THE

Moravian Church Miscellany.

NO. 1.

JANUARY, 1853.

VOL. 4.

1

Foreign Missions.

(From "Periodical Accounts.")

GREENLAND.

(From the "Missions-Blatt.")

NEW-HERRNHUT.-The missionaries at New-Herrnhut express themselves somewhat concerned at the spiritual state of their congregation, and especially at that of the out-dwellers, who can unfortunately enjoy but little of their fostering care. Yet even among the latter, the Lord be praised, life from God is here and there observable. We add, as an instance, the literal translation of a letter from an assistant teacher in the island of Umanak, which he wrote last winter to the missionaries.

MY BELOVED TEACHERS,

"I write to you how I am getting on at this distance from you. Not unfrequently, when I am rowing in my kayak, I go ashore, fall down upon my face and pray to my Savior with many tears. Then I feel that He hears my prayer. I also contemplate often at such times the wonders of God, in heaven and earth, and think of Him, who gave Himself to be crucified for my sake, and am able to thank Him, with a loud voice for His love. I likewise often pray, that if my aged father (a faithful assistant) should depart, the Savior may bestow upon me something of the spirit that dwells in him; because I feel myself a great sinner, and my thoughts are so easily turned away from Him. Some time ago I quarrelled with my wife, who assists me in keeping school, because she had not done as I had bidden her. But immediately I thought

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of the passage: Judge not, that ye be not judged." After this I was again friendly with her. But nevertheless I am often distressed about myself, because I perceive, that the enemy tries to seduce me to do that which is not right. The thought has often struck me, that the Savior might choose a more faithful schoolassistant than myself for the people that inhabit this island. Write soon to me for my instruction. I salute you all. The writer of this letter is John."

At Kornok, the native assistant Jephthah departed this life very happily. The Greenlander who brought the news of his death to New-Herrnhut, gave the following particulars: "When br. Jephthah, after having been ailing for a long time, perceived that his end was near, he sent for me, and requested me to invite all the brethren and sisters to a meeting round his sick-bed. I did so. He had his full presence of mind; and when we sang hymns, he joined us with a clear voice. When the brethren and sisters had withdrawn, he called me once more, kissed me, and bade me farewell. I asked him, how he felt in the prospect of his departure He answered: "I am very happy, and rejoice to be soon with my Savior." I then left him, and on my return, found him lying with his face on his bed, as peacefully as if he was slumbering. I approached and touched him, and behold! his ransomed soul had already taken its flight to glory. By his death he reminded us of the words: Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." John viii. 51. It is my greatest desire, that when I die, I may fall asleep as happily and cheerfully as this servant of the Lord."

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In October, br. Herbrich paid a visit to the out-dwellers, who live scattered along the fiorde. He was everywhere cordially received, and attentively listened to, when he addressed the people, either publicly or in private conversation. At Kornok also, the Greenlanders belonging to the Danish Mission attended the meeting. I may well say," writes br. Herbrich, "that the gracious presence of our Lord was perceptible in this assembly. After the meeting, I conversed separately with the assistants, bringing before their minds the importance of their office, and exhorting them to increased conscientiousness and faithfulness in the discharge of their duties."

Br. Ulbricht paid a visit to Kangek. "I found accommodations," he writes," in the house of the national assistant, Henry. This is built of wood, and provided with a stove, a chest of drawers, a table, and even a clock and pictures in frames. I conversed with all the brethren and sisters residing at this place, and had thus an opportunity, according to the measure of grace which the Lord I gave me, to speak to their hearts. At night, several brethren performed a hymn tune in four parts, with a degree of correctness which quite astonished me. They sang from written music.

which br. Kleinschmidt had given them, and which, they told me, they are in the habit of taking with them on all their expeditions. I afterwards addressed them on the text: "Surely, I come quickly." The house was filled with attentive listeners. At break of day, all assembled for morning-prayers, and I addressed them again briefly. When taking leave of me, all of them wished to express to me their heartfelt "Kujanak" (thanks) for the visit."

