John Geddie and of the New Hebrides Will Always Be As Ointment Poured for Th to Canadian Christians

JOHN G E DDIE HERO OF THE NE W HE B RID ES He urged the comman d of Jesus to take the Go spel to the w o e wo rld a nd a sert e t at a r n e e t n t h l , s d h Chu ch gl c i g his a f the S a o n e er re e h He c ll o vi ur could v c ive t e blessin g . oke o f the reﬂ ex en eﬁ t on t e e e and o f the a sp b up h ms lv s , p ll ‘ rkn n r n o f gross d a ess h a gi ng ove paga ism . The glo ry of God ca lls us to the task The comman d of Go d calls us to Th re oa e o f t o e who ha e one o n to r it. e pr ch s h s v g d w pe t on nwa ne call to it A nd ast but not ea t the di i u r d us l , l s , r t a ea ne t at re a a on o ur r e w spi i u l d d ss h p v ils m g chu ch s, hich is pe rh aps a judi ci al retribution fo r the i ndifferenc e which ’ w a n wn o the e a it e e so o o t Go to . h v l g sh sp l , c lls us P age 23 .

D D . . J N GE DDIE , RE V . OH

mb 14th 1 872. 1815 . D D c , B orn A p r il l oth . ied e e er JO HN G E D D IE

HE RO O F T HE NE W HE BRID E S

D D M E . F LC E . . F . A W A O RE V PRO J S N R ,

P b Col l H l f x N. S . res yteri an ege . a i a ,

K i s wat h a m ai n yak an p ece in ig ki ( 1848 ) i s id im ti na timi l ah i n ca ki j a kis wa t udei in p ece' i nig ki s in yak ( 1872) is idim ti n a timi $ ' —A n eit mm se im cm ti on b hind the ul it i n the a u pa t iran . y p e p p Chu r ch t A n elc u h t it um A . a a a , ne y

“ Wh I c m to th is l th was man of l h h b ut en a e and ere no i g t ere . ” h I l ft th i l a th was man of a k n i w en e s nd ere no d r ness i t . ’ L oter a l tr a sla ti o im cm tion n on f p .

B OARD OF FORE IGN M ISSIONS PRE SBYTE RIAN ' C HU RCH IN C ANADA TORONTO

T I NTRODU C IO N .

The name of John Geddie and of the New Hebrides will always be as ointment poured for th to Canadian Christians . John Geddie was the ﬁrst missionary sent to the heathen upon the sole respon i no s bility of a Colonial Church . He had in him ” faintest touch of the modern German superman , but was meek and lowly , tender and pitiful , like his too Master . Like his Master , , this weak man after the ﬂesh was mighty through God to the pulling ’ of down Satan s strongholds , subduing savages to tenderness and transforming cannibals into Chris tian brothers . The New Hebrides will always be I known to Canadians as the Martyr slands , bap tized our with the blood of early missionaries, but also as the scene of the most notable triumphs of the

Gospel . The triumph of purely spiritual forces over the carnal and the material is nowhere better illustrated than in Aneityum and Erromanga . From this man and from these islands came the inspiration that has since carried our Church into

- eight other distinct parts of the non Christian world . We owe a debt of gratitude to Professor James Falconer for uncovering these springs of life and putting within reach of all , in so brief and readable ’ Geddie s a form , the story of John life and work . I Many , having read this short life , will , am sure , I DU C NTRO TION .

to be eager read the larger work of Dr . Patterson , ” Missionary Life among the Cannibals . Dr . Pat terson’s book is not gotten up in the most attractive o form , but it is a mine of g od things . There was a novelty and a charm , i f also a danger , in the lives of these pioneer missionaries among the savage races which in the nature o f the case is not found in the more commonplace though equally important work of the modern missionary .

GA N DI R ALFRED E .

2 n 1 1 K d . nox College , Toronto , April , 9 5 PRE FACE .

There were many in the Atlantic Provinces by whom Dr . John Geddie was regarded as one of the

- o f greatest of the latter day saints . The names — some o f the New Hebrides Islands Aneityum — Erromanga , Efate, Santo were like music in their a e rs .

But the generation that knew him is passing, and it is worth while to take advantage of the centenary of his birth to remind us , their children , that among the sons of the Dominion none is more worthy of remembrance . This is rendered more needful since i e D D e . . . the valuable L f by Rev G orge Patterson, , to which I am deeply indebted , is out of print . e Dr . G ddie must be reckoned among the great pioneer missionaries of the century . His was as brave a warfare as any happy warrior ever waged . Odysseus destroyed the eye of the cannibal giant on

Sicily, but Dr . Geddie destroyed the giant of can n ibalism on Aneityum , bringing civilization and r peace to a land of deg adation and war . There are lines in the poem which appeared in Punch on the occasion of the death of Bishop

Selwyn , which may equally apply to the hero of our wa study, who s also a personal friend of this ﬁrst

Bishop of New $ ealand . 4 PREFACE

A n d t er e th e B o to o e tw een th e wa r h ish p s d , b O f a n a n d e a n d ett er all a o n e cl s chi fs s l s , l , H oldi n g the Ch r is ti a n b an n er high an d fa r ’ B ov e sm oke o f s tr if e a n d n ois e o f w arr i ors

Til l a a e w e re w ea n e ro a a en e s v g s d f m s v g ss , ’ A n d whi te m en o wn e d a fa i th n e er o w n ed A n d o o a n d ro e in the w er n e sch l church s ild ss , — ” F r ui t o f the s eed o f Lo v e Go o d will to m en $

P n e H H a a x N. S . i ill , lif , CONTENTS .

a ter Ch p . Intro duction

I . Early Years

His Secon d Dedicatio n The Pi oneer

A Jou rna l o f the Sea

The Power s o f Darkness The B egi nn i ng is H a r d The B reaki ng o f the Day

The H eat o f the B attl e

A N ative Chu rch Prosperity

Adversity On F u rlough

Closi ng Year s A fter wa rds

List of Missionari es T LIST O F ILLU S RATIO N S .

R . e D D F nt ev o n G e . . o J h ddi , r is

M ap of the New H eb r id es Sc en es in the New H eb r ide s J oh n Willia ms A n ei tyum Ha r bo r ' e ie s St at o n Dr. G dd i

H a ir- d r ess of A n eity um e se A n eit yu m Ch ris ti an Chi ef ’ S t en t o tta e T a n o a ud s C g s , g ’ hr t a n Na t e H t Ta n oa C is i iv s u s , g H ea th en Cr o wd a t S a n to Stud en t s o f t h e I n s ti tu te a t T an go a ’ D r ie r . Ge dd s Chu ch Ge ddi e M em o r i a l Chu r ch ’ e ie Rui n s of Dr. G dd s Church

r . an M r s . r on Rev. Geo ge N d Go d R a r d n ev. e o o J m s D . G Weap on s U s ed b y Murd er ers

i A n n-a n a n d er t on a n d M r s. D r s . M cK en z e d Rob , , s , Geddi e Wives of St ud en ts Th eol ogica l Stud ent s Nativ e Child ren Ch ildren o f Stud en t s on n o e e M um e t t Dr. G ddi

LIFE OF JOHN G E D D IE

THE E ARLY YE AR S .

A dark cl oud rested over one of the homes in

of ff . the village Ban , Scotland It seemed as though the bright hopes which had so recently been awak ened by the birth of a son and heir were to be

speedily blasted . The doctor gave little encourage ment that the infant could rally from the attack of

n . illness . Li fe was hanging o the slenderest thread

But the parents , long accustomed to commit all their

affairs to the good keeping of the Heavenly Father ,

now sought the mercy - seat with renewed impor tunit y, pleading that their child might live . They $ m also vowed that i f he were spared to the , and i f

the way were opened up , they would dedicate the boy to the service o f God for work among the hea

then . This is the earliest incident that has come down to us in connection with the life of John

Geddie , and it illustrates the pious home and godly atmosphere in which he was to win those early impressions that are so effectual in the formation

of character . A mystic thread was woven into the 8 LIFE OF JOHN GEDDIE life o f the infant which would not easily be with drawn . His was a dedicated spirit from the very cradle , though not until many years afterwards was the action of his parents made known to him . a The year of his birth is f mous in our annals , marking as it does the conclusion of a striking period in European history . It was the year of W o aterlo , when the whole nation rejoiced over the defeat and capture of Napoleon , whose threats of invasion had been like a terrible night not mare to the English people . But victory was gained without many losses , and the drain on the resources o f the people had been so constant that after the declaration o f peace numerous business failures took place ; and many a family was com pelled to leave home and look out for new scenes of labor . In this number was the Geddie family The father had been a successful clockmaker thus far , but being unable to meet his obligations in this of time stringency , he was forced to make terms with his creditors , though it is to be remembered that at a later time all indebtedness was paid in full . He was induced to consider the call of the New

World , that there he might retrieve his fortunes . Though we are not given the reasons which not decided him in his choice of Nova Scotia , it is difﬁcult to imagine what some of these may have ' was more been . This colony easy of access than o many others , and had won c nsideration as a Scotch

He was b orn on the tent h of Apr il . ro LIFE or JOH N GEDDIE

But this prosperity was not without its darker side . Years of thriving trade had developed many

~ forms of worldliness . Drunkenness was very pre nt vale . One lady of good position made the boast that the liquor bill for her household amounted to £ 00 M c re r . . G o 4 per annum , while the Rev Dr g , the e i : I pione r missionary , wr tes Once in a day could not have believed that all the vices in the world would have done as much damage in Pictou as I u n o have seen dr nke ness alone d within a few years . Besides this there was a tendency towards extrava gance such as has frequently been the bane of col on ial of settlements . The moral tone the place was , therefore , not conducive to the appearance of the for ﬁne fruits of religion , and had it not been other of elevating inﬂuences , which we shall mention three , playing upon the youthful career of John Geddie , we might be at a loss to explain his choice of a profession .

F . We irst , there was his pious home have already noticed the religious zeal that inspired his parents . This was o f a persistent type , so that the family altar that had been reared at Banff was God again set up in Pictou . The home was a fearing one , where grave themes were welcome for K discussion , and where the interests of the ingdom o f God were never neglected . The literature that d was rea was for the most part religious , and there can be little doubt that one of the formative inﬂu ences on young Geddie was the ready access he had to books bearing on the evangelization of the world . - THE E ARLY YEARS 1 1

A more striking illustration of the - value of judicious missionary publications could scarcely be desired .

‘ A friend of the Geddie family had become asso cis ted with the direction of the London Missionary e Society, and was in the habit of s nding out to ff e Pictou their di erent publications . W are told that John Geddie was a constant reader of these l books , and that his youthfu imagination was espe cially ﬁred by ' the narrative of the triumph of the gospel in Tahiti and the islands of the Polynesian group . Thus early were the noblest examples of ’ Christian heroism brought before the boy s mind .

Secondly, he had the great advantage of associa f tion with people o deep spiritual life . The only church in the town was under the ministry of

M c ll h $ . u oc . Rev Dr . C and Mr Geddie immediately i entered into fellowsh p with this congregation , after wards called Prince Street Church . Here he found a small band of earnest Christians who had started a weekly prayer- meeting at which they gathered to pray for the coming of the K ingdom both in the world and in their own hearts . 8 0 devout and regular was Mr . Geddie at these and all the meetings of the church that ere long he became a chosen leader, and was soon appointed to the ofﬁce of elder .

- In this church the children found a second home , and here and in the Sabbath school they gained a

with ' the : B ibl e clear knowledge of religious truth , and the Shorter Catechism as their textbooks . The third great inﬂuence which had its effect on the life of John Geddie was the teaching he received 1 2 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

his da - N in y school . o person has done more for the cause of higher education in Nova Scotia than llo . Mc ch . Cu Rev Dr Thomas , who had come out 1 80 from Stewarton , Scotland , in 3 , as the minister P t to ic ou . His great heart had been much dis tressed by the ignorance which he encountered everywhere among the youth of the land , and , walk ing home one evening from his visitation , the thought came to him like an inspiration of the possibility of educating these young people and thus , perhaps , paving the way for the training of a native ministry . This is not the place to tell the story of Pictou m suﬂice Acade y . It must to say that from this McCulloch institution , founded by Dr . , many have gone forth to occupy leading positions in the professional and industrial life of this continent . There were none of the outward accompaniments which men usually associate with college life , no

ﬁne academic halls , no secluded quadrangles , no historic glamor . But it would be a mistaken infer ence i f we supposed that the intellectual training was correspondingly deﬁcient . So thorough had been the training given in these ' log buildings that ’ M cCull och s when three of Dr . students went to re Scotland to pursue their studies further , they ceive d the degree of Master of Arts from Glasgow

U niversity witho ut attendance on the classes . Such Dr M cCull och was . , and this example of a scholarly and devoted minister who sacriﬁced every personal interest for the great cause of education which lay so near his heart was constantly before the youth

John Geddie . THE E ARLY YEARS 1 3

These powerful forces were all working in one direction ; they were like a heavenly chorus of voices summoning the lad to devote himself to the service of what was noblest and best . Nor is it any matter of surprise that the impulse came so im perceptibly that he never remembered the time when he was unconscious of the purpose to enter the

Christian ministry . No remarkable facts are narrated concerning his * r school o college days . John Geddie never shone in his classes , though he always maintained a good average position . Neither was he known as a leader in sport or debate . He was small of stature , retiring in manner, with a voice as $gentle as a ’ No woman s . prophecies seemed to go beforehand as to the large place he would ﬁl l in the Church ’s history ; the estimate formed of him by his fellows might not unjustly be inferred from the way in ” which they spoke of him as Little Johnnie Geddie . But there lay great forces of determination behind the quiet exterior , and his character showed a trans parent sincerity which none could fail to admire . His record stands untarnished and pure ; it is that of one in whom there were no

’ Pa ssi on s u nw orthy o f yo uth s gen e r o us h ea rt ” A n d nt i mo u n g Spirit .

