ページの画像
PDF
ePub

With the most heartfelt feelings of intimate communion in the Lord, our great and eternal Head, we are,

Reverend and very dear brethren, yours,

The Committee of the Missionary Society, and on their behalf,

W. HOFFMAN,

Inspector of the Missionary Institution.

IV.

FROM THE NETHERLANDS MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Rotterdam, June 12, 1843.

BELOVED BRETHREN IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,-The letter, which you have sent us under date of April 28th, has filled us with sorrow and melancholy at the disaster which you deplore, and the fate of the still young Missionary establishments, founded by your Society in the South Sea Islands. But lately released from the ignorance, error, and superstition of heathenism; and brought to the knowledge and belief of the only true God, and of Jesus Christ his Son, the Saviour of the world; you see them, in consequence of political events, again exposed to seduction and declension from the truth of the Gospel. You fear that you shall see the influence of your Missionaries weakened; their efforts impeded and undermined; and you paint the future, which formerly appeared so bright and fair, as involved in distressing gloom. Must we not sorrow with you? Must we not participate in your disappointment, fear, and grief? As members of the Protestant Church in general, and as fellow-labourers in the propagation of pure Christianity among the heathen in particular, we make with you, as protectors of the cause of Evangelical Missions, one body, of which when one member suffers all the other members suffer with it.

Yes, brethren, we participate in the sorrow, which more directly affects you as a particular Society. Like you, we find consolation, encouragement, and strength in prayer to our Almighty and all-sufficient Lord. To this you exhort us, and all the Missionary Societies in Europe; desiring that on the evening of the 5th of June, the friends of Protestant Missions may unite in spirit, and bow before the throne of grace, to implore that the dangers may be averted, to which the Missionaries, and the communities which they have formed in the South Sea Islands, are exposed.

You were then comprehended with these your Missions, in the prayers to Heaven, which were put up by a numerous meeting, on the evening of the 5th of June, for the coming of God's kingdom, for the protection of the Missionaries, for the success of their endeavours, and for the preservation and completion of the good, which, by the Lord's blessing, has been effected by their labours. May the Lord lend a gracious ear to your wishes and ours-to the wishes and prayers of so many fellow Christians; and may He, who rules in the midst of our enemies, and whose will it is that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, maintain the honour of his Gospel, put to shame the kingdom of darkness, and give his blessing to every effort which is made in his fear and in his strength, according to his command, to extend the boundaries of his blessed kingdom to all parts of the world! And if his way is now obscure to you, as it has many times been to us, may he grant you to bear every trial with patience, to abide his time, and to follow in faith the way that he leads you. May the Christians in the South Sea Islands, protected and preserved by him, bear the trials with which they are now threatened or surrounded. May the sincerity of their faith, and the power of their love, become under and through

these trials more manifest-then certainly you, and we with you, shall hereafter rejoice at the hour of trial which has come over them. The Lord grant it! With brotherly and cordial regard, we are, beloved brethren in our Lord Jesus Christ, your brethren in him united,

The Directors of the Netherlands Missionary Society, and in their names,
R. LEDEBOER, Secretary.

RESULTS OF MISSIONARY LABOUR AT AITUTAKI.
(From Rev. Henry Royle, Aitutaki, Hervey Islands, June 19, 1842.)

The heathen brought from darkness to light.
It is our happiness to believe that our la-
bours in the past year have been instru-
mental, through divine grace, in leading
several of the people to a saving acquaint-
ance with the truth: these are fourteen in
number, and their daily walk and conver-
sation attest most satisfactorily the ge-
nuineness of the change. Two of them had
been leaders in those works of destruction,
namely, the burning of our two chapels
with a number of the houses belonging to
the party favourable to the Mission. The
men who once sought to destroy our lives
and property, now receive at our hands, in
a spirit of the deepest penitence and humi-
lity, the sacred symbols of the Saviour's
broken body and shed blood. I shall not
soon forget the emotion with which the
church-members listened to their confes-
sions from my own eyes, I am not ashamed
to confess, they drew a copious flood of
tears. Their companions in sin vented upon
them, for a season, their hottest anger; but
they sustained it in a truly christian spirit.
Piao and Paküa, for such are their names,
began to attend the means of instruction,
and were soon able to read with fluency the
word of God. They are now respected on
the island, and Paküa is one of my most
devoted teachers in the schools.