Br. Kleinschmidt gives the following particulars relative to the newly-established institution for the training of national assis

tants:

"This institution was opened, October 22d, with six young Greenlanders. One of them, called Lewis, is a descendant of Daniel, a well known national-assistant in the first times of NewHerrnhut. Another called Simeon, is a great-grandson of a grandchild of the first convert of the Greenlandish nation, Samuel Kayarnak. These two are very hopeful pupils. What has been effected during the past winter, can only be called a preparation of the ground. Their progress has hitherto been impeded by various circumstances: among the rest, by their inability to read fluently, which, however, they have now learnt; - the pressure of want, to which the Greenland families, among whom they lived, were subjected, and which makes it desirable that we should be able to provide them with board and lodging; and lastly, the indifference and mental dulness of the Greenlanders. This last and greatest impediment will likewise be surmounted, whenever the Lord is pleased to renew their hearts."

Br. Kleinschmidt then proceeds to give the following account of a voyage, to visit the out-dwellers, undertaken last summer :"About the herring-season, I paid this year also a visit to that portion of our congregation which reside along the fiorde. I made the voyage thither in our herring-boat, and returned in my kayak. Our bay, called Balls river, is divided into several branches, of which the middle one extends 48 miles into the country, the others about 16 miles. The former, of which the farthest extremity is surrounded by lofty glaciers, is 'never free from ice. We directed our course first to the northern branch, proceeded from thence to Kornok, situated on the middle, and from thence to the herringfishery, on the south side of the southern division. There were on board, besides myself and two female servants, seventeen persons, whom we took with us, because they wished to visit their relations residing at the above-mentioned places. On the 30th of May, we set out, driven by a rough snow-wind, which, however, brought us on much quicker than would have been the case, had we been solely dependent on Greenlandish rowers. We proceeded on that day as far as Karosuk.

Seven families, consisting of thirty-six persons, live there in a so-called improved Greenland house, that is, a wooden building,

such as the colonists have erected in numbers for the natives during the last years, for payment. The sudden heat produced by the iron-stove in them, is no great improvement on the more genial warmth which is gradually produced by an oil-lamp. The roof is less tight than that of a proper Greenland house covered with sods. The building, of which I am speaking, was already in a state requiring complete repair, the second year after its construction. It was twenty feet long, twenty feet broad, and six feet high. Several of our company being likewise quartered in it, we had scarcely as much air as the negroes in a slave-ship. Besides this, a fire was immediately lighted in the stove, to boil meat and fish for the strangers, and this was kept up till the morning. I succeeded in finding in a tent a resting-place for the night-for which I was exceedingly thankful, though it was so cold that the snow began to fall. The evening was spent in the house, in conversation with the inhabitants, who complained sadly of the straits to which they had been reduced during the winter. Their national assistant, Charles, told me, that he and his family had been obliged to eat two large tent-skins. On the following morning, I took him and his family with me, as they desired to go to the herring-fishery; and our company consisted now of twenty-five persons. Had the good people exerted themselves in rowing, we should have reached the place of our destination the same day; but as they did not do so, we had to lie to about half-way, near Kornok. At that place, there are eight Greenland houses inhabited by fifty members of our Church, and some belonging to the Danish Mission; a European trader resides likewise here, in order to buy from the natives various articles of trade for the colony. The following day, being Sunday, divine service was held in the forenoon, at which I also employed the above-mentioned helper. Having left here several persons and taken in others, we continued our voyage to the island Umanak, and from thence to the herring-fishery, where we found six tents. These belong to the inhabitants of Umanak, who had repaired hither to catch herrings. Both the people and the tents were in a very poor and ragged condition. The herring fishery must be carried on in boats; but, possessing only one boat, and even this being out of repair, they had not yet caught more fish than would have been sufficient for one person to live on during the winter. Not having seen these people since last year, I staid with them a whole day, to converse with them, and to hold a meeting, at which all attended. Hence I returned in a kayak, accompanied by a youth from New-Herrnhut, whom I am in the habit of taking with me on similar expeditions. I made only short journeys; for rowing in a kayakhere the quickest and best mode of travelling-is exceedingly fatiguing for a European who is not accustomed to it. I first returned to the island Umanak, in order to speak once more with