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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmte en commenpant par la premiere paga qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la darnidre page qui comr ^rte une tellb empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la derniire image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — *» signifie "A SUIVRE", le aymboie V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmte A des taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seui cliche, il est film* A partir da i'anglo supArieur gauche, de gauche i droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illuetrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 I 8 1 M AJ f CH And i opp Bre A SUCCINCT VIEW OF THE MISSIONS » ESTABLISHED AMONG THE HEATHEN B Y T H E CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN, R UNITAS FRATRUM, 1 N A LETTER TO A FRIEND^ LONDON: Printed by M. Lewis, in Pater-nofter-Row ,• And fold by Mefl". Dilly, in the Pouliry; Mr. Beckett, oppofite the New Church in the Strand ; and at all the Brethren's Chapels. Mdcclxxx. .. Price Six-pPHce. ■**¥ I ■n i i LETTER I T O A FRIEND, &c. f I I London, Nov. 26, 1770. ^ My dear Friend, TflE laft time we fpent an hour together, our converfation turned upon the Miffions which the Church of the Brethren has eftablifhed among the Heathen, and the fuccefs attending them. You then exprefled a defire to fee a brief account of thefe miflions, where they are eftablifhed, the fruits arifen from them, and how they are fuppcrted. I will attempt to perform this tafk, in as brief a manner as poffible. But I muft ^u(\. obferve, that it is a fixed principle among us, that " the Kingdom of «« God is not in word, but in power :" confcquently the endeavours cf the milTionaries are not merely to teach the Heathen the chief doarines of the gofpel, with the view, that they may be able to repeat them by rote, and to give proper anfwers to certain quel- ^ionsj but their chief aim is, that the power of the A 2 gcQ^el r ♦ ] • gofpel may reach their hearts. As we arc firmly of ths Apoftle's mind, that " it is a faithful faying, and wor- ** thy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came inta " the world to favc fmners," the MifTionaries cannot look upon the convcrfion of a Heathen as real, unlefs he has felt the want of a Saviour, and his heart is tru- ly direded to Him who has died, that He might favc fmners from prtfent and eternal damnation. And forty years experience has evinced, that the only eiFedtual method to gain the attention of the Heathen, to awa- ken them to a knk of their blindnefs and fin, and to raife in them comfortable and afTured hopes of a happy immortality, and of courfe to make rhem ufeful and moral fellow-citizens, is to follow the Apoftle in his determination touching the fubjedt of his preaching to the Corinthians, *' not to know any thing among *« them, fave Chrift, and Him crucified." Therefore it is now our iHvariable method, " to fet forth Jcfus ** Chrill before their eyes, as crucified among them,'* until their hearts arc touched and afiecled with zhc smazing truth, that HE, " by whom all things were *' made, and without whom was not any thing made *' that was made, was made flcfh and dwelt among ** us," and as a Mnn lived, fuifered, was wounded, bled an^' 'iied, tr deliver finful men from their fins and eternai dtflru6h'on. « I If in preaching to and inftruiSling the Heathen at the beginning, an attempt is made to imprint other truths upon their mindy, beiore they have received this great tru'.h, that God was m.^nifefted in the flefh, and that He lufiiered and died for us men and for our falvation, they \ ■BBEI ( I f s ] they are either intirely indifferent and inattentive, or they begin toexercife their fpeculation upon what they have heard, but their hearts remain empty, and with- out any real impre.lion of fuch truths. On the other hand, the word of the crofs is the power of God unto falvation to every one that believeth j it feizes upon and operates in the heart, and is productive of the true con- verfion of it. For this reafon it is a rule with our Bre- thren, that they never enter into an extenfive difcuf- fion of the do6trines of God's being an infinite Spirit, of the Holy Trinity, kc. nor do they fcek to open the undcrftanding of the Heathen in thefe points, until they believe in Him, '* in whom are hid all the treafures •* of wifdom and knowledge," As divine Grace alone can produce a true and living faith in them, the Mif- iionaries proceed not to Baptifm, until they difcover in the hearts of the candidates a real work of the Holy Ghoft, and a defire to become obedient to the Gofpel. This caution makes it that the progrefs feems rather flow. But experience fhcWS;, that thofe Heathen who have been brought to the k.kowledge of Chrift by the miniftry of the Brethren, if they remain faithful to the grace they have received, prove an honour t' the Gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrill, an-J the fruits of the Spirit, mentioned in the holy Scriptures, appear in them. Then they become by their lives and converfatioii liv- ing witnefles that Chrift faves from fin, they are of courfe good fubjedls, and in general fliew forth, after their Baptifm, that they have been made partakers of the true grace of God. Notwith- [ 6 ] Notwithftanding the truth of what is here alTeried and proved by numberlcfs inftances, we muft confcfs, that the labour of our Millionarics among the Heathen is no eafy employ, but requires much patience, and muft be purfucd with pnyers and tears. The power of darknefs among them, and the dominion of Satan, whofe oppofition is fyon perceived by the MiiTionarics, the natural blindnefs and pride of the Savaf*es, their heathcnifli prejudices againft the truths of the Gofpel, their fmful practices, the bad examples of fo many who arc called Chriftians, the fedudtions laid in their way by others, and the unfaithfulnefs of fome of thofe who had been touched by the Grace of our Lord, are