The Story of John G. Paton; Or, Thirty Years Among South Sea CannibalsPaton, John Gibson
Religion
The Story of John G. Paton; Or, Thirty Years Among South Sea Cannibals
Paton, John Gibson
Missions -- Vanuatu; Paton, John Gibson, 1824-1907
Wheresover railway, steamboat, and coach were available, I always used
them; but failing these, I hired, or was obliged to friends of Missions
for driving me from place to place. On this tour, having reached a
certain place, from which my way lay for many miles across the country,
where there was no public conveyance, I walked to the nearest squatter's
Station and frankly informed the owner how I was situated; that I could
not hire, and that I would like to stay at his house all night, if he
would kindly send me on in the morning by any sort of trap to the next
Station on my list. He happened to be a good Christian and a
Presbyterian, and gave me a right cordial welcome. A meeting of his
servants was called, which I had the pleasure of addressing. Next
morning, he gave me L20, and sent me forward with his own conveyance,
telling me to retain it all day, if necessary.
On reaching the next squatter's Station, I found the master also at
home, and said, "I am a Missionary from the South Sea Islands. I am
crossing Victoria to plead the cause of the Mission. I would like to
rest here for an hour or two. Could you kindly send me on to the next
Station by your conveyance? If not, I am to keep the last squatter's
buggy, until I reach it."
Looking with a queer smile at me, he replied, "You propose a rather
novel condition on which to rest at my house! My horses are so employed
to-day, I fear that I may have difficulty in sending you on. But come
in; both you and your horses need rest; and my wife will be glad to see
you."
I immediately discovered that the good lady came from Glasgow, from a
street in which I had lodged when a student at the Free Normal College.
I even knew some of her friends. All the places of her youthful
associations were equally familiar to me. We launched out into
deeply-interesting conversation, which finally led up, of course, to the
story of our Mission.
The gentleman, by this time, had so far been won that he slipped out and
sent my conveyance and horses back to their owner, and ordered his own
to be ready to take me to the next Station, or, if need be, to the next
again. At parting, the lady said to her husband, "The Missionary has
asked no money, though he sees we have been deeply interested; yet
clearly that is the object of his tour. He is the first Missionary from
the Heathen that ever visited us here; and you must contribute something
to his Mission fund."
I thanked her, explaining, "I never ask money directly from any person
for the Lord's work. My part is done when I have told my story and shown
the needs of the Heathen and the claims of Christ; but I gratefully
receive all that the Lord moves His people to give for the Mission."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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