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
'I wish I had more time to write, but I am too busy in the midst of
school, and printing Scripture histories and private prayers, and
translations in Nengone, Bauro, Lifu; and as all my time out of school
is spent in working in the printing office, I really have not a minute
unoccupied. With one exception, I have scarcely ever taken an hour's
walk for some six weeks. A large proportion of the printing is actually
set up by my own fingers; but now one Nengone lad, the flower of my
flock, can help me much--a young man about seventeen or eighteen,
of whom I hope very much--Malo, baptized by the name of Harper, an
excellent young man, and a great comfort to me. He was setting up in
type a part of the little book of private prayers I am now printing for
them. I had just pointed out to him the translation of what would be in
English--"It is good that a man as he lies down to sleep should remember
that that night he may hear the summons of the Angel of God; so then let
him think of his death, and remember the words of St. Paul: 'Awake, thou
that sleepest,'" etc.; when in came the man whom the Archdeacon left
in charge here with my letters. "I hope, sir, there is no bad news for
you;" and my eye lighted on the deep black border of your envelope.
'To-morrow, if I live, I enter upon my thirty-second year--a solemn
warning I have received to-day, as another year is passing from me. May
some portion of his spirit rest on me to bless my poor attempt to
do what he did so devotedly for more than forty years: his duty as a
soldier and servant of his Lord and Master, into whose joy he has no
doubt now entered.
'Easter Day.--What an Easter for him! and doubtless we all who will by
and by, as the world rolls round, receive the Holy Eucharist shall be in
some way united to him as well as to all departed saints--members of His
Mystical Body.
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