Utie Pome ^oralttatt OIt|urci| 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM A. BLAIR 
 
THE HOME MORAVIAN CHURCH 
 
 ''O! %vherc are kings, and empires now 
 Of old that went and came? 
 But, Lord! T By Church is praying yet, 
 A thousand years the same." 
 
 THE real name of this body of Christians is 
 ^ainitas Fratrum'' or Unity of Brethren'' 
 and that ^ ^ Unity ^' is still maintained throughout 
 the world in spite of ^^grim visag^d war'^ and civil 
 discord, for all the different, individual churches, 
 everywhere, belong to one bod}^ and are under one 
 governing board. In 1749, however, the British 
 Parliament recognized the body as an Ancient 
 Episcopal Church,^' and, in its official Acts, called 
 the members ^ ^Moravians, since Moravia as well 
 as Bohemia was an ancient seat of the denomination. 
 
 This is one of the very oldest of Protestant 
 churches, a pre-Reformation church, spiritually 
 descended from the Bohemian reformer and martyr, 
 Jolm Hus, who was burned at the stake in 1415. 
 The formal organization was accomplished in 1457, 
 thirty-five years before Columbus discovered Amer- 
 ica and sixty years before Luther lighted the torch 
 of the Reformation. These Moravians hold no 
 extended, specific creed nor formal articles of belief, 
 but, in the humblest manner, simpl}^ accept the 
 Bible as their rule of trust and practice,^ ^ Christ and 
 Him Crucified^' as their Confession of Faith, and 
 pure, simple and unaffected living for His sake, as 
 their aim in life. They still stand, as they always 
 have, firmly planted on their ancient tested, tried 
 and sure foundation and principle — ^^In essentials, 
 unity; in non-essentials, liberty, and, in all things, 
 charity. ' ^ 
 
 SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. 
 
 Desirous of finding a place where they would be 
 
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free from persecution, and, with tlie idea of mission 
 work among the Indians, the Brethren began to look, 
 with longing eyes, from Europe, across the Atlantic 
 to the broad acres of the new world. Their first 
 settlement in America was in Savannah, Georgia, in 
 1735, forty-one years before the signing of the 
 Declaration of Independence. A colony came to 
 Bethlehem, Pa., in 1741, and the first settlement in 
 North Carolina was made at Bethabara, (House of 
 Passage), or, as it is usually called, Old Town, six 
 miles northwest of Winston-Salem, in 1753. Then 
 came Bethania in 1759 and Salem, (Peace), so / 
 named by Count Zinzendorf, in 1766. ^ 
 
 Being a peculiarly devout and religious people, 
 almost their first concern upon arrival was for 
 some proper place of worship. Indeed the cutting 
 of the very first trees for the earliest house was 
 accompanied by the singing of hymns, for, ''the 
 groves were God's first temples,'' and morning and 
 evening services were held in the dwelling so soon 
 as it was under roof. The first consecrated hall of 
 worship was a room in the third building, naively 
 and attractively called the ''two-story house," on 
 tlie northwest corner of Main and Bank Streets, 
 opposite the Belo building, and now marked by a 
 tablet showing the exact location. But, these peo- 
 ple were already planning for more ample and 
 suitable accommodations, and, at Easter time in 1770 
 the corner stone for the Congregation building 
 ("Gemein Haus") was laid with solemn, religious 
 ceremony and the meeting hall in the building was 
 consecrated on November 13, 1771. Here Gover- 
 nors, Congressmen, officers and dignitaries of vari- 
 ous kinds, including members of the Assembly, or 
 Legislature which met here in 1781 and 1782, at- 
 tended service. The Brethren felt, however, that they 
 could not grant the permission desired for the ses- 
 sions to be held in their sacred meeting place but 
 did provide rooms in a building near at hand. It 
 was in this "Gemein Haus" that President George 
 Washington worshipped with the brethren in 1791 
 
