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the spirit of the border-第19章

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children when you left Williamsburg; and this young man; James Downs; a

minister of God; and earnest in his hope for our work。〃



〃A glorious work it is! Welcome; young ladies; to our peaceful village。 And;

young man; I greet you with heartfelt thankfulness。  We need young men。 Come

in; all of your; and share my cabin。 I'll have your luggage brought up。 I have

lived in this hut alone。 With some little labor; and the magic touch women

bring to the making of a home; we can be most comfortable here。〃



Mr。 Zeisberger gave his own room to the girls; assuring them with a smile that

it was the most luxurious in the village。 The apartment contained a chair; a

table; and a bed of Indian blankets and buffalo robes。 A few pegs driven in

the chinks between the logs completed the furnishings。 Sparse as were the

comforts; they appealed warmly to the girls; who; weary from their voyage; lay

down to rest。



〃I am not fatigued;〃 said Mr。 Wells; to his old friend。 〃I want to hear all

about your work; what you have done; and what you hope to do。〃



〃We have met with wonderful success; far beyond our wildest dreams;〃 responded

Mr。 Zeisberger。 〃Certainly we have been blessed of God。〃



Then the missionary began a long; detailed account of the Moravian Mission's

efforts among the western tribes。 The work lay chiefly among the Delawares; a

noble nation of redmen; intelligent; and wonderfully susceptible to the

teaching of the gospel。 Among the eastern Delawares; living on the other side

of the Allegheny Mountains; the missionaries had succeeded in converting many;

and it was chiefly through the western explorations of Frederick Post that his

Church decided the Indians of the west could as well be taught to lead

Christian lives。 The first attempt to convert the western redmen took place

upon the upper Allegheny; where many Indians; including Allemewi; a blind

Delaware chief; accepted the faith。 The mission decided; however; it would be

best to move farther west; where the Delawares had migrated and were more

numerous。



In April; 1770; more than ten years before; sixteen canoes; filled with

converted Indians and missionaries; drifted down the Allegheny to Fort Pitt;

thence down the Ohio to the Big Beaver; up that stream and far into the Ohio

wilderness。



Upon a tributary of the Muskingong; called the Tuscarwawas; a settlement was

founded。 Near and far the news was circulated。 Redmen from all tribes came

flocking to the new colony。 Chiefs and warriors; squaws and maidens; were

attracted by the new doctrine of the converted Indians。 They were astonished

at the missionaries' teachings。 Many doubted; some were converted; all

listened。 Great excitement prevailed when old Glickhican; one of the wisest

chiefs of the Turtle tribe of the Delawares; became a convert to the

palefaces' religion。



The interest widened; and in a few years a beautiful; prosperous town arose;

which was called Village of Peace。 The Indians of the warlike tribes bestowed

the appropriate name。 The vast forests were rich in every variety of game; the

deep; swift streams were teeming with fish。 Meat and grain in abundance;

buckskin for clothing; and soft furs for winter garments were to be had for

little labor。 At first only a few wigwams were erected。  Soon a large log

structure was thrown up and used as a church。 Then followed a school; a mill;

and a workshop。 The verdant fields were cultivated and surrounded by rail

fences。 Horses and cattle grazed with the timid deer on the grassy plains。



The Village of Peace blossomed as a rose。 The reports of the love and

happiness existing in this converted community spread from mouth to mouth;

from town to town; with the result that inquisitive savages journeyed from all

points to see this haven。 Peaceful and hostile Indians were alike amazed at

the change in their brethren。 The good…fellowship and industry of the converts

had a widespread and wonderful influence。 More; perhaps; than any other thing;

the great fields of waving corn; the hills covered with horses and cattle;

those evidences of abundance; impressed the visitors with the well…being of

the Christians。 Bands of traveling Indians; whether friendly or otherwise;

