For an instant the horror of finding the house in ruins, and being
unable to discover my wife and the dear ones with her, almost overcame
me. I should have sunk to the ground exhausted, had not the native
supported me.
"Trust in Jehovah, friend," he remarked, quietly. "He knows what is
best for us all: your wife and our good missionary are in His hands."
"How long have you been a Christian?" I could not help asking.
"Two years," was the answer. "Before that I was a gross idolater and
cannibal; there was no wickedness I did not do. But, praised be the
Lord Jesus Christ, I was, through the teaching of the Holy Spirit,
brought out of darkness into the light of His glorious truth."
I felt rebuked, and grasping my staff once more, braced myself up to
continue my search. The native accompanied me.
"They may have escaped to the mountains," he observed. "We will go
there. I can find the path even in the dark, and there is a cavern not
far up, where they may have taken shelter. Once, when we were devil's
people, we dreaded to enter it, thinking it the abode of evil spirits;
now that we are God's people, we know that God is everywhere, and have
no fear."
Again I felt how the remark of this babe in Christ, this late savage
heathen, would rebuke many of those in our own dear England who, even in
this professedly enlightened nineteenth century, yet tremble at the
thoughts of ghosts, witches, and other similar phantoms of their foolish
imaginations.
It appeared to me that the hurricane was subsiding; but still our
progress was slow and painful. It was, however, an advantage having a
beaten path, though that in many places was cut up by the water, and in
others, trees and roofs of cottages had been blown across it. I found
that we were ascending,--higher and higher up the mountain we got.
Lofty rocks appeared on every side,--the lightning seemed to be more
vivid,--the crash of the thunder, as it reverberated in rattling peals
amid the cliffs, was even louder than before. I remembered my
companion's remark, and felt no fear.
"There is the cavern," he said, at length.
I hurried in through a narrow opening, following closely at his heels.
A light was shining at the farther end: it was from a fire, round which
a number of persons were collected. On the opposite side, with the
light shining full on his countenance, stood my brother John. A book
was in his hand,--the book of books undoubtedly. His eyes were turned
toward heaven: he was praying for the safety of all those exposed to the
fury of the tempest. My own name was mentioned. I advanced, and knelt
down by the side of my own Mary. "God hears prayer," I whispered. "He
has preserved me."
She soon lay in my arms, weeping tears of joy. I now learned that no
sooner had the signs of the coming tempest appeared than several of the
principal natives came to the mission-house, and advised John to remove
his family, with his books, and such articles as the water might spoil,
to a place of safety, offering to assist him. Of this kindness he
gladly availed himself; but the journey was not performed without great
danger and difficulty, as the tempest broke before they had proceeded
far, and the wind and floods impeded their progress. Mary suffered
most, from her anxiety for me. Now we praised God together joyfully for
the preservation he had awarded us.
It was daylight before we were able again to set forward to return to my
brother's now desolate home. Still we could rejoice, and be thankful
that none of those most dear to us had been lost. We hoped that the
poor natives might have escaped as well; but we had not descended far
through the lower ground before we found one crushed by a fallen tree,
and another drowned in a water-hole, into which he had apparently
stumbled. The lightning had struck a third whose blackened corpse we
found beneath a tall tree stripped of its branches. These were beyond
human help.
"Grant that they died in the Lord," observed the missionary, as we noted
the spots where they lay, that we might send and bury them.
The numbers wandering houseless and without food most claimed our
sympathy. Our worst apprehensions were realised. In the late neat and
pretty village not a cottage retained its roof, and by far the greater
number lay levelled with the ground, some mere heaps of ruin, while of
others not a remnant was to be seen, the whole building having been
carried off by the floods or wind. Of the church only part of the walls
remained standing; and even the heavier timbers of the roof lay
scattered about in every direction. This destruction naturally deeply
affected the missionary. "Still I pray that the faith and trust of the
people will not be found wanting under this trial," he murmured as we
passed on.
The school-houses were much in the same condition; but happily the
printing-office, a strong stone building, had escaped any serious
damage, as had its valuable contents. Here not only was printing
carried on, but the Bibles and other books were stored, as were the
machines for binding, a work performed very neatly by the natives. This
circumstance again raised my brother's spirits: "While the Book of God
remains, we have nought to fear."
