A MISSIONARY STATION IN AN ISLAND OF THE PACIFIC DESCRIBED.--THE GIRLS'
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDED BY MRS LIDDIARD, HER DAUGHTER MARY, AND LITTLE
MAUD.--MARY LIDDIARD'S NARRATIVE.--INTRODUCE TO MY READERS LISELE, THE
CHIEF'S DAUGHTER, ONE OF OUR PUPILS.--MY MOTHER EXPLAINS THE GOSPEL TO
HER.
"Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him above ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."
These words were ascending from the lips of a number of dark skinned
girls assembled round a fair haired English lady in a building thickly
thatched with the leaves of the sugar cane, beneath the shade of a grove
of tall cocoanut trees, in one of the many far off beautiful islands of
the wide Pacific. The building, erected by the natives after their own
fashion, was the school-house of a missionary station lately established
by Mr Liddiard, and the lady was his devoted wife. It stood upon a
platform of coral-stone, raised about two feet from the ground, while
the roof projected a considerable distance beyond the walls, and was
supported by stout posts formed of the bread-fruit tree, tightly bound
to the rafters by ropes of sinnet.
After the conclusion of the hymn of praise--a sound unwonted in that
long benighted region, whose groves had hitherto echoed only with the
shouts and wild laughter of the savage heathens, as they performed their
barbarous rites, and the shrieks and groans of their victims--the pupils
grouped themselves round Mrs Liddiard on the mats with which the floor
was spread.
They were of various ages; some were children, others full grown young
women. All kept their eyes fixed on her attentively, as if anxious to
understand every word she said. Some were clothed in light cotton
dresses, their black hair neatly braided and ornamented with a few sweet
scented wild flowers, while others were habited in garments of native
cloth, formed from the paper mulberry tree.
By the side of Mrs Liddiard sat, on low stools, two young girls, whose
light complexions contrasted with that of their dark skinned sisters.
Though she spoke in the native language, the two English girls
understood her perfectly, and appeared to be as attentive as their
companions, and anxious to set a good example to the rest. One of them,
with black hair, called little Maud, who seemed to be about eleven years
old, had a grave expression of countenance; the other, Mrs Liddiard's
daughter Mary, was very like her mother, with light hair and blue eyes,
full of animation and intelligence.
On one side of the house the ground sloped away down to a beach seen
between the Pandanus and cocoanut trees, of fine white sand fringing a
calm lagoon of the deepest blue, beyond which appeared a long line of
foaming breakers, ever dashing against a coral reef, which extended
parallel with the coast as far as the eye could reach. On the other
side rose the steep sides of a range of rocky and picturesque mountains,
clothed to their summits with the richest and densest foliage,
numberless creepers climbing up the trees, and hanging from branch to
branch, while here and there, amid openings of the forest, several
sparkling cascades came rushing down from the far off heights, now
falling in sheets of glittering foam, now dashing from ledge to ledge,
and at length making their way into the lagoon.
Near the girls' school-house was a building of considerably larger
dimensions, and of much greater height, with numerous windows and a
porch. It was the mission chapel erected by the native Christians. At
a short distance from it was Mr Liddiard's residence, a neat cottage
with a broad verandah in front, partaking more of the European style
than any of the other edifices.
Under the shade of the trees were numerous huts, inhabited by the
converts, who had left their former homes and gathered round their
pastor. Among them was a hut somewhat larger than the rest, which had
been built by the zealous native teacher Nanari, who had come from a
distant island to bring the glad tidings of salvation to the people; and
undaunted by the opposition of the heathens, had long laboured alone,
until the arrival of Mr Liddiard, under whom he now acted as catechist
and assistant.
Notwithstanding the unceasing exertions and prayers of Nanari, aided by
his faithful wife, and of Mr and Mrs Liddiard, comparatively few of
the natives had as yet been gathered into Christ's fold. The greater
part of the island was inhabited by fierce heathens, who still carried
on frequent wars against each other; and angry with their countrymen for
having abandoned the faith of their forefathers, constantly threatened
them and the missionaries with destruction.
In spite of the dangers which surrounded him, Mr Liddiard continued
dauntlessly to labour to win souls to Christ, knowing well in whom he
trusted; and that although it might not be allowed to him while on earth
to see the fruit of his toils, yet that a rich harvest would some day be
reaped.
The missionary's life was not an idle one. When not engaged in
preaching the gospel or in giving instruction to his converts, he was
compelled to work with his hands to obtain his daily food, and he and
Nanari, with the young men who had become Christians, were engaged in
the taro grounds or in their gardens, attending to the cultivation of
the bread-fruit tree, yams, casavas, sweet potatoes, and other
vegetables. He had also built his own house, and manufactured his
furniture, and had every day some manual work to perform besides being
engaged in studying the language and translating the Bible and other
works, for the instruction of the natives. Thus, from morning till
night, he and his wife were actively employed. Although Mary and little
Maud could now give them some assistance in household matters, the young
girls themselves required instruction, which also occupied a portion of
their time. Maud was not their own child, though they had educated her,
for she was friendless and destitute, and they loved her as a daughter.
