The Moravians in Georgia, 1735-1740Fries, Adelaide L. (Adelaide Lisetta)
History
The Moravians in Georgia, 1735-1740
Fries, Adelaide L. (Adelaide Lisetta)
Moravians -- Georgia
During his stay in Georgia, Whitefield lodged with Charles Delamotte,
who was still carrying on the little school. During the winter Delamotte
had boarded for a while with the Moravians, and when he returned to
England in the autumn, he at once associated himself with the English
members. Tyerman in his “Life and Times of John Wesley”, says, “On
his return to England, Charles Delamotte became a Moravian, settled at
Barrow-upon-Humber, where he spent a long life of piety and peace, and
died in 1790.”
On the 16th of October, Peter Boehler and George Schulius arrived in
Savannah, accompanied by the lad, Simon Peter Harper. They came
as missionaries to the negroes of Carolina, the hearts of various
philanthropic Englishmen having been touched by reports of the condition
of these half wild savages recently imported from the shores of Africa
to till the fields of the New World.
The plan originated during Count Zinzendorf’s visit to London, in
February, 1737, when it was suggested to him that such a mission should
be begun by two Moravian men, under the auspices of “the associates of
the late Dr. Bray”.
Thomas Bray, an English divine, was born in 1656, made several
missionary trips to America, and in 1697 organized a society for the
propagation of the Gospel in the English Colonies. He died in 1730,
but the work was continued by his “associates”, many of whom were also
interested in the Georgia Colony.
As this mission was to be under their direction, “the associates of the
late Dr. Bray” wished to be very sure that the doctrine and rules of the
Unitas Fratrum did not conflict with the Church of England, but being
assured by the Archbishop of Canterbury that he considered them
as agreeing in all essential points, they closed an agreement with
Zinzendorf whereby the Count received 30 Pounds with which to prepare
“two Brethren to reside for the instruction of the Negroes at such place
in Carolina as the said associates shall direct.” The missionaries,
when they had entered upon their work, were to receive a salary, “not
exceeding thirty pounds a year,” from the “associates”.
For this missionary enterprise, so much to his liking, Zinzendorf
appointed “one of my chaplains, master Boehler,” and “Schulius, a
Moravian brother,” who with Richter and Wenzel Neisser arrived in
London, February 18th, 1738. At the house of their friend Wynantz,
the Dutch merchant, they met John Wesley, who offered to secure them a
pleasant, inexpensive lodging near James Hutton’s, where he was staying.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account