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A 
 
 SUCCINCT VIEW 
 
 OF THE 
 
 M I S S I O N S 
 
 ESTABLISHED 
 
 AMONG THE HEATHEN 
 
 BY THE 
 
 CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN, 
 
 O R 
 
 UNITAS FRATRUM. 
 
 I N A 
 
 LETTER TO A FRIEND; 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed by M. Lewis, in Pater-nofter-Row; 
 
 And fold by MefT. Dilly, in the Poultry; Mr. Beckett, 
 oppofite the New Church in the Strand-;- and at all the 
 Brethren’s Chanels. Mdcclxxi. 
 
 .a. 
 
 Price Six-pence. 
 
 
A 
 
 LETTER 
 
 T O A 
 
 FRIEND, &c. 
 
 London, Nov. 26, 1770. 
 
 My dear Friend, 
 
 HE laft time we fpent an hour together, our 
 
 JL converfation turned upon the Millions which 
 the Church of the Brethren has eftabliflied among the 
 Heathen, and the fuccefs attending them. You then 
 exprefled a defire to fee a brief account of thefe millions, 
 where they are eftablilhed, the fruits arifen from them, 
 and how they are fupported. 
 
 I will attempt to perform this talk, in as brief a 
 manner as poflible. But I muft firft obferve, that it is 
 a fixed principle among us, that the Kingdom of 
 <c God is not in word, but in powerconfequently 
 the endeavours of the millionaries are not merely to 
 teach the Heathen the chief doctrines of the gofpel, 
 with the view, that they may be able to repeat them 
 by rote, and to give proper anfwers to certain quef- 
 tions; but their chief aim is, that the power of the 
 
 A 2 
 
r ^ ] 
 
 gofpel may reach their hearts. As we are firmly of the 
 Apoftle’s mind, that <c it is a faithful faying, and wor- 
 <c thy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into 
 “ the world to fave finners,” the Mifiionaries cannot 
 look upon the converfion of a Heathen as real, unlefs 
 he has felt the want of a Saviour, and his heart is tru¬ 
 ly dire&ed to Him who has died, that He might fave 
 finners from prefent and eternal damnation. And forty 
 years experience has evinced, that the only effedlual 
 method to gain the attention of the Heathen, to awa¬ 
 ken them to a fenfe of their blindnefs and fin, and to 
 raife in them comfortable and allured hop'es of a happy 
 immortality, and of courfe to make them ufeful and 
 moral fellow-citizens, is to follow the Anoftle in his 
 determination touching the fubjedt of his preaching to 
 the Corinthians, “ not to know any thing among 
 <c them, fave Chrift, and Him crucified.” Therefore 
 it is now our invariable method, u to fet forth Jefus 
 cc Chrift before their eyes, as crucified among them, 51 
 until their hearts are touched and a ft e died with the 
 amazing truth, that HE, “ by whom all things were 
 “ made, and without whom was npt any thing made 
 Ci that was made, was made flefh and dwelt among 
 <c us,” and as a Man lived, fuffered, was wounded, 
 bled and died, to deliver finful men from their fins and 
 
 eternal deftrudlion. 
 
 *» 
 
 If in preaching to and inftp'dling the Heathen at the 
 beginning, an attempt is made to imprint other truths 
 upon their minds, before they have received this great 
 truth, that God was nianifefted in the iiefh, and that 
 He fuffered and died for us men and for our falvation, 
 
 they 
 
they are either intirely indifferent and inattentive, or 
 they begin to exercife their fpeculation upon what they 
 have heard, but their hearts remain empty, and with¬ 
 out any real impreffion of fuch truths. On the other 
 hand, the word of the crofs is the power of God unto 
 falvation to every one that believeth ; it feizes upon and 
 operates in the heart, and is productive of the true con¬ 
 version of it. For this reafon it is a rule with our Bre- 
 
 • K ' * { 
 
 thren, that they never enter into an extenfive difcuf- 
 fion of the dodtrines of God’s being an infinite Spirit, 
 of the Holy Trinity, &c. nor do they feek to open the 
 underftanding of the Heathen in thefe points, until 
 they believe in Him, u in whom are hid all the treafures 
 of wifdom and knowledge.” As divine Grace alone 
 can produce a true and living faith in them, the Mif- 
 fionaries proceed not to Baptifm, until they difcover in 
 the hearts of the candidates a real work of the Holy 
 Ghoff, and a defire to become obedient to the Gofpel. 
 This caution makes it that the progrefs feems rather 
 flow. But experience (hews, that thofe Heathen who 
 have been brought to the knowledge of Chrift by the 
 miniftry of the Brethren, if they remain faithful to the 
 grace they have received, prove an honour to the Gofpel 
 of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the fruits of the Spirit, 
 mentioned in the holy Scriptures, appear in them. 
 Then they become by their lives and converfation liv- 
 ins: witru ifes that Chrift faves from fin, they are of 
 courfe good fubjedts, and in general fhew forth, after 
 their Baptifm, that they have been made partakers of 
 the t^ue grace of God, 
 
 Notwith- 
 
f 6 3 
 
 Notwithftanding the truth of what is here afferted 
 and proved by numberlefs inftances, we muft confefs, 
 that the labour of our Miflionaries among the Heathen 
 is no eafy employ, but requires much patience, and 
 muft be purfued with prayers and tears. The power 
 of darknefs among them, and the dominion of Satan, 
 whofe oppofition is foon perceived by the Miflionaries, 
 the natural blindnefs and pride of the Savages, 
 their heathenifh prejudices againft the truths of the 
 Gofpel, their finful pra&ices, the bad examples of fo 
 many who are called Chriftians, the fedudiions laid in 
 their way by others, and the unfaithfulnefs of fome of 
 thofe who had been touched by the Grace of our Lord, 
 are certainly fuch letts and hindrances, that no abiding 
 fruit could fpring from the Brethren’s labour, if a 
 higher power than their own ftrength, did not fupport 
 and render their labour fuccefsful. Thefe and num¬ 
 berlefs other difficulties the Brethren ftruggle with in 
 their undertaking, and nothing but an unconquerable 
 defire to bring fouls to Jefus could have carried them 
 through all the difficulties and hardffiips that they 
 have had to encounter. Indeed, we have reafon to praife 
 and adore the Grace of our Lord, which has formed a 
 people in the Church of the Brethren, who, knowing all 
 difficulties, and having no profpedt before them, but 
 to endure extreme heat or cold, with few or no, con- 
 veniencies of life, and no hopes of gain, have offered 
 themfelves unto the Lord for his fervice among the 
 Heathen. 
 
