the moravians in georgia-第18部分

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！


er　till　nine。　About　nine　the　sea　broke　over　us　from　stem　to　stern；　burst　through　the　windows　of　the　state　cabin；　where　three　or　four　of　us　were；　and　covered　us　all　over；　though　a　bureau　sheltered　me　from　the　main　shock。　About　eleven　I　lay　down　in　the　great　cabin；　and　in　a　short　time　fell　asleep；　though　very　uncertain　whether　I　should　wake　alive；　and　much　ashamed　of　my　unwillingness　to　die。　　O　how　pure　in　heart　must　he　be；　who　would　rejoice　to　appear　before　God　at　a　moment's　warning！　Toward　morning　〃He　rebuked　the　wind　and　the　sea；　and　there　was　a　great　calm。〃

　29　Jan。　1736。

Nitschmann。　　Jan。　29th。

We　read　the　13th　chapter　of　Mark　at　our　early　prayer　service。　The　weather　was　a　little　better；　but　the　wind　was　contrary。　We　also　saw　a　ship　which　was　sailing　northeast。　　In　the　evening　we　read　the　ninety…eighth　Psalm；　the　Lord　was　with　us　and　we　were　blessed。



Wesley。　　Jan。　18th；　Sunday。

We　returned　thanks　to　God　for　our　deliverance；　of　which　a　few　appeared　duly　sensible。　　But　the　rest　（among　whom　were　most　of　the　sailors）　denied　we　had　been　in　any　danger。　　I　could　not　have　believed　that　so　little　good　would　have　been　done　by　the　terror　they　were　in　before。　But　it　cannot　be　that　they　should　long　obey　God　from　fear；　who　are　deaf　to　the　motives　of　love。

　1　Feb。　1736。

Nitschmann。　　Feb。　1st。

The　weather　was　fine；　and　there　was　no　wind　until　ten　o'clock；　when　it　came　from　the　right　quarter。　　In　addition　to　our　usual　allowance　the　Captain　sent　us　fresh　meat；　which　he　has　done　thrice　already；　and　we　do　not　altogether　like　it；　for　we　are　content　with　what　we　have；　and　do　not　desire　more。

　3　Feb。　1736。

Nitschmann。　　Feb。　3rd。

There　was　a　great　storm；　which　lasted　all　night。



Wesley。　　Jan。　23rd；　Friday。

In　the　evening　another　storm　began。　　In　the　morning　it　increased；　so　that　they　were　forced　to　let　the　ship　drive。　　I　could　not　but　say　to　myself；　〃How　is　it　that　thou　hast　no　faith？〃　being　still　unwilling　to　die。　　About　one　in　the　afternoon；　almost　as　soon　as　I　had　stepped　out　of　the　great　cabin　door；　the　sea　did　not　break　as　usual；　but　came　with　a　smooth　full　tide　over　the　side　of　the　ship。　　I　was　vaulted　over　with　water　in　a　moment；　and　so　stunned；　that　I　scarce　expected　to　lift　up　my　head　again；　till　the　sea　should　give　up　her　dead。　　But　thanks　be　to　God；　I　received　no　hurt　at　all。　　About　noon　our　third　storm　began。

　4　Feb。　1736。

Nitschmann。　　Feb。　4th。

The　storm　lasted　all　day；　and　the　waves　often　swept　over　the　ship。　The　storm　rudder　was　lashed　fast；　and　so　we　were　driven。

