Journal of Residence in the New Hebrides, S.W. Pacific OceanBice, C. (Charles)
History
Journal of Residence in the New Hebrides, S.W. Pacific Ocean
Bice, C. (Charles)
Missions -- Vanuatu
In the early evening we decorated the Font, and when the building was
lit up at night with lots of candles, it looked quite nice. The service
was quite one of the most stirring I have ever taken part in, and the
ready responses one by one, of men and women, produced a great effect on
every one present. The women, generally like poor frightened, startled
creatures, answered out marvellously, with a vigour and earnestness,
such as no one was prepared for. The ceremony of Baptizing twenty-five
people took some time, but no one seemed fatigued, so interested were
they in what was going on. Among the number Baptized were a blind man,
and a blind woman, but they, like the rest, were wonderfully
self-possessed. Poor Diu, whom I called Kate, after Miss Lodge, who had
nursed her so faithfully at Norfolk Island, was perfectly ecstatic in
her delight, and seemed endued with special strength, having risen from
a bed of sickness on purpose to be present.
I gave a short address afterwards, and was followed by Charles, who
spoke well to the subject, and in very good taste considering the number
of outsiders present.
We finished with the Nunc Dimittis, a fitting conclusion to a most
beautiful service.
_Monday, September 27th._--A most beautiful day, and a whole holiday. I
told the scholars in the morning that I wished to see only smiling and
happy faces all day, and to hear of nothing but joy and gladness because
of the occasion of the holiday, viz., to celebrate the spiritual
birthday of twenty-five brothers and sisters. Food in large quantities
was provided, and we managed to secure two pigs for the feast. I think
it was the brightest and happiest day I have ever known here, and our
festivities were shared in by a number of neighbours. Contrary to
strict custom here, the women and girls of the school prepared the food
under the trees on the beach, the boys chopping the wood and doing the
heavy work. The scene was a very animated one, and all seemed to be in
the very best of tempers. In the evening the ovens were opened, and the
distribution of the food was made. Unfortunately I was not very well
myself, but that did not interfere very much with the rest. In the cool
of the evening the boys played a number of their native games, very
pretty and very picturesque, with a pretty song to each. When darkness
closed in we had Evensong, and then the happy day was brought to an end.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account