It was sad to see the natives collecting from all points to which they
had fled to escape the flood and storm, as they first caught sight of
their ruined habitations.
"The village must be rebuilt on Christian principles," said my brother
with a smile; and going among the people, he called them around him, and
advised them to lose no time in collecting food and rebuilding their
houses, urging those without young children or unmarried to assist those
with families, or the sick and aged, before attending to their own
wants. The reply was most satisfactory, and all agreed to follow his
advice.
We now repaired to the mission-house, and, clearing out the rubbish from
within the angle formed by two walls, were soon able to obtain some
shelter and privacy for the ladies and children. It was melancholy work
hunting about for the furniture, crockery, and other articles, among the
ruins. However, we obtained a sufficient number of things to furnish
our make-shift abode, though it was long before we could get the bedding
sufficiently dry to be of any use. The flour and many other articles of
food, were spoilt, or had disappeared; but we raked up sufficient for
the present wants of the household; and as we assembled round a table
once more together, we returned our grateful thanks to Heaven that we
were still preserved to each other.
Among the ruins a chest of axes, and some saws, and other carpenters'
tools was found, and these my brother distributed among the chiefs and
other principal people, that they might the better be able to rebuild
their abodes. When assembled to receive these valuable gifts, their
answer was: "We accept them with thanks, on one condition,--that we may
first be allowed to rebuild our missionary's abode." They would take no
denial; and forthwith forming themselves into gangs, some set to work to
clear away the ruins, while others went off to cut fresh uprights and
rafters to replace those that were broken. It was gratifying, as being
so purely spontaneous, and showing the high estimation in which they
held their missionary for his work's sake. Thus, aided by zealous
friends, the work proceeded rapidly.
I meantime hastened back to my vessel, taking with me some natives to
aid in launching her. On our way we came unexpectedly on the spot where
lay the body of my poor companion who had been crushed to death. We
buried the remains not far off on the hill-side, while I offered some
prayers and a short exhortation for the benefit of those present. As I
went over the ground again I was more than ever surprised that I had
been able to accomplish the journey on such a night, and deeply thankful
that I had been preserved from the numberless dangers I had encountered.
On reaching the _Olive Branch_, I found that my mate had been making
most judicious preparations for getting her off. He had formed a strong
cradle, with rollers under her keel and posts ahead, to which to secure
some strong tackles. By hauling on these tackles he hoped to get her
off several feet every day. "Slow and steady wins the race, you know,
sir," he observed. His hopes of success were not without foundation.
Day after day we toiled on, aided by the indefatigable natives, who gave
every evidence that they were working from pure Christian love.
"You have brought us the blessings of the gospel,--ought not we, who
highly estimate its blessings, labour to enable you in your ship to
carry it to others?" said the chief of the party, when I was one day
thanking him for the energetic way in which he and his people were
working. Their satisfaction when the _Olive Branch_ at length floated
securely in the harbour was nearly equal to mine.
Little time as there was to spare before the meeting would take place,
at which my brother wished to be present, he was anxious to see the
people housed before he would leave them. They meantime were working
most heroically, and I was surprised to see the rapid way in which they
put up their houses, and set to work to replant the fields of taro and
other roots, which had been destroyed by the flood.
At length we were ready to continue our voyage. It had been intended
that our wives should accompany us; but as, in consequence of the delay,
John's absence would be shorter than had been expected, it was thought
better that they should remain and restore order to the establishment.
As we were about to go the chief men of the island sent to beg that we
would receive certain gifts which they had stored up to increase the
funds devoted to sending missionaries to the other islands of the
Pacific yet lying in heathen darkness.
"Had it not been for the storm, they would have been far greater," they
observed; "but, though we are feeling a want just now of this world's
goods, we are rich in gospel blessings; nor can we make our present
condition an excuse for denying those blessed privileges to brethren in
other lands, for whom our Lord died as well as for us."
