the moravians in georgia-第22章

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eld；　and　service　firmly　refused。

Then　the　townspeople　took　up　the　cry。　　Should　they　fight　for　these　strangers　who　would　not　do　their　share　toward　defending　the　land？　They　would　mob　and　kill　them　first！　　They　only　injured　the　colony　at　any　rate；　for　they　worked　so　cheaply　that　they　lowered　the　scale　of　wages；　and　besides　they　received　money　from　many　people；　for　their　services；　but　spent　none　because　they　made　everything　they　needed　for　themselves！

Still　the　Moravians　stood　firm　in　their　position；　indeed　they　could　do　nothing　else　without　stultifying　themselves。　　The　instructions　from　Zinzendorf　and　the　leaders　of　the　Church　at　Herrnhut；　with　the　approval　of　the　lot；　were　definite；　　they　should　take　no　part　in　military　affairs；　but　might　pay　any　fines　incurred　by　refusal。　To　Oglethorpe　and　to　the　Trustees　they　had　explained　their　scruples；　making　freedom　of　conscience　an　essential　consideration　of　their　settling　in　Georgia；　and　from　them　they　had　received　assurances　that　only　freeholders　were　liable　to　military　duty。　Therefore　they　had　claimed　no　land　as　individuals；　but　had　been　content　to　live；　and　labor；　and　be　called　〃servants〃；　paying　each　week　for　men　to　serve　in　the　night　watch；　in　place　of　the　absent　owners　of　the　two　town　lots。　　In　Savannah　their　views　were　well　known；　and　to　yield　to　orders　from　a　Magistrate；　who　openly　declared　that　promises　made　by　the　Trustees；　who　had　put　him　in　office；　were　not　worth　regarding；　and　who　threatened　them　with　mob　violence；　would　have　been　to　brand　themselves　as　cowards；　unworthy　members　of　a　Church　which　had　outlived　such　dire　persecution　as　that　which　overthrew　the　ancient　Unitas　Fratrum；　and　recreant　to　their　own　early　faith；　which　had　led　them　to　abandon　homes　and　kindred　in　Moravia；　and　seek　liberty　of　conscience　in　another　kingdom。　　That　Georgia　needed　armed　men　to　protect　her　from　the　Spaniards　was　true；　but　equally　so　she　needed　quiet　courage；　steady　industry；　strict　honesty；　and　pious　lives　to　develop　her　resources；　keep　peace　with　her　Indian　neighbors；　and　win　the　respect　of　the　world；　but　these　traits　were　hardly　recognized　as　coin　current　by　the　frightened；　jealous　men　who　clamored　against　the　Moravians。

On　the　28th；　it　was　demanded　that　the　Moravians　help　haul　wood　to　the　fort　which　was　being　built。　　They　replied　that　their　wagon　and　oxen　were　at　the　officers'　service　without　hire；　and　that　they　would　feed　the　animals；　but　personally　they　could　take　no　share　in　the　work。　This　angered　the　people　again；　and　several　of　the　members　began　to　wonder　whether　they　might　perhaps　comply　so　far　as　to　assist；　as　a　matter　of　friendship；　in　hewing　logs　for　the　fort；　refusing　the　wages　paid　to　others。　　The　lot　was　tried；　and　absolutely　forbade　it；　which　was　well；　for　it　developed　that　the　people　were　watching　for　their　answer；　having　agreed　that　if　they　helped　on　the　fort　it　would　be　a　proof　that　they　COULD　do　what　they　chose；　and　were　simply　hiding　behind　an　excuse　in　refusing　to　fight。

But　the　tension　was　not　relaxed；　and　on　the　2nd　of　March；　the　Moravians　met　to　decide　on　their　further　course。　Should　they　keep　quiet；　and　wait　for　times　to　change；　or　should　they　go　away？　It　was　referred　to　the　lot；　and　the　paper　drawn　read　〃GO　OUT　FROM　AMONG　THEM。〃　This　meant　not　merely　from　the　city；　but　from　the　province；　for　Mr。　Causton　had　told　them　that　they　would　be　subject　to　the　same　requirements　if　they　were　living　in　the　adjoining　country。

On　the　strength　of　this　they　wrote　a　letter　to　Mr。　Causton；　rehearsing　their　motives　in　coming　to　Georgia；　and　the　promises　made　them；　reiterating　their　claim　for　liberty　of　conscience；　and　concluding；　〃But　if　this　can　not　be　allowed　us；　if　our　remaining　here　be　burdensome　to　the　people；　as　we　already　perceive　it　begins　to　be；　we　are　willing；　with　the　approbation　of　the　Magistrate；　to　remove　from　this　place；　by　this　means　any　tumult　that　might　ensue　on　our　account　will　be　avoided；　and　occasion　of　offense　cut　off　from　those　who　now　reproach　us　that　they　are　obliged　to　fight　for　us。〃

