HAVING given this generalneath the yoke of fin, and the

sketch of the origin of the tyranny of Satan; and rememMoravians, of their fettlement and bering the glorious promifes givprogrefs in the United States,en in the word of God, that the of their doctrines, peculiarities and difcipline; the way is prepared for the exhibition of their fin. gular zeal, perfeverance, fuccefs, and manner of propagating the gofpel among the heathen, in the various parts of the world.

While fome other denominations of Chriftians fhow great zeal in propagating their peculiar notions among Chriftians, and in making divifions and alienations among them, the Moravians have manifefted their zeal, charity and felf-denial in propagating the gofpel among thofe to whom the true God and our Lord Jefus Chrift were not known. They fay in their publications, "The fimple motive of the brethren for fending miffionaries to diftant nations, was, VOL. I. No. 3. L

6

heathen alfo fhould be the reward of the fufferings and death of Jefus ; and confidering his commandment to his followers, To go into all the world and preach the gofpel to every creature, they were filled with confident hopes, that if they went forth in obedience unto, and believing in his word, their labor would not be in vain in the Lord. They were not difmayed in reflecting on the fmallness of their means and abilities, and that they hardly knew their way to the heathen, whofe falvation they fo ardently longed for, nor by the profpect of enduring hardships of every kind, and even, perhaps, the lofs of their lives in the attempt; but their love to their Saviour

⚫ and their fellow-finners for whom ⚫he shed his blood, far outweigh⚫ed all these confiderations. They went forth in the ftrength of their God, and he has wrought ⚫ wonders in their behalf.

Bleffed

be God, this day, the fame spirit prevails in the congregations of the United Brethren, and there ⚫ has been a continual and increafing fucceffion of perfons who have offered themfelves to fupply va · cant places, or to enter upon new miffions, notwithstanding the dan< gers and hardships attending the fervice are fet before them without any disguise or paliation whatsoever. From a very fmall beginning the miffions of the brethren have increased to 26 fettlements, in different parts of the earth, in which near 140 • miffionaries are employed, a number hardly fufficient for the care of about 23,000 converts from among the heathen."+

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rous nations, to ferve the fame glorious caufe. No fooner had the United Brethren gained a peaceful fettlement, and a small degree of property, in the feveral countries in which they were ftrangers, than they began to fend their mishonaries among the nations, who were perifhing for lack of vifion. They have fent them, and are ftill fending them into the four quarters of the earth.

In 1732, they fent miffionaries to the Danish West-India Islands, and made fix fettlements in them ; Two, New Herrnhut and Nifky, in St. Thomas's; Friedensberg and Friedenfthal in St. Croix, and Bethany and Emmaus in St John's. At New Herrnhut in 1795, there were 38 adults and 20 children baptized, and 12 were admitted from other denominations. The whole congregation confifted of 909, exclufive of the children. At Nifky, there were, the fame year, 45 adults and 2 3 children baptized, and 24 admitted to communion. The whole number of communicants in this black congregation was 583, and the whole congregation confifted of 1246. At Friedenfberg in St. Croix, there were baptized and received into the congregation, in 1795, 138

Such has been the zeal and perfeverance of this poor people, in fpreading the favor of the Redeem. er's name, that no hardships nor dangers, by land or fea, no diftance of country, no ftupidity or barbarity of nations, no expenfe of which they are capable, no long and total feparation from their country, friends and deareft con-adult perfons, and 49 children were nections, no perfecutions nor dif baptized. The number of comappointments could damp their municants was 804, and there were courage, deprefs their fpirits, or 128 candidates for communion. interrupt their endeavours. If un- There were 951 baptized perfons fuccefsful and difappointed in one and 219 candidates for baptifm. place, with an unabating zeal and The number of baptized children fortitude they pursue their attempts was 548. Total amount of fouls in another. Even the feebler fex in the congregation 2650. At appear to vie with the miffionaries, Friedenthal on the fame Ifland in making voyages, and in travel- there were this year 175 adults ling to the most diftant and barba- and 61 children baptized. There were 1342 communicants, 1628 baptized people, and 328 candidates for baptifm. The whole number of fouls 4563. At Beth

†This was written in 1796, fince which time the converts have confiderably increased.

the earneft application of the United Brethren, to the Dutch government, and the generous influ

any, in St. John's there were, at the fame time, 258 communicants, and the congregation exclufive of children, amounted to 487. Atence of their friends, leave was, Emmaus, the fame year, were 249 commuicants, and the whole congregation confifted of 569 fouls.

fome years fince granted for the miflion to proceed. In confequence of this, it was renewed in 1792, and three Miffionaries fent to the Cape. The congregation there had kept together, and had read the bible for their inftruction and edification. Since the English government has been established there,

