THE HEATHEN DESIRE INSTRUCTION.

191

it, to send Brethren to reside with them as teachers : upon which the savages often addressed Mr. Kleinschmidt and the assistants, with words to this effect: "O let the teachers make haste, that they may come to us before we die ! We shall be quite impatient to see them arrive. O that the year might be short!" (supposing that the teachers would arrive next year). Mr. Kleinschmidt endeavoured to explain to them, that the brethren could not always do as they wished, but that it would depend upon their directors, and upon the impression his report would make on the other side of the water. To this they replied, "Only let it be perceived that you are truly in earnest, and tell them that our desire is very great. Let one of our Christian countrymen reside among us, to converse with us, and tell us words of God our Saviour, and how we may be saved." We trust that the words of these poor heathen may reach the hearts of some of our readers, and stir them up to active and self-denying exertion, either to bear or send the gospel to millions of the heathen in those frozen regions, whose souls may be equally thirsting for it.

Several of these poor people expressed a wish to accompany the travellers to Lichtenau and settle there: but, as Mr. Kleinschmidt feared that, with many, all this might be a fire of straw, fierce, but soon extinguished, he admonished them first to consider well what they were doing, to think often on what they had heard, and to form such resolutions as were founded upon true convictions, lest they should, after a short time, repent of such an unadvised step. That the brethren desired none to reside at Lichtenau, but such as were seeking our Saviour in truth and sincerity, and whose fixed determination it was, to regulate their lives and conversation by His precepts, and to forsake all heathenish customs and abominations. He represented to them the rules and regulations necessary to be observed in a congregation of true believers, and added, "At that place, you cannot, as hitherto, live as you like, and do whatever your corrupt nature suggests: and that would appear very irksome to you." They answered, "As soon as your teachers come to

us, we will be obedient, and desist from all our bad customs."

Mr. Kleinschmidt commenced the first meeting which he held in this pleasant vale, on which the sun shone with great splendour all day, by singing that hymn,

"The Sun of Righteousness arises,

With healing in his beams," &c.

The congregation met, as usual, in the open field; and the greatest order and devotion prevailed during the discourse. Afterwards, Mr. Kleinschmidt sat down to write a letter, acquainting his family, and fellow-labourers at Lichtenau, with his proceedings. The heathen surrounded the table, expressing much astonishment how thoughts could be communicated upon paper.

On leaving his tent in the morning, Mr. Kleinschmidt, saw some old women who had seated themselves before a tent, waiting for him: they expressed their desire to hear more words of Jesus. One of them related, that her little son, eight years old, immediately after the discourse last night, lay down quietly on his bed, and wept much. In a meeting which was held the following morning, the native assistant Shem was desired to speak to the people. He commenced by exhorting them with much earnestness to seek the Lord, adding: "Even me, a wretched sinner, Jesus did not despise, but sought me with unwearied pains; and, as He is so gracious, that He is resolved to preserve me as His property, He does not leave off to grant me grace and favour. Just so He is disposed towards all you, if but a desire is wrought in your souls to know Him, and be converted to him," &c.

of

The following day, our travellers rowed along the coast, leaving Staatenhuk behind them, and the continent of Greenland on their left hand. On landing for the night, they were surprised to find some tents full of people; they were not properly inhabitants of this coast, but stragglers who visited it in search of provisions, and Mr. Kleinschmidt availed himself of this opportunity to bear testimony to the love of Jesus in the presence of these poor people: they received the Missionary travellers kindly. They first sung a hymn :

DANGERS AT SEA.

193

and Mr. Kleinschmidt then discoursed to them on the invitation given to all, to hear and believe the word of salvation.

Having now examined the country about Staatenhuk both by land and water, as much as opportunity afforded, the travellers set out on their return; having first knelt down, and commended the inhabitants of this eastern coast of Greenland, in fervent prayer to Him, to whom it is particularly promised, "That He shall have the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession.