* T wa s th e ﬁ t t e o o a OOl l e e of our C r his rs h l gic l g hu ch , a n d n ow tuate a t P ne H H a ax N. S . is si d i ill , lif ,

SCE NE S IN THE HE B RI DE S .

1 6 LI FE OF JOHN GEDDIE

During his walks down the Beeches or around Cariboo , the state of the heathen be came more

urgent in his thoughts . He heard more clearly the s n es bitter cry of the de titute and ig orant , whose liv were not brightened by any of the sweet and gentle e hop s that so richly ﬂooded his own soul . He was l the u only too painfu ly aware of nhappiness , the

cruelty , the fear that overwhelmed the pagan world . How vividly he pictured to himself the bondage into which these forsaken races ha d fallen $ Thoughts of the “ awful touch of superstition ” m him became almost a night are to . This went hand in hand with a deeper study of the teachings of Jesus . As he drank at the foun tain of living t ruth in the Bible he saw more and more clearly that duty might thrust him out into on the work of a missionary , a work to be carried

far from homeland and from church . Could he remain guiltless if he kept back the precious message of salvation $ Must he not hasten to correct the awful misinterpretation of God that prevailed in heathenism $ Would not the complaint of thes e benighted children of God rise up against him at the Da of m so y Judg ent , asking him why he kept pre cions a secret to himself $ These are the problems

that . occupied his waking and sleeping hours and brought him under the constraint of missionary con vi i n ct o . He felt himself a debtor . While in this state of mind the hand of God was laid upon him in sickness , a method that has so Often ’ His been the interpreter of the Lord s designs . HIS SECOND DEDI CATION 1 7 strengt h gradually failed till it appeared that he was to go down to the grave without any period of ser for vice , with no stars his crown, no structure reared upon the foundation of his personal faith . Was he to be cut off like Lycidas before his prime $ In this valley of the shadow of death he vowed that if his strength returned to him and the Lord gave him grace he would dedicate all his talents and energies to the whole - heart ed service of God among the m heathen . A turn ca e in his sickness , he began aﬂl iction to mend daily , and he arose out of his into a state of spiritual and mental peace . All inde cision was gone ; he now saw his way clear as when a wanderer astray at night suddenly ﬁnds the path that leads home . The life decision was made . Henceforth he is to be a dedicated soul ; his way is to lead him far from home and country .

Mr. Geddie was licensed to preach as a minister es t 2 nd 1 8 of the Pr by erian Church on May , 37 , and as no immediate prospect of entering the foreign he ﬁeld seemed to Open up , decided to accept work e i at home in the m ant me, awaiting the direction of the Divine Spirit to Show him when the way was clear . A call to the congregation of Ca vendish and E I n New London, Prince dward sla d , coming to him 1 th , he was ordained and inducted on March 3 , 8 1 8 . n 3 Here he remained for seve years , throwing all his energies into the many duties of his charge. 1 8 e In 39 he was marri d to Charlotte , daughter of D . Mc l . ona d Dr Alex , of Antigonish , a lady who remained his devoted companion all through his I 8 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

li fe , sharing his lofty ideals and furthering all his a mission ry plans . She bore with fortitude the many r sac iﬁces which they had to endure , and now , in the her old age , in Australia , awaits heavenly call .

Dr . Patterson thus describes the yea rs of minis terial work : But besides laboring diligently in his congrega

tion , he was active in the advancement of the

Church around . The Presbytery consisted of a

band of most excellent men , several of them ad vanced a in ye rs , dwelling together in unity , and each in his own sphere ' discharging faithfully and to regularly the work of a pas r . Yet , while deeply interested in the work of Gospel diff usion in the a t t n conscien world , they were p to se tle dow in the tious discharge of their duties in their own congre

ation s - ‘ o g , after the model Of a Sc ttish pastorate , without much . effort for the destitute beyond . Mr. ’ Geddie s coming among them was the infusion of new life in regard to Home Mission work . He not only, in his quiet way , pressed the subject upon the n attention of the brethren , but , being the you gest

and . . most active member of the Presbytery , the largest share of missionary appointments fell to his

and . . n ever s a red lot , in the fulﬁlment of them he p himself ; At a time when railroads on the Island had not entered into the dreams of the most san

traversed ' ever guine , he y part of it , showing a thorough Scotch dourness , which allowed neither ’ ’ summer s heat nor winter s storm to - prevent his punctually fulﬁlling his engagements , until , at least HIS SECOND DEDI CATION 1 9 in every settlement where any of the inhabitants claimed connection with the Presbyterian Church , of he was well known and sure a hearty welcome , Old his horse , Sampson , being almost as readily recognized , with his carriage , in which a little later he often took ' about with him his wife and some one times or two children . He remarked to us that the more his mind was engaged in Foreign Mis o f sions , his interest in Home Missions , instead being lessened , was intensiﬁed .

THE P I O NE E R .

The pioneer is immortal . We bear in lasting memory the man who cuts the ﬁrst path through hitherto inaccessible lands , who makes possible what was thought to be impossible . Some such honor rests with Geddie ; for he led the Church out

' a n into a new work . Never had y colonial Church heard the call to evangelize the heathen , until it came to the sensitive conscience of this minister on th Prince Edward Island . For long he debated e matter in secret , looked up and down the range of every possible argument that could be urged against was it , till at last he convinced that his Church should send out a missionary . But it was $uite a different thing to convince his bi' ethren of the ministry and the members of the churches . On the surface the attempt seemed doomed to failure . The Presbyterian Church in

Nova Scotia, a branch of the Secession Church of t rt Sco land , was but a feeble body with thi y congre ation s g , many of which could scarcely pay a living wage to their own ministers . The largest salary £ 1 0 £ 0 was 3 , while most did not pay more than 4 finan a year . Pathetic tales might be given of the 21 2 2 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE cial methods adopted by ministers to dispo se O f the produce which they had to take as payment of their salary . How could such a Church be expected to contribute , when their home work was so meagrely $ supported Besides this , were they not veritably a mission Church $ Their own field was white unto harvest ; and they had no laborers whom they could spare . Against these arguments there was to be placed the irresistible force o f a convinced and con secrated will . The grandeur of his ideal had clothed this man with an authority . Slowly but t his won r ffi l surely its way against eve y di cu ty , as one may see the determined energy of the summer silently but certainly gaining its way against the hard and binding influence of the winter . to who Strange tell , it was the older ministers yielded most readily to his persuasive arguments . To some of these it was like a revival of the spring tide of their own career . Many of them had come out from the Old Land in response to the call o f the o f needy . They had faced the uncertainties a new country with much the same dedication as now s moved Mr . Geddie . The proposal to end a mis sionary to the pagans touched a responsive chord in their hearts ; it was like a fragrance blown from meadows long forgotten, meadows amid which they once had walked with tumultuous and eager hearts . The history of the movement in Synod is very familiar to all who have watched the progress of

u . F similar new , depart res irst came the period of careless neglect , with the overture left till the last

24 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

£ 0 with a contribution of 7 a year . But the Presbyteries of Pictou and Halifax were not so favorably inclined . Two motions were made . The the ﬁrst was , That overture be adopted and carried ff o into e ect as far as practicable , and that a C mmit tee or Board of Foreign Missions be appointed for this purpose , and that the memorial just read be ” published for the information of the people .

The amendment was , That this Synod , feeling that in present circumstances they are not prepared to embark in the Foreign Mission enterprise , resolve to enj oin upon the congregations under their inspec i i tion to make an effort in behalf of such M ss ons , consistently with other claims ; and , further , that ff in order to render present e orts available , the

Synod will connect itself with the Society , ﬂow through which their contributions may , till they

‘ feel themselves abl e to embark in the cause by send ” ing forth a missionary of their own . Through the morning session the debate held on without ﬂa gging . All were expected to express some opinion , and the members rose one by one . In the evening an order of the day was on the docket , and the Synod listened to a lengthy but highly interesting ” lecture on the Apostasy of the Middle Ages viewed as a great and beneﬁ cent arrangement o f Providence but at the conclusion of this the main subject was resumed , and the motion was of carried by twenty to fourteen . The Board For eign Missions was accordingly chosen .

A year later, when the Board presented its ﬁrst

JOHN WILLIA M S .

1 8 39 . Marty red on Erro man g a in THE PIONEER 2 5

report , the amount promised had increased to and the motion was made that the Board be now instructed to select a ﬁeld and negotiate with ” candidates for the ﬁeld . This was carried by a maj ority of one . It may be a matter o f surprise that the committee a went so far away for a sphere of l bor, but several reasons account for this . First , the salaries and ex penses of mission work in India and China were more than the committee felt warranted in incur ring . West Africa was rejected because of cli matic conditions . Many of the countries now open were then closed to the foreigner ; also at this time the triumphs of the gospel in the South Seas in Eastern Polynesia had aroused great joy and expec tation in the Christian world . John Williams had been commissioned to survey the islands of Western

Polynesia to ﬁnd out what the prospects were , and when the message of his murder in 1 839 reached home it aroused the heroic resolve in the Church to honor his martyrdom by founding a new mission . These were the circumstances amid which the Board decided upon the region of Western Polynesia .

Then came the question who should go $ Mr . Geddie had never put himself forward as a can didate , though his intimate friends knew that he was willing to offer his services if need arose . His modesty and his wisdom kept him in the back ground , and he wished the Church to feel itself in no way hampered . But there was no hesitation on the part of the members o f the committee that the 26 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

o one man for the p sition was Mr . Geddie , and he e was appoint d , though not without the opposition of some of the influential members of the Synod . i His first duty filled him with much forebod ng . Readers o f the life of Bishop Coleridge Patteson will recall that when he was urged to go to these I same South Sea slands , his father long resisted the desire o f his son because he could not bear the thought of separation from one so cherished and beloved ; an d there is great pathos in the sense of personal loss expressed in the letters sent out from home to his son away overthe sea : It : is so lonely ” $ o without you , Coley Mr . Geddie had now to g to an aged and widowed mother and break to her the news that her only son was to leave her , perhaps never more to see her in the body . But the fears that possessed his mind were unrealized , for he found her so calm and resigned that afterwards he inquired the cause , and was told for the first time o f the dedication that had taken place at his m birth . The other had made her vow , and would not recall it when the time for payment had come .

With great wisdom Mr . Geddie proceeded to pre pare himself for the new sphere of labor . He entered a printing Ofﬁ ce and learned how to use the w o press , hich was to be of much help in the scho ls H studied and churches of the ﬁeld . e the rudi n ments of medicine , lear ed the methods of house and boat building, and acquainted himself with many mechanical arts that might prove useful at a later time . THE PIONEER 2 7

His mind well stored with knowledge , awake to the dangers and hardships of his new calling, he set 1 6 to forth in 84 from Halifax, hoping get a vessel in on e of the American ports for the Sandwich

Islands . The following quotations from his j ournal will reﬂect his feelings at this time : I know that in many o f the qualiﬁcations and attainments which it is desirable that a missionary should possess I am wanting ; nevertheless I feel as though the God o f nature and o f grace had com mitted to my trust some talents which , if faithfully

- employed , may make me useful to my fellow sin ners ; and I go forth with a resolve in the strength o f to grace to devote my soul , my body , my all , ’ my Redeemer s service and glory . And I am the more encouraged to proceed in the enterprise to which I have devoted myself , when I reﬂect that Go d can work by means however feeble , and that ‘ not the race is always to the swift , nor the battle ’ to the strong . our do In associating myself with Mission , I no t think I have acted without counting the cost . The step which I have taken has not been the result o f o o m mentary impulse , but the deliberate purp se f to o years . I trust that I have given the subj ect a measure o f that consideration which the impor f tance o the subject demands . I have contemplated and realized in part what it is to break asunder those bro endearing ties that bind parents and children , h r t e s . and sisters , relatives and friends I have anti cipated a voyage of miles over the mighty 3 2 8 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

i ocean , through many latitudes and divers cl mes ; o f but there is One who ruleth the raging the sea , ’ and stilleth the waves thereof when they arise ; sa fte and there is y under His watchful care . I have looked forward to the time when I must forego f the of o f o blessings civilization , and comforts s cial life . o f to and the sweets home , and expose myself the inveterate prejudice , the repulsive arrogance , and

- of the deep rooted superstition a barbarous people . I have beheld at a distance the drudgery to which I may have to submit in acquiring a barbarous lan guage and moulding into characters and determining by ﬁxed sounds a tongue never committed to writing before . I have glanced at the probability of being laid under the necessity to court the society of sav age men , and assimilate mysel f in some measure to o f their disgusting habits li fe , in order to gain their ear and win their conﬁdence . I cannot say that I have ever seriously considered the possibility of fall ing a p rey , as some have done . to the capricious

of . fury barbarous men Nevertheless , for so pain o o ful a contingency , missionaries who g abr ad , and

not . their friends at home , must be unprepared The servants of Christ go forth to heathen lands with li not their ves in their hands , knowing what is to a w befall them . Now . after careful revie of all o that is forbidding in a missi nary life . I have no

w to . ish retrace my steps I feel as if I might say , ’ of in the Ap ostle s words , None these things move n me , either do I count my li fe dear unto me , so that ’ I might ﬁnish my course with joy .

