Yet all the while Miaki assured me that he had sent a friendly message.

The war went on, and poor Nowar the Chief protected us, till he had a

spear broken into his right knee. The enemy would have carried him off

to feast on his body; but his young men, shouting wildly his name and

battle-cry, rushed in with great impetuosity and carried their wounded

Chief home in triumph. The Inland people now discharged muskets at my

house and beat against the walls with their clubs. They smashed in the

door and window of our store-room, broke open boxes and casks, tore my

books to pieces and scattered them about, and carried off everything for

which they cared, including my boat, mast, oars, and sails. They broke

into Abraham’s house and plundered it; after which they made a rush at

the bedroom, into which we were locked, firing muskets, yelling, and

trying to break it in. A Chief, professing to be sorry for us called me

to the window, but on seeing me he sent a tomahawk through it, crying,—

“Come on, let us kill him now!”

I replied, “My Jehovah God will punish you; a Man-of-war will come and

punish you, if you kill Abraham, his wife, or me.”

He retorted, “It’s all lies about a Man-of-war! They did not punish the

Erromangans. They are afraid of us. Come on, let us kill them!”

He raised his tomahawk and aimed to strike my forehead, many muskets

were uplifted as if to shoot, so I raised a revolver in my right hand

and pointed it at them. The Rev. Joseph Copeland had left it with me on

a former visit. I did not wish it, but he insisted upon leaving it,

saying that the very knowledge that I had such a weapon might save my

life. Truly, on this occasion it did so. Though it was harmless, they

fell back quickly. My immediate assailant dropped to the ground,

crying,—

“Missi has got a short musket! He will shoot you all!”

After lying flat on the ground for a little, they all got up and ran to

the nearest bush, where they continued yelling about and showing their

muskets. Towards nightfall they left, loaded with the plunder of the

store and of Abraham’s house. So God once more graciously protected us

from falling into their cruel hands.

In the evening, after they left, I went to Miaki and Nouka. They

professed great sorrow at what had taken place, and pretended to have

given them a present of food not to do us further injury. But Nowar

informed us that, on the contrary, they had hired them to return and

kill us next morning and plunder everything on the Mission premises.

Miaki, with a sneer, said,—

“Missi, where was Jehovah to-day? There was no Jehovah to-day to protect

you. It’s all lies about Jehovah. They will come and kill you, and

Abraham, and his wife, and cut your bodies into pieces to be cooked and

eaten in every village upon Tanna.”

I said, “Surely, when you had planned all this, and brought them to kill

us and steal all our property, Jehovah did protect us, or we would not

have been here!”

He replied, “There was no Jehovah to-day! We have no fear of any

Man-of-war. They dare not punish us. They durst not punish the

Erromangans for murdering the Gordons. They will talk to us and say we

must not do so again, and give us a present. That is all. We fear

nothing. The talk of all Tanna is that we will kill you and seize all

your property to-morrow.”

I warned him that the punishment of a Man-of-war can only reach the body

and the land, but that Jehovah’s punishment reached both body and soul

in Time and in Eternity.

He replied: “Who fears Jehovah? He was not here to protect you to-day!”

“Yes,” I said, “my Jehovah God is here now. He hears all we say, sees

all we do, and will punish the wicked and protect His own people.”

After this, a number of the people sat down around me, and I prayed with

them. But I left with a very heavy heart, feeling that Miaki was

evidently bent on our destruction.

I sent Abraham to consult Nowar, who had defended us till disabled by a

spear in the right knee. He sent a canoe by Abraham, advising me to take

some of my goods in it to his house by night, and he would try to

protect them and us. The risk was so great, we could only take a very

little. Enemies were on every hand to cut off our flight, and Miaki, the

worst of all, whose village had to be passed in going to Nowar’s. In the

darkness of the Mission House, we durst not light a candle for fear of

some one seeing and shooting us. Not one of Nowar’s men durst come to

help us. But in the end it made no difference, for Nowar and his men

kept what was taken there as their portion of the plunder. Abraham, his

wife, and I waited anxiously for the morning light. Miaki, the false and

cruel, came to assure us that the Heathen would not return that day.

Yet, as daylight came in, Miaki himself stood and blew a great conch not

far from our house. I ran out to see why this trumpet-shell had been

blown, and found it was the signal for a great company of howling armed

savages to rush down the hill on the other side of the bay and make

straight for the Mission House. We had not a moment to lose. To have

remained would have been certain death to us all, and also to Matthew, a

Teacher just arrived from Mr. Mathieson’s Station. Though I am by

conviction a strong Calvinist, I am no Fatalist. I held on while one

gleam of hope remained. Escape for life was now the only path of duty. I

called the Teachers, locked the door, and made quickly for Nowar’s

village. There was not a moment left to carry anything with us. In the

issue, Abraham, his wife, and I lost all our earthly goods, and all our

clothing except what we had on. My Bible, the few translations which I

had made into Tannese, and a light pair of blankets I carried with me.

To me the loss was bitter, but as God had so ordered it, I tried to bow

with resignation. All my deceased wife’s costly outfit, her piano,

silver, cutlery, books, etc., with which her dear parents had provided

her, besides all that I had in the world; also a box worth £56, lately

arrived, full of men’s clothing and medicine, the gift of my dear

friends, Samuel Wilson, Esq., and Mrs. Wilson, of Geelong. The

Sandal-wood Traders bought all the stolen property for tobacco, powder,

balls, caps, and shot. One Trader gathered together a number of my books

in a sadly torn and wasted condition and took them to Aneityum,

demanding £10 from Dr. Geddie for his trouble. He had to pay him £7

10_s._, which I repaid to him on my second return to the Islands. This,

by way of digression, only to show how white and black Heathenism meet

together.

Let us return to the morning of our flight. We could not take the usual

path along the beach, for there our enemies would have quickly overtaken

us. We entered the bush in the hope of getting away unobserved. But a

cousin of Miaki, evidently secreted to watch us, sprang from behind a

bread-fruit tree, and swinging his tomahawk, aimed it at my brow with a

fiendish look. Avoiding it, I turned upon him and said in a firm bold

voice,—

“If you dare to strike me, my Jehovah God will punish you. He is here to

defend me now!”

The man, trembling, looked all round as if to see the God who was my

defender, and the tomahawk gradually lowered at his side. With my eye

fixed upon him, I gradually moved backwards in the track of the

Teachers, and God mercifully restrained him from following me.

On reaching Nowar’s village unobserved, we found the people

terror-stricken, crying, rushing about in despair at such a host of

armed savages approaching. I urged them to ply their axes, cut down

trees, and blockade the path. For a little they wrought vigorously at

this; but when, so far as eye could reach, they saw the shore covered

with armed men rushing on towards their village, they were overwhelmed

with fear, they threw away their axes and weapons of war, they cast

themselves headlong on the ground, and they knocked themselves against

the trees as if to court death before it came. They cried,—

“Missi, it’s of no use! We will all be killed and eaten to-day! See what

a host are coming against us.”

Mothers snatched up little children and ran to hide in the bush. Others

waded as far as they could into the sea with them, holding their heads

above the water. The whole village collapsed in a condition of

indescribable terror. Nowar, lame with his wounded knee, got a canoe

turned upside-down and sat upon it where he could see the whole

approaching multitude. He said,—

“Missi, sit down beside me, and pray to our Jehovah God, for if He does

not send deliverance now, we are all dead men. They will kill us all on

your account, and that quickly. Pray, and I will watch!”

They had gone to the Mission House and broken in the door, and finding

that we had escaped, they rushed on to Nowar’s village. For, as they

began to plunder the bedroom, Nouka said,—

“Leave everything. Missi will come back for his valuable things at

night, and then we will get them and him also!”

So he nailed up the door, and they all marched for Nowar’s. We prayed as

one can only pray when in the jaws of death and on the brink of

Eternity. We felt that God was near, and omnipotent to do what seemed

best in His sight. When the savages were about three hundred yards off,

at the foot of a hill leading up to the village, Nowar touched my knee,

saying,—

“Missi, Jehovah is hearing! They are all standing still.”

Had they come on they would have met with no opposition, for the people

were scattered in terror. On gazing shorewards, and round the Harbour,

as far as we could see, was a dense host of warriors, but all were

standing still, and apparently absolute silence prevailed. We saw a

messenger or herald running along the approaching multitude, delivering

some tidings as he passed, and then disappearing in the bush. To our

amazement, the host began to turn, and slowly marched back in great

silence, and entered the remote bush at the head of the Harbour. Nowar

and his people were in ecstasies, crying out,—

“Jehovah has heard Missi’s prayer! Jehovah has protected us and turned

them away back.”

We were on that day His trusting and defenceless children; would you

not, had you been one of our circle, have joined with us in praising the

Lord God for deliverance from the jaws of death? I know not why they

turned back; but I have no doubt it was the doing of God to save our

lives.

We learned that they all assembled in a cleared part of the bush and

there held a great wrangling palaver. Nouka and Miaki advised them first

to fight Manuman and his people. They said,—

“His brother, the Sacred Man Kanini, killed Ian by Nahak. He is a friend

of Missi and of the Worship. He also sent the hurricane to destroy us.

They have plenty of yams and pigs. Let us fight and plunder them, and

when they are out of the way, we will be strong to destroy Missi and the

Worship.”

On this the whole mass went and attacked Manuman’s first village, where

they murdered two of his men, two women, and two children. The

inhabitants fled, and all the sick, the feeble, and the children who

fell into their hands were reported to us to be murdered, cooked, and

eaten. Led on by Miaki, they plundered and burned seven villages.

About mid-day, Nouka and Miaki sent their cousin Jonas, who had always

been friendly to me, to say that I might return to my house in safety,

as they were now carrying the war inland. Jonas had spent some years on

Samoa, and been much with Traders in Sydney, and spoke English well; but

we felt they were deceiving us. That night, Abraham ventured to creep

near the Mission House, to test whether we might return, and save some

valuable things, and get a change of clothing. The house appeared to

stand as when they nailed up the door. But a large party of Miaki’s

allies at once enclosed Abraham, and, after asking many questions about

me, they let him go since I was not there. Had I gone there, they would

certainly that night have killed me. Again, at midnight, Abraham and his

wife and Matthew went to the Mission House, and found Nouka, Miaki, and

Karewick near by, concealed in the bush among the reeds. Once more they

enclosed them, thinking I was there too, but Nouka, finding that I was

not, cried out,—

“Don’t kill them just now! Wait till Missi comes.”

