,,transcriber',s ,,note ,italic text is denoted by underscores4 ,some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book4 ,,new ,,and ,,cheaper ,,edition ,,illustrated4 ,,john ,g4 ,,paton1 ,,missionary ,,to ,,the ,,new ,,hebrides4 ,,an ,,autobiography4 ,,edited ,,by ,,his ,,brother4 ,,with ,,an ,,introduction ,,by ,,arthur ,t4 ,,pierson1 ,d4,d4 ,two vols4 in box1 #abmo1 cloth1 gilt top net #b4jj4 ,ministerial ,commendation4 8,i have just laid down the most robust and the most fascinating piece of autobiography that ,i have met with in many a day4444 ,john ,g4 ,paton was made of the same stuff with ,livingstone40--,theodore ,l4 ,cuyler1 ,d4,d4 8,i consider it unsurpassed in missionary biography4 ,in the whole course of my extensive reading on these topics1 a more stimulating1 inspiring1 and every way first-class book has not fallen into my hands4 ,everybody ought to read it40--,arthur ,t4 ,pierson1 ,d4,d4 ,missionary ,praise4 8,i have never read a romance that was half so thrilling40--,lucius ,c4 ,smith1 ,guanajuato1 ,mexico4 8,i have never read a more inspiring biography40--,thomas ,c4 ,winn1 ,yokohama1 ,japan4 8,the ,lord's work will not go back while there are such men as he in the church40--,james ,a4 ,heal1 ,sing ,kong1 ,cheh ,kiang1 ,china4 8,i think ,i have never had greater pleasure in reading any book40--,r4 ,thackswell1 ,dehra1 ,north ,india4 ,press ,notices4 8,perhaps the most important addition for many years to the library of missionary literature is the autobiography of ,john ,g4 ,paton40--,the ,christian ,advocate4 8,we commend to all who would advance the cause of ,foreign ,missions this remarkable autobiography4 ,it stands with such books as those ,dr4 ,livingstone gave the world1 and shows to men that the heroes of the cross are not merely to be sought in past ages40--,the ,christian ,intelligencer4 ,fleming ,h4 ,revell ,company1 ,,new ,,york1 #cj ,union ,square1 ,e4 ,,chicago1 #adh #aej ,madison ,street4 ,illustration3 ,,mission ,,house ,,at ,,aniwa4 ,,john ,g4 ,,paton1 ,,missionary ,,to ,,the ,,new ,,hebrides4 ,an ,autobiography4 ,,edited ,,by ,,his ,,brother4 ,,second ,,part4 ,new ,illustrated ,edition4 ,,fleming ,h4 ,,revell ,,company ,,publishers ,,new ,,york ,,chicago #cj ,,union ,,square1 ,,east4 #adh-aej ,,madison ,,street4 ,,introductory ,,note4 ,,by ,,arthur ,t4 ,,pierson1 ,d4,d4 ,the avidity with which ,part ,i4 of ,mr4 ,paton's remarkable life-story was received by the public in ,england has been no surprise4 ,before this second part was issued from the press1 three thousand copies were already sold2 and the entire edition of five thousand was so soon exhausted that it has been impossible to cope with the demand4 ,we have no hesitation in pronouncing this second part the most fascinating narrative of missionary adventure and heroism and success that we have ever met4 ,this volume abounds in poetry and pathos1 dramatic incident and thrilling experience1 lit up by the golden rays of a delicate and unique humor4 ,it reminds one of a varied landscape with bold mountains and modest valleys1 where snow-crowned summits look down on summer gardens2 where cascades fall into quiet streams1 and where all the marvels of light and shade at once relieve and diversify the scene4 ,the twenty-two miles' gallop through the ,australian ,bush on the back of ,garibaldi1 which made the inexperienced rider drunk with excitement and fatigue2 the ,aniwan woman who1 judging clothes an evidence of a new heart1 approved her decided conversion by coming into chapel having her person grotesquely adorned with every article of male attire which she could beg or borrow1 may illustrate the comical side of this charming story4 ,the three years of progress among cannibals1 in laying foundations of ,christian families1 schools1 churches1 and even social order1 may serve as one of the greatest vindications1 through all history1 of that ,gospel which is still the power of ,god and the wisdom of ,god unto salvation4 ,,preface4 ,it is a true joy to me1 that ,i am enabled to place ,part ,second of my brother's ,autobiography in the hands of the ,public without undue delay4 ,the amount of interesting and precious material1 entrusted to me to be re-written and prepared for the ,press1 has1 by its very abundance and variety1 landed me in the greatest perplexity4 ,amidst all the toil and anxiety of producing such a book1 my only painful experience has been the necessity of cutting out page after page1 every whit as beautiful and valuable as any of the pages for which room has been found4 ,that observation applies very specially to the 8,letters10 which constitute ,chapter ,,ix4 ,these ,i verily regret to publish in mere fragments1 instead of in their own rounded completeness4 ,two whole ,chapters1 as outlined by my brother1 ,i am sorrowfully necessitated to omit1 so that the ,life-,story itself may not be too much enlarged or overloaded4 ,the one refers to 8,the ,kanaka1 or ,labour ,traffic in the ,south ,seas02 and the other to 8,annexation1 and the ,future of the ,new ,hebrides40 ,both are of vital import among the ,public ,questions of the day2 and1 in the discussion of both1 his position and opportunities have led him to take a not inconsiderable share4 ,but the claims of what may more properly be regarded as the ,personal ,narrative were paramount2 and the allotted space1 within the limits of this volume1 left me1 for the present at least1 no other choice4 ,readers would think me foolishly uplifted1 if ,i indicated one-hundredth part of the chorus of approbation1 that has reached me regarding ,part ,first of this ,autobiography4 ,my best wish for the ,second ,volume is that it may be similarly welcomed2 and that it may bring a special blessing to as many hearts in all quarters of the world4 ,more than that ,i could not reasonably anticipate4 ,,james ,,paton1 ,editor4 ,glasgow1 ,october1 #ahhi4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,floating ,,of ,,the ,,dayspring4 ,,page ,preliminary ,note #a ,call for a ,mission ,ship #b ,a ,brutal ,captain #c ,sun-,worshippers1 or ,slaves8 #e ,the ,lights of ,sydney #f ,thrown upon the ,lord #g ,mr4 ,foss's ,open ,door #h ,climbing into ,pulpits #i ,shipping ,company for ,jesus #aj ,the ,golden ,shower #ab ,wanted6 ,more ,missionaries #ac ,commissioned to ,scotland #ad ,wayside ,incidents of ,australian ,travel #af ,lost in the ,bush #ag ,sinking in the ,swamp #ba ,put through my ,catechism #bc 8,do for the ,parson60 #bd ,crossing the ,colony on ,novel ,conditions #be ,pay-,day at a ,squatter's #bi ,three ,days in a ,public ,house #ca ,a ,meeting among the ,diggers #ce ,camping ,out #cg ,a ,squatter ,rescued #ci ,john ,gilpin's ,ride through the ,bush #dj ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,among ,,the ,,aborigines4 ,a ,fire-,water ,festival #dg ,at ,tea with the ,aborigines #dh 8,black ,fellow all ,gone60 #ej ,the ,poison-,gift of ,civilization #ea ,the 8,scattering0 of the ,blacks #eb ,the 8,brute-in-human-shape0 ,theory #ed ,the ,testimony of ,nora #ee ,nathaniel ,pepper and their 8,gods0 #eg ,smooth ,stone ,idols #eh ,rites and ,ceremonies #ei 8,too ,much ,devil-,devil0 #fj ,the ,quest for ,idols #fa ,visit to ,nora in the ,camp #fc ,independent ,testimonies #fe ,nora's own ,letters #fh ,the ,aborigines in ,settlements #ga ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,to ,,scotland ,,and ,,back4 ,dr4 ,inglis on the ,mission ,crisis #gc ,casting ,lots before the ,lord #gd ,struck by ,lightning #ge ,a ,peep at ,london #gf ,a ,heavenly ,welcome #gg ,the ,moderator's ,chair #gh ,reformed ,presbyterian ,church and ,free ,church #hj ,tour through ,scotland #hb ,a ,frosted ,foot #hc ,the ,children's ,holy ,league #hd ,missionary ,volunteers #he ,a ,god-provided ,help-,mate #hf ,farewell to the ,old ,family ,altar #hh ,first ,peep at the ,dayspring #ij ,the ,dayspring in a ,dead-,lock #ia ,tokens of ,deliverance #ic ,the ,john ,williams and the ,dayspring #ie ,australia's ,special ,call #ih ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,concerning ,,friends ,,and ,,foes4 ,first of ,missionary ,duties #ajj ,mar and ,noumea #aja ,the ,french in the ,pacific #ajc ,the ,curaoa ,affair #ajd ,the 8,gospel and ,gunpowder0 ,cry #aje ,the ,missionaries on their ,defence #ajf ,the ,mission ,synod's ,report #ajg ,the ,shelling of the ,tannese ,villages #aji ,public ,meeting and ,presbytery #aaa ,fighting at ,bay #aad ,federal ,union in ,missions #aae ,a ,fiery ,furnace at ,geelong #aaf ,results of ,australian ,tour #aai ,new ,hebrides ,mission ,adopted by ,colonies #abj ,,chapter ,v4 ,,settlement ,,on ,,aniwa4 ,the ,john ,williams on the ,reef #abc ,a ,native's ,soliloquy #abd ,nowar ,pleading for ,tanna #abe ,the ,white ,shells of ,nowar #abf ,the ,island of ,aniwa #abg ,first ,landing on ,aniwa #abi ,the ,site of our ,new ,home #acj 8,me no ,steal60 #aca ,house-,building for ,god #acb ,native ,expectations #ace ,tafigeitu or ,sorcery #acf ,the ,miracle of ,speaking ,wood #ach ,perils through ,superstition #aci ,the ,mission ,premises--a ,city of ,god #ada ,builders and their ,wages #adb ,great ,swimming ,feat #add ,stronger than the 8,gods0 of ,aniwa #ade ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,face ,,to ,,face ,,with ,,heathenism4 ,navalak and ,nemeyan on ,aniwa #adi ,taia the 8,orator0 #aej ,the ,two next ,aneityumese ,teachers #aea ,in the ,arms of ,murderers #aeb ,our ,first ,aniwan ,converts #aec ,litsi ,sor #aec ,surrounded by ,torches #aee ,traditions of ,creation1 ,fall1 and ,deluge #aef ,infanticide and ,wife-,murder #aei ,last ,heathen ,dance #afb ,nelwang's ,elopement #afc ,yakin's ,bridal ,attire #afi ,christ-,spirit versus ,war-,spirit #aga ,heathenism in ,death ,grips #agd ,a ,great ,aniwan ,palaver #age ,the ,sinking of the ,well #agf ,old ,chiefs ,sermon on 8,rain from ,below0 #ahi ,the ,idols ,cast ,away #aib ,the ,new ,social ,order #aid ,back of ,heathenism ,broken #aif ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,the ,,light ,,that ,,shineth ,,more ,,and ,,more4 ,my ,first ,aniwan ,book #aih ,the ,power of ,music #bja ,a ,pair of ,glass ,eyes #bjb ,church ,building for ,jesus #bjc ,the ,hanging of the ,bell #bjf ,patesa and his ,bride #bjg ,an ,armed ,embassage #baj ,youwili's ,taboo #bab ,the ,conversion of ,youwili #baf ,the ,tobacco ,idol #bah ,first ,communion on ,aniwa #bba ,our ,village ,day ,schools #bbc ,new ,social ,laws #bbe ,a ,sabbath ,day's ,work on ,aniwa #bbf ,our ,week-,day ,life #bbi ,the ,orphans and their ,biscuits #bca ,the ,wreck of the ,dayspring #bcc ,god's ,own ,finger ,posts #bcd 8,god's ,work our ,guarantee0 #bce ,profane ,swearers ,rebuked #bcg ,a ,heavenly ,vision #bch ,on ,wing through ,new ,zealand #bci ,our ,second ,dayspring #bdj ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,pen ,,portraits ,,of ,,aniwans4 ,the ,gospel in ,living ,capitals #bda 8,a ,shower of ,spears0 #bdc ,the ,tannese ,refugees #bdd ,pilgrimage and ,death of ,namakei #bde ,the ,character of ,naswai #bej ,christianity and ,cocoa-,nuts #bed ,nerwa the ,agnostic #bee ,nerwa's ,beautiful ,farewell #beh ,the ,story of ,ruwawa #bfj ,waiwai and his ,wives #bfb ,nelwang and ,kalangi #bfh ,mungaw and ,litsi ,sor #bgj ,the ,maddening of ,mungaw #bga ,the ,queen of ,aniwa a ,missionary #bge ,surrender of ,nasi to ,jesus #bgg ,daylight ,prayer ,meeting on ,aniwa #bhj ,candidates for ,baptism #bha ,the ,appeal and ,testimony of ,lamu #bhb ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,letters ,,from ,,aniwa4 ,editorial ,preface #bhe ,letter for #ahfg #bhf ,not ,tanna but ,aniwa #bhg 8,missi ,paton versus ,teapots0 #bhh ,the ,humour of ,taia #bhh ,evening ,village ,prayers #bhi 8,make ,him ,bokis sing0 #bhi ,my ,sewing ,class #bhi 8,that ,no ,gammon0 #bij 8,talk ,biritania0 #bij ,the ,marriage of ,kahi #bia ,letter for #ahfi #bib ,first ,communicants on ,aniwa #bib ,mungaw and the ,mission ,boys #bic ,the ,blessing of the ,dayspring #bid ,letter for #ahgd #bid ,home to ,aniwa #bie 8,taking ,possession0 #bif 8,another ,soul ,committed to our ,care0 #bif ,hutshi and her ,lover #big ,six ,missionaries on ,aniwa #bih ,letter for #ahge #bii ,missi ,paton and 8,joseph10 and the ,tannese #cjj ,a ,tropical ,hurricane #cja ,the ,disgrace and ,sale of ,hutshi #cjc ,taia ,baited by ,nalihi #cjh ,earthquakes and ,tidal ,waves #caj ,farewells #caa ,letter for #ahgh #cab ,a ,madman at ,large #cab ,the ,passing of ,yawaci #cbd ,madness and ,death of ,mungaw #cbe ,our ,native ,elders #ccd ,music on the ,waters #cce ,a ,wicked ,vow #cce ,letter for #ahgi #ccf ,new ,year's ,day on ,aniwa #ccf ,a ,miserable ,slaver #ccg ,litsi ,married ,again #ccg ,mission ,synod on ,erromanga #cch ,tragic and ,holy ,memories #cci ,daylight at last on ,tanna #cdj ,pigs in ,galore #cda ,arrowroot for ,jehovah #cda ,,chapter ,x4 ,,last ,,visit ,,to ,,britain4 8,wanted6 ,a ,steam ,auxiliary0 #cdb ,commissioned ,home to ,britain #cdc ,english ,presbyterian ,synod #cdd ,united ,presbyterian ,synod #cde ,the 8,veto0 from the ,sydney ,board #cde ,dr4 ,hood ,wilson #cdg ,the ,free ,church ,assembly #cdh ,neutrality of ,foreign ,mission ,committee #cdi ,the ,church of ,scotland #cej ,at ,holyrood and at ,alva ,house #cea ,irish ,presbyterian ,assembly #ceb ,the ,pan-,presbyterian ,council of #ahhd #cec ,my 8,plan of ,campaign0 #ced ,old ,ireland's ,response #cee ,operations in ,scotland #cef ,seventy ,letters in a ,day #ceh ,beautiful ,type of ,merchant #cei ,my ,first #ajj at ,dundee #cfj ,peculiar ,gifts and ,offerings #cfa ,approach to ,london #cfd ,mildmay's ,open ,door #cff ,largest ,single ,donation #cfg ,personal ,memories of ,london #cfh ,garden ,party at ,mr4 ,spurgeon's #cgj ,the ,hon4 ,ion ,keith-,falconer #cga ,three ,new ,missionaries #cgb 8,restitution ,money0 #cge ,the ,farewell at ,mildmay #cgf ,welcome to ,victoria #cgg ,the ,dream of my ,life #cgh ,the ,new ,mission ,ship ,delayed #cgh ,welcome back to ,aniwa #cgi ,parting ,testimony #chj ,fare-thee-well #chb ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations4 ,,mission ,,house ,,at ,,aniwa ,frontispiece4 8,,all ,,the ,,natives ,,within ,,reach ,,assembled0 ,to face p4 #abi ,i ,,want ,,you ,,to ,,train ,,litsi ,,for ,,jesus 0 #aec 8,,oh1 ,,my ,,new ,,eyes0 0 #bjc 8,i',,ll ,,knock ,,the ,,tevil ,,out ,,of ,,him0 0 #baa ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,floating ,,of ,,the 8,,dayspring40 ,preliminary ,note4--,call for a ,mission ,ship4--,a ,brutal ,captain4--,sun-,worshippers or ,slaves8--,the ,lights of ,sydney4--,thrown upon the ,lord4--,mr4 ,foss's ,open ,door4--,climbing into ,pulpits4--,shipping ,company for ,jesus4--,the ,golden ,shower4--,wanted ,more ,missionaries4--,commissioned to ,scotland4--,wayside ,incidents of ,australian ,travel4--,lost in the ,bush4--,sinking in the ,swamp4--,put ,through ,my ,catechism4--8,do for the ,parson60--,crossing the ,colony on ,novel ,conditions4--,pay-,day at a ,squatter's4--,three ,days in a ,public ,house4--,a ,meeting among the ,diggers4--,camping ,out4--,a ,squatter ,rescued4--,john ,gilpin's ,ride through the ,bush4 ,strange yet gratifying news has reached me4 ,part ,first of my ,autobiography has met with a wonderful response from the ,public4 ,within three weeks of its appearance1 a second edition has been called for4 ,at the ,editor's urgent appeal1 therefore1 and assured also that the finger of ,god is guiding me1 ,i take up my pen to write ,part ,second1 feeling that ,i am bound to do so by my promise at the close of the first volume1 and by loyalty to the ,lord1 who seems thus to use my humble life-story to promote the glory of ,his ,name both at home and abroad4 ,but1 oh1 surely never any man was called upon to write a book amid such distracting circumstances6 ,ceaselessly travelling from ,church to ,church and from town to town from one end of ,australia to the other1--addressing a meeting almost every evening of the week1 often also during the afternoons1 and several ,congregations and ,sabbath ,schools every ,lord's ,day1--the following pages are the outpourings of a heart saturated with the subject1 but bereft of all opportunity for quiet thought or studious hours4 ,having thus far done my part1 ,i leave all else to the careful ,editorship of my dear brother1 whose loving hand will put everything into shape for the public eyes4 ,this only ,i can sincerely testify1--,the ,lord has called for it1 and ,i lay on ,his altar the only gift that ,i have to offer1 believing that ,he will both accept it and use it as ,he sees to be for the best4 99 99 99 99 99 ,rescued from ,tanna by the ,blue ,bell in the ,spring of #ahfb1 ,i was landed on ,aneityum1 leaving behind me all that ,i owned on ,earth1 save the clothes upon my back1 my precious ,bible1 and a few translations that ,i had made from it into the ,tannese language4 ,the ,missionaries on ,aneityum--,messrs4 ,geddie and ,copeland--united1 after repeated deliberations1 in urging me to go to ,australia in the interests of our ,mission4 ,in this appeal they were joined now by my companions in tribulation1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,mathieson4 ,a ,mission ,ship was sorely needed--was absolutely required1 to prevent the needless sacrifice of devoted lives4 ,more ,missionaries were called for1 and must somehow be brought into the field1 unless the hope of claiming these fair ,islands for ,jesus was to be for ever abandoned4 ,with unaffected reluctance1 ,i at last felt constrained to undertake this unwelcome but apparently inevitable task4 ,it meant the leaving of my dear ,islanders for a season2 but it embraced within it the hope of returning to them again1 with perhaps every power of blessing amongst them tenfold increased4 ,a ,sandal-wooder1 then lying at ,aneityum1 was to sail in a few days direct for ,sydney4 ,my passage was secured for #aj4 ,and1 as if to make me realize how bare the ,lord had stripped me in my late trials1 the first thing that occupied me on board was the making with my own hands1 from a piece of cloth obtained on ,aneityum1 another shirt for the voyage1 to change with that which ,i wore--the only one that had been left to me4 ,the ,captain proved to be a profane and brutal fellow4 ,he professed to be a ,roman ,catholic1 but he was typical of the coarse and godless ,traders in those ,seas4 ,if he had exerted himself to make the voyage disagreeable1 and even disgusting1 he could scarcely have had better success4 ,he frequently fought with the mate and steward1 and his tyrannical bearing made every one wretched4 ,he and his ,native wife 7a ,heathen--but not more so than himself67 occupied the ,cabin4 ,i had to sleep on boards1 without a bed1 in a place where they stored the sandal-wood2 and never could take off my clothes by night or day during that voyage of nearly fourteen hundred miles4 ,the vessel was miserably supplied4 ,any food ,i got was scarcely eatable1 and was sent to me in a plate on deck4 ,there ,i spent all my time1 except at night or in heavy rain1 when ,i crept in and lay upon my planks4 ,the poor steward often came rushing on deck from the cabin1 with blood streaming from his face1 struck by the passionate ,captain with whatever came to his hand4 ,yet he appeared to be a smart and obliging lad1 and ,i pitied him exceedingly4 ,seeing no hope for redress1 ,i took careful notes of his shocking treatment1 and resolved to bide my time for exposing this base and cruel inhumanity4 ,on reaching ,sydney1 the steward was dismissed without wages1--the ,captain having accused him to his employers of refusing to work on board4 ,he found me out1 and told me1 weeping1 that he cared more for his poor aged mother than himself1 as his pay was all her support4 ,on my advice1 he informed the ,captain that he would summon him1 and that ,i had consented to appear in ,court and produce my notes of what ,i had seen1 day by day1 on the voyage4 ,he was immediately paid in full1 and came to me big with gratitude4 ,one hesitates to dwell further on this miserable episode4 ,but ,i must relate how my heart bled for some poor ,islanders also1 whom that ,captain had on board4 ,they knew not a word of ,english1 and no one in the vessel knew a sound of their language4 ,they were made to work1 and to understand what was expected of them1 only by hard knocks and blows1 being pushed and pulled hither and thither4 ,they were kept quite naked on the voyage up2 but1 when nearing ,sydney1 each received two yards of calico to be twisted as a kilt around his loins4 ,a most pathetic spectacle it was to watch these poor ,natives1--when they had leisure to sit on deck1--gazing1 gazing1 intently and imploringly1 upon the face of the ,sun6 ,this they did every day1 and at all hours1 and ,i wept much to look on them1 and not be able to tell them of the ,son of ,god1 the ,light of the world1 for ,i knew no word of their language4 ,perhaps they were worshippers of the ,sun2 and perhaps1 amid all their misery1 oh1 perhaps1 some ray of truth from the great ,father of ,lights may have streamed into those darkened souls6 ,when we arrived at ,sydney1 the ,inspecting ,officer of the ,government1 coming on board1 asked how these ,islanders came to be there4 ,the ,captain impudently replied that they were 8passengers40 ,no further question was put4 ,no other evidence was sought4 ,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 ,slaves4 ,they would be privately disposed of by the ,captain to the highest bidder2 and that1 forsooth1 is to be called the ,labour ,traffic4 ,about midnight we came to anchor in ,sydney harbour4 ,the ,captain condescended to say1 8,i will not drive you ashore to-night1 but you must be off by daylight40 ,his orders might have been spared4 ,it was too great a relief to get away from such coarseness and profanity4 ,as we came to anchorage1 ,i anxiously paced the deck1 gazing towards the gas-lighted city1 and pleading with ,god to open up my way1 and give success in the work before me1 on which the salvation of thousands of the ,heathen might depend4 ,still ,i saw them perishing1 still heard their wailing cry on the ,islands behind me4 ,i saw them groaning under blinding superstitions1 and imbruing their hands in each other's blood1 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 failure4 ,but ,i felt also that there must be many of ,god's dear people in ,sydney who would sympathize with such work and help me1 if only ,i could get access to them4 ,at the same time1 ,i knew not a soul in that great city2 though ,i had a note of introduction to one person1 which1 as experience proved1 ,i would have been better without4 ,unfortunately1 ,i had not with me a copy of the ,resolution of the ,missionaries1 commissioning me to plead their cause and to raise funds for the new ,mission ,ship4 ,again and again ,i had earnestly requested it1 but the ,clerk of the meeting1 pressed by correspondence1 or for some other reason1 gave me instead that note of introduction1 which proved more of a hindrance than a help in launching my work2 except that it threw me more exclusively on the guidance of my ,lord1 and taught me to trust in ,him1 and in the resources ,he had given me1 rather than in any human aid1 from that day till the present hour4 ,that friend1 however1 did his best4 ,he kindly called with me on a number of ,ministers and others4 ,they heard my story1 sympathized with me1 shook hands1 and wished me success2 but1 strangely enough1 something 8very special0 prevented every one of them from giving me access to his pulpit or ,sabbath ,school4 ,at length1 ,i felt so disappointed1 so miserable1 that ,i wished ,i had been in my grave with my dear departed and my brethren on the ,islands who had fallen around me1 in order that the work on which so much now appeared to depend might have been entrusted to some one better fitted to accomplish it4 ,the heart seemed to keep repeating1 8,all these things are against thee40 ,finding out at last the ,rev4 ,a4 ,buzacott1 then retired1 but formerly the successful and honoured representative of the ,london ,missionary ,society on ,rarotonga1 considerable light was let in upon the mysteries of my last week's experiences4 ,he informed me that the highly esteemed friend1 who had kindly been introducing me all round1 was at that moment immersed in a keen ,newspaper war with ,presbyterians and ,independents4 ,he had published statements and changes of view1 which charged them with being unscriptural in belief and practice4 ,they1 of course1 were rigorously defending themselves4 ,this made it painfully manifest that1 in order to succeed1 ,i must strike out a new course for myself1 and one clear from all local entanglement4 ,paying a fortnight in advance1 ,i withdrew even from the lodging ,i had taken1 and turned to the ,lord more absolutely for guidance4 ,he brought me into contact with good and generous-souled servants of ,his1 the open-hearted ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,foss4 ,though entire strangers1 they kindly invited me to be their guest while in ,sydney1 assuring me that ,i would meet with many ,ministers and other ,christians at their house who could help me in my work4 ,god had opened the door2 ,i entered with a grateful heart2 they will not miss their recompence4 ,a letter and appeal had been already printed on behalf of our ,mission4 ,i now re-cast and reprinted it1 adding a postscript1 and appending my own name and new address4 ,this was widely circulated among ,ministers and others engaged in ,christian work2 and by this means1 and by letters in the ,newspapers1 ,i did everything in my power to make our ,mission known4 ,but one week had passed1 and no response came4 ,one ,lord's ,day had gone by1 and no pulpit had been opened to me4 ,i was perplexed beyond measure1 how to get access to ,congregations and ,sabbath ,schools2 though a ,something deep in my soul assured me1 that if once my lips were opened1 the ,word of the ,lord would not return void4 ,on my second ,sabbath in ,sydney1 ,i wandered out with a great yearning at heart to get telling my message to any soul that would listen4 ,it was the afternoon2 and children were flocking into a ,church that ,i passed4 ,i followed them--that yearning growing stronger every moment4 ,my ,god so ordered it1 that ,i was guided thus to the ,chalmers ,presbyterian ,church4 ,the ,minister1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,mc,skimming1 addressed the children4 ,at the close ,i went up and pleaded with him to allow me ten minutes to speak to them4 ,after a little hesitation1 and having consulted together1 they gave me fifteen minutes4 ,becoming deeply interested1 the good man invited me to preach to his ,congregation in the evening4 ,this was duly intimated in the ,sabbath ,school2 and thus my little boat was at last launched--surely by the hand of the dear ,lord1 with the help of ,his little children4 ,the kindly ,minister1 now very deeply interested1 offered to spend the next day in introducing me to his clerical brethren4 ,for his sake1 ,i was most cordially received by them all1 but especially by ,dr4 ,dunsmore ,lang1 who greatly helped me2 and now access was granted me to almost every ,church and ,sabbath ,school1 both ,presbyterian and ,independent4 ,in ,sabbath ,schools1 ,i got a collection in connection with my address1 and distributed1 with the sanction of ,superintendents1 ,collecting ,cards amongst the children1 to be returned through the teachers within a specified date4 ,in ,congregations1 ,i received for the ,mission the surplus over and above the ordinary collection when ,i preached on ,sabbaths1 and the full collection at all week-night meetings for which ,i could arrange4 ,i now appealed to a few of the most friendly ,ministers to form themselves into an ,honorary ,committee of advice2 and1 at my earnest request1 they got ,j4 ,goodlet1 ,esq41 an excellent elder1 to become ,honorary ,treasurer1 and to take charge of all funds raised for the ,mission ,ship4 ,for the ,public knew nothing of me2 but all knew my good ,treasurer and these faithful ,ministers1 and had confidence in the work4 ,they knew that every penny went direct to the ,mission2 and they saw that my one object was to promote ,god's glory in the conversion of the ,heathen4 ,our dear ,lord ,jesus thus opened up my way1 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 expectation4 ,it was now that ,i began a little plan of interesting the children1 that attracted them from the first1 and has since had an amazing development4 ,i made them shareholders in the new ,mission ,ship--each child receiving a printed form1 in acknowledgment of the number of shares1 at sixpence each1 of which he was the owner4 ,thousands of these shares were taken out1 were shown about amongst families1 and were greatly prized4 ,the ,ship was to be their very own6 ,they were to be a great ,shipping ,company for ,jesus4 ,in hundreds of homes1 these receipt-forms have been preserved2 and their owners1 now in middle years1 are training their children of to-day to give their pennies to support the white-winged ,angel of the ,seas1 that bears the ,gospel and the ,missionary to the ,heathen ,isles4 ,let no one think me ungrateful to my good ,treasurer and his wife1 to ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,moon1 and to other dear friends who generously helped me1 when ,i trace step by step how the ,lord opened up my way4 ,the ,angel of ,his ,presence went before me1 and wonderfully moved ,his people to contribute in answer to my poor appeals4 ,i had indeed to make all my own arrangements1 and correspond regarding all engagements and details1--to me1 always a slow and laborious writer1 a very burdensome task4 ,but it was all necessary in order to the fulfilment of the ,lord's purposes2 and1 to one who realizes that he is a fellow-labourer with ,jesus1 every yoke that ,he lays on becomes easy and every burden light4 ,having done all that could at that time be accomplished in ,new ,south ,wales1 and as rapidly as possible1 my ,committee gave me a ,letter of ,commendation to ,victoria4 ,but there ,i had no difficulty4 ,the ministers had heard of our work in ,sydney4 ,they received me most cordially1 and at my request formed themselves into a ,committee of ,advice4 ,our dear friend1 ,james ,mc,bain1 ,esq41 now ,sir ,james1 became ,honorary ,treasurer4 ,all moneys from this ,colony1 raised by my pleading for the ,ship1 were entrusted to him2 and1 ultimately1 the acknowledging of every individual sum cost much time and labour4 ,dr4 ,cairns1 and many others now gone to their rest1 along with several honoured ,ministers yet living1 formed my ,committee4 ,the ,lord richly reward them all in that ,day6 ,as in ,new ,south ,wales1 ,i made all my own engagements1 and arranged for ,churches and ,sabbath ,schools as best ,i could4 ,few in the other ,denominations of ,victoria gave any help1 but the ,presbyterians rose to our appeal as with one heart4 ,god moved them by one impulse2 and ,ministers1 ,superintendents1 ,teachers and ,children heartily embraced the scheme as their own4 ,i addressed three or four meetings every ,sabbath1 and one or more every week-day2 and thus travelled over the length and breadth of ,victoria1 ,tasmania1 and ,south ,australia4 ,wheresoever a few of the ,lord's people could be gathered together1 thither ,i gladly went1 and told the story of our ,mission1 setting forth its needs and claims4 ,the contributions and collections were nearly all in very small sums4 ,i recall only one exception1--a gift of #bej from the late ,hon4 ,g4 ,f4 ,angus1 ,south ,australia1 whose heart the ,lord had touched4 ,yet gently and steadily the required money began to come pouring in2 and my personal outlays were reduced to a minimum by the hospitality of ,christian friends and their kindly conveying of me from place to place4 ,for all this ,i felt deeply grateful2 it saved money for the ,lord's work4 ,each of my ,treasurers1 to whom all contributions were sent direct1 kept me duly posted as to sums received from time to time4 ,the progress made soon led on to the resolution to aim at a ,ship three times the size of that originally proposed4 ,we set apart the sum of #c1jjj as necessary for it2 and ,i vowed1 in my solitude1 that if ,god sent an additional #hjj within a given time1 that would be my ,gideon's fleece1 and would warrant me in going home to ,scotland to secure more ,missionaries for the ,islands4 ,by this time1 ,i had heard of the death of my dear fellow-labourers1 ,mrs4 ,mathieson on ,aneityum1 and shortly thereafter ,mr4 ,mathieson on ,mar4 ,i alone was now left to tell the story of the planting of the ,standard on ,tanna1--our ,mission numbered then only four agents in the field1--and the thought arose1 ,why keep a ,mission ,vessel for so few8 ,the resolution was1 therefore1 taken in ,god's ,name to get more ,missionaries too4 ,but this1 as yet1 was betwixt my own soul and the ,lord4 ,the work was unceasingly prosecuted4 ,meetings were urged upon me now from every quarter4 ,money flowed in so freely that1 at the close of my tour1 the fund had risen to #e1jjj1 including special ,donations of #cjj for the support of ,native ,teachers4 ,many ,sabbath ,schools1 and many ladies and gentlemen1 had individually promised the sum of #e yearly to keep a ,native ,teacher on one or other of the ,new ,hebrides ,islands4 ,this happy custom prevails still1 and is largely developed2 the sum required being now #f per annum at least--for which you may have your own personal representative toiling among the ,heathen and telling them of ,jesus4 ,returning to ,melbourne1 the whole matter was laid before my ,committee4 ,i reported how ,god had blessed the undertaking1 and what sums were now in the hands of the several ,treasurers1 indicating also what larger hopes and plans had been put into my soul4 ,dear ,dr4 ,cairns rose and said1 8,sir1 it is of the ,lord4 ,this whole enterprise is of ,god1 and not of us4 ,go home1 and ,he will give you more ,missionaries for the ,islands40 ,my ever-honoured friends1 ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,inglis1 had just returned to ,melbourne from ,britain1 where they had been carrying the complete ,new ,testament in ,aneityumese through the press4 ,dr4 ,inglis was present at that meeting1 and approved warmly of my going home for more ,missionaries1 especially as from want of time and opportunity he had not himself succeeded in getting any additions to our ,missionary staff4 ,melbourne held a ,farewell meeting4 ,the ,governor1 ,sir ,henry ,barkley1 took the chair4 ,the ,hall was crowded2 and the ,governor's sympathetic utterances arrested public attention and deepened the interest in our ,mission4 ,the fact was emphasized that this work1 lying at their very doors in the ,pacific ,seas1 had peculiar claims on the heart and conscience of ,australia4 ,thence ,i hasted to ,sydney1 and reported myself also there4 ,the ,new ,south ,wales ,committee gave their cordial approval to our larger plans4 ,a ,farewell was held there too2 and the ,governor1 ,sir ,john ,young1 took the chair4 ,the meeting was a great success4 ,his presence1 and his excellent speech1 again helped to fix the eyes of all ,australians on the peculiar claims of the ,new ,hebrides4 ,this was their work1 more than that of any other people on the face of the ,earth4 ,the awakening of this consciousness1 and intensifying it into a practical and burning faith1 was a great and far-reaching achievement for ,australia and for the ,islanders4 ,it is one of the purest joys of my life1 that in this work ,i was honoured to have some share1 along with many other dear servants of the ,lord4 ,of the money which ,i had raised1 #c1jjj were sent to ,nova ,scotia1 to pay for the building of our new ,mission ,ship1 the ,dayspring4 ,the ,church which began the ,mission on the ,new ,hebrides was granted the honour of building its first ,mission ,ship4 ,the remainder was set apart to pay for the outfit and passage of additional ,missionaries for the field1 and ,i was commissioned to return home to ,scotland in quest of them4 ,dr4 ,inglis wrote1 in vindication of this enterprise1 to the friends whom he had just left1 8,from first to last1 ,mr4 ,paton's mission here has been a great success2 and it has been followed up with such energy and promptitude in ,nova ,scotia1 both in regard to the ,ship and the ,missionaries1 that ,mr4 ,paton's pledge to the ,australian ,churches has been fully redeemed4 ,the hand of the ,lord has been very visible in the whole movement from beginning to end1 and we trust ,he has yet great blessing in store for the long and deeply degraded ,islanders40 ,here let me turn aside from the current of ,missionary toils1 and record a few wayside incidents that marked some of my wanderings to and fro in connection with the ,floating of the ,dayspring4 ,travelling in the ,colonies in #ahfb-fc was vastly less developed than it is to-day2 and a few of my experiences then will for many reasons be not unwelcome to most readers of this book4 ,besides1 these incidents1 one and all1 will be felt to have a vital connection with the main purpose of writing this ,autobiography1 namely1 to show that the ,finger of ,god is as visible still1 to those who have eyes to see1 as when the fire-cloud ,pillar led ,his ,people through the wilderness4 ,twenty-six years ago1 the roads of ,australia1 except those in and around the principal towns1 were mere tracks over unfenced plains and hills1 and on many of them packhorses only could be used in slushy weather4 ,during long journeys through the bush1 the traveller could find his road only by following the deep notches1 gashed by friendly precursors into the larger trees1 and all pointing in one direction4 ,if he lost his way1 he had to struggle back to the last indented tree1 and try to interpret more correctly its pilgrim notch4 ,experienced bush-travellers seldom miss the path2 yet many others1 losing the track1 have wandered round and round till they sank and died4 ,for then1 it was easy to walk thirty or forty miles1 and see neither a person nor a house4 ,the more intelligent do sometimes guide their steps by sun1 moon1 and stars1 or by glimpses of mountain peaks or natural features on the far and high horizon1 or by the needle of the compass2 but the perils are not illusory1 and occasionally the most experienced have miscalculated and perished4 ,an intelligent gentleman1 a sheep farmer1 who knew the country well1 once kindly volunteered to lift me in an out-of-the-way place1 and drive me to a meeting at his ,station4 ,having a long spell before us1 we started at midday in a buggy drawn by a pair of splendid horses1 in the hope of reaching our destination before dusk4 ,he turned into the usual bush-track through the forests1 saying1-- 8,i know this road well2 and we must drive steadily1 as we have not a moment to lose40 ,our conversation became absorbingly interesting4 ,after we had driven about three hours1 he remarked1-- 8,we must soon emerge into the open plain40 ,i doubtfully replied1 8,surely we cannot have turned back6 ,these trees and bushes are wonderfully like those we passed at starting40 ,he laughed1 and made me feel rather vexed that ,i had spoken1 when he said1 8,i am too old a hand in the bush for that6 ,i have gone this road many a time before40 ,but my courage immediately revived1 for ,i got what appeared to me a glint of the roof of the ,inn beyond the bush1 from which we had started at noon1 and ,i repeated1 8,i am certain we have wheeled1 and are back at the beginning of our journey2 but there comes a ,chinaman2 let us wait and inquire40 ,my dear friend learned1 to his utter amazement1 that he had erred4 ,the bush-track was entered upon once more1 and followed with painful care1 as he murmured1 half to himself1 8,well1 this beats all reckoning6 ,i could have staked my life that this was impossible40 ,turning to me1 he said1 with manifest grief1 8,our meeting is done for6 ,it will be midnight before we can arrive40 ,the sun was beginning to set1 as we reached the thinly timbered ground4 ,ere dusk fell1 he took his bearings with the greatest possible care4 ,beyond the wood1 a vast plain stretched before us1 where neither fence nor house was visible1 far as the eye could reach4 ,he drove steadily towards a far-distant point1 which was in the direction of his home4 ,at last we struck upon the wire fence that bounded his property4 ,the horses were now getting badly fagged2 and1 in order to save them a long round-about drive1 he lifted and laid low a portion of the fence1 led his horses cautiously over it1 and1 leaving it to be re-erected by a servant next day1 he started direct for the ,station4 ,that seemed a long journey too2 but it was for him familiar ground2 and through amongst great patriarchal trees here and there1 and safely past dangerous water-holes1 we swung steadily on1 reached his home in safety1 and had a joyous welcome4 ,the household had by this time got into great excitement over our non-appearance4 ,the expected meeting had1 of course1 been abandoned hours ago2 and the people were all gone1 wondering in their hearts 8whereto this would grow60 ,at that time1 in the depth of winter1 the roads were often wrought into rivers of mire1 and at many points almost impassable even for well-appointed conveyances4 ,in connection therewith1 ,i had one very perilous experience4 ,i had to go from ,clunes to a farm in the ,learmouth district4 ,the dear old ,minister there1 ,mr4 ,downes1 went with me to every place where a horse could be hired2 but the owners positively refused--they would sell1 but they would not hire1 for the conveyance would be broken1 and the horse would never return alive6 ,now1 ,i was advertised to preach at ,learmouth1 and must somehow get over the nine miles that lay between4 ,this would have been comparatively practicable1 were it not that ,i carried with me an indispensable bag of 8curios10 and a heavy bundle of clubs1 arrows1 dresses1 etc41 from the ,islands1 wherewith to illustrate my lectures and enforce my appeals4 ,no one could be hired to carry my luggage1 nor could ,i get it sent after me by coach on that particular way4 ,therefore1 seeing no alternative opening in my path1 ,i committed myself once more to the ,lord1 as in harder trials before1 shouldered my bundle of clubs1 lifted my heavy bag1 and started off on foot4 ,they urged me fervently to desist2 but ,i heard a voice repeating1 8,as thy days1 so shall thy strength be40 ,there came back to me also the old adage that had in youthful difficulties spurred me on1 8,where there's a will1 there's a way40 ,and ,i thought that1 with these two in his heart1 a ,scotchman would not be easily beaten4 ,when ,i found the road wrought into mire1 and dangerous1 or impassable1 ,i climbed the fence1 and waded along in the ploughed fields--though they were nearly as bad4 ,my bundle was changed from shoulder to shoulder1 and my bag from hand to hand1 till ,i became thoroughly tired of both4 ,pressing on1 however1 ,i arrived at a wayside ,public ,house1 where several roads met1 and there ,i inquired the way to ,learmouth1 and how far it was4 ,the ,innkeeper1 pointing1 answered1-- 8,this is the road4 ,if you are on horseback1 it might be three to four miles just now1 as your horse is able to take it4 ,if you are in a conveyance1 with a good horse1 it might be six miles4 ,and if you are walking1 it might be eight or ten miles1 or even more40 ,i said1 8,i am walking4 ,how many ,english miles is it to ,mr4 ,baird's farm80 ,he laughingly replied1 8,you will find it a long way indeed this dark night1 considering the state of the road1 fenced in on both sides so that you cannot get off40 ,i passed on1 leaving my ,job's comforter2 but a surly watch-dog got upon my track1 and ,i had much difficulty in keeping it from biting me4 ,its attacks1 renewed upon me again and again1 had one good effect1--they stirred up my spirits and made me hasten on4 ,having persevered along the ,learmouth road1 ,i next met a company of men hastening on with a bundle of ropes4 ,they were on their way to relieve a poor bullock1 which by this time had almost disappeared1 sinking in the mire on the public highway6 ,they kindly pointed me to a light1 visible through the dusk4 ,that was the farm at which ,i was to stay1 and they advised me to clear the fence1 and make straight for that light1 as the way was good4 ,with thankful heart1 ,i did so4 ,the light was soon lost to me1 but ,i walked steadily on in the direction thereof1 to the best of my judgment4 ,immediately ,i began to feel the ground all floating under me4 ,then at every step ,i took1 or tried to take1 ,i sank deeper and deeper1 till at last ,i durst not move either backward or forward4 ,i was floundering in a deadly swamp4 ,i called out again and again1 and 8coo-ee-d0 with all my strength1 but there came no reply4 ,it grew extremely dark1 while ,i kept praying to ,god for deliverance4 ,about midnight1 ,i heard two men conversing1 apparently at no very great distance4 ,i began 8coo-ee-ing0 again1 but my strength was failing4 ,fortunately1 the night was perfectly calm4 ,the conversation ceased for a while2 but ,i kept on crying for help4 ,at length1 ,i heard one voice remark to the other1--8,some one is in the swamp40 ,and then a question came1 8,who's there80 ,i answered1 8,a stranger4 ,oh1 do help me60 ,again a voice came through the darkness1 8,how did you get in there80 ,and ,i feebly replied1 8,i have lost my way40 ,i heard the one say to the other3 8,i will go and get him out1 whoever he may be4 ,we must not leave him there2 he'll be dead before the morning4 ,as you pass by our door1 tell my wife that ,i'm helping some poor creature out of the swamp1 and will be home immediately40 ,he kept calling to me1 and ,i answering his call through the darkness1 till1 not without peril1 he managed to reach and aid me4 ,once ,i was safely dragged out1 he got my bag in his hand and slung my clubs on his shoulder1 and in a very short time landed me at the farm1 dripping and dirty and cold4 ,had ,god not sent that man to save me1 ,i must have perished there1 as many others have similarly perished before4 ,the farmer heartily welcomed me and kindly ministered to all my needs4 ,though not yet gone to rest1 they had given up all hope of seeing me4 ,i heard the kind servant say to his mistress1-- 8,i don't know where he came from1 or how far he has carried his bundles2 but ,i got him stuck fast in the swamp1 and my shoulder is already sore from carrying his clubs60 ,a cup of warm tea restored me4 ,the ,lord gave me a sound and blessed sleep4 ,i rose next morning wonderfully refreshed1 though arms and shoulders were rather sore with the burdens of yesterday4 ,i conducted three ,services1 and told the story of my ,mission1 not without comfort and blessing2 and with gratifying results in money4 ,the people gave liberally to the work4 ,one day1 after this1 ,i was driving a long distance on the outside of a crowded coach4 ,a grave and sensible-looking ,scotchman sat next me4 ,he had inquiringly marked me reading in silence1 while all around were conversing on matters of common interest4 ,at last1 he queried1--8,are you a ,minister80 ,i answered1 8,yes40 8,where is your ,church80 8,i have no ,church40 8,where are you placed80 8,i am not placed in any charge now40 8,where is your home80 8,i have no home40 8,where have you come from80 8,the ,south ,sea ,islands40 8,what are you doing in ,australia80 8,pleading the cause of the ,mission40 8,are you a ,presbyterian80 8,i am40 ,having gone through this ,catechism to his satisfaction1 a most interesting and profitable conversation followed4 ,when the time came for the payment of fares1 nothing would please but that ,i must allow him to pay for me--some twenty-two shillings--which he did with all his heart1 protesting1-- 8,a joy to me1 ,sir1 a great joy2 ,i honour you for your work's sake60 ,thereafter1 a ,schoolmaster drove me a long distance across the country to ,violet ,town1 where for the night we had to stay at an ,inn4 ,we had a taste of what ,australian life really was1 when the land was being broken in4 ,a company of wild and reckless men were carousing there at the time1 and our arrival was the signal for an outbreak of malicious mischief4 ,a powerful fellow1 who turned out to be a young ,medical1 rushed upon me as ,i left the conveyance1 seized me by the throat1 and shook me roughly1 shouting1-- 8,a parson1 a parson6 ,i will do for the parson60 ,others with great difficulty relieved me from his grips1 and dragged him away1 cursing as if at his mortal enemy4 ,after tea1 we got into the only bedroom in the house1 available for two4 ,the ,teacher and ,i locked ourselves in and barricaded the door1 hearing in the next room a large party of drunken men gambling and roaring over their cards4 ,by-and-by they quarrelled and fought2 they smashed in and out of their room1 and seemed to be murdering each other2 every moment we expected our door to come crashing in1 as they were thrown or lurched against it4 ,their very language made us tremble4 ,one man in particular seemed to be badly abused2 he shouted that they were robbing him of his money2 and he groaned and cried for protection1 all in vain4 ,we spent a sleepless and most miserable night4 ,at four in the morning ,i arose1 and was glad to get away by the early coach4 ,my friend also left in his own conveyance1 and reached his home in safety4 ,at that period1 it was not only painful but dangerous for any decent traveller to stay at many of these wayside ,inns1 in the new and rough country4 ,every man lived and acted just as he pleased1 doing that which was right in his own eyes2 and ,might was ,right4 ,after this1 ,i made a ,mission tour1 in a somewhat mixed and original fashion1 right across the ,colony of ,victoria1 from ,albury in ,new ,south ,wales to ,mount ,gambier in ,south ,australia4 ,i conducted ,mission ,services almost every day1 and three or more every ,sabbath1 besides visiting all ,sunday ,schools that could be touched on the way4 ,when ,i reached a gold-digging or township1 where ,i had been unable to get any one to announce a meeting1 the first thing ,i did on arriving was to secure some ,church or ,hall1 and1 failing that1 to fix on some suitable spot in the open air4 ,then1 ,i was always able to hire some one to go round with the bell1 and announce the meeting4 ,few will believe how large were the audiences in this way gathered together1 and how very substantial was the help that thereby came to the ,mission fund4 ,besides1 ,i know that much good was done to many of those addressed2 for ,i have always1 to this hour1 combined the ,evangelist's appeal with the ,missionary's story1 in all public addresses1 whether on ,sabbath or other days4 ,i tried to bring every soul to feel personal duty and responsibility to the ,lord ,jesus1 for ,i knew that then they would rightly understand the claims of the ,heathen4 ,wheresoever railway1 steamboat1 and coach were available1 ,i always used them2 but failing these1 ,i hired1 or was obliged to friends of ,missions for driving me from place to place4 ,on this tour1 having reached a certain place1 from which my way lay for many miles across the country where there was no public conveyance1 ,i walked to the nearest squatter's ,station and frankly informed the owner how ,i was situated2 that ,i could not hire1 and that ,i would like to stay at his house all night1 if he would kindly send me on in the morning by any sort of trap to the next ,station on my list4 ,he happened to be a good ,christian and a ,presbyterian1 and gave me a right cordial welcome4 ,a meeting of his servants was called1 which ,i had the pleasure of addressing4 ,next morning1 he gave me #bj1 and sent me forward with his own conveyance1 telling me to retain it all day1 if necessary4 ,on reaching the next squatter's ,station1 ,i found the master also at home1 and said1-- 8,i am a ,missionary from the ,south ,sea ,islands4 ,i am crossing ,victoria to plead the cause of the ,mission4 ,i would like to rest here for an hour or two4 ,could you kindly send me on to the next ,station by your conveyance8 ,if not1 ,i am to keep the last squatter's buggy1 until ,i reach it40 ,looking with a queer smile at me1 he replied1--8,you propose a rather novel condition on which to rest at my house6 ,my horses are so employed to-day1 ,i fear that ,i may have difficulty in sending you on4 ,but come in2 both you and your horses need rest2 and my wife will be glad to see you40 ,i immediately discovered that the good lady came from ,glasgow1 from a street in which ,i had lodged when a student at the ,free ,normal ,college4 ,i even knew some of her friends4 ,all the places of her youthful associations were equally familiar to me4 ,we launched out into deeply interesting conversation1 which finally led up1 of course1 to the story of our ,mission4 ,the gentleman1 by this time1 had so far been won1 that he slipped out and sent my conveyance and horses back to their owner1 and ordered his own to be ready to take me to the next ,station1 or1 if need be1 to the next again4 ,at parting1 the lady said to her husband1-- 8,the ,missionary has asked no money1 though he sees we have been deeply interested2 yet clearly that is the object of his tour4 ,he is the first ,missionary from the ,heathen that ever visited us here2 and you must contribute something to his ,mission fund40 ,i thanked her1 explaining1 8,i never ask money directly from any person for the ,lord's work4 ,my part is done when ,i have told my story and shown the needs of the ,heathen and the claims of ,christ2 but ,i gratefully receive all that the ,lord moves ,his people to give for the ,mission40 ,her husband replied1 rather sharply1 8,you know ,i don't keep money here40 ,to which she retorted with ready tact and with a resistless smile1 8,but you keep a cheque book2 and your cheque is as good as gold6 ,this is the first donation we ever gave to such a cause1 and let it be a good one40 ,he made it indeed handsome1 and ,i went on my way1 thanking them very sincerely1 and thanking ,god4 ,at the next ,station1 the owner turned out to be a gruff ,irishman1 forbidding and insolent4 ,stating my case to him as to the others1 he shouted at me1 8,go on6 ,i don't want to be troubled with the loikes o' you here40 ,i answered1 8,i am sorry if my coming troubles you2 but ,i wish you every blessing in ,christ ,jesus4 ,good-bye60 ,as we drove off1 he shouted curses after us4 ,on leaving his door1 ,i heard a lady calling to him from the window3 8,don't let that ,missionary go away6 ,make haste and call him back4 ,i want the children to see the idols and the ,south ,sea curios40 ,at first he drowned her appeal in his own shoutings4 ,but she must have persisted effectually2 for shortly we heard him 8coo-ee-ing10 and stopped4 ,when he came up to us1 he explained3 8,that lady in my house heard you speaking in ,melbourne4 ,the ladies and children are very anxious to see your idols1 dresses1 and weapons4 ,will you please come back80 ,we did so4 ,i spent fifteen minutes or so1 giving them information about the ,natives and our ,mission4 ,as ,i left1 our boisterous friend handed me a cheque for #e1 and wished me great success6 ,the next ,station at which we arrived was one of the largest of all4 ,it happened to be a sort of pay day1 and men were assembled from all parts of the run1 and were to remain there over night4 ,the squatter and his family were from home2 but ,mr4 ,todd1 the overseer1 being a good ,christian and a ,scotchman1 was glad to receive us1 arranged to hold a meeting that evening in the men's hut1 and promised to set me forward on my journey next day4 ,the meeting was very enthusiastic2 and they subscribed #bj to the ,mission--every man being determined to have so many shares in the new ,mission ,ship4 ,with earnest personal dealing1 ,i urged the claims of the ,lord ,jesus upon all who were present1 seeking the salvation of every hearer4 ,i ever found even the rough digger1 and the lowest of the hands about faraway ,stations1 most attentive and perfectly respectful4 ,to the honour of ,australia ,i must here record1 that anything like uncivil treatment was a rare exception in all my travels4 ,sometimes1 indeed1 ,i have suspected that people were acting as if to say1 ,let us treat him kindly1 do as little for his cause as we can1 and get rid of him as quickly as possible6 ,but1 as a rule1 almost without an exception1 ,i have met with remarkable kindness1 hospitality1 and help from all the ,ministers and people of ,australia4 ,scarcely ever1 at any place visited1 was ,i without one or more invitations to be guest of some of the ,lord's people2 and ,i was there treated as a dear friend of the family1 rather than a passing stranger4 ,colonials1 indeed1 are proverbial for the open door and the generous hand to pilgrims by the way4 ,may the ,divine ,master grant them evermore of ,his own ,spirit1 with ,his ever-enriching blessings on their ,souls and in their homes6 ,disappointments and successes were strangely intermingled4 ,once ,i travelled a very long way to conduct a meeting at a certain township4 ,i had written pleading with the ,minister to make due intimation2 but he had informed no person of my intended visit1 neither had he written to me1 which he could easily have done4 ,when ,i arrived1 he met me on horseback1 said1 8,i have arranged no meeting here10 and instantly rode away4 ,only two coaches weekly passed that way1 so ,i had to remain there at a ,public ,house for the next three days4 ,drinking and noise1 of course1 abounded2 but they kindly gave me a small back room1 as far away as possible1 and looking out into a quiet garden4 ,it was to cost me thirteen shillings and sixpence per day2 and there ,i sat patiently and somewhat sadly working up my heavy correspondence4 ,the district was rich1 and ,i knew that there were pious as well as wealthy people there1 who could have been interested in our ,mission and would have helped me1--hence my keen disappointment4 ,on the afternoon of the second day1 ,i saw a beautiful garden from my bedroom window1 wherein a considerable party of ladies1 gentlemen1 and handsomely dressed children were disporting in happy amusements4 ,thinking that they were growing tired1 and might not object to a little variety1 ,i summoned courage to walk up and ask for the gentleman of the house4 ,i told him that ,i was a ,missionary from the ,south ,sea ,islands and had come here to address a meeting1 and how ,i had been disappointed2 that ,i was staying at the ,public ,house till the next ,mail passed inland1 and that ,i had there some ,heathen idols1 clubs1 dresses1 and 8curios10 which perhaps the ladies and children would like to see1 and to hear a little about the ,lord's work on the ,islands4 ,i explained also that ,i asked no money and received no reward1 but only wished an opportunity of interesting them in this work of ,god4 ,he consulted the company4 ,they were eager to see what ,i had got1 and to hear what ,i had to say4 ,on returning with my bundle of 8curios10 ,i found them all arranged under the verandah1 and a chair placed in front for me and my articles of mystery4 ,they eagerly examined everything1 and listened to my description of its uses4 ,i gave them a short account of the ,islanders and of our efforts to carry to them the ,gospel of ,jesus4 ,i pressed on them the blessings and the advantages of the great ,redemption1 and the peace and joy of living for and walking daily with ,god here1 in the assured hope of eternal glory with ,him hereafter2 and ,i urged one and all to love and serve the ,lord ,jesus4 ,having stated how ,i came to be there1 and how ,i had been disappointed1 knowing that many would have sympathized with and helped my ,mission if only ,i could have addressed them1 ,i intimated that ,i would not ask any contributions1 but ,i would leave a few of the ,collecting ,cards for the new ,mission ,ship2 and if1 after what they had heard1 they chose to do anything1 all money was to be sent to the ,treasurer at ,melbourne4 ,some offered me donations1 but ,i declined1 saying1 8,i am a stranger to you all4 ,the ,minister has cast suspicion on me by refusing to intimate any meeting4 ,in the circumstances1 ,i can in this case receive nothing4 ,but ,i will rejoice if you all do whatever you can for the precious work of our ,lord ,jesus among the ,heathen1 and send it on to ,melbourne1 whence every penny will be acknowledged in due time40 ,many took cards and became eager collectors for the ,mission2 and ,i knew1 ere ,i returned to the ,public ,house that day1 that the ,lord's finger was here also1 and that the trial of disappointment through the ,minister was being already over-ruled for good4 ,this was even more remarkably manifested on the evening of that same day1 and within the said ,public ,house itself4 ,a very large number of men were assembled there1 some at tea1 and others drinking noisily1 on their return from a great cattle market and show4 ,i tried to get into conversation with some of the quieter spirits1 and produced and explained to them the idols1 clubs1 and dresses1 till nearly all crowded eagerly around me4 ,then ,i told them the story of our ,mission1 in process of which ,i managed to urge the ,gospel message on their own hearts also2 and invited them to ask questions at the close4 ,the rough fellows became wonderfully interested4 ,several took ,collecting ,cards for the ,dayspring fund4 ,and the publican and his wife were thereafter very kind1 declining to take anything from me either for bed or meals--another gleam out of the darkness6 ,it is my conviction that in these ways the ,lord helped me to gain as much1 if not1 more for the ,mission than all that was lost through lack of a meeting2 and it is certain that ,i thus had opportunity of speaking of sin and salvation1 and of setting forth the claims of ,jesus before many souls that never could have been reached through any ordinary ,congregation4 ,again ,i learned to praise the ,lord in all circumstances--8,bless the ,lord at all times1 ,o my soul40 ,a lively and memorable extemporized meeting on this tour is associated in memory with one of my dearest friends4 ,the district was very remote4 ,he1 the squatter1 and his beloved wife were sterling ,christians1 and have been ever since warmly devoted to me4 ,on my arrival1 he invited the people from all the surrounding ,stations1 as well as his own numerous servants1 to hear the story of our ,mission4 ,next day he volunteered to drive me a long distance over the plains of ,st4 ,arnaud1 his dear wife accompanying us4 ,at that time there were few fences in such districts in ,australia4 ,the drive was long1 but the day had been lovely1 and the fellowship was so sweet that it still shines a sunny spot in the fields of memory4 ,having reached our destination about seven o'clock1 he ordered tea at the ,inn for the whole party2 and we sallied out meantime and took the only ,hall in the place1 for an extemporized meeting to be held that evening at eight o'clock4 ,i then hired a man to go through the township with a bell1 announcing the same2 while ,i myself went up one side of the main street1 and my friend up the other1 inviting all who would listen to us to attend the ,mission meeting1 where ,south ,sea ,island idols1 weapons1 and dresses would be exhibited1 and stories of the ,natives told4 ,running back for a hurried cup of tea1 ,i then hasted to the ,hall1 and found it crowded to excess with rough and boisterous diggers4 ,the hour struck as ,i was getting my articles arranged and spread out upon the table1 and they began shouting1 8,where's the ,missionary80 8,another hoax60--indicating that they were not unwilling for a row4 ,i learned that1 only a few nights ago1 a so-called ,professor had advertised a lecture1 lifted entrance money till the ,hall was crowded1 and then quietly slipped off the scene4 ,in our case1 though there was no charge1 they seemed disposed to gratify themselves by some sort of promiscuous revenge4 ,amidst the noisy chaff and rising uproar1 ,i stepped up on the table1 and said1 8,gentlemen1 ,i am the ,missionary4 ,if you will now be silent1 the lecture will proceed4 ,according to my usual custom1 let us open the meeting with prayer40 ,the hush that fell was such a contrast to the preceding hubbub1 that ,i heard my heart throbbing aloud6 ,then they listened to me for an hour1 in perfect silence and with ever-increasing interest4 ,at the close ,i intimated that ,i asked no collection2 but if1 after what they had heard1 they would take a ,collecting ,card for the new ,mission ,ship1 and send any contributions to the ,treasurer at ,melbourne1 ,i would praise ,god for sending me amongst them4 ,many were heartily taken1 and doubtless some souls felt the 8constraining love10 who had till then been living without ,god4 ,next morning1 ,i mounted the ,mail ,coach1 and started on a three days' run1 while my dear friend returned safely to his home4 ,it was really very seldom1 however1 that ,i found myself thus driven to extemporize my meetings4 ,some ,christian friend1 if not the ,minister of the place1 arranged all1 and advertised my coming4 ,and the ,lord greatly helped me in carrying on the burdensome correspondence thereanent1 and keeping it always three weeks ahead4 ,i travelled thus over the length and breadth of ,new ,south ,wales1 ,victoria1 ,tasmania1 and ,south ,australia1 telling the story of our ,mission1 and delivering the ,lord's message1 not only in great centres of population1 but in almost every smaller township2 and not only thereby ,floating the ,dayspring1 but sowing1 by ,god's help1 seeds of far-reaching blessing1 whose fruits will ripen through the years to come4 ,blessed be ,his holy ,name6 ,and here let me recall what happened at ,penola1 a border town between ,victoria and ,south ,australia4 ,in the flooded1 swampy country and bad bush-track between it and ,mount ,gambier the roads were impassable1 and the coach broke down4 ,the ,mail was sent forward on horseback4 ,i had waited for nearly a week1 in the hope of getting to the ,mount for the ,sabbath ,services that had been arranged4 ,at length ,i succeeded in engaging a man1 with a pair of horses and a light spring cart1 to drive me there for #d #ajs4 ,he declared the horses to be fresh1 and able for the journey4 ,we started about mid-day2 but1 ere many miles had been covered1 he began to whip them severely4 ,the horses looked utterly exhausted1 and the truth at once flashed on me4 ,i was pleading with him not to flog them so1 when1 on reaching a higher piece of ground1 he pulled up1 and said1-- 8,i am ashamed to tell you that my horses are done6 ,they had just come off a journey of forty miles when we started4 ,i have told you a lie2 but ,i hope you will forgive me4 ,i was sorely in need of the hire1 and ,i deceived you4 ,there is no help for it now4 ,we must camp out for the night on this dry ground4 ,i do hope you won't catch cold4 ,you shall sleep in the cart2 ,i can rest under it4 ,i will set fire to this large fallen tree to keep us warm4 ,i have brought a loaf of bread1 and a billy 7 a bushman's can for boiling water74 ,we can have some tea2 and1 rest assured1 ,i shall land you there in time for the ,sabbath ,morning ,service40 ,so saying1 while ,i listened dumbfounded1 he turned aside1 unyoked the horses1 8hobbled0 them1 and let them go upon the grass4 ,he made the black tea which bushmen drink1 and appeared to enjoy it4 ,the conveyance was drawn near to that burning tree1 and ,i got located into it1 and was expected to rest4 ,i sat there wide-awake during weary hours6 ,time passed at a dreadfully slow pace1 and sleep refused to come near me4 ,kangaroos1 wallabies1 with other nameless wild creatures and screaming birds1 kept loud festival all around2 and mosquitoes tortured me1 apparently in thousands4 ,towards midnight ,i saw a light in the distant bush1 and1 awaking my companion1 inquired if he could say what it might be4 ,he had heard that a ,wesleyan farmer from near ,adelaide had come into that region to take up a sheep and cattle ,station there1 as in that swampy country the grass was excellent4 ,it might be their light1 or it might be that of some benighted party camping out like ourselves4 ,he assured me that he could find our way to that light1 and back again to our burning tree1 and1 partly to pass the time1 ,i resolved to try4 ,we found the ,wesleyan farmer there1 living in a large bush-shed1 surrounded by a still larger enclosure wherein horses1 cattle1 and sheep were kept for the night all together upon the dry ground1 awaiting the erection of houses and fencing1 with which they were busily engaged4 ,unseemly as was our hour of call1 the dogs had loudly announced our approach1 and we got a cordial greeting1 being immediately surrounded by all the family4 ,they eagerly listened to everything about the ,mission4 ,we had worship together4 ,they gave us a hearty tea1 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 tree1 whither they could send for it after we departed4 ,their regrets were genuine and profuse that their circumstances prevented them from offering us a bed1 but we exceedingly enjoyed our intercourse with them1 and felt them to be dear ,christian friends4 ,how delightful and responsive is the communion of those who love the ,lord ,jesus1 wherever they meet2 and oh1 what will it be in ,glory1 when1 made like unto the ,saviour1 we shall 8see ,him as ,he is60 ,at daybreak we were off again on our weary journey1 and reached the destination safely and in good time4 ,a hearty welcome awaited us from dear ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,caldwell1 who had long since despaired of my appearing4 ,all the ,services were largely attended1 and the ,lord led the people to take a deep interest in our ,mission1 many generous and devoted friends to it arising there1 where the ,minister and his wife struck the right key-note1 and were so highly and justly esteemed4 ,returning to ,penola1 we found that the ,mail coach would not try to run for some time4 ,i had to reconcile myself to wait there for several days4 ,every day ,i beheld a man staggering about at all hours under the influence of drink4 ,i learned that he had been a wealthy and open-handed squatter1 had lost everything1 had recently laid his wife in the grave1 and now1 followed about by his three little girls1 was trying to drown his sorrows in whisky4 ,overcome with irresistible pity1 ,i followed him day after day1 and again and again remonstrated with him on the madness of his conduct1 especially appealing to him for his children's sake4 ,at last he turned upon me1 with an earnest gaze1 and said1 8,if you take the pledge with me1 ,god helping me1 ,i will keep it for life40 ,we entered the house together1 signed a pledge1 and solemnly invoked ,god in prayer to enable us to keep it till death4 ,for his sake1 ,i renewed the vow of my youthful days2 and he1 by my sympathy1 took this vow for the first time1 and1 by ,god's help1 he kept it4 ,he left ,penola next day1 shaking off old associates1 and started a humble business where he had once owned much of the land4 ,he became a ,christian out and out1 and has been an ,elder of the ,church for many years4 ,i have often been laughed at by whisky drinkers1 and also by so-called 8temperance0 men1 for being a ,total ,abstainer2 but even one case like that 7and1 thank ,god1 there are many7 is an eternal reward1 and can sustain us to smile down all ridicule4 ,dear reader1 can you measure the effect of the example which you are setting8 ,are you to-day amongst the ranks of the moderate drinkers8 ,remember that from that class all drunkards have come2 and ask yourself whether you would not act more nobly and unselfishly to abstain1 for the interests of our common ,humanity1 for loyalty to our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and for the hope of leading a pure and unstained life yourself1 as well as helping others to do so1 whom ,jesus died to save8 ,the crowning adventure of my tour came about in the following manner3 ,i was advertised to conduct ,services at ,narracoort on ,sabbath1 and at a ,station on the way on ,saturday evening4 ,but how to get from ,penola was a terrible perplexity4 ,on ,saturday morning1 however1 a young lady offered me1 out of gratitude for blessings received1 the use of her riding horse for the journey4 8,garibaldi0 was his name2 and1 though bred for a race-horse1 ,i was assured that if ,i kept him firmly in hand1 he would easily carry me over the two-and-twenty miles4 ,he was to be left at the journey's end1 and the lady herself would fetch him back4 ,i shrank from the undertaking1 knowing little of horses1 and having vague recollections of being dreadfully punished for more than a week after my last and almost only ride4 ,but every one in that country is quite at ease on the back of a horse4 ,they saw no risk2 and1 as there appeared no other way of getting there to fulfil my engagements1 ,i1 for my part1 began to think that ,god had unexpectedly provided the means1 and that ,he would carry me safely through4 ,i accepted the lady's kind offer1 and started on my pilgrimage4 ,a friend showed me the road1 and gave me ample directions4 ,in the bush1 ,i was to keep my eye on the notches in the trees1 and follow them4 ,he agreed kindly to bring my luggage to the ,station1 and leave it there for me by-and-bye4 ,after ,i had walked very quietly for some distance1 three gentlemen on horseback overtook me4 ,we entered into conversation4 ,they inquired how far ,i was going1 and advised me to sit a little 8freer0 in the saddle1 as it would be so much easier for me4 ,they seemed greatly amused at my awkward riding6 ,dark clouds were now gathering ahead1 and the atmosphere prophesied a severe storm2 therefore they urged that ,i should ride a little faster1 as they1 for a considerable distance1 could guide me on the right way4 ,i explained to them my plight through inexperience1 said that ,i could only creep on slowly with safety1 and bade them ,good-bye4 ,as the sky was getting darker every minute1 they consented1 wishing me a safe journey1 and started off at a smart pace4 ,i struggled to hold in my horse2 but seizing the bit with his teeth1 laying back his ears1 and stretching out his eager neck1 he manifestly felt that his honour was at stake2 and in less time than ,i take to write it1 the three friends cleared a way for us1 and he tore past them all at an appalling speed4 ,they tried for a time to keep within reach of us1 but that sound only put fire into his blood2 and in an incredibly short time ,i heard them not2 nor1 from the moment that he bore me swinging past them1 durst ,i turn my head by one inch to look for them again4 ,in vain ,i tried to hold him in2 he tore on1 with what appeared to me the speed of the wind4 ,then the thunderstorm broke around us1 with flash of lightning and flood of rain1 and at every fresh peal my 8,garibaldi0 dashed more wildly onward4 ,to me1 it was a vast surprise to discover that ,i could sit more easily on this wild flying thing1 than when at a canter or a trot4 ,at every turn ,i expected that he would dash himself and me against the great forest trees2 but instinct rather than my hand guided him miraculously4 ,sometimes ,i had a glimpse of the road1 but as for the 8notches10 ,i never saw one of them2 we passed them with lightning speed4 ,indeed1 ,i durst not lift my eyes for one moment from watching the horse's head and the trees on our track4 ,my high-crowned hat was now drenched1 and battered out of shape2 for whenever we came to a rather clear space1 ,i seized the chance and gave it another knock down over my head4 ,i was spattered and covered with mud and mire4 ,crash1 crash1 went the thunder1 and on1 on1 went 8,garibaldi0 through the gloom of the forest1 emerging at length upon a clearer ground with a more visible pathway4 ,reaching the top of the slope1 a large house stood out far in front of us to the left2 and the horse had apparently determined to make straight for that1 as if it were his home4 ,he skirted along the hill1 and took the track as his own familiar ground1 all my effort to hold him in or guide him having no more effect than that of a child4 ,by this time1 ,i suspect1 ,i really had lost all power4 8,garibaldi0 had been at that house1 probably frequently before2 he knew those stables2 and my fate seemed to be instant death against door or wall4 ,some members of the family1 on the outlook for