[Illustration: Map of Western Polynesia, New Caledonia, Loyalty Is.
&c.]
[Illustration: Map of Samoa or Navigators Islands]
The SOUTH SEA MISSION lies deep in the affection of the Society's
friends. Seventy years have passed since the first missionaries were
landed by the _Duff_ on the Island of TAHITI. After long trial of
patience, amid a most depraved and corrupt people, heathenism gave
way, the gospel triumphed, and the Society Islands became Christian.
In 1823 RAROTONGA was discovered, and the Hervey Islands, now
containing one of the brightest groups of our Christian churches,
were evangelized. In 1830, SAMOA received that gospel which has
sanctified the gentle habits of its people, and produced in them a
zeal in the extension of the church which none of their neighbours
have excelled. In 1840 and onward, the efforts to evangelize the dark
races of the NEW HEBRIDES were commenced and partly frustrated. In
1848, the LOYALTY GROUP received teachers, and in spite of priestly
intolerance, have since been largely christianized.
[Illustration: QUEEN POMARE'S PALACE, TAHITI.]
When TAHITI first fell under the French Protectorate, fears were
entertained respecting the stability of its people. By God's
blessing on the means of grace, they seem at the present time to be
more spiritual and more firm in their attachment to the truth than
ever. Several young pastors, trained in our Tahaa Institution, have
been warmly welcomed among them, and their numbers are larger than
for some years past:--
"The statistics of the year, as far as we can obtain them for Tahiti
and Moorea, are as follow:--
Population ... ... ... ... ... ... ... over 9000
Members of Protestant Churches ... ... ... ... 2800
Children in Protestant Schools ... ... ... ... 1260
Roman Catholic Congregation, Members and Scholars,
Natives ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 700
"Hence we see the Roman Catholics cannot yet number in their schools,
congregations, and churches altogether, in Tahiti and Moorea, more
than one twelfth of the Native population as theirs. The other
eleven-twelfths are nominally Protestant. Without reckoning the
schools and congregations of the Protestants, the Church members
alone of the Native Protestant Church are about four times as many
as all the Roman Catholics in their schools, congregations, and
churches together."
[Illustration: RAROTONGA.]
In the Hervey Islands, in the midst of their desolation, the churches
of RAROTONGA insisted on holding their usual Anniversary, and gave
a larger contribution to the Society than in the year before. The
SAMOAN MISSION continues to enjoy prosperity and peace; the Seminary
at Malua flourishes; an extraordinary demand exists for the
Scriptures, which every Christian seems resolved to make his own;
the influence of the missionary diminishes the risk of social war;
and the liberality of the churches still abounds. SAVAGE ISLAND,
becoming more closely allied to the civilised world, through the
influence of its beautiful cotton, begins to encounter the greater
temptations to which a community of simple manners is by that contact
exposed; and the first drunkard has been seen upon her shores. As
truly as a pious lad on entering London life needs the daily support
of a mother's counsel and a mother's prayers; so do these young
communities, exposed to the vices and temptations of stronger
nations, demand the help, the sympathy, and the prayers of the
English churches from which their piety springs. In the LAGOON
ISLANDS and in the LOYALTY GROUP the Word of Christ is winning many
dark hearts; but in the latter the fanatic hatred of Romish priests
continues to the stricken Christians of UEA that system of oppressive
persecution against which they appealed long ago.
Of the SAMOAN MISSION a most pleasing account has recently been given
by a writer in _Blackwood's Magazine_, which fully sustains the
reports of its prosperity given by the missionaries:--
"We have said that the London Missionary Society has the spiritual
care of the Samoan Islands. The first missionaries were established
there about thirty years ago, but the group had been frequently
visited by them previously to that date. With what zeal and
devotedness these excellent men have laboured needs not here to be
enlarged upon; and with respect to the success that has attended
their labours, it is sufficient to say that all heathen and barbarous
practices have been abolished, Christianity is firmly established,
life and property are as secure as in England--nay, more so, as theft
is almost unknown--the morals of the people have been greatly
improved, a general system of education prevails, and the Bible is
admirably translated and in the hands of every member of the
community. The difficulties which the missionaries in Samoa had to
contend with were certainly far less than in many other islands in
these seas. Here were no bloodthirsty, ferocious cannibals, but a
mild and gentle race, well disposed towards strangers, with no
elaborate system of idolatry to overthrow; so that the Mission was
established without difficulty, and the progress was rapid and
continued. So apt and intelligent are this people, that Samoa very
soon became a centre of missionary enterprise, sending forth trained
Native Teachers to other islands, of whom we shall presently have
occasion to speak.
