按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
he glens and fastnesses of their native Alps。
〃The march of these Salzburgers constitutes an epoch in the history of Germany。 * * * Arriving at Augsburg; the magistrates closed the gates against them; refusing them entrance to that city which; two hundred years before; through Luther and Melancthon and in the presence of Charles V and the assembled Princes of Germany; had given birth to the celebrated Augsburg Confession; for clinging to which the Salzburgers were now driven from their homes; but overawed by the Protestants; the officers reluctantly admitted the emigrants; who were kindly entertained by the Lutherans。
〃The sympathies of Reformed Christendom were awakened on their behalf; and the most hospitable entertainment and assistance were everywhere given them。〃 Only a few months after the signing of the Georgia Colony Charter; the 〃Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge〃 requested the Trustees to include the Salzburgers in their plans。 The Trustees expressed their willingness to grant lands; and to manage any money given toward their expenses; but stated that they then held no funds which were available for that purpose。
In May; 1733; the House of Commons appropriated 10;000 Pounds to the Trustees of Georgia; 〃to be applied towards defraying the charges of carrying over and settling foreign and other Protestants in said colony;〃 and over 3;000 Pounds additional having been given privately; the Trustees; at the suggestion of Herr von Pfeil; consul of Wittenberg at Regensberg; wrote to Senior Samuel Urlsperger; pastor of the Lutheran Church of St。 Ann in the city of Augsburg; who had been very kind to the Salzburgers on their arrival there; 〃and ever afterward watched over their welfare with the solicitude of an affectionate father。〃 On receipt of the invitation from the Trustees; seventy…eight persons decided to go to Georgia; and left Augsburg on the 21st of October; reaching Rotterdam the 27th of November; where they were joined by two ministers; Rev。 Mr。 Bolzius; deputy superintendent of the Latin Orphan School at Halle; and Rev。 Mr。 Gronau; a tutor in the same; who were to accompany them to their new home。 In England they were treated with marked kindness; and when they sailed; January 19; 1734; it was with the promise of free transportation to Georgia; and support there until they could reap their first harvest from the fifty acres which were to be given to each man among them。
They reached Charlestown; South Carolina; the following March; and met General Oglethorpe; the Governor of Georgia; who was intending an immediate return to Europe; but went back to help them select a suitable place for their settlement; they preferring not to live in Savannah itself。 The site chosen was about twenty…five miles from Savannah; on a large stream flowing into the Savannah River; and there they laid out their town; calling it 〃Ebenezer〃; in grateful remembrance of the Divine help that had brought them thither。 Baron von Reck; who had accompanied them as Commissary of the Trustees; stayed with them until they had made a good beginning; and then returned to Europe; leaving Ebenezer about the middle of May。
Unitas Fratrum。
But while the Salzburgers received so much sympathy and kindness in Germany on account of their distress; other exiled Protestants; whose story was no less touching; were being treated with scant courtesy and consideration。
On the 6th of July; 1415; the Bohemian Reformer; John Hus; was burned at the stake。 But those who had silenced him could not unsay his message; and at last there drew together a little body of earnest men; who agreed to accept the Bible as their only standard of faith and practice; and established a strict discipline which should keep their lives in the simplicity; purity; and brotherly love of the early Apostolic Church。 This was in 1457; and the movement quickly interested the thoughtful people in all classes of society; many of whom joined their ranks。 The formal organization of the Unitas Fratrum (the Unity of Brethren) followed; and its preaching; theological publications; and educational work soon raised it to great influence in Bohemia; Moravia; and Poland; friendly intercourse being established with Luther; Calvin; and other Reformers as they became prominent。
Then came destruction; when the religious liberty of Bohemia and Moravia was extinguished in blood; by the Church of Rome。 The great Comenius went forth; a wanderer on the face of the earth; welcomed and honored in courts and universities; introducing new educational principles that revolutionized methods of teaching; but ever longing and praying for the restoration of his Church; and by his publication of its Doctrine and Rules of Discipline; and by his careful transmission of the Episcopate which had been bestowed upon him and his associate Bishops; he did contribute largely to that renewal which he was not destined to see。
In the home lands there were many who held secretly; tenaciously; desperately; to the doctrines they loved; 〃in hope against hope〃 that the great oppression would be lifted。 But the passing of a hundred years brought no relief; concessions granted to others were still denied to the children of those who had been the first 〃protestants〃 against religious slavery and corruption; and in 1722 a small company of descendants of the ancient Unitas Fratrum slipped over the borders of Moravia; and went to Saxony; Nicholas Lewis; Count Zinzendorf; having given them permission to sojourn on his estates until they could find suitable homes elsewhere。
Hearing that they had reached a place of safety; other Moravians took their lives in their hands and followed; risking the imprisonment and torture which were sure to follow an unsuccessful attempt to leave a province; the Government of which would neither allow them to be happy at home nor to sacrifice everything and go away。 Among these emigrants were five young men; who went in May; 1724; with the avowed intention of trying to resuscitate the Unitas Fratrum。 They intended to go into Poland; where the organization of the Unitas Fratrum had lasted for a considerable time after its ruin in Bohemia; but; almost by accident; they decided to first visit Christian David; who had led the first company to Herrnhut; Saxony; and while there they became convinced that God meant them to throw in their lot with these refugees; and so remained; coming to be strong leaders in the renewed Unity。
Several years; however; elapsed before the church was re…established。 One hundred years of persecution had left the Moravians only traditions of the usages of the fathers; members of other sects who were in trouble came and settled among them; bringing diverse views; and things were threatening to become very much involved; when Count Zinzendorf; who had hitherto paid little attention to them; awoke to the realization of their danger; and at once set to work to help them。
It was no easy task which he undertook; for the Moravians insisted on retaining their ancient discipline; and he must needs try to please them and at the same time preserve the bond of union with the State Church; the Lutheran; of which; as his tenants; they were official