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@@ -0,0 +1,7293 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Moravians in Georgia, by Adelaide L. Fries + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Moravians in Georgia + 1735-1740 + +Author: Adelaide L. Fries + +Release Date: June, 1996 [Etext #570] +Posting Date: November 27, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MORAVIANS IN GEORGIA *** + + + + +Produced by A. Light + + + + + +THE MORAVIANS IN GEORGIA + +1735-1740 + + +by Adelaide L. Fries + + +(Note on text: Italicized words or phrases are capitalized. A few +obvious errors have been corrected. Many German names with umlauts have +had the umlaut replaced with an 'e' following the vowel (according to +standard form) due to the limitations of ASCII. These names are noted in +the Index.) + + + +Winston-Salem, N. C. + + + + +Preface. + + +In the life of any individual, association, or nation, there will +probably be one or more occurrences which may be considered as success +or failure according to the dramatic features of the event and the +ultimate results. Of this the Battle of Bunker Hill is a striking +example. On the morning of June 17th, 1775, a force of British soldiers +attacked a small body of raw, ill-equipped American volunteers, who +had fortified a hill near Boston, and quickly drove them from their +position. By whom then was the Bunker Hill Monument erected? By the +victors in that first engagement of the Revolution? No, but by proud +descendants of the vanquished, whose broader view showed them +the incalculable benefits arising from that seeming defeat, which +precipitated the great struggle, forcing every man in the Colonies to +take a position squarely for or against the American Cause, convinced +the timid that only proper equipment would be needed to enable the +American army to hold its own against the foe, and taught the British +that they were dealing, not with hot-headed rebels who would run at +first sight of the dreaded "red coats", but with patriots who would +stand their ground so long as a charge of powder remained, or gunstocks +could be handled as clubs. + +Very much the same line of argument may be applied to the first attempt +of the Moravian Church to establish a settlement on the American +Continent. The story is usually passed over by historians in a few short +paragraphs, and yet without the colony in Georgia, the whole history of +the Renewed Church of the Unitas Fratrum would have been very different. +Without that movement the Moravian Church might never have been +established in England, without it the great Methodist denomination +might never have come into being, without it the American Moravian +provinces, North or South, might not have been planned. Of course +Providence might have provided other means for the accomplishment of +these ends, but certain it is that in the actual development of all +these things the "unsuccessful attempt" in Georgia, 1735 to 1740, played +a most important part. + +In preparing this history a number of private libraries, the collections +of the Georgia Historical Society, the Congressional Library, the +British Museum, were searched for data, but so little was found that +the story, in so far as it relates to the Moravian settlement, has been +drawn entirely from the original manuscripts in the Archives of the +Unitas Fratrum at Herrnhut, Germany, with some additions from the +Archives at Bethlehem, Pa., and Salem, N. C. For the general history of +Georgia, of the Moravian Church, and of the Wesleys, Steven's History of +Georgia, Hamilton's History of the Moravian Church, Levering's History +of Bethlehem, Pa., Some Fathers of the American Moravian Church, by +de Schweinitz, Strobel's History of the Salzburgers, Tyreman's Oxford +Methodists, and Wesley's Journal have been most largely used. + +The history of the Moravian settlement in Georgia falls into that period +when dates are much confused through the contemporaneous use of the old +style, or Julian calendar, and the new style, or Gregorian calendar. As +the latter is now current everywhere, except in Russia and the Orient, +it is here employed throughout, old style dates being translated where +they occur in the records. + +Special thanks are due to Rev. A. Glitsch, Archivist at Herrnhut, +for courtesies extended while the author was examining the invaluable +collection of papers entrusted to his care, and also for his supervision +of the copying of such documents as were selected; to Mr. Isaac Beckett, +of Savannah, for information respecting the Moravian lands; to Mr. John +Jordan, of Philadelphia, for copies of deeds and other papers relating +to the settlement; to Mr. W. S. Pfohl, of Salem, for assistance with the +illustrations; and to Mr. John W. Fries for suggestion and inspiration +for the work, and the constant encouragement and sympathetic interest +without which the author's courage would have failed during the tedious +years of gathering material for the book, which is now presented +to those who may find in it something of explanation, something of +interest, concerning the Moravian settlement in Georgia, and the broader +history which the story touches on every side. + + Adelaide L. Fries. +August, 1904. + + + +Table of Contents. + + + Chapter I. Antecedent Events. + The Province of Georgia. + The Salzburgers. + Unitas Fratrum. + Halle Opposition. + + Chapter II. Negotiations with the Trustees of Georgia. + The Schwenkfelders. + Preliminary Steps. + The "First Company". + + Chapter III. The First Year in Georgia. + The Voyage. + Making a Start. + Aim and Attainment. + + Chapter IV. Reinforcements. + The "Second Company". + Four Journals. + Organization. + + Chapter V. The Second Year in Georgia. + The English Clergymen. + Work Among the Indians. + The "Society". + Rumors of War. + + Chapter VI. Disintegration. + Spangenberg's Visit. + A Closing Door. + Wesley, Ingham and Toeltschig. + The Negro Mission. + + Chapter VII. Conclusion. + Later Attempts in Georgia. + The Savannah Lands. + Arrivals, Departures, Deaths. + Summary. + + + + +THE MORAVIANS IN GEORGIA, 1735-1740. + + + + +Chapter I. Antecedent Events. + + + + The Province of Georgia. + +It was in the year 1728 that the English Parliament was persuaded by +James Oglethorpe, Esq.--soldier, statesman and philanthropist,--to +appoint a committee to investigate the condition of the debtors confined +in the Fleet and Marchalsea prisons. The lot of these debtors was a +most pitiable one, for a creditor had power to imprison a man for an +indefinite term of years, and the unfortunate debtor, held within the +four walls of his prison, could earn no money to pay the debt that was +owing, and unless friends came to his rescue, was utterly at the +mercy of the oft-times barbarous jailor. The Committee, consisting of +ninety-six prominent men, with Oglethorpe as Chairman, recommended and +secured the redress of many grievances, and the passing of better laws +for the future, but Oglethorpe and a few associates conceived a plan +which they thought would eradicate the evil by striking at its very +root, the difficulty which many found in earning a living in the +overcrowded cities. + +In 1663 King Charles II. had granted to eight "Lords Proprietors" the +portion of North America lying between the 31st and 36th degrees of +latitude, enlarging the boundaries in 1665 to 29 deg. and 36 deg. 30 +min. By 1728 most of these Lords Proprietors had tired of their attempt +to govern the colonies they had established in "Carolina", and in +1729 seven of the eight sold their interest to the English crown, the +district being divided into "North Carolina", "South Carolina", and a +more southerly portion, nominally included in the latter, which was held +in reserve. + +To this unused land the thoughts of Oglethorpe turned, and he and his +friends addressed a memorial to the Privy Council, stating "that the +cities of London, Westminster, and parts adjacent, do abound with great +numbers of indigent persons, who are reduced to such necessity as to +become burthensome to the public, and who would be willing to seek a +livelihood in any of his majesty's plantations in America, if they were +provided with a passage, and means of settling there." They therefore +asked for a grant of land lying south of the Savannah River, where they +wished to establish a colony in which these unfortunate men might begin +life anew, and where Protestants, persecuted in some parts of Europe, +might find a refuge. They also offered to take entire charge of the +affair, and their petition, after passing through the usual channels, +was approved by the King, George II, a charter was prepared, and the +great seal was affixed June 9th, 1732. + +This instrument constituted twenty-one noblemen and gentlemen a body +corporate, by the name and style of "The Trustees for establishing the +Colony of Georgia in America", and in them was vested full authority for +the collecting of subscriptions and the expending of moneys gathered, +the selection of colonists, and the making and administering of laws +in Georgia; but no member of the corporation was allowed to receive +a salary, or any fees, or to hold land in the new province. The +undertaking was to be strictly for the good of others, not for their +own pecuniary benefit. The charter granted to them "all those lands, +countries, and territories situate, lying and being in that part of +South Carolina, in America" between the Savannah and Altamaha, gave them +permission to take over any British subjects, or foreigners willing to +become such, and guaranteed to each settler the rights of an English +subject, and full liberty of conscience,--Papists alone excepted. This +apparently pointed exception was natural enough, since from a political +standpoint the new colony was regarded as a valuable guard for the +Protestant English Colonies on the north, against the Indians and +Roman Catholic colonists to the south, who had been keeping the border +settlers in a continual state of uneasiness, even in times of nominal +peace. Moreover England had not forgotten the terrible experience of +the latter half of the preceding century, when it was war to the death +between Catholic and Protestant, and the latter party being the stronger +the former was subjected to great and unpardonable persecution, many +were executed, and all holding that faith were laid under political +disabilities which lasted for a hundred and fifty years. + +The plans of the Trustees were very broad. They intended "to relieve +such unfortunate persons as cannot subsist here, and establish them in +an orderly manner, so as to form a well regulated town. As far as their +fund goes they will defray the charge of their passage to Georgia--give +them necessaries, cattle, land, and subsistence, till such time as they +can build their houses and clear some of their land." In this manner +"many families who would otherwise starve will be provided for, and +made masters of houses and lands; * * * and by giving refuge to the +distressed Salzburgers and other Protestants, the power of Britain, as a +reward for its hospitality, will be increased by the addition of so many +religious and industrious subjects." + +Each of the emigrants was to receive about fifty acres of land, +including a town lot, a garden of five acres, and a forty-five acre +farm, and the Trustees offered to give a tract of five hundred acres to +any well-to-do man who would go over at his own expense, taking with +him at least ten servants, and promising his military service in case of +need. + +But there was a commercial as well as a benevolent side to the designs +of the Trustees, for they thought Georgia could be made to furnish silk, +wine, oil and drugs in large quantities, the importing of which would +keep thousands of pounds sterling in English hands which had hitherto +gone to China, Persia and the Madeiras. Special provision was therefore +made to secure the planting of mulberry trees as the first step towards +silk culture, the other branches to be introduced as speedily as might +be. + +Filled with enthusiasm for their plan, the Trustees proceeded to spread +abroad the most glowing descriptions of the country where the new colony +was to be settled. + + "The kind spring, which but salutes us here, + Inhabits there, and courts them all the year. + Ripe fruits and blossoms on the same trees live-- + At once they promise, when at once they give. + So sweet the air, so moderate the clime, + None sickly lives, or dies before his time. + Heaven, sure, has kept this spot of earth uncurst, + To shew how all things were created first." + +So wrote Oglethorpe, quoting the lines as the best pen picture he could +give of the new land, and truly, if the colonists found the reality less +roseate than they anticipated, it was not the fault of their generous, +energetic leader, who spared neither pains nor means in his effort to +make all things work out as his imagination had painted them. + +The Trustees having, with great care, selected thirty-five families from +the number who wished to go, the first emigrant ship sailed for Georgia +in November, 1732, bearing about one hundred and twenty-five "sober, +industrious and moral persons", and all needful stores for the +establishment of the colony. Early in the following year they reached +America, and Oglethorpe, having chosen a high bluff on the southern bank +of the Savannah River, concluded a satisfactory treaty with Tomochichi, +the chief of the nearest Indian tribe, which was later ratified in a +full Council of the chiefs of all the Lower Creeks. His fairness and +courteous treatment won the hearts of all, especially of Tomochichi and +his people, who for many years remained on the best of terms with the +town which was now laid out upon the bluff. + + + The Salzburgers. + +The Salzburgers, referred to by name in the proposals of the Georgia +Trustees, were, at this time, very much upon the mind and heart of +Protestant Europe. They were Germans, belonging to the Archbishopric of +Salzburg, then the most eastern district of Bavaria, but now a province +of Austria. "Their ancestors, the Vallenges of Piedmont, had been +compelled by the barbarities of the Dukes of Savoy to find a shelter +from the storms of persecution in the Alpine passes and vales of +Salzburg and the Tyrol, before the Reformation; and frequently since, +they had been hunted out by the hirelings and soldiery of the Church of +Rome, and condemned for their faith to tortures of the most cruel +and revolting kind. In 1684-6, they were again threatened with an +exterminating persecution; but were saved in part by the intervention +of the Protestant States of Saxony and Brandenburg, though more than a +thousand emigrated on account of the dangers to which they were exposed. + +"But the quietness which they then enjoyed for nearly half a century +was rudely broken in upon by Leopold, Count of Firmian and Archbishop of +Salzburg, who determined to reduce them to the Papal faith and power. +He began in the year 1729, and ere he ended in 1732 not far from thirty +thousand had been driven from their homes, to seek among the Protestant +States of Europe that charity and peace which were denied them in the +glens and fastnesses of their native Alps. + +"The march of these Salzburgers constitutes an epoch in the history of +Germany. * * * Arriving at Augsburg, the magistrates closed the gates +against them, refusing them entrance to that city which, two hundred +years before, through Luther and Melancthon and in the presence of +Charles V and the assembled Princes of Germany, had given birth to the +celebrated Augsburg Confession, for clinging to which the Salzburgers +were now driven from their homes; but overawed by the Protestants, the +officers reluctantly admitted the emigrants, who were kindly entertained +by the Lutherans. + +"The sympathies of Reformed Christendom were awakened on their behalf, +and the most hospitable entertainment and assistance were everywhere +given them." Only a few months after the signing of the Georgia Colony +Charter, the "Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge" +requested the Trustees to include the Salzburgers in their plans. The +Trustees expressed their willingness to grant lands, and to manage any +money given toward their expenses, but stated that they then held no +funds which were available for that purpose. + +In May, 1733, the House of Commons appropriated 10,000 Pounds to the +Trustees of Georgia, "to be applied towards defraying the charges +of carrying over and settling foreign and other Protestants in said +colony," and over 3,000 Pounds additional having been given privately, +the Trustees, at the suggestion of Herr von Pfeil, consul of Wittenberg +at Regensberg, wrote to Senior Samuel Urlsperger, pastor of the Lutheran +Church of St. Ann in the city of Augsburg, who had been very kind to +the Salzburgers on their arrival there, "and ever afterward watched over +their welfare with the solicitude of an affectionate father." On receipt +of the invitation from the Trustees, seventy-eight persons decided to go +to Georgia, and left Augsburg on the 21st of October, reaching Rotterdam +the 27th of November, where they were joined by two ministers, Rev. Mr. +Bolzius, deputy superintendent of the Latin Orphan School at Halle, +and Rev. Mr. Gronau, a tutor in the same, who were to accompany them to +their new home. In England they were treated with marked kindness, and +when they sailed, January 19, 1734, it was with the promise of free +transportation to Georgia, and support there until they could reap their +first harvest from the fifty acres which were to be given to each man +among them. + +They reached Charlestown, South Carolina, the following March, and +met General Oglethorpe, the Governor of Georgia, who was intending an +immediate return to Europe, but went back to help them select a suitable +place for their settlement, they preferring not to live in Savannah +itself. The site chosen was about twenty-five miles from Savannah, on +a large stream flowing into the Savannah River, and there they laid out +their town, calling it "Ebenezer", in grateful remembrance of the Divine +help that had brought them thither. Baron von Reck, who had accompanied +them as Commissary of the Trustees, stayed with them until they had made +a good beginning, and then returned to Europe, leaving Ebenezer about +the middle of May. + + + Unitas Fratrum. + +But while the Salzburgers received so much sympathy and kindness in +Germany on account of their distress, other exiled Protestants, whose +story was no less touching, were being treated with scant courtesy and +consideration. + +On the 6th of July, 1415, the Bohemian Reformer, John Hus, was burned at +the stake. But those who had silenced him could not unsay his message, +and at last there drew together a little body of earnest men, who agreed +to accept the Bible as their only standard of faith and practice, and +established a strict discipline which should keep their lives in the +simplicity, purity, and brotherly love of the early Apostolic Church. +This was in 1457, and the movement quickly interested the thoughtful +people in all classes of society, many of whom joined their ranks. +The formal organization of the Unitas Fratrum (the Unity of Brethren) +followed, and its preaching, theological publications, and educational +work soon raised it to great influence in Bohemia, Moravia, and Poland, +friendly intercourse being established with Luther, Calvin, and other +Reformers as they became prominent. + +Then came destruction, when the religious liberty of Bohemia and Moravia +was extinguished in blood, by the Church of Rome. The great Comenius +went forth, a wanderer on the face of the earth, welcomed and honored +in courts and universities, introducing new educational principles that +revolutionized methods of teaching, but ever longing and praying for the +restoration of his Church; and by his publication of its Doctrine and +Rules of Discipline, and by his careful transmission of the Episcopate +which had been bestowed upon him and his associate Bishops, he did +contribute largely to that renewal which he was not destined to see. + +In the home lands there were many who held secretly, tenaciously, +desperately, to the doctrines they loved, "in hope against hope" that +the great oppression would be lifted. But the passing of a hundred years +brought no relief, concessions granted to others were still denied +to the children of those who had been the first "protestants" against +religious slavery and corruption, and in 1722 a small company of +descendants of the ancient Unitas Fratrum slipped over the borders of +Moravia, and went to Saxony, Nicholas Lewis, Count Zinzendorf, having +given them permission to sojourn on his estates until they could find +suitable homes elsewhere. + +Hearing that they had reached a place of safety, other Moravians took +their lives in their hands and followed, risking the imprisonment and +torture which were sure to follow an unsuccessful attempt to leave a +province, the Government of which would neither allow them to be happy +at home nor to sacrifice everything and go away. Among these emigrants +were five young men, who went in May, 1724, with the avowed intention +of trying to resuscitate the Unitas Fratrum. They intended to go into +Poland, where the organization of the Unitas Fratrum had lasted for a +considerable time after its ruin in Bohemia, but, almost by accident, +they decided to first visit Christian David, who had led the first +company to Herrnhut, Saxony, and while there they became convinced +that God meant them to throw in their lot with these refugees, and so +remained, coming to be strong leaders in the renewed Unity. + +Several years, however, elapsed before the church was re-established. +One hundred years of persecution had left the Moravians only traditions +of the usages of the fathers, members of other sects who were in trouble +came and settled among them, bringing diverse views, and things were +threatening to become very much involved, when Count Zinzendorf, who +had hitherto paid little attention to them, awoke to the realization of +their danger, and at once set to work to help them. + +It was no easy task which he undertook, for the Moravians insisted on +retaining their ancient discipline, and he must needs try to please +them and at the same time preserve the bond of union with the State +Church,--the Lutheran,--of which, as his tenants, they were officially +considered members. His tact and great personal magnetism at last healed +the differences which had sprung up between the settlers, the opportune +finding of Comenius' 'Ratio Disciplinae' enabled them with certainty to +formulate rules that agreed with those of the ancient Unitas Fratrum, +and a marked outpouring of the Holy Spirit at a Communion, August 13th, +1727, sealed the renewal of the Church. + + "They walked with God in peace and love, + But failed with one another; + While sternly for the faith they strove, + Brother fell out with brother; + But He in Whom they put their trust, + Who knew their frames, that they were dust, + Pitied and healed their weakness. + + "He found them in His House of prayer, + With one accord assembled, + And so revealed His presence there, + They wept for joy and trembled; + One cup they drank, one bread they brake, + One baptism shared, one language spake, + Forgiving and forgiven. + + "Then forth they went with tongues of flame + In one blest theme delighting, + The love of Jesus and His Name + God's children all uniting! + That love our theme and watchword still; + That law of love may we fulfill, + And love as we are loved." + (Montgomery.) + + +At this time there was no thought of separating from the State Church +and establishing a distinct denomination, and Zinzendorf believed that +the Unitas Fratrum could exist as a 'society' working in, and in harmony +with, the State Church of whatever nation it might enter. This idea, +borrowed probably from Spener's "ecclesiolae in ecclesia", clung to +him, even after circumstances had forced the Unity to declare its +independence and the validity of the ordination of its ministry, and +many otherwise inexplicable things in the later policy of the Church may +be traced to its influence. + + + Halle Opposition. + +In 1734 Zinzendorf took orders in the Lutheran Church, but this, and +all that preceded it, seemed to augment rather than quiet the antagonism +which the development of Herrnhut aroused in certain quarters. This +opposition was not universal. The Moravians had many warm friends and +advocates at the Saxon Court, at the Universities of Jena and Tuebingen, +and elsewhere, but they also had active enemies who drew their +inspiration principally from the University of Halle. + +The opposition of Halle seems to have been largely prompted by jealousy. +In 1666 a revolt against the prevailing cold formalism of the Lutheran +Church was begun by Philip Jacob Spener, a minister of that Church, +who strongly urged the need for real personal piety on the part of each +individual. His ideas were warmly received by some, and disliked by +others, who stigmatized Spener and his disciples as "Pietists", but +the doctrine spread, and in the course of time the University of +Halle became its centre. Among those who were greatly attracted by the +movement were Count Zinzendorf's parents and grandparents, and when he +was born, May 26th, 1700, Spener was selected as his sponsor. + +Being of a warm-hearted, devout nature, young Zinzendorf yielded readily +to the influence of his pious grandmother, to whose care he was left +after his father's death and his mother's second marriage, and by her +wish he entered the Paedagogium at Halle in 1710, remaining there +six years. Then his uncle, fearing that he would become a religious +enthusiast, sent him to the University of Wittenberg, with strict orders +to apply himself to the study of law. Here he learned to recognize the +good side of the Wittenberg divines, who were decried by Halle, and +tried to bring the two Universities to a better understanding, but +without result. + +In 1719 he was sent on an extensive foreign tour, according to custom, +and in the picture gallery of Duesseldorf saw an Ecce Homo with its +inscription "This have I done for thee, what hast thou done for me?" +which settled him forever in his determination to devote his whole life +to the service of Christ. + +Rather against his wishes, Count Zinzendorf then took office under the +Saxon Government, but about the same time he bought from his grandmother +the estate of Berthelsdorf, desiring to establish a centre of piety, +resembling Halle. The coming of the Moravian and other refugees and +their settlement at Herrnhut, near Berthelsdorf, was to him at first +only an incident; but as their industry and the preaching of Pastor +Rothe, whom he had put in charge of the Berthelsdorf Lutheran Church, +began to attract attention, he went to Halle, expecting sympathy from +his friends there. Instead he met with rebuke and disapproval, the +leaders resenting the fact that he had not placed the work directly +under their control, and apparently realizing, as he did not, that the +movement would probably lead to the establishment of a separate church. + +In spite of their disapprobation, the work at Herrnhut prospered, and +the more it increased the fiercer their resentment grew. That they, +who had gained their name from their advocacy of the need for personal +piety, should have been foremost in opposing a man whose piety was his +strongest characteristic, and a people who for three hundred years, in +prosperity and adversity, in danger, torture and exile, had held "Christ +and Him Crucified" as their Confession of Faith, and pure and simple +living for His sake as their object in life, is one of the ironies of +history. + +Nor did the Halle party confine itself to criticism. Some years later +Zinzendorf was for a time driven into exile, and narrowly escaped the +confiscation of all his property, while its methods of obstructing the +missionary and colonizing efforts of the Moravians will appear in the +further history of the Georgia colony. + + + + +Chapter II. Negotiations with the Trustees of Georgia. + + + + The Schwenkfelders. + +Among those who came to share the hospitalities of Count Zinzendorf +during the years immediately preceding the renewal of the Unitas +Fratrum, were a company of Schwenkfelders. Their sojourn on his estate +was comparatively brief, and their association with the Moravian Church +only temporary, but they are of interest because their necessities led +directly to the Moravian settlements in Georgia and Pennsylvania. + +The Schwenkfelders took their name from Casper Schwenkfeld, a Silesian +nobleman contemporary with Luther, who had in the main embraced the +Reformer's doctrines, but formed some opinions of his own in regard +to the Lord's Supper, and one or two other points. His followers were +persecuted in turn by Lutherans and Jesuits, and in 1725 a number of +them threw themselves on the mercy of Count Zinzendorf. He permitted +them to stay for a while at Herrnhut, where their views served to +increase the confusion which prevailed prior to the revival of 1727, +about which time he moved them to Ober-Berthelsdorf. + +In 1732, Zinzendorf's personal enemies accused him, before the Saxon +Court, of being a dangerous man, and the Austrian Government complained +that he was enticing its subjects to remove to his estates. The Count +asked for a judicial investigation, which was granted, the Prefect of +Goerlitz spending three days in a rigid examination of the affairs of +Herrnhut. The result was a most favorable report, showing the orthodoxy +of the settlers, and that instead of urging emigration from Bohemia and +Moravia, Zinzendorf had protested against it, receiving only those +who were true exiles for conscience' sake. In spite of this the +Saxon Government, a few months later, forbade him to receive any more +refugees. + +In April, 1733, a decree went forth that all Schwenkfelders were to +leave the Kingdom of Saxony. This, of course, affected those who were +living at Ober-Berthelsdorf, and a committee of four waited on Count +Zinzendorf, and requested him to secure a new home for them in the land +of Georgia in North America. Probably Zinzendorf, whose attention +had been caught by the attractive advertisements of the Trustees, had +unofficially suggested the idea to them. + +Lest his opening negotiations with the English Company should foment the +trouble at home, he sent his first communication to them anonymously, +about the end of 1733. + +"A nobleman, of the Protestant religion, connected with the most +influential families of Germany, has decided to live for a time in +America, without, however, renouncing his estates in Germany. But as +circumstances render it inadvisable for him to take such a step hastily, +he wishes to send in advance a number of families of his dependents, +composed of honest, sturdy, industrious, skillful, economical people, +well ordered in their domestic affairs, who, having no debts, will try +to sell such possessions as they cannot take with them in order to raise +the funds for establishing themselves in their new home. + +"This nobleman, on his part, promises: + +(1) To be governed by the King, and the English Nation, in all things, +matters of conscience alone excepted; that is, he will be true to the +Prince, the Protestant Succession, and Parliament in everything relating +to the estates he may receive in this country, and thereto will pledge +his life, and the property he may in future hold under the protection of +His Majesty of Great Britain. + +(2) To be surety for the dependents that he sends over, and to assume +only such jurisdiction over them as is customary among English Lords on +their estates. + +(3) To carefully repay the English Nation such sums as may be advanced +for his establishment in Georgia, and moreover, as soon as the property +is in good condition, to consider it only as rented until the obligation +is discharged. + +(4) To assist the King and Nation, with all zeal and by all means in his +power, to carry out His Majesty's designs for Georgia. He will bring to +that all the insight and knowledge of a man of affairs, who from youth +up has studied the most wholesome principles and laws for a State, and +has had personal experience in putting them into execution; but, on the +other hand, he has learned such self-control that he will meddle with +nothing in which his services are not desired. + +"In consideration of these things the nobleman asks that-- + +(1) If more knowledge of his standing is desired he shall be expected to +give it to no one except a Committee of Parliament, composed of members +of both houses, appointed by his Britannic Majesty, or to a Committee of +the 'Collegii directoriatis' of America, who shall be empowered to grant +his requests; this in view of the fact that the petitioner is a German +Nobleman, whose family is well known, his father having been Ambassador +to England, and his kindred among the foremost statesmen of Europe. + +(2) After the Committee has received sufficient and satisfactory +information it shall be silent in regard to the circumstances and +his personality, as he has weighty reasons for not wishing to subject +himself to criticism. + +(3) He shall be given a written agreement, guaranteeing the following +things: + + a. That he shall receive enough land for a household + of fifty to sixty persons, and for about a hundred other dependents, + most of whom have a trade or profession, and all able + to help build up the country. + + b. That his dependents shall be given free transportation, + and supplies for the voyage. + + c. That they shall be taken directly to the place mentioned + in the agreement. + + d. That he and his agent shall have certain sums advanced to him + for the expenses of the removal to Georgia, the money to be given them + only when they are ready to embark in England,--payment to be made + several years later, a rate of interest having been mutually agreed on, + and the estate in Georgia being given for security if necessary. + + e. All that is needed for the building of a village for himself and + his dependents shall be furnished them,--but as an interest bearing loan. + + f. That he, and the colonists who will go with him, shall have + full religious liberty, they being neither papists nor visionaries. + + g. That if any of his dependents should fall into error + no one should attempt to correct them, but leave him to handle the matter + according to his own judgment; on the other hand he will stand surety + for the conduct 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 November he wrote from Windhausen to Graf Stolberg Wernigerode, +"I have hesitated and vexed myself in much uncertainty whether or not I +should go with the Herrnhuters to America. And now I know that God has +heard our prayer at Halle and Wernigerode, and your letters have decided +me to stay in Germany this winter, in the first place because my +going would be a grief to my dear Urlsperger, whom I love as a father, +secondly because the English will send over a third transport of +Salzburgers in the coming spring and wish me to take them, and thirdly +because I wish to obey worthy and chosen men of God." + +He wrote to the same effect to Zinzendorf, and the Count, though +doubtless annoyed, replied simply: "Your Highness' resolution to +accommodate yourself to your superiors would be known by us all for +right. You will then not blame us if we go our way as it is pointed out +to us by the Lord." + +A few days later Reck received a sharp note from the Trustees of +Georgia, reproving him for his temerity in agreeing to take the +Moravians with him to Georgia without consulting them, and reiterating +the statement that the funds in their hands had been given for the use +of the Salzburgers, and could be used for them alone. + +The young man must have winced not a little under all this censure, +but while he yielded his plan to the wishes of the Halle party, he +held firmly to the opinion he had formed of the Moravians. He wrote to +Urlsperger and others in their behalf, declaring that they were a godly +people, much misunderstood, that it was a shame to persecute them and +try to hinder their going to Georgia, and he felt sure that if their +opponents would once meet the Moravians and converse with them freely, +confidentially, and without prejudice, they would come to respect them +as he did. He also suggested that there were many protestants remaining +in Bohemia, who would gladly leave, and who might be secured for Georgia +on the terms offered to the Salzburgers. The next year in fact, an +effort was made to obtain permission from the Austrian Government for +the emigration of these people, and Reck was authorized by the Trustees +to take them to Georgia, but nothing came of it. + +Nor did his championship of the Bohemians and Moravians already in +Saxony have any result. Urlsperger was offended that the negotiations +from Herrnhut with the Trustees were not being carried on through him, +"the only one in Germany to whom the Trustees had sent formal authority +to receive people persecuted on account of religion, or forced to +emigrate," and the Halle party were unable or unwilling to meet the +leaders of the Moravians "without prejudice". The company of Salzburgers +therefore sailed for Georgia in November without Baron von Reck, and +without the Moravians, Mr. Vat acting as Commissary. + +The Moravians, meanwhile, were not waiting idly for matters to turn +their way, but even before Reck reached his decision Spangenberg had +started for England to arrange personally with the Georgia Trustees for +their emigration. + +August Gottlieb Spangenberg was born July 15th, 1704, at Klettenberg, +Prussia. In the year 1727, while a student at Jena, he became acquainted +with the Moravians through a visit of two of their number, which won +them many friends at that institution. Later, when he was Assistant +Professor of Theology at Halle, he was required to sever his connection +with the Moravians, or leave the University, and choosing the latter +he came to Herrnhut in the spring of 1733. He was one of the strongest, +ablest, and wisest leaders that the Unitas Fratrum has ever had, and +eventually became a Bishop of the Unity, and a member of its governing +board. He was a writer of marked ability, and in his diaries was +accustomed to speak of himself as "Brother Joseph", by which name he was +also widely known among the Moravians. + +Spangenberg left Herrnhut in the late summer or early fall of 1734, +bearing with him Zinzendorf's Power of Attorney to receive for him a +grant from the Georgia Trustees of five hundred acres of land, and +to transact all other necessary business. He stopped for some time in +Holland, where he made a number of acquaintances, some of whom gave him +letters of introduction to friends in England and in America, and +others contributed toward the necessary expenses of the emigrants. From +Rotterdam he wrote to Zinzendorf, saying that he heard no ship would +sail for America before February or March, and that he thought it would +be best for the colonists to wait until he wrote from London, and then +to come by way of Altona, as the Holland route was very expensive. These +suggestions, however, came too late, as the party had left Herrnhut +before the arrival of his letter. + +Spangenberg had a stormy voyage to England, and on reaching London, +rented a room in "Mr. Barlow's Coffee House," in Wattling's street, near +St. Anthelius Church." He found the outlook rather discouraging, and a +long letter written on the 10th of January, gives a vivid picture of +the English mind regarding the "Herrnhuters". Spangenberg had called on +several merchants to see if he could arrange a loan for the Moravians, +for Zinzendorf's means were already strained to the utmost by what he +was doing for the Church, and he did not see how it was possible to +provide the money in any other way. But the merchants declined to make +the loan, saying: "We can not take the land (in Georgia) as surety, +for it is not yet settled, and no man would give us a doit for it; the +personal security (of the emigrants) is also not sufficient, for they +might all die on the sea or in Georgia,--there is danger of it, for the +land is warmer than Europeans can bear, and many who have moved thither +have died; if they settle on the land and then die the land reverts +to the Trustees, so we would lose all; and the six per cent interest +offered is not enough, for the money applied to business would yield +twenty per cent. + +Others objected to having the Moravians go at all, especially Court +Preacher Ziegenhagen, who belonged to the Halle party, and who, +Spangenberg found, had much influence on account of his good judgment +and spotless character. They claimed: (1) That the Moravians were not +oppressed in Saxony, and had no good reason for wishing to leave; (2) +that to say they wished to be near the heathen was only an excuse, for +Georgia had nothing to do with the West Indies where they had a mission; +(3) the Moravians could not bear the expense, and neither the Trustees +nor the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge would help +them; (4) they could neither speak nor understand English, and would +therefore be unable to support themselves in an English colony; (5) +their going would create confusion, for Herr Bolzius, the pastor of +the Salzburgers at Ebenezer, had written to beg that they should not be +allowed to come; (6) if they went it would involve England in trouble +with Saxony, and the Georgia Colony was not meant to take other rulers' +subjects away from them, only to furnish an asylum for exiles, and poor +Englishmen; (7) the Moravians could not remain subject to Zinzendorf, +for they must all become naturalized Englishmen; (8) the suggestion that +Zinzendorf's land could be cultivated by the heathen was absurd, for +slavery was not permitted in Georgia and the Moravians could not afford +to hire them; (9) ten or fifteen men, as were said to be on the way, +would never be able to make headway in settling the forest, a task which +had been almost too much for the large company of Salzburgers. + +Some of these statements dealt with facts, about which the critics +might have acquired better information, had they so desired, others were +prophecies of which only the years to come could prove or disprove +the truth, others again touched difficulties which were even then +confronting Count Zinzendorf's agent; but in the light of contemporary +writings and later developments, it is possible to glance at each point +and see in how far the Halle party were justified in their argument. (1) +The treatment in Saxony, while not as yet a persecution which threatened +them with torture and death, had many unpleasant features, and the +constant agitation against them might at any time crystalize into harsh +measures, for those members of the Herrnhut community who had left +friends and relatives in the homelands of Bohemia and Moravia were +already forbidden to invite them to follow, or even to receive them if +they came unasked seeking religious freedom. (2) There was no idea of +associating the missions in Georgia and the West Indies, for the heathen +whom they wished to reach by this new settlement were the Creek and +Cherokee Indians with whom Governor Oglethorpe had already established +pleasant relations, bringing several of their chiefs to England, and +sending them home filled with admiration for all they had seen, much +impressed by the kindness shown them, and willing to meet any efforts +that might be made to teach them. (3) The money question was a vital +one, and it was principally to solve that that Spangenberg had come to +England, where with Oglethorpe's help he later succeeded in securing the +desired loan. (4) That they could speak little English was also a real +difficulty; Spangenberg used Latin in his conferences with the educated +men he met in London, but that medium was useless in Georgia, and while +the Moravians learned English as rapidly as they could, and proved +their capability for self-support, the failure to fully understand or +be understood by their neighbors was responsible for many of the trials +that were awaiting them in the New World. (5) The protest of Bolzius was +only a part of the general Salzburger opposition, and to avoid friction +in Georgia, Zinzendorf had particularly recommended that the Moravians +settle in a village apart by themselves, where they could "lead godly +lives, patterned after the writings and customs of the apostles," +without giving offense to any; and he promised, for the same reason, +that as soon as they were established he would send them a regularly +ordained minister, although laymen were doing missionary work in other +fields. (6) In order to avoid any danger of creating trouble between +the Governments, the Moravian colonists carefully said nothing in London +regarding their difficulties in Saxony, or the persecutions in Bohemia +and Moravia, and instead of proclaiming themselves exiles for the Faith +as they might have done with perfect truth, they appeared simply as +Count Zinzendorf's servants, sent by him to cultivate the five hundred +acres about to be given to him, and by his orders to preach to the +Indians. (7) A change of nationality would not affect the relation +between Zinzendorf and his colonists, for their position as his +dependents in Germany was purely voluntary, such service as they +rendered was freely given in exchange for his legal protection, and +his supremacy in Church affairs then and later was a recognition of +the personal character of the man, not a yielding of submission to the +Count. (8) That the Indians could not be employed on Zinzendorf's estate +was quite true, not so much on account of the law against slavery, for +the Count intended nothing of that kind, but their character and wild +habits rendered them incapable of becoming good farmers, as the American +Nation has learned through many years of effort and failure. (9) Whether +the ten or fifteen men, reinforced by those who followed them, would +have been able to make a home in the heart of the forest, will never be +known, for from various reasons the town on the five hundred acre +tract was never begun. In short, while the Moravians were risking +much personal discomfort, there was nothing in their plan which could +possibly injure others, and the cavil and abuse of their opposers was as +uncalled for as is many a "private opinion publicly expressed" to-day. + +Hearing of the many obstacles which were being thrown in their way, Mr. +Coram, who was a man of wide charities, and interested in other colonies +besides Georgia, suggested to Spangenberg that his company should go +to Nova Scotia, where the climate was milder, and offered them free +transportation and aid in settling there, but this proposal Spangenberg +at once rejected, and pinned his faith on the kindness of Gen. +Oglethorpe, whose return from Georgia the preceding July, explained the +more favorable tone of the Trustees' letters after that date. Oglethorpe +asked him numberless questions about the doctrine and practice of the +Moravians, and their reasons for wishing to go to Georgia, and promised +to lay the matter before the Trustees, using all his influence to +further their designs. + + + The "First Company". + +On the 14th of January, 1735, the first company of Moravian colonists +arrived in London. At their head was David Nitschmann,--variously +called "the III", "the weaver", "the Syndic", and Count Zinzendorf's +"Hausmeister", who was to stay with them until they left England, +and then return to Germany, resigning the leadership of the party to +Spangenberg, who was instructed to take them to Georgia and establish +them there, and then go to Pennsylvania to the Schwenkfelders. The other +nine were + + John Toeltschig, Zinzendorf's flower-gardener. + Peter Rose, a gamekeeper. + Gotthard Demuth, a joiner. + Gottfried Haberecht, weaver of woolen goods. + Anton Seifert, a linen weaver. + George Waschke, carpenter. + Michael Haberland, carpenter. + George Haberland, mason. + Friedrich Riedel, mason. + +They were "good and true sons of God, and at the same time skillful +workmen," with such a variety of handicrafts as to render them largely +independent of outside assistance in the settlement which they proposed +to make; and all but Haberecht were religious refugees from Moravia and +adjacent parts of Bohemia. + +Nitschmann and Toeltschig were two of the five young men in Zauchenthal, +Moravia, who had set their hearts on the revival of the ancient Unitas +Fratrum. Toeltschig's father, the village burgess, had summoned the +five comrades before him, and strictly forbidden their holding religious +services, warning them that any attempt at emigration would be severely +punished, and advising them to act as became their youth, frequent the +taverns and take part in dances and other amusements. They were sons of +well-to-do parents, and little more than boys in years, (Nitschmann +was only twenty), but their faith and purpose were dearer to them than +anything else on earth, so they had left all and come away, commending +their homes and kindred to the mercy of God, and singing the exile hymn +of the ancient Unitas Fratrum, sacred through its association with those +brave hearts who had known the bitterness and the joy of exile a hundred +years before. + + "Blessed the day when I must go + My fatherland no more to know, + My lot the exile's loneliness; + + "For God will my protector be, + And angels ministrant for me + The path with joys divine will bless. + + "And God to some small place will guide + Where I may well content abide + And where this soul of mine may rest. + + "As thirsty harts for water burn, + For Thee, my Lord and God, I yearn, + If Thou are mine my life is blest." + +Though holding positions as Count Zinzendorf's hausmeister and gardener, +both Nitschmann and Toeltschig were actively employed in the affairs of +the renewed Unitas Fratrum, and had been to England in 1728 to try to +establish relations with the Society for the Propagation of Christian +Knowledge, though without success. They were the better fitted, +therefore, to conduct the party to England, and to share in the +negotiations already begun by Spangenberg. + +This "first company" left Herrnhut on the 21st of November, 1734, +traveling by Ebersdorf (where Henry XXIX, Count Reuss, Countess +Zinzendorf's brother, gave them a letter of recommendation to any whom +they might meet on their way), to Holland, whence they had a stormy and +dangerous voyage to England. + +The day after they reached London they called on Gen. Oglethorpe and +having gained admittance with some difficulty they were very well +received by him, carrying on a conversation in a mixture of English and +German, but understanding each other fairly well. Spangenberg coming +in most opportunely, the Moravian affairs were fully discussed, and the +new-comers learned that their arrival had been fortunately timed, for +the Georgia Trustees were to hold one of their semi-annual meetings two +days later, when Oglethorpe could press their matter, and a ship was to +sail for Georgia the latter part of the month. Oglethorpe was disturbed +to find that the colonists had failed to raise any money toward their +expenses, but promised to try and assist them in that also. + +On the 18th the colonists were formally presented to the Trustees, +heard the lively argument for and against their cause, and had the +satisfaction of seeing the vote cast in their favor. It was contrary +to the custom of the Trustees to grant lands to any who did not come in +person to apply for them and declare their intention of going to +Georgia to settle, but Oglethorpe's argument that the high rank of Count +Zinzendorf was entitled to consideration was accepted and five hundred +acres of land were granted to the Count and his male heirs. + +The Indenture bore date of Jan. 10, 1734, Old Style, (Jan. 21, 1735,)* +and the five hundred acres were "to be set out limited and bounded in +Such Manner and in Such Part or Parts of the said Province as shall be +thought most convenient by such Person or Persons as shall by the said +Common Council be for that Purpose authorized and appointed," there +being a verbal agreement that the tract should be in the hilly country +some distance from the coast, which, though less accessible and less +easily cultivated, lay near the territory occupied by the Indians. Five +pounds per annum was named as the quit rent, payment to begin eight +years later; and such part of the tract as was not cleared and improved +during the next eighteen years was to revert to the Trustees. The +Trustees also agreed that they would reserve two hundred acres near the +larger tract, and whenever formally requested by Count Zinzendorf, +would grant twenty acres each "to such able bodied Young Men Servants as +should arrive and settle with him in the said Province of Georgia." + + + * This IS written correctly. See the author's explanation + of the calendar in Chapter IV.--A. L., 1996.-- + +In addition to the five hundred acres granted to Zinzendorf, fifty acres +were given to Spangenberg, and fifty acres to Nitschmann, although as +the latter was not going to Georgia, and the former did not intend to +stay, this alone was a departure from the custom of the Trustees. +Each of the fifty acre grants was in three parts, a lot in the town +of Savannah, a five acre garden, and a forty-five acre farm, and while +their acquisition had not been a part of the Herrnhut plan the colonists +readily yielded to the advice of their English friends, who pointed out +the necessity of having a place to stay when they reached Savannah, and +land that they could at once begin to cultivate, without waiting for the +selection and survey of the larger tract. In fact, though they knew it +not, these two grants, which lay side by side, were destined to be the +scene of all their experiences in the Province of Georgia. + +The Trustees seem to have been pleased with the appearance of their new +settlers, and approved of their taking passage in the ship that was to +sail the latter part of the month. Since the vessel had been chartered +by the Trustees, they promised to make no charge for such baggage as +the Moravians wished to take with them, arranged that they should have +a portion of the ship for themselves instead of being quartered with +the other passengers, and offered Spangenberg a berth in the Captain's +cabin. This he declined, preferring to share equally with his Brethren +in the hardships of the voyage. Medicine was put into his hands to +be dispensed to those who might need it, and he was requested to take +charge of about forty Swiss emigrants who wished to go in the same +vessel on their way to Purisburg in South Carolina, where they sought +better material conditions than they had left at home. + +Land having been secured, Gen. Oglethorpe arranged that the Trustees +should lend the "First Company" 60 Pounds, payable in five years, with +the understanding that if repaid within that time the interest should +be remitted, otherwise to be charged at ten per cent., the usual rate in +South Carolina. Of this 10 Pounds was spent in London for supplies, +and 50 Pounds paid their passage across the Atlantic. The ten men +(Spangenberg taking Nitschmann's place) pledged themselves jointly and +severally to the payment of the debt, the bond being signed on Jan. +22nd, (Jan. 11th, O. S.) the day after the grant of the land. + +In addition to this Oglethorpe collected 26 Pounds 5 Shillings, as a +gift for the Moravians, 10 Pounds being presented to them in cash in +London, and the rest forwarded to Savannah with instructions that +they should be supplied with cattle, hogs and poultry to that +amount. Oglethorpe further instructed Messrs. Toojesiys and Baker, of +Charlestown, to honor Spangenberg's drafts on him to the amount of 20 +Pounds, so securing the settlers against possible need in their new +home. + +The next day Gen. Oglethorpe presented Spangenberg to the Bishop of +London, who received him very kindly. Oglethorpe's idea was that the +Moravians might ally themselves closely with the Church of England, and +that the Bishop might, if they wished, ordain one of their members from +Herrnhut. Spangenberg and Nitschmann were not authorized to enter into +any such agreement, but both welcomed the opportunity to establish +pleasant relations with the English clergy, and several interviews were +had which served as a good opening for intercourse in later years. + +Until their vessel sailed, the Moravians found plenty to interest +them in the "terribly great city", where they were regarded with much +interest, and where they were greatly touched by the unexpected kindness +they received. + +They had interviews with the Trustees, with Mr. Vernon, and with Gen. +Oglethorpe, who gave them much information as to what to expect in their +new home, and many suggestions as to the best way of beginning +their settlement. Spangenberg was presented to the "Society for the +Propagation of Christian Knowledge", was courteously received, offered +more books than he was willing to accept, invited to correspond with the +Society, and urged to keep on friendly terms with the Salzburgers, which +he assured them he sincerely desired to do. Conversations with Court +Preacher Ziegenhagen were not so pleasant, for a letter had come from +Senior Urlsperger inveighing against the Moravians and Ziegenhagen put +forth every effort to reclaim Spangenberg from the supposed error of +his ways, and to persuade him to stop the company about to start for +Georgia, or at least to separate himself from them, and return to the +old friends at Halle. Oglethorpe smiled at the prejudice against the +Moravians, and told them frankly that efforts had been made to influence +him, but he had preferred to wait and judge for himself. "It has ever +been so," he said, "from the time of the early Christians; it seems +to be the custom of theologians to call others heretics. They say, in +short, 'you do not believe what I believe, a Mohammedan also does not +believe what I believe, therefore you are a Mohammedan;' and again 'you +explain this Bible passage so and so, the Socinian also explains it so +and so, therefore you are a Socinian.'" As for opposition, he, too, was +beginning to find it since the Georgia Colony was proving a success. + +Meanwhile new friends were springing up on every side of the Moravians. +A doctor helped them lay in a store of medicine, another gave them +some balsam which was good for numberless external and internal uses. A +German merchant, who had become an English citizen, helped them purchase +such things as they would require in Georgia, and a cobbler assisted +Riedel in buying a shoemaker's outfit. Weapons were offered to all the +members of the party, but declined, as they wished to give no excuse to +any one who might try to press them into military service. They yielded, +however, to the argument that they would need to protect themselves +against wolves and bears, and sent Peter Rose, the gamekeeper, with Mr. +Verelst, one of the secretaries of the Trustees, to purchase a fowling +piece and hunting knives. + +Letters of introduction to various prominent men in America were given +to them; and, perhaps most important of all in its future bearing, +people discovered the peculiar charm of the Moravian services. Reference +is made in the diaries to one and another,--from English clergyman to +Germans resident in London,--who joined with them in their devotions, +and seemed much moved thereby. Neither was it a passing emotion, for the +seed a little later blossomed into the English Moravian Church. + +And so the month passed swiftly by, and the ship was ready to commence +her long voyage. + + + + +Chapter III. The First Year in Georgia. + + + + The Voyage. + +In the year 1735 a voyage across the Atlantic was a very different thing +from what it is in this year of grace 1904. To-day a mighty steamship +equipped with powerful engines, plows its way across the billows with +little regard for wind and weather, bearing thousands of passengers, +many of whom are given all the luxury that space permits, a table that +equals any provided by the best hotels ashore, and attendance that is +unsurpassed. Then weeks were consumed in the mere effort to get away +from the British Isles, the breeze sometimes permitting the small +sailing vessels to slip from one port to another, and then holding them +prisoner for days before another mile could be gained. Even the most +aristocratic voyager was forced to be content with accommodations and +fare little better than that supplied to a modern steerage passenger, +and those who could afford it took with them a private stock of +provisions to supplement the ship's table. + +And yet the spell of adventure or philanthropy, gain or religion, was +strong upon the souls of men, and thousands sought the New World, where +their imagination saw the realization of all their dreams. Bravely they +crossed the fathomless deep which heaved beneath them, cutting them off +so absolutely from the loved ones left at home, from the wise counsels +of those on whom they were accustomed to depend, and from the strong arm +of the Government under whose promised protection they sailed, to work +out their own salvation in a country where each man claimed to be a law +unto himself, and where years were to pass before Experience had once +more taught the lesson that real freedom was to be gained only through a +general recognition of the rights of others. + +On the 3rd of February, 1735, the Moravians arose early in their London +lodging house, prayed heartily together, and then prepared to go aboard +their vessel, "The Two Brothers", Capt. Thomson, where the Trustees +wished to see all who intended to sail on her. A parting visit was paid +to Gen. Oglethorpe, who presented them with a hamper of wine, and gave +them his best wishes. After the review on the boat Spangenberg and +Nitschmann returned with Mr. Vernon to London to attend to some last +matters, while the ship proceeded to Gravesend for her supply of water, +where Spangenberg rejoined her a few days later. On the 25th of February +they passed the Azores, and disembarked at Savannah, April 8th, having +been nine and a half weeks on shipboard. + +The story of those nine weeks is simply, but graphically, told in the +diary sent back to Herrnhut. Scarcely had they lifted anchor when the +Moravians began to arrange their days, that they might not be idly +wasted. In Herrnhut it was customary to divide the twenty-four hours +among several members of the Church, so that night and day a continuous +stream of prayer and praise arose to the throne of God, and the same +plan was now adopted, with the understanding that when sea-sickness +overtook the company, and they were weak and ill, no time limit should +be fixed for the devotions of any, but one man should pass the duty to +another as circumstances required! + +Other arrangements are recorded later, when, having grown accustomed to +ship life, they sought additional means of grace. In the early morning, +before the other passengers were up, the Moravians gathered on deck to +hold a service of prayer; in the afternoon much time was given to Bible +reading; and in the evening hymns were sung that bore on the text that +had been given in the morning. Spangenberg, Toeltschig, and Seifert, in +the order named, were the recognized leaders of the party, but realizing +that men might journey together, and live together, and still know each +other only superficially, it was agreed that each of the ten in turn +should on successive days speak to every one of his brethren face to +face and heart to heart. That there might be no confusion, two were +appointed to bring the food to the company at regular times, and see +that it was properly served, the following being "the daily Allowance +of Provisions to the Passengers on board the "Two Brothers", Captain +William Thomson, for the Town of Savannah in Georgia. + +"On the four beef-days in each week for every mess of five heads +(computing a head 12 years old, and under 12 two for one, and under 7 +three for one, and under 2 not computed), 4 lbs. of beef and 2-1/2 lbs. +of flour, and 1/2 lb. of plums. + +"On the two pork days in each week for said mess, 5 lbs. of pork and +2-1/2 pints of peas. + +"And on the fish day in each week for said mess, 2-1/2 lbs. of fish and +1/2 lb. of butter. + +"The whole at 16 ounces to the pound. + +"And allow each head 7 lbs. of bread, of 14 ounces to the pound, by the +week. + +"And 3 pints of beer, and 2 quarts of water (whereof one of the quarts +for drinking), each head by the day for the space of a month. + +"And a gallon of water (whereof two quarts for drinking) each head, by +the day after, during their being on their Passage." + +Another Moravian was chosen as nurse of the company, although it +happened at least once that he was incapacitated, for every man in the +party was sick except Spangenberg, who was a capital sailor, and not +affected by rough weather. His endurance was severely tested too, for +while the breeze at times was so light that they unitedly prayed for +wind, "thinking that the sea was not their proper element, for from the +earth God had made them, and on the earth He had work for them to do," +at other times storms broke upon them and waves swept the decks, filling +them with awe, though not with fear. "The wind was high, the waves +great, we were happy that we have a Saviour who would never show us +malice; especially were we full of joy that we had a witness in our +hearts that it was for a pure purpose we sailed to Georgia,"--so runs +the quaint record of one tempestuous day. + +A more poetic expression of the same thought is given by Spangenberg in +a poem written during the voyage, and sent home to David Nitschmann to +be set to the music of some "Danish Melody" known to them both. There is +a beauty of rhythm in the original which the English cannot reproduce, +as though the writer had caught the cadence of the waves, on some bright +day when the ship "went softly" after a season of heavy storm. + + "Gute Liebe, deine Triebe + Zuenden unsre Triebe an, + Dir zu leben, dir zu geben, + Was ein Mensch dir geben kann; + Denn dein Leben, ist, zu geben + Fried' und Segen aus der Hoeh. + Und das Kraenken zu versenken + In die ungeheure See. + + "Herr wir waren von den Schaaren + Deiner Schaeflein abgetrennt; + Und wir liefen zu den Tiefen, + Da das Schwefelfeuer brennt, + Und dein Herze brach vor Schmerze, + Ueber unsern Jammerstand; + O wie liefst du! O wie riefst du! + Bist du uns zu dir gewandt. + + "Als die Klarheit deiner Wahrheit + Unsern ganzen Geist durchgoss, + Und von deinen Liebesscheinen + Unser ganzes Herz zerfloss, + O wie regte und bewegte + Dieses deine Liebesbrust, + Uns zu hegen und zu pflegen, + Bis zur suessen Himmelslust. + + "Dein Erbarmen wird uns Armen, + Alle Tage wieder neu, + Mit was suessen Liebeskuessen + Zeigst du deine Muttertreu. + O wie heilig und wie treulich + Leitest du dein Eigentum; + O der Gnaden dass wir Maden + Werden deine Kron' und Ruhm. + + "Wir empfehlen unsre Seelen + Deinem Aug' und Herz und Hand, + Denn wir werden nur auf Erden + Wallen nach dem Vaterland. + O gieb Gnade auf dem Pfade, + Der zum Reich durch Leiden fuehrt, + Ohn' Verweilen fortzueilen + Bis uns deine Krone ziert. + + "Unser Wille bleibe stille + Wenn es noch so widrig geht; + Lass nur brausen, wueten, sausen, + Was von Nord und Osten weht. + Lass nur stuermen, lass sich tuermen + Alle Fluthen aus dem See, + Du erblickest und erquickest + Deine Kinder aus der Hoeh'." + + (Love Divine, may Thy sweet power + Lead us all for Thee to live, + And with willing hearts to give Thee + What to Thee a man can give; + For from heaven Thou dost give us + Peace and blessing, full and free, + And our miseries dost bury + In the vast, unfathomed sea. + + Lord, our wayward steps had led us + Far from Thy safe-guarded fold, + As we hastened toward the darkness + Where the sulphurous vapors rolled; + And Thy kind heart throbbed with pity, + Our distress and woe to see, + Thou didst hasten, Thou didst call us, + Till we turned our steps to Thee. + + 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 World, +they took with them Count Zinzendorf's formal "Instructions" for the +conduct of their affairs: + +"I shall not attempt to tell you what you are to do from day to day. I +know that in many ways Love will lead you, prepare the way, and point +out your path. I shall only bid you remember the principles and customs +of our Congregation, in which, if you stand fast, you will do well. Your +one aim will be to establish a little place near the heathen where you +may gather together the dispersed in Israel, patiently win back the +wayward, and instruct the heathen tribes. + +"You have and will ask nothing more than the opportunity to attain this +end through your own labors, but you will request free transportation +for yourselves and those who will follow you,--if they receive your +present small number the Lord will send you more. + +"If you should be tempted to injure any work of the Lord for my +sake, refrain from doing it, remembering that I am under a gracious +guardianship which nothing can disturb. + +"You will take absolutely no part in the Spangenberg-Halle controversy; +you know the mind of the Congregation regarding it. If you find people +prejudiced against you leave it to Him who has bidden you go to Georgia. +Enter into no disputes, but, if questions are asked, give the history of +the Congregation, being careful not to censure our opposers, and saying, +which is true, that the Congregation at Herrnhut gives them little +heed. Entire freedom of conscience must be granted you, but there may be +points which you can yield without injuring the cause of Christ,--if so +you will find them in due time. + +"You must live alone, establishing your own little corner, where your +customs will irritate no one; and as soon as you are settled an ordained +minister will be sent you, out of consideration for the scruples of +the Salzburgers, although our Brethren in other Colonies are served by +laymen, as permitted by our ancient constitution. + +"God willing, I shall soon follow you, and only wait until He opens +the way for me. Our dear Elder (Spangenberg) will quickly return from +America, and in his absence I commit you to the mighty grace of God. + + Your brother and servant, + Lewis Count v. Zinzendorf. + +"At this time one of the Elders at Herrnhut. November 27th, 1734. + + "'He everywhere hath way, + And all things serve His might, etc.'" + +That these sensible and liberal instructions were not fully carried out +is at once apparent, especially in the two points of free transportation +and settlement in a quiet, secluded spot. The inability of the Trustees +to grant their request for the first, burdened the Moravian colonists +with what was, under the circumstances, a heavy debt, while the location +of Zinzendorf's five hundred acre tract was responsible for their +failure in attaining the second. + +When Gen. Oglethorpe planned the fortifications and defense of Savannah +in 1733, he decided to erect a small fort on the Ogeechee River, some +miles south, in order to command one of the trails by which the +Indians had been accustomed to invade Carolina. This "Fort Argyle" was +garrisoned with a detachment of rangers, and ten families were sent from +Savannah to cultivate the adjacent land. The tract selected in London +for Count Zinzendorf, was to lie on the Ogeechee, near Fort Argyle, an +excellent place from which to reach the Indians in times of peace, but +the worst possible location for noncombatants when war was threatening. + +Spangenberg urged the survey of the five hundred acre tract as often +and as strongly as he dared, but from various causes, chiefly rumors +of Indian incursions, the expedition was deferred until Aug. 22nd, when +Spangenberg, Toeltschig, Riedel, Seifert, Rose, Michael Haberland, and +Mr. Johnson, the Trustees' surveyor, prepared to start on their toilsome +journey, going by boat, instead of attempting to follow the circuitous, +ill-marked road across the country, impassable to pedestrians, though +used to some extent by horsemen. + +At one o'clock in the morning of Aug. 23rd the seven men embarked, +taking advantage of the ebbing tide, and made their way down the +Savannah River. It was very dark, the Moravians were unaccustomed to +rowing, and Mr. Johnson, who steered, went to sleep time after time, so +when they accidentally came across a ship riding at anchor they decided +to stay by her and wait for the day. When dawn broke they hastened on +to Thunderbolt, where a fort had been built, and some good land cleared, +and there they found two Indians, who claimed to know the country, and +agreed to go with them as pilots. Toward evening they reached Seituah*, +where a stockade was being built as a protection against the Indians, +and the night was spent with a Captain Wargessen (Ferguson), who, with +several soldiers, was out in a scout boat watching the movements of the +Indians and Spaniards in that neighborhood. + + + * On Skidaway Island, exact site unknown.