Anonymous

“ Jonathan had dictated an epistle to the baptized Greenlanders, in 1799; the annexed was from the Christian Greenlander, Timothy, an assistant at Lichtenfels, in return. "My beloved, ye who live just opposite us, on the other side of the great water!—You have the same mode of living that we have; you go out in your kaiaks as we do; you have the same method of procuring your livelihood as we have; our Saviour has given you teachers, as he has given us: be thankful to him that they make known to you his precious words, and all his deeds, which are full of life and happiness. ”

“ Drachart answered, "You may indeed be assured that I have a great love for you, when I, an old man—he was then in his sixtieth year—have come again to visit you, that you might hear more of your Lord in heaven, your Creator, who became a man and died on the cross for your sins, for mine, and for the sins of the whole world." ”

“ It proves a great encouragement to us, when we see that people, who, only a short time ago, hardly knew that there exists a divine Being, and lived in all manner of sin and abomination, now that they have learned to know the Saviour, shed tears from a sense of God in their hearts, and of their fellowship with him as their Redeemer." Nor was Hopedale less favoured. "We can declare to you with joy," was the language of missionaries in their letters to England, "that there has been a manifest work of God and his Spirit upon the souls of the Esquimaux in the year past. ”

“ We regard this gracious work of the Saviour, as the blossoming of a precious plant, which has been long germinating in the earth, and on whose growth we have been waiting with the utmost anxiety;—now that it has at last sprung up, and is bearing beautiful flowers, may He cause it to prosper and bring forth fruit unto eternal life! ”

“ Whoever is acquainted with this people in their natural and unconverted state, and sees them met together at the church, attentively listening to the word of God, tears flowing down the cheeks of many, or beholds a company of converted Esquimaux surrounding the table of the Lord, and favoured to enjoy his body and blood sacramentally, under a deep and comfortable sense of his gracious presence, must stand astonished at the power of Jesus' love, which is able to melt the hardest heart, and make them partake of heavenly blessings. ”

“ Dear brethren and sisters, as the Lord of his pure grace has placed you in a land, where, since the creation of the world, his name has not been named or praised, it seems to me to be more incumbent on you daily to renew the deep consideration of your call and appointment to the fulfilling his purposes of grace; for you are not called here, either collectively or separately, of your own choice, or of the will of men, but of the counsel of peace in the heart of Jesus. ”

“ The tent was soon crowded with people, who frequently asked them if they were not afraid? "We do not know what you intend," answered they, "but you are our friends, and friends are not afraid of each other." "We are good Karalits," was the universal rejoinder, "and now we see you are not Kablunat, but Innuits, and our friends; for you come to see us without weapons, we will do you no harm." The Esquimaux then gave the brethren fish, water and some bread they had got from the sailors, and in about half an hour prepared for rest, Segulliak kindly covering them with two other skins. ”

“ As the century closed, the prospects of the missionaries brightened, and they therefore with greater earnestness entreated the prayers of their brethren. "The more we perceive," say they, "our own insufficiency, the more we perceive how much we stand in need of the support and prayers of God's children, in this our important calling, to win to Christ, souls, harder than the rocks on which they dwell, and to be melted only by the fire of his love unto death." ”

“ Diligence in the improvement of the means of grace, particularly in not forsaking the assembling of themselves together, is another evidence of the reality and health of the Christian life in any community: this awakening bore that stamp also of the genuineness of its nature; and from the frequency of their meetings, which were punctually and cheerfully attended by the people, some idea may be formed of the hungering and thirsting after divine things which marked the Esquimaux congregations. ”

“ Soon after Laritz's arrival at Nain, a sloop of war unexpectedly made its appearance, dispatched by Commodore Shuldam from Newfoundland, commanded by Lieutenant Cartes, to explore the coast, and to see if the poor people who had settled there were all still in life. The Lieutenant stopped some days with the brethren, and expressed his astonishment and happiness to find them so well accommodated, and on such good terms with the Esquimaux. He had expected to find dark, sour, starving fanatics, living in huts of earth, and his disappointment was therefore the more agreeable. ”

