Presently I saw some one coming to meet us; it was my father, who was bringing the three books in question to the magistrate, the thought having struck him, that I might be interrogated about them. My attendants now turned back with me, and I went to my cell happy and thankful for his gracious answer to my prayer.

But with continued imprisonment, my faith began to fail, and I could only sigh: "Lord, help me!" The close, wet dungeon seriously affected my health, and the clothes rotted on my body. In addition to all this, a Jesuit was sent to convert us, who pressed us without ceasing to embrace the Romish faith, that we might not be doomed to the galleys for life. At length we yielded, though with much uneasiness of mind, as it was against our convictions. Notwithstanding, we were set to work in the streets as scavengers, and obliged to pay a fine, after which we were released on bail. On returning home, we found the little flock of awakened completely scattered; but we sought them up, and commenced our meetings anew, having bought a Roman Catholic Testament for our use. But, before a quarter of a year had well elapsed, another information was laid against us, and a Jesuit was sent to us. He examined us, took away our New Testament, and sorely tormented us, with his endeavors to convert us, as he thought. We saw that it was impossible for us to continue any longer in Moravia, and we agreed with each other, no longer to dissemble, but openly to confess the truth. When we were next summoned before the Jesuit, we found the books which had been taken from us, lying on the table. He said: "I will now argue the matter thoroughly with you;" and he was as good as his word, for he kept us six hours till long after midnight. We objected to all his statements, frankly avowing our belief, and quoting passage after passage from the New Testament in proof of it, while he did the same in refutation of our views. Sometimes he was as furious as a bear; sometimes again, he was exceeding bland, entreating us to bethink ourselves, and abjure the soul-destroying errors into which we had been seduced, and promising, that, if we would join the Romish church, out of which there was no salvation, he would procure us good situations, and make us comfortable for life. We were heartily glad, that we had this opportunity to recant the confession extorted from us by fear of the galleys, and boldly to avow the truth. At length, when he could make nothing of us, he opened the door, and solemnly lifting up his hands, and clasping them together, dismissed us with the words: "You are hardened against conviction and lost for ever." Next morning he privately informed the authorities of our conduet, and orders were issued that we should be apprehended that night, and brought to New Titschein. I was by no means sorry, when one of my relatives, who had got to know it, brought me word of what was intended; and I at once resolved to emigrate. Nor were my parents any longer adverse

to this resolution, Accordingly Hueckel, Witke, and I, agreed upon a place of rendezvous, where we lay hid for two days, till the alarm was over. The Jesuit, on hearing the news, went to my parents, and, with many professions of good-will, begged them to send us word that we had nothing to fear, that he would be a father to us, if we would come come back, and make our peace with the authorities. He even called the whole village together to church, held mass, and offered up a prayer, that God would hedge up our way with thorns, so that we might be obliged to return. He likewise sent messengers in every direction to seek us. Meanwhile we committed ourselves in prayer to the Lord for His protection on the journey which was before us.

After a farewell meeting with our parents, relatives, and friends, we bade adieu to our father-land on Easter-eve, March 27th, 1728. Being unacquainted with the direct road to Saxony, we went by way of Kunewalde and Roesnitz, through Silesia, meeting everywhere with awakened souls, who gave us a cordial welcome. Towards the end of April we arrived in Herrnhut, with hearts filled with gratitude to the Lord, who had brought us in safety to His people. Here I was often in great perplexity about my spiritual state. I had, indeed, made many experiences of the unchangeable faithfulness of Jesus, but I was still wanting in true gospelgrace and a full assurance of the forgiveness of my sins. I was no longer, indeed, the slave of sin. I had undergone much reproach and persecution for the name of Jesus; nay, I had left father and mother, and brethren and sisters, and house and land, for His sake. But all this could not give me peace of mind. Still there needed a deeper self-acquaintance-a more humbling conviction that there dwelt in me no good thing. At the same time, I could not summon resolution to disclose the state of my soul to any one. Under this mental conflict, my health gave way, and I had a lingering illness, which lasted half a year, and which I cannot but regard as a special chastisement, sent to work out the peaceable fruits of righteousness. I was plunged into inexpressible distress of soul; it was as if evil spirits had received a commission to torment me day and night. I could neither pray nor weep, till at length my misery was terminated by a remarkable dream, the meaning of which was as clear to me as the light of day, and which I have ever numbered amongst the special leadings of the Lord with my soul. From that hour, I was free from the inward temptations which had so severely harassed me; my bodily health returned as heart and soul recovered from their maladies; the fear of perdition, which had distracted me beyond all measure, vanished; I felt a divine assurance, that my sins were forgiven, and could no more doubt of my eternal happiness. Our Savior's words approved themselves in me likewise as the power of God: "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, shall

