For years after John Hus was martyred, his spiritual heirs were persecuted. Then in 1722, Count Zinzendorf gave the Moravians, as a remnant of Hus’ followers, sanctuary at his estate. They formed a town and named it Herrnhut, part of eastern Germany. Disputes and grudges ran through the small community.
However, after communion service on August 13, 1727, an unusual spiritual awakening swept through the people. As a whole, they sensed they needed to forget their squabbles and pursue only God’s calling for their community.
After restored relationships, they started a 24/7 prayer meeting, teams taking one-hour sessions. That prayer meeting continued over 100 years!
During the years of the prayer session, ANNA NITSCHMANN, only 14,was chosen the women’s chief eldress. Anna went on to be a great leader of the Moravian movement, devoting herself totally to Christ, even refusing two marriage offers.
She started the single sisters, which grew over the decades to provide many missionaries throughout the world. She also started the Pilgrim congregation, a group ready to spread Christ’s name throughout the world. Her missions travel took her to America, where she helped found Bethlehem and Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and ministered to the Native Americans.
Anna wrote over 30 hymns, published in the Moravian German hymnal.
A year after Count Zinzendorf’s wife died, he and Anna were married in June, 1757. She was 41. When they both died in 1760, the Moravians had sent out in only 28 years 226 missionaries and baptized more than 3,000 converts.
Someone said of Anna, “When she spoke or prayed or sang, all hearts stood open to her.”
When Morning Gilds the Skies