the moravians in georgia-第17章

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tion　of　the　necessary　fortifications　on　St。　Simon。

Benjamin　Ingham's　visit　to　Frederica　proved　to　be　his　first　unpleasant　experience　in　the　New　World。　　Like　John　Wesley；　he　came　with　the　strictest　ideas　of　Sabbath　observance；　etc。；　and　as　one　said；　in　answer　to　a　reproof；　〃these　were　new　laws　in　America。〃　The　effect　may　be　summed　up　in　his　own　words：　　〃My　chief　business　was　daily　to　visit　the　people；　to　take　care　of　those　that　were　sick；　and　to　supply　them　with　the　best　things　we　had。　　For　a　few　days　at　the　first；　I　had　everybody's　good　word；　but　when　they　found　I　watched　narrowly　over　them；　and　reproved　them　sharply　for　their　faults；　immediately　the　scene　changed。　Instead　of　blessing；　came　cursing；　and　my　love　and　kindness　were　repaid　with　hatred　and　ill…will。〃

Oglethorpe　remained　on　the　Altamaha　but　a　few　days；　and　then　returned　to　Savannah　for　the　rest　of　his　colonists。　Meanwhile　the　Moravian　Congregation　was　being　fully　organized。　During　Spangenberg's　visit　to　Oglethorpe　on　his　vessel；　the　Moravians；　including　Bishop　Nitschmann；　met　together；　and　John　Toeltschig　was　elected　manager　（Vorsteher）；　Gottfried　Haberecht；　monitor　（Ermahner）；　and　Gotthard　Demuth　to　perform　various　minor　duties　（Diener）。　The　name　of　the　nurse　（Krankenwaerter）　is　not　given；　but　he　was　probably　John　Regnier；　who　acted　as　physician；　not　only　for　the　Moravians；　but　for　many　of　their　poorer　neighbors。　Andrew　Dober　was　associated　with　Toeltschig　in　the　management　of　the　finances；　and　all　of　these　men　were　solemnly　inducted　into　office；　it　being　the　custom　to　give　a　kind　of　specialized　ordination　even　for　positions　not　commonly　considered　ministerial。

Three　〃Bands〃　were　formed　among　the　men；　　smaller　companies　associated　for　religious　improvement；　each　Band　electing　a　leader　charged　with　special　oversight　of　the　members。　　There　was　one　among　the　married　men；　one　among　the　unmarried　men　who　were　communicants；　and　another　for　the　unmarried　non…communicants；　Toeltschig；　Seifert　and　Rose　being　the　leaders。　　The　women　were　organized　in　like　manner；　though　being　few　in　number　there　was　probably　but　one　Band　among　them；　under　Mrs。　Toeltschig　who　had　been　appointed　Elderess　before　leaving　Herrnhut。　　There　is　no　reference　to　the　celebration　of　the　Holy　Communion　by　the　first　company　during　their　months　of　preparation　in　Savannah；　nor　had　opportunity　been　given　to　the　second　company　since　they　left　the　English　coast；　but　now；　with　Bishop　Nitschmann　to　preside；　they　were　able　to　partake　together；　finding　much　blessing　therein。　They　resolved　in　the　future　to　commune　every　two　weeks；　but　soon　formed　the　habit；　perhaps　under　Wesley's　influence；　of　coming　to　the　Lord's　Table　every　Sunday。

When　Spangenberg　returned　to　them；　a　conference　was　held　each　evening；　and　on　Sunday　they　had　a　Lovefeast；　especially　for　those　who　had　been　selected　to　superintend　the　material　and　spiritual　affairs　of　the　Congregation。

On　the　1st　of　March；　John　and　Charles　Wesley　called　on　them；　and　on　the　6th；　Charles　Wesley　came　again；　and　〃opened　his　heart〃　to　them。　The　Diary　calls　him　〃an　awakened　but　flighty　man；〃　who　had　come　as　Gov。　Oglethorpe's　secretary；　and　was　now　about　to　go　to　Frederica　as　pastor　of　that　turbulent　flock。　　From　him　Spangenberg　learned　of　Oglethorpe's　return　from　Altamaha；　and　accompanied　by　Nitschmann　went　with　him　to　the　ship；　where　the　Wesleys　were　still　living。　Two　days　were　spent　with　Oglethorpe；　who　promised　to　give　them　ground　containing　a　good　bed　of　clay；　where　they　could　make　brick；　which　should　be　sold　to　the　Trustees'　agent　at　15　shillings　per　1；000；　two…thirds　of　the　price　to　be　applied　on　their　debt；　and　one…third　to　be　paid　them　in　cash。　　Moreover　several　English　boys　should　be　apprenticed　to　them　to　learn　the　trade。　　Hemp　and　flax　seed　should　also　be　given　them；　and　he　urged　them　to　weave　the　linen；　for　they　had　men　who　understood　the　art；　and　cloth　was　scarce　and　dear　in　Georgia。　He　also　advised　them　to　buy　oxen　to　use　in　cultivating　their　land；　and　said　that　they　should　have　one…third　of　the　grape…vines　he　had　brought　over　with　him；　another　portion　was　to　be　given　to　Tomochichi；　the　remainder　to　be　planted　in　his　own　garden。

