Rev. Walter Vivian Moses
brief account of his life
Walter Vivian Moses was born in 1879, in the Glasgow district, near Newport in Manchester. He was the eldest son of Abraham and Rachel Moses; his father was at one point described as a planter, but the term 'planter' is highly ambiguous, as it can be used, according to context, of any landowner, from peasant small-holder to sugar plantation owner, so the term says little of the status of Abraham Moses. Young Moses was educated at the Bethabara Elementary School, and later at the Moravians' Fairfield Training College. After leaving college he was for a time a teacher at Mount Olivet.
At some point he left Jamaica to study at the Moravian College at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he apparently continued the fine academic record he had established at school and college here. He obtained a master's and a doctoral degree in Bethlehem. In 1909 he was appointed a professor at Moravian College; he taught both Latin, and Old Testament studies.
In 1930 he received a Doctor of Divinity degree and became the first Dean of the Theological Seminary when it became a separate institution from the College. He was an outstanding educator and some of his students served in the Church in Jamaica.
He was also a pastor, serving churches in Ohio and Pennsylvania. In 1942 his election as a Bishop of the Northern Province of the Moravian Church in the United States was greeted with pride and gratification at the time in Jamaica.
Bishop Moses retained his links with his homeland over the years, visiting and taking part in Moravian and ecumenical events here in1910, 1914, 1927, 1934, and in 1936 he came for the 'Keswick' Convention in Mandeville.
After his retirement he lived in St Augustine, Florida, where he was much involved with Civil Rights work.
In 1995, twenty years after his death, the Moravian Seminary instituted the annual Walter Vivian Moses Lectures in Moravian Studies in his honour, and they continue to this day.
He was indeed a man of whom the land of his birth may well be proud.
At some point he left Jamaica to study at the Moravian College at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he apparently continued the fine academic record he had established at school and college here. He obtained a master's and a doctoral degree in Bethlehem. In 1909 he was appointed a professor at Moravian College; he taught both Latin, and Old Testament studies.
In 1930 he received a Doctor of Divinity degree and became the first Dean of the Theological Seminary when it became a separate institution from the College. He was an outstanding educator and some of his students served in the Church in Jamaica.
He was also a pastor, serving churches in Ohio and Pennsylvania. In 1942 his election as a Bishop of the Northern Province of the Moravian Church in the United States was greeted with pride and gratification at the time in Jamaica.
Bishop Moses retained his links with his homeland over the years, visiting and taking part in Moravian and ecumenical events here in1910, 1914, 1927, 1934, and in 1936 he came for the 'Keswick' Convention in Mandeville.
After his retirement he lived in St Augustine, Florida, where he was much involved with Civil Rights work.
In 1995, twenty years after his death, the Moravian Seminary instituted the annual Walter Vivian Moses Lectures in Moravian Studies in his honour, and they continue to this day.
He was indeed a man of whom the land of his birth may well be proud.
Handbook of Jamaica, 1900
Moravian Training Colleges
The church has for many years maintained two Training Colleges, one for males at Fairfield, the other for women at Bethlehem. Within recent years these Colleges have received Government aid. The Fairfield College was begun in 1839 under the direction of the late Rev. Mr. Holland, and has been successfully carried on ever since. It has always enjoyed the advantage of an able teaching staff, and the teachers turned out have as a rule been most successful in their profession. The present staff consists of the Rev. Joseph Craig, Director, with Messrs. Weiss, Lewison and Black, as Assistants. There were 29 students in attendance in 1896. The Training College for women was begun at Bethabara in 1861, and for many years was the only institution for the training of women in the island. Owing to various circumstances, it was temporarily removed to Salem in Westmoreland in 1888, but has now been established in new and commodious buildings at Bethlehem, in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The College had 24 students in attendance in 1896. The teaching staff consist of the Rev. S. C. Ashton, Director; Mrs. Weiss, Miss Walder and Miss Glanville.
personal life
On September 29, 1906 Walter V. Moses married Cora Elizabeth Doster in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Sadly Cora Moses died on January 3, 1914, and in 1915 the Moravian Theological Seminary awarded the Cora Doster Moses Memorial Homiletics prize was first award.
