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Second Part | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +h1, +h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +h1 { + font-weight: normal; +} + +p { + text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: 0.49em; +} + +.p2 { + margin-top: 2em; +} + +.fs200 { + font-size: 200%; +} +.fs170 { + font-size: 170%; +} +.fs150 { + font-size: 150%; +} +.fs120 { + font-size: 120%; +} +.fs90 { + font-size: 90%; +} +.fs80 { + font-size: 80%; +} +.fs60 { + font-size: 60%; +} +.bold { + font-weight: bold; +} +.noindent { + text-indent: 0em; +} + +.corr { + text-decoration: none; + border-bottom: thin dashed blue; +} +.x-ebookmaker .corr { + text-decoration: none; + border-bottom: none; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.r25 { + width: 25%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-left: 37.5%; + margin-right: 37.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb { + width: 45%; + margin-left: 27.5%; + margin-right: 27.5%; +} +hr.chap { + width: 65%; + margin-left: 17.5%; + margin-right: 17.5%; +} +@media print { + hr.chap { + display: none; + visibility: hidden; + } +} + +div.chapter { + page-break-before: always; +} +h2.nobreak { + page-break-before: avoid; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} +table.autotable { + border-collapse: collapse; +} +table.autotable td, +table.autotable th { + padding: 0.25em; +} + +.tdl { + text-align: left; +} +.tdr { + text-align: right; +} + +.pagenum { + /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + color: #A9A9A9; + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.blockquot p { + text-indent: -1em; +} + +p.drop-cap { + text-indent: -.9em; +} +p.drop-cap:first-letter { + float: left; + margin: 0.11em 0.4em 0em 0.4em; + font-size: 250%; + line-height:0.7em; + clear: both; +} +.x-ebookmaker p.drop-cap { + text-indent: 0em; +} +.x-ebookmaker p.drop-cap:first-letter { + float: none; + margin: 0; + font-size: 100%; +} + +.center { + text-align: center; +} + +.right { + text-align: right; +} + +.smcap { + font-variant: small-caps; +} + +.allsmcap { + font-variant: small-caps; + text-transform: lowercase; +} + +.caption { + font-weight: bold; +} + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +img.w100 { + width: 100%; +} + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.figcenter p { + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes { + border: 1px dashed; +} + +.footnote { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + font-size: 0.9em; +} + +.footnote .label { + position: absolute; + right: 84%; + text-align: right; +} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: 0.8em; + text-decoration: none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poetry-container { + display: flex; + justify-content: center; +} +.poetry-container { + text-align: center; +} +.poetry { + text-align: left; + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 5%; +} +.poetry .stanza { + margin: 1em auto; +} +.poetry .verse { + text-indent: -3em; + padding-left: 3em; +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote { + background-color: #e6e6fa; + color: black; + font-size: small; + padding: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 5em; + font-family: sans-serif, serif; +} + +/* Poetry indents */ +.poetry .indent0 {text-indent: -3em;} +.poetry .indent2 {text-indent: -2em;} +.poetry .indent6 {text-indent: 0em;} + +/* Illustration classes */ +.illowp100 {width: 100%;} + +.gothic { + font-family: Blackletter, Fraktur, Textur, "Old English Text MT", "Olde English Mt", "Olde English", Diploma, England, Gothic, serif; +} + +.wd80 { + width: 80%; +} + +table.toc { + width: 80%; + margin-bottom: 2em; + line-height: 1em; +} + +table.toc tbody tr td:first-child { + padding-left: 2em; +} + +table.toc tbody tr td.left { + padding-left: 0; +} + +.bbox { + border: 2px solid; + margin: 2em 10% 2em 10%; + padding: 1em; +} + +.nowrap { + white-space: nowrap; +} + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75800 ***</div> +<div class="transnote"> +TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE + +<p>Some minor changes to the text are noted at the <a href="#transnote">end of the book</a>. +</p> +</div> + +<div class="chapter bbox"> +<p class="noindent center fs120">NEW AND CHEAPER EDITION ILLUSTRATED.</p> + +<hr class="r25"> + +<p class="noindent center fs200">JOHN G. PATON,</p> + +<p class="noindent center bold">MISSIONARY TO THE NEW HEBRIDES.</p> + +<p class="noindent center fs120">AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY.</p> + +<p class="noindent center fs90">EDITED BY HIS BROTHER.</p> + +<p class="noindent center"><span class="smcap">With an Introduction by</span> ARTHUR T. PIERSON, D.D.</p> + +<p class="noindent center">Two vols. in box, 12mo, cloth, gilt top net $2.00.</p> + +<hr class="r25"> + +<p class="noindent center gothic">Ministerial Commendation.</p> + +<p>“I have just laid down the most robust and the most +fascinating piece of autobiography that I have met +with in many a day.... John G. Paton was made +of the same stuff with Livingstone.”—<i>Theodore L. +Cuyler, D.D.</i></p> + +<p>“I consider it unsurpassed in missionary biography. +In the whole course of my extensive reading on these +topics, a more stimulating, inspiring, and every way +first-class book has not fallen into my hands. Everybody +ought to read it.”—<i>Arthur T. Pierson, D.D.</i></p> + +<p class="noindent center gothic">Missionary Praise.</p> + +<p>“I have never read a romance that was half so +thrilling.”—<i>Lucius C. Smith, Guanajuato, Mexico.</i></p> + +<p>“I have never read a more inspiring biography.”—<i>Thomas +C. Winn, Yokohama, Japan.</i></p> + +<p>“The Lord’s work will not go back while there are +such men as he in the church.”—<i>James A. Heal, Sing +Kong, Cheh Kiang, China.</i></p> + +<p>“I think I have never had greater pleasure in reading +any book.”—<i>R. Thackswell, Dehra, North India.</i></p> + + +<p class="noindent center gothic">Press Notices.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps the most important addition for many +years to the library of missionary literature is the autobiography +of John G. Paton.”—<cite>The Christian Advocate.</cite></p> + +<p>“We commend to all who would advance the cause +of Foreign Missions this remarkable autobiography. +It stands with such books as those Dr. Livingstone +gave the world, and shows to men that the heroes of +the cross are not merely to be sought in past ages.”—<cite>The +Christian Intelligencer.</cite></p> + +<hr class="r25"> + +<p class="noindent center fs170">Fleming H. Revell Company,</p> + +<table style="margin: 0 0 0 auto"> +<tbody> +<tr> +<td rowspan="2"> +<span class="fs200">{</span> +</td> +<td> +<span class="smcap">New York</span>, 30 Union Square, E. +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<span class="smcap">Chicago</span>, 148 & 150 Madison Street. +</td> +</tr> +</tbody> +</table> +</div> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_b000" style="max-width: 50em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_b000.jpg" alt="A mission house with people outside by palm trees."> + <figcaption class="caption"><p>MISSION HOUSE AT ANIWA.</p></figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_i">[Pg i]</span></p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + + +<div class="chapter"> +<h1 class="center noindent fs200"> +<span>JOHN G. PATON,</span><br> +<span class="fs60 p2">MISSIONARY TO THE</span><br> +<span class="p2">NEW HEBRIDES.</span><br> +<span class="gothic bold p2">An Autobiography.</span></h1> +<br> +<p class="noindent center p2">EDITED BY HIS BROTHER.</p> + +<p class="noindent center p2"><i>SECOND PART.</i></p> + +<p class="noindent center gothic bold p2">New Illustrated Edition.</p> + +<p class="noindent center smcap fs150 p2">Fleming H. Revell Company</p> +<br> +<div class="center bold">PUBLISHERS</div> +NEW YORK<span style="float: right">CHICAGO</span><br> +<span class="smcap bold" style="margin-left: 1em">30 Union Square, East.</span> +<span class="smcap bold" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em">148-150 Madison Street.</span><br> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_iii">[iii]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="INTRODUCTORY_NOTE">INTRODUCTORY NOTE.</h2> +</div> + +<p class="center noindent">BY ARTHUR T. PIERSON, D.D.</p> + + +<p class="drop-cap">The avidity with which Part I. of Mr. Paton’s +remarkable life-story was received by the +public in England has been no surprise. Before +this second part was issued from the press, three +thousand copies were already sold; and the entire +edition of five thousand was so soon exhausted that +it has been impossible to cope with the demand.</p> + +<p>We have no hesitation in pronouncing this second +part the most fascinating narrative of missionary +adventure and heroism and success that we have +ever met. This volume abounds in poetry and +pathos, dramatic incident and thrilling experience, +lit up by the golden rays of a delicate and unique +humor. It reminds one of a varied landscape with +bold mountains and modest valleys, where snow-crowned +summits look down on summer gardens; +where cascades fall into quiet streams, and where +all the marvels of light and shade at once relieve +and diversify the scene. The twenty-two miles’ +gallop through the Australian Bush on the back +of Garibaldi, which made the inexperienced rider<span class="pagenum" id="Page_iv">[iv]</span> +drunk with excitement and fatigue; the <ins class="corr" id="TN-1" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: Ariwan">Aniwan</ins> +woman who, judging clothes an evidence of a new +heart, approved her decided conversion by coming +into chapel having her person grotesquely adorned +with every article of male attire which she could beg +or borrow, may illustrate the comical side of this +charming story. The three years of progress among +cannibals, in laying foundations of Christian families, +schools, churches, and even social order, may serve +as one of the greatest vindications, through all +history, of that Gospel which is still the power of +God and the wisdom of God unto salvation.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_v">[v]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="PREFACE">PREFACE.</h2> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap">It is a true joy to me, that I am enabled to +place Part Second of my brother’s Autobiography +in the hands of the Public without +undue delay.</p> + +<p>The amount of interesting and precious +material, entrusted to me to be re-written and +prepared for the Press, has, by its very abundance +and variety, landed me in the greatest +perplexity. Amidst all the toil and anxiety +of producing such a book, my only painful +experience has been the necessity of cutting +out page after page, every whit as beautiful +and valuable as any of the pages for which +room has been found.</p> + +<p>That observation applies very specially to +the “Letters,” which constitute Chapter IX. +These I verily regret to publish in mere fragments,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_vi">[vi]</span> +instead of in their own rounded completeness.</p> + +<p>Two whole Chapters, as outlined by my +brother, I am sorrowfully necessitated to omit, +so that the Life-Story itself may not be too +much enlarged or overloaded. The one refers +to “The Kanaka, or Labour Traffic in the +South Seas”; and the other to “Annexation, +and the Future of the New Hebrides.” Both +are of vital import among the Public Questions +of the day; and, in the discussion of both, his +position and opportunities have led him to take +a not inconsiderable share. But the claims of +what may more properly be regarded as the +Personal Narrative were paramount; and the +allotted space, within the limits of this volume, +left me, for the present at least, no other choice.</p> + +<p>Readers would think me foolishly uplifted, +if I indicated one-hundredth part of the chorus +of approbation, that has reached me regarding +Part First of this Autobiography. My best +wish for the Second Volume is that it may be +similarly welcomed; and that it may bring a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_vii">[vii]</span> +special blessing to as many hearts in all quarters +of the world. More than that I could not +reasonably anticipate.</p> + +<p class="right"> +<span class="smcap">James Paton</span>,<br> +<span style="margin-right: 1.5em;"><i>Editor</i>.</span><br> +</p> + +<p> +<i>Glasgow,<br> +<span style="margin-left: 2.5em">October, 1889.</span></i><br> +</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_ix">[ix]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS.</h2> +</div> +<br> +<br> + +<table class="autotable toc"> +<thead> +<tr><th colspan="2">CHAPTER I.</th></tr> +</thead> +<tr><td class="left" colspan="2"><i>THE FLOATING OF THE DAYSPRING.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdr fs80">PAGE</td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Preliminary Note</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Call for a Mission Ship</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_2">2</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Brutal Captain</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_3">3</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Sun-Worshippers, or Slaves?</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Lights of Sydney</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_6">6</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Thrown upon the Lord</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Mr. Foss’s Open Door</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_8">8</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Climbing into Pulpits</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Shipping Company for Jesus</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_10">10</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Golden Shower</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_12">12</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Wanted! More Missionaries</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Commissioned to Scotland</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Wayside Incidents of Australian Travel</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_16">16</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Lost in the Bush</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Sinking in the Swamp</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Put through my Catechism</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“Do for the Parson!”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Crossing the Colony on Novel Conditions</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Pay-Day at a Squatter’s</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Three Days in a Public House</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Meeting among the Diggers</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Camping Out</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Squatter Rescued</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">John Gilpin’s Ride through the Bush</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_40">40</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_x">[x]</span></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<table class="autotable toc"> +<thead> +<tr><th colspan="2">CHAPTER II.</th></tr> +</thead> +<tr><td class="left" colspan="2"><i>AMONG THE ABORIGINES.</i></td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Fire-Water Festival</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_47">47</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">At Tea with the Aborigines</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_48">48</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“Black Fellow all Gone!”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_50">50</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Poison-Gift of Civilization</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The “Scattering” of the Blacks</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The “Brute-in-human-shape” Theory</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Testimony of Nora</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_55">55</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Nathaniel Pepper and their “Gods”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_57">57</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Smooth Stone Idols</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_58">58</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Rites and Ceremonies</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“Too Much Devil-Devil”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Quest for Idols</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Visit to Nora in the Camp</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_63">63</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Independent Testimonies</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Nora’s own Letters</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_68">68</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Aborigines in Settlements</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<table class="autotable toc"> +<thead> +<tr><th colspan="2">CHAPTER III.</th></tr> +</thead> +<tr><td class="left" colspan="2"><i>TO SCOTLAND AND BACK.</i></td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Dr. Inglis on the Mission Crisis</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_73">73</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Casting Lots before the Lord</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_74">74</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Struck by Lightning</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Peep at London</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Heavenly Welcome</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Moderator’s Chair</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_78">78</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Reformed Presbyterian Church and Free Church</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Tour through Scotland</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Frosted Foot</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_83">83</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Children’s Holy League</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_84">84</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Missionary Volunteers</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_85">85</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A God-provided Help-Mate</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_86">86</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Farewell to the Old Family Altar</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">First Peep at the <i>Dayspring</i></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_90">90</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xi">[xi]</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The <i>Dayspring</i> in a Dead-Lock</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Tokens of Deliverance</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_93">93</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The <i>John Williams</i> and the <i>Dayspring</i></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_95">95</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Australia’s Special Call</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_98">98</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<table class="autotable toc"> +<thead> +<tr><th colspan="2">CHAPTER IV.</th></tr> +</thead> +<tr><td class="left" colspan="2"><i>CONCERNING FRIENDS AND FOES.</i></td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">First of Missionary Duties</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_100">100</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Maré and Noumea</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_101">101</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The French in the Pacific</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_103">103</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The <i>Curaçoa</i> Affair</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_104">104</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The “Gospel and Gunpowder” Cry</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_105">105</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Missionaries on their Defence</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_106">106</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Mission Synod’s Report</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Shelling of the Tannese Villages</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_109">109</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Public Meeting and Presbytery</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_111">111</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Fighting at Bay</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_114">114</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Federal Union in Missions</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_115">115</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Fiery Furnace at Geelong</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_116">116</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Results of Australian Tour</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_119">119</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">New Hebrides Mission Adopted by Colonies</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_120">120</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<table class="autotable toc"> +<thead> +<tr><th colspan="2">CHAPTER V.</th></tr> +</thead> +<tr><td class="left" colspan="2"><i>SETTLEMENT ON ANIWA.</i></td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The <i>John Williams</i> on the Reef</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Native’s Soliloquy</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_124">124</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Nowar Pleading for Tanna</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_125">125</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The White Shells of Nowar</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_126">126</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Island of Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_127">127</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">First Landing on Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Site of our New Home</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_130">130</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“Me no Steal!”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">House-Building for God</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_132">132</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xii">[xii]</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Native Expectations</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_135">135</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><i>Tafigeitu</i> or Sorcery</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_136">136</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Miracle of Speaking Wood</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_138">138</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Perils through Superstition</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_139">139</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Mission Premises—a City of God</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_141">141</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Builders and their Wages</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_142">142</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Great Swimming Feat</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_144">144</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Stronger than the “Gods” of Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_145">145</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<table class="autotable toc"> +<thead> +<tr><th colspan="2">CHAPTER VI.</th></tr> +</thead> +<tr><td class="left" colspan="2"><i>FACE TO FACE WITH HEATHENISM.</i></td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Navalak and Nemeyan on Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_149">149</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Taia the “Orator”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Two next Aneityumese Teachers</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_151">151</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">In the Arms of Murderers</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_152">152</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Our First Aniwan Converts</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_153">153</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Litsi Soré</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_153">153</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Surrounded by Torches</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_155">155</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Traditions of Creation, Fall, and Deluge</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_156">156</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Infanticide and Wife-Murder</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_159">159</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Last Heathen Dance</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_162">162</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Nelwang’s Elopement</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_163">163</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Yakin’s Bridal Attire</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_169">169</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Christ-Spirit <i>versus</i> War-Spirit</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Heathenism in Death Grips</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_174">174</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Great Aniwan Palaver</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Sinking of the Well</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_176">176</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Old Chiefs Sermon on “Rain from Below”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_189">189</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Idols Cast Away</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_192">192</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The New Social Order</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_194">194</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Back of Heathenism Broken</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_196">196</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<table class="autotable toc"> +<thead> +<tr><th colspan="2">CHAPTER VII.</th></tr> +</thead> +<tr><td class="left" colspan="2"><i>THE LIGHT THAT SHINETH MORE AND MORE.</i></td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">My First Aniwan Book</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_198">198</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Power of Music</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_201">201</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xiii">[xiii]</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Pair of Glass Eyes</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_202">202</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Church Building for Jesus</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_203">203</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Hanging of the Bell</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_206">206</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Patesa and his Bride</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_207">207</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">An Armed Embassage</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_210">210</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Youwili’s Taboo</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_212">212</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Conversion of Youwili</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_216">216</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Tobacco Idol</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_218">218</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">First Communion on Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_221">221</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Our Village Day Schools</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_223">223</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">New Social Laws</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_225">225</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Sabbath Day’s Work on Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_226">226</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Our Week-Day Life</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_229">229</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Orphans and their Biscuits</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_231">231</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Wreck of the <i>Dayspring</i></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_233">233</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">God’s Own Finger Posts</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_234">234</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“God’s Work our Guarantee”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_235">235</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Profane Swearers Rebuked</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_237">237</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Heavenly Vision</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_238">238</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">On Wing through New Zealand</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_239">239</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Our Second <i>Dayspring</i></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_240">240</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<table class="autotable toc"> +<thead> +<tr><th colspan="2">CHAPTER VIII.</th></tr> +</thead> +<tr><td class="left" colspan="2"><i>PEN PORTRAITS OF ANIWANS.</i></td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Gospel in Living Capitals</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_241">241</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“A Shower of Spears”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_243">243</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Tannese Refugees</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_244">244</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Pilgrimage and Death of Namakei</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_245">245</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Character of Naswai</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_250">250</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Christianity and Cocoa-Nuts</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_254">254</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Nerwa the Agnostic</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_255">255</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Nerwa’s Beautiful Farewell</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_258">258</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Story of Ruwawa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_260">260</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Waiwai and his Wives</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_262">262</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Nelwang and Kalangi</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_268">268</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xiv">[xiv]</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Mungaw and Litsi Soré</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_270">270</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Maddening of Mungaw</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_271">271</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Queen of Aniwa a Missionary</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_275">275</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Surrender of Nasi to Jesus</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_277">277</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Daylight Prayer Meeting on Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_280">280</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Candidates for Baptism</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_281">281</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Appeal and Testimony of Lamu</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_282">282</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<table class="autotable toc"> +<thead> +<tr><th colspan="2">CHAPTER IX.</th></tr> +</thead> +<tr><td class="left" colspan="2"><i>LETTERS FROM ANIWA.</i></td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Editorial Preface</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_285">285</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><i>Letter for 1867</i></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_286">286</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Not Tanna but Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_287">287</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“Missi Paton <i>versus</i> Teapots”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_288">288</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Humour of Taia</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_288">288</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Evening Village Prayers</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_289">289</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“Make Him <i>Bokis</i> sing”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_289">289</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">My Sewing Class</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_289">289</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“That No Gammon”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_290">290</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“Talk Biritania”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_290">290</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Marriage of Kahi</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_291">291</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><i>Letter for 1869</i></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_292">292</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">First Communicants on Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_292">292</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Mungaw and the Mission Boys</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_293">293</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Blessing of the <i>Dayspring</i></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_294">294</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><i>Letter for 1874</i></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_294">294</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Home to Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_295">295</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“Taking Possession”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_296">296</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“Another Soul Committed to our Care”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_296">296</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Hutshi and her Lover</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_297">297</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Six Missionaries on Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_298">298</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><i>Letter for 1875</i></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_299">299</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Missi Paton and “Joseph,” and the Tannese</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_300">300</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Tropical Hurricane</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_301">301</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Disgrace and Sale of Hutshi</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_303">303</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xv">[xv]</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Taia Baited by Nalihi</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_308">308</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Earthquakes and Tidal Waves</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_310">310</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Farewells</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_311">311</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><i>Letter for 1878</i></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_312">312</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Madman at Large</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_312">312</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Passing of Yawaci</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_324">324</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Madness and Death of Mungaw</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_325">325</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Our Native Elders</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_334">334</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Music on the Waters</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_335">335</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Wicked Vow</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_335">335</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><i>Letter for 1879</i></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_336">336</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">New Year’s Day on Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_336">336</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">A Miserable Slaver</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_337">337</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Litsi Married Again</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_337">337</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Mission Synod on Erromanga</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_338">338</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Tragic and Holy Memories</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_339">339</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Daylight at last on Tanna</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_340">340</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Pigs in Galore</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_341">341</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Arrowroot for Jehovah</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_341">341</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<table class="autotable toc"> +<thead> +<tr><th colspan="2">CHAPTER X.</th></tr> +</thead> +<tr><td class="left" colspan="2"><i>LAST VISIT TO BRITAIN.</i></td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“Wanted! A Steam Auxiliary”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_342">342</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Commissioned Home to Britain</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_343">343</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">English Presbyterian Synod</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_344">344</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">United Presbyterian Synod</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_345">345</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The “Veto” from the Sydney Board</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_345">345</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Dr. Hood Wilson</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_347">347</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Free Church Assembly</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_348">348</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Neutrality of Foreign Mission Committee</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_349">349</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Church of Scotland</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_350">350</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">At Holyrood and at Alva House</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_351">351</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Irish Presbyterian Assembly</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_352">352</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Pan-Presbyterian Council of 1884</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_353">353</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">My “Plan of Campaign”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_354">354</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xvi">[xvi]</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Old Ireland’s Response</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_355">355</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Operations in Scotland</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_356">356</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Seventy Letters in a Day</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_358">358</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Beautiful Type of Merchant</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_359">359</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">My First £100 at Dundee</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_360">360</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Peculiar Gifts and Offerings</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_361">361</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Approach to London</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_364">364</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Mildmay’s Open Door</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_366">366</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Largest Single Donation</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_367">367</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Personal Memories of London</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_368">368</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Garden Party at Mr. Spurgeon’s</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_370">370</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Hon. Ion Keith-Falconer</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_371">371</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Three New Missionaries</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_372">372</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“Restitution Money”</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_375">375</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Farewell at Mildmay</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_376">376</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Welcome to Victoria</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_377">377</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The Dream of my Life</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_378">378</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">The New Mission Ship Delayed</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_378">378</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Welcome back to Aniwa</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_379">379</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Parting Testimony</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_380">380</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">Fare-thee-well</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_382">382</a></td> +</tr> +</table> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xvii">[xvii]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> +</div> + +<table class="autotable wd80"> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Mission House At Aniwa</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><i><a href="#i_b000">Frontispiece</a></i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“<span class="smcap">All The Natives Within Reach Assembled</span>”</td> +<td class="tdr"><i class="nowrap" style="margin-left: 2em;margin-right:1em">To face p.</i><a href="#i_c128b">129</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">I Want You to Train <ins class="corr" id="TN-2" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: LISTI">Litsi</ins> for Jesus</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><span style="margin-right: 2em"> ” </span><a href="#i_c152b">153</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“<span class="smcap">Oh, My New Eyes</span>”</td> +<td class="tdr"><span style="margin-right: 2em"> ” </span><a href="#i_c202b">203</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl">“<span class="smcap">I’ll Knock the Tevil Out of Him</span>”</td> +<td class="tdr"><span style="margin-right: 2em"> ” </span><a href="#i_c210b">211</a></td> +</tr> +</table> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.<br><br> + +<i class="center fs80">THE FLOATING OF THE “DAYSPRING.”</i></h2> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>Preliminary Note.—Call for a Mission Ship.—A <ins id="TN-3" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: Brutal Captain">Brutal Captain.</ins>—Sun-Worshippers +or Slaves?—The Lights of Sydney.—Thrown +upon the Lord.—Mr. Foss’s Open Door.—Climbing +into Pulpits.—Shipping Company for Jesus.—The Golden +Shower.—Wanted More Missionaries.—Commissioned to +Scotland.—Wayside Incidents of Australian Travel.—Lost +in the Bush.—Sinking in the Swamp.—Put Through My +Catechism.—“Do for the Parson!”—Crossing the Colony +on Novel Conditions.—Pay-Day at a Squatter’s.—Three +Days in a Public House.—A Meeting among the Diggers.—Camping +Out.—A Squatter Rescued.—John Gilpin’s +Ride through the Bush.</p> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap">Strange yet gratifying news has reached me. +Part First of my Autobiography has met with a +wonderful response from the Public. Within three +weeks of its appearance, a second edition has been +called for.</p> + +<p>At the Editor’s urgent appeal, therefore, and assured +also that the finger of God is guiding me, I +take up my pen to write Part Second, feeling that +I am bound to do so by my promise at the close of +the first volume, and by loyalty to the Lord, who +seems thus to use my humble life-story to promote +the glory of His Name both at home and abroad.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[2]</span></p> + +<p>But, oh, surely never any man was called upon to +write a book amid such distracting circumstances! +Ceaselessly travelling from Church to Church and +from town to town from one end of Australia to the +other,—addressing a meeting almost every evening +of the week, often also during the afternoons, and +several Congregations and Sabbath Schools every +Lord’s Day,—the following pages are the outpourings +of a heart saturated with the subject, but bereft of +all opportunity for quiet thought or studious hours.</p> + +<p>Having thus far done my part, I leave all else to +the careful Editorship of my dear brother, whose +loving hand will put everything into shape for the +public eyes. This only I can sincerely testify,—The +Lord has called for it, and I lay on His altar the +only gift that I have to offer, believing that He will +both accept it and use it as He sees to be for the +best.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Rescued from Tanna by the <i>Blue Bell</i> in the +Spring of 1862, I was landed on Aneityum, leaving +behind me all that I owned on Earth, save the clothes +upon my back, my precious Bible, and a few translations +that I had made from it into the Tannese +language. The Missionaries on Aneityum—Messrs. +Geddie and Copeland—united, after repeated deliberations, +in urging me to go to Australia in the interests +of our Mission. In this appeal they were joined +now by my companions in tribulation, Mr. and Mrs. +Mathieson. A Mission Ship was sorely needed—was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[3]</span> +absolutely required, to prevent the needless sacrifice +of devoted lives. More Missionaries were called for, +and must somehow be brought into the field, unless +the hope of claiming these fair Islands for Jesus was +to be for ever abandoned.</p> + +<p>With unaffected reluctance, I at last felt constrained +to undertake this unwelcome but apparently inevitable +task. It meant the leaving of my dear Islanders +for a season; but it embraced within it the hope of +returning to them again, with perhaps every power +of blessing amongst them tenfold increased.</p> + +<p>A <i>Sandal-wooder</i>, then lying at Aneityum, was to +sail in a few days direct for Sydney. My passage +was secured for £10. And, as if to make me realize +how bare the Lord had stripped me in my late trials, +the first thing that occupied me on board was the +making with my own hands, from a piece of cloth +obtained on Aneityum, another shirt for the voyage, +to change with that which I wore—the only one that +had been left to me.</p> + +<p>The Captain proved to be a profane and brutal +fellow. He professed to be a Roman Catholic, but +he was typical of the coarse and godless Traders in +those Seas. If he had exerted himself to make the +voyage disagreeable, and even disgusting, he could +scarcely have had better success. He frequently +fought with the mate and steward, and his tyrannical +bearing made every one wretched. He and his +Native wife (a Heathen—but not more so than himself!) +occupied the Cabin. I had to sleep on boards,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[4]</span> +without a bed, in a place where they stored the +sandal-wood; and never could take off my clothes +by night or day during that voyage of nearly fourteen +hundred miles. The vessel was miserably supplied. +Any food I got was scarcely eatable, and was sent +to me in a plate on deck. There I spent all my +time, except at night or in heavy rain, when I crept +in and lay upon my planks.</p> + +<p>The poor steward often came rushing on deck from +the cabin, with blood streaming from his face, struck +by the passionate Captain with whatever came to his +hand. Yet he appeared to be a smart and obliging +lad, and I pitied him exceedingly. Seeing no hope +for redress, I took careful notes of his shocking treatment, +and resolved to bide my time for exposing +this base and cruel inhumanity.</p> + +<p>On reaching Sydney, the steward was dismissed +without wages,—the Captain having accused him to +his employers of refusing to work on board. He +found me out, and told me, weeping, that he cared +more for his poor aged mother than himself, as his +pay was all her support. On my advice, he informed +the Captain that he would summon him, and that I +had consented to appear in Court and produce my +notes of what I had seen, day by day, on the voyage. +He was immediately paid in full, and came to me +big with gratitude.</p> + +<p>One hesitates to dwell further on this miserable +episode. But I must relate how my heart bled for +some poor Islanders also, whom that Captain had on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[5]</span> +board. They knew not a word of English, and no +one in the vessel knew a sound of their language. +They were made to work, and to understand what +was expected of them, only by hard knocks and +blows, being pushed and pulled hither and thither. +They were kept quite naked on the voyage up; but, +when nearing Sydney, each received two yards of +calico to be twisted as a kilt around his loins. A +most pathetic spectacle it was to watch these poor +Natives,—when they had leisure to sit on deck,—gazing, +gazing, intently and imploringly, upon the +face of the Sun! This they did every day, and at +all hours, and I wept much to look on them, and not +be able to tell them of the Son of God, the Light of +the world, for I knew no word of their language. +Perhaps they were worshippers of the Sun; and +perhaps, amid all their misery, oh, <em>perhaps</em>, some ray +of truth from the great Father of Lights may have +streamed into those darkened souls!</p> + +<p>When we arrived at Sydney, the Inspecting Officer +of the Government, coming on board, asked how +these Islanders came to be there. The Captain impudently +replied that they were “passengers.” No +further question was put. No other evidence was +sought. Yet all who knew anything of our South-Sea +Island Traders were perfectly aware that the +moral certainty was that these Natives were there +practically as Slaves. They would be privately disposed +of by the Captain to the highest bidder; and +that, forsooth, is to be called the <i>Labour</i> Traffic.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[6]</span></p> + +<p>About midnight we came to anchor in Sydney harbour. +The Captain condescended to say, “I will not +drive you ashore to-night, but you must be off by +daylight.” His orders might have been spared. It +was too great a relief to get away from such coarseness +and profanity.</p> + +<p>As we came to anchorage, I anxiously paced the +deck, gazing towards the gas-lighted city, and pleading +with God to open up my way, and give success +in the work before me, on which the salvation of +thousands of the Heathen might depend. Still I saw +them perishing, still heard their wailing cry on the +Islands behind me. I saw them groaning under +blinding superstitions, and imbruing their hands in +each other’s blood, and I felt as if crushed by the +awful responsibility of my work and by the thought +of all that hung upon its success or failure. But I +felt also that there must be many of God’s dear +people in Sydney who would sympathize with such +work and help me, if only I could get access to them. +At the same time, I knew not a soul in that great +city; though I had a note of introduction to one +person, which, as experience proved, I would have +been better without.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately, I had not with me a copy of the +Resolution of the Missionaries, commissioning me to +plead their cause and to raise funds for the new +Mission Ship. Again and again I had earnestly +requested it, but the Clerk of the meeting, pressed by +correspondence, or for some other reason, gave me<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[7]</span> +instead that note of introduction, which proved more +of a hindrance than a help in launching my work; +except that it threw me more exclusively on the +guidance of my Lord, and taught me to trust in Him, +and in the resources He had given me, rather than +in any human aid, from that day till the present hour.</p> + +<p>That friend, however, did his best. He kindly +called with me on a number of Ministers and others. +They heard my story, sympathized with me, shook +hands, and wished me success; but, strangely enough, +something “very special” prevented every one of +them from giving me access to his pulpit or Sabbath +School. At length, I felt so disappointed, so miserable, +that I wished I had been in my grave with my +dear departed and my brethren on the Islands who +had fallen around me, in order that the work on +which so much now appeared to depend might have +been entrusted to some one better fitted to accomplish +it. The heart seemed to keep repeating, “All +these things are against thee.”</p> + +<p>Finding out at last the Rev. A. Buzacott, then +retired, but formerly the successful and honoured +representative of the London Missionary Society on +Rarotonga, considerable light was let in upon the +mysteries of my last week’s experiences. He informed +me that the highly esteemed friend, who had +kindly been introducing me all round, was at that +moment immersed in a keen Newspaper war with +Presbyterians and Independents. He had published +statements and changes of view, which charged them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[8]</span> +with being unscriptural in belief and practice. They, +of course, were rigorously defending themselves. +This made it painfully manifest that, in order to +succeed, I must strike out a new course for myself, +and one clear from all local entanglement.</p> + +<p>Paying a fortnight in advance, I withdrew even +from the lodging I had taken, and turned to the Lord +more absolutely for guidance. He brought me into +contact with good and generous-souled servants of +His, the open-hearted Mr. and Mrs. Foss. Though +entire strangers, they kindly invited me to be their +guest while in Sydney, assuring me that I would meet +with many Ministers and other Christians at their +house who could help me in my work. God had +opened the door; I entered with a grateful heart; +they will not miss their recompence.</p> + +<p>A letter and appeal had been already printed on +behalf of our Mission. I now re-cast and reprinted it, +adding a postscript, and appending my own name +and new address. This was widely circulated among +Ministers and others engaged in Christian work; and +by this means, and by letters in the Newspapers, I +did everything in my power to make our Mission +known. But one week had passed, and no response +came. One Lord’s Day had gone by, and no pulpit +had been opened to me. I was perplexed beyond +measure, how to get access to Congregations and +Sabbath Schools; though a Something deep in my +soul assured me, that if once my lips were opened, +the Word of the Lord would not return void.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[9]</span></p> + +<p>On my second Sabbath in Sydney, I wandered +out with a great yearning at heart to get telling +my message to any soul that would listen. It was +the afternoon; and children were flocking into a +Church that I passed. I followed them—that yearning +growing stronger every moment. My God so +ordered it, that I was guided thus to the Chalmers +Presbyterian Church. The Minister, the Rev. Mr. +McSkimming, addressed the children. At the close +I went up and pleaded with him to allow me ten +minutes to speak to them. After a little hesitation, +and having consulted together, they gave me fifteen +minutes. Becoming deeply interested, the good +man invited me to preach to his Congregation in the +evening. This was duly intimated in the Sabbath +School; and thus my little boat was at last launched—surely +by the hand of the dear Lord, with the help +of His little children.</p> + +<p>The kindly Minister, now very deeply interested, +offered to spend the next day in introducing me to +his clerical brethren. For his sake, I was most cordially +received by them all, but especially by Dr. +Dunsmore Lang, who greatly helped me; and now +access was granted me to almost every Church and +Sabbath School, both Presbyterian and Independent. +In Sabbath Schools, I got a collection in connection +with my address, and distributed, with the sanction +of Superintendents, Collecting Cards amongst the +children, to be returned through the teachers within +a specified date. In Congregations, I received for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[10]</span> +the Mission the surplus over and above the ordinary +collection when I preached on Sabbaths, and the full +collection at all week-night meetings for which I +could arrange.</p> + +<p>I now appealed to a few of the most friendly +Ministers to form themselves into an Honorary +Committee of advice; and, at my earnest request, +they got J. Goodlet, Esq., an excellent elder, to become +Honorary Treasurer, and to take charge of all +funds raised for the Mission Ship. For the Public +knew nothing of me; but all knew my good Treasurer +and these faithful Ministers, and had confidence +in the work. They knew that every penny went +direct to the Mission; and they saw that my one +object was to promote God’s glory in the conversion +of the Heathen. Our dear Lord Jesus thus opened +up my way, and now I had invitations from more +Schools and Congregations than I knew how to +overtake—the response in money being also gratifying +beyond almost all expectation.</p> + +<p>It was now that I began a little plan of interesting +the children, that attracted them from the first, and +has since had an amazing development. I made +them shareholders in the new Mission Ship—each +child receiving a printed form, in acknowledgment +of the number of shares, at sixpence each, of which +he was the owner. Thousands of these shares were +taken out, were shown about amongst families, and +were greatly prized. The Ship was to be their very +own! They were to be a great Shipping Company<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[11]</span> +for Jesus. In hundreds of homes, these receipt-forms +have been preserved; and their owners, now in +middle years, are training <em>their</em> children of to-day to +give their pennies to support the white-winged Angel +of the Seas, that bears the Gospel and the Missionary +to the Heathen Isles.</p> + +<p>Let no one think me ungrateful to my good +Treasurer and his wife, to Dr. and Mrs. Moon, and to +other dear friends who generously helped me, when +I trace step by step how the Lord opened up my +way. The Angel of His Presence went before me, +and wonderfully moved His people to contribute +in answer to my poor appeals. I had indeed to +make all my own arrangements, and correspond regarding +all engagements and details,—to me, always +a slow and laborious writer, a very burdensome +task. But it was all necessary in order to the fulfilment +of the Lord’s purposes; and, to one who realizes +that he is a fellow-labourer with Jesus, every yoke +that He lays on becomes easy and every burden +light.</p> + +<p>Having done all that could at that time be accomplished +in New South Wales, and as rapidly as +possible, my Committee gave me a Letter of Commendation +to Victoria. But there I had no difficulty. +The ministers had heard of our work in Sydney. +They received me most cordially, and at my request +formed themselves into a Committee of Advice. Our +dear friend, James McBain, Esq., now Sir James, +became Honorary Treasurer. All moneys from this<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[12]</span> +Colony, raised by my pleading for the Ship, were +entrusted to him; and, ultimately, the acknowledging +of every individual sum cost much time and labour. +Dr. Cairns, and many others now gone to their rest, +along with several honoured Ministers yet living, +formed my Committee. The Lord richly reward +them all in that Day!</p> + +<p>As in New South Wales, I made all my own +engagements, and arranged for Churches and +Sabbath Schools as best I could. Few in the other +Denominations of Victoria gave any help, but the +Presbyterians rose to our appeal as with one heart. +God moved them by one impulse; and Ministers, +Superintendents, Teachers and Children heartily +embraced the scheme as their own. I addressed +three or four meetings every Sabbath, and one or +more every week-day; and thus travelled over the +length and breadth of Victoria, Tasmania, and South +Australia. Wheresoever a few of the Lord’s people +could be gathered together, thither I gladly went, +and told the story of our Mission, setting forth its +needs and claims.</p> + +<p>The contributions and collections were nearly all +in very small sums. I recall only one exception,—a +gift of £250 from the late Hon. G. F. Angus, +South Australia, whose heart the Lord had touched. +Yet gently and steadily the required money began +to come pouring in; and my personal outlays were +reduced to a minimum by the hospitality of Christian +friends and their kindly conveying of me from place<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[13]</span> +to place. For all this I felt deeply grateful; it saved +money for the Lord’s work.</p> + +<p>Each of my Treasurers, to whom all contributions +were sent direct, kept me duly posted as to sums +received from time to time. The progress made soon +led on to the resolution to aim at a Ship three times +the size of that originally proposed. We set apart +the sum of £3,000 as necessary for it; and I vowed, +in my solitude, that if God sent an additional £800 +within a given time, that would be my Gideon’s +fleece, and would warrant me in going home to +Scotland to secure more Missionaries for the Islands. +By this time, I had heard of the death of my dear +fellow-labourers, Mrs. Mathieson on Aneityum, and +shortly thereafter Mr. Mathieson on Maré. I alone +was now left to tell the story of the planting of the +Standard on Tanna,—our Mission numbered then +only four agents in the field,—and the thought arose, +Why keep a Mission Vessel for so few? The resolution +was, therefore, taken in God’s Name to get more +Missionaries too. But this, as yet, was betwixt my +own soul and the Lord.</p> + +<p>The work was unceasingly prosecuted. Meetings +were urged upon me now from every quarter. Money +flowed in so freely that, at the close of my tour, the +fund had risen to £5,000, including special Donations +of £300 for the support of Native Teachers. Many +Sabbath Schools, and many ladies and gentlemen, +had individually promised the sum of £5 yearly to +keep a Native Teacher on one or other of the New<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[14]</span> +Hebrides Islands. This happy custom prevails still, +and is largely developed; the sum required being +now £6 per annum at least—for which you may have +your own personal representative toiling among the +Heathen and telling them of Jesus.</p> + +<p>Returning to Melbourne, the whole matter was +laid before my Committee. I reported how God had +blessed the undertaking, and what sums were now in +the hands of the several Treasurers, indicating also +what larger hopes and plans had been put into my +soul. Dear Dr. Cairns rose and said, “Sir, it is of +the Lord. This whole enterprise is of God, and not +of us. Go home, and He will give you more Missionaries +for the Islands.” My ever-honoured friends, +Dr. and Mrs. Inglis, had just returned to Melbourne +from Britain, where they had been carrying the +complete New Testament in Aneityumese through the +press. Dr. Inglis was present at that meeting, and +approved warmly of my going home for more +Missionaries, especially as from want of time and +opportunity he had not himself succeeded in getting +any additions to our Missionary staff.</p> + +<p>Melbourne held a Farewell meeting. The Governor, +Sir Henry Barkley, took the chair. The Hall was +crowded; and the Governor’s sympathetic utterances +arrested public attention and deepened the interest +in our Mission. The fact was emphasized that this +work, lying at their very doors in the Pacific Seas, +had peculiar claims on the heart and conscience of +Australia.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[15]</span></p> + +<p>Thence I hasted to Sydney, and reported myself +also there. The New South Wales Committee gave +their cordial approval to our larger plans. A Farewell +was held there too; and the Governor, Sir John +Young, took the chair. The meeting was a great +success. His presence, and his excellent speech, +again helped to fix the eyes of all Australians on the +peculiar claims of the New Hebrides. This was +<em>their</em> work, more than that of any other people on the +face of the Earth. The awakening of this consciousness, +and intensifying it into a practical and burning +faith, was a great and far-reaching achievement for +Australia and for the Islanders. It is one of the +purest joys of my life, that in this work I was +honoured to have some share, along with many other +dear servants of the Lord.</p> + +<p>Of the money which I had raised, £3,000 were +sent to Nova Scotia, to pay for the building of our +new Mission Ship, the <i>Dayspring</i>. The Church +which began the Mission on the New Hebrides was +granted the honour of building its first Mission Ship. +The remainder was set apart to pay for the outfit +and passage of additional Missionaries for the field, +and I was commissioned to return home to Scotland +in quest of them. Dr. Inglis wrote, in vindication of +this enterprise, to the friends whom he had just left, +“From first to last, Mr. Paton’s mission here has +been a great success; and it has been followed up +with such energy and promptitude in Nova Scotia, +both in regard to the Ship and the Missionaries, that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[16]</span> +Mr. Paton’s pledge to the Australian Churches has +been fully redeemed. The hand of the Lord has +been very visible in the whole movement from beginning +to end, and we trust He has yet great blessing +in store for the long and deeply degraded +Islanders.”</p> + +<p>Here let me turn aside from the current of Missionary +toils, and record a few wayside incidents that +marked some of my wanderings to and fro in connection +with the Floating of the <i>Dayspring</i>. Travelling +in the Colonies in 1862-63 was vastly less developed +than it is to-day; and a few of my experiences then +will for many reasons be not unwelcome to most +readers of this book. Besides, these incidents, one +and all, will be felt to have a vital connection with +the main purpose of writing this Autobiography, +namely, to show that the Finger of God is as visible +still, to those who have eyes to see, as when the +fire-cloud Pillar led His People through the wilderness.</p> + +<p>Twenty-six years ago, the roads of Australia, +except those in and around the principal towns, were +mere tracks over unfenced plains and hills, and on +many of them packhorses only could be used in +slushy weather. During long journeys through the +bush, the traveller could find his road only by following +the deep notches, gashed by friendly precursors +into the larger trees, and all pointing in one direction. +If he lost his way, he had to struggle back to the last +indented tree, and try to interpret more correctly its<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[17]</span> +pilgrim notch. Experienced bush-travellers seldom +miss the path; yet many others, losing the track, +have wandered round and round till they sank and +died. For then, it was easy to walk thirty or forty +miles, and see neither a person nor a house. The +more intelligent do sometimes guide their steps by +sun, moon, and stars, or by glimpses of mountain +peaks or natural features on the far and high horizon, +or by the needle of the compass; but the perils are +not illusory, and occasionally the most experienced +have miscalculated and perished.</p> + +<p>An intelligent gentleman, a sheep farmer, who +knew the country well, once kindly volunteered to +lift me in an out-of-the-way place, and drive me to a +meeting at his Station. Having a long spell before +us, we started at midday in a buggy drawn by a pair +of splendid horses, in the hope of reaching our +destination before dusk. He turned into the usual +bush-track through the forests, saying,—</p> + +<p>“I know this road well; and we must drive +steadily, as we have not a moment to lose.”</p> + +<p>Our conversation became absorbingly interesting. +After we had driven about three hours, he remarked,—</p> + +<p>“We must soon emerge into the open plain.”</p> + +<p>I doubtfully replied, “Surely we cannot have +turned back! These trees and bushes are wonderfully +like those we passed at starting.”</p> + +<p>He laughed, and made me feel rather vexed that I +had spoken, when he said, “I am too old a hand in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[18]</span> +the bush for that! I have gone this road many a +time before.”</p> + +<p>But my courage immediately revived, for I got +what appeared to me a glint of the roof of the Inn +beyond the bush, from which we had started at noon, +and I repeated, “I am certain we have wheeled, and +are back at the beginning of our journey; but there +comes a Chinaman; let us wait and inquire.”</p> + +<p>My dear friend learned, to his utter amazement, +that he had erred. The bush-track was entered upon +once more, and followed with painful care, as he +murmured, half to himself, “Well, this beats all +reckoning! I could have staked my life that this +was impossible.”</p> + +<p>Turning to me, he said, with manifest grief, “Our +meeting is done for! It will be midnight before we +can arrive.”</p> + +<p>The sun was beginning to set, as we reached the +thinly timbered ground. Ere dusk fell, he took his +bearings with the greatest possible care. Beyond the +wood, a vast plain stretched before us, where neither +fence nor house was visible, far as the eye could +reach. He drove steadily towards a far-distant point, +which was in the direction of his home. At last we +struck upon the wire fence that bounded his property. +The horses were now getting badly fagged; and, in +order to save them a long round-about drive, he lifted +and laid low a portion of the fence, led his horses +cautiously over it, and, leaving it to be re-erected by +a servant next day, he started direct for the Station.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[19]</span> +That seemed a long journey too; but it was for him +familiar ground; and through amongst great patriarchal +trees here and there, and safely past dangerous +water-holes, we swung steadily on, reached his home +in safety, and had a joyous welcome. The household +had by this time got into great excitement over our +non-appearance. The expected meeting had, of +course, been abandoned hours ago; and the people +were all gone, wondering in their hearts “whereto +this would grow!”</p> + +<p>At that time, in the depth of winter, the roads +were often wrought into rivers of mire, and at many +points almost impassable even for well-appointed +conveyances. In connection therewith, I had one +very perilous experience. I had to go from Clunes +to a farm in the Learmouth district. The dear old +Minister there, Mr. Downes, went with me to every +place where a horse could be hired; but the owners +positively refused—they would sell, but they would +not hire, for the conveyance would be broken, and +the horse would never return alive! Now, I was +advertised to preach at Learmouth, and must somehow +get over the nine miles that lay between. This +would have been comparatively practicable, were it +not that I carried with me an indispensable bag of +“curios,” and a heavy bundle of clubs, arrows, dresses, +etc., from the Islands, wherewith to illustrate my +lectures and enforce my appeals. No one could be +hired to carry my luggage, nor could I get it sent +after me by coach on that particular way. Therefore,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[20]</span> +seeing no alternative opening in my path, I +committed myself once more to the Lord, as in +harder trials before, shouldered my bundle of clubs, +lifted my heavy bag, and started off on foot. They +urged me fervently to desist; but I heard a voice +repeating, “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” +There came back to me also the old adage that had +in youthful difficulties spurred me on, “Where there’s +a will, there’s a way.” And I thought that, with +these two in his heart, a Scotchman would not be +easily beaten.</p> + +<p>When I found the road wrought into mire, and +dangerous, or impassable, I climbed the fence, and +waded along in the ploughed fields—though they +were nearly as bad. My bundle was changed from +shoulder to shoulder, and my bag from hand to hand, +till I became thoroughly tired of both. Pressing on, +however, I arrived at a wayside Public House, where +several roads met, and there I inquired the way to +Learmouth, and how far it was. The Innkeeper, +pointing, answered,—</p> + +<p>“This is the road. If you are on horseback, it +might be three to four miles just now, as your horse +is able to take it. If you are in a conveyance, with +a good horse, it might be six miles. And if you +are walking, it might be eight or ten miles, or even +more.”</p> + +<p>I said, “I am walking. How many English miles +is it to Mr. Baird’s farm?”</p> + +<p>He laughingly replied, “You will find it a long<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[21]</span> +way indeed this dark night, considering the state of +the road, fenced in on both sides so that you cannot +get off.”</p> + +<p>I passed on, leaving my Job’s comforter; but a +surly watch-dog got upon my track, and I had much +difficulty in keeping it from biting me. Its attacks, +renewed upon me again and again, had one good +effect,—they stirred up my spirits and made me +hasten on.</p> + +<p>Having persevered along the Learmouth road, I +next met a company of men hastening on with a +bundle of ropes. They were on their way to relieve +a poor bullock, which by this time had almost disappeared, +sinking in the mire on the public highway! +They kindly pointed me to a light, visible through +the dusk. That was the farm at which I was to +stay, and they advised me to clear the fence, and +make straight for that light, as the way was good.</p> + +<p>With thankful heart, I did so. The light was soon +lost to me, but I walked steadily on in the direction +thereof, to the best of my judgment. Immediately +I began to feel the ground all floating under me. +Then at every step I took, or tried to take, I sank +deeper and deeper, till at last I durst not move either +backward or forward. I was floundering in a deadly +swamp. I called out again and again, and “coo-ee-d” +with all my strength, but there came no reply. It +grew extremely dark, while I kept praying to God +for deliverance. About midnight, I heard two men +conversing, apparently at no very great distance.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[22]</span> +I began “coo-ee-ing” again, but my strength was +failing. Fortunately, the night was perfectly calm. +The conversation ceased for a while; but I kept on +crying for help. At length, I heard one voice remark +to the other,—“Some one is in the swamp.” And +then a question came, “Who’s there?”</p> + +<p>I answered, “A stranger. Oh, do help me!”</p> + +<p>Again a voice came through the darkness, “How +did you get in there?”</p> + +<p>And I feebly replied, “I have lost my way.”</p> + +<p>I heard the one say to the other: “I will go and +get him out, whoever he may be. We must not leave +him there; he’ll be dead before the morning. As +you pass by our door, tell my wife that I’m helping +some poor creature out of the swamp, and will be +home immediately.”</p> + +<p>He kept calling to me, and I answering his call +through the darkness, till, not without peril, he +managed to reach and aid me. Once I was safely +dragged out, he got my bag in his hand and slung +my clubs on his shoulder, and in a very short time +landed me at the farm, dripping and dirty and cold. +Had God not sent that man to save me, I must have +perished there, as many others have similarly perished +before. The farmer heartily welcomed me and kindly +ministered to all my needs. Though not yet gone to +rest, they had given up all hope of seeing me. I +heard the kind servant say to his mistress,—</p> + +<p>“I don’t know where he came from, or how far he +has carried his bundles; but I got him stuck fast in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[23]</span> +the swamp, and my shoulder is already sore from +carrying his clubs!”</p> + +<p>A cup of warm tea restored me. The Lord gave +me a sound and blessed sleep. I rose next morning +wonderfully refreshed, though arms and shoulders +were rather sore with the burdens of yesterday. I +conducted three Services, and told the story of my +Mission, not without comfort and blessing; and with +gratifying results in money. The people gave liberally +to the work.</p> + +<p>One day, after this, I was driving a long distance +on the outside of a crowded coach. A grave and +sensible-looking Scotchman sat next me. He had +inquiringly marked me reading in silence, while all +around were conversing on matters of common interest. +At last, he queried,—“Are you a Minister?” +I answered, “Yes.”</p> + +<p>“Where is your Church?”</p> + +<p>“I have no Church.”</p> + +<p>“Where are you placed?”</p> + +<p>“I am not placed in any charge now.”</p> + +<p>“Where is your home?”</p> + +<p>“I have no home.”</p> + +<p>“Where have you come from?”</p> + +<p>“The South Sea Islands.”</p> + +<p>“What are you doing in Australia?”</p> + +<p>“Pleading the cause of the Mission.”</p> + +<p>“Are you a Presbyterian?”</p> + +<p>“I am.”</p> + +<p>Having gone through this Catechism to his satisfaction,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[24]</span> +a most interesting and profitable conversation +followed. When the time came for the payment of +fares, nothing would please but that I must allow +him to pay for me—some twenty-two shillings—which +he did with all his heart, protesting,—</p> + +<p>“A joy to me, Sir, a great joy; I honour you for +your work’s sake!”</p> + +<p>Thereafter, a Schoolmaster drove me a long distance +across the country to Violet Town, where for +the night we had to stay at an Inn. We had a taste +of what Australian life really was, when the land +was being broken in. A company of wild and reckless +men were carousing there at the time, and our +arrival was the signal for an outbreak of malicious +mischief. A powerful fellow, who turned out to be a +young Medical, rushed upon me as I left the conveyance, +seized me by the throat, and shook me +roughly, shouting,—</p> + +<p>“A parson, a parson! I will do for the parson!”</p> + +<p>Others with great difficulty relieved me from his +grips, and dragged him away, cursing as if at his +mortal enemy.</p> + +<p>After tea, we got into the only bedroom in the +house, available for two. The Teacher and I locked +ourselves in and barricaded the door, hearing in the +next room a large party of drunken men gambling +and roaring over their cards. By-and-by they +quarrelled and fought; they smashed in and out of +their room, and seemed to be murdering each other; +every moment we expected our door to come crashing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[25]</span> +in, as they were thrown or lurched against it. Their +very language made us tremble. One man in particular +seemed to be badly abused; he shouted that +they were robbing him of his money; and he +groaned and cried for protection, all in vain. We +spent a sleepless and most miserable night. At four +in the morning I arose, and was glad to get away by +the early coach. My friend also left in his own +conveyance, and reached his home in safety. At +that period, it was not only painful but dangerous +for any decent traveller to stay at many of these +wayside Inns, in the new and rough country. Every +man lived and acted just as he pleased, doing that +which was right in his own eyes; and Might was +Right.</p> + +<p>After this, I made a Mission tour, in a somewhat +mixed and original fashion, right across the Colony +of Victoria, from Albury in New South Wales to +Mount Gambier in South Australia. I conducted +Mission Services almost every day, and three or more +every Sabbath, besides visiting all Sunday Schools +that could be touched on the way. When I reached +a gold-digging or township, where I had been unable +to get any one to announce a meeting, the first thing +I did on arriving was to secure some Church or Hall, +and, failing that, to fix on some suitable spot in the +open air. Then, I was always able to hire some one +to go round with the bell, and announce the meeting. +Few will believe how large were the audiences in +this way gathered together, and how very substantial<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span> +was the help that thereby came to the Mission fund. +Besides, I know that much good was done to many +of those addressed; for I have always, to this hour, +combined the Evangelist’s appeal with the Missionary’s +story, in all public addresses, whether on Sabbath +or other days. I tried to bring every soul to feel +personal duty and responsibility to the Lord Jesus, +for I knew that then they would rightly understand +the claims of the Heathen.</p> + +<p>Wheresoever railway, steamboat, and coach were +available, I always used them; but failing these, I +hired, or was obliged to friends of Missions for driving +me from place to place. On this tour, having reached +a certain place, from which my way lay for many +miles across the country where there was no public +conveyance, I walked to the nearest squatter’s Station +and frankly informed the owner how I was situated; +that I could not hire, and that I would like to stay +at his house all night, if he would kindly send me on +in the morning by any sort of trap to the next Station +on my list. He happened to be a good Christian +and a Presbyterian, and gave me a right cordial +welcome. A meeting of his servants was called, +which I had the pleasure of addressing. Next morning, +he gave me £20, and sent me forward with his +own conveyance, telling me to retain it all day, if +necessary.