the baptized increased more speedily than any one expected. Their outward circumstances also took a more favourable turn, and from this time forward they were furnished so far with what was necessary for their bodily subsistence, that they were no more exposed to the trying alternative of starving, or abandoning their post to the reproach of the truth; their situation was also rendered more comfortable by a royal rescript, which either lessened or removed some grievances which had before involved them in much difficulty and perplexity.

In the year 1740, the Missionaries were much cheered by the return of Samuel Kajarnak, after an absence of twelve months; and he not only returned safe, and without having sustained any harm to his soul, but also brought his brother and his family with him, to gain whom, had been the chief aim of his expedition. He stepped unexpectedly into the room, while they were assembled in a little social party on occasion of the marriage of the Missionary Boehnish. His appearance filled the Brethren with great joy, as they had almost given him up, and the company then present being such as loved the Lord, were also much delighted in beholding the power of divine grace exemplified in this poor Greenlander, who, amidst all the temptations of the savages, had remained faithful, and even laboured among them in the cause of his Divine Master. He told the Brethren, that all he had heard from them, he had made known to the heathens in the South; that at first they heard it with pleasure and wonder; but when after a while, they were tired of it, and turned it all to ridicule, he retired from them, pursued his soul's edification with our Saviour alone, and kept every day an bour of prayer with his family. He said, that latterly he longed very much to be with the Brethren again, and now he resolved not to leave them any more, because, even in his absence, he had felt how much they loved him and his family. He had left his son for a year longer among his friends, in hopes that it would prove a means of drawing them also to New Herrnhuth to hear the Gospel.

The Brethren were also cheered about this time by the awakening of three young women, one of whom was Sarah Pussimek. The particulars of her conver

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sion will be found in her life, which is appended to this volume. Another of these converts had earnestly entreated the Missionaries to take her into their service, but as they doubted the sincerity of her motives, they for a time denied her request. At length she came and complained, with tears, that she could no longer live among the heathen, as they all despised her, and insulted her, because she could not join in their vain and dissolute practices any more, as her whole desire was to be converted. This individual made such rapid progress in the knowledge of the Lord, that she was baptized before the end of the year.

The third of these females had experienced so much of the joy of salvation, that she could not refrain from speaking of the Lord to all that would hear her; she took particular delight in instructing children. Her zeal exposed her to much contempt and insult among the savages; on one occasion, a party to whom she had spoken, commanded her to be silent, adding, that when they hearkened to her, and reflected upon the subject of her conversation, they grew sick; they meant, that they felt an uneasiness in their hearts, which was disa greeable to them. She replied, that when she was sick she was made well by prayer.

By means of these new converts, a fresh awakening took place among the Greenlanders. Many had a desire excited in them to become so happy as these their country-people, and begged to be often visited. The Brethren also endeavoured to make the example and testimony of these converts of service to others, and took them sometimes with them to the heathens, to convince them, by living epistles, that the word of the cross is the power of God unto salvation to all them that believe, and that it has efficacy enough to new-mould the hearts, and minds, and tempers, of all who receive it. Neither was it in vain. These young disciples bore witness to the grace that our Saviour has purchased for all men by his blood, and which they had now experienced in their own hearts, and this they did with such frankness and spirit, that the infidels themselves were amazed. Most of them were moved, and some of them were fully convinced that they were sinners, and stood in need of the blood of Jesus. An old grey-headed

man said, that the name of Jesus was impressed on his heart, and that wherever he was, he was always thinking Jesuna! that is, O Jesus! which word he had heard sometimes in prayer. The Brethren expatiated further upon it, and counselled him to call continually upon this saving name in all places, and that life would be imparted to him.

Another time when the Brethren had travelled alone several leagues south, to the heathen that had lived with them the preceding year, and who had frequently desired them to visit them, they write: "Our Saviour gave entrance to our testimony, and there was scarce one discourse held during these five days, that did not touch some of their hearts. We see visibly that the Lord is risen to build up his Zion here in Greenland also, which has so long lain waste."