-- + +The next day they made their way among the islands until they reached +the mouth of the Ogeechee, up which they turned, but night overtook +them, and they were forced to drop their anchor. The Indians had been +left behind somewhere, and with the return of day it became necessary to +retrace their course for some hours in order to learn where they were. +That night was spent at Sterling's Bluff, with the Scotch who had +settled upon it, and the next morning they proceeded to Fort Argyle. As +they rowed up the river, a bear left one of the islands, and swam across +to the main land. "He was better to us than we to him, for Peter shot +at him twice when he came near us, but he left us in peace and went his +way!" + +The following morning Spangenberg and Johnson, accompanied by the +Lieutenant from Fort Argyle and several of his rangers, rode out to +inspect the land selected for the Moravians. The horses were accustomed +to service against the Indians, and went at full gallop, pausing not for +winding paths or fallen trees, and the University-bred man of Germany +expected momentarily to have his neck broken, but nothing happened, and +after looking over the tract they returned to Fort Argyle. + +Despite the exertions of the morning Spangenberg then manned his boat, +and started up the river to visit an Indian town, where he hoped to +find Tomochichi. Much floating timber rendered the trip dangerous and +tedious, and it was not until early Sunday morning that they reached +their destination, only to find the place deserted, as the band had +left a few days before for a hunting expedition, and, if fortune +favored them, for a brush with the Spanish Indians, with whom they had +a perpetual feud. Soon Johnson appeared, guided by some of the rangers, +who, after a hearty meal with the Moravians, returned to the Fort, +Johnson remaining behind. + +Monday morning, August 29th, before the sun rose, the party repaired +to the Moravian tract, which Johnson surveyed, the Moravians acting as +chain-carriers. Spangenberg was much pleased with the tract. It had a +half mile frontage on the Ogeechee, extended two miles back into the +forest, and gave a good variety of land, some low and damp for the +cultivation of rice, sandy soil covered with grass for pasturage, and +dry uplands suitable for corn and vegetables. A rapid stream furnished +an abundance of pure water, and site for a mill, while the thick growth +of timber guaranteed a supply of material for houses and boats. Near the +river rose a high hill, where it had once been the intention to build a +fort, and a house had really been erected. This the Indians burned, +and later another site had been chosen for Fort Argyle, but the place +retained the name of "Old Fort", and the hill would serve as the +location for the Moravian dwelling. + +Indian tribes which were friendly to the English lived at no great +distance, and the trail to Savannah and Ebenezer led directly by Old +Fort, while the opening of two roads would bring both those towns within +a four hour's ride of the settlement. + +Well content, therefore, with their new acquisition, the Moravians +returned to Fort Argyle, whence Johnson rode back to Savannah, leaving +them to follow with the boat. At the mouth of the Ogeechee they +encountered a severe storm, against which they could make little +headway, try as they would. Their anchor was too light to hold against +the current, and there was a marsh on one bank and rocks on the other, +but at last, after night-fall, in the face of a terrific thunder storm, +they forced their way to a place where they could land, and where they +passed the rest of the night, enduring as best they could the heavy +rain, and the attack of insects, against neither of which they were +able to protect themselves. "This place takes its +name,--'Rotten-possum',--from an animal frequently found here, which +they call a Possum. I am told that it has a double belly, and that +if pursued it puts its young into one belly, runs up a tree until it +reaches a limb, springs out on that until it is among the leaves, and +then lays itself across the branch with one belly on each side, and +so hides itself, and saves its life!" The rest of the journey was +uneventful, and on Friday morning, September 2nd, they reached Savannah, +having been absent ten days. + +It seems a great pity that the Moravians were unable to establish +themselves on this tract, where their industry would soon have made an +oasis in the wilderness, but one thing after the other interfered, and +the "second company" which arrived early in the following year, found +them still at Savannah. + +In Savannah matters moved toward a fair degree of prosperity for the +Moravians. About four acres of Spangenberg's garden were cleared in time +for the first summer's crop of corn, which yielded them sixty bushels. +They also raised some beans, which came to maturity at a time when +provisions and funds were very low, so helping them greatly. + +The two farm lots were laid out during the summer, Spangenberg assisting +with the survey. By the close of the year twenty-six acres had been +cleared,--on the uplands this meant the felling of trees, and gradual +removal of stumps as time permitted, but on the rice lands it meant far +more. The great reeds, ten to twelve feet high, grew so thick that a man +could scarcely set foot between them, and in cutting them down it was +necessary to go "knee-deep" below the surface of the ground, and then +the roots were so intertwined that it was difficult to pull them out. + +Every acre of land that was cleared and planted had to be securely +fenced in, for cattle roamed in the woods, and ruined unprotected crops. +Indeed, the colonists in Georgia derived little benefit from their +cattle, which ran at large, and when a few were wanted for beef or for +domestic purposes, they were hunted and driven in. The Moravians had +to wait until midsummer before they could get their allotment, and then +they received a cow and calf, six hogs and five pigs, with the promise +of more. Before the others came the cows had again escaped to the woods, +and the swine had been drowned! + +In July Spangenberg wrote to Herrnhut that he had given his fifty +acres of land, including the town lot, to the Moravian Congregation at +Savannah, and that he would at once apply to the Trustees to vest the +title in that body, and if he left Georgia before this was accomplished +he would give a full Power of Attorney to Toeltschig. From the first his +land had been used as the common property of the party, and he desired +that the nine men, who, with him, were bound to the repayment of the 60 +Pounds, borrowed from the Trustees, should have the use of it until +that obligation was met, and then it should be used as the Savannah +Congregation thought best. + +Nitschmann's land seems to have been held in a different way, although +granted at the same time, and under similar circumstances. July 11th, +Spangenberg sent him a detailed description of the town and garden lots, +explaining the advantages and difficulties of cultivation, suggesting +several methods by which it could be done, and giving the approximate +cost, urging that instructions be sent as to his wishes. Later he wrote +that the company had decided not to wait for Nitschmann's reply, but to +clear the garden on the terms usual in Georgia, e.g., that the man who +cleared a piece of ground held it rent free for seven years, when it +reverted to the owner. This had been done, and the garden was ready to +plant and fence, and if Nitschmann approved they intended to clear the +farm, and would build a small house on the town lot. Zinzendorf had +suggested that negroes be employed on Nitschmann's land, but at that +time slavery was prohibited in Georgia, and any negroes who ran away +from Carolina were at once returned to their masters. + +The two farms lay side by side about four miles from Savannah, the +gardens, also adjoining, were about two miles from town, so it was +necessary to build cabins at both places, as shelters from sun and +storm, which the settlers found equally trying. Two additional cabins +had been built in Savannah on Spangenberg's lot, and by the end of the +year a house, thirty-four by eighteen feet in size, was under roof, +though not yet finished. This gave an abundance of room, not only +for themselves, but for the second company to whose arrival they were +looking forward with such eagerness. + +When this reinforcement came they hoped to move to Zinzendorf's tract, +and then, as soon as they could be spared, Demuth, Haberecht, Waschke +and the two Haberlands wished to claim the twenty acres apiece which the +Trustees had promised to the Count's "servants". Riedel was of the same +mind, but he did not live to see the arrival of the second company. Some +months after reaching Georgia, he was dangerously ill with fever, but +passed the crisis successfully, and recovered his full strength. He was +one of the party who went to survey Zinzendorf's tract, but was taken +sick again three days after the boat left Savannah, and by the time they +returned he was obliged to go to bed, and soon became delirious. The +other Moravians were greatly distressed, but could do nothing except +nurse him carefully and pray for him earnestly, and toward the end his +mind cleared, though his body had lost the power to recuperate. He died +on the 30th of September, the first Moravian to "fall asleep" in the +United States, though others had given up their lives for the mission +work in the West Indies. His spiritual condition had at times caused +much concern to Toeltschig, who was especially charged with the +religious welfare of the first company, many of whom had been under his +care in Germany, but in the main he had been an earnest man, a willing +and industrious partaker in the common toil, and his death caused much +regret. The burial customs in Savannah included the ringing of bells, +a funeral sermon, and a volley of musketry, but learning that these +ceremonies were not obligatory the Moravians declined the offer of the +citizens to so honor their Brother, and laid him to rest in the Savannah +cemetery with a simple service of hymns and prayer. + +As they were robing Riedel for his burial, a young man came to the +door, and asked if he could not make them some pewter spoons. In +the conversations that followed it developed that he was a native of +Switzerland, the son of a physician, and after his father's death he +had sailed for Pennsylvania, intending there to begin the practice of +medicine. But his fellow-passengers stole his books and everything he +had, he was unable to pay for his transportation, and forced to sell his +service for seven years as a redemptioner. At the end of five years he +had become quite ill, and his master, having waited six months for his +recovery, heartlessly turned him out, to live or die as the case might +be. Instead of dying, his strength returned, and then his former master +demanded 10 Pounds Pennsylvania currency, for his unexpired term, +although only 5 Pounds had been paid for him, and he had served five +years. The young man was obliged to promise to pay this, and Spangenberg +encouraged him to push his spoon-making, in order to do it as speedily +as possible. Meanwhile the Moravians were so much pleased with his +appearance and speech, that they agreed to receive him into their +company for as long as he chose to stay, and John Regnier soon became an +important factor in their comfort. Spiritually he was somewhat at sea. +At one time he had desired to be a hermit, and then he had drifted from +one sect to another, seeking something which he could not find, but +acquiring a medley of odd customs. Spangenberg advised him to turn his +thoughts from men to God, learning from Him "what was better and higher, +Faith, Love, Hope, etc.", and under the Moravian influence he gradually +laid aside his unwise fancies, giving them encouragement to believe that +he would eventually come into the clearer light, as they knew it. + +In material things John Regnier was of great assistance, owing to his +ability to turn his hand to almost anything. The shoes of the party were +badly torn, but though they had brought leather and tools from England +none of them knew the cobbler's trade. John Regnier had never made a +shoe, but he took it up, and soon provided for them all, and then he +mended their clothing, and added new garments. He also showed much +aptitude for nursing, and Spangenberg put him in charge of several +cases. A man from a neighboring village sent word that he had severed +an artery and could not check the bleeding, and asked for help. Regnier +went to him, and was so successful in his treatment that in two weeks +the man was entirely restored. Some one discovered a poor Scotchman, +dying with dropsy, lying utterly neglected upon the floor of a miserable +hut, and appeal was made to the Moravians to take him and care for him. +They did so, moving him to one of their cabins, where they made him a +bed, and Regnier nursed him until death ended his sufferings. Another +man had high fever, and no friends, and him also the Moravians took, +and cared for, the Trustee's agent furnishing food and medicine for the +sick, but offering no recompense for the care they received. + +Indeed, as the months passed by, the Moravians established a reputation +for charity and for hospitality. Not only had they kept free of dispute +with the Salzburgers, but the friendliest relations existed, and the +Moravian cabins were always open to them when they came to Savannah. Nor +were they slow to avail themselves of the kindness. Gronau and Bolzius +often lodged with them, and others came in groups of nine or ten to +spend the night. During the evening stories would be exchanged as to +their circumstances in the home lands, and their reasons for leaving +there, and then sometimes the hosts would spread hay upon the floor +for their guests, at other times give up their own beds, and themselves +sleep upon the floor. + +With their nearer neighbors in Savannah, they were also upon cordial +terms, though they found few who cared for religious things. The Jews +were particularly courteous to them, inviting Spangenberg into their +Synagogue, and bringing gifts of meat and fish on several occasions +when help was sorely needed on account of the illness of some of their +number,--for Riedel was not the only one who was seriously ill, though +no others died. All the conditions in Georgia were so different from +what they were accustomed to in Germany that it took them some time +to adapt themselves, and longer to become really acclimated, and they +noticed that the same was true of all new-comers. All of the Moravians +were sick in turn, many suffering from frosted feet, probably injured on +the voyage over, but Spangenberg, Toeltschig, Haberecht and Demuth were +dangerously ill. Nearly all of the medicine brought from Europe was +gone, and what they could get in Savannah was expensive and they did +not understand how to use it, so they were forced to depend on careful +nursing and simple remedies. Turpentine could easily be secured from the +pines, Spangenberg found an herb which he took to be camomile, which had +a satisfactory effect, and with the coming of the cooler autumn weather +most of the party recovered their health. + +Probably the food was partly responsible for their troubles, though +they tried to be careful, and cooked everything thoroughly. Rice and +salt-meat were their chief articles of diet, for bread cost so much that +they soon gave it up entirely, substituting cornmeal mush, and butter +was so dear as to be entirely out of the question. During the summer +months which preceded the harvest, they could get neither corn, rice +nor beans at the store, so lived on mush, salt-meat, and the beans they +themselves had planted. Fresh meat was a great treat, particularly when +it enabled them to prepare nourishing broth for their sick, and once +Rose shot a stag, giving them several good meals, but this happened so +seldom as to do little toward varying the monotony of their fare. + +Drinking water was held to be responsible for the swollen feet and +nausea from which many of them suffered, so they made a kind of +sassafras beer, which proved palatable and healthful, and used it until +they had become accustomed to the climate, when they were able to drink +the water. + +When the Moravians came to Georgia they brought with them a little ready +money, the gift of English friends, and their cash payments secured +them good credit at the Trustees' store. Other merchants sought their +patronage, but they decided to run an account at one place only, and +thought Mr. Causton, as the Trustees' agent, would give them the most +liberal treatment. Their hardest time financially, as well as regarding +health, was during the summer, when credit came to be accorded +grudgingly, and finally Spangenberg, personally, borrowed 15 Pounds +sterling, and applied it on their account, which restored their standing +in Mr. Causton's eyes. On Feb. 8th, 1736, they decided to buy enough +corn, rice and salt-meat to last until harvest, having learned by sad +experience how very dear these necessities were later in the year. Very +little work had been done which brought in ready money, for their time +had been fully occupied in building their house and clearing the land, +but all things were prepared for the coming of the second company, with +whose assistance they expected to accomplish much. In February the +two carpenters were engaged to build a house for Mr. Wagner, a Swiss +gentleman who had recently arrived, and rented one of the Moravian +cabins temporarily, and this was the beginning of a considerable degree +of activity. + +The intercourse of the Moravians with the other residents of Savannah +was much impeded by their ignorance of the English language, and it +occurred to Spangenberg that it might be a good thing to take an English +boy, have him bound to them according to custom, and let them learn +English by having to speak to him. About July a case came to his +knowledge that roused all his sympathies, and at the same time afforded +a good opportunity to try his plan. "I have taken a four-year-old +English boy into our family. He was born in Charlestown, but somehow +found his way to Savannah. His father was hanged, for murder I have +heard, and his mother has married another man, and abandoned the child. +A woman here took charge of him, but treated him most cruelly. Once she +became angry with him, took a firebrand, and beat him until half his +body was burned; another time she bound him, and then slashed him with +a knife across the back, and might have injured him still more if a man +had not come by and rescued him. The magistrates then gave him to other +people, but they did not take care of him, and hearing that he was a +bright child, I decided to offer to take him. The Magistrates gladly +agreed, and will write to his relatives in Charlestown, and if they do +not claim him he will be bound to us. He is already proving useful +to the Brethren, as he speaks English to them, and they are rapidly +learning to speak and to understand. I am sending him to an English +school, as I would rather he would not learn German, but being bright he +is learning a good deal of it from the Brethren." + +On October 31st a widow and her seven-year-old son were received into +their household. The woman was in destitute circumstances, and anxious +to work, so after four weeks' trial she was installed as maid, and +promised $14.00 a year wages. She proved to be quiet and industrious, +but not very bright. On Dec. 17th another boy, six years old, was taken, +his mother being dead, and his father a day-laborer who could not care +for him. + +Of the Indians the Moravians had seen a good deal, but no start had +been made toward teaching them, except that some of their words had been +learned. Spangenberg decided that the only way to master their language +would be to go and live among them, and this Rose professed himself +willing to do as soon as he could be spared. With Tomochichi they +were much pleased. "He is a grave, wise man, resembling one of the old +Philosophers, though with him it is natural, not acquired. Were he among +a hundred Indians, all clothed alike, one would point him out and say, +'that is the king.'" When the Indians came to the Moravian cabins they +were courteously received, and supplied with food and drink, often +remaining as silent listeners at the evening service. In turn their +good will took the form of a gift of grouse or dried venison, which the +Moravians gratefully received. + +The English were very anxious to keep the friendship of these Indians, +on whom much of their safety depended, and when one of the nations came +five or six hundred miles to renew a treaty with them, they planned a +spectacle which would at once please and impress them. All the settlers +were put under arms, and led out to meet them, saluting them with a +volley of musketry. With great pomp they were conducted into the town, +presented with guns, clothing, etc., and then, through an interpreter, +they were assured of the good will and faith of the English, and urged +to be true to the treaty, and protect the settlement against those +Indian tribes who were under French and Spanish influence. + +Spangenberg was ordered out with the others, but excused himself on +the ground of weakness from his recent illness, and when the officials +offered to depart from their custom, and allow one of Zinzendorf's +"servants" to take his place, he explained that the Moravians did not +understand English, and knew nothing of military manoeuvres. During +the first year the question of military service was not sufficiently +prominent to cause real uneasiness, but Spangenberg foresaw trouble, +and wrote to Herrnhut, urging that the matter be given serious +consideration. + +When the Moravians passed through London they had fully explained their +position to Gen. Oglethorpe, who promised them exemption, but they had +no written order from the Trustees to show to the local officials, and +not even a copy of the letter in which reference to the subject was +made. As Count Zinzendorf's "servants" nine of them were ineligible, but +Spangenberg, as a free-holder, was expected to take part in the weekly +drill, which he quietly refused to do. + +All free-holders were likewise expected to take their turn in the +Watch, composed of ten men, who patrolled the town by night and day. +Spangenberg admitted that the Watch was necessary and proper, but +decided that he had better not take a personal share in it, other than +by hiring some one to take his place, which was permitted. As the turn +came every seventeen days, and a man expected fifty cents for day and +one dollar for night duty each time, this was expensive, doubly so +because the officers demanded a substitute for the absent Nitschmann +also. Twice had Spangenberg been before the Court, attempting to have +the matter adjusted, but he found that this, like many other things, +could not be settled until Gen. Oglethorpe came. "All men wait for Gen. +Oglethorpe, it is impossible to describe how they long for him." The +Salzburgers especially wished for him, for they did not like the +place where they had settled, and wanted permission to move to a more +favorable location which they had chosen. + +On the 14th of February, 1736, Capt. Thomson arrived, bringing letters +from England, and one to Spangenberg announced that the second company +of Moravians was on the way and might soon be expected. At three o'clock +in the morning of February 17th, the town was roused by the sound of +bells and drums. Thinking it meant fire, the Moravians rushed out, but +learned that Gen. Oglethorpe's ship had reached Tybee, and the people +were awakened to welcome him. Full of interest to learn whether the +second company was with him the Moravians paused for a hasty meal +before going to meet the ship, when to their great joy Bishop Nitschmann +appeared before them, "and his face was to us as the face of an Angel!" + + + + +Chapter IV. Reinforcements. + + + + The "Second Company". + +Before David Nitschmann, the "Hausmeister", left London, after the +sailing of the first Moravian company for Georgia, he presented to the +Trustees a series of propositions, the acceptance of which would open +the way for a large increase of Moravian emigration. The proposals were, +in brief, that the Trustees should give credit to the Moravians to the +extent of 500 Pounds sterling, which, deducting the 60 Pounds advanced +to the first company, would provide passage money and a year's provision +for fifty-five more of Count Zinzendorf's "servants", the loan to be +repaid, without interest, in five years, and to bear interest at the +usual rate if payment was longer deferred. He also suggested that the +money, when repaid, should be again advanced for a like purpose. + +In addition he requested that each man of twenty-one years, or over, +should be granted fifty acres near Count Zinzendorf's tract. + +The Trustees were pleased to approve of these proposals, and promised +the desired credit, with the further favor that if the debt was not +paid within five years it should draw interest at eight per cent. only, +instead of ten per cent., the customary rate in South Carolina. + +During the summer, therefore, a second company prepared to follow the +pioneers to the New World. On the 5th of August, 1735, two parties left +Herrnhut, one consisting of three young men, and the other of thirteen +men, women and children, who were joined at Leipzig by Jonas Korte, +who went with them to London. On August 8th, five more persons left +Herrnhut, under the leadership of David Nitschmann, the Bishop, who was +to take the second company to Georgia, organize their congregation, and +ordain their pastor. + +This David Nitschmann, a carpenter by trade, was a companion of David +Nitschmann, the "Hausmeister", and John Toeltschig, when they left +Moravia in the hope of re-establishing the Unitas Fratrum, and with them +settled at Herrnhut, and became one of the influential members of the +community. When missionaries were to be sent to the Danish West Indies, +Nitschmann and Leonard Dober went on foot to Copenhagen (August 21st, +1732), and sailed from there, Nitschmann paying their way by his work +as ship's carpenter. By the same handicraft he supported himself and +his companion for four months on the island of St. Thomas, where +they preached to the negro slaves, and then, according to previous +arrangement, he left Dober to continue the work, and returned to +Germany. In 1735, it was decided that Bishop Jablonski, of Berlin, +and Bishop Sitkovius, of Poland, who represented the Episcopate of the +ancient Unitas Fratrum, should consecrate one of the members of the +renewed Unitas Fratrum at Herrnhut, linking the Church of the Fathers +with that of their descendents, and enabling the latter to send to the +Mission field ministers whose ordination could not be questioned by +other denominations, or by the civil authorities. David Nitschmann, then +one of the Elders at Herrnhut, was chosen to receive consecration, +the service being performed, March 13th, by Bishop Jablonski, with the +written concurrence of Bishop Sitkovius. + +The three parties from Herrnhut met at Magdeburg on August 13th, +proceeding from there to Hamburg by boat, and at Altona, the sea-port of +Hamburg, they found ten more colonists who had preceded them. Here also +they were joined by Christian Adolph von Hermsdorf, who went with them +to Georgia as "a volunteer". Apparently Lieutenant Hermsdorf wanted the +position of Zinzendorf's Agent in Georgia, for the Count wrote to him +on the 19th of August, agreeing that he should go with the Moravians, at +their expense, but saying that if he desired office he must first prove +himself worthy of it by service with and for the others, even as the +Count had always done. If the reports from Georgia justified it, the +Count promised to send him proper powers later, and to find a good +opportunity for his wife to follow him. Rosina Schwarz and her child, +who had come with them to Hamburg to meet her husband, returned with him +to their home in Holstein; and on account of Rosina Neubert's serious +illness, she and her husband reluctantly agreed to leave the company, +and wait for another opportunity to go to Georgia. In 1742 they +carried out their intention of emigrating to America, though it was to +Pennsylvania, and not to Georgia. + +The "second company", therefore, consisted of twenty-five persons: + + David Nitschmann, the Bishop. + Christian Adolph von Hermsdorf, a volunteer. + John Andrew Dober, a potter. + David Zeisberger. + David Tanneberger, a shoemaker. + John Tanneberger, son of David, a boy of ten years. + George Neisser. + Augustin Neisser, a young lad, brother of George. + Henry Roscher, a linen-weaver. + David Jag. + John Michael Meyer, a tailor. + Jacob Frank. + John Martin Mack. + Matthias Seybold, a farmer. + Gottlieb Demuth. + John Boehner, a carpenter. + Matthias Boehnisch. + Maria Catherine Dober, wife of John Andrew Dober. + Rosina Zeisberger, wife of David Zeisberger. + Judith Toeltschig, Catherine Riedel, Rosina Haberecht, Regina Demuth, + going to join their husbands already in Georgia. + Anna Waschke, a widow, to join her son. + Juliana Jaeschke, a seamstress.* + + * Fifteen of these colonists were originally from Moravia + and Bohemia.-- + +During an enforced stay of three weeks at Altona, the Moravians +experienced much kindness, especially at the hands of Korte and his +family, and Mrs. Weintraube, the daughter of a Mennonite preacher, who +had come from her home in London on a visit to her father. By this time +the Moravian settlement at Herrnhut was coming to be well and favorably +known in Holland, and every visit won new friends, many of whom came +into organic fellowship with them. A few years later, when the Unitas +Fratrum was confronted by a great financial crisis, it was largely the +loyalty and liberality of the Dutch members that enabled it to reach a +position of safety. + +On the 9th of September, the company went aboard an English boat, +homeward bound, but contrary winds held them in port until the 13th, +and it was not until Sunday, Oct. 2nd, that they reached London, after a +long and stormy crossing, which gave many of them their first experience +of sea-sickness. + +Nitschmann and Korte at once went ashore to report their arrival to +Secretary Verelst, and on Monday a house was rented, and the twenty-five +colonists and Jonas Korte moved into it, to wait for the sailing of Gen. +Oglethorpe's ship, the General having offered them berths on his own +vessel. The General was out of town when they reached London, but called +on Monday evening, and showed them every kindness,--"Oglethorpe is +indeed our good friend, and cares for us like a father." + +Nitschmann found a good deal of difficulty on account of the language, +for he could not speak Latin, as Spangenberg had done, and knew no +English, so that all of his conversations with Oglethorpe had to be +carried on through an interpreter; nevertheless a number of important +points were fully discussed. + +On the question of military service he could reach no definite and +satisfactory conclusion, and thought it a great pity that there had not +been a perfect mutual understanding between Zinzendorf and the Trustees +before the first company sailed. That Zinzendorf's "servants" should be +free from military service was admitted by all, but Oglethorpe thought +three men must be furnished to represent Zinzendorf, Spangenberg and +Nitschmann (the Hausmeister), the three free-holders, and suggested that +Lieutenant Hermsdorf might take one place. Nitschmann said that would +not do, that the Moravians "could not and would not fight," and there +the matter rested. Nitschmann wrote to Zinzendorf, begging him to come +to London, and interview the Trustees, but advised that he wait for +Oglethorpe's return from Georgia some nine months later. + +On this account the members of the second company agreed that it would +be better for them not to accept land individually, but to go, as the +others had done, as Zinzendorf's "servants", to work on his tract. +Oglethorpe suggested that an additional five hundred acres should +be requested for Count Zinzendorf's son, and Nitschmann referred the +proposal to the authorities at Herrnhut. In regard to the five hundred +acre tract already granted, the General said that it had been located +near the Indians, at the Moravians' request, but that settlers there +would be in no danger, for the Indians were at peace with the English, +there was a fort near by, and besides he intended to place a colony of +Salzburgers fifty miles further south, when the Moravians would be, not +on the border but in the center of Georgia. + +Gen. Oglethorpe assured Nitschmann that there would be no trouble +regarding the transfer of title to the Georgia lands, for while, for +weighty reasons, the grants had been made in tail male, there was no +intention, on the part of the Trustees, to use this as a pretext for +regaining the land, and if there was no male heir, a brother, or +failing this, a friend, might take the title. (In 1739 the law entailing +property in Georgia was modified to meet this view, and after 1750, all +grants were made in fee simple.) He also explained that the obligation +to plant a certain number of mulberry trees per acre, or forfeit the +land, was intended to spur lazy colonists, and would not be enforced in +the case of the Moravians. + +Nitschmann told Gen. Oglethorpe of the wives and children who had been +left in Herrnhut, and suggested the advisability of establishing an +English School for them, that they might be better fitted for life +in Georgia. Oglethorpe liked the idea, and, after due consideration, +suggested that some one in Herrnhut who spoke French or Latin, +preferably the latter, should be named as Count Zinzendorf's Agent, to +handle funds for the English school, and to accompany later companies +of Georgia colonists as far as London, his expenses to be paid by the +Trustees. Of this the Trustees approved, and donated 40 Pounds sterling, +partly for Nitschmann's use in London, and the balance,--about 4 Pounds +it proved to be,--for the Herrnhut school. An English gentleman also +gave them 32 Pounds, with the proviso that within four years they in +turn would give an equal amount to the needy, which Nitschmann readily +agreed should be done. + +Various other gifts must have been received, for when the company +sailed, Nitschmann reported to Count Zinzendorf that, without counting a +considerable amount which Korte had generously expended on their behalf, +they had received 115 Pounds in London, and had spent 113 Pounds. "This +will seem much to you, but when you look over the accounts, and consider +the number of people, and how dear everything is, you will understand." +Unfortunately the colonists had left Herrnhut without a sufficient +quantity of warm clothing, thinking that it would not be needed, but +letters from Georgia gave them quite new ideas of the climate there, and +they were forced to supply themselves in London, though at double what +it would have cost in Germany. + +In addition to these expenditures, the second company borrowed from the +Trustees the funds for their passage to Georgia, and a year's provision +there, binding themselves jointly and severally to repay the money, the +bond, dated Oct. 26th, 1735, being for the sum of 453 Pounds 7 Shillings +6 Pence, double the amount of the actual debt. This included + + + Passage for 16 men, 8 women and 1 boy, + 25 persons, 24-1/2 "heads". Pounds 122: 10: 0 + 25 sets of bed-clothes. 6: 5: 0 + 1 year's provisions in Georgia, + being 12 bushels Indian Corn, + 100 lbs. Meat, 30 lbs. Butter, + 1 bushel Salt, 27 lbs. Cheese, + per head. 64: 6: 3 + Advanced in London for necessaries. 33: 12: 6 + ----------------- Pounds 226: 13: 9 + +This was to be repaid in five years, drawing eight per cent. interest +after three years, further security to be given within twelve months if +requested by the Trustees or their Agent; and any provisions not used to +be credited on their account. + +In the matter of forming new acquaintances in London, the second company +was far less active than the first had been, Spangenberg's standing +and education having given him access to many people, attracting their +attention to his companions. The second company profited by the friends +he had made, Mr. Wynantz especially devoting himself to their service, +and while Nitschmann and his associates did not reach many new people, +they inspired the respect and confidence of those whom Spangenberg had +introduced to the Moravian Church, and so strengthened its cause. A +carpenter from Wittenberg, Vollmar by name, who was attracted to them, +requested permission to go to Georgia with them, although not at their +expense, and to this they agreed. A number of Salzburgers who were to +go to Georgia with General Oglethorpe, though not on the same ship, were +under the leadership of the young Baron von Reck with whom Zinzendorf +had corresponded during the early stages of the Moravian negotiations, +and the Baron called on the second company several times, offered to +assist them in any way in his power, and expressed the wish that the +Moravians and Salzburgers could live together in Georgia. Nitschmann +doubted the wisdom of the plan, but courteously agreed to refer it to +Zinzendorf, who, however, refused his sanction. + +On the 12th of October, the Moravians went aboard Gen. Oglethorpe's +ship, the 'Simmonds', Capt. Cornish, where they were told to select the +cabins they preferred, being given preference over the English colonists +who were going. The cabins contained bare bunks, which could be closed +when not in use, arranged in groups of five,--three below and two +above,--the five persons occupying them also eating together. The +Moravians chose their places in the center of the ship, on either side +of the main mast, where the ventilation was best, and there would be +most fresh air when they reached warmer latitudes. "The number of people +on the ship is rather large, for we are altogether one hundred and +fifty who are going to Georgia, but besides ourselves they are all +Englishmen." "Many of them are like wild animals, but we have resolved +in all things to act as the children of God, giving offence to no one, +that our purpose be not misconstrued." + +After seeing his companions comfortably settled on the vessel, +Nitschmann returned to his numerous tasks in London. On the 24th, +he came back to the ship, accompanied by Korte, who bade them an +affectionate farewell. By the 27th all of the passengers, including Gen. +Oglethorpe, were on board, but it was not until the afternoon of October +31st, that the 'Simmonds' sailed from Gravesend. + + + Four Journals. + +On the 'Simmonds', as she sailed slowly down the Thames on her way to +Georgia, there were four Englishmen, with whom the Moravians were to +become well acquainted, who were to influence and be influenced by them, +and through whom a great change was to come into the religious history +of England. These were John and Charles Wesley, Benjamin Ingham and +Charles Delamotte. The Wesleys were sons of Samuel Wesley, a clergyman +of the Church of England, and while at the University of Oxford +they, with two companions, had formed a little society for religious +improvement, and by their strict and methodical habits gained the name +of "Methodists"; both brothers had taken orders in the English Church, +and were on their way to Georgia, John to serve as rector at Savannah, +and Charles as Gen. Oglethorpe's private secretary. Benjamin Ingham was +born in Yorkshire, and met the Wesleys at Oxford, where he joined their +Methodist society. He, too, had been ordained in the English Church, +and now, at the age of twenty-three, had yielded to John Wesley's +persuasions, and agreed to go with him "to the Indians". Charles +Delamotte, the son of a London merchant, met the Wesleys at the home of +James Hutton, shortly before they sailed for Georgia, and was so much +impressed by them, and by their object in seeking the New World, that he +decided "to leave the world, and give himself up entirely to God," and +go with them. + +For the greater part of his life John Wesley kept a Journal, extracts +from which were given to the public from time to time, and Benjamin +Ingham's account of the voyage to Georgia was also printed, so that the +story of those weeks is quite well known. Nevertheless, something of +interest may be gained by comparing these two Journals with the Diaries +kept by David Nitschmann, Bishop of the Moravians, and John Andrew +Dober, one of the second company. + +To avoid confusion it should be noted that the difference of eleven days +in the dates is only apparent, not real, for the Englishmen used the +old style calendar, the Germans employed the modern one. In 46 B. C. the +Roman Calendar had gained two months on the actual seasons, and a more +accurate calculation resulted in the adoption of the so-called "Julian +Calendar" (prepared at the request of Julius Caesar), the two missing +months being inserted between November and December in that "year of +confusion". By 1582, however, the Julian Calendar had fallen ten days +behind the seasons, so another calculation was made, and Pope Gregory +XIII abolished the Julian Calendar in all Catholic countries, dropped +the dates of ten days from that year, and established the "reformed", or +"Gregorian Calendar". This was adopted in Catholic Germany, in 1583, in +Protestant Germany and Holland, in 1700, but in England not until 1752, +by which time the difference had increased to eleven days. Following the +ancient Jewish custom the Year, for many centuries, began with the 25th +of March, but public sentiment came to favor the 1st of January as +the more appropriate date, and it was gradually adopted. In England, +however, the legal year continued to begin with March 25th, until 1752, +although many people were either using the newer fashion, or indicating +both, and a date might be correctly written in four ways, e.g. January +10th, 1734, old style, legal, January 10th, 1734-5, or January 10th, +1735, old style, popular, and January 21st, 1735, new style, the last +agreeing with the calendar now in general use. + +Bishop Nitschmann gives the outline of their religious services on +almost every day, and in the translation which follows these are +generally omitted; in the same way some paragraphs are left out of the +Wesley Journal. Extracts from Dober's and Ingham's Journals are inserted +when they give facts not otherwise noted. + + +====== 24 Oct. 1735. + +Nitschmann's Diary. Oct. 24th, 1735. + + I went to the ship, (the 'Simmonds', Captain Cornish). + My heart rejoiced to be once more with the Brethren. + In the evening we held our song service. + +(We have all given ourselves to the Lord, and pray that the Saviour may +comfort our hearts with joy, and that we may attain our object, namely, +to call the heathen, to become acquainted with those whom we have not +known and who know us not, and to worship the name of the Lord.