A light was shining at the farther end: it was from a fire, round which a number of persons were collected. On the opposite side, with the light shining full on his countenance, stood my brother John. A book was in his hand,--the book of books undoubtedly. His eyes were turned toward heaven: he was praying for the safety of all those exposed to the fury of the tempest. My own name was mentioned. I advanced, and knelt down by the side of my own Mary. "G.o.d hears prayer," I whispered. "He has preserved me."
She soon lay in my arms, weeping tears of joy. I now learned that no sooner had the signs of the coming tempest appeared than several of the princ.i.p.al natives came to the mission-house, and advised John to remove his family, with his books, and such articles as the water might spoil, to a place of safety, offering to a.s.sist him. Of this kindness he gladly availed himself; but the journey was not performed without great danger and difficulty, as the tempest broke before they had proceeded far, and the wind and floods impeded their progress. Mary suffered most, from her anxiety for me. Now we praised G.o.d together joyfully for the preservation he had awarded us.
It was daylight before we were able again to set forward to return to my brother"s now desolate home. Still we could rejoice, and be thankful that none of those most dear to us had been lost. We hoped that the poor natives might have escaped as well; but we had not descended far through the lower ground before we found one crushed by a fallen tree, and another drowned in a water-hole, into which he had apparently stumbled. The lightning had struck a third whose blackened corpse we found beneath a tall tree stripped of its branches. These were beyond human help.
"Grant that they died in the Lord," observed the missionary, as we noted the spots where they lay, that we might send and bury them.
The numbers wandering houseless and without food most claimed our sympathy. Our worst apprehensions were realised. In the late neat and pretty village not a cottage retained its roof, and by far the greater number lay levelled with the ground, some mere heaps of ruin, while of others not a remnant was to be seen, the whole building having been carried off by the floods or wind. Of the church only part of the walls remained standing; and even the heavier timbers of the roof lay scattered about in every direction. This destruction naturally deeply affected the missionary. "Still I pray that the faith and trust of the people will not be found wanting under this trial," he murmured as we pa.s.sed on.
The school-houses were much in the same condition; but happily the printing-office, a strong stone building, had escaped any serious damage, as had its valuable contents. Here not only was printing carried on, but the Bibles and other books were stored, as were the machines for binding, a work performed very neatly by the natives. This circ.u.mstance again raised my brother"s spirits: "While the Book of G.o.d remains, we have nought to fear."
It was sad to see the natives collecting from all points to which they had fled to escape the flood and storm, as they first caught sight of their ruined habitations.
"The village must be rebuilt on Christian principles," said my brother with a smile; and going among the people, he called them around him, and advised them to lose no time in collecting food and rebuilding their houses, urging those without young children or unmarried to a.s.sist those with families, or the sick and aged, before attending to their own wants. The reply was most satisfactory, and all agreed to follow his advice.
We now repaired to the mission-house, and, clearing out the rubbish from within the angle formed by two walls, were soon able to obtain some shelter and privacy for the ladies and children. It was melancholy work hunting about for the furniture, crockery, and other articles, among the ruins. However, we obtained a sufficient number of things to furnish our make-shift abode, though it was long before we could get the bedding sufficiently dry to be of any use. The flour and many other articles of food, were spoilt, or had disappeared; but we raked up sufficient for the present wants of the household; and as we a.s.sembled round a table once more together, we returned our grateful thanks to Heaven that we were still preserved to each other.
Among the ruins a chest of axes, and some saws, and other carpenters"
tools was found, and these my brother distributed among the chiefs and other princ.i.p.al people, that they might the better be able to rebuild their abodes. When a.s.sembled to receive these valuable gifts, their answer was: "We accept them with thanks, on one condition,--that we may first be allowed to rebuild our missionary"s abode." They would take no denial; and forthwith forming themselves into gangs, some set to work to clear away the ruins, while others went off to cut fresh uprights and rafters to replace those that were broken. It was gratifying, as being so purely spontaneous, and showing the high estimation in which they held their missionary for his work"s sake. Thus, aided by zealous friends, the work proceeded rapidly.