The heathens also that came from remote places, and visited New Herrnhuth, went away with a blessed impression of the converted Greenlanders' testimony. In June, the settlement was visited by a large company of Southlanders as they passed by, on one of their roving expeditions. The Brethren could not rightly learn the place of their abode (which was very far off, and possibly quite on the East side,) because they could not perfectly understand their dialect. The account of the crucified Jesus, and his love to all men, was quite new and incomprehensible to them; yet they were not averse to it, but heard all with eagerness. In August, many Northlanders pitched their tents by the Brethren for some days. Though these supposed they firmly believed all that was told them (for they were not perfectly ignorant before,) yet they were often affected, when the Brethren told them of the right state of the soul that really believes in Jesus, and loves him. When Samuel or Pussimek gave these heathen visiters an account of their conversion, they stood still and heard them with mute amazement, they wondered much at their prayers, and supposing that they had learned them by rote, they expressed a desire to commit them to memory also, but they were told by their believing country people, that they should first learn their misery as sinners, and when they felt that, want and distress

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would teach them how to spread their desires from the bottom of their hearts before their Saviour.

A good many came also, from time to time, from the adjacent islands, on a visit for several days, and this was never without some effect. The Brethren conversed frequently with them, and the interview was usually concluded by one of the converted Greenlanders with a warm exhortation or prayer, at which the savages often laid their hand upon their mouth, as a token of their wonder.

Towards winter, the little flock of Greenlanders, that were in search of salvation, received the addition of another family; and the Missionaries were further comforted in observing the exemplary walk of Samuel. He seldom omitted an opportunity of bearing his testimony before the Greenlanders, and confirmed it by his holy conversation. As he was once upon a journey, he was invited by the natives to a dance at the sun-feast, and to rejoice with them at the return of the sun; but he gave them this answer, "I have now another kind of joy, because another sun, namely, Jesus, is arisen in my heart. Neither have I any time for it, for I must hasten to my teachers, who will soon have a great festival, to rejoice that the Creator of all things was born into the world, as a poor child, to redeem us.' He uttered such a discourse upon this subject, as amazed them all; as his brother, who also seconded his testimony, told the Brethren. Yet when he was going away, the savages made another trial, intreating him to promise that he would come to the dance some other time, because he had been always a great master in this art; but he replied, "They should rather lay to heart, what he had told them, for he was quite in earnest.' The savages wondered greatly at his conduct, but this was no new thing, for St. Peter wrote to the converts from heathenism in his day, "The time past of our life may suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lust, excess of wine, revellings, banquettings, and abominable idolatries, wherein, they think it strange, that ye run not with them to the same excess, of riot speaking evil of you.".

The Brethren were also cheered by the evidences of faith, which appeared in the other Greenlanders resid

ing at New Herrnhuth. Anna, Samuel's wife, being once dangerously sick, was asked whether she was still afraid of death, like the rest of the Greenlanders? She answered, "No; I know well that I am very defective, and still tardy, but yet, I trust, our Saviour will take me to himself in mercy." And during her sickness, she often prayed to our Saviour, by day and night, from the bottom of her heart. As to Samuel, he manifested the most steadfast faith under this trial, and the hearts of the Brethren were often comforted, by witnessing the confidence with which this once dark heathen importuned the Lord, on whom he had believed for his wife's recovery. He would often pray thus: " My Saviour, I know that all things are possible to thee; now, as thou hast bid us ask what we are in want of, therefore, I pray thee, hear me, even at present." Nor was his request denied, for his wife was restored to him.

Such were some of the blessed effects produced by the preaching of the Gospel of the crucified Jesus, upon these once stupid and hardened heathen, nor was it by them only that the Gospel was felt to be the power of God unto salvation. The following extract from a letter written by one of the Missionaries at the close of this year, (1740,) shews that the Brethren also experienced in their own souls, the same blessing which was conferred, by their instrumentality, upon the poor Greenlanders: "As I was speaking in the meeting of the wounds and nail-prints of Jesus, an invisible power stirred in my heart, and the hearts of all present. There has been a particular spirit of life among us for some time, so that scarce a soul has remained untouched."

Thus promising were appearances at the commencement of the year 1740: and indeed the Brethren needed strong consolation, to support them under the heavy trial which awaited them: this afflictive event was Samuel Kajarnak's death, which we shall relate in the Missionaries' own words.

"In February, we have been diligently at work in translating the harmony of the four Evangelists. Samuel and Sarah have assisted us faithfully therein, and at the same time the words of our Saviour have proved very lively to their own hearts. We discourse with them every day about some truth or other, because they