land given to this new settlement. This house was consecrated to the worship of the Lord on the 18th of February 1775, but the regular constitution of the congregation as in full communion with the Moravian brethren did not take place till the 5th of September 1780. As early as the year 1758 the brethren Rogers and Etwein had held meetings in the south western part of Wachovia, in the neighborhood of Hope. A number of persons there were desirous of connecting themselves with the church. These were strengthened by the arrival of seven families from Carol Manor in Maryland, where br. Joseph Powell had preached the gospel to them for some years, and these were followed by others a year or two after. They at first participated in the enjoyment of the means of grace at the neighboring congregation of Friedberg, the brethren Utley and Soelle attending to the english part of the congregation. In 1775 the building of a meeting house at Hope was begun; it was however not completed until spring of 1780, on the 28th of March of which year this house was solemnly dedicated to the worship of God. Br. Fritz took charge of this flock of Christ, which on August 28th was fully constituted a congregation of the brethren's church, the first communion being held October 14th. Meanwhile the number of settlers in Wachovia continued to increase, so that at the close of the year 1769, they amounted to 300, and three years later to 500. In 1771 the brethren Gregor and Loretz arrived in America, commissioned by the general board of the Unity to visit the congregations in this country; the brethren Etwein and H. Christian Alex. v. Schweinitz accompanying them hither from Bethlehem. By occasion of this visit several changes were made; among the rest the system of common housekeeping hitherto maintained in Bethabara, and partly in Salem, was relinquished; and in 1772, the majority of the inhabitants of Bethabara having removed to Salem, the former was now constituted a separate congregation. By these measures the original design to establish one principal central congregation was now carried out, nineteen years after the arrival of the first brethren in Wachovia. During the revolutionary war our settlements experienced in many instances the gracious protection and help of the Lord. Difficulties arising here as elsewhere from opposite views, were gradually overcome, and the harmony, so essential to the welfare of Christian communities, restored. To this end the visit of br. John F. Reichel on the part of the general Board of the Unity in 1780 was signally blessed by the Lord, both in the congregations at the North, and those in this state. A similar visit by br. Johannes de Wattewille took place in 1785. During his stay it was resolved to erect a new church-building, connected with a dwelling for the minister, at Bethabara. The site of it having been deter The mined upon, the corner stone was laid April 8th 1788. After the close of the war, an attempt was made in 1784 to obtain further information about the Cherokee nation, some of them having on former occasions appeared desirous of cultivating further intercourse with the brethren; and a visit was paid to their towns on the Tenessee river. War, however, breaking out shortly after, no further steps could then be taken. But in the year 1799 a second visit was determined upon; in consequence whereof the brethren Abraham Steiner and F. v. Schweinitz visited their so called Upper towns, and were then invited by their chief to come among them and instruct them. In April 1801 the brethren Steiner and Byhan set out from Salem, and by the blessing of God established the first mission among the Cherokees, which has been continued with various success by many missionaries to this day. Before the close of the century, in the latter half of which the brethren had come to and settled in this state, a new church had been erected in Salem, which was solemnly consecrated as a house of God on the 9th of November 1800, the brethren Benzien and Simon Peter officiating on the occasion. On the 13th of that month, an important memorial day of the church, the holy communion was for the first time celebrated in the new church, the communicants of all the neighboring congregations having assembled for the purpose. In the year 1803, fifty years having elapsed since the coming of the brethren to this state and fixing their abode at Bethabara, a solemn jubilee celebration was held on the 17th of November, in memory of the event. In consequence all the members of this first congregation, with their children, were invited to repair to Salem, and the same invitation was given to the adult members of Bethany, Friedberg, Friedland & Hope. Almost contrary to expecta 1 tion, the day proved uncommonly fair for this late season, so that a large number were able to attend. These met at half past nine o'clock A. M. in the handsomely decorated church, uniting in rendering thanks and praises to that unchangeably gracious God and Savior, whose mercies had never failed throughout the half-century past. Deeply bowed down before him, who had indeed done great things for them, the voice of gladness and rejoicing broke forth, and their hearts united in covenanting anew with the Lord, and with each other, to be and to remain His faithful people. At the lovefeast, held in the course of the day, of which upwards of 560 persons partook, the aged br. John Beroth of Bethany, one of the two survivors of the twelve brethren who commenced Bethabara fifty years ago, was present together with his wife; while br. Grube, now eighty-eight years of age, had sent from Pennsylvania, where he then resided, a congratulatory ode, composed by him for the occasion, expressive of his heartfelt sympathy. The whole number of adults and children, in connection with the church at the close of the half century, was about 1280, among whom there were upwards of 400 communicants. The year 1804 was distinguished by the commencement of the Salem female academy, the building erected for this purpose being dedicated in May, and ten pupils, under the care of three teachers (the latter still living) being its first inhabitants. In the year 1806 a visit on the part of the Unity's Elders' Conference took place to our congregations by the brethren Verbeek and Forestier. These were present at the anniversary celebration of the congregation at Bethabara, on which occasion a memorial stone was placed, with solemn ceremonies, on the spot, where the first twelve brethren had found the cabin, which they occupied immediately upon their arrival. An inscription was marked upon this stone" Wachovia settlement, begun 17th November 1753." This stone has lately been set up at the south-east corner of the