第 23 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:38      字数:9320
  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
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  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
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  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
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  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