Moravia

a western province of Austria-Hungary. It lies in the basin of the Danube. It is rich in minerals and possesses a fertile soil. The province is of especial interest to Americans on account of the part played by Moravians in the early settlement of this country. Moravia and Bohemia were among the earliest centers of the Protestant Reformation. The leaders were Huss and Jerome. The Protestants were subjected to severe persecution. Though at one time numbering 200,000 members and having over 400 churches, they were abandoned by the Protestant nations of Europe to the Austrian authorities at the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. They were compelled to return to the Catholic church or leave the country. Many migrated to Saxony, North Germany, Holland, and elsewhere. About 1740 they began to settle in Pennsylvania. They were aided by a Count Zinzendorf. They planted a large number of villages. Bethlehem was, and still is, their center. Up to the middle of the nineteenth century they were exclusive in their manners, guarding their language and customs with religious fidelity. During the last fifty years, however, they have Americanized rapidly. The church, known as the United Brethren, has extended into other states and territories. There are about 25,000 members. During the Revolutionary War they were loyal to the American cause. Read Hymn of the Moravian Nuns by Longfellow.