第 44 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:39      字数:9322
  was   more   sincerely   honored   among   the   Indians;   and   no   one;   except   the
  Catholic evangelists; with whom the form of baptism was the end of their
  work;     exceeded     him    in  the   frequency     and   hardships     of   his  journeys
  through the wilderness; the numbers whom he received into the Church of
  Christ; and brought to a consistent practice of Christianity; and conversion
  of characters most depraved; ferocious and desperate。〃 〃Nor must we look
  upon   Zeisberger   as   a   missionary   only;   he   was   one   of   the   most   notable
  pioneers of civilization our country has ever known。* * *Thirteen villages
  sprang   up   at   his   bidding;   where   native   agents   prepared   the   way   for   the
  husbandman and the mechanic of the coming race。〃 〃He was not only bold
  in God; fearless and full of courage; but also lowly of heart; meek of spirit;
  never   thinking   highly   of   himself。   Selfishness   was   unknown   to   him。His
  heart poured out a stream of love to his fellowmen。In a word; his character
  was     upright;   honest;    loving   and   noble;    as  free  from   faults    as  can   be
  expected of any man this side of the grave。〃*
  *   〃Life   and   Times   of   David   Zeisberger〃;   by   Rt。   Rev。   Edmund   de
  Schweinitz。
  He died at Goshen; Ohio; Nov。 17th; 1808; having labored among the
  Indians for sixty years。
  Like     Spangenberg;       Peter    Boehler's     story   belongs     to   the   whole
  Moravian Church; rather than to the Georgia colony。His time was divided
  between England and America; in both of which spheres he labored most
  successfully。Jan。   10th;   1748;   he   was   consecrated   bishop   at   Marienborn;
  Germany。After         Zinzendorf's      death   he   helped     frame    the   new    Church
  constitution; and in 1769 was elected to the governing board of the entire
  Unitas Fratrum。He died in London; April 20th; 1774; having been there for
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  a   year   on  a  visitation   to  the   English   congregations      of  the  Moravian
  Church。
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  Chapter VII。 Conclusion。
  Later Attempts in Georgia。
  1740。
  May 18th; 1740; John Hagen arrived in Savannah。He had come over
  intending to go as missionary to the Cherokees; and his disappointment in
  finding that the Moravians had abandoned Georgia is another example of
  the enormous difficulty under which mission work was conducted in those
  days; when the most momentous events might transpire months before the
  authorities at home could be apprised of them。
  Hagen had become very ill on the way from Charleston to Savannah;
  and   with    none   of   his   own  people   to  turn   to   he   bethought   himself   of
  Whitefield's   offers   of   friendship;   and   went   to   his   house。   He   was   kindly
  received by those who were living there; and though he went down to the
  gates of death the portals did not open; and he rapidly regained his health。
  Visiting Irene he found only a few Indian women; for Tomochichi was
  dead; and the men were all on the warpath。The opportunity of going to the
  Cherokees seemed   very doubtful;  for there were  none living   nearer  than
  three   hundred   miles;   and   distances   looked   much   greater   in   the   Georgia
  forests than in his own populous Germany。 So he concluded to accept the
  kind offers of Whitefield's household; and stay with them; making himself
  useful in the garden; and doing such religious work as he was able。Several
  Germans living in the town; who had learned to like the Moravians; asked
  him to hold services for them; to which he gladly agreed。
  He was much pleased with the prospect for work in Savannah; where
  the people had been greatly stirred by Whitefield's preaching; and he wrote
  to   Herrnhut   urging   that   two   married   couples   be   sent   to   help   reap   the
  harvest;   a   request   warmly   seconded   by  Whitefield;   who   had   returned   to
  Savannah on June 16th。Whitefield reported the Moravians busily engaged
  in erecting a Negro school…house for him in Pennsylvania; and told Hagen
  he would like to have the two couples come to assist him in carrying out
  his large plans for Georgia。
  But by the 14th of August this invitation had been withdrawn; Hagen
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  had   left   Whitefield's   house;   and   had   been   refused   work   on   Whitefield's
  plantation; for fear that he might contaminate the Whitefield converts。 The
  trouble   arose  over   a   discussion   on   Predestination;      not   the   first   or   last
  time   this   has   happened;      and   the   two   men   found   themselves   utterly   at
  variance;   for Whitefield   held   the   extreme   Calvinistic   view;   while   Hagen
  argued that all men   who would might be   saved。Hagen therefore went to
  the home of John Brownfield; who shared his views; and made him very
  welcome;   and   from   there   carried   on   his   work   among   the   residents   of
  Savannah and Purisburg。
  Whitefield   returned   to   Pennsylvania   in   November;   1740;  nursing   his
  wrath   against   Hagen;   and   finding   Boehler   to   be   of   the   same   mind;   he
  peremptorily ordered the Moravians to leave his land。Neighbors interfered;
  and cried shame on him for turning the little company adrift in the depth
  of winter; and he finally agreed to let them stay for a while in the log cabin
  which      was   sheltering     them    while    they   were    building    the   large   stone
  house。The opportune arrival of Bishop Nitschmann and his company; and
  the    purchase     of   the  Bethlehem       tract;   soon   relieved     them    from    their
  uncomfortable        position;    and   later   the  Nazareth     tract   was   bought     from
  Whitefield; and the work they had begun for him was completed for their
  own use。
  Whitefield; in after years; rather excused himself for his first harshness
  toward the Moravians; but a letter written by him to a friend in 1742; is a
  good statement of the armed truce which existed among the great religious
  leaders of that day。〃Where the spirit of God is in any great degree; there
  will be   union   of   avail;   tho'   there   may  be   difference   in   sentiments。This   I
  have learnt; my dear Brother; by happy experience; and find great freedom
  and peace in my soul thereby。 This makes me love the Moravian Brethren
  tho'   I   cannot   agree   with   them   in   many   of   their   principles。I   cannot   look
  upon them as willful deceivers; but as persons who hazard their lives for
  the sake of the Gospel。 Mr。 Wesley is as certainly wrong in some things as
  they;   and   Mr。   Law   as   wrong   also。Yet   I   believe   both   Mr。   Law   and   Mr。
  Wesley and Count Zinzendorf will shine bright in Glory。I have not given
  way to the Moravian Brethren; nor any other who I thought were in the
  wrong; no; not for one hour。But I think it best not to dispute when there is
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  no probability of convincing。〃
  Hagen remained in   Savannah   until   February; 1742;  when   he   went   to
  Bethlehem;       accompanied       by   Abraham      Bueninger;     of  Purisburg;     who
  entered the Moravian ministry in 1742; and labored among the Indians; the
  white settlers; and in the West Indies。
  Nine more residents of Georgia followed the Moravians to Bethlehem
  in   1745;   John   Brownfield;   James   Burnside   and   his   daughter   Rebecca;
  Henry Ferdinand Beck; his wife Barbara; their daughter Maria Christina;
  and their sons Jonathan and David; all of Savannah; and Anna Catharine
  Kremper; of Purisburg。All of these served faithfully in various important
  offices; and were valuable fruit of the efforts in Georgia。
  John    Hagen    was    appointed    Warden     of  the   Nazareth    congregation;
  when it was organized; and died at Shamokin in 1747。
  1746。
  General     Oglethorpe      was   much     impressed     by   the  industry    of  the
  Moravians in Savannah; and was sorry to see them leave the Province。In
  October;   1746;   therefore;   he   proposed   to   Count   Zinzendorf   that   a   new
  attempt should be made further up the Savannah River。He offered to give
  them five hundred and twenty…six acres near Purisburg; and to arrange for
  two men to be stationed in Augusta; either as licensed Traders; fo