in fome Measure, thofe Principles, on which Moravianifm refts: So Count Zinzendorf himself is my Warrant; who tells us, he is for acting above Board, and not for fuppreffing of Matters. And in reciting the Moravian Story, I in like Manner endeavour to gain upon the World by candid and upright Dealing. And thus Count Zinzendorf has no injuftice done bim, even fhould be happen to be difpleafed at the recital of Falts. which all Circumstances confidered, were never intended for the Age of the Public. The whole of the narrative Part is taken from unexceptionable Vouchers and Documents, as Letters, and public Acts, which in their proper Places are inferted, where they were not too long: And where not inferted, they are ftill extant, to be produced at Defire. The equal and impartial Public is now, from this Account, put in a Capacity to pass Judgment on the Influence the Moravian Institution may have on the Power both in Church and State; and when it has done fo, to confider whether the Judgment has exceeded, or fallen fhort, been too Severe, or too Mild. It was thought necessary up and down to point at their Arts and Intrigues: To fhew the Danger threatning States, from their Settlements or Colonies: In a Word, to follow the track of Truth, and endeavour to put it in a diftinet and clear Light, for which Purpose the Remarks were added: And that, as the Moravians are wont to express themselves in fo general, fo covert and concealed, fo fly and artful a Manner, that 'tis not an eafy Matter to found their Defigns, without fome previous Knowledge of the Men, or at leaft Some Infight into their System. But as this Syftem is built on fuch Foundations as no State can well fuffer to take Place, without manifeft Prejudice to, and an Abridgement of its most valuable Privileges, and at the fame Time without producing Animofities, Heart-burnings and Difcontents, among the prefent Generation, to be tranfmitted, poffibly to latest Latest Pofterity: Befides, as the Views of the Moravians are generally carried on by fuch Means, as widely fwerve from the regular Methods of proceeding in the World about them: So this fufficiently accounts for the Mifcarriage of the Moravian Scheme in the Territory of Budingen. Allow me now to add my hearty Prayers to God, that he would be pleafed to preferve all States from being ever involved with the Moravians in the Manner the illuftrious House of Budingen was: Tho' this can be no Diminution to the Honour of that House, feeing it no fooner got any Infight into the Characters of fo extraordinary a Set of Men, than it diftinguished itself from all Engagements with them, even to the overlooking its own worldly Advantages, and to the lofs of the Income of a Place in itself fo fair and promifing; preferring, as it was but just, the public to private Benefit. May God alfo open the Eyes of the World to fee how widely different the fpecious external Appearances of the Moravian Brotherhood are from what they arein reality, and that their Inftitution and artful Management are of fuch a Nature, as to afford fufficient Grounds for ranking them among the political Evils of the Age; as their Doctrine has been now for fome Time paft, from convincing Reafons, reckoned by candid Divines among the Evils of the Church. The AUTHOR T HE King of Poland, Elector of Saxo- who repaired to Herrnhut. Count Zinzendorf, not thinking proper to be present at that Conjuncture, went into Wetteravia, where he was acquainted with Godfry Newman, one of the Infpired, who then lived at Marienborn, an empty Caftle in the County of Ifenburgh-Meerholtz, officiating as Clerk of the Granaries. With him he ftaid but a little while, afterwards went to Lindheim, a Village belonging to the Family of Schrautenbach, and from thence to the Caftle of Ronneburg, belonging to the Count of IfenburgWachterbach, which, at that time, was rented, along with its Appurtenances, by the Bailiff Schuchard, who had Permiffion to let out the empty Rooms of this Caftle. From him Count Zinzendorf, and his Retinue, took fome Rooms, firft by the Week, then by the Month, and, after the arrival of the Countefs his Spouse, by the Quarter. This ftay furnifh'd the Count and his Affiftants with two Opportunities: First, they had agreed B with with the Landlord in their quarterly Contract, fill'd up the 22d of July, 1736. "We referve for us, our Domefticks, and fuch "as we bring with us, or that fhall follow us; "the free private Exercife of Religion in our "Rooms, in the manner as we have enjoy'd it hitherto, and as it is quite unnatural, againft "all Proteftant Principles and Laws of Hofpita"lity, to infringe upon the Liberties of Free 86 holders, Inhabitants or any others, or to force "them to our Congregations, but it is in every "one's free Option, to come and frequent the "fame as he pleases; fo the Landlord on his fide "ftipulates, to hinder none, Inhabitants or Stranσε gers, from vifiting the fame, in any way what "foever.' By thefe means, the Moravian Pulpit was erec ted in the Territories of Ifenburg, tho' in miniature, and under the Pretence of private worship, but foon pull'd down again, the Regency of Wachterbach not being willing to let the Count have this Habitation. This laft was the Reafon, that the greatest Part went to Frankfort, and left only a few behind, not to lose entirely the Connexion with Ronneburg. Secondly, The Moravians obtain'd by this ftay an Opportunity to inform themselves perfectly of the Situation of Wetteravia, and to ftudy the Conditions and Tempers of the Sovereigns in this Province. Their Intention was undoubtedly to fettle thereabouts, in a Place, which the Count fhould judge proper for it. They wanted, as hath been related, Permiffion to do this in the County of Hanau, at a Place near the River Mayn, but could not fucceed. obtain the fame, by the new bach, a City near Frankfort, burg Birftein, were alfo in vain. Their Wishes to Buildings at Offenbelonging to IfenThey made, in the the Year 1737, Proposals to the Counts of Ifenburg Wachterbach, about letting them have the Caftle Ronneburg, which came to no Iffue. At laft they addreffed themselves to the Count of Ifenburg Budingen, to obtain the Liberty of him, to build a new Town, upon one of his Demefnes, fituated near the Road to Frankfort. This was not done by Count Zinzendorf; with whom the Count of Budingen would have nothing to do from the beginning, but by other Moravian Brethren, viz. David Nitfchman and Virugelftein, M. A. who for their purpose, wanted to purchase for the real Value, if not the whole Tract of Ground, at least 200 Acres, and to Let them the Caftle Marienborn; but this laft, as they gave out, was only with this View, that the new Families might have their Abode therein, for a while, to bring the new Buildings to perfection. The People that petitioned for their Reception, and Permiffion to erect these new Buildings, confifted of 30 or 40 Families, and their Propofal exhibited by Nitfchman and Virugelstein in September 1737, was to this purport: "Our People will moftly live by establishing a "Woollen and Linen Manufactory, fpinning "of Yarn or Wool, working in Steel and Iron, "Tanning, doing Joyners, Mafons and Car"penters Work, or by following other Callings "beneficial to the Country (1). As for Tailors (1) The Count of Budingen had already took great Pains to enrich his Dominions by encouraging Manufacturers, therefore the Moravians made fuch Propofals, as they knew, would be the moft agreeable. They fhewed Samples of different coloured and white Linen, which, as they pretended, was to be manufactured in their Town: but Time hath proved, that this was not their View, for not one Manufactory hath been by them erected. B 2 " and |