at this service, but a severe attack of sickness made 
 it impossible for him to be present. Altho the peo- 
 ple were disappointed by this unexpected turn of 
 events, they greatly enjoyed the able sermon de- 
 livered by the Kev. J. Taylor Hamilton, the Resident 
 Professor of the Theological Seminary at Bethlehem. 
 At the morning service four gifts as memorials to 
 departed friends were received and dedicated to 
 the service of God. The first was a massive oak 
 communion table given by the congregation in mem- 
 ory of the late Bishop Amadeus A. Beinke; the 
 second, a beautiful brass lectern from the members 
 of the Wessels family in memory of their father, 
 Brother Gerhard Wessels, who was a highly es- 
 teemed member of the church for many years; the 
 third, a handsome pulpit Bible from the Nedwell 
 
308 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 family in memory of William and Elizabeth Nedwell, 
 and their son David Nedwell ; the fourth, a handsome 
 Bible for the lectern from Mrs. Hugh Pickering 
 in memory of her mother, Sister Jane Ander- 
 son. These beautiful tributes of love were greatly 
 appreciated then as they are at the present time. 
 At the liturgical service in the evening lighted wax 
 tapers were distributed among those present, and 
 Prof. Hamilton delivered an appropriate address. 
 At four o'clock in the afternoon of the following day 
 the Christmas celebration by the Sunday School 
 took place. The last anniversary service was held 
 on Tuesday evening. Ideal weather conditions and 
 extensive newspaper announcements helped to bring 
 together a large number of people. All the pastors 
 and many members of the neighboring Moravian con- 
 gregations were in attendance. There were also 
 visitors from Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Emaus, Pa., 
 and Salem, N. C. Bishop J. Mortimer Levering of 
 Bethlehem delivered an impressive historical ad- 
 dress. A second address was delivered by the Rev, 
 David Burrell, D.D., pastor of the Marble Collegiate 
 (Dutch Reformed) Church. Special music was ren- 
 dered at all the services connected with the anni- 
 versary. The impressive celebration gave a new 
 impulse to the work of the congregation. On April 
 27, 1899, the pastor organized a Young People's 
 Society for "the advancement of the devotional, 
 literary and social attainments of our people, and 
 to aid indirectly the pastor in extending the in- 
 fluence of the church." This Society flourished for 
 many years, and while in existence fully justified its 
 
THE THIRD MORAVIAN CHURCH 309 
 
 organization. The meetings were held on the first 
 and third Thursday of each month. 
 
 At the dawn of the twentieth century there were 
 known to be between three hundred and four hun- 
 dred West Indian Moravians in New York City. 
 Some of these found their way to the services of the 
 First Church and the Brooklyn Church. A number 
 of them were received into these congregations. On 
 November 25, 1900, Bishop Edwin C. Greider of 
 St. Thomas, West Indies, who was in the States on 
 furlough, conducted a service for the colored breth- 
 ren in the lecture room of the First Church. Similar 
 services were subsequently held at the same place. 
 In February, 1901, a delegation of West Indian Mo- 
 ravians called at the home of Dr. Gerdsen for the 
 purpose of discussing with him the matter of organ- 
 izing a congregation on the West Side. Toward 
 this end the pastor of the First Church had been 
 directing his efforts for some time, therefore he as- 
 sured the delegation that he would do all in his 
 power to further the project. Among other things, 
 he brought the matter to the attention of his con- 
 gregation, which showed its interest in the work 
 among the colored brethren by giving some financial 
 assistance, and by contributing a number of copies 
 of "The Office of Worship and Hymns." Dr. Gerd- 
 sen also enlisted the interest of the First District 
 Board, of which he was a member, and in many 
 other ways contributed to the success of the under- 
 taking. 
 
 In the meantime, Brother Victor G. Flinn, a 
 graduate of the Theological Seminary in 1900, had 
 
310 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 become interested in the project. While waiting 
 for a call to some Moravian pastorate, he served as 
 "a visitor" of Christ Presbyterian Church. His work 
 required him to look up unchurched families living 
 on the West Side, and to connect them, if possible, 
 with the Church. In this way he was brought into 
 touch with the Federation of Churches, of which 
 the Rev. Dr. Walter Laidlaw was then the efficient 
 Secretary. Thru the agency of the Federation of 
 Churches Brother Flinn discovered a great many 
 West Indian Moravians whom he readily interested 
 in the proposed organization of a congregation. In 
 the spring of 1901 it was decided to secure a place 
 for religious meetings. After a long search a lodge 
 room near Seventh Avenue and Thirty-fifth Street 
 was discovered. It was not very desirable, but the 
 best that could be found. Dr. Laidlaw then came 
 to the rescue. He told Brother Flinn and others 
 that the field for their proposed activities was not 
 in the neighborhood of West Thirty-fifth Street, but 
 in West Sixty-third Street, where they would find 
 a large number of Moravians from the West Indies. 
 Thru Dr. Laidlaw's influence pleasant quarters 
 were secured in the building of the Children's Aid 
 Society at 224 West Sixty-third Street, where the 
 work was begun and has centered ever since. At a 
 meeting of colored people on Friday evening, May 
 19, 1901, twenty-eight of them signed a Written 
 agreement, pledging themselves to support to the 
 best of their ability any work that should be estab- 
 lished in their behalf. The first service in the Chil- 
 dren's Aid Society building was held on the follow- 
 
THE THIRD MORAVIAN CHURCH 311 
 
 ing Sunday. The text of the sermon was especially 
 significant, expressing as it did the chief purpose of 
 the undertaking. It was this, "As we have therefore 
 opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially 
 unto them who are of the household of faith." — 
 Galatians 6 : 10. The anniversary sermon has been 
 delivered by many noted ministers, and for at least 
 sixteen years after the founding of the work the 
 above text was always employed. On August 4 the 
 Sunday School was organized. The actual organ- 
 ization of the congregation took place on Sunday, 
 October 13, 1901. It was effected by Bishop Edmund 
 A. Oerter, President of the Provincial Elders' Con- 
 ference, who ordained Brother Plinn to the Mo- 
 ravian ministry on the same day at the morning 
 service in the Pirst Church. Brother Flinn became 
 the pastor of the newly organized congregation, 
 which became known as "The Third Moravian Church 
 of New York City," and for more than sixteen years 
 the work flourished greatly under his efficient leader- 
 ship. 
 
 Out of this congregation grew the equally flourish- 
 ing congregation known as Beth-Tphillah or the 
 Fourth Moravian Church of New York City. This 
 church was organized on July 12, 1908, and is now 
 located at 124 West 136th Street. The founder and 
 pastor of the congregation is the Rev. Charles Mar- 
 tin, D.D., who is a worthy exponent of his race and 
 of Moravian Missions in the West Indies. Brother 
 Plinn was succeeded in the pastorate of the Third 
 Church by Frederick T. Trafford, who not only con- 
 tinued the good work of his predecessor, but by his 
 
312 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 energetic efforts succeeded in increasing the building- 
 fund of |3,000 or more to about f 15,000. In Septem- 
 ber, 1921, Brother Trafford was transferred to the 
 pastorate of the South Side Moravian Church at 
 Bethlehem, Pa., and in the following month the Rev. 
 Paul T. Shultz, pastor of the congregation at Staple- 
 ton, S. I., and formerly a missionary in the West 
 Indies, took charge of the Third Church. By the in- 
 domitable energy and wholehearted consecration of 
 Dr. Martin and his people the Fourth Church is en- 
 tirely free from debt, having been privileged on Sun- 
 day, November 6, 1921, to burn a heavy mortgage pre- 
 viously cancelled. The total membership of the 
 Third Church is 514, and that of the Fourth Church 
 431 souls. 
 
 In March, 1901, Dr. Gerdsen assumed in addition 
 to his pastoral duties the editorship of The Mora- 
 vian, which office he ably filled for nearly three years, 
 when he resigned "because he felt that his editorial 
 work interfered too much with his pastoral duties." 
 In February, 1901, by authority of the Board of 
 Trustees, he rented an apartment in The Marie at 
 61-69 East Eighty-sixth Street, to which he removed 
 with his family soon after. In 1902 the pipe organ 
 in the church was rebuilt at a cost of six hundred 
 dollars. Altho Dr. Gerdsen had reason to feel en- 
 couraged over the progress made by the congregation 
 in the face of many difficulties, when the Provincial 
 Elders' Conference in the fall of 1903 tendered him 
 a call to the pastorate of the Lancaster congrega- 
 tion, he followed this call as coming from the Lord, 
 and on Sunday, January 24, of the following year 
 
M. W. LEIBERT BEGINS LABORS 313 
 
 he preached his farewell sermon in New York. On 
 the following Thursday he left for his new field of 
 labor by way of Nazareth, where he enjoyed a brief 
 rest. Altho Dr. Gerdsen left the city more than 
 eighteen years ago, he is still remembered with affec- 
 tion by many members of the congregation. 
 
 The Rev. Morris W. Leibert, pastor of the Castle- 
 ton Corners Church on Staten Island, and a member 
 of the Provincial Elders' Conference, succeeded Dr. 
 Gerdsen in the pastorate of the First Church. 
 Brother Leibert and his family at first occupied the 
 apartment vacated by Brother Gerdsen and his wife. 
 On Sunday, February 7, the new pastor preached 
 his introductory sermon from John 17: 21. On 
 Wednesday of the same week the Young People's 
 Society tendered the new laborers a reception in 
 the lecture room of the church. Having begun his 
 ministry as pastor of the German congregation on 
 Sixth Street, Brother Leibert was no stranger to the 
 city or city-work. This experience, coupled with his 
 exceptional ability, gave promise of the successful 
 pastorate which followed. Appreciating the value 
 of printer's ink, he followed the example of his pre- 
 decessor and not only advertised the services of the 
 church, but published numerous articles relating to 
 the Moravian Church and its work, in the city papers. 
 No stone was left unturned to stimulate the growth 
 of the congregation and to increase its efficiency. As 
 the records show, these efforts were not in vain. 
 
 The Sunday on which Brother Leibert preached 
 his introductory sermon marked the close of Mr. 
 Otto Graff's efficient service as church organist, a 
 
314 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 position held by him for many years. His successor, 
 William Ostermayer of Brooklyn, entered upon his 
 duties on the following Sunday. In September a 
 new board was placed on the outside of the church, 
 containing the additional or explanatory words 
 "Protestant Episcopal" in connection with the name 
 Moravian Church. One of the most important events 
 of the year was the congregation's contribution of 
 $3,600 towards the increase of the Sustentation Fund 
 of the Moravian Church. Three thousand dollars 
 of this amount was contributed by the Zoebisch fam- 
 ily. Anxious that the church should render a greater 
 service to the immediate community, Brother Lei- 
 bert, in March, 1905, compiled from the official 
 voting-list of the city an accurate record of all resi- 
 dents living in the neighborhood of the church. In- 
 vitations to attend the services were later sent to 
 those on the list who were of the Protestant faith, 
 but "there was little, or no response." In June, 
 1906, the pastor and his family removed from East 
 Eighty-sixth Street to 130 Manhattan Avenue, where 
 they resided for three years. On Saturday, May 1, 
 1909, they removed to the parsonage at 112 Lexing- 
 ton Avenue, which had been rented by the Trustees 
 for a period of twenty-six years. Having been con- 
 secrated a bishop of the Moravian Church on Septem- 
 ber 13, 1908, at the Provincial Synod held at Lititz, 
 Pa., Bishop Leibert in his episcopal capacity at- 
 tended the General Synod of 1909 at Herrnhut. He 
 sailed for Europe on May 6 and returned on August 
 28. On November 10 the Young People's Society 
 of the congregation was converted into a Christian 
 
MEMORIAL PULPIT 315 
 
 Endeavor Society, those concerned believing that in 
 this way the organization of the young people might 
 be preserved, while at the same time a more dis- 
 tinctive religious purpose would be served. These 
 hopes, however, were not fulfilled, and the life of 
 the Christian Endeavor Society was of short dura- 
 tion. A regular mid-week service was then insti- 
 tuted, which has been continued with indifferent 
 success ever since. On Sunday morning, November 
 21, the Second, Third, and Fourth Churches united 
 with the congregation in a union service, at which 
 Bishop R. Vouillaire of the Surinam Mission de- 
 livered an address. On the following Saturday the 
 handsome pulpit in the church was delivered and 
 placed in position. It was the generous gift of the 
 Weasels family in memory of their mother, and bears 
 the inscription, "In memoriam Emily Elizabeth Rice 
 Wessels— 1834-1909." 
 
 The old system of soliciting contributions for the 
 current expenses of the congregation having lapsed, 
 efforts were made in the spring of 1911 to remedy 
 this weakness. To this end the following circular 
 was sent to the members by the Elders and Trustees : 
 "It is felt by many in the congregation that we are 
 not as active as we ought to be. Our own good and 
 the cause of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Master, 
 urge us to do better. Our membership is widely 
 scattered, and the population of the section of the 
 city in which we are located is either of a shifting 
 character or connected with other churches. Yet 
 we should have a stronger hold on the neighbor- 
 hood, and more of its residents should be in our 
 
316 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 services and Sunday School than is the case. All of 
 us can render some assistance for the increase of 
 our influence and the improvement of our condition. 
 We are surrounded by men, women and children 
 overlooked and uncared for, who would be helped, as 
 we would be profited, by their attendance at our 
 worship and in our school. The Church Council took 
 up this matter some weeks ago, and decided that 
 every communicant or friend whom we can reach 
 should contribute a certain amount each year for 
 the specific purpose of engaging a visitor or mis- 
 sionary to canvass the homes of the vicinity, to se- 
 cure new scholars, to aid families in need or trouble, 
 and to bring to all our cordial invitation to attend 
 our church or to become pupils in our Sunday 
 School. 
 
 "The present income of the congregation is not 
 sufficient to permit of this expenditure. In order 
 to raise the money required, and to make it easy for 
 all to give, envelopes will hereafter be placed in the 
 pews. These envelopes may be taken home, marked 
 as desired, and may be deposited with the offerings 
 in the collection plates, weekly, monthly, or yearly, 
 entirely at the convenience of the giver. The 
 amounts so contributed will be regarded as dues 
 towards the support of the church, and will be 
 credited to the givers in the accounts of the congre- 
 gation. No one shall be compelled to give. None 
 shall be asked to give beyond their means, or in a 
 manner that may be burdensome or distasteful. By 
 giving in this way, much or little, all will have a per- 
 sonal share in doing the work of our Church, and 
 
APPEAL TO THE MEMBERSHIP 317 
 
 will at the same time fulfill those financial obliga- 
 tions which the law requires of the voting members 
 of the church. It is confidently believed that the 
 adoption of this method of taking a hand in the re- 
 ligious work of the congregation will bring us that 
 larger attendance and that greater activity, the lack 
 of which we so often deplore. We are in danger of 
 loitering at ease in our Zion, and of forgetting that 
 there is still much land to be occupied. We must 
 become more live to the fact that we are really the 
 stewards of our God, and that we are solemnly bound 
 by our Christian profession to use those means and 
 opportunities which He has entrusted to our keep- 
 ing for the highest good of our fellow-men, and for 
 the greater glory of Him whose we are and whom 
 we serve. In the name of the Church Council, we are 
 cordially your Brethren, 
 
 S. J. Dike 
 J. T. Francis, 
 
 Elders. 
 C. A. Zoebisch 
 C. T. Zoebisch 
 J. M. Jackson 
 James M. Beck 
 H. A. Knoll, 
 
 Trustees. 
 Morris W. Leibert, 
 
 Pastor. 
 
 On Saturday, May 13, 1911, the congregation lost 
 one of its most influential members by the death of 
 Charles Augustus Zoebisch at 362 Clinton Street, 
 
318 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Brooklyn. The funeral services were conducted at 
 his late residence by Bishop Leibert on the following 
 Tuesday evening at eight o'clock. As a token of the 
 high esteem in which the congregation held the de- 
 parted brother a handsome floral cross was sent by 
 the church. Many of the members attended the 
 funeral service. The church choir sang appropriate 
 selections. On the following morning at eleven 
 o'clock "a parting service" was held around the cas- 
 ket in the presence of only the nearest relatives and 
 most intimate friends, and the interment followed 
 in the family plot in Greenwood Cemetery, "thus 
 ending the long career of eighty-seven years on earth 
 of one of the most notable and efficient members that 
 the First Moravian Church in New York City ever 
 had." The following memoir, prepared and read by 
 Bishop Leibert at the time of the funeral, deserves 
 a place in this history: "The Moravian Church in 
 America has lost the service of a good and faithful 
 servant in the departure of Brother Zoebisch to his 
 eternal rest and reward. At the time of his death 
 he was the senior official of the Province, and had 
 rounded out a longer term of stewardship than any 
 contemporary. He was born in Markneukirchen, 
 Saxony, May 9, 1824. Carefully reared in the Church 
 and school in his native town, he was initiated, as 
 the eldest son, into every detail of his father's busi- 
 ness, and formed those attachments for the people 
 and associates of his birthplace which clung to him 
 to the last. But his lot was cast for other surround- 
 ings and for wider activities. 
 "After a great conflagration had swept over the 
 
BIOGRAPHY OP C. A. ZOEBISCH 319 
 
 village in which he otherwise might have spent his 
 life, it was decided that he should go to America to 
 seek the expansion of its industries and the better- 
 ment of his owifc prospects. He sailed from Bremen 
 in October, 1841, and arrived in New York on Janu- 
 ary 20, 1842. After living in Pennsylvania and 
 traveling in the United States for a season, he was 
 united in marriage with Maria Louisa Beitel of 
 Schoeneck, Pa., in 1844. In 1847 he established his 
 home in New York City, living for fourteen years 
 in Manhattan, and then taking up his residence in 
 Brooklyn, where he occupied the home in which he 
 died within two months of fifty years. By strict at- 
 tention to affairs, he became successful as a manu- 
 facturer and importer of musical instruments, 
 gained prominence as a merchant, and won recog- 
 nition and esteem in financial circles. And the uni- 
 versal respect and confidence he enjoyed among 
 those of his own generation was never diminished, as, 
 one by one, his associates passed on before, and he be- 
 came identified with a second and a third generation 
 of men. Everywhere and always, he maintained an 
 enviable reputation as an honorable, responsible and 
 conservative gentleman of the old school, keenly alive 
 to the progress of the times and alert to changes of 
 every kind, only as the years began to weigh heavily 
 finding it difficult to reconcile many of the practices 
 of our day with the methods prevailing in his youth 
 and prime. 
 
