第 39 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:39      字数:9322
  them he organized the 〃Foundry Society〃。Into the Foundry Society and the
  many others organized among his converts; Wesley introduced lovefeasts
  and   〃bands〃   (or   〃classes〃;)   both   familiar   to   him   from   the   Fetter   Lane
  Society;   which   had   copied   them   from   the   Moravians。When   his   societies
  grew so numerous that he could not personally serve them all he selected
  lay assistants; and then 〃became convinced that presbyter and bishop are
  of    the  same     order;   and   that   he  had    as  good    a  right   to  ordain    as  to
  administer the Sacraments。〃 He; therefore; ordained bishops for America;
  and     Scotland;     and    registered    his   chapels     in  order    to   protect    them;
  according to the Act of Toleration。This gave the Methodist body a separate
  legal status; but Wesley always claimed that he was still a member of the
  Church   of   England;   and   would   not   allow   the   preachers   of   his   English
  societies to administer the Sacraments; a right which was finally granted
  them by the Methodist Conference after his death。
  When      Benjamin      Ingham   returned       from   Georgia      he  commenced        to
  preach   the   Gospel   in Yorkshire;   his   native   place;   and   at   the   time   of   his
  journey to Germany a promising work was begun there。From Herrnhut he
  wrote to Count Zinzendorf asking that Toeltschig be permitted to visit him
  131
  … Page 132…
  The Moravians in Georgia
  in   England;   and   the   request   was   granted   a   few   months   later。Meanwhile
  Ingham's work prospered mightily; so that in June; 1739; he was forbidden
  the use   of   the   churches;   and   forced   to   imitate Wesley  and   preach   in   the
  open air。 Some forty societies were formed; and in November; Toeltschig
  went to him; making many friends among the people; repeating his visit at
  intervals during the following months。
  The intimacy between Ingham and the Moravians became closer and
  closer; and in July; 1742; he formally handed over the care of his societies
  in Yorkshire and Lascashire to   the Moravian Church; himself going into
  new fields; and then giving new societies into their keeping。 It has often
  been   stated   that   Ingham   was   a   Moravian;   but   this   is   a   mistake。   During
  these   years   he   worked   with   them   shoulder   to   shoulder;   but   there   is   no
  record of his having been received into their Church as a member; nor did
  they reordain him into their ministry。 The situation would be more strange
  to…day than it was then; for there was apparent chaos in England; the Spirit
  of God moving upon the face of the waters before 〃light shone; and order
  from disorder sprung;〃 and the Moravians did not care to emphasize their
  independence   of   the   Anglican   Church   lest   it   injure   their   usefulness。   In
  1744; when England was threatened with a French invasion; a number of
  loyal addresses were presented to the King; and among them one from the
  〃United      Brethren     in  England;     in   union    with    the  ancient    Protestant
  Episcopal   Bohemian   and   Moravian   church;〃   a   designation   selected   after
  long and careful discussion as to a true term which would avoid placing
  them among the Dissenters from the Church of England。
  When   the   Moravians   took   over  the Yorkshire  Societies   in   1742   they
  established      headquarters     at   Smith    House;    near    Halifax;    but  this   not
  proving   permanently   available;   Ingham;   in   1744;   bought   an   estate   near
  Pudsey;     where    the   Moravians      planted    a  settlement    which    they   called
  〃Lamb's Hill〃; later 〃Fulneck〃。 In 1746 and 1749 Ingham presented to the
  Moravians the ground on which the Chapel and two other houses stood;
  but for the rest they paid him an annual rent。The property is now held of
  Ingham's descendents on a lease for five hundred years。
  In   1753     Ingham     withdrew      from    his   close   association     with    the
  Moravians; and established a new circle of societies; himself ordaining the
  132
  … Page 133…
  The Moravians in Georgia
  ministers   who   served   them。These   societies   flourished   for   a   while;   but
  about     1759    Ingham     became      imbued     with    the  doctrines     of  a  certain
  Sandeman; and the result was the almost total wrecking of his societies。
  This   broke   Ingham's   heart;   and   affected   his   mind;   so   that   his   last   days
  were very sad。He passed away in 1772; and his societies gradually merged
  themselves into other churches。
  John    Toeltschig;     Ingham's     friend   in  Georgia     and   his  co…laborer    in
  Yorkshire; came to England in November; 1739; in company with Hutton;
  who     had    been    to  Germany      to   form    a  closer   acquaintance      with    the
  Moravians。 After the debt to the Trustees was paid; Toeltschig had eagerly
  planned new things for Georgia;  extension of work among the Indians; a
  settlement      further    up   the   Savannah      River;   the   strengthening      of   the
  Savannah Congregation; from which missionaries could be drawn and by
  which they should be supported while laboring among the heathen tribes。
  He offered to return to America at once; ready for any duty; but requesting
  that he might not be sole financial manager again; as he had found it most
  difficult    to  attend   to  those   duties;   and   at  the   same    time   share   in  the
  spiritual work。
  The     elders     of   the    Church;     after    carefully     weighing      all   the
  circumstances; decided not to send him back to Georgia; but that he should
  go to England; to labor in the Fetter Lane Society; and among its friends。
  The   first   step   was   a   visit   to   Ingham   in Yorkshire;   and   the   reception
  given him was so cordial and the field so promising that he went again;
  and yet again。 Boehler and Spangenberg returned to England and traveled
  hither and thither in response to the calls that came from every side; other
  members aided as they could; and the societies under their direction grew
  apace。     Fetter    Lane     Society    was    organized      into   a   congregation      in
  November;        1742;   and    the  others   followed     in  due    time。The     Moravian
  Church was introduced into Ireland; and took a firm hold there。 In England
  its   successes   were   paralleled   with   much   opposition;   and   in   1749;   after
  several     years   of   preparation;     an  appeal    was    made     to  Parliament     for
  recognition       as  a   Protestant     Episcopal     Church;     with    full   liberty   of
  conscience       and   worship      throughout     Great    Britain    and    her   colonies。
  General Oglethorpe warmly championed their cause; and after a thorough
  133
  … Page 134…
  The Moravians in Georgia
  investigation of Moravian history and doctrine; the bill was passed; May
  12th;   1749;   and   the   Moravian   right   to   liberty   of   worship;   freedom   from
  military     service;    and    exemption      from    oath…taking     was    unreservedly
  granted。
  While     not   involved    in  these   Parliamentary   proceedings;         Toeltschig
  played an important   part in the   development of the   Moravian Church in
  England   and   Ireland。Although   he   had   great   success   as   a   preacher;   his
  especial   talents   were   as   an   organizer;   and   as   leader   of   the   〃bands〃;   as
  might   be   expected   of   a   man   with   a   judicial   mind;   executive   ability;   and
  great   tact。He   was   Elder   of   the   〃Pilgrim   Congregation〃   formed   at   Fetter
  Lane in May; 1742; a congregation composed exclusively of 〃laborers〃 in
  the Lord's vineyard; and he was also one of the committee charged with
  the oversight of the general work。
  In   February;     1748;    he   went    to  Ireland;    as  superintendent      of   the
  societies   there;   some   of   which   had   been   organized   by   Wesley;   but   now
  wished to unite with the Moravians。In 1752 he conducted a company of
  colonists to Pennsylvania; but the next year went back to Ireland; where
  certain troubles had arisen which he could quiet better than any one else。
  After Zinzendorf's death in 1760; Toeltschig was one of that company
  of leading men who met in Herrnhut to provide for the immediate needs of
  the Moravian Church; whose enemies prophesied disintegration upon the
  death   of   the   man   who   had   been   at   its   head   for   mo