certainly fuch letts and hindrances, that no abiding fruit could fpring from the Brethren's labour, if a higher power than their own ftrength, did not fupport and render their labour fuccefsful. Thefe and num- berlcfs other d. faculties the Brethren flruggle with in their undertaking, and nothing but an unconquerable defire to bring fouls to Jefus could have carried them through all the difficulties and hardfliips that they have had to encounter. Indeed we have reafon to praife and adore the Grace of our Lord, which has formed a people in the Church of the Brethren, who, knowing all difficulties, and having no profpecSt before them, but to endure extreme heat or cold, with few or no con- veniencies of life, and no hopes of gain, have offered themftlves unto the Lord for bis ftrvice among the Heathen, 1 I S( ooi!th- America, and the Caribbee Tfiands, have proved Co particularly f^trJ, that thv excels of thofe cliniutcs *» fa f •i I 7 J climates have been enough to deter thofc who loved their Lives, from going thither. Many of our dear Bre- thren and Sifters have laid down their lives there and Ibme very fuon after their arrival; I cnnnot afccrtaln the number of thofe who within thefe forty years have been taken off in ihofe coun- tries, yet I can fay with certainty, that a number far exceeding one hundred have thus fallen in the attempt of gaining fome Negroes and Indians as the reward of the travail of Chrift's foul. Yet others have always been found who have not only readily accepted a call, but have voluntarily and earneftly offered themfelves to fupj.ly the places of thofe who were taken off in this iervice. I muft here obferve, that when a member of the Church of the Brethren has a particular impulfe in his heart to ferve the Lor.l among the Heathen, he makes known his dcfirc (having firft weighed it well before the Lord) to thofe who are appointed to dire^ the affairs appertaining to the Miflions among the Heathen. Then, when there is a vacancy or a new Mifficn is be- gun, the define of thofe who have offered themfeJvej, is taken into confidcration, and after examining into the motives of their dcfire and their qualificatio'^ns for thi. i-Tiportant employ, fuch as are wanted, are nomi- nated. We hope that as long as this principle ruleth in the hearts of the Brethren, « Chrift died that we *' finulo live unto Him in the world," there wiil al- ways be found fuch willing fcrvants of the Lord, '•* who love not their livei unto the death," but devotj thcmieJvcs I 8 3 theiufclvcs entirely unto the fcrvlcc of their fellow- creatures tor Chrill's lake. There are at prefent no lefs than one hundred ami fixty members of the Church of the Brethren engaged in the fcrvicc of the Heat.ien, cither as Miflionaries, or Catechifts, or Afliilants to the Miflionaries. As to the queflilon, where have the Brethren their chief Miflions at prefent? I will here briefly recite the places* In Greenland or Davis's Strcighls, where the Mif- fion was begun fo early as in the year 1733, the Bre- thren have at prefent two confiderable fettlementa formed out of the converted Heathen, viz. at New Hc-rrnhuth and Lichtcnfcls, as may be feen in Cranti's lliftory of Greenland, which was publiflied in England in the year 1767. The number of the Grecnlanders living with the Brethren at the end of the year 1769, amounted atNew-M-rnhuth to 540, and at Lichtenfels to 290. In the back part of our American Colonies, parti- cularly behind the provinces of Penfylvania, NewYorlc, &c. the Bret^Hfn have laboured among the Indians ever fince the year 1740, and the word of their tefti- mony has been bleflcd by the Lord* They began to publifli the Gofpel in fome villages •f the Indians, which were called at that tii:)C Chcko- mekah, Wechquatnach and Scattikokj and the firfl converted Ir fcllow- iidrcd and n engaged )naries, or hren their efly recite ; the Mlf. , the Bre- "ettlementa . at New n Crantt's n England ecnlanders ^ear 1769, !^ichtenfels r 9 } converted Indians were baptized In the year 1742. In the following year, the biefling attending liieir mi- niftry manifcftcd iifcU particularly among the Mahi- kandcr and Delaware Indians ; and fincc that time many hundreds of thefe and of other nations have been embodied into the Church of Chrift by holy B.iptifm, It would exceed the bounds of this letter, to relate here the opprofling difliculrics which our Brethren and the converted Indians underwent from the very begin- ning of this Miflion. After a great variety of vici/Ii- tu'ks a village was built by the baptized Indians on the Mahony in the back parts of Pennfylvanla, and call- ed Gnadcnhutten *, where they dwelt .vith their Mif- fionaries and their rfliftants feverai yars in peace and quietnefs, as a chriftian congregation. But in the laft Indian war this Icttlement was dertroyet. The hoftilc Indians being irritated, hecaufe the coiivertcd Indians would not join in the war againlt the Englifli, attack- ed in the night of the 24th of Novc ibcr, 1754, the houfes of our Eurcipean brethren, fet them on fire; and thofc who attempted to efcape the fire, wcic fhct at. Thus eleven of our Brethren and Siflers were ei- ther confumed by the fire or Ihot, and only five efcaped. ics, parti- SfewYork, \Q Indians their tefli- ne villages nc Cheko- d the firft converted The Indians who had dwelt at Gnadenhuttcn fled different ways and were fcattercd, and fhortly after their houfes were burnt by the hoftile Indiars. Moft of the Indians, who thus fled, came afterwards, by degrees, to the other Settlements of the Brethren, and were received in Love. Ground Wiis given to ihJm B near J I r 10 3 near Bethlehem, our chief fettlement in Pennfylvania. Here they built in the year 1757, a place called Nain, where they lived, for fome time, in peace. But in the year 1763, the cruel Indian war, which broke out afrefh, proved an occafion of new fufferings. Some of the white people were fo violently exafperated rigainft the Indians that they determined to cut off every one of them they could meet with, and adually murdered