 "His experience, his judgment, his personality 
 made him a desirable man for positions of trust and 
 counsel, and for tasks requiring business sagacity 
 
320 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 and executive ability. Consequently we see him 
 chosen as a director of the Germania Fire Insurance 
 Company, of the German American Bank, long serv- 
 ing the latter as a Vice-President, all of them New 
 York institutions of the highest grade. Restlessly 
 active, and conscientiously, devoted to the discharge 
 of his duties, he held himself pledged to the preserva- 
 tion of the unsullied name and the unassailable rec- 
 ord of these corporations, even when too feeble to 
 do more than to be present at stated meetings. For 
 sixty-four years he was actively connected with the 
 First Moravian Church of New York City, assum- 
 ing responsibility as a Trustee and as its Treasurer 
 at a most critical period. He succeeded in building 
 up its resources in such a manner that its members 
 will ever be under deep and large obligation to him. 
 He was concerned about its future quite as much as 
 he was interested in its past and fully as much as he 
 was solicitous for its immediate present. Seven 
 times he was a delegate to District Synod, twelve 
 times he represented his congregation at Provincial 
 Synod, and in 1889 he was a member of the General 
 Synod. Since its creation in 1876, he served on 
 the Board of Church Extension, and was continually 
 its treasurer until the day of his death. From 1878 
 he was on the Advisory Finance Board of the Church. 
 He was a trustee and President of the Board di- 
 recting the affairs of the Moravian Seminary for 
 Young Ladies at Bethlehem, Pa., since its formation 
 in 1893. In these capacities he was the best known 
 layman of the Moravian Church in America, and as 
 such esteemed by all and endeared to many. 
 
BIOGRAPHY OF C. A. ZOEBISCH 321 
 
 "Infirmities gathered round him in recent years. 
 On Maundy Thursday he communed for the last 
 time, and on Easter Day he closed his exemplary 
 record as a church-goer and as a devout worshipper 
 before the Lord. Then the shadows lengthened, and 
 he was stretched upon his bed. The horizon nar- 
 nowed, and his strength was consumed. Finally, 
 on Saturday, May 13, 1911, his spirit took its flight. 
 The measure of his life on earth was eighty-seven 
 years and four days. A widower since March 23, 
 1892, he is survived by a sister, a son, and two grand- 
 sons, while he is mourned by a large number of those 
 more distantly connected, and of those most inti- 
 mately associated. Some may have differed from 
 him in matters of opinion, others may have preferred 
 ways different from his, often our purposes may 
 have crossed, instead of running parallel, but there 
 is none to question for an instant the solidity and 
 the worth of his advice and support of his Christian 
 convictions and character. He will be missed in 
 various ways in many places. The truth of the in- 
 spired proverb is proven once more : 'Blessings are 
 upon the head of the righteous,' and once again we 
 bear witness to the fact that 'The memory of the 
 righteous is blessed.'" 
 
 On Sunday, October 1, 1911, the book entitled 
 "The Liturgy, Office of Worship and Hymns" was 
 used in the church service for the first time, one hun- 
 dred and twenty-five copies having been previously 
 purchased. The old hymn-books hitherto in use were 
 presented to the Third and Fourth Churches. The 
 wider range of hymns in the new book increased the 
 
322 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 helpfulness of the service, and it was for this reason 
 that the change was made. It has always been a 
 problem of the church how best to make its influence 
 felt in the neighborhood. Altho this problem has 
 never been solved, an employed worker in the com- 
 munity has contributed more toward a solution, 
 perhaps, than any other effort put forth in this di- 
 rection. There having been no worker of this kind 
 for some years, the congregation engaged in the fall 
 of 1911 Mr. Arthur Howden, formerly a missionary 
 in China, and at the time a member of the Moravian 
 Church on Staten Island. He spent several days 
 each week in visiting among the people of the neigh- 
 borhood, distributing cards giving a brief account 
 of the Moravian Church, and extending an invitation 
 to people to the services of the congregation and to 
 the exercises of the Sunday School. He also dis- 
 tributed suitable tracts, and in some cases Bibles. 
 His labors extended from November 10 to May 1 of 
 the following year. Altho these efforts did not ma- 
 terially increase the church attendance, the Sunday 
 School was greatly strengthened, and much good was 
 accomplished in other respects. On January 6, 1912, 
 two handsome hymn-tablets were placed in the 
 church-auditorium by Brother Charles Meisel, a 
 member of the congregation, in memory of his wife, 
 Anna Caroline Stengel-Meisel, who had died in Janu- 
 ary of the preceding year. When the "Men and Re- 
 ligion Movement" swept over the country, the con- 
 gregation identified itself with it, and on Sunday, 
 February 18, 1912, the following "key-men" were 
 appointed : Samuel J. Dike for Bible Study, Judson 
 
BROTHERHOOD ORGANIZED 323 
 
 T. Francis, Evangelism, Herman A. Knoll, Boys' 
 Work, Prank J. Leibert, Social Service, and H. G. 
 Foth, Foreign Missions. 
 
 On March 3, 1912, the chnrch attendants were 
 pleased to see a handsome clock attached to the gal- 
 lery and facing the pulpit. It was the gift of Brother 
 August Orbel, a member of the German congregation 
 during Brother Leibert's pastorate. This gift is 
 greatly appreciated to this day. On April 15 of the 
 same year Prof. William Ahrens was engaged as 
 church-organist, a position which he has ably filled 
 ever since. On April 22 sixteen young people of 
 the congregation met at the parsonage and organized 
 "The Clan Cordial for mutual advantage and for 
 the benefit of the congregation." After a flourishing 
 existence for a number of years this organization 
 disbanded. Under the inspiration of the Men and 
 Religion Forward Movement a Brotherhood was 
 organized, but for some reason the organization was 
 short-lived. On Sunday, February 9, 1913, a service 
 of unusual interest was held in the church. This 
 service marked the twenty-first anniversary of the 
 Whatsoever Circle of King's Daughters.* The 
 church was beautifully decorated with the colors 
 of the Order, and Bishop Leibert preached a ser- 
 mon appropriate to the occasion. At the special 
 meeting of Church Council on Wednesday, March 5, 
 of the same year, called for the purpose of electing a 
 delegate to the Provincial Synod, it was decided to 
 take steps to prepare for publication a "Manual," 
 embodying a brief history of the Moravian Church 
 
 •The King's Daughters' Circle was organized on January 29, 1892. 
 
324 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 at large, and of the congregation, as well as the rules 
 and regulations of the church recently revised and 
 adopted. For some reason this "Manual" was never 
 published. The same year a "Church Monthly" or 
 parish paper was seriously discussed, but wisely or 
 unwisely, it was decided that the disadvantages of 
 such a publication outweighed the advantages, and 
 consequently the expense involved would hardly be 
 justified. 
 
 For more than a year, however, a discussion of 
 another matter prevailed, and this discussion re- 
 sulted in making substantial improvements in the 
 basement of the church. Back of the lecture room 
 was a large space hitherto utilized for storing boxes, 
 ash-cans and all sorts, of junk. Under the leadership 
 of the pastor the trustees called in Mr. James Gru- 
 nert, an architect, and in the event the lecture room 
 was thoroly renovated, and the space hitherto re- 
 served for storage and rats transformed into a 
 beautiful church-parlor. The floor was made of con- 
 crete, and the walls were tastefully decorated. The 
 King's Daughters attended to the furnishing of the 
 room. A handsome oak library table was presented 
 by Mrs. August Herrlich as a memorial to her hus- 
 band ; a handsome Bible for use at the King's Daugh- 
 ters' meetings was given by the same person; the 
 beautiful sectional bookcase was presented by Miss 
 Louise Trautwein and her sister, Mrs. Kate Bleyer, 
 as a memorial to their mother, Sister Barbara Traut- 
 wein, and the handsome picture of the Appian Way 
 by Mrs. Mary Yost in memory of her husband, Fer- 
 nando Yost. On the walls hang portraits of leaders 
 
KING'S DAUGHTERS' ROOM 325 
 
 in the Moravian Church who were active in the 
 early years of the Church in America, pictures of 
 the second, third and present church of the con- 
 gregation, and other pictures of historic value. Be- 
 cause of their valuable contributions to the church 
 parlor it is commonly spoken of as "The King's 
 Daughters' Room." Here the boards and various 
 organizations of the congregation hold their meet- 
 ings. The extensive renovations and improvements 
 made at the same time included among other things 
 the preparation of a room for kitchen purposes, the 
 installation of electric lights, a steam-heating plant, 
 etc. By the end of October, 1913, these improve- 
 ments were completed. All who had a share in the 
 work deserve great credit. 
 
 From the spring of 1914 to the spring of 1918 
 Miss Assunta Anna D'lncalci, a young Italian 
 woman, labored in the interests of the congregation 
 among the Italian women and children in the neigh- 
 borhood of the church. On June 24, 1915, Miss Marie 
 Howard, the daughter of the Rev. Jacob Howard, 
 formerly a missionary in the West Indies, held her 
 first Mothers' Meeting in the church. Miss Howard 
 is a missionary of the New York Bible Society, and 
 her field being in the neighborhood, the Trustees 
 granted her permission to conduct her mothers' and 
 children's meetings in the church. She exercised 
 this privilege until the beginning of 1920, when she 
 transferred her meetings to the Adams Memorial 
 Church on East Thirtieth Street. While Bishop 
 Leibert was in Europe as a delegate to the General 
 Synod of 1914 the Brethren Paul de Schweinitz, 
 
326 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Frederick R. Mtzschke, Edward S. Wolle, and sev- 
 eral students of the Moravian Theological Seminary 
 at Bethlehem, Pa., supplied the pulpit. On Decem- 
 ber 30 an organization of young boys was formed 
 which took the name of King's Messengers. The 
 Loyal Circle of King's Daughters and King's Sons 
 was organized on Saturday, February 6, 1915, and 
 has proved itself a valuable adjunct of the congre- 
 gation ever since. The Circle has given a number of 
 successful plays, which not only provided good en- 
 tertainment for a large number of people, but at 
 the same time replenished its treasury, as well as 
 that of the Whatsoever Circle of King's Daughters. 
 During the year 1916 various matters of interest 
 transpired. At the meeting of the January Church 
 Council it was decided that young men of the con- 
 gregation, instead of the Elders, should take the 
 offering at church services. On March 9 a new safe 
 was placed in the church parlor for the purpose of 
 properly preserving the church records. In con- 
 nection with the service on Palm Sunday morning, 
 April 16, the beautiful baptismal font of stone, 
 which the Whatsoever Circle of King's Daughters 
 presented to the congregation, was dedicated, and 
 used for the first time, Emma Morris Blake, the 
 wife of Brother Thomas J. Blake, being received into 
 the congregation by the sacrament of baptism. The 
 world war was making itself increasingly felt in 
 America, and on June 19 Harry Carlson, a member 
 of the congregation, left for Camp Wadsworth. 
 Others followed in due time and when the "Honor 
 Roll" of the church was complete it contained the 
 
HONOR ROLL OF CHURCH 327 
 
 following names: Kenneth Leibert, Naval Reserve, 
 Axel Johnson, United States Navy, Walter Schmidt, 
 Naval Engineers, Harry Carlson, Field Artillery, 
 Edward Carlson, Military Police, Henry Olsen, 
 Coast Artillery, William Stahlschmidt, United 
 States Infantry, John Daggun, Military Police, 
 William Gerken, 71st Regiment, George Richardson, 
 Medical Corps. All these young men rendered faith- 
 ful service in the spheres to which their country and 
 patriotism called them. Altho some of them were 
 in the thick of battle, the life of every one was 
 mercifully spared, and after the war was over they 
 returned to their homes. 
 
 When in the summer and fall of 1916 the epidemic 
 of infantile paralysis was raging thruout the city 
 and country the Sunday School was closed. On 
 Christmas Eve the beautiful silver alms basins were 
 received by the congregation as the gift of Mrs. 
 Howard Gates Clark in memory of her husband. At 
 the service on the following morning the basins were 
 formally dedicated by the pastor. For a long time 
 a strong feeling in favor of the individual com- 
 munion cups existed in the congregation. This feel- 
 ing crystallized in the following action taken by the 
 Church Council on January 31, 1917: "Resolved, 
 that after an agitation of the matter extending over 
 a number of years, it is the sense of this Church 
 Council that, following the custom of the majority 
 of evangelical churches in America, and heeding the 
 wishes of the membership of the congregation for- 
 mally and repeatedly expressed, the use of the com- 
 mon communion cups in the Holy Communion be 
 
328 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 discontinued, and individual cups introduced, and 
 that the Elders and Trustees be urged to effect the 
 change at the earliest possible date, and that in 
 so doing they should provide for the preservation 
 in some suitable form in the new service, properly 
 inscribed, of the memorial pieces which have been 
 in constant use at our celebration of the Communion 
 for nearly a century." ' That the latter part of the 
 resolution might be fittingly carried out it was de- 
 cided on April 26 that "the old communion set be 
 melted, assayed and incorporated in the silver of 
 the new service." On May 25 racks for the com- 
 munion cups were placed in the pews, and two days 
 later, on the occasion of the Whitsuntide festival, 
 the individual communion cups* were used for the 
 first time. With the exception of a few the com- 
 municants expressed great satisfaction over the 
 change. With the accumulation of valuable silver- 
 ware it became necessary to make suitable arrange- 
 ments for its protection, therefore the upstairs safe 
 was purchased to meet this need. 
 
 •There are four silver communion trays. One tray is marked, " 'H. P. 
 to the Br's Gh.' Above inscription was engraved on the two communion 
 chalices of the First Moravian Church of New York City, the silver of 
 which Is incorporated In this tray tor individual cnps. Whitsuntide, 1917." 
 A second tray bears the following words: " 'Hannah Bowie to the United 
 Brethren's Church in New Tork, 1831.' Above inscription was engraved 
 on the two communion flagons of the First Moravian Church of New Tork 
 City, the silver of which is incorporated in this tray for individual cops- 
 Whit Sunday, 1917." A third tray bears the Inscription, "Presented to 
 the First Moravian Church by William Higgins, in memory of his uncle 
 William Higgins. Christmas, 1918." The fourth tray was purchased by 
 the trustees. The beautiful silver cover for the communion trays was the 
 gift of the Whatsoever Circle of King's Daughters at ChristmasUde, 1918. 
 The silver "basket" for the communion bread has been in use since 
 October 8, 1814, when It was presented to the congregation by Daniel 
 Bowie. 
 
MORAVIAN CITY UNION 329 
 
 On Sunday, February 4, 1917, "a home visitation" 
 was made in connection with the evangelistic cam- 
 paign conducted in the city by Evangelist William 
 Sunday. The area in which the First Church is lo- 
 cated was covered by one hundred visitors, includ- 
 ing a number of members of the congregation. The 
 workers made the First Church their headquarters. 
 On March 6 of the same year the Whatsoever Circle 
 of King's Daughters presented Mrs. Edmund B. Rose 
 with a testimonial of esteem and appreciation in 
 honor of the twenty-fifth anniversary of her as- 
 suming the treasurership of the Circle. Mrs. Rose 
 still performs the duties of the office which she has 
 for so many years discharged with great credit to 
 herself and the organization. Two days later a com- 
 mittee of the New York group of Moravian ministers, 
 consisting of the Brethren Morris W. Leibert, Ed- 
 ward S. Wolle, and Ernest Hagen, met in the church 
 parlor and prepared the copy of the Passion Week 
 leaflets now in use in the Moravian congregations in 
 New York City and its environs. These leaflets were 
 published by the Moravian City Union. It will be 
 of interest to give in this connection some details 
 relating to the organization here mentioned. The 
 following record is taken from the Secretary's book 
 of the Union : "Moravians living in New York and 
 vicinity for a long time have felt the need of be- 
 coming better acquainted with each other. How 
 this might become possible had been often discussed, 
 but no conclusion was reached. The desire began 
 to take definite form, however, at the recent dinner 
 of the New York Alumni Association of the Mo- 
 
330 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YOKE 
 
 ravian College and Theological Seminary, when it 
 was voted to establish a Moravian City Union. 
 
 "It was decided to include in this Union the mem- 
 bers of the Moravian churches in the New York 
 district, and all other Moravians living in and 
 about the city. The following is the record of the 
 action taken at the annual meeting of the Alumni 
 Association on January 27, 1914, in the Martha 
 Washington Hotel at 29 East Twenty-ninth Street, 
 New York City: 'Resolved, that for the purpose of 
 increasing its efficiency, and for the advancement of 
 Moravian interests in New York and vicinity, the 
 Alumni Association, after ten years' experience, 
 favors the creation of a more inclusive body of Mo- 
 ravians in New York, and toward this end moves, 
 First, That those persons here present to-day be in- 
 vited to create such an organization. Second, That 
 it be created in accordance with the plans that have 
 been prepared by the Executive Committee as fol- 
 lows : The name shall be The Moravian City Union 
 of New York. The purpose is to supply the twenty- 
 five hundred Moravians now in New York with op- 
 portunities for better acquaintance, and when de- 
 sired, united action. To this end it is planned to 
 hold four meetings a year, as follows, 1. A meeting 
 in the First Church in April, the program to include 
 an address by some eminent speaker on a religious 
 or civic topic, which shall be preceded or followed 
 by a reception, possibly with refreshments. 2. A 
 union picnic in Summer. 3. A meeting in November 
 similar to that held in April. A. A dinner in Janu- 
 ary, with suitable program, in one of the hotels. 
 
MORAVIAN CITY UNION 331 
 
 The annual meeting and election shall be held in 
 connection with the dinner. To cover the expenses 
 of the Union for this introductory year a charge of 
 twenty-five cents each shall be made for attendance 
 at the April and November meetings, and a nominal 
 charge of $1.50 for the annual dinner as hitherto, 
 probably leading up to a later arrangement of annual 
 dues amounting to two dollars payable in advance 
 to cover all charges for the four consecutive events. 
 
 " 'To develop these plans for the ensuing twelve 
 months the following officers shall be elected to 
 serve for one year : A President of the Union, whose 
 duty it shall be to preside at all public meetings, 
 and to represent the Union in public should occasion 
 require; a Vice President, who shall preside in the 
 absence of, or at the request of, the President; a 
 Secretary, who shall keep a record of the meetings 
 of the Union, a list of those voting at the annual 
 meeting, and perform such duties as ordinarily de- 
 volve upon a Secretary; a Treasurer, who shall re- 
 ceive and pay out the monies of the Union as di- 
 rected by the Executive Committee. The Secretary 
 and Treasurer of the Union shall also act as the 
 Secretary and Treasurer of the Executive Commit- 
 tee. At a meeting called for the purpose by the 
 President, the four elected officers shall choose and 
 appoint a chairman of the Executive Committee, 
 and also two other members. These with the four 
 elected officers of the Union shall constitute the Ex- 
 ecutive Committee, and this committee shall have 
 entire charge of the selection of place, program, and 
 all other details connected with the four meetings 
 
332 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 of the ensuing year.' " (On November 13, 1919, the 
 following change in the constitution was made: 
 "The four elected officers of the Union shall choose 
 three members of the Union who shall constitute the 
 Program Committee. This committee shall choose 
 its own chairman, and shall have charge of the se- 
 lection of place, program, and all other details con- 
 nected with the four meetings of the ensuing year. 
 The President of the Union shall be ex-officio a mem- 
 ber of the Program Committee. The four elected 
 officers, together with the chairman of the program 
 committee, shall constitute the Executive Commit- 
 tee.") The first officers of the City Union were the 
 following : President, Bishop M. W. Leibert, D.D. ; 
 Vice President, Mr. Charles E. H. Harvey; Secretary, 
 the Rev. F. E. Grunert; Treasurer, the Rev. Paul 
 M. Greider. The chairman of the Executive Com- 
 mittee was the Rev. Victor G. Flinn, who was the 
 real founder of the Union. 
 
