The Capacity of the Greenlanders, and their Inclination towards the Knowledge of God, and the Christian Religion; and by what Means this may easily be brought about.

AS the Greenlanders are naturally very stupid and indolent; so are they likewise very little disposed to comprehend and consider the divine truths which we expound to them; and notwithstanding people in years seem to approve of the Christian doctrine, yet it is with a surprising indifference and coldness. For they can neither comprehend the miserable condition they are in; nor do they rightly understand and value the exceeding great mercy and loving kindness God has shown towards mankind in his dear Son{215} Christ Jesus, so as to move them to any desire and longing after it; some few excepted. This is to me an undeniable evidence that the carnally-minded man cannot comprehend the things that belong to God; for to him they seem to be foolish, and he cannot know them, as the Apostle speaks, 1 Cor. ii. But as they in general are so credulous, that one can make them believe any thing, so they are likewise in this grand affair. They never question what they are taught of God and Christ; but at the same time it never takes any rooting in their mind, because it passes without any consideration and feeling. For which reason they do not contradict or dispute with us the matters proposed; and very few have offered any objections, or desired any difficulty to be explained. And as their behaviour is silly and childish, so we have used the same method in teaching them, as we do to instruct little children; inculcating the Christian truths into their mind by frequent repetitions, and making use of simple and obvious comparisons, which, I thank God Almighty, has not{216} wanted his blessing. For I have perceived in some the working of his grace in a serious amendment of their lives; and their endeavours have been to advance in the way to perfection, though all as yet is but a beginning and infancy, as we have mentioned in the last year’s Memoirs or Relations of Greenland.

It is a matter which cannot be questioned, that if you will make a Christian out of a mere savage and wild man, you must first make him a reasonable man, and the next step will be easier. This is authorised and confirmed by our Saviour’s own method. He makes a beginning from the earthly things; he proposes the mysteries of the kingdom of God in parables and similitudes. The first care taken in the conversion of Heathens is to remove out of the way all obstacles which may hinder their conversion, and render them unfit to receive the Christian doctrine, before any thing successfully can be undertaken in their behalf.

It would contribute a great deal to forward their conversion, if they could by degrees be{217} brought into a settled way of life, and to abandon this sauntering and wandering about from place to place to seek their livelihood. But this cannot be hoped until a Christian nation comes to be settled among them (I mean in such places where the ground is fit for tillage and pasturage) to teach them, and by little and little accustom them to a quiet and more useful way of life, than that which they now follow.

They should also be kept under some discipline, and restrained from their foolish superstitions, and from the silly tricks and wicked impostures of their angekkuts, which ought to be altogether prohibited and punished. Yet my meaning is, not that they, by force and constraint, should be compelled to embrace our religion, but to use gentle methods. Is it not allowed in the church of Christ to make use of Christian discipline at times and seasons, with prudence and due moderation; which is a powerful means to advance the growth of piety and devotion? How much more is it necessary to apply the same means here to grub up an{218} untilled ground, where a new church is to be planted? Else it would be the same imprudence as to throw good seed into thorns and briars, which would choak the seed.

But as the chief fruit of our labours and teaching is to be expected from the growing youth, so if some good regulations and small foundations were laid for the bringing up a number of children in the Christian faith and piety, no doubt God would prosper it; inasmuch as these poor children and growing youth are very tractable and teachable, and good natured; showing no inclination or propensity to vice. Neither do they want capacity; for I have found they will take any thing as soon as any of our own children. Now if these gifts or natural talents were forwarded by the gifts of grace, who would question their growth and advancement in the Christian faith and virtues, which would ripen to the full harvest of eternal happiness? Good God! how easy a thing would it be to help these poor wretches out of their misery, if those that God has blessed with{219} wealth were heavenly minded, and would be sensible of the wretched condition of their fellow creatures, and contribute out of their abundance to the founding of a school in these parts, and the providing of other most necessary things!

His Majesty, out of his wonted most glorious zeal for the growth and advancement of the church of Christ, has most graciously provided, by a considerable sum of money yearly set apart, for the Greenland Missionaries’ entertainment, which royal bounty continues to this day; for which goodness the most gracious God will bless his Majesty and all the royal hereditary house, and be their reward for ever. But as a good deal of this bounty money must be employed in the promoting of trade (without which the mission could not subsist), but little remains for promoting the proper end of the mission, which is the conversion of the Heathens, in which at present are employed no more than four missionaries, and two catechists, besides some few charity children b............