that part of the coast between Newfoundland and Hudson's Straits,
which had as yet been but rarely visited by Europeans, and offered
himself to undertake it. "Whoever," says he in this letter, "has seen
our cause in Greenland, and what the Saviour has done to the poor
heathen there, surely his heart and his eyes must overflow with tears
of joy, if he possess any feeling of interest in the happiness of
others: they are indeed sparkling rubies in the golden girdle of our
dear Saviour, as the text for the day speaks, Rev 1 13. And I believe
the Saviour has in these northern waters many such gems that he will
also gather, and set in it to his praise and glory. My heart is much
impressed with the thought of carrying the gospel to the before
mentioned countries and places." "Now, dear Johannes," he concludes,
"thou knowest that I am an old Greenland traveller; I have also an
amazing affection for these northern countries, Indians, and other
barbarians; and it would be a source of the greatest joy if the
Saviour would discover to me that he has chosen me, and would make me
fit for this service. It is not for ease or convenience that I so
earnestly desire it. I think I can say before the Saviour, if this is
of thee thou wilt cause it to prosper, if not, yet it is a good work,
and no one will lose any thing by it."

On purpose to further the prosecution of this object, M. Stach, the
first Greenland missionary, had been recalled to Europe, and in the
year 1752 was sent for to London by Count Zinzendorff, to be consulted
with upon the occasion. Application was at the same time made to the
Hudson's Bay Company, for permission to preach the gospel to the
savages in the neighbourhood of their factories; but this being
refused, probably lest it should interfere with their mercantile
projects, M. Stach returned to found new settlements near the scenes
of his first labours. Meanwhile, three London merchants, but