 In 1917 the American Flag and a Service Flag 
 were placed in the church ; also the Honor Roll con- 
 taining the names of the young men of the congre- 
 gation who were in service. In the first quarter of 
 the year the congregation lost two life-long members 
 of the Moravian Church by the death of Mrs. Mary 
 Brower Francis and that of Mr. Joseph M. Jackson 
 on January 22 and February 28 respectively. 
 Brother Jackson had been connected with the con- 
 gregation for forty years, and had rendered it ef- 
 ficient service in many ways. He had been a mem- 
 ber of the Board of Trustees for a long term of years, 
 and at the time of his death served as its highly 
 
LENGTHENING SHADOWS 333 
 
 esteemed President. In June the congregation lost 
 another esteemed member by the death of Mrs. Rob- 
 ert Blake. From October 31 to November 2 the 
 State Convention of King's Daughters was held in 
 the church. At the close of the convention Bishop 
 Leibert, assisted by the Brethren Paul T. Shultz, 
 Frederick B. Nitzschke and Victor Flinn, celebrated 
 the Holy Communion. On the first two Sundays of 
 1918 the church was closed on account of frozen 
 water-pipes, which made it impossible to operate the 
 heating plant. Short sessions of the Sunday school 
 were held on these Sundays, and on the first, as 
 previously announced, Littles Cross and Crown Sys- 
 tem was introduced. The second week in January 
 the Moravian ship Harmony lay at anchor in the 
 harbor, and on Sunday, the 13th, Captain Jackson 
 and a Mr. Ford of Nain, Labrador, came to the 
 church to attend services, but unfortunately the 
 doors were still closed because of the frozen pipes. 
 The pastor, however, enjoyed a pleasant interview 
 with these men from the northland. On February 
 18, 1918, Charles Eisenhauer entered upon his du- 
 ties as Sexton of the church, Henry Riedemann hav- 
 ing resigned after many years of service in this 
 capacity. 
 
 About this time a portentous cloud settled over 
 the congregation as the result of Bishop Leibert's 
 precarious state of health. After laboring for a 
 long time under the greatest difficulties, he left the 
 city on April 11 for Battle Creek, Michigan, where 
 he entered a sanatorium for treatment. Finding no 
 relief he returned to the East, arriving on May 15 
 
334 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Robert Noe, at 
 East Orange, N. J., where he spent some time. 
 Meanwhile his pulpit was supplied by the Brethren 
 P. R. Nitzschke, E. S. Wolle, F. E. Grunert, and the 
 Rev. Mr. Wynne, Field Secretary of the South Amer- 
 ican Inland Mission. Altho far from well, Bishop 
 Leibert by force of an indomitable will was present 
 at the opening service of the church on September 
 15, and preached the sermon. He also preached on 
 the Sunday following, but from that time it became 
 increasingly evident that the close of his earthly 
 labors was near at hand. Hoping against hope that 
 he might yet enjoy sufficient strength to receive into 
 the congregation the class of catechumens which he 
 had instructed earlier in the year, the day of con- 
 firmation was postponed to Sunday, October 13. 
 When the time drew near, however, it became ap- 
 parent that this pleasant duty had to be delegated 
 to another. Therefore Bishop Charles L. Moench, 
 President of the Provincial Elders' Conference, per- 
 formed the rite which made the following young 
 men and women communicant members of the 
 church: Edmund B. Rose, Jr., Frank Burch, Al- 
 bertina Jorss, Emily Wey, Sarah Ayello, and Irma 
 Heboid. At the celebration of the November Thir- 
 teenth Festival Bishop Leibert was able to preside 
 at the Holy Communion, but the elements were dis- 
 tributed by Bishop Moench, who also preached the 
 sermon at the preparatory service. 
 
 Altho unable to conduct the service on December 
 22, the faithful pastor, rallying what little strength 
 remained, was in attendance. The strain of this 
 
MEMORIAL GIFTS 335 
 
 effort was all the greater because he had to come to 
 church from 940 Park Avenue, on the corner of 
 Park Avenue and Eighty-first Street, whither he and 
 his family had removed in October. What lent 
 strength to his efforts was the desire to receive and 
 dedicate two beautiful silver communion pieces, one, 
 a tray presented to the congregation by Brother 
 William Higgins in memory of his devout uncle, 
 whose name he bears, and the other, a cover for the 
 trays given by the Whatsoever Circle of King's 
 Daughters in memory of the following King's 
 Daughters who had run their earthly race: Mrs. 
 Edward T. Kluge, the organizer of the Circle ; Miss 
 Elizabeth Margaret Nedwell, Mrs. Charles Meisel, 
 Miss Marjorie Blake, Mrs. Mary Francis, and Mrs. 
 Bobert Blake. On Christmas Day the exercises of 
 the Sunday School were conducted by Brother Her- 
 man A. Knoll at four-thirty in the afternoon. Altho 
 very weak Bishop Leibert attended and led in prayer. 
 This was the last time he publicly ministered to the 
 congregation. When next he appeared in church a 
 large circle of friends gathered around his form, but 
 the lips which had uttered so many words of cheer 
 and comfort were silent. At ten-thirty o'clock, on 
 Saturday morning, January 11, 1919, the faithful 
 servant of God gently closed his eyes upon the sor- 
 rowing family gathered around his dying bed, and 
 his spirit went forth into the sunlight of the eternal 
 day, where there is no more death, neither sorrow, 
 nor crying, nor any more pain. The funeral services 
 were held on Tuesday afternoon, January 14. 
 Brother Edward S. Wolle, pastor of the Second 
 
336 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Church, conducted a short service at the late home 
 of the departed. The service at the church was in 
 charge of Brother F. E. Grunert, pastor of the 
 Brooklyn Church. On this occasion the Rt. Rev. 
 Charles L. Moench, D.D., the Rt. Rev. J. Taylor 
 Hamilton, D.D., and the Rev. Paul de Schweinitz, 
 D.D., delivered messages of esteem, comfort and 
 encouragement. The choir sang "Face to Face," 
 and "Rock of Ages," while the congregation joined 
 in singing one of the departed brother's favorite 
 hymns, "My Jesus, as Thou wilt." The services were 
 largely attended by members of the congregation, 
 and friends from other churches. The pall-bearers 
 were the Brethren E. S. Wolle, E. S. Hagen, F. R. 
 Nitzschke, P. T. Shultz, F. T. Trafford, and A. E. 
 Francke. Interment was made in the Moravian 
 Cemetery at New Dorp, Staten Island. 
 
 Morris William Leibert, son of the late William 
 and Cornelia Matilda Krause Leibert, was born at 
 Bethlehem, Pa., on Wednesday, August 22, 1855. 
 He was educated in the Moravian Parochial School 
 at Bethlehem and in the Moravian College and Theo- 
 logical Seminary, graduating from the latter insti- 
 tution in the year 1875. He taught for a year at 
 Nazareth Hall, and then took a year of special study 
 in the Union Theological Seminary of New York 
 City. He was ordained a Deacon of the Moravian 
 Church on Sunday, April 15, 1877, by the late Bishop 
 Edmund de Schweinitz, S.T.D., at Bethlehem, Pa., 
 and a Presbyter by the same Bishop at Hope, In- 
 diana, on Sunday, October 13, 1878. He was con- 
 secrated a Bishop at the Lititz, Pa., Synod on Sun- 
 
BIOGRAPHY OF M. W. LEIBERT 337 
 
 day, September 13, 1908, by the Bishops E. A. 
 Oerter, C. L. Reinke, Edward Rondthaler, and C. L. 
 Moench. On August 22, 1880, he was joined in mar- 
 riage to Miss Louise B. Hill of New York City, who 
 proved to be an efficient helper thruout his long min- 
 istry. He served as pastor of the German Mis- 
 sion or Second Moravian Church of New York City 
 from 1877 to 1885; at Bethlehem, Pa., from 1885 
 to 1901 ; at Castleton Corners, Staten Island, N. Y., 
 from 1901 to 1904; and from February 1, 1904, to 
 the day of his death, he was pastor of the First Mo- 
 ravian Church of New York City. He served as 
 President of various District and Provincial Synods, 
 and as President of the General Synod of 1899 ; he 
 also attended as one of the American delegates the 
 General Synods of 1909 and 1914. He was a member 
 of the Provincial Elders' Conference from 1893 to 
 1898, and again from 1903 to 1913, serving as Presi- 
 dent of that body for the last five years he remained 
 in office. He served on a great many important in- 
 ter-synodal committees and at the time of his death 
 was the Chairman of the Inter-Synodal Committee 
 on the New Hymnal of the Church.* In 1904 New 
 York University conferred upon him the honorary 
 degree of Doctor Divinitatis. He was identified with 
 the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in 
 America and with the World Conference on Faith 
 and Order. His services within the Moravian Church 
 were distinguished and widespread. For nearly 
 fifteen years the First Church profited by his leader- 
 
 •The new Church Hymnal will be ready for distribution by the spring 
 of 1923. One hundred copies have been ordered by the First Church. 
 
338 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 ship, and he will be affectionately remembered as 
 long as those who were members in his time shall 
 live. 
 
 Before the congregation had recovered from the 
 shock of the pastor's death, word was received that 
 Brother Judson T. Francis, the son-in-law of the late 
 Bishop Amadeus A. Reinke, had passed away in 
 his home at Englewood, N. J., on Wednesday, Janu- 
 ary 15. Born on January 19, 1854, in New York 
 City, he was received into the communicant member- 
 ship of the congregation by the rite of confirmation 
 on May 29, 1873. He was the son of Hiram Howell 
 Francis and his wife, Mary Brower Francis. Deeply 
 interested in everything that pertained to the Mo- 
 ravian Church, Brother Francis contributed gen- 
 erously of his means to the various causes of the 
 Church at home and abroad. His hospitable home 
 was always open to Moravian ministers and mis- 
 sionaries. But the cause that lay nearest his heart 
 was his beloved First Church, for whose advance- 
 ment he was always ready to give his best efforts. 
 He served as an Elder of the congregation for a long 
 term of years. When a man of his consecration, 
 ability, and distinction exerts his influence in a 
 congregation for forty-eight years, words fail to 
 express the inevitable sense of loss felt at his de- 
 parture. The death of Brother Francis would have 
 been a severe blow to the congregation at any time, 
 but coming as it did within a week of the pastor's 
 home-going, the shock was all the greater. The 
 funeral services were conducted at the late home 
 of the departed on Saturday, January 18, and on 
 
INSTALLATION OF NEW PASTOR 339 
 
 the following day, which was the sixty-fifth anni- 
 versary of his birth, his earthly remains were laid 
 away in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn. 
 
 "God buries the worker, but carries on the work." 
 Nobody could take the place of either Bishop Leibert 
 or Brother Francis, but others had to assume the 
 responsibility of the offices held by these brethren, 
 and so Brother Allen W. Stephens was chosen to 
 succeed the latter as Elder of the congregation, and 
 the Rev. Harry E. Stocker, Ph.D., of the South Side 
 Moravian Church at Bethlehem, Pa., was called to 
 the pastorate of the First Church. The Brethren 
 F. E. Grunert, Charles L. Moench, William N. 
 Schwarze, Vivian W. Moses, Kenneth G. Hamilton, 
 William H. Vogler, Charles H. Romiger, and J. 
 Taylor Hamilton supplied the pulpit until Sunday, 
 April 27, when the new pastor was installed by 
 Bishop Moench, and preached his introductory ser- 
 mon from I John 3 : 16, "He laid down his life for 
 us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the breth- 
 ren." During the singing of "Blest be the tie that 
 binds" by the congregation, representatives of the 
 Board of Elders and the Board of Trustees pledged 
 their support by extending to the new pastor the 
 right hand of fellowship, and after the service the 
 members with characteristic loyalty gave him and 
 his wife a warm welcome, the sincerity of which 
 could not be doubted. Two matters of special im- 
 portance between pastorates deserve to be recorded. 
 On April 11 the Loyal Circle of King's Daughters 
 and King's Sons, under the leadership of Mrs. Mor- 
 ris W. Leibert, gave a dinner in honor of Harry Carl- 
 
340 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 son, Edward Carlson and John Daggun, who had 
 safely returned from overseas, where all rendered 
 distinguished service. This dinner of recognition 
 and welcome was given in the lecture room of the 
 church. At the Sunday School session on April 13 
 a portrait of the late Bishop Leibert was unveiled. 
 This token of esteem was the gift to the Sunday 
 School of the King's Messengers, the President of 
 the Circle, Henry Olsen, making the presentation 
 speech, and Acting Superintendent of the Sunday 
 School Brother Samuel J. Dike making a fitting re- 
 sponse. That the record of the "moveable parson- 
 age" may be complete, it should be stated that the 
 new pastor and his family arrived in the city on 
 April 23 and made their home in the apartment at 
 940 Park Avenue, previously occupied by their pre- 
 decessors. 
 
 On Wednesday evening, April 30, the congrega- 
 tion gave a public reception in the lecture room of 
 the church in honor of the pastor and his wife and 
 five-year-old son, Arthur Frederick Stocker. This 
 delightful affair was dignified by the performance 
 of the pastor's first marriage ceremony in the city. 
 At eight-thirty o'clock, in the presence of those who 
 attended the reception, August Beyer and Miss Rosa 
 Kugelmann, two strangers who had previously made 
 the necessary arrangements with the pastor, were 
 joined in marriage, Elder Allen W. Stephens and 
 Brother Frank J. Leibert, a trustee, acting as official 
 witnesses of the ceremony. After this pleasant in- 
 terruption the social fellowship was resumed, and 
 when at a late hour the numerous guests left for 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION 341 
 
 their respective homes the guests of honor felt that 
 they had come among warm Christian friends, which 
 the event has amply proved. At the request of the 
 pastor the teachers and officers of the Sunday School 
 met on May 15, and organized a Sunday School As- 
 sociation. The pastor and Brother A. W. Stephens 
 prepared the draft of a constitution which was 
 unanimously adopted at a subsequent meeting of the 
 Association. A Cradle Roll and Home Department 
 of the Sunday School were organized. Both these 
 departments met with a hearty response. The stated 
 mission offerings of the Church were assigned to 
 different months of the school year. That the scholars 
 might take a deeper interest in Missions, periodic 
 missionary talks were instituted and an aim set by 
 vote of the scholars and teachers as to what the 
 school's contribution to this or that cause should 
 be. These activities resulted in increasing the Sun- 
 day School offerings five-fold. Later more system- 
 atic instruction was undertaken, and Miss Ellen B. 
 Barrett was elected Missionary Superintendent of 
 the Sunday School. The first Sunday in the month 
 is designated "Missionary Sunday." A Primary 
 Department was likewise organized. This necessi- 
 tated the purchase of little chairs and a portable 
 organ. The church parlor or "King's Daughters' 
 Room" is the meeting-place of the primary children. 
 Mrs. H. E. Stocker is the Superintendent of the 
 Primary Department, and Mrs. Harry White her as- 
 sistant. 
 
 In the year 1919 the Larger Life Movement of the 
 Moravian Church was born of God, and launched "by 
 
342 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 the Provincial Elders' Conference. As the name in- 
 dicates, the purpose of the Movement is the deepen- 
 ing of the spiritual life of the membership. All are 
 urged by it to make faithful use of the Means of 
 Grace, and to perform the duties that are incumbent 
 upon earnest-minded Christians. The Moravian 
 Church was born in prayer, therefore the Larger Life 
 Movement stresses prayer, and seeks to enlist all the 
 members of the Church in the Moravian Prayer 
 Union. When the Church was renewed, it experi- 
 enced a powerful baptism of the Holy Spirit. Under 
 the influence of this Spirit the fathers went forth 
 unto the uttermost parts of the earth, not to make 
 "Moravians," but to win souls for the Lamb that 
 was slain. Because the Lord so manifestly blest 
 these early Moravian evangelistic activities, the 
 Movement lays strong emphasis upon Evangelism. 
 Since Christians are in a special sense the stewards 
 of God, the Movement seeks to bring home to every 
 Moravian the thought of Christian Stewardship. 
 Naturally any movement within a Church as mis- 
 sionary in character as the Moravian Church lays 
 special emphasis upon Missions. Similarly, educa- 
 tion having been in a peculiar sense the handmaid 
 of the Church from the beginning, there is also an 
 Educational Department. Needless to say, any move- 
 ment of this sort must have publicity. That these 
 departments might function the Provincial Elders' 
 Conference placed a man at the head of each one. 
 Thus the Rev. Robert K. Stansfield is in charge of 
 the Prayer Union; the Rev. William Strohmeier of 
 StetuardsMp; the Rev. Ernest S. Hagen of Evan- 
 
THE LARGER LIFE COMMITTEE 343 
 
 gelism; the Rev. Harry E. Stocker, Ph.D., of the 
 American Society in Aid of Moravian Missions; the 
 Rev. Arthur D. Thaeler, D.D., of Education; and 
 Bishop Karl A. Mueller, D.D., and the Rev. Charles 
 D. Kreider, the editors of the church papers, of Pub- 
 licity. These brethren, together with the Rev. John 
 S. Romig, D.D., the Secretary of the Movement, con- 
 stitute what is known as The Larger Life Commit- 
 tee. On Sunday, September 7, 1919, the pastor of 
 the First Church presented the matter of the Larger 
 Life Movement to the congregation, and called for 
 enlistment in the Prayer Union. As the result of 
 this appeal fifty-four persons were added to the 
 Union. 
 
 At a meeting of the Elders and Trustees on Sep- 
 tember 11, it was decided to purchase and place at 
 the disposal of the pastor for advertising purposes, 
 a Rotary Mimeograph, and also a large Bulletin 
 Board with moveable type for the outside of the 
 church. Both these purchases were made at an 
 early day, and on the 27th of the month the Bulletin 
 Board was fastened to the church, where it has ren- 
 dered good service ever since. On October 1 the 
 first mid-week service for two or three years was 
 held, and on the following Sunday Rally Exercises 
 of the Sunday School were conducted. This was the 
 first time in the history of the congregation that a 
 Sunday School Rally was held. For many years the 
 church enjoyed the sweet ministrations of Sister 
 Eliza Beattie, who was one of those rare souls that 
 attract everybody by the power of a pleasing per- 
 sonality imbued by the Spirit of Christ. Loving 
 
344 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 everybody, everybody loved her. Unless prevented by 
 sickness, she never missed a public service of the con- 
 gregation. It was therefore a great loss when on 
 October 7, 1919, this faithful Christian woman peace- 
 fully fell asleep in Jesus. Her end did not come un- 
 expectedly. About four months previous to her de- 
 parture she suffered serious injuries from a fall 
 which eventually brought about her end. Altho she 
 suffered great pain, she never uttered a word of 
 complaint, and to the very last her thought was con- 
 stantly for others. The funeral services were held 
 in the church on Friday, the 10th, and interment was 
 made in the Moravian Cemetery at New Dorp, 
 Staten Island. She was nearly 86 years old. 
 