fome poor Ind'ans, not belonging to the Brethren, who were under the protection of the Government in and near the town of Lancafl:er : Then they took the re- folution to cut off all thefe converted and truly peaceable Indians at Nain. The Governor and Council of Penn- fylvari'- humanely took them under their protedion, and as there was no fecurity for them in the country, they were efcorted to Philadelphia. At firfl: they were lodged on an ifland in the river Delaware, contiguous to the city, and afterwards in the barracks, where they remained under the protedlion of, and were maintained by, the Government till the end of the war. The Miffionaries lived there with them, and performed the functions of their miniftry, io that the Indians had divine worfhip the whole time i ' their ftay there. Here the fmali pox got among them, and, in a fhort time, by means of this and of other diforders upwards of fifty departed this life in Philadelphia. Their patience and behaviour during all thefe circumflanc.es was the moft convincing proof to all who beheld them, that they were Chnftians indeed. When the peace with the Indians was concluJcd, and the rage of the white people abated, they obtained the approbation of the Governor of Pennfylvania, and of the Council of the Six 'ylvania. d Nain, the year : afrefh, ! of the ainft the y one of [\urdered Irethren, ment in k the re- leaceable )f Penn- otedion, country, bey were ntiguous lere they iintained r. The rmed the ians had ly there, n a fhort )wards of ■ patience > was the em, that ace with the white >n of the :il of the Six r " J Six Nations in Onandago, to form a Settlement far back in the Country, at a place called Wihilufing. To this their Settlement they gave the name Friedenf- huttcn *. Here they haVe built a pretty Indian town, where they live at prefent with the Miffionaries, and enjoy peace. Many Indians from different parts come to them, and the blefled Gofpel is preac^hed with fuccefs ; and fome of them who were fcactered, as above related, returned to them. The inhabitants of a neighbouring Indian town on the Sufquehannah, called, Mechfhequanik, about thirty miles from J Friedenlliutten, having been vifited by the Brethren, and heard the Gofpel with an impreflion thereof upon their hearts, requefted that a Miffionary might be fent to them, which has been complied with, after the faid Indians had fought for and obtained the approbation of the Council of the Six Nations thereunto. In this vilUge the Word of Atonement is prea^ried with blef- fmg, and feveral of the faid Indians are already bap- tized. As feveral of the Indians dwelling on the Ohio came alfo to Friedenfiiutten, and were convinced of the ^ruthof the Gofpel, they brought the report thereof to the reft ; and by this means a whole tribe of the Indians on the Ohio fent a mefTage, praying the Bre- thren to fend a Minifter to dwell among, "and preach the Gofpel unto them. In confequence thereof, Bro- ther Zeifberger, with fome believing Indians, went in the year 1767 to Gcfligofhung on the Ohio, to preacli the Gofpel. They w«re ai firft received with 'much ^2 feemins: IS ■* Tud'. of pcj-.':. r I* ] deeming heartinefs ; but a Heathen who had fct up as a teacher and preacher, and pretended to particular IntcTcourfes with God, ftirred up others againft Bro- ther Zeifberger. Thus he was in danger ©f his life, and fundry attempts were made againft it, Neverthe- lefs he, and the Indians who came with him, continued preaching the Gofpel daily, and fpeaking with thofe who were willing to hear of the great falvation wrought out for, and now offered unto them. The only Chief at Gofhgofhung, an aged venerable blind Indian, being convinced in his heart of the Truth, adhered to the believing Indians. Some Chiefs of the weftern Indians invited Brother Zeifberger, and his congregation, to come and live in any part of their Country he Ihould chufe. Thus the ftorm ra'fed againft Brother Zeif- berger was allayed ; and though the enmity did not cenfe, they did not fhow it in fo open and violent a manner. Brother Zeifberger, his Indians and fome who defired to hear the ^Vord, moved their Huts firft to Lawunalchanneic, a place about three miles from the Indian town Gofngofhung up the Ohio j and they foon reaped fome fruit of their labour and danger by the Baptifm of the venerable old Chief AUemewi, whom they calhd Solomon, and of fome others. Being a^ain invited bv the weftern Indians into their Coun- try, Brother David Zeifberger and all the Indians who dwelt in Lawunakhannek, together with fome from Gofligofhung, removed into that country. They travelled by v.ater on the Ohio in Canoes to Pittfburg; and twenty mi!es below this place they left the Ohio, find wtnt up the Beaver Creek, and after a journey of fixtecn days up that river, they fettled at a place, which I ffS^^UPPII^^^i' fet up as )articu]ar inft Bro- his life, Jeverthe- lontinoed 'ith thofe wrought ily Chief in, being ed to the n Indians ation, to le ihould her Zeif- y 6id not violent a and fome Huts firft iles from and they langcr by Ulemewj, s. Being ;ir Coun- : Indians rith fome •y. They ?itt(burgi he Ohio, I journey ; a place, which I [ 13 ] which they called Languntoutenunk, that is, the" city of peace. Several Indians, who defire to hear the Gofpel, have obtained leave to live Jherc with them, and others are flocking to them. By the laft accounts from thence, we find that fome were baptized, and there is a hopeful profped that the Harveft will be great among the more weftern Tribes of Indians, who feem at prefent defirous that the Gofpel may be preached unto them« Befides the aforefaid three places and their inhabi- tants, there are ftill many Indians in that diftri^l, who have heard the Gofpel preached by the Brethren, and are convinced in their hearts of the truth thereof. The various and very difficult circumftances which the In- dian congregations have laboured under, proved an occafion, that many alfo who had been baptized, were /battered i and thus they came into fuch parts of this vaft country, as had never been vifited by the Bre- thren. Thefe poor fcattered Indians have made known the dodrines of the Gofpel to thofe among whom they went, although many of them fuftaincd damage in their own fouls, fufFering themfelves, by degfees, to be feduced, and rehpfmg into the fins ufual among the Indians. Several of thefe have however returned to the good Shepherd Jefus Chrift, and have implored with tears, and obtained, forgivenefs from him. All thefe fcattered Indians are fought after by the Brethren, and all pofllble care 15 taken of them, that they may be rcftored to grace. Before ffi i^^ '!!