THE ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC DESCRIBED.--MY MOTHER'S ILLNESS.--NASILE, A
MESSENGER FROM LISELE, COMES TO THE SETTLEMENT, FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY
LISLETE AND MASAUGU, WHO PROMISES TO LOTU AFTER HE HAS DEFEATED HIS
ENEMIES.--MY FATHER WARNS HIM IN VAIN OF THE FEARFUL DANGER HE RUNS BY
PUTTING OFF BECOMING A CHRISTIAN.
The vast Pacific--in one of the islands of which the events I am
describing occurred--presents a wide and hopeful field for missionary
enterprise. It is scattered over with numberless islands--in most cases
so clustered together as to form separate groups--some rising in lofty
mountains out of the sea, surrounded by coral reefs, beautiful and
picturesque in the extreme, while others are elevated but a few feet
above the ocean, generally having palm trees growing on them. These
latter are known more particularly as coral and lagoon islands. The
islands of the character I have last mentioned have been produced by the
gradual sinking of the land beneath the ocean, when on its reaching a
certain depth, countless millions of coral insects have built their
habitations on it, and have continued building till they reached the
surface--the new islands consequently keeping the forms of the submerged
lands which serve as their foundations. The lagoon islands have been
formed by the insects building round the edge of some submerged crater.
As the land sank the creatures have continued to build upwards, and thus
a ring of coral rock has arisen in the ocean--sometimes complete, at
others with a break or opening in it. In other instances the coral
insects have built near the shore, and as the land has sunk they have
continued to build upwards, but in consequence of requiring the pure
salt water, have not advanced towards the land, which, however, still
sinking, a wide space of water has appeared between it and the structure
raised by them. This is the cause of the numerous encircling reefs
which are found around so many of the islands of the Pacific--affording
harbours within them, and sheltering the shore from the fury of the
waves.
Many of the islands are also of volcanic origin; some contain active
volcanoes, and while the land in some instances has sunk, in others it
has risen, and is broken into the most curious and fantastic shapes,
bringing up also with it the coral rocks which were formed on it while
it lay beneath the sea.
Most of these islands are clothed with a varied and rich vegetation.
The climate of those at a distance from the equator is generally
healthy, but that of others near the line, especially to the westward,
is unhealthy in the extreme, so that even the natives of other islands
of the same ocean cannot live on them throughout the year.
The eastern groups are inhabited by a brown skinned and generally
handsome race, often not darker than Spaniards, and supposed to be
descended from a common stock, as in general appearance and language
there is a great resemblance.
The groups of the large islands to the westward on either side of the
equator are peopled by a black and savage race, in many respects
resembling the negroes of Africa, and sunk even still lower in
barbarism. Such are the inhabitants of the Fijis, New Caledonia, and
New Hebrides, the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and others to the
northward of them.
When Captain Cook sailed over the Pacific, and till many years
afterwards, the people of these beautiful islands were sunk in the
grossest idolatry and barbarism.
Towards the end of the last century, when the Christian Churches awoke
to their responsibilities for making known the glad tidings of salvation
to their heathen fellow-creatures--societies were formed to send
missionaries to various parts of the world. A band of twenty-nine
missionaries, some of them unhappily untried, were sent out by the
London Missionary Society in 1796, to the Pacific islands. They made
slow progress, but at length, in 1815, idolatry was overthrown at
Tahiti, and the gospel firmly established in that island.
Two years afterwards, the Rev. J. Williams and the Rev. W. Ellis, two of
the most distinguished missionaries who have laboured among the islands
of the Pacific, arrived at Tahiti. The former took up his abode at
Raiatea, one of the Society islands, and afterwards going alone to the
island of Rarotonga, though not bred a shipwright, built there, with his
own hands, aided only by the natives, a vessel of about seventy tons
burden. Having rigged her with sails of matting, he and a native crew
returned to Raiatea, and thence he proceeded to Samoa with a large party
of missionaries, for the purpose of leaving them at different islands on
the way. He sailed in her afterwards over many thousand miles of ocean,
visiting missionary stations--the little craft truly performing her duty
as the "Messenger of Peace."
She was the first of many missionary vessels which have since been sent
out by different societies to the Pacific. Some have been lost, but
their places have been supplied by others; indeed it is only by means of
such vessels that the now numerous missionary stations scattered
throughout that wide ocean, can be properly maintained.
How well might some of the beautiful yachts which float idly on the
waters of the Solent, be employed, if their owners, influenced by the
love of immortal souls, would hoist the banner of peace at their
mast-heads, and go forth to those distant islands, to sail here and
there visiting the isolated stations, or conveying fresh missionaries to
the numberless groups still in heathen darkness.
I cannot help saying this when I recollect how often, for long months,
and even for years together, we were left without a visit from any
European Christian, and how eagerly we watched the approach of each sail
which appeared in the horizon, hoping that she might bring us news of
distant friends, or necessaries of which we stood greatly in need, or
still more, that a brother might be on board who might afford counsel
and encouragement in the difficulties by which we were surrounded. My
dear father often felt the want of the assistance I have spoken of. My
mother was indeed a helpmate meet for him, and was a source of comfort
and consolation; but especially when the heathens threatened our lives
and those of the native converts, oh, how thankful he would have been
for the advice and support of an experienced Christian friend.
My mother had for some time been a sufferer from illness, and though she
still continued her usual duties, we watched her form grow thinner, and
her cheek paler, day by day. My father, strange as it may seem, did not
appear to remark the change, but Maud and I, when we were together,
could not help speaking about it. Still, as my mother did not complain,
we could only hope that, should her anxiety about the condition of the
mission decrease by its prospects becoming more promising, her health
would improve.