the ,missionary1 saw us come tearing along as if mad or drunk2 and now all rushed to the verandah1 expecting some dread-catastrophe4 ,a tall and stout young groom1 amazed at our wild career1 throwing wide open the gate1 seized the bridle at great risk to himself1 and ran full speed1 yet holding back with all his might1 and shouting at me to do the same4 ,we succeeded1--8,garibaldi0 having probably attained his purpose1--in bringing him to a halt within a few paces of the door4 ,staring at me with open mouth1 the man exclaimed1 8,i have saved your life4 ,what madness to ride like that60 ,thanking him1 though ,i could scarcely by this time articulate a word1 ,i told him that the horse had run away1 and that ,i had lost all control4 ,truly ,i was in a sorry plight1 drenched1 covered with mud1 and my hat battered down over my eyes2 little wonder they thought me drunk or mad6 ,finally1 as if to confirm every suspicion1 and amuse them all1--for master1 mistress1 governess1 and children now looked on from the verandah1--when ,i was helped off the horse1 ,i could not stand on my feet6 ,my head still went rushing on in the race2 ,i staggered1 and down ,i tumbled into the mud1 feeling chagrin and mortification2 yet there ,i had to sit for some time before ,i recovered myself1 so as either to rise or to speak a word4 ,when ,i did get to my feet1 ,i had to stand holding by the verandah for some time1 my head still rushing on in the race4 ,at length the master said1 8,will you not come in80 ,i knew that he was treating me for a drunken man2 and the giddiness was so dreadful still1 that my attempts at speech seemed more drunken than even my gait4 ,as soon as ,i could stand1 ,i went into the house1 and drew near to an excellent fire in my dripping clothes4 ,the squatter sat opposite me in silence1 reading the newspapers1 and taking a look at me now and again over his spectacles4 ,by-and-bye he remarked1 8,wouldn't it be worth while to change your clothes80 ,speech was now returning to me4 ,i replied1 8,yes1 but my bag is coming on in the cart1 and may not be here to-night40 ,he began to relent4 ,he took me into a room1 and laid out for me a suit of his own4 ,i being then very slender1 and he a big-framed farmer1 my new dress1 though greatly adding to my comfort1 enhanced the singularity of my appearance4 ,returning to him1 washed and dressed1 ,i inquired if he had arranged for a meeting8 ,my tongue1 ,i fear1 was still unsteady1 for the squatter looked at me rather reproachfully1 and said1 8,do you really consider yourself fit to appear before a meeting to-night80 ,i assured him that he was quite wrong in his suspicions1 that ,i was a life-long ,abstainer1 and that my nerves had been so unhinged by the terrible ride and the runaway horse4 ,he smiled rather suggestively1 and said we would see how ,i felt after tea4 ,we went to the table4 ,all that had occurred was now consummated by my appearing in the lusty farmer's clothes2 and the lady and other friends had infinite difficulty in keeping their amusement within decent bounds4 ,i again took speech in hand1 but ,i suspect my words had still the thickness of the tippler's utterance1 for they seemed not to carry much conviction1--8,dear friends1 ,i quite understand your feelings2 appearances are so strangely against me4 ,but ,i am not drunken1 as ye suppose4 ,i have tasted no intoxicating drink1 ,i am a life-long ,total ,abstainer60 ,this fairly broke down their reserve4 ,they laughed aloud1 looking at each other and at me1 as if to say1 8,man1 you're drunk at this very moment40 ,before tea was over they appeared1 however1 to begin to entertain the idea that ,i might address the meeting2 and so ,i was informed of the arrangements that had been made4 ,at the meeting1 my incredulous friends became very deeply interested4 ,manifestly their better thoughts were gaining the ascendancy4 ,and they heaped thereafter every kindness upon me1 as if to make amends for harder suspicions4 ,next morning the master drove me about ten miles further on to the ,church4 ,a groom rode the race-horse1 who took no scathe from his thundering gallop of the day before4 ,it left deeper traces upon me4 ,i got through the ,services1 however1 and with good returns for the ,mission4 ,twice since1 on my ,mission tours1 ,i have found myself at that same memorable house2 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 door4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,among ,,the ,,aborigines4 ,a ,fire-,water ,festival4--,at ,tea with the ,aborigines4--8,black ,fellow all ,gone60--,the ,poison-,gift and ,civilization4--,the 8,scattering0 of the ,blacks4--,the 8,brute-in-human-shape0 ,theory4--,the ,testimony of ,nora4--,nathaniel ,pepper and their 8,gods40--,smooth ,stone ,idols4--,rites and ,ceremonies4--8,too much ,devil-,devil40--,the ,quest for ,idols4--,visit to ,nora in the ,camp4--,independent ,testimonies4--,nora's own ,letters4--,the ,aborigines in ,settlements4 ,detained for nearly a week at ,balmoral by the break-down of the coach on these dreadful roads1 ,i telegraphed to ,hamilton for a conveyance2 and the ,superintendent of the ,sunday ,school1 dear ,mr4 ,laidlaw1 volunteered1 in order to reduce expenses1 to spend one day of his precious time coming for me1 and another driving me down4 ,while awaiting him1 ,i came into painful and memorable contact with the ,aborigines of ,australia4 ,the ,publicans had organized a day of sports1 horse-racing1 and circus exhibitions4 ,immense crowds assembled1 and1 amongst the rest1 tribe after tribe of the ,aborigines from all the surrounding country4 ,despite the law prohibiting the giving of strong drinks to these poor creatures1 foolish and unprincipled dealers supplied them with the same1 and the very blankets which the ,government had given them1 were freely exchanged for the fire-water which kindled them to madness4 ,next day was ,sabbath4 ,the morning was hideous with the yells of the fighting ,savages4 ,they tore about on the ,common in front of the ,church1 leading gentlemen having tried in vain to quiet them1 and their wild voices without jarred upon the ,morning ,service4 ,about two o'clock1 ,i tried to get into conversation with them4 ,i appealed to them whether they were not all tired and hungry8 ,they replied that they had had no food all that day2 they had fought since the morning6 ,i said1-- 8,i love you black fellows4 ,i go ,missionary black fellows far away4 ,i love you1 want you rest1 get food4 ,come all of you1 rest1 sit round me1 and we will talk1 till the jins 7 women7 get ready tea4 ,they boil water1 ,i take tea with you1 and then you will be strong60 ,by broken ,english and by many symbols1 ,i won their ear4 ,they produced tea and damper1 i4e41 a rather forbidding-looking bread1 without yeast1 baked on the coals4 ,their wives hasted to boil water4 ,i kept incessantly talking1 to interest them1 and told them how ,jesus1 ,god's dear ,son1 came and died to make them happy1 and how ,he grieved to see them beating and fighting and killing each other4 ,when the tea was ready1 we squatted on the green grass1 their tins were filled1 the 8damper0 was broken into lumps1 and ,i asked the blessing of ,god on the meal4 ,to me it was unpleasant eating6 ,many of them looked strong and healthy2 but not a few were weak and dying creatures4 ,the strong1 devouring all they could get1 urged me to be done1 and let them finish their fighting1 eager for the fray4 ,but having gained their confidence1 ,i prayed with them1 and thereafter said1-- 8,now1 before ,i leave1 ,i will ask of you to do one thing for my sake1 which you can all easily do40 ,with one voice they replied1-- 8,yes1 we all do whatever you say40 ,i got their leaders to promise to me one by one4 ,i then said1-- 8,now you have got your tea1 and ,i ask every man and boy among you to lie down in the bush and take a sleep1 and your wives will sit by and watch over your safety60 ,in glum silence1 their war weapons still grasped in their hands1 they stood looking intently at me1 doubting whether ,i could be in earnest4 ,i urged them1-- 8,you all promised to do what ,i asked4 ,if you break your promise1 these white men will laugh at me1 and say that black fellows only lie and deceive4 ,let them see that you can be trusted4 ,i wait here till ,i see you all asleep40 ,one said that his head was cut1 and he must have revenge before he could lie down4 ,others filed past showing their wounds1 and declaring that it was too bad to request them to go to sleep4 ,i praised them as far as ,i could1 but urged them for once to be men and to keep their word4 ,finally they all agreed to lie down1 ,i waiting till the last man had disappeared2 and1 being doubly exhausted with the debauch and the fighting1 they were soon all fast asleep4 ,i prayed that the blessed ,sleep might lull their savage passions4 ,before daylight next morning1 the ,minister and ,i were hastening to the scene to prevent further fighting2 but as the sun was rising we saw the last tribe of the distant ,natives disappearing over the brow of a hill4 ,a small party belonging to the district alone remained4 ,they shouted to us1 8,black fellow all gone6 ,no more fight4 ,you too much like black fellow60 ,for three days afterwards ,i had still to linger there2 and if their dogs ran or barked at me1 the women chased them with sticks and stones1 and protected me4 ,one little touch of kindness and sympathy had unlocked their darkened hearts4 ,the ,aborigines of ,australia have been regarded as perhaps the most degraded portion of the human race1 at least in the ,southern ,hemisphere4 ,like the ,papuans of our ,islands1 they rank betwixt ,malay and ,negro in colour and appearance4 ,their hair1 coarse1 black1 curly1 but not woolly2 eyes1 dark and yellowish1 with very heavy eyebrows2 nose flat1 with hole bored through septum1 in which ornament is hung2 small chin1 thick lips1 large mouth1 and lustrous teeth2 high cheek bones1 with sunken eyes and well-developed brow4 ,like all ,savages in their natural state1 they were nearly nude1 filthy1 and wretched2 especially in winter1 when covered with kangaroo and opossum skins1 which they hung around themselves loosely by day1 and under which they slept at night4 ,they sometimes daubed their bodies all over with paint1 mud1 charcoal1 or ashes4 ,their women are generally of a slender build4 ,all these features and notes are true of many of our ,south ,sea ,islanders too2 but they1 again1 are decidedly of a higher type4 ,on many of the ,islands1 faces1 though dark1 are as pleasant and as well formed as amongst ,europeans4 ,besides1 the ,islanders are not nomadic2 they live in settled villages1 and cultivate the land for their support4 ,having read very strong statements for and against the ,aborigines1 in my many journeys twenty-four years ago ,i resolved to embrace every opportunity of learning their customs and beliefs directly from themselves4 ,i have also seen their disgusting 8,corrobbarees10 and know by facts how demoralizing these ,heathen dances are4 ,i know also what strong drink has done amongst them4 ,who wonders that the dark races melt away before the whites8 ,the pioneers of civilization will carry with them this demon of strong drink1 the fruitful parent of every other vice4 ,the black people drink1 and become unmanageable2 and through the white man's own poison-gift an excuse is found for sweeping the poor creatures off the face of the earth4 ,marsden's writings show how our ,australian blacks are destroyed4 ,but ,i have myself been on the track of such butcheries again and again4 ,a ,victorian lady told me the following incident4 ,she heard a child's pitiful cry in the bush4 ,on tracing it1 she found a little girl weeping over her younger brother4 ,she said1-- 8,the white men poisoned our father and mother4 ,they threaten to shoot me1 so that ,i dare not go near them4 ,i am here1 weeping over my brother till we die60 ,the compassionate lady promised to be a mother to the little sufferers1 and to protect them4 ,they instantly clung to her1 and have proved themselves to be loving and dutiful ever since4 ,in ,queensland itself1 the ,native ,police1 armed and mounted--accompanied by only one white officer1 that no tales might be told--were reported to be regularly sent out to 8scatter0 the blacks6 ,that meant1 in many a case1 wholesale murder4 ,but in #ahhg1 the humane ,sir ,samuel ,griffiths1 premier1 had these blood-stained forces disbanded for ever4 ,the ,sydney ,morning ,herald1 #bast ,march1 #ahhc1 contains stronger things than were ever penned or uttered by me as to the wholesale destruction of the ,aborigines4 ,the watchword of the white settlers1 practically if not theoretically1 has been1 8,clear them out of the way1 and give us the soil60 ,though amongst the lower types of the human race1 the ,aborigines have made excellent stock riders1 bullock drivers1 fencers1 and servants in every department4 ,and they have proved honest and faithful1 especially when kindly treated4 ,australians are sometimes bitter against them1 for a reason that ought rather to awaken sympathy4 ,they take ,aboriginal boys or girls into their service1 they train them just till they are beginning to be useful1 and lo6 they go back to their own people4 ,but in almost every case of that kind1 the reason is perfectly clear4 ,they are only taught so far as to make them useful tools4 ,their minds were not instructed1 nor their hearts enlightened in the fear of ,god and the love of ,jesus4 ,they were not on an equality in any way either with children or with servants4 ,they grew up without equals and without associates4 ,they saw their parents and tribesmen treated with contempt and abuse4 ,they instinctively felt that the moment they were unable to serve the self-interest of their employers1 they themselves would be thrust out4 ,they had not the spirit of the slave1 though kept in the rank of a slave2 and they yearned for satisfaction of these instincts1 which the supply of their mere animal necessities could not assuage4 ,among the whites1 they felt degraded and outcast2 amongst their own people1 they had the honour and esteem that were within reach of their kindred1 and they might weave around their poor lot the mysterious and ever-blessed ties of family and home4 ,and here and there1 doubtless1 flashed in the heart of some ,native boy a gleam of that patriotism that led ,moses to escape from ,pharaoh's court1 and refuse to be identified with the despisers and oppressors of his own enslaved race1--divine in the ,aboriginal as in the ,hebrew1 though each might give a very different account of its origin6 ,a book once fell into my hands1 entitled1--8,sermons on ,public ,subjects10 by ,charles ,kingsley4 ,i knew him to be a man greatly gifted and greatly beloved2 and hence my positive distress on reading from the eighth sermon1 page #bcd1 8,on the ,fall10 the following awful words3--#a8,the ,black people of ,australia1 exactly the same race as the ,african ,negro1 cannot take in the ,gospel4444 ,all attempts to bring them to a knowledge of the true ,god have as yet failed utterly4444 ,poor brutes in human shape 444 they must perish off the face of the earth like brute beasts40 ,i will not blame this great preacher for boldly uttering and publishing what multitudes of others show by their conduct that they believe1 but dare not say so4 ,nor need any one blame me1 if1 knowing facts and details which ,kingsley could never know1 ,i turn aside for a few moments1 and let the light of practical knowledge stream in on this and all similar teaching1 come from whatsoever quarter it may4 ,while ,i was pondering over ,kingsley's words1 the story of ,nora1 an ,aboriginal ,christian woman1 whom1 as hereafter related1 ,i myself actually visited and corresponded with1 was brought under my notice1 as if to shatter to pieces everything that the famous preacher had proclaimed4 ,a dear friend told me how he had seen ,nora encamped with the blacks near ,hexham in ,victoria4 ,her husband had lost1 through drink1 their once comfortable home at a ,station where he was employed4 ,the change back to life in camp had broken her health1 and she lay sick on the ground within a miserable hut4 ,the visitors found her reading a ,bible1 and explaining to a number of her own poor people the wonders of redeeming love4 ,my friend1 ,roderick ,urquhart1 ,esq41 overcome by the sight1 said1-- 8,nora1 ,i am grieved to see you here1 and deprived of every comfort in your sickness40 ,she answered1 not without tears1 8,the change has indeed made me unwell2 but ,i am beginning to think that this too is for the best2 it has at last brought my poor husband to his senses1 and ,i will grudge nothing if ,god thereby brings him to the ,saviour's feet60 ,she further explained1 that she had found wonderful joy in telling her own people about the true ,god and his ,son ,jesus1 and was quite assured that the ,lord in ,his own way would send her relief4 ,the visitors who accompanied ,mr4 ,urquhart showed themselves to be greatly affected by the true and pure ,christian spirit of this poor ,aboriginal1 and on parting she said1-- 8,do not think that ,i like this miserable hut1 or the food1 or the company2 but ,i am and have been happy in trying to do good amongst my people40 ,for my part1 let that dear ,christlike soul look out on me from her ,aboriginal hut1 and ,i will trample under foot all teachings or theorizings that dare to say that she or her kind are but poor brutes2--they who say so blaspheme ,human ,nature4 8,i thank thee1 ,o ,father1 ,lord of ,heaven and ,earth1 that ,thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent1 and hast revealed them unto babes40 ,recall1 ere you read further1 what the ,gospel has done for the near kindred of these same ,aboriginals4 ,on our own ,aneityum #c1ejj ,cannibals have been led to renounce their heathenism1 and are leading a civilized and a ,christian life4 ,in ,fiji1 #gj1jjj ,cannibals have been brought under the influence of the ,gospel2 and #ac1jjj members of the ,churches there are professing to live and work for ,jesus4 ,in ,samoa1 #cd1jjj ,cannibals have professed ,christianity2 and1 in nineteen years1 its ,college has sent forth #bjf ,native teachers and evangelists4 ,on our ,new ,hebrides1 more than #ab1jjj ,cannibals have been brought to sit at the feet of ,christ1 not to say that they are all model ,christians2 and #acc of the ,natives have been trained and sent forth as teachers and preachers of the ,gospel4 ,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 followed1 for ,he is 8the same yesterday1 to-day1 and for ever40 ,it is easy to understand1 moreover1 how even experienced travellers may be deluded to believe that the ,aborigines have no idols and no religion4 ,one must have lived amongst them or their kindred ere he can authoritatively decide these questions4 ,before ,i left ,melbourne1 for instance1 ,i had met ,nathaniel ,pepper1 a converted ,aboriginal from ,wimmera4 ,i asked him if his people had any 8,doctors10 i4e41 sacred men or priests4 ,he said they had4 ,i inquired if they had any objects of ,worship1 or any belief in ,god8 ,he said1 8,no6 ,none whatever40 ,but on taking from my pocket some four small stone idols1 his expression showed at once that he recognised them as objects of ,worship4 ,he had seen the sacred men use them2 but he refused to answer any more questions4 ,i resolved now1 if possible1 to secure some of their idols1 and set this whole problem once for all at rest4 ,at ,newstead1 on another occasion1 ,i persuaded a whole camp of the ,aborigines to come to my meeting4 ,after the address1 they waited to examine the idols and stone gods which ,i had shown4 ,some of the young men admitted that their 8doctors0 had things like these1 which they and the old people prayed to2 but they added jauntily1-- 8,we young fellows don't worship2 we know too much for that60 ,no 8doctors0 were1 however1 in that camp2 so ,i could not meet with them2 but ,i already felt that the testimony of nearly all white people that the blacks had 8no idols and no worship10 was quickly crumbling away4 ,besides1 my ever-dear friend1 ,andrew ,scott1 ,esq41 had informed me that when he first went out among the blacks1--almost alone1 and one of the first white men they had ever seen1--he saw them handling1 and going through ceremonials with just such 8smooth stones0 as ,i had brought from the ,islands1 without for a moment dreaming that they were idols4 ,yet such is the actual fact2 very much as it was in the ancient days when ,isaiah 7ch4 lvii4 #f7 denounced thus the 8sons of the sorceress10 who were 8inflaming themselves with idols40 8,among the smooth stones of the stream 7or valley7 is thy portion2 they1 they are thy lot2 even to them hast thou poured a drink offering1 hast thou offered a meat offering 7or oblation740 ,yet again1 ,r4 ,urquhart1 ,esq41 ,tangery1 informed me that he also had seen the ,aborigines engaged in religious observances4 ,first of all1 a vast multitude of men and women joined in a great ,corrobbarree1 or ,heathen festival and dance4 ,thereafter each marched individually towards the centre of a huge ring1 and after certain ceremonies1 bowed as if in worship towards two manlike figures cut in the ground4 ,our life amongst the heathen had taught us that ,worship was there4 ,the rite of circumcision was practised also amongst the blacks of ,australia as well as amongst our ,new ,hebrideans4 ,boys1 on attaining what was looked upon as early manhood1 were thus initiated into their privileges as men2 and the occasion was accompanied with feasting1 dancing1 and what they regarded as religious ceremonies4 ,some tribes in ,australia1 as on our ,islands also1 indicate the rank or class to which a man belongs by the barbarous custom of knocking out the two front teeth6 ,this is done on reaching a certain age2 with feasts and dancings held at midnight1 and during full moon1 in connection with sacred spots1 which no one but a priest will be found daring enough to approach4 ,hence there is no doubt in my mind as to the character and meaning of such 8mysterious figures0 as those so much discussed1 carved on the flat rocks at ,middle ,harbour1 or on the ,south ,reef promontory at ,cape ,cove4 ,they are found also at ,point ,piper1 at ,mossmans1 at ,lane ,cove1 and at many other places throughout ,australia1 representing the human figure in almost every attitude1 the kangaroo1 the flying squirrel1 the shark1 the whale1 etc41 etc41--all of which ,i believe to be sacred objects1 and these rocks and cliffs to be sacred places4 ,some of the fish carved there are twenty-seven feet long4 ,the ,aborigines would give no explanation of their origin1 except that they were 8made by black fellows long1 long ago20 and that the blacks would not live near them1 for 8too much devil-devil walk about there40 ,the ,balmoral blacks informed me that their sacred men carried about such objects as ,i showed them1 and 8that they were devil-devil10--which is their only word for ,god or ,spirit1 when they talk to you in broken ,english4 ,the #ahth of ,february1 #ahfc1 was a day worthy of being chronicled and remembered4 ,i visited the ,wonwonda ,station in the ,wimmera district of ,victoria1 and there beheld a great camp of the ,aborigines on the plain near by4 ,securing the company of the following witnesses1 ,i proceeded to the camp1 and found that part of them had already seen me at ,balmoral4 ,two of them spoke ,english fairly well4 ,i managed to break through their reticence1 and in course of time they told us freely about the customs and traditions of their people4 ,they took us to their 8doctor10 or ,sacred ,man1 who was lying sick in his hut4 ,half concealed among the skins and clothes behind him1 ,i observed several curious bags1 which ,i knew at once would probably contain the little idols of which ,i was in quest4 ,i urged the witnesses to take special notice of everything that occurred1 and draw up and sign a statement for my future use4 ,the following is their attested report3-- 8,mr4 ,paton1 having carefully explained to the blacks that he would like to see some of the sacred objects which they said made the people sick and well1 assured them that his aim was not to mock at them1 but to prove to white people that the blacks had objects of worship and were not like pigs and dogs4 ,he offered them a number of small pieces of silver to get bread and tea for the 8doctor10 if they would open these little bags and let us see what was in them4 ,after a good deal of talk amongst themselves1 he took some of the ,island stone-gods from his pocket1 saying1 #8,i know that these bags have such things in them4' ,an ,aboriginal woman exclaimed1 #8,you can't hide them from that fellow6 ,he knows all about us4' ,mr4 ,rutherford offered to kill a sheep1 and give them sugar and tea to feast on1 if they would open the little bags1 but they refused4 ,after consulting the ,sacred ,man1 however1 he took the silver pieces and allowed them to be opened before us4 ,they were full of exactly such stones and other things as ,mr4 ,paton had brought from the ,islands1 to prove to white people in ,melbourne that they were not like dogs1 but had gods2 he offered the ,sacred ,man more money for four of the objects he had seen4 ,after much talk among themselves1 he took the money2 and in our presence ,mr4 ,paton selected a stone idol1 a piece of painted wood of conical shape1 a piece of bone of human leg with seven rings carved round it1 which they said had the power of restoring sick people to health1 and another piece of painted wood which made people sick2 but they made him solemnly promise that he would tell no other black fellows where he got them4 ,they were much interested in ,mr4 ,paton's conversation1 and said1 #8,no ,missionary teach black fellow4' ,they then showed us square rugs1 thread and grass bags1 etc41 all neatly made by themselves1 as proofs that if they were taught they and their wives could learn to do things and to work just like white people2 but they said1 #8,white man no care for black fellow4' ,all this1 we1 whose names follow1 were eye-witnesses of3--,g4 ,rutherford1 7,mrs47 ,a4 ,sutherland1 7,mrs47 ,martha ,rutherford1 ,jemima ,rutherford1 ,ben4 ,b4 ,bentock1 tutor of the ,rutherford family40 ,on returning to ,horsham1 ,i informed my dear friends1 ,rev4 ,p4 ,simpson and his excellent lady1 of my exploits and possessions4 ,he replied1-- 8,there is a black #8doctor' gone round our house just now to see one of his people who is washing here to-day4 ,let us go and test them1 whether they know these objects40 ,carrying them in his hand we went to them4 ,the woman instantly on perceiving them dropped what she was washing1 and turned away in instinctive terror4 ,mr4 ,simpson asked1-- 8,have you ever before seen stones like these80 ,the wily 8doctor0 replied1 8,plenty on the plains1 where ,i kick them out of my way40 ,taking others out of my pocket1 ,i said1 8,these make people sick and well1 don't they80 ,his rage overcame his duplicity1 and he exclaimed1 8,what black fellow give you these8 ,if ,i know him ,i do for him60 ,the woman1 looking the picture of terror1 and pointing to one of the objects1 cried1-- 8,that fellow no good6 he kill men4 ,no good1 no good6 ,me too much afraid40 ,then1 looking to me1 she said1 pointing with her finger1 8,that fellow savy 7knows7 too much6 ,no white man see them4 ,he no good40 ,there was more in this scene and in all its surroundings1 than in many arguments2 and ,mr4 ,simpson thoroughly believed that these were objects of idolatrous worship4 ,on a later occasion ,i showed these four objects to ,aborigines1 with whom ,i got into intercourse far off in ,new ,south ,wales4 ,they at once recognised them1 and showed the same superstitious dread4 ,they told me the peculiar characteristics and the special powers ascribed to each idol or charm4 ,this ,i confirmed by the testimony of five different tribes living at great distances from each other2 and it is morally certain that amongst all the blacks of ,australia such objects are so worshipped and feared in the place of ,god4 ,and now let me relate the story of my visit to ,nora1 the converted ,aboriginal referred to above4 ,accompanied by ,robert ,hood1 ,esq41 ,j4,p41 ,victoria1 ,i found my way to the encampment near ,hexham4 ,she did not know of our coming1 nor see us till we stood at the door of her hut4 ,she was clean and tidily dressed1 as were also her dear little children1 and appeared glad to see us4 ,she had just been reading the ,presbyterian ,messenger1 and the ,bible was lying at her elbow4 ,i said1-- 8,do you read the ,messenger80 ,she replied1 8,yes2 ,i like to know what is going on in the ,church40 ,we found her to be a sensible and humble ,christian woman1 conversing intelligently about religion and serving ,god devotedly4 ,next ,sabbath she brought her husband1 her children1 and six blacks to ,church1 all decently dressed1 and they all listened most attentively4 ,at our first meeting ,i said1 8,nora1 they tell me you are a ,christian4 ,i want to ask you a few questions about the blacks2 and ,i hope that as a ,christian you will speak the truth40 ,rather hurt at my language1 she raised her right hand1 and replied1 8,i am a ,christian4 ,i fear and serve the true ,god4 ,i always speak the truth40 ,taking from my pocket the stone idols from the ,islands1 ,i inquired if her people had or worshipped things like these4 ,she replied1 8,the #8doctors' have them40 8,have you a #8doctor' in your camp80 ,i asked4 ,she said1 8,yes1 my uncle is the ,sacred ,man2 but he is now far away from this40 8,has he the idols with him now80 ,i inquired4 ,she answered1 8,no2 they are left in my care40 ,i then said3 8,could you let us see them80 ,she consulted certain representatives of the tribe who were at hand4 ,they rose1 and removed to a distance4 ,they had consented4 ,mr4 ,hood assured me that no fault would be found with her1 as she was the real1 or at least virtual head of the tribe4 ,out of a larger bag she then drew two smaller bags and opened them4 ,they were filled with the very objects which ,i had brought from the ,islands4 ,i asked her to consult the men of her tribe whether they would agree to sell four or five of them to me1 that ,i might by them convince the white people that they had gods of their own1 and are1 therefore1 above the brutes of the field2 the money to be given to their ,sacred ,man on his return4 ,this1 also1 after a time was agreed to4 ,i selected three of the objects1 and paid the stipulated price4 ,and the undernoted independent witness attests the transaction3-- 8,i this day visited an encampment of the ,hopkins blacks1 in company with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,paton1 ,missionary1 and was witness to the following4 ,mr4 ,paton being under the impression that many of the superstitions and usages1 common to the ,south ,sea ,islanders were similar among the ,aborigines of ,australia1 began by showing some idols1 etc41 of the former1 and asking if they had seen any like them4 ,this inquiry was made of a highly civilized woman1 named ,nora1 who can read and write1 and has great influence with her tribe4 ,she answered3 ,oh yes1 the #8doctors' have them4 8,on ,mr4 ,paton expressing great anxiety to see some of them1 she1 after consulting some time with the other blacks1 said she had some belonging to ,king ,john1 her uncle1 who was absent1 and had left them in her care4 ,after considerable reluctance shown on the part of the other blacks1 who were off when they saw ,mr4 ,paton knew all about them1 a bag was produced1 in which there were kangaroo tusks or bears' tusks1 pieces of human bone1 stones1 charred wood1 etc41 etc4 ,she described the virtues attributed to the different articles4 ,if any evil was wanted to befall one of another tribe1 the #8doctor1' after muttering1 threw such a stone in the direction he was supposed to be1 wishing he might fall sick1 or might die1 etc4 ,the spirit from the idol entered into his body1 and he was sure to fall sick or die4 ,another piece of charred wood1 that the #8doctor' rubbed on the diseased part of any sick person1 made the pain come out to the spirit in the wood1 and the #8doctor' carried it away4 ,all this time the other blacks were in evident dread of the things being seen and handled1 repeating1 #8,no white man ever see these before6' ,mr4 ,paton got three specimens from them1 viz41 an evil and a good spirit1 and a piece of carved bone4 ,robert ,hood1 ,j4,p41 ,hexham1 ,victoria1 ,merang1 #bhth ,february1 #ahfc40 ,mr4 ,hood asked ,nora how he had never heard of or seen these things before1 living so long amongst them1 and blacks constantly coming and going about his house4 ,she replied1-- 8,long ago white men laughed at black fellows1 praying to their idols4 ,black fellows said1 white men never see them again6 ,suppose this white man not know all about them1 he would not now see them4 ,no white men live now have seen what you have seen40 ,thus it has been demonstrated on the spot1 and in presence of the most reliable witnesses1 that the ,aborigines1 before they saw the white invaders1 were not 8brutes0 incapable of knowing ,god1 but human beings1 yearning after a ,god of some kind4 ,nor do ,i believe that any tribe of men will ever be found1 who1 when their language and customs are rightly interpreted1 will not display their consciousness of the need of a ,god and that ,divine capacity of holding fellowship with the ,unseen ,powers1 of which the brutes are without one faintest trace4 ,the late ,mr4 ,hamilton1 of ,mortlake1 wrote me in #ahfc as follows3-- 8,during a residence of twenty-six years in ,new ,south ,wales and ,victoria1 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 learn4 ,in two instances ,i met with females possessing a greater amount of religious knowledge than many of our white population4 ,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 ,christianity4 ,this was in ,new ,south ,wales4 ,the other was ,nora ,hood1 baptized and married to an ,aboriginal4 ,i conversed with her according to the usage of the ,presbyterian ,church1 and ,i believe her to be a sincere and intelligent ,christian4 ,i baptized her children without hesitation2 while ,i felt it to be my duty in many cases to withhold the privilege from white parents1 on account of their being unable to make a credible profession of their faith in ,christ and obedience to ,him4 ,under ,god1 she owes her instruction and conversion to ,mrs4 ,mac,kenzie4 ,william ,hamilton1 ,minister40 ,william ,armstrong1 ,esq41 of ,hexham ,park1 wrote in #ahfc3-- 8,the ,aborigines of ,australia certainly believe in spirits1 and that their spirit leaves the body at death and goes to some other island1 and they seem to have many superstitious ideas about the dead4444 ,i believe they would have been as easily influenced by the ,gospel as any other savages1 if they had been taught2 but intoxicating spirits1 and the accompanying vices of white people have ruined them4 ,william ,armstrong40 ,but let ,nora1 one of the 8poor brutes in human shape10 who was 8incapable of taking in the ,gospel10 and must 8perish like brute beasts10 now speak to the heart of every reader in her own words4 ,in ,february1 #ahfc1 she wrote to me as follows3-- 8,dear ,sir1--,i received your kind letter1 and was glad to hear from you4 ,i am always reading my ,bible1 for ,i believe in ,god the ,father and in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord1 ,amen4 ,i often speak to the blacks about ,jesus ,christ2 and some of them believe in ,god and in ,jesus4 ,i always teach my children to pray to ,god our ,father in ,heaven4444 ,colin will try not to drink any more4 ,he is always praying to ,god4 ,them blacks that come with me1 ,i will tell about ,god and about their sins2 but they are so very wicked1 they won t listen to me teaching them4 ,sir1 ,i shall always pray for you1 that ,god may bless and guide you4 ,o ,sir1 pray for me1 my husband1 and my children6 ,your obedient servant1 ,nora ,hood40 ,in her second letter1 she says3--8,your kind letter gave me great comfort4 ,i thank ,god that ,i am able to read and write4 ,mrs4 and ,miss ,mac,kenzie taught me2 and through them ,i came to know ,jesus ,christ my ,saviour4 ,our ,lord says1 #8,come unto ,me1 all ye that labour and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest4' #8,ho1 every one that thirsteth1 come ye to the waters6' ,sir1 ,i will tell ,joe and ,king ,john1 and ,i have been always telling ,katy and all the rest of them about ,jesus ,christ our ,saviour4 ,please1 ,sir1 ,i would like you to write to me1 that ,i may show them your letters10 etc41 etc4 ,in a third letter1 also dated #ahfc1 she says3--8,dear ,sir1 ,colin and ,i were glad to hear from you4 ,i am telling the blacks always about ,god our ,saviour and the salvation of their souls4 ,they are so very wicked4 ,they go from place to place1 and don't stop long with me4 ,i am always teaching my children to pray1 and would like to send them to ,school if ,i could4444 ,i hope you will go home to ,england safely1 get more ,missionaries1 and then go back to your poor blacks on the ,islands4 ,i will be glad to hear from you4 ,may the ,lord ,god bless you1 wherever you go6 ,your affectionate1 ,nora ,hood40 ,poor1 dear1 ,christian-hearted ,nora6 ,the ,christ-spirit shines forth unmistakably through thee1--praying for and seeking to save husband and children1 enduring trials and miseries by the aid of communion with thy ,lord1 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 ,christ4 ,would that all white ,christians manifested forth as much of the ,divine ,master's ,spirit6 ,alas1 in reading ,marsden's 8,life10 and other authorities1 one shrinks with a sickening feeling at the description of the butcheries of the poor blacks6 ,imagine #ahcj1 when the inhabitants were called out to join the troops1 and nearly three thousand armed men gloated in the work of destruction from the #dth of ,october till the #bfth ,november4 ,read of one boasting that he had killed seven blacks with his own hand2 another1 that he had slain1 and piled up in a heap1 thirty men1 women1 and children2 and a third1 a gentleman1 of whom ,lieutenant ,laidlaw tells1 exhibiting as a trophy over his bookcase the skull of a poor black1 pierced by the bullet with which he had shot him6 ,and their sin1 their crime8 ,oh1 only seizing a sheep1 in the frenzy of hunger1 which fattened on the lands where once grew their food and from which the white man had pitilessly hunted them4 ,retribution comes1 but sometimes slowly1 and is not recognised when she appears2 but ,australia suffers to-day from the passions then let loose against the blacks4 ,the demons have come home to roost4 ,during my last ,mission tour1 in #ahhh1 through ,victoria and part of ,new ,south ,wales1 ,i visited all ,stations of the ,aborigines that could be conveniently reached4 ,there the few remnants of a once numerous race are now assembled together4 ,they try hard to constrain themselves to live in houses4 ,but the spirit of the wanderer is in them4 ,they start forth1 every now and again1 for an occasional ramble over their old hunting grounds1 and to taste the sweets of freedom4 ,in ,victoria1 the ,government now provide food and clothing for the ,aborigines who will remain at the appointed ,stations1 so that in regard to temporals the survivors are not badly off4 ,their religious training and spiritual interests are left entirely to the ,churches4 ,the ,government provides a ,superintendent at each ,station2 and where he is a ,christian man1 and takes any interest in the religion and morals of the tribes1 contentment reigns4 ,at ,ramayeuk1 for instance1 the ,superintendent is ,rev4 ,f4 ,a4 ,haganeur2 and he and his excellent wife regularly instruct the blacks4 ,nothing can be more delightful than the results4 ,the faces of the people were shining with happiness4 ,their rows of clean and neat cottages were a picture and an emblem4 ,in their ,church1 a ,native woman played the harmonium and led the praise4 ,i never had more attentive ,congregations4 ,on two occasions they handed me #e1 collected at their own free will1 for our ,island ,mission4 ,their ,school received from the ,government examiners one of the highest percentages4 ,many at this ,station have1 after a consistent ,christian life1 died in the full hope of ,glory together with ,jesus4 ,at all the other ,stations in ,victoria the outward comforts of the ,natives are attended to1 but ,superintendents ought to be appointed1 in every case1 to care for their souls as well as their bodies4 ,for strong drink and other vices are rapidly sweeping the ,aborigines away2 and ,australia has but short time to atone for the cruelties of the past1 and to snatch a few more jewels from amongst them for the ,crown of ,jesus our ,lord4 ,at my farewell meeting in ,melbourne1 ,sir ,henry ,barkley presiding1 ,i pleaded that the ,colony should put forth greater efforts to give the ,gospel to the ,aborigines2 ,i showed the idols which ,i had discovered amongst them2 ,i read ,nora's letters1 and1 ,i may1 without presumption1 say1 the 8brute-in-human-shape0 theory has been pretty effectually buried ever since4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,to ,,scotland ,,and ,,back4 ,dr4 ,inglis on the ,mission ,crisis4--,casting ,lots before the ,lord4--,struck by ,lightning4--,a ,peep at ,london4--,a ,heavenly ,welcome4--,the ,moderator's ,chair4--,reformed ,presbyterian ,church and ,free ,church4-- ,tour through ,scotland4--,a ,frosted ,foot4--,the ,children's ,holy ,league4--,missionary ,volunteers4--,a ,god-provided ,help-,mate4--,farewell to the ,old ,family ,altar4--,first ,peep at the ,dayspring4--,the ,dayspring in a ,dead-,lock4-- ,tokens of ,deliverance4--,the ,john ,williams and the ,dayspring4--,australia's ,special ,call4 ,each of my ,australian ,committees strongly urged my return to ,scotland1 chiefly to secure1 if possible1 more ,missionaries for the ,new ,hebrides4 ,dr4 ,inglis1 just arrived from ,britain1 where he had the ,aneityumese ,new ,testament carried through the press1 zealously enforced this appeal4 8,before ,i left home10 he wrote back to the ,church in ,scotland1 8,i thought this would be inexpedient2 but since ,i returned here1 and have seen the sympathy1 interest1 and liberality displayed through the blessing of ,god on ,mr4 ,paton's instrumentality1 and the altered aspect of the ,mission1 ,i feel that a crisis has been reached when a special effort must be made to procure more men1 for which ,i had neither the time1 nor had ,i the means to employ them1 but which may now be appropriately done by ,mr4 ,paton2 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 ,colonies40 ,yet my path was far from clear1 notwithstanding my ,gideon's fleece referred to already4 ,to lose time in going home to do work that others ought to do1 while ,i still heard the wail of the perishing ,heathen on the ,islands1 could scarcely be my duty4 ,amidst overwhelming perplexity1 and finding no light from any human counsel1 ,i took a step1 to which only once before in all my chequered career ,i have felt constrained4 ,some will mock when they read it1 but others will perhaps more profoundly say3 8,to whomsoever this faith is given1 let him obey it40 ,after many prayers1 and wrestlings1 and tears1 ,i went alone before the ,lord1 and1 on my knees1 cast lots with a solemn appeal to ,god1 and the answer came1 8,go home60 ,in my heart1 ,i sincerely believe that on both these occasions the ,lord condescended to decide for me the path of duty1 otherwise unknown2 and ,i believe it the more truly now1 in view of the after-come of thirty years of service to ,christ that flowed out of the steps then deliberately and devoutly taken4 ,in this1 and in many other matters1 ,i am no law to others1 though ,i obeyed my then highest light4 ,nor can ,i refrain from adding that1 for the very reasons indicated above1 ,i regard so-called 8lotteries0 and 8raffles0 as a mockery of ,god1 and little if at all short of blasphemy4 8,ye cannot drink at the ,lord's ,table1 and at the table of devils40 ,i sailed for ,london in the ,kosciusko1 an ,aberdeen clipper1 on #afth ,may1 #ahfc4 ,captain ,stewart made the voyage most enjoyable to all4 ,the son of my old friend ,bishop ,selwyn and ,i conducted alternately a ,presbyterian and an ,anglican ,service4 ,we passed through a memorable thunder-burst in rounding the ,cape4 ,our good ship was perilously struck by lightning4 ,the men on deck were thrown violently down4 ,the copper on the bulwarks was twisted and melted--a specimen of which the ,captain gave me and ,i still retain4 ,when the ball of fire struck the ship1 those of us sitting on chairs1 screwed to the floor around the ,cabin table1 felt as if she were plunging to the bottom4 ,when she sprang aloft again1 a military man and a medical officer were thrown heavily into the back passage between the ,cabins1 the screws that held their seats having snapped asunder4 ,i1 in grasping the table1 got my leg severely bruised1 being jammed betwixt the seat and the table1 and had to be carried to my berth4 ,all the men were attended to1 and quickly recovered consciousness2 and immediately the good ,captain1 an elder of the ,church1 came to me1 and said1-- 8,lead us in prayer1 and let us thank the ,lord for this most merciful deliverance2 the ship is not on fire1 and no one is seriously injured60 ,poor fellow6 whether hastened on by this event ,i know not1 but he struggled for three weeks thereafter in a fever1 and it took our united care and love to pull him through4 ,the ,lord1 however1 restored him2 and we cast anchor safely in the ,east ,india ,docks1 at ,london1 on #bfth ,august1 #ahfc1 having been three months and ten days at sea from port to port4 ,it was #e4cj p4m4 when we cast anchor1 and the gates closed at six o'clock4 ,my little box was ready on deck4 ,the ,custom ,house officers kindly passed me1 and ,i was immediately on my way to ,euston ,square4 ,never before had ,i been within the ,great ,city1 and doubtless ,i could have enjoyed its palaces and memorials4 ,but the ,king's business1 entrusted to me1 8required haste10 and ,i felt constrained to press forward1 looking neither to the right hand nor to the left4 ,the streets through which ,i was driven seemed to be dirty and narrow2 many of the people had a squalid and vicious look2 and1 fresh from ,australia1 my disappointment was keen as to the smoky and miserable appearance of what ,i saw4 ,no doubt other visitors will behold only the grandeur and the wealth2 they will see exactly what they come to see1 and ,london will shine before them accordingly4 ,at nine o'clock1 that evening1 ,i left for ,scotland by train4 ,next morning1 about the same hour1 ,i reported myself at the manse of the ,rev4 ,john ,kay1 ,castle ,douglas1 the ,convener of the ,foreign ,missions ,committee of the ,reformed ,presbyterian ,church1 to which ,i belonged4 ,we arranged for a meeting of said ,committee1 at earliest practicable date1 that my scheme and plans might at once be laid before them4 ,by the next train ,i was on my way to ,dumfries1 and thence by conveyance to my dear old home at ,torthorwald4 ,there ,i had a ,heavenly ,welcome from my saintly parents1 yet not unmixed with many fast-falling tears4 ,five brief years only had elapsed1 since ,i went forth from their ,sanctuary1 with my young bride2 and now1 alas6 alas6 that grave on ,tanna held mother and son locked in each other's embrace till the ,resurrection ,day4 ,not less glowing1 but more terribly agonizing1 was my reception1 a few days thereafter1 at ,coldstream1 when ,i first gazed on the bereaved father and mother of my beloved2 who1 though godly people1 were conscious of a heart-break under that stroke1 from which through their remaining years they never fully rallied4 ,they murmured not against the ,lord2 but all the same1 heart and flesh began to faint and fail1 even as our ,divine ,example ,himself fainted under the ,cross1 which yet ,he so uncomplainingly bore4 ,the ,foreign ,mission ,committee of the ,reformed ,presbyterian ,church met in ,edinburgh1 and welcomed me kindly1 nay1 warmly4 ,a full report of all my doings for the past1 and of all my plans and hopes1 was laid before them4 ,they at once agreed to my visiting and addressing every ,sabbath ,school in the ,church4 ,they opened to me their ,divinity ,hall1 that ,i might appeal to the ,students4 ,my ,address there was published and largely circulated1 under the motto3 8,come over and help us40 ,it was used of ,god to deepen vastly the interest in our ,mission4 ,the ,committee generously and enthusiastically did everything in their power to help me4 ,by their influence1 the ,church in #ahfd conferred on me the undesired and undeserved honour1 the highest which they could confer--the honour of being the ,moderator of their ,supreme ,court4 ,no one can understand how much ,i shrank from all this2 but1 in hope of the ,lord's using it and me to promote ,his work amongst the ,heathen1 ,i accepted the ,chair1 though1 ,i fear1 only to occupy it most unworthily1 for ,tanna gave me little training for work like that6 ,the ,church1 as there represented1 passed a ,resolution1 declaring3-- 8,it is with feelings of no ordinary pleasure that we behold present at this meeting one of our most devoted ,missionaries4 ,the result of ,mr4 ,paton's appeals in ,australia has been unprecedented in the history of this ,mission4 ,it appears in the shape of #d1ejj added to the funds of the ,new ,hebrides ,mission1 besides over #cjj for ,native ,teachers1 to be paid yearly in #e contributions1 and all expenses met4 ,the ,spirit of ,god must have been poured out upon the inhabitants of the ,colonies1 in leading them to make such a noble offering as this to the cause of ,missions1 and in making our ,missionary the honoured instrument ,god employed in drawing forth the sympathy and liberality of the ,colonists4 ,now1 by the good hand of ,god upon him1 he holds the most honoured position of ,moderator of the ,church1 etc41 etc40 ,the ,synod also placed on record its gratitude for what ,god had thus done2 and its cordial recognition of the many and fruitful services rendered by ,ministers and ,sabbath ,schools1 both in ,scotland and ,australia1 in standing by me and helping on the ,floating of the ,dayspring4 ,i have ever regarded it as a privilege and honour that ,i was born and trained within the old covenanting ,reformed ,presbyterian ,church of ,scotland4 ,as a separate ,communion1 that ,church is small amongst the thousands of ,israel2 but the principles of ,civil and ,religious ,liberty for which her founders suffered and died are1 at this moment1 the heart and soul of all that is best and divinest in the ,constitution of our ,british ,empire4 ,i am more proud that the blood of ,martyrs is in my veins1 and their truths in my heart1 than other men can be of noble pedigree or royal names4 ,and ,i was1--in that day of the ,church's honour so distinguished for her ,missionary zeal1--filled with a high passion of gratitude to be able to proclaim1 at the close of my tour1 and after the addition of new names to our staff1 that of all her ordained ,ministers1 one in every six was a ,missionary of the ,cross4 ,nor did the dear old ,church thus cripple herself2 on the contrary1 her zeal for ,missions accompanied1 if not caused1 unwonted prosperity at home4 ,new waves of liberality passed over the heart of her people4 ,debts that had burdened many of the ,churches and ,manses were swept away4 ,additional ,congregations were organized4 ,and in ,may1 #ahgf1 the ,reformed ,presbyterian ,church entered into an honourable and independent ,union with her larger1 wealthier1 and more progressive sister1 the ,free ,church of ,scotland1--only a few of the brethren1 doubtless with perfect loyalty to what they regarded as duty to ,christ1 still holding aloof and standing firmly in the old paths1 as they appeared to them4 ,in the ,deed of ,union the incorporating ,church took itself bound legally and formally to maintain the ,new ,hebrides ,mission staff1 and also the ,dayspring1 committing herself never to withdraw1 as it were1 till these ,islands were all occupied for ,jesus4 ,now that the ,french have been constrained to abandon the scene1 the field is open1 and the ,islands wail aloud for eight or ten ,missionaries more than we at present have 7#ahhi72 and then the ,standard of the ,cross might speedily be planted on every separate isle1 and a true sense might at last come into the foolish name given to these regions by their ,spanish discoverer1 when he called the part at which he touched1 thinking it the fabled ,southern ,continent1 the ,land of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,when the aforesaid ,union took place1 all the ,missionaries of their own free accord cast in their lot with the incorporating ,church2 not only those directly supported by the old ,reformed ,presbyterians themselves1 but also the several ,missionaries sent forth by them1 though supported by one or other of the ,australian ,colonies4 ,and1 beyond question1 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 ,missions1 both at home and abroad4 ,for it is a fixed point in the faith of every ,missionary1 that the more any ,church or ,congregation interests itself in the ,heathen1 the more will it be blessed and prospered at ,home4 8,one of the surest signs of life10 wrote the ,victorian ,christian ,review1 8is the effort of a ,church to spread the ,gospel beyond its own bounds1 and especially to send the knowledge of ,jesus amongst the ,heathen4 ,the ,missions to the ,aborigines1 to the ,chinese in this ,colony1 and to the ,new ,hebrides1 came to this ,church from ,god4 ,in a great crisis of the ,new ,hebrides1 they sent one of their number to ,australia for help1 and his appeal was largely owned by the ,head of the ,church4 ,the ,children1 and especially the ,sabbath ,scholars of the ,presbyterian ,churches1 became alive with ,missionary enthusiasm4 ,large sums were raised for a ,mission ,ship4 ,the ,congregations were roused to see their duty to ,god and their fellow-men beyond these ,colonies1 and a new ,missionary ,spirit took possession of the whole ,church4 ,their deputy from the ,islands agreed to become the ,missionary from this ,church4 ,many circumstances indeed combined to show that it was the will of the ,master1 that this ,church should join the other ,presbyterian ,churches in taking possession of this field of usefulness2 and already the results are very important both to the ,church and to the ,mission4 ,the ,missionaries feel much encouraged in receiving substantial support from the largest ,presbyterian ,church in the ,australian ,colonies2 while the ,presbyterian ,church in ,victoria is largely blessed in her own spirit through the ,missionary zeal awakened in her midst4 ,thus1 there is that scattereth and yet increaseth2 bringing out anew the words of the ,lord ,jesus1 how ,he said1 ,it is more blessed to give than to receive40 ,but1 in all this1 ,i am rather anticipating4 ,my tour through ,scotland brought me into contact with every ,minister1 ,congregation1 and ,sabbath ,school in the ,church of my fathers4 ,they were never at any time a rich people1 but they were always liberal4 ,at this time they contributed beyond all previous experience1 both in money and in boxes of useful articles for the ,islanders4 ,unfortunately1 my visit to the far ,north1 to our ,congregations at ,wick and ,stromness1 had been arranged for the month of ,january2 and thereby a sore trial befell me in my pilgrimages4 ,the roads were covered with snow and ice4 ,i reached ,aberdeen and ,wick by steamer from ,edinburgh1 and had to find my way thence to ,thurso4 ,the inside seats on the ,mail ,coach being all occupied1 ,i had to take my place outside4 ,the cold was intense1 and one of my feet got bitten by the frost4 ,the storm detained me nearly a week at ,thurso1 but feeling did not return to the foot4 ,we started1 in a lull1 by steamer for ,stromness2 but the storm burst again1 all were ordered below1 and hatches and doors made fast4 ,the passengers were mostly very rough1 the place was foul with whisky and tobacco4 ,i appealed to the ,captain to let me crouch somewhere on deck1 and hold on as best ,i could4 ,he shouted1-- 8,i dare not6 ,you'll be washed overboard40 ,on seeing my appealing look1 he relented1 directed his men to fasten a tarpaulin over me1 and lash it and me to the mast1 and there ,i lay till we reached ,stromness4 ,the sea broke heavily and dangerously over the vessel4 ,but the ,captain1 finding shelter for several hours under the lee of a headland1 saved both the ship and the passengers4 ,when at last we landed1 my foot was so benumbed and painful that ,i could move a step only with greatest agony4 ,two meetings1 however1 were in some kind of way conducted2 but the projected visit to ,dingwall and other places had to be renounced1 the snow lying too deep for any conveyance to carry me1 and my foot crying aloud for treatment and skill4 ,on returning ,southwards1 ,i was confined for about two months1 and placed under the best medical advice4 ,all feeling seemed gradually to have departed from my foot2 and amputation was seriously proposed both in ,edinburgh and in ,glasgow4 ,having somehow managed to reach ,liverpool1 my dear friend1 the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,graham1 took me there to a ,doctor who had wrought many wonderful recoveries by galvanism4 ,time after time he applied the battery1 but ,i felt nothing4 ,he declared that the power used would almost have killed an ordinary man1 and that he had never seen any part of the human body so dead to feeling on a live and healthy person4 ,finally1 he covered it all over with a dark plaster1 and told me to return in three days4 ,but next day1 the throbbing feeling of insufferable coldness in the foot compelled me to return at once4 ,after my persistent appeals1 he removed the plaster2 and1 to his great astonishment1 the whole of the frosted part adhered to it6 ,again dressing the remaining parts1 he covered it with plaster as before1 and assured me that with care and rest it would now completely recover4 ,by the blessing of the ,lord it did1 though it was a bitter trial to me amidst all these growing plans to be thus crippled by the way2 and to this day ,i am sometimes warned in over-walking that the part is capable of many a painful twinge4 ,and humbly ,i feel myself crooning over the graphic words of the ,greatest ,missionary1 8,i bear about in my body the marks of the ,lord ,jesus40 ,on that tour1 the ,sabbath ,schools joyfully adopted my scheme1 and became 8shareholders0 in the ,mission ,ship4 ,it was thereafter ably developed by an elder of the ,church4 ,a ,dayspring collecting box has found its way into almost every family2 and the returns from ,scotland have yielded ever since about #bej per annum1 as their proportion for the expenses of the ,children's ,mission ,ship to the ,new ,hebrides4 ,the ,church in ,nova ,scotia heartily accepted the same idea1 and their ,sabbath ,school children have regularly contributed their #bej per annum too4 ,the ,colonial children have contributed the rest1 throughout all these years1 with unfailing interest4 ,and whensoever the true and full history of the ,south ,sea ,islands ,mission is written for the edification of the ,universal ,church1 let it not be forgotten that the children of ,australasia1 and ,nova ,scotia1 and ,scotland did by their united pennies keep the ,dayspring floating in the ,new ,hebrides2 that the ,missionaries and their families were thereby supplied with the necessaries of life1 and that the ,islanders were thus taught to clothe themselves and to sit at the feet of ,jesus4 ,this was the ,children's ,holy ,league1 erewhile referred to2 and one knows that on such a ,union the ,divine ,master smiles well pleased4 ,the ,lord also crowned this tour with another precious fruit of blessing1 though not all by any means due to my influence4 ,four new ,missionaries volunteered from ,scotland1 and three from ,nova ,scotia4 ,by their aid we not only reclaimed for ,jesus the posts that had been abandoned1 but we took possession of other ,islands in ,his most blessed ,name4 ,but ,i did not wait and take them out with me4 ,they had matters to look into and to learn about1 that would be infinitely helpful to them in the ,mission field4 ,especially1 and far above everything else1 in addition to their regular clerical course1 some ,medical instruction was an almost absolute prerequisite4 ,i myself had attended several ,medical ,classes at the ,andersonian ,college1 when a student in ,glasgow1 and had had personal training from an experienced physician4 ,this had proved invaluable1 not only on the ,islands1 but in the remote bush during ,australian tours1 and indeed on many private occasions1 when other medical help was unavailable4 ,every future ,missionary was therefore urged to obtain all insight and instruction that was practicable at ,medical ,missions and otherwise1 especially on lines known to be most requisite for these ,islands4 ,for this1 and similar objects1 all that ,i raised over and above what was required for the ,dayspring was entrusted to the ,foreign ,mission ,committee1 that the new ,missionaries might be fully equipped1 and their outfit and travelling expenses be provided for without burdening the ,church at home4 ,her responsibilities were already large enough for her resources4 ,but she could give men1 ,god's own greatest gift1 and ,his people elsewhere gave the money1--the ,colonies and the ,home ,country thus binding themselves to each other in this ,holy ,mission of the ,cross4 ,but ,i did not return alone4 ,the dear ,lord had brought to me one prepared1 all unknown to either of us1 by special culture1 by godly training1 by many gifts and accomplishments1 and even by family associations1 to share my lot on the ,new ,hebrides4 ,her heart was stirred with a yearning to aid and teach those who were sitting in darkness2 her brother had been an honoured ,missionary in the foreign field1 and had fallen asleep while the dew of youth was yet upon him2 her sister was the wife of a devoted ,minister of our ,church in ,adelaide1 both she and her husband being zealous promoters of our work2 and her father had left behind him a fragrant memory through his many ,christian works in all the ,stirling district1 and not unknown to fame as the author of the still popular books of ,anecdotes1 illustrative of the ,shorter ,catechism and of the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,ere ,i left ,scotland in #ahfd1 ,i was married to ,margaret ,whitecross1 and ,god spares us to each other still2 and the family which ,he has been pleased in ,his love to grant unto us we have dedicated to ,his service1 with the prayer and hope that ,he may use every one of them in spreading the ,gospel throughout the ,heathen ,world4 ,our marriage was celebrated at her sister's house in ,edinburgh2 and ,i may be pardoned for recalling a little event that characterized the occasion4 ,my youngest brother1 then tutor to a gentleman studying at the ,university1 stepped forth at the close of the ceremony and recited an ,epithalamium composed for the day4 ,for many a month and year the refrain1 a play upon the ,bride's name1 kept singing itself through my memory3-- 8,long may the ,whitecross banner wave ,by the battle blasts unriven2 ,long may our ,brother and ,sister brave ,rejoice in the light of ,heaven40 ,he described the ,bride as hearing a 8,voice from the far ,pacific ,seas02 and turning to us both1 he sang of an ,angel beckoning us to the ,tanna-land1 to gather a harvest of souls3-- 8,the warfare is brief1 the crown is bright1 ,the pledge is the souls of men2 ,go1 may the ,lord defend the ,right1 ,and restore you safe again60 ,but the verse which my dear wife thought most beautiful for a bridal day1 and which her memory cherishes still1 was this3-- 8,may the ruddy ,joys1 and the ,graces fair1 ,wait fondly around you now2 ,sweet angel ,hopes and young ,loves repair ,to your home and bless your vow60 ,my last scene in ,scotland was kneeling at the family altar in the old ,sanctuary ,cottage at ,torthorwald1 while my venerable father1 with his high-priestly locks of snow-white hair streaming over his shoulders1 commended us once again to 8the care and keeping of the ,lord ,god of the families of ,israel40 ,it was the last time that ever on this ,earth those accents of intercession1 loaded with a pathos of deathless love1 would fall upon my ears4 ,i knew to a certainty that when we rose from our knees and said farewell1 our eyes would never meet again till they were flooded with the lights of the ,resurrection ,day4 ,but he and my darling mother gave us away once again with a free heart1 not unpierced with the sword of human anguish1 to the service of our common ,lord and to the ,salvation of the ,heathen4 ,and we went forth1 praying that a double portion of their spirit1 with their precious blessing1 might rest upon us in all the way that we had to go4 ,our beloved mother1 always more self-restrained1 and less demonstrative in the presence of others1 held back her heart till we were fairly gone from the door2 and then1 as my dear brother afterwards informed me1 she fell back into his arms with a great cry1 as if all the heart-strings had broken1 and lay for long in a death-like swoon4 ,oh1 all ye that read this page1 think most tenderly of the cries of ,nature1 even where ,grace and ,faith are in perfect triumph4 ,read1 through scenes like these1 a fuller meaning into the words addressed to that blessed ,mother1 whose ,son was given for us all1 8,yea1 a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also40 ,here1 in passing1 ,i may mention that my mother1 ever beloved1 8fell on sleep10 after a short agony of affliction1 in #ahfe2 and my 8priest-like father0 passed peacefully and joyfully into the presence of his ,lord in #ahfh2 both cradled and cherished to the last in the arms of their own affectionate children1 and both in the assured hope of a blessed immortality1 where all their sons and daughters firmly expect to meet them again in the ,home prepared by their blessed ,saviour4 ,we embarked at ,liverpool for ,australia in ,the ,crest of the ,wave1 ,captain ,ellis2 and after what was then considered a fast passage of ninety-five days1 we landed at ,sydney on #agth ,january1 #ahfe4 ,within an hour we had to grapple with a new and amazing perplexity4 ,the ,captain of our ,dayspring came to inform me that his ship had arrived three days ago and now lay in the stream1--that she had been to the ,islands1 and had settled the ,gordons1 ,mc,cullaghs1 and ,goodwills on their several ,stations1--that she had left ,halifax in ,nova ,scotia fourteen months ago1 and that now1 on arriving at ,sydney1 he could not get one penny of money1 and that the crew were clamouring for their pay1 etc41 etc4 ,he continued1 8,where shall ,i get money for current expenses8 ,no one will lend unless we mortgage the ,dayspring4 ,i fear there is nothing before us but to sell her60 ,i gave him #ej of my own to meet clamant demands1 and besought him to secure me a day or two of delay that something might be done4 ,having landed1 and been heartily welcomed by dear ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,moon and other friends1 ,i went with a kind of trembling joy to have my first look at the ,dayspring1 like a sailor getting a first peep at the child born to him whilst far away on the sea4 ,some of the irritated ship's company stopped us by the way1 and threatened prosecution and all sorts of annoyance4 ,i could only urge again for a few days' patience4 ,i found her to be a beautiful two-masted ,brig1 with a deck-house 7added when she first arrived at ,melbourne71 and every way suitable for our necessities1--a thing of beauty1 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 ,isles4 ,to me she became a sort of living thing1 the impersonation of a living and throbbing love in the heart of thousands of 8shareholders02 and ,i said1 with a deep1 indestructible faith1--8,the ,lord has provided--the ,lord will provide40 ,for present liabilities at least #gjj were instantly required2 and1 at any rate1 as large a sum to pay her way and meet expenses of next trip to the ,islands4 ,having laid our perplexing circumstances before our dear ,lord ,jesus1 having 8spread out0 all the details in ,his sympathetic presence1 pleading that the ,ship itself and the new ,missionaries were all ,his own1 not mine1 ,i told ,him that this money was needed to do ,his own blessed work4 ,on ,friday morning1 ,i consulted friends of the ,mission1 but no help was visible4 ,i tried to borrow1 but found that the lender demanded twenty per cent4 for interest1 besides the title deeds of the ship for security4 ,i applied for a loan from the agent of the ,london ,missionary ,society 7then agent for us too7 on the credit of the ,reformed ,presbyterian ,church's ,foreign ,committee1 but he could not give it without a written order from ,scotland4 ,there were some who seemed rather to enjoy our perplexity6 ,driven thus to the wall1 ,i advertised for a meeting of ,ministers and other friends1 next morning at #aa o'clock1 to receive my report and to consult re the ,dayspring4 ,i related my journeyings since leaving them1 and the results1 and then asked for advice about the ship4 8,sell her10 said some1 8and have done with it40 8,what10 said others1 8have the ,sabbath ,schools given you the ,dayspring1 and can you not support her yourselves80 ,i pointed out to them that the salary of each ,missionary was only #abj per annum1 that they gave their lives for the ,heathen1 and that surely the ,colonial ,christians would undertake the up-keep of the ,ship1 which was necessary to the very existence of the ,mission4 ,i appealed to them that1 as my own ,church in ,scotland had now one ,missionary abroad for every six ,ministers at home1 and the small ,presbyterian ,church of ,nova ,scotia had actually three ,missionaries now on our ,islands1 it would be a blessed privilege for the ,australian ,churches and ,sabbath ,schools to keep the ,dayspring afloat1 without whose services the ,missionaries could not live nor the ,islanders be evangelized4 ,being ,saturday1 the morning ,services for ,sabbath were all arranged for1 or advertised2 but ,dr4 ,mc,gibbon offered me a meeting for the evening1 and ,dr4 ,steel an afternoon ,service at three o'clock1 combined with his ,sabbath ,school4 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,patterson1 of ,piermont1 offered me a morning ,service2 but1 as his was only a ,mission ,church1 he could not give me a collection4 ,these openings ,i accepted1 as from the ,lord1 however much they fell short of what ,i desired4 ,at the morning ,service ,i informed the ,congregation how we were situated1 and expressed the hope that under ,god and their devoted pastor they would greatly prosper1 and would yet be able to help in supporting our ,mission to their ,south ,sea neighbours4 ,returning to the vestry1 a lady and gentleman waited to be introduced to me4 ,they were from ,launceston1 ,tasmania4 8,i am10 said he1 8,captain and owner of that vessel lying at anchor opposite the ,dayspring4 ,my wife and ,i1 being too late to get on shore to attend any ,church in the city1 heard this little ,chapel bell ringing1 and followed1 when we saw you going up the stairs4 ,we have so enjoyed the ,service4 ,we do heartily sympathize with you4 ,this cheque for #ej will be a beginning to help you out of your difficulties40 ,the reader knows how warmly ,i would thank them2 and how in my own heart ,i knew ,who it was that made them arrive too late for their plans1 but not for ,his1 and guided them up that ,chapel stair1 and opened their hearts4 ,jehovah-,jireh6 ,at three o'clock1 ,dr4 ,steel's ,church was filled with children and others4 ,i told them in my appeal what had happened in the ,mission ,chapel1 and how ,god had led ,captain ,frith and his wife1 entire strangers1 to sound the first note of our deliverance4 ,one man stood up and said1 8,i will give #aj40 ,another1 8,i will give #e40 ,a third1 8,i shall send you #bj to-morrow morning40 ,several others followed their example1 and the general collection was greatly encouraging4 ,in the evening1 ,i had a very large as well as sympathetic ,congregation4 ,i fully explained the difficulty about the ,dayspring1 and told them what ,god had already done for us1 announcing an address to which contributions might be sent4 ,almost every ,mail brought me the free-will offerings of ,god's people2 and on ,wednesday1 when the adjourned meeting was held1 the sum had reached in all #def4 ,believing that the ,lord thus intervened at a vital crisis in our ,mission1 ,i dwell on it to the praise of ,his blessed ,name4 ,trust in ,him1 obey ,him1 and ,he will not suffer you to be put to shame4 ,at a public meeting1 held immediately thereafter1 an attempt was made to organize the first ,australian ,mission ,auxiliary to the ,new ,hebrides2 but it needed an enthusiastic secretary1 and for lack thereof came to nothing at that time4 ,at another meeting1 the first elements of a brooding strife appeared4 ,the then ,agent of the noble and generous ,london ,missionary ,society intimated that he had just issued ,collecting ,cards for the ,john ,williams1 and that it would be unbrotherly to urge collections for the ,dayspring at the same time throughout ,new ,south ,wales4 ,he suggested that ,i should first visit ,tasmania and ,south ,australia1 and that1 on our return1 they would help us as we would now help them4 ,the most cordial feelings had always prevailed betwixt the ,societies1 and we accepted the proposal1 though our circumstances were peculiarly trying1 and ,i personally believed that no harm1 but good1 would come from both of us doing everything possible to fan the ,missionary spirit4 ,clearing out from her sister ships1 then in harbour1 the ,john ,williams and the ,john ,wesley1 our little ,dayspring sailed for ,tasmania4 ,at ,hobart we were visited by thousands of children and parents1 and afterwards at ,launceston1 who were proud to see their own ship1 in which they were 8shareholders0 for ,jesus4 ,daily1 all over the ,colony1 ,i preached in ,churches and addressed public meetings1 and got collections1 and gave out ,collecting ,cards to be returned within two weeks4 ,but here also the little rift began to show itself4 ,at a public meeting in ,hobart1 the ,congregational ,minister said1-- 8,we support the ,john ,williams for the ,london ,missionary ,society4 ,let the ,presbyterians do as much for the ,dayspring60 ,i replied1 that ,i was there by special invitation from those who had called the meeting1 and that1 rather than have any unseemly wrangling1 my friend1 ,dr4 ,nicolson1 and ,i would quietly retire4 ,but the ,chairman intervened1 and insisted that the meeting should go forward in a ,christian spirit1 and without any word of recrimination4 ,to find ourselves1 even by a misunderstanding1 regarded as inimical to the ,london ,missionary ,society1 one of the most ,catholic-spirited and ,christlike ,societies in the world1 was peculiarly painful4 ,still the little rift seemed to widen at every turn1 and we found ourselves thrown more and more exclusively on ,presbyterians alone4 ,but thus also the hearts of two great ,communions were concentrated on ,heathendom1 where one only or chiefly had been bearing the burden heretofore4 ,and the ,lord hath need of all4 ,we received many tokens of interest and sympathy4 ,the steam tug was granted to us free1 and the harbour dues were remitted4 ,many presents were also sent on board the ,dayspring4 ,still1 after meeting all necessary outlays1 the trip to ,tasmania gave us only #bbg #hs4 #aa;d4 clear for the ,mission fund4 ,sailing now for ,south ,australia1 we arrived at ,adelaide4 ,many friends there showed the deepest interest in our plans4 ,thousands of children and parents came to visit their own ,mission ,ship by several special trips4 ,daily and nightly ,i addressed meetings1 and ,god's people were moved greatly in the cause4 ,after meeting all expenses while in port1 there remained a sum of #fcd #is4 #b;d4 for the up-keep of the vessel4 ,the ,honourable ,george ,fife ,angus gave me #bda--;a dear friend belonging to the ,baptist ,church4 ,but there was still a deficit