13. Banished by Archbishop Anton Firmian.--Like the Swedes in
Delaware, so also the Salzburg Lutherans in Georgia, as a Church, have
disappeared in the course of years. The story of their vicissitudes and
especially of their colony Ebenezer, however, has retained a peculiar
charm. On Reformation Day of 1731 the cruel Archbishop Anton, Knight of
Firmian, issued a manifesto which ordered the Evangelicals of Salzburg,
Austria, either to return to the bosom of the Catholic Church, or to
emigrate, leaving their property and their young children behind them.
Some eighteen thousand Lutherans chose banishment rather than deny the
faith that was in them. On their journey the exiles awakened lively
sympathy by singing their _Exulantenlied_ (Hymn of the Exiles) which
Joseph Schaitberger had composed for those banished In 1685. The eleven
stanzas of this hymn read in the original as follows: "1. I bin ein
armer Exulant, A so tu i mi schreiba; Ma tuet mi aus dem Vaterland Um
Gottes Wort vertreiba. 2. Das wass i wohl, Herr Jesu Christ, Es is dir a
so ganga. Itzt will i dein Nachfolger sein; Herr, mach's nach deim
Verlanga! 3. A Pilgrim bin i halt numehr, Muss reise fremde Strossa; Das
bitt i di, mein Gott und Herr, Du wirst mi nit verlossa. 4. Den Glauba
hob i frei bekennt, Des derf i mi nit schaema, Wenn ma mi glei ein
Ketzer nennt Und tuet mir's Leba nehma. 5. Ketta und Banda wor mir en
Ehr Um Jesu willa z' dulda, Und dieses macht die Glaubenslehr Und nit
mei boes Verschulda. 6. Muss i glei in das Elend fort, Will i mi do nit
wehra; So hoff i do, Gott wird mir dort Och gute Fruend beschera. 7.
Herr, wie du willt, i gib mi drein, Bei dir will i verbleiba; I will mi
gern dem Wille dein Geduldig unterschreiba. 8. Muss i glei fort, in
Gottes Nam! Und wird mir ales g'nomma, So wass i wohl, die Himmelskron
Wer i amal bekomma. 9. So muss i heut von meinem Haus, Die Kinderl muss
i lossa. Mei Gott, es treibt mir Zaehrel aus, Zu wandern fremde Strossa.
10. Mein Gott, fuehr mi in ene Stodt, Wo i dein Wort kann hoba, Darin
will i di frueh und spot In meinem Herzel loba. 11. Soll i in diesem
Jammertal Noch laenger in Armut leba, So hoff i do, Gott wird mir dort
Ein bessre Wohnung geba."--The cruelly persecuted and banished
Salzburgers were hospitably received in Prussia and Holland, where many
found a permanent home. Others resolved to emigrate to Georgia, where,
through the mediation of Dr. Urlsperger of Augsburg and the court
preacher Ziegenhagen of London, the British government promised them
religious liberty and other advantages.
14. Ebenezer in Georgia.--The first ninety-one persons of the
Salzburg colony, which later numbered about 1,200 souls, landed at
Savannah, March 10, 1734. They were accompanied by Pastors John Martin
Bolzius and Israel Christian Gronau, who had received their education at
Halle. Governor Oglethorpe led the immigrants twenty-three miles
northwest of their landing-place, where they erected a monument of
stones and called the settlement Ebenezer. Seven years later (1741)
Jerusalem Church was built, for which also Whitefield had made
collections in Europe. In 1743 a second church was dedicated in the
country. Dr. Graebner records the following statistics: "In 1743 the
congregation numbered 279 souls: 81 men, 70 married women, 6 widows, 52
boys, 59 girls, and 11 maid-servants." (554.) In 1744 the Salzburgers
celebrated the tenth anniversary of their deliverance on the tenth of
March, a day which was annually observed by them as a day of
thanksgiving. Sorrow followed the joyous celebration, for in the
following year, January 11, 1745, their beloved Pastor Gronau was called
to his eternal reward. Dwelling on Gronau's edifying death, Bolzius
wrote in a letter dated January 14, 1845: "His heart was in deep
communion with the dear Savior. With profound desire he received the
Lord's Supper a few days before his dissolution. He distinctly
recognized all who surrounded him [when he was dying], and exhorted them
to praise God. It seemed, and such was also inferred from his words, as
though, like Stephen, he saw something extraordinarily beautiful and
glorious. At last, after stretching forth his hands and taking leave of
all, he directed his folded hands toward heaven, praying and praising
God. Finally, saying, 'Do come, Lord Jesus, Amen, Amen, Amen!' he closed
his eyes and mouth, and entered peacefully into the joy of God." (556.)
