any to the visible church of whose sincerity they had not decisive proofs, deferred the baptism of this heathen for some time. Her feelings upon this occasion, expressed to her believing countrywomen, manifested at once the truth and fervour of her piety. "I know how it is with me," said she, "that I cannot yet be washed in the blood of Jesus. Oh! if I did but know where the fault in me lies; for I would fain be his." The distinguishing features in Susanna's character were sincerity and guilelessness. She concealed nothing which troubled her peace, but consulted her sisters about every point of conduct the propriety of which seemed doubtful, and she was always ready to conform to their advice. In temporal concerns, she was so patient, that, even if she had no food for a whole day, she would make no complaints. Before Susanna came to Lichtenfels, her constitution had been much injured by excessive labour. She seemed never to think of herself, when her exertions ministered to the comfort of others; and this amiable disposition often impelled her to do more work than her feeble frame could well bear. But her sufferings here were not to be of long duration. A spitting of blood, to which she had been subject for some time, returned upon her with great violence in 1762, and she perceived that her dissolution was at hand. To this event she looked forward with pleasure, and the ground of her confidence and rejoicing appeared in a saying which she often repeated to her sisters"Oh! how glad am I that I have a Saviour! could not rely upon him, how should I be afraid of death!" When in this declining state of health, she beheld a funeral procession which passed her window, and afterwards she said to one of her sisters, who had taken part in the solemnities, "O that was fine: how sweetly you sung! ye will sing at my funeral in the same manner;" and then, with her feeble voice, she began to sing the verse, "When in the arms of Jesus, My mouth shall pallid grow," &c. If I One of her most favourite verses, in her sickness, was out of the litany DEATH OF SUSANNA. "Think on thy Son's so bitter death, For all the world a ransom paid: This comforts us eternally, And makes us hope for mercy free." 177 When the languor of sickness no longer suffered her to sing these lines, she repeated them constantly as a prayer. Being asked, a few days before her departure, by one of her sisters, if she would not wish to stay longer with them, she answered, "I do not like to hear any thing more of that; do but let me go willingly to our Saviour;" and, a sister making this reply, "Go then in peace," she added, "Oh! how I long for Jesus ! Oh! might he but come quickly, and take me to himself." The day but one before her departure, she frequently repeated her thanks and praises that the Lord had sought and found her out, and that she could firmly rely upon him. The day before her death being a festival, her sisters were very cheerful, and spent the intervals between the meeting in singing hymns. She joined them with her feeble voice, and, when sinking nature disabled her from singing any more, she sighed, and repeated some lines, intimating that her spirit was willing, although her flesh was weak. In the night, she said several times, "O my Saviour, come soon- -O come; yea, come, Lord Jesus!" She requested her sisters to sing her favourite hymns during the greater part of the night. She then lay still for some time; but at day-break she hastily raised herself up, looking steadfastly upwards. The sisters, who sat by her and supported her, inquiring what she looked at, she answered, "That great light-do but see that great light!" She made an effort to get up, as if to meet the object upon which her attention was fixed, but she sank down again into her sisters' arms, and expired: she was but 24 years of age. We shall conclude this affecting, but cheering description of the life and death of this dear child of God, in Mr. Crantz's words. "Now, this is the first of the flowers planted and blown in this little garden. It had no long time to grow, and presently came to maturity. Now the Lord has plucked it, to refresh himself with it for his pains and labour. To Him be glory for ever. Amen." A church and dwelling-house, similar to those at New Herrnhuth, was also sent from Europe to Lichtenfels, and erected, 1761. These places have long ceased to be Missionary stations, in the strict sense of the word,—the whole surrounding neighbourhood having been gradually Christianized. The brethren lost no opportunity of proclaiming the gospel to those roving bands of natives, who still at intervals paid them casual visits. Many, it is true, were for a long time deaf to the invitations and promises of the New Testament; but not a year passed, which did not bring an addition of a greater or less number of converts, aroused from the sleep of death by the powerful voice of God. These settlements have, from time to time, been visited with gracious out-pourings of the Divine Spirit; and, under these showers of blessing, the languishing interests of vital piety have been revived. The following extracts from letters received from these settlements, in 1802, are confirmatory of the above state ment. "The state of the Greenland Mission is now greatly changed. The