missions, and reflect on the little fruit of our many years'
labour, how my heart is grieved, and I say, 'Ah! why is the hour of
visitation to the Esquimaux so long delayed!' I expect not this for
any faithful labours of ours--for when I think on them, I can only
pray and entreat the Lord Jesus to forgive our great guilt, our many
errors and mistakes in His service--but HE shall see of the travail of
his soul and shall be satisfied; this makes me many times think, and
why not among the Esquimaux? With all this, however, I am constrained
to render thanks to the Saviour for what he has done in winning souls
for himself even here, for there are a few who have received
forgiveness of sins, who know the Saviour, and live in the enjoyment
of communion with him. O! that this were the case with all the
baptized; it is, however, with the greater part; although, alas! there
are others who do not yet feel heathenish customs to be a burden, and
many that, having tasted the good word of God, have been deceived and
involved in the commission of sin."

Of those who appeared truly converted there are some delightful
examples in the diary of 1799, who evince the power of the grace of
God; though the missionary, under a sense of his own unworthiness,
cried out, "My leanness! my leanness!" It is a practice with the
missionaries, occasionally, to read to the Esquimaux extracts from the
accounts of other missions, particularly those of Greenland, that
nation having so great a resemblance to themselves, in their language,
manners, and way of procuring their livelihood; these generally give
rise to interesting conversations, and draw from the natives some
striking remarks. At Nain, upon an occasion of this kind, one of the
baptized observed, "If we had so far advanced in grace, that our walk
and conversation shone as a light among our heathen countrymen; and if
some who are baptized had not, after their baptism, behaved again as
bad as the heathen themselves, we should soon see an increase of our
number; for the heathen would soon perceive the difference between a
believer and an infidel, and seek to obtain the same happiness, but we
ourselves are in fault." Upon a similar occasion Jonathan--of whom the
missionaries write, "He is, without a particular commission, a
faithful assistant among his nation, and proves useful in averting
much mischief, and in exhorting them to obedience to the
Saviour,"--dictated the following remarkable letter to t