led Calixtines. The other party, adhering ftri&tly to all parts of John Hufs' doctrine, were prop. erly denominated Huffites. Such was the oppofition of thefe parties to each other that they came finally to blows, and open violence. This was the distracted state of Bohemia for nearly thirty years, until those who were more peaceably inclined, about 1450, formed a coalition. Laying afide all party diftinctions, they united in the common principles to which all could affent. After maturing their plan, on the first of March 1457, they formed into a diftinct congregation, as they fuppofed, after the apoftolic fimplicity, by the name of Fratres legis CHRISTI i. e. Brethren according to the law of CHRIST. Finding that fome people confidered them as a new and particular order of monks, they called themselves fimply Brethren. Perceiving afterwards that their numbers confiderably increased, and that they were happily united in fentiment and brotherly affection, they gave themselves the name of Unitas Fratrum, or the United Brethren. That they might live in peace, and ferve God with a pure confcience, king Podicbrad granted them the Barony of Letiz, in the mountainous places of Moravia, in the neighbourhood of Silefia. To this many of the citizens of Prague, bachelors and mafters of arts, nobles and the common people retired, with the learned and unlearned, from all parts of Bohe mia and Moravia. As they were defirous of a regular ministry, they elected three men by lot, and fent them to the Waldenfes, in Austria, that they might receive epifcopal ordination. Bifhop Stephen with another of the bishops of the Wal denfes, affifted by feveral of their clergy ordained the three Moravians bishops, vefting them with powers to ordain. At the fame time they declared unto them, what great perfecutions they had fuffered, in France and Italy, for the fake of Chrift and his gofpel, and how they had continued the fucceffion of the ministry, from the apoftolic age, to the then present time. The fame year Stephen, bishop of the Waldenfes, was ap prehended, by the Papists, and burnt alive at Vienna. The Waldenfes were scattered and many of them joined the United Brethren in the mountains of Moravia. The perfecutions they endured were inexpreffible, and almoft incredible.+ The Papists attempted totally to extirpate them, and to destroy their bibles and good books. They were obliged to meet for divine worship in the night only, and to keep their bibles and other books in the moft fecret places. Some of them emigrated and were re. ceived into England as early as the reign of Edward VI. So vehement was the perfecution, that the Moravian churches became in a manner loft, and invifible to the world. At the dawn of the reformation, by the preaching of Luther and Calvin, great praifes were given by them to the United Brethren. Thefe, after they had been imprifoned, tortured and made to endure every kind of perfecution, which Romifh bigotry and malice could devife; and after not only their enemies, but even their friends imagined they were entirely extinct, under the kind providence A hiftory of these perfecutions, and of those of the Sclavonian churches was written by Amos Comenius, one of the Moravian bishops. He printed it in England, and prefented it to King Charles II. A. D, 1660. of the Great Shepherd, again made their appearance. there began a fettlement. The trustees, under whom the fettlement of that colony commenced, promised them, agreeably to the provifion made, by act of parliament, exemption from all perfonal fervices in war. But on the Spanifh invafion of that colony the inhabitants obliged them to take up arms. This was fuch a grievance, that they left their settlement and poffeffions in Savannah, and in the fpring of the year 1741, began to build Bethlehem in the forks of Delaware, in Northampton county, about fifty miles north of Philadelphia. This is their principal fettlement in the United States. In the year 1793, they had twen About the year 1712, the Papifts commenced a new perfecution against them; their goods were feized, by the Jefuits and they were imprisoned, and tortured with great violence and inhumanity. In this diftreffed fituation, they fought an afylum, where they might enjoy reft and liberty of confcience. Count Zinzendorf, in upper Lufatia, gave them countenance, and leaving their houfes and farms, they repaired with the fmall remains of their property, which had been kept from the hands of the Jefuits, to him; and fettling on his eftate, built Hernhuth, now a place of confiderable fame, in the Saxty-five fettlements and churches on dominions. But even here, their reft was but of fhort continuance. The imperial court, difpleafed with the emigration of the Moravians, made complaint to the king of Poland, then elector of Saxony, and Count Zinzendorf was banished the Saxon dominions, on account of the protection which he had given to thefe oppreffed Proteftants. Exiled from Saxony, he fought for places in other kingdoms, where the Moravians and Bohemians might find an afy-affords trout and other fish. The fitJum. Upon this new difperfion, num within the limits of the United States. There whole number at that time within faid limits was computed at 4700.t Each of + In 1740, the Brethren purchased 500 acres, in Pennsylvania, for a fet time feveral other confiderable pur chafes have been made. This is fitua ted on the river Lehigh, the western branch of the Delaware, in lat. 40°, 37. It is built partly on a