church. The cornerstone of a new church at Bethany was laid the same year in October, and the building advanced, under the blessing of God, in the course of the two following years, so that the solemn consecration of it could take place on the 19th of March 1809; the following day (20th) being set apart for the celebration of a semicentenary jubilee in memory of the commencement of this congregation fifty years ago. Many brethren and sisters from the other congregations, and many persons from the neighborhood, shared the solemnities of these days. The labors of the missionaries among the Cherokees continued, and on the 13th of August 1810, the first Indian sister, Margaret Ann, a widow, was solemnly baptized. In 1807 an attempt was made to carry the gospel to the Creek nation, the brethren Petersen and Burkhardt having been sent from Europe for this purpose. They however met with many obstacles and some severe trials, amidst which Col. Hawkins, then the government agent, showed them much friendly aid. Suffering severely from fevers, they were visited in 1810 by two brethren; one of them, Dr. Schuma, afforded them medical aid. Shortly after however, this mission had to be given up. In the year 1811 the church at Bethabara was furnished with a cupola, and a bell placed therein. Br. Simon Peter, having serv ed this congregation for nine years, was called to Salem, in consequence of the departure of br. Benzien.-Towards the end of 1817, and more especially in the course of the year 1818, our settlements were visited by fevers, Salem, and those south of it, suffering most; in the former place those attacked by the disease amounted to 160, several of whom on this occasion finished their course through time. This was also the case in Friedland, whereas Bethabara and Bethany continued almost free from the epidemic. In June 1822 the several congregations celebrated the centenary jubilee of the Renewed Church of the Brethren, the 17th of June 1722 being the day, from which dates the beginning of Herrnhut, the first congregation of the renewed church. Ten years later, in 1832, a similar festive commemoration was held of the first attempt of the church in August 1732 to go forth in the faith and strength of the Lord, to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation to the benighted heathen. A solemn celebration of the day of the dedication of the church at Bethabara fifty years ago was held on the 26th of November 1838. The numberless mercies of an ever-gracious God, vouchsafed in years past, were called to mind on that day, and fervent supplications for a new outpouring of His holy Spirit upon this congregation ascended upward to the throne of grace. In process of time a new settlement was begun by several families from North Carolina, among the first of whom was br. Martin Hauser, at Hope, in the state of Indiana, which gradually was formed into a separate congregation in connection with the northern section of the church. A similar settlement was begun in Edward's county, Illinois, whither some families from this neighbor hood had emigrated. A few years after its commencement br. M. Hauser took charge of the gradually increasing congregation gathered there as their minister; the place being now constituted as a separate Moravian congregation by the name of "New Salem." In 1849 this congregation gained considerable accession in numbers by a company of emigrants, who, having been in connection with the church in Germany, sought and found a welcome reception among their brethren in this country. This congregation, under the pastoral care of br. Edwin T. Senseman, remains in connection with the North Carolina section of the church. In the neighborhood of it, the brethren have found an open field for preaching the gospel in several places; and br. Hauser having been appointed some time ago Home missionary to that field, is at present engag ed in procuring the building of a church at Olney, about twenty miles distant from New Salem. In our congregations at Friedberg, Friedland, and Hope the semicentenary memorial days of their being formed into separate societies in connection with the church were respectively celebrated; they continued to be served by such ministers as were called from time to time to this office. Steps were taken in 1822 for the building of a new church and minister's dwelling at Friedberg; the corner stone was laid in February 1823, and the solemn consecration took place in July 1827. A similar measure was adopted at Friedland, where the newly erected church was consecrated in November 1847.-On both occasions many persons from the neighborhood participated in the solemnities. A number of persons in connection with the church, residing in the neighborhood of a public schoolhouse, called "Philadelphia," about five miles west of Salem, some years ago commenced to meet therein for divine worship, and several brethren from Salem preached there at stated times, administering also the holy sacraments. After the call of br. Oerter to Bethabara, the care of this little flock devolved upon him for some time. Subsequently steps were taken to erect a separate place of worship with a burial ground attached to it, and a convenient frame building was constructed during the year 1851. On the 31st of October and 1st of November of the same year this building was solemnly dedicated as a house of God; br. Siewers, who had lately returned from Florida, being appointed pastor of this congregation. For upwards of twenty years home-missionary visits had been made among the people, living on and near the "Blue ridge" in the adjacent counties of Virginia. Besides br. Vaniman Ževely, who as the pioneer in this work had continued, partly alone, and partly in company with other brethren, and persevered amidst no small occasional obstacles, other brethren were in the course of time appointed home-missionaries to these parts. The brethren Rights and Hagen successively attended to this work, preaching partly in meeting houses, partly in private dwellings; and also administering the holy sacraments to such as had become members of the church by baptism or confirmation. It became however desirable to have a permanent station, where regular service might be held, and the holy sacraments administered. After several attempts a suitable locality on " Ward's Gap," about nine miles north of Mt. Airy (fifty miles from Salem) was found; and by the kind aid from Salem and the neighborhood of the place, means were raised for building a convenient church, which was solemnly sensecrated to the Lord on November 24th and 25th of the year 1852. On the second day the members of the congregation, now formed at this station, called "Mount Bethel" partook for the first |