the moravians in georgia-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



　As　Thy　Truth's　convincing　clearness　　　Filled　our　spirits　from　above；　　And　our　stubborn　hearts　were　melted　　　By　the　fervor　of　Thy　love；　　O　Thy　loving　heart　was　moved　　　Us　Thy　righteous　laws　to　teach；　　Us　to　guide；　protect　and　cherish　　　Till　Thy　heaven　we　should　reach。

　Without　merit　we；　yet　mercy　　　Each　returning　day　doth　bless　　With　the　tokens　of　Thy　goodness；　　　Pledges　of　Thy　faithfulness。　　O　how　surely　and　securely　　　Dost　Thou　lead　and　guard　Thine　own；　　O　what　wonderous　grace　that　mortals　　　May　add　lustre　to　Thy　throne。

　In　our　souls　we　feel　the　presence　　　Of　Thine　eye　and　heart　and　hand；　　As　we　here　on　earth　as　pilgrims　　　Journey　toward　the　Fatherland。　　O　give　grace；　that　on　the　pathway；　　　Which　through　trial　leads　to　heaven；　　Without　faltering　we　may　hasten　　　Till　to　each　Thy　crown　is　given。

　Though　our　path　be　set　with　danger　　　Nothing　shall　our　spirits　shake；　　Winds　may　rage　and　roar　and　whistle；　　　Storms　from　North　and　East　may　break；　　Waves　may　roll　and　leap　and　thunder　　　On　a　dark　and　threatening　sea；　　Thou　dost　ever　watch　Thy　children；　　　And　their　strength　and　peace　wilt　be。）

Before　the　vessel　sailed　the　Trustees　had　followed　up　their　request　to　Spangenberg　by　requiring　the　forty　Swiss　emigrants　to　promise　submission　to　his　authority；　and　consequently　numerous　efforts　were　made　to　be　of　service　to　them。　　It　was　disappointing　work；　in　a　way；　for　attempts　to　give　them　religious　instruction　were　met　with　utter　indifference；　but　their　material　needs　were　many。　　There　was　a　great　deal　of　sickness　among　them；　and　four　died；　being　buried　hastily；　and　without　ceremony。　The　Moravians　themselves　were　not　exempt；　several　being　dangerously　ill　at　times；　even　Spangenberg　was　prostrated；　from　having；　he　supposed；　stayed　too　long　on　deck　in　the　night　air；　tempted　thereto　by　the　beauty　of　a　calm　night　in　a　southern　latitude。　　But　having　work　to　do　among　the　Swiss　on　the　following　day；　he　roused　himself；　and　soon　became　better。　Two　of　the　Moravians　were　appointed　nurses　for　the　sick　Swiss；　and　by　the　use　of　the　medicine　provided　by　the　Trustees；　supplemented　by　unwearying　personal　attention；　they　were　made　as　comfortable　as　possible。

Nor　were　the　crew　forgotten。　　From　the　day　when　the　Moravians　helped　lift　the　anchor　as　they　sailed　from　the　coast　of　Dover；　they　busied　themselves　in　the　work　of　the　ship；　always　obliging；　always　helpful；　until　the　sailors　came　to　trust　them　absolutely；　〃even　with　the　keys　to　their　lockers。〃　　When　the　cook　was　suddenly　taken　sick　they　nursed　him　carefully；　and　then　appointed　two　of　their　number　to　carry　wood　and　water　for　him　until　his　strength　returned；　and　it　is　no　wonder　that　such　accommodating　passengers　were　well　regarded。

Captain　Thomson　was　disposed　to　favor　them；　but　when　they　realized　that　they　were　receiving　a　larger　share　of　food　and　drink　than　went　to　the　Swiss；　they　courteously　declined；　fearing　it　would　breed　jealousy。　His　kindly　feeling；　however；　continued；　and　when　Toeltschig　was　ill　he　brought　a　freshly　killed　fowl　from　which　to　make　nourishing　broth；　and　on　another　occasion；　after　a　severe　attack　of　sea…sickness；　they　all　derived　much　benefit　from　some　strong　beer　which　he　urged　upon　them。

There　were　a　few　cabin　passengers　on　the　ship；　and　on　one　occasion　Spangenberg　was　invited　to　dine　with　them；　but　their　light　jesting　was　distasteful　to　him；　and　the　acquaintance　was　not　pursued。


