the moravians in georgia- 第1部分

The　Moravians　in　Georgia；　1735…1740　by　Adelaide　L。　Fries




Preface。



In　the　life　of　any　individual；　association；　or　nation；　there　will　probably　be　one　or　more　occurrences　which　may　be　considered　as　success　or　failure　according　to　the　dramatic　features　of　the　event　and　the　ultimate　results。　Of　this　the　Battle　of　Bunker　Hill　is　a　striking　example。　On　the　morning　of　June　17th；　1775；　a　force　of　British　soldiers　attacked　a　small　body　of　raw；　ill…equipped　American　volunteers；　who　had　fortified　a　hill　near　Boston；　and　quickly　drove　them　from　their　position。　　By　whom　then　was　the　Bunker　Hill　Monument　erected？　By　the　victors　in　that　first　engagement　of　the　Revolution？　　No；　but　by　proud　descendants　of　the　vanquished；　whose　broader　view　showed　them　the　incalculable　benefits　arising　from　that　seeming　defeat；　which　precipitated　the　great　struggle；　forcing　every　man　in　the　Colonies　to　take　a　position　squarely　for　or　against　the　American　Cause；　convinced　the　timid　that　only　proper　equipment　would　be　needed　to　enable　the　American　army　to　hold　its　own　against　the　foe；　and　taught　the　British　that　they　were　dealing；　not　with　hot…headed　rebels　who　would　run　at　first　sight　of　the　dreaded　〃red　coats〃；　but　with　patriots　who　would　stand　their　ground　so　long　as　a　charge　of　powder　remained；　or　gunstocks　could　be　handled　as　clubs。

Very　much　the　same　line　of　argument　may　be　applied　to　the　first　attempt　of　the　Moravian　Church　to　establish　a　settlement　on　the　American　Continent。　The　story　is　usually　passed　over　by　historians　in　a　few　short　paragraphs；　and　yet　without　the　colony　in　Georgia；　the　whole　history　of　the　Renewed　Church　of　the　Unitas　Fratrum　would　have　been　very　different。　　Without　that　movement　the　Moravian　Church　might　never　have　been　established　in　England；　without　it　the　great　Methodist　denomination　might　never　have　come　into　being；　without　it　the　American　Moravian　provinces；　North　or　South；　might　not　have　been　planned。　　Of　course　Providence　might　have　provided　other　means　for　the　accomplishment　of　these　ends；　but　certain　it　is　that　in　the　actual　development　of　all　these　things　the　〃unsuccessful　attempt〃　in　Georgia；　1735　to　1740；　played　a　most　important　part。

In　preparing　this　history　a　number　of　private　libraries；　the　collections　of　the　Georgia　Historical　Society；　the　Congressional　Library；　the　British　Museum；　were　searched　for　data；　but　so　little　was　found　that　the　story；　in　so　far　as　it　relates　to　the　Moravian　settlement；　has　been　drawn　entirely　from　the　original　manuscripts　in　the　Archives　of　the　Unitas　Fratrum　at　Herrnhut；　Germany；　with　some　additions　from　the　Archives　at　Bethlehem；　Pa。；　and　Salem；　N。　C。　　For　the　general　history　of　Georgia；　of　the　Moravian　Church；　and　of　the　Wesleys；　Steven's　History　of　Georgia；　Hamilton's　History　of　the　Moravian　Church；　Levering's　History　of　Bethlehem；　Pa。；　Some　Fathers　of　the　American　Moravian　Church；　by　de　Schweinitz；　Strobel's　History　of　the　Salzburgers；　Tyreman's　Oxford　Methodists；　and　Wesley's　Journal　have　been　most　largely　used。

The　history　of　the　Moravian　settlement　in　Georgia　falls　into　that　period　when　dates　are　much　confused　through　the　contemporaneous　use　of　the　old　style；　or　Julian　calendar；　and　the　new　style；　or　Gregorian　calendar。　As　the　latter　is　now　current　everywhere；　except　in　Russia　and　the　Orient；　it　is　here　employed　throughout；　old　style　dates　being　translated　where　they　occur　in　the　records。

