Herrnhut; there you would see with your own eyes the wonders God hath wrought for us within these few years; whose glory would have been still more manifest, if we had not often impeded his work. But thanks be to him for what hath been done! For my own person I experience what the Son of God saith, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you!' I have plenty of work. May our great King Jesus, who has begun to establish his kingdom in very many places, defend it against the powers of darkness, and give might and victory to his people. I commend you to the love and protection of God.”

SECTION V.

Internal Dissensions—Means used for their removal—Remarkable celebration of the Lord's Supper on the 13th. of August, 1727—Awakening among the Children-Hourly Intercession.

ALL that has been hitherto related of the work begun at Herrnhut was calculated to inspire hope. It was however, not long before that hope was, if not altogether blighted, yet considerably diminished. Good seed had been sown in this new field, and was beginning to spring up and bear fruit; but tares were sown among the wheat by the spirit of discord, which threatened to choke the good seed altogether.

The increase of the new colony was rapid beyond expectation; for, besides the Moravian emigrants, many pious people of various religious denominations took up their abode in Herrnhut. In making this choice most of them, if not all, were undoubtedly influenced by a sincere desire of effecting the salvation of their souls, which they hoped to promote by their comparative seclusion from the world. They were also pretty well agreed on the great leading doctrines of Christianity. But on some of the abstruser points in theology there existed a considerable difference of opinion, and this prevailed in a yet greater degree with regard to church government and discipline. Mr. Rothe as minister of the parish considered it his duty to inter

fere; but his zeal, not being sufficiently tempered with prudence, carried him too far. By making these dissensions the subject of public animadversion from the pulpit, he excited such general dissatisfaction, that nearly all the new colonists absented themselves from the church. The Moravian emigrants in particular were displeased and declared, that, having left their native country with no other view than to enjoy liberty of conscience, they would not now submit to the imposition of a new yoke.

Many even prepared to quit Herrnhut in search of a place, where they might be allowed to form their regulations entirely on the model of the church of their ancestors.

Christian David, carried away by zeal for his people, went so far, that he built a house for himself beyond the precincts of the settlement; and vehemently urged an entire separation from the Lutheran church, painting its degeneracy in the strongest colours. "Of what use is it," said he, "to venture one's life in the cause of religion, if those, who emigrate, are swallowed up by the Lutheran church, whereby they are deceived and made to believe that they are grounded in grace? Of what use is it, if we are praised and extolled to the skies, and thereby relax in seeking that true conversion of heart, in which we are still defective, and thus only become twofold the children of hell ?"

In the hope of pacifying them, Mr. Rothe in some degree complied with the wish of the emigrants. Various regulations, observed by the ancient Brethren, were, with his approbation introduced at Herrnhut. But this very measure, instead of quenching, in the end tended only to fan the flame of discord. The good people. though doubtless for the most part sincere in their intentions, had not yet learned to practise the apostolic precept, so essential to the maintenance of a church discipline voluntarily submitted to: "All of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility." i. Pet. v. 5.

These contentions had risen to an alarming height in the spring of 1727. When count Zinzendorf, who was then in Dresden, heard of it, he sent a letter to Herrnhut, containing a brief exposition of his views of Christian doctrine and practice.

This failing of success, he solicited, and obtained, leave of temporary absence from the court of Saxony; and hastened to Herrnhut. His first object was to restore mutual confidence between Mr. Rothe and the Moravian emigrants, which had been entirely lost, and to reconcile the latter to the use of the ritual of the Lutheran church. After many conversations with individuals, and long conferences with the most pious, experienced and leading men among them, he, at length, so far succeeded that they consented to make use of the public ministry of the Word and sacraments in the parish church; but insisted on forming regulations for their private and social conduct, according to the usage of the ancient Brethren's Church, to the observance of which all should pledge themselves, who became inhabitants of the settlement.