Fruit gathered to eternal life.

A few of our people have died in the faith of the Gospel: we witnessed their closing scenes, and heard with satisfaction their dying testimony to the preciousness of a Saviour's love. In January, I visited the dying bed of Vae, the Governor of the district in which my house stood. He was one of the few who connected themselves with us soon after our first landing on these shores; and he was known to have declared his intention of shielding us, by all proper means, from a popular feeling provoked against us by a number of wicked white men residing on the island. He was by birth a considerable Chief, and was connected with the most powerful family in the land: he had also a numerous band of children, all of whom he sent to our school at the head-station, as soon as it was commenced. His natural disposition was simi

lar to that of his brethren on the islandproud, hasty, and resentful; but, as he placed himself under our instructions at an early period, and was steady in his attendance, he soon gave decided evidence that our care was not bestowed upon him in vain. He frequently came to us to ask about eternal things; and the manner in which he proposed his questions, and listened to our replies, strikingly indicated the great change that had passed upon him, while it won upon our esteem and endeared him to our hearts.

Peaceful death of the Chief.

His state of mind in the prospect of death was truly enviable. I cannot record any rapturous expressions which fell from his lips: he would take my hand and first press it to his lips, and then place it upon his heart, while a rapid stream of tears would course down his once manly but now ghastly countenance, indicative of the joy and peace that reigned within. I asked him, If he felt that he deserved the happiness he seemed to possess? His only answer was a flood of tears, and a significant shake of the head. I asked him, If there was anything to which he could liken the love of God, in giving his Son to die for poor sinners? He appeared thoughtful for a moment, and was silent; then throwing up his eyes towards heaven, he wept another flood of tears. I again asked, If he thought he merited heaven for his kindness to me, for his prayers, or anything he had done on earth? He replied, That is not what you have taught me to believe, nor is it what I have read in the word of God. then repeated, in an emphatic manner, "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."

He

This was the last time he could speak so as to be understood, and in a few hours afterwards, we learned, by the usual demonstrations of grief and lamentation, that bis spirit had entered the eternal world.

Anticipated triumphs of redeeming grace.

There is a class of natives whom we view with feelings of peculiar interest: they have

done much to alienate our affections from them. I feel now in my own person, and see also in that of the dear partner of my days, the effects of their first violent opposition. They acted, however, in utter ignorance of the benevolence of our intentions. We have long prayed for them, and with many tears. The great Master of the vineyard has constituted them objects of our ministerial regards: we feel we have a great love for them, and desire to travail in birth over them, until Christ be formed in their hearts the hope of glory.

Months have

rolled away since we experienced any act of hostility from these people. They attend regularly on the Sabbath day, and at other times. Frequently they come in a body to bring us food. They appear to listen with attention to the Word preached: oftentimes they ask the most interesting questions in reference to eternal things; and many of them, of late, have been admitted to our schools. I have no doubt our Scripture Readers have exerted a happy influence over this portion of the population: indeed their whole conduct now is such as to evince the highest respect for our teaching. It is only on their own account that we attach any importance to this feature of their character; for little weight will accompany our ministrations among them, if there be a previous respect wanting for our persons and principles.

Great improvement in social feelings and habits.

In the prosecution of our labours, we found it necessary to attempt some change in their social and domestic habits; not that we wished the removal of that which

was truly simple- this we too much admired; but we were deeply convinced that some change was necessary. We urged

them to build themselves houses in the cottage-style, light and airy, and divided into apartments for various uses. They soon followed our advice, and others now are imitating their example. The island begins to assume a garden-like appearance. The bush has been cleared away, and large tracts of land are under cultivation.

Temper of the people under affliction.

During last year our people suffered much from a scarcity of food, having been obliged to eat the various roots dug out of the earth. This, however, was the effect of a violent hurricane, which visited us in February, 1841. It lasted about thirty hours, and was truly frightful. Our two chapels were destroyed, with about thirtythree native houses. The sea broke through its usual bounds, and carried away all that obstructed its course. Trees of a large size, and which had apparently stood for ages, were torn up by the roots. The wind blew fiercely from every point of the compass in succession; but we felt its fury most from N. N. W. On that occasion we had a strong proof of the growing attachment of the people to us: they came from all parts of the island, through the night, forgetful of their own sufferings, that they might afford us what assistance lay in their power. They view the visitation as a merciful chastisement. It has been a means of awakening reflection in many minds, while our prayer has been that it may be sanctified to their eternal good.

