John G. Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides, volume 2 (of 3) : $b An autobiography edited by his brotherPaton, John Gibson
Religion
John G. Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides, volume 2 (of 3) : $b An autobiography edited by his brother
Paton, John Gibson
Missionaries -- Vanuatu -- Biography; Paton, John Gibson, 1824-1907
“After keeping with our boys a day or two and coming to evening class,
on the third evening he sent in for a blanket, as he was ‘going to
stay.’ We looked aghast. John was for receiving him; but I was at the
crying point, and declared I could not feed more Natives or make food
go further than other people. John said, ‘Then am I to send him away?’
Well, no! I was hardly prepared to do that either; so, after talking
over it a few minutes, we felt sure the Lord had sent him; and though
I did not feel particularly grateful at the time, I have often thanked
Him since. We went to the blanket box, got a nice warm blanket (the
Natives feel chilly at night), called him in, and John had a talk with
him about certain rules, after which he took his gift with a very
pleasant grin. He looked like a different creature with his hair cut;
and a more faithful, helpful, warm-hearted Native lad we never had.
In times of danger from Mungaw, he stuck by John like his shadow—no
ostentation with it, but quietly getting some pretext for keeping close
to him when there was any fear. A capital worker too—for John does not
approve of keeping his boys idle, and they help him with whatever he is
at, fencing, roofing, gardening, house-building, etc.
“One day he and another big boy (a great wag—keeps the others in roars
of laughter, and himself the picture of solemnity) had been planing
wood very nicely, and John praised them, calling them his ‘Carpenter’
and ‘Joiner.’ In the afternoon a slate full of writing was sent in,
informing us that they wished from henceforth to drop their old names
and be called ‘Carpenter’ and ‘Joiner.’ Nor would they answer to any
other. We often forgot, at first, but were reminded by their paying
not the slightest attention, till we came out with the new name—when
they would instantly wheel round with a smile and be at our service!...
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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