</p> + +<p>On reaching the next squatter’s Station, I found +the master also at home, and said,—</p> + +<p>“I am a Missionary from the South Sea Islands. I<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span> +am crossing Victoria to plead the cause of the +Mission. I would like to rest here for an hour or +two. Could you kindly send me on to the next +Station by your conveyance? If not, I am to keep +the last squatter’s buggy, until I reach it.”</p> + +<p>Looking with a queer smile at me, he replied,—“You +propose a rather novel condition on which to +rest at my house! My horses are so employed to-day, +I fear that I may have difficulty in sending you +on. But come in; both you and your horses need +rest; and my wife will be glad to see you.”</p> + +<p>I immediately discovered that the good lady came +from Glasgow, from a street in which I had lodged +when a student at the Free Normal College. I even +knew some of her friends. All the places of her +youthful associations were equally familiar to me. +We launched out into deeply interesting conversation, +which finally led up, of course, to the story of +our Mission.</p> + +<p>The gentleman, by this time, had so far been won, +that he slipped out and sent my conveyance and +horses back to their owner, and ordered his own to +be ready to take me to the next Station, or, if need +be, to the next again. At parting, the lady said to +her husband,—</p> + +<p>“The Missionary has asked no money, though he +sees we have been deeply interested; yet clearly that +is the object of his tour. He is the first Missionary +from the Heathen that ever visited us here; and you +must contribute something to his Mission fund.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span></p> + +<p>I thanked her, explaining, “I never ask money +directly from any person for the Lord’s work. My +part is done when I have told my story and shown +the needs of the Heathen and the claims of Christ; +but I gratefully receive all that the Lord moves His +people to give for the Mission.”</p> + +<p>Her husband replied, rather sharply, “You know +I don’t keep money here.”</p> + +<p>To which she retorted with ready tact and with +a resistless smile, “But you keep a cheque book; and +your cheque is as good as gold! This is the first +donation we ever gave to such a cause, and let it be +a good one.”</p> + +<p>He made it indeed handsome, and I went on my +way, thanking them very sincerely, and thanking +God.</p> + +<p>At the next Station, the owner turned out to be a +gruff Irishman, forbidding and insolent. Stating my +case to him as to the others, he shouted at me, “Go +on! I don’t want to be troubled with the loikes o’ +you here.”</p> + +<p>I answered, “I am sorry if my coming troubles +you; but I wish you every blessing in Christ Jesus. +Good-bye!”</p> + +<p>As we drove off, he shouted curses after us. On +leaving his door, I heard a lady calling to him from +the window: “Don’t let that Missionary go away! +Make haste and call him back. I want the children +to see the idols and the South Sea curios.”</p> + +<p>At first he drowned her appeal in his own shoutings.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[29]</span> +But she must have persisted effectually; for +shortly we heard him “coo-ee-ing,” and stopped. +When he came up to us, he explained: “That lady +in my house heard you speaking in Melbourne. The +ladies and children are very anxious to see your +idols, dresses, and weapons. Will you please come +back?”</p> + +<p>We did so. I spent fifteen minutes or so, giving +them information about the Natives and our Mission. +As I left, our boisterous friend handed me a cheque +for £5, and wished me great success!</p> + +<p>The next Station at which we arrived was one of +the largest of all. It happened to be a sort of pay +day, and men were assembled from all parts of the +run, and were to remain there over night. The +squatter and his family were from home; but Mr. +Todd, the overseer, being a good Christian and a +Scotchman, was glad to receive us, arranged to hold +a meeting that evening in the men’s hut, and promised +to set me forward on my journey next day. The +meeting was very enthusiastic; and they subscribed +£20 to the Mission—every man being determined to +have so many shares in the new Mission Ship. With +earnest personal dealing, I urged the claims of the +Lord Jesus upon all who were present, seeking the +salvation of every hearer. I ever found even the +rough digger, and the lowest of the hands about faraway +Stations, most attentive and perfectly respectful.</p> + +<p>To the honour of Australia I must here record,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span> +that anything like uncivil treatment was a rare exception +in all my travels. Sometimes, indeed, I have +suspected that people were acting as if to say, Let +us treat him kindly, do as little for his cause as we +can, and get rid of him as quickly as possible! But, as +a rule, almost without an exception, I have met with +remarkable kindness, hospitality, and help from all +the Ministers and people of Australia. Scarcely ever, +at any place visited, was I without one or more +invitations to be guest of some of the Lord’s people; +and I was there treated as a dear friend of the family, +rather than a passing stranger. Colonials, indeed, +are proverbial for the open door and the generous +hand to pilgrims by the way. May the Divine +Master grant them evermore of His own Spirit, with +His ever-enriching blessings on their Souls and in +their homes!</p> + +<p>Disappointments and successes were strangely intermingled. +Once I travelled a very long way to conduct +a meeting at a certain township. I had written +pleading with the Minister to make due intimation; +but he had informed no person of my intended visit, +neither had he written to me, which he could easily +have done. When I arrived, he met me on horseback, +said, “I have arranged no meeting here,” and +instantly rode away. Only two coaches weekly +passed that way, so I had to remain there at a Public +House for the next three days. Drinking and noise, +of course, abounded; but they kindly gave me a +small back room, as far away as possible, and looking<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[31]</span> +out into a quiet garden. It was to cost me thirteen +shillings and sixpence per day; and there I sat +patiently and somewhat sadly working up my heavy +correspondence. The district was rich, and I knew +that there were pious as well as wealthy people +there, who could have been interested in our Mission +and would have helped me,—hence my keen disappointment.</p> + +<p>On the afternoon of the second day, I saw a beautiful +garden from my bedroom window, wherein a +considerable party of ladies, gentlemen, and handsomely +dressed children were disporting in happy +amusements. Thinking that they were growing +tired, and might not object to a little variety, I summoned +courage to walk up and ask for the gentleman +of the house. I told him that I was a Missionary +from the South Sea Islands and had come here to +address a meeting, and how I had been disappointed; +that I was staying at the Public House till the next +Mail passed inland, and that I had there some +Heathen idols, clubs, dresses, and “curios,” which +perhaps the ladies and children would like to see, +and to hear a little about the Lord’s work on the +Islands. I explained also that I asked no money +and received no reward, but only wished an opportunity +of interesting them in this work of God. +He consulted the company. They were eager +to see what I had got, and to hear what I had to +say.</p> + +<p>On returning with my bundle of “curios,” I found<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[32]</span> +them all arranged under the verandah, and a chair +placed in front for me and my articles of mystery. +They eagerly examined everything, and listened to +my description of its uses. I gave them a short +account of the Islanders and of our efforts to carry +to them the Gospel of Jesus. I pressed on them the +blessings and the advantages of the great Redemption, +and the peace and joy of living for and walking +daily with God here, in the assured hope of eternal +glory with Him hereafter; and I urged one and all +to love and serve the Lord Jesus. Having stated +how I came to be there, and how I had been disappointed, +knowing that many would have sympathized +with and helped my Mission if only I could +have addressed them, I intimated that I would not +ask any contributions, but I would leave a few of the +Collecting Cards for the new Mission Ship; and if, +after what they had heard, they chose to do anything, +all money was to be sent to the Treasurer at +Melbourne.</p> + +<p>Some offered me donations, but I declined, saying, +“I am a stranger to you all. The Minister has cast +suspicion on me by refusing to intimate any meeting. +In the circumstances, I can in this case receive +nothing. But I will rejoice if you all do whatever +you can for the precious work of our Lord Jesus +among the Heathen, and send it on to Melbourne, +whence every penny will be acknowledged in due +time.”</p> + +<p>Many took cards and became eager collectors for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[33]</span> +the Mission; and I knew, ere I returned to the +Public House that day, that the Lord’s finger was +here also, and that the trial of disappointment +through the Minister was being already over-ruled +for good.</p> + +<p>This was even more remarkably manifested on the +evening of that same day, and within the said Public +House itself. A very large number of men were +assembled there, some at tea, and others drinking +noisily, on their return from a great cattle market +and show. I tried to get into conversation with +some of the quieter spirits, and produced and explained +to them the idols, clubs, and dresses, till +nearly all crowded eagerly around me. Then I told +them the story of our Mission, in process of which I +managed to urge the Gospel message on their own +hearts also; and invited them to ask questions at +the close. The rough fellows became wonderfully +interested. Several took Collecting Cards for the +<i>Dayspring</i> fund. And the publican and his wife +were thereafter very kind, declining to take anything +from me either for bed or meals—another gleam out +of the darkness!</p> + +<p>It is my conviction that in these ways the Lord +helped me to gain as much, if not, more for the +Mission than all that was lost through lack of a +meeting; and it is certain that I thus had opportunity +of speaking of sin and salvation, and of setting +forth the claims of Jesus before many souls that +never could have been reached through any ordinary<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[34]</span> +Congregation. Again I learned to praise the Lord +in all circumstances—“Bless the Lord <em>at all times</em>, +O my soul.”</p> + +<p>A lively and memorable extemporized meeting on +this tour is associated in memory with one of my +dearest friends. The district was very remote. He, +the squatter, and his beloved wife were sterling +Christians, and have been ever since warmly devoted +to me. On my arrival, he invited the people from +all the surrounding Stations, as well as his own +numerous servants, to hear the story of our Mission. +Next day he volunteered to drive me a long distance +over the plains of St. Arnaud, his dear wife accompanying +us. At that time there were few fences in +such districts in Australia. The drive was long, but +the day had been lovely, and the fellowship was so +sweet that it still shines a sunny spot in the fields of +memory.</p> + +<p>Having reached our destination about seven +o’clock, he ordered tea at the Inn for the whole +party; and we sallied out meantime and took the +only Hall in the place, for an extemporized meeting +to be held that evening at eight o’clock. I then +hired a man to go through the township with a bell, +announcing the same; while I myself went up one +side of the main street, and my friend up the other, +inviting all who would listen to us to attend the +Mission meeting, where South Sea Island idols, +weapons, and dresses would be exhibited, and stories +of the Natives told.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[35]</span></p> + +<p>Running back for a hurried cup of tea, I then +hasted to the Hall, and found it crowded to excess +with rough and boisterous diggers. The hour struck +as I was getting my articles arranged and spread out +upon the table, and they began shouting, “Where’s +the Missionary?” “Another hoax!”—indicating +that they were not unwilling for a row. I learned +that, only a few nights ago, a so-called Professor +had advertised a lecture, lifted entrance money till +the Hall was crowded, and then quietly slipped off +the scene. In our case, though there was no charge, +they seemed disposed to gratify themselves by some +sort of promiscuous revenge.</p> + +<p>Amidst the noisy chaff and rising uproar, I stepped +up on the table, and said, “Gentlemen, I am the +Missionary. If you will now be silent, the lecture +will proceed. According to my usual custom, let us +open the meeting with prayer.”</p> + +<p>The hush that fell was such a contrast to the preceding +hubbub, that I heard my heart throbbing +aloud! Then they listened to me for an hour, in +perfect silence and with ever-increasing interest. At +the close I intimated that I asked no collection; +but if, after what they had heard, they would take a +Collecting Card for the new Mission Ship, and send +any contributions to the Treasurer at Melbourne, I +would praise God for sending me amongst them. +Many were heartily taken, and doubtless some souls +felt the “constraining love,” who had till then been +living without God. Next morning, I mounted the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[36]</span> +Mail Coach, and started on a three days’ run, while +my dear friend returned safely to his home.</p> + +<p>It was really very seldom, however, that I found +myself thus driven to extemporize my meetings. +Some Christian friend, if not the Minister of the +place, arranged all, and advertised my coming. And +the Lord greatly helped me in carrying on the burdensome +correspondence thereanent, and keeping it +always three weeks ahead.</p> + +<p>I travelled thus over the length and breadth of +New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and South +Australia, telling the story of our Mission, and delivering +the Lord’s message, not only in great centres of +population, but in almost every smaller township; +and not only thereby Floating the <i>Dayspring</i>, but +sowing, by God’s help, seeds of far-reaching blessing, +whose fruits will ripen through the years to come. +Blessed be His holy Name!</p> + +<p>And here let me recall what happened at Penola, +a border town between Victoria and South Australia. +In the flooded, swampy country and bad bush-track +between it and Mount Gambier the roads were impassable, +and the coach broke down. The Mail was +sent forward on horseback. I had waited for nearly +a week, in the hope of getting to the Mount for the +Sabbath Services that had been arranged. At length +I succeeded in engaging a man, with a pair of horses +and a light spring cart, to drive me there for £4 10<i>s.</i> +He declared the horses to be fresh, and able for the +journey. We started about mid-day; but, ere many<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[37]</span> +miles had been covered, he began to whip them +severely. The horses looked utterly exhausted, and +the truth at once flashed on me. I was pleading with +him not to flog them so, when, on reaching a higher +piece of ground, he pulled up, and said,—</p> + +<p>“I am ashamed to tell you that my horses are +done! They had just come off a journey of forty +miles when we started. I have told you a lie; but +I hope you will forgive me. I was sorely in need of +the hire, and I deceived you. There is no help for +it now. We must camp out for the night on this dry +ground. I do hope you won’t catch cold. You shall +sleep in the cart; I can rest under it. I will set fire +to this large fallen tree to keep us warm. I have +brought a loaf of bread, and a billy (= a bushman’s +can for boiling water). We can have some tea; and, +rest assured, I shall land you there in time for the +Sabbath Morning Service.”</p> + +<p>So saying, while I listened dumbfounded, he turned +aside, unyoked the horses, “hobbled” them, and let +them go upon the grass. He made the black tea +which bushmen drink, and appeared to enjoy it. The +conveyance was drawn near to that burning tree, and +I got located into it, and was expected to rest. I +sat there wide-awake during weary hours! Time +passed at a dreadfully slow pace, and sleep refused +to come near me. Kangaroos, wallabies, with other +nameless wild creatures and screaming birds, kept +loud festival all around; and mosquitoes tortured me, +apparently in thousands. Towards midnight I saw<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[38]</span> +a light in the distant bush, and, awaking my companion, +inquired if he could say what it might be. He +had heard that a Wesleyan farmer from near Adelaide +had come into that region to take up a sheep and +cattle Station there, as in that swampy country the +grass was excellent. It might be their light, or it +might be that of some benighted party camping out +like ourselves. He assured me that he could find our +way to that light, and back again to our burning tree, +and, partly to pass the time, I resolved to try.</p> + +<p>We found the Wesleyan farmer there, living in a +large bush-shed, surrounded by a still larger enclosure +wherein horses, cattle, and sheep were kept for the +night all together upon the dry ground, awaiting the +erection of houses and fencing, with which they were +busily engaged. Unseemly as was our hour of call, +the dogs had loudly announced our approach, and +we got a cordial greeting, being immediately surrounded +by all the family. They eagerly listened to +everything about the Mission. We had worship together. +They gave us a hearty tea, besides a loaf of +bread and a jug of milk for our breakfast next morning—the +jug to be left by us beside the burning tree, +whither they could send for it after we departed. +Their regrets were genuine and profuse that their +circumstances prevented them from offering us a bed, +but we exceedingly enjoyed our intercourse with +them, and felt them to be dear Christian friends. +How delightful and responsive is the communion of +those who love the Lord Jesus, wherever they meet;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[39]</span> +and oh, what will it be in Glory, when, made like unto +the Saviour, we shall “see Him as He is!” At daybreak +we were off again on our weary journey, and +reached the destination safely and in good time. A +hearty welcome awaited us from dear Mr. and Mrs. +Caldwell, who had long since despaired of my appearing. +All the Services were largely attended, and the +Lord led the people to take a deep interest in our +Mission, many generous and devoted friends to it +arising there, where the Minister and his wife struck +the right key-note, and were so highly and justly +esteemed.</p> + +<p>Returning to Penola, we found that the Mail coach +would not try to run for some time. I had to reconcile +myself to wait there for several days. Every +day I beheld a man staggering about at all hours +under the influence of drink. I learned that he had +been a wealthy and open-handed squatter, had lost +everything, had recently laid his wife in the grave, +and now, followed about by his three little girls, was +trying to drown his sorrows in whisky. Overcome +with irresistible pity, I followed him day after day, +and again and again remonstrated with him on the +madness of his conduct, especially appealing to him +for his children’s sake. At last he turned upon me, +with an earnest gaze, and said, “If you take the +pledge with me, God helping me, I will keep it for +life.”</p> + +<p>We entered the house together, signed a pledge, +and solemnly invoked God in prayer to enable us to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span> +keep it till death. For his sake, I renewed the vow +of my youthful days; and he, by my sympathy, took +this vow for the first time, and, by God’s help, he +kept it. He left Penola next day, shaking off old +associates, and started a humble business where he +had once owned much of the land. He became a +Christian out and out, and has been an Elder of the +Church for many years. I have often been laughed +at by whisky drinkers, and also by so-called “temperance” +men, for being a Total Abstainer; but even +one case like that (and, thank God, there are many) +is an eternal reward, and can sustain us to smile down +all ridicule.</p> + +<p>Dear reader, can you measure the effect of the +example which you are setting? Are you to-day +amongst the ranks of the moderate drinkers? Remember +that from that class all drunkards have +come; and ask yourself whether you would not act +more nobly and unselfishly to abstain, for the interests +of our common Humanity, for loyalty to our +Lord Jesus Christ, and for the hope of leading a pure +and unstained life yourself, as well as helping others +to do so, whom Jesus died to save?</p> + +<p>The crowning adventure of my tour came about in +the following manner: I was advertised to conduct +Services at Narracoort on Sabbath, and at a Station +on the way on Saturday evening. But how to get +from Penola was a terrible perplexity. On Saturday +morning, however, a young lady offered me, out of +gratitude for blessings received, the use of her riding<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[41]</span> +horse for the journey. “Garibaldi” was his name; +and, though bred for a race-horse, I was assured that +if I kept him firmly in hand, he would easily carry +me over the two-and-twenty miles. He was to be +left at the journey’s end, and the lady herself would +fetch him back. I shrank from the undertaking, knowing +little of horses, and having vague recollections +of being dreadfully punished for more than a week +after my last and almost only ride. But every one +in that country is quite at ease on the back of a horse. +They saw no risk; and, as there appeared no other +way of getting there to fulfil my engagements, I, for +my part, began to think that God had unexpectedly +provided the means, and that He would carry me +safely through.</p> + +<p>I accepted the lady’s kind offer, and started on my +pilgrimage. A friend showed me the road, and gave +me ample directions. In the bush, I was to keep +my eye on the notches in the trees, and follow them. +He agreed kindly to bring my luggage to the Station, +and leave it there for me by-and-bye. After I had +walked very quietly for some distance, three gentlemen +on horseback overtook me. We entered into +conversation. They inquired how far I was going, +and advised me to sit a little “freer” in the saddle, +as it would be so much easier for me. They seemed +greatly amused at my awkward riding! Dark clouds +were now gathering ahead, and the atmosphere prophesied +a severe storm; therefore they urged that +I should ride a little faster, as they, for a considerable<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[42]</span> +distance, could guide me on the right way. I explained +to them my plight through inexperience, said +that I could only creep on slowly with safety, and +bade them Good-bye. As the sky was getting darker +every minute, they consented, wishing me a safe +journey, and started off at a smart pace.</p> + +<p>I struggled to hold in my horse; but seizing the +bit with his teeth, laying back his ears, and stretching +out his eager neck, he manifestly felt that his honour +was at stake; and in less time than I take to write +it, the three friends cleared a way for us, and he tore +past them all at an appalling speed. They tried for +a time to keep within reach of us, but that sound +only put fire into his blood; and in an incredibly +short time I heard them not; nor, from the moment +that he bore me swinging past them, durst I turn my +head by one inch to look for them again. In vain I +tried to hold him in; he tore on, with what appeared +to me the speed of the wind. Then the thunderstorm +broke around us, with flash of lightning and flood of +rain, and at every fresh peal my “Garibaldi” dashed +more wildly onward.</p> + +<p>To me, it was a vast surprise to discover that I +could sit more easily on this wild flying thing, than +when at a canter or a trot. At every turn I expected +that he would dash himself and me against the great +forest trees; but instinct rather than my hand guided +him miraculously. Sometimes I had a glimpse of +the road, but as for the “notches,” I never saw one +of them; we passed them with lightning speed.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[43]</span> +Indeed, I durst not lift my eyes for one moment from +watching the horse’s head and the trees on our track. +My high-crowned hat was now drenched, and +battered out of shape; for whenever we came to a +rather clear space, I seized the chance and gave it +another knock down over my head. I was spattered +and covered with mud and mire.</p> + +<p>Crash, crash, went the thunder, and on, on, went +“Garibaldi” through the gloom of the forest, emerging +at length upon a clearer ground with a more +visible pathway. Reaching the top of the slope, a +large house stood out far in front of us to the left; +and the horse had apparently determined to make +straight for that, as if it were his home. He skirted +along the hill, and took the track as his own familiar +ground, all my effort to hold him in or guide him +having no more effect than that of a child. By +this time, I suspect, I really had lost all power. +“Garibaldi” had been at that house, probably frequently +before; he knew those stables; and my fate +seemed to be instant death against door or wall.</p> + +<p>Some members of the family, on the outlook for +the Missionary, saw us come tearing along as if mad +or drunk; and now all rushed to the verandah, +expecting some dread-catastrophe. A tall and stout +young groom, amazed at our wild career, throwing +wide open the gate, seized the bridle at great risk to +himself, and ran full speed, yet holding back with all +his might, and shouting at me to do the same. We +succeeded,—“Garibaldi” having probably attained<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[44]</span> +his purpose,—in bringing him to a halt within a few +paces of the door. Staring at me with open mouth, +the man exclaimed, “I have saved your life. What +madness to ride like that!” Thanking him, though +I could scarcely by this time articulate a word, I told +him that the horse had run away, and that I had lost +all control.</p> + +<p>Truly I was in a sorry plight, drenched, covered +with mud, and my hat battered down over my eyes; +little wonder they thought me drunk or mad! +Finally, as if to confirm every suspicion, and amuse +them all,—for master, mistress, governess, and +children now looked on from the verandah,—when I +was helped off the horse, I could not stand on my +feet! My head still went rushing on in the race; I +staggered, and down I tumbled into the mud, +feeling chagrin and mortification; yet there I had to +sit for some time before I recovered myself, so as +either to rise or to speak a word. When I did get +to my feet, I had to stand holding by the verandah +for some time, my head still rushing on in the race. +At length the master said, “Will you not come in?”</p> + +<p>I knew that he was treating me for a drunken +man; and the giddiness was so dreadful still, that +my attempts at speech seemed more drunken than +even my gait.</p> + +<p>As soon as I could stand, I went into the house, +and drew near to an excellent fire in my dripping +clothes. The squatter sat opposite me in silence, +reading the newspapers, and taking a look at me<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[45]</span> +now and again over his spectacles. By-and-bye he +remarked, “Wouldn’t it be worth while to change +your clothes?”</p> + +<p>Speech was now returning to me. I replied, “Yes, +but my bag is coming on in the cart, and may not be +here to-night.”</p> + +<p>He began to relent. He took me into a room, and +laid out for me a suit of his own. I being then very +slender, and he a big-framed farmer, my new dress, +though greatly adding to my comfort, enhanced the +singularity of my appearance.</p> + +<p>Returning to him, washed and dressed, I inquired +if he had arranged for a meeting? My tongue, I +fear, was still unsteady, for the squatter looked at +me rather reproachfully, and said, “Do you really +consider yourself fit to appear before a meeting +to-night?”</p> + +<p>I assured him that he was quite wrong in his +suspicions, that I was a life-long Abstainer, and that +my nerves had been so unhinged by the terrible ride +and the runaway horse. He smiled rather suggestively, +and said we would see how I felt after tea.</p> + +<p>We went to the table. All that had occurred was +now consummated by my appearing in the lusty +farmer’s clothes; and the lady and other friends had +infinite difficulty in keeping their amusement within +decent bounds. I again took speech in hand, but +I suspect my words had still the thickness of the +tippler’s utterance, for they seemed not to carry much +conviction,—“Dear friends, I quite understand your<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[46]</span> +feelings; appearances are so strangely against me. +But I am not drunken, as ye suppose. I have +tasted no intoxicating drink, I am a life-long Total +Abstainer!”</p> + +<p>This fairly broke down their reserve. They +laughed aloud, looking at each other and at me, as +if to say, “Man, you’re drunk at this very moment.”</p> + +<p>Before tea was over they appeared, however, to +begin to entertain the idea that I <em>might</em> address the +meeting; and so I was informed of the arrangements +that had been made. At the meeting, my incredulous +friends became very deeply interested. +Manifestly their better thoughts were gaining the +ascendancy. And they heaped thereafter every +kindness upon me, as if to make amends for harder +suspicions.</p> + +<p>Next morning the master drove me about ten +miles further on to the Church. A groom rode the +race-horse, who took no scathe from his thundering +gallop of the day before. It left deeper traces upon +me. I got through the Services, however, and with +good returns for the Mission. Twice since, on my +Mission tours, I have found myself at that same +memorable house; and on each occasion a large +company of friends were being regaled by the good +lady there with very comical descriptions of my first +arrival at her door.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[47]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.<br><br> + +<i class="center fs80">AMONG THE ABORIGINES.</i></h2> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>A Fire-Water Festival.—At Tea with the Aborigines.—“Black +Fellow all Gone!”—The Poison-Gift and Civilization.—The +“Scattering” of the Blacks.—The “Brute-in-human-shape” +Theory.—The Testimony of Nora.—Nathaniel +Pepper and their “Gods.”—Smooth Stone Idols.—Rites and +Ceremonies.—“Too much Devil-Devil.”—The Quest for +Idols.—Visit to Nora in the Camp.—Independent Testimonies.—Nora’s +own Letters.—The Aborigines in Settlements.</p> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap">Detained for nearly a week at Balmoral by +the break-down of the coach on these dreadful +roads, I telegraphed to Hamilton for a conveyance; +and the Superintendent of the Sunday School, dear +Mr. Laidlaw, volunteered, in order to reduce expenses, +to spend one day of his precious time coming for me, +and another driving me down. While awaiting him, +I came into painful and memorable contact with the +Aborigines of Australia. The Publicans had organized +a day of sports, horse-racing, and circus exhibitions. +Immense crowds assembled, and, amongst the +rest, tribe after tribe of the Aborigines from all the +surrounding country. Despite the law prohibiting<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[48]</span> +the giving of strong drinks to these poor creatures, +foolish and unprincipled dealers supplied them with +the same, and the very blankets which the Government +had given them, were freely exchanged for the +fire-water which kindled them to madness.</p> + +<p>Next day was Sabbath. The morning was hideous +with the yells of the fighting Savages. They tore +about on the Common in front of the Church, leading +gentlemen having tried in vain to quiet them, and +their wild voices without jarred upon the Morning +Service. About two o’clock, I tried to get into conversation +with them. I appealed to them whether +they were not all tired and hungry? They replied +that they had had no food all that day; they had +fought since the morning! I said,—</p> + +<p>“I love you black fellows. I go Missionary black +fellows far away. I love you, want you rest, get food. +Come all of you, rest, sit round me, and we will talk, +till the <em>jins</em> (= women) get ready tea. They boil water, +I take tea with you, and then you will be strong!”</p> + +<p>By broken English and by many symbols, I won +their ear. They produced tea and <em>damper</em>, <i>i.e.</i>, a +rather forbidding-looking bread, without yeast, baked +on the coals. Their wives hasted to boil water. I +kept incessantly talking, to interest them, and told +them how Jesus, God’s dear Son, came and died to +make them happy, and how He grieved to see them +beating and fighting and killing each other.</p> + +<p>When the tea was ready, we squatted on the green +grass, their tins were filled, the “damper” was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[49]</span> +broken into lumps, and I asked the blessing of God +on the meal. To me it was unpleasant eating! +Many of them looked strong and healthy; but not a +few were weak and dying creatures. The strong, +devouring all they could get, urged me to be done, +and let them finish their fighting, eager for the fray. +But having gained their confidence, I prayed with +them, and thereafter said,—</p> + +<p>“Now, before I leave, I will ask of you to do one +thing for my sake, which you can all easily do.”</p> + +<p>With one voice they replied,—</p> + +<p>“Yes, we all do whatever you say.” I got their +leaders to promise to me one by one. I then said,—</p> + +<p>“Now you have got your tea, and I ask every man +and boy among you to lie down in the bush and take +a sleep, and your wives will sit by and watch over +your safety!”</p> + +<p>In glum silence, their war weapons still grasped +in their hands, they stood looking intently at me, +doubting whether I could be in earnest. I urged +them,—</p> + +<p>“You all promised to do what I asked. If you +break your promise, these white men will laugh at +me, and say that black fellows only lie and deceive. +Let them see that you can be trusted. I wait here +till I see you all asleep.”</p> + +<p>One said that his head was cut, and he must have +revenge before he could lie down. Others filed past +showing their wounds, and declaring that it was too +bad to request them to go to sleep. I praised them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[50]</span> +as far as I could, but urged them for once to be men +and to keep their word. Finally they all agreed to +lie down, I waiting till the last man had disappeared; +and, being doubly exhausted with the +debauch and the fighting, they were soon all fast +asleep. I prayed that the blessed Sleep might lull +their savage passions.</p> + +<p>Before daylight next morning, the Minister and I +were hastening to the scene to prevent further fighting; +but as the sun was rising we saw the last tribe +of the distant Natives disappearing over the brow of +a hill. A small party belonging to the district alone +remained. They shouted to us, “Black fellow all +gone! No more fight. You too much like black +fellow!”</p> + +<p>For three days afterwards I had still to linger +there; and if their dogs ran or barked at me, the +women chased them with sticks and stones, and +protected me. One little touch of kindness and +sympathy had unlocked their darkened hearts.</p> + +<p>The Aborigines of Australia have been regarded as +perhaps the most degraded portion of the human +race, at least in the Southern Hemisphere. Like +the Papuans of our Islands, they rank betwixt Malay +and Negro in colour and appearance. Their hair, +coarse, black, curly, but not woolly; eyes, dark and +yellowish, with very heavy eyebrows; nose flat, with +hole bored through septum, in which ornament is +hung; small chin, thick lips, large mouth, and +lustrous teeth; high cheek bones, with sunken eyes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[51]</span> +and well-developed brow. Like all Savages in their +natural state, they were nearly nude, filthy, and +wretched; especially in winter, when covered with +kangaroo and opossum skins, which they hung +around themselves loosely by day, and under which +they slept at night. They sometimes daubed their +bodies all over with paint, mud, charcoal, or ashes. +Their women are generally of a slender build. All +these features and notes are true of many of our +South Sea Islanders too; but they, again, are +decidedly of a higher type. On many of the Islands, +faces, though dark, are as pleasant and as well formed +as amongst Europeans. Besides, the Islanders are +not nomadic; they live in settled villages, and cultivate +the land for their support.</p> + +<p>Having read very strong statements for and +against the Aborigines, in my many journeys twenty-four +years ago I resolved to embrace every opportunity +of learning their customs and beliefs directly +from themselves. I have also seen their disgusting +“Corrobbarees,” and know by facts how demoralizing +these Heathen dances are. I know also what strong +drink has done amongst them.</p> + +<p>Who wonders that the dark races melt away +before the <em>whites</em>? The pioneers of civilization +<em>will</em> carry with them this demon of strong drink, +the fruitful parent of every other vice. The black +people drink, and become unmanageable; and +through the white man’s own poison-gift an excuse +is found for sweeping the poor creatures off the face<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[52]</span> +of the earth. Marsden’s writings show how our +Australian blacks are destroyed. But I have myself +been on the track of such butcheries again and +again. A Victorian lady told me the following +incident. She heard a child’s pitiful cry in the bush. +On tracing it, she found a little girl weeping over +her younger brother. She said,—</p> + +<p>“The white men poisoned our father and mother. +They threaten to shoot me, so that I dare not go +near them. I am here, weeping over my brother +till we die!”</p> + +<p>The compassionate lady promised to be a mother +to the little sufferers, and to protect them. They +instantly clung to her, and have proved themselves +to be loving and dutiful ever since.</p> + +<p>In Queensland itself, the Native Police, armed and +mounted—accompanied by only <em>one</em> white officer, +that no tales might be told—were reported to be +regularly sent out to “scatter” the blacks! That +meant, in many a case, wholesale murder. But in +1887, the humane Sir Samuel Griffiths, premier, had +these blood-stained forces disbanded for ever. The +<cite>Sydney Morning Herald</cite>, 21st March, 1883, contains +stronger things than were ever penned or uttered by +me as to the wholesale destruction of the Aborigines. +The watchword of the white settlers, practically if +not theoretically, has been, “Clear them out of the +way, and give us the soil!”</p> + +<p>Though amongst the lower types of the human +race, the Aborigines have made excellent stock<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[53]</span> +riders, bullock drivers, fencers, and servants in +every department. And they have proved honest +and faithful, especially when kindly treated. Australians +are sometimes bitter against them, for a reason +that ought rather to awaken sympathy. They take +Aboriginal boys or girls into their service, they +train them just till they are beginning to be useful, +and lo! they go back to their own people. But in +almost every case of that kind, the reason is perfectly +clear. They are only taught so far as to make +them useful tools. Their minds were not instructed, +nor their hearts enlightened in the fear of God and +the love of Jesus. They were not on an equality +in any way either with children or with servants. +They grew up without equals and without associates. +They saw their parents and tribesmen treated with +contempt and abuse. They instinctively felt that +the moment they were unable to serve the self-interest +of their employers, they themselves would be +thrust out. They had not the spirit of the slave, +though kept in the rank of a slave; and they yearned +for satisfaction of these instincts, which the supply +of their mere animal necessities could not assuage. +Among the whites, they felt degraded and outcast; +amongst their own people, they had the honour and +esteem that were within reach of their kindred, and +they might weave around their poor lot the mysterious +and ever-blessed ties of family and home. +And here and there, doubtless, flashed in the heart +of some Native boy a gleam of that patriotism that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[54]</span> +led Moses to escape from Pharaoh’s court, and refuse +to be identified with the despisers and oppressors of +his own enslaved race,—divine in the Aboriginal as +in the Hebrew, though each might give a very different +account of its origin!</p> + +<p>A book once fell into my hands, entitled,—“Sermons +on Public Subjects,” by Charles Kingsley. +I knew him to be a man greatly gifted and greatly +beloved; and hence my positive distress on reading +from the eighth sermon, page 234, “On the Fall,” +the following awful words:—<a id="FNanchor_1" href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a>“The Black people +of Australia, exactly the same race as the African +Negro, cannot take in the Gospel.... All attempts +to bring them to a knowledge of the true +God have as yet failed utterly.... Poor brutes +in human shape ... they must perish off the +face of the earth like brute beasts.”</p> + +<p>I will not blame this great preacher for boldly +uttering and publishing what multitudes of others +show by their conduct that they believe, but dare +not say so. Nor need any one blame me, if, knowing +facts and details which Kingsley could never know, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[55]</span> +I turn aside for a few moments, and let the light of +practical knowledge stream in on this and all +similar teaching, come from whatsoever quarter it +may.</p> + +<p>While I was pondering over Kingsley’s words, the +story of Nora, an Aboriginal Christian woman, whom, +as hereafter related, I myself actually visited and +corresponded with, was brought under my notice, as +if to shatter to pieces everything that the famous +preacher had proclaimed. A dear friend told me +how he had seen Nora encamped with the blacks +near Hexham in Victoria. Her husband had lost, +through drink, their once comfortable home at a +Station where he was employed. The change back +to life in camp had broken her health, and she lay +sick on the ground within a miserable hut. The +visitors found her reading a Bible, and explaining to +a number of her own poor people the wonders of +redeeming love. My friend, Roderick Urquhart, +Esq., overcome by the sight, said,—</p> + +<p>“Nora, I am grieved to see you here, and deprived +of every comfort in your sickness.”</p> + +<p>She answered, not without tears, “The change +has indeed made me unwell; but I am beginning +to think that this too is for the best; it has at last +brought my poor husband to his senses, and I will +grudge nothing if God thereby brings him to the +Saviour’s feet!”</p> + +<p>She further explained, that she had found wonderful +joy in telling her own people about the true God<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[56]</span> +and his Son Jesus, and was quite assured that the +Lord in His own way would send her relief. The +visitors who accompanied Mr. Urquhart showed +themselves to be greatly affected by the true and +pure Christian spirit of this poor Aboriginal, and on +parting she said,—</p> + +<p>“Do not think that I like this miserable hut, or +the food, or the company; but I am and have been +happy in trying to do good amongst my people.”</p> + +<p>For my part, let that dear Christlike soul look +out on me from her Aboriginal hut, and I will +trample under foot all teachings or theorizings that +dare to say that she or her kind are but poor brutes;—they +who say so blaspheme Human Nature. “I +thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, +that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and +prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”</p> + +<p>Recall, ere you read further, what the Gospel has +done for the near kindred of these same Aboriginals. +On our own Aneityum 3,500 Cannibals have +been led to renounce their heathenism, and are leading +a civilized and a Christian life. In Fiji, 70,000 +Cannibals have been brought under the influence of +the Gospel; and 13,000 members of the Churches +there are professing to live and work for Jesus. In +Samoa, 34,000 Cannibals have professed Christianity; +and, in nineteen years, its College has sent forth 206 +Native teachers and evangelists. On our New +Hebrides, more than 12,000 Cannibals have been +brought to sit at the feet of Christ, not to say that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[57]</span> +they are all model Christians; and 133 of the +Natives have been trained and sent forth as teachers +and preachers of the Gospel. Had Christ been +brought in the same way into the heart and life of +the Aborigines by the Christians of Australia and of +Britain—equally blessed results would as surely have +followed, for He is “the same yesterday, to-day, and +for ever.”</p> + +<p>It is easy to understand, moreover, how even experienced +travellers may be deluded to believe that +the Aborigines have no idols and no religion. One +must have lived amongst them or their kindred ere +he can authoritatively decide these questions. Before +I left Melbourne, for instance, I had met Nathaniel +Pepper, a converted Aboriginal from Wimmera. I +asked him if his people had any “Doctors,” <i>i.e.</i>, sacred +men or priests. He said they had. I inquired if +they had any objects of Worship, or any belief in +God? He said, “No! None whatever.”</p> + +<p>But on taking from my pocket some four small +stone idols, his expression showed at once that he +recognised them as objects of Worship. He had +seen the sacred men use them; but he refused to +answer any more questions. I resolved now, if possible, +to secure some of their idols, and set this whole +problem once for all at rest.</p> + +<p>At Newstead, on another occasion, I persuaded a +whole camp of the Aborigines to come to my meeting. +After the address, they waited to examine the +idols and stone gods which I had shown. Some of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[58]</span> +the young men admitted that their “doctors” had +things like these, which they and the old people +prayed to; but they added jauntily,—</p> + +<p>“We young fellows don’t worship; we know too +much for that!”</p> + +<p>No “doctors” were, however, in that camp; so I +could not meet with them; but I already felt that +the testimony of nearly all white people that the +blacks had “no idols and no worship,” was quickly +crumbling away. Besides, my ever-dear friend, +Andrew Scott, Esq., had informed me that when he +first went out among the blacks,—almost alone, and +one of the first white men they had ever seen,—he +saw them handling, and going through ceremonials +with just such “smooth stones” as I had brought +from the Islands, without for a moment dreaming +that they were idols. Yet such is the actual fact; +very much as it was in the ancient days when Isaiah +(ch. lvii. 6) denounced thus the “sons of the sorceress,” +who were “inflaming themselves with idols.” +“Among the smooth stones of the stream (or valley) +is thy portion; they, they are thy lot; even to them +hast thou poured a drink offering, hast thou offered +a meat offering (or oblation).”</p> + +<p>Yet again, R. Urquhart, Esq., Tangery, informed +me that he also had seen the Aborigines +engaged in religious observances. First of all, a vast +multitude of men and women joined in a great +Corrobbarree, or Heathen festival and dance. Thereafter +each marched individually towards the centre of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[59]</span> +a huge ring, and after certain ceremonies, bowed as if +in worship towards two manlike figures cut in the +ground. Our life amongst the heathen had taught +us that Worship was there.</p> + +<p>The rite of circumcision was practised also amongst +the blacks of Australia as well as amongst our New +Hebrideans. Boys, on attaining what was looked +upon as early manhood, were thus initiated into their +privileges as men; and the occasion was accompanied +with feasting, dancing, and what they regarded +as religious ceremonies.</p> + +<p>Some tribes in Australia, as on our Islands also, +indicate the rank or class to which a man belongs +by the barbarous custom of knocking out the two +front teeth! This is done on reaching a certain age; +with feasts and dancings held at midnight, and during +full moon, in connection with sacred spots, which no +one but a priest will be found daring enough to approach.</p> + +<p>Hence there is no doubt in my mind as to the +character and meaning of such “mysterious figures” +as those so much discussed, carved on the flat rocks +at Middle Harbour, or on the South Reef promontory +at Cape Cove. They are found also at Point +Piper, at Mossmans, at Lane Cove, and at many +other places throughout Australia, representing the +human figure in almost every attitude, the kangaroo, +the flying squirrel, the shark, the whale, etc., etc.,—all +of which I believe to be sacred objects, and these +rocks and cliffs to be sacred places. Some of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[60]</span> +fish carved there are twenty-seven feet long. The +Aborigines would give no explanation of their origin, +except that they were “made by black fellows long, +long ago;” and that the blacks would not live near +them, for “too much devil-devil walk about there.” +The Balmoral blacks informed me that their sacred +men carried about such objects as I showed them, +and “that they were devil-devil,”—which is their only +word for God or Spirit, when they talk to you in +broken English.</p> + +<p>The 18th of February, 1863, was a day worthy +of being chronicled and remembered. I visited the +Wonwonda Station in the Wimmera district of +Victoria, and there beheld a great camp of the +Aborigines on the plain near by. Securing the company +of the following witnesses, I proceeded to the +camp, and found that part of them had already seen +me at Balmoral. Two of them spoke English fairly +well. I managed to break through their reticence, and +in course of time they told us freely about the customs +and traditions of their people. They took us to their +“doctor,” or Sacred Man, who was lying sick in his hut. +Half concealed among the skins and clothes behind +him, I observed several curious bags, which I knew at +once would probably contain the little idols of which +I was in quest. I urged the witnesses to take special +notice of everything that occurred, and draw up and +sign a statement for my future use. The following is +their attested report:—</p> + +<p>“Mr. Paton, having carefully explained to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[61]</span> +blacks that he would like to see some of the sacred +objects which they said made the people sick and well, +assured them that his aim was not to mock at them, +but to prove to white people that the blacks had +objects of worship and were not like pigs and dogs. +He offered them a number of small pieces of silver to +get bread and tea for the “doctor,” if they would open +these little bags and let us see what was in them. +After a good deal of talk amongst themselves, he took +some of the Island stone-gods from his pocket, saying, +‘I know that these bags have such things in them.’ +An Aboriginal woman exclaimed, ‘You can’t hide +them from that fellow! He knows all about us.’ +Mr. Rutherford offered to kill a sheep, and give them +sugar and tea to feast on, if they would open the +little bags, but they refused. After consulting the +Sacred Man, however, he took the silver pieces and +allowed them to be opened before us. They were +full of exactly such stones and other things as Mr. +Paton had brought from the Islands, to prove to +white people in Melbourne that they were not like +dogs, but had gods; he offered the Sacred Man more +money for four of the objects he had seen. After +much talk among themselves, he took the money; +and in our presence Mr. Paton selected a stone idol, +a piece of painted wood of conical shape, a piece of +bone of human leg with seven rings carved round +it, which they said had the power of restoring sick +people to health, and another piece of painted wood +which made people sick; but they made him solemnly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[62]</span> +promise that he would tell no other black fellows +where he got them. They were much interested in +Mr. Paton’s conversation, and said, ‘No Missionary +teach black fellow.’ They then showed us square +rugs, thread and grass bags, etc., all neatly made by +themselves, as proofs that if they were taught they +and their wives could learn to do things and to work +just like white people; but they said, ‘White man no +care for black fellow.’ All this, we, whose names +follow, were eye-witnesses of:—G. Rutherford, (Mrs.) +A. Sutherland, (Mrs.) Martha Rutherford, Jemima +Rutherford, Ben. B. Bentock, tutor of the Rutherford +family.”</p> + +<p>On returning to Horsham, I informed my dear +friends, Rev. P. Simpson and his excellent lady, of +my exploits and possessions. He replied,—</p> + +<p>“There is a black ‘doctor’ gone round our house +just now to see one of his people who is washing here +to-day. Let us go and test them, whether they +know these objects.”</p> + +<p>Carrying them in his hand we went to them. The +woman instantly on perceiving them dropped what +she was washing, and turned away in instinctive +terror. Mr. Simpson asked,—</p> + +<p>“Have you ever before seen stones like these?”</p> + +<p>The wily “doctor” replied, “Plenty on the plains, +where I kick them out of my way.”</p> + +<p>Taking others out of my pocket, I said, “These +make people sick and well, don’t they?”</p> + +<p>His rage overcame his duplicity, and he exclaimed,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[63]</span> +“What black fellow give you these? If I know him +I do for him!”</p> + +<p>The woman, looking the picture of terror, and +pointing to one of the objects, cried,—</p> + +<p>“That fellow no good! he kill men. No good, no +good! Me too much afraid.”</p> + +<p>Then, looking to me, she said, pointing with her +finger, “That fellow savy (knows) too much! No +white man see them. He no good.”</p> + +<p>There was more in this scene and in all its surroundings, +than in many arguments; and Mr. Simpson +thoroughly believed that these were objects of +idolatrous worship.</p> + +<p>On a later occasion I showed these four objects to +Aborigines, with whom I got into intercourse far off +in New South Wales. They at once recognised +them, and showed the same superstitious dread. +They told me the peculiar characteristics and the +special powers ascribed to each idol or charm. This +I confirmed by the testimony of five different tribes +living at great distances from each other; and it is +morally certain that amongst all the blacks of Australia +such objects are so worshipped and feared in the +place of God.</p> + +<p>And now let me relate the story of my visit to +Nora, the converted Aboriginal referred to above. +Accompanied by Robert Hood, Esq., J.P., Victoria, +I found my way to the encampment near Hexham. +She did not know of our coming, nor see us till we +stood at the door of her hut. She was clean and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[64]</span> +tidily dressed, as were also her dear little children, +and appeared glad to see us. She had just been +reading the <cite>Presbyterian Messenger</cite>, and the Bible +was lying at her elbow. I said,—</p> + +<p>“Do you read the <cite>Messenger</cite>?”</p> + +<p>She replied, “Yes; I like to know what is going +on in the Church.”</p> + +<p>We found her to be a sensible and humble Christian +woman, conversing intelligently about religion and +serving God devotedly. Next Sabbath she brought +her husband, her children, and six blacks to Church, all +decently dressed, and they all listened most attentively.</p> + +<p>At our first meeting I said, “Nora, they tell me +you are a Christian. I want to ask you a few questions +about the blacks; and I hope that as a Christian +you will speak the truth.” Rather hurt at my +language, she raised her right hand, and replied, “I +am a Christian. I fear and serve the true God. I +always speak the truth.”</p> + +<p>Taking from my pocket the stone idols from the +Islands, I inquired if her people had or worshipped +things like these. She replied, “The ‘doctors’ have +them.”</p> + +<p>“Have you a ‘doctor’ in your camp?” I asked. +She said, “Yes, my uncle is the Sacred Man; but +he is now far away from this.”</p> + +<p>“Has he the idols with him now?” I inquired.</p> + +<p>She answered, “No; they are left in my care.”</p> + +<p>I then said: “Could you let us see them?”</p> + +<p>She consulted certain representatives of the tribe<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[65]</span> +who were at hand. They rose, and removed to a +distance. They had consented. Mr. Hood assured +me that no fault would be found with her, as she was +the real, or at least virtual head of the tribe. Out of +a larger bag she then drew two smaller bags and +opened them. They were filled with the very objects +which I had brought from the Islands. I asked her +to consult the men of her tribe whether they would +agree to sell four or five of them to me, that I might +by them convince the white people that they had +gods of their own, and are, therefore, above the brutes +of the field; the money to be given to their Sacred +Man on his return. This, also, after a time was +agreed to. I selected three of the objects, and paid +the stipulated price. And the undernoted independent +witness attests the transaction:—</p> + +<p>“I this day visited an encampment of the Hopkins +blacks, in company with Rev. Mr. Paton, +Missionary, and was witness to the following. Mr. +Paton being under the impression that many of the +superstitions and usages, common to the South Sea +Islanders were similar among the Aborigines of +Australia, began by showing some idols, etc., of the +former, and asking if they had seen any like them. +This inquiry was made of a highly civilized woman, +named Nora, who can read and write, and has great +influence with her tribe. She answered: Oh yes, +the ‘doctors’ have them.</p> + +<p>“On Mr. Paton expressing great anxiety to see some +of them, she, after consulting some time with the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[66]</span> +other blacks, said she had some belonging to King +John, her uncle, who was absent, and had left them +in her care. After considerable reluctance shown on +the part of the other blacks, who were off when they +saw Mr. Paton knew all about them, a bag was +produced, in which there were kangaroo tusks or +bears’ tusks, pieces of human bone, stones, charred +wood, etc., etc. She described the virtues attributed +to the different articles. If any evil was wanted to +befall one of another tribe, the ‘doctor,’ after muttering, +threw such a stone in the direction he was +supposed to be, wishing he might fall sick, or might +die, etc. The spirit from the idol entered into his +body, and he was sure to fall sick or die. Another +piece of charred wood, that the ‘doctor’ rubbed on +the diseased part of any sick person, made the pain +come out to the spirit in the wood, and the ‘doctor’ +carried it away. All this time the other blacks were +in evident dread of the things being seen and +handled, repeating, ‘No white man ever see these +before!’ Mr. Paton got three specimens from them, +viz., an evil and a good spirit, and a piece of carved +bone. Robert Hood, J.P., Hexham, Victoria, Merang, +28th February, 1863.”</p> + +<p>Mr. Hood asked Nora how he had never heard of +or seen these things before, living so long amongst +them, and blacks constantly coming and going about +his house. She replied,—</p> + +<p>“Long ago white men laughed at black fellows, +praying to their idols. Black fellows said, white<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[67]</span> +men never see them again! Suppose this white man +not know all about them, he would not <ins id="TN-4" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: now see them">now see them.</ins> +No white men live now have seen what you have seen.”</p> + +<p>Thus it has been demonstrated on the spot, and +in presence of the most reliable witnesses, that the +Aborigines, before they saw the white invaders, were +not “brutes” incapable of knowing God, but human +beings, yearning after a God of some kind. Nor do +I believe that any tribe of men will ever be found, +who, when their language and customs are rightly +interpreted, will not display their consciousness of +the need of a God and that Divine capacity of holding +fellowship with the Unseen Powers, of which the +brutes are without one faintest trace.</p> + +<p>The late Mr. Hamilton, of Mortlake, wrote me in +1863 as follows:—</p> + +<p>“During a residence of twenty-six years in New +South Wales and Victoria, from constant intercourse +with Australian Aborigines I am convinced that +they are capable of learning anything that white +people in an equally neglected condition could learn. +In two instances I met with females possessing a +greater amount of religious knowledge than many of +our white population. The one was able to prompt +the children she was attending as a servant in the +answers proper to give to the questions I put to +them regarding the facts and doctrines of Christianity. +This was in New South Wales. The other was +Nora Hood, baptized and married to an Aboriginal. +I conversed with her according to the usage of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[68]</span> +Presbyterian Church, and I believe her to be a sincere +and intelligent Christian. I baptized her children +without hesitation; while I felt it to be my duty +in many cases to withhold the privilege from white +parents, on account of their being unable to make a +credible profession of their faith in Christ and obedience +to Him. Under God, she owes her instruction +and conversion to Mrs. MacKenzie. William Hamilton, +Minister.”</p> + +<p>William Armstrong, Esq., of Hexham Park, wrote +in 1863:—</p> + +<p>“The Aborigines of Australia certainly believe in +spirits, and that their spirit leaves the body at death +and goes to some other island, and they seem to +have many superstitious ideas about the dead.... +I believe they would have been as easily influenced +by the Gospel as any other savages, if they had been +taught; but intoxicating spirits, and the accompanying +vices of white people have ruined them. William +Armstrong.”</p> + +<p>But let Nora, one of the “poor brutes in human +shape,” who was “incapable of taking in the Gospel,” +and must “perish like brute beasts,” now speak to +the heart of every reader in her own words. In +February, 1863, she wrote to me as follows:—</p> + +<p>“Dear Sir,—I received your kind letter, and was +glad to hear from you. I am always reading my +Bible, for I believe in God the Father and in Christ +Jesus our Lord, Amen. I often speak to the blacks +about Jesus Christ; and some of them believe in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[69]</span> +God and in Jesus. I always teach my children to +pray to God our Father in Heaven.... Colin +will try not to drink any more. He is always praying +to God. Them blacks that come with me, I will +tell about God and about their sins; but they are so +very wicked, they won t listen to me teaching them. +Sir, I shall always pray for you, that God may bless +and guide you. O Sir, pray for me, my husband, +and my children! Your obedient servant, Nora +Hood.”</p> + +<p>In her second letter, she says:—“Your kind letter +gave me great comfort. I thank God that I am able +to read and write. Mrs. and Miss MacKenzie taught +me; and through them I came to know Jesus Christ +my Saviour. Our Lord says, ‘Come unto Me, all ye +that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you +rest.’ ‘Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the +waters!’ Sir, I will tell Joe and King John, and I +have been always telling Katy and all the rest of +them about Jesus Christ our Saviour. Please, Sir, I +would like you to write to me, that I may show them +your letters,” etc., etc.</p> + +<p>In a third letter, also dated 1863, she says:—“Dear +Sir, Colin and I were glad to hear from you. +I am telling the blacks always about God our +Saviour and the salvation of their souls. They are +so very wicked. They go from place to place, and +don’t stop long with me. I am always teaching my +children to pray, and would like to send them to +School if I could.... I hope you will go home<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[70]</span> +to England safely, get more Missionaries, and then +go back to your poor blacks on the Islands. I will +be glad to hear from you. May the Lord God bless +you, wherever you go! Your affectionate, Nora +Hood.”</p> + +<p>Poor, dear, Christian-hearted Nora! The Christ-spirit +shines forth unmistakably through thee,—praying +for and seeking to save husband and children, +enduring trials and miseries by the aid of communion +with thy Lord, weeping over the degradation of thy +people and seeking to lift them up by telling them of +the true God and of His love to Mankind through +Jesus Christ. Would that all white Christians manifested +forth as much of the Divine Master’s Spirit!</p> + +<p>Alas, in reading Marsden’s “Life,” and other +authorities, one shrinks with a sickening feeling at +the description of the butcheries of the poor blacks! +Imagine 1830, when the inhabitants were called out +to join the troops, and nearly three thousand armed +men gloated in the work of destruction from the 4th +of October till the 26th November. Read of one +boasting that he had killed seven blacks with his own +hand; another, that he had slain, and piled up in a +heap, thirty men, women, and children; and a third, +a <em>gentleman</em>, of whom Lieutenant Laidlaw tells, +exhibiting as a trophy over his bookcase the skull of +a poor black, pierced by the bullet with which he +had shot him! And their sin, their crime? Oh, +only seizing a sheep, in the frenzy of hunger, which +fattened on the lands where once grew their food<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[71]</span> +and from which the white man had pitilessly hunted +them. Retribution comes, but sometimes slowly, and +is not recognised when she appears; but Australia +suffers to-day from the passions then let loose against +the blacks. The demons have come home to roost.</p> + +<p>During my last Mission tour, in 1888, through +Victoria and part of New South Wales, I visited all +Stations of the Aborigines that could be conveniently +reached. There the few remnants of a once numerous +race are now assembled together. They try hard +to constrain themselves to live in houses. But the +spirit of the wanderer is in them. They start +forth, every now and again, for an occasional ramble +over their old hunting grounds, and to taste the +sweets of freedom. In Victoria, the Government +now provide food and clothing for the Aborigines +who will remain at the appointed Stations, so that in +regard to temporals the survivors are not badly off. +Their religious training and spiritual interests are +left entirely to the Churches. The Government provides +a Superintendent at each Station; and where +he is a Christian man, and takes any interest in the +religion and morals of the tribes, contentment reigns. +At Ramayeuk, for instance, the Superintendent is +Rev. F. A. Haganeur; and he and his excellent wife +regularly instruct the blacks. Nothing can be more +delightful than the results. The faces of the people +were shining with happiness. Their rows of clean +and neat cottages were a picture and an emblem. In +their Church, a Native woman played the harmonium<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[72]</span> +and led the praise. I never had more attentive +Congregations. On two occasions they handed me +£5, collected at their own free will, for our Island +Mission. Their School received from the Government +examiners one of the highest percentages. Many at +this Station have, after a consistent Christian life, +died in the full hope of Glory together with Jesus.</p> + +<p>At all the other Stations in Victoria the outward +comforts of the Natives are attended to, but Superintendents +ought to be appointed, in every case, to care +for their souls as well as their bodies. For strong +drink and other vices are rapidly sweeping the +Aborigines away; and Australia has but short time +to atone for the cruelties of the past, and to snatch a +few more jewels from amongst them for the Crown +of Jesus our Lord.</p> + +<p>At my farewell meeting in Melbourne, Sir Henry +Barkley presiding, I pleaded that the Colony should +put forth greater efforts to give the Gospel to the +Aborigines; I showed the idols which I had discovered +amongst them; I read Nora’s letters, and, I +may, without presumption, say, the “brute-in-human-shape” +theory has been pretty effectually buried ever +since.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[73]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.<br><br> + +<i class="center fs80">TO SCOTLAND AND BACK.</i></h2> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>Dr. Inglis on the Mission Crisis.—Casting Lots before the +Lord.—Struck by Lightning.—A Peep at London.—A +Heavenly Welcome.—The Moderator’s Chair.—Reformed +Presbyterian Church and Free Church.— Tour through +Scotland.—A Frosted Foot.—The Children’s Holy League.—Missionary +Volunteers.—A God-provided Help-Mate.—Farewell +to the Old Family Altar.—First Peep at the <i>Dayspring</i>.—The +<i>Dayspring</i> in a Dead-Lock.— Tokens of +Deliverance.—The <i>John Williams</i> and the <i>Dayspring</i>.—Australia’s +Special Call.</p> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap">Each of my Australian Committees strongly +urged my return to Scotland, chiefly to secure, +if possible, more Missionaries for the New Hebrides. +Dr. Inglis, just arrived from Britain, where he had +the Aneityumese New Testament carried through +the press, zealously enforced this appeal. “Before I +left home,” he wrote back to the Church in Scotland, +“I thought this would be inexpedient; but since I +returned here, and have seen the sympathy, interest, +and liberality displayed through the blessing of God +on Mr. Paton’s instrumentality, and the altered aspect +of the Mission, I feel that a crisis has been reached<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[74]</span> +when a special effort must be made to procure more +men, for which I had neither the time, nor had I the +means to employ them, but which may now be +appropriately done by Mr. Paton; and my prayer +and hope are that he may be as successful in securing +men at home as he has been in securing money in +these Colonies.”</p> + +<p>Yet my path was far from clear, notwithstanding +my Gideon’s fleece referred to already. To lose +time in going home to do work that others ought +to do, while I still heard the wail of the perishing +Heathen on the Islands, could scarcely be my duty. +Amidst overwhelming perplexity, and finding no +light from any human counsel, I took a step, to +which only once before in all my chequered career +I have felt constrained. Some will mock when they +read it, but others will perhaps more profoundly say: +“To whomsoever this faith is given, let him obey it.” +After many prayers, and wrestlings, and tears, I +went alone before the Lord, and, on my knees, cast +lots with a solemn appeal to God, and the answer +came, “Go home!” In my heart, I sincerely believe +that on both these occasions the Lord condescended +to decide for me the path of duty, otherwise unknown; +and I believe it the more truly now, in view +of the after-come of thirty years of service to Christ +that flowed out of the steps then deliberately and +devoutly taken. In this, and in many other matters, +I am no law to others, though I obeyed my then +highest light. Nor can I refrain from adding that, for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[75]</span> +the very reasons indicated above, I regard so-called +“lotteries” and “raffles” as a mockery of God, and +little if at all short of blasphemy. “Ye cannot drink +at the Lord’s Table, and at the table of devils.”</p> + +<p>I sailed for London in the <i>Kosciusko</i>, an Aberdeen +clipper, on 16th May, 1863. Captain Stewart made +the voyage most enjoyable to all. The son of my +old friend Bishop Selwyn and I conducted alternately +a Presbyterian and an Anglican Service. We passed +through a memorable thunder-burst in rounding the +Cape. Our good ship was perilously struck by +lightning. The men on deck were thrown violently +down. The copper on the bulwarks was twisted and +melted—a specimen of which the Captain gave me +and I still retain. When the ball of fire struck the +ship, those of us sitting on chairs, screwed to the +floor around the Cabin table, felt as if she were +plunging to the bottom. When she sprang aloft +again, a military man and a medical officer were +thrown heavily into the back passage between the +Cabins, the screws that held their seats having +snapped asunder. I, in grasping the table, got my +leg severely bruised, being jammed betwixt the seat +and the table, and had to be carried to my berth. +All the men were attended to, and quickly recovered +consciousness; and immediately the good Captain, +an elder of the Church, came to me, and said,—</p> + +<p>“Lead us in prayer, and let us thank the Lord for +this most merciful deliverance; the ship is not on +fire, and no one is seriously injured!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[76]</span></p> + +<p>Poor fellow! whether hastened on by this event I +know not, but he struggled for three weeks thereafter +in a fever, and it took our united care and love to +pull him through. The Lord, however, restored him; +and we cast anchor safely in the East India Docks, +at London, on 26th August, 1863, having been three +months and ten days at sea from port to port.</p> + +<p>It was 5.30 p.m. when we cast anchor, and the +gates closed at six o’clock. My little box was ready +on deck. The Custom House officers kindly passed +me, and I was immediately on my way to Euston +Square. Never before had I been within the Great +City, and doubtless I could have enjoyed its palaces +and memorials. But the King’s business, entrusted +to me, “required haste,” and I felt constrained to +press forward, looking neither to the right hand nor +to the left. The streets through which I was driven +seemed to be dirty and narrow; many of the people +had a squalid and vicious look; and, fresh from +Australia, my disappointment was keen as to the +smoky and miserable appearance of what I saw. No +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">doubt other visitors will behold only the grandeur</span><br> +and the wealth; they will see exactly what they +come to see, and London will shine before them +accordingly.</p> + +<p>At nine o’clock, that evening, I left for Scotland +by train. Next morning, about the same hour, I +reported myself at the manse of the Rev. John Kay, +Castle Douglas, the Convener of the Foreign Missions +Committee of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[77]</span> +which I belonged. We arranged for a meeting of +said Committee, at earliest practicable date, that my +scheme and plans might at once be laid before them.</p> + +<p>By the next train I was on my way to Dumfries, +and thence by conveyance to my dear old home at +Torthorwald. There I had a Heavenly Welcome +from my saintly parents, yet not unmixed with +many fast-falling tears. Five brief years only had +elapsed, since I went forth from their Sanctuary, +with my young bride; and now, alas! alas! that +grave on Tanna held mother and son locked in each +other’s embrace till the Resurrection Day.</p> + +<p>Not less glowing, but more terribly agonizing, was +my reception, a few days thereafter, at Coldstream, +when I first gazed on the bereaved father and mother +of my beloved; who, though godly people, were +conscious of a heart-break under that stroke, from +which through their remaining years they never fully +rallied. They murmured not against the Lord; but +all the same, heart and flesh began to faint and fail, +even as our Divine Example Himself fainted under +the Cross, which yet He so uncomplainingly bore.</p> + +<p>The Foreign Mission Committee of the Reformed +Presbyterian Church met in Edinburgh, and welcomed +me kindly, nay, warmly. A full report of all my +doings for the past, and of all my plans and hopes, +was laid before them. They at once agreed to my +visiting and addressing every Sabbath School in the +Church. They opened to me their Divinity Hall, +that I might appeal to the Students. My Address<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[78]</span> +there was published and largely circulated, under the +motto: “Come over and help us.” It was used of +God to deepen vastly the interest in our Mission.</p> + +<p>The Committee generously and enthusiastically +did everything in their power to help me. By their +influence, the Church in 1864 conferred on me the +undesired and undeserved honour, the highest which +they could confer—the honour of being the Moderator +of their Supreme Court. No one can understand how +much I shrank from all this; but, in hope of the +Lord’s using it and me to promote His work amongst +the Heathen, I accepted the Chair, though, I fear, +only to occupy it most unworthily, for Tanna gave +me little training for work like that!</p> + +<p>The Church, as there represented, passed a Resolution, +declaring:—</p> + +<p>“It is with feelings of no ordinary pleasure that +we behold present at this meeting one of our most +devoted Missionaries. The result of Mr. Paton’s +appeals in Australia has been unprecedented in the +history of this Mission. It appears in the shape of +£4,500 added to the funds of the New Hebrides +Mission, besides over £300 for Native Teachers, to +be paid yearly in £5 contributions, and all expenses +met. The Spirit of God must have been poured out +upon the inhabitants of the Colonies, in leading them +to make such a noble offering as this to the cause of +Missions, and in making our Missionary the honoured +instrument God employed in drawing forth the sympathy +and liberality of the Colonists. Now, by the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[79]</span> +good hand of God upon him, he holds the most +honoured position of Moderator of the Church, etc., +etc.”</p> + +<p>The Synod also placed on record its gratitude for +what God had thus done; and its cordial recognition +of the many and fruitful services rendered by Ministers +and Sabbath Schools, both in Scotland and +Australia, in standing by me and helping on the +<i>Floating of the Dayspring</i>.</p> + +<p>I have ever regarded it as a privilege and honour +that I was born and trained within the old covenanting +Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland. As +a separate Communion, that Church is small amongst +the thousands of Israel; but the principles of Civil +and Religious Liberty for which her founders suffered +and died are, at this moment, the heart and soul of +all that is best and divinest in the Constitution of our +British Empire. I am more proud that the blood of +Martyrs is in my veins, and their truths in my heart, +than other men can be of noble pedigree or royal +names. And I was,—in that day of the Church’s +honour so distinguished for her Missionary zeal,—filled +with a high passion of gratitude to be able to +proclaim, at the close of my tour, and after the addition +of new names to our staff, that of all her ordained +Ministers, one in every six was a Missionary of the +Cross.</p> + +<p>Nor did the dear old Church thus cripple herself; +on the contrary, her zeal for Missions accompanied, +if not caused, unwonted prosperity at home. New<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[80]</span> +waves of liberality passed over the heart of her people. +Debts that had burdened many of the Churches and +Manses were swept away. Additional Congregations +were organized. And in May, 1876, the Reformed +Presbyterian Church entered into an honourable and +independent Union with her larger, wealthier, and +more progressive sister, the Free Church of Scotland,—only +a few of the brethren, doubtless with perfect +loyalty to what they regarded as duty to Christ, still +holding aloof and standing firmly in the old paths, +as they appeared to them.</p> + +<p>In the Deed of Union the incorporating Church +took itself bound legally and formally to maintain +the New Hebrides Mission staff, and also the <i>Dayspring</i>, +committing herself never to withdraw, as it +were, till these Islands were all occupied for Jesus. +Now that the French have been constrained to +abandon the scene, the field is open, and the Islands +wail aloud for eight or ten Missionaries more than +we at present have (1889); and then the Standard of +the Cross might speedily be planted on every separate +isle, and a true sense might at last come into the +foolish name given to these regions by their Spanish +discoverer, when he called the part at which he +touched, thinking it the fabled Southern Continent, +<i>the Land of the Holy Ghost</i>.</p> + +<p>When the aforesaid Union took place, all the +Missionaries of their own free accord cast in their +lot with the incorporating Church; not only those +directly supported by the old Reformed Presbyterians<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[81]</span> +themselves, but also the several Missionaries +sent forth by them, though supported by one or other +of the Australian Colonies. And, beyond question, +one feature in the Free Church that drew them and +bound them to her heart was her noble zeal for and +sacrifices in connection with the work of Missions, +both at home and abroad. For it is a fixed point in +the faith of every Missionary, that the more any +Church or Congregation interests itself in the Heathen, +the more will it be blessed and prospered at Home.</p> + +<p>“One of the surest signs of life,” wrote the +Victorian <cite>Christian Review</cite>, “is the effort of a +Church to spread the Gospel beyond its own bounds, +and especially to send the knowledge of Jesus amongst +the Heathen. The Missions to the Aborigines, to +the Chinese in this Colony, and to the New Hebrides, +came to this Church from God. In a great crisis of +the New Hebrides, they sent one of their number to +Australia for help, and his appeal was largely owned +by the Head of the Church. The Children, and +especially the Sabbath Scholars of the Presbyterian +Churches, became alive with Missionary enthusiasm. +Large sums were raised for a Mission Ship. The +Congregations were roused to see their duty to God +and their fellow-men beyond these Colonies, and a +new Missionary Spirit took possession of the whole +Church. Their deputy from the Islands agreed to +become the Missionary from this Church. Many +circumstances indeed combined to show that it was +the will of the Master, that this Church should join<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[82]</span> +the other Presbyterian Churches in taking possession +of this field of usefulness; and already the results +are very important both to the Church and to the +Mission. The Missionaries feel much encouraged in +receiving substantial support from the largest Presbyterian +Church in the Australian Colonies; while the +Presbyterian Church in Victoria is largely blessed in +her own spirit through the Missionary zeal awakened +in her midst. Thus, there is that scattereth and yet +increaseth; bringing out anew the words of the Lord +Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than +to receive.”</p> + +<p>But, in all this, I am rather anticipating. My tour +through Scotland brought me into contact with every +Minister, Congregation, and Sabbath School in the +Church of my fathers. They were never at any time +a rich people, but they were always liberal. At this +time they contributed beyond all previous experience, +both in money and in boxes of useful articles +for the Islanders.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately, my visit to the far North, to our +Congregations at Wick and Stromness, had been +arranged for the month of January; and thereby a +sore trial befell me in my pilgrimages. The roads were +covered with snow and ice. I reached Aberdeen and +Wick by steamer from Edinburgh, and had to find my +way thence to Thurso. The inside seats on the Mail +Coach being all occupied, I had to take my place +outside. The cold was intense, and one of my feet +got bitten by the frost. The storm detained me<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[83]</span> +nearly a week at Thurso, but feeling did not return +to the foot.</p> + +<p>We started, in a lull, by steamer for Stromness; +but the storm burst again, all were ordered below, +and hatches and doors made fast. The passengers +were mostly very rough, the place was foul with +whisky and tobacco. I appealed to the Captain to +let me crouch somewhere on deck, and hold on as +best I could. He shouted,—</p> + +<p>“I dare not! You’ll be washed overboard.”