Life of John Coleridge Patteson : Missionary Bishop of the Melanesian IslandsYonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
Religion
Life of John Coleridge Patteson : Missionary Bishop of the Melanesian Islands
Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
Missions -- Melanesia; Patteson, John Coleridge, 1827-1871
On Good Friday the three Nengone young men who had been baptized were
confirmed, and on the Wednesday in Easter Week the 'Southern Cross'
sailed, this time with a responsible sailing master. At Nengone Mr.
Patteson had a friendly interview with Mr. Craig, the London Society's
missionary, and explained to him the state of things with regard to
these individual pupils; then, after being overwhelmed with presents by
the Christian population, shaped his course for Bauro.
On the way he had the experience of a tropical thunderstorm, after
having been well warned by the sinking of the barometer through the
whole of the day, the 27th of April. 'At 7.30 the breeze came up, and
the big drops began, when suddenly a bright forked flash so sustained
that it held its place before our eyes like an immense white-hot crooked
wire, seemed to fall on the deck, and be splintered there. But one
moment and the tremendous crack of the thunder was alive and around
us, making the masts tremble. For more than an hour the flashes were so
continuous that I think every three seconds we had a perfect view of
the whole horizon. I especially remember the firmament between the lurid
thunder clouds looking quite blue, so intense was the light. The thunder
rolled on without cessation, but the tremendous claps occurred only at
intervals. We have no lightning conductor, and I felt somewhat anxious;
went below and prayed God to preserve us from lightning and fire, read
the magnificent chapter at the end of Job. As the storm went on, I
thought that at that very hour you were praying "From lightning and
tempest, good Lord, deliver us." We had no wind: furious rain, repeated
again from midnight to three this morning. About eleven the thunder
had ceased, but the broad flashes of lightning were still frequent. The
lightning was forked and jagged, and one remarkable thing was the length
of time that the line of intense light was kept up, like a gigantic
firework, so that the shape of the flash could be drawn with entire
accuracy by any one that could handle a pencil. It was a grand and
solemn sight and sound, and I am very thankful we were preserved from
danger, for the storm was right upon us, and the danger must have been
great.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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