Gronau was succeeded by Pastor H. H. Lemke, of Schaumburg, who
previously had been active in the institutions at Halle. His diploma of
vocation was signed by Samuel Urlsperger in the stead and name of the
English Society for the Promotion of the Knowledge of Christ. Thus
Ebenezer was actually the foundation of a mission society whose members
were for the most part adherents of the Reformed Church. In 1742 Pastor
John Ulrich Driessler had been called to the congregation of Frederica,
south of Savannah. He entered upon his labors in 1744, and died three
years later. In the following years several ships arrived bringing
emigrants from Swabia. To meet the growing needs Pastor Chr. Rabenhorst
was sent to the colony in 1753. In 1765 Pastor Bolzius died, sixty-two
years old, repeating the words: "Father, I will that they also whom
Thou hast given Me be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory
which Thou hast given Me." (John 17, 24.) None of the three pastors, who
were easily able to minister to the spiritual needs of the colony,
displayed a missionary spirit in any marked degree.
15. Dissension and Disintegration.--While Bolzius, Lemke, and
Rabenhorst had labored together in harmony, dissension and strife began
to blast the blissful peace and quiet contentment of Ebenezer, when,
after the death also of Lemke, Pastor C. F. Triebner arrived in 1773.
The congregation was torn by factions, the minority siding with Triebner
in his bitter opposition to Rabenhorst. When the majority refused
Triebner permission to officiate in the church, the minority forced the
doors. After a new lock had been secured by the majority, the minority
began to conduct separate services in the home of John Wertsch, and
entered suit before the Governor of Georgia. This brought about the
loss of their church property, the Governor, in accordance with the
express wording of the patent grant of April 2, 1771, deeding Jerusalem
Church to the Episcopalians. The patent contained the provision: "...
for the only proper use, benefit, and behoof of two ministers of the
Gospel, residents within the parish aforesaid, using and exercising
divine service according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of
England within the said parish and their successors forever." (599.) In
1774 Muhlenberg arrived, commissioned by the "English Society" to
conduct an investigation and restore peace. A reconciliation was
effected, and articles of agreement were signed by the pastors and the
members of the congregation. Before long, however, the old discord broke
out again and continued unabated until the death of Pastor Rabenhorst in
1777. Triebner now secured a firm footing in the congregation. But new
storms were brewing for the poor people. In 1775 the War of Independence
had broken out, in which Triebner not only espoused the cause of England
himself, but urged his congregation to do the same, thereby bringing
untold misery upon Ebenezer. Triebner, taken captive and severely dealt
with, finally found his way back to Europe. After the war Ebenezer
presented a sad spectacle. Soldiers had used the church as a hospital
and stable; Rabenhorst's home had been given to the flames; fields were
laid waste; and the inhabitants were scattered and despoiled of their
property. The congregation, however, recovered, and through the
endeavors of Urlsperger received a new pastor in the person of John
Ernest Bergmann, who had studied at Leipzig. In 1785 he assumed the
duties at Ebenezer, formerly discharged by two and three pastors. But,
though a diligent worker, Bergmann was not a faithful Lutheran, nor did
he build up a truly Lutheran congregation. There came a time when but
very little of Lutheranism was to be found in the old colony of the
Salzburgers. (600.) During Bergmann's long pastorate, which was
conducted in the German language exclusively until 1824, the
Americanized young people gradually began to drift away from the mother
church. However, to the present day descendants of the Salzburgers are
found in the Lutheran congregations of Savannah and of the Georgia
Synod.