On　the　8th；　Spangenberg　and　Nitschmann　returned　to　Savannah；　and　with　Andrew　Dober　and　John　Wesley；　（who　had　now　moved　from　the　ship；）　proceeded　up　the　river　to　Mrs。　Musgrove's；　about　five　miles　distant。　Wesley　wished　to　select　a　site　for　a　small　house；　which　Oglethorpe　had　promised　to　build　for　him；　where　he　and　his　companions　might　live　while　they　were　studying　the　Indian　language；　under　Mrs。　Musgrove's　direction。　Nitschmann　wanted　to　visit　and　talk　with　the　Indian　〃King〃；　Tomochichi；　and　Dober　was　trying　to　find　some　clay　suitable　for　pottery。　The　following　day　they　returned　to　Savannah；　and　Mr。　Wesley　and　Mr。　Delamotte　took　up　their　abode　with　the　Moravians；　as　Mr。　Quincy；　Wesley's　predecessor　in　the　Savannah　pastorate；　had　not　yet　vacated　his　house。　Wesley　writes；　〃We　had　now　an　opportunity；　day　by　day；　of　observing　their　whole　behaviour。　　For　we　were　in　one　room　with　them　from　morning　to　night；　unless　for　the　little　time　I　spent　in　walking。　They　were　always　employed；　always　cheerful　themselves；　and　in　good　humor　with　one　another；　they　had　put　away　all　anger；　and　strife；　and　wrath；　and　bitterness；　and　clamor；　and　evil　speaking；　they　walked　worthy　of　the　vocation　wherewith　they　were　called；　and　adorned　the　Gospel　of　our　Lord　in　all　things。〃　　The　impression　thus　made　upon　John　Wesley　was　lasting；　and　even　during　the　subsequent　years　in　England；　when　differences　of　every　kind　arose　between　him　and　the　Moravians；　and　his　Journal　is　full　of　bitter　denunciations　of　doctrines　and　practices　which　he　did　not　understand；　and　with　which　he　was　not　in　sympathy；　he　now　and　again　interrupts　himself　to　declare；　〃I　can　not　speak　of　them　but　with　tender　affection；　were　it　only　for　the　benefits　I　have　received　from　them。〃

An　event　which　occurred　on　March　10th；　is　of　more　than　local　interest；　in　that　it　is　the　first　unquestioned　instance　of　the　exercise　of　episcopal　functions　in　the　United　States。　　Prior　to　this；　and　for　a　number　of　years　later；　clergymen　of　the　Church　of　England；　and　English…speaking　Catholic　priests；　were　ordained　in　the　Old　World；　before　coming　to　the　New；　remaining　under　the　control　of　the　Bishop　and　of　the　Vicar　Apostolic　of　London；　while　the　Spanish　Catholics　were　under　the　Suffragan　of　Santiago　de　Cuba；　and　the　French　Catholics　under　the　Bishop　of　Quebec。　　Tradition　mentions　the　secret　consecration　of　two　Bishops　of　Pennsylvania　before　this　time；　but　its　authenticity　is　doubted；　and　the　two　men　did　not　exercise　any　episcopal　powers。　Therefore　when　Bishop　Nitschmann　came　to　Georgia；　and　in　the　presence　of　the　Moravian　Congregation　at　Savannah　ordained　one　of　their　number　to　be　their　pastor；　he　was　unconsciously　doing　one　of　the　〃first　things〃　which　are　so　interesting　to　every　lover　of　history。

Whenever　it　was　possible　the　Moravians　spent　Saturday　afternoon　and　evening　in　rest；　prayer；　and　conference；　and　on　this　occasion　four　services　were　held　at　short　intervals。

