directors that no one who understood church history could doubt of the fact that the church of the Bohemian brethren was both apostolic and episcopal. The count became acquainted on this occasion with the founders of Methodism in England, and lived on terms of friendship with them, until a marked separation took place between them and the Brethren on account of the doctrine of christian perfection, which the former prominently held and taught. In the following year he again staid several weeks at Berlin, where he delivered, in his private meetings, his subsequently published and popular "Berlin Discourses." The great crowds of hearers of all classes of society who attended these meetings—sometimes more than forty carriages were waiting before his house—created much jealousy; but as he enjoyed the king's favour and protection, he remained unmolested. His stay at Berlin led, moreover, to the formation of the society there, which was afterwards joined by the resident Bohemians. In October, 1738, he went to the island of St. Thomas to visit the mission there. He found the missionaries in prison, obtained their release; and, by a representation of their case which he transmitted to Copenhagen, secured them and their work against further interference. On his return, he went first to Holland and then to Switzerland, where he sojourned chiefly at Geneva, and formed new connections.
In September, 1741, he travelled by way of England to North America, where he took special charge of the German Lutherans of Pennsylvania as their pastor, and also made three several journeys into the forests of the Indians to inspect the missionary operations of the Brethren among them. He further essentially promoted the establishment of congregations in Pennsylvania, particularly those at Bethlehem and Nazareth. On his return to Europe he undertook a second journey to Livonia in 1743, but he was arrested at Riga, imprisoned in the citadel, and afterwards ordered to quit the Russian dominions. He then visited the newly-established congregations in Silesia, and staid some time in Wetteravia, where the congregation at Herrnhaag had become a flourishing settlement. About this time a flood of libellous writings was poured forth against him, which for the most part were full of monstrous falsehoods, though they were in some measure justified by the contents of some of his published writings. These publications had been often hasty and unauthorized, and consisted of discourses of a purely extemporaneous character, which had been taken down by injudicious and indiscriminating admirers; hence many expressions occurred in them which gave just cause of offence. The truth is, that while he strove to oppose the religion of the heart to the dead orthodoxy around him, he had often in his mode of expression given way to excited feeling, and too often departed from, the sobriety and caution of scripture language—a procedure by which impulse had been given to an eccentric and objectionable expression of christian life in the Brethren's church. This error, however, he soon saw himself; and while he frankly acknowledged its injurious effects, he hastened to check and correct them, taking upon himself the blame, in a public and penitent declaration to the congregations, and leading them back into the right way. In the year 1747, after a ten years' banishment, and after Herrnhut had become a wealthy and flourishing settlement whose usefulness was fully acknowledged by the government, he was permitted to return to Saxony. This permission, unsolicited on his part, was accompanied by the formal promise of a strict and thorough inquiry into the character and circumstances of the congregation. Having thus freely obtained what hitherto had been refused to his earnest entreaties, he arrived at Herrnhut on the 14th of October, the text of the congregation for that day being—"The Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends." The commissioners who were sent to Herrnhut, under the presidency of Count von Holzendorf, and whose transactions were afterwards printed, expressed themselves thoroughly satisfied with the state of the congregation, and the result was a royal decree which secured to the Brethren their ecclesiastical privileges in Saxony. In the year 1749 the count again proceeded to London, where he held a conference with the office-bearers of the Brethren's congregations, which had in the meantime rapidly increased. He then requested a parliamentary inquiry into their circumstances, with a view to the recognition of the church of the Brethren in Great Britain and the American colonies. A petition praying for such an inquiry was prepared and presented to the house of commons, which, having appointed a committee of inquiry and carefully examined its report, passed an act in favour of the Brethren's church. This act was sanctioned by the house of lords on the 12th of May, and received the royal assent on the 6th of June. By this act of parliament, the church of the United Brethren was formally acknowledged as an ancient protestant episcopal church. At the same time, the count's stay in England became the occasion of the formation of a new settlement at Fulneck. With Dr. Thomas Wilson, bishop of Sodor and Man, and Dr. Sherlock, bishop of London, who had expressed himself very favourably with respect to the manner in which the Brethren made the doctrine
of atonement by the death of Jesus Christ the keystone of
their whole doctrinal arch, the count entered into friendly relations.
After a short absence in Germany, he returned again to England in July, 1751, and spent three more years in great activity, preaching in the Brethren's chapel in London, visiting the congregations, holding conferences with the ministers, engaging in literary labours, and enjoying much friendly intercourse with the bishops of London, Lincoln, and Worcester. With Lord Granville he negotiated the purchase of one hundred thousand acres of land in North Carolina. In May, 1752, his son, Christian Renatus, a hopeful young man, who for some time had been his faithful coadjutor, died at the age of twenty-five years. A hymn-book of the Brethren was published about this time, as well as a collection of the sermons which the count had preached in London. The financial embarrassments of the church prompted the count to devote his whole property to its service, and to take the entire debt on himself. In March, 1755, he returned to Germany by way of Holland. On June 19, 1756, he lost his consort, who had been a faithful help-meet, and successfully managed all his manorial and domestic affairs, besides accompanying him on many journeys, and assisting him in a variety of other ways in his multiplied activity. During the troubles of the Seven Years' war, which affected also the congregation at Herrnhut, he never allowed himself to be checked in his indefatigable labours. His faith and courage often served to strengthen and encourage others in times of trial. In the year 1757 he travelled into Switzerland, and from thence in the following year proceeded to Holland on a visit to friends of the Brethren, and to inspect the settlements in the country. At the same time, he laboured with his wonted zeal and industry in the revision and publication of his writings; but in May, 1760, while at Herrnhut, he was suddenly seized with illness, which, after a few days, terminated his life, at the age of sixty years, on 9th May. He died triumphantly in the faith which he had practised and taught. The affection of the church was manifested in a most touching manner. His funeral took place on the 16th of May, and was attended by thousands of sympathizing spectators, and honoured by a solemnity and order that proved the high esteem in which the count had been universally held as a servant of Christ. His remains rest in the burial ground at Herrnhut, beneath a stone which has the following appropriate inscription—"He was ordained that he should bring forth fruit, and that his fruit should remain."
He possessed a quick and penetrating intellect, a lively imagination, and hence rich gifts as a speaker and poet. He was born to be a leader. His industry was extraordinary. From early dawn of day till late at night he was indefatigably active, and not seldom he spent the whole night at his desk. Sometimes he delivered as many as fifteen discourses in a single day. A strong and sound constitution sustained him in these gigantic labours. His personal appearance was noble. A manly stature, a brilliant, piercing eye, and a voice excellently well suited to public speaking, distinguished him among the eminent men of his times. Without controversy, in spite of all the attacks and calumnies levelled at him, he was an eminent servant of the church of Christ in his day. He helped greatly to revive the truth, that true Christianity does not consist in mere head-knowledge, but in a renewal of the whole heart and life. He made the doctrine of the atonement emphatically the centre of the christian system; he held forth not so much Christianity as Christ himself, as the living and personal Saviour of men. He restored to the church the privilege of embarking in missionary enterprises, and enjoying the blessings of christian fellowship. Although solitary attempts at missions had been made before, it was he who made the church conscious of the fact, that missionary operations are her appointed duty, and who gave their proper place to missionary enterprises among the expressions of the church's inner life. He was also the first who taught and sought to realize union, not as an amalgamation