This request was readily acceded to by the count, who, in conjunction with Mr. Rothe and others, compiled a set of rules, which were called the Statutes of the congregation, and formed a code of laws for its members. It should be particularly observed, that these Statutes were not intended to set forth any NEW DOCTRINES, or enact the observance of any rites or usages, not clearly founded on the holy Scriptures. The object was simply to digest, in a clear and plain form, those precepts of Holy Writ, by which the conduct of the members of a Christian community ought to be regulated, in relation both to their private deportment, and their social intercourse among themselves and others. To these were added some regulations which may be called municipal, because they regarded their civil condition as a corporate body living together in a settlement, the very design of which, agreeably to their original ideas, was, that it should be a village of the Lord, where every thing should be transacted consistently with the principles of his Holy Word. In framing these Statutes, therefore, the precepts of the New Testament, as they respect the conduct of the members of a Christian Church in their individual and associate capacity, were laid for the foundation; and in all matters of outward form or mere expediency, the practice of the primitive Church and the regulations of the ancient Brethren in Moravia were consulted; and were finally adopted as far as

they suited the circumstances of time and place, and the constitution of the country.

The ultimate aim of these Statutes was, to promote true godliness among the inhabitants of Herrnhut, to remove, or at least to lessen, future causes of discord, quicken brotherly love, maintain peace, and preserve the unity of the spirit with Christians of every name and confession. We shall insert the three first Rules, or Resolutions, because they contain the fundamental principles, the rest being little more, than an ap-plication of these principles to the several relations of the inhabitants of Herrnhut, as Christians, citizens, and subjects. They are the following:

I." It shall never be forgotten in Herrnhut, that it is built on the living God, and is a work of his Almighty hand. It is not so much a new settlement,* as an institution formed for the Brethren, and on their account."

II. "Herrnhut with those properly intended to be its inhabitants," (i. e. Moravian exiles,) "shall constantly maintain love with all God's children in every Christian denomination, shall judge none, and abstain from all contentions and unseemly behaviour towards those with whom they may differ in opinion; and endeavour to preserve among its own members the purity, simplicity and grace of evangelical truth."

III. "In Herrnhut the Holy Scriptures shall ever be the only standard of faith and practice, by which our whole conduct ought to be regulated. Agreeably to the Word of God, we can acknowledge such only for genuine members of the body of Christ, in whom the following marks of true faith are discernible. Whoever does not confess that he hath been apprehended solely by the grace of God in Christ, and that he needs this grace every moment of his life;-that the most perfect rectitude of conduct, (if it even were attainable,) can be of no avail in the sight of God without the intercession of Jesus, pleading the merit of his blood, and can be rendered accepta_

* The literal meaning of the German word is place, but it is evidently used here to denote an establishment. Herrnhut was not designed to be the birth-place of a NEW religious sect, but to afford an asylum to the remnant of an ancient church.

ble only through Christ;-whoever does not make it clearly manifest, that he is really in earnest to be delivered from sin, (for which Christ has suffered,) to become daily more holy and more like the image of God, in which man was created, to be more and more purified from the remains of natural corruption, vanity and self-will, to walk even as Jesus walked, and willingly to bear his reproach-such a one is not a genuine Brother. But whoever holds the mystery of faith in a pure conscience, though some of his opinions may be sectarian, fanatical, or otherwise erroneous, shall not on that account be despised by us, or, if he separate himself from us, be forsaken or treated as an enemy; but we will bear and forbear with him in love, patience and meekness. Such persons, who, though they do not dissent from the fundamental principles of faith, yet do not steadfastly continue in them, shall be considered as weak and halting Brethren, and be restored in the spirit of meekness."

On the 12th of May these Statutes were unanimously adopted. Count Zinzendorf first delivered a discourse, which lasted above three hours, speaking with great emphasis on the evil of schism, and the design of the Statutes. These were then read, and all present were required to observe them, and pledge their hand in token of obedience. Contrary to expectation, this was done, with a single exception, by all the inhabitants of Herrnhut, even by those who had hitherto entertained separatistical notions.

If it be remembered, that the inhabitants of Herrnhut then amounted to three hundred or more, this unanimity is truly astonishing, and can be ascribed to nothing less than the mighty, though secret, operations of the Spirit of God. All former dissensions were forgotten. Each was ashamed of himself, and ready to esteem his brother more highly than himself; and all expressed their determination to submit to the teaching of the Spirit of God, and devote themselves to our Saviour. Several years after count Zinzendorf spoke of this event as follows: "This day, May 12th, 21 years ago, it appeared doubtful whether Herrnhut would be governed by the true spirit of a Church of Christ, or become the nest of a new sect, founded on the opinions of a man. By the influence of the Holy Ghost,