At　the　first　service　the　singing　of　a　hymn　was　followed　by　the　reading　of　Psalm　84；　a　discourse　thereon；　and　prayer。　The　second　was　devoted　to　reading　letters　from　Germany；　and　some　discussion　as　to　Hermsdorf　and　his　relation　to　the　Congregation。　The　third　service　was　the　important　one；　and　the　following　account　was　recorded　in　the　Diary。　　〃When　we　re…assembled　the　question：　‘Must　not　our　Congregation　have　a　Chief　Elder　（Aeltester）？'　was　presented　for　discussion。　　All　thought　it　necessary；　and　were　unanimous　in　their　choice　of　Anton　Seifert；　and　no　other　was　even　suggested。　　While　his　name　was　being　considered；　he　was　sent　from　the　room；　and　when　he　had　been　recalled；　we　sang　a　hymn；　and　Nitschmann　and　Toeltschig　led　the　Congregation　in　most　earnest　prayer。　Then　Nitschmann　delivered　an　earnest　charge；　setting　before　him　the　importance　of　his　office；　which　made　him　the　foremost　member　of　the　Congregation；　especially　in　times　of　danger；　for　in　the　early　Church；　as　well　as　among　our　forefathers　in　Moravia；　the　bishops　were　ever　the　first　victims。　　He　was　asked　if　he　would　freely　and　willingly　give　up　his　life　for　the　Congregation　and　the　Lord　Jesus。　　He　answered；　‘Yes。'　Then　he　was　reminded　of　the　evil　which　arose　when　bishops；　seeing　their　power　in　a　Congregation；　began　to　exalt　themselves；　and　to　make　outward　show　of　their　pre…eminence。　　He　was　asked　whether　he　would　recognize　as　evil；　abjure；　and　at　once　suppress　any　inclination　he　might　feel　toward　pride　in　his　position　as　Chief　Elder；　and　his　larger　authority。　　He　answered　with　a　grave　and　thoughtful　‘Yes。'　Then　our　Nitschmann　prayed　over　him　earnestly；　and　ordained　him　to　his　office　with　the　laying　on　of　hands。　　Nitschmann　was　uncommonly　aroused　and　happy；　but　Anton　Seifert　was　very　humble　and　quiet。〃　　John　Wesley；　who　was　present；　wrote　〃The　great　simplicity；　as　well　as　solemnity；　of　the　whole；　almost　made　me　forget　the　seventeen　hundred　years　between；　and　imagine　myself　in　one　of　those　assemblies　where　form　and　state　were　not；　but　Paul　the　tent…maker；　or　Peter　the　fisherman；　presided；　yet　with　the　demonstration　of　the　Spirit　and　of　power。〃

Both　Wesley　and　Benjamin　Ingham　refer　to　Seifert　as　a　〃bishop〃；　which　is　a　mistake；　though　a　natural　one。　　Wesley　was　present　at　the　ordination；　and　heard　the　charge；　with　example　and　warning　drawn　from　the　actions　of　earlier　bishops；　while　Ingham；　in　the　course　of　several　long　conversations　with　Toeltschig　concerning　the　Moravian　Episcopate　and　Seifert's　ordination；　asked　〃is　Anton　a　bishop？〃　and　was　answered；　〃yes；　FOR　OUR　CONGREGATION。〃　This　was　in　view　of　the　fact　that　Bishop　Nitschmann；　in　ordaining　Seifert；　had　empowered　him　to　delegate　another　member　to　hold　the　Communion；　baptize；

or　perform　the　marriage　ceremony　in　case　of　his　sickness　or　necessary　absence。　At　that　time　the　Moravian　Church　was　just　beginning　to　form　her　own　ministry；　the　ranks　of　Deacon；　Presbyter　and　Bishop　were　not　fully　organized；　and　the　definite　system　was　only　established　by　the　Tenth　General　Synod　of　the　Church　in　1745。　　The　exigencies　of　the　case　required　large　powers　for　a　man　serving　in　an　isolated　field；　and　they　were　given　him；　but　strictly　speaking；　Seifert　was　only　ordained　a　Deacon；　and　never　was　consecrated　Bishop。

The　fourth　and　last　service　of　the　day　was　given　up　to　song；　a　discourse；　and　prayer。

On　Sunday；　March　11th；　after　morning　prayers；　Wesley　went　to　Tybee　for　an　interview　with　General　Oglethorpe。　　At　a　general　gathering　of　the　Moravians　later　in　the　day；　the　second　chapter　of　Acts　was　read；　with　special　reference　to　the　last　four　verses；　and　the　description　of　the　first　congregation　of　Christ's　followers；　when　〃all　that　believed　were　together；　and　had　all　things　common；〃　was　taken　as　the　pattern　of　their　〃Gemeinschaft〃。　　This　plan；　which　had　already　been　tested　during　the　first　year；　proved　so　advantageous　that　it　was　later　adopted　by　other　American　Moravian　settlements；　being　largely　responsible　for　their　rapid　growth　during　their　early　years；　though　in　each　case　there　came　a　time　when　it　hindered　further　progress；　and　was　therefore　abandoned。　　In　religious　matters；　the　organization　of　the　Savannah　Congregation　had　been　modeled　after　that　at　Herrnhut；　so