In reply to the very natural question why the Moravians began their work in England, the answer given by history is that John Wesley, on his voyage to Georgia (1735) met some Moravian emigrants; that on his return he met Peter Boehler, who was on his way to North Carolina; that through Boehler's influence both John and Charles Wesley were "converted" (1738). For a few years they took an active share in the Evangelical Revival (1738– 1755); but Zinzendorf's "ecclesiola" policy prevented their growth, and not till 1853 did the English Moravians resolve to aim at "the extension of the Brethren's Church." In 1749 the British Parliament recognized them as "an ancient protestant episcopal church." In foreign missions the distinctive feature about the Moravians is, not that they were so early in the field (1732), but that they were the first Protestants to declare that the evangelization of the heathen was the duty of the Church as such. Hitherto it had been a part of colonial policy. It was this that made their missions so influential.
Present Condition.—I. Enter prises: (I) Foreign missions in Labrador, Alaska, Canada, Cali fornia, West Indies, Nicaragua, Demerara, Surinam, Cape Col ony, Kaffraria, German East Africa, North Queensland, West Himalaya. (2) Leper Home near Jerusalem (1867). (3) Diaspora in Germany, Switzerland, France, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Po land. (4) Church extension in Germany, Great Britain, North America. (5) Boarding Schools: German province, 14; British, 7; American, 5. (6) Church Revival in Bohemia and Moravia, begun in 1869, and sanctioned by the Austrian government (188o). In Germany the official title of the Church is Evangelische Briider Unitiit; in Austria, Evangelische Briider-Kirche; in England and America, Moravian Church.
II. Doctrine.—At the General Synod of 1909 they reaffirmed their old fundamental principle that "the Holy Scriptures are our only rule of faith and practice"; but at the same time they de clared that their interpretation of Scripture agreed substantially with the Nicene Creed, the Westminster and Augsburg Confes sions, and the Thirty-nine Articles. Since 1879 their leading doc trines have been formulated as follows: (I) the total depravity of man; (2) the real Godhead and real humanity of Christ ; (3) justification and redemption through the sacrifice of Christ; (4) work of the Holy Spirit; (5) good works as fruits of the Spirit ; (6) fellowship of believers; (7) second coming of Christ ; (8) resurrection of the dead to life or judgment.
III. Ceremonies.—At morning worship the service consists of a litany, scripture lessons, sermon, singing, extempore prayer. At the evening service a litany is rarely used. The Communion is celebrated once a month. Infant Baptism is practised. There are three modes of admission to membership : in the case of the unbaptized, adult baptism (not immersion) ; in other cases con firmation or reception.
IV. Church Policy.—It is now held by some Moravians that their Church offers a via media between Anglicanism and Dissent. At the meeting of the Lambeth Conference in 1907 some overtures, on certain conditions, were made for (a) joint conse cration of bishops, (b) joint ordination of ministers, (c) inter change of pulpits. In response the Moravians, at the General Synod (5909), welcomed the offer, but also declared their wish (a) to preserve their independence as a "Protestant Episcopal Church"; (b) to co-operate freely as heretofore with other Evan gelical Churches.
Schweinitz, History of the Unitas Fratrum (1885) ; Muller, Die deutschen Katechismen d. Bohm. Briider (1887). On the renewed Church: Hamilton, History of the Moravian Church during the 18th and 19th centuries (1900) ; Hutton, History of the Moravian Church (1909) ; articles "Biihmische Briider" and "Zinzendorf" in Herzog Hauck, Realencyklopiidie, and art. "Moravians" by E. R. Hasse m Hastings', Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics. (X.) The United States.—The Unitas Fratrum, Brethren's Unity, known better in America as the Moravian Church, occupies a unique position among the churches coming to or arising in the United States, in these respects : it was the first to form an act upon the idea of converting heathen peoples, beginning at once among the Eskimos of the Arctic shores and the Indians of North America. It has gained more members among the heathen than it has had in its home churches. It has preserved its unity from a single division. It is the only Protestant Church to be under a single general supervision in its German, English and American territories, and the only one that has had from the first an unques tioned apostolic succession for its episcopate.
The Moravians began to arrive in Georgia and in Pennsylvania in the first half of the 18th century. The company that came to Georgia in 1735 removed to Pennsylvania, where other companies from abroad joined them, including Count Zinzendorf, who won the confidence of neighbouring Indians, the Six Nations, includ ing permission to sojourn at will among the Iroquois. He also organized a church of six members at Skeksmeter, N.Y., among the Mohicans. In an attempt to unite German immigrants of the Lutheran and Reformed faiths, who had scarcely been able to organize themselves, he was less successful, though many con ferences or synods were held; but meantime he brought about the organization of Moravian churches in Bethlehem, Nazareth and elsewhere and saw economical community settlements, like that of his own Herrnhut in Germany, begin at Bethlehem and Nazareth. These communities ceased to exist in 1856. The Moravian church did not develop rapidly in the United States, following in this respect the history of the denomination in Germany and Great Britain, perhaps because it was so greatly absorbed in developing its work among the heathen, Indians and Orientals. It sent, it may be, too many of its ministers and bishops to the pagans. Since the World War the missionary management has been di vided and the foreign missions apportioned among the American and other provinces. The Church in America has for many years been organized into two provinces, the northern with its headquarters at Bethlehem, Pa., and the southern centring at Salem, N.C. At Bethlehem are the Missions Board and a Publi cation Society, with Church Extension and Sustentation societies. In 1927 the church in the United States had 150 ministers, churches and 26,241 communicants. (H. K. C.) See J. Taylor Hamilton, The Moravian Church (1895).