THE LAST

MARTYRS OF EROMANGA.
BEING A

ME~IOIR

OF THE

REV. GEORGE N. GORDO~

AND

ELLEN CATHERINE POWELL,

HIS WIFE.

"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea. sail
the Spirit. that they may rest from their labors; and theil' works do foUo
them."-REv. xiv. 13.

HALIFAX, N. S.
MACNAB AND SHAFFER, 15 PRINCE ST.
1863.
 PREFACE.

as this Memoir may appear to many.

ll!l.l:lIPORTANT

,vet, to the writer it has been a "work of SOTI'OW-

a labor of love." Though he has spared no pains in
its preparation and revision, yC't he is but too well
aware that it is not what it ought to be, and none
can be mOre keenly alive to its imperfections and
blemishes than him:-;df. X 0 dOl~bt it presents some
inc1il'ations of fraternal predilections, and precipitency
in judgment almost inseparable from inexperient't'll
youth. But with all its defects he humbly hopes that
having (lone what he could, none may deal harshly
with his work; and it is his earnest prayer that God
may bless it to the salvatioll of souls.

Though the late Missionary of Eromanga had

neither sons nor daughters, yet there is reason to
believe that his spiritual children were not a few.
Even in the island where he and his heroic partner
spent so trying a part of their (lay:-;, and whence they
ascended in their "blood-red car," there is much
reason to believe that, through their instrumentality,
iv PREFACE.

some were begotten again of the Holy Spirit; and

that others, born again of God, will yet arise and
call them blessed. The hope may be cherished that
their spiritual lineage may be transmitted unimpaired
through succeeding generations.

The writer gratefully acknowledges his obligations

to the Re,'. R. MUlTay and Dr. Parker, of Halifax,
N. S., and to the Rev. lUI'. KeC'dy of London, G. B.,
for their contributions to the Memoir.

As the writer had an opportunity of reading only a

portion of the proof-sheets, the work, uWlyoidably, is
not free from typographical and other errors.

The last part of the work ,partakes somewhat of

the nature of an Appendix; but as it consists prin-
cipally of papers affording information intimately con-
nected with the history of Polynesian missions, and,
in an especial manner, with the missionary efforts on
Eromanga, the writer has preferred calling it - Part
Second.

JULY, 1863. J. D. G.
lmt; and
arise and
shed that
rimPaUed

CONTEXTS.
Halifax,
TI, G, B"
CHAPTER 1.
Pag
Early life of Geo. N. Gordon - ~tate of the country - Ef-
ficiency of Sehools - Religious imprl'ssions - Colpor-
~ onlp teur of a Bible Socil't~· .................•...............
lably, i.
CHAPTER II.
College studies - Difficulties and Trials - Remarks by a
fellow student -l~rofessors and pre ll'etions ............. I
what of
,ti prin. CHAPTER III.
~Iy con· Halifax City Mission - Missionary labors - Ragged School
- House of Refuge .....••............................ 2
s. and,
irts on CHAPTER IV.
Illness - Offer of Service as a Foreign Missionary - En-
-Part couragements and Discouragements ......•....•.....• 3

CHAPTER V.
G. Visitation of the Churches - Licensure - Last Visit to his
Native Island - Ordination..•..•....••......•.•...•.•• 4

CHAPTER VI.
Valedictory Meeting in Halifax - Departure for Britain -
Voyage .•.•.••.•..•.•.........•...•..••...••.•..•..•• 4

CHAPTER VII.
Sojourn in Britain - Extracts from Diary - Letters to the
Secretary of the F. M. Board and Mr. Murray - Visit
to Scotland •.•.••.•..••.•...•...•••.••.••.• '•.•••.....• 5·
\,1

CI-LH'T.ER V III.
Pag-e.
;\1 j,..; l'owdi- Extract, from lier Diary - :'I1arriagl' - Tour -
in France - Extract.-; from :\[r8. Goruon',; Diary - Let-
ter from Mr. (ionlon to illr . .\Iurray, .............. ·· .. (i(;

Ikparture for tIll' South S";I~ - I:ette,r to Hey ..•J. Bay.nl'

- Arriyal in ('apt' Town - I )('hghttul Intl'rvJI'\\'~ wIth
('hri,tian Frienus - Visit tf) Hohart Town - ;\h,lhournc
-l\Il'l'Iings - Inten'" in the '\Ii"..;ionary Enterprise In-
tTl'a,illg' ~ Sydney .................................... j,>.;

CHAPTER X.
Eromang-a -Particular, ('lln('C'rning it - Sandalwood trad,'
- ('harnetl'r of thc Traders - Fir;;t Efforts at Evallg..Iiz-
ing EromallU'a -MartvrdolJl of 'Vi Ilia illS aud Harri,,-
Samoan Tc~ill'r~ - T'heir Etti)rts, ..................... ~,,;

CIL\PTER XI.
E,tilllate, of tlil' C'l!arad,'r of the Eromangan, - Captain
('ook', - .\dllliral Er;;kinc', - I:ev. .J. (;",Jdi,'" -Mr,
(;"n\IJIl', ............................................ ]0:,

CIL\PTEH XII.
Llll'ation of :'ITi"ionaries on EJ'ol11anga in lKJ 7 - Extraet
from Ht'I', .J. (;ed,\il'" .Journai- E~tract from a paper of
Mr. Gonion ....................................•.... lO!'

CHAIYfER XIII.
E"tilllat", of Natiye "\g'I'Il('Y -l{l'\,. J. Geddie', - Hey. .J.
"'. Matheson's - ]{~,I'. (J. N. Gordon's - Extraet of a
Ll't!er of Hl'\'. A, W. Murray- Abo of Rt'I'. J, \y, .\Ia-
the son - Dr. Turner's Estimate ....................... lln

CHAPTER XI\'.
First Year on Eromanga- Fir,,! FiYe \Veck's Work-
Idolatry - Annual Report - Population - ltinerating-
Scenery - Interview with ~atives of Potina Bay - Su-
perstitions - Mrs. Gordon's Efforts .............•...... 132

CHAPTER XV.
Second year on Eromanga - Arrival of the Rev. J. W.
Matheson and wife, and Rev. Messrs. Copeland and
 OqNTENTS. vii
Pag(l,
Paton - Their Settlement on Tana - Christ's Example
, ~, in Reference to. sending forth Laborers - Affray between
our
fA!~
Sandalwood traders and Eromangans - Dangers and
Difficulties - RepDrt - PrDgress Df MissiDnary W Drk-
..... ~
Heathen Practices - Native AccDunt Df Williams' Mar-
tyrdDm - TraditiDns .•••........... " ......••.. " ..•• 144

lie CHAPTER XVI.

ith
De
• Third Year Dn ErDmanga-Letter to. the Rev. J. Bayne-
n· Rev. P. G. McGregDr-RepDrt-CDnversion-RecDg-
.... ;~
nitiDn Df J ehDvDh's SDvereignty - IdDlatry - State Df
SChDDls - TranslatiDn .•.....•..•.•.••..•.•.....•....• 158

CHAPTER XVII.
Last Year Dn ErDmanga-Arrival Df Mr. and Mrs .•John-
stDn - CDnference Dn Aneiteum - ReSDlutiDns - I.. etter
.. 95 from Rev. Mr. GDrdon to. Rev. P. G. McGregDr-Letter
of Mrs. GDrdon - A.ttempt on the Lives of Messrs .• John-
ston and PatDn - Death Df the Former - Hurricanes -
Effects of- Measles - Mr. GDrdDn's last Letters - The
CIDsing Scene .•.....••••....•.•.......•.....•....•.• 168

1M CHAPTER XVIII.
Assigned Causes Df the Martyrdom - An Examination of
two. of these ..................•...•.•......•.•.•••.•• 184

CHAPTER XIX.
19
Intelligence of the Martyrdom - Minute of the B.oard of
FDreign MissiDns - Sympathy of CDmmittee of the R. P.
Church Df SCDtland - Minute of Synod - Resolution
Df Sympathy passed at the Wesleyan Weekly Preachers'
Meeting, Halifax - Letter Df CDndDlence .••••...•.••.•. 203

CHAPTER XX.
Reminiscences-By Rev. R. Murray, Halifax-By Dr.
Parker, Halifax-By Rev. Mr. Keedy, LDndDn.···· .... 215

PART SECOND.
A BRIEF ACCo.UNT o.F THE FOURTH VOYAGE o.F THE" Jo.HN
WILLIAMS" TO. THE AUSTRALIAN Co.Lo.NIES, &c., 1856-7:
Cape of Go.od HDpe - Hobart Town - MelbDurne -
Sydney - CDnvicts - AbDrigines - Tahiti - Scenery --
Misionary EffDrts attd Reverses -- PDpish OppDsitio.n -
Ylll CONTENT~.

}'oge.
Suciety Islands - Raiatea -- :\Ii~sitmarieiol- Hen ey Is-
lands - Rarotonga --- Aitutake --- Samoa --- CllUrch Go-
YcrnmC'nt: --- DE('HEA~E OF l'nPI"LATIOX, --- Causes of ---
Different Opinions EntC'rtained --- Dis!'",,\.' --- Polyglot-
tism --- Mythology --- Native .\g'l.'ncy --- State of Eastern
Pulyne~ian Missions --- Hymn in the Ero11langa Tongue .• 227

Letter on the .J L'W" --- Ll'ttl'r from Mrs. Gordon --- Letters
to the Hev. Mr. Buzal'ott on Eastern Teacher~ located
on Eromang-a, &c. Extract of a lett('r from the Hey, W.
\", Gill. Poenls ....•...••.. , .... , .............. , ... 270
'.11'.~·
1 Go.
01'_
rglOI.
,!:~rn

l\'IIe .. ~~;

I:\"'TRO Dr
~Ied
.W. CTIO~.
.. ·.. ;;G

" THE rod of Aaron for the house of Le\'i was bli.1·
,1cd, and bloomed blossoms., and yielded mmolHls."-
Xum. xvii. ,'i. Beantiful and ('xpressiYe was that
almond rod. The bndding, blooming, fl'uit-yicl<.lillil
branch, like Jonah's gourd, was the product of a clay.
hut unlike the umbrageous plant that witherell in :1I'
hour, long retained its pristine freshness ~nd viLli
,igor. It w-as miraculously preserYDd for many years.
but eyentunlly 'was exposed to the rt'l.Yages (;f>timc.
The cmblem crumhlc(l into du:"t, but the things which
it signified shall neyer know cl~·ay.
Of old t\tf> Lord had priests f.f his own appointment-
Those who dared to intrude into the Aaronic priest-
hood did so at their peril; so do all who uncalled
-enter the Gospel ministry. Jesus is Lord of the hal'-
ycst. Laborers ehosen by himself he sends f()lth at
the proper time, and to the right places, to rcap.
Such were his disciples. Such were the Reformers
of the 16th century; Eliot and Brainerd in America;
Carey, Martyn, Buchanan, and Judson, in India; 1Vil-
Iiams in Polynesia, and mans others owned and hon-
Qred of their Lord.
And there were not only buds and blossoms on the
almond rod, but fruit also; so, success in the divine
art of winning souls to Christ is the seal of a divine
commission. Buds 'give promise, and blossoms inspire
 ii

with hope; but fruit succeeding' is the evidence that

the pleasure of the Lord is prospering in the hands of
the lahorer. "I have chosen you, and ordained you 1
that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your
fruit f::honld remain." - John xv. 1 G. Distinguish(',!
is he who can say, "Dehold, I and the children whom
God hath given me." He shall receive from his I"onl
the best of all plaudit;,;, ., 'VeIl done. good and faithful
sl'rvunt, enter tbGlJ iuto the joy of thy Lord."
 CH_-\PTER I.
EAHLY n:.\l:~.

" ,\nd I have felt

"' pr"Rence thnt di,turhs ml' with the J"Y
Of "levaled thoughtA; a ._ell"· sublime
Of something far 1I10re deeply interfused,
'Vho,,' dwelling is the li!;'ht of Relting Rund,
.A nd the round O('l'an anel the living air,
And the blu~ H;'Y, and in the milld of 111"11,"
- \VORI>SWORTH.

GEORGE XI COL GmmON wus born at Cascllmpec,

Pl.'ince Edward Island, April 21:;1, 1822. He was thE
ti:mrth SOli, and the fifth child, in a family of nine.
His grandfather, Hobert (~Ol'clon, was a nath-e oj
Inverness, Scotland, and a sergeant in the 42nd High.
land regiment. He and his elder brother John enlist·
ed at the same time. They agreed to go into the
~ame reginwnt, but John was drafted for the j,"Ith,
which went to India, and the 42nd was ordered to
America at the commencement of the revolution ot
177.!. Thus these two brothers were parted neyer to
meet again.
Robert remained in America till the proclamation
of peace in 171')2, then returned to Scotland, and
was united in marriage, at Nairn, to Miss Elizabeth
McAulay, of Inverness. Theil' first-born lived but a
few months. On the 2nd of April, 1784, the father of
the subject of this memoir was born at Nairn, and
called John, after the brother who went to India.
Robert Gordon, on receiving hls discharge, became
entitled to 300 acres of land in any part of British
4 THE L.\ST MARTYRS

X orth America. To America he repaired to seek a

fortune, his son being nine months oltl ,,-hen he bade
a final ndieu to old Scotia's shores. He landed at
Shelburne, Nova Scotia. In the course of eighteen
months he removed to Prince Ed,,;~ml Island, and
settlc(l at Richmond Bay. About the same time there
settled there also three loyalists from N ova :-;cotin.
John rememhers hearing his mother say that thcs('.
men :1.11<1 her husband had agreed to go together to the
capital, to draw the portions of land to which e:wh
was cntitlcc1, but that they started previous to the time
appointed, and before her husband had joilled them.
Thll~:. nn entire stranger, he was oblige(l to prot'c('(l
thither alone.
At th:1t period there were but few public roal1s in
the country .. The wa~T to Charlottetown from remote
districts was l)y cil'C'uitous routes dose to the shores,
\yhich madc travelling exceedingly fatiguing, as the
Island is deeply indented by numerous bays and
creeks. "When making his way homeward, and while
walking on snow-shoes, he fell through the ice on
('oye I-lead Bay, and was drowned.
Heayy tidings for his young wife, so soon smitten :l
widow, - a stranger in a strange land, far from the
place of her natiyity, and ~vitl!al on the eye of mater-
nal solicitude! It is not surprising tllat she conl<l
never afterward adyert to the sad event without shed-
ding tears.' lIer worldly resources being limited, for
many a day her "skiff skirted the bleak shore of ne-
cessity." During these years of adversity her children
not unfreqnently experienced the pinchings of cold,
and endured the pangs of hunger; but she feared God.
John Ramsay, born in Cantyre, Scotland, was a cor-
poral in the British army, and served in America fin~
 OF ERmIANGA.
ka
years dnrin~ the war of Independence. On settlin~
atle
in Prince Edward Island he 'was made Adjutant of the
at
Militia. In 1788 he married Miss Catharine McRay
een
of l\I!llpec, amI Mury, the first-born of thi,.; uuion, wa
UJd
the mother of the subject of this memoir. Mary':
ere father <lying when she was fiftein years of age, remin
iseeuces (.f those days are not numerous.
I''l!
There is, howen:'r, oue incident in Hamsay's mili
thr tal'," life worthy of being recorded. It occurrcd OIl'
lCb day while the regimcnt to which he bc]C),;gC'll, wa
me marching through a town in Ameril'a. A young chill
'm, was obserw< 1 rullning along the street 11('forc the so]
\'II <Uers. The sight was sufficient to haye awakened pit:
in anyone possessing the ordinary feelings of hum ani
t,Y; )'ct a rnfIian was'about thrusting the child throng]
with his bayonet when Ramsay interposc(L Takif1;
the chihl in his arms he was car~'yill;..': it along ,viti
be him when he met the futher seeking it with anxiou
ld RolicitucIc'. On receiving his child ii'om the ~.l'Ill;'; c
Ie the soldier he slippe(1 a guinea into his hand amI \\'C11
ill :l way with his treasnre rejoicing. During the carr
puign he was in aetiye serviec in l\fussacim'lctts, Penr.
syh'ania, Yirginia, and other States. At the stormin:
e of Fort Montgomery his hearing was yer.\" much in~
paired. On some occasions during the war he sail
the blood of the slain used to run in (weI' their 10'\
mouthed shoes.
III 1813, when the parents of the subject of this 111('
moil' settled at Cascumpec * it was a preaehill2,' statio:
of the Presbyterian Church, though there ~el'e at thn
period only two or three 'Presbyterian fumilic-; there
and but few English settlers. The French were mol'
numerous. The f~st ministers who yisited the pIau
.* Now called Alberton.
 TIlE LAST l\IAIW',.-r:S

were the Ren. J. Keir, Malpec, and Andrew Nicol, of

Richmond Bay. 'Hubsequently, 1\11'. Nicol's successor,
the Re\,. 'V. McGregor, frequently preaclled at Cas-
cnmpec. Aftc'nVal\ls fo11o\\'e(l the He\,. l\lcssrs. Ran-
tall and Fraser; Hey. R. S. Patterson, of Bedeque,
Hc\". ,J. Campbell, of st. Mary's, Hey. P. G. McGre-
gor, (son of Dr. ::\I'o(~l~egor), of )\ova Scotia, and the
Hey. J. Geddie, formerly (If CnH'llIli:-:h. ~\t leugth in
1 K-lO the He\,. ,J, C. Siuclair became pastor of' the COIl-
n<rH"I'ation,
,-. amI he ,,,as •succeeded 1",J
_the l)n~sent incum-
lIcnt, H:,y. A. Fl'!l:"er.
After the erection of the station into a t'ongregatiol1
the father of tile sul!jeet of this memoir 'Ya:-: ordainc( I
an eIrler. Valuing knowl('( 1ge, he mmlc :-:trenuous ex-
crtions to educate his children, and used tl\ seu(l thcm
:"ollletimes 10 di:-:tallt st,LtIl'ments where tlH'y might go
tl) SdlO(J1s superior to those at home. To teachers-
of whom some "'('1'0 but miserable apologies for sueh,
as not a fc,l" \1'('1'(' ineln'h,ie:-:, haying cracked braill:-:
:lml "lwttel\,(l l1l'rYC,,; - he llse!l tu l,ay some years £~
or £10, and onc .'"1':,1' £15, :t lar!2'l' srlm f<-I1" one in his
l'ircmnstanees. By the time the rent of the farm, pe(l,.. ,
lars', :,;choolnw"h'n. :, aud l,lacksmiths' bill." ,,-ere paid,
the heaps of wheat, flab, amI potatoes - the circulat-
ing medium ,<luring that pcrioll- were I"puucetl Yl'l'Y
l'uil:-:i(leral,1 \'.
The ga.llant •• knig'llts of the birchcn rod," of thM
clay, as thc'y were clTatic in many of their moYements,
so not nnf1'cc111cntl" .J
,YUS there somethino- ~
unicme
~
in thp
'lilOd liS "jJcrll Hdi of the:il' corporeal yisitatiolls. Though
ma.nya ];\(1 knew' well what it was to (lam'(' under tIll'
('xhilarating influence of a tough twig, yd the fertilp
illYCUtiy(' genins of some of those pedagog-nes deYised
utlH.'l" modes of' castigation. One of these was to place
 {)F ER{))L\~GA. 7
,of
a thumb under each ear of a half-grown boy, then raise
'Or.
him off the floor and keep him suspended, where ~Io­
~;.
hammed's coffin never was, till the muscles of the
:an· experimentalist's arms began to relax. It was, how-
11Ie,
ever, soon found absolutely necessary to adhere to the
;J1l.
usual methods which had in them more of the suavitel'
the in nwdo.
I in
An idea of the efficiency of schools at that periOll
0111·
may be gleaned from the fact that young men who h~d
IIi:·
attended them till they attained their nineteenth year
-even down to A. D., 1850., -never looked upon a
lOll map, nor wrote a line from dictation, nor a sentence on
led the simplest theme. But many a precious hour was
~x· spent over Gray's Arithmetic, the Introduction to the
~1U English Reader, and the tear-lJe~lewed Universal Spell-
:"11
i,ng Book. Such was the eharacter of George N.
Gordon's schools and schoolmasters.
·b. Within the last few years, however, P. E. Island-
Ui though the least of the Lower Provinces; h..'lxing an
~~ area of only 2133 square miles, and a population of
l~ 80,000 - has shot far ahead of' her larger, wealthier,
1, !Lnd more populous sister colonies. In 1852 a system
I, of free education was inaugurated, and with happy re-
t· sults. In 1851 there were but 135 schools on the
•
l' island, attended by only 5366 scholars. In 18G1 there
were 300 school-houses, and 280 teachers employed.
Teachers' salaries amounted then to £8400 drawn from
the general revenue, which ,vas only £28,742. In
1862 nearly one half the Revenue was expended on
Education.
George's health was good till he was fifteen years of
age, when he took the measles, from WhICh he never
entirely recovered. A sequela of the disease afflicted
him for many year:' For some time he was in the
 TIlE LAST lIlARTl~S

ltalJit of using Sarsaparilla. On one occasion, wIllIe·

(iimrilw
~o v
its roots.' he found others which, from their
dose l'C'semblance to Sarsaparilla, were taken for it.
Th~''y ,vue poisonous. Shortly after using a portion
of these he went to a prayer-meeting held at a neigh-
bor's hOllo:e some three or four miles inland, and tlwre-
took ill. The poison operated so Yigorously that he
raisell 1)100<1 j and for ('ight or ten days he "as quite
l,ro;;tratell. No inquiries need be made about medi-
cal aiel. Physicians are not usually found in backwood
s,~ttlcments eighty or ninety mik-s from the Capital. or
forty or fifty miles distant from :my important yillag"e ;
or, if otherwise, they are likely to be of the cmpcrie
(lc·der. He was at the time resitling 011 his O'Yll farm
-one g1yen to him 11:\' his father, who, in former years
had bough~ a plot of ground in a neighboring township~
and aftcrwards diyided it among his sons. George's
f:1ther liyed on Township 4 fi'om IS13 to IS;-;O, when
he was ollliged to lC~1.Ye, owing to the ulll'ighteous ex-
aetions of his lancllonl. '111e then agent of Sir Samuel
Cunard-whose estates on the Island contain 134,OO()
~!C'l'es - taking aclYantage of a clause in his tenant's
base, exacted £5 stg-., instead of £5 currency, thus in-
o'c:)''-;ing the annual rent 50 per ('cut. '111e yinclictiye.
spirit of the agent was still farther brought ont in his
next proC'ceding. As a tender for the annual rent he·
would take nothing sa,ye British I:>terling paid in Brit-
ish coin.
For a f(~w years the rent was paid as demanded, but
with extreme difficulty. Finally the farm was sold for
£66 13s. 4d., stg., a sum much less than the value of
the buildings left upon it, and payable in jou'( instal-
rnents. In 18.50, the same year that his son went
to college, he left the place all which his family had
 ,OF EIWl\IANGA. 9
ihiI~
heen rem'eel - on which he toiled for thirty-seyen years
.~~ during snmmer's lll'at and winter's cold-left a spot
: it. emleare(l to him and his children by strong ties and
tion many associations, and in his old age began the world
~h- aHew on a new farm. But as the leprosy of :is" aaman
hef1.> ('hlxe unto Gehazi so did the sterling rent to that un-
: he lucky leasehold. It fell into the hands of another who
nile l"oon transferred it to a third party. Men and the
l'dj. . times changed, just as the farm passed from one to
another; but the sterling rent remained unchanged
and unchangeable, as appears from the folloowing ex-
tract from the ,. Abstract of proceedings before the
Land Commissioner::;' Court, 1860 :"-
II!D
"In purchasing a farm I thought the rent would be
aTi 1 s., but found I had to pay Is. Gd .. or Is. stg. I asked
the Agent the 1'l:'ason, for my neighbors only paid Is.
He said the farm was cursed. (Laughter.) The for-
mer Agent, ::Hr. (now Judge) Peters, became offended
len with Mr..John Gordon, the man from whom I pur-
~1' ('hased the farm, and the eonsequence was he laid a
lei enrse upon it.. I asked him if the Annapolis man was
00 related to Mr. Gordon. He replied that he did not
('are whether he was or not, the anathema would fol-
f, low the farm, 3m1 eouldnot be remoyed."
n· •• You thonght then," ,said the Counsel, "you would
re get clear of the enrscd farm ?"
is •. Yes; I sold it to lVIr. Cunningham, and turned
the curse over to him."
Ie
I. In 184-1 George began to improve his farm. During
the succeeding year he erected a house. In 1847 his
eldest brother, Robert, removed tofNew Brunswick.
A correspondence then commenced between them that
ended only with the death of the former. During this
year he added to that of farming the occupation of
Peter's host at Joppa. But his health, not being equal
·to his spirit of entel1)rise, failed. Then came 1848, a
01 TilE LAST MARTYRS

year of declining health, of mental conflicts, but a

yea1' of grace.
In lk48 Robert returned. it was evident to him
that George had undergone an important change.
:l\Iany observed it. His pastor spoke of it. He would
now travel miles to a Sabbath School, or to attend a
Prayer l\Ieeting. The sick aUll dying, far and near,
received his attentions. lIe visitell \yithout distinc-
tion, Papists and Protestants, l\Iic lH:ws and. others.'
As for his neighbors, some wonderctl. others laughed.
Some said he was an enthusiast, and others, that he
was coming out a lay preacher: a l'rc'sbyterian lay
preacher! quite a phenomenon in the horizon of :i\Iode-
ratism ! :N otwithstanding, he gave people occasion to
make remarks. One evening, for example, while re-
turning from a Pra,Vl'r :Meetillg, stopping suddenly on
the road, he said, "Let llS pray." Aceordillgly, they
turned a~i(le and prayell. A friend, \yith whom he gen-
erally walked home in compauy, remarked that in
these prayer meetings held in groves b)' the ",,",'l,Ysillp,
his mind seemed quite absorbe(l in contemplations of
the love of God in Christ. But not knowing in what
light to view such strange conlluct, he eOllsulted a confi-
llant, by whom he was ad vised not to COllntenance ~uch
eccentricities. This he felt inclined to do, when, on :t
similar occasion he remarked, "I mnst become a :i\Iis-
sionary to the heathen." He then informed his friend
that a few years previous his attentioll had been arrest-
ed by reading a .reatise on Titus ii. G, - '" Young men
likewise exhort to be sober-minuecl," -left at his 1h-
ther'" by the Rev. J. Geddie. That treatise ma(le a
salutary impression on his mind. Subsequently, in·
1849, in which year lle made the acquaintance of Lieut.
Hancock, R.N., and 1\Irs. Hancock, it was deepened.
 OF EROMANGA. 11
bot 0 By them his attention was c1irecte<l to a consideration
of the 9th Yerse of the 119th PHalm. Lieut. Hancol'k
toh~ he regarded ag a friend, enjoyed his fuYor, and was at:'
terward much benefited hy his ('orrespolldcnce. Of
persons in connection with the Church of England h('
used at a latcr period to speak, as .. loydy amllovealJle
near, Christians." But after his settlc'ment in El'Omanga 11('
stated, in a letter adrlressed to his brother, that he conl(l
then clearly trace his first religious impre.ssions to the
preaching of an eminent sen'ant uf God-ReI'. 'YIlI.
l\:[cGregor- and remarked: .. Coukl I again reyisit
P. E. Island, I would plant flowcr:'> upon his grave and
water them 'with my tears."
Previous to his cOllYersion he was pursuing things of
the world with a keen relish. He engaged in worldly
pursuits, and :111hel'ed to his OpilliollS. with a force of
will sometimes merging into a dog)fl·cl determination.
~
So eager was he to compass his (lesig·lls. that ,yhell
,iI defeated (as he remarked to his hl'other) he would bc-
idl, come almost frantic. His maxims were: :1\othing for
nothing, -An equivalent for an ('tfuivalent. ,. BnL"
hit said he, ~. when I O'ot a rio'ht
~ 0
vip\\, of elu'ist my
•
whoh'
D~ nature became changed." The following incident
Icb illustrates this point: -
The last year he farmeu was VH ~'. It was one thn t
pressed heavily on the poor. He had ground prepar(>(l
for four bushels of wheat - a qlUUltity in his po~~(':-­
sion, and sufficient for table use dl1l'ing the SUl1lllter-
eady in spring; but when seec1-timt' arriYecl it was all
gone, and everything, save a few hushels of potatoes.
Yet he complained to no one. His mother discove~'ing
he state of his larder and. garner scnt him a wel-k':.;
provisions, and visited him on the following duy.
\Vhile he was absent s~e began tu prepare his evening
 THE L.\ST MAR'fYIlS

repast, but C'ollltl fiJ\llno bread. Tea-time arriving he

I:ume from the fiell1 sillgillg a p,;alill. ., 'Where is the
hl'l':lll that J :-'.('nt you Yl'"t('nlny?" she' enquire-d. "I
;,r:',YC it all aW:lY;' h(' l'l'plic(l. On 1Ic,~~illl!illg to remOll-
:-;tl':lt(' \';itll hiJ'/l, Ill'. sllliling:, said, - " 0 mother, they

,;('l'm to IlI'I',1 it. amI y,'hell I haye ~llly I cannot help

·Ji\·ill'" it to them:'
,~ ;:"':'I

That he "':I::'; frc(jlH'lltly imposed upon, am1 suffered

himself ill (·ons('(l11eI1C'l'. is not impl'Ohahle. But we
hayc lll't. intwI hii'. '11 this ,IOlllesti(' ill('idl'llt fbI' the pur-
po"c' of par:tdiJl~' ('itIH'l' his kinc111c;:~ or gC1H·1',\:·;jt.\" for
till the :.r1'11\'1· (Ii' t ;0(1 1·!Ia)]!.:,'e l l his heart ftll.l ol,tained
(lomillioll in hi;.: sInd. he 'was not thns clisting·uished.
~ •.Jeo..:no..::' sai(l Ill' ... is all my salvation, and all my
\k·;i re."
~\fkr I!I,llPrfs rC'II1()Yal to ~,Iiramiehi Ill' informed
him t11:"t 111' f(·lt so !liIIl'ly :IS 5eareely to know what to
(10 for relief. Ijut ill the solitu(1e eonoeqnent upon
that l'\'ent ])('l'haps ~·()lIle lIlay l'('rC'ei\'~' a link in the
('hain of (;, II 1\; pn lyiclt'lH'c' that 1e,1 him to refted sel'i-
utH1y 11l10Il the real cause of hi:-; (li~:IllidHlll'.
During the ~\\'illt('r of l:-1,J ~J, his brother occupied his
111)\1:,<,. III 1111<' •• 1' 11\:-; j'ollll1S were fonnel f:,ome scrp,ps
ot' l':'l'~"''; from whit'll it :1 ppeal'e(l that in 1 ,')-J;~ he had
dcJic;,tec1 ltim"dr til the (;ospellllillistry, should God
;..:('(> fit t.) em1.!' ',\ him ill the service of his Son. 1\11'.
G('llt1il'':.; :l1'lw:llo..:, too, for :11lOt11e1' mh:,;ionn!'y had on
him all ('f1i'..t silllilar to that produced on the mind of
the Hcy, Pete1' (;ordoll by the letters of Dr. ~Iel~regor
tl) the ~A.'-';IH'i:lte ~YII(ld in Scotland; and to become
..tlualifiec1 1(lr t1w mini.;tl'Y , was thenceforward his 0!ITand
aim and his he:m's (l('sil'e. But on opening his mind
t() Clel';,!:yllwll of tit!' ('hurch to which he belonged, ill
o;'c1er to aseertain their views as to his prospects, the
 ,~
O}' EROMANGA. 1.J

encouragement which they held out not being ycry

soul-inspiring, his heaven-born aspirations were somC'-
what damped. On this point, howcYer, he was always
reseryed~ Allusion is made to the fad in the following
extract of a letter to his father, datell ,July 21, 1850:
"If the Lord will, I expeet to he in College this
winter. 'Yere I to go to Horton, I could get in for
'rOO £25, or £30, for a term. I alii sorry to say that tIl!'
II Church to whieh 1 belong has l'lJillcll my heart; and
yet I love them."
At the time the lctter referr('(l tu wa;;; written he was
in the senice of the Prince Edmll'll Island Auxiliary
Bible Society. While thus Cl1l1,loyed he formed the
acquaintance of the Rev. l\Ir. ~\'lltt (llaptiRt) whom hI'
esteemed ycry highly. He spoj.;c'. too, of the kindness
m of the 'Yesleyans and Baptists \ d' Charlottetown, say-
to ing, their pulpits were offered IJim, that he might plea(l
l1 the cause of the Redeemer. ,. But I forbear," he adel-
lr ed, " for he that exalteth himsPlf shall lJe allased."
~
About this period some saht he ,,-a8 going to be a
Wesleyan. But others thought Ill' favored the BaV-
tists, and that it was wrong to go to a Baptist Semi-
nary. He had resolved to go to some seminary, and
it was to him a matter of little moment where he
should receive the preparatory portion of his educa-
. tion. It is, however, but just to state that his Baptist
friends would willingly extend to him the benefits to
be derived from an attendance on any of their Institu-
tions, and that too without a yiew to a ehmlge in his
ecclesiastical relationship. He made the subject ~
matter of prayerful consideration, and the Lord heard
and granted him direction.
His intercourse with living Chl'btians in other com-
munions improved the t~ne of his sentiments and feel-
 14 THE LAST MARTYRS

ings, and henceforward he exhibited the utmost catho~

licity of spirit. lIe seemed to love all alike. By a
chastened eclectic instinct he laid hold on whatever
,,;as excellent in eaeIt denomination, being satisfied
that no one of these had a monopoly of Christian
~
<Traces or had 1in'estalled the favor of God.
By this time, too, he had formed correct apprehen-
sions of the valne of time. Ere his engagement with
thc Bible Society expired he visited his native settle-
ment. Haying called upon a friend, after sitting a
little while he ro::;e, saying, "I must go." On being
urged to remain longer he said, " I would like to, but
my time i~ not my own. Duty calls, and I must
go." At home he was the same. HQping that from
the imperfeet sketeh and faint delineation thus given
the reader may form, to some extent, a true conception
of his character, hoth as an unconverted and converted
man - as a master all( I as a servant, we add no more
on these points, but subjoin an extract from the "Thir-
teenth Annual Report of the Prince Edward Island
Auxiliary Bible Society: -

" A young man possessed of zeal for the work and

other suitable qualifications was engaged for the six
summer months, and YOllr Committee have every rea-
son to belieye ,,'as usefully and effectively employed
during that period in forwarding the objects of the So-
ciety. His sales were not large, owing to the cause
hefore 8tate(1, and the very great scarcity of money
among the countr,Y settlers; but we trust that in awak-
ening in mallY persons a desire to possess and become
acquainted with the soul-saving truths of the everlast-
ing Gospel, he will be found to have been useful. He
very properly songht out the poorest and most desti-
tute districts, and where poverty rendered even the
purchase of om cheap Bibles beyond their means, he
distributed in accordance with his instructions and
 OF EROl'lfANG.\. 15
their necessities, gratuitously. Generally, it may be
said that among the Protestant population thl'r(~ is no
lack of Bibles, but among the Homan Catholics the
case is very different. Your Committc'l' ,,'c're glad to
note. therefore, that wherever opportunitit's occurred,
.'
'" he was not :-low to ay::til himself of the liberty of de-
claring the blessedness of reading the Gospel to all
without exception. During the term of his employ-
ment the eolporteur visited a large portion of the Is-
lanel and has furnished J11Ul'h valuable information to
guide the ~ocicty in its future emll'ts. The attention
of the Committee has been particularly called to the
large gratuitolls supply of the ~cri}lturl's to Sal,hatil
Hchools, and to the maldng more pul,lie their inten-
tion in this l'l'''Pl'ct, Sl) that the well inclined may be
encouraged to inel'casl'(l efiorts for the formation of
those useful Institutions. and also to the sending of
the "-ord of God amongst those portions of our cuun-
trymen whu do not usually speak the English lan-
guage. But in another and wry material point of
view his efi()rts h:n'e been crowned \"ith a degTee of
Sllccess sufficient to encourage the Committee in their
work - the formation of Branch Societies. Four of
these local organizations had been formed in previous
'years. Two more have been added to the list, one at
Tryon and o Ill' at Cable Head; and there is renson to
believe that if it had not been for the unprecedented
scarcity of money more Branches would have been
formed."

His sympathies were early drawn out towards the

perishing aborigines of his native land. This we
learn from his last letter to his father, in which he
says: -
" ·When I was a child I had a strong desire to teach
the Indians 1 ::md felt singular sympathy for them as I
used to sit on the shore and look upon them. But
then my feelings were quite awe-stricken by thoughts
of their tomaha,yks, and. of the horrid scenes of their
coming to kill me at night, so I tried not to thinli of
16 THE LAST ?oIARTYRS

such dreadful work as that of teaching savages. ell, "r-

how wonderful are the ways of God! I have indeed
realized such scenes on Eromanga during the last few
months; and have been sitting up at night watching for
savages who were seeking an opportunity to kill us."
A month after having penned these words savages
were bathing their tomahawks ill his blood.

CHAPTER II.
COLLEGE DAYS •
.. D('cper, deepcr let IlS toil
In the mill('" of knowled~(' ;
Nat.ure's wealth and j,':\l'nill!('. ~poil
""in from ,chool and <'011('1-(' ;
Delve we there for richer gt'ms
Than the stars of diad"m,;,"
- MONTGO)IERY,

IN the autumn of 1850 George proceeded to Xova.

Scotia, taking passage in a small coasting schooner.
Night after night, during a long and boisterous voyage
their little vessel sought shelter in some of the harbor!';
along the eastern shore of N" ova Scotia. He used to
relieve the tedium by landing and addressing iluH·
viduals and small meetings, and by distributing tracts
and copies of the 'Vord of Life. 'Vriting afterwards
to a friend he remarked: "I spent about one month in
missionary work, was conveyed up and down in an
open boat in very cold weather, and found many 3.
fisherman's cot."
In November he landed in Halifax, an entire
stranger. Meeting with some students of the Free
Church College in the city, his attention was directed
to that institution. Horton was his destination, but
he l"econsidered the matter and remained in Halifax.
 I
/
./
OF EROMA~r;,\. 17
But not being qnalitkll to enter as a regular student
he first attended the At':Hlemy in C'onlll'dioll "'ith tlH~
College, and the prelections PI' Professor Lyall :t,-; a
listent'r. lIe was now in his tWl'llty-l'ighth ,war, a11l1
Solomon's remark is : .. If the iron Ill' hlunt all(l 0l1l' do
not whet the edge, then mnst Itt' put t.1 m(ln' ";tJ'f'llg'th."
One of hi~ gTI':Jtest dittieuitil's ,,"as tn master the har-
barous orthography of the English language. It i"
extremely doubtful, howewr. 'whether :llIy Ell;.dish-
man ever m:lster('(l the orthop:raph~' of his yemacular;
an(l how tlte Germans snceee(}('.} with Du Flm·gd's
English Grammar - compiled for th"ir special hcnetit
- containing s('Yellteen pag'l's of 01't\1I IgTaphie rnle~
and sb.-ty-fiyC' Blr the pl'Onnneiatioll of the (lifierent let-
ters, it is not diffieult to conjecture. But if men hy
common consent would only adopt the rational, philo-
sophical, and true phonetic systclll 111'1 II" 'lllHlccl hy D:'.
Herschel, Dr. Franklin, a(}Yot'ated hy Bishop 'Vilkins
and the learned Ellis. and pmcti('all~' testl',J lJY tl~t'
Pitmans, orthographic, and many other diflicultics
would be entirely ollyiat('tl; and tIl(' lInlett.('I'(,( 1 mil-
lions of Great Britain and her c1epeJIflt-lleit-s woul.l
soon become reading and intelligent millions.
During the summer of 1R;j 1, while punming his
studies at home, he rose early and rc,tirc(l latl~. The
late Rev. J. A. Dunbar afterwards remarked that he
had never witnessed before such an in:-;t:mee of con-
stant application to study.
In a sketch of his life written l'~' the Rey. Robert
Murray, his fellow student, friend, and correspondent,
he speaks of his great" aptitucle for leaming-;" but
perhaps his attainments in so limited a period should
rather be attributed to assiduity of attention.
" Helvetius justly observes," remarks Sir ,Yo Hamil-
B
 1.'3 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

ton "that the n')T feeblest intellect is capable of com-

1)1'('1)( '1Hling till' ill j'erence of olle .mathematica~ position
frolll allother. and eyell of makll1g' snch an mference
it'wlf." Sir William then adds. ,. Xow, the most.ditti-
cult a))(1 cOl11plieated demonstratillll" in the works of a
l'\('wjoll or Lal'la("(~ are all made up of su('h immediate
infen·IJC,--·s. Tilt·,\' are like houses composed of sing-Ie
Ilrkks. Xo !!;)'('atfor exertion of intellect i~; requisite to
make a t hi )ll~alld such infi.·),(·)w(·s than is )'('quisitl' to
make 011(' : as the effort of laying a single Jnick is the
mHxillllllll (It' allY indiyidual effort in tIll' (~onstruction
of slwll a house.' Thus the difference 1Il'hn'('1J an onli-
liar\" mimI amI the mind of a X ewton ('oll"i"j s prilH·i-
pali y in this, that tlw one is (,:lp:lllle of the appliC':1til}]t
( I f It lllll\'(' continuous attention than the otll('l', - tlwt
a X('wton is able without fatigue to connect infen'II<'('
with i1lf('],('lll'C in one long seripo-I towards one deter-
lIlillat(· ('lJd: whil(~ the man of inferior ('ap:wity is SIlOB
(d Ili(r(~d to break or let fall til(' thread whidl he Ilal I
11(').r~n to spin. This is, in fact, what Sir Isaac, with
(·qual Illud(· ...;t.'- awl slll'(~\Y(IIl('SS, himself admitted. To
Olle who complimented him on his genius, he repli(~1 1
that if 1](; had made :tny discoveries it was owing more
to patient attention than to any other talent."
Early in the autumn of IH.')l he attended the Theo-
logical I lull of the Presbyterian Church, at 1Vest
mYel', Pictou, Xo\':.1. Scotia. Thence he proceeded to
Halifax, and with some degree of eneouragement com-
menced his regular college stlHIies. But trials awaited
him. IIis pecuniary resources being limited, he left
his winter dutlJing -not at Troas - but at home, to
be furw::mletl ll'y an indirect conveyance. But the
ves:,;('} in whidl he expected them sailing elsewhere, he
met a saIl disappointment; for he soon found snmmer
clothing insufficient to protect him against the chilling
\Vimls of'antumn, and the cold of a ~oya Scotia winter.
Had he not a farm, however, which he might have
sold? Yes; but he regarded it with feelings akin to
 OF ERO:IIANGA. 1!I

those of an Isr:tclitc when requestt'll to part with thl'

inheritallet' of his fathers. December 22nd he wrote
.
thus to his brother Ar.chibald,* " It is almost a sin for
TIle to haH' property. and be suffering from cold as I
am doing this winter, From the first I did not likl'
the idea of parting with my farm, hut now I consider
it my duty to make sacrifices for the sake of my edu-
(·ation." Thus clojed 1K.-, 1.
Greater trials are yet in reserve. "r
riting' to his
hrother in 1852, .Tan. 24th, he said: "CirClIlllstanees
luwe ari'"'~'n since I last wrote you whieh made me de-
eide upon immediately parting with my farm." Ili,
former iliIwss consequent upon the measles rl'turnell
with renewell Violelll'l'. which induced him to encleayur
to pro('nn' medical aid. "You 'will, therefore," I\l'
continued, •. see that it is my duty to sell, that I ma.,·
Ill' able t(l relieYe myself from Illy present sufferings.
I wbll you to sell it tf)r £:20 or £:)0 (Stg.) if you can
g'd no more for it.·' So difficult was it to I)l'Oelln L

money, that sometimes his brother ,,-as oblig('(l to pay

assurers un loans twelve and even twenty per cent.
It would perhaps be ditllcult for a stranger to ac-
count for this scarcity of sllecie, without an acquaint-
ance with the social and political condition of the Col-
OilY.. In P. E. Island the leasehold system, ohtains.
In one word, - Proprietorism, like an enormous leech,
has for. half a century or more been sucking out the
commercial blood and social comforts of that ill-used
and unhappy Colony. It is the only one of the British
dep:mdencies in which feudalism prevails. That sys-
tem has cramped its energies and left its resources

* AUgURt lath, 1862, Archibald followed to the spirit world the one who
had preceded him on the 20tlfof May, 1861, and was called upon to ~x­
change worlds without a moment'l! previou8 notice: nge ;)7 YC:1l'8.
20 TH~ LAST MARTYRS

undeveloped. To this circumstance has been justly at-

tributed the sparseness of its population, - 80,000,
_ the Colony being capable of sustaining 300,0.00 .
.. Our daughters," remarked a father when before the
Land Commissioners' Court. " may cleave to their fa-
thers' honse, but our sons haye become wanderers from
home, tn~s('ll hither and thither oyer the face of the
earth like thi~tll'-{lowll in autumn.".
The grandees of this ahus('(l province are grasping
landlords, and the tenantry their serfs. The most ex-
tensiYe propriptors of the soil, too, being absentees is
an ad,1itional grieyance. Her merchants are for the
most pm't men of small capital or none at all, while
many are but overgTown peillars. In a Qountry, then,
where the fin-,;t-mentioned class is voracious ::md the
second nee(1y, the poor tenant finds there are Atheni-
ans not born in Greece whose motto is - " Buy cheap
and r,;t'll clear."
The Gulf (.1' ~t. Lawrence abounds with cod au(l
mackerel, but the men of means, though fond of fish,
are too feline to catch them. But enterprising Ameri-
-cans and ~oya Scotians .- are not so. The Americans
have drawn from the bosom of the St. Lawrence trea-
SlU'es of immense yalue. It has been of more value to
them than the gold fields of California. For full half
a centl1l'Y the snow-white canvas of their fleet, number-
ing some years 400 vessels, each manned by from eight
to sLxteen hands, and coming from the South so far as
Cape Cod, has cheered its waters; and it has been .
computed that not less than 50,000 barrels of mackerel
are annually taken away by this fleet.
The winters in P. E. Island are long and severe.
The plough is usually stopped in the beginning of No-
vember, and is not started again till the end of April.
 O}<' EHOMAXGA. 21
At best there is but little money ill circulation, and
one-half of that little does not pass current beyond thc
limits of the colony. All things considered, then, it is
rather, difficult for a student in Theology to proeme
coin there, and when he does succeetl in colleeting allY
he is· obliged to part with it in the ncighboring colo-
nies at a discount of twenty per cent.
Yet the subject of this memoir, eYen while under the
pressure of his trhlls and hardships, spoke of attending
Dr. Forrester's leetures on Geology, once a week, of
taking a weekly lesson in Hebrew from the Rev. Mr.
McGregor, besides availing himself of·other opportuni-
ties of improvement. Occasionally the Lord was
showing him tokens for good. In one of his letters,
written about this time, he l;emarkecl, ,- I deliveretl an
address before the Students' Missionary Society, and
the Lord helped me so much that some were disposed
to offer praise where none was due. It become" nw
like 1\1ary, to ponder these things in my heart. 011
the (;th of March I am again to address the Asso-
ciation, subject, 'Individual obligation to suxe souls.'
The Lord can give strength an(l affEction, will
tend to keep me humble as I lie lowly at the cross."
Some idea of him as a student may be formeu ii'om
the following remarks of Mr. Murray:
" Though his' early education "'as extremely limited,
so diligently did he labor, and so great was his apti-
tude for learning, that in the spaee of five years he was
Hot only a good English scholar, but had made "ery
respectable progress in Latin, Greek, and Hebre,,·,
aIla in every other department of a liberal eclucation.
'Vhen he entered the.Free Church Academy, his at-
tainments were scarcely above the average of fanners
or mechanics; in fivi years he was in the most impor-
tant branches not much behind the foremost ranks of
22 TilE LAST MARTYRS

OUl' students. lie was always exemplary and faithful

in dealincr with his fellow students, and at the same
time am'~ti()lIate and g-entle; and he grew in gentle-
]l(>~S and courte~y with his g-rowth in knowlcdgl'. ". e
all 10\'('(1 and re,:erellc('d hi~l, ~Uld from the tirst reco~­
llized him as no common man. His prayers at all
tillll's. 11llt especially at the Students' meeting,; had a
ran' fr('~hlle~:-:. swec'tll('SS. power. and subliJllit~·, which
l'emind(,tl us more of the inspir('<l ollthlln.;t.-; of pro-
pheti(' and apo~t(Jlic times than thl' ('old supplications
of ordinal'Y Christians. Passagl's of those' prayers and
the H'ry tOIle'S of his Yoic(' Rtill lillger in our memory;
we ('allllOt think of them without the deepest emotion.
- ~o humble~ so trustful, so earne~t. werc they; tlw
f'fI'pctual and iervcnt pl':lyf'I'S of a righteous man, elo-
fluent of heaven, and accepterl there .
.. It "':18 hiR cu~tOlll to giYe mm'h time to fusting and
prayer, espe('ially 'when in trouhle or 'whe'll seeking-
light on :lIly Rullject of' importance. He was mighty
in the ~criptures, .a]](l fi'equclltly rust' befbl'e the dawn
that he might have time for rcaclillg, meditation, and
prayer." -

His min(1 was much impre~~e(l "'jth the olwning ad-

dl'1.'8~ of Pl'Oli'ssul' King at the commencement of til(>
.-;l'ssion, on .. The ~pirit\lal Qunlitil'ntions of tIle Gos-
pel :\Iinistry." Eag('l' to l"I'ccive religious illstructioll.
pl'()r~'ssnl' King meted it out to him with no parsimoni-
ons hand. Ill' ,vas tlt,lig'hte,l with his lectlU'Ps because
they threw light OIl many portions of (;ol1's 'VOl'll.
allll r('moH~d diflicu1ties relating to the evidences of
Christianity. After rea('hing I~romanga he expressed
his deep sense of gratitude for the mUl1lH'l" in whit'h
the doctrines of the Bible had been unfolded to his
miIH1 dllring his College days. The Professor's ph~­
Jt.dions on the Atonement wOl~d Le eRpecially admir-
t..t1, for these are of more yalue than the .. stars of
tliadems."
 OF EROliANGA.

And here for a moment we humbly craw the rC:\I]er's

indltlgencc while making a short <1i~:r('...;,.;iun. '1'11(' OlW
already OlTlIlTing in this chapter "'as m:Hlc fur th,~
purpose of notiIlg a few facts conneet('<\ with the his-
tory of Prince E(lward Island, but in tllis insttUll'l' we
have not the same apology to otl'('r.
Prelectiolls on dogmati(' theology are ~(),)(1, and :.l
cultivated mind and all enliglltl'lH'(l understanding are
good; but are there not other things even hetter thall
these? To haH' the nohility of the BerC'ans, a pradi-
(~al acquaintance with the 'Y ord of (; od, and t 1[(' heart
mellowed with the love of .Jesus: are thl's(' llilt Slll'l~­
rior things? At least one thing ha-; \.('('n UhSl'r\l'( 1 and
l'xperienced, it is this: That if a young man enter upon
!t course of such lectures with a cold heart he may
finish hh; curriculum with one as cul,l, or ('oILIer
~till. May not the fact that young men (luring' this
important period listen but to cold eM lwr!O:I'!I , :l",'olmt
tor the number of formal, temporizing", luke-warm,
('unscience-shnnning preachers who tl'Ollhh' Zi()ll ?
It is to he tt'ared that not enough is mall,' of the
Scriptures in tlll's(' hook-making (lays, Talk alJout
tJle Bible in SdlOuls J 'Yho will belieyt' that the Bible
is neither in our Seminaries nor Colleges r Duril1~
the writer's att<-ndance in the s('clIlar (lep:utlJlC'llt ot'
the Church's Institutions he never heard so milch as a
.chapter of God's "r ord read there, tho1\.~"h en'r so
much needed to counteract the moral pois'lll of some
of the heathen poets. "1ly should any hf' dt')lrin·cl of
.a daily allowance of the Bread of Life r The :-;UlIll' rc-
mark is applil'al)le to the ;rheological clepartllll'nt; for
only a few ,"cr,ses are read in the Greek and IIebrew,
as a part of the cour~. h it wonderful, theil, that
SUine Presbyterian ministers coming from such training
 THE J.AST lUARTYRS

.
illstitutions . do not deem the 'Vord of God of sufficient
importance to be read from their pulpits ·on the Sab-
llath da)'~ The glnr)' of the Church of England ser-
vice is tll(' prominell(,~ given to the puhlic reading of
God's lIoly '\\'ont
" Our method of pn'aehing," remarks Cecil, "is not
tlutt by whieh Christianity was propagated; yet the
genius of Christianit~' is not changed. There was no-
t hing in the primitiY(~ method set or fonnal. The
primith'e bishop stoo(l up, and rearl the Gospel, or
~omc otiwr portion of Seripture, awl pressed on the
lll'm'ers, with gre:tt enrnestness and atf(:~ction, a few
l,lain and lorcilJk truths, evidelltly resulting from that
-"r
portion of the Diyine ord; we take a text and make
~n oration. Ellification was then the object of both
speakel's and hearers: and while this continues to be
the object no lJetter method can be found. A parable,
or history, or pa:-;sage of Scripture thus illustrated and
enforced, is the best method of introducing truth to
flll)' people \\'ho nre ignomnt of it, anll of setting it
III 1l1H' with power on those who know it ; and not form-
al, Iloc-trinal, argllmentatiYe discourses. Truth and
~implieity are the soul of an efficacious ministry."

In the mean time 1\1r. GonIon's nttachment to his

Professors vIas im·reasing. Of Professor Lyall he
wrote: - ., lIe is such a man that, upon acquaintance,
one mnst 10Ye him." The mi'ldness and kindness of
Pr()ii.'ssnr Lyall's disposition, won for him the affection
:mc1 esteem of his pupils. He never castigated his
:;tuclents by making sarcastic remarks, which some-
tilllL'S inflict wounds that time slowly heals. As re-
gards the subject of this memoir, unkindness from
such a quarter. and at such a time would probably have
{'rushed his spirit. Few are exempt from secret woes:
and these, though unobserved by ordinary on-lookers,
not llllfi'equently fret the spirits, like the fox that
 OF EROMANGA. 25
gnawed at the vitali'> of the Spartan boy. "The heart
knows his own bitterness, and a stranger intermeddles
110t 1Vith his joy." On Feb'y. :?ith, 1852, he wrote
thus to his brother Archibald : -
_. Of all the trials through which, in the proviflence
of God~ I have been caused to pass for the exercise of
my faith, those of this winter exceed them all. To
gi~'e details would weary you. When I wrote to yon
last I was only (as I afterwards thought) entering
upon a forty-days temptation. But thanks be unto
(~od I am now delivered, and Satan's proud waves
have, in a measure, been forbidden to come farther."
At a later date he remarked :-" I have been greatly
tried dtn'ing the last ten or twelve months by some
members of 1\11'. l\1cG.'s congregation. I was under
the impression that they were silenced several months
ago, but they appear to have gathered fresh strengtp.
The conduct of one man in particular is to me wholly
unaccountable."
One of his persecutors was a woman with whom he
lodged for a few weeks. He became ill while in her
house, and the treatment which he received at her
hands was barbarous in the extreme. But her name
and the particulars of her conduct he never com-
municated. To do so, he remarked, would harrow np
the feelings. The only severe remark that he ma(h-
concerning her was, that she was poor, and as proud
as the ~apostate angels. He never used to mention
even to' those with whom he was most intimate in his
own family, the names of any who strove to injure him ;'
but with the names of his friends all were familiar. But
his male adversary was the most fierce and formidable.
He entered upon a systematic course of persecution, in
which he persevered fo. two years with untiring a~­
, siduity, his last extremity being an attempt to influ-
26 TIlE L.t:';T )L\HTYRS

cnee the Board of FOJ'('ign :;\IisHions. 'Ye regret that

t lie nature of til(' ('a~(' [l.(lmits !lot of its beillg statl'li.
It~ history, il1('llIl1illg ,l"t'ply-lai(l plot". di:lholi(':d
~d)(,IIl!'~, :1nfl 1'ol'g"ll letter,,, writt('\l to d"I';.!'Ylnen. of
whieh ~(»lll' \\'l'I'(' of the 1I}1)"t (,lInning alHl ll1ali;.!'ll:LlJt
dlaradt'r, ,youltl make :1 YOIIlIl1\'. To his fl'iellfh the
l'l'l'~I't'lltl'tl felt !',.In'lIwl,Y ,~r:ttl,j'td for tll\'ir ~lI!'l,(,,,,,rlll
yinllication of his eharadn, :llHl to (",,1 fur llelin'r-
3IH'(~ from tlH' tC'dh or ,Yuh!',,, in ,.,Iw(·p';-; ('lot1ting. To
his brother hl' wrott' tll1l~ :
4. I 1',,('1 a "tI'OIlO' atta('hment to tll(, H,'y, ::\11'. ::\1..<;.

amI two ()f hi~ llo~1t, I'ltl\'r~ - !'~l'('('ially til C. l{ol,,,;ull.

E,,'l' - ji,1' thl'ir dli)\'b to di";}ld 1l0'\:iOllS yal)(JI'~ whh,lt
101' :t IUJlg tillH' han' IWl'1l ari"i ng from th(}~,' disturl )I',,";
of the l'('a,"'. who "t'('1ll ,kt('I'Jllil)('ll UPOll C'Jlll'tyillg thl'
('up of Sl H'i:tl bli ,.;~, lapl ,i ll': the 1,101 HI uf l'qHltatioll. :tJII I
dewHlring all ,,,ith "laJl(Ll'l'ing tUII.':II<'S. :\i:ly ( ;ull :11-
\\,:ly~ enahle Ill(' to glory ill all killtls of lI'ill'W1l'h for
('hrbt'H sakI'. awl ,,,ith :1 saint to exclaim: • All hail
re}'roal'h for J 1',''; 1\ S' sakl' ! ' .,
Towards the elosl' of tlw,.;(' clark d:1Y"; hl' I'lcein'tl a
l'OIl~olat()!'y lett,'r from LiCHt. lIan(·twk. "\t a pra,Yt'r
JIl(,(,tillg held in the ('OII;.!Tl'gation ot' t11\' Jatl' Dr. Kcir .
•1lilli', H;;,,-,. aft!'r allwlill;.!' to thf:' l'okllll"';~ "'\:periellc(',l
in an l,('t'il'siastieal ('Olllllllllliull with whi('h his e01mel'-
tion was lll'ar, Ll' rctern',.l tt) hi,,, ]>:Irtillg with Lil'ut.
(llOW Capt) Halll't)('k, hy ~:Iyill.~ that hall it not hl'C'lI

for t.1l!' C:tpt:lin's l'onlial idtc'!',-; ,'llcuuragillg lti~ efft)l'i,.;

he would not prullabh- ..
Itaxl' becll stalHli 1I'"0 where Iw
thcn was.
In the :lIJtmnn of 1,".-,;~. Le :Ittl'wlefl the Tlll'ologit':!l
Hall of thl' P]'(.',.;hytl'riall Chl11'(.'h. The Pl'"j't',""or~ in
that Hall \\'('1'\' tltl' ,",'nerah1\' Dr. Kt'ir allll Dr. Smith.
The former tilli,.;i]('tI hi~ (':nthly l'Olll'S~ ~\'l't. :!:!1H1. 1,,,,j,~.
some weeks hefure the sessiun tl'rminated. He was
 OF EROMANGA.

regarded as a profound Theologian, and certainly was

abundant in labors. He was venerated hy lllany antI
universally respected, as was manifested at liis jnbilee
held the year previous to his decease. Dr. Smith still
survives, and is Professor of Bib1ical Literature in the
College of the United Church, the union of the Free
and Presbyterian Churches having been consummated
IllWI· at Pictou, October 4th, 1860.
From 'Vest River, Oct., 22, 1853, the snhjeet of this
memoir wrote to his brother Archibald, and stated how
much he longed to be again in Halithx. In allusioil
to the Fairy Queen he said: ,; The sad, sad :ll'("ount of
the loss of the Fatry Queen you have heard. The
event has pierced many a tender heart here."
The Yassel that bore that name was a little, old,
man-trap steamer, emp~oyed by the P. E. Island Go-
vernmel!t in conveying the mails and l':tSS~llgen; Iw-
tween Charlottetown and Pictou. On the 7th (Jf·Oct.
she foundered at night between Pictou Island and Cal"-
riboo; when the Captain and a part of his crew, aban-
rloning both themailsandthepassengers,llladeott' in
the boats. The time allotted to some to prepare for
an exchange of worlus was short, for seyen were soon
plullged into the angry waters. Of these, tour wer0
ladies, of whom two were the Misses De\Y., amiable~
ahd .. highly connected." One of these, it appeared,
was soon to have been married to a young dergymall
of ardent piety and great promise in the Church of'
Scotland. While all the ladies were lost, some of the
male passengers escaped on pieces of the wreck. Onp
al
yOUHg man, however, would not abandon the basely-
m
deserted ladies, and with a heroism that throws a fair
and unfading halo around the memory of Dr. Mel{ .
•
shar~d their unhappy fate.
 THE I.AST MARTYRS

April 17th, 1 R;,-l, the subject of this memoir wrote

thus to Arehibald : " I am now regularly through with
111\' l.lhilosophic:tl and Theologieal courses. So you
'-l:e what p2n('Yerance with Uo<l's blessing accom-
plish:);;;. I could not have thought of such a thing
11\'e veal'''; tl'.!;(). Thanks to the Lord for all his good-
Ill'S:;;', Tho~lgh I suffered much, and endured many
hardships, t'spedally olle I('inter, in a cold room, and
:It ti11l('s "'ithout anything to eat, still I got up the hill
Ditlkulty. 101' a kind hand. \Y:.tS near to assist me."

CIIAPTER III.
«'I'IY MISSIONARY LABORS IX IIALIF.\'X •.

"H"!lth('Il' ahroad, and IwathcnR at hom(' ;

);lIt f,ll" i ... the need for yuul' mi ...,~ion to roam ~
()1I1" hi~hw;:'yH :lnd bye'~'ay~, the ~tf(·,.tr-\ and the lancs,
Claim the til'st ~are, and will yield the fil'~t ~ain","
-TUPPER.

4\l<'TER the (,lose of the college term, in April,

1,";;-)2, tlw ~·mhjt'et of this memoir was tlpt,ained in Hali-
fax 101' some time awaiting a letter expected from
hom'.'. In the mean timl' he yisited some settlements
in the yil'inity of the eity. At these he said he w{J,s
We'll reel'iwcl, ('x('cpting one - Herring ('oye - a Ro-
Illan Catholk settlement, and where the people were
n·ry llf'pran~ll and lamentably ignorant. A young
man, a Pr( Itp..;t:lIIt, asked him who God was. On one
«Il't':tsion lle said he had a merC'iful deliyerance from a
wieked Blall who set upon him with two large dogs.
But thongh so long reluctantly detained in Halifax,
he afterwards saw it was for his good. The condition
 OF EROl\IANGA.

of a large mass of the citizens awakening pity in his

breast, he wrote a lettemto the Committee of the N OV3
Scotia Bible Society, suggesting that something shoul(l
be done for the perishing classes. His letter was well
received. Some, in particular, were very willing to in-
augurate a City Mission, but fonnll it impradienbl(>
under the auspices of the Bible Society. Dis("oyeriJl~
that a sufrlcient amount of interest could be awakened.
could it be enlisted and brought into operation, he felt
" unwilling to allow influential men to sleep over the
matter." Accordingly one day he surprised the ac-
complished Secretary of the Bible Society hy makiJl!l
his appearance in his office, a~ is evident fi'om the fol-
lowing letter whieh appeared in Mr. :l\Iurray's sketeh:

" ][ulija:r, Dec. 13th, 1861.

"Dear Sir, - I receiYed ~'our 110te of last evening.
and will now endeavor to send you a few reminiscences
of my acquaintance with the late lamentel1 George ~.
Gordon. I wish it had been in my power to haw
written at more length, as I always felt deeply inter~
ested in the character and mission of Mr. Gordon, tht>
memory of whose friendship I shall ever cherish, but I
have not the leisure to do so. My first acquaintance
with him was formed about the middle of A].)ril in the
year 1852. I was sitting in my office Olle day when
there came in a person whose exterior did not at first.
present any of those attractions which usnally enlist
our sympathies. He was apparently not much accns-
tomed to the polish of refined society, but I soon disco-
vered in him a warmth of enthusiasm, an undying low'
for his fellow creatures, which was both rare and bean-
tiful. He addressed me as the Secretary of the Nova
Scotia Bible Society, and was desirous of ascertaining
whether something more could not be done by the So-
ciety for the benefit of the masses of our communify.
He said that he had cq.me recently from the country,
intending to prepare rums elf . for the ministry by at·
30 TIlE L,\ST ~L\RTYRS

tcndin~' a thcological cour,,!' at the Free Church Col·

1t.(,(' , (.~nd th:lt on R('eillO"
~ e the l~lltitudes aroull<l him he
('0Iil,1 not hut feel thaI ~OllH' etii)rt ought to be made
fur their "aIYation. 11(' Sl't'11l('t1 patticularly in camest
that S\lllwthill~ Rhonld )1(' dOlle for the Homan Catho-
lil''' of tIl(' ('ity. I tuL( 1 him that an effort ~ll('h as he
"Ollt\'IIlI'l:t k(l \va~, I th'lugltt. ) w,YPlld the scope of the
:-;o('iet\", ",hidl was limitl'll to the dissemination of
the S~'ril'tl1l't,,,; but !II' wa~ ~u earnest in his appeal
that I t,d,l him if he would writ!' me a letter eXI)l'es-
"ill~' his vipws, 1 would lay it hefore the Committee.
Atthis illb'nil'w I \Va" pal'til'nlarly struck with the in-
tl'lli(renel' <if his I'Yt', :111<1 the ,,'ul'mth of his wanner,
:l1ld Ili~ ,·xhil,iting' at this early period so ll1ueh uf the
Illis~ioll:ll''y "pit'it whieh was alh'l'wurds more fully <1e-
Y(·lojle,l.
,. '1'11(' jf·tt('r J ;';lIggP,.,t,·,l W:l~ written, and is now in
the l'0",;v:-;:-;illn of the :-;,wiety, and I find by n'/'el'euce
t<. the lIlilllltt·~ of the Auxiliary that it wa~ Jai(l JJefore
thl' ('0 III III itt 1'(' onHh of :\Iay,' Hl;-,~, but no action was
t:lken 011 it at that tim!', O~l the 14th of ~Ia.y, how-
I'\'l'f, it ('allH' 111' for ,li~l'11S~ioll, and I find the following
minute ill n·t'en'Bee to it: - ' The letter of .Mr. (;eorgc
X. (;ord,,]1 \\:1-- again 1'(':ul, when it was lUlanimously
l'(>sol\'('(1- That the COlllmittee do not fecI thl'lll~d\'es
in a po~ition to undertake the mission proposell in Mr.
Gordoll's ll'ttl'r, - they arc willing to assist him by
:tiiording ..'l, supply of the Holy Seriptures, and they
highly ap}lroH~ of the ol'ject contemplated.'
.. I thillk that either on this occasion, or shottly
after, I introduced 1\11'. Gonlull to the members of the
COIllrnittl'(', and I soon Ie )111)(1 that after a short conver-
,~at ion he im< 1 left the same impression upon them as
Ite had lIpOll 1Il(,. Several of the prominent lIl<'lllj,ers
of the Committee at onee ~ai,l that though we coul(l
not as l'onnedell with the Bible Society promote his
obje('ts, Yl·t there ought to be no difficulty in forming a
st'l'aratl' orgallization and in appealing to the religious
public for it-; support. This '"as the commencement
(If the IIalifax City Mission, and of which ~lr. Gordon
was the tirst missionary.
 OF EIlmL\N(;A. 31
,. I neeclllot mention to you his self-denying labori'!
and fhithfuhH'''s in this work, nor the zeal with whieh
he aitled {,\'l'ry goo,l ol)jl'd, parti('ularly the Young
Men's Chrh,tian Association, in which he took a very
attiYl' part: tlwse are known to YOll and to most mem-
ber" of the religious l'oml1luuityof this city. Indeed,
.'
,'" from the period I have just mentioned until the time
JI he left our "hon's as all ordained missionary of the
('ro:';s, hi" lill' was almust a public one, and I can add
hut little t() the reeord whieh VI m are so well able to
gin' of his daily walk and ('();\ycrsation. I could, in-
deetl, giYe traits of his eharad('l", whieh became more
lw:lutiflllly developed lluring his sojourn with us, and
while L "ith "thers. "':I:'; pcnllitt('d to c'lljoy his friend-
l'hip, but I han' not time to do so. I will, however,
merely nwntion that very soon the somewhat rough
and warm disciple ripened iuto the true Christian gcn-
th'man.
"He fell at his po.st-thp first Xova Scotia mis-
sionary martyr. The til lings callse(} a thrill of' horror
:l11lOug all the Churches of Ollr laud, but we must all
fpc! that this wry (,,,pnt is only a more earnest appeal
to en:'l,\" Chri-.;ti:m to redouhh' his efforts for those who
in the 1;1ysterious dispensation of Providence were per-
mitted to becmne his murderers. I remain, dear sir,
yours, very truly, S. L. SHANNON •
•. Rev. H . .l\lun:lY."
" During the first six months," writes Mr. Murray,
.. he Yi~ite(l Ollr; thousand families in the most danger-
OilS and disreputable portions of the city - entered
dens of iniquity, explored dark recesses of immorality
which no minister of the Gospel had eyer penetrated.
] Ie generally prayed and read the Scriptures in each
house that he visited. He established several prayer-
nll'etillgs in destitute localities, and originated one
Ragged Sd1001. His representations regarding the
moral conclition of the city made a profound impres-
sion on the religious portion of the community which
is not yet obliterated; and the result is that three
missionaries are now e\llployed to canyon the work
"it.h which he was compelled to grapple single-handed.
32 THE L.-\'ST l\IARTYRS

His successors in the Mission find that tender and

grateful remembrances still duster round his name in
the homes of the poor."
Schlom did he meet ,,·ith acts of personal yiolence.
One day, how eyer, he was nearly pushed off a wharf
by a ruffian crowd, but was res(~l1e(l from his perilous
situation by some persons fripnllly disposed. On ano-
ther occasion. haying been turned out of a house, and
the door being closed after him with great violence, his
fingers were caught and sen-rely bruised. The dese-
cration of the Lord's Day, which he was obliged to
witness, pained his soul. Some eases Wen' of a very
scandalous character, - ,,·e1'e then, and still are, one
of the great sins and reproal'ites of Halifax. The
Fish :Market is still open hycnactment; and the Ferry
Boats ply on the Sabbath, which is probably a worse
violation of the holy thy than the other. On many II
Sallhath morning, as the sun's rays were giltling the
hill-to!,s. was he seen wendillg his way to th~ Market-
place t() plead with the vemlers of groceries, !\nd other
daring violaters of the day of rest, for the law of the
Sabbath. But to his great grief he was referred to the
selling of fish as being of legal authority, and they
claimed the same privilege as that which the fishermen
enjoyed. Such are speC'illlcns of the profanations of
the Lord's Day in the city of Halifax.
For abandoned females his soul was deeply moved.
'V riting to his brother Robert, on one occasion he re-
marked: - " For several months I have been much
grieved and concerned about scores of females dying
a dreadful death in a part of the city known as 'The
Hill.' I visited their haunts of vice two or three
times, and from the mouths of several of them have
heard a tale of woe. Some lost their parents when
 OF EROMANGA. 33
SOlmg, and others their character, after which they
were ashamed to look for employment. 'Vith teai's
some said they could expect nothing but the wrath of
God; and others were hardened in sin. Now, many
look upon the case of these persons as -hopeless, but I
never did; and, therefore, at our second last meeting
J represented their state to the Committee; and though
all men do not see alike on every subject, yet most of'
the members of the Committee saw eye to eye in this
instance."
The result. of this action was the appointmellt of a
l'Ipeeial Committee to consider the subject.* A sub-
scription was opened, and many contributed. " Lieut.
H .. " he continued, " has already offered me assistantc.
I may justly appeal to the Island, since several females
are here who came thence, and are fast sinking into
hcll for want of knowing Christ." He did not close
his letter without soliciting a contribution from his
hrother for the same object; and he then spoke of the
Uagged School chilch'en thus: - "I desire to train
them for Christ. They are glad to see me when I go
to the School, but oh! may they see Christ with fur
more joy. pne of them is ill, and has sent for me.
Alas! that so many children are trained for the devil."
An Asylum for fallen women was provided in 1854,
" The fol1owin~ extract ia from Mr. Gordon'S Daily Register: - " On the
evcning tlJis eub~ct Wa~ to be duly considered I met with direct opP"Mi.
tion, and the meeting was breaking up \\'ithout anything being done, and
everything seemed to be unfavorable to anything being done. At that
time my heart WIlS pained at seeing two inll.ucntial mt'mbcr~ rise to de-
part; hut I lifted my soul to God and He interposed; for it was so, that
the gate through which they mU6t pa8~ to the ..treet was shut and they
WCl'e obliged to r(lturn. While ~tanding on the tloor the re.olution,wlls
passed, That three of a Committee be appoint,l'd to take up ~he matter an,l
report as to the practicability of doing 80m~thing for a class of perishing
>louls fol' whom none as yet cared. Dr. ' f - - was one of the two who
retnrned, and he was then choscn a member of the Committee. His influ·
ence was of great importance in the clluse. This seemed to be the turning
1>oil1t in favor of the object, for wnce that time obstacles have been gradu-
ally disappearing. . Blessed be God for answering my prayen in behalf of
this object."
C
34 THE LAST :MARTYRS

in a house rented at £40 per annum. While open, 80

many as. twenty-nine in all were benefited. Of' these,
some were reclaimed and restored to their husbands
and to society: and others, there was gooel reason to
believe, were COllYerteel to God. But, sael to record.
that noble institution lacking a little pecuniary SUppOlt,
went down, to the perpetual reproach of many of the
ChTistian phihnthropists of IIalifax. ·While in Hali-
fax he exerted himself in •. begging ,. for itH mainte-
nance: an(l the Hefuq:e failed the ycar aHer he left the.
city. Its (leath-knell was tolled in .January, 1).;[,7, in
the following <lolef'ul tones:
" Extmct nf .Mill /lfps of COili1nittee held at M1'. R.'!5
ojJice, '/U/I. "2/tll, 1.'-:.-,/. - ' The Directors spent some
time in eonsi\ lpring the state of their finallces, pros-
peets for Hi.-,/, the results of the experiment so far.
and particularly ,,·jH'ther the goud flowing ii'om the
Hefllge was snch as to warrant the Directors in calling
upon the pu1.Jlic for the funds neeessary f()}' its SlIP-
port." P. G . .1\1., Secretary."

