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
At nine o'clock that evening, I left for Scotland by train. Next
morning, about the same hour, I reported myself at the manse of the Rev.
John Kay, Castle Douglas, the Convener of the Foreign Mission Committee
of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, to which I then belonged. We
arranged for a meeting of said Committee, at earliest practicable date,
that my scheme and plans might at once be laid before them.
By the next train I was on my way to Dumfries, and thence by conveyance
to my dear old home at Torthorwald. There I had a Heavenly Welcome from
my saintly parents, yet not unmixed with many fast-falling tears. Five
brief years only had elapsed, since I went forth from their Sanctuary,
with my young bride; and now, alas! alas! that grave on Tanna held
mother and son locked in each other's embrace till the Resurrection Day.
Not less glowing, but more terribly agonizing, was my reception, a few
days thereafter, at Coldstream, when I first gazed on the bereaved
father and mother of my beloved; who, though godly people, were
conscious of a heart-break under that stroke, from which through their
remaining years they never fully rallied. They murmured not against the
Lord; but all the same, heart and flesh began to faint and fail, even as
our Divine Exemplar Himself fainted under the Cross, which yet He so
uncomplainingly bore.
The Foreign Mission Committee of the Reformed Presbyterian Church met in
Edinburgh, and welcomed me kindly, nay, warmly. A full report of all my
doings for the past, and of all my plans and hopes, was laid before
them. They at once agreed to my visiting and addressing every
Congregation and Sabbath School in the Church. They opened to me their
Divinity Hall, that I might appeal to the Students. My Address there was
published and largely circulated, under the motto--"Come over and help
us." It was used of God to deepen vastly the interest in our Mission.
The Committee generously and enthusiastically did everything in their
power to help me. By their influence, the Church in 1864 conferred on me
the undesired and undeserved honor, the highest which they could
confer--the honor of being the Moderator of their Supreme Court. No one
can understand how much I shrank from all this; but, in hope of the
Lord's using it and me to promote His work amongst the Heathen, I
accepted the Chair, though, I fear, only to occupy it most unworthily,
for Tanna gave me little training for work like that!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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