were treated with hospitality; and never sent away empty…handed。 They were

asked to partake of the abundance and solicited to come again。



A feature by no means insignificant in the popularity of the village was the

church bell。 The Indians loved music; and this bell charmed them。 On still

nights the savages in distant towns could hear at dusk the deep…toned; mellow

notes of the bell summoning the worshipers to the evening service。 Its ringing

clang; so strange; so sweet; so solemn; breaking the vast dead wilderness

quiet; haunted the savage ear as though it were a call from a woodland god。



〃You have arrived most opportunely;〃 continued Mr。 Zeisberger。 〃Mr。 Edwards

and Mr。 Young are working to establish other missionary posts。  Heckewelder is

here now in the interest of this branching out。〃



〃How long will it take me to learn the Delaware language?〃 inquired Jim。



〃Not long。 You do not; however; need to speak the Indian tongue; for we have

excellent interpreters。〃



〃We heard much at Fort Pitt and Fort Henry about the danger; as well as

uselessness; of our venture;〃 Jim continued。 〃The frontiersmen declared that

every rod of the way was beset with savage foes; and that; even in the

unlikely event of our arriving safely at the Village of Peace; we would then

be hemmed in by fierce; vengeful tribes。〃



〃Hostile savages abound here; of course; but we do not fear them。 We invite

them。 Our work is to convert the wicked; to teach them to lead good; useful

lives。 We will succeed。〃



Jim could not help warming to the minister for his unswervable faith; his

earnest belief that the work of God could not fail; nevertheless; while he

felt no fear and intended to put all his heart in the work; he remembered with

disquietude Colonel Zane's warnings。 He thought of the wonderful precaution

and eternal vigilance of Jonathan and Wetzelmen of all men who most

understood Indian craft and cunning。 It might well be possible that these good

missionaries; wrapped up in saving the souls of these children of the forest

so full of God's teachings as to have little mind for aught else; had no

knowledge of the Indian nature beyond what the narrow scope of their work

invited。 If what these frontiersmen asserted was true; then the ministers'

zeal had struck them blind。



Jim had a growing idea of the way in which the savages could be best taught。

He resolved to go slowly; to study the redmen's natures; not to preach one

word of the gospel to them until he had mastered their language and could

convey to their simple minds the real truth。 He would make Christianity as

clear to them as were the deer…trails on the moss and leaves of the forest。



〃Ah; here you are。 I hope you have rested well;〃 said Mr。 Zeisberger; when at

the conclusion of this long recital Nell and Kate came into the room。



〃Thank you; we feel much better;〃 answered Kate。 The girls certainly looked

refreshed。 The substitution of clean gowns for their former travel…stained

garments made a change that called forth the minister's surprise and

admiration。



〃My! My! Won't Edwards and Young beg me to keep them here now!〃 he exclaimed;

his pleased eyes resting on Nell's piquant beauty and Kate's noble proportions

and rich coloring。 〃Come; I will show you over the Village of Peace。〃



〃Are all these Indians Christians?〃 asked Jim。



〃No; indeed。 These Indians you see here; and out yonder under the shade;

though they are friendly; are not Christians。 Our converts employ themselves

in the fields or shops。 Come; take a peep in here。  This is where we preach in

the evenings and during inclement weather。  On pleasant days we use the maple

grove yonder。〃



Jim and the others looked in at the door of the large log structure。 They saw

an immense room; the floor covered with benches; and a raised platform at one

end。 A few windows let in the light。 Spacious and barn…like was this

apartment; but undoubtedly; seen through the beaming eyes of the missionary;

it was a grand amphitheater for worship。 The hard…packed clay floor was velvet

carpet; the rude seats soft as eiderdown; the platform with its white…oak

cross; an altar of marble and gold。



〃This is one of our shops;〃 said Mr。 Zeisberger; leading them to a cabin。

〃Here we make brooms; harness for the horses; farming implementseverything

useful that we can。 We have a forge here。  Behold an Indian blacksmith!〃



The interior of the large cabin presented a scene of bustling activity。 

Twenty or more Indians bent their backs in earnest employment。 In one corner a

savage stood holding a piece of red…hot iron on an anvil; while a brawny brave

wielded a sledge…hammer。 The sparks flew; the anvil rang。  In another corner a

circle of braves sat ar
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