</p> + +<p>On seeing my appealing look, he relented, directed +his men to fasten a tarpaulin over me, and lash it +and me to the mast, and there I lay till we reached +Stromness. The sea broke heavily and dangerously +over the vessel. But the Captain, finding shelter for +several hours under the lee of a headland, saved +both the ship and the passengers. When at last we +landed, my foot was so benumbed and painful that I +could move a step only with greatest agony. Two +meetings, however, were in some kind of way conducted; +but the projected visit to Dingwall and other +places had to be renounced, the snow lying too deep +for any conveyance to carry me, and my foot crying +aloud for treatment and skill.</p> + +<p>On returning Southwards, I was confined for about +two months, and placed under the best medical +advice. All feeling seemed gradually to have departed +from my foot; and amputation was seriously +proposed both in Edinburgh and in Glasgow. Having +somehow managed to reach Liverpool, my dear friend,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[84]</span> +the Rev. Dr. Graham, took me there to a Doctor +who had wrought many wonderful recoveries by galvanism. +Time after time he applied the battery, but +I felt nothing. He declared that the power used would +almost have killed an ordinary man, and that he had +never seen any part of the human body so dead to +feeling on a live and healthy person. Finally, he +covered it all over with a dark plaster, and told me +to return in three days. But next day, the throbbing +feeling of insufferable coldness in the foot compelled +me to return at once. After my persistent appeals, +he removed the plaster; and, to his great astonishment, +the whole of the frosted part adhered to it! +Again dressing the remaining parts, he covered it with +plaster as before, and assured me that with care and +rest it would now completely recover. By the blessing +of the Lord it did, though it was a bitter trial to +me amidst all these growing plans to be thus crippled +by the way; and to this day I am sometimes warned +in over-walking that the part is capable of many a +painful twinge. And humbly I feel myself crooning +over the graphic words of the Greatest Missionary, +“I bear about in my body the marks of the Lord +Jesus.”</p> + +<p>On that tour, the Sabbath Schools joyfully adopted +my scheme, and became “shareholders” in the +Mission Ship. It was thereafter ably developed by +an elder of the Church. A <i>Dayspring</i> collecting box +has found its way into almost every family; and the +returns from Scotland have yielded ever since about<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[85]</span> +£250 per annum, as their proportion for the expenses +of the Children’s Mission Ship to the New Hebrides. +The Church in Nova Scotia heartily accepted the +same idea, and their Sabbath School children have +regularly contributed their £250 per annum too. +The Colonial children have contributed the rest, +throughout all these years, with unfailing interest. +And whensoever the true and full history of the +South Sea Islands Mission is written for the edification +of the Universal Church, let it not be forgotten +that the children of Australasia, and Nova Scotia, +and Scotland did by their united pennies keep the +<i>Dayspring</i> floating in the New Hebrides; that the +Missionaries and their families were thereby supplied +with the necessaries of life, and that the Islanders +were thus taught to clothe themselves and to sit at +the feet of Jesus. This was the Children’s Holy +League, erewhile referred to; and one knows that on +such a Union the Divine Master smiles well pleased.</p> + +<p>The Lord also crowned this tour with another +precious fruit of blessing, though not all by any +means due to my influence. Four new Missionaries +volunteered from Scotland, and three from Nova +Scotia. By their aid we not only reclaimed for +Jesus the posts that had been abandoned, but we +took possession of other Islands in His most blessed +Name. But I did not wait and take them out with +me. They had matters to look into and to learn +about, that would be infinitely helpful to them in the +Mission field. Especially, and far above everything<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[86]</span> +else, in addition to their regular clerical course, some +Medical instruction was an almost absolute prerequisite. +I myself had attended several Medical +Classes at the Andersonian College, when a student +in Glasgow, and had had personal training from an +experienced physician. This had proved invaluable, +not only on the Islands, but in the remote bush +during Australian tours, and indeed on many private +occasions, when other medical help was unavailable. +Every future Missionary was therefore urged to +obtain all insight and instruction that was practicable +at Medical Missions and otherwise, especially on +lines known to be most requisite for these Islands. +For this, and similar objects, all that I raised over +and above what was required for the <i>Dayspring</i> was +entrusted to the Foreign Mission Committee, that the +new Missionaries might be fully equipped, and their +outfit and travelling expenses be provided for without +burdening the Church at home. Her responsibilities +were already large enough for her resources. +But she could give men, God’s own greatest gift, and +His people elsewhere gave the money,—the Colonies +and the Home Country thus binding themselves to +each other in this Holy Mission of the Cross.</p> + +<p>But I did not return alone. The dear Lord had +brought to me one prepared, all unknown to either +of us, by special culture, by godly training, by many +gifts and accomplishments, and even by family associations, +to share my lot on the New Hebrides. Her +heart was stirred with a yearning to aid and teach<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[87]</span> +those who were sitting in darkness; her brother had +been an honoured Missionary in the foreign field, +and had fallen asleep while the dew of youth was yet +upon him; her sister was the wife of a devoted +Minister of our Church in Adelaide, both she and +her husband being zealous promoters of our work; +and her father had left behind him a fragrant memory +through his many Christian works in all the Stirling +district, and not unknown to fame as the author of +the still popular books of <cite>Anecdotes</cite>, illustrative of the +Shorter Catechism and of the Holy Scriptures. Ere +I left Scotland in 1864, I was married to Margaret +Whitecross, and God spares us to each other still; +and the family which He has been pleased in His love +to grant unto us we have dedicated to His service, +with the prayer and hope that He may use every +one of them in spreading the Gospel throughout the +Heathen World.</p> + +<p>Our marriage was celebrated at her sister’s house +in Edinburgh; and I may be pardoned for recalling +a little event that characterized the occasion. My +youngest brother, then tutor to a gentleman studying +at the University, stepped forth at the close of the +ceremony and recited an <em>Epithalamium</em> composed +for the day. For many a month and year the +refrain, a play upon the Bride’s name, kept singing +itself through my memory:—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“Long may the Whitecross banner wave</div> + <div class="verse indent2">By the battle blasts unriven;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Long may our Brother and Sister brave</div> + <div class="verse indent2">Rejoice in the light of Heaven.”</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[88]</span></p> +<p class="noindent">He described the Bride as hearing a “Voice from the +far Pacific Seas”; and turning to us both, he sang +of an Angel beckoning us to the Tanna-land, to +gather a harvest of souls:—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“The warfare is brief, the crown is bright,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">The pledge is the souls of men;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Go, may the Lord defend the Right,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">And restore you safe again!”</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="noindent">But the verse which my dear wife thought most +beautiful for a bridal day, and which her memory +cherishes still, was this:—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“May the ruddy Joys, and the Graces fair,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">Wait fondly around you now;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Sweet angel Hopes and young Loves repair</div> + <div class="verse indent2">To your home and bless your vow!”</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>My last scene in Scotland was kneeling at the +family altar in the old Sanctuary Cottage at Torthorwald, +while my venerable father, with his high-priestly +locks of snow-white hair streaming over his shoulders, +commended us once again to “the care and +keeping of the Lord God of the families of Israel.” +It was the last time that ever on this Earth those +accents of intercession, loaded with a pathos of +deathless love, would fall upon my ears. I knew to +a certainty that when we rose from our knees and +said farewell, our eyes would never meet again till +they were flooded with the lights of the Resurrection +Day. But he and my darling mother gave us away +once again with a free heart, not unpierced with the +sword of human anguish, to the service of our common<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[89]</span> +Lord and to the Salvation of the Heathen. +And we went forth, praying that a double portion of +their spirit, with their precious blessing, might rest +upon us in all the way that we had to go.</p> + +<p>Our beloved mother, always more self-restrained, +and less demonstrative in the presence of others, +held back her heart till we were fairly gone from the +door; and then, as my dear brother afterwards informed +me, she fell back into his arms with a great +cry, as if all the heart-strings had broken, and lay for +long in a death-like swoon. Oh, all ye that read this +page, think most tenderly of the cries of Nature, +even where Grace and Faith are in perfect triumph. +Read, through scenes like these, a fuller meaning into +the words addressed to that blessed Mother, whose +Son was given for us all, “Yea, a sword shall pierce +through thine own soul also.”</p> + +<p>Here, in passing, I may mention that my mother, +ever beloved, “fell on sleep,” after a short agony of +affliction, in 1865; and my “priest-like father” passed +peacefully and joyfully into the presence of his Lord +in 1868; both cradled and cherished to the last in the +arms of their own affectionate children, and both in +the assured hope of a blessed immortality, where all +their sons and daughters firmly expect to meet them +again in the Home prepared by their blessed Saviour.</p> + +<p>We embarked at Liverpool for Australia in <i>The +Crest of the Wave</i>, Captain Ellis; and after what +was then considered a fast passage of ninety-five +days, we landed at Sydney on 17th January, 1865.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[90]</span> +Within an hour we had to grapple with a new and +amazing perplexity. The Captain of our <i>Dayspring</i> +came to inform me that his ship had arrived three +days ago and now lay in the stream,—that she had +been to the Islands, and had settled the Gordons, +McCullaghs, and Goodwills on their several Stations,—that +she had left Halifax in Nova Scotia fourteen +months ago, and that now, on arriving at Sydney, he +could not get one penny of money, and that the crew +were clamouring for their pay, etc., etc. He continued, +“Where shall I get money for current expenses? +No one will lend unless we mortgage the +<i>Dayspring</i>. I fear there is nothing before us but to +sell her!” I gave him £50 of my own to meet +clamant demands, and besought him to secure me a +day or two of delay that something might be done.</p> + +<p>Having landed, and been heartily welcomed by +dear Dr. and Mrs. Moon and other friends, I went +with a kind of trembling joy to have my first look at +the <i>Dayspring</i>, like a sailor getting a first peep at +the child born to him whilst far away on the sea. +Some of the irritated ship’s company stopped us by +the way, and threatened prosecution and all sorts of +annoyance. I could only urge again for a few days’ +patience. I found her to be a beautiful two-masted +Brig, with a deck-house (added when she first arrived +at Melbourne), and every way suitable for our necessities,—a +thing of beauty, a white-winged Angel set +a-floating by the pennies of the children to bear the +Gospel to these sin-darkened but sun-lit Southern<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[91]</span> +Isles. To me she became a sort of living thing, the +impersonation of a living and throbbing love in the +heart of thousands of “shareholders”; and I said, +with a deep, indestructible faith,—“The Lord <em>has</em> +provided—the Lord <em>will</em> provide.”</p> + +<p>For present liabilities at least £700 were instantly +required; and, at any rate, as large a sum to pay her +way and meet expenses of next trip to the Islands. +Having laid our perplexing circumstances before our +dear Lord Jesus, having “spread out” all the details +in His sympathetic presence, pleading that the Ship +itself and the new Missionaries were all His own, not +mine, I told Him that this money was needed to do +His own blessed work.</p> + +<p>On Friday morning, I consulted friends of the +Mission, but no help was visible. I tried to borrow, +but found that the lender demanded twenty per cent. +for interest, besides the title deeds of the ship for +security. I applied for a loan from the agent of the +London Missionary Society (then agent for us too) +on the credit of the Reformed Presbyterian Church’s +Foreign Committee, but he could not give it without +a written order from Scotland. There were some +who seemed rather to enjoy our perplexity!</p> + +<p>Driven thus to the wall, I advertised for a meeting +of Ministers and other friends, next morning at 11 +o’clock, to receive my report and to consult <em>re</em> the +<i>Dayspring</i>. I related my journeyings since leaving +them, and the results, and then asked for advice +about the ship.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[92]</span></p> + +<p>“Sell her,” said some, “and have done with it.”</p> + +<p>“What,” said others, “have the Sabbath Schools +given you the <i>Dayspring</i>, and can you not support +her yourselves?”</p> + +<p>I pointed out to them that the salary of each Missionary +was only £120 per annum, that they gave +their lives for the Heathen, and that surely the Colonial +Christians would undertake the up-keep of the +Ship, which was necessary to the very existence of +the Mission. I appealed to them that, as my own +Church in Scotland had now one Missionary abroad +for every six Ministers at home, and the small Presbyterian +Church of Nova Scotia had actually three +Missionaries now on our Islands, it would be a +blessed privilege for the Australian Churches and +Sabbath Schools to keep the <i>Dayspring</i> afloat, without +whose services the Missionaries could not live nor +the Islanders be evangelized.</p> + +<p>Being Saturday, the morning Services for Sabbath +were all arranged for, or advertised; but Dr. McGibbon +offered me a meeting for the evening, and Dr. +Steel an afternoon Service at three o’clock, combined +with his Sabbath School. Rev. Mr. Patterson, of +Piermont, offered me a morning Service; but, as his +was only a Mission Church, he could not give me a +collection. These openings I accepted, as from the +Lord, however much they fell short of what I desired.</p> + +<p>At the morning Service I informed the Congregation +how we were situated, and expressed the hope<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[93]</span> +that under God and their devoted pastor they would +greatly prosper, and would yet be able to help in +supporting our Mission to their South Sea neighbours. +Returning to the vestry, a lady and gentleman +waited to be introduced to me. They were +from Launceston, Tasmania.</p> + +<p>“I am,” said he, “Captain and owner of that vessel +lying at anchor opposite the <i>Dayspring</i>. My wife +and I, being too late to get on shore to attend any +Church in the city, heard this little Chapel bell ringing, +and followed, when we saw you going up the +stairs. We have so enjoyed the Service. We do +heartily sympathize with you. This cheque for £50 +will be a beginning to help you out of your difficulties.”</p> + +<p>The reader knows how warmly I would thank +them; and how in my own heart I knew <em>Who</em> it was +that made them arrive too late for <em>their</em> plans, but +not for <em>His</em>, and guided them up that Chapel stair, +and opened their hearts. Jehovah-Jireh!</p> + +<p>At three o’clock, Dr. Steel’s Church was filled with +children and others. I told them in my appeal what +had happened in the Mission Chapel, and how God +had led Captain Frith and his wife, entire strangers, +to sound the first note of our deliverance. One man +stood up and said, “I will give £10.” Another, +“I will give £5.” A third, “I shall send you £20 +to-morrow morning.” Several others followed their +example, and the general collection was greatly encouraging.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[94]</span></p> + +<p>In the evening, I had a very large as well as sympathetic +Congregation. I fully explained the difficulty +about the <i>Dayspring</i>, and told them what God +had already done for us, announcing an address to +which contributions might be sent. Almost every +Mail brought me the free-will offerings of God’s +people; and on Wednesday, when the adjourned +meeting was held, the sum had reached in all £456. +Believing that the Lord thus intervened at a vital +crisis in our Mission, I dwell on it to the praise of +His blessed Name. Trust in Him, obey Him, and +He will not suffer you to be put to shame.</p> + +<p>At a public meeting, held immediately thereafter, +an attempt was made to organize the <em>first</em> Australian +Mission Auxiliary to the New Hebrides; but it +needed an enthusiastic secretary, and for lack thereof +came to nothing at that time. At another meeting, +the first elements of a brooding strife appeared. The +then Agent of the noble and generous London Missionary +Society intimated that he had just issued +Collecting Cards for the <i>John Williams</i>, and that it +would be unbrotherly to urge collections for the <i>Dayspring</i> +at the same time throughout New South +Wales. He suggested that I should first visit Tasmania +and South Australia, and that, on our return, +they would help us as we would now help them. +The most cordial feelings had always prevailed betwixt +the Societies, and we accepted the proposal, +though our circumstances were peculiarly trying, and +I personally believed that no harm, but good, would<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[95]</span> +come from both of us doing everything possible to +fan the Missionary spirit.</p> + +<p>Clearing out from her sister ships, then in harbour, +the <i>John Williams</i> and the <i>John Wesley</i>, our little +<i>Dayspring</i> sailed for Tasmania. At Hobart we were +visited by thousands of children and parents, and +afterwards at Launceston, who were proud to see +their own ship, in which they were “shareholders” +for Jesus. Daily, all over the Colony, I preached in +Churches and addressed public meetings, and got +collections, and gave out Collecting Cards to be returned +within two weeks. But here also the little +rift began to show itself. At a public meeting in +Hobart, the Congregational Minister said,—</p> + +<p>“We support the <i>John Williams</i> for the London +Missionary Society. Let the Presbyterians do as +much for the <i>Dayspring</i>!”</p> + +<p>I replied, that I was there by special invitation +from those who had called the meeting, and that, +rather than have any unseemly wrangling, my friend, +Dr. Nicolson, and I would quietly retire. But the +Chairman intervened, and insisted that the meeting +should go forward in a Christian spirit, and without +any word of recrimination. To find ourselves, even +by a misunderstanding, regarded as inimical to the +London Missionary Society, one of the most Catholic-spirited +and Christlike Societies in the world, was +peculiarly painful. Still the little rift seemed to +widen at every turn, and we found ourselves thrown +more and more exclusively on Presbyterians alone.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[96]</span> +But thus also the hearts of <em>two</em> great Communions +were concentrated on Heathendom, where one only +or chiefly had been bearing the burden heretofore. +And the Lord hath need of all.</p> + +<p>We received many tokens of interest and sympathy. +The steam tug was granted to us free, and the harbour +dues were remitted. Many presents were also +sent on board the <i>Dayspring</i>. Still, after meeting all +necessary outlays, the trip to Tasmania gave us only +£227 8<i>s.</i> 11<i>d.</i> clear for the Mission fund.</p> + +<p>Sailing now for South Australia, we arrived at +Adelaide. Many friends there showed the deepest +interest in our plans. Thousands of children and +parents came to visit their own Mission Ship by +several special trips. Daily and nightly I addressed +meetings, and God’s people were moved greatly in +the cause. After meeting all expenses while in port, +there remained a sum of £634 9<i>s.</i> 2<i>d.</i> for the up-keep +of the vessel. The Honourable George Fife Angus +gave me £241—a dear friend belonging to the Baptist +Church. But there was still a deficit of £400 +before the <i>Dayspring</i> could sail free of debt, and my +heart was sore as I cried for it to the Lord.</p> + +<p>Leaving the ship to sail direct for Sydney, I took +steamer to Melbourne; but, on arriving there, sickness +and anxiety laid me aside for three days. Under +great weakness, I crept along to my dear friends at +the Scotch College, Dr. and Mrs. Morrison, and Miss +Fraser, and threw myself on their advice.</p> + +<p>“Come along,” said the Doctor cheerily, “and I’ll<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[97]</span> +introduce you to Mr. Butchart and one or two friends +in East Melbourne, and we’ll see what can be done!”</p> + +<p>I gave all information, being led on in conversation +by the Doctor, and tried to interest them in our work, +but no subscriptions were asked or received. Ere I +sailed for Sydney, however, the whole deficiency was +sent to me. I received in all, on this tour, the sum +of £1,726 9<i>s.</i> 10<i>d.</i> Our <i>Dayspring</i> once more sailed +free, and our hearts overflowed with gratitude to the +Lord and to His stewards!</p> + +<p>On my return to Sydney, and before sailing to the +Islands, I called, by advertisement, a public meeting +of Ministers and other friends to report success, and +to take counsel for the future.</p> + +<p>My report was received with hearty thanksgiving +to Almighty God. And a resolution was unanimously +adopted, in view of all that had transpired, urging +that a scheme must be organized, whereby the Presbyterian +Churches and Sabbath Schools of Australia +should be banded together for the support of the +<i>Dayspring</i>, and so prevent the necessity of such +spasmodic efforts for all future time.</p> + +<p>From that day, practically, the <i>Dayspring</i> was supported +by the Presbyterians alone. At the first, all +helped in the original purchase of the Mission Ship, +and she was to do all needful work on the Loyalty +Islands for the London Society’s Missionaries, as well +as on the New Hebrides for us. This was the agreement; +and, despite little misunderstandings with the +Agents, the <i>Dayspring</i> was for some years placed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[98]</span> +heartily at their service. When the <i>John Williams</i> +was wrecked, our ship, at great loss and expense, +accompanied her to Sydney, and spent four months +of the following year for them entirely amongst the +Eastern Islands. The brethren on the Loyalty Islands +sent up their Mr. Macfarland to the Colonies +to secure that the promised support should be given +by their friends to the <i>Dayspring</i>; but, this failing, +they in 1870 declined finally to have her doing their +work, when no longer paid for by their Churches. +This little rift, however, amongst the contributing +Churches never affected us in the Mission field; they +and we have ever wrought together there in most +perfect cordiality of brotherhood.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the true way to look upon the whole series +of events is this: the Australian Presbyterian Churches +had been led to hear from God a special call, and +must necessarily organize themselves to answer it. +In this blessed work of converting the Heathen, we +can all loyally rejoice, whether the instruments in the +Lord’s hand be Episcopal, Presbyterian, or Congregational! +I glory in the success of every Protestant +Mission, and daily pray for them all. It was God’s +own wise providence, and not my zeal, wise or intrusive, +that matured these arrangements, and gave +the Australian Presbyterian Churches a Mission Ship +of their own, and a Mission field at their doors. The +Ministers and the Sabbath Schools felt constrained +as by one impulse to undertake this gracious work. +The Presbyterian Churches in all these Colonies received<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span> +this duty as from God; and the organizing +of Missionary Societies in Congregations and Sabbath +Schools, for the effective accomplishment of the same, +has been a principal means in the hands of the Lord +of promoting and uplifting the cause of Christ throughout +Australasia. It is worth while to re-travel that +old road once again, were it for no other purpose than +to show how, despite apparent checks and reverses, +the mighty tide of Divine Love moves resistlessly onward, +covers up temporary obstructions, and claims +everything for Jesus.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[100]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.<br><br> + +<i class="center fs80">CONCERNING FRIENDS AND FOES.</i></h2> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>First of Missionary Duties.—Maré and Noumea.—The French +in the Pacific.—The <i>Curaçoa</i> Affair.—The “Gospel and +Gunpowder” Cry.—The Missionaries on their Defence.—The +Mission Synod’s Report.—The Shelling of the Tannese +Villages.—Public Meeting and Presbytery.—Fighting +at Bay.—Federal Union in Missions.—A Fiery Furnace at +Geelong.—Results of Australian Tour.—New Hebrides +Mission Adopted by Colonies.</p> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap">We went down to the Islands with the <i>Dayspring</i> +in 1865. The full story of the years that +had passed was laid before my Missionary brethren +at their Annual Synod. They resolved that permanent +arrangements must now be made for the Vessel’s +support, and that I must return to the Colonies and +see these matured. This, meantime, appeared to all +of them the most clamant of all Missionary duties,—their +very lives, and the existence of the Mission itself, +depending thereon. The Lord seemed to leave +me no alternative; and, with great reluctance, my +back was again turned away from the Islands. The +<i>Dayspring</i>, doing duty among the Loyalty Islands, +left me, along with my dear wife, on Maré, there to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[101]</span> +await an opportunity of getting to New Caledonia, +and thence to Sydney.</p> + +<p>Detained there for some time, we saw the noble +work done by Messrs. Jones and Creagh, of the London +Missionary Society, all being cruelly undone by +the tyranny and Popery of the French. One day, +in an inland walk, Mrs. Paton and I came on a large +Conventicle in the bush. They were teaching each +other, and reading the Scriptures which the Missionaries +had translated into their own language, and +which the French had forbidden them to use. They +cried to God for deliverance from their oppressors! +Missionaries were prohibited from teaching the Gospel +to the Natives without the permission of France; their +books were suppressed, and they themselves placed +under military guard on the island of Lifu. Even +when, by Britain’s protest, the Missionaries were allowed +to resume their work, the French language was +alone to be used by them; and some, like Rev. J +Jones (as far down as 1888), were marched on board +a Man-of-war, at half an hour’s notice, and, without +crime laid to their charge, forbidden ever to return +to the Islands. While, on the other hand, the French +Popish Missionaries were everywhere fostered and +protected, presenting to the Natives as many objects +of idolatry as their own, and following, as is the +custom of the Romish Church in those Seas, in the +wake of every Protestant Mission, to pollute and to +destroy.</p> + +<p>Being detained also for two weeks on Noumea, we<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[102]</span> +saw the state of affairs under military rule. English +Protestant residents, few in number, appealed to me +to conduct worship, but liberty could not be obtained +from the authorities, who hated everything English. +But a number of Protestant parents, some French, +others English and German, applied to me to baptize +their children at their own houses. To have asked +permission would have been to court refusal, and to +falsify my position. I laid the matter before the Lord, +and baptized them all. Within two days the Private +Secretary of the Governor arrived with an interpreter, +and began to inquire of me,—</p> + +<p>“Is it true that you have been baptizing here?”</p> + +<p>I replied quite frankly, “It is.”</p> + +<p>“We are sent to demand on whose authority.”</p> + +<p>“On the authority of my Great Master.”</p> + +<p>“When did you get that authority?”</p> + +<p>“When I was licensed and ordained to preach the +Gospel, I got that authority from my Great Master.”</p> + +<p>Here a spirited conversation followed betwixt the +two in French, and they politely bowed, and left me.</p> + +<p>Very shortly they returned, saying,—</p> + +<p>“The Governor sends his compliments, and he +wishes the honour of a visit from you at Government +House at three o’clock, if convenient for you.”</p> + +<p>I returned my greeting, and said that I would +have pleasure in waiting upon his Excellency at the +appointed hour. I thought to myself that I was in +for it now, and I earnestly cried for Divine guidance.</p> + +<p>He saluted me graciously as “de great Missionary<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[103]</span> +of de New Hebrides.” He conversed in a very friendly +manner about the work there, and seemed anxious to +find any indication as to the English designs. I had +to deal very cautiously. He spoke chiefly through +the interpreter; but, sometimes dismissing him, he +talked to me as good, if not better, English himself. +He was eager to get my opinions as to how Britain +got and retained her power over the Natives. After +a very prolonged interview, we parted without a single +reference to the baptisms or to religious services!</p> + +<p>That evening the Secretary and interpreter waited +upon us at our Inn, saying,—</p> + +<p>“The Governor will have pleasure in placing his +yacht and crew at your disposal to-morrow. Mrs. +Paton and you can sail all round, and visit the Convict +island, and the Government gardens, where lunch will +be prepared for you.”</p> + +<p>It was a great treat to us indeed. The crew were +in prison garments, but all so kind to us. By Convict +labour all the public works seemed to be carried on, +and the Gardens were most beautiful. The carved +work in bone, ivory, cocoa-nuts, shells, etc., was indeed +very wonderful. We bought a few specimens, +but the prices were beyond our purse. It was a +strange spectacle—these things of beauty and joy, +and beside them the chained gangs of fierce and +savage Convicts, kept down only by bullet and +sword!</p> + +<p>Thanking the Governor for his exceeding kindness, +I referred to their Man-of-war about to go to Sydney,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[104]</span> +and offered to pay full passage money if they would +take me, instead of leaving me to wait for a “trader.” +He at once granted my request, and arranged that +we should be charged only at the daily cost for the +sailors. At his suggestion, however, I took a number +of things on board with me, and presented them to +be used at the Cabin table. We were most generously +treated,—the Captain giving up his own room to my +wife and myself, as they had no special accommodation +for passengers.</p> + +<p>Noumea appeared to me at that time to be wholly +given over to drunkenness and vice, supported as a +great Convict settlement by the Government of +France, and showing every extreme of reckless, +worldly pleasure, and of cruel, slavish toil. When I +saw it again, three-and-twenty years thereafter, it +showed no signs of progress for the better. In his +book on the French Colonies, J. Bonwick, F.R.G.S., +says that even yet Noumea and its dependencies contain +only 1,068 Colonists from France. If there be +a God of justice and of love, His blight cannot but +rest on a nation whose pathway is stained with corruption +and steeped in blood, as is undeniably the +case with France in the Pacific Isles.</p> + +<p>Arriving at Sydney, I was at once plunged into a +whirlpool of horrors. H.M.S. <i>Curaçoa</i> had just returned +from her official trip to the Islands, in which +the Commodore, Sir William Wiseman, had thought +it his duty to inflict punishment on the Natives for +murder and robbery of Traders and others. On these<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[105]</span> +Islands, as in all similar cases, the Missionaries had +acted as interpreters, and of course always used their +influence on the side of mercy, and in the interests of +peace. But Sydney, and indeed Australia and the +Christian World, were thrown into a ferment just a +few days before our arrival, by certain articles in a +leading publication there, and by the pictorial illustrations +of the same. They were professedly from +an officer on board Her Majesty’s ship, and the sensation +was increased by their apparent truthfulness +and reality. Tanna was the scene of the first event, +and a series was to follow in succeeding numbers. +The <i>Curaçoa</i> was pictured lying off the shore, having +the <i>Dayspring</i> in tow. The Tannese warriors were +being blown to pieces by shot and shell, and lay in +heaps on the bloody coast. And the Missionaries +were represented as safe in the lee of the Man-of-war, +directing the onslaught, and gloating over the carnage.</p> + +<p>Without a question being asked or a doubt suggested, +without a voice being raised in fierce denial +that such men as these Missionaries were known to +be could be guilty of such conduct—men who had +jeoparded their lives for years on end rather than hurt +one hair on a Native’s head—a cry of execration, +loud and deep and even savage, arose from the Press, +and was apparently joined in by the Church itself. +The common witticism about the “Gospel and Gunpowder” +headed hundreds of bitter and scoffing articles +in the journals; and, as we afterwards learned, the +shocking news had been telegraphed to Britain and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[106]</span> +America, losing nothing in force by the way, and +while filling friends of Missions with dismay, was +dished up day after day with every imaginable enhancement +of horror for the readers of the secular +and infidel Press. As I stepped ashore at Sydney, +I found myself probably the best-abused man in all +Australia, and the very name of the New Hebrides +Mission stinking in the nostrils of the People.</p> + +<p>The gage of battle had been thrown and fell at my +feet. Without one moment’s delay, I lifted it in the +name of my Lord and of my maligned brethren. +That evening my reply was in the hands of the +editor, denying that such battles ever took place, +retailing the actual facts of which I had been myself +an eye-witness, and intimating legal prosecution unless +the most ample and unequivocal withdrawal and +apology were at once published. The Newspaper +printed my rejoinder, and made satisfactory amends +for having been imposed upon and deceived. I +waited upon the Commodore, and appealed for his +help in redressing this terrible injury to our Mission. +He informed me that he had already called his +officers to account, but that all denied any connection +with the articles or the pictures. He had little doubt, +all the same, that some one on board was the prompter, +who gloried in the evil that was being done to +the cause of Christ. He offered every possible assistance, +by testimony or otherwise, to place all the +facts before the Christian public and to vindicate out +Missionaries.</p> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[107]</span> +<p>The outstanding facts are best presented in the +following extract from the official report of the +Mission Synod:—</p> + +<p>“When the New Hebrides Missionaries were assembled +at their annual meeting on Aneityum, +H.M.S. <i>Curaçoa</i>, Sir Wm. Wiseman, Bart., C.B., +arrived in the harbour to investigate many grievances +of white men and trading vessels among the Islands. +A petition having been previously presented to the +Governor in Sydney, as drawn out by the Revs. +Messrs. Geddie and Copeland, after the murder of +Mr. and Mrs. Gordon on Erromanga, requesting an +investigation into the sad event, and the removal of a +Sandal-wood trader, a British subject, who had excited +the Natives to it,—the Missionaries gave the +Commodore a memorandum on the loss of life and +property that had been sustained by the Mission on +Tanna, Erromanga, and Efatè. He requested the +Missionaries to supply him with interpreters, and +requested the <i>Dayspring</i> to accompany him with +them. The request was at once acceded to. Mr. +Paton was appointed to act as interpreter for Tanna, +Mr. Gordon for Erromanga, and Mr. Morrison for +Efatè.</p> + +<p>“At each of these Islands, the Commodore summoned +the principal Chiefs near the harbours to +appear before him, and explained to them that his +visit was to inquire into the complaints British subjects +had made against them, and to see if they had +any against British subjects; and when he had found<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[108]</span> +out the truth he would punish those who had done +the wrong and protect those who had suffered wrong. +The Queen did not send him to compel them to become +Christians, or to punish them for not becoming +Christians. She left them to do as they liked in this +matter; but she was very angry at them because +they had encouraged her subjects to live amongst +them, sold them land and promised to protect them, +and afterwards murdered some of them and attempted +to murder others, and stolen and destroyed +their property; that the inhabitants of these islands +were talked of over the whole world for their +treachery, cruelty, and murders; and that the Queen +would no longer allow them to murder or injure her +subjects, who were living peaceably among them +either as Missionaries or Traders. She would send a +ship of war every year to inquire into their conduct, +and if any white man injured any Native they were +to tell the captain of the Man-of-war, and the white +man would be punished as fast as the black man.”</p> + +<p>After spending much time, and using peaceably +every means in his power in trying to get the guilty +parties on Tanna, and not succeeding, he shelled two +villages,—having the day before informed the natives +that he would do so, and advising to have all women, +children, and sick removed, which in fact they did. +He also sent a party on shore to destroy canoes, +houses, etc. The Tannese were astonished, beyond +all precedent, by the terrific display of destructive +power that was exhibited in the harbour. It was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[109]</span> +found impossible to reach the actual murderers; in +these circumstances the Commodore’s object was to +save life and limit himself to the destruction of property, +and so impress the Natives with some idea +of those tremendous powers of destruction, which lie +slumbering in a Man-of-war, and which can be +awakened and brought into action at any moment.</p> + +<p>On Erromanga no lives were lost. On Tanna one +man was wounded; but, it was reported, three persons +were afterwards killed by the bursting of a shell, +when the natives were stripping off its lead to make +balls. It is matter of deep regret that one man of +the party sent on shore was shot by a Native concealed +in a tree. Against orders he had wandered +from his party, and was in a plantation standing +eating a stick of sugar-cane when he was shot.</p> + +<p>As I had orders to act as interpreter for the Commodore +on Tanna, I will relate what happened there. +From day to day, for three continuous days, he besought +the Natives to comply with his wishes. He +warned them that if they did not, he would shell the +two villages of the Chief who murdered the last white +man at Port Resolution, and destroy his canoes. He +also explained to them, that all who retired to a +large bay in the land of Nowar, the Christian Chief +(if Christian he can be called), would be safe, as he +had protected white men from being murdered; and +now he would protect his property and all under his +care on this land. The whole of these inhabitants, +young and old, went to Nowar’s land and were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[110]</span> +safe, while they witnessed what a Man-of-war could +do in punishing murderers. But, before the hour +approached, multitudes of Tannese warriors had +assembled on the beach, painted and armed and +determined to fight the Man-of-war! When the +Commodore gave orders to prepare for action, I +approached him and said with tears,—</p> + +<p>“O Commodore, surely you are not going to shell +these poor and foolish Tannese!” Sharply, but not +unkindly, he replied,—</p> + +<p>“You are here as interpreter, not as my adviser. +I alone am responsible. You see their defiant attitude. +If I leave without punishing them now, no +vessel or white man will be safe at this harbour. You +can go on board your own ship, till I require your +services again.”</p> + +<p>Indeed he had many counts against them, and his +instructions were explicit. Shortly before that, +Nouka, the Chief of one of the villages, had murdered +a trader with a bar of iron, and another was murdered +at his instigation. Miaki, the Chief of another, had +for many years been ringleader of all mischief and +murder on that side of the island. The Chief of a +village on the other side of the bay was at that +moment assembled with his men on the high ground +within our view, and dancing to a war song in +defiance!</p> + +<p>The Commodore caused a shell to strike the hill +and explode with terrific fury just underneath the +dancers. The earth and the bush were torn and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[111]</span> +thrown into the air above and around them; and +next moment the whole host were seen disappearing +over the brow of the hill. Two shots were sent over +the heads of the warriors on the shore, with terrific +noise and uproar; in an instant, every man was +making haste for Nowar’s land, the place of refuge. +The Commodore then shelled the villages, and destroyed +their property. Beyond what I have here +recorded, absolutely nothing was done.</p> + +<p>We return then for a moment to Sydney. The +public excitement made it impossible to open my +lips in the promotion of our Mission. The Revs. +Drs. Dunsmore Lang and Steel, along with Professor +Smith of the University, waited on the Commodore, +and got an independent version of the facts. They +then called a meeting on the affair by public advertisement. +Without being made acquainted with the +results of their investigations, I was called upon to +give my own account of the <i>Curaçoa’s</i> visit and of the +connection of the Missionaries therewith. They then +submitted the Commodore’s statement, given by +him in writing. He exonerated the Missionaries +from every shadow of blame and from all responsibility. +In the interests of mercy as well as justice, +and to save life, they had acted as his interpreters; +and there all that they had to do with the <i>Curaçoa</i> +began and ended. All this was published in the +Newspapers next day, along with the speeches of the +three deputies. The excitement began to subside. +But the poison had been lodged in many hearts,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[112]</span> +and the ejectment of it was a slow and difficult +process.</p> + +<p>The Presbytery of Sydney held a special meeting, +and I was summoned to appear before it. Dr. Geddie +of Aneityum was also present, being then in the +Colonies. Whether the tide of abuse had turned my +dear fellow-Missionary’s head, I cannot tell; but, on +being asked to make a statement, he condemned the +Missionaries for acting as interpreters, and wound up +with a dramatic exclamation that “rather than have +had anything to do with the <i>Curaçoa’s</i> visit he would +have had his hand burned off in the fire.”</p> + +<p>The Court applauded. The Moderator then said: +“Mr. Paton has heard the noble speech of Dr. Geddie. +Let him now solemnly promise that, under no circumstances, +will he have anything to do with a Man-of-war. +Then we may see our way again to stand by +him, and help him in his Mission.” And in this spirit, +he appealed to me.</p> + +<p>On rising, I explained that I appeared before them +only out of brotherly courtesy, as their Presbytery had +no jurisdiction over me, and I spoke to the following +effect:—</p> + +<p>“I am indeed a Missionary to the Heathen, but +also a British subject. I have never requested redress +from Man-of-war, or any civil power; but, like Paul, +I reserve my full rights, if need be, to appeal unto +Cæsar. If any member of this Presbytery has his +house robbed, as a good citizen he seeks redress and +protection. But on Tanna I lost my earthly all, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[113]</span> +sought no redress from man. The Tannese Chiefs, +indeed, who were friendly, sent a Petition by me to +the Governor of Sydney; which, however, was never +presented to him at all, fearing that thereby indirectly +I might bring punishment upon my poor deluded +Tannese. Others were more convinced as to the +path of duty, or less considerate of the Natives. Their +Petition I now take from my pocket and submit it +to you. It was presented to the Governor, Sir John +Young, after the death of the Gordons, and prayed +for a judicial investigation as to their murders. As +soon it was known of, a counter Petition in the +interests of the Traders was immediately got up and +signed by many of the great merchants of Sydney, +protesting against any such visit to the Islands by a +Man-of-war. This Petition, then, the original and +only one ever presented in favour of a visit from Her +Majesty’s Commodore, was drawn up and is signed—by +whom?”</p> + +<p>On Dr. Geddie acknowledging that he had written +and signed that Petition, but that it prayed only for +an <em>investigation</em>, I proceeded,—</p> + +<p>“Surely a judicial investigation like this implied all +the after consequences, if once undertaken! At any +rate, this is the <em>only</em> Petition sent from the Missionaries, +and it was sent unknown to me. Finally, I +must respectfully inform the Presbytery that I will +never make such a promise as the Moderator has +indicated. I shall remain free to act in humanity +and in justice as God and conscience guide me.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[114]</span> +I believe I saved both life and property by interpreting +for the Commodore, and making things +mutually intelligible to him and to the Natives. I +have done as clear a Christian duty as I ever did in +my life. I am not ashamed. I offer no apology. I do +not believe that in the long run, when all facts are +known, my conduct in this affair can possibly injure +either myself, or, what is more, the Name of my Lord.”</p> + +<p>Perhaps my words were not too conciliatory. But +excitement so blinded many friends, that I had to +fight as if at bay, or get no hearing and no justice. +The Presbytery hesitated, and closed without coming +to any resolution. All the members of it showed me +thereafter the same respect as ever before. It was +gratifying to learn in due course that all the Churches +supporting our Mission, after having independently +investigated into the facts, justified the course +adopted by us,—Nova Scotia alone excepted. Yet +two of her own Missionaries had also to interpret for +that Man-of-war, exactly as I had done, nor did I +ever hear that any rebuke was administered to them. +Feeling absolutely conscious that I had only done +my Christian duty, I left all results in the hands of my +Lord Jesus, and pressed forward in His blessed work.</p> + +<p>More than one dear personal friend had to be +sacrificed over this painful affair. A Presbyterian +Minister, and a godly elder and his wife, all most +excellent and well-beloved, at whose houses I had +been received as a brother, intimated to me that owing +to this case of the <i>Curaçoa</i> their friendship and mine<span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[115]</span> +must entirely cease in this world. And it did cease; +but my esteem never changed. I had learned not to +think unkindly of friends, even when they manifestly +misunderstood my actions. Nor would these things +merit being recorded here, were it not that they may +be at once a beacon and a guide. God’s people are +still belied. And the multitude are still as ready as +ever to cry, “Crucify! Crucify!”</p> + +<p>The scheme for meeting the yearly cost of the +<i>Dayspring</i>, that had already been tentatively set +a-going, had now to be matured and permanently +organized. In this my dear friend Dr. J. Dunsmore +Lang, well acquainted with the resources of all the +Churches, was our judicious counsellor. We proposed +that Victoria should raise £500; New South +Wales and New Zealand, £200 each; Tasmania, +Queensland, and South Australia, £100 each, and +£250 each from Novia Scotia and Scotland. Tasmania, +South Australia, and Queensland fell a little +short of their proportion; Sydney, Scotland, and +Novia Scotia met their claims; and Victoria and +New Zealand exceeded them, and made up for +deficiency in others. This has ever since been done +in great measure, though not exclusively, by the +Sabbath Scholars of the Churches, through their +<i>Dayspring</i> “Mission-boxes.” In organizing and +maturing this scheme, I visited and addressed almost +every Presbyterian Congregation and Sabbath +School in New South Wales and Victoria, South +Australia and Tasmania; and Ministers and Superintendents,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[116]</span> +with scarcely an exception, came to be +bound together in a true federal union in support +of our Mission and our Ship.</p> + +<p>For the first three years, when everything was new, +the <i>Dayspring</i> cost us about £1,400 per annum; but +since then she has cost on an average little short of +£2,000 over all. There has too often been a floating +debt of £300 or more, which has given us great +anxiety; but the Lord has sent what was required, +and enabled us to keep her sailing with the Gospel +and His servants amongst these Islands, free of any +actual burden,—His own pure messenger of Good +Tidings, unstained with the polluting and bloody +associations of the foul-winged trading Ships!</p> + +<p>Another fiery furnace awaited me on this tour, +when I reached Geelong. One of the prominent +Ministers refused to shake hands. An agent of the +London Missionary Society had informed them “that +the £3,000 paid for the <i>Dayspring</i> had been thrown +away, that the Vessel was useless, fitted only for +carrying stores, and having no <ins class="corr" id="TN-5" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: accomodation">accommodation</ins> for passengers; +and that on her second trip to the Islands +our Missionaries had to wait and go down by the +<i>John Williams</i>.” It was an abiding sorrow to me, +that local misrepresentations gave the Societies an +appearance of conflict, whereof the parent organizations +knew nothing whatever. But, for all the +interests at stake, facts <em>had</em> to be made known. +Several Congregations had resolved to withdraw +from the support of our Mission; and several<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[117]</span> +Ministers at Ballarat, and elsewhere, were by similar +accounts prejudiced against us.</p> + +<p>I demanded an opportunity of stating the facts, +and vindicating myself and others, in a public +meeting duly called for the purpose. They at once +agreed. I wrote once and a second time to the +Agent, but got no answer, only an evasive note. +I went by rail and saw him. He would give no explanation, +or authority for his statements, but practically +put me out, on a pretence of there being sickness +at the house. Nevertheless, in a spirit of determined +brotherhood, I resolved only to explain facts about +the <i>Dayspring</i>, and not to drag in the name of that +great sister Society which he so poorly served.</p> + +<p>There was a crowded meeting. The Minister who +refused to shake hands was voted to the chair. I +was called upon to explain my position. By this +time I had communicated with the <i>Dayspring</i> officials, +and, producing the log-book, I read from it, +regarding the voyage referred to, the following:—</p> + +<p>“When the <i>Dayspring</i> sailed from Sydney for +the Islands, she had as passengers on board, Rev. +Mr. Paton, Mrs. Paton, and child, Rev. Mr. McNair +and Mrs. McNair, Rev. Mr. Niven and Mrs. Niven, +Mrs. Ella and child, of the London Missionary +Society, Captain Fraser, Mrs. Fraser, child, and servant, +besides all the year’s Mission supplies for both +the New Hebrides and the Loyalty Islands. And +on reaching these Islands, as the French Government +had ordered the removal of all the Eastern Teachers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[118]</span> +of the London Missionary Society from that group, +the <i>Dayspring</i> had to undertake an unexpected +voyage of three months from the Loyalties to Samoa, +Rarotonga, etc., with Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Sleigh of the +London Missionary Society, and sixty-one of their +Native Teachers, who, along with their families, were +all in health landed safely on their respective islands, +as passengers by the <i>Dayspring</i>.”</p> + +<p>I also read a corroborative narrative from Captain +Fraser, written from memory, as he was at that time +far inland in the country, and had not access to the +records of his vessel. And my statement closed to +this effect,—</p> + +<p>“It must now be manifest to all, that the damaging +reports circulated in Geelong are more than replied +to. By the Captain, and from the log, they are +proved to be false, both as to capacity for goods and +passengers. At present the <i>Dayspring</i> is everything +that could be desired for the furtherance of our Mission. +If <em>you</em> are satisfied, I wish to leave this painful +subject, and proceed with my proper work. But I am +prepared to answer any question from the Chairman +or the meeting, and to give the fullest information.”</p> + +<p>The round of applause that followed was my complete +vindication. The Chairman gave me his hand, +and pledged his utmost support. He proposed the +following resolution, which was carried with acclamation,—</p> + +<p>“That this meeting, having heard Mr. Paton with +satisfaction, pledges the Churches, Sabbath Schools,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[119]</span> +and friends in Geelong, henceforth to support the <i>Dayspring</i> +and the New Hebrides Mission to the utmost +of their power, and to receive and encourage him as +much as ever in his work on behalf of the Mission.”</p> + +<p>The special object of my visit was then explained, +and several Ministers and others spoke heartily in +furtherance of the proposals for the permanent support +of the <i>Dayspring</i> through the Sabbath Schools.</p> + +<p>All battles through mere misunderstandings are +painful, but especially those amongst Christian +brethren. Still they had to be fought, never laying +aside the weapons of the Cross; and God has overruled +them for the promotion of His Kingdom in a +way which makes all Catholic-spirited followers of +the Lord Jesus equally rejoice.</p> + +<p>On this tour, in Victoria alone, I spent 250 days and +addressed 265 meetings, representing 180 Congregations +and their Sabbath Schools. The proportion +was on the same scale in the other Colonies visited. +And all these arrangements I had to make for myself, +by painful and laborious correspondence night +and day. But the Lord’s blessing was abundantly +vouchsafed. Victoria gave £1,954 19<i>s.</i> 3<i>d</i>; Tasmania, +£76 12<i>s.</i> 7<i>d.</i>; South Australia, £222 16<i>s.</i>; New +South Wales, £249; being a total of £2,503 7<i>s.</i> 10<i>d.</i>, +besides £220 in yearly donations of £5, promised +for the maintenance of the Native Teachers.</p> + +<p>In 1862 I appealed to the Victorian General Assembly +to take up the New Hebrides Mission as +their own. The appeal was followed by <ins id="TN-6" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: Rev. J">Rev. J.</ins><span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[120]</span> +Clark, Convener of Heathen Missions Committee in +1863, getting the Assembly to accept the proposal. +And in 1865 the Rev. Dr. A. J. Campbell carried our +scheme, and the Assembly pledged itself to give +£500 per annum for the support of the <i>Dayspring</i>, +from the offerings of the Sabbath Schools. New +Zealand and other Colonies soon followed Victoria’s +example, until all were pledged to uphold the New +Hebrides Mission. For my dear friend and old +College companion, Rev. Joseph Copeland, had +visited at the same time Queensland and New +Zealand, and had received from them respectively +£101 2<i>s.</i> 4<i>d.</i> and £580; so that all the Churches +adopted our scheme for the permanent support of +the <i>Dayspring</i>; and the Mission fund had now a fair +balance on the right side.</p> + +<p>At the General Assembly of the Presbyterian +Church of Victoria in 1866, I was adopted—being +officially transferred from the Church in Scotland—as +the first Missionary from the Presbyterian Churches +of Australia to the New Hebrides. Dr. Geddie +would also have been adopted at the same time, but +Novia Scotia could not agree to part with its first +and most highly-honoured Missionary. The Victorian +Church therefore engaged the Rev. James +Cosh, M.A., on his way out from Scotland, as its +other agent, in the hope that we two might be able +to re-open and carry on the Tanna Mission. In their +<cite>Christian Review</cite> of 1867, they said:—</p> + +<p>“The idea which we in Victoria had, when the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[121]</span> +Missionaries left us in July last was, that Messrs. +Paton and Cosh would be associated on Tanna, and +labour for its evangelization, under the special +auspices as well as at the cost of the Presbyterian +Church of Victoria; but Mr. Cosh, having chosen +the station at Pango on Efatè, where the Natives +were more prepared for the Gospel, and where life +and property were safe, went to spend a year’s +novitiateship with Mr. and Mrs. Morrison on Efatè. +Mr. Paton would have fain gone back to Tanna, but +the Missionaries generally feared that no one European +life would have been safe at the time on Tanna. +They therefore, and no doubt wisely, sent Mr. Paton +to the small and less savage, but not less Heathen, +Island of Aniwa.”</p> + +<p>It was indeed one of the bitterest trials of my life, +not to be able to return and settle down at once on +dear old Tanna; but I could not go alone, against +the decided opposition of all the other Missionaries—Dr. +Inglis, however, at last sympathizing most strongly +with my views. I went, as will appear hereafter, to +Aniwa, the nearest island to the scene of my former +woes and perils, in the hope that God would soon +open up my way and enable me to return to blood-stained +Tanna.</p> + +<p>My heart bleeds for the Heathen, and I long to +see a Teacher for every tribe and a Missionary for +every island of the New Hebrides. The hope still +burns that I may witness it; and then I could gladly +rest.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[122]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.<br><br> + +<i class="center fs80">SETTLEMENT ON ANIWA.</i></h2> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>The <i>John Williams</i> on the Reef.—A Native’s Soliloquy.—Nowar +Pleading for Tanna.—The White Shells of Nowar.—The +Island of Aniwa.—First Landing on Aniwa.—The +Site of our New Home.—“Me no Steal!”—House Building +for God.—Native Expectations.—Tafigeitu or Sorcery.—The +Miracle of Speaking Wood.—Perils through Superstition.—The +Mission Premises.—A City of God.—Builders +and their Wages.—Great Swimming Feat.—Stronger than +the “Gods” of Aniwa.</p> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">Everything being now arranged for in the +Colonies, in connection with the Mission and +<i>Dayspring</i>, as far as could possibly be, we sailed for +the Islands on the 8th August, 1866. Besides my +wife and child, the following accompanied us to the +field: Revs. Copeland, Cosh, and McNair, along +with their respective wives. On August 20th we +reached Aneityum; and, having landed some of our +friends, we sailed Northwards, as far as Efatè, to +let the new Missionaries see all the Islands open for +occupation, and to bring all our Missionaries back to +the annual meeting, where the permanent settlements +would be finally agreed upon.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[123]</span></p> + +<p>On our return, we found that the beautiful new +<i>John Williams</i>, reaching Aneityum on 5th of September, +had stuck fast on the coral reef and swung +there for three days. By the unceasing efforts of +the Natives, working in hundreds, she was saved, +though badly damaged. At a united meeting of all +the Missionaries, representing the London Missionary +Society and our own, it was resolved that she +must be taken to Sydney for repairs. Twenty stout +Aneityumese were placed on board to keep her +pumps going by day and night, and the <i>Dayspring</i> +was sent to keep her company in case of any dire +emergency. Missionaries were waiting to be settled, +and the season was stealing away. But the cause +of humanity and the claims of a sister Mission were +paramount. We remained at Aneityum for five +weeks, and awaited the return of the <i>Dayspring</i>.</p> + +<p>At our annual Synod, after much prayerful +deliberation and the careful weighing of every vital +circumstance, I was constrained by the united voice +of my brethren not to return to Tanna, but to settle +on the adjoining island of Aniwa (= A-neé-wa). It +was even hoped that thereby Tanna might eventually +be the more surely reached and evangelized.</p> + +<p>By the new Missionaries all the other old Stations +were re-occupied and some fresh Islands were entered +upon in the name of Jesus. As we moved about +with our <i>Dayspring</i>, and planted the Missionaries +here and there, nothing could repress the wonder of +Natives.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[124]</span></p> + +<p>“How is this?” they cried; “we slew or drove +them all away! We plundered their houses and +robbed them. Had we been so treated, nothing +would have made us return. But they come back +with a beautiful new ship, and with more and more +Missionaries. And is it to trade and to get money, +like the other white men? No! no! But to tell +us of their Jehovah God and of His Son Jesus. If +their God makes them do all that, we may well +worship Him too.”</p> + +<p>In this way, island after island was opened up to +receive the Missionary, and their Chiefs bound themselves +to protect and cherish him, before they knew +anything whatever of the Gospel, beyond what they +saw in the disposition and character of its Preachers +or heard rumoured regarding its fruits on other +Islands. Even <em>Cannibals</em> have sometimes been found +thus prepared to welcome the Missionary, and to +make not only his property but his life comparatively +safe. The Isles “wait” for Christ.</p> + +<p>On our way to Aniwa, the <i>Dayspring</i> had to call +at Tanna. By stress of weather we lay several days +in Port Resolution. And there many memories +were again revived—wounds that after five-and-twenty +years, when I now write, still bleed afresh! +Nowar, the old Chief, unstable but friendly, was +determined to keep us there by force or by fraud. +The Captain told him that the council of the +Missionaries had forbidden him to land our boxes +at Tanna.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[125]</span></p> + +<p>“Don’t land them,” said the wily Chief; “just +throw them over; my men and I will catch everything +before it reaches the water, and carry them all +safely ashore!”</p> + +<p>The Captain said he durst not. “Then,” persisted +Nowar, “just point them out to us; you will have +no further trouble; we will manage everything for +Missi.”</p> + +<p>They were in distress when he refused; and poor +old Nowar tried another tack. Suspecting that my +dear wife was afraid of them, he got us on shore to +see his extensive plantations. Turning eagerly to +her, he said, leaving me to interpret,—</p> + +<p>“Plenty of food! While I have a yam or a +banana, you shall not want.”</p> + +<p>She answered, “I fear not any lack of food.”</p> + +<p>Pointing to his warriors, he cried, “We are many! +We are strong! We can always protect you.”</p> + +<p>“I am not afraid,” she calmly replied.</p> + +<p>He then led us to that fig-tree, in the branches of +which I had sat during a lonely and memorable +night, when all hope had perished of any earthly +deliverance, and said to her with a manifest touch of +genuine emotion,—</p> + +<p>“The God who protected Missi there will always +protect you.”</p> + +<p>She told him that she had no fear of that kind, +but explained to him that we must for the present +go to Aniwa, but would return to Tanna, if the +Lord opened up our way. Nowar, Arkurat, and the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[126]</span> +rest, seemed to be genuinely grieved, and it touched +my soul to the quick.</p> + +<p>A beautiful incident was the outcome, as we +learned only in long after years. There was at that +time an Aniwan Chief on Tanna, visiting friends. +He was one of their great Sacred Men. He and +his people had been promised a passage home in the +<i>Dayspring</i>, with their canoes in tow. When old +Nowar saw that he could not keep us with himself, +he went to this Aniwan Chief, and took the white +shells, the insignia of Chieftainship, from his own +arm, and bound them on the Sacred Man, saying,—</p> + +<p>“By these you promise to protect my Missionary +and his wife and child on Aniwa. Let no evil befall +them; or, by this pledge, I and my people will +revenge it.”</p> + +<p>In a future crisis, this probably saved our lives, +as shall be afterwards related. After all, a bit of +the Christ-Spirit had found its way into that old +Cannibal’s soul! And the same Christ-Spirit in me +yearned more strongly still, and made it a positive +pain to pass on to another Island, and leave him in +that dim-groping twilight of the soul.</p> + +<p>Aniwa became my Mission Home in November, +1866; and ever since, save on my, alas! too frequent +deputation pilgrimages among Churches in Great +Britain and in the Colonies, it has been the heart +and centre of my personal labours amongst the +Heathen. God never guided me back to Tanna; +but others, my dear friends, have seen His Kingdom<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[127]</span> +planted and beginning to grow amongst that slowly +relenting race. Aniwa was to be the land wherein my +past years of toil and patience and faith were to see +their fruits ripening at length. I claimed Aniwa for +Jesus, and by the Grace of God Aniwa now worships +at the Saviour’s feet.</p> + +<p>The Island of Aniwa is one of the smaller isles of +the New Hebrides. It measures about nine miles by +three and a half, and is everywhere girt round with +a belt of coral reef. The sea breaks thereon heavily, +with thundering roar, and the white surf rolls in +furious and far. But there are days of calm, when +all the sea is glass, and the spray on the reef is only +a fringe of silver.</p> + +<p>The ledges of coral rock indicate that Aniwa +has been heaved up from its ocean bed, at three or +four separate bursts of mighty volcanic power. No +stone or other rock anywhere appears, but only and +always the coral, in its beautiful and mysterious +variety. The highest land is less than three hundred +feet above the level of the sea; and though the soil +is generally light, there are patches good and deep, +mostly towards the southern end of the island, and +near the crater of an extinct volcano, where excellent +plantations are found, and which, if carefully cultivated, +might support ten times the present population.</p> + +<p>Aniwa, having no hills to attract and condense the +clouds, suffers badly for lack of genial rains; and +the heavy rains of hurricane and tempest seem to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[128]</span> +disappear as if by magic through the light soil and +porous rock. The moist atmosphere and the heavy +dews, however, keep the Island covered with green, +while large and fruitful trees draw wondrous nourishment +from their rocky beds. The Natives suffer +from a species of Elephantiasis, in all probability +produced by their bad drinking waters, and from the +hot and humid climate of their isle.</p> + +<p>Aniwa has no harbour, or safe anchorage of any +kind for ships; though, in certain winds, they have +been seen at anchor on the outer edge of the reef, +always a perilous haven! There is one crack in the +coral belt, through which a boat can safely run to +shore; but the little wharf, built there of the largest +coral blocks that could be rolled together, has been +once and again swept clean off by the hurricane, +leaving “not a wrack behind.”</p> + +<p>I had had a glimpse of Aniwa before, in the <i>John +Knox</i>, when Mr. Johnston accompanied me; and +again with my dear friend Gordon, who was murdered +on Erromanga; besides, I had seen Aniwans in +their canoes at Tanna in search of food. They had +pleaded with us to remain amongst them, arguing +against there being two Missionaries on Tanna and +none on Aniwa. Their “orator,” a very subtle man, +who spoke Tannese well, informed us that the white +Traders told them that if they killed or drove away +the Missionaries they would get plenty of ammunition +and tobacco. This was why our life had been +so often attempted. Beyond this all was strange.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[129]</span> +Everything had to be learned afresh on Aniwa, as on +Tanna.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_c128b" style="max-width: 50em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_c128b.jpg" alt="Two people seated with an audience watching through a doorway."> + <figcaption class="caption"><p>“ALL THE NATIVES WITHIN REACH ASSEMBLED.”</p></figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>When we landed, the Natives received us kindly. +They and the Aneityumese Teachers led us to a +temporary home, prepared for our abode. It was a +large Native Hut. Walls and roof consisted of +sugar-cane leaf and reeds, intertwisted on a strong +wooden frame. It had neither doors nor windows, +but open spaces instead of these. The earthen +floor alone looked beautiful, covered thick with white +coral broken small. It had only one Apartment; and +that, meantime, had to serve also for Church and +School and Public Hall. We screened off a little +portion, and behind that screen planted our bed, +and stored our valuables. All the Natives within +reach assembled to watch us taking our food! A +box at first served for a chair, the lid of another +box was our table, our cooking was all done in the +open air under a large tree, and we got along with +amazing comfort. But the house was under the +shelter of a coral rock, and we saw at a glance that +at certain seasons it would prove a very hotbed of +fever and ague. We were, however, only too thankful +to enter it, till a better could be built, and on a +breezier site.</p> + +<p>The Aniwans were not so violently dishonourable +as the Tannese. But they had the knack of asking +in a rather menacing manner whatever they coveted; +and the tomahawk was sometimes swung to enforce +an appeal. For losses and annoyance, we had of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[130]</span> +course no redress. But we tried to keep things +well out of their way, knowing that the opportunity +there, as elsewhere, sometimes develops the +thief. We strove to get along quietly and kindly, +in the hope that when we knew their language, and +could teach them the principles of Jesus, they would +be saved, and life and property would be secure. +But the rumour of the <i>Curaçoa’s</i> visit and her punishment +of murder and robbery did more, by God’s +blessing, to protect us during those Heathen days +than all other influences combined. The savage +Cannibal was heard to whisper to his bloodthirsty +mates, “not to murder or to steal, for the Man-of-war +that punished Tanna would blow up their little +Island!”</p> + +<p>Sorrowful experience on Tanna had taught us to +seek the site for our Aniwan house on the highest +ground, and away from the malarial swamps near +the shore. There was one charming mound, covered +with trees whose roots ran down into the crevices of +coral, and from which Tanna and Erromanga are +clearly seen. But there the Natives for some superstitious +reason forbade us to build, and we were +constrained to take another rising-ground somewhat +nearer the shore. In the end, this turned out to be +the very best site on the Island for us, central and +suitable every way. But we afterwards learned that +perhaps superstition also led them to sell us this +site, in the malicious hope that it would prove our +ruin. The mounds on the top, which had to be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[131]</span> +cleared away, contained the bones and refuse of their +Cannibal feasts for ages. None but their Sacred +Men durst touch them; and the Natives watched us +hewing and digging, certain that their gods would +strike us dead! That failing, their thoughts may +probably have been turned to reflect that after all +the Jehovah God was stronger than they. In levelling +the site, and gently sloping the sides of the +ground for good drainage purposes, I had gathered +together two large baskets of human bones. I said +to a Chief in Tannese,—</p> + +<p>“How do these bones come to be here?”</p> + +<p>And he replied, with a shrug worthy of a cynical +Frenchman,—</p> + +<p>“Ah, we are not Tanna men! We don’t eat the +bones!”</p> + +<p>While I was away building the house, Mrs. Paton +had one dreadful fright. She generally remained +about half a mile off, in charge of the Native hut in +which our property had been stored, with one or +two of the friendly Natives around her, though as yet +she could not speak their language. One day she sat +alone, the baby playing at her feet. A rustling commenced +amongst the boxes behind the curtain. She +had been there all the morning, and no one had +entered. Horror-smitten, her eyes were fastened +towards the noise. Suddenly, the blanket-screen +was thrown aside, and a black face, with blood-red +eyes and milk-white teeth peered out, and cried in +broken English,—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[132]</span></p> + +<p>“Me no steal! Me no steal!”</p> + +<p>Then, with a bound like that of a deer, the man +sprang out and ran for the village. My dear wife, +fearing his sudden return, snatched up her child and +rushed to the place where I was working, never feeling +the ground beneath her till she sank down almost +fainting at my feet. Thanking God for her escape, +we thought it wiser to remain where we were and +finish our task for the day. We learned that, since +we did not return, his wrath had cooled down and +he had withdrawn. This man was a sort of wild +beast in his passionate moods. His body became +convulsed and his muscles twitched with rage. He +had lately murdered a neighbour, a man of his own +tribe, in his frenzy. We believe that the Lord +baffled his rage on that memorable day, and said to +his tumultuous soul,—“Peace! be still.”</p> + +<p>The site being now cleared, we questioned whether +to build only a temporary home, hoping to return to +dear old Tanna as soon as possible, or, though the +labour would be vastly greater, a substantial house—for +the comfort of our successors, if <ins id="TN-7" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: not of ourselves">not of ourselves.</ins> +We decided that, as this was work for God, we would +make it the very best we could. We planned two +central rooms, sixteen feet by sixteen, with a five-feet +wide lobby between, so that other rooms could +be added when required. About a quarter of a mile +from the sea, and thirty-five feet above its level, I +laid the foundations of the house. Coral blocks +raised the wall about three feet high all round. Air<span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[133]</span> +passages carried sweeping currents underneath each +room, and greatly lessened the risk of fever and ague. +A wide trench was dug all round, and filled up as a +drain with broken coral. At back and front, the +verandah stretched five feet wide; and pantry, bath-room +and tool-house were partitioned off under the +verandah behind. The windows sent to me had +hinges; I added two feet to each, with wood from +Mission boxes, and made them French door-windows, +opening from each room to the verandah. And so +we had, by God’s blessing, a healthy spot to live in, +if not exactly a thing of beauty!</p> + +<p>The Mission House, as ultimately finished, had six +rooms, three on each side of the lobby, and measured +ninety feet in length, surrounded by a verandah, one +hundred feet by five, which kept everything shaded +and cool. Underneath two rooms, a cellar was dug +eight feet deep, and shelved all round for a store. +In more than one terrific hurricane that cellar saved +our lives,—all crushing into it when trees and houses +were being tossed like feathers on the wings of the +wind. Altogether, the house at Aniwa has proved +one of the healthiest and most commodious of any +that have been planted by Christian hands on the +New Hebrides. In selecting site and in building +“the good hand of our God was upon us for good.”</p> + +<p>I built also two Orphanages, almost as inevitably +necessary as the Missionary’s own house. They stood +on a line with the front of my own dwelling, one for +girls, the other for boys, and we had them constantly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[134]</span> +under our own eyes. The Orphans were practically +boarded at the Mission premises, and adopted by the +Missionaries. Their clothing was a heavy drain upon +our resources; and every odd and curious article that +came in any of the boxes or parcels was utilized. We +trained these young people for Jesus. And at this +day many of the best of our Native Teachers, and +most devoted Christian helpers, are amongst those +who would probably have perished but for these +Orphanages.</p> + +<p>A grievous accident deprived me of special help in +house-building. I cut my ankle badly with an adze, +as I had done before on Tanna, through a knot in the +tree. Binding my handkerchief tightly round it, I +appealed to the Natives to carry me back to our hut. +They stipulated for payment. My vest pocket being +filled with fish-hooks, a current coin on all these +Islands, I got a fellow to understand the bribe. He +carried me a little, got some hooks, and then called +another, who did the same, and then called a third, +and so on, each man earning his hooks, and passing +on the burden and the pay to another, while I suffered +terribly and bled profusely. Being my own doctor, +I dressed the wound for weeks, kept it constantly in +cold water bandages, and by the kindness of the Lord +it recovered, though it left me lame for many a day.</p> + +<p>But the greatest sorrow was this: the good and +kind Aneityumese, who had been hired to come and +help me with all the unskilled parts of the labour, +could do nothing without me, and when the <i>Dayspring</i><span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[135]</span> +came round at the appointed time I had to pay them +in full and let them return, deprived of their valuable +aid. Even to keep them in food would have exhausted +our limited stores, and some months must +elapse before our next supplies could arrive from +Sydney.</p> + +<p>The Aniwans themselves could scarcely be induced +to work at all, even for payment. Their personal +wants were few, and were supplied by their own +plantations. They replied to my appeals with all the +unction of philosophers, and told me,—</p> + +<p>“The conduct of the men of Aniwa is to stand by, +or sit and look on, while their women do the work!”</p> + +<p>On Aniwa we soon found ourselves face to face +with blank Heathenism. The natives at first expected +that the Missionary’s <i>Biritania tavai</i> (= British +Medicine) would cure at once all their complaints. +Disappointment led to resentment in their ignorant +and childish minds. They also expected to get for +the asking, or for any trifle, an endless supply of +knives, calico, fish-hooks, blankets, etc. Every refusal +irritated them. Again, our Medicines relieved or +cured them, so they blamed us also for their diseases,—all +their Sacred Men not only curing but also +<em>causing</em> sickness. Further, they generally came to +us only after exhausting every resource of their own +witchcraft and superstition, and when it was probably +too late. I had often to taste the Medicine in their +sight before the sufferers would touch it; and if one +dose did not cure them, it was almost impossible to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[136]</span> +get them to persevere. But time taught them its +value, and the yearly expenditure for Medicine soon +became a very heavy tax on our modest salary.</p> + +<p>Still we set our bell a-ringing every day after dinner—intimating +our readiness to give advice or medicine +to all who were sick. We spoke to them, so +soon as we had learned, a few words about Jesus. +The weak received a cup of tea and a piece of bread. +The demand was sometimes great, especially when +epidemics befell them. But some rather fled from us +as the cause of their sickness, and sought refuge from +our presence in remotest corners, or rushed off at our +approach and concealed themselves in the bush. +They were but children, and full of superstition; and +we had to win them by kindly patience, never losing +faith in them and hope for them, any more than the +Lord did with us!</p> + +<p>As on Tanna, all sicknesses and deaths were supposed +to be caused by sorcery, there called <i>Nahak</i>, +on Aniwa called <i>Tafigeitu</i>. Some Sacred Man burned +the remains of food such as the skin of a banana, or a +hair from the head, or something that the person had +even touched, and he was the disease-maker. Hence +they were kept in a state of constant terror, and +breathed the very atmosphere of revenge. When +one became sick, all the people of his village met day +after day, and made long speeches and tried to find +out the enemy who was causing it. Having fixed on +some one, they first sent presents of mats, baskets, +and food to the supposed disease-makers; if the person<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[137]</span> +recovered, they took credit for it; if the person +died, his friends sought revenge on the supposed +murderers. And such revenge took a wide sweep, +satisfying itself with the suspected enemy, or any of +his family, or of his village, or even of his tribe. Thus +endless bloodshed and unceasing intertribal wars +kept the people from one end of the Island to the +other in one long-drawn broil and turmoil.</p> + +<p>Learning the language on Aniwa was marked by +similar incidents to those of Tanna, related in Part +First; though a few of them could understand my +Tannese, and that greatly helped me. One day a +man, after carefully examining some article, turned +to his neighbour and said,—</p> + +<p>“Taha tinei?”</p> + +<p>I inferred that he was asking, “What is this?”</p> + +<p>Pointing to another article, I repeated their words; +they smiled at each other, and gave me its name. +On another occasion, a man said to his companion, +looking towards me,—</p> + +<p>“Taha neigo?”</p> + +<p>Concluding that he was asking my name, I pointed +towards him, and repeated the words, and they at +once gave me their names. Readers would be surprised +to discover how much you can readily learn of +any language, with these two short questions constantly +on your lips, and with people ready at every +turn to answer—“What’s this?” “What’s your +name?” Every word was at once written down, +spelled phonetically and arranged in alphabetic<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[138]</span> +order, and a note appended as to the circumstances +in which it was used. By frequent comparison of +these notes, and by careful daily and even hourly +imitation of all their sounds, we were able in a measure +to understand each other before we had gone far +in the house-building operations, during which some +of them were constantly beside me.