A Tale of Two Johns

An example of Okely’s correspondence with Ettwein

John Okely and John Ettwein, two Moravians who lived during the American Revolution, may have had common names and a common identification as Moravians, but they differed drastically when it came to the patriot cause. Okely jumped on board the rebel bandwagon, serving as a member of the Northampton County (PA) committee of safety. Ettwein disagreed with Okely, believing that fighting in war, no matter what the cause, was tantamount to murder.

Ironically, Okely’s committee became instrumental in harassing members of the peace churches, including the Moravians, who would not take up arms in the Revolution because it conflicted with their consciences and compromised their desire to remain neutral in the midst of political disputes. For the Moravians, the pacifist ethic was not nearly as cut and dry as it was for other churches, such as the Quakers or Mennonites. Sources don’t indicate how it all went down, but it would seem that Okely ended up supporting the prosecution of his fellow Moravians, including Ettwein, for their pacifist convictions. In the years following the Revolution, Okely was no longer welcome among the Moravians at Bethlehem. Go figure …