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
The death of Namakei had in it many streaks of Christian romance. He had
heard about the Missionaries annually meeting on one or other of the
Islands, and consulting about the work of Jehovah. What ideas he had
formed of a Mission Synod one cannot easily imagine; but in his old age,
and when very frail, he formed an impassioned desire to attend our next
meeting on Aneityum, and see and hear all the Missionaries of Jesus
gathered together from the New Hebrides. Terrified that he would die
away from home, and that that might bring great reverses to the good
work on Aniwa, where he was truly beloved, I opposed his going with all
my might. But he and his relations and his people were all set upon it,
and I had at length to give way. His few booklets were then gathered
together, his meager wardrobe was made up, and a small Native basket
carried all his belongings. He assembled his people and took an
affectionate farewell, pleading with them to be "strong for Jesus,"
whether they ever saw him again or not, and to be loyal and kind to
Missi. The people wailed aloud, and many wept bitterly. Those on board
the _Dayspring_ were amazed to see how his people loved him. The old
Chief stood the voyage well. He went in and out to our meeting of Synod,
and was vastly pleased with the respect paid to him on Aneityum. When he
heard of the prosperity of the Lord's work, and how Island after Island
was learning to sing the praises of Jesus, his heart glowed, and he
said, "Missi, I am lifting up my head like a tree. I am growing tall
with joy!"
On the fourth or fifth day, however, he sent for me out of the Synod,
and when I came to him, he said, eagerly, "Missi, I am near to die! I
have asked you to come and say farewell. Tell my daughter, my brother,
and my people to go on pleasing Jesus, and I will meet them again in the
fair World."
I tried to encourage him, saying that God might raise him up again and
restore him to his people; but he faintly whispered, "O Missi, death is
already touching me! I feel my feet going away from under me. Help me to
lie down under the shade of that banyan tree."
So saying, he seized my arm, we staggered near to the tree, and he lay
down under its cool shade. He whispered again, "I am going! O Missi, let
me hear your words raising up in prayer, and then my Soul will be strong
to go."
Amidst many choking sobs, I tried to pray. At last he took my hand,
pressed it to his heart, and said in a stronger and clearer tone, "O my
Missi, my dear Missi, I go before you, but I will meet you again in the
Home of Jesus. Farewell!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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