The first rays of early dawn threw their shadowy light over hill and
dale, and all nature seemed animated with new life as the fresh spring
breeze kissed the young blades of grain in the fields. Ever brighter
and more glowing grew the eastern horizon, ever more golden the light,
floating clouds, until at last the dazzling rays of the king of day
flashed forth upon the expectant world.
With its clear carol of joy, a lark soared upward from her dewy nest,
singing her morning anthem to the great Creator; and, as if in glad
sympathy with the happy bird, the many and varied voices of nature
united in celebrating the resurrection, not only of the sun, but of all
things, for it was Easter Sunday morning.
Forth from the dwellings of a small Moravian village issued a band of
simply attired folk, who wended their way through the green fields and
up the hillside to a spacious wood, where was located a quiet
graveyard, in which gigantic linden-trees stretched out their leafless
branches, forming a graceful network overhead.
In the centre of this lovely spot stood an immense stone cross, the
sign of that Lord whose resurrection was to-day celebrated with the
sound of trumpets and the voices of the people.
A feeling of holy joy seemed to reign in every heart, as the crowd
stood grouped around the base of the cross, gazing with reverence at it
as it now shone bathed in the glorious radiance of the risen sun.
Presently the music ceased and the soft echoes died away among the
distant hills, while a clear, manly voice in the midst of the
congregation proclaimed: "The Lord is risen!" "He is risen indeed!"
replied each one joyously; after which the first speaker advanced
nearer to the cross and addressed a few words to the people:
"My dear brothers and sisters, in accordance with our usual custom, we
visit to-day our beautiful cemetery, not to mourn for our dead, but to
rejoice that our Lord has risen from the grave to give us eternal life;
for with Him shall rise all those who follow in His holy footsteps here
below. Therefore, as we put not on the garb of mourning, let us not
grieve in our hearts when we think of our loved ones who have gone home
before us, but clasp each other's hands and be glad together, that
through the blessed Redeemer such happiness has been vouchsafed to
them. For His sake, and for the preservation of the true faith, the
Moravians wandered forth from their fatherland, forsaking the wealth
and luxuries of this world; but they took with them that which was more
precious than all else, the pure, unadulterated truths of the Gospel,
and sought a new country, in which they might dwell, and preserve their
religion forever. In the wilds of a strange land they found a
resting-place; and in the community were retained the old statutes and
laws, the old forms of worship, the old brotherly love and kindness,
which from the earliest period had characterized them. From this
little seed-corn which was then planted, the Moravians have spread out
their branches into all parts of the world. Let us remain faithful to
the principles which united our forefathers; let us ever hold sacred
the religion for the sake of which they suffered, and to which they
firmly adhered, in spite of persecution and peril. Hold fast brotherly
love! Forgive and bear with one another in love, sacrifice yourselves
for love's sake, suffer and die, in charity with all men,--then are you
true disciples of the Lord. Amen!"
The preacher's voice ceased, and the congregation devoutly echoed his
"Amen." After a short pause the assembly broke up, with hearty
hand-shakings and joyful greetings. In little groups of twos and
threes they rambled through the beautiful grounds where the loved ones
were laid to rest. The members of the fraternity, as they conversed in
low but cheerful tones, bore a close resemblance to one another in the
quiet simplicity of their attire. There was no pretension to ornament
or style; cleanliness seemed the only adornment sought for, and it
certainly did reign supreme. The women and girls wore small,
close-fitting white caps, the different-colored ribbons on them
distinguishing the various classes, and giving a very pleasing effect
to the scene. The wives were recognized by blue ribbons on their caps,
and the widows by white, while the older girls wore pink and the
younger ones bright red. Gradually all returned to their homes in the
valley below, where lay the thriving Moravian village.
One young girl, however, remained behind alone, lost in thought and
quite unconscious that her companions had already taken their way
homeward. Leaning against one of the large linden-trees, whose ancient
trunk completely screened her slim figure, she stood, looking downward
on the beautiful landscape which lay before her admiring eyes.
Mountain and valley, forest and field, were bathed in the golden
sunshine. Nothing was yet in bloom, but in every swelling bud there
seemed to lie a foreshadowing of coming glory.
"Sister Carmen, hast thou not noticed that thy companions have returned
with their elders, and that thou art left alone?" suddenly asked a deep
masculine voice at her side.
She involuntarily shrank back, as if from fear--was it because she was
alone, or was she only startled from her dreaming?--and looked timidly
at the speaker. He was a man well advanced in years; his hair
partially gray, but his complexion retaining much of its youthful
freshness and color; and there was some difficulty in determining his
age. Although his brow was thoughtful and his grave eyes habitually
looked upward with an expression of calm serenity and humble piety, yet
the curve of his mouth, around which there lurked a peculiar smile,
contradicted the idea of sanctity.
"Have they really left me, Brother Jonathan? I had entirely forgotten
how time was passing, in the tumult of joyful feelings which filled my
heart," said the girl with a sunny smile.