　5　Feb。　1736。

Nitschmann。　　Feb。　5th。

In　the　early　morning　we　had　a　fairly　good　breeze；　but　about　ten　o'clock；　a　storm　rose；　of　such　violence　that　the　wind　seemed　to　blow　from　all　four　quarters　at　once；　and　we　were　in　danger　of　being　overpowered。　The　waves　were　like　mountains；　the　rudder　was　lashed　fast；　only　one　sail　was　spread；　and　we　drove　on；　only　the　Lord　knew　whither。　But　we　did　not　let　it　prevent　us　from　holding　our　song　service。　The　text　given　to　us　was　Psalm　115：14；　which　assured　us　that　we　were　blessed　of　God；　　may　He　ever　bless　us　more　and　more。　During　the　service　the　ship　was　covered　with　a　great　wave；　which　poured　in　upon　us；　and　on　the　deck　there　was　a　great　cry　that　the　wind　had　split　the　one　sail　which　was　spread。　There　was　great　fright　among　the　people　who　have　no　God；　the　English　clergyman　was　much　aroused；　ran　to　them；　and　preached　repentance；　saying　among　other　things　that　they　could　now　see　the　difference。　I　was　content；　for　our　lives　are　in　God's　hands；　and　He　does　what　He　will；　among　us　there　was　no　fear；　for　the　Lord　helped　us。

（There　was　a　terrible　storm　which　lasted　till　midnight。　During　the　song　service　a　great　wave　struck　the　ship　with　a　noise　like　the　roar　of　a　cannon。　　The　wind　tore　the　strong　new　sail　in　two；　the　people；　especially　the　English　women；　screamed　and　wept；　the　preacher　Wesley；　who　is　always　with　us　in　our　song　service；　cried　out　against　the　English；　〃Now　man　can　see　who　has　a　God；　and　who　has　none。〃　　During　the　last　eight　days　we　have　had　so　much　contrary　wind；　and　so　many　storms　that　we　could　not　approach　the　land；　though　we　were　near　it　several　times。　　　Dober's　Diary。）



Wesley。　　Jan。　25th；　Sunday。

At　noon　our　third　storm　began。　　At　four　it　was　more　violent　than　before。　The　winds　roared　round　about　us；　and　whistled　as　distinctly　as　if　it　had　been　a　human　voice。　　The　ship　not　only　rocked　to　and　fro　with　the　utmost　violence；　but　shook　and　jarred　with　so　unequal；　grating；　a　motion；　that　one　could　not　but　with　great　difficulty　keep　one's　hold　of　anything；　nor　stand　a　moment　without　it。　　Every　ten　minutes　came　a　shock　against　the　stern　or　side　of　the　ship；　which　one　would　think　should　dash　the　planks　to　pieces。

We　spent　two　or　three　hours　after　prayers；　in　conversing　suitably　to　the　occasion；　confirming　one　another　in　a　calm　submission　to　the　wise；　holy；　gracious　will　of　God。　　And　now　a　storm　did　not　appear　so　terrible　as　before。　　Blessed　be　the　God　of　all　consolation！

At　seven　I　went　to　the　Germans；　I　had　long　before　observed　the　great　seriousness　of　their　behaviour。　　Of　their　humility　they　had　given　a　continual　proof；　by　performing　those　servile　offices　for　the　other　passengers；　which　none　of　the　English　would　undertake；　for　which　they　desired；　and　would　receive　no　pay；　saying　〃It　was　good　for　their　proud　hearts；〃　and　〃their　loving　Saviour　had　done　more　for　them。〃　And　every　day　had　given　them　occasion　of　showing　a　meekness；　which　no　injury　could　move。　　If　they　were　pushed；　struck；　or　thrown　down；　they　rose　again　and　went　away；　but　no　complaint　was　found　in　their　mouth。　There　was　now　an　opportunity　of　trying　whether　they　were　delivered　from　the　spirit　of　fear；　as　well　as　from　that　of　pride；　anger；　and　revenge。　In　the　midst　of　the　psalm　wherewith　their　service　began；　the　sea　broke　over；　split　the　mainsail　in　pieces；　covered　the　ship；　and　poured　in　between　the　decks；　as　if　the　great　deep　had　already　swallowed　us　up。　　A　terrible　screaming　began　among　the　English。　The　Germans　calmly　sung　on。　　I　asked　one　of　them　afterward；　〃Were　you　not　afraid？〃　　He　answered；　〃I　thank　God；　no。〃　I　asked；　〃But　were　not　your　women　and　children　afraid？〃　　He　replied　mildly；　〃No；　our　women　and　children　are　not　afraid　to　die。〃