 % 
 
 South - America, and the Caribbee Tilands, have 
 proved fo particularly fatal, that the effe&s of thofe 
 
 climates 
 
 ) 
 
 l 
 
f 7 3 
 
 elimates have been enough to deter thofe who loved 
 their Lives, from going thither. Many of our dear Bre¬ 
 thren and Sifters have laid down their lives there, and 
 fome very foon after their arrival; 
 
 v.' I cannot afcertain the number of thofe who within 
 thefe forty years have been taken off in thofe coun^ 
 tries, yet I can fay with certainty, that a number far 
 exceeding one hundred have thus fallen in the attempt of 
 gaining fome Negroes and Indians as the reward of the 
 travail of Chrift’s foul. Yet others have always been 
 found who have not only readily accepted a call, but 
 have voluntarily and earneftly offered themfelves to 
 fupply the places of thofe who were taken off in this 
 fervice. 
 
 I muft here obferve, that when a member of the Church 
 of the Brethren has a particular impulfe in his heart to 
 ferve the Lord among the Heathen, he makes known 
 his defire (having firft weighed it well before the 
 Lord) to thofe who are appointed to diredf the affairs 
 appertaining to the Millions among, the Heathen. 
 Then, when there is a vacancy or a new Million is be¬ 
 gun, the defire of thofe who have offered themfelves^ 
 is taken into confideration, and after examining into 
 the motives of their defire and their qualifications for 
 this important employ, fuch as are wanted, are nomi¬ 
 nated. We hope that as long as this’principle ruleth 
 in the hearts of the Brethren, “ Chrift died that wc 
 “ fhould live unto Him in the world,” there will al¬ 
 ways be found fuch willing fervants of the Lord, 
 w who love not their liyes unto the death,*’ but devote 
 
 themfelves 
 

 [M ' 
 
 themfelves entirely unto the fervice of their fellow- 
 creatures for Chnft’s fake. 
 
 There are at prefent no lefs than one hundred and 
 fixty members of the Church of the Brethren engaged 
 in the fervice of the Heathen, either as MitTionaries, or 
 Catechifls, or Afliftants to the Miffionarie’s. 
 
 As to the queffion, where have the Brethren their 
 chief MiHions at prefent ? I will here briefly recite 
 the places. 
 
 In Greenland or Davis’s Streights, where the Mif- 
 fion was begun fo early as in the year 1733, the Bre¬ 
 thren have at prefent two confiderable fettlements 
 formed out of the converted Heathen, viz. at New 
 Herrnhuth and Lichtenfels, as may be feen in Crantz’s 
 Hi (lory of Greenland, which was published in England 
 in the year 1767. The number of the Greenlanders 
 living with the Brethren at the end of the year 1769, 
 amounted at New-Hernhuth to 54c, and at Lichtenfels 
 to 290. / 
 
 In the back part of our American Colonies, parti¬ 
 cularly behind the provinces of Penfylvania, NewYork, 
 &c. the Brethren have laboured anions the Indians 
 ever fince the year 1740, and the word of their testi¬ 
 mony has been blefled by the Lord. 
 
 They began to publifh the Gofpel in fome villages 
 
 of the Indians, which were called at that time Cheko- 
 
 ♦ 
 
 inekah, Wcchquatnach and Scattikok, and the firft 
 
 converted 
 
L 9 ] 
 
 converted Indians were baptized in the year 1742., 
 In the following year, the blefling attending their mi- 
 niftry manifefted itfelf particularly among the Mahi- 
 kander and Delaware Indians ; and fince that time 
 many hundreds of thefe and of other nations have been 
 embodied into the Church of Chrift by holy Baptifm. 
 It would exceed the bounds of this letter, to relate 
 here the opprelling difficulties which our Brethren and 
 the converted Indians underwent from the very begin¬ 
 ning of this Million. After a great variety of vicifli- 
 tudes a village was built by the baptized Indians on 
 the Mahony in the back parts of Pennfylvania, and call¬ 
 ed Gnadenhutten *, where they dwelt with their Mif- 
 ftonaries and t'heir alfiftants feveral years in peace and 
 quietnefs, as a chriftian congregation. But in the laft 
 Indian war this fettlement was deftroyed. The hoftile 
 Jndians being irritated, becaufe the converted Indians 
 would not join in the war againft the Englifh, attack¬ 
 ed in the night of the 24th of November, 1754, the 
 houfes of our European brethren, fet them on fire; 
 apd thofe who attempted to efcape the fire, were (hot 
 Thus eleven of ( our Brethren and Sifters were ei¬ 
 ther confumed by the fire or fb,ot, and only five 
 efcaped, 
 
 The Indians who had dwelt at Gnadenhutten fled 
 different ways and were feathered, and fhortly after 
 their houfes were burnt by the hoftile Indians. Moft 
 of the Indians, who thus fled, came afterwards, by 
 degrees, to the other Settlements of the Brethren, and 
 were received in Love. Ground was given to them 
 
 B neat’ 
 
 # Tents of grace. 
 
r io 3 . 
 