Special　thanks　are　due　to　Rev。　A。　Glitsch；　Archivist　at　Herrnhut；　for　courtesies　extended　while　the　author　was　examining　the　invaluable　collection　of　papers　entrusted　to　his　care；　and　also　for　his　supervision　of　the　copying　of　such　documents　as　were　selected；　to　Mr。　Isaac　Beckett；　of　Savannah；　for　information　respecting　the　Moravian　lands；　to　Mr。　John　Jordan；　of　Philadelphia；　for　copies　of　deeds　and　other　papers　relating　to　the　settlement；　to　Mr。　W。　S。　Pfohl；　of　Salem；　for　assistance　with　the　illustrations；　and　to　Mr。　John　W。　Fries　for　suggestion　and　inspiration　for　the　work；　and　the　constant　encouragement　and　sympathetic　interest　without　which　the　author's　courage　would　have　failed　during　the　tedious　years　of　gathering　material　for　the　book；　which　is　now　presented　to　those　who　may　find　in　it　something　of　explanation；　something　of　interest；　concerning　the　Moravian　settlement　in　Georgia；　and　the　broader　history　which　the　story　touches　on　every　side。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Adelaide　L。　Fries。　August；　1904。






Table　of　Contents。



Chapter　I。　　Antecedent　Events。　　　The　Province　of　Georgia。　　　The　Salzburgers。　　　Unitas　Fratrum。　　　Halle　Opposition。

Chapter　II。　　Negotiations　with　the　Trustees　of　Georgia。　　　The　Schwenkfelders。　　　Preliminary　Steps。　　　The　〃First　Company〃。

Chapter　III。　　The　First　Year　in　Georgia。　　　The　Voyage。　　　Making　a　Start。　　　Aim　and　Attainment。

Chapter　IV。　　Reinforcements。　　　The　〃Second　Company〃。　　　Four　Journals。　　　Organization。

Chapter　V。　　The　Second　Year　in　Georgia。　　　The　English　Clergymen。　　　Work　Among　the　Indians。　　　The　〃Society〃。　　　Rumors　of　War。

Chapter　VI。　　Disintegration。　　　Spangenberg's　Visit。　　　A　Closing　Door。　　　Wesley；　Ingham　and　Toeltschig。　　　The　Negro　Mission。

Chapter　VII。　　Conclusion。　　　Later　Attempts　in　Georgia。　　　The　Savannah　Lands。　　　Arrivals；　Departures；　Deaths。　　　Summary。




The　Moravians　in　Georgia；　1735…1740。




Chapter　I。　　Antecedent　Events。



　　The　Province　of　Georgia。

It　was　in　the　year　1728　that　the　English　Parliament　was　persuaded　by　James　Oglethorpe；　Esq。　　soldier；　statesman　and　philanthropist；　　to　appoint　a　committee　to　investigate　the　condition　of　the　debtors　confined　in　the　Fleet　and　Marchalsea　prisons。　　The　lot　of　these　debtors　was　a　most　pitiable　one；　for　a　creditor　had　power　to　imprison　a　man　for　an　indefinite　term　of　years；　and　the　unfortunate　debtor；　held　within　the　four　walls　of　his　prison；　could　earn　no　money　to　pay　the　debt　that　was　owing；　and　unless　friends　came　to　his　rescue；　was　utterly　at　the　mercy　of　the　oft…times　barbarous　jailor。　　The　Committee；　consisting　of　ninety…six　prominent　men；　with　Oglethorpe　as　Chairman；　recommended　and　secured　the　redress　of　many　grievances；　and　the　passing　of　better　laws　for　the　future；　but　Oglethorpe　and　a　few　associates　conceived　a　plan　which　they　thought　would　eradicate　the　evil　by　striking　at　its　very　root；　the　difficulty　which　many　found　in　earning　a　living　in　the　overcrowded　cities。

In　1663　King　Charles　II。　had　granted　to　eight　〃Lords　Proprietors〃　the　portion　of　North　America　lying　between　the　31st　and　36th　degrees　of　latitude；　enlarging　the　boundaries　in　1665　to　29　deg。　and　36　deg。　30　min。　By　1728　most　of　these　Lords　Proprietors　had　tired　of　their　attempt　to　govern　the　colonies　they　had　established　in　〃Carolina〃；　and　in　1729　seven　of　the　eight　sold　their　interest　to　the　English　crown；　the　district　being　divided　into　〃North　Carolina〃；　〃South　Carolina〃；　and　a　more　southerly　portion；　nominally　included　in　the　latter；　which　was　held　in　reserve。