 Altho the Moravian Church has been active in 
 New York City for more than one hundred and 
 eighty years, it has always been a problem of the 
 congregation to make itself known in the immediate 
 neighborhood with its frequently shifting population. 
 Toward the solution of this problem a thousand 
 cards, announcing the services of the church and the 
 like, were printed in the early part of November, 
 and distributed in the community, not without some 
 results. On November 24 a committee of King's 
 Daughters, consisting of Mrs. H. E. Stocker, Mrs. 
 David B. Nedwell, and Mrs. Christina Wertz, packed 
 a large box of clothing which was shipped to the 
 sufferers in Czecho-Slovakia. On the Sunday before 
 Christmas a generous offering was taken for Ar- 
 menian and Syrian Relief. Several months pre- 
 vious to the annual meeting of Church Council held 
 on January 21, 1920, a committee consisting of the 
 
DUPLEX ENVELOPE SYSTEM 345 
 
 pastor and the Brethren Prank J. Leibert, Samuel J. 
 Dike, and Allen W. Stephens, was appointed by the 
 Joint-Board of Elders and Trustees for the purpose 
 of preparing a budget for the congregation. This 
 Committee laid before Church Council a carefully 
 prepared budget which was unanimously adopted. 
 This action embraced the adoption of the Duplex 
 Envelope System. Subsequently "visitors" were care- 
 fully instructed, and every member of the church 
 interviewed by them, with the result that the pledges 
 received for Current Expenses and Missions aggre- 
 gated a total at least five times larger than any re- 
 ceived before. The every member canvass was 
 made on Sunday afternoon, March 7. At the same 
 meeting of Church Council it was decided to engage 
 a paid worker to labor in the interests of the con- 
 gregation among the people in the neighborhood of 
 the church. 
 
 In accordance with a plan carefully worked out 
 by the Provincial Evangelistic Committee evangelis- 
 tic services were conducted in nearly every congrega- 
 tion in the Northern Province of the Church during 
 the first quarter of the year 1920. These meetings 
 were conducted by the Provincial Evangelist, the 
 Eev. John Greenfield, and a number of pastors whose 
 services were called into requisition in order that 
 the series might be finished in a given time. On 
 Ash Wednesday, February 18, the Eev. E. S. Hagen, 
 the pastor of the New Dorp congregation, began a 
 ten-day series of meetings in the First Church. Altho 
 the attendance was not very large because of the 
 widely scattered membership, it was encouraging, 
 
346 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 and the results achieved were not to be despised. 
 The pastor of the First Church conducted similar 
 meetings in the Stapleton Church in January, and 
 in the Second Church during the first part of Febru- 
 ary. On Sunday, January 25, the Rev. Frederick T. 
 Trafford, the pastor of the Third Church, who had 
 been temporarily released from pastoral duties that 
 he might visit the congregations of the Province 
 for the purpose of soliciting funds for the proposed 
 Memorial Science Building of the Moravian College 
 and Theological Seminary, presented this cause to 
 the congregation, and in the event the pledges of the 
 membership totalled over twelve hundred dollars. 
 
 On April 6 the King's Daughters' Convention of 
 the Manhattan and Bronx District was held in the 
 First Church, the pastor delivering the address of 
 welcome and conducting a brief devotional service. 
 The Rev. Arthur Butzin, Superintendent of the 
 Alaska Mission, delivered an address in church on 
 the following Sunday, and made an appeal for the 
 proposed Orphanage and School to be established in 
 Alaska as soon as the required funds are secured. 
 His appeal met with a generous response. On Sun- 
 day, May 9, the celebration of Mother's Day, insti- 
 tuted in the congregation the year before, lacked the 
 presence of a tender mother who had gone to her 
 eternal rest the day before. This mother was Sister 
 Mary Lange Shultz, the widow of the late Rev. 
 Charles B. Shultz, D.D., who had been a faithful 
 member of the congregation for nine years, never 
 missing a church service unless unavoidably de- 
 tained. By her departure the church lost a good 
 
LARGER LIFE FOUNDATION 347 
 
 member and the pastor a sympathetic supporter. 
 The funeral services were held at the home of her 
 son, the Rev. Paul T. Shultz, pastor of the Stapleton 
 congregation, on Monday evening, May 10. Inter- 
 ment was made in the Nisky Hill Cemetery at Beth- 
 lehem, Pa., on the following day. Dr. Shultz, her 
 distinguished husband, preceded her to the eternal 
 home on July 21, 1911. 
 
 Meanwhile changes of a different character were 
 in operation. Altho the lease for the apartment at 940 
 Park Avenue was good until October first, extensive 
 renovations contemplated by the landlord made 
 it best to cancel the lease for a stipulated money con- 
 sideration, and on June 10 the pastor and his family 
 removed to an apartment four doors east of River- 
 side Drive at 309 West Ninety-third Street. The 
 removal to the West Side was hastened by the ap- 
 proaching Provincial Synod, which convened at 
 Bethlehem, Pa., on June 16. At this Synod it was 
 decided to launch a movement for the purpose of 
 creating a fund of $750,000 in the interests of various 
 Church causes. This fund was designated "The 
 Larger Life Foundation." Eleven men, five clergy- 
 men and six laymen, were elected by Synod 
 to take charge of the gathering of the funds for 
 the Foundation. These men were the Rev. A. D. 
 Thaeler, D.D., Chairman, Prof. Clarence E. Clewell, 
 Secretary, Prof. Albert G. Rau, Ph.D., Treasurer, 
 and the Brethren: Harry J. Meyers, Emil J. 
 Bishop, S. Fahs Smith, Allen W. Stephens, the Rev. 
 S. H. Gapp, D.D., the Rev. E. S. Hagen, the Rev. 
 C. A. Weber, and the Rev. F. W. Stengel. The Trus- 
 
348 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 tees of the Foundation who were elected are the 
 following : The Brethren M. H. Strehlow, C. Elmer 
 Smith, H. J. Meyers, G. W. Riegel, Eli Fischer, H. 
 S. Rominger, and A. W. Stephens. At a meeting of 
 the Foundation Committee the Rev. E. S. Hagen 
 was chosen Executive Secretary. It was decided by 
 Synod that the income of the Fund be distributed 
 as follows: "2-15 to the Society for Propagating 
 the Gospel, Foreign Mission Emergencies ; 1-15 to the 
 Board of Church Extension, Permanent Fund; 2-15 
 to the Moravian College and Theological Seminary; 
 1-15 to the Board of Church Extension, Old Home 
 Mission Fund; 4-15 to the Sustentation Fund; 1-15 
 to the Provincial Administration Account for Pub- 
 lications; 1-15 to the Linden Hall Seminary; 1-15 
 to Nazareth Hall; 1-15 to the Moravian Seminary 
 and College for Women; 1-15 to the Western Old 
 People's Home and Orphanage, and the Western Mo- 
 ravian Students' Home, to be divided equally between 
 the two when, or if established." 
 
 At a meeting of the Joint-Board of Elders and 
 Trustees of the congregation on September 9, 1920, 
 it was unanimously decided that "the pastor, Dr. 
 Stocker, be instructed to write a complete history 
 of the congregation at his convenience, said history 
 to be published by the Trustees as soon as the manu- 
 script shall be ready for the printer." The Joint- 
 Board also authorized the pastor to engage a church- 
 worker. As the result of the latter decision Miss 
 Mina Tweedie, a graduate of the White Bible 
 Teacher Training School (now known as "The Bib- 
 lical Seminary of New York City") on Lexington 
 
CHURCH WORKER APPOINTED 349 
 
 Avenue, was secured for this position. She entered 
 upon her duties on October 11, and labored with 
 marked success until spring of the following year, 
 when a breakdown in health compelled her to relin- 
 quish the work. Her activities were especially suc- 
 cessful among children and young people. Her Boys' 
 and Girls' Meetings during the week were frequently 
 attended by between fifty and sixty children from 
 the community. Hitherto about seventy-five per 
 cent, of these children had no vital connection with 
 any Church or Sunday School. Her work was dis- 
 tinctly religious, and those under her care were 
 greatly profited by her instruction and companion- 
 ship. A number of young women of the Sunday 
 School were organized by Miss Tweedie into what 
 is known as "The Alpha Beta Club," which remains 
 in a flourishing condition as a reminder of her suc- 
 cessful labors. It was a distinct loss to the congre- 
 gation and community when ill health compelled her 
 to relinquish the work. On Monday, October 4, 
 1920, the pastor found in his morning's mail a letter 
 and a substantial check from Brother Samuel J. 
 Dike, an Elder of the congregation, with instruc- 
 tions that the money should be used for the purchase 
 of a first-class stereopticon for the church. This 
 generous gift was greatly appreciated, and on the 
 following Thursday afternoon the lantern with all 
 the necessary accessories was purchased for $92.50. 
 On "Wednesday evening, October 12, the stereopticon 
 was used for the first time in connection with an 
 interesting lecture on "Jerusalem." Since then the 
 congregation has enjoyed the benefit of a monthly 
 
350 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 illustrated lecture. In the latter part of October 
 the pastor of the First Church again conducted a 
 series of evangelistic meetings in the Second Church. 
 On October 29 a Hallow E'en Social gave pleasure 
 to young and old in the lecture room of the church. 
 This was the first of a series of bi-monthly socials 
 of the congregation instituted by the Sunday School 
 Association. For the first time in many years the 
 church was open on New Year's Eve. At 8 :30 o'clock 
 the pastor gave an illustrated lecture on "Moravian 
 Missions in Nicaragua." The lecture was followed 
 by a social hour, after which the pastor conducted 
 a service appropriate for the last hour of the Old 
 Year. The attendance was encouraging. 
 
 During the first quarter of the year 1921 the con- 
 gregation gave much attention to the Larger Life 
 Foundation. The week beginning on Sunday, Feb- 
 ruary 13, and ending on February 20 was known as 
 "Foundation Week" thruout the Province. After 
 the Sunday morning service, on January 16, at 
 which Prof. Clarence E. Clewell of the University 
 of Pennsylvania and a member of the First Church 
 in Philadelphia, delivered an address, the following 
 Larger Life Foundation Committee of the Congre- 
 gation was appointed: Brother Frank J. Leibert, 
 Chairman, Brother Allen W. Stephens, Treasurer, 
 the Brethren Samuel J. Dike, William Ahrens, Harry 
 White, and Harry K. Thomas, and Mrs. H. E. 
 Stocker, Mrs. David B. Nedwell, Mrs. Edmund B. 
 Rose, and Miss Jeanette Wertz, with the pastor, 
 ex-offlcio a member. This action was ratified by the 
 Church Council on January 19. At the suggestion 
 
FOUNDATION CAMPAIGN 351 
 
 of the Synodal Foundation Committee the pastors 
 in the Province exchanged pulpits on Sundays pre- 
 ceding Foundation Week, so that the cause might 
 be presented from every angle. On Sunday morning, 
 January 30, the pastor preached at New Dorp while 
 Brother E. S. Hagen conducted the services in the 
 First Church. On the subsequent Sunday the fol- 
 lowing team-workers were appointed: Dr. H. E. 
 Stocker and Brother A. W. Stephens ; Brother F. J. 
 Leibert and Brother S. J. Dike; Mrs. Edmund B. 
 Rose and Miss Charlotte Mechlin; Mrs. Judson T. 
 Francis and Mrs. David B. Nedwell; Miss Ellen B. 
 Barrett and Miss Edith J. Leibert; Brother Harry 
 White and Brother Paul Christiansen; Brother 
 Harry K. Thomas and Brother Frederick Jorss ; and 
 Mrs. Harry White and Miss Jeanette Wertz. After 
 the Ash Wednesday evening service the pastor de- 
 livered a charge to the team-workers, and the Breth- 
 ren Frank J. Leibert and Allen W. Stephens gave 
 brief talks bearing on the visitation to be made. 
 After the campaign was over it was found that the 
 First Church had pledged the generous sum of 
 $12,050. Of this amount the Sunday School 
 pledged $250; the Whatsoever Circle of King's 
 Daughters $500 ; the Loyal Circle of King's Daugh- 
 ters and King's Sons $125; and the Alpha 
 Beta Club $25. The largest single pledge amounted 
 to $2,000. The time for redeeming these pledges is 
 extended over a five-year period. The quota set for 
 the First Church was $10,000, therefore the congre- 
 gation exceeded the expectations of the Provincial 
 Foundation Committee by more than two thousand 
 
352 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 dollars. Never in the history of the congregation 
 was so much money raised in one year, and every- 
 body rejoiced over the accomplishment. 
 
 At this time of praise and thanksgiving the con- 
 gregation was shocked to learn that Brother Clem- 
 ence Theodore Zoebisch, one of the oldest and most 
 highly esteemed members of the church, had passed 
 away early in the morning of Washington's Birth- 
 day at his rooms in the Hotel Gramatan, Bronx- 
 ville, N. T. Altho he had suffered greatly for several 
 years previous to his departure, no one thought his 
 end so near. He was the son of the late Brother 
 Charles Augustus Zoebisch and his wife Maria Beitel 
 Zoebisch. The first two years of his life were spent 
 at Cherry Hill, near Nazareth, Pa., where he was 
 born on June 3, 1845. In 1847 the parents removed 
 to New York City, where he grew to manhood and 
 received his education. After graduating from 
 school he became associated with his father in manu- 
 facturing and importing musical instruments. As 
 Trustee and Treasurer of the First Church, like his 
 father before him, he rendered invaluable service. 
 For a number of years he also served the Church at 
 large in various capacities. He was well-known in 
 financial circles, and served as a director in nu- 
 merous enterprizes. On his birthday anniversary 
 in 1880 he was joined in marriage to Miss Ida Stut- 
 zer of Brooklyn, N. Y. The funeral service was 
 conducted by the pastor at the home of Brother Al- 
 fred Zoebisch, his younger son, at 59 Livingstone 
 Street, Brooklyn, on Thursday, February 24, at ten 
 o'clock. Interment was made in Greenwood Ceme- 
 
NEW OFFICIALS CHOSEN 353 
 
 tery. Brother Zoebisch was a faithful church at- 
 tendant. By his departure the congregation sus- 
 tained a heavy loss. At a special meeting of the 
 Church Council on Wednesday, March 9, Brother 
 Carl Zoebisch was elected to succeed his father as 
 a Trustee of the church. At that time Brother A. W. 
 Stephens was chosen to fill the unexpired term of 
 the Hon. James M. Beck, whose removal to Washing- 
 ton, D. C, made it impossible to serve longer as a 
 Trustee of the church. As a token of esteem Brother 
 Beck, now Solicitor General of the United States, 
 was elected an Honorary Trustee of the congrega- 
 tion. Brother Harry White was chosen to take the 
 place of Brother Allen W. Stephens as Elder. Later 
 the Trustees met for organization, and Brother 
 Frank J. Leibert was chosen President of the Board, 
 Brother Charles Meisel Secretary, and Brother A. 
 W. Stephens Treasurer of the congregation, Brother 
 Carl Zoebisch declining to accept the treasurership 
 which his father and grandfather had held with 
 great fidelity for a long term of years. 
 
 On Easter evening the Sunday School Tendered the 
 cantata entitled "The Glad New Day." This was 
 the first time a cantata was given in the First 
 Church. On Sunday morning, April 10, a bronze 
 tablet in memory of the late Bishop Morris W. Lei- 
 bert was unveiled. The tablet was the gift of the 
 congregation. On Sunday morning, June 5, the 
 service was conducted by Brother Edward S. Wolle, 
 of the Second Church, in the absence of the pastor, 
 who preached the baccalaureate sermon to the gradu- 
 ating classes of the Moravian College and Theo- 
 
354 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 logical Seminary at Bethlehem, Pa. While the 
 church was closed and the pastor at Fargo, 
 North Dakota, for his vacation, death once more 
 invaded the congregation and again took away one 
 of the most influential members of the church. This 
 time the one called away was Brother Charles 
 Meisel, an honored and forward-looking member of 
 the Board of Trustees. Less than three weeks before 
 his departure he was in perfect health. From a 
 small papula which appeared on his arm as the re- 
 sult of a supposed insect-bite, blood-poisoning set in, 
 and on Sunday, July 31, he passed away in the pres- 
 ence of his sorrowing family. In the absence of the 
 pastor the funeral services were conducted by the 
 Rev. F. W. Stengel, Principal of Linden Hall, and 
 a brother-in-law of the departed. Interment was 
 made in the Moravian Cemetery at New Dorp, 
 Staten Island. Brother Meisel was born on July 23, 
 1859, at Klingenthal, Saxony. As a young man he 
 came to New York City, where by his industry and 
 honest dealing he built up a flourishing business 
 as a dealer in musical instruments. On April 8, 
 1909, he transferred his membership from the Second 
 congregation to the First Church. At the time of 
 his death he was Secretary of the Board of Trustees. 
 On Sunday, October 9, the pastor conducted a me- 
 morial service in honor of Brother Meisel. As a 
 token of esteem the Trustees provided a large bou- 
 quet of flowers for the Communion Table on this 
 occasion. Charles J. W. Meisel, Esquire, was elected 
 to fill the unexpired term of his father as Trustee of 
 the church. 
 
ARMISTICE DAY 355 
 
 On October 6 Miss Dixie Anders, a student in the 
 Biblical Seminary, was engaged as church-worker 
 in place of Miss Tweedie, resigned. The energetic 
 way in which Miss Anders took hold of the work 
 gave promise of good results, but unfortunately her 
 already impaired health was unequal to the strain 
 of double duty as a student and church-worker, and 
 after less than a month she had to leave for her home 
 in the South to recuperate. On October 31 Dr. 
 Stocker, upon invitation of the pastor and Joint- 
 Board of Elders and Trustees of the Second Church, 
 began for the third time a series of evangelistic 
 meetings in that congregation. In view of the con- 
 vening of the International Conference on the Limi- 
 tation of Armaments at Washington, D. O, on 
 Armistice Day, November 11, the congregation, in 
 conjunction with other Churches thruout the coun- 
 try, held a special service of prayer for the success 
 of the proposed deliberations, on the preceding Sun- 
 day morning. The subject of the sermon was "A 
 Warless World." On Armistice Day 15,000 people 
 attended a unique service in Madison Square Garden, 
 where everybody, with the aid of telephone ampli- 
 fiers, heard every word spoken and sung at the 
 burial service of the unknown soldier, brought from 
 Prance, in the Arlington Cemetery in Virginia. The 
 funeral address delivered by President Warren 
 Harding at Arlington was heard not only by the 
 vast concourse of people about him, but by thousands 
 in Madison Square Garden and in the Square outside, 
 as well as by a large throng in San Francisco. The 
 pastor and his family as well as members of the First 
 
356 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Church were privileged to attend this truly wonder- 
 ful service in New York City. 
 
 In many respects the year 1921 was one of the 
 most remarkable in a financial way that the congre- 
 gation ever experienced. The expenses of the con- 
 gregation, including the purchase of a Chickering 
 Baby Grand piano for the lecture room and the lay- 
 ing of a hard-wood floor in the basement of the 
 church, amounted to f 9,799.26. The year's contribu- 
 tions for Missions and Benevolences totalled 
 $7,021.58. The Sunday School gave $298.50 for 
 Missions, and the benevolent contributions of the 
 Sing's Daughters' Circles and the Alpha Beta Club 
 amounted to $480. The Treasurer of the Larger 
 Life Foundation received from the congregation dur- 
 ing the year the sum of $4,047.34. The average per 
 communicant contribution for Missions and Benevo- 
 lences was $50.21 ; for Foreign Missions, $12.29, and 
 for Home Missions, $6.80. With the exception of a 
 Bazaar by the Whatsoever Circle of King's Daugh- 
 ters, an Ice Cream Festival by the Sunday School, 
 and a Strawberry Festival by the Loyal Circle of 
 King's Daughters and King's Sons, the contribu- 
 tions for benevolences consisted of the free-will of- 
 ferings of the membership. 
 