of #djj before the ,dayspring could sail free of debt1 and my heart was sore as ,i cried for it to the ,lord4 ,leaving the ship to sail direct for ,sydney1 ,i took steamer to ,melbourne2 but1 on arriving there1 sickness and anxiety laid me aside for three days4 ,under great weakness1 ,i crept along to my dear friends at the ,scotch ,college1 ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,morrison1 and ,miss ,fraser1 and threw myself on their advice4 8,come along10 said the ,doctor cheerily1 8and ,i'll introduce you to ,mr4 ,butchart and one or two friends in ,east ,melbourne1 and we'll see what can be done60 ,i gave all information1 being led on in conversation by the ,doctor1 and tried to interest them in our work1 but no subscriptions were asked or received4 ,ere ,i sailed for ,sydney1 however1 the whole deficiency was sent to me4 ,i received in all1 on this tour1 the sum of #a1gbf #is4 #aj;d4 ,our ,dayspring once more sailed free1 and our hearts overflowed with gratitude to the ,lord and to ,his stewards6 ,on my return to ,sydney1 and before sailing to the ,islands1 ,i called1 by advertisement1 a public meeting of ,ministers and other friends to report success1 and to take counsel for the future4 ,my report was received with hearty thanksgiving to ,almighty ,god4 ,and a resolution was unanimously adopted1 in view of all that had transpired1 urging that a scheme must be organized1 whereby the ,presbyterian ,churches and ,sabbath ,schools of ,australia should be banded together for the support of the ,dayspring1 and so prevent the necessity of such spasmodic efforts for all future time4 ,from that day1 practically1 the ,dayspring was supported by the ,presbyterians alone4 ,at the first1 all helped in the original purchase of the ,mission ,ship1 and she was to do all needful work on the ,loyalty ,islands for the ,london ,society's ,missionaries1 as well as on the ,new ,hebrides for us4 ,this was the agreement2 and1 despite little misunderstandings with the ,agents1 the ,dayspring was for some years placed heartily at their service4 ,when the ,john ,williams was wrecked1 our ship1 at great loss and expense1 accompanied her to ,sydney1 and spent four months of the following year for them entirely amongst the ,eastern ,islands4 ,the brethren on the ,loyalty ,islands sent up their ,mr4 ,macfarland to the ,colonies to secure that the promised support should be given by their friends to the ,dayspring2 but1 this failing1 they in #ahgj declined finally to have her doing their work1 when no longer paid for by their ,churches4 ,this little rift1 however1 amongst the contributing ,churches never affected us in the ,mission field2 they and we have ever wrought together there in most perfect cordiality of brotherhood4 ,perhaps the true way to look upon the whole series of events is this3 the ,australian ,presbyterian ,churches had been led to hear from ,god a special call1 and must necessarily organize themselves to answer it4 ,in this blessed work of converting the ,heathen1 we can all loyally rejoice1 whether the instruments in the ,lord's hand be ,episcopal1 ,presbyterian1 or ,congregational6 ,i glory in the success of every ,protestant ,mission1 and daily pray for them all4 ,it was ,god's own wise providence1 and not my zeal1 wise or intrusive1 that matured these arrangements1 and gave the ,australian ,presbyterian ,churches a ,mission ,ship of their own1 and a ,mission field at their doors4 ,the ,ministers and the ,sabbath ,schools felt constrained as by one impulse to undertake this gracious work4 ,the ,presbyterian ,churches in all these ,colonies received this duty as from ,god2 and the organizing of ,missionary ,societies in ,congregations and ,sabbath ,schools1 for the effective accomplishment of the same1 has been a principal means in the hands of the ,lord of promoting and uplifting the cause of ,christ throughout ,australasia4 ,it is worth while to re-travel that old road once again1 were it for no other purpose than to show how1 despite apparent checks and reverses1 the mighty tide of ,divine ,love moves resistlessly onward1 covers up temporary obstructions1 and claims everything for ,jesus4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,concerning ,,friends ,,and ,,foes4 ,first of ,missionary ,duties4--,mar and ,noumea4--,the ,french in the ,pacific4--,the ,curaoa ,affair4--,the 8,gospel and ,gunpowder0 ,cry4--,the ,missionaries on their ,defence4--,the ,mission ,synod's ,report4--,the ,shelling of the ,tannese ,villages4--,public ,meeting and ,presbytery4--,fighting at ,bay4--,federal ,union in ,missions4--,a ,fiery ,furnace at ,geelong4--,results of ,australian ,tour4--,new ,hebrides ,mission ,adopted by ,colonies4 ,we went down to the ,islands with the ,dayspring in #ahfe4 ,the full story of the years that had passed was laid before my ,missionary brethren at their ,annual ,synod4 ,they resolved that permanent arrangements must now be made for the ,vessel's support1 and that ,i must return to the ,colonies and see these matured4 ,this1 meantime1 appeared to all of them the most clamant of all ,missionary duties1--their very lives1 and the existence of the ,mission itself1 depending thereon4 ,the ,lord seemed to leave me no alternative2 and1 with great reluctance1 my back was again turned away from the ,islands4 ,the ,dayspring1 doing duty among the ,loyalty ,islands1 left me1 along with my dear wife1 on ,mar1 there to await an opportunity of getting to ,new ,caledonia1 and thence to ,sydney4 ,detained there for some time1 we saw the noble work done by ,messrs4 ,jones and ,creagh1 of the ,london ,missionary ,society1 all being cruelly undone by the tyranny and ,popery of the ,french4 ,one day1 in an inland walk1 ,mrs4 ,paton and ,i came on a large ,conventicle in the bush4 ,they were teaching each other1 and reading the ,scriptures which the ,missionaries had translated into their own language1 and which the ,french had forbidden them to use4 ,they cried to ,god for deliverance from their oppressors6 ,missionaries were prohibited from teaching the ,gospel to the ,natives without the permission of ,france2 their books were suppressed1 and they themselves placed under military guard on the island of ,lifu4 ,even when1 by ,britain's protest1 the ,missionaries were allowed to resume their work1 the ,french language was alone to be used by them2 and some1 like ,rev4 ,j ,jones 7as far down as #ahhh71 were marched on board a ,man-of-war1 at half an hour's notice1 and1 without crime laid to their charge1 forbidden ever to return to the ,islands4 ,while1 on the other hand1 the ,french ,popish ,missionaries were everywhere fostered and protected1 presenting to the ,natives as many objects of idolatry as their own1 and following1 as is the custom of the ,romish ,church in those ,seas1 in the wake of every ,protestant ,mission1 to pollute and to destroy4 ,being detained also for two weeks on ,noumea1 we saw the state of affairs under military rule4 ,english ,protestant residents1 few in number1 appealed to me to conduct worship1 but liberty could not be obtained from the authorities1 who hated everything ,english4 ,but a number of ,protestant parents1 some ,french1 others ,english and ,german1 applied to me to baptize their children at their own houses4 ,to have asked permission would have been to court refusal1 and to falsify my position4 ,i laid the matter before the ,lord1 and baptized them all4 ,within two days the ,private ,secretary of the ,governor arrived with an interpreter1 and began to inquire of me1-- 8,is it true that you have been baptizing here80 ,i replied quite frankly1 8,it is40 8,we are sent to demand on whose authority40 8,on the authority of my ,great ,master40 8,when did you get that authority80 8,when ,i was licensed and ordained to preach the ,gospel1 ,i got that authority from my ,great ,master40 ,here a spirited conversation followed betwixt the two in ,french1 and they politely bowed1 and left me4 ,very shortly they returned1 saying1-- 8,the ,governor sends his compliments1 and he wishes the honour of a visit from you at ,government ,house at three o'clock1 if convenient for you40 ,i returned my greeting1 and said that ,i would have pleasure in waiting upon his ,excellency at the appointed hour4 ,i thought to myself that ,i was in for it now1 and ,i earnestly cried for ,divine guidance4 ,he saluted me graciously as 8de great ,missionary of de ,new ,hebrides40 ,he conversed in a very friendly manner about the work there1 and seemed anxious to find any indication as to the ,english designs4 ,i had to deal very cautiously4 ,he spoke chiefly through the interpreter2 but1 sometimes dismissing him1 he talked to me as good1 if not better1 ,english himself4 ,he was eager to get my opinions as to how ,britain got and retained her power over the ,natives4 ,after a very prolonged interview1 we parted without a single reference to the baptisms or to religious services6 ,that evening the ,secretary and interpreter waited upon us at our ,inn1 saying1-- 8,the ,governor will have pleasure in placing his yacht and crew at your disposal to-morrow4 ,mrs4 ,paton and you can sail all round1 and visit the ,convict island1 and the ,government gardens1 where lunch will be prepared for you40 ,it was a great treat to us indeed4 ,the crew were in prison garments1 but all so kind to us4 ,by ,convict labour all the public works seemed to be carried on1 and the ,gardens were most beautiful4 ,the carved work in bone1 ivory1 cocoa-nuts1 shells1 etc41 was indeed very wonderful4 ,we bought a few specimens1 but the prices were beyond our purse4 ,it was a strange spectacle--these things of beauty and joy1 and beside them the chained gangs of fierce and savage ,convicts1 kept down only by bullet and sword6 ,thanking the ,governor for his exceeding kindness1 ,i referred to their ,man-of-war about to go to ,sydney1 and offered to pay full passage money if they would take me1 instead of leaving me to wait for a 8trader40 ,he at once granted my request1 and arranged that we should be charged only at the daily cost for the sailors4 ,at his suggestion1 however1 ,i took a number of things on board with me1 and presented them to be used at the ,cabin table4 ,we were most generously treated1--the ,captain giving up his own room to my wife and myself1 as they had no special accommodation for passengers4 ,noumea appeared to me at that time to be wholly given over to drunkenness and vice1 supported as a great ,convict settlement by the ,government of ,france1 and showing every extreme of reckless1 worldly pleasure1 and of cruel1 slavish toil4 ,when ,i saw it again1 three-and-twenty years thereafter1 it showed no signs of progress for the better4 ,in his book on the ,french ,colonies1 ,j4 ,bonwick1 ,f4,r4,g4,s41 says that even yet ,noumea and its dependencies contain only #a1jfh ,colonists from ,france4 ,if there be a ,god of justice and of love1 ,his blight cannot but rest on a nation whose pathway is stained with corruption and steeped in blood1 as is undeniably the case with ,france in the ,pacific ,isles4 ,arriving at ,sydney1 ,i was at once plunged into a whirlpool of horrors4 ,h4,m4,s4 ,curaoa had just returned from her official trip to the ,islands1 in which the ,commodore1 ,sir ,william ,wiseman1 had thought it his duty to inflict punishment on the ,natives for murder and robbery of ,traders and others4 ,on these ,islands1 as in all similar cases1 the ,missionaries had acted as interpreters1 and of course always used their influence on the side of mercy1 and in the interests of peace4 ,but ,sydney1 and indeed ,australia and the ,christian ,world1 were thrown into a ferment just a few days before our arrival1 by certain articles in a leading publication there1 and by the pictorial illustrations of the same4 ,they were professedly from an officer on board ,her ,majesty's ship1 and the sensation was increased by their apparent truthfulness and reality4 ,tanna was the scene of the first event1 and a series was to follow in succeeding numbers4 ,the ,curaoa was pictured lying off the shore1 having the ,dayspring in tow4 ,the ,tannese warriors were being blown to pieces by shot and shell1 and lay in heaps on the bloody coast4 ,and the ,missionaries were represented as safe in the lee of the ,man-of-war1 directing the onslaught1 and gloating over the carnage4 ,without a question being asked or a doubt suggested1 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 execration1 loud and deep and even savage1 arose from the ,press1 and was apparently joined in by the ,church itself4 ,the common witticism about the 8,gospel and ,gunpowder0 headed hundreds of bitter and scoffing articles in the journals2 and1 as we afterwards learned1 the shocking news had been telegraphed to ,britain and ,america1 losing nothing in force by the way1 and while filling friends of ,missions with dismay1 was dished up day after day with every imaginable enhancement of horror for the readers of the secular and infidel ,press4 ,as ,i stepped ashore at ,sydney1 ,i found myself probably the best-abused man in all ,australia1 and the very name of the ,new ,hebrides ,mission stinking in the nostrils of the ,people4 ,the gage of battle had been thrown and fell at my feet4 ,without one moment's delay1 ,i lifted it in the name of my ,lord and of my maligned brethren4 ,that evening my reply was in the hands of the editor1 denying that such battles ever took place1 retailing the actual facts of which ,i had been myself an eye-witness1 and intimating legal prosecution unless the most ample and unequivocal withdrawal and apology were at once published4 ,the ,newspaper printed my rejoinder1 and made satisfactory amends for having been imposed upon and deceived4 ,i waited upon the ,commodore1 and appealed for his help in redressing this terrible injury to our ,mission4 ,he informed me that he had already called his officers to account1 but that all denied any connection with the articles or the pictures4 ,he had little doubt1 all the same1 that some one on board was the prompter1 who gloried in the evil that was being done to the cause of ,christ4 ,he offered every possible assistance1 by testimony or otherwise1 to place all the facts before the ,christian public and to vindicate out ,missionaries4 ,the outstanding facts are best presented in the following extract from the official report of the ,mission ,synod3-- 8,when the ,new ,hebrides ,missionaries were assembled at their annual meeting on ,aneityum1 ,h4,m4,s4 ,curaoa1 ,sir ,wm4 ,wiseman1 ,bart41 ,c4,b41 arrived in the harbour to investigate many grievances of white men and trading vessels among the ,islands4 ,a petition having been previously presented to the ,governor in ,sydney1 as drawn out by the ,revs4 ,messrs4 ,geddie and ,copeland1 after the murder of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,gordon on ,erromanga1 requesting an investigation into the sad event1 and the removal of a ,sandal-wood trader1 a ,british subject1 who had excited the ,natives to it1--the ,missionaries gave the ,commodore a memorandum on the loss of life and property that had been sustained by the ,mission on ,tanna1 ,erromanga1 and ,efat4 ,he requested the ,missionaries to supply him with interpreters1 and requested the ,dayspring to accompany him with them4 ,the request was at once acceded to4 ,mr4 ,paton was appointed to act as interpreter for ,tanna1 ,mr4 ,gordon for ,erromanga1 and ,mr4 ,morrison for ,efat4 8,at each of these ,islands1 the ,commodore summoned the principal ,chiefs near the harbours to appear before him1 and explained to them that his visit was to inquire into the complaints ,british subjects had made against them1 and to see if they had any against ,british subjects2 and when he had found out the truth he would punish those who had done the wrong and protect those who had suffered wrong4 ,the ,queen did not send him to compel them to become ,christians1 or to punish them for not becoming ,christians4 ,she left them to do as they liked in this matter2 but she was very angry at them because they had encouraged her subjects to live amongst them1 sold them land and promised to protect them1 and afterwards murdered some of them and attempted to murder others1 and stolen and destroyed their property2 that the inhabitants of these islands were talked of over the whole world for their treachery1 cruelty1 and murders2 and that the ,queen would no longer allow them to murder or injure her subjects1 who were living peaceably among them either as ,missionaries or ,traders4 ,she would send a ship of war every year to inquire into their conduct1 and if any white man injured any ,native they were to tell the captain of the ,man-of-war1 and the white man would be punished as fast as the black man40 ,after spending much time1 and using peaceably every means in his power in trying to get the guilty parties on ,tanna1 and not succeeding1 he shelled two villages1--having the day before informed the natives that he would do so1 and advising to have all women1 children1 and sick removed1 which in fact they did4 ,he also sent a party on shore to destroy canoes1 houses1 etc4 ,the ,tannese were astonished1 beyond all precedent1 by the terrific display of destructive power that was exhibited in the harbour4 ,it was found impossible to reach the actual murderers2 in these circumstances the ,commodore's object was to save life and limit himself to the destruction of property1 and so impress the ,natives with some idea of those tremendous powers of destruction1 which lie slumbering in a ,man-of-war1 and which can be awakened and brought into action at any moment4 ,on ,erromanga no lives were lost4 ,on ,tanna one man was wounded2 but1 it was reported1 three persons were afterwards killed by the bursting of a shell1 when the natives were stripping off its lead to make balls4 ,it is matter of deep regret that one man of the party sent on shore was shot by a ,native concealed in a tree4 ,against orders he had wandered from his party1 and was in a plantation standing eating a stick of sugar-cane when he was shot4 ,as ,i had orders to act as interpreter for the ,commodore on ,tanna1 ,i will relate what happened there4 ,from day to day1 for three continuous days1 he besought the ,natives to comply with his wishes4 ,he warned them that if they did not1 he would shell the two villages of the ,chief who murdered the last white man at ,port ,resolution1 and destroy his canoes4 ,he also explained to them1 that all who retired to a large bay in the land of ,nowar1 the ,christian ,chief 7if ,christian he can be called71 would be safe1 as he had protected white men from being murdered2 and now he would protect his property and all under his care on this land4 ,the whole of these inhabitants1 young and old1 went to ,nowar's land and were safe1 while they witnessed what a ,man-of-war could do in punishing murderers4 ,but1 before the hour approached1 multitudes of ,tannese warriors had assembled on the beach1 painted and armed and determined to fight the ,man-of-war6 ,when the ,commodore gave orders to prepare for action1 ,i approached him and said with tears1-- 8,o ,commodore1 surely you are not going to shell these poor and foolish ,tannese60 ,sharply1 but not unkindly1 he replied1-- 8,you are here as interpreter1 not as my adviser4 ,i alone am responsible4 ,you see their defiant attitude4 ,if ,i leave without punishing them now1 no vessel or white man will be safe at this harbour4 ,you can go on board your own ship1 till ,i require your services again40 ,indeed he had many counts against them1 and his instructions were explicit4 ,shortly before that1 ,nouka1 the ,chief of one of the villages1 had murdered a trader with a bar of iron1 and another was murdered at his instigation4 ,miaki1 the ,chief of another1 had for many years been ringleader of all mischief and murder on that side of the island4 ,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 view1 and dancing to a war song in defiance6 ,the ,commodore caused a shell to strike the hill and explode with terrific fury just underneath the dancers4 ,the earth and the bush were torn and thrown into the air above and around them2 and next moment the whole host were seen disappearing over the brow of the hill4 ,two shots were sent over the heads of the warriors on the shore1 with terrific noise and uproar2 in an instant1 every man was making haste for ,nowar's land1 the place of refuge4 ,the ,commodore then shelled the villages1 and destroyed their property4 ,beyond what ,i have here recorded1 absolutely nothing was done4 ,we return then for a moment to ,sydney4 ,the public excitement made it impossible to open my lips in the promotion of our ,mission4 ,the ,revs4 ,drs4 ,dunsmore ,lang and ,steel1 along with ,professor ,smith of the ,university1 waited on the ,commodore1 and got an independent version of the facts4 ,they then called a meeting on the affair by public advertisement4 ,without being made acquainted with the results of their investigations1 ,i was called upon to give my own account of the ,curaoa's visit and of the connection of the ,missionaries therewith4 ,they then submitted the ,commodore's statement1 given by him in writing4 ,he exonerated the ,missionaries from every shadow of blame and from all responsibility4 ,in the interests of mercy as well as justice1 and to save life1 they had acted as his interpreters2 and there all that they had to do with the ,curaoa began and ended4 ,all this was published in the ,newspapers next day1 along with the speeches of the three deputies4 ,the excitement began to subside4 ,but the poison had been lodged in many hearts1 and the ejectment of it was a slow and difficult process4 ,the ,presbytery of ,sydney held a special meeting1 and ,i was summoned to appear before it4 ,dr4 ,geddie of ,aneityum was also present1 being then in the ,colonies4 ,whether the tide of abuse had turned my dear fellow-,missionary's head1 ,i cannot tell2 but1 on being asked to make a statement1 he condemned the ,missionaries for acting as interpreters1 and wound up with a dramatic exclamation that 8rather than have had anything to do with the ,curaoa's visit he would have had his hand burned off in the fire40 ,the ,court applauded4 ,the ,moderator then said3 8,mr4 ,paton has heard the noble speech of ,dr4 ,geddie4 ,let him now solemnly promise that1 under no circumstances1 will he have anything to do with a ,man-of-war4 ,then we may see our way again to stand by him1 and help him in his ,mission40 ,and in this spirit1 he appealed to me4 ,on rising1 ,i explained that ,i appeared before them only out of brotherly courtesy1 as their ,presbytery had no jurisdiction over me1 and ,i spoke to the following effect3-- 8,i am indeed a ,missionary to the ,heathen1 but also a ,british subject4 ,i have never requested redress from ,man-of-war1 or any civil power2 but1 like ,paul1 ,i reserve my full rights1 if need be1 to appeal unto ,csar4 ,if any member of this ,presbytery has his house robbed1 as a good citizen he seeks redress and protection4 ,but on ,tanna ,i lost my earthly all1 and sought no redress from man4 ,the ,tannese ,chiefs1 indeed1 who were friendly1 sent a ,petition by me to the ,governor of ,sydney2 which1 however1 was never presented to him at all1 fearing that thereby indirectly ,i might bring punishment upon my poor deluded ,tannese4 ,others were more convinced as to the path of duty1 or less considerate of the ,natives4 ,their ,petition ,i now take from my pocket and submit it to you4 ,it was presented to the ,governor1 ,sir ,john ,young1 after the death of the ,gordons1 and prayed for a judicial investigation as to their murders4 ,as soon it was known of1 a counter ,petition in the interests of the ,traders was immediately got up and signed by many of the great merchants of ,sydney1 protesting against any such visit to the ,islands by a ,man-of-war4 ,this ,petition1 then1 the original and only one ever presented in favour of a visit from ,her ,majesty's ,commodore1 was drawn up and is signed--by whom80 ,on ,dr4 ,geddie acknowledging that he had written and signed that ,petition1 but that it prayed only for an investigation1 ,i proceeded1-- 8,surely a judicial investigation like this implied all the after consequences1 if once undertaken6 ,at any rate1 this is the only ,petition sent from the ,missionaries1 and it was sent unknown to me4 ,finally1 ,i must respectfully inform the ,presbytery that ,i will never make such a promise as the ,moderator has indicated4 ,i shall remain free to act in humanity and in justice as ,god and conscience guide me4 ,i believe ,i saved both life and property by interpreting for the ,commodore1 and making things mutually intelligible to him and to the ,natives4 ,i have done as clear a ,christian duty as ,i ever did in my life4 ,i am not ashamed4 ,i offer no apology4 ,i do not believe that in the long run1 when all facts are known1 my conduct in this affair can possibly injure either myself1 or1 what is more1 the ,name of my ,lord40 ,perhaps my words were not too conciliatory4 ,but excitement so blinded many friends1 that ,i had to fight as if at bay1 or get no hearing and no justice4 ,the ,presbytery hesitated1 and closed without coming to any resolution4 ,all the members of it showed me thereafter the same respect as ever before4 ,it was gratifying to learn in due course that all the ,churches supporting our ,mission1 after having independently investigated into the facts1 justified the course adopted by us1--,nova ,scotia alone excepted4 ,yet two of her own ,missionaries had also to interpret for that ,man-of-war1 exactly as ,i had done1 nor did ,i ever hear that any rebuke was administered to them4 ,feeling absolutely conscious that ,i had only done my ,christian duty1 ,i left all results in the hands of my ,lord ,jesus1 and pressed forward in ,his blessed work4 ,more than one dear personal friend had to be sacrificed over this painful affair4 ,a ,presbyterian ,minister1 and a godly elder and his wife1 all most excellent and well-beloved1 at whose houses ,i had been received as a brother1 intimated to me that owing to this case of the ,curaoa their friendship and mine must entirely cease in this world4 ,and it did cease2 but my esteem never changed4 ,i had learned not to think unkindly of friends1 even when they manifestly misunderstood my actions4 ,nor would these things merit being recorded here1 were it not that they may be at once a beacon and a guide4 ,god's people are still belied4 ,and the multitude are still as ready as ever to cry1 8,crucify6 ,crucify60 ,the scheme for meeting the yearly cost of the ,dayspring1 that had already been tentatively set a-going1 had now to be matured and permanently organized4 ,in this my dear friend ,dr4 ,j4 ,dunsmore ,lang1 well acquainted with the resources of all the ,churches1 was our judicious counsellor4 ,we proposed that ,victoria should raise #ejj2 ,new ,south ,wales and ,new ,zealand1 #bjj each2 ,tasmania1 ,queensland1 and ,south ,australia1 #ajj each1 and #bej each from ,novia ,scotia and ,scotland4 ,tasmania1 ,south ,australia1 and ,queensland fell a little short of their proportion2 ,sydney1 ,scotland1 and ,novia ,scotia met their claims2 and ,victoria and ,new ,zealand exceeded them1 and made up for deficiency in others4 ,this has ever since been done in great measure1 though not exclusively1 by the ,sabbath ,scholars of the ,churches1 through their ,dayspring 8,mission-boxes40 ,in organizing and maturing this scheme1 ,i visited and addressed almost every ,presbyterian ,congregation and ,sabbath ,school in ,new ,south ,wales and ,victoria1 ,south ,australia and ,tasmania2 and ,ministers and ,superintendents1 with scarcely an exception1 came to be bound together in a true federal union in support of our ,mission and our ,ship4 ,for the first three years1 when everything was new1 the ,dayspring cost us about #a1djj per annum2 but since then she has cost on an average little short of #b1jjj over all4 ,there has too often been a floating debt of #cjj or more1 which has given us great anxiety2 but the ,lord has sent what was required1 and enabled us to keep her sailing with the ,gospel and ,his servants amongst these ,islands1 free of any actual burden1--,his own pure messenger of ,good ,tidings1 unstained with the polluting and bloody associations of the foul-winged trading ,ships6 ,another fiery furnace awaited me on this tour1 when ,i reached ,geelong4 ,one of the prominent ,ministers refused to shake hands4 ,an agent of the ,london ,missionary ,society had informed them 8that the #c1jjj paid for the ,dayspring had been thrown away1 that the ,vessel was useless1 fitted only for carrying stores1 and having no accommodation for passengers2 and that on her second trip to the ,islands our ,missionaries had to wait and go down by the ,john ,williams40 ,it was an abiding sorrow to me1 that local misrepresentations gave the ,societies an appearance of conflict1 whereof the parent organizations knew nothing whatever4 ,but1 for all the interests at stake1 facts had to be made known4 ,several ,congregations had resolved to withdraw from the support of our ,mission2 and several ,ministers at ,ballarat1 and elsewhere1 were by similar accounts prejudiced against us4 ,i demanded an opportunity of stating the facts1 and vindicating myself and others1 in a public meeting duly called for the purpose4 ,they at once agreed4 ,i wrote once and a second time to the ,agent1 but got no answer1 only an evasive note4 ,i went by rail and saw him4 ,he would give no explanation1 or authority for his statements1 but practically put me out1 on a pretence of there being sickness at the house4 ,nevertheless1 in a spirit of determined brotherhood1 ,i resolved only to explain facts about the ,dayspring1 and not to drag in the name of that great sister ,society which he so poorly served4 ,there was a crowded meeting4 ,the ,minister who refused to shake hands was voted to the chair4 ,i was called upon to explain my position4 ,by this time ,i had communicated with the ,dayspring officials1 and1 producing the log-book1 ,i read from it1 regarding the voyage referred to1 the following3-- 8,when the ,dayspring sailed from ,sydney for the ,islands1 she had as passengers on board1 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,paton1 ,mrs4 ,paton1 and child1 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,mc,nair and ,mrs4 ,mc,nair1 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,niven and ,mrs4 ,niven1 ,mrs4 ,ella and child1 of the ,london ,missionary ,society1 ,captain ,fraser1 ,mrs4 ,fraser1 child1 and servant1 besides all the year's ,mission supplies for both the ,new ,hebrides and the ,loyalty ,islands4 ,and on reaching these ,islands1 as the ,french ,government had ordered the removal of all the ,eastern ,teachers of the ,london ,missionary ,society from that group1 the ,dayspring had to undertake an unexpected voyage of three months from the ,loyalties to ,samoa1 ,rarotonga1 etc41 with ,rev4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,sleigh of the ,london ,missionary ,society1 and sixty-one of their ,native ,teachers1 who1 along with their families1 were all in health landed safely on their respective islands1 as passengers by the ,dayspring40 ,i also read a corroborative narrative from ,captain ,fraser1 written from memory1 as he was at that time far inland in the country1 and had not access to the records of his vessel4 ,and my statement closed to this effect1-- 8,it must now be manifest to all1 that the damaging reports circulated in ,geelong are more than replied to4 ,by the ,captain1 and from the log1 they are proved to be false1 both as to capacity for goods and passengers4 ,at present the ,dayspring is everything that could be desired for the furtherance of our ,mission4 ,if you are satisfied1 ,i wish to leave this painful subject1 and proceed with my proper work4 ,but ,i am prepared to answer any question from the ,chairman or the meeting1 and to give the fullest information40 ,the round of applause that followed was my complete vindication4 ,the ,chairman gave me his hand1 and pledged his utmost support4 ,he proposed the following resolution1 which was carried with acclamation1-- 8,that this meeting1 having heard ,mr4 ,paton with satisfaction1 pledges the ,churches1 ,sabbath ,schools1 and friends in ,geelong1 henceforth to support the ,dayspring and the ,new ,hebrides ,mission to the utmost of their power1 and to receive and encourage him as much as ever in his work on behalf of the ,mission40 ,the special object of my visit was then explained1 and several ,ministers and others spoke heartily in furtherance of the proposals for the permanent support of the ,dayspring through the ,sabbath ,schools4 ,all battles through mere misunderstandings are painful1 but especially those amongst ,christian brethren4 ,still they had to be fought1 never laying aside the weapons of the ,cross2 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 rejoice4 ,on this tour1 in ,victoria alone1 ,i spent #bej days and addressed #bfe meetings1 representing #ahj ,congregations and their ,sabbath ,schools4 ,the proportion was on the same scale in the other ,colonies visited4 ,and all these arrangements ,i had to make for myself1 by painful and laborious correspondence night and day4 ,but the ,lord's blessing was abundantly vouchsafed4 ,victoria gave #a1ied #ais4 #c;d2 ,tasmania1 #gf #abs4 #g;d42 ,south ,australia1 #bbb #afs42 ,new ,south ,wales1 #bdi2 being a total of #b1ejc #gs4 #aj;d41 besides #bbj in yearly donations of #e1 promised for the maintenance of the ,native ,teachers4 ,in #ahfb ,i appealed to the ,victorian ,general ,assembly to take up the ,new ,hebrides ,mission as their own4 ,the appeal was followed by ,rev4 ,j4 ,clark1 ,convener of ,heathen ,missions ,committee in #ahfc1 getting the ,assembly to accept the proposal4 ,and in #ahfe the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,a4 ,j4 ,campbell carried our scheme1 and the ,assembly pledged itself to give #ejj per annum for the support of the ,dayspring1 from the offerings of the ,sabbath ,schools4 ,new ,zealand and other ,colonies soon followed ,victoria's example1 until all were pledged to uphold the ,new ,hebrides ,mission4 ,for my dear friend and old ,college companion1 ,rev4 ,joseph ,copeland1 had visited at the same time ,queensland and ,new ,zealand1 and had received from them respectively #aja #bs4 #d;d4 and #ehj2 so that all the ,churches adopted our scheme for the permanent support of the ,dayspring2 and the ,mission fund had now a fair balance on the right side4 ,at the ,general ,assembly of the ,presbyterian ,church of ,victoria in #ahff1 ,i was adopted--being officially transferred from the ,church in ,scotland--as the first ,missionary from the ,presbyterian ,churches of ,australia to the ,new ,hebrides4 ,dr4 ,geddie would also have been adopted at the same time1 but ,novia ,scotia could not agree to part with its first and most highly-honoured ,missionary4 ,the ,victorian ,church therefore engaged the ,rev4 ,james ,cosh1 ,m4,a41 on his way out from ,scotland1 as its other agent1 in the hope that we two might be able to re-open and carry on the ,tanna ,mission4 ,in their ,christian ,review of #ahfg1 they said3-- 8,the idea which we in ,victoria had1 when the ,missionaries left us in ,july last was1 that ,messrs4 ,paton and ,cosh would be associated on ,tanna1 and labour for its evangelization1 under the special auspices as well as at the cost of the ,presbyterian ,church of ,victoria2 but ,mr4 ,cosh1 having chosen the station at ,pango on ,efat1 where the ,natives were more prepared for the ,gospel1 and where life and property were safe1 went to spend a year's novitiateship with ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,morrison on ,efat4 ,mr4 ,paton would have fain gone back to ,tanna1 but the ,missionaries generally feared that no one ,european life would have been safe at the time on ,tanna4 ,they therefore1 and no doubt wisely1 sent ,mr4 ,paton to the small and less savage1 but not less ,heathen1 ,island of ,aniwa40 ,it was indeed one of the bitterest trials of my life1 not to be able to return and settle down at once on dear old ,tanna2 but ,i could not go alone1 against the decided opposition of all the other ,missionaries--,dr4 ,inglis1 however1 at last sympathizing most strongly with my views4 ,i went1 as will appear hereafter1 to ,aniwa1 the nearest island to the scene of my former woes and perils1 in the hope that ,god would soon open up my way and enable me to return to blood-stained ,tanna4 ,my heart bleeds for the ,heathen1 and ,i long to see a ,teacher for every tribe and a ,missionary for every island of the ,new ,hebrides4 ,the hope still burns that ,i may witness it2 and then ,i could gladly rest4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,settlement ,,on ,,aniwa4 ,the ,john ,williams on the ,reef4--,a ,native's ,soliloquy4--,nowar ,pleading for ,tanna4--,the ,white ,shells of ,nowar4--,the ,island of ,aniwa4--,first ,landing on ,aniwa4--,the ,site of our ,new ,home4--8,me no ,steal60--,house ,building for ,god4--,native ,expectations4--,tafigeitu or ,sorcery4--,the ,miracle of ,speaking ,wood4--,perils through ,superstition4--,the ,mission ,premises4--,a ,city of ,god4--,builders and their ,wages4--,great ,swimming ,feat4--,stronger than the 8,gods0 of ,aniwa4 ,everything being now arranged for in the ,colonies1 in connection with the ,mission and ,dayspring1 as far as could possibly be1 we sailed for the ,islands on the #hth ,august1 #ahff4 ,besides my wife and child1 the following accompanied us to the field3 ,revs4 ,copeland1 ,cosh1 and ,mc,nair1 along with their respective wives4 ,on ,august #bjth we reached ,aneityum2 and1 having landed some of our friends1 we sailed ,northwards1 as far as ,efat1 to let the new ,missionaries see all the ,islands open for occupation1 and to bring all our ,missionaries back to the annual meeting1 where the permanent settlements would be finally agreed upon4 ,on our return1 we found that the beautiful new ,john ,williams1 reaching ,aneityum on #eth of ,september1 had stuck fast on the coral reef and swung there for three days4 ,by the unceasing efforts of the ,natives1 working in hundreds1 she was saved1 though badly damaged4 ,at a united meeting of all the ,missionaries1 representing the ,london ,missionary ,society and our own1 it was resolved that she must be taken to ,sydney for repairs4 ,twenty stout ,aneityumese were placed on board to keep her pumps going by day and night1 and the ,dayspring was sent to keep her company in case of any dire emergency4 ,missionaries were waiting to be settled1 and the season was stealing away4 ,but the cause of humanity and the claims of a sister ,mission were paramount4 ,we remained at ,aneityum for five weeks1 and awaited the return of the ,dayspring4 ,at our annual ,synod1 after much prayerful deliberation and the careful weighing of every vital circumstance1 ,i was constrained by the united voice of my brethren not to return to ,tanna1 but to settle on the adjoining island of ,aniwa 7 ,a-ne-wa74 ,it was even hoped that thereby ,tanna might eventually be the more surely reached and evangelized4 ,by the new ,missionaries all the other old ,stations were re-occupied and some fresh ,islands were entered upon in the name of ,jesus4 ,as we moved about with our ,dayspring1 and planted the ,missionaries here and there1 nothing could repress the wonder of ,natives4 8,how is this80 they cried2 8we slew or drove them all away6 ,we plundered their houses and robbed them4 ,had we been so treated1 nothing would have made us return4 ,but they come back with a beautiful new ship1 and with more and more ,missionaries4 ,and is it to trade and to get money1 like the other white men8 ,no6 no6 ,but to tell us of their ,jehovah ,god and of ,his ,son ,jesus4 ,if their ,god makes them do all that1 we may well worship ,him too40 ,in this way1 island after island was opened up to receive the ,missionary1 and their ,chiefs bound themselves to protect and cherish him1 before they knew anything whatever of the ,gospel1 beyond what they saw in the disposition and character of its ,preachers or heard rumoured regarding its fruits on other ,islands4 ,even ,cannibals have sometimes been found thus prepared to welcome the ,missionary1 and to make not only his property but his life comparatively safe4 ,the ,isles 8wait0 for ,christ4 ,on our way to ,aniwa1 the ,dayspring had to call at ,tanna4 ,by stress of weather we lay several days in ,port ,resolution4 ,and there many memories were again revived--wounds that after five-and-twenty years1 when ,i now write1 still bleed afresh6 ,nowar1 the old ,chief1 unstable but friendly1 was determined to keep us there by force or by fraud4 ,the ,captain told him that the council of the ,missionaries had forbidden him to land our boxes at ,tanna4 8,don't land them10 said the wily ,chief2 8just throw them over2 my men and ,i will catch everything before it reaches the water1 and carry them all safely ashore60 ,the ,captain said he durst not4 8,then10 persisted ,nowar1 8just point them out to us2 you will have no further trouble2 we will manage everything for ,missi40 ,they were in distress when he refused2 and poor old ,nowar tried another tack4 ,suspecting that my dear wife was afraid of them1 he got us on shore to see his extensive plantations4 ,turning eagerly to her1 he said1 leaving me to interpret1-- 8,plenty of food6 ,while ,i have a yam or a banana1 you shall not want40 ,she answered1 8,i fear not any lack of food40 ,pointing to his warriors1 he cried1 8,we are many6 ,we are strong6 ,we can always protect you40 8,i am not afraid10 she calmly replied4 ,he then led us to that fig-tree1 in the branches of which ,i had sat during a lonely and memorable night1 when all hope had perished of any earthly deliverance1 and said to her with a manifest touch of genuine emotion1-- 8,the ,god who protected ,missi there will always protect you40 ,she told him that she had no fear of that kind1 but explained to him that we must for the present go to ,aniwa1 but would return to ,tanna1 if the ,lord opened up our way4 ,nowar1 ,arkurat1 and the rest1 seemed to be genuinely grieved1 and it touched my soul to the quick4 ,a beautiful incident was the outcome1 as we learned only in long after years4 ,there was at that time an ,aniwan ,chief on ,tanna1 visiting friends4 ,he was one of their great ,sacred ,men4 ,he and his people had been promised a passage home in the ,dayspring1 with their canoes in tow4 ,when old ,nowar saw that he could not keep us with himself1 he went to this ,aniwan ,chief1 and took the white shells1 the insignia of ,chieftainship1 from his own arm1 and bound them on the ,sacred ,man1 saying1-- 8,by these you promise to protect my ,missionary and his wife and child on ,aniwa4 ,let no evil befall them2 or1 by this pledge1 ,i and my people will revenge it40 ,in a future crisis1 this probably saved our lives1 as shall be afterwards related4 ,after all1 a bit of the ,christ-,spirit had found its way into that old ,cannibal's soul6 ,and the same ,christ-,spirit in me yearned more strongly still1 and made it a positive pain to pass on to another ,island1 and leave him in that dim-groping twilight of the soul4 ,aniwa became my ,mission ,home in ,november1 #ahff2 and ever since1 save on my1 alas6 too frequent deputation pilgrimages among ,churches in ,great ,britain and in the ,colonies1 it has been the heart and centre of my personal labours amongst the ,heathen4 ,god never guided me back to ,tanna2 but others1 my dear friends1 have seen ,his ,kingdom planted and beginning to grow amongst that slowly relenting race4 ,aniwa was to be the land wherein my past years of toil and patience and faith were to see their fruits ripening at length4 ,i claimed ,aniwa for ,jesus1 and by the ,grace of ,god ,aniwa now worships at the ,saviour's feet4 ,the ,island of ,aniwa is one of the smaller isles of the ,new ,hebrides4 ,it measures about nine miles by three and a half1 and is everywhere girt round with a belt of coral reef4 ,the sea breaks thereon heavily1 with thundering roar1 and the white surf rolls in furious and far4 ,but there are days of calm1 when all the sea is glass1 and the spray on the reef is only a fringe of silver4 ,the ledges of coral rock indicate that ,aniwa has been heaved up from its ocean bed1 at three or four separate bursts of mighty volcanic power4 ,no stone or other rock anywhere appears1 but only and always the coral1 in its beautiful and mysterious variety4 ,the highest land is less than three hundred feet above the level of the sea2 and though the soil is generally light1 there are patches good and deep1 mostly towards the southern end of the island1 and near the crater of an extinct volcano1 where excellent plantations are found1 and which1 if carefully cultivated1 might support ten times the present population4 ,aniwa1 having no hills to attract and condense the clouds1 suffers badly for lack of genial rains2 and the heavy rains of hurricane and tempest seem to disappear as if by magic through the light soil and porous rock4 ,the moist atmosphere and the heavy dews1 however1 keep the ,island covered with green1 while large and fruitful trees draw wondrous nourishment from their rocky beds4 ,the ,natives suffer from a species of ,elephantiasis1 in all probability produced by their bad drinking waters1 and from the hot and humid climate of their isle4 ,aniwa has no harbour1 or safe anchorage of any kind for ships2 though1 in certain winds1 they have been seen at anchor on the outer edge of the reef1 always a perilous haven6 ,there is one crack in the coral belt1 through which a boat can safely run to shore2 but the little wharf1 built there of the largest coral blocks that could be rolled together1 has been once and again swept clean off by the hurricane1 leaving 8not a wrack behind40 ,i had had a glimpse of ,aniwa before1 in the ,john ,knox1 when ,mr4 ,johnston accompanied me2 and again with my dear friend ,gordon1 who was murdered on ,erromanga2 besides1 ,i had seen ,aniwans in their canoes at ,tanna in search of food4 ,they had pleaded with us to remain amongst them1 arguing against there being two ,missionaries on ,tanna and none on ,aniwa4 ,their 8orator10 a very subtle man1 who spoke ,tannese well1 informed us that the white ,traders told them that if they killed or drove away the ,missionaries they would get plenty of ammunition and tobacco4 ,this was why our life had been so often attempted4 ,beyond this all was strange4 ,everything had to be learned afresh on ,aniwa1 as on ,tanna4 ,illustration3 8,,all ,,the ,,natives ,,within ,,reach ,,assembled40 ,when we landed1 the ,natives received us kindly4 ,they and the ,aneityumese ,teachers led us to a temporary home1 prepared for our abode4 ,it was a large ,native ,hut4 ,walls and roof consisted of sugar-cane leaf and reeds1 intertwisted on a strong wooden frame4 ,it had neither doors nor windows1 but open spaces instead of these4 ,the earthen floor alone looked beautiful1 covered thick with white coral broken small4 ,it had only one ,apartment2 and that1 meantime1 had to serve also for ,church and ,school and ,public ,hall4 ,we screened off a little portion1 and behind that screen planted our bed1 and stored our valuables4 ,all the ,natives within reach assembled to watch us taking our food6 ,a box at first served for a chair1 the lid of another box was our table1 our cooking was all done in the open air under a large tree1 and we got along with amazing comfort4 ,but the house was under the shelter of a coral rock1 and we saw at a glance that at certain seasons it would prove a very hotbed of fever and ague4 ,we were1 however1 only too thankful to enter it1 till a better could be built1 and on a breezier site4 ,the ,aniwans were not so violently dishonourable as the ,tannese4 ,but they had the knack of asking in a rather menacing manner whatever they coveted2 and the tomahawk was sometimes swung to enforce an appeal4 ,for losses and annoyance1 we had of course no redress4 ,but we tried to keep things well out of their way1 knowing that the opportunity there1 as elsewhere1 sometimes develops the thief4 ,we strove to get along quietly and kindly1 in the hope that when we knew their language1 and could teach them the principles of ,jesus1 they would be saved1 and life and property would be secure4 ,but the rumour of the ,curaoa's visit and her punishment of murder and robbery did more1 by ,god's blessing1 to protect us during those ,heathen days than all other influences combined4 ,the savage ,cannibal was heard to whisper to his bloodthirsty mates1 8not to murder or to steal1 for the ,man-of-war that punished ,tanna would blow up their little ,island60 ,sorrowful experience on ,tanna had taught us to seek the site for our ,aniwan house on the highest ground1 and away from the malarial swamps near the shore4 ,there was one charming mound1 covered with trees whose roots ran down into the crevices of coral1 and from which ,tanna and ,erromanga are clearly seen4 ,but there the ,natives for some superstitious reason forbade us to build1 and we were constrained to take another rising-ground somewhat nearer the shore4 ,in the end1 this turned out to be the very best site on the ,island for us1 central and suitable every way4 ,but we afterwards learned that perhaps superstition also led them to sell us this site1 in the malicious hope that it would prove our ruin4 ,the mounds on the top1 which had to be cleared away1 contained the bones and refuse of their ,cannibal feasts for ages4 ,none but their ,sacred ,men durst touch them2 and the ,natives watched us hewing and digging1 certain that their gods would strike us dead6 ,that failing1 their thoughts may probably have been turned to reflect that after all the ,jehovah ,god was stronger than they4 ,in levelling the site1 and gently sloping the sides of the ground for good drainage purposes1 ,i had gathered together two large baskets of human bones4 ,i said to a ,chief in ,tannese1-- 8,how do these bones come to be here80 ,and he replied1 with a shrug worthy of a cynical ,frenchman1-- 8,ah1 we are not ,tanna men6 ,we don't eat the bones60 ,while ,i was away building the house1 ,mrs4 ,paton had one dreadful fright4 ,she generally remained about half a mile off1 in charge of the ,native hut in which our property had been stored1 with one or two of the friendly ,natives around her1 though as yet she could not speak their language4 ,one day she sat alone1 the baby playing at her feet4 ,a rustling commenced amongst the boxes behind the curtain4 ,she had been there all the morning1 and no one had entered4 ,horror-smitten1 her eyes were fastened towards the noise4 ,suddenly1 the blanket-screen was thrown aside1 and a black face1 with blood-red eyes and milk-white teeth peered out1 and cried in broken ,english1-- 8,me no steal6 ,me no steal60 ,then1 with a bound like that of a deer1 the man sprang out and ran for the village4 ,my dear wife1 fearing his sudden return1 snatched up her child and rushed to the place where ,i was working1 never feeling the ground beneath her till she sank down almost fainting at my feet4 ,thanking ,god for her escape1 we thought it wiser to remain where we were and finish our task for the day4 ,we learned that1 since we did not return1 his wrath had cooled down and he had withdrawn4 ,this man was a sort of wild beast in his passionate moods4 ,his body became convulsed and his muscles twitched with rage4 ,he had lately murdered a neighbour1 a man of his own tribe1 in his frenzy4 ,we believe that the ,lord baffled his rage on that memorable day1 and said to his tumultuous soul1--8,peace6 be still40 ,the site being now cleared1 we questioned whether to build only a temporary home1 hoping to return to dear old ,tanna as soon as possible1 or1 though the labour would be vastly greater1 a substantial house--for the comfort of our successors1 if not of ourselves4 ,we decided that1 as this was work for ,god1 we would make it the very best we could4 ,we planned two central rooms1 sixteen feet by sixteen1 with a five-feet wide lobby between1 so that other rooms could be added when required4 ,about a quarter of a mile from the sea1 and thirty-five feet above its level1 ,i laid the foundations of the house4 ,coral blocks raised the wall about three feet high all round4 ,air passages carried sweeping currents underneath each room1 and greatly lessened the risk of fever and ague4 ,a wide trench was dug all round1 and filled up as a drain with broken coral4 ,at back and front1 the verandah stretched five feet wide2 and pantry1 bath-room and tool-house were partitioned off under the verandah behind4 ,the windows sent to me had hinges2 ,i added two feet to each1 with wood from ,mission boxes1 and made them ,french door-windows1 opening from each room to the verandah4 ,and so we had1 by ,god's blessing1 a healthy spot to live in1 if not exactly a thing of beauty6 ,the ,mission ,house1 as ultimately finished1 had six rooms1 three on each side of the lobby1 and measured ninety feet in length1 surrounded by a verandah1 one hundred feet by five1 which kept everything shaded and cool4 ,underneath two rooms1 a cellar was dug eight feet deep1 and shelved all round for a store4 ,in more than one terrific hurricane that cellar saved our lives1--all crushing into it when trees and houses were being tossed like feathers on the wings of the wind4 ,altogether1 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 ,hebrides4 ,in selecting site and in building 8the good hand of our ,god was upon us for good40 ,i built also two ,orphanages1 almost as inevitably necessary as the ,missionary's own house4 ,they stood on a line with the front of my own dwelling1 one for girls1 the other for boys1 and we had them constantly under our own eyes4 ,the ,orphans were practically boarded at the ,mission premises1 and adopted by the ,missionaries4 ,their clothing was a heavy drain upon our resources2 and every odd and curious article that came in any of the boxes or parcels was utilized4 ,we trained these young people for ,jesus4 ,and at this day many of the best of our ,native ,teachers1 and most devoted ,christian helpers1 are amongst those who would probably have perished but for these ,orphanages4 ,a grievous accident deprived me of special help in house-building4 ,i cut my ankle badly with an adze1 as ,i had done before on ,tanna1 through a knot in the tree4 ,binding my handkerchief tightly round it1 ,i appealed to the ,natives to carry me back to our hut4 ,they stipulated for payment4 ,my vest pocket being filled with fish-hooks1 a current coin on all these ,islands1 ,i got a fellow to understand the bribe4 ,he carried me a little1 got some hooks1 and then called another1 who did the same1 and then called a third1 and so on1 each man earning his hooks1 and passing on the burden and the pay to another1 while ,i suffered terribly and bled profusely4 ,being my own doctor1 ,i dressed the wound for weeks1 kept it constantly in cold water bandages1 and by the kindness of the ,lord it recovered1 though it left me lame for many a day4 ,but the greatest sorrow was this3 the good and kind ,aneityumese1 who had been hired to come and help me with all the unskilled parts of the labour1 could do nothing without me1 and when the ,dayspring came round at the appointed time ,i had to pay them in full and let them return1 deprived of their valuable aid4 ,even to keep them in food would have exhausted our limited stores1 and some months must elapse before our next supplies could arrive from ,sydney4 ,the ,aniwans themselves could scarcely be induced to work at all1 even for payment4 ,their personal wants were few1 and were supplied by their own plantations4 ,they replied to my appeals with all the unction of philosophers1 and told me1-- 8,the conduct of the men of ,aniwa is to stand by1 or sit and look on1 while their women do the work60 ,on ,aniwa we soon found ourselves face to face with blank ,heathenism4 ,the natives at first expected that the ,missionary's ,biritania tavai 7 ,british ,medicine7 would cure at once all their complaints4 ,disappointment led to resentment in their ignorant and childish minds4 ,they also expected to get for the asking1 or for any trifle1 an endless supply of knives1 calico1 fish-hooks1 blankets1 etc4 ,every refusal irritated them4 ,again1 our ,medicines relieved or cured them1 so they blamed us also for their diseases1--all their ,sacred ,men not only curing but also causing sickness4 ,further1 they generally came to us only after exhausting every resource of their own witchcraft and superstition1 and when it was probably too late4 ,i had often to taste the ,medicine in their sight before the sufferers would touch it2 and if one dose did not cure them1 it was almost impossible to get them to persevere4 ,but time taught them its value1 and the yearly expenditure for ,medicine soon became a very heavy tax on our modest salary4 ,still we set our bell a-ringing every day after dinner--intimating our readiness to give advice or medicine to all who were sick4 ,we spoke to them1 so soon as we had learned1 a few words about ,jesus4 ,the weak received a cup of tea and a piece of bread4 ,the demand was sometimes great1 especially when epidemics befell them4 ,but some rather fled from us as the cause of their sickness1 and sought refuge from our presence in remotest corners1 or rushed off at our approach and concealed themselves in the bush4 ,they were but children1 and full of superstition2 and we had to win them by kindly patience1 never losing faith in them and hope for them1 any more than the ,lord did with us6 ,as on ,tanna1 all sicknesses and deaths were supposed to be caused by sorcery1 there called ,nahak1 on ,aniwa called ,tafigeitu4 ,some ,sacred ,man burned the remains of food such as the skin of a banana1 or a hair from the head1 or something that the person had even touched1 and he was the disease-maker4 ,hence they were kept in a state of constant terror1 and breathed the very atmosphere of revenge4 ,when one became sick1 all the people of his village met day after day1 and made long speeches and tried to find out the enemy who was causing it4 ,having fixed on some one1 they first sent presents of mats1 baskets1 and food to the supposed disease-makers2 if the person recovered1 they took credit for it2 if the person died1 his friends sought revenge on the supposed murderers4 ,and such revenge took a wide sweep1 satisfying itself with the suspected enemy1 or any of his family1 or of his village1 or even of his tribe4 ,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 turmoil4 ,learning the language on ,aniwa was marked by similar incidents to those of ,tanna1 related in ,part ,first2 though a few of them could understand my ,tannese1 and that greatly helped me4 ,one day a man1 after carefully examining some article1 turned to his neighbour and said1-- 8,taha tinei80 ,i inferred that he was asking1 8,what is this80 ,pointing to another article1 ,i repeated their words2 they smiled at each other1 and gave me its name4 ,on another occasion1 a man said to his companion1 looking towards me1-- 8,taha neigo80 ,concluding that he was asking my name1 ,i pointed towards him1 and repeated the words1 and they at once gave me their names4 ,readers would be surprised to discover how much you can readily learn of any language1 with these two short questions constantly on your lips1 and with people ready at every turn to answer--8,what's this80 8,what's your name80 ,every word was at once written down1 spelled phonetically and arranged in alphabetic order1 and a note appended as to the circumstances in which it was used4 ,by frequent comparison of these notes1 and by careful daily and even hourly imitation of all their sounds1 we were able in a measure to understand each other before we had gone far in the house-building operations1 during which some of them were constantly beside me4 ,one incident of that time was very memorable1 and ,god turned it to good account for higher ends4 ,i often tell it as 8the miracle of the speaking bit of wood20 and it has happened to other ,missionaries exactly as to myself4 ,while working at the house1 ,i required some nails and tools4 ,lifting a piece of planed wood1 ,i pencilled a few words on it1 and requested our old ,chief to carry it to ,mrs4 ,paton1 and she would send what ,i wanted4 ,in blank wonder1 he innocently stared at me1 and said1-- 8,but what do you want80 ,i replied1 8,the wood will tell her40 ,he looked rather angry1 thinking that ,i befooled him1 and retorted1-- 8,who ever heard of wood speaking80 ,by hard pleading ,i succeeded in persuading him to go4 ,he was amazed to see her looking at the wood and then fetching the needed articles4 ,he brought back the bit of wood1 and eagerly made signs for an explanation4 ,chiefly in broken ,tannese ,i read to him the words1 and informed him that in the same way ,god spoke to us through ,his ,book4 ,the will of ,god was written there1 and by-and-bye1 when he learned to read1 he would hear ,god speaking to him from its page1 as ,mrs4 ,paton heard me from the bit of wood4 ,a great desire was thus awakened in the poor man's soul to see the very ,word of ,god printed in his own language4 ,he helped me to learn words and master ideas with growing enthusiasm4 ,and when my work of translating portions of ,holy ,scripture began1 his delight was unbounded and his help invaluable4 ,the miracle of a speaking page was not less wonderful than that of speaking wood6 ,one day1 while building the house1 an old ,inland ,chief and his three sons came to see us4 ,everything was to them full of wonder4 ,after returning home one of the sons fell sick1 and the father at once blamed us and the ,worship1 declaring that if the lad died we all should be murdered in revenge4 ,by ,god's blessing1 and by our careful nursing and suitable medicine1 he recovered and was spared4 ,the old ,chief superstitiously wheeled round almost to another extreme4 ,he became not only friendly1 but devoted to us4 ,he attended the ,sabbath ,services1 and listened to the ,aneityumese ,teachers1 and to my first attempts1 partly in ,tannese1 translated by the orator ,taia or the chief ,namakei1 and explained in our hearing to the people in their mother tongue4 ,but1 on the heels of this1 another calamity overtook us4 ,so soon as two rooms of the ,mission ,house were roofed in1 ,i hired the stoutest of the young men to carry our boxes thither4 ,two of them started off with a heavy box suspended on a pole from shoulder to shoulder1 their usual custom4 ,they were shortly after attacked with vomiting of blood2 and one of them actually died1 an ,erromangan4 ,the father of the other swore that1 if his son did not get better1 every soul at the ,mission ,house should be slain in revenge4 ,but ,god mercifully restored him4 ,as the boat-landing was nearly three-quarters of a mile distant1 and such a calamity recurring would be not only sorrowful in itself but perilous in the extreme for us all1 ,i steeped my wits1 and1 with such crude materials as were at hand1 ,i manufactured not only a hand-barrow1 but a wheel-barrow1 for the pressing emergencies of the time4 ,in due course1 ,i procured a more orthodox hand-cart from the ,colonies1 and coaxed and bribed the ,natives to assist me in making a road for it4 ,perhaps the ghost of ,macadam would shudder at the appearance of that road1 but it has proved immensely useful ever since4 ,our ,mission ,house was once and again threatened with fire1 and we ourselves with musket1 before its completion4 ,the threats to set fire to our premises stirred up ,namakei1 however1 to befriend us2 and we learned that he and his people had us under a guard by night and by day4 ,but a savage ,erromangan lurked about for ten days1 watching for us with tomahawk and musket1 and we knew that our peril was extreme4 ,looking up to ,god for protection1 ,i went on with my daily toils1 having a small ,american tomahawk beside me1 and showing no fear4 ,the main thing was to take every precaution against surprise1 for these murderers are all cowards1 and will attempt nothing when observed4 ,i sent for the old ,chief1 whose guest the ,erromangan was1 and warned him that ,god would hold him guilty too if our blood was shed4 8,missi10 he warmly replied1 8,i knew not1 ,i knew not6 ,but by the first favourable wind he shall go1 and you will see him no more40 ,he kept his word1 and we were rescued from the enemy and the avenger4 ,the site was excellent and very suitable for our ,mission ,station4 ,the ground sloped away nearly all round us1 and the pathway up to it was adorned on each side with beautiful crotons and island plants1 and behind these a row of orange trees4 ,a cocoa-nut grove skirted the shore for nearly three miles1 and shaded the principal public road4 ,near our premises were many leafy chestnuts and wide-spreading bread-fruit trees4 ,when1 in the course of years1 everything had been completed to our taste1 we lived practically in the midst of a beautiful ,village1--the ,church1 the ,school1 the ,orphanage1 the ,smithy and ,joiner's ,shop1 the ,printing ,office1 the ,banana and ,yam ,house1 the ,cook ,house1 etc42 all very humble indeed1 but all standing sturdily up there among the orange trees1 and preaching the ,gospel of a higher civilization and of a better life for ,aniwa4 ,the little road leading to each door was laid with the white coral broken small4 ,the fence around all shone fresh and clean with new paint4 ,order and taste were seen to be laws in the white man's ,new ,life2 and several of the ,natives began diligently to follow our example4 ,many and strange were the arts which ,i had to try to practise1 such as handling the adze1 the mysteries of tenon and mortise1 and other feats of skill4 ,if a ,native wanted a fish-hook1 or a piece of red calico to bind his long whip-cord hair1 he would carry me a block of coral or fetch me a beam2 but continuous daily toil seemed to him a mean existence4 ,the women were tempted1 by calico and beads for pay1 to assist in preparing the sugar-cane leaf for thatch1 gathering it in the plantations1 and tying it over reeds four or six feet long with strips of bark or pandanus leaf1 leaving a long fringe hanging over on one side4 ,how differently they acted when the ,gospel began to touch their hearts6 ,they built their ,church and their ,school then1 by their own free toil1 rejoicing to labour without money or price2 and they have ever since kept them in good repair1 for the service of the ,lord1 by their voluntary offerings of wood and sugar-cane leaf and coral-lime4 ,the roof was firmly tied on and nailed2 thereon were laid the reeds1 fringed with sugar-cane leaf1 row after row tied firmly to the wood2 the ridge was bound down by cocoa-nut leaves1 dexterously plaited from side to side and skewered to the ridge pole with hard wooden pins2 and over all1 a fresh storm-roof was laid on yearly for the hurricane months1 composed of folded cocoa-nut leaves1 held down with planks of wood1 and bound to the frame-work below1--which1 however1 had to be removed again in ,april to save the sugar-cane leaf from rotting beneath it4 ,there you were snugly covered in1 and your thatching good to last from eight years to ten2 that is1 provided you were not caught in the sweep of the hurricane1 before which trees went flying like straws1 huts disappeared like autumn leaves1 and your ,mission ,house1 if left standing at all1 was probably swept bare alike of roof and thatch at a single stroke6 ,well for you at such times if you have a good barometer indicating the approach of the storm2 and better still1 a large cellar like ours1 four-and-twenty feet by sixteen1 built round with solid coral blocks1--where goods may be stored1 and whereinto also all your household may creep for safety1 while the tornado tosses your dwelling about1 and sets huge trees dancing around you6 ,we had also to invent a lime kiln1 and this proved one of the hardest nuts of all that had to be cracked4 ,the kind of coral required could be obtained only at one spot1 about three miles distant4 ,lying at anchor in my boat1 the ,natives dived into the sea1 broke off with hammer and crowbar piece after piece1 and brought it up to me1 till ,i had my load4 ,we then carried it ashore1 and spread it out in the sun to be blistered there for two weeks or so4 ,having thus secured twenty or thirty boat loads1 and had it duly conveyed round to the ,mission ,station1 a huge pit was dug in the ground1 dry wood piled in below1 and green wood above to a height of several feet1 and on the top of all the coral blocks were orderly laid4 ,when this pile had burned for seven or ten days1 the coral had been reduced to excellent lime1 and the plaster work made therefrom shone like marble4 ,on one of these trips the ,natives performed an extraordinary feat4 ,the boat with full load was struck heavily by a wave1 and the reef drove a hole in her side4 ,quick as thought the crew were all in the sea1 and1 to my amazement1 bearing up the boat with their shoulder and one hand1 while swimming and guiding us ashore with the other6 ,there on the land we were hauled up1 and four weary days were spent fetching and carrying from the ,mission ,station every plank1 tool1 and nail1 necessary for her repair4 ,every boat for these seas ought to be built of cedar wood and copper-fastened1 which is by far the most economical in the end4 ,and all houses should be built of wood which is as full as possible of gum or resin1 since the large white ants devour not only all other soft woods1 but even ,colonial blue gum trees1 the hard cocoa-nut1 and window sashes1 chairs1 and tables6 ,glancing back on all these toils1 ,i rejoice that such exhausting demands are no longer made on our newly arrived ,missionaries4 ,houses1 all ready for being set up1 are now brought down from the ,colonies4 ,zinc roofs and other improvements have been introduced4 ,the ,synod appoints a deputation to accompany the young ,missionary1 and plant the house along with himself at the ,station committed to his care4 ,precious strength is thus saved for higher uses2 and not only property but life itself is oftentimes preserved4 ,i will close this chapter with an incident which1 though it came to our knowledge only years afterwards1 closely bears upon our ,settlement on ,aniwa4 ,at first we had no idea why they so determinedly refused us one site1 and fixed us to another of their own choice4 ,but after the old ,chief1 ,namakei1 became a ,christian1 he one day addressed the ,aniwan people in our hearing to this effect3-- 8,when ,missi came we saw his boxes4 ,we knew he had blankets and calico1 axes and knives1 fish-hooks and all such things4 ,we said1 #8,don't drive him off1 else we will lose all these things4 ,we will let him land4 ,but we will force him to live on the ,sacred ,plot4 ,our gods will kill him1 and we will divide all that he has amongst the men of ,aniwa4' ,but ,missi built his house on our most sacred spot4 ,he and his people lived there1 and the gods did not strike4 ,he planted bananas there1 and we said1 #8,now when they eat of these they will all drop down dead1 as our fathers assured us1 if any one ate fruit from that ground1 except only our ,sacred ,men themselves4' ,these bananas ripened4 ,they did eat them4 ,we kept watching for days and days1 but no one died6 ,therefore what we say1 and what our fathers have said1 is not true4 ,our gods cannot kill them4 ,their ,jehovah ,god is stronger than the gods of ,aniwa40 ,i enforced old ,namakei's appeal1 telling them that1 though they knew it not1 it was the living and true and only ,god who had sent them every blessing which they possessed1 and had at last sent us to teach them how to serve and love and please ,him4 ,in wonder and silence they listened1 while ,i tried to explain to them that ,jesus1 the ,son of this ,god1 had lived and died and gone to the ,father to save them1 and that ,he was now willing to take them by the hand and lead them through this life to glory and immortality together with ,himself4 ,the old ,chief led them in prayer--a strange1 dark1 groping prayer1 with streaks of ,heathenism colouring every thought and sentence2 but still a heart-breaking prayer1 as the cry of a soul once ,cannibal1 but now being thrilled through and through with the first conscious pulsations of the ,christ-,spirit1 throbbing into the words3 8,father1 ,father2 our ,father40 ,when these poor creatures began to wear a bit of calico or a kilt1 it was an outward sign of a change1 though yet far from civilization4 ,and when they began to look up and pray to ,one whom they called 8,father1 our ,father10 though they might be far1 very far1 from the type of ,christian that dubs itself 8respectable10 my heart broke over them in tears of joy2 and nothing will ever persuade me that there was not a ,divine ,heart in the heavens rejoicing too4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,face ,,to ,,face ,,with ,,heathenism4 ,navalak and ,nemeyan on ,aniwa4--,taia the 8,orator40--,the ,two next ,aneityumese ,teachers4--,in the ,arms of ,murderers4--,our ,first ,aniwan ,converts4--,litsi ,sor4--,surrounded by ,torches4--,traditions of ,creation1 ,fall1 and ,deluge4-- ,infanticide and ,wife-,murder4--,last ,heathen ,dance4--,nelwang's ,elopement4--,yakin's ,bridal ,attire4--,christ-,spirit versus ,war-,spirit4--,heathenism in ,death-,grips4--,a ,great ,aniwan ,palaver4--,the ,sinking of the ,well4--8,missi's ,head ,gone ,wrong40--8,water6 ,living ,water60--,old ,chief's ,sermon on 8,rain from ,below40--,the ,idols ,cast ,away4--,the ,new ,social ,order4--,back of ,heathenism ,broken4 ,on landing in ,november1 #ahff1 we found the ,natives of ,aniwa1 some very shy and distrustful1 and others forward and imperious4 ,no clothing was worn2 but the wives and elder women had grass aprons or girdles like our first ,parents in ,eden4 ,the old ,chief interested himself in us and our work2 but the greater number showed a far deeper interest in the axes1 knives1 fish-hooks1 stripes of red calico and blankets1 received in payment for work or for bananas4 ,even for payment they would scarcely work at first1 and they were most unreasonable1 easily offended1 and started off in a moment at any imaginable slight4 ,for instance1 a ,chief once came for ,medicine4 ,i was so engaged that ,i could not attend to him for a few minutes4 ,so off he went1 in a great rage1 threatening revenge1 and muttering1 8,i must be attended to6 ,i won't wait on him40 ,such are the exactions of a naked ,savage6 ,shortly before our arrival1 an ,aneityumese ,teacher was sacrificed on ,aniwa4 ,the circumstances are illustrative of what may be almost called their worship of revenge4 ,many long years ago1 a party of ,aniwans had gone to ,aneityum on a friendly visit2 but the ,aneityumese1 then all ,savages1 murdered and ate every man of them save one1 who escaped into the bush4 ,living on cocoa-nuts1 he awaited a favourable wind1 and1 launching his canoe by night1 he arrived in safety4 ,the bereaved ,aniwans1 hearing his terrible story1 were furious for revenge2 but the forty-five miles of sea between proving too hard an obstacle1 they made a deep cut in the earth and vowed to renew that cut from year to year till the day of revenge came round4 ,thus the memory of the event was kept alive for nearly eighty years4 ,at length the people of ,aneityum came to the knowledge of ,jesus ,christ4 ,they strongly yearned to spread that saving ,gospel to the ,heathen ,islands all around4 ,amid prayers and strong cryings to ,god they1 like the ,church at ,antioch1 designated two of their leading men to go as ,native ,teachers and evangelize ,aniwa1 viz41 ,navalak and ,nemeyan2 whilst others went forth to ,fotuna1 ,tanna1 and ,erromanga1 as opportunity arose4 ,namakei1 the principal ,chief of ,aniwa1 had promised to protect and be kind to them4 ,but as time went on1 it was discovered that the ,teachers belonged to the ,tribe on ,aneityum1 and one of them to the very land1 where long ago the ,aniwans had been murdered4 ,the ,teachers had from the first known their danger1 but were eager to make known the ,gospel to ,aniwa4 ,it was resolved that they should die4 ,but the ,aniwans1 having promised to protect them1 shrank from doing it themselves2 so they hired two ,tanna men and an ,aniwan ,chief1 one of