othing in London
regarding their difficulties in Saxony, or the persecutions in Bohemia
and Moravia, and instead of proclaiming themselves exiles for the Faith
as they might have done with perfect truth, they appeared simply as
Count Zinzendorf's servants, sent by him to cultivate the five hundred
acres about to be given to him, and by his orders to preach to the
Indians. (7) A change of nationality would not affect the relation
between Zinzendorf and his colonists, for their position as his
dependents in Germany was purely voluntary, such service as they
rendered was freely given in exchange for his legal protection, and
his supremacy in Church affairs then and later was a recognition of
the personal character of the man, not a yielding of submission to the
Count. (8) That the Indians could not be employed on Zinzendorf's estate
was quite true, not so much on account of the law against slavery, for
the Count intended nothing of that kind, but their character and wild
habits rendered them incapable of becoming good farmers, as the American
Nation has learned through many years of effort and failure. (9) Whether
the ten or fifteen men, reinforced by those who followed them, would
have been able to make a home in the heart of the forest, will never be
known, for from various reasons the town on the five hundred acre
tract was never begun. In short, while the Moravians were risking
much personal discomfort, there was nothing in their plan which could
possibly injure others, and the cavil and abuse of their opposers was as
uncalled for as is many a "private opinion publicly expressed" to-day.

Hearing of the many obstacles which were being thrown in their way, Mr.
Coram, who was a man of wide charities, and interested in other colonies
besides Georgia, suggested to Spangenberg that his company should go
to Nova Scotia, where the climate was milder, and offered them free
transportation and aid in settling there, but this proposal Spangenberg
at once rejected, and pinned his faith on the kindness of Gen.
Oglethorpe, whose return from Georgia the preceding July, explained the
more favorable tone of the Trustees' letters after that date. Oglethorpe
asked him numberless questions about the doctrine and practice of the
Moravians, and their reasons for wishing to go to Georgia, and promised
to lay the matter before the Trustees, using all his influence to
further their designs.

The "First Company".

On the 14th of January,