July 21, 1805 - celebrated 50 years of marriage - provided Lovefeast.
My curiosity was immediately peaked by the word Lovefeast. I wanted to know more about what that meant.
First, I needed background information about the love in this couple's life. Surely, a Lovefeast required great love.
Barbara came to America from her homeland of Switzerland in 1752 as an indentured servant. After arriving in Philadelphia she was "bought" by a man named John Baer in an agreement to work for three and a half years. He and his household treated her well and she was happy.
Heinrich immigrated to Pennsylvania with his family in 1750. During the five month voyage his mother and infant sibling passed away. His father tried to keep the surviving family together, but eventually Heinrich was sent to live with and serve a Mennonite brother, Dan Graff. At the end of this six month arrangement he apprenticed for eight months as a carpenter, hoping to find a trade and livelihood. After working with his father on a plantation in Virginia, in 1753 he returned to Pennsylvania with the intention of carrying on his trade and getting married.
I love his approach:
"Prayed to God that He would lead such a person to this man whom we could live happily."
A well to do Mennonite from Lancaster soon provided an offer for him to marry his daughter, but Heinrich refused because, "he did not have joy in his heart".
He continued to work for some time building homes and barns on plantations in the area and came to know Barbara, who was still in the services of Jon Baer. It was soon "set in his heart that this would be the person, destined to be his companion." Since she was not yet free, he paid the rest for her and they were married July 21, 1755, in Lancaster by the Preacher Otterbein.
Heaven blessed their marriage with six sons and four daughters of whom five of the sons preceded them back to heaven.
Barbara's memoir speaks of her family relationships this way:
"She loved her children as a tender mother and was always concerned with their inner and outer welfare."
On a visit to Bethabara, North Carolina, they heard the Moravian Brothers on the night watch singing their verses. This touched their souls and hearts and they decided to stay and join the community.
This takes us back to the word, Lovefeast, which I have come to understand is a religious service dedicated to Christian love and is most famously practiced by the Moravian's. Its purpose is to strengthen the bonds and the spirit of harmony, goodwill, and congeniality, as well as to forgive past disputes and instead love one another.
In addition to the eating of pastries and drinking, a Moravian Lovefeast also concentrates on the singing of hymns and listening to music with a theme of love and harmony. Some groups also include religious ordinances as part of the event.
At the Lovefeast of the Schor family, they read the names of 10 children, 37 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. "In joy and honors they celebrated their marriage anniversary with each other, their children, grandchildren and the whole community took part ... Her tears of love and thankfulness showed more than her words, what her heart felt in thinking again of those past years."
At the conclusion of Heinrich's memoir, the Brethren added this note:
It shall be enough to say only so much that he - in spite of all the peculiarities which he had, and though which he often brought himself and others in former times mainly into TROUBLE -- was nevertheless looked upon among us as a Brother who loved the Lord with all his heart.
Of Barbara they wrote:
"Certainly she has walked among us as a pardoned sinner, she has been edifying to us through her exemplary way of life and she has proved through her whole behavior that she was one of the quiet souls..."
