News-Record.com

It must have been some kind of ruckus if it caused church to be called off the next morning.

As the saying goes, there's nothing worst than a church fight, even among peace loving Moravians.

Read about it in the 13th edition of "The Records of the Moravians in North Carolina (1867-1876)," just published by the N.C. Office of Archives and History.

The volumes compile diary entries of Moravanian ministers starting with the early exploration of Moravians in the area in 1752 and the eventual establishment of Old Salem and other Moravian communities in Forsyth County.

The records from diaries and church minutes are easy reading, but sometimes the ministers leave out facts vital to understanding an event, such as what happened on Dec. 21, 1867.

"Owing to the difficulties that took place last night in reference to the singing, decoration, etc, there was no preaching today,'' said a diary entry. "Brother Solomon Transou called on me about 10 o'clock to see what could be done to mend up matters, as certain parties had determined to tear down the decoration tomorrow morning.."

The minister writing the diary suggested that the best way to resolve the matter was to call the church committee together that afternoon and "try and make some adjustment of the unhappy affair."

The committee met, the writer said, "and after talking the matter over it was concluded to ring the bell and get the people together, and I should set the whole matter before them, which was accordingly done, and in half an hour everything was amicable arranged to the satisfaction of all parties, and on separating good feeling again prevailed and thus ended one of the stormiest scenes it has ever been my misfortune to participate in, and I hope I may never witness the like again."

And that was that. No explanation was forthcoming about what got everyone so worked that church was canceled the next day.

Daniel Crews, archivist of the Moravian Church, Southern Province and co-editor of the volume, says he can't answer what happened.

He guesses that the Christmas decorations were put up differently than previous years and some people liked them, others didn't.

Crews said it is little things like that that can lead to ugly quabbles in a church.

He said whatever happened, it made sense that church wasn't held that Sunday before Christmas.

As Moravians and brothers and sisters in Christ, Crews said, if a dispute breaks out "we ought to work it out before we come into the house of the Lord and glare at each other."

The book also contains entries about dealings between white and black Moravians, about the founding of Kernersville, about snow storms and other daily events in the Forsyth area and about life in the post-Civil War Reconstruction era.

The 13th Volume, Crews said, will be the last in a series that began in 1922. The project was important because for decades Moravian ministers wrote entries in German. A translation was needed.

He says other books and records in English are available about church history since 1877.

Of course, he recalled, Volume 11 was supposed to be the last. Then n it was decided two more volumes were needed to carry the records through the Civil War and Reconstruction

Crews says as a hitorian he has learned never to say never. A 14th volume could come about, but he doubts it.

The thick volume, costing $57.80, can be ordered through the Historical Publications Section, Office of Archives and History, 4622 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, 27699-4622. Credit card orders can be placed by calling 919 433-7442. Purchases on-line can be made through the Publications Section's online store, http://store.yahoo.com/nc-historical-publications/

Copies should be avaiable soon at the Moravian Book Store in Old Salem.

The man who broke into attorney Thomas Worth's house in Lindley Park last Sunday, only to be wrestled to the floor and subdued by Worth,
was lucky the incident didn't happen during the first half of the 20tth century.

The accused is free on $4,000 bond. In the old days, he would be in jail without bond facing a possible death sentence.

Until the 1960s, breaking into an occupied home was a capital offense in North Carolina, even if no one was killed or injured during the burglary.

Between 1910, when the state took over executions from the counties, and 1957, ten men died in the state's electric chair and gas chamber for burglary.

They included, Arthor Morris of Raleigh, nicknamed the "Grey Mouse," executed in Sept, 1939, for breaking into the home of a Raleigh physician and stealing 20 cents and a check that he couldn't cash. Gov. Clyde Hoey, in refusing clemency, said Morris had committed 50 other burglaries.

James Marshall, 30, went to his death in 1938 for entering a home in Wayne County and taking a straw hat and a fountain pen. News stories said he had previously kidnapped and robbed a man. That may have led to his getting death for the unrelated burglary.

On Oct. 27, 1939, Willie Richardson of Nash County, died for a burglary in which he stole an empty pocketbook and a pack of cigarettes. Richardson told authorities he didn't know his age but it was guessed at 21 or 22.

Between 1939 and 1957 only two executions took place for burglary. Juries and judges apparently decided burglaries without injuries didn't merit a death sentence.

The last execution for burglary, 30-year-old Ross McAfee of Alexander County, Nov. 22, 1957, involved injury to a 17-year-old girl whose throat was slashed during an unsuccessful rape attempt.

Rape also was a capital crime. Numerous executions for the crime took place through the 1950s in cases where the victim was not killed.

In modern times, the state has limited capital punishment to first-degree murder.

Even if it had been the 1930s, the Lindley Park burglar may have been in line for a life sentence instead of death. He is white. All of those executed for burglary were black.