■ - r 14 ] Before I leave the continent of America, I iriuft njention our MiiTion in Surinam and Berbicc in South America. The Miffion in Surinam was beo-un in the year 1736, and that in Berbice in 1739, and fome years after they were united at Pilgerhuth in the back parts of Berbice. At this place an Indian congrega- tion was colleftcd, chiefly out of the Arawak nation, which congregation was in a flourifhing and fruitful flate for fome years, and fome hundred Indians were baptized there. But grievous and difficult circumftances were alfo not wanting here. The departure of feveral faithful and particularly blefled Mrffionarles out of this life gave us and the Indians great pain. At length iii the year 1763, during the well known rebellion of the Negroes, this whole fettleraent was deftroyed, the Mif- fionaries were obliged to retire, and the Indians were fcattcred. Before this painful event, in the year 1757^ another fettlement was eftablifhed on the river Sarameca in the province of Surinam, as a gathering-place for the Indians, and it was called Sharon. But in the year 1761, the Miffionaries and the Indians who dwelt there, were attacked by the free Negroes, who burnt their houfes, killed fome of the Indians, took fome prifoners, carried them away with them, and difperfed .uercft. However this place has been fince rebuilt; the fcattered Indians have afTembled there; and now a little Indian congregation dwells there with the Mif- fionaries. On the river Corentyn, on the borders of Berbicc, is the ftcond Miflion fettlement, where, at a place called Hope, Wf I ': ' I, I iriurt in South un in the and fome the back congrega- k nation, cl fruitful lians were umftances of feveral ut of this length iti ion of the , the Mif- lians were ear 1757, Sarameca •place for ut in the /ho dwelt ho burnt 3ok fome difperfed 5 rebuilt; id now a the Mif- ?erbicc, is ace called Hope, .^s. '^ I r IS 1 ■ Hope, not only the Mi/fionaries, and a number of col|r verted Indians are colle£led, and live, but thelndians who were formerly baptized at Pilgerhuth, and who now dwell not far from Hope in the Savannah, adhere to jhetn and hear the Gofpel. A few years ago the Free-Negroes, who form a kind of a Republic behind the European Settlements, and who attacked our Settlement at Sharon, have in- vited our Brethren to come and preach the Gofpel to them. Some live now among them ; our Lord blefleth their labour ; and a Captain of thefe free Negroes is brought, through Grace, to a fenfe of his fins and mifery, and of the want of a Saviour. Some Brethren live aifo at Paramaribo, the chief town in the Country, to affift towards the fupport of the aforefaid three Settlements, and to facilitate the correfpondence wi*h them. I will now turn to the Caribbee Iflands, ' The firft Miinon of the renev.'ed Brethren's Church was to the Ifland of St. Thomas, occafioned by a Ne- groe, who vifited Herrnhuth, and told the Brethren, that his poor Mother, a Negroe in St. Thomas, would be glad to hear of the Saviour. This ftirred wp a defire in fome to go thither, and our late Brother Leon- ard Dober, afterwards a Bifliop of our Church, re- folved, for the fake of thefe poor Heathen, even to be- come a ilave himfelf, if he could find no other means of preaching the Gofpel to the Neg ©cs. He went to St. ,3- f t6 ] St. Thomas in the year 1732, and began to declare to them the Word of reconciliation. He was followed by others, and the teftimony of the death of the Lord of Life and Glory for the Sins of the World began to opA-ate upon the hearts of the poor Negroes. The firft of them were baptized in the year 1736. An oppofition then arofe. The white people, from falfe political principles, dreaded the converfion of the Ne- groes to Chriftianity. The Miffionaries and thofe Negroes who came to them to hear the Gofpel, were obliged to endure and fufFer much. The late Count Zinzendorf, whofe Zeal for the happinefs of his fel- low-Creatures, and particularly of the Heathen, could not be reftrained by any difficulties, arrived in St. Thomas in the year 1739. He found fome of the Miffionaries in prifon ; but upon his requeft, the Go- vernor fet them at liberty. From that time tlie Gof- pel has been preached here uninterruptedly, although the Negroes have, even fuice then, undergone many hardfhips and borne many afflidions for the fake oi the Gofpel, The Miniftry of the Brethren in St. Tliomas, and in the two adjoining Iflan^Js St. Cruz and St. Jan, has been crowned with great fuccefs, fo that many thouland poor benighted Negroes have been enlightened and have be- lieved in the Name of Jefus, and been brought to the en- joyment of the Bleffings purchafed for finners by his Blood. Thefe Negroes are a^fo a proof that a genuine reforma- tion in principles and prael, were te Count his fcl- n, could d in St. e of the the Go- the Gof- althoueh ne many ; fake oi ,s, and in has been land poor have be- :o the cn- ^is Blood, re form a- ible from latcs ac- that their fl a'.'i r 17 J Havcp, fince they have believed in Jefuj, are become faithful, obedient, and diligent*; yea, the Magiflrates thenifelves have more than once declared, that the baptized Negroes are a greater fecUrity to them than their forts. The Brethren have built Chapels for the Negroes for divine worfliip in each of the three Danifh Iflands, and the number of Negroes who are now under the Brethren's care, amounts to about 6coo ; very, very many have departed