PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John G. Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides, volume 1 (of 3) : An autobiography edited by his brother
Paton, John Gibson · 94,839 words · 130 reading sections
“Mary Ann Paton.”
Miaki the war Chief had a young brother, Rarip by name, about eighteen years of age. When this war began, he came to live with me at the Mission House. After it had raged some time, Miaki forced him to join the fighting men; but he escaped through the bush, and returned to me, saying,— “Missi, I hate this fighting; it…
766 wordsSECTION 62“Mary Ann Paton.”
All through this war, I went to the fighting ground every Sabbath, and held worship amongst our Harbour people. Hundreds assembled around me, and listened respectfully, but they refused to give up the war. One day, I determined to go through the bush that lay between and speak and pray with the enemies also. Our Harbou…
739 wordsSECTION 63“Mary Ann Paton.”
“Missi, our fathers loved and worshipped whom you call the Devil, the Evil Spirit; and we are determined to do the same, for we love the conduct of our fathers. Missi Turner came here and tried to break down our worship, but our fathers fought him and he left us. They fought also Peta, the Samoan Teacher, and he fled. …
805 wordsSECTION 64“Mary Ann Paton.”
One evening, I awoke three times to hear a Chief and his men trying to force the door of my house. Though armed with muskets, they had some sense of doing wrong, and were wholesomely afraid of a little retriever dog which had often stood betwixt me and death. God restrained them again; and next morning the report went …
653 wordsSECTION 65“Mary Ann Paton.”
All appearing friendly for some time, and willing to listen and learn, the Teacher earnestly desired to return to his post. I pled with him to remain at the Mission House till we felt more assured, but he replied,— “Missi, when I see them thirsting for my blood, I just see myself when the Missionary first came to my i…
670 wordsSECTION 66“Mary Ann Paton.”
They withdrew sullenly, and seemed deeply disappointed and offended. On one occasion, when a Chief had died, the Harbour people were all being assembled to strangle his widow. One of my Aneityumese Teachers, hearing of it, hastened to tell me. I ran to the village, and with much persuasion, saved her life. A few weeks…
771 wordsSECTION 67“Mary Ann Paton.”
My Tannese people at first opposed the erection of a Church. They did not wish Jehovah to secure a House on their island. On the opening day, only five men, three women, and three children were present, besides our Aneityumese Teachers. But after the morning service, on that day, I visited ten villages, and had worship…
700 wordsSECTION 68“Mary Ann Paton.”
Shortly after this, I was greatly refreshed by the visit of an American whaler, the _Camden Packet_, under Captain Allan. He, his chief officer, and many of his double company of seamen, were decided Christians—a great contrast to most of the Traders that had called at Port Resolution. The Captain cordially invited me …
918 wordsSECTION 69“Mary Ann Paton.”
Knowing that the Tannese were threatening to burn my former house, which I wished to remove to higher ground and add to the room I now occupied on the hill, I took advantage of the presence of the Prince’s vessel, and set my Aneityumese Teachers and some friendly Natives to prepare for the task; but unfortunately, I fo…
732 wordsSECTION 70“Mary Ann Paton.”
“You are helping that man to steal my boat; he is stealing it as you see.” On hearing this, the Tannese ran away, and his own party alone could not do it. In great wrath, he went off again to his vessel, and brought on shore as much tobacco as could be held in a large handkerchief tied by the four corners; but even fo…
879 wordsSECTION 71“Mary Ann Paton.”
Ships, highly insured, were said to be sent into our Island trade to be deliberately wrecked. One Sabbath evening, towards dark, the notorious Captain H——, in command of a large ship, allowed her to drift ashore and be wrecked without any apparent effort to save her. Next morning, the whole company were wading about in…
715 wordsSECTION 72“Mary Ann Paton.”
When all was ready, Nowar sent a party of Chiefs to escort me and my Aneityumese Teachers to the feast. Fourteen Chiefs, in turn, made speeches to the assembled multitude; the drift of all being, that war and fighting be given up on Tanna,—that no more people be killed by nahak, for witchcraft and sorcery were lies,—th…
657 wordsSECTION 73“Mary Ann Paton.”
