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MORAVIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO HEAR OF YEAR'S GIFTS

Morning Call - Allentown, Pa. Author: LORNA WEIL, The Morning Call

Copyright Morning Call Sep 28, 1987

The Moravian Historical Society will be given an update on its acquisitions, gifts and restorations during the past year at its 130th annual vesper meeting on Oct. 8.

The noon vesper meeting in the Nazareth Moravian Church will be preceded by the annual business meeting of the board at 10 a.m. in the Whitefield House.

The paper this year will be presented by Dr. Mervin C. Weidner of Bethlehem, speaking on the subject of "The 20th Century Frontiersof Moravian Church Expansion, Moravian Church in America (Northern Province) 1936-1986."

In announcing plans for the vespers, the Rev. Arthur Nehring, society president, referred to some of the items the society received since its 1986 meeting.

Earlier this year, its collections increased with the gift of Labrador carvings and miscellaneous items willed to the society by the late Kate Hettasch, Moravian missionary in Labrador for more than 40 years until retiring in 1973. At the time of her death, she resided in the Moravian Widow's House in Bethlehem.

Nehring noted, "It is appropriate that the Whitefield House, which served as a home for missionaries on furlough or in retirement, is now also the permanent home of the largest collection of items brought back by our foreign missionaries."

Representing nearly two centuries of life in the mission fields, the museum's collection, in addition to the Labrador carvings, now includes items from Alaska, Nicaragua, Honduras, Tibet and the West Indies, as well as some rather old and fragile artifacts of American Indian culture.

"Labrador Kate," as she was known among the people she taught and ministered to, gave about 130 carvings, scenes of Labrador, and other items to the society.

According to Whitefield House Museum curator Beth Pearce, the collection is mostly carvings in soapstone, wood and ivory, including animals such as seal and polar bear, and Eskimo figures in hunting or fishing poses.

"They give the idea of the life style of the Eskimo," she explained. "Some are very nice large soap stone carvings done by a native of Labrador, Lucas Okiatsuk. We have a picture of him just before he died and his story in the Eskimo language would basically tell about his carvings. They were done from dreams he had."

The collection also includes implements such as knives used to cut snow and ice to form igloos, and to cut ice for ice fishing. There are also some miniature boots, moccasins and snow shoes - probably toys for the children.

A number of maps and paintings have also been restored during the year. Included were the map of Friedensthal, compiled in 1799, sponsored by John Beitel of Nazareth; map of Christian Spring, surveyed in 1850, sponsored by Robert Frick of Bethlehem; two watercolors of New Dorp parsonage and Church 1845, sponsored by John Anderson of Bethlehem and the late Helen Anderson; map of Schoeneck land claims 1798, sponsored by the Clewell Family Association of the Nazareth area, and a map of the Pleasure Garden of Nazareth School 1865, sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Buchhaupt of Bethlehem.

Nehring explained that 24 additional maps, "which are considered in either critical or serious condition," are still in urgent need of treatment and restoration.

Books and artifacts also have been added to the permanent collections through books from attorney and Mrs. Walter Peters and Beth Pearce, both of Nazareth, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brown of Bethlehem.

Reservations are being received for the luncheon at a cost of $4. Tickets purchased at the door will be $5.

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