the moravians in georgia-第4章

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　of　his　dependents　as　citizens。

　h。　　That　he　and　his　descendents　shall　be　taken　under　the　protection　　of　the　English　Nation　if　they　request　it。

　i。　　That　he　may　be　permitted　to　choose　whether　he　will　go　himself　to　Georgia；　　or　send　a　representative　to　set　his　affairs　in　order；　and　if　the　latter；　　then　the　representative　shall　receive　the　courteous　treatment　　that　would　have　been　accorded　him。

　j。　　That　those　among　his　colonists　who　wish　to　preach　the　gospel　　to　the　heathen　shall　be　allowed　to　do　so；　and　their　converts　shall　have　　the　same　religious　freedom　as　his　colonists。

　k。　　That　he　and　his　dependents　in　Georgia　shall　be　given　the　privileges　　in　spiritual　affairs　which　the　independent　Lords　of　Germany　enjoy　　in　temporal　affairs。

　l。　　That　all　his　property　shall　be　at　the　service　of　the　State　　in　time　of　need；　but　neither　he　nor　his　dependents　shall　be　called　on　　for　military　duty；　in　lieu　whereof　he　will；　if　necessary；　　pay　a　double　war　tax。〃

From　this　document　it　appears　that　even　at　this　early　stage　of　the　negotiations　Zinzendorf's　plans　for　the　settlement　in　Georgia　were　well　matured。　　A　town　was　to　be　built　by　his　colonists；　where　they　should　have　all　privileges　for　the　free　exercise　of　their　religion；　they；　as　thrifty　citizens；　were　to　assist　in　the　upbuilding　of　Georgia；　they　were　to　preach　the　gospel　to　the　heathen；　they　were　NOT　to　bear　arms；　but　in　case　of　war　to　pay　a　double　tax。　　His　careful　avoidance　of　the　plea　of　religious　persecution　was　caused　by　the　fact　that　his　own　King　had　ordered　the　exile　of　the　Schwenkfelders；　for　Zinzendorf　all　his　life　sought　to　pay　due　respect　to　those　in　authority；　and　even　when　his　conscience　forced　him　to　differ　with　them　it　was　done　with　perfect　courtesy；　giving　equal　weight　to　all　parts　of　the　commandment　〃Honor　all　men；　love　the　brotherhood；　fear　God；　honor　the　King。〃

The　proposals　of　the　Count　were　forwarded　through　Herr　von　Pfeil；　and　were　presented　to　the　Trustees　of　the　Colony　of　Georgia　by　a　Mr。　Lorenz。　Who　this　gentleman　was　does　not　appear；　but　a　man　bearing　that　name　was　one　of　the　Germans；　living　in　London；　who　in　1737　formed　a　society　for　religious　improvement　under　the　influence　of　Count　Zinzendorf。

Through　the　same　channel　the　answer　of　the　Trustees　was　returned：

〃Mr。　Lorenz；

The　proposals　sent　by　Baron　Pfeil　from　Ratisbon　（Regensberg）　to　the　Trustees　of　Georgia　have　been　read　at　their　meeting；　but　as　they　see　that　the　gentleman　asks　pecuniary　assistance　for　the　establishment　he　contemplates；　they　answer　that　they　have　absolutely　no　fund　from　which　to　defray　such　expenses；　but　that　in　case　the　gentleman　who　suggests　it　wishes　to　undertake　the　enterprise　at　his　own　cost　they　will　be　able　to　grant　him　land　in　Georgia　on　conditions　to　which　no　one　could　object；　and　which　he　may　learn　as　soon　as　the　Trustees　have　been　informed　that　he　has　decided　to　go　at　his　own　expense。　You　will　have　the　kindness　to　forward　this　to　Baron　Pfeil；　and　oblige；　　　　　　your　most　humble　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　servant　J。　Vernon。〃

Whether　this　plea　of　〃no　fund〃　was　prompted　by　indifference；　or　whether　they　really　considered　the　money　appropriated　by　Parliament　as　intended　for　the　Salzburgers　alone；　is　immaterial。　Perhaps　Zinzendorf's　very　proposals　to　consider　any　assistance　as　a　loan　made　them　think　him　able　to　finance　the　scheme　himself。