I meantime hastened back to my vessel, taking with me some natives to aid in launching her. On our way we came unexpectedly on the spot where lay the body of my poor companion who had been crushed to death. We buried the remains not far off on the hill-side, while I offered some prayers and a short exhortation for the benefit of those present. As I went over the ground again I was more than ever surprised that I had been able to accomplish the journey on such a night, and deeply thankful that I had been preserved from the numberless dangers I had encountered.
On reaching the _Olive Branch_, I found that my mate had been making most judicious preparations for getting her off. He had formed a strong cradle, with rollers under her keel and posts ahead, to which to secure some strong tackles. By hauling on these tackles he hoped to get her off several feet every day. "Slow and steady wins the race, you know, sir," he observed. His hopes of success were not without foundation.
Day after day we toiled on, aided by the indefatigable natives, who gave every evidence that they were working from pure Christian love.
"You have brought us the blessings of the gospel,--ought not we, who highly estimate its blessings, labour to enable you in your ship to carry it to others?" said the chief of the party, when I was one day thanking him for the energetic way in which he and his people were working. Their satisfaction when the _Olive Branch_ at length floated securely in the harbour was nearly equal to mine.
Little time as there was to spare before the meeting would take place, at which my brother wished to be present, he was anxious to see the people housed before he would leave them. They meantime were working most heroically, and I was surprised to see the rapid way in which they put up their houses, and set to work to replant the fields of taro and other roots, which had been destroyed by the flood.
At length we were ready to continue our voyage. It had been intended that our wives should accompany us; but as, in consequence of the delay, John"s absence would be shorter than had been expected, it was thought better that they should remain and restore order to the establishment.
As we were about to go the chief men of the island sent to beg that we would receive certain gifts which they had stored up to increase the funds devoted to sending missionaries to the other islands of the Pacific yet lying in heathen darkness.
"Had it not been for the storm, they would have been far greater," they observed; "but, though we are feeling a want just now of this world"s goods, we are rich in gospel blessings; nor can we make our present condition an excuse for denying those blessed privileges to brethren in other lands, for whom our Lord died as well as for us."
Surely, I thought, these remarks, were they known at home, would put to shame too many who are ready to make any slight decrease of income an excuse for not a.s.sisting the cause of the gospel either among the ignorant around them or in other countries. Since I went among these so late heathen savages, I have often had to think with grief and shame of the very low standard of Christian excellence considered requisite by many at home who profess, and probably have a wish, to be religious.
Often and often I have wished that I could paint to them in their true and vivid colours the self-denying, laborious lives of the devoted missionaries, and the humble, zealous, faithful, truth-searching behaviour of the converts.
With a fair wind we sailed, praying that G.o.d would protect our dear ones, and bring us back to them in safety. We took up several missionaries who were going to the conference, and who had been waiting for the _Olive Branch_, and also some native teachers, who were destined to act as pioneers in islands where the light of the gospel had not yet penetrated.
Without any adventure especially worthy of notice we reached the head station, where a considerable number of missionaries were collected awaiting our arrival. All had more or less felt the storm at their respective stations, but few with the violence that we had. The discussions which took place at the meeting were most important and interesting, and encouraging to all to persevere in the work; but I must not now report them. Although only in a certain sense a looker-on, I felt greatly refreshed, and my spiritual life renewed by the exhortations delivered and the prayers engaged in. I had the privilege of attending all the meetings. Several had taken place, when the subject of the new stations to be occupied was brought forward. John was named to fill one of them. The inhabitants were looked upon as among the fiercest of the savages of the Pacific; the climate was far from salubrious. But John did not hesitate a moment; on the contrary, his countenance was radiant with satisfaction. It was an important post, and it was believed that a large accession might be made to the kingdom of Christ by the establishment of a mission there. "Wherever my overseer and brethren consider our holy cause can most be advantaged by my presence, there I am ready to go," answered my brother, after the offer had been made him.
The ground had already been broken by native teachers, who had earnestly pet.i.tioned for an English missionary. Our pa.s.sage to my brother"s station was somewhat circuitous, as we had to leave several missionaries at their posts, to carry stores and books to old stations, and to leave native teachers at new ones. We had brought with us the missionary who was to succeed John, whom I was directed to carry on to his new station.