In the forenoon of the same day, the travellers met a boat full of heathen Greenlanders, but the sea running high, they could not approach each other near enough for conversation, and the Brethren could only see their friendly gestures, and their faces fixed upon them as long as they remained in sight. All day long our voyagers had to labour against a contrary wind and tide, but without much difficulty, till they got round to the western side of Staatenhuk, when the strong north wind came full upon them. The boat belonging to the heathen not venturing to follow them, retreated to the shore; Mr. Kleinschmidt, however, persuaded his people to proceed, wishing to reach Narksamio, and once more to visit its heathen inhabitants. This undertaking was accompanied with much danger, for the sea grew more and more boisterous, and the spray flying into the boat, put the female rowers to great inconve nience; the boats became almost unmanageable, they' were tossed so near to each other, that the fore part of one several times struck the hinder part of the other, in which, Ann Helena, Frederick's wife, sat at the rudder, with a child in her lap. The horns of the boat passed more than once close by the child's head, one stroke of which would certainly have killed it. The anxiety of the mother to steer right, and the roaring of the sea, prevented her, however, from hearing the cries of the people warning her to guard her child against such a misfortune. She was not a little frightened, when she afterwards heard of her danger.

But all the attempts of our travellers to reach Narksamio proved fruitless, and they were obliged to seek shelter in a small bay, from whence, on the 14th, Mr. Kleinschmidt walked across the country, in company of

K

the three assistants and the sisters, to Narksamio, a distance of about four miles. All the inhabitants immediately left their tents to meet the Brethren, while those on the other side of the creek did the same, wading through the water, so that a congregation of eager and attentive hearers was soon collected, to whom Mr. Kleinschmidt delivered a discourse on the words of Luke xxii. 44; "And, being in agony, he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Among these heathen the Brethren staid some days, conversing with them on the necessity of conversion, and on those things which belong to salvation; Mr. Kleinschmidt met them once more to take leave, assuring them, that he would never forget them in his prayers When he had finished, Benjamin addressed them at some length, and with a full heart, entreated them often to repeat to their minds and hearts, during the winter season, what they had again heard of the Word of God and the way of life. Their devout silence and close attention were very striking, and made this farewell-meeting peculiarly solemn. They said: "Your visit has been so pleasant and now, alas, you are going to leave us." "Their expressions of gratitude were indeed so heartfelt," writes Mr. Kleinschmidt, "that it seemed as if they felt the force of that text in Isaiah lii. 7: "How beautiful pon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace: that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth."

In the evening, the Missionary travellers retraced their steps over hills and dales, back to their tents, accompanied by several of the heathen.

On the 15th, before sunrise, they set out on their return to Lichtenau, where they arrived in safety on the evening of the 16th, accompanied by a boat full of heathen from Staatenhuk.

This voyage of discovery which was performed July, 1821, led to the establishment of a fourth settlement in the south of Greenland. In 1823, Mr. Kleinschmidt visited Europe; and in February, 1824, he sailed with a brother Missionary, De. Fries, from Copenhagen for Greenland, in a large vessel, which also carried out the

GROWTH OF THE NEW SETTLEMENT.

195

necessary building materials for the new settlement; after a stormy and dangerous voyage, they arrived at New Herrnhuth May 13th. Having rested a few days at that place, Mr. Kleinschmidt and his assistants set out for the place of their future abode in an open boat, and through the protecting care of God they arrived in safety at Lichtenfels on the night of June 6, and at Lichtenau July 1. Here Mr. Kleinschmidt and his company received the gratifying intelligence, that the heathen at Staatenhuk were anxiously awaiting their arrival. Here also the Missionary party was increased by the addition of three assistants, two of whom, Nathaniel and Linus, were natives of Greenland. The whole party having left Lichtenau, arrived in safety at the site of the future settlement, in reviewing the perils from which they had been preserved, they shed tears of joy and gratitude, and while they committed themselves and their work to the protecting care of that God, who had helped them hitherto, they were comforted in the assurance, that he would hear and answer their prayers, and in this place erect the banner of his cross.

In this new settlement, which was distinguished by the name of Fredericksthall (Frederick's vale), the Missionaries were, exposed to much personal inconvenience for want of a suitable residence. As the materials of the house which had been carried from Europe, could not be conveyed to them until the following year, they were obliged to live in their tents for twelve weeks. On the 17th of October they moved into a little room, being one third of a building constructed of sods, in the Greenland fashion, the remaining part of which was consecrated as a house of prayer.

But the Brethren were comforted under their trials by the evident blessing which rested upon their labours. The heathen Greenlanders hastened to Fredericksthall, to hear the glad tidings of the Gospel; many boats full of these poor people, arrived daily to visit the Missionaries, and the little chapel was soon found to be insufficient to contain the number of inquirers. At the first baptism of a heathen Greenlander upwards of 200 persons, chiefly heathen, were present, and we may judge of the impression produced on this occasion, by the fact that forty individuals were admitted to the church by