John G. Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides, volume 3 (of 3) : $b An autobiography edited by his brother — John Shaqi
John G. Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides, volume 3 (of 3) : $b An autobiography edited by his brotherPaton, John Gibson
Religion
John G. Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides, volume 3 (of 3) : $b An autobiography edited by his brother
Paton, John Gibson
Missionaries -- Vanuatu -- Biography; Paton, John Gibson, 1824-1907
In 1839 the famous John Williams and Mr. J. Harris, of the London
Missionary Society, sailed to try and begin mission work on the New
Hebrides, but on landing on Erromanga both were murdered by the savages,
who feasted on their bodies. In 1843 Drs. Turner and Nisbet were by the
London Missionary Society settled on Tanna, but about six months after,
by a passing ship, they had to escape for their lives. After this Samoan
and Raratongan native teachers were again and again placed on the group,
but they were either murdered by the savages, or died in the damp,
unhealthy climate (compared with their own), or in sickness had to be
taken home again. So no effective mission work was done on the group
till in 1848 Dr. John Geddie and in 1852 Dr. John Inglis were landed on
Aneityum, where God spared and used them in bringing 3,500 cannibals on
that island to serve our dear Lord Jesus Christ; and until they had
translated and carried through the press the whole Bible and other books
in their language. For the printing and binding of this Bible the
converted natives paid the noble British and Foreign Bible Society
£1,200 sterling ($6,000), earned by them preparing and selling
arrowroot.
[Illustration:
WILLIAMS RIVER, ERROMANGA.
The point on the shore where natives stand is that on which John
Williams was murdered.
]
In 1857 the Rev. G. N. and Mrs. Gordon were placed on Erromanga, where
Williams lost his life. By them God brought some fourteen young men and
as many young women to renounce heathenism and serve Jesus, but in 1851
the savages one morning tomahawked both to death. Their young converts
wept and wailed over their loss, laid them in the grave, and vowed over
it that they would conquer Erromanga for Jesus, or die, as their
missionaries had died, in the effort. In 1864 the Rev. J. D. Gordon,
going to convert, if possible, the murderers of his brother and his
wife, was placed on Erromanga, and after much successful work, the
heathen there killed him also with the tomahawk in 1872. The Christian
party laid his body in the grave, wept and wailed over it, and renewed
their vow and wrought and prayed till they have, indeed, conquered the
island for Jesus Christ. Now every family there daily sings the praise
of His redeeming love, and tries to serve Him devotedly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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