inhabitants of New Herrnhuth and Lichtenfels consist chiefly of persons whose parents were baptized by the brethren, and who have been baptized as children, and educated in Christian principles; of most of whom it may be said, that, amidst all infirmities and failings, they walk worthy of the gospel. Sometimes it happens that a South Greenland heathen, passing through New Herrnhuth, hears and is made attentive to the gospel. Those heathens, in the neighbourhood, who do not belong to the Brethren's Church, have all been baptized by the Danish Missionaries, and there is no trace of paganism left in the neighbourhood. "That power of Satan which peculiarly manifests itself in a land where heathenism bears the sway, and of which people living in Christian countries cannot well form an idea, seems to have been entirely subdued in that part of Greenland, and the general darkness has fled before the light of the gospel. Even those who MATTHEW STACH'S DEATH. 179 do not as yet devote themselves, with their whole hearts, to their God and Saviour, are aware of, and enjoy its blessed influence, as in other parts of Christendom" In 1771, the venerable Matthew Stach closed his long and successful labours in Greenland. He spent the remainder of his days at Wachau, in North Ame rica, where he fell asleep in Jesus, in the 77th year of his age. The reader will recollect, that this devoted servant of Christ was the foremost of the three brethren who, at a time when there appeared no ground for hope, bound themselves by a solemn engagement to continue in Greenland. With the same undaunted perseverance he encountered and surmounted the difficulties which stood in the way of the establishment of the new settlement of Lichtenfels; and a hazardous journey, which he made to the South, opened the way for the establish. ment of a third station. This same extraordinary man also contributed his assistance towards the planting of the gospel on the coast of Labrador, where there are now three flourishing congregations, which have been gathered from among the savage Esquimaux. Had Matthew Stach been born in an exalted rank of life, he seems to have possessed abilities which would have rendered him illustrious in the annals of the world as a statesman or a general: had he lived, destitute of the grace of Christ, in times of political agitation, his name would probably stand on the page of history, among those who have been raised, by the buoyancy of genius, from the obscurity in which an humble poverty had sunk them. How different his lot! Those talents which might have been employed in increasing and perpetuating the agitations of this miserarable world, were used for promoting the temporal and eternal peace and happiness of his fellow-men. He was employed to build up the waste places of many generations, and children yet unborn will call him blessed. The world, as it pursues the bubbles which float upon the stream of time, may smile in scorn upon his labours; but, when they " that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt," the wisdom which directed his labours shall be justified before all in the accomplishment of the promise" They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars, for ever and ever." Another settlement, named Lichtenau, about 400 miles south of Lichtenfels, was established in 1774, by John Soerenzen and Gottfried Grillich. Within a circuit of a few miles, they found nearly a thousand Greenlanders, to whom they preached the word of atonement with visible blessing; for, as early as the ensuing summer, they had the pleasure to receive fourteen adults into the congregation of believers by holy baptism. A house in the European style was soon erected for the Missionaries, and the temporary building which had been run up, in the Greenland fashion, for divine worship, soon required enlargement. During the second winter, nearly two hundred persons resided at Lichtenau; and, within seven years from its commencement, this congregation numbered two hundred and five baptized Greenlanders among its members. How eminently the blessing of God has since rested upon the labours of his servants, in this station, will appear from the following description of the state of things at the conclusion of the year 1828. "Among the members of the congregation, the grace of our Saviour prevailed in a very perceptible manner, of which both their words and whole demeanour afforded satisfactory evidence. The church festivals were well attended, and the Lord laid his blessing upon them, as well as upon the Sunday and daily services. Twelve adult heathens were baptized during the year. The congregation consisted of 638 baptized, including 251 communicants, and 30 unbaptized: total, 668 Greenlanders, under the care of the Missionaries." In 1777, the Missionary John Beck entered into his rest. This venerable labourer in the vineyard of Christ was the last who remained in this country of the three brethren, to whose fortitude and perseverance the planting of the gospel in Greenland is, under God, to be attributed. There is something very affecting in the consideration of the successive removal of these servants of God; but, while the mind is pained with the feeling that "every man," considered in himself, "is in his best |