Thus in the dead of ,,-inter these poor, despised amI

out-cast creatl\l'('s were turned into the street, ab1m-
doned by their fellow men, if not by God. EYen at
this lapse of time one shudders at the thonght. Since
that sad era in the history of these hapless, homele~~
females, the number of the fallen women has increased
so rapidly, thut, in a city with a population of 25,000.
out of ·which, too, according to the latest census, twen-
ty-four per cent. are illiterate, they are computed ~lt
one thousand. 1'\0 effort hitherto made to resusci-
tate the House of Refuge has heen successful; and
were it not that so large a proportion of those who·
profess fHelldship to Christ, seem so dead to the cause
of humanity and to the welfare of immortal souls, these
.'
 OF EROMANGA.

remarks would lw. YC remained forever uneXpl'C'8sec L

"r ell might he who took so much interest ill that In-
stitution say, on hem'ing of its fhte - \I Surely the
devils in IIell rejoiced the day the House of Hef'\lg,~
was dosed."
Referring to him as a City Missionary, Mr. lUurray
"Tites : - " ~wl' do not hesitate to point to him as ill
many respects a model worker in this clepaliment.
The scotf of the scorner, the sneer of the worldling,
the galling ('ullCIl'su'nsion of the purse-proud, as wel1
as the keen h:ltn',l of those who smote him with fist or
dub, or with the slanderer's tongue, he knew how tn
endure with the courage amI patience of a martyr.
He feared nothing but sin; amI shrank from uo lhwg")'
while in the discharge of duty." The Missionary him-
self wrote:-" I met with most opposition, en:'ll to
personal "iolene'l', at the Green 1\Iarket. In my mis-
sionary yisits I was fi'cquently threatened with iIljnry,
was sometimes l'Ul's(',l and turned out like a clog; but
was neYer injured save once in Albermarle Street."
In l\Iay lK;j4 he drew up a report of his bbors in
the Mission from the period of its iUl'cption. In this
he mentions several hopefhl cases of conversion as the
result of the city missionary enterprise. Sui doill( (I
are a few extracts:
"BRIEF REPORT OF THE HALIFAX CITY MISSION:'
* * * * * *
" It was not till nearly twelve months after the j\lis-
sion was commenced that I received satisfactory evi-
dence of Goel's blessing on the work. I "'ould fir~t
mention the case of an afflicted colored "'oman who
died in a garret room of the Asylum, and who was sel-
dom visited by any person but your missionary. To
her my instructions were of some benefit in the Lord,
and I have no doubt she died in Jesus. In her afflic-
 TIlE LAST ~IAI~TYng

tion she 1)j'( 11I,...1tt f(wth Christian fruit long before her
,lI-ath. a-; the '~ll< ,,-;t ('an·less ('oul(lllot fail to SCt', JI('r
prayers to Cod in my behalf short 1~' hefore she. d.ied
"I"'!ll yt't rilwill'2; in my ears. and leave a soleulluzllIg
ilJll')'(.:"jnll 01; lll'), very'soul. Alas! that in this vaill
wOI'1<l so lllaHY tiO\\'l'rs of a hea'yC'llly gr( Iwth mu"t
. wa-;1I' their fr~t()"l'illlcC' oil thl' dl·:-:,·)'t ail:.'
" I may IH"..:t ~l1('ntioll the instancc' of an aged ma.Il.
\\'11;) :l('kll'''l\'jpd!.!.·(·(l that he was lll'nente(l h,Y your mis-
Si"Il:UY in b('ill~ 1('(1 to a right apprehension of Uu {'s
IJll'tiw:lof sa\'ing SilllH')'S,"
Aftpr llwlltiolling till' ('a...;!'s of two uther~ - all ol(i,
awl a young lIlall - he ('ontinues : -

•. I Illays1;ltl' that I hall 8('n'ral s:tt i:-:f:wjory l'vi-

delll'l''' oj" ha\'ill')' ],('l'!l instnlllll'lltal in arousing'
:""" '
mall';
.
UII1l1:.m (':1111,":,''''; t" think for th('l II...; l' 1n''''' ():Il', .. r
whom I hall but litt](, to It"i)\' on my first visit, WI\\' rp-
n,(,t'in'" me V(,IT kiwllv, and aHo\\s his clIildrell to
attl'JlIl the ~a bl):'ttit ~d I; 101. ( H itl·r .. ; who Olll'(' reganl-
\,01 Ill" :h all ('llemy Il(j\\, respect me. ~() It(;mall
('atilplics, howl'Y(')', an' so tlcl'cptiYe as those who
apl'l':lr to 1w :tilllo"t Protl·"tanh, but havc no right
kJl\l\\'k(lgv of the Bihl\·."
'1'b\' CQC;(' of a female· at Fresh ,,-ater is ncxt men-
tioned, and an :l(,l'()llllt gi \"l'H of a Roman Catholic
j',llnily bencfited by the.' )Iission. lIe then continues:

.. I will now mention the case of a young person

brou~ht to a knowlL'olg(~ of the Lord UI\( 1('1' peculiar
ein"11l1l4:.lIH·('C;. "'hile ahc;ellt one clay,
• a messaO'c
n W:t-l
kft at my lodging" from a Mrs. II.. who c;ai(l she de-
sin'tl to Sl'L' Illl'. I resPIJwled on the evening of till'
S~lllh~ day. But on calling upon 1\[rs. H. I was disap-
pointed to find that thc person who flesh'ed to 'see nl('
wa.,; one of the same llame residinO' n in a different part
01' the city. But God m:t<lp that mistake subservient
in lea' ling a s01l1 out of darkness into his marvellou~
light. Pi'evious to tlIis interview she was what many
 OF ER01L\.!WA. :)7

would call a consistent Chlistian, but her own lau-

guage since has been, that she sees everything in II
new light concerning the teaching of God's Word.
Since that period she has been walking in the light 01
God's countenance.
" Jtbout this time another young person was arou~('d
to deep concern about her soul, while I was ~peakiJlg­
on Esau weeping for the lost blessing. I shall now
mention a few instances of persons having been bene-
fited by your mission upon the testimony of those ill
whom I can place implicit confidence.
-.. The first is the case of a woman. On one occa-
sion, while conversing with a lady, she informed fill'
that she had met with a woman who had heard Hlt'
speak at the market wharf on the sin of Sabbath dese-
cration, who, on receiving a tract went away resolving
never to go there again to pmchase articles on til('
Lord's day, which resolution it appears she kept.
a On another occasion a pastor in the city stated to
me that a woman had sought fellowship in his chureh.
who had been led to do so by this qnestion asked her
by the City :Missionary: '''-ill you have Christ now
to be your Saviour? ' "
After stating that he had no doubt about being in-
strumental in leading some Roman Catholics to reflect
upon the subject of infalibility, by conversing with
them on the possibility of a Christian Church falling
from the truth as did the Jewish Church in her apos-
tasy, he added : -
"The report of the teacher of the Ragged SchooL
and that of the Matron of the House of Refuge.
already bear ample evidence that the labors of this
Mission have not been in vain in the Lord. This then
is not the time to retrograde, for the Lord greatly
hateth turning back in His work, but is the time fe)l·
renewed diligence. The enemies of the Gospel are at
present more than ever active in doing the work of tht'
great enemy of souls . •And, 0, shall they surpass in
activity and diligence the friends of Jesus! God
forbid! "
 THE LAST MARTYRS

CHAPTER IV.
FOREIG::>I 1I11SSIOX FIELD.

"Go yc into all the world, and preach the GORpel to every creature."
" This year I slept and woke with pain,
I almost wished no more to wake
And that my hold on life would break
Eefure I heard those bellI! again:
" But they my troubled spirit rule
Fur they controlled nw w)"'n a bm',
They bring me z>orrow tou("hl'u with joy,
The merry, merry, bells ofYuil"."
-TEXXY"O:-l.

A FOnT~"'1GHT previous to the closing of the session

of IS:);], the subject of this memoir was laid low by
typhoid fever. He was at the time boarding with a
Baptist family, awl the care and attention which he
r(>('eiY(~d from 1\1rs. 'V. elm-ing a long illness, was
JH'wr fbrgotten by its recipient, awl is now gratefully
acknowledged. At the COUlluenCemellt of his sickness
he wrote thus to his father: - " I have great reason
to be thankful to God for proyitling me kind friends
ill my present circumstances. The students sit up
with me - two each night."
At one stage of the disease life was for a time trem-
bling in the balance. But through the skill of Dr.
Parker, whose assiduous attentions he received during
six or seven weeks, he was restored to wonted health.
lIe arose from his bed a healthy, strong, in short, a
lIew man.
Becoming convalescent, he returned home, and af-
terwards requested his physician's bill, which he sup-
posed could not be less than £10. It was sent, but
receipted. The only eulogium we pass upon this dis-
iuterestecl act of generosity --:- which is but one out of
 OF EROlIANGA.

many - is merely to mention the fact. "~!H're known,

the mention of Dr. Parker's name is his panegyric.
During his illness he thought much amI deeply on
hi~ duty in relation"to the heathen. "r(.
are furnished
with the result of his prayerful refil,C'tions on the sub-
ject in the following note, dated .May 10, li:i53, anti
addressed to the Rev. P. G. McGregor:

•. In looking over the Register for the last two years

my soul has often hcen stirred in nw hy rea(ling tlw
following words '.A ")IISSIOX"\I~Y w.\xTEn.' 'Vere I
possessed of the qnalifieations of the . Missionary
wantcd,' long beiore this would I have saill, IIere am
[, send ine; but I contclltell myself with tl1(' hope that
at some fnture time (~o( I would remove dimcultil'~\ out
ot'my path, and open up lll~" way to the field of labor
iu which my sonl desires to be engaged. For the
last few years God in his providence has cast my lot
in Halifax, where I have enjoyed the 1,cllciits of iu-
struction in the Free Chlll'ch Coll"gp, and as time has
passed away my heart has been gladllc'lll'd n,t the pros-
peet of being, at no very distant (late, fit for a mi:.;-
sionary in so- far as necessa.ry education is concerned.
I am at present City .i\'Iissionary, with a comji)l'tahlc
salary, aUll Goel hac; rejoiced IllY heart 111l1C'h of late by
(leiguing to countenance my labors with His 1,\pssing.
But my heart is not in the domestic mission field as it
is in t11e foreign. I, therefore. now, ill thc name of
the LORD JESUS, oft'cr myself to your Boanl as a mis-
sionary to the :-';outh Seas. •
,. Yours, in the bonds of the everlasting Gospel of
(;'od's dear son, G. ~. (~OIW01\."
This tender Of service having been acce'l>ted, his ap-
plication to his studies was now closer t11an formerly.
During the next session of the College, in a.ddition to
his regular College exercises he studied meclieine oue
hour each clay under Dr.Parker, and acquired t11e art
of PFinting. His mechanical skill, too, was not incon-
40 TilE LAST MAHTYllS

siclerahle, for he ('ouItI hew timber, frame a honsf'.

makt' a plough, tan aJ1(1 dresR leather, drive the shcw-
maker's awl, wield the blacksmith's hammer, and llg('
thc tailor's needle. He was what is popularly knowll
as a ...Jack of all trac1es, and master of none."
There are periods in a man's history when a trifling-
eircllmstan('e sometimes dic;turbs the equanimity of his
mind. and mars his happinc:-::-:. X ot llllfi'eqllently he
allows his serenity to become discomposed by disturb-
ing elements, whie-h. viewed in themselYes are lleitller
,~T('at nor fimllidahle. Thus it was with the subjeet of
this memoir towards the heginniu).!: of IS.'"),!. A letter
,,'as addressed to the t1C'<.'retary of the Board to the ('f:'
fe('t that if 1\11'. Gordon should be employed as t\
Foreign l\Iissionar,r the congregation with which la·
had been c01111ec:tell at Cascumpec would withdraw its
support from the Foreign ~'Iission.
On being made acqnailltp<l with this commupica.tion
by the SC'l'l'dary. he wrote' to a ti'iend in the COllO"}'('O':l-
" . . . t' l""

tion on the sul,jcC't, and recein·d in r\.'ply a letter, from

whieh the following is an extraet : - " With respect to
the meeting it ,",'as the larg(·:-,t that I have seen in our
dllll'eh for YI'arr;, that is for a week day; and tlH.'rl'
were present four elders out of the fiye. I state th(.:,(.
parti('ulars to show you that it "'as not a few but tllp
majority of the congregation that pa,.;:-:('(l the resolu-
tions." )11'. L. then tu1dell: - .. They haye din'etl'd
me to forward the resolution to the Sl'eretar.r of F. ~I.
Board."
('Opy OF THE HE80TXTIOX8 .

•~ CaSCllmpe(', P. E. I., Feb. 13th, 1854.

" At a general meeting of Cas('umpec Presbyterian
('ongl'egation the following resolutions were agreed to.
Mr. A. Matthews ill the chair:
 O}' EROlfANGA. 41

" ; 1st. Resohwl- That this meeting has jnst be:ml

with deep regret that the Board of Foreign Missio)]s
which met at Truro, N. S., a short time ago, was iUI-
posed upon by report relative to Mr. George N. GOl'-
don, appli~ant for the Foreign Field, purporting th:~t
the congregation of Cascumpec wonld withdraw their
support from that l\Iis~jon if the Board should appoillt
lUI'. George X. Gordon as a missionary.
II, 2nd. Resol1)ecl- 'fhereforo, that this meetill~
('Onvey their entire disapprobation to the said Bonr:'
of any sueh report or anything else that may affeet till'
charaeter of Mr. G. :N. Gordon as a missionary.
", 3n1. Resoll'ed-That Rev. James Bayr~e be rt'-
quested to inform this congregation of the name or
names of the author of the above report, as we fl"·'
eonvincecl that it did not emanate from a member of'
this congregation.' "

It is only necessary to add here that the autlwr (If

the slanderous report was a pri"mte member of the (,Oll-
gregation j hut his name we leave in the obscurity
from which it never ('merged.
In July the SYllo(l of the Presbyterian Chureh ml't
in Picton, and the Board desired him to come and dl'-
lIver an address at the Synod's Missionary Meeting,
"The trial" he wrote "was to me one of no ordi~
" .
nary kincl. nut Goel gave me strength to advocate tlll'
great cause of Missions. Several members of Synod
have spoken well of my effort j but anything in it wor-
thy of notice must be attributed to a higher soun~e of'
wisdom than mine. I have met with many marks of
favor from the Board and Synod, especially from OIW
member - Rev. J. McC--y, of Chatham, Miramichi,
I was asked to give a synopsis of my address for puh. .
lication, but did not consent. Mr. ·W. invited me tA)
give an address on lVIissions in his congregation, aml
promised an audience of one thousand persons. As
 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

yet I h~ye not. ac(x·\letl to his reqne~t. Some hunt

.;ll'ter popular applause. But what is it? A bubble
011 the \\,:It\'1' carricIl about hy a breath of wind. May
(;uIl saH' m,' l'rnl!l ';l·l·killg after self praise. "T
ere I
til grow prow 1, I ,,"otIltl be worthy of heing cast out of
the L(ml's vill(·yard."
At this l)(,l'iod he was in receipt of £;jO per annum,
'yf't on wl'itill.~ to his brother Archiktl\ 1 IIC remarked:
.. I am nut ~·d. (lone :l.;:king; yon for money. I suppose
,\'1111 think I will Sf/Dll cease crying, ' C~ i n~, gh·e.' I do
llot ,,':lllt it for llly.~l' If, but I cannot n'ry well spend
I\lO\H'y culledl'(l ti,l' the' Fureign Mission, except in

fnl'thcranc'c' of the cause for which it wa..; contributed."

~olllctimcs it was sl1speetcd at IlIdl:l' that he was
1I0t l"~p('!l( lill~' Oil himself what fum1s Ill' was from time
tn time l'l'C'ei"in.~·; anrl it wouhl apP('ar such was the
case ii'om the remarks of lUr. lUlIrl':ly. "'ho wrote thus:

.. From the eb.\" he bnllet! here, awl while pursuing

Iii" stwlil"; will: exemplary diligl'lI''''. he aevoted a
large l'urtillll "l' his tim() to visitillg the PI)O!", the sick,
awl the ill,li'''::''llt, without respect or ('()lull!' 01' creett
Three' a;1'l s\l~ll·,t.im,'~ folU" hours of l'\'Cl'f d:ry were
dl'\'utl'd to tbi.., \\',)i';" - re~dill6 tile ~:'l'ipt;ll'e8, 'ellgag-
in!:!'
'- in-1H\\ ~ t""I (listress,-
' .\"l'r, di-.;trill:ltill'Y tracts, relie\'illO'
all,l all thi..; ll:Ja.' ~l'm~a;l ~\)llslV :1:l'l '';,·:ltllitou·;!,·. A
.VI':ll' or thi..; tl )i1 W:l-i to) mach f,)l' 1~L; iron (/) COll-
..;titution, (''<pl'l'i:tlly :1.."; he lh'cd in til" humblest,
plaint':;t. awl ch~·:l1l1· . .;t styh' l,u.~sihlc. tl::lt he mi<yht
~ ~ ~

ke('1' deal' of dl,1,t, :lIlil a.t the same LIlI'! have some-
thillg'to 1,,· ...;tu\\· Oil the poor, who were ever ncar his
heart."
 Ol!' EROMANGA. 43

CI-IAFTER V.
VISITATION OF TIlE ClIU:CIIES.

cnjoymcnt; and not sorrow,

" ",",)t
Is Ollr dl'stineti '-lId or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Finds u~ farth"r than to-day _.,
- LO~t.:l'r;LLo\\"_

J A"'-'l.TARY 2nd, 1855, the subject of this memoir wrote

thus to his brother Archibald:

.• I receive(l your note yesterday, and rehun thanks

for the New Y car's gift. The Presbyt(,l'Y, at their last
meeting, sustained my trials for licene('; but a letter
having been received from London stating that I could
not be got away so soon as was anticipated, induced
them to protract the period of my licensure, ill order
that I may have more time to prepare for the Mission
field. by being freed from pressing demands to preach
ill country districts. I have now the privilege of re-
maining here or of going to some other city for a
month or two. '* '* '* It is impossible for me
to disengage lllyself from the City l\lission, Hagged
~ehool, House of Hefnge, and Young .Mell's Clu'istian
Association, aud be happy. Still I am striving to de-
vote most of my time to the interests of the Foreign
Mission."

Remaining in Picton over the Sabbath, he occupied

the pulpit of the Rev. James Bayne, in prospect of
)Vhich he encouraged himself by saying, H My grace is
sufficient for thee."
Proceeding to Prince Edward Island he commenced
his missionary tour at the place of his nativity. He
visited the congregations.luring the last week in May
and the pleasant month of June. His last discourse
 TIlE LA~T MARTYRS

was preached in the Temp<'rancc' Hall, Charlottetown.

tu a l:irgl' nssembl!lgl'.
His \york on his nntiyc island was now (lone. I lie;
last ads at home wen' carefully trcaslIre(l up in a 1()]Id
mother's llH'IJlOry. TIl('se \\"('re tIll' closing 1 ~r thl' gnk,
and his running off for SII1l1<' cli:..;tance. At length IIie;
hac-k ,vas turned towanls home. "'ith all its endeariug
ase;ociations of hoyllOud llays. - toward;.; his fanJl.
uI\l'l' an ohjec't of' attuc-hllll'lIt. - luwan1s the gTUY('S of
mallY, ,rltosl' tl'lJallts had gTown up \\'ith aml aTOIll1d
him, - ttJ\yan1s Cln'istian friends, with "'hom he hac!
11('ld SWl'l't iui.l'l'c-our:-:e. - V ,11:11'118 the I-Iahl ):lth-sc'li()ols.
whil'1t lie h~[(l been instrul1ll'lltal in organizing, - tu-
war,ls till' prayer-meetillgs. ,v11('re God had heen met.
- and. finally, towards his country. Thy native laml !

,. Lon' thou thy Iantl. witll lon' f':tr brought

Frolll out the ~tllri('d I 'a.ct, and U~l'd
'Within the Pre~L'Ilt. but trall~fl\~L'd
Through futurl' tillle loy puwer of thought .

•, True loye turned round, ,n fixed polc~,

I,oYe that Cnc!Ufl'S not ,,, ,rdi d l'mls,
Fill' Engli.,h llatun'". frL'l'ntl'n, frit'lId,;,
Thy brothers anli immurtal souls." *

His yisits to the CIlllrc-IH"";' hoth in Prince Edw:lnl

Island :Illd :\ 0ya :-\('utia, w('],(' (,1' t11e lllu:"t agreeahk
dlaradc·r. There was hut a. sillgle l'x('(·l'tioll. TllP
Pastor of one had aPllllintecl s('·\"('n l,]al'l',-: in w11ieh tH'
should preat:h, anll t11at I;,ithont his knowledge or COIl-
sent. lIe refused, on ae('ount of inability, to perfi.'flll
an amount of work so 1Il1rp;1sllnabl(', within the limit",
or a :,;ingle ('ullgregatioll; llUt for this he was ill tl)('
next medillg of' I-Iynoll held up by the pastor l~ef(,lTt.>d
to as cuutlUllatiollS.

, T('ltlJyson.
 ,

OF EROMAXG.\. 45

The following. haying reference to his visit to the

('ongregation of the Rev. Gt·orgt> Christie, Yarmouth,
;\. :-I .. w~ communicated to the Presbyteriun WitItC0S;
" The Rey. George N. Gordon is at pr0Sl'ut on :l
tour. visiting the congregatioll:'; in the we8t0m part of
the Provincte. His labors haH' been t'xl'vv(lilwly ac-
('cptahle, and it is believed profitable. On :-I~l;hath,
the 30th ult., he preached in t!H' Prl'sliyterian Church,
\'" armouth, in the afternoon, and in the c\"l'ning in the
Baptist Church. On both o('('asiolls the plaC'cs were
tilled with deeply-interest('(l h\·:uws. On l\IoIHlay
Hening the regular' linited )lollt!J.ly Praycr l\Ieeting,'
, '" was held in the C( IllgTPgationalist Church, when
:\11'. Gordon delivered an audress on )li""ions. * *
The coll~di()n in the Pn'sh\ierian Church for the Fo-
n'iQ'n :Missiun Fund was i:(l };j". :?d. On l\Iondav
so;nl' of the ladies in connection with the Presltyteria;l
Church ('ollected for )11'. Gordon, for outfit, etc., £~l
l:,8. 4<.1."
lly the Preshytery of Halifax, on the 16th of May,
1."i.-,;j. he was licensed to preach the Gospel.
.. He then \'1sit0(1 nearly all the congregations of the
Pj'(·~hytcrian Church of Nova Scotia, addressing large
and attentive audiences with much fervor and elo-
quence. These visits are still fresh in the recollection
of our people in Prince Edward Island and Nova
:-Icotia. He made his name dear and familiar to all
the Presbyterian Churches by his admirable co1'1'es-
pondence in the lVitnes8 while travelling in these Pro-
\illC'es and in other countries."

Tbe following notice of his ordination, which took

plare at 'West River, Pictou, :-Iept., 12th, is taken from
the . .lfissionary Register:

,; Nine Minister" of the Pictou Presbytery were pre-

sent. besides tlte"Profe~ors of Theology, who took
part in the service. The Rev. David Roy preached
46 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

the ordination sermon, from Psalm cxxii. 9, last

clause, 'I will seck thy good.' The discourse consist·
ed of an eloquent exhibition of the personal and official
duties of the Christian minister. The Rev7-Dr. Keir
nalTatell the ~tc'ps taken, put to lUI'. Gordon the ques-
tions of the formula, and led the devotions of the
Presbytery, as Mr. Gordon was hy prayer ind the lay-
ing on of hanels solemnly set apart to the office of the
Holy Ministry. awl the work of a nlissionary to the
heathen. The Hey. ProfcHsor Ross then gave the>
chareeTC to the newl\' . ordained missiollarv.
J
The Rev.
George PattC'l'S()11 addressed the auelil'Jl('e; and the
Rev. (;('()rge ·Walker engaged ill prnyer, after which
the St'ITic{'s of the I lay were conduded with praise and
the A}lu~tf)lie Bel1('1 liction."

On the 11 th October he wrote to his father suying:

" By the W){)d prmiclence of God I hase ended Illy
Missionary tour, in so far as appears to me practka-
ble. ~iw:t' leadng you I have enjoyc·tl many f'avori"
from the faithfi.ll aml covenant-keeping God. * * I
have h:ul my joys and my sorrows, but blessed h('
God, more of the former than of the latter. God has,
I trust, enabled me hy His Holy Spirit to preach the
Gospel with power to some souls. The st'L'd was SOWlI
by a weak instrument when the Lord sent me forth as
a sower: Lut (:oll can make it effedllal. The part~
ing with several congregations was tl'll:y affecting, as
in instances not a few the rolling tears of Christian
affection manifested. My special duty now is to pray
that the seed sown may be waterctl, which is th(~
Lord's work. I have just received a note from a
young person who professes to have heen converted at
a Bible Class of mine while I was speaking on Esan
weeping for the lost blessing. 'What a reward in the
service of' Jesus!
"As it is considered necessary that a missionary
have a helpmeet I shall in all probability many in
London. I have reasons for postponiI~g. Several
persons have spoken to me on the subject of maniage.
 OF EROMANGA. • 47
I have briefly stated that it was doubtful whether OIl
this side of the Atlantic I should many, but that it
was likely I would do so in Britain."

CHAPTER VI.
DEPAnTURE •

.. "\\Te have tran llr,llong' lot~(·t}H'r,

Hand in ha:;d. and h"art ill h"art,
Both throug-h rair and stormy wl:atl,cr,
AJld 'lis hard-'titl hard to part,
Yet WI: must:-' Farl'wc'll!' t" you,
.\.ntlwl:r OIle and all, '.\di(>u !'"
-MONTUO~ILRY,

Previous to Mr. Gordon's departure a Yeledictor,r

meeting was held by his friends in Hali1:lx, on Octoher
Hth, 1855. The account given of it we cOl'Y fron~ tlw
Presbyterian lJ'i'tlless:
f" A deeply interesting meeting was held in Temper-
ance Hall on last Tuesday eYelling. It was called Oll
occasion of Rev. G. N. Gordon's leaving this count!)'
en route for the field of his future lahors. Thl~
platform was occupied by prominent ministers awl
members of the various evangelical denomination:.; of
this city
"Shortly after seven o'clock the chair was taken by
the Hon. ~amuel Creelman. The psalm commencing.
'How beautiful a thing it is,' etc., was sung, and
prayer offered by Rev. Mr. Patterson." * *
"In the absence of Dr. Richey, Rev. P. G. Mclin'-
gor moved the first resolution, expressing th:mkfulnesro:
to God for the rapid increase of Mis8ionary enter-
prises, etc. It ,vas seconded by the Rey. Professor
McKnight, who began by saying that the Missionary
spirit was as old as the l<A>e of Christ ill the souls of
men.
 THE I.AST MATITII!S

.. The !If' xi, haying refc'n'lIc'c' to the Xcw Hebritlcs

lIIi""i(lll, ,vas moYc(l by HeY. (~. Patt{'rson, who spoke
at ,,0 III l' kll!..!;th. 'Ye in"prt an cxtrad: 'He (Rev. J.
(;"dcli(') ('O!;IIIH'!H'l'd to agitate the snhjeet of a Foreign
:\1 j,,:-;i()11 in his OWIJ Prl·:-;hytery. alii 1. gradually, his
\"i(~w,.; gailH'll tile cordial COIll'lIl'rI'I)('(' of his brethren in
p, E. I:..;iallll. In lK,j:J the Pf(·~;hytcrv of P. E. Island
ow-rtm('II till' SYllod on the Sllt;jl'(·t '; and the I-iynocl
SI'llt d"wn till' o~'l'rtllre to the ~'I'\~('l'al Prc:-:hyterics for
their rnatl1l'l' delih(,l'ati()ll. At the SYnod of 1,"144 it
wa,.; H·,.;oln'el, hy a majority of :W to 14. tu (,Ilg~!ge in
:t IIli,.sillll to the heathen. This ,,'as a, I:irg(' and seri·
ol!" "Pl,,)~i(i()ll. In lK..J.;j till' ,.\llil of £1 L'J \Va" l'ulleet-
(·d to (':ll'!'\, out the resolution of tIl(' IH'l'vious meding
.,(' ~';ynocl'; alld it wa:..; re:..;uln'cl lly a 11I:I.itlrity of our
to procee(l at ouce to ehoose a lahollrl'r and :l. field of
la 1)( Hlr.'
., l~·'\', (i, ~. (; onIon 1'0';(' (:lllli( I great applause)
to :..;e'(·ollll the :l(loption of the l'(·soIlIt.ion. )[1'. (ionlon
-.:licl : - ' I now ri:-:e for the first. amI in all prohability,
tite last tillH', to aclllrl';.\"; you on the great ;.\llhjt'l't of
tite missi"llal'Y l'llt('l'pri:..;c. I l':m with all 111y heart
:";('C'I)\l'l tl\(' )'(·;.\ullltion so ably 1110\'(,(1 liy tIl(' speaker
,ill"t sat dOWll, But all! I feel th:lt my poor abilities
:lrl' in no way commensurate with the disrllity and un-
purt:mcl' of thi:..; ilTl'at subject - : t ;.\uhjl'd' in 'which the
glol'\" of nod and the cternal salyation of souls is so
;11111.:11 inyolwil. I east l!Iy,,,df with implil'it l"mti(lence
Ilpun Him who has said, Lo, I am with you alway .
. , , The grl'at ohject of l\li""ions is the salvation of
III ni:lI b (,j' oil\' fallen race from the dominion of the
IIl:i!I('f~ (,l'thl' power of the' air, and his cIel)a,;illg sen'i-
tlllle : the ';\lowing forth of l~'" l'" gillry lay leading sin-
Ill'!""; to a lift' :ll1cl l'OllwrsatillH becoming the (30spel;
awl, finall,,", rescuing them fft)m the wTath tn come.
Tile prophets of old were ub"orlwil in this gloriolH'1
theme, Prophl'ts, patriarch" and :tpo,.;tles rejoicecl in
strains of holy song oyer the 1'1'1 '''1 K,(·t uf the triumphal
I'l'ig-n of the l\fEssuu over all nations, killllrecls and
tongues. Ahraham's joy abounded when the angel of
.J Imov All informed him that in him all nations of the
 OF ERmIANGA. 4

\\VHeb~ earth should be blessed; and Jacob's voice tremble

!who splu in ecstacy when he predicted that the gathering of th
He (Rel,J, people should be unto SHILOH. Daniel, too, predicte
of 3 Fo~~ ,that the stone hewn without hands should become
':lduallr,hli great mountain and fill the whole earth, - that th
;b.in kingdom of the God of Heaven should consume thos
p, E.llind of gold, silver, brass, iron, and clay.
Ii I The Lord by giving up his only begotten Son t
I the )[J:oo
sblieriisror be a .l\Iissionary to om' erring race, shows how nen
I of j,1jj ~ this subject is to his heart. The blessed Redeem(
oen.~in was a loving, tender Missionary, going about contim
!e ~d'~~
ally doing good, alleviating misery and distress, an
leading lost sheep to his own happy horne. And cr
l\":lScofi«i.
leaving this world he gave the broad commission t
'llS meetin:
his disciples to go into all the world, and preach th
~riIT oi ",,/
Gospel to every creature. Most nobly did the Apo~
II ~'fieMd tIes and early heralds of the Cross fulfil the comman
of their Lord and :Master. But, alas! with the Apo;
it spplm) tolic age of the Church the foreign missionary spiri
)fr, GordO! lost the glowing vigor of its youth. The zeal of th
probabili~, ChlU'ches of Asia flagged ere the Apostle John c:
t subja1 d changed the lonely isle of Patmos for the New .Jerma
II my heal! lem j and in a few oenturies, the Church, slumberou
the ~6 and carnal, utterly neglected the command of her elf
~r abilitiei parting Lord.
ut\' and iJn. " , But once again the Church has assumed an ag
ll'whlchthl gressive character, and now the disciples of the Lori
souls ~ 9l unite to storm the strong-holds of Satan. And wha
.confidelKt is the present aspect of the world, after the Church lw
alway. had in her possession the great commission for near!,
alvation d 2,000 years? Take a glance at a Missionary chart an
oiOll of ~ yon will see that darkness, thick darh,lleSS, is awfull,
ISing sen} predominant. Two-thirds of the children of men hav
eadingsJn. not even heard of the name of Jesus, and are sti
heG~I; lying in the arms of the Wicked One! 'Vere th
I to roJDI, eady Christians uow to arise from the graves in whic.
~glori~ they have slumbered for ages, and view the pres en
rejoired 1B state of the world, would they not exclaim with a voic
triumph~ that would bring a blush to our cheeks - Treason
drOOs and treason in the camp of the Lord! If we do not de
1aDouel 01 liver them that are·dmWll uuto death, or those read;
IlS of ~e D
:;0 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

to 1Ie slain, we cannot, we dare not say before the

:-iE,\J:/'IiER of heart". lh,hol(l Wl' know it not; aIHl lIe
will I'l'll(ler to L'\'l'ry OJH~ according to his works. EYen
the littll- children i'll our Sabh:1.tll Sl'hools know nllleh
::1 IUlIt thc st,atc of the perishing heathen. \\' e nU
kno\\" that at the in"ti,ratiou of him who was a WIIl'-
./(:I'er i'r(lll1 tlw l)('ginni~lg, thonsands, yea tC'llS of thull~
"and". arc daily d [';I\\'n to IkstnI<'t i()n : then we ('annot
pkacl iglloraJll'(~ un thiH point Jl\'rl)n~ God: tllHl (lh!
will He not rcquil't' their ulootl at our haw Is? In on~
,""lllaU (listrict of India it haH Jw('n eaknlatl'd, that "illl'('
t:ll' adwllt of Christ 1,I-lOO,000 inf:lllts han' p"rislI('(}
1,y the hands or tllf'ir parellts! TlIolls:lIlds 01' altar"
:l~'t' still reekiJlg with the blood of yictims. ((lid 11'1~ k1l0},"
it. Tlwl\sallds of f('male childrvll, thOIlSHllds of "'illow:'t
:lUI 1 hereaved mot lll'r,s are daily ('ollsiglH'( 1 to a t l'J'ribk
11('at11. Think of tbis yOllng l:ulil's, tl'l1dl'rly ll\lJ'ttl!'pd
J,,\' gvnt\l' parent~;. Think of this. P:ll'l'llt". \\ho han'
your l'hit/Iren growing lip beautiful, SI'C'II!'!' awl happy
l:\' yOlll' sid(~. \Y(' h:we read of mothers and dall!!l:~
t~·J's· who tow oft't\}('il' jewels :llll 1 ornaments and (::lst
thl'l11 illto tlwir country's exlIall"t('cj treasll1'Y to saye
tlH'il' 1I:ttive lnllli froll{ a foreign foe. IIow w:llIy of
yon :tl'l~ willing tl) take off IlSl'\l'SS ornaments or to
forego earthly gratifieutions that you m:~y assist Zion's
Killg to carry (Ill his glorious warfare!' 0, think of
the yallle of a SOlll! 'Vhat infinite horror is nwukene>d.
by that expression - a lost soul! And oh, the lost
llIyri:lIls of heathemlom ! Pray the Lord with me that
the coming of His hlessed kingdom may be ha"tell('(l,
:U)ll that the distant islands of the sea may learn bis
holy law.'
,: At tbe close (If lUI'. Gordon's address a collection
was taken up, which amounted to upwards of £17.
The ::\Iissional'j' 1J,r1i1li being sung, Rey. G. ,Yo Sprott
moved the followillg resolution: - 'That tbe meeting
ha ying assembled to express their gratification that
another laborer, Hcy. G. N. Gordon. is ahout to depart
ii'om this Pl'ovill('l' to the New Hpbrides, to endure the
perils and to aid in the lab'ors connected with the l\Iis-
::;ion, earnestly desire (and do now unite in prayer) tbat
 OJ<' EROliANGA.

)fore Iii
Ill' mny be snstained in every trial hy the goodne
aM H-
~Uld the ~JTal'(' of God; that he may realize the mal
;, EreD
gracious promi"';l's which lie has made to those wI
lQi DlU~
commit their way to Him, and eleyote themseh'l
W~3lI
wholly to hi" sei'yice; and that his labors mny 1
IS aU!- n,lJUlHhUltiy 1I!c',~sv(1 in the sah'atiflll of mallY wl)1) m
,,,:':~I\-
1I0W sunk in tIll' lowest depths of idobtry, ignol'Ul1<
we ('inIlot ;111<1 crilne.' This re,..;()llltion h::lxiJl!.).' been cH'('I)]lIkd 1
: and oh~ Hey. D. Freeman, the Hey. Professor Kill:.!,' offered 1
: fu i)n~ a feryellt aIHI appropriatl' prayer. ~
that Onry .. l\,te1' Lynch, Esq .. after n, few totH'hing remark
eI~'r';ri presented nIl'. Gordon with the following :lI!lln',..;s. n.
; of 4:i~~ ('ompanied with a purse of twenty-one "';1 )\,L'l'l'i~!'Il"; : -
dlrehrN
of"jtl", .. Rei'. (lnd Dear 8/1'.-;\ few of your friewh, llH']
)aterriJ,~, of the Halit'ax YOll II !.!,' .Mell',..; ·C!ll·i,..;tiall J\"",wi
llt'l'''';
tioll. who h:1"e been connected with YIIll ill \':Iriol
" lIi:''ltl'fli
l'eligious :-;ucil'ti('s, nwl who hn,ye learnt to yaille ,YOI
. "bohm dWl'ncte1' and comluct both ns Cit\' ]\fi,..;:.;jnJI[ll'\' in th
llla baw! place and as ('onneeted with tlu;il' As,..;of'int'joll, b{
Jld daugl· IC!lYe to pr('si'lit yon the accompanying pur:,;e of' t Wl'
; and r.t,i
il, til ',It
ty·one sowrcigns as a small token of their v,..;tl'el
They wOllhl n.lso :It the same time express their s\,!
IWIllilnyor
patliy with .run under the trying- eircnmstanel''''; of ~"Ol
ents ",r t(1
leu\ iug home for a far-distallt land, and exile amOl
,;j,t Zjon'~
t.he heathen.
0, think~r ., That He "hom ,yon ~crYp and who"p king'c10m y(
;aden~ desire to extend. lIlay be with you, gllille and protl"
hi the 10;: YOll; ancl that yon llla\' he the honored inst111mellt j
th metull 'Ilis hand of tni'ning n~allY from the darkness of heat
basten~i, mism to the pure light of the gospel, is tIl(' sinee]
ylearn hli prayer of tho:,;e who have subscribed this parting m
mento. :-)igned in behalf of' the suhscribers,
L collection "ROBEIn 1\h.:rmAY, Sel'!!. Y.JI.C .. .:
\; of £Ii.
W, "I"j " Mr. GonIon responded in feeling' amI appropri:1
he Dlteti~ terms; and the UC'\'. Mr. Cochran closed the meetil
~tion ili~t with the Apostolic Benediction."
It to depaII .. Late on Thursday night," wrote Mr. Murray, "
endore~e few of his intimate friends met with him once more:
tb the MIs- the residence of tIle Hon. Samuel Creelman. Earne,
rayer) tb3t prayers were offered up, and the parting was solen:
 THE LAST :lUARTYRS

:m(l deeply affecting, all present feeling persuaded that

it was final for this world. Yet no one ever left home,
friends, and country more chee:rfully for his Master's
sake; though he felt that he \yas making a great, an
overwhelming sacrifice, for his heart was sensitive and
hi~ feelings tender as a cl1ild's."

IIe dill not take his last look at Halifax without

emotion':; corrcsponding with the strength of his at-
taehllH'nt to 1lI1ll1CroUS Christian ti'iellds resifling in the
eit.y in whieh he spent so important a part of his life.
We learn this ii'om a prinl.tc lettcr addressed to Jlr.
JIlll'ray on his arrival in Liverpool, England, dated
Odober 22, 18;-)5 : - '
.; The first two (lays after I parted 'with you were'
ycry l("lious - rCIHlerc(l so e~pceian'y h~T sea-sickness.
J took a farewpU look at Halifax:t1 lout fiye o'dock tIlt'
morning we left, an(1 so many 01(1 assoeiations wert'
rcviycc( that the 'sight of my ~'Y(>s nflectec1 my heart:
ami my heart again aifected III Y eyr's. The love of
'I11,\" co;mtry, nIl;l l'sl)('ciall~' the I~Ye of Brethren in
the Lord, at that moment possessed my soul in ]}e)
ordinary degree."
In reference to cvents that transpired during the
he wrote tlrils : -
yC),\'a~('

" On hoard the steamer (America) I had many op-

]1ortllllitics of doing good, though in my official capn-
eity I was much hamperell l)y the :"tringent nIlcs of
the Steamboat Company. We had too much of the
Cul(forni({n at;no'~JJhe1'e on hoard to be comfortable.
I read and expounded the Scriptures to passengers in
the second cabin two or three times, but doubt whether
I eould have obtained pennission to do so had I re-
~tnested i~. The, saloon on the first JJord's day m'en-
mg was lIke a little hell j but last uiO'ht was like 3
little hC!lven, i. e., in so far as sllpel'i~' singing goes
t~) constitute a heaven. ~ ;;. * I obtained pel'mis-
Slon to preach yesterday III the first saloon. Dr. Hol-
 OF ERmfA~(;.\.

soadallhl
r11ft ~)me. loway and Dr. Parker, from China, werCl presen
Ii, Jf.1.:~1 TIl(' latter introducl'll hilllf'elf to me to-day, and t11re
SOllle sparks on my timler."
a!(leSt.!!
~nsitil't IIiI ,,-e . close this chapter by gh'ing an extract of
letter puhlished about that period in the Philadelph
!:L\ witool Pl'esoytel'ian, showing, as it llo('~, that he was not tl
hof hil ji· ouly one who complained about the reglllu.tiollS uf tl
Stt':lInboat Compan,'" : -
nfhi,11. ., On the Sabbath which we w(')'(' on the ocean pu
"",!t"l!r. lic worship ,vas conducted in the :-.nloo11 by tile C:lptai
;!and, illtro whu rea(l the [ll'l'sl'\'ihec1 portions of thE' Litnrg,V of' tl
Chmch of Englallll, amI also an excellent discolll'se 1
Blunt, whose writings are so well known in AIIH'l'i('
th roo!il1l A" there were three miuisters of the G (I"PI'! on hoar
:t"J:sil'linii" a.uy of whom woulll haye prr:ll'hed if alloWlJ(l, the Sll
'o'doclitlv gestion was nUHle to the Capbiu, that some one
atiOlll rf~
them be requested to officiate. Hnt it was aSl'l'rtaiul
lID1'iJf:Irt··
thn.t the regulations of the British ~ orth Ameri
~tc::nnboat Ship ...; C'1J1l1pall.Y prohihitcd this, and 1
Th~'low (I
qnil'ecl the Captain to attelHl to the matter him·w
Erethrenin
\rhen a desire was expresserl that pa,.;seng<'l's wI
wulin!))
might wish to unite together in the la(lil's' saloon,
reading the W 01'(1 of UotI, and prayer, mig-Itt 11:1
during !Ii' pl'rmission, it was (lec1ined for the ~'.ame i'(':t.S(;I1. j
cwry fatility wus ait(lrllcd for dancing, cartl-playi II
ul1<l various other alllllsements ",hleh wOllhl gratify t
itTcligiolls and wOl'ldly, it was cOlldurlecl tllat the }I
"ilege of' equal rights fur all shoul,l haw s('(,llrnl f
the very respectable number of passengers who fUlll
t1.wir pleasure in higher aud hcayenly pursuits, C01111>
a11('e with their reqn('st. In the Steamers of t.'
American line we have understood there is no suo
prohibitiOl{ of religious senieC', amI no sHch pl'ef{
('nee given in favor of,the ungodly; and many felt th
it' it were at all practicable, in making tl10ir arl'ang
mCllts for crossing the Atlantic, duty required th
that line which thus disregarckd or tlishollol't'(l GI
should not be paf\'onized by those who IO\'ed His s(
\'ice and r6vered his name."
54 TIlE LAST MAUTn:5

CIL\.PTER YII.

")fy times un. in thy hand."

{)('Tomm 22nd tLl' young )1 i~"ioJlary arrived ill

J~iyerpool; and on the 2:3nl reaellC'u London. In his
Diary the following entries were mude about that time:
·'\YeI1.IH':'Il:1y, 24th-Felt much langnor in deyo-
tional exerds~';;. Olt. for the quickening fipirit of
~T:tCC! \Vaite(1 on Dr. Ticlman. Fouud hi1l1 ql1itl'
;lC('('~~ibh- and amlhle. C:tlle!l upon Dr. Killg.', Vimli-
('0, who n'qlleste(l me to call aiDlill~ DllCl mallii'cstecl a
willin~~I1\,:-;"; to a~;:-;i,.;t me in the prosecutiun of my
we. Heal :.;tlldil'-;."
B,'f<J\"l' 1L':1 \'iI1O"
o Halifax he was killClly
• furnishecl with
a ktt~'r of intrOlluction to the Doctor. by his brothC>I'.
l'rof"l's";Ul" King .

•. T!ltIl':",lay, 2;'th- \\'l"llt to \\'athall1IJstow to S(,('

.:\[1'. {;l'dclie's childr,·ll. FOllllCl tlwiU ill goo(l health.
Cal kll up: III Hi'\'. ),11'. Bartt". lIarl S01l1e interesting
cOilH'mation with )'I1',";. Bartl', who is now ('ollvales('t'ut.
.. ~atllnla'y, 2ith-"'eut to Pimlico this mOrni!l~.
(li:..;t:mcl' from lholle Yue Cottnge:..;. Groye St., Il:.wkncy,
about seven mile'S, to see Dr. King. He directed ml'
to ('all all the Chaplain of the London Hospital, awl
gaY(' me yaluable instruction about the ll(,;.;t way to
;(cqllire l1le(lic:il knowledge, sn<:h as I reqllirt·. .
•• ~IUIJ(lay, :2~th-Pas;;,--,(l h,Y Bishop Bonner's Pal:ll'C'.
)lear wilieh is held open-air prt·aehing. How singular
t h(' l)l'Oyi( lelte3 of Goel! This aneiellt lWl'itao'e
D
is
('hallg'l'll into a ph-we fOl' the proclamation of that
(~ospel which the Bishop once songht to root out of the
l:Ul(L by persecuting uuto death the sen'ants of Christ!,
U, England what has not thy God. d.one fur thee 1
 OF EROlIANGA.

":Uonday, Nov. 5th - :Met seYeral Indepen(lcn1

lIinisters in the vestry of Gravil St. Church. Heard
the Rev. Mr. Hardie's very interesting ],fissional'.)
AdJress. His success even greater than 1\11'. Geddie';.;
in forming a Church in a short period .
.. 'Yednesday', 7th - Lectures pleasing and instnw
tive. Deeply moved on seeing a number of sutfel'ill;.!
invalids crowded together while awaiting their l'cn'p'
tion. .
.. Saturday, 17th- Witnessed much that was sufii·
cient to cOll~'ince me that the ills to which humanity i"
heir arc the result of sin. Three deaths froHl sca'lt1~
iildm in the Hospital. Had a desire to speuk to the putiellt~
:pirit'i about the one thing needful. Oh, tor gruce to follo"
the path of duty.
ill quik
!, PimJi.
"r
~~ ednesclay, 28th - Obtained valuable instructiOl
ii'om Dr. Clarke, on diagnozing. Oh, for more grac(:
tested I
to revive my languishing soul!
of illy
"Thursday, 2Bth - Saw a crowd at 'Yhite ChapC'l.
After passing I learned that they were witnessing tW(
~hi~ girls fight. 'Was distressed that I did not tm'n back
\roilier.
and endeavor to terminate the shocking contest, all(
rebuke the ungodly onlookers .
.. Sabbath, 2nd - Attended a meeting held by medi·
til ,~' cal gentlemen and students, for the purpose of read-
he2lth, ing God's Word and for prayer. Subject, John, 4tll
1't"~Jt! chapter. Meeting deeply intercstillg. l{eturning saw
e.,.;(tnt. an increased numuer of shops open. My soul WII:-
)rnill~. stirred within me on beholding some parts of the cit)·
diDe." contemning God's authority.
~Im~ "Tuesday, 4th-Breakfast with Dr. Pye Smith.
II. :lDII Conversation profitable. Prayer before parting.
lay, tl) "Thursday, 6th- Heard Dr. Adams on the hand.
and 1)1'. Carpenter on food. 'Vas agitated on hearing
some of the students use profane lunguage ; and had
solemn thoughts concel1ling my duty. 011, for gral'I'
not to fear the face of man! "

From Belle Vue ~ottages, Grove St., Hackney, he

wrote thus to his father:
 TIlE LAST l\IAHTYRS

"By the good 11a11(l of God upon me I am still the

r.'eipient of many mercies. Y ct, prohably more than
I'\'er do I feel the truthfulness and force of these words
uf Job - ' Shall we receh'c gOOll at the haml of God,
awl shall ~re not rceein' l,yil.' Though most llllwortlly
of' any token of noll's uwor, still my eup has a trace
( I f sweetness in it, :md is far more pref('l'ulJle than that

of many aromltl Ill('. 1 coulll nut witllin the limits of

11 :~llOrt letter gin' you anything like a proper dcserip-
tion of one of a thuu:.;allll objects of attraction in this
;'::f(~at city. The people, like Ismcl of ole!, are in llum-
1.(')' !ike the saml Oll the sea sliure'. The streets are
l·ontinu:111y thrOlIg'Pil. About 10UO on1l1ihtls('~;, drawn
iJy two or fonr ho/'S(·s. aud thousands of other carriage!'!
I'ly the streets, somctill1l'S hlocking them up for a con-
siderable distancl' .
.. Yesterday I passt'cl ncar by Buekinghmn Palace
:I!!d the new HOLlSl' of Parlimnent, whieh t)1·(·upies un
an'a of nine acrcs. The eall)entl'l':O:. working on the
to ...\'e1' 400 feet high, appearell remote from the dweller~
011 earth. * ,f, I purpose Yisiting' ~Wl'stmin8ter Ab-
tJl~y, built by Erlwanl the Couiessor, Henry Ill. amI
Edwan 1 r. which l'(·tains the mortal remains of some of
ElIglum1's great Olles. It ('(Jlltaills, too. the chair in
which the Sovereigns of Englanrl sit while being
('l'(),IYned. Nelson's column - 17 [) feet high - is in my
('stimation the most magnificent of allY of the l1l01lll-
I.i('nt.;;: wbicL I han' .yet iwhclll. 13ut 'while heholUillo'
n
"';;1(11 I think of the beautiful sentiment inseril )(e'd upon
:~ \Yom an's tombstone: 'A woman'8 good name is her
illf,mlment.' Tht' J,onl's (lay is 1l111('h profanc<..l by ul-
lIIost all classes - del'gymcll not excepted."

The following is ~n extract from a letter addressed

t(, the Secretary of'the lloard of Foreig'l Missions:

" I am now prosecuting my medical studies in the

l,ondon Hospital and College, where I receive priyi-
Ipgcs which cost a student eighty-four guineas for a.
I( )inpl(~te course of lectures alone. If I be not charrr-
e' \ anything your acknowledgments will be due to
 OF EIW:lIAXGA. 57
the Couuc·il. I lost much by not being present two
01' three weeks earlier; but as the ,Tohn Williams
is not to sail before the spring I shall, if spared in
health, be enabled to complete the winter term to my
.. im-aluablc ach-antag-e. I have learned that ~lissiOl~­
m'ies often find their mellical knowledge defective in
Hot baving studied anatomy. I am now studying
descriptive amI practic'al anatomy and chemistry uncleI
VI'. Clarke, besides visiting patients. l\I~. cxpensN
in the dissecting room will ~()on 1)(. something mort
than those of au onlooker. On the Lord's Day I am
ut myoId work among SaLlI:lth breakers; find if I get
safely through them without bruises until spring ]
shall be gl'atl'flll to the Father of ;'lcrcies."

'Ye take the following extracts from a private letter

to Hev. H. l\Iurray, dated London, Jan. 30th:

,. Nearly all the ministers I have heard preach in

this city are Indepewlcllb. Their ~t.\"le of pn·aching
i~ WI'V different ii'om that to whieh I haw been accus-
tomef! in ::\oya Scotia. They SC't'1ll mighty in th£
Scriptures as expositors, but deficient in soul-stirrillf!
energy, and perhaps in the wisdom that wouhl ~ive :l
portion to each in clue season. I la H' not f;('t'll th(
author of the 'Royal Preacher' yet. nor Dr. Harris.
The most popular preal'her here nUl\" is He\". l\Ir.
Spurgeon, a Baptist. He has during the ~urnnl(>I
('omnul11flecl auclienccs of ten thou~:alHl sOllls .
.. London has a rich supply of miuistc)'s; neverthe·
les,.; according to statements recently ll1ft<lc there arc
nearly a 'iilillioll of souls, whom the joyful sound dcJ{'~
110t reach. Lay ageney is of' great llSC in carrying the
gospel to these lost people. I belicye that feelings 0:
t:aste are hindering the sah'ation of s0l11s here as weI
as in Inclia. :My wry soul i::; Rickened OIl witnessing
the ohjects of' wretchedness which are to be nll't witiJ
uaily in this city. ~Vere I 110t called in the proyidenc(
of God to go f~l.r hence to the heathen I would mos1
cheerfully give myself to the work of' the Lord in the
.58 THE LAST )IA RTYRS

streets and lanes of 1,011(10n. On the l,ord's <lay I

s('('k to be ahout llW l\laster's work in (lestitute part:.;
of tIl(' city, espeei~{lly tryillg to benefit junO'uiles. Oil
first (,(tmillg here I used to go and heal' ser1110ns 011
Sabbath - 1tut hearing a minister proye that it was
wrono- " in millister,..; to ,....0-0 to hear such when they, thelll-
selves ought to be preaehillg, I re801n',1 that so 10llg
as there were so m[II1\' all around mc on tilt' road to
destruction I woul(l 'again go at my form?r work of
• roving llli,;si(tll:tl'Y,' and tlmB the ltL'ttL')' fulfil In,V or(li-
nation yol\'"s. I haY(~ heea partienlarl," inL'n'ste,l ill
some poor ehilclren who ath'ml the Ha<.r,'!c! 1 Sehools on
Sabbath en'llings. TIIPy come to sl1:lke hands with
me in :1 manner so frh'lHlI y ltd()l'e Ilea n' tIll' sehoo1s,
and a ... k so anxiousl)' ahout my retl1l'll that I cannot
lmt f('pl a ~Towillg :Ittadllll:'nt to them.
" I "':1 s requested several times to preaeh in soml'
large l'ht1J'('I}('s, hut wouH "warl'l'ly fed jllstified in
complyin'! while there i" so mueh work to 1)(· (lolle 01lt-
!'(ide. To-day I had the p!(·;tSlll'C' of sl'eing the Queen.
She is not what SOIlIl' would call beautiful; but I ecr-
tainly thought her uo()(l-luo"illtl: and Wli:lt i~ far bett('!'
than external attradions, she appears to P()ss(>ss tilt'
, ornanwllt of a meek ftllC 1 quiet spirit.' She has dark
hair - "'ithollt eurls - :111<1 a well-forme>( 1 eOtlutenaw'p
with a milll, illtelle('tual expression. She was gorge-
ouslyatLirC'(l, lllld the Stat(> earri:I~'('S were magnili-
eently :ltT:mtl'ed. I wowlel' not that she oeeupies n
plaee in (·y('I'Y h'll1(,,;t, Briton's he·art. "\i'itlt what soul-
stirring ent!msiasm she WflS rel'\'in'tl b,· the' immens('
multit;Hle when on her way to open Parihullent! Oh ~
that I may 1t(' the mealls of bringing sOllle of t1w
cnemit·s of Christ to rellller hill.) still more hearty
fealty, and erown Him Lord of all !" .

His next to )Ir. Murray was publishe(l with th('s('

prefatory
,
remarks: ""\Y e reeeiyed the ilJl1myino- ",
y(,!,",f
interesting lettel' from 1\11'. Conlon hy the last English
)fail. lIe must excuse us for publishing it without
his conscut :"
 OF ElWlIANGA.

day I \. Belle Vue Cottages, GmL'e St ..

•, IInckney, LOllduli. 31(1)"ch. l:!.th.
s. !b " I am in the receipt of your letter of the 28th ult.
lDiua for which I return you my ~incere thanks. It v,'iIl
it w~, eyer be a source of l)leasnre to me of' no onlinary kinLl.
'!&:1Il- to hear of' the 'H'lt~ll"e ot" my frie1ll1s, the prosperity ot'
) ~~~ the Redeemer's cause, ancl the general goud or" tlie
~I to I country around whieh lilY attec~tions m~ entwilll"l.
fA'to( That Americu - British m;d Hepubliean - i" destine( I
fOt1l~ to exelt a powerful influence on the worlel'" future. i,;
t~1 in now regarded :l:j a lllatter of ecrtainty here by thmw.
at least, who yiew the snbjeet in relation to tile natural
law of sequence, and the Proyillencc of G()(l manifest-
ed towards that country concemiug whieh men high iu
position here c10 not hesitate t,u say it is an honor to
be a denizen. 'Ve are assured that :l lIation is only
50IDI truly grent in 1'0 far as it is exalte(l by riglJh·()l\'-;IH's,~.
II in Ameriea, notwithstanding her Jlatfve eyi is :lll.l impurt-
III':!. eel viees has, blessed be <-;0<1, many righteous tens ill
UII'D. all her dties, who are the salt in her midst.
11';· .. The labours of the Amerieun )Ii"sic))Jal'it'''; in Tnr-
lfIter key have been spoken of h0re of late with 11lueh lnmla-
;thf tion, am1llayc provoked British Chri"tiaw: to love awl •
dart good wurks ill the SUllle e:lllse. This appear,; ii'om tlw
~I:lf
support granted to the Turkish Mission Aid Soeict)".
.,~~, .. "dth whose history you are no dOll lit acquuillte(l. It i:c
[Iiij, certainly to the hOBor of Americ:ln CllJ'i"tiaw; that they
esl
were mo,'e(l with compassion f<Il' tlll' }ll'l'i"hillg milliolls
of Turkey {IC('nty-jil"(J. yea)"s befure British ChristimJ';,
iOOl· I' antI sellt their de,'otecl missionaries to the East ut a
'n.'
~ In:
, time when prospects of SHecess must h:lye been sllmll
indeed. But that sterile field once lW:tlltiliell ll'y tre<>s

~.
tor
of righteousness which flourishc(l under the fosterill;":
aty
care of Christ's primitive viuc-Ilress(lrs though long
ovelTul1 with noxious weeds, again promises the hlls-
,1\1)
Qandman a rich harvest. Too long h:I:-: the country of
the Primitive Churches of Christendum been blight('!]
'r.r by Mohammedanism, and the Roman, Greek, Coptie,
,Ii and Armenian heresies; but their days are nllmbercll.
lit and lJ-Iene lllay soon ~ written on tlieir palaees. TJw
Rev. Messrs. Young and Airey state that the moral
 TIlE L\:-'T l\lAUTYRS

(1l'f'Tac l:ltion of thc ('hristians of Turk(·,' - ('onstitllting

~l;~lIt 01le half (If the pupulation, awl 'whom the Turks
jllstly l'('garcl u-; iclu!:i1c,)',s - is quite in('redible, being
OT('aier than that of anf other country in which they
haw 1)('1'11. ~;, Hlldime ~tQ,"o a Y('ssd ~nls "Teeked O~l
till' (:C):lst of TlIl'!,\'y, a \II 1'the Captaiu l'l'illg' much ('on-
C('I'Il('rl a1 lout tll\· snjet.\' \)1' his ('argo. was assured there
\\':lS no tl:IIl~('r :-;illec there were no Chl'i,.,;ti:lllS within
thirty miles. Tlh' Tlirks remark of them • that they
lIlay'hnYt' kl:l a pm€' (;ospel at SOUle l':ll'ly period in
their his16nT, lmt if s<), must haye lust it.' "roul<1
tlt:lt till' illt(~~d(,:ltl'(11'lls('yites \\'ho prowl ahullt tombs
ill the l'O;I~T\'~:ltilllIS of the <1\':1\1, therc sl'\>king the
way tu till' City of (:\)d, rather than hy se!lrl'hing the
Ii \'{·ly or:tcles of truth, wouI(l pOlHlt'r this statement,
though lll:tlle hy TlIl'ks. Did they do :-;0 we might ex-
PI'('t 1'\'\',"'1' ('c))11l1u'mlatioIls from tlH'lIl uf the Greek
Church, which t IlI':i' :t t'(. \\"ont to (':111 their sister .
.\Il'lllll('l';'; of the (~l'('l>k Church reproaeh Papists for
worsllil'l,ill:,! illl:I~('-';, "'hill' till'Y thems('In·s. as also the
Copts,. l':ty :t 1, ))'at i'Jil to pidllJ'l>,'" of tl\l' s:lint;, especi-
:dl," to tl](· one IIi'the \'ir;!.'in ~lm)T, ",hii'll is frequently
slll'l'Olllllh'll by li:~ht-:. It is stated th:it on a certain
(1('C'a-.;iulI Hot l\lil.C': ag"). one (If till' (':t!Jllll's burning
arullnd a pietnr(' of tiv Virgin fell amI sl't fire to it,
wlll'reU!II)\l a l'l'i!'st ruse quiekl.,' to extillgllish the
1blllC. But til<' l':,tl'i:'l''':l of thL' CoptiC' Clmrl"ll- who
attl'lHh :1 BibJe Cl:t~s 0(' one of the AlllcriC':tn l\Iissioll-
:Iril',s - 1Il'i Ilg pl'l'-:l'llt, s:lid, • Let it alone -let her
s;t\l' hl'r ... df.'
.• 1'111' ,\llH'rie:lll ~Ii -.;sjonaries in Tllrkey - thirty in
ail-arC' a-:,-:istl'(l h," one lllllldrecl llati\'(' teachers;
:11Il1 tltl' eitil',s "f the ~,'\'(!n Chu:'dle:-.; of ,A,;ia, so iong
l'l'lip,.;0il :tre [I:~aill reL'l'iYing the light ui' the Gospel,
whil'h \\'lh'!1 bken from them as a pllllishment for their
i Illpenitelll'~" illu;ninatl'( 1 the \\C estern ll'-ltions. These
IIli.;siulIariv,.; ar'· l'l'gar,h>,l here as holy and devoted
mell, who h.Y li\'ill:! gf)(lly live~.; 1m,,\' ieft not on1\' tl,
ill'PI> impre-.;"ioil of t!ll' \>xeellence of the Gospel hi its
J,le';"('ll fl'llit",. on tIl(> minds of the Turks allll so-called
dlristians arouml thcm, but also upon the hearts of
 OF EROllIANGA. Ij 1

christians from this country who visited them. There

can be little doubt that the movement here in fayor of
this Society will be followed by the most happy results
in uniting the people of God on this side the wukr
with their trans-atlantic brethren for the propagation
of the Gospel in the East, for the conYersion of Israel,
and the uniyersal triumphs of Chrbtillllity among n11
nations. Antichrist is now p:rinding his teeth at thi~
moment, and not because of' its pn's/'llt magnitude 0)"
cfficieney, but on account of its prospecti I'C' results.
"In my In,,t I ~voke of Hey. Mr. I'-Ipurgeon. 1
heard him last ~ahbath moruillg in Hey. Dr. Fletcher's
cbutch, amI W:l;'; surprised at s~eing the multitude:,; of
both rich and poor that floc-ked thither to henr the g()~­
pel preached 1ly his lips. At an early hour the build-
ing was crow<led. Notwithstanding the efiorts of tIll'
constables, ~0ll1e say the (loon; ''1'('1'(' ti)l'C'ecl ii'om tllPir
hinges by ('1'o1\'(ls of people, ,\'ho. after all, coul(l !lot
efleet an clltranCf'. 1\1r. h. is qnite yonng -Bot y<'t
twenty-iicO. He seems to study 1mt little a learn('(l
style of preaching; for he lIlakes u:-;p of the mo!->1
common, and some would say rough exprC'ssions. yet
all with good effect. The sOY('reignty of God, espel"i-
ally as manifested in the election of graee, is a theml'
on which he delights to dwell; and he believes it to 1w
a false charity wllich can sympathize with Arminiull-
ism in any of its teachings. His text was Hev. iii, 7.
from which he preached the most impressive discollnw
I eyer heard, and one of 'which Christ was the Alpha
and the Omega. In letters he is self.taught; but ill
·in , spiritual things, professes to be taught of God. I ve-
rily believe he has those Ecriptllral views of the plan of
r;:
salvation, and a power in preaching, which can only
mg
be given to a believer by the Holy G~ost; therefore 1
el,
. wish him Goel-speed. I am told that Dr. Fletcher,
eir
whose praise is in all the Churches, esteems him yery
\Ie
hjghly. There are, however, bigots ready to rebuke
00
him becallse he follows not them.
" According to a promise made to several Ministers
here I hope in a sho.. time to take the pulpit insteacl
of the street, but shall proclaim the same Gospel of
 THE LAST lIfARTYRS

God's dear Son, in ,,-hose delightful service I hope to

Ii ve and die. The winter term at the London Hospi~
tal and College closes on the 21st inst.; after which
(D.V.) I hope to visit Scotland, and, on my return,
Paris. Since coming here I have localized myself so
1I1uch that I hnye not yet visited the Chrystal Palace.
[ expect to do this during the interim, and also to
visit somc Uphthalmic Institutions, etc. The summer
term commenc-cs ill l\by. I have Yi~\ited the Egyptian
mlll Geologic-al Galleries of the British Museum with
Illuch profit. I enjoy excellent health, for which I feel
truly thankful."
On the 1nth of the suce-eeeling month he proceeded
to Scotland. Thence he addressed the following letter
to Mr. Murray, which first appeared in the lVitness:
" I took passng(' from London to Edinburgh in the
Princess Royal, on the 10th of April. 'Ve enconnter~
(·d a thuDI ler-stonn otf Flambonrgh, in Yorkshire; but
through the kindness of Providence, arrived safely in
Edinburgh, after a sail of forty-six hours. The change
of air after a winter of study was very refreshing. In
steaming up the Frith of Forth we had a fine view of
the sllrroUlHling scenery. The Bass Rock, in particn-
lar, attraeted my attention, for it lifts its majestic
head mnny feet a1)oye the leyel of the sea. The ruins
of an ancient habitation of the Covenanters, driven
thither by their ruthless oppressors, are still visible,
also a slllall villa. The fowls of heaven now claim it
fbr a peaceful habitation, and by their ceaseless notes
remind the passer-by of Zion's pilgTims who once
lodged there in solitary repose, and called upon the
name of the Lot'd.
"I was struck with the exceedingly beautiful ap~
pearance of the city and the surrounding scenery.
From the summit of the Calton Hills one may see the
contrast between the Old and New town. Thence,
too, on beholding the mountains beyond one is remind~
ed of the Psalmist's description of the mountains round
about Jerusalem. I felt constrained to say, surely
 OF ERo:\L\XG.\. 63
I)~to there is not a second. Edinburgh for picturesque ll('tmty
H~ of
and ll1agllificl'llt ",(,Clll'l'." ; and such is the te:,;timony
'hltI gentlemen with whom I haye met ii'Olll til(' COlltinent
~hJrn, and the East. Oll thl' pa~:->:lgc I enjoyed the cOlllpany
~U " of a gentlcm:ln from ~ew Zealand, and who at one
l!hee, time resided in Pietoll. He hall hc'en illtill1:l t \' ly ac-
:"10 quainted with the' Hl'\"' ::\Ir. Inglis while in ~ ew Zea.-
L:liJe land, aud had been to the X ew Hebri<les, though he
~ti<\D ,lid not land :It Aneiteum. From i;OI1ll' of his :-;ta1(·-
nith ments I learned that ::\Ir. 1. might han' ()htained a.
Leil g:OO( I c(lIlgrvgati'li] of Europeans Lin X ew Zl'aland. had
he not c\W;-;l'll rather tu go to the heatlll'll. 'Vhen
ahout to leaye, one congregation alone PI'(,)-:Cllt('( 1 him
~ with TIP,'1 pill/lills.
lelt« • "The first ~lillister of the 0o:->pd whn:->(' acquaint-
,~:
:1I1ce I m:ule in :-\('otiawl W:1." the Hcy. Mr. Thori>ul11.
of Leith. ","itll whom PI'()fl':->:->ur Lyall is acquainted.
~ tl 1 preached tu his people on the 1;3th illSt., amI subse-
]:t~·
quently :llldre:->s('(1 two llll'l'tillgs in South Leith.
~tI
"'hile in Edinburgh I yisitl'd tltt' Infirmary, Knox's
IV in Church and the ~cuttish Antiquarian ~ociety, in the
ID,"I
Museum of which are to be seen the pulpit in which
fu
Knox prcachell, and ,Telmy Geddes' stool, whieh me-
wd mentos call to remembrance the triumphs of ~cottish
00r
Christians oyer Popery aw 1 Prelacy in former days.
., On the last eyening I was in Edinburgh I had the
~
privilege of being present at the onlinatioll of the Rey.
uDI
Mr. Bailey, who ,,"as soon to join the brethren in the
ren
I,le,
Calabar Mission. Dr. Brown presided. Dr. Thomp-
, son preached the sermon, from Joshua iii. 5, and the
iiI ]~ey. 1\11'. Cooper addressed the ordained ::\h.;:-;ionar.r.
Ittl
From the :Hl(lreKs I d('riy('(l some yaluable information.
J{t
The senices were all deeply interesting. Dr. Thomp-
:be
~Ull'S sermon was espeeially good. I would rejoice to
::lee it published, and widely circulated. lIe elearly
I'
y,
Ie ,
I
showed how few Churches are yet prepared fbI' much
sllccess in the missionary ctl-use, and the sins with
which they are chargeable, such e. g., as the id"lizing
of' men and schemes, and sectarian ambition, ere any
one of' them could b~r a Pentecostal effusion of the
f Holy Spirit, or be prepared for the 'Lord to come
G4: TIlE LAST }IARTYRS

down to-morrow and do wonders amongst US' in the

missionary work. Ah! sad declaration, but too true!
4 But few Churches are yet prepared for much success

in the mission:lry enterprise.' A dread apprehension

of such weighell heavily upon my mind before leaving
Xoya Scotia as some of my friends there know.
4. I procee(led to Glasgow on Thursd:lY, amI haw

since been the gnest of Dr. Bates, whose company I

enjoy vcry much. On Sahbath I preached in his and
two other Uefurmecl Preshyterian congreg:ltions, awl
yestc'rdar :L,ltlressell two meetillgs, at one of whit'h,
according to a request of Dr. l~ates, I gaye a brief
:lccount of tilt> state of religion in Xoya Scotia awl
Prince Edward Island. I am happy to iJuorm YOH
that mini:-:tl'l's, both here and in Edinbmgh, to whom I
have spoken Oil thc subject of the ullion-contemplatec]
by the Presl.yterian bodies in X ova I-\('utia, in relation
to education, highly approve uf the wisdom manifest(~11
hy those seeking to promote this noble object in the
Province, and wish that the same wisdom had been
exhibitcf 1 ill S('otlaud.
"Dr. SymingtPIl's congregation gaxe more th:ln
£100 towards the John Knox, and the other Reformer!
Presbyterian congregations will make up about £:WO,
which will nearly be suttlcient. But, as I tell the
friends of the Mission here, we want men rather thall
money; and my presence here seems to llemand that.
they keep pace with the Presbyterian Chnrch of ~ova
Scotia in sending missionaries to the X ew Hebrides.
I met with a licentiate of the United Presbyterialt
Church in Edinburgh, from whom I learned that they
have about sixty probationers~ and only thirty place."
to supply with tl1e ordinances of religion. Now it iR
obvious that while the U. P. Cl1urch i~ at present
sending but one missionary to the Forei<Tn field she
could very well spare thirty; and some other churches
a greater number. In London, I was informed, there
are aQout one hundred ministers floating about without
settled charges, and these might be spared for the
Foreign field. But, pious men, I suppose they are
waiting for the leadings of Providence, and have re~
 OJ!' EROMANGA. 65
solved to be led anywhere rather than to those fields
of labour to which God is calling his faithful servants.
" Since writing the preceding, I have been to the
meeting of the Board of Missions of the R. P. Church;
~lJld took the liberty of pressing the question - " Can
you not find another Missionary?" - They gavfl me
encouragement to believe that they would succeed
in obtaining another before the sailing of the John
'Villiams. Dr. B. and family accompanied me to
Edinburgh, whence I purpose taking the land route to
rf London - probably remaining a day at Manchester to
~! purchase some ·:Mission goods. The R. P. brethren
ffi have claimed me as their own since I came to ~cothUl{l."
I
~!
The following is an extract from a letter addresscd
lD to Mr. l\Iurray, dated London, May 8 : -
~l
Ie
" I have just returned from the Annual Meeting of
the Bible ~ociety. The Earl of ~haftesbur'y was iii
the chair. He looks as humble and as unassuming a
n
Christian as the Hon. S. C. or my dear old fricm}
d
l\
Ie
, Lieut. H. In his speech he dwelt much upon the ex-
cellency of the Bible as the inspired word of' God, amI
pointed in terms of strong disapprobation to those who
deny its plenary inspiration, and cry out for a' new
II
it
I version.' The Bishop of Carlisle (Villiers) made a
noble speech. He believed that it was owing to the
plain Octlvinism of the present version that many wish-
~
ed for a new one. The excellent Bishop was received
n with enthusiasm. I felt united to him in the bonds of'
y Christian love. He is no temporizer, but a genuine·
il
Christian. * * * .* * * *
" , But what do you think of Scotland?' you may be
it ready to ask. Well I think of her what other visitors
who had better opportunities of judging of' her than I
had, have thought, that she is the glory of all Chris-
tian lands. But some portions of Scotland are blasted
by the plague of intemperance. Intemperance is Scot-
land's sin! In some streets of Glasgow I saw two li-
quor stores for one grdeery. In Liverpool, in London,
and on boaa:d the steamer I heard bat one testimony
E
CG TIlE LAST MARTYRS

concerninO' the laboring classes - 'They are intcm·

0
peratL·, notoriously 1
so.' That arch enemy, '
W 10 IS 'a
l111mkrer from the beginning,' cannot now, as he once
diel, (It-:-;troy men's souls in Scotland by the rnaidms
of' P()pe!'y, 'but has discovered other means of destruc-
tion in that higldy favorerl land, - Liquor Stm'cs-
OWl' which should be the superscription - The way to
l-If'll !
" I have enten!/ll1pon the summer term at the Lon-
don] I. ,-;pital amI College.
" P. ~. - Do not be :-;urprised if yon hear that I am
the' husband of one wife' some of the:,:c days."
Thus
"Coming cyenb cast their sha.lows befure."

CIL\PI'ER VIII.
MARRIAGE, -l'lRS. GORDON •

.. "no,'o findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaincth favor of the
Lord."

MH. Gordon had not forgotten in London what he

said to his friends concel'lling marriage previous to
lensing America. But it was a matter about which
then' would needs be many contingencies. His faith,
however, was the '" substance of a thing hoped for, the
evidence of something not yet seen." Once located
in London he was soon on the qui vi/.·c for an help-
meet, and succeeded in finding that " good thing."
'Vhen the prospectus of this memoir was issued the
writer purposed devoting at least a chapter to a sketch
of Miss Powell's life; but from modesty and reserve
on the part ·of her relatives he has not been flUllished
 OF EUmIANGA. 6i
~ itb a narrative of sufficient length to form a separatp
chapter. But extracts from her diary will in part
make UI' for this deficiency. lUI's. William Pmvell has
favored us with the following notices, rcspecting the
connectiolls of lUiss Ellen Catherine Powell: -
'" Miss Powell's g-mmlfather, on her father',; side,
was a builder, at B,,,,, Essex. His son, her fhtllPr,
while ~"l't ~l. young man, took the managen1l'nt of .:\11'.
Powell'" husiness. l\Ii"" Powell's gramlfuther on lil'1'
mother's sil1e was a florist, at Hiehmolld, SlllTt>\".
Both he ~llld his wife were of an excelll'llt family, m~tl
occupied an honorable position in sOl'idy. Miss
PO'well h:lll three brothers, who are marriell, and still
survive, :md also a si~tl'r. who still n'sil ks ,,-itll her
father. She was born at Bow, all the 25th of }Hay,
U";;;:J."

