“The Sabbath was such a blessed day too, and it was quite an event in the Church history of Aniwa to see six Missionaries on the platform, and five ladies in the Missionary’s pew. Mr. Inglis preached at the first service, Mr. Annand at the second (John of course translating), good Gospel truth; and Dr. Steele gave us a _white_ sermon in the evening in the drawing-room, upon the ‘Prayer of Jabez.’ The language was very beautiful, and the Doctor suited himself to his audience,—leaving out his appeal to _unconverted Sinners_!... “Every one in the house is asleep, and my eyes will hardly keep open; so I must say Good-night to you all, with heart’s love from your ever-loving daughter and sister, “MAGGIE WHITECROSS PATON.” (1875.) TO THE FAMILY CIRCLE. “MY DEAREST SISTERS AND BROTHERS,— “If I could only put one of the Earthquakes we’ve had into this journal it would produce a sensation,—descriptions seem so very tame after one has experienced the awful feelings they produce! But I must begin and go forward as best I can, there being no possibility of gratifying you in that direction. “You know, it was not till very near the time of the Vessel’s sailing that we decided last year to remain; and I sent my last ‘Journal’ on board with an aching heart. We had been so nearly going to see our precious boys, and till I saw the _Dayspring_ slowly disappear in the distance I did not know how intensely my heart had been set upon seeing them!... “To crown all, John got very ill, and sunk so low we feared he might not live to see the return of the _Dayspring_. But all the time I had an inward conviction that God had not kept him on Aniwa just to die, after giving us such encouragement to remain, and we had waited so confidingly upon Him just to show us the way. And He did not keep us long in suspense, for one event transpired after another to show how wisely we had been guided. “The first of these happened about a month after the vessel left, and as John was slowly recovering from his illness. We heard, one lovely day, as I was setting the copies for afternoon School (I managed to keep it going all the time), a cry of ‘Sail O!’ which set us all into a fine pitch of excitement. School was the last thing to be thought of, and the Natives scampered off towards the other end of the Island, where the vessel lay. John was unable to walk so far; but you may be sure we were quite on the _qui vive_ for news, and I waylaid the first returning Native, who shouted to me in Aniwan, ‘Missi, what _do_ you think has happened? A whole shipload of Tannese, men, women, and children, have been driven off their own Island by war, and have come over to live on this little Island, because the Worship is strong, and they know they are safe. They are many in number for the people of Aniwa; and where are we to get food for them, Missi? for they had to escape at night with what little baggage they could bring in the vessel.’