the fight of him would make a de- | Dreadful thought of endless woe!

THE Hiftory of the Moravians will be inferted in the two next numbers.

The Editors have received feveral communications figned G. They will be inferted in fome future numbers. Further communications from the fame perfon are requested.

Two letters addreffed to a Lady in high life have been received. Prop er attention will be paid to them.

THE Editors afk the affiftance of their Poetical friends, and requeft them to fend original hymns on Evangelical fubjects.

They alfo request that particular accounts of ordinations in any part of the country may be tranfmitted to them; and alfo accounts of deaths where there is any thing remarkable in the circumftances.

They take this opportunity to return their thanks to the public for the liberal patronage given to this work. The fubfcriptions are numerous, and if their brethren in the miniflry will affift them, they hope to be able to furnif a Magazine monthly which will be acceptable to their readers but without fuch affiftance, the work cannot be long continued. They flatter themselves that a publication whofe object is fo benevolent will not be difcontinued for want of matter. Every circumflance of a religious nature, which can be interefling to the public will be attended to.

Those who have any thing to communicate are reminded that whatever is paid for poftage is fo much taken from the charitable fund to which the profits of the work are appropriated. Several letters have already

been fent, on which the poftage was not paid.

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The Editors do not confider themselves under obligation to fend those Magazines which are taken within the state. They will nevertheless take advantage of every opportunity, where it can be done without expenfe, to convey them to fome principal town in each county, where thofe perfons who have made themselves refponfible may call for the Magazine and make their remittances. The prefent number was delayed to give opportunity for the return of fubfcription bills, but in future a fresh number will be ready for delivery the firft Monday in every month.--As there are many private pofts who take newspapers at the office of the Publishers, it may be well for the fubfcribers to give them orders to take their Magazines. It is expected there will be fome difficulty in conveyance on the beginning of the publication, but it is prefumed regularity will foon be eftablished. As the profits of the publication, if any arife, are devoted to the Miffionary Society, an annual account will be printed of the expenfes, profits, Sc. that it may be feen the Editors are faithful to their engagements.

A concife hiftory of the MORAVIANS, or UNITRAS FRATRUM, of their fettlement in the American States; and of their zeal, perfeverance, and fuccefs, in propagating the gospel.

TH

HE hiftory of the Moravians is fo new and fingular, their perfecutions and fufferings for the gofpel's fake have been fo great, and their zeal, perfeverance and fuccefs in propagating it, in Heathen countries, fo rare and apoftolical, that it is imagined, it cannot fail of being highly intereft ing, inftructive and entertaining to all pious readers.

tongue. In 861, Cyril and Methodius, two Greek bishops, well verfed in the Sclavonian language, vifited Moravia, and were inftrumental of converting Swataplux, king of the Moravians, and his fubjects, to the Chriftian faith.They alfo converted the Bohemians about the fame time. It hence appears, that these countries were chriftianized by means of the caftern churches, and were initiated into the Christian religion, according to the doctrines and ceremonies of the Greek church. The bifhops of Rome, at an early period, began their antifcriptural impofitions on the Bohemian and Moravian churches, and perfecuted them with great heat and cruelty. Otho, the Roman Emperor, having conquered Bohemia, in 940, by the exprefs order of the Pope, enjoin

The Moravians claim their religion from the apoftles; especially from the apostle Paul, and from Titus, one or both of whom they imagine preached in Illyricum and Dalmatia. Thefe were provinces of Sclavonia, in which Mora-ed the Roman liturgy in Latin.via and Bohemia were included. In the fourth century, Jerome, who was born at Strido, a city of Illyricum, with a view to advance the progrefs of the gofpel, in his own country, is faid to have tranflated the bible into his own mother

This was extremely disagreeable and offenfive to the Bohemians; and from that time there commenced a fevere conteft between them, and the Roman pontiff: The lat ter conftantly impofing and infifting upon the Romish mode of worfhip, and the former as obftinately and firmly refifting his impofitions.

