第 31 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:39      字数:9319
  was   kindly   received   by   the   Moravians   in   Savannah;   though   their   first
  favorable      impression      of  him    had   been    lost   on  the   voyage     across    the
  Atlantic; when he complained of the fare; and lay in bed most of the time。
  The leaders of the party; trying to pacify the discontented; comfort the
  sick;   and   strengthen   those   that   were   left   as   one   and   another   was   called
  away; planning the daily routine to the best advantage so that they might
  repay   their    debt;   and    still  have   the   necessaries     of  life  for   their  large
  company;   seeking   to   teach   and   convert   the   Indians;   and   help   the   poor
  about     them;      these   leaders    were    further    tried  by   the   non…arrival     of
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  answers to the letters sent to Germany。Feeling that they MUST know the
  will of those at home if they were to be able successfully to continue their
  work; they at last decided to send a messenger to Count Zinzendorf; and
  the lot designated Andrew Dober。
  A ship was lying at anchor; ready to take Gen。 Oglethorpe to England;
  and he readily agreed to take Dober and wife with him; and on December
  2nd; they embarked; Dober carrying a number of letters and papers。 Mrs。
  Dober      was    quite   ill  when    they    left;  but  rapidly    improved       in  the   sea
  breezes。January 20th; the ship reached London; and Mr。 and Mrs。 Dober
  went     at  once    to   Mr。   Weintraube;       who    was    to   forward     the  letters   to
  Herrnhut。As   they   were   talking   Bishop   Nitschmann   walked   in;   to   their
  mutual   great   astonishment。   He   reported   that   Count   Zinzendorf   had   just
  arrived   in   London;   and   had   sent   to   inquire   for   letters;   so   those   brought
  from     Georgia      were    at  once    delivered。Zinzendorf         rented    a   house;    the
  Countess   arrived   a   few   days   later;   and   Dober   and   wife   remained   in   his
  service during the seven weeks of his stay。
  The   Count's   object   in   visiting   London   at   this   time   was   fourfold:   to
  confer   with   the   Georgia   Trustees   about   the   Moravians   in   Savannah;   to
  extend   acquaintances   among   the   Germans   in   London   and   do   religious
  work among them; to discuss the Episcopate of the Unitas Fratrum with
  Archbishop Potter of Canterbury; and if possible to revive the 〃Order of
  the   Mustard   Seed〃。This   order   had   been   established   by   Zinzendorf   and
  several   companions   in  their   early  boyhood;   and grew   with   their   growth;
  numbering   many  famous   men   in   its   ranks;   and   it   is   worthy   of   note   that
  even   in   its   boyish   form  it   contained   the   germs   of   that   zeal   for   missions
  which was such a dominant feature of the Count's manhood。
  Archbishop   Potter   not   only   fully   acknowledged   the   validity   of   the
  Unity's Episcopate; but urged Zinzendorf himself to accept consecration at
  the   hands   of   Jablonski   and   David   Nitschmann;   and   encouraged   by   him
  Zinzendorf was consecrated bishop at Berlin; May 20th; 1737。
  The     Count    held    frequent    services     during    his  stay   in   London;     and
  before   he   left   a   society   of   ten   members   had   been       formed   among   the
  Germans; with a few simple regulations; their object being 〃in simplicity
  to   look   to   these   three   things:   to   be   saved   by   the   blood   of   Christ;   to
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  become holy; or be sanctified by the blood of Christ; to love one another
  heartily。〃
  With the Trustees it was agreed:〃That the Count's men〃 might remain
  for two years longer at Savannah; without cultivating the five hundred acre
  tract;    〃and   be    exempt     from    all  forfeitures    arising    from    such    non…
  cultivation;〃 but if they chose they might move to the tract any time during
  the two years。 They might go to Tomochichi's Indians whenever they saw
  fit and he consented。 Other Indians could not be visited in time of war; but
  in   peace   four   Moravians   should   be   licensed   to   go   to   them;   on   the   same
  footing   as   the   English   ministers。Those   living   with   Tomochichi   were   not
  included      in  this  number。〃As       the   Moravian     Church     is  believed     to  be
  orthodox and apostolic〃 no one should interfere with their preaching the
  Gospel; or prevent the Indians from attending their services in Savannah;
  or elsewhere。The title to their five hundred acre tract was secured to the
  Moravians; even in case the Count's male line should become extinct。
  Reference to military service is conspicuous by its absence; and at the
  very time that these resolutions were being framed; assurance on that one
  point was being desperately needed in Savannah。
  Rumors of War。
  In February; 1737; that which Spangenberg had feared came upon the
  Moravians;      military   service   was   peremptorily   demanded   of   them;   the
  occasion being a fresh alarm of Spanish incursions。
  The   feud   between   the   colonists   of   Spain   and   England   was   of   long
  standing;     dating    back   to   rival  claims    to  the   New    World     by   right  of
  discovery。 The English asserted that through the Cabots they had a right to
  the greater part of North America; and a grant to the Lords Proprietors of
  Carolina;      in  1663;    named     the  31   degree    of   latitude   as   the  southern
  boundary。 Another patent two years later set the line at the 29 degree; but
  that availed nothing as it included the northern part of Florida; where the
  Spanish were already settled in considerable numbers。
  No other nation questioned the English claim to the sea…board as far as
  the   31   degree;   which   was   well   south   of   the   Altamaha;   but   the   Spanish
  greatly     resented    the  settlements     in  Carolina;     as  encroaching      on   their
  territory;   though   successive   treaties   between   the   two   Governments   had
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  virtually acknowledged the English rights。 With the two nations nominally
  at peace; the Spanish incited the Indians to deeds of violence; encouraged
  insurrection among the negro slaves; welcomed those who ran away; and
  enlisted them in their army。 Now and then the Governor of Carolina would
  send    a  force;   which    would    subdue    them   for   a  time;   but  the   constant
  uncertainty made Carolina welcome the Georgia colony as a protection to
  her borders。
  The    settlement    of  Georgia     gave   further   offense    to  Spain;   and   her
  subjects in Florida burned to exterminate the intruders; as they considered
  them; though nothing was done so long as operations were confined to the
  Savannah River。But when towns and forts were planned and begun on the
  Altamaha their opposition became more outspoken。 Oglethorpe did all he
  could to preserve peace without retreating from his position; and in Oct。
  1736; he concluded a treaty with the Governor of St。 Augustine。
  Only     too  soon    it  became    apparent     that  this  treaty   would    not   be
  respected; for the Captain…General of Cuba disapproved; and Oglethorpe
  sailed   for   England;   in   November;   to   urge   the   immediate   and   sufficient
  fortification of the frontier。The Trustees and the Government approved of
  the course he had pursued; but Spain recalled and executed the Governor
  of   St。   Augustine;   for   presuming   to   make   such   a   treaty;   and   so   plainly
  showed       her   intention    to   make     war    on   Georgia      that  the    English
  Government authorized Oglethorpe to raise   a regiment   for service there;
  and in July; 1738; he sailed for America; commissioned to take command
  of all the military forces of Carolina and Georgia; and protect the colonies。
  During the nineteen months of his absence; the Georgia colonists were
  in a continual state of uneasiness; which now and then became sheer panic
  at some especially plausible report of imminent danger。
  On     February     17th;    1737;    Mr。    Causton     received     a  letter   from
  Charlestown; in which the Governor informed him that he had news of the
  approach   of   the   Spaniards;   and   Savannah   at   once   became   excited;   and
  prepared for defence。On the 20th; officers went through the town; taking
  the   names   of