第 36 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:39      字数:9322
  and wait。〃
  Although   Spangenberg   had   hoped   it   would   not   be   necessary   for   the
  Moravians   to   leave   Georgia;   he   had   sent   the   Trustees   their   request   for
  permission to go; adding; 〃Nor indeed is there any reason why they should
  be detained; since it is their full intention and design to pay every farthing
  of   their   debt   before   they   stir   a   foot;   and   they   have   never   yet   sold   their
  liberty to any man; neither are they bound to any man by any writing or
  agreement whatsoever。 I doubt not therefore but ye will readily shew the
  same clemency towards innocent and inoffensive men; which any one may
  expect from your Honors; whose business is not to destroy but to save and
  benefit     mankind。     May     it  please   you   therefore    to   send   orders    to  the
  Magistrate   of   Savannah   that   these   people   may  have   leave   to   depart   that
  Province。 I do assure your Honors they always thought it a great favor that
  ye were pleased to send them thither; but now they will think it a greater
  to be dismissed。〃
  In reply the Trustees wrote to Mr。 Causton; forbidding the introduction
  of martial law without their express order; and reproving him for having
  required more than two men from the Moravians; but in that very reproof
  practically insisting that two must serve。The Moravians thought they had
  defined   their   position   clearly   at   the   outset;   and   believed   they   had   the
  Trustees'   promise   that   all   should   be   as   they   desired;   and   if   the   Trustees
  realized the construction placed upon their words they had taken a most
  unfair advantage of the Moravians by offering them the two town lots as a
  special favor; and then using the ownership of those lots as a lever to force
  unwelcome         service。On      the   other     hand    the    Trustees     claimed     that
  Zinzendorf       had   tacitly   agreed    to  furnish    two   fighting    men    when     he
  allowed Spangenberg and Nitschmann to take the two freeholds; and one
  can hardly imagine that the gentlemen who served as Trustees of Georgia
  would stoop to a subterfuge to gain two soldiers。 Probably it was an honest
  misunderstanding         for  which    neither    side  was    to  blame;    and   of  which
  neither could give a satisfactory explanation; each party having had a clear
  idea of his own position; and having failed to realize that in the confusion
  of tongues the other never did grasp the main point clearly。
  Regarding the Moravian request for permission to leave; the Trustees
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  declined      to  give   instructions     until  after   an   exchange     of   letters  with
  Zinzendorf; but in a second letter to his Congregation; the Count wrote; 〃If
  some do not wish to remain; let them go;〃 and 〃if the authorities will not
  do what you demand it is certain that you must break up and go further;
  but whether to Pennsylvania; or New York or Carolina; the Lord will show
  you。〃Carolina would be no better than Georgia for their purpose; for the
  military   conditions   were   identical;   and   Bishop   Nitschmann's   advice   that
  they   go    to  Pennsylvania;      together    with   Spangenberg's      residence     there;
  decided them in favor of that location。
  Zinzendorf's   permission   having   cleared   the   way   for   departure;   they
  resolved to wait no longer on the Trustees; and a general conference was
  held on September 18th; in which definite arrangements were made for the
  assumption   of   the   debt   by   those   who   were   willing   as   yet   to   remain   in
  Georgia; freeing the four who were to go first。 A recent letter had informed
  Tanneberger   of   the   death   of   his   wife   and   children   in   Herrnhut;   and   the
  news shattered his already weak allegiance。 Without them he cared little
  where   he   went;   or   what   became   of   him;   if   only  he   could   get   away;   and
  Haberecht   was   more   than   ready   to   join   him。   His   young   son   went   as   a
  matter   of   course;   and   Meyer;   another   member   who   had   been   lazy   and
  unsatisfactory; completed the party; which sailed for Pennsylvania on the
  16th of October。 Jag also intended to go; but for some reason waited for
  the next company。
  Haberecht        settled    at   Ephrata;     and     the   two     Tannebergers       at
  Germantown。 In 1741; Haberecht joined the Moravians who were building
  in 〃the forks of the Delaware〃; and became one of the first members of the
  Bethlehem       Congregation。In        1745;    David    Tanneberger      married     Regina
  Demuth; who had lost her husband the previous year; and they ultimately
  moved   to   Bethlehem  also。Meyer   never  renewed   his   association   with   the
  Moravians。
  Before the four started to Pennsylvania; another member had taken the
  longer   journey;   and   had   been   laid   beside   his   brethren   in   the   Savannah
  cemetery。This   was   George   Haberland;   who   died   September   30th;   from
  flux; a prevalent disease; from which almost all of the colonists suffered at
  one time or another。He had learned much during his life in Georgia; had
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  been     confirmed      in  June   with    his  brother    Michael;     and   had    afterward
  served acceptably as a 〃Diener〃 of the Congregation。
  On   the   7th   of   October;   Seifert   and   Boehner   moved   to   Tomochichi's
  village to perfect themselves in the language; and begin their missionary
  work。 As some of the congregation had already left Savannah; and others
  were soon to follow; Seifert thought that he could be spared even though
  he   was   〃Aeltester〃;   especially   as   at   first   he   returned   to   Savannah   every
  Saturday to hold the Sunday services。 In November he and Boehner spent
  several   weeks   in   town   helping   the   carpenters   raise   the   frame   of   a   large
  house     they   were    building;     and   when     they   returned    to   the  Indians    in
  January;   1738;   Peter   Rose;   his   wife;   and   surviving   daughter   went   with
  them。
  Friday;     December       13th;   John    Wesley     left  Savannah;      to   return   to
  England。   His   popularity   had   long   since   waned;   in   the   face   of   his   rigid
  insistance on ecclesiastical rules; and it was said 〃the Brethren alone can
  understand him; and remain in love with him。〃He was unfortunate enough
  to provoke a spiteful woman; a niece of Mr。 Causton; the Magistrate; and
  so   greatly   did   the   persecution      rage   under   her   influence;   that   Wesley's
  chance of doing further good was ruined; and nothing was left but for him
  to withdraw。The Magistrates forbade him to leave; (secretly rejoicing that
  they   had   driven   him   away;)   but   he   boldly   took   his   departure;   without
  molestation; making his way to Beaufort; where Charles Delamotte joined
  him。 Together they went to Charlestown; where he parted from Delamotte;
  and    on   the   2nd   of   January;    1738;    sailed   from   the   continent     that  had
  witnessed the shattering of so many fond hopes and ambitions。
  Forty…seven   years   later   Brierly   Allen   settled   in   Savannah;   the   first
  minister     there    to  represent    the   great   denomination        which    grew     from
  Wesley's later work in England; and the first Methodist Society in that city
  of his humiliation was organized in 1806。
  During the preceding summer Zinzendorf had written to the Trustees;
  asking   once   more   for   (1)   entire   exemption   from   military  service   for   the
  Georgia   Moravians;   for   (2)   permission   for them  to   leave   Georgia   if   this
  could not   be granted;  and   (3) that   at   least   four   might   remain   among   the
  Indians as missionaries。
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  In   answer   the   Trustees   (1)   repeated   their   former   decision   regarding
  freehold representation; (2) gave consent for the Moravians to leave if they
  would      not   comply     with    this;  and    (3)   refused    to   let  them    stay   as
  missionaries。〃The privilege of going among the Indians was given to your
  people out   of consideration   for Your   Excellency; and   also on   account   of
  their good conduct; they being citizens of this colony; but if they cease to
  reside there; this privilege will not be continued to any of them。To employ
  them as missionaries to inst