,prayers ,written ,at ,vailima was transcribed from the #aiaf ,chatto ,windus edition by ,david ,price1 proofing by ,stephen ,booth4 ,a ,lowden ,sabbath ,morn was transcribed from the #ahih ,chatto ,windus edition by ,david ,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,picture3 ,public domain cover ,,prayers ,,written ,,at ,,vailima and ,a ,,lowden ,,sabbath ,,morn by ,robert ,louis ,stevenson 99 99 99 99 99 ,,prayers ,,written ,,at ,,vailima ,,by ,,robert ,,louis ,,stevenson ,,with ,,an ,,introduction ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,stevenson ,picture3 ,decorative ,chatto ,windus graphic 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london ,,chatto ,,windus ,,mdccccxvi ,,introduction ,,in every ,samoan household the day is closed with prayer and the singing of hymns4 ,the omission of this sacred duty would indicate1 not only a lack of religious training in the house chief1 but a shameless disregard of all that is reputable in ,samoan social life4 ,no doubt1 to many1 the evening service is no more than a duty fulfilled4 ,the child who says his prayer at his mother's knee can have no real conception of the meaning of the words he lisps so readily1 yet he goes to his little bed with a sense of heavenly protection that he would miss were the prayer forgotten4 ,the average ,samoan is but a larger child in most things1 and would lay an uneasy head on his wooden pillow if he had not joined1 even perfunctorily1 in the evening service4 ,with my husband1 prayer1 the direct appeal1 was a necessity4 ,when he was happy he felt impelled to offer thanks for that undeserved joy2 when in sorrow1 or pain1 to call for strength to bear what must be borne4 ,vailima lay up some three miles of continual rise from ,apia1 and more than half that distance from the nearest village4 ,it was a long way for a tired man to walk down every evening with the sole purpose of joining in family worship2 and the road through the bush was dark1 and1 to the ,samoan imagination1 beset with supernatural terrors4 ,wherefore1 as soon as our household had fallen into a regular routine1 and the bonds of ,samoan family life began to draw us more closely together1 ,tusitala felt the necessity of including our retainers in our evening devotions4 ,i suppose ours was the only white man's family in all ,samoa1 except those of the missionaries1 where the day naturally ended with this homely1 patriarchal custom4 ,not only were the religious scruples of the natives satisfied1 but1 what we did not foresee1 our own respectability--and incidentally that of our retainers--became assured1 and the influence of ,tusitala increased tenfold4 ,after all work and meals were finished1 the #8pu1' or war conch1 was sounded from the back veranda and the front1 so that it might be heard by all4 ,i don't think it ever occurred to us that there was any incongruity in the use of the war conch for the peaceful invitation to prayer4 ,in response to its summons the white members of the family took their usual places in one end of the large hall1 while the ,samoans--men1 women1 and children--trooped in through all the open doors1 some carrying lanterns if the evening were dark1 all moving quietly and dropping with ,samoan decorum in a wide semicircle on the floor beneath a great lamp that hung from the ceiling4 ,the service began by my son reading a chapter from the ,samoan ,bible1 ,tusitala following with a prayer in ,english1 sometimes impromptu1 but more often from the notes in this little book1 interpolating or changing with the circumstance of the day4 ,then came the singing of one or more hymns in the native tongue1 and the recitation in concert of the ,lord's ,prayer1 also in ,samoan4 ,many of these hymns were set to ancient tunes1 very wild and warlike1 and strangely at variance with the missionary words4 ,sometimes a passing band of hostile warriors1 with blackened faces1 would peer in at us through the open windows1 and often we were forced to pause until the strangely savage1 monotonous noise of the native drums had ceased2 but no ,samoan1 nor1 ,i trust1 white person1 changed his reverent attitude4 ,once1 ,i remember a look of surprised dismay crossing the countenance of ,tusitala when my son1 contrary to his usual custom of reading