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
The expenses of the voyages in the 'Border Maid' had been met partly by
the Eton Association, and partly by another association at Sydney, where
a warm interest in these attempts had been excited and maintained by the
yearly visits of Bishop Selwyn, who usually visited Australia while
the lads were wintering at their homes. But the 'Border Maid' was
superannuated, nor had she ever been perfectly fitted for the purpose;
and when, in 1853, the Bishop was obliged to come to England to take
measures for dividing his diocese, he also hoped to obtain permission to
establish a Melanesian school on Norfolk Island, and to obtain the
means of building a schooner yacht, small enough to be navigated in
the narrow, shallow creeks separating the clustered islets, and yet
capacious enough for the numerous passengers. In the meantime Mr. Nihill
went to Nengone with his wife and child. His lungs were much affected,
but he hoped that the climate would prolong his power of working among
the Christian community, who heartily loved and trusted him.
Other fellow-labourers the Bishop hoped to obtain at home, though it was
his principle never to solicit men to come with him, only to take those
who offered themselves; but all the particulars of the above narration
had been known to Coley Patteson through the Bishop's correspondence
with Mr. Edward Coleridge, as well as by the yearly report put forth by
the Eton Association, and this no doubt served to keep up in his heart
the flame that had burnt unseen for so many years, and to determine its
direction, though he put himself unreservedly at the Bishop's disposal,
to work wherever he might be sent.
The means for the mission ship 'Southern Cross' were raised. She was
built at Blackwall by Messrs. Wigram, and, after all the delays, sailed
on the very same day as the 'Duke of Portland.'
Meantime here are a few extracts from Patteson's journal-letter during
the voyage. Sea-sickness was very slightly disabling with him; he was up
and about in a short time, and on the 8th of April was writing:--
'What a day this has been to me, the twenty-eighth anniversary of my
baptism to begin with, and then Easter Day spent at sea!
'April 20th, lat, 4° N., long. 25° W.--Rather hot. It is very fine
to see all the stars of the heavens almost rise and pass overhead and
set--Great Bear and Southern Cross shining as in rivalry of each other,
and both hemispheres showing forth all their glory. Only the Polar Star,
that shines straight above you, is gone below our horizon; and One alone
knows how much toil, and perhaps sorrow, there may be in store for
me before I see it again. But there is and will be much happiness
and comfort also, for indeed I have great peace of mind, and a firm
conviction that I am doing what is right; a feeling that God is
directing and ordering the course of my life, and whenever I take the
only true view of the business of life, I am happy and cheerful.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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