Mr. Gordon made the acquaintance of l\Iiss Powell

under the following cireumstances: - Some time in
Xovember, 18;jj, he called upon the Rev. 1\1r. Bartl', a
returned ~1issiona1'y from the South Seas. lUr. Bartl'
resided next door to l\Ir. Samuel Powell, brother to
Miss Powell. On leavillg Mr. Barff's he knoekell at
Mr. Powell's door. "'hen the servant opened, he
inquired for accomodation there for some weeks, and
was informed that such could not be affonletl him.
Not being satisfied, he bade the servant enquire again
of her mistress, and the second time was told that he
could not be accomodated -l\Irs. Powell sending an
apology .for not coming herself as slte was engaged
with her child. This was smely sufficient; but being a
firm believer in Dickinson's Fifth point, he persevered,
and for the third time bade the domestic ask if her
mistress could not make room for a Missionary, at
the same time rem3.rl~g that he would wait until Mrs.
Powell was disengaged. Mrs. Powell coming, and
68 THE LAST ?rIAUTYRS

being" pleased with him, yielded to his request." In

the course of a few days he removed from Belle Vue
Cottages, Grove St., Hackney, to 1\1r. Samuel Powell's.
The residence of 1\1iss Powell's father was distant
from that of his son Samuel half a mile, and Miss 1:'.
was in the habit of visiting her hrother's liOuse. It
was on one of· these oce-asions 1\11'. G. broke J oh's
covenant. Miss P.'s happy, quiet and intelligent
appearance impressed his not ullimpressihle heart.-
Sometimes he succeeded in drawing her into conversa-
tion, md on one occasion it was sustained for a COll-
siderahle time. But tile sum of all mlS ('ontained in
the question: .• IIow would YOll like to become a lUis-
sionary's will-?" That probably was a moment in
their hi"turh·s when their emotions were as capricious
as the gambols of the Aurora Borealis.
" I well remember," writes 1\1rs. ",Yo Powell, "hi:,;
anxiety durin~ the period allotte( 1 for clear Ellen's dc-
ei~io)]. He considered her so suitable in all respects,
while we, on the contrary, feared it might prove other-
wise; lmt we sealw'ly ever ventured an opinion, though
fi'equently urged to give an expression of our senti-
ments. Finally, ,,-hell the point was dechh~( 1, he came
to me one day, with his usual gravity, saying he wish-
ed me to promise that I would devote a few hours of
each day to suital,ie reading with his dear Ellen. I
yielded to his request. For many days did ,,"e read
and study together; and my mind frequently reverts
to those sweet seasons. I was surprised to find so
much in her unobtrusive mind. Her piety, ,,-hich up
to this period ha~ not anything very remarkahle in it,
now shone out, lllsomuch that we were all astonished
at the rapidity of its growth.
"Mr. Gordon did not desire this after-study be-
cause he fancied her education deficient: for she had
been well educated, and withal was talented: but he
thought it would be well to revise some things, espe-
 O~' ERO::IIANGA. 69
chlly as she won tel b~ callcel to the study of a new lan-
guage, etc. All aronnd could attest to the swelltness
of' her (lisposition and to the promptitude manitested
in the dii5ch:1.rge of' every domestic duty. Her ll10thel'
- alway" :ta invalid - found her attentions iIwalu-
able. 1~lbl\j absence always made :L gr2at blank in
the dOllv-,;tie circle. Her sister, too, during a pro-
tracted illllCi5S expedencea. her killliest solidtmIe."

.. I remember well," writes :Mr. W. Powell, "our

fir.:;t int~'~'Yil'w with dear 1\11'. Gordon at my Ihther's.
It was the first time many of us had seen him, and
none of 11:-; felt quite at ease. lIe remained about an
honr, all,l ,,-hile present the conversation was chiefly
on general topics. 'Ve were all satisfbd he was a
Christian, amI accordingly considered we might safely
repose cOll!hlence in him. :My dear sister asked COUll-
sel of 1I.'; all, and though we were greatly painell uy
thinking of the bare possibility of parting with her,
still we left the decision entirely with herself. Out'
beloved fd(~ml, as you may be aware, malle the sub-
ject one of earnest prayer, and set apart one day to
pr~lyer and fa'3ting. Some time in January the ques-
tion wa,; decillecL X ot long after my sister's health
cleclinl'-l- partly from excitement, no doubt, md part-
ly from mingled joy and sadness. t\o ill h:d she
bJcome that it was t!1cmght the engagcm~llt ll1U"t be
hroJ{en off.
"About this time Mr. Gordon went to Scotlallll.
Thence he uddres'3ed a letter to dear Ellen, but it wa.s
wL'itten with comparative ("ooille...;s, a.nd not ijl the
style of one betrothed. This, howeyer, was for a
purpose: to assist her in withdrawing her aift-Aions
from him in case it should appear to b3 the will of
ProvL,lence th:1.t they were not to uecome united. But
she recoH'l"l'(l, and on his return they were more inti-
mate than before, being daily in each other's company,
and spending much of their time in study and prayer."
A few extracts frolt!. Miss Powell's Diary will not
. be ~onsic1ered out of place in this connection: -

•
70 THE LAST )IAHTYRS

" Satllrclny, 1\Inrch 1 st - Suffering from acute head-

ache. Oh, for salletiti{'(l suff<:>ring. 'Withdraw not
Thy sllstaining haJId 0 Lord, till Thy work of sanctifi-
cation J Ie completed within my soul.
"l\IolH1:w, 3 -l\Ir. G. c:tlletl. Still all invalid.
May lIlr aftlictions, which arc but for a mOl1wnt, work
out' fur 'me a far more exceeding anel eternal weight of
glory.
"Tllcs(l:!y, 4 - At home all clay; little (leyotiol1;
no spirituality: Oh! for w~mner a~pirations ailer that
life til at shall have no sorl'OW, and shall know llO enll.
" \ \" ('(lnesday, 5 - Health somewhat improyed:'
spent the (by at Sophia's; pmctiscll milsit': a short
time with 1\1r. G. Oh ~ that I coulel spend llly time to
the glor,\' of God the Gin:r of all good.
" Fritlay, 7 - At home: rear1 the Scriptures; while
rea(lillg the impression made upon the mind appears
strollg; but, after the lbuk is dosed. the hcart gTows
collI as the worl(lruslws in.
'·l\Iomhy. lO-Slig"ht cold and heuclat'he; feel
verv nnlit 1()1' tIll' work wllL.'h I haw in view. Lord if
it s~eem meet to Thee that I Ulll1ertake it, I pray Thee
to strcngthen and fit me for it, anellet Thy ) d('s~,jng
attew 1 it.
" ".('( Inesday. 19 - An ,alid; suffering frc Illl head-
ache; :--pent a short time with a friend: D(>':pi..;p l]ot
the dl:i~tl'llill<:!: of the Lord, neither he "'eary of his
correction; t~r ,,"hom the Lord lm'etl} he ('"iTecteth,
eVCll as a father the son in whom he clelightc(l.
"Tuesday, :Ui - C:lllcd ngain to (,Ol~snlt Dr. B.;
feel ycry much depressc(l: my future prosped:-: appear
hlightcr\. * Commit thy wa~' unto the Lord; tllht also
in him and he f-:hall bring it to p:1:':S. - Ps. XXXyi. 5.
4, l\Io!1(lay, :31 - Day fine and warm; went with a
special friend to the Cryostal
•
Palace. It is :l murrnifi-
0
cent huilcling, the workmanship (·xceetling anything
that I had previonsly seen. I'>eace was this rla.v pro-:"
elaiulC'(l in London. May the time not be far distant
when Peace shall reign tl:iumphant, and war be knOWll
no more.
L" Dr. B. had put his veto upon her going to Polynesia.
 OF EROMANGA. 71
"Tuesday, April 1 - Called again on Dr. n.; feel
better. 0 Lord make me humble, and submissiye to
thy will in all things.
"Thursday, 10 - 'Vent to the eyening prayer-meet-
ing. From several causes feel rather depressed.

" , How can I sink with such a prop

As my eternal God,
Who bears the earth's huge pillar up,
And spreads the heavens abroad?' "

1tIiss Powell's health having, in the good providence

of God, been quite restored, her marriage was consum-
mated in the Scotch Presbyterian Church, by the Rev.
A. Black, on Thursday, June 5th, 1856. At half past
five, p. m., same day, the married couple started for
New Haven, distant from London fifty-six: miles,
where they arrived at nine· o'clock in the evening.
We now return to Mrs. Gordon's Diary:-

"Friday, June 6 - In the evening walked through

New Haven with my husband. This is a small, quiet
village. Many of the honses are built of stone. The
country around is barren-looking, haying few trees.
1t:luch of the ground lies uncultivated. ~ent letters to
London.
"Saturday, 7 - Took a walk by tIle sea-side in the
evening; sa,v several vessels, some steamers, and also
fishermen catching shrimps.
" Sabbath, 8 - Suffering from tooth-ache. Mr. G.
preached, morning and evening, in a small Illllc-
pendent Chapel.
"Monday, !) -Health impaired, having taken cold
while walking by the sea-shore on Saturday evening.
Rev. Mr. Williams called. He accompanied us to the
Poor's Asylum and introduced us to the ~ecretary of
the Institution, who kindly showed us through the
building and over the..,grounds .
•, Tuesday, 10 - I-lealth improved. Left New Ha-
ven at half-past ten o'clock, a. m. i after a delightful
72 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

trip aCTO:C:S the ChUlll1el arrived in Dieppe at SHen,

p. 111. Proceeded to the Uoyal Hotel, whence we had
a commanding view of the sea.
" '" eL111esday, 11 -I';tulted from Dieppe for Paris
at elen~n o'clock, where we arrived at half-past foUl'.
Took apartments in the Hotel Windsor, opposite the
TlIilleries.
" Thursday, 12 - Visited some of the principal
streets ill this magnificent city of Paris. Ascended
1'1 apoleoll',; Column; from the top of ·which we had a
fiue view of'the city.
"Friday, 13 - Still suffering from toothache; ap-
l)1iell chloroform without avail. Mr. G. took me to a
skilful Dentist, who extracted several teeth, and after
that pninfnl operation I felt greD_tly reliewd, though
suffering still trom the soreness of the gums.
,. Satllnlay, 14 - Health improwd. In the mom-
ing yi:-;itetl the beautiful Gardens of Paris; was much
attraetetl by the beauty of the Grows and orange
trees. Ml't our fHend .Mr. Ashby. III the e\-enillg
went tl) the Tuillerie:,;.
,. ~:dJlJath, 15 - 'Vent to the Protestant Clnrrch in
the morning, and to the 'Vesleyan in the evening.
\Vas iutroduced to Dr. Guthrie.
,. Mow lay, IG-Visited the Exhibition and the
Dome of the Tuillel'il's in company with Mr. G. and
lVIl'. A:-;hby. Afterwarlls dined at an Hotel, where we
pnrtl'tl ,,-ith Mr. A.: appointed to meet again in the
cyening at the Railway ~tatioll, bnt could not keep
the engagement. My husband helrl a long conyersa-
tiOll ,,-ith a shop-keeper about the state of Lis soul.

'Ye close this chapter by inserting one or two ex-

tracts from a letter alldl'essed to Mr. lVIlU'ray, dutell
London, July 15th, 1856 : -
"If the Bonrd of Foreign Missions had sent me
fOlth merely to seek heathen, without defining the
term, I coulll have written them months ago, stating.)
, Lo ! here in the city of London have I found heathen
-- one ~nillion t~{:o lwnd1'ed thousand of them, who gQ
 OF EROMANGA.- 73
to no place of worship!' Now if any of the Churches
in ~ ont ~cotia - especially those whose Missionaries
run against cat:h other in such places as Harvey and
Raddeck - wish a more extelHletl and inviting field of
lallor, I beg to recommend London to their notice.
According to a statement just pnlllished on the hea-
thenism of this city ten thousand souls "'uuld have
died in it last year,.Jgllorant of the way of salvation,
had it not been for tile lay agency engaged in :Mission-
ary work .
. .. Many.Churches have too great a number of empty
pews on the SaLbath. Sevcral things are mentioned
as antecedents to this cheerless and melancholy state
of the sanctuary; Lut I am disposed to believe that in
many parishes it is, in a great measure, to be attribut-
ell to a non-attention to the duties of the pastoral
office acconlillg to the example of Paul at Ephesus,
who, with a heart bleeding and eyes weeping over
the carciess aUll impenitent, went from house to house,
day and night, warning and ter..ching all men. Ano-
ther cadse i:..; the encouragement given of late years to
Habbath desecration by pleaf-;Hl'e excursions on the
Lord's day. "'her('ver YOll go snch advertisements as
these are to be seen: 'Trains mn frequently to Brigh-
ton on Sunday,' etc., etc.; 'Cheap pleasure trains run
Sunday to Doycr, etc., fares reduced.'
.• You willl)c glad to learn that a number of pious
Ministers are organizillg a soeiely for open-air preach-
. ing in the Park:-;. The Queen is to be petitioned 10r
their freedom. If the enterprise cont~l1plated suc-
ceed, it is pl'opose!l to have sermons preached in dif-
ii'rent places simultaneously, on the same text, so that
the trumpet may giYe a certain and harmonious sound .
.• :For my own part I have been somewhat lawless in
this matter. I ieel inclined to warn sinners of' their
danger, and dircct their attention to the Lamb of God
that taketh away the sin of the world, wherever I meet
them on the Lol'll's Day. On one occasion, ho,vever,
I narrowly cscaped the lock-up for addressing a crowd
that had assembled in 'tile street before I approached.
'Vith but little oppositioll I preached twice in Victoria
74 THE LAST MARTYRS

Park after the hands had performed their work of Sab-

bath profanation. In general they are attentive to
the 'Vord of (~od j even wicke<l men are so when the
preacher, in the love of Christ, deliyers his message in
such a manner as to perslUt<le them that it is from
God. But you need not cone1ude that I have given
myself to this kind of work since coming to London,
as though I were sent to proclaim the Gospel to the
multitudes of this cit\" among whom I wander an
insignificant unit. I l~ave ol1l'y~heen goillg alH)Ut, as
time amI opportunity otlere(l, scattering here and there
a few handfuls of the incorruptihle seed, ill common
with other lalJorers in the Lord';; vineyard. Previous
to going to Sc'otland I .preached h~ Lowlon fields
where Whitefield once rcj()i('(~ll to proclaim the Gospel
of peace, and ne\'er hall a llluch more attentive congre-
gation.
"Recently I had opportunities of coutra.;;ting the
fruits of the Faith of Britain with those of France.
During the fl~w cla';s I remained in l)aris I saw much
with '~hich I was 'pleased. Many public building, so
highly emhellishe(l by thl.' arti.;;t';; handiwork, are ob-
jects of geaer;ll attraction. ~()me pailltillgs in the
Invalicles appear to be exceedingly well executed,
especially those of the Dome, where are placed the
remains of X apoleon. Preparation on a g'J':md scale
is being made for their j'('('C'l'tion into a (,(,lItml part of
the bnil<ling. Ilis cap i,.; the most promincnt object
which the pa.;;:~illg C'1'1)\\'ds g(·t a sight of a~: they move
ronnd a COl'l~r to sC'e the relics of him "ho was laid
so low on ~t. Hf·]c·nu.
" After the baptism of th0 young Prinre, \\'hil'h took
place during our visit to Paris, the Impc·rial family
passe(l h), our Hotel in great pomp, accompanied by
Cardinals and Bishops in statd,\" gran(lenr. The
flower of the French army preee(l<~( 1 and followed '011
horses and in chariots.' The I-)tate ('alTiuo'cs are more
gorgeously accoutred th:1n those of Brit~in's beloved
Queen, who is more exalted in the affections of her
subjects than she ever can be in an imperial coach.
The Empress would have appeared to advantage even
 OF EROMANGA.

though she had been unadorned by mally thonsanll

pounds value of jewels. The Emperor IH'('sents the
appearance of a man whom the J>hrenolo!!'ists would
probably pronounce destinell to bear rlllP. l\Iuch
pains "'as taken to exhihit the Prince to the gazing
multitude. He was healthy-looking, and hnll he been
older might hay," asked, :Is all this display on my
account? ' The Sabbath was (,onsirlcred :t meet time
on which to make a grand exhibition of fire-works.
But aecording to the real import of the tl'l;llI there is
no Sabhath in Paris. Generally speaking' th(' fir&t
day of the week is the prineipal one for husiness and
carnal pleasures. So their 01111C1u!I, vit-Wl'd in con-
, nection with a future state, can only be llSl'll by them
as by alllOVETs of pleasure more than lo\'crs of God,
, as one on whieh to make some kiml of preparation fiJI'
an entrance into a M:ohaunnednn Paradise. Shops of
all kinds are open on this day, of whieh God has said,
'Remember the Sabbath llay to keep it huly.' "'hile
l\Il's. G. and I were on our way to the English Episeo-
pal Church on Sabbath morning, we p:v,,;sl'rl seycral
streets, and at one place ha(l our attention arrested by
a novel sight - ct closed shop. One shot ,-k(,ppL'r in-
formed me that he took 1,000 franks on a Sunday: as
many as he received on the other days of thl' '\r~k put
together. The Sabbath is their chief llay for balls
and theatrical performances. A stranger. hOWCY(>I\
visiting such so-called Christian citics, eallllOt so just-
ly conclude fi'om a few obsE'nat.ions that. tilt' C'itizens
generally east off the fear of God l,y c1isl'('ganling the
remaining Commandments of the Dce:llo;,ru(', as ap-
pears from the desecration of the Fourth; 101', ,,'hell
men openly profane the Sabbath it is m~nif('st to all,
but not so 'when they regard or disregard ~()Ill(' of' the
other Commandments. Why then llo not those writers
on ethics who object to Chri'sti:uu; obset'ying what they
call a .Tewish :-;;abbath, plead for 'a modification of the
whole Decalogue? They might do so with as much
consistency as they exhibit when arguing against, the
Lord's day. But thus i\ is: 'because sellt('nce against
ungodly sinners, under the Gospel dispell~atiol1, is not
7G
::;p~'~"l!l," eX\'l~Iltc-(l, they go on abusing the lonh-suffer-
iug p.tt,!(~llCe or (:,)11 by spe~lkil1g and llo!ng evil.'
,. Whill3 at a small Prutestant 1113eting in Paris I
nll't s\~\,('l"al~.(l'llt!CillCll ii'om Scotland :t!!li America.
'-';"l'ing OIW "'hom I ~l1jllJ1,,;:.':l might havc been a
S,'ukh llll'l"l"lt:lut. I ilHluircllu[' him if lH:' knew whether
Dr. G llfltri .. l ::m" tt) Dicppc by tl.t~smn8 steamer in
w]lich In' Wl'n' b1'Onght thither, and wa~,; informed by
him that he was tltl~'iwl""on. I hall thus the pleasure
of mcl'ti'lg. tlll)u~:'ll bnt 101' a few minntc's, this prince
:U110ng il)i)rh'rn preaehers. A,.rter thanking me for
iiltrodll"illg lIlysell". tll!' Doctor l'emarkeJ: 'If we give
lip om ~~tllhath in Britain all i:.; gt)lll'.'
.. Thongh titere is mn<.'11 cyil ill Britain there is also
llluC'h g,)'!:!. 'Ylli'rcver Olle !2,'OCS there arc to be found
pions ll1L'1l and ""omen, hoth in awl out of the Estab-
ii:311111CIIL who arc nllweariclllv contcllIling for the faith
Olll'l' (leliw!'l'll to the sail1t~, and ditrllsill~ the truth as
it is in Christ. When thc~ enemy, with hi,.,; Infidel,
POJ)ish, and l'll"",'\'i.,lical armies, mideawJl's to come in
openly 01' ('un'rtl,\' like a t!oud, the spirit of the Lord
is thl1s S(,l'll liftill,'.( lip a ~tandal'll agaiw;t him. There
is Ruch a \'I'!II'ration au(l love for th~ Dible in the ma-
jority Ilr EII;.'.!ish hl':uts, and SlIch un ahhorrcnce of
Pupery. I :1111 p('l'suadl'll that e\'en though a fl'w more
oi' Hrit::in\.; I'IlL'!',,; allll hierarchy - scn'Ll! of whom
are rcb~('d tl) P"pish f:uuilie" both in El1glnn!l and on
l.lJ(' COiltill('!lt - were to join the Homish r:lllks, and
l~\'en tr:ullp\(' Ill'r ill tIle (lust, that, notwithstanding,
while in exist(,u('C". the COl!1ltl'Y ,,"ouIll he l'1I1phatically
Pl'Otf',.,tallt. 'I'll(' ('xcitcment occasionell h'l,' the Roman
Bull has to a ;,.!,'J'I'at extent pa%ell awny, ;md English-
mcn are a'~aill too) much ut ease over tllt'ir wille und
h'cr, whil!> :~Il arl'h-enemy of the 1'upe i" ohtailling
ial'gl' Sllll1~ I'l'!llll the CUlltinent for the construction of
llllJre UOlllish Cbpl'Is in Britain. He is l,l:tyin ,
a his
>:>
game mort' skU I'lIlly this time, by u.Yoicling to touch
that chord whidl once vibrated so sharply to his aston-
i~:ll1nellt. lIe h:1I1 f()l'gotten that Latimer and Ridley
sl.ill En' in Britain-'that Smithfield speaks-that
Bishop BOHuer's I>alace still fe-echoes with the agon-
 OF EROMANGA. 77

izing cries of God's' slaughtered saints.' A fire was

kindled in Britain by dying martyrs that has neYeT
been quenched. The iron fetters were broken in sun-
der, and Britain is free. The trllth has made her free.
o thou enemy that didst tyranize oyer killgs and Lin<l
with fetters nations at thy will, thou art llCit lw.,ted in
Britain as they of Britain should hate thee; but thy
iron fetters are abhorred and slla11 not bind Britaill'~
free denizens allY more foreyer.
" To tIle H2Y: Dr. Hc,miltoll I rec(>iYed an introduc-
tion by tIle Rey. lUI'. Keady. Last Lord's c1a~T I
preached for the second till1e to his flock, at his own
request and that of his exc(.'llent dele]',; - men ruling
in the fear of God. These meet in the Session-room
for prayer both before and uftC'r sermoll, a praeti('c
worthy of imitation. I found the John-like Dr. Hamil-
ton all that I could desire. I am indebted to him 1"'1'
ueeful hints on the paramount importance of preachers
studying more to have their words lleated by the love
of Christ in their hearts, than brightened by the orna-
ments of intellect, in all their minist{'rial lubors. His
library was the best catalogue which I obtained as a
guide in pmchasing some books. The hbitory of the
Presbyterian Church in England since the days of the
Charleses, is fl':lught with much interest. The Presby-
tery of London haye doubled the number of their con-
gregations within the last few years. Presbyterians
here desire to be recognized only by that name which
denotes the Scriptmal nature of their Church polity
- Presbytelian.
" 'Vere my arms as widely extending as my hcalt J
would stretch them across the Atlantic and now give
a farewell salutation to yon and all my friends. Tues-
day is appointed for our departure."

•
78 THE LAST MARTYRS
,

CHAPTER IX.
DEPARTURE FROl\I BRITAIN - VOYAGE - ARRIVAL IN THE
NEW IIEBRlqES •

.. For many a heart is sorrowful,

And I that heart may cheer;-
.\nd many a weary captive pines
In dungeons dark and drear;-
And I the iron bands may loose,
Then why abide I here?
".\nd many a spirit dark with crime
Yet longeth to repent;
A n<1 many a grievous wrong is done
To the weak and innoeent ; -
And I may do the injured right,
May save the penitent! "
-HOWITT.

JGLY 2:31'11l\[r. Gordon wrote to his father as follows:

"" 'Ve ('arne to Gravesend yesterday evening accom-
panied hy scwral friends from London. Among these
were the hrothers of my dear wife, who returned with
eyes full of tears and hearts full of sorrow. Ellen was
the especial object of their affection. One of her
sisters said she would leave London for Essex, and
there remain till her grief subsided.
" The John lVilliams is now at anchor awaiting the
turn of the tide to take us into the English Channel.
All on board seem happy. Ellen stands the trial of
separation remarkably well. My dear father, I know
not that I shall ever see you again. I trust you will
daily seck grace to enable you to be less and less care-
ful about the things of this world. Oh, to be fervent
in spirit while diligent in business is a Christian's
triumph. Many thanks for past favors. Ellen con-
veys to you all her kind regards. I am sure you
would like to see her."
l\Ir. 'Vi1liam Powell thus graphically describes the
parting scene: -
 OF EROMANGA.

"The hour for separating having arrived we were

ooliged to part. Our inteniews IUlll oeen toleraoly
frequent ,,-hen Mr. Gordon resided with my orothe1'.
But he being always ousy had out little time to spare
for family intercourse. \Yere his themes all compre-
hended in one wunl that word would oe CURIST. I
am now inclined to think that his objed in not giving
us more of his time wa:,; to moderate our attachment
to him SC) that the pangs of :,;el'aratiull might be the
less keenly felt. For on the n·r), day they went to
the ship en'rythillg had to oe put on ooanl, and some
things had to be packed, de.; thus amid so much
bustle and confusiun there was .no time for conWl'sa-
tion, luneheon, or scarcely anything else but getting
ready. All this, I am persuaded, was designed, that
there might be no time for weeping in each other's
embrace. ~Iy poor dear mother came outside the
house weeping and waving her hand to them as they
crossed the field. She felt the parting keenly, though
it was in so much haste that she could scarcely oelicve
it possible that they were gone. My father, brother,
and 1. uccompaniell them to the ship. My elder
brother and I went with them down the river to
Grayesentl- twenty mill'S. Alas! the time came and
we too mnst part. 'Ye were let down the vessel's
side as she was about coming to anchor. The recol-
lection of our last farewell, our flooded eyes and wav-
ing hands, so long as our surcharged eyes could see,
lives, aUfl ever will live painfully in my memory.
May the Lord, in his infinite mercy grant that it may
not be an eternal farewell. In closing these remarks
I may adtl that my kind and loving mother died partly
of a broken heart on the 24th of September, 1857,
about two months after their settlement on Eromanga."

MI'. Powell remarked concerning his sister that 3.

year or so previous to her acquaintance with the sub-
ject of this memoir she had been earnestly desiring a
more extended sphere of •usefulness, wished to lead a
more useful life, and manifested a particular inclina·
tion for teaching.
80 THE LAST :MARTYUS
I

Private letters received from the Cape or Good'

Hope, Hobart Town, and Sydney, might be inserted
here, but we give instead some of more general in-
terest: -
" On board the John lVillictm.'l, S. Lat. 34 0 36', }
"E. LOrlY. 13 0 , Sept. 27th, 1856.
H REV. ~IR. BAYNE, - DEAR SIR, - I wrote a few
lines from Gravesend 011 Tuesday the :?:2nll of July,
acquainting you with the sailing of the John WUliams.
"r e left Gravesend next morning and ere the friends of
the Mission in that town ha(} time to make us a visit.
'Ve proceeded slowly throngh the Dowlls and English
Channel, for on the following Friday ".. e were only at
Deal. Afterward we were nearly a week ill clearing
Lanclsend.
"Deal, you are aware, is a small English town,
memorahle in connection with British history, inas-
much as it was bui.lt by free sons of Britain on the
very spot on which Cresar landed, B. c., 55. There
he met the fierce Britons, who struck tenor into the
hearts of their armor-clael conquerors; though the
Romans for many years subsequent considered them
hut stupid barbarians, and incapable of improvement
-just as certain Britons now regard some heathen
tribes of the present day. f;uch parties would do well
to reflect upon the opinion the ci dlized once enter-
tained of their ancestors while unblessed hy the Gos-
pel. They might profitably listen to Cresm: as he thus
addresses Atticus: 'Do not obtain your slaves from
l~l'itain, because they are so .stupid and utterly incapa-
ble of being taught that they are not fit to form a
portion of the household of Atticus.' But when the
banner of the Cross took the place of the Roman eaa-Ies
in Britain the estimate of the natives was modifi~d;
and such shall be the result whereyer heathen tribes
receive the blessings of the Gospel. What, think you,
would Cicero now say were he, having awoke from the
slumbers of the tomb, to behold what the light of reve-'
lation has done even on the Thames alone - to see
the commerce of the world floating on one river of
 OF ERmIANGA• 81
. that small island -the land of the free and the braye
- and to see a ship building on its banks of the fol-
lowing dimensions: length 675 feet, and height 60 j
built entirely of iron, and divided into water-tight
compartments; 30,000 plates and 3,000,000 rivets, ill
all 10,000 tons of iron to be used in her construction;
paddle engines 1000 horse-power, requiring 60 fur-
naces; paddle wheels 60 feet in diameter j to have 7
masts; to aceomodate 2,600 passengers, and expected
to make a yoyage j,o Australia in 35 days?
" On leaving the Channel nearly all the passengers
came in for an ample share of sea sickness. Our pro-
gTess was slow until we passed the Bay of Biscay and
got into the north-east trade wind. On seyeral occa-
sions sea-monsters spOlted around our barque and
some flying-fish alighted on the deck. These are
sometimes seen in flocks, for they can fly about 100
yaros. As our ship dashed through the waYes on dark
nights the phosphorous gave the ocean a yery beauti-
ful appearance. Such are some of the wonders of God
seen in the great deep. Nothing, in my estimation,
can surpass in magnificence the grandeur of some tro
pical sunsets. It is a grand sight to see the orb of
day wrap himself up in garments tinged with the rich-
est hues of rosal robes, and with a gladsome face
retire into the western horizon. As I pace the deck
viewing Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Ursa Major, and con-
stellations whose splendor is enhanced in southern
latitudes, my healt feels humbled, for I behold every
thing in harmony with the Creator and showing forth
his glory, but my own discordant thoughts and emo-
tions.. I see everything in his temple very good save
one foul thing - my own soul. .
"The passengers and crew attend in the saloon
night and morning -for family worship, and twice on
the Lord's day to receive the privileges of God's house.
1\:11'. Barfl', Mr. Philip, and I, preach in turn •. On the
first Sabbath of each month the Lord's Supper is dis-
pensed. A prayer meeting is held on the evenings of
Monday and Saturday. • On the 7th of September I
dispensed the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for the
F
.
82 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

first timC'. I am wC'll reC'C'in'd by the sailors in VIC

foreC':I~t Iv when I yisit them. J hope I may benefit
thl'ir '-(0111-;. '''fheH 110t otherwi~l' engaged I study
Grc'c'k - UfoI'd :llltl Gr,'C'nfield - ill the morning, and
>

Hebrew. Haratongan, [tIIc:l SOli\(' of tIl(' P:qJll:lIl dialeets

in tIll' ('''"l'lling. In the intefYals I attend to general
rcadiw.!".
"A;'('onling' to the latest im'('stigatiolls of Etlmolo-
gists the ahoriginal races of Oceanica arc eli \iclecl thus:
1. The ::\Ialayan r:[('(', the prinC'ipal""r:tll('hes (,f wldeh
an' in :\l:tdagaS{':ll', Illdian A/('hipdltl~(). ::Ual:ll't,u,
Kew Zealand, ~;a)]{lwi('h" anel Fril'lIIl1y IslulHl--:. ~.
TIlt' P:qlll:tn, iiHllld in ::\c'w (illinl':t, :\('\\" lleilrilles,
1\ c'w Caledonia, am1 part of the IlIllian ArC'IJipe ll:t;..::() ;
the Pnpuans are an intermixtnre of the 1\ ew ~l'a~
lawll'l's aud other 1'0IYlll'~ian ra('(·s. ;L N('~Tit()s clb-
('oH'red in the l'hiIil;l,ine and 110rtlwrn i~I:~lId~. To
the :tlH'l'igines of AlIc,tralia, l'('rIHlp~. may he sulL'ly
applil'(l the tt'rm ~ I(r i ,)"I)!) which Dr. l'ridl:lI'Il aIH 1
other Etlillologi:--ts apI,Iy to some l)\llylle~i:1Il tril)(·s.
1'11(' J\Ialnys e.)\t,·)](l ()\"er nearly a quarter of the cir-
cumferO))C'e of the gloJw, and as they iulia! ,it :C.(·H'ral
islawl,-: in the Pacific haye been ealled Malay-l'()l'y~
lIe:--ial1s. There is an afiinity between the din I.·c-ts of
Eastern l'olynesia which indicates a common origin.
The dual is iueol11plete in both the Malayan and
Pnpu~llI dialc·ets, at least in so far as I am aware.
The lir~t P('),SOIlS dual and plural (listinguish their
inclusin' and c.)\du,-:iYe Yalues, as is the ca~(' in some
South A ii'iean, American, and Tartar dial cds. In so
far as I have COl11l)ared the Tahitian and Rarotono-an ~
dialeet~ with those of the New I1eLridl's I find a strik-
ing":malog'y, not only in the pronuneiation but also in
the Ch'('}ClU-iion of nouns, and in the laws of the articles
amI yerbal particles. But the H)C':lbularies of the lat-
t{'l" dim.·r as much from each other as, from the dialects
of the l\Ialay~PolYIll~si:1,ns. The Bishop of ~ew Zea-
lanel S:ly~ that in Western Polynesia one dialeet is not
understuud, on an average, by more than five hundred
natiy('s. 'Vhat information I may hereafter obtain on
this sul'ject I shall feel to be my duty to commuuicate
 OF EROMANGA. 83
to my esteemed friend Dr. Norris, of the Royal Asiatic
Society.
" The decrease in population of several branches of
the Maby~m race who have been favored with the
blessings ~)f European nations is a circumstance that
presents itself to our notice. In 1849 the deaths in
the Sandwich Islands exceeded the births by 2,900,
The Rey. 1\11'. 'V"alker in 1851 said of the l~ongans ~
'They do no~ live lon~; the females are women at
thirteen, and grow old before ·thirty. Alas! they
quickly pass away and are gone! ~ Strong ar~nment
this why we should hasten,. to preach to them the im-
perishable Gospel ere they all pass away. A remnant
may be saved according to the election of grace. But
there is rca"on for believing that the Papnan }'ace will
not so SQon fade away. Goyernor Grey speaks of the
energy and dmability of the Now Zealanders since
their contact with Europeans, and in high terms of the
abolition of infanticide. Dr. Prichard suggests: 'May
not the New Zealanders owe their exemption from the
fatality which appears to attend the appeftrance of
Europeans among Polynesians to the slight intermix~
ture of the more energetic Papuan ? ;
"There were, however, other causes besid'e female
infanticide operating among the Polynesians, anterior
to European resip.ence which may in part account fot'
the diminution of their number. These are now en..
gaging the attention of learned philanthropists. There
can be but little doubt, I think) that the Malays during
their migrations spread from west ~ east and com~
mingled with other races, and it has been observed
that when two dissimilar races ttnite the result is never
an homogenious one, consequently in subsequent gen-
erations there is a decrease in their numbers. Accord-
ing to all recorded testimony Mulattoes or half-castes
are more liable to disease and premature death than
are either of the parents. ' I have no doubt that the
issues of these investigations on this important topic-
one which perplexed me for some years - will be to
remove entirely the caltbnies cast upon the Gospel
and its servants, by those who hate the Word of God,
84 TIlE LAST l\IARTl'nS

as though they were the cause of the mortality noticed.

God's purpose in relation to these races appears from
the operation of laws having no connection with tl.le
introduction of the Gospel among them. He hath salll
_ 'Goel shall enlarge J apheth, and he shall dwell in
the tents of :-ihem.' The Gospel has already saved
mallY tribes among them from diseases to which they
were :-iubject previous to its introduction.
"Thongh still several degTees from the Cape w('
begin to cast penetrating glances tow::mls oj Ijects seen
jn the eastern horizon ill hope of desl"l"ying the long--
looked-for Tuhle l\Ionntain. The first land seen after
passillg the Isle of 'Y ight w~s :-;t. Antonio, one of tlw
Cape Verde Islands, which lifts its lofty bead 7400
feet allUye tit", lewl of the sea. On a moonlight uight
the en' - ' Laml ho !'-caused a rush on dec'k. Next
day ,yOe saw another of these beautiful islum1s, but the
clonds settling, 1.10wn oyer it greatly diminished itfo'.
beauty. 1 climbed one of the masts amI gazed on it
as an expat.riated traveller on first seeillg his nati,f e
country after a long al)sence. 'We wouhl gladly h:1\o"
lantled, for some of us feel our knee joints becoming
like hinges rusting on closed doors."
Arrival at Cape Town: Letter to lVIr. l\Inrmy,
datecl-" On Board the John 'Villiams y off the coast
of ~outh Ati'ica, Oct. 8, 1856:

'" In a shOTt note written to you at Table Bay I pro·

misecl a fuller aceount of om stay at Cape Colony.
On ~eptember 30th we sighted the Cape of' Good Hope
to the great joy of all, especially those purposing to
remain there. But as the wind kept increasing till it
nearly blew a gale, and was withal unfavorable we
were obliged to sail off from the. coast for the niO"ht.
~
He, however, who rules the ragmg of the waves said
to the angry billows - ' Peace, be still,' and there wa~
a calm. Next day about noon we again descl'ied the
land. We saw the Lion's head and Table lVIountain
reming their tops to the clouds. By a light breeze
we glided gently into Table Bay with tlags flying,
 Q~' ERo}IANGA. 8l
~''k
especially the one having the motto - ' Mcsscnger 0
! fut I Peace,' and bearing the representation of a (loY!' witl
itnllt nn olive branch - being conspicuous. 'Ye am'hore(
I
lth~j two miles from the Town. Meanwhile the report 0
1'1'
,itJm
t.he John Williams husing been signalletl sprca(
ili~ through the town, and the Rev. lUI'. Thompson ant
~1Itj (Ither f'l'ielHls of bfissionari'es came off to give us :
most cordial reception, and takc us to (,Ullli'ortabl,
I~t, lodgings. On landing, cabs were in readinc:-;,-:, fUl(
~:\fl two of the Polynesian missionaries wcre taken to th,
,J,::. hou~e of l'1r. ri'hompson. 1\1rs. Thompson was toun(
~ ~~rl awaiting our arl'h'al at thc head of a tea-table, whene,
ofill she oftimes is wont to refresh thc servants of hcl', ant
jjlil our Lord, with something more th:.Ul a CliP of coli
"~i: water. ~urely she will not lose her rewanl. 'Yhil,
~,~ ~miling on her guests with a benigl1ant ('Olmtenanc,
:; ~" she seems to say - ' I feel in Illy soul that it is mol"
,lit· hlessed to giYe than to receiye.,' Some of the passen
on it gel's - among whom were Mrs. G. and I - had beel
mtilt
h.1lr
I
(
nearly two months without tasting tea, so it was con
sidered quite a treat.
mID:; " Cape Town has a population nearly equal to Hali
fax. A large majority of the people spcak DlltCiJ
The citizens enjoy mauy temporal as well [t.,; spiritwl
T:li' hlessings. God has built walls arollnd them nearl:
j~': ::)000 feet in height. These nearly encompass the citJ
as thc monntains that stood round about .J el'l1i:lalem
He has, too, fitted up their yalley [tS a t('ut to chvel
pllf
in, and stored it with the choicest fruits of the earth
In)',
Their beast.., of bUl'den are chiefly oxen and mules
~ometimes a hundred oxen are secn coming into town
o~ I hauling four 01' five large waggolls laden with the rich
to ,
est fruits of rural districts.
it
"On visitiug Mr. Solomon, we were Ycry kindl:
Ire
receiyec1. At worsliip in the morning the :?nd Par:1
Jt,
pln'ase was sung, and the chapter about the mission 0
id Paul and Bamabas read. I could scarcely believe .
IS
was singing the songs of Zion in a strange laml.
e
* * * " * * *
"Mr. S. is a member of the Colonial Parliament
*
and a gcntleman of extensive influence in the Pro
 86 THE LAST MARTYRS

vincc. From his Plinting Establishment - whIch we

visitec1- are issued - The Chllrch j1f((~/((;:ille, fort-
llightly. (the orgml of the High Church l':ll'ty j) The
E~'(I}'fJeli('f{l; The ]{h'k Boonl, monthly: The GO~'ern-
1nf'ld (;"zette, bi-'weekly; The Sldl'piliU (f'ozette, The
JlI('(I'(llItile .Jd~'oc(lte, tri-,,'cek1.v; and otll(>r periodicals.
One C:\llllut be long in his eompany without feeling
{'onstl'ainccl to acknowle<l!.','e that the son I is in(leed
that "llith makes t1e llu~-n, for 1is sbturc is only
about tlm:c feet ..
'" "Vere 1 so tall to reaeh the 1'0].',
Or mete the ocean with a "llan :
I must lll' measured bv llIY sOlll,
Tll'.~ mimi's the measure ~f thl' man.'

" At length 'we had to 11i(1 arlieu to Mr. Thompson

J1TI(l other Christian fl'ielHls, amoll~ whom were l\lrs.
Pasick ~m(l l\liss l\lontgomery, who :t l'l' connected
with the B:lptbt l\'Ibsion in Inc 11a. These emharked a
short time before we did. They :-;toOll on the quarter
-,l('ek 01' t]\('ir own gall aut ship -the Slltl,>j-w:lving
thl'il' white handkerchiefs until we lost sight of them
on the wide ocean."
The (by they sailed from the ('ape of Good H~pe
was so fail' that thC'y thought if Atlmiral ])iaz hacl dis-
coycretl it (llll'ing the first week of Octolwr lle would
not lulY'-' callcd iI; the "Cape of Storms."
After a hoisterous passage of nearly six weeks they
rent'hetl Hobart Town. During the yoyngf' they expe-
rienced b..-o gales, in OIle of which their ship lost a
boat, and in the other the bowsprit. Two days pre-
vious to the gale an ieeberg was' seen half a mile in
length and about 150 feet in height, in S. Lat . ..t3°
10', and E. Long. 4G o , at which time the thermome-
ter fell nearly to zero.
The following account of their visit to Hobart Town
was given by the Rev. Mr. MillGr:-
 Ol!' EROMANGA. 87
"The Rev. G. N. Gordon and Mrs. Gordon-too-e-
ther with the Rev. Mr. Barff and 1\:1rs. Darir, a~<l
:)~ I Isaiah, a native of Rarotonga - arrived at Hobart
;A,j. I
Town, in the missionary barque John TVilliwns, Xov.
It.ll'! I 16, 1856. The vessel was reported in the morning as
coming up the Derwent, and about midday reached
the harbor. Other friends and I going on board
brought the missionary party on shore. Mr. and Mrs.
ilr Barf!' became the guests of 1\11'. Hopkins, and Mr. and
Mrs. Gordon those of Mr. Rout-Treasurer of the
Tasmanian .Missionary Society - a ~ociety that has
long aided missions to the heathen. After this visit
1\11'. and 1\Irs. Rout always cherished a warm reganl
for Ml'. and Mrs. Gordon, with whom they aften,;ards
cone spoll(lecl , and to whom they afforded lllany prac-
~ tical tokens of sympathy and kindness.
lIr1. " In the evening of the day on which they landed-
,J
l"l~~ the ~abhath -l\'1r. Gordon occupied my pulpit awl
~h preached an earnest and impressive sermon. He took
rtt'! ,I part in two meetings held during the week - one in
1L; Hobart Town, the other in New Town. On ~abbath
23rd he again occupied my pulpit in the morning, with

I(
lID
a view to advocating the :lUissionary cause. In the
afternoon he, Mr. Barff and Isaiah addresse(l a large
)i' company of Sabbath School children in St. Andrew's
l-
(Presbyterian) Church. The assembly was so large
that some schools with their teachers and friends had
Id to remain outside. These, however, formed a second
congregation, that occupied an enclosed place in ii'ont,
and were afterwards addressed by Mr. Gordon amI
others from the steps of the Church. In the evening
1\11'. Gordon preached a missionary discourse in Collins
. St. Chapel, of which the Rev. G. Clarke was pastor.
On Monday evening, Nov. 24th, the monthly prayer
meeting of the EYangelical Union was hel(l in Bris-
bane ~t. Chapel. In the meetings of this t;nion, held
on the first Monday of each month, Presbyterians,
Baptists, Wesleyans and Independents take part. An
address is usually given, and on this occasion it was
giyen by Mr. Gord<f1. Other services and meetings,
chiefly of a missionary .character, followed, both in
•
88 THE LAST MARTIRS

to.m and country, in which Mr. GordQn took part.

lIe wa':! invited to adyocate the cause of Missions in
two Presbyterian Churches, and thus obtained contri-
Imtiol1s ydlCre they had not nsually been given.
,. On December ~rd :t public breakfast was giyen to
the IIlissiunary party in Temperance Hall, in which
:tcldrcss('s were gi \"(~n l)y Mr. Gordon and Mr. Barfl'.
In the t'Yelling - the Lord's Supper was dispensed
in Driskllle St. Chapel*; after which scyeml friends
:tecompanied lVIr. Gordon, and those assod:ttctl with
him to the John IVilliams. During 1'111'. and Mrs.
Gonlon's visit much interest was ::nrakened by their
missionary deyotedne8s and by a consideration' of the
perilous field to which they were proceeding."
Anidng at Melbourne a letter was wTitten to the
Editor of the Presbyterian IVitness, from which the
r,nnexC',J are extracts. It is dated Dec. 1;:)th, 18,jG:-
"Early on the morning of NoYeml)er 15th, while the
sun ·was making a glorious exodus from his eastern
chamber, and dispelling the darkness of night from
land anel ocean, the mountains of Tasmania wer:e
opene,l up to our admiring gaze. At the entrance of
the Derwent - a beautiful river on whose banks 20
miles np the stream Hobart Town is situated- our
nm'qne was for some time becalmed.
" Reaching Town we were soon apprized that we
woulll hayc abuncbnt work to perform, while remain-
ing, in the delightful service of the Lord Jesus. It
fell to me to preach for the Rev. Mr. Miller. ::;eyerul
members of Mr. l\Iiller's flock were surprised to hear
me speak on the subject l)reviollsly announced Ly
their pastor, as the one on which he himself would
discourse, and supposec1 it was so arranged between·
us. But it was merely a coincidence, though a some-
what singl1lar one.
,. :Mr. Miller, like other Christians who have read
the Memorials of my late esteemed friend Captain

,., Rev. Mr. Miller's.

 ..
OF EROMANGA. 89
HecHe," Vicars, was so mnch impressed by reading the
account of his devoted life in the sel'vice of God that
he l'esolyctl to preach on the following subjects ill view
of improving the usefulness of that work: 'Out of
if):"
Christ; in Christ; for Christ j and with Christ.' The
r~d
&til
secund of these topies was the one on which I spoke.
Afterwanl at a public meeting I was requested to
~ speak of Captain Vicars as he was known to me .
.• A meeting held by the Enlngelical Union was
well attended. Among those on the platform was Dr.
Fry - formerly of the Pnscyite party - an influential
minhiter of the Lord Jesus Christ. An address deliv-
l'l'ed by one of' the missionaries present, on Christian
?UdOIl, ,,'as well received, and some hoped abid.ing
impressions Wl're produced..
" Dr. Fry is now deli wring a series of able lectures
on the past, present, and future of the Jews. Seven
or eight of the out-casts of Israel were at the first
lecture. I went in company with a Mr. Daniel. Mr.
D. dming his earlier years was an unbelieving Jew j
1ll1t subsequentl~' was conyerted in Britain, and stud-
llied under Dr. Chalmers. He afterward proceeded to
Palc,;;tine, and his labors there among his brethren
according to the flesh were not in vain in the Lord.
~lrs. Daniel's health failing, the Society appointeel
him to the Australian Colonies, where many Jews are
f'ure to be found in search of the precious metal, gold .
r1
.'. On Satul'<lay I accompanied him to their Syna-
gogue. Portions of the law were read with much
n'
It Sf)lemllity, which presented quite a contrast with the
~
il're\'erance of nearly all assembled, for some kept
their hats on, and others cOlwersed audibly during tile
time of worship .
.• "Ye had tile pl'easure of being present at two toa-
meetings given at the' opening of new places of wor-
ship. The rooms were very tastefully decorated with
wreaths of flowers, and the flags of the John Williams.
On these occasions I was reminded of the last delight.
ful eyening that I passed in l)ictou, when the youthful
friends of Jesus unitell the beauties of Eden with the
Cannelite attractions of Nova Scotia, to render happy
90 THE LAST liARTYRS

those present on that evening of social and spiritual

enjoyment. By resolutions passed at public meetings,
and most cordial welcomes given in priyate we were
led to ulldl'rstand that amlJassadors of England or
America in the service of the (~tleen or Presiclent
could not have been more welcome than tlIe humblest
messengers of King .J ('sus.
" Two weeks and three clays were spent in Hobmt
Town. In the good providence of God I was placec]
in f~1Vorable circumstances. lUI'. Rout y(,l',Y kindly
allowell me the benefit of his library - storell .with a
thousand pounds worth of the choil'c'it literature-
and showed me how to lock myself within. The
Union meetiIws were of the most interestiuQ" charae-
CO> ,~

tel'; especially so were tllOse lIeItl l,y the juveniles.

Not anyone church would have accommodated all the
chill 1ren who assembled with their te:lclIers. ~t.
Am1rew's, thouglIlarger than Chalmers' Church, Hali-
fax, would not contn.in two-thirc1s of them. Aged
men from the 01(1 Country said th(')· hacl neyer, in a
town of tlIe same population, witJwssecl a scene so
deliglItful. When the assembly within the chureh
lifted up their voices, and the multitude without re-
eclIoed the high-soumling praises of the Lord, the
effect procluced on the soul by the llnitl'll streams of
melocly was excee(lingly blissful amI transporting. On
a subsequent occasion about 1,000 children yisited the
John lVillimns, among whom were many from Xew
Town, lJrought down ~in fine style b.'T the Rey. Mr.
Strongmall. After being acldressed at the ship, ancI
l'efresl1ed by their generous friend,~, ~Ir. and :Mrs.
Rout, they gave us all many hearty eheers.
"Having expressell a desire to see the aborigines
of the Colony located at Oyster Cove - distant fifteen
miles -1\1r. Rout invited a fi:>w friencls and aCl'om-
paniecl us thither in one of his steamers. The ft'w
remaining natives haye an establishment provided for
them by the Government. It appears tiley were tn'at-
cd in a very inhuman manner by the convicts, and
sometimes were shot at like bl'lltes. Such conduct
l)l'oYoking retaliation, the Government sent an armed
.
 OF EROMANGA.

force to capture them, but succeeded in only ohtal11ing

one individual. Subsequently a lUi'. Hobinsoll YO.lUll-
teered to go on the perilous mission. and JI,\' kindness
- the key to both the savage and the civilizell heart
- succeeded. They were then placed on a. small
island on the eastern coast, where sewrnl of thclll
died, but were afterwards removed to their presl'ut.
situation. Their number is now reduced to sixteen,
which is nearly all that remains of the aborigines or
Van Dieman's Land.
"~But few trace,.; of their dialects are on record,
-i
I
which is regretted. by philologists. There heillg four
of these natiY(:,~ on board the steamer I ell(leuYorecl to
collect as many 'words from them as I could. and llii::-
covered that two dialects were spoken eYen by the
four, ancI these, too, quite disf;imilar. OIle or two
more are spoken by those with whom I had but little
intercourse. They have been seven years uuder. in-
struction at O.y:-:;tl'l' Cove, yet only four cun H':lII. of
whom their king and queen arc the lllo:-:;t proficient.
They were taught, however, through the medium of
the English language. Their instructor ~l·l·llll·II ready
to declare them an unimpi'ovable race - an opinion
entertained by o'thers but on very slemler grolllHls. I
mentione(l some reasons why I consiclerell them call-
able of.much improvement. The coin'iets - lll'arly all
of whom haH~ been guilty of atroeious criwC's - han·
been a curse to the Colony. Two of these 'H~n'
executed during our visit to Hohart Town.
"There are three Preshyterian Clml'ehes in tilt,
town, and several in the conntry. The friencls of
Temperance gave us a breakfast the last (lay we were
with them. There are several thriYing settlements
springing np in the country. N early all the tree~
shed their bttrk in winter, but ret [till their foliage,
which is less beautiful than that of' trees in Britain or
America. Among those who accompanied 11S to the
barque was my friend Mr. Daniel, who entre:ttetI me
to remember Jerusalem. On leaving, the moon shone
brightly, and nature was at rest, for Goel blessed our
departure with peace and serenity' both within und,
without."
I'
 nIE LAST MARTYRS

Hi,.; ]10xt ll'tt;.'r to Mr. Murray is dated Sydney,

?\\~'W :';onth ,y:tll'S, Jauuary :ZG, 1K57 : -

"An ivil1!.! ~lt )''[dlJOul'l1e on the 12th of December,

1;-;;-'(;, n,'\'. ~\l(',;;-.rs, ] lowe md SUlldc'rlnwl tame off'to
,:deClIne II ..;. :lIIcl m:lke ns acquainted with the arrange-
'l!t'llts made rl)l' the sCl'yic{'s of the nl,pl'Oaching Sab-
bath. 'Ire n'lllained t,,'o weeks anel a half, spending
nUl' time lid \\"('1"11 7\1 ('llJonrne al1(ll~(·elollg, holding 8e1'-
\'jl'CS in t!l(' Pl'CSlirLt'l'ian and Imlcpen<lcllt Churches.
Thesc !tan' :t~.!;n'('; I tu hold a Union Prayer-meeting
,1ll:utel'l Y, 011 ht'h:llf of' Poiync o:i:ll1 l\lissiu118, and to
1:~~tl'llIl thl'ir ert()lts in Foreign Mission work .
.. ::\I()l'(' than ~,OOO l'hil(lren visitl'll the .John lVil-
liillliS. I hop(' ;l'tH II I impressions made on their youth-
fill minds lll:l)' 1)(' i(lUW 1 abi(liw~ long after the ship
.;!::t11 lIe nnllllll'I'l'(1 with the things that ",'crt'.
"Oil 't IH~ :: 1st jliSt. n bre:t!';:[l.:~;t v.as given ns nt
i\'llich "l'YNal ::.\Iinister.,; gave short atlllrl!~';S('s. After-
,',:;)'(1 a steamer "':IS ill reallill<'ss to convey ns to the
;';!Jip -wherE' "'e 1.:ul,' om' kind frielld,~ at l\Iclbourne an
:l.!!l'ctiollate> fnn'wt'li. The Rev . .1\le;';,;)'s. Ballnntvue
:1~1(1 :Miller W('J'(' !llllOIlO' the kilHlest of these. l\Ir.~M.
,~

\\'n', once a llwrnl.,,)' of Professor King's tOl1gregation.

ill C;'-ln"i.!,-U'iL Ill' was vel',\' much p1ea8erl at what I
)"e1:ttC'd ('()lH'l'l'I1illg our efforts for union in Nova
Scotia. En' parting he cheerfully eng-aged to solicit
tit .. In,(ljps til IH'ovi,le t1. llox of clothillg fur the benefit
..1' the mi "sj'm h' the retnrn of the .TO/III 11 'ill i((IIl.~ •
.. Throngh tll;' ()'(l(Hhw"" of God ,n' arrived at Sy(l-
1ll'\', in tk.'l'Oll)'Sp:'1' six days. • "r e ,,'ere (Illite ,leli~'ht-
(,,1 with tIle s('C'uery on both sides of Port Jackson.
1:>

SnIne\' is sitna'u'( 1 sevcll miles from the entrnnce of

tl;(, ha~'bor, awl 1'l'0:';l'nt:-; a fine apl','aranee from the
1'.'atel'. III the chief business streets -many of the
11')\IS(,S are Bot inferior to those in the west of London.
,. Since cuming to Sydney we have been engaged as
:It ::\Idbonrne amI Hobart Town. Mr. Howe who
joins ns here is an important addition to the Mission
h:mc1. He amI I haye been at Maitland and New-
eastle holding serviees. I enjoyed his company very
 OF ER01\IANGA.

much. I trust we have done some good to the cause

of our Master Jesus Christ. "We have all been busily
engaged in and around Sydney for two Sabbaths,
preaching and adch'essing juvenile meetings, besic1e~
attending meetings during the week.
"The French, I have been given to understund, are
carrying on a work of extirpation in ~ cw Calcllonia.
They have more than 300 solc1iel'~ stationed thert', and
threaten to talre possession of the Loyalty IslalHb.
Alas! for the poor natives "w11ere the Fl'~ll<:l; bear rule.
Destruction and misery follow their conqncriilg car.
~ I But we need Hot \Vonucr at tlIi.;-.;, when under British
sway natives of these Colonic,,; haY<~ heen slmightered
r. like wild beasts; aml inquisition for blood has not
been made. Such atrocities hayc been perpctrated in
Australia, but prilleil':111y by cOllvicts. Nohle etiOl'ts
have recently ueen put fortll both hy Societies und til('
Government to ameliorate the condition of tJ!e ill-ll~ed
aborigines of these Colonies: hut for tIle most part
these -efiorts have been too spasmodic to efted ally
extensive or abiding improYement. Their Illtempl'l"-
ate habits is one of the chief Luniel's against missioIl-
ary success. In many settlementR Europeans ldt
them in a mnch "worse condition than that in which
they found them. The abOl'igines of Australia and
Tasmania are rapidly fading away~ through the influ-
ence of the vices of nominal Christians. :From the
degraded remnants found wandering about the princi-
pal sea-port towns, it is quite impossible to form a
correct estimate of the intellectual capacity of many
tribes.
"The latest news from "\Veste"m Polynesia is encour-
aging, especially ii'om the Loyalty Islands. Lifu, with
a population of 10,000, is white to the harvest. The
agents of the London Missionary Society have opened
a way of access to 100,000 heathen in 'V. Polynesia.
The Churches here are in a special manlH.-lI' called upon
to arise and take possession of the lands in the name
of King J esns. Several influential friends of the
Mission canse are saI1fUine in relation to important
results following our visit to these Colonies. From
 TIlE LAST ~IARTYRS
.
all I have learnt, however, I do not think the Churches
here are yet prepared to enter into union to compass
this graml end. Probably the Presbyterians may
soon form an organization of their own for the pro-
motion of :;\Ii~:-;ionary work in Polyncsi:l. In the
mean time they ,,,ill' contribute to the funds of the
l~ondon l\Iissioilary Society, as the more efficient way
of ai(ling the (,:luse.
" Sinel' our arrival in these Colonies I haye preach-
e~ 1 to nearly :lS many congregations as I did when
visiting the Chnrche..; in Nova Scotia, besides address-
ing nUD1?l'ons lll"ctin~s on missionary subjects - a
work which I litLl~ anticipated when leavill;~ my be-
loyed friencls in lhlifax:. In a speech giycn a few
(b,ys ago at a bl'C,l]\:fast party I spoke of the condition
of the ahorigine's of this country, and referred to your
example in X ova Scotia in reference to the MicMacs."
,Ve clos(' this chapter with a letter aflclressed to the
Hev. Jas. Bayne, and dated, Tahiti, March 14, 1857:

" I am happy to inform you that the John lVilliams

arriYell here on the 12th inst. The good things of
Providence in our cases far exceed the evil. ' Bless
the Lonl, 0 my soul, and forget not all hi'> b~nefits.'
1\11'. Howe returns to resume his circumscribed labors,
much invigoratecl ; and Mr. Barff proceeds to Huahine.
The French GOYel'l1ment appear quiet just now in rela-
tion to mi,>sion:try operations. I hayc enjoyed Mr.
Howe's comp:lUY v(~ry much and learned a good deal
of the natiye h:thits and modes of thought through
him. I was gre:ttly interested in that island. But a
swallow visitor like me needs statistics and personal
observation before he can write on the moral condition
of an islawl snch as this. I visited the Mission pre-
mises of the Lomlon :Missionary Society, at which
printing and book-binding are efficiently executed by
natives.
"Previons to leaving London I was requested to
write a tract on my visit to mission stations in Poly-
nesia, and am collecting material for that object. I
 OF EROllIANGA. 95
~ liave 110 reason to regret not getting directly to the
It New Hebrides from Sydney, though our passage was
~ long and wearysome. Probably a deputation from
~ Samoa may accompany us to the New Hebrides, who
• by their counsels and those of our own missionaries,
~ will relieve our minds considerably from anxiety as to
our destination. I have labored nearly as much in the
Australian Colonies for the London Missionary So-
ciety, as for our own, and trust some sincere fHends
have been made to the good cause. Yesterday the
thermometer ranged at 88 0 in the shade. The I1eat
towards evening w"as oppressive. But change of diet
seems to affect our health on coming off the water
more than the heat."

CHAPTER X.
PROGRESS OF lIIISSIONARY LABOURS ON EROllIANGA
PREVIOUS TO 1857.

" Notwithstanding nil that has been effected in the Tahitian and Society
Islands, in transforming their barbarous, indolent, and idolatrous inhabi-
tants into a comparatively civilized, industrious, and Christian people, I
never coneidered this group alone a~ worthy the lives and labom's of the
number of Missionaries who have been employed there."-WILLIAMS.

THE southernmost islands of the New Hebrides are

Aneiteum, Tana, and Eromanga. Eromanga is about
100 miles in circumference, and of a triangular figure.
The coast is in general rugged, of coral formation, and
has several large caves. The shores are skirted by a
narrow, rich tract of land, on which are thousands of
acres of good pasturage lying nearly 2000 feet above
the level of the sea. In the interior,
I
mountains, not
visible from the coast, rise to a great elevation, and
 THE I,AST )L\f:TY".'i

[Ire cbd with imperishable verdure'. On the luw

grounds are swamps \vhich send forth noxious exhala-
tiollS. Dillon's D~\y is the sf'a-port, aml opens tu the
northwal'f1.
Captain Cook landc'd on Eromalll.!:a in 1 ii!. Ile
was, prukl.l,ly, the first "'hite lIlall the lIatiH's had
S('('ll. Thf'y trcak.l him ",itll SII much kimlncss. [\1J( I
t'()llrtc'sy that hc was at first eharmc'd with tlil'ir lit,·
h:tyiolll'; but t're I(':tying them Ill' I)cc::tmc a victim to
his own al'pl'l'liclIsions. ,. Tll'~' fatII(J),s," '\Totl' thl' late
miscc.io]wry there," of SOI11(' of th'Jse wh(J sto()d ~,r()llncl
IlS on that oc(,:tsion saw ('aptain Conk, antI hO]]<Il'(,.-t

'him as tIl(' l'\olm ()\' ('],(>:lto]' (.1' til<' "·OI'if1. It is ~dlll()st

certain they (lid not intend to h:wl' iJlj'In',l him Wht:ll
lw tire( I Oil them."
~inee that fiatl era in tl](' hb;tory of tlw Eromnngans~
the illtc]"c'(lllrSe which tl'ad('rs haH' hdtl with them ha"
ll{'('n l'l"olific, of tlw very \\'()]'st l'!'slIltS. Fur the m(.s\.
part. tlw dl'alings of this class with the natives have
l)('en at entire variance with all the g"IIl'rnlly r('c('g-
nizec1 principles of right, jl1stic('. and ('Ijllity. EYer,"
lH,:t('h 011 tllis ill-fatetl i"hl.llil has (WClI stained with the
blood of foreigners, and the san(lal W(I( 1 itself lws I(

been taken away besmearl'll witll nath'e blood. .A

detail!'c 1 account of the outrages }Jerpetratell on tl](',,(,
much abused savages would fill volumes, ". e shall~
howeyer, only insert a paragraph on the suhject
from Dr. Turner's valuable ,york, ., ~ineteen years in
Polynesia" : -

"The mate of this School1('r tells sarl tales of hi~

brethren in the samlalwoocl trade. IIe names a ,"essel
now in the group, and says that they fire upon ever,"
tribe that will 110t let them ha \"e the wooc 1. He say's
they take natives from one 'place to another and s~ll
 ()F EROMANGA.

them for wood. Over and over again he assured U~

that he and his party never do such tricks; but at the
same moment his own boat's crew were telling (mr
men on deck tales which, if true, made them out to he
as bad as any in the trade. They say they get 3. chief"
on boanl and kccp him until they get boat-loads of
wood for his l't~";('lle. After getting the woo(1 they take
away the poor m~1n still, and sell him for more woo(1
at another place, there to be a slase, or, more likely, :I
rO:l'it for the next meal. At this place they will pic!;
up some other person, and off with him again. If
thl'y take' some Tanna men in this way to Eromanga,
thl'y will retunt to 'l'anna and say, 'Oh, they 'lren' kill-
ed at Eromang:-t.' And at Eromanga they will say thC'
Harne of :Illy Eromangans who haye been left 11ere.
Dogs and cats, also, it appears, are in great demand
at Eromall!.!;a. A dishonest trader will show a ('at; :1
boat-load ;;f s:llldalwoocl is brought lor it; he t('11:-;
them to hring morc, they bring more; and after all he
keeps the ('at and, langhing, ,·;ails off with the wood.
In retaliatioll for injnries, if accouuts are true, somc of
these white men arc a~ harLarous as the llatives. It
is reported that this very party now at author [Port
Rcsolution, Tannn, July, 17th, 1848] took ::I. Chief of
Cook's Bay lately, first mangled hiH Lodyon hoard,
then tlu'ew him into the sea, and shot at him as at :1
tar~et. This is ::I. horrid trade. Every year discloses
more of its atrocities. And yet how market! are the
judgments of Cod on tho~e. who p.rosecute it! Dating
ii'om a sanclalwoofl expedItIon whlch wns at Eromanga
not long before Mr. 'Villiams was kill~d, up to the
present time, I can reckon DO fewer than t!tree lw'n-
di'ed and t1centy-two souls who have perished in the
traffic."
•
The first efforts at raising the standard of Christ on
Eromanga were put forth in 1839 by Rev. John Wil-
liams. He perished in the noble enterprise! Mr.
'Villiams, with three other missionaries, Rev. Messrs.
David Darling, George Platt, and Robert Bournie,
G
98 TIlE LAST l\URTYRS

sailed for thc South Scas in lklG. At Rio tll,',)' were

joincd hy ::\11'. and 1\[1':-;. Thrclkl'l(l, Mr. amI ~lr.-;, Ellis,
and at :-';Yllney, l,y l\Ir. and l\1 rs. Bartt'. U Jl thc 16th
N oycmlwr Tahiti was (le:-wl'il'd, and on the following
day, just twelYC months after thl'ir first emlml'kation,
thcy landed at Eimco.
Mr. and 1\1rs. '" illiams, with two or thrce other miJ3-
~i()llari('s, sdtit'd on Haidc':\, :-';vl't. ] lth, lSlk. :-;\1h-
!'L',!uelltly, thi:-; island ,,'as 111:lI1e the kl,;is :)1' !l1ission-
nry operation;.;. At Rarotull;,.j':t in 1.'-;:! 7 ht' p,'rfortnell
that most wondcrful feat - thc bnihlillg of tLe .Jfes-
.'wllUer (~( Peace, a Sd1001H'r of ;jU (II' vi) tons - an
achie\"ement inyested with ten-folcl more nuy,·lty and
interest tltall auy romance. In 1."i;j1, after all aheil'ncc
of ahout ('ig'lltecn year.'; lw n'\'i:-;itl',l EJlgl:lllll. During
his sojourll there hc creatvd an unparalleled i tit ('i'L':-;t
in the Polyncsian missionary entcrprise. Tllat in-
te-rest extelllIcd from thc King on his throne duwn to
the cahman who dro\"e him ii'om a missionary meet-
illg. In 1."i;37 his "x arr:tthe of Missionary Enter-
priscs in the South Sea I;.;lamls" was publishcll. This
book has hUll a wider circulation than any other mis-
sionary "'ork evcr issued from the press. In five
yl'al"S ;)s,OOO copil's were sold. It was dedicated by
permis:,;il)ll to the reigning Sovcreign, William IV.
On proposing to the Directors of the London .:.I.1ission-
ary Socidy to send a copy of the N arratiYe to each of
the most llistinguished nobles in thc kingdom, they
acquiesccd, and placcd at his·( lisposal for this purpose
fifty copics. Haying obtained a list of names of noble-
men aud others, he sent a volume to each, accompa-
nied by a suitable letter. Gracious answers were
returned. Through Her Royal Highness the Duchess
of Kent, he presented a copy to her august daughter,
 OF EROMANGA. 99

Princess Yictoria, "'ho ascended the throne that same

~·ear. 1\by not the perusal of 1\11'. Williams' Nan'a-
th'e haw produced a v.ery salutary impression upon
the YO\lthrul mind of our Gracious Queen- Victoria,
Consort of "Albert the Good?"
In till' lx'ginning of 1838, through ::\[r. Williams'
exertions, the CUliulen was purchased. In all £:? ,GOO
were expC'udecl on this yessel. On the 11 th of April
of thi~ year, the Cum den, under command of Captuin
.Morgan, sailed for the South Seas, haying on board
Mr. and -:\11':-;. Charter, for Raietea; Mr. aIH 1 l\Iri-l.
Steyens, }.1r. and Mrs. Joseph, and Mr. and ::\lrs .
•Johnston, for Tahiti; 1\11'. and Mrs. Gill, :;HI'. and Mrs.
noyle, for Ramtonga; 1\11'. and .!\frs. Day, .Mr. and
1\1rs. Stair, for Samoa; and :Mr. Thompson, for the
l\1~1.l·(111esas.
In November lK:3!), l\fr. 'Villiams sailed from Sa-
moa, in the Cmnrlen, for the ~ e"\... Hebrides. The last
discourse which he preached to his sorrowing flock
was on Acts X-~. 36 - :JK, in which he dwelt pi'ineipally
on the words - .. And they all wept sore, and fell
npon Paul's neck and kissed him; sorrowing most of
all for the words which he spake, that they should see
his face no more." " Dejected and weeping," for him
unusual, he departed. The last entry iu his journal,
like the Acts of the Apostles, stands unfini.,hed: but
the history of Eromanga is being extended. It stands
thus:-

"l\Ionday morning, 18th. This is a memorable

day, a day which will be transmitted to posterity, and
the record of the events which have this day trauspir-
et.+, will exist after those who have taken an active
part in them have retired into the shades of oblivion,
and the results of this day will be - "

.-.,
 100 THE LAST }lAHTn:S

This is the last passage written by l'tIr. 'Villiams'

own hawl, and Dr. Campbell, author of that able and
desefVc(lly popular work, "The Martyr of Erol!lan~
ga," thinks he wrote, "thon~h 1lI1('()llseionsly, uncler a
f'llprrnat ural impression, a feeling of high, ypry higu
excitement." VI'. Campbl'll 'well remarks - The (by
of the martynlo11l of 'Villiams is ill<\(-('d "a most
memorable day, a day ,,-hich will be tnlllslllitted to
posterity."
IIis reception hy th0 TmH'~e - ,yith whom he len
three S:llnoan teacher,.; - was ,.,(. ('l1('Ollraging that his
min; I li)!' u. tinw n'l'u\"('n~;l it" ,,"ont('( 1 dusl i( 'ity. So
R:-l.Il,!2;llille was Ill' as to the Sll(,('(~SS of his ('Lt. 'l'lJri:-:e th:lt
on the eYeHing of thp 19th ill' eY('ll spoke al )out takillg
lJis family from :-';UlIW:1 and settling in th~ r",w lle-
hrides. Hut on the mOl'lling of the faLll TI('cl1lieth.
~lIltl jUl:;t prcYiolls to stepping' into the ),,;:[t wb~('h ('ar~
ried him to til!' shores of ErolWllJ'_:;a, he iniiH'llled ;.ir.
Cnnningh3m tlwt he' ,. hatl pac;~:ell a sh't'pless lli~ht
from the consitlcration of the 1ll:1:~·ni.tu,jc aIH 1 import-
ance of the 'york before him, that Ill' "\',.as much
oppressed by its wei~..;-ht, ant1 feared he might have
undertaken more than he 'would be able to fulfil; that
1-<0 t'xtensive were the islands which he had ellgaged t.o
sun'cy that mallY yea1'8 of anxious toil woulLl be requi.
site cre he conIcl realize his own designs, or meet the
expectations of his friends at home."
Before and after landing they gaye prescnts to the
natives, who seemed extremely shy. 1\l(:'s'3rs. Harris,
Williams, and Cunningham, who had walke(1 one hUIl~
dred yards towards a bush, were seen running, shortly
after, by Captain l\Iorgan, who was proceeding in the
__ direction in which they had gone. Mr. ,,'illiams made
;\) '6 L 1C'B,raight for the sea, being pursued by a savage. On
t...- \
~I
~/ ~
 \
OF EIWMAXGA. .101

entering the water, he fell forward. He did not at-

tempt to swim, but d:tshed his head under the wat&;'
to avoid the club of his murderer. After all he re-
ceived several blows on his head and arms. " A
erowd of boy;;;," wrotc .Mr. Cunningham, " slIl'rolln<ied
t.he body as it b~' in the ripple of the beach, beat it
with stones till the wayes dashed red on the shore
with the blood of'their victim. Alas! that moment 01'
sorrow and agony - I almost shrieked in distress."
Thus fi:>ll JOlIN "rILLIAlIs-the "Apostle of Poly-
nesia "-a man who had won the most splendid repntu.-
tion perhaps of any missioriary since the days of the
gl'eat Ap.,stle of the Gentiles. * He was horn on the
2:Jth of June, 1,%, at Tottenham, High Cross, LOll-
don - was bound by indenture to Mr. Enoch '1'011-
kin, ironmonger, on the 27th of l\Iarch, 1810 - was
accepted as a missionary l,y the L. M. Society when in
his twentieth year, s('\'en months before the expiry of
the term of his apprenticeship - was an Independent
- had nothing more than an ordinary English educa-
tion - was married to Miss Mary Chauner in his
twenty-first year - same year, un u, embarked tor
the South Seas - ill 11'';;)1 had seven chiluren bmied
on different islands in Eastern Polynesia-had trayel-
led one humll"ecl thouscmcl miles -died a mart.yr 011
that ever memorable day, N OVElIlBEH TWENTIETH,
1H3~, aged forty-three years and five months - and
now in glory shines as the stars for eyer und eyer.
Intense was the grief of the Samoans und the Raro-
tongans on hearing of lVIr. 'Villiams' death. But
expression was given to feelings of pity and forgive-
ness, not to those of indignation and re,'cnge. The
•
• We mention these particulars Cor the bellefit of any who may never
hln-e read hiB biogl'aphy. '
102 THE LAST MARTYRS

following is part of a speeeh delivered by an aged

Rarotong:m, once a gTeat warrior. "\Ve quote from
the .• Gems":-
i . Brethren, wipe away your tears. This is my
(luestion to yon. What alJOllt the work? 'Vho will
stand where Wilimnn fell? 'Who will go and complete
the hattIe whidl he he~an?
•• Brethren, I haye heen rememlwrin~ the prayer of
.lesus when he hung upon the <:]"0:-;', • Father, forgiye
them, they know not what they (10.' ~hould not thi~
be our prayer. Xow, in conclusion, I look to the mis-
sionarr and I look to you, and I tell VI'1l that tht'
desire' of my heart i:-; to be put on lllmnl th> next ship
that ('omes to our bml, to lJC taken down to that dark
hml of Eromallga, an(l to lw put on shore ill the micltit
of tlw heathC'll who munlcrecl "'ilimnu .
•, I will tell them what we onee Wl're, :lllt 1 what the
'Vonl of Gud Itas now made liS: and. it mnv he, tlwy
will ullclerstaucl what I :-;:l\': but shoulll I fail b,; their
hands," -looking towal'l:V, anotlwl' Church mcmb('l'.
he sail!, - " If I filll YOll, In.\' brother, follow me; amI
if you fall let another come, and another, awl in this
way tll(' laud of Eromanga, and all its peopJ(·, shall l,e
gained tor .h·,;n~, anel heeomc a~; we ure this day
through the pl'f'adling of His 'Von1." I
On the following year two Samoan teal'hers were
located on Eromanga, and uncler circumstances con-
sidered fa.Yorable. :Next year, hi41, the Cl(mden re-
yisitecl the island, anel removed the teacher:.;. Much
difficulty W:1-; experiencccl in gettin.~ tlil'lll U \nly.
They g:l ye a sad account of their pl'iYations and suffer-
ings, and of the perfidy of the chief who had promised
them protection.
In 1~·!9 the Rey. A. ~Iurray succeeded in getting
1<)Hr Erumangan young men to accompany him to
8mnoa. These, excepting onc, who died 011 the pas-
stl,ge k1.C'k, returned in 1l';52. l\Iana was one of the
survivors.
 OF EROlIANGA. 103

In 1852, Almtangi of Rarotonga, and his wife, and

a te8.cher from Aitutaki and his wife, were located on
Eromanga. ~' These native teachers," says the author
of the' Gems,' "have been the means of subduing the
savagism of the people, of instructing them in the
'Vord of God, and of leading the very men 'who mur-
dered 'Villiams and Harris, to the blood of Jesus that.
cleanseth from all sin."
As to the reputed conversion of the murderer of 'Yil-
Iiams, he was a painted savage long after the late Mis-
sionary settled on .the island, and is yet unconverted.
The scenes enacted there in May, 1861, are a
sufficient comment on the following extract from the
. same author: -
.. At the station last occupied, Bunkil, a village
about six miles from Dillon's Bay, the teachers are
kindly treated, and their instructions well recchoed.
i A small chapel has been erected, and abont thirty
individuals have renounced heathenism, and placed
themselves under Christian instruction."