whose parents had belonged to ,tanna1 to waylay and shoot the ,teachers as they returned from their tour of ,evangelism among the villages on ,sabbath afternoon4 ,their muskets did not go off1 but the murderers rushed upon them with clubs and left them for dead4 ,nemeyan was dead1 and entered that day amongst the noble army of the ,martyrs4 ,poor ,navalak was still breathing1 and the ,chief ,namakei carried him to his village and kindly nursed him4 ,he pled with the people that the claims of revenge had been satisfied1 and that ,navalak should be cherished and sent home1--the ,christ-,spirit beginning to work in that darkened soul6 ,navalak was restored to his people1 and is yet living--a high-class ,chief on ,aneityum and an honour to the ,church of ,god1 bearing on his body 8the marks of the ,lord ,jesus40 ,and often since has he visited ,aniwa1 in later years1 and praised the ,lord amongst the very people who once thirsted for his blood and left him by the wayside as good as dead6 ,for a time1 ,aniwa was left without any witness for ,jesus1--the ,london ,missionary ,society ,teachers1 having suffered dreadfully for lack of food and from fever and ague1 being also removed4 ,but on a visit of a ,mission vessel1 ,namakei sent his orator ,taia to ,aneityum1 to tell them that now revenge was satisfied1 the cut in the earth filled up1 and a cocoa-nut tree planted and flourishing where the blood of the ,teachers had been shed1 and that no person from ,aneityum would ever be injured by ,aniwans4 ,further1 he was to plead for more ,teachers1 and to pledge his ,chief's word that they would be kindly received and protected4 ,they knew not the ,gospel1 and had no desire for it2 but they wanted friendly intercourse with ,aneityum1 where trading vessels called1 and whence they might obtain mats1 baskets1 blankets1 and iron tools4 ,at length two ,aneityumese again volunteered to go1 ,kangaru and ,nelmai1 one from each side of the ,island1 and were located by the ,missionaries1 along with their families1 on ,aniwa1 one with ,namakei1 and the other at the south end1 to lift up the ,standard of a ,christlike life among their ,heathen neighbours4 ,taia1 who went on the ,mission to ,aneityum1 was a great speaker and also a very cunning man4 ,he was the old ,chief's appointed 8,orator0 on all state occasions1 being tall and stately in appearance1 of great bodily strength1 and possessed of a winning manner4 ,on the voyage to ,aneityum1 he was constantly smoking and making things disagreeable to all around him4 ,being advised not to smoke while on board1 he pled with the ,missionary just to let him take a whiff now and again till he finished the tobacco he had in his pipe1 and then he would lay it aside4 ,but1 like the widow's meal1 it lasted all the way to ,aneityum1 and never appeared to get less--at which the innocent ,taia expressed much astonishment6 ,the two ,teachers and their wives on ,aniwa were little better than slaves when we landed there1 toiling in the service of their masters and living in constant fear of being murdered4 ,they conducted the ,worship in ,aneityumese1 while the ,aniwans lay smoking and talking all round till it was over4 ,the language of ,aniwa had never yet been reduced to a written form1 and consequently no book had been printed in it4 ,the ,teachers and their wives were kept hard at work on ,friday and ,saturday1 cooking and preparing food for the ,aniwans1 who1 after the so-called ,worship1 feasted together and had a friendly talk4 ,we immediately put an end to this ,sabbath feasting4 ,that made them angry and revengeful4 ,they even demanded food1 etc41 in payment for coming to the ,worship1 which we always resolutely refused4 ,doubtless1 however1 the mighty contrast presented by the life1 character1 and disposition of these godly ,teachers was the sowing of the seed that bore fruit in other days1--though as yet no single ,aniwan had begun to wear clothing out of respect to ,civilization1 much less been brought to know and love the ,saviour4 ,i could now speak a little to them in their own language2 and so1 accompanied generally by my dear wife and by an ,aneityumese ,teacher1 and often by some friendly ,native1 ,i began to visit regularly at their villages and to talk to them about ,jesus and ,his love4 ,we tried also to get them to come to our ,church under the shade of the banyan tree4 ,nasi and some of the worst characters would sit scowling not far off1 or follow us with loaded muskets4 ,using every precaution1 we still held on doing our work2 sometimes giving fish-hooks or beads to the boys and girls1 showing them that our objects were kind and not selfish4 ,such visits gained their confidence4 ,and however our hearts sometimes trembled in the presence of imminent death and sank within us1 we stood fearless in their presence1 and left all results in the hands of ,jesus4 ,often have ,i had to run into the arms of some savage1 when his club was swung or his musket levelled at my head1 and1 praying to ,jesus1 so clung round him that he could neither strike nor shoot me till his wrath cooled down and ,i managed to slip away4 ,often have ,i seized the pointed barrel and directed it upwards1 or1 pleading with my assailant1 uncapped his musket in the struggle4 ,at other times1 nothing could be said1 nothing done1 but stand still in silent prayer1 asking ,god to protect us or to prepare us for going home to ,his ,glory4 ,he fulfilled ,his own promise1--8,i will not fail thee nor forsake thee40 ,illustration3 ,i ,,want ,,you ,,to ,,train ,,litsi ,,for ,,jesus4 ,the first ,aniwan that ever came to the knowledge and love of ,jesus was the old ,chief ,namakei4 ,we came to live on his land1 as it was near our diminutive harbour2 and upon the whole1 he and his people were the most friendly2 though his only brother1 the ,sacred ,man of the tribe1 on two occasions tried to shoot me4 ,namakei came a good deal about us at the ,mission ,house1 and helped us to acquire the language4 ,he discovered that we took tea evening and morning4 ,when we gave him a cup and a piece of bread1 he liked it well1 and gave a sip to all around him4 ,at first he came for the tea1 perhaps1 and disappeared suspiciously soon thereafter2 but his interest manifestly grew1 till he showed great delight in helping us in every possible way4 ,along with him1 and as his associates1 came also the ,chief ,naswai and his wife ,katua4 ,these three grew into the knowledge of the ,saviour together4 ,from being savage ,cannibals they rose before our eyes1 under the influence of the ,gospel1 into noble and beloved characters2 and they and we loved each other exceedingly4 ,namakei brought his little daughter1 his only child1 the ,queen of her race1 called ,litsi ,sor 7 ,litsi the ,great71 and said1-- 8,i want to leave my ,litsi with you4 ,i want you to train her for ,jesus40 ,she was a very intelligent child1 learned things like any white girl1 and soon became quite a help to ,mrs4 ,paton4 ,on seeing his niece dressed and so smart-looking1 the old ,chief's only brother1 the ,sacred ,man that had attempted to shoot me1 also brought his child1 ,litsi ,sisi 7 the ,little7 to be trained like her cousin4 ,the mothers of both were dead4 ,the children reported all they saw1 and all we taught them1 and so their fathers became more deeply interested in our work1 and the news of the ,gospel spread far and wide4 ,soon we had all the ,orphans committed to us1 whose guardians were willing to part with them1 and our ,home became literally the ,school of ,christ1--the boys growing up to help all my plans1 and the girls to help my wife and to be civilized and trained by her1 and many of them developing into devoted ,teachers and ,evangelists4 ,our earlier ,sabbath ,services were sad affairs4 ,every man came armed--indeed1 every man slept with his weapons of war at his side--and bow and arrow1 spear and tomahawk1 club and musket1 were always ready for action4 ,on fair days we assembled under the banyan tree1 on rainy days in a ,native hut partly built for the purpose4 ,one or two seemed to listen1 but the most lay about on their backs or sides1 smoking1 talking1 sleeping6 ,when we stopped the feast at the close1 for which they were always ready1 the audiences at first went down to two or three2 but these actually came to learn1 and a better tone began immediately to pervade the ,service4 ,we informed them that it was for their good that we taught them1 and that they would get no 8pay0 for attending ,church or ,school1 and the greater number departed in high dudgeon as very ill-used persons6 ,others of a more commercial turn came offering to sell their 8idols10 and when we would not purchase them but urged them to give them up and cast them away for love to ,jesus1 they carried them off saying they would have nothing to do with this new ,worship4 ,amidst our frequent trials and dangers in those earlier times on ,aniwa1 our little ,orphans often warned us privately and saved our lives from cruel plots4 ,when1 in baffled rage1 our enemies demanded who had revealed things to us1 ,i always said1 8,it was a little bird from the bush40 ,so1 the dear children grew to have perfect confidence in us4 ,they knew we would not betray them2 and they considered themselves the guardians of our lives4 ,the excitement increased on both sides1 when a few men openly gave up their idols4 ,morning after morning1 ,i noticed green cocoa-nut leaves piled at the end of our house1 and wondered if it were through some ,heathen superstition4 ,but one night the old ,chief knocked upon me and said1-- 8,rise1 ,missi1 and help6 ,the ,heathen are trying to burn your house4 ,all night we have kept them off1 but they are many and we are few4 ,rise quickly1 and light a lamp at every window4 ,let us pray to ,jehovah1 and talk loud as if we were many4 ,god will make us strong40 ,i found that they had the buckets and pails from all my ,premises full of water1--that the surrounding bush was swarming with ,savages1 torch in hand1--that the ,teachers and other friendly ,natives had been protecting themselves from the dews under the large cocoa-nut leaves which ,i saw1 while they kept watch over us4 ,after that ,i took my turn with them in watching1 each guard being changed after so many hours4 ,but they held a meeting and said amongst each other1-- 8,if our ,missi is shot or killed in the dark1 what will we have to watch for then8 ,we must compel ,missi to remain indoors at night60 ,i yielded so far to their counsel2 but still went amongst them1 watch after watch1 to encourage them4 ,what a suggestive tradition of the ,fall came to me in one of those early days on ,aniwa6 ,upon our leaving the hut and removing to our new house1 it was seized upon by ,tupa for his sleeping place2 though still continuing to be used by the ,natives1 as club-house1 court of law1 etc4 ,one morning at daylight this ,tupa came running to us in great excitement1 wielding his club furiously1 and crying1-- 8,missi1 ,i have killed the ,tebil4 ,i have killed ,teapolo4 ,he came to catch me last night4 ,i raised all the people1 and we fought him round the house with our clubs4 ,at daybreak he came out and ,i killed him dead4 ,we will have no more bad conduct or trouble now4 ,teapolo is dead60 ,i said1 8,what nonsense6 ,teapolo is a spirit1 and cannot be seen40 ,but in mad excitement he persisted that he had killed him4 ,and at ,mrs4 ,paton's advice1 ,i went with the man1 and he led me to a great ,sacred ,rock of coral near our old hut1 over which hung the dead body of a huge and beautiful sea-serpent1 and exclaimed1-- 8,there he lies6 ,truly ,i killed him40 ,i protested3 8,that is not the ,devil2 it is only the body of a serpent40 ,the man quickly answered1 8,well1 but it is all the same6 ,he is ,teapolo4 ,he makes us bad1 and causes all our troubles40 ,following up this hint by many inquiries1 then and afterwards1 ,i found that they clearly associated man's troubles and sufferings somehow with the serpent4 ,they worshipped the ,serpent1 as a spirit of evil1 under the name of ,matshiktshiki2 that is to say1 they lived in abject terror of his influence1 and all their worship was directed towards propitiating his rage against men4 ,their story of ,creation1 at least of the origin of their own ,aniwa and the adjacent ,islands1 is much more an outcome of the ,native mind4 ,they say that ,matshiktshiki fished up these lands out of the sea4 ,and they show the deep print of his foot on the coral rocks1 opposite each island1 whereon he stood as he strained and lifted them up above the waters4 ,he then threw his great fishing-line round ,fotuna1 thirty-six miles distant1 to draw it close to ,aniwa and make them one land2 but1 as he pulled1 the line broke and he fell into the sea1--so the ,islands remain separated unto this day4 ,matshiktshiki placed men and women on ,aniwa4 ,on the southern end of the ,island1 there was a beautiful spring and a freshwater river1 with rich lands all around for plantations4 ,but the people would not do what ,matshiktshiki wanted them2 so he got angry1 and split off the richer part of ,aniwa1 with the spring and river1 and sailed thence across to ,aneityum1--leaving them where ,dr4 ,inglis has since built his beautiful ,mission ,station4 ,to this day1 the river there is called 8the water of ,aniwa0 by the inhabitants of both ,islands2 and it is the ambition of all ,aniwans to visit ,aneityum and drink of that spring and river1 as they sigh to each other1-- 8,alas1 for the waters of ,aniwa60 ,their picture of the ,flood is equally grotesque4 ,far back1 when the volcano1 now on ,tanna1 was part of ,aniwa1 the rain fell and fell from day to day1 and the sea rose till it threatened to cover everything4 ,all were drowned except the few who climbed up on the volcano mountain4 ,the sea had already put out the volcano at the southern end of ,aniwa2 and ,matshiktshiki1 who dwelt in the greater volcano1 becoming afraid of the extinction of his big fire too1 split it off from ,aniwa with all the land on the south-eastern side1 and sailed it across to ,tanna on the top of the flood4 ,there1 by his mighty strength1 he heaved the volcano to the top of the highest mountain of ,tanna1 where it remains to this day4 ,for1 on the subsiding of the sea1 he was unable to transfer his big fire to ,aniwa2 and so it was reduced to a very small island1 without a volcano1 and without a river1 for the sins of the people long ago4 ,even where there are no snakes they apply the superstitions about the serpent to a large1 black1 poisonous lizard called kekvau4 ,they call it ,teapolo's2 and women or children scream wildly at the sight of one4 ,the ,natives of several of our ,islands have the form of the lizard1 as also of the snake and the bird and the face of man1 cut deep into the flesh of their arms4 ,when the cuts begin to heal1 they tear open the figures and press back the skin and force out the flesh1 till the forms stand out above the skin and abide there as a visible horror for all their remaining days4 ,when they become ,christians and put on clothing1 they are very anxious to cover these reminders of ,heathenism from public view4 ,the darkest and most hideous blot on ,heathenism is the practice of ,infanticide4 ,only three cases came to our knowledge on ,aniwa2 but we publicly denounced them at all hazards1 and awoke not only natural feeling1 but the selfish interests of the community for the protection of the children4 ,these three were the last that died there by parents' hands4 ,a young husband1 who had been jealous of his wife1 buried their male child alive as soon as born4 ,an old ,tanna woman1 who had no children living1 having at last a fine healthy boy born to her1 threw him into the sea before any one could interfere to save4 ,and a ,savage1 in anger with his wife1 snatched her baby from her arms1 hid himself in the bush till night1 and returned without the child1 refusing to give any explanation1 except that he was dead and buried4 ,praise be to ,god1 these three murderers of their own children were by-and-bye touched with the story of ,jesus1 became members of the ,church1 and each adopted little orphan children1 towards whom they continued to show the most tender affection and care4 ,wife murder was also considered quite legitimate4 ,in one of our inland villages dwelt a young couple1 happy in every respect except that they had no children4 ,the man1 being a ,heathen1 resolved to take home another wife1 a widow with two children4 ,this was naturally opposed by his young wife4 ,and1 without the slightest warning1 while she sat plaiting a basket1 he discharged a ball into her from his loaded musket4 ,it crashed through her arm and lodged in her side4 ,everything was done that was in my power to save her life2 but on the tenth day tetanus came on1 and she soon after passed away4 ,the man appeared very attentive to her all the time2 but1 being a ,heathen1 he insisted that she had no right to oppose his wishes6 ,he was not in any way punished or disrespected by the people of his village1 but went out and in amongst them as usual1 and took home the other woman as his wife a few weeks thereafter4 ,his second wife began to attend ,church and ,school regularly with her children2 and at last he also came along with them1 changing very manifestly from his sullen and savage former self4 ,they have a large family2 they are avowedly trying to train them all for the ,lord ,jesus2 and they take their places meekly at the ,lord's ,table4 ,it would give a wonderful shock1 ,i suppose1 to many namby-pamby ,christians1 to whom the title 8,mighty to ,save0 conveys no ideas of reality1 to be told that nine or ten converted murderers were partaking with them the ,holy ,communion of ,jesus6 ,but the ,lord who reads the heart1 and weighs every motive and circumstance1 has perhaps much more reason to be shocked by the presence of some of themselves4 ,penitence opens all the ,heart of ,god--8,to-day shalt thou be with ,me in ,paradise40 ,amongst the heathen1 a murderer was often honoured2 and if he succeeded in terrifying those who ought to take revenge1 he was sometimes even promoted to be a ,chief4 ,one who had thus risen to tyrannize over his village was so feared and obeyed1 that one of the lads there said to me1-- 8,missi1 ,i wish ,i had lived long ago6 ,i could have murdered some great man1 and come to honour4 ,as ,christians1 we have no prospects2 where are your warriors8 ,are we always to remain common men80 ,i told him of greatness in the service of ,jesus1 of glory and honour with our ,lord4 ,that lad afterwards became a ,native ,teacher1 first in his own village1 and then on a ,heathen ,island1--the ,lord the ,spirit having opened up for his ambition the nobler path4 ,the last ,heathen ,dance on ,aniwa was intended1 strange to say1 in honour of our work4 ,we had finished the burning of a large lime-kiln for our buildings1 and the event was regarded as worthy of a festival4 ,to our surprise1 loud bursts of song were followed by the tramp1 tramp of many feet4 ,men and women and children poured past us1 painted1 decorated with feathers and bush twigs1 and dressed in their own wildest form1 though almost entirely nude so far as regards the clothing of civilization4 ,they marched into the village ,public ,ground1 and with song and shout and dance made the air hideous to me4 ,they danced in inner and outer circles1 men with men and women with women2 but ,i do not know that the thing looked more irrational to an outsider than do the balls at home4 ,our ,islanders1 on becoming followers of ,jesus1 have always voluntarily withdrawn from all these scenes1 and regard such dancings as inconsistent with the presence and fellowship of the ,saviour4 ,on calling one of their leading men and asking him what it all meant1 he said1-- 8,missi1 we are rejoicing for you1 singing and dancing to our gods for you and your works40 ,i told him that my ,jehovah ,god would be angry at ,his ,church being so associated with ,heathen gods4 ,the poor bewildered soul look grieved1 and asked1-- 8,is it not good1 ,missi8 ,are we not helping you80 ,i said1 8,no6 ,it is not good4 ,i am shocked to see you4 ,i come here to teach you to give up all these ways1 and to please the ,jehovah ,god40 ,he went and called away his wife and all his friends1 and told them that the ,missi was displeased4 ,but the others held on for hours1 and were much disgusted that ,i would not make them a feast and pay them for dancing6 ,no other dance was ever held near our ,station on ,aniwa4 ,some most absurd and preposterous experiences were forced upon us by the habits and notions of the people4 ,amongst these ,i recall very vividly the story of ,nelwang's elopement with his bride4 ,i had begun1 in spare hours1 to lay the foundation of two additional rooms for our house1 and felt rather uneasy to see a well-known ,savage hanging around every day with his tomahawk1 and eagerly watching me at work4 ,he had killed a man1 before our arrival on ,aniwa2 and it was he that startled my wife by suddenly appearing from amongst the boxes1 and causing her to run for life4 ,on seeing him hovering so alarmingly near1 tomahawk in hand1 ,i saluted him1-- 8,nelwang1 do you want to speak to me80 8,yes1 ,missi10 he replied1 8if you will help me now1 ,i will be your friend for ever40 ,i answered1 8,i am your friend4 ,that brought me here and keeps me here40 8,yes10 said he very earnestly1 8but ,i want you to be strong as my friend1 and ,i will be strong for you60 ,i replied1 8,well1 how can ,i help you80 ,he quickly answered1 8,i want to get married1 and ,i need your help40 ,i protested3 8,nelwang1 you know that marriages here are all made in infancy1 by children being bought and betrothed to their future husbands4 ,how can ,i interfere8 ,you don't want to bring evil on me and my wife and child8 ,it might cost us our lives40 8,no6 no6 ,missi10 earnestly retorted ,nelwang4 8,no one hears of this1 or can hear4 ,only help me now4 ,you tell me1 if you were in my circumstances1 how would you act80 8,that's surely very simple10 ,i answered4 8,every man knows how to go about that business1 if he wants to be honest6 ,look out for your intended1 find out if she loves you1 and the rest will follow naturally1--you will marry her40 8,yes10 argued ,nelwang1 8but just there my trouble comes in60 8,do you know the woman you would like to get80 ,i asked1 wishing to bring him to some closer issue4 8,yes10 replied he very frankly1 8,i want to marry ,yakin1 the chief widow up at the inland village1 and that will break no infant betrothals40 8,but10 ,i persevered1 8do you know if she loves you or would take you80 8,yes10 replied ,nelwang2 8one day ,i met her on the path and told her ,i would like to have her for my wife4 ,she took out her ear-rings and gave them to me1 and ,i know thereby that she loves me4 ,i was one of her late husband's men2 and if she had loved any of them more than she did me1 she would have given them to another4 ,with the ear-rings she gave me her heart40 8,then why10 ,i insisted1 8don't you go and marry her80 8,there10 said ,nelwang gravely1 8begins my difficulty4 ,in her village there are thirty young men for whom there are no wives4 ,each of them wants her1 but no one has the courage to take her1 for the other nine-and-twenty will shoot him60 8,and if you take her10 ,i suggested1 8the disappointed thirty will shoot you40 8,that's exactly what ,i see1 ,missi10 continued ,nelwang2 8but ,i want you just to think you are in my place1 and tell me how you would carry her off4 ,you white men can always succeed4 ,missi1 hear my plans1 and advise me40 ,with as serious a face as ,i could command1 ,i had to listen to ,nelwang1 to enter into his love affair1 and to make suggestions1 with a view to avoiding bloodshed and other miseries4 ,the result of the deliberations was that ,nelwang was to secure the confidence of two friends1 his brother and the orator ,taia1 to place one at each end of the coral rocks above the village as watchmen1 to cut down with his ,american tomahawk a passage through the fence at the back1 and to carry off his bride at dead of night into the seclusion and safety of the bush6 ,nelwang's eyes flashed as he struck his tomahawk into a tree1 and cried1-- 8,i see it now1 ,missi6 ,i shall win her from them all4 ,yakin and ,i will be strong for you all our days60 ,next morning ,yakin's house was found deserted4 ,they sent to all the villages around1 but no one had seen her4 ,the hole in the fence behind was then discovered1 and the thirty whispered to each other that ,yakin had been wooed and won by some daring lover4 ,messengers were despatched to all the villages1 and ,nelwang was found to have disappeared on the same night as the widow1 and neither could anywhere be found4 ,the usual revenge was taken4 ,the houses of the offenders burned1 their fences broken down1 and all their property either destroyed or distributed4 ,work was suspended1 and the disappointed thirty solaced themselves by feasting at ,yakin's expense4 ,on the third day ,i arrived at the scene4 ,seeing our old friend ,naswai looking on at the plunderers1 ,i signalled him1 and said innocently1-- 8,naswai1 what's this your men are about8 ,what's all the uproar80 ,the ,chief replied1 8,have you not heard1 ,missi80 8,heard80 said ,i4 8,the whole island has heard your ongoings for three days6 ,i can get no peace to study1 or carry on my work40 8,missi10 said the ,chief1 8,nelwang has eloped with ,yakin1 the wealthy widow1 and all the young men are taking their revenge40 8,oh10 replied ,i1 8is that all8 ,call your men1 and let us speak to them40 ,the men were all assembled1 and ,i said3 8,after all your kindness to ,yakin1 and all your attention to her since her husband's death1 has she really run away and left you all8 ,don't you feel thankful that you are free from such an ungrateful woman8 ,had one of you been married to her1 and she had afterwards run away with this man that she loved1 that would have been far worse6 ,and are you really making all this noise over such a person1 and destroying so much useful food8 ,let these two fools go their way1 and if she be all that you now say1 he will have the worst of the bargain1 and you will be sufficiently avenged4 ,i advise you to spare the fruit trees--go home quietly--leave them to punish each other--and let me get on with my work60 ,naswai repeated my appeal4 8,missi's word is good6 ,gather up the food4 ,wait till we see their conduct1 how it grows4 ,she wasn't worth all this bother and noise60 ,three weeks passed4 ,the runaways were nowhere to be found4 ,it was generally believed that they had gone in a canoe to ,tanna or ,erromanga4 ,but one morning1 as ,i began my work at my house alone1 the brave ,nelwang appeared at my side6 8,hillo60 ,i said1 8where have you come from8 and where is ,yakin80 8,i must not10 he replied1 8tell you yet4 ,we are hid4 ,we have lived on cocoa-nuts gathered at night4 ,yakin is well and happy4 ,i come now to fulfil my promise3 ,i will help you1 and ,yakin will help ,missi ,paton the woman1 and we shall be your friends4 ,i have ground to be built upon and fenced1 whenever we dare2 but we will come and live with you1 till peace is secured4 ,will you let us come to-morrow morning80 8,all right60 ,i said4 8,come to-morrow60 ,and1 trembling with delight1 he disappeared into the bush4 ,thus strangely ,god provided us with wonderful assistance4 ,yakin soon learnt to wash and dress and clean everything1 and ,nelwang served me like a faithful disciple4 ,they clung by us like our very shadow1 partly through fear of attack1 partly from affection2 but as each of them could handle freely both musket and tomahawk1 which1 though laid aside1 were never far away1 it was not every enemy that cared to try issues with ,nelwang and his bride4 ,after a few weeks had thus passed by1 and as both of them were really showing an interest in things pertaining to ,jesus and ,his ,gospel1 ,i urged them strongly to appear publicly at the ,church on ,sabbath1 to show that they were determined to stand their ground together as true husband and wife1 and that the others must accept the position and become reconciled4 ,delay now could gain no purpose1 and ,i wished the strife and uncertainty to be put to an end4 ,nelwang knew our customs4 ,every worshipper has to be seated1 when our little bell ceases ringing4 ,aniwans would be ashamed to enter after the ,service had actually begun4 ,as the bell ceased1 ,nelwang1 knowing that he would have a clear course1 marched in1 dressed in shirt and kilt1 and grasping very determinedly his tomahawk6 ,he sat down as near to me as he could conveniently get1 trying hard to conceal his manifest agitation4 ,slightly smiling towards me1 he then turned and looked eagerly at the door through which the women entered and left the ,church1 as if to say1 8,yakin is coming60 ,but his tomahawk was poised ominously on his shoulder1 and his courage gave him a defiant and almost impudent air4 ,he was evidently quite ready to sell his life at a high price1 if any one was prepared to risk the consequences4 ,in a few seconds ,yakin entered2 and if ,nelwang's bearing and appearance were rather inconsistent with the feeling of worship1--what on earth was ,i to do when the figure and costume of ,yakin began to reveal itself marching in8 ,the first visible difference betwixt a ,heathen and a ,christian is1--that the ,christian wears some clothing1 the ,heathen wears none4 ,yakin determined to show the extent of her ,christianity by the amount of clothing she could carry upon her person4 ,being a ,chiefs widow before she became ,nelwang's bride1 she had some idea of state occasions1 and appeared dressed in every article of ,european apparel1 mostly portions of male attire1 that she could beg or borrow from about the premises6 ,her bridal gown was a man's drab-coloured great-coat1 put on above her ,native grass skirts1 and sweeping down to her heels1 buttoned tight4 ,over this she had hung on a vest1 and above that again1 most amazing of all1 she had superinduced a pair of men's trousers1 drawing the body over her head1 and leaving a leg dangling gracefully over each of her shoulders and streaming down her back4 ,fastened to the one shoulder also there was a red shirt1 and to the other a striped shirt1 waving about her like wings as she sailed along4 ,around her head a red shirt had been twisted like a turban1 and her notions of art demanded that a sleeve thereof should hang aloft over each of her ears6 ,she seemed to be a moving monster loaded with a mass of rags4 ,the day was excessively hot1 and the perspiration poured over her face in streams4 ,she1 too1 sat as near to me as she could get on the women's side of the ,church4 ,nelwang looked at me and then at her1 smiling quietly1 as if to say1-- 8,you never saw1 in all your white world1 a bride so grandly dressed60 ,i little thought what ,i was bringing on myself1 when ,i urged them to come to ,church4 ,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 life6 ,the day ended in peace4 ,the two souls were extremely happy2 and ,i praised ,god that what might have been a scene of bloodshed had closed thus1 even though it were in a kind of wild grotesquerie6 ,henceforth ,i never lacked a body-guard1 nor ,mrs4 ,paton a helper4 ,yakin learned to read and write1 and became an excellent teacher in our ,sabbath school2 she also learned to sing1 and led the praise in ,church1 when my wife was unable to be present4 ,in fact1 she could put her hand to everything about the house or the ,mission1 and became a great favourite amongst the people4 ,nelwang fulfilled his promise faithfully4 ,he was indeed my friend4 ,through all my inland tours1 either he or the ,sacred ,man1 ,kalangi 7who first attempted twice to shoot me1 and then1 after his conversion1 acted as if ,god had entrusted him with the keeping of my life71 faithfully accompanied me4 ,with tomahawk or musket1 or both in hand1 they were always within reach1 and instantly started to the front wherever danger seemed to threaten us4 ,these were amongst our first and best ,church members4 ,nelwang and the ,sacred ,man have both gone to their rest4 ,but ,yakin of the many garments has also had many husbands4 ,she rejoices now in her fourth1 and is still a devoted ,christian1 and a most interesting character in many ways4 ,the progress of ,god's work was most conspicuous in relation to wars and revenges among the ,natives4 ,the two high ,chiefs1 ,namakei and ,naswai1 frequently declared1-- 8,we are the men of ,christ now4 ,we must not fight4 ,we must put down murders and crimes among our people40 ,two young fools1 returning from ,tanna with muskets1 attempted twice to shoot a man in sheer wantonness and display of malice4 ,the ,islanders met1 and informed them that if man or woman was injured by them1 the other men would load their muskets and shoot them dead in public council4 ,this was a mighty step towards public order1 and ,i greatly rejoiced before the ,lord4 ,his ,spirit1 like leaven1 was at work6 ,my constant custom was1 in order to prevent war1 to run right in between the contending parties4 ,my faith enabled me to grasp and realize the promise1 8,lo1 ,i am with you always40 ,in ,jesus ,i felt invulnerable and immortal1 so long as ,i was doing ,his work4 ,and ,i can truly say1 that these were the moments when ,i felt my ,saviour to be most truly and sensibly present1 inspiring and empowering me4 ,another scheme had an excellent educative and religious influence4 ,i tried to interest all the villages1 and to treat all the ,chiefs equally4 ,in our early days1 after getting into my two-roomed house1 ,i engaged the ,chief1 or representative man of each district1 to put up one or other of the many outhouses required at the ,station4 ,one1 along with his people1 built the cook-house2 another1 the store2 another1 the banana and yam-house2 another1 the washing-house2 another1 the boys' and girls' house2 the houses for servants and teachers1 the ,schoolhouse1 and the large shed1 a kind of shelter where ,natives sat and talked when not at work about the ,premises4 ,of course these all were at first only ,native huts1 of larger or smaller dimensions4 ,but they were all built by contract for articles which they highly valued1 such as axes1 knives1 yards of prints and calico1 strings of beads1 blankets1 etc4 ,they served our purpose for the time1 and when another party1 by contract also1 had fenced around our ,premises1 the ,mission ,station was really a beautiful little lively and orderly ,village1 and in itself no bad emblem of ,christian and ,civilized life4 ,the payments1 made to all irrespectively1 but only for work duly done and according to reasonable bargain1 distributed property and gifts amongst them on wholesome principles1 and encouraged a well-conditioned rivalry which had many happy effects4 ,heathenism made many desperate and some strange efforts to stamp out our ,cause on ,aniwa1 but the ,lord held the helm4 ,one old ,chief1 formerly friendly1 turned against us4 ,he ostentatiously set himself to make a canoe1 working at it very openly and defiantly on ,sabbaths4 ,he1 becoming sick and dying1 his brother started1 on a ,sabbath morning and in contempt of the ,worship1 with an armed company to provoke our people to war4 ,they refused to fight2 and one man1 whom he struck with his club1 said1-- 8,i will leave my revenge to ,jehovah40 ,a few days thereafter1 this brother also fell sick and suddenly died4 ,the ,heathen party made much of these incidents1 and some clamoured for our death in revenge1 but most feared to murder us2 so they withdrew and lived apart from our friends1 as far away as they could get4 ,by-and-bye1 however1 they set fire to a large district belonging to our supporters1 burning cocoa-nut and bread-fruit trees and plantations4 ,still our people refused to fight1 and kept near to protect us4 ,then all the leading men assembled to talk it over4 ,most were for peace1 but some insisted upon burning our house and driving us away or killing us1 that they might be left to live as they had hitherto done4 ,at last a ,sacred ,man1 a ,chief who had been on ,tanna when the ,curaoa punished the murderers and robbers but protected the villages of the friendly ,natives there1 stood up and spoke in our defence1 and warned them what might happen2 and other three1 who had been under my instruction on ,tanna1 declared themselves to be the friends of ,jehovah and of ,his ,missionary4 ,finally the ,sacred ,man rose again1 and showed them rows of beautiful white shells strung round his left arm1 saying1-- 8,nowar1 the great ,chief at ,port ,resolution on ,tanna1 when he saw that ,missi and his wife could not be kept there1 took me to his heart1 and pledged me by these1 the shells of his office as ,chief1 taken from his own arms and bound on mine1 to protect them from all harm4 ,he told me to declare to the men of ,aniwa that if the ,missi be injured or slain1 he and his warriors will come from ,tanna and take the full revenge in blood40 ,this turned the scale4 ,the meeting closed in our favour4 ,close on the heels of this1 another and a rather perplexing incident befell us4 ,a party of ,heathens assembled and made a great display of fishing on the ,lord's ,day1 in contempt of the practice of the men on ,jehovah's side1 threatening also to waylay the ,teachers and myself in our village circuits4 ,a meeting was held by the ,christian party1 at the close of the ,sabbath ,services4 ,all who wished to serve ,jehovah were to come to my house next morning1 unarmed1 and accompany me on a visit to our enemies1 that we might talk and reason together with them4 ,by daybreak1 the ,chiefs and nearly eighty men assembled at the ,mission1 declaring that they were on ,jehovah's side1 and wished to go with me4 ,but1 alas6 they refused to lay down their arms1 or leave them behind2 nor would they either refrain from going or suffer me to go alone4 ,pledging them to peace1 ,i was reluctantly placed at their head1 and we marched off to the village of the unfriendly party4 ,the villagers were greatly alarmed4 ,the ,chief's two sons came forth with every available man to meet us4 ,that whole day was consumed in talking and speechifying1 sometimes chanting their replies3 the ,natives are all inveterate talkers6 ,to me the day was utterly wearisome2 but it had one redeeming feature1--their rage found vent in hours of palaver1 instead of blows and blood4 ,it ended in peace4 ,the ,heathen were amazed at the number of ,jehovah's friends2 and they pledged themselves henceforth to leave the ,worship alone1 and that every one who pleased might come to it unmolested4 ,for this1 worn out and weary1 we returned1 praising the ,lord4 ,but ,i must here record the story of the ,sinking of the ,well1 which broke the back of ,heathenism on ,aniwa4 ,being a flat coral island1 with no hills to attract the clouds1 rain is scarce there as compared with the adjoining mountainous islands2 and even when it does fall heavily1 with tropical profusion1 it disappears1 as said before1 through the light soil and porous rock1 and drains itself directly into the sea4 ,hence1 because of its greater dryness1 ,aniwa is more healthy than many of the surrounding isles2 though1 probably for the same reason1 its ,natives are subject to a form of ,elephantiasis1 known as the 8,barbadoes leg40 ,the ,rainy ,season is from ,december to ,april1 and then the disease most characteristic of all these regions is apt to prevail1 viz41 fever and ague4 ,at certain seasons1 the ,natives drank very unwholesome water2 and1 indeed1 the best water they had at any time for drinking purposes was from the precious cocoa-nut1 a kind of ,apple of ,paradise for all these ,southern ,isles6 ,they also cultivate the sugar-cane very extensively1 and in great variety2 and they chew it1 when we would fly to water for thirst1 so it is to them both food and drink4 ,the black fellow carries with him to the field1 when he goes off for a day's work1 four or five sticks of sugar-cane1 and puts in his time comfortably enough on these4 ,besides1 the sea being their universal bathingplace1 in which they swattle like fish1 and little water1 almost none1 being required for cooking purposes1 and none whatever for washing clothes 7671 the lack of fresh springing water was not the dreadful trial to them that it would be to us4 ,yet they appreciate and rejoice in it immensely too2 though the water of the green cocoa-nut is refreshing1 and in appearance1 taste1 and colour not unlike lemonade--one nut filling a tumbler2 and though1 when mothers die they feed the babies on it and on the soft white pith1 and they flourish on the same2 yet the ,natives themselves show their delight in preferring1 when they can get it1 the milk from the goat and the water from the well4 ,my household felt sadly the want of fresh water4 ,i prepared two large casks1 to be filled when the rain came4 ,but when we attempted to do so at the water-hole near the village1 the ,natives forbade us1 fearing that our large casks would carry all the water away1 and leave none for them with their so much smaller cocoa-nut bottles4 ,this public water-hole was on the ground of two ,sacred ,men1 who claimed the power of emptying and filling it by rain at will4 ,the superstitious ,natives gave them presents to bring the rain4 ,if it came soon1 they took all the credit for it4 ,if not1 they demanded larger gifts to satisfy their gods4 ,even our ,aneityumese ,teachers said to me1 when ,i protested that surely they could not believe such things1-- 8,it is hard to know1 ,missi4 ,the water does come and go quickly4 ,if you paid them well1 they might bring the rain1 and let us fill our casks60 ,i told them that1 as followers of ,jehovah1 we must despise all ,heathen mummeries1 and trust in ,him and in the laws of ,his ,creation to help us4 ,aniwa1 having therefore no permanent supply of fresh water1 in spring or stream or lake1 ,i resolved by the help of ,god to sink a well near the ,mission ,premises1 hoping that a wisdom higher than my own would guide me to the source of some blessed spring4 ,of the scientific conditions of such an experiment ,i was completely ignorant2 but ,i counted on having to dig through earth and coral above thirty feet1 and my constant fear was1 that owing to our environment1 the water1 if water ,i found1 could only be salt water after all my toils6 ,still ,i resolved to sink that shaft in hope1 and in faith that the ,son of ,god would be glorified thereby4 ,one morning ,i said to the old ,chief and his fellow-,chief1 both now earnestly inquiring about the religion of ,jehovah and of ,jesus1-- 8,i am going to sink a deep well down into the earth1 to see if our ,god will send us fresh water up from below40 ,they looked at me with astonishment1 and said in a tone of sympathy approaching to pity1-- 8,o ,missi6 ,wait till the rain comes down1 and we will save all we possibly can for you40 ,i replied1 8,we may all die for lack of water4 ,if no fresh water can be got1 we may be forced to leave you40 ,the old ,chief looked imploringly1 and said3 8,o ,missi6 you must not leave us for that4 ,rain comes only from above4 ,how could you expect our ,island to send up showers of rain from below80 ,i told him3 8,fresh water does come up springing from the earth in my ,land at home1 and ,i hope to see it here also40 ,the old ,chief grew more tender in his tones1 and cried3 8,o ,missi1 your head is going wrong2 you are losing something1 or you would not talk wild like that6 ,don't let our people hear you talking about going down into the earth for rain1 or they will never listen to your word or believe you again40 ,but ,i started upon my hazardous job1 selecting a spot near the ,mission ,station and close to the public path1 that my prospective well might be useful to all4 ,i began to dig1 with pick and spade and bucket at hand1 an ,american axe for a hammer and crowbar1 and a ladder for service by-and-bye4 ,the good old ,chief now told off his men in relays to watch me1 lest ,i should attempt to take my own life1 or do anything outrageous1 saying1-- 8,poor ,missi6 ,that's the way with all who go mad4 ,there's no driving of a notion out of their heads4 ,we must just watch him now4 ,he will find it harder to work with pick and spade than with his pen1 and when he's tired we'll persuade him to give it up40 ,i did get exhausted sooner than ,i expected1 toiling under that tropical sun2 but we never own before the ,natives that we are beaten1 so ,i went into the house and filled my vest pocket with large beautiful ,english-made fish-hooks4 ,these are very tempting to the young men1 as compared with their own1--skilfully made though they be out of shell1 and serving their purposes wonderfully4 ,holding up a large hook1 ,i cried1--8,one of these to every man who fills and turns over three buckets out of this hole60 ,a rush was made to get the first turn1 and back again for another and another4 ,i kept those on one side who had got a turn1 till all the rest in order had a chance1 and bucket after bucket was filled and emptied rapidly4 ,still the shaft seemed to lower very slowly1 while my fish-hooks were disappearing very quickly4 ,i was constantly there1 and took the heavy share of everything1 and was thankful one evening to find that we had cleared more than twelve feet deep1--when lo6 next morning1 one side had rushed in1 and our work was all undone4 ,the old ,chief and his best men now came around me more earnestly than ever4 ,he remonstrated with me very gravely4 ,he assured me for the fiftieth time that rain would never be seen coming up through the earth on ,aniwa6 8,now10 said he1 8had you been in that hole last night1 you would have been buried1 and a ,man-of-war would have come from ,queen ',toria to ask for the ,missi that lived here4 ,we would say1 #8,down in that hole4' ,the ,captain would ask1 #8,who killed him and put him down there8' ,we would have to say1 #8,he went down there himself6' ,the ,captain would answer1 #8,nonsense6 who ever heard of a white man going down into the earth to bury himself8 ,you killed him1 you put him there2 don't hide your bad conduct with lies6' ,then he would bring out his big guns and shoot us1 and destroy our ,island in revenge4 ,you are making your own grave1 ,missi1 and you will make ours too4 ,give up this mad freak1 for no rain will be found by going downwards on ,aniwa4 ,besides1 all your fish-hooks cannot tempt my men again to enter that hole2 they don't want to be buried with you4 ,will you not give it up now80 ,i said all that ,i could to quiet his fears1 explained to them that this falling in had happened by my neglect of precautions1 and finally made known that by the help of my ,god1 even without all other help1 ,i meant to persevere4 ,steeping my poor brains over the problem1 ,i became an extemporized engineer4 ,two trees were searched for1 with branches on opposite sides1 capable of sustaining a cross tree betwixt them4 ,i sank them on each side firmly into the ground1 passed the beam across them over the centre of the shaft1 fastened thereon a rude home-made pulley and block1 passed a rope over the wheel1 and swung my largest bucket to the end of it4 ,thus equipped1 ,i began once more sinking away at the well1 but at so wide an angle that the sides might not again fall in4 ,not a ,native1 however1 would enter that hole1 and ,i had to pick and dig away till ,i was utterly exhausted4 ,but a ,teacher1 in whom ,i had confidence1 took charge above1 managing to hire them with axes1 knives1 etc41 to seize the end of the rope and walk along the ground pulling it till the bucket rose to the surface1 and then he himself swung it aside1 emptied it1 and lowered it down again4 ,i rang a little bell which ,i had with me1 when the bucket was loaded1 and that was the signal for my brave helpers to pull their rope4 ,and thus ,i toiled on from day to day1 my heart almost sinking sometimes with the sinking of the well1 till we reached a depth of about thirty feet4 ,and the phrase1 8living water10 8living water10 kept chiming through my soul like music from ,god1 as ,i dug and hammered away6 ,at this depth the earth and coral began to be soaked with damp4 ,i felt that we were nearing water4 ,my soul had a faith that ,god would open a spring for us2 but side by side with this faith was a strange terror that the water would be salt4 ,so perplexing and mixed are even the highest experiences of the soul2 the rose-flower of a perfect faith1 set round and round with prickly thorns4 ,one evening ,i said to the old ,chief1-- 8,i think that ,jehovah ,god will give us water to-morrow from that hole60 ,the ,chief said1 8,no1 ,missi2 you will never see rain coming up from the earth on this ,island4 ,we wonder what is to be the end of this mad work of yours4 ,we expect daily1 if you reach water1 to see you drop through into the sea1 and the sharks will eat you6 ,that will be the end of it2 death to you1 and danger to us all40 ,i still answered1 8,come to-morrow4 ,i hope and believe that ,jehovah ,god will send you the rain water up through the earth40 ,at the moment ,i knew ,i was risking much1 and probably incurring sorrowful consequences1 had no water been given2 but ,i had faith that the ,lord was leading me on1 and ,i knew that ,i sought ,his glory1 not my own4 ,next morning1 ,i went down again at daybreak and sank a narrow hole in the centre about two feet deep4 ,the perspiration broke over me with uncontrollable excitement1 and ,i trembled through every limb1 when the water rushed up and began to fill the hole4 ,muddy though it was1 ,i eagerly tasted it1 and the little 8tinny0 dropped from my hand with sheer joy1 and ,i almost fell upon my knees in that muddy bottom to praise the ,lord4 ,it was water6 ,it was fresh water6 ,it was living water from ,jehovah's well6 ,true1 it was a little brackish1 but nothing to speak of2 and no spring in the desert1 cooling the parched lips of a fevered pilgrim1 ever appeared more worthy of being called a ,well of ,god than did that water to me6 ,the ,chiefs had assembled with their men near by ,they waited on in eager expectancy4 ,it was a rehearsal1 in a small way1 of the ,israelites coming round1 while ,moses struck the rock and called for water4 ,by-and-bye1 when ,i had praised the ,lord1 and my excitement was a little calmed1 the mud being also greatly settled1 ,i filled a jug1 which ,i had taken down empty in the sight of them all1 and ascending to the top called for them to come and see the rain which ,jehovah ,god had given us through the well4 ,they closed around me in haste1 and gazed on it in superstitious fear4 ,the old ,chief shook it to see if it would spill1 and then touched it to see if it felt like water4 ,at last he tasted it1 and rolling it in his mouth with joy for a moment1 he swallowed it1 and shouted1 8,rain6 ,rain6 ,yes1 it is ,rain6 ,but how did you get it80 ,i repeated1 8,jehovah my ,god gave it out of ,his own ,earth in answer to our labours and prayers4 ,go and see it springing up for yourselves60 ,now1 though every man there could climb the highest tree as swiftly and as fearlessly as a squirrel or an opossum1 not one of them had courage to walk to the side and gaze down into that well4 ,to them this was miraculous6 ,but they were not without a resource that met the emergency4 ,they agreed to take firm hold of each other by the hand1 to place themselves in a long line1 the foremost man to lean cautiously forward1 gaze into the well1 and then pass to the rear1 and so on till all had seen 8,jehovah's rain0 far below4 ,it was somewhat comical1 yet far more pathetic1 to stand by and watch their faces1 as man after man peered down into the mystery1 and then looked up at me in blank bewilderment6 ,when all had seen it with their own very eyes1 and were 8weak with wonder10 the old ,chief exclaimed1-- 8,missi1 wonderful1 wonderful is the work of your ,jehovah ,god6 ,no god of ,aniwa ever helped us in this way4 ,but1 ,missi10 continued he1 after a pause that looked like silent worship1 8will it always rain up through the earth8 or1 will it come and go like the rain from the clouds80 ,i told them that ,i believed it would always continue there for our use1 as a good gift from ,jehovah4 8,well1 but1 ,missi10 replied the ,chief1 some glimmering of self-interest beginning to strike his brain1 8will you or your family drink it all1 or shall we also have some80 8,you and all your people10 ,i answered1 8and all the people of the ,island may come and drink and carry away as much of it as you wish4 ,i believe there will always be plenty for us all1 and the more of it we can use the fresher it will be4 ,that is the way with many of our ,jehovah's best gifts to men1 and for it and for all we praise ,his ,name60 8,then1 ,missi10 said the ,chief1 8it will be our water1 and we may all use it as our very own40 8,yes10 ,i answered1 8whenever you wish it1 and as much as you need1 both here and at your own houses1 as far as it can possibly be made to go40 ,the ,chief looked at me eagerly1 fully convinced at length that the well contained a treasure1 and exclaimed1 8,missi1 what can we do to help you now80 ,oh1 how like is human nature all the world over6 ,when one toils and struggles1 when help is needed which many around could easily give and be the better1 not the worse1 for giving it1 they look on in silence1 or bless you with ungenerous criticism1 or ban you with malicious judgment4 ,but let them get some peep of personal advantage by helping you1 or even of the empty bubble of praise for offering it1 and how they rush to your aid6 ,but ,i was thankful to accept of the ,chief's assistance1 though rather late in the day1 and ,i said1-- 8,you have seen it fall in once already4 ,if it falls again1 it will conceal the rain from below which our ,god has given us4 ,in order to preserve it for us and for our children in all time1 we must build it round and round with great coral blocks from the bottom to the very top4 ,i will now clear it out1 and prepare the foundation for this wall of coral4 ,let every man and woman carry from the shore the largest blocks they can bring4 ,it is well worth all the toil thus to preserve our great ,jehovah's gift60 ,scarcely were my words repeated1 when they rushed to the shore1 with shoutings and songs of gladness2 and soon every one was seen struggling under the biggest block of coral with which he dared to tackle4 ,they lay like limestone rocks1 broken up by the hurricanes1 and rolled ashore in the arms of mighty billows2 and in an incredibly short time scores of them were tumbled down for my use at the mouth of the well4 ,having prepared a foundation1 ,i made ready a sort of box to which every block was firmly tied and then let down to me by the pulley1--a ,native ,teacher1 a faithful fellow1 cautiously guiding it4 ,i received and placed each stone in its position1 doing my poor best to wedge them one against the other1 building circularly1 and cutting them to the needed shape with my ,american axe4 ,the wall is about three feet thick1 and the masonry may be guaranteed to stand till the coral itself decays4 ,i wrought incessantly1 for fear of any further collapse1 till ,i had it raised about twenty feet2 and now1 feeling secure1 and my hands being dreadfully cut up1 ,i intimated that ,i would rest a week or two1 and finish the building then4 ,but the ,chief advanced and said1-- 8,missi1 you have been strong to work4 ,your strength has fled4 ,but rest here beside us2 and just point out where each block is to be laid4 ,we will lay them there1 we will build them solidly behind like you4 ,and no man will sleep till it is done40 ,with all their will and heart they started on the job2 some carrying1 some cutting and squaring the blocks1 till the wall rose like magic1 and a row of the hugest rocks laid round the top bound all together1 and formed the mouth of the well4 ,women1 boys1 and all wished to have a hand in building it1 and it remains to this day1 a solid wall of masonry1 the circle being thirty-four feet deep1 eight feet wide at the top1 and six at the bottom4 ,i floored it over with wood above all1 and fixed the windlass and bucket1 and there it stands as one of the greatest material blessings which the ,lord has given to ,aniwa4 ,it rises and falls with the tide1 though a third of a mile distant from the sea2 and when1 after using it1 we tasted the pure fresh water on board the ,dayspring1 it seemed so insipid that ,i had to slip a little salt into my tea along with the sugar before ,i could enjoy it6 ,all visitors are taken to see the well1 as one of the wonders of ,aniwa2 and an ,elder of the ,church said to me lately1-- 8,but for that water1 during the last two years of drought1 we would all have been dead60 ,very strangely1 though the ,natives themselves have since tried to sink six or seven wells in the most likely places near their different villages1 they have either come to coral rock which they could not pierce1 or found only water that was salt4 ,and they say amongst themselves1-- 8,missi not only used pick and spade1 but he prayed and cried to his ,god4 ,we have learned to dig1 but not how to pray1 and therefore ,jehovah will not give us the rain from below60 ,the well was now finished4 ,the place was neatly fenced in4 ,and the old ,chief said1-- 8,missi1 now that this is the water for all1 we must take care and keep it pure40 ,i was so thankful that all were to use it4 ,had we alone drawn water therefrom1 they could so easily have poisoned it1 as they do the fish-pools1 in caverns among the rocks by the shore1 with their nuts and runners1 and killed us all4 ,but there was no fear1 if they themselves were to use it daily4 ,the ,chief continued1-- 8,missi1 ,i think ,i could help you next ,sabbath4 ,will you let me preach a sermon on the well80 8,yes10 ,i at once replied1 8if you will try to bring all the people to hear you40 8,missi1 ,i will try10 he eagerly promised4 ,the news spread like wildfire that the ,chief ,namakei was to be the ,missionary on the next day for the ,worship1 and the people1 under great expectancy1 urged each other to come and hear what he had to say4 ,sabbath came round4 ,aniwa assembled in what was for that island a great crowd4 ,namakei appeared dressed in shirt and kilt4 ,he was so excited1 and flourished his tomahawk about at such a rate1 that it was rather lively work to be near him4 ,i conducted short opening devotions1 and then called upon ,namakei4 ,he rose at once1 with eye flashing wildly1 and his limbs twitching with emotion4 ,he spoke to the following effect1 swinging his tomahawk to enforce every eloquent gesticulation1-- 8,friends of ,namakei1 men and women and children of ,aniwa1 listen to my words6 ,since ,missi came here he has talked many strange things we could not understand--things all too wonderful2 and we said regarding many of them that they must be lies4 ,white people might believe such nonsense1 but we said that the black fellow knew better than to receive it4 ,but of all his wonderful stories1 we thought the strangest was about sinking down through the earth to get rain6 ,then we said to each other1 ,the man's head is turned2 he's gone mad4 ,but the ,missi prayed on and wrought on1 telling us that ,jehovah ,god heard and saw1 and that his ,god would give him rain4 ,was he mad8 ,has he not got the rain deep down in the earth8 ,we mocked at him2 but the water was there all the same4 ,we have laughed at other things which the ,missi told us1 because we could not see them4 ,but from this day ,i believe that all he tells us about his ,jehovah ,god is true4 ,some day our eyes will see it4 ,for to-day we have seen the rain from the earth40 ,then1 rising to a climax1 first the one foot and then the other making the broken coral on the floor fly behind like a war-horse pawing the ground1 he cried with great eloquence1-- 8,my people1 the people of ,aniwa1 the world is turned upside down since the word of ,jehovah came to this land6 ,who ever expected to see rain coming up through the earth8 ,it has always come from the clouds6 ,wonderful is the work of this ,jehovah ,god4 ,no god of ,aniwa ever answered prayers as the ,missi's ,god has done4 ,friends of ,namakei1 all the powers of the world could not have forced us to believe that rain could be given from the depths of the earth1 if we had not seen it with our eyes1 felt it and tasted it as we here do4 ,now1 by the help of ,jehovah ,god the ,missi brought that invisible rain to view1 which we never before heard of or saw1 and10--7beating his hand on his breast1 he exclaimed71-- 8,something here in my heart tells me that the ,jehovah ,god does exist1 the ,invisible ,one1 whom we never heard of nor saw till the ,missi brought ,him to our knowledge4 ,the coral has been removed1 the land has been cleared away1 and lo6 the water rises4 ,invisible till this day1 yet all the same it was there1 though our eyes were too weak4 ,so ,i1 your ,chief1 do now firmly believe that when ,i die1 when the bits of coral and the heaps of dust are removed which now blind my old eyes1 ,i shall then see the ,invisible ,jehovah ,god with my soul1 as ,missi tells me1 not less surely than ,i have seen the rain from the earth below4 ,from this day1 my people1 ,i must worship the ,god who has opened for us the well1 and who fills us with rain from below4 ,the gods of ,aniwa cannot hear1 cannot help us1 like the ,god of ,missi4 ,henceforth ,i am a follower of ,jehovah ,god4 ,let every man that thinks with me go now and fetch the idols of ,aniwa1 the gods which our fathers feared1 and cast them down at ,missi's feet4 ,let us burn and bury and destroy these things of wood and stone1 and let us be taught by the ,missi how to serve the ,god who can hear1 the ,jehovah who gave us the well1 and who will give us every other blessing1 for ,he sent ,his ,son ,jesus to die for us and bring us to ,heaven4 ,this is what the ,missi has been telling us every day since he landed on ,aniwa4 ,we laughed at him1 but now we believe him4 ,the ,jehovah ,god has sent us rain from the earth4 ,why should ,he not also send us ,his ,son from ,heaven8 ,namakei stands up for ,jehovah60 ,this address1 and the ,sinking of the ,well1 broke1 as ,i already said1 the back of ,heathenism on ,aniwa4 ,that very afternoon1 the old ,chief and several of his people brought their idols and cast them down at my feet beside the door of our house4 ,oh1 the intense excitement of the weeks that followed6 ,company after company came to the spot1 loaded with their gods of wood and stone1 and piled them up in heaps1 amid the tears and sobs of some1 and the shoutings of others1 in which was heard the oft-repeated word1 8,jehovah6 ,jehovah60 ,what could be burned1 we cast into the flames2 others we buried in pits twelve or fifteen feet deep2 and some few1 more likely than the rest to feed or awaken superstition1 we sank far out into the deep sea4 ,let no ,heathen eyes ever gaze on them again6 ,we do not mean to indicate that1 in all cases1 their motives were either high or enlightened4 ,there were not wanting some who wished to make this new movement pay1 and were much disgusted when we refused to 8buy0 their gods6 ,on being told that ,jehovah would not be pleased unless they gave them up of their own free will1 and destroyed them without pay or reward1 some took them home again and held on by them for a season1 and others threw them away in contempt4 ,meetings were held2 speeches were delivered1 for these ,new ,hebrideans are irrepressible orators1 florid1 and amazingly graphic2 much talk followed1 and the destruction of idols went on apace4 ,by-and-bye two ,sacred ,men and some other selected persons were appointed a sort of detective ,committee1 to search out and expose those who pretended to give them all up1 but were hiding certain idols in secret1 and to encourage waverers to come to a thorough decision for ,jehovah4 ,in these intensely exciting days1 we 8stood still0 and saw the salvation of the ,lord4 ,they flocked around us now at every meeting we held4 ,they listened eagerly to the story of the life and death of ,jesus4 ,they voluntarily assumed one or other article of clothing4 ,and everything transpiring was fully and faithfully submitted to us for counsel or for information4 ,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 bread4 ,whosoever did not do so was regarded as a ,heathen4 7,query3 how many white ,heathens are there87 ,the next step1 and it was taken in a manner as if by some common consent that was not less surprising than joyful1 was a form of ,family ,worship every morning and evening4 ,doubtless the prayers were often very queer1 and mixed up with many remaining superstitions2 but they were prayers to the great ,jehovah1 the compassionate ,father1 the ,invisible ,one--no longer to gods of stone6 ,necessarily these were the conspicuous features of our life as ,christians in their midst--morning and evening ,family ,prayer1 and ,grace at ,meat2 and hence1 most naturally1 their instinctive adoption and imitation of the same as the first outward tokens of ,christian discipline4 ,every house in which there was not ,prayer to ,god in the family was known thereby to be ,heathen4 ,this was a direct and practical evidence of the ,new ,religion2 and1 so far as it goes 7and that is very far indeed1 where there is any sincerity at all71 the test was one about which there could be no mistake on either side4 ,a third conspicuous feature stood out distinctly and at once1--the change as to the ,lord's ,day4 ,village after village followed in this also the example of the ,mission ,house4 ,all ordinary occupations ceased4 ,sabbath was spoken of as the ,day for ,jehovah4 ,saturday came to be called 8,cooking ,day10 referring to the extra preparations for the day of rest and worship4 ,they believed that it was ,jehovah's will to keep the first day holy4 ,the reverse was a distinctive mark of ,heathenism4 ,the first traces of a new ,social ,order began to rise visibly on the delighted eye4 ,the whole inhabitants1 young and old1 now attended ,school1--three generations sometimes at the one copy or ,a ,b ,c book6 ,thefts1 quarrels1 crimes1 etc41 were settled now1 not by club law1 but by fine or bonds or lash1 as agreed upon by the ,chiefs and their people4 ,everything was rapidly and surely becoming 8new0 under the influence of the leaven of ,jesus4 ,industry increased4 ,huts and plantations were safe4 ,formerly every man1 in travelling1 carried with him all his valuables2 now they were secure1 left at home4 ,even a brood of fowls or a litter of pigs would be carried in bags on their persons in ,heathen days4 ,hence at ,church we had sometimes lively episodes1 the chirruping of chicks1 the squealing of piggies1 and the barking of puppies1 one gaily responding to the other1 as we sang1 or prayed1 or preached the ,gospel6 ,being glad to see the ,natives there1 even with all their belongings1 we carefully refrained from finding fault2 but the thread of devotion was sometimes apt to slip through one's fingers1 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 scream4 ,the ,natives1 finding this state of matters troublesome to themselves and disagreeable all round1 called a ,general ,assembly1 unanimously condemned dishonesty1 agreed upon severe fines and punishments for every act of theft1 and covenanted to stand by each other in putting it down4 ,the ,chiefs1 however1 found this a long and difficult task1 but they held at it under the inspiration of the ,gospel and prevailed4 ,even the trials and difficulties with which they met were overruled by ,god1 in assisting them to form by the light of their own experience a simple code of ,social ,laws1 fitted to repress the crimes there prevailing1 and to encourage the virtues specially needing to be cultivated there4 ,heathen ,worship was gradually extinguished2 and1 though no one was compelled to come to ,church1 every person on ,aniwa1 without exception1 became an avowed worshipper of ,jehovah ,god4 ,again1 8,o ,galilean1 ,thou hast conquered60 ,often since have ,i meditated on that old ,cannibal ,chief reasoning himself and his people1 from the sinking of the well and the bringing of the invisible water to view1 into a belief as to the existence and power of the great ,invisible ,god1 the only ,hearer and ,answerer of prayer4 ,and the contrasted picture rises before my mind of the multitudes in ,britain1 ,america1 ,germany1 and our ,colonies1 all whose wisdom1 science1 art1 and wealth have only left them in spiritual darkness--miserable doubters6 ,in their pride of heart1 they deny their ,creator and ,redeemer1 so gloriously revealed to them alike in ,nature and in ,scripture1 and are like a dog barking against the sun4 ,they will accept nothing but what their poorly-developed ,science can demonstrate2 yet that ,science1 as compared with the ,all-,truth of the ,universe1 is infinitely smaller than was the poor ,chief ,namakei's knowledge as compared with mine6 ,they do certainly know that their very existence1 at every moment1 depends on things that neither reason nor science can fathom1 any more than ,namakei could understand the rain from below4 ,for every reason that he and his people had to believe in the ,invisible ,god1 who brought the water to their view1 these sons and daughters of civilization1 8the heirs of all the ages in the foremost files of time10 have ten thousand more--from history1 from science1 from material progress--yet in their pride of ,intellect they refuse to acknowledge and adore that ,invisible and ,inscrutable ,god1 in whom every day they live1 and move1 and have their being1 and who has spoken to us by ,his ,son from ,heaven4 ,if their own sons1 daughters1 or servants1 who are infinitely less dependent on them than they are upon ,god1 should treat themselves as they are treating their ,creator1 what would they think8 ,how would they feel8 ,i pity from the depth of my heart every human being1 who1 from whatever cause1 is a stranger to the most ennobling1 uplifting1 and consoling experience that can come to the soul of man--blessed communion with the ,father of our ,spirits1 through gracious union with the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 8,i thank ,thee1 ,o ,father1 ,lord of ,heaven and ,earth1 because ,thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent1 and hast revealed them unto babes4 ,even so1 ,father3 for so it seemed good in ,thy sight4444 ,come unto ,me1 all ye that labour and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest4 ,take ,my yoke upon you1 and learn of ,me2 for ,i am meek and lowly in heart3 and ye shall find rest unto your souls4 ,for ,my yoke is easy1 and ,my burden is light0 7,matt4 xi4 #be-cj74 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,the ,,light ,,that ,,shineth ,,more ,,and ,,more4 ,my first ,aniwan ,book4--,the ,power of ,music4--,a ,pair of ,glass ,eyes4--,church ,building for ,jesus4--,the ,hanging of the ,bell4--,patesa and his ,bride4--,an ,armed ,embassage4--,youwili's ,taboo4--,youwili's ,conversion4--,the ,tobacco ,idol4--,first ,communion on ,aniwa4--,our ,village ,day ,schools4--,new ,social ,laws4--,a ,sabbath ,day's ,work on ,aniwa4--,our ,week-day ,life4--,the ,orphans and their ,biscuits4--8,the ,wreck of the ,dayspring40--,god's ,own ,finger-,posts4--,god's ,work our ,guarantee4--,profane ,swearers ,rebuked4--,a ,heavenly ,vision4--,on ,wing through ,new ,zealand4--,our ,second ,dayspring4 ,the printing of my first ,aniwan book was a great event1 not so much for the toil and worry which it cost me1 though that was enough to have broken the heart of many a compositor1 as rather for the joy it gave to the old ,chief ,namakei4 ,the break-up at ,tanna had robbed me of my own neat little printing press4 ,i had since obtained at ,aneityum the remains of one from ,erromanga1 that had belonged to the murdered ,gordon4 ,but the supply of letters1 in some cases1 was so deficient that ,i could print only four pages at a time2 and1 besides1 bits of the press were wanting1 and ,i had first to manufacture substitutes from scraps of iron and wood4 ,i managed1 however1 to make it go1 and by-and-bye it did good service4 ,by it ,i printed our ,aniwan ,hymn-,book1 a portion of ,genesis in ,aniwan1 a small book in ,erromangan for the second ,gordon1 and other little things4 ,the old ,chief had eagerly helped me in translating and preparing this first book4 ,he had a great desire 8to hear it speak10 as he graphically expressed it4 ,it was made up chiefly of short passages from the ,scriptures1 that might help me to introduce them to the treasures of ,divine truth and love4 ,namakei came to me1 morning after morning1 saying1-- 8,missi1 is it done8 ,can it speak80 ,at last ,i was able to answer1 8,yes60 ,the old ,chief eagerly responded1 8,does it speak my words80 ,i said1 8,it does40 ,with rising interest1 ,namakei exclaimed1-- 8,make it speak to me1 ,missi6 ,let me hear it speak40 ,i read to him a part of the book1 and the old man fairly shouted in an ecstasy of joy3 8,it does speak6 ,it speaks my own language1 too6 ,oh1 give it to me60 ,he grasped it hurriedly1 turned it all round every way1 pressed it to his bosom1 and then1 closing it with a look of great disappointment1 handed it back to me1 saying1 8,missi1 ,i cannot make it speak6 ,it will never speak to me40 8,no10 said ,i2 8you don't know how to read it yet1 how to make it speak to you2 but ,i will teach you to read1 and then it will speak to you as it does to me40 8,o ,missi1 dear ,missi1 show me how to make it speak60 persisted the bewildered ,chief4 ,he was straining his eyes so1 that ,i suspected they were dim with age1 and could not see the letters4 ,i looked out for him a pair of spectacles1 and managed to fit him well4 ,he was much afraid of putting them on at first1 manifestly in dread of some sort of sorcery4 ,at last when they were properly placed1 he saw the letters and everything so clearly that he exclaimed in great excitement and joy1-- 8,i see it all now6 ,this is what you told us about ,jesus4 ,he opened the eyes of a blind man4 ,the word of ,jesus has just come to ,aniwa4 ,he has sent me these glass eyes4 ,i have gotten back again the sight that ,i had when a boy4 ,o ,missi1 make the book speak to me now60 ,i walked out with him to the public ,village ,ground4 ,there ,i drew ,a ,b ,c in large characters upon the dust1 showed him the same letters in the book1 and left him to compare them1 and find out how many occurred on the first page4 ,fixing these in his mind1 he came running to me1 and said1-- 8,i have lifted up ,a ,b ,c4 ,they are here in my head1 and ,i will hold them fast4 ,give me other three40 ,this was repeated time after time4 ,he mastered the whole ,alphabet1 and soon began to spell out the smaller words4 ,indeed1 he came so often1 getting me to read it over and over1 that before he himself could read it freely he had it word for word committed to memory4 ,when strangers passed him1 or young people came around1 he would get out the little book1 and say1-- 8,come1 and ,i will let you hear how the book speaks our own ,aniwan words4 ,you say1 it is hard to learn to read and make it speak4 ,but be strong to try6 ,if an old man like me has done it1 it ought to be much easier for you40 ,one day ,i heard him read to a company with wonderful fluency4 ,taking the book1 ,i asked him to show me how he had done it so quickly4 ,immediately ,i perceived that he could recite the whole from memory4 ,he became our right-hand helper in the ,conversion of ,aniwa4 ,next after ,god's own ,word1 perhaps the power of ,music was most amazingly blessed in opening up our way4 ,amongst many other illustrations1 ,i may mention how ,namakei's wife was won4 ,the old lady positively shuddered at coming near the ,mission ,house1 and dreaded being taught anything4 ,one day she was induced to draw near the door1 and fixing a hand on either post1 and gazing inwards1 she exclaimed1 8,awi1 ,missi6 ,ki1 ,missi60--the ,native cry for unspeakable wonder4 ,mrs4 ,paton began to play on the harmonium1 and sang a simple hymn in the old woman's language4 ,manifestly charmed1 she drew nearer and nearer1 and drank in the music1 as it were1 at every pore of her being4 ,at last she ran off1 and we thought it was with fright1 but it was to call together all the women and girls from her village 8to hear the bokis sing60 7,having no x1 the word box is pronounced thus47 ,she returned with them all at her