　　Making　a　Start。

The　vessel　entered　the　Savannah　River；　April　6th；　and　the　Captain；　taking　Spangenberg　and　Toeltschig　into　his　small　boat；　went　ahead　to　the　town　of　Savannah；　the　capital　of　Georgia；　now　the　home　of　about　six　hundred　people。　　Spangenberg　had　a　letter　of　introduction　to　Mr。　Causton；　who　received　him　and　his　companion　in　a　friendly　fashion；　entertained　them　at　supper；　and　kept　them　over　night。　Mr。　Causton　was　one　of　the　three　magistrates　charged　with　all　civil　and　criminal　jurisdiction　in　Savannah；　and　his　position　as　keeper　of　the　Store；　from　which　all　provisions　promised　by　the　Trustees　were　dispensed；　gave　him　such　additional　power　that　he　was　really　the　dictator　of　Savannah；　ruling　so　absolutely　that　the　people　finally　rebelled；　and　in　1738　secured　his　dismissal　from　office。　On　his　return　to　England　in　1739；　he　found　great　difficulty　in　trying　to　explain　his　accounts　to　the　Trustees；　was　sent　back　to　Georgia　to　procure　some　needed　papers；　died　on　the　passage　over；　and　was　buried　in　the　ocean。　　His　treatment　of　the　Moravians　was　characteristic；　for　he　was　courtesy　itself　to　the　new…comers　who　had　money　to　spend；　inconsiderate　when　hard　times　came；　deaf　to　appeals　for　settlement　of　certain　vexing　questions；　and　harsh　when　their　wills　were　opposed　to　his。

The　next　morning；　before　sunrise；　Spangenberg　and　Toeltschig　went　apart　into　the　woods；　fell　upon　their　knees；　and　thanked　the　Lord　that　He　had　brought　them　hither　in　safety。　　The　day　was　spent　in　gaining　information　as　to　the　customs　of　the　place；　Mr。　Causton　again　claiming　them　as　his　guests　at　dinner；　and　in　the　evening　they　accepted　the　invitation　of　a　merchant　to　supper。　As　they　ate；　the　report　of　a　cannon　announced　the　arrival　of　their　vessel；　and　Toeltschig　went　to　spend　the　night　aboard；　Spangenberg　remaining　on　shore　to　push　the　preparation　for　the　reception　of　the　company。

Early　on　the　following　morning；　April　8th；　he　had　their　town　lots　assigned；　（Nos。　3　and　4　Second　Tything；　Anson　Ward）；　in　order　that　their　baggage　might　be　brought　directly　to　their　own　property；　for　he　had　found　that　lodgings　in　the　town　were　very　dear；　and　decided　that　a　small　cabin　should　be　built　at　once　and　a　house　as　soon　as　possible。　Going　then　to　the　ship　he　guided　the　company　to　their　new　home；　and　the　entire　day　was　consumed　in　moving　their　belongings　to　the　town；　as　it　was　some　distance；　and　everything　had　to　be　carried　by　hand　to　the　little　hut　which　was　hastily　erected　and　roofed　over　with　sacking。　Evening　came　before　they　had　really　finished　the　arrangement　of　their　possessions；　but　before　they　prepared　and　shared　their　evening　meal；　they　humbly　knelt　and　thanked　God　for　His　mercies；　discussed　the　Bible　text　for　the　day；　and　joined　in　several　familiar　hymns。　　A　New　York　merchant　stopped　and　asked　them　to　sing　one　of　his　favorites；　which　was　done；　and　an　Indian　who　had　joined　them　near　the　river　and　followed　them　home；　stayed　through　the　service；　and　at　parting　beckoned　them　to　come　and　visit　him。　　Despite　their　fatigue；　the　〃Hourly　Intercession〃　was　observed　throughout　the　night；　their　slumbers　rendered　more　peaceful　by　the　knowledge　that　one　and　another　in　turn　was　watching　and　praying　beside　them。

On　the　following　day　two　more　Indians　visited　the　Moravians。　Their　faces　were　adorned　with　streaks　of　red　paint；　and　they　seemed　very　friendly；　rejoiced　over　the　gift　of　two　pewter　mugs；　and　on　leaving　made　signs　that　some　one　should　go　with　them；　an　invitation　that　could　not　then　be　accepted。

The　10th　of　April；　the　first　Sunday　in　America；　Spangenberg　attended　service　in　the　English　Church；　and　heard　a　sermon　on　the　text；　〃Be　not　overcome　of　evil；　but　overcome　evil　with　good；〃　well　fitted　to　be　the　watchword　of　the　Moravian　settlers　in　the　trials　that　were　before　them。

