to his teacher.--Industry of the awakened.--Declension of
religion at Nain, and Okkak.--State of the children at
Hopedale.--Progress of the adults in knowledge, love, and
zeal--instances.--Striking conversion of two young Esquimaux,
its effects upon their countrymen.--Awakening spreads to Nain
and to Okkak.--Zeal of the converts towards the heathen--rouses
backsliders.--Behaviour of the awakened in sickness, and the
prospect of death.--Remarkable accessions from the heathen.--The
son of a sorcerer.


Chequered as life is with joy and grief, there is perhaps no section
of it so much so as that of the missionary. Those in Labrador had, for
thirty years, been going forth weeping and bearing the precious seed;
they were now to perceive it beginning to spring, and to rejoice in
the prospect of bringing back their sheaves. The concern about eternal
things which had been observed the former year at Hopedale, continued
to increase, and appeared evidently a work of Divine grace. At first
only a few individuals found their minds stirred up to seek their
salvation; but in the beginning of the year 1801, a fresh and general
awakening took place. Those who had shewn the greatest enmity to the
gospel now began to form the serious resolution of being converted to
Jesus. In February 1802, a noted sorcerer, Siksigak, and two women,
were admitted candidates for baptism at Nain; and on March 4th, a man
was baptized, and named Isaac.--"This transaction," say the
missionaries, "was distinguished by a most encouraging perception of
the presence of God among us." At Okkak they believed that the Saviour
had granted a particular blessing to their feeble testimony of his
love to sinners, in preaching the word of his cross.