第 30 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:38      字数:9318
  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
  102
  … Page 103…
  The Moravians in Georgia
  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
  103
  … Page 104…
  The Moravians in Georgia
  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
  104
  … Page 105…
  The Moravians in Georgia
  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