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Christianizing the Delawares

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In this resolution, Congress makes public lands available to a group for religious purposes. Responding to a plea from Bishop John Ettwein (1721-1802), Congress voted that 10,000 acres on the Muskingum River in the present state of Ohio "be set apart and the property thereof be vested in the Moravian Brethren . . . or a society of the said Brethren for civilizing the Indians and promoting Christianity." The Delaware Indians were the intended beneficiaries of this Congressional resolution.

Records of the Continental Congress in the Constitutional Convention, July 27, 1787

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The Brethren had a long successful history of ministering to and converting native people to Christianity. They are mistakenly assumed to have been pacifist in the sense that Quakers were pacifist. The reality was more like a belief in nonaggression and peaceful coexistence, but they could and would defend themselves if forced.

Early on in NC, they had a paling fort at Bethabara (Hebrew, “House Of Passage”) that was used for the safety of colonial settlers during frequent indian raids. Later it held Loyalist prisoners of war during the Revolution.
The very first Fourth Of July celebration in the new nation, July 4, 1783, was held nearby in Salem, another Moravian town, with a performance of “Psalm Of Joy” which was written just for that occasion.

They sent doctors, musicians and entire brass bands to the Confederacy in response to requests for soldiers, and these stayed with it until the very end, even at Appomattox.

They opposed resettlement of the Cherokee, to whom they had long sent missionaries and had successfully converted many. Upon the failure of their opposition, the Brethren sent missionaries ahead to Oklahoma and set up a church mission there, as well as sending brothers for moral and spiritual support along with the Cherokee on the long march, the Trail Of Tears. There are many Moravian Cherokee today as a result.

I'm not all that familiar with the missionary efforts of the Northern Province out of Pennsylvania, which would likely have been responsible for ministering to the Delaware tribe, though. Thanks for posting, I'll have to look into it further.

Not surprising at all, actually, it's just what they did. Very influential for a relatively small denomination.