No　unpleasant　presentiments；　however；　troubled　them；　as　they　went　busily　about　their　work　during　the　next　weeks。　Mr。　Causton　was　very　pleasant　to　them；　selling　them　provisions　at　cost；　offering　them　credit　at　the　store；　and　promising　Spangenberg　a　list　of　such　Indian　words　as　he　had　been　able　to　learn　and　write　down。　He　also　introduced　him　to　Tomochichi；　the　Indian　Chief；　and　to　John　Musgrove；　who　had　a　successful　trading　house　near　the　town。　　Musgrove　had　married　Mary；　an　Indian　princess　of　the　Uchees；　who　had　great　influence　with　all　the　neighboring　tribes。　　At　a　later　time；　through　the　machinations　of　her　third　husband；　she　made　much　trouble　in　Georgia；　but　during　the　earlier　years　of　the　Colony　she　was　the　true　friend　of　the　white　settlers；　frequently　acting　as　Interpreter　in　their　conferences　with　the　Indians；　and　doing　much　to　make　and　keep　the　bond　of　peace　between　the　two　races。

On　the　11th　of　April　the　five　acre　garden　belonging　to　Spangenberg　was　surveyed；　and　work　was　immediately　begun　there；　as　it　was　just　the　season　for　planting　corn。　　Nine　days　later　Nitschmann's　garden　was　laid　out　aside　of　Spangenberg's。　　By　the　14th　the　cabin　on　Spangenberg's　town　lot　was　finished。　　It　was　twenty　feet　long；　ten　feet　wide；　and　fourteen　feet　high；　with　a　little　loft　where　they　slept；　their　goods；　with　a　table　and　benches　being　in　the　room　below。　　At　daybreak　they　rose；　sang　a　hymn；　and　prayed　together；　breakfasted　at　eight　o'clock；　the　daily　text　being　read　aloud；　then　worked　until　half　past　eleven；　when　they　dined　and　read　the　Bible。　　More　work；　an　evening　prayer　service；　and　such　conference　as　was　needed　that　each　might　engage　in　the　next　day's　labor　to　the　best　advantage；　prepared　them　for　their　well…earned　repose。

With　this　simple　program　steadily　carried　out；　much　was　accomplished。　A　fence　was　built　around　a　small　kitchen…garden　on　their　town　property；　and　a　chicken…yard　was　enclosed；　while　the　neighbors　came　to　look　on　and　opine　〃that　the　Moravians　had　done　more　in　a　week　than　their　people　in　two　years。〃　As　the　gardens　（the　five　acre　lots）　lay　at　some　distance　from　Savannah；　a　hut　was　built　there；　to　serve　as　a　shelter　against　sun　and　rain；　a　heavy　storm　having　chased　them　home　one　day　soon　after　their　arrival。

Either　from　the　noonday　heat；　or　other　conditions　to　which　they　were　not　yet　acclimated；　Gotthard　Demuth　and　George　Haberland　became　seriously　ill；　causing　Spangenberg　much　anxiety；　for　he　did　not　feel　at　liberty　to　send　for　a　physician；　as　they　could　not　afford　to　pay　for　medicine。　　So　resort　was　had　to　bleeding；　then　an　approved　practice；　and　to　such　medicine　as　remained　from　their　voyage；　and　Rose　was　fortunate　enough　to　shoot　a　grouse；　which　gave　them　some　much　needed　palatable　meat　and　broth。　　Perhaps　the　most　serious　case　was　Gottfried　Haberecht's；　who　suffered　for　several　days　with　fever　resulting　from　a　cut　on　his　leg。　　Finally　oak…leaves　were　heated　and　bound　about　the　limb；　which　induced　free　perspiration　and　quickly　relieved　him；　so　that　he　was　able　to　return　to　work！

A　day　was　appointed　on　which　Spangenberg　and　several　others　were　to　ride　out　into　the　country　to　select　the　five　hundred　acre　tract　granted　to　Count　Zinzendorf；　and　the　additional　two　hundred　acres　which　the　Trustees　had　promised　to　hold　in　reserve；　and　grant　to　the　Count's　〃servants〃　whenever　he　should　request　it；　but　there　was　rumor　of　a　raid　by　hostile　Indians；　under　Spanish　influence；　so　the　expedition　had　to　be　postponed；　with　the　promise；　however；　that　it　should　be　made　as　soon　as　possible。

By　the　close　of　the　third　week　in　Georgia　the　invalids　were　better；　and　matters　were　in　such　a　shape　that　the　Moravians　resolved　〃that　on　each　Saturday　work　should　stop　early；　and　every　Sunday　should　be　a　real　day　of　rest。〃　　As　an　immediate　beginning；　they　on　Saturday　evening　united　in　a　Lovefeast；　where　〃we　recalled　much　loving…kindness　which　God　has　shown　us　hitherto；　Toeltschig　washed　the　feet　of　the　Brethren；　we　remained　together　until　very　late；　and　were　truly　blessed。〃


　　Aim　and　Attainment。

When　the　〃first　company〃　left　Herrnhut　for　London　and　the　New　Worl