--Letter +of Oct. 28.) + + +====== 25 Oct. 1735. + +John Wesley's Journal. Oct. 14th, 1735, (O. S.) Tuesday. + +Mr. Benjamin Ingham, of Queen's College, Oxford, Mr. Charles Delamotte, +son of a merchant in London, who had offered himself some days before, +my brother Charles Wesley, and myself, took boat for Gravesend, in order +to embark for Georgia. Our end in leaving our native country was not to +avoid want, (God having given us plenty of temporal blessings,) nor to +gain the dung or dross of riches or honor; but singly this,--to save our +souls, to live wholly to the glory of God. In the afternoon we found the +'Simmonds' off Gravesend, and immediately went on board. + +(We had two cabins allotted us in the forecastle; I and Mr. Delamotte +having the first, and Messrs. Wesley the other. Theirs was made pretty +large, so that we could all meet together to read or pray in it. This +part of the ship was assigned to us by Mr. Oglethorpe, as being most +convenient for privacy.--Ingham's Journal.) + +====== 27 Oct. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Oct. 27th. + +Bled Mrs. Toeltschig and Mrs. Zeisberger. On deck one man was knocked +down by another, striking his head on the deck so as to stun him. In the +evening we held our song service at the same hour that the English had +theirs. I spoke with Mr. Oglethorpe and the two English clergymen, who +asked concerning our ordination and our faith. Mr. Oglethorpe said he +would be as our father, if we would permit it. + +====== 28 Oct. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Oct. 28th. + +At our prayer-meeting considered Eph. 1, how our election may be made +sure; I also wrote to the Congregation at Herrnhut. Mrs. Zeisberger was +sick, and Mr. Oglethorpe concerned himself about her comfort. + +---- + +Wesley. Oct. 17th. + +I began to learn German in order to converse with the Germans, six and +twenty* of whom we had on board. + + * Twenty-five Moravians and the Wittenberg carpenter.-- + +====== 29 Oct. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Oct. 29th. + +Spoke with the Wittenberg carpenter concerning his soul. + +====== 30 Oct. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Oct. 30th. + +We decided who should attend to various duties during the voyage, +and held our "Band" meetings. (The "Bands" were small groups, closely +associated for mutual religious improvement.) An English boy fell +overboard, but was rescued by a sailor. + +====== 31 Oct. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Oct. 31st. + +In the afternoon we sailed twelve miles from Gravesend. + +---- + +Wesley. Oct. 20th, Monday. + +Believing the denying ourselves, even in the smallest instances, might, +by the blessing of God, be helpful to us, we wholly left off the use of +flesh and wine, and confined ourselves to vegetable food,--chiefly rice +and biscuit. In the afternoon, David Nitschmann, Bishop of the Germans, +and two others, began to learn English. O may we be, not only of one +tongue, but of one mind and of one heart. + +====== 1 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 1st. + +The English clergyman began to spend an hour teaching us English. In +the early service we read concerning new life in the soul; the preceding +night was blessed to me, and the Saviour was near. At the evening +service we spoke of earnest prayer and its answer. + +(David Nitschmann, in the presence of all the members, formally +installed certain of our members in office,--David Tanneberger as +overseer, Dober as teacher and monitor, Seybold as nurse for the +brethren, and Mrs. Dober as nurse for the sisters.--Dober's Diary.) + +(We have arranged that one of us shall watch each night, of which Mr. +Oglethorpe approves.--Letter of Oct. 18th.) ---- + +Wesley. Oct. 21st. + +We sailed from Gravesend. When we were past about half the Goodwin Sands +the wind suddenly failed. Had the calm continued till ebb, the ship had +probably been lost. But the gale sprung up again in an hour, and carried +us into the Downs. + +We now began to be a little regular. Our common way of living was this: +From four in the morning till five, each of us used private prayer. From +five to seven we read the Bible together, carefully comparing it (that +we might not lean to our own understanding) with the writings of +the earliest ages. At seven we breakfasted. At eight were the public +prayers. From nine to twelve I usually learned German and Mr. Delamotte +Greek. My brother writ sermons, and Mr. Ingham instructed the children. +At twelve we met to give an account to one another what we had done +since our last meeting, and what we designed to do before our next. +About one we dined. The time from dinner to four, we spent in reading +to those whom each of us had taken in charge, or in speaking to them +severally, as need required. At four were the Evening Prayers; when +either the Second Lesson was explained (as it always was in the +morning,) or the children were catechised, and instructed before the +congregation. From five to six we again used private prayer. From six +to seven I read in our cabin to two or three of the passengers, (of whom +there were about eighty English on board), and each of my brethren to a +few more in theirs. At seven I joined with the Germans in their public +service; while Mr. Ingham was reading between the decks to as many +as desired to hear. At eight we met again, to exhort and instruct one +another. Between nine and ten we went to bed, where neither the roaring +of the sea, nor the motion of the ship, could take away the refreshing +sleep which God gave us. + +====== 2 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 2nd. + +We sailed further. In the early prayer service we considered Eph. 4, the +unity of the Spirit, and the means of preserving the bond of peace. In +the song service many points of doctrine were discussed with the English +clergyman, also the decline and loss of power. + +====== 3 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 3rd. + +A dense fog and unpleasant weather, so we lay still at anchor. + +====== 4 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 4th. + +I visited the other ship, (the 'London Merchant', Capt. Thomas) where +the so-called Salzburgers are. I spend most of my time studying English. + + +---- + +Wesley. Oct. 24th. + +Having a rolling sea, most of the passengers found the effects of it. +Mr. Delamotte was exceeding sick for several days, Mr. Ingham for about +half an hour. My brother's head ached much. Hitherto it has pleased God +the sea has not disordered me at all. + +During our stay in the Downs, some or other of us went, as often as we +had opportunity, on board the ship that sailed in company with us, where +also many were glad to join in prayer and hearing the word. + +====== 5 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 5th. + +We prayed for the Congregation at Herrnhut, and also that we might be +one with it in spirit. In the evening we spoke of the Lord's protection, +how good it is. + + There is no room for fear, + The world may shake and quiver, + The elements may rage, + The firmament may shiver, + We are safe-guarded. + +====== 8 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 8th. + +An (English) child died, and was buried in the sea at five o'clock. + +====== 11 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 11th. + +The text was "The Lord is with me, therefore I do not fear." + +---- + +Wesley. Oct. 31st. + +We sailed out of the Downs. At eleven at night I was waked by a great +noise. I soon found there was no danger. But the bare apprehension of +it gave me a lively conviction what manner of men those ought to be, who +are every moment on the brink of eternity. + +====== 12 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 12th. + +(This afternoon we came near Portsmouth, and anchored. Today Dober began +to study English, and learned the Lord's Prayer.--Dober's Diary.) + +---- + +Wesley. Nov. 1st, Saturday. + +We came to St. Helen's harbour, and the next day into Cowes road. The +wind was fair, but we waited for the man-of-war which was to sail with +us. This was a happy opportunity of instructing our fellow travellers. +May He whose seed we sow, give it the increase! + +====== 13 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 13th. + +Hermsdorf visits Baron von Reck. + +====== 14 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 14th. + +We lay at anchor at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, and some of us landed. I +went with Baron von Reck to Newport, one mile distant, it is a beautiful +place. I conversed with Baron von Reck about the Lord's Prayer. + +====== 18 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 18th. + +A great storm. To me the time is precious, and passes too swiftly. It +is as though we were in the midst of wild beasts, which are bound and +cannot harm us. We know the Saviour stands by us, and strengthens us +through the Holy Ghost. + +====== 20 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 20th. + +One older and two young Englishmen were whipped for stealing. + +====== 21 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 21st. + +Conversed with Mr. Oglethorpe about our ordination, Baron von Reck +acting as interpreter. He was well pleased when I explained our view, +and that we did not think a Bishop must be a great lord as among the +Catholics. He offered to give us anything we wished, but I told him we +needed nothing. + +====== 23 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 23rd. + +The Man-of-war ('Hawk', Capt. Gascoine) joined us. A boy was beaten, and +sent away from the ship. + +====== 25 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 25th. + +Spoke with Mr. Oglethorpe about Boehner and George Neisser, who are sick +and must go ashore for treatment. Boehner has a sore arm, and Neisser +a sore foot. An English friend gave us a guinea to buy some things we +need. + +====== 29 Nov. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Nov. 29th. + +In the evening I prayed for a good wind, since we do not wish to lie in +one place and be of no use. + +====== 1 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 1st. + +The wind was good, we thanked God and sailed about eight o'clock. Not +long after the wind fell, and we anchored, but I could not believe that +we were not to go. The wind rose again, and we sailed nine miles. + +---- + +Wesley. Nov. 20th. + +We fell down Yarmouth road, but the next day were forced back to Cowes. +During our stay here there were several storms, in one of which two +ships in Yarmouth roads were lost. + +The continuance of the contrary winds gave my brother an opportunity of +complying with the desire of the minister of Cowes, and preaching there +three or four times. + +====== 2 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 2nd. + +About two o'clock we returned to Cowes. + +====== 3 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 3rd. + +The women went ashore to wash our clothes. The others went with them, +because we do not wish to annoy any one, and desired to be alone that we +might celebrate the Lord's Supper. I could not leave the ship, but was +with them in spirit. + +====== 4 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 4th. + +(Nitschmann and Dober spoke with several of the Brethren concerning +their spiritual condition. In the evening a storm sprang up which +continued most of the night. Mr. Oglethorpe is ill, which reminds us to +pray for him, and the English preacher, John Wesley, has promised to do +the same. This preacher loses no opportunity to be present at our song +service; he spares no pains to perform the duties of his office and he +likes us. We wish we could converse freely with him, so that we could +more carefully explain the way of God to him.--Dober's Diary.) + +---- + +Wesley. Nov. 23rd, Sunday. + +At night I was waked by the tossing of the ship, and roaring of the +wind, and plainly showed I was unfit, for I was unwilling to die. + +====== 7 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 7th. + +A great storm, and we thanked God that we were in a safe harbor. + +====== 10 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 10th. + +All hands summoned to lift the anchor. Mr. Oglethorpe called me, took +me by the hand, led me into the cabin, and gave me 1 Pound for the +Brethren. Later the wind was again contrary, and we had to lie still. + +====== 18 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 18th. + +We lifted the anchor at three o'clock, but as we got under sail the wind +changed again. We must stay still, but what the Lord intends we do not +know. + +---- + +Wesley. Dec. 7th, Sunday. + +Finding nature did not require such frequent supplies as we had been +accustomed to, we agreed to leave off suppers; from doing which we have +hitherto found no inconvenience. + +====== 21 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 21st. + +An east wind sprang up, and with the help of God we sailed at nine +o'clock from Cowes, where we had been for five weeks and three days. + +When we reached the open sea many became sea-sick. There was so much to +be done that we could not hold our prayer-meeting, for our people help +in all the work, and therefore the sailors treat us well, no matter what +they think of us in their hearts. In the evening our song service was +much blessed. + +(With us went two ships, the man-of-war, and that which carried Baron +von Reck and his Salzburgers. Two of the Salzburgers were on shore, and +were left behind when the ship sailed, whereat their wives and children +who were on board, were sorely grieved.--Dober's Diary.) + +---- + +Wesley. Dec. 10th, Wednesday. + +We sailed from Cowes, and in the afternoon passed the Needles. From +this day to the fourteenth being in the Bay of Biscay, the sea was very +rough. Mr. Delamotte and others were more sick than ever; Mr. Ingham a +little; I not at all. But the fourteenth being a calm day, most of the +sick were cured at once. + +====== 22 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 22nd. + +The wind was east, and we sailed nine miles an hour, but were all very +sea-sick. + +====== 23 Dec. 1735. + +Wesley. Dec. 12th. + +(In the forenoon we left the man-of-war, he not being able to sail as +fast as our ships.--Ingham's Journal.) + +====== 25 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 25th. + +As this was Christmas Day we read Matt. 8 in our prayer service. The +wind had died down, everyone felt much better, and it was a beautiful +day. + +====== 27 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 27th. + +At midnight there was a great storm, and the waves broke over the ship; +the middle hatch was open, and the water poured in, running into our +cabin, so that we had to take everything out of them until we could dry +them. + +====== 30 Dec. 1735. + +Nitschmann. Dec. 30th. + +The weather was again pleasant. + +---- + +Wesley. Dec. 19th. + +(Messrs. Wesley and I, with Mr. Oglethorpe's approbation, undertook to +visit, each of us, a part of the ship, and daily to provide the sick +people with water-gruel, and such other things as were necessary for +them.--Ingham's Journal.) + +====== 1 Jan. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Jan. 1, 1736. + +It was New Year's Day, and Mr. Oglethorpe's birthday. + +(Br. Nitschmann asked us to select a number of verses, wrote them out +and presented them as a birthday greeting to Mr. Oglethorpe. It was a +beautiful day, warm and calm.--Dober's Diary.) + +---- + +Wesley. Dec. 21st, Sunday. + +We had fifteen communicants, which was our usual number on Sundays. + +(This being Mr. Oglethorpe's birthday, he gave a sheep and wine to the +people, which, with the smoothness of the sea, and the serenity of +the sky, so enlivened them that they perfectly recovered from their +sea-sickness. + +On Christmas Day, also, Mr. Oglethorpe gave a hog and wine to the +people.--Ingham's Journal.) + +====== 5 Jan. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Jan. 5th. + +(To-day, according to the old style, Christmas was celebrated on our +ship. Br. Nitschmann spoke on the words, "Unto us a Child is born, unto +us a Son is given."--Dober's Diary.) + +====== 9 Jan. 1736. + +Wesley. Dec. 29th. + +(We are now past the latitude of twenty-five degrees, and are got into +what they call the Trade winds, which blow much the same way all the +year round. The air is balmy, soft, and sweet. The ship glides smoothly +and quietly along. The nights are mild and pleasant, being beautifully +adorned with the shining hosts of stars, + + "Forever singing as they shine, + The Hand that made us is divine." +--Ingham's Journal.) + +====== 10 Jan. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Jan. 10th. + +(We have been running for several days with the Trade winds. Here +the day is two hours longer than it is in Germany at this season. The +sailors wished to adhere to their custom of initiating those who crossed +the Tropic of Cancer for the first time, but Gen. Oglethorpe forbade it. +The weak, the children, and the sick, are well cared for, so that +the nine months' old child receives an egg and some goat's milk every +day.--Dober's Diary.) + +====== 12 Jan. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Jan. 12th. + +To-day, according to the old style, we celebrated the New Year. + +====== 20 Jan. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Jan. 20th. + +An English clergyman asked us how often we celebrated the Lord's Supper, +saying that he thought it a sacrifice which consecrated and improved the +life. We told him our view; he said he would like to visit Herrnhut. + +(We re-crossed the Tropic of Cancer.--Dober's Diary.) + +====== 21 Jan. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Jan. 21st. + +(We are still in the Trade wind, and sail swiftly and steadily.) + +We cannot thank God enough that we are all well, only Mrs. Demuth is +always sea-sick when the wind rises. + +====== 23 Jan. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Jan. 23rd. + +We saw a ship. + +---- + +Wesley. Jan. 12th, 1736. + +(I began to write out the English Dictionary in order to learn the +Indian tongue.--Ingham's Journal.) + +====== 26 Jan. 1736. + +Wesley. Jan. 15th. + +Complaint being made to Mr. Oglethorpe of the unequal distribution of +the water among the passengers, he appointed new officers to take charge +of it. At this the old ones and their friends were highly exasperated +against us, to whom they imputed the change. But "the fierceness of man +shall turn to thy praise." + +====== 27 Jan. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Jan. 27th. + +(As there was little good water left the passengers were given poor +water, but when Oglethorpe heard of it, he ordered that all, in the +Cabin and outside, should be treated alike, as long as the good water +lasted. Mr. Oglethorpe and the preacher, John Wesley, are very careful +of the passengers' welfare; the latter shows himself full of love for +us.--Dober's Diary.) + +====== 28 Jan. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Jan. 28th. + +There was a great storm, the waves went over the ship, and poured into +it. Then many who knew not God were frightened, but we were of good +cheer, and trusted in the Lord who does all things well. Roscher and +Mack are good sailors and not afraid of anything. + +---- + +Wesley. Jan. 17th, Saturday. + +Many people were very impatient at the contrary wind. At seven in the +evening they were quieted by a storm. It rose higher and higher till +nine. About nine the sea broke over us from stem to stern; burst through +the windows of the state cabin, where three or four of us were, and +covered us all over, though a bureau sheltered me from the main shock. +About eleven I lay down in the great cabin, and in a short time fell +asleep, though very uncertain whether I should wake alive, and much +ashamed of my unwillingness to die. O how pure in heart must he be, who +would rejoice to appear before God at a moment's warning! Toward morning +"He rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm." + +====== 29 Jan. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Jan. 29th. + +We read the 13th chapter of Mark at our early prayer service. The +weather was a little better, but the wind was contrary. We also saw +a ship which was sailing northeast. In the evening we read the +ninety-eighth Psalm, the Lord was with us and we were blessed. + +---- + +Wesley. Jan. 18th, Sunday. + +We returned thanks to God for our deliverance, of which a few appeared +duly sensible. But the rest (among whom were most of the sailors) denied +we had been in any danger. I could not have believed that so little good +would have been done by the terror they were in before. But it cannot be +that they should long obey God from fear, who are deaf to the motives of +love. + +====== 1 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 1st. + +The weather was fine, and there was no wind until ten o'clock, when +it came from the right quarter. In addition to our usual allowance the +Captain sent us fresh meat, which he has done thrice already, and we do +not altogether like it, for we are content with what we have, and do not +desire more. + +====== 3 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 3rd. + +There was a great storm, which lasted all night. + +---- + +Wesley. Jan. 23rd, Friday. + +In the evening another storm began. In the morning it increased, so that +they were forced to let the ship drive. I could not but say to myself, +"How is it that thou hast no faith?" being still unwilling to die. About +one in the afternoon, almost as soon as I had stepped out of the great +cabin door, the sea did not break as usual, but came with a smooth +full tide over the side of the ship. I was vaulted over with water in a +moment, and so stunned, that I scarce expected to lift up my head again, +till the sea should give up her dead. But thanks be to God, I received +no hurt at all. About noon our third storm began. + +====== 4 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 4th. + +The storm lasted all day, and the waves often swept over the ship. The +storm rudder was lashed fast, and so we were driven. + +====== 5 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 5th. + +In the early morning we had a fairly good breeze, but about ten o'clock, +a storm rose, of such violence that the wind seemed to blow from all +four quarters at once, and we were in danger of being overpowered. The +waves were like mountains; the rudder was lashed fast, only one sail was +spread, and we drove on, only the Lord knew whither. But we did not let +it prevent us from holding our song service. The text given to us was +Psalm 115:14, which assured us that we were blessed of God,--may He ever +bless us more and more. During the service the ship was covered with a +great wave, which poured in upon us, and on the deck there was a great +cry that the wind had split the one sail which was spread. There was +great fright among the people who have no God; the English clergyman was +much aroused, ran to them, and preached repentance, saying among other +things that they could now see the difference. I was content, for our +lives are in God's hands, and He does what He will; among us there was +no fear, for the Lord helped us. + +(There was a terrible storm which lasted till midnight. During the song +service a great wave struck the ship with a noise like the roar of a +cannon. The wind tore the strong new sail in two; the people, especially +the English women, screamed and wept; the preacher Wesley, who is always +with us in our song service, cried out against the English, "Now man can +see who has a God, and who has none." During the last eight days we have +had so much contrary wind, and so many storms that we could not approach +the land, though we were near it several times.--Dober's Diary.) + +---- + +Wesley. Jan. 25th, Sunday. + +At noon our third storm began. At four it was more violent than before. +The winds roared round about us, and whistled as distinctly as if it had +been a human voice. The ship not only rocked to and fro with the utmost +violence, but shook and jarred with so unequal, grating, a motion, that +one could not but with great difficulty keep one's hold of anything, nor +stand a moment without it. Every ten minutes came a shock against the +stern or side of the ship, which one would think should dash the planks +to pieces. + +We spent two or three hours after prayers, in conversing suitably to the +occasion, confirming one another in a calm submission to the wise, holy, +gracious will of God. And now a storm did not appear so terrible as +before. Blessed be the God of all consolation! + +At seven I went to the Germans; I had long before observed the great +seriousness of their behaviour. Of their humility they had given a +continual proof, by performing those servile offices for the other +passengers, which none of the English would undertake; for which they +desired, and would receive no pay, saying "It was good for their proud +hearts," and "their loving Saviour had done more for them." And every +day had given them occasion of showing a meekness, which no injury could +move. If they were pushed, struck, or thrown down, they rose again and +went away; but no complaint was found in their mouth. There was now an +opportunity of trying whether they were delivered from the spirit of +fear, as well as from that of pride, anger, and revenge. In the midst of +the psalm wherewith their service began, the sea broke over, split the +mainsail in pieces, covered the ship, and poured in between the decks, +as if the great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible screaming +began among the English. The Germans calmly sung on. I asked one of +them afterward, "Were you not afraid?" He answered, "I thank God, no." I +asked, "But were not your women and children afraid?" He replied mildly, +"No; our women and children are not afraid to die." + +From them I went to their crying, trembling neighbors, and pointed out +to them the difference in the hour of trial, between him that feareth +God, and him that feareth Him not. At twelve the wind fell. This was the +most glorious day which I have hitherto seen. + +====== 6 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 6th. + +(The oldest sailors say they have never seen so fierce a storm as the +one we had last night. The wind came from all sides at once, lifted the +water from the sea, bore it through the air and cast it on the other +ship, where Baron von Reck and the Salzburgers were, and so flooded it +that twelve persons were kept at the pumps all night.--Dober's Diary.) + + +---- + +Wesley. Jan. 26th. + +We enjoyed the calm. I can conceive no difference comparable to that +between a smooth and a rough sea, except that which is between a mind +calmed by the love of God, and one torn up by the storms of earthly +passion. + +====== 8 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 8th. + +(There was a calm, and very fine weather, so that a boat could be +lowered to visit the other ship.--Dober's Diary.) + +---- + +Wesley. Jan. 28th. + +(Being a calm day, I went on board the other ship, read prayers, and +visited the people. At my return I acquainted Mr. Oglethorpe with their +state, and he sent them such things as they needed.--Ingham's Journal.) + +====== 9 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 9th. + +(The wind was again favorable to us, but there was much +lightning.--Dober's Diary.) + +---- + +Wesley. Jan. 29th. + +About seven in the evening we fell in with the skirts of a hurricane. +The rain as well as the wind was extremely violent. The sky was so dark +in a moment, that the sailors could not so much as see the ropes, or +set about furling the sails. The ship must, in all probability, have +overset, had not the wind fell as suddenly as it rose. + +====== 10 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 10th. + +The whole day was stormy, and all night the waves broke over the ship. + + +---- + +Wesley. Jan. 30th. + +We had another storm, which did us no other harm than splitting the +foresail. Our bed being wet, I laid me down on the floor and slept sound +till morning. + +====== 12 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 12th. + +(We were obliged to drift, because we did not know how far we were from +land. About noon we sighted three ships, sailed toward them, and saw +they were English; our sailors lowered the boat, we wrote in haste, and +sent letters to Herrnhut. The ships came from Charlestown, and told us +we were thirty hours' run from Georgia.--Dober's Diary.) + +---- + +Wesley. Feb. 1st, Sunday. + +(Three sails appearing, we made up toward them, and got what letters we +could write, in hopes some of them might be bound for England. One of +them, that was bound for London, made towards us, and we put our letters +on board her.--Ingham's Journal.) + +====== 13 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 13th. + +To-day we had another storm, and twice saw the ocean not far from us, +drawn up like smoke, so that the water reached up to the clouds, and the +ship would have been in great danger if it had struck us. + +====== 14 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 14th. + +Soundings toward evening showed twenty-eight fathoms of water, and we +hope to see land to-morrow. + +====== 15 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 15th. + +About two o'clock we saw land. I climbed the mast, and poured out my +heart to God, thanking Him, and praying that He would care for us in our +new home. We anchored for the night. + +---- + +Wesley. Feb. 4th, Wednesday. + +About noon the trees were visible from the mast, and in the afternoon +from the main deck. In the Evening Lesson were these words, "A great +door, and effectual, is opened," O let no one shut it! + +====== 16 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 16th. + +It was a beautiful day, and the land looked very fair. At two o'clock +we reached Tybee, and were all very happy. The song service was blessed, +and we thanked God with prayer and praise. + +---- + +Wesley. Feb. 5th. + +Between two and three in the afternoon God brought us all safe into the +Savannah River. We cast anchor near Tybee Island, where the grove of +pines, running along the shore, made an agreeable prospect, showing, as +it were, the bloom of spring in the depths of winter. + +====== 17 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 17th. + +I went on shore with Mr. Oglethorpe, and we together fell on our knees +and thanked God, and then took a boat to Savannah. I went at once to the +Brethren, and we rejoiced to meet again. I found the Brethren well, and +looked with wonder at what they had accomplished, went with Toeltschig +and Spangenberg to the garden, and also received letters from Herrnhut. +Spangenberg had to go immediately to Mr. Oglethorpe to discuss many +things with him. + +---- + +Wesley. Feb. 6th, Friday. + +About eight in the morning we first set foot on American ground. It was +a small, uninhabited island, (Peeper Island), over against Tybee. Mr. +Oglethorpe led us to a rising ground, where we all kneeled down to give +thanks. He then took boat for Savannah. When the rest of the people were +come on shore, we called our little flock together to prayers. Several +parts of the Second Lesson (Mark 6) were wonderfully suited to the +occasion. + +====== 18 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 18th. + +(About six o'clock in the evening, Br. Spangenberg came from Savannah to +us, which made us very glad and thankful. He told us of the death of Br. +Riedel, and held the song service, praying and thanking God for having +brought us together again.--Dober's Diary.) + +---- + +Wesley. Feb. 7th. + +Mr. Oglethorpe returned from Savannah with Mr. Spangenberg, one of the +pastors of the Germans. I soon found what spirit he was of; and asked +his advice with regard to my own conduct. + +====== 19 & 20 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 19th and 20th. + +(We waited for the small vessel that was to come for us. Br. Spangenberg +held the prayer and song services.--Dober's Diary.) + +---- + +Wesley. Feb. 9th. + +I asked Mr. Spangenberg many questions, both concerning himself and the +church at Herrnhut. + +====== 21 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 21st. + +(The small vessel came; we had much rain, and the wind was so strong +against us that we had to spend the night on the transport.--Dober's +Diary.) + +====== 22 Feb. 1736. + +Nitschmann. Feb. 22nd. + +(In the afternoon we reached Savannah, where we were lodged in the house +which the Brethren who came a year ago have built in the town. The +Lord has done all things well, and has turned to our good all that has +befallen us, even when we did not understand His way, and has laid His +blessing upon our journey,--thanks be unto Him.