Edification predominates, but one or two amusing
items may be noted. The babies are rather noisy. Should one or another
get too obstreperous, however, the mother slips it into her hood
behind, and marches to the door on the women's side. The worthy widow,
who acts as chapel servant, opens the door and then closes it upon the
little disturber of the peace. It is also amusing to a stranger to
watch the organ-blower, for this humble but important service to the
sanctuary has a prominent place here. The office is fulfilled by a
woman, clad in Eskimo fashion, and when the hymn is given out she
places one booted leg on the lever of the bellows and then, hymn book
in hand, treads wind into the instrument as vigorously as she sings.
During the concluding hymn a number of little heads and muffled up
little bodies appear above the four or five rows of women; they belong
to the babies who have already been heard and now are seen as their
mothers lift them up to slip them into the hoods of their sillapaks.
The babies being thus stowed away on their backs, the mothers are
ready to stand up and file out at the end of the service.
But, as I said before, edification predominates, and truly it is
edifying to hear the hearty singing and see the reverent demeanour of
all classes of this Eskimo congregation.
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