The　Schwenkfelders；　being　under　orders　to　expatriate　themselves；　left　Berthelsdorf　on　the　26th　of　May；　1734；　under　the　leadership　of　Christopher　Wiegner　（sometimes　called　George　in　Moravian　MSS。）　and　at　their　request　George　Boehnisch；　one　of　the　Herrnhut　Moravians；　went　with　them。　　Their　plan　was　to　go　through　Holland　to　England；　and　thence　to　Georgia；　but　in　the　former　country　they　changed　their　minds　and　sailed　for　Pennsylvania。　　In　December　of　the　same　year　Spangenberg　was　in　Rotterdam；　where　he　lodged　with　a　Dr。　Koker；　from　whom　he　learned　the　reason　for　their；　until　then；　unexplained　behavior。　Dr。　Koker　belonged　to　a　Society　calling　themselves　the　〃Collegiants〃；　the　membership　of　which　was　drawn　from　the　Reformed；　Lutheran；　and　various　other　churches。　　Their　cardinal　principles　were　freedom　of　speech；　freedom　of　belief；　and　liberty　to　retain　membership　in　their　own　denominations　if　they　desired。　　The　Society　was　really　an　offshoot　of　the　Baptist　Church；　differing；　however；　in　its　non…insistance　upon　a　particular　form　of　baptism。　Twice　a　year　the　members　met　in　the　Lord's　Supper；　to　which　all　were　welcomed　whose　life　was　beyond　reproach。　　In　Holland　they　enjoyed　the　same　privileges　as　other　sects；　and　had　a　following　in　Amsterdam；　Haarlem；　Rotterdam；　Leyden；　etc。

It　appeared　that　the　Schwenkfelders　had　first　addressed　themselves　to　these　Collegiants；　especially　to　Cornelius　van　Putten　in　Haarlem；　and　Pieter　Koker　in　Rotterdam；　but　when　their　need　grew　more　pressing　they　appealed　to　Count　Zinzendorf。　　When　he　was　not　able　to　obtain　for　them　all　they　wanted；　they　turned　again　to　the　Collegiants；　and　were　in　conference　with　them　in　Rotterdam。　　The　Collegiants　were　very　much　opposed　to　the　Georgia　Colony；　　〃the　Dutch　intensely　disliked　anything　that　would　connect　them　with　England；〃　　and　although　Thomas　Coram；　one　of　the　Trustees；　who　happened　to　be　in　Rotterdam；　promised　the　Schwenkfelders　free　transportation　（which　had　been　refused　Zinzendorf）；　the　Collegiants　persuaded　them　not　to　go　to　Georgia。　　Their　chief　argument　was　that　the　English　Government　sent　its　convicts　to　Georgia；　a　proof　that　it　was　not　a　good　land；　and　the　Schwenkfelders　were　also　told　that　the　English　intended　to　use　them　as　slaves。

Disturbed　by　this　view　of　the　case；　the　Schwenkfelders　accepted　an　offer　of　free　transportation　to　Pennsylvania；　where　they　arrived　in　safety　on　the　22nd　of　September。

Spangenberg　had　wished　to　serve　as　their　pastor　in　Georgia；　thinking　it　would　give　him　opportunity　to　carry　out　his　cherished　wish　to　bear　the　gospel　message　to　the　heathen；　and　he　felt　himself　still　in　a　measure　bound　to　them；　despite　their　change　of　purpose；　and　at　a　somewhat　later　time　did　visit　them　in　their　new　home。　　There　was　some　idea　of　then　taking　them　to　Georgia；　but　it　did　not　materialize；　and　they　remained　permanently　in　Pennsylvania；　settling　in　the　counties　of　Montgomery；　Berks　and　Lehigh。　　Their　descendents　there　preserve　the　customs

of　their　fathers；　and　are　the　only　representatives　of　the　Schwenkfelder　form　of　doctrine；　the　sect　having　become　extinct　in　Europe。


　　Preliminary　Steps。

While　the　exile　of　the　Schwenkfelders　was　the　immediate　cause　which　led　Zinzendorf　to　open　negotiations　with　the　Trustees　of　the　Colony　of　Georgia；　the　impulse　which　prompted　him　involved　far　more　than　mere　assistance　to　them。　　Foreign　Missions；　in　the　modern　sense　of　the　word；　were　almost　unknown　in　Zinzendorf's　boyhood；　yet　from　his　earliest　days　his　thoughts　turned　often　to　those　who　lay　beyond　the　reach　of　gospel　light。　　In　1730；　while　on　a　visit　to　Copenhagen；　he　heard　that　the　Lutheran　Missionary　Hans　Egede；　who　for　years　had　been　laboring　single　handed　to　convert　the　Eskimos　of　Greenland；　was　sorely　in　need　of　help；　and　Anthony；　the　negro　body…servant　of　a　Count　Laurwig；　gave　him　a　most　pathetic　description　of　the　condition　of　the　negro　slaves　in　the　Danish　West　Indies。