When　it　came　to　this　point　Mr。　Causton　found　himself　by　no　means　anxious　to　drive　away　some　thirty　of　his　best　settlers；　who　stood　well　with　Oglethorpe　and　the　Trustees；　and　had　given　him　all　their　trade　for　supplies；　so　he　began　to　temporize。　　〃They　trusted　in　God；　and　he　really　did　not　think　their　house　would　be　burned　over　their　heads。〃　Toeltschig　said　that　was　the　least　part　of　it；　they　had　come　for　freedom；　and　now　attempts　were　made　to　force　them　to　act　contrary　to　the　dictates　of　their　consciences。　　Then　he　declared　that　he　had　no　power　in　the　matter　of　their　leaving；　that　must　be　settled　between　the　Count；　the　Trustees；　and　themselves；　but　he　could　not　permit　them　to　go　until　he　received　an　order　from　the　Trustees。　　Meanwhile　he　would　do　what　he　could　to　quiet　the　people's　dissatisfaction　with　them。

As　their　debt　to　the　Trustees　was　not　yet　fully　paid；　Causton's　refusal　bound　them　in　Savannah　for　the　time　being；　according　to　their　bond；　so　they　had　to　turn　elsewhere　for　help。　Early　in　February；　they　had　heard　of　Spangenberg's　return　to　Pennsylvania　from　his　visit　to　St。　Thomas；　and　had　written　to　ask　him　to　come　and　help　them　for　a　while；　but　being　busy　with　other　things　he　did　not　go。　On　the　5th　of　March；　Ingham　suggested　that　he　and　one　of　their　number　should　go　to　England　to　the　Trustees。　　They　thought　it　over　and　decided　that　George　Neisser　should　go　with　him　as　far　as　Pennsylvania；　where　the　case　should　be　laid　before　Spangenberg；　with　the　request　that　he　go　to　London；　arrange　matters　with　the　Trustees；　and　get　permission　for　them　to　leave　Georgia。　　Ingham　was　going；　with　the　approval　of　Wesley　and　Delamotte；　to　try　and　bring　over　some　of　their　friends　to　help　in　the　work　of　evangelizing　the　Province。

A　ship　was　ready　to　sail　for　Pennsylvania　on　the　9th；　so　Ingham　and　Neisser　took　passage　on　her；　and　sailed；　as　the　event　proved；　never　to　return。




Chapter　VI。　　Disintegration。



　　Spangenberg's　Visit。

After　Spangenberg　had　decided　not　to　comply　with　the　request　contained　in　the　letter　from　Savannah；　but　to　stay　and　prosecute　the　work　among　the　Schwenkfelders；　where　a　door　seemed　to　be　opening；　he　became　conscious　of　a　feeling　of　uneasiness；　an　impression　that　he　was　needed　in　Georgia。　　This　was　increased　by　news　of　the　expected　Spanish　outbreak；　for　so　general　was　the　alarm　that　all　the　war…ships　in　the　northern　harbors　were　ordered　to　Carolina；　and　the　selling　of　supplies　to　the　Spaniards　was　absolutely　prohibited。

At　this　point　George　Neisser　and　Benjamin　Ingham　came；　bringing　word　of　the　pressure　on　the　Moravians；　their　decision　to　leave　Georgia　as　soon　as　it　could　be　arranged；　and　their　request　that　Spangenberg　should　go　to　England　with　Ingham　to　see　the　Trustees；　and　secure　their　consent。　　Of　this　plan　Spangenberg　did　not　approve；　for　he　thought　the　war　would　ruin　everything；　or　else　the　danger　would　be　over；　before　he　could　make　the　long　journey　to　England；　and　return。　Ingham　professed　himself　ready　to　carry　letters　to　the　Trustees；　and　do　his　best　to　influence　them　to　grant　the　Moravian　requests；　so　Spangenberg　decided　to　entrust　that　errand　to　him；　and　himself　go　at　once　to　Georgia；　to　see　whether　he　could　not　help　matters　there。

