May I then ask, with affection and respect, whether you are prepared for the solemn scenes of death, judgment, and eternity, in which we both will soon have to act a part? Have you good evidence that you are a child of God that you are indeed interested in the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ?

If not, will you not be entreated to set yourself immediately about the great business of life; nor give over until you have found the pearl of great price, and become possessed of the one thing needful?

You know what we all are by nature and by practice, and what it is necessary for us to be in order to our salvation. You know the fulness and freeness of the salvation provided by Him who was "wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities-who, though he was rich, for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might become rich." You know that it is offered most freely to you and to me : You know the means God has commanded us to use, and that if we use these means, depending wholly on Christ, we shall certainly be blessed -be made happy in time, and happy in eternity.

Our souls are valuable beyond all conception: shall we not strive for their salvation? We would exert ourselves to amass a fortune; and shall we not be in earnest, when our all is at stake ? Shall we not make some exertions to obtain what will give us something of true happiness in this life, which will disarm death of its sting, and the grave of its terrors, and which will infallibly conduct us to permanent happiness and substantial joys?

There is nothing I so much desire, as that God would glorify himself in the salvation of my own soul, and the souls of others. For this I pray daily; and for this my desires are so strong, that tears often force themselves from my eyes; not tears of sadness, but of interest and tender solicitude for precious souls; and could you have seen my heart and all my wishes with regard to you and yours the short time we have been together, you would know my sincerity in all I now write.

Permit me now to make a request: It is, that every evening before retiring to rest, at any time that is most agreeable to you, I may sit down by your side and read a few verses in the Book of Life, and then kneel with you and devote a few moments in worshipping the God who made

us.

Will it not be a pleasant, a proper, and a profitable way of spending a very little time at the close of the day? And may we not hope that He who feeds the ravens and hears the young lions when they cry, will for the sake of his dear Son, hear our petitions, and save our precious, our invaluable souls ?

In prayer, we have always this peculiar felicity, that we may ask the richest blessings for ourselves and others; and with confidence too; for we approach a prayer-hearing God, and who is more ready to give than we are to ask.

Shall we ever be deterred from duty by the fear of man? The time is near at hand, when it will be of little consequence to us, what men may have said or thought of us. It now matters not to you or me, whether during the time we were in Europe, we were considered as jolly fellows or as enthusiasts. Besides, is it not cowardly for a man to act contrary to reason, Scripture, and conscience, simply because some remarks might be made? We do not act thus in the affairs of common life.

The language of Scripture is: "Fear not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings." And what, said our Saviour ? " Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake"

But I must conclude. Let me however ask, what is there so desirable as that you should return to C., a true Christian, a sincere and humble disciple and follower of the Lord Jesus Christ? Would not this, in such a case, be the most profitable and the best voyage you ever made ? What would add more to the joy that would swell the bosom and moisten the eyes of an affectionate wife, on your return home, than to find that her husband had chosen that good part, which will never be taken from him? Then you would know the happiness of offering up the morning and the evening sacrifice upon the family-altar; and sometimes when your little prattlers were climbing about their father's knees, they would hear from a parent's lips, the way of life and salvation, and the preciousness of Jesus Christ. Then you would daily commend your family to God's blessing, and pray that you might all serve the Lord here, and finally meet around his throne in a better world.

Who knows but what through your instrumentality and prayers, your children might all remember their Creator in the days of their youth, become eminently useful in life, and at length take a seat above, with the apostles and prophets ?

Who can tell but your Christian example and good regulations in future voyages, might lead some one or more careless tars to attend to their soul's best interests, and they again be blessings to their shipmates or their families at home?

That this may be the case, and that we may both ever live the life of the righteous, and finally be made happy for ever, is the fervent prayer of,

Yours respectfully and affectionately,

The late venerable Greenland Missionary, who served in that Mission forty-three years.

(Translated from the German for the Christian Herald.)

I was born June 7, 1706, at Creuzendorf, about two miles from Leobshitz, in Upper Silesia. My grandfather, Jacob Beck, was a native of Gottsdorf, near Jagerndorf. A violent persecution arising in his time against the inhabitants of his town, many for religion's sake, emigrated into Lower Silesia, that there they might enjoy liberty of conscience; but he determined to abide where he was, to serve the Lord and gain his livelihood there. Shortly after, however, he was put in irons and cast into prison. There they beat, tortured, and detained him till they had made him quite a cripple; and in the end, he happily fell asleep in Jesus. My grandmother, however, with her two sons, (my father, Caspar Beck, and his brother,) were at last compelled to leave the place, because they neither could nor would consent to turn Roman Catholics, although urged to do so. They emigrated to Leobshitz, where she indeed was suffered to retain her religion, but her two sons were soon compelled to embrace the catholic persuasion. Not long after, the younger departed this life.

My father, having early imbibed the principles of pure religion, so soon as he came to years of discretion, sought and cherished the company of those who retained a spark of the Saviour's love in their hearts, and frequently read the Bible and other religious books with them. He himself taught us, his children, to read, and instructed us, to the best of his knowledge, in the word of God, that we might not be contaminated by wicked company, nor imbibe their erroneous principles. I was put out as a servant among strangers, and whenever I paid a visit to my father, he would charge me, saying, " My son, always set God before your eyes, then you will fare well in time and in eternity!" These words afterwards recurred to my mind very frequently, in my solitary hours.