the next chapter following that of yesterday1 turned back the leaves of his ,bible to find a chapter fiercely denunciatory1 and only too applicable to the foreign dictators of distracted ,samoa4 ,on another occasion the chief himself brought the service to a sudden check4 ,he had just learned of the treacherous conduct of one in whom he had every reason to trust4 ,that evening the prayer seemed unusually short and formal4 ,as the singing stopped he arose abruptly and left the room4 ,i hastened after him1 fearing some sudden illness4 #8,what is it8' ,i asked4 #8,it is this1' was the reply2 #8,i am not yet fit to say1 8,forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us40' ,it is with natural reluctance that ,i touch upon the last prayer of my husband's life4 ,many have supposed that he showed1 in the wording of this prayer1 that he had some premonition of his approaching death4 ,i am sure he had no such premonition4 ,it was ,i who told the assembled family that ,i felt an impending disaster approaching nearer and nearer4 ,any ,scot will understand that my statement was received seriously4 ,it could not be1 we thought1 that danger threatened any one within the house2 but ,mr4 ,graham ,balfour1 my husband's cousin1 very near and dear to us1 was away on a perilous cruise4 ,our fears followed the various vessels1 more or less unseaworthy1 in which he was making his way from island to island to the atoll where the exiled king1 ,mataafa1 was at that time imprisoned4 ,in my husband's last prayer1 the night before his death1 he asked that we should be given strength to bear the loss of this dear friend1 should such a sorrow befall us4 ,,contents ,,page ,,for ,,success #a ,,for ,,grace #c ,,at ,,morning #d ,,evening #e ,,another ,,for ,,evening #g ,,in ,,time ,,of ,,rain #h ,,another ,,in ,,time ,,of ,,rain #i ,,before ,a ,,temporary ,,separation #aj ,,for ,,friends #aa ,,for ,,the ,,family #ab ,,sunday #ad ,,for ,,self-,,blame #af ,,for ,,self-,,forgetfulness #ah ,,for ,,renewal ,,of ,,joy #ai ,,for ,,success ,,lord1 behold our family here assembled4 ,we thank ,thee for this place in which we dwell2 for the love that unites us2 for the peace accorded us this day2 for the hope with which we expect the morrow2 for the health1 the work1 the food1 and the bright skies1 that make our lives delightful2 for our friends in all parts of the earth1 and our friendly helpers in this foreign isle4 ,let peace abound in our small company4 ,purge out of every heart the lurking grudge4 ,give us grace and strength to forbear and to persevere4 ,offenders1 give us the grace to accept and to forgive offenders4 ,forgetful ourselves1 help us to bear cheerfully the forgetfulness of others4 ,give us courage and gaiety and the quiet mind4 ,spare to us our friends1 soften to us our enemies4 ,bless us1 if it may be1 in all our innocent endeavours4 ,if it may not1 give us the strength to encounter that which is to come1 that we be brave in peril1 constant in tribulation1 temperate in wrath1 and in all changes of fortune1 and1 down to the gates of death1 loyal and loving one to another4 ,as the clay to the potter1 as the windmill to the wind1 as children of their sire1 we beseech of ,thee this help and mercy for ,christ's sake4 ,,for ,,grace ,,grant that we here before ,thee may be set free from the fear of vicissitude and the fear of death1 may finish what remains before us of our course without dishonour to ourselves or hurt to others1 and1 when the day comes1 may die in peace4 ,deliver us from fear and favour3 from mean hopes and cheap pleasures4 ,have mercy on each in his deficiency2 let him be not cast down2 support the stumbling on the way1 and give at last rest to the weary4 ,,at ,,morning ,,the day returns and brings us the petty round of irritating concerns and duties4 ,help us to play the man1 help us to perform them with laughter and kind faces1 let cheerfulness abound with industry4 ,give us to go blithely on our business all this day1 bring us to our resting beds weary and content and undishonoured1 and grant us in the end the gift of sleep4 ,,evening ,,we come before ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 in the end of thy day with thanksgiving4 ,our beloved in the far parts of the earth1 those who are now