UNITAS FRATRUM, i.e. the Unity of the Brethren; or FRATRES UNITATIS, the United Brethren, is the denomination of a society of christians, usually called Moravians, because they first arose as a distinct church in Moravia; and sometimes Hernhutters, from one of their first settlements in Hernhutt.
In their history, as given by Crantz, their historian, they are distinguished into ancient and modern. The former refers to them before their settlement in Upper Lusatia in 1772; the latter after it.
In an address on their behalf to the English privy council in 1715, they are called The reformed episcopal churches, first settled in Bohemia, and since forced by the persecutions of their enemies to retire into the Greater Poland, and Polish Prussia. In an address also from themselves to the church of England, in the time of Charles II. they claim to have been "free for almost 700 years from the encroachments of the Romish see;" and speak of Huss, and Jerome of Prague, as their famous martyrs, by whose blood the church of Bohemia had been watered and enriched. By the Bohemian church, however, can only be meant the christians, who resided in that country; for Mr. Crantz places the beginning of the church of The United Brethren in the year 1457, and represents it as rising out of the scattered remains of the followers of Huss. " This people, in order to free themselves from the tyranny of Rome, had applied in 1450 for a re-union with the Greek church, of which they had been anciently a part, and their request was cheerfully granted; but on the taking of Constantinople by the Turks, about two years after, which put an end to the Greek empire, this proposed junction came to nothing. After this they resolved to establish a community among themselves, and to edify one another from the word of God. But as this would expose them in their own country to persecution, they obtained permission to withdraw to a part of the king's domain, on the boundary between Silesia and Moravia, to settle there, and regulate their worship according to their own conscience and judgment.
"In the year 1457, they assumed the above denomination of United Brethren, and bound themselves to a stricter church discipline, resolving to suffer all things for conscience's sake; and instead of defending themselves, as some had done, by force of arms, to oppose nothing but prayer and reasonable remonstrances to the rage of their. enemies.
"From this period to the reformation they were severely persecuted, but still preserved their unity. A connexion was also formed between them and the Waldenses, who had for many centuries borne witness to the truth. They had several conferences with Luther, Calvin, and other reformers, and some attempts were made for an union. They approved of the Augsburg confession; but not agreeing in discipline, they still continued a distinct body.
"After various persecutions, distresses, and discouragements during the seventeenth century, they became in a manner extinct: but about the year 1720, a remarkable awakening took place among the posterity of the Brethren in Bohemia; and as no free toleration could be obtained for them in that country, they agreed to emigrate. Christian David, who had been very useful amongst them, applied on their behalf to Nicholas Lewis, Count Zinzendorf, who granted them permission to settle on his estates in Upper Lusatia. Thither, in 1723, a company of them repaired, and formed the settlement of Hernhutt. Within the first four or five years they had well nigh been broken up by religious dissensions, occasioned (it is said) by parties from among the Lutherans and the Reformed coming to settle with them. At length, by the exertions of Count Zinzendorf, the Unity was renewed, and in 1727 rules agreed to, by which divisions might in future be avoided. The Count, who from the first was friendly, now became united to them, and, in 1755, was chosen to be their bishop; having been the preceding year received into clerical orders by the Theological Faculty of Nubingen.