On April 19, 1916, Walter Moses married Clela Belle Reiser of Ohio, and they had two children, Vivian born in 1918 and Marjorie in 1921; all of the family visited Jamaica at various times in the 1930s. Clela Reiser Moses died in 1989 at very nearly 100 years old.
The Moravian - Volumes 20-21 - 1989, page 19
WALTER VIVIAN MOSES Mrs. Clela Belle (Reiser) Moses, widow of the late Bishop Walter Vivian Moses, died on September 27, 1989, in Crestview Manor, Lancaster, Ohio, at the age of 99 years, 9 months, and 18 days. |
at the Moravian College
Moravian College and Theological Seminary Library. (College; founded, 1807; 7,300 volumes.)
Librarian, W. Vivian Moses.
Librarian, W. Vivian Moses.
visits to Jamaica
Bishop Moses visited his homeland on many occasions over the years; below are newspaper items recording some of those visits.
Bishop Moses visited his homeland on many occasions over the years; below are newspaper items recording some of those visits.
Daily Gleaner, 1910 July 7, p2
The Rev. Prof. W. Vivian Moses, B.A. B.D. Professor of Latin, in the Moravian Theological Seminary at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is at present on a visit to Jamaica, his native land. Professor Moses, a native of Manchester, is one of those who, having gone abroad, has been a credit to his native land. After a brilliant college career, and a few years of pastoral experience, he was appointed to his present post. Daily Gleaner, 1910 August 20 p4 The Moravian Church observes 21st August as a festival, therefore there will be missionary services in the Moravian church, Hanover Street, on Sunday (tomorrow). The preacher, in the morning will be the Rev. J. Reinke and at 4 and 7 p.m. Rev. W. Vivian Moses, M.A., B.D., of the Moravian Theological Seminary, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA. A collection in aid of the mission work of the church will be taken up at all the services. Daily Gleaner, 1914 July 11 p14 Our Christiana correspondent writes: Professor Moses formerly a teacher of Mount Olivet School and a student of the Fairfield Training College for the Moravians, will preach at the Christiana Moravian Church on Sunday 12th inst. during the morning, and will lecture at the Episcopalian Church during the afternoon of the same day. Many are expected to go to hear the learned gentleman, a Jamaican who is to be congratulated on his brilliant career. Daily Gleaner, 1927 December 30 p11 CHRISTMAS DAY WEDDING. (From our correspondent) New Port, Manchester, Dec. 27. The events at Bethabara have made Christmas Day an interesting one. . . . . THE SERVICES. The special preacher for the day, the Rev. Dr. W. V. Moses of Bethlehem, Pa., who preached a forceful and inspiring sermon from the text. "Thou shalt call His name Jeuss for He shall save His people from their sins. The church choir rendered a beautiful anthem "O little town of Bethlehem." In the afternoon of the day the Sunday School had its Anniversary Service when a fine programme of songs and recitations, was rendered. On Monday the 26th. the Sunday School Scholars got prizes for regular attendance during the year. They also received a treat of cakes and buns. In connection with the treat Mrs. Moses, the Doctor's wife, identified herself by kindly providing little bags of sweets for the scholars of the primary classes. Daily Gleaner, 1934 July 26 p27 Newport, July 23. On Sunday, 29th instant, Rev. Walter V. Moses. Ph.D., of Bethlehem. Pa., will preach at Bethabara Moravian Church. Dr. Moses is well known around these parts. He is the eldest son of Mr. Abraham Moses and the late Mrs. Rachael Moses of Glasgow District. He received his elementary training at Bethabara School and had a brilliant career as a student in the Fairfield Training College. Dr. Moses will be spending a short vacation in the Island. |
Daily Gleaner, 1936 June 19, p17
