The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-02-02
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
WORSHIP IN THE LITTLE CHURCH
AT sUKKERToPPEN.

gregation-Christian Defendants or Pa
gans-'Let Every kindred, Every Tribss
Crown Him Lord Of AL.
An accident was accountable for our
sojourn here. The steamship Miranda
had run ON sunken reef, and we had
| put back to Sukkertoppen for relief.
| The acquaintance of the Danish governor
and his assistant, with their wives and
families, had been made, and we had
been shown every courtesy and hospital
ity. The igloos or Eskimo huts had
been visited, and the faces and customs
of these peculiar people were becoming
more familiar, but Sunday we had
not yet experienced
My journal for Sunday, Aug. 10, re-
cords the following: We had breakfast
| at this morning because of the neces-
| sary preparations to attend service az
| the Eskimo church. rowed ashore i'm,
mediately after breakfast to interviews
the governor and ascertain if it wonld'
be agreeable for us to hold service that
evening at st. James church, the Es-
kimos having their services at 10 and
4 O'Clock. Mr. Petersen, a half breed
who had studied at Copenhagen for two
years, was summoned, and all due ar
rangements made Mr.. Petersen and his
father, an old man with a kind face,
act as lay readers, a regular priest conn
ing once year to administer the sacra-
ment, confirm and marry. The service
is Lutheran. At 10 O'Clock we were,al
at the church to attend most curious
but reverently conducted service. Mr..
Petersen, ST., officiated, and bis son
played The church is of stone, white
washed, with wooden front, the wood
having been brought from Denmark, ito
spire, surrounded by a cross, showing
how in every tribe and kindred the
symbol of our religion is being uplifted
1t was not long ago that these people
were pagan, and many Of them farther
north on the eastern coast still hold toj
the crude faith of their forefathers.
About the doors of the.church was
certainly a strange gathering. the men
not very differently dressed from our-
selves, except that some Of them worp,
trousers of sealskin and a blouse of somcs
coarse material lined with seal and.R
short boot or killick Of tanned leather,
the women--the married ones distin-'
guished from the unmarried by wearing
a blue ribbon, the latter wearing red.
wound about a peculiar fashion of head-
dress-a loose fitting blouse with any
amowt or bag attached to the back fot
carrying thier babies, broad beaded
necklace, short trousers of sealskin, q
long boot decorated with bright stripss
of leather and no hats. At the ringines
of the second bell more church comezys
hurried from their little igloos No one
entered the church until Mr.. Petersen
first went in. The front pews had been
reserved for us, and in our rear tiiis
strange congregation-the lnen oneoare
side and the women on the other-ar-l
ranged themselves, the children sitting
in front of them, upon whom the WATCH
full eye could rest and interrupt anysan-
thusiastic diversions from The eervi ce
itself. A period of the most Fiole MT
coughing ensuad, consumption being
common, a result of careless living ind
the mixture of the Danish end Eskimo
races
The interior Of the church was neatly
painted in white and hight blue the
altar covered with a cloth, of red, 4zfxh
flower-de- luce embroideedf In gold On.
the altar were two eucharistic l4ghts1
and crucifx. Completing tho cham
cells furnishings were the lectrn 6ud
old fashioned pulpit and small reed
organ. A stove in which peat is burned.
near the center of the nave afforde1l
the necessary heat. The service was BEL
gun in low, fearful voice and rnaspA
tanned throughout in the same xnondS
tone While nothing of course, COULD
be understood by us, the service wac
nevertheless impressive. A few opening
sentences were first read, th9u t31vl
Lords Prayer. A chant followed, srn1&
in perfect harmony, but very slowfytl
The Eskimos have good voices and arti
excellent sense of harmony. IttQok .l6
minutes to sing this chant. A nhNptee.
was then read, after which, for this firs8
time, the congregation rose to repeaS
some short versicle. A very unimpas7
stoned sermon of % minutes was read
during which one man hesitated not to
loudly snore. AT the close Of the sermon
they arose for the ascription. A hymn,
followed, then prayer, and the graceH
and the service was ended.
At O'Clock that evening We returns
ed for our own service. To my SURPRISE
there We're about 200 Eskimo waiting
around the church. 1t was a most cur
rious congregation and impressed me
singularly. In the front pews sat some
of our university professors, several
| physicians, lawyers, men of business
| college students, the Danish governor
| his wife and family, the assistant gov
ernor and his wife, about 80 Of the Mi
randa's crew, and in the rear closely
seated together were the huskies, as
these Eskimo are called, the peculiar
fashion of wearing the hair, with their
colored ribbons, producing q STRANGE
| effect. A sermon of DIR. Liddnn's was
read. An Eskimo organist played theI
hymns which / had arranged through.
Mrs. Bistrup the governors wife, AL
interpreter, should be played in the orr
der as marked when / shook my head.
We sang Blessed Be the Tie That
Bind "Abide With Me" Nearer
My God, to Thee and Coronation.
Let every kindred, every tribe.
| On this terrestrial ball
To him all majesty ascribe
And crown him Lord of all
| tesAa