 The first half of the year 1922 contains a number 
 of events which deserve a place in this record. On 
 Wednesday evening, January 11, the Near East Re- 
 lief Committee brought a moving-picture machine 
 to the church and showed the picture entitled 
 "Alice in Hungerland," which gripped the interest 
 of those present. An offering was taken for the suf- 
 
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 357 
 
 ferers in the Near East. At the annual meeting of 
 Church Council a Committee of Nine was appointed 
 for the purpose of making a careful survey of con- 
 ditions connected with the church-work. This Com- 
 mittee consists of the pastor, the Brethren Samuel 
 J. Dike, Frank J. Leibert, Allen W. Stephens, Harry 
 White, Benson Y. Landis, and Mrs. David B. Ned- 
 well, Mrs. Edmund B. Bose, and Miss Jeanette 
 "Wertz. On Sunday, February 5, the Rev. John 
 Greenfield, the Provincial Evangelist, delivered the 
 morning sermon and presented an appeal for the 
 support of evangelistic work. The congregation 
 made a liberal response to his appeal. A very suc- 
 cessful bazaar held in the lecture room about the 
 middle of the same month netted the Whatsoever 
 Circle of King's Daughters over three hundred and 
 fifty dollars for charitable causes. 
 
 At Eastertide the Trustees authorized the pastor 
 to resume the advertisement of the church services 
 in "The Times" and "The Globe," two influential 
 city papers. An illustrated lecture on the Oberam- 
 mergau Passion Play on the Wednesday evening be- 
 fore Passion Week attracted a large congregation. 
 A reception, the first of the kind given by the con- 
 gregation, was held in honor of the eleven new 
 members received into the church on Palm Sunday, 
 after the prayer meeting on Wednesday evening, 
 May 3. At a meeting of the Joint-Board of Elders 
 and Trustees on June 5 it was decided to have a 
 Daily Vacation Bible School in the lecture room 
 from August 7 to September 8, the expense of two 
 hundred and fifty dollars to be met by voluntary con- 
 
358 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 tributions and by the church-envelope offerings of 
 July and August. It was also decided to put the 
 church-property into first-class condition during the 
 summer months, this improvement to include the 
 frescoing of the auditorium and the painting of the 
 inside and outside of the building. 
 
 Together with Moravians the world over, the con- 
 gregation celebrated the bi-centenary of the found- 
 ing of Herrnhut and the subsequent resuscitation of 
 the Unitas Fratrum. To this end three special 
 services were held. On Wednesday evening, May 31, 
 the pastor delivered an illustrated historical lecture, 
 and on Wednesday, June 14, at 8:15 p. m., an en- 
 thusiastic rally of New York Moravians was held in 
 the church, the Brooklyn, Second, Third, and Fourth 
 Churches uniting with the First or Mother Church. 
 Addresses were delivered by the Brethren E. S. 
 Wolle, F. E. Grunert, Charles Martin, Paul T. 
 Shultz, and H. E. Stocker. Special music was fur- 
 nished by the choirs of the Third and Fourth 
 Churches. There were about 450 people present. 
 The concluding bi-centenary service was conducted 
 on Sunday morning, June 18, at which time the 
 sermon was delivered by the Rev. Paul de Schweinitz, 
 D.D., Secretary of Moravian Missions, and member 
 of the Provincial Elders' Conference. 
 
 The Elders of the Congregation are the Brethren 
 Samuel J. Dike and Harry White. The Trustees are 
 Brother Frank J. Leibert, President, Brother 
 Charles J. W. Meisel, Secretary, Brother Allen W. 
 Stephens, Treasurer, and the Brethren Carl H. Zoe- 
 bisch and Alfred T. Zoebisch. The Hon. James M. 
 
OFFICIALS OF THE CHUECH 359 
 
 Beck, the Solicitor General of the United States, is 
 an honorary member of the Board of Trustees. The 
 officers of the Sunday School are Brother Benson Y. 
 Landis, Superintendent, Brother Allen W. Stephens, 
 Assistant Superintendent, Mrs. Harry B. Stocker, 
 Superintendent of the Primary Department, Brother 
 Harry D. White, Secretary and Treasurer, Brother 
 Samuel J. Dike, Librarian, Miss Ellen B. Barrett, 
 Missionary Superintendent, Mrs. Harry E. Stocker, 
 Superintendent of the Cradle Roll, and Mrs. David 
 B. Nedwell, Superintendent of the Home Depart- 
 ment. The Sunday School teachers are the Brethren 
 H. E. Stocker, Benson T. Landis, and Samuel J. 
 Dike, and Mrs. H. E. Stocker, Mrs. Harry White, 
 Miss Harriet Nedwell, Mrs. David B. Nedwell, and 
 Miss Florence Davison. The officers of the What- 
 soever Circle of King's Daughters are Mrs. H. E. 
 Stocker, Leader, Mrs. A. L. Pickering, Vice Presi- 
 dent, Mrs. David B. Nedwell, Secretary, and Mrs. 
 Edmund B. Rose, Treasurer. The Leader of the 
 Loyal Circle of King's Daughters and King's Sons 
 is Mrs. Edmund B. Bose, and that of the Alpha 
 Beta Club Mrs. Harry White. From January first 
 to the end of May the paid church-worker in the 
 community was Miss Florence Davison, who suc- 
 ceeded Miss Dixie Anders. Prof. William Ahrens is 
 the church organist and Sunday School pianist, and 
 the members of the paid choir are Mrs. W. A. Smith, 
 Soprano, Miss Elinor Lineau, Alto, Mr. Charles H. 
 Graff, Tenor, and Mr. John Moeller, Bass. Brother 
 Charles Eisenhauer is the sexton of the church. 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 FRUITS OF MORAVIAN LABORS IN NEW 
 YORK CITY 
 
 Thb exotic policy of turning over to other 
 Churches hundreds of its converts, and of making 
 it exceedingly difficult for any Christian to become 
 a Moravian, kept the Moravian Church small in 
 numbers. This policy obtained for more than a 
 century after the first Moravians came to America. 
 If the Church had gathered its numerous converts 
 into congregations of its own, it might be to-day 
 one of the strongest denominations in the United 
 States. The exclusive spirit, nowhere more hurtful 
 than in New York City, militated against any great 
 numerical growth of the congregation. When at 
 last the church was unhampered in the prosecution 
 of its work, it found itself outdistanced and over- 
 shadowed by the churches of other denominations. 
 The time for building up a strong outward organ- 
 ization was when the city was small. Missing this 
 opportunity, the congregation has labored under a 
 handicap ever since. Altho it has enjoyed some of 
 the most aggressive ministerial leadership that the 
 Moravian Church could afford, it has found it im- 
 possible to increase its borders or to make its in- 
 fluence felt to any great extent. 
 
 This does not mean that Moravian labors in New 
 York City have been fruitless. Altho the years pre- 
 
 360 
 
MORAVIAN INFLUENCE 361 
 
 ceding the founding of the congregation and the 
 decade immediately following that important event 
 were marked by a< great deal of persecution, the 
 faithful preaching of the gospel by Moravian 
 ministers and evangelists not only turned the feet 
 of many into the paths of righteousness, but helped 
 to counteract the hurtful influence of the formalism 
 and sectarianism prevalent in that day. The suc- 
 cess of Moravian labors was regarded by many with 
 envy, and much of the persecution was born of jeal- 
 ousy. Some of those who declaimed most loudly 
 against the Moravians secretly admired their evan- 
 gelical zeal and sturdy Christian character. As the 
 years passed a more fraternal spirit manifested it- 
 self and ministers of other denominations sought 
 to learn the secret of Moravian missionary success. 
 They read Moravian history, studied mission and 
 congregational reports, listened with rapt attention 
 to returned missionaries whenever opportunity of- 
 fered, and even purchased the Moravian hymn 
 book that they might study the hymns and liturgies 
 of the Church. The missionary meetings in the Mo- 
 ravian Church were exceedingly popular, and the 
 Moravian pastor was frequently invited to other 
 pulpits that he might speak of the wonders wrought 
 on the mission field. The little Moravian congrega- 
 tion served for years as a leaven in the Christian 
 Church of the metropolis. 
 
 Altho the First Church has a membership which 
 numbers at present less than two hundred souls, it 
 enjoys the proud distinction of being the mother of 
 a number of other congregations. Fifteen years 
 
362 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 after the founding of the congregation a pastor was 
 appointed to take charge of the Moravian labors on 
 Staten Island. The New Dorp church was the first 
 offspring of the congregation. Hampered by the 
 same difficulties under which the mother church 
 labored so long, this Staten Island church struggled 
 for nearly a century before it secured a firm foot- 
 hold. It was not until the year 1848 that it began 
 to branch out. About that time the Rev. Henry G. 
 Clauder established a preaching-place at Castleton 
 Corners. Here a church building was erected twenty- 
 five years later. In November, 1877, the Rev. Wil- 
 liam H. Vogler established another preaching-place 
 at Giffords, now Great Kills. Nine years later a 
 chapel was purchased at this place from the Dutch 
 Reformed Church, and eventually the Rev. William 
 H. Rice and the Rev. P. E. Grunert became asso- 
 ciated with the New Dorp pastor for the purpose of 
 ministering to the people living at Castleton Cor- 
 ners and at Giffords. Altho there is at present a 
 resident pastor at both Castleton Corners and at 
 Great Kills, the Moravians who worship in these 
 churches form a part of the New Dorp congregation, 
 which has a total membership of one thousand souls. 
 At present the congregation is served by the Breth- 
 ren Ernest S. Hagen, Frederick R. Nitzschke* and 
 William H. Fluck. Connected with this congrega- 
 tion is the New Dorp Moravian Cemetery, which is 
 one of the most beautiful burial-grounds to be found 
 
 •After a fruitful pastorate of more than eleven years at Castleton Cor- 
 ners. Brother Nitzschke closed his labors at that place tn June. 1922, 
 to take charge of the congregation at Gnadenhnetten, Ohio. His snccessor 
 at Castleton Corners is the Ber. C. A. Weber. 
 
OFFSPRINGS OF MOTHER CHURCH 363 
 
 anywhere. There are three other Moravian congre- 
 gations on Staten Island. The one at Stapleton was 
 organized in 1889, and is now served by the Rev. 
 Clarence E. Romig. The Italian Mission congrega- 
 tion in the village of New Dorp has been in charge 
 of the Rev. Ettore Barletta since its organization in 
 1919, and the Midland Beach congregation, organ- 
 ized in 1920 by the Rev. E. S. Hagen, is served by 
 him in connection with his pastorate of the New 
 Dorp church. More than eleven hundred souls are 
 identified with the Staten Island churches. 
 
 The Jay Street Church in Brooklyn, the Second 
 Church in the Bronx, the Third Church on West 
 Sixty-third Street, and the Fourth Church on West 
 136th Street likewise owe their origin to the First 
 Church. The total membership of all the Mora- 
 vian congregations in Greater New York numbers 
 nearly twenty-eight hundred souls. The First 
 Church is also the mother of the congregation at 
 Ebenezer, Wisconsin, and of the First Church in 
 Utica, N. Y. It was likewise instrumental in found- 
 ing congregations at New Haven, Connecticut, and 
 at Camden Valley, New York. However, both of 
 these churches failed to take permanent root, and 
 after a number of years had to be abandoned. Be- 
 sides contributing thousands of dollars for the ad- 
 vancement of the Kingdom of God at home and 
 abroad, the congregation gave a number of minis- 
 ters and missionaries to the Moravian Church at 
 large. Perhaps the most notable contribution of 
 this kind was that of the Rev. Jacob Van Vleck, who 
 became the father of a long line of devoted and 
 
364 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 prominent Moravian ministers. And what shall we 
 say of the large number of men and women won 
 and trained by the congregation who by their re- 
 moval elsewhere eventually identified themselves 
 with other Churches? Many of the denominations 
 in the city are greatly enriched by the presence of 
 many of these former members of the First Church. 
 Flanked by business places and residences, the 
 congregation's neat brick church with a seating ca- 
 pacity for about five hundred people stands on the 
 southwest corner of Lexington Avenue and Thirtieth 
 Street. Altho the slums are not many blocks away, 
 the church is not located in the slums. On the con- 
 trary, the surroundings of the church are clean. 
 The encroachment of business is slowly but surely 
 driving residents from the neighborhood. This has 
 the advantage of keeping away cheap tenement 
 houses, but it also restricts the immediate field of the 
 church's labors. The small membership of the con- 
 gregation is widely scattered, which makes aggres- 
 sive work exceedingly difficult. This drawback is 
 partially offset by the extreme loyalty of the mem- 
 bers, who are for the most part greatly devoted to 
 their church, and travel long distances to attend its 
 services. Altho the church attendance is compara- 
 tively small, it is practically the same as it was fifty 
 years ago. That the congregation is alive to the 
 needs of humanity is evident from last year's con- 
 tribution of more than seven thousand dollars for 
 various benevolences. Any church that contributes 
 nearly ten thousand dollars toward its own support 
 and more than seven thousand dollars for missions 
 
AN ENCOURAGING FUTURE 365 
 
 in one year has not reached the end of its usefulness. 
 Therefore great things may still be expected of the 
 grand old First Church, which has consistently held 
 aloft the. blood-bought banner of Jesus Christ for 
 one hundred and seventy-four years. 
 
APPENDIX A 
 POINTS OF INTEREST 
 
 The first Moravian who set foot on Manhattan 
 Island was Augustus Gottlieb Spangenberg. He 
 passed thru New York in March, 1736, on his way 
 from Georgia to Pennsylvania. A month later David 
 Nitschmann likewise visited the city. 
 
 On July 21, 1740, Christian Henry Eauch, the first 
 Moravian missionary to the northern Indians, ar- 
 rived in New York City. 
 
 Peter Boehler preached the first Moravian ser- 
 mon in New York at a meeting held in January, 1741, 
 and a few weeks later organized an Undenomina- 
 tional Society under the auspices of the Moravian 
 Church. 
 
 On November 30, 1741, Count Zinzendorf landed 
 in New York for the first time. His four days' visit 
 created a great stir in the city. 
 
 The first Moravian who died in New York was 
 Valentine Loehans, a missionary in the West Indies, 
 who was sojourning in the city while waiting for a 
 ship to take him to his destination. His death oc- 
 curred on January 8, 1743, on Staten Island. 
 
 John Brucker was the first man to be ordained to 
 the Moravian ministry in New York City. His or- 
 dination took place soon after Loehans' death, whom 
 he succeeded in the West Indies, Count Zinzendorf 
 officiating. 
 
 367 
 
368 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Moravian missionaries lodged in a New York 
 prison were David Zeisberger and Frederick Post. 
 They were falsely charged with being emissaries of 
 the French. The imprisonment took place on Feb- 
 ruary 23, 1745. They were released seven weeks 
 later. 
 
 The first Moravian congregation in New York 
 was organized on December 27, 1748, by Bishop de 
 Watteville. The first pastor of the church was 
 James Greening. 
 
 Owen Rice was the first settled pastor of the con- 
 gregation, taking charge of the work on May 12, 
 1749. 
 
 On January 12, 1751, the first marriage ceremony 
 performed by a Moravian minister in New York took 
 place, the pastor of the congregation officiating. The 
 contracting parties were Jacob Reed and Jane Tay- 
 lor, a widow. 
 
 The corner-stone of the first church was laid on 
 June 16, 1751, and on June 18 of the following year 
 the church on the south side of Fair, now Fulton 
 Street, between William and Nassau Streets, was 
 dedicated. 
 
 A parsonage was built on Fair Street in 1752, 
 and the first occupants were Owen Rice and his 
 wife. 
 
 The first Moravian burial-ground in the city was 
 located at the corner of Mott and Pell Streets, the 
 plot of ground being purchased in 1754. 
 
 In August, 1763, Hector Gambold took charge of 
 the work on Staten Island. The corner-stone of the 
 
APPENDIX A 369 
 
 first Moravian church on the island was laid on 
 June 7, and on December 6 of the same year the 
 building was consecrated. 
 
 Christopher Godfrey Peter was the first pastor 
 of the congregation who died in office. He passed 
 away on October 29, 1797. The labors of two later 
 pastors, Bishop Amadeus Reinke and Bishop Morris 
 Leibert, were likewise brought to an end by death. 
 
 The congregation was incorporated in April, 1794, 
 altho the church made no effort to exercise the rights 
 and privileges of a corporate body until the year 
 1801, when it received certain money from the State 
 for school purposes. 
 
 In 1814 the church and parsonage were covered 
 by fire insurance for the first time. 
 
 The first church was torn down in 1829 and a new 
 one built. The corner-stone laying of the second 
 building took place on August 13, and the consecra- 
 tion of the church on November 29. The second 
 church stood on the site of the old. On July 13 of 
 the same year the pastor and his family moved into 
 the new parsonage on Dutch Street. 
 
 On March 11, 1844, the trustees of the congrega- 
 tion awarded the contract for a new church and par- 
 sonage on the south-west corner of Houston and 
 Mott Streets. On August 13 the corner-stone of 
 the third church was laid. 
 
 The church on Fulton Street and the parsonage 
 in Dutch Street were sold on January 15, 1845, for 
 $29,750 in the Merchants' Exchange. 
 
 On June 29, 1845, the Houston Street church was 
 
370 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 consecrated by Bishop Andrew Benade. The parson- 
 age at 522 Houston Street was ready for occupancy 
 in March of the same year. 
 
 In August, 1865, the Houston Street property was 
 sold for $30,000, and on September 3 the last service 
 was held in the church. The congregation was 
 homeless for the next four years. Unable to secure 
 a church it worshipped during this period in the 
 Hall of the College of Physicians and Surgeons on 
 the corner of Twenty-third Street and Fourth 
 Avenue, and later in the Chapel of the Home of the 
 Friendless on the north side of Twenty-ninth Street, 
 between Madison and Fourth Avenue. 
 
 On February 1, 1869, the present church at Lex- 
 ington Avenue and Thirtieth Street was purchased 
 from the Episcopalians for $35,000, and on April 
 18 the congregation held its first service in the 
 newly acquired edifice. 
 
 The parsonage at 112 Lexington Avenue was pur- 
 chased by the congregation on April 16, 1872, for 
 $22,375, including fixtures. Altho the "parsonage" 
 has been owned by the church for fifty years, it has 
 had a pastoral occupation of only twenty years. 
 
APPENDIX B 
 
 MORAVIAN LABORERS IN NEW YORK CITY 
 (1736-1741) 
 
 MINISTERS 
 
 Augustus Gottlieb Spangenberg, March, 1736 
 David Nitschmaun, April, 1736 
 Frederick Martin, June, 1739 and July, 1740 
 Christian Henry Rauch, July, 1740, and later oc- 
 casionally 
 Peter Boehler, January, 1741 
 
 MINISTERS AND UNORDAINED EVANGEL- 
 ISTS (1741-1748) 
 
 (Names of former in italics) 
 Peter Boehler, January, 1741 
 Count Zinzendorj, December, 1741 
 David Bruce, September, 1742, and later at inter- 
 vals 
 Peter Boehler, January, 1743 
 George Neisser, January, 1743 
 Hector Gambold, November, 1743-June, 1745 
 Owen Rice, September, 1745 
 James Burnside, September, 1745 
 Jacob Vetter, September, 1745-January, 1746 
 George Neisser, March, 1746-June, 1746 
 Hector Gambold, June, 1746-February, 1747 
 John Wade, February, 1747-August, 1747 
 Christian Froehlich, February, 1747-August, 1747 
 
 371 
 
372 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Hector Gambold, September, 1747-February, 1748 
 George Neisser, March, 1748-June, 1748 
 Valentine Haidt, June, 1748-July, 1748 
 James Greening, June, 1748-March, 1750 
 Richard Utley, 1748-1749 occasionally 
 John Doehling, 1748-1749 occasionally 
 Jacob Rodgers, 1749-1750 occasionally 
 
 PASTORS AND ASSISTANT PASTORS OP THE 
 CONGREGATION 
 
 James Greening, June, 1748-March, 1750. With 
 Rice in New York for a time, and on Long Is- 
 land and Staten Island. 
 