We were received on our return to my brother"s home with unmistakable signs of pleasure by the natives, who collected to welcome him. I expected, however, that when he came to announce to his wife the proposed change, that it would be a sad damper to her happiness; but she simply observed: "Wherever you are called to go, dear husband, it will be my joy to go also. How much better am I off than the wife of a soldier serving in the army of some earthly monarch. She may not accompany him to the war; if he falls wounded, she may not be near to tend him; if he is slain, no reward is of value to him. Where, too, is her a.s.surance that they will be reunited? Where my husband goes I may go,--if he is ill, I may watch over him,--if spirits and strength fail, I may support him. When death separates us, I know that we shall be reunited; and I know, too, that a glorious crown, the prize of his high calling, will a.s.suredly be his, and that that crown I shall share with him, and full draughts of joy unspeakable for ever and ever."
These words were spoken in so low and gentle a voice by my dear sister-in-law, that a stranger would scarcely have understood the firm faith and high resolve they indicated. The packing up occupied but little time. John"s household goods were few, nor did his library fill many boxes.
"But you will sell your cattle and poultry?" I observed.
"I do not consider them mine," he answered. "I look upon them as belonging to the Society, and as necessary to my successor. A missionary should have as few worldly inc.u.mbrances as possible to draw him away from his work. He should labour solely for the Lord, and to the Lord leave the care of his wife and little ones. A missionary sent out by a Society should feel secure that they would provide for his worldly wants while he can work, would support him in his old age, and care at his death for his widow and children."
Thus with perfect faith my n.o.ble brother went forth in the gospel"s glorious cause to conquer souls for Christ"s kingdom.
The grief of the people among whom he had ministered since his arrival in the Pacific, when they heard that he was to leave them, was excessive. At first they threatened to put a restraint upon him, and not to let him go.
"Would you then selfishly deprive others of the blessings you enjoy?" he asked. "Would you, who know the gospel, keep back the instrument which brought it to you from presenting it to others? No, no; surely you, dear friends, have not thus learned Christ."
"Go, go; our prayers will ever be lifted up for your safety and success."
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
MARTYRED FOR THE TRUTH.
Scarcely a native in the settlement who was not present to bid farewell to their beloved missionary, and amid tears and prayers, he embarked on board the _Olive Branch_. My wife accompanied me, and though the little vessel was much crowded, we had a very happy party.
The weather was fine, and as we had numerous places to touch at, we were not more than twelve days without obtaining fresh provisions. Formerly, when the islands of the Pacific were little known, crews starving or suffering from scurvy must often have pa.s.sed just out of sight of land, where they might have obtained an ample supply of fresh provisions; but now, very much through the instrumentality of the missionaries of the gospel, scarcely an island remains unknown, and entirely through their instrumentality the greater number may now be visited, not only without fear, but the voyager is certain to receive a Christian welcome on their sh.o.r.es.
An instance came under my notice where the natives did not only return good for good, but good for evil. The master and crew of a large English ship had grossly misbehaved themselves and ill-treated the people of an island. Scarcely had they sailed when a gale sprung up, and their ship was driven on sh.o.r.e and lost. The cargo and other property in the ship was taken possession of by the natives, who considered that they had a right to it. On the captain, however, claiming it through the missionary, the chiefs met and decided that it should be given up, which it was forthwith without a word of complaint.
Here the brown Christian set an example to the white man, virtually a heathen.
The new post to which my brother was appointed was on a lovely island, fertile in the extreme, and thickly populated. Indeed it might have been said of it, "that only man was vile." No natives appeared on the sh.o.r.e to welcome him, but after a time the teachers came off in their canoe, and gave us accounts which were far from cheering. Chiefs who had appeared friendly had turned against them, and some had prohibited their people from listening to the Word of G.o.d, or attending school or chapel. I suggested to my brother that under the circ.u.mstances it might be wiser not to land.
"What, because the enemy begins the fight shall the soldier desert his standard?" he asked, with a look of surprise. "No, David, you would not counsel such conduct."
