These Esquimaux now attended the meetings daily, and evinced by their conduct a change in their minds; for they were not only anxious themselves about their eternal concerns, but were desirous that their children should also regard them.  Instead of preventing them as formerly, they now intreated that they might be allowed to send them to school, which from this time was well attended by both old and young.  Among the primary objects of the brethren is the instruction of the youth.  Old trees are ill to bend, but the tender sapling is more easily impressed, and there are peculiar promises to bless the instruction of children, and to encourage to a patient and proper performance of a very trying, and not unfrequently a very irksome task.  But while the brethren communicate to their interesting charge the elements of knowledge, they employ as the grand instrument for shaping their characters, the word of the gospel of Christ, and subject their pupils to a moral training, without which, the mere communication of knowledge, whether sacred or profane, is often a curse rather than a blessing.  So soon as they had attained a sufficient knowledge of the language, the missionaries composed elementary books, and for those who were farther advanced they translated a history of the sufferings of Jesus, which was gratefully received by those who could read and eagerly listened to by those who could not.

About three months after this occurrence, Karpik declared that he was now in his heart convinced that the blood of Jesus could blot out his exceeding great sins—­that he wept daily before him, entreating him to wipe away his iniquities, and declared that the ardent desire of his soul was to cleave more closely to the Saviour; that he was resolved to follow him only, and to give up all connection with the unbelievers.  And he was diligent in speaking to all the strangers who passed that way, beseeching and exhorting them to turn to the Lord.

When the century closed, after thirty years’ labour, the missionaries at the three different stations had the pleasure of numbering two hundred and twenty-eight resident Esquimaux under their care, of whom one hundred and ten were baptized.  This involved them in various other avocations.  They had not only to instruct them in matters of religion, but to teach them habits of industry and of economy and to show them the example; they induced them to build, and assisted them in building, substantial houses; they made them tools for working and implements for fishing[F] and gardening, which last process they had to superintend and to direct.  Besides, they erected and kept in repair their own dwellings, cultivated their own gardens, fabricated tools for themselves, and used every exertion to lessen the demand for, or supply the deficiency of their European food.  They had also to collect and bring home firewood for their domestic purposes—­no small labour; and to fell timber and build boats for the purposes of barter, as they took nothing gratuitous from the natives, heathen or Christian.