beginning the labours of the day what time we end them1 and those with whom the sun now stands at the point of noon1 bless1 help1 console1 and prosper them4 ,our guard is relieved1 the service of the day is over1 and the hour come to rest4 ,we resign into thy hands our sleeping bodies1 our cold hearths1 and open doors4 ,give us to awake with smiles1 give us to labour smiling4 ,as the sun returns in the east1 so let our patience be renewed with dawn2 as the sun lightens the world1 so let our loving-kindness make bright this house of our habitation4 ,,another ,,for ,,evening ,,lord1 receive our supplications for this house1 family1 and country4 ,protect the innocent1 restrain the greedy and the treacherous1 lead us out of our tribulation into a quiet land4 ,look down upon ourselves and upon our absent dear ones4 ,help us and them2 prolong our days in peace and honour4 ,give us health1 food1 bright weather1 and light hearts4 ,in what we meditate of evil1 frustrate our will2 in what of good1 further our endeavours4 ,cause injuries to be forgot and benefits to be remembered4 ,let us lie down without fear and awake and arise with exultation4 ,for his sake1 in whose words we now conclude4 ,,in ,,time ,,of ,,rain ,,we thank ,thee1 ,lord1 for the glory of the late days and the excellent face of thy sun4 ,we thank ,thee for good news received4 ,we thank ,thee for the pleasures we have enjoyed and for those we have been able to confer4 ,and now1 when the clouds gather and the rain impends over the forest and our house1 permit us not to be cast down2 let us not lose the savour of past mercies and past pleasures2 but1 like the voice of a bird singing in the rain1 let grateful memory survive in the hour of darkness4 ,if there be in front of us any painful duty1 strengthen us with the grace of courage2 if any act of mercy1 teach us tenderness and patience4 ,,another ,,in ,,time ,,of ,,rain ,,lord1 ,thou sendest down rain upon the uncounted millions of the forest1 and givest the trees to drink exceedingly4 ,we are here upon this isle a few handfuls of men1 and how many myriads upon myriads of stalwart trees6 ,teach us the lesson of the trees4 ,the sea around us1 which this rain recruits1 teems with the race of fish2 teach us1 ,lord1 the meaning of the fishes4 ,let us see ourselves for what we are1 one out of the countless number of the clans of thy handiwork4 ,when we would despair1 let us remember that these also please and serve ,thee4 ,,before ,a ,,temporary ,,separation ,,to-,,day we go forth separate1 some of us to pleasure1 some of us to worship1 some upon duty4 ,go with us1 our guide and angel2 hold ,thou before us in our divided paths the mark of our low calling1 still to be true to what small best we can attain to4 ,help us in that1 our maker1 the dispenser of events--,thou1 of the vast designs1 in which we blindly labour1 suffer us to be so far constant to ourselves and our beloved4 ,,for ,,friends ,,for our absent loved ones we implore thy loving-kindness4 ,keep them in life1 keep them in growing honour2 and for us1 grant that we remain worthy of their love4 ,for ,christ's sake1 let not our beloved blush for us1 nor we for them4 ,grant us but that1 and grant us courage to endure lesser ills unshaken1 and to accept death1 loss1 and disappointment as it were straws upon the tide of life4 ,,for ,,the ,,family ,,aid us1 if it be thy will1 in our concerns4 ,have mercy on this land and innocent people4 ,help them who this day contend in disappointment with their frailties4 ,bless our family1 bless our forest house1 bless our island helpers4 ,thou who hast made for us this place of ease and hope1 accept and inflame our gratitude2 help us to repay1 in service one to another1 the debt of thine unmerited benefits and mercies1 so that1 when the period of our stewardship draws to a conclusion1 when the windows begin to be darkened1 when the bond of the family is to be loosed1 there shall be no bitterness of remorse in our farewells4 ,help us to look back on the long way that ,thou hast brought us1 on the long days in which we have been served1 not according to our deserts1 but our desires2 on the pit and the miry clay1 the blackness of despair1 the horror of misconduct1 from which our feet have been plucked out4 ,for our