"A short account of the mode in which the Mission work in Polynesia
is carried on will be interesting, not only by reason of the success
that has almost invariably attended it in the islands in which
missionaries are located, but also on account of the widely-spread
influence exercised throughout the South Seas by the agency of the
Native Teachers."
Special mention has frequently been made of the great liberality of
the SAMOAN churches. The Rev. GEORGE PRATT thus describes the
energetic effort made last year to increase it:--
"In May I paid a visit to Mr. Drummond's district. Very much pleased
I was to see the very great improvement amongst his people. At the
May Meeting they made a great effort, and challenged Samoa to beat
them. I accepted the challenge, reminding them how formerly our
people beat theirs in a game of chance just when they made sure of
victory. The report of this speech preceded me, and created a
_furore_ among my people. They determined to beat; the merchants
raised the price of money fifty per cent.; the merchants refused
money, or ran short; all in vain; every difficulty was surmounted;
and when a most iniquitous discount for bills is deducted, there will
still be hard on to 700 pounds for the London Missionary Society."
The Rev. A.W. MURRAY informs the Directors that the contributions
so gathered have been the largest of all. They have amounted to the
extraordinary sum of 2,236 pounds 18 shillings:--
"Our contributions for the present year are not quite complete yet.
What remains will be inconsiderable. The full amount will appear in
my annual statement of accounts. What has come to hand from the
different stations, including our own, amounts to the unprecedented
sum of _Two thousand, two hundred, and thirty-six pounds, eighteen
shillings_. May I add a word of caution with reference to the amount
raised by our people this year. It will be wise, I think, for all
of us to say very little about it, inasmuch as the present year will
certainly be an exceptional one."
[Illustration: MISSION HOUSE, MANGAIA.]
Nor are others of our Polynesian Converts behindhand. The Native
Churches in Mangaia have also given generous gifts, of which the Rev.
W.W. GILL speaks thus:--
"This sum (217 pounds 7 shillings O pence) is considerably the
largest contribution ever made by Mangaia to the funds of our
Society; the reason is, that I have this year obtained a better price
for the arrowroot. I feel deeply thankful that our people have
steadily persevered in their offerings to God, notwithstanding the
accumulated misfortunes produced by three hurricanes in two years,
and their consequent poverty."
When it became clear from the letters received from the islands that
the MISSIONARY SHIP was really lost, the Directors without delay
devoted their attention to the question of securing a new one.
Several important facts were clearly shown in the statements laid
before them. Some six or eight small vessels are now running
regularly between the chief groups of islands and Sydney: a few
vessels also pass irregularly between the islands themselves, and
can at times be chartered, or be employed to carry goods. So far,
therefore, as mere goods are concerned, there is no great difficulty
in supplying about twenty out of the twenty-seven missionaries of
the Society who are labouring in the South Seas. But, besides
supplying stores to their missionaries, the Society is carrying on
most important evangelistic work in several small and isolated
groups; as the Pearl Islands, the Penrhyns, the Ellice and Lagoon
Islands, and in detached islands of the larger groups. These isolated
spots require to be visited regularly, for the protection of the
people, the encouragement of the teachers, and for the supply of new
men, medicines, and books. The vessels that may be hired are not
always available. They are often far from suitable to the work; they
are very deficient in that amount of comfort which on public duty
the missionary brethren ought to enjoy. Not seldom they wish to go
where the missionary finds no work; to stay at some places when his
work is finished; and to leave others when the work requires him to
remain. Besides, evangelistic work is growing on our hands; the
native churches are strong; labourers are abundant; the groups lying
to the north and west are more open than ever; and the Directors are
called upon to look fairly in the face a large extension of the South
Sea Mission among three hundred islands, containing millions of
people who are heathen still. All the objects desired through the
entire range of the Society's interests and the Society's work, can
with ease be secured by a vessel of our own, commanded by a truly
missionary captain, officers, and crew.