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and to it he came again to enjoy the music of its 
 organ. The building, a large and imposing one, 
 the most pretentious in this section of the state, 
 with its stuccoed walls, dormer windows and its 
 two main entrances on the w^estern front, stood 
 where the main hall of the college is now located. 
 The first floor of the northern portion was occupied 
 by the minister and his family, and in one of these 
 rooms they allowed the Govemor to make his quar- 
 ters during the sessions of the Legislature, men- 
 tioned above. The single sisters occupied the south- 
 ern ])art and their dormitories were on the third 
 floor, above. The second story, entire, was used as 
 the church. It seems almost impossible for us to 
 understand how that handfull of brave men and^ 
 women could have even thought of erecting such a 
 building; but a far greater surprise is to follow. 
 What a stupendous faith, courage, vision, and, even 
 daring, these fathers must have had to conceive of 
 and to erect, a little later, this church, which when 
 finished, was, by far, the largest, finest and most 
 imposing and important structure in the entire wes- 
 tern portion of North Carolina! 
 
 THE HOME CHURCH 
 
 '7 love Thy Church, O God! 
 Her walls before Thee stand, 
 Dear as the apple of Thine eye, 
 And graven on Thy hand. 
 Beyond my highest joy, 
 I prize her heavenly ways, 
 Her sweet covtmunion , solemn votes. 
 Her hymns of love and praise.'' 
 
 It nuist be remembered that when, in April 1797 
 . it was solemnly decided to erect this place of wor- 
 \ship there were only about one hundred and fifty 
 communicant members. The corner stone was laid 
 in June 1798; it was under roof in 1799 and the 
 building completed, and consecrated in the presence 
 
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of over two thousand people on Nov. 9, 1800. The 
 arehiteccnre is pure Colonial German, noted for its 
 simplicity, its strength, its plain outlines, heavy 
 walls and strong construction. The appentice, or 
 hood, over ea(^h of the doors is unique, alluring and 
 practical, as well, and has attracted wide attention 
 and interest for its singular beauty, loveliness and 
 charm. The dimensions of the church were forty- 
 six and a half by ninety-three feet, the length now 
 being one hundred and ten, as the serving rooms 
 and other improvements have been added to the 
 eastern end. The height of the ceiling was twenty- 
 six feet. The deep and wide foundations are of 
 stone, the walls three feet or more in thickness, the 
 timber of hand-hewn, selected oak more than twice 
 the ordinary size ; the floor was a double one with 
 powdered tan bark placed between the two, and its 
 seating capacity is so great that a thousand people 
 at one time have partaken of Love Feast within 
 its sacred walls. The brick for the walls and the 
 tile for the roof were made in the meadow below j 
 the college. Few buildings, of half its age, are any-| 
 thing like so well preserved, but the old soapstonel 
 floor in the vestibule has been, long since, worn out^ 
 under the trampling of many feet. 
 
 In 1841, the Congregation House, which had 
 been used as a chapel since the completion of the 
 new place of worship, was removed to be replaced 
 by the Academy buildings and a small chapel was 
 erected on the north side of the church. This was 
 enlarged in 1881 and served its purpose until 1912 
 when the greater additions and improvements were 
 made. When the building was first erected, the pul- 
 pit 's position was in the north, and there was a 
 gallery in the east and one for the organ and choir 
 in the west. In 1854 a third gallery on the south 
 side was built for the special use and accomodation 
 of the Academy students. In 1870 quite extensive 
 changes and substitutions were made. The gallery 
 in the east was removed, and the pulpit placed in 
 that end of the church. A new gallery was erected 
 
on tlie nortli side, and tlie entire internal arrange- 
 ments changed to correspond with such alterations 
 as had been made. This arrangement was continued 
 for many years. 
 
 In 1912 and 1913 the interior of the church was 
 changed once more into its present form with the 
 pulpit again where it had been placed in the begin- 
 ning. The chapel was removed and replaced by the 
 Rondthaler Memorial Sunday School Building with 
 rooms for the minister, choir and others. The sec- 
 tion next to the church is forty-one by forty-three 
 feet in size and the Sunday School part is seventy- 
 five by one hundred two in dimension, containing 
 the auditorium and more than forty-two rooms for 
 classes as well as several for other purposes. The 
 entire building stands as a fine, though inadequate 
 memorial to the life, service and accomplishment 
 of that great, wise, consecrated leader, so loved and 
 honored, the Rt. Rev. Edward Rondthaler, D.D., 
 L.L.D., who, as pastor, bishop, president of the Col- 
 lege and Academy, and, in various other capacities, 
 served with marked distinction and success, not 
 only the church, at home and abroad, but also the 
 community and the state for more than fifty years, 
 a record unprecedented, unparalleled and unsur- 
 passed in Moravian history. 
 
