322 HISTORY OF 



called Brother and Sister Houses. It was tliought, in 

 these houses the men could follow then professions, and 

 the women sustain themselves with knitting, spinning, &:c. 

 This was the beginning of these institutions, and to this 

 da,y,they are found in various parts of Germany, Holland, 

 France, England, Switzerland and Russia. The plan 

 meeting with so much success in Europe, they were also 

 introduced into this country, and accordingly, when Litiz 

 was laid out, the places for their location were laid down 

 in the original plan. 



In 1759, the brethren's house at Litiz was built — 

 which, hovrever, is not used for its original intent at 

 present — it is built of limestone, is three stories high, 60- 

 feet in length and 37 feet in depth. The basement story 

 was occupied as a ki!chen and dining room ; the first 

 story v/as divided into four rooms, in each of which nine 

 or ten brethren resided ; part of the second story con- 

 sisted of a large hall or chapel, for spiritual purposes, 

 which vv'as provided with a very excellent organ. The 

 remaining part was divided into dwelling rooms, in one 

 of which resided the elder and steward ; the duty of the 

 former was to care for the spiritual welfare of those in 

 the house, and those of the Ic.tter for the temporal con- 

 cerns thereof. One of the rooms in the second story was 

 set apart for the boys between the ages of twelve and 

 eighteen. The greater part of the third story was occu- 

 pied as a dormitory, where they all slept ; aside of it, 

 was c. room set apart for such as might get sick, and one 

 of the brethren, who had the office of waiting on them, 

 resided in this room. In each room, where the brethren 

 resided, there was one who was called the overseer, 

 whose duty it was to correct any disorders which might 

 arise, care for fuel, repairs and cleanliness in the room. — 

 In the room in which the boys resided, there were 