</p> + +<p>One incident of that time was very memorable, +and God turned it to good account for higher ends. +I often tell it as “the miracle of the speaking bit of +wood;” and it has happened to other Missionaries +exactly as to myself. While working at the house, +I required some nails and tools. Lifting a piece of +planed wood, I pencilled a few words on it, and requested +our old Chief to carry it to Mrs. Paton, and +she would send what I wanted. In blank wonder, he +innocently stared at me, and said,—</p> + +<p>“But what do you want?”</p> + +<p>I replied, “The wood will tell her.” He looked +rather angry, thinking that I befooled him, and +retorted,—</p> + +<p>“Who ever heard of wood speaking?”</p> + +<p>By hard pleading I succeeded in persuading him +to go. He was amazed to see her looking at the +wood and then fetching the needed articles. He +brought back the bit of wood, and eagerly made +signs for an explanation. Chiefly in broken Tannese +I read to him the words, and informed him that in +the same way God spoke to us through His Book. +The will of God was written there, and by-and-bye,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[139]</span> +when he learned to read, he would hear God <em>speaking</em> +to him from its page, as Mrs. Paton heard me from +the bit of wood.</p> + +<p>A great desire was thus awakened in the poor +man’s soul to see the very Word of God printed in +his own language. He helped me to learn words and +master ideas with growing enthusiasm. And when +my work of translating portions of Holy Scripture +began, his delight was unbounded and his help invaluable. +The miracle of a speaking page was not +less wonderful than that of speaking wood!</p> + +<p>One day, while building the house, an old Inland +Chief and his three sons came to see us. Everything +was to them full of wonder. After returning home +one of the sons fell sick, and the father at once +blamed us and the Worship, declaring that if the lad +died we all should be murdered in revenge. By +God’s blessing, and by our careful nursing and suitable +medicine, he recovered and was spared. The +old Chief superstitiously wheeled round almost to +another extreme. He became not only friendly, but +devoted to us. He attended the Sabbath Services, +and listened to the Aneityumese Teachers, and to my +first attempts, partly in Tannese, translated by the +orator Taia or the chief Namakei, and explained in +our hearing to the people in their mother tongue.</p> + +<p>But, on the heels of this, another calamity overtook +us. So soon as two rooms of the Mission House +were roofed in, I hired the stoutest of the young men +to carry our boxes thither. Two of them started off<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[140]</span> +with a heavy box suspended on a pole from shoulder +to shoulder, their usual custom. They were shortly +after attacked with vomiting of blood; and one of +them actually died, an Erromangan. The father of +the other swore that, if his son did not get better, +every soul at the Mission House should be slain in +revenge. But God mercifully restored him.</p> + +<p>As the boat-landing was nearly three-quarters of a +mile distant, and such a calamity recurring would be +not only sorrowful in itself but perilous in the extreme +for us all, I steeped my wits, and, with such +crude materials as were at hand, I manufactured not +only a hand-barrow, but a wheel-barrow, for the pressing +emergencies of the time. In due course, I procured +a more orthodox hand-cart from the Colonies, +and coaxed and bribed the Natives to assist me in +making a road for it. Perhaps the ghost of <i>Macadam</i> +would shudder at the appearance of that road, but it +has proved immensely useful ever since.</p> + +<p>Our Mission House was once and again threatened +with fire, and we ourselves with musket, before its +completion. The threats to set fire to our premises +stirred up Namakei, however, to befriend us; and we +learned that he and his people had us under a guard +by night and by day. But a savage Erromangan +lurked about for ten days, watching for us with +tomahawk and musket, and we knew that our peril +was extreme. Looking up to God for protection, I +went on with my daily toils, having a small American +tomahawk beside me, and showing no fear. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[141]</span> +main thing was to take every precaution against surprise, +for these murderers are all cowards, and will +attempt nothing when observed. I sent for the old +Chief, whose guest the Erromangan was, and warned +him that God would hold him guilty too if our blood +was shed.</p> + +<p>“Missi,” he warmly replied, “I knew not, I knew +not! But by the first favourable wind he shall go, +and you will see him no more.”</p> + +<p>He kept his word, and we were rescued from the +enemy and the avenger.</p> + +<p>The site was excellent and very suitable for our +Mission Station. The ground sloped away nearly all +round us, and the pathway up to it was adorned on +each side with beautiful crotons and island plants, +and behind these a row of orange trees. A cocoa-nut +grove skirted the shore for nearly three miles, and +shaded the principal public road. Near our premises +were many leafy chestnuts and wide-spreading bread-fruit +trees. When, in the course of years, everything +had been completed to our taste, we lived practically +in the midst of a beautiful Village,—the Church, the +School, the Orphanage, the Smithy and Joiner’s +Shop, the Printing Office, the Banana and Yam +House, the Cook House, etc.; all very humble indeed, +but all standing sturdily up there among the +orange trees, and preaching the Gospel of a higher +civilization and of a better life for Aniwa. The little +road leading to each door was laid with the white +coral broken small. The fence around all shone<span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[142]</span> +fresh and clean with new paint. Order and taste +were seen to be laws in the white man’s New Life; +and several of the Natives began diligently to follow +our example.</p> + +<p>Many and strange were the arts which I had to try +to practise, such as handling the adze, the mysteries +of tenon and mortise, and other feats of skill. If a +Native wanted a fish-hook, or a piece of red calico to +bind his long whip-cord hair, he would carry me a +block of coral or fetch me a beam; but continuous +daily toil seemed to him a mean existence. The +women were tempted, by calico and beads for pay, +to assist in preparing the sugar-cane leaf for thatch, +gathering it in the plantations, and tying it over reeds +four or six feet long with strips of bark or pandanus +leaf, leaving a long fringe hanging over on one side. +How differently they acted when the Gospel began +to touch their hearts! They built their Church and +their School then, by their own free toil, rejoicing to +labour without money or price; and they have ever +since kept them in good repair, for the service of the +Lord, by their voluntary offerings of wood and sugar-cane +leaf and coral-lime.</p> + +<p>The roof was firmly tied on and nailed; thereon +were laid the reeds, fringed with sugar-cane leaf, row +after row tied firmly to the wood; the ridge was +bound down by cocoa-nut leaves, dexterously plaited +from side to side and skewered to the ridge pole +with hard wooden pins; and over all, a fresh storm-roof +was laid on yearly for the hurricane months,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[143]</span> +composed of folded cocoa-nut leaves, held down with +planks of wood, and bound to the frame-work below,—which, +however, had to be removed again in April +to save the sugar-cane leaf from rotting beneath it. +There you were snugly covered in, and your thatching +good to last from eight years to ten; that is, provided +you were not caught in the sweep of the hurricane, +before which trees went flying like straws, huts +disappeared like autumn leaves, and your Mission +House, if left standing at all, was probably swept +bare alike of roof and thatch at a single stroke! Well +for you at such times if you have a good barometer +indicating the approach of the storm; and better +still, a large cellar like ours, four-and-twenty feet by +sixteen, built round with solid coral blocks,—where +goods may be stored, and whereinto also all your +household may creep for safety, while the tornado +tosses your dwelling about, and sets huge trees dancing +around you!</p> + +<p>We had also to invent a lime kiln, and this proved +one of the hardest nuts of all that had to be cracked. +The kind of coral required could be obtained only at +one spot, about three miles distant. Lying at anchor +in my boat, the Natives dived into the sea, broke off +with hammer and crowbar piece after piece, and +brought it up to me, till I had my load. We then +carried it ashore, and spread it out in the sun to be +blistered there for two weeks or so. Having thus +secured twenty or thirty boat loads, and had it duly +conveyed round to the Mission Station, a huge pit<span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[144]</span> +was dug in the ground, dry wood piled in below, and +green wood above to a height of several feet, and +on the top of all the coral blocks were orderly laid. +When this pile had burned for seven or ten days, the +coral had been reduced to excellent lime, and the +plaster work made therefrom shone like marble.</p> + +<p>On one of these trips the Natives performed an extraordinary +feat. The boat with full load was struck +heavily by a wave, and the reef drove a hole in her +side. Quick as thought the crew were all in the sea, +and, to my amazement, bearing up the boat with their +shoulder and one hand, while swimming and guiding +us ashore with the other! There on the land we +were hauled up, and four weary days were spent +fetching and carrying from the Mission Station every +plank, tool, and nail, necessary for her repair. Every +boat for these seas ought to be built of cedar wood +and copper-fastened, which is by far the most economical +in the end. And all houses should be built of +wood which is as full as possible of gum or resin, +since the large white ants devour not only all other +soft woods, but even Colonial blue gum trees, the hard +cocoa-nut, and window sashes, chairs, and tables!</p> + +<p>Glancing back on all these toils, I rejoice that +such exhausting demands are no longer made on our +newly arrived Missionaries. Houses, all ready for +being set up, are now brought down from the +Colonies. Zinc roofs and other improvements have +been introduced. The Synod appoints a deputation +to accompany the young Missionary, and plant the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[145]</span> +house along with himself at the Station committed to +his care. Precious strength is thus saved for higher +uses; and not only property but life itself is oftentimes +preserved.</p> + +<p>I will close this chapter with an incident which, +though it came to our knowledge only years afterwards, +closely bears upon our Settlement on Aniwa. +At first we had no idea why they so determinedly +refused us one site, and fixed us to another of their +own choice. But after the old Chief, Namakei, became +a Christian, he one day addressed the Aniwan +people in our hearing to this effect:—</p> + +<p>“When Missi came we saw his boxes. We knew +he had blankets and calico, axes and knives, fish-hooks +and all such things. We said, ‘Don’t drive +him off, else we will lose all these things. We will +let him land. But we will force him to live on the +Sacred Plot. Our gods will kill him, and we will +divide all that he has amongst the men of Aniwa.’ +But Missi built his house on our most sacred spot. +He and his people lived there, and the gods did not +strike. He planted bananas there, and we said, ‘Now +when they eat of these they will all drop down dead, +as our fathers assured us, if any one ate fruit from +that ground, except only our Sacred Men themselves.’ +These bananas ripened. They did eat them. We +kept watching for days and days, but no one died! +Therefore what we say, and what our fathers have +said, is not true. Our gods cannot kill them. Their +Jehovah God is stronger than the gods of Aniwa.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[146]</span></p> + +<p>I enforced old Namakei’s appeal, telling them that, +though they knew it not, it was the living and true +and only God who had sent them every blessing +which they possessed, and had at last sent us to +teach them how to serve and love and please Him. +In wonder and silence they listened, while I tried to +explain to them that Jesus, the Son of this God, had +lived and died and gone to the Father to save them, +and that He was now willing to take them by the +hand and lead them through this life to glory and +immortality together with Himself.</p> + +<p>The old Chief led them in prayer—a strange, dark, +groping prayer, with streaks of Heathenism colouring +every thought and sentence; but still a heart-breaking +prayer, as the cry of a soul once Cannibal, but +now being thrilled through and through with the first +conscious pulsations of the Christ-Spirit, throbbing +into the words: “Father, Father; our Father.”</p> + +<p>When these poor creatures began to wear a bit of +calico or a kilt, it was an outward sign of a change, +though yet far from civilization. And when they +began to look up and pray to One whom they called +“Father, our Father,” though they might be far, very +far, from the type of Christian that dubs itself +“respectable,” my heart broke over them in tears of +joy; and nothing will ever persuade me that there +was not a Divine Heart in the heavens rejoicing too.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[147]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.<br><br> + +<i class="center fs80">FACE TO FACE WITH HEATHENISM.</i></h2> + +</div> +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>Navalak and Nemeyan on Aniwa.—Taia the “Orator.”—The +Two next Aneityumese Teachers.—In the Arms of Murderers.—Our +First Aniwan Converts.—Litsi Soré.—Surrounded +by Torches.—Traditions of Creation, Fall, and +Deluge.— Infanticide and Wife-Murder.—Last Heathen +Dance.—Nelwang’s Elopement.—Yakin’s Bridal Attire.—Christ-Spirit +<em>versus</em> War-Spirit.—Heathenism in Death-Grips.—A +Great Aniwan Palaver.—The Sinking of the +Well.—“Missi’s Head Gone Wrong.”—“Water! Living +Water!”—Old Chief’s Sermon on “Rain from Below.”—The +Idols Cast Away.—The New Social Order.—Back of +Heathenism Broken.</p> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap">On landing in November, 1866, we found the +Natives of Aniwa, some very shy and distrustful, +and others forward and imperious. No +clothing was worn; but the wives and elder women +had grass aprons or girdles like our first Parents in +Eden. The old Chief interested himself in us and +our work; but the greater number showed a far +deeper interest in the axes, knives, fish-hooks, stripes +of red calico and blankets, received in payment for +work or for bananas. Even for payment they would +scarcely work at first, and they were most unreasonable,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[148]</span> +easily offended, and started off in a moment at +any imaginable slight.</p> + +<p>For instance, a Chief once came for Medicine. I +was so engaged that I could not attend to him for +a few minutes. So off he went, in a great rage, +threatening revenge, and muttering, “I must be +attended to! I won’t wait on <em>him</em>.” Such are the +exactions of a naked Savage!</p> + +<p>Shortly before our arrival, an Aneityumese Teacher +was sacrificed on Aniwa. The circumstances are +illustrative of what may be almost called their worship +of revenge. Many long years ago, a party of +Aniwans had gone to Aneityum on a friendly visit; +but the Aneityumese, then all Savages, murdered and +ate every man of them save one, who escaped into +the bush. Living on cocoa-nuts, he awaited a favourable +wind, and, launching his canoe by night, he +arrived in safety. The bereaved Aniwans, hearing +his terrible story, were furious for revenge; but the +forty-five miles of sea between proving too hard an +obstacle, they made a deep cut in the earth and +vowed to renew that cut from year to year till the +day of revenge came round. Thus the memory of +the event was kept alive for nearly eighty years.</p> + +<p>At length the people of Aneityum came to the +knowledge of Jesus Christ. They strongly yearned +to spread that saving Gospel to the Heathen Islands +all around. Amid prayers and strong cryings to God +they, like the Church at Antioch, designated two of +their leading men to go as Native Teachers and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[149]</span> +evangelize Aniwa, viz., Navalak and Nemeyan; whilst +others went forth to Fotuna, Tanna, and Erromanga, +as opportunity arose. Namakei, the principal Chief +of Aniwa, had promised to protect and be kind to +them. But as time went on, it was discovered that +the Teachers belonged to the Tribe on Aneityum, +and one of them to the very land, where long ago +the Aniwans had been murdered. The Teachers had +from the first known their danger, but were eager to +make known the Gospel to Aniwa. It was resolved +that they should die. But the Aniwans, having promised +to protect them, shrank from doing it themselves; +so they hired two Tanna men and an Aniwan +Chief, one of whose parents had belonged to Tanna, +to waylay and shoot the Teachers as they returned +from their tour of Evangelism among the villages on +Sabbath afternoon. Their muskets did not go off, +but the murderers rushed upon them with clubs and +left them for dead.</p> + +<p>Nemeyan was dead, and entered that day amongst +the noble army of the Martyrs. Poor Navalak was +still breathing, and the Chief Namakei carried him +to his village and kindly nursed him. He pled with +the people that the claims of revenge had been satisfied, +and that Navalak should be cherished and sent +home,—the Christ-Spirit beginning to work in that +darkened soul! Navalak was restored to his people, +and is yet living—a high-class Chief on Aneityum +and an honour to the Church of God, bearing on his +body “the marks of the Lord Jesus.” And often<span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[150]</span> +since has he visited Aniwa, in later years, and praised +the Lord amongst the very people who once thirsted +for his blood and left him by the wayside as good +as dead!</p> + +<p>For a time, Aniwa was left without any witness +for Jesus,—the London Missionary Society Teachers, +having suffered dreadfully for lack of food and from +fever and ague, being also removed. But on a visit +of a Mission vessel, Namakei sent his orator Taia to +Aneityum, to tell them that now revenge was satisfied, +the cut in the earth filled up, and a cocoa-nut +tree planted and flourishing where the blood of the +Teachers had been shed, and that no person from +Aneityum would ever be injured by Aniwans. Further, +he was to plead for more Teachers, and to +pledge his Chief’s word that they would be kindly +received and protected. They knew not the Gospel, +and had no desire for it; but they wanted friendly +intercourse with Aneityum, where trading vessels +called, and whence they might obtain mats, baskets, +blankets, and iron tools. At length two Aneityumese +again volunteered to go, Kangaru and Nelmai, one +from each side of the Island, and were located by the +Missionaries, along with their families, on Aniwa, +one with Namakei, and the other at the south end, to +lift up the Standard of a Christlike life among their +Heathen neighbours.</p> + +<p>Taia, who went on the Mission to Aneityum, was +a great speaker and also a very cunning man. He +was the old Chief’s appointed “Orator” on all state<span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[151]</span> +occasions, being tall and stately in appearance, of +great bodily strength, and possessed of a winning +manner. On the voyage to Aneityum, he was constantly +smoking and making things disagreeable to +all around him. Being advised not to smoke while +on board, he pled with the Missionary just to let +him take a whiff now and again till he finished the +tobacco he had in his pipe, and then he would lay it +aside. But, like the widow’s meal, it lasted all the +way to Aneityum, and never appeared to get less—at +which the innocent Taia expressed much astonishment!</p> + +<p>The two Teachers and their wives on Aniwa were +little better than slaves when we landed there, toiling +in the service of their masters and living in constant +fear of being murdered. They conducted the Worship +in Aneityumese, while the Aniwans lay smoking +and talking all round till it was over. The language +of Aniwa had never yet been reduced to a written +form, and consequently no book had been printed in +it. The Teachers and their wives were kept hard at +work on Friday and Saturday, cooking and preparing +food for the Aniwans, who, after the so-called Worship, +feasted together and had a friendly talk. We +immediately put an end to this Sabbath feasting. +That made them angry and revengeful. They even +demanded food, etc., in payment for coming to the +Worship, which we always resolutely refused. Doubtless, +however, the mighty contrast presented by the +life, character, and disposition of these godly Teachers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[152]</span> +was the sowing of the seed that bore fruit in other +days,—though as yet no single Aniwan had begun +to wear clothing out of respect to Civilization, much +less been brought to know and love the Saviour.</p> + +<p>I could now speak a little to them in their own +language; and so, accompanied generally by my +dear wife and by an Aneityumese Teacher, and often +by some friendly Native, I began to visit regularly +at their villages and to talk to them about Jesus and +His love. We tried also to get them to come to our +Church under the shade of the banyan tree. Nasi +and some of the worst characters would sit scowling +not far off, or follow us with loaded muskets. Using +every precaution, we still held on doing our work; +sometimes giving fish-hooks or beads to the boys +and girls, showing them that our objects were kind +and not selfish. Such visits gained their confidence.</p> + +<p>And however our hearts sometimes trembled in the +presence of imminent death and sank within us, we +stood fearless in their presence, and left all results +in the hands of Jesus. Often have I had to run into +the arms of some savage, when his club was swung +or his musket levelled at my head, and, praying to +Jesus, so clung round him that he could neither +strike nor shoot me till his wrath cooled down and +I managed to slip away. Often have I seized the +pointed barrel and directed it upwards, or, pleading +with my assailant, uncapped his musket in the +struggle. At other times, nothing could be said, +nothing done, but stand still in silent prayer, asking<span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[153]</span> +God to protect us or to prepare us for going home +to His Glory. He fulfilled His own promise,—“I +will not fail thee nor forsake thee.”</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_c152b" style="max-width: 50em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_c152b.jpg" alt="A man with child in front of an older man and woman."> + <figcaption class="caption"><p>I WANT YOU TO TRAIN LITSI FOR JESUS.</p></figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>The first Aniwan that ever came to the knowledge +and love of Jesus was the old Chief Namakei. We +came to live on his land, as it was near our diminutive +harbour; and upon the whole, he and his people +were the most friendly; though his only brother, the +Sacred Man of the tribe, on two occasions tried to +shoot me. Namakei came a good deal about us at +the Mission House, and helped us to acquire the +language. He discovered that we took tea evening +and morning. When we gave him a cup and a piece +of bread, he liked it well, and gave a sip to all around +him. At first he came for the tea, perhaps, and disappeared +suspiciously soon thereafter; but his interest +manifestly grew, till he showed great delight in +helping us in every possible way. Along with him, +and as his associates, came also the Chief Naswai +and his wife Katua. These three grew into the +knowledge of the Saviour together. From being +savage Cannibals they rose before our eyes, under +the influence of the Gospel, into noble and beloved +characters; and they and we loved each other exceedingly.</p> + +<p>Namakei brought his little daughter, his only child, +the Queen of her race, called Litsi Soré (= Litsi the +Great), and said,—</p> + +<p>“I want to leave my Litsi with you. I want you +to train her for Jesus.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[154]</span></p> + +<p>She was a very intelligent child, learned things +like any white girl, and soon became quite a help +to Mrs. Paton. On seeing his niece dressed and so +smart-looking, the old Chief’s only brother, the +Sacred Man that had attempted to shoot me, also +brought his child, Litsi Sisi (= the Little) to be +trained like her cousin. The mothers of both were +dead. The children reported all they saw, and all +we taught them, and so their fathers became more +deeply interested in our work, and the news of the +Gospel spread far and wide. Soon we had all the +Orphans committed to us, whose guardians were +willing to part with them, and our Home became +literally <em>the School of Christ</em>,—the boys growing up +to help all my plans, and the girls to help my wife +and to be civilized and trained by her, and many +of them developing into devoted Teachers and +Evangelists.</p> + +<p>Our earlier Sabbath Services were sad affairs. +Every man came armed—indeed, every man slept +with his weapons of war at his side—and bow and +arrow, spear and tomahawk, club and musket, were +always ready for action. On fair days we assembled +under the banyan tree, on rainy days in a Native hut +partly built for the purpose. One or two seemed +to listen, but the most lay about on their backs or +sides, smoking, talking, sleeping! When we stopped +the feast at the close, for which they were always +ready, the audiences at first went down to two or +three; but these actually came to learn, and a better<span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[155]</span> +tone began immediately to pervade the Service. +We informed them that it was for their good that +we taught them, and that they would get no “pay” +for attending Church or School, and the greater +number departed in high dudgeon as very ill-used +persons! Others of a more commercial turn came +offering to sell their “idols,” and when we would not +purchase them but urged them to give them up and +cast them away for love to Jesus, they carried them +off saying they would have nothing to do with this +new Worship.</p> + +<p>Amidst our frequent trials and dangers in those +earlier times on Aniwa, our little Orphans often +warned us privately and saved our lives from cruel +plots. When, in baffled rage, our enemies demanded +who had revealed things to us, I always said, “It was +a little bird from the bush.” So, the dear children +grew to have perfect confidence in us. They knew +we would not betray them; and they considered +themselves the guardians of our lives.</p> + +<p>The excitement increased on both sides, when a +few men openly gave up their idols. Morning after +morning, I noticed green cocoa-nut leaves piled at +the end of our house, and wondered if it were through +some Heathen superstition. But one night the old +Chief knocked upon me and said,—</p> + +<p>“Rise, Missi, and help! The Heathen are trying to +burn your house. All night we have kept them off, +but they are many and we are few. Rise quickly, +and light a lamp at every window. Let us pray to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[156]</span> +Jehovah, and talk loud as if we were many. God will +make us strong.”</p> + +<p>I found that they had the buckets and pails from all +my Premises full of water,—that the surrounding bush +was swarming with Savages, torch in hand,—that +the Teachers and other friendly Natives had been +protecting themselves from the dews under the large +cocoa-nut leaves which I saw, while they kept watch +over us. After that I took my turn with them in +watching, each guard being changed after so many +hours. But they held a meeting and said amongst +each other,—</p> + +<p>“If our Missi is shot or killed in the dark, what +will we have to watch for then? We must compel +Missi to remain indoors at night!”</p> + +<p>I yielded so far to their counsel; but still went +amongst them, watch after watch, to encourage +them.</p> + +<p>What a suggestive tradition of the Fall came to +me in one of those early days on Aniwa! Upon our +leaving the hut and removing to our new house, +it was seized upon by Tupa for his sleeping place; +though still continuing to be used by the Natives, +as club-house, court of law, etc. One morning at +daylight this Tupa came running to us in great excitement, +wielding his club furiously, and crying,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, I have killed the Tebil. I have killed +Teapolo. He came to catch me last night. I raised +all the people, and we fought him round the house +with our clubs. At daybreak he came out and I<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[157]</span> +killed him dead. We will have no more bad conduct +or trouble now. Teapolo is dead!”</p> + +<p>I said, “What nonsense! Teapolo is a spirit, and +cannot be seen.”</p> + +<p>But in mad excitement he persisted that he had +killed him. And at Mrs. Paton’s advice, I went with +the man, and he led me to a great Sacred Rock of +coral near our old hut, over which hung the dead body +of a huge and beautiful sea-serpent, and exclaimed,—</p> + +<p>“There he lies! Truly I killed him.”</p> + +<p>I protested: “That is not the Devil; it is only the +body of a serpent.”</p> + +<p>The man quickly answered, “Well, but it is all +the same! He is Teapolo. He makes us bad, +and causes all our troubles.”</p> + +<p>Following up this hint by many inquiries, then +and afterwards, I found that they clearly associated +man’s troubles and sufferings somehow with the serpent. +They worshipped the Serpent, as a spirit of +evil, under the name of Matshiktshiki; that is to say, +they lived in abject terror of his influence, and all +their worship was directed towards propitiating his +rage against men.</p> + +<p>Their story of Creation, at least of the origin of +their own Aniwa and the adjacent Islands, is much +more an outcome of the Native mind. They say +that Matshiktshiki fished up these lands out of the +sea. And they show the deep print of his foot on +the coral rocks, opposite each island, whereon he +stood as he strained and lifted them up above the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[158]</span> +waters. He then threw his great fishing-line round +Fotuna, thirty-six miles distant, to draw it close +to Aniwa and make them one land; but, as he pulled, +the line broke and he fell into the sea,—so the Islands +remain separated unto this day.</p> + +<p>Matshiktshiki placed men and women on Aniwa. +On the southern end of the Island, there was a beautiful +spring and a freshwater river, with rich lands all +around for plantations. But the people would not +do what Matshiktshiki wanted them; so he got angry, +and split off the richer part of Aniwa, with the spring +and river, and sailed thence across to Aneityum,—leaving +them where Dr. Inglis has since built his +beautiful Mission Station. To this day, the river +there is called “the water of Aniwa” by the <ins id="TN-8" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: inhabit ants">inhabitants</ins> +of both Islands; and it is the ambition of all +Aniwans to visit Aneityum and drink of that spring +and river, as they sigh to each other,—</p> + +<p>“Alas, for the waters of Aniwa!”</p> + +<p>Their picture of the Flood is equally grotesque. +Far back, when the volcano, now on Tanna, was part +of Aniwa, the rain fell and fell from day to day, and +the sea rose till it threatened to cover everything. +All were drowned except the few who climbed up +on the volcano mountain. The sea had already put +out the volcano at the southern end of Aniwa; and +Matshiktshiki, who dwelt in the greater volcano, +becoming afraid of the extinction of his big fire too, +split it off from Aniwa with all the land on the south-eastern +side, and sailed it across to Tanna on the top<span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[159]</span> +of the flood. There, by his mighty strength, he +heaved the volcano to the top of the highest mountain +of Tanna, where it remains to this day. For, on +the subsiding of the sea, he was unable to transfer +his big fire to Aniwa; and so it was reduced to a +very small island, without a volcano, and without a +river, for the sins of the people long ago.</p> + +<p>Even where there are no snakes they apply the +superstitions about the serpent to a large, black, poisonous +lizard called <i>kekvau</i>. They call it Teapolo’s; +and women or children scream wildly at the sight of +one. The Natives of several of our Islands have the +form of the lizard, as also of the snake and the bird +and the face of man, cut deep into the flesh of their +arms. When the cuts begin to heal, they tear open +the figures and press back the skin and force out +the flesh, till the forms stand out above the skin and +abide there as a visible horror for all their remaining +days. When they become Christians and put on clothing, +they are very anxious to cover these reminders of +Heathenism from public view.</p> + +<p>The darkest and most hideous blot on Heathenism +is the practice of Infanticide. Only three cases came +to our knowledge on Aniwa; but we publicly denounced +them at all hazards, and awoke not only +natural feeling, but the selfish interests of the community +for the protection of the children. These +three were the last that died there by parents’ hands. +A young husband, who had been jealous of his wife, +buried their male child alive as soon as born. An<span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[160]</span> +old Tanna woman, who had no children living, having +at last a fine healthy boy born to her, threw him into +the sea before any one could interfere to save. And +a Savage, in anger with his wife, snatched her baby +from her arms, hid himself in the bush till night, and +returned without the child, refusing to give any +explanation, except that he was <ins id="TN-9" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: dead and buried">dead and buried.</ins> +Praise be to God, these three murderers of their own +children were by-and-bye touched with the story of +Jesus, became members of the Church, and each +adopted little orphan children, towards whom they +continued to show the most tender affection and +care.</p> + +<p>Wife murder was also considered quite legitimate. +In one of our inland villages dwelt a young couple, +happy in every respect except that they had no +children. The man, being a Heathen, resolved to +take home another wife, a widow with two children. +This was naturally opposed by his young wife. And, +without the slightest warning, while she sat plaiting +a basket, he discharged a ball into her from his loaded +musket. It crashed through her arm and lodged +in her side. Everything was done that was in my +power to save her life; but on the tenth day tetanus +came on, and she soon after passed away. The man +appeared very attentive to her all the time; but, +being a Heathen, he insisted that she had no right +to oppose his wishes! He was not in any way punished +or disrespected by the people of his village, but +went out and in amongst them as usual, and took<span class="pagenum" id="Page_161">[161]</span> +home the other woman as his wife a few weeks thereafter. +His second wife began to attend Church and +School regularly with her children; and at last he +also came along with them, changing very manifestly +from his sullen and savage former self. They have +a large family; they are avowedly trying to train +them all for the Lord Jesus; and they take their +places meekly at the Lord’s Table.</p> + +<p>It would give a wonderful shock, I suppose, to +many namby-pamby Christians, to whom the title +“Mighty to Save” conveys no ideas of reality, to be +told that nine or ten converted murderers were partaking +with them the Holy Communion of Jesus! +But the Lord who reads the heart, and weighs every +motive and circumstance, has perhaps much more +reason to be shocked by the presence of some of +themselves. Penitence opens all the Heart of God—“To-day +shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.”</p> + +<p>Amongst the heathen, a murderer was often +honoured; and if he succeeded in terrifying those +who ought to take revenge, he was sometimes even +promoted to be a Chief. One who had thus risen to +tyrannize over his village was so feared and obeyed, +that one of the lads there said to me,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, I wish I had lived long ago! I could have +murdered some great man, and come to honour. +As Christians, we have no prospects; where are +your warriors? Are we always to remain common +men?”</p> + +<p>I told him of greatness in the service of Jesus, of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[162]</span> +glory and honour with our Lord. That lad afterwards +became a Native Teacher, first in his own +village, and then on a Heathen Island,—the Lord +the Spirit having opened up for his ambition the +nobler path.</p> + +<p>The last Heathen Dance on Aniwa was intended, +strange to say, in honour of our work. We had +finished the burning of a large lime-kiln for our +buildings, and the event was regarded as worthy of a +festival. To our surprise, loud bursts of song were +followed by the tramp, tramp of many feet. Men +and women and children poured past us, painted, +decorated with feathers and bush twigs, and dressed +in their own wildest form, though almost entirely +nude so far as regards the clothing of civilization. +They marched into the village Public Ground, and +with song and shout and dance made the air hideous +to me. They danced in inner and outer circles, men +with men and women with women; but I do not +know that the thing looked more irrational to an +outsider than do the balls at home. Our Islanders, +on becoming followers of Jesus, have always <em>voluntarily</em> +withdrawn from all these scenes, and regard +such dancings as inconsistent with the presence and +fellowship of the Saviour.</p> + +<p>On calling one of their leading men and asking him +what it all meant, he said,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, we are rejoicing for you, singing and dancing +to our gods for you and your works.”</p> + +<p>I told him that my Jehovah God would be angry<span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[163]</span> +at His Church being so associated with Heathen +gods. The poor bewildered soul look grieved, and +asked,—</p> + +<p>“Is it not good, Missi? Are we not helping you?”</p> + +<p>I said, “No! It is not good. I am shocked to see +you. I come here to teach you to give up all these +ways, and to please the Jehovah God.”</p> + +<p>He went and called away his wife and all his +friends, and told them that the Missi was displeased. +But the others held on for hours, and were +much disgusted that I would not make them a feast +and pay them for dancing! No other dance was ever +held near our Station on Aniwa.</p> + +<p>Some most absurd and preposterous experiences +were forced upon us by the habits and notions of the +people. Amongst these I recall very vividly the +story of Nelwang’s elopement with his bride. I had +begun, in spare hours, to lay the foundation of two +additional rooms for our house, and felt rather uneasy +to see a well-known Savage hanging around every +day with his tomahawk, and eagerly watching me +at work. He had killed a man, before our arrival +on Aniwa; and it was he that startled my wife +by suddenly appearing from amongst the boxes, and +causing her to run for life. On seeing him hovering +so alarmingly near, tomahawk in hand, I saluted +him,—</p> + +<p>“Nelwang, do you want to speak to me?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Missi,” he replied, “if you will help me +now, I will be your friend for ever.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_164">[164]</span></p> + +<p>I answered, “I am your friend. That brought me +here and keeps me here.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said he very earnestly, “but I want you to +be strong as my friend, and I will be strong for you!”</p> + +<p>I replied, “Well, how can I help you?”</p> + +<p>He quickly answered, “I want to get married, and +I need your help.”</p> + +<p>I protested: “Nelwang, you know that marriages +here are all made in infancy, by children being bought +and betrothed to their future husbands. How can I +interfere? You don’t want to bring evil on me and +my wife and child? It might cost us our lives.”</p> + +<p>“No! no! Missi,” earnestly retorted Nelwang. +“No one hears of this, or can hear. Only help me +now. You tell me, if you were in my circumstances, +how would you act?”</p> + +<p>“That’s surely very simple,” I answered. “Every +man knows how to go about that business, if he wants +to be honest! Look out for your intended, find out +if she loves you, and the rest will follow naturally,—you +will marry her.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” argued Nelwang, “but just there my trouble +comes in!”</p> + +<p>“Do you know the woman you would like to get?” +I asked, wishing to bring him to some closer issue.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” replied he very frankly, “I want to marry +Yakin, the chief widow up at the inland village, and +that will break no infant betrothals.”</p> + +<p>“But,” I persevered, “do you know if she loves +you or would take you?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_165">[165]</span></p> + +<p>“Yes,” replied Nelwang; “one day I met her on +the path and told her I would like to have her for +my wife. She took out her ear-rings and gave them +to me, and I know thereby that she loves me. I was +one of her late husband’s men; and if she had loved +any of them more than she did me, she would have +given them to another. With the ear-rings she gave +me her heart.”</p> + +<p>“Then why,” I insisted, “don’t you go and marry +her?”</p> + +<p>“There,” said Nelwang gravely, “begins my difficulty. +In her village there are thirty young men +for whom there are no wives. Each of them wants +her, but no one has the courage to take her, for the +other nine-and-twenty will shoot him!”</p> + +<p>“And if you take her,” I suggested, “the disappointed +thirty will shoot you.”</p> + +<p>“That’s exactly what I see, Missi,” continued Nelwang; +“but I want you just to think you are in my +place, and tell me how you would carry her off. You +white men can always succeed. Missi, hear my plans, +and advise me.”</p> + +<p>With as serious a face as I could command, I had +to listen to Nelwang, to enter into his love affair, +and to make suggestions, with a view to avoiding +bloodshed and other miseries. The result of the +deliberations was that Nelwang was to secure the +confidence of two friends, his brother and the orator +Taia, to place one at each end of the coral rocks +above the village as watchmen, to cut down with his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[166]</span> +American tomahawk a passage through the fence at +the back, and to carry off his bride at dead of night +into the seclusion and safety of the bush! Nelwang’s +eyes flashed as he struck his tomahawk into a tree, +and cried,—</p> + +<p>“I see it now, Missi! I shall win her from them +all. Yakin and I will be strong for you all our +days!”</p> + +<p>Next morning Yakin’s house was found deserted. +They sent to all the villages around, but no one had +seen her. The hole in the fence behind was then discovered, +and the thirty whispered to each other that +Yakin had been wooed and won by some daring lover. +Messengers were despatched to all the villages, and +Nelwang was found to have disappeared on the +same night as the widow, and neither could anywhere +be found.</p> + +<p>The usual revenge was taken. The houses of the +offenders burned, their fences broken down, and all +their property either destroyed or distributed. Work +was suspended, and the disappointed thirty solaced +themselves by feasting at Yakin’s expense. On the +third day I arrived at the scene. Seeing our old +friend Naswai looking on at the plunderers, I signalled +him, and said innocently,—</p> + +<p>“Naswai, what’s this your men are about? What’s +all the uproar?”</p> + +<p>The Chief replied, “Have you not heard, Missi?”</p> + +<p>“Heard?” said I. “The whole island has heard +your ongoings for three days! I can get no peace +to study, or carry on my work.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_167">[167]</span></p> + +<p>“Missi,” said the Chief, “Nelwang has eloped with +Yakin, the wealthy widow, and all the young men are +taking their revenge.”</p> + +<p>“Oh,” replied I, “is that all? Call your men, and +let us speak to them.”</p> + +<p>The men were all assembled, and I said: “After +all your kindness to Yakin, and all your attention to +her since her husband’s death, has she really run away +and left you all? Don’t you feel thankful that you +are free from such an ungrateful woman? Had one +of you been married to her, and she had afterwards +run away with this man that she loved, that would +have been far worse! And are you really making +all this noise over such a person, and destroying so +much useful food? Let these two fools go their way, +and if she be all that you now say, he will have the +worst of the bargain, and you will be sufficiently +avenged. I advise you to spare the fruit trees—go +home quietly—leave them to punish each other—and +let me get on with my work!”</p> + +<p>Naswai repeated my appeal.</p> + +<p>“Missi’s word is good! Gather up the food. Wait +till we see their conduct, how it grows. She wasn’t +worth all this bother and noise!”</p> + +<p>Three weeks passed. The runaways were nowhere +to be found. It was generally believed that they had +gone in a canoe to Tanna or Erromanga. But one +morning, as I began my work at my house alone, the +brave Nelwang appeared at my side!</p> + +<p>“Hillo!” I said, “where have you come from? and +where is Yakin?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_168">[168]</span></p> + +<p>“I must not,” he replied, “tell you yet. We are +hid. We have lived on cocoa-nuts gathered at night. +Yakin is well and happy. I come now to fulfil my +promise: I will help you, and Yakin will help Missi +Paton the woman, and we shall be your friends. I +have ground to be built upon and fenced, whenever +we dare; but we will come and live with you, till +peace is secured. Will you let us come to-morrow +morning?”</p> + +<p>“All right!” I said. “Come to-morrow!” And, +trembling with delight, he disappeared into the +bush.</p> + +<p>Thus strangely God provided us with wonderful +assistance. Yakin soon learnt to wash and dress +and clean everything, and Nelwang served me like +a faithful disciple. They clung by us like our very +shadow, partly through fear of attack, partly from +affection; but as each of them could handle freely +both musket and tomahawk, which, though laid aside, +were never far away, it was not every enemy that +cared to try issues with Nelwang and his bride. +After a few weeks had thus passed by, and as both +of them were really showing an interest in things +pertaining to Jesus and His Gospel, I urged them +strongly to appear publicly at the Church on Sabbath, +to show that they were determined to stand their +ground together as true husband and wife, and that +the others must accept the position and become reconciled. +Delay now could gain no purpose, and I +wished the strife and uncertainty to be put to an end.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_169">[169]</span></p> + +<p>Nelwang knew our customs. Every worshipper +has to be seated, when our little bell ceases ringing. +Aniwans would be ashamed to enter after the Service +had actually begun. As the bell ceased, Nelwang, +knowing that he would have a clear course, marched +in, dressed in shirt and kilt, and grasping very determinedly +his <ins id="TN-10" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: tomakawk">tomahawk</ins>! He sat down as near to me +as he could conveniently get, trying hard to conceal his +manifest agitation. Slightly smiling towards me, he +then turned and looked eagerly at the door through +which the women entered and left the Church, as if +to say, “Yakin is coming!” But his tomahawk was +poised ominously on his shoulder, and his courage +gave him a defiant and almost impudent air. He +was evidently quite ready to sell his life at a high +price, if any one was prepared to risk the consequences.</p> + +<p>In a few seconds Yakin entered; and if Nelwang’s +bearing and appearance were rather inconsistent +with the feeling of worship,—what on earth was I +to do when the figure and costume of Yakin began +to reveal itself marching in? The first visible difference +betwixt a Heathen and a Christian is,—that the +Christian wears some clothing, the Heathen wears +none. Yakin determined to show the extent of her +Christianity by the amount of clothing she could +carry upon her person. Being a Chiefs widow before +she became Nelwang’s bride, she had some idea of +state occasions, and appeared dressed in every article +of European apparel, mostly portions of male attire,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_170">[170]</span> +that she could beg or borrow from about the premises! +Her bridal gown was a man’s drab-coloured +great-coat, put on above her Native grass skirts, and +sweeping down to her heels, buttoned tight. Over +this she had hung on a vest, and above that again, +most amazing of all, she had superinduced a pair +of men’s trousers, drawing the body over her head, +and leaving a leg dangling gracefully over each of +her shoulders and streaming down her back. Fastened +to the one shoulder also there was a red shirt, +and to the other a striped shirt, waving about her +like wings as she sailed along. Around her head +a red shirt had been twisted like a turban, and her +notions of art demanded that a sleeve thereof should +hang aloft over each of her ears! She seemed to be +a moving monster loaded with a mass of rags. The +day was excessively hot, and the perspiration poured +over her face in streams. She, too, sat as near to +me as she could get on the women’s side of the +Church. Nelwang looked at me and then at her, +smiling quietly, as if to say,—</p> + +<p>“You never saw, in all your white world, a bride +so grandly dressed!”</p> + +<p>I little thought what I was bringing on myself, +when I urged them to come to Church. The sight +of that poor creature sweltering before me constrained +me for once to make the service very short—perhaps +the shortest I ever conducted in all my life! The +day ended in peace. The two souls were extremely +happy; and I praised God that what might have<span class="pagenum" id="Page_171">[171]</span> +been a scene of bloodshed had closed thus, even +though it were in a kind of wild grotesquerie!</p> + +<p>Henceforth I never lacked a body-guard, nor Mrs. +Paton a helper. Yakin learned to read and write, +and became an excellent teacher in our Sabbath +school; she also learned to sing, and led the praise +in Church, when my wife was unable to be present. +In fact, she could put her hand to everything about +the house or the Mission, and became a great +favourite amongst the people. Nelwang fulfilled his +promise faithfully. He was indeed my friend. +Through all my inland tours, either he or the Sacred +Man, Kalangi (who first attempted twice to shoot +me, and then, after his conversion, acted as if God +had entrusted him with the keeping of my life), +faithfully accompanied me. With tomahawk or +musket, or both in hand, they were always within +reach, and instantly started to the front wherever +danger seemed to threaten us. These were amongst +our first and best Church members. Nelwang and +the Sacred Man have both gone to their rest. But +Yakin of the many garments has also had many +husbands. She rejoices now in her <em>fourth</em>, and is +still a devoted Christian, and a most interesting +character in many ways.</p> + +<p>The progress of God’s work was most conspicuous +in relation to wars and revenges <ins id="TN-11" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: among the Natives">among the Natives.</ins> +The two high Chiefs, Namakei and Naswai, frequently +declared,—</p> + +<p>“We are the men of Christ now. We must not<span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[172]</span> +fight. We must put down murders and crimes +among our people.”</p> + +<p>Two young fools, returning from Tanna with +muskets, attempted twice to shoot a man in sheer +wantonness and display of malice. The Islanders +met, and informed them that if man or woman was +injured by them, the other men would load their +muskets and shoot them dead in public council. +This was a mighty step towards public order, and +I greatly rejoiced before the Lord. His Spirit, like +leaven, was at work!</p> + +<p>My constant custom was, in order to prevent war, +to run right in between the contending parties. My +faith enabled me to grasp and realize the promise, +“Lo, I am with you always.” In Jesus I felt invulnerable +and immortal, so long as I was doing +His work. And I can truly say, that these were the +moments when I felt my Saviour to be most truly +and sensibly present, inspiring and empowering me.</p> + +<p>Another scheme had an excellent educative and +religious influence. I tried to interest all the villages, +and to treat all the Chiefs equally. In our early +days, after getting into my two-roomed house, I +engaged the Chief, or representative man of each +district, to put up one or other of the many outhouses +required at the Station. One, along with +his people, built the cook-house; another, the store; +another, the banana and yam-house; another, the +washing-house; another, the boys’ and girls’ house; +the houses for servants and teachers, the Schoolhouse,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_173">[173]</span> +and the large shed, a kind of shelter where +Natives sat and talked when not at work about +the Premises. Of course these all were at first only +Native huts, of larger or smaller dimensions. But +they were all built by contract for articles which +they highly valued, such as axes, knives, yards +of prints and calico, strings of beads, blankets, etc. +They served our purpose for the time, and when +another party, by contract also, had fenced around +our Premises, the Mission Station was really a +beautiful little lively and orderly Village, and in +itself no bad emblem of Christian and Civilized life. +The payments, made to all irrespectively, but only +for work duly done and according to reasonable +bargain, distributed property and gifts amongst +them on wholesome principles, and encouraged a +well-conditioned rivalry which had many happy +effects.</p> + +<p>Heathenism made many desperate and some +strange efforts to stamp out our Cause on Aniwa, but +the Lord held the helm. One old Chief, formerly +friendly, turned against us. He ostentatiously set +himself to make a canoe, working at it very openly +and defiantly on Sabbaths. He, becoming sick and +dying, his brother started, on a Sabbath morning +and in contempt of the Worship, with an armed +company to provoke our people to war. They refused +to fight; and one man, whom he struck with +his club, said,—</p> + +<p>“I will leave my revenge to Jehovah.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_174">[174]</span></p> + +<p>A few days thereafter, this brother also fell sick +and suddenly died. The Heathen party made much +of these incidents, and some clamoured for our death +in revenge, but most feared to murder us; so they +withdrew and lived apart from our friends, as far +away as they could get. By-and-bye, however, they +set fire to a large district belonging to our supporters, +burning cocoa-nut and bread-fruit trees and plantations. +Still our people refused to fight, and kept +near to protect us. Then all the leading men +assembled to talk it over. Most were for peace, but +some insisted upon burning our house and driving +us away or killing us, that they might be left to +live as they had hitherto done. At last a Sacred +Man, a Chief who had been on Tanna when the +<i>Curaçoa</i> punished the murderers and robbers but +protected the villages of the friendly Natives there, +stood up and spoke in our defence, and warned them +what might happen; and other three, who had been +under my instruction on Tanna, declared themselves +to be the friends of Jehovah and of His Missionary. +Finally the Sacred Man rose again, and showed them +rows of beautiful white shells strung round his left +arm, saying,—</p> + +<p>“Nowar, the great Chief at Port Resolution on +Tanna, when he saw that Missi and his wife could +not be kept there, took me to his heart, and pledged +me by these, the shells of his office as Chief, taken +from his own arms and bound on mine, to protect +them from all harm. He told me to declare to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[175]</span> +men of Aniwa that if the Missi be injured or slain, +he and his warriors will come from Tanna and take +the full revenge in blood.” This turned the scale. +The meeting closed in our favour.</p> + +<p>Close on the heels of this, another and a rather +perplexing incident befell us. A party of Heathens +assembled and made a great display of fishing on +the Lord’s Day, in contempt of the practice of the +men on Jehovah’s side, threatening also to waylay +the Teachers and myself in our village circuits. A +meeting was held by the Christian party, at the +close of the Sabbath Services. All who wished to +serve Jehovah were to come to my house next morning, +unarmed, and accompany me on a visit to our +enemies, that we might talk and reason together +with them. By daybreak, the Chiefs and nearly +eighty men assembled at the Mission, declaring that +they were on Jehovah’s side, and wished to go with +me. But, alas! they refused to lay down their arms, +or leave them behind; nor would they either refrain +from going or suffer me to go alone. Pledging them +to peace, I was reluctantly placed at their head, and +we marched off to the village of the unfriendly party.</p> + +<p>The villagers were greatly alarmed. The Chief’s +two sons came forth with every available man to +meet us. That whole day was consumed in talking +and speechifying, sometimes chanting their replies: +the Natives are all inveterate talkers! To me the +day was utterly wearisome; but it had one redeeming +feature,—their rage found vent in hours of palaver,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[176]</span> +instead of blows and blood. It ended in peace. The +Heathen were amazed at the number of Jehovah’s +friends; and they pledged themselves henceforth +to leave the Worship alone, and that every one who +pleased might come to it unmolested. For this, worn +out and weary, we returned, praising the Lord.</p> + +<p>But I must here record the story of the Sinking +of the Well, which broke the back of Heathenism +on Aniwa. Being a flat coral island, with no hills +to attract the clouds, rain is scarce there as compared +with the adjoining mountainous islands; and even +when it does fall heavily, with tropical profusion, +it disappears, as said before, through the light soil +and porous rock, and drains itself directly into the +sea. Hence, because of its greater dryness, Aniwa +is more healthy than many of the surrounding isles; +though, probably for the same reason, its Natives +are subject to a form of Elephantiasis, known as the +“Barbadoes leg.” The Rainy Season is from December +to April, and then the disease most characteristic +of all these regions is apt to prevail, viz., +fever and ague.</p> + +<p>At certain seasons, the Natives drank very unwholesome +water; and, indeed, the best water they +had at any time for drinking purposes was from the +precious cocoa-nut, a kind of Apple of Paradise for +all these Southern Isles! They also cultivate the +sugar-cane very extensively, and in great variety; +and they chew it, when we would fly to water for +thirst, so it is to them both food and drink. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_177">[177]</span> +black fellow carries with him to the field, when he +goes off for a day’s work, four or five sticks of sugar-cane, +and puts in his time comfortably enough on +these. Besides, the sea being their universal bathingplace, +in which they swattle like fish, and little water, +almost none, being required for cooking purposes, +and none whatever for washing clothes (!), the lack of +fresh springing water was not the dreadful trial to +them that it would be to us. Yet they appreciate and +rejoice in it immensely too; though the water of the +green cocoa-nut is refreshing, and in appearance, taste, +and colour not unlike lemonade—one nut filling a +tumbler; and though, when mothers die they feed the +babies on it and on the soft white pith, and they +flourish on the same; yet the Natives themselves +show their delight in preferring, when they can get +it, the milk from the goat and the water from the +well.</p> + +<p>My household felt sadly the want of fresh water. +I prepared two large casks, to be filled when the rain +came. But when we attempted to do so at the +water-hole near the village, the Natives forbade us, +fearing that our large casks would carry all the water +away, and leave none for them with their so much +smaller cocoa-nut bottles. This public water-hole +was on the ground of two Sacred Men, who claimed +the power of emptying and filling it by rain at will. +The superstitious Natives gave them presents to +bring the rain. If it came soon, they took all the +credit for it. If not, they demanded larger gifts to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[178]</span> +satisfy their gods. Even our Aneityumese Teachers +said to me, when I protested that surely they could +not believe such things,—</p> + +<p><ins id="TN-12" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: It is">“It is</ins> hard to know, Missi. The water does come +and go quickly. If you paid them well, they might +bring the rain, and let us fill our casks!”</p> + +<p>I told them that, as followers of Jehovah, we must +despise all Heathen mummeries, and trust in Him +and in the laws of His Creation to help us.</p> + +<p>Aniwa, having therefore no permanent supply of +fresh water, in spring or stream or lake, I resolved +by the help of God to sink a well near the Mission +Premises, hoping that a wisdom higher than my own +would guide me to the source of some blessed spring. +Of the scientific conditions of such an experiment I +was completely ignorant; but I counted on having +to dig through earth and coral above thirty feet, and +my constant fear was, that owing to our environment, +the water, if water I found, could only be salt water +after all my toils! Still I resolved to sink that shaft +in hope, and in faith that the Son of God would be +glorified thereby.</p> + +<p>One morning I said to the old Chief and his fellow-Chief, +both now earnestly inquiring about the religion +of Jehovah and of Jesus,—</p> + +<p>“I am going to sink a deep well down into the +earth, to see if our God will send us fresh water up +from below.”</p> + +<p>They looked at me with astonishment, and said +in a tone of sympathy approaching to pity,—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[179]</span></p> + +<p>“O Missi! Wait till the rain comes down, and we +will save all we possibly can for you.”</p> + +<p>I replied, “We may all die for lack of water. If +no fresh water can be got, we may be forced to leave +you.”</p> + +<p>The old Chief looked imploringly, and said: “O +Missi! you must not leave us for that. Rain comes +only from above. How could you expect our Island +to send up showers of rain from below?”</p> + +<p>I told him: “Fresh water does come up springing +from the earth in my Land at home, and I hope to +see it here also.”</p> + +<p>The old Chief grew more tender in his tones, and +cried: “O Missi, your head is going wrong; you are +losing something, or you would not talk wild like +that! Don’t let our people hear you talking about +going down into the earth for rain, or they will never +listen to your word or believe you again.”</p> + +<p>But I started upon my hazardous job, selecting a +spot near the Mission Station and close to the public +path, that my prospective well might be useful to all. +I began to dig, with pick and spade and bucket at +hand, an American axe for a hammer and crowbar, +and a ladder for service by-and-bye. The good old +Chief now told off his men in relays to watch me, lest +I should attempt to take my own life, or do anything +outrageous, saying,—</p> + +<p>“Poor Missi! That’s the way with all who go +mad. There’s no driving of a notion out of their +heads. We must just watch him now. He will find<span class="pagenum" id="Page_180">[180]</span> +it harder to work with pick and spade than with his +pen, and when he’s tired we’ll persuade him to give it +up.”</p> + +<p>I did get exhausted sooner than I expected, toiling +under that tropical sun; but we never own before the +Natives that we are beaten, so I went into the house +and filled my vest pocket with large beautiful English-made +fish-hooks. These are very tempting to the +young men, as compared with their own,—skilfully +made though <em>they</em> be out of shell, and serving their +purposes wonderfully. Holding up a large hook, I +cried,—“One of these to every man who fills and +turns over three buckets out of this hole!”</p> + +<p>A rush was made to get the first turn, and back +again for another and another. I kept those on one +side who had got a turn, till all the rest in order +had a chance, and bucket after bucket was filled and +emptied rapidly. Still the shaft seemed to lower +very slowly, while my fish-hooks were disappearing +very quickly. I was constantly there, and took the +heavy share of everything, and was thankful one +evening to find that we had cleared more than twelve +feet deep,—when lo! next morning, one side had +rushed in, and our work was all undone.</p> + +<p>The old Chief and his best men now came around +me more earnestly than ever. He remonstrated with +me very gravely. He assured me for the fiftieth time +that rain would never be seen coming up through +the earth on Aniwa!</p> + +<p>“Now,” said he, “had you been in that hole<span class="pagenum" id="Page_181">[181]</span> +last night, you would have been buried, and a Man-of-war +would have come from Queen ’Toria to ask for +the Missi that lived here. We would say, ‘Down in +that hole.’ The Captain would ask, ‘Who killed +him and put him down there?’ We would have to +say, ‘He went down there himself!’ The Captain +would answer, ‘Nonsense! who ever heard of a white +man going down into the earth to bury himself? +You killed him, you put him there; don’t hide your +bad conduct with lies!’ Then he would bring out +his big guns and shoot us, and destroy our Island in +revenge. You are making your own grave, Missi, +and you will make ours too. Give up this mad freak, +for no rain will be found by going downwards on +Aniwa. Besides, all your fish-hooks cannot tempt my +men again to enter that hole; they don’t want to be +buried with you. Will you not give it up now?”</p> + +<p>I said all that I could to quiet his fears, explained +to them that this falling in had happened by my +neglect of precautions, and finally made known that +by the help of my God, even without all other help, I +meant to persevere.</p> + +<p>Steeping my poor brains over the problem, I became +an extemporized engineer. Two trees were +searched for, with branches on opposite sides, capable +of sustaining a cross tree betwixt them. I sank them +on each side firmly into the ground, passed the beam +across them over the centre of the shaft, fastened +thereon a rude home-made pulley and block, passed a +rope over the wheel, and swung my largest bucket to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[182]</span> +the end of it. Thus equipped, I began once more +sinking away at the well, but at so wide an angle +that the sides might not again fall in. Not a Native, +however, would enter that hole, and I had to pick +and dig away till I was utterly exhausted. But a +Teacher, in whom I had confidence, took charge +above, managing to hire them with axes, knives, etc., +to seize the end of the rope and walk along the +ground pulling it till the bucket rose to the surface, +and then he himself swung it aside, emptied it, and +lowered it down again. I rang a little bell which I +had with me, when the bucket was loaded, and that +was the signal for my brave helpers to pull their +rope. And thus I toiled on from day to day, my +heart almost sinking sometimes with the sinking of +the well, till we reached a depth of about thirty feet. +And the phrase, “living water,” “living water,” kept +chiming through my soul like music from God, as I +dug and hammered away!</p> + +<p>At this depth the earth and coral began to be +soaked with damp. I felt that we were nearing +water. My soul had a faith that God would open a +spring for us; but side by side with this faith was a +strange terror that the water would be salt. So perplexing +and mixed are even the highest experiences +of the soul; the rose-flower of a perfect faith, set +round and round with prickly thorns. One evening +I said to the old Chief,—</p> + +<p>“I think that Jehovah God will give us water to-morrow +from that hole!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_183">[183]</span></p> + +<p>The Chief said, “No, Missi; you will never see +rain coming up from the earth on this Island. We +wonder what is to be the end of this mad work of +yours. We expect daily, if you reach water, to see +you drop through into the sea, and the sharks will +eat you! That will be the end of it; death to you, +and danger to us all.”</p> + +<p>I still answered, “Come to-morrow. I hope and +believe that Jehovah God will send you the rain +water up <ins id="TN-13" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: through the earth.">through the earth.”</ins> At the moment I knew +I was risking much, and probably incurring sorrowful +consequences, had no water been given; but I had +faith that the Lord was leading me on, and I knew +that I sought His glory, not my own.</p> + +<p>Next morning, I went down again at daybreak +and sank a narrow hole in the centre about two feet +deep. The perspiration broke over me with uncontrollable +excitement, and I trembled through every +limb, when the water rushed up and began to fill the +hole. Muddy though it was, I eagerly tasted it, and +the little “tinny” dropped from my hand with sheer +joy, and I almost fell upon my knees in that muddy +bottom to praise the Lord. It was water! It was +fresh water! It was living water from Jehovah’s +well! True, it was a little brackish, but nothing to +speak of; and no spring in the desert, cooling the +parched lips of a fevered pilgrim, ever appeared more +worthy of being called a Well of God than did that +water to me!</p> + +<p>The Chiefs had assembled with their men near by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[184]</span> +They waited on in eager expectancy. It was a rehearsal, +in a small way, of the Israelites coming round, +while Moses struck the rock and called for water. +By-and-bye, when I had praised the Lord, and my +excitement was a little calmed, the mud being also +greatly settled, I filled a jug, which I had taken +down empty in the sight of them all, and ascending +to the top called for them to come and see the rain +which Jehovah God had given us through the well. +They closed around me in haste, and gazed on it in +superstitious fear. The old Chief shook it to see if it +would spill, and then touched it to see if it felt like +water. At last he tasted it, and rolling it in his +mouth with joy for a moment, he swallowed it, and +shouted, “Rain! Rain! Yes, it is Rain! But how +did you get it?”</p> + +<p>I repeated, “Jehovah my God gave it out of His +own Earth in answer to our labours and prayers. Go +and see it springing up for yourselves!”</p> + +<p>Now, though every man there could climb the +highest tree as swiftly and as fearlessly as a squirrel +or an opossum, not one of them had courage to walk +to the side and gaze down into that well. To them +this was miraculous! But they were not without a +resource that met the emergency. They agreed to +take firm hold of each other by the hand, to place +themselves in a long line, the foremost man to lean +cautiously forward, gaze into the well, and then pass +to the rear, and so on till all had seen “Jehovah’s +rain” far below. It was somewhat comical, yet far<span class="pagenum" id="Page_185">[185]</span> +more pathetic, to stand by and watch their faces, as +man after man peered down into the mystery, and +then looked up at me in blank bewilderment! When +all had seen it with their own very eyes, and were +“weak with wonder,” the old Chief exclaimed,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, wonderful, wonderful is the work of your +Jehovah God! No god of Aniwa ever helped us in +this way. But, Missi,” continued he, after a pause +that looked like silent worship, “will it always rain +up through the earth? or, will it come and go like +the rain from the clouds?”</p> + +<p>I told them that I believed it would always continue +there for our use, as a good gift from Jehovah.</p> + +<p>“Well, but, Missi,” replied the Chief, some glimmering +of self-interest beginning to strike his brain, +“will you or your family drink it all, or shall we +also have some?”</p> + +<p>“You and all your people,” I answered, “and all +the people of the Island may come and drink and +carry away as much of it as you wish. I believe +there will always be plenty for us all, and the more +of it we can use the fresher it will be. That is the +way with many of our Jehovah’s best gifts to men, +and for it and for all we praise His Name!”</p> + +<p>“Then, Missi,” said the Chief, “it will be our +water, and we may all use it as our very own.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” I answered, “whenever you wish it, and as +much as you need, both here and at your own +houses, as far as it can possibly be made to go.”</p> + +<p>The Chief looked at me eagerly, fully convinced at<span class="pagenum" id="Page_186">[186]</span> +length that the well contained a treasure, and +exclaimed, “Missi, what can we do to help you +now?”</p> + +<p>Oh, how like is human nature all the world over! +When one toils and struggles, when help is needed +which many around could easily give and be the +better, not the worse, for giving it, they look on in +silence, or bless you with ungenerous criticism, or +ban you with malicious judgment. But let them +get some peep of personal advantage by helping you, +or even of the empty bubble of praise for offering +it, and how they rush to your aid!</p> + +<p>But I was thankful to accept of the Chief’s assistance, +though rather late in the day, and I said,—</p> + +<p>“You have seen it fall in once already. If it falls +again, it will conceal the rain from below which our +God has given us. In order to preserve it for us and +for our children in all time, we must build it round +and round with great coral blocks from the bottom +to the very top. I will now clear it out, and prepare +the foundation for this wall of coral. Let every man +and woman carry from the shore the largest blocks +they can bring. It is well worth all the toil thus to +preserve our great Jehovah’s gift!”</p> + +<p>Scarcely were my words repeated, when they +rushed to the shore, with shoutings and songs of +gladness; and soon every one was seen struggling +under the biggest block of coral with which he dared +to tackle. They lay like limestone rocks, broken up +by the hurricanes, and rolled ashore in the arms of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[187]</span> +mighty billows; and in an incredibly short time scores +of them were tumbled down for my use at the mouth +of the well. Having prepared a foundation, I made +ready a sort of box to which every block was firmly +tied and then let down to me by the pulley,—a +Native Teacher, a faithful fellow, cautiously guiding +it. I received and placed each stone in its position, +doing my poor best to wedge them one against the +other, building circularly, and cutting them to the +needed shape with my American axe. The wall is +about three feet thick, and the masonry may be +guaranteed to stand till the coral itself decays. I +wrought incessantly, for fear of any further collapse, +till I had it raised about twenty feet; and now, +feeling secure, and my hands being dreadfully cut up, +I intimated that I would rest a week or two, and +finish the building then. But the Chief advanced +and said,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, you have been strong to work. Your +strength has fled. But rest here beside us; and just +point out where each block is to be laid. We will +lay them there, we will build them solidly behind +like you. And no man will sleep till it is done.”</p> + +<p>With all their will and heart they started on the +job; some carrying, some cutting and squaring the +blocks, till the wall rose like magic, and a row of the +hugest rocks laid round the top bound all together, +and formed the mouth of the well. Women, boys, +and all wished to have a hand in building it, and it +remains to this day, a solid wall of masonry, the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_188">[188]</span> +circle being thirty-four feet deep, eight feet wide at +the top, and six at the bottom. I floored it over with +wood above all, and fixed the windlass and bucket, +and there it stands as one of the greatest material +blessings which the Lord has given to Aniwa. It +rises and falls with the tide, though a third of a mile +distant from the sea; and when, after using it, we +tasted the pure fresh water on board the <i>Dayspring</i>, +it seemed so insipid that I had to slip a little salt +into my tea along with the sugar before I could enjoy +it! All visitors are taken to see the well, as one of +the wonders of Aniwa; and an Elder of the Church +said to me lately,—</p> + +<p>“But for that water, during the last two years of +drought, we would all have been dead!”</p> + +<p>Very strangely, though the Natives themselves +have since tried to sink six or seven wells in the +most likely places near their different villages, they +have either come to coral rock which they could not +pierce, or found only water that was salt. And they +say amongst themselves,—</p> + +<p>“Missi not only used pick and spade, but he +prayed and cried to his God. We have learned to +dig, but not how to pray, and therefore Jehovah will +not give us the rain from below!”</p> + +<p>The well was now finished. The place was neatly +fenced in. And the old Chief said,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, now that this is the water for all, we must +take care and keep it pure.”</p> + +<p>I was so thankful that all were to use it. Had we<span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[189]</span> +alone drawn water therefrom, they could so easily +have poisoned it, as they do the fish-pools, in caverns +among the rocks by the shore, with their nuts and +runners, and killed us all. But there was no fear, if +they themselves were to use it daily. The Chief +continued,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, I think I could help you next Sabbath. +Will you let me preach a sermon on the well?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” I at once replied, “if you will try to bring +all the people to hear you.”</p> + +<p>“Missi, I will try,” he eagerly promised. The +news spread like wildfire that the Chief Namakei was +to be the Missionary on the next day for the Worship, +and the people, under great expectancy, urged each +other to come and hear what he had to say.</p> + +<p>Sabbath came round. Aniwa assembled in what +was for that island a great crowd. Namakei appeared +dressed in shirt and kilt. He was so excited, and +flourished his tomahawk about at such a rate, that it +was rather lively work to be near him. I conducted +short opening devotions, and then called upon +Namakei. He rose at once, with eye flashing wildly, +and his limbs twitching with emotion. He spoke to +the following effect, swinging his tomahawk to enforce +every eloquent gesticulation,—</p> + +<p>“Friends of Namakei, men and women and children +of Aniwa, listen to my words! Since Missi came +here he has talked many strange things we could not +understand—things all too wonderful; and we said +regarding many of them that they must be lies.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_190">[190]</span> +White people might believe such nonsense, but we +said that the black fellow knew better than to +receive it. But of all his wonderful stories, we +thought the strangest was about sinking down +through the earth to get rain! Then we said to each +other, The man’s head is turned; he’s gone mad. But +the Missi prayed on and wrought on, telling us that +Jehovah God heard and saw, and that his God would +give him rain. Was he mad? Has he not got the +rain deep down in the earth? We mocked at him; +but the water was there all the same. We have +laughed at other things which the Missi told us, +because we could not see them. But from this day +I believe that all he tells us about his Jehovah God +is true. Some day our eyes will see it. For to-day +we have seen the rain from the earth.”</p> + +<p>Then, rising to a climax, first the one foot and then +the other making the broken coral on the floor fly +behind like a war-horse pawing the ground, he cried +with great eloquence,—</p> + +<p>“My people, the people of Aniwa, the world is +turned upside down since the word of Jehovah came +to this land! Who ever expected to see rain coming +up through the earth? It has always come from the +clouds! Wonderful is the work of this Jehovah God. +No god of Aniwa ever answered prayers as the +Missi’s God has done. Friends of Namakei, all the +powers of the world could not have forced us to +believe that rain could be given from the depths of +the earth, if we had not seen it with our eyes, felt it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_191">[191]</span> +and tasted it as we here do. Now, by the help of +Jehovah God the Missi brought that invisible rain to +view, which we never before heard of or saw, and,”—(beating +his hand on his breast, he exclaimed),—</p> + +<p>“Something here in my heart tells me that the +Jehovah God does exist, the Invisible One, whom we +never heard of nor saw till the Missi brought Him to +our knowledge. The coral has been removed, the +land has been cleared away, and lo! the water rises. +Invisible till this day, yet all the same it was there, +though our eyes were too weak. So I, your Chief, +do now firmly believe that when I die, when the bits +of coral and the heaps of dust are removed which +now blind my old eyes, I shall then see the Invisible +Jehovah God with my soul, as Missi tells me, not +less surely than I have seen the rain from the earth +below. From this day, my people, I must worship +the God who has opened for us the well, and who +fills us with rain from below. The gods of Aniwa +cannot hear, cannot help us, like the God of Missi. +Henceforth I am a follower of Jehovah God. Let +every man that thinks with me go now and fetch the +idols of Aniwa, the gods which our fathers feared, +and cast them down at Missi’s feet. Let us burn +and bury and destroy these things of wood and stone, +and let us be taught by the Missi how to serve the +God who can hear, the Jehovah who gave us the well, +and who will give us every other blessing, for He sent +His Son Jesus to die for us and bring us to Heaven. +This is what the Missi has been telling us every day<span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[192]</span> +since he landed on Aniwa. We laughed at him, but +now we believe him. The Jehovah God has sent us +rain from the earth. Why should He not also send +us His Son from Heaven? Namakei stands up for +Jehovah!”</p> + +<p>This address, and the Sinking of the Well, broke, +as I already said, the back of Heathenism on Aniwa. +That very afternoon, the old Chief and several of his +people brought their idols and cast them down at my +feet beside the door of our house. Oh, the intense +excitement of the weeks that followed! Company +after company came to the spot, loaded with their +gods of wood and stone, and piled them up in heaps, +amid the tears and sobs of some, and the shoutings +of others, in which was heard the oft-repeated word, +“Jehovah! Jehovah!” What could be burned, we +cast into the flames; others we buried in pits twelve +or fifteen feet deep; and some few, more likely than +the rest to feed or awaken superstition, we sank far +out into the deep sea. Let no Heathen eyes ever +gaze on them again!