93 RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
besides seven congregations in Alberta, Canada, commenced in 1895 as a result of migrations from Russia.
II. German Moravian Towns: Although the exclusive system on the continent of Europe has been abolished, certain features of the former arrangements have been maintained. The membership, “according to difference of age, sex, and station in life,” is divided into classes, called ‘‘ choirs” (from choros). At the head of each choir stands an elder, or, in the case of a female class, a deaconess, charged with its spiritual interests. Special religious services are held, and an annual day of covenanting and praise is observed. Such classes, or choirs, are maintained in other Moravian churches also. Every settlement has a brethren’s, a sisters’, and a widows’ house, which provide at moderate charges a modest home for the inmates, who are bound by no vows and are free to come and go at will. A sisters’ house is inhabited by unmarried women who maintain themselves by work suited to their sex; and a brethren’s house by unmarried men who carry on various trades. There are two superintendents for each house, one looking after the religious concerns of the inmates, the other managing the temporal affairs. Religious services for all the inhabitants are held every evening in the church.
III. Constitution, Ministry, Ritual, and Usages: (1) In 1857 and again in 1899 the entire constitution of the Unitas Fratrum was remodeled. It embraces four provinces, the German, the British, and two American. They are administratively independent, but together constitute one organic whole in regard to doctrine, fundamental principles of discipline and ritual, and foreign missionary work. There is a general and a provincial government. A general synod meets statedly at Herrnhut, and is constituted of delegates from all provinces, as also from the foreign mission-field. Each proyince has also its provincial synod, which elects its executive board, known as a provincial elders’ conference. These four executive boards together with the mission-board jointly constitute the so-called directing board of the unity, a court of appeal and of supreme reference and counsel during the intervals between sessions of the general synod. The mission-board is elected by the general synod, to which it is responsible, and consists of five members, three of whom must be elected by and as such represent the chief nationalities entering into the membership of the Moravian Church, viz., the German, the British, and the American branches. (2) The ministry consists of bishops, presbyters, and deacons. Unordained assistants, whether men or women, are formally constituted acolytes. The Moravian episcopacy is not diocesan, but represents the entire Unitas Fratrum. In the bishops is vested exclusively the power of ordaining. They constitute a body whose duty it is to look to the welfare, and maintain the integrity, of the Unitas Fratrum in all its parts, and especially to bear it on their hearts in unceasing prayer before God; and, although they are not ex officio connected with the government, they are, as a rule, elected to the governing boards. (3) The ritual is liturgical in character. A litany is used every Sunday morning. Special services,
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at which offices of worship are used, distinguish the festivals of the ecclesiastical year, certain “‘ memorial days ”’ in the history of the Moravian Church, and the annua) days of covenanting of the choirs. The hymnology is rich, and church music very fully developed. Some of the best-known Moravian hymnologists are Zinzendorf, Countess Zinzendorf, Spangenberg, Louise von Hayn, Gregor, James Montgomery (q.v.), F. W. Foster, John Cennick (q.v.), Ludolf Schlicht, Benjamin La Trobe, John Swertner, Garve, and Albertini. Love feasts, in imitation of the agape of apostolic times, are celebrated. The pedilavium, or foot-washing, was formerly practised within limited circles, but was abrogated in 1818. At one time the lot was employed in the appointment of all ministers, and marriages were contracted in the same way. Its use has been abolished; its employment with regard to the marriages of members was done away with in 1818.
IV. Doctrine: The Moravian Church does not set forth its doctrines in a formal confession of faith, as was done by its Bohemian fathers; but the cardinal points are found in its catechism, in its Easter Morning Litany (Schaff, Creeds, iii. 799), and in its “‘ Synodical Results,” or code of statutes drawn up by the general synod. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, venerated as God’s Word, containing all the truths that declare the will of God for man’s salvation, are held to be the only rule of faith and practise. The following truths are held to be clearly attested by Holy Scripture, and as such essential: the doctrine of the total depravity of human nature, the love of God the Father, the real Godhead and real humanity of Jesus Christ, our reconciliation to God and our justification by faith through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost and his operations, good works as the fruit of the Spirit, the fellowship of believers, the second coming of the Lord, and the resurrection of the dead unto life or unto condemnation. On the other hand, Moravians hold that “it is not our business to determine what Scripture has left undetermined, or to contend about mysteries impenetrable to human reason” (A. G. Spangenberg, Exposition of Christian Doctrine, London, 1784; H. Plitt, Glaubenslehre, Gotha, 1863; idem, Zinzendorfs Theologie, 3 vols., Gotha, 1869-74).
V. Enterprises of the Church: There are in the four provinces 28 boarding-schools for young peo-
ple not connected with the Moravian
1. Schools. Church, at which schools about 2,000
pupils of both sexes are annually edu-
cated. In 24 day-schools between 2,500 and 3,000
scholars are also under the influence of the church.
Besides these are three colleges and theological seminaries,
Although three Protestant missions existed prior to the Moravian missionary work, such enterprises were all undertaken in connection with the planting of colonies. The Moravians were the first Prot-
estants who went among the heathen 2. Missions. with no other purpose in view than that of saving souls. In 1732 Leonard Dober and David Nitschmann (q.v.) inaugurated on the island of St. Thomas that work to which the
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