In 1726, I was under serious convictions, but soon after I relapsed into my former unconcern respecting my soul's salvation, till in May, 1731, when I entered the service of Michael Damel, a Catholic minister, in the capacity of his coachman.

Being prohibited the reading of Lutheran books, on pain of a severe VOL. VIII

77

penalty, I bought a Catholic New Testament in market, and read the same very diligently. One day being quite alone at my work, I was moved to go and read in the New Testament. I accordingly took up the book, opened it, and found this passage: Rev. iii. 15-18. " I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. So, then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth, because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; I counsel thee to buy of me gold, tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." When I began to read, I felt as though a fire ran through my bones, my eyes began to weep, my heart melted like wax before the fire, and I fell to the ground as one dead. As the slave of sin, I thought I should, in my miserable and lamentable condition, perish for ever. Having lain about the space of an hour, writhing on the ground like a worm, and being just on the point of giving myself up for lost, my Heavenly Friend came, and smiled upon me. That I was not dreaming, nor duped by my own fancy, was evident, from my succeeding trials; it seemed to me, as though I saw my suffering God and Saviour, covered with blood and wounds, extended on the cross for my sins. With the smile of a friend and brother he seemed to incline towards me; he comforted me, and assured me of the forgiveness of my sins, and bid me rise and live. I now felt as though I had been relieved from a very heavy burden. I arose with a light and cheerful heart and weeping eyes, and from that hour became a witness of the grace in which I had participated. The first to whom I related my experience, were my acquaintances, who inquired, "What has happened to you? How strange you appear." My fellow servant (our late brother John Hadwig) returning home from the field in the evening, I related to him what had happened to me during the day, which touched him to the quick, in such a manner, that he burst into tears. Shortly after, the same took place with his brother Martin, my youngest brother, and others. Having at that period received no intelligence as yet of any children of God, much less seen a Brethrens' congregation, we still had that promise of our Saviour to comfort us: "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

At these meetings we would, in our simple way, relate our experience, pray together, and love one another. Every day some came to us, who testified their desire to know the Saviour. The priest, however, did not long remain an idle spectator; he closely examined me, why I did not, as heretofore, frequent the taverns and fashionable amusements of the world, and commanded me not to read any kind of books, nor take a Lutheran prayer-book into church. The latter injunction I promised to comply with, because I could pray to the Lord in my heart; "but as for the first," said I, " to frequent taverns, and riot in the manner I formerly did, is not only in opposition to the word of God, but even to your own doctrine from the pulpit. You well knew my former scandalous life and wicked conversation, but you never once reproved me for its impropriety; whence is it, that now, since I endeavour to obey the truth, you are not pleased with me?" He replied, "I see, you are in the right way; but the people trouble me so much on your account, that I am tired of it; indeed if I should live up to the Bible, I should most assuredly be put out of office," &c. After a long conversation with him he became friendly, loved me, and suffered me, quietly to depart.

My parents, and those of my friend Hadwig, delighting to hear us tell our experience, and speak of the Saviour, we paid them frequent visits. The number of souls that attended our meetings gradually increased; till at last almost two entire villages were stirred up by our testimony concerning the Lord. This began to enrage the enemy, so that by craft and force, he sought to quench the small spark of love which had been kindled in our hearts. I was several times brought to trial; but our Saviour always stood by me, and gave me courage and undauntedness, so that the fear of man gradually wore off from my mind. We now enjoyed rest for a whole year; and during this time, I was enabled more fully to believe, that the Saviour's blood and righteousness was imputed to me, a sinner; wherefore I felt truly happy and contented.

In April, 1732, we were summoned before a board of bishops and other clergy, magistrates and lawyers, in the castle of Suppau. About one hundred souls had to appear there, to whom, during the preceding year, we had declared the great love of Jesus to poor sinners. My priest's presence being indispensable at the castle, I drove him thither in his carriage; but before I started, I took a friendly and a final leave of all my friends, although they could not believe me, that I should never see them again. Arriving at noon in Suppau, the aforesaid souls were first tried, and by promises and threats, persuaded to recant, till at last all, from the fear of man, dropped off as chaff flying before the wind. In the evening, Brother Martin Hadwig, who had been a close prisoner for several days, was summoned, but he remained firm, and abode by the testimony of Jesus Christ, nothing wavering. In my capacity of coachman to the priest, I was all day in company with their honours' footmen, and dined with them as usual. I likewise conversed a great deal with my father, who, the day before, from an ill-timed zeal, had beaten me severely, in presence of my priest. Having prayed for them both, on my knees to our Saviour, this made a deep impression upon them. My father now begged my pardon with tears in his eyes, and exhorted me to confess the truth with boldness. About 10 o'clock at night, I also was summoned before the commissioners, when, for three hours together, I felt my Saviour's presence in a peculiar manner. I was questioned concerning every thing that had happened during the past year, and my heart was so ready for utterance that I could not gain time to say all I had to say. I was powerfully convinced of the truth of our Lord's saying: Matt. x. 19. "When they deliver you up, take no thought, how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak." About one o'clock at night, when they had filled three sheets of paper with my replies, seeing my cheerfulness, they ordered the constables to chain and fetter me, to throw me into a dungeon, and not to take me out from thence till I had fallen a prey to worms. Thereupon my priest rose first, took me aside, spoke very kindly to me, and begged me to promise, that I would live as I had formerly done; saying, that I was still at liberty to have my thoughts to myself, and that he would never throw any obstacles in my way. "Pray have a care," he added, " that I and