John G. Paton tells in his autobiography of the death-bed of Nerwa, the
converted chief of Aniwa.
On my last visit to Nerwa his strength had gone very low, but
he drew me near his face and whispered, “Missi, my Missi, I am
glad to see you. You see that group of young men? They came to
sympathize with me, but they never once have spoken the name of
Jesus, tho they have spoken about everything else. They could
not have weakened me so if they had spoken about Jesus! Read me
the story of Jesus. Pray for me to Jesus. No, stop, let us call
them and let me speak with them before I go!” I called them all
around him and he said, “After I am gone let there be no bad
talk, no heathen ways. Sing Jehovah’s songs and pray to Jesus,
and bury me as a Christian. Take good care of my Missi, and help
him all you can. I am dying happy and going to be with Jesus,
and it was Missi that showed me this way. And who among you will
take my place in the village school and in the church? Who among
you will stand up for Jesus?” Many were shedding tears, but
there was no reply, after which the dying chief proceeded, “Now
let my last work on earth be this: We will read a chapter of the
Book, verse about, and then I will pray for you all, and the
Missi will pray for me, and God will let me go while the song is
still sounding in my heart.”
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