 Owen Rice, May 12, 1749-June 10, 1754. First regu- 
 lar settled pastor of the congregation. 
 
 Jasper Payne, May 6, 1750-September, 1754. As- 
 sistant and school teacher of the congregation. 
 
 Abraham Reinke, June 10, 1754-October 28, 1754. 
 Ad interim Head pastor with assistants on the 
 islands. 
 
 Albrecht Ludolf Russmeyer, October 28, 1754-Janu- 
 ary 10, 1755. Ad interim head pastor with as- 
 sistants on the islands. 
 
 Richard Utley, February 9, 1754-June 30, 1755. As- 
 sisted Reinke and Russmeyer on islands and 
 preached in English in the city. 
 
 Henry Ferdinand Beck, March 6, ,1755-April 10, 
 1757. Took Payne's place and preached in Ger- 
 man when Russmeyer left. 
 
 Jacob Ro(d)gers, July 4, 1755-June, 1757. Head 
 pastor and English preacher in the city after 
 Utley left. 
 
APPENDIX B 373 
 
 Jasper Payne, March 4, 1756-April 16, 1756. Second 
 
 time ad interim assistant pastor, laboring 
 
 mostly on the islands. 
 Valentine Haidt, May 10, 1757-June 30, 1757. Took 
 
 Beck's place ad interim and preached in both 
 
 German and English. 
 Thomas Yarrell, June 23, 1757-October 12, 1766. 
 
 Succeeded Rogers. 
 George Neisser, October 12, 1766-January 6, 1775 
 Oswald Gustav Shewkirk, January 6, 1775-Novem- 
 
 ber 13, 1783 
 Albrecht Ludolf Bussmeyer, November 13, 1783- 
 
 April 25, 1784 
 James Birkby, April 25, 1784-October 20, 1793 
 Christopher Godfrey Peter, October 20, 1793- 
 
 October 29, 1797 
 James Birkby, December 10, 1797-December 19, 1799 
 John Meder, December 19, 1799-September 26, 1802 
 James Bardill, September 26, 1802-November 3, 1805 
 John Molther, November 3, 1805-December, 1812 
 Benjamin Mortimer, December 24, 1812-June 28, 
 
 1829 
 William Henry Van Vleck, July 5, 1829-November 
 
 17,1836 
 Charles Frederick Kluge, December 2, 1836-October 
 
 7, 1838 
 Charles A. Bleck, October 28, 1838-August 28, 1842 
 David Bigler, September 25, 1842-November 18, 1855 
 Edwin T. Senseman, December 9, 1855-October 21, 
 
 1860 
 Edwin E. Eeinke, October 28, 1860-July 27, 1862 
 Joseph H. Kummer, August 3, 1862-October 29, 1865 
 
374 MORAVIAN CHUECH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Amadeus A. Reinke, November 19, 1865- August 10, 
 
 1889 
 Edward T. Kluge, May 7, 1890-July 23, 1893 
 Herman A. Gerdsen, October 8, 1893-January 24, 
 
 1904 
 Morris W. Leibert, February 7, 1904-January 11, 
 
 1919 
 Harry E. Stacker, April 27, 1919 
 
APPENDIX C 
 
 THE COMMUNICANT MEMBERSHIP OF THE 
 FIRST MORAVIAN CHURCH 
 
 Ahrens, William, 51 Dongan Street, West New 
 
 Brighton, Staten Island 
 Ahrens, Mrs. William 
 Alex, John, 29 East Hayes Avenue, Corona, Long 
 
 Island 
 Alex, Mrs. John 
 
 Ayello, Salvatore, 300 East 30th Street 
 Ayello, Mrs. Salvatore 
 Ayello, Miss Rose 
 Ayello, Miss Sarah 
 Ayello, Miss Helen 
 
 Barbuto, Mrs. Samuel, Syracuse, New York 
 Barrett, Miss Ellen, 161 East 95th Street 
 Beck, the Hon. James M., Washington, D. C. 
 Berger, Mrs. Susan, 112 Lexington Avenue 
 Berger, Miss Lucy 
 Beutel, John, 29 East Hayes Avenue, Corona, Long 
 
 Island 
 Blake, Robert, 967 Summit Avenue, Jersey City 
 Blake, John 
 Blake, Miss Lulu 
 
 Blake, Thomas, Bridgeport, Connecticut 
 Bodse, Mrs. John, 233 West 148th Street 
 Burch, Miss Mary, 210 East 34th Street 
 Burch, Miss Elinor 
 Burch, Frank 
 
 375 
 
376 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Caldwell, Mrs. James, 106 Milton Street, Green 
 
 Point, Long Island 
 Caldwell, Miss May 
 Caldwell, Miss Isabel 
 
 Carlson, Harry, Central Islip, Long Island 
 Carlson, Edward 
 Carlson, Miss Emma 
 
 Christiansen, Paul, 728 Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn 
 Christiansen, Mrs. Paul 
 
 Dike, Samuel J., 315 East 68th Street 
 
 Ecsery, Anthony, 332 East 85th Street 
 
 Ecsery, Stephen 
 
 Eisenhauer, Mrs. John, 244 East 30th Street 
 
 Eisenhauer, Charles 
 
 Eisenhauer, Mrs. Charles 
 
 Elliman, Mrs. W., Ridgewood, New Jersey 
 
 Plateau, Mrs. Emily, St. Louis, Missouri 
 
 Foote, Mrs. John, 25 Grace Street, Bloomfield, New 
 Jersey 
 
 Foote, Miss Lila 
 
 Francis, Mrs. Judson, 6832 Wayne Avenue, Phila- 
 delphia 
 
 Francke, Arnim, 46 Sunnyside Drive, Yonkers, New 
 York 
 
 Hamming, Miss Lilly, 218 East 52nd Street 
 
 Hamming, Miss Frances 
 
 Hamming, Miss Minnie 
 
 Heboid, Mrs. Caroline, 234 East 24th Street 
 
 Heboid, Miss Irma 
 
APPENDIX O 377 
 
 Heboid, Walter 
 
 Heboid, Denis, 101 West 94th Street 
 
 Heboid, Mrs. Denis 
 
 Hellthaler, Mrs. Adam, 218 East 52nd Street 
 
 Higgins, Mrs. Mary, 693 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City 
 
 Higgins, William, 50 Ethelbert Avenue, Ridgewood, 
 
 New Jersey 
 Higgins, Mrs., William 
 Hill, Henry, St. James, Long Island 
 Hoffmire, Mrs. Isabel, 518 West 174th Street 
 Hoffmire, Miss Agnes 
 
 Howard, the Bev. Jacob, Cold Spring, New York 
 Howard, Mrs. Jacob 
 Howard, Miss Marie, 552 Second Avenue 
 
 Ironsides, Mrs. Lizzie, 693 Bergen Avenue, Jersey 
 City 
 
 Johnson, Axel, 373 Twelfth Avenue, Astoria, Long 
 
 Island 
 Johnson, Miss Irene 
 
 Jorss, Fred, 372 Sandol Street, Brooklyn 
 Jorss, Hans 
 Jorss, Miss Albertina 
 
 Eastner, Mrs. Annie, 2730 Boulevard, Jersey City 
 Eiesele, Miss Lizzie, 891 Amsterdam Avenue 
 Enoll, Herman, 346 West 19th Street 
 
 Landis, Benson Y., 561 West 169th Street 
 
 Landis, Mrs. Benson Y. 
 
 Lavender, John B., 1477 Lexington Avenue 
 
 Lavender, Mrs. John B. 
 
 Leibert, Mrs. Morris W., 317 West 93rd Street 
 
378 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 Leibert, Miss Edith J., 317 West 93rd Street 
 
 Leibert, Frank J., 512 East 5th Street, Brooklyn 
 
 Leibert, Mrs. Frank J. 
 
 Leibert, Kenneth 
 
 Leibert, Miss Ruth 
 
 Leibert, Edward 
 
 Lindquist, Paul, 728 Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn 
 
 Maksay, Mrs. Katy, 112 Lexington Avenue 
 Mechlin, Miss Charlotte, 920 President Street, 
 
 Brooklyn 
 Meisel, Mrs. Charles, Westmore Avenue, Little Neck, 
 
 Long Island 
 Meisel, Charles J. W., Jackson Street, Bayside, 
 
 Long Island 
 Miller, Harold, 29 East Hayes Avenue, Corona, Long 
 
 Island 
 McLoughlin, Mrs. H., 2542 Seventh Avenue 
 
 Nedwell, Mrs. David B., 352 West 21st Street 
 
 Nedwell, William, 307 Lexington Avenue 
 
 Nedwell, Miss Harriet, 693 Bergen Avenue, Jersey 
 
 City 
 Noe, Robert, 625 Park Avenue, East Orange, New 
 
 Jersey 
 Noe, Mrs. Robert 
 
 Oakey, Mrs. Francis, 25 Fifth Avenue 
 
 Olson, Henry, Brooklyn 
 
 Orbel, August, 376 Eleventh Avenue, Astoria 
 
 Pausley, Miss Myrtle, 441 Bergen Avenue, Jersey 
 City 
 
APPENDIX 379 
 
 Pickering, Mrs. A. L., 645 Putnam Avenue, Brooklyn 
 Pickering, Miss Ethel 
 
 Rose, Mrs. Edmund B., 274 Fulton Avenue, Jersey 
 
 City 
 Rose, Miss Ruth 
 Rose, Miss Ethel 
 Rose, Edmund, Jr. 
 
 Schmidt, Francis, 22 Hartly Place, Bayonne, New 
 
 Jersey 
 Schmidt, Walter, 858 East 156th Street 
 Schottler, Mrs. John H., 105 Lexington Avenue 
 Schottler, Henry 
 
 Schroeder, Alfred, 634 Macon Street, Brooklyn 
 Soenecken, Mrs. Florence, Central Islip, Long Island 
 Small, James, 107 Third Avenue, Astoria, Long 
 
 Island 
 Stephens, Allen W., 120 East 31st Street 
 Stephens, Mrs. Allen W. 
 Stevenson, William, 2542 Seventh Avenue 
 Stocker, Harry E., 309 West 93rd Street 
 Stocker, Mrs. Harry E. 
 
 Stupp, J. Valentine, 200 Wilson Street, Brooklyn 
 Stupp, Mrs. J. Valentine 
 Stupp, Miss Minnie 
 
 Thomas, Harry K., 19 Wellington Court, Brooklyn 
 Thompson, Mrs. Pierce, 25 Grace Street, Bloomfleld, 
 
 New Jersey 
 Trautwein, Miss Louise, 389 Weirfield Street, Brook- 
 lyn 
 
380 MORAVIAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK 
 Vidal, Mrs. Joseph, St. James, Long Island 
 
 Ward, Miss Clara A., 426 East 26th Street 
 
 Wertz, Mrs. Christina, 281 Pisk Avenue, Wester- 
 leigh, Staten Island 
 
 Wertz, Miss Jeanette 
 
 Wertz, Miss Lulu 
 
 Wey, Prank, Sr., 456 Boulevard East, Weehawken, 
 New Jersey 
 
 Wey, Frank, Jr. 
 
 White, Harry, 625 Bramhall Avenue, Jersey City 
 
 White, Mrs. Harry 
 
 Winter, Mrs. Ralph, 456 Boulevard East, Weehaw- 
 ken, New Jersey 
 
 Woodley, Miss May, 300 Union Street, Jersey City 
 
 Yost, Miss Marie, 11 Old Broadway 
 
 Zoebisch, Carl H., 33 West 51st Street 
 Zoebisch, Alfred T., Westfleld, New Jersey 
 
 The boys and girls of the congregation are the 
 following: Jack Ayello, Peter Ayello, Antonio 
 Ayello, Marie Frances Barbuto, Anna Maria Chris- 
 tiansen, Martin Augustus Christiansen, Rupert Eric 
 Christiansen, Agnes Caldwell, John Charles Eisen- 
 hauer, Clara Heboid, Lillian Hellthaler, Ruth Hell- 
 thaler, Anna Elizabeth Lavender, Dorothy May Lav- 
 ender, Frederick Howard Meisel, Harold Lewis 
 Meisel, Dorothy Meisel, Irene Emma Schmidt, Philip 
 Schottler, Louise Schottler, Arthur Frederick 
 Stocker, Henry Hill Vidal, Robert Asher White, 
 Judson Francis White, and Prances Wey. 
 
INDEX 
 
 "Account of Herrnhut," 40 
 
 Adherents, 85 
 
 Aureus, William, 323, 359 
 
 Alexander, James, 55 
 
 Aimers, Henry, 52, 58, 70 
 
 Alms Basins, 327! 
 
 Alpha Beta dub, the, 349 
 
 American Flag, 332 
 
 American Tract Society, gift of, 298 
 
 Anders, Miss Dixie, 355 
 
 Anders, Gottlieb, 101 
 
 Anders, Johanna, 101 
 
 Anders, Bishop John D., 215, 216, 
 
 217, 222, 223, 224 
 Appian Way, picture of, 324 
 Arden, James, 67, 76, 82, 83, 99 
 Armist ice Day, 355 
 Astor, William B., 256 
 Atlantic Cable, the, 271 
 Auchmuchty, the Bev. Dr. Samuel, 
 
 134 
 
 Bahnsen, George F., St., 244 
 
 Banvard and Hollinsead, 214 
 
 Baptismal Font, 326 
 
 Baptism of the Holy Spirit, 20 
 
 Baptism, first in New York, 78 
 
 Barbadoes, mission destroyed, 227 
 
 BardOl, James, 196, 197 
 
 Barietta, Ettore, 363 
 
 Barrett, Miss Ellen B., 341, 359 
 
 Battle of Golden HOI, the, 115 
 
 Beattie, Eliia, 343, 344 
 
 Beatty, John, 108 
 
 Beck, Henry Ferdinand, 97 
 
 Beck, James M., 317, 353, 358 
 
 Beck. Leopold, 194 
 
 Beedle, Samuel, 294, 295 
 
 Benade, Bishop Andrew, 198, 237, 
 
 238. 242, 243, 244, 247 
 Benade, William, 238 
 Benevolences, record, 356 
 Benigna, Countess, 74, 77 
 Bentel, Christian, 270 
 Benxien, Christian, 94 
 Berthelsdorf, 17 
 Berwick, Robert, deputy sheriff, 
 
 slain, 167 
 Bethlehem founded, 30 
 Bibles, 307, 308, 315, 324 
 Bi-Centenary celebration, 358 
 Bigler, David, 238, 240, 243, 244, 
 
 246, 247, 249, 250, 251, 255, 256, 
 
 264, 268, 269, 270, 280, 281, 286 
 Bininger, Abraham, 177, 194, 230 
 Bininger, Jacob, 217, 222, 223 
 
 Birkby, James, 145, 149ff„ 156, 161 
 164, 188, 189 
 
 Birkby, Mrs. James, 189 
 
 Birthday anniversaries, 104 
 
 Blake, Emma Morris, 326 
 
 Blake, Mrs. Robert, 333, 335 
 
 Blake, Thomas J., 326 
 
 Blech, Charles Gotthold, 196 
 
 Bleck, Charles A., 224, 226, 237, 238 
 
 Bleyer, Mrs. Kate, 324 
 
 Boarding School, New Dorp, pro- 
 posed, 286, 287 
 
 Boehler, Peter, 27, 29, 43, 49ff., 53ft., 
 64, 69, 75, 91, 95, 96, 98 
 
 Boehnisch, George, 24, 26 
 
 Boel, Henricus, 39, 65, 88 
 
 Boelen, Catherine, 145 
 
 Boelen, Hendrick, 82, 85 
 
 Boelen, Henry, 68, 78 
 
 Boelen, Jane, 42, 43, 48, 54, 80, 85 
 
 Boemper, Abraham, 35, 75, 82 
 
 Boemper, John Jacob, 34 
 
 Boemper, Ludwig, 35, 75, 82, 85 
 
 Book-case, sectional, 324 
 
 Bouquet, Mrs., house forfeited, 129 
 
 Bowery, the, two lots on, 187 
 
 Bowie, Daniel, 178, 328 
 
 Bowie, Hannah, 328 
 
 Bowie, John, 85 
 
 Bowling Green, 126 
 
 Boys 1 School, a, 81 
 
 Bradachis, Michael, 12 
 
 Brainerd, the Rev. John, 39 
 
 Brasher, Judith, 67, 82, 86 
 
 Break with Wbitefield, 30 
 
 Brethren's Association at Jena, the, 
 22 
 
 Brinkerhoff, Joris, 37, 55 
 
 British Parliament, act of, 71ff. 
 
