the moravians in georgia-第4节

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hurch　only　temporary；　but　they　are　of　interest　because　their　necessities　led　directly　to　the　Moravian　settlements　in　Georgia　and　Pennsylvania。

The　Schwenkfelders　took　their　name　from　Casper　Schwenkfeld；　a　Silesian　nobleman　contemporary　with　Luther；　who　had　in　the　main　embraced　the　Reformer's　doctrines；　but　formed　some　opinions　of　his　own　in　regard　to　the　Lord's　Supper；　and　one　or　two　other　points。　　His　followers　were　persecuted　in　turn　by　Lutherans　and　Jesuits；　and　in　1725　a　number　of　them　threw　themselves　on　the　mercy　of　Count　Zinzendorf。　　He　permitted　them　to　stay　for　a　while　at　Herrnhut；　where　their　views　served　to　increase　the　confusion　which　prevailed　prior　to　the　revival　of　1727；　about　which　time　he　moved　them　to　Ober…Berthelsdorf。

In　1732；　Zinzendorf's　personal　enemies　accused　him；　before　the　Saxon　Court；　of　being　a　dangerous　man；　and　the　Austrian　Government　complained　that　he　was　enticing　its　subjects　to　remove　to　his　estates。　The　Count　asked　for　a　judicial　investigation；　which　was　granted；　the　Prefect　of　Goerlitz　spending　three　days　in　a　rigid　examination　of　the　affairs　of　Herrnhut。　　The　result　was　a　most　favorable　report；　showing　the　orthodoxy　of　the　settlers；　and　that　instead　of　urging　emigration　from　Bohemia　and　Moravia；　Zinzendorf　had　protested　against　it；　receiving　only　those　who　were　true　exiles　for　conscience'　sake。　In　spite　of　this　the　Saxon　Government；　a　few　months　later；　forbade　him　to　receive　any　more　refugees。

In　April；　1733；　a　decree　went　forth　that　all　Schwenkfelders　were　to　leave　the　Kingdom　of　Saxony。　　This；　of　course；　affected　those　who　were　living　at　Ober…Berthelsdorf；　and　a　committee　of　four　waited　on　Count　Zinzendorf；　and　requested　him　to　secure　a　new　home　for　them　in　the　land　of　Georgia　in　North　America。　　Probably　Zinzendorf；　whose　attention　had　been　caught　by　the　attractive　advertisements　of　the　Trustees；　had　unofficially　suggested　the　idea　to　them。

Lest　his　opening　negotiations　with　the　English　Company　should　foment　the　trouble　at　home；　he　sent　his　first　communication　to　them　anonymously；　about　the　end　of　1733。

〃A　nobleman；　of　the　Protestant　religion；　connected　with　the　most　influential　families　of　Germany；　has　decided　to　live　for　a　time　in　America；　without；　however；　renouncing　his　estates　in　Germany。　　But　as　circumstances　render　it　inadvisable　for　him　to　take　such　a　step　hastily；　he　wishes　to　send　in　advance　a　number　of　families　of　his　dependents；　composed　of　honest；　sturdy；　industrious；　skillful；　economical　people；　well　ordered　in　their　domestic　affairs；　who；　having　no　debts；　will　try　to　sell　such　possessions　as　they　cannot　take　with　them　in　order　to　raise　the　funds　for　establishing　themselves　in　their　new　home。

〃This　nobleman；　on　his　part；　promises：

（1）　　To　be　governed　by　the　King；　and　the　English　Nation；　in　all　things；　matters　of　conscience　alone　excepted；　that　is；　he　will　be　true　to　the　Prince；　the　Protestant　Succession；　and　Parliament　in　everything　relating　to　the　estates　he　may　receive　in　this　country；　and　thereto　will　pledge　his　life；　and　the　property　he　may　in　future　hold　under　the　protection　of　His　Majesty　of　Great　Britain。

（2）　　To　be　surety　for　the　dependents　that　he　sends　over；　and　to　assume　only　such　jurisdiction　over　them　as　is　customary　among　English　Lords　on　their　estates。

（3）　　To　carefully　repay　the　English　Nation　such　sums　as　may　be　advanced　for　his　establishment　in　Georgia；　and　moreover；　as　soon　as　the　property　is　in　good　condition；　to　consider　it　only　as　rented　until　the　obligation　is　discharged。

（4）　　To　assist　the　King　and　Nation；　with　all　zeal　and　by　all　means　in　his　power；　to　carry　out　His　Majesty's　designs　for　Georgia。　He　will　bring　to　that　all　the　insight　and　knowledge　of　a　man　of　affairs；　who　from　youth　up　has　studied　the　most　wholesome　principles　and　laws　for　a　State；　and　has　had　personal　experience　in　putting　them　into　execution；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　he　has　learned　such　self…control　that　he　will　meddle　with　nothing　in　which　his　services　are　not　desired。

〃In　consideration　of　these　things　the　nobleman　asks　that　

（1）　　If　more　knowledge　of　his　standing　is　desired　he　shall　be　expected　to　give　it　to　no　one　except　a　Committee　of　Parliament；　composed　of　members　of　both　houses；　appointed　by　his　Britannic　Majesty；　or　to　a　Committee　of　the　‘Collegii　directoriatis'　of　America；　who　shall　be　empowered　to　grant　his　requests；　this　in　view　of　the　fact　that　the　petitioner　is　a　German　Nobleman；　whose　family　is　well　known；　his　father　having　been　Ambassador　to　England；　and　his　kindred　among　the　foremost　statesmen　of　Europe。