To return to the school-house I have described. I should say that I was
the Mary I have mentioned, the missionary's daughter. I will tell more
about little Maud by-and-by. We used to act as assistant teachers to my
mother. As soon as the address she had given was over we went among the
girls to answer any questions they might put to us, or to help in their
tasks.
"Malay," said a girl at the further end of the room, near whom I had
seated myself (`Malay' was the name the natives always called me). "I
wish to know if your God always sees you."
"Yes, indeed, He does," I answered. "He sees and knows everything I
think and say and do."
"Then I would rather not _lotu_," she said. "Because I don't think that
the gods of my people know what they do, or what they think or say, and
I am very sure that I shall wish to do many things which might displease
them. Not long ago I laughed and jeered at them, and I am sure that
they did not find me out."
The term "_lotu_," I should explain, is used by the natives to signify
changing their religion, or becoming Christians.
"But our God, Jehovah, is above all gods. He made the world and all the
human race, and He therefore knows everything that you and all heathen
people do and say and think. The darkness is no darkness with Him, and
the day and night to Him are both alike," I answered. "But come to
mother, Lisele, and she will explain the matter to you more clearly than
I can do."
Lisele was the daughter of a heathen chief, who was very well disposed
towards the Christians; and although he would not _lotu_ himself, he
allowed Lisele, who was very intelligent, and possessed an inquiring
mind, to attend the school. She was about two years older than I was,
and I think any one who had seen her dressed in her costume of native
cloth of the finest texture, with a wreath of white flowers in her raven
hair, would have thought her very pretty. She was as yet imperfectly
instructed in Christian truth, and possessed of high spirits and an
independent will--a mere child of nature. It was evidently necessary to
treat her with the greatest caution to prevent her running away from us
and rejoining her former heathen associates.
Lisele, taking my hand, came and sat down at my mother's feet, and I
then put the question that she had asked me. "Yes, indeed, Lisele,"
said my mother. "Jehovah not only sees all you do, and hears all you
say, but knows every thought which is passing through your mind, and if
you think anything that is wrong, and utter even a careless word, He is
grieved at it. He is so pure and holy that even the bright heavens are
not clean in His sight; and were He to treat us as we deserve, when we
indulged for a moment in an evil thought, or departed in the slightest
degree from the truth, He might justly punish us; but He is merciful,
kind, and long-suffering, and thus He allows sinners to continue in
life, to give them an opportunity of repenting and turning to Him."
"Then there would be no use for my father and all the chiefs and people
whom I know to _lotu_, for they have done over and over again all sorts
of things which you have told me Jehovah hates," remarked Lisele.
"My dear Lisele," said my mother, taking her hand, "Jehovah has said in
His holy Book, that He will receive all who turn from their sins and
come to Him in the way He has appointed, through faith in His dear Son;
and He also tells us that the blood of Jesus His Son `cleanseth from all
sin.' Likewise He says, `Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be
as white as snow; though they be red like crimson they shall be as
wool.' Believe this blessed promise yourself, Lisele, and tell your
father that though Jehovah knows all the murders he has committed, and
every crime he has been guilty of, if he will but turn from them and
trust to the perfect sacrifice which Christ offered up on Calvary when
He was punished, by dying that cruel death on the cross instead of us,
then all will be forgiven and blotted out of God's remembrance. `The
blood of Jesus Christ,' I repeat, `cleanseth from all sin.'"
The Indian girl stood with her eyes open, gazing at my mother, and lost
with astonishment at what she had heard.
"But surely we must do something to gain this great favour from God. We
must labour and toil for Him. We must pay Him all we have in recompense
for the bad things we have done, that have offended Him so much," she
exclaimed.
"No! we poor weak creatures have nothing to do. We could do nothing to
make amends for the ill we have done, to blot out our sins; and all the
wealth we possess could not recompense God, for all things are His. But
the debt has been paid for us by Jesus, he became our surety, and when
we go to Him, and trust to Him, and pray to Him, as He is now seated at
the right hand of God, He acts the part of our advocate, and pleads for
us with God, urging that He Himself paid the debt, and, therefore, that
we have nothing to pay and nothing to do. God in His mercy has promised
a free and full pardon to all who trust to Him. `Pardon for sin is the
gift of God,' and the King who makes the present requires nothing in
return but gratitude and love and obedience."
"I think I understand," said Lisele. "If my father was to conquer
another tribe who had offended him, and, instead of putting them to
death, was to pardon them all, and to give them a country rich in
bread-fruit trees and taro grounds, they would be bound to love and
serve Him, and give Him the best produce of their lands."
"Exactly," said my mother. "But Jehovah does not require the fruits of
the earth, for `all things are His.' What He wants is the willing
obedience of His creatures. He wishes them to obey His laws, to be
kind, and merciful, and courteous, and pitiful, to all their fellows,
not returning evil for evil, but good for evil, and endeavouring to make
known His name and His power and goodness to all those who do not know
it. That we may know His will, when Jesus Christ came into the world to
die for man, He set us the example we are to follow. Then as our hearts
are prone to evil, and Satan is ever going about seeking to mislead us,
He has sent His Holy Spirit to instruct our minds, to support us and
help us to withstand the deceits of Satan."
