Comparing their Sacrifice: Pro-life Rescuers and Moravian Missionaries of the 18^th Century

By: Mark Gabriel
Secretary
Constitution Party of Wisconsin

The little recognized Moravian Church has proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ for over 500 years in countries across the globe. They first came to America during the colonial period. Among their frontier communities for evangelism were Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Bethabara, in what is now, Winston Salem, North Carolina which today maintains a historical park of restored buildings and historical interpreters.[1] The Christian faith of the Moravian Church originated in ancient Bohemia and Moravia (present day Czech Republic). These countries turned to Christ, primarily through the early Church Fathers, Cyril and Methodius who translated the Bible into the common language.

Early Reformation

Jan Hus From this tradition, John Hus (1369-1415), Rector of the University in Prague and early Reformer (over 60 years before Martin Luther), preached against certain Roman Catholic teachings not found in scripture and the excesses of the clergy. Having a popular following, he was burned at the stake in July of 1415. The followers of John Hus formalized the Moravian Church and established its own ministry in 1467. By 1517 they grew to over 400 parishes and 200,000 people. After 30 years of writing their own hymns, having their own catechism and printing Bibles in the local languages, a persecution broke out which caused the church to move and spread to other areas.

Moravians, Václav Malý, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Seeking Sanctuary

Some Moravian families found refuge on the estate of Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf, a Saxony Nobleman (what is now Germany), in 1722.[2] What can only be characterized as a true Holy Spirit led revival, this community of Jesus followers maintained an around the clock, 24-hour prayer vigil of 2-3 people in one-hour segments (168/week) for over 100 years! [3] They prayed for the missionaries that were sent out from among them all over the world! This, in obedience to the last command of Jesus to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [4] Among those missionaries, were 29 young men sent to reach the slaves in the Caribbean Islands of the West Indies. [5] They had been told by a former slave there that the only way to reach these slaves was to become one themselves, since they had to work all day on the plantations and after sunset they were not allowed to go out.[6] They set sail planning to do just that, leaving all behind and become a slave to reach the slaves, as the Apostle Paul stated, “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people that by all means I might save some.”[7]

Not so Different Today

Prison bars Having had some knowledge of those amazing Moravian missionaries to the slaves of the west Indies in the 18^th century and having had some personal experience in the Pro-Life Rescue Movement of the 80’s and 90’s and what it has become today, I have considered their similarities. With the federal government making it a federal crime to peacefully interpose between an abortionist and his intended victim (similar to a sit-in for civil rights in the 60’s) and with the DOJ’s focused prosecution of them, up to 10 years or more in prison, and with judges and gullible juries who refuse to see abortion for what it is – a direct attack and mutilation of an innocent child, those who continue to Rescue these children are doing so knowing that sooner or later they will be given a prison ministry! Even in the early days of the Rescue Movement, it was almost unheard of for a Judge to even allow what is commonly called, “A Necessity Defense,” which means that a lesser law can be validly ignored to obey a higher law. In other words, trespassing can be allowed to save human life. Next month I will be interviewing some of the recent Rescuers who are in prison now, or who face prison terms to learn more about how they came to the decision to make such a sacrifice of their personal liberty and if indeed they saw this as an inside opportunity to evangelize a very restricted community!