I " Mr. Gill finds Christians here," remarked the late

Missionary, "and perhaps I may too some day; but
at present none but heathen are to be found."

Rev. C. Hardie, in 1854, reiterating a statement to

the same effect made by the author just mentioned,
wrote thus in his journal: "Sixty-seven, young all(1
old, have renouneed heathenism, nnd " attend instruc-
tion regularly. Only one-third of these are females..
'Vith the exception of seven young men who were
at . Samoa, who can read and write, none of these

..
know much beyond the letters of the alphabet." These
disciples of the native teachers were at Dillon's Bay.
'
"They will have it at Sydney," remarked the lute
Missionary, "that I am preaching to the Christians of
 104 TITE L.\.ST )L\RTIr.5

Dillon's Bay." "Some Missionalies" he observed on

another occasion, ., seem to know more about the state
. of the mission than we ourselves do. TIH')' appear to
belong to a class of errorists who' believe too much.' "
"'hen Akatangi aml others were on Eromallga about
l"l'yt'!l months they wrote encouraging letters to those

who hall sent them thither. They also forwarded

.• rough translations of' Scripture extracts, and first
class school books, in the Eromangnn ]ullguagC', urging
that an (,Llition of each should be printed off immedi-
ately nIHI sent to them by the first s'lip, because of the
desire of' the people to learn to read! .,
These" extracts" were the" Samoalli:wll tracts," of
whieh the late Missionary could make no usc. ~ either
did he find one of the nath"es - saving those who had
Iwt'll to Samoa - who knew the letters of the alphabet,
amI he was there fOllr years aftcrwanl. At this period,
it would appear, Akatangi was employed w., a cook on
hoard a Sandalwood vessel. One can well imagine
what kind of translations would be made by foreign
natiYe teachers after seven months' residence among a
people spenking a language difl1cult to acquire. '\"il-
liams preacheu his first sermon to the natives of
Hllahine ten months after landing: but that success
Imrpris('ll his elder brethren who saiu it was as much
:1"; might have reasonably absorbed three y(~ars.

The preceding were the efforts exerted on hehalf of

the Eromangans previous to 1857. Before giving an
account of the labors of the late Missionaries on Ero-
mnnga we shall devote a chapter to a consideration of
the character of the natives of that island, as it is a
subject upon which very different opinions have been
entertained.
 OF ERO:lrA~GA. 105

CHAPTER XL
fo:STllrIATES O}<' TIlE CHAHACTEH OF THE ERO~rANGANS.

" The dark plac<'s of the earth arc full of the habitations of cruelty."

FAVOIU.BLE. {'~'"F_'" VOp. .... nLE.

" I put in to the shore in two "Rig-ns and threats haying

Of" three plael':" but not liking no effect, our safety became the
the situation (lill not land. nl' only consideration j and yet I
thi.~ time I bl'lieve the natives wa., unwilling" to fire upon the
cOIll"l.>ivcd what I wanted as 1l1u.ltitlldc, t,ut re~olved to make
they directed 111e round to a the chief alone fall a victim to
I"Ocky point, where on a fine his own treachery j but my mus-
sandy beach, I stepped out ket at this critical moment miss-
without wetting a foot. in the ed fire. 'Vhatevcr idea they
face of a vast multitude with may have formed of the arms
only a green branch in my we held in our hands, they now
hand whieh I hUll already got must have looked upon them
from one of them. * * They as childish weapons, and began

I
reeeivcd me with great court- to let us sec how much better
esyand politem's.;, and would theirs were by throwing stones
J'etire hack from the boat on and dart~, and by shooting ar-
my making the lea~t motion rows. This made it absolutely
with Illy hanel. A man, whom neees~ary for me to give orders
r took to be a chirf, seeing this to tire. The first discharge
made a semicircle round the threw them into confusion, hut
boat's bow, and bl'at sueh as at- a secund was scaredy:;ufficient
tl'lIlptcd to break through thb to drive them off the beach j
order. * * In short I was and, after all, they continued to
charmed with thdr behavior. UJ.row :;tones from behind the
and the only thing which coulll trces and bushes, and ('yery now
gh'c the least suspieion was, ancl then, to pop out and throw
that most of them were armed a dart. Four lay, to all ap-
with dubs, spears, darts, and pear:inee dead, on the shore j
bow,.; and an'ows." - Captain but two of thcse afterwards
Cook, Augus"t, 1774. crawled into the busliCs. Hap-
py it was fur these people that
not half of our muskets would
go off~ otherwise many more
must have fallen. 'Ye had one
man wounded in the cheek with
• a dart, the point of which was
as thick as my finger, and yet
it entered above two inches;
which shows that it must have
106 THE LAST MARTYRS

come with great force, though

inueed we were very ncar
them."-Capt.C'ook, Aug. 1774.
"As soon as we got on board " I was happy to hear from
I oruered the anchor to I,l' I the Bishop, whom I visited on
weirrhed, with a view of anchor- hoaru his littll' ye~~d, that all
ing "'nl':u the landing plaee.- had gone well witll him since he
\\Thile this \Va, uuing several left New Zealand: hut his crew,
people appearl'rl on the low who had iml'ilH'tl all the dread
rocky point, displaying two oars (If savagl's felt by the Sydney
we had l.".,t in the scuffle. I traders, did not di"g'uise their
looked upon this as a ~ign of ,~ati~f:ll'tion on hl'ing at la1't
submission and of their want- under the protel'tion of a man-
ing to give us the oars. I was, of-war. It mu~t he admitted
nevertheless, prevailed upon to at the same tillH', that the
fire a four-pound shot at them, enterprise un(krtaken hy the
to let them 8l'e the dicet of our Bishop, who wouhl not permit,
great guns. Thl' ball fell short, an arm (~f allY description on
but frightened them so lIIueh board his \'e''''l'l, was one of' nl)
that none Wl'n' seen afterwards, little risk j and when informcd
and they ld't the oars !;tan(ling by him that he lind permitteeJ
up ag,tin,4 the Lushes:'-ldelilo several of the Erromangans
whose hw,tilitv to white men
is notorious, t<~ ('lillie on board
in Dillon's Bay, I was reu(ly to
allow that it rc'quin'(} the per-
fect presence of mind and di~­
nified bearing of Bishop Sel-
wyn, which ~l'emeLl never to
filii in iml're~sing these savage~
with a feeling of his superiori-
ty, to render ~uch un act one of
~'afety or prude'nee." - Capt.
Erskine, Sept. 1:->;)0 •

.. The Erromanguns though "The natives now for the

they beur a hall nallle, are per- most part fear t()fl'igners, be-
baps the mildl,,,t and most do- cause too :-:trong fill' them by tIll'
cile natives in thi" part of the u~e of fire-arms. The few na-
world. Hthey have bepn guilty tives, therefore, wllich now ap-
of some atrocitil'" the white pear about the Sl'a coa,t, are
savages who provoked them II somewhat "ubdued, and are
are to blame. The tcacher *' afraid to steal ffOm those who
* mentions as indueel1h~nts to have muskets, or to injure them
settle on that island - 1st. The as formerly. * * During
natives do no steal the propert.y the first months of our resi-
of the teach('r however much dence here, they dill not steal
exposed. 2nd. The Erroman- from us, but it is not so latelv,
gans do not entertain the idea since they have learned that
that Christianity brings disease we have not the llleans of pu-
 OF EROMANGA. 107

nnd death, like most of the is- nishing them." - Rel'. Geo. N.
landers. 3r(lly. The natives Gordon, .June, 185:-;.
hnve a great (]C'~ir(' for mission-
"If I were to relate to vou
aries." - Ret'. J. Geddie, N01',
some of the hloody ~('enes wl;ich
10, 1856.
have taken piaec of late on thi~
"In that i~land there is much island,. l'ffeeted llOth by f()-
to encour:tg-e hope. It appears reigners in reveng-e for some
to be fflHy open f.)r Christian of their party who have been
exertion. The nati\'c~ arc the ki1l('d and eatl'n. and 11y the
mildest and most docile on the natives at some of their fe::!'t~,
group, and the superstition that you wuuld perhaps think our
Christianit\T j" the forerunner situation rc'dl \' worSl' than what
of disease :\n(] (h~'lth, which has it is ; therefore I merely notice
heen the h:~~Ticr to the intro- these CirClll1lstancl's withuut
duction of Christianity into the details.
other island-; of the group, does ... , None of the chiefs have
not exist there. The Sandal- yet favored us in onr work, and
wood tradl'rs arc settled all when I hl':ll' uf the terms 'de-
around the i, l:lIld and live light' and 'desire' used in
among tht, natives without relation tu this peopll' in their
fear." - Jrl,:m. Oct. 5, 1858. supposed wi."Ill'S for mission-
"The n:1tives of Cook's Bay, aries, I of' COl1l'Sl' have my own
on the east ,idc' of Eromanga, thoughts on the snh.iL'l't. 'With
have long been desirous to have the exception uf those who Il:n-e
teachers. A fi'\\" months ago been to S~tnJOa. and two or
Mr. Copel:md "Hte'] Nina, in three mon', so ll...Ii.:~·:lt('d are tlw
the John Knox, and met there natives hen' with a mi';>'ion-
• It large canoe containing a chief ary, that th"y will not ;l"~i,,t
and several people from Erro- me in huildin~ a hem"l', or ~iYl'
manga who had gone to that me even a yam or taro without
island hoping to gl't one of our payment; . and the principal
teachers there to return with chief spokc'n of as wantin~ a
him. Finding that neither of missionary woulrl not consent
them could lea\'{, they pleaded to allow 111(' a path in a suitable
that one of the crew of the John place to the mountain, th~J\lgh
I Knox should accompany them.
The chief took a young man in
death w.tS staring us in the face,
and I was ohlig-cd to pureha~e
" hi~ arms to whom he had taken the privill'ge of a path from :L
It fancy and seemed inclined native. t-\" ddig'htel] are tlll'Y.
to take him by force. Some moreover, that tlll'y would ra-
time ago tlm.'e ehiefs and a num- ther take from a missionarv
ber of pe0ple from the same than give him anything; an~l
place sent It man in search of some of them helped thelll~l'l yes
teachers. He first went to Dil- to our best poultry - the good
lon's Bay, but the Missionary chief himsC'lf, we have been in-
there had none to give him. formed, or some of his whe~,
He next went to Tana, but the who perchal1l'e, are libertll
teachers could not be spa~d with ovens of food. Now I
from that island. He came to expected to find such things
this island about two weeks ago, among the heathen, and, there-
108 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

and appli.,,1 fill" k:l·,'~ll·rs, say-' fore, am not in the least disap-
ing that tit,'y ,,'ouid gh'e the point('d." -Idem.
cll<!i(,l'd ,,1' t]h:i t' land to them, .. 'Ven' I to gi vc you a cata-
and ('n,L':1 Y"l' to 1lI:lke them IO,~ue of tlL,' ni IIlt'~ which thi!!
cO;IIi")rtai,l,'. H,' W;h prc:;('nt people han' ('ollllJlitted upon
all Ihe R::l':;:lth d,',\" c:nd hcard furl'iJnl'rs lID'] among them-
Ill" give an aCl"J:lllt \It' 'John selves fOl' tlie la,t threc yean
Illlo,c's' vOy:l~'I', ;m;\ mention ,YOU would he astonisheu; and
th(' names (If til", 1",)('llc1's who will not be ~url'riseu to learn
wen~ to go to Tan:t. when he that God lIa, cut "II' two-thirds
W:IS told' that nOil" were an- of thelIl. in -,!I,l(' ~ettlemcnts,
nonnced for Ern.II'dlg"), he if not in all. Tlti" terrible
Imr . 't int" teaT,'. an,l was ~o jllfl,'':;llll':1t will, I tru.'t, ol'('n up
()\ ('l'conll', tltat on,: ,,!, our EI- 'ranaand El'IlJj):!ng';t to the G08-
Il,,!',,; spent th" fl';II';in,kr lit' the pd which, l,iliH'rtll, have been
dol:,' with lIim u:,j,'.l\'"dng;.o W o])"tin:lldy .-hut against it.
('on,"ole him. \\'hell Wl' Sl'e A few iell,,', '<l'~'j'allt tub come
"ueh in't:tIH'('~ of inkll>l' d"c.irc abouta mi . ; j<ln,llT Uil an island
for the "'lIr'! "j' I ;O(], w,' are like tlli~, whie';, 'are our first
warranted in IlIl111h!'rin..;' E~r(l- material t" w'lrk upon. ThC'ir
m:lII,~':t :J.1I11::]:~' till' i,.I", tlut arc deception i~ ") gTl',lt that our
waiting fill' the law."' -lduil, fir,t hv!,,,;; <If t''''lll v:lnbh, hay-
Oct., lliGl. ing been ill funndcll. The
ehiefs amI hc'at!, ,;t' familie>l
h:we cyc'r opP"'!'ll the word of
God :-;incl' thl' time when they
tirst hegan to umk'rstand it."
-Idem, .Illril, L"I;I.

The 1"1"" '; li:1~ extracts, excepting the first two or

thre~', WI'!'" Lt kL'J\ from letters }JuhlislJv,l in tlw periodi-
cab of the Clllll'ch.
,yc c1· 1";:' the f'll:l[,h'r hy illsertilJ~ :t1l c::tmet of a
It'tt~'r Wl'itt,'ll t .. )11'. )Iurray, dated Dillon's Bay, ~ OY.
:!(), 1;-:;)/:-

" As Y'Hl ha\'(' uo don1,t read in 8(,\'(>1"a1 missionary

rel)orts
• oi' the \l('~ire of the Erorn:nwans
0 for mission-
aries, aml P(~rlwp.; or their delight 011 tlw l"('eeption of
01le, I ]J('('(lllot say much for your iuionnation on that
point farther than this, to assure you that Rllch state-
ments arc true only • of the .1 b ~en who were several:
"onua'
years Huder the care of Re\,. :Mr. Turner, in Samoa,
and perkLps of oue or two more. Not one of the four
chiefs at Dlllon's Bay has shown me any personal
 OF EROMANGA. 109

favor, excepting one who gave me a palt of a cocoa~

nut a few days ago when I was at his resillence. "\Yere
it not for the young men just mentioned, our situation
would be very trying.
H Infanticifle, war and cannibalism, etc., are among

the dark things practised by this people. The VCI'Y

stones of our mission premises were btailled a iew days'
ago by the blood of those who h:1(1 been sinughtel'cd
for a feast. N'cverthcl.css some of the natives arc
friendly to visitors when they treat them kindly. .
H The chici' who killed 1\11'. Williams, and 'rho is vet

a painted ~:l\"age. showed me a ic,,' <lays ago the siJOt

where he 1l1'~t llit't him in the bush, amI stmck him
with his dub. He nppearect quite indWcrent, and
acted the whole scene oyer again, but happily without
striking ~11I.r one with his club. On coming to the
place where lIlr. Williams was stmek he halted snd~
denly, stretehed 10rth his hatchet, m~ll assumed a VCI',Y
unpleasing attitmle, though he had 110 intention of
hurting allY one. A. fine bUBch of laurel is now grow-
ing on the spot which drank his blood. In eonformity
with a common practice among the l~l'Omallgans, a
laurel was planted there to mark the plaee where the
deceased fell.
.. I hope to see one of my fellow students here b~
fore the end of another year. Come up if the Lord
direct, and welcomed you shall be by more than one
wann heart. Don't think too ?n1tclt, nor too Httle,
about r difficulties."

CHAPTER XII.
LOCATION ON ERO}fANGA.
" 0 Lord, I know that the way of mall is not in himself: it is not in me
that walketh to direct his steps."

TilE Missionary last eettled on Eromanga in a lettel'

addressed to Mr. Murray, Sept. 1857, expressed fears
110 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

that souls had been valued more highly on that island

than on some other islands in Polynesia. Williams,
for the sixth time was rescued from a watery grave,
and one is just ready to say, Would that his uody were
reposing JIC'side .J ndson's in some quiet nook beneath
the ocean's deep blue waves; or woultl it could be
said of him as of 110ses or Calvin: 4, No man k'TIoweth
of his s<'pukhre unto this day."
Predous to :;\11'. GonIon's leaving Nova Scotia it
would appenr he had sometimes spoken about Eroman-
ga as an islan<l (Ill which he desired to lie located. In
an artide that appearetl in the Record of ~oyember,
1861, it was stated: "1\11'. Gordon's heart had long
been set on that island as a field of labor, and he had
made it thl' suhject of many prayers." The inform-
ation offered in this extract was unknown en'n to his
eldest brother, with ,,,hom he had conyersed fully and
freely up to the period of his departure.
But nen though it were so he had not the choice of
his own field of labom. Under date, Noy. 10, 1856,
Rev. J. GeclLlie wrote: "In the meantime we are do-
ing what we can to prepare the way for the settlement
of Mr. Gordon on Tanna." And on the 22nd of
April: .. ,,~ e still look to Tanna as Mr. Gordon's field
of labom." An<l while at Molua, Upolu, Samoa, when
on his way to the New Hebrides, he was for some time
employed in analyzing and copying a vocabulary of a
Tanese dialect, that had been prepared by the Rey.
Messrs. Turner and Nisbet.
On the 5th of June, 1857, the John Williarns arrived
at Aneiteum, having on board Rey. Messrs. Harbut
and Drummond, a deputation from Samoa, and Mr.
and Mrs. Gordon. After four days spent on Anei-
teum, the brethren embarked for Tana. Tana was
 OF EItOlIANGA. 111
fount1 unprrp~red ; and being closed against them,
1\the brethren from Samoa," wrote 1\11'. G., "and
l\Iessrs. Ge(hlie and Ingles achisC'tl Mrs. Gordon and
me to prOl't't,tl to Eromullgu, to see if the Lord would
not open a he'th'r door for us on that island than is
open on either Tana or Fotuna." The following is
from the jUlll'llal of Rev. J. Geddie:-

".Tune 13th. To-day Miaki, Nauwar, Kuanwan,

and other persons of influC'llce, came off to the ship at
our request to consult about the settlement of a mis-
sionary. '" * "r e ur~ed our Tana friend.,; to deal
camliclly anel honestly '~ith us and to do nothing to
u('cl'i ye us. They tol( 1 us it would he well to dela,\'
the settlement of a missionary at l>ort Resolution at
prt'scnt. Ht, ,,·ould have nothing to appreheIHl from
the people at the harbour, but there are seycral inland
districts 0PV' ,,,;ed to missionaries, under tIle impression
that they (':tll,,;e dil'lease amI death. The strollgest op-
position was expected from a district callctl l1asul'u-
mene in the vicinity of the volcano, where there is a
targe number of sacred men. It was the people of
this district who formerly 111a(le war on the people of
Port Res' ,llltion, because they would not kill the mis-
sionaries Turner ana Nisbet. It was their opinion
that in the mean time we should settle Alleiteum
teachers in several of the inland districts, and this
would prepare the way for a safe and hopeful settle-
ment of a missionary. And l\Iiaki yery candidly told
us that he wished to be a little more enlightened him-
self, that in the event of any opposition to a mission-
i ary or the canse he might not be faint-hearted in the

I
defence of, either. 'Ve could scarcely have visited
Tana at a more unfavorable time than after a severe
epidemil:; but it is well that we have seen things in
their worst aspect. Under these circumstances we
thought it inexpedient to settle Mr. Gordon at Port
Resolution, especially as there were other doors of
usefulness open to him. •
 THE LAST MARTYRS

"June 19th. Our first object at Dillon's Bay WM

to see the principal chief N awan, but we were sorry
to learn that he was not at home. He had gone t.o
another part of the island to consult with his brother
chiefs alloat a wnr which h:ti I been going on for some
time. 'Vc sent for him but his fl'icncls would not con-
sent to his t·~ty:n:~ them. lIe sent wUl'l1 to us that he
wisherl nil'. GonIon to rem'l.in and occ~np.\· the piece of
lami which he h:1I1 fOl'lncrlr giYell to the t.'aehers. The
people al·;:) were mast anxiou'3 for a llli,.:sionary.-
Under ta~~J eir.~amstanees we felt no (lillLmlty in re-
comlll'm'lia:; Er0mJ.l1ga to 1\lr. Gonbn as a fieltl of
labour, an' 1 he approve: 1 of it himself.
,. On the afternoon of W ednesclay, the 17th inst., all
the supplie,: belonging to ~fr. Godon ldng landed we
went on shore to yisit him in his 0\,;11 honse. Our
party {'on~isted of l\fr. amll\I1's. Harbnt4:~rr. an,l Mrs.
Ingles, 1\11'. Drummond, Capt. \Villiam..;;, and myself.
After an early tea we had a prayer-lllV(·ting, which in
our circnlllstances was Ycrv solemn. Onr brethren
and sisters then bade us adieu, and thl' .John TVilliarns
was S0011 under way for the other islan! Is. Instead of
going to the .John Knox I spent the night on f;40~c
with .Mr. and 1\I1's. Gordon, which was thc·il' first night
on Eromang.l. It was pleasing to see them so com·
fortable in their new home."

We close the chapter with the account of the voyage

from Apia to Aneiteum, as giyen b'y the subject of
the memoir, and of the labors of himself and his
partner on Eromanga, during the first five weeks of
their residence on that island: -
"On the 20th of l\Iay, after attending a large l\Iay.
meeting at Apia, addressed by the H.~v. Messrs.
Turner, Harbut~\: ]\Iun-ay, Drummond, Mr. Ella, and
myself, we sailed for )VesterJ;l Polynesia, and called
the next clay at Savaii, the largest island of the Sa,.
moan group, where we spent a few hours pleasantly
with the Rey . .Mr. Pratt. Soon after we were off for
Aneiteum, having on board H.ev. Messrs. Drummond

•
 •
OF EROMANGA. 113

and HarbutL-=- a visiting deputation from the Samoan

brethren to the Western Islands. Mrs. Harbut~ and
two children accompanied Mr. Harbut'- ,V
c had plea~
sant weather and favorable winds till the third of June,
when at midnight we were suddenly overt.:lken by a
hurricane, while our barque was tmder full canvas.
, All hands on deck! Let go the topsail sheets!' soon
reechoed through our trembling barque, awaking the
passengers, who felt the ship going over on her beam-
ends. The she'ets having been let go she soon righted
again, and skipped over the mountain billows, as if
she were a flying fish; but while running before the
fierce wind, two of her topsails, ere they eould be
taken in, were torn to pieces. 'Vhen thus driven off
to leeward, we were only about forty miles from Alll·i-
teum: thus om' anxious e~l)cetations of seeing our
dear brethren there on the following day could not be
realized. On the c\-cning of the fourth we got the
first sight of long-looked-for Aneiteum, by flushei5
of lightning,· and on the following day at evell, we
anchored in the harbor, thus having abundant ('alls(>
for thanksgiving for our own safe preservation and that
of the missionaries and their families, whom we found
in health and prosperity. The captain stated that if
the wind had not changed at the time the squall struck
the ship we would have been in danger of being ship~
wrecked on Anelteum.
Mr. Inglis came to us on the following day. After-
ward Mrs. Gordon and I went round with him to hi,;;
l\1ission premises, where we spent the Sahbath and
part of the next day very agTeeably and profitably.
My expectations in relation to the prosperity of the
Mission on this island were high; and as regards the
moral and physical improvements effected on it they
have been fully realized. Mr. Inglis' and Mr. Ged-
die's Mission premises are set off very tastefully. The
educational building is very suitable for the object f(,r
which it was built, and' one of the doors has for a step-
ping stone one of the idols of Aneitenm. 1\11'. Geddie

.. The italics Aft. our o\vn.- Au.

H
114 THE LAST MARTY TIS

looks exceedingly well, and Mrs. Geddie is also

healthy and active in the Lord's work."
H On the 10th, haviug got some sc~ntling, poles,

and rods for a house, on board, we sailed for Fotuna,

on our way to Tana and Eromanga, baving in addition
to our pa~ty Mr. and 1\Irs. Iuglis, and lVlr. Geddie
in the little Ilnox, with which he "c('ms exceedingly
pleasell. On the 11th we lalllled ~l,t Yotuna, and met
the teachers and two or three hundred of its savage
natives, with whom we were 1?eO"',II ull yery unfs.Yor-
nl,ly impressed. They were ill a f,ltate of nudity and
all were armed. For the mu:-:t p:u't they refused to
allow ns to toueh any of their ";('''1)(011;'; or to shake
hands with them. The late ~i('lll;""; which visited this
island ane l the neighboring isk:.. , I .. ll~l s left an unfavor-
able impression on the heathen mind in relation to
<-~hristia.ni ty.
" In so far as we could learn the .Aneiteumese haTe
nltt produced allY change for the better on the natives
of Fotuna though the island is ill( ,I'P in proximity with
,A lleiteum than any of' the others, and teachers from
Aneiteum have been laboriug 011 it for several years.
That 'their hearts are open to receive the Word of
(~od,' as I have seen somewhere stated, s~ems to haye
no foundation in fact, and shows how liable teachers
are to eIT in their judgments in tbe reports which they
give to missionaries. After the baptism of one of the
teacher's children, and a few efiorts were made at fa-
vorably impressing these savages in regard to the
natlU'e of' ow' peaceful mission, we sailed for Port Re-
solution. On arriving there next morning we were
exceedingly delighted with the appearance of an island
, 'Where every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile.'

" We found the natives of Tana ill a state similar to

that in which the Rev. Messrs. Turner and Nisbet had
left them fourteen years previous; viz., a few were fa..
Yorable, but the great majority were unfavorable to
,Christianity. The statements of the teachers concem-
lug the state of the natives, did not differ materially
 115

from the accounts given by former teachers. I believe

we must look to the missionaries who may be here-
after located on Tana for reliable reports ~oncerning
the natives of this island, and the amount of influence
for good which the teachers may 14'tYe exerted. I would
Hot have had any objections tt) commencing mis:-;ionary
operations on this island had God ill hi:-; providence
not calleel me to .B.'l'Omallga.
. , After receiving an unfavorable answer from the
chiefs, on the evening of the 13th we sailed for Dil-
10n':-; Day, where we anchored on the Lord's day. On
enquiry, we discovered that though the natiyE's ,,-ere
then engaged in war, therE' was no direct opposition to
the landing of a missionary. A('('ol'llinglyon the lit!:
:\Irs. Gordon awl I with the natiyc teachcl':-; and their
win's, landed on the shores known to the world as the
place where "Williams amI Harris lost their liYes in the
I111SSlOn cause. After a solemn prayer-meeting our
deal' brethren bade ns an affectionate tare well ; but
l'IJ'. Geddie did n(lt leaye till the fol1owillg' day .
.. Cp to the present time, (.July :!4th,) m' h:1Ye been
prosecutin 6 our work with some S11(,('('S:-;. Mana, an
Eromangan who liYel1 in Samoa for several years, i~
Ily far the most yaluable assistant which I han',
excepting TIea, a Samoan teacher, whom lUI'. Geddie
left with me yestenlay. In so far as I can learn Ilea
is the only teacher who has not done more harm th:1ll
good on this island.
"At Dillon's Bay I have formed the nucleus of :t
~ ormal School, at which, for a short time I require the
attendance of all the teachers. Through an institu-
tion of this kind, by God's blessing, I hope to evan·
gclize Eromanga. I put little dependence in teachers
from other islands. I have collected about me already
eight Eromangan young men of some promise, whose
hearts I hope God may soon touch by his Holy Spirit;
and in this way I trust the truth will yet spread over
this dark island. Some of these young men have been
to Sydney and Samoa, aI¥l one or two of' them t:t!l
speak a little English. By their assistance I have
translated the Ten Commandments, and a few verses
116 THE LAST l'tIAnTYRS

of the 95th Psalm, which we sing; besides other por-

tions of the 'Vord of God. I haye ~ome !-iamoanized
tracts in this language, prepared by teachers, but I
eannot use them.
" The natiYes, with a few exceptions, are sunk into
a state of fearful degradation, of which you huYe a
true and 1110st graphic description in the l:-;t chapter
of the Epi~tle to the Romans. They go about in u
state of nudity, ,,-ith painted faces: and in reganl to
khame 'arc past feeling.' Satan appears to be eom-
ing forth mightily to dispute eYery illeh of his terri-
tory with Christ. Hark! I hear a stir on the Mission
1)J'('lllSCS! Alas ~ alas! an assemlJly of warriors art'
hefore the (1001' about to lTuSS " . illiam's Hiwr to fight.
Dropping m~' pen I went and spoke to them, and Ilea
addn'ss(,tl them, but all to no purpose. The war hom
i.s eontinually sounding ill our ('a1':-;; we 1lf':l1' it Wh('ll
lyhJg down and on rising up. They do not kill many
in their hattll'~. Imt till' ('\'ils of tllC'ir wars are 11('Yel'-
th('l('~s great, and blighting to all temporal and spirit-
i.;al gPod."

CIL-\Pl'ER XIII.
E5TI:IL\TE5 OF XATIVE AGEXCY.

II By their fruits ye shall know them."

IT is generally known, "'e presume, that mISSIon-

aries haTe formed quite different estimates of the value
of nath'e teachers. As the subject is an important
one we shall c1eyote this chapter to its consideration.
'We need scarcply remark, that it has been admitted
l)y all, that some who haye acted in the humble capa-
city of native teachers, were sil1cere, useful, and faith-
ful eYen Ul1to death.
 OF ERO)L\XGA. 117
Pursuing the C(Hl!'S(' taken in the eighth eha-ph'!', we
shall present the estimates in parallel COlqllllls antI
adopt the same headings.
F.\ VOR.\BLE . UXF.\ VOR.\BLE.
.. I am a;.;~isted at present by "In the first place we are
two Samoan and se\"enteen anxious to ha\'c our teachers vi-
.\neiteum teachl'rs. Ahout the sitl'd thrl'l' or four times a year.
"ame number assist 1\Ir. Inglis They are but babes in knO'w-
in his district. Many of our ledge, anti babes in ,l{ra('e.-
teachers would be regarded at They require to be instructed,
home as very incfficient men; guided, and encouraged in their
but we arc thankful for them difficult and di.,;c()llra~il\g la-
such as they are. The cause hul'S. If left entirely to them-
has been greatly aided by their selves among a strange allli
labors among their country- heathen population, they are
men. In the selection of teach- \'ery apt to become di~eouraged,
ers we look to character as to sink down in despontIeney,
much as to scholar ..;hip; and and do nothing. But if regu-
it often happens that the best larly visited, they may eflL'l't
men are not the best scholars, much good in preparing the
- Rev. J. Geddie, July '2ith, way for missionaries. 'While
It/55. we expect very little from their
direct teaching, we regard thl'lll
as valuable pioneers to prepare
the, way for a more efficient
agency. At present they call-
not be visitl'(l but at great
risks." - Ret'. J. ()uldie. jlltlC
20, 11;;;':;.

"You are aware that we "I ought to mention here

have some Samoan teachers on that we semI teachers to tliP
this i.sland. At present there neighboring islands on the as-
are four. * * It is the in- sured hope that they will he
tl'ntion of two of them to re- followed hv missionaries at no
turn to Samoa by the 'John distant pei·iod. Without thi~
Williams.' With the exception assuran<:(' we would have paus-
of the Samoans on this island ed before attempting what we
and one on Erromanga, there have done. C'To reinforce
a rt' no teachers from Eastern the mission on both island~'
Polynesia on the New Hebri- - Tana and Fotuna - , hy
des. At one time they were sending additional teaclwrs
numerous, but they have either from Aneiteum.') Teachers
died or been killed, or have ought not, I think, to he' settll,(l
left on account of sickness. on these unhealthy and savage
Their suff~rings .on these i~­ islands until there is a pros-
lands, of various kinds, have pect of missionaries coming to
been very great. Mr. Inglis their aid within a reasonabl~
118 THE LAST MARTYRS

and I wrote to our brethren on time. The native teachers are.

Samoa last year and requested I. believe men of piety, but they
tlll'm from motin's of human- are wanting in the knowledge,
ity to send no more teachers discrimination of character.
to the~e islands unless they prudence, and energy, essen-
come accompanied by mission- tial to the successful prusecu-
aries to watch over them in tion of Christian missions in
their sickm''':, and lead thendn new and arduous fields of la-
their work." - Idrml, Sept. 22, bor. Then they are exposed
18;;6. to sickness and also to dangers
" The work on the other is- of a moral !lnd more serious
land~, 80 far as we know, is in nature. '''hen teachers are
a hopeful ~tate. Our latest left alone their piety is apt to
news from the teachers residing suffer and their interest in their
on them is encouraging. * * work declines. But while I
These simple and devoted men write thus do not suppose I
have been honored by God to lightly regard the value of na-
lio much in preparing the is- ti ve agency. In most case~
lands for the Gospel, at the Christian mi~sionaries should
('xp('nse of much self-denial, be preceded by them. In gen-
~\ljferini, and danger. Their eral they are received by men
labors Illay not be so visible or of their own color and habits
~o extensi'vely known as ours, with a confidence that would
hut they are no doubt recorded not be awarded to strangcr~.·
in heayen. They, as well as They form aequaintances, col~
we, have a strong claim on the lect informatiun, teach the na-
sympathies and prayers of the tives to look forward to a more
Church. But while' ;natiye advanced agency. All that I
tL'achcrs are indisp'ensable as maintain is,'that native teacher;;
]lioneers, and when ,,;sely led, ought not to be left on their own
prove valuable auxiliaries in resources, as, when this is till'
the work of evangelization, yet case there is a danger {)f the
our great want at present is object for which they are sent
missionaries." - Idem, October, to heathen being defeated."-
1860. Idem, July 27, 185;j.
"I read with surprise and "Native agency is indispen:i-
regret some remarks which ap- ible in opening up new bland,.
peared in the Missionm'y Re- or new stations; and if natin'
gister about the native teachers I teachers are regularly visited
of these islands. They must and carefully superintend('d
have been written under some they are capable of doing a
~traIl:ge and unll!1p~y impulse. great amount of preparatory
It WIll perhaps satIsfy you to work. It is. however, only
know that the men who have preparatory work that any na-
been so unjustly assailed enjoy tive agency can accomplish in
the confidence of the mission- these western groups. When
aries at large. Our mission is they have brought the work
in a great measure indebted forward to a certain stage, un-
to these bumble men for its ex- less it is take;n up by resident
i~t.ence and for much of its pros- missionaries at that point, it nul
 OF EROMANGA. 119
perity; and if they hllve faults, only stands still but it goes
they ought to be dealt with il.l. back, and the preparatory work
the spirit of forbearance and itself is in dllnger of being lost.
love. If these mell were not The great want in this group is
as a c1as8 what they profess to the want of missionaries. N a-
be, it is haro. to account for tive agency to any :tmount can
their readiness to encounter soon be raised; but unless there
every danger and submit to are missionaries to direct that
everytrialfor the sake of Christ agency it is of little value."-
and his cause. The fact ought Rev. llfeisrs. Geddie and Inglis.
to be known to the Church that Not,. 11, 1856.
our risks and privations are ., You would, I presume, na-
small when compared with turally infer that se\-eral teach-
theirs. It is they who lead the ers have been laboring on this
way in the battle aga.inst hea- island j but you must remember
thenism, and it i, our honour that the term teacher differs
to follow. Several teachers very widely from that given by
from Rarotonga and Samoa most Lexicographers. Per-
have fallen by the hand of vio- haps if some of the terms
lenee on these islands, and employed - such as teacher,
Aneiteum has already given natil'e agency, institution, COl/-
two of her children to the noble vert, and professedly Ch?'isiian
army of martyrs. I believe - were understood by readers
that the presence of native as defined by writers, those
teachers on Tana has contri- who read would be better pre-
buted much to the safety of our pared to form correct ideas of
brethren on that islan.l. Dur- the lamentable condition of
ing the late excitel11~nt they this people j and those wh~ in
were often urged hy the Tanese the providence of God, may yet
to leave, and for wh'lt reason l'isit these dark islands of tl\l'
they well knew. But Abram, sea, would experience less di,,-
the teacher, who lives with Mr. appointmen1> and be prepared to
Paton said to them: 'I am a find that these Ethiopians have
chief on my own island and do not as yet begun to stretch nut
not live here from necessity. I their hands to God, and that
will not desert the missionary. these isles have yet to begin to
If you kill him we will die to- learn to wait for God's law.-
get-her.' The work on these The following is the "New He-
i;.;lands cannot be carrieo. on bride an definition of the term
either extensively or safely, teacher: A man who leaves
without a large amount of na- home, goes to a heathen land,
tite agency. I will close this builds a house, makes a p1an-
subject by an extract from a ser- tation, assists a missionary in
mon preached by Bishop Se1- building a house, and sets a
wyn of New Zealand, before the good example before the na-
University of Cambridge. He tives. There have been seven
has visited these islands occa- families from Aneiteum living
sionally for the last thirteen on this side of Tana witll their
years, and knew most I'If ou relations, who before leaving
teachers. Speaking ofthe very home were probably requested
class of men in question he says, to flllfH the duties just mention-
 120 TIlE LA~T ~J.\HTYH"

.. Many of these islnn(ls I Yh-it- I'll. Of thl'se famili<-s fhlll"

ed in 'their d:1Y~ of darlmess. have g-OlH' home. Two others
and thC'rcforC' i can rpjoicp in hayin~ )l,ft tlwir ~tatioD>' are at
thl' light that now hur~ts on Jll'l'S('lIt Iidng on the mission
them, f'rom whntl'Vl'r qunrtC'r it IJrC'llIi","'"" am! onl' only remains
1Il:1Y ('/IllH'. I fl'd that therl' j,'; ,:It hi" station. Con~t'l(nt'lltl.y
an 'l'piscopat(' of loY(' as wl'lI as nothing- Ii:l'"' yvt het'n donI' in
of authority: and thnt thcst' tIl!' W:1.\' of (,,,tahli,,hing ,·whool,.
"imple teadll'r" ~('attl'rl"d O\'er amI ollr ]"'()''"'I'I'I'h in this re-
the widl' o('ean, are oh.kct.'< of I,'"'jll'l't an' anything- hut cheer-
the same inten·",t to me that ing-." - ReI' . . r n~ Jlllthe$oll •
. \pollos was to Aquila. I find .,INg. ].I., 1 ,><1 ill.
thl'm in'"'tnll'tl'I! in thC' way
of thl' I,orl!, fl'rn'nt in spirit.
'jll'aking- and teaching dili-
I.wntly thp thi ng-' of tIll' Lord:
am! if in anything tIll'.\" lack
knowll'dt:l' it ,(,('illS to hl'
I).;' duty to expound to them
, tIl(' wa.\' of God more pprfect-
I Y,' and to do thi," a", til('ir
thenl! an(I brother, not as liav-
in~ dominion on'r thl'ir faith.
hut a", i1l'ipl'rs of their j/l,\","-
Ret', .J. (/cddie. ,llIg. :!Ii, 1,-';li1.

.. There is much, very much, I fc'ar out here in Poly-

1I('siall missions, whkh\.; as sOil!llling hrass. and tink-
ling cymhals, m~rl p('rhnps none ~I) llluC'h so ns that of
}Jlacillg' tl':\('I1('rs n Illong till' IH'atill'll. whieh mukes a
l11aryellOllS (,dill in tile (,:11'" of some ttlr otf. The g',)(;,l
which thl',\" (10 is not the rule', bnt the exC'eptiOJ~. I
know not of auything more tl('('('pti\'1' ahollt 0111' work
than this, :tllll I (10 not woneler that some are (le-
('eiYecl. It is chal'lllin'" to meet a teacher on one of
tlw'!(' islands with :l ;~lllJlk'r cf n:1 t i n's around him
reach' to welcome a missionary: ('ould not lund under
othei· cil'C'llll1stances. Bllt who will Ilndertake to proY!'
that a missioll:U",\" i" not as safe :lInllll;..!,· heathen as a
teach,,'r? One who has been seyeral ,'pars out here
says that a white man is as safe among'the heathen as
:t yellow or a black maD. This is true. 'Who 111:1S-
s;tIT('{l mallY Eromangans t'H'llty years ago? Yet the
Tongans and Samoans a few years afterward liYell in
safety 011 the island.
 OF ERO}L\.~GA. 121

"The B:~hop of Xl'''' Zealand has cleei(led the point

Ity making fifty peaceable landillgs among heathen
ti'ih~'s last year. If teachers, then, giye no lllort' :-;\'('\1-
rity tu life, we need not spend time in looking for the
good which they do hy teaching, at least in the X ew
Hebrides where they are lost in its polyglottisll1.
The good which they effect.is mechanieal. In this
way the Rarotongalls as:-;ist('(l missionaries, and in
some instances may han' benefited souI:-; .
•. But ha,ye thet'~ men done uo injury to the canse of
Christ? '" e are not unfrequently remimk( 1- and
not too fl'eqnently - that we may 11(' instrumental in
mining souls, and therefore Ily watchfulness oyer our
t l\\'n spirits, by prayer, and t:1king heed to the doc-
trine, we lllay saye ourselyes and them that hear us.
But who eYer thinks about these teachers ruining
souls? They, poor children, may do SOllle good, hut
no harlll. I haye rcason tn belicyc that on this islaucl
Imt one y()ung man sustained the Christian eharaeter
hd<)I'l' the heathen: and his influcncl' was but passiH~ ;
f()r, though better aequainted with tbe language tlWll
his fellows, he only succeetll't 1 in imparting a few
wrong itleas. TIll' nati:n'~' themselYes say that they
couhl not understand the teadj('l's.
" I etll1 assure ~'ou that in so far as my experiellce
goes, I haye not yet found nny of these men who will
he taught anything - not ('\'en Jlwla since his lmp-
tisll1. 'Vould (:od that the first l'f'presentatives of the
(~ospel on this island had left b(·hind tll(,111 better
yiews cOllcerning Christianity. - an<l that the tC:1cl\!'l's
here now could see that tlley are not yet perfect in
knowledge! None of our trials are eqnal to those
which we haYe in tbis respect. Twice was I threaten-
ed with death by a murderer, who is Jl0W no more:
and one day after leaving my lJoat a ball was sent in-
side, and another passed close hy, the meaning of
which I of course understood quite well. I remarked
to my wife that it was necessary for her to exereise
strong faith in God, ami not be smprised were I to
meet with a violent death.
" Some of the missionaries at the King's Mill Group
122 TIIF. LAST l\IARTYRS

say, 0
that foreio'n native teachers set themselves
•
above
them. I hn.Ye not founel tllem quite so foohsh here!
though sorely grieved by their conduct. But surely if
such men as the Aneiteumese may be sent forth by
llalf·dozens, as some kiwI of representatives of Chris-
tianity, you need not put many searching questions to
young men proposing to go among the heathen. ' Be-
hol(l these Christians how they love each other.' This
love where exhihited, has a converting influence upon
the hateful mIll hating heathen; but the opposite pro-
duces damning effeds .
•, N atiY(' teachers - so called - manifest an ardent
desire to be removell from the society of missionaries,
in onler that they may have Oppoltl{nities of exercis-
ing the power of independent chiefs. Though I have
l:lYishe(1 loyiug kindness on some of these, and endea-
vored to induee them to receive farther instmction,
still, it was all in vain: they are perfect, and seem de-
termined to remain so .
.. Of seven young men taken hence to Samoa, Mana
learned to reacl. Some missionaries thougllt he was a
fit subject for baptism, and to my inexpressible grief
he was baptized. He is at present taking care of the
mission premises at Potina Bay, but is evidently igno-
rant of himself. Of these men, one ont of ten, after
having been carefully taught in the Scriptures for sev-
eral yean" may be selected as school-teachers under
the supervision of missionaries; but a novice is sure
to fall into pride and under the condemnation of the
Dcyil- an cycnt fatal to missionary labour among
the heathen." - G . .LV. Gordon, June, 1859.
The pre ceiling extracts are selections made from ar-
ticles which were published in missionary periodicals.
Under date, Aneitcum, Nov. 8th, 1861, the Rev. A.
W·. Murray wrote as follows to the Rev. J. Bayne,
Secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions, Nova
~cotia :

"Rev. and Dear Sir, - You will no doubt be some-

what surprised to receive a letter from one who sus-
 Ol!' EROMANGA. 123
tains no relation to you from which might arise any
ground to address you on the score of right or pro-
priety. Indeed I feel misgivings myself as to the
propriety of obtruding myself upon you. I yield how·
ever, to the urgent request of my esteemed friend and
fellow·laborer, Rev. John Geddie.
" Mr. Geddie thinks that in the present circum-
stances of your mission here the testimony of one who
has had a quarter of a century's experience of mission·
ary work in Polynesia will be of service to the cause
in encouraging the friends of missions in your church,
and stimulating them to increasing zeal in the prosecu·
tion of the work to which they are committed in these
islands and in which iu past years they have been so
signally owned and blessed. He feels that circum·
stanced as you are the events of the past year must
appear greatly discouraging, and he is concerned lest
they should have the effect of damping the zeal, and
weakening the hands of the friends and supporters of
the mission. * * * * * * *
" There is another subject of some delicacy but of
great importance on which I feel it right to say a word
or two-I mean the subject of Native Agency. My
long experience in missionary work has given me op·
portunies Of forming a judgment in this matter which
fall to the lot of few, and my conviction is that much
has been written of late years by inexperienced men
respecting native teachers that is wholly incorrect, and
that the course of conduct adopted by the same par·
ties has been and is being greatly injurious to the
cause. You may fully rely on the soundness of the
viC'ws of Messrs. Geddie and Inglis, on this and all
other matters of importance relating to missions in
these seas. They are men of missionary experience;
they are men who have proved themselves' workmen
that need not to be ashamed; , and they are men whom
the Head of the Church has signally honored and ..
blessed."
The reader will not fail io perceive whom two of the .
"in~xperienced men" are, who in "writing things
124: THE LAST :1[.\ RTYRS

about native teachers wholly incorreet, were pursuing

a comse of condud greatly injnriou;o; to the cause of
missions;" aUll on their behalf "-l' feel callell upon tu
obserye that-
1. Tlll·.\" did not dis(';tnl nath-e ag('ncy, though they
wrote seyere things concerning some of the agents,
AllIl, 2, They wrote of te:lchers and their work, as
tlH'y found them. As lhl'Y experielll'l'( 1 the good or
eyil effects produced by their tl':whing or example, so
they wrote.
'Vhether the missionaric's tn whom allusion is made,
wrute justly or unjustly, we cannot say; hut be that as
it ma,'" when giying expression to their sentiments
tltey dill so candillly, and in unmistakahle t('rms .
.. Dill yon eyer!' 'Villiams frequentl,\' remarked,
"know one of these pre-eminently prudent men eyer
accomplish anything great or guml ~ " And his bi-
ographer remarks: .. Indeed there ,,,as no reserve in
his nature. In refl'relll'e to mi-;sionary aims and pro-
j(~ds he always spoke and Wrotl' ,,,ith transparent can-
dom' aml ingenuous fi·eedom."
Bnt the questiull is - "'he) are worthy of the dis-
tinctioll- .. men of missiollary experience?" Those
who lahore(l two or three Y('ars OIl Tana and Eroman-
ga, amI acquired a (lblect of the one and till' language
of the otlll'r, - who became acquainted witlt tileir cus-
tUllls, superstitions, and cruel rights, - who experi-
enced an influence fi)l' gOO( 1, in an appreciahle (legree,
exertul hy one or two 1l:lti ve teachers, but for eyil by
many others, and to a greater and "'ider extent.
.Are tllC'y the men? or, Are th~\'lllen who never per-
formed missionary work on either of these islands,
who neyer resided on them saye as yisitors for a short
time, and who are tmacquainted with tileir Janguages
 OF EROMANGA. 125
- Are these the men? If the latter, it matters little
whether their experience be measmed by years or
quarter centuries. "Experience," says Archbishop
'Yhately, "in its strict sense, applies to what has oc-
curred within a person's own knowledge."
"You may fully rely," says Re\". A. "T. Murray,
" on the soundness of the views of Messrs. Geddie and
Inglis, on this and all other matters· of importance,"
etc. Be it so: but is it fair? is it Christians-like to
insinuate, and even to e~1>ress a conviction that much
written by men denominated "inexperienced," con-
cerning things which they have seen and "known, is
not entitled to credence., - nay, that it is "wholly
incorrect? "
Singularly enough, however, a disposition has been
manifested in some quarters, to place more confidence
in the accounts of men residing far away, than ill
those of missionaries laboring on the ground. "Then
then, one residing on an island, either near or distant
some fifteen hundred miles, writes a flattering account
of misf'lionary work in remote fields it is clear that

"Distance lends enchantment to the view."

In the Sixteenth Annual Report of Foreign Mission

Board are these remarks:

"While we advert to the testimony of an Erroman-

gan Agent, it may be well to observe that Mr. Gor-
don's estimates of the people around him, and of his
own labors, do not partake of the bright so much as
of the dark side of the pictme. 'Ye trace this to con-
stitutional temperament, and as it is apparent in all
his correspondence we may fairly conclude that he
reports no favorable circU!nstance which we need take
at any discount."
126 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

Thus bright pictures, however imaginative, com-

mand a premium, while those truthfully shaded pass
slowly at a discount.
We have heard it stated on undoubted authority
that some American Boanls feel not only disappointed
but displeased, when flatteriug reports from their
Agents in the Foreign fidels arc not forthcoming, as
I';l1ch are deemed necessary to prevent contributions
from falling off'. Does the (_'nuse of Jeslls need the
aid of such JC'<;nitical dec'('ptioll? Need we wonder
.
that the kingdoms of this world arC' so slowly becoming
~

the kingdoms of our Lonl un,l or" his Clrrist.

Farther on in tIl<' Rl'1.'ort i:,; tIll' ii)llowing:-
" It may be of ;;0111e scniee to add here the testi-
mony of other missionaries as to the state of l<:X-olUau-
gao Extracts from the jOlll'llal of the Rey. George
Gill, puhlished in the Jli:;sil)/I,rll'Y . .lfayazine and
Ohronicle of the London )Ii·;sionary Society, furnish
us with the following partic'ulars : 'But one chief has
any direct intercourse with )11', Gordon. The wars ill
El'Omallga are not vcry dcstrncti \'e of human life, a-;
the natives haw mallV large :lllll fortified CHxes into
which they retire \ylleil pu~sned. By itinerating lUI'.
Gordon can atlllrc:,;:,; about 100 inclh'iclnals eyery Sab-
bath," etc.
Well, from the united efforts of the two reverend
Georges - the one to shade and the other to color-
one would expect a true picture of Eromanga.
The following extract of a letter to the Secretary of
the Board, written by the Rev. J. W. Matheson will
assist any candid reader in forming a correct opinion
concerning the amount of credence due his missionary
reports. The letter is elated February 1st, 1861:-
" Though we have all along had something of the
form, still we were often afraid we had but little or
 OF EROMANGA. 127

none of the real power of vital godline~s. My inter-

course with the people during the past month, and the
many trying dispensations through which in the pro-
vidence of God we have been called to pass, have con-
firmed the opinion previously formed.
"Lest we should be deceivi!lg ourselves as to the
foundation upon which we were attempting to build,
and thus our poor natives should not have proper ideas
of the advantages, teml10ral and sphitual, derivable
from the Gospel, and of some of the duties devolving
npon those who profess to be followers of Goel, I set
about a careful investigation of the motives by which
they were actuated in attending public worship. I
eommencecl with the chiefs, without whose pel1llission
none dare attend. I began by inquiring about what
they expected to deriYe from the religion of Jesus;
alld why they were so pUllctual in their attendance
upon the house of God, and at the same time were re-
tusing to give up all:' of their heathenish practices.
The following are :-:orne of the reaSOllS which were
assigned.
" Yaresi, who was the first on this side of the island
to apply for teachers, had been to Aneiteum several
years before, and also recently - and was delighted
with the temporal advantages wl,li9h he saw the Anei-
tllmese enjoying, and with the Ploperty in their poss-
ession, all which, he- lrnew was:' obtained by having
missionaries residing among .,them. Taking. it for
granted that he and his peo~le would enjoy similar
advantages if they had teach~rs and missionaries, he
. asked for teachers, and got ten Aneiteum families to
come and live upon his land. These were supplied
with native and foreign property, much of which was
distributed gratuitously among his people. He himself
got many presents for protecting the Aneitumese and
professing to be favorable to the llew religion, until
eventually his sanguine expectations were more than
fully realized. As regatded spiritual blessings he had
not the most remote idea, nor the least desire. When
told that in order to be a s~cere worshipper of thetrue
God they must renounce every false god, abandon

,
128 THE LAST fllARTYRS

their heathenism and sacrifice to none but the only true

aml liying God, he thought I was requiring more of
him and his people than God would require.
"To interfere with their long established customs is
in their estimation an unpardonable sin. Tell them
they cannot sene Go(i accepta1JI,", and at the same
tin;e renouuce none even of the worst of their abomi-
nations, and tlwy do not believC' YOli. Finding: that the
Gospel designs to strike at the very fbundation of their
heathenism, to restrain their corrupt appetites and
passions, to regulate and reform their hearts and lives,
and to llring them under the gOYerIlment of a religion
pure and undefiled, neither Yaresi nor one of his peo-
ple haye been to worship (hIring the past month.
,. =" amua, one of our chiefs, attends regularly during
certain months, but during others never makes his
appe:lr:tIH'l'. FpUll illquiriug about the reason, anel of
the advantages which he hoped to deriyC' from being
uf1llu:e - a worshipper - I learned that he had been
promisecl a passage to Aneiteum in the John Knox
two years ago, and was gin'll to understand that none
but afllace persons should go in her. On recehing
that promise he attended every Sabbath during the
sailing season. It so happened, however, that voyage
after voyage hC' was disappointed in getting away.
Lest being nllsent eYen one Sabbath llay should lead.
them to conclude that he was not afllace, he and some
of his people attended regularly till the vessel was
hauled up at the end of the sailing season. From that
time till she began sailing again last year neither he
nor any of his people came to church even one Sah-
bath day. As there is no good anchorage on this side
of the island she did not call often at this station, so
he was again disappointed every trip last year. He at-
tended, however, until she made her last voyage, since
which time he has not 1)('l'n inside the church door.
* * * * *
"They consider that if they suffer teachers and
missionaries to live among them to supply them with
temporal things, and in a measure to insure the secu-
 OF EROMANGA. 129
rity of foreigners trading with them, the)T are a praise-
worthy people. But so soon as you get a sufficient
acquaintance with their language to recommend to
them the nuspel of Jesus, to interfere with their i(lol-
atry, anc1reqnest them to receive and cmbrace Christ
as freely offered in the gospel, they consider them-
selves justified in treating you as batlly as they CUll in
eyery imaginable shape and form, - in threatening to
take your life, nay, eyen in killing you-if you persist
in speaking to them of Jesus. In short, they will let
you liYe if you let them die in their sins."

If the Rey. A."T. )Iurray had acted as judiciously

as did the Rey. J. ·W. Matheson, perhaps, notwith-
standing the e~l)erience of the one and the non-experi-
ence of the other, he would not have estimated the
a\'oweu Christians of Yate - where there has never
been a European missionary - at about two lm1tdred;
nor would the Author of the "Gems from the Coral
Islands" have reported thiTty Eromangans at Bunkil,
and si:cty-set'en at Dillon's Bay, as haying" renounced
heathenism, and placed themselves under Christian
instruction." - Alas! for the diadem of King Jesus if
studded with no better gems than these! N everthe-
less thus we read: - "For other foundation can no
man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now
if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work
shall bc made manifest; for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall
try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man'~
work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall
receive a reward. If any man's work sbalf be burnt,
he sball suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved;
.ret so as by fire."-1 Cor. iii." 11-15.
Dr. Tm'ller in.his "Nineteen Years in Polynesia,"
I
130 TilE LAST :8IARTTRS

has the following observations on native teachers.

With his remarks, which bear the stamp of a matill'ed
judglllent, we conclude, this chapter : -

"People in England hearing of the native teacher

and jJJ'c((chel', are apt to think of an educated man,
fully qualified for the work which his name indicates;
Imt sut:h is hy no means always the case. If it is an
infant mission where no institution for training native
teachers has been in operation, they are likely to be at
the wry bottom of the seale of literary acquirements.
Take, for example, teachers in the district where I
cUlllmellcecl my lahors in Samoa; If I asked them to
write down on a slate fiftel'lI, three-fourths of them
would write x5, or perhaps 105. That, tQO, is a fair
8pecimen of ,dmt they were in Bible knowledge. At
that early stage, also, it is common to find out that
the strangest (,1'rors have been made, and propagated
as SC1'ipture truth. I discovered one clay that some
of the teaehers had been pl'caching up anu down the
district, giving poor Nebuchadnezzar a tail, snout and
hoofs, awl declaring that he had been actually changed
into :1 J'eul four-footed beast!
" XUI' are such misunuerstanclingR and specimens of
imperfect knowledge to be wondered at. 'Vhere could
the instruction come from? These men have grown
up_in heathenism. They have been but just converted.
They lw.ye the gift of utterance, seem anxious to tell
their fcll.ow-creatures that Christ died to save them,
and arc selected hy the missionary as the best he can
get to take the oversight of a village, conduct religious
services, and do what he can in teaching the people to
read, etc. )Iy teachers being so much scattered I
('ould only assemble them once a week for instruction.
This I found wry inadequate to meet the case.
* '* * • * *
" It must not, however, be supposed that the young
men sent out from the institution, after a four years'
course of instruction, arc all that is necessary for their
work. It is but a distant approximltion. They are
 OF EROMANGA. 131

'Still far from ~he mark of Christian experience awl

intelligence which it is desirable to reach, but which
cannot be reasonably expected either in this or the
nes.t generation. I may perhaps best illustrate this
by a fact or two: I devote an hour cycry day to the
profitable exercise of hearing and answering questions
out of class. At ~ p. m., anyone who wishes infor-
mation on any subject is at liberty to come to my
study prin1.tely for a few minutes j and at that hOllr
there may be seen waiting their turn at my study dour
ten, fifteen, or twenty of the young men. The follow-
ing are some of their questions given almost veruatim
as I noted them. one day out of curiosity : -
"1. What is the meaning of the bottomless pit?
"!!. 'What i~ meant by tears put in God's bottle?
., 3. Why did Christ ask the lame man whether he believed:
did he not know?
., 4. What is meant by the body going- whole to hell?
"5. If a perwn calls me while I am at prayer should I
3nswer him t
.. G. What docs plucking out a right eye mean?
"7. 'Why docs Paul say to the Corinthians that things offered
to idols an: not to be eaten j and to Timothy he says every
'(:reature of God is good?
•. 8. If we feel sleepy at prayer should we open our t'Y!"?
"!I. What is meant by the two daughters of the horse-ll,t'ch?
"10. Why is Athalia called the daughter of Omri as well as
the daughter of Ahab?
"11. How tall was Zaehaeus j how many feet do you sup-
pose?
"12. Why could not the wise men of Babylon read the
writing on the W'aJI?
"13. If the people go out to fish at night should they have
prayer in the canoe at day-light?
"14. What is meant by killing the passover?
"15. What is meant by the evening and morning in Genesis
being called a day!
"1(;. If Christ knew that Judas was bad at heart why did he
not put him down?
"17. What is the meaning of Cymbal? is it an animal, or
what?
"18. Should people shave their beards on the Sabbath?
"19. Is it right to beat a child on the Sabbath day?
"20. If we are repairing a chapel, is it right to take our
dinner inside? •
.. 21. What is the meaning of the people being measured
with lines in 2 Samuel,.viii.. 2 ?
 THE LAST l'fARTYRg

H 22. What is mcant by Satan falling from hca,'cD'?

~,~:~. What is meant by saluting no man by the way'!"
":!4. Did bai~Lh live before Chri~t or after him?
,. :!.5. Is Joseph of Arimithea the same as the Joseph who-
was ~ol(l by his brethren .?

""'e timl it difficult," ael(ls Dr. Turner, "to ham-

mer chronology into the minds of the natives, m; the
h . . t two ql1estions indkate; and it lately occurrptl to
me that perhaps we oursdvcs have increased the diffi-
cult.v by printing the N'~w Testament before the Old:
but tinll' will remove this. I lIl'('(l scarcely alld that
sometimes I was amused with their questions; at
otlwr times I was pleased to see indications of close
real ling and careful thinking; and now and then I was
!-;brtled at their ignorance-, aUlI felt that it was one of
my most ditticult tasks to dive into its depths:"

CHAPTER XIV.
FIRST YEAR ON EROMANGA.

Ii Our prayers be with them - we who know

The value of a BOul to Bave
IIIust pray for thOBe, who seek to show
'l'he heathen hope beyond the grave."
-LANDON.

TIlE labors of 1\Ir. and :Mrs. Gordon on Eromanga

commenced on the 17th of June, 18.57, and terminated
on the 20th of 1\1ay, 1861. The whole period falls
short of four years by nearly one month. Four years,
less twenty~ight days - a short period, some may
~ay. Its length or brevity, how eyer, will depend
upon the standard by which it is measured. When
compared with Moses' term of human life - three-
score years and ten - it is brief; but long beside one~
 ()F lEROMA.."IGA. 133

half of four-score years passed in affluence and ease.

'Who will say that the time over which tl1e persuna-l
ministry of the Saviour extended - three and a half
sears - was a brief period?
Time should not be measured apart from a cOll,;iller-
ation of the circumstances in which it has been pas,;ed.
A year soon glides away in situations where are plea-
sures to allure, companions to enliven, friends to trust,
comforters to console., and religion to bles,;~ as the
ever-varying exigencies of human life require. But
tardily do the months go by in a moral wihlt'J'llC'ss in
which darkness covers tl1e land and gross darkness the
people., - where f-ew and feeble are your fl:iends, ane'
many and malignant are your foes, - where men from
the same nation thirst for your blood, and the canni-
bal longs to feast on your flesh, - where atteml't~
upon yom life are maue by day, and your humble
dwelling is beset hy murderers at night, - "'l1en' the
war-concll- at whose blasts heathen tribes med, in
savage array for deadly conflicts - is sounding at but
short interntls of cessations, - where the wa ilings of
the vanquisheu, the oppressed, the defenceless, the
.down-trodden, and of those sorrowing witl10ut hope,
faU upon the ear, stirring the more tender cmotions~
moving the finer sensibilities of humanity, and ('\'oking
sympathies which not unfrequently only find a suit-
able expression in sighs, in tears, and in groans. A
week spent amid scenes sllch as these is surely l'ljni-
valent to a year passed under ordinary cirCnll1stallC'l''; ;
and a year is a long period indeed when passed in a
laud where no Sal)bath is remembered, - where are
no sanctuaries filled with devout worshIppers, and no
communion of saints, - wbere here and there only a
lone one is found willing to listen to your message or
134 THE LAST )IARTYRS

receive Him who sent you, -where your most sangnine

expectations are not nnfrequently sorely disappointed,
your fair IJrospects doomed to decay, and your most
fomlly cherished hopes to vanish, leaving you, with
the Royal preacher, in your bitterness exclaiming
4, Vanity and vexation of spirit: all is vanity."

At the close of the first five weeks forty persons-

men, women and children - were receiving instruction.
The Ten Comm~ndments, and a few verses of the 95th
Psalm were translated. At the end of ten weeks Mr.
Gordon wrote as follows to 1\11'. Murray: -
"~ow for a few words about the blessedl\Iaster's
work. And, first, what we have not been the means
(>1' doing. 'VeIl, we Imve not yet been the means of
turning ::I.lly of the natives of this durk island from the
pow(.·r of Satan unto God - at least in so far as we
know. ", e have not yet been inr,;trumental in termi-
11ating: the war, in which on our arrintl "\\"(' found the
natiYes of Dillon's Bay engagcrl. "r e have not been
the means of delivering auy of the women, who are
fatling away, fi'om their Egyptian burdens. Nor have
we yet taught any to read well.
,. While writing this letter I was interrupted by an
old chief and his war party. Mana informed me of a
diaholieal seheme for the killing of a neighboring chief
and his men who have fled to the roeks a short dis-
tance from the mission premises for refuge." - Drop-
ping his pen he went out, and on returning wrote;-
" I took him hy the hand and in the name of Jehovah
entreated him to desist from his wickedness. He
seemed impressed by what I said, especially about the
resHrrection of the dead, which I illustI'uted by refer-
}'ing to nature dying and living again through God's
hower. He promised to go home in peace. He is the
cpief who took the body of 1\11'. Harris."

At this period he concluded that there were no more

than 7000 inhabitants on the island, though he consid-
 OF EROlIANGA. 135
ered it capable of sustaining at least 50,000. These
spoke the same language with but little dialectic Yari-
ation. Though some of the natives at Dillon's Bay
were of small stature, in the inland tribes there were
men six feet high, having d,vellings fifteen feet in
height and capable of accommodating twenty persons.
Some of their plantations were as neatly fenced as
gentlemen's gardens in England, if not more so.
Women made neat baskets, and fabrics, used as cloth-
ing, from the bark of a certain plant, ::md in soma
places canoes of a superior quality were constructed.
Caves-some of them strongly fortified-are numer-
ous, and seldom if ever unoccupied. The vanquished
in war flee to these. " I have lately" he adds, " visit-
ed several of these caves for the purpose of getting
their wretched occupants to return to their houses and
plantations."
The Eromangan system of idolatry originated, he
thought, in a veneration for the dead. " Its name-
Natimas - is the one applied to the deael. They
mourn for Natimas, and ~ray to Nati'mas-nivat, that
is, dead man's stone. The priests, or sacred men,
take these stones to their sacred grows. To the
groves few are admitted. Death is the penalty paid
by an intl'~lder into these consecratecl spots. In times
of' distress offerings are presented to the niv((ts. 'With
. the exception of, charm-shells they have no penates-,
household. gods. These shells are used in sickness.
Circumcision is practised, and polygamy prevails.
Grayes are known by a depression of the earth to the
depth of a few inches, and by a stick at each of their
ends. Natives eat nothing.growing within 100 yards
of a place in which their own dead are buried."
136 THE LAST MARTYRS

On November 23, hc "Tote thus to the Secretary of

the Board:-
" Yon will be happy to learn that we are all in
health and strength, eaeh onc engaged at his and her
propel' work, like a number of diggers, sowers, and
planters on a fa!m in spring. The gootl things of
(~od's proyidellc(' are preponderating - as they gene-
rally do - far above the evil, so that we haye more
rea~on to sing than to weep at our work: still the
iiilent tear sometimes steals down the cheek.
" -Were I to state some of the 1)loody am-ays whieh
have occurred uf late, between the for('igll~rs and the
natives - the foreigners revenging the death of some
of their numher who were killed and eaten, and among
the natives themselves at their feasts - yon would,
perhaps, thillk our situation worse than it }'('ally is .
.. I am now busily enga!-!"('d translating some portions
of Scripture, sHch as the first chapter of Gl'llC'sis. In
May, God willing. J hope to ue ahle to pr(,:1e11 the first
prillciples of the <Jospel to nearly all the .Eromangulls
while on a mi:,;sionary tour which I pnrpos(' makillg,
and for which much preparation is llC'cC's:-.ary. X0I1('
of the chiefs have as yet favored us in our work."
To the same he wrote thllll on the 2nd Jan. 1F;.j8 : -
•. The natin:s are now pretty generally acquuinted
with me aml the object of my mission. TIut I have
less to fear from caunibals in remote di:4rids, than
from some ncar at hand >who have been m~Hle, if pos-
sible, two-fold more the children of the .levil than
they formerly were, by their connection with wicked
1oreigners.
"~ince my ulTh'al I huYC had a vast amount of
manual labor to perform. Though house-building here
is not what it is with yon; yet, among a people not.
dispose.l to lend a helping hand, the construction of' a
house during the first year of a mission, absorbs mu('h
tillie. The house which ~ce built "ith scantling taken
from Aneiteum, wus only occupied a few weeks. The
building, therefore, of a second on the high t~,ble-land,
 OF EROMANGA. 137

making a road, and erecting a school-house, in six

months, with not a half dozen natives on whom to de-
pend for assistance, have given me more hard labor
than once I thouO"ht I could have accomplished in one
year even under~ more favorable circumstances. Yet
thro~gh the abounding mercy of God I :lln this day
stronger than when I an-h'ed here."
We close the chap~er with his narrative entitled
"ONE YEAR ON EROMANGA."
" One year is an important portion of a man's life.
It is especially so to one whom God has given many
opportunities for whming souls to the Hedeemer. I
felt this keenly at the expiration of the first year of
the Halifax City Mission, but now more so than ever.
, As our friends will expect some account of our pro-
ceedings on Eromanga during the last year, I must
not disappoint them, though report-making is not the
most agreeable part of my duty.
"On landing we did not find any native teachers.
Engaged in house-building the first two months we ob-
tained but little information concerning the character
of our.field of labor. But in August I began to itin-
erate - a most delightful work. Ever since, as a
colporteur, I travelled oyer the beautiful hills and low-
lands, and the meandering rivers of my own pleasant
country - where loying-kindness, like its gentle re-
ii'esbing streams, often revives and gladdens the hearts
of wayfarers - ever since that pedod I can throw
my whole soul into itinerating.
"The popUlation at Dillon's Bay is not large;
though there is a fine fertile valley there through
which flows a gentle river. This valley was peopled
about twenty years ago; but since that ,time many
of its inhabitanj;s have been killed by foreigners,
and the remnant, telTified by the deadly fire-arms of
Europeans, have fled to the mountains and inland
valleys. Consequently, we.were several days on Ero-
manga before we saw ten natives. These circum-
stances accolmt for Captain Erskine's supposing the
 138 TIlE LAST 1I1ARTYRS

population of this island to have been wry small. I

found, then, that I eoul<l only benefit the natives gen-
erally by itinerating frcqu0ntly.
,. In S('ptPIllIJt'l' I visited all the settlements in the
vicinit\" of Dillon's Bay, and went into their war camps
and faiti fie( 1 p laecs - some of which ba W' houses inside
- without opposition. I next proceecll'(l fifteen miles
southwanl, where Ifouwl the natives generally in a
yery 1I11spttled state - and I am sorry to state they
are' so still. In their ruling <lesire for wal', amI physi-
cal appearance, they resemble the TancsC'. Fighting
- unwearied fighting, - killing some, l,ut wounding
many mol'l', ancl destroying plantations, is their o('cu-
pation. Two teachers whom I sent to this part of the
island returned to the Day: I howev0r found the na-
tin's fri(·ndly. In Decemf,0l' I prol'C'edec1 northward,
and fouwl an interesting inland estnhlislunent near '
Elizabeth's Bay. Subseqnently I visite(l tilis settle-
ment monthly, got the natiYes to huilc.1 JIll' a .little
nWding-house, and lately settled the only Aneiteum
teaclH'l's which I had among them.
,. The rainy season approaching I could not itinerate
much tilll\Iareh. I then proceeded to the north end
of the islau(l, but only fouml ren11la11ts of funnel' tribes.
Some year..; ago many of the natives in tLis quarter
• were taken ott' by disease. Those lidng there ut pre-
sent say it ,,-as brought by the hatcltl·ts of a sallllal-
wood Yes-wI.· Thi..; disease, which I think was the
8111:l11-I'0:-':, and an epillemie which yisitcil the island se-
veral year,., :tp;" (from the cluuds, they say), appears to
have l'at otr at least one-third of the entire population.
- As this part of the island contains ehietly fiue pas-
ture htl1(l,;;, the horses, eows, and goats of foreio'ners
are thriving on its pleasant mountains. 0

" Haying thus become acquainted with the island in

the north, south, and west - since I had no boat - I
felt anxious to cross the mountains to visit tllC eastern
portion, which is the most populous and important
part of Eromanga. This missionary tour, through the
goodness of God, I was enabled to make in :May.
"On the morning of the 29th taking with me two
 OF EROMANGA. 189
teachers and two natives-we ascended the mountains
of Dillon's Bay by torch-light. About mid-day we
had the pleasure of seeing, from the top of a mountain,
the blue ocean to the east, and the eastern side of
Eromanga, which appeared in Tahitian grandeur. 'Ve
continued to prosecute our journey along the native
paths, which led through splendid forests containing
large trees, and over living streams whose murmuring
waters with the solitary lays of the feathered tribe
reminded us of life even'in this land where death still
reigns. Never before had I seen such charming
scenery as here presented itself to view, on. the right
hand and on the left, as we journeyed towards Potina
Bay. In some places", on the narrow ridges of moun·
taillS, we walked beside natural galleries, whence,
looking down, we beheld on either hand gorgeous val·
leys decorated most tastefully b)~ the Creator's hand.
I felt, then, that I had something more to admire than
when walking through the magnificent galleries of the
Crystal Palace. By sunset we reached Potina Bay,
around which the country presented the same rich and
fertile aspect. Here a lofty mountain -visible from
the west side of the island - stands in Tahitian rna·
jesty and grandeur, between Potina and Cook's Bays.
It is locked by the land, though at a distance it ap.
pears detached.
" On reaching the sea-shore I sat down to ease my
weary legs, and was soon surrounded by about thirty
natives. These seemed not a little surprised on
hearing a stranger speak in their own tongue of the
wonderful works of God. Before leaving, I requested
them to come next morning, and bring their fi'iends,
when I would speak to them more of the words of life.
Next morning, nearly one hundred men, women, and
c~ildren, came, and we preached to them the first prin.
clples of our holy religion. They manifested consider.
able attention, but frequently inten'Upted me by asking
each other questions on the new doctrine, some of
which they continued repetting. The Fifth Command.
ment, and Christ's new commandment elicited much
attention. They have quite an Oriental ear for figures,
140 THE LAST llARTYRS

and readily understand some important truths when

thus illustrated.
" Having obtained a spot of ground for mission pre-
mises at Potina Bay, lIcit one of the young men with
his conntrymen and returned. On our way home we
spent a night with an inland tribe. "'c ,,:(>re treated
very kindly, for a pig was killed and a fea!'.t mncle for
us. Now, we are very well acquainted with natives in
eYery impurtant settlement, by our visits to them and
theirs to us. They come to see the iU'iil1e of our
house, um1 to hear Mrs. Gordon play on the Harmo-
neum. On first hearill~ illstrumental ml1sic~ some are
quite iHghtene(l ; but ,,:hen asslll'~d no strau;.!e spirit is
at work they become quite eharmed and go through a
variety of grotesque mancellvres. I need scarcely say
that it is a 1lso1utely necessary to treat the natives "\lith
the lltlllU:;t kindness and allow them to take unpleasant
lil)ertics, till by and by tlll'y may learn to appreciate
some of the excellencies of etiqllette. Some mission-
aries Ray natiws of these islands cannot !'(·d as do
Europca'lls, and that in correeting them they may be
spoken to more sharply; but such (lues llot aeeonl with
my experic'llee mnong them.
" The liangt'r to which missionaries arc exposed in
these islands generally arise from two sol1l't'l'S; first,
from the ('xistl'llce of silent, secret hatre(l, on account
of unreyenged injuries; an(l, secondly, from a deceit-
ful, mal ig'llD.llt hatred cherished hy sacre'll men on find-
ing that the new religion w(>akeus their intluell('e. I
wa~, thvl'('fore, under the necessity of aeting prudently
when yisiting new places. But now, haYing a pretty
good knowledge of the language, I am ellabled to
spend nights among them with more C'oufidence than
f~rI?erly; and i~l places, too, where they arc actually
In1lll1;.!: and eatmg eaeh other, anI 1 eYl~n where fo..
reigners have been killed Rince we camc to Eromungu..
There is not much to fear so long as we keep ;ur
quiycr well filled with arrows steeped in the love of
(;lu·ist. These on reaching their hearts disann thf'm
of the·ir natiye enmity. On a late tour I only met with
one man who, after the first interview, coi'ltinued to
 OF EROIlIANGA. 141

manifest a deadly hostility. Finally, he too became

much subllnell.
"Let it be understood, however, that they. do not
esteem me 010 anyone bearing the name of' III I:ssionary,
on account of the doctrines which we preach. In
general they only show kindness when they haw some
hope of being repaid. They tell us they will make
nerot-worship-if we pay them; anll, having at-
tended sen'ice a few Sabbaths, they demand payment
as a right, and ('all us liars if refused. Of course they
are yet but heathen serving theil' OW11 fabl' gOlls.
"Their dark superstitions are prolific of' horrid
cruelties. The patriarchal form of' govenunent ob-
tains. After death a patriarch is deified and called
Nate ili(l S - dead patriarch. Ea('h family has one such
god. They frequently worship Natemas where there
is neither temple 01' idol. Otferings to the gods are
presented in mean little temples erected in sacred
groves and elsewhere, with this prayer: • Accept this
offering. Protect mc, and kill my eneIuies.' Tile rats
a.ccept all :mcllive well by these altars. Their idola-
try has les8 materialism about it than that of some
heathen tribes. Like some of the Korth American
Indians, they may be induced to receive Christianity
without having any right views of its nature. They
say theil' ancestors worshipped a species of serpent-
8till found here - and for which they have a supersti-
tious regard.
'~They have some notion of a Hades but none of a
Paradise. Niswate is the name given to the unquench-
able fire of their Hades. Like the Tanese they believe
110 one dies a natural death. A neighbor is blamed j
and thus the most deadly enmity is perpetuated from
generation to generation. This accounts in part for
theil' interminable wars. In these many have recently
been wounded, and some slain.
"The wounded
. are generally women and children ,
wh0 are III great terror on such occasions. One of
the'se, trembling like a leaf, one day ran and caught
hold of Mrs. Gordon for protection. When fieeillg
142 THE LAST MARTYRS

before their pm'suers, they scale rocks and mountains

with the swiftness of roes.
"After several months' persevcring efforts, 1\lrs.
Gordon succeeded in getting a little gJrl- not es-
poused-to live with her. In handiwork, and learn-
inO' to rend she made considerable progress. One
calm morning, all nature being at rest (though this
child was not so), while sweeping the tloor, the broom
suddenly dropped, and she was soon out of sight
among the mountains. - "That has frightened the
child? we l'IHluire. An enemy ,,'as near - the enemy
of her peace and futme happiness. She heard the
voice of her nnbeloved, intended husband, and his
approach struck terror into her gentle soul. The
accents of his voice g:lYe a snpernatmal fleetness to
her feet which enabled her to distance all her pursuers.
"A consultation was then held conccrning putting
her to death. When found, next day, she was in a
valley lIear the mission premises. She was beaten
unmercifully, then dragged off' and not allowed to re·
main with us to learn the new religion. That was to
us a day of bitter grief. *
"'YoBlcn are all betrothed when very young, and
marked ",itli the figure of a leaf stamped by charcoal
on each cheek. Henceforward that is the brand of
slavery. Their existence is thus so much embittered
that death is frequently chosen rather than a life dur-
ing which all the finer feelings of their natures are out-
raged. They commit suicide by blind-folding their
eyes, and then casting themselves down headlong from
the tops of trees or projecting rocks on the sea-coast,
and are thus dashed to pieces. Some of these down-
trodden creatures on hearing the first blasts ·of their
Jubilee trumpet, said: '0 but we do love you!' But
a deliverance proclaimed for them on one occasion well
nigh cost me my life. The one who made the attempt
to take it was afterwards cut off by savaO'e hands.
The disparity b~tween the sexes is nearly a~ great as
in India. Infanticide is the principal cause.