 The chimes on the building are a memorial to 
 Mr. Thomas Fleshman, a gift by his wife and daugh- 
 ter; and the organ in the church was presented by 
 Mrs. Hannah Siewers and Miss Gertrude Siewers. 
 
 The octagonal tower, or cupola, from which the 
 church band announces the death of members of 
 the congregation, and, on festal occasions, thrills 
 the air with music, which exalts each joy, allays 
 each fear, shelters the old bell, which, long before 
 the church was built, ^ ' called the living and mourned 
 tlie dead.'^ On January 1, 1771, it was decided to 
 order ^'a bell for Salem,'' and^, on April 21, 1772 
 the diary quaintly says ^Hhe big bell was rung for 
 tlie first time." At the beginning it was placed in 
 a small toAver on the northeast corner of the Square, 
 
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and was regarded with greatest curiosity, wonder 
 and interest. A larger tower, similarly located was 
 erected in 1780, pyramidal in shape, twelve feet 
 square at the base, and about the height of the 
 ^^Gemein Haus. The foundations were of stone 
 and the cost was fifty-eight pounds, six pence, — 
 each brother contributing seventeen shillings and 
 each sister five. At first, the bell was regularly 
 rung at 7 and 11 :30 a. m., and at 7 p. m. Later, 
 it struck the hours, and remained perched in its 
 tower until the church was built, and a place for 
 it provided in the cupola. There is but one inscrip- 
 tion on the bell and that gives only the date and 
 maker ^s name, reading simply, ^^Math. Tommerup 
 1771. ^ ' This Matthias Tommerup, a most celebrat- 
 ed brazier and bell founder, was a Moravian brother 
 from Denmark, who came to Bethlehem, Pa., in 
 1761 and who, in his successful career, cast many 
 interesting and historic bells including the one for 
 Bethabara. It was in front of his shop in the 
 Brothers House that the Liberty Bell was unloaded, 
 when, in 1777 it was rushed away from Philadel- 
 phia to prevent its falling into the hands of the 
 British. It did not remain there, however, but was 
 hidden in the cellar of Zion Church, Allentown, Pa., 
 until the danger was over. 
 
 The church clock, so closely associated with the 
 ])rompt and orderly life of the community, was or- 
 dered from Abraham Durninger and Sons, of Herrn- 
 hut, Germany in 1787, but did not arrive until 1790. 
 In 1791 it was placed in the bell tower on the square, 
 •and, in 1806, Louis Eberhard perfected an arrange- 
 ment by which it would strike the quarter hours. 
 It had been decided to put this time piece in the 
 tower of the church, but, as there was lack of space 
 it was placed in the gable, as planned originally, 
 Avhere it still keeps time, ever reminding us that, 
 
 ^^Onr lifers a clock, and every gasp of breath 
 Brings forth a tvarning grief 'till time shall 
 strike a death''. 
 
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In 1799 the weather vane and ball were ordered. 
 The vane was to be made in Nazareth, Pa., and 
 the figures, '^800'' were to be cut in the tail. The 
 ball was to be made in Lititz, and Benade in Naza- 
 reth was to cover with gold leaf and varnish or 
 lacquer it. The vane itself is five feet long and 
 the tail thirteen inches wide. The figures cut in 
 it are each six inches high. The gilt ball is six 
 feet, six and a half inches in circumference one way 
 and seven feet five inches the other. The star is 
 twelve inches wide and ninety-eight feet above the 
 sidewalk. In 1892 the ball was taken down and 
 freshly gilded, and it was ascertained that it could 
 hold forty-three gallons of water. 
 
 The beautiful, artistic and heavy hand rails at 
 tlie front steps are a local production, made and 
 presented by Christopher Vogler. It is said that 
 the material is Norway iron which does not oxidize 
 v/hen it comes in contact with air or water, and, 
 hence, never rusts. 
 