sins forgiven or prevented1 for our shame unpublished1 we bless and thank ,thee1 ,o ,god4 ,help us yet again and ever4 ,so order events1 so strengthen our frailty1 as that day by day we shall come before ,thee with this song of gratitude1 and in the end we be dismissed with honour4 ,in their weakness and their fear1 the vessels of thy handiwork so pray to ,thee1 so praise ,thee4 ,amen4 ,,sunday ,,we beseech ,thee1 ,lord1 to behold us with favour1 folk of many families and nations gathered together in the peace of this roof1 weak men and women subsisting under the covert of thy patience4 ,be patient still2 suffer us yet awhile longer2--with our broken purposes of good1 with our idle endeavours against evil1 suffer us awhile longer to endure1 and 7if it may be7 help us to do better4 ,bless to us our extraordinary mercies2 if the day come when these must be taken1 brace us to play the man under affliction4 ,be with our friends1 be with ourselves4 ,go with each of us to rest2 if any awake1 temper to them the dark hours of watching2 and when the day returns1 return to us1 our sun and comforter1 and call us up with morning faces and with morning hearts--eager to labour--eager to be happy1 if happiness shall be our portion--and if the day be marked for sorrow1 strong to endure it4 ,we thank ,thee and praise ,thee2 and in the words of him to whom this day is sacred1 close our oblation4 ,,for ,,self-,,blame ,,lord1 enlighten us to see the beam that is in our own eye1 and blind us to the mote that is in our brother's4 ,let us feel our offences with our hands1 make them great and bright before us like the sun1 make us eat them and drink them for our diet4 ,blind us to the offences of our beloved1 cleanse them from our memories1 take them out of our mouths for ever4 ,let all here before ,thee carry and measure with the false balances of love1 and be in their own eyes and in all conjunctures the most guilty4 ,help us at the same time with the grace of courage1 that we be none of us cast down when we sit lamenting amid the ruins of our happiness or our integrity3 touch us with fire from the altar1 that we may be up and doing to rebuild our city3 in the name and by the method of him in whose words of prayer we now conclude4 ,,for ,,self-,,forgetfulness ,,lord1 the creatures of thy hand1 thy disinherited children1 come before ,thee with their incoherent wishes and regrets3 ,children we are1 children we shall be1 till our mother the earth hath fed upon our bones4 ,accept us1 correct us1 guide us1 thy guilty innocents4 ,dry our vain tears1 wipe out our vain resentments1 help our yet vainer efforts4 ,if there be any here1 sulking as children will1 deal with and enlighten him4 ,make it day about that person1 so that he shall see himself and be ashamed4 ,make it heaven about him1 ,lord1 by the only way to heaven1 forgetfulness of self1 and make it day about his neighbours1 so that they shall help1 not hinder him4 ,,for ,,renewal ,,of ,,joy ,,we are evil1 ,o ,god1 and help us to see it and amend4 ,we are good1 and help us to be better4 ,look down upon thy servants with a patient eye1 even as ,thou sendest sun and rain2 look down1 call upon the dry bones1 quicken1 enliven2 recreate in us the soul of service1 the spirit of peace2 renew in us the sense of joy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,,lowden ,,sabbath ,,morn ,,by ,,robert ,,louis ,,stevenson ,i ,,the clinkum-clank o' ,sabbath bells ,noo to the hoastin' rookery swells1 ,noo faintin' laigh in shady dells1 ,sounds far an' near1 ,an' through the simmer kintry tells ,its tale o' cheer4 ,,ii ,an' noo1 to that melodious play1 ,a deidly awn the quiet sway-- ,a' ken their solemn holiday1 ,bestial an' human1 ,the singin' lintie on the brae1 ,the restin' plou'man4 ,,iii ,he1 mair than a' the lave o' men1 ,his week completit joys to ken2 ,half-dressed1 he daunders out an' in1 ,perplext wi' leisure2 ,an' his raxt limbs he'll rax again ,wi' painf' pleesure4 ,,iv ,the steerin' mither strang afit ,noo shoos the bairnies but a bit2 ,noo cries them ben1 their ,sinday shit ,to scart upon them1 ,or sweeties in their pouch to pit1 ,wi' blessin's on them4 ,v ,the lasses1 clean frae tap to taes1 ,are busked in crunklin' underclaes2 ,the gartened hose1 the weel-filled stays1 ,the nakit shift1 ,a' bleached on bonny greens for days1 ,an' white's the drift4 ,,vi ,an' noo to face the kirkward mile ,the guidman's hat o' dacent style1 ,the blackit shoon1 we noon maun fyle ,as white's the miller3 ,a waef' peety tae1 to spile ,the warth o' siller4 ,,vii ,our ,marg'et1 aye sae keen to crack1 ,douce-stappin' in the stoury track1 ,her emeralt goun a' kiltit back ,frae snawy coats1 ,white-ankled1 leads the kirkward pack ,wi' ,dauvit ,groats4 ,,viii ,a thocht ahint1 in runkled breeks1 ,a' spiled wi' lyin' by for weeks1 ,the guidman follows closs1 an' cleiks ,the sonsie misses2 ,his sarious face at aince bespeaks ,the day that this is4 ,,ix ,and aye an' while we nearer draw ,to whaur the kirkton lies alaw1 ,mair neebours1 comin' saft an' slaw ,frae here an' there1 ,the thicker thrang the gate1 an' caw ,the stour in air4 ,x ,but hark6 the bells frae nearer clang ,to rowst the slaw1 their sides they bang ,an' see6 black coats a'ready thrang ,the green kirkyaird2 ,and at the yett1 the chestnuts spang ,that brocht the laird4 ,,xi ,the solemn elders at the plate ,stand drinkin' deep the pride o' state3 ,the practised hands as gash an' great ,as ,lords o' ,session2 ,the later named1 a wee thing blate ,in their expression4 ,,xii ,the prentit stanes that mark the deid1 ,wi' lengthened lip1 the sarious read2 ,syne way a moraleesin' heid1 ,an then an' there ,their hirplin' practice an' their creed ,try hard to square4 ,,xiii ,it's here our ,merren lang has lain1 ,a wee bewast the table-stane2 ,an' yon's the grave o' ,sandy ,blane2 ,an' further ower1 ,the mither's brithers1 dacent men6 ,lie a' the fower4 ,,xiv ,here the guidman sall bide awee ,to dwall amang the deid2 to see ,auld faces clear in fancy's e'e2 ,belike to hear ,auld voices fa'in saft an' slee ,on fancy's ear4 ,,xv ,thus1 on the day o' solemn things1 ,the bell that in the steeple swings ,to fauld a scaittered faim'ly rings ,its walcome screed2 ,an' just a wee thing nearer brings ,the quick an' deid4 ,,xvi ,but noo the bell is ringin' in2 ,to tak their places1 folk begin2 ,the minister himsel' will shne ,be up the gate1 ,filled fu' wi' clavers about sin ,an' man's estate4 ,,xvii ,the tnes are up--,french1 to be shre1 ,the faithf' ,french1 an' twa-three mair2 ,the auld prezentor1 hoastin' sair1 ,wales out the portions1 ,an' yirks the tne into the air ,wi' queer contortions4 ,,xviii ,follows the prayer1 the readin' next1 ,an' than the fisslin' for the text-- ,the twa-three last to find it1 vext ,but kind o' proud2 ,an' than the peppermints are raxed1 ,an' southernwood4 ,,xix ,for noo's the time whan pows are seen ,nid-noddin' like a mandareen2 ,when tenty mithers stap a preen ,in sleepin' weans2 ,an' nearly half the parochine ,forget their pains4 ,,xx ,there's just a waukrif' twa or three3 ,thrawn commentautors sweer to 'gree1 ,weans glowrin' at the bumlin' bee ,on windie-glasses1 ,or lads that tak a keek a-glee ,at sonsie lasses4 ,,xxi ,himsel'1 meanwhile1 frae whaur he cocks ,an' bobs belaw the soundin'-box1 ,the treesures of his words unlocks ,wi' prodigality1 ,an' deals some unco dingin' knocks ,to infidality4 ,,xxii ,wi' snappy unction1 hoo he burkes ,the hopes o' men that trust in works1 ,expounds the fau'ts o' ither kirks1 ,an' shaws the best o' them ,no muckle better than mere ,turks1 ,when a's confessed o' them4 ,,xxiii ,bethankit6 what a bonny creed6 ,what mair would ony ,christian need8-- ,the braw words rumm'le ower his heid1 ,nor steer the sleeper2 ,and in their restin' graves1 the deid ,sleep aye the deeper4 ,,author',s ,,note ,it may be guessed by some that ,i had a certain parish in my eye1 and this makes it proper ,i should add a word of disclamation4 ,in my time there have been two ministers in that parish4 ,of the first ,i have a special reason to speak well1 even had there been any to think ill4 ,the second ,i have often met in private and long 7in the due phrase7 8sat under0 in his church1 and neither here nor there have ,i heard an unkind or ugly word upon his lips4 ,the preacher of the text had thus no original in that particular parish2 but when ,i was a boy he might have been observed in many others2 he was then 7like the schoolmaster7 abroad2 and by recent advices1 it would seem he has not yet entirely disappeared4