blished missionary stations. There, it is said,
they obtain ready customers, and the money so earned is faithfully
applied to missionary purposes. Of course, the more essential, though
less elegant departments in the management of a household, are not
neglected. Among the sisters, there are matrons, housekeepers, cooks,
chamber-maids, scullions, laundresses, and even errand-women;--all of
them accustomed from their youth to more or less of manual labour, and
all supported out of common funds of the institution. Such persons, as
well as a large majority of those on whom they attend, pay no board.
The Schweister-house is their home; which they are free to quit,
however, at pleasure; and they all live on a footing of perfect
equality. One large room serves as the common eating-hall; one, which
engrosses an entire front of the building, is the dormitory; while a
chapel, where there is an altar, sees them assembled every morning to
sing a hymn, to the accompaniment of a harpsichord, and pray with one
of the ministers who attends them.
Previous to our visit to the Schweister-house, we had inspected the
church,--a plain unadorned hall, fitted up with benches, two galleries,
and a sort of table or altar. There is neither desk nor pulpit, for the
service stands in no need of such adjuncts, inasmuch as the devotional
parts of it consist mainly of psalm-singing, and the exhortation is
delivered, like a lecturer's address at the British Institution, from
the table. Unfortunately for myself, I did not happen, on either
occasion of visiting the place, to reach it on a festival; but the
music, I am told, is exceedingly good, and the choir is led by an
organ. It may be worth while to add, that the principle which has
established a Broder-house and Schweister-house apart from one another,
operates in the temple of the Hernhuters,--the men and women occupy
distinct sets of benches, with a considerable space between them.
The pastors or clergy of this singular sect, inhabit apartments
connected with the church, and adjoining to it. Not fewer than seven
are always resident in the town, of whom three are bishops, and they
are all family men. I do not know how they are accommodated in the sort
of college which was pointed out as their common home; but I should
think indifferently.
Our next visit was to the cemetery. To reach it we were obliged to
traverse a considerable portion of the town, than which I have seen
nothing in Germany so
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