high rifing ground, and partly on the banks of a fine creek, called the Manakes. This tlement at Bethlehem. Since that In 1741,they purchased the Barony of Nazareth, 5,000 acres, of the Rev. uation is healthy and pleasant. In the fummer feafon it is frequently vifbers of the United Brethren emi.ited by the gentry from Philadelphia grated to the British dominions and other parts and were admitted to certain ex emptions and privileges by act of parliament. Particularly an act was paffed for their encouragement to fettle in the North-Amer ican colonies. This granted them an exemption from oaths and from perfonal fervices in war. Their affirmation is taken inftead of an oath. George Whitefield. This is in Fenn To miles fouth of Pilot mountain, in Their first arrival in North-A-fix fettlements on this tract. The first merica, was in 1735- A colony commenced 1753, called Bethabara ; came to Savannah in Georgia, and the fecond, Bethany 1759; the third, the congregations, tho' fmall, has a particular minister. With refpect to doctrine, they fay, "We agree with the doctrin al articles of the Lutheran 'church, as they are laid down in the Augsburg confeffion, which the brethren have adopted every where, being perfuaded that they are conformable to the holy fcriptures. The xxxix articles of the English Epifcopal church harmonize with it. We differ ⚫ with all doctrine that is against the holy fcripture, in regard to the fall of man, of redemption by Jefus Chrift, of the operation of the Holy Spirit, and fuch as tends to deny the Godhead of Jefus Chrift." We differ with them who preach rebrobation, or predeftination for damnation, We preach Chrift as the atonement, propitiation for our fins, ' and the fins of the whole world, and that Chrift is willing and * able to fave all; but we also infift on the words, Whofoever ' does not believe shall be damned. The Brethren never taught perfection on this fide of the grave. The doctrine of Jefus and his apoftles, as plainly expreffed, in the holy fcriptures is 'the only gound of the faith of the brethren, the only rule of their faith and their life." Baptifm is administered to children, in a public meeting, as foon as poffible after their birth. After a fhort difcourfe, the child to be baptized is prefented before the communion table, and the minif ter makes a prayer in its behalf. The water, in baptifm, is poured on its naked breast. There are commonly three, and in fome places five perfons, who are witneffes of the baptifm, and who with the minifter, after the adminiftration of it, lay their hands upon the child and blefs it. The holy communion is celebrated in all the churches of the brethren once every month. Those who adminifter it are clothed in white raiment. After the confe. cration, the communicants receive the bread ftanding; a piece is broken in two, and given to two brethren, and fo fucceffively until all have in like manner received their portion. None eats of the bread until all have received it, that they all may eat together at the fame inftant. When the diftribution is finifhed, the communicants inftantly proftrate themselves and eat upon their knees, the minifter repeating the words of the inftitution, Take, eat, this is my body, &c. During Salem 1766. These are the principal fettlements, on this tract. Salem is about the center of it, and is the chief fettlement. In 1769, the brethren purchased 1000 acres for a fettlement in Weft-Jersey. This is called Hope, and the fettlement began immediately after the purchase. In Lan- the whole tranfaction, suitable vercafter county they purchased 500 a- fes of pfalms or hymns are fung. cres the preceding year. This is cal-Much in the fame manner the cup led Litiz; its fituation is in the townis received, and all the communifhip of Warwick 8 miles from Lancafter, and about 70 west of Philacants drink of it. The whole is delphia Thefe are the fettlements of concluded with the kifs of peace, or charity. But as the males and females are kept entirely in distinct places, there are no promiscuous falutations between brethren and fifters. The holy fupper is ad the brethren in the United States. Their whole number at this time may amount to five or fix thousands. A great proportion of them are mechanics. They are an industrious, penceable, inoffenfive people; and by their arts are beneficial to their neighbours.ministered on Saturday evening; and on the fucceeding fabbath there is, what the Brethren_call a post communion, when thofe who had not an opportunity, on the preceding evening, are allowed to par ticipate. rection, and an eternal fellowship with all thofe who have died in the Lord, is called to mind. With respect to their general mode of worship it is Lutheran, and differs not effentially from that of the Epifcopalians. It is not however abfolutely fixed, and entirely the fame in every place. They fay, "In the mode of worfhip is no fixed rule. And it is to be obferved in general, touch The Brethren have a preparatory meeting before the adminiftration of the Lord's fupper, as is ufual in most of the New-England churches. They also keep Agape, or the love feaft, before the communion. In this the congregationing the rights and ufages in the is entertained with the finging of fpiritual fongs; and each perfon receives a small loaf or cake and a cup of tea or coffee. They have alfo the ceremony of the Pedelavium, or feet wathing, in conformity, as they imagine, to the command of Chrill, John xii. 14. Ye alfo ought to wash