The Pope attempted to impofe celibacy on the clergy of Bohemia; and to that fuccee led the doctrine of tranfubftantiation. Both were oppofed with as much zeal and obftinacy as they were enjoined.

he was made rector of the univer. fity. Two years after, Pope John published indulgencies to be diftributed to all people, who would take up arms in behalf of the Romish church, against the King of When Charles IV. Emperor of Naples. The Bohemians burned the Romans, was about founding the bulls of the pope, and the letthe univerfity of Prague, in the ters of the prelates, which accomyear 1361, he invited and conven- panied them, in the public market ed many German, French and Ital- place. The pope was fo exafperian mafters and doctors. Thefe ated with the Bohemians, that he having been accustomed to receive fummoned Hufs to Rome, and by only one of the elements in the fa- an edict, prohibited divine wor cramental fupper, vehemently in- fhip, and the celebration of the fifted that the cup fhould not be re- Lord's fupper, at Prague. Upceived in the holy communion.- on this, Hufs withdrew from the The Bohemians as warmly main-univerfity and city, and itinerated, tained the duty of communicating in the cup. John Milicius, canon of Prague, and his fucceffor, Matthias Janovius, who was confeffor to Charles IV. were both very zealous affertors of the communion in both the elements. For this reason they were both banifhed the kingdom.

About this time, the Bohemians began, with their whole ftrength, to oppofe the impofitions of the Romish church. John Hufs in particular, who was profeffor of the univerfity at Prague, in a very bold and explicit manner, exclaimed against the numerous errors and impofitions of the Romish church. In the year 1400, he was greatly ftrengthened and animated by the writings of John Wickliff, the firft of the English reformers. Thefe were handed to him, from England, by one Peter Payne, an Englishman. Some of these he tranflated into the Bohemian language. He encouraged Jerome, of Prague, to oppofe the errors of popery with the fame zeal and firm nefs, in the fchools, with which he combated them in the church. This procured him great applaufe among the people, and in 1409,

preaching from town

to town, through the kingdom. At length he was fummoned to Conftance, whither he and Jerome went under the fafe conduct of the Emperor Sigifmond. But notwithstanding the Emperor's letter, they were, contrary to all good faith, both of them condemned to the flames. John Hufs was burned on the 6th of July 1415, and Jerome fuffered martyrdom on the 30th of May the fucceeding year. This exceedingly inflamed the Bohemians and Moravians, both nobles. and commonalty, against the popifh party. The rage of the people arofe to fuch an height, in 1419, that the governor and twelve fenators were thrown out at the windows of the council houfe, and fell on the points of the fpears of the armed men. Soon after war was proclaimed by the Papifts, againft the Huffites, as they were then called. After the council of Bafil, the protesting Bohemians unhappily divided among themfelves, and formed into two parties, oppofing each other with great bitternefs and animofity. One party demanded the use of the cup only in the holy fupper, and were cal

pow

clergy ordained the three Moravi-
ans bishops, vefting them with
ers to ordain. At the fame time
they declared unto them, what
great perfecutions they had fuffer-

led Calixtines. The other party, adhering ftrictly to all parts of John Hufs' doctrine, were properly denominated Huffites. Such was the oppofition of these parties to each other that they came final-ed, in France and Italy, for the ly to blows, and open violence. fake of Chrift and his gospel, and how they had continued the fucceffion of the ministry, from the apoftolic age, to the then prefent time. The fame year Stephen, bishop of the Waldenfes, was apprehended, by the Papifts, and burnt alive at Vienna. The Waldenfes were fcattered and many of them joined the United Brethren in the mountains of Moravia.

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.

The perfecutions they endured were inexpreffible, and almoft incredible. The Papifts attempted totally to extirpate them, and to deftroy 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 received 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 That they might live in peace, world. At the dawn of the refand ferve God with a pure con- ormation, by the preaching of Lufcience, king Podicbrad granted ther and Calvin, great praifes were them the Barony of Letiz, in the given by them to the United Brethmountainous places of Moravia, ren. Thefe, after they had been in the neighbourhood of Silefia. imprisoned, tortured and made to To this many of the citizens of endure every kind of perfecution, Prague, bachelors and mafters of which Romish bigotry and malice arts, nobles and the common peo- could devife; and after not only ple retired, with the learned and their enemies, but even their friends unlearned, from all parts of Bohe-imagined they were entirely ey mia and Moravia. As they were tinet, under the kind defirous of a regular miniftry, they elected three men by lot, and fent them to the Waldenfes, in Auftria, that they might receive epifcopal and of those of the Sclavonian churchordination. Bishop Stephen with one of the Moravian bifbops. another of the bishops of the Wal-printed it in England, and prefented denfes, affifted by feveral of their it to King Charles II. A. D. 1660.

ence

A history of these perfecutions,

es was written by Amos Comenius,

Ha