this life joyfully ifi re- liance upon the merits of our only Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. In the year 1754 fome Gentlemen of confidcrable pofieifians in Jamaica, being much concerned for the falvation of the Souls of their poor Negroes, defired that a Miffii)n might be eftablifhed in that Ifland, which was agreed to, and they, with a Zeal that is uncommon in our day, made the beginning of this Miffion eafy to thofe who have the care of the Miflions, imd have hitherto liberally contributed to its fupport. This Miffion has been the only one begun by us witti fuch encouragemerit in the beginning. It was fooii feen that the Holy Ghoft had prepared the hearts of many of the Negroes to receive the Gofpel, and fome fruits appeared quickly. But though the difficulties from without were not of fuch a nature as to obftrudt the labour of the Brethren, as was apparently the cafe in other places, yet in a few years the feed which hrd C fprung • This Account Is confirmed, in the cleareft manner, by the Right Reverend Bifhop and Chancellor Pontoppldan in Copenhagen, in his Pre- face to Lewis Ferdinand Rot-mer's Account of il'.e Coaft of Guinea, iT&w. Sre the Prelace to Crpntz's Hillory ot GreenJKnJ, 1^5^ 20. [ i8 ] fprung up, fecined to wither and die away. But within thefe laft years, there has been a moft bleffed revival, and the word has been preached at feveral places in the Ifland, with fuch fuccefs, that there are now fevcral Congregations of baptized Negroes, who adorn the do6trine of God our Saviour, I In the Tfland of Antigoa a Miffion has alfo been eftabliflied fmce the year 1756. Though the progrefs of the Gofpel has not been fo rapid^ nor the efFedts fo Ihiking here as in J?maica ; yet many Negroes have received the Word of Atonement with joy, and are become partakers of the redemption in the Blood of Chrift. The Brethren have a houfe and chapel at St. John's, where, according to our iateft accounts, many Negroes attend the preaching conOant'y. The Brethren preach alio to the Negroes on feveral Planta- tions, . The lad MiiTioii fent to the Carlbbee Tfknds was to liarbadoes. The Negroes on this Ifland were often the fubjeil of the thoughts and prayers of many of the Brethren ; but when the way and manner of eftablifti- jng a Million there was taken into confideration, we law difiirukies which Teemed infurmountable. Afcer making an attempt which did not anfwer, in the year 1765, a Brother in England refolved to go thither, trailing in the Lord that he would g ve fuccefs to his nttempi to bring the Negroes to the knowledge of the truth. He was j.ined foon by another Brother fion America. Thefe Miuionaries found favour in the eyes of feme of th^ Gentlemen of the Ifland, and many Negroes I r ''9 ] Negroes fliewed a defire to hear the glad tidings of redemption from fm by the Blood of Ciirill. The work of the Holy Ghofl was foon apprncnt. 'I he IViiflionaries were tn. bled to purchafc a fpot of ground, to fit up a dwelling for themfelves, and a hall in which the Negroes could meet Mmy fruits already appear, and fome Negroes have been baptized. Befides thefe Iflands on which MifTions are eflablinicd, the Brethren have vifited feveral others: and as the Negroes, who have received the faith, arc often cither fold or tranfported to eftates of their mafters on other Iflands, they have brought the glad tidings of great joy to the Negroes there; and we have reaibn to believe that they prove a good fait, even where there arc no eiiablinied MiiTions. We will now turn our eyes to Afui, though I can- not give you fo joyful an account from tha: Quarter of the globe, as you have above from America. In the year 1759, with the concurrence of the Court of Denmark and the Afiatic Company at Copenhagen, a Colony of Brethren went to Tranquebar, in the neighbourhood of which they formed a Settlemens with a view to a Mil^.on among the Indians on the coaft of Coromandel, and particularly to clbbliai a Settlement on the Nicobar Ulands. At length, in the year 1768, they accompliflied what they had almoft given up, as impraaicable, viz. the cAabUihment of a fmall Colony in the Nicobar Iflands. The Indians received them kinilv> g^ve them land to live en, and c 2 ^y r 20 ] by the laft accounts we have reafon to believe, that as our Brethren learn the language, thofc poor Indians w.JJ reap the bl./nngs of the Gofpel Of the fix who went the firft time to thele Iflands, two departed thi, life very foon. ' Some Brethren have aifo gone to Ceylon at two d.fFerem times, to try, ifpoffible, to bring the Gofpel among the Cyngalefe; but they coald not obtain their a.m, though their abode there was not entirely with- out fruit. , In the year 1747 two Brethren went to Perfia, with thev.ew of finding the followers of the ancient Magi or Gauri; but they could not obtain their aim, on account of the troubles of the war, which raged there at that time. 1 he Emprefs of Ru^a having granted the Brethren fome land in the Kingdom of Altracan, on the banks of the Wolga, a Colony is now eftablifhed there, and we are not without good hopes, that God will blefs and enable them to bring the Gofpel among the Hea- then who are on the borders of that country, and who already fhew a particular afFeaion for them. Thus in Afia a beginning is made, and we cannot but hope, that our Lord, who has opened the door Will grant us to fee the fame happy effe^s as are evi- dent m (0 many other places. tories fought Touching ve, that as ;or Indians he fix who parted t}^i$ 3n at two the Gofpcl btain theic rely wiih- rfia, with t Magi or n account ■re at that Brethren the banks here, and will blefs the Hea- and who 'e cannot he door, are evi- p aching r " 3 Touching Africa. The fruits of the travail of Chrift's Soul upon the natives of this Quarter of the Globe, are feen in the greateft numbers among the Negroes in the American Iflands, who came irom the Coaft of Guinea, awl tJther parts of Af. ica. Even as early as in the year 1737» two Brethren went to Guinea, to preach the Gofpel to the Negroes there ; but one of them depart- ing th.s life foon after their arrival, no farther attempt was made to eftablifh a Miffion on the Coaft of Qui nea till rhe year 1767, when at the defire of the African Company at Copenhagen, and after an agree- ment had been made by the faid Company, and con- firmed by h,s Danifh Majetty, five Brethren went thi- ther ,n one of the Company's fhips. But very foon \rl.'