 near Bethlehem, our chief fettlement in Pennfylvania. 
 Here they built in the year 1757, a place called Nain, 
 where they lived, for fome time, in peace. But in the year 
 1763, the cruel Indian war, which broke out afrefh, 
 proved an occafion of new fufterings. Some of the 
 white people were fo violently exafperated againft the 
 Indians, that they determined to cut off every one of 
 them they could meet with, and actually murdered 
 fome poor Indians, not belonging to the Brethren, 
 who were under the protection of the Government in 
 and near the town of Lancafter : Then they took the re- 
 folution to cut off all thefe converted and truly peaceable 
 Indians at Nain. The Governor and Council of Penn- 
 fylvania humanely took them under their protection, 
 and as there was no fecurity for them in the country, 
 they were efcorted to Philadelphia. At firft they were 
 lodged on an ifland in the river Delaware, contiguous 
 to the city, and afterwards in the barracks, where they 
 remained under the protection of, and were maintained 
 by, the Government till the end of the war. The 
 Miftionaries lived there with them, and performed the 
 functions of their miniftry, fo that the Indians had 
 divine worfh'p the whole time of their ftay there. 
 Here the fmall pox got among them, and, in a fhort 
 time, by means of this and of other diforders upwards of 
 fifty departed this life in Philadelphia. Their patience 
 and behaviour during all thefe circumflances was the 
 mod convincing proof to all who beheld them, that 
 they were Cnriftians indeed. When the peace with 
 the Indians was concluded, and the rage of the white 
 people abated, they obtained the approbation of the 
 Governor of Pennfylvania, and of the Council of the 
 
 n • 
 
 OlX 
 
[ ii 3 
 
 Six Nations in Onandago, to form a Settlement far 
 back in the Country, at a place called Wihilufing. 
 To this their Settlement they gave the name Friedenf- 
 hutten *. Here they have built a pretty Indian town, 
 where they live at prefent with the Miffionaries., and 
 enjoy peace. Many Indians from different parts come 
 to them, and the blefled Gofpel is preached with 
 fuccefs; and fome of them who were fcattered, as 
 above related, returned to them. The inhabitants of 
 a neighbouring Indian town on the Sufquehannah, 
 called, Ithechfhequanik, about thirty miles from 
 Friedenfhutten, having been vifited by the Brethren, 
 and heard the Gofpel with an imprefiion thereof upon 
 their hearts, requefted that a Miilionary might be fent 
 to them, which has been complied with, after the faid 
 Indians had fought for and obtained the approbation 
 of the Council of the Six Nations thereunto. In this 
 village the Word of Atonement is preached with blef- 
 fins;, and feveral of the faid Indians are already bap¬ 
 tized. 
 
 ' * 
 
 As feveral of the Indians dwelling on the Ohio 
 came alfo to Friedenfhutten, and were convinced of 
 the truth of the Gofpel, they brought the report thereof 
 to the reft; and by this means a whole tribe of the 
 Indians on the Ohio fent a meflage, praying the Bre¬ 
 thren to fend a Minifter to dwell among, and preach 
 the Gofpel unto them. In confequence thereof, Bro¬ 
 ther Zeifberger, with fome believing Indians, went in 
 the year 1767 to Gofhgofhung on the Ohio, to prea«h 
 the Gofpel. They were at ftrft received with much 
 
 B 2 , feeming 
 
 * Tents of peace. 
 
[ I* ] 
 
 fecming heartinefs j but a Heathen who had fet up as 
 a teacher and preacher, and pretended to particular 
 Intercourfes with God, ftirred up others againft Bro¬ 
 ther Zeifberger. Thus he was in danger of his life, 
 and fundry attempts were made againft it. Neverthe- 
 Jefs he, and the Indians who came with him, continued 
 preaching the Gofpel daily, and fpeaking with thofe 
 who were willing to hear of the great falvation wrought 
 out for, and now offered unto them. The only Chief 
 at Gofhgofhung, an aged venerable blind Indian, being 
 convinced in his heart of the Truth, adhered to the 
 believing Indians. Some Chiefs of the weftern Indians 
 invited Brother Zeifberger, and his congregation, to 
 come and live in any part of their Country he fhould 
 chufe. Thus the ftorm raifed againft Brother Zeif¬ 
 berger was allayed ; and though the eqmity did not 
 ceafe, they did not fhow it in fo open and violent a 
 manner. Brother Zeifberger, his Indians and fome 
 who defired to hear the Word, moved their Huts firft 
 to Lawunakhannek, a place about three miles from 
 the Indian town Gofhgofhung up the Ohio ; and they 
 loon reaped fome fruit of their labour and danger by 
 the Baptifm of the venerable old Chief Allemewi, 
 whom they called Solomon, and of fome others. Being 
 again invited by the u r eftern Indians into their Coun¬ 
 try, Brother David Zeifberger and all the Indians 
 who dwelt in Lawunakhannek, together with fome 
 from Gofhgofhung, removed into that country. They 
 travelled by water on the Ohio in Canoes to Pittfburgj 
 and twenty miles below this place they left the Ohio, 
 and went up the Beaver Creek, and after a journey 
 
 of ftxteen days up that river, they fettled at a place, 
 
 ' « 
 
 which 
 
f J 3 3 
 
 which tfiey called Languntoutenunk, that is, the’ city 
 of peace. Several Indians, who defire to hear the 
 Gofpel, have obtained leave to live there with them, 
 and others are docking to them. By the laft accounts 
 from thence, we find that fome were baptized, and 
 there is a hopeful profpedt that the Harveft will be 
 great among the more weftern Tribes of Indians, who 
 Teem at prefent defirous that the Gofpel may be 
 preached unto them. 
 
 Befides the aforefaid three places and their inhabi¬ 
 tants, there are ftill many Indians in that diftrift, who 
 have heard the Gofpel preached by the Brethren, and 
 are convinced in their hearts of the truth thereof. The 
 various and very difficult circumftances which the In¬ 
 dian congregations have laboured under, proved an 
 occafion, that many alfo who had been baptized, were 
 fcattered; and thus they came into fuch parts of this 
 vaft country, as had never been vifited by the Bre¬ 
 thren. Thefe poor fcattered Indians have made known 
 the do&rines of the Gofpel to thofe among whom 
 they went, although many of them fuftained damage 
 in their own fouls, fuffering themfelves, by degrees, 
 to be feduced, and relapfing into the fins ufual among 
 the Indians. Several of thefe have however returned 
 to the good Shepherd Jefus Chriff, and have implored 
 with tears, and obtained, forgivenefs from him. All 
 thefe fcattered Indians are fought after by the Brethren, 
 and all poffible care is taken of them, that they may 
 be reftored to grace. 
 
