diligently every occasion to put the grace of God into tinue it unto us, nor may we by recklessness of life give him practical effect." cause to take it away. May we thus be enabled with all disWhen our blessed Saviour was anointed by Mary with a cernment to redeem the time, with grace to order all our most costly unguent, a murmur was vented against her by works to his honour and glory, and offer to him in our souls the man who was on the point of betraying him, because she and our bodies a continual sacrifice of praise and thankshad not rather sold it, and distributed the money to the poor. giving.

DISSERTATION XVI.

ON THE FORTUNES OF THE CHURCH.

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.-Luke, xxi. 28.

Our Lord approved of Mary's act, he accepted it as the last pious office of a nearest and dearest friend, who had thus anointed his body for burial. By this approval, he has given us indeed a strong admonition how we should employ every occasion of showing towards him our entire devotion and love; for that occasion is offered by himself, in that he is peculiarly present. We are not to turn away, as his betrayer, and the tempter of that betrayer would persuade us, and shut up our heart; substituting for the lively reality a crowd of beings of neither time nor place, who can neither feel nor be felt for. Thus entering into a ruinous barter, by which we may think to make compensation for our neglect of God's work, by the greater good which we imagine ourselves to be pursuing, and proceeding in regular course from sins of omission to those of THROUGH all varieties of climes, of tongues, of laws, of cuscommission. What indeed were this but a mental idolatry, toms; through all alternations of barbarism and civilization; what but to turn from the face of the living God and address through all migrations of people, changes of empire, and conourselves to the work of our own hands; rather let us pour fusion of the tribes of mankind; through all these impediupon him, now that he is with us, the whole treasure of our ments the Church of God has come down to us uninterrupted exertions, and fill the house of his presence with its perfume. and triumphant, and uninterrupted and triumphant (our SaWhatever the future may be, however brilliant, however im-viour has informed us) it shall proceed to the end. But as portant, let us remember that, by God's ordinance, the pre-in looking back upon its history we see it often engaged in a sent is the only door to it; and if in our hasty presumption desperate conflict, sometimes brought even to death's door, we leap over the wall, we alight without the fold of God, so in looking forward we must expect to find a similar state and not within it. of things, to see her still militant against the world, and the

In that fold, in his holy and blessed church, we have been world still warring upon her; nor are we left to reasonable gathered by Christ, having been bought with a price, even expectation alone. Our Lord and his apostles have assured with his own precious blood, and are his servants to do his us that such will be her condition, and have even shadowed will, and not to seek our own. We are to keep a vigilant forth in words of prophecy some of the most important trials look out for the opportunities peculiar to the several stations which she is still destined to undergo. which he has assigned us; and these, if attended to, are Perhaps at no period of the world has the face of the Chrissufficient to crowd our sphere of duty to fulness. In arro- tian Church presented a more interesting appearance than at gating a wider range, we are assuming a power which he has the present day. A long period of calm and security is past, not accorded us, and with a barren ambition overlooking what and a period of most foreboding aspect is coming on. Superhe has put legitimately into our grasp. There, in that calling stition and infidelity, which combined their powers against in which he hath called us, is his presence-chamber; there her in her infancy, are once again in open league. Wherever is his holy place, in which only he will accept our offerings; we cast our eyes they are met with churches tottering, and there is the Zion of the living God, where if we be not found, creeds insulted. But it was amid the fearful signs which we are bowing before the calves at Bethel. If our own ex-proclaimed and accompanied the overthrow of what had been perience happily has not taught us, let us learn from the a portion of God's Church, that our blessed Lord bade his warning voice of others, that if there be one circumstance disciples to look up, and lift up their heads, for that their rewhich more than another embitters a retrospect, it is the demption drew nigh. May not then the spiritual man derive view of unemployed opportunities: they have glided by per- a similar comfort from similar signs? Certain it is, that a haps with slight impression, and carelessly noticed; but, careful reader of the history of the church will find, that the like those bowmen of old, are terrible when past, dealing be- ruin of any portion of it has led to the extension of its domihind them wounds of remorse and shame; then their de- nion in other quarters, and with a purer creed. A connected spiser, in amazement, beholds the number which he has series of events is readily traced between the lamentable fall permitted to pass by, and sees them blocking up against him of the eastern church, and the spread of the gospel over the that point to which they were tending, and might have con- western hemisphere. And, in every case, assured as we are ducted him. And that is some blessing from which he now of the duration of the body, we can regard the visitations, finds himself for ever excluded; some honourable sphere per- which afflict its individual members, as the operations of the haps of usefulness, never now to be gained; some service in master of the vineyard; who is lopping off dead branches, his Heavenly Master's house on earth, replete with heart-removing choking weeds and overshadowing shrubs, and filling and exalted duties which is now unattainable: and pruning even his choicest vines; thus baring them to the fosfinding that fortune, upon which he has been drawing like a tering breath of his spirit, and to the ripening sun of his Gosthoughtless spendthrift, entirely empty of its treasures, sits pel. So that here, even where we ourselves are sufferers, down, bankrupt in hope, and bemoaning his folly in vain. still may we look up, and rejoice that our redemption draweth Can he complain that those opportunities came to him not nigh. Yea, even should our own particular vine be shorn to sufficiently distinct for his apprehension? This is but to the ground; yet, as long as the root remains, we may comadmit that he was deficient in vigilance. His Heavenly fort ourselves with confidently looking forward to its shortly Master gave him ample notice of their passage, for all were putting forth its branches with redoubled vigour and fruitfulaccompanied with some change of body or mind, or the ness. That, in the darkest and most perplexing times, we things without; with gain or with loss; with joy or with may quote these words of our Lord with joyful hope, will sorrow; with warning or with invitation, which might have appear from considering that by a law, resulting from the very awakened all but the determinedly reckless. And by their nature of the church, a period of affliction will usher in one proper disposal he might have obtained the gift of still of triumph.