!^ '""''"' '^''' °^ '^'""^ ^"^^"S the reft the chief Miffionary, were taken ofF by a malignant fever. The remaining two fpent fome time in a fickly ftate at the DaniA fort; but laft year three Brethren more went to them, attended by another to affift them in fettling m their proper habituation. One, of the three who went laft, departed this life foon alter then arrival. * The Danilh Governor prerentcd the Brethren to the K".g o. Achem, who rece.ved ,hen. i„,o his frie,rdmip. and gave ,hem leave to fettle in any part of hia tcrrf- fought out a proper place, where, by the laft accounts! they [ « ] they were employed iti building a houlc, in order to enter upon the work of the Miflion. An attempt has alfo been made to bring the Gof- pel among the Hottentots at the Cape of good Hope. Our Brethren lived five years among them, begun a fchool with the children, and baptized alfo feven adult Hottentots. But certain circumftances interfering, this Miflion could not be continued. I could alfo give you an account of fomc other at- tempts of the Brethren towards the furtherance of the Kmgdom of Jcfus in Africa, but as they do not pro- perly belong to the clafs of MIflions among the Hea- then, I wiU only name two to you. One of thefe Attempts has the Copts in Egypt and Abyffinia for its fpecial objefl t, and three Brethren are now refident at Cairo in Egypt, for that purpofe. The aim of the other was direded to the falvation of the poor Chriftian (laves in Algiers. Our Brother Richter went thither in the year 1740, where he, while preaching to the flaves fick of the plague, got ■ the fame diforder, which proved the means of his difToluLion. Another Brothtr ftaycd there from the year 174^- to 1748, ferving;, and pr-r.dvng ':o the ilaves, I will not take up more of your time in relating ' many other important ar.d [hiking incidents attending oar I i order to be Gof- d Hope, begun a en adult lUg, this ither at- e of the lot pro- he Hea- vypt and Brethren rpofe. falvation ■ Brother here he, |ue, got s of his Tom the :: to the { relating attending our I n ] our Miflions. But I cannot concede this part of my letter without mentioning ©ur prefcni attempts to form a Miffion on the Coaft of Labrador among the favaso Efijuimaux. In the year 1752, fome merchants in London fitted out a fliip for that Coaft, and they had the good In- tention of affifting the Brethren to form a Miffion among the Indians there. Accordingly four Miffio- naries went with this fhip, and took the frame of, and materials for a houfe with them, intending to ftay in that Country, and to dwell among the Indians. They arrived fafely upon the Coaft, and the Miffionarie« erefted their houfe on a convenient fpot. The fhip failing farthei - -thwards, with a view to trade, fomc Efqulmaux r .me on board, and appeared very kind and l-oving; but at length enticed the .-nate, who was a Brother, and fome others away from the fhip, under the pretence of trade, and then murdered them. Af- ter thofe on board had waited fome days in vain for the return of their companions, they failed back to the place where the four Brethren had built their houfe, and from thence to Europe. The four Mif- fionaries were obliged to return with the fhip, to help to work her ; though fome of them left Labrador with great reluaance, notwithftanding the imminent danger to which they would be expofed by their ftaying alone among the cruel Savages. The fame veflcl failed thi- ther again next year, and the bodies of thofe who had been murde, ! were found ; but that was all they ob- taincd by thii vo^-age. Still H Still the Efquimaux were objctSls of our Tpeclal at- tention; and in the year 1764, a Brother, who had been in Greenland, and had learned the Greenlandifh language, being continually impelled in his own mind to g: among the Lfquimaux, went with the blefling of the Congregation to Newfoundland, ahd from thence to Terra Labrador, where he, after furnnounting many difficulties, got a fight of the Efquimaux. It was a great joy to him, and no lefs a furprize to them, that tfiey could underftand each other. By this means it was difcovered, that the fuppofition of our Brethren in Greenland, that the Efquimaux and Greenbnders were originally the fame nation, was matter of fadtj and thus a friendly intercourfe commenced betweert the Brethren and the Efquimanx, In the year 1765, the fame Brother, with three others, went again to Newfoundland and to the Coaft of Labrador, being encouraged thereto by the worthy Governor of Newfoundland, Commodore Pallifer^ by the Board of Trade and Plantations, and by the Lords of the Admiralty. Two of them went from Newfoundland in a fmall veflel, to reconnoitre the Coaft, but to little purpofe. But the chief confequence of this voyage was, that at length the Efquimaux came down to Chateau Bay, and our Brethren had frequent Opportunities to fpeak with them of their Creator and Redeemer. There was alfo a peace and treaty concluded between the Efquimaux and the Englifh, and the former promifed that they would be obedient to His Majefty King George, &c. By this interview the Brethren pedal at- who had enlandifh •wn mind (lefling of m thence Ing many It was a em, that means it ethren in enbnders of faft; between 1th three he Coaft I worthy Pallifer^ I by the ;nt from 3itre the fequence quimaux iren had of their eace and Englifh, sdicnt to I'iew the Brethren Brethren and the Efquimaux became better acquainted, and the latter invited the former to come and live among them. As it was the wifh of the Brethren to be a Blef- fing to this nation, and to refide among them, fo we could not but defire to have it in our power to form a