American Minute with Bill Federer
Lenape Indian Treaty with William Penn, & Zinzendorf's Moravian Missionaries, from Germany to Alaska
|
|
In the summer of 1683,
Ottoman
General Mustafa Pasha was laying siege to Vienna, Austria, with 200,000 Muslim jihad warriors.
|
|
Sultan Mehmed IV
sent the message to the
Catholic Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I:
"We order you to await us in your residence city of Vienna so that we can decapitate you ...
We will exterminate you and all your followers ...
Children and adults will be equally exposed to the most atrocious tortures before being finished off in the most ignominious way imaginable."
|
|
The
Muslim Ottoman warriors
were defeated at the
Battle of Vienna,
September 11, 1683.
|
|
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, the
Quaker Christian leader William
Penn
made a peace treaty with the
Delaware Indians
on JUNE 23, 1683.
|
|
Along the Delaware River,
Indians
called themselves
"Lenape,"
meaning in Algonquin "the people," and consisted of three clans:
Turkey, Wolf and Turtle.
|
|
Lenape "Turtle"
clan
Chief Tamanend
met with
William Penn,
who they called
"Miquon"
meaning quill, under an elm tree in what became
Philadelphia.
They made a peace treaty which lasted over 70 years.
|
|
Back in Europe, 100,000 Muslims invaded
Serbia,
but were defeated at the
Battle of Zenta,
September 11, 1697.
|
|
In
Pennsylvania,
that same year, 1697,
Chief Tamanend
gave his last message before he died:
"We and Christians of this river have always had a free roadway to one another, and though sometimes a tree has fallen cross the road, yet we have removed it again and kept the path clear."
|
|
Chief Tamanend
was held in such high respect that patriotic Americans in
Philadelphia
formed
Tammany Societies.
|
|
Chief Tamanend
was the namesake of
Tammany Hall,
the New York Democrat political machine founded in 1786.
|
|
During the Civil War, the
New York 42nd Infantry
was referred to as the
Tammany Regiment.
|
|
In Europe, in the year 1700,
Count Nikolaus Ludwig "Lewis" von Zinzendorf
was born.
He was a descendant of
Maximillian I,
who was the
Holy Roman Emperor
from 1493 to 1519.
|
|
Zinzendorf's
father died when he was six weeks old, leaving him an estate in the area of Germany called
Saxony.
Raised by his pietist Lutheran grandmother,
Zinzendorf
became friends with
Lutheran Pastors Johann Andreas Rothe of Berthelsdorf
and
Melchior Schäffer of Görlitz.
They, together with friend
Friedrich von Watteville,
sought to spread "pietism," a religious revival movement similar that led by
Jan Hus
three centuries earlier.
|
|
In 1722, at the age of 22,
Count Ludwig "Lewis" von Zinzendorf
opened up his
Berthelsdorf estate
to be a place of refuge for persecuted Christians of
Moravia
and
Bohemia
(area of the
Czech Republic)
who were displaced after religious conflicts of the
Thirty Years War.
On a corner of his estate,
Zinsendorf
helped them build a village called
Herrnhut,
meaning
"The Lord's watchful care."
|
|
Disagreements and discord almost ended this experiment of Christian unity in 1727, but a
communion prayer service
was held on August 13th bringing
forgiveness and reconciliation.
The prayer service continued,
with believers taking turns praying, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year,
uninterrupted for over 100 years!
|
|
During this time, the
small Moravian congregation
sent out hundreds of
Christian missionaries
around the world, to places as far away as:
- Arctic,
- Africa,
- Far East,
- Caribbean,
- Central America's -Mosquito Coast,
- South America &
- North America.
|
|
Moravians
were the first Protestant denomination to minister to
slaves.
Moravian missionaries
first settled in
Savannah, Georgia,
in 1735, where they influenced
John
and
Charles Wesley,
and through them indirectly influenced
Rev. George Whitefield,
the famous preacher who spread the
Great Awakening Revival
across the American colonies.
|
|
Moravian missionaries
settled
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania,
in 1740.
In 1741,
Count Zinzendorf
traveled to America and visited with leaders, including
Ben Franklin.
He spent seven weeks visiting Indian tribes in forests of
Pennsylvania,
being the
first person of European nobility to meet with Indian chiefs.
|
|
Frederick C. Johnson wrote in the 1894 report,
Count Zinzendorf and The Moravian and Indian Occupancy of the Wyoming Valley,
(Pennsylvania) 1742-1763:
"The
Delawares
called themselves
Lenni Lenape,
signifying 'original people' ...