heels4 ,they listened with dancing eyes4 ,and ever after the sound of a hymn1 and the song of the bokis1 made them flock freely to class or meeting4 ,being myself as nearly as possible destitute of the power of singing1 all my work would have been impaired and sadly hindered1 and the joyous side of the ,worship and ,service of ,jehovah could not have been presented to the ,natives1 but for the gift bestowed by the ,lord on my dear wife4 ,she led our songs of praise1 both in the family and in the ,church1 and that was the first avenue by which the ,new ,religion winged its way into the heart of ,cannibal and ,savage4 ,the old ,chief was particularly eager that this same aged lady1 his wife ,yauwaki1 should be taught to read4 ,but her sight was far gone4 ,so1 one day1 he brought her to me1 saying1 8,missi1 can you give my wife also a pair of new glass eyes like mine8 ,she tries to learn1 but she cannot see the letters4 ,she tries to sew1 but she pricks her finger1 and throws away the needle1 saying1 #8,the ways of the white people are not good6' ,if she could get a pair of glass eyes1 she would be in a new world like ,namakei40 ,in my bundle ,i found a pair that suited her4 ,she was in positive terror about putting them on her face1 but at last she cried with delight1-- 8,oh1 my new eyes6 my new eyes6 ,i have the sight of a little girl4 ,i will learn hard now4 ,i will make up for lost time40 ,illustration3 8,,oh1 ,,my ,,new ,,eyes60 ,her progress was never very great1 but her influence for good on other women and girls was immense4 ,in all my work amongst the ,natives1 ,i have striven to train them to be self-supporting1 and have never helped them where ,i could train them to help themselves4 ,in this respect ,i was exceedingly careful1 when the question arose of building their ,churches1 and ,schools4 ,at first we moved about amongst them from village to village1 acquired their language1 and taught them everywhere1--by the roadside1 under the shade of a tree1 or on the public ,village ,ground4 ,our old ,native ,hut1 when we removed to the ,mission ,house formerly referred to1 was used for all sorts of public meetings4 ,feeling by-and-bye that the time had come to interest them in building a new ,church1 and that it would be every way helpful1 ,i laid the proposal before them1 carefully explaining that for this work no one would be paid1 that the ,church was for all the ,islanders and for the ,worship alone1 and that every one must build purely for the love of ,jesus4 ,i told them that ,god would be pleased with such materials as they had to give1 that they must not begin till they had divided the work and counted the cost1 and that for my part ,i would do all that ,i could to direct and help1 and would supply the sinnet 7 cocoa-nut fibre rope7 which ,i had brought from ,aneityum1 and the nails brought from ,sydney4 ,they held meeting after meeting throughout the ,island4 ,chiefs made long speeches2 orators chanted their palavers2 and warriors acted their part by waving of club and tomahawk4 ,an unprecedented friendliness sprang up amongst them4 ,they agreed to sink every quarrel1 and unite in building the first ,church on ,aniwa1--one ,chief only holding back4 ,women and children began to gather and prepare the sugar-cane leaf for thatch4 ,men searched for and cut down suitable trees4 ,the ,church measured sixty-two feet by twenty-four4 ,the wall was twelve feet high4 ,the studs were of hard iron-wood1 and were each by tenon and mortise fastened into six iron-wood trees forming the upper wall plates4 ,all were not only nailed1 but strongly tied together by sinnet-rope1 so as to resist the hurricanes4 ,the roof was supported by four huge iron-wood trees1 and another of equally hard wood1 sunk about eight feet into the ground1 surrounded by building at the base1 and forming massive pillars4 ,there were two doorways and eight window spaces2 the floor was laid with white coral1 broken small1 and covered with cocoa-nut tree leaf-mats1 on which the people sat4 ,i had a small platform1 floored and surrounded with reeds2 and ,mrs4 ,paton had a seat enclosing the harmonium1 also made of reeds1 and in keeping4 ,great harmony prevailed all the time1 and no mishap marred the work4 ,one hearty fellow fell from the roof-tree to the ground1 and was badly stunned4 ,but1 jumping up1 he shook himself1 and saying1--8,i was working for ,jehovah6 ,he has saved me from being hurt10--he mounted the roof again and went on cheerily with his work4 ,our pride in the ,new ,church soon met with a dreadful blow4 ,that very season a terrific hurricane levelled it with the ground4 ,after much wailing1 the principal ,chief1 in a great ,assembly1 said1-- 8,let us not weep1 like boys over their broken bows and arrows6 ,let us be strong1 and build a yet stronger ,church for ,jehovah40 ,by our counsel1 ten days were spent first in repairing houses and fences1 and saving food from the plantations1 many of which had been swept into utter ruin4 ,then they assembled on the appointed day4 ,a hymn was sung4 ,god's blessing was invoked1 and all the work was dedicated afresh to ,him4 ,days were spent in taking the iron-wood roof to pieces1 and saving everything that could be saved4 ,the work was allocated equally amongst the villages1 and a wholesome emulation was created4 ,one ,chief still held back4 ,after a while1 ,i visited him and personally invited his help1--telling him that it was ,god's ,house1 and for all the people of ,aniwa2 and that if he and his people did not do their part1 the others would cast it in their teeth that they had no share in the ,house of ,god4 ,he yielded to my appeal1 and entered vigorously upon the work4 ,one large tree was still needed to complete the couples1 and could nowhere be found4 ,the work was at a standstill2 for1 though the size was now reduced to fifty feet by twenty-two1 and the roof had been lowered by four feet in order to give the windlass sufficient purchase1 there was plenty of smaller wood on ,aniwa1 but the larger trees were apparently exhausted4 ,one morning1 however1 we were awoke at early daybreak by the shouting and singing of a company of men1 carrying a great black tree to the ,church1 with this same ,chief dancing before them1 leading the singing1 and beating time with the flourish of his tomahawk4 ,determined not to be beaten1 though late in the field1 he had lifted the roof-tree out of his own house1 as black as soot could make it1 and was carrying it to complete the couplings4 ,the rest of the builders shouted against this4 ,all the other wood of the ,church was white and clean1 and they would not have this black tree1 conspicuous in the very centre of all4 ,but ,i praised the old ,chief for what he had done1 and hoped he and his people would come and worship ,jehovah under his own roof-tree4 ,at this all were delighted2 and the work went on apace1 with many songs and shoutings4 ,whenever the ,church was roofed in1 we met in it for ,public ,worship4 ,coral was being got and burned1 and preparations made for plastering the walls4 ,the ,natives were sharp enough to notice that ,i was not putting up the bell2 and suspicions arose that ,i kept it back in order to take it with me when ,i returned to ,tanna4 ,it was a beautiful ,church bell1 cast and sent out by our dear friend1 ,james ,taylor1 ,esq41 ,engineer1 ,birkenhead4 ,the ,aniwans1 therefore1 gave me no rest till ,i agreed to have it hung on their new ,church4 ,they found a large iron-wood tree near the shore1 cut a road for half a mile through the bush1 tied poles across it every few feet1 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 ,church2 for as one party got exhausted1 others were ready to rush in and relieve them at every stage of the journey4 ,the two old ,chiefs1 flourishing their tomahawks1 went capering in front of all the rest1 and led the song to which they marched1 joyfully bearing their load4 ,they dug a deep hole into which to sink it2 ,i squared the top and screwed on the bell2 then we raised the tree by ropes1 letting it sink into the hole1 built it round eight feet deep with coral blocks and lime1 and there from its top swings and rings ever since the ,church bell of ,aniwa4 ,a fortnight's cessation of labour at the ,church now followed4 ,their own plantations were attended to1 and other needful duties performed4 ,our resumption of operations at the ,church gave the opportunity for a deed of horrid cruelty4 ,the ,chiefs son1 ,patesa1 had just been married to a youthful widow1 whom ,nasi1 a ,tanna man living on ,aniwa1 had also desired4 ,the people of the young bridegroom's village agreed to sleep overnight near the ,mission ,premises1 in order to be ready for the work early next morning2 and they deputed the young couple to return to the village and sleep there1 watching over their property4 ,nasi and his half-brother ,nouka1 knowing they were alone1 crept stealthily towards their hut at earliest daybreak1 and removed the door without awaking either of the sleepers4 ,next moment a ball struck the young husband dead4 ,the wife sprang up and implored ,nasi to spare her2 but he sent a ball through her heart1 and she fell dead upon her dead spouse4 ,their people1 hearing the double shot1 rushed to the scene1 and found the hut flowing with blood4 ,early that same forenoon the bride and bridegroom were laid in the same grave1 in the sleep of love and death4 ,for a week all our work was suspended4 ,men and boys went about fully armed1 and all their talk was for revenge4 ,nasi had a number of desperate fellows at his back1 all armed with muskets1 and ,i feared the loss of many lives4 ,i implored them for once to leave the vengeance in the hands of ,god1 and to stand by each other in carrying forward the work of ,jehovah4 ,but ,i solemnly forbade the murderers to come near the ,mission ,house1 or to help us with the ,church4 ,my counsel was so far accepted4 ,but every man came to the work armed with musket1 tomahawk1 spear1 and club1 and the boys with bows and arrows2 and these were piled up round the fence at hand1 with watchmen stationed for alarm4 ,thus1 literally with sword in one hand and trowel in the other1 the ,house of the ,lord was reared again on ,aniwa4 ,coral was secured1 as described in a preceding chapter2 lime was prepared therefrom by burning it in extemporized kilns2 and each village vied with all the rest in plastering beautifully its own allocated portion--the first job of the kind they had ever done4 ,the floor was covered with broken coral and mats1 but the ,natives are now 7#ahhi7 furnishing it with white men's seats4 ,originally they had a row of seats all round it inside1 made of bamboo cane and reeds4 ,the women and girls enter by one door1 and the men and boys by another2 and they sit on separate sides1--except at the ,lord's table1 when all sit together as one family4 ,it was a ,church perfectly suitable for their circumstances1 and it cost the ,home ,committees not a single penny4 ,it has withstood many a hurricane4 ,a large number of the original builders are gone to their rest2 but their work abides1 and witnesses for ,god amongst their children4 ,on its rude walls ,i could see the glorious motto--8,jehovah ,shammah40 ,one of the last attempts ever made on my life resulted1 by ,god's blessing1 in great good to us all and to the work of the ,lord4 ,it was when ,nourai1 one of ,nasi's men1 struck at me again and again with the barrel of his musket2 but ,i evaded the blows1 till rescued by the women--the men looking on stupefied4 ,after he escaped into the bush1 ,i assembled our people1 and said1-- 8,if you do not now try to stop this bad conduct1 ,i shall leave ,aniwa1 and go to some island where my life will be protected40 ,next morning at daybreak1 about one hundred men arrived at my house1 and in answer to my query why they came armed they replied1--8,we are now going to that village1 where the men of wicked conduct are gathered together4 ,we will find out why they sought your life1 and we will rebuke their ,sacred ,man for pretending to cause hurricanes and diseases4 ,we cannot go unarmed4 ,we will not suffer you to go alone4 ,we are your friends and the friends of the ,worship4 ,and we are resolved to stand by you1 and you must go at our head to-day60 ,in great perplexity1 yet believing that my presence might prevent bloodshed1 ,i allowed myself to be placed at their head4 ,the old ,chief followed next1 then a number of fiery young men2 then all the rest1 single file1 along the narrow path4 ,at a sudden turn1 as we neared their village1 ,nourai1 who had attacked me the ,sabbath day before1 and his brother were seen lurking with their muskets2 but our young men made a rush in front1 and they disappeared into the bush4 ,we took possession of the ,village ,public ,ground2 and the ,chief1 the ,sacred ,man1 and others soon assembled4 ,a most characteristic ,native ,palaver followed4 ,speeches1 endless speeches1 were fired by them at each other4 ,my friends declared1 in every conceivable form of language and of graphic illustration1 that they were resolved at any cost to defend me and the worship of ,jehovah1 and that they would as one man punish every attempt to injure me or take my life4 ,the orator1 ,taia1 exclaimed1-- 8,you think that ,missi is here alone1 and that you can do with him as you please6 ,no6 ,we are now all ,missi's men4 ,we will fight for him and his rather than see him injured4 ,every one that attacks him attacks us4 ,that is finished to-day60 ,illustration3 8,i',,ll ,,knock ,,the ,,tevil ,,out ,,of ,,him40 ,in the general scolding1 the ,sacred ,man had special attention1 for pretending to cause hurricanes4 ,one pointed out that he had himself a stiff knee1 and argued1-- 8,if he can make a hurricane1 why can't he restore the joint of his own knee8 ,it is surely easier to do the one than the other60 ,the ,natives laughed heartily1 and taunted him4 ,meantime he sat looking down to the earth in sullen silence2 and a ludicrous episode ensued4 ,his wife1 a big1 strong woman1 scolded him roundly for the trouble he had brought them all into2 and then1 getting indignant as well as angry1 she seized a huge cocoa-nut leaf out of the bush1 and with the butt end thereof began thrashing his shoulders vigorously1 as she poured out the vials of her wrath in torrents of words1 always winding up with the cry1-- 8,i'll knock the ,tevil out of him6 ,he'll not try hurricanes again60 ,the woman was a ,malay1 as many of the ,aniwans were4 ,had a ,papuan woman on ,tanna or ,erromanga dared such a thing1 she would have been killed on the spot4 ,but even on ,aniwa1 the unwonted spectacle of a wife beating her husband created uproarious amusement4 ,at length ,i remonstrated1 saying1-- 8,you had better stop now6 ,you don't want to kill him1 do you8 ,you seem to have knocked #8the ,tevil' pretty well out of him now6 ,you see how he receives it all in silence1 and repents of all his bad talk and bad conduct40 ,they exacted from him a solemn promise as to the making of no more diseases or hurricanes1 and that he would live at peace with his neighbours4 ,the offending villagers at length presented a large quantity of sugar-cane and food to us as a peace-offering2 and we returned1 praising ,god that the whole day's scolding had ended in talk1 not blood4 ,the result was every way most helpful4 ,our friends knew their strength and took courage4 ,our enemies were disheartened and afraid4 ,we saw the balance growing heavier every day on the side of ,jesus2 and our souls blessed the ,lord4 ,these events suggest to me another incident of those days full at once of trial and of joy4 ,it pertains to the story of our young ,chief1 ,youwili4 ,from the first1 and for long1 he was most audacious and troublesome4 ,observing that for several days no ,natives had come near the ,mission ,house1 ,i asked the old ,chief if he knew why1 and he answered1-- 8,youwili has tabooed the paths1 and threatens death to any one who breaks through it40 ,i at once replied3 8,then ,i conclude that you all agree with him1 and wish me to leave4 ,we are here only to teach you and your people4 ,if he has power to prevent that1 we shall leave with the ,dayspring40 ,the old ,chief called the people together1 and they came to me1 saying1--8,our anger is strong against ,youwili4 ,go with us and break down the taboo4 ,we will assist and protect you40 ,i went at their head and removed it4 ,it consisted simply of reeds stuck into the ground1 with twigs and leaves and fibre tied to each in a peculiar way1 in a circle round the ,mission ,house4 ,the ,natives had an extraordinary dread of violating the taboo1 and believed that it meant death to the offender or to some one of his family4 ,all present entered into a bond to punish on the spot any man who attempted to replace the taboo1 or to revenge its removal4 ,thus a mortal blow was publicly struck at this most miserable superstition1 which had caused bloodshed and misery untold4 ,one day1 thereafter1 ,i was engaged in clearing away the bush around the ,mission ,house1 having purchased and paid for the land for the very purpose of opening it up1 when suddenly ,youwili appeared and menacingly forbade me to proceed4 ,for the sake of peace ,i for the time desisted4 ,but he went straight to my fence1 and with his tomahawk cut down the portion in front of our house1 also some bananas planted there1--their usual declaration of war1 intimating that he only awaited his opportunity similarly to cut down me and mine4 ,we saw the old ,chief and his men planting themselves here and there to guard us1 and the ,natives prowling about armed and excited4 ,on calling them1 they explained the meaning of what ,youwili had done1 and that they were determined to protect us4 ,i said1-- 8,this must not continue4 ,are you to permit one young fool to defy us all1 and break up the ,lord's work on ,aniwa8 ,if you cannot righteously punish him1 ,i will shut myself up in my ,house and withdraw from all attempts to teach or help you1 till the ,vessel comes1 and then ,i can leave the ,island40 ,now that they had begun really to love us1 and to be anxious to learn more1 this was always my most powerful argument4 ,we retired into the ,mission ,house4 ,the people surrounded our doors and windows and pleaded with us4 ,after long silence1 we replied1-- 8,you know our resolution4 ,it is for you now to decide4 ,either you must control that foolish young man1 or we must go60 ,much speech-making1 as usual1 followed4 ,the people resolved to seize and punish ,youwili2 but he fled1 and had hid himself in the bush4 ,coming to me1 the ,chief said1-- 8,it is left to you to say what shall be ,youwili's punishment4 ,shall we kill him80 ,i replied firmly1 8,certainly not6 ,only for murder can life be lawfully taken away40 8,what then80 they continued4 8,shall we burn his houses and destroy his plantations80 ,i answered1 8,no40 8,shall we bind him and beat him80 8,no40 8,shall we place him in a canoe1 thrust him out to sea1 and let him drown or escape as he may80 8,no6 by no means40 8,then1 ,missi10 said they1 8these are our ways of punishing4 ,what other punishment remains that ,youwili cares for80 ,i replied1 8,make him with his own hands1 and alone1 put up a new fence1 and restore all that he has destroyed2 and make him promise publicly that he will cease all evil conduct towards us4 ,that will satisfy me40 ,this idea of punishment seemed to tickle them greatly4 ,the ,chiefs reported our words to the ,assembly2 and the ,natives laughed and cheered1 as if it were a capital joke6 ,they cried aloud1-- 8,it is good6 ,it is good6 ,obey the word of the ,missi40 ,after considerable hunting1 the young ,chief was found4 ,they brought him to the ,assembly and scolded him severely and told him their sentence4 ,he was surprised by the nature of the punishment1 and cowed by the determination of the people4 8,to-morrow10 said he1 8,i will fully repair the fence4 ,never again will ,i oppose the ,missi4 ,his word is good40 ,by daybreak next morning ,youwili was diligently repairing what he had broken down1 and before evening he had everything made right1 better than it was before4 ,while he toiled away1 some fellows of his own rank twitted him1 saying1-- 8,youwili1 you found it easier to cut down ,missi's fence than to repair it again4 ,you will not repeat that in a hurry60 ,but he heard all in silence4 ,others passed with averted heads1 and he knew they were laughing at him4 ,he made everything tight1 and then left without uttering a single word4 ,my heart yearned after the poor fellow1 but ,i thought it better to let his own mind work away1 on its new ideas as to punishment and revenge1 for a little longer by itself alone4 ,i instinctively felt that ,youwili was beginning to turn1 that the ,christ-,spirit had touched his darkly-groping soul4 ,my doors were now thrown open1 and every good work went on as before4 ,we resolved to leave ,youwili entirely to ,jesus1 setting apart a portion of our prayer every day for the enlightenment and conversion of the young ,chief1 on whom all our means had been exhausted apparently in vain4 ,a considerable time elapsed4 ,no sign came1 and our prayers seemed to fail4 ,but one day1 ,i was toiling between the shafts of a hand-cart1 assisted by two boys1 drawing it along from the shore loaded with coral blocks4 ,youwili came rushing from his house1 three hundred yards or so off the path1 and said1-- 8,missi1 that is too hard work for you4 ,let me be your helper60 ,without waiting for a reply1 he ordered the two boys to seize one rope1 while he grasped the other threw it over his shoulder and started off1 pulling with the strength of a horse4 ,my heart rose in gratitude1 and ,i wept with joy as ,i followed him4 ,i knew that that rope was but a symbol of the yoke of ,christ1 which ,youwili with his change of heart was beginning to carry6 ,truly there is only one way of being born again1 regeneration by the power of the ,spirit of ,god1 the new heart2 but there are many ways of conversion1 of outwardly turning to the ,lord1 of taking the actual first step that shows on whose side we are4 ,regeneration is the sole work of the ,holy ,spirit in the human heart and soul1 and is in every case one and the same4 ,conversion1 on the other hand1 bringing into play the action also of the human will1 is never absolutely the same perhaps in even two souls1--as like and yet as different as are the faces of men4 ,like those of old praying for the deliverance of ,peter1 and who could not believe their ears and eyes when ,peter knocked and walked in amongst them1 so we could scarcely believe our eyes and ears when ,youwili became a disciple of ,jesus1 though we had been praying for his conversion every day4 ,his once sullen countenance became literally bright with inner light4 ,his wife came immediately for a book and a dress1 saying1-- 8,youwili sent me4 ,his opposition to the ,worship is over now4 ,i am to attend ,church and ,school4 ,he is coming too4 ,he wants to learn how to be strong1 like you1 for ,jehovah and for ,jesus40 ,oh1 ,jesus6 to ,thee alone be all the glory4 ,thou hast the key to unlock every heart that ,thou hast created4 ,youwili proved to be slow at learning to read1 but he had perseverance1 and his wife greatly helped him4 ,the two attended the ,communicants' ,class together1 and ultimately both sat down at the ,lord's ,table4 ,after his first ,communion1 he waited for me under an orange-tree near the ,mission ,house1 and said1-- 8,missi1 ,i've given up everything for ,jesus1 except one4 ,i want to know if it is bad1 if it will make ,jesus angry2 for if so1 ,i am willing to give it up4 ,i want to live so as to please ,jesus now40 ,we feared that it was some of their ,heathenish immoralities1 and were in a measure greatly relieved when he proceeded1-- 8,missi1 ,i have not yet given up my pipe and tobacco6 ,o ,missi1 ,i have used it so long1 and ,i do like it so well2 but if you say that it makes ,jesus angry with me1 ,i will smash my pipe now1 and never smoke again60 ,the man's soul was aflame4 ,he was in tremendous earnest1 and would have done anything for me4 ,but ,i was more anxious to instruct his conscience than to dominate it4 ,i therefore replied in effect thus1-- 8,i rejoice1 ,youwili1 that you are ready to give up anything to please ,jesus4 ,he well deserves it1 for ,he gave up ,his life for you4 ,for my part1 you know that ,i do not smoke2 and from my point of view ,i would think it wrong in me to waste time and money and perhaps health in blowing tobacco smoke into the air4 ,it would do me no good4 ,it could not possibly help me to serve or please ,jesus better4 ,i think ,i am happier and healthier without it4 ,and ,i am certain that ,i can use the time and money1 spent on this selfish and rather filthy habit1 far more for ,god's glory in many other ways4 ,but ,i must be true to you1 ,youwili1 and admit that many of ,god's dear people differ from me in these opinions4 ,they spend time and money1 and sometimes injure health1 in smoking1 besides setting a wasteful example to lads and young men1 and do not regard it as sinful4 ,i will not therefore condemn these1 our fellow ,christians1 by calling smoking a sin like drunkenness2 but ,i will say to you that ,i regard it as a foolish and wasteful indulgence1 a bad habit1 and that though you may serve and please ,jesus with it1 you might serve and please ,jesus very much better without it40 ,he looked very anxious1 as if weighing his habit against his resolution1 and then said1-- 8,missi1 ,i give up everything else4 ,if it won't make ,jesus angry1 ,i will keep the pipe4 ,i have used it so long1 and oh1 ,i do like it60 ,renewing our advice and counsel1 but leaving him free to do in that matter so as to please ,jesus according to his own best light1 ,youwili departed with a conscience so far greatly relieved1 and we had many meditations upon the incident4 ,most of our ,natives1 on their conversion1 have voluntarily renounced the ,tobacco ,idol2 but what more could ,i say to ,youwili1 with thousands of white ,christians at my back burning incense to that same idol every day of their lives8 ,marvellous to me1 in this connection1 has often been the working of a tender conscience1 asking itself how to serve and please ,jesus1 or how to do more for ,jesus4 ,some years ago1 for instance1 ,i met a ,state ,school ,teacher in ,victoria1 who had been lately brought under the power of the ,gospel4 ,in his fresh love1 he wanted to do something to show his gratitude to ,jesus4 ,he had a young family1 and the way was barred to the ,mission field4 ,his dear wife and he calculated over all their expenditure1 to find out how much they could save to support the work of ,jesus at home and abroad4 ,little or nothing could be spared from what appeared necessary claims4 ,he fell upon his knees1 and in tears implored ,god to show him how he could do something more to save the perishing4 ,a voice came to him like a flash1-- 8,if you so care for ,me and ,my work1 you can easily sacrifice your pipe40 ,he instantly took up his pipe1 and laid it before the ,lord1 saying1-- 8,there it is1 ,o my ,lord1 and whatsoever it may have cost me1 shall now from year to year be ,thine60 ,he was not what is called a heavy smoker1--anything under one shilling per week being considered 8moderate10 as ,i am informed4 ,but he found that he had been spending thirty-one shillings per annum on tobacco2 and every year since he has laid that money upon the altar to ,jesus1 and prayed ,him to use it in sending ,his ,gospel to ,heathen lands4 ,i wonder which soul is the richer at the end of a year--he who lays his money1 saved from a selfish indulgence1 at the feet of ,jesus1 or he who blows it away in filthy smoke8 ,and this leads me to relate the story of our ,first ,communion on ,aniwa4 ,it was ,sabbath1 #bdth ,october1 #ahfi2 and surely the ,angels of ,god and the ,church of the ,redeemed in ,glory were amongst the great cloud of witnesses who eagerly 8peered0 down upon the scene1--when we sat around the ,lord's ,table and partook of ,his body and blood with those few souls rescued out of the ,heathen ,world4 ,my ,communicants' ,class had occupied me now a considerable time4 ,the conditions of attendance at this early stage were explicit1 and had to be made very severe1 and only twenty were admitted to the roll4 ,at the final examination only twelve gave evidence of understanding what they were doing1 and of having given their hearts to the service of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,at their own urgent desire1 and after every care in examining and instructing1 they were solemnly dedicated in prayer to be baptized and admitted to the ,holy ,table4 ,on that ,lord's ,day1 after the usual opening ,service1 ,i gave a short and careful exposition of the ,ten ,commandments and of the ,way of ,salvation according to the ,gospel4 ,the twelve ,candidates then stood up before all the inhabitants there assembled2 and1 after a brief exhortation to them as ,converts1 ,i put to them the two questions that follow1 and each gave an affirmative reply1-- 8,do you1 in accordance with your profession of the ,christian ,faith1 and your promises before ,god and the people1 wish me now to baptize you80 ,and1--8,will you live henceforth for ,jesus only1 hating all sin and trying to love and serve your ,saviour80 ,then1 beginning with the old ,chief1 the twelve came forward1 and ,i baptized them one by one according to the ,presbyterian usage4 ,two of them had also little children1 and they were at the same time baptized1 and received as the lambs of the flock4 ,solemn prayer was then offered1 and in the name of the ,holy ,trinity the ,church of ,christ on ,aniwa was formally constituted4 ,i addressed them on the words of the ,holy ,institution--,i ,corinthians xi4 #bc--;and then1 after the prayer of ,thanksgiving and ,consecration1 administered the ,lord's ,supper1--the first time since the ,island of ,aniwa was heaved out of its coral depths6 ,mrs4 ,mc,nair1 my wife1 and myself along with six ,aneityumese ,teachers1 communicated with the newly baptized twelve4 ,and ,i think1 if ever in all my earthly experience1 on that day ,i might truly add the blessed words--,jesus 8in the midst40 ,the whole ,service occupied nearly three hours4 ,the ,islanders looked on with a wonder whose unwonted silence was almost painful to bear4 ,many were led to inquire carefully about everything they saw1 so new and strange4 ,for the first time the ,dorcas ,street ,sabbath ,school ,teachers' gift from ,south ,melbourne ,presbyterian ,church was put to use--a new ,communion ,service of silver4 ,they gave it in faith that we would require it1 and in such we received it4 ,and now the day had come and gone6 ,for three years we had toiled and prayed and taught for this4 ,at the moment when ,i put the bread and wine into those dark hands1 once stained with the blood of ,cannibalism1 now stretched out to receive and partake the emblems and seals of the ,redeemer's love1 ,i had a foretaste of the joy of ,glory that well nigh broke my heart to pieces4 ,i shall never taste a deeper bliss1 till ,i gaze on the glorified face of ,jesus ,himself4 ,on the afternoon of that ,communion ,day1 an open-air ,prayer ,meeting was held under the shade of the great banyan tree in front of our ,church4 ,seven of the new ,church members there led the people in prayer to ,jesus1 a hymn being sung betwixt each4 ,my heart was so full of joy that ,i could do little else but weep4 ,oh1 ,i wonder1 ,i wonder1 when ,i see so many good ,ministers at home1 crowding each other and treading on each other's heels1 whether they would not part with all their home privileges1 and go out to the ,heathen ,world and reap a joy like this--8the joy of the ,lord40 ,having now our little ,aniwan book1 we set about establishing ,schools at every village on the ,island4 ,mrs4 ,paton and ,i had been diligently instructing those around us1 and had now a number prepared to act as helpers4 ,experience has proved that1 for the early stages their own fellow-,islanders are the most successful instructors4 ,each village built its own ,school1 which on ,sabbath served as a district ,church4 ,for the two most advanced ,schools ,i had our good ,aneityumese ,teachers1 and for the others ,i took the best readers that could be found4 ,these ,i changed frequently1 returning them to our own ,school for a season1 which was held for them in the afternoon2 and1 to encourage them1 a small salary was granted to each of them yearly1 drawn from what is known throughout the ,churches as the ,native ,teachers' ,fund4 ,these village ,schools have all to be conducted at daybreak1 while the heavy dews still drench the bush2 for1 so soon as the dews are lifted by the rising sun1 the ,natives are off to their plantations1 on which they depend for their food almost exclusively4 ,i had a large ,school at the ,mission ,station also at daybreak1 besides the afternoon ,school at three o'clock for the training of ,teachers4 ,at first they made very little progress2 but they began to form habits of attention2 and they learned the fruitful habit of acknowledging ,god always1 for all our ,schools were opened and closed with prayer4 ,as their knowledge and faith increased1 we saw their ,heathen practices rapidly passing away1 and a new life shaping itself around us4 ,mrs4 ,paton taught a class of about fifty women and girls4 ,they became experts at sewing1 singing1 plaiting hats1 and reading4 ,nearly all the girls could at length cut out and make their own dresses1 as well as shirts or kilts for the men and clothing for the children4 ,yet1 three short years before1 men and women alike were running about naked and savage4 ,the ,christ-,spirit is the true civilizing power4 ,the new ,social ,order1 referred to already in its dim beginnings1 rose around us like a sweet-scented flower4 ,i never interfered directly1 unless expressly called upon or appealed to4 ,the two principal ,chiefs were impressed with the idea that there was but one law1--the ,will of ,god1 and one rule for them and their people as ,christians1--to please the ,lord ,jesus4 ,in every difficulty they consulted me4 ,i explained to them and read in their hearing the very words of ,holy ,scripture1 showing what appeared to me to be the will of ,god and what would please the ,saviour2 and then sent them away to talk it over with their people1 and to apply these principles of the word of ,god as wisely as they could according to their circumstances4 ,our own part of the work went on very joyfully1 notwithstanding occasional trying and painful incidents4 ,individual cases of greed and selfishness and vice brought us many a bitter pang4 ,but the ,lord never lost patience with us1 and we durst not therefore lose patience with them6 ,we trained the ,teachers1 we translated and printed and expounded the ,scriptures1 we ministered to the sick and dying2 we dispensed medicines every day1 we taught them the use of tools1 we advised them as to laws and penalties2 and the ,new ,society grew and developed1 and bore amidst all its imperfections some traces of the fair ,kingdom of ,god amongst men4 ,our life and work will reveal itself to the reader if ,i briefly outline a ,sabbath ,day on ,aniwa4 ,breakfast is partaken of immediately after daylight4 ,the ,church bell then rings1 and ere it stops every worshipper is seated4 ,the ,natives are guided in starting by the sunrise1 and are forward from farthest corners at this early hour4 ,the first ,service is over in about an hour2 there is an interval of twenty minutes2 the bell is again rung1 and the second ,service begins4 ,we follow the ordinary ,presbyterian ritual2 but in every ,service ,i call upon an ,elder or a ,church ,member to lead in one of the prayers1 which they do with great alacrity and with much benefit to all concerned4 ,as the last worshipper leaves1 at close of second ,service1 the bell is sounded twice very deliberately1 and that is the signal for the opening of my ,communicants' ,class4 ,i carefully expound the ,church's ,shorter ,catechism1 and show how its teachings are built upon ,holy ,scripture1 applying each truth to the conscience and the life4 ,this ,class is conducted all the year round1 and from it1 step by step1 our ,church ,members are drawn as the ,lord opens up their way1 the most of them attending two full years at least before being admitted to the ,lord's ,table4 ,this discipline accounts for the fact that so very few of our baptized converts have ever fallen away--as few in proportion1 ,i verily believe1 as in ,churches at home4 ,meantime1 many of the ,church members have been holding a prayer meeting amongst themselves in the adjoining ,school1--a thing started of their own free accord1--in which they invoke ,god's blessing on all the work and worship of the day4 ,having snatched a brief meal of tea1 or a cold dinner cooked on ,saturday1 the bell rings within an hour1 and our ,sabbath ,school assembles1--in which the whole inhabitants1 young and old1 take part1 myself superintending and giving the address1 as well as questioning on the lesson1 ,mrs4 ,paton teaching a large class of adult women1 and the ,elders and best readers instructing the ordinary classes for about half an hour or so4 ,about one o'clock the ,school is closed1 and we then start off in our village tours4 ,an experienced ,elder1 with several ,teachers1 takes one side of the ,island this ,sabbath1 ,i with another company taking the other side1 and next ,sabbath we reverse the order4 ,a short ,service is conducted in the open air1 or in ,schoolrooms1 at every village that can be reached2 and on their return they report to me cases of sickness1 or any signs of progress in the work of the ,lord4 ,the whole ,island is thus steadily and methodically evangelized4 ,as the sun is setting ,i am creeping home from my village tour2 and when darkness begins to approach1 the canoe drum is beat at every village1 and the people assemble under the banyan-tree for evening village prayers4 ,the ,elder or ,teacher presides4 ,five or six hymns are joyously sung1 and five or six short prayers offered between1 and thus the evening hour passes happily in the fellowship of ,god4 ,on a calm evening1 after ,christianity had fairly taken hold of the people1 and they loved to sing over and over again their favourite hymns1 these village prayer-meetings formed a most blessed close to every day1 and set the far-distant bush echoing with the praises of ,god4 ,at the ,mission ,house1 before retiring to rest1 we assembled all the young people and any of our villagers who chose to join them4 ,they sat round the dining-room floor in rows1 sang hymns1 read verses of the ,bible1 and asked and answered questions about the teaching of the day4 ,about nine o'clock we dismissed them1 but they pled to remain and hear our ,family ,worship in ,english3-- 8,missi1 we like the singing6 ,we understand a little4 ,and we like to be where prayer is rising60 ,thus ,sabbath after ,sabbath flowed on in incessant service and fellowship4 ,i was often wearied enough1 but it was not a 8weary0 day to me1 nor what some would call ,puritanical and dull4 ,our hearts were in it1 and the people made it a weekly festival4 ,they had few other distractions2 and amongst them 8,the ,worship0 was an unfailing sensation and delight4 ,as long as you gave them a chance to sing1 they knew not what weariness was4 ,when ,i returned to so-called civilization1 and saw how the ,lord's ,day was abused in white ,christendom1 my soul longed after the holy ,sabbaths of ,aniwa6 ,nor is our week-day life less crowded or busy1 though in different ways4 ,at grey dawn on ,monday1 and every morning1 the ,tavaka 7 the canoe drum7 is struck in every village on ,aniwa4 ,the whole inhabitants turn in to the early ,school1 which lasts about an hour and a half1 and then the ,natives are off to their plantations4 ,having partaken my breakfast1 ,i then spend my forenoon in translating or printing1 or visiting the sick1 or whatever else is most urgent4 ,about two o'clock the ,natives return from their work1 bathe in the sea1 and dine off cocoa-nut1 bread-fruit1 or anything else that comes handily in the way4 ,at three o'clock the bell rings1 and the afternoon ,school for the ,teachers and the more advanced learners then occupies my wife and myself for about an hour and a half4 ,after this1 the ,natives spend their time in fishing or lounging or preparing supper1--which is amongst them always the meal of the day4 ,towards sundown the ,tavaka sounds again1 and the day closes amid the echoes of village prayers from under their several banyan trees4 ,thus day after day and week after week passes over us on ,aniwa2 and much the same on all the ,islands where the ,missionary has found a home4 ,in many respects it is a simple and happy and beautiful life2 and the man1 whose heart is full of things that are dear to ,jesus1 feels no desire to exchange it for the poor frivolities of what calls itself 8,society10 and seems to finds its life in pleasures that ,christ cannot be asked to share1 and in which1 therefore1 ,christians should have neither lot nor part4 ,the habits of morning and evening family prayer and of grace at meat took a very wonderful hold upon the people2 and became1 as ,i have shown elsewhere1 a distinctive badge of ,christian versus ,heathen4 ,this was strikingly manifested during a time of bitter scarcity that befell us4 ,i heard a father1 for instance1 at his hut door1 with his family around him1 reverently blessing ,god for the food provided for them1 and for all ,his mercies in ,christ ,jesus4 ,drawing near and conversing with them1 ,i found that their meal consisted of fig leaves which they had gathered and cooked1--a poor enough dish2 but hunger makes a happy appetite1 and contentment is a grateful relish4 ,during the same period of privation1 my ,orphans suffered badly also4 ,once they came to me1 saying1-- 8,missi1 we are very hungry40 ,i replied1--8,so am ,i1 dear children1 and we have no more white food till the ,dayspring comes40 ,they continued1--8,missi1 you have two beautiful fig trees4 ,will you let us take one feast of the young and tender leaves8 ,we will not injure branch or fruit40 ,i answered1--8,gladly1 my children1 take your fill60 ,in a twinkling each child was perched upon a branch2 and they feasted there happy as squirrels4 ,every night we prayed for the vessel1 and in the morning our ,orphan boys rushed to the coral rocks and eagerly scanned the sea for an answer4 ,day after day they returned with sad faces1 saying1-- 8,missi1 ,tavaka jimra60 7 ,no vessel yet74 ,but at grey dawn of a certain day1 we were awoke by the boys shouting from the shore and running for the ,mission ,house with the cry1--8,tavaka oa6 ,tavaka oa60 7 ,the vessel1 hurrah67 ,we arose at once1 and the boys exclaimed1--8,missi1 she is not our own vessel1 but we think she carries her flag4 ,she has three masts1 and our ,dayspring only two60 ,i looked through my glass1 and saw that they were discharging goods into the vessel's boats2 and the children1 when ,i told them that boxes and bags and casks were being sent on shore1 shouted and danced with delight4 ,as the first boat-load was discharged1 the ,orphans surrounded me1 saying1-- 8,missi1 here is a cask that rattles like biscuits6 ,will you let us take it to the ,mission ,house80 8,i told them to do so if they could2 and in a moment it was turned into the path1 and the boys had it flying before them1 some tumbling and hurting their knees1 but up and at it again1 and never pausing till it rolled up at the door of our ,storehouse4 ,on returning ,i found them all around it1 and they said1-- 8,missi1 have you forgotten what you promised us80 ,i said1--8,what did ,i promise you80 ,they looked very disappointed and whispered to each other1--8,missi has forgot60 8,forgot what80 inquired ,i4 8,missi10 they answered1 8you promised that when the vessel came you would give each of us a biscuit40 8,oh10 ,i replied1 8,i did not forget2 ,i only wanted to see if you remembered it60 ,they laughed1 saying1--8,no fear of that1 ,missi6 ,will you soon open the cask8 ,we are dying for biscuits40 ,at once ,i got hammer and tools1 knocked off the hoops1 took out the end1 and then gave girls and boys a biscuit each4 ,to my surprise1 they all stood round biscuit in hand1 but not one beginning to eat4 8,what10 ,i exclaimed1 8you are dying for biscuits6 ,why don't you eat8 ,are you expecting another80 ,one of the eldest said1--8,we will first thank ,god for sending us food1 and ask ,him to bless it to us all40 ,and this was done in their own simple and beautiful childlike way2 and then they did eat1 and enjoyed their food as a gift from the ,heavenly ,father's hand4 7,is there any child reading this1 or hearing it read1 who never thanks ,god or asks ,him to bless daily bread8 ,then is that child not a white ,heathen87 ,we ourselves at the ,mission ,house could very heartily rejoice with the dear ,orphans4 ,for some weeks past our ,european food had been all exhausted1 except a little tea1 and the cocoa-nut had been our chief support4 ,it was beginning to tell against us4 ,our souls rose in gratitude to the ,lord1 who had sent us these fresh provisions that we might love ,him better and serve ,him more4 ,the children's sharp eyes had read correctly4 ,it was not the ,dayspring4 ,our brave little ship had gone to wreck on #fth ,january1 #ahgc2 and this vessel was the ,paragon1 chartered to bring down our supplies4 ,alas6 the wreck had gone by auction sale to a ,french slaving company1 who cut a passage through the coral reef1 and had the vessel again floating in the ,bay1--elated at the prospect of employing our ,mission ,ship in the blood-stained ,kanaka-traffic 7 a mere euphemism for ,south ,sea slavery76 ,our souls sank in horror and concern4 ,many ,natives would unwittingly trust themselves to the ,dayspring2 and revenge would be taken on us1 as was done on noble ,bishop ,patteson1 when the deception was found out4 ,what could be done8 ,nothing but cry to ,god1 which all the friends of our ,mission did day and night1 not without tears1 as we thought of the possible degradation of our noble little ,ship4 ,listen6 ,the ,french ,slavers1 anchoring their prize in the ,bay1 and greatly rejoicing1 went ashore to celebrate the event4 ,they drank and feasted and revelled4 ,but that night a mighty storm arose1 the old ,dayspring dragged her anchor1 and at daybreak she was seen again on the reef1 but this time with her back broken in two and for ever unfit for service1 either fair or foul4 ,oh1 white-winged ,virgin of the waves1 better for thee1 as for thy human sisters1 to die and pass away than to suffer pollution and live on in disgrace6 ,dr4 ,steel had chartered the ,paragon1 a new three-masted schooner1 built at ,balmain1 ,sydney1 to come down with our provisions1 letters1 etc42 and the owners had given a written agreement that if we could purchase her within a year we would get her for #c1jjj4 ,she proved in every way a suitable vessel1 and it became abundantly manifest that in the interests of our ,mission her services ought to be permanently secured4 ,i had often said that ,i would not again leave my beloved work on the ,islands1 unless compelled to do so either by the breakdown of health1 or by the loss of our ,mission ,ship and my services being required to assist in providing another4 ,very strange1 that in this one season both of these events befell us4 ,during the hurricanes1 from ,january to ,april1 #ahgc1 when the ,dayspring was wrecked1 we lost a darling child by death1 my dear wife had a protracted illness1 and ,i was brought very low with severe rheumatic fever4 ,i was reduced so far that ,i could not speak1 and was reported as dying4 ,the ,captain of a vessel1 having seen me1 called at ,tanna1 and spoke of me as in all probability dead by that time4 ,our unfailing and ever-beloved friends and fellow ,missionaries1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,watt1 at once started from ,kwamera1 ,tanna1 in their open boat and rowed and sailed thirty miles to visit us4 ,but a few days before they arrived ,i had fallen into a long and sound sleep1 out of which1 when ,i awoke1 consciousness had again returned to me4 ,i had got the turn2 there was no further relapse2 but when ,i did regain a little strength1 my weakness was so great that ,i had to travel about on crutches for many a day4 ,being ordered to seek health by change and by higher medical aid1 and if possible in the cooler air of ,new ,zealand1 we took the first opportunity and arrived at ,sydney1 anxious to start the new movement to secure the ,paragon there1 and then to go on to the ,sister ,colony4 ,being scarcely able to walk without the crutches1 we called privately a preliminary meeting of friends for consultation and advice4 ,the conditions were laid before them and discussed4 ,the ,insurance ,company had paid #b1jjj on the first ,dayspring4 ,of that sum #a1jjj had been spent on chartering and maintaining the ,paragon2 so that we required an additional #b1jjj to purchase her1 besides a large sum for alterations and equipment for the ,mission4 ,the late ,mr4 ,learmouth looked across to ,mr4 ,goodlet1 and said1-- 8,if you'll join me1 we will at once secure this vessel for the ,missionaries1 that ,god's work may not suffer from the wreck of the ,dayspring40 ,those two servants of ,god1 excellent ,elders of the ,presbyterian ,church1 consulted together1 and the vessel was purchased next day4 ,how ,i did praise ,god1 and pray ,him to bless them and theirs6 ,the late ,dr4 ,fullarton1 our dear friend1 said to them1--8,but what guarantee do you ask from the ,missionaries for your money80 ,mr4 ,learmouth's noble reply was1 and the other heartily re-echoed it1--8,god's work is our guarantee6 ,from them we will ask none4 ,what guarantee have they to give us1 except their faith in ,god8 ,that guarantee is ours already40 ,i answered1--8,you take ,god and ,his work for your guarantee4 ,rest assured that ,he will soon repay you1 and you will lose nothing by this noble service40 ,having secured ,st4 ,andrew's ,church for a public meeting1 ,i advertised it in all the papers4 ,ministers1 ,sabbath ,school ,teachers1 and other friends came in great numbers4 ,the scheme was fairly launched1 and ,collecting ,cards largely distributed4 ,some of our fellow-,missionaries thought that the ,colonial ,churches should now do all these things voluntarily1 without our personal efforts4 ,but in every great emergency some one must take action and show the way1 else golden opportunities are apt to slip4 ,committees carried everything out into detail1 and all worked for the fund with great goodwill4 ,i then sailed from ,sydney to ,victoria1 and addressed the ,general ,assembly of the ,presbyterian ,church in session at ,melbourne4 ,the work was easily set agoing there1 and willing workers fully and rapidly organized it through ,congregations and ,sabbath ,schools4 ,under medical advice1 ,i next sailed for ,new ,zealand in the ,s4,s4 ,hero1 ,captain ,logan4 ,a large number of fast men and gamblers were on board1 returning from the ,melbourne ,races1 and their language was extremely profane4 ,having prayed over it1 ,i said on the second day at the dinner table1-- 8,gentlemen1 will you bear with me a moment8 ,i am sure no man at this table wishes to wound the feelings of another or to give needless pain40 ,every eye stared at me1 and there was a general cry as to what ,i meant4 ,i continued1-- 8,gentlemen1 we are to be fellow-passengers for a week or more4 ,now ,i am cut and wounded to my very heart to hear you cursing the name of my ,heavenly ,father1 and taking in vain the name of my blessed ,saviour4 ,it is ,god in whom we live and move1 it is ,jesus who died to save us1 and ,i would rather ten times over you would wound and abuse me1 which no gentleman here would think of doing1 than profanely use those ,holy ,names so dear to me40 ,there was a painful silence1 and most faces grew crimson1 some with rage1 some perhaps with shame4 ,at last a banker1 who was there1 a man dying of consumption1 replied with a profane oath and with wrathful words4 ,keeping perfectly calm1 in sorrow and pity1 ,i replied1 looking him kindly in the face1-- 8,dear ,sir1 you and ,i are strangers4 ,but ,i have pitied you very tenderly1 ever since ,i came on board1 for your heavy trouble and hacking cough4 ,you ought to be the last to curse that blessed ,name1 as you may soon have to appear in ,his presence4 ,i return1 however1 no railing word4 ,if the ,saviour was as dear to your heart as ,he is to mine1 you would better understand me40 ,little else was said during the remainder of that meal4 ,but an hour later ,captain ,logan sent for me to his room1 and said1-- 8,sir1 ,i too am a ,christian4 ,i would not give my quiet hour in the ,cabin with this ,bible for all the pleasures that the world can afford4 ,you did your duty to-day amongst these profane men4 ,but leave them and their consciences now in the hands of ,god1 and take no further notice during the voyage40 ,i never heard another oath on board that ship4 ,the banker met me in ,new ,zealand and warmly invited me to his house6 ,my health greatly improved during the voyage1 but ,i was sorely perplexed about this new undertaking4 ,a sum of #b1hjj must be raised1 else the vessel could not sail free for the ,new ,hebrides4 ,i trembled1 in my reduced state1 at the task that seemed laid upon me again4 ,one night1 after long praying1 ,i fell into a deep sleep in my ,cabin1 and ,god granted me a ,heavenly ,dream or ,vision which greatly comforted me1 explain it how you will4 ,sweetest music1 praising ,god1 arrested me and came nearer and nearer4 ,i gazed towards it approaching1 and seemed to behold hosts of shining beings bursting into view4 ,the brilliancy came pouring all from one centre1 and that was ablaze with insufferable brightness4 ,blinded with excess of light1 my eyes seemed yet to behold in fair outline the form of the glorified ,jesus2 but as ,i lifted them to gaze on ,his face1 the joy deepened into pain1 my hand rose instinctively to shade my eyes1 ,i cried with ecstasy1 the music passed farther and farther away1 and ,i started up hearing a ,voice saying1 in marvellous power and sweetness1 8,who art thou1 ,o great mountain8 ,before ,zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain40 ,at this some will only smile4 ,but to me it was a great and abiding consolation4 ,and ,i kept repeating to myself1 8,he is ,lord1 and they all are ministering ,spirits2 if ,he cheers me thus in ,his own work1 ,i take courage1 ,i know ,i shall succeed40 ,reaching ,auckland1 ,i was in time to address the ,general ,assembly of the ,church there also4 ,they gave me cordial welcome1 and every ,congregation and ,sabbath ,school might be visited as far as ,i possibly could4 ,the ministers promoted the movement with hearty zeal4 ,the ,sabbath ,scholars took ,collecting ,cards for 8shares0 in the new ,mission ,ship4 ,a meeting was held every day1 and three every ,sabbath4 ,auckland1 ,nelson1 ,wellington1 ,dunedin1 and all towns and ,churches within reach of these were rapidly visited2 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 ,zealand4 ,i arrived back in ,sydney about the end of ,march4 ,my health was wonderfully restored1 and ,new ,zealand had given me about #a1gjj for the new ship4 ,with the #a1jjj of insurance money1 and about #gjj from ,new ,south ,wales1 and #djj from ,victoria1 besides the #ejj for her support also from ,victoria1 we were able to pay back the #c1jjj of purchase money1 and about #hjj for alterations and repairs1 as well as equip and provision her to sail for her next year's work amongst the ,islands free of debt4 ,i said to our two good friends at ,sydney1-- 8,you took ,god and ,his work for your guarantee4 ,he has soon relieved you from all responsibility4 ,you have suffered no loss1 and you have had the honour and privilege of serving your ,lord4 ,i envy you the joy you must feel in so using your wealth1 and ,i pray ,god's double blessing on all your store40 ,our agent1 ,dr4 ,steele1 had applied to the ,home authorities for power to change the vessel's name from ,paragon to ,dayspring1 so that the old associations might not be broken4 ,this was cordially granted4 ,and so our second ,dayspring1 owing no man anything1 sailed on her annual trip to the ,new ,hebrides1 and we returned with her1 praising the ,lord and reinvigorated alike in spirit and in body4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,pen-,,portraits ,,of ,,aniwans4 ,the ,gospel in ,living ,capitals4--8,a ,shower of ,spears40--,the ,tannese ,refugees4--,pilgrimage and ,death of ,namakei4--,the ,character of ,naswai4--,christianity and ,cocoa-,nuts4--,nerwa the ,agnostic4--,nerwa's ,beautiful ,farewell4--,the ,story of ,ruwawa4--,waiwai and his ,wives4--,nelwang and ,kalangi4--,mungaw and ,litsi ,sor4--,the ,maddening of ,mungaw4--,the ,queen of ,aniwa a ,missionary4--,the ,surrender of ,nasi to ,jesus4--,day-,light ,prayer ,meeting on ,aniwa4--,candidates for ,baptism4--,the ,appeal and ,testimony of ,lamu4 ,in ,heathendom every true ,convert becomes at once a ,missionary4 ,the changed life1 shining out amid the surrounding darkness1 is a ,gospel in largest ,capitals which all can read4 ,our ,islanders1 especially1 having little to engage or otherwise distract attention1 become intense and devoted workers for the ,lord ,jesus1 if once the ,divine ,passion for souls stirs within them4 ,many a reader1 not making due allowance for these special circumstances1 would therefore be tempted to think our estimate of their enthusiasm for the ,gospel was overdone2 but thoughtful men will easily perceive that ,natives1 touched with the mighty impulses of ,calvary1 and undistracted by social pleasures or politics1 or literature1 or business claims1 would almost by a moral necessity pour all the currents of their being into ,religion1 and probably show an apostolic devotion and self-sacrifice too seldom seen1 alas1 amid the thousand clamouring appeals of ,civilization4 ,a ,heathen has been all his days groping after peace of soul in dark superstition and degrading rites4 ,you pour into his soul the light of ,revelation4 ,he learns that ,god is love1 that ,god sent ,his ,son to die for him1 and that he is the heir of ,life ,eternal in and through ,jesus ,christ4 ,by the blessed enlightenment of the ,spirit of the ,lord he believes all this4 ,he passes into a third heaven of joy1 and he burns to tell every one of this ,glad ,tidings4 ,others see the change in his disposition1 in his character1 in his whole life and actions2 and1 amid such surroundings1 every ,convert is a burning and a shining light4 ,even whole populations are thus brought into the ,outer ,court of the ,temple2 and ,islands1 still ,heathen and ,cannibal1 are positively eager for the ,missionary to live amongst them and would guard his life and property now in complete security1 where a very few years ago everything would have been instantly sacrificed on touching their shores6 ,they are not ,christianized1 neither are they ,civilized1 but the light has been kindled all around them1 and though still only shining afar1 they cannot but rejoice in its beams4 ,but even where the path is not so smooth1 nor any welcome awaiting them1 ,native ,converts show amazing zeal4 ,for instance1 one of our ,chiefs1 full of the ,christ-kindled desire to seek and to save1 sent a message to an inland ,chief1 that he and four attendants would come on ,sabbath and tell them the ,gospel of ,jehovah ,god4 ,the reply came back sternly forbidding their visit1 and threatening with death any ,christian that approached their village4 ,our ,chief sent in response a loving message1 telling them that ,jehovah had taught the ,christians to return good for evil1 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 enemies4 ,the ,heathen ,chief sent back a stern and prompt reply once more3--8,if you come1 you will be killed40 ,on ,sabbath morning1 the ,christian ,chief and his four companions were met outside the village by the ,heathen ,chief1 who implored and threatened them once more4 ,but the former said1-- 8,we come to you without weapons of war6 ,we come only to tell you about ,jesus4 ,we believe that ,he will protect us to-day40 ,as they steadily pressed forward towards the village1 spears began to be thrown at them4 ,some they evaded1 being all except one most dexterous warriors2 and others they literally received with their bare hands1 and turned them aside in an incredible manner4 ,the ,heathen1 apparently thunderstruck at these men thus approaching them without weapons of war1 and not even flinging back their own spears which they had caught1 after having thrown what the old ,chief called 8a shower of spears10 desisted from mere surprise4 ,our ,christian ,chief called out1 as he and his companions drew up in the midst of them on the village ,public ,ground1-- 8,jehovah thus protects us4 ,he has given us all your spears6 ,once we would have thrown them back at you and killed you4 ,but now we come not to fight1 but to tell you about ,jesus4 ,he has changed our dark hearts4 ,he asks you now to lay down all these your other weapons of war1 and to hear what we can tell you about the love of ,god1 our great ,father1 the only living ,god40 ,the ,heathen were perfectly over-awed4 ,they manifestly looked upon these ,christians as protected by some ,invisible ,one4 ,they listened for the first time to the story of the ,gospel and of the ,cross4 ,we lived to see that ,chief and all his tribe sitting in the ,school of ,christ4 ,and there is perhaps not an ,island in these ,southern ,seas1 amongst all those won for ,christ1 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 ,saviour4 ,larger and harder tests were sometimes laid upon their new faith4 ,once the war on ,tanna drove about one hundred of them to seek refuge on ,aniwa4 ,not so many years before their lives would never have been thus entrusted to the inhabitants of another ,cannibal ,island4 ,but the ,christ-,spirit was abroad upon ,aniwa4 ,the refugees were kindly cared for1 and in process of time were restored to their own lands by our ,missionary ship the ,dayspring4 ,the ,chiefs1 however1 and the ,elders of the ,church laid the new laws before them very clearly and decidedly4 ,they would be helped and sheltered1 but ,aniwa was now under law to ,christ1 and if any of the ,tannese broke the public rules as to moral conduct1 or in any way disturbed the ,worship of ,jehovah1 they would at once be expelled from the ,island and sent back to ,tanna4 ,in all this1 the ,chief of the ,tanna party1 my old friend ,nowar1 strongly supported our ,christian ,chiefs4 ,the ,tannese behaved well1 and many of them wore clothing and began to attend ,church2 and the heavy drain upon the poor resources of ,aniwa was borne with a noble and ,christian spirit1 which greatly impressed the ,tannese and commended the ,gospel of ,christ4 ,in claiming ,aniwa for ,christ1 and winning it as a jewel for ,his crown1 we had the experience which has ever marked ,god's path through history1--,he raised up around us and wonderfully endowed men to carry forward ,his own blessed work4 ,among these must be specially commemorated ,namakei1 the old ,chief of ,aniwa4 ,slowly1 but very steadily1 the light of the ,gospel broke in upon his soul1 and he was ever very eager to communicate to his people all that he learned4 ,in ,heathen days he was a ,cannibal and a great warrior2 but from the first1 as shown in the preceding chapters1 he took a warm interest in us and our work1--a little selfish1 no doubt1 at the beginning1 but soon becoming purified as his eyes and heart were opened to the ,gospel of ,jesus4 ,on the birth of a son to us on the ,island1 the old ,chief was in ecstasies4 ,he claimed the child as his heir1 his own son being dead1 and brought nearly the whole inhabitants in relays to see the white ,chief of ,aniwa6 ,he would have him called ,namakei the ,younger1 an honour which ,i fear we did not too highly appreciate4 ,as the child grew1 he took his hand and walked about with him freely amongst the people1 learning to speak their language like a ,native1 and not only greatly interesting them in himself1 but even in us and in the work of the ,lord4 ,this1 too1 was one of the bonds1 however purely human1 that drew them all nearer and nearer to ,jesus4 ,the death of ,namakei had in it many streaks of ,christian romance4 ,he had heard about the ,missionaries annually meeting on one or other of the ,islands and consulting about the work of ,jehovah4 ,what ideas he had formed of a ,mission ,synod one cannot easily imagine2 but in his old age1 and when very frail1 he formed an impassioned desire to attend our next meeting on ,aneityum1 and see and hear all the ,missionaries of ,jesus gathered together from the ,new ,hebrides4 ,terrified that he would die away from home1 and that that might bring great reverses to the good work on ,aniwa1 where he was truly beloved1 ,i opposed his going with all my might4 ,but he and his relations and his people were all set upon it1 and ,i had at length to give way4 ,his few little books were then gathered together1 his meagre wardrobe was made up1 and a small ,native basket carried all his belongings4 ,he assembled his people and took an affectionate farewell1 pleading with them to be 8strong for ,jesus10 whether they ever saw him again or not1 and to be loyal and kind to ,missi4 ,the people wailed out1 and many wept bitterly4 ,those on board the ,dayspring were amazed to see how his people loved him4 ,the old ,chief stood the voyage well4 ,he went in and out to our meeting of ,synod1 and was vastly pleased with the respect paid to him on ,aneityum4 ,when he heard of the prosperity of the ,lord's work1 and how ,island after ,island was learning to sing the praises of ,jesus1 his heart glowed1 and he said1-- 8,missi1 ,i am lifting up my head like a tree4 ,i am growing tall with joy60 ,on the fourth or fifth day1 however1 he sent for me out of the ,synod1 and when ,i came to him1 he said1 eagerly1-- 8,missi1 ,i am near to die6 ,i have asked you to come and say farewell4 ,tell my daughter1 my brother1 and my people to go on pleasing ,jesus1 and ,i will meet them again in the fair ,world40 ,i tried to encourage him1 saying that ,god might raise him up again and restore him to his people2 but he faintly whispered1-- 8,o ,missi1 death is already touching me6 ,i feel my feet going away from under me4 ,help me to lie down under the shade of that banyan tree40 ,so saying1 he seized my arm1 we staggered near to the tree1 and he lay down under its cool shade4 ,he whispered again1-- 8,i am going6 ,o ,missi1 let me hear your words rising up in prayer1 and then my ,soul will be strong to go40 ,amidst many choking sobs1 ,i tried to pray4 ,at last he took my hand1 pressed it to his heart1 and said in a stronger and clearer tone1-- 8,o my ,missi1 my dear ,missi1 ,i go before you1 but ,i will meet you again in the ,home of ,jesus4 ,farewell60 ,that was the last effort of dissolving strength2 he immediately became unconscious1 and fell asleep4 ,my heart felt like to break over him4 ,he was my first ,aniwan ,convert1--the first who ever on that ,island of love and tears opened his heart to ,jesus2 and as he lay there on the leaves and grass1 my soul soared upward after his1 and all the harps of ,god seemed to thrill with song as ,jesus presented to the ,father this trophy of redeeming love4 ,he had been our true and devoted friend and fellow-helper in the ,gospel1 and next morning all the members of our ,synod followed his remains to the grave4 ,there we stood1 the white ,missionaries of the ,cross from far distant lands1 mingling our tears with ,christian ,natives of ,aneityum1 and letting them fall over one who only a few years before was a blood-stained ,cannibal1 and whom now we mourned as a brother1 a saint1 an ,apostle amongst his people4 ,ye ask an explanation8 ,the ,christ entered into his heart1 and ,namakei became a new ,creature4 8,behold1 ,i make all things new40 ,we were in positive distress about returning to ,aniwa without the ,chief1 and we greatly feared the consequences4 ,to show our perfect sympathy with them1 we prepared a special and considerable present for ,litsi his daughter1 for his brother1 and for other near friends--a sort of object lesson1 that we had in every way been kind to old ,namakei1 as we now wished to be to them4 ,when our boat approached the landing1 nearly the whole population had assembled to meet us2 and ,litsi and his brother were far out on the reef to salute us4 ,litsi's keen eye had missed old ,namakei's form2 and far as words could carry ,i heard her voice crying1-- 8,missi1 where is my father80 ,i made as if ,i did not hear2 the boat was drawing slowly near1 and again she cried aloud1 8,missi1 where is my father8 ,is ,namakei dead60 ,i replied1--8,yes4 ,he died on ,aneityum4 ,he is now with ,jesus in ,glory40 ,then arose a wild1 wailing cry1 led by ,litsi and taken up by all around4 ,it rose and fell like a chant or dirge1 as one after another wailed out praise and sorrow over the name of ,namakei4 ,we moved slowly into the boat harbour4 ,litsi1 the daughter1 and ,kalangi his brother1 shook hands1 weeping sadly1 and welcomed us back1 assuring us that we had nothing to fear4 ,amidst many sobs and wailings1 ,litsi told us that they all dreaded he would never return1 and explained to this effect3-- 8,we knew that he was dying1 but we durst not tell you4 ,when you agreed to let him go1 he went round and took farewell of all his friends1 and told them he was going to sleep at last on ,aneityum1 and that at the ,great ,day he would rise to meet ,jesus with the glorious company of the ,aneityumese ,christians4 ,he urged us all to obey you and be true to ,jesus4 ,truly1 ,missi1 we will remember my dear father's parting word1 and follow in his steps1 and help you in the work of the ,lord60 ,the other ,chief1 ,naswai1 now accompanied us to the ,mission ,house1 and all the people followed1 wailing loudly for ,namakei4 ,on the following ,sabbath1 ,i told the story of his conversion1 life for ,jesus1 and death on ,aneityum2 and ,god overruled this event1 contrary to our fears1 for greatly increasing the interest of many in the ,church and in the claims of ,jesus upon themselves4 ,naswai1 the friend and companion of ,namakei1 was an inland ,chief4 ,he had1 as his followers1 by far the largest number of men in any village on ,aniwa4 ,he had certainly a dignified bearing1 and his wife ,katua was quite a lady in look and manner as compared with all around her4 ,she was the first woman on the ,island that adopted the clothes of civilization1 and she showed considerable instinctive taste in the way she dressed herself in these4 ,her example was a kind of ,gospel in its good influence on all the women2 she was a real companion to her husband1 and went with him almost everywhere4 ,naswai1 after he became a ,christian1 had a touch of scorn in his manner1 and was particularly stern against every form of lying or deceit4 ,i used sometimes to let jobs to ,naswai1 such as fencing or thatching1 at a fixed price4 ,he would come with a staff of men1 say thirty or forty1 see the work thoroughly done1 and then divide the price generously in equal portions amongst the workers1 seldom keeping anything either in food or wages for himself4 ,on one occasion1 the people of a distant village were working for me4 ,naswai assisted and directed them4 ,on paying them1 one of the company said1-- 8,missi1 you have not paid ,naswai4 ,he worked as hard as any of us40 ,naswai turned upon him with the dignity of a prince1 and said1-- 8,i did not work for pay6 ,would you make ,missi pay more than he promised8 ,your conduct is bad4 ,i will be no party to your bad ways40 ,and1 with an indignant wave of his hand1 he stalked away in great disdain4 ,naswai was younger and more intelligent than ,namakei1 and in everything except in translating the ,scriptures he was much more of a fellow-helper in the work of the ,lord4 ,for many years it was ,naswai's special delight to carry my pulpit ,bible from the ,mission ,house to the ,church every ,sabbath morning1 and to see that everything was in perfect order before the ,service began4 ,he was also the ,teacher in his own village ,school1 as well as an ,elder in the ,church4 ,his preaching was wonderfully happy in its graphic illustrations1 and his prayers were fervent and uplifting4 ,yet his people were the worst to manage on all the ,island1 and the very last to embrace the ,gospel4 ,he died when we were in the ,colonies on furlough in #ahge2 and his wife ,katua very shortly pre-deceased him4 ,his last counsels to his people made a great impression on them4 ,they told us how he pleaded with them to love and serve the ,lord ,jesus1 and how he assured them with his dying breath that he had been 8a new creature0 since he gave his heart to ,christ1 and that he was perfectly happy in going to be with his ,saviour4 ,i must here recall one memorable example of ,naswai's power and skill as a preacher4 ,on one occasion the ,dayspring brought a large deputation from ,fotuna to see for themselves the change which the ,gospel had produced on ,aniwa4 ,on ,sabbath1 after the ,missionaries had conducted the usual ,public ,worship1 some of the leading ,aniwans addressed the ,fotunese2 and amongst others1 ,naswai spoke to the following effect3-- 8,men of ,fotuna1 you come to see what the ,gospel has done for ,aniwa4 ,it is ,jehovah the living ,god that has made all this change4 ,as ,heathens1 we quarrelled1 killed and ate each other4 ,we had no peace and no joy in heart or house1 in villages or in lands2 but we now live as brethren and have happiness in all these things4 ,when you go back to ,fotuna1 they will ask you1 #8,what is ,christianity8' ,and you will have to reply1 #8,it is that which has changed the people of ,aniwa4' ,but they will still say1 #8,what is it8' ,and you will answer1 #8,it is that which has given them clothing and blankets1 knives and axes1 fish-hooks and many other useful things2 it is that which has led them to give up fighting1 and to live together as friends4' ,but they will ask you1 #8,what is it like8' ,and you will have to tell them1 alas1 that you cannot explain it1 that you have only seen its workings1 not itself1 and that no one can tell what ,christianity is but the man that loves ,jesus1 the ,invisible ,master1 and walks with ,him and tries to please ,him4 ,now1 you people of ,fotuna1 you think that if you don't dance and sing and pray to your gods1 you will have no crops4 ,we once did so too1 sacrificing and doing much abomination to our gods for weeks before our planting season every year4 ,but we saw our ,missi only praying to the ,invisible ,jehovah1 and planting his yams1 and they grew fairer than ours4 ,you are weak every year before your hard work begins in the fields1 with your wild and bad conduct to please your gods4 ,but we are strong for our work1 for we pray to ,jehovah1 and ,he gives quiet rest instead of wild dancing1 and makes us happy in our toils4 ,since we followed ,missi's example1 ,jehovah has given us large and beautiful crops1 and we now know that ,he gives us all our blessings40 ,turning to me1 he exclaimed1 8,missi1 have you the large yam we presented to you8 ,would you not think it well to send it back with these men of ,fotuna1 to let their people see the yams which ,jehovah grows for us in answer to prayer8 ,jehovah is the only ,god who can grow yams like that60 ,then1 after a pause1 he proceeded1--8,when you go back to ,fotuna1 and they ask you1 #8,what is ,christianity8' you will be like an inland ,chief of ,erromanga1 who once came down and saw a great feast on the shore4 ,when he saw so much food and so many different kinds of it1 he asked1 #8,what is this made of8' and was answered1 #8,cocoa-nuts and yams4' #8,and this8' #8,cocoa-nuts and bananas4' #8,and this8' #8,cocoa-nuts and taro4' #8,and this8' #8,cocoa-nuts and chestnuts1' etc41 etc4 ,the ,chief was immensely astonished at the host of dishes that could be prepared from the cocoa-nuts4 ,on returning1 he carried home a great load of them to his people1 that they might see and taste the excellent food of the shore-people4 ,one day1 all being assembled1 he told them the wonders of that feast2 and1 having roasted