</p> + +<p>We do not mean to indicate that, in all cases, their +motives were either high or enlightened. There were +not wanting some who wished to make this new +movement pay, and were much disgusted when we +refused to “buy” their gods! On being told that +Jehovah would not be pleased unless they gave them +up of their own free will, and destroyed them without +pay or reward, some took them home again and +held on by them for a season, and others threw them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_193">[193]</span> +away in contempt. Meetings were held; speeches +were delivered, for these New Hebrideans are irrepressible +orators, florid, and amazingly graphic; much +talk followed, and the destruction of idols went on +apace. By-and-bye two Sacred Men and some other +selected persons were appointed a sort of detective +Committee, to search out and expose those who pretended +to give them all up, but were hiding certain +idols in secret, and to encourage waverers to come to +a thorough decision for Jehovah. In these intensely +exciting days, we “stood still” and saw the salvation +of the Lord.</p> + +<p>They flocked around us now at every meeting we +held. They listened eagerly to the story of the life +and death of Jesus. They voluntarily assumed one +or other article of clothing. And everything transpiring +was fully and faithfully submitted to us for +counsel or for information. One of the very first +things of a Christian discipline to which they readily +and almost unanimously took was the asking of +God’s blessing on every meal and praising the great +Jehovah for their daily bread. Whosoever did not +do so was regarded as a Heathen. (Query: how +many <em>white</em> Heathens are there?) The next step, +and it was taken in a manner as if by some common +consent that was not less surprising than joyful, was +a form of Family Worship every morning and evening. +Doubtless the prayers were often very queer, +and mixed up with many remaining superstitions; +but they were prayers to the great Jehovah, the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[194]</span> +compassionate Father, the Invisible One—no longer +to gods of stone!</p> + +<p>Necessarily these were the conspicuous features of +our life as Christians in their midst—morning and +evening Family Prayer, and Grace at Meat; and +hence, most naturally, their instinctive adoption and +imitation of the same as the first outward tokens of +Christian discipline. Every house in which there +was not Prayer to God in the family was known +thereby to be Heathen. This was a direct and +practical evidence of the New Religion; and, so far +as it goes (and that is very far indeed, where there is +any sincerity at all), the test was one about which +there could be no mistake on either side.</p> + +<p>A third conspicuous feature stood out distinctly +and at once,—the change as to the Lord’s Day. +Village after village followed in this also the example +of the Mission House. All ordinary occupations +ceased. Sabbath was spoken of as the Day for +Jehovah. Saturday came to be called “Cooking +Day,” referring to the extra preparations for the day +of rest and worship. They believed that it was +Jehovah’s will to keep the first day holy. The reverse +was a distinctive mark of Heathenism.</p> + +<p>The first traces of a new Social Order began to +rise visibly on the delighted eye. The whole inhabitants, +young and old, now attended School,—three +generations sometimes at the one copy or A B C +book! Thefts, quarrels, crimes, etc., were settled +now, not by club law, but by fine or bonds or lash, as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[195]</span> +agreed upon by the Chiefs and their people. Everything +was rapidly and surely becoming “new” under +the influence of the leaven of Jesus. Industry increased. +Huts and plantations were safe. Formerly +every man, in travelling, carried with him all his +valuables; now they were secure, left at home.</p> + +<p>Even a brood of fowls or a litter of pigs would be +carried in bags on their persons in Heathen days. +Hence at Church we had sometimes lively episodes, +the chirruping of chicks, the squealing of piggies, and +the barking of puppies, one gaily responding to the +other, as we sang, or prayed, or preached the Gospel! +Being glad to see the Natives there, even with all their +belongings, we carefully refrained from finding fault; +but the thread of devotion was sometimes apt to slip +through one’s fingers, especially when the conflict of +the owner to silence a baby-pig inspired the little +wretch to drown everything in a long-sustained and +angry swinish scream.</p> + +<p>The Natives, finding this state of matters troublesome +to themselves and disagreeable all round, called +a General Assembly, unanimously condemned dishonesty, +agreed upon severe fines and punishments +for every act of theft, and covenanted to stand by +each other in putting it down. The Chiefs, however, +found this a long and difficult task, but they held at +it under the inspiration of the Gospel and prevailed. +Even the trials and difficulties with which they met +were overruled by God, in assisting them to form +by the light of their own experience a simple code<span class="pagenum" id="Page_196">[196]</span> +of Social Laws, fitted to repress the crimes there +prevailing, and to encourage the virtues specially +needing to be cultivated there. Heathen Worship +was gradually extinguished; and, though no one was +compelled to come to Church, every person on Aniwa, +without exception, became an avowed worshipper of +Jehovah God. Again, “O Galilean, Thou hast conquered!”</p> + +<p>Often since have I meditated on that old Cannibal +Chief reasoning himself and his people, from the +sinking of the well and the bringing of the invisible +water to view, into a belief as to the existence and +power of the great Invisible God, the only Hearer and +Answerer of prayer. And the contrasted picture rises +before my mind of the multitudes in Britain, America, +Germany, and our Colonies, all whose wisdom, science, +art, and wealth have only left them in spiritual darkness—miserable +doubters! In their pride of heart, +they deny their Creator and Redeemer, so gloriously +revealed to them alike in Nature and in Scripture, +and are like a dog barking against the sun. They +will accept nothing but what their poorly-developed +Science can demonstrate; yet that Science, as compared +with the All-Truth of the Universe, is infinitely +smaller than was the poor Chief Namakei’s knowledge +as compared with mine! They do certainly +know that their very existence, at every moment, +depends on things that neither reason nor science can +fathom, any more than Namakei could understand +the rain from below. For every reason that he and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[197]</span> +his people had to believe in the Invisible God, who +brought the water to their view, these sons and +daughters of civilization, “the heirs of all the ages in +the foremost files of time,” have ten thousand more—from +history, from science, from material progress—yet +in their pride of Intellect they refuse to acknowledge +and adore that Invisible and Inscrutable +God, in whom every day they live, and move, and +have their being, and who has spoken to us by His +Son from Heaven. If their own sons, daughters, or +servants, who are infinitely less dependent on them +than they are upon God, should treat themselves as +they are treating their Creator, what would they +think? How would they feel? I pity from the depth +of my heart every human being, who, from whatever +cause, is a stranger to the most ennobling, uplifting, +and consoling experience that can come to the soul +of man—blessed communion with the Father of our +Spirits, through gracious union with the Lord Jesus +Christ. “I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven +and Earth, because Thou hast hid these things from +the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto +babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in +Thy sight.... Come unto Me, all ye that labour +and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take +My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek +and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your +souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is +light” (Matt. xi. 25-30).</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[198]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.<br><br> + +<i class="center fs80">THE LIGHT THAT SHINETH MORE AND MORE.</i></h2> +</div> +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>My first Aniwan Book.—The Power of Music.—A Pair of Glass +Eyes.—Church Building for Jesus.—The Hanging of the +Bell.—Patesa and his Bride.—An Armed Embassage.—Youwili’s +Taboo.—Youwili’s Conversion.—The Tobacco +Idol.—First Communion on Aniwa.—Our Village Day +Schools.—New Social Laws.—A Sabbath Day’s Work on +Aniwa.—Our Week-day Life.—The Orphans and their +Biscuits.—“The Wreck of the <i>Dayspring</i>.”—God’s Own +Finger-Posts.—God’s Work our Guarantee.—Profane +Swearers Rebuked.—A Heavenly Vision.—On Wing +through New Zealand.—Our Second <i>Dayspring</i>.</p> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap">The printing of my first Aniwan book was a +great event, not so much for the toil and worry +which it cost me, though that was enough to have +broken the heart of many a compositor, as rather for +the joy it gave to the old Chief Namakei.</p> + +<p>The break-up at Tanna had robbed me of my own +neat little printing press. I had since obtained at +Aneityum the remains of one from Erromanga, that +had belonged to the murdered Gordon. But the supply +of letters, in some cases, was so deficient that I +could print only four pages at a time; and, besides, bits +of the press were wanting, and I had first to manufacture<span class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[199]</span> +substitutes from scraps of iron and wood. I +managed, however, to make it go, and by-and-bye it +did good service. By it I printed our Aniwan Hymn-Book, +a portion of Genesis in Aniwan, a small book +in Erromangan for the second Gordon, and other little +things.</p> + +<p>The old Chief had eagerly helped me in translating +and preparing this first book. He had a great desire +“to hear it speak,” as he graphically expressed it. It +was made up chiefly of short passages from the Scriptures, +that might help me to introduce them to the +treasures of Divine truth and love. Namakei came +to me, morning after morning, saying,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, is it done? Can it speak?”</p> + +<p>At last I was able to answer, “Yes!”</p> + +<p>The old Chief eagerly responded, “Does it speak +my words?”</p> + +<p>I said, “It does.”</p> + +<p>With rising interest, Namakei exclaimed,—</p> + +<p>“Make it speak to me, Missi! Let me hear it +speak.”</p> + +<p>I read to him a part of the book, and the old man +fairly shouted in an ecstasy of joy: “It does speak! +It speaks my own language, too! Oh, give it to me!”</p> + +<p>He grasped it hurriedly, turned it all round every +way, pressed it to his bosom, and then, closing it with +a look of great disappointment, handed it back to +me, saying, “Missi, I cannot make it speak! It will +never speak to me.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said I; “you don’t know how to read it yet,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_200">[200]</span> +how to make it speak to you; but I will teach you to +read, and then it will speak to you as it does to me.”</p> + +<p>“O Missi, dear Missi, show me how to make it +speak!” persisted the bewildered Chief. He was +straining his eyes so, that I suspected they were dim +with age, and could not see the letters. I looked out +for him a pair of spectacles, and managed to fit him +well. He was much afraid of putting them on at first, +manifestly in dread of some sort of sorcery. At last +when they were properly placed, he saw the letters +and everything so clearly that he exclaimed in great +excitement and joy,—</p> + +<p>“I see it all now! This is what you told us about +Jesus. He opened the eyes of a blind man. The +word of Jesus has just come to Aniwa. He has sent +me these glass eyes. I have gotten back again the +sight that I had when a boy. O Missi, make the +book speak to me now!”</p> + +<p>I walked out with him to the public Village +Ground. There I drew A B C in large characters +upon the dust, showed him the same letters in the +book, and left him to compare them, and find out how +many occurred on the first page. Fixing these in +his mind, he came running to me, and said,—</p> + +<p>“I have lifted up A B C. They are here in my +head, and I will hold them fast. Give me other +three.”</p> + +<p>This was repeated time after time. He mastered +the whole Alphabet, and soon began to spell out the +smaller words. Indeed, he came so often, getting<span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[201]</span> +me to read it over and over, that before he himself +could read it freely he had it word for word committed +to memory. When strangers passed him, or young +people came around, he would get out the little book, +and say,—</p> + +<p>“Come, and I will let you hear how the book +speaks our own Aniwan words. You say, it is hard +to learn to read and make it speak. But be strong +to try! If an old man like me has done it, it ought +to be much easier for you.”</p> + +<p>One day I heard him read to a company with wonderful +fluency. Taking the book, I asked him to +show me how he had done it so quickly. Immediately +I perceived that he could recite the whole from +memory. He became our right-hand helper in the +Conversion of Aniwa.</p> + +<p>Next after God’s own Word, perhaps the power of +Music was most amazingly blessed in opening up +our way. Amongst many other illustrations, I may +mention how Namakei’s wife was won. The old lady +positively shuddered at coming near the Mission +House, and dreaded being taught anything. One +day she was induced to draw near the door, and fixing +a hand on either post, and gazing inwards, she exclaimed, +“Awái, Missi! Kái, Missi!”—the Native cry +for unspeakable wonder. Mrs. Paton began to play +on the harmonium, and sang a simple hymn in the +old woman’s language. Manifestly charmed, she drew +nearer and nearer, and drank in the music, as it were, +at every pore of her being. At last she ran off, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[202]</span> +we thought it was with fright, but it was to call together +all the women and girls from her village “to +hear the <i>bokis</i> sing!” (Having no <i>x</i>, the word <i>box</i> +is pronounced thus.) She returned with them all at +her heels. They listened with dancing eyes. And +ever after the sound of a hymn, and the song of the +<i>bokis</i>, made them flock freely to class or meeting.</p> + +<p>Being myself as nearly as possible destitute of the +power of singing, all my work would have been impaired +and sadly hindered, and the joyous side of the +Worship and Service of Jehovah could not have been +presented to the Natives, but for the gift bestowed +by the Lord on my dear wife. She led our songs of +praise, both in the family and in the Church, and that +was the first avenue by which the New Religion +winged its way into the heart of Cannibal and +Savage.</p> + +<p>The old Chief was particularly eager that this same +aged lady, his wife Yauwaki, should be taught to read. +But her sight was far gone. So, one day, he brought +her to me, saying, “Missi, can you give my wife also +a pair of new glass eyes like mine? She tries to +learn, but she cannot see the letters. She tries to sew, +but she pricks her finger, and throws away the needle, +saying, ‘The ways of the white people are not good!’ +If she could get a pair of glass eyes, she would be in +a new world like Namakei.” In my bundle I found +a pair that suited her. She was in positive terror +about putting them on her face, but at last she cried +with delight,—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_203">[203]</span></p> + +<p>“Oh, my new eyes! my new eyes! I have the +sight of a little girl. I will learn hard now. I will +make up for lost time.”</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_c202b" style="max-width: 50em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_c202b.jpg" alt="A woman wearing glasses while others observe."> + <figcaption class="caption"><p>“OH, MY NEW EYES!”</p></figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>Her progress was never very great, but her influence +for good on other women and girls was immense.</p> + +<p>In all my work amongst the Natives, I have striven +to train them to be self-supporting, and have never +helped them where I could train them to help themselves. +In this respect I was exceedingly careful, +when the question arose of building their Churches, +and Schools. At first we moved about amongst them +from village to village, acquired their language, and +taught them everywhere,—by the roadside, under the +shade of a tree, or on the public Village Ground. +Our old Native Hut, when we removed to the Mission +House formerly referred to, was used for all sorts of +public meetings. Feeling by-and-bye that the time +had come to interest them in building a new Church, +and that it would be every way helpful, I laid the +proposal before them, carefully explaining that for +this work no one would be paid, that the Church was +for all the Islanders and for the Worship alone, and +that every one must build purely for the love of +Jesus.</p> + +<p>I told them that God would be pleased with such +materials as they had to give, that they must not +begin till they had divided the work and counted the +cost, and that for my part I would do all that I could +to direct and help, and would supply the sinnet<span class="pagenum" id="Page_204">[204]</span> +(= cocoa-nut fibre rope) which I had brought from +Aneityum, and the nails brought from Sydney.</p> + +<p>They held meeting after meeting throughout the +Island. Chiefs made long speeches; orators chanted +their palavers; and warriors acted their part by +waving of club and tomahawk. An unprecedented +friendliness sprang up amongst them. They agreed +to sink every quarrel, and unite in building the first +Church on Aniwa,—one Chief only holding back. +Women and children began to gather and prepare +the sugar-cane leaf for thatch. Men searched for +and cut down suitable trees.</p> + +<p>The Church measured sixty-two feet by twenty-four. +The wall was twelve feet high. The studs +were of hard iron-wood, and were each by tenon and +mortise fastened into six iron-wood trees forming the +upper wall plates. All were not only nailed, but +strongly tied together by sinnet-rope, so as to resist +the hurricanes. The roof was supported by four +huge iron-wood trees, and another of equally hard +wood, sunk about eight feet into the ground, surrounded +by building at the base, and forming massive +pillars. There were two doorways and eight window +spaces; the floor was laid with white coral, broken +small, and covered with cocoa-nut tree leaf-mats, on +which the people sat. I had a small platform, floored +and surrounded with reeds; and Mrs. Paton had a +seat enclosing the harmonium, also made of reeds, +and in keeping. Great harmony prevailed all the +time, and no mishap marred the work. One hearty<span class="pagenum" id="Page_205">[205]</span> +fellow fell from the roof-tree to the ground, and was +badly stunned. But, jumping up, he shook himself, +and saying,—“I was working for Jehovah! He has +saved me from being hurt,”—he mounted the roof +again and went on cheerily with his work.</p> + +<p>Our pride in the New Church soon met with a +dreadful blow. That very season a terrific hurricane +levelled it with the ground. After much wailing, the +principal Chief, in a great Assembly, said,—</p> + +<p>“Let us not weep, like boys over their broken +bows and arrows! Let us be strong, and build a yet +stronger Church for Jehovah.”</p> + +<p>By our counsel, ten days were spent first in repairing +houses and fences, and saving food from the +plantations, many of which had been swept into utter +ruin. Then they assembled on the appointed day. +A hymn was sung. God’s blessing was invoked, and +all the work was dedicated afresh to Him. Days +were spent in taking the iron-wood roof to pieces, +and saving everything that could be saved. The +work was allocated equally amongst the villages, and +a wholesome emulation was created. One Chief still +held back. After a while, I visited him and personally +invited his help,—telling him that it was +God’s House, and for all the people of Aniwa; and +that if he and his people did not do their part, the +others would cast it in their teeth that they had no +share in the House of God. He yielded to my appeal, +and entered vigorously upon the work.</p> + +<p>One large tree was still needed to complete the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_206">[206]</span> +couples, and could nowhere be found. The work +was at a standstill; for, though the size was now +reduced to fifty feet by twenty-two, and the roof had +been lowered by four feet in order to give the windlass +sufficient purchase, there was plenty of smaller +wood on Aniwa, but the larger trees were apparently +exhausted. One morning, however, we were awoke +at early daybreak by the shouting and singing of a +company of men, carrying a great black tree to the +Church, with this same Chief dancing before them, +leading the singing, and beating time with the flourish +of his tomahawk. Determined not to be beaten, +though late in the field, he had lifted the roof-tree +out of his own house, as black as soot could make it, +and was carrying it to complete the couplings. The +rest of the builders shouted against this. All the +other wood of the Church was white and clean, and +they would not have this black tree, conspicuous in +the very centre of all. But I praised the old Chief +for what he had done, and hoped he and his people +would come and worship Jehovah under his own +roof-tree. At this all were delighted; and the work +went on apace, with many songs and shoutings.</p> + +<p>Whenever the Church was roofed in, we met in it +for Public Worship. Coral was being got and burned, +and preparations made for plastering the walls. The +Natives were sharp enough to notice that I was not +putting up the bell; and suspicions arose that I kept +it back in order to take it with me when I returned +to Tanna. It was a beautiful Church bell, cast and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[207]</span> +sent out by our dear friend, James Taylor, Esq., +Engineer, Birkenhead. The Aniwans, therefore, gave +me no rest till I agreed to have it hung on their +new Church. They found a large iron-wood tree +near the shore, cut a road for half a mile through the +bush, tied poles across it every few feet, and with +shouts lifted it bodily on their shoulders—six men or +so at each pole—and never set it down again till they +reached the Church; for as one party got exhausted, +others were ready to rush in and relieve them at +every stage of the journey. The two old Chiefs, +flourishing their tomahawks, went capering in front of +all the rest, and led the song to which they marched, +joyfully bearing their load. They dug a deep hole +into which to sink it; I squared the top and screwed +on the bell; then we raised the tree by ropes, letting +it sink into the hole, built it round eight feet deep +with coral blocks and lime, and there from its top +swings and rings ever since the Church bell of Aniwa.</p> + +<p>A fortnight’s cessation of labour at the Church now +followed. Their own plantations were attended to, +and other needful duties performed. Our resumption +of operations at the Church gave the opportunity +for a deed of horrid cruelty. The Chiefs son, +Patesa, had just been married to a youthful widow, +whom Nasi, a Tanna man living on Aniwa, had also +desired. The people of the young bridegroom’s +village agreed to sleep overnight near the Mission +Premises, in order to be ready for the work early +next morning; and they deputed the young couple<span class="pagenum" id="Page_208">[208]</span> +to return to the village and sleep there, watching +over their property. Nasi and his half-brother +Nouka, knowing they were alone, crept stealthily +towards their hut at earliest daybreak, and removed +the door without awaking either of the sleepers. +Next moment a ball struck the young husband +dead. The wife sprang up and implored Nasi to +spare her; but he sent a ball through her heart, and +she fell dead upon her dead spouse. Their people, +hearing the double shot, rushed to the scene, and +found the hut flowing with blood. Early that same +forenoon the bride and bridegroom were laid in the +same grave, in the sleep of love and death.</p> + +<p>For a week all our work was suspended. Men and +boys went about fully armed, and all their talk was +for revenge. Nasi had a number of desperate fellows +at his back, all armed with muskets, and I feared the +loss of many lives. I implored them for once to leave +the vengeance in the hands of God, and to stand by +each other in carrying forward the work of Jehovah. +But I solemnly forbade the murderers to come near +the Mission House, or to help us with the Church. +My counsel was so far accepted. But every man +came to the work armed with musket, tomahawk, +spear, and club, and the boys with bows and arrows; +and these were piled up round the fence at hand, +with watchmen stationed for alarm. Thus, literally +with sword in one hand and trowel in the other, the +House of the Lord was reared again on Aniwa.</p> + +<p>Coral was secured, as described in a preceding<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[209]</span> +chapter; lime was prepared therefrom by burning +it in extemporized kilns; and each village vied with +all the rest in plastering beautifully its own allocated +portion—the first job of the kind they had ever done. +The floor was covered with broken coral and mats, +but the Natives are now (1889) furnishing it with +white men’s seats. Originally they had a row of +seats all round it inside, made of bamboo cane and +reeds. The women and girls enter by one door, +and the men and boys by another; and they sit on +separate sides,—except at the Lord’s table, when all +sit together as one family. It was a Church perfectly +suitable for their circumstances, and it cost the Home +Committees not a single penny. It has withstood +many a hurricane. A large number of the original +builders are gone to their rest; but their work +abides, and witnesses for God amongst their children. +On its rude walls I could see the glorious motto—“Jehovah +Shammah.”</p> + +<p>One of the last attempts ever made on my life +resulted, by God’s blessing, in great good to us all +and to the work of the Lord. It was when Nourai, +one of Nasi’s men, struck at me again and again with +the barrel of his musket; but I evaded the blows, +till rescued by the women—the men looking on +stupefied. After he escaped into the bush, I assembled +our people, and said,—</p> + +<p>“If you do not now try to stop this bad conduct, +I shall leave Aniwa, and go to some island where my +life will be protected.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[210]</span></p> + +<p>Next morning at daybreak, about one hundred +men arrived at my house, and in answer to my query +why they came armed they replied,—“We are now +going to that village, where the men of wicked conduct +are gathered together. We will find out why +they sought your life, and we will rebuke their Sacred +Man for pretending to cause hurricanes and diseases. +We cannot go unarmed. We will not suffer you to +go alone. We are your friends and the friends of the +Worship. And we are resolved to stand by you, and +you must go at our head to-day!”</p> + +<p>In great perplexity, yet believing that my presence +might prevent bloodshed, I allowed myself to be +placed at their head. The old Chief followed next, +then a number of fiery young men; then all the rest, +single file, along the narrow path. At a sudden turn, +as we neared their village, Nourai, who had attacked +me the Sabbath day before, and his brother were seen +lurking with their muskets; but our young men made +a rush in front, and they disappeared into the bush.</p> + +<p>We took possession of the Village Public Ground; +and the Chief, the Sacred Man, and others soon +assembled. A most characteristic Native Palaver +followed. Speeches, endless speeches, were fired by +them at each other. My friends declared, in every +conceivable form of language and of graphic illustration, +that they were resolved at any cost to defend +me and the worship of Jehovah, and that they would +as one man punish every attempt to injure me or take +my life. The orator, Taia, exclaimed,—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[211]</span></p> + +<p>“You think that Missi is here alone, and that you +can do with him as you please! No! We are now +all Missi’s men. We will fight for him and his rather +than see him injured. Every one that attacks him +attacks us. That is finished to-day!”</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_c210b" style="max-width: 50em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_c210b.jpg" alt="A woman about to hit another person while others observe."> + <figcaption class="caption"><p>“I’LL KNOCK THE TEVIL OUT OF HIM.”</p></figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>In the general scolding, the Sacred Man had special +attention, for pretending to cause hurricanes. One +pointed out that he had himself a stiff knee, and +argued,—</p> + +<p>“If he can make a hurricane, why can’t he restore +the joint of his own knee? It is surely easier to do +the one than the other!”</p> + +<p>The Natives laughed heartily, and taunted him. +Meantime he sat looking down to the earth in sullen +silence; and a ludicrous episode ensued. His wife, +a big, strong woman, scolded him roundly for the +trouble he had brought them all into; and then, +getting indignant as well as angry, she seized a huge +cocoa-nut leaf out of the bush, and with the butt end +thereof began thrashing his shoulders vigorously, as +she poured out the vials of her wrath in torrents of +words, always winding up with the cry,—</p> + +<p>“I’ll knock the Tevil out of him! He’ll not try +hurricanes again!”</p> + +<p>The woman was a Malay, as many of the Aniwans +were. Had a Papuan woman on Tanna or Erromanga +dared such a thing, she would have been killed on the +spot. But even on Aniwa, the unwonted spectacle of +a wife beating her husband created uproarious amusement. +At length I remonstrated, saying,—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_212">[212]</span></p> + +<p>“You had better stop now! You don’t want to +kill him, do you? You seem to have knocked ‘the +Tevil’ pretty well out of him now! You see how +he receives it all in silence, and repents of all his +bad talk and bad conduct.”</p> + +<p>They exacted from him a solemn promise as to +the making of no more diseases or hurricanes, and +that he would live at peace with his neighbours. +The offending villagers at length presented a large +quantity of sugar-cane and food to us as a peace-offering; +and we returned, praising God that the +whole day’s scolding had ended in talk, not blood. +The result was every way most helpful. Our friends +knew their strength and took courage. Our enemies +were disheartened and afraid. We saw the balance +growing heavier every day on the side of Jesus; and +our souls blessed the Lord.</p> + +<p>These events suggest to me another incident of those +days full at once of trial and of joy. It pertains to +the story of our young Chief, Youwili. From the +first, and for long, he was most audacious and troublesome. +Observing that for several days no Natives +had come near the Mission House, I asked the old +Chief if he knew why, and he answered,—</p> + +<p>“Youwili has <em>tabooed</em> the paths, and threatens +death to any one who breaks through it.”</p> + +<p>I at once replied: “Then I conclude that you all +agree with him, and wish me to leave. We are here +only to teach you and your people. If he has power +to prevent that, we shall leave with the <i>Dayspring</i>.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_213">[213]</span></p> + +<p>The old Chief called the people together, and they +came to me, saying,—“Our anger is strong against +Youwili. Go with us and break down the <em>taboo</em>. +We will assist and protect you.”</p> + +<p>I went at their head and removed it. It consisted +simply of reeds stuck into the ground, with twigs and +leaves and fibre tied to each in a peculiar way, in a +circle round the Mission House. The Natives had +an extraordinary dread of violating the <em>taboo</em>, and +believed that it meant death to the offender or +to some one of his family. All present entered +into a bond to punish on the spot any man who +attempted to replace the <em>taboo</em>, or to revenge its +removal. Thus a mortal blow was publicly struck +at this most miserable superstition, which had caused +bloodshed and misery untold.</p> + +<p>One day, thereafter, I was engaged in clearing +away the bush around the Mission House, having +purchased and paid for the land for the very purpose +of opening it up, when suddenly Youwili appeared +and menacingly forbade me to proceed. For the +sake of peace I for the time desisted. But he went +straight to my fence, and with his tomahawk cut +down the portion in front of our house, also some +bananas planted there,—their usual declaration of +war, intimating that he only awaited his opportunity +similarly to cut down me and mine. We saw the +old Chief and his men planting themselves here and +there to guard us, and the Natives prowling about +armed and excited. On calling them, they explained<span class="pagenum" id="Page_214">[214]</span> +the meaning of what Youwili had done, and that +they were determined to protect us. I said,—</p> + +<p>“This must not continue. Are you to permit one +young fool to defy us all, and break up the Lord’s +work on Aniwa? If you cannot righteously punish +him, I will shut myself up in my House and withdraw +from all attempts to teach or help you, till the +Vessel comes, and then I can leave the Island.”</p> + +<p>Now that they had begun really to love us, and to +be anxious to learn more, this was always my most +powerful argument. We retired into the Mission +House. The people surrounded our doors and windows +and pleaded with us. After long silence, we +replied,—</p> + +<p>“You know our resolution. It is for you now to +decide. Either you must control that foolish young +man, or we must go!”</p> + +<p>Much speech-making, as usual, followed. The +people resolved to seize and punish Youwili; but he +fled, and had hid himself in the bush. Coming to +me, the Chief said,—</p> + +<p>“It is left to you to say what shall be Youwili’s +punishment. Shall we kill him?”</p> + +<p>I replied firmly, “Certainly not! Only for murder +can life be lawfully taken away.”</p> + +<p>“What then?” they continued. “Shall we burn his +houses and destroy his plantations?”</p> + +<p>I answered, “No.”</p> + +<p>“Shall we bind him and beat him?”</p> + +<p>“No.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_215">[215]</span></p> + +<p>“Shall we place him in a canoe, thrust him out to +sea, and let him drown or escape as he may?”</p> + +<p>“No! by no means.”</p> + +<p>“Then, Missi,” said they, “these are our ways of +punishing. What other punishment remains that +Youwili cares for?”</p> + +<p>I replied, “Make him with his own hands, and +alone, put up a new fence, and restore all that he has +destroyed; and make him promise publicly that he +will cease all evil conduct towards us. That will +satisfy me.”</p> + +<p>This idea of punishment seemed to tickle them +greatly. The Chiefs reported our words to the +Assembly; and the Natives laughed and cheered, as +if it were a capital joke! They cried aloud,—</p> + +<p>“It is good! It is good! Obey the word of the +Missi.”</p> + +<p>After considerable hunting, the young Chief was +found. They brought him to the Assembly and +scolded him severely and told him their sentence. +He was surprised by the nature of the punishment, +and cowed by the determination of the people.</p> + +<p>“To-morrow,” said he, “I will fully repair the +fence. Never again will I oppose the Missi. His +word is good.”</p> + +<p>By daybreak next morning Youwili was diligently +repairing what he had broken down, and before +evening he had everything made right, better than it +was before. While he toiled away, some fellows of +his own rank twitted him, saying,—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_216">[216]</span></p> + +<p>“Youwili, you found it easier to cut down Missi’s +fence than to repair it again. You will not repeat +that in a hurry!”</p> + +<p>But he heard all in silence. Others passed with +averted heads, and he knew they were laughing at +him. He made everything tight, and then left without +uttering a single word. My heart yearned after +the poor fellow, but I thought it better to let his own +mind work away, on its new ideas as to punishment +and revenge, for a little longer by itself alone. I +instinctively felt that Youwili was beginning to turn, +that the Christ-Spirit had touched his darkly-groping +soul. My doors were now thrown open, +and every good work went on as before. We resolved +to leave Youwili entirely to Jesus, setting apart a +portion of our prayer every day for the enlightenment +and conversion of the young Chief, on whom +all our means had been exhausted apparently in +vain.</p> + +<p>A considerable time elapsed. No sign came, and +our prayers seemed to fail. But one day, I was +toiling between the shafts of a hand-cart, assisted by +two boys, drawing it along from the shore loaded +with coral blocks. Youwili came rushing from his +house, three hundred yards or so off the path, and +said,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, that is too hard work for you. Let me be +your helper!”</p> + +<p>Without waiting for a reply, he ordered the two +boys to seize one rope, while he grasped the other<span class="pagenum" id="Page_217">[217]</span> +threw it over his shoulder and started off, pulling +with the strength of a horse. My heart rose in +gratitude, and I wept with joy as I followed him. I +knew that that rope was but a symbol of the yoke +of Christ, which Youwili with his change of heart was +beginning to carry! Truly there is only one way of +being born again, regeneration by the power of the +Spirit of God, the new heart; but there are many +ways of conversion, of outwardly turning to the +Lord, of taking the actual first step that shows on +whose side we are. Regeneration is the sole work of +the Holy Spirit in the human heart and soul, and is +in every case one and the same. Conversion, on the +other hand, bringing into play the action also of the +human will, is never absolutely the same perhaps in +even two souls,—as like and yet as different as are +the faces of men.</p> + +<p>Like those of old praying for the deliverance of +Peter, and who could not believe their ears and eyes +when Peter knocked and walked in amongst them, +so we could scarcely believe our eyes and ears when +Youwili became a disciple of Jesus, though we had +been praying for his conversion every day. His once +sullen countenance became literally bright with inner +light. His wife came immediately for a book and a +dress, saying,—</p> + +<p>“Youwili sent me. His opposition to the Worship +is over now. I am to attend Church and School. +He is coming too. He wants to learn how to be +strong, like you, for Jehovah and for Jesus.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_218">[218]</span></p> + +<p>Oh, Jesus! to Thee alone be all the glory. Thou +hast the key to unlock every heart that Thou hast +created.</p> + +<p>Youwili proved to be slow at learning to read, but +he had perseverance, and his wife greatly helped him. +The two attended the Communicants’ Class together, +and ultimately both sat down at the Lord’s Table. +After his first Communion, he waited for me under +an orange-tree near the Mission House, and said,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, I’ve given up everything for Jesus, <em>except +one</em>. I want to know if it is bad, if it will make Jesus +angry; for if so, I am willing to give it up. I want +to live so as to please Jesus now.”</p> + +<p>We feared that it was some of their Heathenish +immoralities, and were in a measure greatly relieved +when he proceeded,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, I have not yet given up my pipe and tobacco! +O Missi, I have used it so long, and I do like +it so well; but if you say that it makes Jesus angry +with me, I will smash my pipe now, and never smoke +again!”</p> + +<p>The man’s soul was aflame. He was in tremendous +earnest, and would have done anything for me. But +I was more anxious to instruct his conscience than to +dominate it. I therefore replied in effect thus,—</p> + +<p>“I rejoice, Youwili, that you are ready to give up +anything to please Jesus. He well deserves it, for +He gave up His life for you. For my part, you know +that I do not smoke; and from my point of view I +would think it wrong in me to waste time and money<span class="pagenum" id="Page_219">[219]</span> +and perhaps health in blowing tobacco smoke into +the air. It would do me no good. It could not +possibly help me to serve or please Jesus better. I +think I am happier and healthier without it. And I +am certain that I can use the time and money, spent +on this selfish and rather filthy habit, far more for +God’s glory in many other ways. But I must be true +to you, Youwili, and admit that many of God’s dear +people differ from me in these opinions. They spend +time and money, and sometimes injure health, in +smoking, besides setting a wasteful example to lads +and young men, and do not regard it as sinful. I +will not therefore condemn these, our fellow Christians, +by calling smoking a <em>sin</em> like drunkenness; +but I will say to you that I regard it as a foolish and +wasteful indulgence, a bad habit, and that though +you may serve and please Jesus with it, you might +serve and please Jesus very much better without it.”</p> + +<p>He looked very anxious, as if weighing his habit +against his resolution, and then said,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, I give up everything else. If it won’t make +Jesus angry, I will keep the pipe. I have used it so +long, and oh, I do like it!”</p> + +<p>Renewing our advice and counsel, but leaving him +free to do in that matter so as to please Jesus according +to his own best light, Youwili departed with a +conscience so far greatly relieved, and we had many +meditations upon the incident. Most of our Natives, +on their conversion, have voluntarily renounced the +Tobacco Idol; but what more could I say to Youwili,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_220">[220]</span> +with thousands of white Christians at my back burning +incense to that same idol every day of their lives? +Marvellous to me, in this connection, has often been +the working of a tender conscience, asking itself +how to serve and please Jesus, or how to do more +for Jesus. Some years ago, for instance, I met a +State School Teacher in Victoria, who had been +lately brought under the power of the Gospel. In +his fresh love, he wanted to do something to show +his gratitude to Jesus. He had a young family, and +the way was barred to the Mission field. His dear +wife and he calculated over all their expenditure, to +find out how much they could save to support the +work of Jesus at home and abroad. Little or nothing +could be spared from what appeared necessary claims. +He fell upon his knees, and in tears implored God to +show him how he could do something more to save +the perishing. A voice came to him like a flash,—</p> + +<p>“If you so care for Me and My work, you can +easily sacrifice your pipe.”</p> + +<p>He instantly took up his pipe, and laid it before +the Lord, saying,—</p> + +<p>“There it is, O my Lord, and whatsoever it +may have cost me, shall now from year to year be +Thine!”</p> + +<p>He was not what is called a heavy smoker,—anything +under one shilling per week being considered +“moderate,” as I am informed. But he found that +he had been spending thirty-one shillings per annum +on tobacco; and every year since he has laid that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_221">[221]</span> +money upon the altar to Jesus, and prayed Him to +use it in sending His Gospel to Heathen lands. I +wonder which soul is the richer at the end of a +year—he who lays his money, saved from a selfish +indulgence, at the feet of Jesus, or he who blows it +away in filthy smoke?</p> + +<p>And this leads me to relate the story of our First +Communion on Aniwa. It was Sabbath, 24th +October, 1869; and surely the Angels of God and +the Church of the Redeemed in Glory were amongst +the great cloud of witnesses who eagerly “peered” +down upon the scene,—when we sat around the Lord’s +Table and partook of His body and blood with those +few souls rescued out of the Heathen World. My +Communicants’ Class had occupied me now a considerable +time. The conditions of attendance at this +early stage were explicit, and had to be made very +severe, and only twenty were admitted to the roll. +At the final examination only twelve gave evidence of +understanding what they were doing, and of having +given their hearts to the service of the Lord Jesus. +At their own urgent desire, and after every care in +examining and instructing, they were solemnly dedicated +in prayer to be baptized and admitted to the +Holy Table. On that Lord’s Day, after the usual +opening Service, I gave a short and careful exposition +of the Ten Commandments and of the Way of Salvation +according to the Gospel. The twelve Candidates +then stood up before all the inhabitants there assembled; +and, after a brief exhortation to them as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_222">[222]</span> +Converts, I put to them the two questions that follow, +and each gave an affirmative reply,—</p> + +<p>“Do you, in accordance with your profession of +the Christian Faith, and your promises before God +and the people, wish me now to <ins id="TN-14" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: baptize you?">baptize you?”</ins></p> + +<p>And,—“Will you live henceforth for Jesus only, +hating all sin and trying to love and serve your +Saviour?”</p> + +<p>Then, beginning with the old Chief, the twelve +came forward, and I baptized them one by one according +to the Presbyterian usage. Two of them had +also little children, and they were at the same time +baptized, and received as the lambs of the flock. +Solemn prayer was then offered, and in the name of +the Holy Trinity the Church of Christ on Aniwa was +formally constituted. I addressed them on the words +of the Holy Institution—<span class="allsmcap">I</span> Corinthians xi. 23—and +then, after the prayer of Thanksgiving and Consecration, +administered the Lord’s Supper,—the first +time since the Island of Aniwa was heaved out of its +coral depths! Mrs. McNair, my wife, and myself +along with six Aneityumese Teachers, communicated +with the newly baptized twelve. And I think, if ever +in all my earthly experience, on that day I might +truly add the blessed words—Jesus “in the midst.”</p> + +<p>The whole Service occupied nearly three hours. +The Islanders looked on with a wonder whose unwonted +silence was almost painful to bear. Many +were led to inquire carefully about everything they +saw, so new and strange. For the first time the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_223">[223]</span> +Dorcas Street Sabbath School Teachers’ gift from +South Melbourne Presbyterian Church was put to +use—a new Communion Service of silver. They +gave it in faith that we would require it, and in such +we received it. And now the day had come and +gone! For three years we had toiled and prayed +and taught for this. At the moment when I put the +bread and wine into those dark hands, once stained +with the blood of Cannibalism, now stretched out to +receive and partake the emblems and seals of the +Redeemer’s love, I had a foretaste of the joy of Glory +that well nigh broke my heart to pieces. I shall +never taste a deeper bliss, till I gaze on the glorified +face of Jesus Himself.</p> + +<p>On the afternoon of that Communion Day, an +open-air Prayer Meeting was held under the shade +of the great banyan tree in front of our Church. +Seven of the new Church members there led the +people in prayer to Jesus, a hymn being sung betwixt +each. My heart was so full of joy that I could do +little else but weep. Oh, I wonder, I <em>wonder</em>, when +I see so many good Ministers at home, crowding each +other and treading on each other’s heels, whether they +would not part with all their home privileges, and go +out to the Heathen World and reap a joy like this—“the +joy of the Lord.”</p> + +<p>Having now our little Aniwan book, we set about +establishing Schools at every village on the Island. +Mrs. Paton and I had been diligently instructing +those around us, and had now a number prepared to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_224">[224]</span> +act as helpers. Experience has proved that, for the +early stages their own fellow-Islanders are the most +successful instructors. Each village built its own +School, which on Sabbath served as a district Church. +For the two most advanced Schools I had our good +Aneityumese Teachers, and for the others I took the +best readers that could be found. These I changed +frequently, returning them to our own School for a +season, which was held for them in the afternoon; +and, to encourage them, a small salary was granted +to each of them yearly, drawn from what is known +throughout the Churches as the Native Teachers’ +Fund.</p> + +<p>These village Schools have all to be conducted at +daybreak, while the heavy dews still drench the bush; +for, so soon as the dews are lifted by the rising sun, +the Natives are off to their plantations, on which +they depend for their food almost exclusively. I had +a large School at the Mission Station also at daybreak, +besides the afternoon School at three o’clock +for the training of Teachers. At first they made +very little progress; but they began to form habits +of attention; and they learned the fruitful habit of +acknowledging God always, for all our Schools were +opened and closed with prayer. As their knowledge +and faith increased, we saw their Heathen practices +rapidly passing away, and a new life shaping itself +around us. Mrs. Paton taught a class of about fifty +women and girls. They became experts at sewing, +singing, plaiting hats, and reading. Nearly all the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_225">[225]</span> +girls could at length cut out and make their own +dresses, as well as shirts or kilts for the men and +clothing for the children. Yet, three short years +before, men and women alike were running about +naked and savage. The Christ-Spirit is the true +civilizing power.</p> + +<p>The new Social Order, referred to already in its +dim beginnings, rose around us like a sweet-scented +flower. I never interfered directly, unless expressly +called upon or appealed to. The two principal Chiefs +were impressed with the idea that there was but one +law,—the Will of God, and one rule for them and +their people as Christians,—to please the Lord Jesus. +In every difficulty they consulted me. I explained +to them and read in their hearing the very words of +Holy Scripture, showing what appeared to me to be +the will of God and what would please the Saviour; +and then sent them away to talk it over with their +people, and to apply these principles of the word +of God as wisely as they could according to their +circumstances. Our own part of the work went on +very joyfully, notwithstanding occasional trying and +painful incidents. Individual cases of greed and +selfishness and vice brought us many a bitter pang. +But the Lord never lost patience with us, and we +durst not therefore lose patience with them! We +trained the Teachers, we translated and printed and +expounded the Scriptures, we ministered to the sick +and dying; we dispensed medicines every day, we +taught them the use of tools, we advised them as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_226">[226]</span> +to laws and penalties; and the New Society grew +and developed, and bore amidst all its imperfections +some traces of the fair Kingdom of God amongst +men.</p> + +<p>Our life and work will reveal itself to the reader +if I briefly outline a Sabbath Day on Aniwa. Breakfast +is partaken of immediately after daylight. The +Church bell then rings, and ere it stops every worshipper +is seated. The Natives are guided in starting +by the sunrise, and are forward from farthest corners +at this early hour. The first Service is over in about +an hour; there is an interval of twenty minutes; the +bell is again rung, and the second Service begins. +We follow the ordinary Presbyterian ritual; but in +every Service I call upon an Elder or a Church +Member to lead in one of the prayers, which they do +with great alacrity and with much benefit to all concerned.</p> + +<p>As the last worshipper leaves, at close of second +Service, the bell is sounded twice very deliberately, +and that is the signal for the opening of my Communicants’ +Class. I carefully expound the Church’s +Shorter Catechism, and show how its teachings are +built upon Holy Scripture, applying each truth to +the conscience and the life. This Class is conducted +all the year round, and from it, step by step, our +Church Members are drawn as the Lord opens up +their way, the most of them attending two full years +at least before being admitted to the Lord’s Table. +This discipline accounts for the fact that so very few<span class="pagenum" id="Page_227">[227]</span> +of our baptized converts have ever fallen away—as +few in proportion, I verily believe, as in Churches at +home. Meantime, many of the Church members +have been holding a prayer meeting amongst themselves +in the adjoining School,—a thing started of +their own free accord,—in which they invoke God’s +blessing on all the work and worship of the day.</p> + +<p>Having snatched a brief meal of tea, or a cold +dinner cooked on Saturday, the bell rings within an +hour, and our Sabbath School assembles,—in which +the whole inhabitants, young and old, take part, +myself superintending and giving the address, as well +as questioning on the lesson, Mrs. Paton teaching a +large class of adult women, and the Elders and best +readers instructing the ordinary classes for about half +an hour or so.</p> + +<p>About one o’clock the School is closed, and we +then start off in our village tours. An experienced +Elder, with several Teachers, takes one side of the +Island this Sabbath, I with another company taking +the other side, and next Sabbath we reverse the +order. A short Service is conducted in the open air, +or in Schoolrooms, at every village that can be +reached; and on their return they report to me cases +of sickness, or any signs of progress in the work of +the Lord. The whole Island is thus steadily and +methodically evangelized.</p> + +<p>As the sun is setting I am creeping home from my +village tour; and when darkness begins to approach, +the canoe drum is beat at every village, and the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_228">[228]</span> +people assemble under the banyan-tree for evening +village prayers. The Elder or Teacher presides. +Five or six hymns are joyously sung, and five or six +short prayers offered between, and thus the evening +hour passes happily in the fellowship of God. On a +calm evening, after Christianity had fairly taken hold +of the people, and they loved to sing over and over +again their favourite hymns, these village prayer-meetings +formed a most blessed close to every day, +and set the far-distant bush echoing with the praises +of God.</p> + +<p>At the Mission House, before retiring to rest, we +assembled all the young people and any of our +villagers who chose to join them. They sat round +the dining-room floor in rows, sang hymns, read +verses of the Bible, and asked and answered questions +about the teaching of the day. About nine +o’clock we dismissed them, but they pled to remain +and hear our Family Worship in English:—</p> + +<p>“Missi, we like the singing! We understand a +little. And we like to be where prayer is rising!”</p> + +<p>Thus Sabbath after Sabbath flowed on in incessant +service and fellowship. I was often wearied enough, +but it was not a “weary” day to me, nor what some +would call Puritanical and dull. Our hearts were in +it, and the people made it a weekly festival. They +had few other distractions; and amongst them “The +Worship” was an unfailing sensation and delight. +As long as you gave them a chance to sing, they +knew not what weariness was. When I returned to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_229">[229]</span> +so-called civilization, and saw how the Lord’s Day +was abused in <em>white</em> Christendom, my soul longed +after the holy Sabbaths of Aniwa!</p> + +<p>Nor is our week-day life less crowded or busy, +though in different ways. At grey dawn on Monday, +and every morning, the <i>Tavaka</i> (= the canoe drum) +is struck in every village on Aniwa. The whole inhabitants +turn in to the early School, which lasts about +an hour and a half, and then the Natives are off to +their plantations. Having partaken my breakfast, I +then spend my forenoon in translating or printing, or +visiting the sick, or whatever else is most urgent. +About two o’clock the Natives return from their work, +bathe in the sea, and dine off cocoa-nut, bread-fruit, +or anything else that comes handily in the way. At +three o’clock the bell rings, and the afternoon School +for the Teachers and the more advanced learners then +occupies my wife and myself for about an hour and a +half. After this, the Natives spend their time in fishing +or lounging or preparing supper,—which is amongst +them always <em>the</em> meal of the day. Towards sundown +the <i>Tavaka</i> sounds again, and the day closes amid +the echoes of village prayers from under their several +banyan trees.</p> + +<p>Thus day after day and week after week passes +over us on Aniwa; and much the same on all the +Islands where the Missionary has found a home. In +many respects it is a simple and happy and beautiful +life; and the man, whose heart is full of things +that are dear to Jesus, feels no desire to exchange<span class="pagenum" id="Page_230">[230]</span> +it for the poor frivolities of what calls itself <ins id="TN-15" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: “Society,’">“Society,”</ins> +and seems to finds its life in pleasures that Christ +cannot be asked to share, and in which, therefore, +Christians should have neither lot nor part.</p> + +<p>The habits of morning and evening family prayer +and of grace at meat took a very wonderful hold +upon the people; and became, as I have shown elsewhere, +a distinctive badge of Christian <em>versus</em> +Heathen. This was strikingly manifested during a +time of bitter scarcity that befell us. I heard a father, +for instance, at his hut door, with his family around +him, reverently blessing God for the food provided for +them, and for all His mercies in Christ Jesus. Drawing +near and conversing with them, I found that +their meal consisted of fig leaves which they had +gathered and cooked,—a poor enough dish; but +hunger makes a happy appetite, and contentment is +a grateful relish.</p> + +<p>During the same period of privation, my Orphans +suffered badly also. Once they came to me, saying,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, we are very hungry.”</p> + +<p>I replied,—“So am I, dear children, and we have +no more white food till the <i>Dayspring</i> comes.”</p> + +<p>They continued,—“Missi, you have two beautiful +fig trees. Will you let us take one feast of the young +and tender leaves? We will not injure branch or +fruit.”</p> + +<p>I answered,—“Gladly, my children, take <ins id="TN-16" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: your fill!’">your fill!”</ins></p> + +<p>In a twinkling each child was perched upon a +branch; and they feasted there <ins id="TN-17" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: happy as squirrels">happy as squirrels.</ins><span class="pagenum" id="Page_231">[231]</span> +Every night we prayed for the vessel, and in the +morning our Orphan boys rushed to the coral rocks +and eagerly scanned the sea for an answer. Day +after day they returned with sad faces, saying,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, <i>Tavaka jimra</i>!” (= No vessel yet).</p> + +<p>But at grey dawn of a certain day, we were awoke +by the boys shouting from the shore and running for +the Mission House with the cry,—“<i>Tavaka oa! Tavaka +oa!</i>” (= The vessel, hurrah!)</p> + +<p>We arose at once, and the boys exclaimed,—“Missi, +she is not our own vessel, but we think she carries +her flag. She has three masts, and our <i>Dayspring</i> +only two!”</p> + +<p>I looked through my glass, and saw that they +were discharging goods into the vessel’s boats; and +the children, when I told them that boxes and bags +and casks were being sent on shore, shouted and +danced with delight. As the first boat-load was +discharged, the Orphans surrounded me, saying,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, here is a cask that rattles like biscuits! +Will you let us take it to the Mission House?”</p> + +<p>“I told them to do so if they could; and in a +moment it was turned into the path, and the boys +had it flying before them, some tumbling and hurting +their knees, but up and at it again, and never pausing +till it rolled up at the door of our Storehouse. On +returning I found them all around it, and they +said,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, have you forgotten what you promised us?”</p> + +<p>I said,—“What did I promise you?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_232">[232]</span></p> + +<p>They looked very disappointed and whispered to +each other,—“Missi has forgot!”</p> + +<p>“Forgot what?” inquired I.</p> + +<p>“Missi,” they answered, “you promised that when +the vessel came you would give each of us a biscuit.”</p> + +<p>“Oh,” I replied, “I did not forget; I only wanted +to see if you remembered it!”</p> + +<p>They laughed, saying,—“No fear of that, Missi! +Will you soon open the cask? We are dying for +biscuits.”</p> + +<p>At once I got hammer and tools, knocked off the +hoops, took out the end, and then gave girls and boys +a biscuit each. To my surprise, they all stood round +biscuit in hand, but not one beginning to eat.</p> + +<p>“What,” I exclaimed, “you are dying for biscuits! +Why don’t you eat? Are you expecting another?”</p> + +<p>One of the eldest said,—“We will first thank God +for sending us food, and ask Him to bless it to us all.”</p> + +<p>And this was done in their own simple and beautiful +childlike way; and then they <em>did</em> eat, and enjoyed +their food as a gift from the Heavenly Father’s hand. +(Is there any child reading this, or hearing it read, +who never thanks God or asks Him to bless daily +bread? Then is that child not a <em>white</em> Heathen?) +We ourselves at the Mission House could very +heartily rejoice with the dear Orphans. For some +weeks past our European food had been all exhausted, +except a little tea, and the cocoa-nut had +been our chief support. It was beginning to tell +against us. Our souls rose in gratitude to the Lord,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_233">[233]</span> +who had sent us these fresh provisions that we might +love Him better and serve Him more.</p> + +<p>The children’s sharp eyes had read correctly. It +was not the <i>Dayspring</i>. Our brave little ship had +gone to wreck on 6th January, 1873; and this vessel +was the <i>Paragon</i>, chartered to bring down our supplies. +Alas! the wreck had gone by auction sale to a +French slaving company, who cut a passage through +the coral reef, and had the vessel again floating in +the Bay,—elated at the prospect of employing our +Mission Ship in the blood-stained <i>Kanaka</i>-traffic (= a +mere euphemism for South Sea slavery)! Our souls +sank in horror and concern. Many Natives would +unwittingly trust themselves to the <i>Dayspring</i>; and +revenge would be taken on us, as was done on noble +Bishop Patteson, when the deception was found out. +What could be done? Nothing but cry to God, +which all the friends of our Mission did day and +night, not without tears, as we thought of the possible +degradation of our noble little Ship. Listen! The +French Slavers, anchoring their prize in the Bay, and +greatly rejoicing, went ashore to celebrate the event. +They drank and feasted and revelled. But that +night a mighty storm arose, the old <i>Dayspring</i> +dragged her anchor, and at daybreak she was seen +again on the reef, but this time with her back broken +in two and for ever unfit for service, either fair or +foul. Oh, white-winged Virgin of the waves, better +for thee, as for thy human sisters, to die and pass away +than to suffer pollution and live on in disgrace!</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_234">[234]</span></p> + +<p>Dr. Steel had chartered the <i>Paragon</i>, a new three-masted +schooner, built at Balmain, Sydney, to come +down with our provisions, letters, etc.; and the owners +had given a written agreement that if we could purchase +her within a year we would get her for £3,000. +She proved in every way a suitable vessel, and it +became abundantly manifest that in the interests +of our Mission her services ought to be permanently +secured.</p> + +<p>I had often said that I would not again leave my +beloved work on the Islands, unless compelled to do +so either by the breakdown of health, or by the loss +of our Mission Ship and my services being required +to assist in providing another. Very strange, that in +this one season both of these events befell us. During +the hurricanes, from January to April, 1873, when the +<i>Dayspring</i> was wrecked, we lost a darling child by +death, my dear wife had a protracted illness, and I +was brought very low with severe rheumatic fever. +I was reduced so far that I could not speak, and was +reported as dying. The Captain of a vessel, having +seen me, called at Tanna, and spoke of me as in all +probability dead by that time. Our unfailing and +ever-beloved friends and fellow Missionaries, Mr. +and Mrs. Watt, at once started from Kwamera, +Tanna, in their open boat and rowed and sailed +thirty miles to visit us. But a few days before they +arrived I had fallen into a long and sound sleep, out +of which, when I awoke, consciousness had again +returned to me. I had got the turn; there was no<span class="pagenum" id="Page_235">[235]</span> +further relapse; but when I did regain a little strength, +my weakness was so great that I had to travel about +on crutches for many a day.</p> + +<p>Being ordered to seek health by change and by +higher medical aid, and if possible in the cooler air of +New Zealand, we took the first opportunity and +arrived at Sydney, anxious to start the new movement +to secure the <i>Paragon</i> there, and then to go +on to the Sister Colony. Being scarcely able to walk +without the crutches, we called privately a preliminary +meeting of friends for consultation and advice. The +conditions were laid before them and discussed. The +Insurance Company had paid £2,000 on the first +<i>Dayspring</i>. Of that sum £1,000 had been spent on +chartering and maintaining the <i>Paragon</i>; so that +we required an additional £2,000 to purchase her, +besides a large sum for alterations and equipment for +the Mission. The late Mr. Learmouth looked across +to Mr. Goodlet, and said,—</p> + +<p>“If you’ll join me, we will at once secure this +vessel for the Missionaries, that God’s work may not +suffer from the wreck of the <i>Dayspring</i>.”</p> + +<p>Those two servants of God, excellent Elders of +the Presbyterian Church, consulted together, and the +vessel was purchased next day. How I did praise +God, and pray Him to bless them and theirs! The +late Dr. Fullarton, our dear friend, said to them,—“But +what guarantee do you ask from the Missionaries +for your money?”</p> + +<p>Mr. Learmouth’s noble reply was, and the other<span class="pagenum" id="Page_236">[236]</span> +heartily re-echoed it,—“God’s work is our guarantee! +From them we will ask none. What guarantee have +they to give us, except their faith in God? That +guarantee is ours already.”</p> + +<p>I answered,—“You take God and His work for +your guarantee. Rest assured that He will soon +repay you, and you will lose nothing by this noble +service.”</p> + +<p>Having secured St. Andrew’s Church for a public +meeting, I advertised it in all the papers. Ministers, +Sabbath School Teachers, and other friends came in +great numbers. The scheme was fairly launched, +and Collecting Cards largely distributed. Some of +our fellow-Missionaries thought that the Colonial +Churches should now do all these things voluntarily, +without our personal efforts. But in every great +emergency some one must take action and show the +way, else golden opportunities are apt to slip. Committees +carried everything out into detail, and all +worked for the fund with great goodwill.</p> + +<p>I then sailed from Sydney to Victoria, and addressed +the General Assembly of the Presbyterian +Church in session at Melbourne. The work was +easily set agoing there, and willing workers fully +and rapidly organized it through Congregations and +Sabbath Schools.</p> + +<p>Under medical advice, I next sailed for New +Zealand in the S.S. <i>Hero</i>, Captain Logan. A large +number of fast men and gamblers were on board, returning +from the Melbourne Races, and their language<span class="pagenum" id="Page_237">[237]</span> +was extremely profane. Having prayed over it, I +said on the second day at the dinner table,—</p> + +<p>“Gentlemen, will you bear with me a moment? I +am sure no man at this table wishes to wound the +feelings of another or to give needless pain.”</p> + +<p>Every eye stared at me, and there was a general +cry as to what I meant. I continued,—</p> + +<p>“Gentlemen, we are to be fellow-passengers for a +week or more. Now I am cut and wounded to +my very heart to hear you cursing the name of my +Heavenly Father, and taking in vain the name of my +blessed Saviour. It is God in whom we live and +move, it is Jesus who died to save us, and I would +rather ten times over you would wound and abuse +me, which no gentleman here would think of doing, +than profanely use those Holy Names so dear to me.” +</p> + +<p>There was a painful silence, and most faces grew +crimson, some with rage, some perhaps with shame. +At last a banker, who was there, a man dying of consumption, +replied with a profane oath and with +wrathful words. Keeping perfectly calm, in sorrow +and pity, I replied, looking him kindly in the face,—</p> + +<p>“Dear Sir, you and I are strangers. But I have +pitied you very tenderly, ever since I came on board, +for your heavy trouble and hacking cough. You +ought to be the last to curse that blessed Name, as +you may soon have to appear in His presence. I return, +however, no railing word. If the Saviour was +as dear to your heart as He is to mine, you would +better understand me.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_238">[238]</span></p> + +<p>Little else was said during the remainder of that +meal. But an hour later Captain Logan sent for me +to his room, and said,—</p> + +<p>“Sir, I too am a Christian. I would not give my +quiet hour in the Cabin with this Bible for all the +pleasures that the world can afford. You did your +duty to-day amongst these profane men. But leave +them and their consciences now in the hands of God, +and take no further notice during the voyage.”</p> + +<p>I never heard another oath on board that ship. +The banker met me in New Zealand and warmly invited +me to his house!</p> + +<p>My health greatly improved during the voyage, +but I was sorely perplexed about this new undertaking. +A sum of £2,800 must be raised, else the +vessel could not sail free for the New Hebrides. +I trembled, in my reduced state, at the task that +seemed laid upon me again. One night, after long +praying, I fell into a deep sleep in my Cabin, and +God granted me a Heavenly Dream or Vision which +greatly comforted me, explain it how you will. +Sweetest music, praising God, arrested me and came +nearer and nearer. I gazed towards it approaching, +and seemed to behold hosts of shining beings bursting +into view. The brilliancy came pouring all from one +centre, and that was ablaze with insufferable brightness. +Blinded with excess of light, my eyes seemed +yet to behold in fair outline the form of the glorified +Jesus; but as I lifted them to gaze on His face, the +joy deepened into pain, my hand rose instinctively to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_239">[239]</span> +shade my eyes, I cried with ecstasy, the music passed +farther and farther away, and I started up hearing +a Voice saying, in marvellous power and sweetness, +“Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel +thou shalt become a plain.” At this some will +only smile. But to me it was a great and abiding +consolation. And I kept repeating to myself, “He +is Lord, and they all are ministering Spirits; if He +cheers me thus in His own work, I take courage, I +know I shall succeed.”</p> + +<p>Reaching Auckland, I was in time to address the +General Assembly of the Church there also. They +gave me cordial welcome, and every Congregation +and Sabbath School might be visited as far as I +possibly could. The ministers promoted the movement +with hearty zeal. The Sabbath Scholars took +Collecting Cards for “shares” in the new Mission +Ship. A meeting was held every day, and three +every Sabbath. Auckland, Nelson, Wellington, +Dunedin, and all towns and Churches within reach +of these were rapidly visited; and I never had +greater joy or heartiness in any of my tours than +in this happy intercourse with the Ministers and +People of the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand.</p> + +<p>I arrived back in Sydney about the end of March. +My health was wonderfully restored, and New Zealand +had given me about £1,700 for the new ship. +With the £1,000 of insurance money, and about £700 +from New South Wales, and £400 from Victoria, +besides the £500 for her support also from Victoria,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_240">[240]</span> +we were able to pay back the £3,000 of purchase +money, and about £800 for alterations and repairs, as +well as equip and provision her to sail for her next +year’s work amongst the Islands free of debt. I said +to our two good friends at Sydney,—</p> + +<p>“You took God and His work for your guarantee. +He has soon relieved you from all responsibility. You +have suffered no loss, and you have had the honour +and privilege of serving your Lord. I envy you the +joy you must feel in so using your wealth, and I pray +God’s double blessing on all your store.”</p> + +<p>Our agent, Dr. Steele, had applied to the Home +authorities for power to change the vessel’s name +from <i>Paragon</i> to <i>Dayspring</i>, so that the old associations +might not be broken. This was cordially +granted. And so our second <i>Dayspring</i>, owing no +man anything, sailed on her annual trip to the New +Hebrides, and we returned with her, praising the +Lord and reinvigorated alike in spirit and in body.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_241">[241]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.<br><br> + +<i class="center fs80">PEN-PORTRAITS OF ANIWANS.</i></h2> +</div> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>The Gospel in Living Capitals.—“A Shower of Spears.”—The +Tannese Refugees.—Pilgrimage and Death of Namakei.—The +Character of Naswai.—Christianity and Cocoa-Nuts.—Nerwa +the Agnostic.—Nerwa’s Beautiful Farewell.—The +Story of Ruwawa.—Waiwai and his Wives.—Nelwang and +Kalangi.—Mungaw and Litsi Soré.—The Maddening of +Mungaw.—The Queen of Aniwa a Missionary.—The +Surrender of Nasi to Jesus.—Day-Light Prayer Meeting +on Aniwa.—Candidates for Baptism.—The Appeal and +Testimony of Lamu.</p> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap">In Heathendom every true Convert becomes at +once a Missionary. The changed life, shining +out amid the surrounding darkness, is a Gospel in +largest Capitals which all can read. Our Islanders, +especially, having little to engage or otherwise distract +attention, become intense and devoted workers +for the Lord Jesus, if once the Divine Passion for +souls stirs within them. Many a reader, not making +due allowance for these special circumstances, would +therefore be tempted to think our estimate of their +enthusiasm for the Gospel was overdone; but +thoughtful men will easily perceive that Natives,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_242">[242]</span> +touched with the mighty impulses of Calvary, and +undistracted by social pleasures or politics, or literature, +or business claims, would almost by a moral +necessity pour all the currents of their being into +Religion, and probably show an apostolic devotion +and self-sacrifice too seldom seen, alas, amid the +thousand clamouring appeals of Civilization.</p> + +<p>A Heathen has been all his days groping after +peace of soul in dark superstition and degrading +rites. You pour into his soul the light of Revelation. +He learns that God is love, that God sent His Son +to die for him, and that he is the heir of Life Eternal +in and through Jesus Christ. By the blessed enlightenment +of the Spirit of the Lord he believes +all this. He passes into a third heaven of joy, and +he burns to tell every one of this Glad Tidings. +Others see the change in his disposition, in his +character, in his whole life and actions; and, amid +such surroundings, every Convert is a burning and +a shining light. Even whole populations are thus +brought into the Outer Court of the Temple; and +Islands, still Heathen and Cannibal, are positively +eager for the Missionary to live amongst them +and would guard his life and property now in complete +security, where a very few years ago everything +would have been instantly sacrificed on touching +their shores! They are not Christianized, neither +are they Civilized, but the light has been kindled +all around them, and though still only shining afar, +they cannot but rejoice in its beams.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_243">[243]</span></p> + +<p>But even where the path is not so smooth, nor +any welcome awaiting them, Native Converts show +amazing zeal. For instance, one of our Chiefs, full +of the Christ-kindled desire to seek and to save, sent +a message to an inland Chief, that he and four attendants +would come on Sabbath and tell them the +Gospel of Jehovah God. The reply came back +sternly forbidding their visit, and threatening with +death any Christian that approached their village. +Our Chief sent in response a loving message, telling +them that Jehovah had taught the Christians to +return good for evil, and that they would come unarmed +to tell them the story of how the Son of God +came into the world and died in order to bless and +save His enemies. The Heathen Chief sent back a +stern and prompt reply once more:—“If you come, +you will be killed.” On Sabbath morning, the +Christian Chief and his four companions were met +outside the village by the Heathen Chief, who implored +and threatened them once more. But the +former said,—</p> + +<p>“We come to you without weapons of war! We +come only to tell you about Jesus. We believe that +He will protect us to-day.”</p> + +<p>As they steadily pressed forward towards the +village, spears began to be thrown at them. Some +they evaded, being all except one most dexterous +warriors; and others they literally received with their +bare hands, and turned them aside in an incredible +manner. The Heathen, apparently thunderstruck<span class="pagenum" id="Page_244">[244]</span> +at these men thus approaching them without weapons +of war, and not even flinging back their own spears +which they had caught, after having thrown what +the old Chief called “a shower of spears,” desisted +from mere surprise. Our Christian Chief called out, +as he and his companions drew up in the midst of +them on the village Public Ground,—</p> + +<p>“Jehovah thus protects us. He has given us all +your spears! Once we would have thrown them +back at you and killed you. But now we come not +to fight, but to tell you about Jesus. He has changed +our dark hearts. He asks you now to lay down +all these your other weapons of war, and to hear what +we can tell you about the love of God, our great +Father, the only living God.”</p> + +<p>The Heathen were perfectly over-awed. They +manifestly looked upon these Christians as protected +by some Invisible One. They listened for the first +time to the story of the Gospel and of the Cross. +We lived to see that Chief and all his tribe sitting +in the School of Christ. And there is perhaps not +an Island in these Southern Seas, amongst all those +won for Christ, where similar acts of heroism on +the part of Converts cannot be recited by every +Missionary to the honour of our poor Natives and +to the glory of their Saviour.</p> + +<p>Larger and harder tests were sometimes laid upon +their new faith. Once the war on Tanna drove +about one hundred of them to seek refuge on Aniwa. +Not so many years before their lives would never<span class="pagenum" id="Page_245">[245]</span> +have been thus entrusted to the inhabitants of another +Cannibal Island. But the Christ-Spirit was abroad +upon Aniwa. The refugees were kindly cared for, +and in process of time were restored to their own +lands by our Missionary ship the <i>Dayspring</i>. The +Chiefs, however, and the Elders of the Church laid +the new laws before them very clearly and decidedly. +They would be helped and sheltered, but Aniwa +was now under law to Christ, and if any of the Tannese +broke the public rules as to moral conduct, or in +any way disturbed the Worship of Jehovah, they +would at once be expelled from the Island and sent +back to Tanna. In all this, the Chief of the Tanna +party, my old friend Nowar, strongly supported our +Christian Chiefs. The Tannese behaved well, and +many of them wore clothing and began to attend +Church; and the heavy drain upon the poor resources +of Aniwa was borne with a noble and +Christian spirit, which greatly impressed the Tannese +and commended the Gospel of Christ.</p> + +<p>In claiming Aniwa for Christ, and winning it as a +jewel for His crown, we had the experience which has +ever marked God’s path through history,—He raised +up around us and wonderfully endowed men to carry +forward His own blessed work. Among these must +be specially commemorated Namakei, the old Chief +of Aniwa. Slowly, but very steadily, the light of the +Gospel broke in upon his soul, and he was ever very +eager to communicate to his people all that he +learned. In Heathen days he was a Cannibal and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_246">[246]</span> +a great warrior; but from the first, as shown in the +preceding chapters, he took a warm interest in us +and our work,—a little selfish, no doubt, at the +beginning, but soon becoming purified as his eyes +and heart were opened to the Gospel of Jesus.</p> + +<p>On the birth of a son to us on the Island, the +old Chief was in ecstasies. He claimed the child +as his heir, his own son being dead, and brought +nearly the whole inhabitants in relays to see the +<em>white</em> Chief of Aniwa! He would have him called +Namakei the Younger, an honour which I fear we +did not too highly appreciate. As the child grew, +he took his hand and walked about with him freely +amongst the people, learning to speak their language +like a Native, and not only greatly interesting them +in himself, but even in us and in the work of the Lord. +This, too, was one of the bonds, however purely +human, that drew them all nearer and nearer to Jesus.</p> + +<p>The death of Namakei had in it many streaks +of Christian romance. He had heard about the +Missionaries annually meeting on one or other of +the Islands and consulting about the work of +Jehovah. What ideas he had formed of a Mission +Synod one cannot easily imagine; but in his old age, +and when very frail, he formed an impassioned +desire to attend our next meeting on Aneityum, and +see and hear all the Missionaries of Jesus gathered +together from the New Hebrides. Terrified that he +would die away from home, and that that might +bring great reverses to the good work on Aniwa,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_247">[247]</span> +where he was truly beloved, I opposed his going with +all my might. But he and his relations and his +people were all set upon it, and I had at length to +give way. His few little books were then gathered +together, his meagre wardrobe was made up, and a +small Native basket carried all his belongings. He +assembled his people and took an affectionate farewell, +pleading with them to be “strong for Jesus,” whether +they ever saw him again or not, and to be loyal and +kind to Missi. The people wailed out, and many +wept bitterly. Those on board the <i>Dayspring</i> were +amazed to see how his people loved him. The old +Chief stood the voyage well. He went in and out +to our meeting of Synod, and was vastly pleased +with the respect paid to him on Aneityum. When +he heard of the prosperity of the Lord’s work, and +how Island after Island was learning to sing the +praises of Jesus, his heart glowed, and he said,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, I am lifting up my head like a tree. I +am growing tall with joy!”</p> + +<p>On the fourth or fifth day, however, he sent for +me out of the Synod, and when I came to him, he +said, eagerly,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, I am near to die! I have asked you to +come and say farewell. Tell my daughter, my +brother, and my people to go on pleasing Jesus, and +I will meet them again in the fair World.”</p> + +<p>I tried to encourage him, saying that God might +raise him up again and restore him to his people; +but he faintly whispered,—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_248">[248]</span></p> + +<p>“O Missi, death is already touching me! I feel +my feet going away from under me. Help me to +lie down under the shade of that banyan tree.”