the moravians in georgia-第26章

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This　trip　to　Germany　has　been　given　as　the　beginning　of　the　breach　between　Wesley　and　the　Moravians；　but　it　is　doubtful　whether　such　was　really　the　case。　　In　the　〃Memoirs　of　James　Hutton〃　it　is　stated　that　Wesley　was　offended　because　Ingham　was　admitted　to　the　Communion　at　Marienborn；　while　permission　was　refused　him；　and　that　he　secretly　brooded　over　the　injury；　but　Wesley　himself　does　not　mention　the　occurrence；　and　refers　to　Marienborn　as　a　place　where　he　met　what　he　〃sought　for；　viz。：　　living　proofs　of　the　power　of　faith；〃　and　where　he　stayed　twelve　days　longer　than　he　at　first　intended。　The　tone　of　his　account　of　Herrnhut　is　also　distinctly　friendly；　though　he　did　not　unreservedly　accept　two　or　three　theological　statements　made　to　him；　but　the　long　conversations　he　records　prove　his　joy　at　finding　sympathy；　and　confirmation　of　what　he　wanted　to　believe　concerning　justification　by　faith；　and　the　fact　that　a　weak　faith　was　still　a　real　faith；　and　as　such　should　be　cherished　and　strengthened；　not　despised。　　He　could　not　have　been　greatly　influenced　against　the　Moravians　by　his　visit　to　Halle；　for　each　time　he　stayed　but　one　night；　and　on　the　first　occasion　Professor　Francke　was　not　at　home；　nor　were　their　arguments　new　to　him；　that　they　should　have　impressed　him　deeply。

It　frequently　happens　that　when　a　controversy　has　arisen　between　friends；　both　parties　look　backward　and　read　into　former　words　and　deeds　a　meaning　they　did　not　have　at　the　time　they　transpired；　and　most　probably　this　is　what　has　happened　in　regard　to　the　trip　to　Germany　and　its　effect　on　Wesley。

Immediately　on　his　return　to　England；　Wesley　began　an　active　religious　campaign；　drawing　such　crowds　of　all　kinds　of　people　that　the　various　churches　in　turn　closed　their　doors　upon　him；　and　eight　months　later　he　followed　Whitefield　into　open　air　preaching；　after　consultation　with　the　Fetter　Lane　Society。　　This　Society　had　been　organized　at　the　time　of　Boehler's　visit　to　London；　and　was　composed　of　members　of　the　earlier　Methodist　societies；　Germans　residing　in　London；　and　English　who　had　been　interested　in　salvation　by　Zinzendorf　and　the　Moravian　companies　bound　for　Georgia。　It　had　met　in　the　home　of　James　Hutton　until　it　outgrew　the　rooms；　and　was　then　transferred　to　the　Chapel　at　32　Fetter　Lane。　It　was　an　independent　Society；　with　no　organic　connection　with　the　Moravian　Church；　and　the　religious　work　was　carried　on　under　the　leadership　of　John　Wesley；　and；　in　his　frequent　absences；　by　James　Hutton　and　others　who　leaned　strongly　toward　the　Moravians；　some　of　whose　customs　had　been　adopted　by　the　Society。　The　Hutton　〃Memoirs〃　state　that　Wesley　made　an　effort　to　break　off　intercourse　between　the　Society　and　the　Moravians　soon　after　his　return　from　Germany；　but　failed；　and　matters　continued　to　move　smoothly　until　about　the　time　that　Wesley　began　his　field　preaching。　　During　the　subsequent　months　disputes　arose　among　the　members；　largely　on　account　of　views　introduced　by　Philip　Henry　Molther；　who　at　that　time　had　a　tendency　toward　〃Quietism〃。　Molther　was　detained　for　some　time　in　England；　waiting　for　a　ship　to　take　him　to　Pennsylvania；　he　having　received　a　call　to　labor　in　the　Moravian　Churches　there；　and　being　a　fluent　speaker　he　learned　English　rapidly　and　made　a　deep　impression　on　many　hearers。