Settlement among thofe Heathen, and to have fuch a parcel of land, that the Efquimaux who fought their Salvation, might dwell there together unmo- lefted. Application being made to Government for a grant of land, we met with all the encouragement we could wifh : but the execution of the Grant was delayed till the year ,769. In the mean time, a company of Efquimaux coming in the year 1768 to Chateau Bay, began again their old pradices of mur- dering and ftealing. Thefe were attacked by a party of Englifh, and feveral were killed on the fpot, and fome taken prifoners and brought to Newfoundland. But a Woman, and her Son about fix years old, and a Boy of about thirteen or fourteen years old, were Drought to En-land. This boy was given by Governor Pallifcr to the Brethren's Society for the furtherance of the Gorpei. The Woman and her Son were treated with great kindncfs, and Her Royal Highnefs the Princefs Dowager of Wales, theDukeof Gloucefter, and fundry perfons of diftinaion took notice of her, and loaded her with prefents. She was fent back with her fon in the year 1769, by the ofTicer with whom flic came to En- gland. The above mcr/Joncd Boy, whofc niuiie was Karpik, lived fo;iK time with U8 in Chelfca, and was ^^ 4j real r 26 3 a real pleafurc to all thcfe who faw him. He was lively, docile, and of quick natural parts; an! thourrh he had fometimes fits of fullennefs and obftinacy, yet in general he was very good natured. He was in June 1769 fent to our Settltment at Fulneclc in Yorkfhire, under the care of one of the four Brethren who had made the voyage to Labrador in 1765, and who could fpeak Grecnlandifh. Karpik was taught here to read and write, and made a good proficiency. His kind Guardian fpoke much with hini of the miferable ftate of an unreconciled fmner, and of the love of his Creator. His heart was touched and often afFeaed, an^ he would at laft begin to aflc qucflions upon thcfe heads himfelf. At length he wa? taken ill with the fmall po3{. The Miffionary, finding that he really was a proper fubjea:, baptized him on his fick btd, in the prefence of as many as the room where he lay could conve- niently hold i and the baptifm was tranfa6led in the Efquimaux language : Scon after he, as the firft fruit of this favage nation, departed with joy, calling upon the name of the Lord. We felt pain on account of this lofs ; for we loved the Youth, and hoped, that he would in time prove of real fervice to his na^ tion. Every thing touching the intended fettlement be- ing agreed upon, fome Brethren in London refolved to form a Company, and fit out a fhip to carry the Miflionarics f) the Coafl of Labrador in order to vifit the Efquimaux, to fix upon the land on which a future He was I J though tiacy, yet IS in June rorkfhire, who had /ho could e to read His kind iniferable ive of his 6led, and icfc heads in all po3(, a proper i pre fence d conve- d in the firft fruit ling upon :count of pe6, that his , na-o ncnt be- iolved to ;arry the order to n which a future I t n ] a future fettlement fhould be made, and to prepare every thing in the beft manner they could for that purpofe. Accordingly a fliip was bought, and fitted out, and, failed in May 1770. Three Brethren went as Miflionaries, and fevera! accompanied them as af- fiftants. Our Lord's providence procured us a Cap- tain, fit for the purpofe. This voya2;e has been crowned with fuccefs ; they have been prcferved from great danger, and have been favourably received by the Efquimaux. The Miflionaries h ve preached the Gofp"l often to them in large and fmall companies, and they have reafon to hope, not without effect. Thus far the Lord has gracioufly helped. Now we are preparing to form a Settlement among them, and as the Efquimaux are noted for their thieving, treacherous and cruel difpofition, we truft in the Lord, that he will proie£l our Brethrf n, when they live among them, and help us alfo with regard to the confiderable expences this expedition will be attended with. Having already greatly exceeded the bounds of this letter, I will not dwell upon other attempts of the L.ethren which are now in hand, but proceed to the queftion : By what means are the Brethren enabled to fuppcrt " fuch very large undertakings? Our Mi/Cons among the Heathen have been fur- thered and fupported with great zeal and concern rf Tj 2 hyarc r 28 ] ^ heart by the late Count Zinzendorf, from their very begmn.ng, to his entering into the joy of his Lord. At firft the Miffions were but few, and the expences required for their fupport did not amount to very confiderab'e fums. But as the Miffions became more numerous from time to time, fome members of the Congregation, and other friends, found themfelves moved to take fhare in, and promote, by voluntary contributions, the furtherance of the Gofpel ; and this they did either by affifting the Brethren's Miffions in general, or one or another Miffion in particular. As thcfe Miffions continually grew more and more nu- merous and confiderable, God has caufed this kind affiftance alfo to encreafe. Yet now and then, par- ticularly when new Eftabli/Kments were formed, the i^rethren who are appointed to provide for the Mif- fions, have been obliged to borrow money for the purchafe of as much land as was needf.'