Having finished a brief address, I then walked forward to the very middle of the circle, and laid down before them a bundle of stripes of red calico and pieces of white calico, a number of fish-hooks, knives, etc. etc., requesting the two Chiefs to divide my offering of goodwill among the Tribes assembled, and also the…
670 wordsSECTION 74“Mary Ann Paton.”
The final scene approached, when the men assisted their women to fill all the allotted food into baskets, to be carried home and eaten there; for the different Tribes do not sit down together and eat together as we would do; their coming together is for the purpose of exchanging and dividing the food presented. And now…
866 wordsSECTION 75“Mary Ann Paton.”
Not many days thereafter, a very horrible transaction occurred. Before daybreak, I heard shot after shot quickly discharged in the Harbour. One of my Teachers came running, and cried,— “Missi, six or seven men have been shot dead this morning for a great feast. It is to reconcile Tribes that have been at war, and to a…
658 wordsSECTION 76“Mary Ann Paton.”
Shortly thereafter, war was again declared by the Inland people attacking our Harbour people. It was an old quarrel; and the war was renewed and continued, long after the cause thereof had passed away. Going amongst them every day, I did my utmost to stop hostilities, setting the evils of war before them, and pleading …
663 wordsSECTION 77“Mary Ann Paton.”
At last they stood up and said,— “We must delay till we have called all our Sacred Men. We will kill Missi before his next Sabbath comes round. Let all watch, for he will soon die and that without fail.” I replied, “Very good! I challenge all your Priests to unite and kill me by Sorcery or Nahak. If on Sabbath next I…
793 wordsSECTION 78“Mary Ann Paton.”
If not truly converted, the two Priests were fast friends of mine from that day, as also another leading man in the same district. They also received an Aneityumese Teacher to their village, protecting and showing kindness to him; one of the Sacred Men who could speak his language lived almost constantly with him, and …
870 wordsSECTION 79“Mary Ann Paton.”
Creeping round near the shore all the way, we had to keep just outside the great breakers on the coral reef, and were all drenched through and through with the foam of an angry surf. We arrived, however, in safety within two miles of our destination, where lived the friends of my canoe’s company, but where a very dange…
694 wordsSECTION 80“Mary Ann Paton.”
Having made half the journey, I came to a dangerous path, almost perpendicular, up a great rock round the base of which the sea roared deep. With my heart lifted up to Jesus, I succeeded in climbing it, cautiously grasping roots, and resting by bushes, till I reached safely to the top. There, to avoid a village, I had …
673 wordsSECTION 81“Mary Ann Paton.”
“I am Missi! Don’t shoot; my love to you, my friends!” Praising God for His preserving care, I reached home, and had a long refreshing sleep. The Natives, on hearing next day how I had come all the way in the dark, exclaimed,— “Surely any of us would have been killed! Your Jehovah God alone thus protects you and brin…
806 wordsSECTION 82“Mary Ann Paton.”
The measles, thus introduced, became amongst our islanders the most deadly plague. It spread fearfully, and was accompanied by sore throat and diarrhœa In some villages, man, woman, and child were stricken, and none could give food or water to the rest. The misery, suffering, and terror were unexampled, the living bein…
723 wordsSECTION 83“Mary Ann Paton.”
The 1st January, 1861, was a New Year’s Day ever to be remembered. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston, Abraham and I, had spent nearly the whole time in a kind of solemn yet happy festival. Anew in a holy covenant before God, we unitedly consecrated our lives and our all to the Lord Jesus, giving ourselves away to His blessed servi…
670 wordsSECTION 84“Mary Ann Paton.”
I, now accustomed to such scenes on Tanna, retired to rest and slept soundly; but my dear fellow-labourer, as I afterwards learned, could not sleep for one moment. His pallor and excitement continued next day, indeed for several days; and after that, though he was naturally lively and cheerful, I never saw him smile ag…
697 wordsSECTION 85“Mary Ann Paton.”
