第45章 Disintegration(2)

The authorities therefore had announced that provisions would be sold only to those who were helping build the fort.This entirely excluded the Moravians, but instead of suffering from hunger they had been able to share with some of their neighbors.The prices charged at the store in Savannah were always high, so, as he was passing through New York on his return from St.Thomas, Spangenberg had asked a friend to send the Moravians two thousand pounds of flour and salt-meat, for which they were to pay.The merchant at that time knew of no ship sailing for Savannah, so in Philadelphia, Spangenberg had arranged that two thousand pounds of meat should be sent from there at once on a year's credit.Meanwhile the New York merchant found an opportunity to send what was ordered from him, so the Moravians had been surprised by a double quantity, which proved to be just what they needed during the general scarcity.When the friends in Pennsylvania heard that provisions had been sent, but not enough to last until the next harvest, they gave thirty-six hundred pounds of flour to Spangenberg to be taken, as a present, to the Georgia Moravians, and when word was received that Spangenberg's ship was lost, they sent an additional eighteen hundred pounds, so the "Society" was well supplied with this necessary article of food for some time to come.

In their household affairs the Moravians had had various experiences.

Hermsdorf had been so thoroughly frightened by the demonstrations against the Moravians that on the 16th of May he had sailed for Germany, regardless of Toeltschig's efforts to persuade him to wait, as his wife might even then be on her way to join him.

Not only did he fear the townspeople so greatly that day and night he stayed in his room "as in a prison", but he was still more afraid to face Gen.Oglethorpe, who, it was said, would soon return.

Only once had he joined in the devotional exercises of the household after his return from Frederica, and it was rather a relief when he left for home, having first repaid the amount of his passage to Georgia.

He seems to have retained his connection with the Moravian Church, for he was in Herrnhut when Wesley visited there, and showed him many courtesies; and he is mentioned in 1742, as bearing letters to the "Sea Congregation", then about to sail for Pennsylvania.

On the 6th of June a four-year-old English boy had been taken into their household.He was an orphan, and they meant to bring him up, but the little fellow died on the 23rd of July.

On the 10th of June the matrimonial troubles of George Waschke and Juliana Jaeschke had been happily terminated by their marriage.

Waschke had been one of the discontents ever since the arrival of the second company, but when his marriage was finally arranged he professed himself contrite, and promised all obedience to the rules of the "Society", so long as he stayed in Savannah, though he retained his desire to leave as soon as possible.

Juliana also had greatly improved in her behaviour before the wedding.

This marriage was the cause of a very interesting discussion among the Moravians, as to who should perform the ceremony.

"In the afternoon the Brethren met to decide who should be appointed to marry Waschke and Juliana.Properly Br.Peter (Rose)should have been ordained by Br.Anton (Seifert) to the office of a "Diener"in the Congregation, that he might marry and baptize, but the Brethren did not think it necessary to ordain him on Waschke's account, and voted that Toeltschig should marry them.He objected, but they said Toeltschig had been made a `Diener' of the Congregation at Herrnhut.He protested that he had not been sent to Georgia to marry and baptize, and did not wish to do it.The others insisted, and asked that the lot be tried; Toeltschig agreed to submit to their wish, and the lot drawn read `he shall marry these two'," which he did the next day.

Parallel with this is the baptism of Rose's twin daughters, Anna Catherina and Maria Magdalena, who were born on the 16th of September, 1737, -- Anna Catherina dying later in the same year.

Of this Toeltschig wrote: "I, at the request of the Brethren, baptized them in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, after Br.Anton (Seifert) had ordained me a "Diener" in the Congregation."It frequently happens that a puzzling action becomes clear when it is considered from the standpoint of the man who has done it, but when the motive can not be fathomed many things are hard to understand.

That Seifert had been empowered to delegate to another member a duty usually reserved for the clergy, was reasonable, though unusual, for his serious illness or death would have left the Congregation without ministration until word could be sent to Germany, and some one else could come to take his place, -- a matter of months, --but, when the "Aeltester" was present, in full health, in entire accord with his Congregation, and when he in person confirmed candidates for Church membership, why did he not marry and baptize directly, instead of ordaining a "Diener" especially for those two offices?

There must have been some regulation in the Congregation at Herrnhut which led to it, for the idea that Seifert himself should marry Waschke and Juliana, and baptize the Rose children, evidently did not occur to them, but the rule can not now be found, and there is no clue to the strange proceeding.

Soon after the Waschke affair had been settled to the satisfaction of all parties, serious trouble had arisen with Jag and Haberecht.

It was reported to the Moravians that Jag had engaged himself to a Swiss woman living in Savannah, and when questioned he admitted that it was true.

They argued with him, and pled with him, but to no avail, and finally told him plainly that they would not allow him to bring the woman to their house, and more than that, if he persisted in his determination he would have to leave them;and angry and defiant he did take his departure the next day, July the 10th.