Volume 2

The history of Greenland: containing a description of the country, and its inhabitants: and particularly, a relation of the mission, carried on for above these thirty years by the Unitas Fratrum, at New Herrnhuth and Lichtenfels, in that country / by David Crantz. Translated from the High-Dutch.

  • Cranz, David, 1723-1777.
Date:
1767
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of Greenland: containing a description of the country, and its inhabitants: and particularly, a relation of the mission, carried on for above these thirty years by the Unitas Fratrum, at New Herrnhuth and Lichtenfels, in that country / by David Crantz. Translated from the High-Dutch. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    | RELATION oF NEW-HERRNHUT 1740. 3 ther did there appear much ground to hope that their lofs would be: foon fupplied by others. However in the enfuing period the true awakening of the Greenlanders rightly commenced, and the number of the baptized encreafed more fpeedily than any one expected. Befides, their outward circumftances took a more fa- vourable turn, and from this time forward they were furnifhed fo far with what was neceflary for their bo- dily fubfiftence, that they were no more expofed to the trying alternative of ftarving, or abandoning their poft to the reproach of the truth; and not only fo, but fome things which had before brought them into perplexity, were eafed or abrogated by a gracious royal refcript. § 2. Therefore I could do no other than begin a new pe- riod with this year. The bleffed alteration in regard to the work of converfion, is to be attributed, partly to the Vifitation of the refpectable brother Andrew Graj]- man *, who brought alfo a new affiftant John Schneider with him; and partly to an ufeful vifit the eldeft mif- fionaty made to Germany; by which means the bre- thren in Greenland got an opportunity of growing them- _ felves in the faving knowledge and experience of the all- fufGcient merits of our dear Redeemer, which the Bre- thren’s Church had made a very fenfible progrefs in fince the year 1734 [3 and confequently alfo in treating with the Greenlanders, they now urged more the free grace in the blood of the Lamb, than the laborious and yetmoftly fruitiefs learning of many truths, needlefsat leaft “ * Brother Wenceflaus Neiffer bad been difpatched the foregoing year on a vifitation of the Greenland brethren. But the. fhip’s crew would not land him at Ball’s-River, according to the inftruetions of their owner, but would firft go to trade at Difko.. Here the ship was taken away, and Neif- fer was obliged to return in another {hip without executing the commiflion he was charged with. . f That hymn, efa, our glorious head and chief, &c. is a fair monu- ment of this. Concerning this matter the Count writes as follows : “ The neceffity of the Death of Jefus, gave me an opening or key into “ the whole do€trine of falvation, which I made the firft happy trial of € upon my own heart, and the hearts of my dear brethren and fellow-la- © bourers, And fince 1734, the propitiatory Offering of Jefus has been «€ our proper, our public, and fole fubjeét, our univerfal antidote againft “ all evil in doétrine and praétice, and thus it will abide to all eternity.”’ See the Preface to the Buding-Collestions,