the renewal of the church, unknowingly to those engaged in them, will first be necessary.

In the second half of the seventeenth century, God called a man to the service of the Evangelical Church of Germany, who built with great zeal upon the foundation laid by the Reformers, and accomplished a work which they did not live long enough to perform. His name was Philip Jacob Spener, born in 1635, died in 1705. He recognized the importance of awakening more spirituality among Christians, and directed all his efforts to this end; upholding, in particular, the idea of what he called ecclesiolae in ecclesia-little churches within the church-composed of converted Christians, and having for their aim the furtherance of personal piety, and the purifying and sanctifying of the whole church. In the beginning of the eighteenth century, there lived at Hennersdorf, an estate of Upper Lusatia, in Saxony, a learned and godly woman, the Baroness de Gersdorf, who had adopted this idea of Spener, and carried it out in her own immediate circle. On the 26th of May, her daughter, who had married a Count of Zinzendorf, gave birth to a son, who received the name of Nicholas Lewis. His father, who filled a high office at the Saxon court, died soon after, and his education was committed to the care of his grandmother, who took him to her estate, and procured for him a pious and excellent instructor, named Edeling. Under these influences, Zinzendorf grew up and learned to love the Lord with his whole heart, from his earliest

infancy. After having made a covenant, which had for its aim the spread of the gospel, with several friends, particularly with Baron Frederick de Wattewille, while pursuing his studies at the University; he purchased the estate of Berthelsdorf, on attaining to his majority, in order to make it the centre from which to extend his operations on behalf of Christ's cause. In what particular manner these operations. should be carried on, he, as yet, knew not. In the year 1722, Andrew Rothe, a devoted young clergyman, became the parish-minister of this estate, by the vocation of Zinzendorf. A few months later, the Count married Erdmuth Dorothea, Countess of Reuss, a true handmaid of Jesus, who was ready to second all her husband's efforts for the furtherance of the kingdom of God. At that time there lived in the town of Goerlitz, about a half day's journey from Berthelsdorf, a faithful minister of Christ, Schaeffer by name, united with Zinzendorf in the closest bonds of friendship, and sharing his desire to promote the cause of the Lord; and an humble mechanic, called Christian David, a native of Moravia, once a bigoted Romanist, now, after many outward trials and inward agonies, brought to a full knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, mainly through Schaeffer's instrumentality.

These were the agents by whom the Lord God was about to renew the days of the Brethren as of old; and such the preparations which had been going on for the resuscitation of their church.

Christian David had "faith which worketh by

love." Himself rejoicing in the Lord, he longed to make others the partakers of his joy. And so, in the years from 1717 to 1722, he undertook several journeys into Moravia, visiting the former seats of the Brethren, and preaching Christ Jesus and Him Crucified. An awakening took place, in consequence, among those who were evangelically predisposed, and especially in the families descended from the Brethren. Some of these expressed a strong desire to seek a home elsewhere, that they might enjoy liberty of conscience. Christian David came and went several times, without finding for them such a home. But as often as he returned to Goerlitz, he spoke of their wishes. Schaeffer became interested in the case, and reported it to Rothe; Rothe mentioned it to Zinzendorf, and Zinzendorf sent for Christian David. The result of the conversation between them was an invitation to the awakened, on the part of the former, to come to Berthelsdorf, where they should find a retreat until they could secure a better place of abode. This was in 1722. On Whit-Monday of that year, Christian David suddenly re-appeared among his friends in Moravia, when they had given up the hope of ever seeing him again, and brought them the message of the Count. Thereupon two of the grandsons of the patriarch Jaeschke, Jacob and August in Neisser, immediately determined to emigrate. On Wednesday, the 27th day of May, at 10 o'clock at night, these two men, their wives and four children, a young girl who was a relative of the family, and

Michael Jaeschke, whom their grandfather had so earnestly commended to their care in the event of an emigration-ten souls in all-left house and home for Christ's sake, and led by Christian David, safely crossed the frontier. By way of Goerlitz, where Schaeffer welcomed and greatly encouraged them, they arrived at Berthelsdorf on the eighth of June. Nine days later, this little company assembled in a wood of the estate, bordering on the high-road from Loebau to Zittau, in order to begin the erection of a house. The spot was a dreary wilderness, but Christian David, full of faith, struck his axe into a tree and exclaimed, "Here the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God." (Ps. 84: 3.) Such was the beginning of Herrnhut, the mother-church of the Renewed Unitas Fratrum.

In the month of November of the same year, the house was dedicated in a solemn manner; on which occasion Christian David declared it to be his conviction, that a city of God would there arise, whose light would shine far and wide. All these events took place under the direction of Count Zinzendorf's steward, Heiz by name, a man of faith and of God. The Count himself was absent, having accepted a post at the Saxon court, contrary to his own inclinations, but in obedience to the will of his family. In the month of December, when on his way to Hennersdorf, with his young bride and his friend, Baron de Watte

wille, as the carriage passed the spot where Herrnhut now stands, he saw a new house erected near the road. On inquiring of his servants, he learned that the immigrants from Moravia lived there. Zinzendorf alighted from the carriage, and entered the humble abode. That was the first meeting between the Moravian Brethren and the man whom God had ordained to be the chief agent in the renewal of their ancient church.

At that time, however, the Count had no idea of such a thing. He had merely given shelter to a few homeless wanderers. His plan was, without any reference to them, to form on his estate an ecclesiola in ecclesia, of which he, Watte wille, Rothe, and Schaeffer, should be the leaders, and through this association to work for the spread of the gospel. And this purpose he pursued for a time, paying but little attention to the immigrants. But his thoughts were not God's thoughts. The number of Moravian Brethren increased rapidly, for Christian David repeatedly visited his native country, and family after family followed him to Saxony. By and by, awakened persons from Germany were attracted to Herrnhut, and in the short period of five years, a colony was gathered on Zinzendorf's estate, numbering upwards. of three hundred souls.

Meanwhile the Adversary had not been idle. Dissensions broke out among them. The Moravians insisted on introducing the ancient discipline of their fathers; those not from Moravia knew nothing of it,