Filled　with　enthusiasm；　Zinzendorf　returned　to　Herrnhut；　and　poured　the　two　stories　into　willing　ears；　for　ever　since　the　great　revival　of　1727　the　Moravian　emigrants　had　been　scanning　the　field；　anxious　to　carry　the　〃good　news〃　abroad；　and　held　back　only　by　the　apparent　impossibility　of　going　forward。　　Who　were　they；　without　influence；　without　means；　without　a　country　even；　that　they　should　take　such　an　office　upon　themselves？　But　the　desire　remained；　and　at　this　summons　they　prepared　to　do　the　impossible。　　In　August；　1732；　two　men　started　for　St。　Thomas；　　in　April；　1733；　three　more　sailed　for　Greenland；　and　in　the　face　of　hardships　that　would　have　daunted　men　of　less　than　heroic　mold；　successful　missions　were　established　at　both　places。

But　this　was　not　enough。　　〃My　passionate　desire；〃　wrote　Zinzendorf　from　Herrnhut　in　January；　1735；　〃my　passionate　desire　to　make　Jesus　known　among　the　heathen　has　found　a　satisfaction　in　the　blessed　Greenland；　St。　Thomas　and　Lapp　work；　but　without　appeasing　my　hunger。　I　therefore　look　into　every　opportunity　which　presents　itself；　seeking　that　the　kingdom　of　my　Redeemer　may　be　strengthened　among　men。〃

Nor　did　he　lack　ready　assistants；　for　the　Moravians　were　as　eager　as　he。　〃When　we　in　Herrnhut　heard　of　Georgia；　of　which　much　was　being　published　in　the　newspapers；　and　when　we　realized　the　opportunity　it　would　give　to　carry　the　Truth　to　the　heathen；　several　Brethren；　who　had　the　Lord's　honor　much　at　heart；　were　led；　doubtless　by　His　hand；　to　think　that　it　would　be　a　good　plan　to　send　some　Brethren　thither；　if　it　might　please　the　Lord　to　bless　our　work　among　the　heathen；　and　so　to　bring　those　poor　souls；　now　far　from　Christ；　nigh　unto　Him。　　We　tried　to　learn　about　the　land；　but　could　secure　no　accurate　information；　for　some　spoke　from　hearsay；　others　with　prejudice；　and　many　more　with　too　great　partiality。　　But　we　at　last　decided　to　venture；　in　the　faith　that　the　Lord　would　help　us　through。〃

The　needs　of　the　Schwenkfelders　gave　a　new　turn　to　their　thoughts；　and　suggested　the　advantages　that　might　accrue　from　a　settlement　in　America　to　which　they　might　all　retreat　if　the　persecution　in　Saxony　waxed　violent；　but　early　in　the　year　1734；　the　question　〃Shall　we　go　to　Georgia　only　as　Colonists；　or　also　as　Missionaries？〃　was　submitted　to　the　lot；　and　the　answer　was　〃As　Missionaries　also。〃

The　defection　of　the　Schwenkfelders；　therefore；　while　a　serious　interference　with　the　Herrnhut　plan；　was　not　allowed　to　ruin　the　project。　Zinzendorf　wrote　again　to　the　Trustees；　and　they　repeated　their　promise　of　land；　provided　his　colonists　would　go　at　their　own　expense。

After　much　consultation　the　decision　was　reached　that　Zinzendorf　should　ask　for　a　tract　of　five　hundred　acres；　and　that　ten　men　should　be　sent　over　to　begin　a　town；　their　families　and　additional　settlers　to　follow　them　in　a　few　months。

The　next　step　was　to　find　a　way　to　send　these　men　across　the　Atlantic。　Baron　George　Philipp　Frederick　von　Reck；　a　nephew　of　Herr　von　Pfeil；

who　had　led　the　first　company　of　Salzburgers　to　Georgia；　was　planning　to　take　a　second　company　in　the　course　of　the　next　months。　He　was　young　and　enthusiastic；　met　Zinzendorf's　overtures　most　kindly；　and　even　visited　Herrnhut　in　the　early　part　of　October；　1734；　when；　as　it　happened；　nine　of　the　prospective　colonists　were　formally　presented　to　the　Congregation。　　Baron　Reck　was　very　much　impressed；　promised　to　take　with　him　to　Georgia　any　of　the　Moravians　who　wished　to　go；　and　even　sent　to　David　Nitschmann；　who　was　to　conduct　the　party　as　far　as　London；　full　authorization　to　bring　as　many　as　desired　to　come；　promising　each　man　who　went　at　his　own　expense　a　fifty…acre　freehold　in　Georgia；　and　offering　others　necessary　assistance　when　they　reached　London。　This　paper　was　signed　at　Bautzen；　October　22nd；　1734。

But　Reck　had　failed　to　realize　the　force　of　the　Halle　opposition　to　Herrnhut；　and　soon　weakened　under　the　weight　of　persuasion　and　command　laid　upon　him　by　those　whose　opinion　he　felt　obliged　to　respect。　　On　the　4th　of