SIR,

THE

Bromley, Jan. 28, 1816.

HE following early account of the Moravian Brethren, by Dr. Doddridge, so far as I can learn, has never been printed. It came into my possession among some old family papers, and must have been copied at least sixty years ago, probably much nearer the date of Dr. Doddridge's letters. These dates are omitted in the extracts, but from internal circumstances may be safely fixed at 1736 or 1787. It appears from Mr. La Trobe's English edition of Crantz's History of the Brethren, in German, (p. 213,) that Count Zinzendorf arrived in London, Jan. 20, 1787, and there received in August following a congratulatory letter from Potter, Archbishop of Canterbury, on his having become a Bishop of the Moravian Church. The Latin original and translation are preserved by Mr. La Trobe, in his preface, where he adds, that "Dr. Isaac Watts also gave a testimony to this church, under the patronage of that noble and excellent person, Count Zinzendorf, in a letter, dated Dec. 21, 1738." By a note (p. 240) it appears that this letter is preserved in the Acta Fratrum, App. 56, p. 42, and that Dr. Doddridge corresponded with the Brethren the same year.

It would be unjust to the memories of such men as Watts and Doddridge, and indeed of the persons mentioned in these extracts, to introduce them in connexion with such an equivocal character, to say the least, as Zinzendorf, without recollecting that the Count, at the date of these extracts, and, as I apprehend, for some years afterwards, was known in England, only as a very zealous and indefatigable Christian Propagandist. Watts and Doddridge were both deceased before Mr. Rimius, the historian of the House of Brunswick, published in 1753, his Candid Narrative

of the Rise and Progress of the Herrnhuters. Mr. Rimius was a German who had frequented their public religious meetings. In his Narrative he has given the German originals and translations of numerous passages from the Count's published Sermons and Hymns, which shew what shocking indecencies, at least in phraseology, he had connected with his theological system. Of these Dr. Maclaine has preserved quite sufficient, to surprise and disgust any reader, in his Translation of Mosheim, Ed. 2nd. (p. 85. Note s.) A larger account is in the Gen. Biog. Dict. 1784 (ix. 327).

In 1754, Mr. Rimius added A Solemn Call on Count Zinzendorf, and in 1755, A Supplement to the Candid Narrative. Count Zinzendorf, who lived till 1760, died,and made no sign. He could not venture to examine the Candid Narrative. Nor has Crantz, who wrote in 1771, nor Mr. La Trobe his editor, in 1780, and whose sobermindedness, like that of Mr. Gambold, tended to redeem the character of his sect, ever mentioned the name of Rimius or referred to his Charges against Zinzendorf; a sufficient proof of their inability to refute them, though no evidence of their candour, or even integrity as historians.

I have added a few notes to explain or confirm some passages in the extracts, and remain, Sir, Yours,

ago. I had just then received an account from my reverend and worthy friend, Mr. Ingham, a Clergyman of the Church of England, who having spent almost a twelvemonth at Savanna, in company with several of them, received the greatest part of his information from them, and especially, from the Rev. Mr. Spangenberg, Pastor, or as they call it, Bishop of the Moravian Church at Philadelphia.†

I need not tell you, Sir, how well the names of the Moravian and Bohemian Brethren were known, long before Luther's time, for I doubt not but you are much better acquainted than I with those singular footsteps of Divine Providence by which the beginning of a reformation was raised among them, as it had been long before among the Waldenses, from whom, nevertheless, I cannot find that doctrine or discipline was derived; though there was a great resemblance between them. Those churches, throughout all the succeeding ages, have remained, in part at least, a distinct body, neither incorporated with the Lutherans, nor Calvinists, nor any other sect in Germany; and in cousequence of that, together with the remarkable strictness of their discipline, though in doctrine they have indulged to a great latitude; they have been continually exposed to persecution not only from Papists but from Protestants too.

I think it now about fifteen years since five of them, flying from the violence to which they were exposed at home, took refuge in a wood at Herrnhut, which was a part of the celebrated Count Zinzendorf's estate. That pious nobleman, returning from the Court of Dresden, weary of their impieties and immoralities, and fearful of hazarding his salvation by a longer con

Benjamin Ingham, in the same ship with John and Charles Wesley, accompanied to Georgia in the spring of 1735, the third colony sent out by the Moravians. "Ingham, in conjunction with the Boheinian brother Rosa and his wife set up a school for the Indians, not far from an Indian village." In 1738, Mr. Ingham, with John Wesley, accompanied from England a "Moravian brother," into Germany, which Mr. I. appears soon to have left, and become a very popular preacher in Yorkshire. See La Trobe's History, pp. 194, 226, 228.

+Augustus Gottlieb Spangenberg, A.M. of the University of Halle. He united himself to Count Zinzendorf at Herrnhut in 1733, was in Georgia, and afterwards at Philadelphia in 1736, but not consecrated Bishop till 1744. He finally returned to Europe in 1762, and was commissioned in 1764 to write the Life of Zinzendorf. Id. pp. 182, 258, 310, 531,

564.

tinuance there, happened to pass through that wood, and saw a little hut lately raised, and perceiving a smoke in it, had the curiosity to alight and go into it, where he found these five refugees who, in a very respectful manner, owned themselves trespassers on his ground, and discovering their religion and circumstances implored his protection. This he readily granted, and entering into some religious discourse with them, was so much impressed that he invited, and encouraged their frequent visits, and soou set up, first weekly, then daily preaching, exposition and prayer, in his family, to which any one that pleased to come was admitted.†

