Gabriel Maurice excused himself, "I cannot now think about Jesus and my soul's salvation, for I am looking for a wife; I must first be well settled, and therefore cannot turn my mind to any thing else."* Another; "I am so busy with my corn field, and treading out my corn, that I have no time to think of conversion."t Aaron Norman; "Since I have become a partaker of the Lord's Supper, I am more than ever aware what an enemy I am to God by nature. Sin comes on like the wind without its approach being seen. I am like an old worn out coat that is past mending. If you put a patch on one place, immediately another rent appears. Thus it is with me. The Lord helps me daily, and shows constant proofs of mercy towards me; but I remain, nevertheless, an untoward creature, and he must exercise unbounded patience with me."* One more extract to shew what influence the settlement at Gnadenthal exerts on the surrounding inhabitants." "We entered into the year (1814) after twelve o' clock, with prayer and praise, adoring the Lord and Saviour of his people, who has hitherto blessed us abundantly, and in whose mercy, favour, and protecting care we confide, surrendering ourselves anew to Him, with spirit, soul, and body, as his blood-bought purchase, and assured of his never-failing love and pardoning grace. It was a peculiar pleasure to us to see so large a company, assembled from all quarters, to join in our prayers and thanksgivings. Upwards of six hundred strangers were present on this occasion. Above half of them were Christians, many of whom had spent three days, with waggons and horses, on the journey; and we may say of most, that not mere curiosity, but a real hunger and thirst after the word of *Period. Acc. Vol. IV. p. 371. † Period. Acc. Vol. V. p. 310. God, had brought them to this place. Nor did they come in vain, but declared, that they had obtained a great blessing from the Lord, which we pray may be abiding. "The Missionary appointed to officiate in the public service could hardly get through the crowd within the church, and yet a very large number had to stand before the door and windows. They were chiefly our own people. Several of them said;-We had no freedom in our hearts to enter the church, when we saw such a multitude of strangers, who had expressly come hither to hear the word of God. We therefore willingly stood without, and prayed the Lord, that he would grant its power to reach their hearts.' "At taking leave, many tears were shed by both parties, and some of the Christians expressed their thankfulness for what they had enjoyed, in a very fervent manner, adding, that they wished they lived where they might daily enjoy those privileges, which the Hottentots were favoured with." The following shows the present state of the settle ments. Gnadenthal 252 houses 1277 persons 434 com Gruenekloof 60 290 53 The Brethren are about forming a third settlement upon land granted them about six hundred miles from Cape Town. CHAPER V. SOUTH AMERICA. Berbice-Mission difficult-Embarrassed by Government--Destroyed by the Negroes--Surinam-Lewis Christopher Dehne-lives alone in the wildernessexposed to death from the Savages-from famine—" from wild beasts--Contest with a Serpent- Destruction of the Settlement-Great mortality of missionaries-Settlement burnt-Bambey--Conversion of Arabini-Paramaribo-Present state of the mission. BERBICE. This is a Dutch settlement near Surinam. Two of the Brethren fixed themselves here in 1738. After working some time on the Company's plantation, they took a piece of land bordering on the Colony; hoping to find an opportunity for making known the Gospel to the pagans. They lived in poverty, labouring with their hands. After a time they took a boy, from whom in the course of a few years they learnt so much of the Arawack language, spoken in the neighborhood, that they wrote in it a summary of the christian system. With this they went from time to time among the Heathen, scattered over a wilderness of three hundred miles extent. In these excursions they encountered great hardships. They were obliged to carry their provisions on their backs-to hang their hammocks on trees and sleep in this singular situation to wade through rivers--and often to travel great distances without meeting any human being. The Indians were affected by the gentleness, affability, and self denial of the Brethren. The youth from whom they had learned the language likewise declared the Gospel to his countrymen with such effect, that it not only spread abroad among the natives, but induced many of them to come and erect huts in the neighbourhood of the missionaries, that they might attend to it. In 1748, several aged people were baptized as the first fruits of the mission, and a few months after, forty more were admitted to the same privilege. The Brethren, however, were subjected to various trials, particularly from the Government. They were required to take an oath, and carry arms, or leave the country. One of them returning from Europe, was actually sent back in the same vessel which brought him. But they struggled with these difficulties, and with those caused by a desolating sickness, until an insurrection of the negroes, in 1763, who rose in rebellion against their masters--murdered many of the white peopleand destroyed almost the whole country, obliged them to abandon the station. The baptized here amounted to about four hundred Indians, but the mission was never greatly prospered. SURINAM. The first mission to Surinam was undertaken in 1735. It entirely failed, partly through disunion among the missionaries. In 1574 it was renewed by Lewis Christopher Dehne, who had been engaged in the mission at Berbice. He was assisted by another of the Brethren. They at first fixed their residence at Paramaribo and worked diligently at their trades; but soon obtained from the goverment a spot of land on the river Corentyn, for the purpose of establishing a settlement among the Arawack Indians. One object was to collect the baptized natives, who had been dispersed from Berbice. At this station Dehne, though considerably advanced in life, and afflicted with constant ill health, took up his residence. He was at first accompanied by some of the Indians, who assisted him in building a hut; but soon they all left him except one, with whom he lived a very solitary life. This Indian after some time was taken ill. He was told by the doctors who passed, that he would never recover if he continued to live with the white man; for he was under the power the devil, and would himself soon turn sick. As soon as he was able, the poor Indian fled. The missionary, of though left alone in a wild solitude was still contented. "Our Saviour," he says, "was always with me, and comforted me with his gracious presence so that I can truly say I spent my time in happiness and peace."* Some of the Indians suspected his views and formed the design of putting him to death. The soldiers at the fort informed him of it, and invited him to come near them; but he resolved to stand by his post. One day as he sat at dinner, about fifty Caribbee Indians, armed with swords and tomahawks, landed from their canoes and surrounded his hut. He went out and bade them welcome. They asked him, "Who gave you liberty to dwell on our land?" He replied the Governor."-"What design have you in coming hither ?" "I have Brethren on the other side of the great ocean, who, having heard that many of the Indians on this river are ignorant of God, have, from the great at fection they felt towards you, sent me to tell you of the love of God, and what he has done to save you." "Have you never heard that we intend to kill you?" "Yes, but I cannot believe it. You have among you some who have lived with me, and they can tell you I am the friend of the Indians." To this the chief replied, "Yes, I have heard so. They say you are another sort of Christian than the white people in general." The missionary then said, "I am your friend. How is it that ye have come to kill me?" "We have done wrong," answered the chief. Every countenance now altered, and the Indians quickly dispersed. The chief remained behind, and treated Dehne in a very friendly manner, giving him some provisions of which he was in need, and promising to call again.† In this solitary place Dehne was often in want of the necessaries of life. In the morning he rose not knowing whether he should take a morsel through the day; but before night some Indian had generally divided * Period. Acc. Vol. I. p. 326. + Period. Acc. Vol. I. p. 327. |