* This poor, hapless girl never got back to her mieU'ess.-Au.

 OF EROMANGA. 143
"The cloth made here is rougher than ihe seapa of
the ~am( lall women; but some of their dresses are
more neatly ",rO\wht than any that I have seen either
c ~
in Tana ~' Aneitemn. The chiefs are generally adh'e
men. I lately attended two councils of war helel at
Dillon's Bay :1llc1 succeeded in making one of them at
least, of none df('ct. One mountain trihe states that
after I bad spoken to them on, the subject of war1
they went on several occasions and pl::mtt'll themsl'lves
near those whom they clt'"ired to kill, but ('011 III not
fight as in tilll(,S l':l~t; and knillg eaten their food,
returned horne peacefully, and were afterward opposed
to war.
,. As this island has been the principal emporium of
the Sandalwo"d tru(le in the ); ew Hebri<1('>':, the con..
duetor of oue l'stablishrneht has statiolls all aronnd it.
By concentrating his forces he has been able to punbh
the natiw,;; tor crimes committed against f(l\'l·iglll'rs,
Several in his employ wert' killed during the In"t year;
and on that account two El'Oll1:111!2::UlS, ulleonyietell of
crime, lost their lin·s. Many lins are lost in this un~
hallowed trade. J 1\ nearly eycry boat-landing place
which I huH' seen the natives pointed out spots where
foreigners were killed. But the Lord reigns and u\'l'r-
l'ules for good the wickedness of men. He gives us
access to heathen lalHls, though he still leaves the WilM
derness intestl'(l with fiery serpents. From the late
interesting report of· Bishop Selwyn it is obvious the
natives of Polynesia are most accessible where the
people have not had intercourse with foreigners.
"This excellent'missionary is now doing all that
can be done for the heathen of these islands, until
occnpied by foreign agents who can acquire their po--
lyglottism. It is indeed cheering to see a Christian
gentleman so learned as the Rev. lUI'. Pattieson spend-
ing and being spent for the benefit of these lost is.
landers. No visits which we receive are so profitable
to us as those made by these men of God.
" I find medicine of much servire in O'ainiu
b
a an in-
flnence over the natives. 1t would have gone b m with
me, I think, in two remarkable cases had it not been
144 THE LAST MARTYRS

for the seeds of gratitude sown in their hearts by this

means. On one occa.;;ion I lost considerable influence
by the death of a patient from sloughing ulcer. He
would not persewre in the proper use of lotijns. But
I am happy to lIe able to state that my reputation is
so far established that messengers come for me a dis-
tance of five or six miles to go and visit sick persons.
Some dedare we have brought health with us. In
March somc Talll:'SC went about this island, and put
evil thoughts intu many minds by saying evil was
brought to Tana l,y missionaries - that tile new reli-
gion hronght sickness and death. A mceting was held
at Dillon':.: Bay, at which it was decided, after serious
deliberation, that the reverse had been the case in
"Eromanga.
" I am now beginning to preach the Gospel, and I
feel confi(lellt that in those places where it shall -he
preached the bright star of the Eromangall's resurrec-
tion morning from sin and death will soon arise.
Even now I pen:eive indications of his approach on
the dark horizon. - I hear a sound - What is it?
Behold, he prayeth! Another too, and- Behold he
prays! "

CHAPTER XV.
SECOND YEAR ON EROMANGA.
" Ah, be not sad, although thy lot be cast
]<'ar from the flock, aDd in a boundless wal\te !
No shephc:ds',tent8 within thy view appear,
But the ehtel Shepherd even there is ncar.
Thy t~ndcr 80~ro~H and thy pla.intive strain
Flow 10 a foreIgn land, but not III vain;
'l'hy tears all i8sue from a source divine
And every drop bespeaks a Saviour thi~e-
1:10 Ollel' in Gideon's fleece the dews were found
And drought on all the drooping herbs around.1'
-COWPER.

ENCOURAGING features presented by the 1\:[ission this

year were accessions made to the band of missionaries.
July 8th, 1858, the Rev. J. W. 1\:[atheson and 1\:[rs.
 OF EROMANGA.

Matheson arrived in the New Hebrides, as agents of

the Presbyterian Chmch of Nova Scotia; and the Rey.
Mr. Paton and Mrs. Paton and the TIl'Y. J. Copeland,
of the R. P. Chmch of Scotland, on the 27th of August.
On the morning following the arriyal of 1\11'. 1\1athe-
son, the brethren of Aneiteum met for eonsultation
concerning the location of the mis~ionaries who had
recently arrived. The deputation of the London l\Iis-
sionary Society present were imitec1 to correspond.
The Rev. Mr. Geddie, who presidl'll, presented the
claims of the New Hebrides group, and of the Loyalty
Islands, "adding," writes Mr. Matheson, that he .. had
been requested by some of the brethren of the L. 3[.
S. to co-operate with them as far as possible in locat-
ing teachers and missionaries upon that group. To
comply with that request neither he nor 1\1r. Inglis felt
justified, from the fact that it would in all probability
bring them into collision "ith members of other deno-
minations ; therefore, after matme deliberation it was
unanimously agreed that we should remain on Anei-
teum till the arrival of the Re\,. Messrs. Copeland and
Paton, of the Reformed Presbyterian Chmch of Scot-
land, who are expected about the latter end of this
m6'nth."
When Mr. Matheson arrived in the New HelJrides
his health was considered too delicate to enter immedi-
ately upon the arduous duties and trials of missionary
work' in a new field. His own wish was to become
engaged in the work with as little delay as possible.
From a letter of Rev. J. Inglis dated Aneiteum, Jan.
25, 1859, we are informed that it was Mr. Matheson's
desire to be located on Lifu. l\Ir. Inglis writes:-
•
"l\Ir. Geddie and I received several letters from our
J
 14G THE 1.AST MARTYRS

missionary brethren in Samoa, suggesting that as the-

Lovalty Islands are so much more healthy than the
Ne'w I-Iebdc1C's, it might be well to consider the pro-
pril'ty of settlin~ 1\11'. Matheson on Lifu: or if that
should not j,(~ agn'l',l to they would willingly appoint
him to a sLltiun on :-i;UllO:L. The deputatil)n and MI'.
('\,(':1gh W('I'l' wry (l('.sirous that he should be settled
un Lifu ; anclM1'. Creagh ofi'erell to leaye his station
011 ::\lare and take up :t ~t:Lti()ll 011 Lifu contiguous to
ltlr. Matbl'~o!l. ltl1'. ::\latheson hilllsdf was also Yerr
dv"irous of bein~ IOl':ltell on Lifh. His instructioll's
frum tile 1\Iis-;iul; J;u;lrc1 Wl'n', that in the selection 1)1'
a field of laLur he ,,'as tu be guided by 1\11'. Gelll1ie's
,iews :lud mi Ill'. ILtI.1 ,ye gi H'lt our sanction to these
l'l'(l[l"s;lls they woulll have prol'ceded at once to Lith
. in the Jollil lI'illiulIIs."
The follon'ing is an extract of a letter written by
tlle Hey~. 1\lusri. Copeland :md Patun after their ar~
ri";ll in the ~L'\\' Hebrides; it is dated Oct. ::!;'>, 18DK:
" A few days after our arrival a meeting was held
for the purpose ot arranging alJuut out' settlement and
that of 1\11'. :'IIathesOll, :lud ::\11'. (~eddie then :-;tatecl
tltat tltvrl' wen' s('veral places on this group wherc a
Illi,;~il)llary eould be located, viz., on Fotuna and
Aniwa, at Port Resulution and Anaicamcka, on Tana,
Potina Bay, Eromanga, etc. - After some conycrS:l-
tiOll, it \\'as agreed that Tanu, from its importance.
should be the fielll of labor for all of us, and that as
tlte sailing: f;l'a';l ill was far aflYancell, two missionaries
should meanwhile be settled at l~ort Resolution, and
one on the south-east of the island."

~ov. 30th, the Rev. J. Inglis wrote as follows to

the Reformed Presbyterian Synod's Committee on
Foreign Missions:-
·'1\lr. anc1l\Irs. Paton are settled at Port Resolution.
amI Mr. and Mrs. Matheson at Umairareker, on th~
south side of Tana. 1\lr. Copeland remains in the
 ()F EROMANGA. 147

mean time with ~[r. Paton: but as 1\1r. Matheson's

health continues still delicate Mr. Copeland will go
between the two stations till the hUlTicane months are
over, and lend his assistance at whichever place his
presence ma~' be most beneficial. Beiore' the arriy:t!
()f Messrs. Paton and C'opdand, Mr. Geddie and I
agreed that we should open these two stations lir:-;t."

In connection with the sending fi)rth of laborers and

their subsequent location in a foreign field, the wide
departure, in some instances, from the example set by
Christ cannot fail to strike even an ordinary observer.
,\Ve hold that in everything it is almlYs Hafe to follow
the Lord Jesus; and were he followed in this matter,
in no instance would lllissionarie~ be sent forth in
single file to contend against the powers of darknesl-i.
We know not why the example of the Chief Mission-
ary should ever be deemed of sueh sma II moment as
to be set aside, when human wisdom sees the expedi-
ency of pursuing a different course .
.. But," it is argued in extenuation, "though the
principle of sending them forth two and two is sound.
amI though it has not always been adopted, still it has
not been overlooked." To this a reply may be given
in Christ's own words: "That sen"ant who knew his
Lord's will, and prepared not, neither did according to '
his will, shall be beaten with many stripes."
" It is not good for man to be alone." Even look-
ing at the subject from a common-sense point of view
we see that the Lord's alTangement was in accordance
with the felt necessities of humanity. But especially
is it required in order to promote the advancement of
Messiah's kingdom. Each has his wants and infirmi-
ties. Everyone has his own proper gift; and it was
~o arranged by Cluist that the deficiency of one dis-
148 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

('iple might in some lll(':umre be supplied by the abun-

dance of another's gifts. lIenee we see associated
Petc.r - bold awl impetuous - with John - retiring
and gentle; Luther - intrepi(l and lion-like - with
.M elancthon - timid and Iluve-like.
"Let everything bl' clone decently and in order,"
Paul enjoins, emhodying in a prec'('pt what Christ ex-
emplified in practice. - " And he calleel the twelw.
and began to send tIH'lll fil1th hy two amI two.-l\1ark
VI. I. " After these thillgs the Lon1 appointe(l otlH'r

~(~\"('nty also, aIlll sent them two and two hl'icwt' his
fa('(' into every city and place whether he hill1s('lf
would come." - Luke x. 1. It is remarkahle, too,
that eyen in the lI:tmillg of the Apostles they are
grol\ped in pairs - ~imon and Andrew; .James amI
.John: Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas :lml .:\Iat-
thew; James alHl l",bh(,lls; Simon and Jtlllas; and
aft('rward we re:111 of Paul and Barna1):ls. Thl' sequel
will show whether it prospered with the Presbyterian
Church of the Lmyer Provinces of British North
America in departing from the prineiple and practice
of the Lord J csus Christ.
March 16th, Mr. Gordon wrote thus to the Secretary
of the Board: -

"Eromanga has again been stained with foreign

blood. A foreigner and I a few clays ago counted
nearly thirty persons who were killed while landinO' on
this islaml; and now seven more are added, besides
others of whom we ha H' no knowledge. Three Euto-
!Jeans and four Polynesian:-; were killed at Cook's Bay,
a few days ago, a place about three miles from one ot'
our new mission stations, and their bodies, of course,
cooked and eaten. Some of the number escaped to
the water, and others to the mountains, but they were
 OF EItO~IA:SG.\. 149

pursued by the horrible savages, and not one spared

who fell into their hands. l'he following is Mall:t'S
account of this sad occurrence: - , A man of Eroma.ll-
ga stole away a native woman from the premises of
the forei!!;llCrS, on account of which they became l'll-
raged, a~d having gathered togl'til<.'r ail their party.
for revenge, spoiled the plallt:ltiollS of the nati \'es, and
killed their pigs. The Eromangans thus injured Sl'nt
for their allies of the southern sdtlements and resolved
to take vengeance on the foreigners. Some of the
more merciful among them sent word to the foreigners.
telling them to clear out, or evil would surely ()\'('l'L1k,~
them next morning. They took not warning. On the
following morning while some were carrying water awl
others preparing for breakfast a host of enraged t'au-
nil,:tls rushed upon them killing all but one or two
who escape(t ba(Uy wounded.'
"I have not yet heard the foreigners' report, :1 __
Captain Edwards, taking hi'i wife, has left hurriedly
for New Cale(lonia, along with some wonndefl nativns.
A dark cloud seems now to be pa.;sing over this island.
Satan's reign seems almost triumphant. EYen now
while writing the chiefs all around me are consulting·
about war. I fear they will be emboldened to do
much more wickedly since their late success j anr 1 if
they shonld rise against us to-morrow, I do not know
six natin's who woultl cleave to n". :Nothing but the
restrainillg grace of God hinders them from doing
more wickedly, for they have real Sepoy hearts.-
~()me foreign traders and missionaries regard natiws
of this island as English officers did the Indian regi-
ments of Sepoys previous to the rebellion. But I Ii:! \'('
told the former that they were (iuite ignorant of their
eharacter - that none <?f them are yet Christialls.
though a few attend on Christian instruction- that
they are full of deceit, guile, and wid(cdness, 1)1'ing
only restrained from theft and open wickedness through
f~ar of f()\"<.'igners. ' ~o,' replied one a few days pr(!-
VlOUS to the late ocemTence, 'you expect too much
from them; life is now p?3rfectly safe over all the
~sla.nd. 'Vhere will you find such natives as the Ero-
I!)O THE LAST MARTYRS

n1:l11g'aus?' I remarked that if he made such state-

ments to the young men with me, they would say he
did not know them.
'" Satan is in them, and there is hut one remedy for
them - regeneration. I am happy to state that a few
Sl~em to begiu to understand this truth. A consider-
al,le number of interesting women now attend on the
means of grace, and :.;;cem to think there is a special
ble.''1sing in the (~o;:;pel for theln. But we have much
difficulty in. getting temales inside the school-room, be-
cause for coming there some have been cruelly treated
by wicked men. I have but little hope of the few na-
ti vC',;; at Dillon':.; Bay, but more of those of Potina Bay .
.. The last few months have been sickly. 1\11':';;. Gor-
dOll suffered much, having been ill six weeks. Yester-
day we moved into the fifth house since coming to
Eromanga; and I am sure I need not tell you the diffi-
culties with which we had to contend when sneh
changes were needed in less than two years. ,\Vhat
thanks call we render to Goel for strength so graciously
~iven to enable us to ' endure hardness' on this island.
The best house which we have hall is now in a healthy
situation, and in the centre of the native villages of
t.hose who begin to take some interest in our work.
Mrs. G. is getting quite strong again. I intend to
make this place the permanent mission premises 01
Dillon's Bay. It is about 1,000 feet high; and good
pa.;;turage and water are near."
On the 23rd he wrote: -
"Great excitement continues. The natives are
rushing to war from all quarters; ancl I fear that ere
the sun sets women and children will be placed on
moen-stoneR. Is this to be the last struggle of Satan
for universal dominion on Eromanga? God can cause
it to be so.. ~Irs. G. counted sixty at one time yester-
da:.> all gomg ~o fight; and I met another party with
tht>tr faces pamted red and black - horrid 100kinCT o
~Yretches. I overtook a war party yesterday, and see-
mg among them those whom on the Sabbath days I
had warned of the danger of living in sin, spoke to
 Ol!' EROMANGA. 151
them. Some ran off. On being asked by others why
they were running away they replied, '0, :Missi has
spoken to us.' Some go to war now with a' conscience
not quite so clear as formerly. The chief who took
part in l\ir. Williams' murder is now beside me and
promises to resist the request of those who urge him
to fight."

Again on April ~:th he wrote ~ -

" Never before has it been my painful lot to record

-so many calamities as during the past few weeks.
Oh! my heart is smitten with unutterahle grief, while
writing the sad tidings of the death of .Mrs. Paton, and
her child, at Port Resolution. 'We have just heard of
their death, but none of the particulars. It is quite
impossible to describe our feelings this morning since
" the receipt of these sad tiding,>. The circumstances
are of a character so painful, none but those living
~lmong heath~n can realize them. 1Yhat disturbed
nights they had there recently, as the heathen were
threatening their lives! and the depressing influence of
the climate, too, where the atmosphere is pent up as in
Dillon's Bay, and immortal souls perishing arouml
them - all pressing so heavily upon our brethren, too
heavily for human endurance without the" aid of our
never-dying friend! ""Vho but the unfailing Friend
ean comfort those cast down, as our dear brothel' now
is in sorrow that must be overwhelming his soul?
"Some of the foreigners haye just killed an Era-
mallgan and taken his wife in re\'enge for those recent-
ly massacred. I fear a general rising of the natives
for they are 'now threatening all foreigners. 1Ve are
truly living in the midst of perils. An old woman,
too much crippled to run for her life has just been
killed; and those seeking the lives of their fellows are
walking about our place to-day, armed. Four foreign
natives were massacred .with the three Europeans.
Two others died, but were not killed in so far as I can
learn."
152 THE LAST ~rARTYRS

The death of 1\[1":'. Paton occurred on the 3rd of

)Iarch. and that of her child-born on the 12th of
FI'hrual'y - on the :.Wth. The first was an event as
swlden as it was unexpeeted, a circumstance whieh
increaserl the sewrity of the stroke. Loved and
rcspectl'll while liying. her decease was a source of
gn'at grief to her more immediate fricnds, called forth
many expressions of regTct, an(l ~"oked for her l)e-
reawll husband the sympathies of multitudes who had
llCyer uchelcl his faee. ·With his own hands he was
obliged to prepare for his wife and child a final resting
place. and then lay them in the tomb. These mournful
funereal obsequies oYer, he foun(l himself alone with-
out an earth-born one with whom to share his few joys
or dh"ide his numerous sorrows - with nought m'oullll
to easc his smart or mitigate his woes. In sad soli-
tude - a stranger in a sayage land - he sank down to
fulfil tile days of his mourning for his youthful wife
a1l<1 ten(ler iufant - the former being in her twentieth
year and the latter slIniYing hiS mother scarce that
lllullber of (1:1)"s .
•
SECOXD .\XXU.\.L REPORT •

.. Another war of the mission on this dark island

has just encl~d- a year of hard .trials, dangers, and
bitter sorrows, and such as we neyer before ~xp('ri­
(,llcell. As regards health, Mrs. Gordon has suttered
ii'om the elimate l1luc-h more than I h:1.\"('. In July she
hall an attack of fewr, and again in February and
March, was in a low state for sL~ w('cks, but at pre-
sent has prospects of enjoying excellent health. Hith-
erto the Lord has helped us; and in the retrospect of
another year we have much-yery much reason to
call to grateful remembrance merciful deliverances
from siekness, death, and numerous evils by which we
l1ave been sWTounded.
 OF ~ROllf.\XCA. 15:3

"The eltange of residence to the mountain south ()f

\Villiam,,' 1'i n'r coc;t us no little lahol' awl t.,il mll"1\,r
ungrateful heathen, who in their awful l1arl;Jl('~s ca~
haye no c;ympath~- whateyer "'ith us in sHeh labors.
Haying at an t'ady period seen the ahsolute necessity
for making this chall!..!,'\'. I 'Hote to our constant fl'ivnd,
nIl'. s. Thompson ot' Sy(luey. for a thull:,:l\lIl feet of
boards f!,T(II)Ycll aml tongued, and some scantling with
whieh to make a hOllse fit to inhabit. I would not
receive as a gift the crooked, nmvork:thk scalltlul~
furnishl·;j b,' these islands, unless it could 110t be 011-
tailll'rl eJ:.;l'~Yhere. The next missionary cOl!Jillg here
should attend to this matter ].e!iH'e leayill,c; Sydlll'Y'
Our mission prellli,-.;cs arc half a mile from the harlll iI',
and the church, in course of erection, about 011e mile,
each commanc1illg u fine yiew of the Bar. \Ve sllull
cmica YOI' tn sel~c1 ~kd,ches of them by'the retul'll of
the .John \Yilliams. A small house has 1ll'Cll erectl,r!
at Potina Bar, aIH 1 there are nw-terials there for a
better one. ~neh han' been some of our meehanic:ti
labor.; rlm'illg the 1:1st. Yl'ar. - But. \"hat is tlw chaff to
the 'vhent'~ - \\That the mechanical to the spiritual ~
" I conlc1 only st:1t(' last year that SOllll' of the first
princil'le.s of the Uospel h:ld been communicated; hilt
can nm, say that the truth is so pl'eadw( I to tlw undc' ,'-
standing..; of tliP natiyes as to atlect their COllscil'l:(,l'S.
And ne~'C'r again shall I lift up my hand to ll~\ptize un
indivi(lu:d uuless I haxe some ('ville-llee that tlIc Spirit
has COJUlncrrl of SIH. I think I asked every missioll-
ary ",holll I met in Eastern. amI \" estern POlYllcsi:l
important questioilS on this subject, but sl·I,lolll l'('-
('eiYC'II satisfactory allswe!'s. Oh! th:-lt YOIl would not
cease day or niglit to beseech G oel to s~llIl His Holy
Spirit among us to convince this dead dark world ,.1'.
sin. \Y (' lIlay all do much, yery much good among
the heathell ,\'ithout any becomil1~ really ('lllIverted.
I belieye that God has giYCll me some power to preach
to the COnScIl'llCeS of this people; but I feel that the
real power of preachini to conversioll rcsts not so
much in this as ill that precious gift 'which Isaiah had
of exhibiting Jesus Christ in the bowels of compassion,
 154 THE LAST MARTYRS

a" the propitiatory sacrifice for sin. Herein lies the

Jl,,,,,er of that wisdom given to those who are wise in
winning souls to Christ j ana in this I am especially
deficient. Oh! pray for its supply.
,. On questioning the heathen about their horrid
practic~:::l they do not manifest any signs of shame, but
simply reply: 8nnkn kwn 1nenumpi - thus we do. I
wish you could haye been here when, a few days ago,
I leetnrl'll on Deut. xxxii. 14 - 26, and witnessed the
power of the truth in the exceclling shame which
eau-;cd many heads to bow. I eanuot venture to lift
HI(' yeil to giye you a glimpse of their ahominations
without insulting modesty. Fathers tlying, the eldest
SOilS take their wiYes - yea, thpil' own avowed mo-
thl'I'S. The heathen require much instructiou out of
the Old as well as the X ew Testament. They are
mnch affected by my addresses on eannibalisni, for
~'l/ne of them aftenvanls go out awl S:lr - ' ",Vould
t\Llt we could vomit up all the human flc ...,h we have
ever eaten! '
"r.lul::ttry, in its various forms, enmity, and war,
still abound, E"en at our cloor we hear prayers ot:·
1'er('11 to the deceased. ",Ve frequently see large num-
h~r ... going to fight. A woman dying near us a few
day..: ago, wa:,; buried by a woman. Several have been
cruelly heaten this year for attelHling on our instruc-
tions. Some who haye beaten them are becoming
:1,~h:unerl of their comluct; ana seyeral womem say
that the days of 'wife-beating will soon lmss away.
Little girls wish very mu£h to come with us bnt are not
allowed. In pride, lying, and tleceit, the image of
Satan is deeply enstamped on the souls of these hea,.
then. Among themseh'es they are very dishonest:
~llHl from us they have stolen much both this year and
la ...;t. For a benefit conferred, they have no sense of
gratitude beyond the time of receiving it. Several
would be very sorry for a short season, were we to
leave them. Our constant friends, )11'. Rout and Mrs.
Hout, of Hobart Town, have clothed the first con<Tre-
gation which we succeeded in collectiD<T on Eroma~<Ta.
The native women made for themselve: fifty gal'me~s.
 OF EROMANGA. 155

1 cannot report any benefit whatever derived from the

John Knox. Mr. Turner's remarks on this subject are
perfectly correct.
"During this year I found two of those who had
struck with their clubs, and pierced with their arrows,
Williams and Harris. These are Koweyou and Ovea-
lou. 'Yith difficulty I got the man to show me the
oven. While proceeding to the spot, he used to sit
down occasionally, so that I was obliged to urge him
on. 'Vokosu, the son of the man ,,-ho obtained his
head, and got some of his clothes, showed me the spot
where the skull was deposited under a cocoanut tree.
He succeeded too in getting me a piece of sealing-wax
which was in 1\1r. Williams' pocket. Two other young
men pointed out the place where the body of Mr.
Harris was carried. In so far as I can learn the most
of their bones are here and in all probability will re-
main here till the resurrection morning. The following
is their explanation of the tragedy: - Koweyou took
the lead that day, and was not revenging the death of
a son, for he had not had any killed. They were so-
licitous about the protection of their property. It was
a feast day, or a day of preparation for a feast, when
the mission ship arrived with the Ovnate-?nas nisebau
- white devils - on board, as some foreigners are
called. They thought if these new comers were allow-
ed to delay about the river, they would soon find their
way to the feasting-ground and rob them of their food,
as other foreigners had pre,iously done, and kill some
of them, as fiye Eromangans had lost their lives at this
place before the arrival of the mission ship. They,
therefore, made signs to them to go away. When
some advisefl to kill them others opposed the measure.
When one gave the water to l\Ir. Williams, the usual
signs were made for them to quit the place without
delay, and that it was not until they began to walk
up the river' they resolved to kill them. One day
Koweyou acted the scene over again, showing me how
he slipped into the bush, ru&hed out again suddenly,
and struck Williams a stunning blow on the forehead.
He made my heart very sad, for he seemed not the
least penitent.
156 THE LAST MARTYRS

"Since acquiring their language I endeavored to

ascertain the facts connected with that tragic occur-
renee; and ha,ye come to the conclusion* that Messrs.
Williams and Han-is were not in the path of duty
when they attempted to walk up the river against the
manifested ill-will of the natives; and while we vem'1'-
ate the names of these men of God, we shoul<l not
fail to learn the lesson of admonition which their death
teaches us.
" I think the statisties of these islands indicate that
most of the crimes of the lJatiYes, committed against
foreigners, are in strict accordance with their own
notions of justice. One foreigner, e. g., residing on
this island has taken ten wives from different parties;
and he, according to their laws, is wortlly of death.
In no other island have they so much intercourse with
foreigners. Traders afIirrr; that more sandalwood is
procured here than on all the other islands colleeti w-
ly; consequently the amount of crime, which is very
great, is about proportionate hetween the natives and
the foreigners. EYery IJeaeh accessible by boats has
been stained by foreigl1 blood; so Eromanga may in
truth be styled a ' blood-staine(l island.'
" In geu'Cloal they hate foreigners of every name and
color; and have killed and eaten ten or twelve of
these since we landed. Uecently they have been re-
ceiving muskets in exchange for wood; and now the
more populous districts say they will be women no
longer, but men who will rid themselves of foreigners.
A common practice with the latter in punishing the
natives, is to destroy plantatiolls. burn houses, etc-.
Ships of war also follow this practice. Measures of
this kind led to a massacre at one establishme'nt last
March, and would have resulted in a still greater one
at Dillon's Bay had the tribes been able to unite for
the purpose of putting to death all the foreigners.
"Captain Edwards prepared for the worst by mak-
ing a wooden wall, and mounting cannon. At one
tinle he expected to be attacked hy 2000 natives. For
several days the repOlt-of cannon would lead one to
* We shall refer to this conclusion ngain.-Auo
 OF EnOMANGA. 157
suppose there were ships of war in the harbor. The
following is an extract of a note sent to me, 'Do you
consiller yourself safe up there!' I replied by saying
we felt it our duty to remain at our post till compelled
to flee. Those in the fort, however, considered us in
imminent peril for seYerul weeks: we were not igno-
rant of our danger. During this exciting period two
of their party were killed, and had their bOllies cut up
and sent far and near. Life is not now nearly so safe
on this island as it was u year ago. The foreigners
can arm 200 men, and we know not what a day may
bring forth. An Eromangan has just been wounded
at our door, and some houses have been burnt.-And
what was the root of bitterness whence sprung the
hon-id massacre? I told you about one being dragged
away whom .Mrs. Gordon was teaching. I lifted up
my voice against such wickedness, fOl' which, on two
occasions I ,vas threatened with death bv one who de-
sired to take my life. The man ,vho diel so was after-
wards sent to New Caledonia, where he was killed;
and the woman, haying been bandied about for a time,
was in the end made an instrument for the destruction
of others.
" For several weeks the natives around us continued
in a state of great excitement, during which, taking
1\1rs. G. with me I visited some of them. This had a
good effect. Koweyou and some of his men brought
us presents for visiting them and using our influence
with the traders on their behalf. Some of them now
see that missionaries have faith in God, and submit
the principles which they teach to be tested in d~ys of
trial. Much good, no doubt, will result to the mission
from these calamities. Happily I have gained a better
knowledge of the language on atonement and recon-
ciliation.
" I believe the Lord has been opening up the way
for the emancipation of this people for Illany years
past. About twenty years ago a plague came, and
can-ied off nearly all the principal chiefs and priests in
many settlements. ~ince that time their sacrifices
have been few and irregular, being chiefly confined to
158 THE LAST MARTYRS

the months of April and :May. Previous to our a.r-

rival, and while the eastern teachers were here, there
had been much sickness. Tllese were blamed for it,
but they being with the foreigners, probably in this
way escaped. At the time of our arri \'al, though there
was much sickness on Aneiteum and Tana, there was
none on Erom~ga, and it has been since mercifhlly
preserved from any alarming epidemic. 'Ve, there·
fore, get more credit for preserving health than we
deseryc.
" I would like to give you an account of some of
their traditions - of which a few appeQ,r rather more
interesting than those of the ~amoans - but this re-
port is already too lengthy. This and the stirring
scenes of the year just closed are my only apologies
for withholding them. I may mention one. They
have a tradition which appears to be connected with a
part of Jonah's history. A long time ago, they say, a
man went upon the sea, and fell into it, upon which a
Usilefi - whale - swallowed him, but after a time
calTied him to the shore and vomited him on dry land.
As he was a long time in the belly of the fish he ap-
peared very lean when he came ,out and walked upon
the beac;h."

CHAPTER XVI.
THIRD YEAR ON EROlIANGA •
.. What bliss is born of sorro\v !
'Tis never sent in vain ;
The heavenly Surgeon maims to save,
He gives no usclcss pain."
-WARD.

THERE were some sunny days in the history of the

Mission this year, though the clouds did return after
the rain. Whiie mentioning one of these the heart's
gratitude gushed out, as appears from the following
letters : -
 OF EROll'IANGA, 159

"Eromartga, Oct. 22, 1859.

" Rev. and Dear Brother, - I have just received
your letter of April last, and shall be prompt ill the
payment of my debts as they become due. I feel
thankful for so much home news, especially since 1
have only received one numbel,' of the };Iissionary Re-
gister. Perhaps a few more postage stamps would
procure a better destiny for periodicals forwarded to
us. Those from London we get regularly. Double
postage on papers from N" oya Scotia will be necessary
- put of course to our account. 1\11'. Geddie says he
does not get his either.
" The John Willunls al'l'iYed about a week ago, hay~
ing on board three missionaries. Of these two have
gone to Lifh. They spent with us three days of im-
perishable interest to this mission - days of hallowed
associations - blissful, refreshing days - an oasis in
our desert. 'When cast down, thus the Lord is pleased
to raise us up again, that we may acknowledge his
goodness.
"In a letter addressed to :Mr. McGregor a few days
ago I stated that there had. been a rising against the
Gospel, brought about by the chiefs, on hearing of
evil tidings from Tana and Aneiteum concerning per-
sons who had died on these islands. The chiefs, who
are generally opposed to the spread of Christianity,
greatly exaggerated the reports as they went through
the different tribes, exciting opposition. While thus
employed, and unknown to us, I was giving instruction
on the 2nd Psalm. The Lord appears to be speaking
to some of them in his wrath, and putting others to
shame. The principal instigator in the movement who
went from village to village, is now prostrated. A
young man came for medicine for him to-day.
" What, then, could have been more opportune than
the arrival of the well known Messenger of Peace,
which has a charm for some poor natives of these
islands, especially when she had the right man on
board-Mr. Turner-who first taught them to distin-
guish between a. Missiml vessel and a Sandal wood
trader! Mr. Turner, when he visited this island about
160 THE LAST MARTYRS

fifteen ~'('ars ago, first gan~ the Eromangans some

knowledge of the Cospel. On Sabhath, in an admir-
able addr('~~, he dc"sC'l'ibecl his first inter-dew with
them, an(l n":ld the names of some whom he met on
that (w(':I~i()lI. Ill" ,,'as list('ll("(l to hy men, women,
and children, ,dth the deepest int ("n'~t, ('c;J!l'C'ially by
the young Jl]f'll who haye been to ~~allloa, and who
reo'anl him as their father. At this llleeting the chiefs
WI~'e not IJl'c;';l'nt. They heM hack. bllt C'ou'h1llot keep
the people haC'\;:. The natives It:lfl spf)ken to lJIe about
the strangc' thoughts procluC'P( I ill their minds by this
vi~it of a ll1i;.;~i()n ;.;hip, but ('ould 1[(,ypr comprehend
the object of 1\(,1' visit till the young men returned from
~:t1noa. :\[1'. Turner made all plain to them. They
gazed at him a" the wonderful stranger who had aete(l
;.;" ;.;tr:m~'l'h·, i. ('" l'olltr:l"t('d with mo;.;t other white
men, Whl'll 'mnong them fifteen yt'ars before. 1\T r. Mc-
Farlane :Ibo guw an !1f1dl'Ps;'; full of ;';yl1ll'athy and
love for suC'h }lOOl' ;.;ou\;-;. ()n l\l()llday till' whole
party, with C:IPt. "'iiliams, visited the scene of the
mal't\Tdol1l 0[' "\Yilliams and Harris. Mr. Turner
planted a date (Ill the spot where tilt' latter was first
struck; a11(11l1('a;';I11'("(1 the marks lll:lfh, by the natives
who took the dimensions of Mr. 'Williams' body. The
only two survivor;.; of the dee(l were present, and one
of them pr(';.;r'ntel1 ~1r;.;. l\IeFarlane with some stones
taken oft'the beach where Williams '"as killed .
.• After the sail ('Wilts of that (lay, the deep expres-
sion of !U1~.!;llish manifested by some in the boat that
hrought th~lIl to lanll, filled the murderers with a mo-
mentary awl' ; :tllflleaving the bodies for a little, they
cxelaimell, • What have we done r IIave we killed
Nobu?' nut seeing the boat dill not come back then,
after havill.~ gone away some distanC'(', they returned,
and taking thc' bUlly of .:\11'. "rilliams gave it to a tribe
that had not taken any part in the matter. This tribe
carried it to a village three mile;.; distant on the table-
lund. On the way thither they set it against a tree
while they rested, and called women and children to
see their prize. On arriving at the "illage, they put
the body in an upright position, then allowed it to fall.
 OF EROMANGA. Ita

h When the John Williams was about to sail Vie

went on board, and persuaded Koweyou to accompany

us. On seeing the portrait of Mr. 'Williams he imme-
{liately recognized him as being the man VdlO had been
killed on the sea shore.
" Having dine..i with our beloved friends on board,
we bade them an affectionate farewell, hoping soon to
hear from our loyely and loveable brethren and siste~
who had gone to Lith. J m:1.y state that it was art.'r
their departure I enquired more particlllarly illto the
circumstances connected with the martyrdum of the
missionaries in 1839. I spent two days 'in seeking the
survivors of the tribe that got Mr. Williams' body.
Mr. Turner gave me the key to the whole case by in-
forming me that Mr. Hatris was the taller of the two.
" Shortly after the Mission barque lett, another dark
cloud passed over the island. )Va1' broke out in Dil-
lon's Bay. 'While returning from the search just men-
tioned, I saw a village in flames on the south side of'
the harbor. Though I told our dear bretllrCll that
those who sunotmded us on the Sabbath alld on Mon-
day in a manner so friendly, were still heathen in
heart, yet I feel sure none of them thought that nearly
all present on these occasions would so soon be engag-
ed in war. Some of them talk of burning down our
own house, but who can take thought for the safety of
houses or property when immortal soul~ are thus hur-
rying down to perdition! I have reason to believe
that many engaged in this war are painfully conscious
of their sin. Three of the killed have been buried.
, The Lord reigneth.'
" It is truly gratifying to hear of brethren dwelling
together in unity, and seeking to be more closely unrte(j
to the Head, and to each other. I pray most sincerely
that the young men in the ministry, and the students,
may not carry any party feelings into the contemplated
union. May it be by the love of Christ imparted by
the Holy Ghost. Would that I could enjoy the pres-
ence of God with you, ~s I have no doubt you will
enjoy it on the day of union, if it be such an one as I
K
162 TilE LAST lUARTTRS

hope and pmy it may be. l\Il's. (~ordon is well, and

writes in kind love to 1\1rs. Bayne and to yourself.
. " I remain, dear urother, yom's in Jesus,
"ReY. Jas. Bayne. GEO. N. GORDON."
The preceding letter first appeared in the Record,
and 'we now give an extract from an uupublished one
adclre"sl'd to the Res. P. G. 3Ie<:regor, Dec. Ii), 1859 :
.• Recently I took a tOllr rouwl the island to Trai-
tor's Head.' I was out two nights on the way thither.
At one place we went on shore to slJend the night,
:tnfl made a tent of the hoat's sail. ,Ye had but little
intercourse with the nath'l''', as they were nearly all at
an iclolatrolls fi·u"t. At another place our visit was
very intcl'estil1~~;.
'~While t'Jl(~I(fed in writin(f I learn that a foreiO'n
::-"J n : o : - - ' e
native has be'('1l killed 1),Y the Eromangam; quite near
to us. I fear a season of much trouble is before us.
The power and working of Sat:m in various ways is
now manifest on this side the blallfl. But God rules
the nations. Glorious truth! Oh! that Christ would
take to himself his great power anel reign! The sins
and exceeding wickedness of the natiyes of Tana and
Eromanga seem to equal those of ~odom and Gomor-
rah. The inhabitants, like the sea, are sometimes in
a deceitful calm j but presently clouds gather, and a
storm comes which stirs up hateful passions to their
lowest depths. Pray, pray without ceasing for the
convincing and converting power of the Holy Spirit to
come and operate upon their dark hearts.
" Our ~l'hools on the east and west sides are pro-
gressing favorably. 'Two or three young men are
doing well. I am at present waiting for type expected
from a friend, to enable me to print the book of Jonah,
and some Scripture extracts. 'Ye are giving away our
own clothing to the natives, but expect a supply short-
ly from Geelong."
Additional information concerning the'mission is con-
tained in the third annual l·eport,· which is now given,
 OF EROMANGA. 163

except!ng two sections, one of which were inserted in a

previous chapter;-

" Eromanga, June, 1860.

"To the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian
Church of Nom ::-icotia.
•- Rev. and Dear Brethren,-
.- At the expiration of another year in the Master's
work on this island - a year durin~ which ,YC have
been so gracionsly preser~'ed - you' will expect fullt'r
accounts than those ,,-hich I haw heretofofl> given. I,
however, feel that it is much easier to speak of our
work negatiycly, than positively. The latter wc can-
not do until we have indubitable evirlence that the
Gospel is preached among the heathen, wit h the Holy
Ghost sent down from on high; and till such time as
we may be furnislle(l with facts resulting frolll His
convincing and qniekening power, we can only report
matters of secondary importance, viz: what 'we have
done. - 'What we accomplish through Providence is hy
energy, pru(lel1C'e, and the means at our command; S'o
we cannot write much on such matters without 'hlow-
big our own trumpet,' and, may be, procming more
honor for oursclyes than for the Great Master whom
we serve, who is a jealous God.
" CONVERSION•

.. The horizon of heathenism is a peculiar one-

dark, very dark and cloudy - in which it is exceeding-
ly difficult to recognize the first indications of spiritual
light; but when the Sun of Righteousness shall arise
we shall not be ignorant of the fact. The heathen can
appreciate some advantages derived from peaceable
foreigners residing among them, especially mission-
aries, who are only objectionable on account of the
. doctrines which they preach. They have mourned the
death of some foreigncJIS even when ready to kill
others. But little worldly wisdom is sufficient to
enable one to acquire worldly influence among them.
164 THE LAST MARTtRS

But since we seek a higher object, they regard. us :1S

disturbers of their false peace who' turn the world up...
!!Iide down.' Amid such a state of matters then, we
can but strive to imitate our Great Master, who went
about doing good. Thus we make way for the en-
trance of the -Word, which, through the spirit enlightens
and makes free. 'Ve now witness several instances of
reformation, but no case, I fear, of real conversion.
l'my, oh, pray that another year may not pass away
l\"ithout hearing of conyerts to Christ on Eromanga.

"TIlE t'OVEREIGNTY OF JEHOVAH RECOGNIZED"

H The devil amI bis angels could not but exult oye1'

the state of affairs here of late. But God yindicates

the honor of his great name, and causes his enemies to
acknowledge his power and majesty. I may notice a
few insttmcp<; in point. One trihe, for example, that
forsook the house of God to fight, lost its chief in the
course of a few days, by a sudtlen attack of illne"ss.
He was carriec 1 toward the mission premises, and a
messenger eame running for me; but he died before I
could afford him any re~ef. I was instrumental, how-
ever, in SHying the life of' h!s brother. A fine you~
man was shot dead, and many are suffering fro111 their
wounds bC'l':1nse they will not submit to an operation
for the abstraction of pieces of broken arrows. These
Eromangans are 'mild and docile' ,,-hen sleeping or
smoking tobacco, but certainly not so when fighting,
which is not often. If they ever become 'docile,' our
lIfaster Jesus must have the honor of making them so~
This tribe is afflicted in other ways. They think the
hand of God is llPon them for forsaking his worship .
.. Some, again, who openly profaned the Sabbath
and despised the authority of Jesus, died in dreadful
agony. One poor young man requested to be shot..
The head eliief of Dillon's Bay made his annual feast
on the Sabbath, but the chief for whom it was pre-"
pared died on tp,e day appointed for the feast. 1'hi&
induced another to hold his on a Monday.
" A few weeks ago a party near to Us who fOl'sook
 OF EROMANGA. 165
the worship of Gotl throngh the infiuf'nee oC the chiC'fs,
went to a heathen fl'ast at Roviliou, l'otina Bay.
'Vhile away the',Y spoke lightly of the ol'llinunces of
Goel. if not of the Lunl himself, a.nd proEull'll the :-;alJ-
bath. They returneu on a Saturday cn'lling. bringing
back two gll:1-ill1:t;,;c's of the moon. They hall but
two children, one e,,,pe'cially much belo\'l.'d, anti these
two diell earl,\' on :-;:\11l)uth morning, aud Dillon's Bay
for a long time W;l';; made to re-echo with the louclla-
mentation,; of the monrners. One of the party who
~ruelly murdered a man from the Sandwich Island last
ycar, and ate him, is now dying, I am iuformed, in a
dreadfnl state. Great fear has Sl'izell many. :-\I)me
shun llS. I need not sa v what others would llo were iii
not for the restraining gCrace of God. 'God is known
t,'- the judgment which he executes.' 'Ye hatl about
fifty at meeting h,t Lord's day, from both sides of the
island. Tlwy appeared to be more attentive than
usual, as if the Lord was at work while I was adtll'l'ss-
illg them on my fayoritc theme - the C;reat Snpper.
I do not think all the chiefs on Tana could now per-
l:\\I;tlle some tribes on the west sille of this island, that
men die who worship .J ehu\'ah, for some of them openly
declare it i-; the 1'e\'\.'I',,",(, - that while they worshipped
.T l'llOvah it was well with them.

"IDOLATRY .\S IT W.\S .AND AS IT 18 •

.. Idolatry had a strong hold on this people twenty-

five ),(,,11'S ag( " when their priests were numerOllS and
influential, ancI their propitiatory and free-will offerings
ahullflant. At that time an epidemic sW('pt off a large
proportion of the population, among w110m were lllany
of their sacred. men, who left no SUl~el~ssC)rs. The \
chiefs present their first ripe fruits to their deified
.ullcestors. Y OUllg men when obliged l,,V the chiefs,
present food to the gods, and in some illstallces par-
ticipate, in this idolatrous practice even when they
have some knowledge of its sinfulness.
"Their forefathers appear to have worshipped the
,sun and moon. Images of the latter are their guardian
166 THE LAST l'tIARTYRS

deities. They say N obu, or their ancestors, gave

these to them, and they are preserYed as a precious
legacy. I think it is the last species of idolatry that
will be renounced. A few days ago I saw an image
placed beside some bananas, thus acknowledging the
supposed source of the blessed fruit. I believe a few
old lIlell pray to the sun in time of drought.

"STATE OF SCHOOLS.

" It is ohdous that schools cannot prosper in any

country unless they be supplied with good teachers.
EYery island, then, in this gronp, if not eYery mission-
ary, must have a normal school, ere the natiyes can be
raised ah)yc a very low state. Ours, among a people
so ignorant, may properly be designated - Infant
t;ehools.
" ''"hen we came hither we expecte(l that the young
men who had been at Samoan and New Zcaland nor-
mal sehools would come to receive further instructiotl ;
and with this expectation I proposed opening a school
for their benefit; but we were quite disappointed in
this respect in all save one. Out of tweuty, ten, last
year, made some progTess in reading, etc.; and of
these I think one or two will make efficient teachers.
Among thc111 all I couM find, I dare say, half-a-dozen
incapables, whom I might now send to teach others,
but \Vho wonhl, no doubt, do some good and much in-
jury to the mission cause. Our first grand object must
be the gl'lleral preaching of the Gospel in and out of
schools, for without this our work will drive like
Pharoah's chariot wheels.
" Mrs. Gordon has been very much tried in her de-
partment of the work. Just as she was beginning to
succeed with a few pupils two years ago, a chief of
Dillon's Bay coming, broke up her class, and took the
women away. Again she succeeded in forming one
on the sonth side of the river, but the de~ruction of
fruit trees, etc., by foreigners, and other circumstances,
scattered this one also. Subsequently she was suc-
-cessful in getting a number to come to hel' several
 OF ERmIANGA. 167

days in the week, till a war broke out in October l:t~t,

and other speeies of opposition tu the Guspd :trose'.
Only fh'e are now with her daily: but the l1l11llber will
soon increase if they are not again persecuted and
compelled to lean'.
"Mana's school at Potina Bay was progressing
favorably till a chief OI)lH)st'(l it. He ,vas ()J1t' of the
principal ehiefs, and would have killell Mana ere thi:-::
had the others not opposell so ra$h a ~tep. The
Tanese are now excitill~ them to more oli('l1 acts or
opposition than formerly; but I hope the diffusion of
light will softL'\l down the asperity of' th('ir llarkpned
souls, I fear th~ presence of another missiulI:try 1w!'('
now would l'xcite some opposition. It ,,"oulll lIut have
been so eighteen months ago. I purpose n'1I1()\'illg
hence one or two promising young men to my school
as I have from other settlements. ". c, IlOwcn'l" fin<l
great ditliellity in providing food for them; for war
and foreign occupation of lancls ha H) left this pnrt of
the isiaIHI in great destitution. I got a ton of rice and
some flour and biscuit through friends ill ~yd lley
which haw helped our school for two Yl'ars. We
give them fooll Ullce a day and gd tlll'll1 to :odl()())
twice a clay. ~ome uf these are becoming iIHlustri.iIls
awl will soon provide for thl'Jllsdves. II:lil we a
larger supply of food, or the means of obtaining it
from trib('s that hase it to Sp~ll'(', we coulLl turn some
of their ('"ils into blessings hy bringing them within
the reach of the Gospel.

" TRANSL\,TION.

"I have translated the book of Jonah, and a c~lte­

chism cluring the last year, and am well 011 with the
Gospel 1),Y Luke, which, ,dth the Acts of the Ap()stlc~,
I hope to hayc printed a ycnr hence. The (;ospel is
now beiliU: read in school from 1\1rs. Gordon's auto-
grnph: al1cl this plan we trust will save many pounds
for prema t nrc printing.. "r
e expect to get tht' print-
ing done in Auckland. The Bishop of New Zealnnd
has some knowledge of this language and will, no
168 TilE LAST :&IARTYP..s

doubt, if he can, take the superintendence of the

printill~. Unless another missionary comc and take
my place, I cannot well leave for threc months to
come, though I llced scarcely state how important it is
that the translator of any portion of the Word of God
SllOUkl l'5upel'intend it while passing through the press.'"

CHAPTER XVi.
FOVTTH AND LAST YEAI~ ON EROIllANGA.

" A few more storms shall beat

On this wild rocky shore,
And we shall be where t(:mpests ce8.9;!,
And surges swell no more.

".\ few more strnggles here,

A few more partings o'eT,
A few mOTe toil~, a few mOTe tC3Te,
And we lihall weep DO more."
-BONAR.

ON the 25th of June, 1860, the missionaries in the

I\ew Hebrides had the pleasure of welcoming two ad-
ditional lahorers, viz: 1\'[1'. and Mrs. Johnston.
J nly 17th a Conference meeting was held at Anci-
tcum, and the following resolutions passed : -
"::\[et this day the members of the New Hebrides
Missiun. l'resl'nt Messrs. Geddie, Gordon, MathesOll,
Copeland, .J olmston and Paton - and Mrs. Geddie,
"Mrs. l\fatllCsOIl and Mrs. Johnston.
" ::\11'. Geddie was appointed to the chair, and open-
ed the meeting with praise, reading of the SCripture,.
and prayer.
H ~lr. Johnston read his instructions from the Board

of Foreign Missions in Nova Scotia, after which it

was unanimously resolved: - .
" '1. That this meeting record theil' deep sense of
gratitude to our gracious God for the prosperous.
 OF EROMANGA. 169
voyage, and safe arrival. of Mr. and 1\1rs. Johnston,
and cordially welcome them as fellow laborers in the
Lord's work on these islands.
" • 2. That having heard a statement of the claims
of the several islands, and ascertained the minds of
Mr. and )tIl'S. Johns\on,-they should be locatecl on
Tanna, after having made some necessary arrange-
ments on Aneiteum, and tllat the members. of this
mission renqer them all the assistance in their power.
" '3. That as 1\11'. Gordon is alone on Eromanga, this
meeting deeply sympathize with him, and as Aneiteum
and 'fanna have received missionaries from both our
churches, a missionary from the Heforrnetl Presbyterian.
Church of Scotland be placed with him as soon as pos-
sible.
" '4. That 1\11'. Geddie be appointed to write a letter
to the Board of Foreign Missions of the cllurch in
Noya Scotia, and that Mr. Copeland be appointed to
write a letter to the Foreign Mission Committee of his
Cllurch in Scotland, regarding a united Presbytery or
Prespyteries being formed in this ulission, and espe-
cially request information as to what ought to be done
in this matter.
" '5. That in conducting mission work on these
islands native agency cannot be dispensed with, and
that the natives of each island are the best and most
persevering agents for that island j but till such can be
prepared pioneers to go among the heathen and aid
the missionary in commencing his work, mnst be got
ii'om Chnstian islands.
" '6. That 1\Iessrs. Johnston :md Paton be appointed
a committee to provide for the supplies of teachers on
islands of this gronp where no missionary is located.
'" 7. That the visits of the John Knox have been of
great advantage to the mission, and as they nre :DIore
beneficial when made by a missionary than a layman,
a missionary accompany her in future, and keep an
account of her voyages, so as to gratify and secure
the continued interest oftiher friends and supporters,
and that this meeting feel grateful to the brethren on
Aneiteum for the continued interest in our mission
170 THE LAST MARTYRS

vessel, and appoint Messrs. Geddie, Copeland and

Johnston a committee to superintend her sailing until
the next anllual meeting.
" '8. That our next annual meeting be held (D. V.)
at Eromanga, in July, 1861.
" '9. That this meeting cannot close wi.thout ex-
pressing their gratitude to God' for the harmony and
brotherly love that have characterized the proceedings,
for they return to their respective sphe1'e~ of labor
anew endeal'eu to each other, and refi'eshed for the
Lord's work.
" , JOlIN GEDDIE, Ohairman.
" • JOlIN G. PATON, Olerk.'''

Expression is given to the feelings and sentiments of

the subject of this memoir, on the same subject, in the
annexed private letter, addressed to the Rev. P. G.
l\1cGregor : -

" Aneiteum, July, 18, 1860.

"Rev. and Dear Brother,-
" You ,,,ill rejoice to learn that in the gootl provi-
dence of our gracions God we are all here assembled,
with the ex('('ption of .Mrs. Gordon, and for the last two
days have been taldng sweet counsel together about
the Lord's work. For the lack of harmony, which
ought always to exist, there could h~ but one remedy,
viz.: union in love, - and we, having obtained this,
Mel it more than sufficient for our case. A spirit of
love, brotherly kindness, and self-abasement, seems to
characterize our meetings; an(l tor such undeserved
favors we are all filled with adoring gratitude to God.
This' appears to be in answer to our, 01' your prayers,
or to both united. 'To God be all the glory,' seems
to be on each of onr lips.
, ..Mr. Paton sent me word to say that if I would go
he would; but he thought I could not leave very well.
After serious consideration about our circmllstances in
relation to foreign and other enemies, I felt great hesi-
 OF EROMANGA. 171

tation about leaving; but ~Irs. Gordon decided that I

should go by all means.
"I am not going to pass any euloginms on Mr.
Johnston, for it sometimes happens that those who are
forward to do so are frequently hasty in doing the op-
posite. I merely state that he has not in an.Ytbing~ dis-
appointed our expectations. He goes to Tana, as you
will see by the resolutions passed at our last meeting.
" 1\11'. Paton says he has derived considerable benefit
from the John Knox, though the Tanese haye not yet
embraced the Gospel; and unless the contemplated
arrangement for the sailing of the John lVilliarns
come into operation there will be no opposition to the
John Knox on account of the expense of ,keeping the
vessel in repair. This is one benefit derived from
union. The contemplated arrangement for the sailing
of the Knox will give more general satisfaction. *
* * Alas! how far short in all things we come of
the perfect example of our blessed l\Ia~ter. Oh! to
be like Christ!
" 'Ve have to return our sincere thanks to the friends
of missions in your congrj:gation for the articles sent
us. Our plan for disposing of such things is this: to
give them to the natives in exchange for food, and then
estimate tbe yalue of what we receive in re1mr11, and
give an account of it to the Boanl that it may be de-
ducted from our salary. But whatever is received
for our school is placed in the estimates of school ex-
penses. I aUl SOlTY to say that we lost £14 last year
by parties connected with vessels; and £10 tbis year
by not having an agent in Sydney.
"While travelling over Eromanga in December, I
nearly fainted from fatigue. Finding that I could pur-
chase a hors~ for £25 I felt justified in buying one.
Since that time I rode out several times to settlements,-
and preached the Gospel, which I could not bave done
so frequently without a horse. As 1\11'. Copeland has
furnished me with a saddle, if spared to return, I shall
be enabled to travel with mo.e ease and comfort than
formerly. In respect to roads there are few islands
like Eromanga.
17t THE LAST 1I1AIITYRS

.. TypE'. printing materials, mc(lieine, etc., are all

freely supplieLl by onr constant friend.;; in the Austra-
lian Colonit·~. I purp()~e pllttin:~ np n' new printing
oftke when I return, for which I l'<'l·(·!Itl.r receiv.ed a
supply of lar.~c type>. I pnq)O~l~ hwill~ all printing
('lolle on Er')llll11'!a for years to COllle, excepting the
(}oipel by 1.'lke, anel the Act.;; of the Apl)~tles. I am
well on with the former. ut which I labor four days in
the week.
,. 'Ve e:\pl~(·t to get away to-morrow. It is a great
~acritice to be absent from our statio1l"; at this season.
Thoughts - anxions thonghts - take sleep from our
eYt''';. Oh! how thankful to Go:l I shall he, if, when
I'return, Goel ,,-iHing, I shall timl all things well at
my station. Mrs. G. must deeply feel her trials at
thi:-;; time. I left her in the midst of the enemies of
Gt>! L ,vith but one solital'\" natiyf' eh!'i "t ian there, and
he re,.;iding a long (lish{nce off. W l' know not the
value of brethren, wives, and friends till they are
tried. With kind regarlls to ::\11'8. ::\IcGrego;' and
yout'self, in which, ,vere :\11':';. Gordon present, I feel
sure she would unite, believe m<.>, dear brother,
•• Yours in the best Lord,
.. GEO. N. GORDON •
.• Rey. P. G. l\lcGregor."

One particular mentioned in the preceding letter is

worthy of o!),"(·l"Y:tiiun. The fact of a 'Woman, aIOBE',
UIlIJl'oteet('d. and ~l1ITOlll1flecl by sa \,:tgt~S and other
cnemil'S of Gutl, yulunte"ring to remain a 'Week under
sueh eircnmstanel· ...;, may, it is presumed, IJe justlyad-
vanced as an instance of genuine, christian, female
heroism. * •
The only letter of 1\1rs. Gordon, ever published was
the following, and it was not written with a' view to
publicity: -

., As regard~ the jU.di.ciousness of leaving one under such circumstance-

Wl' venture not an OplDlOD.-.A.U.
 OF EROMANGA. 173
" E1'ommlga, Sept. 29th, 1860.
1\ Rev. and Dear Sir,-
" It affords me mUl'h pleasure to write you in reply
to your highly esteemed favor of November, 1859, and
to express my warmest thanks for your many expres-
sions of kindness and sympathy with ns in the trials
and difficulties to which we have been exposed among
the heathen. Truly they have been neither few nor
small; but from them all the Lord hath shielded ns.
Many times hase we been led to exclaim - 'Who is
sufficient for these things?' But the grace of God has
been our stay; and his promises, which are all ' yea
and amen in Christ Jesus,' our consolation in the
darkest hours. '" e have realized our Saviour's pre~
cious:promise-"Lo! I am with you alway.' His
manifestations of goodness to us in this dark, dark
land, call louclly for om most heartfelt thankfulness.
" I felt very gratefnl to you for your considerate care
and attention in reference to the mission goods which
I am glad to say arrivecl safely and in good condition,
by the care of the Rev. "Mr. Johnston. It m~y be gra.-
ti(ying to the lib3ral c.mtributors to know that the
articles are exceedingly suitable for the wants of the
miSSIOn. The homespun cloth is of special service at
this season of' the year. :Much of it has already been
appropriated ; amI the young females on the premises
are still busily engaged in making it into garments.
May our kind friends experience the satisfaction which
arises from duing good, and still abound in fruits of
charity to the glory of God.
" I would also avail myself of this opportunity to
tender my best thanks to the following ladies from
whom I have received so many unexpected tokens of
Christian regard, and which I accept as a testimony of
their interest in me as a fellow-worker in the service of
Christ; viz : to Mrs. Anthony :McLeod and :1\:1rs. Clark,
West River; to the ladies of Rev. J. I. Baxter's congre-
gation, Onslow; to the ladies of Truro Ladies' Society;
and to the ladies of West River, in connection with
Central Church. To each ~nd all of these ladies I beg
to convey through this medium my Christian l,?ve and
1i4: TilE LAST l'lIARTYnS

bl'..:;t thanks j aml thl )ugh it may be that we shall never

llll'l't face to face till Wl~ arrive at our Father's house
ahove, yet I wi-;h b. assllre them I conlially recipro-
cate tlll'se eXl'res-;ions of their reg-arcl, aw I will ever
bear them hei()re a throne of grace, that as they are
extl'nding" tlwir,.; to us, greater Lles-;ill;;s Illay descencl
upon tll'.'ltlse[vl's,
.. Om IH':1rts are <,spceially checrc(1, :11111 spirits re-
\'ive(l, hy beil1g as-;Ill'l'd that we awl our work are so
fn-'ljlll'ntl,Y 11l:ld(~ the subject of pr:1Y('1' among you.
\Ve n'l)( >-it' mudl confidence in the pr:lyers of (~I)d's
pt'l)i'lL~ : for the e{f('dual eanwst prayer ()r tll(' righteous
:1yaih·th much, l\by not our deliverance from past
d:lll:..((,I'S h:l \"(' l,e('n ill aIlswer to your prayers? Eter-
Hitv aIo],,' (':lll di-;l'it)se to us all the happy rc-;ults.
C(,~lse not tll(,I1, (lear friends, to pray for liS; that the
Lord 111'1\' still continue his goodllC'Ss; alit! that ill dne
time thl: !..!,'rl'::tt work may l)rosp('\' !lert' as it II()es in
your highh' l'aYurl't! land, until the whole earth shall
h(~ fillnet wh It the knowledge and glory of the Lord as
the watr'r.-; cover the sea .
.. With many kind regards to Mrs. McGregor and
family, in wllich :Mr. GonIon unit(>s,
,. i alll, my clear sir, yours, with mucl! esteem,
"Rev. p, G. Mc(:regor. E. C. GormoN."

The following incident, with the accompanying ap-

propriate remarks, is from the Journal of Rev. Mr.
Johnston - date July 2:3, 1860:-

" In the evening we took a walk of about a mile, to

visit a man ,d}()-;(> wife had died during the past week.
We founll the man with the poor little orphans, seated
near by, sad aUil disconsolate. The missionary spoke
to him of the joys beyond the graye, which come
through Christ Jesus. When we left, the poor man
seemed affected, 1m(l gave indication that he was
grateful for our visit, and that the word of life had not
fallen from the lips of God's servant without effect.
How sad to mourn without hope!
•

OF EROMANGA. 175

" All that this poor heathen loved in this "World is

gone, and he cannot look forward to a happy lIl('eting in
the world to come. There is nothing upon which he
can rest his hopes. To him the future is dreary,
gloomy darkness and uncertainty - a great unfathom-
able mystery. It is a fact worthy of lIotice, that on
last Sabbath this woman, for the .tirst time, came to
church; and, in the absence of the missionary, heard
the joyous message from the lips of his devoted wife;
and she promised to attend in future. This incident
has its solemn and instructive lessons. She came to
hear the Gospel for the first time, promiscll to con-
tinue, and before the llC'xt sun had sunk in the west,
her soul had passed from time and entC'l'c(l upon the
Ullseen realitic's of the eternal "World. * * Friends
of Missions, ohserve that through your agency, Christ
aw 1 the resurrection were spoken of to this 'Woman,
ere she entered the eternal world j and it may be that
through this word she is now in glory among those
redeemed out of every kindred, and tongue, and peo-
ple and nation."
The closing months of 1860, and the first in 1861,
are memorable in the history of the New Hebrides
mission. On the 15th of February, 1861, Rev. Mr.
Paton wrote:-
" For the last two months this island has been fear-
fully scourged with measles and other diseases. A
vessel landed four young Tanna men ill with measles
about three months ago, and in a short time this epi-
demic spreafl over the island. Some of the lads were
killell for bringing the disease. Many have died, and
yet the people are dying in great numbers from the
subsequent effects of the disease. The mortality is so
great in some places that many persons are left dying
here and there on the earth, unburied j or the door of
the house is closed and the dead body left to decay in
the house. Heathen are iruly without natural affec-
tion, and take but little care of their health. The
disease is cutting off hundreds inland, an~ the people
 176 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

are for killing us and burning all that belongs to us,

becallse they. say we are foreigners,· and foreigners
brought the disease which is killing them all."

On the 10th of September ]\fl'. and Mrs. Johnston

commenced their missionary labors on 'faua. At
these they wrought faithfully and with mueh success
for a few months. On the 1st of January, however,
a vigorous attempt was made to take the life, first of
1\1r. Johnston, anrl next of :Mr. Paton. \Ve give the
account in the words of the latter : -
"On the 1st of January, when Mr. and Mrs. JOhll~
ston were rdiring from family worship in my room, he
turned h:tck to say that two 'fanna men were at the
window with huge cluos, etc. I went and asked what
they wanted, when one answered, 'medicine for a
sick boy; , so with much dilticulty I got them urged to
come into the honse, ,,·hen 1 saw from their agitated
appearauce that they dhl not want medicine, but were
about some evil. As Mr. Johnston was leaving I said
they must all leave as I was going to sleep j but if
they would come in daylight I wOllld give them all the
medicine they wanted. Outside Mr. Johnston hent
down to lift a kitten that had got out, when one of the
savages got behind him, and aimed a blow with his
huge club, which, howeyer, ]\fl'. J. warded off, and the
ground received. He drew a second blow, which my
dogs observing, they sprang between them, and so
saved Mr. J.'s life. Hearing Mr. J. call out, I ran out
of the house, aud called the two men to me, not know-
ing what they had done. Again they turned aud both
ran at me with their ponderous clubs; but when about
to inflict the deadly blow, again my dogs sprang b~
tween us. One club struck one of the dogs, and the
other the ground, and I was saved, and in a short time
the dogs had them running away from us as fast as
possible. As they fled down the path I reproved them
for their sinful conduct, and entreated them to give
up hat~g Jehovah, his worship, and his people.-
 OF EROllIANGA. 177

Though a large body of armed men were concealed in

the path, and all ready to give assistance at a mo-
ment's warning, and though they had come l·ig-ht or
ten miles to take our lives, yet they fled. • The Lord
is our refuge.' "

Mr. Johnston's death occurred on the 21st of Jan-

uary, HHj1. Rey. l\II'. Paton wrote of him thus: ., I
found Mr. Johnston a very agreeable companion, full
of missionary zeal, and always ready to try and do
good to the poor heathen."

On the l:,th of l\Iarch a hurricane swept over the

island.,; with desolating fury. It was preceded by two
otllPl'S, one of which oC(,lllTed on the 3rd and the other
on the 10th of January. The damage su"tained by
mission premises and other places was very consider-
able. Trees were torn up, houses blown down, and
much food destroyed.
Eromnnga was not exempt from the desolating
scourges of the neighboring islands. Under date
April 3rd the missionary there thus wrote to tile Sec-
retary of the Board: -
"The chiefs are nearly all dead. Of young men
and children - about one hundred persons - who sub-
mitted to my treatment, only two have died. One of
these was otherwise diseased. Of twenty who did not
abandon the house of God, and five or six at Royiliou,
not one, to my knowledge, is dead. The hand of Cod
has been so marked in shielding these that a profound
impression seems to have been made on the minds of
many, even of those still living in sin.
"Mana has taken refuge with us during th.e last
three months. I am obliged to keep watch at night,
not constantly, but while the natives are assembled for
the purpose of taking ou~ lives. Six lads keep by us
in time of immineut danger. Two months ago I just
L
178 THE LAST MARTYRS

escaped being shot at one place, and consequently was

obliged to discontinue my visits, which mlS a loss to
the inhabitants in that locality - poor blinded souls!
"One young man in whom we placed confidence
died before the measles began to spread. I would
have baptized him ere now had he survived. 'We be-
lieve he died in the Lord. Glory to God the }<'ather,
the Son, and lIoly Ghost! We r<'joiee to know that
in our atllictions we are filling up that which is behind
of the slIff(·rings of Christ, for his 1Jody's sake, the
Church. Oh ! for grace to rejoice in our sufterings ! ,~
His last puhlished letter, dated April Gtll, appeared
in the London Evangelical Christeildum. He wrote as
follows: -
"'Ye arc passing through a season of imminent
peril on this island, which has been occasioned hy the
introtluction of the measles - Rubeola ?IIal,gna - a
disease that has destroyed two-thirds of the population
in several villages. The natives in general regard 1I~
as the cause of this scourge; and, matl<lened with
enmity, have risen up to destroy all foreigners. A
few days ago they nearly succeeded in killing an the
Europeans; and have since made another bold attack
on a sandalwood establishment, and succeeded in
burning one house and in setting fire to some others.
They held a council before our cloor about killing us,
but were divided: the fear of God appears to be upon
them. It is truly awful to live among a people so
sayage, at a time like the present. But' the name of
the Lord is a strong tower.'
" The wickedness of this people has been very great
during the last two years. Crimes, such as the burn-
ing of villages, and the killing of helpless women and
children, were increasing. In warning them of their
danger but one week before the measles came I taught
the doctrine of a retributive Providence with unusmu
earnestness. That day Willllot soon be forgotten, for
the chiefs are now nearly all dead. :Many now exclaim
that the \V ord of God is certainly true; still they hate
 OF EROMANGA. 179
us us being the chief cause of bringing their sin to
l'emembranee in the light of this new doctrine. Illol-
atl'\' has reeeiyed a cleath-blow. ~ome of them feared
Jel;oYtth so much as to remove their images out of the
villages where the sick were lying ~ and I hope they
will Hoon destroy them. They are now sorely wounrl-
ed and seem to reqnire nothing but the balm of Gilead,
after which they are beginning to inquire.
" But few of the juveniles have died, and I entertain
the hope that they way be('ome like the generation of
the Israelites that cutered the prom bed lanel. This
interesting portion of the people is daily coming more
uncleI' our influence. Their i:tthers were nearly as
strongly opposed to the Gospel as were the Jews in
their worst clays. The eans('s, too, are i'imilar: the
new teaehing interfering with the time-honored tra-
ditiones of the old. I may state that women on Era-
manga are shut out of the camp secen days of every
month, and cannot be received ill again till after their
pnrification. Other tra( litiulls of this kind are extant.
Aboye all things it is hateful to them that the salyation
by Jesus embraC€s women - as it does the lords of
the earth.
"It is exceedingly painfhl to see a people llpon
whom you haw~ set your heart to bring them to a
knowledge of the truth, fading away in unbelief:
When we lie down at night and rise up in the morning
we hear the long, loud, and bitter cry of' those who
mourn without hope. :None died of the measles on
Qur premises, and bllt two of those in all who had
come properly under our treatment. Cases of phren-
itis and meningitis were very troublesome, and were
ascribed to the influence of' evil spirits. I found ollr
most powerful astringents ineffectual in cases of chro-
nic diarrhrea.
" The man regarded as the murderer of 1\11'. HUl'Tis
is dead - I cannot say' in the Lord j' and the only
survivor of Mr. ·Williams' murderers is in a very hum-
ble state. After oppres~ng widows and orphans by
robbing them, he lost his teeth in a singular manner:
tooy became soft like sponge and fell out. He says
180 THE LAST MARTI'US

Jehovah took them out - a wry unusual confession.

,. The hurricane which visited this isbnd in ,Jauu..'try
must have been movin'" at the rate of 100 mile" an
hour. It left clesolatio~~ and famine in its track, and
greatly in(,l'(':\;.;et 1 the severity of the measles. Every
thing wa;.; bla;.;tccl. This disease has prevailed in at
lea;.;t ('io-Ilt island;.; .
.. 'V e~hacl a catechuman who died 1hc months ago,
we belicve in the Lonl. He was the first :llld only
one \"hom we have reason to believe wa;.; a Christian.
Ikill'" dclirious for a few days he coul(l not rccognize
his i~icIHls; but when asked - 'Do you know' tlwn
who Jl·;.;llS is?' - he "'ould answer - ' O! yes! lIe
is our clear Savior.' That name that is aboY(~ ('\'l'ry
lJallle is a divine ehanl1 for the soul whose ears are
unstopped.
,. I have just finished the translation of the (;o;.;p('l
by Luke. I huxe t1':11181at('tl Dr. Campbell's CatechislII
and 'Principles of Saving Knowledgp,' omiting of the
Catcl'ili81ll the Seripture nalll('S, and somc of the
hymns in tilt' first edition. The capacity of this peo-
ple for n'c('iving scriptural knowledge is not greater
than that of European children five years old. I
theref()rc doubt the propriety of translating the Scrip-
turl'S in fnll until a work of so great importanee can
he done with something approaehing thorough aecu-
raey. - I ha\'p recently published another tract of
twenty-four pages, whieh contains the history of Jo-
seph, an aceQUllt of the ten plagues of Egypt, and of
the glorious Exodus. A synopsis of the four Gospels
will follow, Go(l willing, l'ontaining some of our Lord's
most striking parables and sayings; sueh, e. g., as
chilclren would rearlily apprehend, and which shall be
the most suitable for young and old .
•. "'hile writing the foregoing a young man from the
south side of the island, called to enquire for the
'Yord of God. He said the Bishop of New Zealand
- whom he calls his father -took him thence several
years ago and taught him about Jehovah, but that, on
his retul1l, he followed his old ways, thinking little of
the 'Vorcl of Goel till he became siek "ith the measles.
 ,

OF ERO:IIANGA. 181

Thus that noble missionary is found doing good e\I~U

in places quite unexpectetl."