--Dober's Diary.) + +====== 27 Feb. 1736. + +Wesley. Feb. 16th. + +Mr. Oglethorpe set out for the new settlement on the Altamahaw River. +He took with him fifty men, besides Mr. Ingham, Mr. Hermsdorf, and three +Indians. + +====== 6 Mar. 1736. + +Wesley. Feb. 24th, Tuesday. + +Mr. Oglethorpe returned. The day following I took my leave of most of +the passengers of the ship. In the evening I went to Savannah. + +====== + + + Organization. + +The arrival of the "second company" was a marked event in the eyes +of the Moravians already settled at Savannah. Hitherto all had been +preparation, and labor had seemed less arduous and privations less +severe because they were smoothing the path for those who were to +follow, and it was with well-earned satisfaction that wives and friends +were lodged in the new house, taken to the garden and the farm, and +introduced to acquaintances in the town. No doubt poor Catherine +Riedel's heart ached with loneliness, and her tears flowed fast, when, +at the close of that long and stormy voyage, she heard of her husband's +death, and stood beside his grave in the Savannah cemetery;--but there +was little time for grieving in the press of matters that required +attention, for Spangenberg's long visit was now to end, Nitschmann was +to remain only until the organization of the Congregation was complete, +and there was much to be done before these two able leaders took their +departure. + +Scarcely had Bishop Nitschmann greeted the members of the "first +company" in the dawn of Feb. 17th, 1736, when Spangenberg and Toeltschig +took him to the garden two miles distant, that they might have a private +and undisturbed conference. All too soon, however, word was brought +that Gen. Oglethorpe wanted to see Spangenberg at once, so they retraced +their steps, and Spangenberg received a hearty greeting from the +General, and many compliments on what he and his party had accomplished. +There is no record of the conversations among the Moravians on that day, +but they are not difficult to imagine, for the news from home and from +the mission fields on the one side, and the problems and prospects in +Georgia on the other, would furnish topics which many days could not +exhaust. + +That evening Spangenberg again called on Gen. Oglethorpe, who gave +orders that a boat should take him next day to Tybee, where the ship +lay at anchor, with all her passengers aboard. He also told Spangenberg +about the English preacher whom he had brought over, and made inquiries +about Nitschmann's position, asking that the explanation be repeated to +the English preacher, who was also interested in him. + +The following day Spangenberg waited upon Gen. Oglethorpe to ask about +Hermsdorf, as he heard the General had promised to take him to the +Altamaha, where a new town was to be built. He also begged Oglethorpe +to help him arrange his departure for Pennsylvania as soon as possible, +which the General agreed to do. + +About six o'clock that evening Spangenberg reached the ship at Tybee, +and was warmly welcomed by the Moravians, and at their song service he +met the much-talked-of English preacher, John Wesley. The two men liked +each other at the first glance; Wesley wrote in his Journal, "I soon +found what spirit he was of, and asked his advice in regard to my +own conduct," while Spangenberg paralleled this in his Diary with the +remark, "He told me how it was with him, and I saw that true Grace dwelt +in and governed him." + +During the two days which elapsed before the transport came to take +the Moravians from the ship, Wesley and Spangenberg had several long +conversations, each recording the points that struck him most, but +without comment. These discussions regarding doctrine and practice +were renewed at intervals during the remainder of Spangenberg's stay +in Savannah, and the young Englishman showed himself eager to learn the +Indian language so that he might preach to the natives, generous in his +offers to share his advantages of study with the Moravians, and above +all determined to enforce the letter of the ecclesiastical law, as he +understood it, in his new parish. He thought "it would be well if two of +the Moravian women would dedicate themselves to the Indian service, and +at once begin to study the language," and "as the early Church employed +deaconesses, it would be profitable if these women were ordained to +their office." He was also convinced "that the apostolic custom of +baptism by immersion ought to be observed in Georgia." "He bound himself +to no sect, but took the ground that a man ought to study the Bible +and the writings of the Church Fathers of the first three centuries, +accepting what agreed with these two sources, and rejecting all else." +He requested the Moravians to use the Lord's Prayer at all their public +services, "since this is acknowledged to have been the custom of the +early Church," and since that early Church celebrated the Holy Communion +every day, he thought it necessary that all members should partake at +least on every Sunday. "He also had his thoughts concerning Fast days." +Spangenberg promised to lay these matters before the congregation, but +so far as Fast days were concerned, he said that while he would observe +them as a matter of conscience if he belonged to a Church which required +them, he doubted the wisdom of forcing them upon a Church in which they +were not obligatory. + +On the 21st, the periagua ("so they call a rather deep, large boat") +came to take the Moravians to Savannah, but it was necessary to call +at the other ship, as some of their baggage had been brought in that +vessel. Spangenberg went ahead, and found that for some reason the +baggage could not be taken off that day. He was pleasantly received by +"the younger" Reck, but the Baron was absent, having gone to see the +site to which the Salzburgers wished to move their settlement, Gen. +Oglethorpe having given his permission. About the time the periagua +arrived, a heavy rain came up, and fearing the effect on the new-comers, +Spangenberg obtained permission to take them into the cabin. When ten +o'clock came they decided to wait no longer, and started for Savannah, +with the result that they spent the entire night in the rain, in an +open boat, and then had passed but half way up the river! Early in the +morning Spangenberg took two men and his small boat and went ahead, +stopping at Capt. Thomson's ship to get some things Korte had sent them +from London. They reached Savannah in the afternoon, and before daybreak +on Thursday, Feb. 23rd, the periagua at last landed its passengers at +Savannah. + +That evening Spangenberg returned with Oglethorpe to the ship, that +various important matters might be more fully discussed. They agreed, +(1) that the five hundred acres already surveyed for Zinzendorf +should be retained, and settled, but that it would be wise to take an +additional five hundred acres of more fertile land nearer Savannah, +where it would be more accessible, the grant to be made to Christian +Ludwig von Zinzendorf, the Count's eldest son; (2) that no Moravian +could accept a fifty acre tract without pledging himself to military +service, but land could be secured for a number of them at the rate +of twenty acres apiece, without this obligation. This land could be +selected near Zinzendorf's estate, the town to be built on the Count's +property. If any wished to leave the Moravian Congregation, he should +receive twenty acres elsewhere for himself. (3) Non-Moravians, like John +Regnier, might live with them on the same conditions. (4) If one of +the Moravians died without male issue, the Congregation should name his +successor in the title to the land. (5) The promised cattle should still +be given. + +It was further arranged that Spangenberg should continue to hold the +title to his fifty acres, but with the understanding that it was in +trust for the Congregation; the same to apply to Nitschmann's land, if +desired. + +On the 25th and 26th, a number of Indians visited the ship, being +received with much ceremony. "King" Tomochichi, and others, Spangenberg +had often seen, and they were formally presented to Mr. Wesley, of whom +they had heard, and to whom they gave a flask of honey and a flask of +milk, with the wish that "the Great Word might be to them as milk and +honey." Tomochichi told of his efforts to keep peace among the tribes, +in the face of rumors that the English meant to enslave them all, and +of his success so far, but he feared the Indians were not in a frame +of mind to give much heed to the Gospel message. Still he welcomed +the attempt, and would give what aid he could, advising that the +missionaries learn the Indian tongue, and that they should not +baptize,--as the Spanish did,--until the people were instructed and +truly converted. + +On Feb. 27th, General Oglethorpe started for the Altamaha. His journey +to Georgia on this occasion had been principally to protect the southern +borders of the colony by establishing two new towns on the frontier, and +erecting several forts near by. One company, which sailed direct +from Scotland, had landed in January, and begun a settlement at New +Inverness, on the north bank of the Altamaha, and a second was now to +be established on St. Simon Island, and was to be called Frederica. +Oglethorpe had expected to take the Salzburgers who came on the 'London +Merchant', to the southward with him, but nearly all of them decided +that they preferred to join those of their number who were preparing to +move to New Ebenezer, and the General did not insist, contenting himself +with his English soldiers. + +A periagua had been started a little in advance of the sloop which bore +the provisions, arms, ammunition, and tools, and in the evening Gen. +Oglethorpe followed in a swift, ten-oared boat, called,--from the +service in which it was often employed,--a scout boat. + +With the General went Mr. Ingham, and Lieut. Hermsdorf. The latter +assured Spangenberg that he had really meant little more than to +compliment the General on the occasion when he remarked "that he would +ask nothing better than to follow him through bush and valley, and see +him carry out his wise designs," that he did not know at that time that +Oglethorpe was going to the Altamaha, nor how far away the Altamaha was. +But Spangenberg gravely told him that Gen. Oglethorpe had taken his +word as that of an honest man, and that he would not attempt to hold him +back, only he wished him to so demean himself as to bring credit and +not shame to Zinzendorf and the Moravians, to whom he was at liberty to +return when he desired. Hermsdorf, therefore, went with Oglethorpe and +his fifty men, was made a Captain and was given a position of importance +in superintending the erection 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 far as possible, but in material +things the circumstances were very different. At Herrnhut the estates of +Count Zinzendorf, under the able supervision of the Countess, were made +to pay practically all the general Church expenses, and many of the +members were in the service of the Saxon nobleman, Nicholas Lewis, Count +Zinzendorf, in various humble positions, even while in the Church he +divested himself of his rank and fraternized with them as social +equals. But the men who emigrated to Georgia had undertaken to support +themselves and carry on a mission work, and Spangenberg, with his keen +insight, grasped the idea that a common purpose warranted a community +of service, the labor of all for the benefit of all, with every duty, +no matter how menial, done as unto the Lord, whom they all, in varying +degrees, acknowledged as their Master. Later, in Bethlehem, Pa., with +a larger number of colonists, and wider interests to be subserved, +Spangenberg again introduced the plan, and elaborated it into a more +or less intricate system, which is described in a clear and interesting +manner in "A History of Bethlehem", by Rt. Rev. J. Mortimer Levering, +which has recently been published. + +Not only on account of its successor the "Oeconomie", at Bethlehem, +and others copied therefrom, but in view of the various modern attempts +which have been and are still being made to demonstrate that the action +of the early Church at Jerusalem can be duplicated and made financially +successful, it is worth while to rescue the resolutions of the Moravian +Congregation at Savannah from the oblivion of the manuscript Diary, in +which they have been so long concealed, noting the claim that this was +the first time since Apostolic days, that a Congregation had formed +itself into such a "Society",--a "Gemeinschaft". + +"In our gathering we read Acts 2, and spoke of the 'Gemeinschaft', +for we are planning to work, to sow and reap, and to suffer with one +another. This will be very useful, for many a man who has not understood +or exerted himself, will by this means see himself and be led to +improve. Others also will see from it that we love each other, and will +glorify the Father in Heaven. There has been no "society" like that at +Jerusalem, but at this present time it becomes necessary, for material +reasons. Were we only individuals all would fear to give one of us +credit, for they would think, 'he might die', but nothing will be denied +the 'Society', for each stands for the other. Each member must work +diligently, since he does not labor for himself alone but for his +brethren, and this will prevent much laziness. No one must rely on the +fact that he understands a handicraft, and so on, for there is a curse +on him who relies on human skill and forgets the Divine power. No one +will be pressed to give to the 'Society' any property which has hitherto +belonged to him.--Each person present was asked if he had any remarks +to make, but there were no objections raised. Moreover the brethren were +told that if one should fall so low that he not only withdrew himself +from the brethren, but was guilty of gross sin, he would be forced +to work for another master until he had earned enough to pay his +transportation here and back again, for we would not willingly permit +such a man to remain in the land as an offence to the Indians." + +It is interesting to observe that care for the poor Indians is the +argument given for the course to be pursued in dealing with a recreant +member! They had come to preach the Gospel to the Indians, and did not +propose that evil should be learned through fault of theirs. + +At his earnest request, John Regnier was now admitted to the "Society", +his presence among them so far having been without distinct agreement +as to his standing. This did not make him a communicant member of the +Church, simply put him on a par with the other non-communicants, of whom +there were quite a number in the Congregation. + +In the evening Anton Seifert, so recently ordained Chief Elder, +or pastor, of the Congregation, officiated for the first time at a +Confirmation service, the candidate being Jacob Frank. He had been in +poor health when the second company left Germany, and Count Zinzendorf +had advised him not to go, but his heart was set on it, and he would not +be persuaded. He grew worse during the voyage and was now very ill with +dropsy, but in such a beautiful Christian spirit that no one could deny +his wish for full membership in the Church. Having given satisfactory +answers to the searching questions put to him, the blessing was laid +upon his head, and he expressed so great a desire to partake of the +Lord's Supper that his request was immediately granted, the Elders and +Helpers (Helfer) communing with him. Two or three days later he asked +Spangenberg to write his will, and then his strength gradually failed, +until on March 19th, he "passed to the Lord", leaving to his associates +the remembrance of his willing and happy departure. + +The term "Helpers" was used to express in a general way all those, both +men and women, who were charged with the spiritual and temporal affairs +of the Congregation. Many of the words employed as official titles +by the Moravians were given a specialized significance which makes it +difficult to find an exact English equivalent for them, though they are +always apt when the meaning is understood. Perhaps the best example of +this is "Diener", which means "servant", according to the dictionary, +and was used to designate those who "served" the Congregation in various +ways. Until quite recently a Lovefeast, held annually in Salem, N. C., +for members of Church Boards, Sunday-School Teachers, Church Choir, +Ushers, etc. was familiarly known as "the Servants' Lovefeast", a direct +inheritance from the earlier days. It is now more commonly called "the +Workers' Lovefeast", an attempt to unite "Helper" and "Diener" in a term +understood by all. + +At a "Helpers' Conference" held on March 13th, it was decided to have +nothing more to do with Vollmar, the Wittenberg carpenter, who had +crossed with the second company, had proved false and malicious, and had +now joined Herr von Reck's party without the consent of the Moravians. +More important, however, than the Vollmar affair, was the proposed +departure of Spangenberg for Pennsylvania. Most faithfully had he +fulfilled his commission to take the first company of Moravians to +Georgia, and settle them there, patiently had he labored for and with +them during their days of greatest toil and privation, controlling his +own desire to keep his promise and go to the Schwenkfelders, who were +complaining with some bitterness of his broken faith; but now his task +was ended, the Savannah Congregation was ready to be thrown on its +own resources, Gen. Oglethorpe had provided him with letters of +introduction, and the "lot" said, "Let him go, for the Lord is with +him." + +Final questions were asked and answered, Spangenberg's Commission was +delivered to him, and then Bishop Nitschmann "laid his blessing upon" +him. In the Lutheran Church, to which he belonged before he joined the +Moravians, Spangenberg had been an accredited minister of the Gospel. +The Church of England refused to acknowledge the validity of Lutheran +ordination, because that Church had no Episcopate, but the Moravians, +influenced by Count Zinzendorf, himself a Lutheran by birth, +broad-minded, liberal, and devout, did not hesitate to fraternize with +the Lutherans, or even to accept the Sacraments at the hands of Pastor +Rothe, in charge of the Parish Church of Berthelsdorf. At the same time +they prized the Episcopate lately transferred to them from the ancient +Unitas Fratrum, and while continuing in free fellowship with Christians +of all denominational names, they now intended to so ordain their own +ministry that no church could question it. When the three grades were +established in 1745, a license to preach granted by the Lutheran Church +was considered equivalent to the rank of Deacon, ordination in the +Moravian Church making the minister a Presbyter. + +Now fully equipped for his mission to the English Colony of +Pennsylvania, Spangenberg left Savannah on March 15th, going on Capt. +Dunbar's ship to Port Royal, where he lodged with a man who was born in +Europe, his wife in Africa, their child in Asia, and they were all +now living in America! From Port Royal he went by land almost to +Charlestown, the last short distance being in a chance boat, and +from Charlestown he sailed to New York. From there he proceeded +to Philadelphia, and to the Schwenkfelders, making his home with +Christopher Wiegner on his farm in the Skippack woods, where George +Boehnisch was also living. Spangenberg worked on the farm that he might +not be a burden to his host, and might meet the neighbors in a familiar +way, meanwhile making numerous acquaintances, and gaining much valuable +information. + +Bishop Nitschmann remained in Savannah until March 26th, when he sailed +to Charlestown. There he was detained ten days waiting for a +northbound ship, and employed the time in delivering several letters +of introduction, and learning all he could about Carolina, and the +conditions there. On the 28th of April he reached New York, and left +on the 9th of May for Philadelphia, going partly by boat, and partly +on foot, reaching there on the 13th. Six weeks he and Spangenberg spent +together, visiting many neighborhoods, and informing themselves as to +the religious and material outlook in Pennsylvania, and then Nitschmann +sailed for Germany. + +His report gave a new turn to the American plans, for both he and +Spangenberg were much pleased with Pennsylvania. Quite a number of the +settlers seemed open to the idea of mutual aid in the spiritual life, +material conditions were very different from those in Georgia and better +suited to the Moravian needs, the Quaker Governor was not likely to +force military service upon people who held the same theories as himself +in regard to warfare, and there were large tribes of Indians within easy +reach, to whom the Gospel might be preached. As troubles thickened in +Savannah, therefore, the heads of the Church at Herrnhut began to look +toward Pennsylvania, and ultimately sent thither the larger companies +originally destined for Georgia. + +In August, Spangenberg went to visit the Moravian Mission on the island +of St. Thomas, returning to Pennsylvania in November, where he remained +until the following year. + + + + +Chapter V. The Second Year in Georgia. + + + + The English Clergymen. + +The same day that Bishop Nitschmann left Savannah, John Wesley moved +into the parsonage which had just been vacated by his predecessor, Mr. +Quincy. A week earlier he had entered upon his ministry at Savannah, +being met by so large and attentive an audience that he was much +encouraged, and began with zeal to perform his pastoral duties. He was +the third Rector of the Savannah Parish, the Rev. Henry Herbert having +been the first, and he preached in a rude chapel built on the lot +reserved for a house of worship in the original plan of Savannah,--the +site of the present Christ Church. + +The first word of discouragement was brought by Ingham, who returned +from Frederica on April 10th, with a message from Charles Wesley begging +his brother to come to his relief. He told a woeful story of persecution +by the settlers, and injustice from Oglethorpe to Charles Wesley, all +undeserved, as Oglethorpe freely admitted when he threw off the weight +of suspicion laid upon his mind by malicious slanderers, and sought +an interview with his young secretary, in which much was explained and +forgiven. But poor Charles was in great straits when he sent Ingham to +Savannah, sick, slighted, and abused, deprived even of the necessaries +of life, and so cast down that on one occasion he exclaimed, "Thanks +be to God, it is not yet made a capital offence to give me a morsel of +bread!" + +Wesley obeyed the summons, taking Delamotte with him, Ingham caring for +the Church and Delamotte's school during their absence. There were poor +school facilities in Savannah prior to Delamotte's arrival, and he at +once saw the need, and devoted himself to it. Delamotte seems to have +been a quiet man, who took little share in the aggressive work of his +companions, and consequently escaped the abuse which was heaped upon +them. + +On April 22nd, Ingham sent an invitation to Toeltschig to visit him, and +this was the beginning of a close personal friendship which lasted for +the rest of their lives, and of such a constant intercourse between +Ingham and the Moravian Church, that he is often supposed to have become +a member of it, though he really never severed his connection with the +Church of England. Toeltschig speaks of him as "a very young man, about +24 or 25 years of age, who has many good impulses in his soul, and is +much awakened." He had come to Georgia for the sole purpose of bearing +the Gospel message to the Indians, and it was through him that the +Moravians were finally able to begin their missionary work. + +When Wesley and Delamotte returned from Frederica, the former resumed +his association with the Moravians, continuing to join in their Sunday +evening service, and translating some of their hymns into English. + +In May two questions were asked of Toeltschig, upon the answering of +which there depended more than any one imagined. The Diary says,--"The +20th, was Sunday.--Mr. Ingham asked if we could not recognize and +receive him as our brother; to which I replied, that he did not know us +well enough, nor we him, we must first understand each other better. On +the 21st, Mr. Wesley spoke with me, and asked me the selfsame question. +I said to him that we had seen much of him day by day, and that it was +true that he loved us and we loved him, but that we did not so quickly +admit any one into our Congregation." Then at his request Toeltschig +outlined the Moravian view of conversion, and the requisites for +church-membership. + +A few days later Charles Wesley unexpectedly returned from Frederica, +and Oglethorpe sent word that either John Wesley or Ingham should come +down in his place. The latter was by no means anxious to go,--his former +experience had not been agreeable, but the reason he gave the Moravians +was that a number of Indian traders were soon to visit Savannah, and +he was very anxious to see them. They advised him to be guided by John +Wesley's wish, which he agreed to do, and then found that Wesley had +decided to go himself. + +During the weeks that followed, Ingham and Charles Wesley were +frequently with Toeltschig, who answered as best he could their many +questions regarding the history of the Moravian Episcopate, a matter +of vital importance to a strict member of the Church of England who was +thinking of allying himself with them. Everything they heard confirmed +Ingham in his intention, and when John Wesley returned in July he +and Ingham again made application "to be received as brethren in our +Congregation, and to go with us to the Lord's Table. We entirely refused +to admit them into the Congregation, and I (Toeltschig) gave them the +reasons therefor: (1) That we did not know them well enough; (2) and +that they perhaps did not know us well enough, both things which we +considered highly important; and (3) that their circumstances and +situation were such that it would be difficult if not impossible for +them to comply with the requirements of such admission." The promises +expected from a Confirmand,--to which they also must have bound +themselves,--are thus summarized. "To give body and soul to the Lord now +and forever; to devote and dedicate himself to the service of the Unity, +according to the grace and gifts bestowed on him by the Saviour; and +willingly to submit to the discipline and regulations which the Unity +has established for the welfare and improvement of souls." Could these +two men, in the zeal and vigor of their youth, honestly have made +these promises, the Moravian Church would have gained two invaluable +co-workers, but they seem to have accepted Toeltschig's argument as +conclusive, and dropped the matter, with no ill-will or disturbance of +the existing pleasant relations. + +Concerning the Communion "we assured them that we loved them, and would +welcome them as honored guests at the Lord's Supper, for we believed +that they loved the Lord." This invitation, however, the young clergymen +would not accept. + +On the 6th of August, Charles Wesley left for England, bearing +dispatches to the Trustees, and with the hope of interesting others in +the evangelizing of the Indians. He meant himself to return to Georgia, +but feeble health prevented, and he resigned his office as Secretary to +Gen. Oglethorpe the following May. His brother John accompanied him to +Charlestown, and then went to Frederica to deliver certain letters to +Gen. Oglethorpe. He found there was "less and less prospect of doing +good at Frederica, many there being extremely zealous, and indefatigably +diligent to prevent it," his opposers even attempting personal violence. +One "lady" tried to shoot him, and when he seized her hands and took +away her pistol, she maliciously bit a great piece out of his arm. Still +he made two more visits to the place, and then in "utter despair of +doing good there," took his final leave of Frederica. + + + Work Among the Indians. + +When the Moravians adopted the conversion of the Indians as their main +object for settling in America, they were greatly influenced by the +attractive descriptions of the "wild people" which were being published. +In a "Report", ascribed to Gen. Oglethorpe, it is stated that "nothing +is lacking for their conversion to the Christian faith except a +knowledge of their language, for they already have an admirable +conception of 'morals', and their conduct agrees perfectly therewith. +They have a horror of adultery, and disapprove of polygamy. Thieving is +unknown to them. Murder is considered an abominable crime, and no one +may be killed except an enemy, when they esteem it a virtue." This, +like too many a description written then and now to exploit a colonizing +scheme, was far too good to be true. The Indians proved apt learners, +but of the vices rather than the virtues of the English, and drunkenness +with all its attendant evils, was quickly introduced. Afraid of their +dusky neighbors, anxious to keep on good terms with them, distrusting +their loyalty to the English under the bribes offered by French and +Spanish, the Government tried to limit the intercourse between the +Indians and the settlers as much as possible, treating the former as +honored guests whenever they came to Savannah, but forbidding the latter +to go to them without special permit in times of peace, and not at all +in time of war. + +When the Moravians came the restlessness which presaged war was stirring +among the tribes, becoming more and more pronounced, and one of the +Indian Chiefs said frankly, "Now our enemies are all about us, and we +can do nothing but fight, but if the Beloved Ones should ever give us to +be at peace, then we would hear the Great Word." + +Tomochichi, indeed, bade the missionaries welcome, and promised to +do all in his power to gain admission for them into all parts of his +nation, but the time was not ripe, nor was his influence equal to his +good-will. Though called a "king", he was only chief of a small +tribe living some four or five miles from Savannah, part of the Creek +Confederacy, which was composed of a number of remnants, gradually +merged into one "nation". The "Upper Creeks" lived about the head waters +of the creeks from which they took their name, and the "Lower Creeks", +including Tomochichi's people, were nearer the sea-coast. Ingham, whose +heart was set on the Indian work, was at first very anxious to go to the +Cherokees, who lived near the mountains, at a considerable distance from +Savannah, having been told that they had a desire to hear the "Great +Word". On April 22nd, he spoke of his wish to Toeltschig, inviting +Seifert and, if they chose, another Moravian to join him in the work. It +was the best opportunity that had yet offered, and Seifert wanted to go +to the Indians, having already studied their language as best he could, +but they hesitated to undertake the work conjointly with Ingham. After +some time the Cherokee plan was abandoned. Oglethorpe objected on +account of the danger that they would be intercepted and killed, it +being a fourteen day land journey to reach the Cherokee country, and +he positively refused to let John Wesley go because that would leave +Savannah without a minister. Toeltschig says Wesley's interest in the +Indian work failed, and another writer says he gave up the work because +he could not learn the Indian language, but Wesley lays all the blame on +Oglethorpe. + +In January, 1737, the question of going to the Upper Creeks was +submitted to the "lot", and the Moravians were bidden to wait for +another opening. Meanwhile an actual beginning had been made among the +Lower Creeks. On the 7th of May, Ingham and John Wesley went up the +river to the home of Mrs. Musgrove, the half-breed woman who at this +time was of such great use as interpreter and mediator between the +Indians and the English. Arrangements were made by which Ingham should +spend three days of each week with her, teaching her children to read in +exchange for instruction in the Indian language. The other three or four +days were to be spent in Savannah, communicating to Wesley the knowledge +he had acquired, Anton Seifert sharing in the lessons. + +On the 19th of June, the Moravians held a meeting to determine whether +the time had come for them to take up the Indian work in earnest. The +"lot" was appealed to, and the answer being that the language should be +learned, Seifert, George Neisser and John Boehner were appointed to make +diligent use of Ingham's instructions. The frequent visits of Tomochichi +and his people to Savannah gave them an opportunity to practice +speaking, for the Moravian house was always open to the red men, and +food and drink were theirs at any time of day, a fact of which the +visitors were not slow to take advantage. + +The "lot" had so great an influence on the progress of affairs in the +Moravian Congregation at Savannah from this time on that it is necessary +to understand how the institution was regarded. The use of the lot was +common in Old Testament days; and in the New Testament it is recorded +that when an apostle was to be chosen to take the place of the traitor, +Judas, the lot decided between two men who had been selected as in every +way suited for the place. Following this example the members of the +ancient Unitas Fratrum used the lot in the selection of their first +ministers, and the Renewed Church did the same when the first elders +were elected at Herrnhut in 1727. It was no uncommon practice in +Germany, where many persons who desired special guidance resorted to it +more or less freely, and Count Zinzendorf, among the rest, had used +it from his youth up. Gradually it came into general use among the +Moravians, and at a later period in their history had its definite place +in their system of government, though the outside public never fully +understood it, and still holds erroneous views, despite the plain +statements that have been made. By degrees its use became more and more +restricted, and has been long since entirely abolished. + +In its perfection the lot was simply this,--human intellect solving a +problem so far as earnest study and careful deliberation could go, +and then, if the issue was still in doubt, a direct appeal for Divine +guidance, in perfect faith that the Lord would plainly answer his +servants, who were seeking to do his will. This standard was not always +maintained, but the leaders of the Moravian Congregation in Savannah had +the early, absolute, belief that God spoke to them through the lot, +and felt themselves bound to implicit obedience to its dictates. +Their custom was to write two words or sentences on separate slips, +representing the two possible answers to their question, and after +earnest prayer to draw one slip, and then act accordingly. Sometimes a +third slip, a blank, was added, and if that was drawn it signified +that no action should be taken until another time, and after further +consideration. + +Some time in July, Peter Rose and his wife, (the widow Riedel) went +to live among the Lower Creeks, giving all their time to learning the +language, and teaching what they could about religion. + +On August 9th, Mr. Ingham went to the Moravians with a new plan. Gen. +Oglethorpe had agreed to build a schoolhouse for Indian children, near +Tomochichi's village, with the idea that it would give opportunity also +to reach the older men and women with the Gospel message. The house +was to contain three rooms, one for Ingham, one for the Moravian +missionaries, and one to be used for the school, and it was suggested +that the Moravians undertake the erection of the building, the Trustees' +fund to pay them for their labor. The proposition was gladly accepted, +and preparations were at once made to send the necessary workmen. + +On Monday, the 13th, Toeltschig and five others went to the spot which +had been selected for the Indian Schoolhouse, usually called 'Irene'. +The site of this schoolhouse has been considered uncertain, but a +short manuscript account of "the Mission among the Indians in America", +preserved in the Herrnhut Archives, says distinctly that it stood "a +mile above the town (of Savannah) on an island in the Savannah River +which was occupied by the Creeks." + +When the carpenters arrived the first act was to unite in prayer for a +blessing on their work, and then they began to fell trees and cut down +bushes, clearing the ground for the hut in which they were to live while +building the schoolhouse. The hut was placed on the grave of an Indian +chief. "The Indians are accustomed to bury their chiefs on the spot +where they died, to heap a mound some 24 feet high above them, to +mourn them for a while, and then to abandon the spot," and this little +elevation was a favorable site for their hut. Until the hut was finished +the men lodged with the Indians, Tomochichi himself taking charge of +their belongings. Toeltschig returned the same day to Savannah, going +back later with a supply of provisions. The Indians made them heartily +welcome to their neighborhood, and the Moravians, even in the midst of +their building operations, began to teach them the English alphabet, at +the same time putting forth every effort to learn the Indian tongue, in +which Rose was rapidly becoming proficient. + +By the 20th of September the schoolhouse was finished, and Ingham and +the Moravians held a conference to plan the future work, and decide what +duties each should assume, as he proposed to move thither at once, and, +with the approval of the lot, Rose and his wife were to do the same. +Morning and evening they were to read the English Bible, accompanied by +silent prayer; morning, mid-day and evening an hour was to be given to +the study of the Indian language; and Rose and his wife were to have +an hour for their private devotions. Mrs. Rose was to teach the Indian +girls to read, and the boys, who had already begun to read, were to be +taught to write. In their remaining time they were to clear and plant +some land, that they might not be too long dependent on the Congregation +at Savannah, and on the friendly Indians, who were giving them much. + +The next day Mr. and Mrs. Toeltschig escorted Rose and his wife to their +new home, and at Ingham's request united with them in a little +prayer service. Four days later fourteen of the Moravians went to the +schoolhouse, which was solemnly consecrated by Seifert, the Chief Elder. +That evening, in Savannah, Rose and his wife were formally set apart for +their missionary work, and the next day they returned to "Irene", as the +school was called, to enter upon their duties. + +At first everything was encouraging. The children learned readily, not +only to read but some to write; they committed to memory many passages +of Scripture, and took special delight in the hymns they were taught to +sing. + +The older Indians looked on with wonder and approval, which stimulated +the missionaries to new zeal in mastering the language, and in taking +every opportunity to make the "Great Word" known to them. Zinzendorf +wrote a letter from Herrnhut to Tomochichi, commending his interest in +their message, and urging its full acceptance upon him; the Indians gave +some five acres of land for a garden, which Rose cleared and planted, +and everything looked promising, until the influence of the Spanish war +rumor was felt. True to their nature, the fighting spirit of the Indians +rose within them, and they took the war-path against the Spanish, for +the sake of their English allies, and perhaps more for the pure love +of strife. Then Ingham decided to go to England for reinforcements, +and Rose was left in charge of the work. He seems to have been a +well-meaning man, and much beloved by the Indians, but he was not a man +of much mental strength or executive ability, and the Congregation at +Savannah soon decided that he and his wife should be recalled until the +way opened for one or more of the others to go back to Irene with him. + + + The "Society". + +In their personal affairs the Moravians were experiencing the usual +mingling of light and shadow. + +Dober's effort to make pottery was a failure, for lack of proper clay, +but through Gen. Oglethorpe's kindness a good deal of carpenter's work +was given to them. They built a house for Tomochichi at his village, +and a house in Savannah, both in the style of the Moravian house, and +another town house in English fashion, as well as the Indian school, a +large share of their wages being applied on account, so that their debt +was gradually reduced, and their credit sustained. + +Their manner of living remained very simple. Morning and evening prayers +began and ended their days of toil, the company being divided, part +living at the garden, and part in town during the week, all gathering in +the town-house for Sunday's rest and worship. When