"Then I think it must be Satan who makes my people fight with each
other, and do all sorts of things that you tell me God's Book says are
so wrong," exclaimed Lisele. "I must try and persuade my father to
worship Jehovah, and then, perhaps, the Holy Spirit you tell me of will
prevent him from spending his life in fighting and killing people. It
has always seemed to me a very bad thing to do, and that it would be
much better if people would live together in peace, and dance and sing
and amuse themselves without the constant fear of being attacked by
their enemies and killed."
"Undoubtedly, my dear girl, if anyone turns to Jehovah, trusting to
Jesus Christ, and seeks the aid of the Holy Spirit whom He has promised
to send, he will be enabled to do His will. God cannot lie. Everything
He has promised He will fulfil," answered my mother. "I pray that you
will be enabled to explain this matter to the chief, your father."
"Yes! yes! that I will," cried Lisele. "Till this moment I did not
understand it. I thought that it must be a very difficult thing to
serve Jehovah, and that those who had done anything to offend Him were
to toil and work to the end of their days, and even then have very
little chance of being received into favour."
"Satan tries to persuade man that such is the case, that he may turn his
eyes away from the all-sufficient atonement made by Christ on Calvary,
and prevent him from trusting to that, and that alone," said my mother.
"Satan hates the atonement, because it is that which destroys his power,
and he cares nothing when people try to be good, and try to please God,
trusting to themselves, provided they have no faith in the atoning
sacrifice of Christ, in the all-cleansing power of His blood," observed
my mother. "If you will reflect, my dear girl, on the fact that God
made us and gives us all the blessings we enjoy, and that consequently
we owe Him everything, you will see that nothing we do can make amends
to Him for the sins we have committed, because if we were to devote
every moment of our lives to His service we should only be doing our
duty. Then again, a sin which has been committed cannot be undone; so
it is written against us in the great book prepared for the day of
judgment. God is so pure and holy that even the heavens are not clean
in His sight, and He is so just that He cannot forgive sin; we only mock
Him when we ask Him to forgive us our sins, if we plead our own merits,
because, as I have shown you, we cannot possibly have any merits to
plead--all our merits are but as filthy rags, they cannot cover up our
vileness and sinfulness. But then Jehovah is all merciful as well as
just, and He has, therefore, formed that blessed plan of salvation, the
gospel plan, just suited to our wants, by which we can take advantage of
the all perfect merits of Jesus Christ, and make them our own--our
vileness being covered up by His righteousness, our nakedness clothed
with His pure and spotless robes, so that Jehovah does not see our sins;
they are put away as far as the east is from the west; they are blotted
out of the great book of remembrance. This is done immediately the
sinner trusts in the Saviour. It is not _to be done_. All the work
_was_ done on Calvary, when Jesus cried, `It is finished!' All that God
requires is that the sinner should take advantage of that work finished
by Jesus, by trusting to Him alone, thus becoming completely qualified
for heaven. May God, the Holy Spirit, enable you to understand this
truth."
The Indian girl sat down, and for some time appeared lost in thought;
then starting up with the impetuous manner which her ardent disposition
made her assume, she asked, in her native tongue, "Then if I believe
that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of Jehovah, left the glories of
heaven, and became man, and suffered a fearful death on the cross, His
precious blood being then shed, and that He suffered this punishment
instead of me, and that God's justice is thereby satisfied, am I no
longer to fear punishment? Does God no more look at my sins? Am I
received into His favour? Oh then how grateful ought I to be to God,
how much ought I to love Jehovah's kind Son, how ought I to try to serve
and obey and please Him!"
"Yes, indeed, Lisele, if you thus trust in Christ, if you believe that
His blood was shed for you, that you are sprinkled with it, you may be
assured that God has taken you into favour, that He has blotted out all
your sins, and that when you leave this world you will be received into
that glorious heaven which He has prepared for all those who love Him."
"Oh, I am sure what you tell me is true," exclaimed the Indian girl,
clasping her hands, while a look of joy irradiated her countenance. "I
long to know more of that kind and merciful Jesus, and love Him and
serve Him. I must go and tell my father all you have said, and get him
to come and hear himself about Jehovah. Your religion is just what we
want in this country, for nothing else will prevent the people from
fighting and murdering each other, which cannot be pleasing to a good
God, though our priests tell us that our gods delight in war and in the
human sacrifices offered to them, and encourage our warriors to kill and
burn their prisoners."
"Our religion is not only suited to the inhabitants of these islands,
but to people of all countries, and at all times," said my mother. "It
is the only true religion, because it is the only one which God has
given to man, and He has sent us the Bible that we may learn what His
will is, and He pours out the Holy Spirit that we may understand and be
enabled to perform it. And the time will come when `all kings shall
fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him,'" (Psalm 72 verse
11.)
All the other girls had returned to their homes. Lisele remained, eager
to gain more information about the wonderful things she had heard. What
a happy thing it would be if boys and girls in Britain were as anxious
to obtain spiritual knowledge as was the young savage girl in that
Pacific island!