AFRICA.

WORK OF GRACE AT CALEDON INSTITUTION.
(From Rev. Henry Helm, November 1, 1842.)

THE great and good work of God, men-
tioned in former communications, has con-
tinued, although not without some varia-
tion, to the present time. Many a sinner
I trust, has, during this season of refresh-
ing, come heavy-laden to Christ, and has
received the promised rest. Of our young
people, from 17 to 25 years of age, more
than forty have experienced a saving change
of heart; and of those more advanced in
years, some whom we thought to be har-
dened, were not too hard for the Lord;
they sought and found him. Great changes
for the better have taken place in several
families. Husbands, who had formerly much
to suffer from their unconverted wives, have
had the joy to see that God has answered
their prayers by humbling and converting

their unbelieving partners, and the consequences are, peace and love in their families. Five young persons, members of a very irreligious family, the heads of which I have often had to admonish for not attending the means of grace, have been converted, and the father has followed this good example. In two families four have been converted, in others three, and in others two. My own family have also participated in this blessing: five of my sons experienced some years ago a saving change of heart; and their youngest brother has now been converted to God. What causes of joy and thankfulness has a father to see all his children walking in the truth! Bless the Lord, O my soul!

On the other hand, we have seen and

heard the words of our Saviour verified in more than one instance-Matt. x. 35, 36. I shall mention only two cases. Two of our converts are hated and persecuted for their piety by their wives, who say that they cannot bear them now, and they beat and pelt them with stones, not only in their houses, but also in the fields where they go to pray; and both of the men, of whom one was naturally of an unyielding and obstinate temper, not only bear patiently such treatment, but pray for their wicked wives. By this conduct even the people still unconverted are constrained to testify that these two men must be truly converted.

That this awakening, is the work of the Holy Spirit, and not, as it was thought at first by a few, a mere excitement, is, I think, sufficiently proved by the effects, the length of time it has continued, and the cases of those who, after prolonged resistance to the power of divine grace, yielded themselves to God. They left the station in the beginning of this awakening, and went on journeys, or into the service of neighbouring farmers, in order to get rid of the uneasiness they felt in their minds; but finding no relief, they returned and bent their knees before God to implore mercy. I shall relate an instance of this kind.

Two young men of about nineteen years of age had been for several months with a trader on a journey into the interior; they returned in February, and finding the people and their former companions so different

from what they were when they left the institution, they felt very uneasy, and would have left this place on the same day, had not one of my sons persuaded them to stay. One of them went, in the forenoon of that day, to see another young man, with whom he had been very intimate, and to whom he had given a ring as a sign of his friendship and respect. His former friend invited him to come to Christ, and when he saw that the other paid little or no attention to what he said, he took the ring out of his pocket, saying, "You and I were formerly companions-I am no longer a companion of yours; there, take your ring back. I do not say that I will never be your companion again, but then you must come over to me to you I cannot return." This made some impression on his mind. He came to me in the afternoon to salute me, as is usually done by such of the people as have been long from home. I spoke to him seriously and affectionately on his awful state, and concluded by saying, that he must without delay begin to pray; and he did so. The Holy Spirit convinced him of his sins and lost condition: he prayed almost whole nights, and at day-time he would take his Testament and go into the fields to read and pray; and at the end of eight days, he enjoyed peace, love, and joy in the Holy Ghost. The other young man, who had been with him on the journey, experienced the same happy change about a month later.

MADAGASCAR.

THE cruel and relentless persecution commenced in 1885, continues to rage in this island; and during the year 1842, five new victims have been added to the glorious company of Christian martyrs. The suspicion and cruelty of the Queen and her Government have, if possible, increased; and the state of the people in general, and of the persecuted Christians in particular, is one of the most aggravated misery. Two devoted brethren suffered death for the sake of the Lord Jesus, in the month of June, and by a letter from some of the native Christians themselves, forwarded from Tananarivo, in October last, we learn that three more have been put to death since that period. The suffering believers thus write :