Jamaican, The Dean Of a Theological Seminary, on Visit Dr. Walter V. Moses, Ph.D., D.D., Comes Home To Be Special Speaker At Mandeville Convention DR. WALTER VIVIAN MOSES, Ph.D., D.D., Dean of the Theological Department of the Moravian College and Theological Seminary, at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., accompanied by his son, Mr. V. H. Moses, arrived in the s. s. Toloa yesterday morning to be one of the special speakers at the Mandeville Convention of Christian workers which opens on the 29th inst. and will last for four days. The visit of Dr. Moses, which will extend to about two to three weeks, is of significant importance to Jamaicans as he was born in Manchester and also attended school here as a boy. His aged father, one of the Island’s planters, still lives in Newport. The Convention, inaugurated nearly forty years ago, is run on the same lines as the popular English Keswick Convention and the other special speaker is the Rev. Dr. Stockley, a retired Baptist Minister. Dr. Moses was met on the pier by members of the Convention Council and friends and in an interview with a Gleaner representative expressed his great pleasure of returning to Jamaica, and more-so, to be one of the special speakers at the Convention. He looked forward, he said, with INTENSE INTEREST to his meeting the several Christian workers and hoped that the Convention would be of great blessing to all. A keen educationist is Dr. Moses. He has been engaged in the work of Education for the last twenty-seven years. He has assisted in training many educationists and religious leaders, including such persons well known in Jamaica, as the Rev. George C. Westphal, son of Bishop Westphal; the Rev. Walter Allen, son of the late Rev. S. H. Allen of Bethany; also the Rev. Mr. Kaltreider, the present incumbent of Bethany. The College Department at Bethlehem with which Dr. Moses is connected, grants the BA., and B.Sc., degrees and the Seminary Department grants the B.D., degree. There is a four years’ training course at the College and three years in the Seminary. The work of Dr. Moses is confined principally to the Seminary Department though he had held the chair of the Latin Department for the past twenty-seven years. Referring to the EDUCATIONAL OUTLOOK of the United States, he said: ‘America is experimenting all the time stressing the social aspects of Education very largely to fit young people for the duties of citizenship. The outlook at the present time for young people is not too progressive because of economic conditions, but there is a slight improvement. We are turning out thousands of young people from our Colleges and Universities every year, but the openings are not as we would like. “I have been always favourably impressed with the educational history of this island. From time to time I have kept in touch with the changes and progress through the ‘Gleaner.’ I have noted with interest that a number of the young people of this Island have gone to Universities abroad. That is a most encouraging thing and I do not know of an Island of this size with such well-directed educational ambitions. Visitors to this Island are always well impressed with the intelligence and well behaved manner of the people. That has been said to me again and again by visitors to Jamaica.” . . . . Dr. Moses’ son who accompanied him out has just finished his freshman year at Lafayette College, Easton, and plans to take up law shortly. His daughter, who is attached to a Moravian Preparatory School, visited Jamaica two or three years ago with her father on a short trip. |
Programme Mandeville Convention June 29th to July 3rd 1936: Dr. T. I. Stockley, D.D., Keswick Speaker from England and Dr. W. V. Moses, Ph.D., D.D. from U.S.A. will be the special speakers at all the Central Meetings. Monday June 29th 7.30 p.m. Welcome Meeting in the Wesleyan Church, Speaker Rev. E. Culley. Tuesday June 30th 7.30 a.m. Quiet Hour in the Wesleyan Church, Speaker Rev. W. Baillie; 11.00 a.m. Women's Meeting in Ridgemount Church, Speaker Mrs. Coward; 2.30 p.m. General Meeting in the Wesleyan Church, Speaker Dr. Stockley; 7.30 p.m. Evening Service in Ridgemount Church, Speaker Dr. Moses, Wednesday. July 1 7.30 p.m. Quiet Hour in the Wesleyan Church, Speaker Rt. Rev. Bishop Westphal; 11.00 a.m. Children's Service in the Wesleyan Church, Speaker Dr. Moses; 2.30 p.m. Missionary Service in Ridgemount Church, Speaker Dr. Stockley; 7.30 p.m. Evening Service in Ridgemount Church, Speaker Dr. Moses. Thursday July 2 7.30 a.m. Quiet Hour in the Wesleyan Church, Speaker Rev. E. Culley; 11.00 a.m. Ministers and Workers in Wesleyan Church, Speaker Dr. Stockley; 2.30 p.m. General .Meeting in the Wesleyan Church, Speaker Dr. Moses; 7.30 p.m. Evening Service in Ridgemount Church, Speaker Dr. Moses. Friday July 3 7.30 p.m. Farewell Meeting in the Wesleyan Church, Speaker Bishop Westphal. Officers of the Convention Council: President: Rt. Rev. Bishop Westphal, Lincoln; Vice President: Ven Archdeacon Ramson, M.A., Kingston; Treasurer: Rev. John Neale, Walderston; Secretary: Mr. Ernest Clark, Kendal. |