The last letter written by the subject of this memou'

was addressed to his brother Robert. It llears (late
April Dth, lAG!. In it he says :-" Tile pillars of
Satan's temple have fallen with a terrible crash: The
sound thereof has gone up to heaYell. Oh! the cry,
the loud bitter cry of those who haye no hope! Oh !
come spirit, of the Lord and rear up the new temple
on the ruins of the old 1"
The closin~ scene was not far distant. Death re-
ceived a commission to !lasten awny two more labol'en~
from this dark island. It was executed with relentlcs8
speed. The fourth missionary year was an awful one,
- a year during which (lee!> called unto (leep, allli
arrows from the Lord'1'-) quiycr flew thick and fast,
leaving the "tents of Cushan in affliction," aml caw-;-
ing ., the curtains of the land of Mi(lian to tremLle,"
- a year during which "Jehovah marched through the
land in indignation and thrashed the heathen ill his
.anger." But his servants enconraged themselves in
the Lord, like Dayid at Ziklag, where" the people lift-
€d up their voicEf" and wept until thcy had no more
power to weep; and the people spake of stoning him,
because the soul of all the people was grieved, eycry
man for his sons, and for his daughters." - Yet amitl
all the douds and thick darkness his senants clung to
the promiscs, - " Surely he shall clcliwr tllC'C from the
snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
lIe shall cover thee with his feathcrs, and unclcr his
wings shalt thou trust: pis truth shall be thy shield
and buckler. Ye shall not be afraid of the terror by
night, nor for the arrow flying by day, nor for the pes-
182 'I1IE LAST 1I1ARTYRS

tilence walking in darkness, nor f'or the destruction

wasting at noon-day." A' thousand fell at their side~
but it came 110t 11igh them. But with their eyes they
beheld the reward of the wicketl. Because they made
the Lord their refuge, and the Most High their hahita-
tion, no evil befell them, 1101' plague came nigh their
dwelling.' "
On the morning of the Twentieth of May, 18Gl~
the subject of this memoir and his wife worshipped
together for the last time on earth. The psalm Sllllg,
chapter read, and prayer offered, are unknown, but aU
was done in an humble dwelling, on the summit of a
hill called by some Mount Zion. Before the rising
sun had gained too great au elevation, the missionary,
with a little band of youthful disciples, leaving that;.
lowly abode in the keeping of his deyoted helpmeet,
descended the hill to resume his work at a winter re-
sidence farther down the slope. At that house he was
engaged till noon. The lads were at a distance ga-
thering grass to cOYer the roof of the new dwelling.
A baml of sanlges, nine in all, with murderous intent,
drew nigh. They came from Bnnkil, a place distant
~pyen or eight miles. In a small thicket, situated be-
t\~een the abode on the hill and the~ew one in course
of erection, eight lay in ambush, while the ninth-
N a'ubuleet - proceeded. to the spot where the object
of his deadly designs was at work and accosted him
thus: "I want some calico for myself and some men
waiting at the mission house."
Taking up a piece of board tbe missionary wrote on
it with a piece of cbarcoal-" GiYe these men a yard
of cotton each" - then banding it N:mubuleet, said,
"Take this to Mrs. Gordon, and sbe will giYe you
what you want." ~'Loya wishes to see you to get
 'I

OF EROXANGA. 183
some medicine for a sick man; you had better come
y01lrself," replied the savage. " See, I have not eaten
yet; but never mi'nd I can do so as well at the house,"
said the unsuspecting missionary, pointing at the same
time to a plate on which his wife had sent him some
food.
'Vrapping the plate in a handkerchief he started for
the house, followed by the savage. The ambush
reached, Narubuleet plunged a tomahawk into his un-
suspecting victim's spine, and he fell, uttering a loud
cry. The others immediately rushed upon him and
all was soon over. Thus fell the Third Martyr of
Eromanga.
The breeze speedily wafted his expiring cry, mingled
with savage yells and fiendish shouts, to the ear of his
partner. One victim secured, the assassins, save one,
remained to hack the body. That one ran to the
house to seek the other object on whom their venge-
ance must be wreaked. Alarmed by the noise she
hastened to an out-house, and standing there, listened
with a fluttering heart. The murderer approaching
with tomahawk concealed she inquired: "Ouben, what
is the matter? what is all that noise about?" " N 0-
thing: it's only the boys playing," Ouben replies.
Awi'ulmoment for her trembling spirit! "'Vhere
are the boys?" she asks, and in her agitation and
anxiety tlll'ned round to look, when the murderer,
seizing the opportunity, struck his tomahawk into her
shoulder blade. She fell on a heap of gTaSS, and one
more blow nearly severed her head from the body.
Thus fell Ellen Catherine Gordon, the Fourth Martyr
of Eromanga - and moM; a martyr of the four.
The tragic scenes enacted the clock struck one-
the first toll of their funel'at' bell; at least to us as such
184 THE LAST )IARTYRS

that stroke has since appeared, whether heard at the

heginning of day's decline or after the midnight hour.
" Tiley were lovely and pleasant in their lives and in
their death they were not divided."

CI-IAPTER XYIII.
A~:"IG~ED CAUSES OF THE ;\U.RTnmO;\I: AN EXA:\IINATIO:'(
OF TWO OF THE:3E.

"Charity rcjoiceth in the truth."

TIlE greater number of the particulars coneerniug

the sael eyents reeorded in the preceding chapter were
COllllllunicatell by 1\11'. Milne - a young mau connected
with a sandalwood establishment at Dillon 's I3~;y - to
the Rev. "'m. Cuthbertson, Sydney. Mr. l\Iilno's
letter, llated Eromanga .June 7th, 1861, was published
anonymously, 1)), request, in the ;·r!Jclnr:y j-Ioming
IIerald. Tile subjoined are extracts : -
"The cause of the murder, I am informed, and from
my own experience I am certain to be the ease, is as
follows: - Seyeralmonths ago the measles, which had
preyiollsly raged in Sydney, made its appearance in
Xcw Caledonia, and there, notwithstandillg the exer-
tions of the Goyernor and the other oftieials, it rapidly
made pr(Jgress, and a serious mortality was the result.
The il1fe<:tion was thence cmTied by the various trad-
ing vessels eaIling there to all the s'urrounding islands.
and fearful ,,'ere the ravages of the distemper runOllg
the llatiYes. At Lefou, l\Iure, Allciteul1l, Tara, Sand-
wich, and Eromanga, thousands and thousands died-
in fuct some of these places have m'arly been depopu-
l.'l.ted, ~trallge to say, a similar disease has neyer
 OF EROMANGA. 185
before made its appearance among the natiYes, and
they at once attributed it to their connection with the
white men and called it 'the white man's curse.' The'
consequence of this idea, especially among the more
savage tribes, was naturally a bitter hostility against
foreigners, and singularly enough, against the only
class who had nothing to do with the introduction of
the disease, but, on the contrary, who had tried all
means in their power to a.vert the calamity - I mean
the missionaries.
" Here the malady being so virulent as to threaten
the extirmination of the natiYes, and their dmmeters
being so savagely ferocious, the greatest animosity
exiRted towards the whites; and notwithstanding that
IVIr. Gordon went daily ii'om morning to night amongst
the people, administering medicine, and emleavoring
to alleviate, as fal: as lay in his power, their misery,
he became the object of their extreme hatred. ?\uivan
a chief, having. been prostrated by the disease, when
almost dying, sent for IVlr. Gordon, who gave him
some medicine. Nuivan died neA't day; the tribe said
that the missionary had poisoned' him, aIHI it was re-
solved to kill all the whites. A plan was laid, ::llld so
ingeniously artfur was the scheme that had it not been
divulged by a friendly native, about ten minutes before
the time appointed for its execution, "'e would almost
certainly have all perished. Of course when the party
came to carry their intentions into effect we were pre-
pareel, and they went off disappointed. To add to
their feelings of enmity towards Mr. Gordon, there
was :ret another reason, and to illustrate this I copy
the following entry in his diary. Speaking of this
singular disease, which is strange and aln.rming to all,
he writes: 'It was ,preceded by nearly an uniyersal
opposition to the Gospel, and much murder amI idola-
try. I felt sure that God wouhl visit theni in judgment,
and warned them most solemnly but a few days before
they were attacked. The chiefs, who maintain that to
giye up their idols is tlte cessation of their l'llle, can
hardly now persuade their people that this is not the
finger of Jehovah. I warned them to flee from the
186 THE LAST AfARTYRS

wrath to come, but they took not warning till too late.'
From the disease following close OIl these warnings,
the nutiH's belieYell that the missionary hall prayed to
l~od to selld it on them; and this belief readily ac-
('orl1ell wit h the fixed ideas of witchcraft which obtains
universally ill this l:c;land. About two weeks ago, l:e
writes: - • It seems that I was nearly shot about two
Sabl.aths ago, at Bnnkhill, as I wa"s getting on my
ll<w"e. Sume circumstance preyented- perhaps the
tJ)rrc'nt" of rain that fell, whilt' I wa,.; ell~aged like
l)aul and Sibs by the l\Iaeedonian river-side. It is
almost impu:isible for a missionary to faU into greater
perils among snch a people, for their Idi<'1' in witeh-
(Taft is llui\'ersal, amI they look upon me as their
dl·stroyer.' About a fortnight before his death he
prea('i1('c1 at Bunkhill, rebuking his hearers slwrply for
their il10latry and wickedness. This ot;el1l1ec1 the
trilJ(' ; they r~'soh'ed on his l11Ul'cl<.>r ; and how \yell tlley
succeeded in their devilish designs the event has
shown."

August 2Gth, 18Gl, Rev. J. Geudie wrote thus to

the S('C'rdary of the Board: -

" C~\ VSES OF 'fIlE 1L\SS.\Cf'..E.

" TIut what led to the massacre of our dear friends?

You are awarc that measles and cl,Vsentry were brought
to tho,-:(' i"lands at the close of last \('ar. Theil'
nwagl'S \\'('I'e fearful, and for a time th~y seemed to
threaten the (lcpopulation of thc islands. The dibease
was taken to Dillon's Bay by the Blue Bell, Capt.
llruce, and soon spread over the whole island. About
two-thirds of the popUlation of Eromann'a died. accord-
ing to ::\11'. Gurclon's estimate. The nath'es as we may
suppose, were thrown into a state of excitement b)'
,,0 fearful a yisitation. As the belief in disease-
making is llniYcrsal on Eromanga, in common with
other islands, suspicion fell on Mr. Gordon. The
grounds on which he was charged as being the cause
of the strange and alarming malady that made its
 OF EIWMANGA. 187
appearance are two-fold: in the first pla('e be is said
to have foretold divine jndgments on the people, in
the shape of te'mporal punishments for their idolatrous
and "'il:ked practices. Thi 3 appears to be confinned
by an extract from his own journal, which I read in a
I';,rdney paper, and "'hich has called forth editorial
remarks. The journal came into my pos~ • ~sion a few
days ago, and I find in it the statement alluded to.
Speaking of the disease he writes: 'It was preceded
by nearly an uniyersal opposition to the Gospel, and
much murder and idolatry. I felt sure that God would
visit them in judgment, and wumed them most solemn-
ly but a few days before they were prostr.lted.' As
the warning was so soon followed by the disease, the
natives not unreasonably concluded that he had some
agency in bringing it on them. Much as we may ad-
mire the faithfulness and plain dealing of lVIr. Gordon
with the heathen, ,ret the propriety of denouncing tem-
poral judgment is questionallle. The prophets of old
did so, but they had a spec-ial commission from heave11.
The Gospel is a message of mercy and loye, and
should be addressed to the heathen in its most atb ac-
tive form. The first missionary to the heathen said,
, I determined not to know 1111ything among you, save
.Te SlS Christ, and him crucified.'
,. But in the next place some of the traders told the
Erromangalls that Mr. Gordon was the cause of the
disease '~;hiC'h proyed so fatal to them. In a letter to
myself written in J anuar.r he says: 'The Bhte Bell
('arried the measles to Dillon's Bay in NOYem'.:er, and
the results have been fearful and' continue to be so.
The n~tivcs are for, the most part like mad tigers,
huying been sti1Ted up to believe that we are the cause
of their alarming distress.' In looking over his jour-
nal I find the following statement, wl'itten about the
same time: ' l\1any of them believe really 01' feignedly
that I am the cause of this singnlar disease which is
strange and alarming to all. They have been confirm-
ed in this belief by s8rne jorel'gne·rs'. There is no
allusion to this important fact in the account sent to
the Sydney papers. Among those who endeavored
188 THE LAST MARTYRS

to stir up the natiyes against Mr. Gordon was a man

named Range, a nath"c of India, and a British subject,
I believe. He lived on this island formerly, and went
to Erromanga about eight or ten years ag·o. He is a
l\lahometan amI has several win'S. Be is well ac-
quainted with the language, and has acquired much
influence on the island. If report be true he has killed
some Erromangans. 'Vhen !'Iiwan the chief ot" Dil-
lon's Bay tlied, who was one of the 1I10:-.t influential
men on the island, the said Range professed great
anger against 1\11'. (;orclon Oil account of his (kath.
He told the natives that some medicine which ::\11'. (~or­
don gave him had killed him, also that there was no
sickness on the island until they received missionaril's,
and that the present disease ,~"as owing to Mr. Gor-
don's living among them. The words of Range ac-
corded so well with the superstitions of the natiYes,
that they were readily believed, and the report that
the missionary was the cause of the awful mortality
soon spread over t.he island. If tile testimony of the
natives whom I han' examined is cor1'e<:t, the words of
Range and of men of whiter skins had more to do with
the massacre of our friends than the unhappy denund-
ation of Diyine anger allnde(l to. They all say t.hat if
XiuXIIl had not (1icd, Mr. and )1I"s. Gordon woultl not
lwxe been illjurell. You will lie, surprised to hear that
it is the practice of some of the tratlers sailing among
these islun<ls to warn the natives against missionaries,
as being the cause of disea~e and death."

The reasons assigned for the martYl'llom may he

snmmed up as follows. First, those given hy :'1r.
::\lilne: 1. The ra bgl'S of th~ measles. i. The death
of Xiwan. 3. The warnings of the missionary a(}-
dressed to the natives. 4. C lliversal belief in 'witeh-
craft.
Additional reasons assigned by ~lr. Geddie: 1. De-
nunciations of temporal judgment. 2. The effects of
traders in making the natives believe the missionary
 OF ERO!lIAKG.\. 189

was the cause of the disease. 3. The influence of

Range.
Of the preceding causes, No.1 on the second list-
to use the words of the Rev. George Patterson as con-
tained in an article that appeared in the Record - was
the one ., first publishet:l, and which has been chiefly
taken up by the public. "
Before examining that reason it may not be un-
necessary to make one or byo remarks on an obserya-
tion occurring" in the precedsng extract; and
1. In reference to Paul's style of preaching. 'Yho,
one may ask, anticipates a period when the preachers
of the Gospel will agree to take any single individual
Ufo! a paragon? As it is now, so no doubt, it ever shall
Gc, OIle will be for PanI, another for Apollas, and
another for Cephas. The great Apostle of the Gentiles
himself asserts that "eYery man has his own proper
gift." From the lips of a John the message of re-
deeming mercy may drop on hard hearts in melting
accents of love, while the pointed and cutting reproofs
of a Peter may prick others to the heart. "'Visdom
is profitable to direct."
The Rev. Mr. Putterson, in the article referred to,
remarks : -
" vVe do feel that one error has been committed in
the management of the mission. That en'or ~vas the
occujJotion of Eronwnga by a single missionary. Hu-
manly speaking had there been another missionary at
the other side of the island, and he blessed with equal
success, this catastrophe wonlc1 not have happened.
"\\re know, too, that as our Lord saw meet to send
forth the self-confident Peter and the loving John in
company, so there are still deficiencies in one servant
that require to be supplimentcd by the deficiencies of
another."
190 TilE LAST MARTYRS

Wnatever may have been the general character of

~Ir. Gordon's preaching, one thing is eviUent, it not
unfl'equently reached the consciences of those to whom
it was addressed, and who will affiim that such preach-
ing is ever in vain or imprudent? or assert that the
conscience is not the right place at which to begin
when denling with obstinate sinners? ",Vhy not call
Stephen's address injudicious and imprudent, seeing it
cost him his life? Had it been more conciliatory pro-
bably his clnys might have been prolonged.
2. It nppears that Mr. Cuthbertson's cOl'resro Idcnt
while writing for a Colonial paper went to the mission-
ary's diury seeldn6 causes to account for the martyr-
dom, but quoted just so much as suited a purpose.
Brief, howenr, nnd incomplete as the quotation from
his diary was, it furnished a Sydney etlitor with a
theme on which to animadyert. Perhaps it wonld
have been better had that journalist resened his stric-
tures, and suspended his judgment on the case', till he
had the whole entry before him.
The following circumstances connected with the sael
events of l\Iay 20th afford clear indications that X o. 1
of the second list of causes assigned for the martyr-
dom, had but little, if anything at all, to do with the
fact.
1. :Ml'. Milne states that on the death of Niwan the
tribe of which he was chief attempted to destroy all
the whites j but about ten minutes previous to the time
appointed for the execution of their "ingeniously art;.
ful" plot, it was divulged, and the white popUlation
escaped. Now, why, Haman-like, did that tribe scorn
to lay hands on one poor Mordecai alone? For the
space of nearly four years both natives and foreigners
received the benefits of the little medical skill which
 OF EROMANGA. HH
...
the missionary possessed; and both reposed confidence
in his treatment of their diseases. But, although un-
successful in effecting cures in every instance, yet sus-
picion never rested upon him of havillg poisolled any
of his patients. In reference to the plot Mr. Milne
remarks: "Of course when the party came to carry
their intentions into effect we were prepared, and they
went away disappointed." But who are included in
the "we"!, certainly not the mission family. They
neyer made bulwarks mounted with ordnance around
their premises, nor armed themselves in self defence,
as the sandalwood traders were wont to do. "Then,
howe\'er, the latter were within their battlements, ex-
pecting every hour to be attacked, the following laconic
notes addressed to Mr. Gordon indicate what their re-
spective writers thought about an immediate exchange
of worlds: -

"Dear Sir, - One of my Tanlla men was killed and

eaten yesterday by some of the people of the riYer,
without any reason that I can learn. I am really at it
loss to know what to do."

"Dear Sir, - Yesterday I was nearly flhot by an

El'romangan, and in the night time the premises were
set on fire, but fortunately extinguished with little da-
mage done. I fear this is only the prelude to other
attacks." .
"Mr. Gordon, - Please let me know if you have
beard about the natives going to attack us to-day or
to-morrow. One of the natives that is trading for us
told me this morning they were going to kill all the
whites on the island on account of the ships bringinf)'
this disease. I believe they are going to commenc~
to-day." •
" Deal' Sir, - Do you think yourself safe up thcl'e?
 THE LAST 1IIARTlT.s

It is obvious these natives do not care who they are

reycllgcd on." '"

Unbarrieadoed a11(l unarmed, but enabled to use this

sublim(' declaration of the Inspired 'Yord- " The
name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous
runneth into it amI is safe" - the missionary replied:
""r e fel·l it to be our duty to remain at our post till
compelled to flee."
The ,·WC" who were prepared for the reception of
the part.y of natives who came with murderous in-
tent, must have been the traders. The natives had
savag'C' ctlnning enough to endeavor to take the forts
fir.-.;t. Had these been taken, the unarmed mission-
aries could have been quite easily deqmtched at any
time.
Sinee, then, the native enmity was not in this in-
stance eoncentrated on one individual alone, but ex-
tended to the whole white population, - and sinec
they made no attempt on his life after being frustrated
in their grand aim, we may fairly conclude that Y('ry
little weight is to be attached to the Niwan poisoning
story.
2. In Mr. (~edclie's annual Report of the same date,
-Aug. ~G, 1,'io I-a circumstance is mentioned, which
though painful to relate, appears to corroborate the
view taken of the point under consideration: - " You
will be sorry to hear," he writes, "that a white man
and a ~ew CalC'IIoni:lll woman who lived with him,
were killed on Erromanga since the massacre of on1'
friends. I mention the fact here as the one event
seems to have arisen out of the other. They lh'ecl at

.. The preceding note8 wero found among the letters of the miSdio!lnry'e
correspolldents."-At:.
 OF EROMANGA. 103
a place called Norass, which 1\11'. Gprdon had occasion-
ally visitecl. "'hen the Norass people heard of hi~
death thay were angry, and said, ""hy kill the mis-
sionary for he was a goodman, aIltI did us no injury;
but these men (the traders) take our women, destroy
our plantations, steal our sandalwood, etc. j ' and so
saying they went and killed the poor man and woman,
who, perhaps did them no harm, though the class to
which they belonged have been guilty of the darkest
deeds. The other traders on the island are unmolest-
eu, but they are more cautious than formerly, and do
not go abroad much without fire-arms."
3. In the same report, referring to the flight of some
of the Eromangans the writer states: -
"The death of 1\11'. and 1\1rs. Gordon was not suffi-
cient to appease the anger of Range, and he has since
sought the destruction of the natiws who lived at
the mission and others favorable to Christianity. He
threatened to kill Mana himself, the only Erromangan
who had been baptized, and told the natives to kill the
others. Fourteen males and females have fled to this
island for safety and are at present with us. Others
favorable to Christianity haye been ordered to burn.
their books and destroy their clothing, and have com~
plied in most cases. It is said that a few have con~
cealed their books in the bush, and sometimes steal
away to read them."
4. If it were on account of the denunciatory charac-
ter of his preaching at Bunkil that they resolved to
take his life, what was there under the circumstances
to prevent the natives of that locality from carrying
out their intention then and there? Why allow a fort-
night to elapse, and then walk a distance of six or
seven miles to execute their purpose? The second
last time he was at Bunkil, about six weeks before, an
M
194 THE LAST MARTYRS

attempt had been made to shoot him as he was mount-

ing his horse; on the last occasion he was, we pre-
sume, unprotected, and far li;om his friends, what
better opportunity could they have expected by wait-
ing a fortnight?
5. They killed Mrs. Gordon with equal barbarity.
1)001' Lamb! represente(l by Dr. Turner as "quiet,
amiable, intelligent, and possessing a heart full of
love to the heathen," what had she done to incur
their resentment or savage ferocity? Her name, too,
must IWTe been on the death-list previous to the start.
ing of the murderers for Dillon's Bay.

But even apart from the preceding considerations,

what is there in the extract itself to lead an nnbiassed
mind to draw inferences from it prejudicial to the
memory of the writer? He wrote, "I felt sure that
God would visit them in judgment." In this clause
he states his impression; then added, ", and wa!'ned
them most solemnly but a few days before they were
attacked." But what was the natme of this waming?
·What is there in the words or structure of the sentence
to justify anyone in characterising his notes of admo-
nition as "denoullcing temporal judgment" on the
people? As to the kind of warning he himself affords
the necessary information in a succeeding sentence
(quoted only by Mr. Milne), "I wamed them t9 flee
from the wrath to come." This is Scripture phraseo-
logy, and in whatever sense the phrase - " wl'ath to
come" - was understood by the auditors of John the
Baptist, it is now generally regarded as having refer-
ence to future punishment. The writer then added: _
"But they took not warning till too late." Did he
wish to convey the idea by this remark, that a due
 OF EROMANGA. 195
attention to his solemn admonition would have secur-
ed for his hearers an exemption from disease? It may
have been so, and may be accepted as such by any
who think it reasonable. Would it not be more rea-
sonable to conclude from the scope and import of his
remarks that he urged upon the nath-es an immediate
renunciation of their evil practices, and an acceptance
of the proffered salYation, but that they repented not,
and consequently perished in their sins? N otwith-
standing the Lord may have left his errill.c; servant so
far to himself as to become emboldened to invade the
province of the prophets, and afterward reap the bitter
fruit of his temerity. Would it not ha.Ye been more in
accordance with the spirit of the most excellent of the
three christian graces to have put a more favorable
construction on the language (when it admits of it)
of one who can now no more raise his voice in self-
vindication?
Eight months after the martyrdom the Rev. George
Patterson expressed his judgment of the case in these
words: -
" All that has been adduced does not convince us
that he had gone farther than every preacher of
righteousness is warranted in warning sinners of what
God may do. Besides it does not become us to judae
of his conduct in circumstances of which we can ha~e
but ,.slight conception."
It is indeed- somewhat sad to think that men wear-
ing the badge of christianity, should, with so much
apparent facility, become oblivious of the ever-pressing
claims of that charity that "thinketh no evil but re-
joiceth in the truth."* •
* We purposed inserting the entire entry in Mr. Gordon's Diary but tip
to t):lis date-more than two years after his death-it ill not turtJlcom.
mg.-Au.
196 TIlE LAST !lURTrnS

'" e would now yery willingly dismiss this subject,

\H're it not for the fact that it is kept before the public
with untiring assiduity; but what gooll ohjeet is thus
to l,e attained, it is (liftkult to conjecture. '" e are
ol,lig('(l, then, to solicit the n'atlel"S kind forbearance
while l1irl'cting attention to another phase which the
sul'ject has more recently assumed. And "'e first in-
sert an ('xtract of a letter oftl1e Hey. J. Gl·(hlil~, dated,
Sept. 11th, li'lG1:-

"It was with painful emoti()ns that we entered Dil-

II 'II'Sl:ay this morning. The day was fine, amI the
islam1 )](,Yer :lppe:\r('II more lm·ely. It W~lS hard to
think that so interesting a spot of God's ('J'l'ation
should haye been desl'lTatl'll with the deeds of llark-
lll'SS that hg.ye heen perpetratl·t1 on it. A ell'ath-like
stillnl'ss l,reYaikd arolllHI the l,ay awl yery fl'w natiyes
could be seen. The fatuillisl':lsl' which swPpt OYer the
island, has fearfully n·ducl'll the population, :11l( 1 the
sun'iyors, whether fril'll<1s or foes, v,'core ashamed or
afraid when they saw the ship.
" A boat was soon lowered and sent on shore under
the charge of Joe, one of the Erromangan natives of
Aneiteulll, whom we lJl'ought as an interpreter. The
boat soon returned bringing several friendly natiYes,
and among them Kauiaui the man who killed 1\11'.
'Yilliams and Harris, the son and successor of 1'\iwan,
the late high chief. Our interview \"ith these poor
ElTomangans was an affecting one. It was some time
before they spoke, and they shed many tears. They
gave us full information about the massacre ~ Mr.
and l\Irs. Gordon. The account we rcceiycd of the
sad eyent is substantially the same as I have already
forwarded to you, with some additional particulars.
A full statement of the whole affair has been carefully
written out by Mr. l\IulTay, from information collected
on the spot, and will probably appear in the Mission-
ary Chronicle of the London :Missionary Society.
" It ought perhaps to be mentioned that Mr. Gordon
 OF Er.o:IL\XGA. 197

was not ignorant of his danger. lIe did not liYe :1t the
hay wherc the natiyc settlement is. but on a high hill,
about two miles dist~nt, and ,"crr imtl'cl'ssihl('. This
locality appears to haye been chosen for health. In
this secluded place he was in a measure beyond the
reach of his fi'iends, and much in the power of cYil-
disposed persons. The only nativcs near him Wl~re
those on his own premises. As soon as the llatin's at
the bay heard that the heat1l.en intended to kill the
missioit familr they sent wonl to ::\11'. Gordon of their
intentions, arid ui-ged him to remoye to the olll miii"ion
premises, where he would he in the mhbt of his friends,
who would protect him. These warnings were repeat-
ed three clars in snccessioll. on the last of whieh the
massaere took pbce. . "redo not know the reason why
these warnings were not attended to, prohahly 1\1r.
Gordon thought the natiyes were not sincere in their
thrC':ttenings. There is no prohahility that any injury
would hayc befallen the missi{)11 family had tlleY been
at the l)ay."

Had the mission family remained at the Bay, it is

more than probahle that ::\lrs. Gordon would ere that
period haye been beyond the sound of alarm.
But why cndorsc natiyc stories with so mllch rC:1l1i-
ness? If 1\11'. Uordon really received three cmphatic
warnings on the days mentioned, how did his minei
come to be so entirely free from suspicion, as it ap-
pears to have been, at the time, and subsC'quC'nt to
N :lrubuleet's p:wley with him on the day he wa~ killed?
'Yhht satisfactory explanation can be giwn of that cir-
cumstance, if native stories noted down from the lips of
an interpreter five months after the event, be cllil()\'~cc1?
The subjoined extract is from the "statc'll1ent" of
the Rev. A. 'V.Murray, w,hich first appeared in the
Missionary J[ogct;;ine and Ch1"Onicle of the London
~1issionary Society, April, 1862:
 198 THE LAST MARTYRS

"But to return to our conference with the chiefs.

The,Y and the people present declared it to be their
conviction that if Mr. and Mrs. Gordon had remained
in the Bay, instead of removing to a place two miles
distant, and Ii dng alone, they would have been safe,
notwithstanding the misrepresentations of Rangi, and
the consequent anger of the people at a distance. In
that c:tse they would h:tve been among their friends,
who wonld have stood by them and made common
. cause -\vith them. That 1\:i:r. G. took the step referred
to, is matter of universal regret among all his friends
and the friend~ of the mission. His reason for doing
so was a conviction that it was necessary to the health
of Mrs. Gordon."

Noone, surely, blessed with a double baptism of the

Holy Spirit would have ventured to disturb on grounds
so slender the slumbers of the sleeping dead.
Noyember 3rd, 1860, the Rey. Mr. Copeland wrote
as follows to the Rev. J. Kay:-

"I was particularly struck on my late visit to these

two Island.s· [Tan a and EromangaJ with one point of
difference between the mission stations. At Eroman-
goa you see yery few natives and there is no stir; on
Tana, you meet them everywhere, and find them in
corners and places where you do not at all times wish
to see them. Eromanga is very thinly populated, at
least about Dillon's Bay."

Shall we conclude, then, that the "native settle-

ment" at Dillon's Bay has only a recent historical
existence?
Shortly after the Rev .. A. W. Murray's commQ,nica
tion to the ~Iagazine and Chronicle was published, the
Rey. Robert Murray, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was in
Britain; and, having an interview with Dr. Turner;
the latter called his attention to the extract just quoted,
 OF EROlIL\NGA. 199

and remarked that it was flttcll to make an unjust

impression in reference to the dentIl of the late mis-
sionaries of Eromanga. The doctor had reason for
thinkillg as he c1hl, for a remark with which the e(litor
of the JIW)!I::iile intl'ocluC'cd .:'Ill'. A. y\~. Murray's letter
W~1S: "Mr. G. had ubviously cherished a mi,..;plac('ll
confidence in his OW11 se'cUl'ity, and removed his resid-
ence a considerable distance from the people among
whom he had previou,..;ly lived and by wllOm he was
venm;ated and 10,"el1."
The nc\". R. ~Iurray, writing from London for the
Record, of which he is Editor, made the following ob-
servations : -

"Dr. Turner is decidedly of opinion that Mr. Gor-

don was not only ju:;titie<l in removing his house to the
mountain amI :may from tile Bay, but that he could
not han~ done otherwise ,,'ithout either leaving the
Mission or seein~ his wife die betore his eyes in less
than three lllt)ntl'l"';. The Bay, Dr. Turl1l'l" assured me,
would have pruyed fatal tu )[rs. Gordoll in a very
. short time', so unhealthful is it. On the mountain, she
enjoyed rohust health. And that mOlllltain home built
with so much toil hy poor Gordon, was the means of
saving l\Ir. M:t the,->on's life - for it was there that he
recovcl'('d from a disease that threatened to cut him
do,Yn very speedily. Xor was there allY thing like
a village in the Bay, anything of a pr~rm:mellt popula-
tion that 'would ha Yl:' stood by' Mr. GOr<lon. The
natiws are migratory, pas:-:ing freqnently from pbce
to plaec, ullsettled on accuunt of ceaseless wars, awl
as easily accessihle on the mountain as on the plain.
These facts show that )11'. Gordon took the only COllrse
that was open to him, except going off to New Zea-
land - and he was not the man to forsake his post!
" It is easy to be "ery wi6Je after the eYent, - to tell
how things might or should have been mended: but it
is poor generosity, poor justice, poor wisdom, that
200 TIlE LAST l\fARTYRS

would reflect on the silent dead, who have lost their

lives nobly in the noblest of enterprises! Dr. Turner
spoke of the Gordons with tLte most cordial ;lffection.
He eYidently appreciated them rightly."

lIad there been no other cause for removing from the

Bay to-a more healthful locality, the presenation of
the life of a member of the Mission family would, in
the view of most persons, have been deemed sufficient.
In the annexed extract we have the views of Williams
on this point: -

" But, while rejoking in the work which he had now

resumell, and che~l'l'll by the harlllollY and energy of
the people, disease again assailed !lis beloved partner.
In a short time tlle mtolemble feefee !lad reduced !leI'
so low, that the necessity of speedily renw..-ing from
Raiatcu, was ouco more forced upon his attention.
Mrs. 'Yillimns, indeed, was too generous and self-de-
nying to urge this course upon her deyotell husband.
She knew that he hall promised to re-yisist :O-;amoa, and
that prior to their embarkation for England, it ,,-as
most important that the Harotol1gan Testament should
be preparcll for the press; and she was most unwilling
to depart until these (lesigus hall been completed.
But. on the other hanel, he sympathized too (leC'ply in
her sut!crings. and felt too gTcat a dread of the conse-
quences to allow any public claim to supercede the
prior duty ,,,!lich he owed to the beloYetl awl laborious
partner of his days. lIe bad, therefqre, resolved to
depart. • Should Mrs. 'Yilliams continue so unwell,~
he writes, "it will be impOSSIble for me to re-yisit Ra-
rotonga and Samoa. My full determination is to
impose upon her no longer. Perhaps I might effect as
much hy going to England immediately, as by waiting
ten or twelve months; though I could not do it with so
much satisfaction to my own mind. I believe I am
blamed by many and thought unkind in having re-
mained so long. They consider that the strength of
her cOJlstitution is gone. Most earnestly do I wish
 OF EROMANGA. 201
that there was some one on the spot to take Raiatea.
It would be a great relief to my mind.' "

In the Lord's providential dispensations events are

obserYable which may be regarded as instances of
retribution. Such, e. g., are found in the history of
Jacob. The birthright was obtained by hard dealing,
and the blessing by a course of deception that admits
not of extenuation. But in a subsequent part of J a-
cob's life, he was not nnfrequently obliged to submit to
the grossest acts of injustice and the most mortifying
duplicity. Many a time did Labau CfOSS his path, and
finally the sou of the Syrian stood in it for seven years
twice told, and that, too, between him and the dearest
object he knew on earth. It would, however, be
foreign to our design to cite other instances in point;
we shall merely mention a circumstance connected
with the history of the object of this memoir.
In the second annual report of the late missionary
of Eromanga, he gave the native explanation of the
causes which led to the martyrdom of 'Williams and
Harris. On referring to that report the reader will
find the following remark: " Since acquiring their lan-
guage I endeavored to ascertain the facts c.unected
with that tragic occun'ence, and have come to the con-
clusion that Messrs. 'Williams and Harris were not in
the path of duty when they attempted to walk up the
river against the manifested ill-will of the natiyes ; and
while we venerate the names of these men of God we
should not fail to learn the lesson of admonition which
their death teaches' us." We, too, would say that the
men of God referred to, -.,ndered far from the path or
duty if they attempted to advance against the mani-
fested ill-will of the natives; but the question is-
"
202 THE LAST MARTYRS

Did they do so? We believe they did not, and for

the following reasons: -
1. The late missionary obtained his information
from the guilty tribe, and of that tribe, a part at least
of the account wa.'> given by the only two surviving
parties immediately implicated.
2. Under these circumstances, a11<l consiuering the
lapse of time since Nov. 20th, 1~39 j an(l farther,
knowi.ng what the general character of the heathen is,
their account cannot be relied upon or received with
any degree of confidence.
3. 1\11'. 'Williams' biographer remarks "that it was
one of Mrs. "Tilliams' latest and most earnest entrea-
ties that he would not land at Eromanga," and
'Williams knew how to appreciate the counsels and
admonitions of his wife: though he (li(l land, yet no
doubt they tendeu greatly to induce the circumspec-
tion which he manifested just before and after landing.
4. On that day his mincl was "not free from a
gloomy tinge," and the previous night had been to him
a "sleeple~.,> night," caused by a deep sense of the
danger of his enterprise, and by a consi( leration of the
magnitude of the work which he had undertaken.
5. The accounts of the scene given by Ccrptain 1\1or-
~

gan and ':.\11'. Cunningham are, we presumf', alone en-

titled to confidence, and in them is nothing to show
that 'Yilliams did anything against the manifested ill
will of the natives. On the contrary, the reverse is
apparent.
"\Ve regret, then, that he arrivecl at such a conclu-
sion, on such grounds - we regret it for his own sake.
It is but a specimen, however, of what well-disposed
men occasionally do in their unguarded moments.
The noble " Martyr of Eromanga" won a most splen-

•
 OF EROMANGA. 203
did reputation, and we feel assured that the humble
subject of this memoir would not consciously have
written anything having a tendency in the slightest
degree to dim the resplendent halo which encircles the
memory of his living years and dying hour.
But what of the coincidence? It is obvious. We
add no more. ::May posterity do justice to the living,
and mete out the same to those reposing in the land of
silence.

CHAPTER XIX.
INTIMATIONS OF THE lfARTYRDOM RECEIVRD AT HOME
AND BY THE CHIlRCH •

.. Death bath made no breach ..

In love and sympathy, in hope and trust;
No outward sign or sound our ears can reach,
But there's an inward, spiritual speech, .
That greets us still, though mortal tongues be dust •
.. It bids us do the work that they laid down,
Take up the song where they broke oft'the strain,
So journeying till they reach the heavenly town
Where are laid up our treasures and our crown,
And our lost loved on('s will be found again."
-ELLIOTT.

IT was a cold, stormy day in October, 186i, when a

letter was received from ::Mr. William Powell, brother
of one of the deceased, bearing sad intelligence. It
was freighted with heavy tidings, and written by one
whose heart was weighed down with grief. Without,
the tain was pattering on the roof, and trickling down
the window panes, and anon a briny shower falls
within. A mother cries - " ::My son! my son!" and,
like Racnel, for her missi~g children wept. Her sight-
less eJ~es could never more behold that son; and now
204 THE LAST MARTYRS

that the fountain is again unsealed what could impede

the flowing ~ide ? " 'Weep ye not for the dead, neither
bemoan him; but weep sore for him that goeth away:
for he shall return no more, nor see his nath'e COllll-
try." -Jer. xxii. 10. The one part of the prophet's
exhortation she did, the other left undone.
On the 23nl of the same month, the Board of
Foreign Missions, having met at New Glasgow, Nova
Scotia, recorded the following minute: -

"The Bonyl of Foreign Missions, in receiving the

sad intelligence of the death of 1\11'. and Mrs. Gordon,
would embrace the opportunity of recording on their
Minutes the high sense they entertain of the personal
character and self-denying labors of those eminent
servants of Christ. From the time of Mr. Gordon's
connexion with the mission he manifeste(l a zeal and
deyoteclness to his work amounting even to enthusiasm
- a diligC'flce in labor that neyer wearied - a bold-
ness that was not appalled. in the hour of greatest peril
- a faith in Goel which bore him through the severest
trials - a pcrse,'er:tl1ce which neyer yielded to the
greatest discouragements - and an earnestness and.
constancy in prnyer which sanctified all his efforts.
Of Ml'S. Gor(lon the Board knew nothing by personal
intercourse, but fwm the uniform testimony of those
who met her, and from what they haye known of her
labors since her connexion with the mission, they feel
it not only their duty to reconl the high sellse of her
personal excellencies, her devoted zeal in the cause of
missions, her self-denying, arclQous and per"evering
labors on behalf of the heathen, and the exalted
Christian heroism which she displayed in scenes of the
gl'eatest peril. ReYiewing the past labors all{ I suffer-
ing of both these eminent servants of Christ, they
would express their conviction that they deserve an
honorable record in the annals of Christian heroism,
and to occupy no mean place in the glorious army of
the martyrs, and the Board would also express their
 OF ERmIANGA. 205
admiration of that divine grace, whiclJt enable(l them to
be faithful unto death, and through which they llayc
both, we doubt not, obtained a crown of life.
"They would also express their deepest sympathy
with the bereaved relatives of both in the present
severe trial, and tender to them the expression of their
earnest hope and prayer that the God of all comfort
may impart to them largely of the infillenees of his
Spirit, that as their sufferings in Christ have abounded,
so their consolations also Illar abound by Christ.
'" Looking at God's dealing with our nlission, in thus
, breaking us with breach upon breaeh,' and in visiting
us with so seyere a stroke so closely UI)On our former
lIIheavv trials, the Board would feel that there is a loud
call upon the whole Church to deep humiliation before
God. ' Humble thyself under the mighty hand of the
Lord that he may exalt thee in due time.' They
would adore the inscrutable wisdom of the dispensa-
tions of Him whose "way is in the sea, and his path
in the mighty waters, and whose footsteps are not
known;" and they would stancl in awe as they con-
template the sovereignty of Him' who taketh away
and none can hinder him; none can say unto him,
what do~st thou ?' Yet knowing the righteousness of
all His procedure, they would seek to be able to bow
submissively to His will, sa}ing, ' Thy will be done!'
And they would now call upon the Church to unite
with them in earnest prayer before the throne of Al-
mighty power, on behalf of the Church at home, that
she may profit by this painful dispensation of his
hand, - On behalf of the guilty murderers of our be-
loved fliends, saying in the spirit of Him whom we
sen'e, 'Father, forgive them, they know not what they
do ;' and on behalf of the poor heathen at lnrge, that
God would pour out his Spirit from on high, that he
would make his word as the fire and the hammer that
breaketh the rock in pieces, and that the wilderness be
counted for a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be
counted for a forest. Alld especially that the good
seed sown by his servants with so much toil and self-
denial, and watered not only with their tears and
206 THE LAST MARTYRS

prayers, but even by their blood, may yet sp~ing up

and bring forth an abundant harvest to the praIse and
glory of God."
In due time sister and kindred Churches, with much
Christian sympathy, gave expression to their feelings
and sentiments. The following is from the Foreign
Mission Committee of the Reformed l>resbyterian
Church of Scotland: -
"Glasgow, Sept. 27th, 1861.
" Met the Committee on 1\1issions, Rev. Dr. Syming-;
ton in the Chair. II/tel' alia. The Secretary reported
that intelligellC'e had been received in this country,
through Rey. William Cuthbertson of Sydney, of the
murder of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon on Eromanga, on the
20th :May last.
"The 'Foreign Mission Committee hear with pro·
found regret of the trials which, during the last few
months, hase fallen upon the X ew Hebrides Mission.
It has pleased God to try in a remarkable manner the
faith of the brethren by disease, wiele-spread and at-
tended by extensiYely fatal results to the natives of
Eromanga, Tana, and Aneiteum. On the two last
mentioned islands a fearful hurricane destroyed not
only the fruits of the earth, thereby threatening famine,
but has also to a great extent injured the mission pro-
perty. On Tana, the Rev. S. F. Johnston, who had
not long since left Nova Scotia to labor as a Mission-
ary in the New Hebrides, died suddenly when only
entering on his work. Brief as the months were dur-
ing which he labored, they were amply sufficient, not
only to test his zeal, but also to show the ability of
this young soldier of the Cross, who has thus early
entered upon his rest. One trial has rapidly followed
another, rising in magnitude and terror, till at last the
Committee are called upon to mourn over the murder
of Mr. and' Mrs. Gordon on Eromanga. This deplor-
able event took place on the 20th of May last. The
heavy cloud which thus rests upon the New Hebrides
 OF EROMA..."GA. 207

Mission at the present moment fills the Committee

with trembling of heart. They desire neYertheless,
follo"ing the example of the disciples of John ,yho
took up the mangled body of their master, to lay their
sorrows at the feet of Jesus, and'tell him who has all
power giYen to him in heaven and in eurth, awl ga\'c
the commission to his servants to go into all the ,yorlel.
They woulll c:l11 up even amidst their heaviness of
hearL the past goodness of God to the Missioll, and
the conlirmution which its history has given to the
words - ' the gospel is the power of Gotl unto sa I\'a-
tion.' With spirits chastened hy the Divine dealings,
the\' desire to he 'still, and know that the Lord is
Goel,'" fecling that it has not been 'written in vain that
'he will be exalte,l among the heathen, that he will he
exalted on the earth.' They would sympathize with
the Mi-:sionuri('s ,,-ho are laboring on Tana, awl Anei-
teulll, and s('lld tu them words of comfort and hOI,e;
the sympatllY of their hearts go towards Mrs. Juhnston,
whom Gud has so soon smitten a ,... idfl\Y in Israel, an(1
to relatives, both in .Noya Scotia and Englanel, of those
who on the 20th i\Iay, won on Eromanga the crown of
Martyrd« 1m. They record also their deep sympathy
with the Church in ~ ova Scotia, on whom waye after
wave of affliction has come in connection with their
Mission. The bond of union, formed by the common
hopes ant1 joys which haye ati3en out of the on-carrying
of the Mission on the New Hebrides, renclets it no
figure of speech to say 'that they weep with them that
wecr:
"The Committee would earnestly point out to the
Church, the nccessity of continued and importunate
prayer on behalf of the brethren who are still laboring
on the high places of the field. They cannot conceal
from themselves, nor woulu they conceal from the
Church, that the Missionaries on "Tana are placed in
circumstances of very considerable danger, the hostile
feeling of the natives having been much excited by the
recent ravages of disease. They nrge the Church,
then, to cry nnitedly to Him who hath the hearts of
all men in bis hands, that he would turn away from
208 THE l..A.ST MARTYRS

his servants the fury of the heathen, and hide them

under the shadow of his wings until these sad calami-
ties be "'holly overpast. Meanwhile, they desire to
see in the trials, only an incenti ve to fresh effort. The
war must }1(Jt be giY~n up. It is Christ against the
prince of the power of the air. The issue is not
doubtful.
" In the name of the Foreign Mission Committee of
the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
JOHN KAY, Secretary.
"Rev. James Bayne, Secretary to the Board of Foreign Mis-
sions of the Lower Provinces of British North America."

From the Minutes of Synod - Fourth Sederunt-

June 2Gth, 18G2, the following extract is taken: -
"The Rev ..James Bayne then read the Report of
the Board of Foreign Missions, giving full details of
a succession of calamities which, during the past year,
have befallen the islands of the New Hebrides, from
hurricanes and infectious diseases, and of the exasper-
ating effects of these on the nath'e mind, leading to
the death of ~Ir ..Johnston, on Tana, amI to the barba-
rous murder of :;\11'. and Mrs. Gordon by the savages
of Eromanga, and to the expulsion of Messrs. Paton
and Mathe,)Oll from the island of Tana. The 'Report,
being read with feelings of deep sorrow, was received,
and the diligence of the .Committee approved .
•, At the request of the Synod the Rev. Professor
King offered special prayer, acknowledging the hand
of God in the recent· trials which have befallen the
Mission, with confession of sin, acknowledgment of
past mercies, and earnest prayer for further direction
and blessing."

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man

availeth much." .
The Rev. Messrs. McCurdy, Bayne, and G. Patter-
son were then appointed a Committee "to prepare a
suitable statement respecting these trials ~ be entered
 OF ERmIANGA. 209
on the ::\1inutes ;" and the following was submitted:-

"The Committee appointed to prepare :\ sta.tement

to be entered on the Minutes of Synod relative to the
trying condition of the Foreign Mission dming the
past year, and the duty of tile Church in view of them,
beg to submit the following,-
" , That, in the ravages of disease, by which so many
of the native,;, both Christian and heathen, ha\'c been
cut down, in the removal by death of 1111'. Johnston, in
the cruel all(1 barbarous murder m 1\11'. and 1\11'':;. Gor-
don, and in the appalling circumstances wIlich com-
pelled 1\Ir. Paton and 1\11'. and Mrs. Matheson to
aba11l10n their stations, the Synod recognizes a serie:-l
of trials which call for deep searchings of heart, and
for humility and contrition on account of our manifold
'i>hort comings.
" , That tile Synod while recording its high sense of
the zeal, fortitude, and self-denial of the fa,lIen mis-
sionaries, would express its deep sympathies with the
widow ill a strange land, and tile sm'\'iving re1atiy~s
of the deceased missionaries, with the mis'3ionaries
who haye had to flee for their lives, and with the whole
mission band, over whom wave after wave has thus
been made to pass.
" , That while calleel on to contemplate judgments,
the Synod would hail with gratitude, and as incentives
to a renewal of trust in Goel, various evidences of the
success of missionary labor on both Tana and Eroman-
ga, seen only since the laborers have fallen, or haye
been compelled to abandon their posts.
" , That the Synod recommends to the pastor~ of all
our congregations to make special reference to these
mysteriolls dispensations on the third Sabbath of
August, that the people may have an opportunity of
uniting in exercises of humility and penitence, and of
wrestling together in prayer to him who hath said-
, In a little wrath I took Ipy face ii"om thee, but witb
everlasting mercies will I gather thee;' and 'all the
kingdoms of this world shall become the kino-doms of
our Lord and his Christ.' 0

N
210 THE LAST MARTYRS

" 'That the Clerk of Synod be directed to transmit

t\ copy of thes~ resolutions to the suni "ing missionaries.
" 'JOHN :l\ICCURDY, Convener.'''

The reference to the Lonl's dealings with the Mis-

8ion in the ~ew Hehrides, malle on the third l-Iabbath
of August, mergc!l into the ordinary services of the
Lol'(l'~ day.
Wh('11 the Rev. H. Martyn sailed for India in 1805,
his fiock at Camhridge dcyute<1 the day of his depar-
ture to prayC'r and fasting. IIe sailed on a Tuesday.-
At the la~t meeting of the Celleral Assembly of the
Free Church ofl-l('otlan<1, helll at Edinburgh, May 22nd,
18G::!, it was resolYell that a week-commencing June
2:!nd - ])(. set apait for daily congregational prayer
throughout the Chlll'L:h.
Vnring the course of two years the calamiti('s which
hefel the X ew Hebrides' :\Iission were almost without
a parallel in the history of modern :Missions. Mrs.
Paton was first called a,vay. Then followed in quick
succcssion - her ehild, Mr. ,Johnston, the missionaries
of El'omanga, Mr. Matheson's ehild, Mrs. :Matheson,
and on October 11th, 1KG:!, Mr. Matheson.
The Rey. Stephen 1\1. Creagh, of Nengone, :Mare,
with whom Mr. Matheson was residing at the time of
his death, makes this kind remark about his deceased
Brother - a remark, we presume, as just as it is gener-
ous:-

" I consider that yon haye lost a most deyoted and

pions missionary. 'Had he enjo.),<'d his health anel
POSS('ss('(1 a vigorous frame I think he would have been
equalled by few and surpassed 1,y none."

Leading organs of yarious religious denominations

expressed deep sympathy with the Presbytelian Church
 OF EROMANGA. 211

in relation to the calamitous reverses which she met

in the New Hebrides. The following very cordial re-
solution of sympathy was passed at the "r
esleyun
Preachers' Meeting, Halifax: -

"At our 1Veekly Preachers' Meeting held in the

Vestry of Argyle Street Church, the following resolu-
tion was passed, -
" 'Resolved, - That ha,ing heard with deep emotion
of the martndum of the lamented Gordon and his be-
loved wife i)y the natives of Eromanga, this meeting
expresses its unfeigned son-ow. and tenders its sincere
Christian sympath,v to the Committee and friends of
the Nova Scotia Mission.'
" I remain, affectionately Yours,
" JOHN BUEWSTER, Secretary.
"Rev. P. G. McGregor."

Such manifestations of Christian fellow-feeling are

pleasing evidences of the oneness of the body of
Christ - of the union subsisting between the members
of which it is composed - a union so intimate that
if one member suffer all the others sympathize.-
"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art
in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in
us: that the worltl may believe that thou hast sent
me." John xvii: 21.

LETTER OJ!' CONDOLENCE FROlll THE PRESBYTERY OF PRINCE

EDWARD ISLAND, DATED BEDEQUE, NOV. 7, 18(H.

"Dear Christian Friends, - The Presbytery at its

first meeting after the news of your distressing be-
reavement had reached it, takes the opportunity of
expressing its sympathy ,......th you in your deep afflic-
tion. It has pleased God that we should stand con- •
nected with each other in a variety of relations, such
212 TIlE LAST MARTTR[J

as of llUsbalHl and wife, parent aw 1 child, In'other and

sister. Out of these relations. and the pleasnre spring-
ing from them, much of ollr happilless arises. In pro-
purtiulI, ltuweYl'r, to the pleasnre resulting ii'om them
is the dist\'pss expericlIced when they are torn asunder.
()f this you 1t:IH' kHl paiuful ('x}ll'riclIC'e. 1" ou haw
been ell'pri n~d of tlwsc CUllllCctl'll with you hy Ycry
tl'l1ller ties. The cirl'Umst:UlI'l'S, too, attelilling your
ll('i'ca H'lllent haye 1WI'II pCl'uliarly afiiid iH' • Your 1'('-
latin's did nut depart IH':II'd'ully upon their beds. It
has not Iwell yuur prhik~I' to wnteh u\'(~r tllcm in their
dyillg IIlOIlH'IJt.s, tl) gi\'(' tilt'JIl the part illg {'mhracl', or
duse their eyes whell t1wy expired. 1'111',\' have fallen
ill a ji ,},(,jU'1l bud, fin distant from rC'lati H~S and friends,
It,' till' fury of saY:L<fe 111en fi)r wlJOlJl their hC'mh were
1';111 uf 10\:(', and fo~ whose salvation tlwy parted with
home, friends, awl the SWl'l't:-; of ('iyilizC'll sUl'idy.
\Y I' dC'C'pl,\' sympathize "'ith yon in yOlll' sail b('l'caye~
mellt. "'e trl1st that Ill' 'rho ha:-; 11l'II111is('tl: • As thy
d·l\' is so sil:tll tll\' stl'ellU'th he.' mar altOI'd you etlec~
tll;tl sllpp()rt. C:lst Y()lI~' ],un1l:'n ui)(Jll I Iill~ and He
"will sustain yuu. IIc will not snlrer .rou to 1>1' temptetl
abo\'(' that you arc ubh' to bear. lIe will makc His
grace sutlici\.'lIt fur rou.
L "The dispensati(;n that has remoYc{l yOlll' relatiycs
is indccd llI,Yst<'l'i, IllS. \rhy, after so DllWh prepar:l-
tury training for their work, they should bc removed,
jllst whell they were, as w(' would think, commcncing
it, 'n' camlilt tl'11. It is not fur us short·sigh1ed crca~
tlll'CS to Sl'an thc diyille procetlure. Cod's ways are
past finding out. ~till, wc are s\1\'C Ill' docth all'things
well. In his mcthod of procedlll'e there is no false
step. If wc u(' not brought to see this in the present
world, we shall in the world where mysteries arc Ull-
ycilcd and pcrplexities made plain. Let us then uow
in suhmission to the Lord's dispensations, painful
tlJough thl'y be, and humuly acquiesce in them, fathom
them though we cannot. Let us say: ' It is the Lord;
let Him do what seemetll Him good.' • The Lord
guye, and the Lord taketh away, ulessed be the name
of the Lord.'
 OF EROHANGA.. 213

"" We rejoiee to thinl~ that you need not SOITOW as

those who have no hope. You have the best evidence
- that of deep devotion to the sen ice of their Mas-
ter-that they die in the Lord. Nay, as the martyrs'
death was theirs, so they wear the martyrs' crown.
·With the cup of your affliction, your Heavenly Father
has mingled mercy. While you have cause of sorrow,
vou have also reason for rejoicing. You "have ground
for thankfulness that God has given you relatives sueh
:as you have lost. Others in similar circumstances
have drawn comfort from this consideration. The
widowed mother of Lyman who was a missionary in a
foreign field., on receiving intelligence that her SOll was
murdered by the cannibal Battas, replied: 'I bless
God who gave me such a son to go to the heathen, and
I never felt so strongly as I do at this moment, the de-
sire that some other of my sons may become mission-
:aries also, and may go to preach salvation to those
savages who 11ave drunk the blood of my son.'
." Another widowed mother, "hen a son, to whom
she and her seven children were beginning to look for
support, was about to go to the IlCathen, remarked:
, Let him go; God will provide for me and my babes i
:and who am I that I should be thus honored to have a
son a missionary to the heathen:' and when her SOll
had labored successfully in India., and died there, she
could say of a second who aspired to walk in the foot-
.steps of his brother: 'Let WIlliam follow Joseph,
though it should be to India and an early grave.'
" Dear Christian friends, your relatives sleep in
Jesus. They have bid an eternal farewell to the toils
:and troubles of this vale of tears. They have gone to
be with that Saviour whom they loved unto the death.
No doubt they were greeted with the cheering words:
, 'VeIl done, good and faithful servants, enter ye into
the joy of your Lord.' They have anticipated us in
their anival at the land of bliss. Let us, whose lot it
is to be left behind a little longer, copy after them.
Let u~ imit~te their dee~ devotion, yeaming for the
salvatIOn of lIDmortal souls, self-denials, and unwearied
acti"ity in the cause of Christ. Thus when our ap-
214 TilE LAST JU.\RTYRS

II< liIlted time on earth com('s to n closC', wc' may all meet
in that lan(l wlll'rl' no sorrow ('nkr,s tlie heart, no tear
1'('III'\\"";tlit, 0,,1', anll no want is felt.
'" This wo'rhl is not 0111' hOIllC'. It pk:1S0S our
beawnly father to deel)('n the impression of this truth
upon tIlt' hearts of hi,.; dear '('hihlren as tlwy approaeh
the terminatioll ot their earthly eareer. For this PUl'-
PUS(' he suwlers those tips that han' a h'll<lell(,,Y to
atta!'!l liS to this worlel. This, though l':linflll to tlwlIl
in the lIlC'nu tillh', i,., (lone in 10\,(', all(l til rough His
Idt's"jllg is matle to iSSlll' in their ;.;piritual ])('llefit.
Inst(':ld, tll('\'\'j;.),(>, of mUl'lnllrilI~' at IIis tlisj>I'llsatiu)ls,
:IS nmyise, uukill(l, or unjust, th('y ongllt to be thank-
ful to IIim who thus llI:1kl',s them inel'{>a:-::ingly meet 1i)r
tIlt' illlll'ritam'I' of the' s:lints ill li!..:'IIt. '''1)('1\ tll(,,·
nrrin' at their Father's IIOllS(', all( l' look haek UpOil
IIis (k:l!ill~S with tlll'lIl. the\' "'ill SIT that IIp has led
tlH'llI j()rth hy a right way tiult tl](',)' might go t () a city
of II:il,it:ttioll .
.. Deal' Chri ;.;tian fl'i(,lHls, onr 11C':ll't's d ':s i l'(~ and
pray('r to (~, HI 1'111' YUIl is, that you 111:1." 1)(' fully Slljl-
portC'11 uuder y()ur SI'\,('),(' trial; that, through (~O(rS
bll's;.,ill~·, it lIl:!y elIlinent~' prmnotl' your g'l'Imtll in
~rae(' : allrl that. as "our trials :I.\'(' (rreat. SI) thc eon so-
latiolls of (;0(1 may ~HJt hi' slllall ,,-{til YOII.
"YUUl'S in the 1H)wls of Christian loyc,
"' HOJ:EltT ~. P,\TTEltSOX,
" H" .I:UtT L.\IIW .
.. (In behalf <If the Prl,,]'ytl'ry of 1'. E. Island
in ('Imne('tion with tl;e P;'l',lJyterian Church
lit' t!Il' Lowl'1' l'roYinc('s.
,( To :Jlr. and ~Irs. (;onlon and family."
 OF EROMANGA. 215

CHAPTER XX.
REMINISCE~CE" •

•• The broken ties of happi!'r days,

How often do they Rccm
To come befur" our mental gaze
Like a rClllemb0rcli dream!
Around us t'aclt di.severed chain
In sparkling ruin lie',
And earthly hand can nc'!'r again
Unite thOde broken tic<."
-MOliTGO~IERY.

THE following paper, dated, London, Oct. 1, 1.'362,

is ii'om the pen of the Rev. Robert Murray:-
"Starting from the Bank, near the heart of London,
the'traveller passe,; eastward through three miles of
streets, - crowded, smoky, sqnalid streets, aml then
reaches the confines of Vi doria Parle Here the stn·ets
widen j the houses are villas surroumled with ~:Ll'Ill'lls,
and frequently overshadowed by trees. You ·l'l'l'athe
fresh country air j and you only hear the din of the ('ity
and see its smoke to sweeten the contrast. Twice
have I with pilgrim feet and under iHenclIy gni(lance
gone over the scenes which are associated ,dth the
memory of my lamented frieJl<l. This is the cutLIg'l' in
which he spent more than six weeks of his time. It
verges on Victoria Park. The ivy dusters ttbullllalltly
upon the walls j honey-suckles, sweet brier, til<' lilac,
many a flower bursting into blossom, delight the' eye
a.nd perfume the air. The paths and avenues of the
Park, its fountains and mimic lakes and streams arc
visible from the cottage window. Close by the garden
is an elegant Episcopal Church, surrounded on three
sides by a populous grave-yard. Here, close tl) the
cottage, and sheltered by a luxuriant yew, rests the
remains of Mrs. Gordon·s mother; and here, had she
dieu in London, woulc11\Irs. Gordon's ashes also rest.
~weet spot, seclU(~ed yet not too lonely; quiet but not
216 THE LAST ltIARTYRS

sad j peaceful as becomes the restful home of the

weary body, yet scarcely beyond the sweep of the great
currents that rush through the world's capital.
" It was on a quiet autumnal evening that Mr. Gor-
don, for the til'st time, saw this cottage. Its retired
and beautiful situation pleased him exceedingly, and
he rcsoh'ed to secure lodgings here if possible. * *
"Beside this window, open now to the soft evening
breeze, 'Yas 1\11'. Gordon's favorite seat. These blos-
soming trees bloomed for him five summers ago j and
he rejoiced as I do now in the fragrance of this honey-
suckle. In front of the house is his fa.Yorite prome-
nade, where, book in hand, he often drank in the air
of early morning. In London, as elsewhere, he was
an em'ly riser. Often did he 'prevent the dawning·
witlI lIis prayers, and profit in his stmlies by tlIe
earliest gleams of sunshine.
" 'Yandering tlIrough Victoria Park we mark the
spots where he was wont to preach in the open ail: on
almost eyery Lord's day. On sunny SnbLath after-
noons many thousands congTegate here to enjoy the
fresh air and the sight of green fields and the smell of
flowers. Careless of everything but physical enjoy-
ment they come and go like the grasshopper, or the
gaudy butterfly. Mr. GonIon was most constant and
energetic in his attempts to warn and save the multi-
tude. Howe,'er harrassing his week-day toils - how-
eYer long his missionary rounds in the city on the
Lortl'::; day t here he takes his stand in the afternoon;
flnd having addressed a crowd in one place for a short
time he proceeds to another point where a fresh audi-
ence soon clusters around him; and· thus he prosecutes
his Master's work, regardless of toil- regardless too
of the finger of scorn and the cold scoffer's sneer.
Supported by a small band of faithful friends he con-
tinued thus to labor dming the whole of the time that
he spent in London. The mellow chimes of the city
bells float on the perfumed air of the Park; but their
invitation is scorned by the thousands who throng
these walks and avenues. 'God is not in all their
thoughts: To all practical purposes they are infidels
 OF EROMANGA. 217
- they are heathen. But see how they crowd ar~lll~cl
that tall, strong man - how eagerly ttley press wJtlnn
sound of his earnest voice. They listen unmoved till
the service closes, when many retire with an aspect of
unwonted gravity. '
., Here in the heart of Hackney, is the Presbyterian
ChUl'ch which he most frequently attended; and its
pastor was his constant friend, his confidential adviser,
in every way kind and brotherly. He used to preach
occasionally in this pulpit, and always with accept-
ance; and when the tidings of his death came tears
not a few were shed in this Church ,,-hile the pastor
preached an appropriate funeral sermon.
"' In the same neighborhood is the house ill which he
was 'married. Most of his wife's friends and relatives
still live in this vicinity; and as is to be expected they
all cherish the fondest recollections of the departed
ones. Mrs. Gordon was a young lady of good po-
sition, of superior education, of excellent talent; a
devoted daughter, an affectionate sister. She was
brave-hearted, unselfiRh, deeply pious; in every re-
spect well qualified to be a Missionary's wife. She
11t"oved wholly worthy of the noble sphere to which she
was calleel. It was a consolation to her sorrowing
father and her other relatives when I assured him and
them of their interest in the affection and in the un-
ceasing prayers of the Church whose Missionary she
became. We cherish her name as if she were (what
she indeed became) our sister; and we love and re-
member them for her sake.
"Those who like myself knew 1\11'. Gordon intimate-
ly and followed his career with an eye of brotherly af-
fection, will, if opportunity offer, wander as I did over
the scenes of his labours in London among the outcast
and the poor - from the Hospital to the Ragged School;
ii'om the wretched lanes of Bethnal Green and Shore-
ditch to the nestling retreat beside Victoria Park, and
to those portions of the Park where he was wont to spend
his Sabbath aflernoons. -They will then learn to ad-
mire the courage of the man who, himself: a stranger,
plunged boldly into the desolating sea of iniquity if by
218 TIIE L\,q lIIATITYRS

any me:-tus he mJght saw some. The fnll results of

his lahors here arl~ known onl \' to (; ur!; hilt e\'('11 at
the time it \\':is ma,nilbt tlmt a,' peculiar bl('ssillg attend-
ed his e!lints. SilllH'r..;, long hanlenc(l in a course of
iniquity, were in SOllle C:l";l''';~ suhdued anrI hrougilt into
the communion of til(' CIllIr('h. Ever actin', ('\'cr hope-
ful, he ,\'as newr gl'l'L'rly for pres('lIt eyi,I('m'C',,; of S\lC-
cc'ss. lIe knew that the ,york was God's, and he left
it joyfully in (; ur!' s han{l:'

}'RO:lI lin, I'AnKER.

"IIaZtji,IJ.', Aptil Gth, 1,'11):3.

,. ?\Iy Dear Sir,-
"In :tccor.l:lll('l' with your rL'ql1Pst I han' much plea-
sure in C'ollllllllni('atillg to \'('\1 som(' 1~lCts ami rcmini-
fo;('{'IIl'C',"; rclatiw' to ."c;1.1r (lcceasccl brother, my friend

and tonner studcnt. til(' nt'\'. (;. X. (iorrlon .

.. 1\1y acqllai ntal1ce with him commcnC'ccl in the
Spring of 1."';,-1:.). \\'1]('11 I was ('alle(l upon to att('llll him
professiun:IIl,r through a \'ery sel'iolls :m( I protmete(l
iIlIH'SS. lIis hea,lth 11:[(1 bven impaired hy 1'111";(> mental
appli('ati"lI, and a, (laily attt-'nr1:11l('l~ on s('\'l'l'al d:1S:';('S
at Cullc;.;'(' throughout the s(',;sioll. Be,;ir Jr.,; wilieh, I
ha,\,l' rl'a';(!ll tl) l,\:li(,\"(, that mudl of the time lI"nally
taken hv "tll'lents for ('x('r<'i,,(~ :l1ld I'\'('l'l~:lti'-'II, ,,':;s
"pC'nt ill' yj,;it illg' tlte spiritnally (\r>stitute ,.I' our city
am1 its ('llyiro]h. Frum titp'i(> ('olllbilH·(l e:l1Ise,; his
sys! ('Ill "':IS dl'l 11'\'''''('' I, amI fitted ji/l' tilL' I'\'('('pt ion ()f
{lise:tsl', which attacked him in tit(' form of TYl'IlOir 1
it,yer. So tell:wiun,,,; "'[\' it,; grasp of iti,; weak('lll'rl
frame. that Ill' '"as cOllfilll'fl to his 1.1'<1, and tite itUII"e
1()r S(,\'('II \\"I,(,k,;; amI for man,· clay,; Iii,; life wa,; in
imminent <1:lII!..!('1'. Bllt, fin ali.'·' it 'plea,;;('(l tll<' (:reat
}'lly"iciml gradually to rcstore him to health amI ll.,('-
fulill's,; .
.. (~orrs clealillg'..; with tI1O:"(' who 10ye and sen·e him
arc fr('(l11('ntly, til till' finite mimI, most malTeliolls.-
lIl'rc was one of his faithful f"llu\\'('r" laid low, and
111:1('(.<1 011 the Yerg-(' oj'the gTayp; yet I'ai,,('d up :lgain
by His st~'ollg ann to labour for a brief period ill His
 OF EIW)!.\XGA. 21!)

vinC'v:1nl, amI then to die :1 martyr's death far from the

home oj' his childhood, and youth, and relatives, amI
friends to whol11 he wn~ endeared.
"He lin'lI to orig'inate the Halifax City l\Iissioll,
and to lahour, I am~ aware from personal imowlellge,
as fe'" llWll know how til labour, among the poor, the
di~ tn'ssell, an(~ the profligate, as its tirst missiollary.
He has passed away. but this ehild of his atfection
anel praYl'rs, stillliycs, and is fusterell and carc(l for
by Him who has called tlw labourer home .
• •. My next meeting with ::\11'. t~orL1on aftcr we had
partell as physician anel patiC'nt - if my memory scrn's
me - wa~ ill his clospt. II~l\'ing had occasion to visit
the h()lIs(' in ,,;hich he lo(b:ed, amI not being: a\\":Il'l' that
. he l'c.-;illell there, I ',":1S, 11)' mistake, sho~nl iuto the
room whil'h he occupied. lIe was on his knees, at
mid-clay. abs('l'bed in prayer, 110 doubt (,~lrrying to a
throlle uf grace the suhject of ';\lissiollS, and l'sl,('cially
that one for which he ,,,as then,. or WIT SllOl'tly after-
wanl, eanH'st ly and Slll'cl'ssflllly labom:ing. .
"H~1YiJl!.!: snhSI'ljlll'lItly offered himself to the Pre-;-
byterian Churl'll of this Province, as a Foreig:n Mis-
sional'~" anil been accepted, he desired to aequire some
knowh·(lge of med.icine 1,e['ol'!' leaving a Cllti.;tiall, for
a heatlH'll bllll; and consequently sought admis-;ilJ11 to
my otlice as a student. He ,,'as thus occupied. when
not :111::;('nt from the (,it", - if I mi!'take not - {'rolll the
<:losing months of 1:-;53 until the period of his depar-
ture from ~oya :-;('otia. Being well aware of tIl(' atl-
valltag:l'S likely to ::werue to the mis:;ioll by hf'ilw skilled
in th~ healing' art, he a"si,llloll-;ly devoted h~ spare
hours to proil'ssionul stwly. It was evident, how\'\,er,
from the hegillning to the end of his attC'lld:wl'(' that
the sahation of the souls of IMil, ,,'as the primary ob-
ject anel moving principll' of his life. No apI''')'! 1111 ity
was lost of preaching Christ, or of giving a ",.ore! or
admonition to those with ,,,hom he came in ('Olltact.
Being' instant in season and out of season,' lip thus,
indirectly, lly his <:olltil~ued faithfulness, admonished
me of my own short comings in these important par-
ticulars. The title - The Earnest lltWt - O'j"ell to
'"
2:20 THE LAST MARTYRS

the Burman Missionary, JUDSON, might appropriately

be repeatell alII I applied to Gordon of Eronumga. No
one coulcl lla"e known my deceased tHend without
esteeming him 101' his many estimable qualities.
" His memory stillliv~s fi'esh in the hearts of those
who were ftuuiliar with his character amI life, as also
with many of those who profited by his spiritual advice
.und scriptural t.eachings. .. He being ell'ad yet speak-
eth.' " Ever yours truly,
"D. ,MeN . PARKER."

