God's Acre and Morvian Settlements

This is an example of a tombstone from Emmaus, PA. On 3rd St in Emmaus, there is the first Moravian cemetery in Emmaus.

The Moravians came over from Germany and the Czech Republic in the 18th century. At the time, the religion was called Unitas Fratrum, or Unity of the Brethren. They came over to the United States with Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf. They landed in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and on Christmas Eve in 1741, Bethlehem was founded.

Emmaus was settled around the same time but was established as a town in 1759. The site of the original Moravian Church is next to God's Acre and a stone stands there marking the spot.

Emmaus was a closed Moravian Community. If you weren't Moravian, you weren't welcome to stay there. Same went with the cemetery. I don't know the exact date, but if you weren't Moravian, you couldn't be buried on God's Acre.

For some more information on God's Acre and the Moravian Tradition, click here.