the cocoa-nuts1 he took out the kernels1 all charred and spoiled1 and distributed them amongst his people4 ,they tasted the cocoa-nut1 they began to chew it1 and then spat it out1 crying1 #8,our own food is far better than that6' ,the ,chief was confused and only got laughed at for all his trouble4 ,was the fault in the cocoa-nuts8 ,no2 but they were spoiled in the cooking6 ,so your attempts to explain ,christianity will only spoil it4 ,tell them that a man must live as a ,christian before he can show others what ,christianity is40 ,on their return to ,fotuna they exhibited ,jehovah's yam1 given in answer to prayer and labour2 they told what ,christianity had done for ,aniwa2 but did not fail to qualify all their accounts with the story of the ,erromangan ,chief and the cocoa-nuts1 with its very practical lesson4 ,the two ,chiefs of next importance on ,aniwa were ,nerwa and ,ruwawa4 ,nerwa was a keen debater2 all his thoughts ran in the channels of logic4 ,when ,i could speak a little of their language1 ,i visited and preached at his village2 but the moment he discovered that the teaching about ,jehovah was opposed to their ,heathen customs1 he sternly forbade us4 ,one day1 during my address1 he blossomed out into a full-fledged and pronounced ,agnostic 7with as much reason at his back as the ,european type67 and angrily interrupted me3-- 8,it's all lies you come here to teach us1 and you call it ,worship6 ,you say your ,jehovah ,god dwells in ,heaven4 ,who ever went up there to hear ,him or see ,him8 ,you talk of ,jehovah as if you had visited ,his ,heaven4 ,why1 you cannot climb even to the top of one of our cocoa-nut trees1 though we can1 and that with ease6 ,in going up to the roof of your own ,mission ,house1 you require the help of a ladder to carry you4 ,and even if you could make your ladder higher than our highest cocoa-nut tree1 on what would you lean its top8 ,and when you get to its top1 you can only climb down the other side and end where you began6 ,the thing is impossible4 ,you never saw that ,god2 you never heard ,him speak2 don't come here with any of your white lies1 or ,i'll send my spear through you40 ,he drove us from his village1 and furiously threatened murder1 if we ever dared to return4 ,but very soon thereafter the ,lord sent us a little orphan girl from ,nerwa's village4 ,she was very clever1 and could both read and write1 and told over all that we taught her4 ,her visits home1 or at least amongst the villagers where her home had been1 her changed appearance and her childish talk1 produced a very deep interest in us and in our work4 ,an orphan boy next was sent from that village to be kept and trained at the ,mission ,house1 and he too took back his little stories of how kind and good to him were ,missi the man and ,missi the woman4 ,by this time ,chief and people alike were taking a lively interest in all that was transpiring4 ,one day the ,chief's wife1 a quiet and gentle woman1 came to the ,worship and said1-- 8,nerwa's opposition dies fast4 ,the story of the ,orphans did it4 ,he has allowed me to attend the ,church1 and to get the ,christian's book40 ,we gave her a book and a bit of clothing4 ,she went home and told everything4 ,woman after woman followed her from that same village1 and some of the men began to accompany them4 ,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 tongue1 and which my wife had taught them to sing very sweetly and joyfully4 ,nerwa at last got so interested that he came himself1 and sat within earshot1 and drank in the joyful sound4 ,in a short time he drew so near that he could hear our preaching1 and then began openly and regularly to attend the ,church4 ,his keen reasoning faculty was constantly at work4 ,he weighed and compared everything he heard1 and soon out-distanced nearly all of them in his grasp of the ideas of the ,gospel4 ,he put on clothing1 joined our ,school1 and professed himself a follower of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,he eagerly set himself1 with all his power1 to bring in a neighbouring ,chief and his people1 and constituted himself at once an energetic and very pronounced helper to the ,missionary4 ,on the death of ,naswai1 ,nerwa at once took his place in carrying my ,bible to the ,church1 and seeing that all the people were seated before the stopping of the bell4 ,i have seen him clasping the ,bible like a living thing to his breast1 and heard him cry1-- 8,oh1 to have this treasure in my own words of ,aniwa60 ,when ,matthew and ,mark were at last printed in ,aniwan1 he studied them incessantly1 and soon could read them freely4 ,he became the ,teacher in his own village ,school1 and delighted in instructing others4 ,he was assisted by ,ruwawa1 whom he himself had drawn into the circle of ,gospel influence2 and at our next election these two friends were appointed ,elders of the ,church1 and greatly sustained our hands in every good work on ,aniwa4 ,after years of happy and useful service1 the time came for ,nerwa to die4 ,he was then so greatly beloved that most of the inhabitants visited him during his long illness4 ,he read a bit of the ,gospels in his own ,aniwan1 and prayed with and for every visitor4 ,he sang beautifully1 and scarcely allowed any one to leave his bedside without having a verse of one or other of his favourite hymns1 8,happy ,land10 and 8,nearer1 my ,god1 to ,thee40 ,on my last visit to ,nerwa1 his strength had gone very low1 but he drew me near his face1 and whispered1-- 8,missi1 my ,missi1 ,i am glad to see you4 ,you see that group of young men8 ,they came to sympathize with me2 but they have never once spoken the name of ,jesus1 though they have spoken about everything else6 ,they could not have weakened me so1 if they had spoken about ,jesus6 ,read me the story of ,jesus2 pray for me to ,jesus4 ,no6 stop1 let us call them1 and let me speak with them before ,i go40 ,i called them all around him1 and he strained his dying strength1 and said1 8,after ,i am gone1 let there be no bad talk1 no ,heathen ways4 ,sing ,jehovah's songs1 and pray to ,jesus1 and bury me as a ,christian4 ,take good care of my ,missi1 and help him all you can4 ,i am dying happy and going to be with ,jesus1 and it was ,missi that showed me this way4 ,and who among you will take my place in the village ,school and in the ,church8 ,who amongst you all will stand up for ,jesus80 ,many were shedding tears1 but there was no reply2 after which the dying ,chief proceeded1-- 8,now let my last work on earth be this3--we will read a chapter of the ,book1 verse about1 and then ,i will pray for you all1 and the ,missi will pray for me1 and ,god will let me go while the song is still sounding in my heart60 ,at the close of this most touching exercise1 we gathered the ,christians who were near-bye close around1 and sang very softly in ,aniwan1 8,there is a ,happy ,land40 ,as they sang1 the old man grasped my hand1 and tried hard to speak1 but in vain4 ,his head fell to one side1 8the silver cord was loosed1 and the golden bowl was broken40 ,soon after his burial1 the best and ablest man in the village1 the husband now of the orphan girl already referred to1 came and offered himself to take the ,chiefs place as ,teacher in the village ,school2 and in that post he was ably assisted by his wife1 our 8little maid10 the first who carried the news of the ,gospel life to her tribe1 and inclined their ears to listen to the message of ,jesus4 ,his great friend1 ,ruwawa the ,chief1 had waited by ,nerwa like a brother till within a few days of the latter's death1 when he also was smitten down apparently by the same disease4 ,he was thought to be dying1 and he resigned himself calmly into the hands of ,christ4 ,one ,sabbath afternoon1 sorely distressed for lack of air1 he instructed his people to carry him from the village to a rising ground on one of his plantations4 ,it was fallow2 the fresh air would reach him2 and all his friends could sit around him4 ,they extemporized a rest1--two posts stuck into the ground1 slanting1 sticks tied across them1 then dried banana leaves spread on these and also as a cushion on the ground1--and there sat ,ruwawa1 leaning back and breathing heavily4 ,after the ,church ,services1 ,i visited him1 and found half the people of that side of the ,island sitting round him1 in silence1 in the open air4 ,ruwawa beckoned me1 and ,i sat down before him4 ,though suffering sorely1 his eye and face had the look of ecstasy4 8,missi10 he said1 8,i could not breathe in my village2 so ,i got them to carry me here1 where there is room for all4 ,they are silent and they weep1 because they think ,i am dying4 ,if it were ,god's will1 ,i would like to live and to help you in ,his work4 ,i am in the hands of our dear ,lord4 ,if ,he takes me1 it is good2 if ,he spares me1 it is good6 ,pray1 and tell our ,saviour all about it40 ,i explained to the people1 that we would tell our ,heavenly ,father how anxious we all were to see ,ruwawa given back to us strong and well to work for ,jesus1 and then leave all to ,his wise and holy disposal4 ,i prayed1 and the place became a very ,bochim4 ,when ,i left him1 ,ruwawa exclaimed1-- 8,farewell1 ,missi2 if ,i go first1 ,i will welcome you to ,glory2 if ,i am spared1 ,i will work with you for ,jesus2 so all is well60 ,one of the young ,christians followed me and said1--8,missi1 our hearts are very sore6 ,if ,ruwawa dies1 we have no ,chief to take his place in the ,church1 and it will be a heavy blow against ,jehovah's ,worship on ,aniwa40 ,i answered1--8,let us each tell our ,god and ,father all that we feel and all that we fear2 and leave ,ruwawa and our work in ,his holy hands40 ,we did so1 with earnest and unceasing cry4 ,and when all hope had died out of every heart1 the ,lord began to answer us2 the disease began to relax its hold1 and the beloved ,chief was restored to health4 ,as soon as he was able1 though still needing help1 he found his way back to the ,church1 and we all offered special thanksgiving to ,god4 ,he indicated a desire to say a few words2 and although still very weak1 spoke with great pathos thus3-- 8,dear ,friends1 ,god has given me back to you all4 ,i rejoice thus to come here and praise the great ,father1 who made us all1 and who knows how to make and keep us well4 ,i want you all to work hard for ,jesus1 and to lose no opportunity of trying to do good and so to please ,him4 ,in my deep journey away near to the grave1 it was the memory of what ,i had done in love to ,jesus that made my heart sing4 ,i am not afraid of pain1--my dear ,lord ,jesus suffered far more for me and teaches me how to bear it4 ,i am not afraid of war or famine or death1 or of the present or of the future2 my dear ,lord ,jesus died for me1 and in dying ,i shall live with ,him in ,glory4 ,i fear and love my dear ,lord ,jesus1 because ,he loved me and gave ,himself for me40 ,then he raised his right hand1 and cried in a soft1 full-hearted voice1--8,my own1 my dear ,lord ,jesus60 and stood for a moment looking joyfully upward1 as if gazing into his ,saviour's face4 ,when he sat down1 there was a long hush1 broken here and there by a smothered sob2 and ,ruwawa's words produced an impression that is remembered to this day4 ,in #ahhh1 when ,i visited the ,islands1 ,ruwawa was still devoting himself heart and soul to the work of the ,lord on ,aniwa4 ,assisted by ,koris1 a ,teacher from ,aneityum1 and visited occasionally by our ever-dear and faithful friends1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,watt1 from ,tanna1 the good ,ruwawa carries forward all the work of ,god on ,aniwa1 along with others1 in our absence as in our presence4 ,the meetings1 the ,communicants' ,class1 the ,schools1 and the ,church ,services are all regularly conducted and faithfully attended4 8,bless the ,lord1 ,o my soul60 ,i am now reminded of the story of ,waiwai1 both because it was interesting for his own personality1 and also as illustrating our difficulties about the delicate question of many wives4 ,he was a man of great wisdom1 and had in his early days displayed unwonted energy4 ,his assistance in finding exact and idiomatic equivalents for me1 while translating the ,scriptures1 was of the highest value4 ,he had been once at the head of a numerous people1 but was now literally a ,chief without a tribe4 ,his son and heir was smitten down with sunstroke1 while helping us to get the coral limestone1 and shortly thereafter died4 ,his only daughter was married to a young ,chief4 ,and at last1 of all his seven wives only two remained alive4 ,he became a regular attender at ,church1 and when our first ,communicants' ,class was formed1 ,waiwai and his two wives were enrolled4 ,at ,communion time1 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 wives1 as ,god allowed no ,christian to have more than one wife at a time4 ,they were advised to attend regularly1 and learn more and more of ,christianity1 till ,god opened up their way in regard to this matter2 that it might be done from conscience1 under a sense of duty to ,christ1 and if at all possible by peaceable and mutual agreement4 ,waiwai professed to be willing1 but found it terribly hard to give up either of his wives4 ,they had houses far apart from each other1 for they quarrelled badly1 as is usual in such cases4 ,but both were excellent workers1 both were very attentive to the wants of ,waiwai1 and he managed to keep on affectionate terms with both4 ,after all the other men on the ,island had1 under the influence of ,christianity1 given up all their wives save one1 ,waiwai began to feel rather ashamed of being the conspicuous exception1 or thought it prudent to pretend to be ashamed2 and so he publicly scolded them both1 ordering one or other to go and leave him1 that he might be enabled to join the ,church and be a ,christian like the rest4 ,but ,i learned privately that he did not wish either to go1 and that he would shoot the one that dared to leave him4 ,i remonstrated with him on his hypocrisy1 warning him that ,god knew his heart4 ,at last he said1 that since neither of them would depart1 he would leave them both and go to ,tanna for a year1 ordering one or other of them to get married during his absence4 ,he did go1 but on his return found both still awaiting him at their respective stations4 ,he pretended to scold them very vigorously in public2 but his duplicity was too open1 and ,i again very solemnly rebuked him for double dealing1 showing him that not even men were deceived by him1 much less the all-seeing ,god4 ,he frankly admitted his hypocrisy4 ,he loved both2 he did not want to part with either2 and both were excellent workers6 ,in process of time the younger of the two women bore him a beautiful baby boy1 about which he was immensely uplifted2 and a short while thereafter the elder woman died4 ,at her grave the inveterate talking instinct of these ,islanders asserted itself1 and ,waiwai made a speech to the assembled people in the following strain3-- 8,o ye people of ,aniwa1 ,i was not willing to give up either of my wives for ,jesus2 but ,god has taken one from me and laid her there in the grave2 and now ,i am called to be baptized1 and to follow ,jesus40 ,the two now regularly attended ,church1 and learned diligently at the ,communicants' ,class4 ,both seemed to be very sincere1 and ,waiwai particularly showed a very gentle ,christian spirit1 and seemed to brood much upon the loss of family and people and tribe that had befallen him4 ,his had been indeed a crushing discipline1 and it was not yet complete4 ,for1 shortly before the ,communion at which they were to be received into fellowship1 his remaining wife became suddenly ill and died also4 ,at her grave the old man wept very bitterly1 and made another speech1 but this time in tones of more intense reality than before1 as if the iron had entered his very soul3-- 8,listen1 all ye men of ,aniwa1 and take warning by ,waiwai4 ,i am now old1 and ready to drop into the grave alone4 ,my wives kept me back from ,jesus1 but now they are all taken1 and ,i am left without one to care for me or this little child4 ,i tried to deceive the ,missi1 but ,i could not deceive ,god4 ,when ,i was left with only one wife1 ,i said that ,i would now be baptized and live as a ,christian4 ,but ,god has taken her also4 ,i pretended to serve the ,lord1 when ,i was only serving and pleasing myself4 ,god has now broken my heart all to pieces4 ,i must learn no longer to please myself1 but to please my ,lord4 ,oh1 take warning by me1 all ye men of ,aniwa6 ,lies cannot cheat the great ,jehovah ,god40 ,poor broken-hearted ,waiwai had sorrow upon sorrow to the full4 ,we had agreed to baptize him and admit him to the ,lord's ,table4 ,but a terrible form of cramp1 sometimes met with on the ,islands1 overtook him1 shrinking up both his legs1 and curving his feet up behind him4 ,he suffered great agony1 and could neither walk nor sit without pain4 ,in spite of all efforts to relieve him1 this condition became chronic2 and he died at last from the effects thereof during our absence on furlough4 ,his married daughter took charge of him and of the little boy2 and so long as ,i was on ,aniwa during his illness1 ,i visited and instructed and ministered to him in every possible way4 ,he prayed much1 and asked ,god's blessing on all his meals2 but all that ,i could say failed to lead him into the sunshine of the ,divine ,love4 ,and the poor soul often revealed the shadow by which his heart was clouded by such cries as these1--8,i lied to ,jehovah6 ,it is ,he that punishes me6 ,i lied to ,jesus60 ,readers may perhaps think that this case of the two wives and our treatment of it was too hard upon ,waiwai2 and those will be the most ready to condemn us1 who have never been on the spot1 and who cannot see all the facts as they lie under the eyes of the ,missionary4 ,how could we ever have led ,natives to see the difference betwixt admitting a man to the ,church who had two wives1 and not permitting a member of the ,church to take two wives after his admission8 ,their moral sense is blunted enough without our knocking their heads against a conundrum in ethics6 ,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 ,christian1 instead of minimising the difference4 ,again1 we found that the ,heathen practices were apparently more destructive to women than to men2 so that in one ,island1 with a population of only two hundred1 ,i found that there were thirty adult men over and above the number of women4 ,as a rule1 for every man that has two or more wives1 the same number of men have no wives and can get none2 and polygamy is therefore the prolific cause of hatreds and murders innumerable4 ,besides all this1 to look at things in a purely practical light1 as the so-called 8practical men0 are our scornful censors in these affairs1 it is really no hardship for one woman1 or any number of women1 to be given up when the man becomes a ,christian and elects to have one wife only2 for every one so discarded is at once eagerly contended for by the men who had no hope of ever being married1 and her chances of comfort and happiness are infinitely improved4 ,we had one ,chief who gave up eleven wives on his being baptized4 ,they were without a single exception happily settled in other homes4 ,and he became an earnest and devoted ,christian4 ,while they remain ,heathen1 and have many wives to manage1 the condition of most of the women is worse than slavery4 ,on remonstrating with a ,chief1 who was savagely beating one of his wives1 he indignantly assured me1-- 8,we must beat them1 or they would never obey us4 ,when they quarrel1 and become bad to manage1 we have to kill one1 and feast on her4 ,then all the other wives of the whole tribe are quiet and obedient for a long time to come40 ,i knew one ,chief1 who had many wives1 always jealous of each other and violently quarrelling amongst themselves4 ,when he was off at war1 along with his men1 the favourite wife1 a tall and powerful woman1 armed herself with an axe1 and murdered all the others4 ,on his return he made peace with her1 and1 either in terror or for other motives1 promised to forego and protect her against all attempts at revenge4 ,one has to live amongst the ,papuans1 or the ,malays1 in order to understand how much ,woman is indebted to ,christ6 ,the old ,chiefs only brother was called ,kalangi4 ,twice in ,heathen days he tried to shoot me4 ,on the second occasion he heard me rebuking his daughter for letting a child destroy a beautiful ,island plant in front of our house4 ,he levelled his musket at me1 but his daughter1 whom we were training at the ,mission ,house1 ran in front of it1 and cried1--8,o father1 don't shoot ,missi6 ,he loves me4 ,he gives us food and clothing4 ,he teaches us about ,jehovah and ,jesus60 ,then she pled with me to retire into the house1 saying1--8,he will not shoot you for fear of shooting me4 ,i will soothe him down4 ,leave him to me1 and flee for safety40 ,thus she probably saved my life4 ,time after time he heard from this little daughter all that we taught her1 and all she could remember of our preaching4 ,by-and-bye he showed a strong personal interest in the things he heard about ,jesus1 and questioned deeply1 and learned diligently4 ,when he became a ,christian1 he constituted himself1 along with ,nelwang1 my body-guard1 and often marched near me1 or within safe distance of me1 armed with tomahawk and musket1 when ,i journeyed from village to village in the pre-,christian days4 ,once1 on approaching one of our most distant villages1 ,nelwang sprang to my side1 and warned me of a man in the bush watching an opportunity to shoot me4 ,i shouted to the fellow1-- 8,what are you going to shoot there8 ,this is the ,lord's own ,day60 ,he answered1 8,only a bird40 ,i replied1 8,never mind it to-day4 ,you can shoot it to-morrow4 ,we are going to your ,village4 ,come on before us1 and show us the way60 ,seeing how ,i was protected1 he lowered his musket1 and marched on before us4 ,kalangi addressed the people1 after ,i had spoken and prayed4 ,in course of time they became warm friends of the ,worship2 and that very man and his wife1 who once sought my life1 sat with me at the ,lord's ,table on ,aniwa4 ,and the little girl1 above referred to1 is now the wife of one of the ,elders there1 and the mother of three ,christian children1--both she and her husband being devoted workers in the ,church of ,god4 ,litsi1 the only daughter of ,namakei1 had1 both in her own career and in her connection with poor1 dear ,mungaw1 an almost unparalleled experience4 ,she was entrusted to us when very young1 and became a bright1 clever1 and attractive ,christian girl4 ,many sought her hand1 but she disdainfully replied1-- 8,i am ,queen of my own ,island1 and when ,i like ,i will ask a husband in marriage1 as you told us that the great ,queen ,victoria did60 ,her first husband1 however won1 was undoubtedly the tallest and most handsome man on ,aniwa2 but he was a giddy fool1 and1 on his early death1 she again returned to live with us at the ,mission ,house4 ,her second marriage had everything to commend it1 but it resulted in indescribable disaster4 ,mungaw1 heir to a ,chief1 had been trained with us1 and gave every evidence of decided ,christianity4 ,they were married in the ,church1 and lived in the greatest happiness4 ,he was able and eloquent1 and was first chosen as a deacon1 then as an ,elder of the ,church1 and finally as ,high ,chief of one half of the ,island4 ,he showed the finest ,christian spirit under many trying circumstances4 ,once1 when working at the lime for the building of our ,church1 two bad men1 armed with muskets1 sought his life for some revenge or another4 ,hearing of the quarrel1 ,i rushed to the scene1 and heard him saying1-- 8,don't call me coward1 or think me afraid to die4 ,if ,i died now1 ,i would go to be with ,jesus4 ,but ,i am no longer a ,heathen2 ,i am a ,christian1 and wish to treat you as a ,christian should40 ,others now coming to the rescue1 the men were disarmed2 and1 after much talk1 they professed themselves ashamed1 and promised better conduct for the future4 ,next day they sent a large present as a peace-offering to me1 but ,i refused to receive it till they should first of all make peace with the young ,chief4 ,they sent a larger present to him1 praying him to receive it1 and to forgive them4 ,mungaw brought a still larger present in exchange1 laid it down at their feet in the ,public ,ground1 shook hands with them graciously1 and forgave them in presence of all the people4 ,his constant saying was1-- 8,i am a ,christian1 and ,i must do the conduct of a ,christian40 ,in one of my furloughs to ,australia ,i took the young ,chief with me1 in the hope of interesting the ,sabbath ,schools and ,congregations by his eloquent addresses and noble personality4 ,the late ,dr4 ,cameron1 of ,melbourne1 having heard him1 as translated by me1 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 than all the ,missionary addresses he ever listened to or read4 ,our lodging was in ,st4 ,kilda4 ,my dear wife was suddenly seized with a dangerous illness on a visit to ,taradale1 and ,i was telegraphed for4 ,finding that ,i must remain with her1 ,i got ,mungaw booked for ,melbourne1 on the road for ,st4 ,kilda1 in charge of a railway guard4 ,some white wretches1 in the guise of gentlemen1 offered to see him to the ,st4 ,kilda ,station1 assuring the guard that they were friends of mine1 and interested in our ,mission4 ,they took him1 instead1 to some den of infamy in ,melbourne4 ,on refusing to drink with them1 he said they threw him down on a sofa1 and poured drink or drugs into him till he was nearly dead4 ,having taken all his money 7he had only two or three pounds1 made up of little presents from various friends71 they thrust him out to the street1 with only one penny in his pocket4 ,on becoming conscious1 he applied to a policeman1 who either did not understand or would not interfere4 ,hearing an engine whistle1 he followed the sound1 and found his way to ,spencer ,street ,station4 ,there he stood for a whole day1 offering his penny for a ticket by every train1 and was always refused4 ,at last a sailor took pity on him1 got him some food1 and led him to the ,st4 ,kilda ,station4 ,again he proffered his penny1 only to meet with refusal after refusal1 till he broke down1 and cried aloud in such ,english as desperation gave him1-- 8,if me savvy road1 me go4 ,me no savvy road1 and stop here me die4 ,my ,missi ,paton live at ,kilda4 ,me want go ,kilda4 ,me no more money4 ,bad fellow took all6 ,send me ,kilda40 ,some gentle ,samaritan gave him a ticket1 and he reached our house at ,st4 ,kilda at last4 ,there for above three weeks the poor creature lay in a sort of stupid doze4 ,food he could scarcely be induced to taste1 and he only rose now and again for a drink of water4 ,when my wife was able to be removed thither also1 we found dear ,mungaw dreadfully changed in appearance and in conduct4 ,twice thereafter ,i took him with me on ,mission work2 but1 on medical advice1 preparations were made for his immediate return to the ,islands4 ,i entrusted him to the kind care of ,captain ,logan1 who undertook to see him safely on board the ,dayspring1 then lying at ,auckland4 ,mungaw was delighted1 and we hoped everything from his return to his own land and people4 ,after some little trouble1 he was landed safely home on ,aniwa4 ,but his malady developed dangerous and violent symptoms1 characterized by long periods of quiet and sleep1 and then sudden paroxysms1 in which he destroyed property1 burned houses1 and was a terror to all4 ,on our return he was greatly delighted2 but he complained bitterly that the white men 8had spoiled his head10 and that when it 8burned hot0 he did all these bad things1 for which he was extremely sorry ,he deliberately attempted my life1 and most cruelly abused his dear and gentle wife2 and then1 when the frenzy was over1 he wept and lamented over it4 ,many a time he marched round and round our ,house with loaded musket and spear and tomahawk1 while we had to keep doors and windows locked and barricaded2 then the paroxysm passed off1 and he slept1 long and deep1 like a child4 ,when he came to himself1 he wept and said1-- 8,the white men spoiled my head6 ,i know not what ,i do4 ,my head burns hot1 and ,i am driven40 ,one day1 in the ,imrai1 he leapt up with a loud-yelling war-cry1 rushed off to his own house1 set fire to it1 and danced around till everything he possessed was burned to ashes4 ,nasi1 a bad ,tannese ,chief living on ,aniwa1 had a quarrel with ,mungaw about a cask found at the shore1 and threatened to shoot him4 ,others encouraged him to do so1 as ,mungaw was growing every day more and more destructive and violent4 ,when a person became outrageous or insane on ,aniwa1--as they had neither asylum nor prison1 they first of all held him fast and discharged a musket close to his ear2 and then1 if the shock did not bring him back to his senses1 they tied him up for two days or so2 and finally1 if that did not restore him1 they shot him dead4 ,thus the plan of ,nasi was favoured by their own customs4 ,one night1 after family worship1--for amidst all his madness1 when clear moments came1 he poured out his soul in faith and love to the ,lord1--he said1-- 8,litsi1 ,i am melting6 ,my head burns4 ,let us go out and get cooled in the open air40 ,she warned him not to go1 as she heard voices whispering under the verandah4 ,he answered a little wildly1-- 8,i am not afraid to die4 ,life is a curse and burden4 ,the white men spoiled my head4 ,if there is a hope of dying1 let me go quickly and die60 ,as he crossed the door1 a ball crashed through him1 and he fell dead4 ,we got the mother and her children away to the ,mission ,house2 and next morning they buried the remains of poor ,mungaw under the floor of his own hut1 and enclosed the whole place with a fence4 ,it was a sorrowful close to so noble a career4 ,i shed many a tear that ,i ever took him to ,australia4 ,what will ,god have to say to those white fiends who poisoned and maddened poor dear ,mungaw8 ,after a while the good ,queen ,litsi was happily married again4 ,she became possessed with a great desire to go as a ,missionary to the people and tribe of ,nasi1 the very man who had murdered her husband4 ,she used to say1-- 8,is there no ,missionary to go and teach ,nasi's people8 ,i weep and pray for them1 that they too may come to know and love ,jesus40 ,i answered1--8,litsi1 if ,i had only wept and prayed for you1 but stayed at home in ,scotland1 would that have brought you to know and love ,jesus as you do80 8,certainly not10 she replied4 8,now then10 ,i proceeded1 8would it not please ,jesus and be a grand and holy revenge1 if you1 the ,christians of ,aniwa1 could carry the ,gospel to the very people whose ,chief murdered ,mungaw80 ,the idea took possession of her soul4 ,she was never wearied talking and praying over it4 ,when at length a ,missionary was got for ,nasi's people1 ,litsi and her new husband placed themselves at the head of a band of six or eight ,aniwan ,christians1 and planted themselves there to open up the way and assist as ,native ,teachers the ,missionary and his wife4 ,there she and they have laboured ever since4 ,they are 8strong0 for the ,worship4 ,her son is being trained up by his cousin1 an ,elder of the ,church1 to be 8the good ,chief of ,aniwa02 so she calls him in her prayers1 as she cries on ,god to bless and watch over him1 while she is serving the ,lord in the ,mission field4 ,many years have now passed2 and when lately ,i visited that part of ,tanna1 ,litsi ran to me1 clasped my hand1 kissed it with many sobs1 and cried1-- 8,o my father6 ,god has blessed me to see you again4 ,is my mother1 your dear wife1 well8 ,and your children1 my brothers and sisters8 ,my love to them all6 ,o my heart clings to you60 ,we had sweet conversation1 and then she said more calmly1-- 8,my days here are hard4 ,i might be happy and wealthy as ,queen on ,aniwa4 ,but the ,heathen here are beginning to listen4 ,the ,missi sees them coming nearer to ,jesus4 ,and oh1 what a reward when we shall hear them sing and pray to our dear ,saviour6 ,the hope of that makes me strong for anything40 ,my heart often says within itself--,when1 when will men's eyes at home be opened8 ,when will the rich and the learned and the noble and even the princes of the ,earth renounce their shallow frivolities1 and go to live amongst the poor1 the ignorant1 the outcast1 and the lost1 and write their eternal fame on the souls by them blessed and brought to the ,saviour8 ,those who have tasted this highest joy1 8the joy of the ,lord10 will never again ask1--,is ,life worth living8 ,life1 any life1 would be well spent1 under any conceivable conditions1 in bringing one human soul to know and love and serve ,god and ,his ,son1 and thereby securing for yourself at least one temple where your name and memory would be held for ever and for ever in affectionate praise1--a regenerated ,heart in ,heaven4 ,that fame will prove immortal1 when all the poems and monuments and pyramids of ,earth have gone into dust4 ,nasi1 the ,tannaman1 was a bad and dangerous character1 though some readers may condone his putting an end to ,mungaw in the terrible circumstances of our case4 ,during a great illness that befell him1 ,i ministered to him regularly1 but no kindness seemed to move him4 ,when about to leave ,aniwa1 ,i went specially to visit him4 ,on parting ,i said1-- 8,nasi1 are you happy8 ,have you ever been happy80 ,he answered gloomily1--8,no6 ,never40 ,i said1--8,would you like this dear little boy of yours to grow up like yourself1 and lead the life you have lived80 8,no60 he replied warmly2 8,i certainly would not40 8,then10 ,i continued1 8you must become a ,christian1 and give up all your ,heathen conduct1 or he will just grow up to quarrel and fight and murder as you have done2 and1 ,o ,nasi1 he will curse you through all ,eternity for leading him to such a life and to such a doom60 ,he was very much impressed1 but made no response4 ,after we had sailed1 a band of our young ,native ,christians held a consultation over the case of ,nasi4 ,they said1-- 8,we know the burden and terror that ,nasi has been to our dear ,missi4 ,we know that he has murdered several persons with his own hands1 and has taken part in the murder of others4 ,let us unite in daily prayer that the ,lord would open his heart and change his conduct1 and teach him to love and follow what is good1 and let us set ourselves to win ,nasi for ,christ1 just as ,missi tried to win us40 ,so they began to show him every possible kindness1 and one after another helped him in his daily tasks1 embracing every opportunity of pleading with him to yield to ,jesus and take the new path of life4 ,at first he repelled them1 and sullenly held aloof4 ,but their prayers never ceased1 and their patient affections continued to grow4 ,at last1 after long waiting1 ,nasi broke down1 and cried to one of the ,teachers1-- 8,i can oppose your ,jesus no longer4 ,if ,he can make you treat me like that1 ,i yield myself to ,him and to you4 ,i want ,him to change me too4 ,i want a heart like that of ,jesus40 ,he took the ugly paint patches from his face2 he cut off his long ,heathen hair2 he went to the sea and bathed1 washing himself clean2 and then he came to the ,christians and dressed himself in a shirt and a kilt4 ,the next step was to get a book1--his was the translation of the ,gospel according to ,st4 ,john4 ,he eagerly listened to every one that would read bits of it aloud to him1 and his soul seemed to drink in the new ideas at every pore4 ,he attended the ,church and the ,school most regularly1 and could in a very short time read the ,gospel for himself4 ,the ,elders of the ,church took special pains in instructing him1 and after due preparation he was admitted to the ,lord's ,table--my brother ,missionary from ,tanna baptizing and receiving him4 ,imagine my joy on learning all this regarding one who had sullenly resisted my appeals for many years1 and how my soul praised the ,lord who is 8,mighty to save60 ,on my recent visit to ,aniwa1 in #ahhf1 ,god's almighty compassion was further revealed to me1 when ,i found that ,nasi the murderer was now a ,scripture ,reader1 and able to comment in a wonderful and interesting manner on what he reads to the people6 ,when ,i arrived on a visit to the ,island1 after my last tour in ,great ,britain in the interests of our ,mission1 all the inhabitants of ,aniwa seemed to be assembled at the boat-landing to welcome me1 except ,nasi4 ,he was away fishing at a distance1 and had been sent for1 but had not yet arrived4 ,on the way to the ,mission ,house1 he came rushing to meet me4 ,he grasped my hand1 and kissed it1 and burst into tears4 ,i said1-- 8,nasi1 do ,i now at last meet you as a ,christian80 ,he warmly answered1 8,yes1 ,missi2 ,i now worship and serve the only ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,bless ,god1 ,i am a ,christian at last60 ,my soul went out with the silent cry1 8,oh1 that the men at home who discuss and doubt about conversion1 and the new heart1 and the power of ,jesus to change and save1 could but look on ,nasi1 and spell out the simple lesson1--,he that created us at first by ,his power can create us anew by ,his love60 ,my first ,sabbath on ,aniwa1 after the late tour in ,great ,britain and the ,colonies1 gave me a blessed surprise4 ,before daybreak ,i lay awake thinking of all my experiences on that ,island1 and wondering whether the ,church had fallen off in my four years' absence1 when suddenly the voice of song broke on my ears6 ,it was scarcely full dawn1 yet ,i jumped up and called to a man that was passing1-- 8,have ,i slept in8 ,is it already ,church-time8 ,or why are the people met so early80 ,he was one of their leaders1 and gravely replied1--8,missi1 since you left1 we have found it very hard to live near to ,god6 ,so the ,chief and the ,teachers and a few others meet when daylight comes in every ,sabbath morning1 and spend the first hour of every ,lord's ,day in prayer and praise4 ,they are met to pray for you now1 that ,god may help you in your preaching1 and that all hearts may bear fruit to the glory of ,jesus this day40 ,i returned to my room1 and felt quite prepared myself4 ,it would be an easy and a blessed thing to lead such a ,congregation into the presence of the ,lord6 ,they were there already4 ,on that day every person on ,aniwa seemed to be at ,church1 except the bedridden and the sick4 ,at the close of the ,services1 the ,elders informed me that they had kept up all the ,meetings during my absence1 and had also conducted the ,communicants' ,class1 and they presented to me a considerable number of candidates for membership4 ,after careful examination1 ,i set apart nine boys and girls1 about twelve or thirteen years of age1 and advised them to wait for at least another year or so1 that their knowledge and habits might be matured4 ,they had answered every question1 indeed1 and were eager to be baptized and admitted2 but ,i feared for their youth1 lest they should fall away and bring disgrace on the ,church4 ,one of them1 with very earnest eyes1 looked at me and said1-- 8,we have been taught that whosoever believeth is to be baptized4 ,we do most heartily believe in ,jesus1 and try to please ,jesus40 ,i answered1--8,hold on for another year1 and then our way will be clear40 ,but he persisted1--8,some of us may not be living then2 and you may not be here4 ,we long to be baptized by you1 our own ,missi1 and to take our place among the servants of ,jesus40 ,after much conversation ,i agreed to baptize them1 and they agreed to refrain from going to the ,lord's ,table for a year2 that all the ,church might by that time have knowledge and proof of their consistent ,christian life1 though so young in years4 ,this discipline1 ,i thought1 would be good for them2 and the ,lord might use it as a precedent for guidance in future days4 ,of other ten adults at this time admitted1 one was specially noteworthy4 ,she was about twenty-five1 and the ,elders objected because her marriage had not been according to the ,christian usage on ,aniwa4 ,she left us weeping deeply4 ,i was writing late at night in the cool evening air1 as was my wont in that oppressive tropical clime1 and a knock was heard at my door4 ,i called out1-- 8,akai era80 7 ,who is there87 ,a voice softly answered1--8,missi1 it is ,lamu4 ,oh1 do speak with me60 ,this was the rejected candidate1 and ,i at once opened the door4 8,oh1 ,missi10 she began1 8,i cannot sleep1 ,i cannot eat2 my soul is in pain4 ,am ,i to be shut out from ,jesus8 ,some of those at the ,lord's ,table committed murder4 ,they repented1 and have been saved4 ,my heart is very bad2 yet ,i never did any of those crimes of ,heathenism2 and ,i know that it is my joy to try and please my ,saviour ,jesus4 ,how is it that ,i only am to be shut out from ,jesus80 ,i tried all ,i could to guide and console her1 and she listened to all very eagerly4 ,then she looked up at me and said1-- 8,missi1 you and the ,elders may think it right to keep me back from showing my love to ,jesus at the ,lord's ,table2 but ,i know here in my heart that ,jesus has received me2 and if ,i were dying now1 ,i know that ,jesus would take me to ,glory and present me to the ,father40 ,her look and manner thrilled me4 ,i promised to see the ,elders and submit her appeal4 ,but ,lamu appeared and pled her own cause before them with convincing effect4 ,she was baptized and admitted along with other nine4 ,and that ,communion ,day will be long remembered by many souls on ,aniwa4 ,it has often struck me1 when relating these events1 to press this question on the many young people1 the highly privileged white brothers and sisters of ,lamu1 ,did you ever lose one hour of sleep or a single meal in thinking of your ,soul1 your ,god1 the claims of ,jesus1 and your ,eternal ,destiny8 ,and when ,i saw the diligence and fidelity of these poor ,aniwan ,elders1 teaching and ministering during all those years1 my soul has cried aloud to ,god1 ,oh1 what could not the ,church accomplish if the educated and gifted ,elders and others in ,christian lands would set themselves thus to work for ,jesus1 to teach the ignorant1 to protect the tempted1 and to rescue the fallen6 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,letters ,,from ,,aniwa4 ,editorial ,preface4--,letter for #ahfg4--,not ,tanna but ,aniwa4--8,missi ,paton versus ,teapots40--,the ,humour of ,taia4--,evening ,village-,prayers4--8,make him ,bokis ,sing40--,my ,sewing ,class4--8,that no ,gammon40--8,talk ,biritania40--,the ,marriage of ,kahi4444 ,letter for #ahfi4--;,first ,communicants on ,aniwa4--,mungaw and the ,mission ,boys4--,the ,blessing of the ,dayspring4444 ,letter for #ahgd4--;,home to ,aniwa4--8,taking ,possession40--8,another ,soul ,committed to our ,care40--,hutshi and her ,lover4--,six ,missionaries on ,aniwa4444 ,letter for #ahge4--,missi ,paton and 8,joseph0 and the ,tannese4--,a ,tropical ,hurricane4--,the ,disgrace and ,sale of ,hutshi4--,taia ,baited by ,nalihi4--,earthquakes and ,tidal ,waves4--,farewells4444 ,letter for #ahgh4--;,a ,madman at ,large4--,the ,passing of ,yawaci4--,the ,madness and ,death of ,mungaw4--,our ,native ,elders4--,music on the ,waters4--,a ,wicked ,vow4444 ,letter for #ahgi4--,new ,year's ,day on ,aniwa4--,a ,miserable ,slaver4--,litsi ,married ,again4--,mission ,synod on ,erromanga4--,tragic and ,holy ,memories4--,day-,light on ,tanna4--,pigs in ,galore4--,arrowroot for ,jehovah4 ,the ,editor takes upon himself the responsibility of presenting here a picture of life among the ,new ,hebrideans1 as portrayed by the graphic and gifted pen of ,mrs4 ,john ,g4 ,paton4 ,his only regret is that the exigencies of space compel him to give mere fragments of these ,letters1 instead of the full-flowing descriptions1 which have led him to regard them as amongst the most charming pieces of ,missionary literature with which he has become acquainted4 ,he apologizes also to that dear lady herself for the liberty he is thus taking with her 8,family ,epistles10--written for the delight of her inner circle of friends1 and for their eyes alone4 ,he is well aware that if she were at his side1 instead of being in the ,new ,hebrides1 while he is sending these pages to press1 nothing would probably induce her to give her consent to this appearance in print4 ,but he trusts that her wrath will be assuaged1 when she returns to the ,colonies and learns how the ,christian ,public approve in this respect of what her friend has done4 ,the ,editor makes no apology to the reader for this break in the flow of the story1 or even for re-touching one or two scenes that are past1 for he already instinctively knows that even these fragments will be appreciated1 as a great enrichment to the ,autobiography which he has been privileged to introduce to them4 7#ahfg47 ,,to ,,rev4 ,,dr4 ,,macdonald1 ,,south ,,melbourne4 8444 ,how much ,i enjoyed your kind letter which came by the ,dayspring last month6 ,i was delighted indeed to hear that your ,parish now extends to the ,new ,hebrides1--rather a scattered one certainly1 nevertheless you are bound to look after your flock1 and we shall soon be expecting a pastoral visit4444 8,you were1 ,i dare say1 surprised when you heard that we had been sent to ,aniwa instead of ,tanna4 ,it was a blow which ,mr4 ,paton has hardly got over yet2 but all the brethren were decidedly opposed to us going there alone1 and we feel now that we have been ,divinely led hither4 ,mr4 ,inglis1 in his last kind letter1 said to ,mr4 ,paton that he believed he was doing more real work for ,tanna1 by bringing the ,aniwans to a knowledge of the truth and thus fitting them for by-and-bye spreading the ,gospel among the ,tannese1 than if he were now labouring alone among that dense mass of people4 ,we are encouraged1 therefore1 to hope that there may be many ambassadors for ,christ from this little ,island1 for the ,aniwans are a superior people1 and the work has made steady and rapid progress of late4 ,i don't mean that half the people are converted1--very far from that6 ,there is a great deal to be done1 before the soil is prepared even to receive the seed1--they cling so to their old prejudices and superstitions4 ,i believe1 to many of them1 it is like taking a great leap into the dark to risk the anger of their gods by coming to the ,worship4 ,for what proof have they at first that we are leading them into the right way8 ,true1 they see we wish to be kind2 but the idea of any one coming among them simply for their good is a doctrine they cannot understand4 8,we are very thankful to have so many regularly at ,church2 and ,mr4 ,paton possessed a great advantage in being able to address them from the first in ,tannese1 which some of them speak freely1--hence the double hope of training them as helpers for ,tanna4 ,you would be surprised to see with what propriety the ,services are conducted4 ,the ,native ,teachers1 two devoted men from ,aneityum who have been here for years1 try to give short speeches4 ,then ,mr4 ,paton usually invites one or other of the more enlightened of the ,aniwans to speak1 which he does by invariably pitching into his brethren in the most energetic terms1 comparing them to pigs1 dogs1 serpents1 etc41 the speaker not generally including himself1 and asking how long they mean to continue their #8black-hearted conduct'8 8,they are never at a loss for a text1 and for a long time after we came it sounded to me something like #8,missi ,paton and ,teapots4' ,i supposed it to be1 #8,missi ,paton versus ,teapots1' but by-and-bye ,i discovered that it was not ,teapots1 but ,teapolo 7 ,devil71 against which they stormed4 ,lately they have been choosing more sacred subjects1 generally a repetition of what they have heard from ,mr4 ,paton before1 or been helping him to translate during the week4 ,last ,sabbath1 we were much struck with the gentle1 persuasive tones of the old ,chief who was addressing them4 ,mr4 ,paton noted down two words he did not remember having heard before1 and asked for the translation after worship4 ,the man took him by the hand and said in ,tannese1 #8,missi1 ,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 sins6' 8,taia1 and ,namakei the ,chief1 two of our firmest friends1 give very telling speeches sometimes4 ,the former is a tall and powerful fellow1 quite a notoriety on account of his loquacious powers4 ,he has a great deal of ready wit too2 and1 though he does little else but talk1 it is wonderful what influence he exerts4 ,some time ago1 he prevented a violent quarrel ending in probable bloodshed4 ,the party who thought themselves insulted ran home1 seized their arms1 and were rushing past ,taia's house1 where he was lying outside1 basking in the sun and enjoying his pipe4 ,he saw something was wrong1 for they don't continue the habit of carrying their arms constantly now1 and he called out to them 7of course in their own language71 #8,stop6 stop6 let me see what you are carrying4 ,is it the book that ,missi has been busy making8' ,his sly hit set them all a-laughing1 and they turned into his house2 there he had a long and serious talk with them1 and got them to give up the idea of fighting1 at least for that day4 ,the next being ,sabbath1 he came to ,mr4 ,paton before the ,service to ask him to let him speak2 and1 having both the offending parties present1 he did give it them1 finishing up by reminding them how difficult it had been to get a ,missionary1 and how he1 ,taia1 had gone to ,aneityum to plead for more ,native ,teachers after they had murdered ,nemeyan and tried to kill ,navalak1 and how he had always been careful to give them food to do the work of ,jehovah6 ,in that part of the speech referring to his own conduct1 there were a few embellishments which in strict regard to truth might have been omitted2 but his advice seemed to do good1 for we heard no more of that quarrel4 8,taia1 however1 does not always do as he professes1 and ,mr4 ,paton sometimes feels it incumbent on him to call ,taia to account2 but ,taia's equanimity is never in the least ruffled4 ,he sits listening with his chin resting upon his knees1 looking up now and again with a bland smile1 saying1 #8,ah1 very good talk that1 ,missi6 ,very good talk that6'444 8,namakei never fails1 when well1 to take ,mr4 ,paton's ,bible and lay it on the desk every ,sabbath and ,wednesday before the ,service1 and to get the people in the village assembled for worship1 which we have every evening under a large banyan tree in the ,imrai 7 the public meeting-ground71 the great place of general rendezvous1 which is close behind our house4 8,i particularly enjoy this ,evening ,service1 when all ,nature is at rest and looks so exquisitely beautiful1 everything reflecting the gorgeous sunsets and nothing heard but the soft rustle of the leaves and what ,longfellow calls #8the symphony of ,ocean'4 ,i think the ,natives1 too1 are inspired with it1 for none of us seem inclined to move off after worship1 and often1 but especially on ,sabbath evenings1 we sit still and sing over all our hymns4 ,they never tire of this1 being all of them intensely fond of music444 8,i was heartily amused1 the first time ,i was called upon to perform on ,aniwa6 ,we had just unpacked the harmonium1 one day1 about a fortnight after our arrival4 ,the news must have spread like wildfire2 for1 towards evening1 about forty or fifty people came marching towards the ,church 7the house where we stayed till our new home was built71 the foremost shouting in broken ,english1 #8,missi1 make him bokis 7 box7 sing6 ,plenty man come hear you make him bokis sing6' 8,i must not omit to tell you about my peculiar charge1 and a very pleasant one it is1 ,i mean my own ,sewing ,class4 ,nearly fifty women and girls attend pretty regularly every morning1 except ,wednesday and ,saturday1 and we spend two hours 7often more7 together sewing and singing4 ,they are very tractable and willing to learn1 having taken a great fancy for sewing4 ,i never dreamt it would be really such delightful work teaching them1 but my heart was drawn to them from the first1 and ,i will always feel grateful to them for the kindly way they behaved to me when ,i landed amongst them1 timid and rather frightened at feeling myself the only white woman on these lonely shores4444 8,mr4 ,paton took the matter much more coolly1 seeming to take for granted that they were all his #8dear friends1' though most of the men1 really fine fellows we have since found them1 thought it advisable to receive us with a good deal of impudence1 trying how far we could be imposed upon6 ,plenty of them talk a little ,english1 and really it was almost laughable to hear them telling the most monstrous lies with such a long innocent face1 that one would suppose they believed them themselves1 and then gravely adding1 #8,that no gammon6'444 8,i feel the sewing1 however1 to be only a stepping-stone to something far more important4 ,it brings me into contact with them so as to learn their language4 ,i so long to be able to talk freely to them2 but it is slow work with me6 ,how the ,apostles must have appreciated the gift of ,tongues on the day of ,pentecost6 ,i wonder if it was accorded to their wives as well8 ,it is so provoking1 when you think you have mastered enough to venture on a little conversation with them1 to see them looking at each other wonderingly4 ,some time ago1 in talking to a girl1 ,i plunged a little deeper than usual1 thinking to astonish her with my wisdom1 but she looked up innocently and told me she #8did not savvy talk ,biritania6' ,i must have made awful blunders at first4 ,but some of the women can talk ,tannese as well as the men2 and ,i got ,mr4 ,paton's help in any great difficulty1 though he did not at all times enjoy the interruption1 especially if the point in question turned out to be only about a needle and a thread1 while he had been called away when setting up the type for our first ,aniwan book6444 8,before closing this long epistle1 ,i want to tell you about our first ,christian marriage here1 especially as the ,bride was decked out from your ,emerald ,hill box1 last sent1--at least partly so4 ,it was a deeply interesting occasion4 ,kahi1 the bride1 was one of my scholars1 a pretty young widow of about seventeen2 and ,ropu1 her lover1 was such a nice fellow1 too1 a great favourite of ,mr4 ,paton's4 ,they seemed really attached2 but ,kahi's father-in-law demurred about giving her away1 as he considered her still his property1 having given a high price 7present87 for her when he bought her for his son4 ,one morning1 however1 ,ropu appeared with such a number of fat pigs1 that they quite took the old man's heart by storm1 and he declared that he might have her that day1 if the ,missi thought it was right4 ,the ,missi did not object1 but advised them to get married in ,church2 and ,i determined to give ,kahi a nice present1 in order to tempt her young companions to follow her example2 not a very high motive1 to be sure1 but if the prospect of a good present will induce them to alter their habits in regard to marriage1 ,i have not the slightest objection that it should be so4 ,it's about the highest motive some of them can yet appreciate1 and there is no vital principle1 after all1 at stake in the mere form4 ,we made the event as public as the time would permit1 and there was quite a little gathering to witness the ceremony4 ,poor ,kahi was brought to me in tears2 but when we put on her nice skirt and jacket1 and she caught sight of the pretty hat which happened to be trimmed with orange blossom1 she seemed to think she had indulged long enough in sentiment and dried her tears quite briskly1 looking out from under her long eyelashes from side to side with great admiration1 and when at last ,i put a glaring red handkerchief into her hand she fairly laughed aloud6 ,there was a little trouble with them in ,church1 as they would not come near enough to join hands till they were pushed2 and then the poor girl got her marriage vows repeated to her on the deafest side of her head1 for1 being too bashful or something of the sort to give the response1 it seemed to be the public opinion that ,mr4 ,paton was letting her off too easily1 and the men taking up the question thundered it in such a manner as to elicit a pretty quick reply6 8444 ,p4,s4 8#fth ,december4 8,please send the ,dayspring quickly down this season2 for ,i have found this morning to my horror1 that the whole stock of flour has gone useless1 and not a bit of bread shall we get till the ,vessel returns6 ,i suppose we are indebted to the climate and the weevil together for this4 ,we have plenty of other food1--so no danger of starving40 7#ahfi47 ,,to ,a ,,lady4 444 8,to spend such a day as we did a few ,sabbaths ago when our little ,church of ,god on ,aniwa was formally constituted1 we felt to be worth more than all the sacrifices connected with our isolated life4 ,we had a very good attendance1 #ahj being present1 and an unusual solemnity and interest pervaded the ,church throughout the whole ,services4 ,the ,communicants1 twelve in number1 were arranged in rows from the platform to my seat1 so that they occupied the space in the centre2 and1 as they stood up to answer the form of questions ,mr4 ,paton put to them before receiving ,baptism1 you could scarcely have conceived a more interesting group4 ,vasi1 our eldest member1 must we think be near to ninety2 but1 aged and infirm as he is1 he came every day to ,school with his spectacles on1 and is one of ,mr4 ,paton's best writers as well as readers4 ,our old chief1 ,namakei1 was there1 with his daughter ,litsi4 ,she is his only child living1 and is almost as great a comfort to me as to her father4 ,she was the first girl who came to live with us1 and1 being the eldest on our ,premises1 she sets a good example to the others4 ,her devotion to ,mr4 ,paton amounts almost to idolatry4 ,she seems as if she never could be grateful enough to him for being the means of her conversion4 ,but the one ,i felt most interest in was ,namakei's sister1 a very gentle and delicate-looking woman4 ,i knew what it had cost her to profess her faith in ,jesus1 and how her husband and son were even then jeering and laughing at her4 ,if ,i had time1 ,i could tell you something interesting about each of them1 for of course it was our knowing all their little histories that made it so intensely gratifying a sight to us4 ,i can remember when one began to wear clothing1 when another cut off his long hair1 and when one whom we had thought a very hardened character came one day with the last of his idols1 saying1--#8,now1 ,missi1 these are the very last4 ,i have no more4' 8,it was a beautiful sight to see these all standing up neatly clothed1 in the midst of their benighted brethren1 to declare themselves on the ,lord's side2 and more than one could witness without deep emotion4 ,never did ,i feel happier in any society on ,earth1 than when partaking of our ,saviour's body and blood with these dark ,sisters and ,brothers1 now united with me in ,jesus4 ,it was a day long to be remembered4 ,i trust it will be so even in ,eternity1 with thanksgiving4 ,our dear friend and sister ,missionary1 ,mrs4 ,mc,nair1 was with us1 paying a long-promised visit2 and ,i felt so glad she happened to be here at the time1 for she says she never witnessed a more beautiful and affecting spectacle4 ,we have every reason to hope that the true work of grace is begun in their hearts4 ,mr4 ,paton had much satisfaction in them while attending his ,candidates' ,class2 and their own earnest inquiries were what delighted him most4 ,how often have we had cause to set up our ,ebenezer since coming to this far-off land2 and this is but a small beginning1 yet we have most emphatically reason to thank the ,lord and take courage4444 8,mungaw was so disgusted at having to wear a kilt1 that ,i did not dare to mention about cutting his long hair2 and ,mr4 ,paton does not wish the ,natives to be forced to these things1 for he always says that1 when their hearts are changed1 they will be sure to give up these things of their own accord4 ,i know that this is very true2 but as ,i don't see that there would be any harm in having the short hair first1 ,i coaxed ,mungaw to cut his1 and he looks very much more civilized4 8,we have a gathering of boys now on the ,premises2 for ,mungaw had not been installed into his office two days1 before a few others came and asked quite humbly that they might be allowed to do something for the ,missi4 ,we were truly amazed as well as gratified at this unexpected proposal2 for the boys here1 as a rule1 are the idlest and most impudent set ,i ever saw4 ,they seem to be the #8masters' too1 for no one thinks of contradicting a boy4 ,of course1 ,mr4 ,paton told them that he was very glad to have them come1 as he wanted to teach them a great deal they ought to know4 ,they are really doing tolerably well1 and ,i feel so thankful to have a man-cook1 as there are so many things connected therewith that men or boys require to do and that they will not do to help a woman2 for instance1 chopping wood and black-leading the stove4444 8,the ,dayspring is a great blessing to us all4 ,there is little fear of any ,missionary now on the most savage ,islands being ill-treated1 if they see that he is well looked after4 ,of course1 ,i mean #8humanly speaking1' the fear is nil2 and if we be kept in safety1 and our work in the end begins to prosper1 that dear little ,vessel and her supporters have more to do with it all than might by some be imagined4 ,two of our ,natives1 one of them the wildest character on ,aniwa1 were engaged by ,captain ,fraser to go as boat's crew1 the trip before last2 and they came back in ecstasies1 declaring there was never such a ,captain as the one on board the ,dayspring4 ,he was so kind and good to them1 for when they came to any ,island without a ,missionary1 he would not let them go on shore for fear of being killed1 and that would have damaged our work on ,aniwa4 ,then they counted on their finger ends1 with great glee1 the things they had received in payment2 and as these are good and useful articles1 it engenders a love for such things instead of the paint and stuffs they get from the ,traders1 while their huge ambition for sailing and sight-seeing is gratified40 7#ahgd47 ,,to ,,the ,,family ,,circle 8,,my ,,dearest ,,mother1 ,,sisters1 ,,and ,,brothers1-- 444 ,i must1 however1 arrive at ,aniwa more by degrees1 as this is to be the journalistic ,family ,epistle1 and you have heard nothing of us since we left ,sydney on the #dth ,april1 with dear ,dr4 ,steele on board1 who seemed like a link between us and ,civilization4 ,i felt #8strong to go1' as our ,natives would express it1 for ,i realized as ,i never before had done the #8,lo1 ,i am with you1' and some of ,god's dear ones with whom we had had such precious ,christian fellowship were with us till the last4444 8,we had finished up at ,fotuna soon after breakfast2 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 morning1 as the wind was fair4 ,we had all packed up in the afternoon1 and the first sight which greeted me1 on looking out at my port-hole next morning1 was the trees and rocks of dear old ,aniwa6 ,the first boat was sent ashore with eight or nine ,fotunese and their cumbrous baggage1 who had insisted on coming to visit our ,island1 rather to the disgust of the ,captain4 ,meantime we were having our breakfast1 and ,mr4 ,arthur1 the mate1 brought back word that our ,natives were in a-state of great delight and excitement1--dear ,yawaci making the younger girls fly round their work1--also that our six cows had increased to ten1 and that our goats no man could number6 ,he had also heard that a number of our ,natives had died1 and some had been taken away by ,traders4 8,when we neared the shore1 we could see that the great majority of the people had turned out1 and even the very cattle and goats been brought to meet us6 ,there were my girls1 standing in a group in bright pink dresses1 sewed and shaped by themselves1 and turkey-red turbans1 and in short1 by one and another of the ,natives all the colours of the rainbow were well represented4 ,not one person1 ,i am thankful to say1 was without clothing4 ,true1 some of their garments were ragged and scanty enough1--still they had them1 and it was almost more than we expected from some of them1 after being away from them so long4 ,they do so love to run naked6 8,what a shaking of hands1 and #8,alofa'-ing there was6 ,two or three little groups were sitting apart sobbing for their dead2 indeed1 they firmly believed that if we had been on the ,island to attend to them they would not have died4 ,when we reached the house1 everything looked beautiful and the ground so well kept1 new coral on the walks1 a fine new mat on the dining-room floor and another on the lobby1 and last1 but not least in the estimation of weary sea-voyagers1--a great jug of new goat's milk6 ,when ,dr4 ,steele and ,mr4 ,robertson made playful speeches about our ,home-coming before drinking it1 ,i could most truly say1 even after all the enjoyment and kindness of the ,colonies and delightful ,christian fellowship with kindred spirits there1--#8,home1 sweet ,home1 no place like ,home4'444 8,amidst all my hurry1 however1 ,i had five minutes alone by my little ,lena's grave4 ,the beautiful white coral was blackened1 but the grass and shrubs had grown1 and the lemon branches with their bright fruit were bending over and shading it beautifully4 ,how naturally one looks up to the blue sky above1 and wonders where the spirit is1 or if she can see the mourning hearts below4 ,she would have been running on her own little feet now1 had she been on ,earth2 but though my heart aches for her still1 ,i would not have it otherwise1 for she was not sent in vain1 and oh1 what a little teacher she has been6 ,when ,john took ,dr4 ,steele to see the grave1 he said1--#8,you have thus taken possession'2 and ,i felt we had taken possession of more through her than that little spot of ground on ,aniwa4444 8,our visitors and ,vessel left us in the afternoon1 and on my return from seeing them off 7,john was too exhausted to go71 ,i met a very nice man1 one of the ,church members1 who stopped me and said1--#8,missi1 ,i've given my boy up to you and ,missi the man1 and you're to feed and clothe and teach him1 as you do the other children4' ,i could hardly believe my ears1 and you would need to know how boys are prized here to appreciate as we did the sacrifice made1--at least as ,john did1 for ,i must confess that the thought of their bodily sustenance comes between me and the fervent thanksgiving of my earnest little man for #8another soul being added to our care6' ,we've got ten of these souls1 with bodies attached1 at the present time1 besides several outsiders who come during the day1 and it taxes all my ingenuity to keep them in work and #8,kai-,kai1'--their capacity for the latter being of no mean order4 ,their clothes are no concern beyond the making of them1 and that they soon learn to do for themselves2 for we have always been abundantly supplied from kind ,mission friends4444 ,although ,i do 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 most1 yet we are more than re-paid for all our love to these dear ,darkies4 ,they are just like our very children1 and such we always call them1 and they are so confiding and loving with us and tell us everything1 especially the elder girls1 who have lived with us now for more than five years4 8,by the way1 we have just had an affaire de cur amongst them1 and as ,hutshi is the young lady1 you will be interested to hear4 ,you know she was given away1 when an infant1 by her parents1 to ,nelwang1 another infant about the same age1 but who is now one of the best and most intelligent boys on the ,island1--the only drawback being that his limbs are rather diseased1 and he is so fearfully timid that he won't let ,john apply anything to cure them4 ,well1 when we were in ,sydney1 a middle-aged man1 a returned labourer1 whose betrothed wife is yet a baby1 came trying to curry favour with ,hutshi's guardians 7her parents are dead long ago7 by bringing them large presents1 and finally got them talked over to give him ,hutshi when she returned with us1--so it was settled1 only awaiting her and our consent4 ,now1 her guardian has always been most honourable with us4 ,he gave up ,hutshi to us1 when she was of the greatest use in his village 7but ,i took care to let her go and help them pretty often71 and when we asked if she might go with us to the ,colonies1 he and his wife said1--#8,she is more your child than ours1 ,missi2 do as you like4' ,so1 when they explained matters to ,john one evening in the study1 and said that both ,hutshi and ,nelwang were agreeable to the change1 he felt he could not interfere much1 but warned them not to be too rash and to ask ,god about it4 8,hutshi1 the mischief1 flirted with her new admirer when she could get a chance1 and ,i felt it would be a great relief to have her married2 but we could see1 from ,nelwang's looks 7he is one of our boys71 that there was a pain at his heart4 ,i set him a piece of work in the dining-room one day1 and1 sitting down to help him1 got all his confidence4 ,the poor boy's heart was breaking1 and he wound up by saying1--#8,i can't tell them my heart1 ,missi1 for they would but laugh1 and ,i am only one2 but if my father had been alive1 they would not have dared to give ,hutshi away before my eyes4' ,seeing his lady-love1 however1 who at that moment came in at the open window and evidently comprehended matters1 he tossed his head proudly and said1--#8,it's very good that she takes him6' 8,john and ,i espoused ,nelwang's cause from that moment1 and he soon found an opportunity for saying a word on his behalf4 ,i also got ,hutshi alone1 and told her what ,nelwang had said4 ,she replied that she did not know what to do1 as they were all urging her to take ,sarra 7the new lover72 but she said1--#8,i would cry more to give up ,nelwang than that old fellow6' 8,she came to me the other day1 and said she had finally made up her mind to keep by ,nelwang4 ,i answered1--#8,but ,i thought1 ,hutshi1 you seemed for the while to prefer the other4' #8,yes1 ,missi1' she replied1 #8when everybody was praising him and telling me to take him1 ,i thought it would be nice2 but ,nelwang and ,i have had a talk4 ,we told each other what our dead parents said about our being married when we were big1 and then we both cried1 and we are going to be true to each other6' ,so1 you see1 there is sentiment in blacks as well as whites6444 8,here ,i am at the end of my fourth sheet1 and have not even begun to tell you of the nice ,ladies' ,meeting we had at ,aniwa1 or the lively time we have had with visitors ever since the ,vessel returned with the ,missionaries on board for the annual ,synod4444 8,that was a refreshing visit on the return of the ,vessel from the ,synod2 and we had a cheery houseful1 for in addition to our four husbands1 whom as canny ,scots say1 #8we were not sorry' to see after a three weeks' absence1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,inglis and ,dr4 ,steele 7the latter to remain with us7 came and stayed from the ,saturday till the ,monday1--the vessel going out to sea with the rest of the ,missionaries1 who declared it would kill me outright to have any more6 ,those who came tried to make me promise just to give them a pillow and a blanket on the floor1 but we got them snugly stowed away in beds and on sofas1 and we so enjoyed their society4 ,it is especially delightful to hear their voices mingling in the ,psalm at ,family ,worship4 ,it makes one think of the great company of the redeemed1 singing the #8,new ,song4' 8,the ,sabbath was such a blessed day too1 and it was quite an event in the ,church history of ,aniwa to see six ,missionaries on the platform1 and five ladies in the ,missionary's pew4 ,mr4 ,inglis preached at the first service1 ,mr4 ,annand at the second 7,john of course translating71 good ,gospel truth2 and ,dr4 ,steele gave us a white sermon in the evening in the drawing-room1 upon the #8,prayer of ,jabez4' ,the language was very beautiful1 and the ,doctor suited himself to his audience1--leaving out his appeal to unconverted ,sinners6444 8,every one in the house is asleep1 and my eyes will hardly keep open2 so ,i must say ,good-night to you all1 with heart's love from your ever-loving daughter and sister1 8,,maggie ,,whitecross ,,paton40 7#ahge47 ,,to ,,the ,,family ,,circle4 8,,my ,,dearest ,,sisters ,,and ,,brothers1-- 8,if ,i could only put one of the ,earthquakes we've had into this journal it would produce a sensation1--descriptions seem so very tame after one has experienced the awful feelings they produce6 ,but ,i must begin and go forward as best ,i can1 there being no possibility of gratifying you in that direction4 8,you know1 it was not till very near the time of the ,vessel's sailing that we decided last year to remain2 and ,i sent my last #8,journal' on board with an aching heart4 ,we had been so nearly going to see our precious boys1 and till ,i saw the ,dayspring slowly disappear in the distance ,i did not know how intensely my heart had been set upon seeing them6444 8,to crown all1 ,john got very ill1 and sunk so low we feared he might not live to see the return of the ,dayspring4 ,but all the time ,i had an inward conviction that ,god had not kept him on ,aniwa just to die1 after giving us such encouragement to remain1 and we had waited so confidingly upon ,him just to show us the way4 ,and ,he did not keep us long in suspense1 for one event transpired after another to show how wisely we had been guided4 8,the first of these happened about a month after the vessel left1 and as ,john was slowly recovering from his illness4 ,we heard1 one lovely day1 as ,i was setting the copies for afternoon ,school 7,i managed to keep it going all the time71 a cry of #8,sail ,o6' which set us all into a fine pitch of excitement4 ,school was the last thing to be thought of1 and the ,natives scampered off towards the other end of the ,island1 where the vessel lay4 ,john was unable to walk so far2 but you may be sure we were quite on the qui vive for news1 and ,i waylaid the first returning ,native1 who shouted to me in ,aniwan1 #8,missi1 what do you think has happened8 ,a whole shipload of ,tannese1 men1 women1 and children1 have been driven off their own ,island by war1 and have come over to live on this little ,island1 because the ,worship is strong1 and they know they are safe4 ,they are many in number for the people of ,aniwa2 and where are we to get food for them1 ,missi8 for they had to escape at night with what little baggage they could bring in the vessel4' 8,another ,native soon arrived with letters from ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,neilson1 confirming the report1 and we were rather dumbfounded at this turn of events2 but1 like most of the other ,missionaries1 when they heard of it1 we were also deeply impressed with ,god's mysterious ways4 ,tanna was the ,island upon which ,john's whole heart was set2 and it was one of the bitterest disappointments of his life when the ,mission ,synod would not allow him to return there1 instead of coming to ,aniwa nine years ago2 but we both felt we were following ,god here1 and now ,he had brought the ,tannese to ,aniwa2 for those who had come were from around ,port ,resolution1 and some of them were ,john's old friends6 8,some of the ,islanders themselves were as much struck with the event as we were4 ,and at last ,mission ,synod1 ,mr4 ,neilson amused all the ,missionaries by giving the outline of a speech made upon the occasion by one of the ,aneityumese ,teachers on ,tanna1 apt as all ,natives are in drawing illustrations from daily life to point their addresses on ,sabbath4 ,he took the story of ,joseph for his subject1 and made out #8,missi ,paton' to be ,joseph driven from ,tanna by his wicked brethren the ,tanna men1 but that ,god had gone with him to ,egypt1 alias ,aniwa1 and prospered him and the land for his sake1 and prepared it for them to go and live upon1 and thus save much people alive6444 8,john immediately set to work revising his ,tannese1 which he had well-nigh forgotten1 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 ,tannese4 ,how it did