We did all we could to lessen her cares by assisting her in her
household duties. Maud and I learned to cook, and we also cleaned and
swept out the house and kept it in order, with the help of a native
girl, who, though not very expert, was willing to learn and to follow
the example we set her.
We were anxiously expecting the return of Lisele, and Maud and I paid
frequent visits to Abela, to inquire whether she had received any
message from her niece. She shook her head sorrowfully, saying she was
afraid that Masaugu was too much wedded to his heathen practices to be
induced to abandon them by any arguments Lisele could use, and that he
was far more likely to prevent her from returning. This made us very
sad, for we had had hopes that Lisele had really become a Christian, and
would remain faithful to the truth.
Abela guessed by our looks what was passing in our minds, and she added,
"though the chief's heart is very hard, I have been praying that it may
be changed, and I know that with Jehovah nothing is impossible."
While we were still seated in the hut, a native arrived whom we knew,
from his scanty dress and his wild savage look, to be still a heathen.
He brought a message to Abela from her niece, saying that she hoped
shortly to return to the settlement, as her father had consented to pay
the English missionary a visit.
"I shall rejoice to see her again," said Abela to the native. "And has
she spoken to you, my friend, of the true religion?"
"Yes, she has told me that we cannot see the great Jehovah who made the
world and all things in it, but that He sees us and knows everything we
think of, say, and do; and that He hates all sin, but that He loves the
sinner, and wishes all human beings to come and live with Him for ever
and ever in the beautiful place He has prepared for them," was the
prompt and unexpected answer.
"But has she told you that you are a sinner, and that your sins must be
wiped away before you are fit to go to that pure and beautiful heaven
she spoke of? Has she told you how you can become fit for heaven, and
has she pointed out to you the only way you can go there?" asked Abela.
"Yes, she told me that many things I thought right are very wrong in the
sight of Jehovah, and that I cannot undo what I have once done, and that
the only way by which those things can be blotted out, is by believing
that Jehovah's dear Son came down upon earth and was punished by a cruel
death instead of me, and that if I believe this, and trust to Him, I
shall be received into that glorious place above the blue sky, which He
has prepared for all who love Him," answered the native.
"But do you believe this?" asked Abela. "Do you believe that Jehovah is
satisfied that another was punished instead of you, and that He
therefore has set you free?"
"I did not understand it, but it seemed very good," answered the native.
"I should like to remain and learn more about the matter."
"Oh yes, do remain," exclaimed Abela. "Go not back to worship again the
blocks of stone in which our countrymen put their trust. The English
missionary will explain matters more clearly to you than I can."
I assured Nasile--for such the native told us was his name--that my
father would gladly explain the truth to him, and leaving him in
conversation with Abela, we hastened homewards with the satisfactory
intelligence.
In a short time we saw a party coming across the hill. At first their
appearance caused some consternation, it being supposed that they were
heathens intending to attack the village. As they drew nearer, however,
Masaugu was distinguished at their head, accompanied by Lisele. The
chief was a tall fine man, with ample folds of native cloth round his
waist and over his shoulders. My father hastened out to meet him, and
welcome him to the Station, and Maud and I followed. As soon as Lisele
saw us she ran forward and threw her arms round me, and then embraced
Maud, calling us her dear sisters, and telling us how rejoiced she was
to come back.
"I was afraid at first that my father would not listen to me," she said.
"But I prayed and prayed, and at length, to my joy, he said that he
would go and hear more of the strange things I had told him of."
My father at first intended to conduct the chief into the chapel; but
though he was willing to go, several of his followers were afraid of
entering it, believing that some incantations would be used, and that
they might be compelled to _lotu_ against their will. The whole party
therefore seated themselves in a shady place outside. Here my father
addressed the chief; and he hoped that while speaking to him, what he
said might be attended to and understood by many of his followers. Not
saying a word about the false gods he worshipped, my father told him of
the greatness and power and love and mercy of Jehovah, and explained to
him the simple plan of salvation which He has offered to sinful man.
The chief appeared much interested. "I understand," he answered, "that
the white man's God is greater and more powerful than my gods, and I am
resolved soon to worship Him, as I am sure He can do more for me than
they can; but I have some enemies who have offended me, and I am about
to set out on an expedition to punish them, and when I have obtained the
victory, I will return and do as I have promised."
"Oh! my friend," exclaimed my father, "I should have told you of Satan,
who is allowed--we know not why--to go about the world to deceive men,
and he it is who has made you resolve to do this. Jehovah does not
allow you to say that you will serve Him by-and-by. He requires you and
all men to obey Him at once. Satan, on the contrary, ever strives to
persuade people to put off serving Jehovah till by-and-by, that he may
get them altogether into his own power before they can do so. Thus it
is that he deceives men and destroys their souls in all parts of the
world, and thus he has done at all times. Jehovah has told us that He
will not allow us to punish our enemies, but that we are to love them
and do good to them. Oh! let me warn and entreat you not to go on the
expedition you propose."
The chief was silent for some time. Lisele and Abela, who had arrived,
united with my father in entreating him to remain and hear more of the
truth.
"What you say may be very right and good for those who profess to follow
Jehovah," he answered at length, "but I have not yet abandoned my gods,
and they will, I am sure, help me to gain the victory. What I say is
wise, is it not?" he added, turning to his heathen attendants. Of
course they all applauded him, and greatly to my fathers grief, he arose
to take his departure.
"Remember, oh chief, that I have warned you," said my father. "We
cannot pray that you may gain the victory, because Jehovah will give it
as He thinks fit; but we will pray that your heart may be changed, and
that you may still worship Him whom you now reject."
"Alas! how many act as this poor heathen is doing," said my father,
after Masaugu and his companions had gone away. "They believe in God,
and yet, blinded by Satan, fancy in their folly that they can safely put
off the time to begin serving and obeying Him."