In 1731, Count Zinzendorf visited Denmark, for the purpose of attending the coronation of Christian VI., who, by the death of his father, was called to the throne of that kingdom. During his residence at that court, some of his domestics became acquainted with a negro, named Anthony, from one of the Danish islands. This man related many instances of the moral darkness in which the West Indies were enveloped, and of the distressed state of the negroes; which being repeated to the count, he felt an invincible desire to send missionaries to that part of the world, to proclaim the “tidings of great joy” to those poor benighted negroes. In 1732, this desire was carried into effect; and two missionaries were despatched from “Herrnhutt,” (the principal Moravian station, in Lusatia, Germany,) to St. Thomas. Other missionaries followed them; and in 1733, they planted their standard in St. Croix. In 1754, the society in London sent missionaries to Jamaica, who were followed by some of the brethren from America; and in 1756, Samuel Isles, a true and exemplary Christian, came from St. Thomas, where he had been residing as missionary for eight years, and established the first Moravian settlement in Antigua. Their labour of love was at first very slow in its progress; but they succeeded, in 1761, in raising a chapel, for the accommodation of the negroes, on a spot of land, purchased for the purpose, in St. John’s. Still their society rather decreased than flourished, until, about 1768, there were only fourteen members in the church at St. John’s. Disheartening as these circumstances were, like true soldiers of the Cross, they would not lay down their arms; and at length, their faith and patience met with their reward. A wonderful revival took place, and in 1775 “the number of their stated hearers amounted to 2000; and never a month elapsed without an addition to the church of ten or twenty by baptism.” By the year 1787, 5465 negroes were admitted into the church. Their first settlement was situated at St. John’s; but in 1782, they had formed another at Grace Hill, or, as it was first termed, Bailey Hill; a delightful spot, about ten miles from the capital. The number baptized at St. John’s, in 1789, was 507; while at Grace Hill, 217 were admitted into the church by that ceremony. By this time, five preachers were settled in Antigua; and in the course of the two following years, the society enrolled 7400 members. At the present period, 1842, the number may be estimated at 11,000.