be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John iv. 14).

In 1731, I received a call to Livonia, and, in company of br. Christian Stach*, set out on foot, in the name of the Lord and with the blessing of the congregation. It was our heart's desire, to testify of the saving power of the blood of Christ to all who would receive our message. In Berlin, Prentzlau, Stettin, and Koenigsberg we sought out the awakened, and were greatly refreshed in spirit by our fellowship with them. On arriving in Livonia, we took charge of the societies at Wolmar and Wolmarshof, Roop and Riga, small as yet in point of numbers, but rich in grace and gospel-simplicity, and supported ourselves by our trade as carpenters.

After our return to Herrnhut, I received a call to Lapland, and set out in March, 1734, with the brn. John Nitschman, jun., and Daniel Schneider. At Stralsund, where Count Zinzendorf was then laboring incognitof, and a powerful sensation and awakening had been produced by his preaching, we spent some weeks very agreeably, and visited the awakened in the isle of Ruegen. At Stockholm we staid half a year, and learnt the Swedish language, while at the same time we wrought diligently at our trade, that we might be burdensome to no one. A great awakening had taken place in this capital. We became acquainted with many Sep. aratists, to whom our testimony of Jesus was made useful, and who, in consequence, renewed their connection with the national church. In the middle of October, we embarked for Uleaborg, having with some difficulty got our passports made out for Lapland. The gentleman with whom we had lodged paid our passage, unknown to us, and other kind friends provided us with mattrasses, which proved very serviceable to us on the voyage. When we were within a few leagues of our destined port, the weather became so intensely cold that we were almost frozen to death. For three whole days, the wind blew strong a-head, and drove the ice against us from the shore, so that it was impossible to land, and we began to fear that we should be ice-bound, which, in these latitudes, is no uncommon event. But the Lord graciously relieved us from our perplexity. On the 29th of October, the wind suddenly dropped, and we succeeded in reaching Uleaborg in a boat. When we called, the next day, on the Burgomaster with our passports, he asked us roughly what we wanted in Lapland. We told him, that our object was to visit the Russian Laplanders, and gain a knowledge of their habits and mode of life; but that we meant to winter here, in order to learn the Finnish language, as Uleaborg

The couisin of Matt. Stach and his companion in the establishment of the mission in Greenland in 1733.-Ed. Per. Acc.

As tutor in the family of the merchant Abr. Ehrenfried Richter, preparatory to his entering into holy orders in 1735.

was near the Lapland border. He bade us call on the dean, which we did, and to him we explained the main purpose of our journey, namely, to try whether we could not bring the heathen Laplanders to a knowledge of the Gospel. He approved of our design, and wished us God's blessing on it. We now took lodg

ings with a citizen, who had formerly been a prisoner in Russia. Several awakened persons sought our acquaintance, especially the postmaster and a German goldsmith. Some of them kindly offered us board, which, however, we declined, and kept ourselves retired. Nitschman and I spent most of our time in learning the Finnish language, in which the postmaster was of great use to us, while Schneider wrought as shoemaker, and though his earnings were not great, it gave us an opportunity of extending our acquaintance. The postmaster, and his wife especially, desired the sincere milk of the word, and owned that their attention had previously been confined to an outward reformation only. They now gave themselves with many tears to the Lord, and he received them in mercy.