Hearing this, Matthew slipped into the bush and escaped. Abraham’s wife

waded into the sea, and they allowed her to get away. Abraham was

allowed to go to the Mission House, but he too crept into the bush, and

after an anxious waiting they all came back to me in safety. We now gave

up all hope of recovering anything from the house.

Towards morning, when Miaki and his men saw that I was not coming back

to deliver myself into their hands, they broke up my house and stole all

they could carry away. They tore my books, and scattered them about.

They took away the type of my printing-press, to be made into bullets

for their muskets. For similar uses they melted down the zinc lining of

my boxes, and everything else that could be melted. What they could not

take away, they destroyed. I lay on the ground all night, concealed in

an outhouse of Nowar’s, but it was a sleepless and anxious night, not

only to me and my Aneityumese, but also to Nowar and his people.

Next day, the attack was renewed by the three Chiefs on the district of

my dear friend Manuman. His people fled; the villages were burned; all

who came in their way were killed, and all food and property carried

away. At night they returned to keep watch over Nowar and me. When

darkness was setting in, Miaki sent for me to go and speak with him, but

Nowar and the Aneityumese were all so opposed to it that I did not go.

Messages were sent to Nowar, threatening to kill him and his people for

protecting me, and great excitement prevailed.

Another incident added horror to the memories of this day. A savage from

Erromanga, living with Nowar, had gone to the war that day. He got near

a village unobserved, climbed into a tree, and remained there watching.

After mid-day, Kamkali, a true friend of mine, the Chief of his village,

came home wearied from the war, got his blanket, stealthily crept into a

quiet place in the bush, rolled himself up, and lay down to sleep; for,

according to their custom, the leading warriors in times of conflict

seldom sleep in their own houses, and seldom twice in the same place

even in the bush, for fear of personal danger. The Erromangan, having

watched till he was sound asleep, crept to where he lay, raised his club

and smashed in his skull. He told, when he came home, how the blood ran

from nose, mouth, and ears, with a gurgling sound in his throat, and

after a few convulsive struggles all was over! And the people around

Nowar praised him for his deed. Cocoa-nuts were brought for him to

drink, and food was presented before him in large quantities, as to one

who had done something noble. For safety, he was put into the same house

where I had to sit, and even Nowar honoured him. I watched for the

workings of a natural man’s conscience under the guilt of murder. When

left alone, he shook every now and then with agitation, and started

round with a terrified gaze. He looked the picture of a man who felt

that he had done to his neighbour what he would not have liked another

to do to him. I wonder if that consciousness ever dies out, in the

lowest and worst, that last voice of God in the soul?

That very night, Nowar declared that I must leave his village before

morning, else he and his people would be killed for protecting me. He

advised me, as the sea was good, to try for Mr. Mathieson’s Station; but

he objected to my taking away any of my property—he would soon follow

with it himself! But how to sail? Miaki had stolen my boat, mast, sails,

and oars, as also an excellent canoe made for me and paid for by me on

Aneityum; and he had threatened to shoot any person that assisted me to

launch either the one or the other. The danger, however, was so great

that Nowar said,—

“You cannot remain longer in my house! My son will guide you to the

large chestnut tree in my plantation in the bush. Climb up into it, and

remain there till the moon rises.”

Being entirely at the mercy of such doubtful and vacillating friends, I,

though perplexed, felt it best to obey. I climbed into the tree, and was

left there alone in the bush. The hours I spent there live all before me

as if it were but of yesterday. I heard the frequent discharging of

muskets, and the yells of the savages. Yet I sat there among the

branches, as safe in the arms of Jesus! Never, in all my sorrows, did my

Lord draw nearer to me, and speak more soothingly in my soul, than when

the moonlight flickered among these chestnut leaves, and the night air

played on my throbbing brow, as I told all my heart to Jesus. Alone, yet

not alone! If it be to glorify my God, I will not grudge to spend many

nights alone in such a tree, to feel again my Saviour’s spiritual

presence, to enjoy His consoling fellowship. If thus thrown back upon

your own soul, alone, all, all alone, in the midnight, in the bush, in

the very embrace of death itself, have you a Friend that will not fail

you then?

Gladly would I have lingered there for one night of comparative peace!

But, about midnight, Nowar sent his son to call me down from the tree,

and to guide me to the shore where he himself was, as it was now time to

take to sea in the canoe. Pleading for my Lord’s continuing presence, I

had to obey. My life and the lives of my Aneityumese now hung upon a

very slender thread, and was almost equally at risk from our friends

so-called, and from our enemies. Had I been a stranger to Jesus and to

prayer, my reason would verily have given way, but my comfort and joy

sprang up out of these: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; lo,

I am with you alway!” Pleading these promises, I followed my guide. We

reached the beach, just inside the Harbour, at a beautiful white sandy

bay on Nowar’s ground, from which our canoe was to start. A good number

of the Natives had assembled there to see us off. Arkurat, having got a

large roll of calico from me for the loan of his canoe, hid it away, and

then refused the canoe, saying that if he had to escape with his family

he would require it. He demanded, for the loan of his canoe, an axe, a

sail for his canoe, and a pair of blankets. As Karis had the axe and

another had the quilt, I gave the quilt to him for a sail, and the axe

and blankets for the canoe. In fact, these few relics of our earthly all

at Nowar’s were coveted by the savages and endangered our lives, and it

was as well to get rid of them altogether. He cruelly proposed a small

canoe for two; but I had hired the canoe for five, and insisted upon

getting it, as he had been well paid for it. As he only laughed and

mocked us, I prepared to start and travel overland to Mr. Mathieson’s

Station. He then said,—

“My wrath is over! You may take it and go.”

We launched it, but now he refused to let us go till daylight. He had

always been one of my best friends, but now appeared bent on a quarrel,

so I had to exercise much patience with him and them. Having launched

it, he said I had hired the canoe but not the paddles. I protested,—

“Surely you know we hired the paddles too. What could we do without

paddles?”

But Arkurat lay down and pretended to have fallen asleep, snoring on the

sand, and could not be awaked. I appealed to Nowar, who only said—

“That is his conduct, Missi, our conduct!”

I replied, “As he has got the blankets which I saved to keep me from

ague and fever, and I have nothing left now but the clothes I have on,

surely you will give me paddles.”

Nowar gave me one. Returning to the village, friends gave me one each

till I got other three. Now Arkurat started up, and refused to let us

go. A Chief and one of his men, who lived on the other side of the

island near to where we were going, and who was hired by me to go with

us and help in paddling the canoe, drew back also and refused to go.

Again I offered to leave the canoe, and walk overland if possible, when

Faimungo, the Chief who had refused to go with us, came forward and

said,—

“Missi, they are all deceiving you! The sea is so rough, you cannot go

by it; and if you should get round the weather point, Miaki has men

appointed to shoot you as you pass the Black Rocks, while by land all

the paths are guarded by armed men. I tell you the truth, having heard

all their talk. Miaki and Karewick say they hate the Worship, and will

kill you. They killed your goats, and stole all your property yesterday.

Farewell!”

The Teachers, the boy, and I now resolved to enter the canoe and attempt

it, as the only gleam of hope left to us. After Faimungo came, the man

to whom the canoe belonged had withdrawn from us, it having transpired

that Miaki would not attack us that night, as other game had attracted

his savage eyes. My party of five now embarked in our frail canoe;

Abraham first, I next, Matthew after me, the boy at the steering paddle,

and Abraham’s wife sitting in the bottom, where she might hold on while

it continued to float. For a mile or more we got away nicely under the

lee of the island, but when we turned to go south for Mr. Mathieson’s

Station, we met the full force of wind and sea, every wave breaking over

and almost swamping our canoe. The Native lad at the helm paddle stood

up crying,—

“Missi, this is the conduct of the sea! It swallows up all who seek its

help.”

I answered, “We do not seek help from it but from Jehovah Jesus.”

Our danger became very great, as the sea broke over and lashed around

us. My faithful Aneityumese, overcome with terror, threw down their

paddles, and Abraham said,—

“Missi, we are all drowned now! We are food for the sharks. We might as

well be eaten by the Tannese as by fishes; but God will give us life

with Jesus in heaven!”

I seized the paddle nearest me; I ordered Abraham to seize another

within his reach; I enjoined Matthew to bail the canoe for life, and the

lad to keep firm in his seat, and I cried,—

“Stand to your post, and let us return! Abraham, where is now your faith

in Jesus? Remember, He is Ruler on sea as on land. Abraham, pray and ply

your paddle! Keep up stroke for stroke with me, as our lives depend on

it. Our God can protect us. Matthew, bail with all your might. Don’t

look round on the sea and fear. Let us pray to God and ply our paddles,

and He will save us yet!”

Dear old Abraham said,—

“Thank you for that, Missi. I will be strong. I pray to God and ply my

paddle. God will save us!”

With much labour, and amid deadly perils, we got the canoe turned; and

after four hours of a terrible struggle, we succeeded, towards daylight

as the tide turned, in again reaching smooth water. With God’s blessing

we at last reached the shore, exactly where we had left it five hours

ago!

Now drenched and weary, with the skin of our hands sticking to the

paddles, we left the canoe on the reef and waded ashore. Many Natives

were there, and looked sullen and disappointed at our return. Katasian,

the lad who had been with us, instantly fled for his own land; and the

Natives reported that he was murdered soon after. Utterly exhausted, I

lay down on the sand and instantly fell into a deep sleep. By-and-by I

felt some one pulling from under my head the native bag in which I

carried my Bible and the Tannese translations—the all that had been

saved by me from the wreck! Grasping the bag, I sprang to my feet, and

the man ran away. My Teachers had also a hedging knife, a useless

revolver, and a fowling-piece, the sight of which, though they had been

under the salt water for hours, God used to restrain the savages.

Calling my Aneityumese near, we now in united prayer and kneeling on the

sands committed each other unto the Lord God, being prepared for the

last and worst.