 The church was originally lighted with candles. 
 On May 27, 1800, five chandeliers were ordered, 
 each with six arms^ and so arranged that the can- 
 dles were four inches, one from another. The small 
 I'osette holding the candles was painted yellow and 
 the remainder of the chandelier was colored blue. 
 Weights were arranged in the loft so that the lights 
 could be raised or lowered as desired. The entire 
 outfit has been carefully preserved and may be seen 
 in the museum of the Wachovia Historical Society, 
 together with the first pulpit, parts of the old 
 church organ, and a host of other rare and interest- 
 ing relics. Kerosene lamps succeeded the candles, 
 and these, in turn, gave way to gas in 1857. 
 
 At first there was no heating arrangement, and, 
 consequently shawls, cloaks, blankets, overcoats 
 and ^^foot warmers'' were in demand during the 
 winter season. 
 
 THE WINDOWS 
 
 ATnny ])ersons are inspired and deeply touched ])y 
 
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the series of ten rich windows, portraying and re- 
 vealing, in pious art, the life and ministrations of 
 the Saviour. 
 
 The subjects are as follows: The Nativity; The 
 Flight Into Egypt; The Boy Jesus; In The Temple; 
 Christ And The Children; Christ Knocking At The 
 Door; Jesus, The Good Shepherd; Christ In Gethse- 
 mane; The Crucifixion; The Resurrection; and The 
 Ascension. Look at Gethsemane and the Cruci- 
 fixion. Does not a dark, sombre, depressing, shad- 
 owy light seem to fall upon them. Now view, 
 the Resurrection and the Ascension. Is there not 
 about them a brilliant, gorgeous glory, as if Heaven 
 face, in favor, beamed upon them? It merely hap- 
 pened so, without arrangement, design or plan. Each 
 window, is of course, hallowed and dedicated to the 
 glory of God, but, in recognition of marked, out- 
 standing service to the Church, it was deemed ap- 
 l^ropriate also, to do honor to the following leaders 
 of sterling character, and invaluable worth. John 
 Hus (1369-1415) Reformer before the Reforma- 
 tion, ^ ^ Father of the Unitas Fratrum ; Bishop Augus- 
 tus Gottlieb Spangenberg, scholar, author, practical 
 business man who led the movement to Wachovia 
 and selected its site; Bishop John Amos Comenius, 
 writer, philosopher, father of modern education, 
 whose faith helped bind together the ancient and 
 renewed Church ; Bishop Count Nicholas Lewis Zin- 
 zendorf, nobleman, protector, leader and patron 
 saint. Rev. Frederick William von Marshall, of ex- 
 ceptional talent, Senior Civilis'^ and founder of 
 Salem; Leonard Dobar and David Nitchmann, first 
 missionaries to the heathen and their successors; 
 Bishop Christian Frederick Gregor, father of Mora- 
 vian music, composer, hymnologist and compiler of 
 a hymn book used for a hundred years. Bishop John 
 Jacob Van Vleck, educator, President of the Confer- 
 ence, and Bishop William Henry Van Vleck, elo- 
 quent and beloved, both pastors of the Home Church ; 
 Bishop Emil Adolphus deSchweinitz who, in addition 
 to other services with consummate and almost un- 
 
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eaiiny skill handled the temporal affairs of the Unity 
 during the tense and trying period of the Civil War. 
 Bishop George Frederick Balmson who, with rare 
 talent and tact, ably carried on through the dark, 
 discouraging years following 1863. 
 
 GOD'S ACRE AND THE EASTER SERVICE. 
 
 The site for the beautiful and unique graveyard 
 — ^ ^ God ^s Acre ' ' — where the Easter morning service 
 is held w^as selected April 12, 1766, and was in the 
 upper part of the present enclosure, but, when it 
 Avas decided to place the Square one block lower 
 down than had been originally planned, *^ God's 
 Acre'' was changed accordingly^, as may be seen 
 from the location of the oldest graves. The avenue 
 was carefully laid out and cedar trees planted on 
 either side, in the year 1770. The ground was con- 
 secrated, and the first body, that of John Birkhead, 
 one of the eight men who first came to the settle- 
 ment, was interred June 7, 1771. The first Easter 
 service with the Liturgy was held this same year, 
 but as at that date, no body had been buried in the 
 graveyard, the exercises wei^e conducted in the hall. 
 
