he winter before, and one
professed believer thought himself bound to make a confession of the
superstitious and sinful practices in which he had formerly engaged.
As these were among the actions and deeds which ought not so much as
to be named among Christians, the brethren strictly forbade any such
confessions in future, but particularly in public, and before the
heathen; who being strongly addicted to the same abominations, and
unable to distinguish between a penitent confession and an actual
approval, might be hardened in their sins by hearing such narratives,
which they would naturally conclude proceeded from the pleasure the
persons still took in practices they delighted to talk of.

A new trial, of perhaps a more distressing kind, afflicted the
brethren, from an attempt made by a Roman catholic priest to seduce
the baptized and the inquirers, by presenting them with a form of
Christianity which had some appearance to that they saw among the
Moravians, while it permitted an indulgence in those vices which the
doctrines of the latter could not tolerate. A warm and a flattering
invitation sent by a Frenchman named Macko, from Canada, who had an
establishment in the south at Avertok, awakened with redoubled force
the propensity of the Esquimaux to go to the south, though they now
could get shooting materials at the settlements, better, and on more
advantageous terms, than they could there. This Frenchman, who acted
not only as a merchant, but as a Roman catholic priest, made them the
most extravagant promises; and besides, he said he would pray daily
with them to Jesus, and that he had the most beautiful writings--_i.e_.
pictures--of the Saviour. In consequence, a company of thirty-two
persons, and among them fourteen of the baptized, went thither in the
summer of 1787, so that the number of inhabitants in Hopedale was
reduced from fifty-nine to thirty. Macko invited the Esquimaux to
worship God with him; this seemed more pleasant and convenient than to
remain under restraint with the brethren, for there they saw
"Christian" sailors who allowed themselves to follow every species of
sinful dissolute conduct. On their return they said, the Europeans have
meetings yonder as you have, and they have Jesus as you have here.

The repeated distressing accounts from the brethren of the apparently
insurmountable obstacles with which they had to struggle in attempting
the conversion of the heathen, gave occasion to the venerab