As I sat meditating on the issues, Faimungo, the friendly Inland Chief,

again appeared to warn us of our danger, now very greatly increased by

our being driven back from the sea. All Nowar’s men had fled, and were

hid in the bush and in rocks along the shore; while Miaki was holding a

meeting not half a mile away, and preparing to fall upon us. Faimungo

said,—

“Farewell, Missi, I am going home. I don’t wish to see the work and the

murders of this morning.”

He was Nowar’s son-in-law. He had always been truthful and kindly with

me. His home was about half-way across the island, on the road that we

wanted to go, and under sudden impulse I said,—

“Faimungo, will you let us follow you? Will you show us the path? When

the Mission Ship arrives, I will give you three good axes, blankets,

knives, fish-hooks, and many things you prize.”

The late hurricanes had so destroyed and altered the paths, that only

Natives who knew them well could follow them. He trembled much and

said,—

“Missi, you will be killed. Miaki and Karewick will shoot you. I dare

not let you follow. I have only about twenty men, and your following

might endanger us all.”

I urged him to leave at once, and we would follow of our own accord. I

would not ask him to protect us; but if he betrayed us and helped the

enemy to kill us, I assured him that our God would punish him. If he

spared us, he would be rewarded well; and if killed against his wishes,

God would not be angry at him. He said,—

“Seven men are with me now, and thirteen are to follow. I will not now

send for them. They are with Miaki and Nouka. I will go; but if you

follow, you will be killed on the way. You may follow me as far as you

can!”

Off he started to Nowar’s, and got a large load of my stolen property,

blankets, sheets, etc., which had fallen to his lot. He called his seven

men, who had also shared in the plunder, and, to avoid Miaki’s men, they

ran away under a large cocoa-nut grove skirting the shore, calling,—

“Be quick! Follow and keep as near to us as you can.”

Though Nowar had got a box of my rice and appropriated many things from

the plunder of the Mission House besides the goods entrusted to his

care, and got two of my goats killed and cooked for himself and his

people, yet now he would not give a particle of food to my starving

Aneityumese or myself, but hurried us off, saying,—

“I will eat all your rice and keep all that has been left with me in

payment for my lame knee and for my people fighting for you!”

My three Aneityumese and I started after Faimungo and his men. We could

place no confidence in any of them; but, feeling that we were in the

Lord’s hands, it appeared to be our only hope of escaping instant death.

We got away unobserved by the enemies. We met several small parties of

friends in the Harbour, apparently glad to see us trying to get away.

But about four miles on our way, we met a large party of Miaki’s men,

all armed, and watching as outposts. Some were for shooting us, but

others hesitated. Every musket was, however, raised and levelled at me.

Faimungo poised his great spear and said, “No, you shall not kill Missi

to-day. He is with me.” Having made this flourish, he strode off after

his own men, and my Aneityumese followed, leaving me face to face with a

ring of levelled muskets. Sirawia, who was in command of this party, and

who once like Nowar had been my friend, said to me, Judas like, “My love

to you, Missi.” But he also shouted after Faimungo, “Your conduct is bad

in taking the Missi away; leave him to us to be killed!”

I then turned upon him, saying, “Sirawia, I love you all. You must know

that I sought only your good. I gave you medicine and food when you and

your people were sick and dying under measles; I gave you the very

clothing you wear. Am I not your friend? Have we not often drunk tea and

eaten together in my house? Can you stand there and see your friend

shot? If you do, my God will punish you severely.”

He then whispered something to his company which I did not hear; and,

though their muskets were still raised, I saw in their eyes that he had

restrained them. I therefore began gradually to move backwards, still

keeping my eyes fixed on them, till the bush hid them from my view,

whereon I turned and ran after my party, and God kept the enemy from

following. I would like to think that Sirawia only uttered the cruel

words which I heard as a blind to save his own life; for at this time he

was joined to Miaki’s party, his own people having risen against him,

and had to dissemble his friendly feelings towards me. Poor Sirawia!

Well I knew that Miaki would only use him as a tool for selfish

interests, and sacrifice him at last. All this showed how dangers grew

around our path. Still we trusted in Jehovah Jesus, and pressed on in

flight. A second hostile party encountered us, and with great difficulty

we also got away from them. Soon thereafter a friendly company crossed

our path. We learned from them that the enemies had slaughtered other

two of Manuman’s men, and burned several villages with fire. Another

party of the enemy encountered us, and were eager for our lives. But

this time Faimungo withstood them firmly, his men encircled us, and he

said, “I am not afraid now, Missi; I am feeling stronger near my own

land!”

Hurrying still onwards, we came to that village on their high ground

called Aneai, _i.e._, Heaven. The sun was oppressively hot, the path

almost unshaded, and our whole party very exhausted, especially

Faimungo, carrying his load of stolen goods. So here he sat down on the

village dancing ground for a smoke, saying,—

“Missi, I am near my own land now. We can rest with safety.”

In a few minutes, however, he started up, he and his men, in wild

excitement. Over a mountain, behind the village and above it, there came

the shoutings, and anon the tramp, tramp of a multitude making rapidly

towards us. Faimungo got up and planted his back against a tree. I stood

beside him, and the Aneityumese woman and the two men stood near me,

while his men seemed prepared to flee. At full speed a large body of the

tallest and most powerful men that I had seen on Tanna came rushing on

and filled the dancing ground. They were all armed, and flushed with

their success in war. A messenger had informed them of our escape,

probably from Miaki, and they had crossed the country to intercept us.

Faimungo was much afraid, and said,—

“Missi, go on in that path, you and your Aneityumese; and I will follow

when I have had a smoke and a talk with these men.”

I replied, “No, I will stand by your side till you go; and if I am

killed, it will be by your side. I will not leave you.”

He implored us to go on, but that I knew would be certain death. They

began urging one another to kill us, but I looked round them as calmly

as possible, saying, “My Jehovah God will punish you here and hereafter,

if you kill me or any of His servants.”

A killing-stone, thrown by one of the savages, grazed poor old Abraham’s

cheek, and the dear soul gave such a look at me, and then upwards, as if

to say, “Missi, I was nearly away to Jesus.” A club was also raised to

follow the blow of the killing-stone, but God baffled the aim. They

encircled us in a deadly ring, and one kept urging another to strike the

first blow or fire the first shot. My heart rose up to the Lord Jesus; I

saw Him watching all the scene. My peace came back to me like a wave

from God. I realized that I was immortal till my Master’s work with me

was done. The assurance came to me, as if a voice out of Heaven had

spoken, that not a musket would be fired to wound us, not a club prevail

to strike us, not a spear leave the hand in which it was held vibrating

to be thrown, not an arrow leave the bow, or a killing-stone the

fingers, without the permission of Jesus Christ, whose is all power in

Heaven and on Earth. He rules all Nature, animate and inanimate, and

restrains even the savage of the South Seas. In that awful hour I saw

His own words, as if carved in letters of fire upon the clouds of

Heaven: “Seek, and ye shall find. Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name,

that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” I could

understand how Stephen and John saw the glorified Saviour as they gazed

up through suffering and persecution to the Heavenly Throne! Yet I never

could say that on such occasions I was entirely without fear. Nay, I

have felt my reason reeling, my sight coming and going, and my knees

smiting together when thus brought close to a violent death, but mostly

under the solemn thought of being ushered into Eternity and appearing

before God. Still, I was never left without hearing that promise in all

its consoling and supporting power coming up through the darkness and

the anguish, “Lo, I am with you alway.” And with Paul I could say, even

in this dread moment and crisis of being, “I am persuaded that neither

death nor life ... nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us

from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Faimungo and others now urged us to go on in the path. I said,

“Faimungo, why are we to leave you? My God heard your promise not to

betray me. He knows now what is in your heart and in mine. I will not

leave you; and if I am to die, I will die by your side.”

He replied, “Now, I go on before; Missi, keep close to me.”

His men had gone, and I persuaded my Aneityumese to follow them. At

last, with a bound, Faimungo started after them. I followed, keeping as

near him as I could, pleading with Jesus to protect me or to take me

home to Glory. The host of armed men also ran along on each side with

their weapons ready; but leaving everything to Jesus, I ran on as if

they were my escort, or as if I saw them not. If any reader wonders how

they were restrained, much more would I, unless I believed that the same

Hand that restrained the lions from touching Daniel held back these

savages from hurting me! We came to a stream crossing our path. With a

bound all my party cleared it, ran up the bank opposite, and disappeared

in the bush. “Faint yet pursuing,” I also tried the leap, but I struck

the bank and slid back on my hands and knees towards the stream. At this

moment I heard a crash above my head amongst the branches of an

overhanging tree, and I knew that a killing-stone had been thrown, and

that that branch had saved me. Praising my God, I scrambled up on the

other side, and followed the track of my party into the bush. The

savages gazed after me for a little in silence, but no one crossed the

stream; and I saw them separate into two, one portion returning to the

village and another pressing inland. With what gratitude did I recognise

the Invisible One who brought their counsels to confusion!

I found my party resting in the bush, and amazed to see me escaped alive

from men who were thirsting for my blood. Faimungo and his men received

me with demonstrations of joy, perhaps feeling a little ashamed of their

own cowardice. He now ascended the mountain and kept away from the

common path to avoid other Native bands. At every village enemies to the

Worship were ready to shoot us. But I kept close to our guide, knowing

that the fear of shooting him would prevent their shooting at me, as he

was the most influential Chief in all that section of the island.

One party said, “Miaki and Karewick said that Missi made the sickness

and the hurricanes, and we ought to kill him.”

Faimungo replied, “They lie about Missi! It is our own bad conduct that

makes us sick.”

They answered, “We don’t know who makes the sickness; but our fathers

have taught us to kill all foreign men.”

Faimungo, clutching club and spear, exclaimed, standing betwixt them and

us, “You won’t kill Missi to-day!”

In the flight we passed springs and streamlets, but though parched with

sickening thirst, not one of us durst stoop down to drink, as we should

have been almost certainly killed in the act. Faimungo now sent his own

men home by a near path, and guided us himself till we were close upon

the shore. There, sitting down he said,—

“Missi, I have now fulfilled my promise. I am so tired, I am so afraid,

I dare not go farther. My love to you all. Now go on quickly! Three of

my men will go with you to the next rocks. Go quickly! Farewell.”