“ The baptism of two adults tended much to solemnize the festival. "We praised the Lord," say the missionaries, "with heart and voice, for all the wonders he has wrought in behalf of the mission in Labrador during half a century, in which he has led, preserved, and blessed us abundantly. His mighty arm has protected us in many dangers, and the preaching of his cross has been attended with power and the demonstration of his Spirit in many hearts; and many heathen have been brought in as a reward for the travail of his soul." ”

“ I can be satisfied no longer with anything but my loved Jesus, therefore I wish I loved my Saviour more than I do. He loves me much, that I feel and know, but I am a poor human creature, and know by experience, that I can do nothing of myself, no, not even love him as I would. ”

“ Love to all the members of the body of Christ, is the visible token of the vitality and truth of a Christian profession; and as it rises or falls, the progress of an individual or a community waxes or wanes. At this period, the converted Esquimaux felt a lively interest, not only in their countrymen, but likewise in their fellow-Christians in Greenland ”

“ The Esquimaux always receive a new name at baptism, and most of them have such an abhorrence at the recollection of their early life as heathens, that it sickens them when any one calls them by their old Esquimaux names. They regard the days past, in which they fulfilled the lusts of the flesh, as almost literally a state of death. ”

“ After I was baptized I was not much better, and when I went with you to the holy communion while you lived here, I had many bad thoughts, of which I very much repent. But since you left us, I have turned with my whole heart to Jesus, and all my thoughts and desires are drawn towards him.—Now that I begin to be old, the feeling of his forgiveness is my only comfort, and I have nothing which I so much desire after as Him, and to enjoy His peace in my heart. I will never more leave my teachers. ”

“ When we are assembled, I will ever [221] pray to Jesus that he would put such words in your mouth as will speak to my heart." Another said, "I am often moved to tears when I consider what God my Saviour has done for me. I start back with terror when I reflect upon my former wicked life. I have been an abominable sinner; and that Jesus should have received me in mercy, and granted me to believe that his blood can wash away all my sins, and deliver me from the power of evil, is a favour so great that I am amazed at it, and sink down with shame and gratitude. ”

“ Concerning our dear Esquimaux congregation, we may truly and thankfully declare that we have perceived a continued work of the Holy Spirit within their souls, leading them to a better acquaintance with themselves as depraved creatures, who stand in daily need of the saving grace of our Almighty Saviour. They are earnest in prayer to him that he would preserve them from falling back into their former wicked and superstitious courses. ”

“ We are indeed poor, but yet might now and then bring some blubber, that others who are as ignorant as we were formerly, may receive the same gospel which has been so sweet to our souls, and thereby be taught to find the way to Jesus and believe on him." The donations of these poor Esquimaux were accompanied with expressions of thanks for the favours they had received, and earnest requests to the Society, that more heathen might be presented with "that Book, so far more precious than any thing else in the world." ”

“ Many a heart, by nature hard as the surrounding rocks, has been broken by the divine power of the word of the cross."
They had, however, to mourn over the loss of three of their most approved native Esquimaux brethren, in the prime of life; they were suddenly seized with a mortal illness, which, after a short suffering of twelve hours, brought them to the grave; but the joyful hope of seeing their Saviour face to face, and celebrating the praises of his redeeming love, supported them in their dying moments, and comforted the hearts of their teachers. ”

“ I write to encourage the heathen in your country, of whom there are still many, to be converted to the Creator. Let them hear much of his incarnation, sufferings, and death, and relate it to them when you are with them. Remember us also, and pray for us to our Saviour. We will also pray for you, and when we do this we shall also reap those blessings which our Saviour has promised to those who pray to Him.—I am your brother, Timothy. ”

“ With respect to my countrymen, I must tell you, that they often grieve me when they will not follow my advice. I do not say this as if I fancied myself to be a man of importance, for I will gladly be the meanest of these before the eyes of Jesus. When I think on my former resistance and stiff-necked behaviour in the work of conversion, I could strike myself. It causes deep sorrow and repentance within me, when I consider that I have been most faithfully instructed by my teachers for so many years, and yet have been like one that had no ears to hear. ”

“ However, since I am so poor and defective, I find that I cannot procure it by my own efforts; but I am taught that I may yet enjoy this constant happiness, by entreating our Saviour for it to-day, to-morrow, and every day. As long as I am on this earth, I shall remain like a sick one, and be always apt to stray; for my heart is naturally untoward and hard as a stone, but when Jesus softens it, then it becomes truly soft and tender. ”

