第 11 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:38      字数:9322
  Thy loving heart was moved Us Thy righteous laws to teach;Us to guide;
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  protect and cherish Till Thy heaven we should reach。
  Without merit we; yet mercy Each returning day doth blessWith 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
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  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
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  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
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  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 Spangenber