greater, and seen in their giver an unfailing author of good, The church is a society taken out from the slavery of the to whom he could look up with confidence in the hour of world, and brought together into the liberty of the Gospel. need; an object of faithful though imperfect services, whom Did it, therefore, consist but of perfect members, it were rehe could regard with the sure and certain hope of his reward; moved beyond all influence of this world for good or for evil; an indulgent and long-suffering Lord, who would often be the world would not have a single tie or hold upon them, but content to take the will for the deed. But now, alas, the all being free in the spirit, would be unassailable by any contrast! He sees in that giver a kind master neglected and chance or change affecting the flesh. But its members are disobeyed; a friend who had even given his life for him all in different stages towards perfection, very many far reempty-handed and unrequited; a witness whose testimony mote from it. They are still liable, therefore, to the chains shall reach his most secret and perverse ways; and a judge of the world, and the whole, as a body, subject to temporal with whom there shall be no favour. accidents. The world reduces men into its slavery either by

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Oh! as he compulsion or by seduction; that is, by persecution or by hath given us the light through his Holy Spirit, may he con- temporal prosperity. These two modes we will briefly con

sider. No son of man can be so disengaged from the world of his governance they produce, work a salutary change, and as not severely to feel, however he may withstand, the soften, if not avert, the impending chastisement. Let us, power of persecution. Every man will join with the holy therefore, take a brief review of the responsibility under Zacharias in the expression, that we, being delivered out of which seasons of prosperity lay both nations and individuals, ' the hand of our enemies, might serve our God without fear, as component parts of the universal church of God. in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our One of the most grievous mistakes of the present day, and life. For at such a time, not only is his outer man afflicted one which assuredly will reap tenfold retribution, is the supby constraint put upon his means of worship, by his con- position that it is unnecessary for a nation which is composed stancy being every moment put to the proof by the threats of of members calling themselves Christians, to assume a posithe sword of the magistrate, and sometimes tried almost to tive Christian character: that, while every individual is exhaustion by incessant watchfulness and resistance; but his bound, as a servant of Christ, to seek in all things the proinward man is grieved for the honour and glory of God be- motion of his honour and glory, yet their joint and concenfore men. His holy church is shut up in a beleagured city; trated efforts, which are the acts of government of the country, neither her armies nor ambassadors can go forth; her num- need have no reference whatever to this result: such a supbers are daily thinned by apostacy, her provisions are run position either implies a contradiction, or something much short by the hindrance given to the word. Help us, he cries worse. The very opposite to it is that which must present with the Psalmist, O God of our salvation, for the glory of itself to a truly Christian mind. A nation of men which prothy name: O deliver us, and be merciful unto our sins, for fess Christ, must also possess Christ, and with the same disthy name's sake. Wherefore do the heathen say, where is tinctness; it must openly show the sign of the cross; and now their God. But no affliction, however severe, can be vain are all its counsels which are not directed to the glory superior to the comfort which the church can administer, for of God as their final object: the course of the affairs of this that comfort was ordained to quell the very head of all afflic-world ever has and ever will be directed by God towards the tion, the loss of bliss and innocence. And the church is then coming of his kingdom. This way tends the great stream of peculiarly in her vocation when her consolation is most earthly events, and the counsels of a people, which follow needed; then all her treasures are opened and poured forth, this direction, can have no obstacle: they will be borne and, as worldly sorrows deepen, her spiritual bounties be- steadily along to a successful end. But such as go not with come more prodigal, their measure ever keeping far in advance this stream, will shortly be dashed to pieces and overwhelmed of the quantity of affliction which called them forth; to hun- by the strength of the current; the former will bring happiger, and nakedness, and the sword, she opposes the spiritual ness and honour, and the latter will meet with defeat and banquet of the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ, the robes shame. To seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousof righteousness and