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 have many and delightful talks with Mr. Martin on our languages. We
see already how strong an infusion of Polynesian elements exists in
the Melanesian islands. With the language of four groups we are fairly
acquainted now, besides some of the distinguishing dialects, which
differ very much from one another; nevertheless, I think that by-and-by
we shall connect them all if we live; but as some dialects may have
dropped out altogether, we may want a few links in the chain to
demonstrate the connection fully to people at a distance. It is a great
refreshment to me to work out these matters, and the Judge kindly looked
up the best books that exist in all the Polynesian languages, so that we
can found our induction upon a comparison of all the dialects now from
the Solomon Islands to the Marquesas, with the exception of the Santa
Cruz archipelago. We have been there two or three times, but the people
are so very numerous and noisy, that we never have had a chance as yet
of getting into a quiet talk (by signs, &c.) with any of the people.
'Still, as we know some Polynesian inhabitants of a neighbouring isle
who have large sea canoes, and go to Santa Cruz, we may soon get one of
them to go with us, and so have an interpreter, get a lad or two, and
learn the language.
'We are sadly in want of men; yet we cannot write to ask persons to
come out for this work who may be indisposed, when they arrive in
New Zealand, to carry out the particular system on which the Bishop
proceeds. Any man who would come out and consent to spend a summer at
the Melanesian school in New Zealand in order to learn his work, and
would give up any preconceived notions of his own about the way to
conduct missionary work that might militate against the Bishop's
plan--such a man would be, of course, the very person we want; but we
must try to make people understand that half-educated men will not do
for this work. Men sent out as clergymen to the mission-field who would
not have been thought fit to receive Holy Orders at home, are not at all
the men we want. It is not at all probable that such men would really
understand the natives, love them, and live with them; but they would be
great dons, keeping the natives at a distance, assuming that they could
have little in common, &c.--ideas wholly destructive of success in
missionary, or in any work. That pride of race which prompts a white man
to regard coloured people as inferior to himself, is strongly ingrained
in most men's minds, and must be wholly eradicated before they will ever
win the hearts, and thus the souls of the heathen.
'What a preachment, as usual, about Melanesia!...
'Your loving old Pupil and Nephew,
'J. C. PATTESON.'
Next follows a retrospective letter:--
'April 1, 1859: St. John's College.
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