Wesley　was　much　hurt　by　the　dissensions　in　his　Society；　and　entirely　opposed　to　Molther's　views；　and　after　several　efforts　to　bring　all　the　members　back　to　his　own　position；　he；　on　Sunday；　July　31st；　1740；　solemnly　and　definitely　condemned　the　〃errors〃　and　withdrew　from　the　Fetter　Lane　Society；　adding　〃You　that　are　of　the　same　judgment；　follow　me。〃　　About　twenty…five　of　the　men　and　〃seven　or　eight　and　forty　likewise　of　the　fifty　women　that　were　in　the　band〃　accepted　his　invitation；　and　with　them　he　organized　the　〃Foundry　Society〃。　　Into　the　Foundry　Society　and　the　many　others　organized　among　his　converts；　Wesley　introduced　lovefeasts　and　〃bands〃　（or　〃classes〃；）　both　familiar　to　him　from　the　Fetter　Lane　Society；　which　had　copied　them　from　the　Moravians。　　When　his　societies　grew　so　numerous　that　he　could　not　personally　serve　them　all　he　selected　lay　assistants；　and　then　〃became　convinced　that　presbyter　and　bishop　are　of　the　same　order；　and　that　he　had　as　good　a　right　to　ordain　as　to　administer　the　Sacraments。〃　He；　therefore；　ordained　bishops　for　America；　and　Scotland；　and　registered　his　chapels　in　order　to　protect　them；　according　to　the　Act　of　Toleration。　　This　gave　the　Methodist　body　a　separate　legal　status；　but　Wesley　always　claimed　that　he　was　still　a　member　of　the　Church　of　England；　and　would　not　allow　the　preachers　of　his　English　societies　to　administer　the　Sacraments；　a　right　which　was　finally　granted　them　by　the　Methodist　Conference　after　his　death。

When　Benjamin　Ingham　returned　from　Georgia　he　commenced　to　preach　the　Gospel　in　Yorkshire；　his　native　place；　and　at　the　time　of　his　journey　to　Germany　a　promising　work　was　begun　there。　　From　Herrnhut　he　wrote　to　Count　Zinzendorf　asking　that　Toeltschig　be　permitted　to　visit　him　in　England；　and　the　request　was　granted　a　few　months　later。　　Meanwhile　Ingham's　work　prospered　mightily；　so　that　in　June；　1739；　he　was　forbidden　the　use　of　the　churches；　and　forced　to　imitate　Wesley　and　preach　in　the　open　air。　Some　forty　societies　were　formed；　and　in　November；　Toeltschig　went　to　him；　making　many　friends　among　the　people；　repeating　his　visit　at　intervals　during　the　following　months。

The　intimacy　between　Ingham　and　the　Moravians　became　closer　and　closer；　and　in　July；　1742；　he　formally　handed　over　the　care　of　his　societies　in　Yorkshire　and　Lascashire　to　the　Moravian　Church；　himself　going　into　new　fields；　and　then　giving　new　societies　into　their　keeping。　It　has　often　been　stated　that　Ingham　was　a　Moravian；　but　this　is　a　mistake。　During　these　years　he　worked　with　them　shoulder　to　shoulder；　but　there　is　no　record　of　his　having　been　received　into　their　Church　as　a　member；　nor　did　they　reordain　him　into　their　ministry。　The　situation　would　be　more　strange　to…day　than　it　was　then；　for　there　was　apparent　chaos　in　England；　the　Spirit　of　God　moving　upon　the　face　of　the　waters　before　〃light　shone；　and　order　from　disorder　sprung；〃　and　the　Moravians　did　not　care　to　emphasize　their　independence　of　the　Anglican　Church　lest　it　injure　their　usefulness。　In　1744；　when　England　was　threatened　with　a　French　invasion；　a　number　of　loyal　addresses　were　presented　to　the　King；　and　among　them　one　from　the　〃United　Brethren　in　England；　in　union　with　the　ancient　Protestant　Episcopal　Bohemian　and　Moravian　church；〃　a　designation　selected　after　long　and　careful　discussion　as　to　a　true　term　which　would　avoid　placing　them　among　the　Dissenters　from　the　Church　of　England。

When　the　Moravians　took　over　the　Yorkshire　Societies　in　1742　they　established　headquarters　at　Smith　House；　near　Halifax；　but　this　not　proving　permanently　available；　Ingham；　in　1744；　bought　an　estate　near　Pudsey；　where　the　Moravians　planted　a　settlement　which　they　called　〃Lamb's　Hill〃；　later　〃Fulneck〃。　In　1746　and　1749　Ingham　presented　to　the　Moravians　the　ground　on　which　the　Chapel　and　two　other　houses　stood；　but　for　the　rest　they　paid　him　an　annual　rent。　　The　property　is　now　held　of　Ingham's　descendents　on　a　lease　for　five　hundred　years。