everlasting glory, the life without end in ness, is no less the duty and policy of the nation than of each the world to come. These glorious promises, which seemed of its citizens; and demoralization, with its certain sucafar off amid worldly security and enjoyment, are now cession of intestine commotion, and foreign subjugation, is brought close to the sufferer's eyes, and amid the most fear-sooner or later the certain reward of every people which neful signs he may look up, and lift up his head, for his redemp-glects this prime commandment of our Saviour. tion draweth nigh. But if we consider a nation of Christians not only with The church of God is too strong for the world; she is ever reference to its internal polity, and external communication one and the same; her members are united by an unvarying, with other nations of Christians, but also with reference to undying principle, which is faith in the redemption wrought the heathen nations with which God's providence, preparing in Christ Jesus. But worldly society is never in one stay, it his kingdom, has brought it into contact, great indeed is its has no abiding principle to keep it together, day by day it is responsibility: so much the greater still on account of the changing manners, morals, and institutions. What wonder, very small number to whom he has granted such an opporthen, if, with all its kingdoms, and principalities, and powers, tunity of doing his service: a number so small, that it imit has been compelled to desist from its fierce attacks; if mo-plies an election to the purpose, an ordination to the office. narchies in ancient times, and republics in modern, have been That nation has been made peculiarly his priesthood, to unable to maintain the persecution which they had begun : preach his word to the heathen; and if that nation be at the the weakness of God has overcome the strength of man. It same time at the very summit of prosperity and civilization, is at this moment, when persecution has but lately ceased, then has God also entrusted to it, as to a preacher of his that the visible church is seen in all its beauty; the storm, Gospel, powers of similar efficacy to that of miracles which however it might have ruffled her leaves, has refreshed her he shed upon his early preachers; for the gift of working root, her main trunk shoots its branches anew, and she puts miracles was withdrawn, was in fact superseded, as soon as on double beauty for all her former uncomeliness. Her the church became a compact and influential body, so as to withered leaves, her rotten boughs, have been carried away force its principles on the attention of the heathen. And by the violence of the tempest. Now she is reaping the re- when Christianity became the religion of the civilized world, ward of her sufferings; now is come the redemption to which so effectual a substitute was this civilization, that even the she looked through the veil of her afflictions. But, after a conquering barbarian heathen adopted the religion of the conbrief interval, the world renews its attacks, and in a different quered Christian. By such an engine were all the modern manner; the high courage which she has shown, the splendid nations of Europe converted; shall they then be excused if victory which she has gained, the stability which she has dis- they neglect any opportunity of doing the same towards their closed, draw the admiring gaze of men upon her, and gain fellow men, who still lie in darkness and the shadow of attention to her doctrines; generous and candid minds are death? The engine which has been committed to the hands won over to her faith, every day she extends the curtains of of our nation is more powerful still than this. For we apher tent. But now that all is peace, now that she and the pear among the heathen as conquerors. We have been world are not openly and bodily at issue, the worldlings flock furnished with the most forcible means of drawing their noin, and with them the thoughts, the affections, and the pas- tice towards the Gospel of Christ. And if we take proper sions of the world. The world now seduces her members means to show them that to that Gospel we owe our suinto its slavery; and much more dangerous is this mode of periority; if the Cross of Christ, every where displayed, its attack, inasmuch as the apostates which it makes do not inscribed on our banners, waving over our victorious palaces, go out from the church, and relieve the labouring vessel of a proclaim that great is the Lord God of England; if our reliheavy and useless cargo, as in time of persecution; but re-gion be seen marching with our hosts, like the tabernacle of main within, where their false doctrine eateth as doth a God, among our captains, and not our camp followers, shining canker: hence heresies, seditions, strife, with all their train like the Urim and Thummim on the breasts of our counsellors of evil; society, civil and religious, is disturbed, and at and rulers; if it be embodied to their eyes in an organized, length broken up; calamity regains its turn. publicly acknowledged, and sufficiently numerous ministry,