</p> + +<p>So saying, he seized my arm, we staggered near to +the tree, and he lay down under its cool shade. He +whispered again,—</p> + +<p>“I am going! O Missi, let me hear your words +rising up in prayer, and then my Soul will be strong +to go.”</p> + +<p>Amidst many choking sobs, I tried to pray. At +last he took my hand, pressed it to his heart, and +said in a stronger and clearer tone,—</p> + +<p>“O my Missi, my dear Missi, I go before you, +but I will meet you again in the Home of Jesus. +Farewell!”</p> + +<p>That was the last effort of dissolving strength; +he immediately became unconscious, and fell asleep. +My heart felt like to break over him. He was my +first Aniwan Convert,—the first who ever on that +Island of love and tears opened his heart to Jesus; +and as he lay there on the leaves and grass, my +soul soared upward after his, and all the harps of +God seemed to thrill with song as Jesus presented +to the Father this trophy of redeeming love. He +had been our true and devoted friend and fellow-helper +in the Gospel, and next morning all the +members of our Synod followed his remains to the +grave. There we stood, the white Missionaries of +the Cross from far distant lands, mingling our tears +with Christian Natives of Aneityum, and letting<span class="pagenum" id="Page_249">[249]</span> +them fall over one who only a few years before was +a blood-stained Cannibal, and whom now we mourned +as a brother, a saint, an Apostle amongst his people. +Ye ask an explanation? The Christ entered into +his heart, and Namakei became a new Creature. +“Behold, I make all things new.”</p> + +<p>We were in positive distress about returning to +Aniwa without the Chief, and we greatly feared the +consequences. To show our perfect sympathy with +them, we prepared a special and considerable present +for Litsi his daughter, for his brother, and for other +near friends—a sort of object lesson, that we had +in every way been kind to old Namakei, as we now +wished to be to them. When our boat approached +the landing, nearly the whole population had assembled +to meet us; and Litsi and his brother were +far out on the reef to salute us. Litsi’s keen eye +had missed old Namakei’s form; and far as words +could carry I heard her voice crying,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, where is my father?”</p> + +<p>I made as if I did not hear; the boat was drawing +slowly near, and again she cried aloud, “Missi, +where is my father? Is Namakei dead!”</p> + +<p>I replied,—“Yes. He died on Aneityum. He is +now with Jesus in Glory.”</p> + +<p>Then arose a wild, wailing cry, led by Litsi and +taken up by all around. It rose and fell like a chant +or dirge, as one after another wailed out praise and +sorrow over the name of Namakei. We moved +slowly into the boat harbour. Litsi, the daughter,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_250">[250]</span> +and Kalangi his brother, shook hands, weeping sadly, +and welcomed us back, assuring us that we had +nothing to fear. Amidst many sobs and wailings, +Litsi told us that they all dreaded he would never +return, and explained to this effect:—</p> + +<p>“We knew that he was dying, but we durst not +tell you. When you agreed to let him go, he went +round and took farewell of all his friends, and told +them he was going to sleep at last on Aneityum, +and that at the Great Day he would rise to meet +Jesus with the glorious company of the Aneityumese +Christians. He urged us all to obey you and be +true to Jesus. Truly, Missi, we will remember my +dear father’s parting word, and follow in his steps, +and help you in the work of the Lord!”</p> + +<p>The other Chief, Naswai, now accompanied us to +the Mission House, and all the people followed, +wailing loudly for Namakei. On the following +Sabbath, I told the story of his conversion, life for +Jesus, and death on Aneityum; and God overruled +this event, contrary to our fears, for greatly increasing +the interest of many in the Church and in the +claims of Jesus upon themselves.</p> + +<p>Naswai, the friend and companion of Namakei, +was an inland Chief. He had, as his followers, by +far the largest number of men in any village on +Aniwa. He had certainly a dignified bearing, and +his wife Katua was quite a lady in look and manner +as compared with all around her. She was the first +woman on the Island that adopted the clothes of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_251">[251]</span> +civilization, and she showed considerable instinctive +taste in the way she dressed herself in these. Her +example was a kind of Gospel in its good influence +on all the women; she was a real companion to +her husband, and went with him almost everywhere.</p> + +<p>Naswai, after he became a Christian, had a touch +of scorn in his manner, and was particularly stern +against every form of lying or deceit. I used sometimes +to let jobs to Naswai, such as fencing or +thatching, at a fixed price. He would come with a +staff of men, say thirty or forty, see the work +thoroughly done, and then divide the price generously +in equal portions amongst the workers, seldom +keeping anything either in food or wages for himself. +On one occasion, the people of a distant village were +working for me. Naswai assisted and directed them. +On paying them, one of the company said,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, you have not paid Naswai. He worked +as hard as any of us.”</p> + +<p>Naswai turned upon him with the dignity of a +prince, and said,—</p> + +<p>“I did not work for pay! Would you make +Missi pay more than he promised? Your conduct +is bad. I will be no party to your bad ways.”</p> + +<p>And, with an indignant wave of his hand, he +stalked away in great disdain.</p> + +<p>Naswai was younger and more intelligent than +Namakei, and in everything except in translating the +Scriptures he was much more of a fellow-helper in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_252">[252]</span> +the work of the Lord. For many years it was +Naswai’s special delight to carry my pulpit Bible +from the Mission House to the Church every Sabbath +morning, and to see that everything was in +perfect order before the Service began. He was +also the Teacher in his own village School, as well +as an Elder in the Church. His preaching was +wonderfully happy in its graphic illustrations, and +his prayers were fervent and uplifting. Yet his +people were the worst to manage on all the Island, +and the very last to embrace the Gospel.</p> + +<p>He died when we were in the Colonies on furlough +in 1875; and his wife Katua very shortly pre-deceased +him. His last counsels to his people made a great +impression on them. They told us how he pleaded +with them to love and serve the Lord Jesus, and how +he assured them with his dying breath that he had +been “a new creature” since he gave his heart to +Christ, and that he was perfectly happy in going to +be with his Saviour.</p> + +<p>I must here recall one memorable example of +Naswai’s power and skill as a preacher. On one +occasion the <i>Dayspring</i> brought a large deputation +from Fotuna to see for themselves the change which +the Gospel had produced on Aniwa. On Sabbath, +after the Missionaries had conducted the usual +Public Worship, some of the leading Aniwans addressed +the Fotunese; and amongst others, Naswai +spoke to the following effect:—</p> + +<p>“Men of Fotuna, you come to see what the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_253">[253]</span> +Gospel has done for Aniwa. It is Jehovah the living +God that has made all this change. As Heathens, +we quarrelled, killed and ate each other. We had +no peace and no joy in heart or house, in villages or +in lands; but we now live as brethren and have +happiness in all these things. When you go back +to Fotuna, they will ask you, ‘What is Christianity?’ +And you will have to reply, ‘It is that which has +changed the people of Aniwa.’ But they will still +say, ‘What is it?’ And you will answer, ‘It is that +which has given them clothing and blankets, knives +and axes, fish-hooks and many other useful things; +it is that which has led them to give up fighting, +and to live together as friends.’ But they will ask +you, ‘What is it like?’ And you will have to tell +them, alas, that you cannot explain it, that you have +only seen its workings, not itself, and that no one +can tell what Christianity is but the man that loves +Jesus, the Invisible Master, and walks with Him and +tries to please Him. Now, you people of Fotuna, +you think that if you don’t dance and sing and pray +to your gods, you will have no crops. We once did +so too, sacrificing and doing much abomination to +our gods for weeks before our planting season every +year. But we saw our Missi only praying to the +Invisible Jehovah, and planting his yams, and they +grew fairer than ours. You are weak every year +before your hard work begins in the fields, with your +wild and bad conduct to please your gods. But we +are strong for our work, for we pray to Jehovah,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_254">[254]</span> +and He gives quiet rest instead of wild dancing, and +makes us happy in our toils. Since we followed +Missi’s example, Jehovah has given us large and +beautiful crops, and we now know that He gives us +all our blessings.”</p> + +<p>Turning to me, he exclaimed, “Missi, have you +the large yam we presented to you? Would you not +think it well to send it back with these men of +Fotuna, to let their people see the yams which +Jehovah grows for us in answer to prayer? Jehovah +is the only God who can grow yams like that!”</p> + +<p>Then, after a pause, he proceeded,—“When you +go back to Fotuna, and they ask you, ‘What is +Christianity?’ you will be like an inland Chief of +Erromanga, who once came down and saw a great +feast on the shore. When he saw so much food and +so many different kinds of it, he asked, ‘What is this +made of?’ and was answered, ‘Cocoa-nuts and yams.’ +‘And this?’ ‘Cocoa-nuts and bananas.’ ‘And this?’ +‘Cocoa-nuts and taro.’ ‘And <ins id="TN-18" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: this?’ Cocoa-nuts">this?’ ‘Cocoa-nuts</ins> and +chestnuts,’ etc., etc. The Chief was immensely astonished +at the host of dishes that could be prepared +from the cocoa-nuts. On returning, he carried home +a great load of them to his people, that they might +see and taste the excellent food of the shore-people. +One day, all being assembled, he told them the +wonders of that feast; and, having roasted the cocoa-nuts, +he took out the kernels, all charred and spoiled, +and distributed them amongst his people. They +tasted the cocoa-nut, they began to chew it, and then<span class="pagenum" id="Page_255">[255]</span> +spat it out, crying, ‘Our own food is far better than +that!’ The Chief was confused and only got laughed +at for all his trouble. Was the fault in the cocoa-nuts? +No; but they were spoiled in the cooking! +So your attempts to explain Christianity will only +spoil it. Tell them that a man must live as a Christian +before he can show others what Christianity is.”</p> + +<p>On their return to Fotuna they exhibited Jehovah’s +yam, given in answer to prayer and labour; they +told what Christianity had done for Aniwa; but did +not fail to qualify all their accounts with the story +of the Erromangan Chief and the cocoa-nuts, with its +very practical lesson.</p> + +<p>The two Chiefs of next importance on Aniwa +were Nerwa and Ruwawa. Nerwa was a keen debater; +all his thoughts ran in the channels of logic. +When I could speak a little of their language, I +visited and preached at his village; but the moment +he discovered that the teaching about Jehovah was +opposed to their Heathen customs, he sternly forbade +us. One day, during my address, he blossomed +out into a full-fledged and pronounced Agnostic (with +as much reason at his back as the European type!) +and angrily interrupted me:—</p> + +<p>“It’s all lies you come here to teach us, and you +call it Worship! You say your Jehovah God dwells +in Heaven. Who ever went up there to hear Him or +see Him? You talk of Jehovah as if you had visited +His Heaven. Why, you cannot climb even to the +top of one of our cocoa-nut trees, though we can,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_256">[256]</span> +and that with ease! In going up to the roof of +your own Mission House, you require the help of a +ladder to carry you. And even if you could make +your ladder higher than our highest cocoa-nut tree, +on what would you lean its top? And when you +get to its top, you can only climb down the other +side and end where you began! The thing is impossible. +You never saw that God; you never +heard Him speak; don’t come here with any of your +white lies, or I’ll send my spear through you.”</p> + +<p>He drove us from his village, and furiously +threatened murder, if we ever dared to return. But +very soon thereafter the Lord sent us a little orphan +girl from Nerwa’s village. She was very clever, and +could both read and write, and told over all that we +taught her. Her visits home, or at least amongst the +villagers where her home had been, her changed +appearance and her childish talk, produced a very +deep interest in us and in our work.</p> + +<p>An orphan boy next was sent from that village to +be kept and trained at the Mission House, and he +too took back his little stories of how kind and good +to him were Missi the man and Missi the woman. +By this time Chief and people alike were taking a +lively interest in all that was transpiring. One day +the Chief’s wife, a quiet and gentle woman, came to +the Worship and said,—</p> + +<p>“Nerwa’s opposition dies fast. The story of the +Orphans did it. He has allowed me to attend the +Church, and to get the Christian’s book.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_257">[257]</span></p> + +<p>We gave her a book and a bit of clothing. She +went home and told everything. Woman after +woman followed her from that same village, and +some of the men began to accompany them. The +only thing in which they showed a real interest was +the children singing the little hymns which I had +translated into their own Aniwan tongue, and which +my wife had taught them to sing very sweetly and +joyfully. Nerwa at last got so interested that he +came himself, and sat within earshot, and drank in +the joyful sound. In a short time he drew so near +that he could hear our preaching, and then began +openly and regularly to attend the Church. His +keen reasoning faculty was constantly at work. He +weighed and compared everything he heard, and +soon out-distanced nearly all of them in his grasp of +the ideas of the Gospel. He put on clothing, joined +our School, and professed himself a follower of the +Lord Jesus. He eagerly set himself, with all his +power, to bring in a neighbouring Chief and his +people, and constituted himself at once an energetic +and very pronounced helper to the Missionary.</p> + +<p>On the death of Naswai, Nerwa at once took his +place in carrying my Bible to the Church, and seeing +that all the people were seated before the stopping +of the bell. I have seen him clasping the Bible like +a living thing to his breast, and heard him cry,—</p> + +<p>“Oh, to have this treasure in my own words of +Aniwa!”</p> + +<p>When Matthew and Mark were at last printed in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_258">[258]</span> +Aniwan, he studied them incessantly, and soon +could read them freely. He became the Teacher +in his own village School, and delighted in instructing +others. He was assisted by Ruwawa, whom he +himself had drawn into the circle of Gospel influence; +and at our next election these two friends were +appointed Elders of the Church, and greatly sustained +our hands in every good work on Aniwa.</p> + +<p>After years of happy and useful service, the time +came for Nerwa to die. He was then so greatly +beloved that most of the inhabitants visited him +during his long illness. He read a bit of the Gospels +in his own Aniwan, and prayed with and for every +visitor. He sang beautifully, and scarcely allowed +any one to leave his bedside without having a verse +of one or other of his favourite hymns, “Happy +Land,” and “Nearer, my God, to Thee.” On my +last visit to Nerwa, his strength had gone very low, +but he drew me near his face, and whispered,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, my Missi, I am glad to see you. You see +that group of young men? They came to sympathize +with me; but they have never once spoken the name +of Jesus, though they have spoken about everything +else! They could not have weakened me so, if they +had spoken about Jesus! Read me the story of +Jesus; pray for me to Jesus. No! stop, let us call +them, and let me speak with them before I go.”</p> + +<p>I called them all around him, and he strained +his dying strength, and said, “After I am gone, +let there be no bad talk, no Heathen ways. Sing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_259">[259]</span> +Jehovah’s songs, and pray to Jesus, and bury me as +a Christian. Take good care of my Missi, and help +him all you can. I am dying happy and going to be +with Jesus, and it was Missi that showed me this +way. And who among you will take my place in the +village School and in the Church? Who amongst +you all will stand up for Jesus?”</p> + +<p>Many were shedding tears, but there was no reply; +after which the dying Chief proceeded,—</p> + +<p>“Now let my last work on earth be this:—we will +read a chapter of the Book, verse about, and then I +will pray for you all, and the Missi will pray for me, +and God will let me go while the song is still sounding +in my heart!”</p> + +<p>At the close of this most touching exercise, we +gathered the Christians who were near-bye close +around, and sang very softly in Aniwan, “There is a +Happy Land.” As they sang, the old man grasped +my hand, and tried hard to speak, but in vain. His +head fell to one side, “the silver cord was loosed, +and the golden bowl was broken.”</p> + +<p>Soon after his burial, the best and ablest man in +the village, the husband now of the orphan girl +already referred to, came and offered himself to take +the Chiefs place as Teacher in the village School; +and in that post he was ably assisted by his wife, our +“little maid,” the first who carried the news of the +Gospel life to her tribe, and inclined their ears to +listen to the message of Jesus.</p> + +<p>His great friend, Ruwawa the Chief, had waited by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_260">[260]</span> +Nerwa like a brother till within a few days of the +latter’s death, when he also was smitten down apparently +by the same disease. He was thought to be +dying, and he resigned himself calmly into the hands +of Christ. One Sabbath afternoon, sorely distressed +for lack of air, he instructed his people to carry him +from the village to a rising ground on one of his +plantations. It was fallow; the fresh air would +reach him; and all his friends could sit around him. +They extemporized a rest,—two posts stuck into the +ground, slanting, sticks tied across them, then dried +banana leaves spread on these and also as a cushion +on the ground,—and there sat Ruwawa, leaning back +and breathing heavily. After the Church Services, +I visited him, and found half the people of that side +of the Island sitting round him, in silence, in the open +air. Ruwawa beckoned me, and I sat down before +him. Though suffering sorely, his eye and face had +the look of ecstasy.</p> + +<p>“Missi,” he said, “I could not breathe in my +village; so I got them to carry me here, where there +is room for all. They are silent and they weep, +because they think I am dying. If it were God’s +will, I would like to live and to help you in His +work. I am in the hands of our dear Lord. If He +takes me, it is good; if He spares me, it is good! +Pray, and tell our Saviour all about it.”</p> + +<p>I explained to the people, that we would tell our +Heavenly Father how anxious we all were to see +Ruwawa given back to us strong and well to work<span class="pagenum" id="Page_261">[261]</span> +for Jesus, and then leave all to His wise and holy +disposal. I prayed, and the place became a very +Bochim. When I left him, Ruwawa exclaimed,—</p> + +<p>“Farewell, Missi; if I go first, I will welcome you +to Glory; if I am spared, I will work with you for +Jesus; so all is well!”</p> + +<p>One of the young Christians followed me and +said,—“Missi, our hearts are very sore! If Ruwawa +dies, we have no Chief to take his place in the +Church, and it will be a heavy blow against Jehovah’s +Worship on Aniwa.”</p> + +<p>I answered,—“Let us each tell our God and Father +all that we feel and all that we fear; and leave +Ruwawa and our work in His holy hands.”</p> + +<p>We did so, with earnest and unceasing cry. And +when all hope had died out of every heart, the Lord +began to answer us; the disease began to relax its +hold, and the beloved Chief was restored to health. +As soon as he was able, though still needing help, he +found his way back to the Church, and we all offered +special thanksgiving to God. He indicated a desire +to say a few words; and although still very weak, +spoke with great pathos thus:—</p> + +<p>“Dear Friends, God has given me back to you all. +I rejoice thus to come here and praise the great +Father, who made us all, and who knows how to +make and keep us well. I want you all to work +hard for Jesus, and to lose no opportunity of trying +to do good and so to please Him. In my deep +journey away near to the grave, it was the memory<span class="pagenum" id="Page_262">[262]</span> +of what I had done in love to Jesus that made my +heart sing. I am not afraid of pain,—my dear +Lord Jesus suffered far more for me and teaches me +how to bear it. I am not afraid of war or famine or +death, or of the present or of the future; my dear +Lord Jesus died for me, and in dying I shall live +with Him in Glory. I fear and love my dear Lord +Jesus, because He loved me and gave Himself for +me.”</p> + +<p>Then he raised his right hand, and cried in a soft, +full-hearted voice,—“My own, my dear Lord Jesus!” +and stood for a moment looking joyfully upward, as +if gazing into his Saviour’s face. When he sat down, +there was a long hush, broken here and there by a +smothered sob; and Ruwawa’s words produced an +impression that is remembered to this day.</p> + +<p>In 1888, when I visited the Islands, Ruwawa was +still devoting himself heart and soul to the work of +the Lord on Aniwa. Assisted by Koris, a Teacher +from Aneityum, and visited occasionally by our ever-dear +and faithful friends, Mr. and Mrs. Watt, from +Tanna, the good Ruwawa carries forward all the +work of God on Aniwa, along with others, in our +absence as in our presence. The meetings, the Communicants’ +Class, the Schools, and the Church Services +are all regularly conducted and faithfully attended. +“Bless the Lord, O my soul!”</p> + +<p>I am now reminded of the story of Waiwai, both +because it was interesting for his own personality, +and also as illustrating our difficulties about the delicate<span class="pagenum" id="Page_263">[263]</span> +question of many wives. He was a man of +great wisdom, and had in his early days displayed +unwonted energy. His assistance in finding exact +and idiomatic equivalents for me, while translating +the Scriptures, was of the highest value.</p> + +<p>He had been once at the head of a numerous +people, but was now literally a Chief without a tribe. +His son and heir was smitten down with sunstroke, +while helping us to get the coral limestone, and +shortly thereafter died. His only daughter was +married to a young Chief. And at last, of all his +seven wives only two remained alive.</p> + +<p>He became a regular attender at Church, and when +our first Communicants’ Class was formed, Waiwai +and his two wives were enrolled. At Communion +time, he was dreadfully disappointed when informed +that he could neither be baptized nor admitted to the +Lord’s Table till he had given up one of his wives, +as God allowed no Christian to have more than one +wife at a time. They were advised to attend regularly, +and learn more and more of Christianity, till +God opened up their way in regard to this matter; +that it might be done from conscience, under a sense +of duty to Christ, and if at all possible by peaceable +and mutual agreement.</p> + +<p>Waiwai professed to be willing, but found it terribly +hard to give up either of his wives. They had houses +far apart from each other, for they quarrelled badly, +as is usual in such cases. But both were excellent +workers, both were very attentive to the wants of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_264">[264]</span> +Waiwai, and he managed to keep on affectionate +terms with both. After all the other men on the +Island had, under the influence of Christianity, given +up all their wives save one, Waiwai began to feel +rather ashamed of being the conspicuous exception, +or thought it prudent to pretend to be ashamed; and +so he publicly scolded them both, ordering one or +other to go and leave him, that he might be enabled +to join the Church and be a Christian like the rest. +But I learned privately that he did not wish either +to go, and that he would shoot the one that dared to +leave him. I remonstrated with him on his hypocrisy, +warning him that God knew his heart. At last +he said, that since neither of them would depart, he +would leave them both and go to Tanna for a year, +ordering one or other of them to get married during +his absence. He did go, but on his return found +both still awaiting him at their respective stations. +He pretended to scold them very vigorously <em>in public</em>; +but his duplicity was too open, and I again very +solemnly rebuked him for double dealing, showing +him that not even men were deceived by him, much +less the all-seeing God. He frankly admitted his +hypocrisy. He loved both; he did not want to part +with either; and both were excellent workers!</p> + +<p>In process of time the younger of the two women +bore him a beautiful baby boy, about which he was +immensely uplifted; and a short while thereafter the +elder woman died. At her grave the inveterate talking +instinct of these Islanders asserted itself, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_265">[265]</span> +Waiwai made a speech to the assembled people in +the following strain:—</p> + +<p>“O ye people of Aniwa, I was not willing to give +up either of my wives for Jesus; but God has taken +one from me and laid her there in the grave; and +now I am called to be baptized, and to follow Jesus.”</p> + +<p>The two now regularly attended Church, and +learned diligently at the Communicants’ Class. Both +seemed to be very sincere, and Waiwai particularly +showed a very gentle Christian spirit, and seemed to +brood much upon the loss of family and people and +tribe that had befallen him. His had been indeed a +crushing discipline, and it was not yet complete. +For, shortly before the Communion at which they +were to be received into fellowship, his remaining +wife became suddenly ill and died also. At her +grave the old man wept very bitterly, and made +another speech, but this time in tones of more intense +reality than before, as if the iron had entered his +very soul:—</p> + +<p>“Listen, all ye men of Aniwa, and take warning +by Waiwai. I am now old, and ready to drop into +the grave alone. My wives kept me back from Jesus, +but now they are all taken, and I am left without one +to care for me or this little child. I tried to deceive +the Missi, but I could not deceive God. When I +was left with only one wife, I said that I would now be +baptized and live as a Christian. But God has taken +her also. I pretended to serve the Lord, when I was +only serving and pleasing myself. God has now<span class="pagenum" id="Page_266">[266]</span> +broken my heart all to pieces. I must learn no +longer to please myself, but to please my Lord. Oh, +take warning by me, all ye men of Aniwa! Lies +cannot cheat the great Jehovah God.”</p> + +<p>Poor broken-hearted Waiwai had sorrow upon +sorrow to the full. We had agreed to baptize him +and admit him to the Lord’s Table. But a terrible +form of cramp, sometimes met with on the Islands, +overtook him, shrinking up both his legs, and curving +his feet up behind him. He suffered great agony, +and could neither walk nor sit without pain. In +spite of all efforts to relieve him, this condition +became chronic; and he died at last from the effects +thereof during our absence on furlough.</p> + +<p>His married daughter took charge of him and of +the little boy; and so long as I was on Aniwa during +his illness, I visited and instructed and ministered to +him in every possible way. He prayed much, and +asked God’s blessing on all his meals; but all that I +could say failed to lead him into the sunshine of the +Divine Love. And the poor soul often revealed the +shadow by which his heart was clouded by such cries +as these,—“I lied to Jehovah! It is He that punishes +me! I lied to Jesus!”</p> + +<p>Readers may perhaps think that this case of the +two wives and our treatment of it was too hard upon +Waiwai; and those will be the most ready to condemn +us, who have never been on the spot, and who cannot +see all the facts as they lie under the eyes of the +Missionary. How could we ever have led Natives to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_267">[267]</span> +see the difference betwixt admitting a man to the +Church who had two wives, and not permitting a +member of the Church to take two wives after his +admission? Their moral sense is blunted enough +without our knocking their heads against a conundrum +in ethics! In our Church membership we +have to draw the line as sharply as God’s law will +allow betwixt what is Heathen and what is Christian, +instead of minimising the difference.</p> + +<p>Again, we found that the Heathen practices were +apparently more destructive to women than to men; +so that in one Island, with a population of only two +hundred, I found that there were thirty adult men +over and above the number of women. As a rule, +for every man that has two or more wives, the same +number of men have no wives and can get none; +and polygamy is therefore the prolific cause of +hatreds and murders innumerable.</p> + +<p>Besides all this, to look at things in a purely +practical light, as the so-called “practical men” are +our scornful censors in these affairs, it is really no +hardship for one woman, or any number of women, +to be given up when the man becomes a Christian +and elects to have one wife only; for every one so +discarded is at once eagerly contended for by the +men who had no hope of ever being married, and +her chances of comfort and happiness are infinitely +improved. We had one Chief who gave up eleven +wives on his being baptized. They were without a +single exception happily settled in other homes.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_268">[268]</span> +And he became an earnest and devoted Christian.</p> + +<p>While they remain Heathen, and have many wives +to manage, the condition of most of the women is +worse than slavery. On remonstrating with a Chief, +who was savagely beating one of his wives, he indignantly +assured me,—</p> + +<p>“We must beat them, or they would never obey us. +When they quarrel, and become bad to manage, we +have to kill one, and feast on her. Then all the other +wives of the whole tribe are quiet and obedient for a +long time to come.”</p> + +<p>I knew one Chief, who had many wives, always +jealous of each other and violently quarrelling amongst +themselves. When he was off at war, along with his +men, the favourite wife, a tall and powerful woman, +armed herself with an axe, and murdered all the +others. On his return he made peace with her, and, +either in terror or for other motives, promised to +forego and protect her against all attempts at revenge. +One has to live amongst the Papuans, or the Malays, +in order to understand how much Woman is indebted +to Christ!</p> + +<p>The old Chiefs only brother was called Kalangi. +Twice in Heathen days he tried to shoot me. On the +second occasion he heard me rebuking his daughter +for letting a child destroy a beautiful Island plant in +front of our house. He levelled his musket at me, +but his daughter, whom we were training at the Mission +House, ran in front of it, and cried,—“O father,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_269">[269]</span> +don’t shoot Missi! He loves me. He gives us food +and clothing. He teaches us about Jehovah and +Jesus!”</p> + +<p>Then she pled with me to retire into the house, +saying,—“He will not shoot you for fear of shooting +me. I will soothe him down. Leave him to me, and +flee for safety.”</p> + +<p>Thus she probably saved my life. Time after time +he heard from this little daughter all that we taught +her, and all she could remember of our preaching. +By-and-bye he showed a strong personal interest in the +things he heard about Jesus, and questioned deeply, +and learned diligently. When he became a Christian, +he constituted himself, along with Nelwang, my +body-guard, and often marched near me, or within safe +distance of me, armed with tomahawk and musket, +when I journeyed from village to village in the pre-Christian +days. Once, on approaching one of our +most distant villages, Nelwang sprang to my side, +and warned me of a man in the bush watching an +opportunity to shoot me. I shouted to the fellow,—</p> + +<p>“What are you going to shoot there? This is the +Lord’s own Day!”</p> + +<p>He answered, “Only a bird.”</p> + +<p>I replied, “Never mind it to-day. You can shoot +it to-morrow. We are going to your Village. Come +on before us, and show us the way!”</p> + +<p>Seeing how I was protected, he lowered his musket, +and marched on before us. Kalangi addressed the +people, after I had spoken and prayed. In course of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_270">[270]</span> +time they became warm friends of the Worship; and +that very man and his wife, who once sought my life, +sat with me at the Lord’s Table on Aniwa. And the +little girl, above referred to, is now the wife of one of +the Elders there, and the mother of three Christian +children,—both she and her husband being devoted +workers in the Church of God.</p> + +<p>Litsi, the only daughter of Namakei, had, both in +her own career and in her connection with poor, dear +Mungaw, an almost unparalleled experience. She +was entrusted to us when very young, and became a +bright, clever, and attractive Christian girl. Many +sought her hand, but she disdainfully replied,—</p> + +<p>“I am Queen of my own Island, and when I like I +will ask a husband in marriage, as you told us that +the great Queen Victoria did!”</p> + +<p>Her first husband, however won, was undoubtedly +the tallest and most handsome man on Aniwa; but +he was a giddy fool, and, on his early death, she again +returned to live with us at the Mission House. Her +second marriage had everything to commend it, but +it resulted in indescribable disaster. Mungaw, heir +to a Chief, had been trained with us, and gave every +evidence of decided Christianity. They were married +in the Church, and lived in the greatest happiness. +He was able and eloquent, and was first chosen as +a deacon, then as an Elder of the Church, and finally +as High Chief of one half of the Island. He showed +the finest Christian spirit under many trying circumstances. +Once, when working at the lime for the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_271">[271]</span> +building of our Church, two bad men, armed with +muskets, sought his life for some revenge or another. +Hearing of the quarrel, I rushed to the scene, and +heard him saying,—</p> + +<p>“Don’t call me coward, or think me afraid to die. +If I died now, I would go to be with Jesus. But I +am no longer a Heathen; I am a Christian, and +wish to treat you as a Christian should.”</p> + +<p>Others now coming to the rescue, the men were +disarmed; and, after much talk, they professed themselves +ashamed, and promised better conduct for the +future. Next day they sent a large present as a +peace-offering to me, but I refused to receive it till +they should first of all make peace with the young +Chief. They sent a larger present to him, praying +him to receive it, and to forgive them. Mungaw +brought a still larger present in exchange, laid it +down at their feet in the Public Ground, shook hands +with them graciously, and forgave them in presence +of all the people. His constant saying was,—</p> + +<p>“I am a Christian, and I must do the conduct of +a Christian.”</p> + +<p>In one of my furloughs to Australia I took the +young Chief with me, in the hope of interesting the +Sabbath Schools and Congregations by his eloquent +addresses and noble personality. The late Dr. +Cameron, of Melbourne, having heard him, as translated +by me, publicly declared that Mungaw’s appearance +and speech in his Church did more to show him +the grand results of the Gospel amongst the Heathen<span class="pagenum" id="Page_272">[272]</span> +than all the Missionary addresses he ever listened to +or read.</p> + +<p>Our lodging was in St. Kilda. My dear wife was +suddenly seized with a dangerous illness on a visit +to Taradale, and I was telegraphed for. Finding that +I must remain with her, I got Mungaw booked for +Melbourne, on the road for St. Kilda, in charge of a +railway guard. Some white wretches, in the guise +of gentlemen, offered to see him to the St. Kilda +Station, assuring the guard that they were friends of +mine, and interested in our Mission. They took him, +instead, to some den of infamy in Melbourne. On +refusing to drink with them, he said they threw him +down on a sofa, and poured drink or drugs into him +till he was nearly dead. Having taken all his money +(he had only two or three pounds, made up of little +presents from various friends), they thrust him out to +the street, with only one penny in his pocket.</p> + +<p>On becoming conscious, he applied to a policeman, +who either did not understand or would not interfere. +Hearing an engine whistle, he followed the +sound, and found his way to Spencer Street Station. +There he stood for a whole day, offering his penny +for a ticket by every train, and was always refused. +At last a sailor took pity on him, got him some food, +and led him to the St. Kilda Station. Again he +proffered his penny, only to meet with refusal after +refusal, till he broke down, and cried aloud in such +English as desperation gave him,—</p> + +<p>“If me savvy road, me go. Me no savvy road, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_273">[273]</span> +stop here me die. My Missi Paton live at Kilda. Me +want go Kilda. Me no more money. Bad fellow took +all! Send me Kilda.”</p> + +<p>Some gentle Samaritan gave him a ticket, and he +reached our house at St. Kilda at last. There for +above three weeks the poor creature lay in a sort of +stupid doze. Food he could scarcely be induced to +taste, and he only rose now and again for a drink of +water. When my wife was able to be removed thither +also, we found dear Mungaw dreadfully changed in +appearance and in conduct. Twice thereafter I took +him with me on Mission work; but, on medical advice, +preparations were made for his immediate return to +the Islands. I entrusted him to the kind care of +Captain Logan, who undertook to see him safely on +board the <i>Dayspring</i>, then lying at Auckland. Mungaw +was delighted, and we hoped everything from +his return to his own land and people. After some +little trouble, he was landed safely <ins id="TN-19" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: home on Aniwa">home on Aniwa.</ins> +But his malady developed dangerous and violent +symptoms, characterized by long periods of quiet +and sleep, and then sudden paroxysms, in which he +destroyed property, burned houses, and was a terror +to all.</p> + +<p>On our return he was greatly delighted; but he +complained bitterly that the white men “had spoiled +his head,” and that when it “burned hot” he did all +these bad things, for which he was extremely sorry +He deliberately attempted my life, and most cruelly +abused his dear and gentle wife; and then, when the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_274">[274]</span> +frenzy was over, he wept and lamented over it. Many +a time he marched round and round our House with +loaded musket and spear and tomahawk, while we +had to keep doors and windows locked and barricaded; +then the paroxysm passed off, and he slept, +long and deep, like a child. When he came to himself, +he wept and said,—</p> + +<p>“The white men spoiled my head! I know not +what I do. My head burns hot, and I am driven.”</p> + +<p>One day, in the Imrai, he leapt up with a loud-yelling +war-cry, rushed off to his own house, set fire +to it, and danced around till everything he possessed +was burned to ashes. Nasi, a bad Tannese Chief +living on Aniwa, had a quarrel with Mungaw about +a cask found at the shore, and threatened to shoot +him. Others encouraged him to do so, as Mungaw +was growing every day more and more destructive +and violent. When a person became outrageous or +insane on Aniwa,—as they had neither asylum nor +prison, they first of all held him fast and discharged a +musket close to his ear; and then, if the shock did +not bring him back to his senses, they tied him up +for two days or so; and finally, if that did not restore +him, they shot him dead. Thus the plan of Nasi was +favoured by their own customs. One night, after +family worship,—for amidst all his madness, when +clear moments came, he poured out his soul in faith +and love to the Lord,—he said,—</p> + +<p>“Litsi, I am melting! My head burns. Let us +go out and get cooled in the open air.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_275">[275]</span></p> + +<p>She warned him not to go, as she heard voices +whispering under the verandah. He answered a little +wildly,—</p> + +<p>“I am not afraid to die. Life is a curse and +burden. The white men spoiled my head. If there +is a hope of dying, let me go quickly and die!”</p> + +<p>As he crossed the door, a ball crashed through +him, and he fell dead. We got the mother and her +children away to the Mission House; and next +morning they buried the remains of poor Mungaw +under the floor of his own hut, and enclosed the +whole place with a fence. It was a sorrowful close +to so noble a career. I shed many a tear that I ever +took him to Australia. What will God have to say +to those white fiends who poisoned and maddened +poor dear Mungaw?</p> + +<p>After a while the good Queen Litsi was happily +married again. She became possessed with a great +desire to go as a Missionary to the people and tribe +of Nasi, the very man who had murdered her husband. +She used to say,—</p> + +<p>“Is there no Missionary to go and teach Nasi’s +people? I weep and pray for them, that they too +may come to know and love Jesus.”</p> + +<p>I answered,—“Litsi, if I had only wept and +prayed for you, but stayed at home in Scotland, +would that have brought you to know and love Jesus +as you do?”</p> + +<p>“Certainly not,” she replied.</p> + +<p>“Now then,” I proceeded, “would it not please<span class="pagenum" id="Page_276">[276]</span> +Jesus and be a grand and holy revenge, if you, the +Christians of Aniwa, could carry the Gospel to the +very people whose Chief murdered Mungaw?”</p> + +<p>The idea took possession of her soul. She was +never wearied talking and praying over it. When at +length a Missionary was got for Nasi’s people, Litsi +and her new husband placed themselves at the head +of a band of six or eight Aniwan Christians, and +planted themselves there to open up the way and +assist as Native Teachers the Missionary and his +wife. There she and they have laboured ever since. +They are “strong” for the Worship. Her son is +being trained up by his cousin, an Elder of the +Church, to be “the good Chief of Aniwa”; so she +calls him in her prayers, as she cries on God to bless +and watch over him, while she is serving the Lord in +the Mission field. Many years have now passed; and +when lately I visited that part of Tanna, Litsi ran to +me, clasped my hand, kissed it with many sobs, and +cried,—</p> + +<p>“O my father! God has blessed me to see you +again. Is my mother, your dear wife, well? And +your children, my brothers and sisters? My love to +them all! O my heart clings to you!”</p> + +<p>We had sweet conversation, and then she said +more calmly,—</p> + +<p>“My days here are hard. I might be happy and +wealthy as Queen on Aniwa. But the Heathen here +are beginning to listen. The Missi sees them coming +nearer to Jesus. And oh, what a reward when we<span class="pagenum" id="Page_277">[277]</span> +shall hear them sing and pray to our dear Saviour! +The hope of that makes me strong for anything.”</p> + +<p>My heart often says within itself—When, <em>when</em> +will men’s eyes at home be opened? When will the +rich and the learned and the noble and even the +princes of the Earth renounce their shallow frivolities, +and go to live amongst the poor, the ignorant, the +outcast, and the lost, and write their eternal fame +on the souls by them blessed and brought to the +Saviour? Those who have tasted this highest joy, +“the joy of the Lord,” will never again ask,—<em>Is Life +worth living?</em> Life, any life, would be well spent, +under any conceivable conditions, in bringing one +human soul to know and love and serve God and +His Son, and thereby securing for yourself at least +one temple where your name and memory would be +held for ever and for ever in affectionate praise,—a +regenerated Heart in Heaven. That fame will prove +<em>immortal</em>, when all the poems and monuments and +pyramids of Earth have gone into dust.</p> + +<p>Nasi, the Tannaman, was a bad and dangerous +character, though some readers may condone his +putting an end to Mungaw in the terrible circumstances +of our case. During a great illness that +befell him, I ministered to him regularly, but no +kindness seemed to move him. When about to leave +Aniwa, I went specially to visit him. On parting I +said,—</p> + +<p>“Nasi, are you happy? Have you ever been +happy?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_278">[278]</span></p> + +<p>He answered gloomily,—“No! Never.”</p> + +<p>I said,—“Would you like this dear little boy of +yours to grow up like yourself, and lead the life you +have lived?”</p> + +<p>“No!” he replied warmly; “I certainly would +not.”</p> + +<p>“Then,” I continued, “you must become a Christian, +and give up all your Heathen conduct, or he will +just grow up to quarrel and fight and murder as you +have done; and, O Nasi, he will curse you through +all Eternity for leading him to such a life and to +such a doom!”</p> + +<p>He was very much impressed, but made no response. +After we had sailed, a band of our young +Native Christians held a consultation over the case +of Nasi. They said,—</p> + +<p>“We know the burden and terror that Nasi has +been to our dear Missi. We know that he has murdered +several persons with his own hands, and has +taken part in the murder of others. Let us unite in +daily prayer that the Lord would open his heart and +change his conduct, and teach him to love and follow +what is good, and let us set ourselves to win Nasi for +Christ, just as Missi tried to win us.”</p> + +<p>So they began to show him every possible kindness, +and one after another helped him in his daily +tasks, embracing every opportunity of pleading with +him to yield to Jesus and take the new path of life. +At first he repelled them, and sullenly held aloof. +But their prayers never ceased, and their patient<span class="pagenum" id="Page_279">[279]</span> +affections continued to grow. At last, after long +waiting, Nasi broke down, and cried to one of the +Teachers,—</p> + +<p>“I can oppose your Jesus no longer. If He can +make you treat me like that, I yield myself to Him +and to you. I want Him to change me too. I want +a heart like that of Jesus.”</p> + +<p>He took the ugly paint patches from his face; he +cut off his long Heathen hair; he went to the sea +and bathed, washing himself clean; and then he +came to the Christians and dressed himself in a shirt +and a kilt. The next step was to get a book,—his +was the translation of the Gospel according to St. +John. He eagerly listened to every one that would +read bits of it aloud to him, and his soul seemed to +drink in the new ideas at every pore. He attended +the Church and the School most regularly, and could +in a very short time read the Gospel for himself. +The Elders of the Church took special pains in instructing +him, and after due preparation he was +admitted to the Lord’s Table—my brother Missionary +from Tanna baptizing and receiving him. +Imagine my joy on learning all this regarding one +who had sullenly resisted my appeals for many years, +and how my soul praised the Lord who is “Mighty +to save!”</p> + +<p>On my recent visit to Aniwa, in 1886, God’s +almighty compassion was further revealed to me, +when I found that Nasi the murderer was now a +Scripture Reader, and able to comment in a wonderful<span class="pagenum" id="Page_280">[280]</span> +and interesting manner on what he reads to the +people! When I arrived on a visit to the Island, +after my last tour in Great Britain in the interests of +our Mission, all the inhabitants of Aniwa seemed to +be assembled at the boat-landing to welcome me, +except Nasi. He was away fishing at a distance, and +had been sent for, but had not yet arrived. On the +way to the Mission House, he came rushing to meet +me. He grasped my hand, and kissed it, and burst +into tears. I said,—</p> + +<p>“Nasi, do I now at last meet you as a Christian?”</p> + +<p>He warmly answered, “Yes, Missi; I now worship +and serve the only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. +Bless God, I am a Christian at last!”</p> + +<p>My soul went out with the silent cry, “Oh, that the +men at home who discuss and doubt about conversion, +and the new heart, and the power of Jesus to change +and save, could but look on Nasi, and spell out the +simple lesson,—He that created us at first by His +power can create us anew by His love!”</p> + +<p>My first Sabbath on Aniwa, after the late tour in +Great Britain and the Colonies, gave me a blessed +surprise. Before daybreak I lay awake thinking of +all my experiences on that Island, and wondering +whether the Church had fallen off in my four years’ +absence, when suddenly the voice of song broke on +my ears! It was scarcely full dawn, yet I jumped +up and called to a man that was passing,—</p> + +<p>“Have I slept in? Is it already Church-time? +Or why are the people met so early?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_281">[281]</span></p> + +<p>He was one of their leaders, and gravely replied,—“Missi, +since you left, we have found it very hard to +live near to God! So the Chief and the Teachers +and a few others meet when daylight comes in every +Sabbath morning, and spend the first hour of every +Lord’s Day in prayer and praise. They are met to +pray for you now, that God may help you in your +preaching, and that all hearts may bear fruit to the +glory of Jesus this day.”</p> + +<p>I returned to my room, and felt quite prepared +myself. It would be an easy and a blessed thing to +lead such a Congregation into the presence of the +Lord! They were there already.</p> + +<p>On that day every person on Aniwa seemed to be +at Church, except the bedridden and the sick. At +the close of the Services, the Elders informed me that +they had kept up all the Meetings during my absence, +and had also conducted the Communicants’ Class, +and they presented to me a considerable number of +candidates for membership. After careful examination, +I set apart nine boys and girls, about twelve or +thirteen years of age, and advised them to wait for at +least another year or so, that their knowledge and +habits might be matured. They had answered every +question, indeed, and were eager to be baptized and +admitted; but I feared for their youth, lest they +should fall away and bring disgrace on the Church. +One of them, with very earnest eyes, looked at me +and said,—</p> + +<p>“We have been taught that whosoever believeth is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_282">[282]</span> +to be baptized. We do most heartily believe in Jesus, +and try to please Jesus.”</p> + +<p>I answered,—“Hold on for another year, and then +our way will be clear.”</p> + +<p>But he persisted,—“Some of us may not be living +then; and you may not be here. We long to be +baptized by you, our own Missi, and to take our place +among the servants of Jesus.”</p> + +<p>After much conversation I agreed to baptize them, +and they agreed to refrain from going to the Lord’s +Table for a year; that all the Church might by that +time have knowledge and proof of their consistent +Christian life, though so young in years. This discipline, +I thought, would be good for them; and the +Lord might use it as a precedent for guidance in +future days.</p> + +<p>Of other ten adults at this time admitted, one was +specially noteworthy. She was about twenty-five, +and the Elders objected because her marriage had not +been according to the Christian usage on Aniwa. +She left us weeping deeply. I was writing late at +night in the cool evening air, as was my wont in that +oppressive tropical clime, and a knock was heard at +my door. I called out,—</p> + +<p>“<i>Akai era?</i>” (= Who is there?)</p> + +<p>A voice softly answered,—“Missi, it is Lamu. Oh, +do speak with me!”</p> + +<p>This was the rejected candidate, and I at once +opened the door.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Missi,” she began, “I cannot sleep, I cannot<span class="pagenum" id="Page_283">[283]</span> +eat; my soul is in pain. Am I to be shut out from +Jesus? Some of those at the Lord’s Table committed +murder. They repented, and have been saved. +My heart is very bad; yet I never did any of those +crimes of Heathenism; and I know that it is my joy +to try and please my Saviour Jesus. How is it that +I only am to be shut out from Jesus?”</p> + +<p>I tried all I could to guide and console her, and she +listened to all very eagerly. Then she looked up at +me and said,—</p> + +<p>“Missi, you and the Elders may think it right to +keep me back from showing my love to Jesus at the +Lord’s Table; but I know here in my heart that +Jesus has received me; and if I were dying now, I +know that Jesus would take me to Glory and present +me to the Father.”</p> + +<p>Her look and manner thrilled me. I promised to +see the Elders and submit her appeal. But Lamu +appeared and pled her own cause before them with +convincing effect. She was baptized and admitted +along with other nine. And that Communion Day +will be long remembered by many souls on Aniwa.</p> + +<p>It has often struck me, when relating these events, +to press this question on the many young people, the +highly privileged white brothers and sisters of Lamu, +Did you ever lose one hour of sleep or a single meal +in thinking of your Soul, your God, the claims of +Jesus, and your Eternal Destiny?</p> + +<p>And when I saw the diligence and fidelity of these +poor Aniwan Elders, teaching and ministering during<span class="pagenum" id="Page_284">[284]</span> +all those years, my soul has cried aloud to God, +Oh, what could not the Church accomplish if the +educated and gifted Elders and others in Christian +lands would set themselves thus to work for Jesus, to +teach the ignorant, to protect the tempted, and to +rescue the fallen!</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_285">[285]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.<br><br> + +<i class="center fs80">LETTERS FROM ANIWA.</i></h2> + +</div> +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>Editorial Preface.—<i>Letter for 1867.</i>—Not Tanna but Aniwa.—“Missi +Paton <em>versus</em> Teapots.”—The Humour of Taia.—Evening +Village-Prayers.—“Make him <i>Bokis</i> Sing.”—My +Sewing Class.—“That no Gammon.”—“Talk Biritania.”—The +Marriage of Kahi.... <i>Letter for 1869.</i>—First +Communicants on Aniwa.—Mungaw and the Mission Boys.—The +Blessing of the <i>Dayspring</i>.... <i>Letter for 1874.</i>—Home +to Aniwa.—“Taking Possession.”—“Another Soul +Committed to our Care.”—Hutshi and her Lover.—Six +Missionaries on Aniwa.... <i>Letter for 1875.</i>—Missi +Paton and “Joseph” and the Tannese.—A Tropical Hurricane.—The +Disgrace and Sale of Hutshi.—Taia Baited by +Nalihi.—Earthquakes and Tidal Waves.—Farewells.... +<i>Letter for 1878.</i>—A Madman at Large.—The Passing of +Yawaci.—The Madness and Death of Mungaw.—Our +Native Elders.—Music on the Waters.—A Wicked Vow.... +<i>Letter for 1879.</i>—New Year’s Day on Aniwa.—A +Miserable Slaver.—Litsi Married Again.—Mission Synod +on Erromanga.—Tragic and Holy Memories.—Day-Light +on Tanna.—Pigs in Galore.—Arrowroot for Jehovah.</p> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent">[The Editor takes upon himself the responsibility +of presenting here a picture of life among the New +Hebrideans, as portrayed by the graphic and gifted +pen of Mrs. John G. Paton.</p> + +<p>His only regret is that the exigencies of space<span class="pagenum" id="Page_286">[286]</span> +compel him to give mere <em>fragments</em> of these Letters, +instead of the full-flowing descriptions, which have +led him to regard them as amongst the most charming +pieces of Missionary literature with which he has +become acquainted.</p> + +<p>He apologizes also to that dear lady herself for +the liberty he is thus taking with her “Family +Epistles,”—written for the delight of her inner circle +of friends, and for their eyes alone. He is well aware +that if she were at his side, instead of being in the +New Hebrides, while he is sending these pages to +press, nothing would probably induce her to give her +consent to this appearance in print. But he trusts +that her wrath will be assuaged, when she returns to +the Colonies and learns how the Christian Public approve +in this respect of what her friend has done.</p> + +<p>The Editor makes no apology to the reader for +this break in the flow of the story, or even for +re-touching one or two scenes that are past, for he +already instinctively knows that even these fragments +will be appreciated, as a great enrichment to the +Autobiography which he has been privileged to +introduce to them.]</p> + +<br> +<p class="noindent center">(1867.)</p> + +<p class="noindent center">TO REV. DR. MACDONALD, SOUTH MELBOURNE.</p> + +<p>“... How much I enjoyed your kind letter which came +by the <i>Dayspring</i> last month! I was delighted indeed to hear +that your Parish now extends to the New Hebrides,—rather a +scattered one certainly, nevertheless you are bound to look<span class="pagenum" id="Page_287">[287]</span> +after your flock, and we shall soon be expecting <em>a pastoral +visit</em>....</p> + +<p>“You were, I dare say, surprised when you heard that we +had been sent to Aniwa instead of Tanna. It was a blow +which Mr. Paton has hardly got over yet; but all the brethren +were decidedly opposed to us going there alone, and we feel +now that we have been Divinely led hither. Mr. Inglis, in his +last kind letter, said to Mr. Paton that he believed he was +doing more real work for Tanna, by bringing the Aniwans to a +knowledge of the truth and thus fitting them for by-and-bye +spreading the Gospel among the Tannese, than if he were now +labouring alone among that dense mass of people. We are +encouraged, therefore, to hope that there may be many ambassadors +for Christ from this little Island, for the Aniwans are a +superior people, and the work has made steady and rapid progress +of late. I don’t mean that half the people are converted,—very +far from that! There is a great deal to be done, before +the soil is prepared even to receive the seed,—they cling so to +their old prejudices and superstitions. I believe, to many of +them, it is like taking a great leap into the dark to risk the +anger of their gods by coming to the Worship. For what proof +have they at first that we are leading them into the right way? +True, they see we wish to be kind; but the idea of any one +coming among them simply for their good is a doctrine they +cannot understand.</p> + +<p>“We are very thankful to have so many regularly at Church; +and Mr. Paton possessed a great advantage in being able to +address them from the first in Tannese, which some of them +speak freely,—hence the double hope of training them as +helpers for Tanna. You would be surprised to see with what +propriety the Services are conducted. The Native Teachers, two +devoted men from Aneityum who have been here for years, try +to give short speeches. Then Mr. Paton usually invites one or +other of the more enlightened of the Aniwans to speak, which +he does by invariably pitching into his brethren in the most +energetic terms, comparing them to pigs, dogs, serpents, etc., +the speaker not generally including himself, and asking how +long they mean to continue their ‘black-hearted conduct’?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_288">[288]</span></p> + +<p>“They are never at a loss for a text, and for a long time +after we came it sounded to me something like ‘Missi Paton +and Teapots.’ I supposed it to be, ‘Missi Paton <em>versus</em> Teapots,’ +but by-and-bye I discovered that it was not Teapots, but +Teapolo (= Devil), against which they stormed. Lately they +have been choosing more sacred subjects, generally a repetition +of what they have heard from Mr. Paton before, or been helping +him to translate during the week. Last Sabbath, we were much +struck with the gentle, persuasive tones of the old Chief who +was addressing them. Mr. Paton noted down two words he +did not remember having heard before, and asked for the +translation after worship. The man took him by the hand and +said in Tannese, ‘Missi, I was only telling them what you have +been teaching us all this time about Jesus pouring out His +blood to wash away all our sins!’</p> + +<p>“Taia, and Namakei the Chief, two of our firmest friends, +give very telling speeches sometimes. The former is a tall and +powerful fellow, quite a notoriety on account of his loquacious +powers. He has a great deal of ready wit too; and, though he +does little else but talk, it is wonderful what influence he exerts. +Some time ago, he prevented a violent quarrel ending in probable +bloodshed. The party who thought themselves insulted +ran home, seized their arms, and were rushing past Taia’s +house, where he was lying outside, basking in the sun and +enjoying his pipe. He saw something was wrong, for they +don’t continue the habit of carrying their arms constantly now, +and he called out to them (of course in their own language), +‘Stop! stop! let me see what you are carrying. Is it the book +that Missi has been busy making?’ His sly hit set them all +a-laughing, and they turned into his house; there he had a long +and serious talk with them, and got them to give up the idea +of fighting, at least for that day. The next being Sabbath, he +came to Mr. Paton before the Service to ask him to let him +speak; and, having both the offending parties present, he <em>did</em> +give it them, finishing up by reminding them how difficult it +had been to get a Missionary, and how he, Taia, had gone to +Aneityum to plead for more Native Teachers after they had +murdered Nemeyan and tried to kill Navalak, and how he had<span class="pagenum" id="Page_289">[289]</span> +always been careful to give them food to do the work of Jehovah! +In that part of the speech referring to his own conduct, there +were a few embellishments which in strict regard to truth might +have been omitted; but his advice seemed to do good, for we +heard no more of that quarrel.</p> + +<p>“Taia, however, does not always do as he professes, and Mr. +Paton sometimes feels it incumbent on him to call Taia to +account; but Taia’s equanimity is never in the least ruffled. +He sits listening with his chin resting upon his knees, looking +up now and again with a bland smile, saying, ‘Ah, very good +talk that, Missi! Very good talk that!’...</p> + +<p>“Namakei never fails, when well, to take Mr. Paton’s Bible +and lay it on the desk every Sabbath and Wednesday before the +Service, and to get the people in the village assembled for worship, +which we have every evening under a large banyan tree in +the Imrai (= the public meeting-ground), the great place of +general rendezvous, which is close behind our house.</p> + +<p>“I particularly enjoy this Evening Service, when all Nature +is at rest and looks so exquisitely beautiful, everything reflecting +the gorgeous sunsets and nothing heard but the soft rustle of +the leaves and what Longfellow calls ‘the <ins id="TN-20" class="corr" title="symphony of Ocean">symphony of Ocean’</ins>. +I think the Natives, too, are inspired with it, for none of us +seem inclined to move off after worship, and often, but especially +on Sabbath evenings, we sit still and sing over all our +hymns. They never tire of this, being all of them intensely +fond of music...</p> + +<p>“I was heartily amused, the first time I was called upon to +perform on Aniwa! We had just unpacked the harmonium, +one day, about a fortnight after our arrival. The news must +have spread like wildfire; for, towards evening, about forty or +fifty people came marching towards the Church (the house +where we stayed till our new home was built), the foremost +shouting in broken English, ‘Missi, make him bokis (= box) +sing! Plenty man come hear you make him bokis sing!’</p> + +<p>“I must not omit to tell you about my peculiar charge, and a +very pleasant one it is, I mean my own Sewing Class. Nearly +fifty women and girls attend pretty regularly every morning, +except Wednesday and Saturday, and we spend two hours<span class="pagenum" id="Page_290">[290]</span> +(often more) together sewing and singing. They are very tractable +and willing to learn, having taken a great fancy for sewing. +I never dreamt it would be really such delightful work teaching +them, but my heart was drawn to them from the first, and I +will always feel grateful to them for the kindly way they behaved +to me when I landed amongst them, timid and rather +frightened at feeling myself the only white woman on these +lonely shores....</p> + +<p>“Mr. Paton took the matter much more coolly, seeming to +take for granted that they were all his ‘dear friends,’ though +most of the men, really fine fellows we have since found them, +thought it advisable to receive us with a good deal of impudence, +trying how far we could be imposed upon! Plenty of them talk +a little English, and really it was almost laughable to hear them +telling the most monstrous lies with such a long innocent face, +that one would suppose they believed them themselves, and +then gravely adding, ‘That no gammon!’...</p> + +<p>“I feel the sewing, however, to be only a stepping-stone to +something far more important. It brings me into contact with +them so as to learn their language. I so long to be able to talk +freely to them; but it is slow work with me! How the Apostles +must have appreciated the gift of Tongues on the day of Pentecost! +I wonder if it was accorded to their wives as well? It +is so provoking, when you think you have mastered enough to +venture on a little conversation with them, to see them looking +at each other wonderingly. Some time ago, in talking to a girl, +I plunged a little deeper than usual, thinking to astonish her +with my wisdom, but she looked up innocently and told me she +‘did not savvy talk Biritania!’ I must have made awful blunders +at first. But some of the women can talk Tannese as well +as the men; and I got Mr. Paton’s help in any great difficulty, +though he did not at all times enjoy the interruption, especially +if the point in question turned out to be only about a needle and +a thread, while he had been called away when setting up the +type for our first Aniwan book!...</p> + +<p>“Before closing this long epistle, I want to tell you about our +first Christian marriage here, especially as the Bride was decked +out from your Emerald Hill box, last sent,—at least partly so. It<span class="pagenum" id="Page_291">[291]</span> +was a deeply interesting occasion. Kahi, the bride, was one of +my scholars, a pretty young widow of about seventeen; and +Ropu, her lover, was such a nice fellow, too, a great favourite +of Mr. Paton’s. They seemed really attached; but Kahi’s +father-in-law demurred about giving her away, as he considered +her still his property, having given a high price (present?) for +her when he bought her for his son. One morning, however, +Ropu appeared with such a number of fat pigs, that they quite +took the old man’s heart by storm, and he declared that he +might have her that day, if the Missi thought it was right. The +Missi did not object, but advised them to get married in Church; +and I determined to give Kahi a nice present, in order to tempt +her young companions to follow her example; not a very high +motive, to be sure, but if the prospect of a good present will +induce them to alter their habits in regard to marriage, I have +not the slightest objection that it should be so. It’s about the +highest motive some of them can yet appreciate, and there is +no vital principle, after all, at stake in the mere form. We made +the event as public as the time would permit, and there was +quite a little gathering to witness the ceremony. Poor Kahi +was brought to me in tears; but when we put on her nice skirt +and jacket, and she caught sight of the pretty hat which happened +to be trimmed with orange blossom, she seemed to +think she had indulged long enough in sentiment and dried her +tears quite briskly, looking out from under her long eyelashes +from side to side with great admiration, and when at last I put +a glaring red handkerchief into her hand she fairly laughed +aloud! There was a little trouble with them in Church, as they +would not come near enough to join hands till they were pushed; +and then the poor girl got her marriage vows repeated to her +on the deafest side of her head, for, being too bashful or something +of the sort to give the response, it seemed to be the public +opinion that Mr. Paton was letting her off too easily, and the +men taking up the question thundered it in such a manner as +to elicit a pretty quick reply!</p> + +<p>“... P.S.</p> +<p>“6th <em>December</em>.</p> + +<p>“Please send the <i>Dayspring</i> quickly down this season; for I +have found this morning to my horror, that the whole stock of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_292">[292]</span> +flour has gone useless, and not a bit of bread shall we get till +the Vessel returns! I suppose we are indebted to the climate +and the weevil together for this. We have plenty of other food,—so +no danger of starving.”</p> + +<br> +<p class="center noindent">(1869.)</p> + +<p class="center noindent">TO A LADY.</p> + +<p>... “To spend such a day as we did a few Sabbaths ago +when our little Church of God on Aniwa was formally constituted, +we felt to be worth more than all the sacrifices connected with +our isolated life. We had a very good attendance, 180 being +present, and an unusual solemnity and interest pervaded the +Church throughout the whole Services. The Communicants, +twelve in number, were arranged in rows from the platform to +my seat, so that they occupied the space in the centre; and, as +they stood up to answer the form of questions Mr. Paton put +to them before receiving Baptism, you could scarcely have +conceived a more interesting group. Vasi, our eldest member, +must we think be near to ninety; but, aged and infirm as he is, +he came every day to School with his spectacles on, and is one +of Mr. Paton’s best writers as well as readers. Our old chief, +Namakei, was there, with his daughter Litsi. She is his only +child living, and is almost as great a comfort to me as to her +father. She was the first girl who came to live with us, and, +being the eldest on our Premises, she sets a good example to the +others. Her devotion to Mr. Paton amounts almost to idolatry. +She seems as if she never could be grateful enough to him for +being the means of her conversion. But the one I felt most +interest in was Namakei’s sister, a very gentle and delicate-looking +woman. I knew what it had cost her to profess her +faith in Jesus, and how her husband and son were even then +jeering and laughing at her. If I had time, I could tell you +something interesting about each of them, for of course it +was our knowing all their little histories that made it so intensely +gratifying a sight to us. I can remember when one +began to wear clothing, when another cut off his long hair, +and when one whom we had thought a very hardened character<span class="pagenum" id="Page_293">[293]</span> +came one day with the last of his idols, saying,—‘Now, +Missi, these are the very last. I have no more.’</p> + +<p>“It was a beautiful sight to see these all standing up neatly +clothed, in the midst of their benighted brethren, to declare +themselves on the Lord’s side; and more than one could witness +without deep emotion. Never did I feel happier in any +society on Earth, than when partaking of our Saviour’s body +and blood with these dark Sisters and Brothers, now united +with me in Jesus. It was a day long to be remembered. I +trust it will be so even in Eternity, with thanksgiving. Our +dear friend and sister Missionary, Mrs. McNair, was with us, +paying a long-promised visit; and I felt so glad she happened +to be here at the time, for she says she never witnessed a more +beautiful and affecting spectacle. We have every reason to hope +that the true work of grace is begun in their hearts. Mr. Paton +had much satisfaction in them while attending his Candidates’ +Class; and their own earnest inquiries were what delighted him +most. How often have we had cause to set up our Ebenezer +since coming to this far-off land; and this is but a small beginning, +yet we have most emphatically reason to thank the Lord +and take courage....</p> + +<p>“Mungaw was so disgusted at having to wear a kilt, that I +did not dare to mention about cutting his long hair; and Mr. +Paton does not wish the Natives to be forced to these things, +for he always says that, when their hearts are changed, they +will be sure to give up these things of their own accord. I +know that this is very true; but as I don’t see that there would +be any harm in having the short hair first, I coaxed Mungaw +to cut his, and he looks very much more civilized.</p> + +<p>“We have a gathering of boys now on the Premises; for +Mungaw had not been installed into his office two days, before +a few others came and asked quite humbly that they might be +allowed to do something for the Missi. We were truly amazed +as well as gratified at this unexpected proposal; for the boys +here, as a rule, are the idlest and most impudent set I ever saw. +They seem to be the ‘masters’ too, for no one thinks of contradicting +a boy. Of course, Mr. Paton told them that he was +very glad to have them come, as he wanted to teach them a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_294">[294]</span> +great deal they ought to know. They are really doing tolerably +well, and I feel so thankful to have a man-cook, as there +are so many things connected therewith that men or boys require +to do and that they will not do to help a <em>woman</em>; for +instance, chopping wood and black-leading the stove....</p> + +<p>“The <i>Dayspring</i> is a great blessing to us all. There is little +fear of any Missionary now on the most savage Islands being +ill-treated, if they see that he is well looked after. Of course, I +mean ‘humanly speaking,’ the fear is <em>nil</em>; and if we be kept in +safety, and our work in the end begins to prosper, that dear +little Vessel and her supporters have more to do with it all than +might by some be imagined. Two of our Natives, one of them +the wildest character on Aniwa, were engaged by Captain +Fraser to go as boat’s crew, the trip before last; and they +came back in ecstasies, declaring there was never such a +Captain as the one on board the <i>Dayspring</i>. He was so kind +and good to them, for when they came to any Island without a +Missionary, he would not let them go on shore for fear of being +killed, and that would have damaged our work on Aniwa. +Then they counted on their finger ends, with great glee, the +things they had received in payment; and as these are good +and useful articles, it engenders a love for such things instead +of the paint and stuffs they get from the Traders, while their +huge ambition for sailing and sight-seeing is gratified.”</p> + +<br> +<p class="center noindent">(1874.)</p> + +<p class="center noindent">TO THE FAMILY CIRCLE</p> + +<p>“<span class="smcap">My dearest Mother, Sisters, and Brothers</span>,— ... +I must, however, arrive at Aniwa more by degrees, as this is to +be the journalistic Family Epistle, and you have heard nothing +of us since we left Sydney on the 4th April, with dear Dr. +Steele on board, who seemed like a link between us and Civilization. +I felt ‘strong to go,’ as our Natives would express it, +for I realized as I never before had done the ‘Lo, I am with +you,’ and some of God’s dear ones with whom we had had such +precious Christian fellowship were with us till the last....</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_295">[295]</span></p> + +<p>“We had finished up at Fotuna soon after breakfast; and +how intensely delighted we were to hear the Captain’s cheery +voice shouting out that we would be able to have a drink of +milk at Aniwa to-morrow morning, as the wind was fair. We +had all packed up in the afternoon, and the first sight which +greeted me, on looking out at my port-hole next morning, was +the trees and rocks of dear old Aniwa! The first boat was +sent ashore with eight or nine Fotunese and their cumbrous +baggage, who had insisted on coming to visit our Island, rather +to the disgust of the Captain. Meantime we were having our +breakfast, and Mr. Arthur, the mate, brought back word that +our Natives were in a-state of great delight and excitement,—dear +Yawaci making the younger girls fly round their work,—also +that our six cows had increased to ten, and that our goats +no man could number! He had also heard that a number +of our Natives had died, and some had been taken away by +Traders.</p> + +<p>“When we neared the shore, we could see that the great +majority of the people had turned out, and even the very cattle +and goats been brought to meet us! There were my girls, +standing in a group in bright pink dresses, sewed and shaped +by themselves, and turkey-red turbans, and in short, by one +and another of the Natives all the colours of the rainbow were +well represented. Not one person, I am thankful to say, was +<em>without clothing</em>. True, some of their garments were ragged +and scanty enough,—still they had them, and it was almost +more than we expected from some of them, after being away +from them so long. They do <em>so</em> love to run naked!</p> + +<p>“What a shaking of hands, and ‘Alofa’-ing there was! Two +or three little groups were sitting apart sobbing for their dead; +indeed, they firmly believed that if we had been on the Island +to attend to them they would not have died. When we reached +the house, everything looked beautiful and the ground so well +kept, new coral on the walks, a fine new mat on the dining-room +floor and another on the lobby, and last, but not least in +the estimation of weary sea-voyagers,—a great jug of new goat’s +milk! When Dr. Steele and Mr. Robertson made playful +speeches about our Home-coming before drinking it, I could<span class="pagenum" id="Page_296">[296]</span> +most truly say, even after all the enjoyment and kindness of +the Colonies and delightful Christian fellowship with kindred +spirits there,—‘Home, sweet Home, no place like Home.’...</p> + +<p>“Amidst all my hurry, however, I had five minutes alone +by my little Lena’s grave. The beautiful white coral was +blackened, but the grass and shrubs had grown, and the lemon +branches with their bright fruit were bending over and shading +it beautifully. How naturally one looks <em>up</em> to the blue sky +above, and wonders where the spirit is, or if she can see the +mourning hearts below. She would have been running on her +own little feet now, had she been on Earth; but though my +heart aches for her still, I would not have it otherwise, for she +was not sent in vain, and oh, what a little <em>teacher</em> she has been! +When John took Dr. Steele to see the grave, he said,—‘You have +thus taken possession’; and I felt we had taken possession of +more through her than that little spot of ground on Aniwa....</p> + +<p>“Our visitors and Vessel left us in the afternoon, and on +my return from seeing them off (John was too exhausted to +go), I met a very nice man, one of the Church members, who +stopped me and said,—‘Missi, I’ve given my boy up to you +and Missi the man, and you’re to feed and clothe and teach +him, as you do the other children.’ I could hardly believe my +ears, and you would need to know how boys are prized here to +appreciate as we did the sacrifice made,—at least as John did, +for I must confess that the thought of their bodily sustenance +comes between me and the fervent thanksgiving of my earnest +little man for ‘another soul being added to our care!’ We’ve +got ten of these souls, with bodies attached, at the present +time, besides several outsiders who come during the day, and +it taxes all my ingenuity to keep them in work and ‘Kai-Kai,’—their +capacity for the latter being of no mean order. Their +clothes are no concern beyond the making of them, and that +they soon learn to do for themselves; for we have always been +abundantly supplied from kind Mission friends.... Although +I <em>do</em> sometimes think how nice it would be to be in Civilization +with a small house of our own and with the care of only one +or two servants at most, yet we are more than re-paid for all +our love to these dear Darkies. They are just like our very<span class="pagenum" id="Page_297">[297]</span> +children, and such we always call them, and they are so confiding +and loving with us and tell us everything, especially the +elder girls, who have lived with us now for more than five +years.</p> + +<p>“By the way, we have just had an <i lang="fr">affaire de cœur</i> amongst +them, and as Hutshi is the young lady, you will be interested to +hear. You know she was given away, when an infant, by her +parents, to Nelwang, another infant about the same age, but +who is now one of the best and most intelligent boys on the +Island,—the only drawback being that his limbs are rather +diseased, and he is so fearfully timid that he won’t let John +apply anything to cure them. Well, when we were in Sydney, +a middle-aged man, a returned labourer, whose betrothed wife +is yet a baby, came trying to curry favour with Hutshi’s guardians +(her parents are dead long ago) by bringing them large +presents, and finally got them talked over to give him Hutshi +when she returned with us,—so it was settled, only awaiting +her and our consent. Now, her guardian has always been most +honourable with us. He gave up Hutshi to us, when she was +of the greatest use in his village (but I took care to let her go +and help them pretty often), and when we asked if she might +go with us to the Colonies, he and his wife said,—‘She is +more your child than ours, Missi; do as you like.’ So, when +they explained matters to John one evening in the study, and +said that both Hutshi and Nelwang were agreeable to the +change, he felt he could not interfere much, but warned them +not to be too rash and to ask God about it.</p> + +<p>“Hutshi, the mischief, flirted with her new admirer when +she could get a chance, and I felt it would be a great relief to +have her married; but we could see, from Nelwang’s looks +(he is one of our boys), that there was a pain at his heart. I +set him a piece of work in the dining-room one day, and, sitting +down to help him, got all his confidence. The poor boy’s heart +was breaking, and he wound up by saying,—‘I can’t tell <em>them</em> +my heart, Missi, for they would but laugh, and I am only one; +but if my father had been alive, they would not have <em>dared</em> +to give Hutshi away before my eyes.’ Seeing his lady-love, +however, who at that moment came in at the open window and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_298">[298]</span> +evidently comprehended matters, he tossed his head proudly +and said,—‘It’s very good that she takes him!’</p> + +<p>“John and I espoused Nelwang’s cause from that moment, +and he soon found an opportunity for saying a word on his +behalf. I also got Hutshi alone, and told her what Nelwang +had said. She replied that she did not know what to do, as +they were all urging her to take Sarra (the new lover); but she +said,—‘I would cry more to give up Nelwang than that old +fellow!’</p> + +<p>“She came to me the other day, and said she had finally +made up her mind to keep by Nelwang. I answered,—‘But I +thought, Hutshi, you seemed for the while to prefer the other.’ +‘Yes, Missi,’ she replied, ‘when everybody was praising him +and telling me to take him, I thought it would be nice; but +Nelwang and I have had a talk. We told each other what our +dead parents said about our being married when we were big, +and then we both cried, and we are going to be true to each +other!’ So, you see, there is sentiment in blacks as well as +whites!...</p> + +<p>“Here I am at the end of my fourth sheet, and have not even +begun to tell you of the nice Ladies’ Meeting we had at Aniwa, +or the lively time we have had with visitors ever since the +Vessel returned with the Missionaries on board for the annual +Synod....