 Bronze Tablet, the, 303, 354 
 
 Brooklyn, building-fund, 247; build- 
 ing-lots, 247, 248, 249, 250; church 
 and parsonage, 251; congregation 
 organized, 250; first pastor, 251; 
 first trustees, 250; incorporated, 
 250 ; list of pastors, 253; organizing 
 Ladies' Aid Society, 247; second 
 church, 253; services in, 243, 244, 
 247, 248; Sunday School organized, 
 249 
 
 Brotherly Agreement, the, 19, 142ff., 
 225 
 
 Brotherhood organized, a, 323 
 
 Brown, Nathaniel, 196, 200 
 
 Bruce, David, 44, 51, 57, 70 
 
 Brucker, John, ordination of, 53 
 
 381 
 
382 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Bryant, Captain William, 44, 45 
 Bryant, Martha, 43, 48, 67, 76, 78 
 Budget established, 345 
 Bueninger, Abraham, 223 
 Buettner, Gottlob, arraigned, 59; 
 
 first Moravian baptism, 78 
 Bulletin Board for church, 343 
 Burger, David, shot, 151 
 Burial custom, a, 205 
 Burial-places, 84, 106, 180, 205, 225, 
 
 243 288 
 Burnet, Ismajah, 43, 68, 76, 80, 85 
 Burnet, William, 76, 85, 91 
 Burnside, James, 28, 56, 68, 70 
 Burrell, the Bev. David, 308 
 Butiin, Arthur, 346 
 
 Camden Valley, 223, 224, 363 
 
 Campbell, John, 156, 177, 179 
 
 Candle Service, 304 
 
 Cantata, Easter, first, 353 
 
 Cargill, Abraham, 234, 241 
 
 CargUl, John, 84, 123 
 
 Carlson, Edward, 327, 340 
 
 Carbon, Harry, 326, 327, 340 
 
 Castleton Corners, 362 
 
 Catechetical instruction, 67 
 
 Cemetery, first in New York, 84; 
 (see burial-places); at New Dorp, 
 288, 344, 362 
 
 Chinatown, 180 
 
 Choir, 281, 234, 306, 359 
 
 Choir-divisions, 104; colors, 103; 
 houses, 159 
 
 Cholera epidemic, 227, 228, 230 
 
 Christian Endeavor Society, a, 314, 
 315 
 
 Church, consecrated in 1752, 83; 
 contributions, appeal for, 315, 316, 
 317; contributions, duplex envelope 
 system adopted, 345; clock, 323; 
 countil, women first voting in, 264; 
 fund, 296; hymnal, new, 337; man- 
 ual, 323; "Monthly," 323; of the 
 Mediator, 279, 280; on Btaten Is- 
 land, in 1763, 109; organ, 204, 232; 
 organ rebuilt, 312; property, first 
 insured, 204; property, sold, 243, 
 274; removal, 235, 237, 239, 274; 
 renovations, 305, 306, 324, 358; 
 seating, 121, 237; alterations, 234, 
 235; second, consecrated, 217; par- 
 sonage and church, cost of, 218; 
 put up at auction, 239; third, con- 
 secrated, 244; contract awarded, 
 240; sold, 274; "visitors," 345; 
 worker employed, 322, 326, 345 
 
 Children's meeting, a, instituted in 
 New York, 121 
 
 City lighting before 1761, 104 
 
 Clan Cordial, the, 323 
 
 Clark, Abraham, 239, 241, 258, 259, 
 269 
 
 Clark, Mrs. Howard Q., 327 
 
 Clarkson, Matthew, Mayor of Phila- 
 delphia, 185 
 Clauder, Henry G., 240, 243, 362 
 Coal stove, first in church, 208 
 College of Physicians and Surgeons, 
 hall rented, 275; first service in, 
 275; last service in, 278 
 Comenius, Bishop John Amos, 19 
 Committee of Nme, the, 357 
 Communion Table, the, 307 
 Communion Service, individual cups 
 decided upon, 327, 328; old set in- 
 corporated, 328; silver basket, 328; 
 silver cover, 328; silver trays, 328 
 Conference, Helpers', 80 
 Congratulatory address to Washing- 
 ton, a, 162 
 Congregation, incorporation of, 177 
 Connor, Richard, 85, 108, 109 
 Conrad, Francis, 125 
 Constitutional Changes, 256; pro- 
 posed by congregation, 264-268 
 Constitution, Sunday School Associa- 
 tion, 341; Society to Promote 
 Christian Piety, 172 
 Contributors, site of first church, 82; 
 
 parsonage, 82 
 Corner Stone, first church, 82; New 
 Dorp church, 109; fiftieth anniver- 
 sary of laying, 191; second church, 
 215, 216, 234, 240; third church, 
 240, 241, 242, 243 
 Cornwall, William, 76, 84 
 Cortelyou, Cornelius, IDS, 109 
 Cortelyou, Jacques, 37, 47, 67, 85 
 Cradle Roll, the, 341 
 Cruger, Mayor John, 55 
 Customs, see Moravian customs 
 
 Daggun, John. 327, 340 
 
 Dash, Daniel B., 207, 214 
 
 Dash, John B. T elected treasurer, 
 
 205 
 Davenport, Mrs. John, 248 
 David, Christian, 16, 18 
 Davison, Miss Florence, 359 
 "Dead-cart," the, 130 
 Declaration of Independence, the, 44, 
 
 126 
 Deeds of church-property, 195 
 Deems, the Rev. Charles F., 286, 287 
 Devoue, Frederick, 178, 194 
 Dairy, keeping of, 80 
 Diaspora, the, 140, 256, 257 
 Dickert brings bad news, 123 
 Dike, Samuel J., 292, 317, 322, 340, 
 
 345, 349, 358, 359 
 D'Incalei, Miss Assunta, 325 
 Directory, the, 114 
 District Conference, a, 291 
 Doehling, John, 70, 81, 84, 113 
 Dorcas Sewing Circle, the, 284 
 Draft Riots, the, 273 
 Duplex Envelope System, the, 345 
 
INDEX 
 
 383 
 
 Dutch Pastoral 
 caused by, 38 
 
 Letter, trouble 
 
 Earthquake in New York, an, 198 
 
 Easter Morning, 104 
 
 East River and Upper Bay frozen, 
 
 Ebeneser congregation, the, 259, 263, 
 
 363 
 Eberman, Clarence E., 253, 292, 293, 
 
 300, 305 
 "Economy," or "Family," 81 
 Edmonds, William, 43, 5.5, 63, 67 
 Effects of American Revolution, 149 
 Egbert, Moses, 179 
 Egbert, Tunis, 108 
 Eisenhauer, Charles, 333, 359 
 Elders, the. Board of, 339 
 Erdmann, M. Adam, 260, 261 
 Erie Canal, the, 208 
 Eskimo family, an, 207 
 Ettwein, the Rev. John, 94, 156, 159, 
 
 160 
 Evangelist, first Moravian in New 
 
 York. 44 
 Evangelists, early. 69 
 Evangelistic meetings, 345, 346, 350, 
 
 355 
 Every member canvass, 345 
 
 Fabricius, George Christian, 101 
 
 Fasting and Prayer, 128 
 
 Father of the Moravian Church in 
 America, 22 
 
 Fearnley, Miss Hannah, 190 
 
 Federal Hall, 158 
 
 Feldhausen, John G., 85, 145 
 
 Feldhausen, Christoph, 85 
 
 Female Missionary Society, the, or- 
 ganisation of [223 
 
 Festival of the Holy Ghost, the, 104 
 
 Fett, John F., 256, 256 
 
 Fetter Lane Society, the, 96 
 
 Financial achievements in 1921, 356 
 
 Fires in New York, 130, 185, 198, 
 232 
 
 First Baptism in New York, the, 78 
 
 First Christmas service, the, 42 
 
 First Moravian Church, the, first edi- 
 fice, 82, 83; incorporation of, 177; 
 organisation of, 76; present edifice 
 purchased, 280; seal of congrega- 
 tion, 194; second edifice, 217; third 
 edifice, 244 
 
 First ordination, the, in an English 
 colony, 26; in New York City, 63 
 
 First Sea Congregation, the, 49 
 
 First Week of Prayer, the, 271 
 
 Flinn, Victor G., 809, 310, 311, 332, 
 333 
 
 Florentine. Abraham, 67, 85, 96 
 
 Fluck, William H., 362 
 
 FooVwashing, 104 
 
 Founding of the Unitas Fratrum, the, 
 10, 11 
 
 Foundation Week, 350 
 
 Fourth Moravian Church, the. 311. 
 312, 321 
 
 Francis, Mrs. Brower, 332, 336, 338 
 
 Francis, Judson T„ 281, 292, 317. 
 338, 339 
 
 Francis, Mrs. Judson T., 292, 299 
 
 Franklin, Benjamin, 136 
 
 Free Schools, Catechism in, 204 
 
 French sympathisers, 179 
 
 Fresh Water Pond, the, 179, 196 
 
 Friedenshuetten, 62 
 
 Froehlieh, Christian, 62, 70 
 
 Froehlich, Esther, 80 
 
 Fruitfulness of Mother Church, 263, 
 361ff. 
 
 Fueter, Daniel, 84, 93 
 
 Fulton Street, 126, 204, 236 
 
 Fund, schools in New York, 193; 
 Larger Life Foundation, 347; dis- 
 tribution of, 348 
 
 Funeral sermons, nature of, 81 
 
 Galleries enlarged, 106 
 
 Gambold, Hector, 58, 65, 70, 78, 86, 
 
 109, 143, 160 
 Garrison, Nicholas, 37, 53, 68, 62, 63, 
 
 73, 76, 77 
 Gattermeyer, John, 101 
 Gemeintag, 79 
 
 General Board of Syndics, the, 113 . 
 General Helpers' Conference, the, 191, 
 
 200 
 General Hospital of the American 
 
 Army, the, 169 
 General Synod, the, 113, 135, 142 
 George III proclaimed king, 107; 
 
 statue of, destroyed, 126 
 Georgia, colony in, 26; service ren- 
 dered by, 28 
 Gerdsen, Herman A., 306, 806, 307, 
 
 308, 309, 312, 313 
 Gerken, William, 327 
 German settlers in Pennsylvania, 24 
 Giffords (Great Kills), 362 
 Gilmore, John, 185 
 Gladman, Captain Thomas, 49 
 Gnadenhuetten, 62, 100, 154, 155 
 God's Acre, 84 
 Goelet, Peter, 36 
 Golden Hill, Battle of, 115 
 Graff, Charles H., 359 
 Graff, Otto, 313 
 Grain of Mustard Seed, the Order of, 
 
 17,71 
 Graveyard, first Moravian in New 
 
 York, 84, 106 
 Great Kills, 362 
 Greenfield, John, 263, 346, 367 
 Greening, James, 70, 76, 81 
 Gregg, Eleanor, 40, 43, 67, 68, 76, 76 
 Gregory the Patriarch, 11 
 
384 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Grelder, Bishop Edwin C, 309 
 
 Greider, Paul M., 253, 332 
 
 Growth of Moravian Church, why 
 
 slow, 146fi. 
 Grunert, Francis E., 253, 332, 334, 
 
 336, 339, 3SS, 362 
 Grunert, James, 324 
 Guenther, Dlrich, 25S, 259, 263 
 Guilty conscience, power of, 50 
 
 Hagen, Ernest S., 329, 336, 342, 345, 
 347, 362, 363 
 
 Haidt, Valentine, 70, 94, 97 
 
 Hamilton, Alexander, 152, 198 
 
 Hamilton, Mrs. Alexander, 204 
 
 Hamilton, Kenneth G., 339 
 
 Hamilton, J. Taylor, 305, 307, 308, 
 336, 339 
 
 Hannah, The, 141 
 
 Harding, President Warren G., 355 
 
 Harmony, The, 333 
 
 Hartman, George A., 215, 216, 217 
 
 Harvey, Thomas, 244, 250, 288 
 
 Haube, The, 254 
 
 Heckewelder, John, 94, 156 
 
 Herbst, Robert, ordination of, 291, 
 300 
 
 Hermann, Erik, 261, 305 
 
 Herniated, Conrad, 261 
 
 Herr, Mrs., 119 
 
 Herrlich, Mrs. August, 324 
 
 Hermhut, 19, 93, 103, 181, 358 
 
 Hidden Seed, the, 15 
 
 Higgins, William, Senior, 285, 297, 
 328, 335 
 
 Higgins, William, Junior, 328, 335 
 
 High Prices in 1782, 144 
 
 History, publication of, 348 
 
 Hoeber, John Matthew, 228 
 
 Hoffmire, Mrs. Isabel, 231 
 
 Holmes, the Rev. John, 196 
 
 Holy Communion, the, first celebra- 
 tion in Pennsylvania, 42: in New 
 York, 77 
 
 Home Department, the, 341 
 
 Home for the Friendless, the, chapel 
 of, rented, 278 
 
 Home Missionary Society, the, com- 
 mended by Synod, 233; contribu- 
 tion of, 248: organization of, 255; 
 in New, York, 229, 230 
 
 Home Mission Congregation, a, in- 
 corporation of, 260; organisation 
 of, 258; first trustees of, 260; list 
 of pastors of, 261; places of wor- 
 ship of, 262 
 
 Home Mission Work, among the Ger- 
 mans, 267; in early New York City, 
 49 
 
 Honor Roll, the, 326, 327 
 
 Hope, The, 107, 108, 113 
 
 Horsfield, Timothy, 37, 45, 55, 63, 76, 
 78, 81, 82 
 
 Hourly Intercession, the, 79 
 
 Houston Street, church consecrated, 
 244; church and parsonage sold, 
 274, 284; lots purchased, 239 
 
 Howard, Miss Marie, 325 
 
 Howard, the Rev. Jacob, 325 
 
 Howden, Arthur, 322 
 
 Hume, Elizabeth, 43, 67, 78 
 
 Hub, John, 9, 10 
 
 Hymn-boards, 322 
 
 Hymn-book, the first in hands of 
 people, 13 
 
 Inauguration of Washington, the, 
 167ff. 
 
 Incorporation of congregation, the, 
 177, 197 
 
 Indians, in North America, 24; Chiefs 
 visit New York, 198; indemnified, 
 154, 200; Samuel and Mary mar- 
 ried, 60 
 
 Individual Communion Cups, see 
 communion service 
 
 Infantile paralysis, 327 
 
 Intensely cold weather, 141 
 
 Intolerance in New York, 33 
 
 Irene, The, 63, 73, 77, 93, 96, 105ff., 
 114 
 
 Inyard, Elizabeth, 85 
 
 Ishirpe, missionary in Antigua, 186 
 
 Italian Mission, the, 363 
 
 Itinerant Brethren, 21, 69 
 
 I vers on, Andrew M., 256 
 
 Jablonsky, Bishop Daniel, 22 
 Jacobsen, Captain, 105, 113, 131, 143 
 Jacobson, Bishop John C, 251, 259, 
 
 270, 286 
 Jackson, Joseph, 317, 332 
 Jay Street Church, the, 363. See 
 
 Brooklyn 
 Johnson, Axel, 327 
 Joy t The, 186 
 Jupiter a Negro boy, 36, 75 
 
 Kaltenbrunn, John G., 257, 258 
 Kilburn, Mrs., 125, 129, 131 
 King's Daughters, convention of , 333, 
 346; entertain Sunday School, 306; 
 first circle organized, 304; first 
 leader, 304; gifts for Sunday School 
 room, 305; present baptismal font, 
 326; present silver tray-cover, 328; 
 room of, 324; testimonial to treas- 
 urer, 329; twenty-first anniversary 
 of Circle, 323 
 King's Daughters and King's Sons, 
 
 the, Loyal Circle of, 327, 339 
 King's Messengers, the, 340 
 Kingston, John, 67, 76, 80, 82, 85, 
 
 95,98 
 Kiss of Peace, the, 103, 253, 255 
 Kluge, Charles F., 236, 237 
 Huge, Edward T., 252, 270, 302-305; 
 elected Provincial Elder, 305; 307 
 
INDEX 
 
 385 
 
 Klage, Mrs. Edward T., 304, 335 
 Klemro, John Gottlob, 103 
 Knoll, Herman A., 317, 323, 335 
 Krause, Miss Sophia Louisa, 224 
 Kummer, Joseph, 251, 252, 272, 276 
 Kunie, the Rev. John C, 181, 190 
 
 Laidlaw, the Rev. Walter, 310 
 Lancaster System, the, 204 
 Landis, Benson Y., 359 
 Larger Life Foundation, the, estab- 
 lished, 347; committee of, 350; 
 
 contribution of First Church to, 
 
 351; distribution of, 348; trustees 
 
 of, 348 
 Larger Life Movement, birth of, 341; 
 
 committee of, 342, 343 
 La Trobe, Christian Ignatius, 183 
 Lectern, the, 307 
 Leibert, Morris W., 261, 313-338, 340, 
 
 353; attends General Synod, 314; 
 
 begins pastorate, 313; consecrated 
 
 Bishop, 314; health fails, 333; 
 
 memoir, 336-338; passes away, 335 
 Leibert, Mrs. Morris W., 337, 339 
 Leibert, Frank J., 322, 340, 345, 353, 
 
 368 
 Leibert, Kenneth, 327 
 Le Long, Isaac, 40 
 Lesley, John, 101 
 Levering, Bishop J. Mortimer, 300, 
 
 308 m 
 
 Lexington Avenue Church (Church 
 
 of the Mediator), first Moravian 
 
 service in, 280; purchase of, 280 
 Library Table, the, 324 
 Lighting the city (before 1761), 104 
 Lineau, Miss Elinor, 359 
 List of members, in 1774, 116ff.; in 
 
 1829, 218ft.; in 1922, 375ff. 
 List of pastors and evangelists in the 
 
 city, 371ff. 
 Little's Cross and Crown System, 333 
 Little Strength, The, 58, 60, 63 
 Liturgy, Office of worship and 
 
 Hymns, the, introduction of, 321 
 Lookwood, Miss Anna, 222 
 Loehans, valentine, 53, 70 
 Lot, the use of, 148 
 Love feasts, 78, 79, 111, 113, 136, 168, 
 
 305 
 Loyal Cirole of King's Daughters and 
 
 King's Sons, the, 327, 339 
 
 Marley, Daniel, 283 
 
 Marriage, first Moravian in New 
 
 York, 78 „_ J . . 
 
 Marschall, the Rev. Frederick von, 
 
 108, 135 
 Martin, Charles, 311, 312, 358 
 Martin, Frederick, 37, 69 
 Marx, Mrs. Emilius, 248 
 Massacre of missionaries, 100 
 
 Maundy Thursday custom; a, 104 
 136, 180 
 
 Meder, the Rev. John, 190, 196 
 
 Meetings, types of, 79 
 
 Meisel, Charles, 322, 354 
 
 Meisel, Charles J. W., 354, 368 
 
 Membership List, see List of Mem- 
 bers 
 
 Memorial Gifts, alms-basins, 327; 
 Bible for King's Daughters, 324; 
 Bishop Leibert tablet, 353; book- 
 case, 324; brass lectern, 307; com- 
 munion table, 307; communion 
 trays, 328; hymn-boards, 322; lec- 
 tern Bible, 308; library table, 324; 
 picture of Appian Way, 324; pul- 
 pit, 315; pulpit Bible, 307; silver 
 tray-cover, 328 
 
 Memorial services, 170, 300, 301, 354 
 
 Memorial Science Building, the, 345 
 
 Memorial to Synod, a, 264-268 
 
 Memorial Tablets, to little Joseph 
 Reed, 273; to Bishop Leibert, 353 
 
 Men and Religion Movement, the, 
 322, 323 
 
 Mercantile Library Building, 270 
 
 Merrill and White, 240 
 
 Merritt, Miss, 283 
 
 Messenger of Peace, The, 282 
 
 Midland Beach, 363 
 
 Mid-week service, 315 
 
 Miller, Michael, 239 
 
 Mimeograph, Rotary, 343 
 
 Ministers in New York (1755-1776), 
 97; list of, 371£f. 
 