If we look at the state of the church throughout the civil- can the effects be calculated? Has God placed such means ized world, we cannot but be persuaded that it is close upon in the hands of any nation since the world began? The one of these critical alternations; the calm and smooth water conquering empires, which he has hitherto employed to is nearly passed through, and our ears can now distinctly hear further his kingdom upon earth, have been brute unconscious the noise of the waves, and our eyes discern the foam of the agents, which knew no more of him, and of his counsels, than breakers; distress of nations is coming on with perplexity, the saw or the axe does of the mind of him that handles and the sea and the waves roaring: if ever there was a time which employs them. But our nation has had imparted to it the life of called for reflection and humiliation, it is the present. These the Gospel,-has had revealed to it his gracious purpose of may, immediately, through God's acceptance and blessing, salvation, his will that the Gospel should be preached to every and mediately through the moral effects, which by the laws creature. By the peculiar position in which he has placed

it, he has clearly intimated to it that it should go teach all approaching period of darkness and constraint discovers to nations." May it so answer the call, that he may say also, him, by its appalling contrast, how inadequately he has put "I am with thee to the end of the world." That this call to account the hours of calm and leisure, which have hitherto has not been answered hitherto in any degree corresponding been his blessed portion; how much opportunity he had of to its pointedness, to its urgency, to the gifts on which it preparing his spirit for the conflict, by the study and practice presumes, must be confessed with shame and confusion of of God's word; of weaning affections, which must now be face; and in every national humiliation. Hither the heart of rudely torn from the breast; of conquering, step by step, the the true penitent for national sins will turn, and find the stripling power of the world, which now, grown suddenly to burthen of his song of lamentation: here he will find his a giant's might, demands of him to decide the struggle, once chief cause of fearfulness and trembling. For he will reflect for all, at one combat. All these reflections rise up before his that God makes the adversity of nations to minister to his mind, and accuse him before the throne of God; and mournpurposes, no less than their prosperity. The temporal loss fully he remembers his Master's warning to "watch, for ye of Israel was the spiritual gain of the world. He was know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man broken in pieces like a potter's vessel, and his scattered sons cometh." He will prostrate himself with all contrition and were made God's preachers among the heathen, to prepare confusion of face, and implore forgiveness. There is none the way of the Prince of Peace. By a reverse operation God that doeth good, no, not one, will be the confession of the concentrated the barbarians upon the falling Roman empire, true penitent, on a day of national humiliation. But having and thus brought them within the sound of his Gospel. thus explored his heart, and opened it before God, he will, Surely this is a most awful consideration to a nation so pre- with God's grace, gird up his loins, put on the whole armour eminently gifted by God for doing him service, as ours has of light, and prepare to meet his trial with a fixed resolution been. Surely it is possible, it is but too probable, that if we and unperplexed conscience. And then, when the fearful have neglected to yield this service out of the abundance of signs begin to take place, when wars and commotions shall our prosperity, then he will wring it out of the straight-be heard, when nations and kingdoms shall be shaken; ness of our adversity: if we have refused to be conscious when there shall be distress of nations, and failing of men's agents, then he will turn us into unconscious tools of his hearts for fear; when the abomination of desolation shall be purposes. standing in the holy place, he will look up and lift up his To all this, and anxiety with regard to the sentence which head, for his redemption is at hand, the kingdom of God God may pronounce upon his nation, the individual has to draweth nigh. Sorrow may endure for a night, but joy add the fearful sense of his own responsibility. A sincere cometh in the morning. The storm is ushering in a glorious feeling of humiliation, a true knowledge of the principles of day, and between its gusts he can overhear the tinkling of the Gospel, will remind the best of men, that, sinner as he is, the trowel of the angelic masons rebuilding the walls of Jehe must have contributed a share to the national sinfulness, rusalem. If his body perish in the storm, then hath the on which fearful visitation seems fast descending. Then, kingdom of heaven arrived to him indeed; he has obtained as one who sees his own sin, not only in himself, but con- his everlasting rest and citizenship there. If it survive, then fronting him by reflection also from others, he begins the are his eyes blessed with the sight of the purified church of work of examination and self-rebuke. Then it is that a dreary God, shining like gold from the furnace. The vineyard of list of sins of omission and commission is presented to the the Lord lies before him, expanded in more than its former perusal of his mind. He then sees opportunities, which he, loveliness. The unsightly and noxious weeds have been in common with his countrymen, had received, and in com- removed, its hedge has been repaired, its wine-press, its mon with them had neglected. Then he perceives how lake, and tutelary shed, have been replaced anew. Therefore, different might have been the face presented by the Church whichever lot betide him, he will look up, lift up his head, of Christ, had all employed them. And then it is that the for his redemption draweth nigh.