 Before 
 
C 14 I 
 
 Before I leave the continent of America, I muft 
 mention our Million in Surinam and Berbice in South 
 America. The Million in Surinam was begun in the 
 year 1736, and that in Berbice in 1739, and fome 
 years after they were united at Pilgerhuth in the back 
 parts of Berbice. At this place an Indian congrega- 
 tion was colle&ed, chiefly out of the Arawak nation, 
 which congregation was in a flourilhing and fruitful 
 date for fome years, and fome hundred Indians were 
 baptized there. But grievous and difficult circumftances 
 were alfo not wanting here. The departure of feveral 
 faithful and particularly blefled Miffionaries out of this 
 life gave us and the Indians great pain. At length in 
 the year 1763, during the well known rebellion of the 
 Negroes, this whole fettlement was deftroyed, the Mif¬ 
 fionaries were obliged to retire, and the Indians were 
 fcattered. Before this painful event, in the year 1757, 
 another fettlement was eftabliflied on the river Sarameca 
 in the province of Surinam, as a gathering-place for 
 the Indians, and it was called Sharon. But in the 
 year 1761, the Miffionaries and the Indians who dwelt 
 there, were attacked by the free Negroes, who burnt 
 their houfes, killed fome of the Indians, took fome 
 prifoners, carried them away with them, and difperfed 
 the red. However this place has been fince rebuilt; 
 the fcattered Indians have affembled there; and now a 
 Tittle Indian congregation dwells there with the Mif¬ 
 fionaries. 
 
 •t , . , . 
 
 On the river Corentyn, on the borders of Berbice, is 
 the fecond Miflion fettlement, where, at a place called 
 
 Hope, 
 
f IS 1 
 
 Hope, not only the Miffionaries, and a number of con¬ 
 verted Indians are colle&ed, and live, but thelndians who 
 were formerly baptized at Pilgerhuth, and who now 
 dwell notTar from Hope in the Savannah, adhere to 
 them and hear the Gofpel. 
 
 A few years ago the Free-Negroes, who form i 
 kind of a Republic behind the European Settlements, 
 and who attacked our Settlement at Sharon, have in¬ 
 vited our Brethren to come and preach the Gofpel to 
 them. Some jive now among them; our Lord blefleth 
 their labour j and a Captain of thefe free Negroes is 
 brought, through Grace, to a fenfe of his fins and 
 mifery, and of the want of a Saviour. 
 
 Some Brethren live alfo at Paramaribo, the chief 
 town in the Country, to aflift towards the fupport of 
 the aforefaid three Settlements, and to facilitate th^ 
 correfpondence with them. 
 
 I will now turn to the Caribbee Iflands, 
 
 The firft Million of the renewed Brethren’s Church 
 was to the Illand of St. Thomas, occafioned by a Ne- 
 groe, who vifited Herrnhuth, and told the Brethren, 
 that his poor Mother, a Negroe in St. Thomas, would 
 be glad to hear of the Saviour. This ftirred up a 
 defire in fome to go thither, and our late Brother Leon¬ 
 ard Dober, afterwards a Bifhop of our Church, re- 
 folved, for the fake of thefe poor Heathen, even to be¬ 
 come a Have himfelf, if he could find no other means 
 of preaching the Gofpel to the Negroes. He went to 
 
 St. 
 
* 
 
 t *6 ] 
 
 St. Thomas in the year 1731, and began to declare to 
 them the Word of reconciliation. He was followed 
 by others, and the teftimony of the death of the Lord 
 of Life and Glory for the Sins of the World began to 
 operate upon the hearts of the poor Negroes. The 
 firft of them were baptized in the year 1736. An 
 oppofition then arofe. The white people, from falfe 
 political principles, dreaded the converfion of the Ne¬ 
 groes to Chriftianity. The Miflionaries and thofe 
 Negroes who came to them to hear the Gofpel, were 
 obliged to endure and fuffer much. The late Count 
 Zinzendorf, whofe Zeal for the happinefs of his fel- 
 low-Creatures, and particularly of the Heathen, could 
 not be reftrained by any difficulties, arrived in St. 
 Thomas in the year 1739. He found fome of the 
 Miflionaries in prifon ; but upon his requeft, the Go¬ 
 vernor fet them at liberty. F{om that time the Gof¬ 
 pel \id,s been preached here uninterruptedly, although 
 the Negroes have, even fince then, undergone many 
 hardfhips and borne many affiidftons for the fake of 
 the Gofpel, 
 
 The Miniftry of the Brethren in St. Thomas, and in 
 the two adjoining Iflands St. Cruz and St. Jan, has been 
 crowned with great fuccefs, fo that many thoufand poor 
 benighted Negroes have been enlightened and have be¬ 
 lieved in the Name of Jefus, and been brought to the en¬ 
 joyment of the Bleffings purchafed for Tinners by his Blood. 
 Thefe Negroes are alfo a proof that a genuine reforma¬ 
 tion in principles and practice is always infeparable from 
 true converfion, and the Proprietors of the eftates ac¬ 
 knowledge this to be the Fruit of the Gofpel, that tbcjr 
 
 flaves. 
 
• r t 7 1 . 
 
 A ' } 5 
 
 Have?, fince they have believed in Jefus, are become 
 faithful, obedient, and diligent*; yea, the MagiHrates 
 themfelves have more than once declared, that the 
 baptized Negroes are a greater fecurity to them than 
 their fort:?. The Brethren have built Chapels for the 
 Negroes for divine worfhip in each of the three Danifh 
 Iflands, and the number of Negroes who are now 
 under the Brethren's care, amounts to about 6000; 
 
 very, very many have departed this life joyfully in re- 
 
 , , \ 
 
 iiance upon the merits of our only Lord and Saviour 
 Jefus Chrift. 
 
 > > _ i 
 
 In the year 1754 fome Gentlemen of confiderable 
 pofleffions in Jamaica, being much concerned for the 
 falvation of the Souls of their poor Negroes, defired 
 that a Million might be eflablifhed in that Idand, 
 which was agreed to, and they, with a Zeal that is 
 uncommon in our day, made the beginning of this 
 Million eaff to thofe who have the care of the Millions, 
 and have hitherto liberally contributed to its fupport. 
 This Million has been the only one begun by us with 
 fuch encouragement in the beginning. It was foon 
 feen that the Holy Ghoft had prepared the hearts of 
 many of the Negroes to receive the Gofpel, and fome 
 fruits appeared quickly. But though the difficult! s from 
 without were not of fuch a nature as to obfirucl the 
 labour of the Brethren, as was apparently the cafe in 
 other places, yet in a few years the feed which had 
 
 C fprung 
 
 * This Account is confirmed, in the clearcfi manner, by the Plight 
 Reverend Bifhop and Chancellor Pontoppidan in Copenhagen, in his Pre¬ 
 face to Lewis Ferdinand Roemer’s Account of the Coaft of Guinea, 176:5. 
 See the Preface to Crantz’s Hiftory of Greenland, page zo. 
 