remind us of the early ,aniwan days1 when our worthy parishioners used to enjoy a pipe or a nap1 as they lay on their backs listening to the sermon6444 8,the ,hurricane began in earnest about noon on ,january #adth1 after a heavy thunderstorm which had blackened the air all the morning4 ,as we sat at dinner the wind suddenly became furious2 we had to jump up and make preparations1 as the house was shaking and creaking1 the thatch standing on end1 and the rain pouring in4 ,immediately trees1 fences1 etc41 began to occupy a horizontal position2 so the children and ,i took refuge in the ,study1 which seemed to stand firmer than the rest of the house1 and from the windows watched the progress of the storm1--a magnificent sight1 tall trees bending and falling before the awful force of the wind4 ,john came in greatly dejected1 saying that if it continued much longer the ,church would go1 as it was already bending1 notwithstanding its being so strongly propped4 ,there was a lull just then in the storm1 which cheered me2 but his more experienced eye led him to pronounce it the stillness that precedes a great storm1 it was still so black and ominous4 ,and sure enough1 just before dark1 a terrific blast sent us flying down to the ,cellar1 our usual place of refuge4 8,john and a couple of the girls made a final attempt to get into the house for one or two loaves1 and whatever else they could grab1--we were now awfully hungry1 having been so unceremoniously interrupted at our dinner4 ,my faithful little cook was precipitated into the ,cellar before a great blast1 puffing and panting and holding on to a kettle of boiling water1 which was an unexpected luxury in the circumstances4 ,so we managed to make a very jolly meal off the top of a box2 and all our stores being in the ,cellar1 we got hold of a tin of salmon4--the girls had thoughtfully brought a great basin of milk for the children1--and when ,f4 found we were all to eat the salmon out of one plate1 his joy knew no bounds1 and he stuck his fork into the biggest bit in the dish1 which proved too large for his wee mouth1 causing great merriment6 8,the storm raged till midnight1 when we were all thankful to get up to our beds1 and found our own room1 fortunately1 the only habitable part of the house4 ,but oh1 what utter desolation the morning light revealed6 ,our fine large ,church a mass of ruins1 with one great pillar standing solitary and upright through the rubbish against the clear blue sky4 ,the ,school ,house in the same condition1 at the other side of the ,imrai 7 public meeting ground74 ,with the exception of our cook-house and printing-office1 not an outhouse was left standing on the ,mission ,premises2 but oh1 how thankful we felt that our dwelling-house stood secure1 as ,john was in no condition to have attempted building another4 ,not even a pane of glass was broken1 though of course the roof could not escape1 and consequently everything was soaked4 ,the day proved fortunately very hot1 and we got all the mats lifted1 and mattresses1 blankets1 etc41 washed and dried4 ,the pigs were in their glory1 running riot over all the plantations1 and ,i am sure if they could have spoken they would have said in ,scotch1 #8,it's an ill wind that blaws naebody guid6' 8,almost every ,native on the ,island was at work before daylight at his fences2 dwelling-houses--and there were not a dozen standing uninjured on the ,island--being left till the plantations were secured4 ,school duties were not even thought of4 ,it was so sad to see the destruction of food1--fine large breadfruit and cocoa-nut trees torn up by the roots1 and bananas with the fruit half formed lying useless on the ground4 ,but the greatest lamentation seemed to be about the ,tafari ,mor 7 ,house of ,worship71 though the general ,public were complacently viewing it as a judgment from #8,teapolo' 7 ,his ,satanic ,majesty1 in ,aniwan71 for their being #8so strong for the ,worship4' ,this is a popular error2 and ,john guarded them against it next ,sabbath1 preaching an impressive sermon from the text1 #8,labour not for the meat which perisheth1'--rather apropos to the occasion6444 8,it was altogether a sad time1 that1 for we had been so tried with ,hutshi1 the girl ,i had last time with us in ,australia1 and who turned out a complete vixen2 the first of my girls1 ,i am thankful to say1 who has not turned out well4 ,she was married to one of our best young lads1 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 cook1 who is engaged to the little table-maid4 ,she began1 soon after the marriage1 to persecute her husband and flirt with the other1 going from bad to worse1 notwithstanding all we could say to her2 and one day she behaved so frightfully1 that1 when we were told of her guilt1 ,john and ,i sank down on the nearest seats1 perfectly overpowered with disappointment and horror4 ,i could hardly have believed that any woman1 either black or white1 could have so deliberately planned to lead others so young and innocent into sin4 8,the young ,chief came to ask ,john how she ought to be punished1 as something would have to be done2 but he hesitated to give advice1 never having been called upon to legislate in a similar case1 being indeed too vexed to collect his thoughts2 only he strongly forbade them to shoot her1 as one or two of the enraged fathers proposed1 and advised them to be guided by the ,aneityumese ,teachers1 two wise ,christian men from ,mr4 ,inglis's ,station4 ,they said that the punishment inflicted on ,aneityum by the ,chiefs was to tie up the guilty parties1 collect all the goods of those most deeply involved1 and distribute them among the people at the other side of the ,island1 so as not to tempt those around to bring false accusations against neighbours for the sake of their property4 8,this was accordingly done in the case of ,hutshi2 and we had an invitation to be present at the ceremony1 which we declined1 as ,john told them it was better he should not be too much mixed up in these things4 ,the only way in which he did interfere was to shorten the time to three hours1 instead of the twenty-four they were determined to keep her tied1 and which1 in my opinion1 she richly deserved6 ,two or three ,tannese happened to arrive at her village before she was unloosed1 and expressed their disgust at the consequences entailed by the ,worship1 saying they could have as much #8fun' on ,tanna as they liked without being punished for it4 ,but one of our ,aniwans answered1 with a sly wink at his neighbours1 that bad as the ,worship might be1 it had at least not driven them from their own land6444 8,i wish ,i could say that was the last of the trouble we had with ,mistress ,hutshi2 for she professed great repentance1 and sent one of the girls1 two or three weeks afterwards1 to say she wanted to tell me all her badness1 as that would make her feel better4 ,she had not been allowed to come near the ,mission ,premises1 nor had we since taken any notice of her4 ,we had very little faith in the young lady's repentance1 but feared to crush any yearning after amendment1 if it did exist2 and ,i thought that ,god might give me a word for her4 ,so we had a long interview2 but ,i felt all the time there was no change in her1 as was immediately proved1 for she went back tossing her head and telling the others they might talk as much as they liked1 she didn't care1 for the ,missi was quite satisfied with her now6 8,she did not improve1 but the ,church members round kept such a watch upon her that she did not do anything very flagrant4 ,she did1 however1 lead her husband a miserable life2 and ,i never believed that a ,native could have borne with patience what he did2 at last1 being able to stand it no longer1 he came to bid us ,good-bye1 saying he was going to live about three miles distant 7it was as far away almost as he could get on ,aniwa1 either in one direction or the other1 as his lady-love lived close to us in the centre of the ,island67 and that he freely bestowed her upon any man who might be fool enough to take her1 as henceforth he would have nothing to do with her4 8,she had1 out of pure bravado1 professed to elude their vigilance and implicated a ,tanna man1 as well as ,rangi 7the wildest man on ,aniwa71 who both proved their innocence4 ,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 do2 and being an out and out ,savage in his disposition1 we feared trouble when he came with all the ,tanna men at his heels to inquire about it one morning after her husband had left her4 ,we little expected1 however1 the scene there really was enacted1 right outside our gate too1 for it was there ,rangi caught hold of her4 ,she gave one spring to ,john for protection1 but the gate was between them1 and ,rangi wrenched her from it1 and the savage yells that got up nearly sent me frantic with terror4 8,john stood leaning carelessly against the gate1 viewing it all--the calmest person there6 ,he felt that his presence would be a sufficient check1 though it would have been folly to interfere4 ,my girls were groaning and crying2 and ,yawaci 7the girl ,i have here7 was unconsciously doing her best to wrench the handles off the dining-room door in her despair1 groaning out1 8,missi1 blood will be spilt60 while ,i was on my knees in the middle of the floor calling upon ,god to interfere4 ,but my little ,f4 stopped me1 saying1 8,mamma1 ,mamma1 ,i don't like to see you look up and talk like that6 ,are you ill80 ,so ,i tried to be myself again to the wee man1 and felt comforted in having left the case with the ,lord4 ,only ,i must see ,rangi1 though ,i had very slender hope of influencing him2 and ,i put my careful husband into a fine consternation1 as he would rather have seen an apparition than me coming on such a scene4 ,i had only a very dim notion1 then1 of his gestures and entreaties1 being deaf and blind to everything except ,rangi1 who came nearest my idea of a demon of anything ,i had ever seen6 8,the poor girl was tied1 with her arms backward1 to a cocoa-nut tree1 pale with terror1 and a hundred muskets bristling round her4 ,the ,tannese were in full ,heathen costume1 which means paint instead of clothing2 and the ,church members stood calmly1 like ,john1 looking on1 except two or three of them1 who kept guard around her with loaded muskets for her defence from murder1 if necessary4 ,her life was all they or we wished to see spared1 for she richly deserved any punishment short of death4 ,i caught ,rangi's eye at last4 ,at a sign he came quietly forward1 and ,i began to tell him he should not dare to shoot my girl1 but being too excited ,i ended in sobs and was marched off1--but not before ,rangi earnestly assured me that he would not touch a hair of her head1 or let any one else do it1 only1 he said1 she deserved to be tied and ought to be well beaten for blackening his character6 ,we could not keep from smiling1 even in the excitement1 at ,rangi's care for his reputation1 which was truly as black as it well could be4 8,well1 here was mistress ,hutshi practically put up for public sale2 for1 according to ,native law1 whoever dared to unloose her from that tree had to take her for his wife1 her husband having renounced all claim to her4 ,rangi reminded them of this when he tied her up1 saying that the ,missi only could alter that law if he wished4 ,the ,missi did not feel inclined to do any such thing1 having devoutly wished her at ,jericho ever since she commenced her pranks1 as she was proving a curse to the place1 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 7so did the ,church members72 but for ,john to say so would only be the beginning of mischief4 ,he was so anxious they would not appeal to him for advice1 for we both felt that for her ,native law was the best4 ,but though a score of young men would have gone down on their knees for her before she was married1 there she stood for about three hours without a single bidder6 8,john had got the whole crowd dispersed to go and cut wood for the lime pits 7you know he is of a rather practical turn of mind and likes to utilize the most unlikely occasions71 which they did with great energy1 having the steam up2 so she was left alone1 as the women had all to run and cook food4 ,i had a grand donation for the labourers besides the tea1 that day1 as we had a calf killed the evening before1 and ,i was giving orders about it when ,i saw ,john waving me to the study with such an amused face4 ,it seems that ,hutshi's old sweetheart had rushed to him in eager haste1 saying1 #8,missi1 ,i never will have such a chance for a wife6 ,will you marry me to ,hutshi1 if ,i untie her8' ,john said he certainly could not1 and that if he took her it must be la ,native1 and that he would have to discontinue his attendance at the ,candidates' ,class1 of which he was a member4 ,he explained1 at the same time1 that it was not like running away with another man's wife1 as her behaviour 7which in ,britain would have divorced her7 had led her husband to give her up2 only that1 for the sake of example1 he could not countenance such proceedings on the part of intending ,communicants4 ,sarra said1 in that case he would have nothing to do with her4 ,but1 alas1 female influence prevailed1 and he unloosed her an hour or two after1 amid the ,hurrahs of the passers-by and our intense though secret delight2 for though ,sarra is obliged to confess he has #8caught a ,tartar1' yet he manages to keep her in tolerable check1 being a determined fellow4 8,we heartily re-echoed the sentiments of one of our ,church members1 when speaking of ,hutshi1 viz41 #8that it was awful what a woman could do1 when she was bent upon mischief6' ,indeed1 according to the ,natives1 we have her1 along with the two murderers1 to thank for those awful ,earthquakes which nearly frightened us out of our senses1 though on ,aniwa very little damage accrued from them4 8,the first1 at least the first to speak of1 occurred near midnight on the #bhth ,march 7the second anniversary of our ,lena's birth71 and woke us up with a vengeance1 being the worst we ever had1 the ,earth heaving so awfully that we expected every moment to be swallowed up1 and were almost paralyzed with terror1 but ,m4 and ,f4 slept through it all4 ,after it1 a tremendous rush of the sea seemed to take place1 from the noise it made1 and which we found next morning was the case1 carrying our boat from where it lay1 high and dry about one hundred yards inland1 also canoes1 two of which were smashed4 8,i lay in awful terror after the ,earthquake till three o'clock1 and was dropping off to sleep1 when another terrible one sent us flying out of the house in our night gowns1 ,john dragging the children out of their beds1 and the girls rushing out of their house4 ,there was not a breath of wind1 and it was awful to see in the bright moonlight the great trunks of the trees swaying back and forward1 and to feel the ground going to and fro with such force4 ,we had one or two slight ones after that1 and then just at daybreak an awful repetition1--every one of us simultaneously rushing out of doors6 ,this was number five2 and before breakfast we went to see the damage done to the boat 7but it was uninjured72 and we had two more violent shocks ere we got home1 making seven in all before breakfast1 after which we had a commotion of another kind4 8,john felt so exhausted1 and had just got fast asleep on the study sofa 7a most unusual occurrence with him71 when ,i heard high words between ,taia1 one of our ,church members1 and ,nalihi1 an ,erromangan4 ,i knew not what to do1 for ,natives never waste time on high words--they at once rush to arms2 and ,i was unwilling to wake ,john to more excitement1 as it was exactly that day two years since he had been seized with that awful fever1 and ,i had been in fear of its return1 as people predicted it would1 about the same time of the year4 ,well1 ,i actually made up my mind to show my wifely devotion1--and it was a good test for me1 ,i beg leave to say1 ,i always had such a foolish terror of a loaded musket anywhere1 and infinitely more so in the hands of an enraged ,savage1--by going between the combatants myself4 ,to make matters worse1 all the men about had gone that morning to bring lime-coral1 and only a few women had collected1 and one or two timid fellows who stood at a safe distance4 8,nalihi was flourishing his musket in ,taia's face1 as an accompaniment to an eloquent harangue he was delivering in ,erromangan1 not being able to speak ,aniwan2 and ,taia1 who understood and could speak it perfectly1 seemed to be paying him back with interest4 ,they subsided for a few moments1 when it was whispered the ,missi was there2 but on finding that it was only the #8,missi fin1' they went at it with renewed vigour4 ,i took no notice of the ,erromangan1 knowing my only chance was with ,taia2 so ,i went over to him1 and implored him not to utter another word1 whatever provocation he might receive2 and though reluctant at first1 he behaved nobly and stood what ,i think few white men would have done in the circumstances4 ,i kept close beside him all the time1 and though for three quarters of an hour that villain stood heaping insults upon him1 and at last1 in his rage1 cut down his bananas and fences before his eyes1 he never spoke1 though his muscles twitched and he clutched at his great club sometimes--one that ,i knew had done good 787 service in ,heathen days under the great brawny arms that wielded it2 for ,taia is a perfect ,hercules1 and such a contrast to the little treacherous1 sharp-nosed ,erromangan1 who was dying for an excuse to get a shot at him4 ,when ,i thought ,taia was going to give way1 ,i put my cold white paw 7it did feel so cold7 on his black arm1 and every time ,i did so he turned and looked down at me with a grim smile1 saying1 #8,don't fear1 ,missi1 ,i'll not speak4' 8,now ,i maintain1 that though ,john sometimes fears ,taia's ,christianity is not of the highest type1 yet he is undoubtedly a perfect gentleman1 or he would not have stood there1 the greatest living orator on ,aniwa1 silent at the bidding of any woman6 ,when ,i saw the good food being destroyed and so little left from the ,hurricane1 indignation mastered every other feeling1 and ,i felt it was high time for ,john to interfere with ,nalihi2 as no one else dared to speak to him1 except master ,f41 who had1 by the way1 found us out just then1 and proceeded without hesitation to deal with him in plain terms4 ,his little figure heaved with indignation1 and he drew such a long breath before calling out1 #8,o you naughty1 naughty man6 ,you're a wicked man6 ,jehovah1 so angry at you6' ,every one was so amused1 and a general titter went round1 while ,nalihi1 with whom ,f4 had been a favourite1 began vigorously to defend himself to the child in broken ,english1 at the same time wielding his axe to some purpose amongst ,taia's bananas4 ,so1 feeling my own strength would not hold out much longer1 ,i sped off and brought ,john1 who quietly went up to ,nalihi and relieved him of his musket and axe 7,oh1 ,i was glad to see that musket in dear old ,john's trusty fingers1 for ,nalihi held it in a horizontal position1 and it always would point at me the whole time ,i stood there67 clapped him on the shoulder and had him sobbing like a child in a minute and offering payment to ,taia for the damage done1 which1 however1 ,taia was too seriously offended to receive1 and ,i do not wonder at it4 8,the crowd began to disperse1 and ,john was taking ,nalihi off for a day's work under his own eye1 in case of his coming in contact with ,taia again1 when ,i put a graceful finish to the proceedings by going off into a fainting fit under the cocoa-nut trees6 ,john said ,i managed bravely1 all except that2 but ,i do think that after seven ,earthquakes and such a scene1 ,i had a good right to get up some demonstration1 and it was the first ,i ever perpetrated for the public benefit6 8,we had three more ,earthquakes that day1 but slight1 making ten in all2 and ,i took care at night to provide for emergencies by putting a supply of blankets on the verandah1 as there is not a moment to snatch clothes when they come1 and we had felt chilly the night before4 ,i got laughed at for what was termed my needless precaution2 but we had hardly got into our first sleep1 when another violent ,earthquake turned us out1 and we were thankful for them4 ,it was not so bad as some1 however1 and we got a sleep till morning without further disturbance1 as the grand performance did not come off till next evening at nine o'clock4 8,john was busy in the bath-room1 with the girls1 damping paper for next day's printing1 ,i was in the dining-room1 jotting in my journal the events of the day1 when we all had to rush out with the most frightful ,earthquake that had yet taken place4 ,the house danced1 the windows rattled awfully1 and ,f4 woke up with the first of it screaming in terror1 but ,m4 took it more gently1 telling him it was nice4 ,it might have been nice to feel ourselves rocked on the bosom of mother ,earth 7we lay down on the ground at a safe distance from the house1 which we expected to fall every moment71 could we have been sure she would not open up and receive us into a closer embrace6 8,the heaving must1 ,i think1 have continued nearly five minutes1 and we had just got into the house again1 still trembling with agitation1 when a terrible gust of wind and roar of the sea half prepared us for the shouting of the ,natives1 who called to us that the sea had actually come close to our gate6 ,we went out and found ,natives up to the waist in water1 where it had been bush two or three minutes before4 ,we heard something flapping1 and ,yawaci picked up a large fish about twelve feet from our gate2 and as the tidal wave receded1 they were left in hundreds1 which the ,natives spent most of that night and next day in gathering4 ,an enormous turtle was found too among a lot of dbris1--#8,jehovah's turtle1' the ,natives called it1 owing to the way in which it was found4 8,no serious accident occurred from the wave on our ,island1 as in most of the others1 though some ,natives fishing at ,tiara were nearly carried away1 and our boat which lay at anchor there was lifted1 anchor and all1 and carried a long way inland1 but to a sandy place1 where it got no damage2 yet not a canoe1 if ,i remember rightly1 was left whole4 8,from that time we had a constant succession of ,earthquakes1 and were kept in continual dread1 though none of them so violent as those ,i have mentioned4 ,we had to sleep with our doors open1 and at last ,john went to bed in his clothes to be ready to run6 ,i suppose you have heard that the tidal wave swept right through ,mr4 ,inglis's1 doing terrible damage and half drowning them1 and the ,earthquakes kept knocking down his walls and chimneys as fast as he could rebuild them4 ,dr4 ,geddie's fine ,church1 too1 is all but destroyed4 ,but ,i think the greatest damage done is to the nerves of the poor ,missionaries' wives 7the ,missionaries themselves would be indignant if you accused them of having any67 ,it is such an awful sensation to feel the very ,earth trembling and heaving beneath one1 and such an eerie feeling comes on at night4 444 8,i must pass over everything else that happened until we turned up in ,civilization1 and it is close upon ,mail time4 ,i would have liked to tell you about our pretty new ,church1 with its snow white walls1 which was finished just before our beloved friends1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,inglis1 paid us their farewell visit1 which was like to break our hearts1 for they have been a father and mother to us and to the ,mission4 ,our parting too with our ,darkies was intensely trying1 as we are to be away from them a longer visit than the last2 but the society of our dear friends1 the ,murrays1 was an unexpected treat1 and made the voyage so pleasant notwithstanding the sea-sickness4444 8,the ,home ,mail closes in the morning2 and ,i must close1 with fervent love1 from your loving sister1 8,,maggie ,,whitecross ,,paton40 7#ahgh47 ,,to ,,the ,,family ,,circle4 8,,my ,,dearest ,,sisters ,,and ,,brothers1-- 8,sons and daughter1 ,i should almost have added1 as the biggest half of our little flock are separated from ,aniwa1 and will as eagerly look for the #8family billet' now as the rest of you4444 8,now that ,i have sat down to write1 so much comes crowding upon me that ,i hardly know where to begin2 but ,i cannot put down a word of news before testifying of the ,lord's goodness to us1 which has just been vouchsafed during this last hot season4 ,he has encompassed us round as with a shield and preserved us safe and well1 though from the day after the ,dayspring left for the ,colonies on the #adth ,november last until the #cjth ,march we have lived in daily--,i might almost say hourly--terror of our lives4 ,we have seen--especially ,john has--the rage of the ,heathen1 and passed through ,earthquake and ,hurricane2 but all seems as nothing compared with coming into constant contact with an unrestrained madman1 and this we have had to do with poor ,mungaw4444 8,you must not think of us as pining in solitude1 however4 ,indeed1 poor ,mungaw took care to keep us all in lively exercise1 and acted his first scene the day after the ,dayspring left for ,sydney with our mails4 ,you know that he married ,litsi1 one of my best girls 7and how delighted we were at the time that she was getting such a good young man671 who was with me on my first visit to ,australia from ,aniwa1 and you remember how pleased you all were with her4 ,well1 he spent the night beating that gentle girl 7who was near her confinement7 and their little boy about two years of age2 and when ,john met him in the ,imrai and quietly remonstrated with him1 he stalked off in high dudgeon2 and in two minutes more1 a tremendous crackling and roar of fire made us rush to the window1 where we saw his nice house and all that was in it one mass of flame4 ,not content with setting it on fire1 he tore off ,litsi's jacket and flung it in too4 ,we quite expected that our own house would go1 as there were only two light fences betwixt some of our outhouses and his1 but providentially the wind carried everything the other way4 8,he then took ,litsi and ,nomaki1 their little boy1 to a distant village2 and1 oh6 how we hoped he would remain1 as ,litsi had friends there1 but back he dragged them1 terror-stricken and breathless from having to keep pace with his tremendous strides4 ,i sent ,litsi an old jacket 7she begged me not to send a good one1 as it might go the same way71 and a blanket to sleep or rather to roll herself in--for there was no sleep for any one near that night4 ,he had threatened to murder some of the villagers1 and was stalking round and round our ,premises with his loaded musket2 but an ,aneityumese ,teacher kept watch over our house all the night4 8,it so happened that next day had been appointed for a #8,members' ,meeting4' ,these meetings are held monthly1 for ,john to appoint them their work1 and change it from one to another1 so that it might not always devolve upon a few4 ,you know there is no paid door-keeper1 or paid service of any kind connected with the ,church1 so the women take it in turns1 two by two1 every ,saturday morning1 to clean the ,church and enclosure4 ,one man is appointed bell-ringer1 another to take off and on the pulpit coverings and carry in the ,bible1 etc41 two to stand at the doors and see there are no loiterers outside1 and so forth4 ,cases of sickness or wickedness are also reported1 and ,church matters generally talked over4 ,at this meeting one woman was scored off for absconding from her legal husband and living with another2 and ,mungaw1 who came in with the greatest blandness1 as if nothing had happened1 got a thorough #8talking to1' and was suspended till it should be proved whether he was more rogue or fool--for at that time we could scarcely tell4 ,that he had become decidedly cracked and his mind to a certain extent unhinged1 no one who saw and heard him could doubt--especially knowing what a dear good fellow he was before2 still he seemed sane enough at times2 and when he did break out1 it was more like being possessed with evil spirits4 ,all his madness took the form of wickedness1 and when he saw people afraid of him he was the more emboldened4 ,it was very difficult to know how to treat him4 ,he was rather cowed at the meeting1 though1 and kept pretty quiet till the full moon1 while meantime we had peace to get all our machinery into working order again4444 8,john has had great comfort with his big boys1 however1 especially the one we were most averse to take in1--a great ugly-looking fellow of about eighteen1 couldn't speak without a growl1 and scowled at everybody from under his black wool1 which hung down over his eyebrows4 ,to crown all1 he had been with the slavers--and that is no recommendation6 8,after keeping with our boys a day or two and coming to evening class1 on the third evening he sent in for a blanket1 as he was #8going to stay4' ,we looked aghast4 ,john was for receiving him2 but ,i was at the crying point1 and declared ,i could not feed more ,natives or make food go further than other people4 ,john said1 #8,then am ,i to send him away8' ,well1 no6 ,i was hardly prepared to do that either2 so1 after talking over it a few minutes1 we felt sure the ,lord had sent him2 and though ,i did not feel particularly grateful at the time1 ,i have often thanked ,him since4 ,we went to the blanket box1 got a nice warm blanket 7the ,natives feel chilly at night71 called him in1 and ,john had a talk with him about certain rules1 after which he took his gift with a very pleasant grin4 ,he looked like a different creature with his hair cut2 and a more faithful1 helpful1 warm-hearted ,native lad we never had4 ,in times of danger from ,mungaw1 he stuck by ,john like his shadow--no ostentation with it1 but quietly getting some pretext for keeping close to him when there was any fear4 ,a capital worker too--for ,john does not approve of keeping his boys idle1 and they help him with whatever he is at1 fencing1 roofing1 gardening1 house-building1 etc4 8,one day he and another big boy 7a great wag--keeps the others in roars of laughter1 and himself the picture of solemnity7 had been planing wood very nicely1 and ,john praised them1 calling them his #8,carpenter' and #8,joiner4' ,in the afternoon a slate full of writing was sent in1 informing us that they wished from henceforth to drop their old names and be called #8,carpenter' and #8,joiner4' ,nor would they answer to any other4 ,we often forgot1 at first1 but were reminded by their paying not the slightest attention1 till we came out with the new name--when they would instantly wheel round with a smile and be at our service6444 8,one day1 before ,john was quite recovered1 ,mungaw put a lot of impudence on his copy for my special benefit4 ,i took no notice--he looked so wild--but pointed out a mis-spelt word1 wrote a fresh line1 and telling him to follow it closely passed quickly on to the next writer4 ,i told ,john1 when ,i went in1 ,i was sure he would do some mischief ere long2 and just an evening or two after1 we heard him shouting and scolding from his house in an awful voice4 ,john limped off1 in spite of my entreaties to let them fight it out1 and found ,mungaw flourishing an axe over a poor woman1 whose husband was from home and who had been helping ,litsi to cook his fish1 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 usual4 ,he had brought the axe within a few inches of her shoulder1 when two or three ,natives1 attracted to the spot just before ,john1 stayed his arm and wrenched it from him4 ,he got his musket next1 but poor ,sibo and ,litsi both ran to our house for protection1 while ,john and the ,natives tried to calm him down4 ,they got his musket from him1 and ,i saw a ,teacher slip it behind a tree in our lawn2 but ,mungaw was sharp enough to notice1 and got it away again when the affray was over1 and ordered poor ,litsi back to her cooking4 ,sibo went to a distant village to be out of his way1 declaring she was half dead with fright2 and ,i would very much have liked to get away from the ,island altogether6 ,john's spirit always rises equal to the emergency1 but ,i get perfectly faint with terror1 and the longer the worse4 ,this was merely a little prelude1 however1 to what followed4 8,next morning he had the audacity to appear at one of the dining-room windows1 as the girls were clearing away the breakfast things2 and he demanded the keys from ,john1 as he wanted to sharpen his axe at the grindstone4 ,john said1 #8,no1 ,mungaw1 you'll learn to put your axe to a better use first2 and ,i want you to return the two you have of mine4' ,he looked the picture of innocent wonder1 and replied1 #8,what do you mean1 ,missi8' ,john replied1 #8,i just mean that ,i want you to give up your bad conduct4' #8,my bad conduct6 ,what have ,i done8' protested ,mungaw4 ,john said pointedly1 #8,do you not know1 ,mungaw8' ,that was all the provocation he got2 but he went off for his musket1 muttering1 #8,i'll let you know who you're talking to4' 8,when he was gone1 ,john went out to his ,printing ,office for something1 and on leaving it saw ,mungaw just inside our fence taking deliberate aim at him with his musket4 ,john turned round to lock the door1 showing no signs of fear1 but feeling that all was over1 and that he was to be shot down so near us all and yet none near enough to save2 but ,god was watching6 ,the next instant he heard a rush of feet1 a scuffle1 and looked round to see the musket pointed high in the air1 and four strong arms grappling with the intended murderer4 ,two men had been accidentally 7687 coming up the path1 took in the scene at a glance1 and my husband was saved4 8,i knew nothing of what was passing1 but1 feeling restless after ,mungaw's parting look1 went out to hurry ,john in for worship4 ,i met him coming in1 and stopped short at sight of his pale face to ask if he were ill1 and he told me all4 ,we had just begun to sing at worship1 when he re-appeared flourishing his musket1 trying the doors and windows 7you may believe ,i had them securely fastened by this time71 and demanding entrance4 ,we went on1 taking no notice1 but the celestial quaver was plentifully introduced into the music1 and the girls rushed into the dining-room in great fear4 ,meanwhile the news had spread like wildfire1 and the ,church members near came running to order him out of the ,premises1 which only made him wilder2 so they seized him1 took him to the ,imrai1 and bound him hand and foot with ropes4 ,it was a terrible noise and scuffle1 for he had the strength of ten men1 and yelled like a demon4 8,two of his brothers so-called 7not real ones7 arriving on the spot1 he thought to get up some sympathy1 changed his voice to a whine1 and bewailed his hard fate1--#8bound and persecuted for doing nothing at all6' ,litsi1 gentle ,litsi1 took her boy in her arms1 and walked up to him before the crowd1 saying in a loud voice1 #8,look at the marks of your brutality on me and my helpless child1 and say whether you deserve to be tied or not6' ,it was an imprudent speech for her to make1 poor girl1 for which he did not forget to repay her4 ,it was a terrible day for us all--poor little ,f4 white to the lips with fear1 ,i lying in a fainting state1 and ,john walking up and down the room trying to keep up our spirits1 and wee ,j4--oh6 how we envied him--running about1 playing #8,peep-bo' in happy unconsciousness of all4 ,the ,church members feared that some of the wilder young fellows1 whom he had been favouring of late1 would come to his aid2 but when it was known he had attacked the ,missi1 not a finger was lifted in his defence4 8,they did not know what to do with him1 now they had him bound1--nothing in the shape of a prison or secure place on all the ,island6 ,they proposed our ,cellar1 but we didn't want him quite so near as that2 so they let him off at the end of four hours1 and ,litsi and little ,nomaki took refuge with us4 ,mungaw got a little boy to tell him where they hid his musket2 and1 once more possessed of it1 he flew all round the ,island till towards sunset1 when he divested himself entirely of his clothing1 stuck on paint1 and with musket shouldered walked sentry before our front gate for more than an hour4 ,he seemed to be imitating the sentinels he had seen before ,government ,house in ,melbourne--a slight difference in the circumstances6 ,but it was thought necessary to have a counter-guard over our ,premises that night4 ,the only good thing he did was to send his gracious permission to ,litsi to stay in our house for the night1 which she thankfully accepted4 8,next morning 7,sunday7 he met her pleasantly1 called her to speak to him 7our fence was between them71 and threw a large stone at her head1 informing her that was the price of her yesterday's speech4 ,we bound up the deep wound and advised her to lie quiet1 but she preferred going to ,church with us as the safest plan1 for he had been caught several times during the night stealthily approaching our house to burn it1 as they thought4 ,none of the villagers slept1 two of their lives being to danger4 ,it was a most anxious ,sabbath1 and we had worship under difficulties--guards being placed at our house and the principal approaches to the ,church4 ,oh1 how regretfully ,i thought of the peaceful ,sabbaths and quiet walks to ,church in ,melbourne1 none making us afraid6 ,but we tried to realize that the ,lord ,jesus was encompassing us around1 and that ,he stood between us and ,mungaw4 ,the people begged ,john to be short1 as they were in terror1 so we had only one ,service in ,church1 and1 instead of ,sunday ,school1 a prayer meeting on the ,imrai4 ,mungaw employed the time during ,church service in ransacking the villagers' boxes for ammunition1 but they had it hid away2 and at the prayer meeting he was reclining1 with folded arms1 eyeing us from our back verandah6 ,after the prayer-meeting1 ,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 inches1 and at last they agreed2 but as soon as we were in the house1 he went and patched up a sort of peace--a sham to get the people away--and then abused the people near for tying him1 and dragged ,litsi home4 ,we were half the night praying for the helpless girl1 so completely at the mercy of that madman4 8,next morning1 he came into the ,imrai in grand style--musket in hand1 of course--and scolded the people1 working himself up into a frenzy and keeping us all on the rack1 for we could see from one of the ,study windows1--when1 to our great joy1 #8,sail ,o' rang out1 and it was comical to see how quickly he had to subside before this counter-excitement1 and slink away6 ,we felt it was in answer to prayer1 more especially when a little afterwards he stood before our gate painted frightfully1 and told our herd-boys that he was going in the ,vessel if she called here4 ,how earnestly we asked the ,lord to let him go1 if it were ,his will1 but prayed above all for submission to bear what was appointed us1 for we had the feeling he would stay4 ,poor fellow6 he drove us closer into the ,saviour's arms than all ,dr4 ,somerville's meetings in ,australia1 for we had ,him alone to look to4 ,natives were kind1 but not capable of giving much help--they rather look to us for it--and poor things1 we did pity them1 when it was known that he had bought a large stock of ammunition1 including balls1 and that he stayed behind6 8,it turned out to be the schooner ,daphne for ,fiji2 and the ,government agent sent half a sovereign in a note1 begging for opium1 as he had seventy-five people on board1 and one case of #8assured sickness4' ,john1 of course1 returned the money1 but sent opium pills1 laudanum1 and chlorodyne1 having no opium4 ,we were glad of the opportunity of sending a few hurried notes1 bearing a month's later date than the ,dayspring1 which left on the #adth ,november4 ,this is the only other ,vessel that has called at our ,island1 since we returned1 except the ,dayspring4444 8,christmas came next in order4 ,the little stockings had been duly filled the night before1 as ,f4 took care to have ,j4's and his hung up1 with dim eyes at the thought of the other three which had been filled the year before4 ,it turned out to be a bright day2 the bairns were jubilant over their gifts2 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-light4 ,litsi's face beamed at having an hour or two with us all1 for ,mungaw did not allow her over her own fence1 or any one to go near her2 and1 as all the women were frightened1 his commands were obeyed to the letter1 except by us1 and for her sake even ,i had to go stealthily with food 7he starved her71 as he beat her when he found it out4 ,our girls did not require two biddings to put a plentiful supper before her1 and were cheering her under breath with the hope that his canoe might turn bottom up and he get eaten with a shark1 when the most unearthly yell from the shore turned us all pale with terror1 and #8,mungaw6' was gasped from every lip4 ,litsi flew home1 in terror lest he should find her out4 ,the villagers seized their muskets and ran to protect their boys1 and ,john and ,i to our knees in the ,study4 ,but the whole turned out to be a hoax6 ,the boys' canoe had upset among the reefs1 and though they could swim like corks1 and were in no danger1 it was their pleasure thus to exercise their lungs while splashing about4444 8,mungaw made rather a sad ,new ,year's ,day for us1 though4 ,while we were at breakfast1 more people assembled in the ,imrai and high words ensued4 ,john went out to them1 determined to sift the matter to the bottom2 and at last it came out that ,mungaw had gone the day before to the village of ,towleka1 and said that the people of ,inahutshi were going to shoot them on the morrow1 and then he deliberately walked to ,inahutshi and told them the same thing about the people of ,towleka4 ,he was bent upon war2 wanted1 in his own words1 #8to see blood run4' ,burning houses1 and he had burnt several1 was becoming rather tame work2 and he wanted something more exciting4 ,he boastfully acknowledged the part he had acted the day before1 declaring that if they had not said they were going to fight they meant it1 which was worse--better to have it out and done with--why else were they carrying their muskets8 ,this was a little too much for their patience1 and they did lay about him with their tongues1 saying it was he and he alone who had introduced this carrying of muskets1 by flying about with his own and threatening to kill everybody4 ,he then said1 that if they were not going to fight they ought to come out boldly for the ,worship 7he certainly did not approve of doing things by halves71 singling out by name those whom he knew to have little differences with each other1 and ordering them to shake hands and exchange pigs there and then6 8,when ,john thought they'd had enough of it1 for ,mungaw was getting excited with his nonsense1 he suggested that one of them should engage in prayer and let them then get home4 ,a fine old ,chief stood up under the banyan tree1 and1 waving his hand with a majesty a ,native can assume at times1 offered a simple1 earnest prayer1 and the people quietly dispersed4 ,but ,mungaw tried hard to get them together again1 and insisted upon everybody being converted on the spot4 ,he kept on this religious tack for about a fortnight1 which was very pleasant1 as it allowed us to sit with open windows and doors1 and get fresh air and freedom4 8,one day1 when he was unusually gushing and had presented a pig and food to the very men he had sought to murder1--his speech indicating that the ,millennial ,reign was about to commence on ,aniwa under his auspices1--a ,church member said1 #8,i think1 ,mungaw1 the people will understand us better1 if we burn our muskets and show that we'll not fight1 whatever they may do2 here goes mine6' ,and suiting the action to the word1 he broke and flung his musket into the flames4 ,mungaw immediately followed suit1 with a grand flourish1 to the intense relief of all around1 for he was a much less formidable personage without the musket1 though he still fancied himself a great king4 ,he sent in for a black suit1 and permission to conduct the ,worship next ,sunday1 which of course he did not get4 8,john sent for him and had long talks with him2 but saw it was little use1--he was so crazed1 and thought every one in the wrong but himself4 ,his standing grievance against ,john was--that he kept all the collections 767 taken at the close of ,mission addresses 7he insisted they went into his private pocket71 and did not halve them with him1 though he helped him to speak4 8,he never forgot the scenes he saw in that den of iniquity to which some wretches took him in ,melbourne1 under pretence of kindness1 when ,john was unable from my sudden illness in the country to take him home4 ,it bamboozled his then simple mind1 how in a land of ,gospel light such appliances could be deliberately and systematically set on foot for the on-carrying of evil4 ,i do think1 that for their light1--mind1 ,i say for their light--our black ,christianity is superior to the white4 ,the ,natives often said1--#8,how is it1 ,missi1 that he was so good and strong for the ,worship before he went to your good ,land1 and has been nothing but a plague since he returned8' ,john1 of course1 emphatically cleared the #8good ,land' from all blame1 adding that he would take care not to give any of the rest of them a chance of going daft by a trip to ,australia6 ,they don't pursue the argument after that1 as all are eager to go1 and perfectly willing1 they say1 to accept the risk4 8,it was a blessing the ,natives were so kind1 and oh1 how we experienced that #8,god stayeth ,his rough wind in the day of ,his east wind'2 for except the trouble with ,mungaw1 we had no other serious ones to contend with1 and ,he gave us to realize as ,i at least never did in the same way how entirely the work was ,his4 ,it looked so mysterious1 that after we had come down at such a sacrifice to health and family ties to devote our whole time to the work1 it should be so retarded by one individual2 for often1 at his worst1 only eight or ten had the courage to come to ,school1 and we could as well have taught fifty4 ,but we could leave it trustingly to the ,lord1 feeling that all we had to do was the work ,he laid to our hands from day to day4 ,what a restful feeling it gives one to be #8only an instrument in ,his hand4'444 8,litsi was the one most in danger1 her house standing a little below ours1 and ,i having been roused at three o'clock to attend her only the morning before1 ,john was very averse to my going1 in the circumstances2 and ,i fain would have contented myself with sending her comforts1 but ,i could not think to leave her with her mad husband1 who had still sternly refused to let any one go near her2 so ,i hurriedly dressed1 roused the cook to boil the kettle1 and took one of my girls with a lamp4 ,we found to my intense relief the baby already born1 and ,mungaw so delighted at having another son that he was inclined to be tolerably kind4 ,i took advantage of his mood--as it was through him ,i could reach ,litsi--praised him for being such a clever doctor1 and advised him to get her into the house out of the raw cold air1 and offered him the services of my girl to light a fire1 which he graciously condescended to accept6 ,when ,i went back with some tea and things for the baby1 they looked much more comfortable1 ,litsi sitting in the house by a bright fire1 with the lamp beside her4 ,urging her to lie down1 ,i returned home and looked into the girls' house to see how it was faring with my other invalid1--for dear ,yawaci had been carried to us at her own request in a dying state40444 8,all that day was spent running betwixt the invalids4 ,dangerous symptoms ensued with ,litsi4 ,mungaw got fearfully excited at a lot of women coming to see her1 and stood over her with his loaded musket 7he had stolen another1 as the pious fit did not last long71 appealing to me whether his word as ,chief should be obeyed or not4 ,i seconded his efforts1 as they were doing no good1 and got them cleared to a little distance--at hand if they were needed1 and by deferential behaviour got him to let me come and go with food1 etc4 ,he attributed her illness to an absurd crotchet of his own1 and held to it that she would be better at sundown4 ,meanwhile1 the time was being wasted1 and we had so many anxious thoughts4 ,was it right that her life should be sacrificed to a madman's freaks8 ,was it right to give in to him1 or how far was it right to risk his wrath8 ,we took it all to our ever-present ,counsellor2 and then ,john decided that if ,i found her no better he would go himself1 whatever the consequences4 8,on my way ,i met ,mungaw coming in at the gate with the empty dishes1 and he said quite humbly that he was wrong in his supposition1 and would like exceedingly if the ,missi tan 7 man ,missi7 would go and see her1 for he did not know what to do4 ,john soon put matters all right1 telling them there was no cause for alarm1--gave directions about one or two things that had been neglected1 and ordered fomentations4 ,she had no more relapses1 and he really seemed grateful the next morning when he came for her breakfast1 as ,i could not go to her very early on account of the tidal wave4 8,poor ,yawaci was our chief care after that4 ,it seemed strange that ,litsi1 who so longed for death1 should survive so much ill usage1 for ,i could not pen a fiftieth part of the cruelty--the refinement of cruelty--with which he treated her4 ,one instance will suffice4 ,we missed him from ,church one ,sabbath1 and found that he had spent the time skinning the lower part of her face and pinching little bits of flesh out of her chest from shoulder to shoulder1 threatening her with his club if she dared to cry out4 ,you will wonder that the ,natives did not interfere4 ,we began to lose all patience with them4 ,i remember ,mr4 ,inglis once saying1 #8,it was worth living twenty years on the ,islands just to know what we owed to ,christianity1' and how ,i thought they were stupid who did not find out all that in six months or less6 ,i myself have had to live twelve years on ,aniwa1 however1 to know what we owe to ,lunatic ,asylums1 and also to learn how exclusively a man's wife is regarded as his own peculiar property--that is1 to be used exactly as he likes4 ,they would as soon think of interfering with a man's conduct to his wife1 as we would if in civilization a man chose to burn his own carpet or smash his own timepiece4 ,they would break out into the most amused smile1 when ,john was begging them to protect her1 and say1 #8,but1 ,missi1 it's his own wife6' ,of course1 they were mad enough at him1 ,litsi being a general favourite1 but could not well see their right to interfere4 8,yawaci's breathing was rather easier2 and about eight o'clock1 after getting all she could want for the night1 we were so thankful to see her lie down for the first time1 and fondly hoped she was beginning to recover4 ,she called the girls round her1 telling them to sing2 and1 after beginning the translation of #8,nearer1 my ,god1 to ,thee1' ,i slipped away leaving them singing it1 and got to my bed thoroughly exhausted4 ,through the night1 her husband knocked at our bedroom window1 saying she was dying4 ,john sprang up and went to her side1 offering a short prayer1 but her spirit fled before he had done1 and she was buried amid heart-felt lamentations before ,church ,service on ,sabbath1 #crd ,february4 ,our hearts were like to break1 for she had been a faithful attached servant--daughter1 rather--to us for ten years2 a sweet little thing about eight or nine when she first came1 and every year we liked her better4 ,she had a great lump of heart1 and ,i can never forget her devoted care of us all at that time when we were both laid up and our precious baby died4 ,it was she ,i trusted to put the little form in its last resting-place1 myself too weak to move6 ,it was so sad to see her friends going about the next few days1 their eyes red and swollen with weeping4 ,weeks after1 on putting her ,photo4 into the hands of one of the sewing women1 her head sank lower over it till the heavy sobs welled up2 and as it was passed from one to another1 there was hardly a dry eye--so generally was she beloved4 ,you have all the same likeness1 a true one1 taken in ,melbourne4 ,mungaw's was not so good--at least it did not do him justice in his best days2 but it is charming to what he looked like in his last few months--his face was so wild and ghastly4 8,poor fellow1 ,i would fain pass over his sad end2 but ,i must hasten on and have done with him1 as ,i daresay you are as tired of the subject as ,i4 ,the last open break out with his wife was on the day that her baby was three weeks old4 ,he was in a very excited state in the morning1 threw off his clothing1 stuck on paint 7he supplied himself with balls of blue from our washing-house671 and seizing his musket1 said he was going to shoot some one ere he returned4 ,the alarm spread1 and ,john came to me at the sewing class to warn the women2 but he soon came back1 and ,i dismissed the ,school1 feeling anxious to get the children into the house 7,john would not budge from his usual work1 but he had always ,natives with him71 and get doors and windows shut4 ,they had hardly gone when terrible screams came from his house1 and ,i flew to implore our cooks to protect ,litsi4 ,just then ,john rushed past me1 telling me ,i must not hinder him1 as he could not hear that poor girl being killed4 ,our boys ran with him1 and met ,litsi running from her house covered with blood streaming from the back of her head4 ,john caught her as she fell forward in a fainting fit1 and a woman caught up her baby2 they were carried to the ,imrai1 where ,john bound up her head and revived her with brandy and water4 ,i sent her some fresh clothes1 as ,john would not let me see her till she was revived and doctored1 and ,i followed with some dinner4 ,her tormentor was coming too1 but ,john gave him a look which made him disappear into the bush in quick style4 ,he re-appeared with the utmost coolness in a nice clean shirt about half an hour afterwards1 and walked right into the ,mission ,premises1 helping about a score of men to carry a huge log of wood which ,john had asked them to bring for some purpose4--,i forget what4 ,during the afternoon ,school he sat eyeing ,litsi and grinning from the opposite side of the ,imrai1 and chatting with the passers-by1 as if he had done no wrong6 8,poor ,litzi sat leaning against the ,church fence1 too weak to notice anything1 but thought she was safer there when ,john had to be in ,school4 ,he told the ,natives that she must not be left to her husband's tender mercies any longer1 but that they must take her to one of their distant villages1 and if need be protect her with their muskets4 ,our house was too near2 and besides1 if he burnt it to get her it would simply mean death to us all1--our food was in it1 and neither of us being extra strong1 we could not exist on roots and leaves like ,natives1--whereas any of their houses could be replaced in a few days4 ,he said also that it would never do for him to use arms1--his work was to teach1 theirs to protect each other when necessary4 ,they all saw the force of his words and heartily agreed with him1 but all managed to back out of it1 one after another1 ,litsi being too high-spirited to ask protection from any of them4 8,when we heard that she was left with only a few women we both felt it our duty to shelter her1 regardless of consequences1 and ran out to fetch her2 but the poor girl had fled with her two little ones to hide for the night in a plantation1 one or two women keeping her company4 8,amid all her own danger1 she was mindful of us1 and sent a messenger to warn us that ,mungaw would be sure to burn the house that night if he could4 ,we had a few necessaries selected1 a cask of flour1 hops for yeast1 changes of clothing1 etc41 to put into the ,printing ,office1 which would not burn so easily with its zinc roof2 but when our ,aneityumese ,teacher came after dark for their quiet removal1 ,mungaw accompanied him as far as the door6 ,we all laughed4 ,it was no use1 with such a vigilant spy upon all our movements4 ,but we were specially reminded of some ,one watching over us4 8,it began to pour torrents of rain1 as it so often did when there was imminent danger1 and ,i sent coverings for the wanderers1 hot tea1 etc41 by a circuitous path1 with orders to take them to another invalid should ,mungaw meet them4 ,our girls entered eagerly into it1 and poor ,litsi was made tolerably comfortable in body for the night1 there being an old deserted hut in the plantation4 ,next morning1 her cousin whispered to me that two men had taken her under protection to ,towleka1 a village a mile off1 and that ,mungaw had no idea of her whereabouts1 supposing her to be with us1 as he had sent word the evening before that he would kill her if she went anywhere else4 8,he got fearfully roused at not finding her by the afternoon1 and sprang up after writing a line or two of his copy 7he insisted on attending ,school7 to go in search1 beginning at the nearest villages1 armed with club and killing-stone1 and nearly frightening the life out of a dumpy little virago1 who was in the habit of hen-pecking her own husband4 ,it was capital to see her thoroughly cowed for once6 ,his wrath grew with his want of success2 and1 returning after school1 he told our boys in a tone of suppressed rage that he was now going to ,towleka to kill ,litsi if he found her there4 ,one of them flew through the bush to warn her of his approach1 and ,john and ,i went to the ,study to commit her to ,god4 ,i think ,i would have gone mad myself1 if we had not had our never-failing ,refuge in these troublous times6 8,we heard after retiring for the night an infant's piteous wail1 and found that1 failing to get the mother 7for the ,natives would not let him finish her quite1 though he dragged her out of the house by her hair1 wool rather71 he had torn the baby from her and rushed home with it1 knowing that she would follow it at any risk4 ,it was awfully hard to keep ,john in the house1 but ,i felt there was not the slightest use in going4 ,we heard other voices remonstrating1 and the cries ceasing we knew that ,litsi had come4 ,about midnight1 what seemed to be the death wail in ,litsi's voice made us think he had murdered the baby4 ,it continued for about three hours1 and rose to a perfect agony of distress before stopping4 ,on inquiry at daybreak1 for which we anxiously waited1 it turned out that he had tied her arms and legs in the most savage manner1 only loosing her when two or three ,natives went to the rescue4 ,it was at the risk of their lives they did it1 and all warned us not to go to their house that morning1 as he was raving mad and would not hesitate to kill any one coming near4 8,we just felt that poor ,litsi had all the more right to our sympathy1 when no one else would go4 ,they insisted that she was dead and the baby too1 there was such silence round all the place4 ,john would not let me go alone1 and ,i would not let him go alone1 so we compromised the matter by going together1 and took a plentiful breakfast as an excuse for intruding on his lordship's privacy1 the ,natives looking after with wistful eyes1 but not one offering to accompany us to the lion's den6 ,i trembled violently1 though ,i felt the ,lord was with us1 and was almost relieved when we found the house deserted2 but ,john called aloud for ,litsi several times1 and at last she came staggering from an enclosure opposite1 from which the occupant had fled when ,mungaw first went mad4 ,she was trembling with pain and weakness1 and when we were going over the stile1 she looked back alarmed and said1 #8,you'd better not1 ,missi1' so we spoke a few cheering words as we stood1 and told her again that our house was open to her1 night or day1 whenever she needed shelter4 8,some of the ,church members came to ask what was to be done with him4 ,tieing only made him worse2 confining or shooting were the only other alternatives4 ,to confine him was impossible4 ,were they to shoot him8 ,john1 of course1 would not hear of that1 and they asked if there was no sort of medicine to cure madness6 ,a near friend got him away to his village1 where they had a long talk1 and warned him of the consequences4 ,the moment he went1 ,i ran off to sit awhile with ,litsi4 ,we feared she would sink under her trials1 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 books4 ,it seemed as if the ,words were printed for our express circumstances and comfort4 ,my own morning ,reading was in the ,psalms1 and ,i never felt them so suitable4 ,the very ones ,i used to think ,david had written in a fit of indigestion were fraught with the deepest comfort and meaning1 and favourite passages were more precious than ever4 ,i never noticed before that the passage1 #8,lead me to the ,rock that is higher than ,i1' begins with #8,from the end of the ,earth will ,i cry unto ,thee1'--so applicable to us6 ,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 ,bible2 and ,i see ,bowen in his #8,daily ,meditations' says the same in reference to ,india1 where he laboured so devotedly as a ,missionary4 ,we have another precious book which we were reading aloud and enjoyed next to the ,bible1--,boardman's #8,in the ,power of the ,spirit1' given us also before leaving ,australia4 8,how we wished poor ,litsi could share all these privileges1 and wondered if her faith were keeping alive at all1 but her spirit was beautifully submissive4 ,when ,i told her that1 however difficult it might be for her to believe it1 her ,saviour ,god was tenderly caring for her every moment and would not let her have one more trial than she could bear1 and that it would relieve her to take all her sorrows to ,him1 she replied1 #8,oh1 ,i know it1 ,missi2 my whole words now are prayer2 for ,i have no one else to speak to1 and would have gone mad if ,i could not have told my ,saviour6 ,i tell ,him everything1 and know that it is all right even if ,mungaw should kill me1 for he can't harm me beyond the grave4' ,i told her not a single night passed that we were not engaging in prayer for her1 and she said1--#8,these prayers have been answered2 for he has had the wish to kill me and burn your house1 and he could easily have done both had not ,god prevented4' 8,the whole provocation 7,i forgot to say7 he had for laying her head open at this time1 was her saying1 #8,oh1 don't do that6' when he got up to burn the fine new house he had nearly completed4 ,she learned never again to contradict him1 even when he made the wildest proposals4 ,the next house he burnt1 a neighbour's1 he told her with a diabolical grin 7he had such a beautiful smile in his sane days67 of his purpose1 and she merely said1 #8,are you8' and slipped round to take everything valuable out of it1 as the owners were living a week or two on a lonely little islet adjoining this1 where the ,natives often go for change and fishing4 ,of course1 they said nothing about it on their return2 no one in the ,island was prepared to tackle such a character1 and he presumed accordingly1 turning his attentions more to the general public after this1 and dividing his favours pretty equally over the whole ,island4 ,he plundered the plantations in rotation1 and shot all the pigs which came in his way1 bringing ,litsi part of the spoil2 but she suddenly seemed possessed of the spirit of half a dozen1 sternly refusing to touch one morsel of stolen food1 and took their eldest little boy to the furthest village1 begging the people to keep him as he was too young to refuse what was stolen4 ,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 live1 and would bring a judgment on the whole ,island4 ,she had such a chance through the night when he fell into a deep sleep 7the first time he was known to sleep for many weeks71 and she had a great wish to take his life1 but was afraid ,god would not like it4 8,i confirmed her fears and counselled patience a little longer1 as the ,missi was getting the boat repaired to go to ,tanna1 and it was well known ,mungaw wanted to go there and stay a while4 ,this was the last hope of the whole ,island1 and all were eager to see the boat finished1 none more so than ,i1 having an additional reason1 viz41 that it took ,john away to a distance nearly the whole day1 and though he always left me with a body-guard he was not so careful of himself4 ,i must say1 the ,natives were very thoughtful about him1 however1 and would not let him continue to take his nightly turns in watching our house4 ,they begged him to arm himself1 but that1 of course1 he would not do4 ,he and our ,aneityumese ,teacher were the only ones who would not carry a weapon of any kind1 or give in to him when it was right to be firm1 and they were the only two ,mungaw had the slightest fear of2 but he kept prowling about our ,premises day and night1 for what intent he best knew4 ,when he used to set off on his peregrinations1 it was such a relief to throw windows and doors open for air2 but back he would come with the rapidity of a race horse4 ,many a fainting fit he gave me2 and ,f4 used to get white to the lips when he appeared4 ,even little ,j4 began to lisp1--#8,i frightened ,mungaw6' 8,about the only time ,i was thankful to see him come was after he had been tracking ,john's footsteps closer than ,i liked4 ,i was watching him from our front verandah as he went off to his boat1 the two lads a little before1 when ,mungaw suddenly appeared close behind him--axe in hand4 ,i could see a long way1 and when ,john stooped to examine a bush or fern ,mungaw stopped too1 always keeping right at his back4 ,visions of the murdered ,gordons rose vividly before me1 and ,i felt distracted4 ,i knew that ,john and the boys were on their guard1 and plenty of ,natives were about1 but a blow could be so easily struck6 ,i went in-doors and told my ,god and then our ,aneityumese ,teacher 7we showed as little fear as possible before our ,natives71 so that if he thought there was real danger he would go to him4 ,he looked anxious and questioned me minutely1 but went on quietly with his work1 and ,i tried to follow his example2 but my feet would carry me to the verandah1 till the welcome sight of that usually dreaded form1 tossing his axe in the air and catching it by the handle1 allayed all fears1 for ,i knew that had he done any harm he would have rushed into hiding4 8,his last days were spent pulling up the people's bananas and sugar-cane1 destroying what he could not devour4 ,he took our boys' blankets and boxes1 and walked off with the lookingglass from the girls' house4 ,just the ,sunday morning before he was shot he turned out all the girls' boxes while we were at breakfast1 and pranced up and down our front verandah4 ,we had just finished our own ,family ,worship1 and ,john was going off for a little quiet to his ,study1 when we heard the ,church bell being furiously rung a full hour before the time6 ,the ,natives already gathered stood staring at each other in consternation1 others hurried forward1 thinking they were late1 and the usual bell-ringer came panting to know why the work was so unceremoniously taken out of his hands6 ,the more they begged ,mungaw to leave off the quicker he rang1 till ,john ran out and ordered him to stop instantly1 which he did4 8,he did not trouble us another ,sunday1 poor fellow1 but he gave me two or three thorough frights through the week1 once surprising me suddenly on the verandah1 when mounted on a high box1 and oil-painting the woodwork of the house4 ,on the following ,saturday morning1 as we were in the garden1 ,litsi passed the fence and ,i ran to her4 ,she said1 #8,when will the boat be ready1 ,missi8' ,i told her that there was just a little paint to finish to-day1 and it would sail on ,monday1 so she would have only two days more of endurance4 ,she jumped and clapped her hands1 saying1 #8,my heart sings1 for he's sure to go6' 8,but that same evening1 as we sat at a late tea1 our spirits brighter than usual1 feeling that relief was near 7though it came not in the way we expected71 for the ,dayspring was to leave ,sydney on ,monday and would be getting nearer us every day1 we heard the fatal shot go off close beside us6 ,we have heard as loud reports and even nearer1 when they were killing flying foxes or birds1 which caused us nothing more than a start and a laugh2 but there was something in that which made us spring simultaneously from our seats and stand in awe4 ,john said1 #8,some one is shot6 ,either ,mungaw1 or some one by his hand4' ,he had barely uttered the words1 when the awful death-wail in ,litsi's voice confirmed our fears4 ,our girls rushed in from the bath-room1 where they had been filling baths and getting all ready for ,sunday1 and said1 #8,that's ,mungaw1 ,missi1 for the ,inahutshi people told us not to be alarmed if we heard a shot after dark1 as we would know it was ,mungaw killed4' 8,it had all been deliberately arranged1 and we knew not a word about it4 ,john said1 #8,then ,i must run and see what ,i can do for the poor fellow1' and was off2 but another loud report made me implore him to come back1 till we ascertained certainly what the matter was1 as he might be shot in the dark without any one meaning it1 and ,f4 decided the matter by saying in a faint voice1 #8,papa1 will you stay and take care of us8' ,his papa put his arm round him and said1 #8,yes1 my boy1 ,i'll not leave the room again4' 8,two or three ,natives came to tell us that ,mungaw was shot dead1 and that ,john's going would be no use now4 ,he engaged in prayer1 and oh1 how our hearts bled for the poor fellow6 ,now that his sad end had come1 we could only think of him as he once was2 as1 for instance1 we saw him one evening years before stand calm and tranquil1 with three enraged men pointing their muskets at him for spoiling some ,heathen performance1 and telling them he would not fight1 and that the worst they could do would only send him to ,heaven4 ,or again1 as he used to go about pleading with the young boys 7a mere boy himself7 not to follow the footsteps of their fathers1 but come out decidedly for the ,lord ,jesus4 ,or again1 we thought of the time when he was ,john's right hand man1 and would almost have laid down his life to serve him4 ,his two nearest friends1 on coming to ask if they would bury him at once1 laid down their heads and sobbed aloud1 though1 like all the ,aniwans1 they had wished for his death4 ,it was a sad1 sad night2 the hurried and midnight burial1 the suppressed excitement1 the fear and uncertainty about the real murderers and what would follow next1 and last of all that young and once noble fellow cut down in the midst of his days4 8,he had just left our ,premises and gone home for supper1 and then had worship 767 with ,litsi1 after which she told him not to go outside1 as two or three men had been watching for three nights to get a good aim at him4 ,he courted death and would go out1 saying to ,litsi1 #8,you come with me4' ,she went out first and thought she saw a man standing2 but next moment the attention of both was suddenly directed to a meteor in its transit1 and while gazing at it the musket went off1 going through ,mungaw's body from arm to arm4 ,he fell down by his own door1 crying1 #8,awai6' 7 ,alas671 and died immediately1 the murderers making their escape as they shot the other musket into the air4444 8,you may be sure1 after these trying times and seven months' utter silence regarding our absent ones1 we were intensely delighted to welcome the dear old ,dayspring once more4 ,but strange as it may seem1 this is our most trying time2 for all the anxiety of the past months seems to accumulate into an agony of suspense1 from the time her sails are discerned till we have opened the most desired-for letters of our mail and found all well4 ,she arrived at ,aniwa just two days after we calculated upon seeing her1 ,april #bdth4 ,the first announcement of her approach came as we were assembled in ,church at three o'clock for the prayer-meeting2 and ,i'm afraid the ,services had not their usual interest for me6 ,how ,john could proceed quietly with his address1 under the excitement1 was a puzzle2 for ,i saw him start1 and we exchanged earnest looks1 as the well-known cry greeted our ears1 and then two ,natives came panting in with beaming faces1 darting intelligent looks all around4 8,the ,service did come to an end at last1 and then every one's tongue was loosed4 ,it was the ,dayspring without doubt2 but was there wind enough to bring her in that day8 ,i made an agreement with the herd who went for the goats to shout again if it were very near1 and soon a dozen voices yelled back the answer4 ,i flew to give orders for all sorts of preparations1 but not a girl was to be found1 all having rushed up the hill to see for themselves2 and when they came1 they were so mad with joyful excitement1 that instead of their usual respectful demeanour they tumbled heels over head on the verandah two or three times1 before they could compose themselves to work2 and so many little things waiting to be done6444 8,we gathered round such a happy tea-table2 for it is the most exquisite treat to have intercourse with kindred spirits in our own tongue1 after jabbering so many months to the ,darkies1 and to get all the news from the civilized world4 ,such a ,mail too6 ,over one hundred letters1 and no end of papers4 ,we simply looked at all your different handwritings1 but devoured our bairns' monthly budgets that night after our visitors had retired to their rooms4444 8,the second ,communion since our return also took place at this time1 and was a season of great refreshing and comfort2 but the sight of that little group of ,communicants is always too much for me1 especially when they stand up to sing so heartily6 ,i could fain lay down my head and sob1 were it not that ,i have the harmonium to attend to and must crush my heart down as best ,i can4 ,all our trials and privations1 looked at in the light of that little sable band 7glancing back at what they once were7 now sitting at their ,lord's ,table1 seem as nothing--as less than nothing4 8,a stranger might simply have his risibles excited by the somewhat grotesque costume of the congregation4 ,indeed1 ,i had to turn away my own head1 as our two worthy ,elders came in for the #8,elements' before the ,service1 with the most imposing gravity1 with manifest devotion in their looks1 but in all the dignity of their office1 and with special hats to grace the occasion4 ,the one had his white shirt done up round his hat so as to represent a puggaree1 and1 as it hung a long way behind1 he had to keep his head well-balanced for fear of it falling back4 ,as for the other1 who or what his hat had been originally intended for1 we were at a loss to divine6 ,it has always been our difficulty to get them large enough to include their wool2 but this1 a light grey chimney-pot1 overtopped wool and all till it rested on the tip of his nose1 which fortunately being a very large one prevented his face from disappearing altogether6444 8,the ,captain's plan was to land us on ,sunday morning1 lie off and on till ,monday to land our luggage and some wood ,john had bought on ,aneityum1 and then return for the ,mc,donalds at ,port ,resolution on his way northward4 ,mrs4 ,milne and ,i lay pillowed on deck1 enjoying the moonlight till quite late1 and having such a musical treat from ,mr4 ,michelsen1 who sings and accompanies himself on the guitar with great taste4 ,he had been playing it on deck in the afternoon1 and we begged him to bring it up again after tea4 ,the moon was brilliantly reflected on the water1 and the ship lying so still1 when he began with the exquisite guitar accompaniment to sing #8,jesus1 lover of my soul1'--the ,missionaries standing round and joining softly in parts1 while we were quietly crying4 ,i have heard ,oratorios in the old country rendered so that they almost took one out of the body1 but never anything that went to my heart like this6 ,you would need to take in the whole circumstances to know how we felt it4 ,the ,vessel1 with her little band