 Missionaries, advioe to, 184; quali- 
 fications of, 181 
 
 Missionary Intelligencer, The, first 
 editor of, 203; official periodical, 
 
 Missionary Meetings, announced in 
 newpapers first time, 203; attempt 
 to steal offering, 210; half-yearly, 
 
 Missionary Organisation, the oldest 
 in America, 160 
 
 Missionary prestige, 180 
 
 Missionary Superintendent, the, Sun- 
 day School, 341 
 
 Mission work in New York, aban- 
 doned, 62; character of, 62 
 
 Moehring, John Frederick, 150, 188ft.; 
 196 
 
 Moeller, John, 359 
 
 Moenoh, Bishop Charles L., 334, 336; 
 339 
 
 Mohican Indians, missionary among; 
 40 
 
 Molther, John, 199, 201 
 
 Montague, Jacobus, 55, 68, 78 
 
 Montgomery, James, dispute about, 
 294,295 
 
 Moody, and Sankey meetings, 291 
 
 Moravian chapel, a rsfugs, 129 
 
386 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Moravian City Union, the, beginning 
 
 of, 329-332 
 Moravian College and Theological 
 
 Seminary, the, 190 
 Moravian Customs, 103ff. 
 Moravian Hymnology, a reference to, 
 
 294 
 Moravian pioneers, 31 
 Moravians stoned, 55 
 Mortimer, the Rev. Benjamin, 169, 
 
 188, 200-225; death of, 231 
 Mortimer, Miss Charlotte, 206 
 Mothers' Day celebration, 346 
 Mourning attire, 81 
 Moving-picture, a, 356 
 
 Name of the Church, the, 9 
 Nazareth congregation, the, aid given 
 
 by, 186 
 Nazareth Hall, 164, 233 
 Near East Relief, 356 
 Nedwell, David B., 292, 297 
 Nedwell, Mrs. David B., 281, 297, 
 
 344 359 
 Nedwell, William, Sr., 393 
 Nedwell, Mrs. William, Sr., 293 
 Nedwell, Miss Elizabeth, 335 
 Nedwell, Mias Harriet, 292, 359 
 Neef, Gotthold, 261 
 Neisser, the Rev. -George, 52, 62, 70, 
 
 97, 110, 113, 118 
 New Dorp, 109, 351, 361, 363 
 New Dorp Cemetery, the, 288 
 New Haven, Conn., 363 
 Newport, R. I., 102 
 Newspaper advertisement, 203, 215, 
 
 241, 306, 313, 357 
 New Vytrick, 151 
 New Year Calls, 212-213 
 New York City, first Moravian con- 
 vert in, 28; Moravian pioneers, 
 
 31ff. 
 Nineteenth Century, dawn of, 188 
 Nitschmann, Bishop David, 23, 26, 
 
 36, 44, 60, 93 
 Nitschmann, Martin, 101 
 Nitzschke, Frederick R., 325, 
 
 334, 336, 362 
 Nixon, William, 80, 84, 85, 123 
 Noble, Isaac, the murder of, 140 
 Noble, Thomas, 36, 38, 39, 40, 43, 
 ' 45, 50, 57, 65, 66, 68, 76, 78 
 Noble, Mrs. Thomas, death of, 64 
 
 Oberlin, John Francis, 142 
 
 Oerter, Bishop Edmund A., 311 
 
 Oglethorpe, James, 71 
 
 Okey, Elizabeth, 76 
 
 Olson, Henry, 327, 840 
 
 Opposition, 20, 38, 54 
 
 Orbel, August, 323 
 
 Ordained ministry, an, necessity of, 
 
 Order of the Grain of Mustard Seed, 
 the, 17, 71 
 
 Ordination, the first in English col- 
 onies, 25; in New York City, 53 
 
 Orphanage proposed, an, 306, 307 
 
 Ostermayer, William, 314 
 
 Papists, false charges, 47, 59 
 
 Parant, Cornelius , 37 
 
 Parliament, British, Church recog- 
 nized by, 74, 77 
 
 Parsonage first, 82, 84; comman- 
 deered, 132: second, 209, 214; 
 sold, 243; third, 244, 245, 274; 
 purchase of, 290. See Pastor's 
 residence 
 
 Partsch, George, 101 
 
 Passion Week Leaflets, the, prepara- 
 tion of, 329 
 
 Pastors and evangelists in the city, 
 list of, 371ff. 
 
 Pastor's residence, the, 276, 277, 279, 
 280, 285, 303, 305, 312, 313, 314, 
 335, 340, 347 
 
 Pastor's salary in 1775, 121 
 
 Paulus Hook (Jersey City), 126, 128, 
 139 
 
 Payne, Jasper, 81, 86, 88, 90, 95, 97 
 
 Pearson, William, 85, 96, 99 
 
 Pedelavium, 104 
 
 Peisert, Christian, 156 
 
 Pell, Deborah, 68 
 
 Pell, Eather, 85 
 
 Fell, Heater, 82 
 
 Pell, Mary, 68, 85 
 
 Pell, Samuel, 85, 95 
 
 Pells, Samuel, 37, 131 
 
 Perine, James, 168 
 
 Ferine, Peter, 109 
 
 Persecution, 12ff.; act of, 60S. 
 
 Peter, Christopher Godfrey, 165-188; 
 begins pastorate, 165; conducts 
 a school, 168; death of, 170; visits 
 murderer, 167; widow goes to Beth- 
 lehem, 188 
 
 Petquotting on Lake Erie, 162 
 
 Philadelphia, Moravians arrive in, 24; 
 sends help to metropolis, 185 
 
 Pickering, Mrs. Hugh, 308, 359 
 
 Piesch, George, 49 
 
 Pilgrim Congregation, 69 
 
 Pinckert, Adolph, 260, 271 
 
 Pioneer Home missionary, 255 
 
 Points of Interest, 367S. 
 
 Pontenier, Elizabeth Susanna, 84 
 
 Port Richmond, 63 
 
 Post, Frederick, 65ff. 
 
 Poth, H. G„ 323 
 
 Praeger, John G., 259 
 
 Prayer-bands in New York, 79 
 
 Presser, Martin, 101 
 
 Primary Department, the, organiza- 
 tion of, 341 
 
 Prince, Robert, 244, 248, 249, 250 
 
INDEX 
 
 387 
 
 Prince, William, 236 
 
 Prisons and Prisoners, 129-131ff. 
 
 Provincial Elders' Conference, the, 
 
 beginning of, 26S 
 Provost, Bishop, 190 
 Pulpit, the, 315 
 Puntinier, Martha, 85 
 Purysburg, 27 
 Putnam, General, 126 
 Pyrlaeus, the Rev. John C, 78 
 
 Qualifications for missionaries, 183 
 Queen Elizabeth's creed, 90 
 
 "Ratio DiscipliniB," 19 
 
 Rauch, Christian Henry, 38, 40, 56, 
 69 
 
 Reed, Jacob, 78, 82, 85 
 
 Reed, Mrs. Jacob, 85, 192 
 
 Reed, Joseph, 273 
 
 "Reformers before the Reformation," 
 13 
 
 Regnier, John, 35 
 
 Reichel, Bishop John Frederick, 135, 
 142 
 
 Reichel, Charles Gotthold, 163, 191 
 
 Reichel, Edward H., 255 
 
 Reinke, Bishop Amadeus A., 253- 
 270; becomes pastor, 276; birthday 
 celebration, 278; burial of, 299; 
 chosen Provincial Elder, 297; con- 
 secrated a bishop, 285; delegate to ' 
 General Synod, 285; last words of, 
 298-299; memoir of, 301-302; me- 
 morial service of, 300, 302 
 
 Reinke, Mrs. Amadeus A., 289, 296, 
 297 
 
 Reinke, Abraham, 62, 87, 90 
 
 Reinke, Edwin E., 252, 272, 276 
 
 Reinke, Sarah Elizabeth, 281, 292 
 
 Religious meetings, character of, 67 
 
 Renewed Church, the, bi-centenary of 
 renewal, 342; birth of, 20; fully 
 organised, 23 
 
 Reuss, Countess Erdmuth Dorothea, 
 17 
 
 Rice, Owen, 70, 77, 78, 82, 84, 87 
 
 Rice, William Henry, 253, 261, 296, 
 300, 362 
 
 Rogers, Jacob, 70, 83, 97 
 
 Rokyzan, John, 10 
 
 Romig, Clarence, 253, 363 
 
 Rommel, P. P., 260 
 
 Rondthaler, Edward, 252, 253, 285 
 
 Rondthaler, Emanuel, 244 
 
 Ronner, Miss Elizabeth, 106 
 
 Rose, Mrs. Edmund B., 329, 359 
 
 Rothe, John Andrew, 18 
 
 Rule of faith and practice, 12 _ 
 
 Rules and regulations, printing of, 
 225, 272 
 
 Rusemeyer, Albrecht Ludolf , 96, 145, 
 150 
 
 Rutherford, Captain, 65 
 
 Sabine, William T., 279, 300 
 
 Sacred Music Society, the, 232 
 
 Samuel and Mary, 60 
 
 Sarepta fire, the, 207 
 
 Savannah, Moravian colony in, 25; 
 congregation in, disbands, 27 
 
 Schmidt, Walter, 327 
 
 Schools, 13, 95, 199, 345 
 
 Schoute, Andrew, 105 
 
 Schropp, John, 186 
 
 Schuhus, George, 27 
 
 Schultze, Prof. Augustus, 286 
 
 Schuyler, Direk, 82, 85 
 
 Schweigert, George, 101 
 
 Schweinitz, Christian Frederick de, 
 142 
 
 Schweinitz, Edmund de, 268 
 
 Schweinitz, Hans Christian von, 163 
 
 Schweinitz, John Christian Alexander 
 de, 135 
 
 Schweinitz, Louis David de, 217, 218 
 
 Schweinitz, Paul de, 325, 336, 358 
 
 Schwenkf elders, 24, 103 
 
 Science Building, the, 346 
 
 Scripture mottoes, 285 
 
 Sea Congregation, the, first, 49; sec- 
 ond, 58ff.; third, 73, 77 
 
 Sea Nymph, The, 87 
 
 Sea-water purohased, 187 
 
 Seal of the congregation, the, choos- 
 ing of, 194 
 
 Second Moravian Church, the, sec 
 Home Mission Work in City 
 
 Second River, 123 
 
 Second Sea Congregation, the, 58£f. 
 
 Seidel, Bishop Nathaniel, 108 
 
 Seiffert, Anton, ordination of, 25 
 
 Seneff, George, 114, 123 
 
 Senseman, Edwin T., 260, 269, 270, 
 271, 272 
 
 Senseman, Joachim, 59, 101 _- -- 
 
 Sermon, preaching of the first Mora- 
 vian, 43 
 
 Service Flag, the, 332 
 
 Sesqui-centennial, the, 307 
 
 Sharit, Frances, 228 
 
 Shaw, Joseph, 59 
 
 Shekomeko, 40, 59, 62 
 
 Shewkirk, Oswald Gustav, 97, 118ff., 
 127, 130, 131, 133, 136, 139, 140, 
 143 
 
 Shultz, the Rev. Charles B., 346 
 
 Shultz, Mrs. Charles B., death of, 346 
 
 Shultz, Paul T., 812, 333, 336, 347, 
 358 
 
 Sitkovius, Bishop Christian, 22 
 
 Slow church growth, explanation of, 
 146ff. 
 
 Smith, Mrs. W. A., 359 
 
 Society for Promoting Christian 
 Knowledge and Piety, the, organi- 
 zation of, 175 
 
 Society 'for Propagating the Gospel, 
 156, 159, 197 
 
388 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Sondermann, Theodore, 261 
 Spangenberg, Augustus Gottlieb, 22, 
 25, 26, 36, 62, 69, 82, 88, 94, 104, 
 108 
 Sperbach, Miss Hannah, 106 
 Spiritual Birthday of the Renewed 
 
 Brethren's Church, the, 20 
 S piritua l leaders of the Undenomina- 
 tional Society, 43 
 Stahlflohxnidt, William, 327 
 Stanford, the Rev. John, 169, 170, 
 
 171, 180 
 Stapleton Church, the, 346, 347, 363 
 Stateu bland, work on, 108, 191, 196, 
 
 361,363 
 Stephen, Bishop, 12 
 Stephens, Allen W., 340, 344, 345, 
 
 347, 353, 358, 359 
 Stereopticon, a, purchasing of, 349 
 Staiwell, Richard, 61 
 Stooker, Harry E., 339, 343, 353 
 Stocker, Mrs. Harry E., 341, 344, 359 
 Stooker, Arthur Frederick, 340 
 Strangers' Friendly Society, the, 229 
 Sturgee, Joseph, 101 
 Subsidiary services, 238 
 Success of Moravians, 361 
 Succession, the Episcopal, 12 
 Sunday Evening service, 284, 303, 
 
 306 
 Sunday School, 205, 222, 272, 274, 
 
 275, 277. 278, 284, 303, 304, 327 
 Sunday School Association, the, 341 
 Sunday School Rally, the first, 343 
 Sunday School Room, Chickering 
 piano purchased for, 356; hardwood 
 floor hid, 356; refurnished, 305; 
 renovated, 324 
 Sunday School Union, the N. Y., 
 
 222,223 
 Sunday, William, evangelistic cam- 
 paign of, 329 
 Support of Home missionaries, 52 
 Sustentation Fund, the, increase of, 
 
 314 
 Sykes, Philip, 194 
 Bymeraon, Bernhard, 194, 196 
 Syrian Relief , 344 
 
 Tablet, memorial, 273; on the church- 
 front, first, 303: second, 304; words 
 Protestant Episcopal" added, 314; 
 unveiling of memorial, 353 
 
 TertyiokTHinry, 171, 177, 179, 187, 
 190, 194, 205, 224 
 
 Tennent, Gilbert, 37, 54ff . 
 
 Text Book, tits Moravian, origin of; 
 44 
 
 Tht Moravian, beginning of, 268: Dr. 
 Gerdsen, editor, 312; first editor, 
 268: Senaeman editor, 271 
 
 ThirdiMoravian Church, the, 309- 
 312,1321 
 ird Sea Congregation, the, 73, 77 
 
 Thomas, Robert, drafting of, 126 
 Thorpe, the Rev. Edward, 150 
 Tiebout, Cornells. 82, 92, 108 
 Trautwein, Miss Louise, 324 
 Trafford, Frederick T., 311, 312, 336, 
 
 346 
 Trombone players, visit of Bethle- 
 hem, 83 
 Trustees, Board of, 339; fines of, 203; 
 in 1845, 245; of first church, elec- 
 tion of, 177 
 Tschoop, 41 
 
 Tweedie, Miss Mina, 348 
 Tyng, the Rev. Stephen H., Jr., 279, 
 
 Ulster County, proposed settlement 
 in, 92 
 
 Undenominational Society, the, 42, 
 69 
 
 "Union Church of the Testimony of 
 Jena," 261 
 
 Unitas Fratrum, the, official title, 9; 
 members called Brethren or Mora- 
 vians, 9 
 
 Unity's Elders' Conference, the, 114, 
 147 
 
 Unmarried women, list of, 86 
 
 Utica, N. Y., 363 
 
 Utley, Richard, 70, 96, 97 
 
 Vacation Bible School, the Daily, 357 
 
 Vanderbilt, Anna, 76 
 
 Vanderbilt, Cornelius, 108, 109, 286, 
 
 287 
 Vanderbilt, Jacobus, 63, 85, 108, 136 
 Vanderbilt, Jean, 63 
 Vanderbilt, Jacobus, Jr., 63, 85 
 Vanderbilt, Nieltje, 85, 86 
 Vanderbilt, William H., 296 
 Van Deusen, Jan, 85 
 Van Deusen, Trijutje, 85 
 Van Deusen, Peter, 95 
 Van Deventer, Cornelius, 108, 109 
 Van Deventer, John, 63, 85 
 Van Dyok, Rudolpbus, 82 
 Van Dyok, Matje, 85 
 Van Pelt, 37, 55 
 Van Vleok, Abraham, 126 
 Van Vleok, Catherine, 82, 86 
 Van Vleck, Charles, 215 
 Van Vleok Hendriok, 36, 68, 76, 80, 
 
 82, 85, 98, 107, 109, 113, 137 
 Van Vleck, Henry J., 68 
 Van Vleok, Isaac, 129 
 Van Vleck, Jacob, 68, 135, 136, 197, 
 
 226,363 
 Van Vleok, Jane (Mrs. Hendriok), 76 
 Van Vleck, Polly, death of, 188 
 Van Vleck, J. Taylor, 68 
 Van Vleck, William Henry, appointed 
 
 pastor, 209; begins pastorate, 214; 
 
 first editor. The Mtttionary Intel- 
 
 Kgencer, 203; references, 221, 222, 
 
INDEX 
 
 389 
 
 223, 225, 226, 228, 229, 230, 231, 
 
 236,257 
 Venema, Peter, 37 
 Vetter, Jacob, 70 
 "Viertd. Stunden," 78 
 Vogler, William H., 292, 300, 339, 362 
 Voting of Women, the first, 261 
 Vouillaire, Bishop R., 315 
 
 Wade, John, 70, 74 
 
 Waldron, Daniel, 81 
 
 Waldron, Jane, 68 
 
 Waldron, Mrs. Blah, 125, 129 
 
 Waldron, Richard, 37, 18 
 
 Waldron, Sarah, 85 
 
 Warman, John F., 248, 249, 250 
 
 Wasamapah, 40 
 
 Washington, George, inaugurated 
 President, 158; letters of, to the 
 Moravians, 160, 161, 163, 164; 
 visits Bethlehem, 159; welcomed in 
 New York City, 122, 158ff. 
 
 Washington Square, potter's field, 
 188 
 
 Watch at the door, 80 
 
 Watteville, Anna Dorothea de, 135 
 
 Watteville, Bishop John de, 74, 76, 77 
 
 Weber, Christian A., 317 
 
 Weinland, William H., 292, 293 
 
 Wendower, Hercules, 55, 78 
 
 Wendower, Mary, 28, 43, 45, 47, 50, 
 66,68 
 
 Wertz, Mrs. Christina, 344 
 
 Wesley, John and Charles, 25 
 
 Weasels, Catherine, 117 
 
 Weasels, Elizabeth, 117 
 
 Weasels, Emily Elizabeth Bice, me- 
 morial of, 315 
 
 Wesseb Family, gifts of, 307, 315 
 
 Wessels, Gerhard, 307 
 
 Wessels, Richard, 118 
 
 Whipping in school, 95 
 
 White, Harry, 353, 358 
 
 White, Mrs. Harry, 311, 359 
 
 Whitefield, George, 28fi., 57, 89 
 Whitefield House, the, 29 
 Wichelhausen, Mrs., 247 
 Widows, list of, 86 
 Wilson, Abraham, 177 
 Wilson, Hilah, 192 
 Wilson, John, arrest of, 127 
 Wolle, Edward S., 253, 261, 270, 292, 
 
 296, 326, 329, 334, 335, 336, 353, 
 
 358 
 Wolle, Bishop Peter, 217, 211, 286, 
 
 301 
 Worbaa, Peter, 101 
 
 Yarrell, Miss Anna, 142 
 
 Yarrell, the Rev. Thomas, 97, 102, 
 
 105, 109, 110 
 Yellow Fever, epidemic of, 185, 188ff. , 
 
 196fl., 206 
 Yost, Miss Carrie, 292 
 Yost, Fernando, 324 
 Yost, Mrs. Mary, 321 
 Young, John, 167 
 Young Ladies' Seminary, the, 164 
 Young People's Hope Society, the, 
 
 284 
 Young People's Society, the, 308, 309, 
 
 313, 314 
 
 Zeisberger, David, 65S., 93, 99ff ., 141, 
 
 163 
 Zhuendorf , Count Nicholas von, 163.. 
 
 20, 21, 38S., 44, 52, 69, 71, 79, 103 
 Zoebisch, Alfred T„ 352, 358 
 Zoebisch, Carl H., 352, 358 
 Zoebisch, Charles Augustus, 273, 276, 
 
 277, 296; death of, 317; memoir, 
 
 318-321 
 Zoebisch, Mrs. Charles A., death of, 
 
 304 
 Zoebisch, Clemence T., 317; death of, 
 
 352 
 Zoeller, Widow, 131 
 Zorn, the Rev. Jacob, 235 
 
Date Dim 
 
 i 
 
 PARISH LIBRARY 
 
 CHRIST AND HOLY TRINITY CHURCH 
 
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