F H A A J OU RNAL O T E SE .

In these latter days a trip to Honolulu does not f rank among the great adventures o life . Tourists ﬁnd every convenience in the transcontinental trains not so and the ocean greyhounds . But it was sev a o it o f enty years g . Then required a measure courage to brave the mo notony and danger o f a ’ o six m nths voyage in a sailing vessel .

‘

1 8 6 . On November 3 oth , 4 , Mr . and Mrs Geddie left Halifax for Boston and took eight days for the passage , coming near disaster at the very outset in consequence of a tempestuous gale that drove f ’ o . them into the latitude St . George s Shoals At Boston they expected to ﬁnd a Whaler bound for for the Sandwich Islands , but the season these had closed with October, and it was only after much inquiry that they learned of a vessel soon to sail o o fr m Newburyp rt , near Boston . to Hurrying down this place , Mr . Geddie lost no time in examining the vessel which was to be for of their home many months . It was a brig 1 97 tons , somewhat larger than the schooners that ” o to old g the Banks , built of oak , six years , with an excellent sea record . They obtained a small ' cabin with on a berth either side , having a curtain 31 32 LIFE OF JOHN GEDDIE

in the centre . On deck was a comfortable cabin to - be used as a dining room , with eight single berths for f two the o ﬁcers and passengers . They carpeted their room and lashed the stove , table , medicine chest and trunks in readiness for the heavy seas they expected to encounter . to Having a few days wait before the ship started , they spent it in fellowship with the Christian people o f who the town , took considerable interest in the o f two brave venture these Nova Scotians . Early o n the morning o f their departure these friends gathered on board to bid farewell and to pray for ’ o for God s fav r the missionaries . An impressive 1 2 1 service was held . Psalm was read , and an address was delivered by one o f the ministers o f for the town . M r . Geddie replied , thanking them i their kindness, and describing the feel ngs which ﬁlled his mind as he was leaving the realms o f gospel light fo r the dark places of the earth . Dear n ow to brethren , that we are about encounter the o f perils the mighty deep , and enter upon an arduous o f o scene lab r , we would again entreat your prayers ur in o behalf . Remember us when we are far from

ou ou not t . y , and y will be forgo ten by us Our safety and success abroad depend much on the prayers o f ou the Church at home . If y lift up your hands r before God in ou behal f we shall succeed ; if not , ” we must fail . After the concluding prayer commending them ’ of K to the guardianship Israel s eeper , the scene suddenly changed into one of hurry and bustle . A JOU RNAL OF THE SE A 33

All friends were ordered on shore ; the captain for to f Shouted the lines be cast o f, and in a few moments every inch of sail was unfurled to the o f on wind . At ﬁrst a covering ice , formed the harbor during the preceding night , kept them from moving, but slowly the path opened up , the fragile to f ice ceased o fer resistance , and the vessel began of to glide gently before the wind . The shores

America were soon lost to view . The long voyage now beginning was to take the of greater part a year, and is graphically described f o . in the journal which Mr . Geddie kept their trip Favoring trade winds bring them speedily to the equator ; but as they pass the coast o f Brazil a ” change comes . The region called the Swamp o to pr ves true its name , the thermometer is ninety eight in the shade . Tedious days pass when the sails ﬂap aimlessly from morn till night and the no brig rises and falls but makes progress . now Incidents and then break the monotony , as when looking from the poop one night he sees a strange sail loom out o f the darkness and pass within f a few yards o their stern . Or it is a heavy squall coming so suddenly that the mate barely has time to run to the wheel and snatch it from the inex erienced p sailor . Or it is a calm night disturbed ” on $ for with the sudden cry , All hands deck and

eight - and - forty hours the oak timbers creak and

groan as if they could no longer bear the strain . S But brighter days also break , when a hip heaves W into sight , a haler bound home which will take 34 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

— . h so their letters Then the ﬁne, starry nig ts beau cl ea r constel tiful ; , unclouded heaven with new l ations outhern Cr ss ; most beautiful Of all the S o , o emblem o f the Cross around which centred his best enjoyment in time and his brightest prospects be yond the grave . At last the approach to Cape Horn draws on and fo r they prepare the dreaded encounter . Old sails

- replaced with new ones , round house and boats fastened with additional lashings , every doubtful o — rope rem ved , new rigging rove formidable pre o f cautions against the severe trial strength , like a crisis in our human j ourney for which wise men prepare . o They are three weeks r unding the Horn , meet ing waves of whose vastness the Atlantic in her wildest moments can give but slight conception .

to - one on They are driven sixty degrees South , the o f $ verge the Frigid one . But at last the Cape is weathered and the placid waters of the Paciﬁc ﬁll them with a strange new pleasure , such as a captive or feels when he escapes from the prison house , a doubt - enslaved sinner when he learns that God is to still waiting be gracious .

But new anxieties emerge . Fresh provisions have long since been exhausted ; they are put on Now short allowance . they spring a leak and the pumps have to be at work every ten minutes . They have been 1 70 days at sea when on a happy morning they come in sight o f Honolulu . In the entire j ournal there is n ot a word Of

N E I TY M H RB R A U A O .

’ DR GE DDIE S S ION S HOWIN G HOU SE O HE RIGHT TAT , T T A ND CH U RC H HE CEN RE AT T T .

36 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

was seen in the distance . In the early afternoon o f they, along with Mr . Powell , the London Mis sionar to ha r y Society , came anchor in a beautiful bor on o f the south side the island, an island which for was to be their home many long years , the scene also o f one o f the most thrilling stories of the trans o O f f rming grace Jesus Christ . “ ohn Willia ms The J remained with us a week , ur o o . . during which time pr perty , etc , was landed

This dear vessel , in which we had spent some happy

on 6 . weeks , took her departure August the th I n ot oo our shall s n forget emotions , when she weighed anchor and spread her canvas to the breeze ; our anxiously did eyes follow her , until she faded w o ou r . no fr m view in the distant horizon We felt , fo r o the ﬁrst time , s mething Of the stern realities o f l ife o cut Off missionary , as we were from the o endeared s ciety of Christian friends , and sur rounded by a degraded and barbarous people . But though severed n ow from those with whom we

not . could take sweet counsel , we were alone Oh , n o $ I believe that we have His presence , at whose o command we had c me hither , and whose promise ’

O ou . is , L , I am with y always RK THE POWE RS OF DA NE S S .

Aneityum is the southernmost island Of the so a New Hebrides group , called by C ptain Cook , because o f their likeness to the islands in the north f n of o Scotla d . They are part Western Poly m esia , and had never been the home Of any Chris to tian missionary . John Williams had gone Erro

' to l an o manga in order p evangelistic w rk , but he ’ ’ landed only to gain the martyr s crown at Dillon s

Bay . The islanders were members of the Negroid race called the Papuan , with curly hair , dark skin and forbidding features . They were a degraded race that had long been under the tyrannous dominion

o f t . Of savagery . Society was a Dead Sea pollu ion n Crimes o f all degrees were Of constant occurre ce . elﬁ shness S , treachery, inhumanity were character istic F con faults . alsehood abounded , theft was sidered honorable , licentiousness prevailed every

n o of . where . There was thought love War was o f on e not continuous . A member tribe dared ven ture beyond the conﬁnes o f his own territory for

f no . fear o being killed . Life had value Blood W ﬂowed every day . A man was never seen ithout his club and spear . 38 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

not Women were in slavery , and did know enough to resent it . B rutality was their daily wage . The awful habit o f strangling the widow on the death

Of her husband was ﬁrmly rooted in the islands . E very woman wore round her neck a stout cord so arranged that a moderate pull would effect stran l tion u a . no g Infants had rights . The tenure Of ’ o the child s life rested with the ption Of the father . Superstitions of the m ost revolting type abounded and kept the people in incessant torment . The o o o water g ds , the wind gods , the m untain g ds , were their fear day and night . Ignorance ruled their no for o minds , they had desire kn wledge , they loved o f all darkness rather than light . Most hideous was the cannibalism that prevailed . All victims killed or taken in war were considered the lawful of booty the victor , and there were authentic tales Of shipwrecked crews that were kept in life only to o await the time Of s me cannibal feast . Thus there o f o o f of was none the sanctity , n ne the sweetness

to our . life , that have come us as the gift Of Saviour The missionary had also to reckon with the of antagonism of the white man . Some these were o f so so guilty crimes vile , cruel , that they had become mo re degraded than the natives themselves . A few were shipwrecked sailors who had become assimilated with the natives , adding the evils of their own race to th ose of the savages . Some were escaped convicts from Australia . But the greater o f treach number were sandalwood traders , whose ery and deception t errible accounts were given . THE POWERS OF DARK NESS 39

of 1 8 2 Toward the close the year 4 , three sandal wood vessels (and we will give their names) — the S ul tana Ose Ramon a , Captain Scott ; the , Captain S o hia — Deniston ; and the p , Captain Hervey came to anchor in a beautiful bay . The crews were sent on shore , and having quarrelled with the natives , they used their ﬁrearms freely , killing a large num

o f . ber the islanders About thirty , consisting prin ci all old p y Of men , women and children , took refuge w in a cave , hen the white men gathered brushwood to at its mouth , set ﬁre it , and kept the ﬁre burning until the whole company within were silent in death . o f The foreigners , being thus left masters the dis e tri t , supplied themselves abundantly with wood , rn — it of ya s , and pigs was said to the number nearly — ” a hundred and sailed away in triumph . It was also the common thing for these white men to purchase or kidnap women for their immoral ’ purposes , so that the white man s advent came to be

- regarded as the visit of a devil . One island had a standing rule to murder every white man that put n foot o its soil . It is necessary to give these facts in their naked horror in order to realize the stupendous magnitude o f the task which this great - souled man was under of of taking . The extent these powers darkness was fully appreciated by Mr . and Mrs . Geddie . Ere they left Samoa they had received such a narrative of the loathsome social conditions in these dark islands that they had in great sorrow parted with their daughter, dreading to expose her to such 4 0 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

abominations . He writes , The most painful sacri ﬁce which missionaries are called on to suff er in these islands is separation from their children , whose interest and welfare demand their removal to a less polluted moral atmosphere . As we try to place ourselves in imagination amid Of o f these scenes degradation , and realize a little the incessant drain that must have been made upon of the courage , faith and virtue the missionaries , we shall recognize that it was indeed a herculean of labor which they had undertaken , a task almost od superhuman effort . Only as the grace of G was given to them could they hope to tread all these powers of darkness down . H THE BE GI N N I NG IS ARD .

The fainting sense of insufﬁciency that overtakes one who is called to a difﬁcult task for which he feels quite unprepared might well have overwhelmed the minds o f these messengers of the Word . How

could they ever expect to cleanse this evil place , how hope to overcome this degradation $ It was only because they were moved by a noble compassion and by a faith such as enabled Paul to approach the entrenched forces of the corrupt paganism of Rome : I am not ashamed (afraid) of the Gospel of

God . Christ , for it is the power Of unto salvation But where and how are they going to begi n $ V There seemed to be so few points of contact . ery on little notice was taken of them their landing , and it transpired a fterwards that the natives were on the point o f driving them Off from their shores because they were foreigners like those who had stolen their

wives , their daughters and their wood . But this ff indi erence soon changed . This foreign man car no ried ﬁrearms , he abode with his wife in peace , not he did take their wood . He spake with a new

language , which they had seldom heard , but did not — fail to understand the language of kindness . Con 41 4 2 L IFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

ﬁ dence to began rise , and with it an increase of

curiosity . ’ Geddie s Mr . ﬁrst task was to become acquainted on with the tribes the island , and he makes his ﬁrst trip to a neighboring village accompanied by an r e inte preter , who tells the p ople the Object that has H brought him . e wishes to tell them of the true of o f God , the beauty of a life peace and goodness , of of e the promise salvation in J sus Christ . Three weeks after their arrival he determined to explore out the shores of the island , and started in his boat ,

accompanied by his Samoa teachers . The romantic beauty of his new island home greatly impressed

him , in such striking contrast with the human

depravity . He was interested in meeting the chiefs “ a ai of the various districts . J p is said to be the

greatest warrior on the island , and his name is a terror to his enemies . He showed more pleasure ” in meeting us than his brother .

