GOOD NEWS FROM TANNA, 1891. (By the Editor.)
WHILST this page of manuscript passes through my hands, there is laid
before me a brilliant letter from Mrs. Watt of Tanna, which, I am sure,
she will pardon me for utilizing thus. It is written from Port
Resolution, in the closing days of 1891. Its main theme is the building
of the SCOTCH CHURCH, in the very heart of the district where my
brother's years of anguish and toil were endured. Friends in Scotland
gave Mr. and Mrs. Watt the money wherewith to purchase materials, and
St. Paul's Parish Church, Glasgow, provided the Bell. But let us hear
how she paints the scene, and unveils to us the Island life,--alike
Pagan and Christian.
When they returned from Scotland and found their way to Kwamera, after
galling delays among the Islands, one of their first duties was the
making of "the annual contribution of arrow-root," the proceeds "to go
to line the roof of the Kwamera Church,--the Church itself having been
built in the same way," that is, by the sacred arrow-root! Then they
went round to Port Resolution for the erection of the SCOTCH CHURCH,--"A
Memorial of Workers and Work on Tanna." She tells how they "improvized a
derrick by lashing together the masts of the two boats, and, with the
aid of these and blocks and tackle, got the principals into their proper
position. And though carpenters or builders may laugh at it," she adds,
"we heaved a sigh of relief when the last one was secured." Listen to
this: "Mr. Gray (neighbor Missionary) and Mr. Watt were the only skilled
workmen. The others were all inexperienced, being Natives. We had them
all divided into two relays, and they came turn about, each alternate
day; and I can assure you there are no Natives in the Group, or indeed
in any land, who would have come more faithfully, or worked more
heartily, than these much-abused Tannese! The work went on every day,
Sabbaths excepted, from 6 A.M. till 6 P.M., for forty days. On ten of
these days Mr. Gray gave very valuable assistance; in truth, I do not
see how we could have done without him. Day by day the women prepared
food; the boys pulled drinking cocoanuts; and every one worked
willingly, while crowds came and gazed on in wonder as the edifice
arose." And if there be any shallow arm-chair critic of Missions ready
to sneer at such toils, let him first digest what this devoted lady
Missionary says: "Church Building may not be considered by some as
Mission work; yet we believe this Church erection has been the means of
much good to this people. We have had better attendances, both on
week-days and on Sabbaths, than ever before. And we managed to keep up
the daily morning and evening meetings during all the building
time,--as, after the devotional part was over, the builders went out,
but the rest remained for lessons." What more blessed than thus to work
and pray! To teach their hands to work, and their hearts to sing praises
to the Lord!
Now let us pass on, and look in upon them at the opening and dedication
of this SCOTCH CHURCH ON TANKA to the Lord God. "On a fixed day,
Wednesday 28th October, exactly twelvemonths to a day from our leaving
Liverpool, Natives from far and near assembled for the occasion. Mr. and
Mrs. Gray, with their two children, a Mr. Voullaire, a German who has
come to Tanna as a Trader, and our neighbor Mr. Bramwell, joined us. So
that, when we all met for the Opening Services, we were a somewhat mixed
company, speaking a medley of languages,--English, Scotch, German,
Fijian, Aneityumese, Aniwan, and at least two of the Tannese languages!
The building was well filled; but the bigger crowd was gathered outside;
for our Heathen onlookers were afraid to enter the sacred edifice. The
Service was beautiful. All seemed very happy. After it, there was an
exchange of gifts, we giving fifty fathoms of prints and calicoes, some
handkerchiefs, two pots full of cooked rice, a pile of raw yams and
taro, and two pieces of salt beef. Our neighbor gave some print, some
tins of luncheon beef, and some uncooked rice. The Natives gave two
cooked pigs, and native puddings _ad libitum_. These things being
divided to the satisfaction of all, we had speeches, when doubtless some
good impressions were made. On the Sabbath following we had a good
attendance, Mr. Gray addressing the people. On the Sabbath following
that we made our first money collection on Tanna." I again ask to my
readers to listen, and to lay to heart what the lady Missionary tells us
of these once cruel and cannibal souls. "We asked the people to give it
as a thank-offering for the remarkable exemption from accident during
the building of the Church though at times the work was rather
dangerous. The collection was £3: 5s. We were much pleased with the
hearty way the people responded to this, the first call to give a free
gift to the Lord. One man, whose whole purse was 17s., gave 1s. himself,
and gave 1s. to each of his three sons, so that they too might have
something to give. Knowing how meanly the Tannese treated the Spirits
whom they worshiped in Heathenism,--giving them the scraggiest fish, the
poorest bananas, and the smallest yams,--we rejoiced in this Christian
liberality!!"
Referring to exaggerated Newspaper rumors she says: "Tanna bulks largely
in some minds, though it is only a small Island, a little larger than
Arran! We had noticed that our Civil War was telegraphed not only to the
Australian papers, but to San Francisco, and even to the _London
Standard_. We have been receiving letters of condolence from friends,
who think our lives in danger!" Now, mark what the presence of the
Gospel and the Missionary has brought about, as compared with former
days: "Personally, the said Civil War has not affected us in the
slightest. The Grays, who were in the center of the scene of action, and
who more than once had the bullets whizzing over and around their house,
were so assured of their complete safety that Mrs. Gray stayed there
bravely alone with their children, while Mr. Gray came up here to assist
at our Church building!"
But she does not pretend that all is Christlike: "The list of killed and
wounded has been unusually large for Tanna, while the atrocities
committed have been worse than we ever heard of before. Indignities were
offered to the dead of both sexes. And, in one case at least, a
mutilated woman was left unburied to be eaten by dogs,--and would have
been completely devoured, had not one of our Teachers come on the scene
next day, and, unaided, dug a grave and buried her." And then the writer
lets in the lurid light of the Nether Pit in this closing picture: "One
instance of the disgusting depravity of the people shocked me much. A
man, who even attends Service in the district where the above dreadful
affair took place, on seeing the poor mutilated form of the woman,
addressed it thus--'If only the Gospel had not reached my Village, how I
would have enjoyed a feast off you!' I cannot tell you how much this has
preyed upon my mind; or how glad I feel at realizing that Jesus is an
Almighty Saviour, and can save to the uttermost, else I would despair of
these People!"
This may be commended to the attention of those who still affect to
believe that the Cannibalism of my brother's book is overdrawn. That
half-civilized Tanna man, smacking his lips at the thought of what might
have been his but for the Gospel, outweighs all cavils, and is tenfold
stronger than arguments. Also let us ask all readers to ponder the dear
lady's parting shot at unsympathetic and disparaging critics: "Some have
said that the backwardness of the Gospel on Tanna is due to the want of
faith on the part of her Missionaries; but I agree with our
fellow-laborer, Mr. Gray, who declares that it is only gigantic Faith
that could have toiled so many years amongst such a People!" Dear sister
in the Lord, courageous, much-enduring, free of all mock-modesty,
conscious of thy Cross, I thank thee for that word--it is the right
one--"Gigantic faith!"