"It gladdens my heart, dear sister, to know it gives you such great joy
to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord," he replied. "Truly it is a
blessed privilege to be able to lose one's self in the contemplation of
holy things, and, forgetting the cares of this present life, rejoice in
the hope of heaven, and be as one dead to every temporal joy."
"But I was not thinking at all of the life beyond the grave, only of
this present one. How beautiful it is, and what happiness to be able
to enjoy it!" she said candidly, as her youthful countenance lighted up
with a glowing expression of love of life and pleasure.
Hers was a singularly beautiful face, on which the man at her side
gazed with open admiration. The close-fitting cap, with its bright red
bow, indicated that the girl had not yet reached her eighteenth year.
Here and there peeped out little truant locks of the glossy black hair,
whose richness and abundance the close covering could not entirely
conceal or fetter. The broad, intellectual brow; the delicate,
pencilled lashes, from the shadow of which shone forth lustrous black
eyes that flashed with intelligence and spirit; the arched nose, with
its slightly dilated nostrils; pouting mouth, with full, cherry lips,
all gave her something of a proud expression, which was, however,
softened by the beaming smile which so often lighted it up. Although
only a faint color tinged her cheek, yet the clear, brunette complexion
glowed with fresh, warm, young life, and the slender, lithe form that
leaned with such childlike abandon against the old tree displayed the
most exquisite symmetry.
"Yes, this present life is certainly very pleasant, dear sister," he
resumed, approaching yet nearer to her; and he indeed seemed to find it
so as he contemplated this fair, blooming, delightful young creature.
"We do wisely to enjoy it, and use it as a means to prepare us for the
great hereafter, accomplishing that end all the more effectually when
we love the Lord, and, through Him, one another. Sister Carmen, did
you listen to the beautiful discourse on brotherly and sisterly love
which our honored presbyter gave us to-day?" and the speaker bent his
head so low that she felt his hot breath on her cheek, and his heavy
hand on her shoulder. But quickly turning aside and withdrawing from
his touch, she replied: "Yes, I heard it, and it is indeed a very good
and proper thing to love one another; but I think it is not always love
which is called so, or seems so;" and her mouth twitched with a
repressed smile, as if some secret thought amused her.
"Dear sister, how can you speak thus?" he said. "Men, it is true, are
weak, and often swerve from their duty; but we should help each other
in the spirit of love, so that we may be all united and grow to
resemble each other in character."
"Resemble each other in character!" She repeated his words musingly,
and the gaze from her dark eyes wandered away off, beyond her
companion. "Can we ever do that? God has created us so different; if
He had wished us all to be alike, would He not have made us so?"
The man looked at her earnestly, and an expression of disapproval
passed over his face as he answered: "Any one, to hear you speak in
that way, and not know you as well as I do, would never believe that
you had lived so long among us and were one of us. I have known you
always, ever since you were a wee, toddling thing. It was in Jamaica,
when I went to your father from the mission."
Carmen blushed deeply at the rebuke which lay in his words, and, as if
to atone, said quickly:
"Oh, forgive me! I am sure I would gladly be like you all if I only
could. But I cannot always be calm and serene, as every one else here
is; and I fear our dear Sister Agatha, with all her endeavors, will
succeed as little in changing me, as you do in trying to produce the
same degree of health in every one, even though you be the wise and
learned Doctor Jonathan Fricke. Each bird sings after its own fashion,
and although all are different, yet none are bad. I cannot believe
every one is culpable who does not pass through life calmly and
sedately, as we endeavor to do. It surely cannot be wrong for people
to laugh, and dance! Dance!" and she laughed outright, so that her
pearly teeth gleamed from between the rosy lips. "It must be
enchanting to skip round and round to the sound of merry music!" She
had allowed herself to be carried away by enthusiasm, and spoke louder
than was consistent with Moravian decorum, or suitable to the place
where she was. Her eyes sparkled, and the dainty little foot which
peeped forth from under her dress seemed altogether suited to trip with
fairy fleetness through the merry mazes of the dance.
One glance, however, at her companion recalled her to the present. Her
eyes sank, the little foot was hastily withdrawn, and she wrapped more
closely about her the dark shawl which had slipped from her shoulders.
"But the time! the time!" she stammered. "It is getting later and
later while we are chatting, and Sister Agatha will have good cause to
be vexed with me."
With fleet steps she hurried through the quiet graveyard, down the
hill, and along the path which led to the dwellings of the settlement.
Jonathan stood looking after her, as long as his eye could discern the
airy, lithe figure.
All pretence of calmness had vanished from his face. His eyes
glittered with a strange light and glowed with passionate desire. For
a moment the staid, elderly man was transformed into an eager, ardent
youth.
"She inherits the hot, proud Spanish blood of her mother, and, alas!
the same fatal, enchanting beauty also," he muttered. "If I could only
win her--" He stopped abruptly, as if fearful of being overheard, and
began to brush away some imaginary specks of dust from his sleeve.
Drooping his head into its usual pious attitude, his face assumed its
former grave expression, and he was again the sedate, quiet Brother.