orthy of the
vocation wherewith they were called, and adorned the Gospel of our Lord
in all things." The impression thus made upon John Wesley was lasting,
and even during the subsequent years in England, when differences of
every kind arose between him and the Moravians, and his Journal is full
of bitter denunciations of doctrines and practices which he did not
understand, and with which he was not in sympathy, he now and again
interrupts himself to declare, "I can not speak of them but with tender
affection, were it only for the benefits I have received from them."

An event which occurred on March 10th, is of more than local interest,
in that it is the first unquestioned instance of the exercise of
episcopal functions in the United States. Prior to this, and for
a number of years later, clergymen of the Church of England, and
English-speaking Catholic priests, were ordained in the Old World,
before coming to the New, remaining under the control of the Bishop and
of the Vicar Apostolic of London, while the Spanish Catholics were under
the Suffragan of Santiago de Cuba, and the French Catholics under the
Bishop of Quebec. Tradition mentions the secret consecration of two
Bishops of Pennsylvania before this time, but its authenticity is
doubted, and the two men did not exercise any episcopal powers.
Therefore when Bishop Nitschmann came to Georgia, and in the presence of
the Moravian Congregation at Savannah ordained one of their number to be
their pastor, he was unconsciously doing one of the "first things" which
are so interesting to every lover of history.

Whenever it was possible the Moravians spent Saturday afternoon and
evening in rest, prayer, and conference, and on this occasion four
services were held at short intervals.

At the first service the singing of a hymn was followed by the reading
of Psalm 84, a discourse thereon, and prayer. The second was devoted to
reading letters from Germany, and some discussion as to Hermsdorf and
his relation to the Congregation. The third service was the important
one, and the following account was recorded in the Diary. "When we
re-assembled the question: 'Must not our Congregation have a Chief Elder
(Aeltester)?' was presented for discussion. All thought it necessary,
and were unanimous in their choice of Anton Seifert, and no other was
even suggested. While his name was being considered, he was sent from
the room, and when he had been recalled, we sang a hymn, and Nitsc