« 
 
 f 18 ] 
 
 fprung up, feemed to wither and die away. But within 
 thefe laid years, there has been a moft bleffed revival,, 
 and the word has been preached at feveral places in 
 the Ifland, with fuch fuccefs, that there are now feveral 
 Congregations of baptized Negroes, who adorn the 
 doctrine of God our Saviour. 
 
 In the Ifland of Antigoa a Million has alfo been 
 eftablifhed fince the year 1756. Though the progrefs 
 of the Gofpel has not been fo rapid, nor the effects fo 
 (hiking here as in Jamaica; yet many Negroes have 
 received the Word of Atonement with joy, and are 
 become partakers of the redemption in the Blood of 
 Chrifh The Brethren have a houfe and chapel at 
 St. John’s, where, according to our lateft accounts, 
 many Negroes attend the preaching conftantly. The 
 Brethren preach alfo to the Negroes, on feveral Planta¬ 
 tions. 
 
 The lafb Million fent to the Caribbee Ifl'ands was to 
 Barbadoes. The Negroes on this Ifland were often 
 the fubjedd of the thoughts and prayers of many of the 
 Brethren ; but when the way and manner of eftabliflir- 
 ing a Million there was taken into confideration, we 
 
 1 
 
 law difficulties which feemed infurmountable. After 
 making an attempt which did not anfvver, in the year 
 1765, a Brother in* England refolved to go thither, 
 trulding in the Lord that he would g ve fuccefs to his 
 attempt to bring the Negroes to the knowledge of the 
 truth. He was joined foon by another Brother 
 fro n America. Fhefe Miflionaries found favour in the 
 eyes of fome of the Gentlemen of the ifland, and many 
 
 Negroes 
 
[ r rg ] 
 
 Negroes fnewed a defire to hear the glad tidings of 
 redemption from fin by the Blood of Cbrift. The 
 work of the Holy Ghoh: was focn apparent. The 
 Miffionanes were enabled to purchafe a foot of ground, 
 to fit up a dwelling for themfelves, and a hall in which 
 the Negroes could meet. Many fruits already appear, 
 End fome Negroes have been baptized. 
 
 Befides thefe Iflands on which Millions are e flab lifted, 
 the Brethren have vifited feveral others: and as the 
 Negroes, who have rece ved the faith, are often either 
 fold or tranfported to eftates of their mailers on other 
 Iflands, they have brought the glad tidings of great joy 
 to the Negroes there; and we have reafon to believe 
 that they prove a good fait, even where there are no 
 cftablifhed Millions. 
 
 We will now turn our eyes to Afia, though I can¬ 
 not give you fo joyful an account from that Quarter of 
 the globe, as you have above from America. 
 
 In the year 1759, with the concurrence of the Court 
 of Denmark and the Afiatic Company at Copenhagen, 
 
 a Colony of Brethren went to Tranquebar, in the 
 
 ■* 
 
 neighbourhood of which they formed a Settlement, 
 with a view to a Million amons; the Indians on the 
 coaft of Coromandel, and particularly to eftabiift a 
 Settlement on the Nicobar Iflands. At length, in the- 
 year 1768, they accomplifted what they had almolt 
 given up, as impracticable, viz. the eftablifoment of 
 a fmall Colony in the Nicobar Iflands. The Indians 
 received them kindly, gave them land to live on, and 
 
 C 2 by 
 
r 20 ] 
 
 by the laff accounts we have reafon to believe, that as 
 our Brethren learn the language, thofe poor Indians 
 will reap the blefllngs of the Gofpel Of the fix who 
 went the firft time to thefe Iflands, two departed this 
 life very foon. 
 
 Some Brethren have alfo gone to Ceylon at two 
 different times, to try, if pcffible, to bring the Gofpel 
 among the Cyngalefe; but they could not obtain their 
 aim, though their abode there was not entirely with¬ 
 out fruit. 
 
 V - 
 
 In the year 1747 two Brethren went to Perfia, with 
 the view of finding the followers of the ancient Magi or 
 
 v ' 1 
 
 Gauri; but they could not obtain their aim, on account 
 
 » 
 
 of the troubles of the war, which raged there at that 
 time. 
 
 % 
 
 The Emprefs of Ruffia having granted the Brethren 
 fome land in the Kingdom of Affracan, on the banks 
 of the Wolga, a Colony is now eflablilhed there, and 
 we are not without good hopes, that God will blefs 
 and enable them to bring the Gofpel among the Hea¬ 
 then who are on the borders of that country, and who 
 already fhew a particular affedtion for them. 
 
 Thus in Afia a beginning is made, and we cannot 
 but hope, that our Lord, who has opened the door, 
 will grant us to fee the fame happy effedls as are evi¬ 
 dent in fo many other places. 
 
 Touching 
 
 & 
 
[ *1 } 
 
 \ 
 
 Touching Africa. 
 
 f- N 
 
 The fruits of the travail of Chrift’s Soul upon the 
 patives of this Quarter of the Globe, are feen in the 
 greateft numbers among the Negroes in the American 
 Iflands, who came from the Coaft of Guinea, and 
 other parts of Africa. Even as early as in the year 
 1737, tw0 Brethren went to Guinea, to preach the 
 Gofpel to the Negroes there ; but one of them depart¬ 
 ing this life foon after their arrival, no farther attempt 
 was made to eftabhfh a Million on the Coaft of Gui¬ 
 nea till the year 1767, when at the defire of the 
 African Company at Copenhagen, and after an agree¬ 
 ment had been mace by the faid Company, and con¬ 
 firmed by his Danifh Majefty, five Brethren went thi¬ 
 ther in one of the Company’s fhips. But very foon 
 after their arrival three of them, among the reft the 
 chief Miftionary, were taken off by a malignant fever. 
 The remaining two fpent fome time in a fickly ftate at 
 the Danifh fort; but laft year three Brethren more 
 went to them, attended by another to aflift them in 
 fettling in their proper habitation. One, of the three 
 who went laft, departed this life foon after their 
 arrival. 
 
