第 35 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:39      字数:9320
  company of brethren; who are of one heart and one soul; where heart and
  mind are dedicated to Jesus; but so to live; when many have weak wills
  and principles; and there must be a community of goods; is rather difficult;
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  especially when many seek their own ends; not the things of Christ。〃
  Spangenberg   was   forced   to   see   that   his   arguments   were   futile;   and
  wisely   yielded   to   the   inevitable。At   a   general   conference   each   man   was
  called   upon   to   state   his   wishes。Several   desired   to   leave   at   the   earliest
  possible moment; others as soon as the debt was fully paid; two or three
  wanted   to   return   to   Europe;   others   preferred   to   go   to   Pennsylvania   to
  Spangenberg;   some   longed   to   live   among   the   Indians   as   missionaries;
  while quite a number were content to stay in Savannah; unless absolutely
  forced     to  leave;   or   definitely    called   to  labor   elsewhere。      However;      no
  immediate steps were taken toward breaking up the settlement。
  On     the    12th    of   August;     Spangenberg        and    Wesley      visited    the
  Salzburgers   at   Ebenezer;   by   the   invitation   of   Bolzius;   the   senior   pastor。
  They;   too;   had   had   their   troubles   without   and   within;   and   Gronau   had
  mourned   over   the   fact   to   the   Moravians;   who   deeply   sympathized   with
  him。At this time Gronau and Bolzius differed greatly in their feeling for
  the Moravians。 Gronau was openly and honestly on the best of terms with
  them;     but   Bolzius;     while    occasionally      accepting      their   hospitality    in
  Savannah;   sent   complaints   to   the   Trustees;   in   keeping   with   his   original
  protest     against    their   coming      to  Georgia。The       English     friends    of   the
  Moravians heard of these letters;   and were   much puzzled;   as the   reports
  from the Savannah Congregation spoke only of pleasant relations with the
  Salzburgers;   and   requests   for   union   of   the   two   forces。   Probably   Bolzius
  was   fretted   by   their   refusal   to   join   him;   even    as   the   leaders   at   Halle
  resented the independence of Herrnhut; and after Gronau's death; in 1745;
  the pastors of Ebenezer steadily opposed the efforts of the Moravians to
  recommence a mission work in Georgia。
  Apart   from   the   friction   with   their   fellow   townsmen   and   the   lack   of
  united     purpose      among      their   own     number;      Spangenberg        found     the
  Moravian colony in good condition。Their devotional hours were steadily
  observed;      the   Lord's    Supper     was    celebrated     regularly;    and   a   weekly
  conference kept the many interests of the 〃Society〃 running smoothly。
  By   the   aid   of   the   second   company;   various   improvements   had   been
  made;   so   that   their   lots   and   garden   presented   a   prosperous   appearance。
  〃They have a house in town (on Spangenberg's lot) with a supply of wood
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  for the kitchen。Behind the house is a well; with a pump; on which almost
  the whole town depends; for it not only never goes dry; as do all the others;
  but it has the best water to be found in the town。 From early morning to
  late at night the people come with barrels; pails and pitchers; to take the
  water to their homes。 Once some one suggested that strangers should be
  charged so much a pail for the benefit of the orphans; but Frank said ‘they
  have so far   received spiritual water   from us without   price; let them  also
  have this freely。' Between the well and the house is a cow shed。They have
  a cow; which is pastured out during the day; but comes back in the evening;
  and they use the milk and butter for the sick。Near the shed is a kitchen and
  bake…oven; and on the other side a hut for their provisions。 Behind the well;
  on   Nitschmann's   lot;   stands   on   one   side   Tanneberger's   and   on   the   other
  Rose's cabin; with a roof between; under which the leather is stored; which
  is to be made into shoes。
  〃Two   English   miles   from   the   town   they   have   cleared   ten   acres;   (the
  garden) and planted corn and rice; which is growing nicely。They have set
  out mulberry; peach; and apple trees; which are doing well; in the middle
  of the garden; which is enclosed with a fence and ditch; they have built a
  corn…house; a cabin in which to live; and a stable。〃 Another cabin; the first
  erected   in   the   garden;   had   been   burned   in   January;   at   which   time   Mrs。
  Waschke was living in it; though she was away when it caught fire; and
  returned too late to give an alarm and save it。 The farm four miles from
  town was proving unsatisfactory; requiring much labor and yielding little
  return; and they had about decided to stop cultivating it; and give all their
  effort to the garden; which was paying well。
  From the 14th to the 17th of August; Spangenberg busied himself with
  the   account   between   the   Moravians   and   the   Trustees。   In   addition   to   the
  bonds     signed    by   the  first  and   second    companies      for  their   passage    to
  Georgia; and provisions to be delivered on arrival; it had been necessary to
  get a great deal at the store on credit。 On the other hand the men had done
  a considerable amount of carpenter work and hauling for the Trustees and
  for   others。   The   account   on   the   books   at   the   Trustees'   store   was   all   in
  confusion; and as everybody at the store claimed to be too busy to unravel
  it;   Spangenberg   obtained   permission   to   do   it   himself;   and   found   that   in
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  addition to the bonds; (60 Pounds and 226 Pounds 13 Shillings 9 Pence;)
  the Moravians had taken supplies to an amount which gave them a total
  debt of some 500 Pounds (2;400。00)。Against this they had a credit which
  entirely paid their current account at the store; and reduced their debt to
  the Trustees to 121 Pounds 2 Shillings 9 Pence; (580。80)。
  On    the   19th;  a  Lovefeast     was    held   in  honor    of  Spangenberg      and
  Eckstein;      and    on   the   21st   of   August     the   two    visitors    sailed   for
  Pennsylvania; landing there safely in due time。
  A Closing Door。
  With the month of September letters began to come from England and
  Germany in response to Dober's report; and the communications sent by
  Ingham; who presented the Moravian request to the Trustees; (receiving 〃a
  sour answer〃;) and also sent a full account of their circumstances to Count
  Zinzendorf。The        Count     had   already    written   to  his   distressed    brethren;
  giving his advice on various points; and this letter; which was the first to
  arrive; gave them little comfort。 They had once hoped for reinforcements;
  earnest men and women who would strengthen their hands for the work
  among      the   Indians;   and    even   now    it  was   disappointing      to  hear   that
  Zinzendorf   had   decided   not   to   send   any   more   colonists   to   Georgia。He
  argued      that   it  would     take   very    few    men     to  supply     teachers    for
  Tomochichi's little village; and that as the Trustees would only permit four
  missionaries   among   the   more   distant   tribes;  that number   could   easily  be
  spared from the company already in Savannah。
  Regarding military service he repeated his former definite instructions;
  〃you will not bear arms either defensive or offensive。〃 He said that he had
  tried to secure from the Trustees a formal 〃dispensation〃; either verbal or
  written;   exempting   the   Moravians   entirely   from   military   duty;   but   they
  refused to give it; insisting that the Moravians must at least employ two
  men to represent the two town   lots in defense of the  country。Zinzendorf
  had agreed to this; so far as the night watch was concerned; since such a
  watch   was   necessary  for   civic   peace   and   well…being;   and   the   Moravians
  were authorized to pay the necessary sums therefor; but he considered it
  inconsistent   to   refuse   to   fight   as   a   matter   of   conscience   and   then   hire
  others to do it; and so; as he said; 〃there is nothing to do but to say NO;
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  and wait。〃
  Although   Spangenberg   had   hoped   it   would   no