While on the way from
Philadelphia
to
Bethlehem, Zinzendorf
had felt drawn by some irresistible influence to go to
Tulpehocken
("land of the turtles" near Reading, PA), where dwelt his interpreter and guide,
Conrad Weisser,
who was to accompany him to the
Susquehanna ...
Here he met the deputies of
the Six Nations,
then on their return from their conference with
Governor George Thomas
in regard to the
Delawares
remaining east of the Blue mountain ...
|
|
... The
Count (Zinzendorf)
became acquainted with the chiefs, gained their good will, and
ratified a covenant with them
in behalf of the
(Moravian) Brethren
as their representative; and
a belt of wampum was given him as a token of their friendship
, which was used ever afterwards in the dealings of the
Moravians
with the
Iroquois.
By this treaty the
Count (Zinzendorf)
believed the way would be opened for the spread of the gospel among the Northern Indians ...
His hope of Christianizing the fierce warriors of the northern border was not realized, but the
Moravians
would never have been able to accomplish as much as they did among the
Delawares
and
Mohicans
if they had not secured by this interview the amity of those who held sway over the enfeebled clans near the sea coast."
|
|
The Diary of Moravian Brother John Martin
recorded:
"1744. April 13th ... We immediately found the
Chikasaw Indian,
Chickasi,
with whom we had been acquainted two years ago when
Brother Lewis Zinzendorf
was there. He was very friendly toward us and gave us something to eat.
He asked where
Brother Lewis (Ludwig von Zinzendorf)
and his daughter were. I told him they were gone to Europe. He asked if they arrived safe there. I said yes. He was much rejoiced at that. He said he had thought much on him and his daughter.
We lodged with his cousin, who received us in much love and friendship and gave us of the best he had ...
|
|
... How often did I call to mind how
Brother Lewis (Ludwig von Zinzendorf)
said at that time:
'The
Shawanese Indians
will all remove in a short time, and our Savior will bring another people here who shall be acquainted with His wounds, and they shall build a City of Grace there to the honor of the Lamb.'
How my heart rejoiceth now at the thoughts of it because I see that everything is preparing for it ..."
|
|
The Diary of Moravian Brother John Martin
continued:
"We visited carefully all the places where our tent had been pitched two years ago, and where so many tears had been shed. The Lamb has numbered them all and put them in His bottle. (Psalm 56:8)
We stayed there four days. The
Indians
loved us. Our walk and behavior preached amongst them and showed that we loved them.
They could heartily believe and realize that we had not come amongst them for our own advantage, but out of love to them. We visited them often.
I asked the Indian with whom we were acquainted, if they would like a brother whom they loved much to come and live amongst them some time or other, and tell them sometimes of our great God who loved mankind so much? They answered yes, they should be very glad."
|
|
The
Lenape "Wolf" clan
converted to Christianity, being called
Christian Munsee.
|
|
The
Moravian Historical Society
has preserved records of many
Moravian missionaries,
such as
David Zeisberger
and
Conrad Weisser.
One account read:
"'Hungry savages,' says Pearce, 'in times of scarcity, flocked to
Gnadenhutten (House of Grace),
professing Christianity and filling themselves at the tables of the pious missionaries.
When the season for hunting came, they would return to the wilderness in the pursuit of game, and with the profits of the chase would procure liquor from heartless traders. Some, however, were sincere in their professions and died in the faith.
The
Moravian missionaries
were given Indian names, and proclaimed the Gospel on both branches of the
Susquehanna,
on the
Lackawanna
and throughout n
ortheastern Pennsylvania
wherever the smoke ascended from the rude bark wigwam."
|
|
Another account read:
"In October, 1748,
Baron John de Watteville,
a bishop of the
Moravian Church,
son-in-law and principal assistant of
Count Zinzendorf,
arrived from Europe on an official visit, and one of the first things he undertook was a visit to the Indian country ...
'Exploring the lovely valley which opened to their view, they found the plain of
Skehantowano,
where
Zinzendorf's
tent had first been pitched; the hill where God had delivered him from the fangs of the adder (snake), and the spot where the
Shawanese
had watched him with murderous design.
The very tree was still standing on which he had graven the initials of his Indian name.
