the moravians in georgia-第6章

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dy…servant　of　a　Count　Laurwig；　gave　him　a　most　pathetic　description　of　the　condition　of　the　negro　slaves　in　the　Danish　West　Indies。

Filled　with　enthusiasm；　Zinzendorf　returned　to　Herrnhut；　and　poured　the　two　stories　into　willing　ears；　for　ever　since　the　great　revival　of　1727　the　Moravian　emigrants　had　been　scanning　the　field；　anxious　to　carry　the　〃good　news〃　abroad；　and　held　back　only　by　the　apparent　impossibility　of　going　forward。　　Who　were　they；　without　influence；　without　means；　without　a　country　even；　that　they　should　take　such　an　office　upon　themselves？　But　the　desire　remained；　and　at　this　summons　they　prepared　to　do　the　impossible。　　In　August；　1732；　two　men　started　for　St。　Thomas；　　in　April；　1733；　three　more　sailed　for　Greenland；　and　in　the　face　of　hardships　that　would　have　daunted　men　of　less　than　heroic　mold；　successful　missions　were　established　at　both　places。

But　this　was　not　enough。　　〃My　passionate　desire；〃　wrote　Zinzendorf　from　Herrnhut　in　January；　1735；　〃my　passionate　desire　to　make　Jesus　known　among　the　heathen　has　found　a　satisfaction　in　the　blessed　Greenland；　St。　Thomas　and　Lapp　work；　but　without　appeasing　my　hunger。　I　therefore　look　into　every　opportunity　which　presents　itself；　seeking　that　the　kingdom　of　my　Redeemer　may　be　strengthened　among　men。〃

Nor　did　he　lack　ready　assistants；　for　the　Moravians　were　as　eager　as　he。　〃When　we　in　Herrnhut　heard　of　Georgia；　of　which　much　was　being　published　in　the　newspapers；　and　when　we　realized　the　opportunity　it　would　give　to　carry　the　Truth　to　the　heathen；　several　Brethren；　who　had　the　Lord's　honor　much　at　heart；　were　led；　doubtless　by　His　hand；　to　think　that　it　would　be　a　good　plan　to　send　some　Brethren　thither；　if　it　might　please　the　Lord　to　bless　our　work　among　the　heathen；　and　so　to　bring　those　poor　souls；　now　far　from　Christ；　nigh　unto　Him。　　We　tried　to　learn　about　the　land；　but　could　secure　no　accurate　information；　for　some　spoke　from　hearsay；　others　with　prejudice；　and　many　more　with　too　great　partiality。　　But　we　at　last　decided　to　venture；　in　the　faith　that　the　Lord　would　help　us　through。〃

The　needs　of　the　Schwenkfelders　gave　a　new　turn　to　their　thoughts；　and　suggested　the　advantages　that　might　accrue　from　a　settlement　in　America　to　which　they　might　all　retreat　if　the　persecution　in　Saxony　waxed　violent；　but　early　in　the　year　1734；　the　question　〃Shall　we　go　to　Georgia　only　as　Colonists；　or　also　as　Missionaries？〃　was　submitted　to　the　lot；　and　the　answer　was　〃As　Missionaries　also。〃

The　defection　of　the　Schwenkfelders；　therefore；　while　a　serious　interference　with　the　Herrnhut　plan；　was　not　allowed　to　ruin　the　project。　Zinzendorf　wrote　again　to　the　Trustees；　and　they　repeated　their　promise　of　land；　provided　his　colonists　would　go　at　their　own　expense。

After　much　consultation　the　decision　was　reached　that　Zinzendorf　should　ask　for　a　tract　of　five　hundred　acres；　and　that　ten　men　should　be　sent　over　to　begin　a　town；　their　families　and　additional　settlers　to　follow　them　in　a　few　months。

The　next　step　was　to　find　a　way　to　send　these　men　across　the　Atlantic。　Baron　George　Philipp　Frederick　von　Reck；　a　nephew　of　Herr　von　Pfeil；

who　had　led　the　first　company　of　Salzburgers　to　Georgia；　was　planning　to　take　a　second　company　in　the　course　of　the　next　months。　He　was　young　and　enthusiastic；　met　Zinzendorf's　overtures　most　kindly；　and　even　visited　Herrnhut　in　the　early　part　of　October；　1734；　when；　as　it　happened；　nine　of　the　prospective　colonists　were　formally　presented　to　the　Congregation。　　Baron　Reck　was　very　much　impressed；　promised　to　take　with　him　to　Georgia　any　of　the　Moravians　who　wished　to　go；　and　even　sent　to　David　Nitschmann；　who　was　to　conduct　the　party　as　far　as　London；　full　authorization　to　bring　as　many　as　desired　to　come；　promising　each　man　who　went　at　his　own　expense　a　fifty…acre　freehold　in　Georgia；　and　offering　others　necessary　assistance　when　they　reached　London。　This　paper　was　signed　at　Bautzen；　October　22nd；　1734。