the weather was very +warm the morning Bible reading was postponed until the noon hour, that +advantage might be taken of the cooler air for active labor. Once a +month a general conference was held on Saturday evening, with others as +needed, so that all might do the work for which they were best fitted, +and which was most necessary at the time. "Who worked much gave much, +who worked less gave less, who did not work because he was sick or weak +gave nothing into the common fund; but when they needed food, or drink, +or clothing, or other necessary thing, one was as another." + +On the 3rd of April, Matthias Seybold asked to be received into the +communicant Congregation, which was done on the 5th of May, and he +shared in the Lord's Supper for the first time June 3rd. John Boehner +also was confirmed on January 12th of the following year. + +On the 11th of November two little girls, Anna and Comfort, were added +to their household. The mother had recently died, and the father offered +to pay the Moravians for taking care of them, but they preferred to have +them bound, so they could not be taken away just when they had begun to +learn, and so it was arranged. On the 28th, a man from Ebenezer brought +his son, and apprenticed him to Tanneberger, the shoemaker. + +The dark side of the picture arose from two causes, ill health, and +matrimonial affairs. There was a great deal of sickness throughout +Georgia that summer, and the second company became acclimated through +the same distressing process that the first had found so hard to bear. +Mrs. Dober, Mrs. Waschke, Mrs. Toeltschig, Gottlieb Demuth, John Boehner +and others were sick at various times, and David Jag cut his foot so +severely that he was unable to use it for four months. Nor was this the +worst, for three more of their number died. Roscher was sick when +he reached Savannah, with consumption, it was supposed, but Regnier +suspected that this was not all, and when Roscher died, March 30th, he +secured permission to make an autopsy, in which he was assisted by John +Wesley. The examination showed a large hematoma in the left wall of the +abdomen, and other complications. The records say, "we have no cause to +grieve over his departure, for he was a good soul," and died in peace. + +The next to pass away was Mrs. Haberecht. Her health began to fail the +latter part of March, but she did not become seriously ill until the +26th of May, when she returned from the farm, where she and others had +been employed, and told her friends that the Saviour had called her, and +her end was near. With joy and peace she waited for the summons, which +was delayed for some time, though on several occasions her death seemed +only a matter of hours. On the 16th of June she shared with the others +in the celebration of the Communion, and on the following evening "went +to the Saviour". + +Matthias Boehnisch's illness was of short duration, lasting only from +the 27th of September to the 3rd of October. He had had a severe fall on +the ship coming over, from which he continued to suffer, and now a hard +blow on the chest injured him mortally. Some of his companions found it +hard to understand why he should be taken, for he was a good man, who +gave promise of much usefulness in the Lord's service. It is an old +question, often asked and never fully answered, but Boehnisch, conscious +almost to the last, was perfectly willing to go, and his associates felt +that the influence of his life "would be a seed, which would bear fruit" +in others. + +It was a serious mistake that sent Juliana Jaeschke to Savannah with +the second company. A seamstress was badly needed, and had she been +so minded she might have been very useful, but in a list giving very +briefly the standing of each one in the "Society", it is curtly stated +that she was "ill-mannered, and obstructing everything." Soon after her +arrival it was suggested that she marry Peter Rose, but the lot forbade +and he found a much better helpmeet in the widow of Friedrich Riedel. +Waschke thought he would like to marry Juliana, but she refused, even +though Bishop Nitschmann, Mr. and Mrs. Toeltschig pled with her. Her +preference was for George Haberland, and the result was an uncomfortable +state of affairs, which disturbed the leaders of the "Society" not a +little, for living as they did as one large family it meant constant +friction on all sides. They did not know whether to force Juliana to +submit to their authority, (as a member of the "Society" she had pledged +herself to obedience to the duly elected officers), or whether they +should wait and hope for a better frame of mind. At last they referred +it to the lot, which read "Juliana shall not marry any one yet." This +settled the question for the time being, but did not improve the spirit +of the parties concerned. A few of the others were homesick, and lost +interest in their work and the cause for which they had come over. +Hermsdorf returned from Frederica, sick and depressed, and was kindly +received by the Moravians in Savannah, though their first favorable +impression of him had been lost on the voyage across the Atlantic, when +he complained of the fare, and lay in bed most of the time. + +The leaders of the party, trying to pacify the discontented, comfort the +sick, and strengthen those that were left as one and another was called +away; planning the daily routine to the best advantage so that they +might repay their debt, and still have the necessaries of life for their +large company; seeking to teach and convert the Indians, and help the +poor about them;--these leaders were further tried by the non-arrival of +answers to the letters sent to Germany. Feeling that they MUST know the +will of those at home if they were to be able successfully to +continue their work, they at last decided to send a messenger to Count +Zinzendorf, and the lot designated Andrew Dober. + +A ship was lying at anchor, ready to take Gen. Oglethorpe to England, +and he readily agreed to take Dober and wife with him, and on December +2nd, they embarked, Dober carrying a number of letters and papers. Mrs. +Dober was quite ill when they left, but rapidly improved in the sea +breezes. January 20th, the ship reached London, and Mr. and Mrs. Dober +went at once to Mr. Weintraube, who was to forward the letters to +Herrnhut. As they were talking Bishop Nitschmann walked in, to their +mutual great astonishment. He reported that Count Zinzendorf had just +arrived in London, and had sent to inquire for letters, so those brought +from Georgia were at once delivered. Zinzendorf rented a house, the +Countess arrived a few days later, and Dober and wife remained in his +service during the seven weeks of his stay. + +The Count's object in visiting London at this time was fourfold: to +confer with the Georgia Trustees about the Moravians in Savannah; to +extend acquaintances among the Germans in London and do religious +work among them; to discuss the Episcopate of the Unitas Fratrum with +Archbishop Potter of Canterbury; and if possible to revive the "Order +of the Mustard Seed". This order had been established by Zinzendorf and +several companions in their early boyhood, and grew with their growth, +numbering many famous men in its ranks, and it is worthy of note that +even in its boyish form it contained the germs of that zeal for missions +which was such a dominant feature of the Count's manhood. + +Archbishop Potter not only fully acknowledged the validity of the +Unity's Episcopate, but urged Zinzendorf himself to accept consecration +at the hands of Jablonski and David Nitschmann, and encouraged by him +Zinzendorf was consecrated bishop at Berlin, May 20th, 1737. + +The Count held frequent services during his stay in London, and before +he left a society of ten members had been formed among the Germans, with +a few simple regulations, their object being "in simplicity to look to +these three things:--to be saved by the blood of Christ; to become holy, +or be sanctified by the blood of Christ; to love one another heartily." + +With the Trustees it was agreed: "That the Count's men" might remain for +two years longer at Savannah, without cultivating the five hundred +acre tract, "and be exempt from all forfeitures arising from such +non-cultivation;" but if they chose they might move to the tract +any time during the two years. They might go to Tomochichi's Indians +whenever they saw fit and he consented. Other Indians could not be +visited in time of war, but in peace four Moravians should be licensed +to go to them, on the same footing as the English ministers. Those +living with Tomochichi were not included in this number. "As the +Moravian Church is believed to be orthodox and apostolic" no one should +interfere with their preaching the Gospel, or prevent the Indians from +attending their services in Savannah, or elsewhere. The title to their +five hundred acre tract was secured to the Moravians, even in case the +Count's male line should become extinct. + +Reference to military service is conspicuous by its absence, and at the +very time that these resolutions were being framed, assurance on that +one point was being desperately needed in Savannah. + + + Rumors of War. + +In February, 1737, that which Spangenberg had feared came upon the +Moravians,--military service was peremptorily demanded of them, the +occasion being a fresh alarm of Spanish incursions. + +The feud between the colonists of Spain and England was of long +standing, dating back to rival claims to the New World by right of +discovery. The English asserted that through the Cabots they had a +right to the greater part of North America, and a grant to the Lords +Proprietors of Carolina, in 1663, named the 31 degree of latitude as the +southern boundary. Another patent two years later set the line at the +29 degree, but that availed nothing as it included the northern part of +Florida, where the Spanish were already settled in considerable numbers. + +No other nation questioned the English claim to the sea-board as far +as the 31 degree, which was well south of the Altamaha, but the Spanish +greatly resented the settlements in Carolina, as encroaching on their +territory, though successive treaties between the two Governments +had virtually acknowledged the English rights. With the two nations +nominally at peace, the Spanish incited the Indians to deeds of +violence, encouraged insurrection among the negro slaves, welcomed those +who ran away, and enlisted them in their army. Now and then the Governor +of Carolina would send a force, which would subdue them for a time, but +the constant uncertainty made Carolina welcome the Georgia colony as a +protection to her borders. + +The settlement of Georgia gave further offense to Spain, and her +subjects in Florida burned to exterminate the intruders, as they +considered them, though nothing was done so long as operations were +confined to the Savannah River. But when towns and forts were planned +and begun on the Altamaha their opposition became more outspoken. +Oglethorpe did all he could to preserve peace without retreating from +his position, and in Oct. 1736, he concluded a treaty with the Governor +of St. Augustine. + +Only too soon it became apparent that this treaty would not be +respected, for the Captain-General of Cuba disapproved, and Oglethorpe +sailed for England, in November, to urge the immediate and sufficient +fortification of the frontier. The Trustees and the Government approved +of the course he had pursued, but Spain recalled and executed the +Governor of St. Augustine, for presuming to make such a treaty, and so +plainly showed her intention to make war on Georgia that the English +Government authorized Oglethorpe to raise a regiment for service there, +and in July, 1738, he sailed for America, commissioned to take command +of all the military forces of Carolina and Georgia, and protect the +colonies. + +During the nineteen months of his absence, the Georgia colonists were in +a continual state of uneasiness, which now and then became sheer panic +at some especially plausible report of imminent danger. + +On February 17th, 1737, Mr. Causton received a letter from Charlestown, +in which the Governor informed him that he had news of the approach of +the Spaniards, and Savannah at once became excited, and prepared for +defence. On the 20th, officers went through the town, taking the names +of all who could bear arms, freeholders and servants alike. Three of +them came to the Moravian house and requested names from Toeltschig. He +answered "there was no one among them who could bear arms, and he would +get no names from them." They said, "it was remarkable that in a house +full of strong men none could bear arms,--he should hurry and give them +the names, they could not wait." Toeltschig answered, "if they wanted +to go no one would stop them, there would be no names given." They +threatened to tell Mr. Causton, Toeltschig approved, and said he would +do the same, and they angrily left the house. + +Ingham accompanied Toeltschig to Mr. Causton, who at once began to argue +the matter, and a spirited debate ensued, of which the following is a +resume. + +Causton. "Everybody must go to the war and fight for his own safety, and +if you will not join the army the townspeople will burn down your house, +and will kill you all." + +Toeltschig. "That may happen, but we can not help it, it is against our +conscience to fight." + +Causton. "If you do not mean to fight you had better go and hide in the +woods, out of sight of the people, or it will be the worse for you; and +you had better go before the enemy comes, for then it will be too late +to escape, the townspeople will certainly kill you." + +Toeltschig. "You forget that Gen. Oglethorpe promised us exemption from +military service, and we claim the liberty he pledged." + +Causton. "If the Count, and the Trustees and the King himself had agreed +on that in London it would count for nothing here, if war comes it will +be FIGHT OR DIE. If I were an officer on a march and met people who +would not join me, I would shoot them with my own hand, and you can +expect no other treatment from the officers here." + +Toeltschig. "We are all servants, and can not legally be impressed." + +Causton. "If the Count himself were here he would have to take his gun +on his shoulder, and all his servants with him. If he were living on +his estate at Old Fort it would make no difference, for the order of the +Magistrates must be obeyed. If the English, to whom the country belongs +must fight, shall others go free?" + +Toeltschig finally yielded so far as to tell him the number of men in +their company, "it could do no harm for we could be counted any day," +but their names were resolutely withheld, 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 hope that +starvation would shake the resolution of the non-combatants had signally +failed of fulfillment. The ship which was to bring the town supplies had +been twelve weeks late in coming, and the stock in the store-house +was almost exhausted. The authorities therefore had announced that +provisions would be sold only to those who were helping build the fort. +This entirely excluded the Moravians, but instead of suffering from +hunger they had been able to share with some of their neighbors. The +prices charged at the store in Savannah were always high, so, as he was +passing through New York on his return from St. Thomas, Spangenberg had +asked a friend to send the Moravians two thousand pounds of flour and +salt-meat, for which they were to pay. The merchant at that time knew +of no ship sailing for Savannah, so in Philadelphia, Spangenberg had +arranged that two thousand pounds of meat should be sent from there +at once on a year's credit. Meanwhile the New York merchant found an +opportunity to send what was ordered from him, so the Moravians had been +surprised by a double quantity, which proved to be just what they needed +during the general scarcity. When the friends in Pennsylvania heard that +provisions had been sent, but not enough to last until the next harvest, +they gave thirty-six hundred pounds of flour to Spangenberg to be taken, +as a present, to the Georgia Moravians, and when word was received that +Spangenberg's ship was lost, they sent an additional eighteen hundred +pounds, so the "Society" was well supplied with this necessary article +of food for some time to come. + +In their household affairs the Moravians had had various experiences. +Hermsdorf had been so thoroughly frightened by the demonstrations +against the Moravians that on the 16th of May he had sailed for Germany, +regardless of Toeltschig's efforts to persuade him to wait, as his wife +might even then be on her way to join him. Not only did he fear the +townspeople so greatly that day and night he stayed in his room "as in +a prison", but he was still more afraid to face Gen. Oglethorpe, who, it +was said, would soon return. Only once had he joined in the devotional +exercises of the household after his return from Frederica, and it was +rather a relief when he left for home, having first repaid the amount +of his passage to Georgia. He seems to have retained his connection with +the Moravian Church, for he was in Herrnhut when Wesley visited there, +and showed him many courtesies; and he is mentioned in 1742, as bearing +letters to the "Sea Congregation", then about to sail for Pennsylvania. + +On the 6th of June a four-year-old English boy had been taken into their +household. He was an orphan, and they meant to bring him up, but the +little fellow died on the 23rd of July. + +On the 10th of June the matrimonial troubles of George Waschke and +Juliana Jaeschke had been happily terminated by their marriage. Waschke +had been one of the discontents ever since the arrival of the second +company, but when his marriage was finally arranged he professed himself +contrite, and promised all obedience to the rules of the "Society", so +long as he stayed in Savannah, though he retained his desire to leave +as soon as possible. Juliana also had greatly improved in her behaviour +before the wedding. + +This marriage was the cause of a very interesting discussion among the +Moravians, as to who should perform the ceremony. "In the afternoon +the Brethren met to decide who should be appointed to marry Waschke +and Juliana. Properly Br. Peter (Rose) should have been ordained by Br. +Anton (Seifert) to the office of a "Diener" in the Congregation, that he +might marry and baptize, but the Brethren did not think it necessary to +ordain him on Waschke's account, and voted that Toeltschig should marry +them. He objected, but they said Toeltschig had been made a 'Diener' of +the Congregation at Herrnhut. He protested that he had not been sent +to Georgia to marry and baptize, and did not wish to do it. The others +insisted, and asked that the lot be tried; Toeltschig agreed to submit +to their wish, and the lot drawn read 'he shall marry these two'," which +he did the next day. + +Parallel with this is the baptism of Rose's twin daughters, Anna +Catherina and Maria Magdalena, who were born on the 16th of September, +1737,--Anna Catherina dying later in the same year. Of this Toeltschig +wrote: "I, at the request of the Brethren, baptized them in the name of +the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, after Br. Anton (Seifert) +had ordained me a "Diener" in the Congregation." + +It frequently happens that a puzzling action becomes clear when it is +considered from the standpoint of the man who has done it, but when +the motive can not be fathomed many things are hard to understand. That +Seifert had been empowered to delegate to another member a duty usually +reserved for the clergy, was reasonable, though unusual, for his serious +illness or death would have left the Congregation without ministration +until word could be sent to Germany, and some one else could come to +take his place,--a matter of months,--but, when the "Aeltester" was +present, in full health, in entire accord with his Congregation, and +when he in person confirmed candidates for Church membership, why did +he not marry and baptize directly, instead of ordaining a "Diener" +especially for those two offices? There must have been some regulation +in the Congregation at Herrnhut which led to it, for the idea that +Seifert himself should marry Waschke and Juliana, and baptize the Rose +children, evidently did not occur to them, but the rule can not now be +found, and there is no clue to the strange proceeding. + +Soon after the Waschke affair had been settled to the satisfaction of +all parties, serious trouble had arisen with Jag and Haberecht. It was +reported to the Moravians that Jag had engaged himself to a Swiss woman +living in Savannah, and when questioned he admitted that it was true. +They argued with him, and pled with him, but to no avail, and finally +told him plainly that they would not allow him to bring the woman to +their house, and more than that, if he persisted in his determination +he would have to leave them; and angry and defiant he did take his +departure the next day, July the 10th. + +That "troubles never come singly" was exemplified, for the very day that +Jag left, Haberecht went to Toeltschig, and asked if some way could not +be found so that HE could marry that same Swiss woman! Toeltschig was +almost stunned by this second blow, and gave a stern answer, whereupon +Haberecht applied to Seifert, the Aeltester, who was equally as +unyielding in his condemnation of the acquaintance already made, and his +refusal to countenance further steps. Poor Haberecht, less resolute than +Jag in his rebellion, drank deeply of the waters of Marah during the +next weeks; promising to give up the woman, who was really unworthy of +his regard, and then trying to draw Toeltschig into a discussion of his +possible marriage; despairingly making his way to the garden to hide +himself among the swine, feeling he was fit for no better company, +and then going to the woman and asking her to marry him, to which she +consented, having already thrown Jag over; again bitter repentance, +confession, and a plea that his associates would forgive him. Either he +was really in earnest this time, or Spangenberg's arrival had a salutary +effect, for after that the Swiss woman disappears from the story, and +two months later Jag returned, promised good behaviour, and humbly asked +for readmittance to the household which was at once accorded him. + +The first days of his visit to Savannah, Spangenberg spent in +acquainting himself with the condition of affairs, and in interviews +with the members singly and collectively, trying to persuade them to +content themselves in Georgia. The "bands" were reorganized, but he was +unable to re-establish a feeling of unity among them, and even those +who were willing to stay, and work, and try whether their plan might not +still be carried out, felt that it would be unwise to hold the rest, for +as Toeltschig wrote, almost with a groan, "it is a blessed thing to live +with a little company of brethren, who are of one heart and one soul, +where heart and mind are dedicated to Jesus, but so to live, when many +have weak wills and principles, and there must be a community of goods, +is rather difficult, especially when many seek their own ends, not the +things of Christ." + +Spangenberg was forced to see that his arguments were futile, and wisely +yielded to the inevitable. At a general conference each man was called +upon to state his wishes. Several desired to leave at the earliest +possible moment, others as soon as the debt was fully paid; two or three +wanted to return to Europe, others preferred to go to Pennsylvania to +Spangenberg; some longed to live among the Indians as missionaries, +while quite a number were content to stay in Savannah, unless absolutely +forced to leave, or definitely called to labor elsewhere. However, no +immediate steps were taken toward breaking up the settlement. + +On the 12th of August, Spangenberg and Wesley visited the Salzburgers +at Ebenezer, by the invitation of Bolzius, the senior pastor. They, too, +had had their troubles without and within, and Gronau had mourned over +the fact to the Moravians, who deeply sympathized with him. At this time +Gronau and Bolzius differed greatly in their feeling for the Moravians. +Gronau was openly and honestly on the best of terms with them, but +Bolzius, while occasionally accepting their hospitality in Savannah, +sent complaints to the Trustees, in keeping with his original protest +against their coming to Georgia. The English friends of the Moravians +heard of these letters, and were much puzzled, as the reports from +the Savannah Congregation spoke only of pleasant relations with the +Salzburgers, and requests for union of the two forces. Probably Bolzius +was fretted by their refusal to join him, even as the leaders at Halle +resented the independence of Herrnhut, and after Gronau's death, in +1745, the pastors of Ebenezer steadily opposed the efforts of the +Moravians to recommence a mission work in Georgia. + +Apart from the friction with their fellow townsmen and the lack of +united purpose among their own number, Spangenberg found the Moravian +colony in good condition. Their devotional hours were steadily observed, +the Lord's Supper was celebrated regularly, and a weekly conference kept +the many interests of the "Society" running smoothly. + +By the aid of the second company, various improvements had been made, so +that their lots and garden presented a prosperous appearance. "They have +a house in town (on Spangenberg's lot) with a supply of wood for the +kitchen. Behind the house is a well, with a pump, on which almost +the whole town depends, for it not only never goes dry, as do all the +others, but it has the best water to be found in the town. From early +morning to late at night the people come with barrels, pails and +pitchers, to take the water to their homes. Once some one suggested +that strangers should be charged so much a pail for the benefit of the +orphans, but Frank said 'they have so far received spiritual water from +us without price, let them also have this freely.' Between the well and +the house is a cow shed. They have a cow, which is pastured out during +the day, but comes back in the evening, and they use the milk and butter +for the sick. Near the shed is a kitchen and bake-oven, and on the other +side a hut for their provisions. Behind the well, on Nitschmann's lot, +stands on one side Tanneberger's and on the other Rose's cabin, with +a roof between, under which the leather is stored, which is to be made +into shoes. + +"Two English miles from the town they have cleared ten acres, (the +garden) and planted corn and rice, which is growing nicely. They have +set out mulberry, peach, and apple trees, which are doing well; in the +middle of the garden, which is enclosed with a fence and ditch, they +have built a corn-house, a cabin in which to live, and a stable." +Another cabin, the first erected in the garden, had been burned in +January, at which time Mrs. Waschke was living in it, though she was +away when it caught fire, and returned too late to give an alarm and +save it. The farm four miles from town was proving unsatisfactory, +requiring much labor and yielding little return, and they had about +decided to stop cultivating it, and give all their effort to the garden, +which was paying well. + +From the 14th to the 17th of August, Spangenberg busied himself with the +account between the Moravians and the Trustees. In addition to the bonds +signed by the first and second companies for their passage to Georgia, +and provisions to be delivered on arrival, it had been necessary to get +a great deal at the store on credit. On the other hand the men had done +a considerable amount of carpenter work and hauling for the Trustees and +for others. The account on the books at the Trustees' store was all +in confusion, and as everybody at the store claimed to be too busy to +unravel it, Spangenberg obtained permission to do it himself, and found +that in addition to the bonds, (60 Pounds and 226 Pounds 13 Shillings 9 +Pence,) the Moravians had taken supplies to an amount which gave them +a total debt of some 500 Pounds ($2,400.00). Against this they had +a credit which entirely paid their current account at the store, and +reduced their debt to the Trustees to 121 Pounds 2 Shillings 9 Pence, +($580.80). + +On the 19th, a Lovefeast was held in honor of Spangenberg and Eckstein, +and on the 21st of August the two visitors sailed for Pennsylvania, +landing there safely in due time. + + + A Closing Door. + +With the month of September letters began to come from England and +Germany in response to Dober's report, and the communications sent by +Ingham, who presented the Moravian request to the Trustees, (receiving +"a sour answer",) and also sent a full account of their circumstances +to Count Zinzendorf. The Count had already written to his distressed +brethren, giving his advice on various points, and this letter, which +was the first to arrive, gave them little comfort. They had once hoped +for reinforcements, earnest men and women who would strengthen their +hands for the work among the Indians, and even now it was disappointing +to hear that Zinzendorf had decided not to send any more colonists to +Georgia. He argued that it would take very few men to supply teachers +for Tomochichi's little village, and that as the Trustees would only +permit four missionaries among the more distant tribes, that number +could easily be spared from the company already in Savannah. + +Regarding military service he repeated his former definite instructions, +"you will not bear arms either defensive or offensive." He said that he +had tried to secure from the Trustees a formal "dispensation", either +verbal or written, exempting the Moravians entirely from military duty, +but they refused to give it, insisting that the Moravians must at least +employ two men to represent the two town lots in defense of the country. +Zinzendorf had agreed to this, so far as the night watch was concerned, +since such a watch was necessary for civic peace and well-being, and +the Moravians were authorized to pay the necessary sums therefor, but he +considered it inconsistent to refuse to fight as a matter of conscience +and then hire others to do it, and so, as he said, "there is nothing to +do but to say NO, and wait." + +Although Spangenberg had hoped it would not be necessary for the +Moravians to leave Georgia, he had sent the Trustees their request +for permission to go, adding, "Nor indeed is there any reason why they +should be detained, since it is their full intention and design to pay +every farthing of their debt before they stir a foot; and they have +never yet sold their liberty to any man, neither are they bound to any +man by any writing or agreement whatsoever. I doubt not therefore but +ye will readily shew the same clemency towards innocent and inoffensive +men, which any one may expect from your Honors, whose business is not to +destroy but to save and benefit mankind. May it please you therefore +to send orders to the Magistrate of Savannah that these people may +have leave to depart that Province. I do assure your Honors they always +thought it a great favor that ye were pleased to send them thither; but +now they will think it a greater to be dismissed." + +In reply the Trustees wrote to Mr. Causton, forbidding the introduction +of martial law without their express order, and reproving him for having +required more than two men from the Moravians, but in that very reproof +practically insisting that two must serve. The Moravians thought they +had defined their position clearly at the outset, and believed they had +the Trustees' promise that all should be as they desired, and if the +Trustees realized the construction placed upon their words they had +taken a most unfair advantage of the Moravians by offering them the two +town lots as a special favor, and then using the ownership of those lots +as a lever to force unwelcome service. On the other hand the Trustees +claimed that Zinzendorf had tacitly agreed to furnish two fighting men +when he allowed Spangenberg and Nitschmann to take the two freeholds, +and one can hardly imagine that the gentlemen who served as Trustees of +Georgia would stoop to a subterfuge to gain two soldiers. Probably it +was an honest misunderstanding for which neither side was to blame, +and of which neither could give a satisfactory explanation, each party +having had a clear idea of his own position, and having failed to +realize that in the confusion of tongues the other never did grasp the +main point clearly. + +Regarding the Moravian request for permission to leave, the Trustees +declined to give instructions until after an exchange of letters with +Zinzendorf; but in a second letter to his Congregation, the Count wrote, +"If some do not wish to remain, let them go," and "if the authorities +will not do what you demand it is certain that you must break up and go +further; but whether to Pennsylvania, or New York or Carolina, the +Lord will show you." Carolina would be no better than Georgia for +their purpose, for the military conditions were identical, and Bishop +Nitschmann's advice that they go to Pennsylvania, together with +Spangenberg's residence there, decided them in favor of that location. + +Zinzendorf's permission having cleared the way for departure, they +resolved to wait no longer on the Trustees, and a general conference was +held on September 18th, in which definite arrangements were made for +the assumption of the debt by those who were willing as yet to remain +in Georgia, freeing the four who were to go first. A recent letter had +informed Tanneberger of the death of his wife and children in Herrnhut, +and the news shattered his already weak allegiance. Without them he +cared little where he went, or what became of him, if only he could get +away, and Haberecht was more than ready to join him. His young son went +as a matter of course, and Meyer, another member who had been lazy and +unsatisfactory, completed the party, which sailed for Pennsylvania on +the 16th of October. Jag also intended to go, but for some reason waited +for the next company. + +Haberecht settled at Ephrata, and the two Tannebergers at Germantown. In +1741, Haberecht joined the Moravians who were building in "the forks +of the Delaware", and became one of the first members of the Bethlehem +Congregation. In 1745, David Tanneberger married Regina Demuth, who +had lost her husband the previous year, and they ultimately moved to +Bethlehem also. Meyer never renewed his association with the Moravians. + +Before the four started to Pennsylvania, another member had taken the +longer journey, and had been laid beside his brethren in the Savannah +cemetery. This was George Haberland, who died September 30th, from flux, +a prevalent disease, from which almost all of the colonists suffered at +one time or another. He had learned much during his life in Georgia, +had been confirmed in June with his brother Michael, and had afterward +served acceptably as a "Diener" of the Congregation. + +On the 7th of October, Seifert and Boehner moved to Tomochichi's village +to perfect themselves in the language, and begin their missionary work. +As some of the congregation had already left Savannah, and others were +soon to follow, Seifert thought that he could be spared even though he +was "Aeltester", especially as at first he returned to Savannah every +Saturday to hold the Sunday services. In November he and Boehner spent +several weeks in town helping the carpenters raise the frame of a large +house they were building, and when they returned to the Indians in +January, 1738, Peter Rose, his wife, and surviving daughter went with +them. + +Friday, December 13th, John Wesley left Savannah, to return to England. +His popularity had long since waned, in the face of his rigid insistance +on ecclesiastical rules, and it was said "the Brethren alone can +understand him, and remain in love with him." He was unfortunate enough +to provoke a spiteful woman, a niece of Mr. Causton, the Magistrate, and +so greatly did the persecution rage under her influence, that Wesley's +chance of doing further good was ruined, and nothing was left but +for him to withdraw. The Magistrates forbade him to leave, (secretly +rejoicing that they had driven him away,) but he boldly took his +departure, without molestation, making his way to Beaufort, where +Charles Delamotte joined him. Together they went to Charlestown, where +he parted from Delamotte, and on the 2nd of January, 1738, sailed from +the continent that had witnessed the shattering of so many fond hopes +and ambitions. + +Forty-seven years later Brierly Allen settled in Savannah, the first +minister there to represent the great denomination which grew from +Wesley's later work in England, and the first Methodist Society in that +city of his humiliation was organized in 1806. + +During the preceding summer Zinzendorf had written to the Trustees, +asking once more for (1) entire exemption from military service for the +Georgia Moravians, for (2) permission for them to leave Georgia if this +could not be granted, and (3) that at least four might remain among the +Indians as missionaries. + +In answer the Trustees (1) repeated their former decision regarding +freehold representation, (2) gave consent for the Moravians to leave +if they would not comply with this, and (3) refused to let them stay +as missionaries. "The privilege of going among the Indians was given +to your people out of consideration for Your Excellency, and also on +account of their good conduct, they being citizens of this colony; but +if they cease to reside there, this privilege will not be continued +to any of them. To employ them as missionaries to instruct the Indians +would be a reflection on our country, as if it could not furnish a +sufficient number of pious men to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. +Therefore your people may continue among the Indians, only so long as +they are citizens of the colony." + +This was the