Diligence in the improvement of the means of grace, particularly in
not forsaking the assembling of themselves together, is another
evidence of the reality and health of the Christian life in any
community: this awakening bore that stamp also of the genuineness of
its nature; and from the frequency of their meetings, which were
punctually and cheerfully attended by the people, some idea may be
formed of the hungering and thirsting after divine things which marked
the Esquimaux congregations. The order of the different meetings of
the congregation at Hopedale during winter--and in the other
settlements it was pretty much the same--was as follows:--Sunday.
Public service in the fore and afternoon. In the morning the Litany
was read. The children then met. After the afternoon's service the
communicants sung a liturgical hymn, or the candidates for the Lord's
supper held a meeting for instruction.--Monday Evening. All the
baptized had a meeting, when a suitable discourse was delivered to
them. After a short pause, a singing-meeting was held.--This is a
service peculiar to the brethren's church, in which some doctrinal
subject, commonly that contained in the Scripture-text appointed for
the day, is contemplated by singing verses or hymns relating to it, so
as in their connection to form, as it were, a homily on the text,
according to the words of the Apostle, "Speaking to yourselves in
psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs."--Tuesday Evening: A public
meeting, with a discourse.--Wednesday Morning. The children had a
meeting, the one Wednesday for all the children, and the next, for the
baptized only. On the evening, there was a public service, when a
portion of the harmony of the four Evangelists was read and
explained.--Thursday Evening: The same.--Friday. Both the baptized and
the candidates for baptism met, where, after a discourse on the text,
a hymn treating of the Saviour's passion was sung.--On Saturday there
was no service in the church. Besides these meetings, the believing
Esquimaux had the worship of God regularly morning and evening in
their own houses. But the crowning sheaf in this harvest of mercy, was
the permanence of the awakening; the impressions were lasting, not
like a momentary blaze occasioned by some temporary excitement, but a
pure and steady flame, which in a majority increased in brightness,
till it was lost in glory.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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