The Moravian Historical Society in the Morning Call Newspaper, 1984 to today

---

<< Back to Archives Home

Gay Pride event, historic war exhibit

Morning Call - Allentown, Pa. Author: Frank Whelan Of The Morning Call

Copyright Morning Call Jun 19, 2005

MORAVIANS REMEMBER FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR

Everybody knows about the Civil War, World War II and, of course, Vietnam. But the French and Indian War, which played such an important part in shaping our past, usually gets stuck back on the library shelf. Well, it's 250 years later and the Moravian Historical Society of Nazareth wants you to remember.

Entitled "A Great Many Years of Peace And Quiet: Community And Conflict in The Lehigh Valley During The French and Indian War," the exhibit focuses on the relationship between the Moravians and Native Americans during the 1750s conflict between Britain and France.

The exhibit at the Whitfield House Museum, 214 E. Center St., Nazareth, though Oct. 30.

The Moravians had a missionary outreach to Native Americans. It was at the core of what they saw as their role in America. Sprinkling them with holy water or teaching them a few Bible verses was not enough. Moravians would accept converts only if they had an understanding of what they were accepting and adopted the culture and white lifestyle.

Some non-Moravians did not trust the Moravians because they worked with the Indians, treating them as equals. Others thought their Central European worship service and use of religious art was suspect and assumed they were in league with French Catholics.

At least some of this attitude changed on Nov. 24, 1755, when a group of Native Americans attacked the Moravian mission outpost at Gnadenhutten, (Huts of Grace), now Lehighton. The raid left 12 missionaries dead, 11 killed outright and one captured who later died while she was held captive. "The purpose behind the raid was to convince the converted Indians to leave the Moravians and return to their tribe," says the museum's curator, Mark Turdo.

The Gnadenhutten attack brought panic on the Northampton County frontier. It led to a mass exodus by converted Indians and white settlers. It also was the start of a number of Native American raids on settlers. In response the governor sent Benjamin Franklin to the frontier. He established a number of small forts to keep a watch on Indians and serve as a refuge for settlers.

The exhibit examines four communities -- Colonial settlers, Moravian settlers, Lenape/Delaware Indians and Christian Indians -- and their interactions. "The question we ask and hope to answer in part is how the once peaceful coexistence deteriorated into violence and conflict," says Turdo.

The exhibit also covers the conferences at Easton between Native Americans and Colonial officials that led to a settlement and the departure of Native Americans from the Lehigh Valley in 1758.

The exhibit runs through October in the Whitfield House Museum, Nazareth. The museum is open 1-4 p.m. every day (except major holidays).

Admission: adults, $5; children 6 to 18 and senior citizens over 65, $3. Children 5 and under and Moravian Historical Society members are free.

The Morning Call has graciously allowed us access to their electronic archive. The articles are presented here as they appear online.

This article is © copyright The Morning Call Online.