“Wanted! A Steam Auxiliary” 342 Commissioned Home to Britain 343 English Presbyterian Synod 344 United Presbyterian Synod 345 The “Veto” from the Sydney Board 345 Dr. Hood Wilson 347 The Free Church Assembly 348 Neutrality of Foreign Mission Committee 349 The Church of Scotland 350 At Holyrood and at Alva House 351 Irish Presbyterian Assembly 352 The Pan-Presbyterian Council of 1884 353 My “Plan of Campaign” 354 Old Ireland’s Response 355 Operations in Scotland 356 Seventy Letters in a Day 358 Beautiful Type of Merchant 359 My First £100 at Dundee 360 Peculiar Gifts and Offerings 361 Approach to London 364 Mildmay’s Open Door 366 Largest Single Donation 367 Personal Memories of London 368 Garden Party at Mr. Spurgeon’s 370 The Hon. Ion Keith-Falconer 371 Three New Missionaries 372 “Restitution Money” 375 The Farewell at Mildmay 376 Welcome to Victoria 377 The Dream of my Life 378 The New Mission Ship Delayed 378 Welcome back to Aniwa 379 Parting Testimony 380 Fare-thee-well 382
MISSION HOUSE AT ANIWA _Frontispiece_.
“ALL THE NATIVES WITHIN REACH ASSEMBLED” _To face p._ 129
Preliminary Note.—Call for a Mission Ship.—A Brutal Captain.—Sun-Worshippers or Slaves?—The Lights of Sydney.—Thrown upon the Lord.—Mr. Foss’s Open Door.—Climbing into Pulpits.—Shipping Company for Jesus.—The Golden Shower.—Wanted More Missionaries.—Commissioned to Scotland.—Wayside Incidents of Australian Travel.—Lost in the Bush.—Sinking in the Swamp.—Put Through My Catechism.—“Do for the Parson!”—Crossing the Colony on Novel Conditions.—Pay-Day at a Squatter’s.—Three Days in a Public House.—A Meeting among the Diggers.—Camping Out.—A Squatter Rescued.—John Gilpin’s Ride through the Bush.
Strange yet gratifying news has reached me. Part First of my Autobiography has met with a wonderful response from the Public. Within three weeks of its appearance, a second edition has been called for.
At the Editor’s urgent appeal, therefore, and assured also that the finger of God is guiding me, I take up my pen to write Part Second, feeling that I am bound to do so by my promise at the close of the first volume, and by loyalty to the Lord, who seems thus to use my humble life-story to promote the glory of His Name both at home and abroad.
But, oh, surely never any man was called upon to write a book amid such distracting circumstances! Ceaselessly travelling from Church to Church and from town to town from one end of Australia to the other,—addressing a meeting almost every evening of the week, often also during the afternoons, and several Congregations and Sabbath Schools every Lord’s Day,—the following pages are the outpourings of a heart saturated with the subject, but bereft of all opportunity for quiet thought or studious hours.
Having thus far done my part, I leave all else to the careful Editorship of my dear brother, whose loving hand will put everything into shape for the public eyes. This only I can sincerely testify,—The Lord has called for it, and I lay on His altar the only gift that I have to offer, believing that He will both accept it and use it as He sees to be for the best.
* * * * *
Rescued from Tanna by the _Blue Bell_ in the Spring of 1862, I was landed on Aneityum, leaving behind me all that I owned on Earth, save the clothes upon my back, my precious Bible, and a few translations that I had made from it into the Tannese language. The Missionaries on Aneityum—Messrs. Geddie and Copeland—united, after repeated deliberations, in urging me to go to Australia in the interests of our Mission. In this appeal they were joined now by my companions in tribulation, Mr. and Mrs. Mathieson. A Mission Ship was sorely needed—was absolutely required, to prevent the needless sacrifice of devoted lives. More Missionaries were called for, and must somehow be brought into the field, unless the hope of claiming these fair Islands for Jesus was to be for ever abandoned.