KOWIA.
ANOTHER tragedy followed, with, however, much of the light of Heaven
amid its blackness, in the story of Kowia, a Tannese Chief of the
highest rank. Going to Aneityum in youth, he had there become a true
Christian. He married an Aneityumese Christian woman, with whom he lived
very happily and had two beautiful children. Some time before the
measles reached our island he returned to live with me as a Teacher and
to help forward our work on Tanna. He proved himself to be a decided
Christian; he was a real Chief amongst them, dignified in his whole
conduct, and every way a valuable helper to me. Everything was tried by
his own people to induce him to leave me and to renounce the Worship,
offering him every honor and bribe in their power. Failing these, they
threatened to take away all his lands, and to deprive him of
Chieftainship, but he answered "Take all! I shall still stand by Missi
and the Worship of Jehovah."
From threats they passed to galling insults, all which he bore patiently
for Jesu's sake. But one day a party of his people came and sold some
fowls, and an impudent fellow lifted them after they had been bought and
offered to sell them again to me. Kowia shouted, "Don't purchase these,
Missi; I have just bought them for you, and paid for them!"
Thereon the fellow began to mock at him. Kowia, gazing round on all
present, and then on me, rose like a lion awaking out of sleep, and with
flashing eyes exclaimed, "Missi, they think that because I am now a
Christian I have become a coward! a woman! to bear every abuse and
insult they can heap upon me. But I will show them for once that I am no
coward, that I am still their Chief, and that Christianity does not take
away but gives us courage and nerve."
Springing at one man, he wrenched in a moment the mighty club from his
hands, and swinging it in air above his head like a toy, he cried, "Come
any of you, come all against your Chief! My Jehovah God makes my heart
and arms strong. He will help me in this battle as He helps me in other
things, for He inspires me to show you that Christians are no cowards,
though they are men of peace. Come on, and you will yet know that I am
Kowia your Chief."
All fled as he approached them; and he cried, "Where are the cowards
now?" and handed back to the warrior his club. After this they left him
at peace.
He lived at the Mission House, with his wife and children, and was a
great help and comfort to Abraham and myself. He was allowed to go more
freely and fearlessly amongst the people than any of the rest of our
Mission staff. The ague and fever on me at Mr. Johnston's death so
increased and reduced me to such weakness that I had become insensible,
while Abraham and Kowia alone attended to me. On returning to
consciousness I heard as in a dream Kowia lamenting over me, and
pleading that I might recover, so as to hear and speak with him before
he died. Opening my eyes and looking at him, I heard him say, "Missi,
all our Aneityumese are sick. Missi Johnson is dead. You are very sick,
and I am weak and dying. Alas, when I too am dead, who will climb the
trees and get you a cocoanut to drink? And who will bathe your lips and
brow?"
Here he broke down into deep and long weeping, and then resumed, "Missi,
the Tanna-men hate us all on account of the Worship of Jehovah; and I
now fear He is going to take away all His servants from this land, and
leave my people to the Evil One and his service!"
I was too weak to speak, so he went on, bursting into a soliloquy of
prayer: "O Lord Jesus, Missi Johnston is dead; Thou hast taken him away
from this land. Missi Johnston the woman and Missi Paton are very ill; I
am sick, and Thy servants the Aneityumese are all sick and dying. O
Lord, our Father in Heaven, art Thou going to take away all Thy
servants, and Thy Worship from this dark land? What meanest Thou to do,
O Lord? The Tannese hate Thee and Thy Worship and Thy servants; but
surely, O Lord, Thou canst not forsake Tanna and leave our people to die
in the darkness! Oh, make the hearts of this people soft to Thy Word and
sweet to Thy Worship; teach them to fear and love Jesus; and oh, restore
and spare Missi, dear Missi Paton, that Tanna may be saved!"
Touched to the very fountains of my life by such prayers, from a man
once a Cannibal, I began under the breath of God's blessing to revive.
A few days thereafter, Kowia came again to me, and rousing me out of
sleep, cried, "Missi, I am very weak; I am dying. I come to bid you
farewell, and go away to die. I am nearing death now, and I will soon
see Jesus."
I spoke what words of consolation and cheer I could muster, but he
answered, "Missi, since you became ill my dear wife and children are
dead and buried. Most of our Aneityumese are dead, and I am dying. If I
remain on the hill, and die here at the Mission House, there are none
left to help Abraham to carry me down to the grave where my wife and
children are laid. I wish to lie beside them, that we may rise together
in the Great Day when Jesus comes. I am happy, looking unto Jesus! One
thing only deeply grieves me now; I fear God is taking us all away from
Tanna, and will leave my poor people dark and benighted as before, for
they hate Jesus and the Worship of Jehovah. O Missi, pray for them, and
pray for me once more before I go!"
He knelt down at my side, and we prayed for each other and for Tanna. I
then urged him to remain at the Mission House, but he replied, "O Missi,
you do not know how near to death I am! I am just going, and will soon
be with Jesus, and see my wife and children now. While a little strength
is left, I will lean on Abraham's arm, and go down to the graves of my
dear ones and fall asleep there, and Abraham will dig a quiet bed and
lay me beside them. Farewell, Missi, I am very near death now; we will
meet again in Jesus and with Jesus!"
With many tears he dragged himself away; and my heart-strings seemed all
tied round that noble simple soul, and felt like breaking one by one as
he left me there on my bed of fever all alone. Abraham sustained him,
tottering to the place of graves; there he lay down, and immediately
gave up the ghost and slept in Jesus; and there the faithful Abraham
buried him beside his wife and children. Thus died a man who had been a
cannibal Chief, but by the grace of God and the love of Jesus, changed,
transfigured into a character of light and beauty. I lost, in losing
him, one of my best friends and most courageous helpers; but I knew that
day, and I know now, that there is one soul at least from Tanna to sing
the glories of Jesus in Heaven--and, oh, the rapture when I meet him
there!