From　them　I　went　to　their　crying；　trembling　neighbors；　and　pointed　out　to　them　the　difference　in　the　hour　of　trial；　between　him　that　feareth　God；　and　him　that　feareth　Him　not。　At　twelve　the　wind　fell。　　This　was　the　most　glorious　day　which　I　have　hitherto　seen。

　6　Feb。　1736。

Nitschmann。　　Feb。　6th。

（The　oldest　sailors　say　they　have　never　seen　so　fierce　a　storm　as　the　one　we　had　last　night。　　The　wind　came　from　all　sides　at　once；　lifted　the　water　from　the　sea；　bore　it　through　the　air　and　cast　it　on　the　other　ship；　where　Baron　von　Reck　and　the　Salzburgers　were；　and　so　flooded　it　that　twelve　persons　were　kept　at　the　pumps　all　night。　　Dober's　Diary。）



Wesley。　　Jan。　26th。

We　enjoyed　the　calm。　　I　can　conceive　no　difference　comparable　to　that　between　a　smooth　and　a　rough　sea；　except　that　which　is　between　a　mind　calmed　by　the　love　of　God；　and　one　torn　up　by　the　storms　of　earthly　passion。

　8　Feb。　1736。

Nitschmann。　　Feb。　8th。

（There　was　a　calm；　and　very　fine　weather；　so　that　a　boat　could　be　lowered　to　visit　the　other　ship。　　　Dober's　Diary。）



Wesley。　　Jan。　28th。

（Being　a　calm　day；　I　went　on　board　the　other　ship；　read　prayers；　and　visited　the　people。　　At　my　return　I　acquainted　Mr。　Oglethorpe　with　their　state；　and　he　sent　them　such　things　as　they　needed。　　Ingham's　Journal。）

　9　Feb。　1736。

Nitschmann。　　Feb。　9th。

（The　wind　was　again　favorable　to　us；　but　there　was　much　lightning。　　Dober's　Diary。）



Wesley。　　Jan。　29th。

About　seven　in　the　evening　we　fell　in　with　the　skirts　of　a　hurricane。　The　rain　as　well　as　the　wind　was　extremely　violent。　　The　sky　was　so　dark　in　a　moment；　that　the　sailors　could　not　so　much　as　see　the　ropes；　or　set　about　furling　the　sails。　　The　ship　must；　in　all　probability；　have　overset；　had　not　the　wind　fell　as　suddenly　as　it　rose。

　10　Feb。　1736。

Nitschmann。　　Feb。　10th。

The　whole　day　was　stormy；　and　all　night　the　waves　broke　over　the　ship。



Wesley。　　Jan。　30th。

We　had　another　storm；　which　did　us　no　other　harm　than　splitting　the　foresail。　Our　bed　being　wet；　I　laid　me　down　on　the　floor　and　slept　sound　till　morning。

　12　Feb。　1736。

Nitschmann。　　Feb。　12th。

（We　were　obliged　to　drift；　because　we　did　not　know　how　far　we　were　from　land。　About　noon　we　sighted　three　ships；　sailed　toward　them；　and　saw　they　were　English；　our　sailors　lowered　the　boat；　we　wrote　in　haste；　and　sent　letters　to　Herrnhut。　　The　ships　came　from　Charlestown；　and　told　us　we　were　thirty　hours'　run　from　Georgia。　　　Dober's　Diary。）



Wesley。　　Feb。　1st；　Sunday。

（Three　sails　appearing；　we　made　up　toward　them；　and　got　what　letters　we　could　write；　in　hopes　some　of　them　might　be　bound　for　England。　One　of　them；　that　was　bound　for　London；　made　towards　us；　and　we　put　our　letters　on　board　her。　　　Ingham's　Journal。）

　13　Feb。　1736。

Nitschmann。　　Feb。　13th。

To…day　we　had　another　storm；　and　twice　saw　the　ocean　not　far　from　us；　drawn　up　like　smoke；　so　that　the　water　reached　up　to　the　clouds；　and　the　ship　would　have　been　in　great　danger