 A striking feature of the gravey^ard is its re- 
 cumbent stones, symbolizing the democracy of 
 death'** and making it impossible to distinguish be- 
 tween the graves of rich and poor. The burial of 
 members according to choirs'' or station in life 
 rather than families is another distinguishing fea- 
 ture, carrying out the choir system" which was 
 introduced into the congregation for the better 
 spiritual care of the membership. 
 
 GROWTH OF MORAVIANDOM. 
 
 The ^^Old Home Church," as it is familiarly 
 called, has come in the course of the years to be a 
 real mother" church, with seven others and two 
 chapels in the Winston-Salem community, wit- 
 nessing to her zeal in extending the cause of the 
 Kingdom at home. And in the Province, beyond 
 tlie limits of the city, there are thirty-four other 
 
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Moravian congregations. The communicant mem- 
 l)ership of the Home Church alone is nearly fifteen 
 hundred, and, in the Province, the total member- 
 ship, including children, is in excess of twelve thou- 
 sand. 
 
 THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHURCH MUSIC. 
 
 Church music of the very best, finest and high- 
 est class, music that wakes the soul and lifts it 
 liigh ^ ' has been strongly featured by the Moravians. 
 From the Home Churchy especially, an influence has 
 gone forth into the churches of the Province and 
 i'ar beyond, calling for the elevation of church 
 music to its highest plane, and discouraging the 
 cheap and shallow variety of words and music 
 which has sought to make itself popular in recent 
 years. In addition to the usual lines of musical 
 effort in the local church, strong emphasis has been 
 laid upon the Church Band, which enlists boys and 
 men in the service and makes possible such soul- 
 stirring and uplifting music as that which thrills 
 the thousands of Easter-worshippers year after 
 year. Approval is given to the best grade of the 
 so-called gospel song,'' but the stately and more 
 worshipful and dignified chorale is always given 
 the preference. 
 
 FOND MEMORIES AND UPLIFTING 
 INFLUENCES. 
 
 About this loved and venerable shrine'' as a 
 precious inheritance for many souls, a thousand 
 fond, sweet and tender traditions, memories and 
 recollections, cluster in enchanting colors, clothing 
 it with a splendor of beauty, grandeur, glor}^, un- 
 surpassed and unexcelled. Here the Word is preach- 
 ed ^Mn doctrine incorrupt, in language plain." Here 
 many a one has given heart and life to God and 
 some have heard a clear, compelling, clarion call to 
 pulpit or to mission field. Here the great organ 
 swells with concord of sweet sounds," and ^^song 
 
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on its mighty pinions, takes every living soul and 
 lifts it gently to the heaven above. Here little chil- 
 dren are presented and received in baptismal sacra- 
 ment and older ones are confirmed in the most holy 
 faith. Here the cherished Love Feast, unspeakably 
 rich in simplicity, dignity and grace, kindles a 
 fine feeling of fellowship, equality, unison and 
 love, and, under the spell of grand, majestic stately 
 music, brings comfort, blessing, joy and peace. Hero 
 faithful believers meet about the table of their 
 Lord to partake of that grand, impressive sacrament, 
 where 
 
 ^^They eat, they drink, and, in Communion 
 sweet 
 
 Quaff immortality and joy," 
 
 Here fond husbands and fair and faithful wives 
 have promised to care for, love and honor, to cherish 
 and protect, so long as both shall live. Here, when 
 comes the strange and stately dignity of death, — the 
 great adventure, — are performed the last sad funeral 
 rites for those, the ^Svhite sails of whose souls have 
 rounded the last promontory'^ and have passed 
 
 "0#/ of the storm of the doing 
 Into the peace of the done." 
 
 Add to each of these scenes the fond and happy 
 memory of all the joyous Christmas services, to- 
 gether with the sweet solemnities of the glad Easter 
 day with its grand, triumphant note of a glorious 
 resurrection and a fond reunion through faith in 
 the risen Lord, and, at least, the outlines of the 
 picture begin to develop and to appear. 
 
 '^When once thy foot enters the church, be bare, 
 God is more there than thou; for thou art there 
 Only hy His permission. Then beware 
 And fnake thyself all reverence and fear." 
 
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 UNION REPUBLICAN PRINT