HISTORICAL SKETCHES

OF

THE MISSIONS OF THE UNITED BRETHREN

FOR PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL AMONG THE HEATHEN,

FROM THEIR COMMENCEMENT TO THE YEAR 1817.

Beck

BY THE REV. JOHN HOLMES,

AUTHOR OF THE HISTORY OF THE PROTESTANT CHURCH OF THE UNITED BRETHREN.

INTRODUCTION.

in the year 1731, to be present at the coronation of Christian VI., king of Denmark, some of his domestics became acquainted with a THE declaration of our blessed Saviour, the kingdom of God cometh Negro, called Anthony. This man told them much of the miseries not with observation; may with great propriety be applied to the Mis- endured by the Negro slaves in the island of St. Thomas, and of the sions of the United Brethren. Their attempts to impart to the ardent desire of many, especially of his sister, to be instructed in heathen the knowledge of God and of salvation, commenced in a the way of salvation. This relation deeply affected the count, and manner so obscure and unostentatious, as generally to elude the no-served to revive the hope, expressed by him some years before at a tice of all, but their own immediate connexions and particular friends; public meeting in Herrnhut, that the Brethren would one day and they had exerted themselves, for several years, in this labour of have it in their power to proclaim the gospel to the Laplanders, love, before the attention of their fellow-Christians, in other denomi- Negroes, and Greenlanders. On his return, therefore, he took an nations, was attracted to this great object. But while the world at early opportunity of mentioning this occurrence to the congregalarge, either remained totally ignorant of these exertions, or treated tion.

the scheme with silent contempt or open ridicule, the Brethren, un

Anthony, having soon after obtained leave from his master to visit appalled by contempt and calumny, and a thousand difficulties, which Herrnhut, repeated his former relation to many of the inhabitants; impeded their progress, pursued with unabating zeal what to them but added, that the labours of the Negroes were so incessant, that appeared the path of duty. The love of Christ constrained them to they could find no leisure for religious instruction, unless their obey his command: Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel teacher himself became a slave, for the purpose of instructing them to every creature, and the gracious promises of his holy word ani- during their daily employment. mated them in their arduous work.

This representation roused the zeal of the Brethren for the con

The origin of their missions was attended with circumstances sin-version of the heathen, and they determined that no obstacle, howgularly interesting. Count Zinzendorf* being gone to Copenhagen, ever apparently insurmountable, should deter them from making the attempt. Two young men, in particular, Leonard Dober and Tobias Leupold, were so deeply impressed with the magnitude of the This pious young nobleman was the instrument employed by object, that they publicly avowed their resolution to go to St. ThoGod for preserving the small remnant of the ancient church of the mas, and even TO SELL THEMSELVES AS SLAVES, in order that they Brethren, and renewing its constitution and discipline, at the begin- might have an opportunity of preaching the gospel to the Negroes, ning of the eighteenth century. In consequence of dreadful persecu- should they find no other way of accomplishing their purpose. Totions, stirred up against them by the papists, the Brethren's congre