With considerations like these before them, the Directors were
unanimous in resolving that another MISSIONARY SHIP should be
provided without delay. They had clear evidence that the ship should
be smaller than the last. They were urged also on every hand to keep
the ship between the islands and Sydney, and to recall her to England
only at long intervals. Accordingly, another vessel, the third
bearing the name of the _John Williams_, has been launched, fitted
out and despatched to the Islands. Amid the busy work of the past
two years, no single matter has occupied a larger share of the
Directors' attention and care than the building and equipment of this
vessel. She is a beautiful barque of 186 tons register; she went to
sea well equipped in every respect, and specially provided with
certain fittings that will conduce to the comfort of the missionaries
and their families. The Directors placed on board an excellent
library, a large Atlas of the best maps, illustrative of the South
Seas and the Australian colonies; also a quadrant and barometer for
general use; and it only remained to supply the library with a set
of the different Polynesian Scriptures.
"Heaven speed the canvas gallantly unfurled,
To furnish and accommodate a world.
Soft airs and gentle heavings of the wave
Attend the ship whose errand is to save,
Which flies, obedient to her Lord's commands,
A herald of God's love to pagan lands."
[Illustration: THE "JOHN WILLIAMS."]
Rare in the world are those scenes of enchanting beauty, which the
islands of Polynesia so frequently display. Yet nowhere did
heathenism descend to deeper degradation; nowhere did it develop
blacker vices and commit more hellish crimes. Incessant war,
merciless cruelty, infanticide, indescribable vice, in many places
cannibalism, made the strong races a ceaseless terror to each other
and to the world outside them. Over millions of their brethren such
heathenism and wickedness hold the same sway still. In all but
Western Polynesia, the Gospel has swept this heathenism away. The
four great Societies which have sent their brethren forth as
messengers of mercy, have gathered into Christ's fold 300,000 people,
of whom 50,000 are members of the Church. They have together expended
on the process less than 1,200,000 pounds, a sum which now-a-days
will only make a London railway, or furnish the Navy with six
ironclads. Yet how wonderful the fruit of their toil! "The wolf
dwells with the lamb; the leopard lies down with the kid." The
destruction of life has been stayed. Beautiful as were these lands
by nature, culture has rendered them more lovely still. Everywhere
the white chapel and school have taken the place of the heathen marai.
The trim cottage, which Christianity gave them, peeps everywhere
from its nook of leaves. Land and people are Christian now. The
victories of peace have taken the place of war. Resources have
multiplied: wealth has begun to accumulate. Books, knowledge, order
and law, rule these communities. Large churches have been gathered;
schools flourish; good men and good women are numerous. Not a few
have offered themselves as missionaries to heathen islands; and in
zeal, self-sacrifice, and patient service have equalled the earnest
men of other climes.
[Illustration: HOUSE OF THE REV. JOHN WILLIAMS, RAIATEA.]
All over the southern groups of Polynesia, this is the work which
missionaries have been doing. This is the influence which they have
exercised, and these are the fruits of their devoted toil. It is not
merely Admiral FITZROY, and Captain ERSKINE, and Admiral WILKES, who
testify to the reality of such results; but to these Christian
islands, where sailors were once afraid to land, hundreds of whalers
run gladly every year to get the refreshment which their hard toil
renders so grateful. From icebergs and boundless seas, and heavy
gales of wind; from the exciting chase, the capture, the boiling down
of their huge prey; and from all the filthy, weary work of whaling
life, they now run north to New Zealand and Samoa, to Tahiti and
Rarotonga; not only to refit their vessels and to replace their
broken gear, but to buy fresh meat and vegetables and coffee; to get
medicine for their sick; to revel in oranges, plantains and
water-melons; to feast the eye on green mountains and cultured
valleys; to walk among white cottages and flower gardens and groves
of palms; to attend Sabbath services, and be reminded of their
Christian training and their Christian homes. Where have unaided men,
however wise, produced a moral change like this? With us the GOSPEL
alone has done it, and to GOD we give all the praise.