and sailed for Pennsylvania. In December of the same year
Spangenberg was in Rotterdam, where he lodged with a Dr. Koker,
from whom he learned the reason for their, until then, unexplained behavior.
Dr. Koker belonged to a Society calling themselves the "Collegiants",
the membership of which was drawn from the Reformed, Lutheran,
and various other churches. Their cardinal principles were freedom of speech,
freedom of belief, and liberty to retain membership in their own denominations
if they desired. The Society was really an offshoot of the Baptist Church,
differing, however, in its non-insistance upon a particular form of baptism.
Twice a year the members met in the Lord's Supper, to which all were welcomed
whose life was beyond reproach. In Holland they enjoyed the same privileges
as other sects, and had a following in Amsterdam, Haarlem, Rotterdam,
Leyden, etc.

It appeared that the Schwenkfelders had first addressed themselves
to these Collegiants, especially to Cornelius van Putten in Haarlem,
and Pieter Koker in Rotterdam, but when their need grew more pressing
they appealed to Count Zinzendorf. When he was not able to obtain for them
all they wanted, they turned again to the Collegiants, and were
in conference with them in Rotterdam. The Collegiants were very much opposed
to the Georgia Colony, -- "the Dutch intensely disliked anything that would
connect them with England," -- and although Thomas Coram, one of the Trustees,
who happened to be in Rotterdam, promised the Schwenkfelders
free transportation (which had been refused Zinzendorf),
the Collegiants persuaded them not to go to Georgia. Their chief argument
was that the English Government sent its convicts to Georgia,
a proof that it was not a good land, and the Schwenkfelders were also told
that the English intended to use them as slaves.

Disturbed by this view of the case, the Schwenkfelders accepted