 . . ? * i 
 
 The Danifh Governor prefented the Brethren to the 
 King of Aehem, who received them into his friendfliip, 
 and gave them leave to fettle in any part of his terri¬ 
 tories wherever they might chufe. Thereupon they 
 fought out a proper place, where, by the laft accounts, 
 
 they 
 

 [ 22 } 
 
 they were employed in building a houfe, in order to 
 enter upon the work of the Million. 
 
 t 
 
 % • ' 
 
 An attempt has alfo been made to bring the Gof- 
 pel among the Hottentots at the Cape of good Hope. 
 Our Brethren lived five years among them, begun a 
 fchool with the children, and baptized alio feven adult 
 Hottentots. But certain circumftances interfering, this 
 Million could not be continued. 
 
 I could alfo give you an account of fome other^at- 
 tempts of the Brethren towards the furtherance of the 
 Kingdom of Jefus in Africa, but as they do not pro¬ 
 perly belong to the clafs of Millions among the Hea¬ 
 then, I will only name two to you. 
 
 / v 
 
 One of thefe Attempts has the Copts in Egypt and 
 
 Ahyflinia for its fpecial objeid ; and three Brethren 
 are now refident at Cairo in Egypt, for that purpofe. 
 
 ‘The aim of the other was directed to the falvation 
 of the poor Chritlian Haves in Algiers. Our Brother 
 Richter went thither in the year 1740, where he, 
 while preaching to the Haves fick of the plague, got 
 [ the fame diforder, which proved the means of his 
 diHblution. Another Brother Hayed there from the 
 year 1744 to 1748, ferving, and preaching to the 
 Haves. 
 
 £ will not take up more of your time in relating 
 [ many other important and Hriking incidents attending 
 
 our 
 
 l 
 
our Millions, But I cannot conclude this part of my 
 letter without mentioning our prefent attempts to form 
 a Million on the Coaft of Labrador among the favage 
 Efquimaux. 
 
 • ' ) ; 
 
 In the year 1752, fome merchants in London fitted 
 out a fhip for that Coaft, and they had the good In¬ 
 tention of afiifting the Brethren to form a Million 
 among the Indians there. Accordingly four Miflio- 
 naries went with this (hip, and took the frame of, and 
 materials for a houfe with them, intending to ftay in 
 that Country, and to dwell among the Indians, They 
 arrived fafely upon the Coaft, and the Miftionaries 
 eredled their houfe on a convenient fpot. The fhip 
 failing farther northwards, with a view to trade, fomc 
 Efquimaux came on board, and appeared very kind and 
 loving j but at length enticed the mate, who was a 
 Brother, and fome others away from the fhip, under 
 the pretence of trade, and then murdered them. Af¬ 
 ter thofe on board had waited fome days in vain for 
 the return of their companions, they failed back to 
 the place where the four Brethren had built their 
 houfe, and from thence to Europe. The four Mif- 
 fionaries were obliged to return with the fhip, to help 
 to work her ; though fome of them left Labrador with 
 great relu6fan.ee, notwithftanding the imminent danger 
 to which they would be expofed by their flaying alone 
 among the cruel Savages. The fame veftel failed thi- 
 iher again next year, and the bodies of thofe who had 
 been murdered were found $ but that was all they ob¬ 
 tained by this voyage. 
 
i h i 
 
 * . „ * • » 
 
 Still the Efquimaux were objects of our fpecial at-i 
 
 tcntion; and in the year 1764, a Brother, who hac! 
 been in Greenland, and had learned the Greenlandifti 
 
 1 
 
 language, being continually impelled in his own mind 
 to go among the Efquimaux, went with the bleffing of 
 the Congregation to Newfoundland, and from thence 
 to Terra Labrador, where he, after furmounting many 
 difficulties, got a fight of the Efquimaux. It was a 
 greait joy to him, and no lefs a furprize to them, that 
 they could underftand each other. By this means it 
 was difcovered, that the fuppofition of our Brethren in 
 Greenland, that the Efquimaux and Greenlanders 
 were originally the fame nation, was matter of fa£t; v 
 and thus a friendly intercourfs commenced between 
 the Brethren and the Efquimanx. 
 
 In the year 1765, the fame Brother, with three 
 others, went again to Newfoundland and to the Coaft 
 of Labrador, being encouraged thereto by the worthy 
 Governor of Newfoundland, Commodore Pallifer, 
 by the Board of Trade and Plantations, and by the 
 Lords of the Admiralty. Two of them went from 
 Newfoundland in a fmall veffel, to reconnoitre the 
 Coaft, but to little purpofe. But the chief confluence 
 of this voyage was, that at length the Efquimaux 
 came down to Chateau Bay, and our Brethren had 
 frequent Opportunities to fpeak with them of their 
 Creator and Redeemer. There was alfo a peace and 
 treaty concluded between the Efquimaux and theEnglifh, 
 and the former promifed that they would be obedient to 
 His Majcfty King George, £cc. By this interview the 
 
 Brethren 
 
 V 
 
[ 25 ] 
 
 Brethren and the Efquimaux became better acquainted, 
 and the latter invited the former to come and live 
 among them. 
 
