THE ESKIMOS | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 23, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 50.

THE ESKIMOS.

No MISSIONARY work with which we are acquainted calls for greater self-sacrifice than that in behalf of the Eskimo of North America. The English Church Missionary Society has a mission at Blacklead Island, on Cumberland Bay, which is above the sixty-fifth degree of north latitude. The face of the country shows nothing except barren granite rocks. On the shortest day of winter the sun is just visible for a few minutes. The winter is intensely cold and stormy. Rev. Mr. Peck and Mr. Parker, who went there in 1895, took provisions for two years. Tho it was in the month of August, the "pack" of ice, which is said to have been a hundred miles in extent, detained the little brig from reaching Blacklead Island for several days. A house eighteen feet by twelve was built, and made a fit dwelling for an Arctic winter. The confidence of the Eskimos was gained, and the children came gladly for instruction. It was not long before there were thirty who could read and who had a fair knowledge of scriptural history. The message of the Gospel evidently met the needs of these people, who lead lives of such utter blankness. One woman said, "Yes, let us hear something better, something more satisfying, than we have hitherto heard."

The need of a place of worship was soon felt, and, inasmuch as there were no trees there or other vegetation, a house was constructed with supports of whalebone and covered with dried sealskins, forty of which were sewed together and stretched on the frame. Old provision boxes and some boards were used for seats, and two lamps were hung from the roof. This tabernacle had a singular ending, for it was eaten up by dogs. A storm, accompanied by fifty degrees of frost, prevented the catch of seals, and the Eskimos had not food enough for themselves, much less for their dogs. These dogs broke through the snow walls one day and got hold of the sealskin tabernacle and ravenously devoured it. Afterward, as there was nothing else to assemble in, a circular wall of snow about six feet high was built to keep out the piercing winds. The seats were made of square blocks of snow placed close to the wall. Mr. Peck writes: "Our service consisted of hymns, prayer, and then I told them some simple Scripture truths. What a strange sight, these walls of snow with nothing above us in that upward direction but the blue heavens! Surely the angels of God might look down on such a gathering with wonder and joy!"

On the 28th of May, 1896, Mr. Peck wrote: "There is really no night here now;

the sun shines about eighteen hours out of the twenty-four, and the twilight seems to me almost as light as the other portion of the day." At another time he speaks of the Arctic cold, though so intense, as not their greatest trial: "What one does feel is the sense of utter loneliness and desire to hear something, at least, of the loved ones far away, and hungering for some fresh mental food to break the monotony of one's surroundings. Perhaps these factors, through the grace of God, make one's spiritual experiences all the more really deep. One seems at times specially to live in contact with the heavenly powers. Faith is strengthened by the felt need of the Saviour's presence and help, and I continually realized in our Arctic home the wonderful sustaining and uplifting power."

As yet, of course, the fruits of this mission are not large, but this self-denying missionary sees many things to encourage him in his expectation that the people whom he is seeking to reach will come under the saving power of the Gospel. Mr. Peck's associate, Mr. Parker, who labored for nearly two years with him, was drowned about a year ago, leaving the heroic missionary alone.—Missionary Herald.