presence, and, more than ever before, felt the true spirit of a
congregation of Jesus, especially during two baptismal transactions we
have had. It proves a great encouragement to us, when we see that
people, who, only a short time ago, hardly knew that there exists a
divine Being, and lived in all manner of sin and abomination, now that
they have learned to know the Saviour, shed tears from a sense of God
in their hearts, and of their fellowship with him as their Redeemer."
Nor was Hopedale less favoured. "We can declare to you with joy," was
the language of missionaries in their letters to England, "that there
has been a manifest work of God and his Spirit upon the souls of the
Esquimaux in the year past. Most of them are in a hopeful state, and
intent upon cleaving to the Lord, that they may partake of the
blessings he has purchased for us by his bitter sufferings and death."

Of four families at Arvertok, not far from Hopedale, consisting of
thirty persons, the greater part were awakened to a concern for their
soul's conversion, by a remarkable appearance in the sky, which was
repeated three times, particularly on the night of January 14th. It
consisted of a vast quantity of inflammable matter in the air, which
seemed to ascend from all parts of the horizon, and then to pour
itself towards the earth, in immense fiery rays and balls. Karpik and
his people, who first saw the phenomenon, ran to Hopedale in the
greatest agitation and amazement, and awakened the Esquimaux there,
with the awful intelligence that the world was at an end. They, upon
suddenly rising from bed, struck with the spectacle, imagined that the
stars were falling from heaven, and that they were the signs which
announced the near approach of the Lord, as he had foretold. Karpik
cried out in agony, "Let us turn with our whole hearts to our
Saviour--this is the hour;" and began to pray aloud to Jesus, to sing
hymns, and to entreat, with the greatest concern, all his household to