Course: History of
Modern Missions
Section Two:
Lesson 3.
Lesson Title: The
Moravians at Herrnhut
Introduction: - Count Zinzendorf and Herrnhut
Count Zinzendorf (1700-1760) "I have one passion, tis He"
Count Zinzendorf
became aware of the plight of the Moravians.
They faced severe persecution for their evangelical beliefs. Persecution through the
teaching of the Counter- Reformation and the edicts of Charles VI. Exiles from
Introductory
Story: Christian David (1690 – 1751)
1690 Born December 31st in
1710 Protestants preached salvation by faith in
Christ alone
Sought
for truth - Read through the Bible; Sought instruction from Jews
Eventually
left Catholic Moravia and joined Lutherans in
Disillusioned
by Orthodox Lutherans joined Prussian Army
1715 In
army during war with
1717 Heard Pietist preachers – Schafer and Schwedler
Schwedler
visited him daily during 20 week illness – came to faith in Christ
Married member of Schwedler's congregation.
Lived in
Known as the Bush preacher – revival in
John Wesley was impressed by the sermons of Christian David when he visitied Herrnhut in 1738.
Main Points
·
Made
covenant,
a)
To
emphasise points of agreement
b)
Dedicate
themselves to service of the Lord.
·
Moravian
Revival 1727 – extraordinary prayer (before and during)
a)
b)
c)
Over the next 25 years 100 Moravians were sent out from Herrnhut as Missionaries.
The Moravian missionary movement developed
through prayer at Herrnhut.
Continuous prayer took place at Herrnhut. Like the fire on the altar in the tabernacle that
never went out, the Herrnhutters kept the incense of
prayer continuously offered up to God.
Beginning of the Moravian
Missionaries Movement.
Moravians begin to send missionaries.
1732 Two Moravians went from Herrnhut to be missionaries to the slaves in the
·
1731
Zinzendorff met converted slave, Antony
Ulrich, in
1732
First
Missionaries go to
•
1733-1737 Missions begin
in
·
1735
Moravian Missionaries went to
1752
The Journal of John
Wesley: John Wesley and the Moravians
John and Charles Wesley went as missionaries
to
·
1736 Wesley’s initial encounter with Moravians.
Twenty-five Moravian missionaries travelled to
Peter Bohler (1712-1775)
·
–
Wesley’s conversion.
Founded
many Moravian settlements in
Ordained as the Moravian
Bishop to
Preached
among the slaves and the North American Indians.
One of
the first to teach basic education to the black slaves in
Founded
Moravian work in
·
1738
Wesley’s conversion.
Through Bohler's teaching John and Charles Wesley came to have
faith in Christ alone for salvation (February – May 1538).
John
Wesley remained a friend of Peter Bohler but John and
Charles Wesley separated themselves from the Moravians over doctrinal
differences.
Bohler appears to have believed in the erroneous doctrine of ultimate universal redemption. (See reply of George Whitefield to John Wesley regarding 'Free Grace')
John
Wesley (
‘In the
evening I went very unwillingly to a society in
About a
I then testified
openly to all there what I now felt in my heart.'
Notes:
The Journal of John Wesley: John Wesley and the Moravians
The Moravians are fearless in the face of great
danger
Sunday January 25, 1736.—At
In the
midst of the psalm wherewith their service began, the sea broke over, split the
mainsail in pieces, covered the ship, and poured in between the decks, as if
the great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible screaming began among the
English. The Germans calmly sang on. I asked one of them afterward, “Were you
not afraid?” He answered, “I thank God, no.” I asked, “But were
not your women and children afraid?” He replied, mildly, “No; our women and
children are not afraid to die.”
___________________________________________________
Wesley meets the Moravians in
Tuesday February 7, 1738.—(A day much to be remembered.) At the house of Mr. Weinantz, a Dutch merchant, I met Peter Bohler,
Schulius Richter, and Wensel
Neiser, just then landed from
Peter Bohler preaches
‘justification by faith alone’ to the Wesleys.
Saturday March 4, 1738.—I found my brother at
Immediately
it struck into my mind, “Leave off preaching. How can you preach to others, who
have not faith yourself?” I asked Bohler whether he
thought I should leave it off or not. He answered, “By no means.” I asked, “But
what can I preach?” He said, “Preach faith till you have it; and then, because
you have it, you will preach faith.”
Accordingly,
Monday, March 6, I began preaching
this new doctrine, though my soul started back from the work. The first person
to whom I offered salvation by faith alone was a prisoner under sentence of
death. His name was Clifford. Peter Bohler had many
times desired me to speak to him before. But I could not prevail on myself so
to do; being still, as I had been many years, a zealous asserter of the
impossibility of a deathbed repentance.
Monday May 1, 1738.—The
return of my brother’s illness obliged me again to hasten to
This
evening our little society began, which afterward met in
Wednesday May 3, 1738.—My
brother had a long and particular conversation with Peter Bohler.
And it now pleased God to open his eyes so that he also saw clearly what was
the nature of that one true living faith, whereby alone, “through grace, we are
saved.”
Thursday May 4, 1738.—Peter Bohler
left
John Wesley’s conversion
Monday (21), Tuesday (22), and
Wednesday (23), I had continual sorrow and heaviness in my heart.
Wednesday May 24, 1738.—I think it was about five this morning
that I opened my Testament on those words, “There are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises, even that ye should be partakers of the divine
nature” [II Peter 1:4].
Just as I went out, I opened it again on those words, “Thou art not far from
the
In the evening I went
very unwillingly to a society in
I began to pray with
all my might for those who had in a more especial manner despitefully used me
and persecuted me. I then testified openly to all there what I now first felt
in my heart. But it was not long before the enemy suggested, “This cannot be
faith; for where is thy joy?” Then was I taught that peace and victory over sin
are essential to faith in the Captain of our salvation; but that, as to the
transports of joy that usually attend the beginning of it, especially in those
who have mourned deeply, God sometimes giveth,
sometimes withholdeth, them according to the counsels
of His own will.
After my return home,
I was much buffeted with temptations, but I cried out, and they fled away. They
returned again and again. I as often lifted up my eyes, and He “sent me help
from his holy place.” And herein I found the difference between this and my
former state chiefly consisted. I was striving, yea, fighting with all my might
under the law, as well as under grace. But then I was sometimes, if not often,
conquered; now, I was always conqueror.
Thursday 25 May, 1738.—The moment I
awakened, “Jesus, Master,” was in my heart and in my mouth; and I found all my
strength lay in keeping my eye fixed upon Him and my soul waiting on Him
continually. Being again at
Wednesday June 7, 1738.—I determined,
if God should permit, to retire for a short time into
[The next three months
Wesley spent in