These men went on a little, and then said, “Missi, we dare not go!

Faimungo is at war with the people of the next land. You must keep

straight along this path.”

So they turned and ran back to their own village.

To us this district was especially perilous. Many years ago the

Aneityumese had joined in a war against the Tannese of this tribe, and

the thirst for revenge yet existed in their hearts, handed down from

sire to son. Besides, Miaki had incited the people here to murder the

Teachers and me if we attempted to escape this way. Most providentially

the men were absent on a war expedition, and we saw only three lads and

a great number of women and children, who ran off to the bush in terror.

In the evening the enraged savages of another district assaulted the

people of the shore villages for allowing us to pass, and, though

sparing their lives, broke in pieces their weapons of war—a very

grievous penalty. In the next district, as we hasted along the shore,

two young men came running after us, poising their quivering spears. I

took the useless revolver out of my little native basket, and raising it

cried,—

“Beware! Lay down your spears at once on the sand, and carry my basket

to the next landing at the black rocks.”

They threw their spears on the sand, lifted the bag, and ran on before

us to the rocks which formed the march betwixt them and their enemies.

Laying it down, they said appealingly, “Missi, let us return to our

home!” And how they did run, fearing the pursuit of their foes.

In the next land we saw none. After that we saw crowds all along, some

friendly, others unfriendly, but they let us pass on, and with the

blessing of Almighty God we drew near to Mr. Mathieson’s Station in

safety. Here a man gave me a cocoa-nut for each of our party, which we

greatly required, having tasted nothing all that day, and very little

for several days before. We were so weak that only the struggle for life

enabled us to keep our feet; yet my poor Aneityumese never complained

and never halted, not even the woman. The danger and excitement kept us

up in the race for life, and by the blessing of God we were now

approaching the Mission House, praising God for His wonderful

deliverances.

Hearing of our coming, Mr. Mathieson came running to meet me. They had

heard of my leaving my own Station, and they thought I was dead! They

were themselves both very weak; their only child had just been laid in

the grave, and they were in great grief and in greater peril. We praised

the Lord for permitting us to meet; we prayed for support, guidance, and

protection; and resolved now, in all events, to stand by each other till

the last.

Before I left the Harbour I wrote and left with Nowar letters to be

given to the Captains of any vessels which called, for the first, and

the next, and the next, telling them of our great danger, that Mr.

Mathieson was almost without food, and that I would reward them

handsomely if they would call at the Station and remove any of us who

might be spared thence to Aneityum. Two or three vessels called, and, as

I afterwards learned, got my letters; but, while buying my stolen

property from the Natives for tobacco, powder, and balls, they took no

further notice of my appeals, and sailed past Mr. Mathieson’s straight

on to Aneityum. “The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel!”

Let me now cull the leading events from my Journal, that intervened

betwixt this date and the final break-up of the Mission on Tanna—at

least for a season—though, blessed be God! I have lived to see the light

rekindled by my dear friends Mr. and Mrs. Watt, and shining more

brightly and hopefully than ever. The candle was quenched, but the

candle-stick was not removed!

On Wednesday, 22nd January, 1862, we heard that other three of Manuman’s

people had been killed and a district burned with fire. Though this poor

man was one of Nowar’s chief friends, yet I heard him say before my

flight, “When so many children are being killed, why do they not send

one for food to me and my family? They are as tender and good as the

young fowls!” A remark like this lets you see deep into the heart of a

Cannibal, and he a sort of half-converted one, if I may use such an

expression; certainly not one of the worst type by any means.

On the 23rd January, Mr. Mathieson sent for Taura, Kati, and Kapuku, his

three principal Chiefs, to induce them to promise protection till a

vessel called to take us away. They appeared friendly, and promised to

do their best. Alas! the promises of the Tannese Chiefs had too often

proved to be vain.

On Friday, 24th January, report reached our Station that Miaki and his

party, hearing that a friendly Chief had concealed two of Manuman’s

young men, compelled him to produce them and club them to death before

their eyes. Also, that they surrounded Manuman’s party on a mountain,

and hemmed them in there, dying of starvation and trying to survive on

the carcases of the dead and on bark and roots. Also, that Miaki had

united all the Chiefs, friends and foes alike, in a bond of blood, to

kill every one pertaining to the whole Mission on Tanna. Jesus rules.

[Illustration: SPRINGING FORWARD HE CAUGHT THE CLUB.]

On Sunday, the 26th January, thirty persons came to worship at the

Mission House. Thereafter, at great risk, we had Worship at three of the

nearest and most friendly villages. Amidst all our perils and trials, we

preached the Gospel to about one hundred and sixteen persons. It was

verily a sowing time of tears; but, despite all that followed, who shall

say that it was vain! Twenty years have passed, and now when I am

writing this, there is a Church of God singing the praises of Jesus in

that very district of Tanna. On leaving the second village, a young lad

affectionately took my hand to lead me to the next village; but a sulky,

down-browed savage, carrying a ponderous club, also insisted upon

accompanying us. I led the way, guided by the lad. Mr. Mathieson got the

man to go before him, while he himself followed, constantly watching.

Coming to a place where another path branched off from ours, I asked

which path we took, and, on turning to the left as instructed by the

lad, the savage getting close behind me, swung his huge club over his

shoulder to strike me on the head. Mr. Mathieson, springing forward,

caught the club from behind with a great cry to me; and I, wheeling

instantly, had hold of the club also, and betwixt us we wrested it out

of his hands. The poor creature, craven at heart however blood-thirsty,

implored us not to kill him. I raised the club threateningly, and caused

him to march in front of us till we reached the next village fence. In

terror lest these Villagers should kill him, he gladly received back his

club, as well as the boy his bow and arrows, and they were lost in the

bush in a moment. At the village from which this man and boy had come,

one savage brought his musket while we were conducting worship, and sat

sullen and scowling at us all the time. Mocking questions were also

shouted at us, such as—“Who made the rains, winds, and hurricanes? Who

caused all the disease? Who killed Mr. Mathieson’s child?” They sneered

and scoffed at our answers, and in this Taura the Chief joined the rest.

They retorted that trading vessels had called at the Harbour, and that

all my clothes and property had been sold for muskets, powder, caps, and

balls, so that Miaki and his men had plenty of ammunition for fighting

purposes now! After this, feeling that no one could be trusted, we

ceased visiting these villages, and refrained from exposing ourselves at

any distance from the Mission House.

On the 27th, at daylight, a vessel was seen in the offing, as if to

tantalize us. The Captain had been at the Harbour, and had received my

letter from Nowar. I hoisted a flag to induce him to send or come on

shore, but he sailed off for Aneityum, bearing the plunder of my poor

Mission House, purchased for ammunition and tobacco from the Natives. He

left the news at Aneityum that I had been driven from my Station some

time ago, and was believed to have been murdered.

On the 29th January, the young Chief Kapuku came and handed to Mr.

Mathieson his own and his father’s war-gods and household idols. They

consisted chiefly of a basket of small and peculiar stones, much worn

and shining with use. He said,—

“While many are trying to kill you and drive the worship of Jehovah from

this island, I give up my gods, and will send away all Heathen idols

from my land.”

On the 31st, we learned that a party of Miaki’s men were going about Mr.

Mathieson’s district inciting the people to kill us. Faimungo also came

to inform us that Miaki was exerting all his artifice to get us and the

Worship destroyed. Manuman even sent, from inland, Raki, his adopted

son, to tell me of the fearful sufferings that he and his people were

now passing through, and that some were killed almost every day. Raki’s

wife was a Chief’s daughter, who, when the war began, returned to her

father’s care. The savages of Miaki went to her own father’s house and

compelled him to give her up as an enemy. She was clubbed and feasted

on.

On Sabbath, 2nd February, thirty-two people attended the morning

service. I addressed them on the Deluge, its causes and lessons. I

showed them a doll, explaining that such carved and painted images could

not hear our prayers or help us in our need, that the living Jehovah God

only could hear and help. They were much interested, and after Worship

carefully examined the doll. Mr. Mathieson and I, committing ourselves

to Jesus, went inland and conducted worship at seven villages, listened

to by in all about one hundred people. Nearly all appeared friendly. The

people of one village had been incited to kill us on our return; but God

guided us to return by another way, and so we escaped.

During the day, on 3rd February, a company of Miaki’s men came to the

Mission House, and forced Mrs. Mathieson to show them through the

premises. Providentially, I had bolted myself that morning into a closet

room, and was engrossed with writing. They went through every room in

the house and did not see me, concluding I had gone inland. They

discharged a musket into our Teacher’s house, but afterwards left

quietly, greatly disappointed at not finding me. My heart still rose in

praise to God for another such deliverance, neither by man nor of man’s

planning!

Worn out with long watching and many fatigues, I lay down that night

early, and fell into a deep sleep. About ten o’clock the savages again

surrounded the Mission House. My faithful dog Clutha, clinging still to

me amid the wreck of all else on Earth, sprang quietly upon me, pulled

at my clothes, and awoke me, showing danger in her eye glancing on me

through the shadows. I silently awoke Mr. and Mrs. Mathieson, who had

also fallen asleep. We committed ourselves in hushed prayer to God and

watched them, knowing that they could not see us. Immediately a glare of

light fell into the room! Men passed with flaming torches; and first

they set fire to the Church all round, and then to a reed fence

connecting the Church and the dwelling-house. In a few minutes the

house, too, would be in flames, and armed savages waiting to kill us on

attempting an escape! Taking my harmless revolver in the left hand and a

little American tomahawk in the right, I pled with Mr. Mathieson to let

me out and instantly again to lock the door on himself and wife. He very

reluctantly did so, holding me back and saying,—

“Stop here and let us die together! You will never return!”

I said, “Be quick! Leave that to God. In a few minutes our house will be

in flames, and then nothing can save us.”