I could say nothing. The teachers were of opinion that he would be treated with indifference rather than actual hostility, at first, by the great ma.s.s of the people, and that his life at all events would be perfectly safe. They mentioned one chief who appeared to be more friendly disposed towards Christianity than the rest, and to him accordingly, we at once went to pay our court. The chief looked like a perfect savage, with his hair long and frizzed out, his eyes rolling wildly, and with scarcely any clothing on his dusky body. Still he received us politely, and not without a certain dignity, and promised if the missionary now remained he would be answerable to me for him, should I again visit the island.
The man was still a heathen, and I felt very unwilling to put any confidence in his promises. It was too evident to me that he wished for a missionary for the sake of axes and saws, and other articles he expected to obtain, rather than for any spiritual benefit he hoped to derive from his presence. I had, however, no alternative, than to land my dear brother with his wife and little ones, and household goods. My only consolation was that I was able with my crew to a.s.sist in putting up a house for him, many of the parts of which we had brought with us.
The teachers were good carpenters, and had already, with the aid of some natives whom they had instructed, prepared some stout uprights and beams and planks. Notwithstanding this, the rapidity with which we got up the house, dug up a garden and fenced it round, caused great astonishment among the people. Before we left, my brother had already begun a school-room, to serve also as a chapel till a larger edifice could be erected, while he received inquirers at his own house. My sister-in-law had also two female cla.s.ses of adults and children, to whom she imparted such religious instruction as they would receive, and some of the arts of civilised life, while round the station resembled a busy hive, all the natives who had professed Christianity being actively employed as sawyers or in some other mechanical work. His aim at this early stage of the mission was to show the natives the advantages the Christians possessed over the heathens, and thus to make them look with favour on Christianity. He never failed while they were thus engaged to impart so much religious instruction as they could receive. Everything appeared now to be going on favourably. When I remarked that I now had reasonable hopes that he would succeed--
"Who can doubt it?" was his answer. "If I do not my successor will.
The gospel will most a.s.suredly cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. G.o.d has said it."
One of the saddest moments of my life was that when I parted from my devoted brother as he stood on the beach while I returned for the last time to my vessel. Yet I asked myself more than once, Why should I grieve? why should I be anxious? He is engaged in the n.o.blest cause in which the energies of a human being can be employed--gaining subjects for the Redeemer"s kingdom.
Still I was his brother, and as such I could not contemplate without fear the dangers to which he was exposed. I was now to return direct to Mr Bent"s station, where I proposed refitting the _Olive Branch_ to be ready for any work she might be called on to perform. We found that great progress had been made at the station, both spiritual and material. There were many new converts, and several excellent little houses built, surrounded by neat gardens and fields. It had not been done without cost, and it was too evident to Mary and me that her father"s health and strength were failing. She spoke to him, and suggested a change of scene.
"Here I have been planted by the Lord of the vineyard, and here let me, if He so wills it, wither and fall, dear one," he answered.
It was too evident to us that his body was withering, but not so his spirit--that was expanding more and more, ripening for heaven. It seemed to burn with a deep and unextinguishable love for the conversion of all the islanders among whom he had so long laboured--not those of his own group only, but for the inhabitants of all the isles of the Pacific, "ay," he would finish, as if there had been a shortcoming of his love for the souls of his fellow-men, "of the whole heathen world.
May they all come to know Thee, O Lord, and accept Thy great salvation."
Still his more constant prayers were for his own people. Gradually he sunk--evidently entering into the rest prepared for those who love Christ--his joy increased, his end was peace. Thus has many a missionary died, and who would not change all the world can give to be a.s.sured of such a death. Mary felt her father"s death severely, but yet as one who mourned with a.s.sured hope of a joyous resurrection.
My brother had earnestly pet.i.tioned to have another missionary or a native teacher of superior attainments sent him, and while I was debating what course to pursue, I received directions to carry the teacher Vihala and his wife to him, and to visit many other stations on my way. Vihala and Alea were delighted to see us again, but when they heard of Mr Bent"s death they shed tears of unfeigned sorrow at the thought that they should see his face no more. They both had advanced greatly in Christian knowledge, and Vihala appeared to me equal to the taking entire charge of a station, however large. He was delighted to hear that he was to join my brother, and made all his preparations with alacrity.
As I was preparing to sail, a ship hove in sight. She was from England direct, and brought letters for me and John.