This year the brethren had another proof of the kind and watchful providence of God—­their vessel which, on her return home, usually took advantage of the Hudson Bay ships’ convoy from the Orknies to London, left Hopedale on the 11th of October, and in sixteen days was within three days’ sail of these islands, when strong easterly gales drove her back and kept her three weeks longer at sea.  But these apparently adverse storms proved, by God’s great mercy, the very means of the hallowed barque’s deliverance from the enemy.  On the 18th November she was chased by a French frigate, brought to, and forced to keep her company; but the sea ran so high that it was impossible for the frigate to get out a boat to board the Resolution, and continued so during that night and the following day.  The second night proving extremely dark and boisterous, the Captain set as much sail as the ship could carry, and before morning was out of sight of the frigate.  But two days after he had the mortification to meet her again, and to be brought to a second time.  Again the Lord interposed in his behalf, the wind was so violent that the Frenchman could not put out a boat, and during the following night, the Captain, crowding all sail, escaped, and saw no more of the enemy.

A new epoch in the Labrador mission commenced in 1804.  Amid all the cheering realities and promising appearances which had hitherto sustained the spirits of the missionaries, there had been much hypocrisy, cold-heartedness, self-deceit, backsliding, and apostasy, among those who formed their congregations; and what was painful almost beyond conception, even in their church.  But now the Lord appeared in their behalf, and in his adorable procedure, the most unlikely were the first objects of his awakening grace; and that station, which for many years had been so barren, that the brethren at one time had contemplated giving it up as hopeless, was that to which, in his inscrutable sovereignty, he chose to give the precedence in his gracious visitation.  The beginning of the year had proved very unfavourable, and the Esquimaux at Hopedale had experienced considerable distress for want of provisions; but amid all their difficulties they attended church with cheerful countenances, and some of them would say, “If we only feel in our hearts the presence of our Saviour, who has loved us so much, and died and shed his blood that our sins might be forgiven, we may well be cheerful and contented, though our outward circumstances are difficult, and we have not much to eat, for we trust he will care for us in that respect, and we look to him for help.”  The behaviour of the people during this time of trial gave the missionaries much pleasure and encouragement.  There was a general and powerful awakening among them, which first began to be perceived among some women who were baptized the winter before, but who appeared to have become cold and lifeless.  These were led by the Spirit of truth, in a particular manner, to a knowledge of