He did let me out, and locked the door again quickly from the inside;

and, while his wife and he prayed and watched for me from within, I ran

to the burning reed fence, cut it from top to bottom, and tore it up and

threw it back into the flames, so that the fire could not by it be

carried to our dwelling-house. I saw on the ground shadows, as if

something were falling around me, and started back. Seven or eight

savages had surrounded me, and raised their great clubs in air. I heard

a shout—“Kill him! kill him!” One savage tried to seize hold of me, but,

leaping from his clutch, I drew the revolver from my pocket and levelled

it as for use, my heart going up in prayer to my God. I said,—

“Dare to strike me, and my Jehovah God will punish you! He protects us,

and will punish you for burning His Church, for hatred to His Worship

and people, and for all your bad conduct. We love you all; and for doing

you good only you want to kill us. But our God is here now to protect us

and to punish you.”

They yelled in rage, and urged each other to strike the first blow, but

the Invisible One restrained them. I stood invulnerable beneath His

invisible shield, and succeeded in rolling back the tide of flame from

our dwelling-house.

At this dread moment occurred an incident, which my readers may explain

as they like, but which I trace directly to the interposition of my God.

A rushing and roaring sound came from the South, like the noise of a

mighty engine or of muttering thunder. Every head was instinctively

turned in that direction, and they knew, from previous hard experience,

that it was one of their awful tornadoes of wind and rain. Now, mark,

the wind bore the flames away from our dwelling-house, and had it come

in the opposite direction, no power on Earth could have saved us from

being all consumed! It made the work of destroying the Church only that

of a few minutes; but it brought with it a heavy and murky cloud, which

poured out a perfect torrent of tropical rain. Now, mark again, the

flames of the burning Church were thereby cut off from extending to and

seizing upon the reeds and the bush; and, besides, it had become almost

impossible now to set fire to our dwelling-house. The stars in their

courses were fighting against Sisera! The mighty roaring of the wind,

the black cloud pouring down unceasing torrents, and the whole

surroundings, awed those savages into silence. Some began to withdraw

from the scene, all lowered their weapons of war, and several,

terror-struck, exclaimed,—

“That is Jehovah’s rain! Truly their Jehovah God is fighting for them

and helping them. Let us away!”

A panic seized upon them; they threw away their remaining torches; in a

few moments they had all disappeared in the bush; and I was left alone,

praising God for His marvellous works. “O taste and see that God is

good! Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him!”

Returning to the door of the Mission House, I cried,—

“Open and let me in. I am now all alone.”

Mr. Mathieson let me in, and exclaimed,—

“If ever, in time of need, God sent help and protection to His servants

in answer to prayer, He has done so to-night! Blessed be His holy name!”

In fear and in joy we united our praises. Truly our Jesus has all power,

not less in the elements of Nature than in the savage hearts of the

Tannese. Precious Jesus! Does He not chide us, saying,—“Hitherto ye have

asked nothing in My Name. Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be

full!”? How much help, blessing, and joy we lose every day, because we

do not take all to Jesus as we ought! Often since have I wept over His

love and mercy in that deliverance, and prayed that every moment of my

remaining life may be consecrated to the service of my precious Friend

and Saviour!

All through the remainder of that night I lay wide awake keeping watch,

my noble little dog lying near me with ears alert. Early in the morning

friends came weeping around us. Our enemies were loudly rejoicing. It

had been finally resolved to kill us at once, to plunder our house and

then to burn it. The noise of the shouting was distinctly heard as they

neared the Mission premises, and our weeping, friendly Natives looked

terror-struck, and seemed anxious to flee for the bush. But just when

the excitement rose to the highest pitch, we heard, or dreamed that we

heard, a cry higher still, “Sail O!” We were by this time beginning to

distrust almost our very senses; but again and again that cry came

rolling up from the shore, and was repeated from crowd to crowd all

along the beach, “Sail O! Sail O!” The shouts of those approaching us

gradually ceased, and the whole multitude seemed to have melted away

from our view. I feared some cruel deception, and at first peered out

very cautiously to spy the land. But yonder in very truth a vessel had

sailed into the bay. It was the _Blue Bell_, Captain Hastings. I set

fire to the reeds on the side of the hill to attract his attention. I

put a black shawl as a flag on one end of the Mission House and a white

sheet on the other.

This was one of the vessels that had been to Port Resolution, and had

sailed past to Aneityum some time ago. I afterwards saw the mate and

some of the men wearing my shirts, which they had bought from the

Tannese on their former visit. At the earnest request of Doctors Geddie

and Inglis, Mr. Underwood, the owner, had sent Captain Hastings to Tanna

to rescue us if yet alive. For this purpose he had brought twenty armed

men from Aneityum, who came on shore in two boats in charge of the mate,

the notorious Ross Lewin. He returned to the ship with a boat-load of

Mr. Mathieson’s things, leaving ten of the Natives to help us to pack

more and carry them down to the beach, especially what the Missionary

thought most valuable.

The two boats were now loaded and ready to start. It was about two

o’clock in the afternoon, when a strange and painful trial befell us.

Poor dear Mr. Mathieson, apparently unhinged, locked himself all alone

into what had been his study, telling Mrs. Mathieson and me to go, for

he had resolved to remain and die on Tanna. We tried to show him the

inconsistency of praying to God to protect us or grant us means of

escape, and then refuse to accept a rescue sent to us in our last

extremity. We argued that it was surely better to live and work for

Jesus than to die as a self-made martyr, who, in God’s sight, was guilty

of self-murder. His wife wept aloud and pled with him, but all in vain!

He refused to leave or to unlock his door. I then said,—

“It is now getting dark. Your wife must go with the vessel, but I will

not leave you alone. I shall send a note explaining why I am forced to

remain; and as it is certain that we shall be murdered whenever the

vessel leaves, I tell you God will charge you with the guilt of our

murder.”

At this he relented, unlocked the door, and accompanied us to the boats,

in which we all immediately left.

Meantime, having lost several hours, the vessel had drifted leeward;

darkness suddenly settled upon us, and when we were out at sea we lost

sight of her and she of us. After drifting about for some hours in a

heavy sea and unable to find her, those in charge of the boats came near

for consultation, and, if possible, to save the lives of all. We advised

that they should steer for Port Resolution by the flame of the Volcano—a

never-failing light-house, seen fifty miles away—and there await the

vessel. The boats were to keep within hearing of each other by constant

calling; but this was soon lost to the ear, though on arriving in the

bay we found they had got to anchor before us. There we sat in the boats

and waited for the coming day. As the light appeared, we anchored as far

out as possible, beyond the reach of musket shots; and there without

water or food we sat under a tropical sun till mid-day came, and still

there was no sign of the vessel. The mate at last put all the passengers

and the poorest seamen into one boat and left her to swing at anchor;

while, with a strong crew in the other, he started off in search of the

vessel.

In the afternoon, Nowar and Miaki came off in a canoe to visit us. Nowar

had on a shirt, but Miaki was naked and frowning. He urged me to go and

see the Mission House, but as we had seen a body of men near it I

refused to go. Miaki declared that everything remained as I had left it,

but we knew that he lied. Old Abraham and a party had slipped on shore

in a canoe, and had found the windows smashed and everything gone except

my books, which were scattered about and torn in pieces. The armed men

there wanted to kill the Aneityumese, but others said, “Not till we get

Missi killed too!” They learned that Miaki had sold everything that he

could sell to the Traders. The mate and men of the _Blue Bell_ had on my

very clothes. They boasted that they had bought them for a few figs of

tobacco and for powder, caps, and balls. But they would not return a

single shirt to me, though I was without a change! We had all been

without food in the boat since the morning before, so Nowar brought us

off a cocoa-nut each, and two very small roasted yams for the ladies.

Those, however, only seemed to make our thirst the more severe, and we

spent a trying day in that boat under a burning sun. Miaki said,—

“As our fathers did not destroy Missi Turner’s house, we will not

destroy yours.”

But after a time, failing to persuade me to accompany him and fall into

a trap, he muttered,—

“We have taken everything your house contained, and would take you too

if we could; for we hate the Worship, it causes all our diseases and

deaths; it goes against our customs, and it condemns the things we

delight in.”

Nowar informed me that only a few nights before this, Miaki and his

followers went inland to a village where last year they had killed ten

men. Having secretly placed a savage at the door of every house, at a

given signal they yelled, and when the terrified inmates tried to escape

they killed almost every man, woman, and child. Some fled into the bush,

others rushed to the shore. A number of men got into a canoe to escape,

but hearing women and children crying after them they returned, and

taking those they could with them they killed the rest lest they should

fall alive into Miaki’s hands. These are surely “they who through fear

of death are all their lifetime subject to bondage.” The Chief and

nearly his whole village were cut off in one night! Not an uncommon

thing in those Islands, where war becomes chronic, and the thirst for

blood becomes insatiable. The dark places of the Earth are “full of the

habitations of horrid cruelty.” To have actually lived amongst the

Heathen and seen their life gives a man a new appreciation of the power

and blessings of the Gospel, even where its influence is only very

imperfectly allowed to guide and restrain the passions of men. Oh, what

will it be when all men in all nations love and serve the glorious

Redeemer!

This Miaki and his followers were a scourge and terror to the whole

island of Tanna. They intensely hated Nowar, because he would not join

in their cruelties. Yet he and Manuman and Sirawia and Faimungo

continued to survive long after war and death had swept all the others

away. The first three lived to be very old men, and to the last they

made a profession of being Christians, though their knowledge was very

limited and their inconsistencies very grave and very numerous. Happy is

it for us that we are not the judges, for souls either of the white or

the dark skin, as to how many and grievous things may be forgiven, and

whether there be or be not that spark of love, that grain of faith which

the Lord the Pitiful will graciously accept and increase![1]

Footnote 1:

See Appendix A. “The Prayer of the Tannese,” etc.

About five o’clock in the evening the vessel hove in sight. Before dark

we were all safely on board, and were sailing for Aneityum. Though both

Mr. and Mrs. Mathieson had become very weak, they stood the voyage

wonderfully. Next day we were all safely landed. We had offered Captain

Hastings £20 to take us to Aneityum, but he declined any fare. However,

we divided it amongst the mate and crew, for they had every one shown

great kindness to us on the voyage. After arriving on Aneityum, Mrs.