The journey was not without its dangers , for the coral reefs of the shore rendered navigation difficult . They were compelled to go much farther than they h anticipated . One evening they left t eir mooring at sunset with six miles to go . But when they got beyond the harbor they found it needful to put a long way out to sea . The sun had gone down , and in the “gloaming they could see the foam breaking on the distant reefs . The waves increased , and the

Samoans insisted upon turning towards the shore . i Guided only by the no se of the breakers , and amid e at l 111 ff constant danger, they succeed d ast e ecting

44 LIFE OF JOHN GEDDIE

sometimes twenty , and sometimes thirty ; then we or sit down under the shade Of a tree , by the side or of a path , by the seashore , and tell them as best

we can of sin and a Saviour from it . Some will

laugh , others look serious , some will amuse them so n ot selves as to hear , and some will turn away in to anger . It is very distressing hear the wicked and irreverent remarks they make about divine

to . things , but generally all will listen our message But ah $ what a darkness hangs over the heathen mind $ It is impossible for persons brought up in o f a Christian land to have any just c nception o it . our not Some of conversations , however , are with on out interest . I recollect one occasion , after a one addressing group of natives , of them said . ‘ how If these things are true which you tell us , is ’ it that we have never heard o f Jesus before $ This

is a question that must , be answered by the professed

followers of Christ at the last tribunal . Thus far they had not met with the slightest ff molestation , but suddenly the indi erence Of the

natives is turned into active hostility , and Mr . Geddie learns that he has offended their deities o r N m e a t ass s . The missionaries , it is said , have cut cocoanuts that had been dedicated to the sp irits . they have built their church from burnt coral , and Na tmasses the , smelling it , have become angered and driven the ﬁsh from the coast ; they have . encroached upon the sacred mountain . There are the p ossibilities of great dan ger here . The tribal

' i M r . religion has been nsulted . But Geddie is able THE BEGINNING Is HARD 4 5

i nor to smooth over the trouble . He pleads his g o f ance their religious customs , regrets what has occurred , and will respect their feelings in future so far as possible . Most illuminating is the light

- here cast upon the wisdom , self control , and con ili r f M r c ato y manner o . Geddie ; and it is very probable that the success of the mission depended ' in part upon the prudent and generous methods which he adopted with the people . He refrained in every case , where no principle was involved , from o f claiming any rights . He came as a man peace , and as a man o f peace he continued till the end . There are hosts of discouragements that meet them . The interest in the Sabbath services is very o f slight , the hostility the people towards each other to do is appalling . I f they come church they not of put on Sabbath clothing , since Of the need any n kind of clothing they are scarcely co scious , but

- they are fully clad in armor . They carry their spears , their bows , and their clubs . The Oppressions of the women ﬁll the mission o f o f aries with great grief . They hear eight cases ff strangulation during the year , and any e orts made to prevent it have only ended in failure . The sacred men of the island are up in arms against these new for own teachers , they feel that their power is endan

ered. SO g dark , indeed , is the outlook that his companion begins to abandon hope . Mr . Powell has just told me that this has been one of his worst

days . After walking about a considerable distance he could not collect even a small audience . 4 6 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

Although he visited places where our reception had not to been most cordial , the natives did wish hear

. to him Added to this , a man whom he invited follow him took up a large stone and threw it at ” him . n t But i f the others despair it is o so with Mr . and

Mrs . Geddie . They fully recognize that this work will be slow and arduous . The number that comes for instruction is very small indeed , but he cheers his heart at every slight token of progress . Every of ray light is eagerly welcomed . A boy meets t him and asks him o conduct worship . The little to fellow , putting his hand his forehead and cover do ing his eyes , said , Come , let us this It was

for . the ﬁrst request a religious exercise , and Mr

Geddie welcomes it as a harbinger of the springtide . His inﬂuence over the chiefs begins to show itself :

To- day arrangements were made for a general

ﬁght . Natives come pouring in from all quarters , o f armed with clubs and spears . The report the contemplated war having reached our ears , Mr . to Powell and. I resolved interfere , and , if we could not our prevent it , at least give solemn and public out testimony against it . We accordingly set for o f the ﬁeld battle , which was about a mile distant Nohoat from our premises . We found and his party encamped on a spot of level ground , while the others occupied the top of a hill about half a mile distant . At the time of our arrival both parties were screaming and yelling at each other , throwing s their bodies in various posture , and assuming all THE BEGINNING I s HARD 4 7

the attitudes o f challenge and deﬁance . These are the usual preliminaries of battle among savages . As we knew there was some risk in going into the o f midst of an infuriated gang savages , we took a circuitous route , which brought us on to the brow of the hill nearly midway between the contending parties . Our presence seemed to have a paralyzing on inﬂuence both parties for the moment . Indeed , the natives have since told us that they were ready to rush on each other at the time when we took up

our position between them , but that they were afraid Nohoat to ﬁght lest we should be injured . , the t originator of the war, was the man we wanted o

see , and as soon as we observed him , we descended our to the spot where he was . We told him errand , that we had come to stop the war , and that if he persisted in the war God would punish him for his to wickedness . We now sat down await the return of Nohoat to , whom we saw descending the hill

us. wards It appeared that , after he left us , he ascended the hill and was met by the leading man ’ of the opposite party, who said to him , Why don t ’ ou on How y come $ We are ready to ﬁght you . ’ ‘ $ Nohoat for alaiahan can I said , the (new reli ’ Nohoat gion) makes it wrong to ﬁght . handed his of spear and a strip native cloth to the other , and

his were received in return . Thus was peace con

cluded , and a war averted which might have for involved the whole island , the last general war is said to have originated from a similar circum e Of stance . W had the satisfaction returning to our 4 8 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

who but homes amid armed natives Of both parties , ’ a short time before were thirsting for each other s blood .

And now the ﬁrst year is over . His companions th o too n d in e work have f und it severe a strain , a to they are preparing to leave . He is be left alone no of with his faithful wi fe , but hint departing ever falls from their lips . Mr . Geddie has taken up his

n o for . stand , and there is turning back him He writes home urging the Church to send forth another to laborer his assistance , telling them that he is ready to make any personal sacriﬁce if only the wants of this depraved people may be mo re adequately met . AK DA Y THE BRE I NG OF THE .

The second year Opened amid dark clouds . The o f s th f ohn Williams arrival the mi sion vessel , e , not o for was an unmixed j y, while it brought the

- - fo r much longed letters from home, yet with its departure they were to lose him who had been their o f o companion in the trials the mission . Mr . P well had never heartily acquiesced in his appointment to the New Hebrides , and the many discouragements which he endured now ﬁnally led him to decide to to return Samoa . not for to While it is us criticise his action , we may well picture the disappointment which this decision must have caused Mr . and Mrs . Geddie . r It was indeed a sad p ospect that faced them , to be left alone on a heathen island ﬁfteen hundred miles from their nearest missionary brethren at a critical moment in the history of the mission . Few have so ever been placed in trying a situation , and it was more than any Church should have asked o f its representative . Three long and dreary years were to pass during which they had to labo r single

- handed , without anyone like minded with them selves to share their hardship and to brighten the dark pathway which they had to tread . 49 50 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

e But Mr . G ddie had a great aim , which Stevenson h calls the only fortune wort ﬁnding, and he turned with redoubled zeal to the various activities o f the mission . Every Sabbath he holds the morn

ing service , and as the people are slow in seeking God on the house of , he goes forth his itinerating

j ourney to gather up his audience by the way . He and his Samoan teacher go hither and thither on indiff er their exhausting work , only to ﬁnd that the

ence of the natives remains as intense as ever .

Promises to come to church are easily forgotten . Indolence and prejudice are prevalent ; the pagan mind is like a dark night ; the work requires heroic

‘ our not to patience , but missionary is unequal the of task . He is ﬁrmly convinced that the grace God

will in the end win its way . Here and there he f detects the signs o breaking day . He hears a

sound of distant victory sounding in his ears . As he leaves the church one morning, a leading native is heard to say , I must come back again and hear more about Jesus , and he buoys up his soul with thinking of the time when the whole population will rejoice as they say , Come , let us go into the house ” of Jehovah . His educational duties are performed with the of same patient faith . The torch learning does not readily blaze amid a barbarous and heathen people ; and it is only after the use of exquisite skill that the missionary can induce the parents to send their boys S For one to chool . thing , these parents have scarcely any parental authority with which to en

52 LIFE OF JOHN GEDDIE

and that would keep him going for some time to

come . o f 1 1 8 0 In the entry June 5th , 5 , in his j ournal , we read o f his ﬁrst successful attempt to save a o f woman from the revolting death strangling . for o Her husband had been an invalid s me time , and

when M r . Geddie heard that he w as dying he

‘ to the s ot to repaired p ﬁnd the end very near, and

the stranglers , besmeared with charcoal , awaiting

their deadly deed . They greatly resent his inter

to . he ference , and he is advised leave but must o t for u 3 . speak , there is a poor woman life at stake to o He tries reas n with them . Most are unmoved , but at last one begins to speak and acknowledges o f to the wickedness strangling, and promises pre vent it . Others Offer help , and hopes brighten . to for He has return home a little , leaving strict orders with one o f the friendly natives not to leave the spot till his return . During his absence the to one attempt strangle the woman is renewed , but o f to the native leaders says the Christians present ,

n ot - Let us be faint hearted , we must prevent the deed , and turning to the heathen party adds , If ” you kill that woman we will kill you. When Mr . Geddie arrives the woman is still alive within the out fo r to house , calling them come and strangle her but she is well guarded and kept safely through of the night , and when she sees the light a new day too for it will be late this foul deed , since her spirit can n o more accompany that of her husband to the other world . The spell is broken , civilization begins . THE BREA K ING OF THE DA Y 53 — It would be strange indeed if such self sacriﬁ cing ministry did not have some effect upon those who ’ ed ie s d . were constantly in Mr . G presence Human of or nature has ever the capacity response , , as

Emerson puts it , there is an inﬁnite worthiness in ” man which will appear at the call Of worth . And too it is quite natural , , that the ﬁrst approaches should come from natives o f a strongly - marked — type U umru is such a one a chief O f secondary rank , with a dark mind and strong temper . He becomes anxious to learn the truth ; he renounces his old superstitions ; he acknowledges himself to o f God be a worshipper the only true . Though he o f to is forty years age , he begins learn like a little f d so to o Go . child , eager is he read the Word

Another is heir to a chieftainship . He has aban m God do ed his idols , prays morning and evening to , is a regular attendant at church . But the most Waihit who to one important convert is , is be of the o f o f great pillars the mission , a man remarkable ability , and whose conversion is best given in Mr . ’ Geddie s own words : “ Waihit joined our little company about three a Na timi months go . He is what the natives call a — — itaup a sacred man and one of the most inﬂ uen Not a o tial men in the district . long g he was a

- wild , ﬁerce , and savage looking man , and so pas sionate that when excited he seemed regardless o f our everything . Though he lived near premises he could not be induced to attend our religious ser of our vices , and if we met him in the course visita 54 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

our or . tions reception was often cold uncivil , About the time the J ohn Williams was here he came to

public worship , and has never missed a Sabbath since ; he also attends family worship in my house

every evening with his wife . A marked change has of taken place in the conduct this man , and the ferocity of the lion has given place to the gentleness of the lamb . He tells me now of the ways in which he used to act under the impulse o f his impetuous and ungovernable temper ; but he says that his con

duct was very wicked , and he endeavors to guard

against his besetting sin . An occurrence took place some time ago characteristic o f the man as he was

and as he is . One day. he returned from a ﬁshing

expedition , having caught a very large and highly

prized ﬁsh . He left his treasure in his canoe , and off on went some distance business . In his absence

another native stole his ﬁsh and hid it in the bush , t be intending o carry it away . On his return he

came enraged at the loss . Some natives who were on the shore at the time gave information about the a ihit thief . W immediately grasped his spear and went after him . He found him , and , when in the of act taking perhaps a deadly aim , he came to him self , his hand quivered , his arm was powerless , and ’ his spear fell . I will go to the missionary , said for to he , and ask him if it is right or wrong me kill this man for stealing my ﬁsh . If he says it is right , I will do it ; but if he says it is wrong, I will ’ n ot hurt him . He told me that his heart was bad , and he wished to kill the man ; but then he thought THE BREA K ING OF THE DA Y 55

i h of Nala a eni . the , and that unhinged him I told o f not do him , course , that we must injure but good himto to . to those who do evil us , and referred the f ” example o our divine Saviour . Thus the months slip by and the second year

to . draws a close The clouds are still thick , the ' o f rests heavil pall heathen night still y, but there f o f God are faint rays o light . The Spirit is moving on on the people . The average attendance the Sab o 1 bath services has increased fr m 0 to 4 5 . Many have abandoned heathenish customs and are inquir ing after the way Of salvation . The Lord has begun His reign .

V I I I .

E THE HE AT OF TH BATTLE .

“ o f The Gospel of St . John tells the story the growth o f faith and unbelief according as the mes sage of salvation penetrates to wider circles of the

to . people . Christ compelled all hearers a decision

There could be only two classes where He came . Some He drew by the beauty o f His teaching and example ; others were only repelled , because their dark deeds which they loved were thrown into f clearer relief by the pure light o Jesus . The same growth of faith and unbelief was very apparent during the third and fourth years o f this mission on

Aneityum .

