E-text prepared by Al Haines
by
Translated from the German by KATE DYKERS
New YorkThe Minerva Publishing Company48 University Place
1891
The first rays of early dawn threw their shadowy light over hill anddale, and all nature seemed animated with new life as the fresh springbreeze kissed the young blades of grain in the fields. Ever brighterand more glowing grew the eastern horizon, ever more golden the light,floating clouds, until at last the dazzling rays of the king of dayflashed forth upon the expectant world.
With its clear carol of joy, a lark soared upward from her dewy nest,singing her morning anthem to the great Creator; and, as if in gladsympathy with the happy bird, the many and varied voices of natureunited in celebrating the resurrection, not only of the sun, but of allthings, for it was Easter Sunday morning.
Forth from the dwellings of a small Moravian village issued a band ofsimply attired folk, who wended their way through the green fields andup the hillside to a spacious wood, where was located a quietgraveyard, in which gigantic linden-trees stretched out their leaflessbranches, forming a graceful network overhead.
In the centre of this lovely spot stood an immense stone cross, thesign of that Lord whose resurrection was to-day celebrated with thesound of trumpets and the voices of the people.
A feeling of holy joy seemed to reign in every heart, as the crowdstood grouped around the base of the cross, gazing with reverence at itas it now shone bathed in the glorious radiance of the risen sun.Presently the music ceased and the soft echoes died away among thedistant hills, while a clear, manly voice in the midst of thecongregation proclaimed: "The Lord is risen!" "He is risen indeed!"replied each one joyously; after which the first speaker advancednearer to the cross and addressed a few words to the people:
"My dear brothers and sisters, in accordance with our usual custom, wevisit to-day our beautiful cemetery, not to mourn for our dead, but torejoice that our Lord has risen from the grave to give us eternal life;for with Him shall rise all those who follow in His holy footsteps herebelow. Therefore, as we put not on the garb of mourning, let us notgrieve in our hearts when we think of our loved ones who have gone homebefore us, but clasp each other's hands and be glad together, thatthrough the blessed Redeemer such happiness has been vouchsafed tothem. For His sake, and for the preservation of the true faith, theMoravians wandered forth from their fatherland, forsaking the wealthand luxuries of this world; but they took with them that which was moreprecious than all else, the pure, unadulterated truths of the Gospel,and sought a new country, in which they might dwell, and preserve theirreligion forever. In the wilds of a strange land they found aresting-place; and in the community were retained the old statutes andlaws, the old forms of worship, the old brotherly love and kindness,which from the earliest period had characterized them. From thislittle seed-corn which was then planted, the Moravians have spread outtheir branches into all parts of the world. Let us remain faithful tothe principles which united our forefathers; let us ever hold sacredthe religion for the sake of which they suffered, and to which theyfirmly adhered, in spite of persecution and peril. Hold fast brotherlylove! Forgive and bear with one another in love, sacrifice yourselvesfor love's sake, suffer and die, in charity with all men,—then