gations in Moravia, [upwards of 200 in number,] were totally bias Leupold repeated his request for permission to go to St. Thomas, destroyed, their ministers, together with many noblemen and private in writing, and while his letter was read to the congregation, the breindividuals of their church, put to death, or exiled, and their bibles thren, Matthew Stach and Frederic Boenish formed the resolution of and other religious books burnt. Those few who survived the per- offering themselves to go to Greenland.* secution, and faithfully adhered to their principles, were forced to

conceal themselves in cellars and other obscure places, in the caves

A sacred impulse to missionary labours was thus imparted to the

of rocks, and the almost impervious thickets of the forests, where congregation at Herrnhut by the great Head of his universal church, they held their religious meetings in private, and chiefly in the night, who, in the unerring counsels of his wisdom and love, designed the for fear of their enemies. Being informed that there was greater liberty of conscience in Saxony and Silesia, many sought an asylum

in those countries. Some of these emigrants arrived in 1722 at Ber

tholsdorf, in Upper Lusatia, an estate belonging to Count Zinzendorf, lony afterwards received the name of HERRNHUT, and became the who, when he had learned the cause of their emigration, received first congregation of the renewed church of the Brethren.-See them in the kindest manner, and encouraged and assisted them in Holmes's History of the Brethrea's Church, Vol. I. p. 165, &c. forming a colony on a neighbouring hill, called Hutberg. This co- * Hist. of B. Church, Vol. I. p. 215, &c.

Brethren to become the honoured instruments of publishing the by the drift-wood, which floats in great quantities into the saving name of Jesus to many savage tribes, and of sowing the gos-bays and islands, and serves the Europeans for fuel, and the pel-seed on soils the most barren and unpromising. The impulse, natives for building their houses, tents, and boats. thus granted, operated most powerfully, for though the colony at The climate in this country is intensely cold, sometimes Herrnhut, at the time of commencing this great work, consisted of so severe that beer and even brandy freeze in a room heated only six hundred persons, and these mostly poor exiles; yet neither by a stove; but the air is generally pure and serene, and their external poverty, nor the smallness of their number, could damp bracing to European constitutions. The bays and the water their zeal, or relax their ardour. Having given themselves unto the between the islands are seldom frozen for any length of time, Lord, they were disposed to offer to him also all they possessed, and in some winters they remain open the whole season. fully persuaded that it is nothing with the Lord, whether to help This is of great advantage to the Greenlanders, as their prinwith many, or with them that have no power, and that with his bless- cipal subsistence is derived from fishing. In very severe winters, therefore, they mostly experience a famine. The ing on their exertions, a little one would become a thousand, and a summer seldom lasts above four months, and even then it small one a strong nation. Supported by this conviction they cheerfully encountered every tirely, as the rays of the sun seldom penetrate above a foot frequently snows, and the frost never leaves the ground endifficulty, and endured the severest hardships in distant countries below the surface. Yet the heat in summer is as great as in and among barbarous tribes, with a spirit of self-denial, patience, any part of England or Germany. In summer there is scarce and fortitude, which clearly manifested that they were willing even any night, as the sun does not remain above two or three hours below the horizon, and from the tops of the mountains Within the short period of ten years missionaries went to St. Tho- his beams are reflected even at midnight, so that a person, mas, to St. Croix, to Greenland, to Surinam, to the Rio de Berbice, seated in a room, may read and write without the aid of a to several Indian tribes in North America, to the Negroes in South candle. And though the winter nights are proportionally Carolina, to Lapland, to Tartary, to Algiers, to Guinea, to the Cape long, yet the darkness is considerably lessened by the stronger of Good Hope, and to Ceylon : and since that time missionaries have light of the moon, the prevalence of the aurora borealis, (or been sent to the islands of St. Jan, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbadoes, St. northern lights,) and by reflections from the ice and snow. Kitts, and Tobago, in the West Indies; to Paramaribo, and other The natives are of a tawny hue and low stature, with places in South America; to Persia, to Egypt, to Labrador, to Tran-very dark and black eyes, and long flowing hair. They quebar, and the Nicobar Islands. are clad the whole year round in fur dresses, made of

to hazard their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus.

