FIRST VISIT TO GREENLAND. In this first visit to Greenland, says the London Missionary Register, Matthew Stach spent seven years. He visited it again in 1742, 1749, 1753, 1754, and 1757; and left it finally in 1771. Difficulties on first settling in GreenlandOf these difficulties, Crantz gives the following account :

Immediately on their landing they re paired to Mr. Egede. He gave them a cordial reception, congratulated them on their undertaking, and promised them his assistance in learning the language. They next fixed on a spot for building on, the nearest habitable part of the coast, to which they afterward gave the name of New Hernnhut; and, having consecrated it with prayer, began to run up a Greenland hut of stones and sods, in which they might find shelter, until they had erected a wooden house. They bought an old boat of the captain, in which they intended to procure themselves food by fishing. It was an early season, and the snow disappeared a month sooner than usual; yet the cold was so severe, that the turf often froze in their hands. On the 6th of June they had so far finished their hut, that they could enter it, pulling down the tent of boards in which they had hitherto lodg ed. Directly after the ship had sailed, June 15, they laid the foundation of their dwelling-house. They likewise began to build a house for such Greenlanders as might resort to them for instruction; but VOL. IV.

it was long before there was any use for this.

The dwelling-house being completed, they next turned their attention to the means of procuring a maintenance, and to the acquisition of the language. These things were at first attended with great difficulties. They had but indifferent success in hunting and fishing, as these occupations were strange to them, and they could not imitate the Greenlanders in the use of the kajak. The first time that they went out to seek for drift-wood among the islands, they were overtaken by a storm: and when they had reached home with great difficulty, the wind during the night carried away both wood and boat; the boat was brought back in a few days by the Greenlanders, much damaged. This occurrence appeared to them in the light of a warning, not to engage themselves too far in temporal cares: and they resolved, like their countrymen, the Silesians and Lusatians, to earn some necessaries by spinning.

Mr. Egede, who had kindly offered to assist them in learning the language, gave them his written remarks to copy, and his sons explained them. But it may easily be imagined that they had to struggle with most appalling difficulties. were obliged, in the first place, to learn Danish, in order to understand their instructors: it was then necessary for them

They

to acquire a clear idea of the technical terms of grammar, with which they were wholly unacquainted: and, lastly, to make themselves masters of the uncouth GreenJandic declensions and conjugations, through a number of unusual moods, and an almost interminable variety of suffix

es.

Besides this, a copious vocabulary was to be committed to memory, the Greenlanders having often ten different words for one thing. It was very natural that they should frequently be wearied with such a course of study; especially as the natives themselves would enter into no conversation with them; and, as if inspired by the Wicked One himself, even stole away the manuscripts which had cost so much trouble. But the invincible love of the missionaries for these poor savages, cheered them in their tedious task, and fortified their minds against desponding reflections.

Two hundred families, amounting to perhaps 2,000 souls, were, at that time, resident at Ball's River; but they were scattered among the islands and hills, to fish, catch seals, and hunt deer; and, toward winter, they made voyages to their acquaintance, upward of a hundred leagues north or south. A life so wandering left the brethren but little hopes of gaining access to them, still less of making any permanent impression on their minds. No proffered advantages could tempt them to remain for any length of time at the colony. Some, indeed, paid a passing visit to the brethren, but it was only from curiosity, to see their buildings, or to beg needles, fish-hooks, knives, and other such articles, if not to steal. If the brethren sought them out in the islands, they seldom found any one who would give them a lodging, even for pay; and, instead of entering into discourse with them, they were continually asking whether they did not intend to be gone.

Temper and spirit of the Brethren in ex

tremities.

In a letter written to his brother, in Hernnhut, about this time, Matthew Stach says

Though far distant from you in body, I feel myself joined to you in spirit; forasmuch as we both have enlisted under the

As the nation now seemed to be almost extirpated, and the country round New Hernnhut was shunned as the nest of the plague, the brethren had enough to damp their ardour. But repeated strokes of adversity had taught them firmness: they had often before beheld and adored the wonderful ways of God, and they came from a place where they had seen the words of the Apostle realized-He calleth the things which are not as though they were. Their desire to spend their lives in the service of the heathen had not been a hasty impulse; and they were steadily resolved to wait for years before they would relinquish their aim. When, therefore, they were advised to return, as the land was depopulated, they cheerfully replied-" God's ways are not as man's ways. He who called us hither, can still keep us to fulfil His purpose."

To complete their troubles, they were all three attacked by an eruption, which increased so much in the winter that they could scarcely move their limbs, and were frequently obliged to keep their beds. Very probably this disorder was the scurvy, so common in northern countries; to which they would be rendered the more liable by the change from habits of labour to a sedentary life, in a cold, damp habitation. One of them, however, was always able to wait upon the rest, and to go with the colony's boat to visit the sick natives. The attentions of Mr. Egede and his wife were constant and sincere.

Temper of the Natives.

tered on under the same discouraging circumThe second year of the mission, 1734, was enstances as had marked the progress of the first. But the brethren diligently occupied themselves in searching out the resorts of the natives, and in labouring to do them good. It will appear from

Toward the end of the year, the brethren were rejoiced by the re-appearance of some of the natives. They assumed a very friendly deportment, and were very fluent in flattering expressions, by which they endeavoured to soothe the Europeans into liberality. As long as the conversation turned on seal-catching, or the state of other countries, they listened with pleasure; but as soon as religious topics were started, they grew drowsy, or set up a shout and ran away. When the brethren were accompanied by the minister (Mr. Egede) on their visits, the natives showed them more respect, and sometimes acquiesced in the truths which he stated, by saying, "O yes, we believe it all;" and even desired farther instruction. But it was very apparent, from a variety of circumstances, that their seeming interest in religion, if not dissimulation, proceeded solely from veneration for the person of the missionary.

