第 26 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:38      字数:9322
  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
  89
  … Page 90…
  The Moravians in Georgia
  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
  90
  … Page 91…
  The Moravians in Georgia
  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
  91
  … Page 92…
  The Moravians in Georgia
  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   calle