In　1753　Ingham　withdrew　from　his　close　association　with　the　Moravians；　and　established　a　new　circle　of　societies；　himself　ordaining　the　ministers　who　served　them。　　These　societies　flourished　for　a　while；　but　about　1759　Ingham　became　imbued　with　the　doctrines　of　a　certain　Sandeman；　and　the　result　was　the　almost　total　wrecking　of　his　societies。　This　broke　Ingham's　heart；　and　affected　his　mind；　so　that　his　last　days　were　very　sad。　　He　passed　away　in　1772；　and　his　societies　gradually　merged　themselves　into　other　churches。

John　Toeltschig；　Ingham's　friend　in　Georgia　and　his　co…laborer　in　Yorkshire；　came　to　England　in　November；　1739；　in　company　with　Hutton；　who　had　been　to　Germany　to　form　a　closer　acquaintance　with　the　Moravians。　After　the　debt　to　the　Trustees　was　paid；　Toeltschig　had　eagerly　planned　new　things　for　Georgia；　　extension　of　work　among　the　Indians；　a　settlement　further　up　the　Savannah　River；　the　strengthening　of　the　Savannah　Congregation；　from　which　missionaries　could　be　drawn　and　by　which　they　should　be　supported　while　laboring　among　the　heathen　tribes。　He　offered　to　return　to　America　at　once；　ready　for　any　duty；　but　requesting　that　he　might　not　be　sole　financial　manager　again；　as　he　had　found　it　most　difficult　to　attend　to　those　duties；　and　at　the　same　time　share　in　the　spiritual　work。

The　elders　of　the　Church；　after　carefully　weighing　all　the　circumstances；　decided　not　to　send　him　back　to　Georgia；　but　that　he　should　go　to　England；　to　labor　in　the　Fetter　Lane　Society；　and　among　its　friends。

The　first　step　was　a　visit　to　Ingham　in　Yorkshire；　and　the　reception　given　him　was　so　cordial　and　the　field　so　promising　that　he　went　again；　and　yet　again。　Boehler　and　Spangenberg　returned　to　England　and　traveled　hither　and　thither　in　response　to　the　calls　that　came　from　every　side；　other　members　aided　as　they　could；　and　the　societies　under　their　direction　grew　apace。　Fetter　Lane　Society　was　organized　into　a　congregation　in　November；　1742；　and　the　others　followed　in　due　time。　　The　Moravian　Church　was　introduced　into　Ireland；　and　took　a　firm　hold　there。　In　England　its　successes　were　paralleled　with　much　opposition；　and　in　1749；　after　several　years　of　preparation；　an　appeal　was　made　to　Parliament　for　recognition　as　a　Protestant　Episcopal　Church；　with　full　liberty　of　conscience　and　worship　throughout　Great　Britain　and　her　colonies。　General　Oglethorpe　warmly　championed　their　cause；　and　after　a　thorough　investigation　of　Moravian　history　and　doctrine；　the　bill　was　passed；　May　12th；　1749；　and　the　Moravian　right　to　liberty　of　worship；　freedom　from　military　service；　and　exemption　from　oath…taking　was　unreservedly　granted。

While　not　involved　in　these　Parliamentary　proceedings；　Toeltschig　played　an　important　part　in　the　development　of　the　Moravian　Church　in　England　and　Ireland。　　Although　he　had　great　success　as　a　preacher；　his　especial　talents　were　as　an　organizer；　and　as　leader　of　the　〃bands〃；　as　might　be　expected　of　a　man　with　a　judicial　mind；　executive　ability；　and　great　tact。　　He　was　Elder　of　the　〃Pilgrim　Congregation〃　formed　at　Fetter　Lane　in　May；　1742；　a　congregation　composed　exclusively　of　〃laborers〃　in　the　Lord's　vineyard；　and　he　was　also　one　of　the　committee　charged　with　the　oversight　of　the　general　work。

In　February；　1748；　he　went　to　Ireland；　as　superintendent　of　the　societies　there；　some　of　which　had　been　organized　by　Wesley；　but　now　wished　to　unite　with　the　Moravians。　　In　1752　he　conducted　a　company　of　colonists　to　Pennsylvania；　but　the　next　year　went　back　to　Ireland；　where　certain　troubles　had　arisen　which　he　could　quiet　better　than　any　one　else。

After　Zinzendorf's　death　in　1760；　Toeltschig　was　one　of　that　company　of　leading　men　who　met　in　Herrnhut　to　provide　for　the　immediate　needs　of　the　Moravian　Church；　whose　enemies　prophesied　disintegration　upon　the　death　of　the　man　who　had　been　at　its　head　for　more　than　thirty　years。　These　predictions　failed　of　fulfillment；　and　〃it　was　demonstrated　that　the　Lord　had　further　employment　for　the　Unitas　Fratrum。〃

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