“I have had such a blessed sleep, and feel so refreshed! What kindness in God to provide such remedies for suffering man!” At mid-day his dear wife came to me crying,— “Mr. Johnston has fallen asleep, so deep that I cannot awake him.” My fever had reached the worst stage, but I struggled to my feet, got to his bedsi…
681 wordsSECTION 86“Mary Ann Paton.”
Another tragedy followed, with, however, much of the light of Heaven amid its blackness, in the story of Kowia, a Tannese Chief of the highest rank. Going to Aneityum in youth, he had there become a true Christian. He married an Aneityumese Christian woman, with whom he lived very happily and had two beautiful children…
804 wordsSECTION 87“Mary Ann Paton.”
Touched to the very fountains of my life by such prayers, from a man once a Cannibal, I began under the breath of God’s blessing to revive. A few days thereafter, Kowia came again to me, and rousing me out of sleep, cried,— “Missi, I am very weak; I am dying. I come to bid you farewell, and go away to die. I am neari…
707 wordsSECTION 88“Mary Ann Paton.”
A new incentive was added to the already cruel superstitions of the Natives. The Sandal-wooders, our degraded fellow-countrymen, in order to divert attention from themselves, stirred the Natives with the wild faith that the Missionaries and the Worship had brought all this sickness, and that our lives should be taken i…
769 wordsSECTION 89“Mary Ann Paton.”
At this juncture, our friendly Chief Nowar seemed to become afraid. His life also had been threatened; and our life had been often attempted of late. Society around was all in turmoil, and Nowar urged us all to leave and take refuge in Aneityum till these dangers blew past, and he himself would accompany us. I refused,…
679 wordsSECTION 90“Mary Ann Paton.”
May, 1861, brought with it a sorrowful and tragic event, which fell as the very shadow of doom across our path; I mean the martyrdom of the Gordons on Erromanga. Rev. G. N. Gordon was a native of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and was born in 1822. He was educated at the Free Church College, Halifax, and placed as …
732 wordsSECTION 91“Mary Ann Paton.”
“What’s the cause of that noise?” He replied, “Oh, nothing! only the boys amusing themselves!” Saying, “Where are the boys?” she turned round. Ouben slipped stealthily behind her, sank his tomahawk into her back, and with another blow almost severed her head! Such was the fate of those two devoted servants of the L…
490 wordsSECTION 92“My Dear Brother,—
“I have news of the best and of the worst character to communicate. A young man died in December, in the Lord, as we believe. We are still preserved in health at our work by the God of all grace, whose power alone could have preserved us in all our troubles, which have come upon us by the measles _per_ the _Blue Be…
659 wordsSECTION 93“My Dear Brother,—
“Our love to the Erromangans! Our love to the Erromangans!” After I left them, Abraham heard them say,— “Miaki is lazy. Let us meet in every village, and talk with each other. Let us all agree to kill Missi and the Aneityumese for the first of our Chiefs that dies.” On Tanna, as on Erromanga, the Natives have no ide…
805 wordsSECTION 94“My Dear Brother,—
In this manner his great simple soul poured itself out to God, and my heart melted within me as it had never done under any prayer poured from the lips of cultured Christian men! Under the strain of these events, Miaki came to our house, and attacked me in hearing of his men to this effect:— “You and the Worship are …
668 wordsSECTION 95“My Dear Brother,—
To know what was best to be done, in such trying circumstances, was an abiding perplexity. To have left altogether, when so surrounded by perils and enemies, at first seemed the wisest course, and was the repeated advice of many friends. But again, I had acquired the language, and had gained a considerable influence am…
682 wordsSECTION 96“My Dear Brother,—
“Missi, is this a part of God’s Word, the sacred Book of Jehovah? or is it the work, the words, the book of man?” I examined them and replied, “These are the work, the words, and the book of man, not of Jehovah.” He questioned me again: “Missi, are you certain that it is not the Word of Jehovah?” I replied, “It is o…
673 wordsSECTION 97“My Dear Brother,—
