Dutch-Colonies-L Archives

From: "RMH" <>
Subject: [D-Col] The Early Moravians
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000 21:30:46 -0500

I've been reading Benjamin Franklin's autobiography and came across his
comments on the Moravian church, and with all the interest there has been in
the various early churches, I can't resist posting this quotation. This
would have been the situation in the mid 1750s:

"While at Bethlehem (PA) I inquired a little into the practice of the
Moravians: some of them had accompanied me, and all were very kind to me. I
found they worked for a common stock, eat at common tables, and slept in
common dormitories, great numbers together. In the dormitories I observed
loopholes, at certain distances all along just under the ceiling, which I
thought judiciously placed for change of air. I was at their church, where I
was entertained with good music, the organ being accompanied with violins,
hautboys, flutes, clarinets, etc. I understood that their sermons were not
usually preached to mixed congregations of men, women, and children, as is
our common practice, but that they assembled sometimes the married men, at
other times their wives, then the young men, the young women, and the little
children, each division by itself. The sermon I heard was to the latter, who
came in and were placed in rows on benches; the boys under the conduct of a
young man, their tutor, and the girls conducted by a young woman. The
discourse seemed well adapted to their capacities, and was delivered in a
pleasing, familiar manner, coaxing them, as it were, to be good. They
behaved very orderly, but looked pale and unhealthy, which made me suspect
they were kept too much within doors, or not allowed sufficient exercise.

I inquired concerning the Moravian marriages, whether the report was true
that they were by lot. I was told that lots were used only in particular
cases; that generally, when a young man found himself disposed to marry, he
informed the elders of his class, who consulted the elder ladies that
governed the young women. As these elders of the different sexes were well
acquainted with the tempers and dispositions of their respective pupils,
they could best judge what matches were suitable, and their judgments were
generally acquiesced in; but if, for example, it should happen that two or
three young women were found to be equally proper for the young man, the lot
was then recurred to. I objected, if the matches are not made by the mutual
choice of the parties, some of them may chance to be very unhappy. "And so
they may," answered my informer, "if you let the parties choose for
themselves"; which, indeed, I could not deny."

Benjamin Franklin mentioned that he was the youngest son of a youngest son
for five generations. It's a wonderful book!

Regina Haring
Nanuet, NY
http://www.dutchdoorgenealogy.com

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• [D-Col] The Early Moravians by "RMH" <>