 As it was the wifh of the Brethren to be a Blef- 
 fing to this nation, and to refide among them, fo we 
 could not but delire to have it in our power to form 
 a Settlement among thofe Heathen, and to have fuch 
 a parcel of land, that the Efquimaux who fought 
 their Salvation, might dwell there together unrno- 
 lefted. Application being made to Government for 
 a grant of land, we met with all the encouragement 
 we could wifh : but the execution of the Grant was 
 delayed till the year 1769. Jn the mean time, a 
 company of Efquimaux coming in the year 1768 to 
 Chateau Bay, began again their old practices of mur¬ 
 dering and flealing. Thefe were attacked by a party 
 of Englifh, and feveral were killed on the fpot, and 
 fome taken prifoners and brought to Newfoundland. 
 But a Woman, and her Son about fix years old, and 
 a Boy of about thirteen or fourteen years old, were 
 brought to England. This boy was given by Governor 
 Pallifer to the' Brethren’s Society for the furtherance of 
 the Gofpel. The Woman and her Son were treated vvi h 
 great kindnefs, and Her Royal Highnefs the Princefs 
 Dowager of Wales, the Duke of Gloucefter, and fundry 
 perfons of diiiindfion took notice of her, and loaded her 
 with prefents. She was fent back with her fon in the 
 year 1769, by the officer with whom fhe came to En¬ 
 gland. The above mentioned Boy, whofe name was 
 Karpik, lived fome time with us in Chelfea, and was 
 
 D a real 
 
C 26 ] 
 
 a real pleafure to all thofe who faw him. He was 
 lively, docile, and of quick natural parts; and though 
 he had fometimes fits of fullennefs and obftinacy, yet 
 in general he was very good natured. He was in June 
 1769 fent to our Settlement at Fulneck in Yorkfhire, 
 under the care of one of the four Brethren who had 
 made the voyage to Labrador rn 1765, and who could 
 fpeak Greenlandifh. Karpik was taught here to read 
 and write, and made a good proficiency. His kind 
 Guardian fpoke much with him of the miferable 
 ftate of an unreconciled finner, and of the love of his 
 Creator. His heart was touched and often affe&ed, and 
 he would at laft begin to afk queftions upon thefe heads 
 himfelf. At length he was taken ill with the fmall pox. 
 The Miffionary, finding that he really was a proper 
 fubjedl) baptized him on his Tick bed, in the prefence 
 of as many as the room where he lay could conve¬ 
 niently hold; and the baptifm was tranfadled in the 
 Efquimaux language: Soon after he, as the firft fruit 
 of this favage nation, departed with joy, calling upon 
 the name of the Lord. We felt pain on account of 
 this lofs; for we loved the Youth, and hoped, that 
 he would in time prove of real fervice to his t na- 
 tion. 
 
 Every thing touching the intended fettlement be- 
 ing agreed upon, feme Brethren in London refolved to 
 form a Company, and fit out a {hip to carry the 
 Miffionaries to the Coaft of Labrador in order to 
 vifit the Efquimaux, to fix upon the land on which 
 
 a future 
 
C *7 ] 
 
 a future fettlement fliould be made, and to prepare 
 every thing in the beft manner they could for that 
 purpofe. Accordingly a fhip was bought, and fitted 
 but, and failed in May 1770. Three Brethren went 
 as Miflionaries, and feveral accompanied them as af- 
 fiftants. Our Lord’s providence procured us a Cap¬ 
 tain fit for the purpofe. This voyage has been 
 crowned with fuccefs; they have been preferved from 
 great danger, and have been favourably received by 
 the Efquimaux. The Miflionaries have preached the 
 Gofpel often to them in large and fmall companies* 
 and they have reafon to hope, not without effect. Thus 
 far the Lord has gracioufly helped;; 
 
 Now we are preparing to form a Settlement among 
 them, and as the Efquimaux are noted for their 
 thieving* treacherous and cruel difpofition, we trufl in 
 the Lord, that he will protect our Brethren, when they 
 live among them, and help us alfo with regard to the 
 confiderable expences this expedition will be attended 
 with. 
 
 \ 
 
 Having already greatly exceeded the bounds of this 
 letter, 1 will not dwell upon other attempts of the 
 Brethren which are now in hand, but proceed to the 
 queftion.i 
 
 By what means are the Brethren enabled to fupport 
 fuch very large undertakings? 
 
 Our Millions among the Heathen have been fur¬ 
 thered and fupported with great zeal and concern of 
 
 D 2 heart 
 
I 
 
 f 28 ] 
 
 heart by the late Count Zinzendorf, from their very 
 beginning, to his entering into the joy of his Lord. 
 At firft the Millions were but few, and the expences 
 required for their fupport did not amount to very 
 confiderable hums. But as the Millions became more 
 numerous from time to time, fome members of the 
 Congregation, and other friends, found themfelves 
 moved to take fhare in, and promote, by voluntary 
 contributions, the furtherance of the Gofpel; and this 
 they did either by a (lifting the Brethren’s Millions in 
 general, or one or another Million in particular. As 
 thefe Millions continually grew more and more nu¬ 
 merous and confiderable, God has caufed this kind 
 afiiftance alfo to encreafe. Yet now and then, par¬ 
 ticularly when new Eftablifhments were formed, the 
 Brethren who are appointed to provide for the Mif- 
 fions, have been obliged to borrow money for the 
 purchafe of as much land as was needful, for the 
 building of dwellings for the Miffionaries, &c. till 
 they were enabled to pay it off again, as it came in. 
 But that every thing relating to the Millions might 
 be tranfadfed in a fuitable and orderly manner, fen- 
 fible and faithful men are chofen from time to time, 
 at the Synods of the Unity, who are appointed 
 Deputies to manage the Diaconate of the Millions. 
 They have the general care of the external affairs 
 of the Millions in all parts of the world; they receive 
 the voluntary contribu ions from the Brethren’s Con¬ 
 gregations and from other friends; for the Millions have 
 no other funds than thofe Contributions ; they do 
 their utmoft to defray the neceflary expences by this 
 
 means, 
 
 ! 
 
[ 29 3 
 
 means, and they keep regular accounts of the receipts 
 and difburfements. The Diaconate of the Millions have 
 not only the care of providing for the Midionaries on 
 their voyages and journeys by land and fea; of fupport- 
 ing them, as far as lies in their power, when they are 
 among the Heathen but alfo of providing for their 
 children in the fchools appointed for the education of 
 our children in Europe or America, and alfo for the 
 widows of fuch who depart this life in the labour 
 among the Heathen. 
 
 The Brethren who at prefent are employed in pro¬ 
 viding for the Millions in general, have an arduous 
 
 talk j they ferve joyfully the work of God among the v 
 
 Heathen without any falary, and their only recompence 
 
 is, that they are employed in fuch an important caufe 
 
 of our Lord, and that they aflift in the propagation of 
 
 the Gofpel. 
 