of ,missionaries so far from kindred and country1 and about to separate for their lonely homes1 and we knew not how much trial awaiting them6444 8,we have already #fjj lbs4 of ,arrowroot 7to pay for the ,gospel-books7 put up1 mostly in #aj lb4 bags4 ,the ,natives are still making more1 and the demands upon me for calico have been endless4 ,after ransacking boxes for every inch that could be got to dry it upon and to make bags1 ,i had to sacrifice all my common sheets and table-cloths2 and1 while trying to bear up under this calamity with ,christian fortitude1 ,john roused all the old ,adam in me1 by coolly bidding me be quick and get out my linen ones and best table-cloths1 as it was a splendid day for drying6 ,i emphatically declared that my few best things should remain untouched1 though the ,natives should never get their books2 and1 by a little management in making the others do1 ,i have kept to my wicked vow4444 8,it is now the #ast of ,august1 though ,i see that ,i began this on the #hth of ,july1 and ,i have not begun to write a single private letter1 and so many to answer2 and the huge piles1 which made our eyes dance with joy on receiving them1 are regarded rather ruefully1 now that we have got to reply to them6 ,i must leave out1 therefore1 all other items of interest which ,i intended writing1 as this is already far too long1--and close with warmest love from 8,your ever-loving ,sister1 8,,maggie ,,whitecross ,,paton40 7#ahgi47 ,,to ,,the ,,family ,,circle4 8,,my ,,dearest ,,sisters ,,and ,,brothers1--4444 8,our next bit of excitement was on ,new ,year's ,day1 when the usual shooting match came off1 and prizes were awarded to the winners4 ,the most amusing part to us was the racing amongst younger boys and girls4 ,the ,chief1 whom ,john had placed in charge of the prizes1 would put a belt1 necktie1 or bit of red calico on a post at a certain distance off1 and then the word of command was given to the eager little monkeys1 and they made such a scramble as they neared it6 ,the grand entertainment1 however1--the ,magic ,lantern1 was reserved for the evening1 and was quite a success4 ,everybody on the island that was able to crawl at all put in an appearance1 including two old bed-ridden women1 who set out in the early morning and managed a journey of two miles by the time it got dark6 ,john had all ,mr4 ,watt's slides1 as well as his own1 and the ,natives were in perfect ecstasies of delight the whole evening2 but when he finished off with #8the revolving light1' they fairly yelled with delight and amazement1 declaring it must be #8,tetovas' 7 gods7 who made that6444 8,the ,vessel turned out to be a ,slaver1 and sent in a boat with ,native crew and two white men in search of ,natives4 ,the boat kept in deep water just outside the reef1 and some ,aniwans waded out and were shouted to in #8,sandal-wood ,english4' ,they wanted men or boys1 and would give a musket for every one they got4 ,our ,natives shouted back that they were #8,missi's worshipping people1' and did not want to go with ,traders4 ,one of the white men stupidly 7it must have been in fun7 levelled a musket at one of our ,natives1 when the cap snapped and set the ,natives in a great rage1 believing that he tried to kill some of them4 ,the man levelled at1 a fiery fellow1 a returned labourer1 flew for his musket and would have made short work with the white man1 had not ,john and the ,church members interfered1--,john actually standing right between him and the boat to prevent shots being fired4 ,he waved the boat off with his hat1 pointing to the armed men1 which they seemed to comprehend1 and after returning hats they made for the ship1 which soon disappeared in the horizon4 8,i was annoyed enough at ,john exposing himself1 not that a person on ,aniwa now would harm him1 for ,i often wish that they loved their ,saviour as much as they do their ,missionary1 but it is seldom one's duty to stand in the way of loaded muskets6 ,you would hardly believe1 though1 the kind of thanks he got from the wretches he tried to save4 ,they went to ,fat1 wrote out a paper to the effect that #8they had called at ,aniwa for labourers1 but that the ,missionary1 ,mr4 ,paton1 had come out to attack them at the head of an armed party4 ,the man in charge of the boat1 however1 had ,mr4 ,paton covered with his rifle1 so that had a single shot been fired into it he would have fallen in revenge4' ,and the paper has been posted up on the door of the principal store in ,havannah ,harbour6 ,those are the sort of men1 authorized by our ,british ,government to scour these ,islands4 ,we were perfectly thunderstruck when ,mr4 ,mc,donald happened to mention it to ,john1 after he had decided to go ,north1 in case he should see it himself4 ,mr4 ,mc,donald sees enough of the ,traders and their doings1 and treated it with amused contempt as it deserved4 8,it is nearly as bad as the ,nguna case1 where the chief mate of the ,jason swore in a ,queensland law-court that the ,rev4 ,p4 ,milne caused the ,natives to fire into his boat4 ,a ,man-of-war was despatched to inquire into the proceedings of this dreadful ,missionary1 and it was proved that poor ,mr4 ,milne was sound asleep in his bed 7it was early morning71 and did not even know of the affray till months after it happened4 ,it was the two husbands of two ,native women1 that this honest mate was trying to make off with 7and did make off with71 that owned to having fired the shots6 ,it is not the first time that ,john has interfered to save the worthless lives of these ,slavers2 but the whole fraternity may be riddled with bullets before ,i consent to his stirring his finger again in their miserable quarrels4444 8,litsi has since consoled herself with another husband1--related to poor ,mungaw1 and a real love-match1 as they both freely confessed4 ,litsi was as playful and coy over it as a young lassie2 though1 when she stood up for the ceremony1 she whisperingly informed the bystanders with a giggle that she didn't want to get married6 ,i suppose she thought some appearance of an apology necessary for her third presentation in that ,church as a bride4 ,we felt thankful when the marriage was past1 for there had been the usual scramble to get her and consequent bitterness of feeling by the rejected ones1 some of them far handsomer and better men than the prize winner1 but ,noopooraw had shown the depth of his affection by threatening to kill her if she did not have him1 which according to ,native is the strongest expression of devotion1 and is precisely the same as a wildly-enthusiastic admirer at home threatening to kill himself in similar circumstances4 ,the despairing lover in these ,seas never dreams of taking away his own life1 but hers instead1 finding that probably the more powerful argument of the two6444 8,it is getting very late and ,i must pass over all else and tell you what a charming time we had at ,erromanga1 where the ,mission ,synod was held this year4 ,mrs4 ,mc,donald and ,i were the only ladies to keep ,mrs4 ,robertson company2 and ,i was complimented upon now being the 8mother0 of the ,mission1 and carrying my honours quite becomingly--having become plump and vigorous since the ,hurricane4444 ,it seemed like fairy land to enter dear ,mrs4 ,robertson's pretty1 shady1 cool house after enduring two days' suffocation with the horrid bilge water on board the ,dayspring4444 ,every day brought us fresh pleasures1 afternoon rambles on the mountains and walks by the river course up that beautiful valley1 when #8the brethren' were at liberty to dance attendance on us1 having all their ,synod business over before dinner4444 ,how pleasantly those days flew past1 only they can understand who have been cut off from kindred spirits as we are6 ,we three ladies were1 of course1 all that could be wished for 7872 and every one of the ,missionaries was kinder than another4 ,even in ,synod1 where ,ministers are apt to indulge in the grace of candour to an uncalled-for degree1 there was not a jarring word--owing1 perhaps1 to that bilge water having taken all the bile out of them on the voyage6444 ,the house is charmingly situated on terraced ground at the foot of a high mountain1 near the centre of the ,bay1 with that lovely river to the right flowing past within a few yards of the enclosure4444 ,our eyes were constantly wandering off to the lovely scene before us1--and one with a history too6 ,that very river was once reddened with the blood of ,williams and of ,harris2 and the grass-covered mountain towering up from it was the scene of the ,gordon tragedy1--while their grave-stones gleam white through the greenery on its opposite banks4 ,dear ,mr4 ,mc,nair's grave is close beside them4 ,all looked so peaceful now1 with the ,dayspring lying quietly at anchor in the ,bay1 and canoes manned by ,christian ,natives paddling about in its blue waters6 8,what a contrast to these former days of blood2 and even a contrast1 as the ,robertsons told us1 to what they had to suffer only in ,january last4 ,the ,heathen ,chiefs were getting fierce at the rapid strides ,christianity was making all round the ,island1 and laid a deep plot to take the ,missionaries' lives4 ,they chose their time well1 when nearly all ,mr4 ,robertson's young men were away at ,cook's ,bay2 and you may imagine his and ,mrs4 ,robertson's feelings1 when the alarm got up one night as they sat quietly reading4 ,they went into their bedroom and took their stand beside their three sleeping children4 ,escape by sea was impossible1 even could they get to their boat1 the night being stormy4 ,mrs4 ,robertson turned to her husband and said1--#8,do you think they could touch those sleeping lambs8' ,he smiled bitterly1--#8,what do they care for our sleeping lambs8' ,yomit1 a devoted ,erromangan ,teacher1 came in to them1 and she turned to him1 saying1--#8,o ,yomit1 do you think they could have the heart to kill those little sleeping darlings8' ,he raised his arm and said1--#8,missi1 they'll have to cut this body of mine in pieces ere ever they get near them6' ,he started off and collected all the available help necessary1 sending secret messages overland in different directions to their friends1 so that before morning the ,mission ,house was surrounded by #bjj warriors1 ready to give their lives in defence of their ,missionary4 ,and these were the very men who murdered the ,gordons2--explain the change6 ,jesus has been amongst them6444 8,our visit there was all too short1 as the ,synod lasted only a week4 ,we commemorated the ,lord's ,supper together1 on the ,sabbath evening before we broke up4 ,one evening too there was an interesting ,bible ,society meeting1 at which ,john was ,chairman2 and1 in response to an urgent appeal from ,london1 ,mr4 ,copeland proposed that ,missionaries and seamen should all add a day's wages to their usual subscription--which was most willingly agreed to4444 8,we tore across from ,erromanga with a good wind1 landing about sundown1 and got a warm welcome from our dear old ,darkies1 who had all turned out in their best garments to meet us1 though it was pouring rain4 ,john went on in the ,dayspring to be left on ,tanna for a fortnight at ,kwamera1 to make some small return for the ,watts' great kindness to our ,natives while we were in ,melbourne4444 ,he enjoyed his fortnight there intensely4 ,the ,mission ,premises were like a new pin1 and the ,tannese longing for ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,watts' return with their whole hearts4 ,their little boys and girls at the ,station attended to ,john so faithfully1 and continually followed him about1 asking daily and often in a day the same question1--#8,when will our ,missis be back8' ,there are more than the ,tannese longing for their return1 and it will be a glad day when we see their dear faces again4444 8,john has decided not to make any change for another year1 if at all able to hold on4 ,it is no use now for me to pretend ,i'm delicate1 as appearances so tell against me6 ,but ,i insist that ,i've got heart disease1 and that only the sight of my bairns can cure it4444 8,it is only a week yesterday since ,john returned from ,kwamera1 and was overwhelmed with such an ovation as he never yet got from our ,natives4 ,they opened their hearts to the most unheard-of generosity1 and actually parted with their precious pigs to show their love for him1 besides a great quantity of yam4 ,they also gave a present about half the size of ours to the ,captain of the ,dayspring1--pigs1 yams1 cocoa-nuts1 and bananas4 ,his were laid on the centre patch of grass before the house1 and ,john's to the side1 in front of the ,study door4 ,the pigs 7thirteen in number671 all tied and laid out to be seen to the best advantage 7they were heard too71 so that when ,captain and ,mrs4 ,braithwaite and ,john arrived they were greeted with-- #8,pigs to the right of them1 ,pigs to the left of them1 ,pigs in front of them1 ,guzzling and grunting4' ,how they did grunt6 ,the ,captain growled out his thanks in sailor's phraseology1 which having translated1 ,john walked round to the side1 followed by his grinning ,parishioners1 and politely thanked them for their kind gifts to us1--telling them that it was the feeling which prompted it more than the gift itself which he valued6 ,i felt that he was telling the truth in all sincerity1 for he hates the very sight of pork1 and whispered aside to me1--#8,what on earth are we to do with all these beasts8'444 8,we expect the ,dayspring in about a fortnight to call for our mail1 and as ,i've a very large one to answer it is time it were begun1 for we'll be very much interrupted by the arrowroot making4 ,the whole of the ,natives are busy digging it up at present1 and the ,premises will be like a beehive in a few days when they begin to grate it4 ,we were so pleased to be able to tell them that the last sold so very well through the great kindness of ,melbourne friends4 ,the calico in the ,south ,yarra boxes--worth its weight in gold--is being sewed up into sheets and bags for drying and packing it1 as fast as ever we can2 but we hardly expect it to be ready to go till the ,december trip of the vessel4 ,they are to have another book of the ,bible printed in the ,aniwan language4 8,ever1 with warmest love1 8,your loving ,sister1 8,,maggie ,,whitecross ,,paton40 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,last ,,visit ,,to ,,britain4 8,wanted a ,steam ,auxiliary40--,commissioned ,home to ,britain4--,english ,presbyterian ,synod4--,united ,presbyterian ,synod4--,the 8,veto0 from the ,sydney ,board4--,dr4 ,j4 ,hood ,wilson4--,the ,free ,church ,assembly4--,neutrality of ,foreign ,mission ,committee4--,the ,church of ,scotland4--,at ,holyrood and ,alva ,house4--,the ,irish ,presbyterian ,assembly4--,the ,pan-,presbyterian ,council4--,my 8,plan of ,campaign40-- ,old ,ireland's ,response4--,operations in ,scotland4--,seventy ,letters in a ,day4--,beautiful ,type of ,merchant4--,my ,first #ajj at ,dundee4--,peculiar ,gifts and ,offerings4--,approach to ,london4--,mildmay's ,open ,door4--,largest ,single ,donation4--,personal ,memories of ,london4--,garden-,party at ,mr4 ,spurgeon's4--,the ,hon4 ,ion ,keith-,falconer4--,three ,new ,missionaries4--8,restitution-,money40-- ,the ,farewell at ,mildmay4--,welcome to ,victoria4--,the ,dream of my ,life4--,the ,new ,mission ,ship ,delayed4--,welcome back to ,aniwa4--,parting ,testimony4--,fare-thee-well4 ,in ,december #ahhc1 ,i brought a pressing and vital matter before the ,general ,assembly of the ,presbyterian ,church of ,victoria4 ,it pertained to the ,new ,hebrides ,mission1 to the vastly increased requirements of the ,missionaries and their families there1 and to the fact that the ,dayspring was no longer capable of meeting the necessities of the case1--thereby incurring loss of time1 loss of property1 and risk and even loss of precious lives4 ,the ,missionaries on the spot had long felt this1 and had loudly and earnestly pled for a new and larger ,vessel1 or a ,vessel with ,steam ,auxiliary power1 or some arrangement whereby the work of ,god on these ,islands might be overtaken1 without unnecessary exposure of life1 and without the dreaded perils that accrue to a small sailing ,vessel such as the ,dayspring1 alike from deadly calms and from treacherous gales4 ,the ,victorian ,general ,assembly1 heartily at one with the ,missionaries1 commissioned me to go home to ,britain in #ahhd1 making me at the same time their ,missionary delegate to the ,pan-,presbyterian ,council at ,belfast1 and also their representative to the ,general ,assemblies of the several ,presbyterian ,churches in ,great ,britain and ,ireland4 ,and they empowered and authorized me to lay our proposals about a new ,steam-,auxiliary ,mission ,ship before all these ,churches1 and to ask and receive from ,god's people whatever contributions they felt disposed to give towards the sum of #f1jjj1 without which this great undertaking could not be faced4 ,at ,suez1 ,i forwarded a copy of my commissions from ,victoria1 from ,south ,australia1 and from the ,islands ,synod1 to the ,clerks of the various ,church ,courts1 accompanied by a note specifying my home-address1 and expressing the hope that an opportunity would be given me of pleading this special cause on behalf of our ,new ,hebrides ,mission4 ,on reaching my brother's residence in ,glasgow1 ,i found to my deep amazement that replies awaited me from all the ,churches1 except our own1--i4e41 the ,free ,church1 which ,i call our own1 as having taken over our ,south ,seas ,mission when it entered into ,union with the ,reformed ,presbyterian ,church1 to which ,i originally belonged1 though now ,i was supported by the ,church of ,victoria4 ,this fact pained me4 ,it is noted here4 ,an explanation will come in due course4 ,a few days after my arrival1 ,i was called upon to appear before the ,supreme ,court of the ,english ,presbyterian ,church1 then assembled at ,liverpool4 ,while a hymn was being sung1 ,i took my seat in the pulpit under great depression4 ,but light broke around1 when my dear friend and fellow-student1 ,dr4 ,oswald ,dykes1 came up from the body of the ,church1 shook me warmly by the hand1 whispered a few encouraging words in my ear1 and returned to his seat4 ,god helped me to tell my story1 and the audience were manifestly interested4 ,again1 however1 another indication of a rift somewhere1 unknown to me1 was consciously or otherwise given1 when both the ,moderator and ,professor ,graham1 in addressing the ,deputies and referring to their ,churches and speeches individually1 conspicuously omitted all reference to the ,new ,hebrides and the special proposal which ,i had brought before them4 ,again ,i made a note1 and my wonder deepened4 ,next1 by kind invitation ,i visited and addressed the ,united ,presbyterian ,synod of ,scotland1 assembled in ,edinburgh4 ,my reception there was not only cordial1--it was enthusiastic4 ,though as a ,church they had no denominational interest in our ,mission1 the ,moderator1 amidst the cheers of all the ,ministers and ,elders1 recommended that ,i should have free access to every ,congregation and ,sabbath ,school which ,i found it possible to visit1 and hoped that their generous-hearted people would contribute freely to so needful and noble a cause4 ,my soul rose in praise2 and ,i may here say1 in passing1 that every ,minister of that ,church whom ,i wrote to or visited treated me in the same spirit through all my tour4 ,having been invited by ,mr4 ,dickson1 an ,elder of the ,free ,church1 to address a mid-day meeting of children in the ,free ,assembly ,hall1--and the ,saturday before the ,meeting of ,assembly having now arrived without bringing any reply to my note to be received and heard1 ,i determined to call at the ,free ,church ,offices1 and make inquiries at least4 ,they treated me with all possible kindness and sympathy1 but explained to me the strange perplexity that had been introduced into my case4 ,a letter had been forwarded to them from the ,dayspring ,board at ,sydney1 intimating that the ,victorian ,church had no right to commission me to raise a new ,steam-,auxiliary ,ship without consulting them1 and that they placed their direct veto upon the ,free ,church ,authorities in any way sanctioning that proposal or authorizing me to raise the money4 ,here1 then1 was the rift2 and many things that had recently perplexed me were explained thereby4 ,here is not the place to discuss our differences1 nor shall ,i take advantage of my book to criticize those who have no similar opportunity of answering me4 ,but the facts ,i must relate1 and exactly as they occurred1 to show how the ,lord over-ruled everything for the accomplishment of ,his own blessed purposes4 ,doubtless the friends at ,sydney had their own way of looking at and explaining everything2 and the best of friends must sometimes differ1 even in the ,mission field1 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 ,master4 ,my commission was publicly intimated4 ,communication had also been made to the ,church of ,new ,south ,wales as to appointing me their second representative to the ,pan-,presbyterian ,council1 in connection with my mission to ,britain1 but they replied that one would serve their purpose4 ,and ,south ,australia and ,tasmania were both written to regarding the object of my visit to the home countries4 ,but no note of dissent1 no hint of disapproval from any quarter1 was intimated to the ,victorian ,church1 or in any sense1 directly or indirectly1 reached me till ,i heard of that so-called veto in the ,free ,church ,offices at ,edinburgh4 ,this intimation1 just as ,i was entering the ,assembly ,hall to address a great congregation of children and their friends1 staggered me beyond all description4 ,the ,free ,church alone1 in ,scotland1 now supported our ,new ,hebrides ,mission4 ,from it ,i expected the principal contributions for the sorely-needed new ,mission ,ship4 ,and now1 by the action of the ,dayspring ,board at ,sydney1 the ,free ,church was debarred from acknowledging my three-fold commission or in any direct way sanctioning my appeals4 ,no sorer wound had ever been inflicted on me2 and when ,i sat down on the platform beside ,mr4 ,dickson1 my head swam for several minutes1 and faintishness almost overpowered me4 ,but1 by the time my name was called1 the ,lord my ,helper enabled me to pull myself together2 ,i committed this cause also with unfailing assurance to ,him2 and by all appearances ,i was able greatly to interest and impress the ,children4 ,at the close1 my dear and noble friend1 ,professor ,cairns1 warmly welcomed and cheered me1 and that counted for much amid the depressions of the day4 ,but when all were gone and we two were left1 ,mr4 ,dickson under deep emotion said1-- 8,mr4 ,paton1 that veto has spoiled your mission home4 ,the ,free ,church cannot take you by the hand in face of the veto from ,sydney60 ,having letters from ,andrew ,scott1 ,esquire1 ,carrugal1 my very dear friend and helper in ,australia1 to ,dr4 ,j4 ,hood ,wilson1 ,barclay ,free ,church1 ,edinburgh1 ,i resolved to deliver them that evening2 and ,i prayed the ,lord to open up all my path1 as ,i was thus thrown solely on ,him for guidance and bereft of the aid of man4 ,dr4 ,wilson and his lady1 neither of whom ,i had ever seen before1 received me as kindly as if ,i had been an old friend4 ,he read my letters of introduction1 conversed with me as to plans and wishes 7chiefly through ,mrs4 ,wilson1 for he was suffering from sore throat71 and then he said with great warmth and kindliness1-- 8,god has surely sent you here to-night6 ,i feel myself unable to preach to-morrow4 ,occupy my pulpit in the forenoon and address my ,sabbath ,school1 and you shall have a collection for your ,ship40 ,thereafter1 ,i was with equal kindness received by ,mr4 ,balfour1 having a letter of introduction from his brother1 and he offered me his pulpit for the evening of the day4 ,i lay down blessing and praising ,him1 the ,angel of whose ,presence was thus going before me and opening up my way4 ,that ,lord's ,day ,i had great blessing and joy2 there was an extraordinary response financially to my appeals2 and my proposal was thus fairly launched in the ,metropolis of our ,scottish ,church life4 ,i remembered an old saying1 ,difficulties are made just to be vanquished4 ,and ,i thought in my deeper soul1--,thus our ,god throws us back upon ,himself2 and if these #f1jjj ever come to me1 to the ,lord ,god alone1 and not to man1 shall be all the glory6 ,on the ,monday following1 after a long conversation and every possible explanation1 ,colonel ,young1 of the ,free ,church ,foreign ,missions ,committee1 said1-- 8,we must have you to address the ,assembly on the evening devoted to ,missions40 ,but the rest insisted that1 to keep straight with the ,board at ,sydney1 no formal approval should be given of my proposals4 ,this ,i agreed to1 on condition that the ,committee did not publish the ,sydney veto1 but allowed it simply to lie on their table or in their minutes4 ,thus ,i had the pleasure and honour of addressing that great ,assembly2 and though no notice was taken of my proposals in any 8finding0 of the ,court1 yet many were thereby interested deeply in our work1 and requests now poured in upon me from every quarter to occupy pulpits and receive collections for the new ,ship4 ,still ,i had occasional trouble and misunderstanding through that veto during all my tour in ,britain and ,ireland4 ,it prevented me particularly from getting access to the ,free ,church ,foreign ,missions ,committee1 or addressing them on one single occasion1 though ,i pled hard to be allowed to do so and to explain my position4 ,this ,i felt all the more keenly1 as ,i laboured freely and for weeks1 along with their noble ,missionaries then at home on furlough1 in addressing meetings in ,glasgow1 ,aberdeen1 ,greenock1 etc41 chiefly for ,sabbath ,scholars1 but from which ,i received no help directly in the matter of the ,mission ,ship4 ,doubtless they were trying to do their duty1 and refusing to take either side2 and that they thought they had succeeded appears from the following fact4 ,when rumour reached ,australia that my ,mission home had been under ,god a great success1 a letter came to them from their ,committee's agent in ,sydney as to the 8application0 of the sum that had been raised by me1 to which they replied1-- 8,the ,foreign ,missions' ,committee of the ,free ,church of ,scotland1 in accordance with the action of the ,dayspring ,committee at ,sydney1 have from the first abstained from assisting ,mr4 ,paton in this movement1 believing that the question is one entirely for the ,australian ,churches40 ,at the meeting in the ,assembly ,hall of the ,church of ,scotland1 which1 along with others1 ,i was cordially invited to address1 the good and noble ,lord ,polwarth occupied the chair4 ,that was the beginning of a friendship in ,christ which will last and deepen as long as we live4 ,from that night he took the warmest personal interest1 not only by generously contributing to my fund1 but by organizing meetings at his own ,mansion ,house1 and introducing me to a wide circle of influential friends4 ,every member of his family took 8shares0 in the new ,steam-,auxiliary ,mission ,ship1 and by ,collecting ,cards and otherwise most liberally aided me2 and that not at the start only1 but to the day of my departure1--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 ,fund1--8a thankoffering to the ,lord ,jesus for precious health restored in answer to the prayer of faith40 ,nor1 whilst the pen leads on my mind to recall these ,border memories1 must ,i fail to record how ,john ,scott ,dudgeon1 ,esq41 ,longnewton1 a greatly esteemed ,elder of the ,church1 went from town to town in all that region1 and from ,minister to ,minister arranging for me a series of happy meetings4 ,i shared also the hospitality of his beautiful ,home1 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 own4 ,her ,majesty's ,commissioner to the ,general ,assembly for the year was that distinguished ,christian as well as nobleman1 the ,earl of ,aberdeen4 ,he graciously invited me to meet the ,countess and himself at ancient ,holyrood4 ,after dinner he withdrew himself for a lengthened time from the general company and entered into a close and interested conversation about our ,mission1 and especially about the threatened annexation of the ,new ,hebrides by the ,french4 ,there also ,i had the memorable pleasure of meeting1 and for a long while conversing with1 that truly noble and large-hearted lady1 his mother1 the much-beloved ,dowager ,countess1 well known for her life-long devotion to so many schemes of ,christian philanthropy4 ,at her own home1 ,alva ,house1 she afterwards arranged meetings for me1 as well as in ,halls and ,churches in the immediately surrounding district2 and not only contributed most generously of her own means1 but interested many besides and incited them to vie with each other in helping on our cause4 ,i was her guest during those days1 and never either in high or in humble station felt the ties of true fellowship in ,christ more closely drawn4 ,despite frost and snow1 she accompanied me to almost every meeting2 and her letters of interest in the work1 of sympathy1 and of helpfulness1 from time to time received1 were amongst the sustaining forces of my spiritual life4 ,when one sees noble rank thus consecrating itself in humble and faithful service to ,jesus1 there dawns upon the mind a glimpse of what the prophet means1 and of what the world will be like1 when it can be said regarding the ,church of ,god on ,earth1--8,kings have become thy nursing fathers1 and their ,queens thy nursing mothers40 ,my steps were next directed towards ,ireland1 immediately after the ,church meetings at ,edinburgh2 first to ',derry1 where the ,presbyterian ,assembly was met in annual conclave1 and thereafter to ,belfast1 where the ,pan-,presbyterian ,council was shortly to sit4 ,the eloquent fervour of the ,brethren at ',derry was like a refreshing breeze to my spirit2 ,i never met ,ministers anywhere1 in all my travels1 who seemed more whole-hearted in their devotion to the work which the ,lord had given them to do4 ,but the excitement over the ,organ and ,hymn question was too intense for me2 the debate threatened to degenerate into a wrangle1 and the marvellous way in which a stick or an umbrella was flourished occasionally by an impulsive speaker1 to give action to his eloquence1 was not a little suggestive of blows and broken heads4 ,all ended quietly1 however1 and the decision1 though not final1 gave hope of an early settlement1 which will secure alike the liberty and the peace of the ,church4 ,a trip to the ,south ,seas1 and a revelation of how ,god used the ,harmonium and the ,hymn1 as wings on which the ,gospel was borne into the homes and hearts of ,cannibals1 would have opened the eyes of many dear fathers and brethren1 as it had opened mine6 ,no one was once more opposed1 especially to instrumental music in the worship of ,god1 than ,i had been2 but the ,lord who made us1 and who knows the nature ,he has given us1 had long ago taught me otherwise4 ,i addressed the ,assembly at ',derry and also the ,council at ,belfast4 ,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 ,god1 and particularly in the ,evangelizing of the ,heathen ,world and bringing thereto the knowledge of ,jesus1 was to me1 so long exiled from all such influences1 one of the great inspirations of my life4 ,i listened with humble thankfulness1 and blessed the ,lord who had brought me to sit at their feet4 ,on the rising of the ,council1 ,i entered upon a tour of six weeks among the ,presbyterian ,congregations and ,sabbath ,schools of ,ireland4 ,it had often been said to me1 after my addresses in the ,assemblies and elsewhere1-- 8,how do you ever expect to raise #f1jjj8 ,it can never be accomplished1 unless you call upon the rich individually1 and get their larger subscriptions4 ,our ordinary ,church people have more than enough to do with themselves4 ,trade is dull10 etc4 ,i explained to them1 and also announced publicly1 that in all similar efforts ,i had never called on or solicited any one privately1 and that ,i would not do so now4 ,i would make my appeal1 but leave everything else to be settled betwixt the individual conscience and the ,saviour1--,i gladly receiving whatsoever was given or sent1 acknowledging it by letter1 and duly forwarding it to my own ,church in ,victoria4 ,again and again did generous souls offer to go with me1 introduce me1 and give me opportunity of soliciting subscriptions2 but ,i steadily refused1--going1 indeed1 wherever an occasion was afforded me of telling my story and setting forth the claims of the ,mission1 but asking no one personally for anything1 having fixed my soul in the conviction that one part of the work was laid upon me1 but that the other lay betwixt the ,master and ,his servants exclusively4 8,on what then do you really rely1 looking at it from a business point of view80--they would somewhat appealingly ask me4 ,i answered1--8,i will tell my story2 ,i will set forth the claims of the ,lord ,jesus on the people2 ,i will expect the surplus collection1 or a retiring collection1 on ,sabbaths2 ,i will ask the whole collection1 less expenses1 at week night meetings2 ,i will issue ,collecting ,cards for ,sabbath ,scholars2 ,i will make known my ,home-,address1 to which everything may be forwarded1 either from ,congregations or from private donors2 and ,i will go on1 to my utmost strength1 in the faith that the ,lord will send me the #f1jjj required4 ,if ,he does not so send it1 then ,i shall expect that ,he will send me grace to be reconciled to the disappointment1 and ,i shall go back to my work without the ,ship40 ,this1 in substance1 ,i had to repeat hundreds of times2 and as often had ,i to witness the half-pitying or incredulous smile with which it was received1 or to hear the blunt and emphatic retort1-- 8,you'll never succeed6 ,money cannot be got in that unbusiness-like way40 ,i generally added nothing further to such conversations2 but a ,voice1 deep1 sweet1 and clear1 kept sounding through my soul1--8,the silver and the gold are ,mine40 ,during the year #ahhd1 as is well known1 ,ireland was the scene of many commotions and of great distress4 ,yet at the end of my little tour1 amongst the ,presbyterian people of the ,north principally1 though not exclusively1 a sum of more than #fjj had been contributed to our ,mission ,fund4 ,and there was not1 so far as my knowledge went1 one single large subscription2 there were1 of course1 many bits of gold from those well-to-do1 but the ordinary collection was made up of the shillings and pence of the masses of the people4 ,nor had ,i ever in all my travels a warmer response1 nor ever mingled with any ,ministers more earnestly devoted to their ,congregations or more generally and deservedly beloved4 ,no man1 however dissevered from the party politics of the day1 can see and live amongst the ,irish of the ,north1 without having forced on his soul the conviction that the ,protestant faith and life1 with its grit and backbone and self-dependence1 has made them what they are4 ,romanism1 on the other hand1 with its blind faith and its peculiar type of life1 has been at least one1 if not the main1 degrading influence amongst the ,irish of the ,south and ,west1 who are naturally a warm-hearted and generous and gifted people4 ,and let ,christian ,churches1 and our ,statesmen who love ,christ1 remember--that no mere outward changes of ,government or ,order1 however good and defensible in themselves1 can ever heal the miseries of the people1 without a change of ,religion4 ,ireland needs the pure and true ,gospel1 proclaimed1 taught1 and received1 in the ,south as it now is in the ,north2 and no other gift1 that ,britain ever can bestow1 will make up for the lack of ,christ's ,evangel4 ,jesus holds the ,key to all problems1 in this as in every land4 ,returning to ,scotland1 ,i settled down at my headquarters1 the house of my brother ,james in ,glasgow2 and thence began to open up the main line of my operations1 as the ,lord day by day guided me4 ,having the aid of no ,committee1 ,i cast myself on ,minister after ,minister and ,church after ,church1 calling here1 writing there1 and arranging for three meetings every ,sabbath1 and one1 if possible1 every week-day1 and drawing-room meetings wherever practicable in the afternoons4 ,my correspondence grew to oppressive proportions1 and kept me toiling at it every spare moment from early morn till bedtime4 ,indeed1 ,i never could have overtaken it1 had not my brother devoted many days and hours of precious time1 answering letters regarding arrangements1 issuing the 8,share0 receipts for all moneys the moment they arrived1 managing all my transactions through the bank1 and generally tackling and reducing the heap of communications and preventing me falling into hopeless arrears4 ,i represented a ,church in which all ,presbyterians are happily united2 and so1 wherever possible1 ,i occupied on the same ,sabbath day1 an ,established ,church pulpit in the morning1 a ,free ,church in the afternoon1 and a ,united ,presbyterian ,church in the evening1 or in any order in which the thing could be arranged to suit the exigences of every town or village that was visited4 ,in all my addresses1 for ,i nowhere attempted ordinary sermonizing1 ,i strove to combine the ,evangelist with the ,missionary1 applying every incident in my story to the conscience of the hearer1 and seeking to win the sinner to ,christ1 and the believer to a more consecrated life4 ,for ,i knew that if ,i succeeded in these higher aims1 their money would be freely laid upon the altar too4 ,i printed1 and circulated by post and otherwise1 ten thousand copies of a booklet1 8,statement and ,appeal10--containing1 besides my ,victorian ,commission and my ,glasgow address1 a condensed epitome of the results of the ,new ,hebrides ,mission and of the reasons for asking a new ,steam ,auxiliary ,ship4 ,to this chiefly is due the fact 7as well as to my refusing to call for subscriptions71 that the far greater portion of all the money came to me by letter4 ,on one day1 though no doubt a little exceptional1 as many as seventy communications reached me by post2 and every one of these contained something for our fund1--ranging from 8a few stamps0 and 8the widow's mite10 through every variety of figure up to the wealthy man's fifty or hundred pounds4 ,i was particularly struck with the number of times that ,i received #a1 with such a note as1 8,from a servant-girl that loves the ,lord ,jesus02 or 8,from a servant-girl that prays for the conversion of the ,heathen40 ,again and again ,i received sums of five and ten shillings1 with notes such as1--8,from a working-man who loves his ,bible02 or 8,from a working-man who prays for ,god's blessing on you and work like yours1 every day in ,family ,worship40 ,i sometimes regret that the graphic1 varied1 and intensely interesting notes and letters were not preserved2 for by the close of my tour they would have formed a wonderful volume of leaves from the human heart4 ,i also addressed every ,religious ,convention to which ,i was invited1 or to which ,i could secure access4 ,the ,perth ,conference was made memorable to me by my receiving the first large subscription for our ,ship1 and by my making the acquaintance of a beautiful type of ,christian merchant4 ,at the close of the meeting1 at which ,i had the privilege of speaking1 an ,american gentleman introduced himself to me4 ,we talked and entered into each other's confidence1 as brothers in the ,lord's service4 ,he had made a competency for himself and his family1 though only in the prime of life2 and he still carried on a large and flourishing business--but why8 to devote the whole profits1 year after year1 to the direct service of ,god and ,his cause among men6 ,he gave me a cheque for the largest single contribution with which the ,lord had yet cheered me4 ,god1 who knows me1 sees that ,i have never coveted money for myself or my family2 but ,i did envy that ,christian merchant the joy that he had in having money1 and having the heart to use it as a steward of the ,lord ,jesus6 ,oh1 when will men of wealth learn this blessed secret1 and1 instead of hoarding up gold till death forces it from their clutches1 put it out to usury now in the service of their ,master1 and see the fruits and share the joy thereof1 before they go hence to give in their account to ,god8 ,one of the most appalling features in the modern ,christian ,world1 considering the needs of men and the claims of ,jesus1 is this same practice of either spending all for self1 or hoarding all for self1 alone or chiefly4 ,christians who do so seem to stand in need of a great deal of converting still6 ,thereafter ,i was invited to the annual ,christian ,conference at ,dundee4 ,a most peculiar experience befell me there4 ,being asked to close the forenoon meeting with prayer and the benediction1 ,i offered prayer1 and then began--8,may the love of ,god the ,father----0 but not another word would come in ,english2 everything was blank except the words in ,aniwan1 for ,i had long begun to think in the ,native tongue1 and after a dead pause1 and a painful silence1 ,i had to wind up with a simple 8,amen60 ,i sat down wet with perspiration4 ,it might have been wiser1 as the ,chairman afterwards suggested1 to have given them the blessing in ,aniwan1 but ,i feared to set them a-laughing by so strange a manifestation of the 8tongues40 ,worst of all1 it had been announced that ,i was to address them in the afternoon2 but who would come to hear a ,missionary that stuck in the benediction8 ,the event had its semi-comical aspect1 but it sent me to my knees during the interval in a very fever of prayerful anxiety4 ,a vast audience assembled1 and if the ,lord ever manifestly used me in interesting ,his people in ,missions1 it was certainly then and there4 ,as ,i sat down1 a devoted ,free ,church ,elder from ,glasgow handed me his card1 with 8,i4,o4,u4 #ajj40 ,this was my first donation of a hundred pounds1 and my heart was greatly cheered4 ,i praised the ,lord1 and warmly thanked ,his servant4 ,a ,something kept sounding these words in my ears1 8,my thoughts are not as your thoughts20 and also1 8,cast thy burden upon the ,lord1 and ,he will sustain thee40 ,during my address at that meeting three coloured girls1 not unlike our ,island girls1 sat near the platform1 and eagerly listened to me4 ,at the close1 the youngest1 apparently about twelve years of age1 rose1 salaamed to me in ,indian fashion1 took four silver bangles from her arm1 and presented them to me1 saying1-- 8,padre1 ,i want to take shares in your ,mission ,ship by these bangles1 for ,i have no money1 and may the ,lord ever bless you60 ,i replied1--8,thank you1 my dear child2 ,i will not take your bangles1 but ,jesus will accept your offering1 and bless and reward you all the same40 ,as she still held them up to me1 saying1 8,padre1 do receive them from me1 and may ,god ever bless you60 a lady1 who had been seated beside her1 came up to me1 and said1-- 8,please1 do take them1 or the dear girl will break her heart4 ,she has offered them up to ,jesus for your ,mission ,ship40 ,i afterwards learned that the girls were orphans1 whose parents died in the famine2 that the lady and her sister1 daughters of a ,missionary1 had adopted them to be trained as ,zenana ,missionaries1 and that they intended to return with them1 and live and die to aid them in that blessed work amongst the daughters of ,india4 ,oh1 what a reward and joy might many a lady who reads this page easily reap for herself in ,time and ,eternity by a similar simple yet far-reaching service6 ,take action when and where ,god points the way2 wait for no one's guidance4 ,the most amazing variety characterized the gifts and the givers4 ,in ,glasgow a lady sent me an anonymous note to this effect3-- 8,i have been curtailing my expenses4 ,the first #e saved ,i enclose1 that you may invest it for me in the ,bank of ,jesus4 ,i am sure ,he gives the best interest1 and the most certain returns40 ,from ,edinburgh a lawyer wrote1 saying1--8,i herewith send you #e4 ,take out for me two hundred shares in the ,mission ,ship4 ,i never made any investment with more genuine satisfaction in all my life40 ,a gentleman1 whose children had zealously collected a considerable sum for me by the ,cards1 at length sent me his own subscription1 saying1--8,i enclose you #be1 because you have so interested my children in ,missions to the ,heathen40 ,the same friend1 after hearing me plead the cause in ,free ,st4 ,george's1 ,edinburgh1 sent me a most encouraging letter1 and another contribution of #ajj4 ,in ,glasgow a lady called at my brother's house1 saying1--8,is the ,missionary at home8 ,can ,i see him alone8 ,if not1 ,i will call again40 ,being asked into my room1 she declined to be seated1 but said1--8,i heard you tell the story of your ,mission in the ,city ,hall1 and ,i have been praying for you ever since4 ,i have called to give you my mite1 but not my name4 ,god bless you4 ,we shall meet in ,heaven60 ,she handed me an envelope1 and was off almost before ,i could thank her4 ,it was #di in bank notes4 ,another dear ,christian lady came to see me1 and at the close of a delightful conversation1 said3 8,i have been thinking much about you since ,i heard you in the ,clark ,hall1 ,paisley4 ,i have come to give a little bit of dirty paper for your ,ship4 ,god sent it to me1 and ,i return it to ,god through you with great pleasure40 ,i thanked her warmly1 thinking it a pound1 or five at the most2 on opening it1 after she was gone1 it turned out to be #ajj4 ,i felt bowed down in humble thankfulness1 and pressed forward in the service of the ,lord4 ,another lady1 who sent for me to call1 said to me3--8,i have heard of the sufferings and losses of the ,missionaries on your ,islands through the smallness of the ,sailing ,vessel4 ,i am glad to have the opportunity of giving you #ej to assist in getting a ,steam ,auxiliary40 ,many articles of jewellery1 silver and gold ornaments1 rings and chains1 were also sent to me1 or dropped into the ,collecting plate4 ,with the assistance of ,christian gentlemen1 and by the kindness of a merchant at once interested in our work and in the gold and silver trade1 these were turned into cash on the most advantageous possible terms1 and added to the ,mission ,fund4 ,having an introduction to a ,london lady1 then living in ,edinburgh1 ,i called and was most kindly received because of our dear mutual friend ,mrs4 ,cameron1 of ,st4 ,kilda4 ,after delightful ,christian conversation1 she retired for a minute1 and returned1 saying1--8,i have kept this for twelve months1 asking the ,lord to direct me as to its disposal4 ,god claims it now for the ,mission ,ship1 and ,i have great joy in handing it to you40 ,it was another #ajj4 ,i had been praying all that afternoon for some token of encouragement1 especially as ,i went to that lady's house1 and ,god's extraordinary answer1 even while the prayer was still being uttered1 struck me so forcibly that ,i could not speak4 ,i received her gift in tears1 and my soul looked up to the ,giver of all4 ,the time now arrived for my attempting something amongst the ,presbyterians of ,england4 ,but my heart sank within me2 ,i was a stranger to all except ,dr4 ,dykes1 and the ,new ,hebrides ,mission had no special claims on them4 ,casting myself upon the ,lord1 ,i wrote to all the ,presbyterian ,ministers in and around ,london1 enclosing my 8,statement and ,appeal10 and asking a ,service1 with a retiring collection1 or the surplus above the usual collection on behalf of our ,mission ,ship4 ,all declined1 except two4 ,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 months1 under some special financial emergency4 ,my dear friend1 ,dr4 ,j4 ,hood ,wilson1 kindly wrote also to a number of them on my behalf1 but with nearly similar result2 though at last other two ,services were arranged for with a collection1 and one without4 ,being required at ,london1 in any case1 in connection with the threatened ,annexation of the ,new ,hebrides by the ,french1 ,i resolved to take these five ,services by the way1 and immediately return to ,scotland1 where engagements and opportunities were now pressed upon me1 far more than ,i could overtake4 ,but the ,lord ,himself opened before me a larger door1 and more effectual1 than any that ,i had tried in vain to open up for myself4 ,the ,churches to which ,i had access did nobly indeed1 and the ,ministers treated me as a very brother4 ,dr4 ,dykes most affectionately supported my ,appeal1 and made himself recipient of donations that might be sent for our ,mission ,ship4 ,dr4 ,donald ,fraser1 and ,messrs4 ,taylor and ,mathieson1 with their ,congregations1 generously contributed to the fund4 ,and so did the ,mission ,church in ,drury ,lane--the excellent and consecrated ,rev4 ,w4 ,b4 ,alexander1 the pastor thereof1 and his wife1 becoming my devoted personal friends1 and continuing to remember in their work-parties every year since the needs of the ,natives on the ,new ,hebrides4 ,others also1 whom ,i cannot wait to specify1 showed a warm interest in us and in our department of the ,lord's work4 ,but my heart had been foolishly set upon adding a large sum to the fund for the ,mission ,ship1 and when only about #aej came from all the ,churches in ,london to which ,i could get access1 no doubt ,i was sensible of cherishing a little guilty disappointment4 ,that was very unworthy in me1 considering all my previous experiences1 and ,god deserved to be trusted by me far differently1 as the sequel will immediately show4 ,that widely-known and deeply-beloved servant of ,god1 ,j4 ,e4 ,mathieson1 ,esq41 of the ,mildmay ,conference ,hall1 had invited me to address one of their annual meetings on behalf of ,foreign ,missions1 and also to be his guest while the ,conference lasted4 ,thereby ,i met and heard many godly and noble disciples of the ,lord1 whom ,i could not otherwise have reached though every ,church ,i had asked in ,london had been freely opened to me4 ,these devout and faithful and generous people1 belonging to every branch of the ,church of ,christ1 and drawn from every rank and class in ,society1 from the humblest to the highest1 were certainly amongst the most open-hearted and the most responsive of all whom ,i ever had the privilege to address4 ,one felt there1 in a higher degree than almost anywhere else1 that every soul was on fire with love to ,jesus and with genuine devotion to ,his ,cause in every corner of the ,earth4 ,there it was a privilege and a gladness to speak2 and though no collection was asked or could be expected1 my heart was uplifted and strengthened by these happy meetings and by all that ,heavenly intercourse4 ,but see how the ,lord leads us by a way we know not6 ,next morning after my address1 a gentleman who had heard me handed me a cheque for #cjj1 by far the largest single donation towards our ,mission ,ship2 and immediately thereafter ,i received1 from one of the ,mildmay lady-,missionaries #ej1 from a venerable friend of the founder #bj1 from 8,friends at ,mildmay0 #cj2 and through my dear friend and brother1 ,j4 ,e4 ,mathieson1 many other donations were in due course forwarded to me4 ,my introduction1 however1 to the ,conference at ,mildmay did far more for me than even this2 it opened up for me a series of drawing-room meetings in and around ,london1 where ,i told the story of our ,mission and preached the ,gospel to many in the higher walks of life1 and received most liberal support for the ,mission ,ship4 ,it also brought me invitations from many quarters of ,england1 to ,churches1 to ,halls1 and to ,county ,houses and ,mansions4 ,lord ,radstock got up a special meeting1 inviting by private card a large number of his most influential friends2 and there ,i met for the first time one whom ,i have since learned to regard as a very precious personal friend1 ,rev4 ,sholto ,d4 ,c4 ,douglas1 clergyman of the ,church of ,england1 who then1 and afterwards at his seat in ,scotland1 not only most liberally supported our fund1 but took me by the hand as a brother and promoted my work by every means in his power4 ,the ,earl and ,countess of ,tankerville also invited me to ,chillingham ,castle1 and gave me an opportunity of addressing a great assembly there1 then gathered together from all parts of the ,county4 ,the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society received me in a special meeting of the ,directors2 and ,i was able to tell them how all we the ,missionaries of these ,islands1 whose language had never before been reduced to writing1 looked to them and leant upon them and prayed for them and their work--without whom our ,native ,bibles never could have been published4 ,after the meeting1 the ,chairman gave me #e1 and one of the ,directors a cheque for #be for our ,mission ,ship4 ,i was also invited to ,leicester1 and made the acquaintanceship of a godly and gifted servant of the ,lord ,jesus1 the ,rev4 ,f4 ,b4 ,meyer1 ,b4,a4 7now of ,london71 whose books and booklets on the higher aspects of the ,christian ,life are read by tens of thousands1 and have been fruitful of blessing4 ,there ,i addressed great meetings of devoted workers in the vineyard2 and the dear friend who was my host on that occasion1 a ,christian merchant1 has since contributed #aj per annum for the support of a ,native ,teacher on the ,new ,hebrides4 ,it was my privilege also to visit and address the ,mller ,orphanages at ,bristol1 and to see that saintly man of faith and prayer moving about as a wise and loving father amongst the hundreds1 even thousands1 that look to him for their daily bread and for the bread of ,life ,eternal4 ,at the close of my address1 the venerable founder thanked me warmly and said1-- 8,here are #ej1 which ,god has sent to me for your ,mission40 ,i replied1 saying1--8,dear friend1 how can ,i take it8 ,if ,i could1 ,i would rather give you #ejj for your ,orphans1 for ,i am sure you need it all60 ,he replied1 with sweetness and great dignity1--8,god provides for ,his own ,orphans4 ,this money cannot be used for them4 ,i must send it after you by letter4 ,it is the ,lord's gift40 ,often1 as ,i have looked at the doings of men and ,churches1 and tried to bring all to the test as if in ,christ's very presence1--it has appeared to me that such work as ,mller's1 and ,barnardo's1 and that of my own fellow-countryman1 ,william ,quarrier1 must be peculiarly dear to the heart of our blessed ,lord4 ,and were ,he to visit this world again1 and seek a place where ,his very ,spirit had most fully wrought itself out into deeds1 ,i fear that many of our so-called ,churches would deserve to be passed by1 and that ,his holy1 tender1 helpful1 divinely-human love would find its most perfect reflex in these ,orphan ,homes4 ,still and for ever1 amidst all changes of creed and of climate1 this1 this is 8pure and undefiled ,religion0 before ,god and the ,father6 ,upper ,norwood1 ,london1 is ever fresh in my memory1 in connection with my first and subsequent visits1 chiefly because of the faithful guidance and help amidst all the perplexities of that ,great ,babylon1 so ungrudgingly bestowed upon me by my old ,australian friends1 then resident there1 ,william ,storrie1 ,esq41 and his most excellent wife1 both devoted workers in the cause of ,missions abroad and at home4 ,great kindness was shown to me also by their ,minister there2 and by ,t4 ,w4 ,stoughton1 ,esq41 at whose ,mission ,hall there was a memorable and joyful meeting2 and1 amongst many others whom ,i cannot here name1 by ,messrs4 ,morgan ,scott1 of the ,christian1--all of whom ,i rejoiced to find actively engaged in personal service to the ,lord ,jesus4 ,but in this connection ,i must not omit to mention that the noble and world-famous servant of ,god1 the ,minister of the ,tabernacle1 invited me to a garden-party at his home1 and asked me to address his students and other ,christian workers4 ,when ,i arrived ,i found a goodly company assembled under the shade of lovely trees1 and felt the touch of that genial humour1 so mighty a gift when sanctified1 which has so often given wings to ,mr4 ,spurgeon's words1 when he introduced me to the audience as 8the ,king of the ,cannibals60 ,on my leaving1 ,mrs4 ,spurgeon presented me with her husband's 8,treasury of ,david10 and also 8#e from the ,lord's cows10 which ,i learned was part of the profits from certain cows kept by the good lady1 and that everything produced thereby was dedicated to the work of the ,lord4 ,i praised ,god that ,he had privileged me to meet this extraordinarily endowed man1 to whom the whole ,christian ,world is so specially indebted1 and who has consecrated all his gifts and opportunities to the proclamation of the pure and precious ,gospel4 ,but of all my ,london associations1 the deepest and the most imperishable is that which weaves itself around the ,honourable ,ion ,keith-,falconer1 who has already passed to what may truly be called a ,martyr's crown4 ,at that time ,i met him at his father-in-law's house at ,trent2 and on another occasion spent a whole day with him at the house of his noble mother1 the ,countess-,dowager of ,kintore4 ,his soul was then full of his projected ,mission to the ,arabs1 being himself one of the most distinguished ,orientalists of the day2 and as we talked together1 and exchanged experiences1 ,i felt that never before had ,i visibly marked the fire of ,god1 the holy passion to seek and to save the lost1 burning more steadily or brightly on the altar of any human heart4 ,the heroic founding of the ,mission at ,aden is already one of the precious annals of the ,church of ,christ4 ,his young and devoted wife survives1 to mourn indeed1 but also to cherish his noble memory2 and1 with the aid of others1 and under the banner of the ,free ,church of ,scotland1 to see the 8,keith-,falconer ,mission0 rising up amidst the darkness of blood-stained ,africa1 as at once a harbour of refuge for the slave1 and a beacon-light to those who are without ,god and without hope4 ,the servant does his day's work1 and passes on through the gates of sleep to the ,happy ,dawn2 but the ,divine ,master lives and works and reigns1 and by our death1 as surely as by our life1 ,his holy purposes shall be fulfilled4 ,on returning to ,scotland1 every day was crowded with engagements for the weeks that remained1 and almost every mail brought me contributions from all conceivable corners of the land4 ,my heart was set upon taking out two or three ,missionaries with me to claim more and still more of the ,islands for ,christ2 and with that view ,i had addressed ,divinity ,students at ,edinburgh1 ,glasgow1 and ,aberdeen4 ,again and again1 by conversation and correspondence1 consecrated young men were just on the point of volunteering2 but again and again the larger and better known fields of labour turned the scale1 and they finally decided for ,china or ,africa or ,india4 ,deeply disappointed at this1 and thinking that ,god directed us to look to our own ,australia alone for ,missionaries for the ,new ,hebrides1 ,i resolved to return1 and took steps towards securing a passage by the ,orient ,line to ,melbourne4 ,but just then two able and devoted students1 ,messrs4 ,morton and ,leggatt1 offered themselves as ,missionaries for our ,islands2 and shortly thereafter a third1 ,mr4 ,landells1 also an excellent man2 and all1 being on the eve of their ,licence1 were approved of1 accepted1 and set to special preparations for the ,mission field1 particularly in acquiring practical medical knowledge4 ,on this turn of affairs1 ,i managed to have my passage delayed for six weeks1 and resolved to cast myself on the ,lord that ,he might enable me in that time to raise at least #ejj1 in order to furnish the necessary outfit and equipment for three new ,mission ,stations1 and to pay the passage money of the ,missionaries and their wives1 that there might be no difficulty on this score amongst the ,foreign ,missions ,committees on the other side4 ,and then the idea came forcibly1 and for a little unmanned me1 that it was wrong in me to speak of these limits as to time and money in my prayers to ,god4 ,but ,i reflected1 again1 how it was for the ,lord's own glory alone in the salvation of the ,heathen1 and for no personal aims of mine2 and so ,i fell back on ,his promise1--8,whatsoever ye shall ask in ,my ,name10--and believingly asked it in ,his ,name1 and for ,his praise and service alone4 ,i think it due to my ,lord1 and for the encouragement of all ,his servants1 that ,i should briefly outline what occurred in answer to these prayers4 ,having gone to the centre of one of the great ship-building districts of ,scotland1 and held a series of meetings1 and raised a sum of about #ee only after nine services and many ,sabbath ,school collecting cards1 my heart was beginning to sink1 as ,i did not think my health would stand another six weeks of incessant strain2 when at the close of my last meeting in a ,free ,church1 an ,elder and his wife entered the vestry and said1-- 8,we are deeply interested in you and in all your work and plans4 ,you say that you have asked #ejj more4 ,we gave you the first #ajj at the ,dundee ,conference2 and it is a joy to us to give you this #ajj too1 towards the making up of your final sum4 ,we pray that you may speedily realize your wish1 and that ,god's richest blessing may ever rest upon your head40 ,glasgow readers will at once recognise the generous giver1 ,j4 ,campbell ,white1 ,esq41 who rejoices1 along with his dear wife1 to regard himself as a steward of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,my prayer is that they1 and all such1 may feel more and more 8blessed in their deeds40 ,another week passed by1 and at the close of it a lady called upon me1 and1 after delightful conversation about the ,mission1 said1-- 8,how near are you to the sum required80 ,i explained to her what is recorded above1 and she continued1 8,i gave you one little piece of paper1 at the beginning of your efforts4 ,i have prayed for you every day since4 ,god has prospered me1 and this is one of the happiest moments of my life1 when ,i am now able to give you another little bit of paper40 ,so saying1 she put into my hand #ajj4 ,i protested1--8,you are surely too generous4 ,can you afford a second #ajj80 ,she replied to this effect1 and very joyfully1 as one who had genuine gladness in the deed1--8,my ,lord has been very kind to me1 in my health and in my business4 ,my wants are simple and are safe in ,his hands4 ,i wait not till death forces me1 but give back whatever ,i am able to the ,lord now1 and hope to live to see much blessing thereby through you in the conversion of the ,heathen40 ,the name of that dear friend from ,paisley rises often in my prayers and meditations before ,god4 8,verily ,i say unto you1 the ,father that seeth in secret shall reward openly40 ,my last week had come1 and ,i was in the midst of preparations for departure1 when amongst the letters delivered to me was one to this effect1-- 8,restitution money which never now can be returned to its owner4 ,since my ,conversion ,i have laboured hard to save it4 ,i now make my only possible amends by returning it to ,god through you4 ,pray for me and mine1 and may ,god bless you in your work60 ,i rather startled my brother and his wife at our breakfast table by shouting out in unwontedly excited tones1--8,hallelujah6 ,the ,lord has done it6 ,hallelujah60 ,but my tones softened down into intense reverence1 and my words broke at last into tears1 when ,i found that this1 the second largest subscription ever received by me1 came from a converted tradesman1 who had now consecrated his all to the ,lord ,jesus1 and whose whole leisure was now centred upon seeking to bless and save those of his own rank and class1 amongst whom he had spent his early and unconverted days4 ,jesus saith unto him1 8,go home to thy friends1 and tell them how great things the ,lord hath done for thee1 and hath had compassion on thee40 ,bidding farewell to dear old ,glasgow1 so closely intertwined with all my earlier and later experiences ,i started for ,london1 accompanied by my brother ,james4 ,we were sitting at breakfast at ,mrs4 ,mathieson's table1 ,mildmay1 when a telegram was put into my hands announcing the 8thank-offering0 from ,lord and ,lady ,polwarth1 received since our departure from ,glasgow1 and referred to on an earlier page4 ,the ,lord had now literally exceeded my prayers4 ,with other gifts1 repeated again by friends at ,mildmay1 the special fund for outfit and travelling expenses for new ,missionaries had risen above the #ejj1 and now approached #fej4 ,in a ,farewell ,meeting at ,mildmay the ,lord's servants assembled in great numbers from all quarters of ,london1 dedicated me and my work very solemnly to ,god1 amid songs of praise and many prayers and touching 8last0 words4 ,and when at length ,mr4 ,mathieson1 intimating that ,i must go1 as another company of ,christian workers were elsewhere waiting also to say ,goodbye1 suggested that the whole audience should stand up1 and1 instead of hand shaking1 quietly breathe their benedictory ,farewell as ,i passed from the platform down through their great ,hall1 a perfect flood of emotion overwhelmed me4 ,i never felt a humbler man1 nor more anxious to hide my head in the dust1 than when all these noble1 gifted1 and beloved followers of ,jesus ,christ and consecrated workers in ,his service1 stood up and with one heart said1 8,god speed0 and 8,god bless you10 as ,i passed on through the ,hall4 ,to one who had striven and suffered less1 or who less appreciated how little we can do for others compared with what ,jesus had done for us1 this scene might have ministered to spiritual pride2 but long ere ,i reached the door of that ,hall1 my soul was already prostrated at the feet of my ,lord in sorrow and in shame that ,i had done so little for ,him1 and ,i bowed my head and could have gladly bowed my knees to cry1 8,not unto us1 ,lord1 not unto us60 ,on the #bhth ,october1 #ahhe1 ,i sailed for ,melbourne1 and in due course safely arrived there by the goodness of ,god4 ,the ,church and people of my own beloved ,victoria gave me a right joyful welcome1 and in public assembly presented me with a testimonial1 which ,i shrank from receiving1 but which all the same was the highly-prized expression of their confidence and esteem4 ,in my absence at the ,islands1 they thereafter elected me ,moderator of their ,supreme ,court1 and called me back to fill that highest ,chair of honour in the ,presbyterian ,church4 ,god is my witness how very little any or all of these things in themselves ever have been coveted by me2 but how1 when they have come in my way1 ,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 consecrated1--the ,conversion of the ,heathen ,world4 ,my ,mission to ,britain was to raise #f1jjj1 in order to enable the ,australian ,churches to provide a ,steam ,auxiliary ,mission ,ship1 for the enlarged and constantly enlarging requirements of the ,new ,hebrides4 ,i spent exactly eighteen months at home2 and when ,i returned1 ,i was enabled to hand over to the ,church that had commissioned and authorized me no less a sum than #i1jjj4 ,and all this had been forwarded to me1 as the free-will offerings of the ,lord's stewards1 in the manner illustrated by the preceding pages4 8,behold6 what ,god hath wrought60 ,of this sum #f1jjj are set apart to build or acquire the new ,mission ,ship4 ,the remainder is added to what we call our ,number ,,ii4 ,fund1 for the maintenance and equipment of additional ,missionaries4 ,it has been the dream of my life to see one ,missionary at least planted on every ,island of the ,new ,hebrides1 and then ,i could lie down and whisper gladly1 8,lord1 now lettest ,thou ,thy servant depart in peace60 ,as to the new ,mission ,ship1 delay has arisen--owing to a difference of opinion about the best way of carrying out the proposal4 ,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-,auxiliary1 and how the same is to be allocated4 ,also1 an element of doubt and perplexity has been introduced into the scheme by the possibility of the ,government running ,mails regularly from ,australia to ,fiji1 and calling at one or other of the ,new ,hebrides harbours1--in which case some think the ,missionaries would need only an inter-island ,steamer1 of a comparatively moderate tonnage4 ,meantime1 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 ,church1 and has been deposited by them at good interest in the bank1 pending the settlement of these business details4 ,to me personally1 this delay is confessedly a keen and deep disappointment1--feeling strongly as ,i do1 and seeing more clearly every day1 the waste and suffering caused to our beloved ,missionaries and their families1 by the uncertainties of a ,sailing ,ship1 and by the utter inability of our present ,dayspring to overtake all that is now required4 ,but this is not the place to discuss that matter in detail4 ,the work laid upon me has been accomplished4 ,the ,colonial ,churches have all the responsibility of the further steps4 ,in this1 as in many a harder trouble of my chequered life1 ,i calmly roll all my burden upon the ,lord4 ,i await with quietness and confidence ,his wise disposal of events4 ,his hand is on the helm2 and whither ,he steers us1 all shall be well4 ,but let me not close this chapter1 till ,i have struck another and a ,diviner note4 ,i have been to the ,islands again1 since my return from ,britain4 ,the whole inhabitants of ,aniwa were there to welcome me1 and my procession to the old ,mission ,house was more like the triumphal march of a ,conqueror than that of a humble ,missionary4 ,everything was kept in beautiful and perfect order4 ,every ,service of the ,church1 as previously described in this book1 was fully sustained by the ,native ,teachers1 the ,elders1 and the occasional visit1 once or twice a year1 of the ordained white ,missionary from one of the other ,islands4 ,aniwa1 like ,aneityum1 is a ,christian land4 ,jesus has taken possession1 never again to quit those shores4 ,glory1 glory to ,his blessed ,name6 99 99 99 99 99 ,when pleading the cause of the ,heathen and the claims of ,jesus on ,his followers1 ,i have often been taunted with being 8a man of one idea40 ,sometimes ,i have thought that this came from the lips of those who had not even one idea6--unless it were how to kill time or to save their own skin4 ,but seriously speaking1 is it not better to have one good idea and to live for that and succeed in it1 than to scatter one's life away on many things and leave a mark on none8 ,and1 besides1 you cannot live for one good idea supremely without thereby helping forward many other collateral causes4 ,my life has been dominated by one sacred purpose2 but in pursuing it the ,lord has enabled me to be ,evangelist as well as ,missionary1 and whilst seeking for needed money to seek for and save and bless many souls1--has enabled me to defend the ,holy ,sabbath in many lands1 as the ,god-given and precious birthright of the toiling millions1 to be bartered away for no price or bribe that men can offer1--has enabled me to maintain the right of every child in ,christian lands1 or in ,heathen1 to be taught to read the blessed ,bible and to understand it1 as the ,divine foundation of all ,social ,order and the sole guarantee of individual freedom as well as of national greatness1--and has enabled me also to do battle against the infernal ,kanaka or ,labour ,traffic1 one of the most cruel and blood-stained forms of slavery on the face of the ,earth1 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 men4 ,in these1 as well as in my own direct labours as a ,missionary1 ,i probably have had my full share of 8abuse0 from the enemies of the ,cross1 and a not inconsiderable burden of trials and afflictions in the service of my ,lord2 yet here1 as ,i lay down my pen1 let me record my immovable conviction that this is the noblest service in which any human being can spend or be spent2 and that1 if ,god gave me back my life to be lived over again1 ,i would without one quiver of hesitation lay it on the altar to ,christ1 that ,he might use it as before in similar ministries of love1 especially amongst those who have never yet heard the ,name of ,jesus4 ,nothing that has been endured1 and nothing that can now befall me1 makes me tremble--on the contrary1 ,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 field2 and that ,he may open up their way and make it their pride and joy to live and die in carrying ,jesus and ,his ,gospel into the heart of the ,heathen ,world6 ,god gave ,his best1 ,his ,son1 to me2 and ,i give back my best1 my ,all1 to ,him4 ,reader1 ,fare-thee-well6 ,thou hast companied with me1--not without some little profit1 ,i trust2 and not without noting many things that led thee to bless the ,lord ,god1 in whose honour these pages have been written4 ,in your life and in mine1 there is at least one last ,chapter1 one final ,scene1 awaiting us1--,god our ,father knows where and how6 ,by ,his grace1 ,i will live out that ,chapter1 ,i will pass through that ,scene1 in the faith and in the hope of ,jesus1 who has sustained me from childhood till now4 ,as you close this book1 go before your ,saviour1 and pledge yourself upon your knees by ,his help and sympathy to do the same4 ,and let me meet you1 and let us commune with each other again1 in the presence and glory of the ,redeemer4 ,fare-thee-well6 ,,footnotes3 #a ,see the whole context in 8,sermons on ,national ,subjects10 7,macmillan ,co41 #ahhj7 pp4 #dad to #dag1 where it is numbered as ,sermon ,,xli42 particularly this regulative declaration regarding 8what ,original ,sin may bring man to03--8,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 it40--7,editor74 ,,transcriber',s ,,note ,obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation of external sources4 ,some hyphens in words have been silently removed1 some added1 when a predominant preference was found in the original book4 ,except for those changes noted below1 all misspellings in the text1 and inconsistent or archaic usage1 have been retained4 ,all place names and proper nouns have been retained as spelled in the original publication4 ,page iv4 8,ariwan0 replaced by 8,aniwan04 ,page xvii4 8,,listi0 replaced by 8,,litsi04 ,page #a4 8,brutal ,captain0 replaced by 8,brutal ,captain404 ,page #fg4 8now see them0 replaced by 8now see them404 ,page #aaf4 8accomodation0 replaced by 8accommodation04 ,page #aai4 8,rev4 ,j0 replaced by 8,rev4 ,j404 ,page #acb4 8not of ourselves0 replaced by 8not of ourselves404 ,page #aeh4 8inhabit ants0 replaced by 8inhabitants04 ,page #afj4 8dead and buried0 replaced by 8dead and buried404 ,page #afi4 8tomakawk0 replaced by 8tomahawk04 ,page #aga4 8among the ,natives0 replaced by 8among the ,natives404 ,page #agh4 8#8,it is0 replaced by 88,it is04 ,page #ahc4 8through the earth40 replaced by 8through the earth4004 ,page #bbb4 8baptize you80 replaced by 8baptize you8004 ,page #bcj4 88,society1'0 replaced by 88,society1004 ,page #bcj4 8your fill6'0 replaced by 8your fill6004 ,page #bcj4 8happy as squirrels0 replaced by 8happy as squirrels404 ,page #bed4 8this8' ,cocoa-nuts0 replaced by 8this8' #8,cocoa-nuts04 ,page #bgc4 8home on ,aniwa0 replaced by 8home on ,aniwa404 ,page #bhi4 8symphony of ,ocean0 replaced by 8symphony of ,ocean'04 ,page #cjd4 8,she had1 out0 replaced by 88,she had1 out04 ,page #cje4 8spilt6'0 replaced by 8spilt6004 ,page #cje4 8you ill8'0 replaced by 8you ill8004 ,page #cji4 8broken ,eglish0 replaced by 8broken ,english04 ,page #caa4 8eel the very0 replaced by 8feel the very04 ,page #cad4 8any other0 replaced by 8any other404 ,page #cba4 8he returned80 replaced by 8he returned8'04 ,page #cbi4 8to ,tanna40 replaced by 8to ,tanna104 ,page #ccb4 88,that's ,mungaw0 replaced by 8#8,that's ,mungaw04 ,page #cch4 8,but ,noopooraw0 replaced by 8but ,noopooraw04 ,page #cci4 8,o ,yomit0 replaced by 8#8,o ,yomit04 ,page #cdc4 8acrue0 replaced by 8accrue04 ,page #cdc4 8treacherous gales0 replaced by 8treacherous gales404 ,page #cfc4 8,steam ,auxiliary40 replaced by 8,steam ,auxiliary4004 ,page #cfi4 8#8,god provides for0 replaced by 88,god provides for04 ,page #cgf4 8accompained0 replaced by 8accompanied04