The number of the congregation soon grew considerable, and one of the Moravians was dispatched to carry the agree, able news into his native country: but, either in his journey or return, he was seized by the Roman Catholics, whipt from town to town like a felon, frequently threatened with immediate death, all the intimations of which he received with the most heroic resolution, and at last died of their repeated ill usage. Nevertheless

The five refugees from Moravia were brothers, named Neisser, who had joined Christian David, a carpenter. He began

the settlement at des Herrn Hut or the Watch of the Lord, by striking his axe into a tree, and exclaiming, Here hath the sparrow found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself; even thine altars O Lord of Hosts. Count Zinzendorf "even in the 10th year of his age, had formed the resolution of being a preacher of the gospel," though in 1721," in obedience to his grandmother he had accepted a post in the administration at Dresden." year, however, he became acquainted with Christian David. Yet he does not appear to have been apprized of the settlement at Herrnhut till 1722, when he was returning from Ebersdorf, where he had married the "On the 21st of DecemCountess Reuss.

That

ber, he was conducting his Lady to Hennersdorf; and having descried from the road a house in the wood, he signified his surprise, but also his satisfaction; went in to these Moravians, and, bidding them welcome, fell with them upon his knees and prayed. Soon after, he moved into his newly-erected mansion at Bertholdsdorf." Id. p. 94-101.

No account agreeing to this appears in Crantz's History or La Trobe's Notes. It appears that in 1723, "Christian David set out again for Moravia," where "his conversations occasioned a great emotion," and roused the zeal of Melchior Nitschmann, who was confined "a long time in prison, and was there treated most unmercifully; but was at length set free with derision." Another of the same name

wheresoever he was carried, and even while they were lashing him, he preached the gospel with great success; and in consequence of his witness and sufferings crowds flocked into the Church at Herrnhut, in which there are, if I recollect right, about six hundred adult communicants, four hundred of whom, being under religious convictions, they call illuminated, and two hundred catechumens. They sent out missionaries to propagate the gospel in various parts, and particularly in Lapland, where I am told they met with considerable

success.*

Though the Count, who, it seems, has taken orders, has devoted his whole estate, which is very considerable, to charitable uses; yet the number of exiles, flowing in apon them, has been greater than his liberality could support, which joined with their zeal of propagating their religion has induced many of them to go over to Georgia as others have done to Pensylvania. Friend Ingham had the pleasure of the pious company of fifteen in the ship which conveyed him and Mr. Wesley to Georgia, and I cannot forbear mentioning a little eircumstance which I find in the journal now, by the favour of that fraternity, in my hands, which is, that a violent storm arising, in which the whole company expected to perish, immediately when the

is said to have "ended his race on Maunday Thursday, 1729, in prison, after three years' confinement for the sake of the gospel, which he attempted to bring to his country people in Moravia." Id. pp. 103 and 107.

In 1734 three of the Brethren offered to undertake a mission to Lapland. They traversed Swedish Lapland, but attempting a mission to Russian Lapland, they were arrested at Archangel, in 1738, as Swedish Spies, and after suffering great hardships, brought to Petersburg, where" their simplicity and uprightness helped them through. A certain great minister furnished them with a passport to Lubec, with these words: Ye may go your way, good people; your service is not wanted here." Id. pp. 188, 189.

+ The Brethren early "established a fund, called by them the Lamb's, or the Saviour's Chest, which became very considerable by the contributions of the proselytes of Herrnhutism. From the beginning two brethren were trusted with it, of whom one kept the chest and the other the key." The Countess is said to have "so well husbanded the scanty funds of the society that nothing was ever wanting, either in her family, or among the bro therhood, though there had been a neces sity of furnishing from thence above one million of crowns for sundry undertakings." Rimiur's Cand. Nar. p. 28.

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English sailors were in the utmost consternation, the Moravians stood upon deck singing psalms, with all the marks of joy and composure in their countenances, imagining they were come to the period of all their trials and just entering upon glory. On which Mr. Wesley observes that he could not forbear representing to the sailors, in a short discourse, the singular happiness of the servants of God above all others.

I may, perhaps, communicate to you from their original papers the substance of a conference which these Englishmen had with Mr. Spangenberg. It will be suffi cient to add that they soon entered into measures for a mission to the Indians of Georgia, with some remarkable success. Those poor creatures run seven or eight miles, after their day's work, and spend great part of the night in receiving religious instructions, though they are sure, at their return, in the morning, to be most severely scourged by their Christian masters, if their journey has been discovered. I will, in my next, which you may very quickly expect, give you a particular account of some very remarkable providences with respect to these Moravians which, if they may be believed, on the credit of the gentleman mentioned, are worthy of notice, to which I shall add something further of Mr. Ingham.

LETTER II.

I resume the subject of my last, and mention two or three more remarkable circumstances, relating to the Moravians, which I had from my good friend, Mr. Ingham.

He tells me there is a most remarkable spirit of prayer amongst them, and especially for the propagating of religion in the world; to which end, that prayers may be made continually, there are a certain number of them formed into two little societies, one of men and the other of women, who do in their turns keep up prayers through all the hours both night and day.

The

This is an exact description of the treatment negroes have often endured, but it appears from Morse that Negroes were not at this time employed in Georgia. It is difficult to understand who were these Indians, Slaves to Christian Marters, as the school méntioned in Note *, p. 66, was for the children of free Indians, the Creeks, and encouraged by their King Tomo. See Morse. Georg. 8vo. p. 453, &c. and La Trobe, Hist. pp. 194 and 230.

"At all hours, whether day or night, some persons of both sexes are appointed by rotation, to pray for the society. These people, without call, clock or watch, are acquainted by au inward feeling when their honr comes, in which they are to perform