RElIIIXISCEXCE BY TIlE RE,". 11R. KEEDY, OF JOlIN KNOX

l'lll'Rl'Il, LONDON,

"In the summer of 1856, I first had the priyilege oi

making the ;l('quaintance of the late Rey. G. N. Gor-
don. lIe was at the time prosecuting his medical
studies nt the London Hospital. I rememl)(,l' well the
earnestness anel enthusiasm which he manifcsted in
entering into these stu<lies, belieying~ as he firmly did,
that the knowlcllge which he was acquiring, would,
under the lJles,,;ing of Gorl, prove a valuable auxiliary
ill furthering the great missionary work on which he
was so ea'.tl'r to enter. One of' the Proie'isol's whose
prelectioll'''; he attended was Dr. Carpenter, the emi-
nent Physiologist. I remember very distinctly how
thoroughly ~\rr. GonIon agreed with him in his views
in regal'll to the use and effects of alcohol; its conse-
.qnenees and injuriolls effects when used as an ordinary
IJeycrngt'. Ill' was soon impressed with the prevailing
vice of Britain; especially so as it meets the eye of
the stnlll;.!.'cr entering our large towns and cities, in
poycrty, tilth and wretchedness of the lower strata of
society. Not only did he deplore the drinking cus-
toms as a grievous curse to be wept over, but hy prac-
tic-al ahstillcnce fi'om strong drinks, nen'r failed to
testify against them. His cOllYictions on this point as
regards missionaries were clear and decided. I re-
member how calmly he spoke of this as a requisite
qualification for any who would convey to heathen
lands the unsearchable riches of Christ. 'Vhile en-
gaged in his medical studies he was also diligently
 01' EROMANGA. 221
de-roting a portion of his time to the acquisition of
Polynesian languages, and mastering by persevering
application the ditliculties peculiar to euch di:lled,
occasionally regretting: the little assist:U1(,c he could
have in ,,,hat would subsequently form so important a
feature in his missionary lifc.
"\rhat very specially struck al1l1 impn'.'Oscll the
mind of anyone whose privilege it \\":\S to become
• acquaintcll with Mr. Gordon was his e11'1H'stness and
silleerit\'. One coulll not meet him wit hout SOOll feel-
ing that lie wus thoroughly in earnest in liis ('ailing, in
his works, an, I devotion to mi".siollal'Y labors. His
goillg tv thc' lll'[\then he l'('g:ll'll('(l as a call from God,
who in nIl the' wise arrangements of His providence
through a series of eYl'nts had shut him up to the
nccessity of dcvoting himself to the great work to
which he was k10king forward. \Vith this conviction
deeply gl'!lVen on his mind and 1ll'Ult he Uros('('utec1
his prepar:l,t(.ry studies with cllthll:;;iaslll. spoke of his
future wissi(IIl:lI'Y labors with connllellt hope in the
mercy and faithfuluess of a cCivenant-kl'( '1 ,illg' God~
and went out full of zeal to sow the s('e( t of divine
truth, the fruit of which will doubtless yet appear.
" His view" of divine truth were clear :lIlcl (lefinitc,
and his awful sense of ministerial rcspon:-:ibility very
affecting. -With him the great aim amI end of living
was the promotion of the divine glory in the salvation
of souls. -We had very striking proof:,; of this in the
evangelical labors in which he found time tl) engage
while in London. If not the first, he was certainly
among the iir,.;t, who attempted to ac:ldrl'ss and gain
the attention of those vast crowds which dcscerate the
l'est of the Lord's day in our Lonelon Parks. He was
never afraid or diffident in speaking for his Diyine
Master, whether in private or in public. On several
Sabbath afternoons he proclaimed the Gospd to large
audiences in the immediate vicinity of Vietoria Park.
H He gave several Sabbath-~chool addresses in the

Tower Hamlets. On fdtlr or five occasions he address-

ed the chilLlren attending the J olm Knox Schools,
always, too, '\'lith a fc{..voUl' and unction that were felt
 222 TilE LAST MARTYRS

Loth hy tcaehers and pnpils. It was on these occa-

sions that he impre:;std so powerfully the youthful
mind with pictures of the fearful wretchedness and
degr:ulation of thL' heathen world, and hy his winning
appl':tls to their youthful hearts succeeded so admir-
ably in drawing forth tlll'ir sympathies 1ur the perish-
ing heathen. From tll('se Sabbath-school ad,Jrl'ssc:; it
was (~a-;y to see how tl'llly they reflected the workings
of his I)W11 heart and soul.
" But not only in the wars mentioned clirl he mani-
fest his f(,rYor a'IlII :-;itwl'rit)' in the promotion of God's
~IOl'y, but also in the more priy:cte t'ullyersations held
wit It incli dt luals Culll't'm iug the one thing needful. He
rarely lust an opportunity in tltis way of speaking a
word tf) tile l:areless amI unconyerted. In doing this,
which wa" so lIl'edful, he was in so far as my obserya-
tion extended, t lise-red :Ulf 1 kind. An inl'i( lent in
illustration of' this remark way be related here: -
,. The saill-tilieation of the 'Lord's day was a suhject
of lleep interest to our (1eYote,1 missionary. As most
sineere Prl'sbyterians do, he held most firmly the di-
vine authorit)', and perpetnal moral oblig'atiu~ oi' the
Fourth Commandment. The :-iabhath des('eration pre-
valent ill London W:IS to him a source of deep n'!lTct;
especially so was the trading in open shops, or half-
open shops - as if aShall1efl of their unholy traffic-
whieh greatly moved him. In the immediate neigh-
borhood of my church a :-;hop is regularly opened and
business systematically carried on till early ('Yelling,
when, for the sake of a walk it may be presumetl, it is
closed. The fact ha:; been a continual source of
annoyance to myself during my ministry in John
Knox church, since I arn obliged to pass by it on
every oceasion of public worship. One ~abbath after-
noon when 1\11'. Gordon had been addressing the
children of my Sabbath-school, and was afterward
retllrnill~ to my house in company with one of my
cIders, he halted when oppu"ite the shop, and proposed
to go in and remonstrate with the parties within.
My elder remarked that he thought it would not be of
any use. To this 1\11'. Gord~9 immediately replied
 OF EROMANGA. 223
that with the result they had nothing to do, as conse~
qnences were God's, duty theirs. Accordingly he
went in and spoke kindly, but remonstrated faithfully
with the pmties on the sinfulness of their conduct.
He spoke of the insult which they were offering to
God in dishonoring the lby of rest in such a manner,
of their neglect and cruelty to their own souls, and of
the pernicious example they were setting to thousands
around. The answer given was a very common,
though most fallacious one, viz" that if they did not
do so others would. 'Oh !' replied our faithful mis~
sionary, 'but you must remember that the wrong-doing
of others is no excuse for your present conduct; on
the contrary all the more need is there for your testi-
mony against evildoing, and your example in what is
rirrht.' With many similar words did he exhort and
t('~tify for the Lord Jesus .
., It, is not necessary that I should attempt to give a
description of)lr. Gordon's preaching, which is better
known to those who had more frequent opportunities of
hearing him. He preached in J aIm Knox Church on
two different occasions. His discourses were solemn
and impressive. His preaching was of that kind which
induced one to believe he thoroughly realized his posi-
tion as an ambassador of the Cross, while standing in
the presence of the lh'ing God, seeking the conversion
of souls. He spoke because he believed; and thus
speaking he reached the ~emts of his hearers. One of
'his sermons delivered in my pulpit was on these
words: 'For the grace of God that bringeth salvation
hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously and godly in this present world.' - Titus,
ii. 11, 12" I well remember the marked effect produced
by his discourse on a large and attentive audience,
and more especially on the minds of the young, on
some of whom, in particular, his appeals made a deep
and abiding impression. On another ol'casion he took
for his text, John iii. 18 : 'For God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal
 TilE LAST MARTYRS

life,' all(l pre[tched a very characteristic missionary

sermon. Though in regard to logic~l arrangement it
,,,as less formal than the former find not so t>lab(lr:tte
an(l flIll (If illustrations, yet it was a fnll :tIJll affecting
exhihition of thc lo"e of God as maniit'sted in the gift
of IIis SOil for the redemption of the ,,'ol'i<l. awl an
eanw"t cxhihition of the Church's dllt,' to cherish a
missionary ~pirit awl spread abroad the' (; ospd to the
end s (.t' tl)(' (' :llth .
.. Slll'h are some of the reminisccnccs which r ehcrish
(If my 1lll':t...;allt intercourse with my hte lll~lon·d and

mart,~n:(l, but now saintt~(l hrother." They I(~aH~ upon

111\' willli a Ili..;tinct and "iYiol impression "r ~ man lit'
gl:l'at ('xc(·ll('ll('(' 01 (,hristi:1I1 cl!aracter, of g'ol)(l nalural
C'llolmnlll'llts, of' ('ollsill('ralde att:linnH'lIt ill seience and
salTed litcr!lturc, of ullwearyillg pel's('Ycnmcc, of in-
domitahle I'(mrage all(l ti1rtitllllC', exhibited in meeting
and nl[lstcriJl,~ (litlkulties, of ardent lon' Ii 11' the Rp-
dcellH'r, and tIl(' S01l1S of nWIl, of It swed. IIml gentle
dispo ...;iti('II, :lwl of strong f:lith in the lll'ol!lis('s uf (:0(1
conC('mill;.!.' the univcrsal dtfnsiol1 of IIi,., (;o:,pL'l. lIe
II:l-: gone t() his rest awl reward - cut down in the
vigo;- of manlwu<l, in the mornilJ;..': of l'rl>llli"ing u"d'ul-
nc',.;;.:, and "'hile girding up his Ioills if n' fal'tilPl' ('UII-
flicts in the l'ro-:el'ution of his arduous work. But we
know who has (lone it-even Him ,,'11<), l'ulill!.!; in the
LeaH'lls u110\'c [tucl on the earth ]'e11I':lth, disposes 1'1'
all events fc)l' the promotion of his OWll glory.
" III many 1'('s]l('('ts Mr. Gordon r('sl'llIlJb 1 his great
pre! 1<'('1'5,..01' in thc fiel<l on which he too fcll- the
illustrious "~ iI.LIAMS - the first Martyr of Er,)m:lll:.!'!I.
In all tl1l' high qualities of missionar}: zeal and fen:or.
compassion and burning love to the poor perishing
heathen, ardL'nt and unwearying pCl'se\'l'rallce, and
enc1l\l'ancc in the performance of his work, he was
worthy of being the successor of that illustrious man.
Like ""illiams, too, there was reseryc(1 for him a
martyr',.; death an(l crown, and, as time will show, a
missionary martyr's fame. From his ashes the Re.
deemer's canse will rise again with renewed "igor all< 1
energy. The blood of the martyrs will yet prove the
 OF EROMANGA. 225
seed of the Church, and oyer that long benighted land
of Satan the sun of righteousness will yet arise. In
the future history of missions and missionaries-
among the many honored and truly noble names that
the uniyersal Church will rewrc, I do not think I claim
too much for my beloyed friend when I say that his
'will not be the least among the thousands of the
Church's illustrious staIH1:ml-bearers.
,·It now only remains for me to adel a word about
Mr. Gorelon's (lear young ,,,ife, whose lot anel glory it
was to fall by the side of her honored husband. She
Was a woman of great excellence of Christian charac-
ter, of deep piety, and of a fervent and intense mis-
sionary spirit. ~he was in all respects worthy of the
husband whom - forsaking father, mother, brothel'S
anel sister, and sUlldering the most sacred of earthly
ties - she followed willillgly to the scene of his future
toils and sllbseqnent missionary labors, and also ac-
companied in his death. ~he, too, will have a name
und a place in the Father's house. In the future his-
tory of Christian missions her name will be honorably
mentioned, and o('('uPY a distinguished place in the
hearts of thousands who 10ye the Lord Jesus in sin-
cerit\, and truth. Of both these eminent servants of
(,hri~t we now can sa~T: • They rest from their labols
and their works do follow them.' "
o
 P.L~RT SEOOND.

"~A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE FOURTH VOYAGE OF THE

·JOHN WILLIAMS TO THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES
AND TO MISSION STATIONS IN EASTERN AND
WESTERN POLYNESIA.---1856-7.
" IhYIXG been request€d by a minister of the Gos-
pel in London to write a narrative of our voyage
through Polynesia, in the John Williams, and his re-
quest being in accordance with the wishes of other
esteemed friends, after due consideration, and feeling
the force of some reasons urged for doing so, I feel
that it is my duty to make an effort to furnish my
friends with more information concerning :Mission sta-
tions visited by us, than I could give in an ordinary
letter: at the same time I must remark that I feel as-
sured I have but little ability for writing anything
either interesting or edifying. In writing then of per-
sons and things as these have appeared to me, I trust
I may be guided by the Spirit of truth, and that what
shall be communicated may meet with acceptance. As
I have previously written an account of the Yoyage to
Cape Town and the Australian Colonies, these places,
in this paper, shall only receive a passing notice. I
shall endeavor more especi~ly to confine my observa-
tions to missionary operations in the 'Island ,VorId,'
and as requested noti~e some of the features in
Polynesian 'Missions.
"On the 23rd of July the John WilUams left the
bu~yThames, :;md al'l'iv-ecl at South Africa on the 1st
228 TIlE LAST lIIARTYR3

of October, where th~ ship remained for five days,-

During this i)('ri()d I acquired much yulnable infurma-
tion I'vl:ttiw' to tile religiuus awl political state uf Cape
Colony, whieh 1')Ijoys the ~\lh:l1ltag('s of British rule.
The (,lilllate oj' tl{is' thriying CololIY S('l'IIIS t~L\"r:d)[e to
Elll'fIJlI':IIIS gelH'rally, though it is statell that but few
of till' j\lI~_dO-~:txull r:lI'I' there IiYe to :til :uln1l1ced
a~·('. :-;lllIll~ uf tlll' JIli,.;~iun:lril's ,.;('ut thither lahor among
1)lItch farJI)(,),s, while I)tllt'r,,,; [)(>Ildrate illt" the interior
of the country 1':11' heyolld till' hOlllllls (If' the (\'[UllY.-
The Dutch :1;111 Epis~'l)p:II Cllu)'!'\Il'''; nrc sUpl't)rh';! hy
gT:Ill1s from 1111' (;OY!'l'IJIlH'IJt, Illlt th('~(>, in alllll'llhahi-
lit\" ",ill S(lUIl 1)(' witlHlmwn, a,,,; there is :l strong feel-
illg risillg tip hen', a..; in tIll' -,\\I.-;traIian CI;)()lIies,
:l<'!"~lillst ~ t:L t I' ,,-,upl'"rt to allY Clmrl'h. The Tl':llls Yael
Ho(')'s 0\11'1'1',";"; tIll' aho)'igilil's n'ry 111ll1'h sincc they
haH' Ill'('ll IIl'I'lJlitte(! Ily the British Goyermnent to o~
bin fil'(' arllls; awl tll\' !:ttkr, whill' ,n'l'pillg in the
LitteJ'lll'ss oj' their souls, like Haehel, tin' their dear
OIlt'S ,,-ho :11'1' ]]lIt, :1,;k the ,,,liite m:1Il till' sll'l'l1 ques-
tion, - ' 'Yliy do tite EIl;.rlish lldp tltl' l~t)t'rs who tle-
stmy liS :mcl our ('hilt1rl'll'~' '''hell 11:Ir1'1Ils lil' down
at Iliglit the,\' :I"k fur t1ll'ir l'hil(lrel1, ~lllli in the morning
('\'t' thl' drops of the night nrc c1ri('ll up reiterate the
fo;mlle - ' "There are our heloyed children':' :11)(1. be-
C:tll"," then' i" none to answer, they Wl'l'l' awl "till en-
quire - ' ,nlY du tltl' white men (who are bound to
obey tll(' mml of GUll as much as the lll:tck man) help
the 1~(11')'''?'
"Aft('!' a ddightfnl Yi~it, made csp('('i:llly ~o through
the kindness of tll(' Hcy. ~lr. Thompson amI family,
an(l the arrinl1 from Eng:law! of the Suthj tiJ), India,
we sailed fi'om Table lla y on the 6th, ti)1' the Austra-
lian ColoJlie,,: amI arri n'~l at Tasmania in t< )rt,' (lavs.
,y l' ellet IIl11tcr('ll sCYel':e1 g:lks, awl W('l'l~ mel'ciiully ~le­
liyeretl from shipwreck in tit!' Indian O('C'an .
.. On a }>1':lcdn1 Sabbath morning we entered the
heautiful Dl'l'Wellt. A gentle breeze soon wafted onr
ship up to JIllkllt Town -llOW a town, but a place at
one time the home of the sayage :lut! of Britain's vile
outcasts.
 OF EROMA NGA. 229
"For the most part the convicts appear to have been
like the Devil, unreformed and unreformable. But
few of them ever gave evidence of reformation. One,
banished 60 years ago to New South "\Vales, came un-
der the influence of divine teaching, and for several
years proved himself worthy of much confillence; and
the.re is some reason to believe that he was beneficial to
, the souls of his fellow sinners, but on his return to
1Scotland he came under the baneful influence of some
of his former companions., and was in the end executed
for house-breaking. This sad circumstance teaches us
an important lesson, and one which missionaries know
how to improve, for they find a sad tendency in their
converts from heathen practices to return to their for-
mer habits. 'Where the duties of the pastorate are
. neglected in any way, the consequences are most COH-
.spicuous even in the cases of the strong. It was, to
.Bay the least of it, tI. very inconsiderate act of the Brit-
iSh Government to scatter such incarnate demons as
the convicts generally are by thousands, among u,nof-
fending heathen. The inhabitants of Cape Town cer-
tainly had mercy on the heathen of South Africa, as
well as upon themselves, when they refused to allow a
,convict ship a few years ago to land her destructive
cargo; and, if the Home Government had not desisted
from sending them to New South Wales, the colonists
would have. been excited to rebellion.
As there was a science or philosophy among the
ancients - falsely so called - so there is a philanthro-
py among the moderns - falsely so called- a philan-
thropy which at the expense of justice too frequently
screens the culprit from the sword of the civil magis-
trate whom the apostle designates the minister of God
to execute vengeance on the guilty. This philanthropy
which ignores the principle of capital punishment for
any crime, has brought forth some of its legitimate
fruits in the Australian Colonies and Polynesia, and
its advocates would do well to&onsider this passage of
Scripture, ' He that justifies the ungodly, and he that
~ondemneth the just, even they both are abomination
to the Lord..' The Colonists of Van Dieman's Land
230 THE LAST :lIARTYR3-

prevailed upon the Home Government to send tl'le'

comicts to N o1'folk. From that island they have since
been removed to give place to the 13itcairn Islanders.
Some, however, escaped from X orfolk - though at the
expense of the lives of some mariners - aBel are now
exerting their l)uleflll influence in Polynesia .
•, The climate of Tasmania is very salubrious. The
soil is fertile even to the summit of lofty mountains,
wherc grow trees of a prodigious size. There is a
tree lying in the vicinity of Hobart Town into which, I
was informed, a man can rifle on horse-back. A gen-
tleman who returned to Britain.a few years ago, hay-
ing on one occasion said nettles grow in these Colonies
to the height of twenty feet~ was told that some after-
ward remarked: • He thinks we are such fools as to
believe him.' That gentleman informed mc that when
he returned to these Colonies again he (liscoYered that
nettles grew to the height of fifty or sixty feet.

" Our passage to Melbourne- was anything but plea-

sant. The country around Hobson's Eay appeared
beautiful. As we neared JHclbm1l'ne and ohserved the
large number of splendid ships lying oft' "'illiams
Town, and saw the stirring population of Anglo-Sax-
ons - steamers moving about the Bay -locomotives
running Oll the land, and a large city amid a11- we
felt that God's designs in relation to this country-
which may be termed terra paradoxa - must surely be
higher than those of golcl-seckers. From ohseryations
which I obtained by the glass of the land about the
Bay before we landed, I felt confident that much of
it must have been submerged not many years ago.-
Of this we had ample evidence when we landc!l. Some
are of opinion that the whole country originally exist-
ed in separate islands. - That a country like Austra-
lia with such immense treasures of wealth - mineral
and agricultural- also having a good climate, and
situated in the Southern hemisphere amid myriads 01
heatheu- should Jlaye been reserved till the Nine-
teenth century for British Protestants, drawn towards
it by the attractIOll of the precious ore t discovered in
 OF EROMANGA. 231
the providence of God in due time and for higher cnds
than man's ambition contemplated, is a remarkable
fact, and one which illustrates the wisdom of that God
who has promised to enlarge J aphet. The aggTegatc
population of these Colonies is now not far short of
1,000,000, the nucleus no doubt of a great nation.-
There were but three houses in Melbourne in U:i3t:L-
The system of letting land by auction in an the Aus-
tralian colonies at too high upset prices is much inferi
or to that followeel in the American Republic; and, as
it is unfavorable to agricultural emigrants must, if not
modified, retard the prosperity of these Colonies.
" Soon after landing a prayer meeting was held on
behalf' of the Mission cause. At the close of the meet-
ing there was heard an alarm of fire, and many ran,
who no doubt were never moved by a cry of still
greater alarm from God's holy mountain. The Rev. Mr.
Cooper and I proceeding to the scene of the conflagra-
tion, endeavored to save all the property in our power.
I worked on the roofs of some of the houses till quite
exhausted, and feared ill consequences. Some, in one
hour left homeless, were much troubled by the afflictive
event. Others went into perilous situations, while
striving to snatch their goods from the ·flames. Oh!
that I may profit by the lesson thus taught me by that
confl~<Tfation, and strive more earnestly to rescue sin-
ners from the unquenchable fire. * The property lost
was estimated at £50,000. ·We received but £70 for
the cause of Him who gives men power to get wealth,
and who takes it at pleasure; and some thought we
did well.
" I visited the Chinese boarding houses while in
Geelong, and got some young men to take copies of
the Scriptures in their own tongue, from the depot
of the Bible Society. There are several thousands
of them in the Coloni~s; and still they come although
obliged to pay each £10 on landing. Some of these
have subscribed towards the building of a Church.
* "The most magnanimous deed done on that occasion was performed
by a young woman. One with whom she had b~en at ellmity having
been left destitute was treated humanely by her. Bt-iog in distress she
.spake kindly to her, .took her o-wn bonnet and put on her enemy's head."
232 TIlE I.AST l\IARTYRS

,vC l'etumed to Melbourne on the 30th, and conclmled

Otlr meetillgs in that city by attending a fal'ewl'll meet
ing held at. the Meehani,'s' Institute, after which a
steamer wa ited on the 1\1 issioll:ll'i,'s, anel bore them
and a large number of sincere friends down the
Yam to IIobsoll's Bay, wileI'(" on hoard of our
barque, we were affectio'nately ('ummenile(l to the care
of the (;ocl of Missions, and in a fen' hours were
off for Sydney.

"January Gth, ] fi;J7, we arrived at SyclIwy. The

s(,pnery ar~und Port .Taekson pll':ts('tl us ) l1Iich , and
gave a ma.'.!;nificent aspect to the landscape. The Port,
narrow at the entrance, gradually expands, awl swells
out into a eapaciolls basin extending twent~' miles.
inland. III this splendid Port are about one thousand
('0 \'(>s , formed by rOl'ky, yet ".( x)l!r,d neeks of land,
and all around are narrow clitb amI wobdlancl hills.
Sy(lIwy is built of white fl'(>('stone and exhibits the
w'ealtli an(l greatness of a first-rate English town.
Its sitllation is the most (ldightful of any town in
Australia.
" A few clays after landing, 1\11'. Howe amI I vi"ited
Nc'wc:lstle and Maitlancl- the latter being (listant
from the former twenty miles on the ballks of the
lIlInter, \rliich, like tlie Yarn, resembh'" a narrow
(':lI1al cut through a meadow. The soil of this river
j" forme(l of an alluvial (lepl)"it many fed 11('('p. and
heing irri.gated by the st.)'(~all1" which flow froll1 the
melting S)IIJWS of the Austl':"tlian Alps, yields two crops
annllally without milch culture - some say - for forty
ypars! . I spent some hnppy hours while' in :JI:titlan;l
with the Rey. Mr. McIntyre, , who is makinO' some self-
~

denying and 1:1 \)( lable efforts to promote Ac:ttlemic

education in the colony. Newcastle is a small town,
whose progress is retarded by its convict population.
It h:1'; a fine harbor, and ahul1\l:ulI'e of coal, which
might be made a source of much wealth to the place.
There is a magnifieen~ hill ahove the town, from the
summit of which Mr. Howe and I got a fine view of
the surrounding country.
 OF EIWl\IANGA. 233
4. "'IIih' in K eWC':1"tI0 I had a strong dl',.;ire to see
some of the aborigines of this part of the C'olllltry, and
having been disappointell on the morning of the Htll
l)y the skmner lIut callmg in due tin1l'. I had Illy lll--
sire fulfilled about noon lly part of a tribe coming in
from Port ~tephen. ,nth t11e,.;(' I sat dmm upon the
grass in olle of the "(Inares. in 'wigwam fashion. The
chief and one or two more could speak Ellgii."It. and I
wa,.; therefore cnallIe. 1 to conH'rse with them about the
salvation "'hieh is through .leSllS. Tlwy seemed to
have much Iletter ideas o{ Go(l as the Crl~atnr than of
God :1,.; the Redeemer. The trihl' of tltis district, like
titus\.' of }.laithmll. ~yllney, :1nc1 nil'lbourI1l', may now
with a fe'\\' indivillual eXl'('ptions. be numbered among
the things that were. Why l10 they tllll'; fade mvay
before Europeans? is a question "'hieh has fi'equently
been ash,l and to which many suppose it diflicult to
give an answer. I shall nWl'('ly endeavor to remove
some of the difficulties connel't(',l with this question,
which, however, lila \' be sufficient to show that the
'Puritanism' which tIll' lI ('stmilU.;t(')' Rl'l'iew denounces
T

as the cause of the destruction of the PIII\,lle"ians has

not injl1l'ell this 1':1C'l'. The 'Yeslcyan J\I i~siollal'il's in
their report make the following statement: -
.. 'The condition of the a1Jori~illes 11\~('\lllll'S more
deplorable ns colonization U(lY:1ll(,~'s. Theil' lands are
rapidly 11:lssing into the hands of the :-wttlt'rs, tl1('ir
grain is driven awny by the new comers, and their escu-
lent )'(H.ts destroyed II.\' the ,,'hite num's sheep. Thus
depl'iH'll ,,1' the means of slllisist( 'Dce, an(l not daring
to n-uture into the interior lest they should be mur-
dered ns intl'llders by other tri\)c< tIll',\' ~('IIl'r:llly
resort to begging and pilf'ering from tltl' ('ol( 'lIists, "ith
whom they are in consequence often brought into pain-
1'01 collision. Loath,,;olll(' diseases still :I!.!;~ra\'ate the
e\'jls under which they arc wasting awny.; '-
..• The shooting of a l1ntiw,' says 1\11'. Jameson, 4 is
not regarded in tll(, jurisprudence of the bush as a mur-
der.' Their traffic with Ellropeans,is ahnu:-;t ('XclllSiyely
in intoxicating liquors, which their constitutions cannot
stand as well as those of European!') ; and the demoraliz-
234 THE LAST MARTYRS

ing influence of the convict population can hardly be esti-

mated. The remnants of tribes found scattered about the
seaport towns are poor specimens of this race in general,
and these circumstances account for those erroneous
views wilich have been entertained by some ethnolo-
gists, that they are an inferior race to whom the term
Alforas has been restricted. Some tribes are much
blacker and more diminutive than others, which are
not inferior in personal appearance or in intellect to
the New Zealanders. The former obviously belong to
the black race of Polynesia. Missionary operations
have been almost exclusively confined to the remnants
of tribes scattered among the European settlers, which
circumstance goes far to account fQr the failure of
l\fissions to this ruined people. Their Polyglottism
throws peculiar difficulties in the way of missionary
success, but not more than the Polyglottism of the
'Vestern Polynesians.
"The Moravian Missionaries who were laboring
among them in Victoria have of late returned from
their work unsuccessful, and complaining of Govern-
ment interference as the cause. But few now seem to
care for their souls, as there is a general prejudice
against them as an unimprovable race - a great mis-
take. Those who have been taken into schoo~ learn
readily, amI some travellers speak in high te!ms of
their aptness to learn the English language. l\lajor
Mitchell remarks: 'I am convincecl that the New
Holla.nders are not so debased in intellect as some
writers would lead us to suppose, and by kind and
good treatment it is easy to gain tileir lasting affection.'
l\Iy ileart yearned over those \\>1th whom I conversed,
and for whom I could do but little more than pray.
The chief had his war club bound up in a piece of
cloth, and when I found out what it was I gave him a
handkerchief in exchange for it. In the evening two
New Zealanders called at om hotel, one of whom was
tottooed, and the other had rosy cheeks like a good-
looking European. They are a superior race and far
advanced in the arts and sciences. Some are ship-
owners and captains of vessels, and transact business
 OF EROMANGA.

at the Banks of the Colonies. Thf'se two young men

had bcc'u to the New lIt·brides nnd knew th(' Jlissiun-
aries on Aneiteum. The number of' nlJUl'iginl's in
Austrnlia hns heell estimated at fifteen th()us:lml, lmt
as there has yet been only a small part of this gr('at
(~ountry explored, the populatiull cannot yet be eOl'-
reetly estimnte(l. In the eyening tlt(· st('~tJlll'l' called,
snd we were ~on off 101' :-Inlney. Meanwhile the
heaYel1s wen' black with clo~llls ~nd 10tHi peals of
thunder broke over our heads, which soon g;:we "':1" to
serene sunshine, nnd everything in (~tld's t~lIlplo uttcr-
ed His praise. On the :!.'ith, after flllfilling om mission
to the colonies by preaching missioll:ll',Y S(,1'I110nS awl
atlclre.,.,sillg l'('ligious meetings, at whieh about £~OO
were colll-ded for Foreign Missions, we sailed for
Eastern Polynesia.

~y(ln('y and Melbourne, in proportion to their popu-

lation, are much better supplied with ministcl''> of re-
ligion,tll:m some small towns and districts, A g,'()()dly
number of faithful ministers and piotts, intelligent
church memhers who mignth'cl thither, organized sume
of the existing thriying congregati()ll~. J\mong th""e
were two or three excellent Epis('opoli:11l HisllOPS,
among whom was l~ishop J:>c l'ry , whose cUlllpallY I
ell jUY('ll YCl'Y much.
'" \nwn on the platform of the Biblc' :-I()('iety in 1\[01-
bourhe, turning tu the ministers around him he s::ill:
"It would be too little for me to sar YOU are IllV
brethl'('ll- you are my fellow-labourers 'in' the (~o"l'cl
of our common Lonl.' 1\ly heart':..; dcsire is that Nova
Scotia may be blessed hy inen of:t kinllrell spit'it.
" InnoYations, I am surry to state, which moc1i(r the
simplicity of the worship of God in the :-I:ll1ctuary
among English non-conformists, are not wanting in
the Allstralian Colonies. Such thin£!:s are too fre-
quently the concomitants of a smooth-prca('hin~ minis-
try. From sen~ral nurftbers of the E('I'leslusf Iwl Re-
viele of lxj(j, and reports of Evangelical Alli:lllces, it
is obYious that a considerable number of ministers in
England ·wi:..;11 to be smoother preachers than were
 236 THE LAST MARTYRS

Christ and his Apostles; and hence they haye slllooth-

('ll eternal punishment ont of their sermons altogether.
I fear that a world-pleasing spirit too freqnently finds
it..; way into the pulpit in these Colonies as well as in
Britain, to the injUl'y of souls. I endeavoured on a
certain occasion to preach a plain simple sermon to a
congregati()n (in which I trust I succeeded), bnt was
~ubsequently told hy th.e pastor that such.J)laill prea.ch-
lllg woulll he unacceptahle to many, and that from hlln-
self would injure his standing in the commuuity. This
he seeme(] to deplore.
"The eivil governments favor Antichrist as much,
if not more, than Christ, and illfi<l('ls have no l"l'ason
to ohject to the views entertained by some Christians
ill relation tosubject'3 which sometillles dvmal1ll the
. ~criptural attention of GO\"ernments. The Roman
Catholics h[l,Ye consi( }prable influence in all the Colo-
nies, aud if the Emigration Company sewl out five
thousand Irish women to lessen the disparity between
the sexes, as proposed, they will rapidly gain more in-
fluence. In this, however, they are opposed by the
Victoria Government whieh is now a powerful rival of
the Government of X ew Suuth 'Vales .
.. 'Vhile the religious commnnities of these Colonies
are forward in many good works, it is somewhat sur-
prisill,!.! to find how backwarcl they are in the support
of religious periodicals, several of which they have al-
lowed tu die and be buried witllout any obsequies, al-
tllough worthy of a nohler encl. The 'Vesleyans of the
Colonies are yery adi\'e in the Missionary cause, and
hay(' taken the whole responsibility of the Wesleyan
Missions of the :-:;outh Seas upon themsd \·es. The
Congregational Churches of Sydney have had a Foreign
:i\Iission Board for several years which of late supports
Messrs. Cre:lgh and Jones, at .Mare. But it is in vain
to think of obtaining sufficient missionaries fl"Om the
Australian Colonies to labour in Polynesia for many
years to come. 1Ve did something towards promoting
union among the Independents and Presbyterians, but
I am not sanguine about any important results further
than an increase of contributions. The last contribu-
 OF EROMANGA. 231
tions which I received fo1.' the cause of Christ were
from the children of Dr. fullerton's congregation after
having preached to them from the text, 'Lovest thou
me?' wliich I endeavoured to improye practically by
answering the two following questions: Why should
we love Christ? and how should we show our love to
Him?
,. Isaia the Rarotongan interested and amused some
of our meetings very much, by relating the changes
effected in the domestic state of the natiyes of Rul'O-
tonga by the introduction of the Gospel. He never
saw an idol till he saw the idol of his forefathers in the
:Museum of the London Missionary Society in London.
Said Isaia:
" , He is a great big fellow and when I saw him I
was greatly astonished and climbed up and broke off a
piece of his nose to take to Rarotonga, and I asked Dr.
Tidman to let me take him back to Rarotonga, to show
the young people the queer thing their fathers worship-
ped, but he say, ~ No let you do that.' The present
king of the Sandwich Islands in like manner never saw
an idol till a few years ago he saw that of his fore-
. fathers in a Museum 'n Boston. ' The idols he shall
utterly abolish.'

" On the 8th of Feb. we sighted the Three Kings,

small islands to the north of New Zealand, and on the
12th crossed the meridian of Greenwich; amI, being
at the Antipodes our barque began to look homeward.
We felt much satisfaction in knowing that we could
not get much further from Britain. In W. long. we
were soon called to the exercise of patience by having
to contend with head winds for nearly three weeks,
during which time we made but little progress; for
striving to get onward in the right direction, like the
soul contending with opposing elements, we were ob-
liged to beat, beat every inch of the way against wind
and tides, and had consequently much reason frequent-
ly to enquire if w~ were making any head-way at all.
Subsequently a dead calm stole upon us which hinder-
ed us more in our progress than all the contl'ary ele-
238 mE LAST !lIARTYRS

ments with which we had to contend, for our barque

then rolled lazily on the ocean, notwithstal1lling all our
efforts to propel her forward. Ah me ! thought I, may
there not also be something worse to contend with in
the ~pil;tl1al yoyage than opposing !l0w('j's of which so
many complain!' After some ,,"C'arisome hours our
eyes were at length on the 8th of 1\1arch gredell with
a plea":ll!t yiew of' Raintvai, one of those PolynC'sian
Islands which, ill the wide expanse of the OCf':m is like
an oasis in the (}(·,)l'rt, and on which the mariner, like
the W(':try traveller, delights to fix his cy<,s awl desires
to plant liis wandering feet. Raivuvai is one of the
Austral hl:l1lc1s on which native teachers from Tahiti
have lal)(lure(1 with some success for thirty years.-
The popni:ttioll of'the group has decrease'lI rapitUy, es·
peciall,v where no European :i\Iissionari('s resi(le among
the natives after tll('Y come in contact with fon·igners.
The London l\Iissi,;nary Society has no El1l:opean
,Missionaries on this or the lUarquesan group (the lat·
tel' is of much greater importance than the funnel',)
but the Tahitian missionaries have sent native teachers
to eaeh. The Saw 1wich Island missional'il's have been
directing tlll'ir attention for several years to tile Mar·
quesas, and their agents are now labouring there with
encoura;,.o;ing ~ll(T('SS in converting the dehaseu canni·
bals. ~trallg(' to state, they are opposed by the agents
of Rome, who in the name of France amI the Pope are
already hindering the Gospel yery much in these seas •
•, While in Britain I heard remarkable statements
made relative to a great work of reformation wrought
among the say:tges of this group by the instrumentality
of an Amcril'un sailor who got cast away •
amon ba them.
He marriell the daughter of a chief. She afterwards
accompallie,l her lmsualld to America, whither they
went for the purpose of obtaining assistance in the
good work, which was too reauily granted them.-
Now if the friends of Missions in America who sup-
ported tllis villain had communicated with the Mission.
aries at Honolulu on the subject of the runagate's
self.imposed mission, they would have sayed them~elves
the trouble of exhibiting him and his wife at public
 OF ERmIANGA. 239
meetings, and the bmning shame which they must have
felt when they subsequently obtained a true account
of his character from San Francisco.

"On the 11th inst. we sighted the peninsula of

Tahiti, where Capt. 'Vallis first landed, and early on
the following morning our barque sailed round the
island to the harbor, a disbnce of forty miles. We
had a 'pleasant view of the island as we 'sailed to Pa-
piete. Every eye was intently fixed on the surpass-
ingly grand scene opening up before us. It is quite
impossible for those who ha'-e not visited Polynesia to
form any right conception of the charming landscape
of this truly beautiful island. )Ve have not here the
romantic mountains of South Africa, with their bald
heads, but a country clothed with a rich garment of
imperishable tints, from its fertile banks, which em-
brace the ocean, to the summit of its loftiest moun-
tains. Some of these lift their majestic heads far into
the clouds, which frequently rest upon them; and while
the thunder peals above, the traveller is reminded of
Sinai in all its hallowed and awful associations. Mount
Orahena is 10,895 feet high and very beautiful, pre-
senting from its base to its summit, on the north-west
side, the appearance of a curiously wrought piece of
workmanship richly embellished. Brutish must be the
soul which could contemplate such a scene on the wide
ocean without entertaining some of the feelings of
Moses when he said, 'I pray thee let me go over and
see that good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly
mountain and Lebanun.'
" Tahiti belongs to the mountainous class of islands
of the Pacific~ which are in general more beautiful than
the hilly or low coralline islands. The immense heights
of these islands present every variety of shape - pyra-
mid and spire - their beauty and grandeur being so
blended as to awaken the most delightful emotions.
The landscape is so adorned with hill and dale, lawn
and woodland, gentle. stream and dashing cascade,
that it cannot be much surpassed in beauty even in the
fairest portions of the globe. Tahiti is the country by
24:0 THE LAST MARTYRS

whose murmuring streams, spreading banyans, noble

mountains, and gorgeously ornamented amphitheatres,
Plato and his compeers would have delighted to revel.
The banyan has a peculiar manner .f extending itself,
by dropping down sprigs from its lower branches to
the ground, in which they soon take root, and grow
up, as if illflependent of the parent stock, till they'
suddenly unite with it again and thus form one
huge tree. I measured one of these trees of a
recent growth, and found it twenty-sevcn feet in cir-
cnmference. It is one of the few species which an-
nually sheds its foliage in the tropics. Vegetation
advances so rapidly in these islands that a few days
before this tree parts with its old raiment the new is
found prepared in neat folds, ready to take its place;
and, as if impatient for an opportunity to praise the
Creator, it suddenly casts off the old and ~xhibits the
new in all its freshiless and beauty.
"Through the coral reef-forming a semicircular
break-water - there are two entrances to the harbor
of Papide. The white foam marks the boundary.
But I mllst not dwell longer on the physical appear-
ance of this paradisian island, but endeavour to des-
cribe some of its moral features.

"Tahiti was (liscovered in 1767. Popish mISSiOn-

aries from Peru landed on it in 177-1-, who, lca,ying the
heathen a wooden cross, quit the island in less than
a year, the field being too difficult to work with wood-
en crosses. The Protestant missionaries, who arrived
by the Duff, landed in 1796. The results of their
labors, and those of their successors, are well known.
A little before their arrival the island was visited by a
dreadful earthquake which produced great fear in the
minds of many of the natives. When the Duff came
into the harbor tIley went on board, and were not a
little astonished at the manners and habits of the new
comers, especially at the worship of Jehovah, to them
at that time 'the unknown God.' 'these men, said
they to each other, must be the servants of the great
God about whom the Pitcairn Islanders spoke to us,
 OF EROlIANGA. 2<11

us the men who teach all nations the knowledge of

the true God, who has sent the earthquake before thcIll
to shake om island. At that time they received the
missionaries with some degree of fear, but which, as
subsequent cyellb prowll, had little hallowed influence
Oll their hearts - and to this (by the'Y call the Duff
tamJlu - earthquake. A somewhat ~i milar circum-
stance is related as haying taken place in connection
with the introduction of the glc\:-;pel into the Fiji Is-
lands about twenty years ago. It was preceded by a
fearful thUlHler~storm wllich lll'pilul'l'd great terror on
the minds of several natin's, and influenced them in
sparing thl' native teachers and rec('iyillg' them as the
senallts of Jehoyah, l'\,(~11 when they were making
preparations for having their bodies served up at a
feast. From the varly statistics of the mission it ap-
pears that the London Missionary Society sent to this
field about 70 missionaries in the brief sl¥tCe oi' two
or tllree veal's. Of these 38 only landed on Tahiti on
account ~f the capture of the D~ltf on her second yoy-
~ge. Some of the excellent friends of l\Iissiolls a.bout
tb.at period obviously mbtook the nature of the mis~
siollary work. The' model settlement' system turned
out a eUi1l1,lete failure, especially at the Tonga Island,-;
wllere 11 mechanics were left, several of whom, too,
suffered nobly ill the cause of Christ till obliged to
leave the place. ~ome of those who fled from Tahiti
to New South Wales after trials multiplied upon them,
suffered more on the passage, and during the first years
of their residence in the Colony, where one of their
number a.t Paramatta was cruelly murdered, than
those who remained in the mission field. ~ome of the
faithful few who left Tahiti returned from the Colony
of Eimeo, where the first fruits of the Mission, after
twelve years of toil, was reaped in the conversion of
King Pomare. Mr. Nott was one of those faithful
missionaries who subsequently translated much of the
Bible into the language (it' the Mala'yo~Polynesians­
a great and glorious work, for which his name should
be held in lasting remembrance. 1\Ir. Brown in his
History of l\1issions justly observes in relation to the
p
242 THE LAY.£' lUARTrR~

South :-;(':t Missions: ,'Wlwu man mafIc as if he would

(':lJTY all lJCfore him little was e11\'l,tcll, - when he
fOUl~(1 11(' eould do nothill;!; muC'h wus done.'
"Tl1i1't('cu Jears han_: elapsed since the French
law kcl on Tahiti, amI ufter u (It-sperute struggle with
the 1)('1 'VIc, in which the latter lo:-;t the mo,-;t mell, they
ohtaincll the victory; chietly, 11owey\,l', through the
treachl'1'y of a brihed lIative who lcd the cnemy to the
fluc(,l,-;:-;ful ('apture of onc ( I f their nutural strollghold~.
They HCxt tried to tuke IIuahine, om' of the I-'oeiety
Is1a~l(I:-;, ,,'hcre tlwre urc not two thousand of these
simple natiycs, but were replll:-;('ll with consi(lerable
\1 ):-;:-;. aIHI the IIlluhnieans are still fi'ee from the
Frellch ,Yok(' - one whieh t]1(' bette!' cla.-;s of Tahitiun~
feel to 1)(' \'l'ry gallillg. As soon as the Freneh a:-;:-;III1l-
ed the )'(,iglls oi' go\"ernment they (liyided Tahiti into
small districts, and oyer the ('()lIgT('gatiollS pla(,('d
teuchers c40sen as :-;ehool 1ll:I:-;tl'r:-; me u:-;ually seleded.
Thus by one :let the eiyil gOYl'nlment took the cntire
control of all the ('ollgTl'gatiolls of the i:.;law 1, alHl I,,Y
strillgcnt laws prohibited any religious tC'udlCr to
teach or preaeh out of his eirC'ul11!-;crib('cl svhere of
action, or to ex('rcise discipline in his church in uc-
corclam'l~ with the \\r ord of G (II 1. The goyernment
thus casi]y got the few conscientiulls and faithful mis-
:o'ionnril's rooted out; and t,,·o or three nutive pastors,
who ""C1'e willing to siltier l,alli:-;hmcnt ruther than sub-
mit to the Ilnscriptllrul rule of the dyil power in (:od's
hou:-;(', are now in exile. A (lay of trial thus came sud-
denly 101' the trying of the mi:-;:-;iunarics and their con-
verts; and some h:l dng been tril'll wcre found faithful,
while others were found shamefully ,,"unting. Some of
the foreign missionaries huye ~acrifi('c(1 their principles
in relation to Christ's headship over his Church and
have bc('ome the friends of the l'llC'mies of God; while
others WllO seemed not far from the kingdom of heasen
huye turned from the holy C'ommamIments delivered
unto them. lVIr. D. (a J>reshyteriun), who is still in
connection ",ith the London Missionary Society, is the
ouly missionary who has now a pastorate of a congre-
gation in Tahiti; and he has much I'eason to mourn
 OF ERo)IANGA. 243
bitterly on account of his error in making any truce
with Rome, for the Papists are now making more COll-
verts in his eoni!l'l'i!:ltion than in any part of the island
- fifty haying of late been baptized by them. It is
obvious that mi,;sionaric,;, as well as minister,; who la-
bour a,; pa,;tors in Christian conntries, too freqnently
mistake their calling. To huy, sell, and get gain,
seems to he the natural calling of some. "rho "'ould
believe that there are missionarics in Polynesia who
have cleared £l.()(!O by trading! Romish mission-
aries, well "killed in tratling from the beginning, have
now entered Tahiti. These know how to throw a
little Ull"t into tbe eyes of Government officials antI
the faithful in Y:tlpar:~iso, and are turning pril1cl'ly do-
nations - given to help poor misional'ies - into that
'which ha,; tlram.l some out of the way anel 'pierced
them through with mallY sorrows.' I:;ome good mis-
sionaries witb large families, increasing ml11h, :1111 1 lntt
small salaries, have ,~trong temptations to tr:1I1S~rl':'lS
in this matter. But I must now tnrn from this painful
theme Ilwelling on which I feel, like the excellent Ber-
nard when writing on the same subject, as if I could
write eyerv sentence with tears.
,. 'Ye remained four days at Tahiti, and were much
pleased to witness the high esteem and deep affection
which the small party of faithful natives manifested to-
wards 1\11'. Howe on his return. They pressed around
him like children to a parent beloyed. He and I while
. walking through the town of l)apiete, were hindered
considerably in our progress by men, women, and
children pressing forward to get hold of his hand in
order to giye him a hearty welcome.
"Returning homeward we saw Queen Pomare, in
company with French officers and her native retinne,
going on board a steamer for Raiatea. She entered
the boat before we reached the wharf. On seeing .Mr.
Howe she bowed her head sorrowfully, and seemed to
wish for a place to we~p. She has much reason to
weep, and alLher people with her, for they are now
trodtlen down by strangers who devour their country
in their presence and lay waste their pleasant institu-
244 THE LAST MARTYRS

tions. When they contrast its present moral aspect

with its appearance 20 years ago they say. ' Tahiti
was then a garden - it is now a wilderness.' Some of
the foreign merchants are now leaving and seem to
:feel that a curse is resting on the place.
" It is quite impossible to obtain a conect idea of
the workillg out of the Papae}' - by obsl'J'\'ing its
operations in countries where the eivil government is
llot its mean servile in giving effect to its mandates. -
The heralds of the wooden cross have triell again and
again, e:lst and west, to subdue the Polynesians under
the dominion of Antiehrist, and wherever they llave not
sncceede<l in getting the nse of this earnal "'capon-
the dYil goYernment, the rod of their power - their
failures haxe been signal. ~ueh has been the result
where the Polynesians uphold the ~eriptU1'es and main-
bill their independence. They tried Tahiti twice with-
out this power anel signally failed. The smne remark
is true of New Call'(lonia. In Samoa, lacking this
~peci:ll aid, all the diligent efforts of the Priests seem
to be almost useless for the ach·aneemellt of their
(~ause. The Romish Bishop of Tahiti maintains
through this instrumentality, not only an influence oYer
the districts of the Island but also the supel'Yision of'
the press - the press - Rome's dreaded foe - safe
only ",hen tethered with a Papal chain. Mr. Howe's
printer a short time age printed for some of the mer-
chauts, public notices, without his knowledge, but for
t:mt 1\11'. Howe was called to account. On proving his
innocency he was dismissed- with a warning that if
such a use of his press were made again he would be
held accountable for the crime. It was a happy cir-
cumstance for the Rev. Mr. Geikie that he resided un-
der a government free from the control of the Papacy,
when he dared to answer the 'Pastoral Letter' of an
Archbishop of the Romish See in Nova ~cotia. 1\11'.
Howe on one occasion merely replied to a little tract
written by a Bishop of a small island, and though Mr.
Howe had the authority of the former Governor in
Council for what he did, yet the Bishop sought to have
him signally punished.
 OF EnO:llANGA • 2,1.,

.. His Lordship in Ct)mpail)" with a nlll~gat(' 1II i,.;,.;iOIl-

ary. examined the publiL' ~dlOOls :t f,'\\" ll:ty:-; l,di)l'l~
our arriyal and aw~rdell the prizl's to the HUlllan Ca-
tholic children, after whieh ";Ollll' of the parents 1'Ose
and ~:lid they must l'cti l il.'1l tl1\' CUn'rllOr ttl :tllo\Y
French l'rt!test:lIlt mis,.;i,'ll:ui,'s to J\·,.;idl' amollg them,
that just in' lI1i~ilt be tI(111L' to their children. Tlwy
drew up :1 1,I'1itiull for Otis c11d awl it was Ill':ld,'d )'Y
the QucL'n's ,.;ignature. The missiollaril's 1':.1,\'01' this
moyement. hut 1 c:Jllnot St:l' that any permanent gUt)( 1
can H',;nIt froli1 it at le:l,.;t unlll'1' till' l)l'e";l'nt ac1millis-
tration. :Mr. Howe. like 1':1Il1 in Ron~e, HOW elWl'lIs in
his ()\\"n (Ilil'l'll) bUll";!.', l'l'cl:i\'ing all who l'plllP til him,
for he is not pc'rlllitted tu preach in the fine ~lission
(,hurch hanl b,· his (lu()r. There is this l1ilferelll'l"
howeY(~r. bctwe~n Panl allll "\Ir. Huwe: the :-;(,I'\':111t uf
the Lord in modern HOllle seems to lJaye less liberl,r
than the ";l'rYallt of the Lord had in ancient Rome.

': I yi,.;ih'll the S:;l,l,ath ~l'h()ul ofPapiete anli attellll-

eU the natiw sl'ryiec held in the clmrdl on their ~ah­
bath, whieh 1'Y l~')lllish authority has been changed
from the fir"t tu the second da \' of the wel'k, and found
only :!II ehilt lr0n assemblec1- ;\"here in times past near-
ly 100 llll't to rC(,E'in' rl'ligious illstnll'liu\I. The con-
gr('~ati!)ll. ::\11'. Howe says, i:~ but a 'HcC'k of what it
,once ",a,.;. It was truly afiecting to ,.;ee )11'. lIowe
sittill~ ill his pew - not darill~ to enter his pulpit-
,,,hile a native teacher was ~lIhlrc"sing the cOJlgrega-
tion. TIll'\'(' ~;('('l1lS to 11(' om' ul)stal'le in the w:ty of
the triumph of l'ul'ery in Tahiti, Yiz.: thl' 1l\'eSen~c of
Mr. 110\\1'. If he "ere remoyetl thl'V woulel have but
little oppll,.;ition froi!l !l1Iy other part~'. Of the Church
in this place it may lJl' said as of ~ardis. 'Thou has a
few nanlt's ('yell here wbieh have not defilell their
garments.' On the eyening of the Hith, we had an in-
terestillg' awl profitable farewell meeting at 1\11'. Howe's
house, at which the .A.me1'ican Consul and other pious
foreigners were present, and on the following day we
sailed from the Hociety Islands, leaving the little ro-
mantic island of Pineo on the left.
246 THE LAST l1ARTTRS

,r. As the distance from Tahiti to these Islands is

only about Qne hundred miles, and the trade winds fa-
vored us, we had a quick aud pleasant passage to.
them. "r e remained in this group a week - spending
the time at lIuahine and Raiatca - the scene of the
Rev. Mr. 'Yilliams' eady labOl's. The population of
anyone of these islands clocs not exceed 2,UUO, though
they are all eapable of sustaining a lllUeh lnrger nUDl-
ber of people than has eYer lJeen known to exist upon
them, for every foot of lawl, from the fruitfnl valleys
to the summit of their highC'st mo.untains, seems like a
rich, well-watered garden - blessc<l abundantly as Jo-
seph's land in regard to • the precio11s things brought
forth Il'y the sun; and the precious things put forth by
moon, and for the chief things of the all('ient moun-
tains amI for the pr€dous things of the lastiIlg bills.'
The Hev ..Mr. Chisholm of Raietea, as also Rev. C.
Barff of Huahine, received us kiudly. Mrs. (:Ol'don,
myself, Hu(l Mr. Chisholm (to whom we are indebted
101' many offices of Christiau affection) start('d o.ne
afternoon to. ascend one of the m.ountains (If Haiatea.
After wending our way through dense forests of fruit
trees, which perfumed tho atmosphere ,dth their plea-
sant fragrance, we arrived at the top of 011<', whence
,ve obtaine(l the most m..'tgnifiec-nt "iew of the hilly
Rml submarine landscapes with which I h.'we yet ueell
111.vored. 'Ve stooo on the summit o.f a mo.untain
from whence we saw Raiate~t fi'o.m cast to, ,,"est, with
its splendid atoll-reef and fail' lagoon; and Tahaa and
Barbom, in all their romantic gl'andeur~ The comi
reefs of this island rise abo.yc- the waves. The water
varies in depth from ooe foot to. two. hundred feet.
These lagoons are numerous in the l~acifk. The white
beach of Haiatea, surrounded as it is by an oval sheet
of shallow water o.f a bright greeu color, a))(1 enclosed
by a g'littering ring as white- as hoar frost, presents
a fine contrast with the blue wai~rs of the ocean. The
swelling waves pro.duced by the· South-east trade wind
are truly beautiful as they dash against this ocean-
barrier in a continuous ridge o.f blue ,yuter, curl oyer
the reef and fall in an 1mbrokeu cascade of foam
 OF ERmaNGA. 247
dazzling white. The submarine landscapes of the
transparent lagoons are highly picturesque, diwJ'siiied
by unrivalled colo!'s of vi"id greL'n, browll, ydlow,
purpll', red, and hlue. :-';omc pieccs of c.:oml /i)J'I11ell
beneath the water appear as lll'::tutiful as ulIndws of
red roses. The liviug insects build the tomi)s uf past
generations
, \Yith simplest skill and toil unweuriaLle
No moment and nu movement unimpruvl'd,
Laid line on line, on tl'lTace, 1l'rrar:l' spread.'

The tower of Babel, pyramids of Egypt, wall of ('!tina,

English Doc'ks - the lllig'htiest works of the prowl
children of men, fall short of the works of these little
architects of the Creator.

"The Society Islands have long heen blcRs('(l with

the light of the Guspel. TIll'ir inhabitants all( 1 the
Tahitians hase much intercourse, and canllot he dis-
tiuguishe,l by personal appearanee or dialects. Capt.
Cook visited Huahine and Raiatl':l. several tillW~, ,,'hile
thick darkness shrouded them in a m~llItle of death.
He was much pleased with the flattering j'('('('ption
given him on his last visit, save and excepting that
given hy the • old h:lg'S,' as he (':lUecl them, tu whose
€mhraces he iu\'\)lllutarily submitted.
" On these oCl'asiolls they lavished npon him almn-
dance of tears and kis:-;cs, - things, lly the \\:1 r, which
should not be valued too highly, for it is ou\'iiHls from
the past history of these islanders that any voyager
who would treat them kindly all< 1 give them presents,
though he were never to name the name of Christ
.among them, WQuid haye no reason to complain of a
want of snch attentions, nor even of still lJlore sub..
.stantial tokens of their friemlshill. lIml Capt. Cook
.been a Christian missionary seeking to open up Poly-
nesia for the diffusion of the Gospel, though he might
not h:l.\·c been the mQallS of eOllYerting one soul, .YC't
he could have written more interesting reports than
;some mis3ionaries WllO have since labored in Polynesia.
In reference to the natives of Wallis Islands, who once
248 THE LAST MARTIltS

receiY(~d Protestant teachers, Roman Catholic agents

state: 'All the old ('hiefs came to kiss our hands and
offer us cocoa-root in sign of friendship.'

" While at Haiatea we had several opportunities of

rneeting with Rey. 1\11'. Chisholm's congregation. His
flock was large, but orderly, and apparently attenth e
to the Word of God. Thev held Bibles in their hand!",
and frequently referred to 'them during the sermon, cf
which they took notes. The most attentiye hearers of
the Gospel in Tahiti have also the same practi<.:c. The
natiye men generally wear a shil·t and a loose garment
worn like an apron or hroad girdle, and the women clrcEs
in flowing attire adapted to the climate. We visited
the old residellce of the Rey. John "Williams, saw tbe
pulpit in "'hich he preached, anel some of his other
handiworks. The ch'il wars, "'hich greatly disturbed
the churches of this group two or three years ago, haye
subsided, and peace now seems to maintain a blissful
reign. In one only - Borabora - troubles are appre-
hended. It is but right to state that their wars are now
much less sanguinary than they were in the days of
heathenism, although the natives use European ,,,ca-
pons of wal'farcl
"' In general the system of government in Polynesia
is akin to the fudalism of the dark ages in some parts
of Europe. The riyal interests of (lifferent parties com-
ing into collision, war is too frequently the result.-
This is the case eyen with those calling themselves by
the name of the l.lrince of Peace. A few years ago
the Iluahineans bravely (lefencled their country against
a French invnsion; but shortly after a civil war break-
ing ont among themselves, o~e of the parties invited
the French to come and assist them in subduing their
foes; but the Freneh declined interfering. A great
change for the worse has no doubt taken place in the
morals of the natives since the French authorities re-
moved some of the restrictions of hated Puritanism in
relation to heathen dances and other thinCTs. N eyer-
theless, as there is much reason to belie~·e that the
Tahitian .Mission was much injured by trading mission-
 OF E1:O;l1.\ N(;A. 249
aries preYions to the ocC'up:ltion of thr iRland hy the
French. tiley should not 11\' m:tde sl':lpr~()nt~. The
Fn:'lIl'h Covernment j" (']](l\'ayorill~ to n'1'orm tlit' na-
tin's hy disallowill!.?: thcir heathen d:llH'e~'. .:'~ uW ther
ouly a~1ll1it of :l n'lollitip,l :'.tyle uf (l:;nl'ill~, sllch as i's
in fashion in European ",wi\,t,\". to 11\' ('il,~':lgl'tl in 011
Sabhath evcnin~s, a11l1 "jll'l'i:ll ol'l':lsioIlS .
.. Leaying the Hcy ..J. H:lrft and family at Haiatea
we sailed fo~' the Hervey bl:!\IIb lIn tLl' 2.~th, ,,'jWl'l' we
arrived on the :31st ill"t. The i,.;]:11I11s in this group
are seven in number. alHl lie flOW :I()I) to 1;00 miles
Wl'St of Tahiti. Tl!C' plljml:\ti"ll nt ow' period, it is
snpposl'd. was ullout 14,(if)O: l)ut is lJOW much less.-
~IaJl~':li:\ was fir,.;t Yisit<~,lll,\·u,,;. Early on the morning
of the jIst, ere the sun hall uri"'l'll, our eyes ,,'ere
greeted with a pleasant yipw of ~Iallg:tia.· It is a
hilly isl~llcl, having a barrio' red' l'HnllilJ;.!: in a direc-
tion parallel ",ith the ('oast, :,1111 without a Larbor. As
none of the Hervey Islands han' haYe)ls, the Julin
T!'illiCliIIS docs not anchor at the gronp, and conse-
quently not Unfrl'qlH'lItiy \,"ll(>rit'II('t'~ much (lifficnlty in
landing stores for lllis~,ilJllal'ies. :-)s :-:oun as the ,.,!Iip's
tlag was ,descried, sC'n'ral (':moes - in one of which
was HI'\'. l\!L's:-:1's. (;l'ul'!.!,e eill anel ,r. ,V. (~ill- came
otf to 11Iel't us. Our ".'ekOl)l(· from the h1'dhn'n ,,'as
l1Iu,.;t cordial. ""c' were slJon Sp('('llily com'C'yed OYer
the reef lly the nati n's, who were very I1lllch pl\,:1sl'd by
the 1'dlll'll of th(' l\IissilJn bnrque. ?\:ttiyl':-:, st:11111ing
ing the water on the reef, received the ('unoes as they
Npproadw(l, allil took them :-::l1i·ly 0\'\'1' :1111id the joy-
ful and loml u('dawations of the multit\ll k. I-\UlllU of
the sailors who had lwen in the Yl'ssl'l to Englnnel were
Ilatin's of l\Iangia. They were )'el'eiwil by tl~eir fi'iends
in the 1\,.;\lal wny - lJy rubbing noses. To touch the
hand of a friend or stranger with the nose, Sl'l'ms to
dl'lIute much respe('t and attention. TLe English su'-
10rs :-:nggl'sted that their mode of salutation might ac-
count li)l' the flatness o~ their III N'S •
•. On arriying at the Mission premises, on which are
some fine buildings, tastefully arranged, we founel the
::'.Iission families in the enjoyment of much health and
 'HIE LAST lIIARTYRS

of many comforts. The yi"its of the .Ju lli I 1Vi17i(lilli

til "Olll~' or tll('SV isbillI:-;. on which ~lissi()11 famili('" an
So i"obtl'll, not llufn'qul'utly draw j()rth 11':11'" (lj'joy.-
TIll' l'eriOllieal rl'tul'll oj'tile ship appl'ars to be almost
a ('llllIlition of the Cxistl'l1eC of the l'u-use of Christ (I]
some i"iands.
,. On thl~ 3nl of April Un. Ceo. Gill hayiw.!,· kil1l11~
pl'Ovi(le,lus with horses in (lrdl'r that we mi.~lJt yj"it :~
St:ttillll un till' 1I\,\,o"itl' side of the islawl, \n' star«'d,
aC'('()1l1p:mied lly HvY. \L ,,~. (~ill. But l\li."s I. ;I'ddie,
haying !teen sl'at<.'<i in .:\ll's. Gill's pala1Jquin, a natin
borc' her :lW:IY amill tIle' tumultuous shouts of' thos,
,,'ho follll\Yvd. On rl'a('hillg the station we fOlll1ll ]H'[
at t Ill' ~lissi()ll premiscs in the millst of :1 b r~'e COil'
course of nati\"l's, who \\"l'I'l' kind, awl S('('IlH'd Y(']"\
!l1ueh ph'as(',l with t Ileir lIew yisitur. At that statii';;
a l:lr~(' ehurch, dwelling bUlls('. alld sehool-I'ul ~ll \\"i'n
ulIol'('npiell for W:tllt of a lIli,.,,,i()ll:l1",\". .Mr. \L 'L
Gill, \vho halllH'l'n stationcll then', mlS ()l']i.~·I',l a wed
l,(,j.,\"(, 0111' yisit to 1.he pla('e. to \'('lllO\,(' to tIll' opP""it(
sid(' 1Ij' the islall,l tl) oe(,llpy .:'.11'. Geo. Gill'" statioIl,
siuc(' thc latter was going to Rarotllll~:l to take 31r.
l~UZ:ll'ott'c; l'h:t["~e -1'11' B. aftl'r :t IOllg awl Y:llllal.k
scnic'(', l)l'ing unclel' tlte' l}('('l':-;~it\" of rdurnin'" tl) ~i,l·
Ill'.\" j.,r til(' l;ur\" h(' or rcC'rniting his hca1tl!. L>
.. One ot" tltl' ll':ldill~ Incn of tl](' llistriet llrgC'(l ln~
YNY stroll~. d.\' tu remain all,lu,'('ul'Y the Y:ll":lllt .:\li"siull
l'\'('lllis('s. ~('izi n~ me by thl' ann, ",lwll he «)lllitl hi~
('\O(lllC'n('l' illSlltiil'il'llt to g:till !tis [Joint, he al'l"'~ll'l'll a,
tllou:..;:1t determiJ]('d not to let llll' !.:·o; anu, tUl"llill"" tc
}\Irs. (:O[".ioll, lwsl)lI'.dlt her 11\' a'll the tl'["]'lIl'c; utth(
cannibal:-; of the ~l'''~ III'bride;, to use her illtllll'l](,(' to·
wa\',1s ~l'ttillg ill(' tl' n'll1aill. Bllt on ~lr". (:. saying
Sltl' was willillg to s!tan' lll~' fat(' ,,,hatt'\"('\' it mi.~ltt Le.
in s('l'king to make Cill'i"t I\]\own to the 11I':lthl'll
ht, :ll'pe:ln'(l quite dis~ll'i")illtl'd, and saill: • "'(. haH
mallY heathen h('\"(' Yl't, thlll1gh we !t:lH' the Bible.'
.. As :\I:tll:';::li:l is Ill)t lI1ollutainous it is e:lsily trayers·
eel, I':imall:-;t rl'a illS are '''I'll lli'itlgl'd by til(: nati ,'l'S,
whose puhlic ,,'(mb retied llllle!. el'e;lit upon theil
architects. The yalleys are l)cautiful ; nnLl its wall OJ
 OF EIW)U::\GA.

defence, admirahle. This wall entirely SlllTOllll< Is the

island. It is about 100 high, amI ;J()O'y:trds 111''':1<1.-
In some plal'CS its inner and outer sides :ti'(' quite 1)('1'-
penclicular. It has l'ayerns through whit-h. JI," the
light of a torch, one may trayl'l a quartcr of a lIIill'. I
had not the means of examillillg it dH'mieally, but
. thoug'ht it contain<'fl carl,onate (11' lime awl iron, on
whierl the oX~'g('ll of the atmosl'lJerl' ads powerfully.
It contains a dl'C'l' chasm, into whil'h in former .1:1 ys
H:.c party yietorious in war mer~ilessly ('ast their c:{p-
tiy(>s. "~e p:tsse,l through fine fields (If' taro in SUlJle
Yalleys - preseryell from inundation lly this wall. A
field of taru prcsents the a 1'l!('ar:1llI'l' of a fiomishing
field oftul'lIips. .:\"C'w crops are (Jllt:lille~1 ],y ('lItting
off,the tOl IS of the taro amI planting them in the ground.
The root is quite farinaceous, and one of the l'l'"t that
no,l has giH'1l to man. The piue aplJle g'J'()\\'s here.-
The brcad -1'1'11 it is a bout ;.; inches in diameter. au< 1 "'hen
cut through tiw midflle jJl'l'Sl'llts till' :IPI)(,:II':llll'(' of two
nice cak(,s kneaded in pans, and prepan'(l for till' oyen.
Xcw ('o('oa l1uts uW.y be had at all Sl'asUlIS; alld but
few of tlll'';(' cOlltail~ each less than a pmt or water,
which is refrei"hing and preferable tu the hest lemunade.
The old ~ron's of cocoa-11ut trces arc l'alh'd, heathen;
and the' new, christian. '\" e were killdly l'l'l''''l'llt(',l
with draught" from tlte cocoa-Hilt a" we passl'll tl:I'II11~h
the natin·-sf'ttll·IIH·nts. I remarked tn some of the na-
tin's that onr hl('sse(l religion \Va" like a ('()('():l-llllt:
that the hanl heart must be broken 1,y the llallllllcr of
the mml lJi.,rur(~ the reviving milk t'olliol be ta,.;t\'tl ; that
repentellce was the rongh part of it, on :tl'('(Jllllt of
which the foolish and llnbelieYing rejccted it, like a
young man, ignorant of the yalne of' ('o('()a nuts, whom
I knew in America. He dl':..;pisc',l them till olle fby, 011
seeing (lIlC hroken, he tasted it, after which he no 1011-
gel' (lcspis,-'cl c(woa HutS. -Mr. Gill o],s(T\'C·d th:lt the
natives were mnch interestell 1ly simple illnstrations of
that kind.
" On ~a],l lath morning'the ringing of the ],(·11 at ;)
o'cloek announced the hOllr for prayer; at 9, for the
Sabbath :-;chool; anel at 11, for the pllLlic services of
 TIlE LAST MARTYRS

the S:tnetnary. The prayer meeting was large and

interesting. About 500 children were present at the
Sabbath :-;chool, and they sang the praises ofthe Lamb
VC'I'Y s ,,"ceth·. Each class, in order, left the school
l'oo~n, follO\;'ing the teaehcrs. 1\1r. George Gill preach-
ed his farewell sermon to a congregation of abont 2000.
hi.., text bl'illg - . Finally breth!lell farewell, etc.' At
the annOlllll'Cment of it t~ars stole silent! y down some
cheeks, I prcachell to them in the even'ing, Mr. Gill
interpretill~, from these wonls - • The Lord's fire is in
Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.' lsaia spoke to
them about the wonders which he saw in Britain and
added sl'riously - • All this is true.'

"On the morning of the Gth 1\11'. Gill's family and

fnmitme being on board, a1)(l we all l'ewly to set sail
for R:lwtonga, a circlllll,.;tance occnrrell "'hich delayed
{I" for two or three hours; it was Isaia':-; marriage.
He marriC'll a half·caste - her father heing a French-
man, amI wry reluctant to part with his daughter.
lsaia did not get his C011sent till the barque was about
to sail. He said he neyer met with so stubborn a
Frenchman. The nuptnal scene was quite exciting.
Many tlucked to the marriage. Others assembled to
bid ~Ir. and l\Irs. Gill au affectionate farewell. Some
were l'C'juieing, others weeping bitterly. Among the
latter, espedally, were Mrs. Gill's domestics. After
the marriage Mr. Gill called upon the bride's father.
He nppe[ll'c<l much pleased with our visit. He pre-
<-,ented his daughter with $150, anll ga'\'e her some
bo~:es of dothing. 'Ve then bade Mr. 'V. ·W. Gill
fa1'(,we11, and pressing Ollr way through the multitude
got safely on board, and were soon uncleI' way for Ra-
rotonga. 'When Isaia and his bride came off, Mr.
Tlll'pil, the first mate, assembling the sailors, gave
them three cheers. Meanwhile the ducks, turkeys
and pigs, which had been put on board, treated us to
some discordant airs.

Next day we lanc1e(l at Rarotonga - the largest and

most important. of the Heryey Islands. The sketches
 ~):- f~
Ole EnO~IA~GA. -,j,"

of the mission pl'emi~es, etc., giyen in the' Gems from

the Coral h:lands' are Y('ry goud, but they ;.lin· but
faint reprt'sl'lltatioll:-> of the l'n'ato]"s 11I:lglli!kclit
works on this isbllCl. The Jolm 1l"illi l lllls W:l!-:
delayel1 at H:\l'CItp\lga till the 15th illst., till which
tillle wt' had the 1'1'iYill';.2,'t' ot' l'iljuyillg tllP t'OlllP;\lI," of
the Hey. Mr. HII/:Hcutt alld ::\lrs. l~IIZ:lt'"tt, :Hill famih',
by whom 'Yl' 'H'H' llOspitably eutcrtnillecl. Mr. ];1\:-::1-
cott has he'vII rIll' S(lIllC time superiutell<il'llt or th~'
Normnl Sdlll(IL am1 of a printing e.st:lldis!lIl1"llt, in
which six: prillk!"s awl Sllllll' l.)(luk·lJillllers arc ('J:11'1()\;-
eel. ,r t' ~!ttl'l1(lcl1 sc'\'('ral w'ry illtl'l'l'sting missi()lIa;'y
meetings. .At one llf tbcs~', the tcacllc'l'S witli their
wiYes, were commenc1ed to (;,)(1 in prayt'!', fur IIi~
work on other i'.:\:!ilds. They seell1cll lllueh attat'lll'd
to Mr. BlIz:wott and bis family, and parteel 1i:om them
with lllallY tl':lrs,
"On tl'le (,1'euing (If the 14th, wc J·adl' the mission
family an ;,t1"L't'ti"llate farewell, and s;lik<l for .\ it Ill:1 ',I',
where w(' ani \(',1 Ull the 1 Gth. Aitutakf' is a Illw.
beautiful islaml, resembling )bll;';:1i~1. Our lllissi'.l1l
party haYing 1),'l'1I reducel1 tu three in Illlll:1",I', laIHletl
in a nati1'e boat, about :--llllSd. 011 landill~· we lI1\'t
Rt'1'. l\Ir. H,.yle-the faithlhl and d(,1'otcl1 l;,issionary
at Aitutake-who rl'c'L'iwtl llS with mallY marks or
Christiall reganl. ~ome of the natin's ,,:ho [\luk liS
on board \YC','C l1e:!tly ,lressetl, alHl hnying )".'en on
board of whale shillS could speak EIl;ji"II'~ Ull lirst
seeing the John Willi(f))ls they said tilt',\' t()"k the
vessel to be a whalt' ship, lmt on finding i.I]('y ·were
mistaken tIH'Y hastened home to put OIl tl1t'ir I)cst
clothes. On' nearing the shore a cro,,-d of J1:1 t i H'S
dashed into the water, and seizing th~ boat currie,-l it
and us all to the beach. They spoke in the highest
terms of Mr. Hoyle.
" Previous to coming to Aitntakc I had heart1 of the
progress of the work under Mr. HoyJt., but tlw half
was not am1 cannot be, told, till the day of • multitmles
- multitudes in the valley of decision.' But I am
persuaded tlJflt if the Churches de:sirc full and corrcct
information concerning the Lord's work on these is-
25-1 TilE LAST MARTYRS

lands, they should seek it in the records of such faith-

ful awl lal,urio\ls missionflries as l\lr. Huy ie. and not
from the jottings of swallow visitors, who Illay be
more really tu write of things as they appeal' than as
ther !'I 'all yare. Williams saill he could lIe\'er content
hill;~.df ,,:ithin the limih (If a single l'('C'f, :11J<l in some
resl'cds it is \n'll he could not; \mt it l'l'ltaini.r has
bcell fi,l' the etl'rnal well-being of not a few SIJlIls in
l~ulylll'si:L that sllcll men as 1\11'. Royle were willing-
thou~l! Illlwh a'..!;aiII st their natmal indinatioll- to
('l)llt~llt thenlSeh~e:s within the limits of a sill.~'IC' reef,
301111 ('i Jl1I'I~llt rat!' their labors on a soml'what circum-
s<Ti11l'(1 tit'ld of labor. i'lr. Uoyle was pn'l'<~dell by
seYer:!1 natin' teachers, who, with one or tWI) excep-
tilJl\s dill more mischief til the cause of' missiolls than
tltL'Y dill it gOI d. ' Mr. H.. says it would k~ we II f(Jl'
fill"!'i'..!'!l ll1issiollaries wen' they never preceded by some
of the.;(' 1111'11. From till' admirable ::l!l<lres~('s lleliYl'rL'd
hy l\Ir. 'Villiams to some of the tl':!elH'rs "'hOll] he
S:~llt til thl'se islalHls, it is obYi(J1ls that he well knew
what thc,it' (plalitic~1.ti()lls should be; at till' S:LIIlC time
it woul<1 appear that he did not cunsider it ::t.l)sointdy
lI\~ce,;,;al'y that all of these should be lIH'lllbers of a
Chri,;ti~lI'l Church; conse(lucntly nearly all the teadll'rs
sent I,,, him to :--Iarnoa fell into the sins of the heathen.
Sueh. 'at lea"t, i" the t('stirnony of some ()f the Samoan
brethren who have labored for nearly twellty years in
that grullp.
" _At Aitlltakc> wc were much gratified l,y ,,-itnessing
the excellent onler which seemed to obtain ill all rank~
of soddy. "'(}llIell were not seen loitering about the
,,,harf.; or markets. In one large school-room we were
c1eligitte<l to sc<' an industrial exhibition of natiye
mticll's. The r(1)1ll was lined with :WO hats - which
sell for 38. cal'll in .\lIlrri(,:l- 150 bonnet.;;;, and 60 Eu-
ropean garllll'nts, obtained fi'om wllale shi I's. besilles
2~~16 yard,s of lIatiYe cloth, laid vcry tastefully upon
tables allli benches. During the past, and a part of the
pl'esellt year, they haw, in addition, made up in money
arrowroot, etc., the sum of £:J12 lOs. for the Loudon
l\lissionary Sodety, without mentioning large contri.
 OF ETIOJL\X~i.t.

butions of pigs and poultry to the mission ship. In all

their contributions amoulltCtl to about £4;,)U! It is
but just to mention that the :\langaians also, ,,-ho gave
£500 (t) for Bible~, were al:,;o t<}l'wanl to furnish sup-
plies for the missionary :,;hip. But we epas!"ll to ,,'on-
der at what we saw of the zeal and good works of the
Aitlltakl':lIlS, when ~Ir. Hoyle informell Us that some
of them had been recently'notillg llown the Humber of
bene1its which they ha,l deriH'd through the gospel
aml found them to be no less than 1.'-;(\! I gave them
a short ad(lress-Mr. Hllyle interpl'dilJ)..!;-oll . fnith
that wurk" hy love.' They del,:l:tn'( 1 that they felt it
to be 'more blessed to gin' than to rceeivc.'
.. On leaving, a graY('~looking man - who has a son
a te:wlwr-came to hill liS good 1,,\'e. lIe was the
one sent at the head of' a party of heathen to kill the
first men who shoulll revt'i Y(' the ".ord of <3ml in
Aitlltake, and present their J JOllies as offerillgs to their
god:,;. He sho\\'(',l us how his spear, when uplifted,
trembled so in his hanel, at the mere mention of the
name of Jehovah, that he ,,-as unable to ful1il his inten-
tion. A strange feeling-, he remarked, callie over
them, for which tiWY could not account. llidding our
denr friellds adieu; th'e or six boats accompani'ecl us
on boanl, and on the 1.'-;th we sailed for Samoa. The
crews of the boats when parting, rcciprqcated hearty
cheers with the sailors on board the J olm 'Villiams.
But the Mi:"sion Barque has lost one special attraction
for the poor natives, viz., good Captain Morgan.

"To Samoa ,ye had a prosperous voyage. On the

27th we cast anchor in Apia harbor, which is the only
one of U poln - the principal island of the group.-
While on the way wc called at Mauua, where a teaeher
and his wife were left, and the Rey. 1\11'. }lowell and
. his family taken away. Mr. Powell goes yearly, if
convenient, from Tutuila, to this island to attend to
the interests of the plission. Mr. Powell remarked
that the work retrogrades in the long absence of Euro-
pean missionaries, though one excellent native teacher
labors there. The islands of this group have not
256 THE LAST MARTYRS

scenery so romantic as some farther east. They have,

however, dense furests of varied and evergreen trees,
which adorn their shores; and some of the choicest
fruits of tropic-al climates grow here: so Samoa may
be called - 'The garden of the Lord.' Soon after
anchoring the Rev. 1\11'. Murray who has labore(l in
this field fOl~ :W years with considerahle success, came
off to give us a hearty welcome. ". e wcre soon com-
fortauly IOllging uncleI' Mr. Murray's hospitable roof;
a~ were MI'. and l\Irs. Geddie ,.. hcn they first lal1f1ed
on Tutllila, where Mr. 1\1. was then laboring. 1Ve
were sorry to find Mrs. l\Iurray in a declining state of
health. But she seems quite elevoted to the :JIission
work and content to live ancl die in the foreign field.
This group contains four islands, Manua, ~ Upolu,
Tutnila and S~waii, which have a population of about
35,000, of whom 2000, have been gathered illto the
Christian Church bv the faithful missionaries ,,"ho have
been laboring - some 10, others :W - years in the
group. The native Christians kept aloof from the war
parties which have greatly <listurued these islands for
the last f(·\\" years. Peaee is now enjoY('t 1, and the
missionaries arc enabled to prosecute their labors with
fewer obstueles, a11(l hrighter prospe<:ts. Yet the evil
results of the civil wars are still experienced. Those
who enga;..!"C' in these sanguinary fights, though partially
reclaimed from heathenism, soon, for the most part,
return to their lewd night dances, tattooing, and other
abominable practices. ~ome of their worst practices
are the concomitants of war. At present nearly as
many are now enquiring the way to Ziou as have been
received into the Church; therefore, if the missionaries
were to do the Lord's work negl~gentl.Y they might
soon have a much larger membershIp to report.
" . As l\Iay is the month during which missionary
meetings are held and annual contributions received,
as in Britain, I had the pleasure of attending one at
R2V. Mr. Drummond's station, distant from Apia 12
miles. 1\11'. Powell and I were conveyed thither in a
whale-boat, the speediest and safest mode of convey~
ance among these islands. There were 16 natives
 OF EROMAXGA.

paddling our boat; and they sang like sailors when

pulling on a rope. The chorns of one of their hoat
songs was - A fui a - () palllUe. *
"In the morning nn atlult mef'ting was held, and in
the evening a jm-enile 0111'. Both ":l'rc well attcnrled,
anel the collections amounted to £ .1;1. The people
were well chI, and i'omc of the guinea clre"ses of the
ladies were the hest specimens of native cloth that I
had seen. The little hoys and girls carne in two dis-
tinct companies, and th.;sc in l'~Il'!J 'WI'l' as uniformly
aud neatly dressed as a regiment of soldiers. One of
them-llol'l1 of nuti"I' pan'llh-was as whitl~ and
fair as a European chilrl: hut this is nut an unusual
circumstance. The missionaries gl'l1erally requl'st the
dmrcill's not to scn(l out clothing, lwcanse unneces-
sary. and mnch diffknlty has been experienced in dis-
tributing it in ,;Ul'b :t manner as not tu awaken fedings
of jealousy. Mr. Drnmmond OhSl'rYcd that one of his
teachers, hecoming H'ry careless. came til him one
day and said, ' nlissi. the reason why I don't care to
teach your school now is, that the missionary at the
other station givcs his teachers more goolls than you.'
Another mission:1l'Y informed me that he lost sixteen
teachers, who first became disaffected in a similar
manner.
"It is worthy of remark that the missionaries sent
to this group, 'though generally professing Independ-
ency, have glided into Pl'esbyteriani~lll, and a modified
form of Episcopacy, in respect to Church goYernment.
At an early date they found it necessary to (',stahli~h a.
Church Comt with all the power of a Presbytery, in
order to the better carrying on of missionary work.-
No book is allowed in the Churches unless it has re-
c ~iyed the illlprimatur of this Church Court - a Court
which would soon have decided the 'Rivulet' question
in England last year. The best form of Government
iu Israel certainly was not that whieh existed when
* f,{r. William/! adviR('d the early misBionarl,," ofthh group to procure It
little schooner for the plll-p'ose of vi"iting stations on the di'ft'erellt Islands.
They did so ; but having fried two, found tht'm dangerous, trouhh'somt',
and unsuitable. They now find thnt no kind of """,~e1 is so suitable as a
whale.boat, which the nativcs manage with great skill in all kinds' of
weather.
Q
258 THE LAST llARTYRS

every man did what seemed good in his own e)'CS • ..-
'Vhen imih'd to attend their meetings of Committee, I
remarkc(l, 'Yon mean Presbytery?' 'Yes' replied a
ocother, 'that is jnst it; there is no need of going
round ahout it.' I remember hearing a gentleman ob...
serve, when in Sidnf>Y, that Captain Erskine might be
excused for such a little mistake as that of calling the
Samoan missionaries Presbyterians: I think so too.

