A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
History
A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
Architecture -- Pennsylvania; Art -- Pennsylvania; Historic buildings -- Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania -- Guidebooks; Pennsylvania -- History
The Moravian Church, plain and dignified architecture, after a German
model, is full of sunlight within, contains Moravian archives and
Schussele’s large oil painting, “Power of the Gospel,” showing
Zeisberger preaching to the Indians; the organ and vocal music is
exceptionally fine. The Moravian College and Seminary for young women
includes instruction in housekeeping; moral training is a particular
feature. The Widows’ house, built, 1768, endowed by John Jordan, Jr.,
Philadelphia, for widows and daughters of Moravian ministers and other
women who have served the church. The Sisters’ house, formerly first
Brethren’s house, was used for home of unmarried women of advanced age;
now a boarding house. Second Brothers’ house, where unmarried men could
live and still gain independent support, is now “Colonial Hall,” a part
of the Seminary. Corpse house still stands with its weeping willow tree;
because of the small rooms of the houses, the body was taken from the
home to the corpse house for three days; the trombone choir announced a
death from the church steeple by a particular choral that designated
whether it was for man, woman, or child; at the burial the trombone
choir met the procession at the cemetery gate and took part in the
service at the grave; in the Moravian burial ground are graves of many
Indians, among them that of Uncas, in Cooper’s “Last of the Mohicans,”
inscription, “In memory of Tschoop, a Mohican Indian, who, in holy
baptism, April 16th, 1742, received the name of John, one of the first
fruits of the mission at Wycomico, whereby he became a distinguished
teacher among his nation. He departed this life in full assurance of
faith at Bethlehem, August 27, 1746.” The graves are in rows, sisters
and brothers separate, with small stone markers. Bethlehem had the
second waterworks system in the United States, 1760.
A covered wooden bridge over one hundred years old, to be replaced by
modern structure, crosses the Lehigh River to SOUTH BETHLEHEM,
Northampton County, seat of Lehigh University, built, 1866; in 1865, Asa
Packer gave $500,000 for founding a free technical college for boys in
South Bethlehem, largest single benefaction any American college had
received up to this time; this was the beginning of Lehigh University,
opened the following year; later a classical department was opened at
Mr. Packer’s direction, who gave the University $1,500,000 during his
life, and left it by will another $1,500,000, to ease the struggle
upwards of boys with whose ambitions he sympathized; this University is
particularly noted for its course in engineering, with the Fritz
Engineering Laboratory, endowed with over $1,000,000; there are also a
gymnasium with swimming pool, and a stadium.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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