Slowly there was formed about Mr . Geddie a small band of friends who revealed an increasing the f interest in teaching o the Gospel . They abandoned their superstitions , assumed more civil iz ed on mode of dress , attended the services Sab ' f o . bath , and gave evidences a changed heart The following incidents taken from the journal will further illustrate this pro gressive development of the kingdom Of Christ : a o Waihit one of our con A few weeks g , , most sistent men came to my house and requested a pri vate interv1ew with me He had a ﬁne head of 58 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

o l ng hair, done up in the native fashion , that is , o f separated into small locks , each which is wound o f f round with the rind a plant . The dressing o o i the hair is a tedi us Operation ; and , bes des being of an enormous waste time , it is an unscriptural me fol and heathenish practice . He addressed as : ou o who lows Misi , y have t ld us that all j oin of the family Jesus must give up their dark customs . Now t , I know that it is a dark cus om to wear my $ “ hair as it; is ; will you cut it Off $ I asked him i f he had considered the matter ; for I know of nothing in which an Aneityum man prides himself

to so much as his hair , and part with this is some in U thing like breaking caste India . pon assuring me that he had maturely considered the matter , I took a pair of scissors and soon relieved his head Of ” its unwieldy burden . “ About nine o ’clock in the evening I heard a o u kn ck at my door , and upon opening it I fo nd a native named K iho apparently in distress . When he came in he burst into tears , and it was some time f before he could tell me the cause o his trouble . As n ot soon as he spoke he said he could go to rest , for he thought he was one o f the unproﬁtable hearers whom I had described when explaining the parable o f the sower . He said his heart was very dark and very hard . I gave him what directions I thought

to his - suitable case , then prayed with him , and bade him pray for himself . He requested me to : 2 0 explain Revelation 3 , Behold , I stand at the ” on door and knock , which I had preached some

THE HEAT OF THE BATTLE 59

. time ago , and which had arrested his attention He seemed to derive some comfort from it . This man lives about four miles distant . Directly in his path lies a heathen village , the people of which have shown much opposition to the cause , and have more than once threatened his life . On this account he e comes to this place in his cano , or else takes a long , circuitous route through the bush to avoid his enemies . He usually comes on Saturday , and most

of his relatives are in favor of Christianity , but are ” afraid openly to avow their sentiments . “ Our Friday meeting goes on well and is at It tended by about ﬁfty members . comes very near

what you would call a prayer- meeting in Nova

Scotia , . The natives call it a meeting for searching r o looking into their hearts . In addition to devo

' ional t exercises we have two or three addresses . These are most commonly based on some passages of Scripture from which the natives have heard me

preach , and are Often very impressive . I have felt my own heart warmed on many occasions while ” listening to them . The tide of feeling seems to turn in favor of K a ai o f . O Christianity p , a brother the chief of out ou this district , has come from the ranks of r C enemies , and desires hristian instruction . This

man has been a great savage , and notorious for his

wickedness . He is a thorough hater of white men ,

and has hitherto very much opposed our work . This man has done more in the way of destroying s the plantation of the Christian natives , and other

5 60 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

on wise persecuting them , than any other native the i h island . It surprised all parties when K apa o a nounced his determination to forsake h eathenism h and embrace Christianity . The heat en were para l zed o o f y at the th ught losing their leader , and the ‘ z Christian party were ama ed , and said , Many o God thers will now come in , and the Word of will ’ soon become triumphant in this dark land . In a h conversation which this man had wit Mrs . Geddie a o to a few days g , he said that when we came this o island he lo ked on us as liars and deceivers , and our that he , along with others . had stolen property to and done much injury us . He said , moreover , our o that he had narrowly watched c nduct , and when he found that it was agreeable to what we pro fessed he began to think there was something in How to religion . exact ought Christians be in all $ to their actions And , above all , missionaries the f ” heathen should be living epistles o Jesus . All these evidences of rising faith cheered the ' who o missionary , recognized in them the j yful fruits to o f his ministry . It was like water a thirsty man o of to to hear the c nfession these simple people , ‘ o to behold their endeavors after a h ly life , and listen to them as they pleaded with their brethren to aband o n their superstitions and turn to the Lord .

But unbelief was more in evidence than belief . f ’ ‘ The strongholds o Satan were well fortiﬁed . The heathen raged . Mr . Geddie doubted if there was a ﬁeld in all the world where the inhabitants were so estranged from God and so fearfully degraded ; THE HEAT OF THE BATTLE 6 1

on O f He writes , If we except Tahiti, no island the Paciﬁc has the gospel been so violently opposed

as in Aneityum . The natives who joined the mission were subject to a merciless persecution at the hands of their coun r men t . y Their clothing was stolen , their planta

tions destroyed , while they were reviled and threat

ened with death . An outbreak of sickness becomes o f the cause active measures against them . The or Na tmasses report is spread that the deities , , are Offended because of the Christian converts and have taken revenge by the spreading of disease in the

to . island . A messenger is sent Mr Geddie inform ing him that his new converts will be attacked on the

following morning . Thereupon he immediately Nohoat proceeds to , the chief , to remonstrate with

him , but all the satisfaction he gets is that his own

life will be spared in the general onslaught . The resolve Of the chief is inexorable ; he will listen to no pleading voice . He points to his heart and says , I know that if I am killed I will be burnt in the ’ great ﬁre ; but I don t care , I will have revenge .

Mr . Geddie was about to leave in despair when he remembered how eager the chief was to have him N h remain in his territory . It gave o oat increased p to restige have the missionary in the kingdom , and he had often been beneﬁted by the medicines gi ven

him during his sickness . Accordingly , as a last “

. NohOat argument Mr Geddie said , , this is my n ou : o ly word to y , and mark it well i f you lift a

weapon against my Christian natives to - morrow I 62 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE will leave your lands as soon as the mission ship e arriv s , and go to some other division of the island where the people wish to fear God ; and as for those who have turned from their dark ways , as many as wish to leave the persecuting lands will be taken to some other place where they can worship the God n true without molestation . This ster ; rebuke f proved ef ective , and the chief promised to exchange the punishment of the spear and club for the rebuke of the tongue , which last he administered with great energy on the following morning .

Another case , that ended fatally , happened in a f o f dif erent part of the island . The petty chief A nnaunse had invited some Christians from E pige to make him a visit , and in accordance with the custom of exchanging presents as a sign of friend E i e ship , the people from p g carried a pig along with ’ them . But they had no sooner reached the chief s house who had invited them than the treacherous natives , who had known of the visit , attacked them one of with spears and clubs , and killed their wa s o f number . The victim one the best scholars in the mission school $ and when his friends attempted to carry off hi s body for Christian burial they were outnumbered and the body snatched from them in savage triumph to be used for cannibal purposes .

The rage of the people is directed against Mr .

’

Geddie , as well . He is shadowed by murderers . he arrows are hurled at him . cannot go beyond the nu mission compound in safety . I have had an THE HEA T OF THE BATTLE 63

N rita pleasant interview with a heat en named au . This man and his wife have shown a very un friendly disposition and have caused great annoy ance to the natives in our premises by stealing from the plantation . I went to remonstrate with him , and he and his associate seized their spears and clubs . I did not like their movement , but I spoke i kindly to Naur ta and disclosed my errand to him . to At ﬁrst he tried speak coolly , but the ﬂame within soon broke out . In a few moments he was in a paroxysm of anger and loaded the teacher and myself with abuse . He told us that the heathen party intended to kill all the Christian party, and who mentioned the names of individuals , he said , to designed to kill us . I told the teacher come away , as I thought we were in danger in the midst of m armed and infuriated ene ies . Something was thrown at me , and a club was aimed at the teacher, ” but we both . escaped unhurt . K a aio p also , whose conversion has been referred c he to, onfessed that had waited for months for ’ ie Gedd s . an Opportunity of taking Mr . life He had crept on several occasions into the garden at night armed with his club , in the hope that the missionary might come out . One evening he did come forth and walked down the narrow part so close to the bush behind which K apaio waited in concealment that he could touch him with his hand . The long

- looked for opportunity had come , and it needed but one strong blow and the deed would be done . He to grasped his club , raised it into the air intending 64 LIFE OF JOHN GEDDIE

o f bring it down upon the head his victim , when a suddenly his arm bec me weak , a strange sensation

not . came over him , and he could strike Thus won der full y was Mr . Geddie protected from the mur derons resolve Of one who afterwards became a o f c nsistent member o the Church .

It was , however , from the white population that n the most aggressive Opposition came . As the pri ci l es p of the Gospel took deeper root in the island , it became increasingly evident that these would interfere with many o f the sinful practices of the t raders . Mr . and Mrs . Geddie endeavored in every way to show a friendly disposition t owards their o o o f fell w c untrymen the sandalwood establishment , but they did not shrink from Opposing any injustice to that they saw , while they were specially careful guard the female natives from the wicked designs of some of the whites . This aroused great dis t pleasure , and the bitterest a tacks soon began to

of . emanate from the people , their own race The authorities from the establishment threw Off all u of n disg ises friendship , plotted to burn dow the mission premises , and used every possible means to alienate the mi nds of the natives and to drive the missionaries from the island . They formed a satanic alliance with the worst savages .

One calm night Mr . Geddie was suddenly awak he o f ened from his sleep by t smell fire , to find that s the thatch roo f of his house was on fire . Ha tily he rescued his wife and children , and called for the help of the natives to save the church if pos

66 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

t of anxie y . Faith and courage were gr eatly strained . The battle was ﬁerce . The enemies of the Cross , however, had imagined a vain thing .

Slowly the victory turned to the side Of the mission .

Hencer The greatest rally of heathenism had failed . forth no elabo rate attempt was to be made to crush out the truth of Christianity . The Old system still prevailed in parts of the island ; there were many but struggles to endure , the back of heathenism had been broken . This is the spirit that breathes through the message sent home to the Board in Nova Scotia : A ﬂame has been kindled in the hearts o f o o f many a po r islander, which the waters much

Opposition cannot quench . The sun of righteousness u has beg n to rise on this benighted island , and though the clouds of adversity do sometimes seem to on intercept his rays , yet his course is always ward ; and may we not cherish a hope that the day is not far distant when his life - giving rays shall penetrate every district , every village , and every habitation in Aneityum

By the clo se of the fourth year Mr . Geddie can look back upon great results achieved : a language acquired and reduced to writing, thousands of copies o f parts of Scripture circulated ; some hundreds to t taught read , nearly half the popula ion brought o t embrace Christianity , all the leading chiefs on

- the side of the mission . This is indeed a soul stir ring achievemen t for one man and his wife . This is a labor of which the strongest might be proud .

Few missions can record such triumphs . When THE HEAT OF THE BATTLE 67 the mission ship at last returns after an absence of two years and eight months , the deputation on board

: is astonished at the progress . Their report says An amazing change has taken place since our last two or visit . Had there been three missionaries on the island it would have been very remarkable . ‘

- so As it is , it is pre eminently , and appears very h ” conspicuo usly to be t e working of the Lord . It was at this time that an addition was made to f f O . the staf of the mission, by the arrival Mr and o f t Mrs . Inglis , the Reformed Presby erian Church in Scotland . Henceforth Mr . Geddie and Mr . Inglis were to work together for the cause of Christ upon these islands ; and seldom have two Christian laborers lived together in such harmony . Their gifts and graces were complementary , their mutual friendship remained constant , and the happiest results followed from this union of the two

Churches , of Old and New Scotia .

NATIV CH RCH A E U .

In the literature Of the New Testament much attention is paid to the spiritual nurture o f the con verts . The Church is a school for the perfecting o f the saints . Following this authoritative stand to ard , Mr . Geddie now devoted his attention the to task of religious education . Evangelization is ediﬁ ca i n go hand in hand with t o . The message sent to his Board in 1 8 52 will set fo rth the situation :

The formation of a Christi-an Church has been the occasion of much solicitude to me during the past year . I felt a conviction in my own mind that the time had come for this ; but I was unwilling to on act in this matter my own responsibility . I de ohn Williams layed until the arrival of the J , in the hope that I might meet with parties to who m I could fo to refer r advice . You will be pleased hear that the brethr en from Samoa approved of the formation o f o f a Church on this island . The ordinance bap tism d e on was accordingly, a minister d , the Sabbath was on which the deputation here , to ﬁfteen natives , of whom thirteen were adults—six males and seven females . In the afternoon of the same day , the ’ Lord s Supper was dispensed . The whole occasion was one Of deep and immortal interest . Besides our 69 7 0 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

o native members , several Sam an and Rarotongan ffi of ohn teachers , O cers and some the crew of the J Williams s , and the Mi sion families , sat down to Of commemorate at one table the death Christ . The A neit umese services were conducted in the y , Samoan f and English languages . The Church o Aneityum is the ﬁrst Christian Church that has been formed o f among a new branch the human family , the t Oceanic Negro or Papuan race . I trust tha , o of God ou through the g odness and mercy , y may , time after time , be cheered with refreshing news our from infant church , and that your prayers for its prosperity and increase will be constantly pre ” e sented on its b half . o f to It was the habit Mr . Geddie exercise great caution be fore admitting any candidate to church a membership . Long preparation in a class of c te chumens prepared the way ; and only after ample tests had been made was this important step taken .

Consequently there were few cases of backsliding . The conduct of the church members was on the old whole consistent Old grudges were forgiven , feuds vanished . Mr . Inglis arrived yesterday and I brought an inﬂuential chief , ata , formerly a great warrior and notorious cannibal . He met in the

of Go d to- imtiwan house day a man named N , of a t similar character . The las time they met was on of how the ﬁeld battle . I wondered they would act no w Oh how , and , , delighted I was to see these two men come to the house of God with their arms round each other $” ’ A NATIV E CH U RC H 7 I

Naturally defects of knowledge and o f moral per ce tion p clung to them , but in the course o f three e years there were only thre cases of discipline .