In great wrath they cried, “Then will we kill you and this Captain and Mate.” I kept reasoning with them against such conduct, standing firmly before them and saying, “If you do kill me, Jehovah will punish you; the other men in that vessel will punish you before they sail; and a Man-of-war will come and burn your vil…
702 wordsSECTION 98“My Dear Brother,—
Another incident made them well-disposed for a season; namely, the use of a fishing-net. Seeing that the Natives had so little food—there being, in fact, a famine after the hurricane—I engaged an inland Tribe to make a net forty feet long and very broad. Strange to say, the Inland people who live far from the sea make …
873 wordsSECTION 99“My Dear Brother,—
At that time, though my life was daily attempted, a dear lad, named Katasian, was coming six miles regularly to the Worship and to receive frequent instruction. One day, when engaged in teaching him, I caught a man stealing the blind from my window. On trying to prevent him, he aimed his great club at me, but I seized …
700 wordsSECTION 100“My Dear Brother,—
In my Mission School, I offered as a prize a red shirt for the first Chief who knew the whole Alphabet without a mistake. It was won by an Inakaki Chief, who was once a terror to the whole community. Afterwards, when trying to teach the A B C to others, he proceeded in something like this graphic style:— “A is a man’s…
887 wordsSECTION 101“My Dear Brother,—
At last old Nouka spoke out for all and said, “Captain Paddan and all the Traders tell us that the Worship causes all our sickness and death. They will not trade with us, nor sell us tobacco, pipes, powder, balls, caps, and muskets, till we kill our Missi like the Erromangans, but after that they will send a Trader to …
736 wordsSECTION 102“My Dear Brother,—
A time of great excitement amongst the Natives now prevailed. War, war, nothing but war was spoken of! Preparations for war were being made in all the villages far and near. Fear sat on every face, and armed bands kept watching each other, as if uncertain where the war was to begin or by whom. All work was suspended, a…
657 wordsSECTION 103“My Dear Brother,—
I then stood forth in the middle before them all and cried, “You may shoot or murder me, but I am your best friend. I am not afraid to die. You will only send me the sooner to my Jehovah God, whom I love and serve, and to my dear Saviour Jesus Christ, who died for me and for you, and who sent me here to tell you all Hi…
704 wordsSECTION 104“My Dear Brother,—
Next day, Nouka came to me professing great friendship and pleading with me to accompany him and Miaki to talk with the Kaserumini, and persuade them to give up the war. He was annoyed and disappointed when I refused to go. Nowar and others informed me, two days thereafter, that three persons had died in that district,…
726 wordsSECTION 105“My Dear Brother,—
“Go, go quickly!” Next moment I was on the road. Not a living soul was to be seen about the village. I understood then that it had been agreed that Ian was to kill me, and that they had all withdrawn so as not to witness it, so that when the Man-of-war came to inquire about me Ian would be dead, and no punishment coul…
688 wordsSECTION 106“My Dear Brother,—
“Come on, let us kill him now!” I replied, “My Jehovah God will punish you; a Man-of-war will come and punish you, if you kill Abraham, his wife, or me.” He retorted, “It’s all lies about a Man-of-war! They did not punish the Erromangans. They are afraid of us. Come on, let us kill them!” He raised his tomahawk and …
896 wordsSECTION 107“My Dear Brother,—
To me the loss was bitter, but as God had so ordered it, I tried to bow with resignation. All my deceased wife’s costly outfit, her piano, silver, cutlery, books, etc., with which her dear parents had provided her, besides all that I had in the world; also a box worth £56, lately arrived, full of men’s clothing and med…
658 wordsSECTION 108“My Dear Brother,—
“Missi, Jehovah is hearing! They are all standing still.” Had they come on they would have met with no opposition, for the people were scattered in terror. On gazing shorewards, and round the Harbour, as far as we could see, was a dense host of warriors, but all were standing still, and apparently absolute silence pre…
715 wordsSECTION 109“My Dear Brother,—