In several of these places their attempts have proved unsuccessful. the skins of seals and reindeer, very neatly sewed by the In some instances, the missionaries sent out never reached the place women. Their dwellings are of two kinds; first, tents, of their destination; in others, the political state of the country to which are covered with seal-skins, and constitute their sumwhich they went, rendered their immediate return an imperious mer habitations; secondly, winter houses constructed of large duty; and in one or two cases they were compelled to relinquish stones, the walls being a yard in thickness, and the crevices filled up with earth and sods. The roof is made with a few their benevolent design, after years of patient perseverance and heroic fortitude, spent in fruitless endeavours to impress the wretched uprights, cross-beams, and laths, every opening being stopped up with heath. Over this are spread sods and earth, and natives with the importance of the gospel. the whole covered with old skins. The inside breadth of such These partial failures, however, did not paralize their exertions; a house is generally twelve feet, but its length varies from for while the want of success, in some cases, had a tendency to hum- twenty-four to seventy-two feet, according to the number of ble and preserve them from vain glory in their own strength, the di- its inmates. The ceiling is so low that it barely admits of a vine blessing, which attended their labours, in other places, quick-man standing upright in it. The entrance is by a long, low ened their diligence, maintained their confidence in the Lord, and passage, through which you must rather creep than walk; but disposed them to ascribe all the glory unto Him. And the experience this is well calculated to keep out the cold. Four, or even of nearly a hundred years, during which they have been engaged in ten families live together in a house, each having its own this noble work, has furnished them with abundant proofs that the apartments, separated from the rest by a screen made of skins. cause is the Lord's, and that he is able to carry it on even by the In every apartment a lamp is kept constantly burning, which weakest instruments. To Him they desire to express their warmest lights and heats it, and serves the purposes of cooking their gratitude for the present flourishing state of most of their missions, victuals. Great cleanliness must not be looked for in their where the word of God is evidently glorified in turning the Gentiles from darkness into light, and from the power of Satan unto God.

HISTORICAL SKETCHES, &C. &C.

CHAPTER I.

MISSION IN GREENLAND.

houses; and the constant smell of the train-oil is very disagreeable to Europeans. Yet, the contentment of the Greenlanders, amidst this poverty, and the order and stillness observed among them, where so many dwell together, cannot but excite admiration.

They have two sorts of boats; the one called woman's or skin-boat, and the other kajak. The latter is eighteen feet long, terminating in a point at each end. In the middle it is eighteen inches broad, and but one foot in depth. It is co vered on all sides, above and below, with seal-skins, leaving an aperture in the middle, in which the Greenlander seats himself, lacing the skin of the boat so tightly round his waist, that no water can penetrate. Such is their dexterity in managing the kajak, that, if it even upset, they can right it again by a single stroke of the paddle, which they use for Greenland is the remotest tract of land in the north, lying rowing. In this manner they scud over the waves, even in between Europe and America, and is divided into east and tempestuous weather, with astonishing celerity, and not unwest Greenland. The eastern coast is wholly inaccessible, frequently make a voyage of twenty leagues in a day. Seated but the western coast has been known to Europeans for in his kajak, equipped with his bow and arrow, his harpoon above two hundred years, though no colonies were formed and other implements for catching seals, the Greenlander there till within the last century, when the Danes erected feels not a little proud of his skill, and looks down upon the several factories for the purpose of carrying on the whale-arts of Europeans with supercilious contempt. fishery. The skin-boat is much larger, being from forty to fifty feet The western coast, as far as it has been explored and oc-long, and proportionally broad and deep. The skeleton is cupied by the Danes, extends from the 59th to the 73d degree made of thin laths, tightly fixed together, and covered with of north latitude. It is very thinly peopled, the number of soft leather of seal-skins, so that no water can penetrate. It inhabitants probably not exceeding seven thousand. The is entirely managed and rowed by women, and capable of whole coast is surrounded with steep and lofty cliffs, the containing ten or twelve persons, together with their luggage summits of which are covered with perennial snow and ice, and provisions. In these boats the natives travel from one intersected by many bays and defended by innumerable larger place to another, and often perform voyages of several hunand smaller islands. In some of the latter, and also in the dred leagues. The skeletons both of the skin-boat and the valleys on the main land, there is a little vegetation, consist- kajak are constructed by the men, but the covering of them is ing of grass, a few hardy flowers, various kinds of berry- the work of the women. The women likewise have the bearing shrubs and low brush-wood, but in general the soil management of all domestic concerns, and very early accusis barren and unproductive. tom their daughters to industry. The men and boys spend The want of large timber is in some measure compensated most of their time in acquiring the art of managing the kajak