of this firstling, so that according to our hope and expectation, you and we may soon behold his Glory in Greenland, of which we have even now a pleasing anticipation. His name be praised for the little we have already seen; and for his having graciously granted us the favor to obtain, in some small measure, the end of our faith, after five years spent in hoping against hope." The work of conversion became more and more perceptible in Kajarnak, and his family: on which account the Brethren began to give him and his wife, and son, and daughter, the necessary instruction in the fundamental truths of the Christian Religion, preparatory to their being baptized and March the 29th, 1739, being Easter Sunday, that sacrament was administered to all these persons, by Brother Matthew Stach. Having, before the whole Congregation, answered the questions of the missionary, relative to the reason of the hope that was in them, and promised solemnly to forsake all heathenish customs, to continue residing with their teachers, and to walk worthy of the Gospel: the four firstlings of the Greenland Nation, were dedicated in a fervent prayer, and with imposition of hands, to their only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and incorporated with the Christian Church, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. During this sacred transaction, which was accompapied with a powerful feeling of the peace of God, great emotion of heart manifested itself among all those who were present. VIII. Powerful experience in the Unity of the Brethren, that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd and Head of the Church. For SEPT. 16, and NOV. 13. The unwearied and unremitting exertions of Count Zinzendorf to bring about an union among the members of the Congregation at Herrnhut, separated and divided by difference of opinions and various erroneous views-had, by the grace of God, been crowned with such success in the year 1727, that all unanimously resolved to bury in oblivion those religious controversies, which had hitherto exclusively engaged their attention. They declared their readiness to subscribe to the Statutes which were laid before them on the 12th of May, and by which they became united in one body both as to doctrine and practice. This solemn brotherly agreement necessarily required the adoption of a constitution conformable to its import. On that account the resolution was taken to choose, after the example of the ancient Church of the Brethren, twelve persons, who were to watch, as Elders, over the observance of those rules and orders which all had solemnly pledged themselves to obey. Before the election of these Elders was taken in hand, it was notified to the Congregation that no particular respect was to be had to persons of learning or rank; but that the preference ought rather to be given to such, who, though of the common class, possessed the confidence of most of the inhabitants of the place. No Elder was to feel personal animosity against any one; nor ought there to be any well-grounded prejudices against any one who was to fill the office of Elder. For the whole Congregation and all its members should be able to esteem, to love and to obey those that were chosen for that office. The election then took place in the name of God, and it was looked upon as the incumbency of these twelve Elders that they should consider among themselves what might further tend to the welfare of the Congregation, and communicate the result of their deliberations to the same. On May the 20th, four chief Elders were selected from among the twelve, and in this selection the use of the lot was employed, agreeably to the manner of proceeding usual in the ancient Church of the Brethren. The first lot fell upon Christian David, the second upon George Nitschmann, the third upon Christopher Hofmann, the fourth upon Melchior Nitschmann, then only 25 years of age. The last mentioned Brother is worthy of notice. While yet in his own country, he had been very active as a young, cheerful and blessed witness of Jesus in promoting that general and great awakening which took place in the years 1723 and 1724, and having on that account been cast into prison he there endured great sufferings with unshaken constancy. Having been released from imprisonment, he left his country and arrived Dec. 24, 1724, with the rest of his oppressed Brethren who had found an asylum at Herrnhut, in which place he fixed his residence and in retirement earned his livelihood as a journeyman weaver. When in 1727 the Congregation at Herrnhut took in hand the choice of its Elders, and when (as above mentioned) four of the twelve were to be appointed by lot as chief; Melchior Nitschmann's name had been left out, because of his youth. But his name having nevertheless, been put in with the rest, without the knowledge of any one; when the boy, who drew the lots, read it to the astonishment of the whole Congregation, as the name of one of the four who were appointed Chief Elders; he himself, on hearing it read, showed no signs of surprize, uneasiness or joy, but simply said, that he could not comprehend why he should thus be chosen, unless it were that God was desirous to have a very poor and altogether incompetent servant. The Congregation, to whom he was well known, not only raised no objections against his election, but even rejoiced at it, considering it as a special interference of Divine Providence, and from the time of his being ehosen to fill the Elder's office, they honored and obeyed him as their spiritual father, set over them by the Lord himself. In the execution of his official duties, every thing he did, prospered, through the blessing of the Lord resting, in an eminent degree, upon his labors. It was his daily employment, to reconcile those, who had been at variance, to reclaim the erring, to obviate dissentions, to rouse and alarm the careless, to produce godly sorrow in the hearts of those who were inclined to levity, to comfort the penitent, to promote the growth in grace of all, to love the Brethren and to devote his life to their service. His prayers were marked with no common fervor, and when he entered into his closet to cry to Him, who seeth in secret, his heart was generally so full, that he scarcely knew how to cease making known to Him all his requests by prayer and supplication. He was diligent at his trade, and submissive in his conduct towards his master, but far from being skilful or expert in things relating to business: he was however possessed of a very pene trating and clear understanding, which, with great modesty, he knew how to make the best use of on all occasions. In his conduct he was free and open, without levity, humble and meek, without meanness, compassionate without effeminancy, affectionate without trifling, modest without affectation, expeditious without over-hurrying himself, poor without sloth, simple without stupidity, rich in much knowledge without pedantry; in short, as the Lord was in this world, so he earnestly desired to be. The above testimony is given him by Count Zinzendorf, with whom he had formed a most intimate friendship: and though he felt and valued the special attention the Count bestowed on him, and did not fail to show that he was truly sensible of it; yet did not this preference given him, fill his mind with pride or selfcomplacency, but he loved and esteemed every one of his Brethren, and would often say, that his heart leaped in him for joy as often as he saw at a distance any one who belonged to Christ and his flock. At the commencement of the year 1728, he determined to undertake a journey to Salzburg, in company with his friend Geo. Schmidt, a genuine and faithful Ser vant of the Lord, with a view to cheer the awakened there with the special consolations of the Gospel. It was to be feared that the fatigues of such a journey would be too much for him to bear, especially since he was labouring under the effects of a phthisieal disease, brought on by the cruel treatment he had experienced during his imprisonment-there was also reason to apprehend that he might fall into the hands of his enemies, while on his journey; in consequence of which the Count, the Elders, and all his friends earnestly endeavoured to dissuade him from executing his purpose. But he remained immoveable, and re |