Disinterested exertion, not only to prevent themselves from being
burdensome to those among whom they labour, but to save as much as
possible any unnecessary expense to the churches or societies who send
them out, forms an admirable and a prominent feature in all the
Moravian missionary brethren. They follow the apostolic example, and
minister to their necessities by their own hands, and exhibit a
pattern to their infant establishments, not only of industry to
procure the means of personal livelihood, but to enable them to assist
those improvident heathen by whom they are surrounded, even when their
exertions are attended with danger and repaid by insult; and by these
means they often acquire an influence over the most savage minds,
which it were otherwise difficult to obtain. Of this we have a most
remarkable instance which occurred in the beginning of the present
year. Having received accounts that a dead whale was found at Comfort
Harbour, about seven miles south of Nain, the brethren, Jans Haven,
Lister, Morhardt, and Turner, resolved to go thither, accompanied by
some Esquimaux, in the hope that, by procuring the blubber and the
fins, they might be enabled to contribute somewhat to the support of
the mission, while they would assist the starving natives at this
season in obtaining a supply of provisions; and at the same time, they
would have an opportunity of commending the Saviour to these poor
benighted heathen.
They accordingly set out, under the guidance of an Esquimaux,
Mannmoima, whose house they reached February 17th about mid-day,
where, on account of the stormy weather, they were forced to remain.
"If," says Jans Haven, in his diary, "our European sisters had only
seen us here they would certainly have pitied us. We were forced to
creep on all fours through a low passage several fathoms long to get
into the house, and were glad if we escaped being bitten by the
hungry dogs, who take refuge there in bad weather, and who, as they
lie in the dark, are often trodden upon by the entrant; who, if he
escapes this misfortune, is compelled to undergo the more disgusting
salutation of being licked in the face by these animals, and of
crawling through the filth in which they all mingle. Yet this house,
notwithstanding our senses of seeing and smelling were most woefully
offended, in such frightful weather, was of equal welcome to us as the
greatest palace."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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