Business of the Week: Moravian Historical Society

Within the city limits of Nazareth, there lies a secret society dedicated to the preservation of a religion whose contributions have shaped many features of our world today, although most people don’t even realize it.

OK, they really aren't so secret, but the is centered in Nazareth, and its mission is to preserve the history of the Moravian Church. The society was founded in 1857, and today boasts about 100 members from all over the globe, both Moravians and non-Moravians.

That's right, all over the globe. The Moravian Historical Society works to preserve the history of the entire Moravian Church; members do not focus on Nazareth history or Nazareth Moravians exclusively.

“We preserve the history of the Moravian Church, but [the society] is not exclusively for Moravians," explained Wendy Koller, executive director of the society. "Anyone can come, anyone can join. It’s fun and you’ll learn something.”

So, what can we learn? Well, first you’d have to ask yourself:

"Do I even know who the Moravians are?"

Let’s step back about 600 years, back to the 15th century, to a country formerly known as Moravia (now called the Czech Republic). At that time, worship was only spoken and written in Latin, however, Czech was the chief language of the people and many were unable to understand the services.

Due to the language barrier, a Catholic priest named John Hus advocated for the translation of the Bible, which did not sit well with the Catholic Church. The Moravians were formed after the death of Hus in 1415, making them the oldest-known surviving pre-reformation Protestant denomination, according to Koller.

Fast-forward about 300 years, to 1740. The Moravians, as part of an international missions movement, came to America -- before it was even America -- and to an area owned by George Whitefield, who commissioned the Moravians to build a school for black children.

Whitefield had purchased the 5,000-acre tract of land from the family of William Penn. The land includes what is now known as the boroughs of Nazareth, Stockertown and Tatamy, and the townships of Upper Nazareth, Lower Nazareth and Bushkill. 

In 1741, the Moravians left Nazareth and founded the nearby settlement of Bethlehem. Shortly thereafter, the Moravians purchased the 5,000 acres from Whitefield and continued to develop.

The Whitefield House, Museum and Gray Cottage

The Whitefield House, located at 214 E. Center St., has been utilized in a variety of ways since its completion in 1743, and the Gray Cottage, located at 25 S. Whitfield St., is the oldest standing American Moravian structure.

One of the methods the Moravian Historical Society has utilized to preserve history is through a museum, which has been located inside the Whitefield House since 1871 (that’s 140 years!).

The museum includes a large, permanent exhibit and an exhibit that changes twice per year. The entire second floor of the Whitefield House contains the permanent exhibit, which Koller describes as “600 years of Moravian history on six continents.”

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, the changing exhibit currently displays the separation of the Moravian Church during the era -- the two major congregations of Moravians were located in Bethlehem and in Salem, North Carolina, making them opposing forces during the war.

Moravians Today

Today, it is estimated that there are about 800,000 Moravians worldwide, about 50,000 of whom live in North America.

Here are some of the important contributions Moravians have made, outlined by Koller:

• They brought the first trombones to America.
• The oldest American-made violin was made by a Moravian and is on display in the Whitefield House museum.
• Many famous composers and influential painters were Moravian, like Johann Valentin Haidt, who taught famed painter Benjamin West.
• John Amos Comenius, a Moravian bishop, is known as the “father of universal education.” He believed that women and non-white children deserved to be educated, and he spread his beliefs around the world. He also wrote the book Orbus Pictus, which was the first picture-book for children and was used as a method of teaching foreign languages via picture association.

The Moravian Historical Society is funded by donations, museum admissions and programs. Last year, the state of Pennsylvania cut historical society funding.

“That’s why it’s so important for the community to be involved,” Koller said.

The society holds several programs throughout the year, including a Tea Party event, Halloween and Christmas programs, and monthly “Lectures at Lunch.”

Throughout June, the society will offer five classes in genealogical research. The society has 5,000 books and reference materials, according to Koller. Members of the public can access the records for research at a cost of $5 per person.

Membership to the society is open to any individual for a base fee of $50 per year. To see the benefits and levels of membership, as well as more information on the society itself, visit www.moravianhistoricalsociety.org.

The society’s office and museum are both headquartered in the Whitefield House at 214 E. Center St., just across the street from the .

The museum’s hours are daily, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 per person.

Whitefield House office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Editor's Note: This story has been revised to correct several errors. The corrected information includes that the chief language of the people was Czech, and that an exhibit spans, “600 years of Moravian history on six continents."