Arrival of the Brethren, Boeknish and Beck.

In compliance with the request of his majesty, that more missionaries might be sent to Greenland, the brethren despatch

ed two of their number thither in this year, 1734. One of these, Frederick Boehnish, was recalled from a journey for this purpose. He had been previously destined for the mission at St. Thomas, but arrived too late to join the company that was proceeding to the West Indies. Being desired to choose one of two brethren, Daniel Schneider or John Beck, for a partner, he fixed upon John Beck. This brother had been before imbued with the missionary spirit, by a letter of Matthew Stach's from Greenland; and,

in the sequel, had signified his intention of engaging in the service, to his elders; he therefore accepted the appointment without any demur, nor had he ever occasion to repent, as his labours among the Heathen were blessed with abundant

fruit.

Their voyage was far from being agreeable; for, besides hard usage, they were obliged to put up with a great deal of mockery and abusive language. We

Matthew Stach had thus the pleasure of being joined by his old friend Boehnish, and by another fellow labourer who had caught from himself the missionary spirit. The intelligence of their appointment arrived very seasonably.

Just at this crisis, two of the missionaries had begun to think of returning; as they could not see what could be gained by remaining in a country which seemed almost depopulated, and where the small remnant of inhabitants showed no tokens of any interest in religion. But Matthew Stach could not resolve to go away. He often recollected a text which had had a great share in impressing the first impulse which he received to engage in missionary labours-At the evening it shall be light, and determined to stay alone, rather than forsake his charge, Mr. Egede kindly offering his services while he remained in the country. But when they heard that two assistants were coming, and ascertained the determination of the congregation to support the mission, and the favour of the king, they prosecuted their exertions with renewed courage.

Employments of the missionaries. Being illiterate men, they found great difficulty in studying the grammar and peculiarities of an intricate language. However, young Mr. Egede, who had learned the language from the natives while a child, and spoke it with fluency, assisted them very faithfully, and practised with them twice a week in German and Greenlandic.

They also endeavoured, as much as possible, to conform to the Greenland mode of living, and thereby to lessen their demands on the brethren in Europe; and God laid His blessing on their endeayours, so that they improved in the art of fishing more and more. They now also regulated their meetings for religious worship according to a fixed order; and, besides the hour destined for prayer and singing, appointed one every day for reading the Holy Scriptures, and medi

tating thereon; in this exercise, they began with the Epistle to the Romans. Besides, each of them set apart some particular time, both of the day and night, in which he importuned the Lord to bless himself, his brethren, the whole Church of God, and, above all, their endeavours to learn the language, and convert the heathen inhabitants of Greenland.

Difficulties of the language. Having as yet no field of active labour among the natives, their chief occupation during the winter of 1734-5, was the study of the language. The farther they advanced, the greater the difficulties appeared, especially as they now endeavoured to find appropriate expressions for scriptural and religious ideas. They had been told by grammarians, that it would be impossible for them to translate any thing more than historical pieces: but they did not suffer themselves to be discouraged, and, in a few years, their progress exceeded their most sanguine expectations-especially as the natives themselves, when light once broke in upon their minds, soon found words to express their newly-acquired sentiments; and they now saw that they had reason to congratulate themselves on their judicious determination not to speak with their charge on spiritual subjects in the beginning, lest their false or equivocal expressions might give them erroneous conceptions of the Christian religion, and fill their minds with a strange medley of ideas.

Increasing Intercourse with Natives. The longest voyages undertaken in 1735 were those of Matthew and Christian Stach; Matthew went 100 miles to wards the south, and Christian the same distance towards the north; both of them in the company of the traders, to whom their assistance was not unwelcome in a difficult and perilous navigation, attended with cold, rain, snow, and contrary winds. The Greenlanders, at first, regarded them with contempt; concluding, from the readiness with which they engaged in every kind of manual labour, that they were the factor's servants; but when they understood that their object was not to trade with them, but to make them ac

quainted with their Creator, and when they observed their modest and gentle carriage, so different from that of other Europeans, they paid them more attention. The frank and friendly behaviour of the missionaries, tempered with an air of earnest seriousness, gained so much on their esteem and confidence, that they eagerly sought their conversation, pressed them to come into their houses, begged them to repeat their visit, and promised

to return it themselves.

This animated the brethren to apply with the utmost assiduity to the language, and they began to discourse with the natives about sensible objects. They likewise read some of the pieces translated by Mr. Egede, as the Decalogue, the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer-reminding them of what he had formerly told them of the Creation and Redemptionrecalling to their memories what they had as usual forgotton, and rectifying their misapprehensions. They were not backward in avowing their belief of what they heard; but when the experience of the heart was demanded, they were completely at a loss. A short prayer being read to them by Matthew Stach, they assured him that it was good Greenlandic; but added, that they did not understand what was meant by "Jesus Christ," the being " redeemed by his blood," and the "knowing, loving, and receiving of Him;" that it was a strange language, and too sublime for them to comprehend.

The Greenlanders now commenced a more frequent intercourse with the brethren, and would sometimes spend the night with them. The motives of their visits were, indeed, glaringly selfish; they wanted either food and shelter, or presents of needles and other things; they even bluntly declared, that if the brethren would give them no stock-fish, they would no longer listen to what they had to say ; and during the winter, which was intensely cold, the brethren could not refuse their request for provisions. They did not altogether discontinue their visits in summer, but they generally came, after spending the night in feasting and reveling, too drowsy to support a conversation, or intent only upon hearing some