The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-26
MoRAvlANs IN LABRADOR.
Settlement in Labrador Mission
Church.

From Gustav Kobbes Down on the
Labrador. in the September Century,
The firsts effort to found a mission on
Labrador was made by a Dutch sea cap
tain, Christian Erhardt member of the
Moravian brotherhood, who. in July,
1852, landed at Cape Aillik in the ship
Hope and named the spot Hoffenthai
tHopedale). The attempt cost him his
life, for he was murdered by the EslSimos.
Nothing daunted by his fate, other Mo-
ravians visited the coast and amicabe
relations with the EsSimos having peen
gradually established, a mission station
was built at Main in III. This was fol-
lowed, in 1T77, by Hopedale seventy
miles south of Main and about thirty-f1ye
miles north of the first Hopedale at cape
Aillik There are now six Moravian mis-
sion stations on Iabrador-Hopedale, the
most southerly; Zoar Main, Okak, He
bron and Rama. The last named IS not
far from Cape Chudleigh, HUDSON Bay
Snow falls there early in September and
the ice off the coast rarely begins TO
break I'm before the middle of July. Ex-
cent for one dog-sled mail in winter ana
the brief visit from the mission SHIPS IN
summer the stations north OF Nam are
completely cut off from civilization AT
Hebron the gales are so fierce mat no
buildings more than story hlgh can
withstand them.
The Moravian brotherhood is emphatic
allv 81 mission church, It's work being
directed from Herrenhut. Saxony. Inc
mission on Labrador is supported by the
Society for the Furtherance OF the Cos
nell in London. but the missionaries are
appointed by the authorities at Herren-
Int A trade with the Emskimos is car
r,ed on at the mission stations, proyi-
sions. clothing, guns and ammuniaitno be-
inc exchanged for furs. seal oil and salt
fish: and the profits go to reimburse as
far as they will the s. F. G. This seems
a queer mixture of business and renglan,
and has called forth considerable crill-
cism No one, however, dlsllKes IL nioio
than missionaries themselves
But. even with the trade the mission
,s not self-supporting. 1t has been
charged that as the Eskimos are de-
pendent upon the mission stores Tor thelr
supplies they are virtually held IN STAY
erv by the missionaries. and that the
latter are as keen traders as they are
preachers But these charges originate
with persons who are themselves anxious
N establish trade with the Eskimos. AS
a matter of fact. the poor Huskles would
starve were 1t not for the mission sta
tions: for they are proverbially IMPROVE
don't I was IN one little Eskimo hut
narhans ten by fifteen. the proprietor OF
which boosted six large kerosene lamps,
and had hung cards of brass buttons on
the walls as we would hang pictures
Tamns and buttons had been purchased
Of a trading schooner at very high rates.
a. exchange for the fur and fish the
hunter had captured with great labor
and no little danger, and this, when he
bad M supply OF provisions laid in for
the winter Had he applied to the mis-
sion store for such useless articles, he
wonld have been dlssuaded from buying
them.
That branch Of the United Elders Con-
ference of the Moravian church which
has special charge of mission work has
under ito supervision q school for the
+raIninrr IF missionaries and school and
home for missionaries children. The lat
Ter Is at Kleinwelclse, near Bautzen' Sax
onv. and thirther, at the age OF seven the
children from the mission stations are
-. Here thew receive instruction until
their sixteenth year. and after that they
are assisted in pursuing any speclal STUDY
for which they have shown aptitude.
missionaries remain in harness until
thew conscientiously feel that they nave
become too infirm to be OF furtner serv-
ice: they are then retired on pension
Each set of stations has Its superintenu-
emit. the head of the Labrador mission at
Main being also German consul. Most Oh
the missionaries are Germans. tnougn
England is now contributing few. The
oldest missionary at each station Is usu-
ally the Hausvater, and under him confer
.ences are held in which the work Is d.
vided up among the brothers" Much
secular work falls to their share. for the
stations are but lonely outposts. At
Hopedale, for instance. one of the mis-
sionaries Is In charge of the store, and
also brews the light beer which is the
only alcoholic beverage drunk at the sta
ton: and the missionary who off1ciates
as principal OF the Eskimo school is also
the baker. and feeds the sheep and fowl.
The wives take turn in cooking dinner
md supper, which are found" by the