They were always in great readiness to serve , dis playing a zeal for work in connection with the mis sion , and a forwardness in telling the goo d news to h ' their brethren . T e contribution of work which one they made to the Church during year , i f reck oned at ten cents per day , would have amounted to

Mr . Geddie gives the following testimony : “ We may here Observe that nothing is more remarkable among the recent converts from hea thenism among these islanders tha n the readiness with which they give themselves to the work of extending the gospel among savage tribes around , even when this involves serious toil and danger . In knowledge they will not compare with the mem of bers our home churches , and , it must be added , are in many respects of lower moral tone . But in the simple faith in which they surrender themselves n to the work , and the cheerful readi ess with which they make any required sacriﬁce , they utterly put to shame the members of our home churches . To endure hardship in this cause is looked on as a of matter of course , and every member the Church is ready , when called , to go abroad . The mission aries never require to seek for men , but only to ” select those that they deem best qualiﬁed . Too much praise cannot be given to the work accomplished by the native teachers . In many a 7 2 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

case these were the forerunners of the missionary , breaking up the ground and preparing the soil . Their ﬁdelity and usefulness cannot be overesti ih o f mated . Even the face death they remained

’ true ; for some of them had to resist even unto a e blood . Two teachers , left at Ef te , with th ir wives bo on and a little y, were all murdered and eaten

2 1 8 . November oth , 54 In the j ournal o f the same year we read of a great public meeting at which two natives and their wives were set apart as teachers for the heathen F island of utuna , being the ﬁrst agents contributed by the missi on towards the evangelization of other

. ihi f Wa t one o . lands One was , the ﬁrst converts and perha ps the most intelligent and inﬂuential man on the island . Another example may be given , to show that these na tive teachers proved mo st valu able in taking the gospel into the interior parts o f the isla nd where heathenism still had its stronghold . “ We have succeeded in locating some teachers in the interior , who are doing much good . I recently stationed two teachers at a place called A numetch our l , which is argest inland settlement and contains a population of nearly three hundred for souls . The persons selected this station were to o t a choice men , sh w h t , however much that people d t might be looked own on by o hers . they were not an d despised by us . When I last visited the place ,

' for told the people that I had brought teachers them . their j oy was extreme . I have since seen the t teachers , and they give most encouraging accoun s

74 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

is so great that if a woman co ntinues long a widow

the fault is her own . I feel thankful that we have ' now a few trustworthy men to attend to the tem oral ities of p the Church , as this will relieve me of

. I some anxiety and trouble Mr . nglis expects also

to ordain deacons in his district at no distant peri od. I mentioned in a fo rmer l etter that we had in pros e n pe t the appointment of ruli g elders ; but , after l . I I deliberation , Mr nglis and resolved to delay unti ’ more of God s Word is in the hands of the natives . i In everything connected with the organizat on of a Christian Church among a new and untried race o o caution is desirable . It is better t d a little in the right direction than to attempt too much and be ” compelled to retrace our steps . It was inevitable that such a native Church would touch the social life of the community and bring f the forth the fruits o civilization . A new sense of c sanctity of life was awakened , and many destru tive

forces checked . A census was taken by the mission 1 8 e aries in 54 , and it rev aled the fact that more than one - hal f of the islanders were Christians ; but it also showed that there were six hundred more m- o ales than females , a fact due to the strangulati n of women and the exposure of female infants . The n law of Christia marriage was enforced , and though the situation was a difficult one the Church faced it with ﬁrmness and insisted tha t this divine institution be held in regard. The civil aff airs of Aneityum also began to e o assume more ord rly form , as the foll wing letter will show : ‘ A NATIVE CH U RC H 75

The time is coming when something must be the t I done to improve evil poli ics of the island . n the days of heathenism every chief appeared to have exercised authority in his own district , and there was no general union among them . The chiefs w o ere for the m st part sacred men , and were sup posed to possess supernatural powers , such as mak ing sickness and death , controlling the elements , causing famines or fruitful crops at pleasure . They were feared by the people , who dreaded their super stition ; but when heathenism fell , their power sank it with . Thus by the introduction of Christianity the chiefs have entirely lost their inﬂuence over the

people . The circumstances of this island are now pecu liar; There is here a popul ation of about four thou

sand souls , recently notorious for every species of

wickedness , without rulers and without laws , and yet crimes affecting the peace and welfare of society o are of rare ccurrence . The present state of things is traceable to the moral inﬂuence of the Word of

God on these islanders . A change , however , will a sooner or later t ke place . In these circumstances we have felt it our duty to endeavo r to raise the standing of the chiefs in

the estimation of the people . Government is an t ordinance of Divine appoin ment , and Christianity

teaches its subjects to fear God and honor the king . And it is a cause of much satisfaction to us that the h ar e c iefs of the island , taken as a whole , the men

whom we would wish to see invested with authority . Most of them are men of some energy ; and as they 76 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

e e s excell d in wickedness in the days of darkn ss , they Say that they ought now to excel in doin ' good . Some o f the highest chiefs in the island a rt We church members , and their conduct , so far as ow r kn , is exempla y . “ s to In connection with thi subj ect , I am happy say that a circumstance of some importance took place when our new church was opened in July last .

The Christian chiefs , being then present from all parts of the island , held a meeting, and enacted a law prohibiting the sale of na tive women to for eigners ; and the penalty is that all property received m be i as pay ent shall seized and publ cly burnt . The necessity for such a law may surprise those who

for . reside in Christian lands , but it was called here For many years this revolting practice has been com mon on many of the islands of the Paciﬁc . I am glad to state that the Governor- General of Australia rd 1 8 has issued a proclamation , dated July 3 , 53 , on ‘ the same subject . The proclamation declares the practice to be a violation of the Acts passed by the

Imperial Parliament for the suppression of slavery , ’ and a scandal to the British name and character . And all British subjects resident on i slands within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Courts of the Aus tralian colonies who shall be found guilty of this practice are warn ed that they will be pro secuted for such Offences with the utmost rigor of the law .

With the proclamation of the Governor- General on the one hand , and the law of the chiefs on the do other , I not anticipate that the evil can longer

’ A G . ST U DENTS COTTAGE S , T N OA

’ G A C HRISTIAN NATIVE S HU TS , TAN O . A NA TIvE CH U RC H 77

exist on this island . This is the first statute law v e on that has e er b en passed Aneityum , and it reflects credit on the chiefs of this island that their first law should be directed to the suppression of ' ” w m n slavery and the protection of o a . In fact a complete transformatio n was taking d place . The gifts of Christian civilization abounde

. s everywhere Neat house replaced the old huts , new occupations , new interests, were started , war ceased , the gates of peace were swung wider and o wider . Safety increased so that voyagers c uld go r from port to port unarmed . The missiona y made

' his tour into the interior and there was an eager Our crowd anxious to accompany him . In com pany there are several chiefs of importance Who have never seen many o f the places we have visited . In the reign of heathenism few dared venture beyond the boundaries o f their own districts . What a change the gospel has wrought on this - island $ The ” natives themselves are amazed . The adjacent tribes hear of the changes and come e to see with their own eyes . The great barri r to Christianity in this group of islands had been an im pression on the part o f the natives tha t it brought

A n- eit um c disease and death . But y was a omplete refutation of all their delusions . The population

. War a was increasing , strangul tion , infanticide , were vanishing ; peace and security were every im where . What wonder that their visitors were pressed by the new faith and asked tha t mission ar ies mi ht al o c me t them 1 8 6 g s o o . Thus in 5 sev 78 LIFE OF JOHN GEDDIE

a eral natives from Tanna c me to Aneityum , and , w like the $ ueen of Sheba , were over helmed by the wonders which they beheld . Mr . Geddie describes their visit : “ One great objection to Christianity on these l of o d is ands is the fear famine , as the g ds worshippe to by the natives are supposed make the food . They have now seen that on Aneityum food is much more plentiful than it was in the days of heathen f . o ism In addition to food , there were collections o f property at several places , consisting mats , ’ - r women s dresses , tortoiseshell ear ings , beads , etc which were given to strangers . Nothing surprised the natives o f Tanna and Futuna more than the i peace which prevails throughout th s island , as in their own lands it is not safe for a person to venture h beyond the boundaries of his own district . W en i we completed our visitation of the slands , a mission ary meeting was held at my station , at which per so ns from all parts of the island attended . To make the meeting as impressive as possible , about a hun dred objects of religious worship , surrendered by the natives of this island , were exhibited , and also Tannese a quantity of spears and clubs . The and Futunese expressed their wonder that the people of this island had the courage to give up their gods , and said they now saw what they had only heard o f d before . The meeting was a dressed in the lan guage of Aneityum by Mr . Inglis and myself ; in that of Tanna by Nohoat and Waihit spoke to the s Futunese in their own dialect . The trangers said

A H TH OWD T S TO EA EN CR A AN .

F I I G STUDENTS O THE NST TUTE ON TAN OA .

k Th e di fferen ce wh i ch Ch rist ma es . A NA TIVE CH U RCH 79 that after what they had seen and heard on this island they were convinced of the folly of their own superstitions , and that they would embrace Chris tianity and endeavor to persuade their countrymen m ” to j oin the . The Church was indeed fulfilling its divine func tions ; the Spirit o f Jesus the Ma ster was working t o through these new conver s t His gospel . Anei ’ tyum was becoming a bright j ewel in the Messiah s of crown . Many were able to read parts the New o Testament in their own language, the scho ls were b the end o the filled with eager children , and y f seven th ear M r Geddie r e or ted tha t ther e wer e y . p sca tter ed thr oughout the island as many as twenty ' five snow- white buildings devoted to the service of the tr ue God . Rich rewards were thus coming to these faithful o lab rers in this present world . They rej oiced in a their work , and were s tisfied that they had not

made their sacriﬁces in vain . Everywhere they saw the signs of harvest ; all around there were the

transformed lives of this once heathen people . Those who had looked upon life here as a sphere of e war, enmity and hatr d had come to see it as a place s o of loving fellowship . Tho e who lo ked upo n the future with hopeless despair had been taught to meet

the last enemy, death , with courage and hope . Among the ﬁrst deaths in the na tive Church was that of a young woman who had the unusual dis

tinction of being a high chief of the island . At the

early age of nineteen a fatal illness attacked her, but 80 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE her last days were rendered beautiful by her Chris and She n tian resignation peace . expressed her u speakable happiness at the prospect of soon being in heaven . She longed to be with Jesus and to enter mo re fully into the mysteries of who Death had lost its terrors . She once walked according to the course o f this world had been raised up and made to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus .

’ on G E DDIE S ( H ON . UR .

G DDI hI E M ORI A L H H E E C URC , I P D SH . E . I . CAVEN ,

’

RU I N S OF DR. GE DDIE S H H C URC .

R b t v a m m l ‘ B a g s a . t fr om wal l e arded y na i es e oria n yan rees g rowing . PROSPERITY .

From 1 8 56 to 1 860 the work of the missmn r advanced steadily . The nu ture of the converts e was carefully att nded to . A normal institution for the training of teachers was founded and the Church was built up in the faith . However , the most note worthy feature O f this time was the way in which the light of the gospel penetrated further into the o gr ss darkness of the New Hebrides . ’ Our Lord s comma nd of Matthew 2 8 : 1 9 was ever kept before the native Church of Aneityum , and it became a rule to hold missionary meetings at which the needs of the adj acent tribes were dis cussed and the duty of giving was brought home to o the members . The collecti n at one of their gath erings will illustrate the measure of response 1 1 t Money , $ ; cocoanu oil , ten gallons ; arrowroot d poun s . i More s gnificant was the manner in which , some of these natives dedicated their very lives to the w ork of spreading the new message . Mention has already been made of the eff ective service rendered by these teachers ; but further notice must be taken of them , as in nearly every case where missionary efforts succeeded teachers had been the ' humbl e pio 81 8 2 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE neers ; whil e in the case where their assistance was rejected failure was the result . The courage which they showed is seen in the following incident told of Nohoat On one occasion he set out with a small party to visit a district on Tanna , which was on terms of o hostility with an ther district , which had consented to make peace i f their enemies would agree to that . N ohoat had influence in the district to which these belonged ; still it was a hazardous mission on which to he embarked . The parties be pacified and con o f ciliated were bent on fighting . They heard ’ Nohoa t s intended visit before he reached their vil ot lage , and , feeling , as they did , that if he once g among them they would be obliged to give up their to to war, they decided try shoot him , and actually o f fired two or three shots at him . Regardless these , ’ Nohoat pressed on to his j ourney s end , and suc ceeded in inducing the people to give up the war .

Mr . Geddie afterwards asked him if he were not afraid . No , said he, I knew I was going on a ” good errand , and I believed God would protect me .

That Mr . Geddie fully recognized his indebted ness to this worthy class of workers comes out o clearly in his lett ers writt en h me . Our latest news from the teachers is encourag ing . There are at present seventeen Aneityum b dis teachers , married men, la oring on the islands , : a tributed as follows On Futun , four , on Tanna ,

two . nine ; on Aniwa , ; and on Efate , two These simple and devoted men have been honored by God

84 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

o f e something her sea qualiti s . She has been almost constantly employed visiting the islands since she arrived , and we hope to keep her in motion o f end from the ﬁrst May till the of December .