To　this　unused　land　the　thoughts　of　Oglethorpe　turned；　and　he　and　his　friends　addressed　a　memorial　to　the　Privy　Council；　stating　〃that　the　cities　of　London；　Westminster；　and　parts　adjacent；　do　abound　with　great　numbers　of　indigent　persons；　who　are　reduced　to　such　necessity　as　to　become　burthensome　to　the　public；　and　who　would　be　willing　to　seek　a　livelihood　in　any　of　his　majesty's　plantations　in　America；　if　they　were　provided　with　a　passage；　and　means　of　settling　there。〃　They　therefore　asked　for　a　grant　of　land　lying　south　of　the　Savannah　River；　where　they　wished　to　establish　a　colony　in　which　these　unfortunate　men　might　begin　life　anew；　and　where　Protestants；　persecuted　in　some　parts　of　Europe；　might　find　a　refuge。　　They　also　offered　to　take　entire　charge　of　the　affair；　and　their　petition；　after　passing　through　the　usual　channels；　was　approved　by　the　King；　George　II；　a　charter　was　prepared；　and　the　great　seal　was　affixed　June　9th；　1732。

This　instrument　constituted　twenty…one　noblemen　and　gentlemen　a　body　corporate；　by　the　name　and　style　of　〃The　Trustees　for　establishing　the　Colony　of　Georgia　in　America〃；　and　in　them　was　vested　full　authority　for　the　collecting　of　subscriptions　and　the　expending　of　moneys　gathered；　the　selection　of　colonists；　and　the　making　and　administering　of　laws　in　Georgia；　but　no　member　of　the　corporation　was　allowed　to　receive　a　salary；　or　any　fees；　or　to　hold　land　in　the　new　province。　　The　undertaking　was　to　be　strictly　for　the　good　of　others；　not　for　their　own　pecuniary　benefit。　The　charter　granted　to　them　〃all　those　lands；　countries；　and　territories　situate；　lying　and　being　in　that　part　of　South　Carolina；　in　America〃　between　the　Savannah　and　Altamaha；　gave　them　permission　to　take　over　any　British　subjects；　or　foreigners　willing　to　become　such；　and　guaranteed　to　each　settler　the　rights　of　an　English　subject；　and　full　liberty　of　conscience；　　Papists　alone　excepted。　This　apparently　pointed　exception　was　natural　enough；　since　from　a　political　standpoint　the　new　colony　was　regarded　as　a　valuable　guard　for　the　Protestant　English　Colonies　on　the　north；　against　the　Indians　and　Roman　Catholic　colonists　to　the　south；　who　had　been　keeping　the　border　settlers　in　a　continual　state　of　uneasiness；　even　in　times　of　nominal　peace。　　Moreover　England　had　not　forgotten　the　terrible　experience　of　the　latter　half　of　the　preceding　century；　when　it　was　war　to　the　death　between　Catholic　and　Protestant；　and　the　latter　party　being　the　stronger　the　former　was　subjected　to　great　and　unpardonable　persecution；　many　were　executed；　and　all　holding　that　faith　were　laid　under　political　disabilities　which　lasted　for　a　hundred　and　fifty　years。

The　plans　of　the　Trustees　were　very　broad。　　They　intended　〃to　relieve　such　unfortunate　persons　as　cannot　subsist　here；　and　establish　them　in　an　orderly　manner；　so　as　to　form　a　well　regulated　town。　　As　far　as　their　fund　goes　they　will　defray　the　charge　of　their　passage　to　Georgia　　give　them　necessaries；　cattle；　land；　and　subsistence；　till　such　time　as　they　can　build　their　houses　and　clear　some　of　their　land。〃　In　this　manner　〃many　families　who　would　otherwise　starve　will　be　provided　for；　and　made　masters　of　houses　and　lands；　*　*　*　and　by　giving　refuge　to　the　distressed　Salzburgers　and　other　Protestants；　the　power　of　Britain；　as　a　reward　for