In 1733 the brethren fent miffionaries into the frozen régions of Greenland, and affected three fettlements, New Herrnhut, Litchtenfels, and Litchtenau, in that country. In the year 1796, there were in these settlements 621, be-countenance has been more decilonging to the feveral congrega- dedly given to the miffion, and it tions, of whom 236 were com- is now proceeding under the most municants. favorable afpects. A wild people among the Hottentots, called Bufhmen, and who were very troublesome, it seems, have made a treaty of peace with the English, and earnestly petitioned for Miffionaries. Some of the Hottentots have been taught both to read and write. Martha, one of the Hottentot fifters, compofed a letter in Low Dutch and fent to the Directors in England, in which are the following pious and Chriftian expreffions and fentiments, "I let you know that I cannot thank enough, our dear Saviour, for bringing me to this place; where elfe would my poor foul have come to! I am now about two years here. When I think how I was before my baptifm, I have

In 1736, one George Schmidt, a man of most diftinguished zeal and courage, began a miffion among the Hottentots, at the Cape of Good Hope, a people the most stupid and uncivilized of any upon the earth, whofe language is most irregular, and of all others perhaps the most difficult to be learned. Yet by his indefatigable, perfevering labours, he made himfelf fo far mafter of their language, and fo far taught them his own, that a fmall congregation of believers was there gathered unto the Lord. Some of them were taught to read the bible, in the Dutch language. But on his return to Europe, to make report of the fuccefs of his miffion, and to obtain affiftants in his important work, to his unfpeak-committed all fins, and what I able mortification, he was prohibited to refume his labors. It had been infinuated, by evil minded people, into the Dutch government, that the propagation of Chriftianity among the Hottentots would differve the interefts of the colony. The fchool for the inftruction of the Hottentots, which, according to the accounts received, confifted of about a hundred chil. dren, was broken up or greatly interrupted by the Dutch. But by

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'now feel, I am quite afhamed! "Our Saviour has even granted me 'the grace to enjoy, his body and 'blood in the Lord's fupper! I feel I am very poor and mean, yet I feel his peace in my heart. I pray that my Saviour may keep me, until I fhall come to him; then I will much more thank him for his love, which he hath

* This fettlement is named, Bavianą Cloof.

⚫ fhewn me. Receive all ye breth- |
ren and fifters, many thanks, that
you fent teachers to us, and that
you
alfo maintain them; for we
have nothing to give; we are a
poor people. I alfo thank our
Saviour, that he gave me fo ma-
ny brothers and fifters, from my
' own people. Ah might we all
live entirely unto him !"

In 1738, miffionaries were fent to South America, to the Negro flaves at Paramaribo and Sommelfdyk. Among the free Negroes at Bombay; and among the native Indians at Hope on the Corentyn. At Paramaribo, in Surinam, in 1796, there were 22 baptized Negoes and the number of the congregation was 288. At Sommelfdyk were 66 baptized Negroes. The Indian congregation at Hope confilted of 360.

In 1754, the brethren made two fettlements in St. Elizabeth's parifh in Jamaica, and they have three miffions on this Ifland, but the fuccefs of them is not mentioned.

In Antigua, 1750, a miffion began on Gracehill, at St. Johns. This is a very large congregation. In 1795, there were 2596 communicants, 1292 candidates for communion, 1128 adult perfons baptized, 726 candidates for baptif, 964 baptized children, and the whole number of fouls 6776. A few years fince, for the convenience of the poor difperfed flaves, this congregation has been divided, and a Miffionary has been fettled further in land upon the Iand.

lishment at Nancawery, one of the Nicobar iflands, the whole plan was defeated. The Danish gov. ernment found fo little benefit arif. ing from the great expense which they had been at, in fettling these iflands, withdrew their people ; and the brethren refiding there were left alone." All communication between Tanquebar and those ifands ceafed; and they had no means of conveying provifions and neceffaries to the Millionaries, but by purchafing and maintaining a veffel purely for that purpose.This was done at great expenfe, a few years, until the commencement of the American war, when the veffel was taken by a French cruizer, though it belonged to a neutral ftate. No redrefs could be obtained from the French.The climate was unhealthy, and the expenfe and danger of fupplying the Miffionaries were fo great, that it was found neceffary to withdraw the Miffionaries, and fufpend the miffion. But while this was fufpended others were undertaken in other parts.

In 1764, three fettlements Nein, Okkak, and Hopedale, were made, in the inhofpitable and barren regions of Labrador, that the Efkimaux Indians might receive the glad tidings of falvation. These fettlements were at confiderable distance from each other, and the country is fo cold and unproductive, that almost the whole of their provifions is fent them from Europe, which renders thefe miffions very expenfive. During the In 1760, Brethren's Garden, term of about twenty-five years, near Tanquebar, in the Eaft-Indies 28 brethren, and 16 fifters have was fettled. The view of the ferved in the miffions at these setbrethren, in making this fettle- tlements; 9 have finished their ment, was to communicate the gof. courfe in those regions, 15 have pel to the inhabitants of the Nic-returned to Europe, and 20, at obar islands. But after a perfe- the latest account, were then fervvering attempt to form an eftab-ing the mifions, in that quarter,