Mathieson gradually sank under consumption, and fell asleep in Jesus on

11th March, 1862, in the full assurance of a glorious resurrection, and

was interred there. Mr. Mathieson, becoming more and more depressed

after her death, went over to Mr. Creagh’s Station, on Maré, and there

died on 14th June, 1862, still trusting in Jesus, and assured that he

would soon be with Him in Glory. Never more earnest or more faithful

souls entered the Mission field, but they both suffered from weakness

and ill-health during all their time on Tanna, and had frequently to

seek change by removal for a short period from the island. Their memory

is very fragrant to me as fellow-labourers in the Gospel of Jesus.

After their death, I was the only one left alive in all the New Hebrides

Mission north of Aneityum to tell the story of those pioneer years,

during which were sown the seeds of what is now fast becoming a glorious

harvest. Twenty-five years ago, all these dear brethren and sisters who

were associated with me in the work of the Mission were called home to

Glory, to cast their crowns at the feet of Jesus and enjoy the bliss of

the redeemed, while I am privileged still to toil and pray for the

salvation of the poor Islanders, and plead the cause of the Mission both

in the Colonies and at home, in which work the Lord has graciously given

me undreamt-of success. My constant desire and prayer are that I may be

spared to see at least one Missionary on every island of the group, to

unfold the riches of redeeming love and to lead the poor Islanders to

Jesus for salvation.

What could be taken in three boats was saved out of the wreck of Mr.

Mathieson’s property; but my earthly all perished, except the Bible and

the translations into Tannese. Along with the goods pertaining to the

Mission, the property which I had to leave behind would be undervalued

at £600, besides the value of the Mission House, etc. Often since have I

thought that the Lord stripped me thus bare of all these interests, that

I might with undistracted mind devote my entire energy to the special

work soon to be carved out for me, and of which at this moment neither I

nor any one had ever dreamed. At any rate, the loss of my little earthly

all, though doubtless costing me several pangs, was not an abiding

sorrow like that which sprang from the thought that the Lord’s work was

broken up at both Stations, and that the Gospel was for the time driven

from Tanna.

In the darkest moment, I never doubted that ultimately the victory

there, as elsewhere, would be on the side of Jesus, believing that the

whole Earth would yet be filled with the glory of the Lord. But I

sometimes sorely feared that I might never live to see or hear of that

happy day! By the goodness of the Ever-merciful One I have lived to see

and hear of a Gospel Church on Tanna, and to read about my dear

fellow-Missionaries, Mr. and Mrs. Watt, celebrating the Holy Supper to a

Native Congregation of Tannese, amid the very scenes and people where

the seeds of faith and hope were planted not only in tears, but tears of

blood,—“in deaths oft.”

My own intention was to remain on Aneityum, go on with my work of

translating the Gospels, and watch the earliest opportunity, as God

opened up my way, to return to Tanna. I had, however, got very weak and

thin; my health was undoubtedly much shaken by the continued trials and

dangers through which we had passed; and therefore, as Dr. and Mrs.

Inglis were at home carrying the New Testament through the press in the

language of Aneityum, and as Tanna was closed for a season, Dr. Geddie,

the Rev. Joseph Copeland, and Mr. Mathieson all urged me to go to

Australia by a vessel then in the Harbour and leaving in a few days. My

commission was to awaken an interest among the Presbyterian Churches of

our Colonies in this New Hebrides Mission which lay at their doors, up

till this time sustained by Scotland and Nova Scotia alone. And further,

and very specially, to raise money there, if possible, to purchase a new

Mission Ship for the work of God in the New Hebrides,—a clamant

necessity, which would save all future Missionaries some of the more

terrible of the privations and risks of which a few examples have in

these pages already been recorded.

After much prayerful deliberation with my brethren and with my own heart

before God, I somewhat reluctantly felt constrained to undertake the

task. If my story was to be the means of providing more Missionaries for

the Islands, and of providing a commodious Ship for the service of the

Mission alone, to keep open their communications with the outer world

and with Christian influences, not to speak of carrying their provisions

at fixed periods, or rescuing them when in troubles and perils from the

jaws of death, I was not unwilling to tell it again and again, if the

Lord would open up my path. God knows my heart, and any one who really

knows me will easily admit, that no selfish or egotistical motive has

influenced me in reciting through all the Australasian Colonies, New

Zealand, Scotland, and latterly in many parts of England and Ireland,

the incidents of my career and experience, first of all on Tanna, and

thereafter for nearly twenty years—as the Second Part of my biography

will relate—on the neighbouring island of Aniwa; an island entirely

given to me by the Lord, the whole population of which became Christian;

and they and their race will be my crown of joy and rejoicing in the day

of the Lord Jesus.

With regrets, and yet with unquenchable hope for these Islands, I

embarked for Australia, having received the solemn promise of my

brethren, that in entering upon this great effort I was to be left

absolutely free of all control, and empowered to carry out the work as

God might seem to guide me, and open up my way. I had only spoken to one

man in Sydney; all the doors to influence had therefore to be unlocked,

and I had no helper, no leader, but the Spirit of my Lord. The Second

Part of this Autobiography, should God spare me to write it, will record

His marvellous goodness in using my humble voice and pen and the story

of my life for interesting thousands and tens of thousands in the work

of Missions, and especially for binding together the children of the

Sabbath Schools of Australasia in a Holy League of help to the New

Hebrides, which has already borne precious fruit to His glory, and will

continue to do so for ages to come.

Oftentimes, while passing through the perils and defeats of my first

years in the Mission field on Tanna, I wondered, and perhaps the reader

hereof has wondered, why God permitted such things. But on looking back

now, I already clearly perceive, and the reader of my future pages will,

I think, perceive, that the Lord was thereby preparing me for doing, and

providing me materials wherewith to accomplish the best work of all my

life—the kindling of the heart of Australian Presbyterianism with a

living affection for these Islanders of their own Southern Seas—the

binding of all their children into a happy league of shareholders, first

in one Mission Ship, and finally in a larger and more commodious

Steam-Auxiliary, and, last of all, in being the instrument under God of

sending out Missionary after Missionary to the New Hebrides, to claim

another island and still another for Jesus. That work, and all that may

spring from it in time and Eternity, never could have been accomplished

by me, but for first the sufferings and then the story of my Tanna

enterprise!

Some unsophisticated souls who read these pages will be astonished to

learn, but others who know more of the heartless selfishness of human

creatures, will be quite prepared to hear, that my leaving Tanna was not

a little criticized, and a great deal of nonsense was written, even in

Church Magazines, about the breaking up of the Mission. All such

criticism came, of course, from men who were themselves destitute of

sympathy, and who, probably, never endured one pang for Jesus in all

their comfortable lives. Conscious that I had, to the last inch of life,

tried to do my duty, I left all results in the hands of my only Lord,

and all criticisms to His unerring judgment. Hard things also were

occasionally spoken to my face. One dear friend, for instance, said,—

“You should not have left. You should have stood at the post of duty

till you fell. It would have been to your honour, and better for the

cause of the Mission, had you been killed at the post of duty like the

Gordons and others.”

I replied,—“I regard it as a greater honour to live and to work for

Jesus, than to be a self-made martyr. God knows that I did not refuse to

die; for I stood at the post of duty, amid difficulty and danger, till

all hope had fled, till everything I had was lost, and till God, in

answer to prayer, sent a means of escape. I left with a clear

conscience, knowing that in doing so I was following God’s leading, and

serving the Mission too. To have remained longer would have been to

incur the guilt of self-murder in the sight of God.”

Never for one moment have I had occasion to regret the step then taken.

The Lord has so used me, during the five-and-twenty years that have

passed over me since my farewell to Tanna, as to stamp the event with

His own most gracious approval. Oh, to see a Missionary, and Christian

Teachers, planted on every island of the New Hebrides! For this I

labour, and wait, and pray. To help on the fulfilment thereof is the

sacred work of my life, under God. When I see it accomplished, or in a

fair way of being so, through the organization that will provide the

money and call forth the men, I can lay down my head as peacefully and

gratefully as ever warrior did, with the shout of victory in his

ears,—“Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace!”

