LANCASTER COUNTY. 3l5i 



church's existence, and dedicated the church, as well as 

 themselves anew to the Lord. At ten o'clock, they met 

 again, when an excellent address, suitable to the occa- 

 sion, was delivered, and an account read of the first con- 

 secration, August 13th, 1787, and also the names of all 

 those who served as ministers within the transpired 

 period. At two o'clock, there was a Love Feast, a 

 church ceremony which is customary at all festival occa- 

 sions among the Moravians — in token of fellowship and 

 brotherly union, and is in imitation of a custom in the 

 primitive churches ; during which the congregation and 

 the choir, accompanied with instrumental music, alter- 

 nately, sang anthems, which had been expressly printed 

 for the occasion ; after that, the communicants met for 

 the first time at the Lord's table in this new era of their 

 church. In the evening, the beautiful square, which we 

 have attempted to describe, was tastefully illuminated 

 with upwards of 800 lights, and the whole congregation, 

 together with numbers from the adjacent country, met in 

 it for the purpose of solemnly closing this joyful festival. 

 Anthems, which had been expressly printed for the occa- 

 sion, were handed to all present, when in the solemn 

 evening hour of tliat blessed sabbath, surrounded by 

 thousands of beautiful flowers, and accompanied with 

 instrumental music, all united in singmg the praises of the 

 Lord, for all the blessings conferred on them as a con- 

 gregation ; the scene was a heavenly one, and will long 

 be remembered by all who witnessed it. 



The following ministers labored in succession, in the 

 congregation at Litiz : 



1742, Count Nicolas Louis de Zinzendorf; 1743, Jacob 

 Lischy; 1745, Daniel Neuberts; 1747, Leonard Schnell; 

 1749, Christian H. Ranch; 1748 to 1753, Abraham 

 Reinke, Senior j 1754, Michael Zahni, and Christian 