“ The zeal of the newly baptized had often likewise a powerful effect on the old, in rekindling the dying embers of their profession. Several of these expressed their surprise at their former indifference, and seemed to doubt if they had ever truly given themselves to Jesus; and old and young now declared, weeping, that their only desire was to obtain peace and rest in their souls, and to be enabled to live in the undisturbed enjoyment of the Saviour. With their emotions of love were mixed deep shame and abasement, that they had not before perceived their true happiness ”

“ These sorcerers, who are held in great veneration and dread by the people, and whose atrocities, as well as their pretended inspirations, render them objects of terror; when they saw the influence of the missionaries, and felt their own importance begin to shake, introduced into their incantations the name of Jesus, whom they acknowledged to be a powerful supernatural being, inferior only to Torngak—and the believers themselves were apt to retain and to mix some of their old opinions with their new creed. ”

“ There is not, perhaps, any surer test of a young woman's Christianity than the choice she makes of an husband; and the missionaries were highly gratified in this respect, with the conduct of a young girl, a candidate for baptism. When the winter meetings were resumed, she expressed her joy, for she was desirous of learning the doctrine of Jesus, and wished to know and love him more; and she said she was resolved never again to leave the fellowship of believers. ”

“ In their meetings the conversation was unrestrained and profitable, many little grievances were done away, and brotherly love promoted. "That of the communicant sisters," the diary of Dec 11 remarks, "was remarkably lively; their conversation treated of the great love of the Saviour in dying on the cross to save them from death, and their own unworthiness to be so highly favoured as to be permitted to approach unto his table, and there to feed on him by faith, and to experience the power of his sufferings and death in the quickening of their souls." ”

“ But while the brethren communicate to their interesting charge the elements of knowledge, they employ as the grand instrument for shaping their characters, the word of the gospel of Christ, and subject their pupils to a moral training, without which, the mere communication of knowledge, whether sacred or profane, is often a curse rather than a blessing. ”

“ A warm and a flattering invitation sent by a Frenchman named Macko, from Canada, who had an establishment in the south at Avertok, awakened with redoubled force the propensity of the Esquimaux to go to the south, though they now could get shooting materials at the settlements, better, and on more advantageous terms, than they could there. This Frenchman, who acted not only as a merchant, but as a Roman catholic priest, made them the most extravagant promises; and besides, he said he would pray daily with them to Jesus, and that he had the most beautiful writings—i.e. pictures—of the Saviour. ”

“ When approaching near the coast of Labrador, they discovered an ice-berg of prodigious extent and height approaching them, and had scarcely passed it in safety ere it fell to pieces with a tremendous crash, putting the surrounding sea into the most dreadful agitation and foam. Had it happened but a few minutes before, they must every soul have perished in the immense ruin.—All the preparations being finished, the building was begun in 1782 at the new station, and Jans Haven was employed as first architect. On the 21st September of that year it was finished so as to be habitable. ”

“ We now hear backsliders as well as heathen, those who have long heard, but never believed in the gospel, speaking the same language as those who have never, till now, heard of a Saviour; all confess themselves most vile and unworthy, weep over their sins, and cry for mercy through the atonement of Jesus. Thus, in Labrador also, the word of the cross is the power of God unto salvation. ”

“ The state of the settlement at Nain was equally pleasing. "We have had much joy," the missionaries write, "in observing the course of our small Esquimaux congregation; having perceived that they are more and more desirous to live in a manner acceptable to God, and to be cleansed from all those [194] things which might grieve the Holy Spirit, and be a disgrace to the cause of our Saviour. In our meetings we frequently experience his gracious presence, and, more than ever before, felt the true spirit of a congregation of Jesus, especially during two baptismal transactions we have had. ”

“ She lived in constant communion with her Saviour, for she had learned to know him as her comforter, her counsellor and help, and often said, "He is indeed my Father; wherever I go, and wherever I am, he is with me, and I can tell him every thing." Esther was the first converted person among the Esquimaux who continued faithful unto the end, without allowing herself in any thing sinful, and though often asked in marriage by unbelievers, so far was she from listening to such proposals, that her reply was, "I would not disturb my present enjoyment even to marry a believer." ”