SUNSHINE AND RAIN 311 



ing upon this people," and the next day after 

 much prayer for guidance he resolved on baptizing 

 three of the candidates on Whit Sunday. When 

 it came (May 26) it was a day of days. The three 

 candidates mentioned were baptized. We had a 

 large and most attentive congregation. It was 

 indeed a solemn and soul-stirring time, and the 

 power of God the Holy Ghost was with us." There 

 was not any doubt as to the earnestness of these 

 three. For a long time they had shown a great 

 desire for instruction, and they had a good report 

 amongst the Eskimos themselves. 



And so the year progressed through the summer, 

 on the whole in a satisfactory manner. But a 

 severe trial came in the beginning of September. 

 On the second of the month there was no little 

 excitement because a ship had been seen in the 

 distance. Later in the day it was evident that she 

 was not the Alert because she carried steam power. 

 She was a whaler from Dundee, and brought the 

 news of the death of Queen Victoria. But the trial 

 came to the missionary from the immoral conduct 

 of the crew and from the fact that this snare of the 

 devil proved too subtle and strong for some of the 

 candidates for baptism. " I have more than 

 once," writes Mr. Peck, " at a terrible cost to my 

 own ease of mind, pointed out to these wretched 

 people the sure and certain goal to which they are 

 travelling. The extermination of the whole of the 