（2）　　After　the　Committee　has　received　sufficient　and　satisfactory　information　it　shall　be　silent　in　regard　to　the　circumstances　and　his　personality；　as　he　has　weighty　reasons　for　not　wishing　to　subject　himself　to　criticism。

（3）　　He　shall　be　given　a　written　agreement；　guaranteeing　the　following　things：

　a。　　That　he　shall　receive　enough　land　for　a　household　　of　fifty　to　sixty　persons；　and　for　about　a　hundred　other　dependents；　　most　of　whom　have　a　trade　or　profession；　and　all　able　　to　help　build　up　the　country。

　b。　　That　his　dependents　shall　be　given　free　transportation；　　and　supplies　for　the　voyage。

　c。　　That　they　shall　be　taken　directly　to　the　place　mentioned　　in　the　agreement。

　d。　　That　he　and　his　agent　shall　have　certain　sums　advanced　to　him　　for　the　expenses　of　the　removal　to　Georgia；　the　money　to　be　given　them　　only　when　they　are　ready　to　embark　in　England；　　payment　to　be　made　　several　years　later；　a　rate　of　interest　having　been　mutually　agreed　on；　　and　the　estate　in　Georgia　being　given　for　security　if　necessary。

　e。　　All　that　is　needed　for　the　building　of　a　village　for　himself　and　　his　dependents　shall　be　furnished　them；　　but　as　an　interest　bearing　loan。

　f。　　That　he；　and　the　colonists　who　will　go　with　him；　shall　have　　full　religious　liberty；　they　being　neither　papists　nor　visionaries。

　g。　　That　if　any　of　his　dependents　should　fall　into　error　　no　one　should　attempt　to　correct　them；　but　leave　him　to　handle　the　matter　　according　to　his　own　judgment；　on　the　other　hand　he　will　stand　surety　　for　the　conduct　of　his　dependents　as　citizens。

　h。　　That　he　and　his　descendents　shall　be　taken　under　the　protection　　of　the　English　Nation　if　they　request　it。

　i。　　That　he　may　be　permitted　to　choose　whether　he　will　go　himself　to　Georgia；　　or　send　a　representative　to　set　his　affairs　in　order；　and　if　the　latter；　　then　the　representative　shall　receive　the　courteous　treatment　　that　would　have　been　accorded　him。

　j。　　That　those　among　his　colonists　who　wish　to　preach　the　gospel　　to　the　heathen　shall　be　allowed　to　do　so；　and　their　converts　shall　have　　the　same　religious　freedom　as　his　colonists。

　k。　　That　he　and　his　dependents　in　Georgia　shall　be　given　the　privileges　　in　spiritual　affairs　which　the　independent　Lords　of　Germany　enjoy　　in　temporal　affairs。

　l。　　That　all　his　property　shall　be　at　the　service　of　the　State　　in　time　of　need；　but　neither　he　nor　his　dependents　shall　be　called　on　　for　military　duty；　in　lieu　whereof　he　will；　if　necessary；　　pay　a　double　war　tax。〃

From　this　document　it　appears　that　even　at　this　early　stage　of　the　negotiations　Zinzendorf's　plans　for　the　settlement　in　Georgia　were　well　matured。　　A　town　was　to　be　built　by　his　colonists；　where　they　should　have　all　privileges　for　the　free　exercise　of　their　religion；　they；　as　thrifty　citizens；　were　to　assist　in　the　upbuilding　of　Georgia；　they　were　to　preach　the　gospel　to　the　heathen；　they　were　NOT　to　bear　arms；　but　in　case　of　war　to　pay　a　double　tax。　　His　careful　avoidance　of　the　plea　of　religious　persecution　was　caused　by　the　fact　that　his　own　King　had　ordered　the　exile　of　the　Schwenkfelders；　for　Zinzendorf　all　his　life　sought　to　pay　due　respect　to　those　in　authority；　and　even　when　his　conscience　forced　him　to　differ　with　them　it　was　done　with　perfect　courtesy；　giving　equal　weight　to　all　parts　of　the　commandment　〃Honor　all　men；　love　the　brotherhood；　fear　God；　honor　the　King。〃

The　proposals　of　the　Count　were　forwarded　through　Herr　von　Pfeil；　and　were　presented　to　the　Trustees　of　the　Colony　of　Georgia　by　a　Mr。　Lorenz。　Who　this　gentleman　was　does　not　appear；　but　a　man　bearing　that　name　was　one　of　the　Germans；　living　in　London；　who　in　1737　formed　a　society　for　religious　improvement　under　the　influence　of　Count　Zinzendorf。

Through　the　same　channel　the　answer　of　the　Trustees　was　returned：

〃Mr。　Lorenz；

The　proposals　sent　by　Baron　Pfeil　from　Ratisbon　（Regensberg）　to　the　Trustees　of　Georgia　have　been　read　at　their　meeting；　but　as　they　see　that　the　gentleman　asks　pecuniary　assistance　for　the　establishment　he　contemplates；　they　answer　that　they　have　absolutely　no　fund　from　which　to　defray　such　expenses；　but　that　in　case　the　gentleman　who　suggests　it　wishes　to　undertake　the　enterprise　at　his　own　cost　they　will　be　able　to　grant　him　land　in　Georgia　on　conditions　to　which　no　one　could　object；　and　which　he　may　learn　as　soon　as　the　Trustees　have　been　informed　that　he　has　decided　to　go　at　his　own　expense。　You　will　have　the　kindness　to　forward　this　to　Baron　Pfeil；　and　oblige；　　　　　　your　most　humble　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　servant　J。　Vernon。〃

Whether　this　plea　of　〃no　fund〃　was　prompted　by　indifference；　or　whether　they　really　considered　the　money　appropriated