Page:De Schweinitz - The Moravian episcopate (1865).pdf/29

 solemnly consecrated, with the concurrence of Christian Sitkovius, the other surviving Bishop, David Nitschmann to be the first Bishop of the Renewed Church of the Brethren. Two years afterward (May 20, 1787) he and Bishop Nitschmann, again with the concurrence of Sitkovius, and also with the permission of the King of Prussia, consecrated Count Zinzendorf to be her second Bishop. And now both Jablonsky and Sitkoviys deemed the purpose accomplished for which the succession had been thus far upheld, and neither of them consecrated any more bishops. They had given the episcopate to the resuscitated Church of their hopes and love, and conferred upon the new Bishops all the functions which belong to this office.

In the archives of the Moravian Church at Bethlehem, Pa., where Bishop Nitschmann died and lies buried, is preserved the original certificate of his consecration, in Jablonsky’s own hand writing, and signed with the ancient episcopal seal, which is the same as that in use at present. This document, by way of conclusion, we here present in an English dress:

Whereas it has pleased the Eternal God, whose name is Wonderful, to suffer his faithful confessors, the Bohemian-Moravian Brethren, to fall into circumstances so grievous that many of them are necessitated to leave their native land, and to seek other places where they may serve God with a free conscience, and confess His truth, whence it hath come to pass that they are scattered in part to the northernmost countries of Europe, and in part even to the American Continent, and to several islands near the same: and whereas this Allwise God hath put into the heart of the high and noble born Count and Lord, Lord Nicholas Lewis, Count of Zinzendorf and Pottendorf, in a fatherly manner to care for these Bohemian Moravian Brethren in their dispersion, and to make provision for their temporal and spiritual well-being, but especially for their well established, ancient, Christian statutes and Church discipline: and whereas, with the knowledge and consent of their congregation, he has adopted the godly resolution to have consecrated, in the old Moravian manner, as a Senior and Bishop of the said, and of future colonies, together with all their churches and pastors,—the Reverend Mr. David Nitschmann, one of the first of those Moravian witnesses in America who must venture all upon God, and to whom the Lord hath given the first converts from the heathen:

Therefore, upon proper request to this effect to me made, I, the undersigned, oldest Senior and Bishop of the Bohemian and Moravian Brethren in Great Poland, with the knowledge and sanction of my colleague in Great Poland, the Bishop Christian Sitkovius, have ordained the said Mr. David Nitschmann, on the 13th day of March, 1735, in the name of God, and according to our Christian method, with the laying on of