-, for the huildmg of dwellings for the Miffionaries, &c. till they were enabled to pay it oiF again, as it came in. ^ut that every thing relating to the Miffions might be tranfaaed in a fuitable and orderly manner, fen- fible and faithful men are chofen from time to time, at the Synods of the Unity, who are appointed iJeputies to manage the Diaconate of the Miffions. They have the general care of the external affairs of the Miffions in all parts of the world j they receive Che voluntary contributions from the Brethren's Con- gregations and from other friends j for the Miffions have no other funds than thofe Contributions j they do -heir utmoft to dcfwiy the iiecclTary expences by this mean?; leir very lis Lord, expences to very ne more s ©f the emfelves oluntary and this flions in lar. As lore nu- his kind :n, par- led, the the Mif- for the for the kc. till ame in. s might er, fen- to time, spointed /liffions, I aftairs ' receive I's Con- 3ns have :hey do by this mean?; f 29 J meaiw, and they keep regular accounts of the wcclpt, and difburfements. The Diaconate of the Miffions have not only the care of providing for the Miffionarics oa their voyages and journeys by land and fea; of fupport- mgthem, as far as lies in their power, when they are among the Heathen i but alfo of providing for their children in the fchools appointed for the education of our children in Europe or America, and alfo for the widows of fuch who depart this life in the labour among the Heathen. The Brethren who at prefent ar€ employed in pro- vidmg for the Miffions in general, have an arduous tafk; they ferve joyfully the work of God among the Heathen without any falary, and their only recompenc« is, that they are employed m fuch an important caufe of our Lord, and that they affift in the propagation of the GofpeJ. Xt would be impoflible for thefe Brethren to provide all that IS required for the fupport 6f the Miffions, if on the one hand the Lord had not enkindled a Zeal in our Congregations, and in the hearts of the members thereof, and of thofe friends out of our circle, who w.fh to fee the Kingdom of God come, and who have been informed of the circumftances of our Miffions, to take fliare in, and to lend real affiftanee to this work of God, fo that the pooreft are willing to throw m their mites: and if, on the other hand, our Miffio- naries and their Affiftants among the Heathen, did not make it their concern to be ?s frugal as poffible. TheMif- fionarics, ^1 r 30 3 fionarics, as much as their occupation in preaching thtf Cofpel, and taking care of the Souls of the poor Hea- then will permit, do their utmoft to earn their own bread by the work of their hands, and thus to make the care of thofe employed in providing what is neceflary for the Miffions as ealy as poflible to them. This is more particularly the cafe in fome places, as in St, Thomas, where our Brethren have been able, through . the regulations they have made, to provide for their; maintenance almoft entirely ; fo that now commonly^ nothing falls upon the Diaconate of the Miflions, ex- cept the journeys and voyages thither and back again, and fuch extraordinary expences, as building of chapels, &c. ; In the year 1742 feme Brethren, who live in Lon- don, formed themfelves into a fociety, by the name of the Brethren's Society for the furtherance of the Gof-, pel, with a view to affift in this blefled work, to which they were the more encouraged, as a great part of the Mifiionaries, who pafs and repafs, naturally go by the way of London. This little Society in the beginn'ng did more than they themfelves, at firft, could have ex-^ pe6led. It was however for feveral years in a declining ftate. But, about two years ago, the old members of the Society formed themfelves anew into a body, to which they added feveral others. Since then they have continued in a ftate of blefled adivity, and been ena-t^ bled by their own voluntary contributions, by gifts from friends out of our circle, and by two fmall le- gacies, to lend real afliftance to the Mifiionaries who have (C ling th6 )r Hea- :ir own lake the • eceflary This is in St. through , or thtir, nmonly^ ns, ex- : again, iing of in Lon- namc of he Gof- 3 which t of the ) by the ginn'ng lave ex- eclining nbers of lody, to ley have len ena- by gifts nail le- ries who have i 31 I have palTed through London, and among the reft they have defrayed the whole of the paflage of the Miflio- naries who went this year to the Coaft of Labrador- and they hope, by the blefling of the Lord, to lend con^ .fiderable affiftance to the eftablifliment of the Mif. fion-Settlement on that Coaft next fpring. Thus they afFord a great afliftance to the general Diaconate of the Miffions. You have a more full account of this Society for the furtherance of the Gof- peJ, in a letter from J. H. to a friend, publiflied in the year 1768. I cannot conclude without obferving, that as there is no fixed falary fettled upon any Mi/Tionary, ror any profpea of their ever gaining the leaft pecuniary ad- vantage by their entering into this fervice, nothing but the Love of Chrift can conftrain them to engage in this work; and their only reward is, when they fee the Heathen, overcome by divine Grace, bowing their knees unto and joining already here below in praifing the Lamb that was flain, who has loved us and wafted us from our fins in his own blood." Notwithftanding all the regulations made, as above related, we are often in pain that it is not in our power o g.ve more eff.dlual affiftance to thofe who in the fer- vice of our Lord, among the Heathen, venture thei lives thl"7 '''" 'r'' ^" ^'"'^ ^^^^^' -^ to render their arduous work more eafy to thr^m. ThuSj C 3* J Thus, my dear Friend, I have given you a brief, thcugh a much longer account, than I intended. He who has bought the fouls of Men with hist)wn blood, and who " (hall have the Heathen for his Inhe- ^* ritance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth for his ** poiTeifion," be praifed for what he has done by means of the Brethren ; and I am perfuaded that all thofe who love the Lord Je(iis Chrift, and wiih for the happinefs c^ their felloW'Creatures, will join in prayer, that the Lord of the harveil may continue to blefs and prof- per this important work, until " the Knowledge of the *' Lord covereth the earth, even as the waters cover *« the fea." As for you, my dear Friend, I know and have ken. how sealoully your foul wiiheth for the time, when ** the fulnefs of the Gentiles (hall come in, and all If« ** rael be faved," in which wifh you are joined by Your loving and faithful Friend, Benjamin La Trobe* E N 5. ERRATUM. Page 15. line 7. from the bottom, (or motkr tend /t/Ie} , a brief) hist)wn is Inhe- 1 for his y meana ofe who ippinefs that the nd prof- ;e of the rs cover ave fecn !, when id all If. by Tobe* Xfifitr.