death-blow to the Moravian settlement in Georgia. Had +the Trustees exemplified their much-vaunted religious toleration by +respecting the conscientious scruples of the Moravians, there were +enough members of the Savannah Congregation who wanted to stay in +Georgia to form the nucleus of the larger colony which would surely have +followed them, for while they were willing to give up everything except +religious liberty, they were human enough to regret having to abandon +the improvements which they had made at the cost of so much labor and +self-denial. The Church at large shared this feeling, and for many years +watched and waited for an opportunity to re-open the work in Savannah, +but without result. If the Trustees had even permitted the Moravians to +stay as missionaries it might have saved the settlement to Georgia, +for within a decade the English Parliament passed an Act granting the +Moravians the very exemption for which they now asked in vain, and +had there been a promising work begun among the Indians during the +intervening years it would inevitably have drawn more laborers, as it +did in Pennsylvania. But the Trustees shut the door in their faces, +other promising and more hospitable fields opened, and the Moravian +efforts were thereafter given to the upbuilding of other commonwealths. + +In the latter part of January, 1738, eight more of the Moravian +colonists left Savannah,--Gotthard Demuth and his wife, George Waschke, +his wife and mother, Augustin Neisser, Gottlieb Demuth, and David Jag, +those who remained giving them money and provisions for their journey +to Pennsylvania. Gotthard Demuth and wife settled in Germantown, +later moving to Bethlehem and joining in the organization of that +Congregation. In 1743 they were again living at Germantown, where +Gotthard died the following year. Regina subsequently married David +Tanneberger and moved once more to Bethlehem. Gottlieb Demuth lived +at several places, but finally married, and settled in the Moravian +Congregation at Schoeneck. Jag, who located at Goshenhopper, and the +Waschkes and Augustin Neisser who went to Germantown, never rejoined the +Church. + +On the 28th of January, the Moravians in Savannah received an +unlooked-for addition to their number. Toeltschig wrote to Spangenberg, +"Yesterday two boys, who belong to Herrnhut, came unexpectedly to our +house. They ran away from the Brethren in Ysselstein and went to Mr. +Oglethorpe in London, begging him to send them to the Brethren in +Georgia. He did so, but we will have to pay their transportation. One is +Zeisberger's son David, about 17 years old, and the other John Michael +Schober, about 15 years old. Both are bad boys." It appears that when +Zeisberger's parents went to Georgia he was left in Herrnhut to finish +his education. From there Count Zinzendorf took him to a Moravian +settlement near Utrecht, Holland, where he was employed as errand boy +in a shop. He was treated with well-meant but ill-judged severity, and +finally after a particularly trying and undeserved piece of harshness in +October, 1737, he and his friend Schober decided to try and make their +way to his parents in Georgia. In this they succeeded, and though their +story was received with disapprobation, they soon made a place for +themselves. Schober did not live very long, but Zeisberger, from the +"bad boy" of Toeltschig's letter, became the assistant of Peter Boehler +in South Carolina, and later the great "apostle to the Indians". + +During this Spring the Moravians strained every nerve to do an amount +of work sufficient to balance their account with the Trustees. It took +a little longer than they expected, but at last Toeltschig was ready for +his journey to England, the lot having previously decided that he should +go as soon as financial affairs made it proper. His wife remained in +Savannah, it being uncertain whether he would stay in Germany or return +to America. John Regnier took his place as financial agent of the +Moravians. + +On March 12th, Toeltschig went aboard a ship, bound for Charlestown, +sailing from Tybee two days later. On the 18th, he reached Charlestown, +whence he sailed April 1st, bearing with him the record of their account +with the Trustees, and commissioned to tell the authorities at Herrnhut +all about the Georgia colony. On the 30th of May, the vessel touched at +Cowes, where Toeltschig landed, making his way overland to London which +he reached on the 2nd of June. + +On the 11th of June, Toeltschig, accompanied by Richter, went to present +the account to the Trustees. They asked him many questions concerning +Georgia, all of which he answered frankly, receiving most courteous +attention. Three days later a settlement was reached. The written +accounts showed that the Moravians were short 3 Pounds 5 Shillings 5 +Pence, which Toeltschig offered to pay in cash, but the Trustees said +they realized that the supplies provided for in the second bond had +been rated at a higher price in Georgia than in England, and they +were content to consider the obligations as fully discharged, interest +included. Toeltschig answered "I am VERY glad," a short sentence which +spoke volumes! + + + Wesley, Ingham and Toeltschig. + +During the days which elapsed between his arrival in London and the +meeting of the Trustees, Toeltschig had many interviews with those who +had been "awakened" by the two companies of Moravian colonists, by Count +Zinzendorf, and by Peter Boehler and George Schulius. The last two +were even then at Portsmouth, on their way to America, and the interest +caused by their visit was very manifest. + +John and Charles Wesley had been particularly attracted to Boehler, +the former especially finding great relief in laying his many spiritual +perplexities before him. Wesley complained that when he conversed +with Spangenberg in Georgia, and they could not agree on any point, +Spangenberg would drop the subject and refuse to discuss it further, +but in Boehler he found a clearness of argument, and power of persuasion +which convinced without irritating him. + +Having passed through many stages with the guidance, sympathy, and +encouragement of Boehler, Wesley at last found the assurance of +salvation he had sought for so many years, and three weeks after Boehler +left London, he records that at a meeting of their society "I felt I did +trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given +me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law +of sin and death." A few days previously his brother Charles had made +the same happy experience, and this gave to their religious life the +warmth and fervor which, added to the zeal, industry and enthusiasm that +had always characterized them, made their labors of so much value to +England, and founded the denomination which has grown so rapidly in +America, still bearing the name once given in derision to the little +group of Oxford "Methodists". + +But Wesley's mind was not one of those which can rest contentedly upon +one vital truth, he must needs run the whole gamut of emotion, and +resolve every point raised by himself or others into a definite negative +or affirmative in his own life. Once settled in a position to his entire +satisfaction, he was as immovable as a mountain, and this was at once +the source of his power and his weakness, for thousands gladly followed +the resolute man, and found their own salvation therein, while on the +other hand the will which would never bend clashed hopelessly with those +who wished sometimes to take their turn in leading. So he became an +outcast from the Church of England, alienated from Ingham, Whitefield, +and other friends of his youth, estranged from the Moravians, even while +he was one of the greatest religious leaders England has ever produced. + +At the time of Toeltschig's sojourn in London, however, he was in +the early, troubled stage of his experience, rejoicing in what he had +attained through Boehler's influence, but beset with doubts and fears. +And so, as he records in his Journal, he determined "to retire for a +short time into Germany, where he hoped the conversing with those holy +men who were themselves living witnesses of the full power of faith, and +yet able to bear with those that are weak, would be a means, under God, +of so establishing his soul, that he might go on from faith to faith, +and from strength to strength." + +Ingham, meanwhile, informed of Toeltschig's arrival in London, had +hastened "over one hundred and forty miles" to see his friend, a fact +that seems to have touched Toeltschig deeply, and arranged to go with +him to Herrnhut, as they had often planned while still in Georgia. John +Wesley joined them, and the three young men sailed on June 24th, +landing at Rotterdam two days later. Wesley's Journal does not mention +Toeltschig by name, but on leaving Rotterdam he says, "we were eight +in all, five English and three Germans," and there is no doubt that +Toeltschig went with them to Marienborn to report to Count Zinzendorf, +who was living there during his temporary exile from Herrnhut. + +In Rotterdam, Dr. Koker showed the party much kindness, while at Baron +von Watteville's in Ysselstein, they were received "as at home". At +Amsterdam, they joined in the meeting of the "societies" established +under Moravian influences, and from there proceeded to Cologne, and +up the Rhine to Frankfort. Having neglected to supply themselves with +passports, they experienced much difficulty whenever they reached a +walled city, sometimes being refused admittance altogether, and at other +times being allowed to enter only after much delay, which caused Wesley +to "greatly wonder that common sense and common humanity do not put an +end to this senseless, inhuman usage of strangers." When any of their +number had an acquaintance in the city to which they had come they +sent in a note to him, and he would arrange for their entrance, and at +Frankfort they applied to Peter Boehler's father, who entertained them +"in the most friendly manner." + +On Tuesday, July 15th, they reached Marienborn, where Wesley remained +for fifteen days, and Ingham for about seven weeks. + +From Marienborn, Wesley went to Herrnhut, stopping at Erfurt, Weimar, +Jena, Halle, Leipsig and Dresden on the way. He remained at Herrnhut +twelve days, and then returned by the same route to Marienborn, and to +England. + +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." + +Less renowned than many of his confreres, Toeltschig was a type of that +class of Moravians who carried their Church through slight and +blight into the respect and good-will of the world. Industrious and +scrupulously exact in business affairs, courteous and considerate in his +dealings with others, firm and fearless in matters of conscience, +bold to declare his faith, and witness for his Master, energetic and +"conservatively progressive" in promoting the growth of his church, he +took little part in the controversies of his day, but devoted himself +unreservedly to preaching the Gospel as it was read by John Hus, by the +founders of the ancient Unitas Fratrum, by the renewers of that Church +in Herrnhut, "Salvation by faith in Christ and real Christian living +according to the precepts of the Bible." + + + The Negro Mission. + +John Toeltschig had been the diarist of the Moravian Congregation in +Savannah, as well as their treasurer and most able member, and after he +left very little record was kept of the daily occurrences. A few stray +letters have been preserved, but little of interest appears therein, +beyond the facts that the summer of 1738 was hot and dry, and that +the Moravians were not molested, although always conscious of the +under-current of antagonism. + +Some time during these months Matthias Seybold left for Pennsylvania, +where he married, and was one of the company that established the +settlement at Bethlehem. He returned to Europe in 1742, and died at +Herrnhut in 1787. + +In May, the Rev. George Whitefield reached Georgia, "authorized to +perform all religious offices as Deacon of the Church of England, in +Savannah and Frederica," in the place of John Wesley. The poverty of the +people touched him deeply, he distributed to the most needy such sums as +he had brought for their relief, and with James Habersham, who had come +over at the same time, he agreed upon the erection of an Orphan House. +Whitefield visited Ebenezer, and acquainted himself with conditions +there and elsewhere, and then returned to England, in August, to raise +funds for his Orphan House, Habersham meanwhile beginning to collect and +instruct the most neglected children. + +During his stay in Georgia, Whitefield lodged with Charles Delamotte, +who was still carrying on the little school. During the winter Delamotte +had boarded for a while with the Moravians, and when he returned to +England in the autumn, he at once associated himself with the English +members. Tyerman in his "Life and Times of John Wesley", says, "On +his return to England, Charles Delamotte became a Moravian, settled at +Barrow-upon-Humber, where he spent a long life of piety and peace, and +died in 1790." + +On the 16th of October, Peter Boehler and George Schulius arrived in +Savannah, accompanied by the lad, Simon Peter Harper. They came +as missionaries to the negroes of Carolina, the hearts of various +philanthropic Englishmen having been touched by reports of the condition +of these half wild savages recently imported from the shores of Africa +to till the fields of the New World. + +The plan originated during Count Zinzendorf's visit to London, in +February, 1737, when it was suggested to him that such a mission should +be begun by two Moravian men, under the auspices of "the associates of +the late Dr. Bray". + +Thomas Bray, an English divine, was born in 1656, made several +missionary trips to America, and in 1697 organized a society for the +propagation of the Gospel in the English Colonies. He died in 1730, +but the work was continued by his "associates", many of whom were also +interested in the Georgia Colony. + +As this mission was to be under their direction, "the associates of the +late Dr. Bray" wished to be very sure that the doctrine and rules of the +Unitas Fratrum did not conflict with the Church of England, but being +assured by the Archbishop of Canterbury that he considered them +as agreeing in all essential points, they closed an agreement with +Zinzendorf whereby the Count received 30 Pounds with which to prepare +"two Brethren to reside for the instruction of the Negroes at such place +in Carolina as the said associates shall direct." The missionaries, +when they had entered upon their work, were to receive a salary, "not +exceeding thirty pounds a year," from the "associates". + +For this missionary enterprise, so much to his liking, Zinzendorf +appointed "one of my chaplains, master Boehler," and "Schulius, a +Moravian brother," who with Richter and Wenzel Neisser arrived in +London, February 18th, 1738. At the house of their friend Wynantz, +the Dutch merchant, they met John Wesley, who offered to secure them a +pleasant, inexpensive lodging near James Hutton's, where he was staying. + +Peter Boehler had been a student at Jena when Spangenberg was lecturing +there, and was himself a professor at that seat of learning when he +decided to accept Zinzendorf's call to mission work, and join the +Moravians, with whom he had been for a long time in sympathy. Like +Spangenberg he was a highly educated man, and an able leader, fitted to +play an important part in the Church of his adoption. In December, 1737, +he was ordained at Herrnhut by the bishops, David Nitschmann and Count +Zinzendorf, and in later years he, too, became a bishop of the Unity. + +On the 22nd of February, Boehler and his companions called on Gen. +Oglethorpe, who at first supposed they were simply going over to join +the Savannah congregation. Boehler explained that Richter, who spoke +French as well as German, had come as the Agent of the Moravians, in +accordance with the suggestion made by the Trustees to Bishop Nitschmann +in 1736; that Wenzel Neisser was going on an official visitation to +America, especially to the West Indies; and that he and Schulius were +the missionaries promised by Count Zinzendorf for work among the negroes +in Carolina. The General courteously invited them to confer with him +further, either by letter or in person, and offered to take them with +him, as he expected shortly to sail for Georgia with his regiment. + +Later, when they wished to come to a definite agreement with Oglethorpe, +who represented the "associates of Dr. Bray", they experienced some +difficulty, owing to the fact that a letter of introduction Oglethorpe +expected to receive from Count Zinzendorf had failed to arrive, but the +exhibition of their passports, and Richter's explanation that Zinzendorf +thought (from newspaper notices) that Oglethorpe had already left +England, enabled Boehler and Schulius to establish their identity. So +soon as Zinzendorf heard that his word was needed, he sent them a formal +letter of introduction to Oglethorpe, which was gladly received as +corroboration of their statements. The Moravians were at their own +expense while waiting in London, but Oglethorpe promised that they +should be provided with Bibles, grammars, and other things they might +need for the negro school. + +Being detained in London for three months, instead of three weeks as +they expected, Boehler and his friend had ample opportunity to make +acquaintances in the metropolis. They sent word of their arrival +to those Germans who had learned to know Zinzendorf and the earlier +Moravian emigrants to Georgia, and on the first Sunday "the brethren", +(as they affectionately called all who, like themselves, were interested +in living a Christian life,) came to them, and a series of meetings +for prayer, conference, and instruction was begun. Boehler was a man of +attractive personality, and convincing earnestness, and in spite of his +slight knowledge of their language many English also became interested +and formed a society similar to that begun by Zinzendorf, the two soon +uniting in the Fetter Lane Society. + +Ten days after Boehler reached London he accepted an invitation from +the two Wesleys, and went with them to Oxford. There he was most kindly +received, preached in Latin once or twice each day, and had many private +conversations with inquirers. Among those with whom he became acquainted +was the Rev. John Gambold, who later became a bishop in the Moravian +Church, and many others were mightily stirred to seek the salvation of +their souls. + +Noting how little English Boehler and Schulius knew, Gen. Oglethorpe +offered them a boy who was bright and intelligent, could speak both +English and German, and understood some French, and they found him so +serviceable that they asked and obtained permission to take him with +them to Carolina. + +Through Wesley, Boehler heard that Gen. Oglethorpe was much surprised at +the speed with which he acquired English, and that he had asked whether +Boehler would consent to serve as Minister of the Church of England +in Savannah, if that Congregation remained without a pastor. Boehler +expressed his willingness to preach at any time, but declined to +administer the Sacraments for any denomination except his own, so the +appointment was not made. + +On the 28th of April, the baggage of the Missionaries was put aboard the +'Union Galley', Capt. Moberley, with instructions that Boehler and his +companions should join her at Portsmouth. Neisser was to go with them +to Georgia, and from there, as opportunity offered, to St. Thomas, but +while the ship lay at Portsmouth other instructions reached him, and +Oglethorpe kindly made no objection to his withdrawing his box and +staying behind, though he did not quite understand it. + +On the 15th of May, Peter Boehler, George Schulius, and the lad Simon +Peter Harper, left London, but finding the ship not yet ready to sail, +they, by Oglethorpe's instructions, went to Southampton where some of +the vessels were lying. + +Returning to Portsmouth they embarked on May 22nd, and soon found they +were "to dwell in Sodom and Gomorrah" during their voyage. On the 30th +the fleet sailed to Southampton for the soldiers, and when they came +aboard four days later "Sodom and Gomorrah were fully reproduced." As +the ships lay off Spithead a conspiracy was discovered,--the soldiers +on one vessel had planned to kill their officers, take what money they +could find, and escape to France. During the voyage there were several +fights among the soldiers, or between them and the sailors, and in one +drunken riot a soldier cut off a young girl's hand. "The Lord was our +defense and shield, and we were among them like Daniel in the midst of +the lions," wrote Boehler, for the quiet, Bible-reading Moravians found +little to like in their rough associates, who cared for them just as +little, and wished they could be thrown overboard. + +The ships put to sea July 16th and reached the Madeiras on the 29th, +where they were detained until the 8th of August. Boehler and Schulius +went on shore a number of times, were courteously treated by the most +prominent Catholic priest there, climbed a mountain for the exercise, +and particularly enjoyed their escape from turmoil and confusion. The +captain, who had taken a dislike to them, tried to prevent their leaving +the ship, but Oglethorpe stood their friend, and ordered that they +should have entire liberty. For Boehler, as for many who had preceded +him, Georgia and Carolina were to be a school where great life lessons +would be learned. Fresh from the University halls of Jena, he had met +the students of Oxford on equal footing, quickly winning their respect +and admiration, but these soldiers and sailors, restless, eager for +excitement, rude and unlettered, were a new thing to him, a book written +in a language to which he had no key. Later he would learn to find some +point of contact with the unlearned as well as the learned, with +the negro slave and the Yorkshire collier as well as the student of +theology, but just now his impulse was to hold himself aloof and let +their wild spirits dash against him like waves about the base of a +lighthouse which sends a clear, strong beam across the deep, but has few +rays for the tossing billows just beneath. + +On the 18th of September land was sighted, and on the 29th the fleet +anchored in the harbor of St. Simon's Island, and with grateful hearts +the Moravians watched the landing of the soldiers. On the 4th of October +they transferred their baggage to a sloop bound for Savannah, which +sailed the 6th, but on account of head winds did not reach Savannah +until the 16th. The Moravians still at Savannah came in a boat to +welcome them, and take them to their house, but Boehler was anxious to +see the scene of his future labors, and stayed in town only a few days, +leaving on the 21st for a tour through Carolina. Schulius accompanied +him all the way, and several others as far as the Indian town where +Rose was living with his wife and child. Here they talked of many things +regarding the Savannah Congregation, but on the following afternoon +the missionaries went on their way, Zeisberger, Haberland, Boehner and +Regnier accompanying them to Purisburg. + +There Boehler and Schulius lodged with one of the Swiss who had come to +Georgia with Spangenberg and the first company. His wife expressed the +wish that the Moravians in Savannah would take her thirteen-year-old +daughter the following winter, and give her instruction, for which she +would gladly pay. Boehler took occasion to speak to the couple about +salvation and the Saviour, and they appeared to be moved. Indeed this +was the main theme of all his conversations. To the owners of the +plantations visited, he spoke of their personal needs, and their +responsibility for the souls of their slaves; while to the slaves he +told the love of God, filling them with wonder, for most of them +were newly imported from the wilds of Africa, and suspicious even of +kindness. Many knew little of the English tongue, and the few who could +understand his words had not yet learned that there was a God who cared +how they lived or what became of them. Their masters, as a rule, thought +the missionaries were attempting an almost hopeless task in trying to +lift these negroes above the brute creation, but were quite willing +to give permission and an opportunity to reach them, and on this tour +Boehler found only one land-owner who refused his consent. + +Purisburg had been named as the location of the negro school, but +Boehler found there were very few negroes in the town, which had been +largely settled by Swiss, who had not prospered greatly and had bought +few slaves. The nearest plantation employing negroes was five miles +distant, and only seven lived there, so the outlook was far from +encouraging at that point. + +Boehler and Schulius then made their way from one plantation to another, +until they reached Charlestown. The Rev. Mr. Garden, to whom they had +a letter of introduction, advised that the school should be begun +in Charlestown, where there was a large negro population, perhaps +a thousand souls. This was more than could be found on any single +plantation in Carolina, and as the slaves were strictly forbidden to +go from one plantation to another it would hardly be possible to find +another place where so many could be reached at the same time. Boehler +and Schulius were much impressed with the advantages offered, especially +as Mr. Garden promised all the assistance he could give, and they +debated whether Schulius should not stay and begin at once, while +Boehler returned to report to Oglethorpe. The lot was finally tried, and +the direction received that they should carefully study the situation +but wait until later to commence work. Therefore on the 1st of November +the two companions set out for Savannah, which they reached in eight +days. + +The following weeks were a sore trial for the missionaries. With a +promising field in sight, and eager to commence work in it, they were +obliged to wait for Oglethorpe's permission, and Oglethorpe was very +busy on the frontier establishing the outposts for which his regiment +had been brought over. When he did return to Savannah, it was only for +a few hours, and he was in no frame of mind for a long argument of pros +and cons. He told Boehler rather testily that they should not go to +Charlestown with his consent; that if they were not willing to follow +the plan for Purisburg he would have nothing more to do with them; and +that if they wanted to talk further they must wait till he came again. + +Boehler and Schulius wished themselves free to proceed without his +consent, wished they had not entered into an agreement with "the +associates of the late Dr. Bray", but under the circumstances felt +themselves bound to give the work at Purisburg a fair trial. In +December, Schulius went to Purisburg to look over the field, and make +acquaintance with the people, while Boehler waited at Savannah for +Oglethorpe, and finally, when his patience was quite exhausted, followed +the General to St. Simons. Oglethorpe persisted in his intention to have +the school at Purisburg, and when he learned that his wishes would be +obeyed he gave instructions for the renting of a large house and two +acres of ground, and for supplies to be furnished from the store at +Savannah. + +In February, 1739, therefore, Boehler and Schulius settled in Purisburg. +Young Harper seems to have been with them in Purisburg on some of their +earlier visits, but was sent temporarily to Savannah, and as he does +not reappear in the records, he probably went back to his English home. +David Zeisberger, Jr., joined Boehler and was his willing helper in many +ways. + +At first the outlook was rather more promising than they expected. There +were very few colored children for the school, but "daily more were +bought and born," there was some interest aroused among the older +negroes, and the owners were disposed to be friendly, and allow the +missionaries free access to their slaves. The German and Swiss settlers +were unaffectedly glad to have the Moravians in their midst, and begged +for religious services, and instruction for their children, so Boehler +and Schulius agreed on a division of labor, the latter to devote himself +to the white residents and their little ones, while Boehler spent most +of his time visiting adjoining plantations. + +But when the warm weather came Boehler was taken with fever, and from +June to October he suffered severely. From time to time he was able to +be up, and even to visit Savannah, but he was so weak and his feet +were so badly swollen that walking was very difficult, and of course +missionary tours were impossible. + +On the 4th of August, George Schulius died, after an illness of eighteen +days' duration. Boehler was in Savannah when he was taken sick, but +returned in time to nurse him, to soothe him in delirium, and to lay him +to rest amid the lamentations of the Purisburg residents. At his death +the school for white children was given up, for Boehler was too weak to +shoulder the additional load, and felt that his first duty was to +the negroes. In September, Oglethorpe was in Savannah, and after much +difficulty Boehler obtained speech with him, and succeeded in convincing +him that a negro school at Purisburg was hopeless. He approved of +Boehler's plan to itinerate among the plantations and promised that +both his own and Schulius' salaries should be paid him, that he might +be supplied for traveling expenses. In November, when his health was +restored, Boehler wished to make his first journey, but the storekeeper +declined to pay him any money until the expiration of the quarter year. +When he went again at the appointed time the storekeeper refused to pay +anything without a new order from Oglethorpe, except the remainder of +the first year's salary, now long overdue. Boehler concluded that the +man had received private instructions from Oglethorpe, and that +his services were no longer desired by the representative of "the +associates", so in January, 1740, he gave up further thought of +obligation to them, and prepared to go on his own account. He planned +to go by boat to Purisburg and from there on foot through Carolina +to Charlestown, but on the way up the Savannah River the canoe was +overtaken by a severe thunderstorm, and forced to land. Knowing that a +sloop would sail in two days he returned to Savannah, meaning to go to +Charlestown on her, but on trying the lot he received direction to wait +for the present in Savannah. + +While Boehler was making his attempt among the negroes, some changes +were taking place in the Savannah Congregation. He had been very much +distressed by the condition he found when he arrived, for owing partly +to their many difficulties and partly to Seifert's absence among the +Indians, no Communion had been celebrated for a year, and the "bands" +had been dropped. The Bible and prayer gatherings were steadily +observed, but it seemed to him there was a lack of harmony among the +members, and they were by no means ready to take him at once into their +confidence. Seifert, too, was not well, and had been obliged to leave +the Indians, and return to Savannah. + +The Indian work was most discouraging, for the men were careless and +drunken, and in January, 1739, even Rose gave up, and moved back to +Savannah with his family. In October, Tomochichi died, and was buried +with great pomp in Percival Square in Savannah. The Moravians were asked +to furnish music at the funeral, but declined, and it was hardly missed +amid the firing of minute guns, and three volleys over his grave. After +his death his little village was abandoned, and the question of further +missionary efforts there settled itself. + +During the winter John Regnier became deeply incensed at some plain +speaking from Schulius, and decided to leave at once for Europe, the +Congregation paying his way. He probably went to Herrnhut, as that had +been his intention some months previously, and later he served as a +missionary in Surinam. In after years he returned to Pennsylvania, where +he joined those who were inimical to the Moravians. + +Peter Rose, his wife and daughter left for Pennsylvania soon after their +withdrawal from Irene. They settled in Germantown, and there Peter died +March 12th, 1740. Catherine married John Michael Huber in 1742, who died +five years later on a voyage to the West Indies. Being for the third +time a widow, she became one of the first occupants of the Widows' House +in Bethlehem, and served as a Deaconess for many years, dying in 1798. +Mary Magdalena became the wife of Rev. Paul Peter Bader in 1763. + +On August 10th, 1739, John Michael Schober died after a brief illness, +the ninth of the Moravian colonists to find their final resting place +beside the Savannah River. + +In September, General Oglethorpe received instructions to make reprisals +on the Spanish for their depredations on the southern borders of the +Georgia Province. He rightly judged this to be the precursor of open +hostilities, and hastened his preparations to put Carolina and Georgia +in a state of defense. In October the British Government declared war on +Spain, and November witnessed the beginning of fighting in the Colonies. +Of course this meant a re-opening of the old discussion as to the +Moravians' liability for service, a repetition of the old arguments, and +a renewal of the popular indignation. Oglethorpe was fairly considerate +of them, thought Zinzendorf ought to have provided for two men, +but added that he did not want the Moravians driven away. Still +the situation was uncomfortable, and the Moravians began to make +arrangements for their final departure. + +By this time Boehler had won his way into the confidence of the Savannah +congregation, and had learned that he was not the only one who had the +Lord's interests at heart. With Seifert again in charge of affairs, +the religious services had taken on new life, and on October 18th, John +Martin Mack was confirmed. Judith Toeltschig, however, gave them great +concern, and her brother Michael Haberland sided with her, so that the +company gladly saw them sail for Germany in the latter part of January, +1740. There Michael married, and returned to America in May, 1749, as +one of the large company which came to settle in Bethlehem, where he +died in 1783. Judith joined her husband in England, and in 1742 was +serving as "sick-waiter" of the Pilgrim Congregation in London. + +This left only six Moravians in Savannah, for John Boehner had already +started for Pennsylvania on January 20th. He had a very sore arm which +they hoped would be benefited by the change, and he was commissioned to +try and gather together the members who had preceded him, and to make +arrangements for the reception of the remnant which was soon to follow. +He aided faithfully during the early days of the settlement at Nazareth +and Bethlehem, and in 1742 went as a missionary to the island of St. +Thomas, where he labored earnestly and successfully for the rest of his +life, and died in 1787. + +Nothing now remained for the members still in Savannah, but to so +arrange matters that they might leave on the first opportunity. +Oglethorpe had already bought their trumpets and French horns at a good +price, but they needed to sell their rice and household furniture to +provide sufficient funds for their journey. This was happily arranged +on the 2nd of February, when George Whitefield, who had reached Savannah +for the second time a few days before, came to see them, promised to buy +all they cared to sell, and offered them free passage to Pennsylvania. +This offer they gratefully accepted, receiving 37 Pounds for their +household goods, and on April 13th, 1740, they sailed with Whitefield +on his sloop the 'Savannah', Captain Thomas Gladman. Their land and +improvements were left in the hands of an Agent, and the town house was +rented to some of Whitefield's followers for a hospital. + +With the Moravians went the two boys, Benjamin Somers and James ----, who +had been given into their hands by the Savannah magistrates in 1735, and +a young woman, Johanna Hummel, of Purisburg. The two lads gave them much +trouble in Pennsylvania, and Benjamin was finally bound out in 1748, +while James ran away. Johanna married John Boehner, and sailed with him +to the West Indies in 1742, but died at sea before reaching there. + +Boehler and his company expected to find Spangenberg and Bishop +Nitschmann in Pennsylvania, and were much disappointed to learn that +both were absent. They scarcely knew what to do, but Boehler held them +together, and when Whitefield decided to buy a large tract of land and +build thereon a Negro school, and a town for his English friends of +philanthropic mind, and when the Moravians were offered the task of +erecting the first house there, Boehler and his companions gladly +accepted the work. Bethlehem followed in due time, and all were among +those who organized that congregation. David Zeisberger, Sr., died there +in 1744, his wife in 1746. Anton Seifert was appointed Elder, or Pastor +of the Bethlehem Congregation, married, and took an active part in the +Church and School work there and at Nazareth, the latter tract having +been purchased from Whitefield in 1741. April 8th, 1745, he sailed for +Europe, laboring in England, Ireland and Holland, and dying at Zeist in +1785. + +John Martin Mack became one of the leaders of the Moravian Church in its +Mission work among the Indians in New York, Connecticut and Ohio until +1760, when he was sent to the negro slaves on St. Thomas, preaching also +on St. Croix and St. Jan, and the English West Indies. He was ordained +to the ministry November 13th, 1742, and was consecrated bishop October +18th, 1770, during a visit to Pennsylvania, this being the first +Episcopal consecration in the American Province of the Moravian Church. +He was married four times, his last wife passing away two years before +his departure. He died June 9th, 1784, and was buried in the presence +of a great concourse of people,--negro converts, planters, government +officers and the Governor-General. + +David Zeisberger, Jr., lived a life so abundant in labors, so +picturesque in experiences that a brief outline utterly fails to give +any conception of it. "The apostle of the Western Indians traversed +Massachusetts and Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, entered +Michigan and Canada, preaching to many nations in many tongues. He +brought the Gospel to the Mohicans and Wampanoags, to the Nanticokes +and Shawanese, to the Chippewas, Ottowas and Wyandots, to the Unamis, +Unalachtgos and Monseys of the Delaware race, to the Onondagas, Cayugas +and Senecas of the Six Nations. Speaking the Delaware language fluently, +as well as the Mohawk and Onondaga dialects of the Iroquois; familiar +with the Cayuga and other tongues; an adopted sachem of the Six Nations; +naturalized among the Monseys by a formal act of the tribe; swaying for +a number of years the Grand Council of the Delawares; at one time Keeper +of the Archives of the Iroquois Confederacy; versed in the customs of +the aborigines; adapting himself to their mode of thought, and, by long +habit, a native in many of his ways;--no Protestant missionary and few +men of any other calling, ever exercised more real influence and +was more sincerely honored among the Indians; and no one, except the +Catholic evangelists, with whom the form of baptism was the end of +their work, exceeded him in the frequency and hardships of his journeys +through the wilderness, the numbers whom he received into the Church +of Christ, and brought to a consistent practice of Christianity, and +conversion of characters most depraved, ferocious and desperate." "Nor +must we look upon Zeisberger as a missionary only; he was one of the +most notable pioneers of civilization our country has ever known. * * * +Thirteen villages sprang up at his bidding, where native agents prepared +the way for the husbandman and the mechanic of the coming race." "He was +not only bold in God, fearless and full of courage, but also lowly of +heart, meek of spirit, never thinking highly of himself. Selfishness was +unknown to him. His heart poured out a stream of love to his fellowmen. +In a word, his character was upright, honest, loving and noble, as free +from faults as can be expected of any man this side of the grave."