But　Reck　had　failed　to　realize　the　force　of　the　Halle　opposition　to　Herrnhut；　and　soon　weakened　under　the　weight　of　persuasion　and　command　laid　upon　him　by　those　whose　opinion　he　felt　obliged　to　respect。　　On　the　4th　of　November　he　wrote　from　Windhausen　to　Graf　Stolberg　Wernigerode；　〃I　have　hesitated　and　vexed　myself　in　much　uncertainty　whether　or　not　I　should　go　with　the　Herrnhuters　to　America。　　And　now　I　know　that　God　has　heard　our　prayer　at　Halle　and　Wernigerode；　and　your　letters　have　decided　me　to　stay　in　Germany　this　winter；　in　the　first　place　because　my　going　would　be　a　grief　to　my　dear　Urlsperger；　whom　I　love　as　a　father；　secondly　because　the　English　will　send　over　a　third　transport　of　Salzburgers　in　the　coming　spring　and　wish　me　to　take　them；　and　thirdly　because　I　wish　to　obey　worthy　and　chosen　men　of　God。〃

He　wrote　to　the　same　effect　to　Zinzendorf；　and　the　Count；　though　doubtless　annoyed；　replied　simply：　　〃Your　Highness'　resolution　to　accomodate　yourself　to　your　superiors　would　be　known　by　us　all　for　right。　You　will　then　not　blame　us　if　we　go　our　way　as　it　is　pointed　out　to　us　by　the　Lord。〃

A　few　days　later　Reck　received　a　sharp　note　from　the　Trustees　of　Georgia；　reproving　him　for　his　temerity　in　agreeing　to　take　the　Moravians　with　him　to　Georgia　without　consulting　them；　and　reiterating　the　statement　that　the　funds　in　their　hands　had　been　given　for　the　use　of　the　Salzburgers；　and　could　be　used　for　them　alone。

The　young　man　must　have　winced　not　a　little　under　all　this　censure；　but　while　he　yielded　his　plan　to　the　wishes　of　the　Halle　party；　he　held　firmly　to　the　opinion　he　had　formed　of　the　Moravians。　He　wrote　to　Urlsperger　and　others　in　their　behalf；　declaring　that　they　were　a　godly　people；　much　misunderstood；　that　it　was　a　shame　to　persecute　them　and　try　to　hinder　their　going　to　Georgia；　and　he　felt　sure　that　if　their　opponents　would　once　meet　the　Moravians　and　converse　with　them　freely；　confidentially；　and　without　prejudice；　they　would　come　to　respect　them　as　he　did。　　He　also　suggested　that　there　were　many　protestants　remaining　in　Bohemia；　who　would　gladly　leave；　and　who　might　be　secured　for　Georgia　on　the　terms　offered　to　the　Salzburgers。　The　next　year　in　fact；　an　effort　was　made　to　obtain　permission　from　the　Austrian　Government　for　the　emigration　of　these　people；　and　Reck　was　authorized　by　the　Trustees　to　take　them　to　Georgia；　but　nothing　came　of　it。

Nor　did　his　championship　of　the　Bohemians　and　Moravians　already　in　Saxony　have　any　result。　　Urlsperger　was　offended　that　the　negotiations　from　Herrnhut　with　the　Trustees　were　not　being　carried　on　through　him；　〃the　only　one　in　Germany　to　whom　the　Trustees　had　sent　formal　authority　to　receive　people　persecuted　on　account　of　religion；　or　forced　to　emigrate；〃　and　the　Halle　party　were　unable　or　unwilling　to　meet　the　leaders　of　the　Moravians　〃without　prejudice〃。　　The　company　of　Salzburgers　therefore　sailed　for　Georgia　in　November　without　Baron　von　Reck；　and　without　the　Moravians；　Mr。　Vat　acting　as　Commissary。

The　Moravians；　meanwhile；　were　not　waiting　idly　for　matters　to　turn　their　way；　but　even　before　Reck　reached　his　decision　Spangenberg　had　started　for　England　to　arrange　personally　with　the　Georgia　Trustees　for　their　emigration。

August　Gottlieb　Spangenberg　was　born　July　15th；　1704；　at　Klettenberg；　Prussia。　In　the　year　1727；　while　a　student　at　Jena；　he　became　acquainted　with　the　Moravians　through　a　visit　of　two　of　their　number；　which　won　them　many　friends　at　that　institution。　　Later；　when　he　was　Assistant　Professor　of　Theology　at　Halle；　he　was　required　to　sever　his　connection　with　the　Moravians；　or　leave　the　University；　and　choosing　the　latter　he　came　to　Herrnhut　in　the　spring　of　1733。　He　was　one　of　the　strongest；　ablest；　and　wisest　leaders　that　the　Unitas　Fratrum　has　ever　had；　and　eventually　became　a　Bishop　of　the　Unity；　and　a　member　of　its　governing　board。　　He　was　a　writer　of　marked　ability；　and　in　his　diaries　was　accustomed　to　speak　of　himself　as　〃Brother　Joseph〃；　by　which　name　he　was　also　widely　known　among　the　Moravians。

Spangenberg　left　Herrnhut　in　the　late　summer　or　early　fall　of　1734；　bearing　with　him　Zinzendorf's　Power　of　Attorney　to　receive　for　him　a　grant　from　the　Georgia　Trustees　of　five　hundred　acres　of　land；　and　to　transact　all　other　necessary　bus