Wachovia

The Moravian Church began with John Hus, who was martyred by the Roman Church in 1415 who raised the scriptures above Roman canons (Rauschenberg, 1995; Martin, 2012). Despite his death, his teachings would flourish all throughout the lands of Bohemia and Moravia, otherwise now known as the Czech Republic (Martin, 2012). This led to the formation of Unitas Fratrum, otherwise known as the United Brethren who practiced the life style of the Apostles (Rauschenberg, 1995; Winston-Salem and Forsyth County City, n.d.) At this time, there was well known religious persecution throughout Europe, implicating trying times on anyone of protestant belief. At the start of the 1600’s, persecution increased through the Counter Reformation, and the Brethren were forced into hiding (Rauschenberg, 1995). In 1722, the descendants of the members of the United Brethren migrated from Moravia to Saxony and found refuge under a Lutheran named Count Nicholas von Zizendorf (Fries, 1949, p. 29; Martin 2012). For the Moravian people, Zizendorf offered a solace through his estate in which they could be protected. Through this new settlement, the Moravians were hoping to put forth missionary zeal, and would strengthen the church’s desire for missionary work. Another reason for the settlement was the opportunity to have religious liberty. Through this, the Moravians would relinquish prejudice, financial loses and hostility faced because of their beliefs (Holder, 1929). Through Zizendorf’s wealth and compassion for the cause of the Moravians, he provided the first North American Site for Moravian Mission in 1735 in the location of Savannah, Georgia.