* * * * *

For the present, my pen is here laid aside. I shall wait to see what use

the Lord makes of Part First of my autobiography, before I prosecute the

theme. If the Christian public seems not to find in it the help and

quickening that some friends think it likely to bestow on those who

read, the remainder need not be written. Part Second, if called for,

will contain a record, in many respects, an utter contrast to all that

has gone before, and yet directly springing therefrom, as will be seen

by all who look beneath the surface. I am penning these words in 1887,

and five-and-twenty years lie betwixt this date and my farewell to

Tanna. These years, if ever published, will tell the story of my

visiting all the Colonial Churches, and collecting the purchase money of

our white-winged Mission Ship, the _Dayspring_; my return to Scotland,

visiting all the home congregations in 1864, and securing several new

Missionaries to follow me to the New Hebrides; my second marriage, and

settlement on Aniwa, with her whom the good Lord still spares to me, the

mother of our happy family, and my God-given helpmeet in all the work of

the Gospel; the conversion of that whole island of Aniwa from idolatry,

and the planting there of a Church and Congregation of Christ, from

which have since gone forth many Native Evangelists and Teachers. Then

there will fall to be recorded my call from the Islands in recent years

to revisit all the Colonial Presbyterian Congregations once again,

telling them the story of the Conversion of Aniwa—the sinking of the

well, and other incidents, which turned an entire people from idols and

from cannibalism to the service of the living and true God—whereby the

Churches, and especially the children, were led more and more to make

the New Hebrides their own very harvest field in the Heathen world. And

finally, I will have to tell how I was again sent home to Scotland in

1884 to raise money for the purchase or building of a steam-auxiliary

Mission Ship, now urgently required in the interests of the Mission,

both because of the great increase in the number of the Missionaries and

the necessities of so many families; and also and chiefly to avert the

dreadful disappointments and loss of time, and thereby sometimes of life

itself, caused by the frequent becalming of our little _Dayspring_ in

these thickly-islanded seas. That part of the story will show the fruits

of the education and perils and experiences of a lifetime, in the

marvellous impression produced by the simple and unadorned recital of

the story of Tanna and Aniwa, amongst the Christian people of Scotland,

Ireland, and England. Multitudes were blessed in almost every town where

a meeting was granted me. Three Missionaries devoted themselves to the

New Hebrides, and are already labouring there; while others consecrated

themselves to several of the great seats of Foreign Mission enterprise

in Africa and Asia. I returned to my own Church of Victoria with a sum

of nearly £9,000, of which £6,000 was for the new Missionary

Steam-Auxiliary, and the remainder for the outfit and support of more

Missionaries for the Islands; and that money I handed over to the

Australian Church, where it awaits, at interest in the bank, the

arrangements being made by all the Colonies to take each their due share

in the future up-keep of the Ship. For this—for everything—for all,

praise be to the Lord! I never asked one subscription, except in prayer

and in my public appeals. The Lord sent in all freely to me through the

hands of His people; to Him be all the glory. I went back to Aniwa, and

found the work of the Lord going forward there as if in a regularly

settled Congregation at home, fostered and guided by an occasional visit

of my ever dear and genuine friends, Mr. and Mrs. Watt, from old

stern-hearted but at last relenting Tanna. The Church of Victoria has

again summoned me to visit the Colonial Congregations, to tell the story

of my Mission life, and to promote the interests of its now grand and

growing Foreign Scheme. It is in the midst of such labours, while

addressing at least one meeting every day, and three or four every

Sabbath day, that I have penned the preceding pages; and I leave them to

speak for themselves, without any attempt at ornament or style. The Lord

whom I serve in the Gospel knows my motive and my hope, and I very

calmly leave this book to His disposal, and the succeeding volume to His

guidance, if such there shall ever be—as the reader well knows I have

had to leave heavier and darker issues in the same blessed Hands. I

offer every one, who has done me the favour to read or to listen, my

kindly greeting. May you and I meet in the glory of Jesus, and continue

our fellowship there! Good-bye.

_APPENDIX._

APPENDIX A.

(_See p. 354._)

THE PRAYER OF THE TANNESE, WHO LOVE THE WORD OF JEHOVAH, TO THE GREAT

CHIEF OF SYDNEY.

[_Written at the urgent request and dictation of the Missionary’s

friends on Tanna to be presented to the Governor of New South Wales.

Literally translated by me, John G. Paton._]

To the Chief of Sydney, the servant of Queen Victoria of Britannia,

saying—We great men of Tanna dwell in a dark land. Our people are very

dark hearted. They know nothing good.

Missi Paton the man, Missi Mathieson the man, and Missi Mathieson the

woman, have dwelt here four yams (= years) to teach us the worship of

Jehovah. Their conduct has been straight and very good; therefore we

love these three Missionaries, and the worship of Jehovah which they

three have taught us, the Tannese.

Alas! a part, as it were, only three of our Chiefs, whose names are

Nauka, Miaki, and Karewick, besides Ringian, Enukarupi, Attica, and

Namaka, they and their people hate the worship and all good conduct like

that which the Word of Jehovah teaches us and the people of all lands.

These men all belong to four Villages only. They have stolen all Missi’s

property; they have broken into his house. They have cut down his

bananas. They have scolded and persecuted him; and they desire to kill

Missi and to eat him, so that they may destroy the Worship of God from

the land of Tanna.

We hate exceedingly their bad conduct, and pray you, the Great Chief of

Sydney, to punish these dark Tannese, who have persecuted Missi, who

have deceived Missi, who have altogether deceived the Great Chief (=

Commodore Seymour) and the Chief (= Captain Hume) of the men-of-war, and

who deceived the Chief and the Missionaries in the _John Williams_, who

murdered one of Missi Paton’s Aneityum Teachers, who fought Missi Turner

and Missi Nisbet, who killed Vasa and his Samoan people, who killed the

foreigners, who have now fought and driven away our three Missionaries.

Their conduct has been exceedingly bad. They destroy the Kingdom of

Tanna, kill the people and eat them, and are guilty of bad conduct every

day. Our hearts hate their bad conduct; we are pained by it.

Therefore we earnestly pray you, the Chief of Sydney, to send quickly a

man-of-war to punish them, and to revenge all their bad conduct towards

Missi. Then truly we will rejoice; then it will be good and safe for the

three Missionaries to dwell here, and to teach us, men of the devil. Our

hearts are very dark; we know nothing; we are just like pigs. Therefore

it is good for Missi to teach us the Word and the Worship of Jehovah the

Great King. Long ago He was unknown here. Missi brought His knowledge to

us.

Our love to you, the Great Chief of Sydney, the servant of Queen

Victoria, and we earnestly pray you to protect us, and to protect our

Missionaries and the Worship of God in our land, the land of Tanna. We

weep for our Missionaries. They three gave us medicine in our sickness,

and clothing for our bodies; taught us what is good conduct, and taught

us the way to Heaven. Of all these things long ago we had no knowledge

whatever; therefore we weep, and our hearts cling to these three, our

Missionaries. If they three are not here, who will teach us the way to

Heaven? Who will prevent our bad conduct? Who will protect us from the

bad conduct of foreigners? And who will love us, and teach us all good

things?

Oh, compassionate us, Chief of Sydney! Hold fast these three, our

Missionaries, and give them back to us, and we will love you and your

people. You and your people know the Word of Jehovah; you are going on

the path to Heaven; you all love the Word of Jehovah. Oh, look in mercy

on us, dark-hearted men, going to the bad land, to the great eternal

fire, just like our fathers who are dead!

May Jehovah make your heart and the hearts of your people sweet towards

us, to compassionate us, and to look in mercy on our dark land; and we

will pray Jehovah to make you good, and give you a rich reward.

The names of us, the Chiefs of Tanna, who worship towards Jehovah:—

Yarisi, x his mark.

Ruawa, x his mark.

Kapuka, x his mark.

Taura, x his mark.

Faimungo, x his mark.

Manuman, x his mark.

Nuara, x his mark.

Nebusak, x his mark.

Kaua, x his mark.

Nowar, x his mark.

APPENDIX B.

NOTES ON THE NEW HEBRIDES

_By the Editor._

The SOUTH SEAS—so named by Vasco Nugnez de Balboa, who in 1513 first saw

the Ocean on the other side of Darien, and marched into it as far as he

durst, waving his sword, and taking possession of it in name of his

master, the King of Spain.

The PACIFIC OCEAN—so named by Ferdinand Magellan, who in 1521 sailed

westwards in his _Victory_ seven thousand miles, and found the sea

exceptionally _peaceful_—for that trip at least.

The NEW HEBRIDES—so named by Captain Cook, who in 1773 first fully

explored and described the whole of the group. As far back, however, as

1606, Captain Pedro Fernandez de Quiros had landed on the largest and

most northerly island of the group. He at once fancied it to be the

great _Southern_ Continent, deemed to be essential to balance the great

Continents of the North, and eagerly looked for both by sailors and men

of science. He named the bay, _Vera Cruz_,—the river that flowed into

it, _Jordan_,—and the city which he founded there, _New Jerusalem_. The

land itself he called by the preposterous designation of _Tierra

Australis del Espiritu Santo_. In 1768 a French explorer, Bougainville,

sailed round _Santo_, discovering that it was but an island, and through

the _Straits_ that still bear his name; whereon, finding many islands

all around, he re-baptized them _L’Archipel des Grandes Cyclades_. But

Cook, being the first who sailed in and out amongst all the group, and

put on record the most faithful descriptions and details, which to this

hour remain generally authoritative, considered himself entitled to name

them the _New Hebrides_; and history since has been well pleased to

adopt his views, seeing, doubtless, the geographical analogy betwixt the

multitudinous scattered isles and islets of the _old_ Hebrides and those

of the _new_.

From Santo in the north to Aneityum in the south, a distance of about

400 miles, there are scattered over the Ocean thirty islands, twenty

being well inhabited, and eleven of them being of considerable size,

from Aneityum, which is forty miles in circumference, to Santo, which

measures seventy miles by forty. The Islands lie 1,000 miles to the

North of New Zealand, 1,400 miles North-East from Sydney, 400 miles West

of Fiji, and 200 East of New Caledonia. The population is now estimated

at 70,000; but, in the early days of Missions, before Traders and

Kanaka-collectors, and the new Epidemics of Civilization (!) had

decimated them, their numbers were certainly three times greater.

The general appearance of the Islands is that of a range of mountains

bursting up out of the sea, clothed with forests, and severed from each

other by deep valleys, through which the tides now flow. They are all

volcanic in origin, but the lava has poured itself out over a bed of

coral, and the mountains have reared themselves up on a coral base. The

fires are still active on Tanna, Ambrym, and Polevi—the volcano on Tanna

being now, as in the days of Cook, a pillar of cloud by day and of fire

by night, a far-shining light-house for the sailor, kindled by the

finger of God Himself. The climate is moist and humid, with a

thermometer seldom below 60° and seldom above 90° in the shade; their

winter is called the Rainy Season, and their vegetation is tropical in

its luxuriance.

On one Island may be found a hundred varieties of ferns alone. The

damara or kauri-pine, so prized in New Zealand, grows there, as also the

bread-fruit tree, the banana, the papua-apple, the chestnut, and above

all the cocoa-nut, which for refreshing drink competes with the vine of

other lands, and for varied uses and services to man almost rivals the

very palmtree of Palestine. The sandal-wood, for its sacred odours and

idol incense, has been almost swept entirely away,—as much as £70,000

worth being carried off from Erromanga alone!

Among native foods, the yam and the taro hold the foremost place, not

inferior to our finest potatoes; besides the banana, the sugar-cane, the

bread-fruit, and the cocoa-nut, which flourish to perfection. Their

arrowroot is in some respects the finest in the world, and is kept only

for special uses as yet, but may develop into a great and valuable

industry, as Commerce opens up her markets and stretches out her hands.

The English cabbage has been introduced and grows well; also the

planting of cotton and of coffee.

The scarcity of animals is marvellous. The pig, the dog, and the rat are

their only four-footed creatures; and some affirm that the rat is the

alone indigenous quadruped in all the New Hebrides! Lizards and snakes

abound, but are declared not to be poisonous. There are many small and

beautiful pigeons, also wild ducks and turkeys, besides multitudes of

ordinary fowls. Goats have now been largely introduced, as well as

sheep, and various European animals. Fish, of course, swarm in millions

around the shores, and a whaling station on Aneityum sent into the

market £2,000 worth of oil in a year.

