reformed clergymen, to Niklaas Ludwig, Count of Zinzendorf.

Count Zinzendorf, then in the twenty-first year of his age, was a Saxon nobleman of great ardour and eccentricity. His mind had received a strong religious bias, from early education under his grandmother, and being then placed under the care of Professor Franke, the Pietist, at Halle, that good man inoculated with enthusiasm a more fiery disposition than his own. Already when a boy he had formed religious societies; already he had bound himself by a vow to labour for the conversion of the heathen, not in his own person, but by enabling others who should be well qualified thus to devote themselves. If his relations would have allowed him he would have entered into holy orders at this early age; and when prevented from this design, he purchased the lordship of Bertholdsdorf, in Lusatia, meaning there to pass his life in retirement. He was, however, induced by his grandmother to accept an office in the Saxon government. To this personage Christian David's application was made known: he replied, that the emigrants might come when they pleased, he would endeavour to provide for them a place where they should not be molested, and meantime would receive them at Bertholdsdorf. Accordingly ten persons from the village of Sehlen, in Moravia, set off for this asylum under Christian David's guidance. On their arrival it was thought better that they should settle in some spot by themselves than in

!

the village, and the Count's major-domo, a man who took a religious interest in their behalf, led them to a place where it was intended they should build. It was a piece of ground near a hill called the Hutberg, or Watch-Hill, on the high road to Zittau the scite had little to recommend it; it was overgrown with brakes and brambles; it was boggy, so that waggons frequently stuck fast there; and there was a want of water. Heitz, the majordomo, had gone there twice before sunrise, to observe the rising of the vapours, and infer from thence in what part a well might be dug with most likelihood of success; and on these occasions he had prayed fervently, that the measures for the benefit of these poor fugitives might be successful, and had resolved that he would build the first house in the name of the Lord. When they came to the ground, one of the women objected to it, and asked where they were to get water in that wilderness; they would rather have settled in the village: Christian David, however, saw what conveniences there were for building on the spot, and striking his axe into one of the trees, exclaimed, "Here hath the sparrow found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts!" So they began their work without assistance, but cheerfully and full of hope.

The Count's grand-mother Lady Gersdorf, who Jesided near at Hennersdorf, sent them a cow, that the children might not want milk. The first tree was felled on the 17th of June 1722, and on the 7th of October they entered their first house. " "May

reformed clergymen, to Niklaas Ludw, in the

of Zinzendorf.

"ac

that Your Watch Hill,

Count Zinzendorf, then in the tw of his age, was a Saxon noblema and eccentricity. His mind ha religious bias, from early grandmother, and being th of Professor Franke, th good man inoculated disposition than his had formed reli bound himself1 of the heath enabling c to devo

and under the

the inhabitants

he Lord!" (Herrn ame of the ground, he of the house upon this will set watchmen upon thy which shall never hold their

allow

der

!

ye that make mention of the and give him no rest till he till he make Jerusalem a praise in From these circumstances the settlewas thus formed obtained the well me of Herrnhut, the watch of the Lord. endorf meantime took little thought of these actions, for he was engaged in wooing and ding the Countess Erdmuth Dorothea Reuss. the close of the year, as he was taking his lady Hennersdorf, he saw from the road equally to his surprize and satisfaction a house in the wood, upon which he stopt, went in to bid the Moravians welcome, and fell on his knees with them and prayed. Shortly afterwards he took possession of the mansion which had been built for him at Bertholdsdorf. Here he collected round him a knot of religious friends, among others Baron Frederic de Watteville, his fellow-student under Professor Franke, and who like himself had imbibed the spirit of Pietism from their tutor. The lady

10

na de Zetzschwitz also came there, whom the afterwards married: - she brought some be educated under her care, and thus oundation of what was subsequently conomy of Girls at Herrnhut. The Moravian emigrants were questioned the Jesuits of Olmutz concerning the their relations, and having undergone imprisonment on that account, and being .eatened with the inquisition because, after their release, they had requested leave to emigrate also, they thought it best to abandon their possessions, and fly to the same place of refuge. The settlers at Herrnhut found themselves so comfortably established that some of them went back to bring away their friends and relations; this gave occasion to severities on the part of the government; and the Count at length thought it advisable to go into Moravia himself, and explain to the Cardinal Bishop of Olmutz that his intention had only been to grant an asylum on his estates to a few protestant families. He endeavoured to procure some indulgence for them in their own country: this he was told could not be done: it was added that they should not be prevented from emigrating quietly,

"Those," says Cranz, "who sought nothing but the salvation of their souls, and on that account forsook their possessions, parents or children, friends and relations, were favoured with such success, that they were often able to free themselves from their chains in a wonderful manner, to leap from an high prison without hurt, to pass through the guards undiscovered in the open day, or to run away and hide thenselves from them. Were they stopped on the road, the upright representation of the true end of their emigrating, and the piteous cries of their children had such an effect, that they were suffered to pass.

but that such as returned to instigate others to remove must take the consequence. This was a wise and humane policy scarcely to have been expected from an Austrian government at that time.

All emigrants, however, were not indiscriminately received: they were examined respecting the manner in which they had left their own country, and their answers were carefully minuted that legal evidence might be given if it were required concerning their reception; and if after awhile it appeared that any person had removed for any other than a religious motive, he was furnished with money for his journey and sent back. The first discussions concerning discipline were occasioned by five young and ardent men, who fled from Moravia, before the connivancé of the government was understood, and set out singing the same hymn which their predecessors had sung when they abandoned their country in a like manner, and for a like cause, an hundred years before them. One of them was that David Nitschmann whom Wesley afterwards found at Savannah. These brethren insisted that the economy of their fathers should be restored, and when the Count and the ministers at Herrnhut did not at once accede to their proposal, they were about more than once

But those who secretly disposed of their property, and took the money with them, or wanted to go off with loaded waggons, were frequently either betrayed, or when they had got half way on their journey, stopped, and brought back again, or plundered of their effects." P. 108. In a certain stage of enthusiasm, men are equally prone to expect miracles and to believe them.