- o to She will not g sea during the other months , which is the hurricane season . As we have more for work her than was originally contemplated , and as a seaman whom we expected to sail in her died a few days after her arrival , we have taken the o i resp nsibility Of engaging a capta n for her . His o name is Anders n , a Swede, who came to us from ohn illia ms the J W . He is a good seaman and navi of s 15 gator, but what is va tly more importance , he and s a very pious man , deeply intere ted in the cause ” o f missions .

By this means Mr . Geddie and Mr . Inglis could n F i re visit Tan a, utuna and Erromanga more quently , while they at a later time extended their voyage farthe r north to the remote parts of the

More signiﬁcant , however, than the gift of the vessel was the arrival of missionaries from the home

Church, for whom he had pleaded during nine long had d years . This delay ad ed greatly to his anxiety and burden and sensibly retarded the evangelization

1 8 . . o f the group of islands . In 57 Mr and Mrs

George N . Gordon , of Alberton , Prince Edward m illia s . ohn W . Island , came in the J Mr Gordon ’ Geddie s a eal ' an d was the ﬁrst to respond to Mr . pp , had already given evidence of his zeal and faithful;

ness in home missionary labors . It was with pro PROSPERITY 8 5

‘ o foundest gratitude that they were welc med . Mr . “ : for Geddie writes We have long looked them , a h and they have come at last . M ny are t e prayers which have been off ered up for help fo r the dark o islands ar und us, in private , in public, and at the on family altars Aneityum , and in the presence of our newly - arrived brother and sister we can recog ” nize an answer to them .

The first plan was to send Mr . Gordon to the a isl nd of Tanna , but after further consultation it was decided that the hostility of the inland tribes s rendered this inadvi able at present , and the original o on desire of Mr . Gordon to begin w rk the martyr island of Erromanga was attained . About a year later two mo re were added to the of band , Mr . and Mrs . Matheson , Pictou , the latter f t being a niece o Mr . Geddie . One dark elemen mingled with their gladness in welcoming some of their own connection is that Mr . Matheson had overtaxed his strength at college and was threatened with lung trouble . The medical advisers at home thought that the mild climate Of the South Sea ad Islands would be beneficial . He was strongly vised to rest awhile at Aneityum , but insisted upon t his ge ting at once into a field of own , and when , in

August , Rev . Joseph Copeland and Rev . John G .

Paton came from the Reformed Church of Scotland , it was tho ught that circum sta nces justiﬁed the Open i ing of a mission on Tanna . Accord ngly Mr .

Matheson was located on the north side of Tanna , while the two others were st ationed at Port

Resolution . 86 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

Another year, and the brethren were rejoiced by of the arrival Mr . and Mrs . Johnston . They also were asked to go to Tanna , to learn the language i and to ass st Mr . Paton at Port Resolution . Everything seemed to augur well for the future o f - - for the missions ; the much longed help had come , the native Church was well organized and rapidly

t . increasing in streng h , there were few causes for m of alar . However , the time tribulation was nigh at hand , the shadows were about to fall , and this f little Church was to be tested by severe af liction . F da or the y will declare it , and the ﬁre shall prove ’ ” each man s work of what sort it is .

' 88 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

ﬁ the dead were with dif culty buried . It was sad to see many O f the most efﬁcient teachers and most faithful members of the Church cut down in the

O f s - midst their usefulne s . About one third of the m population died during the epide ic . of The next calamity was the death Mr . Johnston , whose st rength was overtaxed by the severity of relief work . He contracted fever and died in Jan

8 1 - 1 6 . uary . Mr . Paton , his fellow laborer on

Tanna , writes The laborers are few and the har vest is great , and Mr . Johnston was full of youth , life and activity ; and why he should be safely brought over a long voyage , enabled to acquire the so to to language as be able to speak the people , and his wa s called away when usefulness just beginning . must remain am ong the i n scrutable mysteries o f ’

God ; yet He doeth all things well . Mr . Johnston s death is a great loss to the mission a nd to the fo r Church , he was much respected and beloved by m all the me bers of it , and high hopes were enter ” tain ed regarding his future career on Tanna . A third tribulation came in the burning of the

- o i new church and school h use , wh ch had been the Th n s cause of so much satisfaction to them . e ative

$ i to were most distressed at th s loss , that seemed many of them more severe than the trial by sick . ness . It was discovered afterwards that the ﬁre o riginated with a few heathen who had refused all

“ entreaties o f their brethren to turn aside from their evil ways . The week after the ﬁre came the severest hurri

90 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

. that as well at the house as here . With this they started , but they had advanced but a short distance when several suspicious signs aroused his fear of n some evil desig . He walked more hurriedly but e soon a savage rais d his hand to strike him . Near a half- fallen tree another struck him on the back with an axe . Still he struggled forward . A second blow from an axe was received in the palm of his hand . As he rushed up the steep path panting and o U huvili weak from the loss of blo d , swung his ’ his t axe in the air and plunged it into vic im s neck ,

o - and then sat down and m cked his death throes . U t ven , who was an accomplice , has ened to the mission house in search of Mrs . Gordon . She , hear i h m . ing the cries , asked the meaning of it He “ ”

the . replied , It is nothing , only boys playing o $ Turning to lo k , she asked , Where are the boys U ven , seizing his chance , struck her in the shoulder

e . with his axe , and she dropp d at his feet Thus t fell Ellen Ca herine Gordon , the fourth martyr of

of . We Erromanga , and most a martyr the four can well imagine the dark sha dow that fell across the other brethren , while a thrill of horror passed through the home Church . At the close of 1 86 1 the tribes on Tanna began i hostilities against the miss on , and attacked the sta r tion where Mr . Paton lived . His windows we e s sma hed , his house broken into and his life threat ened . Mr . Paton had been much broken down by de repeated attacks of fever , and he cided that it was wise to remove from the island . On the other side

92 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

lous islands in the distance , which present noble for fields missionary enterprise . Let us trust God on our for o in , and gird armour the great w rk t before us , in the assurance hat He will bless us . Our Church seems in a manner solemnly pledged to the work o f Missions on this group . We must always feel an interest in the on e that has renounced w as heathenism and embraced Christianity , as it the of scene our early trials , encouragements and hopes , o s and we have taken p sse sion of other two , by ’ - m having secured in them a Burying place , and any hearts will go out to the graves yonder . We ask o for y ur prayers , and we ask men and women to ” who take the place of those have gone to their rest . Perhaps the deepest satisfa ction was felt because s of the fidelity of the native Christian . Their ffl so a iction , far from turning them away from the

Gospel , only drew them closer to Him who is the of only solace in time trouble , and throughout all these months o f depression Dr . Geddie was much comforted by the beautiful testimonies given by these converts . All this time the home Church was greatly stirred . A wave of great missionary zeal passed over the members , who now recognized more than of ever the greatness their task , since some of their own had j oined the noble army of martyrs . An effort was immediately made to secure three mis sionar ies , and among the responses to the appeal

ne . . o was o from Mr James D G rdon , a brother of the late Rev . George Gordon , who wished to step ADVERSITY 93

‘ into the ranks and ﬁll the place so tragically vacated e by his broth r . The Board further took meas ures to get a larger for missionary vessel . They gave orders the Dayspring to be built in New Glasgow at the ship f yard o Mr . J . Carmichael . When it left Hali fax in 1 8 63 there was on board a ban- d of s f o mi sionaries consisting o Rev . Donald M rrison

m . o . W and wife , Rev . James Gord n and Rev M ll h cCu oc .

96 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

our very interesting period of lives , when the prospects o f great useful ness are opening up befo re on of us the large islands the north , which enhances the trial all the more . There never was a period , o f in the history the Mission , when I desired more to remain in it . Our new vessel will give us facilities for expanding the Mission which we never n t enj oyed before . But if I am ot privileged o assist further in carrying the Go spel to the dark regions beyond , others will be raised up better qual ” ifi ed f and more worthy o the honour . to ex er They sailed first Australia, where they p ienced great kindness at the hands of their brethren V V in Sydney , Melbourne and ictoria . At ictoria it chanced that he and Bishop Patteson , who had “ been friends in a common Christian service , arrived at the same time . Much interest was aroused by the simultaneous testimony o f these two messengers o f to the Gospel . Many Presbyterians went hear the Episcopalian , and many Episcopalians went to hear the Presbyterian . Mr . Geddie formed a very f f high opinion o the people o these cities . He writes : The Churches of Au stralia are likely to become eminently missionary Churches . Their to nearness the Mission field , and the fact that they are so often visited by missionaries , will keep the subject of missions always before them . The people also have generous hearts and much wealth , and are always ready to make a liberal response to o every good cause presented t them . We are all ON FU RLOU GH 97 much indebted to the kind attention of the friends ” o f to our missions us during soj ourn here . After a long voyage to Liverpool and another shorter on e to Nova Scotia the missionaries reached ’ Geddie s of home . Mr . advent was the occasion an expression Of profound regard . Never before had any returned missionary visited the Synod of Nova Scotia ; and his addresses were everywhere the f occasion o great interest . Crowds flocked to hear his arresting narrative of the triumphs o f the Gospel to o in Aneityum . His visits were extended ther own to Churches than his , and New Brunswick and U pper Canada . He addressed the Synod of the

Canadian Presbyterian Church, where he was

received with enthusiasm . Large sums of money came into the t reasury of the Church ; and since Mr . Paton had induced three clergymen of Scotland to devote themselves to the of New Hebrides Mission , the Church Nova Scotia agreed to become responsible for part of their eil son support . Their names were Revs . Thomas N , o M c air . s N J C h , and T . H . . An incident of considerable signiﬁcance disturbed the peace of their visit home and caused Mr . Geddie

much foreboding . During his absence the brethren , to when gathered at Aneityum , had decided request — the intervention of a British man - o f war because f f of the hostility o the natives o Tanna . They said h not a t at life and property were safe , and th t such m o f a de onstration might prove great value . At 98 LIFE OF JOHN GEDDIE various times the question of employing British men of- war to prevent the natives from their evil deeds

. ha d had arisen , but Mr Geddie always strenuously opposed it . This will explain his indignation when

. Curaco . . a he heard that H M S , accompanied by Da s win the y / g, had bombarded Port Resolution in for two Tanna , and shelled the place hours , destroy ing much property and some lives . He deprecated of this use force , and made public his p rotest . He stated that the great missi o nary societies were o to uniformly opp sed such methods , while even the Admiralty expressed doubts as to the expediency of d o f a such a vigorous mo e dealing with sav ge people . He writes “ now I must say , that I believe the punishment o f Tan nese the was a great but unintentional mistake . My missionary brethren never could have anticipated the fearful results; or they would never have invoked

o f ma n - o f- the interposition a war . As this is the ﬁrst thing o f the kind that has happened in the

Mission , I hope that it will be the last . The weapo ns o f our warfare in the glorious wo rk to which we have devoted ourselves must be spiritual , do to and not carnal . We shall far more subdue , humanize and elevate these natives with Bibles in our - s o our hand , than with the wh le British navy at of God backs . It is the grace alone , which can o o f change the dispositi n the heart , and bring these savage islanders , clothed and in their right minds , f to the feet o Jesus . of I regret the bombardment Tanna , because it

I oo LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

o f o of him the degree D ctor Divinity) , left ur never again to see these shores . Their depart e “ was the occasion o f what was the largest and e ” ﬁnest meeting probably ever h ld in that city. At Liverpool they were j oined by the brethren from who to Scotland had been designated their work , and with glad hear-ts their faces were all turned to the islands made dear by such heroic services $ III .

CLOSING YEARS .

f to The return o Dr . and Mrs . Geddie Aneityum of t was the occasion a great demonstra ion . When the ship was sighted in the distance the crowds on soon gathered the shore . As they entered the o ut to harbor a boat came meet them , which as it touched the beach was raised on the shoulders o f their friends . Then they were carried amid wild m to of acclai the gate their home . Great was the e shake agerness to . hands and welcome them back : again . Mrs . Geddie wrote Many tears were shed f to by the natives , and we found it di ficult suppress to our feelings also . Our return this people pre sented a strange and happy contrast to our first a landing among them , when they were n ked , painted and armed savages . Oh , what a change has the Gospel wrought among them $” to t The first task was redistribu e the missionaries , and to decide where the new recruits should be

now to . placed . New islands were be occupied ; Mr

to o to F . Copeland was g utuna , Mr Paton to Aniwa ,

s to . Me srs . Cosh and Neilson Efate The affairs of the mission were carried on in the a regular routine . Successes and dis ppointments

h . followed each other as in t e home ﬁelds . Mr 1 01 1 02 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

Geddie took up the threads at the place where he e f had laid th m down , visiting the di ferent sections , t he to superintending schools , seeing Bible transla to tion , and lending his aid the other islands . It wa s a bout this time that a new peril began to face the Church in the New H ebrides . This was

so- K a na/ea or f the called labor tra ﬁc , a business , t however , hat bordered very nearly o n the slave trade . The cultivation o f cotton in $ ueensland and the F for ij is created a demand more laborers , and efforts were made to recruit from the islands of

Western Polynesia . Attractive inducements were f o f o o f o fered , and many the y ung men the islands for o f readily applied the work . Out this grew the f tra ﬁc in native laborers , which in some cases was of s of productive the wor t cruelties the slave trade . The natives would be enticed on board under false pretences and retained there by force . Sometimes Ca ptains wo uld paint their ship s to on e o resemble the Mission vessel . Then would g of ashore assuming the dress a clergyman , tell that on Bishop Patteson was sick board , when the natives would ﬂock to see their good friend . As two or they were allowed below , three at a time , they would be thrust into the hold . Their canoes t would then be cut adrif , and the vessel sail away ‘ in frei h with its liv g g t . h of Within eighteen months , eig teen vessels this stamp visited Efate . Some islands were nearly o s depleted o f their male population . S exten ive was

1 04 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

to Th we have comparatively little fear . e natives do n ot gather around a missionary vessel as in o former years , but we must g to them , and it is sometimes difﬁcult to open friendly intercourse with them . The plan which we usually pursue is as : or follows The vessel anchors , more commonly

to to : heaves , near the island be visited . A boat is one lowered , and usually manned by white man and a native crew . The shore is now approached at some eligible landing place . When the boat is ’ o f within gunshot the land , the boat s crew rest on their oars till the natives begin to make their appear ance . All the dialects that we can command are now called into requisition , and it usually happens on e o f our a d that some number is understood , n to of failing this , recourse must be had the language signs , in which natives excel . The natives are w or or al ays armed with their clubs spears , bows and no arrows , and this , being their custom , is evidence o f of hostile intentions . The presence women and S for children is a good ign , when evil is intended they are usually sent out o f the way . If the natives for to wish intercourse , they make signals us land , and wave green branches as emblems of peace . If the signs a r e favourable , boat pulls in without much e or delay till the water shoals to thre four feet , and then I leave her to be pulled out again to a safe

o . distance , bef re the natives can crowd round her I always consult the natives who accompany me on

f , the propriety o landing , and , without strong reason would not act against their opinion , which is usually ” the correct one .