"This is what we have to tell you with regard to our state at the present time. Some person unknown to us having written a paper, [containing, it would appear, some reflec. tion upon the Government,] and having fixed it on the walls of a house, the Queen, when informed of the circumstance, was very angry, and published a proclamation, ordering the person who had done it to impeach himself, and giving four days for this purpose. If the offender confessed not within the period, but was otherwise discovered, the Queen declared she would have him cut into pieces the size of musket-balls. 'And I will not,' she said, 'let him escape, for I and God are upon one side.' The four days expired, and no one having confessed, Raharo (who was formerly baptized and employed as one of the twelve head-teachers) was, with several others, accused, and compelled to drink the tangena-ordeal. Raharo died from the tangena, and Ratsimilay, (another Christian,) being detected in attempting to save him from it, was ordered by the Queen to be put to death. He and Raharo were cut into small pieces, and afterwards burnt; and Imamonjy was also associated with them."

Under these accumulated fiery trials, the constancy of the believers is un

wavering: as we have just seen, when arraigned before their cruel judges, they refused to divulge the names of their brethren, or their places of concealment, and calmly laid down their lives for the sake of the Lord Jesus, without the solace of a friend, and amidst the cruel triumph of their enemies.

The fury of persecution in Madagascar has now been poured out upon the infant-church for more than eight years; its members have been driven into exile and slavery, and seventeen of their number have been doomed to death; yet the trial of their faith has been found unto praise, and honour, and glory; none have apostatised, or denied the Lord who bought them with his blood. With tender sympathy and continued prayer for our persecuted brethren, let us then unite thanksgiving to God who has sustained them under accumulated sufferings by his grace, and preserved them faithful even unto death.

KINGSTON STATION, JAMAICA.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION-STONE OF A NEW CHAPEL, TO BE CALLED FREEMAN CHAPEL. (From Rev. George Wilkinson, February 8, 1843.)

I AM happy to inform you that the present year has opened upon us with a very smiling aspect, giving promise, we trust, of enlarged success for the time to come. The visit of our dear friend, the Rev. J. J. Freeman, has done us much good: it has greatly cheered our spirits which were sometimes ready to droop, and has imparted an impulse to the station the effect of which will not be soon forgotten. Among other things we are glad that the question of building a chapel is finally settled, and that we have commenced in good earnest the erection of a commodious house for divine worship.

The foundation-stone of the new chapel was laid on Wednesday, February 1st, in presence of a numerous concourse of people assembled to witness the interesting ceremony. On the morning of the day we had an early prayer meeting to implore the blessing of God on the undertaking before us; for "except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain who build it." At about four o'clock, we repaired to the site of the new erection, where a platform had been erected for the ministers and other friends, and where several hundreds of persons were gathered together. The service was commenced by singing, the reading of an appropriate portion of Scripture, and prayer: in these devotional exercises kind assistance was rendered by brethren of other religious denominations. I then gave a short account of the rise and progress of the station, from the commencement of the Society's operations here in 1834, by the late Mr. Wooldridge; and read a copy of the writing which, together with some coins of the realm, was put into a bottle and deposited in the stone.

The Rev. J. J. Freeman, with myself, then proceeded to lay the foundation-stone; and when the ceremony was completed,

Mr. Freeman addressed the meeting with his usual eloquence and effect. His address being concluded, it remained for me to mention to the people the name which had been selected for the chapel. We have fixed upon one which we think will meet with the approval of the Directors. In honour of our dear friend who was with us as a Deputation from the Parent Society in London, we propose calling it FREEMAN CHAPEL. This is not only the name of our dear and honoured friend, but is also strikingly characteristic of the circumstances of this people, and of all who may hereafter worship in this place. To this appropriate designation there was a cheerful and unanimous response by the meeting, who appeared pleased with the name from its peculiar and interesting associations. Mr. Freeman briefly replied in acknowledgment of the honour conferred upon him. One or two other speeches were then delivered; and, after singing and prayer, the meeting separated, evidently gratified with what they had heard and witnessed.

A practical demonstration of good feeling, and of the readiness of the people to assist in the undertaking, was afforded by the liberal amount of subscription raised on the occasion, which was upwards of thirty guineas.

Such is the account of the interesting services of a day, to which many among us had long looked forward with feelings of joyful anticipation; and upon which, I doubt not, many hereafter will look back with gratitude and delight. We trust that that day will be the beginning of days-of bright and glorious days-to the church of Christ formed here. "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God." And of Zion it shall be said, "This and that man was born in her."

« 前へ次へ »