The Natives are practically quite naked, till induced by the Missionary

to “wear a shirt”—the first sign of renouncing Heathenism and inclining

towards Christianity. They are Cannibals of a very pronounced type, and

Savages without any traces of civilization, except those connected with

war(!),—without a literature, and almost without a religion, except only

the dread of evil spirits, the worship of ancestors, and the lowest

forms of fetishism, trees, stones, etc. They are partly Malay and partly

Papuan,—a mixture of Ham and of Shem,—some with hair crisp and woolly,

stuck full of feathers and shells, others with hair long and wavy,

twisted into as many as 700 separate whipcords on a single head, and

taking five years to finish the job! Their bows and arrows, tomahawks,

clubs and spears, are sometimes elaborately carved and adorned; and they

can twist and weave grasses and fibres into wondrously beautiful mats,

bags, and girdles. They make bracelets out of shells, sliced and carved

in marvellous ways, as also ear-rings and nose-rings; and in many

similar methods they show some savage sense of beauty.

Polygamy, with all its accompanying cruelties and degradations,

universally prevails. Infanticide is systematically practised; and even

the despatch of parents, when they grow old and helpless. Widows are put

to death on almost every island to bear their husbands company into the

spirit world. There is not an unmentionable vice hinted at in Romans i.

which is not unblushingly practised on those Islands, wheresoever the

Gospel has not dawned.

* * * * *

For the best published information on all these subjects, consult the

work by Dr. John Inglis: “IN THE NEW HEBRIDES” (Nelson & Sons,

1887),—Reminiscences of noble Missionary Service for three-and-thirty

years.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

A SELECTION FROM

FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY’S

CATALOGUE

Important Missionary Publications.

=AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JOHN G. PATON.= Missionary to the New Hebrides.

Introductory note by Arthur T. Pierson, D.D. 2 vols., 12mo., portrait

and map, in neat box, net $2.00.

One of the most remarkable biographies of modern times.

“I have just laid down the most robust and the most fascinating

piece of autobiography that I have met with in many a day.... It is

the story of the wonderful work wrought by John G. Paton, the famous

missionary to the New Hebrides; he was made of the same stuff with

Livingstone.”—_T. L. Cuyler._

“It stands with such books as those Dr. Livingstone gave the world,

and shows to men that the heroes of the cross are not merely to be

sought in past ages.”—_Christian Intelligencer._

=THE LIFE OF JOHN KENNETH MACKENZIE.= Medical Missionary to China; with

the story of the First Chinese Hospital by Mrs. Bryson, author of

“Child Life in Chinese Homes,” etc. 12mo., cloth, 400 pages, price

$1.50 with portrait in photogravure.

“The story of a singularly beautiful life, sympathetically and ably

written.... A really helpful, elevating book.”—_London Missionary

Chronicle._

“The volume records much that is fresh and interesting bearing on

Chinese customs and manners as seen and vividly described by a

missionary who had ample opportunities of studying them under most

varied circumstances and conditions.”—_Scotsman._

=THE GREATEST WORK IN THE WORLD.= The Evangelization of all Peoples in the

Present Century. By Rev. Arthur T. Pierson, D.D. 12mo., leatherette,

gilt top. 35c.

The subject itself is an inspiration, but this latest production of

Dr. Pierson thrills with the life which the Master Himself has

imparted to it. It will be a welcome addition to Missionary

literature.

=THE CRISIS OF MISSIONS.= By Rev. Arthur T. Pierson, D.D. Cloth, $1.25;

paper, 35c.

“We do not hesitate to say that this book is the most purposeful,

earnest and intelligent review of the mission work and field which

has ever been given to the Church.”—_Christian Statesman._

=MEDICAL MISSIONS.= Their Place and Power. By John Lowe, F. R. C. S. E.,

Secretary of the Edinburgh Medical Mission Society. 12mo., 308 pages,

cloth, $1.50.

“This book contains an exhaustive account of the benefits that may,

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this matter, having himself been so long engaged in the same

field.”—_From Introduction by Sir William Muir._

=ONCE HINDU: NOW CHRISTIAN.= The early life of Baba Padmanji. Translated

from the Marathi. Edited by J. Murray Mitchell, M. A., LLD. 12mo., 155

pages, with appendix. Cloth, 75c.

“A more instructive or more interesting narrative of a human soul,

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caste, gradually emerging into the light, liberty and peace of a

regenerate child of God, does not often come to hand.”—_Missionary

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=AN INTENSE LIFE.= By George F. Herrick. A sketch of the life and work of

Rev. Andrew T. Pratt, M.D., Missionary of the A. B. C. F. M., in

Turkey, 1852–1872. 16mo., cloth, 50c.

=EVERY-DAY LIFE IN SOUTH INDIA=, or, the Story of Coopooswamey. An

Autobiography. With fine engravings by E. Whymper. 12mo., cloth,

$1.00.

=THE CHILDREN OF INDIA=. Written for children by one of their friends.

Illustrations and map. Small 4to., cloth, $1.25.

“These are good books for the Sunday-School Library, and will help

young people in missionary societies who desire to have an

intelligent idea of the people in India whom they are sending their

money and their missionaries to convert.”—_Missionary Herald._

=HINDUISM, PAST AND PRESENT.= With an account of recent Hindu reformers,

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=GOSPEL ETHNOLOGY.= With illustrations. By S. R. Paterson, F. G. S. 12mo.,

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“The first attempt to treat this subject from a thorough-going

scientific standpoint. A very powerful argument for the truth of

Christianity.”—_English Churchman._

“A book to refer to for information not easily to be obtained

otherwise.”—_Church Missionary Intelligencer._

=NATIVE LIFE IN SOUTH INDIA.= Being sketches of the social and religious

characteristics of the Hindus. By the Rev. Henry Rice. With many

illustrations from native sketches. 12mo., cloth boards, $1.00.

“Those who have heard Mr. Rice’s missionary addresses will be

prepared to hear that this is a fascinating book.”—_Life and Work._

=CHRISTIAN PROGRESS IN CHINA.= Gleanings from the writings and speaches of

many workers. By Arnold Foster, B.A., London Missionary, Hankow. With

map of China. 12mo., cloth, $1.00.

=AMONG THE MONGOLS.= By Rev. James Gilmour, M.A., London Mission, Peking.

Numerous engravings from photographs and native sketches. 12mo., gilt

edges, cloth, $1.25.

“The newness and value of the book consists solely in its Defoe

quality, that when you have read it you know, and will never forget,

all Mr. Gilmour knows and tells of how Mongols live.”—_Spectator._

=EVERY-DAY LIFE IN CHINA=, or, Scenes along River and Road in the

Celestial Empire. By Edwin J. Dukes. Illustrations from the author’s

sketches. 12mo., with embellished cover, $2.00.

That China is a mysterious problem to all who interest themselves in

its affairs is the only excuse for offering another book on the

subject.

• MISSIONARY PUBLICATIONS •

=REPORT OF THE CENTENARY CONFERENCE on the Protestant Missions of the

World.= Held in London, June, 1888. Edited by the Rev. JAMES JOHNSTON,

F. S. S., Secretary of the Conference. Two large 8vo. vols., 1200

pages, $2.00 net per set.

An important feature in this report, lack of which has prejudiced

many against reports in general, is the special care taken by the

Editor, who has succeeded in making the work an interesting and

accurate reproduction of the most important accumulation of facts

from the Mission Fields of the World, as given by the

representatives of all the Evangelical Societies of Christendom.

And another: The exceptionally complete and helpful indexing of the

entire work in such a thorough manner as to make it of the greatest

value as a Reference Encyclopedia on mission topics for years to

come.

=THE MISSIONARY YEAR BOOK FOR 1889–90.= Containing Historical and

Statistical accounts of the Principle Protestant Missionary Societies

in America, Great Britain and the Continent of Europe.

The American edition, edited by Rev. J. T. GRACEY, D.D., of Buffalo,

embraces about 450 pages, one-fourth being devoted to the work of

American Societies, and will contain Maps of India, China, Japan,

Burmah, and Siam; also a language Map of India and comparative

diagrams illustrating areas, population and progress of Mission

work. This compilation will be the best presentation of the work of

the American Societies in Pagan Lands that has yet been given to the

public. The book is strongly recommended by Rev. JAS. JOHNSTON,

F.S.S., as a companion volume to the Report of the Century

Conference on Missions. Cloth, 12mo. $1.25.

=GARENGANZE: or, Seven Years’ Pioneer Missionary Work in Central Africa.=

By FRED. S. ARNOT, with introduction by Rev. A. T. PIERSON, D.D.

Twenty Illustrations and an original Map.

The author’s two trips across Africa, entirely unarmed and

unattended except by the local and constantly changing carriers, and

in such marked contrast with many modern adventurers, strongly

impress one to ask if another Livingstone has not appeared among us.

Traversing where no white man had ever been seen before, and meeting

kings and chiefs accustomed only to absolute power, he demanded and

received attention in the name of his God. Cloth 8vo, 290 pages,

$1.25.

=IN THE FAR EAST: China Illustrated. Letters from Geraldine Guinness.=

Edited by her sister, with Introduction by Rev. J. HUDSON TAYLOR. A

characteristic Chinese cover. Cloth 4to, 224 pages, $1.50.

CONTENTS.

“Good-Bye!”

Second Class.

On the Way to China.

Hong-Kong and Shanghai.

First days in the Flowery Land.

Opium Suicides amongst Women.

Ten Days on a Chinese Canal.

At Home in our Chinese “Haddon Hall.”

By Wheelbarrow to Antong.

Life on a Chinese Farm.

A Visit to the “Shun” City.

Blessing—and Need of Blessing—In the Far East.

Rev. C. H. SPURGEON, writes:

“I have greatly enjoyed ‘In the Far East.’ God blessing it, the book

should send armies of believers to invade the Flowry Land.”

The author is to be congratulated for the taste and beauty with

which these letters are now put into permanent form. A full page

colored map of China enhances this admirable gift book.

NEW YORK. :: Fleming H. Revell Company :: CHICAGO.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

1. Silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in

spelling.

2. Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed.

3. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.

4. Enclosed bold font in =equals=.

5. Denoted superscripts by a caret before a single superscript

character, e.g. M^r.