* + + + * "Life and Times of David Zeisberger", by Rt. Rev. Edmund + de Schweinitz.-- + +He died at Goshen, Ohio, Nov. 17th, 1808, having labored among the +Indians for sixty years. + +Like Spangenberg, Peter Boehler's story belongs to the whole Moravian +Church, rather than to the Georgia colony. His time was divided +between England and America, in both of which spheres he labored most +successfully. Jan. 10th, 1748, he was consecrated bishop at Marienborn, +Germany. After Zinzendorf's death he helped frame the new Church +constitution, and in 1769 was elected to the governing board of the +entire Unitas Fratrum. He died in London, April 20th, 1774, having been +there for a year on a visitation to the English congregations of the +Moravian Church. + + + + +Chapter VII. Conclusion. + + + + Later Attempts in Georgia. + + 1740. + +May 18th, 1740, John Hagen arrived in Savannah. He had come over +intending to go as missionary to the Cherokees, and his disappointment +in finding that the Moravians had abandoned Georgia is another example +of the enormous difficulty under which mission work was conducted in +those days, when the most momentous events might transpire months before +the authorities at home could be apprised of them. + +Hagen had become very ill on the way from Charleston to Savannah, +and with none of his own people to turn to he bethought himself of +Whitefield's offers of friendship, and went to his house. He was kindly +received by those who were living there, and though he went down to the +gates of death the portals did not open, and he rapidly regained his +health. + +Visiting Irene he found only a few Indian women, for Tomochichi was +dead, and the men were all on the warpath. The opportunity of going to +the Cherokees seemed very doubtful, for there were none living nearer +than three hundred miles, and distances looked much greater in the +Georgia forests than in his own populous Germany. So he concluded to +accept the kind offers of Whitefield's household, and stay with them, +making himself useful in the garden, and doing such religious work as +he was able. Several Germans living in the town, who had learned to like +the Moravians, asked him to hold services for them, to which he gladly +agreed. + +He was much pleased with the prospect for work in Savannah, where the +people had been greatly stirred by Whitefield's preaching, and he wrote +to Herrnhut urging that two married couples be sent to help reap the +harvest, a request warmly seconded by Whitefield, who had returned to +Savannah on June 16th. Whitefield reported the Moravians busily engaged +in erecting a Negro school-house for him in Pennsylvania, and told Hagen +he would like to have the two couples come to assist him in carrying out +his large plans for Georgia. + +But by the 14th of August this invitation had been withdrawn, Hagen +had left Whitefield's house, and had been refused work on Whitefield's +plantation, for fear that he might contaminate the Whitefield converts. +The trouble arose over a discussion on Predestination,--not the first or +last time this has happened,--and the two men found themselves utterly +at variance, for Whitefield held the extreme Calvinistic view, while +Hagen argued that all men who would might be saved. Hagen therefore went +to the home of John Brownfield, who shared his views, and made him +very welcome, and from there carried on his work among the residents of +Savannah and Purisburg. + +Whitefield returned to Pennsylvania in November, 1740, nursing his +wrath against Hagen, and finding Boehler to be of the same mind, +he peremptorily ordered the Moravians to leave his land. Neighbors +interfered, and cried shame on him for turning the little company adrift +in the depth of winter, and he finally agreed to let them stay for +a while in the log cabin which was sheltering them while they were +building the large stone house. The opportune arrival of Bishop +Nitschmann and his company, and the purchase of the Bethlehem tract, +soon relieved them from their uncomfortable position, and later the +Nazareth tract was bought from Whitefield, and the work they had begun +for him was completed for their own use. + +Whitefield, in after years, rather excused himself for his first +harshness toward the Moravians, but a letter written by him to a friend +in 1742, is a good statement of the armed truce which existed among the +great religious leaders of that day. "Where the spirit of God is in any +great degree, there will be union of avail, tho' there may be difference +in sentiments. This I have learnt, my dear Brother, by happy experience, +and find great freedom and peace in my soul thereby. This makes me love +the Moravian Brethren tho' I cannot agree with them in many of their +principles. I cannot look upon them as willful deceivers, but as persons +who hazard their lives for the sake of the Gospel. Mr. Wesley is as +certainly wrong in some things as they, and Mr. Law as wrong also. Yet +I believe both Mr. Law and Mr. Wesley and Count Zinzendorf will shine +bright in Glory. I have not given way to the Moravian Brethren, nor any +other who I thought were in the wrong, no, not for one hour. But I think +it best not to dispute when there is no probability of convincing." + +Hagen remained in Savannah until February, 1742, when he went to +Bethlehem, accompanied by Abraham Bueninger, of Purisburg, who entered +the Moravian ministry in 1742, and labored among the Indians, the white +settlers, and in the West Indies. + +Nine more residents of Georgia followed the Moravians to Bethlehem in +1745, John Brownfield, James Burnside and his daughter Rebecca, Henry +Ferdinand Beck, his wife Barbara, their daughter Maria Christina, and +their sons Jonathan and David, all of Savannah, and Anna Catharine +Kremper, of Purisburg. All of these served faithfully in various +important offices, and were valuable fruit of the efforts in Georgia. + +John Hagen was appointed Warden of the Nazareth congregation, when it +was organized; and died at Shamokin in 1747. + + 1746. + +General Oglethorpe was much impressed by the industry of the Moravians +in Savannah, and was sorry to see them leave the Province. In October, +1746, therefore, he proposed to Count Zinzendorf that a new attempt +should be made further up the Savannah River. He offered to give them +five hundred and twenty-six acres near Purisburg, and to arrange for +two men to be stationed in Augusta, either as licensed Traders, for many +Indians came there, or as Schoolmasters. + +Zinzendorf thought well of the plan, and accepted the tract, which +Oglethorpe deeded to him Nov. 1st, 1746, the land lying on the Carolina +side of the Savannah River, adjoining the township of Purisburg, where +Boehler and Schulius had made many friends. + +No colonists, however, were sent over, and the title to the land lapsed +for lack of occupancy, as that to Old Fort, on the Ogeechee, had already +done. + + 1774. + +Early in 1774, Mr. Knox, Under-Secretary of State in London, asked for +missionaries to preach the Gospel to the slaves on his plantation in +Georgia. He offered a small piece of land, whereon they might live +independently, and promised ample store of provisions. + +This time the plan was carried into execution, and Ludwig Mueller, +formerly teacher in the Pedagogium at Niesky, with John George Wagner as +his companion, went to England, and sailed from there to Georgia. +They settled on Mr. Knox's plantation, and at once began to visit +and instruct the slaves, and preach to the whites living in the +neighborhood. "Knoxborough" lay on a creek about sixteen miles from +Savannah, midway between that town and Ebenezer. The land had been +settled by Germans, Salzburgers and Wittenbergers, and Mr. Knox had +bought up their fifty acre tracts, combining them into a large rice +plantation. The homes of the Germans had been allowed to fall into ruin, +the overseer occupying a three-roomed house, with an outside kitchen. +Mueller was given a room in the overseer's house, preaching there to the +white neighbors who chose to hear him, and to the negroes in the large +shed that sheltered the stamping mill. Wagner occupied a room cut off +from the kitchen. + +In February, 1775, Frederick William Marshall, Agent of the Unitas +Fratrum on the Wachovia Tract in North Carolina, (with headquarters +at Salem) visited Georgia to inspect the Moravian property there, +accompanied by Andrew Broesing, who joined Mueller and Wagner in their +missionary work. It had been suggested that the Moravians preach in a +church at a little place called Goshen, near "Knoxborough", a church +which had been built by subscriptions of Germans and English living +in the neighborhood, and had been used occasionally by a preacher from +Ebenezer. + +At this time the Salzburgers were in a very bad condition. Bolzius had +died in 1765, and Rabenhorst and Triebner, who shared the pastorate, +were greatly at variance, so that the entire settlement was split into +factions. Dr. Muehlenberg, "the father of Lutheranism in Pennsylvania", +had come to settle the difficulties, and heard with much displeasure of +the plan to have the Moravians preach at Goshen. He declared,--"I doubt +not, according to their known method of insinuation, they will gain the +most, if not all the remaining families in Goshen, and will also make an +attempt on Ebenezer, for their ways are well adapted to awakened +souls. I have learned by experience that where strife and disunion +have occurred in neighborhoods and congregations among the Germans in +America, there black and white apostles have immediately appeared, and +tried to fish in the troubled waters, like eagles which have a keen +sight and smell." + +Dr. Muehlenberg was too much prejudiced against the Moravians to judge +them fairly, for he belonged to the Halle party in Germany, and in +Pennsylvania had clashed with Zinzendorf during the latter's residence +there. The Lutheran Church was in no way endangered by the preaching of +the missionaries, for their instructions were explicit: "If you have an +opportunity to preach the Gospel to German or English residents use +it gladly, but receive none into your congregation, for you are sent +expressly to the negroes." "You will probably find some of the so-called +Salzburgers there, with their ministers. With them you will in all +fairness do only that to which you are invited by their pastor. You will +do nothing in their congregation that you would not like to have another +do in yours." Dr. Muehlenberg, therefore, might safely have left them +free to preach the Gospel where they would, even to his own distracted +flock, which was weakened by dissensions, suffered severely in the +Revolutionary War, and gradually scattered into the adjoining country. + +In accordance with his instructions, Mueller at once gave up all idea of +using the Goshen church, and occupied himself with those who heard him +gladly at Knoxborough. After a careful examination of the land, the +Moravians decided not to build a house for themselves, but to continue +with the overseer, who was kind to them, and gave Mueller the use of a +horse for his visits to adjoining plantations. + +James Habersham, who had come over with George Whitefield in 1738, was +one of the most prominent men in Savannah at this time. In 1744 he had +established a commercial house in Georgia, the first of its kind, to +ship lumber, hogs, skins, etc., to England, and this business had been a +success. He had taken a great interest in Whitefield's Orphan House, and +had been active in governmental affairs, having served as Secretary of +the Province, President of the Council, and Acting Governor of Georgia. +For many years he had been the Agent in charge of the Moravian lots in +and near Savannah, and now, in failing health, and a sufferer from gout, +he asked that one of the missionaries might be sent to his three estates +on the Ogeechee River, partly as his representative and partly to +instruct the slaves. It was decided that Wagner should accept this +invitation and go to "Silkhope", while Mueller and Broesing remained at +Knoxborough, Mueller preaching at "Silkhope" every two weeks. + +Marshall was much pleased with the reception accorded him and the +missionaries, and hoped the time was coming for again using the lots in +Savannah, but the hope again proved to be fallacious. The missionaries +all suffered greatly from fever, always prevalent on the rice +plantations in the summer, and on Oct. 11th, 1775, Mueller died. The +outbreak of the Revolutionary War made Wagner's and Broesing's position +precarious, for the English Act exempting the Moravians from military +service was not likely to be respected by the Americans, and in 1776 +Broesing returned to Wachovia, where the Moravians had settled in +sufficient numbers to hold their own, though amid trials manifold. +Wagner stayed in Georgia until 1779, and then he too left the field, and +returned to England. + + + The Savannah Lands. + +In January, 1735, fifty acres of Savannah land was granted by the +Trustees of Georgia to August Gottlieb Spangenberg, who was going +to Georgia as the leader of the first company of Moravian colonists. +Spangenberg had the habit of speaking of himself as "Brother Joseph" +in his diaries, and in the records he sometimes appears as Joseph +Spangenberg, sometimes as Joseph Augustus Gottlieb Spangenberg, and +sometimes by his true name only. According to custom, the fifty acre +grant embraced three lots,--Town Lot No. 4, Second Tything, Anson Ward, +in the town of Savannah, Farm Lot No. 2, Second Tything, Anson Ward, in +the township of Savannah, and Garden Lot No. 120, East. (Office of the +Secretary of State of Georgia, Book D of Grants, Folio 208.) + +A few days later a similar grant was made to David Nitschmann, "Count +Zinzendorf's Hausmeister", generally known as the Syndic from his office +in later years, who had conducted the first company from Herrnhut to +London. This grant consisted of Town Lot No. 3, Second Tything, Anson +Ward, in the town of Savannah, Farm Lot No. 3, Second Tything, Anson +Ward, in the township of Savannah, and Garden Lot No. 121 East. (Office +of the Secretary of State of Georgia, Book D of Grants, Folio 207.) + +When the Moravians left Georgia in 1740, these lots were placed in +the hands of an Agent, probably James Habersham, who was acting as +Whitefield's assistant in his hospital and charity school, the Moravian +house being rented for the former purpose. + +When the Trustees of Georgia surrendered their Charter to the English +Crown in 1754, it was found that no formal deeds had ever been made for +many of the tracts granted by the Trustees, and it was decreed that any +who could legally claim land under grant from the Trustees should have +their rights confirmed by royal grant upon application to the Governor +and Council of Georgia, within a specified time, the land otherwise to +be considered forfeited. In June, 1761, Habersham wrote to Bethlehem +that the time for entering claim had expired, but that he had asked for +and obtained six months grace for the Moravians, who had previously sent +him a full power of attorney, which had failed to reach him. + +A new power of attorney was at once sent, and on September 7th, 1762, +royal patents were issued to Nitschmann and Spangenberg, for the Town +Lots and Farm Lots above mentioned. (Register's Office, Book D, Folios +207 and 208.) + +Meanwhile the two Garden Lots had been sold to Sir James Wright for 10 +Pounds, and deeds, bearing date of March 15th, 1762, were made to him +by Spangenberg and Nitschmann. The deeds to the Town and Farm lots were +deposited in Bethlehem, and the Agent took his instructions from the +Manager there. + +In 1765 Bishop Ettwein went from Bethlehem to Savannah to look after the +property. He found that the large house on Spangenberg's lot had been +condemned as ruinous and pulled down. Some one had built a small house +on the other end of the same lot, and it was supposed to pay 4 Pounds +a year ground rent, but the family living there was very poor, and +Habersham had been unable to collect anything. By permission a +poor woman had fenced in the Nitschmann lot, and was using it as a +kitchen-garden, rent free. The title to the farm lots was in jeopardy, +for a certain Alderman Becker in London claimed that the Trustees +had given him a tract, including these and many other farms, but the +settlers thereon were making a strong fight to hold their property, in +which they were finally successful. + +At the time of Frederick William Marshall's visit to Savannah in 1775, +the two farm lots were reported to have some good timber, even if they +were not of much use otherwise, and the town lots had increased in value +with the growth of the town. Marshall thought the latter could again +be used for residence, and as a centre for such missionary work as was +already begun by Mueller, Wagner and Broesing, but the Revolutionary War +put an end to their efforts. + +At this point in the records appears a peculiar uncertainty as to the +identity of the owner of the David Nitschmann lots. The fact that there +were three David Nitschmanns in the active service of the Moravian +Church during a number of years after its renewal in Herrnhut affords +ample opportunity for confusion, but one would not expect to find it +in the minds of their contemporaries. But even such a man as Frederick +William Marshall wrote, "The Deeds to these two lots, Nos. 3 and 4, are +kept in Bethlehem (one stands in the name of Brother Joseph, the other +of Bishop D'd Nitschmann, who passed away in Bethlehem) and it would +be well if something were done about them. I do not know what can be +arranged with the son of the latter; but Brother David Nitschmann, who +is now in Zeist, said when he was in America that he himself was the +David Nitschmann in whose name the grant was made, because he was the +one who had shared in the negotiations with the Trustees of Georgia." +Bishop David Nitschmann had died in Bethlehem, Oct. 9th, 1772, where his +son Immanuel lived until 1790. The David Nitschmann residing in Zeist +was the Syndic, formerly Count Zinzendorf's Hausmeister, the leader +of the first company to London, where he and Spangenberg had arranged +matters with the Trustees, and had each received fifty acres of land in +his own name. The Bishop had had nothing whatever to do with the matter, +and this was the conclusion reached, for the title to the Town Lot No. +3 passed at the Syndic's death, March 28th, 1779, to his son Christian +David Nitschmann. + +June 14th, 1784, August Gottlieb Spangenberg and Christian David +Nitschmann by deed transferred their title to the Savannah property to +Hans Christian Alexander von Schweinitz, Administrator of the estate of +the Unitas Fratrum in Pennsylvania. + +The Revolutionary War had come and gone, and Von Schweinitz began again +to investigate the condition of affairs in Savannah. Their Agent, James +Habersham, had died in 1775, but his son James had kept up the taxes, +so the title was intact. "But there is a matter," he wrote, "which it +is necessary you should be made acquainted with. When the British Troops +took possession of Savannah, they had occasion for a lot belonging to +a Mr. George Kellar, for the purpose of erecting a fort on, it being +situated in the outskirts of the town, and in order to satisfy this man +they VERY GENEROUSLY gave him your two lots in lieu of the one they had +taken from him, but very fortunately for you, our Legislature passed +a Law rendering null and void all their acts during the time they +held this country, and notwithstanding Mr. Kellar is perfectly well +acquainted with this matter, he has moved a house on one of the lots, +and on the other he has lately built another house, which he rents out, +and holds possession--in defiance of me, as I am possessed of no power +of attorney to warrant any proceeding against him." A power of attorney +was at once sent Habersham, with instructions to evict the intruder, and +rent, lease or sell the property. + +A suit against the trespasser was won in 1794, but in 1801 his tenant +was still in possession, poor, and refusing to pay rent. Habersham +had meanwhile died, and John Gebhard Cunow, acting as attorney for +Von Schweinitz, who had returned to Germany in 1798, requested Matthew +McAllister to take charge of the matter; but McAllister, having made +some inquiries, reported that the man named John Robinson, who lived on +the premises, was likely to make trouble, and that as he himself was the +only Judge in the district it would be better to put the case into the +hands of some one else, and leave him free to hear it. Cunow therefore +asked George Woodruff to act as attorney, to which he agreed, requesting +that John Lawson be associated with him, which was done the following +year. + +Hans Christian Alexander von Schweinitz died Feb. 26th, 1802, the title +to the Savannah Lots passing by will to Christian Lewis Benzien, of +Salem, North Carolina, who however requested Cunow to continue to look +after them. + +The Agents had no light task in ejecting John Robinson and his wife from +their abode, for he was "a foolish, drunken man," and she "a perfect +'virago', and the Sheriff is really afraid of her," but on July 5th, +1805, Lawson wrote to Cunow,--"I am happy to inform you that after +great trouble and difficulty we have this day obtained possession of Mr. +Benzien's lots." + +Feb. 17th, 1807, Christian Lewis Benzien, by his attorneys Woodruff and +Lawson, conveyed Town Lot No. 4, Second Tything, Anson Ward, to Charles +Odingsell, the consideration being $1,500, one hundred dollars in cash, +the rest secured by bond and mortgage, payable in one, two, and three +years, with 8 per cent interest from date. + +In the same manner Town Lot No. 3 was sold to Worthington Gale, March +14th, 1807, for $1,450. + +Owing to "the distress of the times," payment of these bonds was +slightly delayed, but by June, 1811, both were cancelled. + +Although the two Town Lots thus brought $2,950, they had cost a good +deal in taxes and attorney's fees, and it is doubtful whether the +general treasury profited greatly by the investment, and certainly +the men who had lived and labored and suffered in Georgia were in no +financial way enriched thereby. + +Christian Lewis Benzien died Nov. 13th, 1811, and the two Farm Lots +were transferred by will to John Gebhard Cunow of Bethlehem, Pa., who in +March, 1822, deeded them to Lewis David de Schweinitz of Bethlehem, Pa. + +And here the two Farm Lots disappear from the records. They had never +been available for farming purposes, and by degrees the timber was +stolen from them, so that it became wiser to let them go than to keep +up the taxes with no prospect of return. In course of time the title +lapsed, and the land passed uncontested into other hands. + + + Arrivals, Departures, Deaths. + + Arrivals in Georgia. + + April 6th, 1735. August Gottlieb Spangenberg From Germany. + " " " John Toeltschig " " + " 7th, " Peter Rose " " + " " " Gotthard Demuth " " + " " " Gottfried Haberecht " " + " " " Anton Seifert " " + " " " Michael Haberland " " + " " " George Haberland " " + " " " George Waschke " " + " " " Friedrich Riedel " " + Oct. 11th, " John Regnier From Pennsylvania. + Feb. 17th, 1736. David Nitschmann, (the Bishop) From Germany. + " 23rd, " Christian Adolph von Hermsdorf " " + " " " Henry Roscher " " + " " " John Andrew Dober " " + " " " Maria Catharine Dober, " " + (wife of Andrew D.) + " " " George Neisser " " + " " " Augustin Neisser " " + " " " David Zeisberger " " + " " " Rosina Zeisberger, (wife of David Z.) " " + " " " David Tanneberger " " + " " " John Tanneberger, (son of David T.) " " + " " " David Jag " " + " " " John Michael Meyer " " + " " " Jacob Frank " " + " " " John Martin Mack " " + " " " Matthias Seybold " " + " " " Gottlieb Demuth " " + " " " John Boehner " " + " " " Matthias Boehnisch " " + " " " Regina Demuth, (wife of Gotthard D.) " " + " " " Judith Toeltschig, (wife of John T.) " " + " " " Catharine Riedel, " " + (wife of Friedrich R.) + " " " Anna Waschke, (mother of George W.) " " + " " " Juliana Jaeschke " " + " " " Rosina Haberecht, " " + (wife of Gottfried H.) + Sept. 16th, 1737. Anna Catherina Rose, + Maria Magdalena Rose, (daughters of Peter R.) + Jan. 28th, 1738. David Zeisberger, Jr. From Holland. + " " " John Michael Schober " " + Oct. 16th, " Peter Boehler, From Germany. + (missionary to negroes) + " " " George Schulius, " " + (assistant missionary) + " " " Simon Peter Harper From England. + May 18th, 1740. John Hagen From Germany. + Autumn, 1774. Ludwig Mueller " " + " " John George Wagner " " + March 5th, 1775. Andrew Broesing From North Carolina. + + Departures from Georgia. + + March 15th, 1736. August Gottlieb Spangenberg To Pennsylvania. + " 26th, " Bishop David Nitschmann " " + Dec. 2nd, " John Andrew Dober To Germany. + " " " Maria Catherine Dober " " + March 9th, 1737. George Neisser To Pennsylvania. + May 16th, " Christian Adolph von Hermsdorf To Germany. + Oct. 16th, " David Tanneberger To Pennsylvania. + " " " John Tanneberger " " + " " " John Michael Meyer " " + " " " Gottfried Haberecht " " + End of Jan. 1738. Gotthard Demuth " " + " " Regina Demuth " " + " " George Waschke " " + " " Juliana Waschke " " + " " Anna Waschke " " + " " Augustin Neisser " " + " " Gottlieb Demuth " " + " " David Jag " " + March 12th, " John Toeltschig To Europe. + Summer, " Matthias Seybold To Pennsylvania. + Winter, 1738-39. John Francis Regnier To Germany. + 1739. Peter Rose To Pennsylvania. + " Catherine Rose " " + " Maria Magdalena Rose " " + " Simon Peter Harper Unknown. + Jan. 20th, 1740. John Boehner To Pennsylvania. + Jan., " Judith Toeltschig To Germany. + " " Michael Haberland " " + April 13th, " Peter Boehler To Pennsylvania. + " " " Anton Seifert " " + " " " John Martin Mack " " + " " " David Zeisberger " " + " " " Rosina Zeisberger " " + " " " David Zeisberger, Jr. " " + " " " Benjamin Somers " " + " " " James ---- " " + " " " Johanna Hummel " " + Feb., 1742. John Hagen " " + " " Abraham Bueninger " " + 1744. James Burnside " " + " Rebecca Burnside " " + 1745. John Brownfield " " + " Henry Ferdinand Beck " " + " Barbara Beck " " + " Maria Christina Beck " " + " Jonathan Beck " " + " David Beck " " + " Anna Catherina Kremper " " + 1776. Andrew Broesing To North Carolina. + May, 1779. John George Wagner To England. + + Deaths. + + Oct. 11th, 1735. Friedrich Riedel In Savannah. + March 19th, 1736. Jacob Frank " " + March 30th, " Henry Roscher " " + June 17th, " Rosina Haberecht " " + Oct. 3rd, " Matthias Boehnisch " " + Sept. 30th, 1737. George Haberland " " + (Nov.?) " Anna Catherina Rose " " + Aug. 4th, 1739. George Schulius In Purisburg. + Aug. 10th, " John Michael Schober In Savannah. + Oct. 11th, 1775. Ludwig Mueller At Knoxborough. + + + Summary. + + Arrivals. + + From Europe 43 + From Pennsylvania 1 + Born in Georgia 2 + From North Carolina 1 + -- 47 + + Deaths. + + At Savannah 8 + At Purisburg 1 + At Knoxborough 1 + -- 10 + + Departures. + + To Bethlehem, Pa. 18 + To other Moravian Congregations in America 3 + To Moravian Congregations in Europe 8 + Scattered 8 + -- + 37 + + ------ + 47 + + Following the Moravians from Georgia to Bethlehem 13 + + + + + + + Index. + + (The index is retained to allow readers to browse the subjects mentioned + in this book. The bracketed numbers indicate how many mentions are made. + A brief mention or 10 pages worth can both count as a single mention, + so the numbers are sometimes deceptive.) + + + + Act of Parliament (3) + Aeltester (5) + Allen, Brierly (1) + Altamaha River (7) + Anna (1) + Anthony (1) + Altona (3) + Arrivals in Georgia (2) + Associates of the late Dr. Bray (5) + Augsburg (2) + Augusta (1) + + Bader, Paul Peter (1) + Bands (6) + Beck, Barbara (1) + Beck, David (1) + Beck, Henry Ferdinand (1) + Beck, Jonathan (1) + Beck, Maria Christina (1) + Benzien, Christian Lewis (1) + Berthelsdorf (2) + Bethlehem (Penn.) (10) + Bohemia (8) + Boehler, Peter (10) (Bo"hler) + Boehner, John (8) (Bo"hner) + Boehnisch, George (2) (Bo"hnisch) + Boehnisch, Matthias (2) (Bo"hnisch) + Bolzius, Martin (6) + Bray, Thomas (1) + Broesing, Andrew (3) (Bro"sing) + Brother Joseph (3) (see also Spangenberg) + Brownfield, John (2) + Bueninger, Abraham (1) (Bu"ninger) + Burnside, James (1) + Burnside, Rebecca (1) + + Calendar (1) + Calvin, John (1) + Carolina (11) + Causton, Thomas (9) + Charles II (1) + Charles V (1) + Charlestown (9) (modern Charleston, S. C.) + Cherokees (2) + Chief Elder (see Aeltester) + Christ Church (1) + Church of England (9) + Collegiants (2) + Comenius, John Amos (1) + Comfort (1) + Committee for relief of Debtors (2) + Confession of Faith, Moravian (1) + Coram, Thomas (2) + Cornish, Capt. (3) + Creek Confederacy (1) + Cunow, John Gebhard (2) + + Deaths (2) + Delamotte, Charles (10) + Demuth, Gotthard (6) + Demuth, Gottlieb (3) + Demuth, Regina (4) + Departures from Georgia (2) + Diener (5) + Dober, John Andrew (11) + Dober, Leonard (1) + Dober, Maria Catherine (4) + Dunbar, Capt. (1) + Duesseldorf (1) (Du"sseldorf) + + Ebenezer, New (5) + Ebenezer, Old (5) + Ebersdorf (1) + Ecce Homo (1) + Ecclesiolae in ecclesia (1) + Eckstein, John (2) + Egede, Hans (1) + Elders (1) + England (see Moravian Activity in England) + English School at Herrnhut (1) + Ephrata (1) + Episcopate of Unitas Fratrum (10) + Ermahner (1) + Ettwein, John (1) + Exile Hymn (1) + + Farm Lots (9) + Fetter Lane Congregation (2) + Fetter Lane Society (6) + Fifty Acre Tracts (5) + Financial affairs (34) + First Company (5) + Five Acre Lots (see Garden Lots) + Five Hundred Acre Tract (see Old Fort) + Five Hundred Acre Tract (2nd) (2) + Five Hundred and Twenty-six Acre Tract (1) + Florida (1) + Foreign Missions (5) + Fort Argyle (1) + Forty-five Acre Lots (see Farm Lots) + Foundry Society (1) + Frank, Jacob (3) + Frederica (9) + Fulneck (1) + + Gale, Worthington (1) + Gambold, John (1) + Garden Lots (11) + Gascoine, Capt. (1) + Gemeinschaft (8) + George II (1) + Georgia (25) + Germantown (3) + Gladman, Capt. Thomas (1) + Goshen (2) + Goshenhopper (1) + Greenland (1) + Gronav, Israel Christian (3) + + Haberecht, Gottfried (7) + Haberecht, Rosina (2) + Haberland, George (5) + Haberland, Michael (6) + Habersham, James, Jr. (2) + Habersham, James, Sr. (6) + Hagen, John (1) + Halle (7) + Harper, Simon Peter (3) + Hawk, The (4) + Helfer (see Helpers) + Helpers (2) + Herbert, Henry (1) + Hermsdorf, Christian Adolph von (9) + Herrnhut (24) + Holland (see Moravian Activity in Holland) + Hourly Intercession (2) + Household Affairs (15) + Huber, John Michael (1) + Hummel, Johanna (1) + Hus, John (2) + Hutton, James (5) + + Indian School House (see Irene) + Indians in Georgia (27) + Indians in Pennsylvania (2) + Ingham, Benjamin (22) + Instructions (1) + Ireland (see Moravian Activity in Ireland) + Irene (4) + + Jablonski (3) + Jag, David (6) + James (1) + Jaeschke, Juliana (4) (Ja"schke) + Jena (5) + Jews (1) + Johnson (1) + Journal, John Wesley's (3) + + Kellar, George (2) + Knox, Mr. (1) + Knoxborough (1) + Koker, Pieter (2) + Korte, Jonas (6) + Krankenwaerter (1) (Krankenwa"rter) + Kremper, Anna Catherine (1) + + Laborers (1) + Lamb's Hill (1) + Lancashire (1) + Land titles (5) + Lawson, John (2) + Leopold, Archbishop of Salzburg (1) + London (7) + London Merchant, The (5) + Lords Proprietors (2) + Lorenz (2) + Lot, The (12) + Lovefeasts (4) + Lower Creeks (3) + Lutheran Church (7) + Luther, Martin (3) + + Mack, John Martin (4) + Marienborn (3) + Marshall, Frederick William (3) + Matrimonial affairs (4) + McAllister, Matthew (1) + Melancthon (1) + Methodists (5) + Meyer, John Michael (2) + Military affairs (17) + Moberley, Capt. (2) + Molther, Philip Henry (1) + Moravia (9) + Moravian Activity in England (11) + Moravian Activity in Holland (5) + Moravian Activity in Ireland (3) + Moravian Congregation in Fetter Lane (see Fetter Lane Society) + Muehlenberg, Henry Melchior (2) (Mu"hlenberg) + Mueller, Ludwig (2) (Mu"ller) + Musgrove, John (1) + Musgrove, Mary (3) + Music (2) + + Nazareth (4) + Negro Mission (7) + Neisser, Augustin (2) + Neisser, George (5) + Neisser, Wenzel (3) + Neubert, Rosina (1) + New Ebenezer (see Ebenezer, New) + New Inverness (1) + Nitschmann, Christian David (1) + Nitschmann, David (Bishop) (23) + Nitschmann, David (Hausmeister, Syndic) (16) + Nitschmann, Immanuel (1) + North Carolina (1) + Nova Scotia (1) + + Ober-Berthelsdorf (3) + Odingsell, Charles (1) + Oeconomie (1) + Ogeechee River (6) + Oglethorpe, James (49) + Old Fort (16) + Order of the Mustard Seed (1) + Orphan House (2) + Oxford (3) + + Peeper Island (Cockspur) (1) + Pennsylvania (20) + Periagua (2) + Pfeil, von (4) + Pietists (1) + Pilgrim Congregation (2) + Poland (3) + Port Royal (1) + Potter, John (Archbishop of Canterbury) (2) + Province of Georgia (see Georgia) + Pudsey (1) + Purisburg (6) + Putten, Cornelius van (1) + + Quincy, Samuel (2) + + Ratio Disciplinae (2) + Reck, George Philipp Frederick von (9) + Reck, the younger (1) + Regensberg (2) + Regnier, John (10) + Religious affairs (30) + Reuss, Henry XXIX (1) + Revolutionary War (5) + Richter, Abraham Ehrenfried (3) + Riedel, Catherine (3) (see also Rose, Catherine) + Riedel, Friedrich (8) + Robinson, John (2) + Roman Catholics (6) + Roscher, Henry (4) + Rose, Anna Catherina (1) + Rose, Catherine (Riedel) (5) + Rose, Maria Magdalena (4) + Rose, Peter (15) + Rothe, John Andrew (2) + Rotterdam (3) + Rotten-possum (1) + + Salem (2) + Salzburgers (23) + Savannah (20) + Savannah Congregation (Moravian) (25) + Savannah Cemetery (4) + Savannah River (5) + Savannah, The (1) + Saxony (5) + Schober, John Michael (3) + Schoeneck (1) + Schulius, George (4) + Schwarz, Rosina (1) + Schweinitz, Hans Christian Alexander von (2) + Schweinitz, Lewis David de (1) + Schwenkfeld, Casper (1) + Schwenkfelders (10) + Second Company (7) + Seifert, Anton (17) + Seituah (1) + "Servants" of Zinzendorf (12) + Seybold, Matthias (4) + Shamokin (1) + Sickness (13) + Silkhope (1) + Simmonds, The (3) + Sitkovius (2) + Skidaway Island (1) + Smith House (1) + "Society" (see Gemeinschaft) + Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge (4) + Somers, Benjamin (1) + South Carolina (5) + Spangenberg, August Gottlieb (33) + Spangenberg's Hymn (1) + Spaniards (7) + Spanish War (4) + Spener, Philip Jacob (2) + Sterling's Bluff (1) + St. Simon's Island (4) + St. Thomas (6) + Swiss Emigrants (5) + + Tanneberger, David (6) + Tanneberger, John (2) + Thomas, Capt. (1) + Thomson, Capt. (5) + Thunderbolt (1) + Toeltschig, John (39) (To"ltschig) + Toeltschig, Judith (8) (To"ltschig) + Tomochichi (15) + Town Lots (10) + Trades (11) + Triebner (1) + Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in America (27) + Tuebingen (1) (Tu"bingen) + Two Brothers, The (2) + Two Hundred Acre Tract (3) + Tybee (5) + + Union Galley, The (1) + Unitas Fratrum (18) + Upper Creeks (1) + Urlsperger, Samuel (4) + + Vat, Mr. (1) + Verelst, Secy (2) + Vernon, James (3) + Vollmar (3) + Vorsteher (1) + Voyages (9) + + Wachovia Tract (2) + Wagner, John George (4) + Waschke, Anna (4) + Waschke, George (6) + Waschke, Juliana Jaeschke (3) (Ja"schke)) (see also Jaeschke, Juliana) + Weintraube, Mrs. (2) + Wesley, Charles (13) + Wesley, John (30) + Wesley, Samuel (1) + West Indies (7) + Whitefield, George (9) + Wiegner, Christopher (George) (2) + Wittenberg (2) + Woodruff, George (1) + Wright, Sir James (1) + Wynantz (2) + + Yorkshire (3) + Ysselstein (2) + + Zeisberger, David, Jr. (5) + Zeisberger, David, Sr. (3) + Zeisberger, Rosina (3) + Ziegenhagen (2) + Zinzendorf, Christian Ludwig von (1) + Zinzendorf, Erdmuth Dorothea von (3) + Zinzendorf, Nicholas Lewis von (Count) (29) + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Moravians in Georgia, by Adelaide L. 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