Among the inhabitants, however, many changes had taken place. The majority of the
Shawanese
had gone to the
Ohio,
and but few natives of any other tribe remained, with the exception of
Nanticokes.
Watteville
faithfully proclaimed the Gospel, and on the 7th of October was celebrated the Lord's Supper, the first time the holy sacrament was administered in the
Wyoming Valley (Pennsylvania).
The hymns of the little company swelled solemnly through the night, while the Indians stood listening in silent awe at the doors of their wigwams.
And when they heard the voice of the stranger lifted up in earliest intercession, as had been
Zinzendorf's
voice in that same region six years before, they felt that the white man was praying that they might learn to know his God.'"
|
|
Moravian missionaries
settled
Winston-Salem, North Carolina,
in 1752.
In addition to founding missions among the
Lenape
in
Pennsylvania, Moravians
also founded missions with the
Mohican Indians
in
New York,
and
t
he
Cherokee
in
Georgia.
|
|
Whereas
missionaries
were
motivated by the Gospel,
there were
political forces
motivated by
greed.
Unfortunately, native American Indians were repeatedly lured into
larger global conflicts.
During the
French and Indian War,
1754-1763, the
Lenape "Turkey" clan
was persuaded to side with the
French
in attacking
English settlers.
When the
French
lost the war, their
Indian allies lost land.
|
|
Some tribes sided with the
British
during the
Revolutionary War,
1776-1783, and when the
British
lost, their
Indian allies lost more land.
|
|
Tragically, in 1782, near the end of the
Revolutionary War,
renegade vigilantes retaliated for hostile Indian attacks.
They mistakenly blamed the peaceful
Christian Munsee (Lenape "Wolf" clan)
and mercilessly killed 96 of them.
|
|
Later, during the
War of 1812,
some tribes sided with the
British,
and when the
British
lost that war, their
Indian allies again lost more land.
|
|
During the
Revolutionary War,
Lenape "Turtle" clan Chief Gelelemend
signed the
first written Indian treaty ever with the U.S. Government
in 1778, the
Treaty of Fort Pitt,
present-day Pittsburgh.
Chief Gelelemend
later converted to Christianity through the ministry of
German Moravian missionaries.
|
|
On May 12, 1779,
General George Washington
was visited at his Middle Brook military encampment by the
Chiefs of the Delaware Indian tribe.
They had brought three Indian youths to be trained in the American schools.
Washington
assured them:
"Brothers: I am glad you have brought three of the Children of your principal Chiefs to be educated with us.
I am sure Congress will open the Arms of love to them, and will look upon them as their own Children, and will have them educated accordingly.
This is a great mark of your confidence and of your desire to preserve the friendship between the Two Nations to the end of time, and to become One people with your Brethren of the United States ...
You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ.
These will make you a greater and happier people than you are.
Congress will do everything they can to assist you in this wise intention; and to tie the knot of friendship and union so fast, that nothing shall ever be able to loose it ...
And I pray God He may make your Nation wise and strong."
|
|
Due to encroachment on Indian lands, outbreaks of hostility, and the infamous
Indian Removal Act of 1830,
some
Christian Lenape fled to Canada,
and from there migrated to
Wisconsin, Kansas, and finally to Oklahoma.
|
|
The
great-grandson of the Christian Chief Gelelemend
was
John Henry Kilbuck,
born in 1861 in Kansas.
He attended the
Moravian Seminary.
John Henry Kilbuck
became the
first Lenape to be ordained as a Moravian minister.
|
|
In 1884,
John Kilbuck, and his wife Edith,
became some of the
first Christian missionaries
to the
Yupik Indians in Alaska
, along the Kuskokwim River.
They founded
Bethel
four hundred miles west of Anchorage.
|
|
The
Kilbuck Mountain range,
as well as
Kilbuck Elementary School
in Bethel, Alaska, are named in their honor.
|
|
Thus, the influence of 22-year-old
Count Ludwig von Zinzendorg
and dedicated
Moravian missionaries
spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the humble community of Christians in the
Saxony
area of
Germany
in 1722 to native populations across the world, even to
Alaska.
|
|
Schedule Bill Federer for informative interviews & captivating PowerPoint presentations: 314-502-8924
wjfederer@gmail.com
American Minute is a registered trademark of William J. Federer. Permission is granted to forward, reprint, or duplicate, with acknowledgment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