Next day, the attack was renewed by the three Chiefs on the district of my dear friend Manuman. His people fled; the villages were burned; all who came in their way were killed, and all food and property carried away. At night they returned to keep watch over Nowar and me. When darkness was setting in, Miaki sent for m…
736 wordsSECTION 110“My Dear Brother,—
Gladly would I have lingered there for one night of comparative peace! But, about midnight, Nowar sent his son to call me down from the tree, and to guide me to the shore where he himself was, as it was now time to take to sea in the canoe. Pleading for my Lord’s continuing presence, I had to obey. My life and the live…
670 wordsSECTION 111“My Dear Brother,—
The Teachers, the boy, and I now resolved to enter the canoe and attempt it, as the only gleam of hope left to us. After Faimungo came, the man to whom the canoe belonged had withdrawn from us, it having transpired that Miaki would not attack us that night, as other game had attracted his savage eyes. My party of five …
682 wordsSECTION 112“My Dear Brother,—
“Farewell, Missi, I am going home. I don’t wish to see the work and the murders of this morning.” He was Nowar’s son-in-law. He had always been truthful and kindly with me. His home was about half-way across the island, on the road that we wanted to go, and under sudden impulse I said,— “Faimungo, will you let us fol…
688 wordsSECTION 113“My Dear Brother,—
He then whispered something to his company which I did not hear; and, though their muskets were still raised, I saw in their eyes that he had restrained them. I therefore began gradually to move backwards, still keeping my eyes fixed on them, till the bush hid them from my view, whereon I turned and ran after my party,…
952 wordsSECTION 114“My Dear Brother,—
Faimungo and others now urged us to go on in the path. I said, “Faimungo, why are we to leave you? My God heard your promise not to betray me. He knows now what is in your heart and in mine. I will not leave you; and if I am to die, I will die by your side.” He replied, “Now, I go on before; Missi, keep close to me.” …
658 wordsSECTION 115“My Dear Brother,—
To us this district was especially perilous. Many years ago the Aneityumese had joined in a war against the Tannese of this tribe, and the thirst for revenge yet existed in their hearts, handed down from sire to son. Besides, Miaki had incited the people here to murder the Teachers and me if we attempted to escape this…
746 wordsSECTION 116“My Dear Brother,—
On the 23rd January, Mr. Mathieson sent for Taura, Kati, and Kapuku, his three principal Chiefs, to induce them to promise protection till a vessel called to take us away. They appeared friendly, and promised to do their best. Alas! the promises of the Tannese Chiefs had too often proved to be vain. On Friday, 24th Ja…
690 wordsSECTION 117“My Dear Brother,—
On the 29th January, the young Chief Kapuku came and handed to Mr. Mathieson his own and his father’s war-gods and household idols. They consisted chiefly of a basket of small and peculiar stones, much worn and shining with use. He said,— “While many are trying to kill you and drive the worship of Jehovah from this is…
784 wordsSECTION 118“My Dear Brother,—
“Dare to strike me, and my Jehovah God will punish you! He protects us, and will punish you for burning His Church, for hatred to His Worship and people, and for all your bad conduct. We love you all; and for doing you good only you want to kill us. But our God is here now to protect us and to punish you.” They yelled…
798 wordsSECTION 119“My Dear Brother,—
This was one of the vessels that had been to Port Resolution, and had sailed past to Aneityum some time ago. I afterwards saw the mate and some of the men wearing my shirts, which they had bought from the Tannese on their former visit. At the earnest request of Doctors Geddie and Inglis, Mr. Underwood, the owner, had s…
810 wordsSECTION 120“My Dear Brother,—
“As our fathers did not destroy Missi Turner’s house, we will not destroy yours.” But after a time, failing to persuade me to accompany him and fall into a trap, he muttered,— “We have taken everything your house contained, and would take you too if we could; for we hate the Worship, it causes all our diseases and de…
662 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.