career in the U.S.A
Daily Gleaner, 1942 March 21 p6
Jamaican Elected Bishop Of Moravian Church In America The Rev. W. V. Moses, Dean of the Moravian Theological Seminary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., has been elected a Bishop of the Northern Province of the Moravian Church in the United States. The date for the consecration has not yet been fixed, but no doubt it will take place shortly. Dr. Moses was born at Newport, Manchester, Jamaica, B.W.I, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Moses. In 1909 he was called to a Professorship at the Moravian College, where he had earned his M.A. and Ph.D. Degrees. In 1930 he became Doctor of Divinity, and Dean of the Theological Seminary. He is a member of the American Association of Theological Seminaries and the Classical League ol the Middle Atlantic States. He has books on "The Why of Latin" and "Outlines of the Old Testament" and has published numerous articles in religious papers. His son, Ensign V. H, Moses is stationed with the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbour, and his daughter is a student at Wilson College. Bishops of the Moravian Church are not necessarily Executive Officers, but are spiritual leaders. The office of Bishop is international in character, and a Bishop of one province may be recognised in another. This accounts for the Latin title, "Episcopus Fratrum" - Bishop of the Moravian Unity. The above extract from a recent issue of the Bethlehem Times, published in Bethlehem, Penn, U.S.A. will be of great interest to many of our readers. Moravians in this Island have followed the brilliant career of Dr. Moses with great interest, and will be much gratified to learn of his election as a Bishop. Dr. Moses visited his sister Mrs. H. Helwig, of Tiverton, Manchester, a few years ago. It will be recalled that he gave several stirring addresses at the Mandeville Convention, and many non-Moravians will join in congratulating his relatives on his new office. |
Walter Vivian Moses Lectures in Moravian Studies
Since 1995, the Walter Vivian Moses Lectures in Moravian Studies have been held annually on the last Thursday in April at Moravian Seminary. In 2000, the lectures expanded to include sites in North Carolina (2nd Monday of October) and the Western District of the Moravian Church (1st Sunday of November). These lectures, devoted to Moravian topics, are supported by a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. The lectureship honors the memory of the late Bishop Walter Vivian Moses, who was an Old Testament scholar, dean of Moravian Theological Seminary, and a leader in the Moravian Church’s response to the social issues of the 20th century. Bishop Moses (1879–1975) was a member of the faculty of Moravian Theological Seminary from 1910 until his retirement in 1946. He taught Old Testament, and in 1930 he was appointed the first dean of Moravian Seminary as a separate institution from Moravian College. Earlier in his career he had served pastorates in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and after his retirement he was the founding pastor of Schoenbrunn Moravian Church, New Philadelphia, Ohio. He was one the architects of the Moravian Church‘s response to the social issues of the 20th century, and was active in promoting civil rights in St. Augustine, Florida, where he retired in 1950. A commentary on the later career of Bishop Moses can be found at http://www.moravianseminary.edu/moravian-studies/moses-lectures-in-moravian-theology/in-memory-of-bishop-moses.html |
Moses Lectures in Moravian Theology
Moses Lectures in Moravian Theology: The Moses Lectures were established in 1995 to honor the memory of the late Bishop Walter Vivian Moses (1879-1975) who became the first dean of Moravian Theological Seminary after the seminary became an institution separate from Moravian College in 1930. Dr. Moses taught Latin, Old Testament History, Archaeology, Pastoral Theology, and Comparative Religion at Moravian College and Theological Seminary from 1910-1946. He also served as a pastor in Ohio and was the founding pastor of Schoenbrunn Moravian Church in New Philadelphia, Ohio. After his retirement in St. Augustine, Florida, Bishop Moses took an active role in promoting civil rights in his community. For several years the lectures were given three times in different locations. Since 2001 the annual lectures have been published in The Hinge and since 2011 they have been made available on-line.