</p> + +<p>“That was a refreshing visit on the return of the Vessel from +the Synod; and we had a cheery houseful, for in addition to +our four husbands, whom as canny Scots say, ‘we were <em>not +sorry</em>’ to see after a three weeks’ absence, Mr. and Mrs. Inglis +and Dr. Steele (the latter to remain with us) came and stayed +from the Saturday till the Monday,—the vessel going out to sea +with the rest of the Missionaries, who declared it would kill me +outright to have any more! Those who came tried to make +me promise just to give them a pillow and a blanket on the +floor, but we got them snugly stowed away in beds and on sofas, +and we so enjoyed their society. It is especially delightful to +hear their voices mingling in the Psalm at Family Worship. +It makes one think of the great company of the redeemed, +singing the ‘New Song.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_299">[299]</span></p> + +<p>“The Sabbath was such a blessed day too, and it was quite +an event in the Church history of Aniwa to see six Missionaries +on the platform, and five ladies in the Missionary’s pew. Mr. +Inglis preached at the first service, Mr. Annand at the second +(John of course translating), good Gospel truth; and Dr. Steele +gave us a <em>white</em> sermon in the evening in the drawing-room, +upon the ‘Prayer of Jabez.’ The language was very beautiful, +and the Doctor suited himself to his audience,—leaving out his +appeal to <em>unconverted Sinners</em>!...</p> + +<p>“Every one in the house is asleep, and my eyes will hardly +keep open; so I must say Good-night to you all, with heart’s +love from your ever-loving daughter and sister,</p> + +<p class="right"> +“<span class="smcap">Maggie Whitecross Paton</span>.”<br> +</p> + +<br> +<p class="noindent center">(1875.)</p> + +<p class="noindent center">TO THE FAMILY CIRCLE.</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +“<span class="smcap">My dearest Sisters and Brothers</span>,—<br> +</p> + +<p>“If I could only put one of the Earthquakes we’ve had +into this journal it would produce a sensation,—descriptions +seem so very tame after one has experienced the awful feelings +they produce! But I must begin and go forward as best I can, +there being no possibility of gratifying you in that direction.</p> + +<p>“You know, it was not till very near the time of the Vessel’s +sailing that we decided last year to remain; and I sent my last +‘Journal’ on board with an aching heart. We had been so +nearly going to see our precious boys, and till I saw the <i>Dayspring</i> +slowly disappear in the distance I did not know how +intensely my heart had been set upon seeing them!...</p> + +<p>“To crown all, John got very ill, and sunk so low we feared +he might not live to see the return of the <i>Dayspring</i>. But all +the time I had an inward conviction that God had not kept him +on Aniwa just to die, after giving us such encouragement to +remain, and we had waited so confidingly upon Him just to show +us the way. And He did not keep us long in suspense, for one +event transpired after another to show how wisely we had been +guided.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_300">[300]</span></p> + +<p>“The first of these happened about a month after the vessel +left, and as John was slowly recovering from his illness. We +heard, one lovely day, as I was setting the copies for afternoon +School (I managed to keep it going all the time), a cry of +‘Sail O!’ which set us all into a fine pitch of excitement. +School was the last thing to be thought of, and the Natives +scampered off towards the other end of the Island, where the +vessel lay. John was unable to walk so far; but you may be +sure we were quite on the <i lang="fr">qui vive</i> for news, and I waylaid the +first returning Native, who shouted to me in Aniwan, ‘Missi, +what <em>do</em> you think has happened? A whole shipload of +Tannese, men, women, and children, have been driven off their +own Island by war, and have come over to live on this little +Island, because the Worship is strong, and they know they are +safe. They are many in number for the people of Aniwa; and +where are we to get food for them, Missi? for they had to escape +at night with what little baggage they could bring in the +vessel.’</p> + +<p>“Another Native soon arrived with letters from Mr. and Mrs. +Neilson, confirming the report, and we were rather dumbfounded +at this turn of events; but, like most of the other Missionaries, +when they heard of it, we were also deeply impressed with +God’s mysterious ways. Tanna was the Island upon which +John’s whole heart was set; and it was one of the bitterest disappointments +of his life when the Mission Synod would not +allow him to return there, instead of coming to Aniwa nine +years ago; but we both felt we were following God here, and +now He had brought the Tannese to Aniwa; for those who had +come were from around Port Resolution, and some of them +were John’s old friends!</p> + +<p>“Some of the Islanders themselves were as much struck with +the event as we were. And at last Mission Synod, Mr. Neilson +amused all the Missionaries by giving the outline of a speech +made upon the occasion by one of the Aneityumese Teachers +on Tanna, apt as all Natives are in drawing illustrations from +daily life to point their addresses on Sabbath. He took the +story of Joseph for his subject, and made out ‘Missi Paton’ to +be Joseph driven from Tanna by his wicked brethren the Tanna<span class="pagenum" id="Page_301">[301]</span> +men, but that God had gone with him to Egypt, <em>alias</em> Aniwa, +and prospered him and the land for his sake, and prepared it +for them to go and live upon, and thus save much people +alive!...</p> + +<p>“John immediately set to work revising his Tannese, which +he had well-nigh forgotten, so that when the Tanna gentry +declined to come to Church he was soon able to go to them +and first read his addresses and then preach to them in Tannese. +How it did remind us of the early Aniwan days, when +our worthy parishioners used to enjoy a pipe or a nap, as they +lay on their backs listening to the sermon!...</p> + +<p>“The Hurricane began in earnest about noon on January +14th, after a heavy thunderstorm which had blackened the air +all the morning. As we sat at dinner the wind suddenly became +furious; we had to jump up and make preparations, as the +house was shaking and creaking, the thatch standing on end, +and the rain pouring in. Immediately trees, fences, etc., began +to occupy a horizontal position; so the children and I took +refuge in the Study, which seemed to stand firmer than the rest +of the house, and from the windows watched the progress of the +storm,—a magnificent sight, tall trees bending and falling before +the awful force of the wind. John came in greatly dejected, +saying that if it continued much longer the Church would go, +as it was already bending, notwithstanding its being so strongly +propped. There was a lull just then in the storm, which cheered +me; but his more experienced eye led him to pronounce it the +stillness that precedes a great storm, it was still so black and +ominous. And sure enough, just before dark, a terrific blast +sent us flying down to the Cellar, our usual place of refuge.</p> + +<p>“John and a couple of the girls made a final attempt to get +into the house for one or two loaves, and whatever else they +could grab,—we were now awfully hungry, having been so unceremoniously +interrupted at our dinner. My faithful little +cook was precipitated into the Cellar before a great blast, +puffing and panting and holding on to a kettle of boiling water, +which was an unexpected luxury in the circumstances. So we +managed to make a very jolly meal off the top of a box; and +all our stores being in the Cellar, we got hold of a tin of salmon.—the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_302">[302]</span> +girls had thoughtfully brought a great basin of milk for +the children,—and when F. found we were all to eat the +salmon out of one plate, his joy knew no bounds, and he stuck +his fork into the biggest bit in the dish, which proved too large +for his wee mouth, causing great merriment!</p> + +<p>“The storm raged till midnight, when we were all thankful to +get up to our beds, and found our own room, fortunately, the +only habitable part of the house. But oh, what utter desolation +the morning light revealed! Our fine large Church a mass of +ruins, with one great pillar standing solitary and upright through +the rubbish against the clear blue sky. The School House in +the same condition, at the other side of the <i>Imrai</i> (= public +meeting ground). With the exception of our cook-house and +printing-office, not an outhouse was left standing on the Mission +Premises; but oh, how thankful we felt that our dwelling-house +stood secure, as John was in no condition to have attempted +building another. Not even a pane of glass was broken, though +of course the roof could not escape, and consequently everything +was soaked. The day proved fortunately very hot, and we got +all the mats lifted, and mattresses, blankets, etc., washed and +dried. The pigs were in their glory, running riot over all the +plantations, and I am sure if they could have spoken they +would have said in Scotch, ‘It’s an ill wind that blaws naebody +guid!’</p> + +<p>“Almost every Native on the Island was at work before daylight +at his fences; dwelling-houses—and there were not a dozen +standing uninjured on the Island—being left till the plantations +were secured. School duties were not even thought of. It was +so sad to see the destruction of food,—fine large breadfruit and +cocoa-nut trees torn up by the roots, and bananas with the fruit +half formed lying useless on the ground. But the greatest +lamentation seemed to be about the <i>Tafari Moré</i> (= House of +Worship), though the general Public were complacently viewing +it as a judgment from ‘<i>Teapolo</i>’ (= His Satanic Majesty, in +Aniwan), for their being ‘so strong for the Worship.’ This is a +popular error; and John guarded them against it next Sabbath, +preaching an impressive sermon from the text, ‘Labour not for +the meat which <em>perisheth</em>,’—rather <em>apropos</em> to the occasion!...</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_303">[303]</span></p> + +<p>“It was altogether a sad time, that, for we had been so tried +with Hutshi, the girl I had last time with us in Australia, and +who turned out a complete <em>vixen</em>; the first of my girls, I am +thankful to say, who has not turned out well. She was married +to one of our best young lads, and went quite gracefully through +the whole affair—I think I wrote you all about it before—but +all the while she was dying for my handsome young cook, who +is engaged to the little table-maid. She began, soon after the +marriage, to persecute her husband and flirt with the other, +going from bad to worse, notwithstanding all we could say to +her; and one day she behaved so frightfully, that, when we +were told of her guilt, John and I sank down on the nearest +seats, perfectly overpowered with disappointment and horror. +I could hardly have believed that any woman, either black or +white, could have so deliberately planned to lead others so +young and innocent into sin.</p> + +<p>“The young Chief came to ask John how she ought to be +punished, as something would have to be done; but he hesitated +to give advice, never having been called upon to legislate +in a similar case, being indeed too vexed to collect his thoughts; +only he strongly forbade them to shoot her, as one or two of the +enraged fathers proposed, and advised them to be guided by +the Aneityumese Teachers, two wise Christian men from Mr. +Inglis’s Station. They said that the punishment inflicted on +Aneityum by the Chiefs was to tie up the guilty parties, collect +all the goods of those most deeply involved, and distribute them +among the people at the other side of the Island, so as not to +tempt those around to bring false accusations against neighbours +for the sake of their property.</p> + +<p>“This was accordingly done in the case of Hutshi; and we +had an invitation to be present at the ceremony, which we +declined, as John told them it was better he should not be too +much mixed up in these things. The only way in which he did +interfere was to shorten the time to <em>three</em> hours, instead of the +twenty-four they were determined to keep her tied, and which, +in my opinion, she richly deserved! Two or three Tannese +happened to arrive at her village before she was unloosed, and +expressed their disgust at the consequences entailed by the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_304">[304]</span> +Worship, saying they could have as much ‘fun’ on Tanna as +they liked without being punished for it. But one of our +Aniwans answered, with a sly wink at his neighbours, that bad +as the Worship might be, it had at least not driven them from +their own land!...</p> + +<p>“I wish I could say that was the last of the trouble we had +with Mistress Hutshi; for she professed great repentance, and +sent one of the girls, two or three weeks afterwards, to say she +wanted to tell me all her badness, as that would make her feel +better. She had not been allowed to come near the Mission +Premises, nor had we since taken any notice of her. We had +very little faith in the young lady’s repentance, but feared to +crush any yearning after amendment, if it <em>did</em> exist; and I +thought that God might give me a word for her. So we had a +long interview; but I felt all the time there was no change in +her, as was immediately proved, for she went back tossing her +head and telling the others they might talk as much as they +liked, she didn’t care, for the Missi was quite satisfied with +her now!</p> + +<p>“She did not improve, but the Church members round kept +such a watch upon her that she did not do anything very flagrant. +She did, however, lead her husband a miserable life; +and I never believed that a Native could have borne with +patience what he did; at last, being able to stand it no longer, +he came to bid us Good-bye, saying he was going to live about +three miles distant (it was as far away almost as he could get +on Aniwa, either in one direction or the other, as his lady-love +lived close to us in the centre of the Island!) and that he freely +bestowed her upon any man who might be fool enough to take +her, as henceforth he would have nothing to do with her.</p> + +<p><ins id="TN-21" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: She had, out">“She had, out</ins> of pure bravado, professed to elude their +vigilance and implicated a Tanna man, as well as Rangi (the +wildest man on Aniwa), who both proved their innocence. +Perhaps Rangi agreed with me that he had enough sins of his +own to account for without being blamed for what he really did +not do; and being an out and out Savage in his disposition, we +feared trouble when he came with all the Tanna men at his +heels to inquire about it one morning after her husband had<span class="pagenum" id="Page_305">[305]</span> +left her. We little expected, however, the scene there really +was enacted, right outside our gate too, for it was there Rangi +caught hold of her. She gave one spring to John for protection, +but the gate was between them, and Rangi wrenched her +from it, and the savage yells that got up nearly sent me frantic +with terror.</p> + +<p>“John stood leaning carelessly against the gate, viewing it +all—the calmest person there! He felt that his presence would +be a sufficient check, though it would have been folly to interfere. +My girls were groaning and crying; and Yawaci (the girl +I have here) was unconsciously doing her best to wrench the +handles off the dining-room door in her despair, groaning out, +“Missi, blood will be <ins id="TN-22" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: spilt!’">spilt!”</ins> while I was on my knees in the +middle of the floor calling upon God to interfere. But my little +F. stopped me, saying, “Mamma, Mamma, I don’t like to see +you look up and talk like that! Are <ins id="TN-23" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: you ill?’">you ill?”</ins> So I tried to be +myself again to the wee man, and felt comforted in having left +the case with the Lord. Only I <em>must</em> see Rangi, though I had +very slender hope of influencing him; and I put my careful +husband into a fine consternation, as he would rather have seen +an apparition than me coming on such a scene. I had only a +very dim notion, then, of his gestures and entreaties, being deaf +and blind to everything except Rangi, who came nearest my +idea of a <em>demon</em> of anything I had ever seen!</p> + +<p>“The poor girl was tied, with her arms backward, to a cocoa-nut +tree, pale with terror, and a hundred muskets bristling +round her. The Tannese were in full Heathen costume, which +means paint instead of clothing; and the Church members +stood calmly, like John, looking on, except two or three of them, +who kept guard around her with loaded muskets for her defence +from murder, if necessary. Her life was all they or we wished +to see spared, for she richly deserved any punishment short of +death. I caught Rangi’s eye at last. At a sign he came quietly +forward, and I began to tell him he should not dare to shoot +my girl, but being too excited I ended in sobs and was marched +off,—but not before Rangi earnestly assured me that he would +not touch a hair of her head, or let any one else do it, only, he +said, she deserved to be tied and ought to be well beaten for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_306">[306]</span> +blackening his character! We could not keep from smiling, +even in the excitement, at Rangi’s care for <em>his</em> reputation, which +was truly as black as it well could be.</p> + +<p>“Well, here was mistress Hutshi practically put up for public +sale; for, according to Native law, whoever dared to unloose her +from that tree had to take her for his wife, her husband having +renounced all claim to her. Rangi reminded them of this when +he tied her up, saying that the Missi only could alter that law +if he wished. The Missi did not feel inclined to do any such +thing, having devoutly wished her at Jericho ever since she +commenced her pranks, as she was proving a curse to the place, +and now only hoped that the most tyrannical unmarried man +on the Island would take her off bodily as far away as the +limited circumference of Aniwa would permit (so did the Church +members); but for John to <em>say</em> so would only be the beginning +of mischief. He was so anxious they would not appeal to him +for advice, for we both felt that for her Native law was the best. +But though a score of young men would have gone down on +their knees for her before she was married, there she stood for +about three hours without a single bidder!</p> + +<p>“John had got the whole crowd dispersed to go and cut wood +for the lime pits (you know he is of a rather practical turn of +mind and likes to utilize the most unlikely occasions), which they +did with great energy, having the steam up; so she was left +alone, as the women had all to run and cook food. I had a +grand donation for the labourers besides the tea, that day, as we +had a calf killed the evening before, and I was giving orders +about it when I saw John waving me to the study with such an +amused face. It seems that Hutshi’s <em>old</em> sweetheart had +rushed to him in eager haste, saying, ‘Missi, I never will have +such a chance for a wife! Will you marry me to Hutshi, if I +untie her?’ John said he certainly could not, and that if he +took her it must be <i lang="fr">à la Native</i>, and that he would have to discontinue +his attendance at the Candidates’ Class, of which he +was a member. He explained, at the same time, that it was +not like running away with another man’s wife, as her behaviour +(which in Britain would have divorced her) had led her husband +to give her up; only that, for the sake of example, he could not<span class="pagenum" id="Page_307">[307]</span> +countenance such proceedings on the part of intending Communicants. +Sarra said, in that case he would have nothing to +do with her. But, alas, female influence prevailed, and he unloosed +her an hour or two after, amid the Hurrahs of the passers-by +and our intense though secret delight; for though Sarra is +obliged to confess he has ‘caught a Tartar,’ yet he manages to +keep her in tolerable check, being a determined fellow.</p> + +<p>“We heartily re-echoed the sentiments of one of our Church +members, when speaking of Hutshi, viz., ‘that it was awful +what a <em>woman</em> could do, when she was bent upon mischief!’ +Indeed, according to the Natives, we have her, along with the +two murderers, to thank for those awful Earthquakes which +nearly frightened us out of our senses, though on Aniwa very +little damage accrued from them.</p> + +<p>“The first, at least the first to speak of, occurred near midnight +on the 28th March (the second anniversary of our Lena’s +birth), and woke us up with a vengeance, being the worst we +ever had, the Earth heaving so awfully that we expected every +moment to be swallowed up, and were almost paralyzed with +terror, but M. and F. slept through it all. After it, <em>a tremendous</em> +rush of the sea seemed to take place, from the noise it made, +and which we found next morning was the case, carrying our +boat from where it lay, high and dry about one hundred yards +inland, also canoes, two of which were smashed.</p> + +<p>“I lay in awful terror after the Earthquake till three o’clock, +and was dropping off to sleep, when another terrible one sent +us flying out of the house in our night gowns, John dragging +the children out of their beds, and the girls rushing out of their +house. There was not a breath of wind, and it was awful to +see in the bright moonlight the great trunks of the trees swaying +back and forward, and to feel the ground going to and fro with +such force. We had one or two slight ones after that, and then +just at daybreak an awful repetition,—every one of us simultaneously +rushing out of doors! This was number <em>five</em>; and before +breakfast we went to see the damage done to the boat (but it +was uninjured); and we had two more violent shocks ere we +got home, making <em>seven</em> in all before breakfast, after which we +had a commotion of another kind.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_308">[308]</span></p> + +<p>“John felt so exhausted, and had just got fast asleep on the +study sofa (a most unusual occurrence with him), when I heard +high words between Taia, one of our Church members, and +Nalihi, an Erromangan. I knew not what to do, for Natives +never waste time on high words—they at once rush to arms; +and I was unwilling to wake John to more excitement, as it was +exactly that day two years since he had been seized with that +awful fever, and I had been in fear of its return, as people predicted +it would, about the same time of the year. Well, I +actually made up my mind to show my wifely devotion,—and it +was a good test for me, I beg leave to say, I always had such +a foolish terror of a loaded musket anywhere, and infinitely +more so in the hands of an enraged Savage,—by going between +the combatants myself. To make matters worse, all the men +about had gone that morning to bring lime-coral, and only a +few women had collected, and one or two timid fellows who +stood at a safe distance.</p> + +<p>“Nalihi was flourishing his musket in Taia’s face, as an +accompaniment to an eloquent harangue he was delivering in +Erromangan, not being able to speak Aniwan; and Taia, who +understood and could speak it perfectly, seemed to be paying +him back with interest. They subsided for a few moments, +when it was whispered the Missi was there; but on finding that +it was only the ‘Missi finé,’ they went at it with renewed vigour. +I took no notice of the Erromangan, knowing my only chance +was with Taia; so I went over to him, and implored him not +to utter another word, whatever provocation he might receive; +and though reluctant at first, he behaved nobly and stood what +I think few white men would have done in the circumstances. +I kept close beside him all the time, and though for three +quarters of an hour that villain stood heaping insults upon him, +and at last, in his rage, cut down his bananas and fences before +his eyes, he never spoke, though his muscles twitched and he +clutched at his great club sometimes—one that I knew had +done good (?) service in Heathen days under the great brawny +arms that wielded it; for Taia is a perfect Hercules, and such a +contrast to the little treacherous, sharp-nosed Erromangan, who +was dying for an excuse to get a shot at him. When I thought<span class="pagenum" id="Page_309">[309]</span> +Taia was going to give way, I put my cold white paw (it <em>did</em> +feel so cold) on his black arm, and every time I did so he turned +and looked down at me with a grim smile, saying, ‘Don’t fear, +Missi, I’ll not speak.’</p> + +<p>“Now I maintain, that though John sometimes fears Taia’s +Christianity is not of the highest type, yet he is undoubtedly a +<em>perfect gentleman</em>, or he would not have stood there, the greatest +living orator on Aniwa, silent at the bidding of any woman! +When I saw the good food being destroyed and so little left +from the Hurricane, indignation mastered every other feeling, +and I felt it was high time for John to interfere with Nalihi; as +no one else dared to speak to him, except master F., who had, +by the way, found us out just then, and proceeded without +hesitation to deal with him in plain terms. His little figure +heaved with indignation, and he drew such a long breath before +calling out, ‘O you naughty, <em>naughty</em> man! You’re a wicked +man! Jehovah, <em>so</em> angry at you!’ Every one was so amused, +and a general titter went round, while Nalihi, with whom F. +had been a favourite, began vigorously to defend himself to the +child in <ins id="TN-24" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: broken Eglish">broken English</ins>, at the same time wielding his axe to +some purpose amongst Taia’s bananas. So, feeling my own +strength would not hold out much longer, I sped off and brought +John, who quietly went up to Nalihi and relieved him of his +musket and axe (Oh, I was glad to see that musket in dear old +John’s trusty fingers, for Nalihi held it in a horizontal position, +and it always <em>would</em> point at me the whole time I stood there!) +clapped him on the shoulder and had him sobbing like a child +in a minute and offering payment to Taia for the damage done, +which, however, Taia was too seriously offended to receive, and +I do not wonder at it.</p> + +<p>“The crowd began to disperse, and John was taking Nalihi +off for a day’s work under his own eye, in case of his coming in +contact with Taia again, when I put a graceful finish to the +proceedings by going off into a fainting fit under the cocoa-nut +trees! John said I managed bravely, all except that; but I do +think that after <em>seven</em> Earthquakes and such a scene, I had a +good right to get up some demonstration, and it was the first I +ever perpetrated for the public benefit!</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_310">[310]</span></p> + +<p>“We had three more Earthquakes that day, but slight, making +<em>ten</em> in all; and I took care at night to provide for emergencies +by putting a supply of blankets on the verandah, as there is not +a moment to snatch clothes when they come, and we had felt +chilly the night before. I got laughed at for what was termed +my needless precaution; but we had hardly got into our first +sleep, when another violent Earthquake turned us out, and we +were thankful for them. It was not so bad as some, however, +and we got a sleep till morning without further disturbance, as +the grand performance did not come off till next evening at +nine o’clock.</p> + +<p>“John was busy in the bath-room, with the girls, damping +paper for next day’s printing, I was in the dining-room, jotting +in my journal the events of the day, when we all had to rush +out with the most frightful Earthquake that had yet taken place. +The house danced, the windows rattled awfully, and F. woke +up with the first of it screaming in terror, but M. took it more +gently, telling him it was <em>nice</em>. It might have been nice to feel +ourselves rocked on the bosom of mother Earth (we lay down +on the ground at a safe distance from the house, which we +expected to fall every moment), could we have been sure she +would not open up and receive us into a closer embrace!</p> + +<p>“The heaving must, I think, have continued nearly five +minutes, and we had just got into the house again, still trembling +with agitation, when a terrible gust of wind and roar of the sea +half prepared us for the shouting of the Natives, who called to +us that the sea had actually come close to our gate! We went +out and found Natives up to the waist in water, where it had +been bush two or three minutes before. We heard something +flapping, and Yawaci picked up a large fish about twelve feet +from our gate; and as the tidal wave receded, they were left +in hundreds, which the Natives spent most of that night and +next day in gathering. An enormous turtle was found too among +a lot of <i lang="fr">débris</i>,—‘Jehovah’s turtle,’ the Natives called it, owing +to the way in which it was found.</p> + +<p>“No serious accident occurred from the wave on our Island, +as in most of the others, though some Natives fishing at Tiara +were nearly carried away, and our boat which lay at anchor<span class="pagenum" id="Page_311">[311]</span> +there was lifted, anchor and all, and carried a long way inland, +but to a sandy place, where it got no damage; yet not a canoe, +if I remember rightly, was left whole.</p> + +<p>“From that time we had a constant succession of Earthquakes, +and were kept in continual dread, though none of them so +violent as those I have mentioned. We had to sleep with our +doors open, and at last John went to bed in his clothes to be +ready to run! I suppose you have heard that the tidal wave +swept right through Mr. Inglis’s, doing terrible damage and +half drowning them, and the Earthquakes kept knocking down +his walls and chimneys as fast as he could rebuild them. Dr. +Geddie’s fine Church, too, is all but destroyed. But I think the +greatest damage done is to the nerves of the poor Missionaries’ +wives (the Missionaries themselves would be indignant if you +accused them of having any!) It is such an awful sensation to +<ins id="TN-25" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: eel the very">feel the very</ins> Earth trembling and heaving beneath one, and +such an <em>eerie</em> feeling comes on at night.</p> + +<p>... “I must pass over everything else that happened +until we turned up in Civilization, and it is close upon Mail time. +I would have liked to tell you about our pretty new Church, +with its snow white walls, which was finished just before our +beloved friends, Mr. and Mrs. Inglis, paid us their farewell visit, +which was like to break our hearts, for they have been a father +and mother to us and to the Mission. Our parting too with our +Darkies was intensely trying, as we are to be away from them +a longer visit than the last; but the society of our dear friends, +the Murrays, was an unexpected treat, and made the voyage so +pleasant notwithstanding the sea-sickness....</p> + +<p>“The Home Mail closes in the morning; and I must close, +with fervent love, from your loving sister,</p> + +<p class="right"> +“<span class="smcap">Maggie Whitecross Paton</span>.”<br> +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_312">[312]</span></p> + +<br> +<p class="center noindent">(1878.)</p> + +<p class="center noindent">TO THE FAMILY CIRCLE.</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +“<span class="smcap">My dearest Sisters and Brothers</span>,—<br> +</p> + +<p>“<em>Sons and daughter</em>, I should almost have added, as the +biggest half of our little flock are separated from Aniwa, and +will as eagerly look for the ‘family billet’ now as the rest of +you....</p> + +<p>“Now that I have sat down to write, so much comes crowding +upon me that I hardly know where to begin; but I cannot +put down a word of news before testifying of the Lord’s goodness +to us, which has just been vouchsafed during this last hot +season. He has encompassed us round as with a shield and +preserved us safe and well, though from the day after the <i>Dayspring</i> +left for the Colonies on the 14th November last until the +30th March we have lived in daily—I might almost say <em>hourly</em>—terror +of our lives. We have seen—especially John has—the +rage of the Heathen, and passed through Earthquake and Hurricane; +but all seems as nothing compared with coming into +constant contact with an unrestrained <em>madman</em>, and this we +have had to do with poor Mungaw....</p> + +<p>“You must not think of us as pining in solitude, however. +Indeed, poor Mungaw took care to keep us all in lively exercise, +and acted his first scene the day after the <i>Dayspring</i> left for +Sydney with our mails. You know that he married Litsi, one +of my best girls (and how delighted we were at the time that +she was getting such a good young man!), who was with me on +my first visit to Australia from Aniwa, and you remember how +pleased you all were with her. Well, he spent the night beating +that gentle girl (who was near her confinement) and their little +boy about two years of age; and when John met him in the +Imrai and quietly remonstrated with him, he stalked off in high +dudgeon; and in two minutes more, a tremendous crackling +and roar of fire made us rush to the window, where we saw his +nice house and all that was in it one mass of flame. Not content +with setting it on fire, he tore off Litsi’s jacket and flung it +in too. We quite expected that our own house would go, as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_313">[313]</span> +there were only two light fences betwixt some of our outhouses +and his, but providentially the wind carried everything the +other way.</p> + +<p>“He then took Litsi and Nomaki, their little boy, to a distant +village; and, oh! how we hoped he would remain, as Litsi had +friends there, but back he dragged them, terror-stricken and +breathless from having to keep pace with his tremendous +strides. I sent Litsi an old jacket (she begged me not to send +a good one, as it might go the same way), and a blanket to +sleep or rather to roll herself in—for there was no sleep for any +one near that night. He had threatened to murder some of the +villagers, and was stalking round and round our Premises with +his loaded musket; but an Aneityumese Teacher kept watch +over our house all the night.</p> + +<p>“It so happened that next day had been appointed for a +‘Members’ Meeting.’ These meetings are held monthly, for +John to appoint them their work, and change it from one to +another, so that it might not always devolve upon a few. You +know there is no paid door-keeper, or paid service of any kind +connected with the Church, so the women take it in turns, two +by two, every Saturday morning, to clean the Church and +enclosure. One man is appointed bell-ringer, another to take +off and on the pulpit coverings and carry in the Bible, etc., two +to stand at the doors and see there are no loiterers outside, and +so forth. Cases of sickness or wickedness are also reported, +and Church matters generally talked over. At this meeting one +woman was scored off for absconding from her legal husband +and living with another; and Mungaw, who came in with the +greatest blandness, as if nothing had happened, got a thorough +‘talking to,’ and was suspended till it should be proved whether +he was more rogue or fool—for at that time we could scarcely +tell. That he had become decidedly cracked and his mind to a +certain extent unhinged, no one who saw and heard him could +doubt—especially knowing what a dear good fellow he was +before; still he seemed sane enough at times; and when he did +break out, it was more like being possessed with evil spirits. +All his madness took the form of wickedness, and when he saw +people afraid of him he was the more emboldened. It was very<span class="pagenum" id="Page_314">[314]</span> +difficult to know how to treat him. He was rather cowed at +the meeting, though, and kept pretty quiet till the full moon, +while meantime we had peace to get all our machinery into +working order again....</p> + +<p>“John has had great comfort with his big boys, however, +especially the one we were most averse to take in,—a great +ugly-looking fellow of about eighteen, couldn’t speak without a +growl, and scowled at everybody from under his black wool, +which hung down over his eyebrows. To crown all, he had +been with the slavers—and that is no recommendation!</p> + +<p>“After keeping with our boys a day or two and coming to +evening class, on the third evening he sent in for a blanket, as +he was ‘going to stay.’ We looked aghast. John was for receiving +him; but I was at the crying point, and declared I +could not feed more Natives or make food go further than other +people. John said, ‘Then am I to send him away?’ Well, +no! I was hardly prepared to do that either; so, after talking +over it a few minutes, we felt sure the Lord had sent him; and +though I did not feel particularly grateful at the time, I have +often thanked Him since. We went to the blanket box, got a +nice warm blanket (the Natives feel chilly at night), called him +in, and John had a talk with him about certain rules, after +which he took his gift with a very pleasant grin. He looked +like a different creature with his hair cut; and a more faithful, +helpful, warm-hearted Native lad we never had. In times of +danger from Mungaw, he stuck by John like his shadow—no +ostentation with it, but quietly getting some pretext for keeping +close to him when there was any fear. A capital worker too—for +John does not approve of keeping his boys idle, and they +help him with whatever he is at, fencing, roofing, gardening, +house-building, etc.</p> + +<p>“One day he and another big boy (a great wag—keeps the +others in roars of laughter, and himself the picture of solemnity) +had been planing wood very nicely, and John praised them, +calling them his ‘Carpenter’ and ‘Joiner.’ In the afternoon a +slate full of writing was sent in, informing us that they wished +from henceforth to drop their old names and be called ‘Carpenter’ +and ‘Joiner.’ Nor would they answer to <ins id="TN-26" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: any other">any other.</ins><span class="pagenum" id="Page_315">[315]</span> +We often forgot, at first, but were reminded by their paying not +the slightest attention, till we came out with the new name—when +they would instantly wheel round with a smile and be at +our service!...</p> + +<p>“One day, before John was quite recovered, Mungaw put a +lot of impudence on his copy for my special benefit. I took no +notice—he looked so wild—but pointed out a mis-spelt word, +wrote a fresh line, and telling him to follow it closely passed +quickly on to the next writer. I told John, when I went in, I +was sure he would do some mischief ere long; and just an +evening or two after, we heard him shouting and scolding from +his house in an awful voice. John limped off, in spite of my +entreaties to let them fight it out, and found Mungaw flourishing +an axe over a poor woman, whose husband was from home and +who had been helping Litsi to cook his fish, but had been unfortunate +enough not to divine that on that particular evening +he wanted it wrapped in a different kind of leaf from what was +usual. He had brought the axe within a few inches of her +shoulder, when two or three Natives, attracted to the spot just +before John, stayed his arm and wrenched it from him. He +got his musket next, but poor Sibo and Litsi both ran to our +house for protection, while John and the Natives tried to calm +him down. They got his musket from him, and I saw a +Teacher slip it behind a tree in our lawn; but Mungaw was +sharp enough to notice, and got it away again when the affray +was over, and ordered poor Litsi back to her cooking. Sibo +went to a distant village to be out of his way, declaring she was +half dead with fright; and I would very much have liked to get +away from the Island altogether! John’s spirit always rises +equal to the emergency, but I get perfectly faint with terror, +and the longer the worse. This was merely a little prelude, +however, to what followed.</p> + +<p>“Next morning he had the audacity to appear at one of the +dining-room windows, as the girls were clearing away the +breakfast things; and he demanded the keys from John, as he +wanted to sharpen his axe at the grindstone. John said, ‘No, +Mungaw, you’ll learn to put your axe to a better use first; and +I want you to return the two you have of mine.’ He looked the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_316">[316]</span> +picture of innocent wonder, and replied, ‘What do you mean, +Missi?’ John replied, ‘I just mean that I want you to give up +your bad conduct.’ ‘My bad conduct! What have I done?’ +protested Mungaw. John said pointedly, ‘Do you not <em>know</em>, +Mungaw?’ That was all the provocation he got; but he went +off for his musket, muttering, ‘I’ll let you know who you’re +talking to.’</p> + +<p>“When he was gone, John went out to his Printing Office for +something, and on leaving it saw Mungaw just inside our fence +taking deliberate aim at him with his musket. John turned +round to lock the door, showing no signs of fear, but feeling +that all was over, and that he was to be shot down so near us +all and yet none near enough to save; but God was watching! +The next instant he heard a rush of feet, a scuffle, and looked +round to see the musket pointed high in the air, and four strong +arms grappling with the intended murderer. Two men had +been accidentally (!?) coming up the path, took in the scene at +a glance, and my husband was saved.</p> + +<p>“I knew nothing of what was passing, but, feeling restless +after Mungaw’s parting look, went out to hurry John in for +worship. I met him coming in, and stopped short at sight of +his pale face to ask if he were ill, and he told me all. We had +just begun to sing at worship, when he re-appeared flourishing +his musket, trying the doors and windows (you may believe I +had them securely fastened by this time), and demanding entrance. +We went on, taking no notice, but the <em>celestial quaver</em> +was plentifully introduced into the music, and the girls rushed +into the dining-room in great fear. Meanwhile the news had +spread like wildfire, and the Church members near came running +to order him out of the Premises, which only made him +wilder; so they seized him, took him to the Imrai, and bound +him hand and foot with ropes. It was a terrible noise and +scuffle, for he had the strength of ten men, and yelled like a +demon.</p> + +<p>“Two of his brothers so-called (not real ones) arriving on the +spot, he thought to get up some sympathy, changed his voice to +a whine, and bewailed his hard fate,—‘bound and persecuted +for doing nothing at all!’ Litsi, gentle Litsi, took her boy in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_317">[317]</span> +her arms, and walked up to him before the crowd, saying in a +loud voice, ‘Look at the marks of your brutality on me and my +helpless child, and say whether you deserve to be tied or not!’ +It was an imprudent speech for her to make, poor girl, for +which he did not forget to repay her. It was a terrible day for +us all—poor little F. white to the lips with fear, I lying in a +fainting state, and John walking up and down the room trying +to keep up our spirits, and wee J.—oh! how we envied him—running +about, playing ‘Peep-bo’ in happy unconsciousness of +all. The Church members feared that some of the wilder young +fellows, whom he had been favouring of late, would come to his +aid; but when it was known he had attacked the Missi, not a +finger was lifted in his defence.</p> + +<p>“They did not know what to do with him, now they had him +bound,—nothing in the shape of a prison or secure place on all +the Island! They proposed our Cellar, but we didn’t want him +quite so near as that; so they let him off at the end of four +hours, and Litsi and little Nomaki took refuge with us. +Mungaw got a little boy to tell him where they hid his musket; +and, once more possessed of it, he flew all round the Island till +towards sunset, when he divested himself entirely of his clothing, +stuck on paint, and with musket shouldered walked sentry +before our front gate for more than an hour. He seemed to be +imitating the sentinels he had seen before Government House +in Melbourne—a slight difference in the circumstances! But +it was thought necessary to have a counter-guard over our +Premises that night. The only good thing he did was to send +his gracious permission to Litsi to stay in our house for the +night, which she thankfully accepted.</p> + +<p>“Next morning (Sunday) he met her pleasantly, called her to +speak to him (our fence was between them), and threw a large +stone at her head, informing her that was the price of her +yesterday’s speech. We bound up the deep wound and advised +her to lie quiet, but she preferred going to Church with us as +the safest plan, for he had been caught several times during the +night stealthily approaching our house to burn it, as they +thought. None of the villagers slept, two of their lives being +to danger. It was a most anxious Sabbath, and we had worship<span class="pagenum" id="Page_318">[318]</span> +under difficulties—guards being placed at our house and the +principal approaches to the Church. Oh, how regretfully I +thought of the peaceful Sabbaths and quiet walks to Church in +Melbourne, none making us afraid! But we tried to realize +that the Lord Jesus was encompassing us around, and that He +stood between us and Mungaw. The people begged John to be +short, as they were in terror, so we had only one Service in +Church, and, instead of Sunday School, a prayer meeting on +the Imrai. Mungaw employed the time during Church service +in ransacking the villagers’ boxes for ammunition, but they had +it hid away; and at the prayer meeting he was reclining, with +folded arms, eyeing us from our back verandah! After the +prayer-meeting, John urged the different villagers to take it in +turns to sleep near Mungaw’s house for the protection of Litsi +who was being killed by inches, and at last they agreed; but as +soon as we were in the house, he went and patched up a sort of +peace—a sham to get the people away—and then abused the +people near for tying him, and dragged Litsi home. We were +half the night praying for the helpless girl, so completely at the +mercy of that madman.</p> + +<p>“Next morning, he came into the Imrai in grand style—musket +in hand, of course—and scolded the people, working +himself up into a frenzy and keeping us all on the rack, for <em>we</em> +could see from one of the Study windows,—when, to our great +joy, ‘Sail O’ rang out, and it was comical to see how quickly he +had to subside before this counter-excitement, and slink away! +We felt it was in answer to prayer, more especially when a little +afterwards he stood before our gate painted frightfully, and told +our herd-boys that he was going in the Vessel if she called here. +How earnestly we asked the Lord to let him go, if it were His +will, but prayed above all for submission to bear what was +appointed us, for we had the feeling he would stay. Poor +fellow! he drove us closer into the Saviour’s arms than all +Dr. Somerville’s meetings in Australia, for we had Him alone +to look to. Natives were kind, but not capable of giving much +help—they rather look to us for it—and poor things, we did +pity them, when it was known that he had bought a large stock +of ammunition, including balls, and that he stayed behind!</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_319">[319]</span></p> + +<p>“It turned out to be the schooner <i>Daphne</i> for Fiji; and the +Government agent sent half a sovereign in a note, begging for +opium, as he had seventy-five people on board, and one case of +‘assured sickness.’ John, of course, returned the money, but +sent opium pills, laudanum, and chlorodyne, having no opium. +We were glad of the opportunity of sending a few hurried +notes, bearing a month’s later date than the <i>Dayspring</i>, which +left on the 14th November. This is the only other Vessel that +has called at our Island, since we returned, except the <i>Dayspring</i>....</p> + +<p>“Christmas came next in order. The little stockings had +been duly filled the night before, as F. took care to have J.’s and +his hung up, with dim eyes at the thought of the other three +which had been filled the year before. It turned out to be a +bright day; the bairns were jubilant over their gifts; and there +was a general rejoicing over dear Litsi’s re-appearance at the +Evening Class—her lord and master having gone out in a canoe +with some boys for a night’s fishing by torch-light. Litsi’s face +beamed at having an hour or two with us all, for Mungaw did +not allow her over her own fence, or any one to go near her; +and, as all the women were frightened, his commands were +obeyed to the letter, except by us, and for her sake even I had +to go stealthily with food (he starved her), as he beat her when +he found it out. Our girls did not require two biddings to put +a plentiful supper before her, and were cheering her under +breath with the hope that his canoe might turn bottom up and +he get eaten with a shark, when the most unearthly yell from +the shore turned us all pale with terror, and ‘Mungaw!’ was +gasped from every lip. Litsi flew home, in terror lest he should +find her <em>out</em>. The villagers seized their muskets and ran to +protect their boys, and John and I to our knees in the Study. +But the whole turned out to be a hoax! The boys’ canoe had +upset among the reefs, and though they could swim like corks, +and were in no danger, it was their pleasure thus to exercise +their lungs while splashing about....</p> + +<p>“Mungaw made rather a sad New Year’s Day for us, though. +While we were at breakfast, more people assembled in the +Imrai and high words ensued. John went out to them, determined<span class="pagenum" id="Page_320">[320]</span> +to sift the matter to the bottom; and at last it came out +that Mungaw had gone the day before to the village of Towleka, +and said that the people of Inahutshi were going to shoot them +on the morrow, and then he deliberately walked to Inahutshi +and told them the same thing about the people of Towleka. +He was bent upon war; wanted, in his own words, ‘to see +blood run.’ Burning houses, and he had burnt several, was +becoming rather tame work; and he wanted something more +exciting. He boastfully acknowledged the part he had acted +the day before, declaring that if they had not <em>said</em> they were +going to fight they <em>meant</em> it, which was worse—better to have it +out and done with—why else were they carrying their muskets? +This was a little too much for their patience, and they did lay +about him with their tongues, saying it was he and he alone who +had introduced this carrying of muskets, by flying about with his +own and threatening to kill everybody. He then said, that if +they were not going to fight they ought to come out boldly for +the Worship (he certainly did not approve of doing things by +halves), singling out by name those whom he knew to have +little differences with each other, and ordering them to shake +hands and exchange pigs there and then!</p> + +<p>“When John thought they’d had enough of it, for Mungaw +was getting excited with his nonsense, he suggested that one of +them should engage in prayer and let them then get home. A +fine old Chief stood up under the banyan tree, and, waving his +hand with a majesty a Native can assume at times, offered a +simple, earnest prayer, and the people quietly dispersed. But +Mungaw tried hard to get them together again, and insisted +upon everybody being converted on the spot. He kept on this +religious tack for about a fortnight, which was very pleasant, as +it allowed us to sit with open windows and doors, and get fresh +air and freedom.</p> + +<p>“One day, when he was unusually gushing and had presented +a pig and food to the very men he had sought to murder,—his +speech indicating that the Millennial Reign was about to commence +on Aniwa under his auspices,—a Church member said, +‘I think, Mungaw, the people will understand us better, if we +burn our muskets and show that we’ll not fight, whatever they<span class="pagenum" id="Page_321">[321]</span> +may do; here goes mine!’ And suiting the action to the word, +he broke and flung his musket into the flames. Mungaw immediately +followed suit, with a grand flourish, to the intense +relief of all around, for he was a much less formidable personage +without the musket, though he still fancied himself a great +king. He sent in for a black suit, and permission to conduct +the Worship next Sunday, which of course he did not get.</p> + +<p>“John sent for him and had long talks with him; but saw it +was little use,—he was so crazed, and thought every one in the +wrong but himself. His standing grievance against John +was—that he kept all the collections (!) taken at the close of +Mission addresses (he insisted they went into his private +pocket), and did not halve them with him, though he helped +him to speak.</p> + +<p>“He never forgot the scenes he saw in that den of iniquity +to which some wretches took him in Melbourne, under pretence +of kindness, when John was unable from my sudden illness in +the country to take him home. It bamboozled his then simple +mind, how in a land of Gospel light such appliances could be +deliberately and systematically set on foot for the on-carrying of +evil. I do think, that for their light,—mind, I say <em>for their light</em>—our +black Christianity is superior to the white. The Natives +often said,—‘How is it, Missi, that he was so good and strong +for the Worship before he went to your good Land, and has +been nothing but a plague since he <ins id="TN-26a" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: returned?">returned?’</ins> John, of course, +emphatically cleared the ‘good Land’ from all blame, adding +that he would take care not to give any of the rest of them a +chance of going daft by a trip to Australia! They don’t pursue +the argument after that, as all are eager to go, and perfectly +willing, they say, to accept the risk.</p> + +<p>“It was a blessing the Natives were so kind, and oh, how +we experienced that ‘God stayeth His rough wind in the day of +His east wind’; for except the trouble with Mungaw, we had +no other serious ones to contend with, and He gave us to realize +as I at least never did in the same way how entirely the work +was His. It looked so mysterious, that after we had come down +at such a sacrifice to health and family ties to devote our whole +time to the work, it should be so retarded by one individual;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_322">[322]</span> +for often, at his worst, only eight or ten had the courage to +come to School, and we could as well have taught fifty. But +we could leave it trustingly to the Lord, feeling that all we had +to do was the work He laid to our hands from day to day. What +a restful feeling it gives one to be ‘only an instrument in His +hand.’...</p> + +<p>“Litsi was the one most in danger, her house standing a +little below ours, and I having been roused at three o’clock to +attend her only the morning before, John was very averse to +my going, in the circumstances; and I fain would have contented +myself with sending her comforts, but I could not think +to leave her with her mad husband, who had still sternly refused +to let any one go near her; so I hurriedly dressed, roused the +cook to boil the kettle, and took one of my girls with a lamp. +We found to my intense relief the baby already born, and +Mungaw so delighted at having another <em>son</em> that he was inclined +to be tolerably kind. I took advantage of his mood—as it was +through him I could reach Litsi—praised him for being such a +clever doctor, and advised him to get her into the house out +of the raw cold air, and offered him the services of my girl +to light a fire, which he graciously condescended to accept! +When I went back with some tea and things for the baby, +they looked much more comfortable, Litsi sitting in the +house by a bright fire, with the lamp beside her. Urging +her to lie down, I returned home and looked into the girls’ +house to see how it was faring with my other invalid,—for +dear Yawaci had been carried to us at her own request in a +dying state.”...</p> + +<p>“All that day was spent running betwixt the invalids. Dangerous +symptoms ensued with Litsi. Mungaw got fearfully +excited at a lot of women coming to see her, and stood over her +with his loaded musket (he had stolen another, as the pious fit +did not last long), appealing to me whether his word as Chief +should be obeyed or not. I seconded his efforts, as they were +doing no good, and got them cleared to a little distance—at +hand if they were needed, and by deferential behaviour got him +to let me come and go with food, etc. He attributed her illness +to an absurd crotchet of his own, and held to it that she would<span class="pagenum" id="Page_323">[323]</span> +be better at sundown. Meanwhile, the time was being wasted, +and we had so many anxious thoughts. Was it right that her +life should be sacrificed to a madman’s freaks? Was it right to +give in to him, or how far was it right to risk his wrath? We +took it all to our ever-present Counsellor; and then John decided +that if I found her no better he would go himself, whatever +the consequences.</p> + +<p>“On my way I met Mungaw coming in at the gate with the +empty dishes, and he said quite humbly that he was wrong in +his supposition, and would like exceedingly if the Missi tané +(= man Missi) would go and see her, for he did not know what +to do. John soon put matters all right, telling them there was +no cause for alarm,—gave directions about one or two things +that had been neglected, and ordered fomentations. She had +no more relapses, and he really seemed grateful the next morning +when he came for her breakfast, as I could not go to her +very early on account of the tidal wave.</p> + +<p>“Poor Yawaci was our chief care after that. It seemed +strange that Litsi, who so longed for death, should survive so +much ill usage, for I could not pen a fiftieth part of the cruelty—the +refinement of cruelty—with which he treated her. One +instance will suffice. We missed him from Church one Sabbath, +and found that he had spent the time <em>skinning</em> the lower +part of her face and <em>pinching</em> little bits of flesh out of her chest +from shoulder to shoulder, threatening her with his club if she +dared to cry out. You will wonder that the Natives did not +interfere. We began to lose all patience with them. I remember +Mr. Inglis once saying, ‘It was worth living twenty years +on the Islands just to know what we owed to Christianity,’ and +how I thought they were stupid who did not find out all that in +six months or less! I myself have had to live twelve years on +Aniwa, however, to know what we owe to Lunatic Asylums, and +also to learn how <em>exclusively</em> a man’s wife is regarded as his +own peculiar property—that is, to be used exactly as he likes. +They would as soon think of interfering with a man’s conduct +to his wife, as we would if in civilization a man chose to burn +his own carpet or smash his own timepiece. They would break +out into the most amused smile, when John was begging them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_324">[324]</span> +to protect her, and say, ‘But, Missi, it’s his own wife!’ Of +course, they were mad enough at him, Litsi being a general +favourite, but could not well see their right to interfere.</p> + +<p>“Yawaci’s breathing was rather easier; and about eight +o’clock, after getting all she could want for the night, we were +so thankful to see her lie down for the first time, and fondly +hoped she was beginning to recover. She called the girls round +her, telling them to sing; and, after beginning the translation +of ‘Nearer, my God, to Thee,’ I slipped away leaving them singing +it, and got to my bed thoroughly exhausted. Through the +night, her husband knocked at our bedroom window, saying she +was dying. John sprang up and went to her side, offering a +short prayer, but her spirit fled before he had done, and she was +buried amid heart-felt lamentations before Church Service on +Sabbath, 3rd February. Our hearts were like to break, for she +had been a faithful attached servant—<em>daughter</em>, rather—to us +for ten years; a sweet little thing about eight or nine when she +first came, and every year we liked her better. She had a +great lump of <em>heart</em>, and I can never forget her devoted care of +us all at that time when we were both laid up and our precious +baby died. It was she I trusted to put the little form in its +last resting-place, myself too weak to move! It was so sad to +see her friends going about the next few days, their eyes red +and swollen with weeping. Weeks after, on putting her Photo. +into the hands of one of the sewing women, her head sank lower +over it till the heavy sobs welled up; and as it was passed from +one to another, there was hardly a dry eye—so generally was +she beloved. You have all the same likeness, a true one, taken +in Melbourne. Mungaw’s was not so good—at least it did not +do him justice in his best days; but it is charming to what he +looked like in his last few months—his face was so wild and +ghastly.</p> + +<p>“Poor fellow, I would fain pass over his sad end; but I must +hasten on and have done with him, as I daresay you are as +tired of the subject as I. The last open break out with his wife +was on the day that her baby was three weeks old. He was in +a very excited state in the morning, threw off his clothing, stuck +on paint (he supplied himself with balls of blue from our washing-house!),<span class="pagenum" id="Page_325">[325]</span> +and seizing his musket, said he was going to shoot +some one ere he returned. The alarm spread, and John came +to me at the sewing class to warn the women; but he soon came +back, and I dismissed the School, feeling anxious to get the +children into the house (John would not budge from his usual +work, but he had always Natives with him), and get doors and +windows shut. They had hardly gone when terrible screams +came from his house, and I flew to implore our cooks to protect +Litsi. Just then John rushed past me, telling me I must not +hinder him, as he could not hear that poor girl being killed. +Our boys ran with him, and met Litsi running from her house +covered with blood streaming from the back of her head. John +caught her as she fell forward in a fainting fit, and a woman +caught up her baby; they were carried to the Imrai, where +John bound up her head and revived her with brandy and water. +I sent her some fresh clothes, as John would not let me see her +till she was revived and doctored, and I followed with some +dinner. Her tormentor was coming too, but John gave him a +look which made him disappear into the bush in quick style. +He re-appeared with the utmost coolness in a nice clean shirt +about half an hour afterwards, and walked right into the Mission +Premises, helping about a score of men to carry a huge log of +wood which John had asked them to bring for some purpose.—I +forget what. During the afternoon School he sat eyeing +Litsi and grinning from the opposite side of the Imrai, and +chatting with the passers-by, as if he had done no wrong!</p> + +<p>“Poor Litzi sat leaning against the Church fence, too weak +to notice anything, but thought she was safer there when John +had to be in School. He told the Natives that she must not +be left to her husband’s tender mercies any longer, but that they +must take her to one of their distant villages, and if need be +protect her with their muskets. Our house was too near; and +besides, if he burnt it to get her it would simply mean death to +us all,—our food was in it, and neither of us being extra strong, +we could not exist on roots and leaves like Natives,—whereas +any of their houses could be replaced in a few days. He said +also that it would never do for him to use arms,—his work was +to teach, theirs to protect each other when necessary. They<span class="pagenum" id="Page_326">[326]</span> +all saw the force of his words and heartily agreed with him, but +all managed to back out of it, one after another, Litsi being too +high-spirited to ask protection from any of them.</p> + +<p>“When we heard that she was left with only a few women +we both felt it our duty to shelter her, regardless of consequences, +and ran out to fetch her; but the poor girl had fled +with her two little ones to hide for the night in a plantation, one +or two women keeping her company.</p> + +<p>“Amid all her own danger, she was mindful of us, and sent +a messenger to warn us that Mungaw would be sure to burn +the house that night if he could. We had a few necessaries +selected, a cask of flour, hops for yeast, changes of clothing, +etc., to put into the Printing Office, which would not burn +so easily with its zinc roof; but when our Aneityumese +Teacher came after dark for their quiet removal, Mungaw accompanied +him as far as the door! We all laughed. It was +no use, with such a vigilant spy upon all our movements. But +we were specially reminded of some One watching over us.</p> + +<p>“It began to pour torrents of rain, as it so often did when +there was imminent danger, and I sent coverings for the wanderers, +hot tea, etc., by a circuitous path, with orders to take +them to another invalid should Mungaw meet them. Our girls +entered eagerly into it, and poor Litsi was made tolerably comfortable +in body for the night, there being an old deserted hut +in the plantation. Next morning, her cousin whispered to me +that two men had taken her under protection to Towleka, a +village a mile off, and that Mungaw had no idea of her whereabouts, +supposing her to be with us, as he had sent word the +evening before that he would kill her if she went anywhere +else.</p> + +<p>“He got fearfully roused at not finding her by the afternoon, +and sprang up after writing a line or two of his copy (he insisted +on attending School) to go in search, beginning at the +nearest villages, armed with club and killing-stone, and nearly +frightening the life out of a dumpy little virago, who was in the +habit of hen-pecking her own husband. It was capital to see +her thoroughly cowed for once! His wrath grew with his want +of success; and, returning after school, he told our boys in a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_327">[327]</span> +tone of suppressed rage that he was now going to Towleka to +kill Litsi if he found her there. One of them flew through the +bush to warn her of his approach, and John and I went to the +Study to commit her to God. I think I would have gone mad +myself, if we had not had our never-failing Refuge in these +troublous times!</p> + +<p>“We heard after retiring for the night an infant’s piteous +wail, and found that, failing to get the mother (for the Natives +would not let him finish her quite, though he dragged her out of +the house by her hair, <em>wool</em> rather), he had torn the baby from +her and rushed home with it, knowing that she would follow it +at any risk. It was <em>awfully</em> hard to keep John in the house, +but I felt there was not the slightest use in going. We heard +other voices remonstrating, and the cries ceasing we knew that +Litsi had come. About midnight, what seemed to be the death +wail in Litsi’s voice made us think he had murdered the baby. +It continued for about three hours, and rose to a perfect agony of +distress before stopping. On inquiry at daybreak, for which we +anxiously waited, it turned out that he had tied her arms and +legs in the most savage manner, only loosing her when two or +three Natives went to the rescue. It was at the risk of their +lives they did it, and all warned us not to go to their house that +morning, as he was raving mad and would not hesitate to kill +any one coming near.</p> + +<p>“We just felt that poor Litsi had all the more right to our +sympathy, when no one else would go. They insisted that she +was dead and the baby too, there was such silence round all the +place. John would not let me go alone, and I would not let +him go alone, so we compromised the matter by going together, +and took a plentiful breakfast as an excuse for intruding on his +lordship’s privacy, the Natives looking after with wistful eyes, +but not one offering to accompany us to the lion’s den! I +trembled violently, though I felt the Lord was with us, and +was almost relieved when we found the house deserted; but +John called aloud for Litsi several times, and at last she came +staggering from an enclosure opposite, from which the occupant +had fled when Mungaw first went mad. She was trembling +with pain and weakness, and when we were going over the stile,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_328">[328]</span> +she looked back alarmed and said, ‘You’d better not, Missi,’ so +we spoke a few cheering words as we stood, and told her again +that our house was open to her, night or day, whenever she +needed shelter.</p> + +<p>“Some of the Church members came to ask what was to be +done with him. Tieing only made him worse; confining or +shooting were the only other alternatives. To confine him was +impossible. Were they to shoot him? John, of course, would +not hear of that, and they asked if there was no sort of medicine +to cure madness! A near friend got him away to his village, +where they had a long talk, and warned him of the consequences. +The moment he went, I ran off to sit awhile with Litsi. We +feared she would sink under her trials, and wished she had +access to the rich consolations with which we were upheld every +day in our little readings both of the Bible and other books. It +seemed as if the Words were printed for our express circumstances +and comfort. My own morning Reading was in the +Psalms, and I never felt them so suitable. The very ones I used +to think David had written in a fit of indigestion were fraught +with the deepest comfort and meaning, and favourite passages +were more precious than ever. I never noticed before that the +passage, ‘Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I,’ begins +with ‘From <em>the end of the Earth</em> will I cry unto Thee,’—so +applicable to us! John and I have often remarked to each +other that we had to come all the way to the South Seas to +understand some bits of the Bible; and I see Bowen in his +‘Daily Meditations’ says the same in reference to India, where +he laboured so devotedly as a Missionary. We have another +precious book which we were reading aloud and enjoyed next to +the Bible,—Boardman’s ‘In the Power of the Spirit,’ given us +also before leaving Australia.</p> + +<p>“How we wished poor Litsi could share all these privileges, +and wondered if her faith were keeping alive at all, but her +spirit was beautifully submissive. When I told her that, however +difficult it might be for her to believe it, her Saviour God +was tenderly caring for her every moment and would not let +her have one more trial than she could bear, and that it would +relieve her to take all her sorrows to Him, she replied, ‘Oh, I<span class="pagenum" id="Page_329">[329]</span> +know it, Missi; my whole words now are prayer; for I have no +one else to speak to, and would have gone mad if I could not +have told my Saviour! I tell Him everything, and know that it +is all right even if Mungaw should kill me, for he can’t harm +me beyond the grave.’ I told her not a single night passed that +we were not engaging in prayer for her, and she said,—‘These +prayers have been answered; for he has had the wish to kill me +and burn your house, and he could easily have done both had +not God prevented.’</p> + +<p>“The whole provocation (I forgot to say) he had for laying +her head open at this time, was her saying, ‘Oh, don’t do that!’ +when he got up to burn the fine new house he had nearly completed. +She learned never again to contradict him, even when +he made the wildest proposals. The next house he burnt, a +neighbour’s, he told her with a diabolical grin (he had such a +beautiful smile in his sane days!) of his purpose, and she merely +said, ‘Are you?’ and slipped round to take everything valuable +out of it, as the owners were living a week or two on a lonely +little islet adjoining this, where the Natives often go for change +and fishing. Of course, they said nothing about it on their +return; no one in the Island was prepared to tackle such a +character, and he presumed accordingly, turning his attentions +more to the general public after this, and dividing his favours +pretty equally over the whole Island. He plundered the plantations +in rotation, and shot all the pigs which came in his way, +bringing Litsi part of the spoil; but she suddenly seemed +possessed of the spirit of half a dozen, sternly refusing to touch +one morsel of stolen food, and took their eldest little boy to the +furthest village, begging the people to keep him as he was too +young to refuse what was stolen. She then came to beg of me +for a dose of poison—she thought the stuff we killed the rats +with would do—as he was too wicked to live, and would bring a +judgment on the whole Island. She had such a chance through +the night when he fell into a deep sleep (the first time he was +known to sleep for many weeks), and she had a great wish to +take his life, but was afraid God would not like it.</p> + +<p>“I confirmed her fears and counselled patience a little longer, +as the Missi was getting the boat repaired to go <ins id="TN-27" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: to Tanna.">to Tanna,</ins> and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_330">[330]</span> +it was well known Mungaw wanted to go there and stay a +while. This was the last hope of the whole Island, and all were +eager to see the boat finished, none more so than I, having an +additional reason, viz., that it took John away to a distance +nearly the whole day, and though he always left me with a body-guard +he was not so careful of himself. I must say, the Natives +were very thoughtful about him, however, and would not let him +continue to take his nightly turns in watching our house. They +begged him to arm himself, but that, of course, he would not do. +He and our Aneityumese Teacher were the only ones who would +not carry a weapon of any kind, or give in to him when it was +right to be firm, and they were the only two Mungaw had the +slightest fear of; but he kept prowling about our Premises +day and night, for what intent he best knew. When he used to +set off on his peregrinations, it was such a relief to throw windows +and doors open for air; but back he would come with the +rapidity of a race horse. Many a fainting fit he gave me; and +F. used to get white to the lips when he appeared. Even little +J. began to lisp,—‘I frightened Mungaw!’</p> + +<p>“About the only time I was thankful to see him come was +after he had been tracking John’s footsteps closer than I liked. +I was watching him from our front verandah as he went off to +his boat, the two lads a little before, when Mungaw suddenly +appeared close behind him—axe in hand. I could see a long +way, and when John stooped to examine a bush or fern Mungaw +stopped too, always keeping right at his back. Visions of the +murdered Gordons rose vividly before me, and I felt distracted. +I knew that John and the boys were on their guard, and plenty +of Natives were about, but a blow could be so easily struck! I +went in-doors and told my God and then our Aneityumese +Teacher (we showed as little fear as possible before our Natives), +so that if he thought there was real danger he would go to him. +He looked anxious and questioned me minutely, but went on +quietly with his work, and I tried to follow his example; but +my feet <em>would</em> carry me to the verandah, till the welcome sight +of that usually dreaded form, tossing his axe in the air and +catching it by the handle, allayed all fears, for I knew that had +he done any harm he would have rushed into hiding.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_331">[331]</span></p> + +<p>“His last days were spent pulling up the people’s bananas +and sugar-cane, destroying what he could not devour. He took +our boys’ blankets and boxes, and walked off with the lookingglass +from the girls’ house. Just the Sunday morning before he +was shot he turned out all the girls’ boxes while we were at +breakfast, and pranced up and down our front verandah. We +had just finished our own Family Worship, and John was going +off for a little quiet to his Study, when we heard the Church bell +being furiously rung a full hour before the time! The Natives +already gathered stood staring at each other in consternation, +others hurried forward, thinking they were late, and the usual +bell-ringer came panting to know why the work was so unceremoniously +taken out of his hands! The more they begged +Mungaw to leave off the quicker he rang, till John ran out and +ordered him to stop instantly, which he did.</p> + +<p>“He did not trouble us another Sunday, poor fellow, but he +gave me two or three thorough frights through the week, once +surprising me suddenly on the verandah, when mounted on a +high box, and oil-painting the woodwork of the house. On the +following Saturday morning, as we were in the garden, Litsi +passed the fence and I ran to her. She said, ‘When will the +boat be ready, Missi?’ I told her that there was just a little +paint to finish to-day, and it would sail on Monday, so she +would have only two days more of endurance. She jumped +and clapped her hands, saying, ‘My heart sings, for he’s sure to +go!’</p> + +<p>“But that same evening, as we sat at a late tea, our spirits +brighter than usual, feeling that relief was near (though it came +not in the way we expected), for the <i>Dayspring</i> was to leave +Sydney on Monday and would be getting nearer us every day, +we heard the fatal shot go off close beside us! We have heard +as loud reports and even nearer, when they were killing flying +foxes or birds, which caused us nothing more than a start and +a laugh; but there was something in that which made us spring +simultaneously from our seats and stand in awe. John said, +‘Some one is shot! Either Mungaw, or some one by his hand.’ +He had barely uttered the words, when the awful death-wail in +Litsi’s voice confirmed our fears. Our girls rushed in from the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_332">[332]</span> +bath-room, where they had been filling baths and getting all +ready for Sunday, and said, <ins id="TN-28" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: “That’s Mungaw">‘That’s Mungaw</ins>, Missi, for the +Inahutshi people told us not to be alarmed if we heard a shot +after dark, as we would know it was Mungaw killed.’</p> + +<p>“It had all been deliberately arranged, and we knew not a +word about it. John said, ‘Then I must run and see what I can +do for the poor fellow,’ and was off; but another loud report +made me implore him to come back, till we ascertained certainly +what the matter was, as he might be shot in the dark without +any one meaning it, and F. decided the matter by saying in a +faint voice, ‘Papa, will you stay and take care of us?’ His +papa put his arm round him and said, ‘Yes, my boy, I’ll not +leave the room again.’</p> + +<p>“Two or three Natives came to tell us that Mungaw was shot +dead, and that John’s going would be no use now. He engaged +in prayer, and oh, how our hearts bled for the poor fellow! +Now that his sad end had come, we could only think of him as +he once was; as, for instance, we saw him one evening years +before stand calm and tranquil, with three enraged men pointing +their muskets at him for spoiling some Heathen performance, +and telling them he would not fight, and that the worst they +could do would only send him to Heaven. Or again, as he used +to go about pleading with the young boys (a mere boy himself) +not to follow the footsteps of their fathers, but come out +decidedly for the Lord Jesus. Or again, we thought of the time +when he was John’s right hand man, and would almost have +laid down his life to serve him. His two nearest friends, on +coming to ask if they would bury him at once, laid down their +heads and sobbed aloud, though, like all the Aniwans, they had +wished for his death. It was a sad, sad night; the hurried and +midnight burial, the suppressed excitement, the fear and uncertainty +about the real murderers and what would follow next, +and last of all that young and once noble fellow cut down in the +midst of his days.</p> + +<p>“He had just left our Premises and gone home for supper, +and then had worship (!) with Litsi, after which she told him +not to go outside, as two or three men had been watching for +three nights to get a good aim at him. He courted death and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_333">[333]</span> +<em>would</em> go out, saying to Litsi, ‘You come with me.’ She went +out first and thought she saw a man standing; but next moment +the attention of both was suddenly directed to a meteor in its +transit, and while gazing at it the musket went off, going through +Mungaw’s body from arm to arm. He fell down by his own +door, crying, ‘<i>Awai!</i>’ (= Alas!), and died immediately, the +murderers making their escape as they shot the other musket +into the air....</p> + +<p>“You may be sure, after these trying times and seven months’ +utter silence regarding our absent ones, we were intensely +delighted to welcome the dear old <i>Dayspring</i> once more. But +strange as it may seem, this is our most trying time; for all the +anxiety of the past months seems to accumulate into an agony +of suspense, from the time her sails are discerned till we have +opened the most desired-for letters of our mail and found all +well. She arrived at Aniwa just two days after we calculated +upon seeing her, April 24th. The first announcement of her +approach came as we were assembled in Church at three +o’clock for the prayer-meeting; and I’m afraid the Services had +not their usual interest for me! How John could proceed +quietly with his address, under the excitement, was a puzzle; +for I saw him start, and we exchanged earnest looks, as the +well-known cry greeted our ears, and then two Natives came +panting in with beaming faces, darting intelligent looks all +around.</p> + +<p>“The Service <em>did</em> come to an end at last, and then every one’s +tongue was loosed. It <em>was</em> the <i>Dayspring</i> without doubt; but was +there wind enough to bring her in that day? I made an agreement +with the herd who went for the goats to shout again if it +were very near, and soon a dozen voices yelled back the answer. +I flew to give orders for all sorts of preparations, but not a girl +was to be found, all having rushed up the hill to see for themselves; +and when they came, they were so mad with joyful +excitement, that instead of their usual respectful demeanour they +tumbled heels over head on the verandah two or three times, +before they could compose themselves to work; and so many +little things waiting to be done!...</p> + +<p>“We gathered round such a happy tea-table; for it is the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_334">[334]</span> +most exquisite treat to have intercourse with kindred spirits in +our own tongue, after jabbering so many months to the Darkies, +and to get all the news from the civilized world. Such a Mail +too! Over one hundred letters, and no end of papers. We +simply looked at all your different handwritings, but devoured +our bairns’ monthly budgets that night after our visitors had +retired to their rooms....</p> + +<p>“The second Communion since our return also took place at +this time, and was a season of great refreshing and comfort; +but the sight of that little group of Communicants is always too +much for me, especially when they stand up to sing so heartily! +I could fain lay down my head and sob, were it not that I have +the harmonium to attend to and must crush my heart down as +best I can. All our trials and privations, looked at in the light +of that little <em>sable band</em> (glancing back at what they once were) +now sitting at their Lord’s Table, seem as nothing—as less than +nothing.</p> + +<p>“A stranger might simply have his <em>risibles</em> excited by the +somewhat grotesque costume of the congregation. Indeed, I +had to turn away my own head, as our two worthy Elders came +in for the ‘Elements’ before the Service, with the most imposing +gravity, with manifest devotion in their looks, but in all the +dignity of their office, and with special hats to grace the +occasion. The one had his white shirt done up round his hat +so as to represent a puggaree, and, as it hung a long way behind, +he had to keep his head well-balanced for fear of it falling +back. As for the other, who or what his hat had been originally +intended for, we were at a loss to divine! It has always been +our difficulty to get them large enough to include their <em>wool</em>; +but this, a light grey chimney-pot, overtopped wool and all till it +rested on the tip of his nose, which fortunately being a very large +one prevented his face from disappearing altogether!...