John　Eckstein；　a　resident　of　Germantown；　a　middle…aged　man　who　was　in　entire　sympathy　with　Spangenberg's　plans　for　religious　work　in　Pennsylvania；　resolved　to　accompany　him　on　his　trip　to　Georgia。　They　sailed　from　Philadelphia　on　the　22nd　of　May；　1737；　and　had　a　long　and　very　trying　voyage。　　The　Captain　and　crew　were　evil　men；　given　to　cursing　and　swearing；　and　more　than　once　they　threatened　to　murder　the　two　passengers；　whom　they　called　sorcerers；　and　accused　of　bringing　the　continuous　head　winds　and　frequent　storms　upon　them。　Seventy…seven　long　days　the　voyage　lasted；　twice　they　sailed　southward　past　Cape　Hatteras；　and　twice　were　they　driven　back　to　north　and　east；　taking　weeks　to　recover　the　distance　lost；　and　the　Captain　finally　discovered　that　not　only　were　the　elements　against　him；　but　his　helmsman　was　slyly　hindering　their　progress　all　he　could；　for　some　malicious　purpose　of　his　own。

To　the　mental　strain　of　the　long　journey　was　added　physical　discomfort；　for　firewood　gave　out；　so　that　no　cooking　could　be　done；　and　for　a　month　the　crew　lived　on　hard　tack；　dried　cherries　soaked　in　water；　and　raw　fish；　　dolphins　caught　as　need　required。　　Spangenberg　and　his　companion　had　brought　provisions　to　supplement　the　ship's　fare；　but　long　before　the　voyage　was　ended　their　store　of　butter　and　sugar　was　exhausted。　Dried　ham　and　tongue　had　a　tendency　to　increase　their　thirst；　but　by　soaking　tea　in　cold　water　they　made　a　beverage　which　bore　at　least　a　fancied　resemblance　to　that　brewed　on　shore。　Then　the　supply　of　water　ran　low；　each　man's　allowance　was　reduced　to　a　pint　a　day；　and　even　this　small　amount　would　have　failed　had　they　not　been　able　occasionally　to　catch　rainwater　to　replenish　their　casks。　The　Captain　at　last　opened　a　keg　of　beer　found　in　his　cargo；　and　sold　his　passengers　enough　to　relieve　their　thirst；　for　which　they　were　very　grateful。

But　unkind　words；　delay；　uncooked　food；　thirst；　were　not　all　that　Spangenberg　and　his　companion　had　to　bear；　for　actual　danger　was　added　to　their　experience　from　time　to　time。　　High　waves　broke　over　the　ship；　winds　tore　away　the　sails；　and　a　water…spout　threatened　total　destruction。　So　late　was　the　ship　in　reaching　port　that　she　was　given　up　for　lost；　and　word　was　sent　to　Pennsylvania　which　caused　much　grief；　　needless　grief；　for　Spangenberg's　days　of　service　were　not　to　be　ended　thus。　It　sounds　almost　trivial　to　say　that　in　the　midst　of　trials　of　body；　mind　and　soul　Spangenberg　occupied　himself　with　making　buttons；　but　no　doubt　the　homely；　useful　labor　did　its　part　toward　rendering　endurable　the　seemingly　endless　days。

At　last；　on　the　7th　of　August；　the　ship　ran　on　a　sandbank　near　Tybee；　and　the　Moravians；　hearing　that　Spangenberg　was　on　board；　took　a　boat　and　brought　him　to　Savannah。　　They　had　asked　him　to　go　to　England；　he　had　disregarded　their　request　and　come　to　Georgia；　but　he　was　dear　to　them　through　many　months　of　united　service　and　mutual　help；　and　they　gave　him　a　hearty　welcome；　ignoring　all　cause　for　complaint；　and　taking　him　at　once　into　their　full　confidence。　　He　and　Toeltschig　sat　up　all　of　the　first　night　carefully　discussing　the　condition　of　affairs　and　what　could　be　done　to　remedy　them。　　Their　views　were　very　different；　for　Spangenberg　thought　they　had　been　too　hasty　in　deciding　to　leave　Georgia；　while　Toeltschig　felt　that　it　was　a　reflection　on　the　lot　to　try　and　hold　them　in　Savannah；　when　the　lot　had　said　〃go〃。　But　Toeltschig　possessed　the　rare　art　of　seeing　a　disputed　question　through　the　eyes　of　those　who　did　not　agree　with　him；　as　well　as　from　his　own　standpoint；　and　now；　with　no　petty　self…assertion；　he　quietly　awaited　developments；　and　told　Spangenberg　all　that　had　happened　since　Neisser's　departure。

As　the　alarm　concerning　an　immediate　invasion　by　the　Spanish　had　died　away；　the　inhabitants　of　Savannah　had　regained　their　composure；　and　the　wild　outcry　against　the　Moravians　gradually　ceased。　The　wagon　and　oxen　which　had　been　taken　for　work　on　the　fort　had　been　returned　to　their　owners；　after　seven　or　eight　weeks　of　hard　usage；　and　the　h