John Hus of Bohemia (1369-1415) protested against the abuses he found in the Roman Catholic Church and called on all around him to awake to righteousness and lives based on the doctrines found in the Holy Scriptures. He was accused of heresy and was burned at the stake in 1415.
The reformation spirit did not die with Hus. Out of his ashes rose the Moravian Church or "Unitas Fratrum" (Unity of the Brethren) as it has been officially known since 1457. In 1467, the first bishops were consecrated, and the Unitas Fratrum became the first fully organized Protestant Church.
Despite years of prosecution and merciless assaults made against them, The Moravians went forth as the first missionary church into many wide-spread areas to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Membership grew to 200,000 throughout Europe.
After an unsuccessful attempt to establish a Moravian settlement in Georgia (1735-1740), the Moravians settled in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1741. From this settlement there came the first settlers to Bethabara, the oldest congregation of the Southern Province of the Moravian Church.
On October 8, 1753, a company of fifteen single Brethren left Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. These brave men traveled over wild and steep mountains, through raging rivers and dense forests, and sparsely settled territories. Almost six weeks later on November 17, 1753, they reached the spot where now stands the village of BETHABARA. In an empty trapper's hut, they took shelter and on that same evening, those tired but thankful men held the first lovefeast and praised God for their safe arrival. During the first few months, they cleared the land, planted their winter wheat and built themselves a better shelter.
Within a few years, more settlers including women came. More land was cleared, homes were built and the peaceful little valley was transformed into a thriving village. In 1756 a log church was built inside a stockade. The Indians never raided the village, but colonists from around often fled to Bethabara and the stockade during the French and Indian War. The first pastor, Bernard Adam Grube, gave their settlement the significant scriptural name, "Bethabara," a Hebrew word meaning "House of Passage." Successive years witnessed growth and expansion.
In 1759 Bethania Settlement was begun and in 1765, the site of Salem was chosen for their permanent settlement and all but 50 settlers left Bethabara.
In 1788, the stone church was erected. This church, sometimes called the "Gemein Haus" or meeting place was used by the Bethabara Congregation until 1953 when they moved into a new Christian Education Building a block south. The present sanctuary was built in 1971. The historic stone church is a consecrated church and is still used by the congregation for special services, Holy Week services, musical programs, and occasionally a wedding.
Today, there are fifty four Moravian Churches in the Southern Province and Bethabara was where this ministry began in what the settlers called "Carolina Land."