</p> + +<p>“The Captain’s plan was to land us on Sunday morning, +lie off and on till Monday to land our luggage and some +wood John had bought on Aneityum, and then return for the +McDonalds at Port Resolution on his way northward. Mrs. +Milne and I lay pillowed on deck, enjoying the moonlight till +quite late, and having such a musical treat from Mr. Michelsen,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_335">[335]</span> +who sings and accompanies himself on the guitar with great +taste. He had been playing it on deck in the afternoon, and +we begged him to bring it up again after tea. The moon was +brilliantly reflected on the water, and the ship lying so still, +when he began with the exquisite guitar accompaniment to +sing ‘Jesus, lover of my soul,’—the Missionaries standing round +and joining softly in parts, while we were quietly crying. I +have heard Oratorios in the old country rendered so that they +almost took one out of the body, but never anything that went +to my heart like this! You would need to take in the whole +circumstances to know how we felt it. The Vessel, with her +little band of Missionaries so far from kindred and country, +and about to separate for their lonely homes, and we knew not +how much trial awaiting them!...</p> + +<p>“We have already 600 lbs. of Arrowroot (to pay for the +Gospel-books) put up, mostly in 10 lb. bags. The Natives are +still making more, and the demands upon me for calico have +been endless. After ransacking boxes for every inch that could +be got to dry it upon and to make bags, I had to sacrifice all +my common sheets and table-cloths; and, while trying to bear +up under this calamity with Christian fortitude, John roused all +the old Adam in me, by coolly bidding me be quick and get +out my <em>linen</em> ones and best table-cloths, as it was a splendid +day for drying! I emphatically declared that my few best +things should remain untouched, though the Natives should +never get their books; and, by a little management in making +the others do, I have kept to my <em>wicked</em> vow....</p> + +<p>“It is now the 1st of August, though I see that I began this +on the 8th of July, and I have not begun to write a single +<em>private</em> letter, and so many to answer; and the huge piles, +which made our eyes dance with joy on receiving them, are +regarded rather ruefully, now that we have got to reply to +them! I must leave out, therefore, all other items of interest +which I intended writing, as this is already far too long,—and +close with warmest love from</p> + +<p class="right"> +<span style="margin-right: 5em;">“Your ever-loving Sister,</span><br> +“<span class="smcap">Maggie Whitecross Paton</span>.”<br> +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_336">[336]</span></p> + +<br> +<p class="noindent center">(1879.)</p> + +<p class="noindent center">TO THE FAMILY CIRCLE.</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +“<span class="smcap">My dearest Sisters and Brothers</span>,—....<br> +</p> + +<p>“Our next bit of excitement was on New Year’s Day, when +the usual shooting match came off, and prizes were awarded +to the winners. The most amusing part to us was the racing +amongst younger boys and girls. The Chief, whom John had +placed in charge of the prizes, would put a belt, necktie, or bit +of red calico on a post at a certain distance off, and then the +word of command was given to the eager little monkeys, and +they made such a scramble as they neared it! The grand +entertainment, however,—the Magic Lantern, was reserved for +the evening, and was quite a success. Everybody on the island +that was able to crawl at all put in an appearance, including +two old bed-ridden women, who set out in the early morning +and managed a journey of two miles by the time it got dark! +John had all Mr. Watt’s slides, as well as his own, and the +Natives were in perfect ecstasies of delight the whole evening; +but when he finished off with ‘the revolving light,’ they fairly +yelled with delight and amazement, declaring it must be +‘Tetovas’ (= gods) who made that!...</p> + +<p>“The Vessel turned out to be a <i>Slaver</i>, and sent in a boat +with Native crew and two white men in search of Natives. +The boat kept in deep water just outside the reef, and some +Aniwans waded out and were shouted to in ‘Sandal-wood +English.’ They wanted men or boys, and would give a musket +for every one they got. Our Natives shouted back that they +were ‘Missi’s worshipping people,’ and did not want to go with +Traders. One of the white men stupidly (it must have been in +fun) levelled a musket at one of our Natives, when the cap +snapped and set the Natives in a great rage, believing that he +tried to kill some of them. The man levelled at, a fiery fellow, +a returned labourer, flew for his musket and would have made +short work with the white man, had not John and the Church +members interfered,—John actually standing right between him<span class="pagenum" id="Page_337">[337]</span> +and the boat to prevent shots being fired. He waved the boat +off with his hat, pointing to the armed men, which they seemed +to comprehend, and after returning hats they made for the ship, +which soon disappeared in the horizon.</p> + +<p>“I was annoyed enough at John exposing himself, not that +a person on Aniwa now would harm him, for I often wish that +they loved their Saviour as much as they do their Missionary, +but it is seldom one’s duty to stand in the way of loaded +muskets! You would hardly believe, though, the kind of thanks +he got from the wretches he tried to save. They went to Faté, +wrote out a paper to the effect that ‘they had called at Aniwa +for labourers, but that the Missionary, Mr. Paton, had come +out to attack them at the head of an armed party. The man +in charge of the boat, however, had Mr. Paton covered with his +rifle, so that had a single shot been fired into it he would have +fallen in revenge.’ And the paper has been posted up on the +door of the principal store in Havannah Harbour! Those are +the sort of men, authorized by our British Government to scour +these Islands. We were perfectly thunderstruck when Mr. McDonald +happened to mention it to John, after he had decided +to go North, in case he should see it himself. Mr. McDonald +sees enough of the Traders and their doings, and treated it +with amused contempt as it deserved.</p> + +<p>“It is nearly as bad as the Nguna case, where the chief mate +of the <i>Jason</i> swore in a Queensland law-court that the Rev. P. +Milne caused the Natives to fire into his boat. A Man-of-war +was despatched to inquire into the proceedings of this dreadful +Missionary, and it was proved that poor Mr. Milne was sound +asleep in his bed (it was early morning), and did not even know +of the affray till months after it happened. It was the two +husbands of two Native women, that this honest mate was +trying to make off with (and did make off with), that owned to +having fired the shots! It is not the first time that John has +interfered to save the worthless lives of these Slavers; but the +whole fraternity may be riddled with bullets before I consent to +his stirring his finger again in their miserable quarrels....</p> + +<p>“Litsi has since consoled herself with another husband,—related +to poor Mungaw, and a real love-match, as they both<span class="pagenum" id="Page_338">[338]</span> +freely confessed. Litsi was as playful and coy over it as a +young lassie; though, when she stood up for the ceremony, she +whisperingly informed the bystanders with a giggle that she +didn’t want to get married! I suppose she thought some +appearance of an apology necessary for her third presentation +in that Church as a bride. We felt thankful when the marriage +was past, for there had been the usual scramble to get her and +consequent bitterness of feeling by the rejected ones, some of +them far handsomer and better men than the prize winner, +<ins id="TN-29" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: But Noopooraw">but Noopooraw</ins> had shown the depth of his affection by threatening +<em>to kill her</em> if she did not have him, which according to +Native is the strongest expression of devotion, and is precisely +the same as a wildly-enthusiastic admirer at home threatening +<em>to kill himself</em> in similar circumstances. The despairing lover +in these Seas never dreams of taking away his own life, but +hers instead, finding that probably the more powerful argument +of the two!...</p> + +<p>“It is getting very late and I must pass over all else and tell +you what a charming time we had at Erromanga, where the +Mission Synod was held this year. Mrs. McDonald and I were +the only ladies to keep Mrs. Robertson company; and I was +complimented upon now being the “mother” of the Mission, +and carrying my honours quite becomingly—having become +plump and vigorous since the Hurricane.... It seemed +like fairy land to enter dear Mrs. Robertson’s pretty, shady, cool +house after enduring two days’ suffocation with the horrid bilge +water on board the <i>Dayspring</i>.... Every day brought us +fresh pleasures, afternoon rambles on the mountains and walks +by the river course up that beautiful valley, when ‘the brethren’ +were at liberty to dance attendance on us, having all their +Synod business over before dinner.... How pleasantly +those days flew past, only they can understand who have been +cut off from kindred spirits as we are! We three ladies were, +of course, all that could be wished for (?); and every one of the +Missionaries was kinder than another. Even in Synod, where +Ministers are apt to indulge in the grace of <em>candour</em> to an +uncalled-for degree, there was not a jarring word—owing, perhaps, +to that bilge water having taken all the bile out of them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_339">[339]</span> +on the voyage!... The house is charmingly situated on +terraced ground at the foot of a high mountain, near the centre +of the Bay, with that lovely river to the right flowing past +within a few yards of the enclosure.... Our eyes were +constantly wandering off to the lovely scene before us,—and +one with a history too! That very river was once reddened +with the blood of Williams and of Harris; and the grass-covered +mountain towering up from it was the scene of the Gordon +tragedy,—while their grave-stones gleam white through the +greenery on its opposite banks. Dear Mr. McNair’s grave is +close beside them. All looked so peaceful now, with the <i>Dayspring</i> +lying quietly at anchor in the Bay, and canoes manned +by <em>Christian</em> Natives paddling about in its blue waters!</p> + +<p>“What a contrast to these former days of blood; and even a +contrast, as the Robertsons told us, to what they had to suffer +only in January last. The Heathen Chiefs were getting fierce +at the rapid strides Christianity was making all round the +Island, and laid a deep plot to take the Missionaries’ lives. +They chose their time well, when nearly all Mr. Robertson’s +young men were away at Cook’s Bay; and you may imagine +his and Mrs. Robertson’s feelings, when the alarm got up one +night as they sat quietly reading. They went into their bedroom +and took their stand beside their three sleeping children. +Escape by sea was impossible, even could they get to their +boat, the night being stormy. Mrs. Robertson turned to her +husband and said,—‘Do you think they could touch those +sleeping lambs?’ He smiled bitterly,—‘What do they care for +our sleeping lambs?’ Yomit, a devoted Erromangan Teacher, +came in to them, and she turned to him, saying,—<ins id="TN-30" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: O Yomit">‘O Yomit</ins>, do +you think they could have the heart to kill those little sleeping +darlings?’ He raised his arm and said,—‘Missi, they’ll have +to cut this body of mine in pieces ere ever they get near +them!’ He started off and collected all the available help +necessary, sending secret messages overland in different directions +to their friends, so that before morning the Mission House +was surrounded by 200 warriors, ready to give their lives in +defence of their Missionary. And these were the very men +who murdered the Gordons;—explain the change! Jesus has +been amongst them!...</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_340">[340]</span></p> + +<p>“Our visit there was all too short, as the Synod lasted only +a week. We commemorated the Lord’s Supper together, on +the Sabbath evening before we broke up. One evening too +there was an interesting Bible Society meeting, at which John +was Chairman; and, in response to an urgent appeal from +London, Mr. Copeland proposed that Missionaries and seamen +should all add a day’s wages to their usual subscription—which +was most willingly agreed to....</p> + +<p>“We tore across from Erromanga with a good wind, landing +about sundown, and got a warm welcome from our dear old +Darkies, who had all turned out in their best garments to meet +us, though it was pouring rain. John went on in the <i>Dayspring</i> +to be left on Tanna for a fortnight at Kwamera, to make some +small return for the Watts’ great kindness to our Natives while +we were in Melbourne.... He enjoyed his fortnight there +intensely. The Mission Premises were like a new pin, and the +Tannese longing for Mr. and Mrs. Watts’ return with their +whole hearts. Their little boys and girls at the Station attended +to John so faithfully, and continually followed him about, asking +daily and often in a day the same question,—‘When will our +Missis be back?’ There are more than the Tannese longing +for their return, and it will be a glad day when we see their dear +faces again....</p> + +<p>“John has decided not to make any change for another year, +if at all able to hold on. It is no use now for me to pretend +I’m delicate, as appearances so tell against me! But I insist +that I’ve got <em>heart</em> disease, and that only the sight of my bairns +can cure it....</p> + +<p>“It is only a week yesterday since John returned from Kwamera, +and was overwhelmed with such an ovation as he never +yet got from our Natives. They opened their hearts to the +most unheard-of generosity, and actually parted with their +precious <em>pigs</em> to show their love for him, besides a great quantity +of yam. They also gave a present about half the size of ours +to the Captain of the <i>Dayspring</i>,—pigs, yams, cocoa-nuts, and +bananas. His were laid on the centre patch of grass before +the house, and John’s to the side, in front of the Study door. +The pigs (thirteen in number!), all tied and laid out to be seen to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_341">[341]</span> +the best advantage (they were <em>heard</em> too), so that when Captain +and Mrs. Braithwaite and John arrived they were greeted with—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">‘Pigs to the right of them,</div> + <div class="verse indent0"> Pigs to the left of them,</div> + <div class="verse indent0"> Pigs in front of them,</div> + <div class="verse indent6">Guzzling and grunting.’</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="noindent">How they did grunt! The Captain growled out his thanks in +sailor’s phraseology, which having translated, John walked round +to the side, followed by his grinning Parishioners, and politely +thanked them for their kind gifts to us,—telling them that it +was the feeling which prompted it more than the gift itself +which he valued! I felt that he was telling the truth in all +sincerity, for he hates the very sight of pork, and whispered +aside to me,—‘What on earth are we to do with all these +beasts?’...</p> + +<p>“We expect the <i>Dayspring</i> in about a fortnight to call for +our mail, and as I’ve a very large one to answer it is time it +were begun, for we’ll be very much interrupted by the arrowroot +making. The whole of the Natives are busy digging it up at +present, and the Premises will be like a beehive in a few days +when they begin to grate it. We were so pleased to be able to +tell them that the last sold so very well through the great kindness +of Melbourne friends. The calico in the South Yarra +boxes—worth its weight in gold—is being sewed up into sheets +and bags for drying and packing it, as fast as ever we can; but +we hardly expect it to be ready to go till the December trip of +the vessel. They are to have <em>another book of the Bible</em> printed +in the Aniwan language.</p> + +<p class="right"> +<span style="margin-right: 3.5em;">“Ever, with warmest love,</span><br> +<span style="margin-right: 3em;">“Your loving Sister,</span><br> +“<span class="smcap">Maggie Whitecross Paton</span>.”<br> +</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_342">[342]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.<br><br> + +<i class="center fs80">LAST VISIT TO BRITAIN.</i></h2> + +</div> +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>“Wanted a Steam Auxiliary.”—Commissioned Home to Britain.—English +Presbyterian Synod.—United Presbyterian +Synod.—The “Veto” from the Sydney Board.—Dr. J. Hood +Wilson.—The Free Church Assembly.—Neutrality of +Foreign Mission Committee.—The Church of Scotland.—At +Holyrood and Alva House.—The Irish Presbyterian +Assembly.—The Pan-Presbyterian Council.—My “Plan of +Campaign.”— Old Ireland’s Response.—Operations in +Scotland.—Seventy Letters in a Day.—Beautiful Type of +Merchant.—My First 100 at Dundee.—Peculiar Gifts and +Offerings.—Approach to London.—Mildmay’s Open Door.—Largest +Single Donation.—Personal Memories of London.—Garden-Party +at Mr. Spurgeon’s.—The Hon. Ion +Keith-Falconer.—Three New Missionaries.—“Restitution-Money.”—The +Farewell at Mildmay.—Welcome to Victoria.—The +Dream of my Life.—The New Mission Ship Delayed.—Welcome +back to Aniwa.—Parting Testimony.—Fare-thee-well.</p> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap">In December 1883, I brought a pressing and vital +matter before the General Assembly of the Presbyterian +Church of Victoria. It pertained to the +New Hebrides Mission, to the vastly increased requirements +of the Missionaries and their families there, and +to the fact that the <i>Dayspring</i> was no longer capable<span class="pagenum" id="Page_343">[343]</span> +of meeting the necessities of the case,—thereby incurring +loss of time, loss of property, and risk and even +loss of precious lives. The Missionaries on the spot +had long felt this, and had loudly and earnestly pled +for a new and larger Vessel, or a Vessel with Steam +Auxiliary power, or some arrangement whereby the +work of God on these Islands might be overtaken, +without unnecessary exposure of life, and without the +dreaded perils that <ins class="corr" id="TN-31" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: acrue">accrue</ins> to a small sailing Vessel such +as the <i>Dayspring</i>, alike from deadly calms and from +<ins id="TN-32" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: treacherous gales">treacherous gales.</ins></p> + +<p>The Victorian General Assembly, heartily at one +with the Missionaries, commissioned me to go home +to Britain in 1884, making me at the same time their +Missionary delegate to the Pan-Presbyterian Council +at Belfast, and also their representative to the General +Assemblies of the several Presbyterian Churches in +Great Britain and Ireland. And they empowered +and authorized me to lay our proposals about a +new Steam-Auxiliary Mission Ship before all these +Churches, and to ask and receive from God’s people +whatever contributions they felt disposed to give towards +the sum of £6,000, without which this great +undertaking could not be faced.</p> + +<p>At Suez, I forwarded a copy of my commissions +from Victoria, from South Australia, and from the +Islands Synod, to the Clerks of the various Church +Courts, accompanied by a note specifying my home-address, +and expressing the hope that an opportunity +would be given me of pleading this special cause on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_344">[344]</span> +behalf of our New Hebrides Mission. On reaching +my brother’s residence in Glasgow, I found to my +deep amazement that replies awaited me from all the +Churches, except our own,—<i>i.e.</i>, the Free Church, +which I call our own, as having taken over our +South Seas Mission when it entered into Union with +the Reformed Presbyterian Church, to which I originally +belonged, though now I was supported by +the Church of Victoria. This fact pained me. It is +noted here. An explanation will come in due course.</p> + +<p>A few days after my arrival, I was called upon to +appear before the Supreme Court of the English Presbyterian +Church, then assembled at Liverpool. While +a hymn was being sung, I took my seat in the pulpit +under great depression. But light broke around, when +my dear friend and fellow-student, Dr. Oswald Dykes, +came up from the body of the Church, shook me +warmly by the hand, whispered a few encouraging +words in my ear, and returned to his seat. God +helped me to tell my story, and the audience were +manifestly interested. Again, however, another indication +of a rift somewhere, unknown to me, was consciously +or otherwise given, when both the Moderator +and Professor Graham, in addressing the Deputies +and referring to their Churches and speeches individually, +conspicuously omitted all reference to the +New Hebrides and the special proposal which I had +brought before them. Again I made a note, and my +wonder deepened.</p> + +<p>Next, by kind invitation I visited and addressed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_345">[345]</span> +the United Presbyterian Synod of Scotland, assembled +in Edinburgh. My reception there was not +only cordial,—it was enthusiastic. Though as a +Church they had no denominational interest in our +Mission, the Moderator, amidst the cheers of all the +Ministers and Elders, recommended that I should +have free access to every Congregation and Sabbath +School which I found it possible to visit, and hoped +that their generous-hearted people would contribute +freely to so needful and noble a cause. My soul rose +in praise; and I may here say, in passing, that every +Minister of that Church whom I wrote to or visited +treated me in the same spirit through all my tour.</p> + +<p>Having been invited by Mr. Dickson, an Elder of +the Free Church, to address a mid-day meeting of +children in the Free Assembly Hall,—and the Saturday +before the Meeting of Assembly having now +arrived without bringing any reply to my note to be +received and heard, I determined to call at the Free +Church Offices, and make inquiries at least. They +treated me with all possible kindness and sympathy, +but explained to me the strange perplexity that had +been introduced into my case. A letter had been +forwarded to them from the <i>Dayspring</i> Board at +Sydney, intimating that the Victorian Church had no +right to commission me to raise a new Steam-Auxiliary +Ship without consulting them, and that +they placed their direct veto upon the Free Church +Authorities in any way sanctioning that proposal or +authorizing me to raise the money. Here, then, was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_346">[346]</span> +the rift; and many things that had recently perplexed +me were explained thereby.</p> + +<p>Here is not the place to discuss our differences, nor +shall I take advantage of my book to criticize those +who have no similar opportunity of answering me. +But the facts I must relate, and exactly as they occurred, +to show how the Lord over-ruled everything +for the accomplishment of His own blessed purposes. +Doubtless the friends at Sydney had their own way +of looking at and explaining everything; and the best +of friends must sometimes differ, even in the Mission +field, and yet learn to respect each other and work +so far as they can agree towards common ends in the +service of the Divine Lord and Master.</p> + +<p>My commission was publicly intimated. Communication +had also been made to the Church of +New South Wales as to appointing me their second +representative to the Pan-Presbyterian Council, in +connection with my mission to Britain, but they replied +that one would serve their purpose. And South +Australia and Tasmania were both written to regarding +the object of my visit to the home countries. +But no note of dissent, no hint of disapproval from +any quarter, was intimated to the Victorian Church, +or in any sense, directly or indirectly, reached me till +I heard of that so-called <em>veto</em> in the Free Church +Offices at Edinburgh.</p> + +<p>This intimation, just as I was entering the Assembly +Hall to address a great congregation of +children and their friends, staggered me beyond all<span class="pagenum" id="Page_347">[347]</span> +description. The Free Church alone, in Scotland, +now supported our New Hebrides Mission. From it +I expected the principal contributions for the sorely-needed +new Mission Ship. And now, by the action of +the <i>Dayspring</i> Board at Sydney, the Free Church +was debarred from acknowledging my three-fold commission +or in any direct way sanctioning my appeals. +No sorer wound had ever been inflicted on me; and +when I sat down on the platform beside Mr. Dickson, +my head swam for several minutes, and faintishness +almost overpowered me. But, by the time my name +was called, the Lord my Helper enabled me to pull +myself together; I committed this cause also with +unfailing assurance to Him; and by all appearances +I was able greatly to interest and impress the Children. +At the close, my dear and noble friend, Professor +Cairns, warmly welcomed and cheered me, and +that counted for much amid the depressions of the +day. But when all were gone and we two were left, +Mr. Dickson under deep emotion said,—</p> + +<p>“Mr. Paton, that veto has spoiled your mission +home. The Free Church cannot take you by the +hand in face of the <em>veto</em> from Sydney!”</p> + +<p>Having letters from Andrew Scott, Esquire, Carrugal, +my very dear friend and helper in Australia, +to Dr. J. Hood Wilson, Barclay Free Church, Edinburgh, +I resolved to deliver them that evening; and +I prayed the Lord to open up all my path, as I was +thus thrown solely on Him for guidance and bereft +of the aid of man. Dr. Wilson and his lady, neither<span class="pagenum" id="Page_348">[348]</span> +of whom I had ever seen before, received me as +kindly as if I had been an old friend. He read my +letters of introduction, conversed with me as to plans +and wishes (chiefly through Mrs. Wilson, for he was +suffering from sore throat), and then he said with +great warmth and kindliness,—</p> + +<p>“God has surely sent you here to-night! I feel +myself unable to preach to-morrow. Occupy my +pulpit in the forenoon and address my Sabbath +School, and you shall have a collection for your +Ship.”</p> + +<p>Thereafter, I was with equal kindness received by +Mr. Balfour, having a letter of introduction from his +brother, and he offered me his pulpit for the evening +of the day. I lay down blessing and praising Him, +the Angel of whose Presence was thus going before +me and opening up my way. That Lord’s Day I +had great blessing and joy; there was an extraordinary +response financially to my appeals; and my proposal +was thus fairly launched in the Metropolis of +our Scottish Church life. I remembered an old saying, +Difficulties are made just to be vanquished. And I +thought in my deeper soul,—Thus our God throws +us back upon Himself; and if these £6,000 ever +come to me, to the Lord God alone, and not to man, +shall be all the glory!</p> + +<p>On the Monday following, after a long conversation +and every possible explanation, Colonel Young, +of the Free Church Foreign Missions Committee, +said,—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_349">[349]</span></p> + +<p>“We must have you to address the Assembly on +the evening devoted to Missions.”</p> + +<p>But the rest insisted that, to keep straight with the +Board at Sydney, no formal approval should be given +of my proposals. This I agreed to, on condition that +the Committee did not publish the Sydney veto, but +allowed it simply to lie on their table or in their +minutes. Thus I had the pleasure and honour of +addressing that great Assembly; and though no +notice was taken of my proposals in any “finding” +of the Court, yet many were thereby interested deeply +in our work, and requests now poured in upon me +from every quarter to occupy pulpits and receive collections +for the new Ship.</p> + +<p>Still I had occasional trouble and misunderstanding +through that veto during all my tour in Britain +and Ireland. It prevented me particularly from getting +access to the Free Church Foreign Missions +Committee, or addressing them on one single occasion, +though I pled hard to be allowed to do so and +to explain my position. This I felt all the more +keenly, as I laboured freely and for weeks, along with +their noble Missionaries then at home on furlough, in +addressing meetings in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Greenock, +etc., chiefly for Sabbath Scholars, but from which I +received no help directly in the matter of the Mission +Ship. Doubtless they were trying to do their duty, +and refusing to take either side; and that they +thought they had succeeded appears from the following +fact. When rumour reached Australia that my<span class="pagenum" id="Page_350">[350]</span> +Mission home had been under God a great success, a +letter came to them from their Committee’s agent in +Sydney as to the “application” of the sum that had +been raised by me, to which they replied,—</p> + +<p>“The Foreign Missions’ Committee of the Free +Church of Scotland, in accordance with the action of +the <i>Dayspring</i> Committee at Sydney, have from the +first abstained from assisting Mr. Paton in this movement, +believing that the question is one entirely for +the Australian Churches.”</p> + +<p>At the meeting in the Assembly Hall of the Church +of Scotland, which, along with others, I was cordially +invited to address, the good and noble Lord Polwarth +occupied the chair. That was the beginning of a +friendship in Christ which will last and deepen as +long as we live. From that night he took the warmest +personal interest, not only by generously contributing +to my fund, but by organizing meetings at his own +Mansion House, and introducing me to a wide circle +of influential friends. Every member of his family +took “shares” in the new Steam-Auxiliary Mission +Ship, and by Collecting Cards and otherwise most +liberally aided me; and that not at the start only, +but to the day of my departure,—one of the last +things put into my hand on leaving Britain being a +most handsome donation from Lord and Lady Polwarth +to our Mission Fund,—“a thankoffering to the +Lord Jesus for precious health restored in answer +to the prayer of faith.”</p> + +<p>Nor, whilst the pen leads on my mind to recall<span class="pagenum" id="Page_351">[351]</span> +these Border memories, must I fail to record how +John Scott Dudgeon, Esq., Longnewton, a greatly +esteemed Elder of the Church, went from town to +town in all that region, and from Minister to Minister +arranging for me a series of happy meetings. I +shared also the hospitality of his beautiful Home, +and added himself and his much-beloved wife to the +precious roll of those who are dear for the Gospel’s +sake and for their own.</p> + +<p>Her Majesty’s Commissioner to the General Assembly +for the year was that distinguished Christian +as well as nobleman, the Earl of Aberdeen. He +graciously invited me to meet the Countess and himself +at ancient Holyrood. After dinner he withdrew +himself for a lengthened time from the general company +and entered into a close and interested conversation +about our Mission, and especially about the +threatened annexation of the New Hebrides by the +French.</p> + +<p>There also I had the memorable pleasure of meeting, +and for a long while conversing with, that truly +noble and large-hearted lady, his mother, the much-beloved +Dowager Countess, well known for her life-long +devotion to so many schemes of Christian +philanthropy. At her own home, Alva House, she +afterwards arranged meetings for me, as well as in +Halls and Churches in the immediately surrounding +district; and not only contributed most generously +of her own means, but interested many besides and +incited them to vie with each other in helping on our<span class="pagenum" id="Page_352">[352]</span> +cause. I was her guest during those days, and never +either in high or in humble station felt the ties of +true fellowship in Christ more closely drawn. Despite +frost and snow, she accompanied me to almost +every meeting; and her letters of interest in the +work, of sympathy, and of helpfulness, from time to +time received, were amongst the sustaining forces of +my spiritual life. When one sees noble rank thus +consecrating itself in humble and faithful service to +Jesus, there dawns upon the mind a glimpse of what +the prophet means, and of what the world will be +like, when it can be said regarding the Church of +God on Earth,—“Kings <em>have become</em> thy nursing +fathers, and their Queens thy nursing mothers.”</p> + +<p>My steps were next directed towards Ireland, immediately +after the Church meetings at Edinburgh; +first to ’Derry, where the Presbyterian Assembly was +met in annual conclave, and thereafter to Belfast, +where the Pan-Presbyterian Council was shortly to +sit. The eloquent fervour of the Brethren at ’Derry +was like a refreshing breeze to my spirit; I never +met Ministers anywhere, in all my travels, who +seemed more whole-hearted in their devotion to the +work which the Lord had given them to do.</p> + +<p>But the excitement over the Organ and Hymn +question was too intense for me; the debate threatened +to degenerate into a wrangle, and the marvellous +way in which a stick or an umbrella was flourished +occasionally by an impulsive speaker, to give action +to his eloquence, was not a little suggestive of blows<span class="pagenum" id="Page_353">[353]</span> +and broken heads. All ended quietly, however, and +the decision, though not final, gave hope of an early +settlement, which will secure alike the liberty and the +peace of the Church. A trip to the South Seas, and +a revelation of how God used the Harmonium and +the Hymn, as wings on which the Gospel was borne +into the homes and hearts of Cannibals, would have +opened the eyes of many dear fathers and brethren, +as it had opened mine! No one was once more opposed, +especially to instrumental music in the worship +of God, than I had been; but the Lord who made us, +and who knows the nature He has given us, had long +ago taught me otherwise.</p> + +<p>I addressed the Assembly at ’Derry and also the +Council at Belfast. The memory of seeing all those +great and learned and famous men—for many of the +leaders were literally such—so deeply interested in +the work of God, and particularly in the Evangelizing +of the Heathen World and bringing thereto the +knowledge of Jesus, was to me, so long exiled from +all such influences, one of the great inspirations of +my life. I listened with humble thankfulness, and +blessed the Lord who had brought me to sit at their +feet.</p> + +<p>On the rising of the Council, I entered upon a +tour of six weeks among the Presbyterian Congregations +and Sabbath Schools of Ireland. It had +often been said to me, after my addresses in the +Assemblies and elsewhere,—</p> + +<p>“How do you ever expect to raise £6,000? It<span class="pagenum" id="Page_354">[354]</span> +can never be accomplished, unless you call upon the +rich individually, and get their larger subscriptions. +Our ordinary Church people have more than enough +to do with themselves. Trade is dull,” etc.</p> + +<p>I explained to them, and also announced publicly, +that in all similar efforts I had never called on or +solicited any one privately, and that I would not do +so now. I would make my appeal, but leave everything +else to be settled betwixt the individual conscience +and the Saviour,—I gladly receiving whatsoever +was given or sent, acknowledging it by letter, +and duly forwarding it to my own Church in Victoria. +Again and again did generous souls offer to +go with me, introduce me, and give me opportunity +of soliciting subscriptions; but I steadily refused,—going, +indeed, wherever an occasion was afforded me +of telling my story and setting forth the claims of +the Mission, but asking no one personally for anything, +having fixed my soul in the conviction that +one part of the work was laid upon me, but that the +other lay betwixt the Master and His servants exclusively.</p> + +<p>“On what then do you really rely, looking at it +from a business point of view?”—they would somewhat +appealingly ask me.</p> + +<p>I answered,—“I will tell my story; I will set forth +the claims of the Lord Jesus on the people; I will +expect the surplus collection, or a retiring collection, +on Sabbaths; I will ask the whole collection, less +expenses, at week night meetings; I will issue Collecting<span class="pagenum" id="Page_355">[355]</span> +Cards for Sabbath Scholars; I will make +known my Home-Address, to which everything may +be forwarded, either from Congregations or from +private donors; and I will go on, to my utmost +strength, in the faith that the Lord will send me the +£6,000 required. If He does not so send it, then +I shall expect that He will send me grace to be +reconciled to the disappointment, and I shall go back +to my work without the Ship.”</p> + +<p>This, in substance, I had to repeat hundreds of +times; and as often had I to witness the half-pitying +or incredulous smile with which it was received, +or to hear the blunt and emphatic retort,—</p> + +<p>“You’ll never succeed! Money cannot be got in +that unbusiness-like way.”</p> + +<p>I generally added nothing further to such conversations; +but a Voice, deep, sweet, and clear, kept +sounding through my soul,—“The silver and the +gold are Mine.”</p> + +<p>During the year 1884, as is well known, Ireland +was the scene of many commotions and of great +distress. Yet at the end of my little tour, amongst +the Presbyterian people of the North principally, +though not exclusively, a sum of more than £600 +had been contributed to our Mission Fund. And +there was not, so far as my knowledge went, one +single large subscription; there were, of course, many +bits of gold from those well-to-do, but the ordinary +collection was made up of the shillings and pence +of the masses of the people. Nor had I ever in all<span class="pagenum" id="Page_356">[356]</span> +my travels a warmer response, nor ever mingled +with any Ministers more earnestly devoted to their +Congregations or more generally and deservedly +beloved.</p> + +<p>No man, however dissevered from the party +politics of the day, can see and live amongst the +Irish of the North, without having forced on his soul +the conviction that the Protestant faith and life, with +its grit and backbone and self-dependence, has made +them what they are. Romanism, on the other hand, +with its blind faith and its peculiar type of life, has +been at least <em>one</em>, if not the main, degrading influence +amongst the Irish of the South and West, who are +naturally a warm-hearted and generous and gifted +people. And let Christian Churches, and our Statesmen +who love Christ, remember—that no mere outward +changes of Government or Order, however good +and defensible in themselves, can ever heal the +miseries of the people, without a change of Religion. +Ireland needs the pure and true Gospel, proclaimed, +taught, and received, in the South as it now is in the +North; and no other gift, that Britain ever can bestow, +will make up for the lack of Christ’s Evangel. +Jesus holds the Key to all problems, in this as in +every land.</p> + +<p>Returning to Scotland, I settled down at my headquarters, +the house of my brother James in Glasgow; +and thence began to open up the main line of my +operations, as the Lord day by day guided me. +Having the aid of no Committee, I cast myself on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_357">[357]</span> +Minister after Minister and Church after Church, +calling here, writing there, and arranging for three +meetings every Sabbath, and one, if possible, every +week-day, and drawing-room meetings wherever +practicable in the afternoons. My correspondence +grew to oppressive proportions, and kept me toiling +at it every spare moment from early morn till bedtime. +Indeed, I never could have overtaken it, had +not my brother devoted many days and hours of +precious time, answering letters regarding arrangements, +issuing the “Share” receipts for all moneys +the moment they arrived, managing all my transactions +through the bank, and generally tackling +and reducing the heap of communications and preventing +me falling into hopeless arrears.</p> + +<p>I represented a Church in which all Presbyterians +are happily united; and so, wherever possible, I +occupied on the same Sabbath day, an Established +Church pulpit in the morning, a Free Church in the +afternoon, and a United Presbyterian Church in the +evening, or in any order in which the thing could +be arranged to suit the exigences of every town or +village that was visited. In all my addresses, for I +nowhere attempted ordinary sermonizing, I strove to +combine the Evangelist with the Missionary, applying +every incident in my story to the conscience of the +hearer, and seeking to win the sinner to Christ, and +the believer to a more consecrated life. For I knew +that if I succeeded in these higher aims, their money +would be freely laid upon the altar too.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_358">[358]</span></p> + +<p>I printed, and circulated by post and otherwise, +ten thousand copies of a booklet, “Statement and +Appeal,”—containing, besides my Victorian Commission +and my Glasgow address, a condensed +epitome of the results of the New Hebrides Mission +and of the reasons for asking a new Steam Auxiliary +Ship. To this chiefly is due the fact (as well as to +my refusing to call for subscriptions), that the far +greater portion of all the money came to me by +letter. On one day, though no doubt a little exceptional, +as many as seventy communications reached +me by post; and every one of these contained +something for our fund,—ranging from “a few +stamps” and “the widow’s mite,” through every +variety of figure up to the wealthy man’s fifty or +hundred pounds. I was particularly struck with the +number of times that I received £1, with such a +note as, “From a servant-girl that loves the Lord +Jesus”; or “From a servant-girl that prays for the +conversion of the Heathen.” Again and again I +received sums of five and ten shillings, with notes +such as,—“From a working-man who loves his +Bible”; or “From a working-man who prays for +God’s blessing on you and work like yours, every +day in Family Worship.” I sometimes regret that +the graphic, varied, and intensely interesting notes +and letters were not preserved; for by the close of +my tour they would have formed a wonderful volume +of leaves from the human heart.</p> + +<p>I also addressed every Religious Convention to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_359">[359]</span> +which I was invited, or to which I could secure +access. The Perth Conference was made memorable +to me by my receiving the first large subscription +for our Ship, and by my making the acquaintance of +a beautiful type of Christian merchant. At the +close of the meeting, at which I had the privilege +of speaking, an American gentleman introduced +himself to me. We talked and entered into each +other’s confidence, as brothers in the Lord’s service. +He had made a competency for himself and his +family, though only in the prime of life; and he still +carried on a large and flourishing business—but +why? to devote <em>the whole profits</em>, year after year, to +the direct service of God and His cause among men! +He gave me a cheque for the largest single contribution +with which the Lord had yet cheered me. +God, who knows me, sees that I have never coveted +money for myself or my family; but I did envy that +Christian merchant the joy that he had in having +money, and having the heart to use it as a steward +of the Lord Jesus! Oh, when will men of wealth +learn this blessed secret, and, instead of hoarding up +gold till death forces it from their clutches, put it out +to usury now in the service of their Master, and see +the fruits and share the joy thereof, before they go +hence to give in their account to God? One of the +most appalling features in the modern Christian +World, considering the needs of men and the claims +of Jesus, is this same practice of either spending all +for self, or hoarding all for self, alone or chiefly.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_360">[360]</span> +Christians who do so seem to stand in need of a great +deal of converting still!</p> + +<p>Thereafter I was invited to the annual Christian +Conference at Dundee. A most peculiar experience +befell me there. Being asked to close the forenoon +meeting with prayer and the benediction, I offered +prayer, and then began—“May the love of God the +Father——” but not another word would come in +English; everything was blank except the words in +Aniwan, for I had long begun to <em>think</em> in the Native +tongue, and after a dead pause, and a painful silence, +I had to wind up with a simple “Amen!” I sat +down wet with perspiration. It might have been +wiser, as the Chairman afterwards suggested, to have +given them the blessing in Aniwan, but I feared to +set them a-laughing by so strange a manifestation of +the “tongues.” Worst of all, it had been announced +that I was to address them in the afternoon; but who +would come to hear a Missionary that stuck in the +benediction? The event had its semi-comical aspect, +but it sent me to my knees during the interval in a +very fever of prayerful anxiety. A vast audience +assembled, and if the Lord ever manifestly used me +in interesting His people in Missions, it was certainly +then and there. As I sat down, a devoted Free +Church Elder from Glasgow handed me his card, +with “I.O.U. £100.” This was my first donation of a +hundred pounds, and my heart was greatly cheered. +I praised the Lord, and warmly thanked His servant. +A Something kept sounding these words in my ears,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_361">[361]</span> +“My thoughts are not as your thoughts;” and also, +“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain +thee.”</p> + +<p>During my address at that meeting three coloured +girls, not unlike our Island girls, sat near the platform, +and eagerly listened to me. At the close, the +youngest, apparently about twelve years of age, rose, +salaamed to me in Indian fashion, took four silver +bangles from her arm, and presented them to me, +saying,—</p> + +<p>“Padre, I want to take shares in your Mission +Ship by these bangles, for I have no money, and may +the Lord ever bless you!”</p> + +<p>I replied,—“Thank you, my dear child; I will not +take your bangles, but Jesus will accept your offering, +and bless and reward you all the same.”</p> + +<p>As she still held them up to me, saying, “Padre, +do receive them from me, and may God ever bless +you!” a lady, who had been seated beside her, came +up to me, and said,—</p> + +<p>“Please, do take them, or the dear girl will break +her heart. She has offered them up to Jesus for your +Mission Ship.”</p> + +<p>I afterwards learned that the girls were orphans, +whose parents died in the famine; that the lady and +her sister, daughters of a Missionary, had adopted +them to be trained as Zenana Missionaries, and that +they intended to return with them, and live and die +to aid them in that blessed work amongst the daughters +of India. Oh, what a reward and joy might<span class="pagenum" id="Page_362">[362]</span> +many a lady who reads this page easily reap for herself +in Time and Eternity by a similar simple yet +far-reaching service! Take action when and where +God points the way; wait for no one’s guidance.</p> + +<p>The most amazing variety characterized the gifts +and the givers. In Glasgow a lady sent me an anonymous +note to this effect:—</p> + +<p>“I have been curtailing my expenses. The first +£5 saved I enclose, that you may invest it for me in +the Bank of Jesus. I am sure He gives the best +interest, and the most certain returns.”</p> + +<p>From Edinburgh a lawyer wrote, saying,—“I herewith +send you £5. Take out for me two hundred +shares in the Mission Ship. I never made any investment +with more genuine satisfaction in all my +life.”</p> + +<p>A gentleman, whose children had zealously collected +a considerable sum for me by the Cards, at +length sent me his own subscription, saying,—“I enclose +you £25, because you have so interested my +children in Missions to the Heathen.” The same +friend, after hearing me plead the cause in Free St. +George’s, Edinburgh, sent me a most encouraging +letter, and another contribution of £100.</p> + +<p>In Glasgow a lady called at my brother’s house, +saying,—“Is the Missionary at home? Can I see him +alone? If not, I will call again.” Being asked into +my room, she declined to be seated, but said,—“I +heard you tell the story of your Mission in the City +Hall, and I have been praying for you ever since. I<span class="pagenum" id="Page_363">[363]</span> +have called to give you my mite, but not my name. +God bless you. We shall meet in Heaven!” She +handed me an envelope, and was off almost before I +could thank her. It was £49 in bank notes.</p> + +<p>Another dear Christian lady came to see me, and +at the close of a delightful conversation, said: “I +have been thinking much about you since I heard +you in the Clark Hall, Paisley. I have come to give +a little bit of dirty paper for your Ship. God sent +it to me, and I return it to God through you with +great pleasure.” I thanked her warmly, thinking it +a pound, or five at the most; on opening it, after +she was gone, it turned out to be £100. I felt bowed +down in humble thankfulness, and pressed forward +in the service of the Lord.</p> + +<p>Another lady, who sent for me to call, said to me:—“I +have heard of the sufferings and losses of the +Missionaries on your Islands through the smallness +of the Sailing Vessel. I am glad to have the opportunity +of giving you £50 to assist in getting a <ins id="TN-33" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: Steam Auxiliary.">Steam +Auxiliary.”</ins></p> + +<p>Many articles of jewellery, silver and gold ornaments, +rings and chains, were also sent to me, or +dropped into the Collecting plate. With the assistance +of Christian gentlemen, and by the kindness of a +merchant at once interested in our work and in the +gold and silver trade, these were turned into cash +on the most advantageous possible terms, and added +to the Mission Fund.</p> + +<p>Having an introduction to a London lady, then<span class="pagenum" id="Page_364">[364]</span> +living in Edinburgh, I called and was most kindly +received because of our dear mutual friend Mrs. +Cameron, of St. Kilda. After delightful Christian +conversation, she retired for a minute, and returned, +saying,—“I have kept this for twelve months, asking +the Lord to direct me as to its disposal. God claims +it now for the Mission Ship, and I have great joy +in handing it to you.” It was another £100. I had +been praying all that afternoon for some token of +encouragement, especially as I went to that lady’s +house, and God’s extraordinary answer, even while +the prayer was still being uttered, struck me so +forcibly that I could not speak. I received her gift +in tears, and my soul looked up to the Giver of all.</p> + +<p>The time now arrived for my attempting something +amongst the Presbyterians of England. But +my heart sank within me; I was a stranger to all +except Dr. Dykes, and the New Hebrides Mission +had no special claims on them. Casting myself upon +the Lord, I wrote to all the Presbyterian Ministers +in and around London, enclosing my “Statement +and Appeal,” and asking a Service, with a retiring +collection, or the surplus above the usual collection +on behalf of our Mission Ship. All declined, except +two. I learned that the London Presbytery had +resolved that no claim beyond their own Church +was to be admitted into any of its pulpits for a +period of months, under some special financial emergency. +My dear friend, Dr. J. Hood Wilson, kindly +wrote also to a number of them on my behalf, but<span class="pagenum" id="Page_365">[365]</span> +with nearly similar result; though at last other two +Services were arranged for with a collection, and +one without. Being required at London, in any case, +in connection with the threatened Annexation of +the New Hebrides by the French, I resolved to take +these five Services by the way, and immediately +return to Scotland, where engagements and opportunities +were now pressed upon me, far more than I +could overtake. But the Lord Himself opened +before me a larger door, and more effectual, than any +that I had tried in vain to open up for myself.</p> + +<p>The Churches to which I had access did nobly +indeed, and the Ministers treated me as a very +brother. Dr. Dykes most affectionately supported +my Appeal, and made himself recipient of donations +that might be sent for our Mission Ship. Dr. Donald +Fraser, and Messrs. Taylor and Mathieson, with their +Congregations, generously contributed to the fund. +And so did the Mission Church in Drury Lane—the +excellent and consecrated Rev. W. B. Alexander, +the pastor thereof, and his wife, becoming my devoted +personal friends, and continuing to remember in +their work-parties every year since the needs of the +Natives on the New Hebrides. Others also, whom +I cannot wait to specify, showed a warm interest in +us and in our department of the Lord’s work. But +my heart had been foolishly set upon adding a large +sum to the fund for the Mission Ship, and when only +about £150 came from all the Churches in London +to which I could get access, no doubt I was sensible<span class="pagenum" id="Page_366">[366]</span> +of cherishing a little guilty disappointment. That +was very unworthy in me, considering all my previous +experiences, and God deserved to be trusted +by me far differently, as the sequel will immediately +show.</p> + +<p>That widely-known and deeply-beloved servant +of God, J. E. Mathieson, Esq., of the Mildmay Conference +Hall, had invited me to address one of their +annual meetings on behalf of Foreign Missions, and +also to be his guest while the Conference lasted. +Thereby I met and heard many godly and noble +disciples of the Lord, whom I could not otherwise +have reached though every Church I had asked in +London had been freely opened to me. These +devout and faithful and generous people, belonging +to every branch of the Church of Christ, and drawn +from every rank and class in Society, from the +humblest to the highest, were certainly amongst +the most open-hearted and the most responsive of +all whom I ever had the privilege to address. One +felt there, in a higher degree than almost anywhere +else, that every soul was on fire with love to Jesus +and with genuine devotion to His Cause in every +corner of the Earth. There it was a privilege and +a gladness to speak; and though no collection was +asked or could be expected, my heart was uplifted +and strengthened by these happy meetings and by +all that Heavenly intercourse.</p> + +<p>But see how the Lord leads us by a way we know +not! Next morning after my address, a gentleman<span class="pagenum" id="Page_367">[367]</span> +who had heard me handed me a cheque for £300, by +far the largest single donation towards our Mission +Ship; and immediately thereafter I received, from +one of the Mildmay lady-Missionaries £50, from a +venerable friend of the founder £20, from “Friends +at Mildmay” £30; and through my dear friend and +brother, J. E. Mathieson, many other donations were +in due course forwarded to me.</p> + +<p>My introduction, however, to the Conference at +Mildmay did far more for me than even this; it +opened up for me a series of drawing-room meetings +in and around London, where I told the story of our +Mission and preached the Gospel to many in the +higher walks of life, and received most liberal support +for the Mission Ship. It also brought me invitations +from many quarters of England, to Churches, to +Halls, and to County Houses and Mansions.</p> + +<p>Lord Radstock got up a special meeting, inviting +by private card a large number of his most influential +friends; and there I met for the first time one whom +I have since learned to regard as a very precious +personal friend, Rev. Sholto D. C. Douglas, clergyman +of the Church of England, who then, and afterwards +at his seat in Scotland, not only most liberally supported +our fund, but took me by the hand as a +brother and promoted my work by every means in +his power.</p> + +<p>The Earl and Countess of Tankerville also invited +me to Chillingham Castle, and gave me an opportunity +of addressing a great assembly there, then<span class="pagenum" id="Page_368">[368]</span> +gathered together from all parts of the County. The +British and Foreign Bible Society received me in a +special meeting of the Directors; and I was able +to tell them how all we the Missionaries of these +Islands, whose language had never before been reduced +to writing, looked to them and leant upon +them and prayed for them and their work—without +whom our Native Bibles never could have been published. +After the meeting, the Chairman gave me +£5, and one of the Directors a cheque for £25 for our +Mission Ship.</p> + +<p>I was also invited to Leicester, and made the +acquaintanceship of a godly and gifted servant of +the Lord Jesus, the Rev. F. B. Meyer, B.A. (now of +London), whose books and booklets on the higher +aspects of the Christian Life are read by tens of +thousands, and have been fruitful of blessing. There +I addressed great meetings of devoted workers in the +vineyard; and the dear friend who was my host on +that occasion, a Christian merchant, has since contributed +£10 per annum for the support of a Native +Teacher on the New Hebrides.</p> + +<p>It was my privilege also to visit and address the +Müller Orphanages at Bristol, and to see that saintly +man of faith and prayer moving about as a wise and +loving father amongst the hundreds, even thousands, +that look to him for their daily bread and for the +bread of Life Eternal. At the close of my address, +the venerable founder thanked me warmly and +said,—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_369">[369]</span></p> + +<p>“Here are £50, which God has sent to me for your +Mission.”</p> + +<p>I replied, saying,—“Dear friend, how can I take it? +If I could, I would rather give you £500 for your +Orphans, for I am sure you need it all!”</p> + +<p>He replied, with sweetness and great dignity,—<ins id="TN-34" class="corr" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: ‘God provides for">“God +provides for</ins> His own Orphans. This money +cannot be used for them. I must send it after you +by letter. It is the Lord’s gift.”</p> + +<p>Often, as I have looked at the doings of men and +Churches, and tried to bring all to the test as if in +Christ’s very presence,—it has appeared to me that +such work as Müller’s, and Barnardo’s, and that of +my own fellow-countryman, William Quarrier, must +be peculiarly dear to the heart of our blessed Lord. +And were He to visit this world again, and seek a +place where His very Spirit had most fully wrought +itself out into deeds, I fear that many of our so-called +Churches would deserve to be passed by, and that +His holy, tender, helpful, divinely-human love would +find its most perfect reflex in these Orphan Homes. +Still and for ever, amidst all changes of creed and of +climate, this, <em>this</em> is “pure and undefiled Religion” +before God and the Father!</p> + +<p>Upper Norwood, London, is ever fresh in my +memory, in connection with my first and subsequent +visits, chiefly because of the faithful guidance and +help amidst all the perplexities of that Great Babylon, +so ungrudgingly bestowed upon me by my old +Australian friends, then resident there, William<span class="pagenum" id="Page_370">[370]</span> +Storrie, Esq., and his most excellent wife, both +devoted workers in the cause of Missions abroad and +at home. Great kindness was shown to me also by +their Minister there; and by T. W. Stoughton, Esq., +at whose Mission Hall there was a memorable and +joyful meeting; and, amongst many others whom I +cannot here name, by Messrs. Morgan & Scott, of +the <em>Christian</em>,—all of whom I rejoiced to find +actively engaged in personal service to the Lord +Jesus.</p> + +<p>But in this connection I must not omit to mention +that the noble and world-famous servant of God, +the Minister of the Tabernacle, invited me to a +garden-party at his home, and asked me to address +his students and other Christian workers. When I +arrived I found a goodly company assembled under +the shade of lovely trees, and felt the touch of that +genial humour, so mighty a gift when sanctified, +which has so often given wings to Mr. Spurgeon’s +words, when he introduced me to the audience as +“the King of the Cannibals!” On my leaving, Mrs. +Spurgeon presented me with her husband’s “Treasury +of David,” and also “£5 from the Lord’s cows,” +which I learned was part of the profits from certain +cows kept by the good lady, and that everything +produced thereby was dedicated to the work of the +Lord. I praised God that He had privileged me to +meet this extraordinarily endowed man, to whom the +whole Christian World is so specially indebted, and +who has consecrated all his gifts and opportunities<span class="pagenum" id="Page_371">[371]</span> +to the proclamation of the pure and precious Gospel.</p> + +<p>But of all my London associations, the deepest +and the most imperishable is that which weaves itself +around the Honourable Ion Keith-Falconer, who +has already passed to what may truly be called +a Martyr’s crown. At that time I met him at his +father-in-law’s house at Trent; and on another occasion +spent a whole day with him at the house of +his noble mother, the Countess-Dowager of Kintore. +His soul was then full of his projected Mission to +the Arabs, being himself one of the most distinguished +Orientalists of the day; and as we talked +together, and exchanged experiences, I felt that +never before had I visibly marked the fire of God, +the holy passion to seek and to save the lost, burning +more steadily or brightly on the altar of any human +heart. The heroic founding of the Mission at Aden +is already one of the precious annals of the Church +of Christ. His young and devoted wife survives, to +mourn indeed, but also to cherish his noble memory; +and, with the aid of others, and under the banner of +the Free Church of Scotland, to see the “Keith-Falconer +Mission” rising up amidst the darkness of +blood-stained Africa, as at once a harbour of refuge +for the slave, and a beacon-light to those who are +without God and without hope. The servant does +his day’s work, and passes on through the gates of +sleep to the Happy Dawn; but the Divine Master +lives and works and reigns, and by our death, as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_372">[372]</span> +surely as by our life, His holy purposes shall be +fulfilled.</p> + +<p>On returning to Scotland, every day was crowded +with engagements for the weeks that remained, and +almost every mail brought me contributions from all +conceivable corners of the land. My heart was set +upon taking out two or three Missionaries with me +to claim more and still more of the Islands for +Christ; and with that view I had addressed Divinity +Students at Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen. +Again and again, by conversation and correspondence, +consecrated young men were just on the +point of volunteering; but again and again the +larger and better known fields of labour turned the +scale, and they finally decided for China or Africa +or India. Deeply disappointed at this, and thinking +that God directed us to look to our own Australia +alone for Missionaries for the New Hebrides, I resolved +to return, and took steps towards securing a +passage by the Orient Line to Melbourne. But just +then two able and devoted students, Messrs. Morton +and Leggatt, offered themselves as Missionaries for our +Islands; and shortly thereafter a third, Mr. Landells, +also an excellent man; and all, being on the eve of +their Licence, were approved of, accepted, and set to +special preparations for the Mission field, particularly +in acquiring practical medical knowledge.</p> + +<p>On this turn of affairs, I managed to have my +passage delayed for six weeks, and resolved to cast +myself on the Lord that He might enable me in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_373">[373]</span> +that time to raise at least £500, in order to furnish +the necessary outfit and equipment for three new +Mission Stations, and to pay the passage money of +the Missionaries and their wives, that there might +be no difficulty on this score amongst the Foreign +Missions Committees on the other side. And then +the idea came forcibly, and for a little unmanned me, +that it was wrong in me to speak of these limits as +to time and money in my prayers to God. But I reflected, +again, how it was for the Lord’s own glory +alone in the salvation of the Heathen, and for no +personal aims of mine; and so I fell back on His +promise,—“Whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name,”—and +believingly asked it in His Name, and for +His praise and service alone. I think it due to my +Lord, and for the encouragement of all His servants, +that I should briefly outline what occurred in answer +to these prayers.</p> + +<p>Having gone to the centre of one of the great ship-building +districts of Scotland, and held a series of +meetings, and raised a sum of about £55 only after +nine services and many Sabbath School collecting +cards, my heart was beginning to sink, as I did not +think my health would stand another six weeks of +incessant strain; when at the close of my last meeting +in a Free Church, an Elder and his wife entered +the vestry and said,—</p> + +<p>“We are deeply interested in you and in all your +work and plans. You say that you have asked £500 +more. We gave you the first £100 at the Dundee<span class="pagenum" id="Page_374">[374]</span> +Conference; and it is a joy to us to give you this +£100 too, towards the making up of your final sum. +We pray that you may speedily realize your wish, and +that God’s richest blessing may ever rest upon your +head.”</p> + +<p>Glasgow readers will at once recognise the generous +giver, J. Campbell White, Esq., who rejoices, along +with his dear wife, to regard himself as a steward +of the Lord Jesus. My prayer is that they, and all +such, may feel more and more “blessed in their +deeds.”</p> + +<p>Another week passed by, and at the close of it a +lady called upon me, and, after delightful conversation +about the Mission, said,—</p> + +<p>“How near are you to the sum required?” I explained +to her what is recorded above, and she continued, +“I gave you one little piece of paper, at the +beginning of your efforts. I have prayed for you +every day since. God has prospered me, and this is +one of the happiest moments of my life, when I am +now able to give you another little bit of paper.”</p> + +<p>So saying, she put into my hand £100. I protested,—“You +are surely too generous. Can you +afford a second £100?”</p> + +<p>She replied to this effect, and very joyfully, as one +who had genuine gladness in the deed,—“My Lord +has been very kind to me, in my health and in my +business. My wants are simple and are safe in His +hands. I wait not till death forces me, but give back +whatever I am able to the Lord now, and hope to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_375">[375]</span> +live to see much blessing thereby through you in the +conversion of the Heathen.”</p> + +<p>The name of that dear friend from Paisley rises +often in my prayers and meditations before God. +“Verily I say unto you, the Father that seeth in +secret shall reward openly.”</p> + +<p>My last week had come, and I was in the midst of +preparations for departure, when amongst the letters +delivered to me was one to this effect,—</p> + +<p>“Restitution money which never now can be returned +to its owner. Since my Conversion I have +laboured hard to save it. I now make my only +possible amends by returning it to God through you. +Pray for me and mine, and may God bless you in +your work!” I rather startled my brother and +his wife at our breakfast table by shouting out +in unwontedly excited tones,—“Hallelujah! The +Lord has done it! Hallelujah!” But my tones +softened down into intense reverence, and my words +broke at last into tears, when I found that this, +the second largest subscription ever received by me, +came from a converted tradesman, who had now +consecrated his all to the Lord Jesus, and whose +whole leisure was now centred upon seeking to bless +and save those of his own rank and class, amongst +whom he had spent his early and unconverted days. +Jesus saith unto him, “Go home to thy friends, and +tell them how great things the Lord hath done for +thee, and hath had compassion on thee.”</p> + +<p>Bidding farewell to dear old Glasgow, so closely<span class="pagenum" id="Page_376">[376]</span> +intertwined with all my earlier and later experiences +I started for London, <ins class="corr" id="TN-35" title="Transcriber's Note—original text: accompained">accompanied</ins> by my brother +James. We were sitting at breakfast at Mrs. Mathieson’s +table, Mildmay, when a telegram was put into +my hands announcing the “thank-offering” from +Lord and Lady Polwarth, received since our departure +from Glasgow, and referred to on an earlier page. +The Lord had now literally exceeded my prayers. +With other gifts, repeated again by friends at Mildmay, +the special fund for outfit and travelling expenses +for new Missionaries had risen above the +£500, and now approached £650.</p> + +<p>In a Farewell Meeting at Mildmay the Lord’s +servants assembled in great numbers from all quarters +of London, dedicated me and my work very solemnly +to God, amid songs of praise and many prayers and +touching “last” words. And when at length Mr. +Mathieson, intimating that I must go, as another +company of Christian workers were elsewhere waiting +also to say Goodbye, suggested that the whole +audience should stand up, and, instead of hand +shaking, quietly breathe their benedictory Farewell +as I passed from the platform down through their +great Hall, a perfect flood of emotion overwhelmed +me. I never felt a humbler man, nor more anxious +to hide my head in the dust, than when all these +noble, gifted, and beloved followers of Jesus Christ +and consecrated workers in His service, stood up and +with one heart said, “God speed” and “God bless +you,” as I passed on through the Hall. To one who had<span class="pagenum" id="Page_377">[377]</span> +striven and suffered less, or who less appreciated how +little we can do for others compared with what Jesus +had done for us, this scene might have ministered to +spiritual pride; but long ere I reached the door of +that Hall, my soul was already prostrated at the feet +of my Lord in sorrow and in shame that I had done +so little for Him, and I bowed my head and could +have gladly bowed my knees to cry, “Not unto us, +Lord, not unto us!”</p> + +<p>On the 28th October, 1885, I sailed for Melbourne, +and in due course safely arrived there by the goodness +of God. The Church and people of my own +beloved Victoria gave me a right joyful welcome, and +in public assembly presented me with a testimonial, +which I shrank from receiving, but which all the +same was the highly-prized expression of their confidence +and esteem.</p> + +<p>In my absence at the Islands, they thereafter +elected me Moderator of their Supreme Court, and +called me back to fill that highest Chair of honour +in the Presbyterian Church. God is my witness how +very little any or all of these things in themselves +ever have been coveted by me; but how, when they +have come in my way, I have embraced them with a +single desire thereby to promote the Church’s interest +in that Cause to which my whole life and all +my opportunities are consecrated,—the Conversion of +the Heathen World.</p> + +<p>My Mission to Britain was to raise £6,000, in +order to enable the Australian Churches to provide a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_378">[378]</span> +Steam Auxiliary Mission Ship, for the enlarged +and constantly enlarging requirements of the New +Hebrides. I spent exactly eighteen months at home; +and when I returned, I was enabled to hand over to +the Church that had commissioned and authorized +me no less a sum than £9,000. And all this had +been forwarded to me, as the free-will offerings of +the Lord’s stewards, in the manner illustrated by +the preceding pages. “Behold! what God hath +wrought!”</p> + +<p>Of this sum £6,000 are set apart to build or acquire +the new Mission Ship. The remainder is added to +what we call our Number II. Fund, for the maintenance +and equipment of additional Missionaries. It +has been the dream of my life to see one Missionary +at least planted on every Island of the New Hebrides, +and then I could lie down and whisper gladly, +“Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in +peace!”</p> + +<p>As to the new Mission Ship, delay has arisen—owing +to a difference of opinion about the best way +of carrying out the proposal. Negotiations are progressing +betwixt New South Wales and Victoria and +the other Colonies as to the additional annual expenditure +for the maintenance of a Steam-Auxiliary, and +how the same is to be allocated. Also, an element +of doubt and perplexity has been introduced into the +scheme by the possibility of the Government running +Mails regularly from Australia to Fiji, and calling at +one or other of the New Hebrides harbours,—in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_379">[379]</span> +which case some think the Missionaries would need +only an <i>inter-island</i> Steamer, of a comparatively +moderate tonnage. Meantime, let all friends who are +interested in us and our work understand—that the +money so generously entrusted to me has been safely +handed over to my Victorian Church, and has been +deposited by them at good interest in the bank, +pending the settlement of these business details.</p> + +<p>To me personally, this delay is confessedly a keen +and deep disappointment,—feeling strongly as I do, +and seeing more clearly every day, the waste and +suffering caused to our beloved Missionaries and their +families, by the uncertainties of a Sailing Ship, and by +the utter inability of our present <i>Dayspring</i> to overtake +all that is now required. But this is not the +place to discuss that matter in detail. The work +laid upon me has been accomplished. The Colonial +Churches have all the responsibility of the further +steps. In this, as in many a harder trouble of my +chequered life, I calmly roll all my burden upon the +Lord. I await with quietness and confidence His +wise disposal of events. His hand is on the helm; +and whither He steers us, all shall be well.</p> + +<p>But let me not close this chapter, till I have struck +another and a Diviner note. I have been to the Islands +again, since my return from Britain. The whole +inhabitants of Aniwa were there to welcome me, and +my procession to the old Mission House was more +like the triumphal march of a Conqueror than that +of a humble Missionary. Everything was kept in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_380">[380]</span> +beautiful and perfect order. Every Service of the +Church, as previously described in this book, was +fully sustained by the Native Teachers, the Elders, +and the occasional visit, once or twice a year, of the +ordained white Missionary from one of the other +Islands. Aniwa, like Aneityum, is a <em>Christian</em> land. +Jesus has taken possession, never again to quit those +shores. Glory, <em>glory</em> to His blessed Name!</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>When pleading the cause of the Heathen and the +claims of Jesus on His followers, I have often been +taunted with being “a man of one idea.” Sometimes +I have thought that this came from the lips of those +who had not even one idea!—unless it were how to +kill time or to save their own skin. But seriously +speaking, is it not better to have one good idea and +to live for that and succeed in it, than to scatter one’s +life away on many things and leave a mark on +none?</p> + +<p>And, besides, you cannot live for one good idea +supremely without thereby helping forward many +other collateral causes. My life has been dominated +by one sacred purpose; but in pursuing it the +Lord has enabled me to be Evangelist as well as +Missionary, and whilst seeking for needed money to +seek for and save and bless many souls,—has enabled +me to defend the Holy Sabbath in many lands, as +the God-given and precious birthright of the toiling +millions, to be bartered away for no price or bribe +that men can offer,—has enabled me to maintain the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_381">[381]</span> +right of every child in Christian lands, or in Heathen, +to be taught to read the blessed Bible and to understand +it, as the Divine foundation of all Social +Order and the sole guarantee of individual freedom +as well as of national greatness,—and has enabled me +also to do battle against the infernal <i>Kanaka</i> or +Labour Traffic, one of the most cruel and blood-stained +forms of slavery on the face of the Earth, +and to rouse the holy passion of Human Brotherhood +in the Colonies and at Home against those +who trafficked in the bodies and souls of men.</p> + +<p>In these, as well as in my own direct labours as a +Missionary, I probably have had my full share of +“abuse” from the enemies of the Cross, and a not +inconsiderable burden of trials and afflictions in the +service of my Lord; yet here, as I lay down my pen, +let me record my immovable conviction that this is +the noblest service in which any human being can +spend or be spent; and that, if God gave me back +my life to be lived over again, I would without one +quiver of hesitation lay it on the altar to Christ, that +He might use it as before in similar ministries of +love, especially amongst those who have never yet +heard the Name of Jesus. Nothing that has been +endured, and nothing that can now befall me, makes +me tremble—on the contrary, I deeply rejoice—when +I breathe the prayer that it may please the blessed +Lord to turn the hearts of all my children to the +Mission field; and that He may open up their way +and make it their pride and joy to live and die in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_382">[382]</span> +carrying Jesus and His Gospel into the heart of the +Heathen World! God gave His best, His Son, to +me; and I give back my best, my All, to Him.</p> + +<p>Reader, Fare-thee-well! Thou hast companied +with me,—not without some little profit, I trust; and +not without noting many things that led thee to bless +the Lord God, in whose honour these pages have +been written. In your life and in mine, there is at +least one <em>last</em> Chapter, one final Scene, awaiting us,—God +our Father knows where and how! By His +grace, I will live out that Chapter, I will pass through +that Scene, in the faith and in the hope of Jesus, who +has sustained me from childhood till now. As you +close this book, go before your Saviour, and pledge +yourself upon your knees by His help and sympathy +to do the same. And let me meet you, and let us +commune with each other again, in the presence and +glory of the Redeemer. Fare-thee-well!</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a id="Footnote_1" href="#FNanchor_1" class="label">[1]</a> See the whole context in “Sermons on National Subjects,” +(<cite>Macmillan & Co.</cite>, 1880) pp. 414 to 417, where it is numbered as +Sermon XLI.; particularly this regulative declaration regarding +“what Original Sin may bring man to”:—“What is to my +mind the most awful part of the matter remains to be told—that +man may actually fall by Original Sin too low to receive +the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to be recovered again by +it.”—(<i>Editor</i>).</p> + +</div> +</div> + + + +<div class="p2 chapter"> +<div class="transnote" id="transnote"> +TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE<br> +<p> +Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been +corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within +the text and consultation of external sources. +</p> +<p> +Some hyphens in words have been silently removed, some added, +when a predominant preference was found in the original book. +</p> +<p> +Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, +and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained. All place names and +proper nouns have been retained as spelled in the original publication.</p> +<br> + +Page <a href="#TN-1">iv</a>. “Ariwan” <i>replaced by</i> “Aniwan”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-2">xvii</a>. “LISTI” <i>replaced by</i> “LITSI”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-3">1</a>. “Brutal Captain” <i>replaced by</i> “Brutal Captain.”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-4">67</a>. “now see them” <i>replaced by</i> “now see them.”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-5">116</a>. “accomodation” <i>replaced by</i> “accommodation”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-6">119</a>. “Rev. J” <i>replaced by</i> “Rev. J.”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-7">132</a>. “not of ourselves” <i>replaced by</i> “not of ourselves.”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-8">158</a>. “inhabit ants” <i>replaced by</i> “inhabitants”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-9">160</a>. “dead and buried” <i>replaced by</i> “dead and buried.”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-10">169</a>. “tomakawk” <i>replaced by</i> “tomahawk”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-11">171</a>. “among the Natives” <i>replaced by</i> “among the Natives.”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-12">178</a>. “‘It is” <i>replaced by</i> ““It is”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-13">183</a>. “through the earth.” <i>replaced by</i> “through the earth.””.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-14">222</a>. “baptize you?” <i>replaced by</i> “baptize you?””.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-15">230</a>. ““Society,’” <i>replaced by</i> ““Society,””.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-16">230</a>. “your fill!’” <i>replaced by</i> “your fill!””.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-17">230</a>. “happy as squirrels” <i>replaced by</i> “happy as squirrels.”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-18">254</a>. “this?’ Cocoa-nuts” <i>replaced by</i> “this?’ ‘Cocoa-nuts”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-19">273</a>. “home on Aniwa” <i>replaced by</i> “home on Aniwa.”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-20">289</a>. “symphony of Ocean” <i>replaced by</i> “symphony of Ocean’”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-21">304</a>. “She had, out” <i>replaced by</i> ““She had, out”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-22">305</a>. “spilt!’” <i>replaced by</i> “spilt!””.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-23">305</a>. “you ill?’” <i>replaced by</i> “you ill?””.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-24">309</a>. “broken Eglish” <i>replaced by</i> “broken English”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-25">311</a>. “eel the very” <i>replaced by</i> “feel the very”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-26">314</a>. “any other” <i>replaced by</i> “any other.”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-26a">321</a>. “he returned?” <i>replaced by</i> “he returned?’”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-27">329</a>. “to Tanna.” <i>replaced by</i> “to Tanna,”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-28">332</a>. ““That’s Mungaw” <i>replaced by</i> “‘That’s Mungaw”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-29">338</a>. “But Noopooraw” <i>replaced by</i> “but Noopooraw”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-30">339</a>. “O Yomit” <i>replaced by</i> “‘O Yomit”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-31">343</a>. “acrue” <i>replaced by</i> “accrue”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-32">343</a>. “treacherous gales” <i>replaced by</i> “treacherous gales.”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-33">363</a>. “Steam Auxiliary.” <i>replaced by</i> “Steam Auxiliary.””.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-34">369</a>. “‘God provides for” <i>replaced by</i> ““God provides for”.<br> +Page <a href="#TN-35">376</a>. “accompained” <i>replaced by</i> “accompanied”.<br> +</div> +</div> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75800 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/75800-h/images/cover.jpg b/75800-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5a60042 --- /dev/null +++ b/75800-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/75800-h/images/i_b000.jpg b/75800-h/images/i_b000.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..26bf0a4 --- /dev/null +++ b/75800-h/images/i_b000.jpg diff --git a/75800-h/images/i_c128b.jpg b/75800-h/images/i_c128b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ad1f338 --- /dev/null +++ b/75800-h/images/i_c128b.jpg diff --git a/75800-h/images/i_c152b.jpg b/75800-h/images/i_c152b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6d27e2d --- /dev/null +++ b/75800-h/images/i_c152b.jpg diff --git a/75800-h/images/i_c202b.jpg b/75800-h/images/i_c202b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e98ab0 --- /dev/null +++ b/75800-h/images/i_c202b.jpg diff --git a/75800-h/images/i_c210b.jpg b/75800-h/images/i_c210b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d14a822 --- /dev/null +++ b/75800-h/images/i_c210b.jpg |
