第 28 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:38      字数:9321
  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
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  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
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  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。
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  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;