K I D P D. D. W . $ D H . . OS D . J . . J REV MC EN E , REV E AN NAN ,

Ha t v d 1 72 D i 191 4 . v 1 873 . R t 1913 to A i r i e 8 , ed A rri ed e ired n s o t NB p r .

G E . H OB TSO D. D. . J OH DDI REV . . A . R ER N , MRS N E

91 A v 1848 . N ow l v A u t l a . A rrived 1872. Died 1 4 . rri ed i in g in s ra i

1 06 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

Dr . Geddie will long continue to be remembered c of with profound reveren e , as one the most illus trious the of He among sons Canada . wrought a work that may well gain the admiration o f all right thinking people .

Along with his associate , Mr . Inglis , he was the means of converting a large island of four thousand who sat people . They once in darkness now saw f who the marvellous light o Jesus . They once were ignorant of the true Word o f God could now read the divine oracles in their own tongue . Close upon the heels of Christianity came civili z ation . A place o f warlike savagery became the centre of peaceful industry . Aneityum was the ﬁrst island o f a large group in which people could o f g about without fear o molestation . It was here that the earliest botanical a nd geological researches were made in all western Polynesia . Exploring parties from ships o f war were delighted at the opportunities given them to carry on these investi ion c gat s in safety . The path of s ience had been made smooth by Christian M i ssions .

Nor must it be forgotten that Dr . Geddie aroused a colonial Church to the sense of responsibility for the conversion of the heathen . He lighted the ﬁres

‘ mission ar r so of y zeal , and kept them well fed that $$ his biographer makes this bold claim : We feel justiﬁed in saying that at this time n o Church in

Christendom , except the Moravian , was doing more

r o i i on a r L e a on r . t M Rev. D Georg e Pat e s n n ssi y if m g ” an r th e C n ib als . ﬁ A I CLOSING YEARS 1 07 for Missions to the heathen in proportion to her means than the little Presbyterian Church of Nova

Other Churches were stimulated by this example . The Free Church of Nova Scotia commenced a mission in Asia Minor . The Canadian Presbyterian ch Chur started one in India , while far over the sea s this good eed bore rich fruit . Bishop Selwyn , who had become a devoted friend to the M ission on ’ was w eddie s Aneityum so impressed ith Dr . G work that he determined that as Nova Scotia was the $ ﬁrst colony to have its own mission , New ealand , o s his c lony , hould be the second . In reading the story o f this fa ithful servant of Christ we recognize the untold possibilities that lie in a dedicated life ; and we can hardly think of a more effective piece of work for a man to look back upon than this feat accomplished by one whom his early associates did not regard as having more “ than ordinary gifts . They that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the ﬁ rmament ; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ” ever and ever .

years ago the export from the New Hebrides to Sydney amounted to We must conﬁne our notice to the three missionaries who , with their the wives , have so faithfully represented Pres b t erian y Church in Canada for nearly half a century .

. . t m When Rev H . A Robertson re urned fro Nova 1 8 2 Scotia in 7 with his wife , the ﬁrst message which he received at Aneityum was the sad report that the savages of E rromanga had killed James Gordon ; s killed him as he was tran lating the Bible , and had “ reached the story of the stoning of Stephen : Lord

Jesus , receive my spirit , and lay not this sin to their ”

. . I charge When Mr nglis , who had brought the Da s rin et message , was leaving the y p g to g into his own boat Mr . Robertson slipped a note into his ’ hand statmg that he would like to take Gordon s of place in Erromanga . Thus began the work these heroic servants of Christ , which for forty years was continued in this island o f such tragic association . o The record of their labors is given in Dr . R bert ’ E : son s valuable book , rromanga the Martyr I ” sle , and it furnishes us with another thrilling tale h of t e conquests of Christian missions . Here we read of the same change wrought in Erromanga as we have seen took place on Aneityum . By degrees W d L to the or of the ord began prevail over evil , and several congregations were formed . A church was ’ the built at Dillon s Bay , dedicated to memory of the martyrs who had given up their life on the island ; and when another and larger building was e at a later time Opened , it is to be not d that the service was held on the very spot where in 1 8 36 John a nd Williams was killed eaten by the savages , and AFTERWARDS I 1 1 that the ﬁrst prayer was Offered by the son o f the who for of murderer, years had been an elder the

Church in that locality . SO zealous were these missionaries in their tasks of evangelization , Bible translation , teacher training,

- ﬁve and social service , that when twenty years had sa passed Dr . Robertson could y that their prayers had been answered . On their ﬁrst day in the island , as they watched the D ayspring vani shing from their two sight , these had knelt down and united their one for hearts in earnest request , Erromanga ow Christ . N after these years it had been answered . f ’ The island had become a part o Christ s possession . t The following re rospect appears in Dr . Robert

' ’ son s l a st r eport given in 1 9 1 3 ; and it proved to be to c his last message the Chur h , since ere another * year had passed he was called to the heavenly service : of And in November , this year , if I live till then ,

I shall have been ﬁfty years from home . Just $ on th fancy , half a century I left Halifax the 7 1 8 6 Da s rin November , 3 , in the y p g (the ﬁrst Pres byterian Mission ship that ever left British North M cCull a h America ) , when Revs . Morrison , g , and

Gordon sail ed away as missionaries to these far - off

onl ~ ei ht isles . Young Gordon , y g years after , fell a Christian martyr on this very island where I now sit

* He e M a 1 th 1 1 . di d y 3 , 9 4 1 1 2 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

and write in the most perfect safety . I am sur rounded by respectful and quiet natives who daily to for come their missionary counsel , advice and in to struction , and who seem have implicit conﬁdence m and trust in his j udg ent and wisdom . In all their to sorrows and trouble they come us . What a ‘ not 011 change , only this island , but throughout the M cK enz ie whole group , since , Annand and I came a o God here over forty years g . What hath ” $ To wrought His name be all the praise .

M cK enz i . e Mr and Mrs . J . W . had sailed at the

. on same time as Mr Robertson , and their arrival in the New Hebrides in 1 8 7 2 were asked to take charge of the villages o f Erakor and Pango on the island of f o . Efate , rendered vacant by the death Mr

Morrison . Already a Christian Church had been formed there , with about sixty members , but the rest o f the island was still in the bondage o f iniquity o and ign rance . Among the three thousand can nibal s o f Efate this mission was carried on with great patience , wisdom and devotion , and when — twenty ﬁ ve years had gone by the same report was of made as on Erromanga . The entire population

Efate had accepted the faith as it is in Jesus . Since then the mission has prospered greatly , and perhaps nothing could bring out more clearly the deep affec M cK enz ie tion which Dr . awakened in the hearts of his people than the following letter , written by the chief of Fila Island on behalf of the people of

l etc. the vi lages of Erakor , Pango , The occasion

1 1 4 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

record this day, that I am pure from the blood of ’ all men . O f a truth we know his conduct when he w stayed with us until he went a ay from us . It was a great love that he had left home and kindred and come and stayed with us until he became old and K went into ( ent Street , Epping) . He left us, but n ot for his heart did , he again written letters about God to 1 1 1 the word of us until October 4th , 9 4 , and 8 th 1 1 he died . On November , 9 4 , we gather r together and made a memorial se vice of Rev . J . W i D D M cK enz e . our Dr . , . And this is lamentation , 2 1 2 6 for ou our Samuel , . We are distressed y , beloved missionary ; very pleasant you have been to w unto us ; your love us was onderful , passing the ’ f o f . o love women We , the young men the villages M cK enz ie our that Dr . looked after , we loved beloved Missionary when we heard him died . We loved him because the good work that he had done f r o us . When we were infants he baptized us to

f ' be the infants o Jesus . When we were children f A n d he taught us to know the word o God. when we became young men he made some as teachers .

He was very good Missionary and good conduct . He was faithful in the good work of God that he it had sent for when he was young till he died . As of L : was written in the book uke , 3 , 4 The voice o f one w crying in the ilderness , Prepare ye the way o f the Lord , make his paths straight and every valley shall be ﬁlled and every mountain and hill shall be brought l ow ; and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough ways shall be made smooth ; and all AFTERWARDS I 1 5

’ of O ﬂesh shall see the salvation God . S we in the

to- olden times we stayed badly , but day in the o f God o our l blessings thr ugh be oved missionary , M K en z ie D c D . . Rev . J . W . Dr . ,

The third member o f the Canadian group is Rev . w Dr . Joseph Annand , and he and his ife are living to still in Nova Scotia , having been compelled retire from active service because o f advancing years . m However , Dr . Ar and has said that his heart off remains in those far islands , the parting from which caused him greater sorrow than the ﬁrst departure from his native land. Had I another to how v to life give , gladly would I de ote it the New Hebrides $” They ﬁrst arrived in 1 8 73 and commenced work on c 1 8 6 to Efate , when e they removed in 7 Aneityum , 1 8 88 remaining there until , when they were called upon to assume new work in the northern island o f

f . . Santo . The di ﬁculties that faced Mr and Mrs of t Annand were the gravest na ure , involving many d personal angers , and it was only after a long and patient service that the light began to break on

Santo . of Special mention , however , must be made a i distinctive feature in their later act vity . From the commencement of the Missio n the importance o f

native teachers had been fully acknowledged , but advancing years only m a de this more and more

apparent . These helpers assisted in the outdoor o f work the Mission , taught in the schools , went on ’ evangelistic tours , took the missionary s place at 1 1 6 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE

to services, carried the Gospel the islands , and were so like the aids whom St . Paul used freely in his for work . The demand these teachers increased

every year, and the statement was made that three hundred would be required ere all the island could

be evangelized . It was accordingly a step o f deepest signiﬁcance when in 1 894 the Synod of the New Hebrides decided to establish an institution for the training el of native pastors and teachers . Tangoa was s ected o of as the l cation , and the position principal to r m to was given Dr . A and . The instruction was c to be carried on in English , the ourse of study cover

four years .

Two years after the opening of this institution Dr .

A r mand reported an attenda nce o f thirty - nine t o f t students , and old the results following heir ff e orts . The college curriculum was a happy blend o f ing theory and practice . During the week days the students studied reading, writing, and arithmetic, a ricul also receiving instruction in manual work , g c ture and industrial matters . Special prominen e to of on was given the teaching the Bible, and Sabbaths the students were sent out by groups to carry the news of salvation to those who had not yet heard the glad tidings The work grew rapidly under such wise and eth cient guidance ; and it soon became evident that in this Institution the Mission had found one of its most valuable helps . The last report shows that the average attendance in 1 9 1 2 was ninety men and

I I L NAT VE CH DREN .

IL F CH DREN O STUDENTS .

1 1 8 LIFE OF JOH N GEDDIE same romantic distinction as that of the New l . fo Hebrides I f there be regret , such as often o f lows upon the accomplishment a great task , yet mingled therewith is a noble pride that we were allowed to take part in one of the mo st mem orable S o f n piritual achievements the last hu dred years , and that brethren from our Canadian land should have done such invaluable service for the kingdom God o our of . A church wins a new claim up n aff ection and support that includes in its communion o f saints men and women such as these o f whom we who o n ot t have been thinking , have gone f rth coun ing their lives precious , that they might fulﬁl their ministry and hasten the coming of the Day of the Lord . I I — N I D O . J OH G DD D. . N MEM R AM REV E E ,

’ me r V i o r l l Ce te cl a u t . G ccl on P. y . , A s ra ia

B IB LIOGRAPHY

Missi ona ry Life a mong the Cannibals Lo m ai of Lenakel

New H eb rid es a nd Ch risti an Missio ns Ch r istus Redemptor

— Jo hn Willi ams Shipbuild er M ( The Gospe l in F utu na

$ Memoi r s of John ston a n d Ma th eson

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