THE NEW HEBRIDES.
A FEW years ago only, the inhabitants of these islands were all savage cannibals. Some of the islands are still heathen, and untouched by the Gospel. On one of these a devoted missionary has located himself He thus writes (the "Paton Mission Fund" tells us):
“The natives are very friendly to me, and I have had no trouble with them. But, oh, how they do fight among themselves! When once life blood is shed, nothing can put an end to the terrible chain of murders that follow, even to the bitter end of the extinction of the tribe.
“The list of villages that have simply been blotted out in this manner is dreadful. Occasionally a man who has fled to a neighboring tribe and identified himself therewith escapes the general slaughter, but blood revenge is a fearful thing. And yet it is not all evil. Before the quarrel it gives in the heathen mind a sanctity to life. When a man knows that if he kills another he is almost certain to be shot in return, he hesitates to commit murder.
“An outstanding source of war is the superstition about `poison.' They never think that anyone dies a natural death, but that someone must have ' poisoned ' him. I can best illustrate how this works by a case that occurred a short time ago. A boy in Leirup, a bush village, died. His father declared that a man in Melingelo—a neighboring bush village-must have poisoned him. The Melingelo man was enticed into Leirup, and most treacherously murdered. A hole was dug in the ground, and the body of the murdered man was placed in it, with the dead body of the boy in his arms. The hole was then filled up. The people of Melingelo in due time heard of the murder of their tribesman. They then went on the war-path and shot the dead boy's father, and no one can say where the affair will end...
“One evening, just after sunset, Yesilel, a boy of ten whom I had adopted, came rushing up in a state of excitement, crying, ' Here come all man Omumba; man who fight! ' As I had never seen these people I got a start; but went out to meet them. They said they had been hunting pigs and were benighted, and asked to be allowed to sleep till the moon rose, when they would go home. I gave them a biscuit each and a house to sleep in, and had a long talk with them on the evils of fighting. I do not know what I should have said to these men had I known that only a day or two before they had killed two of their enemies and feasted on one of their bodies!
“Who can paint the dirt, the sin, the misery, the chronic state of fear of the ' noble savage'?
Well do I remember the emphasis with which a patient replied ‘SIKA’ (NO!) when I wanted him to go and wash in the stream. It was a new word to me, but I can never forget it.
“I have appointed two of my natives assistant teachers. The elder of the two is doing very well, but the younger does not manifest the same eagerness. I have taught him a little English, and he is able to help me in acquiring the language. The seed time is a period of hard work and scanty encouragement for the farmer. Our work here is only in its seed time. Or, perhaps, rather we are just clearing the ground yet. But the harvest is sure. ' We shall reap if we faint not.'”
Let us now turn to a Christianized island in the same group.
“About nine a.m. we landed on Aniwa. Almost the whole population was there to welcome us. It was delightful to land among a Christian people. They are as different from the heathen, even in outward appearance, as light is from darkness. There was great shaking of hands and `alofa'-ings. The boat was soon emptied. Our own boat was hauled up and our things carried to the house. We were glad to find Kamasiteia, the head teacher, quite recovered from his illness. Leaving the landing we found the road beautifully swept, and at the Mission Station everything was in beautiful order. Litsi-Sisi, Hutshi, and Nalausi met us at the house and soon had tea ready. We were greatly refreshed in spirit by all that we saw and heard. Mr. Bates, another Christian trader, is on Aniwa just now, and takes a great interest in the natives.
“The next day we had a prayer meeting, which was very largely attended. We were all struck by the number of fine healthy children on Aniwa. I addressed the people in their own language...
“I know no community, as a whole, which is so living and practical in its Christian faith and life. Of course they have their faults, but so have we all. The children are respectful and obedient to their parents, and show a deep interest in spiritual matters. The young fellows nearly all take an active part in Christian work, and there is only one able-bodied old man who does not attend church regularly. Kamasiteia, the head teacher, is a fine character, and is a man respected by all. Lawawa and Kaitasi, his fellow elders, are Christ-like men—very faithful and reverent. The teachers are worthy of their vocation and some of them have served for years on Tanna. Altogether we were deeply impressed by the abundant spiritual life of the people of Aniwa. It is a truly Christian island.”
Writing again of another island, Mr. Paton says: “As soon as we got back from the steamer we unpacked the organ. The natives came running from all directions. When Mrs. Paton played over some of the tunes which we have taught them in school, their joy knew no bounds. Their eyes were like to start out of their heads. To them the bokus nabuk ' (the box that sings) is a wonder, a mystery. The first hymn we sang was `Jesus loves me,' in Tannese. The natives joined in, their wonder growing with each new hymn. Our own hearts were very full as the grand old tunes sweetly rose to God. And to hear the dark heathen singing, too, brought the tears to our eyes. It was an hour never to be forgotten. The sweet notes of the organ, the wonder-looking faces of the natives, the heathen singing in their own tongue the praises of Christ, of whom they were only beginning to hear, and the agony of prayer that rose from our hearts to God—these things will go with us to our graves.
“The following Sunday I had to again forego my tour among the villages, as I was still too weak to walk far. But Mr. Hume and the teachers made the usual round. I was able, however, to conduct the noon service at the station. In the evening we had a communion service with the teachers. It was a very happy, holy time, our first communion on Tanna. How our hearts did rise to God for the Tannese. Though we were alone amidst a dark mass of utter heathenism, yet we felt sure that the time would come, in God's goodness, when many of these dark, callous, cruel heathen would sit with us, transformed, around the Lord's Table. It was a most helpful time and we felt the presence of Christ very real to us.”
While the missionaries are encouraged in their great work, and are nobly fighting for God in the great battle against sin and heathenism amongst the pagans, they have also to keep watch over the dark doings of European peoples, whose love of money leads them to capture, and enslave, and do to death many a poor native. Writing from West Tanna, Mr. Paton says: “Early on Monday morning the French steamer stopped off our landing and sent a boat ashore. The rain was coming down in torrents and a heavy sea was setting in. As the boat neared the shore we saw a recruit on board with his box. He looked wet and miserable enough in the boat, but when he was set on shore he presented one of the ghastliest sights I have ever seen, racked with a fearful cough, and so weak that he could not walk out of the water, but stood helplessly gazing about him. There were no friends to welcome him, so we agreed to take care of him, and to return him to his village. Mr. Hume and Tousi carried up his small box, while I brought up the rear with the recruit, whom I found to be one Netian, from a village about six miles from here. I had to walk very slowly, and when we got about a hundred yards Netian stopped, and said, `Me sore,' and would have fallen had I not caught hold of him. We had then to half carry him the remaining hundred yards to the house. By this time he was almost in a state of collapse. Every two hours we gave him a little nourishment and he came round wonderfully, but he was still very weak and low. All night long his fearful cough sounded through the house, and it made our hearts ache for him and boil against his ruthless murderers. The poor fellow kept complaining that his throat and chest had been burned out with grog.
“Netian's story is only too common in these far lands. He left Tanna four years ago for Noumea, and was worked there till all his strength had gone, and was then shipped back to die in his native land-to die like a dog. The men who have sucked his life's blood may go free here, but there is a God of justice and of mercy who will reckon with them some day. I would rather be this dying heathen than they when that day comes.”