one anothers feet. This is now but rarely practifed, except on paffion week. It is performed by each fex among themselves, in different apartments or at different times. During the ceremony hymns are fung, reprefenting cleanfing by the blood of Jefus. They ufe the Lot, in doubtful cafes, as a religious rite, but if any are diffatisfied, and unwilling to fubmit to it, they do not oblige them There is another ufage, which feems peculiar to themselves. They affemble on Eafter Sunday, in the church, at the rifing of the fun, when the minifter addreffes the congregation in these words, The Lord is rifen. To which all the brethren reply, The Lord is rifen indeed. Then the brethren go in proceffion to the grave yard, with inftruments of mufic, and the fif ters follow them, and all place themselves about the graves. The minifter then reads what is called the confeflion or Eafter liturgy, in which the hope of a joyful refur.. congregations of the brethren, that they do not remain, in all places and at all times the fame, without any alteration. The brethren have referved to themfelves the liberty to alter and to amend, which the ancient brethren in Bohemia and Moravia made ufe of when they regulated their church difcipline, agreeable to the canon. The difference in ceremonies does not break the unity of the church.” Each congregation, in towns and villages, fettled by the United Brethren, is governed by a conference of elders, who have a watch over the whole congregation, with refpect to the doctrine, walk and converfation of its members. They appoint the times and order of their meetings for divine worship. These they fay, "Are intended for the daily and neceffary nour ifhment of the inward man, by the gospel, and the clofer appli. 'cation thereof to the heart." They have meetings for worship every day. These are partly doctrinal meetings into which all, not only their own denomination, but even frangers, are admitted ; partly fpecial meetings of the com municants, or of the choirs, of the married people, the fingle brethren, the widows, fingle fifters, and of children. The fatbath is wholly devoted to fpiritual edification. On this folemn day, | By this means their mufic is diver fified, engages the attention, and is rendered more agreeable. With refpect to difcipline, they reprefent, that from the beginning of their union, to the present time, it has been their fole aim and earneft endeavour to restore the true original Chriftianity, in doctrine. and practice; and that all evil might be prevented in the congregation, and that every thing which might give rife to fin, fhould, as far as pofiffile be removed from the church. With this view uncommon attention is paid to the inftruction and good government of their children and young people. Parents are not only abundantly enjoined and exhorted to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, but where it is neceffary they are par ticularly inftructed how to do it, and are affifted in it. Schools are appointed for boys and girls refpectively under the infpection of the minifter and elders of the congregation, in which they are inftructed, in the rudiments of hu the pulic worship commences with the church litany, which the minif ter prays over, and is accompanied with the whole congregation by refponfes. For example, when the minifter prays, Lord God, our father which art in heaven, the whole congregation adds, Hallowed be thy name, according to the mode of the Epifcopalian churches. In Bethlehem,, their principal fettlement, to the litany, or morning prayer, fucceeds the children's meeting, to which alfo adults may have admiffion. After finging, a fhort difcourfe is delivered on the doctrinal text for the day. Then follows public preaching to the whole congregation. If the difcourfe to the children has been in English, then the more public preaching is in German, and fo vice verfa. After the preaching a hymn is fung and a fhort prayer made, and the public worship is clofed by a fpeech on the gofpel of the day and the church bleffing. Thefe are the exercises of the forenoon. In the afternoon is lecture, or liturgy meeting, in which an hymn is fung to the Father, Son and Ho-man knowledge, by teachers of ly Ghoft. In the evening is another meeting which is termed the congregation meeting. In this the daily texts are more largely and particularly treated of, and the great grace which God manifefts to a congregation of Jefus Chrift, and to all its members is reprefented, and how they should walk before him according to their heavenly calling, until his appearing. Their finging is melodious and animating. Their hymns are fung alternately, by the brethren and filters. Some lines are fung by one and fome by the other, others are fung by them conjointly. Sometimes a line or feveral lines are fung by the minifter only, or by a choir of fingers. their own fex. Befides the inftruction of the schools, that the children and youth may, in their tender years obtain just impressions of the corruption of human nature, and of the recovery by Je. fus Chrift, they are inftructed by the minifter of the congregation, in the rudiments of Christianity, and examined with refpect to the knowledge which they have ob tained. Befides these usual schools there are particular Economies, as they are called, for the educa tion of the children of fuch pa rents as by means of their occupa, tions and peculiar circumstances, canriot fufficiently inftruct their children and fervants; in which |