Meanwhile the awakening at Hopedale continued to go forward, and early in the summer extended itself to the children.  The young, as well as the old, had been addicted to a gross and loathsome sensuality, which, although both they and their parents considered as trivial, yet they kept it carefully concealed from the missionaries.  It happened now, however, that a grandmother, who herself perceived the iniquity of these depraved practices, caught her grand-daughter repeating some of the acts for which she had formerly chastised her; but instead of beating her, she carried her to the missionary to whom she was ordered to confess every thing.  Surprised and horror-struck at the disclosure, the missionaries immediately spoke to the parents and children, and with great earnestness and plainness represented to them the criminality of such doings.  To their inexpressible grief they found that the corruption had extended even to the youngest, and that some of the parents had concealed, and even now excused their conduct; they therefore held a special meeting with the parents and children, and addressing them according to their capacities, warned them in the most forcible manner of the frightful consequences of these secret sins, and exhorted all earnestly and affectionately to flee to the Saviour—­throw themselves at his feet—­implore his mercy and forgiveness, and pray to be delivered from the slavery of sin and Satan.  Then kneeling down with the whole company, they entreated the Saviour to heal the deep wounds they had inflicted on their souls, and the injury they had done to his cause.  Their prayers were heard.  A pungent sorrow for their former sinful lives, was felt and expressed by old and young; this was followed by a general awakening among the children, which again had a powerful effect in stirring up the more advanced to seek a closer union with Christ, and to strive more earnestly after holiness.  Children were now observed to retire to mountains and to vallies, where, on their knees alone, and in groupes, they besought the Saviour with tears to have mercy on them, forgive their sins, and receive them into the number of his children:  and many of the unbaptized little ones showed a great anxiety to be favoured with that ordinance.—­It was a blessed time—­all hearts were opened to attend to the instructions and exhortations brought from the word of God—­all were inflamed with the love of Jesus, and the eagerness to hear more and more of Him who was the friend of sinners, was indescribable.

When the Esquimaux returned from their summer places, and settled at Hopedale for the winter 1804-5, their teachers found, to their great comfort, that they had not only been preserved from sinful practices, but that the work of the Holy Ghost, so manifest during the foregoing winter, especially in the hearts of some of the women, had made farther progress.  They had become better acquainted with the natural depravity of their own hearts, and the wretched state