H As the Polynesians, generally, show their conl1ec~

tion with thl' Father of lies, they are slow in attaining

any right knowledge of Sill, as sin, or of virtue, as \'ir~
tue. A short time before our visit to Samoa, 1\11'.
Drummond preached on the sin of' lying, and made
some plain statements wbich stud\: ill the conscience of
one man in particular. Coming ailerwani to his pas-
tor he 8:1 itl- , .Mi ssi, who told you about tIlC mats-
and - :111(1-?, ...Ah! I see,' 'said Mr. Drummond,
, that wlwu a neighbor comes to yon for a mat you say
you lmve none, though at the sallle time you have
several stowed uway.' 'And do yon think,' inquired
the natiYe, ' that any Samoan does otherwise? ' , Y Oll
do not mean to say that the church members do so?'
}'eplied .1\11', Drummond. 'Yes, I do,' answered the na-
tive. ~nb.sl'qtlently the deacons and elders were called
to make inn·stigations. Tbe first persons called upon
to pray stm·k fa;;,t ~ but guilt "Was confessed and amend-
ment promi:;ed. It is but just to mention, hoW-eyer,
that they sometimes use the negative as above when
they meUl1-' I have none to give you.'
U But if the ~mnoaDs have some evil practices, they

have also some good ones of long standing; such for

example as sllC.Tf'ssful fishermen dividing witll the un-
successful, and one settlement supplying visitinO'
"parties from another place with abundance of cooked
food. The people of 1\11'. Drllmmonu's district gave
our men 200 baskets of taro and a large quantity of
fish, besides several pigs. 1\lr. Powell and I received
Benjamin'S portion. .
"Mr Murray has quite a congregation of Europeans,
on Upolu. I pl'eached to them on diffel'ent occasions.
 OF EROMA.NGA. 295
There is some reason to believe that Mr. l\I. has not
~reached to them in vain. There are some ihmilies at
Apia occupying respectable a position in society.-
Among these is a son of the distinguished missionary
- Williams. In some islands maIlY of the troubles of
missionaries arise from runagate sailors and prisoners,
some ot' whom are monsters or iniquity. The conver-
sion of one such, magnifies the gmce of God in no small
degr~e. In their unrenev{ed state they are most
wretched e,"en while wandering over this fail' island
world. 'Without Christ, they haye no sympathy with
"the beautiful or the sublime, to be seen every where ill
these paraclisian islands. 'Vere their minds at aU in
unison with the 'true, the beautiful, and the good,'
none of them nee<l say: -

" , With what delight could I have walked thee round,

If I could joy itl aught, sweet interchange
Of hill and valley, rivers, woods and plains;
Now land, now sea, and shores with forest crown'd,
Rocks, dellS, amI caves! But I in none of these
Find place of refuge; and the morc I ~e~
Pleasures about me, so much more 1 feel
Torment within me, as from the ha'teftd seige
Of contraries; all good to me becomes
Bane, and in heaven much worse would be my state.' "

" DECREASE OF POPGLATION. - The opinion is now too

generally entertained in Britain and America, that the
aborigines of countries colonized. by the Anglo-Saxon
race, are doomed, by some strange kind of fatality, to
waste away before tbe new settlers; and that the
-aborigines of Polynesia are in like manner destined to
fade away before Europeans; but such opinions arc
too readily endorsed. I am glad to learn that this
subject is now engaging the attention of one so emin-
ent as Dr. Nonis. Decrease of population, not ac-
countable by epidemics or endemics, is not a modern
phenomenon. There was a period in the history of
Britain when the decrease of population became a sub-
ject, not merely oflenera1 attention, but of legislative
enactments. Eve at the present day it appears there
-is a tlecided tendency in this clirection, manifested in
:!60 THE LAST ~IAr.TTn~

aristocratic cil'e1('s in Europe. Sir Ellen, in his 'His-

tory of the ~tatc of' the Poor,' states: 'From 14kI-:.
an~l a century and a h:llf after that period, dej,ojl/da-
tio/l contimlC( 1 to be the theme of the lc~i:;;lature.'­
The ~tat ..! lIen. VII. c. 1~1. assel'tillg aml lmnellting
the dcsolation of ('Plt:tin towns, aflil'ms that 'where in
~()ll\(' tmYlIS 200 1)('I>'oIlS occupicd, now there are two
qr three hcnlsmen.' A~:lill nn Act of' the fourth year
of this rcigll. cap. 16, aSS('l'ts a gTl'at decay of pcople
in thc hie or \right. In till' reign of llenry YIlL,
lline ads of' Parliament '\'cl'e pass('!.l for the f'xpl'es~
pnrpusv of compcllill~ the n'storation of d('('ayed towns
:lll(l "illage:.;. And ,;\11'. Doubleday, the author of a
modcrn ~"ork on PIl\)\\l:ltiulI, say~; 'The l/l'('r:lge of
Ellgi::tml, instcall of Il('ill~ olel, is rcccnt; and the llar-
oJletage, though eompamtin'ly of modern origin,
l'Cju:t!ly so. III short, few if any, oj' the l\orman no-
bilih', anll almost as fl'w of the original baronets fami-
IiI'S 'of King Jamcs T. ('xist at this moment; aml but
1ur the lIt'ri'/dual en'atiolls. huth orders nmst have been
all lmt l':-.:tinl't. Of .lames First's creation in Ilj 11.
only thirtecn families now remain.' The Homan, Y ('-
netian, and French nollilily, have all exhibited the
same decrcase'. and it is dear, nothing can save sueh
families from annihilation but due attention to the
laws of GOll.
" Mr. Doubleday in his enquiries into the laws of
population, concludes from statistics collecte(l lly him
in Europe and India, that' the plethoric state is un-
favorable, and the deplethol'ic state favorable to in-
el'ease.' The effect of this general l:nv is, ' that
amongst the poorest classes of socidy there is a rapid
increase j among the affluent there is a constant de-
erease; and among those who are tolerauly well sup-
plied with food, and are neither overworked nor idle,
the population remains stationary.' The population of
s country, he continues, is increased when a species is
threatened with extinction, and decreased when the
peril springs from a surplusage of food; and the trans-
mission of disease, usually the consequence of luxury,
checked and remedied. Thus, carefully, is the species
 OF EROMANGA. 261
guarded from extinction by want on the one han(l, and.
by implanted disease, and vitiated, and irreO"uiar action
on the other. Now it is apparent, that dl1l'ing'" the pe-
riod of general decrease in England, ease, plenty, and
comfort, were predominant in the nation. ~ir J.
Fortescue, Chief Justice under Henry VII.~ in his rele-
brated treatise on the laws of England, asserts 'That
the men of this land are ric'h, having abundance of gold.
and silv-er, * * * and are furnished with all other
things necessary for a quiet and wealthy life according
te their states and degrees.' lUr. Douhleday in sum-
ming up the testimony of several authors on this sub-
ject, says, 'In short, the statutes against luxury went
hand in hand, during this period of English history,
with those complaining of the decay of towns and the
decrease of the people.' This decay now seems to be
confined almost exclusively to tllOse families which ab-
sorb the wealth of the nat'ion, consuming it upon their
lusts, for whieh, in every reign, some families of tlw
nobility have obtained an unenviable notoriety.
"Bu~what reason can be assigned to account for
the decrease of population in Polynesia during the
present century? A few writers seek a solution of
this question in the l\Iulutto constitution of some of
the Polynesians, resulting, it has been supposed from
an early commingling of races totally dissimilar.
Some attribnte the decrease to the introduction of
alcoholic liquors, to their own orange rum, tobacco,
etc., while the author of a virulent article that lately
appeared in the lVestminster Review seems to think
he has found the solution of the whole problem in the
destructive influence of Puritanism.
" DurinO'o my• visit to several of the islands of the
Pacific where there has been a decrease of population,
being anxious to obtain information on this important
subject, I conferred with the missionaries with whom I
associated, and wrote to others on the matter, besides
pursuing the writilugs of Polynesian voyagers. Not
beinO'o satisfied with the canses assl!!necl
'0 for the decima-
tion of the population of this fair portion of the world,
:after lit careful investigation of the subject I came
2G2 THE LAST lIrARTYXS

to the conclusion that the decrease should father

IJe attributed to the introduction of the Yen erial
disease. This disease has lowered the tone, impaired
the general health, and injured the constitution of the
inhabitants of these islands the more from the fact
of their diet having been' cl1iefly wgetable, thus
leaving them more defenceless against the inroads
of epidemics and endemie~ than they would have been
ill diff(~rent circumstances. Probably the influence of
this destructive agent has contributed more than all
their other evils combined to the decrease of popula-
tion. It is well known that whereyer this curse of
heaven upon the unclean falls upon a people' situated
as the Polynesians generally are, it cannot be removed
in one generation, if indeed it can be wiped ont in the
second or third. Capt. Cook, who visited Tahiti two
or three years after its discovery, thus speaks of the
fearful ravages then made by this eyil among the Ta-
hiti:ms : 'Their commerce with Europeans has already
entaileu upon them that dreadful curse which a\enged
the inhumanities committed by the Spaniards in South
Amedca - the yenerial uisease. As it is certain no
Europeal1 vessel beside onr OWll, except the Dolpldn,
und those under Mon. BougaiIlYille, eyer visited the
island, it mnst either have been brought by one of
them or us. That it was not brought by the Dolphin
Capt. "'allis has demonstrated, and nothing can be
more certain than that when we arrived it had made
most fearful ravages in the island.' Capt. Cook pro-
('('cds to state farther that as it caused their nails and
hail' to fall off, and their flesh to rot upon their bones,
they desfgnated it by a term signifying rotten disease,
the same as that, it has be('n supposed, to which Solo-
mon refers when speaking of the flesh and body being
consUlucu. The-Tahitians asked some of the earlier
missionaries who labored among them the question-
'How can your God be a good God, seeing his wor-
shippers from Britain have brought ns this horrible
disease? ' They did not know at that time that Bou-
gaimille's yessels were from France. I need not
state that their intercourse with the French since that
 OF ERmIANGA. 263
time has not diminished the eyils under the influence
of which this unfortunate people are wastillg away.
It is the opinion of a missionary well acquainted with
the Tahitians that they will cease to have any natural
increase in the COlU'::,8 of ten years. Such has been
the case with the aborigines of ;fasmania.
" The missionaries ,,';ho have been laboring' among
the aborigines of the Australi::m Colonies, fl'equelltlr
refer in their reports to a 'leitheriflg disease which some
of them make the climax of the evils under which that
unhappy race is withering away. And hall not God
in mercy to the l\1alayo-Polynesians sent them the
Gospel by men capable of adminh;tcring 1loth to their
physical and spiritual necessities, shortly aftcr their
intercourse with foreigners began, the decrca"ie among
them would doubtless have been much greater than it
now is. In the Austral Islands, for example, once
populous, but ,,"ithout European mi~sionaries, since
visited by foreigners they 'are now supposed to con-
tain but one thousand.' 0 thou false tongne that
wouid charge the self-denying benefactors of this race
with the crime of destroying them! Dr. Paley, in
speaking of the sin of uncleanness, remarks: • It is ob-
servable that this particular sin corrnpts and depraves
the mind and moral character more than any simple
species of vice whatsoever. It prepares an easy ad-
mission for every other sin. In low life, it is usually
'the first stage in a man's progress to the most des-
perate villanies; and in high life to that lamentable
dissoluteness of principle which manifests it~elf in a
contempt of the obligations of religion and moral
proLity.' Another faithful servant of God remarks,
that 'when Job vindicatecl his character from the
calumnies of his friends, and declared his innocency in
relation to this sin he asks, 'Is there not a strange
punishment to the workers of iniquity? ' And is there
not a strange puni~hment occasioned by lewdness?
Is there not a loathsome, painful, disgraceful, destruc-
tive disease, introduced by this vice, such as marks
with peculiar infamy the offending victim, clearly
manifesting the anger of God against it?
 264 THF LAST lIARTYRS

"It is worthy of remark, however, that the decrease

of population in Polynesia is not nearly so great as
somc voyagers havc supposcd. Tahiti, for example,
neycr known to contain more than 18,000 inhabitants~
was at one time supposell to b[l,YC had l:W,OOO. In
the Samoan group, and othcr islands 'where mission-
aries have been laboring for more than twenty years,
no decrcasc has yet been ascertained further than t11at
occasioncll 1,y ,,~ar, while in a few other islands the
population is' said to hase increased.

" POLYGLOTTIslII.-JlHlging from what information

I 11[\,"\,e been enabled to obtain on the polyglottism
of' Polynesia I think there is much reason to believe
that tl;e allorigines of Australia and Polynesia spoke
but two languages, bearing [I, close analo~y to each
other, thong11 ditfering in their vO(,~11)ularies and dia-
lectic distinctions. That of Eastern Polynesia bas
been denominatrll the 1\Ialtlyo-Polynesian; that of
'Yestcrn Polynesia, P[llJUan. 'The l~ttC'r appears to be
spoken hy the black raee generally, and. is distinguish-
ed from the formerly hanl consonantal souncls, and
dialectic variations. . One of the Tana dialects bas not
only the exclusive and inclusive property of t11e Pro-
noun and Dual, hut also a Triptialor Trial, as in the
following exmnple : -
PRESJ::'\T TE!{sE: Sing. Y. - To make.
1. ,Tau-,Takimo. Trip. inc. 1. J\:atahar-samaro.
:!. Jik-iko. 2. Kimirahar-igma-
3. ,Tin-ramo. roo
D. ex. 1. Kamr:m-irao. 3. Irahar-hamaro.
I D. inc. 1. Kararau-karao. PI. ex. 1. Kamaha-iahamo.
2. Kimarau-irao. PI. inc. 1. Kctaha-samo.
3. Irau-karao. 2. IGmiaha-iamo.
Trip. ex. 1. l\:amrahar-ihaniaro 3. Ilalla-hamo, &c.
"There appears t~ be [I, deficiency of verbal parti.
cles in this dialect. The only thing, remarks 1\11'.
Turner, which we found in the shape of a substantivE
verb was f-iE RA. The Tanese count by their fingers:
hence to make up the numher 24, they say' Sina ni(
'(nina nu (trernarna 1'ite Keja' - None left oj one rnall
 OF EROMANGA. 265
and four of another. Mr. Nisbet remarked that they
readily learned English, and spoke sentences correctly
before they understood their meaning. On one occa-
sion while 1\11'. Nisbet was teaching one of them some-
thing which he did not understand, the native looked
up and said, ' You gooe.'

" 1\1YTIIOLOGY. - Their religious rites awl ceremonies

seem to be but a corruption of the Jewish Ritual, as
their refuges, altars, sacrifices, and rite of' circumcbion,
clearly show. In the "restern Islands they do not
worship idols made by their own hands, but attach a
superstitious importance to charm stones, and some
living creatnres. The Tanese wash their bodies in
water after touching a deaclt body .

. "NATIVE AGENCY. - No one acquainted with missi-

onary operations in heathen lanels, where there is sueh
a dearth of laborers, can doubt the importance of na-
tive agents in furthering the mission work. But amon~
these agents some have been much more efficient than
others. The following address delivered by a Tahi-
tian teacher at a prayer meeting some time ago, illus-
trates the truthfulness of this remark: "Ve know who
saith thus: it is Jesus. He saith it to us: Wat('h,
for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son
of man cometh. 'Ve are to watch lest we be trippE-d
by sin antl fall; we are to watch lest neath overtake
us unprepared. 'Ve should have onr lnnips burning,
that we may see every danger. Yon have heard uf
the death of the Prince of TaiaraplJ. It was ,,-ax time,
and his canoe rode upon the water near the shore, and
he and his attendant warriors watche(l; hut at length
sleep stole upon them. At the approach of cock-crow-
ing, the cry of the curlew came and the watchman
awoke his prince and said, 'The cry of the cUl'lew
breaks upon my evs - an enemy is nelll' - awake my
prince.' The Prince replied, 'The morn approaches,
the curlew will cry, and the cock will crow; wherefore
do you disturh me? let me alone.' Again the cry of
the curlew carne to the watchman's ear, und he awoke
2GG TIlE LAST MARTYRS

his prince, and saill, 'The curlew criec; again! an ene·

my is llt:;U' - aw::tke my prince!' The Prince raised
himself amI sai(l, • The morning glimmers, the curlew
will cry, and the cock will crow; lense lll" to 111)' sleep.'
()nce ~ol'e the cnrk'w's cry was hellnl- then the tramp
ot' the ,\ arrior, a blow' of the enemy's dub - and
the Prince waCo: dead. It is the yoice Of.rt·SIl-; that here
all',aken,,; us ; his language comes to our (,~ll'S - ' vVatch,
for' yo know not the (lay nor the hour when the Son of
1\Iail (,Ullleth.' Let us ilot die the death of the Prince
of Taiarapu; let lH not, a ... we are awaked again and
a.~a,ill, sloep ca in sin, lest our death be as su(lllcn and
tt~rrible as was hi.,.'
., From all I can learn I think the legitimate sphere
of:t l1atiYe ag(110)- in Polynesia is Ollll similar to that
H,4si;!,llC:( 1 to worthy teachers, traitH'( 1 ill X orIllal Insti-
tutiull-;, b:,' tlli~ Church :JIissional',Y Soeiet.,r. Pious,
clfieiellt ~dl')ul-tea('hers are l'c(plil'ellmore than native
p\,cal']ki'S, ~()1lH' mi..,,;iollal'i(~s in the Eastern islands
say it is ca-;icr to find ten preacher~, than one efficient
School-teacher, Eyery isbnd of any importance in
'Yestcl'll l>ulync-;ia especially requires at lea·;t two or
three mi:-,~i()llal'lc·s. and a ~onnal School. Xative con·
vert.., gCJl(~rally make yaluable assistant,,; but left to
them-;\.'ln·s, in too m:my instances - Reuben-like-
they can 110t excel. Missionaries state that they can·
not find any among them ql1alificll to take the entire
clw.!'ge of' a congregation. 1\IUll'y sall proof..;; of this
btatement could be cited, all corroborating the testi-
mony of'Rev. 1\11'. Buzacott - for seyeral year'4 an in·
structOl' of young men in the. Harotongall Seminary.
Mr. Bllzacott states: • The most efficiellt teaehers soon
l>el'Olll(~ inefill'ient when left to themseh-es.' It follows
then, that it is a mere assumption to say there are
Helds in Polynesia efficiently worked by • native teach-
ers and pastors.'

"ST.\TE OF THE 1\IISSION I~ EASTERN POLYNESIA.-

The state of the mission in Eastern Polynesia is ex-
ceedingly critical at the presen' period - much more so
thu.n the Chw'ches of Britain and Amedca seem willing
 OF EROllIANGA. 261
to believe. Peril arises from three sources in particu-
lar: 1. The number of Protestant missionaries is
decreasing; 2. The number of Roman Catholic ao-ents
is fast incre~sillg; and, 3. The French are cxtc~cliDg
their influence, in opposition to Scriptural lllissions~
east and west. ALout twelYe years ag'o there were
forty-five missionaries of the London Missionary So-
ciety engaged in Polynesia; at present there arc only
sixteen efficient missionaries of that Society in this
exteusive field. Some of the original lHunber haye
entered into their rest; others have rctllrBc(l to Britain
aud the Australian Colonies: and still they go. Those
remaining are the following, and are thus apportioned
over this vast field:-
"Rev. :;)1('s81's. Howe, Barff, jr., and Chisholm-
Tahiti an,l Society Islands. Rey. Messrs. Hoyle, G.
Gill, and ,V. ,Yo Gill- Hervey Islands. n~Y. Messrs.
Turner, l\Iurray, Nislwt, Pratt, Harbutt, Powell, Stal-
'Worthy, and Drummoml- Samoa, - the latter being
in number one less than tile Popish agents in this
group. Rev. Messrs. Creagh and Jones - Loyalty
Islands. The Rey. C. Barff, who has been in the field
forty years, is about retirillg to one of the Colonies.
The Rev. 1\11'. Buzacott, is also obliged to lea\'e the
field, after a long and valuable senice. 1\11'. Ella. too,
the Printer in the employ of the Society, expects to
retire in a short time.
"The Roman Catholic agents claim the Polynesian
Mission Field, on the ground of its having be(,11 given
to the Society of l\iaryists by the Pope. They are
now diligeJltly endeavoring to supplant Protestant
missionaries. They have succeeded in wresting 'V ~llis
Islands and Rotuma out of the hands of the Wesleyans,
and are striving to take Tahiti and some other islands
fi'om the London Missionary Society. Concerning the
Samoans they write thus: 'Can we forget that they are
our own chi.ldren sin& they belong to the Mission of
l\laryists; and already the fruits of salvation wrought
by the intercession of Mary, Our Lady of Victories,
are very great. Many of the Chiefs of U polu join
their entreaties to those of our christians in order to
268 THE LAST MARTYRS

obtain missionaries.' One of the chiefs remarked that

he would receive missionaries from the Deyil if they
brought him property. The first idol which the Upo-
luans en~r f;:tW was bronght among them II)' the Roman
Cathulic priefit:'l. It was introduced to their notice
under the fullowing nowl circumstances: A vessel
called the Saint . J£(uy got wreckecl some time previous
at Ul'ulu, Ullli a nati,"e got the figure head, though in
a maimed state, and llisposed of it to the priests. The
priests hayi1lg' put new arms on it, set it up as nn
object of worship in their holy place. The natiye""
however, gPllcrally regard it as a mere idol. Th~
priest.; on Samoa expect to receive the ;t::isistance of
the French Government in evangelizing .the Samoans.
There were rumors of a French inva::iion of Upolu
while we were at that islaml.
"lam ~;ulTV to :,,;tate here that some of the senior
missionaries o'f the "\Vl':-;il'yan ~ociet.r at the Tonga
Islands, who withdre\y their a~ellts from Samoa to
suit the arrangemeuts made 11~: the Diredors of the
London Missionary ~odety, malIe 'with the Directors
of the 'Wesleyan Society, about the rcspectiye portions
of the Polynesian Mission ficltl which each SllOUld
occupy, lllt~e of late shown a disposition to disregard
these arrangements, and have sent ngcnts to Samoa,
who are setting up opposition lotus where the agents
of the London l\1issionary Society are tal loring, than
which it is (U1licult to conceive of anything ll10re detri-
mental to the cause of )Iissions. I was intormed that
the excellent "\Yesleyan brethren of the Fijis disap-
prove of the conduct of one offender in their connec-
tion at Tonga, in reference to this matter.
"Rev. lUI'. Tlll'lWr and Rev. J. ·Williams"were origi-
nally mueh interested in the conversion of'the Samoans.
l\Ir:"'illia11ls was especially instrumental in ditfusing
some knowledge of the Gospel among :'0,000 of the
Eastern Polynesians. His successors in this field have
gatheretl into the Church of Christ of these ahout 6,000.
Eighty thousalld is the entire number of Church-mem-
bers reported by all the Societies. It is somewhat
surprising that the talented Author of ' The ?Iartyr of
 OF ERO!lIANGA. 269
Eromanga,' in his admiration of the t'Iartyr Missionary,
should have m~1.(le, apparently without reflection, such
extravagant statements concerning the su('ce~s of the
gospel in Polynesia about the time of Mr. "~illiams'
death. "~hen British Christians began to idolize
Williams, God removed him, and has since carried on
His work in Polynesia by men of less note; and when
unwarranted statements respecting the piety of the
Tahitians were being reiterated at Missionary meetings,
the Lord sent a sifting time which resulted in teaching
some salutary lessons in relation to God as a jealous
God."

The concluding part of the preceding narrative was

given in a previous portion of this Memoir. In the
following lines are the two first verses of the Hymn
commencing - "There is a happy land," - in the
Eromangau language: -

"Nuru navos savos,

Isu't 'tunga,
Yu' ovetemi vis,
Ra nimtara.
Ipe ! irora yui
W ompi umna~sore-vis
Nisikon Iesu
Umnari vis.

Kos kos kimle numpi

Narufo vis,
N umplin Iesu yui,
Iesu vis.
Jpe I Iesu yui,
1\:08 kimle navos-uwi,
1(os kle nilintungi
Iesu yui."

•
270 THE LAST MARTYRS

.. , THOUGHTS ON THE PAST, PRESENT, AN·D FUTURE O}'

1'HE JEWS.
A letter addressed to the Editor of t~e Presbyterian
Witness, elated, Lonaon, Dec. 20th, 1855:-
" Scycrnl y~ars ago my attention was directed to the
gpec£(({ ebillls of the .Jews on the Christian Church by
my excellent fi'iends Commander Orlebar, and Lieut('Il'
ant Hal!('l)ck. But on coming to Halifax my mind was
so mUl'h (ll'eupiecl by other subjects thv.t the one con·
c('ruing Israel's restoration did not engage so much of
my attention as its importance merited. Siucc coming
to LoU(lon, however, I hase been brought into more
immediate connection with Isra.el, and Israel's helplers.
This circmnstallce excitell Illy compassion, drew forth
my sympathy, and quickened my prayer on their he"1
half; [lml I :.un now induced to bring their cuuse be·
forc the renclers of the lVi"tness, in doing which, thougb
impl'rfpetly, I feel that I am doing something well·
pleasing- to the Lord.
"In relation to Israel's pa:o;t history the prophet·
Hosea sp(,aks thus: 'The children of Israel shall abide
mallY days without a king, amI without a' prince, and
without n sncrifiee, and without nn image, nml without
an ephorl, and without a ternphim.' But we nre also
assured by the oracles of truth that the mournful days
·of their rejection and deplorable condition are hastell~
illg to a dose, that' all Israel shall be suyed,' and that
their reception into the Christian Church will be 'life
from the dead.' In the Word of God, the relation of
the Jews to all other nations, either for hlessinO"s or
~
.lor . promment
curSl'S, IS . Iy set forth. Concerningto that
people, the Lord hath said, 'in thee shall all the
nations of the earth be blessed.' And ngain: • Cursed
is he that curseth thee, and blessed is he that blesseth
thee.' Now the histories of the past, both inspired and
uninspired, benr ample testimony to the fulfilment of
these predictions in relation to the friends and the foes
Qf Israel. Thus an infidel mona.rch of the last century
 Gt' EROltANGA. 2';"1

was led to remark: 'I have observed that no a;oYern~

ment has ever tOttched that people without sl~1[trting
for it' - thus bearing testimony with Hn.mag's friencl:"
to God's special care of His people, even while sutIer~
illg them to be aftlicted by their enemies. The.J C',YS
have be~n elected b~' God, to be the medium through
whom pecnliar blessings shollld come to other natiom:,
and such tht'y have been during ull their wawlering" as
exiles among the heathen. By scattering some rays ot'
divine trnth among the heathen, they GIlI'ned lip a way
for the spread of the Gospel among the C:enti1e~ ; and.
therefore, 'Blessell shall he be that Llesseth them, but
cursed is he that curseth' them.'
":From the .Iews have flowed to other nations lJless-
iugs of a social, religious, and civil char::tdcr. For
Gentiles that nation existed; Fot' us theil' warriors
fonght, their prophets prophesied, poets sang, awl
priests offered sa~l'iflces. To us has been preached that
salvation which is of the JmrFJ j and we are assured
that they are yet to become means hy whom God will
confer still greatcr blessings upon the Chureh and the
world. For, as the great :1postle of the Gentiles shows,
if. in the inscrutable wisdom of God, they were malle
a blessing to the Gentiles in their fall, how much more
so will they be such in their restorution, when they
shall be macl(! alive from the clead! Gratitude then to
the Jews-love to Jesns of Whom he is, aml to whom,
as believers, we have the honor and privilege of being
related, should constrain us to seek the peace of Jeru-
salem by sending them His Gospel. The great com-
mission still binds us in preaching the Gospel to
'begin at Jerusalem,' by which we are to understand
the nation of Israel, of whose religious rights and ob~
servallces J el'tlsalem was the centre. The practice of
the early heralds of the Cross in first preaching the
Gospel to the Jews wherever they went, teaches us
clearly what the primitive Christians understood by
"beginning at J erusalen.' This important question
is now asked by some missionaries, and not without
reason, ':May not-the want of greater success of mo-
dern missions be attributed to the exception made of
272 TllE LAST lIIARTYRS

the Jews in fulfilling the great commission?' ThE

Church in her present missionary enterprises has reo
"ersc,-1 tfie order in the Lord's commission, in preaching
the Gospel to Jew and Gentile, by beginning with the
latter instead of with the former; tlIis C~llnot be well-
pleasing to God. It is worthy of notice that mission-
aries ,vho labored in Polynesia - and. who cOllld not
be[/t/~ at Jerusall'lI~ - have been the most slll'cessful.
And I woulll ask - .:.\I,ay not the special blessings
youclIsafecl to the Free Church of Scotland have some
connection witlI the early care manifestc(1 by that
Clmrch towards God's ancient people - a people still
beloved 'for the fathers' sake.' • Blessed i.e,; he that
1lesseth thee.'
"Thc prescnt state of the .Jews is one of much in-
terest, and dem:111' 1" the special attention of the
Church. Their number is said to be seycn [fin~ ] mil-
lions, amI of these only about seven thonsami have
been added to the Christian Church. The intluence
and elevation of this people at the present day in some
governments, under which formerly they were perse-
cuted awl down-trodden, are rapidly on the increase.
In England and Germany, especially, they occupy ex-
alted positions in society. Christianity to them in
these countries, at least, is no longer a thing of blood
and abhorrent i,lobtry. This happy change has led
not a few of their number to discriminat~ between
Apostolical Christianity and that of the Roman and
Greek Churches. A JewYiewing Christianity as pre-
sented to him and his fellow-countrymen in England,
said, in a lecture delivered to them at ~hn<:hester a
short time ago: 'A religion that has produced so
many comforts for humanity as the Christian religion,
cannot, in justice, be counted a false religion.' In
Germa.ny severa.l Jews stand yery high in the libri;
and ~n London, thrce are distinguished Professors in
Universities. The fact, too, of a Jew being the Chief
l\1:lgistrate of the greatest city in the world shows ho\v
rapidly they arc growing in favor with the nations
among whom they are wanderers. A spirit of inquiry
is now manifested among them, so that many are seck-
 ing the truth as it is in .Jesll";: and others castin~ uti'
the Talmud and Rabbinical authority, are establishing
free syJ::~:~og"tH's, of which there are Hcyeral ill Londou.
By some gOYe\'lllllcllts, hU\\"I'Wr, they are still pcrsecut-
e(1. Of these RURsia i'i the most intolerant alld C'l'lwl.
"\ horrid sysklll. a I'y,tem a-l ('nll'l as death, oIJt:titl"
there, viz: sll:ltehiug chiltlren from their mother's h,,·
,.;, Jill. or lute> some .Jewish mothers IW,\'e prefern'd
perishing as SilJ('riun exiles rati!t'l- than suhmit to the
ruthll'sS tyranny illtlittl'll hy the hand of the Russian .
.. A rl~W Sabllath,.; ago 1 mvt a ,Jew \"ith whom I h;~{l
a conversation about thl' Lord's <by. To a .Jewl''';s J
rea' I ,.;onw IIehrew, "'ith whil'll she seemed much pletL-;-
e<l. When partillg J g:t\l~ her the ;i;)nl chapter of
lsa i:tlt ttl l"l':t( 1. After leaving these t W') person",
solemn thollghts ahout.Je";ll" as an all·sufficient ~avjullr,
filled my 1"0111 in a degree, previously, seldom expcri-
encell. OIl! thought I, yl" tlu nut believe in .Jesu~!
:mcl yet he is all my :-;:11\":1 ti, .-1), and ~1.ll my desire; 011
his fini"hl'll ,york 1 C:11I, with eon lidenccs, take my ctel'-
llal sah'ation. I think I can truh' FlaV th~t if cw[' I
felt my soul ell'[\. yiug to .J eSllS as 1~:Y ail-sutlkient ~:t "i-
our. it \vas while t1ll'se tht'lights WI'W pas~ing through
my mind, and sll~gesteLl hy my short interview with
this .1 ew and .J (~\\,l'''.'';. of who,,(, nation amI people
Christ came, who is . (;0:1 over all blessed for ever.'
•. )Inch sylllpathy h:1S k'PIl recently awakened here
on behalf or this people, which has issne(l in the 1'01'-
mation of sCYeral socidies tor the propagation of the
Gospel among them. One i" t Iw British Hocicty-
truly CatllOlic - fonudell 011 principles similar to those
which govern the )lil' )Iae ~ol'il'ty of Nova Scotia.-
The office of this society - of which 3Ir. George YOllgl'
is secretary - is at ~o. 1 Crescent Place, Blackfriars,
in the vicinity of the spot where Jews in the ~ixteenth
century suffered wrongs at the hanos of British Chris-
tians. The memorial of one of their chief Rabbis was
buried beneath the ruins of the place. But blessed re-
sults have succeede<l the rm'olution of thought and
feeling in relation to the persecuted Israelites, whose
tears on British soil are now well nigh dried up.
R
274 THF LAST MARTYRS

,; l\Iay I now take the liberty of asking especially

the congTegation of Rev. 1\lr. MeC., Truro, and that of
H('y. 1\lr. MeG., Halifax, to remember the Jews when
di\'itling their contributions on behalf of the kingdom
of Christ; and while sending a portion to the tried
Christians of France, also to present an offering to this
~ociety, 01' any other having the same object in view.
Miss \'". of the Bible and Tract Depository, Halifax,
wonlcl glallly receive the contributions of the friends of
Ismel in that City, who have not as yet contributed to
tllb blessed and Christ-honoring caulSe.

" , 011! Christians why look with an eye of despair,

On the torn Hebrew branches, scathed, withered, and bare,
,\:0; though ye believed that a curse for all time
Had sL'vered these boughs from the life-giving yine?
Oh! list to th!.) strains of the prophets of old;
Beh(lld the glad seene~ the apostles unfold;
Hear the voice of Jehovah declaring to thee-
• I will graft them again - I'll unite them to me.'
I,o! that season draws nigh, for already we see
~ome buddings of hope; there is life in the tree,
Derived from Ml';;siah, the heavenly root,
.\nd ' Israel shall soon fill the kingdom with fruit.'
Oh! long-wished-for day! then the desert shall bloom,
And the • glory of Lebanon' earth shall assume,
While the rieh fruits of righteousness, ripened in time,
Shall glmv with fresh lustre in Glory's fair clime,
May the New Year replete_with the blessings of grace
Shower down its best gifts, on Israel's loyed race.
And oh! may the records of heaven unfold
A glorious in-gathering from earth's sterile wold: "
 OF EROlt.\Xl;A.

LETTER FRmI MRS. GORDO:; TO JII~S MARTIL\ C,DIP-

BELL, TAT:\)L\UUUCHE, ;-';0\".\ Sl'U'1'IA.*
"EroIH(()lget. S(pt. 20, 1,1.\(;U •
•. )Iy Dear Friend. - In acknowle(lging the receipt of
your kind amI WdCIIIlll' kttl'r of SeptC'lllhel' last. allow
llle to express my wal'Ine,.;t feelings of' gratitude for the
interest YOll han' manifc'stl'd on my lll'half, :Ulll yOI\l'
(lesire for my welfare, which I appreeiate the more
highly on account of hl'illg an entire strangpr to YOII.
Though I cannot claim kindrc(l or person~ll acquaint-
alice with YOll or any of my kind friends in .x ont
~('otia. yet 'I rejoice that it i's my happiness, through
grace. to he aceonntecl onc of your nllml ,('1' in that
gTE'at family in ,y\lich neither distance nor nation
makes anv distinction, - in that family wll(lsl~ 1IIessl'(I-
ness it is 'to :111111'(';';'; God with thc cnclearing' appclla-
tion Al,ha. Father. In that 1:ullily not ally of its
memhers are of more di:.;tallt relatjon than' that of
ehiklren. Then. though unknown to each other, we
are not strangers but sisters in the kingdom of Christ .
.. Hithcrto the links in lI1y ehain of correspoudene('
haye not extended be,yond the shores of dear old Eng-
laud. Yet I can assure VOll that my heart has been
linked with yours in hun'( Is of Christian love, on the
other side or'the Atlantic. From my first connection
with you through Mr. Gordon, I have cherished a warm
affection for you all as the early associates antlestcem-
l'd friends of my dear husband, and feel' it to be a
hlessing to han' such clear friends.
,. I am glad to inform you that the mission goons
accompanying your letter came safely, and arc quite
suitable tor this mission. There are, however, two-
articles of little or no service, viz: d1'ess cornbs and
Iwrsted yarn. The natives having short, wooly hair,
the females among' them cannot, of course, make any
use of dress combs.
• Now Mrs. Laird-Rev, R. Laird, l\Ialpec.
 2it~ TIlE LAST :,\UTI.TYRS

.. In rpply to Y"llr question re"pcding the "oci:J/

('onc1ition of the f('mal!,,, of EI'I lInallg-a, I fl'ar I can
Hjn~ llllt littll' iJll'''l'Ill:ltioll 1:'lIth(,l' than ".-hat you han'
:In'ac1y dVl'iy('d frolll otllf'r f-;olll'!'('f-;, In the \vidl' do-
main (')1' hcathC'llisll1 the "tun' (II' ,,;oman's dC'Q,Taclation
i" hut (Inc, aIHI that one 'has un"1l been "\n·ll aurl
tl'llthfuIh" toM. I shall, hnwl'ycr, at your 1'<'(jlll·"t" tell
it :l;.!:aill 'a" it 1'\';2::11'.]'; Elt)1I1~lllg:I, hoping it lI;ay Jiron'
j'Jltel'e"tillg', awl a\\":tl~c'll "till 11101:,· ,YOUI' sympathy.
\roman j" here trcate.] :1";:1 ,,]:I\"c', awl JH~ast()fblll'(lelJ.
h('illg hl':ltc'l1 all,1 alJlh('cl hy Yih~ lllt'n at thdr plcasul'l"
Hl'tl'otlH'd in cllihlllOOd, and olh'ntillles a,,,> carly dl':lg"~
U"(·,j to tIlt' aho.].' eli' her flltu\'(' husband, she ,,()I'll li,'('I...
tIl(' \\'('ig'llt of the tYI':Illt'" j'od, amI has 11', ot}wr }lI'OS~
Iwd bclin'e hpI' lint that of spcwlillg a liji~ of llllmitti-
gat!'el sC'n-itlldc', till (I,'alh rell':18,'" hcr frolll the han(l
of the ('rllel "llpre·s",,!'. H"";('liVd j'mlU bis gl'a"p "lit'
g' 1('" - \"he1'p "t Hut SOIll(' ('hue hC' t'l be sdf-dest]'(lvers
~'atlll'r than llru'..; out a liit, or w\'C't('heelne:~s. 'i'hc\'
('ol1lmit :-:uici(h' il,Y I'lillcl-i'''lilillf..!,' their (~'y •• ", a,"C'(·nding.
~Ol1lP high treC', or f..!," ling to the brink of' a pl'eeipi('(',
awl th(~l1 cla"]lill!2: thcm8c}Yc's down, like .JU(las, hllrry
away into tIll' u{lseen. Abs: ,,'hat :m a\.. ful conditiu'Jl
is tl;(·irs, both fur tl,1is world and 101' that which is til
1.'( llH~ !
Thus we see that in eH>ry l'(';,;inll of the ,,"orl(l not
favorc(1 with tIl\' knowle<Jg'(' of sah-atioll thl'oug'h .Jesus
Chri"t, the ('UI'''I' oi' the fir"t tr:lll">gn'ssion still l'l'st"
h( a\'ily. upon the dWlyliteJ':; of Eve. Truly it is to
Chr'sCiallitv alolJe "'oman is inclr·btcd Ii)!' the high :1l111
happy }i,,·itt()lJ ,,"hieh she (I('('upies in sodety. Oh!
how Itiglily should tee prize the prh'jI(·p,'(·s which we
ell~oy, alld strin' to be the means, unclc']' Go(l, of
bringing these llepraYCll and unlJappy creatures to the
enjoyment of' the same hlessin~s, You ill a Chris-
tian land can form no adequate conception of what
heathenism rcally is, (;0 to the first chapter of
Paul's Epistle to the Romans and there you will find a
description of the character of tIl(> people among whom
we live and labor most truthfully delineated. Their
practices - even among the females - are mo~t rc-
 OF EROM.\NGA. 277

volting; and their manner and conversations most

unseemly. It is a shame to speak of' things done by
them even in the light of day. It has long heen our
desire to get a few of them to reside with us that tbu:'l
they might be brought under regular instruction; but
the men are strongly opposed to sueh a mo\"ement
and have frequently beaten their wi yes and children
for coming to our • School.' At present we have but
one with us - a young girl about ten years of age, and
she is both an orphan and a lI:irlOIC! I';he is very
gentle in her manners, and of an affectionate and mild
disposition, unusual characteristics, at least in so far
as my ob,;ervation has extended. She is beginning
. to sew nicely, and can almost reae\. :May the Lord
make her His own! During the first year or two,
they occasionallr vi:-;ited us through the week, as well
as on the Sabbath: but recently they have forsaken Wi
and now run from us as from an enemy. A very few
still attend on Sabbath, but alas! enm they manifest
little or no desire to receive the gl:lll tidings which we
bring them. Temporal advantages are all which they
as yet desire, and even expect such as payment for
the favor conferred upon us IJr attending the worship
of God. How happy would I tbe if I could add that
even one female had been brought as a penitent to the
Saviour's feet. But this I cannot state, nor that it yet
appears any have a feeling of their own depravity or
need of a ~Ie(liator. Oh! how mueh that Spirit is
needed who gives life and power to his word! 'Not
Ly might nor Ly power, but Ly my spirit saith the
Lord.' Paul may plant and Apollas water Lut Goel
gives the increase.' Cease not then, dear friend, to
pray for the poor Eromangans, that the spirit of grace
may operate upon their stony hearts, that they lllay be
speedily brought to a sense of their guilt and danger,
~ induced to .flee for refuge to the only hope set
before them in the Gospel. Pray, also for us. We
need the prayers (f{ God's people. 'When ~urrounded
by trials and discouragements, it will console us to
know that in a distant land fervent prayers are ascend-
ing on our behalf, a.s well as for our brothers and sis-
2i8 THE L.\ST ~L\RTYRS

t('rs in the neig!!1 )(wing islands. Your assnrance of

this ('!I('('I'S IlS llot n littl(" . \s to 0111' future prOspl'cts.
11,'ar i'ricll<1s, n'utl the cUllcluding H'rst's of tl1e l:!!jth
l'sahll .
•, In I'elation to )Iis,.;ioil:1IT trials yon wish to know
which \1(' r,,(,! to h(, the gTl':I't<'St.. I 'think ,,'e ean say
from ,'xperi('ll('(' tll:lt BOlle is greatl'l' than that of beillg
depl'in'cl of the :l(l\'allt:lgl"; of Christian slwid)" awl
till' priyil('g('s of the :-;:Iliduary. 1:ut so i"()Oll as "'('
lJa\'(' :l fi.'w ('lJristian ii'iell(ls to worship with tlS, this
trial will 11(' so 1~l.r lllitigatl'li as to be t\ll'I1<II iIlto joy.
To wilat llli,.., . . illll:Il'\· trial call WI,' 11(' suhkd(,d ,,'hich OUl'
1dl';-:s(',1 :-;U\'iOlir 11:'1"; not elldul'(,d 1;)1' ~IS? If we an'
made illiltnlllwllts in hringillg bnt GI]I' soul to Cllli,.;t it,
will l1lon' tll:1I1 ('OI\JPl'II... :tll' tor a life of (,Yl'll great,'J'
trial,.; all< I SI JI'j'O\VS .
•, AmI now, d('nr ii'iend, J lllllst ('I()~:('. e:1rnestly <1('-
siriug. th:lt. shouill "'" lIt'''''1' Ill(,(,( in the yull"." ]l('low.
we may at b..;t llll'd yon all in the mallsioll:~ allOY,'.
wlwre '",c ,.;11:t11 ],C Oil(: - HlIit,',l in Ollr Luru amI Sayi-
0111' .J "SIIS Christ.
.. ~I r. (; urdon joi 11"; me in am~ctionate )'('ganis .
•. Bclieve lIle, Your,.;, YI'r" ,.;iJl('l'I'l'lv •
.. ELLl~~ c. Goiwo~.'·

IJasing been kill ,lly flll'llished with a portion of a

('l)\'l'esl'OW!c'II(,(' hetwcl'1l 1\11'.< ;Ol'll"ll and the Hn'. A.
BlIZ:Wllt t. of Ib rot 1I11ga, wv shall insert some letters
Hearly l'ntire, amI other,.; in a condensed for111. These
('xtmets are particularly interesting in so far as they
refer tl) tIll' ('lllbarraSsll1l'nts and trials ,,.,.ith which the
Batin' teadwrs frolil Samoa and Rarotonga. ,",'('re ohlig-
(>(1 to contenli on Eromanga. The earliest letter all-
cln'sse,l tl) .:\11'. BUZ:tl'utt, in our possession, bears date
Dec. 3rd, 1,,);j t;. In it he sa.ys:-
 OF EROMANG.A:. 279

" With much gratitude I acknowledge the receipt of

articles kindly furnished through some friends of -:\1is-
sions in Sidney. I have to request that you will give
these my sincere thanks for their free-will offerillgs,
amI pray that I may have wisdom granted me to ll~e
them as shall best subsene the interests of the Re-
deemer's kingdom in Eromanga. I may state that I
hope you have done what yon proposed to do in 1'0]:1,-
tion to lodging a few pounds in the hands of Dr. Ho'-'s
for the snpport of a teacher or teachers 011 this i~bnd.
Ten pounds at least might be well expended in the
way.Y0u propose. The principal support teaehers need
here for the first year or two is a supply offooc1. "'hen
the John lFillillllts called in July, your te::tl'hers :UllI
the Samoan teacher left - the health of the latter be-
ing in a declining state. Of your teachers the only
one wh6 seemed suited to this island was l\Iairiki ~
but be was here only a few weeks when he Sigllitil~' 1
that it was his sincere desire to go away and be mar-
l·ied. On our arrh'al we found it necess:tn' to :l(h ise
Tuka to remove with his family to a settlCI~lent on the
high land, or to go to Mare when the sickly seaSOll
came round. He preferred taking the latter course,
fearing privation on Eromanga. Till within the last
few months there were llot sufficient storeR of food here
to support the foreigners engaged in tIe S:1udal woo(l
trade, and I was informed by some of the.l1seh·ei; that
they suffered in consequence. I only know of' one
settlement-Bunkil- where a teacher could subsist
independently of foreign aid. I am sorry to SHY that
Taivon was under the necessity of leaving there on ac-
count of the ill health of his wife.
"For several years this island has been in the hands
of foreigners. In many of· the sea-coast settlements
the natives have almost entirely neglected the cultiva-
tion of their lands. * • * Cannibalism and other
horrid practices are rife. Bodies are exhumed by
night and carried <1tr for food. Women frequently COll.-
mit suicide. One interesting woman atteucling lVII'S.
Gordan's school attempted to take her own life a few
days ago j but she is likely to recover. Death - an
2RO TilE L.\'ST lIIART1"RS

awful death - is frequently the result of these suicidal

attempts.
"\Ve have lately heard from Rev. Mr. and Mrs.
Creagh, and their f~llow lahorers in the Gospel. All
are well excepting Mr..Jones. The brethren on Anei-
tetlm are all well. 1\1rs. G. unites in kind regards to
1\1rs. lluzacott.
Ero1nclI1t]CI, Feb. 21, 1859.
,. l\i y dear Brother: - .* '" * I suppo,e the
.Tohn lvaUams is now at Rarotongu, and may be ex-
pected here in J ul}. Mrs. Gordun sutlerecl mucJl re-
('ently from sickness, just as yonI' h'ae-hers did. Had
[ not removed with her from tIl(' valley at the Bay ~
where yow' teachers are located, I thiuk she would ere
110W huye been iu her gran'. Tulm was very ill before
1 got him to remove fj'om that uuheplthy locality.-
Several foreign natiyes have died there this season. A
few years ago 12 natin's of ~ew Caledonia died there
at one time. The foreigners have gone up on the table
land.
" I am happy to inform you that a young man who
rcsich':,; with l\1aireki is learning to read and write.-
L

.Maireki persuaded him b live with him some years

ago. lIe UHfl two or three others have just talien ~
stand against heathen abominations. * * * It is
my opinion that if your tea.chers had been sUl)ported
ill< h'penclently of foreigners, and had received proper
directions as to selecting localities for residences, they
would have been able to have remained sufficiently long
to have acquired the language and to have effected
much good. Their edueation certainly reflects high
honor on you as a missionary.

. '~E1'omanga, Aug. 31, J85D.

"My ycry dear Brother: - I am in receipt of your'
letter of March last, written just previous to the taking·
(If your domestic missionary tour, and we now express
our warmest thanks for your care of us, and; interest in
our mission. It OCCUlTed to me last year as I was
about to visit Potina Bay in company 'with Maireki and.
 OF EROl\IAKCA. 281

Elia the Samoan - Taiyon and his wife being sick at

the Bay - to write a few lines informing you of the
circumstances of your teaehers, but then I scarcely COll-
tcmplated any,other result than a few hundred pounds
of rice .
.. The wants of this mission ,,·ere greater at that
period than they are just now. I felt; too, that the
responsibility of a missionary would be greatly increas-
ed by enlarged contributions given for the ndnmce-
ment of the Redeemer's kingdom; and tbat I could
not reasonably expeet more ample provi~ion for the
teachers than that already bestowed. Even when I
addressed you on the suLjed I contemplated giving
£10 of my own sahu'y towards their support, "'hich I
could ill afford. * * * N ow I need hardly state
that Cbristian teachers should be placed in circum-
~tances in which they would be uuder no obligation to
foreign traders; of eourse I do not mean that they
should not have any dealing" with them at all. As
your teachers on this island were not in such circum-
stances, so, consequently, I think, they became the
servants of 1oreigners, amI thus had their influence for
good made quite ineffeetual. Poor fellows! we often
think of them, and of the unfavorable circumstances
in which they were placed. "redo not, we cannot
altogether justify them in the course which they adopt-
cd; but we do hear that they were ill situations of
almost insupt!l:able temptation. Not one young man
on Eromanga, so far as I am aware, was taught the
letters of the Alphabet by them, amI only one small
house remains as a result of their superior mechanical
skill. As yet not one has abandoned heathenism ex-
cepting Mana: I can hardly suppose that you believe
statements made in the ' Gems from the Coral Islands,'
ill relation to converts from heathenism on this island,
as they have no foundation in fact.
" During the first year we were here offerings of first
fmits, were presented to the gods generally. In the
, christian tribe' north of Dillon's Bay there have not
been ten births since our settlement on Eromanga. Of
the few born, four were put to death. The fourth was
282 THE LAST lIARTY'RS

tied to its mother's bOdy and huriec1 alive. A woman

who llied a short time ao.o 'YaS buried bv women - the
men beinO" en,yao'ed
""
in warfare. Idolatry
. is rife. In
i:"':I 0~ ...
some instances convictions of sin are pr~ducecl ill their
minds. Their fea"ts are honkl abominations.
,. Some natives of Eromallga who have been to Lifn
and Mare, speak in high tel'llls of the results of the la-
bors of vuur teat'l'''l" .., on thesc' islaIHls. and cannot nn-
derstalH'l why similar eff,'C'ts "'ere not prollucl'd 11<'rc.
I endea yorc,'1 to C'xplain the reasons l,y showing how
they were re( luC'c'(l awl straitened in their Cil'eUlllstan-
ces, with plantations lying w;["te, and hy referring to
the unhealthiness of Dillon's Bay - where now are to
be seen the graTe of their win's and children, etc. In
looking upon these tombs umler a spreading banana, I
rcfiectc'cl upon their trials, privations, and prayers,
which I trust are not forgotten h,· God .
•• Ahout six weeks aft~r our m:rival, Taivon and hi,;;
wife went to Bunkil. Tnka still remained with us 011
account of the interest taken in his wife and children
lJY Mrs. Gordon. But in Xovember I saw he must get
to a highland settlement or lenTe the island, if the lives
of himself and family were to be preserved. I had
then become aeqnainte(l with the nature of the climate
of Dillon's Bay. 'Vhile we were working at our sec-ond
house l\1aireki genel'ou,.;ly proposed to remain with us
a while to assist, ere going to a settlement near Bunkil
where I proposed he should go to be neal' Taivon dur-
ing the unhealthy season. Meanwhile Tuka took ill,
and Tab'on and his wife coming to see him protracted
their stay so long - insensible of danger, and against
our wishes - that sickness seized them also, and
detained them in a helpless state for six or eight
month.;. But that event would not in all human pro-
bability hn,ye occurred had they remained at their high-
land situation at Bunkil. Tuka preferred going to
:Mare, and l\Iaireki chose remaining to take care of
Taivon at Dillon's Bay, stating that it was their desire
to go to Lifu. In relation to these men, you can see
how I was situated. You or any missionary acquaint-
ed with their langnage, could, 110 doubt, have managed
 OF EROMANGA. 283
with them fal' better than I was enabled to do. 'Vhell
I desired them to do what I considered for the ad "all...
tage both of themselves and the mission, I at the same
time gave them to understand that I did not wish then:
to do so implicitly - as that would have appeared very
ungracious to men rendered peevish by hardships, all<~
who hall been accustomed to have the will 9f their loy-
ing missionary kindly explained to them under circum-
stances less untoward. I may say, then, that I am nu:
sensible of having committed any error in relation t.:.
these men that admits not of a s~tisfhctory explanation.
"The money still on hand, given for the adyance~
meat of this mission, cannot, J think, be better expend-
ed than in printing materials and medicines. 'Vher
convenient please supply the following through our
obliging friend .Mr. Thompson: -
" Mould for a printing roller.
" Pica type -large size -with preponderance of )(:,
and /', omitting italics, with the exception of i, to th;:.
value of £5.
"' If convenient add a few blocks of quadrupeds men-
tioned in the Scriptures.
MEDICI~ES.

" 1 quart compo Camphor Liniment.

1 pint Turpentine Liniment.
1 pint of the Black wash.
1 pint of. the Yellow 'Vash.
1 " " " Tr. Catechu.
1 " " " Elixer .
.1 " " " Hydrocyanic acid.
lib. Sulph: Zinc.
4 oz. Bismuth.
1 pot Sulphuris Iodidum.
1 do Hydrargyri Ammonio-Chloridnm.
"P. S. - I heard lately from the teachers on Fat<>.
Two men and three women, of their number, are still
alive. One man atd a woman have died. Survivors
anxiously look for the John lVilliams. I am about to
leave for Tana by the Maid of AustraHa - the vessel
in which Captain Prout was lost at Vanicolo. Our
 THE LAST MARTYRS

brother Paton has had fever bvelye times and is now

ycry low. I am going to see if anything cnn be done
101' him by rt'commending n change of residence. He
i" the man who l:as seen atIiie1bn. 1\11'. Matheson is
still in a weak state on Aneiteum."
"Eromallga, Fcu. 2.J, 1860 .
•. Rcy. and Deal' Brother, - I have just time to
drop yon a note to inform you of our welfare, and
('lHleayors to hring the degraded natiyes of lhis island
tc> a knowledge of 1he truth. It seems as if the great
(·nemy of sonls were striving to overthro\y all as yet
aC~'omplish('d here in the cause of the Relleemer; and.
were it llot that 'the Lord reigneth' we might despair.
By the rn.Yag(>,,; of war nearly (>\'el'ything around us is
lIOW (kstron.'c1. At a (listan('c of threC' miles from
our resifll'lI('p there is to be a feast in n few days. A
man to be kilIcfl il)1' it is at }Jl'esent ('oncealed. Dot far
from uur hOllSt'. Several of the Fate nntives hnve
hl'('n killed and ('att'n 1war us this year. They perish-
('d throngh the Sandalwood tradC' .
•. Reports of sickness and death on Tann hnye preju-
dicl~d tltc Eromangnns against the Gospel. They haye
Fiin('C' that 11('('11 plotting for our dC'strllction. l\1akea
his wir.. awl daughtcrs, came here two months ago from
JIIiun. Thcy were quite afmi(l to remain, nnd sought
for opportunities to go to Lifll. Bnt their fears are
suh..;icling, amI I hope they may remnin. Please write
to them on the subject, for I cannot speak with them.
Thl'Y now' seem qllite hnppy. 1Ve also expect the
comp:tll.\' of .:\Iakea, who was sent to Fotuna. A friend
ha" gin·n me £5 to expend on Bibles, to be circulated
at thi:~ port. As I am not aware who Dr. Ross's suc-
('e8S01' in office is, may I ask yon to be good enough to
purchase them for me. Enclosed is an order and the
hill for their purchase."

" Eromanga, Ma.y 14, 1860 .

. " R~v. and Dear Sir, - 'We agnin rejoice to learn
that you were spared in health to plead the missionary
cause in Australia, where so many care more for theil'
OW11 thing:,; than for the things of Clli,j st. May C;!)!;
crown YOllr eft( 11'ts with ~Tl':tt succe,.:s. Do you ~()JllC­
times ~~dd/'(·"s Pl'eshytel bn ('1)]I~T('~':ltj(lns:' The Fr\'t:
Church is emincutiy a :\Iis:,;i~lla;''y Church, amI "f)
should be all her otr~pring' that are legitimate.
,. I am in the receipt of Yllnr,.; of .Jall. ;)1, :md al-:o
of the mcdicines - much required. ~lS I have now m:lll \'
patients, foreign amI 11:1tin·. I sbtcll our wnnts t:,
our nmtnal friend ::'\Ir. Hont. cre it was ill ,Your power
to supply tlwm. Th(' s\lJl1S fbrwal'< led from 1\le P II 'Ul'Il<'
have been ('xpe1HleLl on the teachers. :;\Inkea is now
l111Iuherell with the (lead. His dl'ath was (':JllS('ll 1,y
eating a root H'sl'mbling the Indian potato, without
haYing pnyiOllsl.y snaked it snfIicipntly in w:\ter.-
()\\ing to great (kbility :mc1 enlal'gel1l('llt 1)1' the sllb~
maxillary !2:lrrncls he could not tnke medicine, :md (licll
on the 22ml of -:\I:trch. The natives state tl1:1t the
Samoans (liell in a similar manner, allll from the ~nn;.',
cause. I had n how·;(, prcpared for him at l'iJtina Day,
where there is plenty of good food, hilt his wift~ was
unwilling to go therl' : ii'om the first shc' 'wlshell tn ;2:u
to her ul'Otlwr on Lifh. Malica's death is felt to be
quite a st]'okt, to this mission; l'sp('('ia1!y since t.c
chiefs have received false report~ from Tanll, a'll!
Aneiteum about the lotu-peopll' dying - and so Illak()
a bad use of this CVCllt. From all we can lean
this i81a1)(1 aUll Tana are the only tW() on which your
teachers hase failed to (10 good. They could not rc~
!ain their position sntlkiently long to UC'(lllin' the lan~
g;uages of either island. The case wa,s (litferent Oil
Aneitenm, "here they held their ground for, I belie'\(',
several years before European missionaries settlcJ
there. * * * Natives here state that a foreigu
trader on a certain occasion came to a teacher askill~
- , 'Where ii'! your WOOfV" and when told that he had
none, the trader let him have the wPight of his fist.
Oue teacher was placed in a Sandalwood vessel as 3
cook, as reporte(1 at Aneiteum. Alas! that they wert:
so identified with men who haye caused God's Dame t ..
be blasphemed among the heathen. Erom!mga maJ
well be called a. ' blood-stained island.' You Clln have
 TIIE L\ST JI[ARTYRS

but :l faint conception of the lo!'s of life oeeasioned j,y

thp Sane l:ll wout1 t r:lllh" The varl \' /Ji!'torY of mis ...;iolls
tl' til(' ~a\lll",ieh Islawls has not ·fl1l'ni~ll~·d a parallel
to that of Erulllanga. * * * C:ll't. l\Iair ('liming
in ('oi i:iion with the nati \"('S of Dillllll',.; 1;:IY b..;t. }l'ar,
lmrnt tll\:ir l\(Ilt..;(·:.; and d(~stroyecl tbeir plautations so
that th8',;(~ arc no\, abandoned amI quite de..;u\atc for
!'11l1lC' mile:.; up till' riYl'r. Tribe...; Sl)tlthw:Il'd, the most
l~l\'()rald(· til the (;IISI'I'1. havc been at war CH'r since
the .JuJU! lVifii"II(,'; lell, a 111 1 haH' quite d.·..;(royel1 a
lille vi!la'..';\'. TIll',\" appe:tretllike Chri!'ti:tn:-: Whl'll Mr.
TUl'l]l'r \\'a..; llcrl~ b:-:t. lIut he would not r('('ognize them
now !'incc tlH',\' han· thrown asille their elutiling and
l'aintell thl'ir j';li~l'-; hbl·". etc. SOll1e ,rhl) lW'.!;:lll to
lI .. lp imil(l a church ia..;t ye:u' w('rl' af"t/,'nrard-,; yi ..;itf'11
hy all 01<1 dlil't'. who told them to dC:-:l!'t - to make no
ll'III]'(' W('l',. ;Jlip or tltPy woulll die. ~;Olll(' Ill'OJ II .,";('11 to
burn Ollr hothe. and others put jlUi";l)ll illt" our well.
Thus hatl tl)(' (,1l('IIlY of Houls been ~tirrin;..',' up oppo-
f-,itilln t-o till' (;o,..;pl'l- opposition such a-.; WL' did not
cxpl'riem'c c1tll'ing the tir ...;t t\\'o years. Two pl)wcrful
ehier.; on each Hille of the island art' ahout the gn'atest
hiIVlrances at Pl'I'scut tl) the :-:lH'CCS:'; of the ( ;, "I'd on
El'i'IJl:lll~:1. If :-:p:tretl tl) !'I/\\' more of the gooll seetl
Wl' 1lI:1.\" 110pe t'll' much good fruit.
" Yon \\ill be grieyecl to hear of the death of ::\[rs.
C'n':lgh awl her child. Like poor :\[r. Paton, i'll'.
Creagh, i:-: gT(·:,tly afttictecl. i\by the Lord grant sus-
taining grace."

"EI'OIllUIl[!((, July :!:J, 1860.

,. Dear Mr. Buzacott,- ~Wl' thankfully acknowll'<Jrre
the l'c('('ipt of the hox hy you from 1\11'. Rout, aI;o
the mould for the roller. We feel deeply intlebted to
yOU; and while we (':tn think anrl feel as Christians
'ought towanls gl':1l'iUllS f'ricml:-:, "'ill not allow a fond
remembrance of' yuu. anI 1 gratitullc ti)r benefits con-
ferred for the (':tll.";l' of' Christ duril1O"
::>
it:-: ea.rlier struO"-
~
gIl'S on this clark island, to perish in the cold region of
forgetfulness. * * * 1, of course, would neyer
hayc thought of troubling you concerning matters
 o}<' lmOMA:-iGA. 287
conneetc'J with thi~ lllis;.;illll had it not beell for your
teadll't's here whom I liesinxl to Sl'l' rise aboye I';'('s;,;-
iug (litliel1\tics in onler that till'.\" might remaiu. Oh!
how freqnently I wishell I ha(l bl'l'U able t" eOll1llluni-
('ate tu tlll'm my anxiolls thoughts 1)11 thcir behalf. I
fiud that not more than Olll' thinl of the food of l"'\Y-
ne"i:tlls ;';\lOllld be European. .
.. Your fit'8t l,tllllltics were expended in the following
manuel': To thc young attending "dHI( II regularly, an
alk'WaIll'(' ot' ril'l' (,H'lY l'H'uil1;2:. This was Ill'eeSSal'Y,
fiillce the'it' pbutatil!us "'cre .il'stm.'"l'(l by fut'ei;.!;lll'rs.
In adc1itillll I gaye them some bi;';(,l1it hread; amI in
this nw.nner hRye snpport('(l Ollr school for nearly two
year,s by your :-<lllll'lil's. Had it not been for these we
woultl Hot haw' had a school kept up with any regu-
brity at Dillon':.; Hay. I sent one Imrrel of tlour to
yom: tl':1chcrs on ~:l1~(.lwieh, awl another to the •YOlm<T
• to>
men assi;-;tillg in building a mectillg-hou:-<e. I may
menti"11 that two barrels of }lurk {'itar;2:c(l in our bill
(If lading were not received. On the artides forward-
('It including supplies from Dr. Ross, I paid .t:) of the
freight aud cliaq..:;t'(l the rew:linder to the Board. I
have still on hano 1 supplies for tcaehers, part of which
I shall n',.;erYe for those expeeted by the John 'Vil-
liams. In the meantime I am making up a box-
worth £2 - of our own thin;.;,.; for teachers in other
islands. I think it is obvious that the northern islands
must be occupied by your teachers - if' oGcupied at
all. :-lome from these islands huYe been brought here
in Sandalwood vessels, and they speak a language
containing Malayo-Polynesian words. Your te:1e11e1's
on Eromanga complained of cold: on islands further
110rth they would find a warmer climate .
.. 'Ve have now three missionaries on Tana, the last
addition to the band on that island being Mr. and Mrs.
Johnston. Tana is a hard field. May dod strengthen
our young Lrother to lallor among that dark, hard-
hearted people, whQ are now exciting the Erolllaugans
to kill Mana, and oppose the Gospel more zealously.-
Some of our young men have yielded in part to their
eyil proposals. Still we are gaining ground, and the
 288 'Il-IE LAST lfARTYRS

hrethren on 'fa.na have somc tokens for good. )frs.

Gordon uuites in love to Mrs. Buza.eott and yourself'."

Thc missionaries on Eromanga were favored with

letters, more or less frequently, from different laborers
in the Polynesian mission field; and )lrs. Gordon cor·
rcsponded with belies in Australia. Besides the mis-
sionaries in the New Hebrides, they corresponded with
Dr. Tnl'l1cr of Samoa; Rey. Geo. Gill of Rarotonga;
Rev. A. W. 31nrray, of Apia; Rev. A. Chisholm of
Haiatea; Hey. 3fr. IIarbutt of Hamoa: TIev. Mr. Bu·
ker of 1\fll; and Rey. II. Hoyle of _Ututaki. They re-
ceiYed letters from Rcys. Messrs. Creagh and Jones~
of Xcngolle; and from Rey. )ir. )IcFarlanc, of Lifn,
Loyalty Islands; ~mcl from the Rev. 1\11'. :Moore, of
Rena; and Hey. J. S. Royle of' )In.tai, Fiji Islands.
'Vith Hey. \V. \Vyutt Gill of )fallgaia, South Pacific.
some letters were e~eh::mged. Mr. Gill ill writing to
the Philidelphia Standard, from "on board the John
lVilliwns, near Sidney, July :3, 1862," made the follow-
ing allusion to the recent cnmts that transpired on
:Eronmnga: -
" J n the next room to this are sad memoria.ls for the
friends of )lrs. Gordon of Eromanga. They cOllsi-;t
of locks of hair, matted with her own blood j also
poor Mrs. Gordon's wedding-ring, taken off the corpse,
with a spot of hm' own blood on it. Theirs is the
martyr's crown: and yet the mission is to be recom.
menced on our return from Sidney. All honor to the
brave hearts of our brethren and our teachers who are
determined to raise }:romanga - that forlorn hope of
Polynesian missions - to Christ. May God pt'Ospel'
their endeavours J"
 OF EROMANGA. 289
The following arc some of the poetical tribntes pai(l
to the memory of the departe( 1. The first is dated
Charlottetown, P. E. Island, March 4th, 1862:-

" From ErOlt\anga's distant isle where 'Villiams nobly perished,

Whose sainted name in Christian lands with martyr names is
cherished,
Across the seas the tidings came of one his place sl1pplyin~:,
Who, like the soldier at his post, left. that post but in !lying .

.. It was not on the crimsoned field amid the cannon's rattle,

Nor figh,ting for his country's meed amid the din of battle,
Nor in the service of a king whose best reward of .l!;lory
May wither on the conqueor's brow, and leave it wan and
gory.

.. He died not thus; his was a higher far - a nobler mission, -

To lead the soul from Satan's darkness, to beams of brighter
vision;
His trophies were the savage hearts, bowed low in adorati, ,!1
To Him who died that they might share the blessings of salva.-
tion.

« Gordon! with joy we think of thee, even though amid our

weeping,
For Eromangl;\'s blood-stained soil has not thy spirit's keep-
ing;
Thy mangled form may calmly rest where foreign skies are
gleaming,
Thy soul hath soared to reach a crown with m\1rtyr glory
beaming.

.. And what of her the loving one, who faced with thee thy
dangers, , .
Leaving her own old English home to dwell with heathen
strangers? • .
Strong in the Saviour's love she stood, and shared each woe
that tried thee;
And when the death-stroke tell on thee, it laid her low beside·
thee.
S
!90 THE LAST MARTTnS

" Repose ye in your gory bed - 'tis far from kindrcds weep-
ing;
.Let holy angels guard the spot where slaughtered saints are
sleeping;
.For Christian hearts in eycry land shall thrill to hear the
dory
Of those who by the martyr's path went up to worlds of
glory.

" Rest, till the Angel's trumpet sounds, to call the world from
slumber;
·When Eromanga's sainted ones shall rise to swell the num-
ber
Of those, who, for tbeir Master's sake, who on His love
relying,
·W orkcd for his sake e'en to the last, and served Hi!'! cause
in dying. MAUDE."

The following poem dated Dartmouth, Oct. 8, 1861,

was first published in the P1·esbyterian Witness, Hali-
fax, Nova Scotia.
"EARTH AND REA YEN .
.. Where tropic waters lie
Calm o'er the coral reef-
Where Palm trees outline on the sk1
Each fair and feathery leaf-
A sorrowing circle stood
Whispering with fear and woe
A tale of cruelty and blood
A little while ago.
'Vas this to be the end
Of perils and of toils that seemed unending
To those the sin-stained ones of earth befriending"
That the heroic man
Nor less devoted woman
Should perish 'neath the blow.
Of beings scarcely human,
When the1 had loved them 80,
That willing to forego
 GF EROMANGA. 291
The dear surroundings of their tranquil youth,
They gladly went to sow,
Where southern breezes blow,
The precious seeds of Truth ?
Could not their Saviour save
That they have but a graye
'N eath that luxuriant sod,
Where faith and earnest hope
Had fondly sought to reap,
As ha.rvesting of God?
.. A group of angels singing,
titood near the Eternal Throne -
Their clear glad voices ringing
In rapture's varied tone;
Pausing for sacred smiling,
They told one happy story-
On earth 'twas spoken of as Grief,
In Heaven they called it Glory.
Martyred man
And sainted woman,
Careworn, weary - yet relying
On the One, who taught in dying
Love's great conquest over self;
Wide the pearly gates were flung,
Sweeter grew the welcome song,
As they entered in-
And that fair Pacific isle
\Vas forgotten the meanwhile.
Till th(fiat forth was given
In the accents of high heaven
That the sod
Their feet had trod-
Where their life-blood poured i&a tide -
Should be henceforth sancti:fh:d,
And by preaching of the Word
Bloom a aardcn of the Lord.
CMJill."
~92 THE LAST lIARTYRS

The following verses were written for the Halifax

Morning Ohronicle:-

•• LINES ox REA.DIXG THE DEATH OF MIt. AND MRS. GORDO",".

" Eromanga! chained and fettered,

Sheltered by the leafy palm,
Did their dying groans not thrill you,
Breaking on the noon-day's calm?

•• Eromanga! rock and water,

Hill and valley, cloud and tree,
Gazed ye on the fienuisl; slaughter?
Gordon came to ~et you free .

•. Christian Churches watched. with trembling;

"\Vatched for thl' Gospel light,
Breaking in its pristine splendor
Over Eromanga's night.

" Give us faith: strong arc the lowly

And that faith alone would tell,
Jehovah! God of mory!
That he docth all things well.

" Softly glide thou unnamed river,

(Williams' blood bedewed thy shore,)
'Ncath the broad banana's shadows
Rest our dead - their trials o'er.

.. Come, oh! King of earth the ruler,

And our mental vision clear;
In these Qarkest dispensations,
Let thy Sovereign love appear •

.. God of Pentecostal blessings,

Thanks! Thou knowest our doubts and fears;
There the shadows dark are brooding;
Here thy Chur:ch is bathed in tear••
 OF EROMANGA. 29i3
"Be it thine, dark'Eromanga,
Soon the Redeemed's song to know j
Praise and praYl'r's voice ascending
Whence the martyr's blood did flow!
E. :F,"

The following verses first appear~d in a London

journal, September, 1861 : -

" Sad Eromanga ! blood stained shore!

Again bcuewed with martyr's gore-
With sorrowing hearts we breathe thy name,
And mourn thy darkness, sin and shame.

" Zion had shed her bitter tears

O'er thy foul deed of by-gone years j
But Zion's fears were chas'd away,
As dawn'd the glorious Gospel day.

" She saw the hand that dealt the blow

That laid the immortal WILLIAMS low,
Rais'd in devotion to the skies,
'With stricken heart and weeping eyes.

" And gratefully did Zion smile

O'er hopeful Eromanga's isle;
'Vhen 10 ! the sudden news of woe -
Once more the martyr's blood doth flow.

" By more than mortal love inspired,

The Missionary's heart was fired;
He yearn'd those wanderers to rec1;l.im,
And sign that isle with Jesu's name .

•
.. The saint must tread the Saviour's path,
The Master's cup the servant hath; .
Jesus was killed, and so must he
Seal with bisblood his ministry.
294 THE LAST MARTYRS

.. In works of mercy on he pres~'d,

Despised, malig~'d, by man unblest;
The savage rais'd his axe to slay,
And at his feet the martyr lay.

"One piercing cry, one dying groan,

Which scarce had echo'd in his home
Ere the loved partner of his cares
Ilis last, his dying struggle shares.

" Together in their blood-red car

Tht·y mount, where martyrs welcom'd are;
And as they rise they seem to say-
'Zion avenge this solemn day.'

.. Avenge, by scattering o'er this land

A faithful missionary band,
Baptized for the dead, to prove
llow Christians overcome by love!
FREDERICK BltOWN."