In the beginning of February, 1735, a party of Laplanders came to Uleaborg with upwards of a hundred head of rein-deer. Some of them lodging with our host, we conversed with them by the help of an interpreter. We showed them a Finnish New Testament, in which they read with great eagerness, as they understood the language. We told them that we intended to go to Lapland, and asked them whether they would take us with them. They expressed their astonishment that we had come so far to do them good, and assured us that they would be glad of our company. It was resolved that I should go with them on an exploratory visit, and I set out accordingly, February 4th, in a rein-deer sledge, made of a hollowed tree, pointed before, with a keel below tapering to a hand-breadth. A rein-deer skin is spread for a seat and care is required to preserve one's balance, lest one should be pitched out on to the snow. The rein-deer has large indented antlers, and hoofs of extraordinary breadth, so that it can run over the snow without sinking in it, and its speed is truly wonderful. It draws the sledge, or achkya, by a cord attached to its neck and passed between its legs. The animal is easily managed; but in long journeys, it is needful for an experienced guide to lead the way with his sledge, as there are no regular tracks over the snow, which is often very deep, and the forests and fells are of immense extent. My companions shewed me every possible attention, and gave me furs to wrap up in from the bitter cold. On our halts, the Finnish Testament was brought out, and one read, while the rest listened with great interest and attention. At Pudajervi, I visited a good priest, who inquired particularly into the constitution and doctrine of the Brethren's Church. On my telling him, that the blood of atonement, offered by our Savior for the sins of

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the world, was our main doctrine, he was deeply affected. At Knusamo, where my journey terminated for the present, I found lodgings with the priest, who was, however, rather shy of me at first, looking upon the Brethren as Separatists. "You are," said he, illiterate carpenters and shoemakers; what can your Church mean by sending out such people as missionaries?" I replied, that we did not lay the main stress on study, but were persuaded, that as God had, both in the Old and New Testament dispensation, chosen poor shepherds and fishermen for his messengers and evangelists, so He was pleased, in many instances, to act even at this day, of which our history furnished abundant proof. Amongst the rest, I referred to the example of the carpenter, Christian David, who had been a blessed instrument in the conversion of myself and many others. He now changed his tone, and expressed his good wishes for our enterprise. His parish consists exclusively of Laplanders, comprising a circuit of some 300 miles, and stretches to the Russian frontier, for the Laplanders live very much scattered. He could see the greater part of the charge only once a year, on which occasions, he baptized the children born in the preceding twelvemonth, instructed the young people, and administered the Lord's Supper. This was the general practice at that time throughout the whole of Swedish Lapland. Of the Russian Laplanders, whom he had often visited, having, indeed, a convert from amongst them in his family, he gave me the following information :-A large portion of them have gone over to the Greek church. One division of them, however, nicknamed Rosboiniks or Robbers, who live in the woods and forests, are still ignorant heathen, subsisting on plunder and the chase, and acknowledging no sort of government. He intimated, notwithstanding, that those who had joined the Greek church were still worse than the heathen.

After I had been some time at Knusamo, the district judge came hither on his circuit, and offered to take me with him. I gladly availed myself of his kindness, and traveled with him upwards of 130 miles to the Russian boundary, and then through Swedish Lapland to the borders of the Arctic Ocean, and met everywhere with the most cordial reception from the natives, both in KimiLapland and in Tornea. Had I allowed it, they would have loaded me with presents of skins, flesh, fish, fowl, and other articles. They live in huts constructed of poles meeting in a point at the top, and covered with rein-deer skins and fir branches. They lie round the fire, which is in the middle of the hut, and the smoke finds its way through an aperture above. Their hunting season is winter. For killing wild rein-deer, bears, elks, and the larger animals, they make use of fire-arms of a coarse construction; but hares, moor-game, and capercailzies, which, like the hares, are white in winter and grey in summer, they dispatch with arrows,