Surely, I thought, these remarks, were they known at home, would put to
shame too many who are ready to make any slight decrease of income an
excuse for not assisting the cause of the gospel either among the
ignorant around them or in other countries. Since I went among these so
late heathen savages, I have often had to think with grief and shame of
the very low standard of Christian excellence considered requisite by
many at home who profess, and probably have a wish, to be religious.
Often and often I have wished that I could paint to them in their true
and vivid colours the self-denying, laborious lives of the devoted
missionaries, and the humble, zealous, faithful, truth-searching
behaviour of the converts.
With a fair wind we sailed, praying that God would protect our dear
ones, and bring us back to them in safety. We took up several
missionaries who were going to the conference, and who had been waiting
for the _Olive Branch_, and also some native teachers, who were destined
to act as pioneers in islands where the light of the gospel had not yet
penetrated.
Without any adventure especially worthy of notice we reached the head
station, where a considerable number of missionaries were collected
awaiting our arrival. All had more or less felt the storm at their
respective stations, but few with the violence that we had. The
discussions which took place at the meeting were most important and
interesting, and encouraging to all to persevere in the work; but I must
not now report them. Although only in a certain sense a looker-on, I
felt greatly refreshed, and my spiritual life renewed by the
exhortations delivered and the prayers engaged in. I had the privilege
of attending all the meetings. Several had taken place, when the
subject of the new stations to be occupied was brought forward. John
was named to fill one of them. The inhabitants were looked upon as
among the fiercest of the savages of the Pacific; the climate was far
from salubrious. But John did not hesitate a moment; on the contrary,
his countenance was radiant with satisfaction. It was an important
post, and it was believed that a large accession might be made to the
kingdom of Christ by the establishment of a mission there. "Wherever my
overseer and brethren consider our holy cause can most be advantaged by
my presence, there I am ready to go," answered my brother, after the
offer had been made him.
The ground had already been broken by native teachers, who had earnestly
petitioned for an English missionary. Our passage to my brother's
station was somewhat circuitous, as we had to leave several missionaries
at their posts, to carry stores and books to old stations, and to leave
native teachers at new ones. We had brought with us the missionary who
was to succeed John, whom I was directed to carry on to his new station.
We were received on our return to my brother's home with unmistakable
signs of pleasure by the natives, who collected to welcome him. I
expected, however, that when he came to announce to his wife the
proposed change, that it would be a sad damper to her happiness; but she
simply observed: "Wherever you are called to go, dear husband, it will
be my joy to go also. How much better am I off than the wife of a
soldier serving in the army of some earthly monarch. She may not
accompany him to the war; if he falls wounded, she may not be near to
tend him; if he is slain, no reward is of value to him. Where, too, is
her assurance that they will be reunited? Where my husband goes I may
go,--if he is ill, I may watch over him,--if spirits and strength fail,
I may support him. When death separates us, I know that we shall be
reunited; and I know, too, that a glorious crown, the prize of his high
calling, will assuredly be his, and that that crown I shall share with
him, and full draughts of joy unspeakable for ever and ever."
These words were spoken in so low and gentle a voice by my dear
sister-in-law, that a stranger would scarcely have understood the firm
faith and high resolve they indicated. The packing up occupied but
little time. John's household goods were few, nor did his library fill
many boxes.
"But you will sell your cattle and poultry?" I observed.
"I do not consider them mine," he answered. "I look upon them as
belonging to the Society, and as necessary to my successor. A
missionary should have as few worldly incumbrances as possible to draw
him away from his work. He should labour solely for the Lord, and to
the Lord leave the care of his wife and little ones. A missionary sent
out by a Society should feel secure that they would provide for his
worldly wants while he can work, would support him in his old age, and
care at his death for his widow and children."
Thus with perfect faith my noble brother went forth in the gospel's
glorious cause to conquer souls for Christ's kingdom.
The grief of the people among whom he had ministered since his arrival
in the Pacific, when they heard that he was to leave them, was
excessive. At first they threatened to put a restraint upon him, and
not to let him go.
"Would you then selfishly deprive others of the blessings you enjoy?" he
asked. "Would you, who know the gospel, keep back the instrument which
brought it to you from presenting it to others? No, no; surely you,
dear friends, have not thus learned Christ."
"Go, go; our prayers will ever be lifted up for your safety and
success."