 It would be impoffible for thefe Brethren to provide 
 all that is required for the fupport of the Millions, if 
 on the one hand the Lord had not enkindled a Zeal in 
 our Congregations, and in the hearts of the members 
 thereof, and of thofe friends out of our circle, who 
 wifh to r ee the Kingdom of God come, and who have 
 been informed of the circumftances of our Midions, 
 to take (hare in, and to lend real adiflance to this 
 work of God, fo that the poored are willing to throw 
 in their mites: and if, on the other hand, our Miflio- 
 naries and their Adidants among the Heathen, did not 
 make it their concern to be as frugal as pcrflible. TheMif- 
 
 fionaries, 
 
 4 
 
C 3° 1 , 
 
 fionarics, as much as their occupation in preaching the 
 Gofpei, and taking care of the Souls of the poor Hea¬ 
 then will permit, do their utmoft to earn their own 
 bread by the work of their hands, and thus to make the 
 care of thofe employed in providing what is neceflary 
 for the Millions as eafy as poflible to them. This is 
 more particularly the cafe in fome places, as in St. 
 Thomas, where our Brethren have been able, through 
 the regulations they have made, to provide for their 
 maintenance almoft entirely ; fo that now commonly 
 nothing falls upon the Diaconate of the Millions, ex¬ 
 cept the journeys and voyages thither and back again, 
 and fuch extraordinary expences, as building of 
 chapels, &c. 
 
 In the year 1742 fome Brethren, who live in Lon¬ 
 don, formed themfelves into a fociety, by the name of 
 the Brethren’s Society for the furtherance of the Gof¬ 
 pei, with a view to afiift in this blefled work, to which 
 they were the more encouraged, as a great part of the 
 Millionaries, who pafs and repafs, naturally go by the 
 way of London. This little Society in the beginning 
 did more than they themfelves, at firft, could have ex¬ 
 pected. It was however for feveral years in a declining 
 ffate. But, about two years ago, the old members of 
 the Society formed themfelves anew into a body, to 
 which they added feveral others. Since then they have 
 
 continued in a ftate of blefled activity, and been ena- 
 
 _ _ . * 
 
 bled by their own voluntary contributions, by gifts 
 from friends out of our circle, and by two fmall le-. 
 gacies, to lend real afliltance to the Millionaries who 
 
 have 
 
f 31 3 
 
 have parted through London, and among the reft they 
 have defrayed the whole of the paflage of the Miflio- 
 naries who went this year to the Coaft of Labrador; 
 and they hope, by the blefling of the Lord, to lepd con- 
 fiderable afliftance to the eftablilhment of the Mif- 
 
 fion-Settlement on that Coaft next fpring. 
 
 , \ 
 
 Thus they afford a great afliftance to the general 
 Diaconate of the Millions. You have a more full 
 account of this Society for the furtherance of the Gof- 
 pel, in a letter from J. H. to a friend, publilhed in the 
 year 1768. 
 
 I cannot conclude without observing, that as there is 
 no fixed falary fettled upon any Millionary, nor any 
 profpedt of their ever gaining the leaft pecuniary ad¬ 
 vantage by their entering into this fervice, nothing but 
 the Love of Chrift can conftrain them to engage in 
 this work; and their only reward is, when they fee 
 the Heathen, overcome by divine Grace, bowing their 
 knees unto, and joining already here below in prairtng 
 <c the Lamb that was flain, who has loved us and 
 
 vvalhed us from our fins in his own blood.” 
 
 Notwithftanding all the regulations made, as above 
 related, we are often in pain that it is not in our power 
 to give more effectual alliftance to thofe who in the fer¬ 
 vice of our Lord, among the Heathen, venture their Jives 
 and carry their fouls in their hands, and to render 
 their arduous work more eafy to them. 
 
 Thus, 
 
[ 32 ] 
 
 Thus, my dear Friend, I have given you a brief, 
 though a much longer account, than I intended. 
 
 He who has bought the fouls of Men with his own 
 blood, and who “ fhall have the Heathen for his Inhe- 
 <c ritance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth for his 
 <c pofleffion,” be praifcd for what he has done by means 
 of the Brethren ; and I am perfuaded that all thofe who 
 love the Lord Jefus Chrift, and wifh for the happinefs 
 of their fellow-creatures, will join in prayer, that the 
 Lord of the harveft may continue to blefs and prof- 
 per this important work, until c{ the Knowledge of the 
 “ Lord covereth the earth, even as the waters cover 
 <c the Tea.” 
 
 As for you, my dear Friend, I know and have feen 
 how zealouily your foul wifheth for the time, when 
 the fulnefs of the Gentiles (hall come in, and all If- 
 <c rael be faved,” in which wifh you are joined by 
 
 Your loving and faithful Friend, 
 
 Benjamin La Trobe. 
 
 F i n - i s. 
 
 \ 
 
 ERRATUM. 
 
 Page 15. line 7, from the bottom, for metier read fijler* 
 
la the year 1767, was publilhed, in two Volumes, 
 
 T HE Hiftory of Greenland, containing a deferip- 
 tion of the Country and its Inhabitants; and 
 particularly, a relation of the Million carried on for 
 above thefe thirty years by the Unitas Fratrum atNew- 
 Herrnhuth and Lichtenfels in that Country. By Da¬ 
 vid Crantz. And is ftill fold by J. Dodlley, in Pall- 
 Mall ; T. Becket and P. A. de Hondt; and T. Cadell, 
 Succeflor to A. Millar, in the Strand ; W. Sanday, in 
 Fleet-ftreet; S. Bladon, in Pater-nofter-row ; E. and 
 C. Dilly, in the Poultry $ and at all the Brethren's 
 Chapels. 
 
 And in this year 1771, is publilhed. 
 
 The A&s of the Days of the Son of Man, or the 
 hiftory of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, compre¬ 
 hending all that the four Evangelifts have recorded 
 concerning Him: All their relations being brought 
 together in one narration ; fo that no circumftance is 
 omitted, but that ineftimable Hiftory is continued in 
 one feries, in the very words of our Englilh verfton. 
 Sold at Mr. Huggins's, Goldfmith’s-Court, New-ftreet, 
 Fetter-lane; E. and C. Dilly, in the Poultry, T. Becket, 
 oppofite the New Church in the Strand; and at ail 
 the Brethren’s Chapels. 
 
\ 
 
rT)'* f 
 
 -xj